The Cabin in The Woods

A flash of lighting streaks across the sky lighting up the world. Dark grey clouds hang low in the sky covering the earth in darkness. The tremendous sound of thunder echoes through the sky. The air seems to hum and it is thick with tension. Another bolt of lighting darts across the sky. The wind whips through the trees causing them to bow to the earth. The sound of branches breaking and the crash of a tree fills the tense air. The only thing breaking the sound of the wind is the crash of thunder. In the distance clouds descend on the earth moving closer as it drenches the earth. The rain heads to the little cabin in the woods. The sound of the droplets of water hitting the ground is deafening. A wall of water soon engulfs the forest.  

He stands there in the midst of the wind and rain. Soaking wet as he stares at the cabin. He looks at the windows that are flooding with light. He can see in the windows and as he stares he sees a family sitting around a table. Light flashes in the sky and temporarily he is blinded as an ear splitting sound thunders above. As the lighting fades he sees that the windows no longer stream light out into the world. As the rain soaks down his back he finds himself moving. As if pulled by a string he is suddenly in front of the house staring in the window of the cabin in the woods. He almost jolts back in surprise when he sees a little boy younger than him staring out the window. Looking at the storm. The only thing that keeps him from leaving is because he knows that the boy won't see him, and no matter how much he wants to call out to him and warn him he knows the boy will never hear him. 

He stares back at the boy as he continues to stare out into the storm. He can see his parents moving to get candles. A little girl sits quietly at the table as a baby wails. He wants to reach out. He wants to warn them, but he can’t. He can only stare as the mother calls to the boy and tells him that it is too dangerous by the window. She tells him to move away as she picks up the baby. He hears rather then sees the father move to pull the boy away. Before he is once again blinded by a brilliant flash of light. The lighting streaks through the sky and strikes the tree next to the wood cabin. The tree groans as it falls to the earth. He feels himself go weightless as the tree crashes through the roof. Wood flying into the air. Everything seems to be moving in slow motion. Glass shatters and all sounds seem distant and cut off. He sees the boy slam into the broken window as all goes dark.  

Darkness curls around him as he feels phantom pains ghosting his body. He tries to move back deeper into the darkness. He tries to cling to it. To try and feel safe from the pain. Then he feels weightless and pain pierces his whole body. The pain in his head causes him to try to clutch his head, but he can’t move his arms. He becomes aware of the sound of people talking above him. He can hear the sounds of sirens and frantic shouts. He feels as if he is moving and tries to open his eyes. Colors blur above him with no shape. Just useless colors. He turns his head slightly and suddenly the colors form a shape. The shape of a little cabin in the woods with a tree crushing it. He barely makes out figures moving around before the world fades away once more.

~

It’s cold as he lays there on his bed, tears in his eyes. He just feels cold and numb. His mind is full of pictures and faces. Of a man and a woman. Of a little girl and a baby. Pain deep in his chest. He couldn’t do anything to stop it. An ugly darkness clutches at his heart squeezing it and removing all feelings of hope. He is so cold and even though he tries to curl into himself he still feels like ice. His eyes are full of tears, but he doesn’t cry. Why should he mourn for himself? For all that is lost. Why? He doesn’t deserve his own pity. He just wants to be free of pain. He just wants to be warm. Images of a Christmas when he was five flash through his mind. Moments of when there was still warmth in his life. Moments when he still was warm. Moments of before he was nine. Before his life fell apart and he became so cold. All he wanted was warmth. Just to be loved. He felt himself open his mouth to call out as darkness overtook him

~

He became aware of the fact that he was walking. Walking through the halls of a new school. Another time and another place. His head was bowed and his arms wrapped around himself. An attempt to get warm even if he never would be warm. It was pointless to be here when he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t be on this earth. As his mind was deep in its thoughts and the darkness that clung to him he didn’t notice her. He ran right into her and their books scattered on the floor. A gasp and an apology escaped his mouth as he bent down to pick the books up. He heard an apology and felt the other person also lean down to pick up their books. He stood and looked up and his mouth went dry. She stood there in front of him an angelic smile on her face, and for the first time in years he smiled.

~

Darkness was his old friend and the cold that clung to him was nothing new. He sat on the floor and stared at the wall of the room. This house was cold. His foster parents although nice never gave him the warmth that he wanted. It was too much, and while the cold and darkness were not new he was tired of feeling them. He did not want to be surrounded by them any more. He wanted to be able to bath in warmth and see the light. He was tired of fighting. He just wanted to be free. He reached out and his hands curled around the object on the table. The last thing he had from his old life. The boy that was not him. The boy who was warm and light, but was gone now. He stared at the brooch before setting it down beside the note. His left hand curled tighter around the handle of the knife. He could not stand the cold any longer.  He just wanted to be warm. He stood before stretching himself out across the floor. His eyes dry as he stared at the ceiling. He wanted light. He wanted warmth. He raised his hand with the knife above him. The darkness curled tighter around him and a numbing cold thrummed through his veins. He stared at the knife and took one last look around the room. His eyes glazed and his arms trembled. A buzzing sound filled the room and with a start he reached for his phone. Eyes widening as he saw an angelic face. He swiped to answer and in a shaky voice he spoke.

“Hello,” The sweet voice responded, “I was wondering if you would like to go out with me and some friends tomorrow.”

He felt himself tremble more and agreed in a shaky voice, and for the first time in a long time he felt a pinprick of warmth around his heart.

~

A warm hand touched his shoulder and he turned to look, his eyes that had previously been clouded cleared and he smiled at her. She gave him her own angelic smile and pulled him into a hug. He knew that everything would be okay. For even with his hard past he defined who he was. Taking her hand in his he turned and walked away from the window. Rain pounded against it and the wind howled. Lightning flashed lighting up the forest around the little cabin in the woods.