The Cabin - Chapter One

It was raining as she drove up the mountain. She hadn't been back to the cabin in nearly fifteen years. Her brother still went every year, now with his family, and he had been taking care of it. He was here just two weeks ago, so she knew everything would be ready.

The rain let up just as she found the path off the main road. She turned right and crept nearly half a mile to the cabin. Memories came rushing back. The furniture out front was new, and the place had been painted. But it felt the same.

She unloaded her bags and started a fire. She made up the bed, put her things away, and made some hot chocolate. She settled down in the rocking chair on the porch. From here she could look out over the lake. The trees were beginning to loose their leaves, and she could see several cabins that hadn't been there years ago. She could see smoke from the chimney in the closest one. She had wanted to spend the week alone, but it gave her some comfort to know there was someone nearby. She had been on her own for the past four years, but she still found it comforting.

The rain stopped completely, and the nighttime forest sounds began. She smiled as she remembered so many nights laying under the stars listening to those same sounds. When she was small, all she wanted to do was be an adult. Now she just wanted to go back and be that little girl again.

A door slammed, it seemed to come from the cabin just to her left. She heard whistling. A deep sound, must be a man. She smiled as she recognized the tune. She watched him walk to the woodpile. He grabbed a few logs, then headed back inside. Maybe tomorrow she would go down and introduce herself.

Her cell phone rang. With a sigh she got up and went inside. She saw the number, and couldn't repress the shiver. She turned it off, and went back outside.