The Cabin in the Woods

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window.

Bobby and his friends had gathered in the woods, on this Friday night. As they usually did.

Prepared only for a night of their usual teenage antics. Bonfires, trespassing and underage drinking.

That evening was particularly calm. Not a whisper of wind or rustle of leaves to be heard. The only light visible for miles was the fire the teenagers gathered around. Accompanied by the moon beams that streamed through the tree tops. Gandering through the half shed autumn leaves and landing on the barren soil below.

With the last of their friends heading back to their cars. Bobby, Andy and Jeff decided to call it a night.

Jeff walked down to the river, bucket in hand. Meanwhile the other two collected the garbage and cans, they had accumulated.

“I didn’t know anyone lived in that cabin by the river.” Jeff stated, returning from his mission and dumping water onto the pile of coals.

Which reacted with a hiss of steam and summoned a great wall of grey smoke.

“What?” Andy half sighed. Pausing for a second as he looked to his friend in a mixture of annoyance and confusion. Before shaking his head and tossing the last of the cans into a bag.

“There’s a light on in the cabin by the river.” Jeff repeated. Using his thumb to gesture over his shoulder, waiting for his friends to say something.

“Yeah okay, Jeff.” replied Bobby, laughing it off as he grabbed his cooler. Now starting to walk back to their car.

“Seriously.” Jeff stated, following his friends. Wanting them to believe him.

“Dude, you gotta lay off the grass.” Andy stated, laughing as he playfully elbowed his friend.

“Guys, really.” Jeff pleaded, half turning to point again. Almost hoping they could see it from where they were.

“You’re just trying to scare us. We know the legend isn’t true.” Bobby stated, rolling his eyes as he looked to his friend in disbelief. Waddling with the half full cooler he carried.

“What legend?” Jeff asked, seeming perplexed.

“Oh come on.” Andy stated, “You’ve never heard the legend about Payne Cabin?” he asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

“What legend?” Jeff inquired. Looking between his two friends in annoyance.

“The full moon widow, legend.” Bobby stated, a smirk caressing his lips as he watched his friend with intrigue.

“No idea.” Jeff stated, with an oblivious shrug.

Andy and Bobby stopped in the steps, sharing a both mischievous and knowing look. Bobby put his cooler down and had a seat on it, huffing to catch his breath.

“Years ago, when the inhabitants of the Payne cabin were still alive.” Bobby began, as Andy placed the bag of cans on the ground and sat beside him.

“It is said that on the night of a full moon, widow Payne was put under a curse before her untimely death. Doomed to relive her torture and death every time a full moon rises.” he told in a deep, foreboding voice. “Unless she can find someone to trade places with her.” he added, waiting for a reaction.

“What happened to her?” Jeff asked, seeming engulfed in the story.

“They say she was burned and hung, then drawn and quartered. Anyone who she catches is doomed to share this fate with her.” Andy stated, trying to suppress a smirk.

There was a long pause, as the two friends watched and waited for Jeff’s reaction.

“Nah.” he finally said with a dismissive wave. “You guys are pulling my leg.” he stated with a laugh and his usually carefree smile.

Bobby and Andy joined in, laughing along with him.They stood up and were about to carry on their way.

Until a blood curdling scream rang out through the woods. Reverberating off the trees and echoing into the distance, until it disappeared.

The three boys frozen in fear, looking to each other in disbelief.

Before they had time to process the sound, a hurricane like wind blew through the seemingly calm forest. Knocking all three to their knees.

Once the wind ended, Bobby popped up first. Breaking into a full sprint, the other two following close behind. Leaving their things behind.

Bobby began swiping tree branches out of his path, but ending up whipping Jeff in the face with them. While Andy ducked under and carried on running, behind his friends.

Suddenly, Bobby stopped unexpectedly. Causing his other two friends to run into him. Almost pushing him into the river.

“Take it easy, boys.” Bobby muttered, trying not to slip on the river bank.

“I thought we ran the other way.” Jeff stated, seeming perplexed.

Without another word, Andy turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Followed close by his friends.

Until Andy abruptly stopped. At the rivers edged again. The three boys looked around feverishly, completely confused.

“Look how close we are to the cabin. Was it always this close to the river?” Jeff asked, his eyes lingering on the cabin a little too long.

“There is a light in the window.” Andy commented, with a look of disbelief.

“I told you.” Jeff stated, flinging an arm in that direction.

“Yeah but-“

Before Andy could finish. Another horrifying shriek rang out and reverberated through the trees around them. Causing them to panic and run again. The other two following as Jeff lead them straight into the Payne cabin. Inexplicably.

Slamming the door behind themselves, the three boys stood in the entrance. Gawking.

They had been in the cabin a few times prior, but none of those times was there ever a light on or furniture inside. Typically an empty shell of what once was.

This time however, they were surrounded by period era furniture. Something like they were transported to another time and place.

It would have felt serene and peaceful, if not for the trail of blood that was smeared along the ground. Leading around the corner to the back of the house.

Jeff, being the most foolish, followed the path. Thoughtlessly.

Andy and Bobby, remained frozen at the door. Their breath caught in the throats as though anticipating what would happen next. They watched him disappear around the corner and waited in baited breath.

“Guys?” Jeff’s timid voice called back to them.

“I’m not going back there.” Andy mouthed, his face pale with fear as he stood pressed against the door, still.

Shooting his friend a dirty look, Bobby took a couple tentative steps forward. Forcing himself to draw breath as he did so, not bothering to look at the path he followed but the destination. The corner that Jeff had disappeared around.

The silence that waited around the corner for Bobby was more than a little eery. But even common sense couldn’t stop his feet from their chosen path. Bobby paused at the corner, looking back at Andy. Who was still pasted to the door in terror.

Bobby huffed to himself in annoyance. Of course Andy was no help in this moment. Pathetic.

With caution Bobby took one last step and peered around the corner, “Jeff?” he called in as calm of a voice as he could muster. As he leaned around the corner, his face dropped in unbridled horror.

There stood a woman dressed in a long white dress, covered in blood. Her long black hair sticky and clumpy, as though drenched in blood. It hung messily over her face, hiding any other features. Her head hung as she looked towards the floor.

In front of her, knelt a frozen and pale looking Jeff. His eyes seemed glazed in a blank, thoughtless stare. Completely catatonic.

Bobby stood frozen, watching the woman sway from side to side, creepily. Then without warning, Jeff’s head fell off with an unbearable thud. Blood poured out of his body as it also fell over.

The woman slowly raised her head, uncovering the lower part of her face. Hair still clung to her cheeks but her lips were visible as they curled into a terrifying smirk. Before stepping over Jeff’s lifeless body.

“Run!” Bobby shouted, turning tail and taking his own advice. He ran through the already open door, doing his best to catch up to Andy as they ran for the road. Again.

They fled for their lives through the woods, praying to make it to the road this time. Andy leading the way and Bobby nearly able to catch up. Until they ran into something solid.

Something was hanging from a tree, above them. Looking up they realized it was Jeff’s body.

“Guys, help me.” he choked, gasping and kicking his feet frantically. Before he abruptly burst into flames.

Causing his friends to jump back in frozen horror.

Suddenly a wind blew through the trees again. Carrying a sinister laugh that invaded their ears. Causing shivers down their spines and extinguishing their enflamed friend. Who was now swaying lifeless in the wind.

“Run.” Andy whispered, backing away from Jeff’s body. Before taking off into the darkness.

The two friends ran again, this time panic driven and in separate directions. Both thinking they were headed for the road.

Bobby unfortunately ended up at the rivers edge again. Almost falling in for a second time, tonight. Pausing where he was, the cabin was visible again.

Inside shadows danced as something sinister took place. Bobby stood still, watching. Almost as though hypnotized.

As he watched, Bobby came to a realization. The shadows weren’t dancing.

A grunting sound erupted from the cabin as it appeared that two shadows were wresting with a third one.

Could it be Andy and Jeff, overpowering the woman?

Taking a tentative step forward, he thought to help his friends. But as he watched, two shadows pinned down the third one. Grabbing it at the arms and legs, while pulling.

Bobby watched in horror as the third body was ripped in half. They screamed in unimaginable pain. The voice of the one torn in half sounded like Andy’s, which sent a chill down Bobby’s spine.

But what created even more terror in his soul was that the other two shadows laughed manically. As they stood over the body they dismembered. And one of them definitely sounded like Jeff.

Bobby’s knees grew weak he continued to watch the scene of shadows play out. Unable to move his feet, now made of cement.

As the laughs faded, the third shadow began to rise to its feet. The other two watched and welcomed him. “Welcome back brother.” the voice of Jeff greeted. Whom Bobby could only assume was speaking to the now revived Andy.

The third shadow, walked towards the window and the old woman poked her wrinkled pale face out. “There he is.” she croaked, pointing in Bobby’s direction.

Realizing the woods weren’t going to let him out, Bobby tried a new tactic. The river.

Without another thought, he walked into the rivers edge. The freezing water, giving him pause as it washed over his ankles. But looking back, he remembered the impending threat that followed. Before he could look to where he was heading, he slipped and fell to his knees. Barely able to catch himself from falling all the way in.

It suddenly occurred to Bobby, how strong the current of the river was. Yet, he was only a small portion the way through. If it was this strong in the shallows, it would be much stronger as it got deeper.

“Bobby, come back. The currents too strong.” the voice of Andy pleaded, feigning a worried look.

Snapping his attention back to the bigger threat. Bobby looked back to see what used to be his friends and the hag that now controlled them. The eery sight of them, chilled his bones more than the icy water he sat in.

“Your friends need you Bobby.” the old hag taunted him, a sinister sneer spread across her lips.

Panicking, he scrambled to get up and slipped again, further into the river this time. Hearing the crunch of the gravel at the rivers edge, he knew they were closer. Worried they were able to reach him, Bobby abruptly forced himself to stand up. Willing himself to take a couple more wobbly steps, before looking back. Incidentally losing his footing and slipping into the deep end.

The water began to sweep him away. Bobby’s head sunk below the surface, as he was being drug along the river bed.

He struggled and fought his best to regain his footing. Grabbing at rocks and anything his fingers could find below the surface.

Popping back up as he grasped and sputtered for air. Before being pulled below again. Icy water slipped down his throat with force and burned the inside of his lungs. His limbs felt numb and his mind grew hazy. But still he did his best to fight the water.

Abruptly, everything stopped. He no longer felt cold, he no longer felt fear or panic. He felt nothing.

Then next thing he knew, Bobby started to feel warm all over. His body ached a little, but not enough to complain.

He found himself no longer in the water, it seemed. Slowly Bobby opened his eyes and began to try to orient himself. But there wasn’t much time to gather his thoughts as he was met by the sight of the inside of Payne cabin.

Water dripped down his temple as he sat in place. Looking up the three beings he had just tried to escape. As they loomed over him eerily.

“Welcome back, friend.” Jeff stated, cocking his head to the side as he smiled creepily. The line in his neck visible from where his head had originally been cut off.

Bobby looked around in panic, unable to understand what was happening. Until his attention was drawn to the candle in the window as he watched it burn out and he fell back into darkness.

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window.