Fraternity Cabin

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. No survivor knew how or why; nor did they know of the fates of two of their very own classmates...

"...Brothers of Omicron Lambda, our new frat house!"

Katie Pepperidge, Amy Leon, and Kirsten Gilbrandt didn't hear Luke Carsons say anything to the girls present; the popular sorority sisters kept their mouths shut as the Omicron Lambda President led four of his brothers, and three of their pretty escorts, into an old rundown cabin. Katie, however, did run an experimental finger over a nearby countertop, making sure to keep her spare hand and arm draped over Luke's shoulder. Hey, the boys had just lost their Fraternity house; he needed the support in his new endeavors now. However, something seemed off in his line of thinking nonetheless...

"This dump?" Kit Huntington Jr. spat, voicing Katie's own thoughts on the matter. His girlfriend, Kirsten, wrinkled her nose in concurrence with his assessment of their new real estate.

"You're loco, my man!" Jorge Chavez, the brother responsible for saving the "Omi" House's GPA, opined.

Hearing this, Kirsten finally piped up.

"He's not a choo-choo train!" she answered, incredulously.

Amy hung her head at her Sister's stupidity and Katie cast a smirk in her direction.

"Ai-yai-yai..." Jorge grumbled, shaking his own down-turned head. "First, this shoddy cabin for a new Fraternity house; now I'm being corrected by Kirsten..."

Luke hadn't heard Kirsten correct Jorge before. He had, however, been fine-tuned on the grousing about the cabin. He pivoted his authoritative glare toward his Brothers.

"Brethren, did I ask us to lose our fair house to the nerds?" he demanded, pacing back and forth by this time. "We're thinking outside of the box here; and off-campus mind you; don't forget that."

Daniel Jacobs III only had to scratch his chin for a moment before snapping his fingers.

"Less campus patrols over parties!" he blurted.

"A scenic off-campus setting in which to party!" Culen Garfield added.

Even Jorge gave another appraiser's glance and perked up.

"I get it now!" he answered. "It's not run-down; it's...funky."

"Those are my Omi Brothers talking!" Luke declared to the full group. "House-warming party tonight!"

There was no question whom Luke was addressing; and his eyes weren't on any of the brothers. Much to Katie's chagrin (but to confirm her suspicions), they weren't on her either. It was finally Amy who piped up.

"Isn't this cabin Sacred Oaks?" she asked.

"I guess so." Luke answered, indifferently. "What of it?"

Amy stepped forward from the group to take center-stage.

"Well, legend says that the last Frat House to throw a party in Sacred Oaks lost all of their Brothers in one night and one accident." Amy answered, pivoting to face the four lesser brothers.

"Wh-What about the last Sorority?" Katie asked, her presidential gaze fixed on their intelligent Social Chair.

"I don't know that a Sorority ever made the attempt; or any other Greek house after the disaster of 1822." Amy answered. "But some say that if a Sorority should attempt a celebration in Sacred Oaks, it could break the curse caused by the debauchery of...oh...Omicron Lambda 1822."

"Oh, brother!" Luke snorted. "So, back to the part..."

"...Wait." Katie answered. "We of Alpha Delta Pi lost our house to the University too. Maybe we deserve the new homestead. Luke?"

Katie had no sooner began speaking than Luke's green eyed steely gaze was on Kirsten again. Katie was positive about her conclusions now; she should have bounced Kirsten for her "academic performance" a long time ago, and shown Luke the curb simultaneously. Well, if Luke wanted to play this game, maybe Katie should just go public with...

Kit Huntington stepped forward next.

"Hang on," he piped up, "what about a coed Fraternity?"

Luke snapped back to attention and his eyes radiated interest.

"Preach, Little." he offered.

"A coed Frat House between the two hottest Houses on campus; the best guys and the most beautiful women!" Kit continued, pacing. "What's the University going to do; this cabin is off-campus!"

It was time for Katie to prove, very publicly, that she had changed her allegiances lately.

"...We need something to celebrate tonight, Kit." she conceded.

Amy and Kirsten applauded their President. The Brothers of Omicron Lambda swatted one of their young pledges on the back. Luke nodded his agreement. A union between Sorority and Fraternity; one long hook-up party. Not to mention a party to celebrate it. Luke had known that he had picked the right Little Brother...

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A candle burned in the long abandoned cabin window. Jarring beats disturbed the forest. Happy, drunken voices babbled to one another over the beats. Luke surveyed the situation arm-in-arm with his chosen date for the evening. This was an Omicron Lamda/Alpha Delta Pi (Omicron Delta?) production and deserved to be cherished with the best company. Kirsten Gilbrandt, an innocent, naive virgin of a Junior Sorority Sister, tilted her head glance up Luke's body as he held her (not Katie). She hadn't seen Katie lately; and Luke didn't care. Tonight's party saw him out and about with someone fresh and new to him...

Instantly, the beats stopped and lights dimmed to black. Their came a collective "AWWWWWWWE" over an ill-timed power outage. Still, the Omicron Lambda Fraternity and Alpha Delta Phi Sorority Candles burned brightly in solidarity with one another. Then, they awkwardly burned brighter, and brighter STILL; until...

The Cabin of Sacred Oaks, unnaturally, survived the fire. Amy, Kit, Daniel, Jorge, Culen; they and their pledgemates each survived the inferno as well. Only Katie had never entered the party yet and remained unscathed and untouched by the unholy fires. As for one, Luke Carsons, and f0r the young Kirsten Gilbrandt; well, their own firey passion led to another fire; and demise...

Katie stood alone in the woods one day to gaze upon the unblemished cabin of Sacred Oaks. Her Sorority had lost a House too; and she intended to get it back. Alpha Delta Phi, only without Kirsten, was ready to begin anew. Katie surveyed the beautiful log cabin, imagined what the sorority could do to fix it up as their own; and absently toyed with a tiny pink lighter in her hands...