Cabin 810

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. The teardrop shaped, small glowing flame danced to a rhythm of its own, as if a steady flow of wind claimed the surrounding space. Anything beyond the window was dark and uninviting, but I would be lying if I say it hadn’t piqued my interest. I laid awake snuggled beneath the covers, warm and content but unable to settle.

It had been the third year in a row since we’d begun visiting the site, captured by its beauty from the very first time we’d laid eyes on it; the serene atmosphere, the dense but majestic evergreen forest-like area had an inviting feeling to it. The trip had become a part of our school’s yearly trip, to end the year and begin the summer for seniors. It was set for us to stay for two weeks to learn about nature and discover something about ourselves.

There were three intersecting trails that we’d explore, each holding their own secrets and telling their own stories. Several dark stories surround the entire area dating back to the late ‘80s. The main story that stuck out like a sore thumb had internally gripped my being. It was the story connected to cabin 810, the cabin of fears. It sat in the heart of the valley, a short, straight-away path to where I normally slept. It was said that once people visited that cabin, it haunted them for the rest of their lives and they would lose their minds. The branches of the trees surrounding it, tangled with one another as if they were creating a shield to protect it from the outside dangers. The trees and grass around it had a dusky green compared to the areas away from it.

“One night, a candle was lit in that window over there.” I mentioned while pointing at cabin 810 as several of us sat around a fire, roasting marshmallows. “That can’t be possible, the ranger said that it’s been empty for a while now.” Ms. Santos reminded me as if I had not heard what the ranger said the day that we arrived. “I know that’s what the ranger said but, I’m telling you that there was definitely a candle on in that window.” I argued. “Yeah, just like the sky was green last night.” Steve, one of my classmates sarcastically added with a grin as others around us went into a fit of laughter. “Okay, laugh right now but, I know what I saw.” I managed to mumble before rising to my feet and storming into my room.

Two hours would pass before everyone would return for bed. The fresh, earthly breeze of nature blew through the ajar window, filling my nostrils and the space around me as the singing of crickets took over the night’s peace. The candle had waved its enticing glow once again and this time, the anxiety wouldn’t allow me to ignore it, although everything within me told me to stay away. Curiosity won in the end as I rolled out of bed, collected my shoes and a jacket before stumbling out of the door.

Outside was humid but tolerable with dew. The walk would be short but full of what ifs. Along the way, I collected pebbles, trying not to be too distracted by the candlelight that was no longer waving but at a standstill as if it knew I was on my way. The tall intimidating trees surrounding it, forcefully blew in a wind that had not reached me. As I had gotten closer, the crickets that sang on chorus were no longer making any sounds. A dense darkness far darker than the normal night skies had begun to take over, making me question what was the reason for me going into cabin 810? With every measured step that I’d taken, another centimeter of fear had claimed space in my heart.

The dilapidated cabins' door creaked on its rusted hinges as I pushed it open, revealing nothing but a small glow of light in a room filled with darkness. A passing coldness wrapped around my body; sharp and immediate, but left as quickly as the blink of an eye. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as silence became the loudest around me. I wasn’t quite sure what was actually making me so scared but I have always been a believer of following what my senses tell me. The once standing candle fell to the floor, appearing to give off more light than it had while it sat in the window. A dusty, wooden square table with two chairs sat stationary, adjacent to the small wall space beneath the window. Before my eyes, a shadowy figure appeared sitting upright in one of the chairs as it pointed to the other chair. Shivers coursed through my body as it moved on its own accord. I sat stiffly. Terrified but too drained to move.

Every memory from my childhood up until the current time began to flash before my eyes as a sinister laugh swept through the cabin. The shadowy figure reached across the table to grab my hands that were already reaching out as if there was someone making me do things against my will. The hands were cold at first but began to warm up as the figure leaned forward, immediately capturing my undivided attention as I stared into its soulless eyes. I could feel my life being drained from my body as whispers chanted around me. “Your time to keep.” Within that time, I could see myself walking away from me on a repeat time loop as pieces of my life were flying away. Every four seconds, I would start the journey over, tripping over the same invisible fragment. I began to scream after realizing that I might be stuck in time, my biggest fear.

I then woke up in bed as if I’d never really gotten up. I was terrified and in disarray as I frantically felt all over my face and body to see if every part of me was still intact. Ms. Santos sat beside me, talking, saying words that didn’t quite register. I told her everything that happened after she’d said that she found me laying in a ditch near our cabin. I could feel that something was missing within me and that something was off but I chose not to dig any deeper. I only wanted to go home, somewhere that I knew I’d be safe.

There is no feeling like the one I’d experienced at Cabin 810 but now I know why they call it The Cabin of Fears.