The Black Cabin Cullings

“The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. That night, seven teens left their church group to get a good look at the Black Cabin that they had heard so much about; despite all the warnings.

The woods were calm that night, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves and made the trees dance in the moonlight. The stars twinkled in the night sky out shined by a full moon. It’s light radiating between the trees casting an eerie glow. The teens were chanting a morbid rhyme coined 50 years ago.

“When black candle is burning bright, the Smoke Man hunts for souls tonight. Enter black cabin and you shall find, a nightmare that makes you lose your mind.”

The seven trekked through the dark woods chanting and laughing. Lucy was the Pastor’s daughter. She carried a kerosene lamp, and although she was a “good girl” she also wanted to be part of the group, and also be around John. John was in and out of trouble, but for the past couple months, he had been turning over a new leaf. She knew her dad would not approve, which was kind of the point.

Sarah and Matt were holding hands. She had his letterman’s jacket on. Matt was Quarterback and Sarah a cheerleader. Yes it was kind of cliche, but it worked for them. Todd was holding a flashlight and was zig zagging it every which way and flinching at every noise. He was the funny guy not the adventurous type.

Aly shook her head. She was definitely the adventurous type. Her flashlight was tucked into her pink camo skirt. She was too tough to need the light. Her brother Danny was unshaken, as calm and collective as usual. If he ever spoke they might know more about him. They passed an old and oddly shaped willow tree that Matt thought looked like Aunt Jamima.

The group made it to a small clearing surrounded by tall trees. On the other side was the Black Cabin along the tree line. The moon lit up the clearing up to the cabin, but the cabin was dark, very dark. John felt uneasy the closer they got to the cabin but he kept it to himself. He didn’t want to look scared in front of Lucy. Todd did not care who knew he was scared.

“Does any one else think this is a dumb idea? I mean this looks like the Devil’s wood shed. I’d rather not get a demonic spanking today!” said Todd.

The group laughed.

“Don’t worry Todd. Five minutes of listening to you’re “mamma jokes” and he’ll run away.” said Aly.

“Yeah, he’s gonna run to you’re house and spank your mamma for raising you this way.” said Matt.

Todd squinted as everyone laughed again. Sarah was holding Matt’s hand tighter as they approached the cabin. Lucy grabbed John’s arm as they stood in front of the pitch black door. No one said it out loud, but each of them began to experience a feeling of dread and a faint sickness in the pit of their stomachs. It was like God was telling them not to go in. They should have listened.

Lucy decided to be the brave one and offered to walk in first. She held her lamp up to her face as she grabbed the door knob. It felt strangely warm as if someone had been holding it for some time. She pushed the door open and it creaked as it opened. The sound echoed throughout the clearing. Everyone paused a moment expecting something to happen. Nothing did.

Lucy stepped inside. The cabin smelled old and musty. John noticed a faint smell of sulfur like someone had lit a firework inside the cabin. Lucy shined the light on the walls while everyone followed behind her. Their flashlights in hand, even Aly’s. There wasn’t much inside. They saw an old rocking chair in the corner and a soot covered fireplace with an old dirty mirror above it. Lucy looked into the mirror. She stared at it for a moment believing she saw something moving behind them. Then her reflection smiled at her. She screams and steps back dropping her lamp on the floor.

Everyone gasped and aimed their lights at Lucy. She picked up her lamp and slowly brough the light up to the mirror again. Then she chuckled to herself and said she was just seeing things. Everyone laughed except for Todd who was now watching the mirror like it was going to jump off the wall and get him. Lucy inspects her reflection for a moment longer and she sees something behind her in the window. It was a long black candle that seemed to be fused to the window sill. It was like a small tree grew and sprouted a candle. She turned around and began to walk slowly towards it. Todd noticed that although she turned around he could still see her face in the mirror smiling. Then it sharply turned it’s gaze to Todd who then dropped his flashlight and fell to the floor with a shrill scream.

“We need to leave now!” He exclaimed while frantically grabbing his flashlight.

He paused for a moment when he saw some markings on the floor. He slowly followed the lines with his flashlight. Danny saw a box on a strange decorated end table. The box was wooden with symbols drawn on the lid and a latch where it could lock. He slowly opened the box to see what was inside.

“Guys, you need to see this.” said Todd, his flashlight shaking with his hands. Danny opened the box to see a word scratched into the underside of the lid that read, “Berstuk”. In the box he saw a velvet pillow with 3 odd-looking knives resting on top of it. The blades almost looked like they were made form stone or bone.

“Hey check out these old knives, it looks like the hilts are made from pig skins.” said Danny.

“I’m all about the pig skins.” said Matt who then walked over to look.

Lucy examined the candle in the window. She felt a cold chill up her spine. She heard a soft whisper:

“Light it..”

She turned to se who it was. No one was near her. She didn’t know to think, she could swear she felt the whisperer’s breath on her ear. Then again she hears a woman’s voice:

Lucy, it’s ok. Light the candle..”

Lucy froze. She looked at the candle and felt the strange impulse to light it. As if she had longing to do it for some time.

“Boy finally talks and he finds something cool. Check out these knives John.” said Matt.

Todd was trying to get their attention and was getting annoyed.

“Guys! You need to see this!.” he exclaimed loudly.

“What is it man?” asked John as they gathered around the light on the floor.

“They shined their lights on the floor where they stood revealing a large pentagram on the floor.

Behind them Lucy was staring at the candle trying to resist the urge. The flame lit up Lucy’s face as she lit the black candle with her kerosene lamp, spilling a little kerosene on the floor. John, realizing that Lucy is not standing with them says:

“Lucy look at this. We should probably go back to…..”

He stopped talking. The light of the candle dancing hauntingly on the wall. They once again felt an overwhelming feeling of dread while looking upon the black candle. The smell of sulfur became stronger and Todd began to back slowly towards the door.

“What did you do?” asked Todd in a tearful voice.

“One of you told me to light it, so I did.” said Lucy

“Lucy, we were over here. It wasn’t any of us.” said Sarah.

Lucy felt sick. If none of them were the whisperer, who was?

“Guys! Look!” shouted Matt as he pointed towards the other side of the cabin. The mirror reflected the light of the candle revealing a cloud of smoke seeping out of it and gathering in front of it. It grew larger until it became the shape of a man. It formed legs, a torso, arms, and then a face. It’s eyes were glowing green and had a sinister smile on it’s smoky face. Sarah screamed and they ran outside.

They ran about 10 feet into the clearing when they stopped. There was a dense fog that now filled up the woods. The stars seemed to have been swallowed up by the night sky and the moon seemed to shine with a red tint.

“What do we do now? We can’t see the way back?” said Todd

“We just have to pick a direction and stay together.” said John.

“He’s right. We are better as team.” said Matt.

“What are we waiting for?” said Aly who then ripped off her skirt revealing pink camo pants. John looked around to make sure everyone was together. He didn’t see Lucy. Then he heard her scream. They turned towards the cabin and saw her trying to run towards them but she was being pulled back as if a gust of wind was pushing her. John, Matt, and Danny ran to her aid. She fell to the ground but her legs were in the air as if she was being dragged to the cabin. The three boys grabbed her and pulled together. Finally they were able to get her away from the cabin and then they all ran blindly into the woods together.

John spent a lot of time in the woods by his house with his dad, hunting and fishing. However, he had never seen fog in the woods like this before.

“Where are going?” asked Sarah

“We don’t want to get too far from camp. There are bears and wild animals and..”

“Not to mention a drop off about 20 feet into the lake.” interrupted Danny.

“There could be traps too. My dad told me that hunters put a lot of bear traps in these woods to protect the deer population.” said Matt

“Look, there is risk wherever we go. But I think we have a better chance with all those things then the thing we saw at the cabin. I mean you all saw the pentagram on the floor. It really is a devil house.” said John

“At least you didn’t get a demonic spanking.” said Lucy to Todd.

Everyone laughed a bit which made them feel a little better. Then they picked their direction and moved on.

Back at camp, people began to notice they were missing. Pastor Ray Stone, Lucy’s dad, put a search party together when the fog appeared. Others got together to pray for them that they would find their way back. Lucy’s brother Simon wanted to go with them. Of course Ray said no and had him stay with the four and five year old’s counselor. The group of six people gathered supplies and began their search. Then Ray told them to wait a moment. He saw a man dressed like a priest walk into their campsite.

“May I help you sir?” asked Pastor Ray.

The Priest was wearing the traditional white collar. He had a long black coat and he was carrying a traveler’s back pack.

“Yes, you can actually. Have you noticed any strange goings on here tonight?” the Priest asked.

Pastor Ray replied:

“Aside from the fog the only thing strange here is you.”

The priest chuckled.

“Yes, I ‘m sure it’s curious why a Catholic priest would be at a Baptist camp, but once I saw the red moon I knew that someone must have lit the black candle.”

Pastor Ray was annoyed.

“Look, I don’t own this camp but we have missing kids and I would appreciate it if you would steer clear. We don’t need you putting these fantasies in people’s heads right now and besides, I’m pretty sure the moon only looks red due to the fog.”

The priest nodded his head.

“I will stay out of your camp unless it is of necessity. But by way of suggestion, you may want to check the black cabin which is east of here. If they did light the candle then they are in incredible danger.” said the priest.

Pastor Ray shook his head and walked away. Then the search party left to find the kids. The Priest however had no intention on avoiding the camp. He began to look around and ask questions.

“I don’t think we are going the right way.” said Matt. They were huddled together walking into the fog and dodging trees.

“We passed that weird Willow on the way to the cabin and we should have seen that by now.” said Matt.

“How can we see anything right now?” said Sarah.

They stopped for a minute to try to get their bearings. The woods were silent. No animals, bugs, no wind even blew. The only sound was Todd’s heavy breathing and the thump of their heart beats.

“Ok, let’s vote, do we keep going or pick a new direction?” said John.

They voted to keep going. Matt broke off from huddling and walked along side Sarah. He reassured her that everything would be ok. She smiled and looked deep into his eyes. Then there was a loud clang. Matt yelled in pain as he found himself in a bear trap. The spikes dug deep into his leg. Blood soaked his jeans and began to puddle on the ground.

“We need help!” screamed Sarah. But when she looked up all she could see is fog.

“Where are you?” yelled John. They couldn’t see Sarah or Matt through the fog. They were just here a second ago. Matt told her that he can’t move and she’ll have to find help. She didn’t want to go but Matt insisted. Sarah walked towards the sounds of the group yelling out for them. Her foot caught onto a root and she fell on the ground right in front of Danny.

“Sarah!” he exclaimed while rushing to help her up. Sarah was sobbing.

“Matt is caught in a bear trap. He can’t move and he is bleeding everywhere.” Sarah said.

“Where is he now?” asked Todd pointing his flashlight behind her. The light being swallowed up by the fog.

“It’s going to be ok Sarah, we’ll get him help…” John went silent. He could hear footsteps in the fog. They couldn’t hear Matt anymore. The silence was almost painful. Then Matt screamed in agony but the sound wasn’t in front of them, it almost sounded like it came from the trees.

“Matt?!” said Sarah. The fog seemed to instantly begin to fade revealing the bear trap. Inside was Matt’s foot but he was no longer there. They slowly walked over to the trap and then something fell from the tree bouncing like a yo yo in front of them. Sarah screamed loudly and buried her face into Danny’s shirt. It was Matt hanging from a rope with three gashes in his chest.

“He’s dead! He’s dead!.” said Todd.

“Listen! we need to be quiet.” said John.

“He didn’t do this to himself. We need to move now!”

Sarah didn’t want to leave but Danny and Aly pulled her away. Danny turned and looked at Matt. It was strange how the fog was still everywhere but not where Matt is. He turned and everyone was gone. He couldn’t see where they went.

Aly noticed Danny was gone and stopped. Then they saw that Lucy was gone too. Lucy was frantic. She only turned her head for a moment. She held her hands out in front of her like she was blind and walked forward. She then bumped into a person. She gasped.

“Mom?” said Lucy.

The search party just passed the willow and was nearly to the clearing. Pastor Ray was praying to himself. The farther they walked into the woods the greater his bad feeling grew. He could see a faint green light through the fog. He directed the group to walk towards it.

John, Todd, Aly, and Sarah were still together. Aly was calling out for Danny and John for Lucy. Sarah was in shock. She just stared into the fog not caring where it led. She missed Matt. That’s when she heard his voice.

“Sarah, over here. I’m ok I just fell into another trap. I need help”

“Matt? I’m coming.” she said and began to leave the group. John stopped her.

“What are you doing?”

“Matt is calling to me. I have to go to him.” cried Sarah attempting to leave again.

John held on tight. He said that was impossible. Matt couldn’t be calling out.

Sarah insisted and broke free. She disappeared into the fog.

“Sarah wait!” yelled Todd but she was gone.

Then they heard her scream. They ran towards the sound of her voice. The fog began to clear in front of them. They found Sarah leaning up against a tree. Her face was pale and there were three gashes in her chest. Just like Matt. Aly screamed, Todd stared blankly at Sarah.

“We’re all gonna die aren’t we?” he said looking at John.

John didn’t know what to say. It was clear to him now that they were being hunted. John felt his hair stand up on the back of his neck. He saw a pair of glowing green eyes behind the tree and then disappear in the fog.

“What did we get ourselves into?” he said to himself.

Lucy couldn’t believe her eyes. She gave her mom a hug and told her she was glad to see her.

“It’s ok baby, as soon as I realized you were gone I came looking.” mom said.

“I missed you so much. Do know where to go?” asked Lucy

“Yes dear, but we need to find your friends first.”

The search party reached the clearing. They could see the cabin on the other side and the candle burning in the window. The clearing was clear but the surrounding woods were still foggy. Then Ray saw one clear spot inside the woods. Two people in the group ran down to the cabin. They came back and told Pastor what they saw. Ray began to believe the Priest that something was definitely going on.

“Theres a clear space over there, let’s head over.” said Ray.

The group headed for the clear spot in the woods, right where Matt hung.

John and Todd laid Sarah gently on the ground. Their hearts were broken.

“We need to keep moving.” said Aly.

“We can’t let whatever is hunting us find us.” she said.

“Are we just going to leave her here?” asked Todd.

“We don’t have a choice.” said John.

They heard voices coming from the fog calling out to them. Lucy was calling out to them. Then she screamed. John ran into the fog after her. Todd yelled for him to stop but he was already gone. Aly and Todd waited but John never came back. They decided to go the opposite direction together.

John ran wildly dodging trees. Then he saw a clearing in the fog at he edge of the river. He followed it until he came to the drop off. He couldn’t see Lucy.

“Help!” Lucy cried out.

John frantically looked around him and then saw hands grasping dirt on the edge of the drop off. He ran over there and saw Lucy hanging on for dear life.

“John help me. I didn’t see the edge!” said Lucy.

“I can’t hang on much longer.” she said her fingers digging into the ground.

John reached down to grab her. She began to slide and he couldn’t catch her hand. Lucy fell from the drop off and disappeared into the fog below.

John fell to his knees and sobbed. He cried out:

“God, what is going on? Why is this happening to us?” He picked himself up. Dried his eyes and went back the way he came. He found his way back to Sarah but Todd and Aly were already gone. He sat on the ground against the tree. He didn’t know what to do next. Then he saw the glowing eyes in the fog. He stood up and walked over towards them. He stood eye to eye just on the other side of the fog. If he was going to die, he would do it fighting.

A hand came out of the fog grasping one of the knives they saw in the cabin. It slowly raised up to his chest level. Then the eyes disappeared. John heard whatever it was shriek as someone came out of the fog tackling John to the ground. It was the Priest.

“That was not smart son.” He said.

Todd and Aly heard the shriek behind them and started to run. They were getting close to where Matt was when Aly was knocked over. Standing over her was a small shadowy figure with green glowing eyes. It had the knife in it’s hand. Todd stood in front of Aly and put his arms out blocking her.

“You’re not going to hurt her.” he said.

Then he closed his eyes waiting to be stabbed.

“Go Aly, run!” said Todd. Then Danny appeared out of the fog and jumped in front of Todd facing him. Todd held Onto to Danny. Danny quietly said:

“Keep her safe.” then he went limp on Todd.

Todd held him up and saw the knife in his back. Then he saw the figure draw the knife out of Danny’s back. It stared at him for a moment and then it seemed startled by something. They could hear Pastor Ray’s voice calling out to them. Todd looked over towards Pastor Ray and then back at the figure but it was gone.

Aly was sobbing and holding onto Danny. Pastor and the search party reached them and escorted them back to camp. Along with Matt and Danny. Aly told them about Sarah, Lucy, and John. He said they will come back in the morning. They went back to camp.

“Do you know what’s going on here?” John asked the Priest.

“Yes, I do I’m afraid.” he said.

The Priest showed John an old Deer skinned book that once belonged to Samuel Colt. It was a chronicle of Demonic beings and how to survive them if encountered. The Priest told him that when the candle is lit the Demon comes out and searches for an innocent. The more lives that are taken the more the candle grows. Only when the innocent is sacrificed can it leave the Cabin. He said that Fifty years ago there was a culling. The former occupant, a worshipper of a demon or “god”Berstuk, murdered several people before being gunned down. He kept saying he was looking for an innocent. They stopped him just outside of his son’s elementary school. The stories about Black Cabin spread but up until now no one had the courage to light the candle. People kept seeing a man that looked like smoke in the window- hence the “Smoke Man” thing.

John then asked:

“So, if it isn’t the smoke man out here killing people, who is it?”

Todd and Aly sat next to each other on a picnic table at the campsite. They were wearing blankets and not talking. They had been through a lot. John and the Priest arrived to the camp. John carrying Sarah on his shoulders. They laid her down on a bed and called her parents. The police were already on their way as well as parents to pick up their kids. The priest spoke with the Pastor about the demon and how they are not safe until the sun comes up. He pointed to his book but the Pastor didn’t want to hear it. Ray walked over and hugged a girl wrapped in a blanket, it was Lucy.

John ran over to her.

“How are you here? I saw you fall.” he said.

“I fell into the lake and my mom saved me and brought me here. I’m happy to see you and the others.” said Lucy.

Lucy tilted her head to one side and said

“It’s unfortunate the others didn’t make it.”

John agreed and thought she was acting odd but she did just almost die. Lucy was staring at her little brother.

“I’m glad to be back with family, aren’t you?” she asked John.

“Yes, quite glad.” he replied. He walked away from Lucy and sat with Aly and Todd.

“Does Lucy seem a bit off to you guys?” he asked them.

“How would we know? Everything’s off tonight.” said Todd.

“Fair enough.” said John.

He looked back over at Lucy and she was gone. He was worried. The demon seemed to focus on her more, she is the Pastor’s daughter. What if she was the innocent one. He decided to follow her. He walked around the camp searching for her. Then he sees the Priest’s book open on a table but he was no where to be found. He hears a scream. He runs over and sees a girl camper is shaking and pointing into the mess hall. John found the Priest laying on the floor with three holes in his chest. John rushes to him. He is still alive but coughing up blood. Pastor Ray came in.

“What happened?” he asked.

The Priest looked at Pastor Ray and said:

“It’s here….yo…your….da…da…” he could barely speak.

Pastor rushed out to get the camp nurse, police and medical was already on the way. The Priest grabbed Johns arm.

“Read…book…how to ..stop this. The..cand….he’s not safe…”

Then he stopped moving.

John got up as the nurse came in. He walked outside and saw the book and he read the page it was open to. He realized what was happening and showed it to the Pastor.

“Look it’s all here. We need to find Lucy and Simon now!”

“Calm down John Lucy and Simon are right….where are they?” Ray said.

“We have to stop her, she is not herself.” said John.

Ray ran to find them, John knew what to do.

Simon was sitting in the front pew of the camp chapel when Lucy came in.

“Hi Si-Si.” said Lucy.

“Tell him I’m here to say hi.” her mom said.

“Mommy is here she wants to say hi, she wants to make things right.” Lucy tilted her head and dropped the blanket around her. In her hand was a knife with a pig skinned hilt.

“Lucy stop! Your mom is dead, that is not your mom!” said Ray.

“He killed her, she brought him into the world and then she died..just like all the others did.” she smiled and leaned backward tilting her head toward her father.

“We need him to pay, he is not innocent.” Lucy said, her voice sounding like a deep chorus of voices.

She stands up and walks towards Simon Ray Tries to stop her, she stabs him in the stomach and throws him back towards the door. She laughs and turns towards Simon again.

“Do it Lucy he deserves it!” said her “mom”.

Lucy laughed and sang walking down the aisle towards Simon:

“When black candle is burning bright, the Smoke Man hunts for souls tonight. Enter black cabin and you shall find, a nightmare that makes you lose your mind. ”

John hot wired a camp truck and drove into the woods on the path. Then he abandoned the truck and walked to the clearing. The fog was gone and the candle burned brighter than ever. He walked inside the cabin and over to the candle. He tried to put it out with his fingers but he hit the ground hard. Smoke surrounded him and a face appeared.

“You are too late, the innocent will die. You will join me with one of legion in you.”

The smoke man puts hand on John’s chest, a faint white light seems to stop it from possessing him. He then is joined by others and they begin to beat John and scratch him.

John screams in pain.

Lucy approached Simon who is now hiding from her inside the pulpit. She throws it to the side. She raises her knife.

“Lucy stop, Bind the demon Lord!” shouted Ray.

Lucy stops and growls with frustration.

“More power than the priest I see,” she said.

She fights it and lowers the knife towards Simon.

John sees the knives remaining in the box and he kicks it over.

“Ok stop I yield!” he says. They stopped.

John stared into the demon’s green glowing eyes and says:

“I yield to God!” He grabs one of the knives and throws it at the candle cutting the top of it off. It falls to floor where Lucy’s lamp fell and catches the kerosene on fire. John watches as the candle melts and the wick disappears. The demon wails loudly.

Lucy screams in pain and drops the knife. She falls to her knees and then passes out.

The cabin burns to the ground with John inside.

The campers go home; Lucy to a mental hospital. The next Sunday Pastor Ray is preaching on John 15:13 how Giving your life for your friends shows no greater love. His one hand placed on his bible on the pulpit. His other hand rested on an old deer skinned book.

At the camp. Authorities are going through the charred remains of the cabin. They found John’s scorched body amongst other strange things. An officer searching the perimeter of the cabin, calls out to his partner.

“Hey, I found a couple of weird things here.”

“Let me see.” his partner said.

The officer showed him a pig skinned knife in one hand, and in the other, a long black candle.