The Children’s Cabin

Chapter 1:

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window... Actually, I don’t know how I should start this story. I don’t even know if I should because if I do it will only remind me of what happened and what I saw but since I am writing this, it is only right that I start from the beginning.

The day was July 2nd, my son Rocco and I were in our living room in the house. He was standing by our bookshelf trying to reach his DC comic when I was on the laptop sitting in my chair that’s in the corner of the room, hiding from the other pieces of furniture. As I was on my laptop enjoying a wonderful cup of herbal tea, what popped up in my e-mails nearly made me spit out my drink.

“WHAAAAAA?!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!” I yelled with excitement. I jumped on the sofa and ran around the halls of the house as if I was the child instead of my son. I ran back into the living room and jumped into the sofa and I was breathing heavily on the sofa while on my back as if I had ran a marathon. As I was staring at my ceiling, Rocco’s face eclipsed my view. “Dad?” “Yes” I replied while trying to catch my breath. “Why are you running like the flash?” With a confused face I said “who’s that?”.He then put the comic book he was holding to my face showing me who the character was.

I then started explain why I was so excited by what I saw and lured him over to my chair in the corner since I recovered from all the running about. I sat down in my chair and put my son on the arm of the chair. “Well… I just got a e-mail saying that I don’t have to go into work for a month so daddy has a lot of free time on my hands”. He was just smiling at me because I was happy but I know for a fact that he didn’t understand what I was saying and that was okay.

I wanted to take him on a father and son trip so we can have fun playing but also teach him what it was like without technology because I know that’s corrupting the kids. “Do you want to go on a trip with me tomorrow?” I asked. His eyes opened wide with concern as his eyes looked straight into mine. “ Is it going to be scary?” “Nooooo” I said reassuringly. Rocco started to smile again. “It’s going to be fun. We can make marshmallow sandwiches, climb trees, look at wildlife and so much more”. He smiled so much that his smile couldn’t get any wider.

He happily nodded his head and asked me “Do you think Mummy will like us having fun?” My facial expression had just adopted traits of sadness after he said that. “ I’m sure she will…go on now, get ready for bed” I ordered him nicely as I was fighting my tears. He then hoped off the arm chair and prepared for bed. I stayed in my chair thinking about the good times I had with her. I miss her so much. She died during birth to Reon so it was hard for me. I only wished that she was able to be here so that she could see him grow with me. I just hope she is proud me. The day after was one day that I dreaded so much that I refuse to call myself a father.

Chapter 2:

We had arrived after going to the parking lot of the place. We had left from 1pm and just arrived at 6pm. It was one of those days where the sun sets a lot quicker than regular days so by the time we arrived, it was already dark as if it was midnight. I exit the car and enter the back of the car to wake Rocco up.

“Wake up now Rocco, were here”. His brown eyes slowly revealed themselves as he woke up. “Yaay”. He spoke in his tired voice where his words were stretched out while my voice was soft and gentle towards him. I held his hand softly as his legs emerged from the car. We both gingerly made our way down the dark narrow pathway with parallel trees that are leafless and branches so pointy that your life may feel threatened if your too close. The only source of light that night was the full moon.

As we walked, Rocco’s grip became weaker and at that point… so did mine. We were heading to the cabin that we were going to stay in But the problem was that I didn't even know where the cabin was. We were in the cold for about 5 minutes just walking around. Every time we moved, we got weaker and weaker. Then we saw a man.

This man was on the path in between the corrupted trees on the right hand side of the path. He was a old man with a slender face but had a strong build. His eyes looked baggy like he hadn’t slept in days. He was in a black and white chequered shirt and had a greyish beard long enough to cover his collar completely. He also had a pitchfork hidden from anyone who didn’t bother to look close enough but I saw it. We had locked eyes for a moment as I tried to walk past but that was all it took for him to feel entitled to a question.

“You folks lost?” He quietly spoke. “Y-you mean us?” I uttered knowing he meant us. “Ain’t nobody else here” he spoke while his head was leaning away from the beach chair that he sat in. I began to speak a bit more openly and give him the benefit of the doubt. “In a matter of fact I am. You see, I was meant to be heading towards a cabin but I don’t know exactly where it is. I thought it would be along this path but I don’t see it”.

“You mean Children's Cabin?” He uttered slowly but in a creepy way. “What do you mean by ‘Children’s Cabin’? In a matter of fact, I don’t wan’t to know. It’s late and my son is really tired. Could you just please tell me where it is because we need to rest”. He paused for a moment, then his voice shifted into a more concerning tone. “If I were you son, I’d turn my ass back around and go back to where I came from”.

“Excuse me?” I voiced. “I’ve heard stories about that cabin, of people going missing. People losing there minds. That’s only if they came out of course. Don’t go”. I began to get frustrated by what I heard. Not really because of what he was saying but because my son was getting colder and I was becoming more tired.

So I stated “Listen sir, I don’t have time for your stories or what people have said but I cannot stay here and I did not come all this way just to be turned back around. Please tell me where it is or I’ll find it myself”. His only words were “PLEASE DON’T GO”. So, I walked with my son while I said “sorry sir but have a pleasant night”. He then said in a serious tone as I was walking away “You best watch yourself son”. I ignored it and proceeded onwards as my grip to my son's hand tightened. We eventually stumbled across the cabin.

Chapter 3:

The Cabin door was mysteriously unlocked so I began to proceed in with caution as my son shadowed my movements. The place was a tad bit dusty but cosy nonetheless. Nobody was here but it can be locked from the inside. There were 2 single beds in the corner of the room and another door on the far side of the cabin with strange marks on it.

There was a counter that was connected to a cooker on the far right hand side of the cabin. There were logs in the fireplace ready to be burned so as we closed the door, my son wobbled straight for the bed. “Get ready for bed son, the rules still apply here too” I ordered. “Okayyy”. He said in his tired voice. As he was doing that I my body needed to feel the heat of the flames so I started the fire and as the flames begun to rise, so did my smile.

I went over to my son as he had finished his preparations for bed. “Are you okay?” I questioned while I’m covering him up. “Yes dad. I’m just really tired but we are going to have fun tomorrow, right?” He wondered. With a smile on my face, I simply said “yes, we will. Love you son”. His response mirrored mine as he said “Love you”. I lied down on the couch and due to the heat absorbing my energy, I fell asleep also.

Hours passed until the time had struck 11:27pm. I then heard a sound that haunts me till this day. “Aaaahhhhh”.

Chapter 4:

My eyes never opened up so quick before. My main instinct was to protect my son and what I saw… I could never un-see. I looked at my sons bed and he wasn’t there. My heart started to beat twice as far and the door that I saw that was marked was opened. In front of that door was my son staring right at me and as I rushed over… a person that looked like an evil creature slowly emerged from behind his back.

I was so scared that I couldn’t move. The form was in the shape of a humans. It’s arm was around his neck and his arm was very dark. It’s eyes were as white as paper with no pupils and it was very slender it’s nails were long and curved and it’s tongue was like a snakes.The bottom half of the body was covered with rigid clothes and the top half of its body was fully naked.

I looked at my son and I told him as if it was only me and him in the room “everything is going to be okay”. I was staring at my son but I felt it staring at me. Then I looked at it and it smiled. It’s canine teeth were so long that it was barely Protrude able to stay in it’s mouth. I said with passion “I don’t know what you are but I have lost too much. He is all I have and I refuse to let you take him from me”.

It stroked my son's hair as if my son was his. “Keep your eyes on me Rocco”. “But dad...” He gazed at the demon with a confused look on his face and the words he spoke explained why. “Why are you being mean to mum?” I was nothing short of feeling bewildered. How could a creature so insidious look so beautiful to another.

I tried to explain as softly as possible to him “That is not your mother. Mum is in the nice special place remember... Just come over to me it's okay”. He lifted his head upwards to see his ‘mother’ and he was still convinced that it was her. The creature looked at him and the way they both looked at each other, I was beginning to believe that it was her.

They both looked back at me like they belong together. I was sliding my foot ever so slightly to close the gap between us. The demon noticed what I had planned and picked up my son to run to the door. I sprinted towards them but this loathsome being was incredibly fast and made it to the door with my son.

The door shut with my son and monster inside. I opened the door with the marks… and all that was there to greet me was a closet full of clothes.

Chapter 5:

BANG...BANG...BANG... Over and over. I was closing the door and opening it repeatedly with a desperate cry of the word ‘No’ accompanying my actions. The sadness that I felt became more revealing the more I tried to see you and you weren't there. Rage and disappointment soon followed as I slowed down and broke into tears. I turned my back to the door and slid down in disbelief, with no clue of what to do next.

Then it hit me, the old man. The man my son and I passed on the way here. He had seemed to know what happened to the people before me. I just hoped he still had the compassion he had for me beforehand. I stood up with some hope, hope that he might be able to give me some insight into these incidents. I exited the cabin while observing the door of where my son was taken in case anything had changed, and of course nothing did.

It was 11:32PM in the evening. Despite it only being 5 minutes, outside seemed darker than it once was. While pacing myself through the unilluminated path I found the old man still sitting in his spot staring at the sky. His neck slowly tilted in my direction and his head along with it.

I didn’t mean to be but as I approached him and was about to talk to him, I came across as hostile. Not just in my actions but in my words as well. He was saying sorry when I was approaching him but I couldn’t make out what he was saying until I got closer to him and his words got louder. I eventually face to face with him and as he was sitting, I was towering over him.

“Sorry... I’m so sorry” he spoke sincerely.

“What do you know?” I was becoming angrier with every question I asked him.

He was slurring his words “I don’t believe it”.

“You have seen everything that has happened to the people in that cabin I am assuming from what you told me so I need you to help me now’ I crouched down to his level “What... do you... know?”

He looked in the darkness around him in a confused way then looked in my eyes. “That poor boy”. Those words reminded me of my failure and enraged me. I grabbed him by his garments.

“LISTEN TO ME. Something took my son and I need him back”

“I’m sorry”

“Your ‘sorry’ does not get my son back. Please help me”

“I did”! The old man spoke in his loud grizzled voice “I warned you not to go there because of what happened. You didn’t listen. What now... you gonna hurt me now? Like I said I am sorry but I can’t help you, because I wouldn’t know how”.

The man's words got to me and I let him go. He fell back into his chair and adjusted himself. I apologised to him and turned back to go to the cabin, and as I headed back, I also hid the tears that fell upon my cheeks. I was already ashamed of the man I became.

Chapter 6:

The time had just hit midnight. 15-20 minutes had passed since I spoke to the man. I was in the cabin, alone. Within those 15-20 minutes I felt as if I was becoming unhinged. I removed everything off the cabin walls and moving everything in sight for some kind of hint or clue.

I couldn’t find anything in relation to the door or the creature. The place had begun to look like the home of a hoarder. People do say that your home can sometimes represent your mindset. Anyway, I had ran out of options and was running out of hope rapidly. I was sitting on the floor opposite the door with marks and was fighting the nerve to sleep. As much as I didn’t want to sleep my body wouldn’t let my ambition win.

The room was overcrowded with shadows. I wanted some light to vanquish the darkness but there was no more wood in the fireplace. I tilted my head up and there was a fresh candle on the window above me that I have not seen before and beside it was a note. The handwriting on the note was as if a four year old wrote it and it was a poem saying:

I have taken the one you love,

Now it’s time to play,

If you want your loved one back,

Risk your life today,

Light the candle to start,

But there’s something you must know,

There are only 3 outcomes,

So listen before you go,

One of you could make it back,

Or you make it back as a team,

But everyone not making it,

That’s my only dream

And if the candle light fades,

The gateway for you will close,

I’ll collect more people,

And bring them to our new home,

What do you say,

What will you do,

I will chase you,

Don’t make me get you too

I got up and went over to the kitchen area of the cabin.

I searched the draws in the dark and poked myself with a pin by accident because of the lack of light. The pain was nothing compared to what I was feeling but I eventually found a lighter. I gingerly made it back to the window. I was repeatedly using my thumb to turn the flame on. The sound was oddly satisfying but I made it work and gifted the candle with some fire with the lighter.

I sat back down in my position once again and stayed there as the candle lit a few shadows away. It didn’t do much but a few seconds later, something else did. There was a luminous glow coming from bottom of the door. For a moment I just stared at it in confusion but then I quickly rushed over the chaos that I made in the cabin and pulled the door open.

What I had found is going to be hard for a lot to believe but I had found a snowy forest. The trees mirrored the ones where the old man was. Not a leaf or flower in sight, only wood. And the ground was covered in snow.

I knew for certain that this was the only chance I had at getting my son. I stepped through the door and I began to walk into the unknown for the sake of my son. Once I was fully immersed in the new world, I left the door open and looked behind the door. It was a stall. Just a regular stall but then it was just trees and snow everywhere else I looked.

There was a blizzard but the weird thing was that this place was completely silent. I couldn’t hear the wind despite there being a blizzard. Unless you made the sound it was like watching something on mute. It was only my voice that made sound. I turned and walked straight into the snow, keeping my eyes focused on what was taken from me.

I walked and I walked until I could barely see the stall I came out of. The more I walked the less I could feel my feet. I was shouting his name “ROCCO...ROCCO!” Just waiting for a response. For a good 4 minutes I got nothing but silence in return.

I didn’t know what to do so I kept on walking and shouting. I was calling his name so much that I was beginning to lose my voice. For a moment I froze. I just stood in the blizzard because I could feel the cold but I couldn’t feel my feet. I waited in silence. In the distance I heard the words “Mom” being whispered. I thought I was hearing things at first, but I heard it again.

My feet instantly started moving as if they were drawn to the voice and the sound got louder as I moved. As I moved, I looked beyond the trees and snow and I found what I failed to protect. There my son was, calling for the sadistic spirit. I shouted his name with the whatever voice I had left.

He quickly heard my voice and looked in my direction. “DAD”! I rushed over to him and he did the same. I stumbled a little bit but when I held him again it felt so heart-warming. Little did I know it was the last time I’d be with him.

“Dad I want to go back. Mom is acting weird and she walked away somewhere and left me. Why is it so silent here?”. My voice was so silent when I spoke that it was like I was whispering. “Let’s go”. That was all I wanted to say because I knew that we needed to leave.

I grabbed his arm and attempted to retrace my steps back to the stall. We were walking for a bit and in quite a fast pace too. As we walked I couldn’t help but smile a little knowing that he wasn’t harmed. I see the stall in the distance. I pointed to my son that that’s where he had to go. Then I heard words from the only person that made me freeze on the spot.

“Where are you going Reece?” I turned around and saw why my son was willing to leave so easily. It was my wife. She was wearing a dress that was in one of the pictures at home. What’s scarier is that it sounded exactly like her. She was looking at me dead in the eyes then looked at Reece with confusion.

“You want to stay with me don’t you Reece?” She slowly bent her back towards Reece, covered her mouth from me so that only he can see and said in a playful way “We don’t need him do we?”

“I don’t like you mom. Your mean to me and left me” my son shouted.

“Exactly… your not… my… wife” I added.

My son helped me realise in that moment who was in front of me or better yet what was in front of me. It looked back and me and it adjusted its posture. It smiled and the real teeth bursted out of my wife’s face. It began to scratch off its face and we ran towards the exit. My son was in front of me and the demon ran quicker than us.

My son got to the door and I told him close it. He did and I smiled at the demon thinking I’ve won. But the demon smiled back at me… it knew. I needed him to blow the candle out to stop it from getting to him and block the exit off. The demon went through the door and blew it out for me