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The Ever Burning

Would you trust a light in the night?

By Harmony KentPublished 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago 5 min read
14
The Ever Burning
Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. This night. The very night Holly found herself in dire need of shelter. More afraid of the storm than who or what might occupy the old, run-down shack, Holly forced her frozen feet forward through the deep drifts of snow. Up the rotted steps, she dragged her trembling body and raised bruised and bloodied knuckles to knock—after a hesitation—on the splinter-filled oak door, which rattled in its wobbly frame.

A sudden whoosh of wind howled through the forest and raised the fine hairs at the back of her neck and goose bumps up her arms. The ancient trees creaked in tandem with the scream of the rusted hinges when the door swung inward. Despite the candle in the window, the entrance yawned black and chilling.

Again, Holly hesitated. Undecided. Was she about to leap from the frying pan and into the fire? Should she keep running? Try and find the road at the far side of the forest? Or use the shelter the cabin offered to catch her breath and get warm and dry? A fresh flurry of fat, cold snowflakes made up her mind for her, and she strode into the dark maw of the shack. Behind her, the door screamed as it slammed shut. The candle in the window guttered and went out, and in the sudden choke of wick smoke, the metallic tang of blood invaded Holly’s nostrils and tongue. She coughed and wafted the smoke away with a hand.

Blind and panicked, Holly stumbled forward—one step, then two. Beneath her boot, something squelched, and the foul odour of decayed flesh made her gag and press a hand over her mouth and nose. While her empty stomach contracted and convulsed, Holly spun in place and dashed for the exit. In the cloying, tenebrous cloak of night, the fingers of her free hand scrabbled against the rough wood of the door in search of a handle or other means of gaining purchase. Sharp splinters pierced the tender flesh beneath her nails. Holly gasped and yanked her hand against her abdomen. Her breath wheezed and rasped in gasps, and Holly bent double in an attempt to both dilute her terror and make as small a target of herself as possible.

The unmistakeable shuffle of footsteps creeping came from the far wall. Outside, an owl hooted, and the clouds parted to allow the moon to escape its tempestuous prison. The sudden moon glow turned the glass into a mirror of window and sky, in which she could see everything. The spooky, tangled, heavy black of the gnarled trees. The patch of scarlet, which stained the floorboards at her feet. And the man, behind.

By roman raizen on Unsplash

Holly’s legs turned to jelly, and her knees buckled. Her slow collapse to the floor was much more elegant than the guttural cry that forced its way up her constricted throat. ‘No,’ she rasped. She’d come full circle. Must have gotten turned around in the thick growth of trees. Instead of escaping her tormentor, she’d run right back to him. All those hours of torture. Hours of endurance. An eternity of cold, of hunger, of pain and panic, only to find herself back where it all started.

Numb, and ready to give up the fight, Holly twisted on her knees and faced him. His bruised cheeks and flattened nose gave testament to her brave and furious resistance. The throb and sting of her traumatised knuckles matched the despaired thud-thump of her heart as it sank into leaden guts and cried within, ‘Why?

As though he’d read her thoughts, the man laughed—the phlegmy sound like a blunt saw through wet, living bone. Holly shivered. He shook his head, and sadness removed some of the cold menace from his face. ‘I told you this place would never let you go.’

‘But I did. I got away. I killed you.’

In reply, the man gazed over Holly’s left shoulder. Toward the decayed flesh that had squelched beneath her boot. To the mess that had pushed putrid gases into her nose, mouth, and throat. Though everything in her rebelled and resisted, Holly turned and followed where the man’s eyes led. To the squishy remains of two bodies. A man with his skull bashed in, a woman with the dead man’s fingers gripped around her throat, and a blood-stained rock on the floor, fallen from her slackened fingers.

Holly fell forward and braced herself with her hands. Through what should have been solid flesh, she saw the rough wood of worn floor boards. Horrified, as realisation dawned, she looked up at her tormentor. His ghost faded along with his mocking laughter. Faintly, his shadow lamented, ‘The cabin has been abandoned for years, but it’s never truly empty. And every year, idiots like us come in on a dare and fill it with our souls.’

Holly’s remnant dissipated. The lifeless cabin stood empty. Patient. Silence descended. Not even a dust mote stirred in the heavy air. The walls of the abandoned cabin groaned at the onslaught of a renewed blizzard.

More afraid of the storm than who or what might occupy the old, run-down shack, Holly forced her frozen feet forward through the deep drifts of snow.

In the window, a candle burned.

By Anne Nygård on Unsplash

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Author Note: I hope you enjoyed this short story. I'd love to hear what you think. Please be aware, I am a British English writer and follow British spelling, grammar, and punctuation conventions, which some non-British-English readers may not be used to. Please rest assured, these are not mistakes but simply a different way of doing things. Thanks so much for reading my submission and for all your support! All the best, Harmony :) ]

supernatural
14

About the Creator

Harmony Kent

The multi-genre author who gets write into your head

I began writing at 40 after a life-changing injury. An avid reader & writer, I love to review & support my fellow authors.

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Reader insights

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Top insights

  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

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Comments (15)

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  • Robbie Cheadle2 years ago

    A chilling story, Harmony. I enjoyed your twist too, clever!

  • Beem Weeks2 years ago

    Dark and haunting, this piece, Harmony. Wonderful work.

  • Michele Jones2 years ago

    You really feel for Holly. Loved the end.

  • John W. Howell2 years ago

    A great story, Harmony. I was caught up in the torment and panic that you so expertly described.

  • Staci Troilo2 years ago

    So atmospheric. And I loved the ending!

  • Priscilla Bettis2 years ago

    Ooo, spooky fun!

  • Sarah Stuart2 years ago

    Truly HORRIBLE horror. Brilliant!

  • This was awesome. Very well written and a great short story. Good luck in the competition.

  • D.L. Finn2 years ago

    Loved this, Harmony :) Brilliantly creepy!

  • Jan Sikes2 years ago

    Wow, Harmony! This brought goosebumps to my arms. Very well done!

  • Carol Townend2 years ago

    Brilliant and loved it! I'm also a British writer, so hi from a fellow writer.

  • Mae Clair2 years ago

    Very sinister and atmospheric. Descriptions were off the charts!

  • Gwen Plano2 years ago

    Terrifying! Well done, Harmony.

  • Joan Hall2 years ago

    Creepy!

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