Xylophilia

Chapter 19

“you know, a ghost seems like a viable option” catherine says to Carci

“oh no the dead are speaking to me~” carci mutters back mockingly

“im just saying you could be reading the mind of the dead” Catherine says

“i would love, to point that this is how horror movies start” Carci says

“and we thought we were better than that” catherine tsks shaking her head in mocking disapproval

Carci chuckled.

“and i thought we’d know ourselves better” carci says smirking

“yeah, yeah thats nice but thats how every horror movie protagonist ends up dead so in conclusion we should go” Mallory says

“we’ll be fine~” Catherine says

the cabin was just as moldy and overgrown on the inside as the outside. The mattresses were torn and extra crispy. The bed frames were broken and rotting. burnt clothes were scattered around the place. torn books were sprawled across the floor, bits of paper strewn everywhere. graffiti covered some of the walls that were so clearly from teenagers trying to give people the spooks if they were to check the cabin out. the floor was just as bad as the deck outside. The boards were uneven and the entire floor was on a slight slant. 

the floor creaked every time someone’s weight shifted even slightly. carci noted a desk and went to check it out. There was a burnt box of matches sitting on the desk. There was a journal that was black leathered and had a silver rose embedded into the cover. 

“huh” she opened it

the journal was what you would expect. but as she skimmed through it she noticed that it wasn't the property of a kid or middle schooler with nothing better to do, no, the journal belonged to someone who was an adult. she continued to skin through it. she put it down and looked through the rest of the desk. bits of paper with drawings and writing and games of stick-man on them were spread out like someone had searched it recently. the draws were empty 

she sighed and stepped back. “move” she heard in her ear she turned but Catherine was looking through the shelves and mallory was by the door. then the floor fell out from under her

“shit!” she says and grabs the edge of the newly made hole catching herself

Carci dropped the journal.

“fuck” she says feeling a warm liquid drip down her arm

“oh shit!”'

Catherine helped carci up. 

“yeah, we should go huh?” 

“yeah”

the three left and Carci examined her hand. The wood had left splinters and surprisingly deep cuts on her hand. she pulled out the easiest splinter and dropped it on the ground.

“doesnt that hurt?” Mallory asks as they make it back to their cabin

“no. not at all” carci says sitting down by the stream.

blood had run down her arm and was starting to dry. Carci rinsed it off.

“i dont think thats the most sanitary” Mallory notes

“mhm well its better than leaving blood in the sink and having a counselor find out” Carci says pulling out a splinter.

“hold on i’ll be right back” Mallory said she went back into the cabin and came back with a kit.

“How many damn splinters are there?” Mallory asks a little later

“mmh… that’s the sixth” Catherine says 

she hadn't looked up from what she was doing on her watch

“your counting?”

“no im counting how many time Mallory flinches or winces” catherine says

“mh. well i mean the cabin is really old or at least not exactly new. its old an run down so you know, the wood had very rough edges” she said pulling out another splinter

“not surprised, simply commenting.” Catherine said

“your commentary was not helpful” Carci says

“well i can tell you what you were hearing” Catherine said

“great shoot” Carci says

“ghosts.” ccatherine says

“ok well that’s anti climactic”