The Fifty State Nightmare

2

You yawn softly when you finally wake up, stretching out your tired muscles with a soft groan and climbing out of bed. You shiver when the cold wood floor meets with your bare feet, making your way out of your room after getting dressed and preparing breakfast. You settle at the table and eat in the quiet morning, the sun illuminating through the windows and slowly warming the chill in the cabin. Once you finish your breakfast you wash the dishes and get your shoes on, tucking your pocket knife away in your pocket and going for a hike in the forest. You follow a well worn game trail through the forest, enjoying the chirping of the birds and chittering of the squirrels. A content sigh leaves your lips as the sun peaks through the trees and warms your skin, your hands brushing against the bark of trees and picking the occasional wild flower.

You get a nice bouquet built before you turn around to head home so you can put them in a small vase before they withered. You would dry and preserve them eventually but for a day or two you would enjoy the sweet scent of them. You pause when you get back to the cabin, looking around in confusion when you see your door open but no sign of life from anywhere else. You could have sworn you made sure it latched so why was it open? A bear maybe? No, you couldn't hear the sound of any wild animals and saw no signs of scratch marks or anything like that. You pull out your pocket knife and slowly make your way to the cabin, peaking inside but still finding no one. Your hand shakes slightly as you quietly enter the cabin, your footsteps silent as you make your way through the rooms.

"Ah! Fuck Y/N!" The local game warden, Jim, shouts.

"Jim?! I almost stabbed you!" You tell him in disbelief. "What are you doing in here?!"

"Your parents wanted me to check on you. The door was open when I got here," He explains. "Geez, thought you might be hurt."

"I was just out for a walk. Did an animal get in?" You ask him.

"No idea. I didn't see any when I got in here. Can't think of anyone who would have come here unless it was for trouble," Jim tells you.

"But this place is impossible to get to unless you know where you're going! My parents maybe? Although, I don't see why they wouldn't have stayed," You mumble to yourself.

"Maybe I should stay tonight. Just in case?" Jim asks.

"Whatever you say. You better be bringing something with you though," You tell him.

"I'll bring wine," Jim tells you.

"Boo! Something harder!" You complain. "Even my dad drinks better than you."

"I would know. I partied with him as a teenager," Jim says with a laugh. "Like father like daughter. Fine, I'll bring absinthe."

"Oooh, yes. Now that's a party. I'll make snacks!" Y/N tells him.

"It's a deal. I'll see you tonight. Call if anything happens," He says, tipping his head in a nod before he leaves the cabin.

You watch him off before closing the door behind you, getting started on some snacks for later. Jim was like a second father to you. You'd probably gotten into more trouble with him than you have your own parents. He was always there for the parties. He'd usually be the one to drive you home and would make a point to sit outside your house a few days after the incident. You still found ways out but you were still thankful you had someone like him looking out for you. Hell, he and your father were quite the scary pair so your partners were, well, very limited. Not many wanted to date you with those two standing behind your back. Not to mention they were some of the best hunters out there. There wasn't a creature they couldn't pick off and that obviously added to the, "I'll shoot you if you hurt my daughter." shtick.

You get the counter laid out with shrimp, pizza rolls, cheese sticks, chips and dip, and jalapeño poppers. You also get out two shot glasses and clean up the cabin for the rest of the afternoon. The dust was getting ridiculous. Of course, no one had lived there for a couple weeks but still! It would be great if you could get rid of dust for good. You head to the door once Jim knocks, inviting him inside. He sets down the bottle of absinthe with a grin and you waste no time pouring out two shots. You both clink your glasses together and down the absinthe, your face scrunching up at the taste.

"You've still got a lot to learn," Jim laughs at you.

"Whatever old man," You tell him with a laugh. "I got out all my old board games. Wanna play?"

"You need more friends," He tells you but grabbing the glasses and bottle anyway.

You grin and the two of you settle on the cabin floor on either side of the coffee table. You two go through the old board games as you drink, a groan leaving your lips when he cuts you off. He makes sure you've got juice while he took a couple more shots before you both swap to juice. The loser had to drinking but it didn't take much absinthe to get you drunk at all so you two were being careful. You laugh and mess with each other as you play your board games, you ending up winning most. You weren't sure if he let you but figured he hadn't. You were both intoxicated and not taking gentle jabs at each other.

"So tell me, what have you been doing during your travels?" Jim asks you. "No trouble?"

"Mostly work and visiting the capitols and famous towns. Most trouble I've had is a speeding ticket," You tell him with a shrug. "Don't worry. I've paid them all."

"You know better than to speed," He says with a sigh.

"What? Everyone does it!" You laugh. "I know for a fact you have."

"Yeah yeah. I'm allowed to. I'm an adult," He tells you.

"Hey! I'm an adult!" You protest.

"Not in my eyes. You're still that toddler running around in diapers telling the world she was a princess," Jim laughs.

"I'm still a princess," Y/N giggles.

"Yes your majesty. You need to be careful though. I heard that serial killer struck their fiftieth victim and they've attacked strangers. None of the people have had anything in common except the picture," Jim tells you.

"I'm not worried. I don't usually go out alone," You tell him.

Sure, it was a complete lie but what Jim and your family didn't know wouldn't hurt them. As far as they were concerned you were a young woman traveling her country for interests sake. They'd never know you were secretly the Fifty State Nightmare. You had been way too careful for that.

"You never know. They might kill groups," He points out. "Never be too careful. I'd like them to try something here. I'd have them found in a week?"

Oh? A week huh? Challenge accepted.