The Cabin

Part 1

Jessica Woodacre was teacher at a local elementary school. She was single and lived alone in a little apartment she owned. Jessica loved to go hiking, swimming, running, biking, camping, she also liked to curl up with a good book. On one sunny morning, she decided to go for a hike on a local mountain. Once she got there, Jessica got her gear out of her car, put it on and started toward the mountain for her hike, leaving her phone in the car. She was wearing black pants and shirt so she could attract more heat from the sun since it was cold outside. Her hair was a light brown color and she had it up in a ponytail. She had been climbing for a while and was tired so she decided to sit down by a tree and take a break. Jessica sat and looked out at the magnificent view of the mountains and the life below it. Then, she got back up and started on the trail again, she heard a crunch behind her and whipped around to see what it was. It had just been a cute little bunny. So she didn't think much of it and continued on up the mountain. Nightfall had slowly began to descend upon her. So, she went off the path to find a decent looking shelter. She came upon a cave and settled in....

CRASH

Jessica startled awake, scared. It was raining, dark, and cold outside the cave. Jessica wandered out to see what had made the loud sound that had awakened her. As she starts her trek outside the ground was wet beneath her feet and stuck to her shoes, and the cold rain whipped at her like a beast trying to grasp its prey. As Jessica looked around and tried to find what happened, she steps in something slippery and loses her balance and falls. She looks down to see its red, and she put her finger in it and rubbed it between her forefinger, middle finger and thumb, to come to the conclusion she had fallen in blood. As soon as she realized, it was blood she screamed. She got up and kept walking until she saw a man with his dog, it was a pit bull. The man turned around with a smile that meant more than one thing. He was dressed in ragged clothes and had a rip in his pants. As I looked at him, he had a jagged scar on his right eyebrow, starting from the left side of his face down the right side stopping near the outside corner of his eye. As he walked toward her his foot dragged behind him. With a warm smile he said, "Hello there."

Jessica hesitated and half whispered, "Hi." She stared at him forebodingly.

"You're shivering. You need to get out the cold. Come with me."

Jessica snapped back into reality, "Oh no, it's okay. I'm fine."

"You could die of hypothermia out here. Come with me. My cabin is just up ahead." Said the mysterious man.

"But, but, but, my-y-y stuff isn't with me-e-e." Jessica said shivering.

"Come on sweetie, you need to get out this cold," he said as he put his arm around her started to walk back to his cabin with a frightened Jessica. Once they got close to the cabin she could see the lights from inside and almost touch the warmth that radiated from the fire inside. As he opened the door and let her in, he said "I'm Dave by the way."

"I'm Jessica," she said as she rubbed her hands together and then held them up to the fire and tried to get warm. She heard the banging of pots and pans in the background.

"Don't mind me, darling, I'm just going to make you some food. You need to build your strength back up," said Dave.

"Thanks," said Jessica. After he made her some food, she ate and soon fell asleep after that...

... Dave walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist. "Hey Jess," he whispered in her ear. She cringed away from him. But he kept trying pursue her as much as she tried to stop him. He leaned in to try again, but this time she punched him in the throat and ran. She could hear him yelling that he would get her and to not try to run. But she ran, she kept running until she couldn't see that g-d awful cabin anymore...

Jessica sat up heart pounding in her chest. "It was just a dream, it was just a dream," she continued repeating to herself, as she tried to convince herself, while she rocked back forth in ball.

                                                                                        ❧❧❧

Meanwhile, back in her hometown of Hamentashen. Jessica was supposed to have met her best friend, Stacy, for brunch, Saturday morning, but when Jessica didn't show. Stacy called Jess multiple times, with no answer. She then proceeded to call the police. It wasn't like Jess to not show up, she was never late. Until...today... After a few days of having not heard from Jessica, Stacy called to report a missing person.