The Land After Tomorrow (Completed)

Chapter 6: The Cabin

A cabin laid into the mist of the woods. Branches had fallen on top of the rusted down home, and a tree lay over the top of the roof, submerging itself into the home. The door was on the far right, wooden like the rest. Vines had begun to seep their way up the walls like a snake slithering up. A chimney was on the left side of the cabin blowing out smoke into the air. The smoke whirled and spiraled out like a tornado emerging from the bricks. The cabin was deserted, but for two faint breaths.

A boy and a girl huddled in a corner, holding onto one another. Their eyes were shut, and their breaths fell up and down on top of one another. A fire place laid next to them burning out. The smell of wood and smoke could be present in the air while the two slept. The cabin was still, lifeless. A small rumble broke out in the mere silence, coming from the girl. The two kids awoke to the sound while the young girl grabbed her stomach in pain.

"I'm hungry," she moaned.

"I'll go see if there is any food left in the cabinets." The young boy got up heading to the cabinets that laid up against the wall to the right of the door. The cabinet doors creaked open like the sound of bad brakes slamming against the road. He took out a couple cans, a bag of stale Doritos chips, two boxes of craft Mac and cheese and a bag of rice. He placed them on the small table that sat two that laid in front of the row of cabinets. "Want beans? I'll cook this one can for now, there's five more we can use for later."

"That's fine..."

"Okay. I'll go get some firewood."

"I'll wait."

The boy walked out of the cabin, his footsteps fading along with the slight push of the wind. The young girl waited patiently for her brother to return. She got up and looked through the bare cabinets trying to find food that her brother had missed. Her stomach rumbled louder as the minutes passed by. She got out the pan and poured a can of baked beans into it, using her finger to scoop out the rest. The remaining food on her finger she licked. She could hear her brother's steps outside the cabin. She noticed a blue stone necklace on the table. It was broken in half like the one she had around her neck. The young boy walked in carrying the pieces of firewood to the fireplace.

"You left this." She picked up the necklace and held it in front of him.

"Didn't want to lose it." He lit a match and let the fire glide through the wood.

"Do you remember when mom gave it to us?"

"Yea..." He grabbed the pot placing it onto the fire.

"I don't.... not anymore......Is that bad?"

"Is what bad?"

"Not remembering."

"Suppose not." He grabbed the wooden spoon that laid next to him and began stirring the beans with the flames lighting the pot around it.

"Do you remember?"

"Yea."

"Can you tell me?"

The boy sighed and looked down at the baked beans being heated by the fire. "Was our seventh birthday. Dad had sent a letter saying he had found a blue stone laying outside the walls and it reminded him of our eyes. I asked mom for a blue stone, so I could see what dad saw. The next day, on our birthday, she had one in her hand and you came asking for one too. She said, "how about we split it in half?" I told her I didn't want to, and I wanted a full one like dad. She told me I am never full without my sister, because we must look out for one another. The stone was a way to be reminded of that, so I agreed with her."

The young girl looked at her brother's stone as she held it in her hand. "I hate dad."

"Don't say that."

"It's true though. I hate him. He never loved us. He cheated on mom, beat her, and he killed that girl from work."

"He's innocent. He didn't do it."

"You read his letters too much. He did do it."

"Did not! He's innocent!" Drew tried to stand up from his kneeling position but instead he brushed his left shoulder up against the pot burning his skin. He screamed in pain to the burning flesh. The young girl ran over to her brother whom was screaming in pain. She grabbed a rag from her bag and poured a few drops of water onto it. She gently placed the rag onto the burn where skin was peeling off. He screamed louder putting his hand in his mouth biting down on it to ease the pain in his shoulder. The young boy cried, and tears streamed down his face. Moments passed by and his tears began to subside.

"The fire is going out." The boy said nothing just looked up at his sister. "I'll be back." The girl walked out the door, the sun hitting her face. She squinted her eyes and looked around for some wood for the fire. She heard a sound in front of her, through the brush of the trees. The sound was of footsteps, large but not too large. Branches were being crushed under the weight of the steps and faint snorts could be heard. She walked towards the sound, curious. Out of the shadows of the trees, a grizzly bear loomed over the young girl. It stood up on its hind legs roaring into the wind. It stretched its claws toward the girl lunging toward her. She screamed while she fell back holding her arm out in front of her. The claws from the bear struck across her arm digging into her flesh. A shot rang out echoing throughout the trees. The bear had fallen on top of her squishing her body underneath the weight. She screamed for help and out of the corner of her eyes she saw a man with two kids by his side, one, a girl, being held by another.

Her eyes grew weary struggling to stay awake. A sense of alertness from the rush of her blood streamed throughout her body. Her arm underneath the massive body weight ached with unbearable pain. In the sense of her confusion she could make out a faint voice screaming her name. Blair.

Happy 11th birthday to me.