Inevitable Flaw

Chapter 11: Vertigo

The sun has finally sacrificed its life for the moon.

I am left boundlessly entranced by the great mass of trees that overwhelm every corner of our car, all riding at superior heights. Fading silhouettes of mountains from afar have finally transformed into visible mass of rock, some still sprinkled in snow. The sky is a maddening dark black, the moon finally provided a stage to sing its light.

We absolutely in the midst of the wilderness.

It was thrilling.

Mama drives with caution, careful not to trample over any daring animals. The only light available was that off the car's head lights, of which, allows us a limited scope of view in front of us. The rest of the surroundings are an unknowing mystery.

Everyone has fallen asleep in the car except for mama and I. My only physical company is the wind from outside. It spirals through the window and splatters on my face, the sensation relaxing me. I can smell the fresh scent of nature and hear the occasional sounds of owls.

This was the perfect getaway.

"We're here Aamirah," mama whispers in a soft manner while parking our car in front of a cosy cabin.

I gaze at the familiar structure. It is made of entirely solid logs that pile over each other into a rectangular shape. The front walls have small windows etched into them, both overlooking a view of the beautiful lake. The porch has a vintage style swing hovering above it and flower pots on either sides of the door. A three step stair case attaches towards the entrance.

The females decide to take over this cabin while the males move towards another similarly structured cabin. The unpacking of our cars takes just about eternity, the process completely tiring. Once our belongings have been taken inside, we all rush into our rooms.

The inside of the cabin is as warm as the outside. Its living room has a dark brown sofa and loveseat positioned in the middle, both encircling a small glass coffee table. In front, there is a huge brick styled chimney overlapping a massive fireplace. To the right of the fireplace, there are two situated bathrooms. The side tables next to the sofa hold onto heavy lamps that light up the room. A fury rug is thrown under the coffee table and over the hard wood floor. Behind the sofa setting, there is a circular wooden table that has a glass chandelier hovering above it and five chairs seated around. To the left side of the small dining area is the kitchen. It has the essential appliances installed into it and is made of natural wood cabinets and counters. On the far right side of this kitchen is a hallway that leads into three similarly designed bedrooms.

My bedroom has a small twin sized bed in the center and two side tables holding onto lamps. To the right side, there is a closet and to the left, a window overlooking the other cabin. I start on my bed, placing my sheets, pillows, and blankets on top of it. Then, I open up my carry-on and begin hanging my clothes. Halfway through the unpacking, I catch sight of a shadow moving in one of the rooms in the other cabin. The curtain to the window suddenly opens, revealing a dumbfounded Adam.

He stares at me for a second while I stand there immobilized, one hand holding a hanger and the other trying to place a shirt on it. I work up the nerve to move towards the window and close the curtains. On the way, he winks at me and pretends to start removing his shirt.

Luckily, I've already had the curtain closed to see anything more.

"How much more should I get mama?" I struggle with the heavy load of wood stacked over my cradled hands. When I drop them into the fireplace, relive courses through me.

"Just another round Aamirah," she replies from the kitchen.

I groan but make my way back outside to the back of the cabin. I kneel at stack of wood pieces and gather as much as I can. After piling them up into my arms, I slowly stand up and turn around. The sudden presence of a body just feets away from me, inscribes fear through every muscle in my body. I shriek but quickly stop when my eyes meet Adam's.