Deadly Medicine Part 14 – The Cabin at Night
The Cabin at Night
As darkness settled around the little house in the woods Jessica became fidgety and nervous. She had remembered to call and get the water and electricity turned on so at least she didn’t have to sit in the dark. She made herself a small dinner using canned goods and then scrounged through all of the cupboards until she found a bottle of red wine. She poured some into a small glass and took it and the bottle into the living room, stopping to grab a book off of one of the many bookshelves along the way. She curled up in the big chair to read and drink her wine hoping she would relax enough to sit still.
She glanced up at the big windows that looked out onto the rose garden and the woods beyond, wishing that there were curtains she could close. Her parents hadn’t put any up saying that they loved the light the windows brought in and the view when looking out. She had always agreed during daylight hours but at night she thought it was more than just a little creepy. She drank some of her wine and opened the book in her lap, determined to relax.
She didn’t know how long she had been reading when she felt herself shiver. It had gotten cold in the house and it was now pitch black outside. She got up to turn the heater on but then decided she should just crawl under the blankets and keep reading in bed. She picked up her book and the half empty bottle of wine and headed for the bedroom, still too nervous to turn off the light.
She turned the bedroom light on and looked at the bed. That’s where it was. That is where the box sat filled with little snake-worms with eyes. Eyes that stared at you; eyes that knew you were there. Stop it! Just stop it right now. You put that box all the way out in the garage it won’t bother you now. Just stop thinking about it. No one knows you are here and you locked all of the doors and windows. You are safe here, just relax. She climbed into the bed pulling the blankets up enough to keep her warm bit still allow her to read. She drank more of the wine and picked up the book.
She hadn’t been reading long when she realized she could feel the effects of the wine finally starting to settle in, making her drowsy. She considered putting the book down and turning out the light but continuing to read felt safer. She drank some more of the wine and turned back to the book.
Thud. Jessica sat straight up in the bed, jerking her arms over her face and knocking the empty wine bottle off the bedside table. What was that? I heard something I know I did. It was the book you idiot just the book. You fell asleep. What you heard was the book hitting the floor. She saw the book on the floor and breathed a little sigh of relief. I told you just relax you are safe here. Go back to sleep you will feel better in the morning. She laid back down and closed her eyes. It was only a matter of minutes before she was asleep again.
Outside in the darkness, Mike was cursing himself. He had driven up the drive with the headlights off, his night vision now like that of a wolf. He had driven as slowly as he could, trying to stay quiet. But then when he got out of the car the door had gotten away from him and slammed shut sounding like a gunshot in the perfect stillness of the forest. He stood still barely breathing waiting for all of the outside lights to come on. Should have parked further down the drive and walked in she never would have heard you. But nothing happened. The lights didn’t come on and he couldn’t hear any movement coming from inside the house. It’s time Jess. I’m here, can you feel my presence? Are you waiting for me? I guess it doesn’t really matter baby because it is all going to end here one way or another.
He chuckled quietly as he started toward the house.
Join me next Friday for the next installment of Deadly Medicine.
Dawnda Schaefer