Cabin in the Woods

Ending 3: A Blue Chevy Malibu Writing Challenge ending

Art by R3m0z

They sped down the road, the car’s engine giving a throaty, contented rumble.

“Hey, we’re about an hour away from the cabin Dad left us. Want to go?” Mike’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

Mel smiled, remembering old times.

“Sure. The nearby store should have our long weekend supplies. Let’s do it. A couple of days away from the city’s noise and chaos.”

They bought groceries and ice from the small store to survive a few days. They also bought a big cooler to hold everything because they remembered the cabin had no electricity and the trip was unplanned. The cabin had a well, but no pump, so they bought jugs of water. Mike looked for beer or wine, but the small store had neither.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived at the secluded cabin nestled deep within the woods. The tall pines seemed to whisper secrets in the wind, their branches reaching out in greeting.

As the door creaked open, a musty smell greeted them, a scent of forgotten stories and memories trapped in time. The cabin still held mementos and photos from their grandparents. A rustic fireplace stood in the corner, ready to breathe life into the chilly nights.

“This place is perfect,” Mel said, while running her fingers along the peeling wallpaper. “It’s like stepping into a different world, frozen in time.”

Mike nodded, his eyes scanning the room. “Yeah. A portal to the past. The chance to experience a simpler lifestyle.”

The next day, they hiked along moss-covered trails, swam in a crystal-clear lake, and reveled in the wilderness’s solitude. It was as if time had stopped.

But that night, with the moon shrouded in darkness, a subtle unease crept into their sanctuary. Shadows danced along the walls, their other-worldly movements mocking the siblings’ carefree existence. Whispers echoed in the corners, growing louder with each passing hour.

Thunder rumbled and rain pounded as a storm blew in, so they sought comfort in the warm embrace of the fireplace. But the crackling flames seemed to flicker with a sinister intent, casting eerie shadows on their faces.

“What’s happening, Mike?” Mel’s voice trembled. “This place... it feels different now. Hostile, almost.”

Mike swallowed hard, his eyes darting around the room. “I know, sis. I’ve been feeling it too. Should we sell this place? Until now, it's been perfect. We hadn't been in so long, I'd forgotten. I don't want to lose it.”

As if on cue, the cabin groaned. Its ancient timbers seeming to protest against the weight of their presence. The walls appeared to close in, their peeling wallpaper curling into menacing grins. The photographs on the walls twisted, their subjects contorting into grotesque shapes.

Mel screamed, the sound swallowed by the chaos erupting around them. The fire roared as the wood gave a series of small pops, embers flying, flames erupting on the cabin’s floor where they landed. The whispers grew deafening, filling the room with dread.

And then, silence.

The storm outside subsided, leaving only a haunting stillness in its wake. Mike and Mel had made it as far as the cabin’s door, their bodies blackened, drained of life, their mouths agape.

As dawn broke, the sun’s rays filtered through the shattered windows of the blackened cabin. Tendrils of smoke curled from the ruins, casting an eerie gloom on the remnants of their dreams.

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The Beginning | Escape | The Final Frontier | Cabin in the Woods

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Author’s Note

This is the third (and final) of three endings I wrote for Blue Chevy Malibu.

Upcoming…

• Cosmological connections:

  Sonnet #12, 29 November 2023

Sonnet #12

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