The Cabin

The lock to the door took some time to jiggle open, it seemed to hesitate letting me in, it had been quite some time since I last resided here. I opened the door to a dark room covered in furniture covered with dusted white linens, in the darkness the room seemed to stretch into forever. I stepped inside and fumbled with one of the electric torches I had brought my finger freezing inside my gloves made this more difficult. There would be now heat or electricity until the utilities company came, until then the fireplaces and electric torches would have to suffice. I got the torch lit and set it down on the end table to my left. It helped it illuminating more of the dust cloaked linens that made out the shapes of various items of furniture. “Hello” I called out.

                No answer. I could clearly see the fire place and made my way towards it, most of the room still faded into the darkness. I tossed a log into the fireplace and proceeded to start it, getting up only after I had assured it would not die out in my absence. The door just opposite of the fireplace was the furthest thing I could make out and I knew it led to the room which has previously served as my quarters. The door creaked in anticipation of my opening it. The door slid open with no further contest and upon entering a wave a stale air intruded my nose, a reminder of the time that had pasted since I resided here. The Victorian silk canopy bed caught a flicker of light from the fireplace and seemed to swallow the room. I set my belongings down on it, it groaned. I turned around and knelt down to start a fire in the fireplace across from the foot of the looming bed. “Hello,” I jumped back, the fireplace roared to life.              
                “Who’s there!”
                “Calm yourself it’s only me.”
                “How’d you get in here?”
                “You let me in a long time ago, John.”
                “I seem to forget that don’t I?” I sigh.
                “Yes you do”
                “Why are you still here?”
                “Why did you come back?”
                “A lot of reasons, John.”
                “No, you couldn’t even leave.”
                “Fuck you John!” I stood up. The fire flickered casting an eerie light on the Victorian styled walls. I stood awhile more in silence. The crackling of fire surrounded me. The cabin settled. I wandered back out into the main room. The same eerie glow followed me, it seemed inescapable.
                “ John?” There was no reply.

I stood motionless, waiting for a single sound. The fire continued to rage, I wished it would hush for just a moment. I flew to the entrance and found my lantern where I had placed it on the end table next to the door. The oak door was wide open and the cold mountain air sent me a chill. Nothing but darkness greeted me at the far end of the porch, motionless. I stood there and for the first time felt freedom. I felt completely alone.