The light rain that had started some moments ago, was now getting heavier. The two friends were surveying the quaint little house that they had seen from the road beyond the oak grove.
"I guess we were lucky to find this," Mitch said putting down his gear on an old couch near the window. "It'll do for the night."
His friend Kyle was busy trying a stubborn door. It opened with a protesting squeak on rusty hinges. Inside, he found a bedroom. The bed was a sadly sagging cot.
"Yeah," he said sighing, "It could be worse all right. The rain's not gonna let up for a while. I'm just glad it isn't raining too hard. I don't think this roof would take the weight."
"Look," said Mitch bumping around into things. "I've rented cabins that didn't look this good. I mean the dust, but at least there's a fire place."
"We'd better get some wood." Kyle started toward the door.
The rain was a little heavier now, falling steadily. It had a calming effect. Kyle could have used that. Neither he or his friend were much good at hunting. They weren't much at exploring either; for they had strayed off the beaten path and come too far. He wasn't really sure where they were. At least they wouldn't be too uncomfortable. And it might even prove fun.
Kyle laughed and muttered, "almost like Summer camp."
Mitch was now out on the front porch gathering what wood he could find. Kyle tried a few other doors. One was a room that contained sparse items of old furniture. A broken window let a gush of cool air hit him in the face. The floor was rotted at the spot under the window where years of rain had taken its toll.
In all, it was a four room house. One of them would get the couch. Kyle wondered who would build a house so far in a dense forest. It wasn't a hunting lodge. It was definitely a house.
Mitch appeared in the doorway with an armful of wood.
"This should get us by," he grinned as he placed it beside the fire. A half hour later, the scene was set. Kyle was smoking, gazing out at the dusk. Mitch was straining to read a paperback by a kerosene lantern that he had found - some oil still in it.
"Now that's a picture," said Kyle. "I can see why people would want to have a place like this. Just a nice out of the way place to get away from it all."
After a while, Kyle began to start the fire. "This could be worse," he said while the flames began to rise. "I just wish we had more food."
"We can get by. All we need is the tv."
"Like it or not we're trapped here for a while," Mitch grinned. "Look at that," he said pointing to the dirty window. "It's black as pitch out there. It's like some big blanket suddenly wrapped around us. If we step out into that, we're lost."
"Imagine that," said Kyle. "We step out into that and we're lost. Suddenly, there's no escape."
Mitch stretched back on the couch. "Don't worry. The sun will come back up. It always does. But it sure went down awfully fast."
"I wonder how many times someone sat in this room passing away the night hours. Here we are back in time. I really feel out of place here all of a sudden - like maybe we're not alone."
"I might like to come back here," Mitch said. "You know, just come back to visit now and then just to change gears - maybe fix the place up."
"Can't do that," Kyle sighed. "Owner would come back and catch us."
"Always kill the dream," Mitch said. "I don't think anyone's been here for a long time anyway. We might just get away with it."
The talk became more and more scattered as the time wore on. It was still raining by 9 pm. They decided that there was nothing more to do but retire for the night. The warmth of the fire was making them sleepy.
"So, who gets the bed?" Mitch asked.
Kyle produced a coin. "We'll flip for it." Mitch won the bed.
They each took their places
Each one faded out in his own time, into a welcome sleep.
- - -
Mitch awoke suddenly. What was it that woke him? A noise? He couldn't recall what it was. For a second, he had to gather his wits. He once again replayed the events in his mind. Yes, He was in a small house in the middle of a large wood. His friend was in the next room, presumably sleeping soundly. But there was terrible tension in the air.
He looked around the room. His knife and watch were still on the table where he had left them. He groped for and found the blanket. Nothing seemed out of place. There was a faint light washing the room.
Then suddenly he sat up. How could he see so well? The lantern had been put out. There was a light from an unknown source. The moon was new, so it couldn't be that. For several minutes, he looked around, trying to gather his wits.
He had heard a noise in the next room. Kyle was apparently stirring. He started to call out his name; but for some reason, held back. Something was terribly wrong. He could feel the tension in the air grow, like some horrible event was oncoming.
He did not have to wait long. The door opened slowly. He whispered Kyle's name. Instead he saw a man appear. A wrinkled old face gazed in his direction. He was quite elderly; and tottered toward the window. He seemed to take no notice of Mitch as he walked past. He gazed out of the window for some minutes; then turned to go back to the other room. Mitch could only stare in silence.
Who could the strange man be? And where was his friend? Had this villain done away with him? But he seemed so feeble. But then to his sudden horror, he noticed that the old man was wearing his friend's clothes.
"Wait a minute," he managed to say in a whisper. "What are you doing? Who are you?"
Again, the old man gave no response. He entered Kyle's room. Mitch then jumped out of bed. He was trembling with horror. He made his way to the partially open door and pulled it open. The couch was empty.
"Kyle," he called. No answer. The eerie dim light was everywhere in the house. He searched each room, calling for his friend over again. His fear was mounting. Not daring to go outside, he returned to the bed trying not to believe what he had seen. How could his friend suddenly turn into a weak old man? Such a thing was beyond impossible. Surely, he was having a dream. But no, he felt sure by now, that he was quite awake.
He listened for every little noise. He was sitting up, still looking about the strangely lit room at every angle. But in time, his head became very heavy; and cares seem to slowly fade away.
- - -
A chirping bird woke him. Friendly sunlight was flooding the small room as he made the slow transition from the sleep world into consciousness. He crawled out of bed and marveled, for his bones felt like he had run six miles. Kyle stood in the doorway, the normal version.
"Thank God," said Mitch relieved. "You're all right."
"Sure," he replied. "I feel great. I wish I could say the same for you. Look, the sun's up and the trail's easy to see. We shouldn't have any trouble getting back to the car now."
Mitch stood up and stretched. "Don't your joints ache ?"
"No," Kyle twisted his arms in the air. "I'm fine as ever. I just wish we could get a hold of some coffee right now. It'll take us two or three hours to get back to the car."
They packed their things and made their way outside.
"Wait a minute," Kyle said. "Let me get one last look at the old place before we go."
Kyle stood in front of the sagging structure while Mitch began looking for the right direction in the forest.
"Well, I guess, let's go," Kyle said hoisting his pack.
They walked for several minutes through the oaks, pines and cedars. It seemed dark under this green canopy; but there were patches of sunlight as they progressed. They came to a stream and rested on a large limestone rock.
"How's the bones?" asked Kyle.
"OK now," Mitch sighed. "I guess it was that strange dusty bed." He paused. "And it was a bit cool last night."
"Strange is right," said Kyle. "There's really something strange about these woods and that strange house."
"What do you mean?"
"For one thing, that house," explained Kyle. "Didn't you notice that weird feeling, like a pull or something in that place. It's like I really want to return and see it again. You know, I felt like there was someone there with us last night."
"Well, I've got to tell you Kyle. There was something that happened last night that I can't explain. I think I dreamed it. You came into my room and stood looking out the window. But it wasn't really you."
"It was me," Kyle laughed. "I did get up and go in. I thought I heard you say something. But you know, you were gone. I couldn't see you in the room."
"But, I did see you," Mitch blurted. "I don't know how to say it. But you were like eighty years old. You were walking like you were about to die. And I talked to you; but you didn't seem to hear me."
"That's pretty weird. I remember getting up. I'm glad I didn't see myself in the mirror. I might have had a heart attack."
They resumed their journey. They had located the creek which they both remembered would lead them to the car.
"That place is really haunted. I know that now. We weren't alone." Kyle said as if to himself. "While I was looking at the cabin for the last time, I saw something in there. I was going to call you to look; but you were off looking in the woods."
"What did you see?"
"There were four faces looking out at us. A man, two kids and a
woman. I guess you could say that in a way, we spent the night with
them."
William Darby 1994