The Beast Within

Into the Woods Part 3

The log cabin had been in Selena's family for four generations. Nestled amid the mountains of Northern West Virginia, it was as wild as the surrounding forest - a perfect blend of rough and beautiful.

The nearest town was a thirty-minute drive and no other structures were visible through the entanglement of trees that surrounded the property. 

Selena parked at the bottom of the long and overgrown path that served as a driveway. As she exited her vehicle, memories of hot cider and lopsided snowmen, staples of her childhood visits, immersed her. The fresh air filled her lungs and, for the first time in months, she felt a sense of belonging - a sense of freedom.

Weathered oak logs and stripes of contrasting clay ran horizontally up the exterior of the cabin, creating alternating ribbons of rich brown and taupe. Over the rough-shingled roof on the far side of the cabin, Selena could see the top of the chimney - tendrils of five-leaved ivy tightly embracing the stone beneath.

A breeze stirred the golden leaves, which reached well above Selena's ankles.

From Ohio, the drive to the cabin had taken over five hours and it was now almost 6:00pm. The fall sun was already dipping in the sky and the evening was growing cold. Selena felt encroaching numbness in the delicate fingers holding her suitcase and tucked her free hand into the pocket of her work blazer.

She would be wise to get inside soon.

Beneath the fallen leaves, Selena could see a trail of round paving stones that led from the covered front porch to an overgrown garden plot beside the cabin. She counted three stones from the front door and lifted the large concrete disk, running her fingers through the dirt.

At first, she found nothing. She shivered as a tingle of fear ran down her spine.

I could break a window. Certainly, nobody would hear it out here.

The thought of her isolation increased only her anxiety and Selena frantically raked her fingers through the dirt. Her index finger brushed against cold metal. Selena gave a soft whistle of relief as her fingers closed around a metal key.

Standing upright, she quickly approached the heavy front door and placed the tarnished brass key in the lock. It turned with some resistance and Selena pushed open the door, the hinges of which yielded with soft creak.

It took a few moments for Selena's eyes to adjust. She knew better than to try to find a light switch - nobody had occupied the property for over ten years. Her father had committed to maintaining the cabin after the death of her grandmother, but had only performed the most necessary maintenance. There would be no electricity for her stay.

The sheets that her father placed over the furniture emerged from the darkened interior like ghosts rising to greet her. Soon, she could see the surfaces of the small cabin amid the swirling dust.

Selena stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Dropping her suitcase and purse to the floor, she allowed a wave of nostalgia to wash over her as she gazed around the rustic home.

The front door opened into a simple living room. The walls were unpainted wood and the furniture was sparse. A sofa stood against the nearest wall and she did not need to lift the sheet to know it was the soft, tan sofa into which she had curled her little legs as a child.

Two sturdy wooden chairs stood in front of the large, stone fireplace. On the far wall hung the only decoration, a large hand-sewn quilt depicting a black cat, with golden eyes, beneath the light of the moon.

Her focus lingered on the quilt and a smile twitched upon her lips. She remembered snuggling beneath the blanket as a little girl. Selena had always imagined that the black cat was her protector when she was afraid of the dark.