The Secret Cabin

Emma was very nervous about visiting her secret place, which she had shared with her friends. It was so far away from the town that Emma feared if anything bad could happen to her and Andre. She was visiting it probably after many years but she wondered how many people came across it and used it. Nevertheless, she decided to visit it for Cathy's sake. If someone as bold as Cathy was hiding in a cabin for her safety, that means the situation was very serious and she definitely needed help. 

The other thing that worried her was convincing Nancy. Though she could come up with the perfect excuse, what worried her was Nancy's stubbornness. So before getting out of the school, she called Andre and told him that she would require his help if Nancy was being stubborn. It wasn't something Emma liked to do but she wanted to keep Nancy away from the cabin. Emma wasn't a rebellious teenager but with the current situation in town, she wanted to keep her sister safe. She did not know what she and Andre would face while going to their secret place but for her cousin Cathy, she was willing to undergo this dangerous task.

After school was over, Emma stopped Nancy before she got onto the bus.

"What happened?" Asked Nancy.

"I need to go now with Andre to his house. You better go back home without me."

"Why? He isn't that bad but going out soon after his girlfriend went missing isn't good."

"Nancy, don't be stupid. I had written important points for some biology topics and Andre borrowed them from me. He forgot to bring it today." said Emma, raising her eyelids.

"So ask him to bring tomorrow," said Nancy, coolly. 

"We were told by our biology teacher that we might have a test tomorrow and I need that book now," said Emma as she tried her best to keep herself calm.

"Then let's go to his house together and get that book of yours."

"Nancy, I and Andre are in the same biology class."

"So?" Asked Nancy, scratching her head.

"We decided to revise together."

"You can't do that!" said Nancy, shocked.

"Nancy, I have work and study to do." pleaded Emma.

"Mother said us to come back home straight away." reminded Nancy.

"Hey Emma," said Andre as he walked towards them.

"My sister is making things difficult," said Emma.

"Look, your sister left her important notes with me and I forgot them at home. I also need her help. I suck at a few things." said Andre.

"Alright but if mother scolds me, I will tell her, that you insisted to go for your special book," said Nancy, lowering her eyebrows.

She gave Emma an angry look before she got inside the bus. Emma waved her hand at Nancy before getting inside Andre's grey Ford Focus.

"Thanks for helping me," said Emma as she sat inside the car beside Andre.

"It's alright. Now let's go and see Cathy," said Andre.

He drove his car while Emma gave him directions. As Andre continued to drive his car, he realized that they were now quite away from their town and college. Andre parked the car near an abandoned house and together they walked into the woods.

"Your secret place is here?" Asked Andre, surprised.

"When we were five, we got lost and found an old cabin here," replied Emma.

"How did you get lost?" Asked Andre, lowering his eyebrows.

"We were in a barbeque party near the lake and we decided to just take a stroll around, away from the party."

"Don't get me wrong Emma, you are a wonderful person, but you don't talk to people much. You try to stay away from everyone. I heard that a new guy tried to befriend you and yet you ran away."

"Things spread fast here," said Emma, frowning.

"You should socialize and try making new friends. Julia had always wanted you to do that," said Andre as he tried to convince Emma.

"I used to be like that before and I paid a price for it."

"Paid price for what?" Asked Andre, shocked.

"For trying to be a good friend."

"What happened?"

"Amanda was my friend in my first year at high school," replied Emma before she let out a huge sigh.

She wondered if it was right for her to tell the whole story to Andre. She did hang out with him many times along with Cathy but that didn't mean that they were really good friends.

"What? You must be kidding," said Andre whose mouth was now half-open because of the shocking news he just received.

"No. We were friends and now she bullies me."

"How did this happen?"

"I am not sure but I guess that maybe she did not like my fashion choices." lied Emma.

Emma did not want to tell the whole truth to Andre. The main reason why she and Amanda were no longer friends was because of a serious misunderstanding. Amanda liked a guy who in turn liked Emma and when Amanda got to know about this, she was furious. Amanda thought that Emma betrayed her by flirting with the boy she liked.

"Fashion choices? That is not a reason to bully anyone. Nobody even stops her from bullying others. Have you spoken to anyone from the school about her?" Asked Andre.

"It's alright. I am okay with it," replied Emma.

"How can you be okay with something like this? Emma, you need to tell someone. She bullied you throughout your high school life."

"It's not her fault. Amanda was a popular student and many girls wanted to hang out with her. Perhaps she spotted differences between me and those girls. She might be bullying me so that I would purposely avoid her. I think she is ashamed that I was her friend and she doesn't want to see my face.

"Okay, I get that. At the start, most of us are immature and later realize that we are hanging out with the wrong crowd but bullying is wrong."

"Oh look, we are already at the cabin." pointed out, Emma.

Away from the town, in the middle of woods, a small wooden house, surrounded by several trees, stood in front of them. Emma knocked softly on the door. A tall girl with light blonde hair opened the door. Her clothes were ripped and she had bruises on her hands.

"Cathy!" screamed Emma as she hugged her.

"You alright ?" Asked Andre.

Emma could see that there was a look of relief on Andre's face. Cathy almost cried as she hugged him. For a minute, Emma stood awkwardly until Cathy invited them in. They stepped inside the house and Cathy quickly closed the door. The small house had nothing but a small bed in one corner and a wooden table in another corner.

"How the hell are you surviving here? There is nothing here. You must be starving. let's get you something." said Andre.

"No you both must know this," said Cathy.

"I have to agree with Andre. Let's just go to the hospital first. You look hurt." said Emma, agreeing with Andre.

"Please hear me out first," said Cathy, worried.

"Fine, do whatever you want but do it fast," said Emma, lowering her eyebrows.

"This town is in danger. They are not normal and I have never seen them before. They are here for some girl."

"What?" said both Andre and Emma shocked.

"Last week when I was walking home, I saw Julia running from someone. I followed her and saw someone in a hood strangling her. Then I -

BOOM!!!

A huge sound came from the door. Someone began pounding on the door. They all looked at each other shocked. Cathy hand's were already trembling with fear and Emma could see sweat over Andre's face.  The ponding did not stop. Emma's heart began to beat fast.

"You both did not call the police right? Emma, I trusted you," said Cathy, as she cried.

"We did not even utter about this to anyone," said Andre, looking at the door with widened eyes.

"Relax, maybe we are just imagining. Maybe someone came here for help after wandering around," said Emma, trying to keep everyone calm.

Andre slowly walked and opened the door. To his surprise, there was no one outside. Both Cathy and Emma looked at each other with widened eyes.

"But there was someone," said Emma, confused.

"Oh no, it is them. CLOSE THE DOOR!" said Cathy as fear struck all over her face.

Andre screamed as he got dragged outside by someone whom Emma couldn't see. Cathy immediately ran to lock the door while Emma stood inside the house stunned. Everything happened so quickly that she could not do anything. Her heart was now beating faster than usual. Cathy was sweating profusely as she locked the door.

"This won't help. They will still get us," she said as she fumbled with the lock.

A man in a black hood suddenly appeared in front of a window and broke it with his fist. Both Emma and Cathy gasped. Emma grabbed Cathy's right hand and rushed towards the bed. They both hid below the bed. As they sat underneath the bed, trembling with fear, they could hear someone pouring something on the floor. Neither of them understood what just happened. A few minutes later, when there was no sound, both came out.

"Whoever it was, he left," said Emma, relieved.

The man appeared again in front of the broken window and threw something on the floor, where Cathy stood.

"Move!" screamed Emma, but she was too late.

Cathy was now caught in flames.