Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Chapter 105

I grabbed the blanket, its warmth sinking into my hands, and headed to an empty couch. I flopped down, stretching out, the blanket settling over me as I took another bite of pizza, the crust crunching in the quiet. Kim dropped onto another couch, grabbing the remote, and the TV screen flicked from the news to a streaming app, rows of movie titles popping up.

Tessa looked over, her phone finally down, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "We’re in a creepy-ass cabin, rain pouring down like a horror flick. If we don’t watch a scary movie, I’m second-guessing our IQs."

I snorted, swallowing a bite of pizza. "Fair point."

"Agreed," Jasmine said, tucking her legs under her blanket. "Something spooky. Let’s do it."

Kim scrolled through the app, landing on a highly rated horror movie—a slasher with a masked killer, set in a storm-soaked forest. Perfect. She hit play, and the screen darkened, ominous music creeping through the speakers as the opening credits rolled. The fire crackled, the rain pounded outside, and the four of us settled in, blankets pulled up to our chins.

The horror movie played out in classic style. A family moves to a sprawling villa in the woods for the summer, desperate to escape the city’s chaos, only to find themselves isolated, far from civilization.

Sheesh. It hit close to home. Here I was, holed up in a cabin in the woods, trying to ditch the city’s noise myself.

"I bet he’s the killer," Jasmine declared, pointing at the TV, her eyes glued to the screen.

"He’s the father," Kim countered, tossing a piece of popcorn in her mouth. "No way it’s him."

"What about the butcher shop guy?" Tessa piped up, leaning forward. "He was acting weird."

"Bad acting, more like," Jasmine quipped, smirking. "Father’s the killer. Bet on it."

We fell quiet, the movie pulling us in. A masked figure appeared, lurking in the distance, watching the house with a bloodied axe in hand. The camera blurred the background, zeroing in on the blade, and for a split second, a face flickered on the axe—then the scene cut abruptly to something new.

"See," Tessa said, nudging Jasmine. "That guy’s outside, but the man was in the house earlier."

"Maybe he grabbed an axe, threw on a mask, and posed ominously," Jasmine teased, undeterred. "Then he’s back inside, playing good husband."

The kills started piling up. To Jasmine’s disappointment, the father bit it first. Then a nosy neighbor checking on the family. Three cops went down next. Just as the killer loomed over the mother, his mask slipping... the electricity cut out, plunging the cabin into darkness. The storm, relentless, had finally knocked out the power. It’d lasted longer than I expected, but Kim’s foresight in making me grab candles paid off.

"Aw, shit," Kim muttered, slumping back on the couch.

"Can’t see a damn thing," Jasmine groaned. "My phone’s almost dead. Should’ve charged it."

"I got candles in one of the bags," I said, standing, grabbing the empty pizza plate. "I’ll get ’em."

"Yellow bag, kitchen counter," Kim called after me.

I flicked on my phone’s flashlight, the beam cutting through the pitch black as I moved to the kitchen, the fireplace’s faint glow the only other light. I found the yellow bag, ripped open the packages, and pulled out four candles.

Back in the living room, I set two on the coffee table, lighting them with my lighter, their warm glow spreading. The other two went on a shelf near the stairs, their flames flickering as I lit them.

"Should help," I said, pocketing the lighter.

Kim shook her head, staring at the candles. "This trip’s a nightmare. I thought it’d be fun, you know? Beach, swimming, ice cream—whatever."

I returned to my couch, sliding under the warm blanket, the fireplace’s heat a small comfort. "It’s fine," I said, voice low. "I’m good with this trip. It’s fun. Kinda... distracting."

"Distracting?" Tessa asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah," I murmured, eyes on the candlelight. "From everything."

A loud bang on the door made us all gasp, jolting upright. My heart slammed against my ribs as I threw the blanket off and stood, adrenaline spiking. Who the hell was out there? Dierella, that woman from before? My mind flashed to the crimson sky, the frozen time, but outside, the sky was just dark, rain-soaked, no eerie red glow.

Jasmine and Tessa leapt up, trailing close behind me, their breaths shaky. Kim darted to the kitchen, snatching a frying pan from the counter, gripping it like a weapon.

"Oh my god," Kim whispered, her voice tight. "Who is it?"

"No idea," I said, wiping sweat from my brow. "Gotta check the window. Door’s got no peephole."

"Be careful, okay?" Tessa urged, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, moving toward the window, my pulse racing. "Alright..."

I parted the curtains just enough to peek out, the rain hammering the glass, blurring everything. Nothing. No one at the door, just darkness and the relentless storm. Fuck. An animal, maybe? I hoped so, because if it wasn’t, we were screwed.

I exhaled, shoving my phone into my pocket, and edged toward the door, hand gripping the doorknob. I twisted the lock once, double-checking it was secure, but the door felt flimsy, creaking under my touch, making my stomach churn.

Another bang. I stumbled back, nearly tripping over my own feet. Shit. Who was it?

"Here," Kim said, thrusting the pan into my hands, her face pale. "Oh my god, Evan, who is it?"

I clutched the pan, exhaling hard. "No clue..."

Another bang. Then another. And another. Whoever—or whatever—was out there was either about to kick the door down or shatter a window if that failed. I had to act, and all I had was a damn frying pan. Great.

Gritting my teeth, I unlocked the door and swung it open, raising the pan like a bat. Something slammed into my legs, knocking me back a step. I braced myself, ready to swing, but then I saw it—a rusted metal sign, the kind you’d see on a shopfront, caught in the gap between the porch steps. The wind must’ve torn it loose, hurling it against the door with each gust. When I opened the door, it dislodged, skittering inside and clattering across the floor.

"My fucking god," I muttered, lowering the pan, my heart still pounding. "It was just a damn sign."

The girls burst out laughing, the tension breaking like a snapped wire.

"A sign!" Tessa cackled, clutching her stomach. "You were ready to fight a ghost with a frying pan!"

"Man, you should’ve seen your face," Jasmine chimed in, grinning. "Like you were about to take on a serial killer!"

Kim shook her head, still chuckling. "I thought we were done for, and it’s just some junk blown by the wind."

I closed the door, locking it tight, the storm’s howl muffled again. Kim picked up the sign—a dented, faded thing that looked like it once advertised a diner—and set it on the coffee table next to that skin-colored dildo, the two objects looking absurdly out of place together.

I headed to the kitchen, fishing my lighter from my pocket. I lit a cigarette, the flame steady in the candlelight, and exhaled a cloud of smoke, leaning against the counter. "I nearly shat myself," I admitted, shaking my head.

"For real," Jasmine said, relighting the candles on the coffee table, their flames snuffed out when I’d opened the door. "I nearly jumped out of my skin when that bang hit."

Tessa wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge, the cap hissing as she popped it open. "Gotta calm my nerves after that," she said, taking a swig.

Kim rummaged under the counter, pulling out a bottle of red wine. She poured herself a glass, the liquid glinting in the dim light. "This trip’s testing us," she said, sipping. "But at least we’ve got booze."

Jasmine grabbed a bottle of water from the counter, taking a quick gulp before heading back to her couch, settling under her blanket. "No alcohol for me. Keeping it chill."

I stayed in the kitchen, smoking slowly, my eyes fixed on the window.

"God fucking help me."

‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬

The storm raged on outside, rain hammering the cabin’s windows, the wind howling like it was trying to tear the place apart. Inside, the breakfast table was just wonderful, cluttered with plates of half-eaten pancakes, strips of bacon, and a pitcher of orange juice that was almost gone.

The air smelled of maple syrup and coffee, the pot still steaming on the counter. Candles flickered on the table, their soft glow fighting the gloom since the power was still out. A fire crackled in the fireplace, casting warm shadows across the wooden walls, making the cabin feel like a bubble against the chaos outside.

Kim, Tessa, Jasmine, and I sat around the table, chairs creaking as we leaned back, plates pushed aside. The conversation had taken a turn, as it always did with these three, into teasing me mercilessly.

"And, then," Tessa said, chuckling, her fork dangling in her hand, "he asked me to suck his cock while he ate."

"What?" Kim gasped, her eyes wide, nearly choking on her orange juice. "Oh my god, Evan, you’re an animal."

I cleared my throat, my face heating up as I shoved a piece of bacon in my mouth. "Look," I mumbled, chewing, "it was just a stupid fantasy, okay? Can we not talk about it?"

Kim leaned back in her chair, grinning like a cat with a mouse. "What other absurd requests did he make? I wanna hear it all."

"Oh, oh, you forgot the kiss thing," Jasmine cut in, pointing at Tessa.

"Right!" Tessa said, slapping the table, her voice bright with mischief. "So, he stands up, right? And he’s like, ’Jasmine, Tessa, kiss each other while my dick’s in the middle of you.’"

"Girl, what?" Kim’s jaw dropped, her laugh bursting out as she clutched her coffee mug. "No way."

"I know, right?" Jasmine said, shaking her head, her grin wide. "He’s just... different."

They all burst out laughing, the sound filling the cabin, drowning out the storm for a moment. I groaned, sinking lower in my chair, but a smirk tugged at my lips. "You guys are the worst."

"Admit it," Tessa teased, pointing her fork at me, "you love the attention."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, taking a sip of coffee, the bitter warmth grounding me. "Keep roasting me, see where it gets you."

"Oh, we’re just getting started," Kim said, winking as she speared a pancake. "What else you got in that freaky head of yours, Evan?"

The conversation rolled on, their teasing not stopping but light, the kind of easy banter that made the cabin feel like home despite the storm outside. We tossed around stories, some true, some wildly exaggerated, the candles flickering as the rain kept pounding, the wind rattling the windows.