| Writing Fiction posted December 26, 2020 |
  |
Is there such a thing as a curse?
Cabin in the Forest
by HarryT
Susie and Steve were friends since grade school. They enjoyed riding their bikes together on the forest preserve trails not far from where they lived. On this day, they were headed for a pretty lake where they planned to have a picnic lunch. Halfway to the lake a loud boom almost knocked them off their bikes. Lightning struck a nearby tree. Heavy rain began to fall.
Steve said, "I saw a cabin just through trees. Let's head there and get out the rain."
They turned off the trail and rode carefully through the forest stopping in front of a large log cabin. Steve said, “I’ll put the bikes under that big tree, they will be protected.” He took both bikes by the handles and wheeled them through green leafed bushes and tangled vines. He carefully leaned the bikes against the tree.
Steve ran to the cabin door where Susie was waiting in the rain. “Why didn’t you go in?”
“The door is stuck,” she said.
Steve put his shoulder against the door and pushed. The door cracked open. He pushed harder and the door opened wide. He took Susie’s hand and said, “Okay, let’s get out of this rain.”
"It looks kind of spooky in here,” Susie said, “but maybe we can build a fire and dry off.”
“Yeah,” Steve said, “You know, this place looks more like a tavern than a house, but it does have a fireplace.”
A long, log box was placed near the fireplace. Steve walked over and opened it.
“Hey, take a look at this.” He held up a dead rat by the tail.
“Get rid of that thing!” Susie yelled. “You’re not funny.”
“Okay, okay.” Steve trotted to the door and heaved the dead rat away from the cabin.
“Gosh, Steve, I don’t need your silliness. I’m cold. Please get the fire going.”
Steve looked into the log box. "We're in luck, there's some branches, a few logs and some big old stick matches in here. I'll get a fire going and we can dry off and wait for the storm to let up.”
He soon had a fire going. He sat next to Susie and said, “Pretty nice fire, huh?”
“Yes,” Susie said, “Thanks for getting it going. It feels good on my back.”
Steve got up and wandered about the cabin. The room was large and there were blotches on the plank floor where a long bar may have stood. He spotted an old trunk under a window. He wiped dust from the lid and said, “It says U.S. Army on the top.”
"Leave it alone," Susie said.
“Why? Let’s see what’s in it."
“No, please, my grandmother said you have to be careful about old things. She said old things sometimes have a curse on them. So, it’s not good to fool with them.”
"You don't really believe that curse stuff. Do you?"
"I don't know. It’s spooky here. I just don't want to take any chances."
"C'mon,” Steve said, “let's have a look." He tried to open the lid. He pulled and grunted, "It's stuck."
"Just leave it alone, there could be a curse," Susie said.
"Wait, I'll use the poker." He pushed the iron rod under the trunk latch and popped it up."There that's got it." Steve lifted the lid; a smell like old socks filled the room. “This must be old army stuff." He reached into the trunk and pulled out a blanket and shook it. Dust filled the air and settled on his hair and clothes.
Susie screamed, “Did you see that?”
“See what?”
"An Indian ghost flew out of the blanket and disappeared over your head."
"Susie, really? C'mon, I'll put the blanket around you. Keep you warm."
"No! Get it away from me. Who knows what could be on that old thing."
"Okay, suit yourself."
Steve wrapped himself in the blanket and sat near her by the fire. "This blanket is warm. Sure, you don't want to share?"
"No thanks, I already told you and don’t get too close with that old thing."
The two sat by the fire and talked about their upcoming senior year at John Quincy High School. After an hour, the rain stopped. Steve trudged through the bushes and got their bikes. They rode over the muddy trail to Steve’s car that was parked in the forest preserve lot. He loaded the bikes on the carrier, and then drove to Susie’s house. There he unloaded her bike and put it in the garage for her. Susie thanked him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, “Call me tomorrow after dinner.”
When Susie told her grandmother about their adventure, her grandmother turned white. Grandma was from the old country and still spoke English in bits and pieces.
"You go in? It old Indian trading post. Place cursed, very bad place,” she said.
"Why do you say that, Grammie?"
“White man own, army tell give blankets to Indians. Blankets have smallpox on them. Many Indians die."
“Oh, Grammie, I told Steve to leave that trunk alone, but he wouldn’t listen. I’ll bet those were some of the blankets. I hope he doesn’t get sick.”
The next day was Sunday. After dinner Susie waited for Steve’s call. No call came. It was past eight o’clock in the evening and still no call. She was worried about him after hearing her grandmother’s smallpox story. So, she decided to call.
Steve’s mother answered the phone and she said, “Oh Susie, I was just about to call you. Steve said you would be worried. He has poison oak all over his legs and back. He must have picked it up in the forest. Are you okay?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am. Is Steve doing okay?”
“Yes, dear. But he’s very itchy will be laid up for a while. The doctor said for him to take oatmeal baths and put lotion on the rash. It may take a week or so to clear up.
“Oh, please tell him I’m so sorry. I was worried when he didn’t call. I was afraid he had smallpox.
“Smallpox! His mother’s voice climbed with surprise. “Why would you think that?”
“Just something about that old cabin, my grandmother told me. Please have him call me when he is feeling better.”
“I will, dear.” Steve’s mother said and hung up the phone.
Three weeks later Steve and Susie wanted to picnic at the lake before the start of school. This time no rain, and they made sure to stay out of the woods.
***
Low Reading Level for Teens contest entry
Susie and Steve were friends since grade school. They enjoyed riding their bikes together on the forest preserve trails not far from where they lived. On this day, they were headed for a pretty lake where they planned to have a picnic lunch. Halfway to the lake a loud boom almost knocked them off their bikes. Lightning struck a nearby tree. Heavy rain began to fall.
Steve said, "I saw a cabin just through trees. Let's head there and get out the rain."
They turned off the trail and rode carefully through the forest stopping in front of a large log cabin. Steve said, “I’ll put the bikes under that big tree, they will be protected.” He took both bikes by the handles and wheeled them through green leafed bushes and tangled vines. He carefully leaned the bikes against the tree.
Steve ran to the cabin door where Susie was waiting in the rain. “Why didn’t you go in?”
“The door is stuck,” she said.
Steve put his shoulder against the door and pushed. The door cracked open. He pushed harder and the door opened wide. He took Susie’s hand and said, “Okay, let’s get out of this rain.”
"It looks kind of spooky in here,” Susie said, “but maybe we can build a fire and dry off.”
“Yeah,” Steve said, “You know, this place looks more like a tavern than a house, but it does have a fireplace.”
A long, log box was placed near the fireplace. Steve walked over and opened it.
“Hey, take a look at this.” He held up a dead rat by the tail.
“Get rid of that thing!” Susie yelled. “You’re not funny.”
“Okay, okay.” Steve trotted to the door and heaved the dead rat away from the cabin.
“Gosh, Steve, I don’t need your silliness. I’m cold. Please get the fire going.”
Steve looked into the log box. "We're in luck, there's some branches, a few logs and some big old stick matches in here. I'll get a fire going and we can dry off and wait for the storm to let up.”
He soon had a fire going. He sat next to Susie and said, “Pretty nice fire, huh?”
“Yes,” Susie said, “Thanks for getting it going. It feels good on my back.”
Steve got up and wandered about the cabin. The room was large and there were blotches on the plank floor where a long bar may have stood. He spotted an old trunk under a window. He wiped dust from the lid and said, “It says U.S. Army on the top.”
"Leave it alone," Susie said.
“Why? Let’s see what’s in it."
“No, please, my grandmother said you have to be careful about old things. She said old things sometimes have a curse on them. So, it’s not good to fool with them.”
"You don't really believe that curse stuff. Do you?"
"I don't know. It’s spooky here. I just don't want to take any chances."
"C'mon,” Steve said, “let's have a look." He tried to open the lid. He pulled and grunted, "It's stuck."
"Just leave it alone, there could be a curse," Susie said.
"Wait, I'll use the poker." He pushed the iron rod under the trunk latch and popped it up."There that's got it." Steve lifted the lid; a smell like old socks filled the room. “This must be old army stuff." He reached into the trunk and pulled out a blanket and shook it. Dust filled the air and settled on his hair and clothes.
Susie screamed, “Did you see that?”
“See what?”
"An Indian ghost flew out of the blanket and disappeared over your head."
"Susie, really? C'mon, I'll put the blanket around you. Keep you warm."
"No! Get it away from me. Who knows what could be on that old thing."
"Okay, suit yourself."
Steve wrapped himself in the blanket and sat near her by the fire. "This blanket is warm. Sure, you don't want to share?"
"No thanks, I already told you and don’t get too close with that old thing."
The two sat by the fire and talked about their upcoming senior year at John Quincy High School. After an hour, the rain stopped. Steve trudged through the bushes and got their bikes. They rode over the muddy trail to Steve’s car that was parked in the forest preserve lot. He loaded the bikes on the carrier, and then drove to Susie’s house. There he unloaded her bike and put it in the garage for her. Susie thanked him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, “Call me tomorrow after dinner.”
When Susie told her grandmother about their adventure, her grandmother turned white. Grandma was from the old country and still spoke English in bits and pieces.
"You go in? It old Indian trading post. Place cursed, very bad place,” she said.
"Why do you say that, Grammie?"
“White man own, army tell give blankets to Indians. Blankets have smallpox on them. Many Indians die."
“Oh, Grammie, I told Steve to leave that trunk alone, but he wouldn’t listen. I’ll bet those were some of the blankets. I hope he doesn’t get sick.”
The next day was Sunday. After dinner Susie waited for Steve’s call. No call came. It was past eight o’clock in the evening and still no call. She was worried about him after hearing her grandmother’s smallpox story. So, she decided to call.
Steve’s mother answered the phone and she said, “Oh Susie, I was just about to call you. Steve said you would be worried. He has poison oak all over his legs and back. He must have picked it up in the forest. Are you okay?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am. Is Steve doing okay?”
“Yes, dear. But he’s very itchy will be laid up for a while. The doctor said for him to take oatmeal baths and put lotion on the rash. It may take a week or so to clear up.
“Oh, please tell him I’m so sorry. I was worried when he didn’t call. I was afraid he had smallpox.
“Smallpox! His mother’s voice climbed with surprise. “Why would you think that?”
“Just something about that old cabin, my grandmother told me. Please have him call me when he is feeling better.”
“I will, dear.” Steve’s mother said and hung up the phone.
Three weeks later Steve and Susie wanted to picnic at the lake before the start of school. This time no rain, and they made sure to stay out of the woods.
Steve said, "I saw a cabin just through trees. Let's head there and get out the rain."
They turned off the trail and rode carefully through the forest stopping in front of a large log cabin. Steve said, “I’ll put the bikes under that big tree, they will be protected.” He took both bikes by the handles and wheeled them through green leafed bushes and tangled vines. He carefully leaned the bikes against the tree.
Steve ran to the cabin door where Susie was waiting in the rain. “Why didn’t you go in?”
“The door is stuck,” she said.
Steve put his shoulder against the door and pushed. The door cracked open. He pushed harder and the door opened wide. He took Susie’s hand and said, “Okay, let’s get out of this rain.”
"It looks kind of spooky in here,” Susie said, “but maybe we can build a fire and dry off.”
“Yeah,” Steve said, “You know, this place looks more like a tavern than a house, but it does have a fireplace.”
A long, log box was placed near the fireplace. Steve walked over and opened it.
“Hey, take a look at this.” He held up a dead rat by the tail.
“Get rid of that thing!” Susie yelled. “You’re not funny.”
“Okay, okay.” Steve trotted to the door and heaved the dead rat away from the cabin.
“Gosh, Steve, I don’t need your silliness. I’m cold. Please get the fire going.”
Steve looked into the log box. "We're in luck, there's some branches, a few logs and some big old stick matches in here. I'll get a fire going and we can dry off and wait for the storm to let up.”
He soon had a fire going. He sat next to Susie and said, “Pretty nice fire, huh?”
“Yes,” Susie said, “Thanks for getting it going. It feels good on my back.”
Steve got up and wandered about the cabin. The room was large and there were blotches on the plank floor where a long bar may have stood. He spotted an old trunk under a window. He wiped dust from the lid and said, “It says U.S. Army on the top.”
"Leave it alone," Susie said.
“Why? Let’s see what’s in it."
“No, please, my grandmother said you have to be careful about old things. She said old things sometimes have a curse on them. So, it’s not good to fool with them.”
"You don't really believe that curse stuff. Do you?"
"I don't know. It’s spooky here. I just don't want to take any chances."
"C'mon,” Steve said, “let's have a look." He tried to open the lid. He pulled and grunted, "It's stuck."
"Just leave it alone, there could be a curse," Susie said.
"Wait, I'll use the poker." He pushed the iron rod under the trunk latch and popped it up."There that's got it." Steve lifted the lid; a smell like old socks filled the room. “This must be old army stuff." He reached into the trunk and pulled out a blanket and shook it. Dust filled the air and settled on his hair and clothes.
Susie screamed, “Did you see that?”
“See what?”
"An Indian ghost flew out of the blanket and disappeared over your head."
"Susie, really? C'mon, I'll put the blanket around you. Keep you warm."
"No! Get it away from me. Who knows what could be on that old thing."
"Okay, suit yourself."
Steve wrapped himself in the blanket and sat near her by the fire. "This blanket is warm. Sure, you don't want to share?"
"No thanks, I already told you and don’t get too close with that old thing."
The two sat by the fire and talked about their upcoming senior year at John Quincy High School. After an hour, the rain stopped. Steve trudged through the bushes and got their bikes. They rode over the muddy trail to Steve’s car that was parked in the forest preserve lot. He loaded the bikes on the carrier, and then drove to Susie’s house. There he unloaded her bike and put it in the garage for her. Susie thanked him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, “Call me tomorrow after dinner.”
When Susie told her grandmother about their adventure, her grandmother turned white. Grandma was from the old country and still spoke English in bits and pieces.
"You go in? It old Indian trading post. Place cursed, very bad place,” she said.
"Why do you say that, Grammie?"
“White man own, army tell give blankets to Indians. Blankets have smallpox on them. Many Indians die."
“Oh, Grammie, I told Steve to leave that trunk alone, but he wouldn’t listen. I’ll bet those were some of the blankets. I hope he doesn’t get sick.”
The next day was Sunday. After dinner Susie waited for Steve’s call. No call came. It was past eight o’clock in the evening and still no call. She was worried about him after hearing her grandmother’s smallpox story. So, she decided to call.
Steve’s mother answered the phone and she said, “Oh Susie, I was just about to call you. Steve said you would be worried. He has poison oak all over his legs and back. He must have picked it up in the forest. Are you okay?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am. Is Steve doing okay?”
“Yes, dear. But he’s very itchy will be laid up for a while. The doctor said for him to take oatmeal baths and put lotion on the rash. It may take a week or so to clear up.
“Oh, please tell him I’m so sorry. I was worried when he didn’t call. I was afraid he had smallpox.
“Smallpox! His mother’s voice climbed with surprise. “Why would you think that?”
“Just something about that old cabin, my grandmother told me. Please have him call me when he is feeling better.”
“I will, dear.” Steve’s mother said and hung up the phone.
Three weeks later Steve and Susie wanted to picnic at the lake before the start of school. This time no rain, and they made sure to stay out of the woods.
***
You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.
© Copyright 2024. HarryT All rights reserved.
HarryT has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
