Cabin in the woods part 2

Cabin in the Woods part 1

Artist: Jay Toon

Bryan leaned against a large white oak tree for a minute, one he knew had been around longer than his own great-grandfather. He willed himself not to throw up, but it was getting difficult. Whiskey obviously didn’t agree with his well-trained body. He usually never ingested much that wasn’t totally natural and good for the body. Jack Daniels,  all his friends touting it as awesome stuff notwithstanding, was neither natural nor good for anything.

He pushed away from the tree and immediately stumbled again. Down on his knees he felt his head spinning. He tried to get back up, but the trees swirled before him knocking him down again. Though he knew these woods like he knew his own name, the  dark and ominous quiet pressed uncomfortably on him. His heart started beating dangerously erratic and for the first time that he could remember he actually felt scared. He desperately wondered if he had done the right thing, coming here alone like this. No, he knew he hadn’t, but it was too late now. Moments later he passed out cold.

♪ ♫...You’re the lucky one, I know that now, don’t ask you why, when, where or how, no matter where you’re at is where you’ll be, you can bet your luck won’t follow me, just give you a song and a one-night stand and you’ll be looking at a happy man, cuz you’re the lucky one…♩ ♬ 

That voice. It was his angel. She came!

♪ ♫...You’re the lucky one always having fun, a jack of all trades and a master of none, you look at the world with a smiling eye, and laugh at the devil as his train rolls by...♪ ♫

 Before he could open his eyes a surge of nausea attacked him. Instantly a basin was thrust into his hands and a gentle hand helped him up not from the forest floor, but from a warm, comfortable bed.

 With the force of a freight train he vomited and felt drained of all energy and half his spirit. The gentle hands helped him back against soft pillows and tucked a quilt around his shoulders.

“There you go, Sweetie. Maybe now you won’t go visiting the angels. Wouldn’t want that. Life’s too precious. I’ll just have to show you it is once you feel better.”

It was a voice he knew so well. Only it was different, older, more mature and laced with equal parts concern and humor.

He forced his eyes to open, but they weren’t working quite well enough. The room was dark, but warm. The light at her back flickered and threw her into shadows. It was a roaring fire. He could hear the crackle of wood in the grate and the smell of pine.

“Angel....angel...” he muttered.

“Good,” she said with relief. “You’re coming around. You had me scared, like really scared. How you feeling? Think you got most of that poison out yet?”

He stared at her blinking, trying so hard to focus. At last she came into solid view and what a view! Were angels supposed to look that sexy?

He tried to speak, but his throat was sore and dry. She gave him a glass of water, but allowed him only a sip.

“That better? Maybe you can tell me your name now. Can you do that?” she asked kindly.

“Angel....my angel...” he repeated staring dazedly at her.

She smiled indulgently. “I meant what’s your name, Honey? Can you tell me your name?”she said gently.

“My angel.... you came to me...came to me...”he muttered weakly.

“Yes, I did, but I want you to tell me your name, okay?”

“My....my angel.... you’re my angel,”he said completely ignoring her.

“That is my name. Good of you to remember it, but, please, tell me yours so I can see if you’re all right,” she said more firmly.

“ You came to me before and you came again. I knew you would,” he said happily.

“Come on, now. Focus. What is your name?” she said once again.

“I’m Bryan. Don’t you remember me? I was four and you found me in the woods. You  took care of me. Don’t you remember?” he asked earnestly.

Her eyes widened. “You’re that Bryan?” she asked.

“I’ve been looking for you for so long,”he said growing excited. He grabbed her hand and held it tight as if afraid she might vanish again. “You are real, aren’t you?”he asked desperately.

“I am,  but for the longest time everyone said I imagined you. Were you really trying to find me, Bryan? I’ve been looking for you, too. Nobody believed me, but I knew  you were real. Oh, Bryan, why were you trying to kill yourself? Life can’t be all that bad, can it? I’ll help you any way I can. Life is worth living,” she said tears springing to her eyes.

“I wasn’t. I was looking for you,” he said and he smiled. “I found you. It worked. It really worked.”

“You drank that whole bottle of whiskey and all those pills and you weren’t trying to kill yourself? Try again, Bud,” she said angrily. “It was a miracle you didn’t succeed.”

“It’s true. I knew the only way you would come is if I was in trouble and it worked. Here you are and.... is this your house?” he said, suddenly looking about him. It was exactly as he remembered it, the sofa, the ceiling, the walls and the quilt were the same. It was the cabin in the woods. He had found the mythical cabin in the woods!

“No, this is the place I first brought you when we were little. It showed up again. I thought you were dead,” she said shivering slightly not from cold, but from fear she might have been too late.

“I’m fine now.”  He gazed avidly at her. “What’s your name?”

She stared baffled. “Angelina, everybody calls me Angel. You know that. You’ve been calling me by name for an hour.”

“Your name is Angel?”he said confusedly. “You’re not a real angel?”

“You mean like from heaven?” she asked giggling. She shook her head. “Once you get to know me you’ll see I’m no angel.”

“I thought you were,” he said more to himself. “I still think you are...for me.”

“Well, maybe I am for you. Second time I saved you. Gosh, you scared me, Bryan. So, now that you found me or that I found you, do you feel up for a bowl of soup?”

He stared at her for a full minute before answering. “No, not yet,” he said only then noticing he still held her hand. He looked down at it, her finger intertwined with his. It felt so good, so familiar. Impulsively he raised it to his cheek and pressed it against it, closing his eyes. Emotion welled in his chest. “I found you, finally,” he mumbled.

She smiled. “Yes, I know. We also found the elusive cabin in the woods.”

He looked around the cabin and ruefully said, “You know, Angelina, if we fix this place up a bit, it would make a nice home if it didn’t have the tendency to vanish.”

She smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.  I think I know a way to keep it from disappearing again,” she said excitedly.

“Oh, yeah?” he said skeptically.

“We just have to keep one person in it at all times and then it can’t vanish. I tried it while you were passed out.”

“You mean you left me alone?” he said unduly hurt.

“It was only for a minute. I had to get Rufus,” she explained.

“He your boyfriend?” he asked miserably.

“No,” she replied giggling. “Rufus, come and meet Bryan.”

A galloping rhinoceros couldn’t have made as much noise as this huge bear-sized dog did thudding across the room. He, however, looked more frightening than he actually was. He stopped at the sofa and after a second timidly nuzzled Bryan’s neck and licked his face.

 “Hey, Bubby. How you doing?” Bryan said thankfully, rubbing his thick fur. “You must feel safe with this guy around. He’s gigantic.”

“I do but... but there’s still room for one other in my life if he’s you,” Angelina said suddenly shy. “You were my first love, Bryan. Silly, huh?”

He felt fireworks explode in his chest. “You were mine, Angelina. You don’t ever get over that,” he replied, gazing longingly at her. “Would you mind being with a forest ranger?”

Her eyes widened. “Are you the one at the southern end?”she asked incredulously.  He nodded. “I’ve been wanting to meet you. I’m at the northern end.”

His mouth fell open then they both burst out laughing.

“Is this fate or what?” he asked suddenly feeling much better. He sat up and grinning like a fool said, “I’d kiss you right now, but I taste like a sewer.”

“I don’t much mind,” she answered and leaned forward until their lips just touched.

Warm and moist, just like he remembered, it was the best feeling in the world. As he held her he thought how strange life was. He went looking for a mythical cabin in the woods, one he couldn’t believe actually existed and an angel he so wanted to be real. He found both and also his future.

 Wait until the folks in Banyon Hollow Township heard about this! No, on second thought, Bryan would keep this a secret. Legends, after all, are far more fun when they remain mysteries.