The Cabin

[Ravenloft]

It was six fifty eight pm on a friday night as Howard, his sister and a few of their friends drove toward the cabin formerly owned by Howard and Emily's godfather Winthrop. Emily was driving her minivan while her friend Scott rode 'shotgun', so he could control the car stereo. Howard sat behind Scott, next to Helena who had her nose burried in another book. Veronica was in the very back, making a show of snuggling up with her girlfriend Alita.

"Come on Scott, we've been listening to your music this whole trip, can't we play a little of my final fantasy instrumental collection? Please?" Howard whined as he tapped the side of Scotts seat with the double cd case he was holding.

 

[CannedBookery]

.....

 

[Ankara]

Helena Marx

Helena lifted her nose out of her book and rolled her eyes at Howard.
"Come on Howard, didn't you get enough of the FF theme music playing the dam game. I mean really all it does is repeat the same music over and over again, just turn on the radio."

She remembered the music from some of her room mates playing FF for the last six months. She remembered waking up at 3 o'clock in the morning hearing the battle music playing and wasen't revelling in the idea of having to hear it till they reached the cabin.

 

[Jades]

Ronni grabbed a piece of crumpled up paper that she had doodled on earlier and launched it at Howie's head. "Maybe if you stop listening to that shit, you might have a chance at getting laid." She threw back her head and laughed at her own joke.

"Someone turn it on something good. The scenery is boring enough without suckass tunes."

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Emily

Getting Howard to come with her to the cabin had been like pulling teeth. Only the promise of gifting him with the next five DVD's on his list had finally coaxed him to agree, but he had still been grumbling about aliens and tinfoil hats while she dragged him along to pick up supplies.

Emily sighed and had Scott check the map again. "We should be coming to that exit soon, right?" He turned the map around a few times before replying vaguely. It was a good thing she had a good memory and the exits were all clearly marked. Men and maps never did go hand in hand. She really should have given shotgun to one of the girls.

Grabbing her sunglasses from the rearview mirror where they'd been dangling, she slipped them on as they continued westward. The glare of the sun as it lowered on the horizon was starting to give her a headache. A worse one than she already had.

"You know, Howard," she finally said. "Quitcherbitchin. Why don't you count the pretty blue cars or stick your earplugs on and use your player? No, on second thought, that will waste your batteries. You'll want to save those... "

Gesturing surreptitiously to Scott to put one of her twin's CD's in, Emily waited for her brother to realize that there wouldn't be electricity up at Rose Lake. That, and the possibility of aliens and other sundry monsters, would really make him crazy. She, however, had come properly prepared - like the good little Girl Scout she was... not.

"Hey, Helena? Did you remember to get the cake?" Emily asked. Since the cabin was a birthday present in a way, she had thought it might be fun to make this a sort of party while they were at it. Besides, Howard liked cake and when Howard was happy... so would everyone else be. Besides, she really hated to think he was going to be completely miserable the whole weekend.

 

[Ankara]

"Yeah, I put it in the cooler in the back, I got them to give me a little figurine of Chewbacca for the kiddie here." Nudging Howard.

Helena turned around in her seat, putting her book down. "Hey Ronni, reach back and grab me a pop."

 

[Ithica]

Alita had only been dating Ronni for a few months but knew that Ronni would have probably prefered to be sitting closer to the front; better for people to watch her. Alita found it amusing to see how far Ronni would go to be the center of attention.

Howard looked back at them while they were cuddling so she winked at him and leaned over and gave Ronni a quick kiss. He stared and then quickly turned back to the front and started to ask Scott about the music. Alita chuckled at the thought of embarassing the sheltered boy. Ronni chucked a crumpled up paper at Howard and put in her two cents about the music. That's my girl, Alita mused, she may be blunt but at least you know what she wants.

She felt a little bad that everyone was giving Howard a hard time. Was he really that different from any of the others, she thought, look at the red head, she has spent the majority of the drive with her nose in a book. Is she better socialized than Howard? Why is being a bookworm more socially acceptable than being stuck in video games and horror movies? Both are escapist. At least he didn't show up for this trip wearing a Star Trek uniform.

 

[Angelus]

Scott turned and looked at Howard, wanting nothing more than to laugh. He truly felt sorry for the guy but he also wanted to know just what he was doing here but then again he knew how funny it would be to have him and turned to look at him with a smile.

"Don't worry man. We will be there soon I hope, if I don't get us too lost that is."

He then turned and looked out of the window to let out a laugh to a joke only he knew and knew that everyone would just look at him. He just smiled and did not care, all he wanted was to get out of this car, get into the cabin and turn the sounds up at which he was most happy. He was still happy to be listening to the music that was thumping through the speakers of the minivan but he just wanted to get to the cabin where he hoped there would be some better sounds, food and something to drink.

He sat back and closed his eyes to listen to the music again, wondering why he had been dragged here and hoped that when he got there that there would be a party. That is all that he wanted... to party again. That thought brought a huge smile to his face.

 

[Ravenloft]

Howard tried to ignore Helena's comment about how the final fantasy music constantly repeated itself but it just struck a nerve. "No it doesn't they're all like any other song, they run like three to five... Ow! Hey!" Ronni cut him off with a wadded up ball of paper and another snide comment.

He looked back at the two girls in the back for only the second time this trip. He'd been trying not to look because the last time Ronni's... Girlfriend did something... Weird.

He turned back to the front as his sister tried to get Scott to play one of his cd's. "Nah sis, lets keep listening to Scott's suckass music." Howard said sarcastically, trying not to snicker evily.

"Cake?" Howard asked. "I like cake. Is it yellow with whipped frosting? And if you got it from Mijers its not a chewbacca figure, its a Tarful figurine. She's a female wookie you know. From what I read on the net she was Chewie's wife before he became Han Solo's first mate."

"And... Oh yeah, we have pop don't we? Is there any Dr. Pepper left back there? can I have one, please Veronica? I like Dr. Pepper. Anyone else want one?" Howard had already had four since they started the trip and was starting to feel rather jangly from all the caffine and sugar coursing through his body. He grabbed the empty can that was in his cup holder and tried to get the last drop out of it, giggling kinda crasy like as he did.

 

[Ankara]

Helena Marx

"Cake?" Howard asked. "I like cake. Is it yellow with whipped frosting? And if you got it from Mijers its not a chewbacca figure, its a Tarful figurine. She's a female wookie you know. From what I read on the net she was Chewie's wife before he became Han Solo's first mate."

Helena shook her head. I can't beleive I actually found that interesting, and wanted to know what happened to Chewie's wife after he left. I've been spending way to much time in this van. "I'll have a Dr. Pepper." She took the can from Howard and cracked it open to take a drink. "Thanks."

Then started reading again. She was reading Lord of the vampire. She had bought the book and the two books that came before it when she was younger and thought she'd get a kick out of reading them again. She loved reading. She could become an entirely different person without all the rules and constraints of real life, not that she didn't enjoy real life, or the rule and constraints that real life dictates cause she liked feeling safe. It was just fun to escape into a world that wasen't safe but you could just close the book and still be ok.

 

[Ravenloft]

When Helena took the can of Dr. Pepper out of his hands Howard could only stare in shock as she cracked it open and took a nice big sip. Snapping out of it, he smirked a little as he noticed the side of the can. "Uh... Helena, arn't you allergic to cherry flavoring?" With that Howard pointed to the can. It was one of the new Dr. Peppers that had vanilla/cherry flavoring added. "Thats what they call karma."

Howard opened his hand, offering to take the can back from her, trying to hide his smirk. Something caught his eye as he sat there smirking at her. Out the window on her side he thought he saw a little girl, but they drove past too quickly to be sure.

The blood drained from his face as he sat up and looked out the back window, over Ronni and Alita. Nothing was there. "Typical." He muttered to himself as he turned and sat back in his seat. "Sis, I think we should turn around..."

 

[Jades]

"Oh great, now my hands are fucking cold." Ronni shook her hands off after handing endless amounts of drinks up to those lucky enough to sit up front. She wished that she was up there. Lots more to see and more people to fuck with. She turned and looked at Alita...but the back seat had some perks too.

"Are we there yet?" She grumbled to whoever was listening. "My ass is going numb from sitting. And I hope ya'll brought alot of batteries, candles and flashlights...because I only have enough for my personal vibrator collection and a few other necessities."

 

[Ravenloft]

Howard began imitating Ronni, but only when she wasn't looking, hoping to get a laugh out of Helena. He froze when she mentioned her viberator collection, turned to Helena and gave her a grossed out, cross eyed look, then turned away.

 

[Ankara]

"No, I'm not allergic, but it still tastes nasty" as she let him take it back.

Helena looked up from her book to see Howard mimicing Ronni and started to giggle alittle. Her mouth dropped open and her face went red when Ronni mentioned the collection of vibraters. But couldn't stop laughing when Howard gave her a cross eyed look.

This is definitly going to be an interesting trip.

 

[Jades]

Ronni reached behind her and grabbed a handful of ice, then launched it at Helena and Howie. "Hey How, if you ask nicely, I might show you how to use one." She winked at him and then turned her attention back to the scenery. "Damn, the nearest store or gas station must be about 15 miles back. It's almost like something out of that Wrong Turn movie."

 

[Ankara]

Helena dodged the ice and tossed some at Scott. "Hey, when do we get there."

 

[Ithica]

Alita laughed at Ronni after the Wrong Turn comment and said,

"Well, you got the car full of twentysomethings rights. But the car is running fine and we aren't in West Virginia. But if hillbilly cannibals do attack, we can give them the cake and a side of Howard. He should be nicely marinated in sugar with all that Dr. Pepper he has been drinking. They should like him. If not, we can always offer them Helena."

 

[Ankara]

Helena Marx

Helena laughed at Alita's comment, "Or we could offer them a Dyke roast" and stuck out her tongue to the girls in the back and threw some ice. "Hey, when do we get there?" she called up to the front.

 

[Jades]

Ronnie threw back her head and laughed at Helena's comment. "Perhaps they might enjoy us more...afterall, we always make sure we taste good. "

 

[Ravenloft]

"You're not allergic? But Veronica said cherries make you violently ill..." Howard said confusedly. "OW! Hey! That stung Veronica!" Howard whined as he rubbed the spot on his cheek where Ronni's ice had hit him.

Finally the comment about showing him how to use one of her vibes sunk in and Howard went silent, he just couldn't understand what it was with Ronni, she wouldn't let up on him. He was quickly brought right back out of his shell at the mention of Wrong Turn. "Worst film EVER!" He said, immitating the comic freak from the simpsons, sniggering at the lame obscurity if it.

It was quickly becoming like watching a tennis match as the girls sniped back and forth at each other. He was beginning to feel dizzy, so he shook himself out of it and reached up front, plucking the map from Scotts hands. "Okay, as much as I don't want to be at the cabin, I think I don't want to be in this car anymore, so I'm gonna get us there, kay sis?!"

"Turn on your next right, and... And the cabin will be the third drive on the left. Gee, Guess I wasn't much help..."

 

[Ankara]

Helena thought to herself, well thanks for the warning Howard, if he thought that I was allergic to cherries, why wouldn't he say something. Also why would she ask for a Dr. Pepper if she was allergic to it. She was allergic to strawberries, but thought she'd keep her mouth shut and make sure she had her ventalin with her.

 

[Ithica]

Alita laughed hard at the cherries comment and Helena's confusion. When she finally got a hold of herself she said to Ronnie,

"I love you, honey, but it's not nice to make fun of the impaired."

 

[Jades]

"They may be impaired, but you would think that they would know more. There is the net, but apparently they haven't figured out how to navigate the information super highway." She snuggled closer to her girlfriend. "I love you too sweetness."

 

[Angelus]

Scott looked back at everyone in the minivan and let out a sigh. All that he wanted was to get to the cabin so that he could go to his room, lay down on the bed and plug in his headphones so that he could listen to HIS music in peace without having to worry about what anyone else would say.

He just wished one thing though. That he had brought something else with him, that he had brought other things to make his stay in this cabin a little easier....

He turned and looked back at the road and wondered when they were going to this blasted cabin so that he could get out and stretch his legs.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Emily

She didn't bother announcing that they had just taken the last exit and were, by Mapquest reckoning, about four and a half miles from Rose Lake. All she had to do was find... Peering at the signposts, Emily spotted the one she was looking for and made an abrupt left hand turn. Rural Route 18 and eventually one of those white hand-painted arrow signs that said: Rose Lake - 1 mile ahead. Just in time for the sun to disappear completely.

Emily kept her eyes out for the No Trespass sign hanging from a chain across the private road that would lead them up to the cabin once owned by Jeremiah Winthrop. She sighed when she spotted what she believed was the right one. In fact, it seemed to be the only one. The chain wasn't up and someone had propped the sign against the base of a tree. Well, at least no one was going to have to get out and move it.

"We're here!" she announced as she turned onto the road and turned on the high beams. Driving as slowly as she could, Emily tried not to land them in some huge hidden crater or run into any of the tree stumps that had fallen over through the years. Damn, it was dark!

"How long is this road?" someone asked as if reading Emily's mind. To their credit, they'd almost all gone quiet. A little too late for the sick headache Emily had, but even so...

"Dunno," Emily replied, leaning forward as she drove, like that was going to help her see better.

She almost didn't see it at first, a huge hulking shadow off to the left as the road opened onto a clearing of sorts. "Jesus!" Em murmured under her breath as the van's lights shone eerily on it and they got their first good look.

They'd been there once before when they were very small, but it had been painted and bright and... Nothing like what was in front of her now. The porch was sagging and the steps had a decided tilt to them. In fact the whole cabin looked as though it was ready to fall in on itself -- a scene from the Beverly Hillbillies gone bad.

The windows, at least the front ones, were shuttered but the screen door hung loose on its hinges. The upstairs one, where she remembered there being a loft was covered by a piece of weathered plywood that was peeling away from itself.