I sat with him by the fire with a wool blanket wrapped around us. A movie played on our old TV I think it was called Maniac. All I knew was it was an exploitation film from either the 1980s or 70s maybe even earlier. The lights were dimmed and some candles were lit. The wood from the cabin had an orange tint from the light. Everything was amazing, almost like heaven. I wouldn’t want to change it for the world. His auburn hair was very short and his eyes were the color of the ocean. They were ovals and his skin pale. He wore a crimson sweatshirt and dark blue jeans. I wore a long flannel shirt and black tight; my chocolate brown hair down to my back in loose curls. The atmosphere was relaxed.

“Promise me, no matter how many fights we get into and how much we make each other miserable we’ll be together no matter what?” He asked. Our hands intertwined. My head rested on his right shoulder. His shoulders were broad.

I looked into his eyes, “Promise.” He kissed my lips softly. I smiled during it and I held his hands.

I broke the kiss, “How about we watch a cheesy Lifetime film instead? This is getting a little too gory for me.” He nodded and changed the channel. A movie about a 17 year old that was kidnapped played on the TV. She was kidnapped by an evil older man who just needed an evil laugh to be a Saturday morning cartoon villain. We laughed at ridiculous moments in the movie like the villain getting stabbed in the back several times and somehow surviving without a scratch!

We laughed and slapped each other playfully. I loved this cabin. It was where we’d go to get away. We’d watch a lot of exploitation films here of all kinds and lots of bad movies too. We’d eat all the fatty foods we want here. Somehow we were still skinny. .. Popcorn, candy and chips scattered the floor where we sat. As we watched the movie I could hear a rustling noise. Maybe it was just a tree because it was very windy out. I also heard footsteps I think... I couldn’t really tell if it was footsteps or something else. I held onto him tighter.

“What are you scared? We’re not watching a horror movie,” He said. He laughed a bit.

I sighed, “I just heard a noise that’s all also I’m freezing.” He gave me more of the blanket. I wrapped it more around me.

“What do you want to do after high school?” He asked all of a sudden, “I want to go college and maybe become a doctor or something. I don’t know.” I stared into his brilliant eyes. He was one person who I could look at and just find beautiful.

“Why that question all of a sudden?” I asked, “And I guess I want to go to an amazing university and I want to travel the world.”

He said, “I just wanted to know since the years just seem to go by so fast.” I hugged him tightly. I heard a thump outside and glass breaking. I gasped. What was going on? Who’s there?

“What’s the matter now?” He asked, “Did you hear another noise?” Just after he said that a window close to where we were sitting broke. He shielded me from the tiny bits of glass pouring down on us. The candles snuffed out and the lights turned off when I looked up. I saw a dark figures standing over us. The dark figures said nothing; all he did was look at us. I stepped back. I felt a sharp pain in the palm of my hand.

I grabbed hand and I could feel the blood. It was this sticky sensation. The figure separated both of us. I screamed, “Davie!” I couldn’t see him in the dark. I couldn’t see anything. I screamed his name again and I finally got a reply.


“Bridget, just do what he says and hopefully we will get us out alive,” He said. I think there were two people who broken in. The one who grabbed me took me into what looked like the cellar. I think Davie was on the other side. The dark figure tied me up to one of the pipes. I could hear Davie struggling on the other side.

“Don’t struggle or make a sound. Maybe I won’t kill you,” The figure said in a husky voice. I nodded. I could hear Davie’s cry. They hit him repeatedly and I think with some sort of blunt object. I stayed silent as they continued to beat him. I wanted to scream out. I could hear him fighting back. From what I heard he had punched his aggressor.

It got silent, not even a pin drop could be heard. The dark figure pistol whipped me and I could feel my eyes get heavy. I could feel the blood move from my forehead to my mouth. It tasted metallic... I blacked out.

I woke up in a room with harsh lighting and bland white walls. I noticed an IV in my arm. People crowded around me. Some police officers were in the mix. I blinked several times, “What happened?” My hand was wrapped in gauze as was my head. I lay in the hospital bed unable to get up. I barely remembered anything from the cabin. “How long have I been out?”


“You were found in the cabin passed out with a bad head wound,” A sweet comforting voice said. My mom held my hand next to my bed, “Do you know what happened to Davie?” I shook my head. I did not want to recollect what happened. I only heard the sound of the blunt object hitting him and his screams. That was enough for me... I didn’t even get to say good bye to him.


“What went on in the cabin?” An officer asked, “Please tell us. We want to catch your boyfriend’s killer.”


I tried to tell the officer as much as I knew, “Davie and I were watching movies on TV when first I heard a rustling sound.... I thought it was a tree and I heard what sounded like footsteps and then two windows broke...”


“Did you see who attacked you and him?” The officer asked.

“No they turned off the lights and they blew out the candles. I was unable to see their faces let alone their other features,” I said. Davie’s screaming and pleading wouldn’t leave my head, “Can you let me rest?”

“Sure,” My mom said. Everyone left the room.

I looked up at the ceiling. The memories of that night wouldn’t leave me alone. The promise we made. Once a happy place that cabin was now it’s a place that haunts my soul. Why was I alive? I found a sharp object lying next to me. My dad had left his pocket knife and wallet on the dresser. I pressed it against the skin of my wrist. I watched the dark red liquid flow out.