Getting Away From It All

It had been a long week. Countless meetings, insane overtime, pressing deadlines. I felt some relief as I sped along the highway. My friends had invited me up to their lakeside cabin for the long weekend, a little rest and relaxation. While only being a couple of hours away from the big city, it’s remote location should add to the enjoyment factor of the weekend if not the feeling of getting away from it all.

The sun had set an hour ago so the twilight glow of the sky was slowly ebbing away. The moon had already risen and begun it’s journey across the sky. I caught a glimpse of the exit sign my friends had told me to take just ahead up on the right. Slowing down I came to a stop just before the entrance to the road, a dirt road not much unlike that of a city lane in width, cutting into the thick forest. The directions said to follow the road for a few miles until it would open to a large clearing. The cabin would be on the right with the lake straight ahead.

Turning onto the road, I was quickly swallowed by the rich forest vegetation. Not being a very smooth road, I slowed down a bit, actually I slowed down a lot. At this rate it would take another half an hour at least, to make it to their cabin. The forest was very thick and the now darkened sky was almost completely blocked. Only the occasional moonbeam shone through.

Then up ahead on my right I noticed a faint light. As I continued to drive I realized that the light was from an old lantern hung from the porch of a little shack on the right side of the road. Sitting back maybe ten to fifteen feet from the road, the shack had a small porch across the front of it with a lone rocking chair sitting at one end. Although it looked rundown and abandoned, someone must have been there to have the light on.

I continued on down the dirt road hoping to see the clearing soon when up in the distance I saw another light. A typical situation I thought, little cabins spread out along a dirt road, so rural. As I approached I noticed the light was on the left side of the road. Again it was another little shack, lit by an old hanging lantern. The cabin looked exactly like the previous one, right down to the lone rocking chair. The right cabin, my friend’s cabin should be appearing shortly. After a few more minutes I could see the preverbal ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. There ahead of me was a large clearing lit by the glow of the moon. No forest covering the ground. Smiling to myself I knew I had arrived.

Pulling into the clearing I stopped quickly. The car’s front wheels resting on the edge of some asphalt. To my left was a large sign. I was back at the highway. I had somehow been turned around and had come back to the entrance to the dirt road. Cursing, I stepped on the gas and made a u-turn over the highway and back onto the dirt road. Again I was engulfed by the forest, again I was devoured by the darkness.

As I approached the first shack once again the light was still on, but the rocking chair was now at the other end of the porch just underneath the light. Stopping I took an extra long look at the cabin to see if there were any lights on inside. Getting out of the car I went around and walked through the low underbrush and up onto the porch. Knocking on the shack door brought no response from inside. The only noise I could make out was the hum from my car. Getting no answer to my knock I decided to continue on my way.

For not much more then ten minutes later I noticed for the first time a break in the forest to my right. A small path that lead away from the dirt road.
“How did I miss that. It surely wasn’t here the last time I came this way”
Turning down this pathway I noticed the branches of the trees now almost touched the sides of my car and no light from the moon seemed to break into this part of the forest. The only light was from the car’s headlights and then occasionally a fern branch would get in the way creating a flickering of light and shadow.

Then this pathway came to an abrupt turn to the left. I slowly navigated the angle and quickly stopped the car. Dead ahead was a tree resting neatly across the path. With the high beams on I thought I could make out some shimmering far off in the distance. I knew the lake had to be just down this path.
Gathering up a few things I turned off the car and turned out the lights. Darkness surrounded me immediately but thankfully it didn’t take too long before I was able to get my eyes adjusted. Locking up the car I climbed over the fallen tree and headed down the path.
I had a small pen light but it offered only a glimmer of light, enough just to allow me to see a few feet ahead. It’s lack of power was easily swallowed by the incredible abyss of the forest. Still I foraged on.

Looking back I was no longer able to see my car, even with the assistance of the little light. I figured I was now past the point of no return. I then heard some voices, children’s voices. Only they were coming from my right, from deep in the forest. Flashing the light I wasn’t able to see very far, the foliage was too dense. Then a shrieking noise from down the path startled me and in shock I dropped the light. The noise wasn’t stationary but moving quickly by me. Looking down I saw the light flicker and go dead. Now in the complete darkness the voices turned to giggles and laughter.
I felt down for the light in hopes that it may provide one last gasp of light. The ground had a moist feel to it and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Just then something crawled onto my hand. Drawing it back quickly I stumbled. In the process I was just able to right myself without dropping any more of my belongings. Only now I had no idea where to start to feel for the light and I didn’t want to touch any creepy bugs. Without the light I was surprised by the amount I could see. In the distance down the path I could make out some light, a shimmering, a reflection. Quickly I stepped in that direction, my pace now assisted by the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

Then as before more voices came from the forest, now this time from the left. I felt a rush of air blow by me and then more noises from behind. I allowed if not begged my feet to move me quicker down the path. Three loud thumps sounded just to my right assisted with the rustling of the bushes. The path looked to be opening not far off and I somehow increased my pace. Another brush of wind flew past my head only this time it was accompanied by a foul smell. Not wanting to turn around I focused straight ahead. Then it hit from behind, knocking me down.

Grabbing the nearest item, a small bag, I leapt to my feet and begun running as fast as I could. Only once did I turn and look over my shoulder to see what could be there. Unfortunately it was at the worst time. I could see nothing but as I turned back to see ahead the road abruptly ended. More to be precise, the land ended. I stopped myself just in time and precociously balanced on the edge of a very large cliff. I could see the lake below, very far below. The moon bounced off the still surface of the lake. It’s reflection was as good as looking at it straight on. I managed to regain my balance and take a step back. Gathering my wits I thought “it should have been a left turn, cause this isn’t right.”

Kneeling down on one knee I surveyed the surroundings and thought of my options. Behind me was an incredibly dense forest full of questionable entities and creepy bugs, I never forget the creepy bugs. Ahead of me was a rather steep and formidable cliff with a frighteningly dark lake below. I could surmise that daylight was a good nine hours away and any camping supplies I had brought were either spread out on the path being inspected by my creepy bugs or back in the car. The options were limited but something had to be doable.

Then the lake echoed a scream that went up that night for some time. In the clear moonlight birds took flight and a breeze shook the trees. I heard the scream and realized it was coming from my mouth. A burst of wind came out from the forest, ripping into me and knocked me over the cliff edge. Falling into the darkness I screamed what I thought was my last breath. My arms flailed as I reached out for something, anything to grab. When I thought all hope was lost I did grab something. Another arm reached out and together we locked wrists.

“Jim”, a voice cried out, “wake up Jim !!”

Startled, I sat up in a bolt. My face drenched with sweat.
“You were having a bad dream”, my assistant said.

Relieved I lay back. The pressures of directing my first film, ‘Deliverance 2’, were beginning to wear me out,. I thought, “Now I sure wish I could make a movie as scary as my dreams”, and promptly rolled over and fell back to sleep, perchance to dream again.