Chapter 2

It’s a seven-hour drive to the cabin. I’m almost there but the trip is definitely starting to drag. I used to love long drives; especially with Carly.  I miss the times we would spontaneously ditch work to go on an adventure. We would make a special playlist and stock up on all our favourite snacks. Sometimes we would drive for hours with no destination and solve all the problems of the world. My heart sinks with sadness as I realize it will probably never happen again.

I turn up my music in an attempt to forget about how she destroyed our friendship.

I look out my window the forest here is so dense you cannot see very far in. I haven’t seen a car since I turned off the highway and that was miles ago. I live in the city and most days there is bumper to bumper traffic.

The air here feels lighter. I take in a deep breathe and before I can release it a red wolf darts out of nowhere running in front of my car.  I slam on my breaks, swerve and close my eyes expecting the hit the wolf dead on. I feel the car complete a full 360- degree circle before coming to a complete stop.

When I open my eyes I’m in the side of then dirt road inches from hitting a large maple tree.  I’m gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles are white. Did I almost just die?

The wolf is still in the middle of the road starring at me with the most piercing gold eyes I have ever seen. I have never seen a wolf in the wild and it seems unusual that it is not scared of me.

The wolf walks up to the side of car and jumps up on the side looking into the window.

My heart is racing, what is this wolf doing?

Suddenly, as quickly as the wolf appeared it vanishes into the dense forest almost as if he never even existed.

I sit my heart racing trying to gather myself  for a few minutes. Finally when it feels like my stomach isn’t in my throat any longer I put the car and drive head back down the road.

The GPS says I am 10 miles away.

Lately, I hate being trapped alone in the quiet with my own thoughts for this long.  Why did I have to pick a place so far away? Oh right for a change. 

The GPS tells me to make a right down a gravel driveway and I see the cabin I rented. 

The cabin is surrounded by mature trees and the view is fantastic.

I get out of the car and the feeling of isolation sets in.

Right in queue my phone rings. I haven’t had cell service most of the way and the cabin must have a hot spot.

I look at the caller ID: Carly. 

My stomach turns to knots. I miss her and I have so much I want to tell her and in a moment of weakness I answer.

“Why do you keep calling me?” I demand.

“You answered” Carly whispers, “I didn’t expect that and I don’t know what to say.”

I didn’t know what to say either.

“I miss you and I wish things didn’t happen the way they did” she sniffled.

I can tell she’s been crying. The guilt weighs on me. Was I wrong to shut her out?

“How could you?” I said trying to hold back tears myself.

“I was lonely and you were never around” she starts, “I tried to make plans with you and you would always bail. Once day I went to your house looking for you and he asked me to stay because he was lonely and one thing lead to another.”

I was gone a lot keeping myself busy so I wouldn’t be sad.  The feels times I was free I was there I wasn’t really present; lost in my own thoughts.

 My husband Trevor said the same thing before I walked out on him.

The excuses they make are pathetic.

“I was sad” I said raising my voice, “so I was gone for a couple months and that gives you the right to fuck my husband!?”

“Willow, we are so sorry” she said her voice low.

We? Is she with him right now!? The tears I was holding back start to fall down my cheeks.

“What do you mean we? Are you guys together” I yell. I can hear movement in the background and a male  voice whisper something I cannot make out.

“It’s not what you think” Trevor answers. So he is there and I’m on speaker phone.

“It’s not what I think? Then what are you two doing together after what you did!? Are you guys still fucking?” A moment of silence passed.

That’s a yes.

Carly began to answer and I interrupt her “you know what I can’t do this. Never call me again, you are dead to me” I said before I  hung up the phone.

My blood is boiling and I’m so angry my vision is blurry.

This moment of weakness has become a moment of clarity as I see she never really cared about me and neither did he.

I wipe away my tears and head to the trunk to collect my suit case and groceries.

The leaves in the driveway crunch under my feet as I walk up to the front door. I can’t wait to sit down and watch a movie and eat food.

I open the door and set my bag down on the floor. I begin looking for a light switch.

All the curtains are shut and it is dark in here.  

As my eyes adjust to the dark I see a light switch across the room.

I hear a creak on the floor to my left.

Before I can turn my head something is pushing me against the wall hard.