Deep Thicket

Welcome to Appleton

If you are reading this then thank you!!

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Caden's mom pointed out the opposite window. "See? Our new home" she said hopefully, clearly hoping to spur some kind of excitement in him.

Caden glanced to his right and caught sight of an old wooden sign nailed to a large Douglas fir. In spindly painted letters it read "WELCOME TO APPLETON". Something about that sign gave him an eerie feeling. He turned away and peered back out his own window, "Cool mom, but...wheres the town?"

They were driving down a mountain road, paved and choked on either side by thick shadowy trees and impenetrable vegetation. They had passed the sign, but Caden could see no hint of civilization besides a few old shacks obscured behind the trees, then a small roadside diner and general store coming up on their left.

"Well honey, right here. See that's the center of town..and I guess most people live nearby. Its just smaller than what we're used to. I'm sure you'll still find plenty of kids your age to play with" his mom said.

Caden didn't respond, but noticed as they drove past the diner several dirt driveways broke off from the paved road and disappeared into the trees, all probably to houses.
No kids in sight. Not that he cared. Whether in Atlanta or in Appleton, his social status probably wouldn't change like he used to wish it would.

Caden closed his eyes, glad that the exhausting drive would soon be over. Once he opened his eyes again and saw a gap in the trees, and a stretch of farmland in a meadow in between the forested mountains. Rustic barns and farmhouses. Compared with Atlanta and it's noisy, polluted urban sprawl, the wilderness dominated Appleton seemed like another world. It even resembled another time.

Caden looked up again when he felt his mother pull the car to a stop near the side of the road and roll down her window. An old bearded man in a cowboy hat was waving them over.

"scuse me ma'am," the man said "you in need of directions by any chance?"

"Yes, yes thank you so much" his mother said relieved "we're new here, just moving in actually—"

The man took a double take, clearly surprised, "You mean you're fixing to live here? In Appleton?"

"Yes..with my son" his mother replied "I bought the property up on Spinney road"

"You mean the old Price house?" he asked.

"That's right" she replied uneasily "can you tell me where it is?"

The old man looked at her, then at Caden closely, then nodded, "go straight for two miles, its the third turnoff on your right."

"Thank you" Caden's mom said gratefully.

The man tipped his hat respectfully "No problem at all ma'am. Just be careful. I've heard mighty strange stories about that old house. Things have been know happen up there. Unusual things."

"We'll be fine, thank you again" his mother replied, quickly rolling up the window. A chill rose up Cadens spine. What had the old man meant?

After another few minutes they turned up into one of the narrow dirt roads, which led for over three hundred yards, past a mailbox, and stopped at the edge of their new home.
The unimpressive cabin looked as old and creaky as the other buildings in town, even after a recent paint job. It was barely more than one story but still looked slightly bigger than their apartment in Atlanta. The roof was splotched with moss and cobwebs cluttered the shadowy porch. There was that eerie feeling again, not helped by the chilly air.