The Trench

Chapter 10 - Cabin Fever

Two hours later the trail opened up into a clearing. Straight ahead was a lighthouse, it was white with a wide red stripe towards the top and black railings. The paint is fading and peeling and I wonder if anyone takes care of it anymore, or if it even works.

For about 50 yards it's a small pasture that consists of dying grass thanks to the oncoming cool weather and scattered rocks. The rocks turned into boulders towards the base of the lighthouse then there was a concrete platform which it sat on.

"Wow." Mae said in awe behind me and I nodded in agreement. Despite being a bit run down this place was beautiful. We start walking towards the left side of the lighthouse, and I notice it sits almost directly on the edge of the cliff. I get close and look down, I'm not great at judging distance but I would say the cliff is about 80 foot above the ocean below.

Who puts a lighthouse on the edge of a cliff? Seems like a hazard.

Looking over the edge my legs start to wobble and I back away slowly; being scared of heights I can't even get close to the edge of anything tall without getting shaky. The Grand Canyon was not fun for me.

I shiver and run my hands up my arms, while we were hiking I stayed relatively warm. However, standing on this ocean cliff with the wind hitting me raised goose bumps over my skin. Missouri isn't the warmest state, however in September it's usually still in the 70's.

I'll have to unpack some warmer clothes.

We laid a blanket down in the grass and unpacked some snacks and took a break before we headed back. We gossiped about school, Mae hinted around asking if there was anyone I had my eye on and I lied and told her no. How was I going to bring it up? Just say 'Oh yeah, my ovaries ache every time I think about Professor Michaels aka your BROTHER.' That would go over real well.

"I wish we could go to the top, but it's been blocked off a while now." Mae breaks me from my thoughts and I look over to her, she's looking towards the top where the ledge wraps around the lighthouse. I turn to where she's looking and notice in a few spots the boards that make up the ledge are missing or broken. Yeah, that really makes me wish I could get up there.

"Earlier this year someone somehow got inside and climbed the stairs and jumped to their death." She sounded too nonchalant about it and I stared at her in disbelief.

"What the fuck? You didn't mention that earlier, Mae!"

She shrugged, "I told you it was haunted, I didn't think to elaborate more until now. Someone still takes care of it and turns it on everynight, but no one really knows who. Apparently they're the only one with a key because the door leading to the stairwell inside is always locked I hear."

I looked back at the lighthouse surrounded by rocks, my mind inadvertly thinking about a body falling to them, and I shudder. We stand up and pack our stuff before heading towards the trail. A cool breeze picked up and the sun went behind a cloud, casting a grey shadow across the cliff. I looked up at the woods in front of us as we prepare to hike back and they look black without the sunlight hitting them, sending another cold chill through me.

-

"So are you ready for Monday? I hear we're supposed to be starting a project in Physics." Mae says from in front of me.

We've been hiking for about an hour now, so we're only an hour away from the vehicle. My feet are starting to hurt and I try to remember the last time I hiked this long as I stare at the dirt in front of me.

"I talked to Austin and apparently it's a group project." I could literally feel her roll her eyes even though I can't see her and I laugh.

"I hate working in groups; this isn't middle school for fuck sakes." I toss my head back and stare up at the canopy of trees above us, as I bring my head back down I crash into Mae who stopped in the middle of the trail.

I look at Mae's back confused, I was about to say something along the lines of "What the fuck are you stopping for?" However, she's staring into the woods to our right intently. I'm squinting trying to see what she's seeing when she walks to the edge of the woods and pulls some limbs to the side.

I walk forwards and stand beside her and I look in, a stone stairway winds through the weeds and trees up the hill. The grey stones are old and cracked and are worn from over the years. From the trail you can't even see the walkway and I wonder to myself how she noticed this in the first place.

"Let's follow it!" I turn and look at Mae who is grinning ear to ear at me in anticipation.

"This is an unmarked trail, if we leave the designated trial we could get lost. This is hiking 101, Mae. Also, I have the impression someone covered the entrance on purpose, it's not just overgrowth. There's a lot more leaves and sticks across this than there is around it."

"Rileyyyyyy come on!" Mae pleads; she makes eye contact as she side steps closer to the entrance.

"Are you CRAZY? This was hidden; someone doesn't want people to find it. And you REALLY think walking up those stairs is a GOOD idea?!?!" I stare at her in disbelief. I love a good adventure, but something doesn't feel right here.

"Fine, I guess I'll just go in. All alone. Solo. By myself." Mae pretends to be sad as she steps through the trees and I hear her step over the stacked limbs at the front of the entrance.

I sigh in defeat and go in after her.

The trail wasn't too long, maybe 20 minutes from the main trail. As we got to the end it opened up to a small clearing. As we step away from the tree line, we see an old cabin on the other side of the field; and I immediately got the feeling that we shouldn't be here. I take a few steps back into the tree's to observe the place.

The cabin is solid wood with a wrap around porch and a deep green front door. The matching shutters were dirty and a few hung slightly off center and the stairs to the porch were bowed in the middle, indicating years of wear. A stone fire pit sat off to the right of the house with one old, black metal chair that's been upturned.

As I was taking in the appearance of the place, Mae starts walking over to the cabin.

"Mae, don't!"

Of course she doesn't listen to me, she reaches the stairs and tests the bowed wood before stepping up them onto the porch. Glancing around a minute, she then takes several steps to the front door and starts turning the knob.

Jesus Christ she's going to open it.

"Whelp, this is it. This is the day we die." I tell myself dramatically and shrug, placing my hands on my hips, accepting my fate.