Into the Woods

Chapter 1

Suellen

While gazing out my front window, I think about the weekend ahead of me. I can already taste the oozing chocolate and marshmallow mess set sweetly between two crispy graham crackers, and feeling the need to lick my sticky fingers to ensure that I don't miss a tempting morsel. I imagine hearing the crackling of the campfire, seeing mesmerizing flames, and smelling the charcoal wood's burning smoke.

Jack calls out from the family room, suddenly taking me from my thoughts. "Hey, Babe. Are you ready? I just got a text that Chad and Deanna are on their way."

"Coming!" I respond from the bedroom as I finish slipping on my shoes.

Thank goodness we dropped off the kids at Jack's parents last night. Justine is our bossy little blonde-haired five-year-old girl, and Brit is our naughty dark-haired three-year-old boy. They keep me on my toes and are the reason why I look forward to this annual weekend break.

"Suellen! They're here!"

I walk out the door, and Jack is already helping Chad load up our bags and coolers full of beer and food to share in Chad's pickup.

I open the back door to the four-door truck. "Hey!" I smile as I slide in next to Deanna.

"Hey, here's your roader." She hands me a travel mug full of wine.

I take the mug from her hand. "Thank you; you're the best!"

"I know!" She shrugs her shoulder and winks at me.

The guys jump into the front, and we take off. Deanna and I clink our mugs together in celebration of time away from the hustle and bustle of our lives.

Deanna and I talked about anything and everything, which helped to make the three-hour trip fly by. Chad pulls into the Mountainhouse Tavern, which has become a tradition to stop and eat at before going to the cabin. Some would consider it a dive bar, but it's our little slice of heaven. The boys crack open their first beer of the day, and we order our much anticipated deep-fried meals.

"Are the Hunters and Blacks meeting us here or at the cabin?" I ask after taking a swig of my beer.

Jack checks his phone. "They're meeting us here. Dom said that the women are whining about needing food."

We laugh as we order another round. Twenty minutes later, they enter the bar. We just had our food delivered when they joined us. They order their drinks and take a moment to decide on their meals. Hugs and hellos surround the group before the two couples sit.

***

Two hours later, we're pulling up in front of the cabin. Chad goes to turn on the electricity and water while the rest of us unload the trucks. Once everything was in place, we headed to the back, where Chad had already started a fire.

Us girls throw old bread, cereal, overripe apples, peanuts, and popcorn out into the clearing in the woods to entice bears to come to visit. People think we're crazy doing this, but we see a lot of bears and dash into the cabin if one gets too close for comfort. Nobody has gotten mauled yet.

Beer is flowing, and the men talk golf and tell funny stories of the past. We all laugh and enjoy ourselves deep into the night.

Before the couples slowly head to bed, the women discuss the options for tomorrow's adventure.

"So, what are the plans for tomorrow? You girls decide," Deanna says. She always wants us to decide on the weekend plans because she gets up here quite a bit during the year. Truth be told, that girl would be more than happy to sit by the fire all day chatting or reading a book.

"I'm not feeling a winery or brewery this trip," Julie says.

She's been sober for almost a year. She brings non-alcoholic beer, and they usually have a selection in the local restaurants.

"Understandable." Charlene squeezes Julie's hand. Julie smiles at Charlene in appreciation.

Deanna and I are close as thieves; you can say the same about Charlene and Julie. I love how the four of us ladies mesh together perfectly.

I throw out my idea. "How about a hike? It's supposed to be beautiful tomorrow. We can have lunch at Cora's, then find a new trail we haven't yet experienced."

"I like that idea," Julie agrees.

"I'm always up for a hike," Deanna added.

"I'm in!" Charlene says with enthusiasm.

Deanna claps her hands. "It's settled then. Cora's and a hike. What do you think about going to Skytop?"

"Don't you have to stay at the Skytop resort to hike their trails," I ask.

Deanna gives us a mischievous smirk. "Not if we sneak in."

"Trespassing again! I love it!" Charlene exclaims.

We laugh because we all remember trespassing into an abandoned Pocono honeymoon resort on one of our trips. Signs posted told us to stay out, but we slipped through the break in the fence and walked in anyway. It was entertaining walking and exploring the old resort.

We're not the only trespassers to have passed through the damaged fence. There were many broken-out windows, graffiti, and smashed doors, allowing us access to what was once a beautiful, thriving resort. Now, it's just a ghost town, torn from its past grandeur into nothing but brokenness and destruction.

The men are shit-faced, stumbling and slurring their words. They bust on each other about who is drunker than the other. There's always competition between these four. We finally talked them into going to bed. Each of us ladies drags our men into our rooms. Jack lands face down on the mattress, and he's snoring by the time I put on my pajamas and slide in next to him. He throws an arm around me. I guess that's all the cuddling that I'm getting tonight.

It's not long before the alcohol quickly takes me into dreamland. The blissful sleep gives nothing away about the horror that awaits us while on tomorrow's forbidden hike.

*****