Chapter 1: The Weekend Getaway

The sun dipped below the horizon as Maya stared out the window, the towering trees lining the narrow road that led to the secluded cabin. The drive had been quiet, filled with the unspoken tension that had clung to them for weeks. She glanced over at Ethan, who seemed too relaxed, humming softly to a tune on the radio. Her suspicions about his fidelity gnawed at her, but she had pushed for this trip, hoping a romantic getaway might reignite what they once had.

The cabin appeared suddenly, nestled among the trees, its wooden frame bathed in the last light of day. It looked perfect, peaceful, and isolated—just what they needed. But Maya’s unease grew as they pulled up to the gravel driveway, noticing a sleek black SUV already parked outside.

"That’s weird," Maya muttered, frowning.

Ethan shrugged, seemingly unbothered. "Maybe the property owners have someone doing maintenance," he suggested, though his tone was casual, not concerned.

Maya’s gut told her something was off. "Let’s check it out."

As they approached the front door, voices and laughter drifted from inside the cabin. Maya exchanged a confused glance with Ethan before knocking. The door swung open, revealing a tall, athletic man with a warm smile, his dark hair tousled like he’d been out hiking.

"Hey there!" he said, his voice annoyingly cheerful. "I guess we weren’t expecting company."

Behind him, a woman with striking features and an air of quiet confidence stood, arms crossed, watching them. Ethan cleared his throat. "Uh, we booked this cabin for the weekend."

The man’s smile faltered slightly, but he stepped aside, gesturing for them to come in. "That’s... strange. We booked it too. I’m Ben, and this is my girlfriend, Lily."

Maya’s eyes flicked over to Ethan, who seemed momentarily frozen before offering an awkward smile. Something about this couple felt too easy, too comfortable, like they belonged here more than she and Ethan did. Her unease deepened.

"Well, there’s been a mix-up," Ethan said, trying to sound light-hearted. "But maybe we can figure it out."

As the four of them gathered around the small wooden table in the dimly lit cabin, Maya’s mind raced. The tension between her and Ethan hung in the air, but now it was laced with a new kind of discomfort. A sinking feeling told her that their weekend wasn’t going to be the relaxing escape she had hoped for. And somehow, these strangers weren’t just an inconvenience—they were part of something far more unsettling.

 

Chapter 2: The Odd Couple

 The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the cabin walls. The warm glow should have felt comforting, but to Maya, it only deepened the strangeness of the situation. She sat on the worn leather couch, her eyes shifting uneasily between Ben and Lily. Something about them didn’t sit right.

Ben, with his constant smile and overly friendly demeanor, seemed to dominate the conversation, effortlessly steering it toward meaningless small talk. His enthusiasm was infectious, but Maya couldn’t shake the sense that it was forced, like he was playing a part. Every now and then, she caught Ethan laughing along with Ben, a little too easily, as if the unease between them had suddenly vanished.

Lily, on the other hand, was the opposite. She sat quietly, sipping her wine, her sharp blue eyes observing everything in the room without saying much. Her posture was rigid, her responses clipped and distant. There was something about her—a coldness or maybe a guardedness—that set Maya on edge.

"Well," Ben said, breaking the silence with a grin that seemed out of place, "seems like the four of us are stuck here together for the night. Might as well make the most of it, right?"

"Stuck?" Maya raised an eyebrow. "There are plenty of other cabins or even motels around. We could—"

"Nah, we’ve got this place booked for the weekend, just like you," Ben cut her off with a chuckle. "What are the odds of that? But why not stay? There’s plenty of room."

Maya glanced at Ethan, hoping he’d suggest they leave, but instead, he nodded, already giving in. "It’s kind of a funny coincidence," he said, flashing her a reassuring smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "What’s the harm in staying? We’ll be fine."

Her stomach twisted. Ethan was never one to back down easily, yet here he was, accepting Ben’s invitation without hesitation. Maya wasn’t so sure. She studied Lily again, who was now staring out the window, detached from the conversation. The woman’s silence made her uneasy like she was holding something back.

Ben leaned forward, his smile unwavering. "We can share. It’s just one night, after all. And who knows? Maybe it’ll be fun. You’ll see, Maya."

She didn’t like the way he said her name, the familiarity in his tone that felt too personal. But Ethan was already nodding, already deciding for them both.

"Alright," Maya said slowly, her voice edged with reluctance. "We’ll stay. Just for tonight."

Ben clapped his hands together as if they’d all just agreed on something thrilling. "Great! Let’s make this night unforgettable, huh?"

Lily didn’t respond. She stood abruptly, leaving her glass half-empty on the table. "I’m heading to bed," she muttered, her voice low and flat. Without another word, she disappeared down the hallway, her footsteps barely audible.

Maya’s eyes followed her until she was out of sight. Something about the way Lily moved, like she was retreating from the situation, bothered her. She felt trapped, her instincts screaming that this was all wrong.

Ben stood too, stretching as though nothing strange had happened. "You two get settled in," he said, that ever-present grin still plastered on his face. "We’ll all have breakfast together in the morning."

Once he was gone, leaving Maya and Ethan alone by the fire, Maya turned to him. "You’re really okay with this?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.

Ethan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It’s just one night, Maya. Let’s not overthink it. They’re harmless, probably just as confused as we are about the mix-up."

Maya wanted to believe him, wanted to brush off the bad feeling gnawing at her gut. But as the fire flickered and the cabin settled into silence, she couldn’t shake the sense that they were being pulled into something far beyond a simple mistake. Something about Ben and Lily felt off, like they were playing a game she didn’t understand yet.

Reluctantly, Maya nodded and stood up, following Ethan down the narrow hallway toward their room. But even as they slipped under the covers, she couldn’t sleep. The shadows seemed too long, the air too thick with secrets.

Lying next to Ethan, she stared at the dark ceiling, feeling the weight of the night pressing in. She had agreed to stay, but deep down, she knew something wasn’t right—and by morning, there would be no going back.

Chapter 3: The Party

 The evening air inside the cabin had grown thick with a mix of alcohol and forced laughter. Ben, the ever-charismatic host, had insisted on turning their awkward stay into a little party. He rummaged through a cupboard, pulling out an old bottle of whiskey and some wine that had likely been left behind by previous guests. Maya sat on the couch, nursing her glass of wine, her eyes scanning the room.

Ben was in his element, cracking jokes as he mixed drinks with exaggerated flair, his loud voice filling the space. Ethan sat nearby, his relaxed demeanor unsettling to Maya. He laughed a little too freely at Ben’s antics, like the tension that had hung between them before the trip had magically lifted. Maya wanted to share in that ease, but something held her back. Her mind kept returning to Lily, who sat quietly in the corner, a thin smile playing at the edges of her lips as she sipped her wine, her eyes flickering toward Ethan every now and then.

It started small—a lingering glance, a laugh shared between Ethan and Lily. At first, Maya thought she was imagining it, chalking it up to the unease that had been building since they’d arrived. But as the night dragged on, the subtle interactions between them became harder to ignore.

“Ben, how did you two find this place?” Ethan asked, his voice carrying a lightness that irked Maya. He had barely asked about the cabin’s mix-up when they arrived, but now he seemed more interested in idle conversation.

Ben grinned and shrugged. “Online, man. Just stumbled across it one day. But it’s a great spot, huh? Quiet, cozy… perfect for a weekend getaway.”

Ethan nodded, taking another sip of his drink. “Yeah, it’s got that whole off-the-grid vibe. Just what we needed.”

Lily’s eyes sparkled with something unreadable as she glanced at Ethan, her lips curling into a sly smile. “I guess we all needed a little escape,” she murmured, her voice soft but pointed.

Maya felt a prick of irritation. She hadn’t missed the way Lily’s eyes lingered on Ethan, or the way Ethan seemed to gravitate toward her whenever she spoke. The two exchanged a look that felt private, and Maya’s stomach twisted in response.

“I’m going to get some air,” Maya said suddenly, standing up too quickly. She caught Ethan’s confused expression but didn’t wait for him to respond. The heat of the room had become stifling, and the creeping feeling of being an outsider in her own relationship was overwhelming.

She stepped out onto the porch, the cool night air offering little relief. The cabin was surrounded by darkness, the forest pressing in from all sides. Maya leaned against the wooden railing, her mind racing. Was she overreacting? Was it the stress of the trip, the strange couple, and her ongoing doubts about Ethan that were making her see things that weren’t there?

The door creaked open behind her, and Ethan stepped out, his face full of concern. “Maya, you alright?” he asked, his tone careful.

She forced a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just needed some air.”

Ethan moved closer, resting his hand on her back, but the touch didn’t bring the comfort it usually did. “Look, I know things have been tense lately, but I don’t want you to think I’m... I’m not doing anything wrong.”

Her eyes snapped to his. “I didn’t say you were.”

He hesitated, then sighed. “You don’t have to say it, Maya. I can tell something’s bothering you. Is it about Lily?”

Maya crossed her arms, biting her lip. “It’s not just about her, Ethan. It’s everything. You’ve been acting different. Distant. And now… I don’t know. You two just seem close all of a sudden, like there’s something I’m missing.”

Ethan’s face softened, and he shook his head. “It’s not like that. I promise. We’re all just trying to make the best of this weird situation. That’s all.”

Before she could respond, the door opened again, and Ben poked his head out, his voice loud and jovial. “Come on, you two! You’re missing the party. We’ve got the tunes going and everything.”

Ethan gave her an apologetic look and gestured toward the door. “We should head back in. No need to make this any more awkward than it already is.”

Maya sighed and nodded, letting him guide her back inside, though the knot in her stomach remained. Back in the cabin, the music played low, and Ben had taken it upon himself to raise the mood, dancing around the living room with exaggerated moves. Lily remained seated, her eyes catching Maya’s as they entered the room. Her expression was unreadable, but Maya couldn’t shake the feeling that Lily knew exactly what was going on. Her silence, her glances toward Ethan—everything felt deliberate, calculated even.

As the night wore on, Maya tried to push aside her doubts, but the more she observed, the clearer it became that something was off. Ethan laughed too easily with Lily, their conversations too fluid, too familiar for people who had just met.

Maya clenched her jaw, forcing a smile as Ben refilled her glass. The room was filled with laughter and light, but all Maya could feel was the growing darkness between her and Ethan—and the unsettling presence of Lily, who watched it all unfold with quiet amusement.

The party had become more than just an attempt to salvage an awkward situation. For Maya, it felt like the beginning of something much more sinister.

Chapter 4: The Morning After

 Maya awoke to the faint sound of wind brushing against the windows, her body heavy with exhaustion from the previous night's uneasy sleep. For a moment, she forgot where she was, the unfamiliar room around her still shrouded in dawn’s half-light. She stretched, instinctively reaching out to Ethan’s side of the bed—only to find it empty.

Her eyes snapped open, and the sudden quiet of the cabin hit her. No voices, no movement—just silence.

“Ethan?” Maya called, her voice groggy as she pulled herself up. The bed felt cold, as if he’d been gone for hours. A gnawing sense of unease settled in her chest.

She shuffled out of bed, glancing around the room. Ethan’s shoes were still by the door, his jacket draped over the chair. That strange knot in her stomach tightened as she slipped on her own shoes and walked through the small cabin, calling his name again, louder this time.

No answer.

Maya frowned, her steps quickening as she moved into the living room. The space was eerily still, untouched since they had left it the night before. Ben’s whiskey bottle still sat on the table, half-empty, the glasses they’d used strewn about haphazardly. The remnants of their awkward little party, now bathed in the cold light of morning, looked surreal. But there was no sign of Ethan, Ben, or Lily.

“Ethan?” she called again, her voice echoing through the quiet cabin. She checked the kitchen, the small bathroom, but each room was empty. The door to the porch was slightly ajar, the cool morning breeze creeping in, making her skin prickle.

Stepping outside, she was greeted by the sight of both vehicles parked exactly where they had been the night before. Ethan’s car, and the sleek black SUV that Ben and Lily had arrived in, sat motionless on the gravel. She stood for a moment, letting the scene sink in. The cars hadn’t moved. But where was everyone?

A cold wave of panic began to wash over her. They wouldn’t have just left her, would they?

Maya’s mind raced as she scanned the area, her breath catching in her throat. She tried to reason with herself. Maybe they’d gone for a walk, maybe there was a misunderstanding, and they didn’t want to wake her. But deep down, that explanation didn’t sit right.

She jogged back inside, frantically searching for any sign of where they might have gone. There was nothing—no note, no message. The only sounds were her own ragged breathing and the rustling of the wind outside.

Driven by a growing sense of dread, Maya grabbed her jacket and hurried out the front door, glancing nervously toward the nearby woods. The towering trees loomed ominously, their branches swaying in the morning breeze. It felt like the forest was swallowing the cabin, suffocating it with its dense, impenetrable presence.

Maya hesitated at the edge of the woods. She had no idea where they could’ve gone, but standing there doing nothing wasn’t an option. She needed to find Ethan, needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

“Ethan! Ben! Lily!” she called out, her voice rising in desperation as she ventured deeper into the woods. The cold air nipped at her skin, and the underbrush crunched beneath her feet. She moved quickly, her heart pounding louder with every step. The shadows between the trees seemed darker than they should’ve been, and each sound—every crack of a twig or rustle of leaves—made her jump.

“Ethan!” she yelled again, her voice echoing through the forest, but the only response was the wind and the faint creaking of branches.

Maya pushed forward, deeper into the woods, but there was no sign of them. No footsteps in the soft earth, no distant voices, no signs that anyone had been there at all. Her mind raced with possibilities—had they gone for a hike without telling her? Had something happened to them?

Suddenly, a sharp rustling noise came from her right. Maya’s heart skipped a beat as she spun toward the sound, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment, she thought she saw movement between the trees—something or someone moving swiftly through the shadows.

“Ethan?” she called, her voice trembling, but the figure was gone as quickly as it had appeared. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she stared into the gloom, unsure of what she’d seen.

She turned back, scanning the surrounding woods. Nothing but silence and shadows. Panic clawed at her chest as she realized just how alone she was. Her instincts told her to turn back to the cabin, but the nagging fear of leaving without finding Ethan or any answers kept her rooted in place.

Just then, a faint noise cut through the stillness—a distant sound, like a muffled cry. Maya’s heart leaped into her throat. She couldn’t tell where it was coming from, but it was there, barely audible.

“Ethan?” she called again, her voice hoarse with fear.

Silence followed.

Her legs moved before her mind could catch up, pushing her deeper into the woods, her breath coming in short gasps. She had to find him—had to find all of them. But with every step, the sinking feeling in her chest only grew. Something was terribly wrong.

The morning light filtered weakly through the trees, but it wasn’t enough to banish the darkness that crept into her thoughts. Ethan, Ben, and Lily were gone, and Maya had no idea where they were—or if she was even supposed to find them.

As she stood there, lost in the middle of the woods, a chilling thought occurred to her: maybe they hadn’t just left. Maybe they had been taken.

And maybe… she was next.

Chapter 5: Abandoned and Alone

 The oppressive silence of the cabin settled over Maya like a heavy blanket. She stood in the middle of the living room, her fingers nervously tapping the back of the worn couch as her eyes darted toward the front door for what felt like the hundredth time. They still weren’t back.

She had searched the cabin again, top to bottom, checked the cars, and wandered deeper into the woods, all to no avail. Ethan, Ben, and Lily had simply vanished. The woods had offered no clues, and with each step back toward the cabin, Maya’s stomach had twisted further into knots.

Maya pulled out her phone for what seemed like the tenth time that hour and stared at the “No Service” icon glaring at her from the corner of the screen. Her heart sank deeper. No calls, no texts. There was nothing she could do but wait, trapped in the quiet, isolated cabin with no way to reach anyone.

She sank down onto the couch, wrapping her arms around herself as the minutes ticked by. The daylight was slipping away, casting long shadows across the floor, and with it, a growing sense of dread began to seep into her bones. What if something terrible had happened to them?

Her mind raced through endless possibilities, each one worse than the last. Maybe they had gotten lost in the woods, or worse, maybe they had been attacked by an animal—or by someone. That brief glimpse of movement she had seen earlier replayed in her head, the faint rustle of the trees gnawing at her thoughts. Had she imagined it, or had someone been watching her?

The sound of a creaking floorboard made her heart jump into her throat. She whipped around, eyes scanning the empty cabin. The cabin groaned and settled as though it were alive, the wood protesting as the temperature dropped. Every little noise made her nerves jangle, and the mounting pressure of being alone was beginning to overwhelm her.

As the hours stretched on, Maya found herself pacing the length of the cabin, her mind consumed with worry. She tried to rationalize the situation. Maybe Ethan, Ben, and Lily had just wandered too far into the woods, gotten turned around. Maybe they would stroll back any minute, laughing it off like it was no big deal.

But deep down, Maya knew something was wrong. The nagging suspicion that had been brewing since the moment they arrived clawed at her. Ethan’s odd behavior, the way he had so easily connected with Lily—what if this wasn’t just some innocent mistake? What if he had known more than he was letting on? The idea that Ethan might have been keeping secrets from her stirred a deep unease.

She glanced out the window, where the last remnants of daylight were being swallowed by the thickening darkness. Her reflection stared back at her, pale and wide-eyed, blending into the growing gloom outside. The trees loomed in the distance, a wall of shadows, and beyond them lay the endless stretch of forest. She shivered, pulling her jacket tighter around her, the isolation pressing in on her from all sides.

Nightfall brought no relief. The quiet became suffocating, and the darkness seemed to crawl closer, tightening its grip on the cabin. Maya checked her phone again, hoping for a miracle, but it remained lifeless in her hand. Her thoughts spiraled, unable to escape the growing fear that something terrible had happened, something she couldn’t explain or fix.

As she wandered back to the couch, she noticed Ethan’s jacket still draped over the chair. She reached out to touch it, her fingers brushing the worn fabric, but it felt like it belonged to a stranger now. The man she had come here with, the man she thought she knew, felt distant, like he had slipped out of her grasp long before today.

A loud bang outside made her freeze. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared toward the window. The wind howled through the trees, and for a moment, Maya told herself it was just the storm rolling in. But the sound came again—louder, closer. Something was out there.

Swallowing hard, Maya crept toward the window, peering out into the blackness beyond. The woods were still, save for the swaying branches and the occasional gust of wind. She strained her ears, listening for any sign of movement.

Nothing. Only the eerie stillness of the night.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. Her skin prickled as if unseen eyes were locked onto her from somewhere deep in the forest. Panic bubbled up in her chest. She wanted to scream for Ethan,

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 13.09.2024
ISBN: 978-3-7554-8008-2

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Widmung:
To those who fight in the shadows, even when the world isn’t watching. And to the survivors—may you find the strength to rebuild, and the courage to start anew.