The Cabin

Kyle's BMW approached the isolated cabin at Camp Crystal Lake. Most of the cabins had been condemned, but the former owner had kept this cabin in good shape as a getaway for himself. Kyle's dad had purchased the camp a few years back intending to reopen it, but then died of cancer. Kyle had inherited it and had used it as a way to lure girls into having his way with them. Lucy was different though. She had never been just a conquest to Kyle.

He hadn't even taken Lucy to the cabin before, but with everything going on, Kyle had thought it might be a good time to help her clear her mind. Lucy had lost her father four weeks ago and had committed her mother two weeks after. Feeling on the brink of insanity herself, Lucy had asked Kyle to help her. The cabin had seemed like the best place for her to find some peace. Kyle had also secretly hoped this time away would put Lucy back in a romantic mood.

"Here it is, babe. What do you think?" Kyle asked.

Lucy replied, "So, this is the one that was kept up?"

"C'mon, it isn't that bad. It needs a little work."

"A little?"

"I don't get up here that often so it has gotten a little rundown. Maybe I can do some work on it while we are here."

"It's okay. I don't really care. As long as the bed is decent."

The two got out of the car and entered the cabin. The interior was considerably better. Lucy noticed the pine smell right away, which made the entire cabin smell refreshing.

"You'll see. This is going to be the perfect place to recov…" Kyle said.

Lucy's look at Kyle cut deep into his heart as he realized his mistake. Lucy wasn't in "recovery" or didn't want to be treated as such. She was grieving. The fact that she had had a brief stint with anti-depressants that had led to her recent suicide attempt didn't mean she was in recovery. Which was exactly what she had told Kyle only two days ago. How dare he let the "R" word slip.

Kyle recovered from his misstep. "Um. The food! There are still the snacks in the back. I'll be right back."

Lucy collapsed on the bed. This was all she really wanted right now. Sleep had been her only friend lately, but Kyle was hoping for more. Back at the car, he shuffled through a few plastic bags in the back. He found the new package of condoms he had just gotten before the trip and slid them into his pocket.

"C'mon Kyle. Don't slip up like that again or these were a complete waste of money," Kyle said.

He combined the snacks into one bag and closed the hatchback. Realizing he needed to piss, Kyle set the bag next to the car and went to a nearby tree. A yellow stream flowed.

"Whoa, Kyle. A little dehydrated."

SWOOSH! A machete flew past a distant tree. SNAP! The blade clipped a twig from another. CHOP! The weapon buried itself three inches into the tree after slicing through Kyle's neck. The urine stopped flowing as Kyle's body hit the ground in the pool of liquid waste. His head followed landing on the ground next to his body.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP! Footsteps approached as the machete-throwing assassin stepped in the blood and urine mixture in which Kyle's body lay. He plucked the machete from the tree. A few chips of wood fell onto Kyle as Jason turned and focused on the cabin. It was fitting that Lucy just wanted to sleep.

In the cabin, Lucy was just starting to drift. In her head, she saw her mom crying as she sat at a table. Lucy hadn't been able to get that image out of her head since she had left her at Blue Acres Rehabilitation Clinic. Lucy wondered if she had made the right decision. After her mother had tried to kill herself, and Lucy wanting to do the same, she had felt it was her only choice. She couldn't take care of her mom. Still, Lucy felt regretful for leaving her there. Maybe after this trip she could go see her and things would be better. Maybe they could go home and they could work on repairing their relationship which had been shredded over the past two years.

Lucy's parents hadn't approved of Kyle when they had started dating. In many ways, Kyle had been perfect. He had been a junior in college and quarterback on the football team. His grades had been above average and he had been set to take over his father's company after school. Lucy's father had felt that Kyle was immature and her mother had had a suspicion that he might be abusive. Her own past with a few boyfriends had clouded her judgment of Kyle. Still, the young couple had pushed beyond her parent's objections.

Lucy's father had finally made peace with Kyle before he died. He had been happy that Lucy was in love and Kyle had stepped up since graduating. He had been more mature and had had responsibilities. Lucy's mom had still been uneasy, but was growing more fond of Kyle. Unfortunately, that relationship wouldn't have the opportunity to strengthen since Kyle was now lifeless at the base of a tree where his urine was starting to dry.

DUBOOM! The door to the cabin flung open to reveal Jason standing in the doorway holding a bloody machete. Lucy sprang from the bed, her head still slightly hazy.

"Holy shit! What the fuck are you?!" Lucy shouted.

Jason approached her slowly, raising the machete above his head. He looked at her and paused his blade.

"Go ahead. I'm ready to die."

Lucy looked up at Jason. Through the holes in his hockey mask she could see tears forming in his eyes. She looked at this giant man wanting to slice her into pieces with a machete and she could only see the tears in his eyes. He must have been holding back years of torment, regret, and rage. If killing her helped him, Lucy was okay with it. She prepared for the machete-man to take her out, but he stalled.

"Go ahead. It's okay. I'm ready."

Jason dropped his arms to his side, dropping the machete to the floor. Lucy was in shock. She had thought she would be dead by now. She looked at Jason with a look of both amazement and terror. Jason turned and left. After a few moments, Lucy sat down on the bed wondering what had just happened. Then she remembered…

"Kyle!"

She rushed outside looking around to make sure Jason was gone and looking for Kyle.

"Kyle? Babe?"

Lucy slowly moved over to the car. Before she reached the vehicle she saw her beau.

"Kyle!"