https://sfarnell.wordpress.com/2018/11/05/the-cabin-2/
NEW PORTION IN BOLD
Join us for a progressive writing experiment! Laura from www.todaysdose.wordpress.com and Simon from Planet Simoncame up with the idea that we work together on a story ‘seed’ and let it out into the blogoshpere she has begun the story with only a few paragraphs and a title, I’ve added a little too! Let’s see where this goes!
***
She put her face upwards and let the warm water of the shower run over, into her hair, down her body, and around her feet. She stood in there for quite some time, without washing or moving anything except her hands over her face and hair. Perhaps this was more of an emotional and mental cleanse, for certain she wanted all of the past 72 hours erased from her, like the water that now so easily disappeared into the drain.
She had arrived at his apartment that evening when the sun was just sinking below the horizon. Her body went limp as she got out of the car and collapsed into his waiting embrace. Little was said between the two, for all that needed speaking in that moment was said in silence as their arms found each other. He gently pulled her sleeping children from the car as she retreated to the bathroom.
The children. She rubbed her face gently with the warm water as she thought of them now, sharing two large beds and snuggled together. They knew very little, and she had to keep it that way for the foreseeable future. Little was said to them on the day of their abrupt departure, but her calm, quiet voice and pleading eyes told them what they needed to know.
Only one person could she tell. Barbara. The kind of friend a person lives a lifetime praying to have. The friend you can tell everything and then nothing, and she would understand always.
***
She let out another sigh when she thought of her dear friend, whom she would likely not see again. And she worried for her as well. She had put her at risk by confiding in her and asking for help. But then she remembered how strong Barbara was and they had both helped each other out of many difficult situations. Barbara had lost a child to leukemia several years ago, and while the pain was unbearable, she bore it with all the grace, love and acceptance that could only be seen as admirable.
Her thoughts continued to drift as the water came down… to her husband who walked out after their third and last child was born. She had been grocery shopping after a long day at work and came home to find him gone, his side of the closet empty and drawers void of his personal effects. She never received answers to the gnawing questions, yet within a few weeks of his disappearance, she did receive a petition for divorce. Within a few months, it was settled through attorneys without her ever seeing him. Child support had been established, but as his employer was unknown, or he was not working, she never received one cent. No goodbye. No answers. No money. Just a hollowness in her heart and stomach that woke up with her every morning.
Barbara had been there for that, too. She was kind and gentle with the kids, who are also left with their own pain and questions pertaining to their sudden abandonment. How ironic was it now that she was far from her home without telling anyone. No warning, no explanation, just another emptiness in her life that left her asking why.
***
All this was now in the past though, the event so of the last few days had seemed a whirlwind and she wasn’t sure yet how safe she was. There was no way the mob could fine here here? Could they? She had done exactly as Robert had told her, she had not driven directly, there was no record of this place and she had destroyed her phone and thrown it away.
Yet there was this feeling she couldn’t shake.
The sun was setting, with the children asleep she allowed herself a moment of quiet out on the porch. Sat there in the rocking chair she allowed the sun to warm her and for a little time she forgot about what had happened and why she was here in this beautiful hideaway. As the sun started to touch the edge of the lake she walked around to the side, looking up into to the hills there suddenly as she looked up her heart froze.
A simple flash up in the hills stunned her into total fear.
Was there someone up there watching them? Was there something up there that the sun had glinted on, the thoughts ran through her like a raging river, uncontrollable at first. The she calmed and realised that if someone was watching she mustn’t do anything to arouse their suspicion.
But the next questions in her head were – should she go up and look or should she run?
***
Barbara kept telling herself that she was fine, it was all in her head, she was just being paranoid. They were always telling her that she had a habit of overthinking everything.
He had always told her that too. Barbara muttered to herself “Just because they tell you that you’re being paranoid, doesn’t mean that they are not out to get you”.
Once again there was a sudden flash of light up in the hills. Barbara squinted, looking up towards where she had seen the flash of light and put her hands up to shade her eyes from the Sun. Maybe it was just the sun, she thought to herself. What were the chances though of it being the sun. The flashes were too quick and there was hardly any wind blowing. The sun was also not behind the clouds.
Should she go and leave the children behind? Surely, if she went to investigate she wouldn’t be gone for that long. They were soundly asleep and the oldest would be able to look after the younger ones if they were too wake up.
Barbara needed to find out.
Who do I choose to continue?
Anyone from Pencliff!
Lolsys Library 