Cabin fever

Chapter One


"They think I can't take care of myself. Well I'll show them." Rob said to himself as drove the car out through the gates of the gated community he lived in. He had just passed his driver's license test after several years af learning to drive. Lately he was feeling dissatisfied with his life. Alright not just lately, pretty much for half of his life but the feeling of everything closing in on him was almost unbearable. He couldn't even escape in L.A. anymore, even the L.A. based vultures had figured out he was worth a lot of money and hounded him relentlessly, taking his picture everytime he stepped out of his house. So he got his license and was now sneaking off, in the middle of the night. Even if there were paparazzi around they wouldn't expect him to be driving, since no one but his inner circle knew he had finally passed the test. He was tired of them all running to do his bidding, it had never bothered him before but since he'd turned 30, it was eating away at him more and more. He really spent a lot of time contemplating his life and he found that he didn't like it. Josie did everything for him, made all his appointments, helped him shop for clothes, he didn't even know how to write a check. Josie filled them out and he just signed. He was a 31 year old child and he was sick of it. He was going to go on spiritual journey. To become the man he should be. And to do that he had to get away from them, from the oppressive mothering they all gave him. So with a wallet full of cash, his bank card that he wasn't sure how to work, credit cards and keys to a cabin he secretly rented online he was on his way to independance.


Three weeks! Three weeks away from work, family friends. Everyone. Danni needed it before she went crazy and ended up in a nut house. Between the crazy shifts she had been working at the hospital and her mother phoning her day and night to ask her opinion of wedding details. Not to mention the little digs she dropped on Danni about her baby sister Lee getting married and letting Danni know that she would probably die an old maid. Danni wasn't sure when her mother expected her to find a husband while studying at university and then at medical school and now that she was finally finished her internship she was still too busy to even date. She laughed at the memory of giving a male patient an enema the night before, that was the most action she had gotten in about three years. So she was escaping. Taking three weeks and going up to the mountains to the cabin her collegue rented out. She wouldn't have to think about charts, patients, bridesmaid dresses or men. She had he trusty vibrator packed away, that would be all she needed.

Rob stopped in the town closest to the cabin and called his house from a payphone. Josie picked up and began screaming at him.

"Are you alright? What's going on? You aren't drunk are you?" She asked, panic evident in her voice.

"I'm fine Josie. I just needed some Rob time. For the first time in my life, I'm not afraid to be alone. In fact I am looking forward to some reclusive behaviour."

"Rob, you'll be bored before night is out. Where are you? Let me send Pompey at least."

"No way. I want to be normal for a bit. I'll call you in a couple of days." He hung up on her and went into the store to get some supplies.


He knew he needed water, there was water from a nearby spring but the owner suggested he buy drinking water. He also bought a loaf of bread, peanut butter, strawberry jam, a few tins of soup, beans, orange juice, milk, cereal, some frozen TV dinners and some fresh fruit. He figured he could live on that stuff. It wasn't anything fancy but he didn't know how to cook so he needed basic heat in the microwave foods. On his way to the counter he grabbed potato chips, cookies, M&Ms and several chocolate bars. He didn't know how to make coffee and was already worried about the lack of caffiene so he also bought several bottles of caffiene loaded pop. He stood in line behind a woman on her cell phone and couldn't help but eavesdrop, she was pretty loud and she sounded very annoyed.

"No you will not be able to reach me. I am turning off my phone." She said as if talking to a small child. He watched as she listened to the other person and she threw a flashlight hanging on a peg board into her cart. And then grabbed about 10 packages of batteries and threw those in to.

"Mother, if I am raped and killed you won't be able to get in touch with me anyway. I'll call you in a few days to let you know I am still breathing."


Rob grabbed a flashlight too, it seemed like a good idea and he grabbed some batteries as well. He stole a look into her shopping cart, looking to see what else he should buy. She had lots of stuff he didn't. She had way more fruit and vegetables, some chicken, steaks and it looked like there was some bacon. Rob wondered how hard it would be to cook bacon.

"Mom, I know you are worried about me but this is the exact reason I need this vacation. I am exhausted and the constant barage of insults from you isn't helping me. Have a nice day, kiss daddy for me." She said before hanging up and then turning her phone off and dropping it into her purse. She looked around, trying to see if she had forgotten anything. Feeling frustrated at letting her mother egg her into a fight and caught some guy staring into her cart. She felt the urge to block his view, what sort of grocery pervert was this guy? He looked up and saw her staring at him and smiled in apology. The words of her mother coming back to haunt her. "What if you are raped and killed. How will I know if your phone is turned off?" Was this guy checking to see if she was alone? She narrowed her eyes and turned her back. It was her turn next to pay and she started loading her things up onto the counter, on the spur of the moment she asked the cashier to sell her 5 cigars.

"My husband just loves to smoke them." She said to the cashier and looking to see if the man behind her had heard. He wasn't there, he was on his way back from running to grab toilet paper. She rolled her eyes and payed for her stuff. Leaving qucikly and getting into her car and driving off. He couldn't follow her if he was a perverted sex fiend, when he hadn't seen which way she had gone. She was starting to second guess her decision, was it safe for her to be up in the mountains by herself? What if there was some rapist out there? Or an animal? Or she got hurt?

"Calm down Danni. You will keep your phone charged at night and then keep it on you in case you need to phone anyone and Marg said that the cabin had a phone and a computer. You aren't going to be in some desolate cabin." She scolded herself on the drive. It was easy to find and only 15 minutes from town which made her relax a bit more. She smiled at how pretty it was. It had a long verandah that winded around to the back, huge picture windows that were framed with shutters. In the summer it must look beautiful she thought glancing at the area that had to be the garden. It was more of a house than a cabin. There was a huge stack of wood on the verandah next to the door. She knew there was more in the shed at the rear of the house. Marg told her that her husband Bill had bought enough wood to keep the cabin warm for the entire winter, not that she would need it, it was only October and while it might get a bit chilly, she would only need to burn a bit of the wood. She went up and unlocked the door, looking inside at the furnishings. Two comfy looking couches, the computer in the corner, a large fireplace and even a bearskin rug on the floor. Danni laughed at that. It was very romantic, too bad she was without a man. As if on cue she heard a car driving up, she turned to look and saw the man from the grocery store in town behind the wheel, he wore a shocked and confused expression. Feeling scared, worried he was going to hurt her, Danni grabbed the fireplace poker and went out to the top of the steps.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" She asked as bravely as she could.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." He said, getting out of the car but staying well back from her.

"My husband and I are renting this place."

"You must have the wrong place because I'm renting this place." Rob replied holding up the keys.

"Well I have already gotten inside, you have the wrong place. You had better go before my husband finds you here. He get's really mad."

"I know you don't have a husband. Relax, I'm not a crazed killer." He said to her shocked expression. He ducked his head into his car and pulled out a sheet of paper. "This is the cabin I am supposed to be at."

"Leave it on the bottom step and then walk back to your car." Danni told him. He rolled his eyes but complied. When he was back at his car, Danni snatched the paper up and read it over. It was a letter from Bill. Giving directions to the town and the particulars about the cabin. "For fuck sake." Danni growled. She pulled out her cellphone and dialed Marg's number. Luckily Marg was on the late shift and was actually home.

"What do you mean Bill rented out the cabin? Are you sure? Hold on I'll call him." Marg said and then grabbed her own cellphone to call her husband. Danni could hear Marg talking to Bill. And her heart sunk at the words "But I told Danni she could use it for three weeks." And then "It's the only time she has off for months and months."

"Sorry Danni. Bill rented it out to someone named Robert Williams, a Brit. Bill says he seems nice. But they have a contract and we have to let him stay. And since you were staying for free Bill says Robert Williams gets it."

"Oh fuck." Danni said trying not to cry. She had been so looking forward to it and she just could face the thought of going back to her house in Los Angeles.

"I'm really sorry Danni. Bill said he'd put you up in a spa for the weekend." Marg offered.

"Tell him it's okay. See you next week, we'll have lunch." Danni hung up the phone and sat on the stairs. Robert Williams finally spoke.

"I guess you believe me now?"

"Yeah, my friend lent it to me but her husband rented it to you first. It's all yours. Is it okay if I use the washroom first before I get back on the road?" She asked him. He nodded and she slowly got up and headed inside.


Rob went into the cabin after the woman didn't come out after five minutes. He didn't even know which door was the washroom but could hear what sounded like crying coming from a door near the end of a hallway. He hesitated, was she crying? He didn't like when women cried.

'Fuck.' He mouthed silently, lifting his hand to knock softly on the door.

"Miss? Are you alright?" He grimaced, he didn't really want to get involved in this. Just get her out and on her way.

"I'm fine, just a few more minutes." She called back, her voice definately cracking on the last word and he was sure she was crying now.

"Look don't cry. There's a resort not that far back, couldn't you stay there?" He asked.

"Yeah it's fine I'll do that." She said and he figured she was lying when a fresh wave of sobs could be heard.

"Hey...why don't you just stay here too." 'Fuck' He silently mouthed again. Why had he gone and done that? He was supposed to be on his spiritual journey to manhood.

"With you?" She asked.

"There are three bedrooms, more than enough." He was now pulling his own hair, trying to make himself shut the Hell up.

"I don't know..." She said, her voice was closer and he knew she was just on the otherside of the door. 'Good go away.' He thought.

"It's not a big deal, I am out here to be alone. So I wouldn't be around to bother you, going to read and hike and fish most of the time." He told her. 'For the love of God, shut up Rob!' He told himself.

"Well....if you are sure." She said opening the door and Rob had to quickly place a smile on his face.

"I'm sure." Sure I could drown myself in the lake right now. He thought to himself.


tbc...