The Cabin in the Woods....

i too wanted to explore the cabin for hidden treasures or secrets. I tried to spend a day in the cabin but the longer i stayed there, the creepier it became. the woods would grow very quiet and dark, the animals stopped scurrying around, and the birds stopped singing. the only sounds i could hear was the beating of my heart and breath-fast and loud. I knew, absolutely knew that i wasn't alone.

one day i saddled up RoEllen (my beautiful red quarter horse) and headed into the woods. i wasn't going to stop at the cabin-i was exploring new territory. i turned the horse up a trail toward the cabin. she jerked her head up, spun around a began running-full out back toward the house...something definitely was in the woods and we weren't invited. animals have a keen sense of smell and danger. i was terrified and never wanted to go back in the woods again.

dad, a "Grizzly Adams" kind of guy, was wanting to trap a bear-so, he continued to set traps. unfortunately he had a massive heart attack. while in the hospital and after he got home, he ask me to run his trap lines...my heart sank..but i told him i would.

the traps were to far out to travel by foot. it took a good hour on horseback to get to them. after i got home from school and feed the animals, i saddled up RoEllen and off we went to check the traps. it was a fight just to get her in the woods. on the trail we had to pass near the cabin. my heart was about to beat out of my chest-and RoEllen could sense that i was scared and became a little anxious. i said to her, "it's ok girl" and we trudged onward. by the time we made it to the top of the trail, she had settled down but was aware of the erie silence surrounding us. i noticed the trail had now become narrow, if RoEllen took one wrong step we both would fall off the edge of the earth never to be found..i made it to the traps and Grizzly A caught a possum. it was mangled up pretty bad - but still alive so i shot it. i got the animal out, buried it, reset the trap and headed back for home. it was cold, getting late and starting to snow. i was very nervous and began cautiously heading back down the narrow trail. all of a sudden RoEllen perked up her ears, jerked her head up and came to a complete stop. oh God, please help us. she became jittery and starting dancing around - OH GOD PLEASE DON'T LET US DIE. i yelled "we're coming out and you can't stop us!" i grabbed the saddle horn, wrapped the reins around my hand, and said, "girl let's get the heck out here and go home", then kicked her in the flanks. i know God was watching over us....RoEllen started out in a full run, i didn't look down or back and she didn't slow down until we got to the barn. after that day, i didn't go back to the traps or that section of the woods-and I never invaded whoever was there..space again.

just so you know, dad wanted boys but got three girls instead...i was definitely a "tomboy". Between me and lu, we could out shoot any guy, split firewood, break a horse, shoe a horse...just about anything. Oh, I was the oldest and the official bodyguard. so from time to time i had to beat the crap out of somebody for messing with my sisters. it was more than little house on the prairie...

for the beginning of this story, go to Lu's News, Lu and read "Fear".