Out Like A Light
Nobody said a word to Olivia about her consecutive days off during her shift. She kept anxiously waiting for it, but she should have known better. Scheduling doesn't work the graveyard shift.
Before she knew it, the sun was up and people were coming into the store who looked human. They were dressed in actual clothes, instead of pajamas, and they looked alert and ready to take on the day instead of weary, hating that they needed to be out in the middle of the night to buy that last minute gift or buy groceries without the masses of people there to get in their way. Olivia practically skipped to her car after she clocked out.
Her already cold fingers grasped the freezing handle of her car door and pulled it open. She quickly started her car and blasted the heat on as high as it could go. While the car and the heat inside warmed up little by little, Olivia took a quick glance around the parking lot for anyone she knew. Finally, she decided she didn't care who saw her and did a little happy dance right there in her seat. She was free from this place for five whole days!
The drive to Fair Haven was really nice. On more than one occasion, she ran into patches of black ice, and it made Olivia wish that her older model car was a brand new SUV instead. It made her wish she had sprung for new tires on the klunker already too. She just had to hold out until she received her inevitable income tax check and she'd be driving a brand new something else.
The GPS told her the destination was just ahead on the right, and Olivia was thankful. She had worked the graveyard shift followed by a two hour drive to the middle of nowhere, relying on directions from her phone. She was hungry and ready to lay down for at least eight hours. After she let Abby know she had gotten there safely. The place had better be stocked or Abby wasn't getting shit for Christmas.
She pulled into the driveway and looked over at the little log cabin. It was beautiful and cozy looking with a snow covered forest behind it. There was snow everywhere. In fact, it had started snowing the closer she got to the cabin and it had made her wonder if she might get stranded up here after all.
There was a narrow rock path that led up to the front porch where a couple of rocking chairs sat side by side. She wondered what kind of psychopath sat outside in the middle of winter to rock in a chair? A tall rock chimney stood snug against the side of the house, making it look more like a painting than a real place. Olivia momentarily hoped that the pretty little cabin had electric heat because she didn't know how to build a fire. Something she should have asked Abby about.
She grabbed one of her suitcases from the backseat, promising to come back and get the others after she'd slept, and made her way towards the porch. Olivia stamped her feet on the mat several times as her tired brown eyes tried to unlock the front door with the silver key Abby had given her. She didn't care if it was as cold as an ice box inside. She had to lay down somewhere. After she ate the first thing she saw.
Once the door was locked behind her Olivia peeled off her jacket and hung it up near the door and stepped out of her boots, leaving them by the door. The temperature inside was comfortable, and she was thankful. Everything inside was pretty and wooden and in its place. Olivia's sock covered feet led her to the refrigerator where she opened the white door and peered inside to see what was available for immediate consumption. She really wanted a cup of coffee, but knew the caffeine would keep her awake and that was not in her immediate plans. She grabbed the milk and set the plastic jug on the counter before searching through the cabinets for a glass. Instead, she found a box of cereal. A close inspection revealed that the box was unopened and still in date. Ditching the glass idea, now she looked for a bowl.
She settled herself on the couch with her bowl of cereal after she'd put everything back where it belonged. She took a huge bite of the sugary breakfast food and looked around. There were windows everywhere! Her eyes darted out one of the living room windows to the snow covered woods. It was too pretty to be creepy. She guessed it would probably be really easy to see someone standing out there with all that white for a background. Besides, she was too tired to care right now. She'd worry about it later, but she would double check the doors to make sure they were locked tightly.
There was another couch across from the one she was sitting on. A couple of comfortable looking chairs took up the rest of the space in the living room. Apparently, Abby and Leo entertained a lot here. The fireplace was beautiful. And empty. She might attempt to make a fire after she woke up. It would probably make the little cabin even cozier, if that was possible. The ceiling was very high, going all the way to the top of the cabin. She saw a set of wooden steps leading to a loft. She'd bet money that's where the bed was at. She chewed faster as the thought of snuggling down under a thick quilt or comforter in a big comfy bed. She'd explore later.
When the cereal was gone, Olivia got up and sluggishly washed her bowl and spoon, putting them upside down on the counter. She stumbled to the back door and checked the lock. All good. She made her way back to the kitchen and checked that lock. All good there too. Nobody was getting inside while she slept. Grabbing the handle of her suitcase, she trudged upstairs and down a narrow hall. She turned a doorknob on the first door she came to. She had no idea which bedroom it was. She didn't know how many bedrooms there were in this little place. Another question for Abby.
Abby! Shit!
She pulled her phone from the pocket of her work pants and touched Abby's name. As the phone rang Olivia put the call on speaker, set the suitcase on the bed, and began looking for pajamas. "Hey, Liv!"
"Abs! Hey. I'm just letting you know that I made it safely to your little slice of heaven in the woods."
"Great! I hope you enjoy yourself. Text me when you're heading home please and again when you get back so I won't worry. Okay?"
"Dammit!" She grumbled upon peering inside her suitcase. She had grabbed the one that had all her cute outfits, not pajamas.
"What's the matter?" Abby asked.
"Wrong suitcase. Gotta go to sleep now." Olivia said on a yawn. "Thank you again. Love you, Abs."
"Love you too. Byeeeeee!"
Olivia sighed loudly. Fuck it! She took off the shirt and pants she had just spent the last several hours at work in. The first over sized sweater her hand landed on was silently slid over her head before she pulled the bedding back and crawled up on the pillow. The minute her head was down, she was out like a light.
Five hours later, talking came from downstairs that stirred Olivia in her sleep. She didn't bother opening her eyes. She knew it was her neighbor, Yvonne who always watched tv in the middle of the afternoon at an ear deafening volume. She was an older woman and she couldn't miss "her stories" as she called them. Olivia tried to slide back into the beautiful dark sleep.
Her brain screamed at her! You're at Abby and Leo's cabin in the middle of nowhere.
Her eyes popped open and she listened intently. Who the hell was in the cabin? She was alone, unarmed, and in a strange place where she didn't know a soul. What was she supposed to do? Her heart was pounding out of her chest and in spite of the winter weather, she was beginning to sweat. She timidly sat up in the bed, grabbed her phone, and looked around for something she could use as a weapon. Anything! She was not going to be murdered in the woods without a fight! Her eyes landed on a golf club.
The person downstairs laughed loudly. The sound was male. Whoever they were, they were about to get knocked the fuck out with a nine iron before either one of them even thought about touching her! She tiptoed to the golf club and wrapped her fingers around the skinny metal. It wasn't heavy, but she'd bet it would do some damage.
Olivia tiptoed to the door and listened for the male voices. She heard the same one talking, but didn't know what he was saying. He was still downstairs, and that was good news for her. Very quietly, Olivia grasped the doorknob and almost painfully slow, turned it until she couldn't anymore. She thought back to when she had come into the bedroom and couldn't remember if the door creaked or not. She barely remembered getting into bed. She had no idea about the door.
No creaking could be heard. She tiptoed down the hall to the stairs and listened. They weren't talking anymore. It made Olivia wonder where they were? She needed to know to feel a little bit safer! She thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest, it was pounding so loudly, but she kept going. She listened intently when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Nothing.
She slowly rounded the corner and ran smack into the chest of a tall man.
"Who the hell are...?" He never finished his question, because Olivia took a step back and swung wide with the golf club in both shaking hands. Her phone skittered to the floor as she hit him in the side. Her eyes grew wide as she watched him immediately crumple to the floor.