Chapter 4 - The Cabin in the Woods
The sun was just beginning to rise when I turned onto the dirt road leading to the cabin.
Thick pine trees surrounded the property, making it nearly invisible from the main highway.
I parked my car a mile down the road and walked the rest of the way on foot.
I stayed hidden in the shadows of the trees, watching the large wooden structure.
There was a black SUV parked out front, and a burly man in a dark suit was smoking a cigarette on the porch.
My father hadn't just sent Caleb away; he had hired private security to guard him.
I waited patiently for nearly an hour until the guard flicked his cigarette away and went inside to use the bathroom.
I darted across the clearing, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst.
I slipped around to the back of the cabin and used my crowbar to pry open a small basement window.
The glass shattered quietly against the damp earth, and I squeezed myself through the narrow opening.
The basement was dark and smelled like mildew, but I could hear footsteps on the floorboards above me.
I crept up the wooden stairs and slowly turned the doorknob.
I peeked into the living room and saw Caleb sitting on the floor, staring blankly at the television.
He looked pale, exhausted, and completely terrified.
I rushed over to him and covered his mouth with my hand before he could scream.
"Caleb, it's Aunt Claire," I whispered frantically.
His wide, panicked eyes slowly softened as he recognized me.
"Aunt Claire, they took my red truck," he whispered back, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I know, sweetie, but I need to know what was inside it," I pleaded.
May you like
He swallowed hard and looked toward the hallway to make sure the guard wasn't coming.
"It was a small black USB drive that my dad gave me right before he died," Caleb confessed.
