"What was I thinking?" Cherry sighed, dipping the enormous wooden bucket into the fast-running river, "I'm cold, wet and need a glass of red wine."

Lifting the bucket, she shuddered as a river of rain ran down her neck, leaving an icy, wet path. The falling night made this trip to the river necessary until the morning. Hefting the giant wooden bucket up the side of the river bank, Cherry paused, catching her breath before heading toward the cabin.

"Ah, man," she groaned as water from a deep puddle topped her boot, running inside and wetting her sock foot and the lower part of her jeans. "Cold, cold, cold ... wow, that is cold ... this day is getting better ... let's hope tomorrow brings the sun out. These are going to need to dry out. Thank heavens, I have another pair. Wonder if any warm clothes are left behind that are not shredded."

Rounding the corner of the path, Cherry gasped; a tall, well-built man in a thick jacket, jeans and hiking boots stood in the tree line watching her. The hood of his coat was pulled up, but she could tell he stared at her coldly before turning and walking away.

Who was he?

Looking around, she couldn't see him or where he had gone. The whole event felt weird and abnormal. Inhaling, she started up the path again, glancing over her shoulder when the sensation of being watched slid over her skin. Ever since she had been in town, she felt concerned about being followed or watched. Making it to the back door without encountering anyone else, Cherry pushed it open and slid the bucket of water inside.

"I really want my fire now," she whispered, shivering from the sudden change from the icy cold to the warmth of the interior. A soft thud drew her to the living area. Moving to the door, Cherry found another man in her cabin. Standing over the purchases on the coffee table.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

The man spun toward her, holding a knife as though to defend himself. Frowning at his outfit, noticing it was the same as the man from the forest, Cherry took in his features. He was similar to the man in the forest but slightly different. The difference between the man in the woods and this one sat in the eyes. The man in the forest hated her. It shone from his cold grey eyes and oozed from his pores, but this man refused to meet her gaze; he either looked at the ceiling, the floor, past her or generally around, fear blazing in his eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said, moving toward him, "is there something I can help you with? Are you lost? Do you need something?"

"Why did you come back?" he hissed, glancing over his shoulder as though he expected something to happen or someone to appear, "we kept our promise not to come here again, but you came back. Why did you break your promise? Why are you here?"

Cherry frowned, "What are you ... wait, what promise?" Cherry asked, stopping as he backed further from her.

"You took an oath to move away with your abomination," he said, shuddering as he backed further away from her, "you promised, but you're back again. Did you bring that thing with you?"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. What promise? Do you know what happened here?" Cherry asked. "Can you answer any of my questions? What abomination?"

"You should have stayed away," he said, edging toward the front door, "what do I tell the others?"

Cherry felt surprise race through her, "Tell the others ... tell them I come in peace. Wait ... please."

Turning at the open front door, he disappeared, leaving it banging in the gust of wind and rain. Running forward, Cherry looked out into the worsening storm.

"Where did he go?" she whispered, sheltering her face from the slashing rain. There was no one outside. Whoever he was had disappeared as quickly and thoroughly as the man in the forest. Putting her weight against the door, she closed and latched it against the elements raging outside. Something weird was going on, and she felt like she was the key to unravelling the mystery of the burnt cabin. The irony and humour of the situation bubbled up, erupting in a giggle which turned into a chuckle.

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"I wanted peace and quiet, and I ended up inside the makings of a horror movie," shaking her head, her eyes drifted to where the man was standing. The parcels had been emptied over the coffee table, "what was he looking for?"

Frowning, she stood over the coffee table, looking over her purchases. Everything was there, the foodstuffs included, but they were laid out as though the intruder had been looking for something specific. She couldn't see any tampering or puncture marks on anything.

"Time for a fire," she sniffed, "I'm cold, the sun is setting, the rain is ..." she glanced at the window, "still pouring, and I'm getting hungry."

Working quickly, Cherry lit a fire and moved her purchases into the kitchen she had found earlier. The room was a perfect square with a gas fridge and stove while counters and cupboards ran along the room's wall. Fortunately, the gas bottles were still rather full even after all this time. Opening the tap, she jumped back as water burst into the sink, spluttering water down the front of her wet clothes.

"What is a little extra water," she sighed, watching it turn from brown to clear, "at least there is running water ..." she frowned, "but how?"

Cleaning down the counter and table, Cherry quickly put together a meal leaving the wine bottle and glass on either end of the table. Eating in front of the fire, she enjoyed the meal as the blazing warmth seeped into her chilled body. Glancing around, Cherry frowned. Why did she feel like eyes were still on her? Shaking her head, Cherry determined to enjoy her stay here and not give in to the sensation of being part of a lab experiment. Glancing at the window, she frowned. Was that a face on the other side? Blinking quickly, she looked again but only saw a window pane sluiced in water. Shrugging, Cherry carried on eating, enjoying the warmth from the raging fire and the silence around her encased with the pouring rain.

Closing her eyes, Cherry felt the peace of the moment surround her. Was this the emotion they felt at the cabin all those years ago? Peace? If so, tonight, she would soak it all in. Tomorrow she will plan the cabin's renovation and begin finding out what happened here.

Thunder slammed into her dreams, jolting Cherry awake. Sitting up suddenly, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings as lightning slashed across the sky. Gasping, Cherry hurriedly pushed to her feet, taking in the living room area. The fire had nearly gone out, and the wind howled around and through the burnt part of the cabin. Shivering in her damp, cold clothes, Cherry put more wood on the fire before grabbing her gym bag and finding dry clothes. She needed something to warm her but felt too disorientated to locate the tea or coffee. Rubbing her hands over her face Cherry sank into a chair at the kitchen table. Hours ago, the dust-crusted cutlery and crockery had been cleared, and the table scrubbed. The wine bottle stood unopened in the centre with the glass.

"Light, I need light," she whispered, "where is the lantern?"

Spying the lantern on the counter, she lit it, returning to the table. Quickly finding dry clothes, Cherry changed, occasionally glancing at the bottle and glass. Something about the way the bottle and glass stood close together looked strange to Cherry. Pulling on her track top, Cherry moved the light closer ... gasping. They were tied together with wire, a note dangling between them. The words were written in bold black block letters.

LEAVE OR DIE.

Cherry shook her head. First, the man watching her in the trees. Followed by the man inside her cabin looking through her possessions and wanting to know why she had returned ...

... and now this!

What was going on?

Why was she being threatened in this way?

What could have possibly happened to make these people react in this way?

Pulling a tool from the supplies, Cherry cut the wire, using a paper towel to encase it and move it out of the way. Inspecting the wine bottle, Cherry couldn't see any sign of tampering or needle marks. Carefully she opened the bottle, ensuring that it did not come in contact with her skin. For some reason, someone wanted her gone ... one way or another. The glass was washed three times to ensure anything fatal had been removed. Cherry finally poured herself a glass of red wine. Leaving the bottle and glass standing open while moving everything else off, spraying the surface of the table and exterior of the bottle with alcohol cleaner. She wanted to get away from all of this ... this kind of thing happened in town. Why was it happening here?

Scooping up her glass of wine and the bottle, Cherry moved to the area in front of the fireplace. After putting more wood on the blaze, she sipped her wine and sank into the nest of cushions and blankets she had made. Looking around at all the work accomplished that day and still to be done, Cherry could no longer ignore the question since arriving. In trying to escape one perilous situation, had she put herself in more danger than was wise?

"If you have, you're on your own," Cherry whispered into the silence, "tomorrow is another day with another set of opportunities and challenges."

Sipping her wine, she stared into the flames, "Any way you dress it up, Cherry Anne," she spoke to herself, "you cannot ignore the feeling of time running out ... and it scares you."

Thunder rattled the cabin once more as lightning lit the outside world. Cherry looked out the window watching the exterior light up. Gasping when the storm illuminated the forms of two men standing outside the window staring at her, their hunting rifles resting in their arms.