Cabin In The Woods

by Kristine Robinson

  As they entered the house, Kate was accosted by the intensified thumping of the music, laughter and shouts, and the tinkling of clanging of beer bottles clashing. Natalie began swishing her hips the instant she entered the house. She raised her arms and shimmied as the group edged their way down the narrow hall. The made their way into the adjacent kitchen and Sandra adeptly grabbed four bottles of beer, holding two in each hand. Natalie and Casey each took one from her and Sandra held a bottle out to Kate.

  Kate put her hands up and shook her head swiftly.

  “I don't drink!” she shouted over the music.

  Sandra rolled her eyes and jerked her head in Kate's direction, further extending her arm so that the beer bottle was even closer to Kate's face.

  Kate sighed, but still smiled, and took the bottle from Sandra's hand.

  “Good girl!” Sandra yelled, and then she joined Natalie, in a series of stilted and comical dance moves.

  Kate shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. Casey had already finished with the first beer and was picking up a second, when a ripped guy in a sleeveless shirt offered to open it for her. Casey accepted his assistance with a flirty laugh and a dismissive wave of her hand. Kate chuckled internally. Casey was already quite the social butterfly. It seemed that a spot of alcohol and the autonomy afforded by the large social gathering, had greatly increased her confidence.

  Natalie and Sandra were still shimmying as they drank, whispering excitedly to one another.

  Kate shrank further back, wanting to press herself into the wall, out of the view of the crowd. Kate glanced around at the packed kitchen. A cluster of young men were leaning against the sink. One held a phone up sideways, and it appeared that the group was watching a video. A couple frantically attacked one another's lips and pawed at various body parts and articles of clothing, as they slammed into the teetering microwave stand in the room's corner. The kitchen had a back door that led out into a shabby dirt-patched lawn. Kate knew this because the rickety screen door kept creaking open and then slamming shut, as various persons came and went.

  On Kate's third round glancing about the room, her eyes locked onto a tall woman in the corner. She was leaning languidly against the wall, arms crossed with one leg bent and the sole of one Doc Martin pressed firmly against the wall. She seemed to be the focus of a small crowd. She was talking in an easy and carefree sort of way. Her body language communicated that she was comfortable and self-assured. The three men and one petite woman gathered about wore various expressions of admiration and adoration. It was obvious that they greatly respected her, their bodies forming a collective half-circle about her.

  Kate felt her heart quicken and the blood vessels in her cheeks grow warm. The woman wore her jet black hair short. It was nearly a crew cut, except that the hair at the very front of her forehead was extra long. It was at least three inches and she had slicked it off to one side so that hugged the curve of her right ear. She was tall and broad-shouldered. Her frame was quite large for a female, and Kate found this trait incredibly desirable. The curvature of female abdominal muscles could be seen pressing against the fabric of her baggy black t-shirt. When the woman shifted to face one of the men in her group, a heavyset bearded man with red hair, her t-shirt sloped forward just enough for Kate to see the very beginning swell of her cleavage. A smattering of freckles decorated the bridge of her nose, and her eyes were so blue it was shocking.

  For one moment, there seemed to be a pause in the conversation, as the enigmatic woman turned her gaze in Kate's direction and locked those piercing ice-blue eyes with Kate's sparkling brown eyes. Kate felt her blush intensify and as it did, a smirk formed on the soft pink lips of the stranger. Kate ripped her gaze away, staring purposefully down into the neck of her beer. She brought a hand to her hair and nervously began to smooth it, if only to have something to do with her hands.

  Natalie danced over to her side and playfully swung her hip into Kate's.

  “What's up chicky?” Natalie shouted over the music. “Why are you being such a Gloomy Gus over here in the corner?”

  Kate nodded in the direction of the blue-eyed woman.

  “Who's that?” she asked.

  “Oh, that's Maddie,” Natalie replied. “Madeline Gonsalves. She's the person who gets stuff here on campus.”

  Kate frowned.

  “What does that mean? She's some sort of supplier? Of what?”

  Natalie shrugged.

  “Of things students need,” she replied easily.

  Kate took a moment to ponder this. A supplier of things students need. Well, that was definitely a bit odd. Kate hadn't ever heard someone described in this manner before. Still, it couldn't really be all that bad, especially if Natalie was talking about it in such a casual way. Maddie must be a supplier of textbooks, backpacks, at the worst, maybe cigarettes.

  Kate was considering walking over to the handsome woman and striking up a conversation. She just didn't feel quite brave enough yet. Kate downed the rest of her beer and grabbed a second. She decided to take a lap around the house as she drank it. Gulping heavily, Kate wandered from the kitchen into the living room and then down the hall.

  Unfortunately by the time she'd made it back to the kitchen, Maddie was gone. What made this especially unfortunate was the fact that Kate's courage had intensified. She now felt completely ready to talk to her. She wasn't thinking at all of her earlier resolve to focus on studies. She was only thinking of that built frame, that lovely dark hair, and those eyes that seemed to pierce straight through her.

  Kate grabbed her third beer from the ice-filled cooler on the table and downed it in half the time she'd taken with her second beer. With the last swig, she felt a wave of heavy nausea overtake her. She really didn't feel well at all. Kate looked around for her friends, thinking that it may be best to head home. As she lifted her feet, she noticed how sluggish her feet were. It was as if her low heels were digging into foam.

  The notion struck her that she should be afraid or panicked even. Here, she was drunk and alone at a frat party and the intensity of the party was only increasing as the night wore on. Kate wandered back out into the hall and peered into the living room, stumbling clumsily about and wondering where any of her three friends might be.

  Kate stepped back into the kitchen and put a hand on the granite counter to steady herself.

  “Your drink's getting a bit low there.”

  Kate turned in the direction of the low voice. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was, so ensconced within her personal space. It was Maddie and her icy blue eyes and pert mouth were even more attractive at this close distance.

  The beer was making Kate feel light-headed and giddy. She giggled and gave Maddie's shoulder a small shove.

  “No silly!” she laughed. “I don't drink.”

  “You sure?” Maddie asked with a smirk. “Is this the first time you've been drunk?”

  “Drunk?!” Kate exclaimed. “Well I never!”

  And she burst into laughter at the silliness of her statement.

  Kate could smell the musk of Maddie's cologne. It smelled vaguely like axe body spray, but something told Kate that wasn't it. She knew she was off, but it was close. Maddy smelled of something thick, smoky, and hard, but also very nearly floral.

  Kate grinned and leaned in closer to get a better whiff.

  “Whoa! Hey, what is happening?”

  Maddie caught Kate in both arms, before Kate even knew she was falling. Kate giggled once more, amused at her own distorted sense of perception.

  “Alright, just let me put you right again,” Maddie laughed.

  She pulled at Kate's shoulders and set her back upon her feet.

  “Hey, just hold on one second okay?”

  Kate put a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.

  “Okay,” she said.

  Maddie was back a moment later with a tall glass of water in her hand.

  “Here drink this,” Maddie said. “Get less drunkies.”

&n
bsp; Kate nodded and took the glass from Maddie's hands. She downed half the glass in one gulp, putting her hand against her forehead to steady the dull thud that had begun.

  “Hey,” Maddie said with the beginnings of a smile. “Can I give you something else?”

  “What?”

  “My phone number.”

  Kate's heart thudded against her ribs.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  Maddie's hand was warm and firm as Kate placed her phone into her palm.

  Kate's lightheartedness increased, but this time she didn't think the beer had anything to do with it.

  Kate's face flushed as she made the decision to indulge in absolute candor.

  “I like you,” Kate exclaimed.

  She clamped a hand down over her mouth, as Maddie's eyes widened and a smirk reached her lips.

  “Right on,” Maddie laughed. “I guess I have to say that I like you too. That was sort of the point of giving you my number.”

  “I like your confidence!” Kate said with a grin. “I hardly ever feel confident.”

  Maddie nodded.

  “But you should feel confident,” Maddie said. “You should feel confident all the time. You're adorable and honest.”

  “I wish I could be more sure of myself,” Kate said. “Like you. I just sort of feel like I'm wandering around doing what everyone else wants me to.”

  “What do you want to do?” Maddie asked.

  “I'm not sure. Something else though. I don't care about Business at all.”

  “Is that your major?”

  Kate nodded. She looked down at the floor, wondering at how just a little bit of beer could have her spilling her truth to the first person who spoke to her.

  Kate cleared her throat, and looked back up into Maddie's intriguing blue eyes.

  “What's your major?” Kate asked.

  “Me? Oh, I'm undeclared,” Maddie answered. “I guess, I'm not really sure what I want to do either.”

  Kate smiled, feeling a connection building.

  “I don't know,” Maddie continued. “I did an internship at this water treatment facility in my junior year. It was my stepdad’s idea. He said that I needed something to do after school. Anyway, it probably sounds weird, but I really liked it. It's really interesting, everything that has to be done to water before it can be sent out to people's houses. First it has to be cleaned, and then it has to be treated for the removal of lead and copper. They do this thing called reverse osmosis...”

  Maddie paused, bringing a hand up to her forehead.

  “Sorry,” Maddie muttered. “That's all really boring.”

  Kate shook her head.

  “No,” she said. “It's not. It's so cool that you're so interested in water treatment. I mean, it's kind of random, but it just shows that you're smart and unique.”

  Maddie laughed.

  “Thanks cutie.”

  Kate blinked, looking up at Maddie, and she placed the folded slip of paper with Maddie's number into the front pocket of her purse.

  “Hey,” Maddie said, darting a hand out to lightly touch Kate's elbow. “I'm just gonna go say hi to a friend. I think I just saw him walk down the hall. But hey, I'll come back over and see you before you leave, 'kay?”

  Kate bit her lip and nodded.

  Throughout the rest of the party, Maddie continued to show up every so often, drifting over to Kate's side to ask her how she was feeling. When Kate's friends finally came to collect her, she was absolutely glowing. She smiled the entire walk home.

  ***

  “Wait a second, who are you going to call?”

  Natalie was perched on the edge of her bed, mouth agape.

  “Maddie,” Kate repeated. “That girl from the party.”

  Natalie frowned and then shrugged.

  “Okay, just be careful.”

  “What do you mean 'be careful'?”

  “Just...” Natalia paused for a second, as if trying to collect her thoughts. “It's just that you need to know what you're getting into, with her.”

  “Which means what?”

  “I don't know,” Natalie sighed. “I don't need to talk about anyone's business. Just be careful. Guard your heart. All that good stuff.”

  “Okay?” Kate said, in a tone of pure perplexity. “But yeah, I'm gonna call her and see if she wants to come over. Are you gonna be out for awhile?”

  Natalie raised her eyebrows.

  “Well, yeah, I have my Forensics meeting. It's probably gonna run late because we're preparing for our first competition next week. But if it ends early, should I make myself scarce? I could go over to Sandra's place and chill.”

  Kate hovered in the midst of indecision for a moment. It was the memory of Maddie's bright black hair and icy blue eyes that finally caused her to make a choice.

  “Yeah,” Kate said. “I mean, sure. If you don't mind, I would really like the room for a bit.”

  She blushed as she admitted this, but Natalia only gave a coy and knowing grin. She leapt to her feet, grabbed her bag from her bedpost, and gave Kate a brisk pat on the shoulder.

  “It's all yours boo!” Natalie called over her shoulder, as she sauntered out the door.

  Once Natalie had left, Kate took a moment to collect herself. She stared at the phone in the palm of her hand. She couldn't remember ever having felt so nervous.

  Kate hadn't seen Maddie since that party three weeks ago. In fact, she really hadn't seen much of anyone. Since classes had begun, Kate had really thrown herself into her classwork. She'd been worried that there would be a significant increase in her course load now that she was in college. But Kate had taken all AP courses her senior year of high school and now she was taking all 101-level courses now. She was finding that while her courses were challenging, they weren't unmanageable, not if she kept on top of them. Keeping on top of them was all she'd been doing for the past few weeks. She had hardly seen Sandra or Casey at all, and the only reason that she saw Natalie on a regular basis, was because they lived together. Kate found that she was constantly isolating herself. Secluding herself in the library or burying herself in books in the student center. She spent every free moment tackling her studies. She just had to make her parents proud.

  The only time that she had taken for herself was on Thursday evenings. She'd seen the billboard for a Ballet studio close to campus and on a whim, she'd gone in one day after Economics class. She wasn't sure what had drawn her in, but she had loved it. Kate found herself instantly smitten with Ballet and couldn't recall ever feeling such wonder and passion. She was obsessed with the idea that she could use her body to make art. Her body could act as a work of art in motion. Since that day, she'd been taking classes twice a week. She felt slightly guilty, as she knew her parents wouldn't approve, but she found ways to justify it to herself. It was only two hours a week that she was taking for herself. And these were the only two hours that she took for herself every week. She didn't take any other time to do anything except study.

  Well, until now. She was sitting here, phone in hand, determined to call Maddie. This was something that would be only for her own pleasure. It would not be productive. It was a waste of her most precious resource; time. And still Kate did not feel guilty for wanting to do this. She remembered Maddie's smirk, her aroma, her toned upper arms, and she couldn't talk herself out of it.

  Kate pressed call and waited for an answer to her ring.

  ***

  Thirty minutes later a knock sounded at Kate's bedroom door. Kate patted her hair and skittered over to pull the door open. She smiled as the vision of Maddie filled the door frame.

  “Hey Katie-cat,” Maddie murmured. “Did you need something?”

  Feeling as though she were possessed by a force that was not her own, Kate reached out and grabbed Maddie by the front of her shirt. She yanked Maddie inside, slamming the door shut behind her. Maddie stumbled inside, chuckling at Kate's fervor.

  Kate threw her body against Maddie's and kissed her. Maddie's body fe
lt both hard and soft against her own. Kate felt the toned muscles of Maddie's abs, but then there was the soft swell of her breasts. They were rounded and firm, jutting against her own.

  Maddie's lips were even softer than they had looked. Soft and luscious, but the way that Maddie manipulated them was anything but soft. While Kate had been the instigator of the kiss, Maddie had quickly taken over. Her lips crushed against Kate's, rising in falling in a hot, wet rhythm. Kate heard herself whimper, without realizing that she was going to. Maddie responded by giving Kate's bottom lip a small bite and placing one of her toned arms against the small of Kate's back. Maddie then entwined her opposite hand in Kate's hair, tugging slightly.

  Kate gasped again, feeling overwhelmed and achingly agitated by the manner in which Maddie was taking over. She felt agitated in the best way possible, as if her body was building a fire inside of itself.

  Maddie's lips came crashing down on hers again, and this time Maddie was absolutely merciless. She exerted twice the pressure, rolling her lips across Kate's, sucking her top lip at several odd intervals. Kate was left gasping and trembling.

  When Maddie released her, Kate begged her with swollen lips.

  “Please,” she whimpered. “The bed now.”

  Maddie gave one of her cocky, sideways smirks, and lifted Kate easily into her arms.

  Kate squealed as Maddie carried her to the bed Princess-style.

  Maddie dropped Kate on top of the duvet and quickly lowered herself to cover Kate's body. Maddie kissed Kate again, but this time she was soft, tender. She was slow and this made Kate yearn for her even more. She trembled beneath Maddie, waiting for more. It had become obvious that Maddie was the leader here. She had taken charge. But she was being much too slow.

  Kate reached up and clamped a hand upon one of Maddie's rounded peaks. They were so big! Kate hadn't been able to tell, because of Maddie's baggy clothing, but her bosom was quite ample. Kate felt herself blush at her own need, but she did not withdraw her hand. Rather, she tightened her grasp and an incredible sense of fulfillment overtook her, as she saw Maddie's eyes close and her lips part. Kate continued to squeeze, and then loosened her grip only to brush her fingertips over the hardened peaks that pressed against the thin fabric of Maddie's t-shirt. Now it was Maddie who gasped.