The Spell

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everything we do is made to fit your life and your windows because at blinds.com the only thing we treat better than windows is you it's your last chance to score cyber monday mega deals shop up to 50 off plus a free professional measure right now at blinds.com rules and restrictions apply welcome friend follow me we're going somewhere dark somewhere dangerous most people would never dare enter the place we're going there's no telling what horrors we'll find

what terrors we'll uncover. Don't say I didn't warn you. We might discover terrible monsters lurking there. Be careful, they could follow you out. Or maybe they're already inside you. Are you afraid?

Good. Now you are ready to enter the warning woods. Hey you guys, how's it going there? Erin DeBoer cheerily asked the two tired youth on her phone screen. The nearer of the two, eight-year-old Ben, was her son. He lay in his bed with his comforter pulled up to his lower lip, looking down his nose at her. Hi, Mom, he said.

She could hear the crackling in his throat, which meant he'd fall asleep the moment his babysitter, 16-year-old Nicky Uspensky, shut off the light. Nicky's father, Jan Uspensky, was sitting in the dark on the couch behind Aaron with his back to her, keeping out of sight. Aaron tried not to flaunt her budding relationship in front of Ben. He still clearly wished she'd been able to make things work with his dad.

Nikki, on the other hand, was fully aware of the situation. It would be a stretch to say she felt excited about her dad and Aaron's short retreat, but she seemed supportive enough that Aaron had felt comfortable leaving her to watch Ben. She told herself it would be good bonding time for them. Bonding would be important because Aaron and Jan's relationship, though fresh, was solidifying quickly.

Erin knew she would have to tell Ben what was really going on soon, but she hoped they could at least get through the next few days without any drama. Nikki, seated on the edge of Ben's bed, said, We just wanted to call to tell you goodnight. We watched Big Hero 6, said Ben. Again? asked Aaron, chuckling. Nikki hadn't seen it, said Ben. Nope, said Nikki. But it was surprisingly good. Agreed, said Aaron.

She was about to say something else when a golden blur leapt onto her lap. Zane, she laughed, weaving her fingers into the golden retriever's shaggy hair to get a grip on him. He shoved his nose toward the phone, trying to sniff Ben and yipping longingly at him. He tried to jump onto the table, knocking her phone over, along with the glass of water she'd been using to prop it up. Zane, she scolded.

She grabbed the phone to save it from the growing puddle which Ben and Nikki could hear running over the edge of the table. Zane darted away. Jan jumped up from the couch. I'll get a towel. No, Jan, Aaron started to say. but his heroics were already in motion. Aaron held up the phone and turned the camera away from him as he wiped the tabletop down with a white rag. Ben, you okay? She asked.

Her son now had a sullen look she could tell had less to do with exhaustion than turbid emotions. He said, Yeah, Mom. A blatant lie. Aaron said, Okay, well, why don't you get some sleep tonight and let's talk tomorrow. Call me in the morning? Ben said, Okay. Nikki turned her phone away from Ben, which prompted her dad to drop into the frame and whisper, Everything going okay, Nix?

She nodded and gave him a thumbs up. He returned the gesture with the dripping rag in hand and said, Same here, with a wink. They both smiled. He said, Love you. Good night. And Aaron ended the call.

Nikki patted Ben's chest through the comforter. You gonna sleep good, big guy? She asked. He shook his head no. No? What's wrong? Asked Nikki. Ben said, Do you know who that guy behind Mom was? Nikki faltered. Their parents had instructed her not to bring up their relationship, but also not to lie if Ben caught on.

Neither of them seemed to recognize the tightrope they'd tasked her to walk on. She said, That was just my dad. You've met him a couple times before, right? His name is Yan? I know that, said Ben. And I'm not stupid. I know our parents are dating. Oh, you do? I saw them kissing in the driveway once. Oh, why didn't you say anything before? Ben considered this, then said,

I don't think I'm supposed to know. Nikki grimaced and nodded. She said, I don't think your mom wanted to hurt your feelings. She knows you're hoping she'll get back with your dad. Ben said, yeah, and turned his face away. Okay, wait, Nikki said, freezing. If you know who my dad is, who were you talking about behind, it doesn't matter, said Ben. No, Ben, really, did you see somebody else? Without looking at her, he said.

Yeah. Who? Nobody. Ben, seriously, there shouldn't be anyone else at the cabin as far as I know. If you saw somebody, it's just this guy I see sometimes, but it's nothing. What? He's not real.

Who's not real? Nikki failed to mask her growing frustration. Ben picked up on it and turned back to her. Mom says it's just my imagination. She says that sometimes when kids go through hard times, their brains make things up, so it's nothing. I just wondered if you saw him too. Nikki looked down at her phone as if it might open a portal into the vacation cabin her father and Aaron had rented.

It only showed her lock screen, a photo of her with her best friend sharing cotton candy at the fair. She said, Well, okay. Are you, um, think you can sleep? Yeah. Ben rolled over. Alright, well, goodnight then. Nikki pursed her lips. Goodnight. Lying in Aaron's bed, Nikki called her dad. Hey, Nix, he answered. Hey, dad, she started. The next sentence escaped her. Everything okay? he asked.

Nikki answered. Actually, that's what I was going to ask you. Are you and Aaron alone at that cabin? Um, yeah, that's kind of the point, kiddo.

It's kind of hard to spend any serious time together when we have to hide our relationship from our... Well, not from you, but... I get it, Dad. I'm just kind of freaked out about something Ben said. He told me he saw somebody else standing behind you guys. What?

Jan's voice swooped into a higher pitch, and Nikki heard his chair sigh as he relieved it of his weight. She heard Aaron's voice in the background. Jan replied to whatever she'd said with, Hang on a second. Nikki, did he describe this person at all?

We're in the middle of nowhere. There shouldn't be... Oh, the camera. Huh? Nikki replied. Oh, the pet monitor for Zane. We set it up in the living room in case we need to leave him alone at any point. It would have caught anybody else walking through here.

Aaron must have moved closer to the phone because Nikki heard her say, Yon, what's she talking about? Did Ben say he saw someone? Nikki said, Yeah, right after we hung up, he- Yon, could you put her on speaker? Aaron asked. Yon said, nix you're on speaker now yeah i know dad thanks ben asked who the guy behind you was i thought he was talking about dad but he said he knows who dad is and he uh he knows about you too just so you know

He said he wasn't talking about Dad, though. Did he describe this person? Aaron asked. He, like, locked up when I said I didn't see anybody. He said it was someone he's seen before, though? Aaron said, Yes. Nikki, I'm so sorry. I should have warned you. Around the time your dad and I met, Ben started telling me about this ghost he started seeing. I should probably take him to a therapist. I think it's just a reaction to the change.

I guess it was stupid of me to think he couldn't see what was going on. So you're sure there's no one else in the house? TBH, I'm kind of worried, Nikki said. Tell you what, said Aaron. Let me describe what he's told me about this man he sees, and tomorrow you see if he describes the same guy. Don't tell him I told you, though. See if it comes out the same. Okay, said Nicky. Aaron sighed.

He's supposedly this big, naked man. I'll say obese, although Ben chose a different word. He's all black, not black like a human with black skin, but black like a crayon. Um... He has long hair, but only on the sides. On top of his head, he's bald. And he has big, pointy ears. Oh, yellowish eyes. I think that's all he said, other than that he's really ugly. Vague stuff like that.

Sounds like something he probably saw in a nightmare once, right? Yeah, that doesn't sound like a real guy, Jan said as if assuring himself. Right, said Nikki, sounding less assured. Sure, I shouldn't wake him up and ask him about it now. What if he saw somebody else? Jan said, Nikki, the doors and windows have all been locked since we got here, and there's nowhere somebody could hide.

This place is really small. We'd have noticed them by now. Aaron added, Plus, we're miles away from anywhere else, and there aren't any other cars here. None, said Jan. Nikki lingered before saying, Okay. Well, I'll let him sleep then. Just stay safe, okay? Is Zane still awake? Oh yeah, we've got him too, Jan realized. Aaron said, We're fine, Nikki, but thank you for calling.

I appreciate the concern. Really, I do. It makes me trust you with Ben even more. Yeah, of course, said Nikki. Jan ended the call after saying, Love you, Nix. Good night. So, tell me, Jan said the next day, huffing behind Aaron on the uphill trail behind the cabin. Should I be checking under the bed before we go to sleep tonight? Also huffing, but trying not to show it.

Aaron replied. Why, you think I'd- Oh. It's okay, you don't have to tell me, Jan covered. No, you have a right to know after last night, Aaron said. I'll tell you once we're over this hill. The ground eventually started to level. Wind blowing over the top of the hill found them, chilling their sweat under their clothes. It had been Jan's idea to hike to the top to watch the sunrise, so he couldn't complain about the temperature as much as he wanted to.

He waited for Aaron to say something. She fell back beside him and wiped sweat from her hairline. So, Ben, she said. So, Ben, said Jan. Aaron looked into the trees for the words she wanted, finally finding them in an oak struck by lightning before Ben was even born. Don't take this the wrong way, she said. It started around the time he met you.

Jan made a sharp turn off the trail. They'd almost reached the top, but his new direction would take him to a jagged cliff face carved by a landslide. What are you doing? Aaron asked. He yelled back, going the wrong... I mean... Taking it the wrong... Gosh darn it, I screwed it up. Would you take this seriously? She demanded. She frowned and her eyes encroached on him like Medusa's hair.

Jan rushed back a few paces before hesitantly stopping two arms lengths away. He said, I'm sorry, I was just trying to relieve some tension. I'll take it. Aaron rocked forward to flick his nose, then cackled. jerking her head further back with each caw. Her eyes returned to him, gleeful and taunting. Don't dish it out if you can't take it, she told him before pushing through him to reach the hill's stony brim.

Jan leapt to catch up to her, saying, Mine was silly. Yours was scary. Aaron said, Well, buckle up, cowboy, cause scary's where we're going. Oh, how about behind that tree there? Oh, but if someone hiked up from that way, they'd see us. He trailed off as Medusa's snakes encroached on him again. Jan, said Aaron.

I love hiking with you on a spiritual level, but physically, you repulse me right now. Her eyes dropped to the dark stains around his armpits. He nodded and gave a sarcastic thumbs up. So, Ben. She said. He said. So Ben. Erin sat with her legs over the edge of the cliff. Most of her weight resided on the living side of the edge, but not enough to make Jan confident enough to sit the same way.

In case she fatally shifted, he sat cross-legged next to, but slightly behind, Aaron. From here, he thought he could provide enough of an anchor to keep Aaron at their current elevation.

The sun's crest made the trees on the horizon shimmer. Glorious pink light colored Aaron's forlorn expression as she spoke. He really wanted me and his dad to stay together. Then he wanted us to get... back together. Ben? Jan asked. Yes, Aaron scolded, reaching back to slap him. The slight shift in her hips made Jan's sore abdomen lurch. He yelled, okay, sorry, I'll stop.

Aaron laughed. Jeez, no one to quit. Anyway, it was a nightmare trying to explain to a six-year-old why he couldn't ever see his dad again. You know, to him, his dad wasn't a pill-popping cop who helped himself to the evidence locker and brought his cute little partner in there sometimes too. Ben just knows him as dad, the guy who wrestled with him and took him fishing and all that phony crap.

I didn't want to ruin those memories for him. He can know later, but for now, he just knows Daddy needs to get help for a while. He took our separation and divorce really hard. Sometimes he blamed me, but... Sometimes he understood when I explained his dad had some important problems to work through. He's started hanging out with friends after school a lot more, which is great, except I feel like he's just doing it to avoid me. I see him for dinner every night.

Then he goes straight up to his room and doesn't come out again until the next morning. I feel our relationship wilting with every day that goes by, but I feel like if I say anything or try to do anything about it, it'll only push him further away. He was only six when it started, but everything that happened made him grow up so fast. He seems so much older than he is. He did even back then.

Jan rubbed the arm he had around Aaron down her back. He could feel the sun's warmth on his knees now. He couldn't tell if Aaron was squinting because of the bright light or to keep from crying. She continued. So, everything just continued that way after you and I met. Then, one night after dinner, after he'd already gone up to his room for the night, he came back down absolutely sobbing.

I had dish soap all over my hands, but I still dropped to my knees and threw my arms around him. He hugged me tight and cried into my ear, I'm sorry mama, I'm so sorry mama. He apologized over and over and over again to the point I had to push him back and tell him it was okay and that I knew he was having a hard time and I understood. But he shook his head and said that wasn't why he was upset.

Erin shook her head as she kicked one of her heels against the cliff face and let her leg bounce out over the void. She repeated this with her other leg before continuing. He told me he'd done something bad with his friends.

and now he was seeing this evil ghost floating around the house. I told him it sounded like the sort of nightmare stress can induce, and that it probably had nothing to do with whatever he did with his friends, which turned out to just be some internet seance kind of thing. Stupid. He didn't want to believe me because he said he saw this... this... guy. Like how I described him last night. Hang on just one second, said Jan. Trying to orient myself here, so...

This all happened while we were together? Like, within this past year? Aaron thought for a moment, then said, Yeah, probably the last six months or so. It was definitely after he turned seven, but I don't think he'd quite turned eight yet. Jeez, Aaron, you never told me about this at all. How come? Aaron shrugged. She said,

We were so new. It's already so hard to date as parents. I guess I just didn't want to weird you out by talking about some ghost. She waved her hands spookily and laughed. I like you, Jan.

I didn't want to hurt the chances of this working out. Looking a little hurt, but understanding, Jan replied, You could have told me. Well, I'm telling you now. So, did it stop at some point? I'm guessing not after last night. To Jan's great relief, Erin turned away from the deadly drop and pulled her legs back, sitting crisscross beside him. She said, That's the frustrating part. It had stopped.

Or at least he'd stopped talking about it. The last time he mentioned seeing that ghost was probably, I don't know, two months ago at least. Honestly, I think he's just using it to try to scare me home. It was probably naive of me to think he wouldn't put together what's happening with us, and... She trailed off, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out her phone and cocked an eyebrow at what she saw on the screen. She said, Sorry, it's an alert from the pet camera.

A motion alert? Jan asked. No, it sends me an alert if it detects barking. It's taking forever to load because the signal out here sucks. I just want to see what Zane could possibly be barking at way out here. Could just be a squirrel. Jan suggested. Erin flashed him a phony smile and said, could be. Then her face soured with confusion. What is it? Asked Jan. Um… Erin scooted next to him and showed him the screen.

Maybe we should head back. I don't know what to think about this. The video feed showed Zane standing stiff with his rear to the camera, his most private areas covered by his tail curled between his legs. He was barking toward the couch. But Aaron thought he was looking higher up, like maybe his fury was directed at something behind the couch. But there was nothing there. What's that do? Jan asked, pointing to a microphone icon at the bottom of the screen.

Aaron shrugged like, let's see if it works. She pushed the icon, turning it white. Zane, what's going on, boy? She asked into the phone. Zane whipped around in surprise. His eyes drew a diamond shape as he searched for the source of her voice. Zane, it's Mama, she said. His eyes fixated on the camera. Seeing that Aaron wasn't really standing behind him somewhere, Zane turned back to the couch and kept barking.

sparing occasional glances back at the camera like, are you seeing this? Could be mice in the ceiling or something, Jan suggested. Yeah, said Aaron. He felt her wanting to believe him. her faith falling short. Well, we've basically seen the sunrise, I suppose. We can head back if it'll make you feel better, he said. Erin pursed her lips, nodded, and said, Okay.

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Sleep relieved much of the pressure in Nikki's chest and allowed her head to cool overnight. When she woke to blue daylight streaming in around her curtains, she scrolled TikTok for 17 minutes before Ben entered her thoughts. She heard his bedroom door open. Then the toilet flush. Responsibility finally dragged her out of bed, but the two phone calls from the previous night stayed out of her thoughts. How'd you sleep? she asked Ben in the kitchen.

He'd already begun pouring himself a bowl of Frosted Flakes. She got the milk out of the fridge, but he waved her away. I don't like milk in my cereal. She nodded and put the milk back, asking again, Did you sleep okay? Her own question finally reminded her of the night before, the glaring reason Ben might not have slept well. It all seemed like a dream, but the hazy edges of her memory solidified the longer she was awake. Ben said,

I guess I slept okay. That's good, Nikki replied, injecting cheer into her voice. She really wasn't much of a morning person. Why she felt the need to be so bright and cheery for Ben's sake, she didn't know. Did you talk to my mom again last night? He asked. Nikki said, uh, just for a bit. Did you hear me? Were you talking about me? He asked. Nikki said, hang on, let me make some coffee first.

Although she didn't include coffee in her regular habits, setting up the machine gave her a chance to recollect everything Aaron had told her about Ben's apparition. She sat at the table across from him while the carafe started to fill.

Steam hissed out of the top in small clouds. Okay, sorry, she said. So, yeah, we did kinda talk about you. I told them you asked about the person you saw behind them. Oh, they said there's no one else at the cabin, and they wanted me to make sure you knew that. Dad says it's really small, so there's not like anywhere someone could hide from them, and all the doors and windows were locked. Huh, was Ben's only reply.

So, um, you said you've seen that person before? Ben picked up a single flake and crushed it between his thumb and forefinger, rubbing them back and forth, trickling the resulting dust over the top of his bowl. Yeah. he finally said. Apparently that was all he wanted to say. Nikki asked, like, where? Crumbling another flake, Ben answered, here, usually around mom.

Actually, he's always around mom. I stopped saying anything about it because mom thinks I'm making it up. I said something last night because I was just surprised to see him on the phone. I thought he was only here in this house. Guess not. You don't think this guy is real, do you? Nikki asked. He is, Ben answered, suddenly excited. Okay, Nikki automatically replied. She automatically hated herself for it, too.

Ben's excitement drained and he shrunk like a turtle retreating into his shell. I'm sorry, she said, then jumped as the unfamiliar coffee maker growled with a burst of steam. This serendipitous timing made Ben laugh, so Nikki laughed along with him. She said, Okay, so it obviously doesn't take much to scare me. If I was seeing some creepy guy hanging around my mom, my dad, I'd be freaking out.

You seem so calm about it. Why don't you have a mom? Ben asked. Did she leave your dad like my mom left mine? Nikki's sleep-inflated eyes expanded. Whoa now, there's a lot to unpack there. First of all, my mom died when I was a baby, so I never knew her. Lucky, Ben said through a mouthful of cereal. Nikki said, Second of all, I don't think it's fair to blame your mom so much. Trust me.

She wouldn't have full custody of you otherwise. What's full custody? Ben asked. Never mind. Can we go back to you calling me lucky for having a dead mom? That's not why you're lucky, said Ben. You're lucky because you never got to know your mom before she disappeared out of your life. I don't even know where my dad is right now. I'm not allowed to talk to him. I couldn't even if I wanted to.

As soon as mom started hanging out with your dad, I knew my dad was running out of time to fix things with her, but I couldn't tell him. I have this friend named Connor. We always hang out after school. His brother Sean heard me talking about how I wished mom wouldn't start dating and told me he had a spell that could help. Like a magic spell? Nikki asked. No, that makes it sound dumb, Ben replied. Sean was like into some...

Dark stuff. Nikki stifled a smile at how serious Ben was trying to make this Sean character sound. She knew the type. She didn't know Sean specifically, but she knew plenty of the kids who dressed in all black and brought their tarot decks to school. She once witnessed a classmate of hers receive a blessing from one of these self-proclaimed witches before a test she'd forgotten to study for.

And, come to think of it, the auto-indoctrinated witch did call it a spell. She realized Ben had continued talking while these memories distracted her. He was describing Sean's dark room, lit only with a ring of candles. I sat in the middle and Sean stood behind me. Connor got scared and waited in his room. It was pretty intense, actually. I wasn't scared, though. Nikki nodded, knowing of no better way to say you're scared than by mentioning how much you're not.

Ben continued. I forgot Sean told me I was supposed to bring something special to offer the, like, spirit or whatever we were asking for help. I had my backpack from school, so I looked in there, but all I had was like books and pencils. Sean said it had to be something valuable, like expensive. So I kept looking and found one of my mom's golden earrings in the front pouch. I forgot I found it under my seat in the van when she took me to school, like three days before.

She maybe put it there to give her later so she wouldn't just lose it again. Sean said the earring would work because it was made of real gold. He put it inside this skull he said was a squirrel's, but I thought it was way too big. Ben became more animated and his cadence quickened. I thought it was like definitely a raccoon or a possum, but he said it was a squirrel. Anyway, he put mom's earring in the skull and gave it to me and said to wait.

I was just like sitting in this room holding this skull. Like, what am I even doing? There's no way this is going to work. But like, right as I was going to give Sean his gross skull back, I felt the floor in front of me sort of bend. I heard the like... floorboards, and I could feel it too. And I'm pretty sure the candles tipped a little bit. No kidding, Nikki said, flicking her eyelids. Ben rolled his eyes. Sean was like, this is it, he's here.

And I was like, well, what the heck am I supposed to do? And he was like, give it your offering and make your request. And... I don't know, like, the rest of the time when he talked like that, he sounded super cringe, but for some reason when he said that, I felt like I was literally gonna die if I didn't do it. Does your mom know about this Sean guy? Asked Nikki. Ben said,

Yeah, of course she knows. She just doesn't care about my life at all. I could literally hang out with a serial killer and she wouldn't care. Nikki said, Okay. Ben slapped the table, yelling, Stop! Seriously! Nikki raised her hands in surrender and said, Fine. How about you either finish your story or your cereal? We both gotta get to school and I have to drop you off first. Okay, okay. You won't believe it anyway. Where was I?

Oh, I didn't know where to put the skull, so I just set it across from me, and then I whispered, uh, well, it was something like, make my mom and dad get back together. And then, I know you're not going to believe this. black hand shot between the candles and grabbed the skull with mom's earring and i like

jumped backwards and I knocked over one of the candles behind me and Sean like started freaking out about that. So he ignored me when I started yelling at him because I looked up and saw him for the first time. this mega fat naked guy with super black skin blacker than the shadows and yellowish eyes and this long stringy hair that was only on the sides of his head he doesn't have any hair on top of his head

Nikki's sarcastic side left the room. Ben was right. She didn't believe he saw an apparition in his friend's brother's bedroom, but she believed he believed it. She saw it in his eyes now. True fear tinged with the hint of embarrassment that often accompanies statements of deep honesty. She asked, The same man you saw on the camera yesterday? Ben nodded.

Then a thought birthed itself in Nikki's mind. Even if it proved to be false in the long run, she thought it might temporarily soothe Ben's anxiety, at least until his mother came home and could handle him. She grinned, shook her head, and said, Bro, they got you. Huh? Asked Ben. You said Connor left the room, right? Yeah.

And let me guess, you didn't see him again until after the scary man disappeared and Sean blew out the candles and turned on the lights and stuff? Ben thought, then said, I think I saw Connor again when we went downstairs. Nikki's grin widened to accommodate her confidence. She said, I think I figured it out. They were in it together.

Sean set the mood, then Connor went out, changed into some costume he probably got from Spirit Halloween, came back, and scared you. But the door didn't open the whole time, Ben argued. Then he... Look, I don't know. But I'd bet anything it was a prank. Really? Ben asked. Nikki nodded. Think about it while you're at school today. I bet you can figure out how they did it. Now hurry up and finish. We gotta go.

Jan called Nikki shortly after she dropped Ben off at the elementary school. His voice trembled when he spoke, which he blamed on being tired, but Nikki knew better. Dad, come on, tell me what's wrong, he said. Well, I thought I should call because we did have something weird happen this morning. But don't worry, we already told the police and everything and they're going to check it all out. Nikki nearly slammed into the car in front of her at a red light.

Dad? Police? What happened? Oh, it's just... Zane's missing. You know, Aaron's dog. Yeah, Nikki replied, no less anxious. Why call the police for a missing dog? Jan lowered his voice. We went for a hike to watch the sunrise this morning, and when we came back, the back door was open and Zane was gone. Nikki could hear Aaron's tearful voice in the background. Is she talking to the police?

She asked her dad. Jan said, Yeah, they're searching the cabin for anything weird. You know what I think, though? He probably forgot to lock that door, and Zane, he's smart. He probably figured out how to get it open. It has a handle instead of a knob, so he could have- Wait, said Nicky. Last night, didn't you say you had a pet cam? Yeah, Jan replied. It's in the living room, and the back door is just out of frame.

It sucks, because, yeah, that would have been pretty helpful, huh? Traffic started moving for Nikki again. Dad, I don't like this. I'm not trying to be paranoid or whatever, but your cabin door being left open is really freaky. What if somebody came by and, like, let him out? What if some creep out there took him? Jan said, That's why the police are here, kiddo. I'm not sure we would have called them without that little FaceTime incident last night.

Aaron still thinks Ben imagined seeing that guy behind us, but, uh... Listen, I didn't mean to freak you out. I knew you'd be at school soon and wanted you to know what's going on in case... He sighed. In case it does turn out to be something... Else. I know you won't have your phone, so if anything crazy happens, I promise I'll call the school and have them tell you, okay? Promise, Dad. I just did. Promise again. I promise. Now have a good day at school.

How? Nikki, it's nothing, okay? Nikki heard someone with a deep voice who said something she couldn't make out. Jan said, Nikki, I gotta go. They need me to sign some stuff. Sounds like everything's fine, though. Okay, Dad, love you, Jan said. I love you too. And hung up. Nikki couldn't concentrate in her classes. At lunch, she visited the office to inquire about any messages for her.

She received special permission from the principal to check her phone since she was currently responsible for another child. Her dad had sent her a text about 10 minutes after she'd handed her phone over that read, Cops are gone. No signs of forced entry. We probably just left it unlocked. We'll look for Zane and tell you when we find him. She sent one back that said, Don't forget your promise. Call me after school.

She waited as long as possible for a response, but just before the bell she handed her phone back to the principal. Her struggle to concentrate plagued her the rest of the day. When the final bell rang, Nikki got her phone back and checked it right there in the office. Because all her friends' phones had been stored away as well, her only notifications were from her word of the day app and the weather app telling her about an incoming snowstorm. Walking to her car,

She called her dad. He didn't answer, so she tried Aaron. Aaron also failed to pick up. She sent them both a text begging them to please call her back. Putting her phone in her cup holder, She lurched backward out of the parking spot, forcing a group of basketball players to scatter out of her way. She glanced down at her blank screen as she shifted into drive and tore out of the parking lot. At Ben's school, she pulled into the pickup line.

She located Ben with his back turned to her, enjoying an animated chat, probably a reenactment of a scene from Big Hero 6, with two of his friends. She unbuckled, popped open her door, and stuck her head out to call to him. Ben, come on, let's go! Oh, Ben shouted. He uttered quick farewells to his friends before jogging to her car. Can I ride in the front? He asked at her window. No, Nikki shouted angrily. Ben's face fell.

He opened the back door and tossed his backpack in. What's wrong? he asked. Nikki, punching an address into her GPS, said, We have to go to our parents' cabin. Why? asked Ben. visibly paling. There, Nikki said to her phone. She plugged it in and put it back in the cup holder. She turned to Ben and said, I just haven't heard from them in a while. So? asked Ben.

I haven't heard from them all day, said Nikki. I've been calling and texting and nothing. But isn't it like two hours away? That's what mom said, Ben complained. Nikki had already turned away, was angling her car out of the stationary line. She said, we'll get McDonald's along the way. If dad and your mom are still there, I guess we'll just have to spend the night with... Wait, if they're still there? Ben shrieked.

Calm down, that's not what I meant, said Nikki. Then what did you mean, asked Ben. Don't you have like an iPad or something? They argued all the way to the highway, but Ben eventually decided Nikki wasn't going to tell him what he wanted to know. She intentionally withheld Zane's absence from the conversation. She knew how much Ben loved his dog. Hearing he'd gone missing hours earlier wouldn't help the agitated child calm down. When they merged into traffic,

She told him she needed to focus on driving and quit responding to him. Eventually, he took a chapter book out of his backpack and read quietly, though not silently, to himself. About an hour into the drive, Nikki pulled through a McDonald's drive-thru just off the highway. She ordered Ben a Happy Meal.

She wasn't hungry, but knew she would need the calories if she'd be searching the woods for her dad, so she ordered a quarter pounder and fries along with a frappe for energy and comfort. Ben's anxiety didn't seem to affect his appetite. the regency era you might know it as the time when bridgerton takes place or it's the time when jane austen wrote her books

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Ridiculous than terrifying. Welcome to Tickled to Death. I'm your host, Roz Hernandez, and I'll be guiding guests through the creepy questions and chaotic games, all to win the ultimate Listen to Tickled to Death wherever you get your podcasts and hit follow unless you want the show to follow you. They found a mailbox with a reflective address sign mounted to it on a road with no shoulders miles from civilization. They'd left even the streetlights behind.

Nikki tried to increase the windshield wiper's frequency, but found she'd already turned them all the way up to counter the falling snow. The driveway cut through the trees, but the rocky terrain forced it to wind for nearly a fifth of a mile before Nikki spotted her dad's car. then the dark cabin. She had to wake Ben after she parked. He shook the burnt ends of french fries off his coat and with deep-fried breath asked, Are we there? Yeah, said Nicky.

scanning the cabin for any sign of their parents. A single lamp glowed in the front window. Otherwise, all the lights were off. The snowflakes landing on her shoulders collected faster than they could melt. Already, the top of Jan's car held an opaque layer of white. To herself, Nikki muttered, We definitely can't go home tonight. Why not? Ben asked as he slipped out of the car. This storm, she replied.

It was behind us most of the way here, but it finally caught up. It's supposed to get pretty bad. Are we going to be safe? Ben asked. Let's go find our parents, said Nikki. They knocked on the front door. No one answered, and they heard no sounds within the cabin. Nikki tried the handle, but the bolt was locked. Let's try around the back, she suggested.

Naked branches rattled together all around them whenever a burst of wind slithered down the hill. The wind's whistles and hum were the only other sounds besides their crunching footsteps in the vast forest. Before leaving the front porch, Nikki defied the warnings from her nervous system and shouted, Dad! Ben copied her, yelling, Mom, are you there? Nikki said, I'll call Dad while we walk.

She led Ben down the two steps off the porch and around the side of the cabin. She held her phone to her ear and listened to it ring. Like every call she'd made that day, it went to voicemail. Nothing. she said. Let's try that door. She pointed to the cabin's back door, the one Jan had told her Zane supposedly opened on his own to escape. She still hadn't told Ben about his missing dog.

If they couldn't find either of their parents, she thought he might take some comfort in the possibility Zane was with them. She supposed he might be if they'd found him out in the woods and gotten lost on the way back. Once inside, she planned to turn on every light to make the cabin an emblem for Jan and Aaron if they were wandering out there in the dark and falling snow.

They knocked again on the back door with no answer there either. Nikki tried the handle. It turned with some resistance but opened. Stay here for a second, she told Ben. What? Ben cried. Just for a second. She peered into the dark cabin and called, Dad? Aaron? She reached in and found a light switch that turned on the light outside above the door.

She found a switch next to it which lit up the kitchen and dining room. I don't think they're here, she whispered to Ben. He whispered back, Then where are they? Nikki ushered him inside and located more light switches, flipping each one. Nothing appeared out of place in the cabin. She peered out the back window to see if Jan and Aaron had left any footprints in the snow, but decided they must have left before it started falling.

In the living room, Nikki located the pet cam. She picked it up and spoke into it. Dad, if you see this, please come back. Ben's here too. I haven't heard from you all day. Behind her. Ben picked something up from the floor. She saw he was holding a gold loop earring. He looked like he might vomit. Maybe that's the other one, she suggested. Maybe, said Ben. He shuddered, causing him to drop the earring back on the floor. He asked, Have you tried calling her? Replacing the camera, Nikki said,

A couple times, and I texted her. Let me try again. She tapped Aaron's contact icon, and immediately a cheery song played in the kitchen. Ben's shoulders rose, and an excited look came over him. But then his face drooped. They found Aaron's phone on the counter next to the fridge. Notifications from Nikki and the pet camera filled its screen, the earliest, from 9 o'clock that morning. Why would she leave her phone? asked Ben. Nikki's chest felt tight. She couldn't protect Ben's feelings anymore.

She recognized the dire nature of their situation and the value of each minute that passed as snow rose on the ground and the temperature plummeted. Next to Erin's phone, she saw a business card with a badge printed in the corner and picked it up. The header read, Porter County Sheriff's Department. This particular card belonged to a deputy named Alan Lombard. Below his name and the address for the sheriff's office, the card had two phone numbers, one labeled Office and one labeled Cell.

The cell number went to voicemail, which Nikki expected since the deputy from early that morning was likely off-duty, so she called the office number. A dispatcher directed her to an on-duty deputy whose professional demeanor turned tense when Nikki described the situation. Unfortunately, her description included the detail about Zane running away, which sent Ben to the living room to hide his crying. You haven't heard from them at all since this morning? asked the deputy. Nikki said,

No, and their car is here and one of their phones. I think they went looking for the dog this morning and might have gotten lost. The deputy remained quiet for a long time, but periodic computer tones on his end of the line told Nikki he was still there. Finally, he said, This storm's gonna make a search difficult. It's policy not to start a search for 48 hours, too. So, you guys are at the cabin now, and how old are you?

Yeah, we're at the cabin, and I'm 16, Nikki replied. Oh, okay, said the deputy. Look, I'm gonna run this by my supervisor and see what we can do. Honestly, though... You're old enough to be alone, and considering how far out that cabin is, you know, with the storm. I think something really bad might have happened, Nikki interrupted. Isn't there anything you can do? What about, like, a drone or something?

The deputy said. Look, like I said, I'll run this by my supervisor. Even the maintained roads are getting bad though, kid. I just don't know if we can get anybody up there till tomorrow. I'm gonna hang up so I can call my supervisor, okay? Please promise me you'll stay put, though. Don't do anything stupid. If they come back, you don't want them having to go looking for you, right? With this snow, all the trails are going to be invisible. I understand, said Nikki, not promising anything.

If the sheriff's department wouldn't do anything, she would. After hanging up the phone, Nikki opened the front door, letting light out onto her dad's car. She noticed the keys on the table by the door and took them outside. Where are you going? Ben cried after her. Just stay here. She unlocked the car, its amber lights blinking beneath an inch of snow. When she opened the door, snow rained onto the passenger seat.

Besides a salted nut roll wrapper and an empty come-and-go cup, the car looked as spotless as Jan always kept it. An idea struck her before she closed the door. She bent and leaned into the car to press the horn. She gave it three long blasts, then extracted herself. She listened. Hearing nothing, she yelled, Dad? Aaron? Are you out there? Zane? Zane, where are you, boy?

She shivered. Snowflakes melted on her skin and in her hair, even on her eyelashes. Hugging herself, she shouted one more round of names into the trees, spinning slightly to project her voice in all directions. A dog barked back. Zane? She yelled. His barks came from deep in the trees on the other side of the cabin. If not for the wind coming from that direction, she might not have heard it. She called to him once more.

not realizing the wind swallowed her voice before it left the cabin's glow. For the second time, an idea regarding the car horn struck her. She made her way back to the cabin while looking over the key fob for the panic button. She pressed it. eliciting bursts of light and sound from the car she hoped might provide a beacon for her lost father and whatever she was supposed to call Aaron. Inside, she said, Ben, we need to look around for any warm clothes or snow gear we can find. I can hear Zane.

He sounds far away, but if he keeps barking, we can find him. But what if we get lost? Ben asked. I'll keep the car alarm going so we can use it to find our way back. I'll set mine off too. Ben continued to protest, but helped her search.

If their parents packed any cold weather gear, they must have taken it with them to look for Zane, Nikki thought. She couldn't find anything. Fortunately, she remembered a wool hat and a pair of fleece gloves she kept in the center console of her car during the winter and retrieved those.

She put her hood up and gave Ben the hat and gloves. She told Ben he could start off with them and they could take turns using them after that. She hoped they could find their parents soon enough to make this inadequate system. The other option was leaving Ben alone at the cabin. which seemed unwise. They exited through the back door after double-checking it was unlocked. Nikki called for Zane and encouraged Ben to do the same. Zane responded to them, barking eagerly.

To Nikki, he sounded excited, but Ben said, He sounds scared, Nikki. We'll find him soon, she said. Then she set off the car alarms before they turned toward the infinite trees. The ground found every way to impede them. Not far from the cabin, the earth angled steeply upward, and as the deputy had warned Nikki, the trail was invisible.

That meant they had to work around boulders, tree roots, and fallen branches, as well as various smaller plants as they traversed the slippery terrain. Since the ground started warm, the bottom layer of snow had turned to mush and mud. The top layer filled the grooves of Ben and Nikki's shoes, which frequently slid out from beneath them. Often, they found themselves crawling on all fours to escalate a section without plants or rocks to use for footholds. For this reason,

Nikki requested a turn with her gloves sooner than she'd planned. Zane kept them generally oriented with his barking. Nikki kept hoping to hear him approaching them, especially as they trudged close enough he could probably hear or even smell them. Ben periodically yelled for his mom, and Nikki occasionally called for her dad, but the empty air that always followed made them both feel more alone each time. Eventually, they gave up on calling any names but Zane's.

We've got to be near the top, Nikki told Ben as she wiggled the soaking wet gloves back over his hands at the end of her turn. Is that where Zane is? asked Ben. Nikki replied, I don't know, but I don't think we could have heard him from the cabin if he was on the other side of this hill. Zane did sound close. His barks began sounding less like echoes about 30 minutes earlier. Nikki hoped it wouldn't take another 30 minutes to find him.

She was trying not to think about the two-plus-hour trek back to the cabin. And what if they found her dad, Aaron, or both injured? How long would it take to get help? Questions she would answer later. For now, she focused on not letting her feet slip and on blowing hot air into her cupped hands. She heard Ben say, Mom? and spun around. Ben slipped and caught himself.

his attention never shifting from something to his right. Nikki looked. Through the trees, the diffused moonlight found the earth and silhouetted an icy figure standing at the rocky edge of what looked like a cliff. Something detached from the figure's lower half. It ran toward them. Zane! Ben shouted. He braced against a tree in time for Zane to slam into him. The dog walked a tight lap around the boy's legs, then, whining,

returned to the figure by the cliff. Aaron? Nikki shouted. The figure remained stiff. To Ben, Nikki said, wait here. Ben shouted, but mom! and lunged for another tree to hold. Nikki hissed, No, I don't want you to see her if... Ben held her eyes for a moment before he made a noise between a sob and a growl and reached for the next tree.

In this way, he progressed toward his encrusted mother. Nikki, relying more on balance, quickly overtook him. She could make out Aaron's frozen hair. Her hat stuck to it halfway down. Cracked ice layered her entire upper body, and the snow which fell upon it stuck to it. The snow would have buried her boots if that had not been where Zane had melted a bed. Nikki, stop! Ben yelled.

No, she said, not realizing she spoke aloud. Tears brimmed at her eyes, but she held them back, wincing at their wetness on her exposed skin. Zane begged her with his eyes for aid. Erin, she asked, five feet away. Nikki, Ben screamed. Erin, where's my dad? She reached Erin's side now. saw her eyes were open behind iced-over lashes gazing aimlessly into the sky. Soft bursts of breath whispered through her cracked lips. This was the only sign of life she gave until she blinked.

Ben grabbed Nikki's hand and yanked her back. She fell to her knees, striking the left against a rock. Hey, she screamed, shoving Ben off. Don't you see him? Ben asked. Where? Nikki asked, spinning her head around for her dad. In the sky, said Ben. He pointed the same direction as his mother's gaze. Nikki begged, Ben, where? Where is he? She didn't see anyone in the gray sky over the blanketed forest below. It's the same face, he whispered. It's floating in the air and staring at mom.

Ben saw the same round, black face he'd seen hovering between his mom and Jan on the FaceTime call. It floated in a white haze away from the cliff. Its stringy hair stuck out. like tendrils as wide as a car is long. Snow fell through the holes where its gaping eyes and grimacing mouth should have been. I have to tell you something, he whispered to Nikki.

unable to stop his guilty tears. I lied about what I asked the spirit to do. I didn't ask him to get mom and dad back together. What I actually said was, get rid of Jan. What do you mean? Kill him? Nikki hissed. I don't know. That's not what I meant, Ben cried. Zane came to comfort him. Standing, Nikki wiped her tears before they fell. She asked again, Aaron, where's my dad?

Her eyes fell to the cliff's edge and she quickly redirected them. She didn't want to look. She whimpered. Aaron? Zane nudged her hand. The warmth of his breath left a coat of moisture which froze instantly across her knuckles. He led her to the edge of the cliff, where he looked down before yipping and jumping back. returning to Nikki's side and whining into her knee as he nuzzled there. Okay, boy, said Nikki, nodding harder than she meant to. She dropped to her knees.

and crawled on her elbows to the edge. 123 feet below, in the snow covering the top of the collapsed earth, lay the sprawled figure of a man. Dad! Nikki screamed. She pointed at the body and looked up at Aaron, asking, Is that him? Is he dead? Aaron remained paralyzed. Nikki looked down again. Dad, if you can hear me, try to move something. We'll get- Hands grabbed her hood and jerked her forward. She heard Ben shout as her upper body slipped over the icy rocks on the edge of the cliff.

She twisted her hips, but Erin kicked at her legs, causing this pivot to send her fully over the side. She met Ben's eyes for less than a second before vanishing. The grinning, floating face vanished with her. Ben's scream drowned out Nikki's. Zane charged toward the edge of the cliff quickly enough Ben thought the dog might jump after her. Zane? asked Aaron, coming to in this chaos. Zane ignored her.

I kept barking over the cliff. Mom, what did you do? Ben screamed. Ben? She asked wearily. She tried to clear her eyes, but the ice clung fast to her lashes. She winced as it poked at her. Ben, what are you doing here? Where's Jan? Is Nikki with you? You pushed her! Ben cried. Aaron yelled, Zane, shut up! Then to Ben said, What? I don't know what's going-

She looked over the cliff. She saw the two bodies lying below. Then her head jerked toward the place where the spirit's face had floated moments before. She wobbled. before dropping crookedly to her knees, screaming into her arm, Why? Why did I do that? Ben crawled to Zane and wrapped his arms around him. Zane devoted all of his attention to his boy now.

He felt Ben's cold cheeks pressed into his fur. He knew the boy needed to warm up, needed shelter. Barking, he wriggled out of Ben's grip and trotted back toward the path he and Nikki had carved through the snow. Erin collected herself again. She shuffled to Ben and held him. She said, Ben, there's nothing we can, nothing we can do. Oh God, Ben, we need... We need to go back. Follow Zane, honey. He'll take us back. What about Nikki? Ben half-asked, half-begged. Erin shook her head. I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry, Ben. She's... It's too late. Without Zane's guidance, they likely never would have found the cabin again. The car alarms had ceased hours ago, and the children's tracks near the base of the hill had been erased by continuous snowfall. Without the dog to follow, Aaron and Ben would have frozen out in the storm. but Zane led them to the warmth and shelter that saved them. Over the next three days, the storm kept them trapped in that remote cabin.

The shock of Jan and Nikki's deaths wore off of Ben's consciousness with time. Aaron, though distant, cooked him breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, which they ate at the table together. They watched DVDs from a basket by the TV left by the cabin's owner. By the second night, even Erin found herself able to smile. Zane comforted them both, sleeping between them in the master bedroom at night.

Each morning, Ben woke first and stared at his beloved dog and the mother he'd remembered loved him so much. He imagined the sounds of his dad cooking pancakes out in the kitchen, could almost smell their aroma mixed with bacon. The deputies would come eventually. Erin had called to report Jan and Nikki's tragic falls, which she blamed on the storm that befell them while they were out searching for Zane. Ben had no plans to correct her version of the story.

and memorized it in case someone were to ask him to repeat it. The future, and its hardships, would come eventually. But not yet. You made it out. Congratulations. If you enjoyed the story, please rate, like, review, or subscribe. For early, ad-free episodes and behind-the-scenes episodes I call Into the Woods, become a patron at patreon.com slash thewarningwoods. You can also support the show by purchasing merch.

The merch store and Patreon links are in this episode's description. To stay up to date, follow me on Instagram and TikTok at TheWarningWoods. And when you feel ready, meet me here for another journey into... The Warning Woods. Thank you for listening. Behind the killers, the haunted houses and the urban legends? There's a true story.

Welcome to the Fear Archive, the podcast that digs through case files and cult classics to uncover the real crimes that inspired your favorite horror movies. We're funny, we're obsessive, and we're not afraid to get our hands dirty. Because the films, pure fiction. But the bodies, they're always real. The Fear Archive, a Violet Hour media podcast. Follow now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

If you love those, wait, what? Moments? You'll love something you should know. I'm Mike Carruthers, and on my podcast, we explore the fascinating ideas hiding in plain sight. like how elevators change the entire world, how gravity affects your health more than you think, or how to instantly become a better conversationalist. Each episode is fast, fun, and full of insight you'll want to share. So give it a try. Search for Something You Should Know wherever you get your podcasts.