Work Text:
You sang along to the music playing as you took another turn further into the woods. You were heading to a cabin that you and Seokmin rented out for the weekend to spend some time together alone.
He was finishing up a shoot on the other side of the city so he would be meeting you later tonight. You intended to set up the cabin to get all cozy later, but as you drove further and further into the woods, something started to settle in your gut you didn't recognize.
Slowly, you stopped singing as your eyes scanned the trees as you drove past. There were no other cabins near yours, and you had wondered why it was being rented at a lower rate than others. From the photos, and what you were seeing as you got closer, the area was beautiful. But still, something felt, off.
After another few minutes you finally saw the cabin come into view. Pulling up to it, it looked relatively normal. It was older but had been renovated a few years back.
Getting out of your car you looked it over before opening the trunk. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw movement in a window, causing your eyes to shoot over. You frowned as you looked into the window, before seeing the curtain rustle. The windows had been left open to air out the cabin before you arrived, and a light breeze was blowing past.
You let out a soft breath of relief as you smiled softly, though a tightness remained in your chest. You figured it was just because you were alone out here and would be for a while. It would be a lot more comfortable once Seokmin arrived a bit later on.
After bringing in a few bags, you walked around the cabin, the only sound being the creaks of the wood and the rustling leaves outside. It should feel peaceful, and comfortable, but no matter how much you tried to relax, your body remained tense.
Entering the room you had thought you saw movement in before, you approached the window and looked out at the surrounding trees. You took in a deep breath, enjoying the fresh woody smell.
*Creak*
Your whole body froze as the sound of a footstep came from outside the door. Looking back, you stared at the entrance. Hearing no more movement you sighed and shook your head. You were just freaking yourself out.
'It's an old cabin, its going to make noise.' You thought to yourself before shutting the window.
You still peaked out into the hall as you exited, your paranoia not letting go entirely.
After checking out the last few rooms you made your way back downstairs. On the last few steps, you slowed down as you eyed your luggage. You had left them stacked neatly by the door, but they were now lying down, as if they had been knocked over.
You swallowed as you looked around. The cabin had an open floorplan on the bottom floor, so you could see into all the first-floor rooms. Maybe you just set it on an uneven part of the floor.
Setting them back up, you ran your foot along the floor, feeling for any rises or uneven beams. It wasn't noticeably crooked, but you still told yourself that was why they fell over.
You decided to light a fire in the fireplace to warm up the chilly cabin before Seokmin arrived. Letting the sound of the crackling fire relax you as you took out some of the food you brought along, you began to get a bit more comfortable.
Up until a loud slam upstairs had you jumping out of your skin. You remained still as your heart pounding painfully in your chest. You listened for more noise but heard nothing.
'A window must still be open upstairs. Yeah. Some air blew in and slammed a door shut.'
This is what you told yourself as you crept upstairs, ignoring the fact that you knew all of the doors had already been shut. Checking each room, you grew slowly more panicked as every window was indeed shut. You swallowed nervously as you headed back stairs, a lot faster than you had come up.
Pulling out your phone you sent Seokmin a text.
'Are you on your way?'
The minute that passed as you waited for a reply felt longer as you kept your eyes on the stairs, feeling unease spread through you again. Your phone vibrated and you read Seokmin's text with rising anxiety.
'I just left sorry. It took longer than I thought. I'll be there in about two hours or so.'
You let out a resigned breath, that was a lot longer than you had hoped.
'This place it a lot creepier than I thought it would be.'
'Haha, it's just cause your alone. It's okay.'
'I don't know...things keep happening.'
As soon as he read your text, your phone was ringing. You felt relief as you answered and heard his voice.
"What do you mean thing's keep happening?" Seokmin, ever the chicken had a tone to his voice that almost made you laugh, had you not been so anxious.
After you explained he let out a soft chuckle, "Yeah I get that you are creeped out, but it is an old cabin, the floors and doors are probably all uneven. Creaking and slamming doors is probably normal."
Even if you thought he might be saying those things to comfort himself as well, hearing him say it made you feel a bit better.
"Yeah you're right. I know you are. Just being alone in here is making me paranoid." You chuckled at your own anxiety.
"Don't worry, I'll be there soon, okay baby?"
"Yeah, okay. Just try to get here before it gets too late, okay?"
"I will baby don't worry."
After hanging up with Seokmin, you felt a bit more relaxed. Deciding you needed some noise, you turned on the tv and let a random show play as you sat on the couch and scrolled through your phone.
Your data connection was slow, but it was enough to cure your boredom and help settle your antsy mind. At least for a little while.
When the television suddenly went static, the noise piercing your ears you jolted out of your seat and quickly muted it.
"Shit." You cursed out of surprise as you began switching through channels.
Each channel was static. You groaned as you were about to give up before you noticed the channels were switching on their own. The TV was flipping through them faster and faster and your anxiety began to grow.
"What the hell?" You swallowed anxiously as you switched the TV off all together, goosebumps covering your arms.
Setting the remote down, you let out a few anxious breaths before you looked around the cabin again. The other stuff had an easy explanation, but why would the TV suddenly act like that?
Walking outside you let out a deep breath, it was getting a bit colder as the sky grew darker as the evening set in. Sitting on the bench on the porch you took out your phone debating whether you should call Seokmin again.
'Maybe I'm just being too paranoid. There are animals out here, maybe a wire got chewed on. Or maybe the satellite signal just got messed up.'
You took a few deep breaths as you managed to convince yourself it might be nothing. Just a coincidental situation that made an otherwise creepy atmosphere creepier.
Looking back towards the door, you still felt uneasy about going back in. Telling yourself to be a bit braver, you stood up. But before you could walk back inside, you saw your reflection in the window, well more specifically, you saw something behind your reflection. Your eyes focused and you thought, you swore, you saw someone standing inside.
Without thinking, you pushed open the door open, revealing the cabin, but saw no one. Your chest clenched as you walked back out and looked into the window again. There was a plant on the other side of the room, that maybe, maybe your already freaked out brain morphed into a figure.
You groaned in annoyance and fear as you looked back at your car. Everything in you was telling you to leave. Maybe you should trust your gut.
Dialing Seokmin again, he picked up on the third ring, quickly calling out.
"I'm over half-way there!"
"Seokmin, I think we should stay somewhere else."
He let out a chuckle, "What? Come on is it really that creepy? Or are you just trying to scare me?"
"I'm not. And I just... I don't know, I just have a really bad feeling about this place. I keep trying to find excuses for the stuff that's happening, but I just can't."
Seokmin's voice was a bit more serious now, "Did something else happen?"
"Yeah. I was watching tv and suddenly it went full static, and it was loud. I muted it and tried to switch the channel, but every channel was the same. Then out of nowhere it started flipping through channels by itself. I turned it off and went to sit outside. Then, then, when I looked into the window, I swear I saw someone inside, but when I checked there was no one there."
Seokmin was quiet for a minute. He was a coward when it came to this kind of thing, and you could tell it was starting to freak him out too, even though he wasn't here.
"Okay. If it's really that bad, we can go somewhere else. I don't want you to feel that uncomfortable. Uhm, maybe-" Hearing a click he frowned, "Y/n? What was that?"
No response.
His heartbeat picked up as he tapped the screen on his consol. 'Call Ended'. Pressing call again, his panic rose when an automated voice answered. 'This call cannot be connected. Please hang up and try again.'
Looking at his map and seeing he was still over 40 minutes away, his grip tightened on the steering wheel. Trying to call you again and getting the same automated message he cursed under his breath. Now he was the one with a really bad feeling.
"Seokmin?" Seeing that the call cut off, you tried to call him again, only for your phone to beep loudly in response. You had no signal at all. How? Why did it suddenly go away? Maybe the same thing that caused the TV to go out?"
You took in a shaky breath as you looked into the cabin, your chest tight and stomach churning. Looking back at your car, you decided you would wait for Seokmin there.
Going back into the cabin you grabbed your bag and headed back towards the door. Stopping, you looked over at the fireplace, to see that the fire had gone out. Frowning you walked closer, seeing the partially burnt logs weren't even smoldering still.
Curiosity took over as you reached down and hovered your hand over the wood, feeling no heat, you placed your hand gently on the log. It was ice cold.
'Impossible.'
Shaking your head you rose and quickly made your way out of the cabin and to your car. As soon as the door shut you felt a weight lift off your shoulders. You looked at the cabin and felt a chill crawl over you. There was definitely something off about this place. It was probably why it was so cheap to book.
Resting your head against the seat you stared at the cabin, expecting, no, knowing something was going to happen, but also hoping you were wrong.
You continued to try and call Seokmin, but your calls continued to fail. After having your eyes off of the cabin for a few moments you looked back up and your eyes immediately shot to one of the second story windows.
It was getting dark outside, so the window was darkened as well. But as you stared at the window, you were slowly able to make out the shape of a figure. A figure facing you, staring at you, unmoving. You felt like you couldn't look away, couldn't blink. You wanted to stare at it until your brain recognized it was something else, just an altered figment in the dark, not actually a person.
Blinking quickly, you let out a breath as the figure was gone when you looked again. "Fuck this" You muttered as you out your key into your car, as you turned the key and nothing happened, your heart dropped to your stomach. You tried again, nothing. Your car was dead.
You felt dread wash over you as you looked back at the cabin. Into the darkened windows, you felt like you were being watched.
Hearing your ringtone, your body jolted before you fumbled to answer it quickly. "Seokmin!"
"Oh, thank God, are you okay? What happened?"
Relief washed over you at the sound of Seokmin's voice. You told him everything that happened, panic was present in your voice the whole time.
His heart was pounding with everything you told him. You were never one to play pranks, or exaggerate, so he believed every word. "I'm almost there, okay? Just stay in your car until I get there."
"Don't hang up, okay? Stay on the phone with me."
He felt his heart clench at the fear in your voice, "I will, I promise. When we get there, we will figure out somewhere else to stay okay? It'll be alright."
"Okay"
Seokmin's blood ran cold as a shiver ran over him. Through your voice, in the background, he swore he heard something. A groan? No, a growl, but it sounded almost human.
"Y/n?"
"Yeah?"
You didn't hear it. Good.
"Nothing. Just. I love you. It'll be okay, yeah?"
You could hear the fear in his voice, and you wondered what he was thinking. You didn't mean to scare him too, but you had no real choice. At least he believed you.
A thought suddenly sprang to mind and your heart clenched. "Shit. All of our stuff is still inside."
Seokmin felt his own heart drop again at this. "Don't go back in. Wait till I'm there."
He hated this, he did not want to set foot in that cabin, but he would rather do it than send you in there alone again.
"Okay. I'll wait."
"Good. I'm almost there."
You went silent for a moment. "This was supposed to be a relaxing weekend." You mumbled with a soft chuckle.
He forced a chuckle in reply, "It still will be. And this will make a good story to tell the others, just, once we're clear of there."
You nodded, "Exactly. I'll feel better once-"
Your voice broke off when you saw something flash past in your rearview mirror. Spinning around in your seat you looked back but couldn't see anything. You hadn't realized how dark it had gotten. Looking at the trees surrounding you, you saw rising fog creeping in.
"Y/n?!"
Seokmin yelled again, finally getting your attention. Your voice came out quietly, as if you were afraid to speak. "I saw something."
"What?"
"I don't know, it went past my mirror. But it's getting foggy, and dark."
"Can you still lock your doors?"
Trying the button, it failed, so you pushed the lock down manually. Looking at the other doors, you saw they had all stayed locked from when you first arrived.
"I did it."
You heard a relieved breath leave him. "I'm entering the forest."
You nodded, "That means you are about 10 minutes away."
Seokmin's hands ached from how tight he was gripping the steering wheel. He was driving faster than he should be, the dark winding roads making him anxious. But his need to get to you was stronger than his fear.
Your eyes constantly darted around you, eyeing the trees and then the cabin, as if you were fighting off something by sheer will.
Seeing lights through the trees, your heart started racing. "I see you!"
As Seokmin pulled in, you pulled the lock of the door and anxiously held the door handle, waiting for him to pull in beside you.
He left the car running, car lights on and ready to go as he jumped out of his car and made his way towards you.
As soon as you saw him, you climbed out of the car and ran into his arms. He wrapped his arms around you, feeling you shaking in his arms.
He let out a relieved sigh. "It's okay, I'm here. I got you." He pressed a kiss to your head before he pulled away.
Looking at the cabin he felt goosebumps rise up his arms. "Yeah, that looks nothing like the photos."
You nodded as you eyed the cabin, it looked almost entirely different from when you arrived in the daylight. Now, it was dark, eerie, empty, and cold.
Seokmin took a few breaths. "Okay. We're gonna go in, grab your stuff and then run okay?"
You nodded, part of you wanted to laugh, but the other part of you was too afraid to speak.
Approaching the cabin, you pushed the door open, as both of you waited in silence outside. Hearing and seeing nothing, you stepped in before quickly turning the light on.
Quickly you grabbed your bags, choosing to leave the food behind in the kitchen. As Seokmin lifted your duffle bag you both froze as you heard creaking above you. You both looked up at the ceiling, your eyes following the sound of the footsteps above.
Seokmin's eyes drifted down and caught yours as you met his with a fearful gaze.
Suddenly, the light's flickered before you were plunged into darkness. The eerie glow from the car lights being the only light for you to see.
The slow footsteps above you became louder, heavier, faster, as the sound of running echoed through the cabin. The footsteps headed towards the stairs, and you and Seokmin bolted for the open door. You didn't look back as either of you ran to his car, throwing the bags and yourself into the car as well.
You heard the car doors lock as Seokmin quickly backed the car out and sped around the driveway and away from the cabin.
You spared one look back at the cabin, watching your car disappear behind you as you finally let out a breath you hadn't realized you had been holding.
The relief washing over you and adrenaline coursing through you made you almost want to cry.
You sunk in your seat as you looked over at Seokmin. His eyes were wide as he looked over at you. Reaching his hand over, you took it as you both breathed heavily in silence for a few moments.
After a few moments you finally whined out. "My car."
Seokmin found himself smiling as he shook his head. "We'll send a tow truck tomorrow. There's no way in hell either of us are going back there."
You nodded in agreement. "Where are we going now anyways?"
"I passed a hotel on my way here, we'll go there."
"Okay."
The further you got from the cabin, the better you felt. The nerves and adrenaline were finally fading but leaving you feeling exhausted. The gut feeling you had since you entered the forest began to fade the further you for from the cabin.
You kept your hand intertwined with Seokmin's, not wanting to let go just yet. He was happy to keep holding your hand, his own adrenaline wearing off slowly.
"Next time. Let's go to a cabin in a more crowded area. Actually. Scratch that. Maybe let's just stay away from cabins all together."
He laughed as he squeezed your hand and nodded, "I'm not gonna argue with that."