Chapter 1
Keith's Pov
Windy, that is how I describe today and the whole week. It has been a week since I moved into this quiet small town of Willobree to live with my grandma. The town is small, peaceful, and in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, I had moved to my grandma’s three-bedroom cabin due to a messy divorce between my mom and stepdad, Max. Their relationship was far from loving, but they had tried their best to stay together until I had turned 18.They have been together since I was 6; I had always seen Max as my real dad because my biological dad was never in the picture. My mom on the other hand was an alcoholic and spent her days drinking, she would leave me home alone for extended periods to go drink with her friends when I was younger.
My grandma peeks her head into my room, with a slight smile on her lips. “How are you feeling, Keith?” she asked, her voice was gentle as always which did nothing to calm my turmoil.
I shrugged trying to play it off, “I feel better.” I lied trying to sound calm but failing, Grandma sighed and entered my room and sat too close for my comfort, but I kept quiet not wanting to make things as awkward as they already were.
“Dear, are you sure you’re, ok? You know I am always here to...” Before she could finish, I stood up annoyed with her pestering. I had enough of people pitying me, can’t she and everyone else just get lost? Can’t they see I also do not like to see my parents arguing? But what can I do? I am just a kid who does not know where he belongs in the world.
I dramatically stomp out of the cabin through the back door leading to the snowy-covered backyard; not even bothering to grab my winter jacket. I instantly regretted my decision, after feeling the frigid winter wind hit my face. But instead of going back inside to get my jacket and pair of boots I continued down the snowy path leading to the winter Alaskan pine forest.
Not even an hour passed of walking down the small path covered in snow which led to a small stream where I had spent my time, alone to clear my head these past few days after I arrived in Willobree. I look down at my feet, my grey fluffy bunny slippers are full of snow, soaking my feet through my favorite grey socks. I sigh to myself; I shouldn’t have acted like that towards my grandmother, she was just trying to help.
I was so deep in thought that I did not notice the shadow that had towered over me, and before I knew it, I bumped into someone else, I let out a loud, “Oof!” before landing in the snow with a loud. “THUMP!” I took a few seconds to understand what had happened before looking up.
I froze, a man Towering around seven feet with untamed black hair, with a thick beard that stretched from his chin to his neck, with piercing blue eye that seemed to hold dark secrets in them. The man was looking down with a hint of a frown, but I am not sure due to the beard in the way.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t looking at where I was going,” I mutter under my breath slightly inaudible in the winter wind. I slowly got up with a hint of a blush due to embarrassment, as I did, I could not help but notice that the man had a muscular physique even under the thick black jacket he was wearing.
“Why do you not have a jacket, are you not cold?” He asked his voice thick with a Russian accent that sent shivers down my neck, I shrugged as I watched his eyes examine my arm’s bare skin, I felt slightly uncomfortable and could not help but feel like he was sizing me up for something, I forced a smile.
“I’m alright, I just forgot to bring a jacket.’ I muttered uncomfortably as I took a step back.
The man seemed to smirk showing his yellow teeth, and he leaned down, his face was a few inches away from mine, I could not help but feel a bit of thrill and fear that this man was making me feel. But before I could contemplate my feelings the man had gently touched my arm. I flinched and stepped back surprised.
“Oh, did I scare you little one?” he asked with a soft dark chuckle, which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I slowly nodded suspiciously, “A little.” I muttered under my breath as I took another step back from the man. I quietly stood there for a few seconds before forcing a smile, I had to get out of there, my instincts were telling me to.
“I should get going, I can’t keep my grandma waiting...” I said but was interrupted by the man as he grabbed my wrist forcefully, a painful gasp escaped my mouth.
“You should come with me Keith; my house is closer than your grandma’s, ” the man said with a massive grin that showed his sharp, yellow, crooked teeth under his beard. I froze, and my jaw dropped, and my face turned pale. How did this man know my name without me telling him?
I tried pulling my wrist out of his strong embrace but unsuccessfully failed before he yanked my hand in the air forcing me to be lifted off the ground. I scream in agony, but the man covers my mouth with his free hand; I look at him terrified, I realize that his face is closer to me than before. I squirmed trying to free myself from his embrace just to be shaken like a ragdoll.
“Be quiet, or I will have to drag you back to my cabin.” He barked.
I instantly shut my mouth; I did not want to be an idiot and make a rush discission that can endanger my life, but my fight-or-flight instincts are going wild in my head. But before I could do anything I was hoisted over his shoulder.
I gasped in surprise, but the man ignored me and just started walking. I remained quiet, and the man just continued walking like this was a normal day for him. After what seemed to be forever, I gathered all my courage and finally asked the question that had been on my mind in the very beginning.
“W-who are you?” I stuttered; my voice barely inaudible through the crunching of the snow beneath the man’s massive feet. The man was quiet for a minute, and the only thing that I could hear was the man’s boots crunching in the snow and his heavy breathing.
“Ivan Ivanov.” His voice was darker than before and more threatening which made me shiver, I nodded my head not wanting to talk to the man anymore.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked a little more confidently than before.
The man deeply sighs and shakes his head before stopping in his tracks and gently putting me down to my feet, I shiver realizing I had been warmer in his embrace than on the cold ground. I look up at the man, my eyes pleading for him to let me go.
“You better got home, my little Keith. Or I’ll have to take you back with me.’ He said with a hint of possessiveness, a slight smile appeared under his thick beard. I flinched uncomfortably, but I quickly nodded and ran back down the path he carried me to, not even bothering to look back.
I ran like it was my last day to live, but as I did, I couldn’t help noticing how the forest was like a winter wonderland. The pine trees were covered with a thick layer of snow, the same snow that was crunching beneath my steps. I was breathing heavily but continued to run, run back to the comfort of my grandma’s small cabin.
When I arrived, I pretended to have seen no one or in that case anything in the forest. I quickly apologized to my grandma, and we spent the whole afternoon watching movies. But I could not get the image of the man and his beard out of my head, my brain kept asking the same questions. Who was that man named Ivan? How did he know my name? And most importantly, why did he want me to go back to his cabin: just to let me go after he told me his name? Butsoon my questions were answered, I had been preparing the dinner table while the local news was blasting though the living room. The usual burglary, the new desserts in the small bakery downtown, but nothing prepared me for what came next.
The news lady had been in the middle of speaking about the local disappearance that had occurred a few weeks ago in a nearby town when she stopped midway through a sentence. Her face turned pale; she coughs clearing her throat before speaking.
“Breaking news, the infamous serial killer, Cabin Killer, has struck again. This time closer to home! The diseased body of a teenage boy around 17-19 years of age was found in a small stream near Willobree. We advise for the citizens to stay indoors and if you see a man with a thick Russian accent, around 7 feet tall...’
I froze, could it be the same man from before? Could it be Ivan? But Before I could think, a gentle knock at the front door interrupted my thoughts. It was silent for a few minutes. I stood there frozen in both shock and fear.
“Keith, I’m here to pick you up...” a deep, gentle voice full of a thick Russian accent said outside the front door.
I froze, I knew that Ivan was here to come for me....
