Realistic or Modern Snowed In [Closed]

[Woody.]

It was quiet. No sound, no noise, no nothing. It was such a pristine feeling, and he didn't want to ruin it right now. He never got moments like this where he was out in the trees away from everyone. He would sometimes come up to the cabin to get away, away from the noise and people. He certainly needed a break after finishing a 70 hour week day. Saving lives had a cost to it, and though he was paid handsomely for it he despised the idea of saving too many lives. The number of lives saved should be the number of deaths that should happen in that very day. Which was why he had a system. For every life he saved, he'd kill a person. It wasn't out of hate, fear, or want. It was simply to make nature at peace. Who was he kidding? Saving lives had its moments, but actually looking in the eyes of a man as he left this world was amazing. To know that you were the one to end his life was pure joy and at the same time... sorrow. The snow that fell while he stood on his front porch was somewhat soothing. Due to the snow there was almost dead silence, and he wished the city could get quiet like this. Grocery bags were by his feet, and he wore a heavy snow jacket to shield himself from the cold. His hair was damp from the snow which was beginning to melt on his hair. His own glasses were beginning to fog up, perhaps he should go inside and just relax. After all, trudging up the snow to his cabin was a pain in his ass. His arms were sore from carrying groceries, and his legs were wanting to crumble with how much he walked. Yet, he absolutely loved the feeling of exhaustion, made him feel like he was hunting. Whenever he chose his victims, he would certainly go to great lengths to get them to his apartment in the city. At times he would stab them so much he'd pass out himself.

Now, he wasn't a scrawny man. He was lean, and had some tone in his muscle, however, he didn't flaunt out his strength. How could you stay in the shadows while bragging about your strength and abilities? You had to be stealthy if you wanted to have this kind of hobby, which was why he wasn't as social as others would see him. Sure, he'd go to parties with co-workers, or go get drinks at the bar. He always had a facade in which everyone knew him by. To his co-workers he was the optimistic cheerful man, who would gladly watch your drink or drive you home from a night of fun. He was dependable, kind, and most importantly handsome. Women enjoyed the way he looked, but rarely paid attention to those kind of things. Murder was so much more satisfying than sex, well... from what he could tell. He had some relationships he tried to come by and there were moments where he enjoyed sex, but he always went back to his addiction.

When he decided to go back inside, he shook off the remaining snow, and put his bag to the side. His home was modern with windows covering the walls to reveal no privacy unless curtains were drawn. He has a simply black couch with a tv mounted in front of it on the wall. To the left of the couch was a large bookshelf that took up a wall, it held a large number of books. From Fantasy all the way down to Medical informative books. He enjoyed a variety of books, and was still collecting more. He prided himself in his education and most of all his imagination. It was to the left of the bookshelf sat an arm chair which he held dear. It was moments where he could spend reading and actually be able to feel himself. Unlike the facade he always wore, there was a quietness to him. Which was why he had a cabin all the way in the trees, to allow himself to ponder on human emotions and the human brain. It was also the moment he got to kill without the fear of others hearing. He had sound proofed his very own room to fit his style of torture. Well, it wasn't torture, but stabbing someone specifically 45 times seemed to be his thing. The media just called him the Butcher, but he saw it as more of a cleansing. The kitchen was his next pride and joy, which was seen from when you entered. It had stainless steal equipment with an island that held the stove top. It was here, where you saw his true nature. If he hadn't become a surgeon he would have become a chef. Not many people tasted his cooking, because to him it was very intimate. You had to be his lover if you ever wanted his food. Anyone who entered his cabin would surely be killed before dinner time, so there was never a point to tempt them with his food. The knife rack that held every knife you could name. From a simple paring knife to a cleaver, he had it all. He would never use his kitchen knives for a kill. He had his own knife he loved to use, a simple wooden handle blade. Then to the right of the kitchen was a spiral staircase that lead to the second level which only held two rooms. His office where a neat desk with placed in front of the window, then a long black couch where you would see one simple blanket on it. He slept there, and only there. His bedroom was the "killing" room. It was simply a mattress with a view.

But unlike an image of a blood stained room, it was clean. No spots, no dirt, and simply no decoration. It was a plain white room with a mattress. yes he did have to replace the mattress a few times, but he made sure to always put a plain sheet to help keep the blood off of the mattress.

And that was the end of the little tour. It was nestled in between trees, and it would look like any welcoming home. Though it didn't have the stereotypical all wood exterior, but it still felt like he was camping. He had internet, and he had cable connection. The only thing he didn't have was good roads. The dirt road was the only way up to his cabin, and he rarely saw any hikers. Any hikers he picked off were from the main trail which was a good 10 miles away. Yes, some rangers would come to his cabin and request a search and he would oblige. After all, he had a burial ground for all of his kills. It was the meadows where wolves, mountain lions, and the simple badger could feast on the bones and meat. Usually only bones were left over, and even then some animals tend to chew on them.

Everything was just... perfect. Well it would have been if the moment he placed his groceries on the countertop did he hear a cry. A cry that interrupted every silence he needed, and an annoyed look crossed his features. Eyes looked at the door, waiting for another cry for help. When he got no other answer, he simply ignored it. He was too tired to find a traveller and get rid of them. Hiking up those 10 miles did a number on him, and he just wanted hot chocolate and sit by the fire place. That was all. But then- his mind had a whole different idea. You see, he was always a curious creature, and though as a surgeon he got to see the insides of people, he was more curious about the human mind. Specifically, his mind. He didn't feel like he was a psychopath, sure he didn't feel empathy and he had to put a mask on to actually seem normal. But he had his own emotions and thought process, just other humans didn't. For once, can you save a life without having to be in the Emergency room? That thought actually surprised him. Well, he had never saved a life outside of work, he had only taken lives.

Don't you want to know why you kill?

Well, he wanted to kill caause he could. Why was he asking such stupid questions? He wanted to ignore, and he did. He had the stove on with a kettle, which would boil some water soon. He would relax, and if the person so happen to come to his door for help, he'd slice their neck. Good as that.

But, can you go without killing a human for once?

Now, that was a challenge he was givin himself and he disliked that. He was competitive, and if he dared himself to do something... he would most certainly do it. Perhaps that is what got him to kill? He didn't hear another cry for help, so he wondered if they had simply... died. No, that couldn't be it. He put on his coat, put his boots back on, and he walked out. He doubt that he could actually see anyone in the blizzard, but he would at least make an attempt. He stood out there for a moment, looking in the dark air with nothing but snow beating against the ground. "Hello?" He decided to call, it was probably pointless, but he would try nonetheless. When he got no response, he wondered if he should give up. Tell himself, 'there i made an attempt' but something pushed him to go looking. So, he tightened his coat around his body and trudged through the snow which had gone up to his calves at this point.

He had come upon a lump in the snow, could this be? Upon closer examination he saw them. Laid out in the snow, seemingly passed out. He knelt down to feel their cheeks, and he could feel them breathing, but they were freezing. But one thing that caught his eye as a doctor was the leg. Their leg was twisted in such that made it obvious it was broken. They probably are going to die. You cant get them to a hospital. His logical self told him, but he dismissed that, he would certainly try. How long could he keep a human in his home without killing them? That was going to be a test. So, he lifted them up, wrapped an arm aroudn their waist, and dragged them back to his cottage.

=-=

Well, they were on the couch and they were soaking the black cushions, but he had to place them somewhere. The fire place was running, and the kettle had screamed that it was ready. What now? He hadn't killed them yet, well he didn't have the want as of yet. So, he turned the tv on to Cartoon Network, not really knowing what other people liked watching and went to make some hot coco. Which he so graciously added some spice to it, and marshmellows. When they woke up, they would be greeted with some hot chocolate. Now, he didn't know how he would present himself to the person. Should he act kind and gentle? Or should he act normal... quiet, reserved and with a little gentle heart to it? He would have to see how they reacted to first. After all, he had their leg splinted with some wood, and he'd have to put it in place, but he'd do that when they were awake. That way he could at least give them so medication to help them feel a tad bit numb.

 

[Taciturn_zebra]

"Yeah, yeah....I'll be careful. I know..... Yes, I have the bear repellent in my bag.....and the bug spray." She mused into the phone as an exasperated sigh thrummed out from the other end to greet her. Her last few seconds spent turning off her purring vehicle before twisting in her seat to gather the said hiking bag with one last contemplative glimpse out to the barren "parking" area laid out for fellow adventurers such as herself. Save for a few rotted remnants of signs and a sparse smattering of gravel, this place seemed utterly uninhabited. "I don't know, Mum! It doesn't necessarily have a set location that I'm aware of. I just sort of went by word of mouth by a close colleague of mine, so obviously its nothing to worry about. No crowd to avoid or screaming kids to bustle around....Hell, not even a single car for miles around. Besides, this view is breathtaking already," she murmured with an appreciative glimpse out the window to the swell of overgrown foliage rising to greet her. The aged fingertips of elder oaks and pines shielding the vehicle from the sparse flurries of snow that had begun to fall.

"I promise to be safe. Alright, I love you too. Buh bye," she chirped before ending the call and shoving it into one of many compartments in her hiking bag, alongside her keys and a measly pack of gum to tide her over. With that, she crawled out from the safety of her car and made for the nearest footpath, now slightly skewed by the gathering snow. It wasn't necessarily freezing out just yet but it was enough to get her moving in an effort to warm up her stiff limbs. A peaceful quiet settling over the forest, save for the occasional whisper of the building breeze or warning screams of flighted birds. In fact, this was far better than any trail she had happened upon herself.

I bet it's even prettier in the summer....

And just like that, the hours began their gradual drag, guiding her along eagerly through overgrown meanderings and other trails worn down by wild creatures that shared these woods. The sky's former spill of baby blue now overcast with the threat of a coming storm. Yet the peaceful nature of her surroundings never faltered. She noted the swollen clouds after awhile, having nodded them off before as a passing consideration yet now the temperature was plummeting noticeably. Each breath permeating the frigid air. It was enough for her to finally slow, settling her back against a neighboring tree before scrounging up her cellphone from her bag. Her darkened brows furrowing all the while as she slowly turned in a circle to test her reception....Absolutely nothing. Are you really surprised? she thought blandly to herself with a halfhearted huff before surveying her surroundings timidly. It seems she had reached a reasonable little outcrop flanked by yet more unbroken forestry and the promising start up what appeared to be a mountain. Perhaps that could serve her plight. I mean, it was better than just standing around and waiting on the coming storm to swallow her up.

You know, you could just turn around and head back now while you have the time....

There.... a moment of reason amidst her uncertainty. She shielded her watery gaze from the cold slap of the wind, peering back to the way she had just came. Noting the subtle dusting of snow that was already blanketing her footprints, threatening to erase them right before her eyes. A fool, that is what she is. She had trailed off the beaten path long ago, eager to explore stretches of land that no one else had set eyes on for decades, or at least that is how she romanticized her stupidity. Yes, she could try following what was left of her own attempted path or.... she could try the climb up and hopefully get enough of a signal to track down some nearby roads. That was enough to send her on her way once again, straight for the unassuming swell that only promised trouble for the naive hiker. And just like that, the snow began it's eager descent as the rocky ledges grew slicker and the span of good footholds grew sparser by the minute.

She had made some decent progress, lost in thought with a pleasant little hum to distract her from the colder clutches of fear that warred within her belly. It was almost an exact replica of the angry storm that now glared from above her. Her cloth ladden fingertips struggling for purchase on the slick granite before grunting and hoisting herself up, kicking aimlessly as though that might give her the extra umph that she needed to make it. It was her tried and true method, albeit a bit silly. In fact, it had nearly gotten her to the summit. Yet one unfortunate grasp left her plummeting back with a particularly satisfying crunch as the fallen carcass of a tree caught her leg and stilled her delicate frame in one fell swoop. Her scream sending any neighboring birds that might have braved the storm into a panicked dash to brave the winds.

A slurry of curses soon followed as she sank back, panting and peering up into the smudge of grey that marred the heavens above. She couldn't bear laying witness to the damage done just yet, simply focusing upon the ragged hisses that escaped her lungs. In fact, she stayed like that for a lot longer than intended, until the gradual creep of the cold was unbearable and the pain in her leg threatened to take up its rankings in her body's race for destruction... or self-preservation depending upon how you look at it. Only then did she hoist her battered torso up and grab at her gnarled leg, still embraced in the sickeningly sweet clasp of the gnarled trunk.

One....two...... Her trembling hands sought purchase as she clasped and ripped at the pliant bark to loosen it from around her twisted appendage before readying herself for it's eventual excavation. Both hands clasping at her thigh as she bowed her head to grasp her scarf between her teeth...Anything to muffle her cries of pain. THREE!

Free at last, she quickly shuffled to her feet... or at least to the last functioning one before peering back up to the clearing she had created in her descent. Her bag somewhere in the mix no doubt yet she had more important matters to attend... such as how in the world she was going to make it back now. What little daylight that was left was surely on its way out as the clouds built, leaving her to limp out in no particular direction, meowling like some lost kit to it's mother for help that was miles away. It remained like that well into the afternoon, only slowing at the eventual promise of a clearing when she could no longer support herself upon the naked trees. Her sluggish footsteps no longer able to handle the swell of snow that swallowed up her calves nor the stretch of agony adorning her lame leg like some morbid anklet. The only relief she had in that moment was the fact that her vocal chords still worked and she could have swore she had heard a call in response. Her desperate imagination clinging to every haunting whistle of the wind until, at last, her body gave out from beneath her, leaving her to the cold clutches of the storm that bed her.
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Her eyes were the first thing to move, fluttering dimly with a visible wince when the brightness of the lights greeted them. Next was her lips, her jaw, down to her shoulders and tingling fingertips. She went so far as her functional toes before finally allowing herself a breath of relief. Only then did her mind allow her to worry herself with other things, such as where in the world she had ended up or whose couch she currently soaked. She craned her head slightly, just enough to squint at the tv's display as all too familiar characters danced into sight.

Is this what purgatory is like? They make you sit through a few episodes of Billy and Mandy before the big guy decides whether to shoot you up or down?

The corners of her lips tugged up at that before finally hoisting herself up enough to peer over to the rest of this peculiar room, from the well-kempt bookshelf and unadorned walls to the lone chair swathed in little more than a bundled blanket. It was all remarkably....sterile, empty even. It almost felt as though she had walked onto the set of some play right before the curtains had opened, its cast still preparing and bustling about with hushed whispers and flighty hearts. Yet there was no cast here, nor whispers for that matter. Only the comforting murmur of a familiar voice from the television. One in which that rivaled her own as she called out into the quiet home, bracing for whatever might await her from beyond this room. "Hello? Is anyone around?"