The music inside Jason's car began to stutter and cut out. He expected it to happen at some point - you drive deep enough into the mountains and you're going to lose service. Google Maps still indicated that he was less than 10 minutes away from the cabin where he, his wife Kate, and his immediate family would be staying this weekend. The music's absence served as a timely reminder that the purpose of this weekend was to digitally disconnect and enjoy some quality time with family. Jason, of course, had no intention of fully disconnecting. His weekly screen time reports were damning, every time without fail.
Making the last turn onto an eroded gravel road, Jason worried that there would be no cell service and poor Wi-Fi at the cabin. A would-be devastating combo. Thankfully, as he drove up the steep driveway, Jason's phone caught enough signal to resume the last few seconds of the pop-punk emo song that firmly dated him in his mid 30s. He and Kate carried their bags up to their designated bedroom on the top floor, which was two floors away from the children's room in an effort to preserve sleep.
"Much nicer than the listing photos somehow," Jason decided after giving the house an initial walkthrough. It was very clean and spacious, but the cabin hosts were blatant about their intensity towards guests. All of the provided literature constantly threatened that anything lost or used improperly would be a charge, no matter how small. While the outdoor hot tub looked just as nice as everything else, if the hosts are going to be difficult about it, maybe it wasn't worth it.
The rest of the family arrived over the next hour or so, and soon the house was filled with the sounds of family reunion, especially Jason's two nephews. Obligatory sports discussion carried through the common area, and the uninterested parties began to prepare dinner. It's always difficult to get everyone together like this, but Jason's mother's planning months in advance had paid off; everyone was enjoying the shared time together.
"Alright, I'm going to go check out the hot tub. Who's in?"
Despite the moment feeling right, there was no appetite to extend the night any further. One after another, each family member opted for sleep. To be fair, it was past 10pm at this point, and there was an entire weekend ahead of activities. Plus the kids would be up early no matter what. Undeterred and unburdened by parenthood, Jason went to get changed for the hot tub, sharing the bathroom with his wife as she got ready for bed.
"Sorry love, I am so tired for some reason. The hot tub sounds fun, but I feel so lethargic tonight. I could barely stay awake downstairs. You go have fun, I know you love a bath," Kate yawned. She ran her fingernails over Jason's husky shoulders and back from behind as he got changed, laying her head on his shoulder and resting while standing. Although more athletic long ago, remote work had taken a toll on Jason, who had slowly picked up weight since college. Jason glanced at the bathroom's full length mirror. Having a dad bod but no kids certainly isn't the ideal male physique, but he carried the weight relatively well. Having a little extra always felt more natural than pursuing a sculpted form, and Kate always showed her appreciation for his body type.
So, while Jason noted the missed opportunity for some fun with Kate, he quickly pushed the thought away. The hot tub was plenty appealing and if no one else joins, then solitude has its own merit. After wishing Kate goodnight, Jason grabbed a bath towel and moved through the dim and unfamiliar house, down two sets of stairs and out the side door. He walked a few steps to a covered area on the ground floor under the outside deck, his body adjusting to the cool night air. Save for the submerged light coming from the hot tub, it was pitch black as he looked into the wooded valley that sloped away from his side of the house.
The hot tub was a newer model, with space for up to 6. The water was already hot, and all of the lights and jets worked perfectly. Jason couldn't help but credit the aggression of the cabin hosts as a big reason that the property stays as nice as it does. Setting the water temperature to 103°, Jason entered the water and picked the seat with the most jets and let out a deep exhale. The hot bubbles plus a hit of the weed vape helped him to relax, and after about 10 minutes of acclimating to the water and the wooded surroundings he shed his swim trunks to fully enjoy the hot water and the cool mountain air.
The jacuzzi jets created swirls of noise that caused Jason not to notice a rustling coming from the driveway that led towards where he was relaxing. A large figure moved partially into the blue light from the tub, just 10 feet away from Jason.
"Excuse me." A calm voice shattered the solitude.
Jason spun around in the water, his heart rate already elevated from steaming bath, now pounding out of his chest and causing his throat to tighten. He attempted to discern the situation quickly while in a haze. Was this one of the hosts? Should he run? Jason judged that if he was in danger right now, he could not make it to the door first. He still couldn't see whoever this guy was, as he stood just beyond what little light there was.
"No need for panic, you're safe. My name is Matthew. I am here to present you with an offer." Matthew's deep voice spoke evenly.
Jason's terrified expression had not left his face, and being approached unexpectedly deep in the woods by a stranger while nude had frozen him in place. A few long seconds tick by. The guy didn't sound threatening, but Jason couldn't muster a reaction.
"Will you hear me out? It is completely fine to decline, and you will never see or hear from me again."
Matthew had been instructed that Jason would respond well to knowing that he could end the interaction himself whenever he chose. That it would assuage Jason's immediate concerns and allow him to listen.
Jason hesitated for over 10 seconds, continuing to consider what action he should take. What are the most likely reasons for this man sneaking up to him? He could not yet make out much detail about the man other than that he was taller and bigger than he was. Jason knew he had to reply.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" Jason wished he had come up with better than that, making sure his tone communicated that he was one foot out the door on whatever this situation was.
Matthew moved a bit closer, allowing the dim light to reveal more of himself.
"Let me explain completely. If you've got a question that can't wait, just let me know."
Jason could see that Matthew stood a couple of inches taller than him, maybe 6'2". Based on his voice, Jason could tell he had some country to him. The blue light shining on Matthew revealed that he was only wearing board shorts, looking ready to swim. He was hairier than Jason with a scruffy short beard and his balance between muscle and fat exuded confidence and control. Jason dared to meet his eyes and was rewarded with a disarming smile. Jason began to accept that he was not in immediate danger, but his mind was still racing.
"Like I said, my name is Matthew. I am here because someone in your life wanted to give you an opportunity. Someone who knows and loves you thought that you may be interested in an encounter with someone like me. They also believe that you would never take a leap like that on your own, short of some kind of perfect storm."
