Editor's note: this story contains scenes of incest or incest content.
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. It involves elements of incest, memory loss, and questionable consent. All characters are at the legal age of 18 or older.
*
"What do you mean you are
doubling
my rent?" Sophia couldn't believe her ears. "I've had problems with the heater for two months already and now you are throwing
that
in my face?" She quickly went to fetch a few papers. Her finger pointed at various paragraphs that highlighted other issues with her apartment. She wasn't an idiot and wouldn't be fooled so easily. The rent was outrageous already, but doubling it was nothing short of highway robbery.
Her landlord shrugged in response while he stroked his scruffy beard.
"Take it or leave it." He stood there with a smug posture. It was clear that he would come out on top regardless of what her choice would be. Either he would get rid of a bratty tenant, or he would collect enough money to tolerate her a little longer.
"Ohh you can bet your ass I'm leaving!" The furious teenager slammed the door shut and sank to the ground. She hung her head low in defeat. The scarlet locks of her hair draped down in front of her face and cast a shadow that concealed her displeased expression.
This wasn't how she imagined her first few months in college to be like. Stress, responsibilities, and unexpected bumps in the road. She reluctantly dragged herself to her phone to make some important calls. There was no other way.
She would need a place to stay at until she found a new apartment. Surely it wouldn't be difficult to stay at a friend's place for a while.
Unfortunately, her streak of bad luck hadn't ended.
None of her friends were up to the task, most of them were sharing a small dorm room with another student. Others still lived at home and didn't have to pay a single cent of rent.
If that were at all an option for Sophia, she would've jumped on that chance immediately. But their situation was probably much simpler. It's true, the only number she hadn't called yet was her father's. She hadn't had much contact with him ever since her parents' very ugly divorce.
If at all possible, she really would've preferred to wait until that dust settled. Maybe even until they got back together. Every child wishes for nothing but to have their parents living together until the end of all days...just like in those romantic fantasy novels. It's a shame that reality often wasn't as neat and perfect.
Still, she was low on money and didn't have much of a choice. It was time to get back in touch with him.
A week passed before she could make the trip to the distant place she grew up at. An Uber drove her all the way out of the city, and into an idyllic little patch of wilderness near the mountains. It was a sight to behold! Nature as far as the eye could see. Which may be awesome as a little kid, but not so much if you're trying to get a proper education and need access to a university. Sophia knew she wouldn't be able to stay for long, it was just too cut off from the rest of the world.
Another hour passed before they arrived, way out there.
The log cabin had been built to last. It had also been built to be remote. It was miles away from the nearest village, and sat in wide-open meadowland near the foot of a mountain.
The setting and the view were dream-like; it was the perfect spot for a getaway vacation. For a small girl just growing up, though, the isolation wasn't very conducive to forming friendships or developing social skills.
Even the dreamlike setting seemed frayed to her now.
The garden just outside the building looked neglected. The flowers were wilted and the bushes were overgrown. There was just too much upkeep involved for a single person to take on.
Sophia sighed. She had repeatedly advised her father to get an apartment in the city, but her old man was just as stubborn as she tended to be.
Sophia gave herself a mental shake. Regardless of what had been advised, and how things had worked out, she was here now. She was visiting her recluse of a father because she had no other real options.
She took her suitcase and rolled it up to the front door before ringing the doorbell. Things were quiet for a moment, until her father opened the door and she finally got to see him again for the first time in months. He looked remarkably happy to see her! Although it did take her aback for a moment to see someone wearing little more than a shirt and underwear, but it was a hot summer day. These old cabins weren't built with a modern AC to keep the temperatures down.
Despite her earlier confidence, guilt invaded her precious mind once more as she remembered the details surrounding the divorce. Her father's wife -- her mother, had cheated on him with another guy -- and while Sophia hadn't even known of her mother's infidelity until after the house had been turned upside down, she was still her mother's child as much as she was her father's. That's the thought she couldn't shake off. Half of her was undeniable bad -- at least as far as he was concerned. Maybe she shouldn't put this kind of pressure on him, she thought. Surely, she would be able to find another place to stay at, at least temporarily.
"This is...it was a bad idea, sorry. I'm just gonna-"she felt herself interrupted mid-sentence as his hand quickly reached for her shoulder.
"Don't be like that." He pulled her in for a warm embrace and held her for the longest time, to cherish her warmth. "You will always be my princess, and you will always be welcome. It's your home too, right? Come on in, I really don't mind. It would benefit both of us anyway. Lord knows I hadn't had company in a while." When their emotional moment came to an end, she rolled her suitcase inside and had a look around. He had taken care of the interior well enough, no visible dust or dirt. It certainly looked better than the apartments of her previous boyfriends -- guys tend to get sloppy when they live alone. But this was a pleasant surprise.
"It looks nice in here," she smiled warmly. "I see you have been keeping yourself busy!" Her curious gaze kept wandering about.
"Yeah." He lifted her luggage and began to carry it upstairs while she continued investigating the state of the house. It was an upsetting discovery when she opened the fridge and found nothing more than beer and plenty of frozen meals. Her mother used to cook proper meals each and every day. It was always fresh. This certainly wasn't.