Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

PROLOGUE

Blackwood Mountain, Alberta, Canada
February 2nd, 2021
1:45 AM

The cabin creaked unpleasantly as the harsh winter chill beat on its old wooden walls, but it held firm and steady like a reliable, smooth brand of whiskey. A thick layer of snow, two feet deep, lay on the hills and winding trails of the mountain leading up to the welcoming lodge.

If one were to head up to this lodge at this moment, the first thing they would smell would be burning firewood and the faintest scent of alcohol. The first thing they would hear would be the overlapping voices of several drunken young adults inside. The first they would see would be a young man staring solemnly out the oversized kitchen window, clad in warm winter gear and a thick beanie that covered his head securely.

This young man is Caleb Hackett.

He stared out into the white abyss, nothing but darkness and a freezing chill greeting him back.

Well, that's what he assumed.

What he, as well as the rest of his friends, of which included his little sister Kaylee, didn't know, was that they were all being watched by the careful eyes of an unknown, armed man.

Still, Caleb had the strangest inkling that he, and the others, weren't alone tonight, and he fought an uncertain shiver as he closed the window's blinds, but only halfway. Just in case.

Behind the boy was a group of giggling people — his friends. One such friend went by the name of Laura Kearney, a blond and total bombshell, a confident girl with some connection issues — and she was snickering and leaning towards another one of her friends.

"Oh my god, I can't believe we're doing this!" She said toward Emma Mountebank, another gorgeous blond girl with a bright aura around herself — but were anyone to look closer they would see a painted mask over a fragile self—esteem.

Before Emma can reply, a wicked grin on her otherwise delicate features, another of their little group interjected. This was Kaitlyn Ka, a quick—witted but kind girl with a fiercely loyal heart toward anyone she considered a friend. "This is fucked up, guys, c'mon, we can't do this," She warned, worry shining through her dark, warm eyes.

Emma sighed painstakingly, rolling her eyes to the ceiling in a dramatic showing of annoyance. "C'mon, we all know she deserves it!" Here, she skipped further away from the group, and like a pack of sheep, they followed as if unable to resist her natural charm and allure.

"It's not Kaylee's fault she has a huge crush on Jacob!" Kaitlyn shot back in reply, trying so hard to bring her friends back down to earth — but it's inevitable — they're too drunk and too influenced by Emma and Laura's excitement to deny either of them anything. Even Abigail Blyg, a petite girl who was generally considered the most rational and sweet of the entire group, was playing along with their cruel scheme.

Jacob Custos, Kaitlyn's longtime childhood friend was a dumb but soft—hearted boy — who made more mistakes than he didn't — replied to her with a slurred snarky tone, "C'mon, Kait, she's been flirting with me all day today – when she knows that Emma and I are dating."

"Seriously! And if she falls for our little message, then it just proves that she deserves it even more! Going after a taken man? I mean, come on!" Emma ranted, trying to convince Kaitlyn to join them in their quest to 'burst Kaylee's bubble' as they called it — but she wasn't biting.

They all headed up the stairs to begin their cruel prank, including Laura's goofy, but charming redheaded boyfriend Max Brinly and Nick Furcillo, a young Aussie boy known for typically being polite and respectful. Kaitlyn grimaced and stared after them uncertainly before she bit the bullet and chased up the stairs with a different goal in mind.

She called out for Kaylee, praying she found her before something bad happened.

Back downstairs, Caleb swore he saw someone outside walking around. He said as much as he turned around, looking for kinship in his closest friend, Ryan Erzahler. "Did you see that? My dad said it was just us this weekend, but—" Caleb stopped, realizing that Ryan was, in fact, passed out drunk at the bar.

Ryan was a gentle young man who struggled with empathy, but was fiercely protective and trusting of anyone he allowed to see behind his walls. He and Caleb had been friends since birth, and Caleb was proud to call the other his brother.

Still, he sighed as he went over to nudge at the man, trying to rouse him. He felt like they were being watched — and yet, when he glanced back at the window, he saw no sign of life. Just snow and darkness.

Seeing Ryan as a lost cause, Caleb abandoned him to instead try to wake his drinking partner, Dylan Lenivy. He was the resident clown of the group, often relying on jokes rather than being serious — though, in reality, he was terrified of being rejected should he ever be his real self. Caleb had a special relationship with Dylan that was hard to put to words.

Caleb was disappointed when Dylan failed to stir, too. He huffed out a frustrated sigh, giving a spiteful glare to the once full whiskey bottle that lay empty between the two boys.

He headed toward the exit of the kitchen and found himself pausing near a crumpled—up piece of paper lying near the door. He bent down and opened the letter with a careful, curious touch.

He saw a familiar blocky scrawl littered with misspellings, vaguely recognizing it as Jacob's.

'Hey Lee

You look amazing in that outfit. Is that a new tattoo? It's so hot.

Let's meet in your bedroom, at 2 AM?

Em doesn't have to know.

Jake xxx '

Caleb frowned in disgust, crumpling the paper back up and throwing it toward the trash can. He missed, but he didn't care at the moment. He was more disturbed by Jacob, who wouldn't hurt a fly and was utterly smitten with Emma, trying to cheat on her with his little sister.

Surely, Kaylee wouldn't do that, he thought to himself. She was a reasonable girl. No matter how much she liked Jacob, she'd never hurt Emma like that.

His stomach turned, unsettled.

Caleb was correct in his unease — as, upstairs, Kaylee was approaching her room with a fluttery stomach and warm cheeks. 

She'd been trying for years to get Jacob's attention — and she'd finally caught it. Her butterfly tattoo, which she had gotten done by a trusted friend, rested on her shoulder comfortably. She knew it would get his attention — he always talked about how much he liked tattoos, and sure enough, only a month after she'd gotten it, here she stood, about to be with him for the first time, ever. 

It felt like a dream.

She entered her room, palms clammy as she took in the sight of Jacob standing in the middle of her room, smiling at her coyly. She shared his smile, heart racing in her ears.

"Jacob, hi," She breathed, nervously fiddling with one of her long, auburn curls. She stepped close to him, only giving him a foot of distance. He grinned at her, utterly handsome and charming as he ran a hand over her cheek.

"Hey, Lee, you made it," He murmured back, and she found herself stepping closer toward him, her lips parting as she took in his inviting, earthy cologne. He stopped her from getting too close, tilting his head at her as he winked, "Maybe we should... get comfortable? That shirt looks... itchy, if you know what I mean," He smirked down at her.

She flustered. Oh. She hovered her hands over the buttons of her shirt — hesitating for the first time since she'd read that letter. But then she met his eyes and remembered all the times she wished she hadn't been a coward and told him her feelings.

She unbuttoned her shirt, and he helped her arms slip free, the cloth hitting the wooden floor with a dull thud. She stood in her best bra, her breathing shallow as she leaned closer to his face.

This was it. Finally. She could finally —

Jacob shoved her away.

What?

Her friends began to pile out of hiding places, cans of silly string in their hands as they all pointed and sprayed at her half—naked form.

She cried out, covering her body as best as she could as the cold, wet feeling of silly string hit her. They all laughed at her, Emma's phone up and on as she filmed her cowering form.

"And here we have Kaylee the Homewrecker, ladies and gentlemen! Look at her sad little face!" Emma laughed snottily.

"As if I'd actually kiss you," Jacob laughed as well.

Kaylee's eyes welled with tears.

What?

It... he...

Oh.

oh.

Kaylee ran.

She bumped into Kaitlyn in her flurry — ignoring her concerned call for her to stop.

"Kaylee! Wait! It's just a stupid..." Kaitlyn trailed off when Kaylee didn't acknowledge her, and whirled on her heel to jab a finger at Jacob's chest. "What the fuck was that?! That wasn't a 'harmless prank' Jake, that was just mean and — and bullying!" She half—slurred.

"She's a big girl, Kait, she's fine." Jacob rolled his eyes.

Kaitlyn resisted the urge to kick his drunk ass in the balls. Instead, she ran and tried to catch up to Kaylee.

Back in the kitchen, Caleb startled when he saw a crying Kaylee run past the very window he couldn't stop eying. He froze for a moment, unsure of what to do, before bolting out of the kitchen and toward the front door of the lodge.

He finds the others standing around outside, calling for Kaylee. He pushed through them all, a wave of righteous anger in his chest. "What the hell's going on? Why is Kaylee running out here crying?" He demanded.

Jacob scoffed, nudging at a wasted Nick, who swayed in place with a nauseous expression, "C'mon dude, it's not that serious. We were just messing around. She got butthurt for no reason."

"No reason?!" Kaitlyn shrieked, reaching up to pinch and yank at Jacob's pierced ear. He cried out as she kicked his shin, too. "Get fucked, you prick!"

Caleb shook his head in stunned silence. What the fuck did these guys do to his sister? How... how dare they?

"It was just a prank, Caleb!" Emma whined at him, pouting as if that would get him onto her side.

He sneered at her, at all of them barring Kaitlyn. "You guys are fucking assholes. I've gotta find my sister. Kaitlyn, sober them up. Wake Ryan and Dylan." He ordered and left before the swaying girl could do more than nod at him.

He ran through the thick blizzard, shielding his eyes from the harsh winds as he tried to follow the rapidly vanishing footprints in the snow.

He nearly tripped but steadied himself, struggling to breathe in as the freezing air restricted his lungs and tightened his throat. His head whipped around desperately as he sprinted, refusing to slow even as he barreled past a gang of elk, which spooked and bolted in response.

He nearly cried out in relief when he found her, huddled in a ball in the middle of a clearing. She was half-naked, and he didn't even think before he shook his jacket off his shoulders, wrapping it around her as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Holy shit, you, you must be freezing, Kaylee," He shivered, helping her arms into the sleeves. She whimpered and sobbed into his chest, her head shaking wildly in denial.

"I'm so stupid, Caleb, I... I'm so dumb!"

He tried to reassure her, fixing her hair out of her face — when a crack sounded out behind them.

A menacing, warbling growl.

"Kaylee..." He warned, grabbing her hand in a vice grip. She returned the hold, eyes locked onto the nearby woods. It was pitch black, but there was someone there. Some thing.

"Caleb..?" She whimpered in reply.

The thing launched toward them.

They ran. Ran like their lives depended on it because it did.

Kaylee tripped as they passed through the path's bridge, her phone slipping through the cracks, and Caleb hauled her up, adrenaline pumping his blood and keeping him from looking behind them as the creature gave chase.

He's so fucking focused on getting away from it that he doesn't even realize where they're being corralled until they're already at the edge of the cliff.

There's a flare of flames somewhere in the woods, but Caleb's more focused on his little sister clinging to him as the creature grew closer and closer, her heart racing against his arm as they unwittingly back away further and further despite themselves.

"No! Get the fuck away, you freak!" Caleb spat, snarled at the beast approaching them.

Then Kaylee missteps, and they fall.

Caleb snatched at a branch at the very last second, stunned and desperate as he looked down at Kaylee clinging to his other hand. The branch creaked and bent under their combined weight.

There's another flare of flames and a pained screech and cry from whatever that thing was.

Caleb tried so fucking hard to keep ahold of his baby sister. Tried to keep ahold of the branch that keep them from plummeting down into the depths of whatever lie below them.

A hand jerked toward his face from above. Caleb fought the urge to flinch away, to let go, and gaped up at the masked figure holding out their hand. He shook his head dumbly and the figure leaned down closer, trying to grab at his wrist.

Caleb gasped for air, shaking his head slowly. He shouldn't.

But...

"I'm so sorry!" He spit out, jerking his wrist until Kaylee's grip was knocked loose.

"Caleb-! No!" Kaylee gave a shrill scream under him as she plummeted.

Caleb hiccoughed a sob, swinging his free hand up towards the stranger above him, trying to take their hand.

Snap. Crack!

The branch broke.

The moon shone above, mourning the unfortunate events that befell the two siblings. And everything else that was to follow, only one year later.

Chapter Text

RYAN ERZAHLER
Road to Blackwood Mountain
February 1st, 2022
9:34 PM

A bus winded and weaved down a mountain side road, with a single passenger inside — a familiar face, by the name of Ryan Erzahler. He sat, eyes watching the passing scenery with a detached interest, his focus more on what was playing into his ears. A podcast.

"Welcome to Bizarre Yet Bonafide! The podcast of the paranormal." A garbled voice spoke behind a drop of creepy sounds and music. He closed his eyes as the familiar voices of Grace and Anton washed over him, the believer and the skeptic, as they introduced themselves and began their usual run of comedic quips.

However, he felt his focus turn sour when Grace revealed the topic of the episode. " Well, Anton, we're here today to discuss a fresh new update on Blackwood Mountain's missing Hackett siblings! Oooo ," She crooned enticingly.

Ryan's shoulders hiked up anxiously, and he grabbed his phone to stop the podcast — but he stopped himself in spite of his rising bile. There was a morbid curiosity in whatever they were going to say about Caleb and Kaylee.

"You mean the ones you're convinced were taken and turned into... What'd you call it? It was some stupid name... Fleshstalkers?" Anton deadpanned back in his usual, uninterested manner.

"No. Anton. Skinwalkers." She stressed. "And, anyway, that's NOT the point of this episode. While I'm still a firm believer that those two kids are no longer human, the news I have to share with you iiisss...!"

"Oh my god, get on with it, Grace," Anton sighed and Ryan was reminded as to why he was his favorite of the duo.

"The family has called off the search, a year after they first disappeared, the DAY before the anniversary. Caleb and Kaylee Hackett are now, officially, presumed dead!" Grace's cheery tone was soured by the sickening news she'd given, something that Anton immediately called her out on.

"Hey, tone down the perkiness. And anyway, you mean they didn't find anything? No clues, no bodies? What about the old sanatorium on the mountain?"

"I knew you listened to me when I rant about this stuff!" Grace cooed, but continued quickly, as if aware she was being horribly insensitive, "And apparently, according to the Sheriff, Travis Hackett — and yes, he is in fact the UNCLE of the missing teens — he and his officers searched the grounds, but deduced that the siblings themselves couldn't have made it that far."

"Yeesh, he's the uncle? That's gotta be hard to just give up like that.." Anton hissed, giving a shudder. "You know, something about that mountain gives even me the heebie jeebies."

No one's talked to Travis since that night they reported Caleb and Kaylee missing. Ryan knows that it's because he hasn't stopped looking for them. Thinking about Travis and his desperation to find his niece and nephew ached at him — so Ryan shoved the thought away.

"Oh, yeah, you're telling me!" Grace scoffed to him. "And that's what I'm trying to say here, Anton, is that there are actual skinwa—"

Ryan turned off the podcast, grimacing to himself as the news whirled through his mind.

They'd called off the search? It's only been a year and they just... gave up. But... Chris, nor Travis, they would never just give up, right?

But... Ryan supposed that explained why Chris hadn't argued when he had asked for the keys to the cabin. Why he hadn't questioned why Ryan needed them. There wouldn't be an investigation going on up there, so there was no point in closing it down.

He wrapped his finger around the cords of his earbuds, tugging lightly until they slipped free and rested on his chest, the rest tucked under his shirt.

He wasn't too sure why he was doing this. Why had he thought this 'reunion' was a good idea? He barely talked to half of these guys anymore.

But he supposed the more surprising thing was that every single one of them agreed to meet back up at the cabin. Growing up together, they had always gone there on holidays. When they were younger, usually Chris Hackett, Caleb and Kaylee's father, came with them. But once they got older, he began to let them go alone.

Those 'winter getaways' were something Ryan had always cherished and wished would last longer than they did. A break from his neglectful mother, and having to parent his own little sister, to instead spend time with friends that he loved and felt safer with than he ever did back home.

But.

This year was different.

They weren't all friends anymore. Hell, the only ones Ryan could stomach talking to weren't even involved in the prank — Dylan and Kaitlyn. The others sent a rage through his heart and made him bitter. If he forced himself, he could talk to Nick and Abi, but it was still hard.

And even still, in spite of his reluctance, he had invited every single one of them, even Jacob and Emma.

He was eager to get off this bus and headed to the cabin.

He only hoped that things didn't derail like they always tended to. Someone always fought with someone, and Ryan always had to break it up.

He sighed in relief when the bus squealed to a stop, and stood, tossing his backpack over his shoulder. He nodded at the bus driver, familiar with him after all these years. The driver waved him off with a tired smile — and Ryan stepped off the bus, trying to ignore the feeling in his chest that was telling him this was a horrible idea.

He pushed through the gate leading to the path for the cable car station — trying to ignore the feeling of being watched. He smiled briefly to himself when a friendly squirrel ran between his legs. He watched it quickly scurry up a tree, giving it a short wave.

The gate leading to the cable car station was busted — that much he knew from Chris's warning when he'd sent the keys in the mail. So he didn't bother with trying to push it open, and began to scale the rock wall carefully and slowly.

Once over the wall, he noticed a bag sitting abandoned on the bench near the cable car station. He frowned, walking toward it. He recognized it instantly — Kaitlyn's bag, black with pink linings, and a phone was sticking out of the front pocket of the bag, buzzing wildly. 

Ryan looked at the screen, seeing 'Dylan Is Calling'. Ryan glanced around himself, calling out, "Kaitlyn? Your phone is buzzing.." 

No reply.

Ryan lowered his hand to grab the phone, and lifted it, looking down at the screen with an indecisive hum. Should he answer? What if it was important? What if Dylan needed help?

"Nosy much?"

Ryan jumped, nearly dropping Kaitlyn's phone as he whirled around to see said girl staring at him in half-hearted disappointment. 

He stammered. "I — well, it was — I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine, just give it," She rolled her eyes with an easy smile, holding her hand out for her phone. Ryan's cheeks were warm as he handed it to her, apologizing quietly. Kaitlyn's hair was shorter than Ryan was used to seeing, cutting off at her jaw, and she had a new nose piercing. A year had changed her, had changed all of them.

Privately, Ryan wondered how much Dylan had changed, despite video-calling often. It’s one thing to see it on the screen, and another to finally see him in person again. Just seeing Kaitlyn in person was already a trip, being able to actually reach out and touch her instead of being separated by a screen and shitty college internet.

"So, Ry-Guy, stooping to my level, huh?" Kaitlyn teased, tucking her phone away after typing a message into it. She pulled him into a quick hug, and he sank into her embrace gratefully. She had this way about her that made you feel... safe. She pulled away to pinch at his cheek, winking. "Wait til I tell Dylan the news. 'Ryan the Snooper'." She said, mockingly awed. "He'll be in love."

Ryan shoved her hand away, ignoring the burn of his cheeks at the mention of his best friend. She loved to tease him about Dylan — especially after Ryan confessed to her that he had a crush on him.

She was insistent that he tell Dylan, that Dylan felt the same way — but Ryan disagreed. Sure, Dylan flirted, but Dylan has always flirted with him. It wasn't actual flirting — Dylan just... liked to joke around like that. As much as Ryan hated to admit it, he knew he had zero chance. Who would want him?

"Shut up. Where were you? I didn't see you walk up." He asked, watching as the girl gave a sly grin. Kaitlyn took his arm, tugging him to the side of the building where Ryan knew a shooting range lay. 

Chris loved to go shooting — though he was all for gun control, believe it or not, and hated going hunting. He was actually the reason the group had any training in shooting, having given them lessons one summer many years ago.

"I was having a little refresher course. I was about to do my last round when I heard you call out." Kaitlyn explained as she led the way down the short path.

Ryan rolled his eyes, smiling fondly. Kaitlyn was a sharpshooter — never give her a Nerf gun unless you wanted to fear for your life. Himself, on the other hand, liked the thrill that shooting gave him, but lacked much coordination and needed a big target most of the time.

"I'm assuming you're killing it?" And Kaitlyn gave him a proud smirk, eyes glittering with pride.

"You know it, Ry-Guy!" She nudged him with her shoulder, smirk broadening teasingly. "Maybe you should brush up on those skills of yours too, you might just impress you-know-whoooo," She sings, and Ryan groaned, going to retort until he saw something on the side wall of the building.

A wanted poster.

Kaitlyn followed his gaze, a frown filtering onto her face. "Woah, spooky. Has that always been there?" The top half of the poster was ripped off, preventing the face of the wanted person from being seen.

Milgrim, Victor
Age: 62~
Height: 6'1"
Last Seen: Blackwood Pines, 2/1/2021
Wanted in connection with a first—degree arson offense, as well as various death threats.
Anyone with information regarding this dangerous criminal should contact the BPMC as soon as possible.

"Last seen a day before... a day before Caleb and Kaylee disappeared." Kaitlyn trailed off, glancing over at Ryan. "I didn't know they had... a suspect..?"

Ryan shook his head. "Neither did I."

"Think we'll get a visit from 'America's Most Wanted'?" She snorted lightly as if trying to soften the mood. She failed, but Ryan wouldn't let her feel bad about it.

"Looks like someone thought so." He drawled, and gestured toward the shooting range with an impatient flap of his hand. "C'mon, let's go. I'm freezing."

They continued onward, and Ryan settled back on his heels as Kaitlyn grabbed the shotgun laying on the side of the fence of the shooting range.

KAITLYN KA
Lower Cable Car Station
February 1st, 2022
10:00 PM

Seeing Ryan in person again was unbelievably nice — he looked good, if not a little sad.

It's not like she hasn't talked to any of the others since that night — after all, she had been the one to reach out and suggest they all meet again to try and make amends. 

But it's been a year — and Kaitlyn isn't too sure that Ryan has forgiven the others. Or even her. He never said it, but she knew he thought about it. She had every chance to stop them that night. But she had been too slow, too drunk, too stupid to do a damn thing about it.

Kaitlyn readied her shotgun, aiming for one of the sandbags hanging from a rotting tree branch.

She could barely even remember that night. But she knew she wasn’t alone in her anger towards the others, although Kaitlyn was a bit more lenient on Nick and Abi in particular. They had been drunker than her , and from the brief conversations she's had with both of them, their memories of that night were a big blackout blur too.

Don’t get her wrong, she wasn't excusing their involvement. Drunk or not, they still chose to go along with it, so Kaitlyn knows they're not innocent or free of blame. She just... Kaitlyn missed her friends, missed messing around and having fun like before. 

Before Kaylee and Caleb… Ugh.

And while she'd never voice it, a tiny part of her had been mad at Ryan and Dylan. Both of them had gotten absolutely shit-faced, worse than anyone else. If they hadn't drank so much, maybe the prank would've been stopped before it could've happened. Maybe the siblings would still be here.

She knows that it's unfair of her to think like that. 

What would they have done, as drunk as they were? Dylan was stupid when drunk and Ryan got clumsy. They probably would've failed just like her.

Her shot was perfectly centered in the sandbag. She lowered the shotgun to smile cockily over at Ryan, who gave her a few congratulatory claps. She gave a curtsy, though made sure not to point the gun anywhere near Ryan.

"Still got it, baby," She boasted, earning an eye roll.

"Yeah, yeah. Finish up, it's fucking freezing out here." He griped, and she complied, turning back to the range with a short chuckle. Then, as she readied her finger over the trigger, aiming at a bottle, she couldn't help but tease him.

"Jeez, Ry. Making a gal hurry to go see your man, hmm?" 

He let out a choked stammer, cheeks darkening, and she pulled the trigger, the bottle exploding with a pleasant explosion of glass.

"Dude, shut up! I don't..." He scrubbed at his face, stubbornly looking away from her. "He doesn't like me like that. He's just messing around." His foot kicked at the ground.

Kaitlyn wished he didn't believe that.

Dylan was completely smitten with him — that much she knew. Neither of them ever acted on it because they were both idiots with low self-esteem. Whereas Dylan was convinced that he would get rejected, Ryan was in denial that anyone could be genuinely interested in him.

Idiots, seriously. Kaitlyn isn't sure why she puts up with them. Even back in high school, the two pined like lovelorn morons.

But GOD, enough about them.

Kaitlyn has been doing... okay? 

She's in college, majoring in engineering, and she's been talking on-and-off with this one cute girl in her woodworking class. She's considering asking her out, but every time she works up the courage she chickens out the second she looks the girl in the eyes. She's not too sure if it's her subconscious telling her it's a bad idea, or if she's not ready for a serious relationship yet.

For now she's letting everything go with the flow, and fingers crossed the girl will ask her first so she can stop staying awake at night thinking about it.

"Okay, Ryan, I'll stop," She conceded. She didn't want to be a hypocrite, you know? If she can't ask the girl she likes out, she can't exactly pressure Ryan about Dylan.

...Even if she knows the answer would be an 'absolutely, yes, marry me now'.

She really missed Kaylee. That girl would knock some sense into Ryan way better than she could. And poor Caleb would probably shove Dylan into Ryan's arms every chance he got, his own feelings be damned. Those two were two peas in a pod, little masterminds hidden behind their quiet, polite demeanors. 

She shot again; another sandbag.

Ryan shifted on his feet, sighing impatiently, and she turned to him with an apologetic, pleading look. “One more?” She begged.

He sighed again. “Fine.” He crossed his arms and she reloaded the shotgun for the last time, lifting it carefully.

Her finger hovered over the trigger, and she took a slow breath. Where to aim, where to aim…?

Her eyes caught onto a squirrel crawling up a barrel, sniffing at the spilled feed from a sandbag above it. She hesitated — not to decide whether or not to shoot, because she would never, but more in curiosity. 

Why wasn’t it hibernating? Was it disturbed by something?

She shook the thought away. Not important.

She quickly turned the gun away, and shot far away from the squirrel at another bottle.

“Nice shootin’, Tex,” Ryan said in an awful southern accent, and she huffed, placing the shotgun down after turning the safety back on.

“Hey! I’m the sassy one in this friendship, Ryan, so knock it off,” She griped playfully, wrapping her arm around his neck and pulling him close. He squirmed and nudged at her with his elbow, but a small laugh left his lips. She considered that a victory, letting herself laugh a little too. Ryan didn’t really laugh anymore — it was like trying to squeeze a resistant zit half the time trying to get him to even so much as smile.

Unless it was Dylan, and then Ryan was just like before, laughing and grinning like they hadn’t lost two of their closest friends. Kaitlyn envied their closeness sometimes. She and Jacob had been close as kids, but after all these years, after the prank, they’d grown apart.

She can’t remember the last time it was just the two of them, Jake and Kait. It didn’t help with Emma — who took up all of Jacob’s free time in the worst ways. She wished the two would just break up for good — they were constantly fighting. 

Jacob needed to be wanted and Emma wanted to be needed. That awful combination had resulted in… well. That night.

Kaitlyn could speak until she was hoarse and blue in the face, but Jacob wouldn’t see the truth until Emma herself smacked him with it. Metaphorically, she hoped.

"So," Ryan's voice broke through her thoughts as they headed toward the door of the cable car station. She glanced at him. He looked pensive, reluctant, "Did you see anyone else arrive? Before I showed up." He clarified.

Kaitlyn puffed a small breath, silently thanking him with a nod when he held open the door for her. She leant against the railing nearby. "You're the last one, actually. Dylan and I came together, but he wanted to head to the lodge first so he could get the power and heat on for everyone. So we split up. Abi wasn't long after us." 

She was counting on her fingers as the cable car slowly began its descent from the top of the mountain and toward them. 

"Then, the power couple came," Meaning Laura and Max, "—and then Nick came. And, finally, the last two."

Ryan's nose wrinkled at her last sentence. "I... is it bad I was sorta hoping they wouldn't come?"

"Jacob and Emma? Or all of them?" She asked carefully. She understood why he was so hurt. The Hackett family had always been there for him when he needed a break from his home life. 

"Both? Mostly those two. I dunno." Ryan said, shrugging his shoulders. Kaitlyn gently kicked his ankle from her lounge, urging him to continue, and he scowled, kicking back just as soft. "The others, they, they went along with it. But those two… Emma filmed it, and Jacob did that to Kaylee. I'm not gonna... m’not gonna beat the shit out of them, but fuck, for a while I really wanted to."

Since that night, Kaitlyn knows that Ryan's gone into fitness more, lifting weights and building up his muscles. It shows — and though he's not large and broad like Jacob, still on the slimmer side, Kaitlyn was confident that he could kick some ass if he wanted to. She thinks maybe working out and getting stronger was Ryan's way of proving to himself that he wouldn't let it happen again. She’s not sure he could handle losing anyone else.

She knows because she’s the exact same.

She'd thrown herself back into working on cars with her mom and going on three-mile runs every morning as a way to work through her mind and the swirling thoughts on how she could've done something to help, something different than just stumbling around and calling out for Kaylee.

"Yeah," She says lamely, realizing the silence was beginning to drag between them, and then retried at his unimpressed look. "You don't have to forgive them, Ry. Hell, the fact alone that you invited them for this is impressive enough, you know? If I was you, I... I probably would've only asked Dylan and I to come."

"I almost didn't," Ryan sighed, and nodded toward the cable car as it settled in front of them, its doors opening for them to enter. He continued as they sat down together, warming his hands under his thighs. "I had a long talk with Chris before I invited them. He told me that it was a stupid accident, that... they had no way of knowing that Kaylee would do that. And for a while... that made me angry, you know? Why was he so forgiving of them after what they did to his daughter, his children? But then, I thought about it, and... they..." He stopped.

Kaitlyn carefully leaned into him, rubbing his back. She could tell how important this was to him, and how hard it was for him to get the words out. He sucked in a sharp breath and kept going.

"I tried to think about how it could've been different, how I could've stopped it, but. There's nothing I can do now. It's like Chris always said to us, you know? You can't control the past, you can only—"

"Accept it, and help it shape your future." She finished for him, smiling weakly at the familiar statement. It was right up there along with Mr. Hackett's other favorite quote to lecture them with, 'What doesn't kill you will make you stronger'. 

Kaitlyn always thought it was just an old dude trying to offer unneeded advice, but maybe Ryan had a point.

Maybe Mr. H had some decently wise words somewhere in that brain of his.

The cable car continued upward the mountain, the snow growing ever thicker, the wind blowing ever harsher.

LAURA KEARNEY
Upper Cable Car Station
February 1st, 2022
10:30 PM

The screech of the arriving cable car had Laura’s head looking up, her hands stilling from where they were running through Max’s hair as he rested his head in her lap. She glanced down at him and he shrugged, waving a lazy hand.

“It’s prolly Kaitlyn and Ryan, no biggie,” He said, and Laura nodded quietly to herself.

The guilt she felt was immeasurable. She was usually level headed, usually the most strict one that followed the rules — but one too many beers and she ruined an entire family’s life. It was hard to look Ryan in the eyes and pretend like she wasn’t the reason his closest friends, basically his siblings, were gone.

A part of her was hopeful, optimistic that they were alive out there somewhere. But the rational part of her knew it was a lost cause. They’d been dead the second they stepped out into that harsh blizzard, underdressed and tipsy.

“Think he’ll even talk to us?” She asked her boyfriend, who sat upright and fixed his hair with a frown. She and Max had broken up for a while, after that night. It’d taken six months for her to face him, and for him to face her, and accept that they couldn’t go back and fix what they did.

They’d vowed to move on together, even when Max admitted he’d been rejected from college. Laura wouldn’t let something like that rip them apart, no matter how irritated she’d been that he hid it from her. Laura loved Max — and she was content in that he loved her back. It was always an in-group joke that they were soulmates, having dated since the sixth grade. Max always agreed and Laura would always joke that Max could never get rid of her anyway.

“Eh, I give it a 50/50 chance,” Max shrugged back to her, taking her hand when she tensed at the sound of the cable car’s doors opening with a painful squeal. He leaned toward her to press a soothing kiss to her forehead, and she leaned into him reverently, wishing this moment could last forever. If it did, then maybe she wouldn’t have to look Ryan in the eyes and remember what she caused.

It had just been a stupid little idea.

She never told the others, and only Emma knew the truth.

The prank had been her idea.

Emma had been complaining for days about Kaylee and her not-so-subtle crush, and Laura couldn’t take listening to her whining a moment longer. She told Jacob what to write down, she told Emma to film it, she was even the one who bought all of that fucking silly string.

And if she’d just kept her mouth shut — if she tolerated Emma’s petulant jealousy, then Kaylee wouldn’t have been hurt like that. She never would have run into the woods and Caleb would never have chased after her. They wouldn’t be gone.

The guilt wrecked Laura every single day.

She could never, would never forgive herself.

She wiped any evidence of her thoughts from her face when Ryan and Kaitlyn piled out of the cable car, arms linked together.

“Hey, guys,” Max stood, hand intertwined with hers, and she allowed him to pull her upright despite wanting to resist, wanting to turn away and pretend like she was busy with something on her phone. “You get up here okay?”

Ryan’s face tightened, but Kaitlyn spoke up, her arm tightening around his. “Well, I was convinced we were gonna freeze to death or the cable car would plummet, but I’ve been worried about that since we were all kids. So, yeah, it was pretty okay I’d say.” She hummed casually.

Kaitlyn was lovely — she always knew how to keep a conversation going even if she sometimes struggled with saying the right thing. She still remembered those accidentally cruel words from Kaitlyn when Emma’s favorite toy broke, only worsening eight-year-old Emma’s crying. That had been one craaazy birthday party.

It also helped that Kaitlyn was more forgiving than anyone Laura had ever met. It was a wonder how she and Jacob were still friends with all of his fuck-ups. But maybe that’s why she was so lenient — years of practice.

“Me and Max were taking some time together before going to the lodge, and, uh, and seeing everyone else,” Laura said quickly when Max gave her a look that screamed for her to say something. “But really, it’s so good to see you guys.” She added.

“Yeah. You too.” Ryan said in return, and Laura nodded to him. It was a little stiff, but she could tell he meant it.

God. It was so awkward. Things used to be so easy. They were all family and nothing was hard, no secrets or hidden hatred. Now, Laura could barely talk to them without wanting to run away.

“Oh, if you see any of the others before us, can you let them know that someone left their bag here?” Max broke the empty silence that followed Ryan’s curt reply. He gestured over to the bag and continued. “I didn’t want to grab it, in case they meant to leave it here, you know? That’s probably stupid, but—“

“No, no. It makes sense,” Kaitlyn reassured, her hand waving in the air lightly. “Remember that one time we were gonna surprise Ry-Guy here with presents for his birthday, so we left them here to give to him on the last day? Same thing, just… a bag.” She ended, a bit awkwardly, but it got them all to laugh.

Laura felt a small chip fall from the unending weight on her shoulders. Good. Okay. Just keep the mood light and away from anything regarding last year. And when in doubt, turn to the usual suspects that loved to lighten the mood — two out of three already standing before her, being Kaitlyn and Max. They were just missing Dylan, wherever he was.

“Alright, well, we’ll do that,” Kaitlyn said, arm tugging Ryan forward and away from them, “And remember to turn your phones off unless you want them to die — no more service out here.” She warned. 

Laura nodded, biting back the bile that rose at the reminder of why there was no more service.

The storm that night — the winds had been so harsh and rapid that most of the power lines had snapped. The poor, unfortunate Hackett family had been so focused on finding Kaylee and Caleb that they still haven’t fixed it. In any other circumstances, Laura would’ve complained about not being able to use her phone for the next few days — but in this case, it just felt wrong.

“See yah!” Max called after Kaitlyn and Ryan, who were already further away than Laura had realized. She waved after them reflexively when Max nudged her, and sighed in relief when they were out of view once more. Max hugged her to his side, kissing her forehead again. “We’re okay, Laura, really,” He whispered against her skin.

She closed her eyes, leaned closer to his warmth and took in the familiar scent of his aftershave.

Sure, they were okay, but Kaylee and Caleb weren’t.

EMMA MOUNTEBANK
Path to Lodge
February 1st, 2022
10:45 PM

"Seriously, couldn't they have built the lodge closer to the cable car?"

Emma closed her eyes in frustration at the very familiar sound of Jacob's whining, steadying her breathing before replying so it wouldn't turn into another snapping reply. "It's all about the pretty view, Jake!" She chirped, hiking her bag more over her shoulder as he sulked behind her. "And the lodge is a private dwelling so it couldn't be close by anyway, otherwise the local skiers would be trespassing."

"Oh... right," Jacob sighed pitifully, rolling his head back dramatically, "Still annoying."

"Put your big boy pants on, and stop whining," She scolded, biting back the urge to cuss him out further. She's trying to be better; but it's hard to manage when you can't stand your partner. When everything they do or say sends a rage in your chest and makes you want to rip your hair out, whether or not they deserve it.

Maybe, if she was lucky, she could get Abi to stick with her and make Jacob feel too awkward to cling to her. Or maybe she could get Nick to distract him to give her some goddamn space.

Fuck. Is that shitty of her? Probably. She was a shitty person.

"Fuck, it's freezing," Jacob hissed behind her, and she rolled her eyes to the sky, biting back the sudden urge to scream at him. She told him that he should've worn his warmer jacket, that it was going to be one of the coldest nights of the year. Did he listen? Of course not.

"We're almost there." She says instead of any of that, grimacing as they walk under a bridge passover, the rotted wood crying and creaking under their combined weight.

"You think everyone's coming?" Jacob asked, grunting softly as he fixed one of his two bags more over his shoulder. Emma almost ignored him, but she wondered the same.

"No clue. I hope Abi and Nick are." They were the only two that weren't pissed at Emma anymore. Everyone else barely spoke to her if they could help it, and rejected any offer to hang out. But those two didn't just talk back to her, they would reach out, too. She appreciated them more than they would probably ever know — they kept her sane when all she wanted to do was scream and lose her shit. 

She missed Laura, sometimes. Her first best friend, and partner-in-crime. She also resented her sometimes, letting Emma take the fall for something that wasn’t even her idea in the first place.

"It's definitely gonna be weird," Jacob began, his voice solemn for the first time since the trip began. Sometimes Emma wondered if he even felt guilty about what he did, what they all did. It never felt like it — and half the time he pretended it didn't happen. "I mean, what do you think—"

A figure jumped out in front of them, screaming at them.

Emma shrieked, flinging herself back several feet and Jacob wailed loudly, dropping both of his bags to the ground.

And then she saw who the figure was.

"Fucking — Dylan!" She stomped her foot with a heavy pout, glaring unamused as the tall man cackled in their faces, clutching at his stomach.

"Holy SHIT, you guys—you really should've seen your faces just then—" Dylan wiped at his eyes, chuckles leaving his lips as Jacob gasped for air, holding at his chest dramatically. Emma crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, a mix of annoyed and amused as Dylan calmed himself down.

"I almost just punched your lights out, I hope you know that, man," Jacob groaned, and Dylan shook his head, grinning at them slyly.

"Really? Cuz it sounded like you were gonna piss your pants, little girl," He mocked, and despite herself, Emma snorted, a grin springing up on her lips. Dylan gestured to her, smile widening at the encouragement. "See? She agrees."

"You did scream and hide behind me," She said to Jacob, who harrumphed and turned his face away, embarrassed. She snorted again and rolled her eyes, this time toward Dylan, whose broad shoulders shook with silent laughter.

“Anyways,” Dylan stressed, a smile resting neutrally on his face as he calmed, “I just couldn’t resist, sorry. I’m gonna go see if Kaitlyn is headed up the path yet,” He gestured behind them with an amicable wave of his hand.

Emma smirked to herself, “Wasn’t she waiting for Ryan? That’s what she told us,” She asked coyly, but knew she was caught when Dylan’s cheeks pinkened and he flipped her off, tongue sticking out.

“And so what if she was? Why would I care?” He sniffed, and she hummed right back, aware of Jacob’s pouting face softening into a fond smile at the casual, playful jabbing between the two of them. Emma understood where his mind was at, and hoped he was right — maybe there was hope yet. Maybe they could be forgiven.

“Hm, so you’re not still hopelessly in love with him?” She asked and he groaned, shoving past them with a flustered expression on his face. She blew a kiss after him, saying, “Miss you already! Give them a kiss for me!”

“Or more for Ryan, whatever you’re into!” Jacob joined in, and Emma snickered to herself when Dylan’s hands were thrown up into the air in exasperation, pace quickening as he ignored them.

They waited until he was out of view to turn back to the path, Jacob picking his fallen bags back up and over his shoulders. “He looks good,” Emma said, once again leading the way. This time, their arms brushed together occasionally.

Emma fought the urge to pull away.

Jacob nodded, a content smile on his face. “He does! His hair is short,” Jacob noted. Emma nodded, thinking back. His hair was shorter than they’d ever seen it. It suited him.

“Last I heard from Abi, she dyed her hair dark pink.” She said in return to Jacob, who hummed to himself curiously, head tilting and eyes squinting as if trying to imagine it.

“Huh. Cool.”

Silence fell between them, and Emma was glad for it. She needed to get through this get-together and then she could break up with Jacob.

And maybe dive deeper into college, get more serious with her YouTube channel. She hasn’t posted as much since last year, and her subscribers are beginning to complain about her increasingly larger periods of absence. Maybe she could get some cool mountain shots tonight, and over the next few days. Maybe even some clips of her and her friends hanging out.

Yeah, that might be nice.

She blew out a sharp breath and watched the white cloud escape her mouth and up into the air.

She could do this.

Grin and bear it, Emma. Grin and bear it.

ABIGAIL BLYG
Hackett Lodge Grounds
February 1st, 2022
10:55 PM

Abigail leaned her head down to look through the viewfinder, gasping softly to herself in awe when she found a bird in a tree. She bit her tongue to focus, using a knob on the side of the viewfinder to zoom in a bit more.

“Cute!” She cooed, tugging her phone out to snap a picture — only to remember that she’d already turned it off to save the battery. She deflated, pouting to herself.

Behind her, sitting on a bench, Nick laughed at her disappointment as he stood to join her at the viewfinder. “What kind of bird is it?” He asked, his arm brushing hers. Her face felt hot despite the icy chill of the night making it numb.

“I think a red robin,” She answered after finding the will to unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth, swallowing roughly when he leaned down to look through the viewfinder, his body pressing fully into her side.

Her hands were clammy in their gloves, and she resisted the urge to smack herself to calm down as Nick grinned, lifting his head. “Looks like it! It’s a cutie,” He said, and she smiled, nodding in agreement. “You gonna draw it?” He suggested, and she squealed softly in excitement, digging through her bag for her journal.

“Yes! Why didn’t I think of that?” She said, and he shrugged easily, winking at her. She nearly choked on her spit, and managed to keep her cool on the outside.

“Well, I am a genius,” He fibbed, and she giggled, peeking through the viewfinder again to begin drawing.

As she began to sketch the bird, Nick’s arms stretched above his head as he yawned. She fought the urge to look at his strong stomach as his sweater lifted with the movement. Her entire face felt like it was on fire.

Her crush on Nick was so frustrating sometimes. She became a total idiot every time he spoke to her, stuttering and blushing, practically forgetting how to speak. Emma always teased her about it and insisted that she just go for it — but she could never do that. If it didn’t work out, how would she and Nick stay friends? It would be too awkward. And what if Nick didn’t like her back, but was too polite to say no? And then they had a relationship built on lies, and Abi would hate every second of it.

Just… gah! At least with her previous crushes throughout the years, she hadn’t been so shy and timid. But Nick had this way of making her melt into a puddle just by looking at her with his soft puppy eyes. She practically swooned every time he said her name in his addictive accent.

“Jacob, Emma, hey!” Nick suddenly called out.

Abi’s head jerked up to see the two walking up the path, blatantly not looking at each other. Her mood rose even more than before at seeing Emma, and she abandoned her drawing to rush over and embrace the blonde excitedly.

She missed her.

It’s only been a few months since they were able to meet with their busy schedules, but it felt like forever to her.

She needed her best friend — even if sometimes, her best friend did disappointing things. And it wasn’t like she could talk, either. One sip and she was swaying on her feet, willing to obey anything Emma told her to do that night.

“You look amazing!” Emma gasped as they pulled away, eying each other with matching smiles. Abi briefly looked over at Nick as he gave Jacob a bro—hug, before turning back to Emma. “The pink, it’s just — it transforms you, honestly!” Emma’s eyes were roaming around her hair and face, gleaming. Abi blushed at the attention.

“You do, too! I like the bangs!” She said, swallowing dryly as Emma preened and ran a proud, perfectly manicured hand over said bangs.

“I agree,” She hummed.

“Hey! Guys! Look at this!” Jacob shouted off to the side, and Abi startled, looking over as Emma groaned, crossing her arms. Jacob was looking through the viewfinder, though it was turned away from where Abi had found the red robin.

They all went over to Jacob, taking turns looking through. Nick grinned, laughing to himself and Emma fist-pumped at her side. Abi looked into the viewfinder last to see Kaitlyn, Dylan and Ryan standing on the path. The latter two were hugging as Kaitlyn held her phone up at them with a grin.

Abi’s inner child that believed in true love gave a squeal as she looked up to Emma, smiling widely.

“Ten bucks they get together by the end of all this?” She wagered. Emma’s smile grew wicked, and she nodded. They shook on it as Nick watched them fondly.

“No chance they do, they’ve been dancing around their ‘thing’ for three years at this point,” Nick denied, shaking his head — and Abi waggled a finger at him.

“No one likes a negative-nancy, Nick,” She said, and he snickered in reply, rolling his eyes. Emma wrapped her arms around both of them, swaying their bodies back and forth. 

“I missed you guys so much,” Emma said.

Abi went to reply, when, “Yo! The door’s locked! What do we do?!” Jacob called to them from the lodge’s front door.

Emma groaned, pulling away from them to storm over to Jacob. “The fuck do you mean, ‘it’s locked’?!” She snapped, and then the two were going at it like always.

“Did you not hear me? I said it’s locked! Not my fuckin’ fault!”

Abi grimaced and looked away, heart twisting, and met Nick’s uncomfortable eyes.

“One couple gets together, another breaks up?” He suggested quietly, and Abi snorted, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Wanna bet on it?“ She asked him. He jerked his head to her, already laughing to himself.

“What’s with you and bets tonight?” He asked, and she shrugged.

“What’s the harm? This is gonna be a long couple of days.” She said, and this time he shrugged, seeing her point.

She turned toward the lodge, looking up at its large, menacing form. For a place she’d always seen as cozy and a second home, for some reason chills ran down her spine.

She had a bad feeling.

She swallowed roughly, shaking it off. Not the time or place. They were here to have a good time and rekindle their friendships.

Not… not bring up bad memories.

She took in a slow breath, and despite not being religious anymore, Abi prayed to whoever was listening that everything would go okay.

Unfortunately for Abi, no one was listening that night.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWO: Obscurum

NICK FURCILLO
Hackett Lodge
February 1st, 2022
11:15 PM

"Shit, is it just me, or was it harder getting up here than usual?"

Nick turned toward the familiar voice of Dylan - a fond smile already springing up on his lips. He stood between Kaitlyn and Ryan as they walked up the path, arms wrapped around the two as he bemoaned.

"Feels the same to me," Ryan said, and Kaitlyn wasn't far behind with saying:

"Maybe you're just out of shape, DJ,"

And Dylan gave a dramatic gasp, gloved hand on his chest. "I'll have you know that I... am totally out of shape. But it was still hurtful," He sniffled falsely, pouting his bottom lip out. "Plus, I've been up and down here twice in the last few hours, I have an excuse."

"Mm, riiight," Kaitlyn dismissed, smirking.

Those three were always in their own world when they got together. Everyone else faded away and nothing could come between them. Nick missed when they were kids, and he was the new kid that everyone thought was weird because of his accent. He missed it because Dylan had been the only one to come up and talk to him like he was a normal human being and treat him like a real friend.

But then Kaitlyn invited Ryan into the group, and then Dylan apparently had more important things than talking to the European weirdo no one really liked.

He wasn’t even European, which was almost more insulting.

...He shouldn't sound so bitter. It wasn't that cut and dry - Nick hadn't tried to keep Dylan close, either - just moved on to Jacob as his closest friend.

A choice that he regretted now. He loved Jacob, loved all of them, but listening to Jacob and his stupid ideas were the reason that Nick was an outcast all over again. And this time, he couldn't blame it on the ignorance of childhood.

"Hey, you made it!" He worked up the courage to speak, moving from his spot beside Abi on the stairs to meet the trio halfway. Dylan gave him an easy, unbothered smile as if nothing had changed between them and pulled him into a hug. Nick clung back and tried to telepathically scream all of his apologies and regrets he wanted to say.

Kaitlyn gave him a casual, distant wave and Ryan barely looked up, but Nick expected that - so he's not too hurt by it. He's not too close with either of them - hell, at this point he's not too close to Dylan - so he's not exactly expecting cheering and hugs and kisses. But it's nice they aren't actively being rude or angry.

"We made it!" Dylan enthused, pulling away to pucker his lips in thought, tapping on his chin. "Then again, Kait and I were the first ones to arrive, so really, you guys made it."

"Stop using 'logic' and just smile and nod," Nick retorted playfully, earning a quick, light shove in reply. He snorted, then turned to Ryan, intent on acting as if things were normal even if they never would be again. "The cabin's locked, by the way. Jacob wants to break it open but Emma managed to convince him to wait for you."

Ryan grabbed at his hip, holding up the ring of keys he'd been given by Mr. Hackett. Nick pretended not to see the sparkly pink key that was to Kaylee's treehouse.

He and Ryan headed up the stairs together as Dylan and Kaitlyn stayed behind to talk with the others, and Nick silently prepped himself to say something, anything.

"Hey, man, so..."

Ryan's dark eyes snapped toward him, hand pausing where it was inserting the key into the keyhole. Nick froze, mind blanking. Why was he so intimidating now? Why was it so hard to push more than two words out?

"Uh, yeah, so," Nick swallowed and tried to be as casual as he could, crossing his arms over his chest. "You... you doin' alright? I know it's hard, with everything that happened with—"

"Stop." Ryan cut him off with a sharp shake of his head. "I know you mean well, but I really don't want to talk about that tonight. We're just supposed to have a good time, okay? None of that—oh, shit." Ryan sighed, turning back to the door.

"What's wrong?" He asked, stepping closer to eye where Ryan was trying to turn the key, but it wasn't budging. He sucked in a breath, "Shit, the lock's iced?"

"Of course," Ryan sighed tiredly, pulling the key free and tucking it back onto the key ring, which lay on one of his jean's belt loops. "I'll go find a different way in and fix it." He said, and Nick nearly offered to help.

He had so much more to say. More to do. He couldn't stand the disappointment in his eyes when he looked at him.

But, like a coward, he nodded and followed Ryan back down the stairs. He stopped beside Abi and watched as Ryan began to walk to the side of the lodge with a neutral scowl on his lips.

"What's up with the door?" Jacob asks him, and Nick snaps to attention.

"The lock is frozen - Ryan's finding another way in to melt it for us." And here, Dylan frowns, brows furrowing.

"It wasn't frozen when I came up earlier for the lights and heat." Then his frown grew. "Hey, and the lights are off again? I turned them all on!" He gestured to the lodge, which was dark on the inside.

Nick's skin crawled. That was weird. Did someone else turn the power off? Or even break it? What if Dylan couldn't fix it and they all froze during the night? It was already below freezing and dropping. And what if—

"Weird. Maybe the Hackett family didn't pay their last bill? At least we've got backup generators." Kaitlyn mused, far less concerned than Dylan, who shook his head and began to run after Ryan to help. "Hey, where are you—?"

"Do any of you know how to work the generators and other systems?" Dylan said over his shoulder rhetorically. Kaitlyn shrugged her assent.

Nick relaxed a little. Backup generators, right. That made sense. Dylan could fix that. He was handy in the same way Kaitlyn was with cars and guns. Besides, why would Mr. H let them come up here without any power? He was far too responsible to do that. They probably just... bugged out.

He knew it was normal to get freaked out after what happened - but he still felt embarrassed for getting freaked out so easily by something as small as the lights going out. What happened to Kaylee and Caleb was still a mystery but Nick's overactive mind had a year to imagine dozens of possibilities. And none of them had been pretty. He could allow himself to be on edge, but he still felt a little ashamed at how quickly his mind had jumped to something being afoot.

"Max and Laura aren't up here yet, you think they—" Abi cut herself off, paling, and Nick almost began to reach out to hold her shoulder comfortingly when Emma moved first and did it for him.

"You know them, Abs. They're probably too busy locking lips to remember to head up here," She joked, and Abi calmed, smiling wearily up at her. Nick stepped closer to them, and Emma looked at him, winking. "Remember freshman year?" She asked.

Nick flushed. He did. He and Emma had fake-dated for a while in freshman year so that she could make Jacob jealous. They'd often hide in rooms and pretend like they were making out to really sell it. No one but Emma and him knew the truth, but he was certain that Abi had figured them out a while ago.

"Allll-righty then, enough of that," Jacob said, wrapping an arm around Emma, his tone gaining a hint of jealousy just like in freshman year. Nick choked down a snicker. Emma wasn't as polite - and snorted in his face. Jacob soured. "What? Why are you laughing at me?"

"No reason," Emma shrugged, glancing off to the side. Nick bit his tongue when Jacob looked at him for answers, barely managing a straight face.

The man cursed lowly to himself, pouting. "I never understand your inside jokes."

Nick hoped it stayed that way. It was more fun.

Abi's arm brushed his. Nick instinctively looked down at her, a smile turning up his lips at the sight of her amused face. She smiled back, her pink hair blowing into her face as the wind cried and flew wildly around them. His hand itched to help fix it behind her ears to clear her warm coffee brown eyes from the thick, curled strands.

She was beautiful. Nick knew she liked him - it was hard not to - and if he wasn't such a coward he would've asked her out ages ago. He's scared she'll panic and say no - because he's seen it happen before with her previous crushes back in school. Poor Jeanie Simmonds had been crushed when Abi had shrieked out a, "Me? Date you? Uh. Uh. Sorry, no! I... bye!" in the middle of the hallway.

And as vindictively smug he was that Jeanie hadn't gotten what she wanted, it only proved that there was no way he could confess without her most likely rejecting him. Not only would she not want to ruin their long-running friendship, but Abi was incredibly shy around him. Sometimes, Nick worried her 'crush' was truly just her being scared or intimidated by him. That maybe, he was too forward or too intimate in his wording for her liking and it made her resent him but being unable to voice it due to her timid nature.

Abi was one of the sweetest girls he's ever met, and that's why he could never confess. Because he could never reach her expectations of him that have been formed over the years of him trying as hard as possible to be purely platonic with her. What would she think if she found out he had a fondness for dirty jokes and dark humor? Abi wasn't quiet about her distaste for raunchy humor and it was often the only time anyone sees Abi get properly frustrated.

So Nick tried to suppress that part of him to keep her affection for him - and wondered with jealousy how Emma and Dylan got away with their jokes and jabs when Abi usually grew upset at that sort of thing. The one time he'd joked like that, Abi had given him a long, hesitant look that had him apologizing and promising that it wasn't his joke, just something he heard.

"Heya, guys!" A bright voice called. Nick looked over in unison with the others to see Laura and Max walking up, deciding disheveled. They were definitely making out. He just knew it. A glance at a knowing Emma confirmed his thoughts.

As the others explained the waiting situation to the couple, Nick mused about Emma this time.

He and Emma have had a weird relationship since they first met. She, at first, dismissed him as a quiet nerd and avoided talking to him like most everyone else in school. But after Dylan had integrated him into the group, she treated him like he was one of her best friends. Even after they fake-dated and subsequently fake-broke up, she remained close to him. While he wouldn't consider her his closest friend, that spot was somehow taken up by Jacob, Nick had her placed comfortably in second place, tied with Abi.

Sometimes he wasn't sure how he felt about Emma. While their relationship had strained a bit after last year, he knew that she hadn't been sober that night and that despite her misgivings with Kaylee, she would've never done that in her right mind. So he had allowed himself to respond to her texts, allowed himself to accept her invites to hang out, and even offered his own.

And though it was rare and few between their different schools and being across the state from each other, Nick cherished the days when he and Emma could spend time together.

But sometimes, it confused him. And he wasn't too sure why.

He knew he liked Abi, and he was confident in his crush on her. But sometimes, like now in this very moment, when he looked at Emma, he felt the same exact way about her.

And Nick wasn't sure what to do with that.

DYLAN LENIVY
Hackett Lodge
February 1st, 2022
11:20 PM

"Ryan, wait!" Dylan grabbed for Ryan's arm, stilling the other man just as he rounded the corner of the building. Dylan let him go when their eyes met, not wanting to make him any more uncomfortable with any lingering touch.

He'd already almost fucked up when he hugged him earlier - taking too long and probably making Ryan annoyed. Ryan always got that furrowed, irritated look on his brow when Dylan lingered too long, being too touchy. He was trying to do better, and give Ryan more space, but it was hard when all he wanted to do was hold Ryan and tell him everything was going to be okay.

"Lemme come with, the power cut out again, gotta fix it," Dylan said quickly before he could get told to fuck off, hoping he didn't look as awkward as he felt as he rocked on his heels. Ryan's eyes darted back to the others briefly, lips tightening.

"Don't you wanna catch up with them?" He asked, and Dylan softened. Sure, he missed the others, and sure, being with them again felt like he could finally breathe without choking on his regrets and the lingering taste of whiskey on his tongue.

But Ryan was Ryan. And Dylan was hopeless.

"You're here too. I wanna catch up with you." The red on Ryan's face that grew at his words had to be a trick of the low light, Dylan insisted to himself. Ryan hated when he flirted - always rolled his eyes at him and dismissed his words, changing the subject. There was no way Ryan would ever blush because of him. Hell, no one has ever blushed because of him. He was Dylan - nothing special.

And, even if he was blushing, it had to be because he was uncomfortable with him. There was no other alternative in Dylan's mind - even if he desperately wished otherwise.

"Okay then," Ryan replied, looking entirely disinterested, and Dylan tried not to deflate as he let the other man lead the way. That's alright - Ryan didn't have to like him. Dylan was totally okay with that. "There's a window on this side that's usually unlocked," Ryan explained.

Dylan nodded and rubbed his gloves together to find some semblance of warmth. He glanced around, eyes latching on an ax holder on the wall. He nearly ignored it - until he saw that the ax itself was nowhere to be seen.

He beelined for the ax holder, ignoring Ryan's confused "Dylan?" in favor of kneeling before it with an investigative hum. The lock wasn't broken on it, nor was the glass shattered, so whoever took it had a key. But why would they? And where was the ax now?

"Did Mr. H mention a missing ax?" He asked. Ryan joined him at the ax holder, hip brushing Dylan's shoulder as came to a stop. Dylan hoped the sudden flush of pink in his cheeks came off as a result of the harsh winds.

"Huh. Weird. He didn't mention anything to me." Ryan shrugged, almost bored as he looked down at him. "Why does it even matter?" Dylan's shoulders hiked up the slightest bit. He couldn't do anything right, could he?

"I guess it doesn't," He bit back a sigh and stood upright, a lump forming in his throat. Of course, it didn't matter - Mr. Hackett or one of the other Hackett's probably forgot to put it back the last time he was here. What was he thinking? It was like he wanted something bad to happen.

Then Ryan spoke again, "I'll let Chris know when we get service later this week. Good thing you noticed."

Dylan's lungs loosened a little bit and he smiled softly to himself. Okay, so Ryan didn't think he was a total idiot. Just a little one.

"Yeah, for sure," He sucked air in awkwardly between his teeth as they both approached the window, rocking back on his heels as Ryan tried to grab at the sill, but wasn't tall enough.

He waited a beat to see if Ryan would realize the problem, but the other man was stubborn and refused to admit defeat. Dylan waited for a short moment of hesitation before attempting to help.

"Hey, maybe—" He began to gesture to the large, sturdy trash bin nearby when he found himself interrupted.

"I've got it," Ryan snapped, and Dylan fell quiet, looking down at his feet as Ryan huffed and cursed to himself, hopping up and down in his attempts. Right. That was stupid. Standing on it would probably just break the bin.

Dylan fiddled with the zipper of his jacket, his heart thudding awkwardly in his chest the longer the tense silence between them dragged on. He knew the instant Ryan gave up because the other young adult kicked the wall of the cabin and groaned.

He held up his hand like a meek child in class and waited until Ryan's unamused expression was upon him. "Yes, Dylan?" He asked, entirely deadpanned, if not a little out of breath from his failed attempts.

"I think I'm tall enough to reach it. Let me?" He said, and Ryan looked between him and the window with narrowed eyes. Dylan swallowed dryly and continued, "And we could use the bin to boost us in, if—if that sounds like a good idea to you."

A pregnant pause - before Ryan visible slumped on himself, sighing loudly in exasperation. "Ugh. Fine. You're right. Sorry."

Dylan smiled softly at him. "It's alright. Today, and the next few days, they're gonna be hard. But... I'm here for you." Too clingy, Dylan, dial it back—"And Kaitlyn. We've got your back."

Ryan returned his smile with a tiny quirk of his lips. "Thanks. I... I didn't mean to snap. I know you're just trying to help. I just—the second I came back to this mountain, everything from last year just..." Ryan's head shook.

"All came flooding back? Yeah, I know the feeling, man." He laughed dryly, without humor, and Ryan echoed him quietly. "Was honestly worried me and Kait would have to hold you back again when we saw Jacob."

"Yeah, well, at least now he knows he can't underestimate me anymore. Besides, you two probably couldn't hold me back this time." Ryan gave a shrug and his newly formed muscles visibly moved with it under his layered sweater jacket. Dylan tried to pretend like that wasn't the hottest thing he's seen in a while.

"Psh, have you seen my muscles?" Dylan retorted with a playful grin, flexing his arm to show off the nonexistent muscle there. He's rewarded when, instead of a tired sigh and eye roll, Ryan laughed as if despite himself at his usual antics. "I could totally hold you back, string-bean."

"Oh?" Ryan's small smile broadened the slightest bit at the banter, and Dylan held his breath when Ryan tilted his head at him and his teeth became visible as his smile fully bloomed. "I doubt it, but okay."

"Jeez, cocky, are we?" Dylan mused lightly as he grabbed ahold of the bottom part of the window and lifted, flipping it open with a quiet creak. He nearly fell backward at how easy it was, having used more force than necessary - Ryan caught him before he could do more than stumble half a step. Oh fuck.

Face, stop fucking blushing. This was not blush-worthy. So what if Dylan could feel all of Ryan's muscles down his back? So what if it was very impressive that Ryan could hold him upright without so much as a grunt? He could be chill about this. He was chill.

"Help me push this?" Ryan broke him from his gay thoughts, releasing him to grab at one end of the bin. Dylan grabbed the other side and heaved in sync with Ryan. It was surprisingly heavy - rather than empty as he'd assumed. He wondered to himself why the Hackett's hadn't emptied the trash yet before he mentally slapped himself. They hadn't emptied it because they hadn't been here for a year. No shit, Dylan.

Dylan clapped his gloved hands together to rid himself of snow and climbed up the bin before Ryan could offer to go first. Ryan was always the one who forced himself to go first and Dylan wished that Ryan would allow himself to be taken care of. He and Kaitlyn tried their hardest to allow Ryan the chance to act his age and let himself be helped, but he was stubborn and hated the attention.

"Careful," Ryan warned when Dylan prepped himself to hop through the window. He nodded down at him with a flash of a smile and threw his leg up and over the sill.

In an embarrassing feat of poor athleticism, Dylan collapsed onto the floor of the lodge's storage room with a groan, back hitting the ground with a shamefully loud thud. He didn't do more than blink twice before Ryan's head popped through the window, face contorted in a mix of concern and amusement.

"You alright?"

Dylan was bright red and he knew it. He heaved himself upright, rubbing at his lower back as it stung from the impact. "Yeah. Yep. Fine. Just went too fast. Dumb." He hissed as he felt a bruise quickly forming near his tailbone, and Ryan relaxed, huffing a short laugh as he easily hopped inside, landing smoothly onto his feet without any struggle.

Dylan blanched, squinting his eyes at the other in a vague betrayal. Ryan shot him a smug look and moved past him toward the exit. "Wasn't so hard," He shrugged, and Dylan resisted the urge to stamp his foot like a child, grumbling to himself under his breath.

"I don't play sports, Ryan!" He griped and kept up with Ryan despite wanting to mope a bit longer.

It was dark in here.

"Yeah. Clearly," Ryan outright snickered, and Dylan whined, shoving at his arm. Fuck. Not only was he making an absolute fool of himself, but Ryan was laughing at him for it. This was the worst. Why couldn't this shit come easy to him as it did for Emma, Laura, or Max? None of them fumbled so pathetically in the face of the person they liked.

He was such a mess. He wasn't sure how the hell no one had seen through his mask yet. The only one who'd seen past it was Kaitlyn, and it was only because he'd let her see. Part of him ached to stop acting so foolish and wild around Ryan but the bigger part of him was terrified that if he acted like his real self, Ryan would only dislike him even more.

He'd been this ditsy, airheaded version of himself for years. He could barely stomach the thought of letting his walls fall and acting like his true genuine self in front of any of them. He'd only done so with Kaitlyn because it had been the day they had come out to each other and that was definitely not the time to be, as Kait put it, Blasé Dylan.

Maybe tonight, and these next few days, he could work on breaking his own walls down. And, fuck it, even when he inevitably got rejected and dismissed for being underwhelming compared to his usual act, he had to allow himself to finally be Dylan Dylan in front of Ryan and the others. He was an adult - and it was time to start acting like it.

JACOB CUSTOS
Hackett Lodge
February 1st, 2022
11:35 PM

The door to the lodge screeched open and they all piled inside, kicking snow off their feet and shoulders as they went.

Jacob dropped his two bags to the floor when everyone else began to shed their extra weight, and he sighed, staring around the familiar floors and walls that he practically grew up in.

The scratch along the floor leading to the stairs from when Jacob had convinced Caleb and Nick to sled down the steps with one of the metal cookie trays in the kitchen. The wine stain on the rug in the living room from when they'd all made a pact to try alcohol together for the first time and Abi had been so nervous that she'd dropped the bottle.

"Is Dylan fixing the heat again?" Nick asked Ryan, who'd let them in alone. Jacob rubbed his arms as his jacket failed to protect him from the harsher chill inside the lodge, hovering beside Emma as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

He knew distantly that he should give her space - that most of their fights were spurred on by his clinginess and oblivious nature. But he couldn't help but cling when he was in the very place that cemented his place in the friend group as the 'resident jackass'.

Nothing measured in comparison to the guilt he felt every day about what he did. He could never say anything because... what was there to say? 'Sorry I agreed to bully Kaylee and didn't try to decline whatsoever, and caused her and Caleb to die?' Yeah, that would go over well. Note the sarcasm.

"Yeah, he'll be back soon. He thinks maybe the wind knocked it off somehow." Ryan was saying as he walked over to the fireplace. "Anyone got a lighter?"

Jacob shook his head, and to his surprise, a guilty looking Laura raised her hand and fished a lighter out of her pocket. "Yeah, here," She said, handing it to Ryan who didn't do more than nod in her direction as he focused onto the fire.

"Why do you have a lighter?" He heard Max whisper to Laura, who bit her lip and shrugged at him. "I thought you quit smoking."

"I did. But after... you know. I'm sorry." Laura said.

Jacob turned from their hushed conversation, disinterested in whatever drama was brewing between them. Instead he focused on Emma, his heart melting at the sight of her disgruntled face.

She was perfect. Even if she got mad at him, a lot, Jacob hoped that she loved him back. His world started to matter the second she came into his life in a whirlwind of perfect eyeliner and sarcastic quips.

And even though they're going to different schools, he thinks that they're managing the long distance as well as they possible can. Sure, she might not reply as fast as he did, and she might leave him on delivered a lot, but she had always done that before, even if it hadn't been as often.

"Hey, by the way, did anyone leave behind a bag at the cable car station?" Kait asked around, receiving mostly blank looks until Abi's head jerked up, eyes wide and cheeks red.

"Uh, me! Shit, I completely blanked!" The girl stood from her stoop on the steps, anxiously shifting on her feet before Nick stood as well, taking her arm.

"I can go with you?" He suggested, and she relaxed a bit, nodding hurriedly.

"Well, you don't have to go now - it's late as shit and getting super dark." Kait cut in before the two could rush out of the lodge, and Jacob found his head nodding in agreement.

Abi didn't look comforted, hugging herself nervously. "It—it's only take half an hour, and Nick would be with me, so..."

"I just... we can wait til tomorrow, right? There's no need to rush and grab it now." Kait's voice was wavering as she insisted to them, and Jacob understood. He'd always read Kait easier than he read anyone else in his entire life.

He fought the urge to walk over to her and reassure her that they'd be fine, that what happened last year wouldn't happen the them. Because if he did that, he'd be lying. He had no way of knowing that they'd be okay, and honestly - the idea of them going out alone was nerve-racking to himself, too.

"Well," Emma sighed brightly, happy flush on her cheeks as she swayed over toward the duo, "I can always go with them. Three's better than two, right?" She smirked, linking her arms with both of them. She was such a good friend to those two, Jacob held back a fond smile.

"Oh, and I can—" But before Jacob can offer to come too, to offer his muscles and his proud two years of boxing experience, Emma sends him a sharp glare and shakes her head once like he'd said something horrifically moronic.

"We'll manage just fine with three. Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks." Abi echoed, oddly... catty? Jacob wasn't sure what the hell he did to deserve this, but he gave up, not wanting anymore of Emma's infamous ire directed his way tonight.

"It'll be fine, bro," Nick added quickly, a half-assed reassurance, but far less aggressive than either of the two girls.

"Oh. Okay. Understood," He held his hands up in surrender, and just like that, his girlfriend led the two away with a smile that looked happier than anything he'd ever seen on her face in the past year alone.

"Rough. They're absolutely gonna hook up." Kait was beside him in two steps, slapping his arm in mocking-sympathy. Jacob's head jerked to look down at her, incredulous. What?

"You mean Nick and Abi? They'd never do that in front of Emma. Hell, they would never do that, period." He said, and Kait shook her head at him like he was a sad, stupid puppy.

"Sure, bud. Sure."

Jacob frowned to himself in confusion. What the hell was Kait trying to suggest? What, that all three of them would... no. There was no way. No.

He shook his head in denial. That was a stupid suggestion. Emma was loyal to him. She would never, just like he wouldn't.

"Hey, Ryan?" Max called in the hanging silence.

Ryan sighed from where he was struggling to light the fire. "Yes?"

"Laura and I, we need to talk about some things. Can we head to the guest cabin?" Max asked, his hand curled around Laura's tightly despite the obvious displeased aura around himself. Laura herself looked at him solemnly, then down at her feet with a reluctant expression.

All this over Laura smoking again? Jacob didn't get the point. But the two had the longest running relationship in the group, so maybe talking about little things like that were why they hadn’t broken up yet.

Ryan shrugged, not turning to look at any of them. "Sure. Go ahead. Keys are on the side table by the door. It's the smallest gold key."

Max nodded and pressed a short kiss to Laura's chin before leading her away with a short wave in farewell. "We'll probably spend the night there. See you tomorrow morning, guys."

Kait nodded, smiling softly. "Yeah, tomorrow morning."

And Jacob waved broadly, uncaring of where they went now that Emma wasn't here. The only one he really had a relationship with in the group besides Emma (and Nick, though Jacob didn't really count him since they were just friends) was Kait, and that was because she was basically his annoying little sister.

“Hey, Jake?” Kait asked him, her nose wrinkling the tiniest bit.

“Yeah?” He asked, grinning at her.

“When’s the last time you showered? You stink like shit.”

Jacob gaped at her. He stunk? “What? I took a shower yesterday morning, and I—“ Shit, had he worn deodorant today? He sniffed his own armpit and nearly gagged. Whoops. That was a no. “Okay, you have a point,” He grimaced.

“Is Dylan almost done? It’s been ages.” Kait asked Ryan, who stood, wiping his hands on his jeans briefly — a neutral frown on his lips as he pocketed the lighter.

“I can go check on him. The basement is a maze sometimes, especially when looking for the backups.” He said, not an inch of animosity in his voice toward Kait, and Jacob couldn’t help but be jealous. He knew why - Kait had tried to stop them and Jacob had been the main culprit - but part of Jacob resented the fact that Ryan was insistent on holding a grudge an entire year later.

“Okay. Well, I’m not tired at all. Is there anything I can grab in the game closet that you’d be willing to play?” Kait asked, headed toward said closet as Ryan hummed, head tilting in thought.

“Surprise me?”

“Hah. You’ll regret saying that, Ry-Guy.” She winked. Ryan huffed a laugh as he headed for the stairs leading to the lower floor.

Jacob watched him, and then looked at Kait and realized that in under five minutes, Emma left him behind and he was alone with his thoughts.

Oh, the horror.

MAX BRINLY
Path to Guest Cabin
February 1st, 2022
11:40 PM

“We gonna talk about it yet? Or do you need more time?”

Max looked patiently at Laura as she hesitated, voice giving a short croak of an aborted attempt to speak. He'd wait forever if he had to, even if this was important.

He hadn't expected her to whisper that in his ear. Hadn't expected to feel sick to his stomach about events from a year ago. And definitely hadn't expected the large wave of disappointment that had crashed onto him when he realized she was telling the truth.

But no matter how her shameful confession of her involvement made him feel - it utterly paled in comparison to the immeasurable love he felt for her. He'd forgive her for most anything. She could try to kill him and, hell, he would probably find a way to make it his fault.

The trees cried as wind rushed through their dead leaves, bending and straining the branches barely holding on. The path was barely visible as they walked together, but thankfully Max knew the way there like the back of his hand.

"It's so hard to talk about because I have no excuse for it. I was sick of being Emma's relationship therapist and instead of giving her shit for it, I turned it onto Kaylee and I... for the longest time, I felt no regret for it."

Laura looked disgusted in herself. Max hugged her close to his side and hoped that, in being there for her, she would be a little easier on herself.

"Honey, you... you were drunk that night. And you... you are one of the kindest souls I've ever met. When I see you working on your college homework and you have to watch those videos of the animals in pain - and I have to hold you while you do because it makes you cry - it only proves to me that you never meant for any of this to happen."

Laura sniffled into his side, wiping at her eyes with shaking hands, and he pulled them to a stop. He cradled her face in his hands, wiping at the wet marks going down her cheeks. His eyes latched into hers and he never wanted to look away.

"Laura, I love you. Everyone else, they love you too. Even Ryan - no matter how upset he is with us. And if they knew you were responsible? They would all say 'Laura? Impossible; she's the best of all of us'."

"But I still did it." Laura retorted weakly. Max let himself kiss her nose, resting his forehead on hers and breathing in her fading perfume deeply.

"Yeah, so you did it. And we all went along with it. What does that say about us? Do you think I'm a monster for being too drunk to realize we were being awful? Nick, Abi?" Her eyes grew a hint angry at the suggestion, a fire lighting in her eyes.

"No, of course not—" And Laura stopped, a wet laugh leaving her. "You're not smart." She said, pinching his side. "I totally didn't fall for that trick."

"No, of course you didn't, you're too smart for me," He smirked back, and she sighed shakily, finally relaxing properly into his embrace. His hands moved from her face to her waist, and he hugged as tightly as he could.

"I love you, Max," Laura murmured into his neck. His heart fluttered like it always did when she said that, and he kissed her jaw happily.

"I love you too, hon."

They pulled away after a long, intimate moment of breathing into one another's skin and pressing soft, chaste kisses into wherever their lips could land.

They began down the path again, and this time Laura clutched back at his hand, close to his side rather than dejectedly, stiffly, following behind. She held her head up higher and Max smiled at her, butterflies in his chest at how utterly perfect his girlfriend was.

However, his mood shifted when he saw that the path was now obstructed by a large pile of rocks. "Ah, shit. The hell do we do now?"

"Those rocks - they used to cover... that." Laura pointed toward their right, and Max looked over with a frown. A cave entrance, pitch black and a warning sign that screamed for them to stay out.

"I guess the police moved them over when they were searching for Kaylee and Caleb." Max said, walking toward the newly opened cave and blindly pushing at the gate to walk in.

"Max, wait, what if—"

Max fell when his feet found nothing but air, and Laura screamed for him.

"Max?!"

He groaned, rubbing at his head as he sat up, looking toward the drop-off he'd fallen from. "I, I'm okay. Just. Didn't expect that."

Laura stared down at him worriedly, strands of hair slipping from her ponytail as she looked around for a way to get him back up. "I don't, I don't see a way up. Can you see anything?"

Max looked around.

A mine cart was in the way of the only way forward he saw, halfway on the rails under it. Ahead of that, he vaguely saw the creeping of moonlight, and two diverging paths.

"I see a way out over there." He pointed, and Laura nodded to herself. "Hon, stay there and I'll—" Laura jumped down and landed with a low grunt of effort. Max stared at her for a moment of exasperation. "Well now we're both stuck." He said dryly.

She smiled at him, hand reaching up to thumb at the small bump on his head. "Like I'd let you explore the cool mystery cave without me." She retorted back playfully, and he grinned, shaking his head.

Wasn't he supposed to be the protective one?

Nonetheless, he gestured to the mine cart in the way. "Help me push it, hon?"

They grunted in unison as they pushed the cart forward, and Max's ears ached as its rusted wheels gave a pained squeal at the movement. He nearly slipped on the loose dirt under his feet but steadied himself as they pushed cart forward a few feet to open up the path.

When there was enough space for the both of them to slip through, they released the cart and high-fived one another with panting breaths and relieved smiles.

"Nice. Let's go," Laura smiled, headed down the path with careful steps, avoiding the rocks and strewn about mining equipment. Max followed her steps exactly, eyes wandering around as they moved for the light ahead.

There was a discarded cigarette on the ground, looking new and unmarred as it sat, not even dusty. Was someone down here recently? Maybe Travis Hackett, Max speculated, knowing that the man was the only other person he knew besides Laura that smoked.

"Hey, up these steps, Max," Laura broke his train of thought, already halfway up the stairs.

He gave a lingering, contemplative look to the cigarette, and then turned and followed Laura.

They moved through the mess of old mining gear, and Max grabbed Laura's arm anxiously when a rumble sounded above them, the dirt ceiling tossing loosened debris down onto them.

"Relax, we're almost out, okay?" She calmed him, hurrying them forward to where they could see the return of the woods and snow.

Max eyed the fallen chunk of the ceiling and let his eyes wander to a map to the mines they were in. It was full of red-inked stamps in various places, all echoing the same thing - 'danger in these areas'.

No wonder the mine was abandoned if it was crumbling like this. Max hoped that the rocks were returned to their place in front of the entrance soon - not wanting anyone to be less fortunate than they were, and be crushed by the collapsing tunnels.

The air was refreshing from the stuffy dust of the tunnels as they returned above ground, and Max rid his mind of the mines entirely. This week wasn't about that.

This week was about him and his friends, and the memory of their lost friends that they were trying to respect and honor.

RYAN ERZAHLER
Hackett Lodge
February 1st, 2022
11:43 AM

“Dylan? You still down here?” Ryan called down the steps leading to the basement.

He never went down here - even when he was a kid. It always set him on edge, leaving him with a bitter anxious tang in his mouth that there was something hiding in the dark corners.

“Yeah! Can you come help me for a sec?” Dylan replied distantly.

Ryan bit back a curse. Shit. Okay. He shouted a ‘yes’ in return, and made his way down the steps with a grimace. He barely avoided stepping on a crumbling step, and hopped over it to the landing below. Fuck, focus, dumbass.

“Where are you?” He asked, loud enough for Dylan to hear in case he was far away.

There was nothing.

Ryan swallowed roughly. “Dylan?” He asked again.

An empty silence replied once more.

“Hey, seriously, where are you?!” He tried not to scream but there was panic crawling up his back. Fuck fuck not again not today not on this mountain, please—

“By the boiler!” A faint voice finally replied.

He sighed in relief, body slackening against the wall for a moment to breathe. He needed to chill the fuck out. Dylan was fine. They were all fine. This week was going to be fine.

When he rounded the corner to the boiler, the last of his tension left him. Dylan was standing at the large water tank, fiddling with something on its side with a confused, frustrated expression.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, joining his side. Dylan glanced over at him, tongue slightly visible between his lips as he focused. Ryan tried to ignore it, avoiding looking at it and focusing instead on Dylan’s eyes. Which wasn’t much better, so he instead turned to look at where Dylan’s gloveless hands were holding knobs on the tank.

“This won’t work. I’m doing what needs to be done but it keeps crapping out on me.” The lanky man complained, and Ryan frowned, too, eyes darting around for a solution.

Dylan continued to curse and fumble with the notch on the tank, which kept threatening to turn back to ‘OFF’ when he let go. Ryan went over to the power system and studied it.

“What if… what if we did it at the same time? I turn it on, and you hold it still?” He asked, and Dylan’s eyes lost their edge of irritation.

“Yeah! Great idea, man, let’s do it.” He urged.

Ryan flushed slightly. Dylan thought this was a great idea. His idea. The thought made him oddly proud, and he fought a smile, turning away from Dylan’s eager face to focus on the power system.

“One, two, three—!” They turned their respective notches at the same time, and the system began to chug, a red light forming above a button. Ryan hit the button quickly, and the light turned green. “Yes!” He enthused, and Dylan clapped excitedly.

“Fuck yeah, that’s more like it!” He cheered, and came over to Ryan with his hand held up for a celebration. Ryan didn’t leave him hanging - and their hands touched in a solid slap. Ryan didn’t linger despite wanting to, Dylan’s large hands softer and smoother than his smaller, calloused hands.

“Looks like you just needed my help.” Ryan said, and Dylan grinned at him, wrinkling his nose a little at him.

“Nah, just dumb luck. It was all me.” He said, and Ryan snorted, gently shoving the lanky man in the side.

“You wish,” Ryan scoffed, and Dylan’s face did an odd thing. It got soft and considering, his eyes gaining a gentle glint that Ryan had never seen before.

“Hey, can we ta—“

thud thud thudthudthud thud

“The fuck was that?” Ryan swung his head toward the unusual noise behind him. Dylan’s hand curled into the back of his jacket and he stood a step backwards, trying in vain to block the taller man with his body.

“What… what is it? A rat?” Dylan murmured, leaning down to his ear to rasp the words. Ryan ignored how that made him feel and kept his attention on whatever was taunting them into the basement.

“I don’t think a rat can do that.” Ryan whispered back.

“Do we… check it out?” Dylan asked worriedly, and Ryan steeled himself. Right. He could check it out. If it was an intruder or something, Ryan was strong enough to fight back. He could do this.

He stepped toward the direction of the noise, and Dylan moved with him, not releasing his shirt. Ryan didn’t have the heart to tell him to stay back when he was obviously as on edge as he was. Besides, the gentle tug and weight on his jacket was oddly comforting.

thudthud CLANK thud thud

Ryan swallowed roughly and went to turn the corner, to see the source of the noise.

A masked figure popped out in front of them, a baseball bat in hand.

Dylan yelped and Ryan moved on instinct, his arms shoving the figure back and twisting on his heel to rush Dylan away and towards the exit of the basement. The figure grunted and stumbled, which gave them time to scale the stairs at a record pace.

“Fuck! The door’s fucking locked, Ryan!” Dylan panicked, voice growing hoarse at his volume and Ryan was starting to freak the fuck out, patting at his pockets only to come up empty handed. The keys were still on the side table by the front door.

“I-I don’t have the keys! Shit—!”

When footsteps grew louder toward them, Ryan whipped around and broadened his body as best as he could, fists raising. Dylan’s hand was back in his jacket, twisting the material and Ryan glared daggers at the figure as it approached.

“Who the hell are you? Stay the fuck back!” He demanded, only to falter a moment later.

The figure was… laughing?

The mask was removed to reveal…

“Jacob, you absolute dick—!” Dylan was suddenly flying past him to shove at the laughing jock’s shoulder, an unusual amount of anger in the typically lighthearted man’s voice. Ryan was right beside him, fighting the urge to punch the man in the face for the third time in his life.

“What—chill out! It was just a joke. I found all this old equipment and movie shit down here, was I meant to just not take advantage of that?” Jacob asked rhetorically and Dylan groaned in annoyance.

“Are you fucking serious?” Ryan grumbled under his breath, only to flinch when the door was unlocked and Kaitlyn popped her head out.

“Why the fuck did I just hear screaming—“ She stopped and stared between a oddly dressed Jacob, a visibly upset Dylan, and a glaring Ryan. “What’d you do.” She deadpanned.

“Wha, come on, you guys are no fun!” Jacob said, pouting at them all as he shrugged the weird robe off and onto the floor.

Ryan’s eye twitched.

“You’re an idiot.” Kaitlyn sighed, opening the door fully to let them all out. Ryan didn’t fight the urge to grab Dylan’s arm, leading the man up and out of the basement with irritation and upset tickling up and down his skin.

That was so inappropriate. After what happened last year, and the fact that Jacob had been one of main perpetrators… what gave him the idea that they would’ve enjoyed that? What told him it would’ve been funny to pretend to be an intruder?

“Seriously uncool, dude.” Dylan scolded Jacob, who sighed and rolled his eyes hard enough that his body moved with it.

“You guys are too sensitive. Is the water fixed? I smell like ass, according to Kait. I wanna, you know, not smell like ass.”

Dylan’s eyes rolled this time.

Ryan let him answer the insensitive idiot as he headed toward Kaitlyn near the coffee table.

“What game did you pick?” He asked, and she bit her lip, wincing nervously at him.

“The spirit board..?” She held it up to him.

Ryan hesitated. A spirit board? He was a skeptic, that much the group knew, but ghosts were the one thing that he somewhat believed in.

Not only that, but… what if they played with it and they talked to Kaylee or Caleb? He wasn’t sure if he could handle that, especially if it was just a prank by the others. But Kaitlyn and Dylan wouldn’t mess him like that.

Right? They… they wouldn’t do that.

Despite his reluctance, he nodded his head.

What could the harm in doing it be?

EMMA MOUNTEBANK
Path to Cable Car Station
February 2nd, 2022
12:15 AM

"So, what bag did you leave behind? I saw you had one with you at the cabin." Emma asked as the three of them moved down the path in a horizontal line, arms linked.

"Oh, it's... just a bag. My clothes..." Abi's face was bright red as she spoke hurriedly, and Emma highly doubted that it was clothes. Nick seemed to agree by the amused quirk of his lips.

"Clothes, huh? You know, when me and Jacob arrived, we actually saw the bag sitting there. It looked pretty small to hold all of your clothes..." She trailed off when Nick nudged her with a smile, Abi's free arm reaching to cover her flustered face.

"It's clothes! It's clothes I swear! Stop asking me!" She begged nervously, and Emma relented, squeezing her arm closer to her side.

"Okay okay, relax, party bear. It's just clothes." She said, tilting her head to rest on top of Abi's. Abi sighed heavily in relief before pouting up at her.

"Why'd you come with? Didn't you want to stay with Jacob?" She asked, and Emma's mood took a nosedive. She fought the instinctive frown at Jacob's name coming from Abi's lips and set her eyes forward to avoid eye contact with either of them.

"Jacob and I..." She trailed off and shook her head. "I wanna break up with him. But I don't. I don't want to do that while we're here. This isn't the time or place, you know?"

Abi and Nick looked at each other from over her shoulders. Nick nodded once at Abi and turned to look at her. "You should do it when you feel is right. But Emma?"

"Yeah?" She asked, suddenly nervous. Why did he have to say her name like that? So soft, so caring, so gentle? It sent shivers down her skin.

"Don't wait too long, okay? When you're with him, you're... different. Angrier, meaner. I like how you are without him way more than I like how you are with him."

Abi nodded her agreement.

Emma couldn't help her smile even as her eyes burned, threatening to fill with unwanted tears.

"I know. I know. I... can you guys, can you be there when I do it? I need my support team," She asked, timid in her meek, mumbled words.

Nick and Abi gripped her closer in sync.

"As if I let you go it alone?" Abi scoffed. Nick hummed and nodded at her words, and added his own two cents.

"Jacob can get over it. We're here for you."

And Emma smiled, a thick sigh of both relief and tension leaving her.

They walked the rest of the way quietly, enjoying one another's company.

Emma loved them. She loved them so much it hurt. But she had no fucking idea how to tell either of them without ruining everything.

When they reached the cable car station, they witnessed something strange, and harrowing.

Emma pulled them to a stop, yanking on their arms the second she saw the door. 

Or rather, what was on the door.

"Oh my god," Abi gasped as she, too, saw it, and Nick left their side to walk over to the door with widened, nervous eyes.

A bloodied ax wedged into the aged wood. Blood spattered all around it. And, pinned by the ax, a piece of paper.

On the paper read:

Welcome back.

"What... the fuck?" Emma ripped the paper free, staring blankly at the words as if that would make them change or disappear. "Who did this? Is this some kinda shitty prank?"

"Max and Laura were the last ones to show up." Nick added, but Abi shook her head in denial.

"They wouldn't do that. Not after last year. This can't have been them. Where would they get an ax?" She reasoned. Emma's hair stood on end and she tossed the paper down when the still wet blood began to drip near her thumb.

"So who did?" Emma asked, and received no answer.

"It's a 45 minute walk back to the cabin," Nick warned, and Emma nodded absently as she took Abi's hand and held her close as Nick led the way back to the other. "We've got to tell the others."

"Wait, shouldn't we bring the paper with us? For proof?" Abi worried, but Emma shook her head.

"No, no way. We need to get out of here." She demanded, and Abi hesitated again, glancing at Nick for help. Emma also looked at him, and the man stammered nervously.

“I, well, maybe we could just take a picture. That way the… the blood doesn’t get on us but we still have proof.” He suggested. Emma nodded and shakily dug her phone out, returning to where the paper lay discarded in the snow to take a picture.

Fuck.

What the fuck was going on?

This better be a fucking prank.

Unfortunately for Emma, there was so much more that she, nor her friends, could ever guess coming.

And there was nothing they could do about it.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER THREE: Secretum

KAITLYN KA
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
12:02 AM

"So, we really doing this?" Kaitlyn asked, settling in her seat at the round table between Dylan and Ryan, who sat across from one another. There were candles lighting up the dim room, and the fireplace popped distantly from another room.

"Talking to little baby ghosties? Hell yeah," Dylan snipped back, friendly and sly, and she huffed, snorting softly. Ryan didn't react beyond a small smile, his hands on the table tapping anxiously.

Kaitlyn bit her lip. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. While she wholeheartedly believed that 'ghosts' were total bullshit, Ryan didn't. She had already had a firm talking to Dylan of not pulling any stupid jokes when they played with the spirit board - and despite his mild offense that she assumed he would do that to Ryan, he promised not to.

"So, two fingers on the planchette, and don't lift before saying goodbye, otherwise the spirit will remain and be able to attach themself to one of us, even resulting in possession," She read from the instructions on the back of the box, earning a dutiful nod from Ryan and a small smirk from Dylan.

"Attach themself? Ooo, kinky," He winked over at Ryan, who rolled his eyes, reaching over the table to flick his hand. Dylan acted as if mortally wounded, clutching his hand to his chest. Kaitlyn smiled, endeared at their antics, before she cleared her throat and grew serious again.

"Are we ready?" She asked, and without another moment, the three placed their fingers on the planchette.

They circled it around one, two, three times before they all took a deep breath in. Kaitlyn wasn't sure if it was just her, but the room felt even colder than before, chills running up her back and neck. She surpressed a shiver, and opened her mouth to ask the first question.

"Is anyone there?"

There's nothing but stillness on the board. She glanced to Ryan, noting a hint of disappointment on his face. Then Dylan, to see him watching Ryan carefully, poorly hidden concern in his eyes.

Kaitlyn asked again. "Is anyone there?"

The wind wailed and moaned like a mournful mother outside the lodge. Kaitlyn could've sworn that, if she focused enough, the cabin swayed with it in an agonized dance.

The planchette twitched.

Then it jerkily yanked towards 'YES'.

They all jotted their eyes downward, and Kaitlyn shot a warning glare to Dylan, just to see him visibly freaked, eyes unmoving at the board. She faltered, ire vanishing in an instant, and her stomach churned nauseously in dread.

Ryan spoke next, cautious and slow, looking at them both with a careful consideration. "Was that one of you?"

Kaitlyn shook her head quickly and Dylan gave a shaky hum of denial. Ryan took a trembling breath and nodded at her to continue asking her questions.

"What's your name? Who are you?"

The planchette circled in the center of the board for a long, bated moment, before it slowly slid toward its first letter.

"H, A—" Dylan read the reply aloud for them, and continued until the last letter left his lips. When it did, she resisted the urge to spit out 'goodbye' and end it right then and there.

HACKETT.

"Hackett?" Ryan murmured, his warm, bronze skin unusually grey in the candlelight. Kaitlyn pretended not to see Dylan grab Ryan's free hand, and instead turned to Ryan with concealed worry.

"We can stop." She offered.

Ryan shook his head before she even got one word out. "No, I wanna hear... what they say."

"It... the Hackett family is really big, right? Ask them which Hackett they are, maybe?" Dylan said, and this time Kaitlyn turned to him to see his pale face almost ghostly and gaunt, his eyes glinting with anxiety.

If Ryan only somewhat believed in ghosts at best - Dylan was the real true believer in the paranormal. A bump in the night that was just the house settling had him swearing up and down that the place was haunted. A wolf howling in the night had him looking for silver. It was an endearing, if dramatic trait of his.

She still remembered when they had last used this board as children and Dylan hadn't been able to sleep a full night for weeks. At the time, it had been funny to hear him complain about the ghost 'Eliza' whispering his name to him at night.

But right now, Kaitlyn didn't feel any humor.

If this wasn't a shitty joke by either of them - and she knew that they wouldn't dare no matter the situation - then they were actually...

Talking to a ghost.

A Hackett ghost.

"Hackett? Which one are you?" Kaitlyn asked, and her free hand found it's place on Ryan's arm, holding tightly until he lost the smallest bit of tension in his shoulders. His muscles trembled under her grip, betraying the small smile he sent to her in thanks.

The planchette moved.

Kaitlyn resisted the urge to jerk her hand away, resisted the urge to puke, to scream, to cry and demand that one of the other two fess up.

Because this name - it was one of the last names she'd wanted to see. A name that had haunted her for the past year, a name that gave her a face to a boy that didn't deserve anything that had happened to him last year.

CALEB.

Ryan took a sharp breath. "This isn't funny," He snapped to them, voice increasingly raspy as his eyes glistened the tiniest bit. Kaitlyn shook her head at him, imploring him to believe in her innocence. Meanwhile, Dylan stared down at the board with a green tinge to his face.

"It... it can't be Caleb. It can't be. He's... he's just lost. He and Kaylee, they..." Dylan turned between them desperately, and Kaitlyn let go of Ryan to twist her arm towards Dylan, offering her support. He swallowed roughly, moving his hand from Ryan's to take hers.

She squeezed his palm a few times, thumb running over his skin soothingly.

She had to be brave for them. If this was real, she had to be the strong one. She hadn't been close with Caleb, or even Kaylee, and even if the loss of them had wrecked her - she knew she would never feel the pain that Ryan and Dylan felt.

To Ryan, they were practically his siblings. They took him in when his mom stopped trying, when he was in the darkest time of his life and when he'd never felt more alone. They gave him a safe space and environment that had caused Ryan to be the kind, loyal man that he was today, rather than bitter and addictive like his neglectful and ignorant mother. And in turn, Ryan gave them a friend that didn't judge them for being different, for having a less than conventional family and lifestyle.

To Dylan - well. That was complicated beyond belief. Dylan and Caleb had dated back in high school, that much Kaitlyn knew. She knew that they had been each other's first love, and their first experiments with each other when they had been questioning their identities and their place in the world. She knew that even when they broke up, they were eternally closer than anyone else could ever dream of, even Ryan. But Dylan was a private person, believe it or not, and so that was all she knew, nothing more.

Kaitlyn could never relate to the loss either of them felt, but she could support them into growing and recovering from it. She and Kaylee... well, they were close. Never as close as she had wanted, sometimes, but she understood some of what Dylan felt, what Ryan felt. It was why it was so easy for her to comfort them when they couldn't pretend that they weren't lost in grief, when they couldn't act like they'd finally moved on.

They were her best friends. Once upon a time, that title was owned by Jacob. But that title had long since been changed when Jacob stopped being the gentle, considerate boy who had offered her his lunch in the playground after seeing her getting bullied for the way she looked and how she dressed. That title had been warped and burned when Jacob had become the exact type of person he had once protected her from.

With Ryan, Kaitlyn felt like she could be an idiot, like she could allow herself the childhood that she had repressed through years of meeting her parents high expectations and the strain of trying to fit in with all the white, over-privileged pricks that would never understand what it was like to have a different skin color than everyone else. With Ryan, she felt like she could breathe, like she could be cocky and sassy and not feel guilty for feeling.

With Dylan, Kaitlyn felt like she had someone she could laugh with. Someone who understood what it was like to be obviously queer and proud of it, not ashamed to say the words that so many others like them were too beaten down and suppressed into silence. Dylan was the first one she'd approached when she'd realized her identity, and he was the first one to approach her. She felt protective, and possessive, over him because he was the one guy in the world that Kaitlyn had never felt unsafe around.

She loved them. More than was probably normal and yet she couldn't give a fuck what anyone thought.

So she closed her eyes and straightened her back.

And was brave for them.

"Caleb, how did you die?" She asked, steeling herself as her two boys (and in this moment, they were boys, not men, and that was okay) winced and turned away in fear of the response their lost friend would give.

BETRAYED.

Betrayed? Kaitlyn had a thick lump in her throat that ached and tore at her as she swallowed dry, shudders wracking her form as she tried to find an answer to Caleb's response.

"What do you mean?"

YOU.

"M–me?" Kaitlyn couldn't breathe.

She couldn't fucking breathe.

"What... what does he mean? You betrayed him? How?" Ryan is asking but Kaitlyn had no fucking idea what to tell him. How to reply. How to say that she had no fucking clue what Caleb meant and that fact alone fucking sucked because this may as well be the boy's last words to them.

And his last words were condemning her.

"How did Kaitlyn betray you?" Dylan asked, and Kaitlyn jerked her eyes toward him. No, no, that was breaking a rule, he wasn't supposed to ask any questions only her, he was practically inviting the spirit world to attack—

LIBRARY.

"L... library?" Ryan murmured, looking entirely lost and devastated all at once. "The library in the cabin?" He also asked Caleb.

Kaitlyn couldn't find the words to tell them to stop talking to the spirit. To stop inviting it into the physical world, to stop giving it more soul energy than was acceptable. But she still can't fucking breathe and Caleb blames her for not being fast enough that night.

YES.

They all stared at the planchette, then at each other.

Kaitlyn was gonna vomit. She was gonna have a heart attack. She was going to die. She was going to—

The planchette was doing slow figure-eights on the board.

Kaitlyn's stomach bottomed out. "Say goodbye." She croaked.

"What?" Dylan looked at her in confusion.

"But, we've barely asked him anything, we can ask about Kaylee, about where they are—"

She cut a teary Ryan off, eyes wild. "We need to say goodbye right now!" She cried.

The planchette moved.

NO.

"No? What? Kaitlyn, what—?" Dylan was in the start of the deep decline to a panic attack, quickly beginning to hyperventilate beside her. Ryan was deadly silent, hand violently shaking where it was rested on the planchette.

The planchette violently threw itself off the board, smacking into the wall with a threatening clatter.

Kaitlyn stared blankly, heart jammed up into her throat. Her pulse was in her fingertips and she had black creeping into her vision. It wasn't until Ryan jerked from his seat that she realized she wasn't breathing, and she sucked in a painful breath, lungs aching.

"No—FUCK—is this a sick fucking joke to you guys?" Ryan demanded, a rapidly drying tear on his cheek. Kaitlyn wiped at her eyes and struggled to calm as Dylan stood as well, reaching for Ryan with a lost expression.

"No, no, we would never, you know that Ryan, we'd never—"

But Ryan swung his hands out, smacking Dylan's away from him. Kaitlyn stared, mouth agape in a gasp for breath as Dylan flinched back, hurt, and Ryan scowled at them in a deep betrayal.

"You guys are fucking liars. You... you're not my friends. Stay the fuck away from me. Or better yet? Go the fuck home."

Ryan stormed away before he'd even finished speaking, the door slamming behind him with a definite, final smack. 

Kaitlyn choked on her breath, reaching for Dylan without a thought in her mind.

She couldn't think. She couldn't comprehend that in one, stupid game, Ryan had declared them monsters and cut them from his circle of trust.

Both of them.

"Dylan—"

Dylan jerked from her outstretched hand, and then he, too, bolted from the room, silent and tears streaming from his eyes.

Kaitlyn stared emptily.

She was alone.

All because she'd chosen the stupid fucking spirit board. All because Uno had sounded too boring and because despite all of her heart and wish to keep the group together, Kaitlyn was just as dumb as the rest of them.

She should've known better.

And now look at her.

She closed her eyes.

And tried to ignore the familiar voice whispering to her in the back of her mind, crooning to her to help him, to find him.

She didn't know what to do.

LAURA KEARNEY
Path to Guest Cabin
February 2nd, 2022
12:15 AM

"It's freezing," Laura grumbled to herself, tucking herself closer into Max's side as they crossed a long bridge atop a rushing stream. Max huffed a laugh, resting his head on top of hers despite their minimal height difference.

"Nah, it's a real winter wonderland out here, hon," He denied, taking in a deep breath of the icy air. Laura wrinkled her nose, smiling fondly at his antics as he immediately recoiled, grabbing his nose in pain. "Ah, fuck, it friggin' burns! Brain freeze!"

"You're an idiot," She sighed, smile blooming into a grin, and he smiled in satisfaction at getting her to lighten up, preening at her.

"Ah, yes, but I'm your idiot." He retorted and she snickered, shaking her head.

"Don't I know it," And they quieted once more, needing nothing more than the sounds of their own breathing and the warmth of their embrace. The silence was welcome and comforting as the snow crunched under their feet and the nocturnal critters chattered and scurried around.

Then there was a distant, almost human screech.

Laura jerked to a stop, and Max froze in place with her. She looked at him, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Was that... someone screaming?" She asked and Max quickly dismissed it, mouth turning down in a nonchalant shrug.

"Nah, couldn't be. It's probably just a... squirrel."

"A squirrel?" She deadpanned. Max's wind-chafed cheeks grew even redder.

"Uh... or a bear?" He tried to fix it. Laura was not amused, pulling from his embrace to stare into his eyes directly. He looked away, blush running down his neck and under his collar to his chest.

"A bear."

"I'm not the vet-in-training here, Laura, I dunno what it was." He said defensively, and she finally broke, laughing as she held her hands up in surrender.

"Okay, okay. I'm done teasing." She reassured, and he groaned at her, nudging her shoulder in retaliation.

They continued onward, ascending the man-made steps that led up a large, steep hill.

Laura couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. She jerked her head around as they moved forward, eying every dark shadow and every snap of a branch like it was going to jump out and attack her at any moment.

"Hon, it's okay, we're almost—"

A close snap came from behind a large hedge to their right. Laura shushed Max, holding her hand out to him to stop him from taking another step.

He frowned at her, but didn't move, allowing her to look at the hedge and investigate.

"Hello?" She whispered, and there was another, closer, rustle of leaves as something moved beyond the other side of the mass of snowy green.

Kaylee and Caleb had known this mountain like the back of their hands. So how had they gotten lost? Unless something else took them.

Unless...

She slowly knelt to the ground, palming until her hand curled around a loose rock. She lifted it over her shoulder, and lugged it toward the hedge without a second thought.

Nothing.

She looked over at Max, breathing a small sigh of relief, when—

An elk burst through the hedge crying and squealing as it sprinted past them, avoiding ramming into them when Laura managed to barrel Max over onto the ground to get out of the spooked animal's way.

The two groaned in unison, Laura sitting up as Max winced, holding his head from the fall.

"Shit, hon, why'd you do that?" He complained lightly, and she flushed, avoiding his eyes as she helped him stand up. They wiped the snow from one another's clothes, significantly colder than before.

"I dunno, I'm sorry. I just thought... I dunno." She sighed, rubbing her hands together to generate some warmth before Max took her hands into his, blowing hot air onto her fingers.

"It's alright, yeah? It was just scared, and you managed to get us out of the way. We're almost to the guest cabin and we can finally sleep."

"That sounds amazing, actually," She sighed, a yawn fighting its way up, and she turned to look at where the elk had vanished, wishing she could apologize to the poor frightened thing.

Meanwhile, Max mimicked her yawn, eying the path ahead as the falling snow was beginning to clear and slow. "Hey, look there!" He pointed, eyes brightening a bit.

Expecting to see the guest cabin, Laura turned with hope only for it to fall.

It was Kaylee's treehouse.

"Oh. Wow. It's... it's smaller than I remember."

Max led her toward it and she looked at the old, rotted ladder leading up the trunk, to the barely standing foundation of the child-sized door with a sign saying, 'Girls Only! (And Dylan)'. She smiled weakly to herself, mind flashing to all the days and nights spent, all the girls, and occasionally Dylan, gossiping about boys or drama between classmates.

She'd been... ten? Eleven? When she told them all her feelings for Max.

"No no no, he is NOT hot!" Emma griped, sticking her tongue out in disgust at the picture Kaitlyn was holding up of some actor. Laura gave it a glance, rolling her eyes in agreement with Emma as Abi giggled, her back leaning against Dylan's side as the boy worked hard to paint Kaylee's fingernails a baby blue.

"Yes, he IS! Look at those big brown eyes, you could just drown in them!" Kaitlyn sighed, lips pulled into a goofy smile as Emma gave a fake gag. "He's almost as hot as... you know..." Kaitlyn blushed pink, and everyone else in the treehouse spoke in unison, already knowing where she was going.

"Ryan," They mimicked her usual swooning coo, and the girl whined, sticking her tongue out at them and shutting the laptop, effectively hiding the picture of the actor.

"You guys suck."

"I don't know what you see in him," Kaylee said, wrinkling her nose. "He's... Ryan. He's a total dork."

"He's like your brother, of course you don't find him attractive," Kaitlyn dismissed, and Kaylee shrugged in agreement, looking back down at Dylan working on her nails with an affectionate smile.

Laura shared a look with Emma, who bit back a laugh. Kaylee had a bit of a puppy-crush on Dylan, and it was hilarious. Especially since it seemed like that Dylan was oblivious to her crush. But then again, Dylan was a quiet, nerdy guy, so no one really knew if he noticed or not.

"Well, I have a crush on Nick," Abi said, pink in the face but not timid, able to speak her mind freely when it was just them. "I know he's new and a little weird, but he's got nice eyes. And he's smart."

Dylan finally joined the conversation, capping the nail polish. "Nick's cool. He's funny." He said, and then fell silent once more, nothing more to add like usual. He didn't talk much at this age. Abi gestured to him in thanks for the support, and Emma pursed her lips.

"I dunno... he talks super funny and he's like... really dorky. Like Max."

Laura couldn't help the rush of red to her face at the mention of the redhead - something that was immediately called out by a smug Kaitlyn. "Does someone have a cruuush?" She cooed.

"What! No? No! I... maybe?"

The girls and Dylan began to laugh at her, and she felt like melting into the floor.

"Stop! He's just... really nice. And he thinks I'm nice, too, and he always listens when I talk about wanting to work with animals when I grow up." She rambled, tugging at her hair anxiously.

"Aww, Laura has a crush," Emma singsonged, and Abi quietly sang the kissing song with a mischievous smile. Laura rolled her eyes at them, pouting to herself.

"C'mon, it's not like anything's gonna happen. It's just a crush. And he doesn't—"

"He's likes you too."

Laura, and all the other girls, turned to Dylan with wide eyes.

Of course. He had inside knowledge!

Laura pounced, hungry for more information on Max, and Dylan gladly gave it to her. Unaware at the time, but that moment was the start of her forever relationship with Max.

She sighed, almost dreamily, and turned to Max when he nudged her. "Hm?"

"Hey, where's your head at?" He asked, smiling softly. "You look like you're about to cry, hon."

"I kinda am," She laughed humorlessly, and he took her hand in a gentle squeeze. She held back firmly, eyes turning back to the treehouse in a quiet contemplation. "We were such dumb kids back then. We were so focused on cute boys and braiding hair that we never took the time to really focus on being real friends with each other. I don't think I really knew any of them except for Emma, and even then what I knew wasn't all that good."

"So we do better now," Max said, and she turned to look at him curiously. He smiled. "You say we weren't a very good friend group. So let's do better now. Let's actually get to know the others beyond the artificial stuff."

Laura's heart warmed at his words. "Yeah, that's a good idea, Max," She said, and kissed him with a finality of change in the air.

She wasn't going to sit around and let things change around her anymore. She was gonna stand up, and doing something about it.

They began to walk once more.

But then, the almost-human shriek returned, closer and more vicious than before and Laura startled, metaphorical hackles raising. Max also jumped, and they shared a wide-eyed, fearful glance.

And, once the echoes of the wail finished its path through the trees and snow, Laura heard a sound that punched through her gut.

A pained animal cry.

She reacted on instinct, running toward the noise even when Max tried to stop her. She couldn't help it. Something was hurting another animal, another living creature, and she had to do something, anything to help the poor thing.

But when she arrived, she was already too late.

The elk, the very same she and Max had just seen moments ago, alive and well, lay on its side with four, large gashes on its neck. Its breaths were shallow and weak, eyes fluttering and begging toward her for help.

Laura held a hand over her mouth as Max fell to a stuttered stop beside her, a curse slipping from his lips as she shakily went toward the dying animal.

It was moaning in agony, blackish blood gushing from its wounds and steam rising with it. Laura hovered her hands over its body, wishing to comfort it somehow but knew it would do no good. A tear slipped from her eye and she rested her hand on its cheek, rubbing a soothing circle into its coarse fur.

Max joined her, his hands petting at its nose, and Laura sobbed softly when the elk's gentle eyes closed in a moment of peace and acceptance, her throat thick and strained with tears as its life began to drain under her hands.

Then the elk was yanked backwards into the darkness, and the almost-human screaming was upon them.

Laura was in an odd state of crying and terror, jerking Max upright and into a dead sprint with no more than a soundless scream. He followed behind her, far more vocal.

"What the fuck what the fuck is that?! Is that a bear?! Holy shit oh FUCK—"

And she yanked him roughly over a broken bridge, hushing his stream of frantic ramblings as she tugged him bruisingly toward what looked like a shortcut.

In what felt like flashes at the time of her shock and adrenaline, she lifted herself and Max up the jagged rocks, heaving her body over the ledge and finding her eyes on the guest cabin like a safe haven in the dark abyss around them with an uncertain pursuer.

It felt like the almost-human was breathing down her neck, like it was inches from snatching her and Max and ripping into them like it had that poor, innocent elk. She fumbled for the guest cabin key, and barely managed to slip it inside and turn the lock.

She and Max burst inside the guest cabin, the door locking in a solid, comforting snap, and the noise of the creature faded into nothingness.

They both bent at the waist gasping for air, and Laura's mind whirled in overwhelmed confusion and overstimulation. Fuck. What the fuck.

"Are you okay?!" Max asked, suddenly at her side with his hands running up and down her arms. She stood up straight, hands going for his jaw to stare at him in reassurance. She nodded, gasping for breath and speechless.

He sighed, tugging her into his arms and she melted into him, heart pounding in her ears and blood rushing through her veins as she slowly began to calm. The creature, whatever it was, bear or... something else... it couldn't come inside. It couldn't open the door.

She just had to believe that.

"Okay, we're okay," Max crooned into her ear, and she nodded, trying to will herself to believe him. Something wasn't right. Something was out there, hunting. Killing for sport.

"Max, what was that thing? It... there's no way it was..."

"A bear. It has to be," Max shook his head, and Laura pulled herself from his arms to give him a shaken, unimpressed look. He sighed again, this time nervous. "If it wasn't, Laura, then... what?"

Laura didn't know.

"Okay. We're at the guest cabin. Finally." Max turned to gesture around them, a smile forcing his lips up as he tried to brighten the mood. She shrugged, going over to the couch to sit with an exhausted groan.

"Can we sleep now?" She complained, and Max laughed, leaning on the back of the couch to speak close to her ear.

"Well, if we want to freeze to death, yeah. We need to start up the generator." He said. She turned to look at him with a look in her eyes that had him folding. "Yeah. Okay. My bad. No time for jokes. The generator is outside. With the... bear."

"Okay, so. Wait a bit for the 'bear' to get bored and leave, then fix it," Laura said, and Max gave a dramatic sigh, tossing his head back.

"But it's coooold." He gave a loud, dramatic shiver and she snorted, eyes rolling.

"Too bad, so sad, princess, now come sit with me," She teased, and he pouted at her, flipping onto the couch from his perch on the back to lay down. His head rested easily in her lap and she instantly used it as an excuse to play with his hair. She felt a little less spacey as she twisted the red strands, a little less like they'd almost died just now.

Her heart felt heavy when she reminded herself of the elk, and how its last moments were spent in pain and sheer terror. The poor thing. It wasn't fair. She'd felt its strength leave it, felt its body slacken under her hand.

And what had she done? Sat there, letting it happen. She'd let it remain in pain and agony instead of putting it out of its misery.

"Laura, you hear that?" Max's alert voice broke through her thoughts. She looked at him, and saw him staring over her shoulder at the door with a grim expression. "I think the bear's back."

"Okay, well, be quiet, maybe it's just checking out the area," She shushed, but something didn't feel right and she felt the urge to hide. To stop breathing.

Max shook his head, standing from the couch and she followed, her limbs trembling with strain and exhaustion. Her eyes darted around as Max crept toward the window.

They caught on a rifle displayed on a nearby wall. She snatched it, checking to see if it was loaded.

One bullet.

"Max, get away from the window!" She hissed, and Max shook his head, peering through it.

"Laura, I don't see —"

A massive clawed hand burst through the glass, taking Max's head and gripping it tight as it yanked him backwards, out of the cabin and into the night.

And just like that, he was gone, his screams and the broken glass the only evidence he'd been there in the first place.

RYAN ERZAHLER
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
12:10 AM

Ryan paced outside of the cabin's library.

Regret laced his eyes and shame curled on his skin as he ran through the moment in the study with Kaitlyn and Dylan.

He knew, rationally, that they hadn't done that. He knew they would never. Yet he'd been so rattled and so in denial that he'd taken it out on them - and now look at him.

Well and truly alone.

There was no way they'd forgive him. Not after he spat in their faces rather than trust them like he promised he did.

He fucked it up like he fucked everything up. He ruined their friendship like he was ruining his little sister’s life. He was a sickness, a plague that killed and withered anything it touched. He broke his mother just by being born and his dad had died in a car wreck because Ryan had insisted on getting ice cream and now he was doing it again. He was killing Kaitlyn and Dylan by being around them, by blaming anyone but himself for his own inadequacies and his luckless life.

He palmed the doors to the library in a silent debate. If he found whatever Caleb was trying to tell them, he could use it to apologize for his behavior. He could use it to get Kaitlyn and Dylan to love him again.

For fucks sake, he’d slapped Dylan’s arms away when the sweet, gentle man had been trying to reassure him, nothing more. He’d called them liars and told them to go home, and fuck, they were probably going to.

His mom was right. He was a poison to the good in the world.

He had to. He had to fix this.

He stepped into the library, and began to search.

For anything. An answer, a solution, something.

He opened the nearby desk. He looked through nearly every book, and checked under the sofa and in the closet.

He nearly gave up.

Nearly accepted the fact that maybe he’d been right. That it had been a stupid, cruel joke on him.

And then he saw the light in the vent.

It was a vent he knew was directly connected to the basement.

The basement that had motion sensor lights.

So why was the light on?

It shouldn’t be.

Unless someone was down there.

Ryan stared in a desperate confusion.

Was this what Caleb wanted them to see?

Why?

And how did it relate to that night?

He had to find Kaitlyn and Dylan.

He had to show them this. Had to show them that they were right, that he was wrong. He had to.

He just had to—

Something rammed into the back of his head, and like a cringy, annoying cliché, it all went black.

???
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
12:18 AM

A figure stood over Ryan Erzahler’s unconscious body, face concealed by a strange, almost clownish skull mask, body clad in thick winter coveralls and gloves covering their hands.

Their breathing was raspy and labored as the Erzahler boy was hoisted up and over a large, broad shoulder, as if the figure couldn’t get a deep enough breath under the mask.

As the figure walked through the lodge in slow, lumbering steps, it was clear that they were familiar with the layout of the building. Balloons with painted white arrows and candles lit the way as the figure went for the back exit.

The night had just begun, but the figure had many plans for the young adults residing on the mountain. Phase one, get them all separated.

Now it was time for phase two.

To let the games begin.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FOUR: Fides

LAURA KEARNEY
Guest Cabin
February 2nd, 2022
12:40 AM

You know that uneasy, sickening feeling you get in your stomach on the peak of a rollercoaster, right before it falls and drops? Your body lifts and for a split second, your mind convinces you that the safety bar is faulty and you're about to plummet to your death. And once you're back in your seat, you're tingling and your heart and stomach are lodging your throat.

Yeah, that feeling.

Laura sprinted out of the guest cabin, uncaring in the sudden rush of cold air as she chased after the monster, person, thing, dragging Max away from her. The rifle was slung over her shoulder and she kept a vice grip on it as she weaved and dodged through the trees and rocks.

"Max!" She cried, trying to get any response from him other than his panicked, sickening cries for help. She doesn't get what she wants, but she does catch sight of him, bloodied and hurt as the thing headed toward a split in the mountain with Max's in its massive hands.

"Laura!" Max's voice choked out, legs kicking out as he uselessly clawed at the thing's emaciated arms. "Help me!" He cried.

Laura's mouth tasted bitter and her entire body was on fire. She forcibly lengthened her stride, eyes locked on Max and his assailant. She spat a hurried, hoarse curse when they vanished from her sight, the thing leaping downward a steep slope on the mountain.

She skidded to a stop, barely catching herself on a nearby tree before she grabbed the rifle hung over her shoulder, peering through the scope desperately for any sign of Max, any sign that the fall hadn't just killed him. "MAX?!" She screamed, throat tearing at the volume, and she nearly cried in relief when she finally found him through the scope.

"LAURA - PLEASE, HELP--" He wailed, being dragged by his foot now. His hands grappled on the snowy ground, and blood was visible from his hairline, cuts from the thing's claws, and from the shattered glass that he'd been forced through. Laura tried to whip the rifle toward the creature, only to scream in frustration when she realized she was too late, and it was already out of view with Max not too far behind.

"Fuck!" She snarled and jumped down the side of the cliff without a second thought. She snagged a branch midway through, slowing her rapid decline, and she landed harshly on a thick hill of icy snow. She groaned and heaved herself up, yanking the rifle back over her shoulder as she continued to run, ignoring the new ache in her back.

She didn't have time to slow down.

She had to save Max. Her Max.

So she dodged a low-hanging branch, jumped over an exposed tree root, and she leaped through a rushing stream using the slick rocks as stepping stones. She nearly slipped, nearly lost her footing, but she forced herself to balance and jump toward the forest floor once more when she heard Max crying out for her again.

Her eyes caught sight of an old mining site. The snow leading to the entrance was disheveled and bloodied and - the door was covered in fresh red handprints.

She beelined for it, mind whirling.

In a sickening gasp and a blank, chilling silence, Max's voice was gone - no longer calling for her.

Laura's eyes squeezed shut briefly as she hurried down the rotted steps of the mining site.

She didn't let the silence get to her. Max wasn't dead. Max was alive. He was alive. She was here, she made it, she was going to save him.

She finds him, bloody and unconscious, on an old, rusted and eroding elevator.

"Oh, Max!" She sighed his name reverently like a prayer, falling to her knees beside his limp form and holding her hand to his arm. "I-I'm here, I've got you, Max,"

He groaned, stirring at her touch. "H-help," He begged. She curled her hand around his arm, and began to tug him towards her, off of the elevator.

But with a crunch, and a startling shockwave that knocked Laura backwards, the elevator collapsed and Max plunged with it into the dark depths below.

Laura stared emptily.

"Max..?" She whispered, as if he were still only inches away from her, as if he could respond to her in that crooning, overly affectionate voice of his.

But he's gone.

She—she wasn't fast enough.

Max was dead.

Her Max.

In the end, it had been Kaitlyn to insist that she asked Max out. So she'd dressed in her nicest outfit, make sure her curls were just right, and headed towards Max with a bouquet of roses in hand. In all the cheesy romance movies that Emma made her watch, the guy got the girl flowers and swept her off her feet, and they lived happily ever after. Laura intended to do the same to Max.

Max himself is sitting with Nick and Jacob, his hands full of pokémon cards as he showed them off to the jealous boys beside him. The school cafeteria is a roar of noise but Laura can't hear any of that - not when all her focus is on the sound of his snorting laughter as Jacob tried to beg and reach for one of cards.

He had such an amazing smile. It made his eyes glisten and brightened his entire face - heck, it brightened the entire room, gross cafeteria lunch and all. His braces were incredibly endearing, colored pink and orange this month, and she looked down at the roses in hand, pink and orange. She hadn't even realized that she grabbed those colors - but now it felt even more fitting.

"Max?" She asked, and he looked up from where he was teasing Nick with one of the shiny cards, his grinning face falling in a stunned slack when he caught sight of her. Laura tried to take it as a good thing, and pressed onward, holding the roses out. "I-I got these for you. And... I've also got two tickets for The Conjuring, it-it just came out in theatres, and I heard you wanted to see it so, I figured, you know," She rambled like a pathetic idiot.

But Max just looked at her like she'd hung the stars. "Laura... yes, of course, I..." He stood, and took the roses only to set the down on the table. She stared at him eagerly, and he stared back with a very warm expression - the same face she always saw on her dad's face when he saw her mom.

Then he pulled her into a hug, and Laura vowed to herself that she would never, ever let this boy go. He was her forever, her soulmate, and she would let nothing happen to him.

She didn't have time to mourn, time to cry, before she catches sight of a figure in the distance, a floor above her, headed deeper into the tunnels.

A fire, a rage burns into her soul and ignites a vindictive lust for vengeance.

She's so determined, so fucking angry that she doesn't even realize she's scaling the side of the elevator until she's already leaping for the ledge of the tunnel she saw the figure in.

Her mind is a blur of anger and pain. Max was dead and she had a target. She couldn't lose this game of chase because if she did, Max's unfair death would have no justice.

"Hey!" She snapped out, voice traveling down the tunnel toward the figure, yanking the rifle back off her shoulder once more. The figure paused and turned on their heel to look at her. She couldn't see their face - covered by a bandana and eyes masked by thick skiing goggles.

In the back of her head, the rational part of her knows that the figure isn't the same as the thing that led Max to his death.

But she isn't listening to her rational mind anymore - not when Max was dead and she had someone to point the finger at. Because if she didn't blame someone, then—who was left to blame but herself?

A tear falls from her eye.

And she lifted the rifle and pulled the trigger.

But it jammed, hammer locking awkwardly.

And the figure walked away.

"No, no, NO!" Laura threw the useless piece of shit to the side, and sprinted toward the figure as they went through an exit, back into the snow. The exit began to slide shut behind the rapidly vanishing figure, and she sped up despite the complaining in her muscles, despite the rasp in her lungs and the swimming in her vision.

The door was almost fully shut, and she barely managed to react in time, sliding roughly, back scraping against the tunnel ground. She felt the large gust of wind when it slammed shut, only inches away from the back of her head.

And she stood on wobbly legs, ignoring the burn in her body in favor of looking around for the figure.

She couldn't find them.

But she did find a lantern, still lit. She lifted it, and held it close for warmth as she moved forward, trying to see through the thick snow and fog.

And when she finally managed to—what she saw confused her enough to break her from her focused mission briefly.

It was a sanatorium. The sanatorium. The same one that had been shut down for decades.

The same one, she noticed, peering closer, that the figure was moving towards, with two wolves by his side.

Laura ground her jaw, tightened her ponytail, and fixed her hat better over the top of her head.

For Max.

She could fucking do this.

ABI BLYG
Path to Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
12:40 AM

"We have to hurry," Abi insisted, and quickened her pace.

Her mind wouldn't budge from that menacing message. The ax. The blood. There was someone out here with them, someone who was probably the cause of Kaylee and Caleb's... death? Disappearance? Kidnapping?

At this point, she genuinely had no idea what was going on.

"Abi, we won't help anyone if we slip and break our ankles on this ice," Emma tried to calm her, trying to be reasonable, but Abi was having none of it.

"They could be hurt! Whoever left that message could be at the cabin already, and, and if we take too long I'm scared that... we'll be too late."

Emma didn't look convinced, but Nick nodded, his brow furrowed. "She has a point, Em. We need to hurry."

"With what shortcut?" Emma retorted back, and Abi had a full-on lightbulb moment that caused her to point directly to their right.

"Terabithia!" She said, grinning at them in victory as Nick frowned, confused, and Emma widened her eyes and groaned.

"No, not Terabithia! That old branch and rope is probably way rotted and broken by now. We literally watched the movie a million times, Abs. Bad idea." Emma lectured, but Abi was already moving, determination settling on her skin.

"Wait, what movie? What's 'Terabithia'?" Nick asked, right behind Abi. Emma, who was still on the main path, stared in indecision before giving a long, frustrated groan.

As she jogged to join them, she sighed. "A sad, shitty kids movie that made me and Abi sob for hours when we first watched it. There was a branch with a rope that the kids used to go to their imaginary world."

"That doesn't sound very sad," Nick noted, and Abi glanced at Emma to see a nostalgic smile on her face.

"I'm not spoiling it. But it was sad." Then, she glared over at Abi. "And the literal prime example for why we shouldn't do this. It's even named after it!"

Abi rolled her eyes, unable to stop her small smile despite the seriousness of the situation they were rushing to return to.

"We'll be fine, Em. And hey, if the rope breaks? We'll catch each other." She smiled at Emma, who stared at her for a moment, then snapped her eyes away with a pouty grumble. Abi turned her smile to Nick, and he returned it softly.

They had come up with Terabithia after forcing the rest of the girls to watch the movie, too. Kaylee was the most excited - she had been the one to beg her dad to tie on the rope and was also the one who demanded that they never tell any of the boys.

The first time they had swung across, Abi had been the first to back out. “No, no way. That’s scary!” She said, and Kaylee huffed, rolling her eyes.

“C’mon, it’s fine,” The girl said, and tugged on the rope with her full strength. Abi watched with a nervous stomach as the branch barley bent, the rope silent and firm. “So,” Kaylee sighed, a grin on her lips as she turned back around. “Who’s going first?”

“Heck yeah, me!”

Abi shook her head wildly, turning to Emma and Laura for support as Kaitlyn skipped over to the rope fearlessly. “We can’t do this. We all saw what happened in the movie.” She whispered, eyes locked onto Kaitlyn’s form as the petite girl readied herself, excited glint in her mischievous eyes.

“I think you’re overreacting, Abs,” Laura said, her eyes bright with curiosity as Kaitlyn yelped, whooping cheerfully as she sailed toward the other side of the ravine. “See? It’s fine.” Laura finished when Kaitlyn landed safely, holding her arms up in victory.

Abi frowned, hugging her arms as she watched Laura leave their side to go next. “I dunno, I just…” She looked up at Emma, who’d hit a growth spurt about a month ago, for support.

The blonde’s eyes softened. Abi blinked in surprise when her hand was taken into a soft, warm hold, her heart calming from its anxious beat as she looked down at their intertwined hands.

“If you don’t go, I won’t go,” Emma promised. Her voice was softer than anything Abi had ever heard before.

And, for some reason, Abi felt courage fill her. A feeling, as if, maybe, just maybe, she could do it if Emma could.

“No, I’ll go. Only if you go before. To catch me if I fall?” Abi asked. Emma’s hand squeezed hers tightly even as her face didn’t change.

“Naturally,” Emma sighed brightly, tossing her hair back before leading Abi towards where Kaylee was waiting for them, rope already in hand.

And after watching Emma glide through the air, hair blowing behind her and an overjoyed smile on her face, Abi didn’t feel any fear as she took the rope into her steady hands.

She leapt, and fell securely into Emma’s waiting embrace.

Abi grabbed the old rope, giving it a test tug to make sure it wouldn’t snap. It gave a quiet, unpleasant creak, but held firm.

“Abi, maybe let Nick go first?” Emma worried, but Abi shook her head.

“No time to argue.” And jumped - and it was just like being a little kid again. Her hair flew behind her, the harsh wind oddly nice on her skin as she floated in the air, drifting toward the other side. And when she landed, solid feet on the ground, she turned to look at the other two on the other side with a slightly smug smile. “Told you!” She called over.

“Yeah yeah, you’re a genius,” Emma snarked, and Nick grabbed the rope as it settled back in its spot, still swaying lightly from its momentum. Nick held it out to Emma, and the blonde bowed, winking up at the brunet. “Thank you, kind sir,”

Abi’s able to bear witness to the beautiful sight of Nick blushing at Emma - first his ears and then spreading to his cheeks and down his neck. He looked shy, eyes darting between Emma and the ground with a hesitant smile.

Abi adored him. Abi adored Emma.

And jeez, this really wasn’t the time to be discovering this crap about herself. Abi refocused on Emma as the blonde flung herself across the ravine with a nervous squeal, holding her hands out for support. Emma landed, stumbling into Abi’s arms.

Abi stared up at her, arms instinctively curling around the girl’s waist. Emma stared back, eyes wide and hands gripping both of Abi’s shoulders.

“You’re… stronger than I thought you were,” Emma’s voice was reedy, wavering as she tried to catch her breath, and Abi felt a short stab of satisfaction at properly surprising her for what was probably the first time in their almost fifteen years of friendship.

“I told you I’d catch you,” Abi said instead of all the thoughts flying through her head. Emma’s lips curved upward, and Abi mirrored her as they turned to watch as Nick prepared to jump across.

He gave it a testing tug like Abi had, and it gave a much louder protesting creak than before. He looked over at them. “Uh… is that bad?”

Abi shrugged shakily, her nerves on fire at the uncertain look in Emma’s eyes when she turned to look for support.

"We'll catch you." Emma spoke up before Abi could do something silly, like ask if they should leave Nick to go on the main path by himself. Emma smirked boldly, holding her hand out and Abi didn't hesitate to do the same.

Nick relaxed a little. Nodded. Took a deep breath.

And then he jumped forwards.

And just as he almost reached them - almost a foot from the ledge—

The rope snapped.

Acting quickly, Abi lunged forward and grabbed his arm. Emma did the same, and both girls grunted, falling onto their stomachs as Nick dangled.

"Oh, SHIT—" Nick panicked, skin ghostly as he gasped for breath, unintentionally writhing in their grip. His legs were submerged in the icy stream below, kicking wildly.

"Stop moving!" Emma hissed and Abi swallowed roughly, beginning to yank Nick upwards.

“Sorry! Sorry,” Nick rambled, lips matching the pallor of his face.

She just needed to pull him up. He was fine. He was going to be fine. She wasn’t going to lose him like they’d already lost Kaylee and Caleb. She refused.

So she heaved upward, using all her strength, and Emma grunted beside her as she too used every ounce of muscle she had.

And Nick moved up and over the ledge, safely on the snowy ground, his trembling body tucked into their protective grips.

They all gasped for breath, and Abi’s lungs were burning from exertion and adrenaline, her skin tingling from where her hand was holding Nick’s arm, because he was alive, and they saved him.

Then Emma began to pull them upright, despite the complaints of Abi’s muscles. “We need to hurry. We’re almost there,” The blonde said, still clutching Nick’s arm like letting go would make him disappear. Abi related, as she tightened her hold on him and moved closer to his side.

“Yeah, let’s… let’s go,” Abi agreed, and Nick, still in shock, just nodded.

They began down the path again, now much closer to the cabin than before.

That had been a close call.

Too close.

Abi almost lost… No. No time to think about that right now. She ground her jaw and lengthened her stride.

She saved Nick, so now it was time to save the others.

KAITLYN KA
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
12:50 AM

Fuck it. She was fixing this.

She stood from the chair, breaking herself from her daze as she stalked out of the room to find Ryan.

"Ryan!" She called out for him, cupping her hands near her mouth. "C'mon, let's talk about this! You know we didn't do that!" She stopped and twisted around in a circle, eying every corner of what she could see. "So stop hiding, yeah?"

She couldn't help the small pit of dread when she still received no answer.

She went upstairs, towards the guest room that everyone knew as Ryan's room, and knocked on the door. No answer still.

"Hey, Ry-Guy, please answer me," She spoke through the door, palms clammy. "Just so I know you're okay?"

Nothing.

An irrational anger burst through her stomach. Why was he ignoring her? Was he really so childish and butthurt that he—no.

Calm the fuck down, Kait. This wasn't about her, wasn't about Dylan. Ryan was hurt by them even if they hadn't actually done anything - and she was here to fix that, not continue stirring the pot.

"I don't know if you're in there, but..." She sighed roughly and fought back the burn in her eyes with a stubborn frown. "I'm your friend. And, and I didn't mess with the spirit board, but it's okay if you thought I did. You lost your siblings, Ryan, even if they weren't your blood. And you were betrayed by everyone else, everyone who you thought was your family too. You're allowed to have big emotions, Ry. You're allowed to get angry, even if it's at me or Dyl."

Still nothing.

Kaitlyn closed her eyes painfully. "Okay. That's okay, you don't have to answer me now. But. But don't shut us out, okay? I know Dylan would say the same when I tell you that there's nothing you can do or say that would make either of us hate you. We're here for you."

And with that, she walked away from the door, and the still silent room. Maybe he wasn't in there, but Kaitlyn still felt a weight off her chest. And if he wasn't there, she would just say it all again, right to his face.

As she walked for the stairs again, intending to grab some blankets and finally sleep on the couch in the living room - she was reminded of what Caleb had said to them with the spirit board.

Something about the library.

Was there something there? A clue to their disappearance or something else that Caleb wanted them to see?

She headed towards it.

Only to stop.

"Blood?" She stared down at the tiny drops of blood at the library entrance.

Oh.

Nearby, a fallen, unlit candlestick also had blood on it.

Oh.

"Ryan?! Dylan?!" She screamed, already in an abrupt motion of sprinting toward the stairs once more. She was fucking freezing. She was shivering. She was nauseous.

No way. There was no fucking way.

She made it back to Ryan's room and tried the knob - and it was locked. A panicked cry left her lips and she rammed her shoulder into the wood, trying in vain to open it.

No no no.

An idea hit her.

And she moved without hesitation.

"Jacob, I need your help!" She screamed, shouted, begged, knocking her fist on the bathroom door.

And when there's no answer still, she turned the knob on this door.

Unlocked.

She burst in, uncaring if Jacob was naked or fucking jacking it, because something was wrong and someone was bleeding and fuck, it was probably Ryan —

But Jacob wasn't there.

There was signs of a struggle, several soap bottles knocked over and the massive mirror on the wall was shattered, covering the ground with silver, shiny shards.

Kaitlyn's world turned under her feet.

"Jake..?" She shuddered, voice quiet even as she whipped her head around in a desperate attempt to find any sign of her childhood best friend. Her entire body shook and she fought the urge to vomit.

She couldn't find Ryan or Jacob.

The only one left was...

"DYLAN?!" She screamed over and over, trying to find him, sobbing between each cry of his name as she broke whatever small control she had over her emotions. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be real.

"Kaylee?!" She called out, dizzy on her feet and drunker than she wanted to admit as she went upstairs, looking for the girl.

This was a stupid, mean prank, and Kaitlyn needed to find Kaylee before the poor girl got her heart broken. Even if she didn't approve of the girl going after a taken person, Kaylee was still her friend, and Kaitlyn didn't want to see her hurt like this.

"Kayleeee," She slurred, whining, mind buzzing and her tongue itching as she looked around with a dazed expression. Despite her nerves and her worry for the girl, she was still stupidly drunk, and it was hard to focus and actually look for her when just walking two steps felt like a major accomplishment.

She knew that she shouldn't have accepted that last drink from Dylan, especially when the man himself was barely upright as he held it out to her.

She groaned and began to search through the rooms, eyes lidded heavily as she fought the urge to flop onto one of the beds sleep.

Distantly, the cry of a familiar voice sounded from one of the rooms, and Kaitlyn's drunken state was put on a back burner as she grew abruptly sober, her protective nature taking control at the sound of Kaylee's distress.

She was too late - because by the time she'd spewed out some stupid statement about it being a prank, Kaylee had already shoved past her, shirtless and crying.

Kaitlyn never saw Kaylee again after that. Never saw Caleb again, either.

Because she was too late. She was too slow.

She failed. She failed them. She failed Ryan, Dylan, the entire Hackett family.

Like a virus, this failure clung to her, and even today, she could barely look at alcohol without wanting to vomit.

She ran downstairs when she got nothing from upstairs, frantic and neurotic as she tried to find any sign that she wasn't the only one still in the cabin. The only one that wasn't... taken.

And then she saw the blood from the library had a trail that led to the back door.

No.

Fuck no.

She followed the trail despite everything inside her screaming to turn around and hide.

She couldn't fail Jacob. She couldn't fail Ryan and Dylan again.

The blood trail led her to the shed behind the cabin.

She felt numb as she opened the door, taking in the sights of empty bird cages and saws, blades sitting around and open engines resting with missing parts.

And a tiny, seating lightbulb just ahead, shining from the ceiling beside the window that looked into the next room of the shed.

She walked up to it, and flinched when another light, in the other room, turned on without any warning.

When her eyes finally adjusted - she stumbled back a step, heart in her throat.

Chained by their wrists, Ryan and Jacob lay on a strange, medical contraption, both groaning and stirring awake from the sudden light.

"Wha—huh..?" Ryan was grunting in pain, hands jerking above him as if he was going to reach for the back of his head, only to be stopped by the chains. His eyes snapped opened and he looked around with a panicked expression, ashen and bloodless as he caught sight of her. "Kaitlyn?! Wha—help!" He pleaded, jerking his body in a poor attempt at freedom.

Jacob was already freaking out beside him, writhing around in only his underwear. "Fuck! What the fuck is happening?! Where am I?!" He wailed, already crying like the soft-hearted boy he was inside.

"Kaitlyn, HELP US!" Ryan begged, louder this time, his voice breaking and straining.

Kaitlyn stared, frozen by fear.

"Hello, and thank you all for joining me," A deep voice crooned from an unknown source. Kaitlyn jumped, hairs standing on end as the two boys grew silent, all focusing on the voice with a morbid interest. "Tonight, we're going to conduct a little experiment,"

"What, what the fuck is this - fucking Saw?!" Jacob spat, trying to find a good grip with his bluish bare feet on the slanted table under him, but Kaitlyn saw them slide without any sort of friction. Fuck, this was...

This was fucked. There was no other way she could describe it without swirling directly into a panic attack.

"Using our little subjects, Ryan and Jacob," The voice crooned, "Dear reliable little Kaity will have to decide who shall live. Her childhood best friend? Or her... well, not so much a crush anymore, is it?"

Kaitlyn stared down at the lever in front of her as a sawblade whirled to life in front of Ryan and Jacob.

"What?!" Jacob gasped out, hyperventilating.

"Oh fuck oh fuck oh FUCK!" Ryan shrieked.

Kaitlyn shook her head. There was no way... no way she could choose.

Not Jake. Never Jake, not after everything.

"You okay?"

Five-year-old Kaitlyn jerked her head up, wiping at her eyes as she focused on the boy standing in front of her. He was small for his age, a small bruise on his cheek.

But he looked unbearably kind, holding a hand out to her to help her stand. His eyes were warm and gentle as he looked her over, a tiny finger running over her scraped chin from her fall.

"I'm sorry they pushed you," The boy said, his words surprisingly adultish as he spoke to her, dropping his hand when she turned away from the touch with a wince. "They used to do it to me all the time before you moved here."

Kaitlyn looked down, tears welling once more at his apology. The boy let out a small gasp, worriedly crowding into her eyes.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you cry,” He said, the tiniest lisp to his voice as he spoke to her. His ‘r’s sounded more like ‘aw’.

Kaitlyn wiped at her nose, sniffling. “It’s okay,” She said, though her chin still wobbled. “Thank you.”

The boy’s eyes softened once more. “Don’t thank me. I hate bullies,” He scowled to himself, before he smiled at her, all kind and uncaring that she wasn’t like him or the other kids in school. “I’m Jacob, but you can call me Jake.” He pointed to his chest proudly.

Kaitlyn looked around, half expecting it to be a prank. Why else would he want to be friends with her?

But even then, she nodded her head down, and smiled. “Kaitlyn.”

“I’m gonna call you Kait, okay?” Jake said, his eyes bright.

No one popped out and started laughing at her.

So she allowed herself to laugh, nodding at him in agreement.

And so there they were, Jake and Kait.

Forever and always, best friends. No matter how stupid they were sometimes.

And fuck, not fucking Ryan. Never. Never ever.

He was sitting by himself when she first saw him. Class was about to start, and he was all alone in the corner, thin and tired, nothing like how a young boy his age should look. Only nine years old, and he looked like he‘d seen all the bad in the world already.

She glanced around - because of course, Jacob was going to be late like always since his dad constantly forgot that he had a son to take to school - and then plopped herself beside him with a friendly smile.

“Hey!”

He looked at her with mild distaste, glancing behind her uncertainly. “Hi?”

“I’m Kaitlyn, are you new here?” She inquired. His shoulders hiked up the smallest bit, but he didn’t run away like she assumed he wanted to.

“Yeah. I moved in with my grandma.” He said, fingers scratching idly at his desk with a blank expression. His nails were bitten down to the bed.

She didn’t ask about his parents. It wasn’t her business, after all.

“Oh, cool! How are you liking everything? I know it might seem like there’s nothing to do out here, but you just aren’t looking in the right places, I’m telling you,” She smiled, waving her hand around lackadaisically.

His lips pursed awkwardly. “Okay.”

Kaitlyn saw him glance behind her again, and turned to see what he was looking at. She saw a group of her classmates, giggling and whispering as they pointed toward her and Ryan.

Kaitlyn’s throat tightened. Right.

She forced a smile at Ryan. “As I was saying, I can show you around town; show you all the cool places to hang out!” His eyes focused back onto hers, and she’s pleased when a small, minute smile appeared in his eyes. Not on his lips, or his cheeks, or anything, but she could see his eyes grow warmer, could see his thin body relax the smallest bit.

“Okay,” He whispered, and Kaitlyn beamed at him.

He was going to fit right in with her people, she just knew it.

She couldn’t choose. She just fucking couldn’t.

“Doing nothing,” The voice spoke as the saw began to creep up the rails it was on, “Will only kill them both. And don’t bother trying the door, little mouse, you’ll never break it open in time.”

Kaitlyn shuddered and choked on her breath, hand instinctively jerking toward the lever - only to freeze in place. She couldn’t do it. No no, there was no fucking way.

Jacob or Ryan? Ryan or Jacob?

“I—I’m sorry,” She croaked, looking into the eyes of her choice. Her hand curled around the lever, and just as she was about to pull it—the back door of the shed burst open, and three people sprinted in.

Nick ran towards the two chained men, and began to work on the chains as Emma ran to figure out the saw. Abi was frozen for a moment before she went to the door and unlocked it with a final clack.

Kaitlyn nearly wailed in relief, rushing into the room to help Nick with unchaining them. She looked around in a panic, eyes trying to find something to do this faster — and caught sight of a rusted bolt cutter.

In a shocked daze, one that she would later recall as nothing more than all six of them screaming in different ways, she cut Ryan and Jacob free just as the saw slammed into the slanted tables, ripping the metal apart with a sickening ease.

Jacob fell to the floor, gasping for air, lips blue from the cold, and Ryan collapsed against a nearby wall, staring emptily ahead.

Kaitlyn fell down beside Jacob, legs weak and wobbly.

She did it.

She fucking did it.

No, they did it. All of them.

They saved them.

Holy shit.

Holy fucking shit.

As she tried to calm herself down, tried to think rationally, she could hear Emma begging them for answers, for someone to tell them what the fuck they just walked in on.

Distantly, she heard Ryan explain, voice blank and fuck, he was absolutely in shock and he was probably going to collapse once they got to safety. “Someone took me and Jacob and tied us up. Tried to make Kaitlyn choose who should die.”

“We, we gotta find help, we—“ Abi stammered.

“The radio tower, we can, we can call for help there,” Emma agreed, and Kaitlyn blearily looked up to see Jacob standing, hugging himself as he went over to Emma.

“Are you nuts? We need to hide, get to a safe place and—“

Then Kaitlyn remembered.

“Oh fuck, Dylan—“ She hiccuped, standing and trying to stumble out of the shed to look. Jacob stopped her, shaking his head.

“Kait, what—“

“Everyone fucking STOP for two seconds.” Nick shouted, uncharacteristically loud and firm.

Everyone looked at him, quiet, with glossy, shocked eyes.

“Thank you,” Nick sighed, tremulous, and continued, “Abi and I will go find Max and Laura. Jacob, you go with Emma to the radio tower after you get some clothes. Ryan, Kaitlyn, find Dylan. We’ll all meet at the cable car station.” He said, almost robotic, eyes dark and clouded with confused emotions.

Kaitlyn nodded silently. It made sense, being all paired into two.

“Clothes? Where am I gonna fucking find clothes—“ Jacob cut himself off, glaring blankly ahead. “What. That’s. My bag—“ He stalked over to the wall near the exit, and picked up his bag with a befuddled expression.

His bag was already there. So, what, it was there just in case Kaitlyn chose to kill Ryan? Fuck. That. That’s just.

Fuck.

As Jacob got dressed, Emma lingering beside him with a grim face, Kaitlyn went to Ryan’s side and took his arm.

“Let’s find Dylan,” She said.

He looked at her, and his face, his eyes, nothing betrayed what he was feeling inside. He looked utterly blank. For probably the first time, Kaitlyn had no idea what he was thinking.

But for fucks sake, Kaitlyn couldn’t care about that right now.

They needed to find Dylan. They needed to get to safety. They needed to…

Fuck.

Kaitlyn took a deep breath, and lead the way back to the cabin as the other four also went toward their assigned destinations.

And so the night continued, with only more to come - and it was nothing anyone could have ever predicted.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FIVE: Formido

LAURA KEARNEY
The Sanatorium
February 2nd, 2022
1:10 AM

The sanatorium loomed in its mass and history as Laura peered above a decrepit rock wall, watching closely as the silent figure led the two loyal wolves toward the building. Her mouth was bone dry and her eyes had long-since stopped burning with tears, and what was left was an emptiness that tugged at a brewing rage in her stomach.

Her mind was unrelenting, forcing her on her set path for misguided justice - and fuck if she didn't even care if she was targeting the wrong person. The figure was already shady as hell, creeping in the mines and hiding out in the abandoned sanatorium. When Laura got them, in her mind, their death would be deserved even if they weren't the hand that took her Max.

Distantly, a part of her knew she was being outrageous, being impulsive, and yet she shoved that side away for the nth time, unwilling to feel any more than numb determination in fear of breaking down and losing her shit.

The figure didn't go for the front door like she expected, instead heading for a panel on the left wall, pushing it open. One wolf hopped inside, and the other stayed beside the figure.

"Where are you going, fucker?" She narrowed her eyes, beginning to climb the wall as the figure took the remaining wolf back to the front, slipping inside with a key in hand. She cursed to herself and glanced around the yard of the old sanatorium. There was a fountain, empty and dry, covered in ice. The grass was buried under snow, which crunched under her feet as she went for the door.

She went to turn the knob, then stopped. That side panel...

She headed over, pressing her ear to the freezing metal to listen for the wolf inside. Nothing. Was it gone? Why did the figure even put it in here?

She slid the panel opened and hopped down without a second thought.

There was no wolf in sight. She took a slow breath in, and looked around the room. There was a large busted vent on the opposite wall, with claw marks surrounding it. Okay, so that was probably where the wolf went.

Laura intentionally avoided the vent as she moved deeper into the underground room, eying the old medical equipment and loose wires. There wasn't anything else in here - no papers, no keys, nothing. She glanced up in frustration only to stop short.

"Huh." There was a hole in the ceiling, leading to the main lobby of the sanatorium. "Gotta get up there," She whispered to herself, glancing around and landing on a fallen ladder. Please be tall enough, she hoped, lifting it with a grunt.

She smiled numbly when the top of the ladder clinked against the concrete, unable to feel real victory but still recognizing her luck. She began to climb, ears tuned into every little sound around her. The moans of the wind, the creaking of the windows and the faint howls of wolves and cries of coyotes in the surrounding mountain woods.

The lights of the sanatorium were on, blinding her as she struggled to adjust to proper lighting after hours of being in the dark. She held a hand over her face, wincing to herself.

Then she saw the wet snow tracks on the floor, leading to a room in the back of the lobby.

She dropped her hand, ignoring the sting of her eyes as she moved toward the closed double doors with her fierce fire returning full force. They had to be in there - Max's killer had to be there.

She peered through the mail-slot on the door, biting her tongue to hold back a gasp at the sight of the figure walking around. On their back was a large tank of... gasoline? Was that a fucking... flamethrower?

She pulled away from the slot, looking at the door contemplatively before looking up at the keycard lock on the left. She ran a finger over the red light, and cursed under her breath.

"Shit. Need a keycard. But where...?" She turned around, looking at the massive expanse of the sanatorium. She could probably find a keycard on one of the staff desks, right?

She moved forward, noticing an open door that had the words STAFF ONLY above it in bold text. Going through it, the fortunate lighting of the lobby was gone. She grimaced, glancing around and landing on a still lit lantern.

Okay. Small victory there. She grabbed it and the warmth from the flickering flame inside made her frozen skin defrost enough that they tingled.

Now, the long and arduous search began.

The first office she checked was empty, with nothing more than an old, faded document in a drawer. She nearly dismissed it, but something made her lean down and grab it.

"The fuck is...? What is this? This is..." She flipped it around and saw a hurriedly scribbled note. "Odd behaviors, bad smells..?" She read. Something more was said about... miners found, a tunnel collapse.

It didn't make much sense. Why, of all possible documents, was this left behind? After seeing the figure, this little fact wasn't as insignificant as it would've been otherwise. Something about the mine tunnel collapse had a piece to play. But she couldn't put her finger on it. Not yet.

Another office had a safe - and she broke it open with a chair leg that she managed to clumsily kick loose. Inside she found a large stack of patient clock-in cards. A quick count gave her the number thirty. Over half of them were stamped in red with the word 'DECEASED'.

"That's... more than I expected." She muttered, ignoring the crawl of her skin. How had so many died inside the sanatorium? Wasn't the whole point to get better? Then again, most places like this tended to have track records of inhumane treatments.

There was another slip of paper in the safe, this one a doctor's note to one of his nurses. She scanned it, frown turning curious at the last sentence. 'Healing faster than expected', and, 'higher levels of aggression'. "Weird." She said, tossing the paper away. How was this important? Fuck, she didn't even know why she was wasting her time with this.

Abandoning the offices as a lost cause, she headed for the infirmary down the hallway. She scowled to herself at the sight of old browned blood on the floor and walls, clutching the lantern closer to herself.

Keycard. That was all she needed. A keycard. Laura took in a short breath and walked through a maze of overturned beds and IV poles, eyes carefully examining her surroundings for any kind of keycard.

But she found nothing.

So she left the room through the opposite door, and went down a set of stairs ahead. The air grew colder, and she slowed as she caught sight of what was ahead of her.

A wooden table was jammed through a door, and on top of that table was—

"A machete?" She murmured, approaching it cautiously. "What's this doing here..?" She tugged it back and forth until it slipped loose from the table it was wedged in, running her fingers over the wet blade. "Blood? It..." Looks fresh. She shoved that detail aside as only more proof that no matter what, this person needed to die.

Pushing between the table and door, she found herself in the back room of what looked like a morgue. She ground her jaw until her teeth squeaked in protest, and moved forward.

She found a telegram on a nearby cabinet, lifting it to read with the lantern as her only lighting.

REPLY IMMEDIATELY:

Reporters and other snoopers to be kept away at all costs!

WESTERN PROVINCE

TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO. TELEGRAM

BW.0S54A/1= PD=MNT. MADAHEE

AB 24 907A =                                                 

DR. RICHARD CASTLE / BLACKWOOD SANATORIUM

To: Dr. J Bragg

INCIDENT UPDATE =

12 survivors received at Sanatorium = showing signs of mental trauma may need to contain = local press now have scent of blood = becoming a problem = please advise further

"What exactly were these guys trying to cover up?" Her mind flashed to the figure. They'd been in the tunnels, and now they were hiding out here. Once is a coincidence, and what's two? Laura's eyes narrowed. "What if..?" She trailed off. What if the figure was connected in more ways than she'd thought possible? She had no idea how old they were, nor if they had been a doctor or resident here.

It was a possibility.

One that she clung to as a truth.

Now wielding both the lantern and the machete, she abandoned the telegram to move through two bloodied plastic curtains and into the mortuary room.

She stopped. A rhythmic clanking sound was ahead of her. She followed the sound until she caught sight of the culprit.

A hand waved at her, a tag dangling from its finger, almost enticingly.

"What..? A hand? Is... is it trying to show me something..?" She crept toward it, even raised her hand to touch it—only to quickly snap back and smack at her own cheek. "No. No, bad, Laura. Don't be that idiot in a horror movie. Keep walking."

She turned away from it with a huff, irritated with herself. What was she thinking? That was a shitty idea. It was always a very obvious trap. Laid out by who? What did the figure gain from having the moving hand in such an empty room?

However, all her questions regarding the trap vanished when she saw the jar on a shelf near the back door of the morgue.

"Is that... a head?" Nausea ran through her. It's structure was degraded, eyes building and long teeth gnashing through the rotted cheeks. "Fuck, what's wrong with it? I think I'm gonna be sick."

She gagged to herself, backing away from it only to bump into a half-open cold locker, whipping around to stare down at the thankfully empty stretcher. Empty, except for another document. She read through it quickly, patience wearing thin as her anxiety pumped further and further into her heart.

REGISTRATION OF DEATH

Name of Deceased: Sarah Smith

Date of Death: February 24th 1952

I hereby certify that I attended deceased from: March 8th 1951 to February 24th 1952, and last saw her alive on February 24th 1952.

Cause of Death: Severe lacerations to the abdomen. Intra-abdominal injuries. Subsequent blood loss.

If death was due to external causes (violence) fill in also the following.

Accident, suicide, homicide: Homicide

Manner of injury: Laceration by sharp impalement. Possibly fingernails?

Additional Notes: Please use the box provided overleaf for any additional relevant information.

Signed by N. Bowen MD

Address: Blackwood Sanatorium

Date: February 24th 1952

Additional notes: Body was not discovered after 6-8 hours after death.

Sections of the intestine and kidneys were apparently EATEN by the attacker.

"Woah, wait, what? Someone... ate a worker? It has to be the miners, right? The aggressiveness, the odd behaviors the other documents spoke of. Just what kind of sickness was this?" Laura wondered out loud, but placed the document back down with no one there to give her all the answers.

She finally struck gold when she went to move around the stretcher — her foot kicking at something on the ground. Her lips lifted the tiniest bit and she grabbed it from the floor, urgently walking over to the exit door.

"Yes, perfect!" She held the keycard toward the box on the wall, hesitating only to say, "you better work," and slipped it inside. It lit green and beeped in success.

Laura grinned.

Finally, something was going right tonight.

"Score!" She muttered to herself, snorting softly as she chuckled to herself - and hell, wasn't that an odd thing? Her grief and anger was slowly twisting into apathy and a dead sort of humor and she—she couldn't barely bring herself to care about it.

Her mind felt lost and crowded with too much all at once, and she thumbed at the space between her brows as she absently avoided a large chunk of ceiling resting in the middle of the hallway she was walking down.

"How hasn't this building been demolished yet?" She wondered blankly, stopping only once to admire the black emptiness in the ceiling above her, wondering if Max was somewhere like that right now, or if her estranged mother had been right and there really was a heaven. She wasn't sure what answer she preferred.

clatter, snarl, clatter

A scuffle sounded in the room to her right, an animalistic growl following the noise. She looked dumbly for a moment, brain struggling to keep up as her faded adrenaline quickly rushed back in.

"Who—" Fuck, shut up, idiot. Survival instincts, feel free to finally kick in, please.

The growling increased, and the shadow that had been in her right peripheral all this time began to grow larger as it rushed right toward her.

"Oh shit—!" She turned on her heel and bolted toward the nearby stairs just as the sight of a black wolf entered her vision. She ran, certain the threatened wolf was at her heels, moments away from sinking into her flesh. She didn't stop, didn't dare to look back. She just ran until she managed to slip through an exit, locking it behind her as a large bang! sounded, the wolf ramming into the metal door.

"Oh fuck, okay, alright." She gasped, clutching at her chest with the arm not wielding a machete. "My lungs are gonna burst outta me, goddamn," She struggled to stand upright, eyes darting to the door as the sounds of growling slowly faded back into silence.

That—that was one of the figure's wolves. Had it been following her all this time? It had to be the one the figure placed in that hidden room, the wolf with the black and grey coloring. And, if that really was the case, where was the other one?

After finally catching her breath, Laura hopped from the deteriorated stairs back down to the first floor, right back where she began inside the lobby.

"Huh. Convenient," She said, glad for the comfort of the lantern and machete both. One for its warmth and promise to light the way, the other for its threat to protect her against anything that dared to come her way.

She made sure the machete was secure in the loop of her jeans and took the keycard out, using it to finally unlock the double doors that led to the figure's base.

"Alright, let's see..." She opened the left door only to be greeted by a nasty bark and snarl, a white wolf launching up from its resting place to snap in her direction. "W—! Jesus FUCK shit!"

She stumbled back, nerves on fire, but she somehow restrained the urge to kick the frightened animal.

"Hey... easy, easy, boy," She cooed, exactly six months of vet-training running through her mind. Her hand trembled where she held it out for the white wolf to sniff. "Yeah... yeah, okay, it's okay," She released a breath when the wolf gave her hand a quick investigation, then turned to lay down near a pile of fur-covered clothes.

Okay.

Totally adding 'wolf-tamer' onto her resume as soon as she got off this mountain.

She backed away from the wolf, giving him space as she looked around the large open room with blatant scrutiny. It was a fucking mess - lots of vine overgrowth on the walls and the floor split with tree roots - and that wasn't mentioning the amount of half-smoked cigarettes on the floor and the pile of stinking animal bones in the center of it all.

Laura grabbed a box of cigarettes laying on a bench in the center of the area, flipping it around and opening it to see only one left. She grabbed it, and placed it between her lips with no small amount of relief. Sue her, okay? This night was fucking horrific and it wasn't like... fuck. It wasn't like Max could scold her for it anymore. She could smoke all she wanted.

She palmed for her lighter only to spit a curse. Fuck. She gave Ryan her lighter and never got it back. Dammit. She pocketed the cigarette with a petulant frown, going to toss the box down when she paused to look at the brand name on it.

"Didn't Max see this brand in that cave we went in? Then... then this person, they—" She fell silent in thought. They were there in the same tunnel - recently, too. Had they... spied on them? Everyone? How long had the figure been on the mountain?

The figure had been there all along, hadn't they?

Laura grit her teeth and kept looking around. She found herself going to the pile of bones, and grimaced at the sheer smell of raw meat and rot coming off of it. Laura fought a gag, leaning down to lift up a somewhat decent, only partially eaten bone with chunks of meat still on it.

She forced herself to whistle, waggling it in the direction of the wolf.

"Hey, look what I found, huh? You want it?" She asked, creeping toward the animal as he lifted his head, sniffing the air as she approached. She nearly bit her tongue in half when—

When the white wolf nodded.

"Yeah... this isn't a normal wolf," She smiled tensely to herself, tossing the bone at the wolf's feet. He began to gnaw at it after a moment of panting up at her, and she shuddered in disgust even as a knot of interest swelled inside of her. The wolf was strangely fascinating.

She carefully encroached into the wolf's space, kneeling to get more on his level. The wolf lifted his head, bone abandoned to meet her eyes instead.

"Can... can I pet you?" She asked.

The wolf once again nodded, panting happily up at her. Okie dokie, then. The first time hadn't been a trick of light.

"Cool cool cool. Wolf just nodded at me. Totally normal. Fuck." She hesitantly reached down, scratching at his white, thick fur on top of his head, earning a quiet, but pleased grumble. "At least you're soft. And cute." The wolf panted at her in a strange sort of wolf-smile.

She left the wolf alone to enjoy his treat, going over to the room on the far right of the area. She opened the door to see a large board on the wall full of both old and new newspaper clippings. There was also photos of different parts of the mountain, with vague shadowy figures in the backgrounds.

There was also a large title on the top of the board, one which she read aloud despite the urge to remain silent in fear of being heard. By who, the figure who was god knows where, or the white wolf a few yards away? She wasn't sure which one made more sense. But even still, she spoke every word she saw on the board aloud, voice trembling.

"Last sightings..? Hey, that's... that's the day..." The day Kaylee and Caleb went missing. The day Laura became the exact kind of person she never wanted to be. "'Monster'? What do they mean, monster?" Was the figure calling themself a monster? That was the only way she could make sense of the strange scribblings on the board.

She backed away a half-step, confused beyond belief and with a a strange inkling that the story was only growing more complicated by the minute. But all she knew was the figure was behind it all. She just knew it. Not only for Max, but for Kaylee and Caleb, too. She grabbed her phone out of her pocket and turned it on, lifting it to take a photo of the board.

She pocketed her phone once it finished, and looked around the rest of the small room.

A small revolver lay on the shelf behind her, and she grabbed it, lifting it to watch the dim light glisten and reflect on the silver metal. It wasn't an old gun - it was a fairly fucking new model.

In fact, it was a little similar to the one that— She scrubbed the thought from her mind. No. That—there was no way. That would never be true. It had to be stolen, or just dumb luck. It had to be.

"A gun, I feel safer with a gun," She pocketed it, and frowned to herself shortly after. "Hopefully this one will actually work," She had missed her first shot to kill Max's murderer with that piece of shit rifle.

She wouldn't miss again.

She found another exit, a chain-link door leading into more tunnels. It was locked.

She could waste even more time looking for a key - or she could use her newfound gun to break it open. She had a gut feeling that the figure was down there, somewhere in those tunnels.

"Fuck it. No time to debate."

She lifted the gun and pulled the trigger, popping the door loose.

Sparks flew towards a gasoline barrel nearby, and she almost had to laugh at her bad luck.

"Oh, well, that's just peachy," Left her lips as she ran away from the growing fire. "What more can go fucking wrong tonight?"

And she ran down the long tunnel as the barrel exploded - with only one lingering thought hoping that the white wolf was uninjured from the blast.

Time to fuck up Max’s killer.

…Whenever she found them.

JACOB CUSTOS
Headed to Radio Tower
February 2nd, 2022
1:15 AM

It was hard for him to accept that he wasn't dead. There was something harrowing about being faced with the reality that his useless life was almost gone by the single push of a lever—and something bitter by the fact that he would have understood the decision. It wasn't like he was worth saving. He wouldn't have saved himself if he had the choice.

He wondered who Kaitlyn had chosen. He wasn't sure if the answer would be one he liked.

"Are you... okay?" Emma's voice broke him from his thoughts, and he looked up from the path to glance over at her. She was already looking back, her wind-chafed face gentle. She used to look at him like that all the time. Now it only came in rare bursts, like when he would talk about his dad or when he mentioned last year.

"Not really. Um. I just. It's. I almost died." He could barely speak, even after walking away from the shed and from the very real saw that almost cut him and Ryan into halves. His head was full of cotton and his stitching was coming loose even as he struggled to keep himself calm and collected.

"Yeah?" Emma coaxed, softer than usual, voice barely audible in the wind.

"I... you know, I... I don't know if Kait was gonna save me. I was so busy freaking out that I didn't see if she decided." Too busy screaming over the sound of the blade whining, over the chug of the tracks as it jerked closer and closer to him and Ryan.

"Maybe we came right before she could choose." Emma suggested. Jacob shook his head.

"Maybe, I dunno," He hugged himself, and Emma looked back ahead of them, face thoughtful.

"You really think she would've killed you? Not Ryan?" She asked.

Jacob's chest ached.

"Shit, I mean... after everything I did? Sure, she's known me longer than anyone else, but... I can't remember the last time it was just the two of us." He said, more honest with both her and himself than he'd been in a long, long time.

"I don't think it's as clear cut as that, Jacob," Emma disagreed, and he frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Emma huffed a solemn breath. "She and Ryan are best friends now, sure. But you're her brother, Jacob. I don't think she would've chosen either of you if she could've helped it."

"If she didn't choose, we both would've—" She held up her hand and he stopped.

"I know, Jacob. You already said that before."

"Oh." He said dumbly. She continued, huffing a short, almost irritated breath though deep down, he knew it wasn't directed at him for once.

"So why are you so sure she wouldn't have saved you? Kaitlyn loves you, even if things got rocky after last year."

Jacob shrugged. He wasn't so sure.

"I guess so. I guess I just... I dunno. It's hard to believe someone would choose to save me over anyone else." He swallowed past the lump in his throat, barely choking out the words in fear of... something. Risking his masculinity? Seeming weak? Shit.

"Jacob..." Emma reached for his arm, expression pitying. He moved away.

His heart was lodge in his throat, racing.

"No, don't—I just—don't touch me right now. It's, my skin fucking itches and I... I want this night to be over already. I want to go home." His voice trembled and he roughly cleared his throat, eyes directed on the path to avoid her knowing gaze.

"Jacob, look... I get it. And..." Emma's hand dropped back to her side and she looked back ahead of them, too. "That's why we need to call for help. Once a rescue helicopter comes to get us, we'll all be okay. All of us."

Jacob wasn't so sure. "What about Max and Laura? They're out there alone. And Dylan? No one knew where he was, not even Ryan. He could be..." He couldn't finish that.

"Well, they're... at the guest cabin. They went there all the time, and they have the key. They, they're fine. Nick and Abi will get them back safe to us. And Dylan..." Emma gave a strained smile. "Hell, that lanky asshole is probably sleeping peacefully in the lodge, unaware of everything."

Jacob forced a laugh. "Hah. Yeah, probably,"

He just wanted everyone to be okay. He knew he was a shitty person - knew that everyone had already written him off as a dumb jock with no consideration for others. And he also knew that even though it hurt, they weren't too far off. He was an asshole. It was why he surrounded himself with such amazing, kind people; being near them could almost hide the fact that he was exactly the sort of man people avoided on the streets.

He wanted to be loved in the way Laura and Max loved each other. He wanted to be wanted. But Emma didn't want him. She only needed him when they were stupid kids trying to be the kind of people that they definitely weren't. And, fuck, maybe, just maybe it was time for him to finally accept that she was done with him. Maybe it was time to let her go. She looked so happy with Abi. With Nick. And who was he to get in the way of her deserved happiness?

Even if it tore his heart out. He had to let her go.

But he wasn't sure if he could.

He was too selfish.

He doesn't really realize how far they've walked until Emma spoke up, breaking the silence between them.

"Hey, we made it. The cable car station."

He focused his vision ahead of them, the large station that had promised change and progress in their broken friend group now shattered by a horrifying vision of blood and—an ax?

"Uh, Em, the—the ax?" He gestured to it, to the blood near it, and Emma's face dropped, paling even further than before. She slapped her own forehead, heading for the ax with a gaping expression. He followed close behind as she began to hurriedly explain.

"Oh, fuck, that's right! Nick, Abi and I found a fucking crazy bloody message when we came to get her bag. That's why we came running back to you guys."

Jacob blinked.

"Fuck."

"Yeah, fuck," Emma agreed.

They looked around the station, the calm and peace of the forest betrayed by the spattered blood in front of them.

"So, we're... taking the cable car to..?"

"No, Jacob. We're not 'taking the cable car'. There's a map inside. We need it to find the radio tower." Her voice was incredibly patronizing. Jacob blanched and tried to save face.

"Oh, right." Jacob grabbed for the door and tried the handle. "It—it's locked?" Emma pushed him aside to try the handle, too, and let out a short groan.

"Shit. The lock's probably frozen, like the cabin." She swung her hand wildly in frustration. Jacob bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to show the small irritation he was feeling at her increasingly obvious distaste for him. She wasn't even trying to hide it anymore, wasn't trying to be nice to him.

Maybe that was the point. Maybe she was trying to get him to hate her, to break up with her. He wasn't sure if he was okay with that. He would rather she tell him straight to his face instead of shoving him aside and hiding subtle insults in her words.

But he wouldn't call attention to it.

No, not wouldn't. Couldn't. He couldn't call attention to it because that would be admitting that her tactic was starting to work.

"What, uh, what do we do?" He asked, and she gave him another patronizing look that made his lips purse as she turned away to gesture around them.

"There's not too many options, Jacob. It's either use the ax to break the door open, or crawl through that window," She gestured to the left side of the station. "If you think you can squeeze yourself in there, big guy."

"Wha—why me? You could go in way easier."

"Uh, and get myself killed in the dark?" She scoffed at him.

Jacob's anger slowly began to boil. For probably the hundredth time in the past year, Emma was starting to piss him off. But this time, he wasn't sure if he could calm himself down. Wasn't sure if he could hold back his own aggressive remarks.

Still, he took a slow breath in and out before he replied.

"And you expect me to go in when you won't?" He inquired carefully, keeping his tone even.

"Ugh," She groaned, stamping her foot. "Stop being a baby and just do something. This isn't the time to be hesitating. Our friends are in danger. We are in danger."

"Whatever," He scowled, tossing his head back before grabbing for the ax. Fuck that, he wasn't about to go into the pitch dark station by himself and, most likely, get murdered.

That was probably what she wanted - an easy way to get rid of him. Then he shoved that idea away, knowing he was being cruel. Emma may not love him anymore, may not want to be with him, but he knew she wasn't as vindictive as some seemed to assume. He knew that she was just panicking, stressed from their life-or-death situation. He had to remind himself that she wouldn't be so snippy with him if it weren't for that.

"Here goes nothing." He sighed, and lifted the axe over his head to heave it into the metal door.  It gave a whining cry as the metal was bent and cut into, protesting loudly as he yanked it free once more and slammed it back down.

"Finally putting those muscles to good use, I see." Emma teased, and he wasn't in the mood to encourage the lighter mood, only shooting back with a curt:

"Shuddup," As he held the ax over his head again.

"You don't tell me what to do," Emma scoffed lightly, not acknowledging his sour mood. He fought the urge to roll his eyes. It was strange how he could go from lovesick and clingy to frustrated and unamused with her in only a few hours. He supposed that nearly dying under your childhood friend's hands could do that to someone — make them see things they usually tried to ignore were even there.

Perhaps he was just seeing Emma in a new perspective now that he was alive. Perhaps his eyes were finally open after that wake-up call.

He wasn't too sure.

"God, that was harder than it looks in the movies." He dropped the ax to the floor and gasped for breath, a gaping hole in the door for them to slip inside.

He peered his head through the hole to look inside the station. Hey, this was just like—

"If you say 'Here's Johnny', I'm ditching your ass right here, right now." Emma snarked, smirking dryly at him.

"...Whaaat?" He dragged. "Why... why would I do that? No..."

"Oh my god. You were totally going to do that." She looked appalled.

"...Nnn...no..?" He winced. She gave a fake gag, sticking her tongue out.

"Ugh. Gross. I miss Nick and Abi." She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Ouch," He whispered to himself as she pushed past him into the station. He followed, still frowning to himself, and stopped just inches from bumping into her back. "What—"

"Jacob? Look."

He looked up.

"Woah, what the—shit."

There was bloody writing all over the wall of the station.

Fresh blood.

"'Die die die'," Emma read, "'For them' and 'you deserve this'. Well, that's, uh, specific. I guess we know the motive." Her skin was ashen as she glanced back at him. 

His stomach churned and he moved around her to get a better look.

"So it's someone who knew about last year?" He said, though found his voice turning up at the end to make it more of a question.

She visibly hesitated before nodding shakily.

"Looks like. But who? Only our group, the police, and the Hackett's know what we did."

"Mr. Hackett?" He suggested. It made sense, right? He killed his only children. They all played a part, sure, but it was Jacob who broke Kaylee's heart and caused her to run into the woods. That had to be why he was chained up for that sick discount-Saw game. But then, why... why Ryan?

"I... maybe? He was the one who let us come up here, gave Ryan the keys and all." Emma bit at her nail, other arm hugging herself by the waist.

"But, he loves Ryan like a son or whatever that relationship is. Why would he..?" He trailed off, voice wavering in confusion. Emma shook her head, also uncertain. It wasn’t adding up.

"Maybe he rigged it? No matter what Kaitlyn did, maybe it would've always gone to you?" She theorized, but Jacob disagreed.

"No... I don't think so. It really did go into the middle when she didn't move the lever. And that definitely would've killed us both. You saw how it obliterated those tables we were on.”

Emma didn’t look convinced by his words. "Unless it had a sensor to detect a body and stopped." She mused. Jacob’s brow furrowed, trying in vain to understand where she was coming from.

"What, so, neither of us would've—"

"No, dummy. I'm saying maybe it had a sensor in case she chose to kill Ryan, and it would've turned off right before it hit him."

Jacob tilted his head, lost. "I... but why put Ryan there in the first place? Why risk it?"

Emma shrugged, sighing softly as finally giving her nails a break, hand dropping to her side.

"I dunno. That's why I'm not sure it was Mr. Hackett." Her lips twisted to the side, unsure, and he shook his head, going back to the doorway to grab the fallen ax. Just in case.

"So... who? Any ideas?" He asked, tossing the ax over his shoulder as he rejoined her at the railing near where the cable car typically sat parked. It wasn’t there. They’d have to call it down once Ryan came to the station with the cable car key and everyone else, hopefully all safe and alive.

Emma looked regretful before wiping her face clean. "No. I—nothing comes to mind."

"No, bullshit. C'mon, tell me. This is life or death, Emma. Literally." He pleaded softly.

Her face screwed up a small bit, and she bit at her lower lip silently for a moment. Then she blurted it out, picking at her fingers with an anxious aura.

"...My top two suspects are Ryan or Dylan."

"...What?" Jacob shook his head, dismissing the idea of either immediately. "No. First of all, Ryan wouldn't put himself or Kaitlyn through that. And Dylan, he, he wouldn't. He loves us."

"Loved. Just 'cause he's still nice to us doesn't mean he cares about us anymore." Emma retorted, voice shaky and eyes glossy with hidden tears.

"But still," He insisted, "Dylan won't even kill bugs. I'm pretty sure we all saw him cry when Max accidentally stepped on that butterfly a few years ago."

"Abi cried too," Emma defended, but it was weak. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but Abi's always crying about something," He waved his hand around, and wasn’t all that surprised when Emma glared at him for the small jab at the petite girl.

"God, just—shut up, Jacob," She shoved past him again to look at the map on the wall. "I don't know why I even try," She grumbled, probably louder than she meant, and Jacob's heart tightened.

He pursed his lips. "Where's the tower?" He asked, intending to move forward until they weren't in a life-or-death scenario to discuss ‘them’. He hoped he could continue to restrain himself - but it was hard when someone was beating you down at every possible chance to make themself feel like the good guy.

"Over here," She gestured to where a small radio symbol was. "We can use the ladder on the side of the wall, there," She pointed to the wall near the cable car.

"And that'll take us to the right path?" He pressed.

She nodded. "Looks like."

He sighed in relief, and gestured toward the ladder a few feet away, where they could climb to walk along the piping on the building. Using it, they could get around and onto the right path to the tower. "Shall we?"

They moved toward it, looking up at the ladder contemplatively. Emma glanced back at him. "Boost me up?" Jacob kneeled obediently, hands interlocked, and she stepped on them to reach at the lowest rung, tugging until the ladder unfurled and clicked in place.

In silence, neither wanting to talk to the other anymore, they began to climb the ladder, Emma first. When they reach the top, Jacob hesitated, his protective nature rearing its head. "Here, lemme go first, yeah?" He suggested, foot already lowering to the pipe.

Emma stopped him with a scoff.

"And take twenty years because you're scared of heights? No. I'll lead." She rolled her eyes.

"You..." He trailed off when she whipped around to glower at him. When she turned back around, he finished under this breath childishly, "...are so mean." He wasn't scared of heights... anymore.

Even then, he gave up fighting, letting her take the lead.

By the time they landed safely on the other side of the building, Jacob was proud to say he only looked down three times, and only nearly pissed himself once.

“So, straight on until we reach a fork in the road, and take the left path,” Emma said, and Jacob nodded dutifully.

And so they walked, Jacob still clutching the ax for protection and Emma just ahead of him, neither aware of a harrowing fact.

That going to the tower would be the last time either of them saw the other for the rest of the night.

NICK FURCILLO
Path to Guest Cabin
February 2nd, 2022
1:25 AM

"Are you okay?" Nick asked Abi, for probably the tenth time in the last ten minutes.

She nodded shakily, lips pale and eyes dark and lifeless. He didn't hesitate to grab her hand. She clung back tightly, eyes locked ahead of them.

"They'll be okay. We'll get Max and Laura and then we'll all go home." He comforted. She sent him a weak smile. He continued. "I mean, we save Ryan and Jacob. That's gotta count for something, right?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I just. I'm trying not to think about it," Abi stammered, voice trembling, and he squeezed her hand softly. She closed her eyes tight and turned to look up at him with big brown eyes. "Thank you for being... levelheaded. I don't know how I'd... do anything if you weren't keeping me on track."

"Oh, trust me, on the inside I'm freaked. I'm just acting tough for you and the others. Someone has to." Nick huffed a humorless laugh, and Abi echoed him, eyes now lowered to the ground.

Nick looked back up the path, allowing the conversation to stop there for now. Truthfully, he wanted to get all the others collected and leave this cursed mountain for the very last time. The immeasurable feeling of horror and despair he'd felt when they had heard all of that screaming from the shed—and the realization that, if they hadn't used the shortcut, one or both of them would have died.

They'd gotten lucky. Too lucky.

He can't imagine what Kaitlyn was feeling. He tried to put himself in her shoes, with Emma and Abi on either side and his hand over the lever to decide their fate—and had no idea what he would choose. Damn. Damn.

"Emma and Jacob will call for help. It's only an hour and a half walk from the guest cabin to the cable car station. And Ryan and Kaitlyn will get Dylan no matter what." Nick said it like a mantra, trying to will himself to believe that it really would be that easy. 

"What if they're too late to get him? What if we're too late to get Max and Laura?" Abi returned in response, hopeless. Nick's heart hurt.

"It's not going to happen."

"Which one?" She asked.

"Neither. Neither is going to happen. Everyone will be okay."

"Kaylee and Caleb weren't okay."

And Nick stopped short, stung by her words even as he acknowledged the reality behind them. The silence dragged between them, neither sure of how to continue the brief argument.

"Is it this way?" Abi finally broke first, pointing to the diverting path to their left. Straight ahead was a large tree trunk. Nick wasn't sure. He never really went to the guest cabin.

"I guess so."

Abi sighed and nodded, and they moved forward, now going left. "I barely remember the way. But my mind has all these memories of Kaylee's treehouse and how we'd go to the guest cabin to sleep when we were too lazy to go back to the main one. But everything else, it's gotten fuzzy over the years."

"You all stopped going to the treehouse, when?"

"Uh, seventh grade. That's when we had a weird period of time where none of us talked to each other. And after that, we never went back to the treehouse. Well, I think Kaylee took Dylan there sometimes, but she stopped after he came out."

"She had a crush on him?" He assumed. She nodded softly, a small smile on her lips.

"Y'know, he's so convinced no one could ever like him. I wonder what he'd think if he knew that over half of the group has had a crush on him at some point," She said, some life growing in her eyes at the distraction.

Nick snorted. "Hey, when we see him again, tell him that. I'd like to see his brain melt trying to figure out which of us used to like him." Abi let out a soft giggle, nodding.

"Okay, but only if Emma films it,"

"Obviously she'll film it," Nick shot back, and her small smile grew wider. He felt victory at getting her to cheer up, and untangle his hand from hers to instead wrap his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, cheeks pinker than before, almost matching her hair.

They continue walking, the scenery slowly morphing as less and less trees surrounded them and the snow began to grow higher from the lack of protection.

"Are you sure that this is the right way?" Nick asked as they stepped onto a withered overpass bridge, and Abi shrugged wordlessly, pale once more.

"I-I could be wrong, like I said, I haven't been at the guest cabin in years, I—"

She stopped, eyes locked on something below them. Her brows furrowed. He followed her gaze and also frowned.

A light was glistening between two of the boards of the bridge. Abi knelt down and tried to pry one of them up, grunting. Nick joined her, helping.

They heaved and the board, old and rotted, snapped loose and they tossed it aside. Abi grabbed the object of their investigation.

A cracked phone with a bright pink case.

Kaylee's phone.

"Holy shit." They both spoke in unison, looking up at each other in shock.

Abi turned the phone over in her shaking hands as they both stood back up, Nick unsure of how to comfort her anxiety. "They—how did the police never find this? That means, this is the direction that—" Abi stopped herself as if pained, eyes clenched shut.

"Abi, hey," Nick tried to soothe, moving her hair out of her face, "Try to breathe, yeah? I've got you," Abi began to mimick his exaggerated breathing, and he took the cracked phone from her to tuck into his pocket for safekeeping.

When Abi could breathe without wheezing, they continued forward, all humor and levity lost by one single item.

Instead of the guest cabin, what they found was a cliff, and a white abyss below that threatened death if one fell. A broken danger sign lay half-buried under the snow, and Nick peered over the edge with a intrusive thought flashing the image of Kaylee and Caleb's corpses lying there. When he blinked again, it was only snow once more.

"This... is this where they..?" Abi tried to spit the words out but couldn't. Nick looked at her with a solemn, grim expression, unsure of how to comfort her when the answer was probably yes.

A animalistic snuffle behind them had Nick turning on his heel, only to widen his eyes and grab Abi's arm protectively.

A large mass of elk stood before them, crying at them territorially and stamping their hooves in protestation.

"Nick, what do we do? What do we do?!" Abi panicked.

Nick didn't know.

The elks grew closer, closing the gap between them and the humans, who only had the edge of the cliff behind them.

There was nowhere they could go.

DYLAN LENIVY
Hackett Lodge Attic
February 2nd, 2022
1:15 AM

”We should break up,”

“W-what? Why?”

“You don’t love me like that anymore, DJ,”

“No, I, I do, I—“

“It’s okay, Dylan. Really. Besides, I… I’m not too sure I can love anyone like that. At least, not in the same way as other people.”

“…Oh. That’s okay, too.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah. You’re aromantic, I think, and that’s okay, Caleb. Plenty of people are like you.”

“Oh… Cool.”

“Still friends?”

“…”

“Caleb?”

“You’re joking, right?”

“What?”

“You expect me to be friends with you after what you did?”

“What are you talking about? Caleb, I—“

“You killed me, DJ,”

“What? No—no, I didn’t, I was passed out, I was drunk, I didn’t know that they would—“

“Oh, what a lame fucking excuse. ‘I was drunk’ means nothing when you could’ve saved me. You promised to stay sober with me that night, do you remember?”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“‘Sorry’ doesn’t help me. Doesn’t help Kaylee.”

“I—“

“You killed me.”

“No—“

“SAY IT. YOU KILLED ME!”

“No—!” Dylan jerked upright, banging his head into the window he’d been sleeping on.

He groaned in pain, clutching at his head as it pounded in protest. His limbs unfurled from its curled position on the window bench, heavy eyes looking blearily around the attic.

He had ran up here after Ryan—just, after that. And he supposed, looking at the drool drying on the glass of the window, he must’ve passed out while crying.

He sighed shakily, running his hands through his hair and grimacing at the feeling of dried tears on his cheeks as he yawned to himself. It was pitch black outside. Just how long had he been sleeping? Was everyone else back yet? Maybe Ryan was cooled down by now, maybe he could try and mend things between them!

He lifted the hatch of the attic door, grunting as he heaved it to the side. The ladder lowered with a nudge of his foot, and he began to climb down to the second floor.

“Guys? Is anyone here? Or, awake?” He called, feet landing solidly on the ground. Nothing but the wind outside answered, and he sighed, rubbing the back of his stiff neck.

He began to walk toward the stairs, trying to stretch out his sleep-heavy muscles as he looked over the second floor railing to look for signs of life on the ground floor. Zilch.

Just as he began to walk down the steps, his hair stood on end and he froze in place.

Was he… being watched?

He looked around slowly, eyes darting to every dark corner and finding nothing staring back. “Hello?” He whispered, almost unaware of the word leaving his lips until it was too late. His eyes slammed shut and he gripped himself by the jaw, rubbing in annoyance. “God, I’m that dumb bitch who dies first in every horror flick, aren’t I?”

”dylan,” a voice crooned to him.

“What—?” He jerked his head up at the croon, eyes darting around in confusion. “Hello? Nick, was that you? Jacob?” Silence replied back. He pursed his lips. “Real mature, guys,” He groaned, continuing down the stairs with louder steps than usual.

His eyes latched onto a red balloon tied to the rail near the last step. A frown touched his lips, and he stopped beside it. A painted white arrow was on its middle, pointing toward the stairs leading to the lower floor.

“Okay, seriously? This isn’t funny,” He called out, narrowing his eyes as no one answered once again. “And this stupid silent treatment is NOT appreciated, I’ll have you know.” He ranted, but obeyed the directions of the balloon, heading to the stairs to the lower floor.

”don’t go,” was cried into his ear.

Dylan flinched, whipping his head to his left only to find air staring back. “What… the fuck..?” He hissed, voice cracking embarrassingly like he was a prepubescent teen again. Oh, great, he was sure that would be hilarious for whatever video Emma was filming this for. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to see me torture my friend again!

Nevertheless, he continued down the steps and found another balloon pointing at the theatre room. He grabbed for his phone in his pocket - only to freeze when the telltale rectangle shape was missing.

“My—my phone? Really?! What do you asshats get outta taking my—? Oh my god, you know what? I don’t even want to know,” He muttered the last sentence under his breath, tossing his hands into the air in surrender. “Fine. I’ll go into Mr. H’s creepy theatre room. Alone.”

One step inside the room and the doors slammed behind him with a wind so harsh it nearly knocked him into a face-plant on the floor. He barely managed to steady himself, properly angry now.

“Okay, fuck this, I’m done, whatever the fucking safeword is to tap outta this, I’m done,” He snapped, but instead of sheepish faces greeting him, a voice, a real voice, not the one that whispered to him, spoke from the speakers above.

“Hello, Dylan,” The masculine voice greeted, almost pleasant. His eyes looked around for any kind of camera, any red light in the room. “If you’re looking for me, you won’t find anything, Dylan,” His name was said like a pet name, every letter being drawn out in a purr. Dylan’s arms were covered in goosebumps.

“What—what the hell—who—?”

The screen flickered to life as the projector turned on, and Dylan turned to look despite his gut telling him not to.

It was a video of him sleeping fitfully in the attic. A big, gloved hand trailed over his face, thumb brushing a tear from his face.

“He’s quite pretty, isn’t he? A sleeping beauty,” The voice murmured, and Dylan watched in horror as the hand ran through his hair and sensually trailed down the curve of his back until it found his back pocket, slowly fishing his phone out. “Do you think these were the last peaceful moments of this creatures life? Do you think he had any idea of what was ahead?”

“Why—“ He choked, violated, “Why are you showing me this? What the fuck do you gain from—“

“I wonder what Ryan would think if he saw this video,” The voice pondered, cutting him off into a gasping silence, the mere mention of his crush sending a stabbing sickness through him. “Would he be jealous I got to touch you like that first?”

“Y-you, y-you’re sick,” Dylan stammered, eyes watery as he panicked, floundering on what to do when his limbs felt locked in place. “What, what did you do to Ryan? And, and K-Kaitlyn? The others?!” He demanded, trying to act tough but only sounding desperate and pathetic.

“Look, and see,” The voice crooned, and the film changed to a sight that made Dylan’s knees buckle.

Ryan. Jacob. Screaming. A saw coming toward them. Kaitlyn crying at a lever.

“N-no,” Dylan rasped, in denial, head shaking, and the voice chuckled mockingly.

“Yes,” And the door of the theatre slammed open once more—causing him to cry out and flung his body away. A large masked figure stood in the doorway, head tilted down at his cowering form as the voice continued, still from the speakers. “I’m going to give you five seconds.”

“F-for WHAT—?!” Dylan couldn’t help but shout back, backing away from the masked man as he remained in the doorway, waiting for something.

“Five, four,”

“No, fuck, STOP!” Dylan saw another door on the right side of the room.

“Three, two—“

Dylan ran for the door.

He got it open and found himself in the hallway with the door to the basement already opened.

He hesitated—but loud, heavy footsteps coming closer made him run forward, and down the crumbling steps.

But he’s not athletic, he’s not Jacob or Ryan or even Nick, and so he trips on a broken step.

His knees skid on the landing, a loud crack as he hits the concrete, and he’s definitely broken the skin, definitely bleeding—but he pushes himself up and begins to run once more, this time with a limp. Fuck fuck fuck. Not good. So fucking not good.

He hides behind one of the walls, the one near the boiler where he and Ryan had just been only hours before, happy and not being fucking harassed by some guy (or two? fuck he didn’t know) in a mask.

He held his rapid breathing as the masked man began to look for him, biting his bottom lip hard enough that the skin split, eyes squeezing shut as his heart threatened to burst from his chest.

“C’mere, little boy, I don’t bite,” The voice was coming from the masked man now. A voice modulator? To hide their true voices? Why? Would he recog—Dylan couldn’t hold his breath anymore and choked loudly for a breath in.

Fuck.

Fuck.

“Gotcha,” The masked man came around the corner, holding a syringe in hand as he grabbed for his neck. Dylan cried out, trying in vain to get out of the tight grip—the needle growing closer to his skin—and then he saw it. His saving grace.

The baseball bat Jacob had used to prank them lay on a desk near his hand. He palmed for it, face blue from the hand choking him, and managed to curl his fingers around it strong enough to smack the bat into the man’s head.

He’s dropped, a pained cry leaving the man as Dylan coughed, holding his neck as he stumbled for his escape. Holy fuck. Oh my god. Just run, don’t stop, oh fuck.

“You fuckin’ brat,” The man snarled out, and Dylan reached another door—with no handle.

“No, FUCK, you’re joking, please,” He pleaded, ramming his shoulder into the door desperately.

The masked man was growing closer.

“Come ON!” He begged, hoarse and wheezy as he panicked, feeling almost floaty from his adrenaline—and his third shove into the door has it opening, knocking him down onto the floor. He doesn’t waste a second to push himself up, shoving the door closed and latching it with the chain.

The masked man bangs onto the door, shouting for him, and Dylan sobbed, nearly gagging from the force of it as he limped for the door ahead of him.

Opening it revealed a long tunnel, full of old furniture and various barrels and boxes. His body was trembling with shock, teeth chattering as he limped forward, knee aching from his fall and his throat tight and swollen from the man’s grip.

He had to hide. Had to run. Had to fucking… do something. But where could he go? He’d never been in this place of the cabin—fuck, didn’t even know it existed.

”this way, hide,” the voice was back, urgent and firm.

His eyes were drawn, inexplicably, to a large open vent. He stared, uncertain and stuck in indecision.

He hesitated too long.

An arm wrapped around his chest, and a sharp prick to his neck was the last thing he felt before his vision blurred and everything went soupy and numb.

Game over.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SIX: Vindicta

ABI BLYG
The Cliff Top
February 2nd, 2022
2:00 AM

"Nick, what—what do we do?!" Abi asked again, eyes locked onto the territorial elks as they grew closer. Her hands curled around Nick's arm, and she fought a nervous whine as the leader of the herd lifted its head with a groaning cry and kicked its back legs angrily.

"Just... stay calm," Nick hissed back, eyes locked forward as he squared his shoulders. She bit her lips together, breaths shuddering in her chest and up her throat, but she choked back the urges to keep talking.

The leader of the herd was only a foot away. Its head lowered to sniff at Nick's torso, snorting and groaning to itself. Nick's body was taut like a pulled rubber band, and she wasn't sure he was even breathing.

And just when she was certain it was going to attack, going to rush forward and knock Nick off of the cliff—it backed away.

In fact, all of the elk backed away. Their heads turned fearfully towards the trees behind them, and Abi tried to see what had scared them. She couldn't see anything, not pass their bodies, and she looked to Nick for help.

His face looked bloodless. He'd seen something.

"Nick..?"

A banshee wail left the woods. All the moisture in  Abi's mouth dried in an instant, hairs standing on end. That wasn't a normal animal.

The elk herd scattered. Abandoned the humans they'd been investigating and bolted away from the noise. Some of them even fell off the edge of the cliff in their frenzy, but Abi refused to watch them plummet.

"W-we gotta go," Nick stammered, grabbing her to drag her away from the cliff's edge. She went with the movement, but she still wanted, needed answers.

"What's happening? What did you see?" She asked quickly, eyes jerking between each tree to try and find whatever it was that spooked the elk and Nick.

oh.

There it was.

Her legs froze in place at the sight of it - and Nick, oblivious to her fear, let her arm slip from his grip as he continued to rush away from the edge. She choked on her breath, eyes watering as she struggled to speak.

"N-Nick, wait—" She finally managed to get out, and he turned to look at her, eyes wild and confused.

"Abi, we need to go—!"

The creature grabbed him by the neck.

Lifted him into the air. His legs kicked at the creature, gasping for breath as it bellowed a scream into his purpling face.

Abigail stared in horror, a helpless, wordless scream leaving her lips.

Her scream echoed through the trees and across the mountain.

Indecision ran through her, torn between running for her life or trying to save Nick.

"Hey,"

Abi looked up, hurriedly wiping at the fallen tears on her cheeks as Nick stood in front of her. The dance was moving onto a slow song behind him.

"Sorry, what's up?" She asked, sniffling as she tried to hide her upset to no avail. Nick smiled at her softly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"He didn't show up?" He asked. She just shook her head. Her date ditched her last minute. This was prom, and her last year in high school — and he didn't even show up. Nick let out a soft sigh, frowning. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I—he probably only asked me out as a dare. It's... it's okay." She felt the embarrassment in her stomach creep back up. It wasn't the first time someone had done this, but this time it felt particularly cruel.

She looked around as her friends all curled into the arms of their dancing partners. Kaylee was dancing with her brother Caleb, both going stag together. Emma was twirling under the hand of Jacob, both laughing loudly across the gym. Max and Laura were swaying with their foreheads pressed together, eyes closed in bliss. Both Kaitlyn and Dylan were dancing goofily around Ryan, who was trying in vain not to smile at their antics.

"No, it's not okay, Abigail," Nick's voice drew her eyes back up to him. He looked frustrated, but not at her. He held his hand out to her. "We'll show him. You don't need him, or anyone else. Shall we?"

Her fractured heart mended somewhat.

"Yes," She said, husky and eager, taking his hand. He was wearing a slick black tux with a pink tie - and for the first time of the night, she realized that it was the same shade of pink as her dress.

They joined their friends on the dance floor, and when Abi fell into Nick's arms, she knew that she was about to have one of the best nights of her life. Nick would never let her down.

She can't let him down either.

"HEY!" She screamed, grabbing a loose rock beside her foot to lob it at the creature's side. It cried out, head whipping toward her furiously. She gasped as it threw Nick carelessly away, but he landed safely in a pile of snow a few yards away.

She nearly smiled in relief - she saved him! She was fast enough, she managed to distract it—

A clawed hand slammed against her stomach.

It's not until Nick screams her name that she realizes the creature has knocked her off the side of the cliff. The same one that probably killed Kaylee and Caleb and the one that she was probably going to die falling from.

Her hands grabbed uselessly at air as the creature watched her fall, giving a screech of victory, crawling down the side of the cliff to follow her.

"ABI—! No! FUCK!" Nick was screaming for her.

She couldn't breath. Her vision was blackening on the edges.

She was falling.

She was—

She hit the ground.

EMMA MOUNTEBANK
The Radio Tower
February 2nd, 2022
2:21 AM

A feminine scream raked through the air, terrified and familiar.

"Did you hear that?" Emma froze in place.

"Hear what?" Jacob stopped, turning to look at her with a frown.

"That scream. It kinda sounded like—"

"Em, it was an animal," Jacob interrupted, as if trying to be reassuring, and she stamped down her scowl. Because fuck him for cutting her off, and double fuck him for not agreeing with her. That scream—as distant and faint as it was—

It sounded like Abi.

God. It better not be Abi.

She shook off the idea when there was no following scream, and turned to the ladder that headed up the tower. They just needed to call for help and they would all be one step closer to going home. She could do this. She had to be able to do this. For everyone else, for herself, for Nick, for Abi.

For Kaylee and Caleb.

She began to climb, flinching once at the sound of Jacob dropping the ax to the floor. She knew it would be impossible for him to climb up with the ax on him, but it grated badly against her nerves. What if they needed it? What if whoever played that horrific game with Jacob and Ryan was following them and took it?

But there was nothing she could do about it, so she continued her way up the ladder with Jacob close behind.

He was beginning to outright piss her off. It was getting harder to suppress the urge to be rude to him - and she was almost positive he was starting to notice. He may be a meathead most of the time, but she knew he wasn't as dumb and oblivious as most people assumed. He was more emotionally mature than people gave him credit for - and it was part of the reason why she had dated him in the first place.

She lifted the hatch that led to the hut, pushing herself inside. She grunted, holding it open long enough for Jacob to slip on, too. It slammed closed as she dropped it, and she latched it closed, just in case.

"You know how to work the radio?" Jacob asked her, fingers already fiddling with the radio. She slapped his hand away, rolling her eyes.

"Don't mess with it until we get the power on, dummy. You could mess something up." She lectured. She could hear him mocking her in a childish voice as she turned to look around. She bit back a sigh and rolled her eyes. She took it back. He had no emotional maturity.

She left through the side door, fighting the urge to look past the railing at the long drop below. The wind was beating against the tower, but it held firm thanks to the thick cable wires holding it stable on every side. She hugged herself against the chill, walking to the right wall.

She found the fuse box, and beside it, an emergency flare gun. She flipped the power on first, smiling to herself when the lights turned on.

One of the motion sensor lights near the ground below turned on—but when she looked, it was just a squirrel running by.

She grabbed the flare gun out of the box on the wall, curiously turning it around in her hand. It was loaded, and there were no extra spares left over. One left.

She nearly pocketed it but paused. Should she give it to Jacob? He and Kaitlyn went shooting all the time growing up, right? Granted, she couldn't remember if he was even good or not from what Kaitlyn told her, but, maybe he would be better with it.

She stared at the flare gun with a frown. She could hear Jacob moving around inside, a small sweat sounding from him as something fell. If she kept it, she knew that she wasn't the best with hand-eye coordination. But she felt safer with it on her.

She bit her lip.

And pocketed it for herself.

"Find anything?" She jumped at the sound of Jacob behind her, swirling around with a glare to see him standing, staring at her obliviously.

"Jackass. You scared the shit out of me!" She scolded, smacking his chest. He snorted, holding his hands up.

"Sorry, I thought you heard me come up," He apologized, and she huffed, rolling her eyes once again, this time hard enough that she felt a small strain.

"Whatever. The power is on. Let's use the radio." She moved back inside with him behind, the flare gun weighing heavy in her mind and in her back pocket. If he noticed it, he said nothing.

She turned the radio on, and it crackled to life, stuck between stations in a loud static. Emma twisted the tuning knob, heart lodged in her throat as Jacob paced behind her.  

A man's voice broke in and out, inaudible, but eventually, it cleared, finding him midsentence, "-ranger service for Blackwood County, over."

She pressed the button on the mic, speaking hurriedly into it, "Hello?!" Silence found her, and she continued, sick to her stomach, "Please, anyone there? Hello? Please, please just say something if you're out there, we need help, over! Over!"

For one brief, horrifying moment, Emma's certain that no one can hear them.

Then the ranger replied. "...Hello?"

"Oh thank god!" She cried out, hearing Jacob grow excited behind her, "We need help, please!"

However, their relief is cut short. "Is someone trying to contact us? This is the park ranger service for Blackwood County." His bored, uninterested voice cut through her, dimming her mood as he continued, "I'm not getting your signal very well. Speak slowly and clearly. Please identify yourself. Over."

Emma steadied her breath. Slow and clear. She could do that. Focus. It's just... acting. She's great at acting. 

"Oh, god, okay, my name is Emma Mountebank. My friends and I--" She paused, insecurity dashing through her at the unending static coming back to her. She fiddled with the radio, clammy. "Hello?"

"You are not coming in clearly, ma'am. Please repeat, over."

She steadied herself again, this time to hide her growing irritation. Could this man not hear the distress in her voice? "My friends and I are on Blackwood Mountain. By the ski resort. And..."

Her eyes squeezed shut. Ryan and Jacob hung from their wrists, Kaitlyn sobbing. Trying so hard to turn off the saw machine and failing - the only reason they were still alive was Abi, Nick, and Kaitlyn's quick thinking. She'd been so useless. She couldn't be useless now. This was their lifeline.

"There's a killer. He's after us and, and he's trying to kill us, playing these... mind games," She felt her voice tighten, eyes welling as she tried to fight back the terror that had been lingering in the back of her mind in the last few hours. "S-so, you, you've gotta help us, please."

The motion sensor kicked on at the bottom of the tower again. Jacob jumped in fright, going to check. "Something tripped the motion sensor," He said nervously, as if she didn't know that, "Probably a deer or bear or something." 

Ignoring the absurdity of a bear casually strolling around here, she listened closely as the ranger replied. "I read you, ma'am," He said, still monotone and unhurried, "Do not leave your position. We'll send out rescue helicopters to get you as soon as the storm subsides. Over."

"What? Why, when? How long?"

"Dawn, at the earliest," The man said, and her fingers tingled. That was too long, that was hours away. They needed off the mountain now. "Not until dawn, o--" His voice is cut off by the sudden banging sound coming from the hatch on the floor.

It jolted and the sound banged through the air and through her head. She flinched; Jacob stumbled away from the hatch towards another end of the room. She stood frozen by the radio as the shaking of the hatch intenstified.

"Fuck, fuck, he's, he's here, he's coming for me!" Jacob panicked, hyperventilating. She couldn't even will herself to reply, stuck in place as a threatening snap sounded outside of the tower. 

Then, two, three, four more times.

The support cables.

The tower began to sway, collapsing against the harsh winds without support.

"Fuck, the tower!" Jacob gasped out, grabbing onto a window sill to catch himself before he fell forward. 

Emma wobbled in place, trying to find something to grab, to hold onto, but the tower begins to turn sideways and she instead finds herself plummeting towards one of the large windows.

The glass cracked under her weight, head thudding painfully as she screamed, able to hear Jacob wail her name but not able to make sense of it in her dazed, shocked mind.

She looked up, just in time to see the radio drop from the desk and rush towards her head. She barely managed to dodge, but it was in vain--

The window shattered, and her body fell through.

She instinctively grabbed onto the railing below, body dangling above the collapsed ground that the tower was sinking into. It looked like it went down for miles and miles, pitch dark and utterly terrifying.

"No, don't! No!" She pleaded, looking up and into the desperate eyes of Jacob. He stared back helplessly, his body also dangling from his death grip on the window sill. "Jacob!" She begged him despite knowing there was nothing he could do.

The tower sunk underground with a deep, thundering crash and a shuddering metallic groan as the piles and walls crushed.

JACOB CUSTOS
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
2:45 AM

"Emma!" Jacob shouted hoarsely, carefully letting go of his safety net when the tower paused in its descent, briefly jammed. He shuffled slowly, slipping through the broken window she had fallen through, and kneeled shakily on the bent railing.

Emma was clutching onto the metal still, eyes wide and face ashen. He swallowed dryly, heart racing and blood rushing through his ears as they stared at one another, neither sure about their next move but both certain that this could very well be the last time they saw each other.

"Jacob," Her voice was quiet. He had to strain to hear her. "You need to jump to safety."

What? "No, Emma, you-you could, could fall, I need to--" 

"No, Jake, listen," She insisted. He quieted despite wanting to argue. "There's no way you can grab me, okay? Jump to safety. You shouldn't die because of me." Her lashes fluttered quickly as she visible tried not to cry, and he was already there because Emma was basically telling him to let her die. No, not basically. She just was.

"No, no I'm, I'm THINKING! Let me think!" He shook his head, in denial. 

That couldn't be the only option. It just couldn't. No matter how angry she made him, no matter how much their love had vanished over time - he could never physically hurt her, much less kill her. He could not claim he didn't emotionally hurt her, because he knows that it would be a lie. They hurt each other a lot in that way.

Her face twisted in a solemn frustration. "Don't think, you idiot, just get outta here."

This wasn't the time, would never ever be the time, but Jacob's face reflexively curled at the name. "God, just, stop insulting me! That's all you ever do! I'm so fucking sick of it!" He spat, slamming his hands on the fragile railing.

Emma's eyes watered, then darkened. "If you weren't such a shitty boyfriend, maybe I wouldn't have to!" She snapped back, knuckles white on the bar she clung to. 

Maybe it was the shock. Maybe it was the fact that, despite everything he tried to be and do, Jacob wasn't that great of a person.

But he couldn't help himself. "You know, Emma? Fuck you. I'm so sick of your... superiority complex. You love to be the better person, huh? You can never be the one in the wrong. You're little miss perfect, right?" His voice was aggrieved. "I'm tired of being the bully. You're a horrible, shitty person who just wants to have someone to make feel even worse."

The tower groaned and slid downward another few inches. 

"Jacob, the tower - I'm so sorry, but this isn't the TIME-!" Emma choked out, mascara running as she stared at him, hurt but understanding in her eyes. He didn't care if she understood. Didn't care if she was sorry.

"So what? You were gonna break up with me anyway, right?" He scoffed. She froze, eyes widening up at him. He laughed sardonically, a deep wound in his heart keeping him from feeling sympathy. "You think I didn't notice you throwing yourself at Nick and Abi today? Avoiding even touching me? Calling me stupid, always asking for Nick and Abi to 'save you'?"

"Jacob. I'm sorry. I've been a horrible girlfriend. I know I have. But this. This isn't the time. You, you'll die if you don't jump to that platform. I'm fucked either way. But you can live," She rasped. bottom lip trembling.

And just like that, his angry fire flickered away into smoke.

What was he doing? Why was he...?

The tower dropped another foot.

He closed his eyes and straightened up. "Emma," He trailed off, guilt and shame wracking through him. His last words with her, and he'd--fuck.

"I-I know. It's, it's gonna be okay," Emma sniffled out, her voice lifeless. "I deserved it."

"No. You didn't." He choked.

Then, he jumped off of the tower, and onto the platform.

The tower finally slipped through the gap and took Emma with it as it dropped down into the darkness.

Jacob curled into a ball on the ground, sobbing to himself.

He killed her. He didn't even try to save her.

He was a monster. He should've stayed, should've let himself die with her.

How could he face the others and tell them what he did? What he said?

He couldn't. He just couldn't

"Emma, I'm so fucking sorry. I wish I could take it all back. I'm sorry,"

MAX BRINLY
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
2:45 AM

Max, bloodied and broken from his attack and subsequent fall into the mines  - stirred at the massive crashing boom sounding around the walls around him. His ripped fingernails curled into the dirt under him and his swollen, bruised eyes strained to open to the darkness around him.

The only light, dim as it was, came from the hole above him, where his body and the floor of the elevator had crashed through the earth.

"Laura..." He rasped, a tiny push of energy jolting through him at the reminder of his girlfriend. She needed him. 

He pushed himself upright, only managing to get up half an inch before crying out, collapsing back onto the ground in pure agony.

As his consciousness threatened to leave him once more, he could almost swear that there was something in the corner of the tunnel, staring down at him with its too-long limbs and claws, an inhuman chittering noise leaving its chest.

He forced himself to stay alert, steadying his breathing despite the complaints of his ribs and chest, readying himself to push up and run from the creature before it decided to pounce.

But before he could—a fwoosh! of flames lit up the tunnel and encased the creature in the fire. It gave a deafening cry, fleeing against the barrage of heat.

Max groaned and covered his eyes, curling into himself in spite of his injuries. When his eyes didn't sting or burn from the light any longer, he lowered his arm and flinched in surprise.

Wielding a flamethrower, a masked person stood before him, a silent savior.

They held out a gloved hand to him.

And he took it.

RYAN ERZAHLER
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
2:30 AM

"Still no sign of him?" Kaitlyn asked hurriedly the second he rounded the corner.

"No. There's, there's just... nothing. No sign of a struggle, no open doors. It's like he was never here." They'd been searching for an hour and they still couldn't find Dylan. He could be hurt, he could be—just, just fuck. Ryan was trying so damn hard not to imagine what Dylan might be going through right now.

"The last place to look is the basement," Kaitlyn said, biting at her nails, and Ryan didn't feel any hesitation as he nodded firmly. Fuck his stupid childhood fear of that place—they needed to find Dylan.

They headed for the lower floor stairs, and Ryan instinctively grabbed her arm when a candle lit on the drawer by the wall. Kaitlyn narrowed her eyes at the candle, shaking her head furiously.

"Is this some weird, I don't fucking know, psycho technology?" She grit out, unamused and unimpressed. Ryan shrugged silently, releasing her arm to keep walking. He was trying to keep moving. Stopping for every little weird thing would only keep them from saving Dylan longer.

She followed after a moment.

"Are you... okay?" She asked. It wasn't the first time - in fact, it was nearing the tenth time in the last hour.

He huffed a sigh. "Kaitlyn."

"I—just, I know, okay?" She huffed right back.

He could almost imagine her expression staring at his back, insecure and worried. The twist in her brow, the downturn of her lips. A soft glow to her eyes that hinted at the growth of tears not yet formed.

"You were going to save me."

He turned his head just enough to see her face, watching as she looked down at the floor with a conflicted expression.

He wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand, he was glad she didn’t have to choose in the end.

On the other, he didn’t think she made the right choice.

He may not like Jacob, but—Ryan wasn’t too sure he should’ve been the one she chose.

Ryan, just… he was disappointing. He knew he was. He wasn’t a good confidant to his friends and he struggled with comforting others even when they really need it. When Kaylee came running to him whenever her boyfriend of the month broke up with her, he would always just sit there silently. When Mr. Hackett broke down crying in front of him after being told about last year, he’d left the room, unable to take it.

So what good was he?

What made Kaitlyn choose him? It can’t be because of their friendship. It just can’t. Kaitlyn tolerated him through most of their childhood, except for the brief period where she had a crush on him (yes, he knew about it and no, he didn’t understand it). They’d only really become close after what happened to Kaylee and Caleb - and their biggest link was Dylan. Without Dylan, either presently or as a conversation topic, he and Kaitlyn didn’t have much to talk about.

Did she feel bad for him? Guilty about not stopping the prank in time? If that was the case, then it didn’t make sense to him. She couldn’t change what happened, just like how he couldn’t have change him and Dylan passing out drunk that night. So why stew over it? She just, she didn’t seem like the type to hang onto that kind of thing.

Or, maybe she was. He wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t really know her. Which honestly felt awful - because he was starting to feel as if she felt the complete opposite. Did Kaitlyn consider him her best friend? Did she cherish him much more than he cherished her?

That sounded bad. He loves Kaitlyn - and would kill for her if needed. She was someone he didn’t feel the need to mask his true self around. But would he die for her? If he’s being completely and totally honest… Probably not. There’s not many people he would die for—hell, he probably wouldn’t even die for Dylan, as much as he cares for him.

Ryan’s a selfish guy. Not in the same way as Jacob, or even Emma. He’s not hysterical and neurotic over his social reputation or his status in the group. He doesn’t give a shit how people see him. But he’s selfish in the way that, when it came down to it, he would rather live than sacrifice himself for others. Maybe that’s a crappy thing to say, but it’s the truth.

Sure, he would fight tooth and nail to save the other person, would spit and claw until the last possible second—but if it risked his life for even a second? He would back away. He’s a protective and possessive man, yes, but not to the point of harming himself for the sake of others.

Perhaps he should be guilty for it—after all, he was almost certain that Dylan, who was the most protective person Ryan has ever met, would rather sacrifice himself than let him or anyone else die. And he respected the fuck out of that. But he could never do that. He may not understand why anyone would want to save him, but he knew that if it was him or anyone else, he would save himself.

So that’s probably why he can’t fathom why Kaitlyn would actually make a decision, and why it was him she wanted to save. He’s reminded of the infamous trolley problem. Would it have been better for her to do nothing? To turn away and not make any choice, so that no blood spilled by her hand?

He wasn’t sure if Jacob even realized that she was going to kill him. He hoped he didn’t. Kaitlyn would definitely never forgive herself, then. He’s not sure if he’s okay with her choosing to save him. Part of him is strangely… mad? Frustrated? It doesn’t feel fair to him that he has to live with the knowledge that she sees him as more valuable to her than Jacob.

“I…” Kaitlyn’s voice broke through his thoughts. She sounded small. “I don’t know why I did it. It just… felt like the right thing to do.”

“That’s a bad excuse.” He said. Wasn’t sure what else to say.

“Shit. I know,” She murmured shakily. “I know, okay? But I don’t know what else to say.”

Accepting that for what it was, he allowed the topic to drop. “The theatre room door was locked when you checked, right?” He asked, headed for the door.

“I thought you checked it?” She deflected.

He sent her a look. She grimaced.

“I forgot, okay? I’m kinda barely hanging on to reality right now,” Her breath quickened with her words before she visible calmed herself, tugging at her sleeves to pull them over her fingers. “But we can check together now, right?” She said weakly, eyes lowered to the ground.

He forced himself to soften. She was going through shit, too. He knew that, and he had to keep reminding himself of it. This wasn’t the time to nitpick and be a dick over the small shit. He understood her foggy feeling, too. Each step felt like he was one step from plummeting into nothingness, like he was teetering on a tightrope with no safety net underneath.

“Yeah. Let’s go,” He said, and grabbed the handle for the theatre room. It turned quietly, without resistance, and he pushed the door open.

It was dark, the only light from the projector playing a blank black screen.

The side door was open.

“Think he went this way?” Kaitlyn asked, and he shook his head.

“I dunno. Guess we’ll have to find out.”

Going through it led them to the hallway with the open door that led to the basement. However, Ryan jerked to a stop at the sight of a masculine figure walking into the doorway, pale and almost transparent. Kaitlyn bumped into his frozen back.

“What’s wrong?”

“I—I saw someone. It—fuck, it looked like—“ He swallowed roughly, closing his eyes tight as she moved past him to look around.

“Who?” She turned to him, brow furrowed and lips pale. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, squeezing it tight before dropping it back to his side with a quiet smack.

“It looked like Caleb,” He admitted, closing his eyes again to envision it. Shorter than him with curly, strawberry blond hair, and icy pale skin that was littered with sun spots and freckles.

wearing the same outfit from that night.

“Ryan,” Kaitlyn sighed, looking away from him with a clear look of dismissal. He clenched his jaw and shook his head roughly.

“No, I’m telling you, I know what I saw, Kaitlyn. It was him. But—but a, a ghost,” He insisted. Kaitlyn wiped her hands over her face, a bitter laugh leaving her lips.

“No, no, no. You didn’t see Caleb, Ryan. Ghosts aren’t real, and after what we just experienced, it’s normal to see things that aren’t there, okay?” She seemed to be trying to soothe him, but all he felt was irritated at her disbelief.

“I know what I saw. It was Caleb, and he was a ghost. I swear, okay? I swear on Sarah.” He said, as earnest as he could.

Kaitlyn grimaced, watching him carefully. He didn’t know what she was seeing, but it caused her to back down. “Okay. Maybe—“ Here, she scoffed tiredly and nodded to herself, “Maybe you did see something. I’ll believe anything at this point.”

“That’s probably the shock talking,” He tried to joke, poorly, but it got her to smile at him.

They moved down the stairs, Kaitlyn leading using her phone as a flashlight. Ryan’s phone was missing from his pocket when he finally remembered to check after everything in that shed. He could only guess that the psycho took it after knocking him out.

The basement was foreboding and eerie as ever, but something felt off, more than before. His skin crawled and his entire body felt chilly as he glanced around, briefly eying Kaylee’s creepy ass dollhouse that was resting in one of the corners. He looked away just as fast. Avoid.

“Dylan?” Kaitlyn called out, and he mimicked her, eyes darting around every dark point of the area.

“Dylan, it’s us,” He said. Nothing.

He turned back around and froze at the sight of Caleb staring back at the end of the hallway, his hand pointed, to Ryan’s right, at a hidden area. Ryan’s hand curled around Kaitlyn’s shoulder, shaking her.

“Kaitlyn, look—look!” He insisted, but by the time she turned her head, Caleb was gone from view. She stared cluelessly and he groaned. “Dude, what were you even doing? Singing Kumbaya with the damn dust mites?”

“No, actually, I was drafting a tweet for later about how there’s a jigsaw psycho AND the ghost of our friend after us,” She smiled back sharply, dropping it into a glare that he returned. “Look, Ryan, seriously, I don’t think he’s really there. You’re just in shock, okay?”

“Kaitlyn. I—I know what I saw,” He sighed. She sighed right back, shaking her head.

He went down the hall, turning to look at the wall that Caleb had been pointing at.

A door.

“Kaitlyn, look! This is what he was pointing at,” He said. She sighed, but jogged over to see. He gestured to the door, oddly smug. “I told you.”

“It’s a door. Ryan, you’ve been down here more than most of us, right? You must’ve seen this door before. Your mind is just using your memory to create a vision of Caleb that isn’t there.”

“You’re wrong. I never went past the stairs.” He denied. Kaitlyn groaned again. He whipped his head to her. “Why are you denying every little thing I say? Is this the time to roll your eyes and scoff when Dylan could be fucking dead?”

Her face flattened at his words. He glared at her as she met his eyes. “Ryan…”

“Fuck. Whatever.” He opened the mystery door and walked inside.

It slammed shut behind him.

He startled, turning around to slam his fist into the wood. “Shit! Kaitlyn!”

“Ryan! You okay?!”

He tried to door and it resisted—but one harsh tug with all his strength had it squealing open.

Kaitlyn looked up at him, lips parted as she tried to calm herself back down. He wasn’t too far behind, wiping his palms against his pants as she walked through the door quickly, not wanting to risk getting separated once more.

“Still don’t believe me?” He asked rhetorically.

“Could’ve been the wind,” She shot back. He leveled her with a flat glance. She deflated. “Can I have this one thing? Please. Ghosts can’t be real. They just can’t.”

“Then who was talking to us at the séance?” He demanded. That insecurity he’d felt at the time found itself perking back up. “Unless you were faking it.” He assumed.

“No!” Kaitlyn immediately shot back. “Fuck, no, never, Ryan. It, the ouija board, it had to be, be a, a placebo? We all pushed it. Because it’s what we all wanted.”

“We all wanted him to blame you for his death?” Ryan deadpanned.

Kaitlyn flinched away from him.

Regret filled him. “Wait, I didn’t mean—“ But he did. He had meant it.

She shoved past him to move deeper into the new area, silent and face contorted with hurt.

He glanced shamefully away from her retreating back, and his eyes caught on a red blinking light hiding behind a cardboard box on the ground. "What the fuck? Is that a camera?" He walked over, kicking the box aside to grab the camera.

He lifted it, able to see his face from the side screen. It was recording. Recording them? Or—no. No fucking way.

It was a live feed.

The man who'd chained him and Jacob up was watching them. How many other cameras were there? This fucking asshole has been watching them all night.

He lifted his middle finger, directing it into the camera with a scowl. "You're fucking dead," He spat into the lens, dropping the camera and mashing it with his foot until the infuriating red light died.

He just wanted this night to be over already.

"Ryan, hurry the fuck up," Kaitlyn's voice called from around the corner. He lingered for a moment, looking around for anymore lights. He didn't find any - but he did find a large pair of scissors.

He grabbed them, and tucked them into his pocket.

Just in case.

He caught up with Kaitlyn, and she was standing still, looking into a further area. "Look at this," she murmured, and he joined her side, "There's like, whole new place down here. It doesn't even look like it's part of the cabin."

There was a staircase leading even further down, with torn walls and exposed pipes. The floors were littered in trash and dirt, and the hallway following the stairs seemed to go on for a while.

"Where the hell is this?" Kaitlyn asked.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Ryan, this isn't part of the cabin. It can't be. I'm not sure even the Hackett's knew this was here."

As they walked, Ryan could swear he could hear the sound of faint, whispering sobbing. Kaitlyn didn't seem to hear it as she turned left, but he stopped, eying the overturned tables and chairs near a large vent.

A faint light bounced on the floor.

"Kaitlyn, look," He whispered, and as he knelt to grab it, she returned with the flashlight pointed at him.

He turned the necklace over in his hand, the black cord leading down to a silver crescent moon.

"Dylan's necklace?" Kaitlyn gasped.

"He was down here," Ryan nodded, ignoring the tremble of his fingers as he pulled the necklace over his head for safekeeping, feeling the icy metal settle on his skin under his jacket. "We're going the right way."

Kaitlyn led the way once more when he stood back up, her expression darker than before at the confirmation. He was sure he looked the same.

She stood short just before they entered another area. "I don't know if I can keep doing this," She said. Her eyes were heavily circled, and he could see the way her strong shoulders sagged with exhaustion.

Ryan didn't want to dismiss her worries when he felt the same way. "Yeah, I'm, I, I'm nearing my limit, too,"

"I just—I wanted to forget last year happened, but this night, I just," Kaitlyn hugged herself, eyes earnest, and Ryan sighed.

"Yeah, I'm..." He swallowed roughly. "Can I... be perfectly honest with you, Kaitlyn?"

"Of course."

"I'm, I'm not too sure what Kaylee thought was going to happen that night. Did she think that Jacob would really cheat on Emma with her? Did she think that everything would work out after? And, and why would she run out half-naked into a blizzard?"

"Ry..."

"No, I—she was being so fucking stupid that night. Going after a taken man and running away when confronted with the consequences. I've been so mad, so overly critical of the others for what they did because if I let myself think about the other side—fuck. Part of me thinks that Kaylee deserved it." He rasped. Kaitlyn watched him carefully, her face carefully blank, and he squeezed his eyes shut, roughly shaking his head. "Not, not the dying part. Just the. Their shitty prank."

He loves loved Kaylee. May her soul rest wherever it was, and he hoped that she was in peace. But she wasn't innocent that night. Even if he had punched Jacob (twice) and denounced nearly all of his friends for her—he knew that if she and Caleb hadn't gone missing that night, he would've sided with the others.

Kaitlyn's hand brushed his arm, and he didn't pull away. She held firm, stepping close to him. "I get it. I thought the same way. But—think about it, okay? What if Dylan had asked you to come meet him after years of pining after him? You wouldn't go?"

"Dylan's single."

"And if it happened when he was still dating Caleb?"

He pressed his lips together.

Kaitlyn squeezed his arm and then dropped her hand. "Yeah." Was all she said, before they moved, in silence once more.

They soon found themselves at another staircase leading down. The ghostly whimpering was back in his ears, and he pulled Kaitlyn to a stop right as she went to step down.

"Wait."

She did.

"Are we even sure he's still down here? What if they took him somewhere else?"

"Like where? We checked everything else."

"I just - I have a really bad feeling about this."

Kaitlyn's hand dropped onto her hip and she gave him a stern, determined look. "If Dylan is down there, and he needs our help—and we leave? Would you be able to live with that on your conscience? Because I couldn't."

Ryan's eyes screwed shut.

He didn't want Dylan to die.

But he was so fucking scared. He didn't want Dylan to die, but he didn't want to die either. He had already come close tonight.

But this was Dylan.

The first time he realized that he liked Dylan more than he liked Kaitlyn or anyone else in the group was on their camping trip around freshman year of high school.

He and Nick were gathering firewood while Abi and Emma helped the Hackett siblings set up tents. Kaitlyn was late, having to convince her moms to pick Jacob up, but she'd be there soon.

Dylan was unpacking the van, whistling loudly but not obnoxiously.

Ryan wasn't too sure why, but every so often his eyes would turn to watch the other boy work. The faint sweat staining the chest of his grey shirt, the red flush from the heat that would turn into a sunburn soon. The content smile on his lips as his arms flexed and turned to grab more bags, his broad shoulders inviting and strong as he went to carry his load toward the tents.

"Take a picture,"

"What?!" He whipped his head to Nick, who was smirking back at him. "Why would I—?"

"You like him."

"O-of course I like him, we're friends," Ryan scoffed, not too sure why he was stuttering.

"No. You like-like him."

Ryan shook his head. No. He didn't 'like-like' Dylan. Sure, he was unendingly kind and very pretty, almost ridiculously so. And yeah, his voice was soothing and Ryan sometimes wished he could record it to listen to at night, but—

Oh. Oh shit.

Maybe he did like-like Dylan.

"But, Caleb said he liked h—"

"Even if Dylan does date him it won't last long and you know it." Nick retorted back, staring at him, a bit coolly. "Look at him. He can't stop looking over at you."

Ryan faltered. He looked back over to Dylan only to flush, seeing him already staring back. Dylan grinned at the attention, waving broadly at him, eyes shining.

"He likes you, too,"

"What? No he doesn't," Ryan denied. "Caleb already had plans to ask him out, and—Dylan wouldn't like me like that anyway. What's there to like?"

Nick frowned at him. "It's sad that you believe that."

Ryan's lips parted but he wasn't sure what to say in response to that.

Nick heaved his pile of firewood back into his arms, and left with these departing words, "Ryan? Don't wait too long. He won't wait for you forever."

Ryan didn't reply. Wasn't sure how to. It couldn't be true, could it? There was no way Dylan could like him back. No way.

"You're right. Fuck. I hate that you're right." He held back a groan.

"I wish I wasn't." Kaitlyn sighed.

They walked down the stairs, and down a dark, claustrophobic hallways, before they eventually found themselves staring between two paths.

A large, rusted metal door, or a hall leading down to a room that had working lights on.

He grabbed the door without a second thought, heaving it open despite its resistance. Kaitlyn lingered, eyes darting over to the other path, but she eventually helped him open the door enough for the two of them to slip inside.

They found themselves in a... meat locker? It was fucking freezing.

And it...

Stank.

Something putrid and acrid filled the air. Rotting.

Ryan stifled his gags, swiftly breathing through his mouth, but Kaitlyn wasn't as quick, audible heaving as she slammed a hand over her mouth. "Fuck, what's that smell?" She groaned, a green tinge to her skin.

"I don't know, I—" He froze. "Kaitlyn."

"W-what?" She followed his line of sight.

And froze, too.

Two bodies were hung from hooks on the ceiling. They were sunken and rotted with decay, nearly unidentifiable with their grey, disfigured skin. But Ryan knew those faces.

The decaying corpses of Constance and Jedediah Hackett were hanging in front of them.

"Oh my fucking god." Kaitlyn gagged, choked, backing away hurriedly. Ryan was stuck in place, horror and disgust mingling together. "Ryan, what the fuck? What the fuck?!"

"I don't know!" He cried out.

What—why?! He didn't know—no one told him they died! Fuck, Chris even told him that they were doing well! But based on the state of them, they had to have been dead for, what, months? A year? What the fuck?!

"Ryan, Ryan, LOOK!" Kaitlyn slapped his back, and he dazedly turned to see what she was pointing at.

A collage of photos. Photos of Dylan. In his bedroom, in his classes, cooking in his own kitchen. In every photo that had one of them with him, their eyes were scratched out.

"Holy shit."

"I thought this was about last year. But. This guy seems obsessed with..."

"With Dylan." Ryan finished. His hand traced the curve of Dylan's face in one of the pictures. He was grinning, mid-laugh as he played with his cat on his bed. Ryan felt sick to his stomach at the thought of such a small, innocent moment being tainted by this psychopath.

"Ryan... have you thought about... who this guy is?" She asked. Ryan shook his head. Kaitlyn's pale lips pressed together. "What if it's one of the Hackett's?" She whispered shamefully.

Ryan wanted to deny it. Wanted to say that they would never. Chris definitely wouldn't, he wanted to say.

But the proof was here.

"If not them, then... who? That Milgrim guy in that wanted poster?" He tried to deflect to another possible outcome.

"That could be faked, couldn't it? We would've heard about it in the news if some dangerous guy was on the loose." Kaitlyn reasoned. Ryan didn't know. He hadn't heard anything before, but maybe Chris's brother Travis just hadn't released the information to the public or the media.

"We need to find Dylan. Right now." He said, instead.

"Yeah. We do. Fuck."

One of the doors in the room led to a lone projector pointed at a white tiled wall. Kaitlyn shook her head at him, but he turned it on. "It might have something useful."

"Or it could be another one of his sick games," She countered.

Nonetheless, the film roll began to play, and they both quickly recognized what it was.

The camera is turned toward a familiar girl's face, grinning and obviously wasted. "Welcome to the best video you idiots are ever gonna see!" Emma slurred happily.

She turned the camera to another of their friends, Laura, who was giggling as she joined her in her hiding spot. "I can't wait!"

"Ever see a homewrecker slut get what she deserves? No? Well, you're about toooo!" Emma singsonged, and Laura gave a drunken cheer, before the girls were shushed by someone else in the room.

"Shut up! She's coming!" Max hissed to them, crouched by the nightstand. In his hand was a can of silly string.

"Jacob, get ready!" Emma giggled to the man, who cursed and ran a hand through his head, swaying in place.

The door opened not long after, and a familiar face walked through. Kaylee looked nervous and unsure, but excited nonetheless. She peered up at Jacob, smiling, hands tugging at her hair. "Jacob, hi..." She breathed.

"Hey, Lee, you made it..."

From there, well, everyone knows how that played out.

But after Kaylee runs and everyone chases after her, Emma lingered for a moment. She turned the camera to herself, and flipped it off. "Bitch got what she fuckin' deserved." She sneered, and her mocking laughter was heard as all the film ran out.

Along with one final sentence.

"Laura has the best ideas!"

The film rolled into blackness, and Ryan turned his head to look at a stunned Kaitlyn. Laura? It was all Laura's idea? Fuck, it didn't even matter now, not with whatever the fuck was going on tonight. But... shit, you know?

"God. I. You know, I forgot just how willing they all were to do that. Even Nick and Abi." Kaitlyn murmured. Ryan nodded silently, placing his hand on her shoulder when she seemed ready to collapse.

When neither of them could find more words, they continued to the final door, one that led to a room of pure darkness.

Entering, Kaitlyn turned her phone flashlight back on, and they stopped in place at the sight of a chair in the middle of the room.

Ryan ran forward as soon as his eyes focused on who was in it, Kaitlyn right behind.

Unconscious, bruised neck bared vulnerably, his lips a pale blue from the chill of the room and ropes wrapped unforgivingly right around his body, Dylan sat in the chair.

"Dylan!" Ryan tried to rouse him, hand patting at his icy cheek, "Wake up! It's us, wake up!"

"Oh my god, Ryan, please, please tell me he's breathing, tell me he's okay—!" Kaitlyn begged, her trembling hands already working at the knot of the ropes.

"He, he's breathing. He's just. He's not waking up," Ryan sniffled roughly, trying to warm Dylan's body up with his hands. "He's probably got fuckin' hypothermia, fuck—"

Kaitlyn gasped, and he jerked his head up to see her clutching at her neck, her eyes rolling back. A masked man stood behind her, pocketing the used needle as she fell lifelessly to the ground.

Ryan jerked upright, ripping the scissors from his pocket as the masked man stepped around her body. "No! Get back! Stay the hell away from me!" He snarled—and jabbed the scissors forward.

They sunk into the man's large shoulder, and he jerked backwards, clutching at the bleeding would. "No!" The masked man cried out in pain. "Ow! That hurts!" He practically whined, and Ryan stared incredulously as he straightened back up, ripping the scissors out and tossing them aside. "He stabbed me! Get him!" The man demanded, and Ryan frowned, confused beyond belief.

Another fist rammed into the side of his face, connecting to his left eye from another source.

And Ryan collapsed, knocked out from the hit in an instant.

KAITLYN KA
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
3:00 AM

Kaitlyn groaned awake, mouth dry and ears muffled as if stuffed with cotton. She lifted her aching neck, flinching at the bright hanging lights above her. She was in a chair.

When her eyes focused, she gasped fearfully. Ryan was sat across from her, also stirring. His eye was bruised and swollen.

But whereas his arms are tied down, Kaitlyn had one of hers free.

And in front of her?

A gun.

It was cocked, the safety off.

"Ryan, Ryan can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Ryan groaned in pain, face twisting, but he met her eyes drowsily. "Y-yeah. I—he-he hit me? I think?"

"Fuck. I, I'm gonna murder this monster," Kaitlyn declared, using her free hand to tug at the ropes around her, trying to find the knot. "I'm gonna beat his fucking face in."

"Kaitlyn," Ryan's voice was thick. He wouldn't look up at her. "We're gonna die here."

"What? No, no I'm not gonna let you die. I'm not letting anyone die here," Kaitlyn rasped, eyes watering and spilling simultaneously as she looked at his hopeless expression, his broken eyes.

But before she could continue, a pained whine came from her left.

She and Ryan turned to look.

Dylan was in the same chair as before, a few feet away from the table. He was slowly waking up, but he seemed much more sick and weak than either of them. The skin around his eyes was purple, and despite the freezing chill of the room, the brunet was covered in a thick sweat.

"Dylan? Hey, hey man," Ryan was nearly weeping in relief, and Kaitlyn was already ahead of him, sobbing weakly.

"Oh my god, thank god, oh my god," She chanted.

Dylan's dark eyes opened, bleary and glossy with whatever drugs that had been used to knock him out. His head jerked and bobbed weakly, as if he couldn't hold it up that well.

It was likely the same drugs as what they used on her, but judging by how weak and confused was acting—Kaitlyn had a feeling that this psycho asshole had overdosed him.

"Dylan, hey, talk to us," She begged softly, and he let out a quiet grunt of complaint, brows furrowing as he looked between her and Ryan with a clueless, drugged air. The veins in his neck and face were visible in this light, and they looked more black than blue.

"W-wha—? Where...?" His head lolled and it was clear he was struggling to remain awake.

"Oh good, you're all awake." A voice crooned. The voice crooned. The same one that had urged Kaitlyn to choose between two of her closest friends.

Kaitlyn screamed in frustration. "Fuck you!" She snapped up at the camera staring at them in the corner. "You're going to fucking die!" She tried to loosen the ropes once again.

"Heh. Sure I am." The psycho mocked cruelly.

"Kait..?" Dylan rasped, focusing on her properly for the first time since waking. She turned her attention to him, softening quickly.

"Hey, stay awake. It's gonna be okay. I'm gonna get us out of this," She reassured, but Ryan was trembling across from her, in disbelief.

"H-how? How, Kaitlyn? We're tied up. Everyone else is headed to the cable car station. They all think we're going there too. We're gonna die here." He despaired.

"Ryan, no, don't give up," Kaitlyn begged. Don't give up, or else she would, too.

"I—" Dylan's jaw worked to the side in some sort of pain, licking his blue lips. "I-I'm scared," He croaked, staring over at Ryan, now. Kaitlyn bared witness to Ryan's tears spilling over at Dylan's confession.

"D-don't be scared," Ryan pleaded.

"Oh, you should be, Dylan," The voice said, "because we've got another game to play."

No. Not another game. Please fuck please no. Not again.

"Kaitlyn's had to play a similar game already tonight. Only this time, there will be no interruptions. And there will be no loopholes." The voice was smug now.

Saws whirled to life above her and Ryan's head.

Kaitlyn's eyes dropped to the gun in front of her.

No.

No.

"There's a gun in front of you, Kaitlyn. Now, you can take it, and shoot Ryan or Dylan, or you can shoot yourself. The two survivors can live, and go home! But if you don't make a choice, the saws above you and Ryan will kill you both. And Dylan will stay, with me."

Ryan shook his head, speechless, ashen and staring over at her pleadingly. Dylan didn't seem aware of the words being spoken, glassy eyes drooping shut with each passing second.

Kaitlyn whimpered, slowly grabbing the gun.

She already knew her choice.

It was the only choice.

She pressed the gun under her own chin.

"No! Kaitlyn, don't!" Ryan begged. The sheer desperation in his voice is enough to pause her. His chin wobbled as he continued. "It's. It's gotta be a trick. He wouldn't kill us both. It's not, it's not fun."

She hesitated. That made sense. Right?

"But if you're wrong," Her voice broke as she glanced over at Dylan. Ryan's face was a twisted and conflicted wreck as he turned to look, too. "He'll..."

"I know. But..." Ryan hiccuped back a sob, and she lowered the gun from her chin an inch. "You need to trust me," He rallied. "Please, just trust me,"

Kaitlyn hesitated again.

She glanced at Dylan.

Was it worth the risk?

...

No.

It wasn't.

She closed her eyes, and pressed the gun back under her chin.

Before Ryan could do more than scream her name, she'd already pulled the trigger.

A loud BANG! filled the room.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SEVEN: Revelation

NICK FURCILLO
The Cliff Top
February 2nd, 2022
2:10 AM

“Abi!” Nick wailed, scrambling for the edge of the cliff to see where she fell.

This couldn’t be happening.

This couldn’t be real.

Abi couldn’t be… dead.

His eyes jolted downward, but he can't see her. She's not there. The only sign that she'd hit the ground was the red blood and the drag marks in the snow. That thing...

That monster took her. Took Abi.

She...

Nick sobbed, throwing himself away from the edge when it became too much to bear.

No.

No.

"What am I supposed to do?" He asked between his gagging heaves. His hands clutched at his stomach, clawing painfully into the flesh as he struggled to catch his breath. "What am I supposed to do?! Tell me what to do!"

But no one was there to help him.

Abi was gone. Whether she survived the fall or not, that... thing... it had her. It took her. And Nick's throat was crushed by that thing with ease, and breathing was hard enough when he wasn't sobbing like this—so, so, so—

There was nothing he could do.

Why was he so useless? Why couldn’t he do anything right? Abi had saved him, and in return he’d just watched as that monster knocked her off the edge. Now she was suffering the consequences and here he was, safe and sound.

Fuck fuck fuck. Emma. What was he going to tell Emma? How could he look into her eyes and face the fact that he survived because Abi sacrificed herself for him? Because he had sat there in the snow, too stunned from his attack to defend her?

Not just her, either.

What was he going to tell Abi’s family? Her mom? Her dad? Her little brothers?

He vomited bile into the pure snow, tainting it. He scrambled away from the stench, fighting the impulse to heave again.

He trembled, muscle aching from strain as he held himself up, wanting to collapse and let the snow eat at his heat, wanting to close his eyes and allow himself to freeze and die here.

He wanted to die.

It was all his fault.

He killed Abi.

He just sat there, sat there and watched as she risked her life for him. Her eyes had been on him, she’d been smiling because he was okay—and because of him, she wasn’t able to defend herself. He was the reason she fell.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat in the snow.

But when he finally felt present and calm enough to get up, he felt numb.

Nick wanted to die.

But he couldn’t. He needed to tell the others. He couldn’t let them believe Abi was just messing. Couldn’t let them hope for one second that she hadn’t been taken the same way Caleb and Kaylee had.

He had to get to the others. Emma.

If no one else, he had to tell Emma.

He stood lifelessly, staring emptily ahead.

And he began his way back down the path, forcing one foot forward as his shivers slowly subsided, a bad sign that he stubbornly ignored.

It didn’t matter.

Nothing mattered. He just needed to get to the others and tell them what happened.

he was such a fucking coward.

LAURA KEARNEY
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
3:10 AM

She'd been walking for so long, weaving between the tunnels and pondering her next move against the person who killed Max, when she realized something odd.

The tunnel she was in was turning into a hallway.

She stopped in place. An overturned table and chairs were ahead of her beyond a chain-linked door. Beside those was a half-open vent. And ahead of all that, she...

She heard something.

Someone... or someones, screaming. Not just that—but, something metallic was screeching in that same direction.

Laura's stomach bottomed out. The figure who took her Max from her—they had her friends. They were hurting them.

She kicked the chain-link door open with a hearty slam, and sprinting in the direction of the screaming.

She entered a meat locker that reeked of blood and rot—but she was in such a rush to find her friends that she didn't stop to look.

The next room was also empty, but the metal door ahead—that was were the noise was coming from.

She rammed into it with her shoulder, and found herself stumbling into the room with a loud and sudden BANG!

She witnessed an unbelievable sight.

Dylan, slumped and barely conscious, blue lips and fingers.

Ryan, gasping and sobbing for breath, relief all over his face as he stared over at—

Kaitlyn, who was staring over at her in shock, gun tucked under her chin and her finger on the trigger.

She lowered the gun from her chin the second that she registered who Laura was.

"What the FUCK?" Laura couldn't help but blurt out, rushing toward the two sitting at the table when she noticed that the metal screeching she heard was, in fact, two saws descending down upon them.

She kicked Ryan's chair as hard as she could, knocking him away from the saw, and yanked Kaitlyn's chair with her hands. The legs gave an unpleasant squeal against the concrete.

The saws spun mercilessly into the space where their heads once were, before slowly churning to a stop as they were turned off.

Laura ripped the gun away from Kaitlyn, tucking it into her jeans, the opposite side to the other pistol on her left hip. Then she began to untie the knot holding her in the chair, as quick as she could.

What the hell was going on? This was different from how that person had attacked Max. That had been brute, animalistic force. This was... this was smart. Thought out.

And Laura had arrived just in time. She saved them. Unlike Max.

The second Kaitlyn is free, the girl launches herself to Dylan, working at his ropes. Laura moved for Ryan next, taking him in. He hadn't cried when Kaylee and Caleb were declared missing, but he was crying now.

"Are you hurt? Any of you?" Laura asked them all, standing upright as Ryan rubbed at the rope burn on his arms, the man standing shakily. Kaitlyn glanced over, eyes red-rimmed and tears running down her cheeks as she ran a hand through Dylan's hair.

"N-not us. Dylan, they drugged him like they drugged me to knock him out, but-but it's too much, h-he's..." The brunette's tinny voice was trembling to the point where Laura could barely understand her.

Overdosing. Dylan was overdosing. Oh fuck.

"Who? Who drugged him? Were they wearing goggles? Carrying a flamethrower?" Laura asked, joining Kaitlyn to study Dylan as if he was one of her animal patients.

His pupils were blown, and his breathing was slower than it should've been. His heart rate, when she pressed two fingers to his wrist, was thready and inconsistent. The lack of shivering was also a bad sign, but Laura wasn't a human doctor. Hell, she wasn't even a vet yet. She'd only been through one semester. She was virtually useless here.

"What? No. No, he's wearing a mask. A, a weird clown-skull mask," Ryan said. Laura frowned. What? That... was there more than one? Did the bastard who killed Max have an accomplice?

"Ngh," Dylan loosely shook his head, eyes struggling to remain open as he looked over at Ryan. "Nnn-no," He croaked. "Not, not one,"

"What?" Ryan came closer, face tight and green as Kaitlyn helped Dylan stand on wobbly, weak legs. "What's wrong?"

Dylan licked his lips to get moisture, glancing at Laura with a helpless, pained expression. She straightened at the attention, a protective flare in her stomach. What was he trying to say?

Not one?

Not one.

"There's... more than one?" Laura guessed, and Dylan's ghostly face twitched with a smile, nodding weakly as he leaned heavily into Kaitlyn. "Did you see the other one? Did they have—"

The door opened and a large man wearing a mask entered. His coveralls were tight on his muscles and the mask on his head seemed too small. On his hip was a belt of syringes, and there was a knife holster on his thigh. His left shoulder was bloodied, visible bandages under the ripped blue fabric.

Laura grabbed one of the guns on her hip and leveled it with the man's chest as he approached them slowly.

"Stay the fuck back! Who are you?!"

The man paused, hands raised, and turned to look behind himself. Laura's finger hovered on the trigger as Ryan and Kaitlyn helped Dylan walk, all three hiding behind her.

She could protect them.

No.

She had to protect them.

"Show them," A distant, but growing voice said.

The man nodded and turned back to them. His head tilted to the left as his hands rose up to the mask hiding his face.

He pulled.

Footsteps grew behind him as the second one, the one that must be the one Laura saw, approached slowly.

The mask came off.

Bobby Hackett glared back, menacing and cruel.

Laura’s hands shook. The gun wavered.

Bobby? As in, Kaylee and Caleb’s Uncle Bobby that used to play hide and seek with them and the same Uncle Bobby that carried Laura on his shoulders when she was a kid?

He was…

…one of them?

“You…” Ryan was stumbling away from everyone, eyes wide and disbelieving as he stared up at Bobby with betrayal on his entire face. Laura knew exactly how he felt. “You—? Why? But, you, you—“

“Enough groveling. He just did what he was told,” The voice scoffed, right as the second person came into view.

Laura’s stomach rose to her throat.

Behind her, Ryan kicked a nearby chair hard enough to topple it, and Kaitlyn gasped raggedly.

Her grip loosened on the gun.

It couldn’t be.

It…

Travis Hackett stood beside Bobby, a smug, grim expression on his haggard, aged face.

The mastermind behind it all.

EMMA MOUNTEBANK
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
3:10 AM

Her temples were pounding, her entire face tingling from the blood rushing to her head.

Her hair was loose from its ponytail, dangling below her and covering parts of her face.

Her foot was caught in a twisted pipe, definitely twisted.

She was upside down.

She—

Wait.

She was upside down.

She was... upside down?!

Her eyes snapped open.

"Oh, god," Emma gasped out, hands clasping at her mouth in horror as she dangled over what looked to be an endless drop below. "Oh my god! J-Jacob?!" She screamed, struggling to look below—above?—at where she fell. "Jacob!"

He didn't reply. Of course he didn't — he jumped to safety as she fell.

He was probably long gone, probably already out and back with the others.

She looked around desperately.

There! A platform—if she just...

She swung her arms forward and backwards.

Her body swayed with the movement.

Again.

A little bit more.

And...

Now!

She jerked her foot free with full force and flung her body towards the platform.

She screamed fearfully as her body fell down, her hands grasping at air for one horrifying moment before they latched onto one of the support beams on the platform.

She clung as tightly as she could, muscles trembling with the effort, and slowly shuffled her body down the beam and onto solid ground.

Okay. Fuck. One step forward. Now. Find a way out. Get to the others.

She carefully rolled her ankle in a circle, wincing to herself as it ached and throbbed in protest. Fuck. Not good. Okay. Running wasn't an option unless she wanted to fuck her ankle up more.

God, she hoped she wouldn't have to run.

She found that the collapsing tower had started a small fire on a pile of wood. She limped toward it, grabbing at her sweater. She ripped until she had enough fabric to wrap around a nearby, dry chunk of wood. Her hands shook as she lowered the makeshift torch into the flames.

Okay. Now she wouldn't be walking in darkness. That was one upside to this shitty situation.

The tunnels around her were claustrophobic and cluttered, and she found herself having to weave between abandoned materials and mine carts. But when the area finally opened up, she found herself standing in front of an elevator.

"Yes!" She stepped inside, and yanked the lever excitedly.

It didn't move. She frowned and pulled the lever again. Nothing. It had no power.

"Shit. How do I...?" She stopped, glancing around and catching onto a ladder a few yards away, leading up to a catwalk. Maybe she could find a way to turn the power on up there?

Emma headed for the ladder, and tested the lowest rung. It cried under her weight, but held firm. She took in a slow, anxious breath and began to climb awkwardly with one hand, the other clutching her torch like a lifeline.

In the distance, several animalistic screeches filled the air. Her grip tightened on each rung, knuckles whitening. But she didn't slow.

Whoever knocked down the tower had to be a part of this sick games. It couldn't have been the window - especially not since the motion sensor went off right before. But unfortunately for the attacker - they didn't die. Well. God. She hoped Jacob wasn't dead.

But now they were separated.

She allowed herself to finally think on what Jacob said. Her body stopped in the middle of the ladder, heart skipping a beat in an emotional agony.

She got what she wanted, right?

But now Jacob hated her.

And that hurt more than she expected it to.

What was she expecting? She... bullied him until he couldn't handle it anymore. What kind of girlfriend, no, what kind of person did that?

The look of undisguised hurt in his eyes when he was looking down at her - she thinks that was probably the hardest to remember. He got the same look he got when talking about his dad, the one that said, 'you hurt me' and there was nothing she could do to take that back.

She doesn't feel as free as she thought she would.

Wasn't that a harrowing thought?

Did she really know what she wanted? Did she really like Abi and Nick or was she just projecting herself onto the next target? Would she inevitably beat them down just as she did to Jacob? They didn't deserve that.

Jacob hadn't either.

She wished she could say she would do better. But her therapist had been trying to tell her this for years and she never listened. Why would she listen now? She was such a...

God. She was such a bitch. How hadn't they all dropped her yet? What did they see in her that they found worth keeping?

Another animalistic scream echoed around her, breaking her from her thoughts. Emma sighed roughly, and continued up the ladder.

At the top of the catwalk, she saw a fuse box. That had to be the power to the elevator, she deduced, and made her way over.

Pulling the lever, she smiled in relief when the lights around her flickered on, and the elevator made an audible churning sound as it, too, came to life.

"Bingo!" She congratulated herself, and made her way back to the ladder. Almost there. Almost. She just needed to get back to the surface, and back to the others. She could do this. She had to be able to do this.

She stepped back onto the rusted ladder, and a sickening crush sounded in her ears.

She was falling a moment later.

Oh.

It broke.

Her body slammed through the wooden floor, and she tumbled down a steep decline of dirt and rocks, the torch falling from her grip. She cried out in pain, curling into herself as the dirt settled around her, the broken rung she'd stepped on staring mockingly at her near her nose.

"Shit. Shit!" She slammed an aggravated hand into the ground, forcing herself upright. This might couldn't get any fucking worse.

She was in a new, deeper part of the mines. There was different diverging areas, and one such area had the smallest hint of natural light coming from it. She palmed for her phone and turned the flashlight on. She wanted to save battery, but her torch hadn't fallen down with her.

"Alright. Take two." She whispered to herself, and limped toward the distantly lit path.

Her flashlight caught onto something to her right. She paused and cautiously turned to look.

Her eyes widened and her hair rose on her arms.

A pile of bones.

"Holy... oh god. That's..." She stepped closer in spite of her fear, and she noticed something in the center that made her fight a horrified gag.

A head. It was facing away.

The hair was bloodied and short, the visible skin from the neck and jaw greyed and torn from rot.

Against her better judgement, she reached down and turned the decapitated head around.

A wail left her lips and she flung herself away.

No!

It—no. It couldn't — no!

"Oh god, oh my god, no, not Caleb, please, please not you," She sobbed, clutching at her chest as she stared down at the slackened and decayed face of her lost friend.

But he wasn't lost.

He was dead.

Caleb was dead.

She hugged herself, eyes clenching shut as if not looking would make him go away. But when she looked once more, his dead, milky eyes stared back.

She forcibly turned away, and vomited bile into the dirt.

Oh god.

She killed him.

She—him and Kaylee—?

It, this was...

All her fault.

There's a rush of flames somewhere ahead of the path—and she's broken from her overwhelming grief just enough to jerk her head up.

"What the fuck? What now?" She half-whined, half-sobbed to herself, moving her body away from... from Caleb's head.

However, her foot hit something on the ground and she paused. Looking down, she saw two large wooden boards tied together with rope in a cross.

She picked it up and turned it over.

CALEB
2/24/21
I'm sorry.

The twenty-fourth?

But...

They went missing on the second.

Did..?

No. No no no.

They didn't die in the fall.

They didn't die in the fall. Oh no. Please no. It can't be true. That—her hands released the cross to instead clutch at her mouth.

A tear slipped from her eye.

Kaylee had to bury her brother..?

But then... his head... what happened?

Against her better judgment that screamed for her to avoid, avoid, avoid, she turned her phone to the camera app, and snapped a photo of the cross, making sure that the words were visible in the dim light.

She hugged herself, and walked away before she could agonize over her questions any longer than that. This… this wasn’t the time. She could freak out later. She had to wait, to get out and off this damn mountain first. Emma found that the light led her back into the same area with the elevator - just on the opposite end.

She just had to climb up the side of the ditch.

Easy, right? Right.

She hooked her foot on a jutting rock. Not wanting to jinx herself, she went slow, reaching up and carefully jamming her feet against the divots and rocks as she climbed.

By the time she managed to grunt and complain her way to the top, she was covered in sweat despite the fact that her feet were numb and she was pretty sure that sweating in this kind of chill was a bad sign. Oh well. She could worry about frostbite and hypothermia after she got out of here.

As she went to round the back of the elevator to finally get outta here, something glinted on the ground, along with a photograph.

She hesitated, flashes of Caleb’s skull and the cross running through her. It had to be…

An old fashioned necklace, gold and glinting with engraved initials, C + J, stared up at her. And under that, a photograph of Kaylee, Caleb, and Constance Hackett smiled back at her.

This… this was Mrs. Hackett’s lockett? But that would mean that she knew they were down here. She knew where her grandchildren were? Why didn’t she save them? Why didn’t she help them back up? Did Mr. H know? Sherriff Hackett?

She pocketed the locket and photo, which both felt heavier than they actually were. This felt significant. She just… she wasn’t sure why.

She moved to the elevator, finally grabbing the lever like she had originally intended. Maybe it was good the ladder broke. If it hadn’t, she never would’ve… fuck. She had to tell Sheriff Hackett as soon as she could. He would know what to do. He could handle this. Right? He was a level-headed, rational man.

The elevator rattled and trembled as it began to rise, motors working loudly.

Emma felt a touch of relief. Finally. She could finally get out of here.

The elevator stopped, only going up two levels.

What? No no no! “Shit! No! Come on!” She pleaded, tugging at the lever again.

But it didn’t budge.

Fuck. Looks like she jinxed herself anyway.

She stepped onto the new area, glancing around anxiously as the animalistic screeching sounded around her, much louder than before.

There was another rush of flames—and fuck, it was so damn close that she could practically feel the heat. It came from this level. Whoever was doing that - be it the psycho that knocked down the tower, or someone else - they were on this floor.

With her.

She quickly hid behind a propped wooden board, heart racing in her ears as she listened to the sounds of whoever it was walking closer to her.

She carefully peaked in the space between the wooden plants, and felt her entire form grow into ice shards.

It was a figure, holding a flamethrower.

Not only that, but…

Max was leaning into their side, supported by their arm. He was… he fucking battered, covered in bloodied scratches and deep, swollen bruises.

Were they helping Max? Fuck, she couldn’t tell.

Double fuck. They were coming this way - they were going to see her. What should she do?!

Biting her lip in her decision, she hoped that Max would forgive her.

And she ran, ignoring the sharp, stabbing protest of her ankle - and definitely ignoring the hoarse shout from the figure to “Stop! Wait!”

She jerked her head back to see the figure setting Max down against the wooden board she had hidden behind, and then begin to run after her.

God, no!

She lengthened her stride and said goodbye to ever doing dance again, not with this ankle, as she leapt over a gap between a broken bridge, linking two tunnels.

Her eyes caught onto a gasoline barrel. Then they turned back to the figure, who was gaining on her.

Should she kick it at them? But then, what if they were helping Max? God, she didn’t know what to do.

She hesitated, and then left the barrel alone to run once more. It wasn’t worth the risk to hurt Max’s potential savior.

…Even if she was running from them.

Wait. She’s a dumbass. Couldn’t she just… talk to them?

She stopped in place, between a massive wooden door and broken opening that looked to have a steep drop, and turned around.

Fuck it. She could be risking her life - hell, those wounds on Max could’ve been from this person - but she had to know. She couldn’t abandon Max, especially if she ever wanted to sleep at night.

The figure approached, slowing to a walk.

Emma raised her chin defiantly, staring them down as they tilted their head back at her.

There was a standstill of silence, and Emma waited with bated breath, more unsure of her fate that she had been dangling from the falling tower.

DYLAN LENIVY
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
3:15 AM

"Uncle Travis?" Ryan's voice was monotone and lifeless. His eyes were another story, speaking of hurt and betrayal, a deep wound that would never be healed.

"What the FUCK?!" Laura snarled, defiant and strong. Her hands raised once more, gun level with Travis's relaxed face. Her body was squared as she stood protectively in front of the three of them.

Dylan wobbled, staring at Travis with horror on his face and a sick, violated feeling in his core. Travis, he... but... why him? Why did he... Fuck. Fuck, he was gonna be ill. Literally. He felt sick rise in his throat, burning up his nose and ears. He gagged audibly, head swimming.

"Fuck, hey, Dylan, come sit with me," Kaitlyn was trying to urge him, soft and concerned. Her hands were trembling but firm around him, and he let her guide him back to the chair he'd been tied up in as Laura demanded loudly,

"Explain. Now!"

Travis sighed and waved Bobby off. The large, dim-witted man stepped back, giving his older brother the stage. "I would think it was obvious by now. I've laid out all the clues, haven't I?" He asked, cool and calm, a disgusted glint in his eyes as he looked between them all.

Dylan wasn't oblivious to the linger in his eyes when Travis saw him. It was hungry. But, but not in a... not in that way. In more of a... a manipulative, 'using you for my own gain' kind of look. Like Dylan had something that he could give Travis that no one else could. Dylan wasn't sure what that could be, wasn't sure if it was... if it was sexual or purely for selfish reasons.

But it made him gag once more, heaving wetly between his vibrating legs as Kaitlyn tried and failed to soothe his drugged, soupy mind.

This... this couldn't be the same man who taught Dylan how to ride a bike. The same man who helped Laura learn how to braid hair, the same man who told Jacob that it was okay to like boys, too. It couldn't be. How? Why?!

"You're mad at us, for Caleb and Kaylee," Ryan said, weak. His eyes wouldn't leave Travis's face, a green tinge to his skin. "B-but me, Dylan, and Kaitlyn, we, we didn't have anything to do with it," He stuttered. There was something small about him in that moment, making him look younger than he really was.

Travis gave him a patronizing look. "Didn't you? You're telling me that none of you could've helped that day? I mean, Ms. Ka even had her chance, and she failed,"

Kaitlyn flinched timidly beside Dylan, and he unconsciously felt his arm raise to curl around her shoulders, holding protectively despite knowing that a harsh wind would probably knock him on his ass right now.

"You and Mr. Lenivy didn't have to drink that night, but you did," Travis continued, tilting his head over at Dylan as he said his name, a mean, obsessive smirk on his face. "Isn't that right, Dylan?" There was that weird thing again, curving around his name like it was longer than it was, saying every syllable like it was a fresh drink of ice water.

He shivered.

Kaitlyn's grip on him was like a vice, and it would have hurt if it wasn't the only thing keeping him from passing out.

"You don't talk to him." Laura cocked the gun in her hands, finger hovering over the trigger once more. Travis obediently looked away, dark, disturbed eyes moving to Laura with an absent hum. Bobby shifted silently from his place, thick brows furrowing as if he was unsettled by Travis, too.

"I didn't plan for it to be the three of them," He admitted after a deliberate pause. "Dylan was always in the plan, yes, but I intended it to be the others. Not Ryan. Not Kaitlyn."

"But why Dylan?" Ryan insisted, pleading for some kind of answer. Travis looked over at Bobby, who didn't meet his eyes.

"Any of you believe in ghosts?" He asked instead.

Dylan's eye twitched, and he shook his head in denial. The whispers in his ears as he was falling right into Travis and Bobby's trap, trying to help him, trying to lure him away from their games. The ouija board, with Ryan and Kaitlyn. Caleb. He covered his mouth with his hand, breath quickening.

Travis noticed his reaction, smiling grimly and gesturing toward him. Laura jerked the gun in warning, and Travis relented. "At first, my plan didn't involve any of the three. I didn't blame them, not at first, really," Travis sniffed, itching at his nose dismissively.

Then, he smiled. It was softer this time. The same smile he used to get when they were all still kids, innocent and trusting.

"But while I was planning these... puzzles," He decided, speaking deliberately slow and careful, as if he was thinking each word before he said them. But it was the truth, and they all knew it. For perhaps the first time in a long time, Travis was being truthful. "I started to... hear things. Feel another presence. It wasn't long before he revealed himself to me."

"Ghosts. Ghosts?" Laura was incredulous, and indignant as she scowled in disbelief. Now that Dylan really looked at the blonde, there was something off about her. Her eyes, that soft glow in them was gone. Her voice was dull and bitter. Then, it clicked. Max wasn't here, but Laura left with Max. So where was he?

Dylan had a feeling the answer wasn't one he would like.

"I. We," He gestured to Bobby, "Talked to him. To Caleb. He's... here." Travis was getting a wild look in his eyes. "And he told us where he died. I took Bobby, Ma and Pa to go look. But we didn't expect to see..."

Travis stopped, visibly shaking his head to himself.

See what? Dylan looked at Kaitlyn, but she seemed just as clueless, a frown twisting her lips.

Travis continued as if he hadn't stopped, brushing over his own words. "Ma and Pa didn't make it. But we couldn't get distracted. Not when I realized a better way."

"A better way to what?" Ryan asked.

Travis looked back at Dylan, this time ignoring Laura's warning.

"To bring Caleb back."

What?

Bring... him back?

"How?" Laura demanded.

"I found a ritual. An old traveling psychic, Eliza Votez, wrote of it years ago for her son. I found her notes on it in the evidence lockers at the station. It was dumb luck, or maybe it was fate. Either way... it told me exactly what I needed to hear."

"don't let him do this to you," Caleb's voice cried into Dylan's ear.

He fought a flinch, suppressing it into a wince that he hid into Kaitlyn's shoulder. Fuck. This couldn't be real. Caleb couldn't be talking to him right now. There was no way. No way. And... 'do this to you'..? Just what did Travis want with him..?

"The ritual needed a living host for the spirit to enter. To take over. It would kill the soul of the body, but the body would still live." Travis was clinical as he spoke, not a hint of skepticism in his eyes. He truly believed every word he spoke. "It had to be someone the spirit trusted. Someone Caleb loved."

"And you chose Dylan." Laura realized. Travis nodded, eyes dragging back to Dylan for a short moment before Kaitlyn suddenly burst, standing and stalking away from Dylan to jab a finger towards the man.

"Then why the fuck did you stalk him?! We saw the pictures, you crossed our eyes out—it was... it was fucking insane!" Her upper lip curled in a sneer.

He... what? Travis... stalked him? Travis had watched him. And he hadn't known - hadn't even suspected a thing. Dylan shuddered, sucking in a sharp breath that went ignored by all except Ryan. The other man stepped toward him, hand held out.

Dylan didn't stop himself when his hand reached to grasp him back. Their fingers twined together and Ryan gave him a sad, pitying smile.

Dylan hated pity. But for once, he think he would allow it. Because... god. What the fuck.

"It..." Travis actually looked embarrassed, "I was watching all of you at first. But I talked with Caleb a few more times and realized that every time we began a séance, he would..."

He stopped here, and for once, a hint of genuine pain entered his eyes.

Dylan closed his eyes tightly. He had a feeling he knew what Caleb did.

"What? He would what?" Kaitlyn implored, strong fists tight by her sides, as if she was ready to launch herself into a fight at any moment.

"i didn't mean to," Caleb's voice sobbed to him.

"It's okay..." Dylan rasped to the voice, looking around to see if he could find him. "I forgive you." Whatever Travis and Bobby did, it wasn't Caleb's fault.

No one else seemed to hear him, all too focused on Travis and his confession.

The feeling that had been on the back of his neck all night slowly faded away. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but Caleb never spoke again.

"He always asked about Mr. Lenivy first," Travis admitted, haggard face twisted like he was tasting something bitter before it curled into a mean smile. "So I knew... I knew he was the one. So I took Chris’s phone, and sent the keys to Ryan to let you all up here."

"That doesn't explain the pictures. At his home, at his work, school—" Kaitlyn listed off angrily.

Bobby spoke as if he couldn't help himself. "Travis's always been like this."

"Shut the fuck up, Bobby—!"

"He's watched Laura since she was sixteen." Bobby continued. He actually looked sickened, a testament to show that the man's limits were being reached. Not even the Hackett family bond was enough to keep Bobby from doubting Travis.

Laura took a step away from Travis, face paling and eyes widening in shock. The gun never wavered, but Dylan could see the effort it was taking her not to freak out more.

"There is something seriously wrong with you, man," Dylan couldn't help but choke out, earning Travis's dark, twisted attention. Ryan stepped closer to him, blocking Travis’s view. "We trusted you." His voice broke.

“You’re… you’re sick,” Laura swallowed audibly, sweat running down her cheek, mixing with a fallen tear. Her head shook as if against her will.

“Now, that’s, that, I,” Travis tried to defend his actions, “Now, I knew she was a bad seed, I knew,” He claimed, “So I had to keep an eye on her. What’s so wrong with that, huh? I turned out to be right in the end.”

He was right? What? Dylan looked at Ryan in confusion, who shook his head and lifted his free hand for him to wait. Later.

“You’re a fucking creep,” Kaitlyn spat out.

“Why did you kill Max?” Laura asked, deadpan but poorly disguising the mournful grief in her eyes with a glare. Her husky voice trembled on his name, strained.

At the news, Kaitlyn choked back a gasp and Ryan’s grip on Dylan’s hand was painful. Dylan hung his head, despising that he was right in his worry.

“What?” Travis looked, for the first time, properly confused. Gone was the confidence from before or even the nervous excuses from moments ago. He genuinely seemed to not know what Laura was talking about.

“Max! You dragged him into the mines and he fell from the elevator shaft. You killed him!” Laura’s grip on the trigger was tighter than ever. Her face was a vicious, cruel snarl that felt utterly deserved toward her and Dylan’s stalker.

god. it was hard to actually admit it to himself.

“The mines?” Travis asked. He glanced at Bobby, who shook his head. “That wasn’t us.”

“Stop. Lying.” Laura demanded.

“I’m telling you the truth.” Travis insisted.

“We didn’t touch Max,” Bobby added, coming closer, settling back beside Travis. Laura’s gun turned to him briefly, before she dismissed him and focused back on Travis. “We haven’t left the lodge.”

“So who did? Chris?” Laura spat. Ryan made an aborted protesting sound before he stopped himself, face screwing up and then falling with despair. It was Dylan’s turn to squeeze his hand comfortingly.

“Chris? No. Heh. Chris doesn’t know we’re here.” Travis actually laughed at the idea. “No. Chris thinks that Ma and Pa are back home with Bobby, safe and sound. He thinks I’m at work like usual.“

Ryan’s body relaxed in relief.

“So you didn’t tell him anything?” Laura inquired, disbelieving.

“It was part of the plan. Use Chris’s phone to invite you all here, and use his things for my puzzles. Then once Caleb was back, and you were all gone, I would come like the… concerned police officer I am. It was… it was going to be perfect. Chris would get in trouble, yes, but you would all be gone and Caleb would be back. With us.”

Travis’s eyes sharpened.

“But then you had to fuck it all up.. Everything was—perfect.”

Travis approached, increasingly angry.

Laura yanked on the trigger.

The sounding BANG! was even louder than when Laura had broke through the door to save them, leaving Dylan’s ears ringing as Travis collapsed to the floor.

The man’s hands clutched at the bullet wound in his gut, bleeding profusely. Bobby went to help, but Laura aimed at him and he froze in place obediently.

“Look, I ain’t want no harm,” Bobby said, oddly earnest and innocent. “I was just doin’ what he told me to.”

“I don’t believe you.” Laura’s voice was dark, but she didn’t shoot Bobby. Instead, she jerked her chin towards Travis. “Pick him up. We’re tying the two of you up in the shed.” She ordered.

Dylan glanced over at Ryan and Kaitlyn, neither disagreeing with Laura. Was this.. okay? As much as he hated, despised them, Travis could die from his gunshot, Bobby could freeze to death out there. Was that right? Should they not face more solid justice?

Either way, Dylan stayed silent.

And as Laura and Ryan led the two men away, Kaitlyn returned to his side to help him up. He felt better - less unsteady and more present. But he wasn’t sure if that was the shock and adrenaline or if his overdose was truly wearing off.

Kaitlyn led him out of the horrid place, promising to take him back to the main lodge so they could rest. He nodded in acceptance, knowing he was useless for much else right now.

When Kaitlyn wasn’t looking at him anymore, Dylan allowed himself to cry.

RYAN ERZAHLER
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
3:35 AM

Laura kept the gun pressed to Bobby's back as she forced him forward down the path, face unforgiving and cold.

Ryan was a few steps behind, Laura's second gun in his hands. She'd handed it to him, telling him it was just in case. Nonetheless, holding it gave him a comfort that was missing without the feeling of Dylan's hand in his.

He hoped Dylan and Kaitlyn were okay. He knew they could protect each other, and that they would be fine now that Travis and Bobby were caught, but he couldn't help but worry.

Kaitlyn almost... Fuck. She almost killed herself to save them. She hadn't even hesitated. Did she really... did she really love them that much? Was she truly so selfless?

And Dylan—god, he hope Dylan would be okay. He looked fucking awful, half-dead on his feet. And that wasn't to mention the look in his eyes when he learned of what Travis did. He looked... vulnerable. Young. Ryan didn't like seeing Dylan look like that - Dylan was supposed to be the infallible one. Nothing fazed him. Right?

But he knew this wasn't normal circumstances.

And that wasn't to mention Laura—who Travis had been obsessed with, too. But for longer than Dylan, since she was a teenager. It was... fuck. He didn't know how she could stomach looking at Travis right now, much less speak to him.

"You don't have to do this," Travis tried to appeal to them, grunting in pain with each step Bobby took forward. "I'll take you all off the mountain right now. Turn myself in."

"Yeah, that's completely bullshit." Laura scoffed. "You think I'm going to listen to the fucking pedo who stalked me, and killed Max?" Ryan hid his flinch.

"I didn't kill Max," Travis retorted. "And, and I ain't no... no child molester. I just..."

"Stalked me since I was sixteen? What, did you really think we would believe your bullshit excuses?"

Travis didn't speak again.

Ryan wasn't sure what disgusted him more. The stalking and the pedophilia, or the fact that Travis wasn't fighting more for his innocence. Probably both.

"We didn't kill Max." Bobby spoke up as Laura opened the shed door. The man didn't step inside, instead looking behind at Ryan. "Really, we didn't. We stay outta those mines after what happened to Ma and Pa."

"Shut the fuck up," Laura crudely kicked the back Bobby's knee, making him buckle but not fall.

"Laura... what if they're telling the truth?" Ryan grabbed her arm gently, murmuring the words almost shamefully. It was just too easy to blame what happened to Max on them. There was two of them, yes, but he highly doubted that Bobby could have done any of this on his own. The deep regret in his eyes said more than Bobby probably wanted them to know.

"I saw what they did to him. With my own eyes, Ryan," Laura's voice rose with anger, eyes wicked and bright as she glared at him, "I watched him fall, I heard him scream. And I heard him stop."

"I know, Laura. I'm just saying—what if there's someone else out here, too? After all of this, doesn't it seem possible? You were talking about that one person, with the goggles. It could be them.”

Laura didn’t grace him with a response, shaking her head roughly and nudging Bobby forward into the shed. “Tie him up there. Then I’m tying you up on the other side.” She said.

Bobby obeyed, reluctantly setting Travis on the ground, back pressed against one of the wooden support beams inside the shed.

“Make it tight.” Laura snapped, and Bobby did as she said. Travis groaned in pain, and spat blood to the floor.

“Fuck you, bitch,” He snarled up at her, jerking in his restraints to no avail. “Do you know how many chances I’ve have since last year to kill you? All of you? And I didn’t.”

“Wow. Such a gentleman. It’s almost like you weren’t trying to kill us tonight.” Laura mocked. Travis sneered back.

“Shut the fuck up, cunt. You were practically posing for me all these years,” He leered. Laura tensed up like a live wire. “You shouldn’t change in front of your window, you know. Someone might see you,” He grinned lewdly.

“You fucking monster—!” Laura pistol-whipped Travis, the metal bashing into his temple and splitting the skin. It’s a relief to see the pervert go silent, face slackening.

Bobby’s hands twitched with an aborted move to help, falling back to his sides when Laura faced the gun at him again. “I’m sittin’, I’m goin’,” He insisted, feet shuffling to go and sit on the other side of the beam.

“Laura, what do we do if there’s someone else out there?” Ryan asked as she tightened the knot around Bobby’s large frame. She sighed irately, rubbing the back of her neck.

“I dunno. We’ve got the guns. We can protect the others.”

“But, Jacob, Emma, Nick and Abi—they’re all out there. What if…” He stopped. He didn’t want to finish that. He didn’t want the chance that they weren’t already gone.

This had been their chance to rekindle their friendships.

And instead, it was twisted into something rotten and evil by someone they all thought they could trust.

“Are they out in the woods?” Bobby asked.

“What?” Laura snapped. She and Ryan shared a glance. Perhaps with Travis unconscious, Bobby would be more willing to confess what he knew.

“Cuz’, if they are, they’re in biiig trouble.”

“Why are they in big trouble?” Ryan took the lead, recognizing that Laura was ready to snap at a moments notice. Bobby turned his eyes to him, imploring and honest.

“Because of the monster.”

The… monster..?

“What monster?” Ryan asked.

Bobby took in a breath, dread on his face.

And he began to speak.

ABI BLYG
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
3:45 AM

Abi jerked awake, head spinning.

Everything hurt. Her neck ached and her head felt like it was being ripped into.

And… something was dragging her. By her foot.

What was… where was she..?

Oh.

Wait.

She…

Nick—the cliff, the monster.

Her eyes opened despite being crusted shut with blood, dizzyingly fighting the urge to thrash in the grip of the monster.

It was taking her somewhere.

They were in a tunnel. A mining tunnel?

Abi mentally screamed to herself. How was she alive? Where was it taking her? And… was Nick okay? God, were the other being attacked by one of these things, too?

Her head hurt.

She was seeing two of everything.

Oh no.

Please, anyone, she begged in her mind, help.

She faded into darkness again, and the monster dragging her continued on its way, oblivious to its prey’s brief moment of wakefulness.

The night moved forward sluggishly.

The real chaos was beginning.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER EIGHT: Animus

EMMA MOUNTEBANK
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
4:00 AM

"Be quiet," The figure urged her, holding their hand out placatingly. She flinched away, and the figure faltered, sighing audibly. "Y—"

They are cut off by another animalistic screech in the distance. They turned to look, and Emma backed away half a step when the vicious shriek happened again.

She slipped.

And fell down the deep decline into darkness.

The figure, the masked stranger, threw a bag down after her. "Use these!" They shouted and then a loud, furious scream leaves their lips as a flare of fire illuminates above.

Emma shakily pushed herself up, clutching the person's bag to her stomach as she limped away as quickly as she could. Fuck. Did she just get them killed? Get Max killed?

She looked into the bag, seeing a few flares and a—a journal, inside. She dismissed it for later, and grabbed the flare gun she had taken ages ago, lifting it and readying it just in case.

Something was here.

Something out to get her.

She slipped through a gap between two jutting rocks, catching a familiar sight of the mines she had explored not too long ago. She just had to scoot past this boarded up opening, and into the open cave area, and—

An inhuman hand burst through the wooden boards, clawing for her.

She screamed in terror, dodging, and forced her injured body to sprint away.

She could feel it, right behind her heels as she sprinted and jumped over a gap, as she kicked over a gas barrel to deter it.

Emma reached a divide in the path—the same one from before. Left or right? Fuck, which one led to the elevator—

The creature—the monster dropped in front of her, and bellowed a screech in her face.

"FUCK!" She ran left, blindly.

Its cries and wails were oddly human as it gave chase, chitters leaving it that sounded oddly like words. But in her wicked panic, she couldn't hear what it was saying over her loud breathing.

She found the elevator—thank fuck—and got inside, praying and pleading to herself that it would work this time. She pulled the lever, and held her breath as it creaked and complained before slowly rising up. Okay. Okay. She could do this.

Fuck. Okay.

She just needed to run. Find a way out of the mines, get to the others, then come back for Max. If... if he was still alive.

The elevator cried to a stop on the top floor. She went to step out of it when the creature landed on the outer side of the elevator. Chittering and squealing like a pig, it crept toward her inside of the elevator.

She was frozen in fear.

She held her breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she focused on not moving. Its hot, putrid breath brushed back her hair as it sniffed along her face. Her nails bit into her palms as it circled her, her tongue inbetween her teeth as she fought the urge to cry.

The moment it lost interest, she ran.

She yanked onto a chain as she ran down the pathway, and a collection of concrete and rocks tumbled down as they were freed from the front loader. The creature screamed in frustration and she grinned in a shaky victory as she continued to run.

She found a conveyer belt ahead, and turned it on instinctively. It would help her go faster - push her along.

She lifted the flare gun towards a knocked over gas barrel nearby, and shot at it without a single hesitation. It lit aflame, rapidly spreading, and the creature backed away, snarling at her as it vanished to find another way around.

She stepped onto the belt, balancing herself as she stepped forward hurriedly.

Got to get away. She had to. She just needed to keep her balance.

She just needed to—"Woah!" She cried out, backing up her feet on the belt before she could step down onto the grinder below. She jumped instinctively, but missed.

Her hands caught the ledge, just barely, and she yelped, staring down at the relentless rolling spikes that glared back at her, just inches away from her feet.

The flare gun fell, getting crushed without mercy by the jaws below.

"N-no, please—!" She strained her muscles, trying hopelessly to pull herself up.

She didn't want to die. She wasn't ready to die. She had so many things to do. So many things to make up for. People to apologize to. Abi, Nick, Jacob - Nick and Abi for butting into their budding relationship and... Jacob for... hurting him the way she did. Ryan, Kaitlyn, Dylan. What she did to Kaylee. Being so ignorant to the consequences of her actions. She never learned. Never. She always promised and yet—she messed it all up. Like she always does.

Please.

Her feet squeaked loudly against the metal wall, trying to find grip.

Please.

Whoever was listening—please—give her another chance. Let her—let her try one last time. Please, please, just—

And then—by some sort of miracle—her foot latched onto a small dent in the metal, and she found the strength to lift herself up and out of the grinder.

She rolled onto the belt, panting and gasping for breath, eyes wide and lost in her shock. She... she nearly died. She was moments away from...

She pushed herself up, limbs shaking as she stepped off the belt and into the next platform. She ran for the double doors to the right, body tingling with pins and needles as she slammed them shut, grabbing at the lock and slipping it closed.

Emma leaned heavily against the doors. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

She took in a slow, focusing breath. "Okay, okay, Em, you can do this. Breathe. You're almost out of here."

The doors broke behind her.

Jaws clamped down on her collarbone—ripping into her flesh.

She wailed, sprinting forward blindly when it let go, and jumping off the ledge in her panic.

Her hands latched onto the zip line in front of her, and it carried her down to the snowy forest ground at a rapid, harsh pace.

Her grip loosened from her pain—and she fell into the snow with an embarrassing amount of whimpering.

It bit her.

That—that thing.

It bit her.

She got up, barely able to remain upright, but her adrenaline kept her going, sprinting down the path towards the one place she knew was close by.

The lodge.

She turned a corner, trying to ignore how slow she was getting, her ankle swollen and stiff, blood pouring freely from her shoulder.

However, she rammed into someone who was already running down the new path, and the two of them fell into the snow with a dull thud.

She groaned, and so did they.

She blearily looked down at whoever she was sitting on.

Her eyes widened.

"Nick!" A relieved smile grew before falling in horror. "W-where's Abi..?"

Nick stared up at her with haunted, empty eyes, a brutal bruise on his neck. "Emma..." He shook his head, hoarse voice breaking.

Her eyes slammed shut. She shook her head back, shutting him up. "No. Don't tell me. We need to get to the lodge. It—it'll be safe there," She choked out.

He nodded silently, a stream of tears running down his cheeks. He stood up, and the two of them began to sprint for the lodge, hands laced in their shared grief.

DYLAN LENIVY
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
4:25 AM

A familiar banshee scream filled the air, crying for help. He looked over at the front door, standing up with wide, anxious eyes.

Kaitlyn's head shot up from where she was searching for blankets. "Y-you heard that, right?" She asked, and he nodded, walking forward. She grabbed his arm before he could get very far shaking her head. "No! What if it's..."

"It's Emma, Kait," Dylan said back, and he could see it in her face—the anxiety of losing sight of him, the suspicion of another person they trusted being a part of this whole horrific scheme. "It's okay," He whispered.

Kaitlyn's lips turned down, and she let go of his arm. "You're right," She whispered back. He nodded softly, sympathetic, and went for the front door with Kaitlyn shadowing him.

He grabbed at the handle, opening it—at the same time, two bodies rammed against it with their shoulders.

He fell backwards with the force, Emma and Nick falling on top of him.

"Woah! Holy shit!" Kaitlyn cried out as Emma scrambled off of him, backing further into the lodge as Nick rolled away, looking dazedly around. Dylan rubbed at his left arm in pain, aching from his elbow smacking into the ground on the way down.

"Shut the door, oh my god, shut the door!" Emma rambled, and Kaitlyn complied, the door clicking quietly. Emma looked...

She was covered in muck. Her green sweater was brown with blood, ripped and torn. Her face was coated with dirt and bruises, and her nails broken and bleeding.

Nick didn't look much better—a purple, blotted throat and his eyes were puffy, red and sore. His clothes were soaking wet from the snow, and he looked about ready to pass out.

Dylan pushed himself upright, ignoring the dizzy black rushing into his vision and shoving it aside to focus on helping Emma and Nick stand up. Kaitlyn was hovering, unsure on what to do.

"Wh-what happened?" Dylan asked, following Emma to the living room, Nick under his arm. Kaitlyn sat beside Emma on the couch, wrapping a blanket around her.

"I-I don't, there was a, a—the mines, and the, the guy, and the—" Emma was rambling, her lipstick smudged and faded as black streaks of tears ran down her face. "The—the monster—"

Monster? He goes to ask her what she meant, but Kaitlyn interrupts. "No, it was all Travis and Bobby, we've got them tied up, it'll be okay now," She soothed. Emma shook her head wildly, blonde hair more brown with her sweat.

"No! You're not listening! There's a monster, I, I didn't think I'd make it, but, but I did, and—" Emma was pleading with them to believe her, shivers wracking her form as she wept.

Nick nodded stonily. "I saw it too," He rasped, unable to raise his voice based on the bruise he had. Emma's face crumbled as Nick continued, a keening weep leaving her lips. "It got her. It got Abi. She fell." He was acting lifeless, eyes dead and empty as he reported the news as if he wasn't telling them that Abi...

That Abi was dead.

Dylan stumbled back a step, arms curling around himself in a defensive manner as Kaitlyn gasped painfully, her hands smacking into her own mouth. "Y-you're," Kaitlyn stammered, "You're not saying that... she. Abi's...? She's dead..?"

Nick pulled his knees to his chest, curling into himself. His voice was dull. "I was too late. She saved me, and I... I wasn't fast enough."

Dylan swallowed hard. Kaitlyn was growing into a wreck, begging Nick for it to not be true. He tuned her out, trying to remain calm with three others sobbing in front of him.

Fuck. Fuck. Abi. Abi was dead. Abi was dead while they were all... okay. While Dylan was sleeping most of the night, they lost Abi. And Max. Fuck.

"A-are you okay?" Dylan choked out, directing it to the both of them. Nick didn't answer, focused on his knees, and Emma looked up at him with wide, wet eyes.

"I-I'm okay. I don't. I don't feel anything. I just need to—god, it was moving so fast and," Emma bit her lips together, trying to calm herself.

"What? What was moving fast?" Dylan tried to keep her focused. This... fuck it was cruel, but this wasn't the time.

"I-I just, I had to get away from—" Emma's breathing was raspy, hyperventilating.

"Away from what?" Kaitlyn asked next, concern for Emma seemingly taking priority. Dylan met her eyes in a silent understanding. No one else. No one else was allowed to be... lost.

"It, it was chasing me, and I thought I was going to—but I didn't, I got away, but—"

"Em, it was all Travis. You're okay now," Kaitlyn soothed again. Dylan eyed her for a moment, uncertain if that was true. How could Travis and Bobby do this to Max, Abi, and Emma while also tormenting them here? There was no way...

"You're not listening to me!" Emma snapped back. Kaitlyn's head twitched back, but she didn't seem to take it personally.

Dylan took an audible breath, and Emma focused back on him. Her eyes were earnest, pleading, and haunted. Dylan... he believed her. After all, he'd had Caleb whispering to him all night. This... this wasn't so crazy. A monster—something out there to get them—he could believe it. He was too tired to deny it.

Then, a thought smacked him in the face. Emma came back alone, too.

"Wait, Em, where's Jacob? Is he okay?"

Emma's face fell. She looked down, her left shoulder hiking up. "The tower. It fell. We, we got through to someone, but. That thing. It broke the cables. We fell into the mines. This... this huge tunnel system."

Dylan nodded slowly, taking that in.

"What mines?" Kaitlyn asked incredulously, and Emma stammered, shaking her head. Dylan took over.

"The old mine shaft. From the-the fifties. There was a collapse, and, and it was abandoned. You fell into that?" Emma nodded at his words, eyes growing wet with tears.

"And, and I was dangling, and Jacob was trying to grab me. But I—I told him to leave. And, and he jumped to safety. He's..." She squeaked a little, holding back new sobs. "He's in those mines, all alone. He probably thinks I'm.."

Emma's expression changed.

"I was... I was walking down there, in the mines. It was dark but I... I found this..." Her voice shook and she looked everywhere in the room but Dylan. Specifically him. Like looking would make her break. "This pile. And I saw... there was Caleb's head."

"What?" Dylan asked.

Emma's lips trembled together. "Caleb's head, I-I found it."

Dylan stumbled away a little more, turning his back to them. The news rounded through his head, sickening him.

"Are, are you serious?!" Kaitlyn hissed and Emma snapped back, voice growing angrier with every time the other woman doubted her.

"YES, I'm serious!" But she quickly lost her steam again. When Dylan turned back, she was messing with her broken nails, smearing blood around. Nick's trembling hands landed onto hers, stopping the movement. "I think they fell down there," She said, sniffling. "But I don't think either of them died right away, like, not from the fall."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Kaitlyn asked. Dylan stepped towards them, arm throbbing with his heartbeat as he focused on Emma's words.

"I dunno, I just, I found... I found a, a wooden cross. On the ground. Like a. A gravestone. It had Caleb's name on it but—the date. It was, it was over two weeks later."

What..? Dylan shook his head to himself. They didn't. They didn't die? They were down there. Waiting, for weeks for help to come. And nothing came.

"I-I feel like they were down there, s-starving for weeks, and..." Emma's voice was wobbling. "...we were all up here looking for them, and we had no idea!"

"Jesus. That's... that's horrible." Nick murmured, a green tinge growing in his gaunt cheeks.

"Listen, in the radios tower, we got through to someone—!" As she spoke, the back door opened and two pairs of footstep rapidly approached. "But that was right when the tower collapsed, and—!"

"Em!" Laura called, skidding to a stop as Ryan continued, making his way to Dylan's side as the two blondes met halfway, embracing fully. "You're okay!"

"Laura!" Emma gasped out, clinging back even as they pull from their hug. "You're okay!! We, I was so worried!"

"Wh-what about Jacob?" Ryan broke the happy reunion, shifting anxiously on his feet.

"That's what we're trying to figure out—" Kaitlyn said, and Dylan added quickly, slowly allowing himself to freak out now that there was more of them,

"Yeah, and there was this, this monster that was after her,"

At the word 'monster', Laura and Ryan stare at each other with grim expressions. They... did they know something..?

But before anyone can speak again, there's a loud rapping at the front door.

They all turned to look, eyes wide and fearful.

"Who the fuck can that be?" Laura whispered, her gun being pulled from her jeans again. Emma backed away when she saw it, falling back onto the couch.

"Jacob?" Kaitlyn suggested, hopeful.

"Max?" Dylan added, praying that maybe, maybe she was wrong.

"It's not Max," Laura denied, grimacing with grief and mourning. Dylan looked away apologetically.

Emma glanced at them, her mouth parting to speak but she's cut off.

"We should check it out," Ryan decided, his own gun, the one from that fucked up saw game, finding its way into his palms. Dylan shook his head, but stepped back to the others as Ryan and Laura walked forward together.

Dylan sat beside Kaitlyn, taking her hand as Emma curled into Nick's side silently. They all waited with bated breath, all ready to spring into action if something went wrong.

Dylan felt useless. Like always.

But he grit his teeth.

He would be useful. He had to be.

Even if he died doing it.

LAURA KEARNEY
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
4:35 AM

"Okay. I'm gonna open it. You keep your gun trained. Understand me?" Laura ordered. Ryan gave her a sour look, but nodded, lifting the pistol up and towards the door. She moved to the side, grabbing as the handle and slowly twisting on it.

She pulled slowly.

A foot kicked it inward, knocking her hand away.

"Ryan—!" She shouted, but he didn't shoot. In fact, his eyes... they were wide. Shocked.

Stunned.

"Laura..."

She turned to look, narrowing her eyes.

Her world shifted on its axis.

"Max?"

He was leaning heavily on the figure—the same figure she'd been after—heavily beaten and bruised, but alive.

He looked up at her with big, soft blue eyes, smiling at her. "Laura," He said back, bloodied hand reaching for her.

She scrambled to him, grabbing at his face, his neck, pressing their foreheads together. The figure slipped Max off of their shoulder, giving them space.

"I thought I lost you," Laura cried.

"Not gone yet," Max smiled back, closing his eyes and holding her close.

She didn't fail.

Laura didn't lose Max.

He was here.

He was breathing.

In her arms.

"Who are you?" Ryan's asking the figure, who's shoving their way into the living room. Laura takes Max's arm over her shoulder, leading him along as she followed.

The others are staring, leaning away from the figure as they circle around the room, nearing the fireplace. "Alright, just, calm down. All of you," The person said, waving a hand at them all.

Laura tilted her head.

She... knew that voice.

It was masculine, southern, gruff.

But... who—?

The goggles are removed, alongside the bandana around their lower face.

Ryan's hand lowered the gun.

Chris Hackett returned their stunned, confused eyes with a small frown, his bag being settled onto the ground beside him.

"Chris?" Ryan whispered, and Laura could see Dylan grab his hand from his spot on the couch. Ryan clung back.

"Are you with them?" Comes from Kaitlyn, who's standing and walking quickly forward, in front of everyone in a protective stance. Laura's reluctant to set Max down, but he's beginning to shake, so she sets him down between Dylan and Emma, both of which begin to examine his wounds with concern.

She moves to stand with Kaitlyn, adding, "Travis and Bobby. Did you know?"

Mr. Hackett shook his head, running a tired, gloved hand over his mouth. "That's not important. What's important is—"

"The fuck it isn't. Do you know what they did? To Dylan, to Ryan and I?" Kaitlyn's getting more upset, rage entering her eyes. "Do you know what a fucking creep your brother is?"

That, at least, makes Mr. Hackett pause from where he's warming up his hands by the fire. "What? What do you mean?"

Laura hugged herself a little.

She'd been trying not to think about it, in all honesty. It was... fuck. Disgusting. Horrific. The idea that... someone she trusted, someone she considered her uncle at one point, had stalked her when she was still a minor. Made even worse that he did the same to Dylan, hoping to kill all of them.

She felt violated. All this time. How many times had she hugged Travis in the past and he saw it as something more? How many times had they jabbed and teased each other and he saw it as flirting? Was it just pictures? Just stalking?

Did he do... anything else?

"He..." Laura couldn't continue.

Ryan could. "He's a fucking pedo, is what he is. He admitted to stalking Laura when she was a teen and he's been stalking Dylan since last year. He was gonna kill all of us. Him and Bobby." His voice was dark, rageful, and he stalked forward until he and Mr. Hackett were only a foot apart.

Laura gripped her gun just in case. Mr. Hackett didn't seem to know what they meant, but she refused to trust anyone but her group. If anything's been proven tonight, it's that other people, outsiders, were pieces of shit.

"So what. The. Fuck." Ryan spat out.

Mr. Hackett sighed, looking down.

"They thought I didn't know. About the curse. The creatures on this mountain. They thought they left me in the dark," He said. "But they were wrong. I knew. I saw. I saw the wendigos."

Laura swallowed hard. "That's what Bobby said. Wendigos. But he didn't seem to know what he was talking about. What are they?" She wasn't too sure if they were even real, and not just the manic hallucinations of this entire family.

But Emma stood up, stepping forward. "Is that what attacked me and Jacob? Nick and Abi?"

And her and Max, Laura added internally.

"They're... unnatural. Beasts of nature. All they want is blood, flesh to eat. They can mimic the voices of humans and animals alike." Mr. Hackett says, and Ryan looked off to the side.

"Like skinwalkers," Ryan said softly, in a quiet, somber realization. Laura wondered if Ryan knew something they didn't—but Mr. Hackett continued as if Ryan hadn't spoken.

"I'm working on getting rid of them. I need you all to hide. Somewhere safe."

"The basement, it might be okay," Kaitlyn said, and Ryan shook his head.

"What? H-how long?"

Emma was the answer. "Until dawn. That's what the man on the radio said."

"Travis. And Bobby." Laura couldn't help but say. "We left them in the shed."

Mr. Hackett sighed, pinching between his eyes. "Shit. I'll go get them," He said, fixing the large flamethrower more securely onto his back.

"I'm coming with you." Ryan said.

"What?" Dylan and Kaitlyn said in unison.

"Yeah, what they said," Laura agreed.

Ryan clenched his jaw, looking determinedly at Mr. Hackett. "Travis is badly injured. You can't carry him and fight off those things. And Bobby was unconscious when we left."

"Why?" Mr. Hackett asked, tired.

Laura was a little sheepish. Only a little though. "He said the word wendigo and I kinda... hit him?" She smiled awkwardly.

"Of course. Fine. Use this," Mr. Hackett slung his shotgun off his shoulder, holding it out to Ryan who yanked it away with a bitter expression.

"Ryan, you can't—" Dylan's saying, standing walking over to plead with him. "Don't do this."

"Dylan, I.." Ryan trailed off, staring up at him. "I have to. I have to."

Laura personally doesn't see why he 'has' to save that pedo and his enabling brother, but it makes Dylan back down.

"C'mon. Time's wasting." Mr. Hackett said, and Ryan gave them all a solemn nod.

"See you soon." He uttered. Laura gave him a half-hearted salute.

Dylan followed him towards the front door. "Wait..." He was saying.

Laura turned away, looking down towards Max, who was being helped up by Kaitlyn and Emma. Nick was stood off to the side, staring at where the three had vanished with an anxious face.

"Let's go. To the basement." Laura said, taking Nick by his shoulder, leading him forward when it was clear he was lost in his head.

The other three followed, close behind.

RYAN ERZAHLER
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
4:40 AM

"Hey—" Dylan grabbed his hand, halting him from following Chris out of the lodge. Ryan turned to look at him, worried. Dylan's eyes softened, and a small smile touched his lips. "Come back safe," He pleaded, and leaned forward to press their lips together. Ryan's free hand took ahold of Dylan's waist, tugging them closer together.

This shouldn't be their first kiss. Not here, not in this situation.

But it is.

So Ryan gives Dylan the best kiss he can give.

Just in case.

"I'll... see you soon," He says when they part. Dylan gives him a solemn, grim expression. His thumb brushed the bruise on Ryan's eye, gentle and sweet.

"You better. Or I'll be so pissed." Dylan warned. Ryan smiled, kissing him one last time, savoring it. Dylan kissed back like nothing else mattered.

Then, he followed Chris outside.

Dylan watched from the door, awaiting his return to let him back in.

"Was that your first kiss?" Chris asked as they walked down the path to the shed. "About time, huh, kid?"

Ryan grit his teeth, ignoring him.

Chris... god. Ryan can't describe it but... he feels betrayed. Even if Chris wasn't part of what Travis and Bobby did, he... he knew something was off. And he just... didn't care? Chris knew about the monster, and let them come up here? How long has he known?

How long has he been lying? To Ryan?

"Kid, did he hurt you? Any of you?" Chris asked next. Ryan bowed his head.

"Bobby punched me, and... They overdosed Dylan." The reminder of their actions causes his anger to make a resurgence. Chris stopped, lips parting in shock.

"Is he okay? He looked fine, but..."

Ryan shrugged. He didn't know. Adrenaline was a hell of a thing, as was shock. He wasn't sure if Dylan was truly okay or if there would soon be a moment where he would crash back down. He hoped it was the former but, it wasn't likely. His eyes were still lazy and his pupils largely dilated, veins prominent on his too-pale skin. His skin, when they touched, had been ice cold despite the warmth of the lodge with the fire and the blankets.

But it wasn't just Dylan. He was worried about everyone. Kaitlyn, for nearly shooting herself for him without a second thought. Laura, for believing she lost Max and finding out about Travis. Max, for how beaten and battered he was. And god, he feels awful for Nick and Emma, and he needs to ask what the hell happened as soon as he's back.

Fuck. Ryan felt like he got off lightly compared to everyone else. What's he got anyway, a bruised eye and a broken heart? What good was that? He didn't have any right to be hurt. Even still, he can't help the bitterness towards Chris. He'd always seen the man like a father, but now he was seeing him in a different light.

"What do I have to know about these things?" He asked, gripping the shotgun close. Chris nodded, focusing forward again.

"Fire's their weakness. Shotgun only slows it down. Their skin, it's got an armor. You burn through it..."

"You can kill it," Ryan finished. "Well, do you know what their behavior is like? Any patterns? Or are they not like normal animals?"

"Well, they have some patterns. They only hunt at night. And... they can't see you if you're standing still. Really poor eyesight."

"So, if I ever run into one—"

"You better hope you have fire, or you better pray you don't need to sneeze."

"That's not funny—"

"It's not a joke."

Silence befalls them.

Ryan breaks it, as they're approaching the shed, just a few yards ahead. "So, are they animals, or... did they use to be human?"

"Use to be. The legend says that cannibalism invites the spirit to possess you, turn you into one. I like to think they retain some of their humanity. I mean, when I saw..." Chris stopped, face darkening.

"When you saw what?" Ryan pried.

But Chris was staring ahead, into the room they left Travis and Bobby in.

His face was wreaked with grief.

Ryan looked, too, and grimaced to himself.

They were too late.

Fuck.

Both Bobby and Travis lay, throats torn and bloodied, eyes unseeing. The only difference between them, was that Bobby's head was still attached. Travis's head lay, tossed carelessly, in the snow right outside the exit.

"Shit, T. Bobby." Chris cursed, shoulders tensing quickly before falling. "We need to go back. They wouldn't just leave a hunt like this. This isn't normal behavior. They like to... to savor their kills."

“So it’s still here?” Chris just nodded, grabbing for his flamethrower and readying it as he moved forward, back towards the lodge.

Ryan followed, only to be stopped short by Chris’s hand. “Don’t move! It’s watching us.” He hissed.

Ryan froze. His eyes darted around, scouring the trees and shrubbery to try and find it.

Some birds scattered, disturbed. And that would be fine—

But.

Ryan took a instinctual step back at the sudden movement, and that was all it took.

The creature.

The… wendigo.

It came from the darkness, leaping toward them.

Chris lit the air with his flamethrower, and Ryan stumbled from the burning heat, separating him and Chris. “H-holy SHIT!” He cried out, and Chris glared around, trying to catch sight of it again.

“We’ve gotta—!”

But whatever Chris was trying to say was cut off as the wendigo launched itself toward him, claws extended.

Ryan watched in a broken horror as Chris’s head landed in the snow, his eyes staring directly into his, frozen in a scream.

“C-Chris..?” Ryan reached for him, stupidly, instead of running.

The wendigo came for him, grabbing at him with a shrieking cry that deafened him briefly. His ears rang as it grabbed his throat, lifting him into the air. The shotgun fell below his feet.

His vision was fuzzy, and he couldn’t breathe. He clawed at the hands around him, face purpling.

Then he saw it.

On its shoulder.

Kaylee’s butterfly tattoo.

“K-Kay—“ He coughed out, “Kaylee—“

The grip on his neck loosened.

The wendigo—Kaylee—wailed in his face, fangs wicked and curved, breath reeking of blood.

And then, still manhandling him—she took off.

No. No no no.

He screamed, kicking at her and crying.

“Help!” He cried. “Dylan!” He begged.

But it was too late.

She got him.

KAITLYN KA
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
4:50 AM

"Hey—where are they?" Kaitlyn asked Dylan as he walked into the room, but she finds her next question frozen on her tongue at the haunted look on Dylan's face.

Oh.

They... Mr. Hackett, and Ryan... they...?

"He didn't come back." Dylan said blankly, eyes wide and glossy.

"Dylan," Kaitlyn sucked in a sharp, agonized breath, reaching out for him, but Dylan side-stepped her, finding a sitting place on a table.

His face was entirely empty, dark.

Ryan didn't come back.

Kaitlyn fought the urge to drop to her knees.

"The wendigo, it's must've... taken him. If he didn't come back," Laura assumed, desperate to believe her own words. Dylan said nothing.

Kaitlyn closed her eyes, fighting a scream. No. They can't have lost Abi and Ryan. Not both of them. Poor sweet Abi, just wanting to make everyone happy. Soft, sad Ryan, just wanting to be loved. Fuck.

"Hey," Max rasps suddenly, and Kaitlyn turns to see him holding up a journal. "This was in the bag he gave Emma," He said, looking like utter shit as he handed it to Laura. "There's a map, too."

Kaitlyn came over to look. It was a map of all the tunnels in the mines. There was red circles showing where each wendigo was last located by Mr. Hackett.

"We're not gonna make it out of this alive unless we get rid of those assholes." Kaitlyn decides, her teeth grinding together. "We need to burn them all down."

"No, no, we're safe here," Emma denied, shaking her head in denial. "Right? That's what Mr. H said, he said we could stay here until help came."

Kaitlyn looked over at Dylan, who wouldn't lift his head. His eyes were hidden by his hair, which was a little flattened by his sweat.

Ryan was gone.

Kaitlyn shook her head. "No. I'm not waiting that long. We need to get to the cable car station. It'll be safe down there."

"But..." Laura was also shaking her head. "Ryan has... had the key to the station. We can't leave without it."

Kaitlyn squeezed her eyes shut. "I'll find it. I—I can find it. I'll check all of the spots on the map. Maybe. Maybe it took him."

"A lot of the spots are in the sanatorium." Laura murmured. "I've been there. Tonight. I can go, instead. I'm more familiar." She said, even as Max grabbed her arm and shook his head. "No, Max. I can do this. I need to do this. I've got the last gun."

Kaitlyn nodded. "Okay. Okay." She took in a deep breath. She could take care of the others for Laura. That was her new responsibility.

"Em," Nick's voice broke the silence of Laura's decision, dead tone twisting into something more alive. Fearful. Kaitlyn quickly turned, seeing him putting a hand near her bloodied shoulder. The fabric was torn. "What... is that? What is that?!"

"It's..." Emma looked confused, palming the mark on her shoulder. "It bit me."

"Bit you? What bit you?" Laura's eyes widened and she came over to look. Emma shied away from them all, stammering.

"The... the wendigo."

Kaitlyn grabbed the journal out of Max's hands and flipped through it quickly. Bites, bites... anything. Anything about how they turn. Please.

"What if she's infected?" Max asked.

The air changed around them.

Kaitlyn shook her head rapidly, flipping through page after page of Mr. Hackett's wild scrawlings. "No, no we don't know that—don't freak out just yet, it might just be—"

"It might 'just be a bite'?! Kaitlyn, these monsters killed Abi. Killed Ryan." Laura shouted, hand lowering towards her gun. "You're just gonna... allow the risk of Emma being in here with us?!"

"N-no, I'm not, I'm not infected, guys, please—" Emma was tearing up, looking around at them all pleadingly. "Nick, I'm not. I-I..." Nick stared at her in horror, backing away.

"Emma..." He shook his head.

Emma's lip wobbled. "D-Dylan..?" She turned to him next.

Dylan looked up from his lap, looking at them all. Despite the mourning look in his eyes, he looked thoughtful. "I don't think she's dangerous." He said. Emma gave a sob of relief at his defense, stepping closer to him for some sort of protection. "I mean, Max is all sorts of fucked up. What if he was bitten too? He hasn't turned yet."

Laura glanced over at Max. Max looked down at himself, his tattered clothes. "I-I don't think I was bitten. Only scratched." He denied. Laura nodded sternly, glaring back over at Emma.

"She's a risk."

"She's our friend," Dylan snapped, standing up at his full height. Anger was glinting in his eyes as he shifted away from his denial of what happened. "No matter what any of us did in the past—Emma's one of us. If you're really so scared, we can just lock her in another room. We don't have to—"

Laura lifted the gun and leveled it at Emma. "I'm not taking those chances. She either leaves the lodge. Or I kill her." She was unwavering.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Kaitlyn had to stop this. She stepped toward Laura, but not in front of the gun. "Stop! Maybe it's just a bite! I-I'm looking in his journal now, just—just wait!"

"Laura... me?" Emma backed up fearfully, her back pressed into Dylan's front. Kaitlyn glanced over to see Dylan grab her shoulder protectively, his face darkening a little, body tensed up.

"This—we need to be safe! We can't lose anyone else!" Laura cried back to her best friend. "It's not safe as long as you're in here!"

"Please, you don't need to do this..." Emma was trembling, arms raising over her face in terror.

Nick was frozen in shock, gaping in his place, and Kaitlyn wondered if he was imagining Abi before she... fuck.

Laura stared back at Emma with wet eyes, finger hovering the trigger. "I'm... I'm really sorry," She sniffled. "But I can't lose Max again," She said.

Kaitlyn landed on a newer page in the book. She began to read it, scouring it for the word 'bite'.

"NO! DON'T DO THIS!" Emma screamed.

Laura grit her teeth.

"Laura... don't.." Max grabbed her elbow lightly.

Laura—

She lowered the gun with a loud grunt. "Fuck. You better be fucking right." She spat, holstering her gun again as Emma slackened against Dylan in relief, the tall man hugging her instinctively.

Kaitlyn's finger hovered over a sentence in the book. Her mouth was full of cotton and all she felt... was relief.

Laura stalked for the back exit. "I'm gonna get that key, and then I'm gonna get all of us the hell out of here."

She left without another spat word, the door slamming shut behind her.

Everyone sat in a stunned silence.

Kaitlyn spoke softly. "The book says it's not infectious." And she looked up and over to the cowering blonde across the room.

She expects Emma to get angry. To lash out at Kaitlyn, Nick and Max for not fighting more.

But instead, Emma just sobbed.

NICK FURCILLO
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
4:55 AM

Nick carefully walked over to Emma, who was shaking in Dylan's arms with a wide, haunted expression. “Em,” He whispered, face twisting.

He just… stood there.

Again.

Watching, useless. Just like with Abi.

Why was he such… such a coward? He was just going to sit there as she… as Laura…

“Nick,” Emma whispered back, lifting her head from Dylan’s chest. She held her hand out, eyes wide and almost pleading. “Nick, I…”

Nick grabbed for her, pulling her right into his arms. Dylan let her go, watching them both with a critical eye before he moved toward Kaitlyn, who was still reading from the journal.

“I’m so sorry. I’ve got you,” He cooed into her hair, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as she broke down again, louder this time.

“Abi’s gone, Nick… she’s really gone…” She weeped.

Nick choked back a whimper. “I’m so sorry.” He repeated.

“Shit. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck!” Kaitlyn was freaking out, tossing the journal away. “Laura’s walking into a death trap! W-we need to get her!” She said quickly.

Nick held Emma closer. No way in hell was he going back out there. Emma, either. Max could barely walk and Dylan looked like he was barely with them.

“Okay. We’ll go,” Dylan said, grabbing Kaitlyn’s arm as she paced anxiously. “These three will stay here. They’re too injured,” He reasoned when she tried to protest.

Kaitlyn glanced over at Nick.

He nodded.

He…

He wouldn’t be a coward this time.

If anything happened, he would move.

He couldn’t lose Emma, too.

Dylan and Kaitlyn left, leaving a cold silence that was only broken by Emma’s occasional sniffle. Nick glanced at Max, who was rooting for a first aid kit.

He glanced away.

He wasn’t going to help.

Not after what his girlfriend tried to do.

“Emma, let’s get you into warmer clothes, okay?” He urged. There’s a box of old clothes somewhere in the basement, if he remembers correctly.

Emma nods quietly, letting him go and wiping under her eyes. He could see her mask fall back into place and hated it. He grabbed and squeezed her hand, not wanting to lose contact again.

…she squeezed back.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER NINE: Karma

LAURA KEARNEY
The Sanatorium
February 2nd, 2022
5:03 AM

She found the sanatorium by retracing her steps. Laura glanced around, face carefully blank, before locking the door behind her.

She was trying not to think about it. About what she did to Emma. Or... almost did.

She just... couldn't lose Max again. Even if it was Emma, even if they didn't know how this really worked. Laura was regretful but fuck, you know? What would Emma have done if it was her bitten, and Abi reunited in her arms? Would Emma be willing to risk losing her again?

"Jesus," She muttered, stepping further into the chapel of the sanatorium. It looked like a storm had run through, things even more ransacked and broken than when she'd last walked through it.

She found a hole in the floor, and bent down to peer in. She found a room, one of the locked fenced rooms that the white wolf had been in. Laura hopped down, glancing around. On the table in the room, she found a shotgun. Beside it, was a box of shotgun shells.

"This'll come in handy." She murmured, holstering her pistol as she picked up the shotgun, surveying it. "This can do some damage." She grabbed a handful of ammo, tucking them into her pockets. Hopefully, she wouldn't run out.

She grabbed an industrial grade looking flashlight, turning it on and off. Must've been Mr. Hackett's. Laura grabbed at a roll of tape on the table, and wrapped the flashlight on the top of the barrel of the shotgun. Probably wouldn't blow up in her face, right? Right.

She unlocked the door, pushing it open and glancing around. "Hey... wolfie? You in here?" She called, whistling for him. But he wasn't anywhere in sight. She hoped he was back with the black wolf, hiding somewhere safe.

Another door previously locked was broken open, leading to an outside area. She crept through it, finding nothing more than a small graveyard, dated back to the 50s. Maybe... this was where they buried the miners who died, she theorized, and backed away, back inside. It was too fucking cold to be outside right now.

The final door was still locked, in the middle of the leftmost wall. She glanced around for any place she may have missed, but found nothing. She'd truly exhausted this area. Laura didn't waste a shotgun bullet, and instead drew her pistol, aiming at the lock of the door. She shot, and the door popped open, the empty bullet clinking to the ground.

Laura walked through the door as she put the pistol away once more, a shiver wracking her as she was surrounded by cold darkness. She turned the flashlight on, eyes wide and anxious as she made sure she was alone.

But she wasn't.

Claws clicked softly on the ground as the white wolf walked up to her, his coat matted with dirt and dust. He whined up at her, tail between his legs. Laura knelt down, holding her hand out for him to snifff. "Hey, bud. It's me, you remember me, right?"

The white wolf gave a gross, wet lick to her hand. Even as she wiped it dry on his flank, disguising it as a pet, she couldn't help but smile at him. "I'm glad you're okay, wolfie."

At least she had someone with her.

Laura wasn't too sure she'd have anyone after tonight. Not after what she almost did to Emma.

"Gonna show me around, huh?" She murmured as the white wolf began to walk towards another door leading to the outside. "Have you seen a guy, kinda strong, looks like he hasn't slept in months? I'm looking for him."

The white wolf panted softly in reply, clawing at the door in front of them. She nodded to herself, and opened the door to the outside. He led the way to another building, moving quick on the snow covered ground. Laura glanced around cautiously as she followed, wondering just where this wolf was taking her.

Inside the new building, which had a sign outside that called it the Psychiatric Wing, Laura only made it a few feet inside before the smell of fresh blood hit her nose.

The white wolf whined and ran down a flight of stairs, slipping through a small hole in the metal door ahead. Laura gave chase, pushing open the door to find—

"Oh.. wolfie, I'm so sorry.." The black wolf was strung up, guts spilling from its split belly as it was wrecked with slashes and giant bite marks across its flesh. The white wolf whined again, rubbing his head against the stiff foot of the black wolf. Laura's heart broke for him, and his lost mate.

When he lifted his head, he turned right into the next area. Laura followed, but was unable to get the image of the black wolf out of her mind. Poor buddy.

He led her down a halfway, and as they turned right, Laura stopped short at the sound of a wendigo screeching by, its shadow passing over her from above. "Shit. What the fuck..." She hissed to herself.

The white wolf growled, ears pinning back, hackles raising. Laura looked down at him, holding her hand to him to shush. He nudged at her hand, relaxing again.

She turned in a circle, and caught sight of a light down another path she hadn't seen before.

"Woah—wait..." She stopped in place, tilting her head in a quiet thought. That light wasn't natural - it was artificial. Something, a room with power?She headed that way, ignoring the white wolf's uneasy whine.

She found a rotted wooden door with a rusted gold plate with the name Dr. J. Bragg. She hesitantly stepped inside, finding a cold, empty office. On the desk, there was a folder. Laura grabbed it, and opened it.

It was... a case study.

The miners—it was a case study of one of them. One of the ones that... went crazy. Which, holy shit, Laura's pretty sure they became wendigos! That has to be what's stalking around, what's killing her friends. It's... the miners from the tunnel collapse.

There's a collection of photos, each getting progressively more mutated and horrific. The final picture, on the twelfth day, presumably the last picture ever taken of this man—was the twisted flesh of a half-wendigo. Laura assumed that... shortly after... he fully turned, along with the other miners. The sanatorium must've not lasted much longer after that.

On the other end of the office was a film reel, and she started the projector, watching with a morbid curiosity. It began with a man, restrained in a chair. His face is blurred and skewed.

"Jesus christ... what the fuck is goin' on?" Laura muttered, watching as he began to writhe and his mouth contorted open in a too long, too gaping wail, but the film is silent. A nurse comes up, in her hands a large needle, likely a sedative. But then the man breaks free, body shifting and breaking into something new - something horrific.

The old film reel burns and withers before Laura can see the man turned wendigo lunge for her throat.

Laura feels a draft. She glanced down, at her feet, and sees a very faint white light coming from a crack in the wall. No—not a crack. A hidden door in the wall. She doesn't hesitate to ram her shoulder into it. No corners left untouched. She was searching anywhere and everywhere. It could help her in finding Ryan, in finding the cable car key.

Hopefully both.

God, she hoped Ryan was okay. In a weird, sad sort of way, she felt... closer to him now than she'd ever felt before. Maybe it was tying up an abusive pedophile together or being the two most rational ones - or maybe they'd just.... unintentionally trauma-bonded in some way. She hoped... he was okay. Ryan was her friend, even if, before tonight happened, he'd wanted nothing to do with her.

Inside of the room, was the rotted, decayed body of who she assumed was Dr. Bragg.

Laura covered her nose, even if at this point she was too congested from the cold, and too numb from adrenaline to really smell his stench. She walked over to him, catching sight of a yellow, weathered letter in his lap.

She lifted it, and read:

To whom it may concern,

They are dying outside. I hear them screaming and crying.

This hell is my only legacy.

God's punishment for my mistakes.

No escaping my fate. Death awaits me now.

- Jefferson Bragg

"Jeez. Sorry, old dude. Guess you and your guys bit off more than you could chew." Immediately, she grimaced at herself. That was too much, even for her. "Double sorry. That was, uh... insensitive." She apologized to the corpse.

He must've... must've committed suicide to avoid being caught and eaten by the wendigo miners.

The white wolf gave a loud bark, back at the path she'd abandoned. Laura jumped in surprise, dropping the letter to the ground, where it was soaked and dissolved in the icy water. Whoops. Oh well.

She caught back up with the white wolf, and saw him standing near a broken open gated area. Laura peered her head through the archway, taking in the large open area of what was likely once the cafeteria for the psychiatric ward.

A can fell, disturbed by... something. She instinctively lifted the shotgun, but stopped herself. It wasn't a wendigo, that much was obvious. She didn't want to shoot anything that wasn't an active threat.

Another screech sounded, even closer. The white wolf growled behind her and Laura turned to look at him—

A wendigo dropped down from the ceiling and wailed into her face.

She fumbled to lift the shotgun, crying out in fear as she pulled the trigger, hitting it in the chest. The wendigo was knocked back, and she took that chance to book it.

She ran, ran like her life depended on it down a hallway, the white wolf shooting past her towards an open door on the left. Laura followed, and shoved a cabinet in front of the door after slamming it shut behind her. The white wolf continued to run—but Laura found herself freezing when another wendigo, a different one judging by its clothes, entered the room from the other entrance.

She bent down, hiding behind a counter, holding her breath. The wendigo jumped around the room, agile and chittering loudly. Echolocation? Or communicating with the others?

A bottle rolled off the counter she was hiding against—and Laura jerked her hand out to catch it—!

And it just barely slipped through her fingers.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

The wendigo shot straight for her hiding position. Laura scrambled, pushing herself upright and running for the unblocked exit—and it jumped in front of her, crying and wailing loudly.

She fumbled for the machete—the fucking machete she forgot about and swung it at the wendigo's chest, burying it deep inside its emaciated flesh. It—he?—screamed, flinging itself away from her to tug and yank at the machete in its chest—so Laura didn't even pause.

She ran down the hallway. Ran, ran, ran. She had to find the white wolf. Had to catch up with him, had to protect him. Couldn't let another friend, human or animal, die tonight.

She found herself in a hall of cages. Laura slowed down, uncertain. It was... pitch black in here, save for the light of her stolen flashlight.

She cautiously moved forward, shotgun at the ready.

A wendigo shot out towards her—but before she could pull the trigger, it was yanked back by a chain holding it in the cage. Oh. Okay—that makes things much easier.

She sped up a little, much less cautious. Wendigos jumped out towards her, one after the other—but all met the same trapped fate.

The moment she found herself in another new area, she heard the white wolf bark at her. Laura jerked her head around, and found him scratching at a closed door, fluffy head turning towards her with anxious eyes. Laura ran over—hearing the sound of screeching grow louder. The two free ones (and fuck, was it only two?! Or was she just lucky?)—headed this way?

She aimed the shotgun at the lock on the door, shooting it open. The white wolf didn't hesitate to run in—and Laura was right behind him, barricading the door with the desk by the wall. She found a hole in the floor, and glanced back at the door as it shook and trembled with the force of two inhuman bodies ramming into it.

"C'mon!" Laura called to the white wolf, jumping down. She held her arms up for her friend, for him to join her. He gave an uncertain whine, claws tapping anxiously on the wood. Laura's heart lodged in her throat. No, he couldn't stay behind—he couldn't! "I've got you." She whispered, waving her hands at him again.

The white wolf whined again—

And jumped down, right into her arms. He was scrawny—young enough that she managed to stay upright, managed to keep a firm grip on him. She set him down, giving a relieved nod and sigh.

"Almost out of here, wolfie."

They began running again when the sound of the wendigos breaking into the room hit their ears, the white wolf's hackles risen and ears pinned as he kept pace with Laura, not surpassing her despite being capable.

She wondered why—and then she realized that the room ahead of them was...

Holy fucking shit.

It was full of gas barrels.

It must be... some sort of trap Mr. Hackett was working on, to blow up all the wendigos in the sanatorium. Holy shit. Laura ran towards the exit door—and slammed on the brakes when one of the two wendigos fell in front of her, swinging its claws out. She lifted the gun and shot at its face, knocking it back a few feet. The white wolf snarled and sped towards the exit, but didn't leave—not without her.

Laura ran for him—for the exit, and turned around one last time to see the two wendigos standing on a few of the barrels, screeching at her, preparing to leap.

She lifted the gun, but stopped herself. She—she couldn't shoot. Not if the white wolf was here—she couldn't risk hurting him. She lowered the gun, and began pushing at the double doors, using all her strength.

The white wolf slipped out the moment there was enough space for him—but Laura took longer, needed a bigger opening.

She turned her head just in time to see one of the wendigos leaping for her face.

JACOB CUSTOS
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
5:10 AM

The mines seemed endless.

Jacob had long-since stopped crying, growing into a blank stare of endless mournful cries that were trapped inside of his heart. It's been hours since... since he jumped from that tower. Since he... killed Emma.

Why was he even... trying to find a way out? It felt pointless. Once he got to the surface... then what? He told them how he screamed into Emma's face like a monster and then jumped to safety without even trying to save her? God.

Nice going, Jake. You went from 'kind of an asshole' to 'literal murderer'. All because... he got his feelings hurt? Fuck. He needed to get over himself.

He glanced around the mines around him, seeing nothing but dirt, dirt, and oh look! More dirt.

This was horrible.

He imagined everyone else was waiting, safe and comfortable at the cable car station, having no idea of what he'd done.

Was it wrong to be jealous? Probably. But he was.

In the distance, Jacob hears a crying noise. He paused, waiting a beat in the following silence to find the source.

"Hello?" He whispered, creeping forward. He went down a flight of withered stairs, glancing around with cautious eyes.

"H-hey! Help me!" A feminine voice cried.

"Abi..?" Jacob's skin was cold. What was she doing down here? Where was Nick? "Is that you?" He called.

There's a cold silence.

Jacob's skin crawled, chill bumps pimpling his skin as he crept further and further into the next area of the withered mines.

Then—

"J-Jacob..?"

Jacob turned on his heel, whipping his body towards his immediate right. And there—on the ground, bloodied and beaten, barely conscious, was Abigail.

He rushed towards her without hesitation, going down to his knees, uncaring if the ground dug painfully into him. He placed a gentle, worried hand on her battered back, meeting her watering, relieved eyes with a horrified expression.

"What—why—how—who—where—?!" He sputtered uselessly, and cut himself off when she barely reacted beyond a slow, dazed blink. Shit, okay, think, you bonehead. She's injured, covered in blood, some of it fresh. Find the sources, see if you can help. Then, you can ask your questions.

He studied her with a close eye, seeing the drag marks on her arms and under the torn cloth of the back of her jacket. The back of her head was matted with blood—darkening the once bright pink into a dull maroon color. Her pupils, when he looked into them—were wider than they should be, slightly askew and uneven.

Okay, so that's definitely concussion. Jacob knew concussions, he definitely did. He's had his fair share of them—one too many, if you asked... if you asked Emma. Which. Wasn't possible anymore. He shook off his thoughts, focusing back on Abi. Not now. Don't think about that anymore—focus on what you can fix, what you can help.

"I'm gonna sit you up, okay? We're gonna go slow and steady so you don't pass out when your blood rushes, okay?" Jacob said, voice barely above a murmur. Abi gave a pained whine as she nodded, looking up at him with a tear leaking free.

He carefully lifted her by her shoulders, going slow like he promised and pausing every time she cried out. A part of him wanted to tell Abi to be quiet—to not alert whoever was out there to get them. Or... whatever that freaky animal was he heard earlier.

But he didn't—he just reassured her, encouraged her. "You've got this, we're almost done, I've got you." Abi didn't say a single word—as if calling out for him had taken her last bit of strength. He wasn't sure if that was an exaggeration.

There's another screech, closer this time. Jacob turned to look, only for Abi's hand to claw at his arm tightly. "N-no..." She rasped. "D-don't. The... the monster.."

Jacob shook his head. "What? What monster?"

"It... it threw me... o-off a cliff. Don't know how, but... I surivived..." Abi's hand shakily went for the back of her head, and Jacob stopped her from touching it. Bad idea. "It... dragged me down here. I—I played dead, and... it was like it couldn't see me, anymore."

Jacob frowned at her. A part of him wanted to dismiss it as the babbling of a severely concussed person. But she was deadly serious, face grim and focused on his. So, hiding the small part of him that doubted her memory, he nodded at her.

"Okay, I'll stay. I won't go looking. But... Abi, we need to get you out of here. Like, fast. Do you know... or, rather, how long do you think you were unconscious?" Depending on her answer, Jacob would know how worried he needed to be right now.

"A... at least... an hour? I-I dunno... the mines are so dark and... I've been so, so out of it."

Jacob's heart raced in his chest. Not good. Very not good. He didn't want to freak her out, so he just nodded slowly. "Okay. Thank you. Ready to try and stand?"

Abi swallowed hard, but took his offered hands and they worked together to stand her up. She wobbled, stumbling against him. He caught her with ease, supporting her as her knees weakened.

"I've got you. Lean on me, we're gonna walk."

She nodded against his arm, gripping him tight as they slowly shuffled forward together, moving down the path once more in hope for an exit.

Jacob wanted to tell her about Emma.

He didn't.

DYLAN LENIVY
Tunnel to The Sanatorium
February 2nd, 2022
5:16 AM

"Kait, wait up!" Dylan called after her as she rushed down the basement tunnel, easily overpassing his slower, exhausted form. "I—I can't keep up."

Kaitlyn stopped, taking in a slow, steadying breath, and turned on her heel. "I'm sorry. I—sorry. I'm just—I want to find them before something bad happens. Are you okay? Need to take a break?" They'd been walking for a while.

Dylan didn't want to admit to her that his limbs were trembling—that his vision was swimming and that his world felt like it was spinning rapidly under his feet. He didn't want to worry her, to tell her that he thought maybe he wasn't as alright as he said he was. That maybe, maybe the shock was wearing off and he was feeling the affect of his unwilling overdose again.

So he shook his head, hiding the fact that he could barely catch his breath with a small huffed laugh. "No, no we can't stop. I'm okay. Really."

Kaitlyn eyed him for a moment, studying his eyes. He gave her a tired smile, and she deflated. "Okay. But if you need to stop, we can. I—Laura and... and Ryan can wait. I don't want you to..." She trailed off.

Dylan wondered what she was going to say, but she never finished her sentence. She cleared her throat and gestured to the manhole in the middle of the room.

"I'm willing to bet that's connected to the mines like everything else. Maybe it's a shortcut, too."

And—they were moving again. Kaitlyn was good at that, Dylan thought to himself as they lifted the manhole cover together. She was good at staying focused, staying on the mission. She would stop just long enough to access how others were feeling—and then, just like that, she'd continue onward as if she hadn't stopped at all. He really admired her for it.

He climbed down the ladder after her, pausing to look up at the open entrance above them. "I... shouldn't we close it? What if something is... is following us?"

Kaitlyn was alreayd rushing down the path. "Yeah, sure, just hurry up!"

Dylan faltered, but put his sore muscles to use, closing the manhole once more before making his way down the creaking ladder. He began to head down the same path Kaitlyn went into, and glanced around anxiously as whispers and moans filled the air. More ghosts? Or just a wendigo, taunting him? Fuck, he'd be paranoid about both for the rest of his life.

"Help me!" A voice cried, down a path to his left.

Dylan froze.

He turned to look down the path, seeing nothing but darkness. "Abi...? Is... is that you?" His voice wavered and broke, but he cleared his throat and called out again. "Abigail?"

Abi's voice screamed out painfully, as if she was being tormented. Dylan swallowed hard, eyes watering as he took a short step towards the noise. "Help me!" Her voice called again, louder this time.

But... Nick said she died. That she fell. It couldn't be Abi.

Unless...

Unless she survived the fall.

He took another step forward and then...

Fuck it.

He couldn't risk the idea that—that maybe it was her. If he left, without even trying—fuck. He'd never forgive himself.

He walked down the left path, investigating the voice.

"Abi?"

Her voice never called out again. Just the faint, heaving whimpers of a feminine voice. His hands shook at his sides, and he turned the corner of the path, finding a trapdoor, almost perfectly lit by a spare ray of moonlight from a crack in the roof of the tunnel.

Dylan stared in indecision. What if it wasn't Abi? What if he was hearing things? Again.

He glanced to the side, where a hole in the side of the earth around him showed a light coming closer and closer. That had to be Kaitlyn, walking up from the original path.

"Hey, Kaitlyn! In here!" He called, able to hear a faint 'coming!' as he bent down, curling his hand on the handle of the trapdoor.

He lifted.

And—

He peered inside the opening.

"Abi—?"

A figure shot out at him, grabbing for him, for his already bruised throat—claws digging into his flesh as he choked and gagged for air, his lengthy body dangling a few feet in the air as the wendigo shrieked victoriously in his face.

It's twisting. It's twisting at his neck it's twisting it's twisting it's—!

A chunk of rock was thrown, landing solidly into the wendigo's throat. It stumbled, dropping Dylan with a indignant keen. Dylan coughed and hacked, scrambling towards his savior.

Kaitlyn stood, a second rock lifted in her hands as she hurled it at the creature, face curled with fury. "Fuck off! Get the fuck away from us!" She spat, grabbing Dylan's arm to tug him behind her.

"K-Kaitlyn..!" Dylan warned, itching to run and hide. But he didn't—because Kaitlyn wasn't budging either.

"Stay still!" Kaitlyn hissed back, eyes lit with a fire as if she'd just remembered something. "It won't see you! I saw it in Mr. H's journal!"

Dylan obeyed, nausea running through him as the wendigo finally straightened up, chittering and chirping angrily. It looked around, head swinging around the area. Its eyes passed right over the both of them, frozen and not breathing.

God... please... don't see them.

Dylan's lungs ached for breath. His muscles were beginning to tremble from how stiff he was holding his body. Don't move, don't move. Don't breathe.

The wendigo turned away from them, and Kaitlyn grabbed his arm, yanking with her full strength. They left through the hole in the tunnel, back on the main path. They ran quickly, wanting to lose the wendigo before it realized they were fleeing.

They came to a quick, skidding stop—and Dylan wiped at the trailing sweat on his brow, vision swimming as he glanced upward with a dizzying sickness.

Fuck.

Looks like they'd have to do some rock-climbing.

MAX BRINLY
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
5:35 AM

"I can't just sit here." Max gasped out, pushing his battered body off the table he was sat on. He glanced over at Nick and Emma, working on cleaning each other's wounds. "I-I'm gonna, I'm gonna look for anything that can help us." He said—but was swiftly ignored.

Yeah, okay. He probably deserved that.

He's so fucking glad that he was wrong—that Emma would be okay. But shit, he was barely processing just what in the hell was happening tonight. Every time he closed his eyes, he'd see a flash of what he'd been through, what he's still going through.

The night's not over. And Max wants to... to do something. Anything.

He left the basement, despite the orders from the others to stay down there. Nick and Emma didn't glance his way, whispering quietly together with grief in their eyes and faces. He was trying not to think about Abi right now. He felt... in a way, he felt selfish. He got to live, got to reunite with Laura. Abi didn't. She didn't get to see Nick and Emma, alive and... uh, not well he supposed. She didn't get to see them alive, is all he was trying to say.

The immense relief he'd felt, seeing Laura again after the pain and horrific panic he'd gone through was... wow, you know? His knees had practically buckled at the sight of her, breathing and smiling at him. For a moment there, staring into her eyes, he could almost pretend like tonight hadn't happened.

But then the moment was over, and Laura was back out there, endangering herself for everyone else's sakes.

And where was Max? Doing nothing. Again.

He wasn't about to let the other four do all the work—he could be useful, so he would be.

He turned the lights off as he left the lodge.

He headed down the path to the shed—hoping for any clue of where Ryan could've been taken.

Instead, he finds that a new blanket of snow has covered any old footprints, and—

He finds Mr. Hackett's body.

Max faltered, eyes widening as he looked at the man he once looked up to, at least a little bit. His head was... gone, tossed aside and likely buried somewhere in the snow.

Max clutched at his aching stomach as nausea ran through him, stumbling back a step. Fuck. Fuck. That's—holy shit.

He shivered and held himself close, straightening back up to re-examine Mr. Hackett's body.

Or rather...

What was still on his back.

The flamethrower.

Max glanced around himself, hearing nothing but the quiet rustle of the dying trees around him and the wail of the rushing wind.

He made his decision.

He grabbed the flamethrower off of Mr. Hackett's body, grunting in pain at the weight of it, slipping it onto his back. Okay. Weapon acquired.

Maybe... maybe this could have some use to it, yeah?

He began to carry it back to the lodge, battering body throbbing with pain. But he kept moving forward.

For Laura.

KAITLYN KA
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
5:27 AM

"Keep up, okay, Dylan?" Kaitlyn called down to him, halfway up. He was decidedly slowing down, and it was making her nervous. He was even paler than before—back in that hellscape of a 'game'. And he was so sweaty that his clothes were damp, clinging to him.

She's just... fuck. She's so glad she heard him in the tunnels. What if he hadn't called out for her? He would've... Dylan would've... She squeezed her eyes shut, banishing the thought.

"Going as fast as I can." He rasped up to her, and she bit her lip, staring down at him. She froze on the wall, hands and feet jammed into different divots to keep herself grounded. She waited for him to catch up.

Once he did, meeting her at eye level—she took a slow breath. "Hey. Ryan's—he's gonna be okay." Dylan's face, dazed and gaunt, softened at her words.

"I hope you're right. Um... did anyone see..?" He trailed off.

Kaitlyn frowned at him. "See what?"

They began to climb up again, but Kaitlyn kept herself slow, pacing with him.

For the first time since finding him tonight, a red warmth spread through his cheeks. "R-Ryan, he kissed me. Before—before he and Mr. Hackett.."

A small smile curved on her lips. "Dylan," She couldn't help but laugh; despite everything tonight, it seemed a good thing came of it. "I'm glad you both—finally—came to your dumb senses. I hate playing matchmaker."

"Wha—? 'Matchmaker'? Yeah right, Lyn, pushing us into a room together and locking the door a few times isn't matchmaking." Dylan scoffed back, a playful glint teasing his eyes.

"I dunnoooo. Seems to me like it worked." She crooned. He snorted, shaking his head as they finally neared the top.

"Whatever. Um..." He hesitated, pausing even as she lifted herself over the edge, back on solid ground. She looked down at him, holding her hands out to help him.

"What is it?"

"Do you... um. Do you think he only kissed me because of what happened tonight?" Dylan's voice, which was weak and hoarse from all it had been through tonight, trembled even more.

Kaitlyn sighed to herself as she helped him onto solid ground. Part of her wants to say: no, he's had a crush on you for literal years, Dylan, I swear. The other part of her knows that... it could be possible. Ryan had had no intention of ever confessing to Dylan—that much was clear from all she'd managed to push out of him. But after a few life-or-death scenarios... well, it made sense that he wouldn't want to risk never being able to kiss Dylan.

She just hoped... that this wasn't their last kiss. They deserved to be happy. Deserved to love, to live.

"I dunno. I guess you'll have to ask him when we find him." She said, gently hitting Dylan's arm with her fist. He was quiet, looking away as he nodded.

"You're right. I will."

She took his clammy hand, squeezing it tight. He squeezed back.

And they kept moving.

Kaitlyn needed to keep focused on the now. She couldn't think about what's happened tonight, what might still happen. Her eyes kept flashing with Emma's face cowering against Dylan, of Laura holding a gun at them with a terrified determination. The saws, coming down on her and Ryan. The feeling of the gun tucked under her chin, the cold feeling of knowing that this was the only way for her friends to live.

She's...

God. Kaitlyn just wants everyone to be okay. But that isn't possible, not without Abi, without Jake, and without Ryan. She hoped Laura was already with Ryan, but... she wasn't so sure. Would Laura even remember where the wendigo's nest was? What if she got caught by one of them?

She was so worried. She hoped, and prayed, that she wouldn't lose anyone else tonight.

They reached a fork in the road. One, a staircase leading down. The other—to the right, a drop to a darkness. They glanced at each other and nodded. Kaitlyn moved for the stairs, and Dylan for the drop—both quiet and grim, prepared to stay still.

The stairs creaked and complained under her, but she kept moving until she was on the lower level. There, she found a rusted, but usable, shovel. She lifted it into her arms, turning it around to study the blade. This could do some damage.

She couldn't find another way to go that wasn't collapsed, so she carefully headed back up the stairs, jumping the last few steps at the loud, painful screeching it gave off. She turned to look, watching as the metal shuddered and trembled before settling once more. Yeah. Definitely glad she went for the stairs instead of Dylan.

Speaking of—"Kaitlyn, I found an exit!" His voice called from the path he took.

She hurried over, hopping down with a small grunt. She paused, seeing a broken metal pipe in his hands. "Nice." She smiled, relieved that he found a weapon, too. He nodded back, giving her a tiny, exhausted smile in return.

"C'mon. I—I heard a noise. Through here." He gestured to a massive rusted door. It must lead outside the mines—and, if the maps were right, directly outside of the sanatorium.

Kaitlyn and Dylan heaved their shoulders against the door, groaning in unison as the metal whined and complained, but opened without much strain.

They found themselves staring at the back of the sanatorium—at two large metal doors that were half-opened—and... at a white wolf, staring back at them.

Kaitlyn grabbed Dylan's arm tightly, tugging him closer to her as they stared at the wolf.

But—that was the least of their worries. Because soon, the sound of Laura's screaming filled the air.

Kaitlyn and Dylan ran forward, past the wolf who didn't move beyond its ears pinning back, a loud whimper leaving its throat.

Kaitlyn was the first inside to see Laura pinned to the floor, left side of her face bleeding heavily as a wendigo pinned her down, claws raised to strike again. "Hey!" Kaitlyn screamed, raising the shovel and swinging down at its neck.

It cried out and flung itself away, whimpering just like the wolf, mimicking it. Laura rolled onto her side before picking herself up, hand clutching at her left eye as she stumbled towards the two of them.

Kaitlyn grabbed at Laura's free hand, tugging her close—and then.

She saw Dylan standing still.

Kaitlyn froze in place, as the wendigo screeched, a second one joining its side. Laura swayed, and the second one struck—flinging towards them.

Kaitlyn scrambled for her shovel, but—

Dylan swung the pipe at the wendigo's skull, a loud 'clank' reverberating around the room as it stumbled and swooned backwards, disoriented.

"The... the gas cans..." Laura gasped out, shakily lifting the shotgun in her hand.

Kaitlyn took it, dropping the shovel without a second thought. "Run!" She shouted, lifting the shotgun towards the closest barrel.

Laura did, stumbling outside and onto her knees several yards away.

Dylan lingered, and Kaitlyn knew there was no convincing him to move further away.

So she shot, twisted on her heel, and tackled Dylan backwards, into the snow.

The building blew up, burning heat radiating onto them as the force of it tumbled the two closer to where Laura was. Kaitlyn's ears rang, and she could feel Dylan's rapid breathing rising and falling against her chest. That alone reminded her that they were both still alive, so she hurriedly stood up and off of him, turning around to see the sanatorium up in flames.

And the two wendigos, still inside—dead from a fiery explosion.

"L-Laura?" Dylan was asking. Kaitlyn twisted around, eyes wide, and saw what he'd seen.

Laura's left side of her face was scratched to all hell, swollen and puffy from irritation, blood running quickly. Kaitlyn held her breath as Laura cautiously opened her eye—and sighed out in relief. Fuck. That's lucky. That's so fucking lucky.

"Hey, at least you have your depth perception, still." Kaitlyn tried to lighten the mood, holding her hand out to Laura to help her stand.

Laura took her hand, huffing a dry laugh. "Yeah. At least there's that."

Dylan was already standing when the girls turned to look at him, metal pipe still in hand. 

He looked grim, and tired. "Let's find a way down to where this fucker lives. We've got one more of us to save."

Kaitlyn grew serious, still holding the shotgun. Laura didn't ask for it back, even as she nodded and grabbed for the pistol on her hip.

"I know the way. Follow me."

One hour left.

One hour until dusk was over—and dawn was upon them.

They could do this.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TEN: Decretum

EMMA MOUNTEBANK
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
6:00 AM

Emma wasn't one to dwell on the past, especially if it distracted her from the present. So, with a sigh and a full-body shake, she forced the image of her former best friend pointing a gun at her into the back recesses of her mind. Maybe she'd tell her therapist about it later, but for now, she needed to get Nick to stop looking so haunted.

Even if Abi was gone and never coming back and never— Even if there wasn't much to smile about, she needed him to look less... dead.

"Should we find a weapon? Just in case?" She asked, breaking the silence. Her voice came out firm and solid, and she was proud of herself for masking her residual terror. Her entire body was clammy, and she was shivering, but her voice was steady and calm.

Nick's hand loosened on hers for the first time in the last hour. "That's a good idea." Her hand was cold as he stepped away from her, turning to look at the basement surrounding them. She tried not to miss it, and followed behind him as they looked around.

"Do you think they'll find Ryan?" She asked as she knelt, looking under an old dining table, pulling a cardboard box out. She rummaged through it as Nick sighed, his hands moving inside of a wooden crate a few feet away. She hoped they found Ryan. She hoped that when they did, he was still breathing.

Carefully, she didn't think about Jacob still in the mines. Carefully, she lifted an old trophy from the box. It said 'C. Hackett, Little League 1978'. Ah. The box was full of Mr. Hackett's childhood trophy collection. Still, the trophy was sturdy, so she kept hold of it as she stood upright.

"This could knock a few screws loose." She said, and glanced to Nick had ditched the crate and was moving towards the water boiler. "What'cha think?" Emma waggled the golden trophy for him to see.

His eyes warmed a little. "That could do some good damage," He agreed, then his eyes turned to the ground, when he frowned. "Lookit - a bat." He picked it up. Emma wondered to herself what a baseball bat was doing on the floor, but figured it wasn't important if it gave Nick a means of defense.

"Swing, batter-batter, swing," Emma said loftily, earning a dry look from Nick. "What? You don't think you'll get a home-run?"

"Emma. Why're you... just—this isn't the time. Stop, okay?" Nick's hands curled tighter on the bat as they stood at a standstill in the basement.

Emma's throat was dry and she swallowed hard against it. The scratches and bruises on her face itched against the slight draft in the air. Her hair - long fallen from the ponytail it'd been in at the beginning of the night - was in her face, curtain bangs stuck to her forehead with sweat, dirt and blood.

"I'm sorry. I just. I don't like to see people sad. Especially not one of my best friends." Emma confessed, not that it was a particularly well-kept secret. "I... just wanted to make you smile again. Even if just once. Even if... I had to be the stupid dumb blonde to get it."

Nick's hands loosened on the bat, and he stepped a little closer to her, his haunted, gaunt expression focused on the ground. "I know. But I... I really can't, okay? I know you're trying. And I know... it can't be easy after what Laura did. But... this really isn't the time."

Laura stared back at Emma with wet eyes, finger hovering the trigger. "I'm... I'm really sorry," She sniffled. "But I can't lose Max again," She said.

Emma had cowered. Hadn't tried to fight beyond a loud, desperate plea of "No! Don't do this!" and pressing further into the front of Dylan. She'd been faced with the consequences of every choice she'd ever made, and she hadn't even tried to defend herself beyond sobbing denials.

She'd almost died. And when that gun finally lowered, when Laura left, and Emma fell slack against Dylan, her entire body thrumming with shock and dare, she had dared to hope this was a hallucination. Or a horrible dream. Because how... how could her best friend, how could Laura, the girl who Emma had jokingly (and then, proudly) called her sister — how could she have even considered shooting her?

Emma was a coward, and she knew that. She'd always known that. But now, part of her thinks that, maybe, the biggest coward was always Laura.

Maybe she'd always been that way, ever since they were kids. But it'd taken until Emma's life was in her reckless hands for her to realize it. And that was shameful, too.

Emma forced herself to nod. "Yeah. For sure. I—you're right. Let's go. I think I can hear Max coming back down the stairs." She hoped that it was, anyway. With a clearer head, she felt shitty for just letting him walk off like that. He was so injured — worse than anyone else. How he was still conscious, still standing, was beyond her.

Nick took her free hand with one of his, and they moved toward the sounds of Max returning. She welcomed the clammy warmth of his hand, and reminded herself that she'd called for help. Help was on the way.

They just had to make it 'til dawn.

She tightened her hold on his hand.

RYAN ERZAHLER
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
6:10 AM

Ryan woke up in a dark, empty area. His body ached, and as he pushed himself upright, it screamed in pain. He blearily glanced around, his bruised eye swollen shut. Where was he? In the mines?

He was laid in a pile of ripped clothes and... animal furs. He restrained his gag down to a choked groan - getting out of the... nest? Was he in a nest? A... a wendigo nest.

Kaylee.

The wendigo was Kaylee.

A broken noise left him, more of a sob, as he held his aching chest. Did it ache from this horrific revelation or did it ache from the abuse it's suffered tonight? He wasn't sure. Maybe it was both.

Why... why didn't she kill him? She had him, by his throat, and she... took him here instead.

He stumbled as he moved forward, barely catching himself on the cave wall. His entire body was numb, his fingers reluctant to curl, frozen stiff. His mind wasn't frozen, however, whirling with thoughts and worries.

Chris was dead. Kaylee killed her father with no remorse, no hesitation.

In front of him.

"Chris..." His voice breaks. Chris wasn't his dad. Ryan didn't need a dad. But... in some ways, Chris was there for him in ways he'd never had before. Definitely not with his mom, and while his grandparents tried, but they were old, and needed more help than they could give to others.

Chris wasn't his dad. But he had been family. And now, Ryan's evershrinking family was even smaller. God... Kaylee. Was Caleb..? No. No, that couldn't be it. If the Hackett family hadn't been lying, then Caleb... he was gone. But Kaylee was still out here. Could he save her? Was there a cure?

She hadn't killed him when she could've.

Ryan heard the sounds of rocks moving and metal moaning in the distance, and fear struck his already racing heart. Was she back? Here to finish the job?

He limped behind one of the crumbled cave walls to hide, covering his mouth to hide his breathing. Don't move. Don't fucking move!

He promised.

He promised Dylan he'd come back.

Ryan couldn't fuck up now.

He squeezed his eyes shut, heart racing quicker and quicker in his ears, until it was the only sound he could hear.

He didn't move, lungs constrained to a weak wheeze.

A large shadow approached.

In the distance, a snarl, a howl, filled the air.

He held his breath — and focused on something else. Anything else.

When Sarah was born, Ryan was the first one to hold her. He'd been twelve, and his mom had just been screaming her head off, cursing out every nurse and doctor in the room, holding his hand so tight his hand popped. He wasn't close with his mom, but right then, he had held her back, desperately hoping she'd stop being in so much pain.

Then his little sister was wailing into the air, and just like that, she was gently set into his arms. She was so little, so weak, so precious. Kinda ugly, but all newborns were like that. Ryan vowed then and there staring into her scrunched up face that he'd protect her always.

He couldn't protect Sarah if he died now.

DYLAN LENIVY
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
6:00 AM

"I was not prepared for how ugly those things would be up close." Kaitlyn shuddered to Laura, who nodded tiredly. The weirdly calm white wolf was walking beside the blond, panting softly.

"Yeah... I..." Her brow furrowed. "Actually, I... I noticed something weird about one of them. In the rush, I didn't think about it, but..."

Dylan stopped a few feet ahead of them, turning to look at her. "What?"

"It had a scar. The same scar as this... miner. There was this video and... it showed him turning into one of those things. That... must've been him." Laura looked solemn, maybe even pitying. Kaitlyn shook her head.

"Shit..."

Dylan grimaced in disgust. That dude had been one ugly motherfucker. "Ho-how many of these things are there, exactly?" The wolf moved ahead of them, and stopped in front of an opening. It growled softly, turning to look at the trio.

"Well... a lot." Laura gestured to the opening the wolf had found, leading the way through as she answered. Dylan fought a stumble over a loose rock, catching himself with his hand on the tunnel wall. "Twelve miners made it out, they ate the other miners to survive. So... minus those two? At lease ten. But there could be more."

"What do you mean, more?" Kaitlyn asked, a tired tone to her voice that Dylan deeply related to. He caught sight of something to their left, even as Laura moved to the water bank ahead of them, readying to cross.

The strangely intelligent wolf followed Dylan. He spared it a glance before hesitantly growing closer to what he'd seen.

"I dunno... just something Bobby told Ryan and I in the shed. About the wendigos." Laura's face was stark and pale, the deep scratches on the left side dark and prominent as she frowned in a disturbed thought. "He... it was something about K—"

Dylan finally registered what he was looking at. At what he found.

A grave.

"Guys." He called softly, cutting Laura off. "It's..."

Emma had sobbed about something in the lodge. About a cross she'd found. A name on it. It hadn't been next to a grave. But it had been near — he couldn't think about it, he couldn't imagine how much pain he must've been in — Caleb's head.

Kaitlyn's hand found Dylan's arm, squeezing tightly as she quickly realized the same thing, looking down at the rotted, half eaten corpse. It was dug up from the small, shallow grave, wearing the same clothes Caleb had worn that night.

It didn't have a head.

Laura's hands curled into tight fists as she looked down at the decrepit body. "I did this." She muttered. "It's all my fault." The wolf nudged at her leg, white tail waggling subtly.

Dylan swallowed hard. He barely managed to begin shaking his head before Kaitlyn speaks up.

"It was your idea. Wasn't it?"

Dylan blinked hard when he focused on Laura, when he saw the regret, the self-hatred, deep on her face. She nodded once. "I just... I wanted Emma to stop complaining about Kaylee's crush. I wanted the drama to be over, so I... it was never meant to go the way it did. It was just supposed to be Kaylee and Jacob in the room, and Emma would 'somehow' walk in on the scene. It was never meant to..."

Dylan watched Laura silently as Kaitlyn's hands tightened on the shotgun she'd taken from her.

"I... we were all so drunk, and... Kaylee was being so... obvious, flirting with Jacob every chance she had that night. Emma was getting more and more upset and... I got mad. I put myself in Emma's shoes — if it had been Max that Kaylee was flirting with — and I just... I didn't think. I found the silly string in one of the closets, and Emma brought her vlog camera, and..."

"And you got everyone drunk. So we'd be too drunk to intervene." Dylan's hands were even colder than before, even as an intense heat built in his chest.

All the drinking games that night — how their game of truth or dare turned into 'I dare you to drink this' and 'I dare you to finish your drink'. How every time someone's cup was emptied, Laura came along, filling it to the brim with a tequila mix that tasted like fruity battery acid.

Laura nodded once. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry. I... I caused this. All of this. I'm even the reason that Travis..."

Kaitlyn grabbed Laura's arm. "No. That — no. You were responsible for the prank, and yeah, that's shitty. But you're not responsible for what that creep did. Right?" Kaitlyn looked to Dylan. Her eyes were wide, desperate, insistent.

Dylan can't remember his last words to Caleb or Kaylee. He can only vaguely remember the feeling of Caleb trying to shake him awake that night, needing his help. But he hadn't woken up, too wasted, all because of—

No.

That didn't matter anymore. None of what happened that night one year ago mattered anymore. What mattered was here, and now. He... Caleb was... Caleb was dead, he was in a better place now. He'd found his peace tonight.

And so had Dylan.

He just wanted Ryan back. Needed proof that he was alive, breathing, okay — needed to know that they wouldn't lose anyone else. They'd already lost... fuck. Abi. Maybe Jacob? It was all too much.

But Dylan couldn't allow it to be too much. Not yet. Dawn was approaching and Dylan had to make sure everyone else lived. Even if he didn't. That was his promise to Caleb.

Dylan finally found it in himself to answer, his voice quiet under the rush of the water wheel nearby. "Travis — Mr. Hackett," He corrected. Travis is too personal, too familiar for someone who... yeah. Dylan hated thinking about it. Hated knowing that he had been stalked for months, and was oblivious to it all. He meets Laura's eyes and hopes that she knows he understands exactly how she's feeling. "He was a fucking pedophilic creep to you, a stalker, and that will never be your fault. He... his grief was no excuse for what he did to us tonight."

Laura's chin shook as she cleared her throat. "I, yeah. You're right. I'm just... I'm sorry. About what I did that night. I ruined... all of us. We used to be best friends and... now Emma will never talk to me again."

At the mention of Emma, the reminder of having to stare down the barrel of a gun with one of his oldest friend's pointing it — Dylan's eyes sharpen. His body is still tingling with the anticipation of his mental decision — even if, in the end, he hadn't needed to jump in front of Emma. It just... the fact that he even questioned Laura, the fact that he had, had no idea if she would've truly pulled the trigger — it was a lot.

He didn't know if he'd ever be able to trust her again. Laura seemed to understand that, briefly meeting his glare with an accepting glint to her blue eyes. She looked down, mouth parting but no words are found.

Kaitlyn spoke up. "This is nice and all, but we should hurry. Ryan can't wait forever. Just... say your goodbyes to Caleb, and let's go, okay?" She said, leaning down only to take a bracelet off of the corpse's wrist. She held it out to Dylan and he blankly accepted it.

It was a leather corded bracelet — matching with him. They'd gotten them together, back when they were still dating. Even after they broke up, neither of them took it off. Dylan slid Caleb's bracelet onto his left arm, adjusting the cords until they fit comfortably, resting right next to his own bracelet. Caleb had been really special to Dylan. His first friend, his first boyfriend, his first in almost everything.

Dylan didn't share with either girl that he'd already said his goodbyes, back at the lodge. That Caleb had moved on, knowing true justice would be finally served. Not once did the possibility of it being a hallucination cross his mind. If it had been, he didn't care. He was willing to believe anything now.

So he knelt down as the two girls moved back towards the edge leading to the water, and gently took one rotted, mangled hand into his own. He felt no sickness, no nausea. He just held Caleb's grey, frostbitten hand, and prayed that tonight, no one else would be joining him.

He straightened up, and followed the girls down into the water. The wolf didn't move, didn't follow, giving a soft whine as it laid down at the edge. Dylan spared it a glance.

"Will... the wolf be okay alone?" He asked over the sounds of both women hissing and groaning at the freeze of the water. He didn't understand how they even felt it. His body was so numb at this point, his body barely even felt the water. It was a bad sign he chose to ignore, since it was the only reason he hadn't collapsed already.

"Wolfie'll be fine. He can handle himself. He knows to run if things get hairy." Laura answered, moving stiffly forward in the murky gray water, her hands held above, pistol tight in one of them so it wasn't waterlogged. Kaitlyn was doing the same.

Dylan regretted dropping the pipe, feeling open and defenseless as he followed a few feet behind the girls. He glanced behind them as he moved, finding nothing but the wolf looking back. He bit back a shaky sigh, and stopped midway through the water — looking near the slowly churning waterwheel.

He beelined towards the area he could see, lifting himself out of the water and dimly noting that he couldn't even feel his legs from the cold. That didn't stop him from moving, kneeling down near a clump of weathered, yellow pages that were notably damp.

He heard splashing as the girls joined him, and before either could question or berate him, he read the first entry.

"I woke up at the bottom of the cliff. I can't feel my legs and Caleb won't wake up. I think he's dead but my concussion is making thinking harder than usual. His body is cold and his face is darkened with frostbite. Mine is, too, but his is even worse. I can't remember anything."

Dylan's hands shook as he moved the page away to reveal the next entry. Kaitlyn's hand was on his shoulder, reading silently over his shoulder even as he read aloud. Laura was staring blankly.

"I don't know how long it's been. I'm hungry. I keep hearing voices in the caves but my gut tells me not to trust them. They keep saying my name. Caleb's name. Part of me hopes it's my family come to save us. Maybe they can get Caleb to wake up and stop smelling so—"

It ended there.

The next entry was a hurried scrawl.

"I wandered the caves for hours but found no signs of life. All I found was my stomach growling louder. I..." Dylan paused. Kaitlyn held his shoulder a little tighter. "I have no choice. Im sorry."

Next entry.

"I'm sorry Caleb. I couldn't help it. I was so hungry. Now I'm not. Now I feel better. Now—"

The writing cut off there.

Final entry.

It looked as if Kaylee she had scribbled furiously on the page, digging deep gouges in the paper. Beside the papers was a broken pen, snapped in two.

The only words on the final paper, under the mass of mindless scribblings, was:

"They found us."

"Bobby said they found something down here." Laura murmured. "The monster."

"Kaylee. Kaylee's..." Kaitlyn's eyes shone wetly when Dylan glanced up. Dylan pressed his lips together tightly, gathering the papers in his hands. He carefully folded them, tucking them in his jacket pocket. As disturbing as the truth was, they were Kaylee's last words.

"Kaylee's one of them." Dylan finished for Kaitlyn when she couldn't force the words out. She gave him a pained look, shaking her head in disbelief.

"All this time, a-and we... we never even..."

"We need to find Ryan. Now." Laura snapped out, dropping back into the water before Dylan could get a good look at her face. He wondered what he'd see.

On the otherside of the waterbank, there was a metal door, with a wheel in the center. No words were exchanged as they all pushed on it, but all let out an audible noise of surprise when the door burst open with a flood of water — and with this, two decapitated heads rolled between their scattered bodies.

It didn't take long for Dylan to recognize them as Mr. Hackett and the disgraced Sherriff.

He gagged, and faintly heard the sounds of wet slaps as Kaitlyn emptied her stomach a few feet away. Laura trembled, her gun drawn at the heads, at the Sherriff's in particular.

"This... it has to be the nest, then. Where it puts its... trophies." Laura stammered out, lips tight as she kept the gun out, but lowered to her side. "Ryan has to be here."

Dylan pushed himself upright, squeezing his eyes shut before focusing forward. "Right. Kaitlyn," He held his hand out to her. She wiped her mouth with her arm, staring in a sickened daze before taking his hand with a nod. He pulled her up, and Laura moved forward through the newly opened door.

Dylan led Kaitlyn behind.

The wolf howled behind them, loud, bellowing, and Dylan winced at the echoing that ensued. "Shit, shut up," He scolded softly, as if the wolf could hear him. Laura shushed him, holding her free hand up. He stopped himself from a sarcastic remark, knowing it was far from appropriate.

"Do you hear that?" She hissed, and Dylan focused. He could hear faint footsteps that weren't any of theirs. He nodded, and saw Kaitlyn do the same from his side. Laura began to walk again, peering between a vertical gap in the wall to their right. "Look."

In the gap, there was a big, open area, with lots of light coming from above. The sun was slowly waking up, Dylan was reminded. It wasn't black outside anymore. It was more purple, as dusk was pulling its edges away to leave room for dawn.

And, in the corner, huddled by rocks, covering his ears with battered hands—

"Ryan!" Dylan called loudly, pushing through the gap and towards the other man eagerly. Laura shushed him again, but he ignored her — as did Kaitlyn, who didn't hesitate to follow him to their closest friend. "Ry!"

Ryan's non-bruised eye snapped open from its tight, frightened squeeze, and Dylan choked back a sob when Ryan took a moment to realize what he was looking at — and when he did, well, Dylan wasn't sure if he'd ever seen Ryan move that fast. "Dylan—!"

They met in the middle of their paths, and held one another so close one wouldn't know where one began and the other ended. Dylan held Ryan close, cradled him, tucked his chin on top of his head and reveled in the fact that Ryan was still here with him. He could feel him breathing under his hands, could feel his heart beating from where their chests were pressed together.

"You're okay..." Ryan breathed into him, and Dylan heaved a soft sob.

"You're alive," He whispered back. "I found you."

Ryan's arms tightened around him silently.

He felt Kaitlyn join the hug, and adjusted, bringing her close to his side, and opened his eyes to watch as she squeezed Ryan with one arm, her other arm holding him. He gave her a nod when she looked up, and she nodded back.

Laura cleared her throat, and they all pulled away, disbanding the hug to focus on her. Ryan's hand tucked into his, and Dylan clung back. "We don't have much time. We need to get back to the others. If the wendigos aren't down here, they—they might be—"

"At the lodge." Kaitlyn finished, swearing harshly under her breath. "What's the quickest way back to the surface?"

Laura gestured to the opening above them. "We can climb."

"Helluva climb," Dylan said wearily, looking over at Ryan, who was holding his leg awkwardly, free arm holding at his ribs. Dylan didn't have to think about what was wrong with himself, because he was honestly tired of thinking about how shitty he was right now.

Laura sighed roughly, surveying all of them. "I'll go, you guys can go back the way we came." She decided, holstering her gun. Kaitlyn protested.

"You can't go alone! It's too dangerous."

"I've been alone for most of the night. I'll be okay, I'll be fine." Laura countered, grabbing at the rocks of the cliff, readying herself to climb up.

"Look, just—" Kaitlyn held the gun out to Dylan. He panicked for a brief moment before grabbing it from her, staring at it uncertainly. "I'll go with you. They can't climb, but I can. I'm..." Kaitlyn's expression hardened, self-disgust filtering into her eyes. "I'm unharmed. I'm your best shot at making it to dawn."

Dylan bit the inside of his cheek as Laura and Kaitlyn glared at each other stubbornly. Ryan wavered beside him, leaning heavier into his side. "Look," His voice drew their glares. "Ryan's not doing great. Neither am I. Wouldn't it be smarter to have the injured split up?"

Ryan glanced up at him, uninjured eye wide in surprise.

Dylan swallowed hard. It was smart, even if he didn't want to leave Ryan again. They couldn't do much if it was the two of them on their own. If they split and each went with one of the girls, they had a better chance.

"I'm not so injured that I can't climb. The only thing that really hurts is my neck. I can do it." His skin itched and crawled under their stares, but eventually, Laura swore under her breath and nodded.

"He's right. It's the smartest decision."

Kaitlyn's eyes shone as she took the gun back from him, and she poked his chest with a jabbing finger. "I better see you again. Alive."

"You will." Dylan promised. Kaitlyn glared at him for a moment, no heat behind her eyes, before she nodded, and moved away from him.

Then he looked to Ryan, still holding his hand. Ryan's face was gaunt with the night, and his head was already shaking before Dylan could open his mouth to speak. "Don't. Don't try to... make me feel better. Just promise me you won't do anything stupid."

Dylan smiled at him, letting his hand go, cupping his cheek instead. "You'll see me again." He said instead. Ryan narrowed his eyes at the deflection but Dylan didn't wait for him to call it out — letting his face go and moving over towards Laura. "I expect all of the kisses."

Ryan's face softened. "You'll get them."

Dylan felt his face warm for the first time in hours. This, this banter, this was what they deserved to have. Not fighting for their lives, surrounded by monsters, both human and not. He nodded dumbly, watching Ryan turn and follow Kaitlyn with a visible limp in his walk.

"C'mon." Laura's voice broke his daze. He looked up at her, already moving up the wall, and pushed himself to follow.

Ryan told him not to do anything stupid. Dylan couldn't promise that. Not if he could save his friends. A last resort.

Dawn was creeping towards them.

JACOB CUSTOS
The Mines
February 2nd, 2022
6:24 AM

"C-c'mon, c'mon, Abi, keep up," Jacob urged, the tired, strained muscles of his arm half-holding her as she stumbled slowly forward.

"I-I'm, I'm trying," She rasped into his side, the pallor of her face growing greyer by the minute. Jacob was slowly losing his shit each time he looked at her, because he was the worst possible person she could've been paired up with down here.

"I know you are. J-just..." Jacob cut himself off. He... could have sworn he heard... "Wait, stop." She froze under his arm, eyes darting anxiously around them as the noise came once more. Jacob couldn't place it. "What the hell is—"

"The monster, that's, that's the monster," Abi was tense as a taut rubber band, body bursting into life of a sharp trembling and wobbling. "We need to go, need to run," She rambled.

Her eyes were so genuine, so terrified. For a brief flash, they were replaced with Emma's, staring up at him as he spat cruel words as she dangled helplessly.

Jacob didn't stop to question, didn't stop to doubt, and instead tugged her quickly through a gap in the tunnel, pressing their backs against a wooden plank. He used his peripheral vision as he held his breath, catching the horrific sight of 'the monster'.

"Holy shit.." He hissed under his breath, only to flinch into action when Abi began to collapse forward in pain. His other arm wrapped around her as well, pausing her fall and making the monster slow from its rush towards the gap in the tunnel. "Shh," He begged Abi, and held his breath as the monster chittered and growled through the other side of the mining tunnel.

He faintly saw its head poke through the gap, but his vision was mostly covered by Abi's hair. What he did see would haunt his dreams for years to come. He nearly fainted himself, nearly dropped Abi in his terror, but he managed to pull himself together just in time for the monster to lose interest and move away.

He and Abi released a sharp breath in unison as he let her go, keeping one protective arm over her shoulders. "S-so... that's what...?" He trailed off when Abi nodded weakly. Shit. Fuck. He blinked hard, then forced the conversation onward. Now wasn't the time. "I saw a light down the tunnel. Natural light. The sun."

Abi nodded again. "G-gotta... hurry." She was breathless, pallid face even greyer, lips blue. His hand on her back could feel her heartbeat, and it was racing, thrumming with an urgency that felt impossible had he not felt it at that moment.

"Breathe, okay? In, and out," Jacob coached as they carefully returned to the tunnel, and moved forward, towards the creeping daylight poking through a boarded up exit. Only thirty feet away. Twenty five. Twenty.

"I-I'm trying, I..." Abi gave a quiet, wet sob. "I'm so scared. M'tired."

Fifteen feet. The monster - the same one? - was hurrying back, drawn by their voices, their movement. The sounds of its clawed hands skittering on the tunnel walls sent shivers down Jacob's spine.

"I'm scared too," Jacob confessed - ten feet - and let his eyes briefly dart to another path that led to darkness. A shitty man would abandon Abi and save himself.

Jacob was shitty, but he wasn't that shitty.

He kept her close even as he rammed into the wooden boards, shoulder feeling shattered when the mostly rotten wood split, but he shook it off and practically carried Abi out of the mines, shimmying off to the side and away from the opening.

Her face was smushed into his aching shoulder, her breathing raspy, rapid - and her body wracked with faint shivers as the monster burst into the open air, shrieking and hissing. Jacob stared blankly ahead, not daring to blink or even twitch.

Jacob couldn't let Abi die.

He would do anything.

He would throw himself in front of the monster if he had to.

But, like before, it was as if the monster couldn't see them.

It gave a frustrated cry and bolted back into the mines, into the darkness, leaving them stunned and shocked.

Adrenaline thrummed in his body, and it was the only reason he kept standing.

He loosened his hold on Abi, and she moved away from him, enough so she could lean back on the mountain side, uncaring of the snow or jutting rocks. Jacob mimicked her, and rubbed at the dirt on his face. Her hand was on his sleeve, keeping herself balanced.

"Shit." He muttered, for lack of anything else to say.

Abi laughed wetly.

A long stretch of silence. Jacob's eyes refused to close. Feared that, if he closed them, none of this would be real.

"Yeah," She finally agreed. "Shit."

It was Jacob's turn to laugh.

MAX BRINLY
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
6:30 AM

"Is that Mr. Hackett's flamethrower?" Are the words that greet Max as he finally reached the bottom of the basement stairs. He looked up and over at Emma and Nick, seeing their weapons in hand. Seemed he wasn't the only one with that idea.

He adjusted it more on his back, and lamented on the fact that it would likely feel much lighter if he wasn't beaten to shit right now. He couldn't even look badass with it, just weak and barely upright. So lame. What if Laura saw him like this? It was almost embarrassing, if it weren't for the whole... 'gonna potentially die' thing.

Then he remembered that he'd been asked a question, and nodded at Emma. "Yeah. It's heavy as hell." He complained, but didn't slip it off his back. Feared that, if he took it off, he wouldn't be able to put it back on in time when the monsters came.

"So, I was thinking," Nick started, legitimately surprising Max. He'd thought it was going to be silent treatment for the rest of the night. "The Hackett's have cameras, right? We could find the monitors and use those to locate where the wendigos are."

"But where are they?" Emma countered as Max thought to himself. "What if they know where the cameras are and avoid them? Then we're no more informed than we are now."

"True... but we'd be safer, right? And we could see when the others come back." Nick returned. Max appreciated the use of 'when'. They had to keep hope.

Max cleared his throat. "Emma, you go to the security room. It's somewhere in the basement. Nick and I will secure any of the tunnels down here and block them off. If anything's headed towards the lodge, there should be an alarm system. Set it off, and we'll know to come back."

"What, and I'm just supposed to sit and wait around while you two risk your lives? No thanks." Emma's arms crossed defensively over her chest, cut eyebrow raising at him. The trophy glinted dimly in her clenched fist. "We stick together. The only good splitting up has done is get more of us hurt." Or worse, Max thought to himself, but doesn't say. Neither of the two in front of him needed a reminder of what they lost tonight.

"Fine. But if we run into those things, you two get behind me. Got it?" Max demanded. Neither nodded, but neither vehemently denied. He took that as a win, and they all moved together through the basement, slow and sure.

As they did, Max thought to himself.

It was hard to think that only a few hours ago saw all nine of them, alive, unharmed, in this very lodge. To think that he'd looked at Abi and said nothing to her, because things had gotten so bad and so awkward that he couldn't even talk to any of them but Laura.

Even before that night, Max had always been the boyfriend, Laura's plus one. People would see him and think first of blond hair and a winning smile - not of red hair and a face full of freckles.

And tonight, he'd been utterly useless. Dragged away by his legs by a monster while Laura was the hero, the protagonist that everyone knew she was. Max was tired of being the side character that needed to be saved. He was tired of being the comedic relief.

He wanted to be the hero, just once.

Was that selfish? Yeah, probably. But there's only so long someone can go being the damsel in distress before they're tired of it. There's only so much someone can take before they need to feel needed and not a burden in someone else's life, an obstacle in their path.

"Max—!" Nick choked out.

Max broke from his thoughts and barely had the time to look up for he was being grabbed by Emma and tugged backwards.

A wendigo. No, two.

No.

Four wendigos were at the end of the hall. And they were giving chase.

Max fumbled for the flamethrower, clutching the dispenser tightly, finger hovering over the trigger as he limped close behind Emma and Nick.

Who's smart idea was it anyway to leave the three most injured behind?

"Upstairs, go upstairs! Out of the basement!" Max gasped out, ears full of the sounds of the wendigos laughing and screaming behind them.

His back flared with the past pain from his impromptu kidnapping hours ago, and his entire body crawled. He couldn't take that again. He refused. He couldn't let Emma or Nick experience it, either.

They all ran up the stairs as best as they could.

Max made a split decision, as the other two got out and through the door, to stop.

He turned, facing the stairs.

Facing the wendigos as they stumbled and rammed into the wall as they rushed up the stairs, facing them as they caught sight of him and gave a victory cry.

"Max, c'mon! Now isn't the time to play the hero!" Emma shouted. If Max turned, he would have seen the two backing away, not wanting to abandon him, but not wanting to die themselves.

"Yes, it is," Max muttered, narrowing his eyes at the wendigos, squaring his feet.

And then he tugged harshly on the trigger of the flamethrower, igniting the stairwell in flames.

How's that for comedic relief?

LAURA KEARNEY
Path to Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
6:30 AM

Laura tugged Dylan up and over the edge, the two falling back into the snow with matching sounds of exhaustion. Her limbs were shaking, her hands torn and blistered from the climb, but she couldn't stop now. They were already so close.

No words were really exchanged as they both stood, both focused on the task at hand. There was a reason she and Dylan never really spent time alone together, even before what happened, happened. They were too similar, minus one caveat.

Laura was selfish, Dylan was not.

Even before the others realized this about her, Laura knew. She was a piece of shit, selfish and vain. She was possessive and she thought about herself first, others second.

She knew Dylan didn't like that. And that he had her figured out from day one, even if no one else did. He wasn't mean about it, no. Laura wasn't sure he had a mean bone in his body. But he wasn't her friend, and she didn't mind this fact.

They simply weren't meant to get along. And that was alright, wasn't it?

They didn't need to get along to get shit done.

The path to the lodge is thankfully one they both know like the back of their hands. Laura led the way, offering a hand to help him step up and over a tall rock. Dylan visibly swallowed his pride and accepted the help. For once, Laura was glad that Dylan was no longer the immature nerd they'd grown up with. The old Dylan would've made some childish, sarcastic remark that would have Laura groaning and snarking back with something equally biting but less clever.

Another part of her missed the old Dylan. That Dylan hadn't hated her. This one does.

"Do you think the Hackett's found Kaylee down there? Before she fully turned?" Dylan's voice broke her thoughts.

Laura bit on the inside of her cheek hard enough to break the flesh. Her tongue tasted of copper as she spoke. "I think so, yeah."

She pretended not to see the way his entire body sunk into itself. She knew exactly what he was feeling.

They'd known. And instead of helping her, instead of bringing her home, finding her help, they let her become a monster. They...

Laura's mind reminded her of the sight of two bodies in the meat locker under the lodge. The two bodies she'd forced herself to ignore in pursuit of saving her friends. (Ex-friends? There was no fucking way any of them would talk to her after this. Not after what she did to Emma. This, all of this, was her fault.)

"Holy shit. They were gonna feed them to her." Her voice was quiet as the realization rocked through her.

"What?"

Dylan's voice was dull, flat, but when she looked over in her blurry vision, she could see the faint shimmer of water along his lashes, threatening to fall.

"Constance and Jedediah Hackett. Travis and Bobby planned to feed them to her. They—somehow, they died in the mines. And instead of doing something, anything, they... threw them in a meat locker like a couple of butcher pigs." But why? Was it like feeding a feral animal? 'Keep it fed, and it will not feed on you'? Wendigos weren't animals, but... Laura couldn't make any other comparison.

"I hate that fucking family." Dylan's fists were tight by his sides. Laura didn't deny, didn't defend them. He was right. Fuck that fucking family. "Good riddance." He muttered.

Any other night, any other time, Laura would have heard those words from Dylan and think him possessed, or gone mad.

But here, now, she nods in agreement. Let's that bitter feeling in her chest fester and prosper, snug beside that feeling of guilt. An odd pair that fit together like a puzzle piece. Laura was guilty for what she did, but so were the Hackett's. Especially—

No. He didn't deserve to be in her thoughts ever again.

He got his justice. His karma.

"There's the lodge." Laura spoke after a long while of walking between shortcuts.

The lodge had never looked so unwelcoming before as it did now, and Laura grabbed the knob for the door, yanking on it. It was frozen shut. She cursed under her breath, and fiddled with her back pocket, trying to find her lighter. So much for quitting smoking, huh, Max? Looked like her bad habit had some use after all—

Oh.

Fuck, that's right.

She gave her lighter to Ryan, right at the beginning of this night. Handed it over without a second thought so he could light the fireplace.

She'd never asked for it back, because Max and her had needed to get away and talk.

Motherfucker.

Fuck, shit.

She spat a verbal curse, earning a strange look from Dylan. "What's wrong?" He asked. She gestured to the door, and even gave it a short kick.

"Frozen. I don't have my shitty lighter." She glared at the door like it had insulted her, and heard Dylan give a soft, half-hearted laugh.

"Luckily, Laura, we aren't cavemen. We have technology." Dylan said lightly. She turned in time to see him lift a rock from the ground, and throw it into the window next to the door, shattering it entirely.

Laura stared for a moment. "Did you just quote Spongebob at me at a time like this?"

"It was Patrick actually, and yes."

Laura looked up at him with the glare of a thousand deaths. Dylan just smiled harmlessly.

"It was a little funny." He goaded. "You're smiling. I can see it."

She narrowed her eyes. "Is there any part of you that doesn't scream to be the center of attention at all times?"

"Nah." He shrugged back.

Laura nearly scoffed—when a sound from the woods drew their attention. "Hear that?" She asked, tense as a drawn bow, gun instinctively drawn and readied.

Dylan slowly stepped behind her, giving a soft, near-inaudible 'yea'.

Laura's finger hovered the trigger, watching the shifting of the trees in the wind, the rustle of the nearest bushes. The crunching of the snow as several bodies approached.

She lowered the gun, however, when she saw the white wolf's panting face burst into view. She knelt down, and he met her, his large body giving an excited wiggle. "Wolfie, you're okay!" She breathed in relief.

She looked up from him to see Ryan and Kaitlyn emerging from the woods, as well. Relief hit her once more, and she gave the two a greeting nod.

"You made it." She said, despite the fact that it was obvious.

Kaitlyn nodded as Ryan and Dylan embraced in the background. "Ran into some trouble, but we got out together."

"Trouble?"

"Kaylee said hi." Kaitlyn elaborated, face falling into a solemn wince. Laura swallowed hard. Ah. That kind of trouble. "The thing was, she kind of... recognized me? I remembered what we said, about her being one of them. And then I saw her tattoo and... I said her name."

"And she didn't kill you?"

"No. She was gonna drag me away, but then—he, Ryan saved me. You should'a seen it." Kaitlyn smiled, and Laura almost smiled back. "D'you know how hard it is to stay still in freezing ass water?"

"I can imagine," Laura huffed. She looked over at Dylan and Ryan, seeing them pull away from a forehead touch. Her first thought is 'finally', and her second is 'we don't have time for this lovey dovey shit'. "We ready?"

Just like that, the four of them step through the newly shattered window, and inside the front foyer of the lodge.

"Stay out here, wolfie. We'll be back." She said. The white wolf walked away from the lodge, back near the woods. He sat. Good boy, Laura thought but didn't say. A very good boy.

Laura flicks on the lights.

Ryan instantly flicked them off. "Bad idea." He rasped.

Laura didn't question it.

They walked further into the lodge and it wasn't another moment before Laura could hear the sounds of screaming below.

She ran.

She could hear the others follow.

NICK FURCILLO
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
6:45 AM

Nick watched in horror as the flamethrower emptied moments later — leaving only one of the four wendigos dead. Nick sprung into action, grabbing Max and heaving him out of the stairwell. The flamethrower found itself abandoned on the ground as Nick shoved Max and Emma towards the exit, towards the door that lead to the stairs to the ground floor.

His bat was held so tightly in his hand that his fingers tingled from the pressure.

"Run!" He cried out, hearing the telltale sounds of animalistic crying and wailing as they were chased.

Emma made it out, and rammed into Laura, who had appeared in the doorway. Max was next, stumbling into Kaitlyn, who steadied him. Nick grew closer to the door—

And right before exiting, he twirled on his heel and smacked the closest wendigo in the maw with the bat. The bat broke against the monster’s tough flesh, and Nick dropped it the moment the swing finished.

It cried out, disoriented, and fell into the side of one of the others. The two tussled, blocking the path of the third temporarily.

Nick used the distraction to slip through the door, and close it shut.

"We — we gotta go—" He rasped out, and it said something that not another word was spoken before they all ran up to the ground floor, faster than any of their broken bodies had any right to be.

Nick glanced back, hearing the sounds of the door being broken down and opened. He cursed under his breath — and just barely stopped himself in time from ramming into Emma's back.

Everyone was frozen still, and it didn't take Nick long to realize why.

A wendigo swung on the chandelier, wailing into the air and looking around with predatory eyes.

Nick held his breath, barely hearing Ryan speak over the rush of his heart in his ears. "Don't move, don't move a fucking muscle."

Don't move. Nick could do that. He would.

He looked down at the trophy still in Emma's hand, inches from him. Slowly, he reached for it, eyes darting to see the three wendigos had found the ground floor, and were crawling around under the hateful eyes of the biggest one on the chandelier.

A fight broke out between the four, and Nick took the distraction to grab the trophy, even when Emma tried to keep ahold. She didn't turn to look at him, didn't risk it, but Nick knew she was furious with him.

That was okay.

Nick had a plan.

He met Ryan's eyes by chance, and glanced down at the trophy as a signal for him to look. When Ryan did, his face turned faintly confused.

Until Nick looked towards the fireplace, and the gas pipes near it. The sconce lightbulb on the wall, a few feet away.

And finally, the light switch near the front of the lodge.

Nick rose his brows minutely.

Ryan nodded faintly.

A plan was set.

Nick threw the trophy at the gas pipe, and was thankful for all the times Jacob forced him to play American football as the hit landed exactly how he wanted.

At the same time, the largest wendigo tore the head off of one of the smaller ones. Nick avoided looking as the head rolled near his foot.

The largest wendigo landed near him, sniffing at the head before looking sharply up at him. His eyes squeezed shut, arm still frozen forward in the air in a throwing position. His muscles ached to tremble. The wendigo got impossibly closer.

"Hey!" Ryan shouted—and there the wendigo went towards him. Nick let out his breath and dropped his arm, moving slowly towards the lightbulb next.

But he stopped shortly after. Kaitlyn was already there. He should've known — she met his eyes with a determined snarl on her lips, her hand squeezing at the bulb with a fierce anger.

The glass popped, and once again, the largest wendigo flew towards the noise.

Nick took a step away. The plan was in motion.

Everything was ready.

And now, they all needed to get the fuck out of here.

KAITLYN KA
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
6:50 AM

Kaitlyn was really tired of this 'staying still' bullshit.

She stared blankly forward, her peripheral taking in the sight of Nick slowly stepping towards the exit, the others all catching the memo, one by one.

Kaylee lost interest when one of the other wendigos went after her — and as the two brawled, Nick sprinted out of the lodge. Kaitlyn released a small breath and sprinted towards a new hiding place.

Once again, she had to stay still.

This time, she watched as Max and Laura moved in unison, their hands locked tight as they stumbled back and through the door together.

Kaitlyn's eyes squeezed shut at the feeling of hot, putrid breathing breathing over her face.

She opened them once more in time to see Kaylee moving away, moving back towards the dominance battle between the wendigos. Kaitlyn swallowed hard, her hand aching and bleeding from shattering the bulb.

She clenched it and reveled in the steadying feeling it gave her.

Emma ran out next.

Before Kaylee could see this, however, Kaitlyn moved once more, this time behind a column in the room.

As she stayed still, she watched with blank, wide eyes as Dylan and Ryan slowly moved towards the exit, Ryan's eye locked onto hers in return. He gave her a slow nod, his hand half-raised towards the light switch. Just in case, his eye said.

She understood, and barely suppressed a relieved sob when Dylan disappeared out the door, safe.

Kaylee lost interest in her, one final time.

And that's when Kaitlyn ran.

Ran like her life depended on it.

Ryan bolted outside the moment she moved, and she didn't slow, didn't stop.

She widened her stride and prayed that nothing would get in her way, her hand up and read for the switch.

She can't get through this night without saving herself, too.

She deserved to live, too.

She knew they were right behind her. Could feel the air shift and hum as they grew closer and closer.

But luck had kissed her tonight.

No.

Today.

Her hand hit the switch, and the lodge was engulfed in flames.

The fiery explosion knocked her forward, and she landed harshly in the snow of the front yard. She rolled, body popping and aching, her voice crying out in a way she was unashamed of.

She curled into herself, cheek pressed firm into the snow as she stared widely up at the fiery inferno that once was the Hackett lodge.

She'd practically grown up in that lodge.

And now, she'd burnt it to the ground.

She laughed.

Cackled.

Cried.

Everyone around her was silent, but none of them judged her hysteria.

All understood.

She made it. They made it.

Dawn was here.

The sun was rising.

Kaitlyn sobbed louder.

ABIGAIL BLYG
Mountain Cliff
February 2nd, 2022
7:00 AM

Abi steadied her breath as the rescue helicopter lowered down towards her and Jacob, her lungs tight and burning from adrenaline.

The sun was rising around them.

Her hand loosened on his sleeve, and she took another breath as his body slowly untensed, his hand lowering from its defensive raise. Abi's ears rang from the fwopfwopfwop of the helicopter blades, both in pain and in pure, utter relief.

"You see it too, right?" She asked Jacob, just to be sure. He nodded, his face showing pure and utter relief as he helped her stand fully upright.

"I do. We... we're gonna be okay."

Abi wasn't so sure about that.

Okay? No. None of this was okay.

But alive? Yeah. They were alive.

They made it.

Abi could see Nick and Emma again - alive, not okay, but breathing.

She needed to see them.

She was so tired. So hurt.

But alive.

The sun was rising, and they were alive.

Abi, Jacob — everyone.

They were all still here.

Chapter Text

EPILOGUE

RYAN ERZAHLER
Police Station
February 2nd, 2022
8:00 AM

The station lights are bright and piercing, and the heated air left his body stinging and pulsing with tingles as it defrosted. His ears haven't stopped ringing, not since Kaitlyn blew up the lodge. Not since the rescue helicopter picked them up and took them away from the damned mountain.

Ryan's not sure he's let go of Dylan or Kaitlyn once. His hands are tight and stiff, curled into a pinching hold. He doesn't think either of them care too much - both similarly dazed and quiet. One of the officers waves them - him, Dylan, Kaitlyn, Emma, Nick, Max and Laura - towards benches outside of questioning.

They're missing two. Ryan blinked hard and the old bench creaked under their combined weights. There isn't much room for the seven of them, but none of them are willing to separate, even if it's only four feet away from the other bench.

"Ryan?" Dylan's voice is barely audible, but it somehow breaks through his dazed, dissociated mind. He looked up at his... boyfriend(?)... at his something. Movement drew his eyes askew; there's a rescue medic standing in front of Emma, shining a light in her eyes. They were going down the line, checking on them one by one. He looked back to Dylan. "We made it?"

It's something that should be a statement and comes out as a question. Ryan nodded quietly. Wanted to talk but he wasn't sure what he could say without breaking into sobs. Dylan nodded back, though it seemed to hurt.

"Is... Kaitlyn..?" He asked. Ryan looked to her, on his other side. Her eyes are blank. They have been for a while. The medic is examining Max, now, and doesn't like what they see. He's quickly ushered away by another medic. Laura tried to follow - only to be ordered to sit back down.

Ryan reminded himself that Dylan wanted to know about Kaitlyn. His mind was getting distracted so easily. Time moved slowly and yet too fast. He looked back at her. There's blood coming from her ears, her hair is singed and her body is badly burned and blistered from being so close to the explosion.

He squeezed her hand. Her face didn't change, but she squeezed back.

"She'll be okay." Ryan decided for her. He wasn't sure she was there right now. That was okay. She could have all the time she needed. All of them could.

The medic came to Dylan now, examining him and hmming at what they see. Dylan's face isn't as gray in the fluorescent light, but there still wasn't much color. His veins stand out too much, his pupils still large. With the shock and adrenaline crashing, Ryan wondered to himself how Dylan was still conscious. "He was drugged. Overdosed." Ryan informed the medic.

The medic hmms once more and waved at another medic to take Dylan for more treatment. Ryan had to force himself to let go.

Dylan was guided away in the same direction as Max.

Ryan was examined next. His eye gets a frown, as does his mild concussion, but he isn't taken away.

Kaitlyn is.

The remaining four scooted closer together on the bench to close the gaps. Kaitlyn disappeared around the same corner as Dylan and Max.

The medic let them be for now.

No one seemed to know what to say. Or, rather, no one had the strength. The will.

Ryan glanced at Laura, who now sat beside him. Without Max by her side, she'd gone from mildly stiff to outright catatonic. The scratches on her face had been cleaned and bandaged, hiding her left eye from view. Her blue-tipped fingers were trembling as she tapped the empty space on her hip, where she'd had the gun most of the night.

Ryan reached out, and took her hand. Laura's body froze a little more - and then thawed when she met his eye. Her visible eye watered, her face crumbling. "It's over, Ryan. I... we did it." She was breathless. Her hand trembled in his.

Ryan wished he could feel victorious in any way. But this felt like nothing but a failure. This entire night felt preventable. This felt...

He wanted the entire night to be a dream.

"Not all of us made it." He goes to tell her - a bitter reminder - but, before he can find it in himself to open his mouth - the door to the police station opens once more.

Jacob limped inside, bruised and dirtied. Beside him, on a gurney, being rushed away at a much faster pace, was Abi, bloodied and broken.

Emma and Nick shot up from the bench. Ryan could see both of their eyes follow Abi on the gurney - hell, all of them were. She'd been dead, right? But she looked pretty fucking alive right there.

Ryan can't look away from Emma as she turns to Jacob. He was guided to the bench across from them, the medic approaching to examine him like the others. Emma's face was torn and anguished, a strange mix of guilt and disgust.

When Ryan looked at Jacob, he saw that very same strange mix. He would never ask either of them what happened, but he wondered, at least in this moment, if either of them would admit it.

"You're alive," Jacob said to Emma. Ryan can see her eyes shutter and slam with walls, her relief being hidden away in an instance.

"So are you."

Silence stretched, both awkward and comfortable as everyone settled with the fact that no one in the group had died. Abi hadn't died. She'd... she had likely come close, but she was alive, too.

"The others?" Jacob finally asked.

Silence again. Ryan sure as hell wasn't saying shit, nor Laura or Nick. Emma's jaw worked to the side, bruises and all on display, before she gestured down the hall.

"Getting fixed up."

"Oh. Good. I'm glad."

"Yeah."

Ryan leaned back against the wall behind them, his head whooshing and buzzing as he finally began to feel his fingers. He wriggled them, and felt Laura do the same. Oh, right. He quickly let her hand go, and peeked his eyes at her to see a small, amused smile on her lips. He rolled his eyes. Her smile widened a little more.

The sun was peeking through the windows of the warm station. All of his friends were alive. Dylan was alive.

He was alive.

Sarah was going to be so worried.

The room for questioning opened. A tall, stern looking officer peered between the five of them. "Who's going first?" She asked, not unkind, but not warm. Another officer was by her side, silent and holding a notepad in his hand, a pen in the other.

Everyone stared at her.

Nick pushed himself upright, his hand brushing on Emma's shoulder to silence her when she went to protest.

"I'll go." He said, and followed the two officers inside without another word.

Ryan swallowed hard.

It was over, and yet, it wasn't. They'd be here for a long, long while.

Ryan just wanted to see Sarah.

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Nicholas Furcillo
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 8:15 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

FURCILLO: Nick—Nicholas Furcillo, nineteen (19).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Nicholas?

FURCILLO: We came to the mountain to spend time together like the old times. We got separated into different tasks. Abi, Emma and I went to get Emma's bag. We found... found evidence that someone wanted to do us harm. Blood. An ax. A note, welcoming us back. Emma took a picture of it. We hurried back to the lodge, and... f—k. [PAUSES, STARES INTO SPACE.]

OFFICER BROWN: And?

FURCILLO: We—we found Ryan, Kaitlyn, and Jacob in the shed behind the lodge. Ryan and Jacob were... f—k. Trapped to this... Saw trap. Kaitlyn was being forced to choose. Somehow... we were fast enough. We got both of them free. After that... we split up. Jacob and Emma went to the radio tower to contact help. Abi and I, we went to find Laura and Max, who went out to the guest cabin. Ryan and Kaitlyn went to the lodge to find Dylan.

OFFICER BROWN: What happened in the woods with Abi? You got split up?

FURCILLO: [PAUSES AND STARES INTO SPACE AGAIN.] ...

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Furcillo.

FURCILLO: Right. Right. I'm sorry. We got lost, took a wrong path and we found Kaylee's phone. I... [PULLS PHONE FROM POCKET.] I took it, j-just in case.

OFFICER BROWN: [TAKES THE PHONE.] Did you head back?

FURCILLO: No. We kept going forward. We needed to find Laura and Max before—[CUTS HIMSELF OFF.] We eventually reached an edge of the mountain - a cliff. We got surrounded by a herd of elk. We thought they were going to attack us, but... then It came.

OFFICER BROWN: It? A bear?

FURCILLO: W-wh—? No. It wasn't a bear. It was a monster. A wendigo.

OFFICER BROWN: And you saw it? You couldn't have misunderstood?

FURCILLO: [SNAPPISH.] I know what I saw.

OFFICER BROWN: We just need to be sure.

FURCILLO: I know. I'm sorry. The monster, it was choking me, it was going to kill me. But Abi, she...

OFFICER BROWN: What did she do?

FURCILLO: [TEARING UP.] She... she saved me. She saved me. She did. And... All her bravery got her thrown off the cliff. I... I don't know how she survived. I thought she was dead. I told the others she was.

OFFICER BROWN: What did you do next?

FURCILLO: I headed back. I bumped into Emma. Together, we went to the lodge. Joined up with the others. M-minus... Abi and Jacob. [BECOMES CLOSED OFF, GUARDED.]

OFFICER BROWN: Emma was alone?

FURCILLO: She didn't say what happened. But she was alone. Jacob was nowhere to be seen.

OFFICER BROWN: Are Emma and Jacob... close?

FURCILLO: They were dating before tonight. Now... I don't think so.

OFFICER BROWN: Would there be any reason for Emma to wish Jacob harm?

FURCILLO: Emma? No. No. That's... no. She wouldn't. They weren't the best couple, but she'd never hurt him.

OFFICER BROWN: But Jacob would hurt her?

FURCILLO: [DEFENSIVE.] Aren't we talking about me? I don't know what happened between them, okay?

OFFICER BROWN: Okay. What next?

FURCILLO: Mr. H — Mr. Hackett was there. He told us about the wendigos. He had a flamethrower, a-and he needed to go to the shed to save Sheriff Hackett and Bobby.

OFFICER BROWN: Sheriff Hackett?

FURCILLO: He tortured them. Ryan, Kaitlyn, and Dylan. Jacob, too, before he went off with Emma. I... I don't know the full story. That's all I know. They tied him up in the shed with Bobby, I think, for until the police arrived.

OFFICER BROWN: So Mr. Hackett left with Ryan. What then?

FURCILLO: We went to the basement. Or... most of us. Dylan stayed up. But when he came down, he said Ryan was gone. Or, taken.

OFFICER BROWN: And the three Hackett's?

FURCILLO: I don't know.

OFFICER BROWN: After that?

FURCILLO: Laura saw that Emma was bitten by one of the wendigos. She was going to shoot her.

OFFICER BROWN: Shoot her? Over a bite?

FURCILLO: We didn't know how it worked. Laura was scared. She'd just got Max back. [DEFENSIVE ONCE MORE.]

OFFICER BROWN: I'm not accusing anything. She pointed a gun at Emma, and then?

FURCILLO: She got talked down. She decided to head to the sanatorium, to the wendigo nest. She needed the keys to the cable car from Ryan. Dylan and Kaitlyn followed her, saying something about it being a death trap. I stayed in the basement with Max and Emma.

OFFICER BROWN: So it was you three in the lodge?

FURCILLO: For a while. I got Emma to calm down and we looked for something to defend ourselves. Max went outside and got the flamethrower from Mr. Hackett.

OFFICER BROWN: The flamethrower? Mr. Hackett gave it to him?

FURCILLO: No. He... he died.

OFFICER BROWN: He died while alone with Ryan?

FURCILLO: What are you implying?! [DEFENSIVE AGAIN.]

OFFICER BROWN: You said the Hackett's were responsible, that they tortured him and your friends—

FURCILLO: Not him! He was trying to help us. But it wasn't enough.

OFFICER BROWN: Alright. Then what?

FURCILLO: The wendigos came into the basement through the tunnels. We barely got out. But so did they. We had a plan to blow up the lodge. Fire could kill them.

OFFICER BROWN: How did you get out of the basement?

FURCILLO: It was all Max. Getting the flamethrower is what saved our a—es. No way we would've gotten out of there in time.

OFFICER BROWN: So, then, you got the idea to blow the lodge up.

FURCILLO: ...Sorta. It didn't click until the gas pipe by the fireplace was dislodged. We broke a lightbulb and Kaitlyn flipped the switch. Help arrived moments later.

OFFICER BROWN: I'm going to ask a few more questions. Is that okay?

FURCILLO: Yes.

OFFICER BROWN: Are any of your friends known to be violent?

FURCILLO: Excuse me?

OFFICER BROWN: I need to ask.

FURCILLO: ... Fine. No.

OFFICER BROWN: Are you sure? What about Jacob? You didn't answer my question before about him hurting Emma.

FURCILLO: ... It's complicated.

OFFICER BROWN: Is he aggressive towards her?

FURCILLO: No! Are you kidding? He's a big dumb puppy around her. She tugs him around and he says 'yes ma'am'. They were always toxic together, but they'd never be physically aggressive towards each other.

OFFICER BROWN: But if he lost his patience, could he have been aggressive with her?

FURCILLO: I... Maybe. I don't know, okay? I don't know anything anymore.

OFFICER BROWN: What's your relationship with Emma? Are you close?

FURCILLO: A little, I suppose. We, her, Abi and I, we've always been closer with each other than the others.

OFFICER BROWN: Could Jacob have gotten jealous over your closeness?

FURCILLO: Wh—jealous? He... there... there's nothing to...

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Furcillo. You must be honest. Could he have been jealous or suspicious of you and Emma's relationship?

FURCILLO: Yes, okay? But it wasn't like that. Not really. Not yet. I wouldn't date a taken person. Neither would Abi.

OFFICER BROWN: Last question for now: this 'monster', what did it look like?

FURCILLO: Have you ever... had one of those dreams where you're in hell?

OFFICER BROWN: ... No.

FURCILLO: Mm. Well, I have. And, I've never seen the devil, but... that monster? All of those monsters... they're the closest thing to the devil I've seen.

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Nicholas Furcillo
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 8:30 AM

(His hands shook as he left the interrogation room and sat back on the bench. His friends surrounded him and he reveled in the brief moment he had with Emma, their hands brushing together.

But then she stood, and took his place inside the room. His chest felt tight and, despite how numb he felt, he was finally beginning to feel alive again. He glanced down at his dirty, ragged clothes, and wondered if they'd ever be offered clean ones.

"What did they ask you?" Ryan asked quietly. Nick blinked hard and once more before looking up. Ryan held an ice pack to his bruised eye, and it looked as if he'd been given a wet rag to clean the dirt and blood off of his skin.

"What happened, and some other things, about you guys. I think they're trying to pin this on one of us. I told them about the wendigos, but they don't believe me. They kept trying to get me to say something wrong, I think. Get me to confess that one of you was the one responsible."

It had pissed him off, too, though he was never one for showing his anger (even when he really, really wanted to). Even now, his hands ached to curl back into fists at the memory of the officer trying to force doubt into his mind about his friends.

Yeah. As if. He didn't know how the others felt, but after tonight, they'd never get rid of him. Something something, share traumas or whatever.

"Great." Ryan grumbled then, his pale, cracked lips downturning. Nick nodded in agreement, nails scratching absently at the dirt clogged on his skin.

Jacob sighed then, his hands scrubbing at his face in a weary motion. Nick's eyes are drawn to him, and in spite of his earlier thoughts, he does find himself thinking of how much the officer had pressed about Jacob. About him being dangerous, jealous.

While Nick knew the truth about the true monsters of the night, he didn't know everything. How exactly had Emma and Jacob been separated? How had Emma come out looking awful and beaten, and how had Jacob come out looking practically fine?

Emma hadn't looked afraid of Jacob when he was brought in, but Nick knew that Emma was the type to pretend she wasn't scared to make others feel better. Maybe—

Jacob's shoulders were shaking with sobs.

Nick's mind cleared, and he moved without thinking to sit next to Jacob. He placed a hand on the man's back, staying quiet as the man cried to himself.

It made sense that at least one of them was crying, right? So many dry eyes, all unsure on how to cope and adjust to their... their new lives.

So when Jacob cried, it felt like...

Suddenly, it was okay to cry. No more monsters, human or otherwise.

It was okay to break down.

They were safe. They're all okay, now.

Nick felt his own eyes water, and distantly, he could see Ryan wiping at his cheek. Laura, who was biting at her nails, carefully bumped shoulders with the man. Her eyes were dry, but her entire body was visibly trembling.

He wanted to see everyone else. Dylan, Kaitlyn, Abi, Max, Emma. He'd just seen Emma and he still needed to see her again.

Nick wrapped his arm around Jacob's shoulders, and he tugged the crying man against his chest. Nick was not particularly strong, or smart, or charismatic.

But he was a damn good friend.

And he had all the time in the world to prove it.)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Emma Mountebank
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 8:32 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

MOUNTEBANK: Emma Mountebank, twenty (20).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Emma?

MOUNTEBANK: A sh—ty reunion full of shitty people that got ruined by sh—ty freaky monsters.

OFFICER BROWN: Please refrain from swearing.

MOUNTEBANK: Yeah, yeah. Didn't Nick already tell you?

OFFICER BROWN: We would like to hear all sides of the story.

MOUNTEBANK: Fine. We got there, separated, saw spooky s—t, came back, and saw some John Kramer s—t happening to Jacob and Ryan.

OFFICER BROWN: John Kramer?

MOUNTEBANK: Yeah, like the Saw movies. Anyway, I took Jacob to call for help, but one of the monsters broke the tower shortly after we got through to the rescue service. We fell into the mines.

OFFICER BROWN: You fell in?

MOUNTEBANK: The ground collapsed. There's all these tunnels and... anyway, after I dropped, I was alone.

OFFICER BROWN: You 'dropped'? How?

MOUNTEBANK: I— well. That's not important, right?

OFFICER BROWN: All details matter, Ms. Mountebank.

MOUNTEBANK: I was hanging. And... Jacob just...

OFFICER BROWN: Just?

MOUNTEBANK: He started yelling at me. About... my sh—ty treatment of him and... other things. He... he was gonna let me fall. But I think he... he realized. So he tried to help me. It was too late, though. He had to jump to safety and I fell deeper into the mines. I survived, but barely.

OFFICER BROWN: Has Jacob ever been that violent towards you before?

MOUNTEBANK: What? No! God, no. Guy is such a pushover. I pushed him too much. I got comfortable being mean and... f—k. I'm such a sh—ty girlfriend.

OFFICER BROWN: After you fell, what happened?

MOUNTEBANK: [CLOSES OFF.] I looked around. Found freaky sh—t. You can see it in the pictures I took on my phone. I don't want to talk about that.

OFFICER BROWN: Okay. How did you get out of the mines?

MOUNTEBANK: I used the old elevator system. It attracted the attention of a wendigo and it chased me around. I barely got out alive. It bit me.

OFFICER BROWN: Bit you? Did you show the medic?

MOUNTEBANK: ... Ugh. I will after this. [CONTINUES.] I ran into Nick and we got to the lodge. Mr. H was there and told us about the wendigos. We went to the basement. And.

OFFICER BROWN: And?

MOUNTEBANK: [PAUSES.] ...

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Furcillo said Ms. Kearney pointed a gun at you.

MOUNTEBANK: Y-yeah. Yeah, she did. She... she didn't even hesitate. She... right at my nose, right here, [POINTS.] she could have shot me. She almost shot me! The b—tch! [TEARS UP.] So much for... so much for best friends forever, huh?

OFFICER BROWN: [PROMPTS.] After she and the other two left?

MOUNTEBANK: We found weapons to defend ourselves. The wendigos came and we eventually got to the ground level after Max saved us with the flamethrower. Kaitlyn blew up the lodge. [WAVES HAND.]

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Ka blew up the lodge?

MOUNTEBANK: Yep. It was the only way to kill the wendigos. ...Or something. It was Nick's idea, I think.

OFFICER BROWN: Okay. I have a few more questions. Is that okay?

MOUNTEBANK: Sure, I guess.

OFFICER BROWN: When Ms. Kearney pointed her gun at you, Mr. Furcillo said everyone there talked her down.

MOUNTEBANK: Hah. That's funny. More like she ignored everyone except for her precious Max. We all told her the same thing. But she didn't care. She didn't care that she was going to kill me over a hunch.

OFFICER BROWN: She thought the bite would turn you into one of the monsters?

MOUNTEBANK: I guess so. What did she think they were? Werewolves? [DRY LAUGH.]

OFFICER BROWN: So it wasn't true.

MOUNTEBANK: Of course not! The only way to become a wendigo is to... ugh. To eat human flesh.

OFFICER BROWN: Who told you this?

MOUNTEBANK: It was in Mr. Hackett's journal. I think it's still in the basement. It... might have survived the explosion..? I doubt it though.

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Erzahler was the last to be seen with Mr. Hackett. Thoughts?

MOUNTEBANK: Mr. H was like a dad to Ryan. I feel sorry for him. It can't be easy to see someone that close to you killed.

OFFICER BROWN: What about Sheriff Hackett?

MOUNTEBANK: Ugh. That pervert? Pass. I'd rather not talk about him. Besides, you're better off asking Dylan or Laura. They... know the most about him.

OFFICER BROWN: Last question: the 'monster', how would you describe it?

MOUNTEBANK: How did Nick describe it? [DEFLECTING.]

OFFICER BROWN: He said it was like the devil.

MOUNTEBANK: Hm. Dramatic and yet surprisingly accurate. I like it. But, I'd describe it as 'very skinny, needs more sunlight and a toothbrush'. F—k. I definitely need therapy after this.

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Emma Mountebank
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 8:43 AM

(A breath of relief forced through her as she left the office, hiding the shake of her hands by twisting them together. The air of her friends was dark, and sad, and—

and as much as Emma wanted to join the doom and gloom, she wasn't one for that kinda stuff. She sat beside Ryan, resolutely ignoring Laura (she couldn't, wouldn't, give her any hint that their friendship had hope. she wasn't sure if it did. she wasn't sure if she wanted it to.).

"So, these cops are totally assholes, right?" She nudged her shoulder on Ryan's, a smile touching her lips.

Jacob was called into the office. Emma didn't spare him a glance. She didn't know what to think about that. She didn't know if she wanted to acknowledge it at all.

"All cops are, Em." Ryan muttered, but he nudged back. "Nick said they're trying to push away from the wendigos. They think we're covering for one of us."

Emma nodded, simultaneously rolling her eyes. "Absolutely they are. Hey, if it wasn't wendigos, who do you think it would be?"

"I mean, Sheriff Hackett. Right?" Nick answered. "It was half-him."

"Fuck him. If it was just the nine of us tonight, and this was some kind of cheesy horror movie, who do you think would be the killer?" Emma tilted her head, ignoring the throb of her wounds.

"Ugh, seriously?" Ryan frowned.

"Em, c'mon..." Nick sighed.

"Me c'mon? You c'mon! Live a little! We survived a night of fucked up shit. Can't we just pretend like this wasn't the worst thing to happen to any of us?"

It seemed like her attempt to lighten the mood had only worsened it. Emma groaned and bumped her head on the wall behind her. It hurt and her head swam punishingly for it, but she was nothing if not extremely dramatic.

"My vote’s on Ryan." Laura's voice broke the quiet.

"What?!" Ryan glared at her, scandalized.

"You'd have the most motive!" She defended.

"Wha—? Fuck off, no I wouldn't! Right?"

Nick winced as Ryan turned pleading eyes (eye? jesus, that was a bad bruise) to him. "Yeah... nah. She's kinda got a point..."

Emma shook her head. "No, not Ryan. That's TOO obvious. It would definitely be Dylan or Kaitlyn. Or both. Those two could totally pull a Ghostface."

Laura frowned and Emma frowned back. The other blond didn't seem convinced. "But why? Other than Dylan dating Caleb back in the day.."

"Are you kidding? It's so obvious! They're best friends, and we all know that Kaitlyn would do anything for Dylan. And Kaitlyn and Kaylee were..." Emma shrugged to herself. "I dunno, kinda fruity."

"They—huh? Those two? No way! Kaylee was totally into Jacob!" Laura denied vehemently.

"Welcome to 2022, Laura, bisexuality exists!"

Laura seemed to flounder, mouth opening and closing with indignation on her face. "I know that, dumbass, I just—!"

"My bet's Abi." Ryan interrupted.

Emma and Nick's eyes shot toward him. "What?!"

Ryan shrugged. "It's the least obvious and the least likely. She's quiet and everyone likes her. It's perfect."

Emma paused. Huh. She tried to imagine Abi standing over her, wielding a bloodied knife. A blood spatter on her face, maybe, hair tousled and panting with a raging breath. Eyes lit with a lust for blood, cheeks tinged pink with fury.

"At least we can all agree it wouldn't be Jacob. He could never think of something that complicated." Emma directed the conversation elsewhere. She uh... needed to stop that line of thought.

She'd save more speculation about killer!Abi for later. Alone. Or maybe with the girl herself. Plus one. She shot a glance at Nick, the man staring down at his feet. Yeah.

"True."

"Oh, yeah, never."

"Nah, yeah," Nick agreed.

They were so mean to Jacob sometimes. It was great.

"We're not even going to consider the rest of us?" Laura questioned tentatively, glancing at her.

This temporary truce felt too nice to let it go.

Emma sent her a strained smile, and then pressed on. "Well, what motive would any of us have?"

Emma wanted to call her therapist. She needed to call her therapist. This couldn't be healthy, talking with her almost-murderer ex-bestie like nothing happened.

But hey, that could wait. She still had blood in her hair.)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Jacob Custos
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 8:45 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

CUSTOS: Uh... Jacob. Custos. Twenty (20).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Jacob?

CUSTOS: Is Abi going to be okay?

OFFICER BROWN: As far as we are aware, yes. She'll be okay. You've all got a long road to recovery ahead of you.

CUSTOS: [SIGHS.] Good. Sorry. I just. I needed to know.

OFFICER BROWN: It's alright.

CUSTOS: Nothing really happened until I went to take a shower. I was minding my own business, right? Then this big guy in a mask came in and started throwing me around. I fought back but - he knocked me out.

OFFICER BROWN: Big guy? Mask?

CUSTOS: Oh, I dunno. I didn't get a good look and, after Em and I went to call for help, I kinda forgot about all of that. U-until now, of course. [AWKWARD LAUGH.]

OFFICER BROWN: Continue.

CUSTOS: He chained Ryan and I up on these boards, had this huge f—king saw pointed at us. He made Kaitlyn choose who to kill and who to save. Nick, Em, and Abi saved us.

OFFICER BROWN: Kaitlyn had to choose who to kill? Do you know if she did?

CUSTOS: ... I think she chose me. I mean. I don't blame her. I'm me and Ryan's like, her best friend now. [SHRUGS. EYES ARE WATERY.]

OFFICER BROWN: Hm. So after you were saved?

CUSTOS: I got dressed, the guy had me and Ryan's bags in the shed. I guess for... for whoever survived. Then Em and I headed to the radio tower.

OFFICER BROWN: She mentioned you fought.

CUSTOS: [VISIBLY STIFFENS.] Oh. Yeah. We did. We always fought but tonight, the stress got to us. She...

OFFICER BROWN: She implied she was cruel to you.

CUSTOS: Cruel? I wouldn't use that word. Em... I wasn't good enough for her. I've always known that, but I guess tonight... It hurt more than usual. There's only so much 'you suck, shut up' a guy can take before... y'know.

OFFICER BROWN: You must've been angry.

CUSTOS: I... was. When the tower collapsed, I... I was angry. I wasn't going to help her. I yelled at her. Said some very nasty things. [AVOIDING EYE CONTACT.]

OFFICER BROWN: She said you weren't able to help.

CUSTOS: Yeah, the tower started to drop me. I... I jumped to safety. I don't know how she's still alive, but... I'm glad. I couldn't live with myself if she... y'know.

OFFICER BROWN: Once you were separated, what happened?

CUSTOS: I explored the mines for a long fucking time. I kept hearing the creepiest shit, weird f—kin' animals.

OFFICER BROWN: Please refrain from swearing.

CUSTOS: Sorry. Anyway, eventually I ran into Abi. She was so hurt, I didn't know what to do. I practically carried her through the mines. I had to protect her when that freaky monster animal chased us.

OFFICER BROWN: You could have saved yourself quicker. Why didn't you?

CUSTOS: [DEFENSIVE.] You kidding? It's Abi. She's my friend.

OFFICER BROWN: Even if she was flirting with Emma?

CUSTOS: ... [NODS.] Yes. Even then.

OFFICER BROWN: How did you escape the 'monster'?

CUSTOS: Broke through some rotted wooden boards, hid on the side of the mountain edge. For some reason... it didn't see us when we stayed still.

OFFICER BROWN: Didn't see you?

CUSTOS: Yeah... like... if we stayed still, we were invisible. Like that dumb kid game, 'red-light, green-light'.

OFFICER BROWN: Just two more questions. Is that alright?

CUSTOS: Sure.

OFFICER BROWN: Are any of your friends known to be aggressive?

CUSTOS: Aggressive? No... unless you count Kaitlyn always beating my a— in Uno.

OFFICER BROWN: Final question, Mr. Custos. How would you describe the 'monster'?

CUSTOS: Ugly as s—t and f—kin' terrifying. Would not recommend.

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Jacob Custos
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 8:58 AM

(When he left the office, he didn't look at the others. His face was still puffy from crying earlier under Nick's arm and the dried tear tracks burned with the shame of it. He instead nodded once at the first one to meet his eyes - and headed towards the bathroom of the station.

He felt grimy, and disgusting - despite being relatively clean, if he compared himself to the others. He wasn't too sure why no one else had thought of this, but it had been a long night. Too long.

He shoved his head under the sink and used the soap to scrub at his hair, then his face and any visible skin he could reach. Then, looking up at his dripping reflection, he wiped at his eyes and tried to breathe slowly.

hisfaulthisfaulthisfault his fault his fault His fault His Fault His FAULT HIS FAULT HIS FAULT IT WAS ALL HIS FAULT—

Oh. Ow.

His knuckles hurt.

The shattered mirror sent visions of his distorted figure as he backed away from it, a warmth on his fingers sliding and dripping. When he wiped at his eyes again, the mirror shards showed a swipe of red on his skin.

He wiped at his eyes again. And again. And again and again and again and—

Arms wrapped around him.

He froze, looking down to see Emma. She— why was she — she hugged him. Him. After what he did, why would she? She should hate him. He thought she did. So why was she hugging him?

"You've got something on your face," She said, reaching for his face. He turned away from her, resistant. She wasn't allowed to do that anymore. He couldn't let her calm him down with a single touch and some half-hearted words. He was done. They were done. She was too good for him.

"Em'—Emma," He corrected. "I need to be alone."

She huffed at him, arm loosening from around him. "I know. But I also know that you don't really believe that." His eyes squeezed shut for a moment, before he moved toward the other sink in the bathroom. She was right, he did have something on his face.

The water is less satisfying now, and more drowning than cooling. Emma remains behind him, and he can hear each bated breath of an attempt to speak. He isn’t sure what he would want her to say. ‘Sorry for cussing you out and then falling to my death?’ Or, un-death? Whatever. Maybe he wants her to yell at him.

“You–” She starts and stops. Then, pressing on, voice shaky, “You’re an asshole. And I should’ve broken up with you years ago. But I did love you. And I’m sorry I never showed it. You didn’t deserve it. You’re an asshole but I didn’t need to be a bitch. And I was. So I’m sorry.”

Jacob feels… something.

He met her eyes through the mirror. She looks small, her arms hugging around her waist. Jacob thinks that maybe, perhaps, this is the first time he’s ever seen the real her.

“We never were good together, were we?”

Emma’s face does an odd thing. “No, I don’t think so.”

Jacob nodded once. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.”

Jacob can’t really breathe right now, but he’s getting used to the feeling of the world caving in on him. So he does what any reformed asshole would do, and turns to face Emma. “Punch me.”

“Punch you?”

“C’mon, get me back, get even,” He urged.

Emma stared at him.

Then she shrugged and swung.

Jacob would have a bruise for weeks.)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Laura Kearney
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 9:00 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

KEARNEY: My name is Laura Kearney. I'm twenty (20).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Laura?

KEARNEY: Max and I went to the guest cabin, but, he got taken.

OFFICER BROWN: Taken?

KEARNEY: By one of the wendigos.

OFFICER BROWN: It couldn't have been one of the Hackett's?

KEARNEY: Unless they suddenly had razor sharp claws, s—t vision, and ate people. I know what I saw. It was a wendigo. I chased after Max, and found myself in the mines.

OFFICER BROWN: The mines?

KEARNEY: At first, yeah. I thought I saw... at first, I thought Max's attacker was a guy. I was wrong.

OFFICER BROWN: A guy? Why would you think that?

KEARNEY: Mr. Hackett, he was there. Trying to help, I guess. I thought he was the one who...

OFFICER BROWN: So he was there when Max was attacked?

KEARNEY: Yeah. But, it—it wasn't him. It was the wendigo. I thought Max was dead, he fell deeper down and I... I couldn't do anything. [FISTS CLENCHED.]

OFFICER BROWN: You must've wanted revenge for Max.

KEARNEY: I did, yeah. I chased after Mr. Hackett; I found myself at the old sanatorium.

OFFICER BROWN: He went to the sanatorium?

KEARNEY: Yeah. I think he lived there, maybe? There was... [PAUSES.]

OFFICER BROWN: What was there, Ms. Kearney?

KEARNEY: Nothing. He had a black wolf with him, but it died. I found it hung up in the sanatorium. It's... probably still there.

OFFICER BROWN: What did you do then?

KEARNEY: I looked around the sanatorium. I wanted to confront him. I found so many creepy things in the sanatorium. I... it's better if you go down there and look. It's too much to explain. I did...

OFFICER BROWN: Did?

KEARNEY: I did find a gun. Once I found a way inside of Mr. Hackett's room.

OFFICER BROWN: The gun you pointed at Emma.

KEARNEY: Ah. They told you. Yeah. I... I did. [AVOIDING EYE CONTACT.]

OFFICER BROWN: Why?

KEARNEY: I thought she was infected. At the time, I... I dunno what I was thinking. I guess I wasn't. I just... I couldn't lose Max again.

OFFICER BROWN: What happened with Sheriff Hackett?

KEARNEY: [VISIBLY DISGUSTED.] God, that f—ker? Dude was a f—king creep. He confessed to stalking me when I was a teenager and was recently stalking Dylan for months. He tortured him, Kaitlyn, and Ryan practically all night.

OFFICER BROWN: He... stalked you?

KEARNEY: Yeah. Some Sheriff, hm? You guys sure know how to pick trustworthy, upstanding police officers.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney.

KEARNEY: Right. Sorry. [EYE ROLL.] I got to the lodge just in time to stop Kaitlyn from shooting herself. Another one of that sick a—hole's games.

OFFICER BROWN: She was going to shoot herself? Why?

KEARNEY: I—look, I dunno. She, Ryan and Dylan were tied up in chairs, and she had a gun in her hand, pointed to her chin. I saved them from getting sawed into and that's when Travis—Sheriff Hackett revealed himself.

OFFICER BROWN: Why did he do it?

KEARNEY: After Kaylee and Caleb, he... look, the guy was insane. He thought he could put Caleb's ghost into Dylan's body and then kill us all. Thing is... I don't think he was hallucinating. Caleb really was there.

OFFICER BROWN: ...

KEARNEY: Look. I know it sounds crazy, because it is. But it's the truth. And if you saw what I saw tonight? You'd believe it too. You didn't see... [SWALLOWS HARD.]

OFFICER BROWN: So he showed himself, he confessed. Then what?

KEARNEY: I... [LOOKS AWAY.] Ishothim.

OFFICER BROWN: Excuse me?

KEARNEY: I shot him. I... I lost my temper, and he was being aggressive and... I thought he was the one who attacked Max. It was wrong and... I shouldn't have shot him. He... he should've gotten justice shoved in his face. But... I just saw red.

OFFICER BROWN: Was he working alone? Nick mentioned Robert Hackett was there, too.

KEARNEY: Yeah, Bobby was there. I... you know, I don't think he even realized how f—ked up his brother was. He was convinced they were doing the right thing. He told Ryan and I about the wendigos, after we took him and Tr—Sheriff Hackett to the shed.

OFFICER BROWN: So, you shot him, then you tied him and Robert up in the shed. After that?

KEARNEY: We heard Emma screaming from the lodge, asking to be let in. We left the two in the shed to see if she was okay. She had Nick with her — I suppose they crossed paths.

OFFICER BROWN: Then Chris Hackett showed up?

KEARNEY: Yes, with Max. He told us more about the wendigos. Then he and Ryan left to get Sheriff Hackett and Bobby from the shed. We went down to the basement to wait, but neither of them came back.

OFFICER BROWN: And you pointed a gun at Emma.

KEARNEY: ... [SIGHS.] Yeah. I...

OFFICER BROWN: ...

KEARNEY: [CLEARS THROAT. VISIBLY TEARING UP.] Anyway, I left to get the key off of Ryan. My logic was the wendigo would take him to its nest — which, of course, I was right. I went through the sanatorium to find the tunnel.

OFFICER BROWN: The sanatorium is also up in flames.

KEARNEY: Only the Psychiatric Wing. We got surrounded by wendigos, it was the only choice we had.

OFFICER BROWN: We?

KEARNEY: Huh?

OFFICER BROWN: You said we.

KEARNEY: O-oh, yeah. Dylan and Kaitlyn showed up and helped me out. Kept me from getting more than just these scratches. [GESTURES.]

OFFICER BROWN: You must've found Mr. Erzahler after that.

KEARNEY: Yeah, we did. Right in the beast's belly. The nest. It... f—k.

OFFICER BROWN: ...

KEARNEY: We found a grave. Caleb's grave. Kaylee buried him. She survived the fall and she... she starved slowly. She ate him to survive. But all it did was turn her into a monster. Sweet, kind Kaylee. It's... [SOBS.] it's all my fault.

OFFICER BROWN: Your fault?

KEARNEY: The prank, a year ago. It was me. It was my idea. I'm... I'm the reason they ran into the woods. I'm the reason the Hackett family is dead. I'm the reason Kaylee turned into... that.

OFFICER BROWN: …

KEARNEY: [WIPES FACE.] Dylan and I headed back to the lodge to get the others. But... the wendigos were already there. You already know the rest. Kaitlyn blew it up. Here we are.

OFFICER BROWN: I have a few more questions. Is that alright?

KEARNEY: Shoot.

OFFICER BROWN: Are any of your friends known to be violent or aggressive?

KEARNEY: No.

OFFICER BROWN: Would any of them describe you as violent or aggressive?

KEARNEY: Before tonight? No. Now? Maybe. After what I did to Sheriff Hackett and Emma.

OFFICER BROWN: What about Mr. Erzahler? He and Chris Hackett were close. Now Chris Hackett is dead and Mr. Erzahler is fine.

KEARNEY: You... you call that fine? [GESTURES TO THE EXIT.] He's breaking at the seams. Hell, all of us are. He lost so many people tonight. Family. Even if not by blood. So don't accuse him of sh—t. Out of all of us? He deserved this the least.

OFFICER BROWN: I am required to ask.

KEARNEY: Yeah. I think we're done here. F—k off. F—k you. [GETS OUT OF CHAIR.]

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Laura Kearney
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 9:15 AM

(Laura’s hands are curled into tight, angry fists as she slammed the door open and stormed out. Stupid fuckin’ cops and their stupid fuckin’ corrupt justice system. God fuckin’ – okay, stop swearing. Take a breather.

Laura kicked the wall.

That wasn’t exactly taking a breather, but it made her feel better.

Kicking it again makes her toe sting, but the pain is enough to jar her out of her fog. She huffed, turning to face the others as Ryan was called into the room. Nick frowned up at her, sympathy on his face. “Cops, right?”

“Cops,” she growled.

Laura could overthrow the government if she tried, right? She just couldn’t let Max know, and she could do it. Yeah, Laura would definitely do that (no one tell Max).

How exactly she would go about it was the real question… hm…

“You've been checked for a concussion, right? You’ve been staring at that wall angrily for like.. two minutes.” Laura glared over at Jacob. Then she blinked in surprise.

“Is that a black eye??”

Jacob looked away. “...no.” Laura squinted at him suspiciously. He visibly sweated.

Emma looked proud from her spot next to Nick.

“Did they say if we can go see the others?” Jacob asked quickly. “I want to see Kait. Lemme ask!” He stood and walked away, towards a nearby officer. Emma snorted to herself.

Laura hoped their temporary truce was still in place. “What’d you do to him?” Emma stiffened momentarily, then shrugged.

“He told me to punch him, so I did.”

Ah, so Jacob is a dumbass who doesn’t know how to properly atone and offers violence as a solution? Got it. Laura missed Max - now that was a dumbass she could handle. Jacob just tires her out sooo easily.

“Of course, and you punched him.”

“I’m not passing up an opportunity like that, Laura, don’t you know me?” Emma gasped, hand pressed to her chest in offense. Laura rolled her eyes.

Then hid a wince. Ow. Note to self, don’t roll your eyes when you have an eye injury. It hurts.

“Good news!” A voice shouted in her ear.

Laura screamed and swung around to punch the voice in the face.

“No no, wait–!”

Laura stared at the panicked Jacob incredulously. “Are you crazy? I almost hit you!”

“I’m sorry!” Jacob seemed sincere, at least. “But really, good news. We can go see them in the ER.”

“Thank god,” Laura blurted, already moving toward the doors. Emma and Nick stayed close behind, all three eager to see the others. Jacob lingered behind them.

“I’ll stay here - and wait for Ryan.” He called, and Laura waved a hand of acknowledgment behind her.

The three headed toward the ER, connected to the police station.)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Ryan Erzahler
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 9:17 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

ERZAHLER: Ryan Erzahler. Twenty (20).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Ryan?

ERZAHLER: Sheriff Hackett and Bobby hurt us. Then, we learned about the wendigos. We blew the lodge up to get rid of them and save ourselves.

OFFICER BROWN: That must have been difficult. How about we start with Sheriff Hackett? What did he and Robert Hackett do?

ERZAHLER: Some sick perversion. They wanted to torture us for what happened to their niece and nephew. Even if the three of us weren't involved. They didn't care.

OFFICER BROWN: The others mentioned you going through 'games' of sorts. Like Saw traps.

ERZAHLER: Yeah. Chained Jacob and I up, had Kaitlyn pick who to save. She... she picked me, though I don't really know why. She tried to explain but... even if I dislike the guy, I don't like knowing that if the others hadn't saved us, Jacob would be dead. I'm... not worth another man's life.

OFFICER BROWN: You and Jacob don't get along?

ERZAHLER: Not really. We're too different. We weren't really friends, even as kids. We just happened to be in the same friend group. For a while, I blamed him for what happened to Caleb and Kaylee. ...I'm glad he's alive, but we aren't friends.

OFFICER BROWN: Once the others split up, you and Ms. Ka went to find Mr. Lenivy, right?

ERZAHLER: Yeah. He was still at the lodge. Before the 'game' started, we all got separated after we played with a stupid spirit board.

OFFICER BROWN: Did you find him?

ERZAHLER: Not at first. We got lured around by balloons and locked doors. And... look, this will sound crazy. But I think... Someone was leading us. Not Sheriff Hackett or Bobby. I think it was...

OFFICER BROWN: ...

ERZAHLER: [SIGHS.] I think it was Caleb. His ghost. He was leading us to Dylan, towards the truth.

OFFICER BROWN: The truth being Sheriff Hackett's involvement?

ERZAHLER: Yes.

OFFICER BROWN: So, he led you to Mr. Lenivy.

ERZAHLER: Yeah, further into the basement. Those bastards drugged him, gave him too much. He looks bad now, but at the time... we thought he would die.

OFFICER BROWN: The human body is resilient.

ERZAHLER: Yeah... he's amazing.

OFFICER BROWN: What happened after you found him?

ERZAHLER: Sheriff Hackett and Bobby knocked us out. We woke up in front of another of his stupid traps. Kaitlyn had to pick who to kill.

OFFICER BROWN: You, Mr. Lenivy, or herself.

ERZAHLER: Correct. She picked herself, but Laura saved us before she could pull the trigger.

OFFICER BROWN: Why do you think she picked herself?

ERZAHLER: I... I dunno. Pretty sure all of my friends are self-sacrificing idiots.

OFFICER BROWN: You wouldn't have chosen yourself?

ERZAHLER: ... I didn't say that.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney said she shot Travis Hackett. Why do you think she did this?

ERZAHLER: He was coming over, and we just found out he was responsible for all of the s—t we'd been through. She thought she was protecting us. Maybe she was. I have no idea what he would've done if she hadn't shot him.

OFFICER BROWN: After she shot him, the two of you took him and Robert Hackett to the shed behind the lodge. Why?

ERZAHLER: We didn't feel safe with them in the lodge, and... I guess, a part of us knew Travis was going to die from that gunshot. We didn't want anyone to be around when he did.

OFFICER BROWN: Do you regret leaving them in the shed? Ms. Kearney said they both died after you went to see Ms. Mountebank.

ERZAHLER: Regret? No. Not really. They hurt my friends, hurt me. They may have been like family once, but they weren't anymore.

OFFICER BROWN: What happened with Chris Hackett?

ERZAHLER: ...

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Erzahler?

ERZAHLER: It happened so fast.

OFFICER BROWN: What did?

ERZAHLER: The wendigo. It got Chr—him. It got him. Got Travis and Bobby too.

OFFICER BROWN: Got him?

ERZAHLER: Tore his head off right in front of me. He was alive, talking to me, and then... [STOPS.]

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney thought he was stalking her at first. That he was part of what happened.

ERZAHLER: Yeah..

OFFICER BROWN: Is it possible she could have killed him?

ERZAHLER: What? Are you... are you kidding? She wasn't even there.

OFFICER BROWN: He had a flamethrower. If he attacked you—

ERZAHLER: He saved my life. And I watched him die. I wasn't good enough.

OFFICER BROWN: The monster took you into the mines. Why do you think it spared you?

ERZAHLER: It was Kaylee.

OFFICER BROWN: The monster was Kaylee Hackett?

ERZAHLER: Yeah. She survived the fall but... she starved. She ate Caleb and turned into that thing.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney said the same.

ERZAHLER: Cuz that's what happened. [DEFENSIVE.]

OFFICER BROWN: So... 'she' took you to the mines, to 'her' nest. You must've been scared.

ERZAHLER: Well... yeah. I didn't want to die. I wanted to see my sister again.

OFFICER BROWN: What's in the mines, Ryan?

ERZAHLER: [LAUGH.] I've seen what's down there... and I'd give anything to unsee it.

OFFICER BROWN: You managed to get out of them. How?

ERZAHLER: Laura, Dylan and Kaitlyn. They found me. Kaitlyn helped me out of the mines the long way. Laura and Dylan went out the short way, up this massive rock wall. We didn't run into any trouble, somehow. Laura's wolf followed us, though.

OFFICER BROWN: I'm sorry... Ms. Kearney's 'wolf'?

ERZAHLER: Yeah. The white wolf. It apparently followed her around when she was alone in the sanatorium the second time. They were like... buddies.

OFFICER BROWN: It wasn't a dog?

ERZAHLER: No. It was a wolf. A smart as hell wolf, but... yeah.

OFFICER BROWN: Then you got to the lodge.

ERZAHLER: Yeah. Kaitlyn blew it up after I broke a lightbulb. There was a gas pipe leaking, and... it was the only way.

OFFICER BROWN: You're all lucky to have survived.

ERZAHLER: We really were. I'm so grateful.

OFFICER BROWN: I have a few more questions. Is that alright?

ERZAHLER: Mhm.

OFFICER BROWN: Have any of your friends ever been aggressive?

ERZAHLER: No.

OFFICER BROWN: Not even Ms. Kearney?

ERZAHLER: No.

OFFICER BROWN: Would any of them describe you as aggressive or violent?

ERZAHLER: I hope not. No. Do YOU describe me as aggressive or violent?

OFFICER BROWN: No, I do not.

ERZAHLER: What about my friends? Do you think they're aggressive and violent?

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Erzahler—

ERZAHLER: Yeah, yeah. Ask your questions.

OFFICER BROWN: ... Last question. How would you describe the monsters?

ERZAHLER: F—k ugly. Are we done here?

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Ryan Erzahler
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 9:26 AM

(Jacob was the only one there when Ryan exited the room, arms crossed and leaning against the wall behind him.

“Where are the others?” He asked. No gentle words shared between them — no point, really.

Everyone knew they didn’t like each other, and there was no point in pretending they were magically friends now.

“They’re – the others can be visited,” Jacob answered, straightening from his slump on the wall.

He could go see the others? Yes, please. He had to check on Dylan and Kaitlyn – Abi, too. He definitely should check on Abi too. Just to make sure she was really okay. Er, as okay as she could be.

He headed that way without another word to Jacob. The jock could follow him if he wanted.

The brief moment outside again, the harsh beats of the freezing wind, made his body clench and crawl with unease. He needed to get inside. He crossed the pathway, glancing around in the early morning and finding comfort in seeing life around him. The cars that passed served to remind him that the mountain was miles away.

He pushed through the entrance of the ER building, and asked the front desk where his friends were. The older woman took one look at his haggard, beaten appearance and offered to guide him.

(She also offered a shower and a change of clothes. He’s a little ashamed of how loudly he had shouted ‘yes!’ at the offer.)

He smiled to himself when he saw Dylan again. The smile faded when he realized that Dylan was being guided toward the direction he just came from.

“Wait, wait, shouldn’t he rest first?” Ryan said to the officer. Dylan smiled at him, face tired, lips pale, but his cheeks are full of color for the first time in hours. He looks awake, too, the foggy look of ‘not all there’ gone.

He was in clean scrubs, and without the blood and dirt covering his skin, Dylan looked like himself again.

“Hey, it’s okay. I told them I was ready.” Dylan reassured. Ryan’s skin crawled at the thought of losing sight of Dylan so soon again, but he knew that he couldn’t stop him. Dylan gestured behind him. “Keep an eye on Kaitlyn, okay? She’s having a hard time; she needs us.”

Naturally, Ryan doesn’t think twice before agreeing. Kaitlyn was their best friend, and after tonight? He’d help her with anything she asked for the rest of their lives. “Be safe,” Ryan demanded of him.

Dylan had never looked prettier than when he whispered back, “Always.” And followed the exasperated officer away.

Ryan watched him leave, wondering just how loud Sarah was going to scream when she found out it finally happened. She knew about his feelings for Dylan before Ryan did, so he could only imagine—

“Be safe,” A cooing voice purred. Ryan whirled around to see Max and Laura teasing him. Max, bandaged and also in clean blue scrubs, took Laura’s hands and kissed them dramatically.

“I’ll be so safe,” He purred.

Ryan glowered. “Stop.” The annoying couple just laughed at him. “I’ll kill you.”

“But how will that keep us safe?” Laura gasped, the fucker actually forcing tears into her eyes. Ryan sneered.

“I hate you.”

“Awww, I hate you too! We get along so well, don’t we?” She asked Max. Max nodded along agreeably.

Ryan’s eye twitched and he left the two where they were — ignoring their snickering as it faded to the background.

Abi was upright and speaking when he finally found her room — the petite girl comforting Nick. Emma was off to the side like a guard dog, and Ryan didn’t come closer when he noticed her shaking her head.

He’d check on her later. Those three needed time together, he understood.

He found Kaitlyn’s room was adjacent to Abi’s, and he knocked once before coming in. Kaitlyn was pacing. The warmth of her skin was making a slow return, but there was an ill grayness to her that came from the trauma of tonight. She looked exhausted, ready to collapse, but didn't stop her anxious movements.

“Jacob’s on his way to you,” He said. Kaitlyn’s feet paused in their stride before continuing onward. Step step step twirl, step step step twirl, repeat. “Everyone’s been giving him grief since he showed up.”

Kaitlyn’s shoulders shifted up and down with a hefty sigh. “You should be nicer to him.” Her voice — it didn’t even sound like her. You know those AI voice configurations? Yeah, it was like listening to that instead of the real deal. Bland, not-quite right, lifeless. Robotic.

“I know. I’ll tell the others to cool it. He went through shit tonight, too.” Even if it was ridiculously easy to mess with him, Ryan knew when to back off. “Do you want to talk to him first? Or are we gonna chat now?”

Kaitlyn finally stopped her frenzied pace, and faced him. Her eyes were downcast. She looked gaunt, shellshocked. “Am I going to jail?”

“What?”

“For what happened. They’re gonna arrest me for blowing up the lodge. I know they are. I don’t know why they’re making me wait like this. I’m gonna go to prison. I know I am.” She didn’t seem all there, eyes glazed and fogged with panic and a disassociation.

“Kaitlyn, no, hey, they’re not going to arrest you.” Right? “We’ve all told them you saved us. They won’t take you to jail for saving us.”

Kaitlyn shook her head quickly, swallowing hard enough her throat bobbed with it. She was crying. Ryan didn’t know what to do, or how to help. He was awful with this — he didn’t do well with the whole… crying thing.

“Kait, can I come in?”

BUT JACOB WASN’T!

Ryan swung the door open for the jock — his unexpected knight in shining armor — and jabbed an accusing finger towards Kaitlyn. Help her! He mouthed silently. Jacob gaped at him. You’re her brother, help her!

“A-ah, shit, okay—Kait, hey, c’mere—“ Jacob stumbled past him and gathered Kaitlyn into his arms. Ryan backed out of the room and let out a deep sigh of relief.

He’d uh… wait until the crying session was over. He’s too emotionally constipated to help with that right now.

Jacob had her handled for now.

Ryan needed a shower anyway. He smelled horrible.)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Dylan Lenivy
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 9:30 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

LENIVY: Um, right. Dylan Lenivy. I'm nineteen (19).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Dylan?

LENIVY: A lot. This was the longest night of my life. I can't believe any of this was real.

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Erzahler said you were drugged. The medics found just under 100mg (milligrams) of morphine in your system.

LENIVY: Really? Holy sh—t. How am I even like, alive?

OFFICER BROWN: You were incredibly lucky tonight.

LENIVY: Sh—t, yeah, seems like it.

OFFICER BROWN: What happened after you separated with the others in the lodge? Before you were taken.

LENIVY: I went to the attic. I was just trying to calm down after the seance we had and... I fell asleep. I woke up after an hour? Maybe two. And... [HESITATES.] s-something led me around, down to the basement.

OFFICER BROWN: 'Something'? What do you mean?

LENIVY: Did... did Ryan tell you about the ghost? About Caleb?

OFFICER BROWN: He spoke of it, yes. I assume that you experienced something similar?

LENIVY: Yeah... Caleb was trying to lead me away from his uncles. I... I thought I was just hearing things, I ignored his voice. I... I should've listened.

OFFICER BROWN: So you were led to the basement, where you were drugged?

LENIVY: Well, no. I was led to the theater room first. They showed me a video of myself sleeping. They were in the room, touching me.

OFFICER BROWN: Touching you?

LENIVY: Like... [AVERTS GAZE.] stroking my back, my hair. I didn't even feel it. Have you ever... experienced something like that?

OFFICER BROWN: It must not be easy to know you were unknowingly vulnerable.

LENIVY: Yeah, it really isn't.

OFFICER BROWN: So they showed you the video?

LENIVY: And then, Bobby came into the room. He chased me down the basement. I thought I was getting away but—I failed. I got caught. I... hah. [FALLS SILENT. SNIFFS.]

OFFICER BROWN: ...

LENIVY: I woke up tied to a chair. Kaitlyn and Ryan were there. Kait, she had a gun.

OFFICER BROWN: She aimed at herself, then Ms. Kearney saved you all.

LENIVY: Yeah. I was scared. I didn't, I couldn't, lose her. Couldn't lose Ryan either. Thank god Laura got there in time.

OFFICER BROWN: How did you feel when Sheriff Hackett revealed himself?

LENIVY: Sick, in more than one way. He was practically family growing up. We all spent so much time at the Hackett home, I just... we all trusted him.

OFFICER BROWN: Did he explain why he stalked you in particular?

LENIVY: God, it was insane. He wanted to put Caleb's spirit, like, into my body, however the f—k he planned to do that. I was the closest to Caleb, I guess that's why he chose me.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney said that he got aggressive and she had to shoot him.

LENIVY: Yeah, I guess. That sounds right. I... I didn't really notice. I was really out of it for a while. Only sobered up a little when Emma and Nick came back.

OFFICER BROWN: And then Chris Hackett arrived with Mr. Brinly.

LENIVY: Mhm. Max looked so... gosh, I thought he was dead. There was so much blood. But then he and Laura were hugging and Mr. H told us about the... the wendigos.

OFFICER BROWN: What did you think when he told you that?

LENIVY: I mean... I'd been drugged unconscious for most of the night until that point and... I guess I didn’t want to believe it. But it's hard to deny what's right in front of you.

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Erzahler went with Chris Hackett to get his brothers. How did you know he was taken?

LENIVY: I... god, don't tell the others. I went outside like a dumba—. Found Mr. H's body, and his brothers. But no Ryan. I didn't know if he was dead or not, but I refused to believe he'd be gone just like that.

OFFICER BROWN: So you went back to the others, and Mr. Kearney pointed her gun at Ms. Mountebank.

LENIVY: [FISTS CLENCHED.] Yeah. She did. Y'know, Emma and I had never been close, but I'd never consider pointing a gun in her face over a bite. Laura and her were best friends. How could she do THAT?

OFFICER BROWN: People tend to act irrationally in times of crisis.

LENIVY: I know. Just... still.

OFFICER BROWN: What made you and Ms. Ka decide to go after Ms. Kearney?

LENIVY: Kait read Mr. H's journal, and it mentioned the sanatorium. Apparently he locked up most of the wendigos there. Laura was walking into a death trap.

OFFICER BROWN: Laura mentioned you arrived to save her.

LENIVY: Mhm. Took a while though. I... I thought I heard...

OFFICER BROWN: ...

LENIVY: I thought I heard Abi. In the tunnels. I don't know how, or why, but I know I heard her. But all I found was a wendigo. If it wasn't for Kait coming to help, I'd be dead.

OFFICER BROWN: We found Ms. Blyg and Mr. Custos on the side of the mountain.

LENIVY: They're alive?

OFFICER BROWN: Yes. Ms. Blyg is still being treated for her wounds, and Mr. Custos and your other friends were all sent to receive more treatment for their injuries.

LENIVY: [SIGHS. FISTS RELAX.] Good. I, when Nick said she was dead, back at the lodge, I... I was in denial. Abi's small, but she's strong. She's the strongest of all of us. It's hard to imagine her gone just like that.

OFFICER BROWN: [PROMPTS.] You and Ms. Ka eventually arrived at the sanatorium and saved Ms. Kearney, correct?

LENIVY: We managed to keep her from getting more than just a few scratches. There were loads of gas barrels in the room, so we shot them and — well, that's why that wing of the sanatorium is ashes, now.

OFFICER BROWN: ...

LENIVY: We found Caleb's body in the mines, near Kaylee's... 'nest'. [EYES LOWER.] We also found some old papers. She'd used them to write notes during the month she was still human. She... uh, she ate him.

OFFICER BROWN: That can't have been easy to find out.

LENIVY: Not at all. And when Laura told us about her involvement last year... I'm not an angry person, Officer. But I was pissed when she told me what she'd done.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney didn't give details about her involvement.

LENIVY: Yeah? Let's keep it that way.

OFFICER BROWN: You went with Ms. Kearney after you found Mr. Erzahler.

LENIVY: Yup. Got to the lodge, and boom! No more lodge. No more wendigos. Whoop-de-doo.

OFFICER BROWN: I have a few more questions. Is that alright?

LENIVY: Go for it.

OFFICER BROWN: Would you describe any of your friends as aggressive or violent?

LENIVY: ... Laura.

OFFICER BROWN: From tonight, or since you've known her?

LENIVY: From tonight. I'm being bitter, I know. I just don't like when people hurt my friends, even if that friend was someone I haven't talked to in ages. Laura acted with an anger in her tonight that I've never seen before.

OFFICER BROWN: We were told that Sheriff Hackett was also predatory towards Ms. Kearney.

LENIVY: Yeah, back when she was still a minor. We all heard it, he didn't even seem that ashamed. God. You think you know someone. Poor f—king Laura.

OFFICER BROWN: How would you describe the 'monsters'?

LENIVY: Ugh. I'd rather not think of them ever again.

OFFICER BROWN: As simple as you can, then.

LENIVY: I can just tell you what wendigos are in as literal terms as possible. I can't think about them. I really can't. Can I do that?

OFFICER BROWN: Yes.

LENIVY: Great. Phew. [SIGHS. LEANS BACK.] 'Evil spirits that inhabited the deformed bodies of humans who turned to cannibalism as a last resort.' Happy?

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Dylan Lenivy
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 9:45 AM

(His hands are slick with a cold, clammy sweat that he wipes on the blue scrubs he was gifted. He fucking hates talking to cops. The few times he has before — a speeding ticket here, and of course, last year when the siblings went missing — have left him with the same sick feeling.

He just — every word that leaves his mouth feels damning, even though he knows that he’s innocent. He feels like even accidentally insinuating something would have him thrown to jail.

He wanted to call his mom.

His phone was dead but the only charger provided was already being used by Emma. He wanted to be irritated but there was a soft spot for the blonde that had formed in him the moment she cowered against him for protection.

He frowned to himself, cursing his considerate nature. Couldn’t he just be an asshole? But nooo, he’d get all guilty and ashamed for hurting someone’s feelings. Maybe this is why Kaitlyn always calls him a people pleaser.

Since calling his mom is currently out of the question, he settled for the next best thing — checking in on everyone.

As he walked into the ER, Max was being taken for questioning. Dylan didn’t offer a smile — because by extension of Laura, Dylan was mad at him, too. But, via a sharp guilty stab, he did wave at him instead. Max, the stupidly nice idiot, waved back with a tired grin.

Stupid. People need to stop being so nice, and maybe Dylan could feel okay about being an asshole. He already wanted to run back to the officer and take back everything he said about Laura. He was bitter, but he shouldn’t have said what he said. What if she got in trouble?

God, okay, just ignore that for now. It’s not like he was even speaking to Laura, and he didn’t have the stomach to lie to the cops.

He knocked on the room that contained Abi (and naturally Nick and Emma by her side), and entered when Nick called for him to come in.

Abi looked awful, despite being clean and changed — bandaged all over and covered in bruises and cuts. Her pupils were uneven when the lights hit them just right, revealing the awful concussion she had.

“You’re looking better,” Emma said in greeting, smiling up at him. He returned it, nodding once.

“Yeah, turns out eating and drinking water was the cure for feeling like shit. And whatever drug they gave me to counteract the sedatives.” At least he was done with his forced overdose. He thought he was going to die at any moment, but finally he was as steady as he could be. He desperately needed sleep, but this would do for now.

“God, I could sleep for a year,” Nick yawned, as if reading his mind. Dylan and the two girls nodded in agreement, not one eye missing a complimentary purple bag. “How are the others?”

“Max is getting questioned now. Then it’s just Kaitlyn and Abi left.” Dylan rubbed at his neck with a wince. “Not to run so soon after coming in, but—“

“Go.” Abi encouraged hoarsely. “We’ll be okay. Say hi to Kaitlyn and Ryan for me. And — tell Jacob to come see me.”

An odd request, but one Dylan would fulfill. He nodded, a part of him wanting to hug all of them — but he settled for awkwardly bowing his head and leaving the room without another word.

He headed to Kaitlyn’s room, pausing at the sight of Ryan hovering at the door with an uncomfortable expression. The same expression he always got when emotions were happening that Ryan wasn’t sure how to respond towards. Dylan peeked in the small window on the door to see Jacob speaking with Kaitlyn. Good, okay, one crisis averted.

“Hey,” He murmured to Ryan.

Ryan looked better than before, now clean and redressed. He still looked haunted, but that would never change.

“Hey. She’s crying.”

“I can see that. Tonight was hard for her. For everyone.” But Kaitlyn was different. She didn’t know how to let herself be weak, didn’t know how to show her upset without feeling like a burden. She was a protector, a rock for others. She always seemed unsteady when it came to confronting the idea that she wasn’t unbreakable.

Dylan prophesized many nights of stilted talk until an inevitable blow up. Like always. But, it worked for Kaitlyn, so Dylan accepted that about her. What kind of friend would he be if he didn’t?

“Hey,” Ryan started again. “Are we…”

“Are we?” Dylan prompted.

“Those kisses weren’t a one-time thing, right? Like,” Ryan babbled. “Like we can do it more? As—as, uh—“

“As boyfriends?” Dylan finished for him.

Ryan looked bashful. “Y-yeah. I understand if, like, tonight, er — if last night made you uncomfortable. With that. We can wait. Or, or not do it at all—“

“Ryan.”

Ryan visibly swallowed. Dylan bit back a smile.

“Shut up and hold my hand.”

“Okay.”

Dylan let the smile bloom when Ryan’s hand curled against his, leaning his head on top of Ryan’s. He smelled like hospital, clean and sterile. His hand occasionally squeezed Dylan’s, as if reminding himself he was still there.

Dylan felt… calm.

Content wasn’t the right word — how could he be after what happened? — but calm fit. He wasn’t fighting for his life, wasn’t actively overdosing. Everyone was alive. Not okay, but alive.

He wanted to sleep, but he needed to call his mom first.

So he held Ryan’s hand, and waited.)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Max Brinly
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 9:50 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

BRINLY: Max Brinly. I-I'm twenty (20).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Max?

BRINLY: I was carried and... taken, and...

OFFICER BROWN: What did you see?

BRINLY: I... the monster... I don't...

OFFICER BROWN: The others say Chris Hackett found you.

BRINLY: [SIGHS.] Yeah, he... he helped me. I could barely move, I... Laura...

OFFICER BROWN: [PROMPTS.] 'Laura'? What do you remember?

BRINLY: She came for me.

OFFICER BROWN: Came for you?

BRINLY: I thought... I was going to die. But I could hear her, see her chasing after me. She... she tried to save me. Is she okay? We talked in the ER but she wouldn’t tell me. She just kept asking about me.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney didn’t require any additional medical treatment. Only you, Ms. Ka, Mr. Lenivy, and Ms. Blyg.

BRINLY: [RELAXES BACK.] Good... good. Can—can we call home after this? We have a cat, and — I need someone to make sure he’s okay.

OFFICER BROWN: Of course.

BRINLY: Good...

OFFICER BROWN: Let's skip forward a bit. You, Mr. Furcillo and Ms. Mountebank were left at the lodge. Why did you go get Chris Hackett's flamethrower?

BRINLY: I spent most of the night needing help from other people. I went to get it so I could do something. Not like it mattered. I barely did sh—t.

OFFICER BROWN: Both Mr. Furcillo and Ms. Mountebank said you helped them.

BRINLY: Really? Huh. I would've said THEY saved me. [SMILES.] Wicked.

OFFICER BROWN: And finally, Ms. Ka blew up the lodge.

BRINLY: Yeah, sh—t, it was so loud, man. My ears are still ringing. Though, that could be the concussion.

OFFICER BROWN: I have a few more questions. Is that alright?

BRINLY: [NODS.] Sure..?

OFFICER BROWN: Chris Hackett found you in the mines. Did he say anything to you?

BRINLY: I... I was in-and-out of consciousness. I know I heard him say my name, a few times..? And then he kept telling me to hang on.

OFFICER BROWN: Would you describe any of your friends as aggressive or violent?

BRINLY: No. Never. And, I know you'll bring up Laura. The answer is still no. She was scared. Hell, if the roles were reversed... I don't know if I would've done it different.

OFFICER BROWN: You would've pointed a gun at Ms. Mountebank?

BRINLY: W—I mean, I wouldn't WANT to. Neither did Laura. But you... you run around all night, go through horrors for hours... and there's a chance you could be killed from a bite you thought was harmless? No one knew for certain if Emma was infected. That's what made it so f—king complicated. If we had been wrong...

OFFICER BROWN: Why did you and Ms. Kearney go to the guest cabin at first?

BRINLY: We had to talk. Laura told me about what she did last year, the prank. We couldn't talk about it around the others, especially not Ryan, Dylan and Kaitlyn. So we went to the guest cabin. Kinda. We got detoured a little.

OFFICER BROWN: Detoured?

BRINLY: Yeah, we had to go through this small chunk of the mines. Found some weird cigars and old mining plans. But not much else happened until we got close to the cabin. There was an elk.

OFFICER BROWN: An elk? Ms. Kearney didn't mention one.

BRINLY: She wouldn't. She adores animals. One of the wendigos... ripped the poor thing apart. I guess we... interrupted its meal. It chased us to the guest cabin. We thought we were in the clear, but then... yeah. I was being dragged away.

OFFICER BROWN: Last question. How would you describe the 'monster'?

BRINLY: God, uh... I barely saw them, but... y'know that creepypasta, Slender Man? Picture that, but naked. And... a face. Okay, not a good analogy. You get it, though. Can I see Laura now?

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Max Brinly
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 10:05 AM

(Max had one thing on his mind: Laura.

Everything in him — it all screamed to see her again. They’d had a moment together before he was dragged to questioning, yes, but just having her out of his sight was skin-crawling.

He was positive Laura would hate the codependent thoughts running through him. He probably would too, if he wasn’t so freshly wounded mentally and physically.

Max wasn’t really sure how to feel. Not only was his life changed forever, but so was Laura. He wanted to help her, but he wasn’t sure how. He was decent at lightening the mood, but this? How could he help this?

Maybe he didn’t need to help this. Maybe he just needed to help Laura. Not trying to fix this trauma, no trying to talk about wendigos and Travis and – yeah. None of that talk. He could just help her. When she inevitably cried, when she eventually collapsed under the weight of what happened, of what she did, of what everyone did – Max would be there.

Just like she would be there for him when he did the same.

His skin still felt wrong. His body felt too tight around his bones, as if stretched thin. Each wound pulsed and ached with a neverending heat and itching.

For one small moment, he’d felt normal. And that had been in Laura’s arms.

So, like one would towards something they just couldn’t quit, Max found himself rushing towards Laura the moment she was in sight, drinking her in and vowing to never let her go again. Within reason, of course. He wasn’t possessive or anything. Usually. But he figured that after tonight, he was allowed to be, just for a while. He needed her.

And she came for him. She ran after him without a second thought, and didn't even hesitate to dive into the mines despite the danger in front of her. And she was fucking badass the entire time.

Laura was right where he left her when he finally caught sight of her. She was moving towards him at a similar quick pace - and she smelled of soap when he dragged her into his arms. The position strained his wounds, yet he did not pull away. He clung tighter.

“They’re gonna call your mom to check on Pumpkin.” Pumpkin was their orange tabby – a fat, chaotic idiot cat that they’d raised for three years now. He was their child.

Laura’s body relaxed at the words, pulling away just enough to smile at him. “Thank you. He must be so worried.”

“Pumpkin? Nah, he’s probably chewed through his food bag, though. And torn up our curtains again.”

“That little shit. You’re probably right.”

They laughed together. Fuck, he wished this is what their time together had been like. Not fighting for their lives and killing monsters.

“Hey,” Laura started. He hummed questioningly, pressing his lips to her forehead. “What would you say to a pet wolf?”

“Excuse me?”

Laura blinked innocently up at him when he reared back to look at her. “A pet wolf.”

“What did you do?”

“Wh – nothing! Just answer the question!”

Max squinted his eyes at her. She beamed at him.

“Is this hypothetical wolf potty trained? Is it gonna eat Pumpkin?”

Laura looked decidedly shifty. “Yes.”

“Yes to which question? Laura. Which one? Answer me.”

Laura just nodded. “Yes.”

“Damn you.”)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Kaitlyn Ka
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 10:10 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

KA: ...

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Ka, state your name and age, please.

KA: Kaitlyn Ka. Twenty (20).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Kaitlyn?

KA: ...

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Ka.

KA: I don't know what you want from me. You've heard the story from everyone else over and over.

OFFICER BROWN: We would like to hear all perspectives.

KA: Hmph. Whatever. Where do I start?

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Erzahler and Mr. Custos were put in a trap, and you were made to choose. What happened before you found them?

KA: We had a séance with a spirit board. We wanted to have fun, but then the board answered. I think... It was Caleb.

OFFICER BROWN: Both Mr. Erzahler and Mr. Lenivy shared the same thought.

KA: Yeah. You don't believe any of us, though. I can tell.

OFFICER BROWN: What I believe isn't important. I just want to understand what you all went through tonight.

KA: Hmn. Sure. Anyways... Ryan and Dylan stormed off, and went different ways. I stayed at the table, I wanted to let them both cool off.

OFFICER BROWN: They fought?

KA: No. It was just... it was hard. And it's not like any of us believed there was really a ghost talking. At first.

OFFICER BROWN: What led you to the shed? How did you know to go there?

KA: I found blood near the library. I ran to find Jacob for help, but the bathroom was trashed. He'd been taken already. And I hadn't heard it. Too lost in my own shit.

OFFICER BROWN: Why didn't you get Mr. Lenivy once you suspected foul play?

KA: I didn't really have time to think. I panicked and — well, you know. I had already lost two friends last year. I couldn't do it again.

OFFICER BROWN: So you were lured to the shed, where you had to make a choice.

KA: Yeah. I... did they tell you? Do you know my choice? Ryan knew. Did Jake?

OFFICER BROWN: He came to his own conclusion.

KA: So, yes. Got it. Yeah. I picked Ryan to save. I don't know if I regret it - rather, if I would have regretted it. I think maybe I would. Jake's like my brother. Even if he's dumb sometimes. A lot of times. Always.

OFFICER BROWN: The others said you separated into groups.

KA: Mhm. Ryan and I went to find Dylan. Thank god we did.

OFFICER BROWN: They said you held a gun to yourself.

KA: I… did. Yes. I couldn’t let them die, not when I could save them. I couldn’t let them die, I couldn’t. I couldn’t.

OFFICER BROWN: Let’s skip forward. Mr. Hackett showed up with Max Brinly.

KA: He told us about the wendigos. About the curse on the mountain. I took the others to the basement, and Ryan went with him to get his brothers from the shed.

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Lenivy stayed on the ground floor to wait for them, correct?

KA: Yes. But he came down soon after. The Hackett’s were dead and Ryan was taken.

OFFICER BROWN: You don’t seem particularly upset.

KA: Do you want me to cry? Sorry to disappoint. We found Ryan and that’s all that matters.

OFFICER BROWN: They said he was in a… ‘nest’.

KA: That’s right, Kaylee’s nest. Did Dylan or Laura tell you about Caleb’s body?

OFFICER BROWN: It was mentioned. Did it have a head? Ms. Mountebank mentioned finding a skull.

KA: It didn’t. Kaylee must’ve given him a… a shrine. Or as much of one as she could, down there.

OFFICER BROWN: How did you and Mr. Erzahler escape the mines?

KA: The white wolf led us out. Must’ve been domesticated and trained by Mr. Hackett.

OFFICER BROWN: Mr. Erzahler referred to it as ‘Laura’s wolf’. Why is that?

KA: When Dylan and I found her at the sanatorium, the wolf was with her. Thing was glued to her hip until we separated. After the lodge blew up…

OFFICER BROWN: Where is the wolf now? Did you see it again?

KA: It left when the helicopter arrived. Good thing — knowing you a—holes, it would be dead.

OFFICER BROWN: Refrain from swearing. The others stated you blew up the lodge. Correct?

KA: It was a joint effort from me, Ryan and Nick. But yes, I was the reason it blew. Are you going to arrest me?

OFFICER BROWN: If we find proof that you were in danger, the arson charge may be lowered to self-defense. As of now, we cannot hold you here until we investigate.

KA: [SIGH.] Got it. So, keep good behavior til then?

OFFICER BROWN: Indeed. A few more questions.

KA: ‘Course. Go on.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Kearney pointed a gun at your friend. Do you believe she had intent to harm or kill?

KA: [SCOFF.] Who f—king knows? Probably not. For all of her tough girl sh-t, she’s got a soft heart. She can’t even kill bugs. Her and Emma were always close.

OFFICER BROWN: Could Mr. Custos be considered violent or dangerous?

KA: [LAUGHS.] Oh, you’re hilarious.

OFFICER BROWN: Ms. Ka.

KA: No. Jake would never. He still cries like a baby watching Toy Story 3. The only fights he’s been in, he was wasted. And you can check — he’s stone cold sober.

OFFICER BROWN: He admitted to leaving Ms. Mountebank to fall.

KA: What, he has to save her and not himself? They were never good for each other — I wouldn’t be surprised if she pushed him to that point, or vice versa.

OFFICER BROWN: Is there anyone in your group you would consider violent or aggressive?

KA: No. Well…

OFFICER BROWN: Well?

KA: Playing Uno with Abi can be pretty scary. But really, no. None of them.

OFFICER BROWN: Last question.

KA: Okay.

OFFICER BROWN: How would you describe ‘the monster’?

KA: Hm. Long, gangly. Sharp rows of teeth, cloudy eyes. Inhuman. Avoid at all costs. But hey — go down to the mines. You’ll see for yourself.

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Kaitlyn Ka
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 10:23 AM

(Kaitlyn wanted to pass the fuck out.

They were going to investigate the crime scene before deciding if she would be charged. Kaitlyn was so fucked if these incompetent fuckers were in charge of her life.

Jacob’s dad was shitty, but a damn good lawyer. Maybe she could pull the best friend card?

Fuck it.

Temporarily deaf in one ear, and likely stuck with a limp for months, Kaitlyn frankly didn’t care about anything right now.

Try as her friends might, Kaitlyn was officially over people right now. She needed to be alone, to recharge, and get away from all the yucky soft feelings and sweating eyes. Yes, she’s glad everyone is alive, she’s glad it's over, but now that the adrenaline is gone and the monsters are dead, she just wants to hide away from everyone for a while.

Kaitlyn needed to cuddle her dog. Her stupid little face, big floppy ears that she needed to grow into because she was only six months old and still growing. She’d left her idiot pup with her moms, but now she wanted nothing more than to have her here. Stupid emotional support animal needed to support her, right fuckin’ now. Why haven’t they invented teleportation yet? Get with the times, people!

She would settle for casually threatening an officer for an extra phone charger. What were they going to do? Arrest her?

She blew up two fuckin’ buildings. She didn’t give a shit about hurting the pigs and their feelings.

“Phone charger. Gimme.” She demanded of the female officer near the front of the station.

“We already provided one to you all.”

“You think one charger is enough? We’ll be here all fuckin’ day, moron. Give me another one. I know you have one.”

“Ma’am.” The police officer was unimpressed. “Has anyone told you a ‘please’ would suffice?”

“Many times. Now?” She waggled her hand impatiently in a grabbing motion. The officer rolled her eyes and dug into a nearby drawer.

Kaitlyn snatched the charger once it was in sight. “Finally.” She huffed, stalking away.

She ignored the officer’s sarcastic ‘you’re welcome’ that called behind her. She didn’t give a shit what she had to say, or any of the other pigs here.

“Where’s Jake?” She asked Dylan when he and Ryan came into view. They were sitting on a bench together, holding hands. Such sweet. She’d definitely hound both of them for more details later, but she was too emotionally empty at the moment.

“Talking with Abi.” Dylan answered, then frowned at the charger in her hand. “How’d you manage that?”

“Stole it.”

“Ah.”

“Makes sense.”

“It really does.” Aw, they were already bantering with each other. It was almost enough to charge her social battery a single percent.

“Scoot.” She sat squeezed next to Ryan on the bench until the two shuffled over indulgently. “I’m calling my moms and Jake’s dad. You can use my phone when I’m done.”

“My grandparents are gonna freak. And Sarah? God.” Ryan shuddered.

“She’ll be on a warpath.” Dylan agreed.

“Who knew a six-year-old could be so terrifying?” Kaitlyn shook her head, forever impressed.

Silence stretched between them for a moment. No one felt an urge to break it and Kaitlyn was grateful.

Kaitlyn sighed to herself when her phone finally lit up with life. “Thank god.”

“Do you think we’ll all still be friends after this?” Ryan asked.

Kaitlyn paused. “I dunno. I don’t think Emma and Laura will ever talk again. But maybe the rest of us will be okay.”

Dylan grimaced to himself. “Yeah, that’s a no on me and Laura.”

“What’s wrong with you and Laura? And Emma??” Ryan frowned.

Dylan’s eyes darted away. “W– uh… well…”

Kaitlyn pressed the call button hurriedly to avoid that discussion.

Personally, she thinks they’ll all be just fine, awkwardness aside.

Then her ma answered, and Kaitlyn burst into tears.

Dammit.)

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Abigail Blyg
Date: February 2nd, 2022
Start Time: 10:30 AM

OFFICER BROWN: State your name and age.

BLYG: Abigail Blyg, n-nineteen (19).

OFFICER BROWN: What happened tonight, Abigail?

BLYG: I-I can’t remember most of it… but… I know that a monster, a monster attacked us, me. That my friends were in danger, too, by something other than a monster.

OFFICER BROWN: Would you like me to jog your memory?

BLYG: Oh, please. I’d like that. The others are being so vague.

OFFICER BROWN: You, Ms. Mountebank, and Mr. Furcillo found a threatening letter near the cable car station, as well as blood. And then, upon arriving back at the lodge, found Mr. Custos and Mr. Erzahler chained up with a saw headed towards them. After freeing them, you and Mr. Furcillo went to find Ms. Kearney and Mr. Brinly, but you were intercepted by what you call a ‘monster’ and thrown off a cliffside. Mr. Custos eventually found you in the mines alone, having been dragged there. Mr. Custos then dragged you to safety, where we picked the both of you up.

BLYG: Right… I remember that now. My head…

OFFICER BROWN: You have a severe concussion. You’re lucky to be alive. All of you are.

BLYG: I-I know. I wish I could sleep for days.

OFFICER BROWN: You will have time to rest after questioning. Speaking of.. is there anything you remember now?

BLYG: Y-yes. Nick – is he really okay? I remember the monster holding onto his neck. But he wouldn’t talk about it.

OFFICER BROWN: He is physically alright. He mentioned you saved him.

BLYG: Saved him? I-I wouldn’t say that. I threw a rock at the thing and yelled at it. I wouldn’t call that saving him.

OFFICER BROWN: Then, it threw you?

BLYG: Yeah. I fell for so long. It almost felt like a dream. Y’know, the – uh, the ones where you’re falling? I thought maybe once I hit the ground I would wake up in bed. But I didn’t.

OFFICER BROWN: When you saw Mr. Custos in the mines, what happened? If you remember.

BLYG: He, he carried me. He didn’t leave me behind. He talked to me, tried to keep me awake. Then…

OFFICER BROWN: Then?

BLYG: A monster was in the mines with us. It chased us. Jacob, he could’ve abandoned me. But he didn’t. He wouldn’t.

OFFICER BROWN: We found you on the side of the mountain. He wouldn’t let us help him until we helped you.

BLYG: [SMILES.] Really? He’s – Jacob’s a good guy. I owe him my life.

OFFICER BROWN: I have a few more questions.

BLYG: Okay.. I’m ready.

OFFICER BROWN: Is there anyone in your friend group you would describe as violent or aggressive?

BLYG: N-no. No. No one.

OFFICER BROWN: Do you know anything about what happened with the Hackett family?

BLYG: No, why? Did they find something about Caleb and Kaylee?

OFFICER BROWN: We did. But we’d rather not disclose that for now.

BLYG: O-oh. Okay, sorry.

OFFICER BROWN: I suppose we can’t ask you to describe the monster beyond what you’ve already said.

BLYG: Yeah, I – I wish I could tell you. I really do. Sorry.

WITNESS INCIDENT REPORT
Name: Abigail Blyg
Date: February 2nd, 2022
End Time: 10:45 AM

(Abi was greeted by the faces of all of her friends when she was guided out of the room by the male officer. They were all there, waiting for her.

Abigail wanted to hug all of them, darnit.

So she did.

She moved forward, drawing Dylan and Ryan into a simultaneous hug, sandwiching herself between them. She was so glad they were okay. She hadn’t seen Dylan since they first split up, and with Ryan, the last she’d seen of him he had almost died. It was so nice to feel their breathing against her as they hugged back.

Next to be hugged was Kaitlyn, who squeezed back so tightly Abi’s ribs protested. She didn’t speak a word of the pain, smiling happily to herself. Kaitlyn hadn’t come to see her in the ER for her own reasons, but she was here now. Abi needed her to know that it was okay to not be okay. Judging by the red of her eyes, Kaitlyn had cried more than she ever has before in her life.

Jacob hugged her so gently and carefully that she actually did tear up this time. Maybe it was him saving her, never thinking to leave her behind, not once. But Abi felt indebted to him, almost clingy. She hoped he wouldn’t be stupid and hide away once this was all over. He was her friend, her savior. He deserved to be praised for that, didn’t deserve being shit on all the time.

She would make sure that people were nicer to him, here on out.

Max and Laura smiled at her, both decidedly awkward when she approached. Oh, no. She wouldn’t have it. She tugged them into her arms, hugging them both. “I’m glad you’re okay.” While she’d at least known Dylan was being found by Kaitlyn and Ryan – as far as Abi had been aware, Laura and Max had been in trouble the whole time. Seeing them both okay (as they could be) was so frickin’ relieving and made the tight ball in her chest loosen.

And then – Emma and Nick.

She hugged Nick first. He held her close, hand sliding through her tangled hair and being careful to avoid her wound. His nose dug into her nape and it was cold, even as his breath was warm as he spoke. “It’s over. It’s finally over.”

“It is,” She pulled back from him to meet his eyes. He’s so tall, but as she looked, he seemed small, curled into himself. His hair covered his eyes, so she pushed it back. “There you are,” She smiled, keeping her hand on his head. He leaned into her touch, a shine to his eyes that spilled, trailing over his cheeks.

Emma stood close by, a soft noise leaving her as she reached to wipe the tear away before Abi could.

Abi had been putting this off for so long. For years, trying to decide ‘who to pick’.

But now she’s realizing she never had to pick.

She had both of them.

And it was time to act.

Nick’s lips were warm, but chapped against hers. She didn’t care. He chased after her lips when she pulled away, but she wasn’t done.

Emma was looking down at her feet, hands twisted together with an anxious tremble going down her shoulders. Abi grabbed her hands, untangling them so she could hold one of them. She tugged her close. “Hey,” She whispered.

Emma’s lower lip shook slightly. “I-I’m happy for y–”

Emma squeaked when Abi kissed her, too.

She was pretty sure someone muttered a ‘fucking finally’ behind them, but she didn’t particularly care right now.

Abi pulled from Emma, giving her the same smile she gave Nick.

“Here we go?” She asked.

Neither asked what she meant. Both already knew.

Emma jumped when Nick took her other hand, but she didn’t stop him when he leaned in to kiss her. Abi leaned her head on Nick’s shoulder, watching the two happily.

Abi glanced towards the others, just for one moment.

There were gaps in the group where they were avoiding each other.

Abi hated that.

Well – she’d just have to fix that.

Abi was good at that.

She’d get started as soon as they were out of here.

They had all the time in the world, now.)

Chapter Text

OBSCURUM

JACOB CUSTOS
Hackett Lodge
February 1st, 2022
11:35 PM

The door to the lodge screeched open and they all piled inside, kicking snow off their feet and shoulders as they went.

Jacob dropped his two bags to the floor when everyone else began to shed their extra weight, and he sighed, staring around the familiar floors and walls that he practically grew up in.

The scratch along the floor leading to the stairs from when Jacob had convinced Caleb and Nick to sled down the steps with one of the metal cookie trays in the kitchen. The wine stain on the rug in the living room from when they'd all made a pact to try alcohol together for the first time and Abi had been so nervous that she'd dropped the bottle.

"Is Dylan fixing the heat again?" Nick asked Ryan, who'd let them in alone. Jacob rubbed his arms as his jacket failed to protect him from the harsher chill inside the lodge, hovering beside Emma as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

He knew distantly that he should give her space — that most of their fights were spurred on by his clinginess and oblivious nature. But he couldn't help but cling when he was in the very place that cemented his place in the friend group as the 'resident jackass'.

Nothing measured in comparison to the guilt he felt every day about what he did. He could never say anything because... what was there to say? 'Sorry I agreed to bully Kaylee and didn't try to decline whatsoever, and caused her and Caleb to die? ' Yeah, that would go over well. Note the sarcasm.

"Yeah, he'll be back soon. He thinks maybe the wind knocked it off somehow." Ryan was saying as he walked over to the fireplace. "Anyone got a lighter?"

Jacob shook his head, but Laura raised her hand and fished a pink lighter out of her pocket. "Yeah, here," She said, handing it to Ryan who didn't do more than nod in her direction as he focused onto the fire.

“They make pink lighters?” Jacob mused, earning a ‘duh’ expression from Emma and a bemused nod from Laura. “What? I don’t smoke, how should I know?”

“I don’t smoke either, but it’s always nice to be prepared.” Laura shook her head, and gave a dry sort of laugh. “But that’s besides the point. Yes, Jacob, they make pink lighters.”

Jacob nodded slowly, and Emma snorted. “Don’t break his brain with all that smart talk, Laura, it’s small enough.” She jabbed his side with her arm, and he ground his jaw for a moment.

“You know, you don’t have to be a bitch literally all the time, Emma.” He snapped out, turning to face her. She gave a gasped laugh, eyebrows high in a poorly masked irritation.

“Oh, my god! ‘Literally’, he said. That was a biiig word, Jakey! Three syllables!” She gave him a mocking applause. His ears burned and his teeth squeaked as he grit them together again.

“Isn’t it four?” Kaitlyn whispered from her seat at the staircase. Jacob couldn’t help but smile when Emma shot the other girl a sharp glare. “Sorry! Just, if you’re gonna insult my best friend, you should at least get your facts right, you know?”

“Shut. Up. This doesn’t involve you.” Emma sneered. Her ponytail swayed as she turned her glare up at Jacob again. “What are you snickering at?”

He hadn’t laughed, had he? He fixed his face, small smile fading. “You preach a loud choir that I’m the biggest idiot in the world, but we both know that you’re the one who almost flunked senior year. Twenty absences, wasn’t it?” His smile returned, meaner this time, as her cheeks reddened with anger.

“You — you swore you wouldn’t tell anyone about that!” 

“Guys, hey, come on, let’s cool it,” Abi tried to intervene, and Jacob pointed a finger at her.

“Stay out of it!”

“Don’t talk to her like that!” Emma shoved at his chest, and he stumbled back a step. 

Ryan stood up from the fireplace, his brow furrowing. “Cut it out. This isn’t why we’re here.” He tossed the lighter back over to Laura, who caught it, and pocketed it.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot. We’re here because of what he did.” Emma scoffed. She gave another slow clap. “Give it up for fuckface everyone!”

“What I did?!” Jacob blurted incredulously. “Last time I checked, it was a fucking group effort.”

“Okay, stop.” Kaitlyn came over, her hand moving to block Jacob by his chest, her other hand pointing at Emma’s face. “What we’re not going to do is throw blame around. Last I checked, you filmed it, you planned it.”

“Me?” Emma’s laugh was a cruel thing.

“Enough!” Laura cut in, something akin to panic creasing her face. “Just, just stop. We’re all friends here.”

“Are we?” Emma retorted softly. She turned to fully face Laura. The other blonde nodded, and Emma scoffed. “Best friend’s don’t let their friends take the blame for something they did.”

“What?” Ryan’s voice broke through the rising tension. The girls broke their contact, and Kaitlyn lowered her hand from its defensive position in front of Jacob. Jacob himself felt his face fall in confusion. 

What did that mean?

Laura gave a desperate look to Max, who stared at her carefully. “I – look, I-I—”

“Yeah, Laura. Tell your boyfriend what you did.” Emma egged on. “Tell Ryan what you did.” Laura’s eyes darted around helplessly. She looked ready to cry. Fuck it; if Max wasn’t going to speak up, he would.

"God, you're such a bitch," Jacob said. Emma's face snapped towards him, and he spoke again before she could think of something nasty to say. "You're fucking ridiculous sometimes. Get over yourself."

“That’s rich coming from you.” Emma’s lips turned down as she spoke, her arms crossing defensively over herself. “You seem so sure of yourself, so how about this? We’re over.”

“Thank god.” He snapped back. “For once, we’re on the same page. Fuck you.” Emma looked momentarily surprised, then sourly vindicated.

“Jacob,” Kaitlyn grabbed at his elbow, at the same time that Abi reached for Emma's hand and found air. “Hey, come on. You need to take a breath and think about what you’re saying.”

“Oh, he knows what he’s saying. Feels nice to be the asshole we all know you are, right?”

“Enough!” Dylan’s aggravated voice broke through the cutting tension in the air. He came upstairs from the lower floor, missing his jacket with his sweater sleeves rolled up. His eyes were narrowed, and the frown on his lips was both disapproving and scolding. “Cut this shit out. Fuck, how old are you? Take a fucking breath. Emma, Jacob, separate from each other — I don’t care how or where you go. Now!” He ordered, snapping his fingers.

Jacob threw his hands up and sat on the couch, turning his head away from everyone. “Whatever.”

“Fine. I need a shower anyway.” Emma stormed upstairs, and only paused to call over her shoulder, “Is the hot water fixed?”

“No. I’ll do that in a second.” Dylan answered, a sigh to his voice. Emma’s footsteps faded away.

An awkward silence fills the room as everyone glances between the stairs and Jacob. He determinedly ignored all of them, focusing on the nearest window.

“So…” Nick started. “Maybe I’m crazy, but Emma definitely just implied that the prank was Laura’s idea.”

“Wh—” Dylan stopped.  “No. No! No. I’m going to fix the water boiler. I’m not going to acknowledge that. Nope.” His footsteps headed back downstairs.

Jacob turned his head back to watch as Laura avoided everyone’s eyes, even as Max grabbed at her hand and tugged lightly.

Kaitlyn looked a little helpless, frozen in the middle of the room with a lost expression. It was the same look Jacob saw her get every time she didn’t know what to do or say. It was a look that he usually jumped to fix, but right now his ears were still ringing with the nasty insults that left Emma’s lips, and the final words of  “we’re over”. 

It was almost nauseating, his stomach churning each time he thought about it. He and Emma were done. This wasn’t like the other times. This was real. Everyone was around to hear them, and there was no turning back. Everyone saw how shitty and toxic they both were to each other. If it was so relieving, why did he also feel so sick?

“L-look, I think we’ve had enough excitement tonight. Why don’t Laura and I take a break at the guest cabin? Maybe we all need some space.” Max spoke hesitantly, his hands wringing together as Laura stepped away, eyes turning to the redhead. “We’ll… come back in the morning, talk things out like adults.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Ryan nodded, digging the guest cabin key from his pocket and handing it over.

Max thanked him, took Laura’s hand, and the two were gone at lightning speed.

“Wait, oh, crap!” Abi gasped, hurrying upright. “I left my bag at the cable car station!” 

“Oh, I-I can go w—”

“No, I’ll go with her. You might get lost, and I’d rather we all know where everyone is at all times.” Ryan interrupted Nick, wiping his hands on his jeans and shrugging his jacket back on. “We’ll be quick.”

“Yeah, he’s right,” Kaitlyn looked grateful for the lighter topic, nodding and joining Jacob on the couch. “Nick, how about you… check on..?”

“Oh. Yeah, I can do that.” Nick said just as awkwardly.

Jacob didn’t have to look to see him head upstairs to Emma. He shook his head to himself, scowling. Kait’s hand squeezed at his knee as she spoke to Ryan and Abi. “You two be careful.”

“Yeah. Be back soon.” 

Jacob’s chin trembled a little the moment it was just him and Kaitlyn. When her arms wrapped around him, he let himself cry.

NICK FURCILLO
Hackett Lodge
February 1st, 2022
11:43 AM

Nick headed upstairs, calling out to Emma. “Em? You here?”

“In the bathroom. I’m decent.” She answered, voice muffled behind the door. He walked in, catching sight of her sitting with her back against the tub, her arms around her knees. Her eyes were a little puffy, her mascara smeared.

Nick sat next to her, mimicking her pose with his knees to his chest. “You okay? Things got pretty nasty back there.” He nudged their shoulders together. 

Emma nudged back, and wiped under eye with the meat of her palm. A weak laugh left her, raspy and hoarse. “Can’t exactly say I’m fine. You know, Jake and I have broken up before. But…” She trailed off, her lower lip getting trapped between her teeth.

Nick sucked in a small breath, looking down at his feet. “Never like that?”

Emma shook her head, and released her lip to reply, her voice quiet. “Never like that.” She repeated, “Never.”

Nick wasn’t sure what to say. He wrapped an arm around his knees and tilted his head in her direction. She sighed and turned to face him a little more, too.

She stammered. “Don’t, uh. Don’t be too harsh on him, okay? We both said some awful shit back there. He’s a good guy, and… I just lost my cool.” Her eyes lowered. “So did he.”

“I get it.” In an attempt to lighten the mood, he raised his voice a tad and gave a quirk of his lips. “Am I allowed to be a little passive aggressive?”

She scoffed a laugh. “Heh. Hell yeah.” Her face fell shortly after, and she wiped at her cheeks again. She glanced at the door. “So where’s, um, where’s Abi?”

“She forgot her bag at the cable car station. Ryan’s taking her.” He explained. Her lips curled down in confusion.

“You didn’t want to go with her?”

Nick shook his head. “I wanted to check on you. Besides, she’ll be safe with Ryan.”

Emma’s face does an odd thing. “Thanks.” Here, her face softens a little more, and she gives him her first real smile since he walked in. “Really.”

“Always.” He shared her smile, then glanced at the porcelain tub in the center of the bathroom. “Are you really gonna take a bath?”

Her eyes squinted teasingly. “Why do you wanna know?” Nick floundered, heart pounding with a rush he didn’t know how to define. Emma laughed at his face. “Kidding. Yes. Turns out hiking up a mountain works up a sweat, freezing cold or not.” She grimaced.

“I know what you mean. Maybe I’ll take one after you.” He mused.

“Well, if you have time. Dylan’s taking aaaages to fix the water. Think you could..?” She trailed off, one eyebrow quirked up in question.

Nick nodded, standing and patting the back of his jeans clear of any dust. “I’ll ask. See you later?” He hoped.

Emma nodded, eyes shining again, like they were supposed to. “Of course.”

He leaves her be, taking the stairs back to the living room two at a time. There, he sees Kaitlyn and Jacob rummaging through a large chest full of board games. “What are you two–?”

Kaitlyn’s head popped up, and she puffed a breath to get her hair out of her eyes before she answered brightly. “We can’t sit down twiddling our thumbs! We should have some fun!”

Nick frowned. “Like… Guess Who?” He grimaced.

Jacob groaned and jeered. “Boo! No. More like this.” He lifted up a board and waggled it, showing off the bold ‘OUIJA’ on the front.

“Dude…” That sounded like a bad idea – a recipe for even more drama.

Kaitlyn tried to convince him, pouting out her bottom lip. “No, c’mon, it’s perfect!” He shook his head even as Jacob joined her corralling with pleading puppy dog eyes.

“Count me out. I’m gonna go find Dylan.” He denied, and waved his hand as he walked backwards towards the stairs that lead down to the bottom level.

Kaitlyn waved back with a disappointed sigh. “Okayyy. Think about it, though. Might be fuuun.”

“Doubt it.” 

He tuned out their playful calls about being a chicken as he headed downstairs. His eyes briefly darted towards the media room, remembering many times watching the newest film with his friends. He missed those times.

Nick shook his head. Those times were gone, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t come back. They’d all just have to make a bigger effort to make amends. This getaway was their chance to begin.

He opened the door to the basement, and headed down the stairs, easily stepping past the weathered step towards the bottom.

“Dylan? Where’y’at, man?” He called, his voice echoing around the shadowed brick walls. He didn’t have to wait long for a response, as Dylan’s voice echoed back.

“By the boiler – help me out for a sec?”

Nick headed that way. “Yeah, okay.” There, he found Dylan knelt down with a frustrated look, fiddling with the lower part of the boiler. “What do I need to do?” He asked as Dylan glanced over and stood upright.

“Hmm…” He visibly thought to himself, hand to his chin. Then, snapping his fingers, he gestured to a lever near the boiler. “Just hold this still. I’ll do the rest.”

Nick nodded, and grabbed the lever, pulling it down with a soft noise of effort. “‘Kay, ready.”

Dylan did… something. Nick couldn’t see very well from this angle, but there was a small screech of metal and then a buzzing noise.

“Is that a good noise? Please say yes.”

“Yes.” 

“Like, ‘yes’ yes, or ‘I’m just saying yes because you said to say it’ yes?”

“‘Yes’ yes. I’m done.” Dylan gave a small laugh as the buzzing faded and the boiler rushed to a low hum of life. “Sweet. Hot water, here we come.” Nick let go of the lever and walked over to Dylan, offering a high five.

As they both lowered their hands, Nick smiled. “Emma’ll be happy.” 

Dylan snorted. “I’m sur—did you hear that?” Nick frowned in confusion. He glanced around, and found cobwebs and fuck else.

“No. What?”

Dylan held a finger up towards his mouth, and Nick quieted, straining his ears. He shook his head, but then, he heard it.

A thump thump thump coming from around one of the many dark corners. A chill crawled up his spine, and he took a step back. “Okay, yeah. I heard that.” He whispered, voice high.

Dylan’s jaw worked to the side, his broad shoulders straightening out a little more. “Should we check it out?”

Nick gaped for a moment. “No?” Dylan moved away from him, and he grabbed at the other man’s arm, shaking his head. “Where are you going?”

Dylan laughed, tugging his arm free. “I’m checking it out, ‘fraidy face. It’s probably just a pipe knocking loose.”

“But… fine. Be careful.” Nick grimaced, crossing his arms protectively over himself.

“Relax. I’m sure it’s just a rat—oh shit!” Dylan flung backwards, twirled on his heel, and ran.

It was very much not a rat.

It was a masked person, wielding a wooden baseball bat.

“What the—RUN!” Nick stumbled into a clumsy sprint, catching up with Dylan as they both fled up the stairs and to the door.

He reached it first, and jerked at the doorknob. It jammed – locked. “Nick, open it!”

“I’m trying! Someone locked it!” Nick snapped back.

“What?! Wh—” Dylan stopped short.

Nick whirled around to see the person had caught up, and was slowly heading up the stairs, bat dangling by their side. “Hey…” They hummed out.

Dylan’s hands curled into fists and Nick spoke up, furrowing his face into a scowl. “Stay back! Who the hell are you?!”

“Hey..!” They repeated, louder. Their hands rose to the skull halloween mask, and tugged it free from their face.

Jacob beamed at them, hair awkwardly plastered to his sweaty forehead. 

Nick blinked hard enough to see stars. “What??”

Jacob chortled and scaled up the rest of the stairs. “Boom. You just got punked, bitches.” He then knocked twice on the door, and it unlocked, swinging open. Kaitlyn’s face popped through the gap, a mischievous smile on her face.

Dylan’s eye visibly twitched. “Sorry, WHAT?”

Kaitlyn was laughing, almost a wheeze as she bent at the waist. “Hah, haha, you, you screamed like little girls, oh my GOD!” Jacob’s shit-eating grin widened.

The relief of it being a prank was overwhelmed by annoyance. Maybe a little humor. “I almost pissed myself! Jesus.” Nick groaned, leading the way to the living room, his hands running through his curls.

“That’s… nice one. That… that was a good one.” Dylan chuckled wearily, flopping down on the couch. 

Jacob defended himself, tossing the baseball back down the stairs carelessly. It gave a loud clatter as he half-skipped to sit down next to Dylan. “There was all this old crap down there – I couldn’t resist.”

Kaitlyn calmed and caught her breath, giving a faint apologetic expression. “Hope we didn’t scare you too bad. We were just going to come find you to make sure you didn’t get lost down there…” She trailed off and her impish smile returned. “But then Jacob had an idea and it sounded funny.”

Dylan grinned sarcastically. “It was… certainly an idea.”

“My heart was racing, man.” Nick added.

Kaitlyn began to laugh again as she tugged Dylan to stand up again. “Awww, sorry, ya big babies,” She cooed.

“Where are you taking me?” Dylan groaned, receiving no answer as they vanished through a door that Nick was pretty sure led to one of the studies.

He shook his head and tilted his head at Jacob with a small, heatless scowl. “You dick. I thought there was an intruder.” 

Jacob laughed again, fixing his hair with a single swipe of his hand. “Hah! Sorry. Can’t guarantee it’ll calm down anytime soon. Ouija tiiime..!” He singsonged, grabbing the board from the coffee table to wiggle it in the air.

Nick rolled his head back in reluctance. He closed his eyes and sighed, speaking through his teeth. “Promise you won’t cheese it?”

Jacob scoffed in offense. “Dude, c’mon.” Nick opened his eyes and stared at him blankly. He groaned and threw up his free hand. “Yes, okay! I already promised Kait, too.”

Nick sighed. “Fiiine. But if you even start, I’ll smack you.” He pointed in his face. Jacob gently smacked it away and rolled his eyes.

“Fair. Deal.”

Kaitlyn’s voice came from the study(?), vaguely annoyed. “Will you boys hurry up? Dylan and I ain’t getting any younger in here!”

“Yes, mom.” Jacob groaned, standing and heading in that direction. 

“EW!”

Nick lingered back. “I’m gonna go tell Emma about the hot water. Be there soon!” He called.

“Oooooo!” Three voices cooed teasingly from the study.

He rolled his eyes. Children.

ABI BLYG
Path to Cable Car Station
February 2nd, 2022
12:15 AM

“I-I could have gone alone, Ryan. Really,” Abigail said, rubbing her knuckles together anxiously as Ryan led her down the path.

Ryan’s hands rubbed together to gather warmth, and he blew on his fingers before he replied. “I know. I wanted to come. Maybe a little for me, though. Things got…” He trailed off, something in his eyes that Abi could only define as haunted.

She bit down on her bottom lip, shoulders hiking up to her ears. “It was pretty intense back there, yeah.” And maybe she was grateful for the excuse to leave, even if she worried for Emma. That was… it was a lot, especially between Em and Jacob. They could get nasty, but never that bad. It must’ve been building up for a while now.

Ryan’s sigh was tense and moved his whole body. “I… can’t say I missed that.”

“Yeah… they were both out of line.” As much as Abi wanted to take Emma’s side by default, she knew that there had been no right side there. Which was why she’d stayed pretty much silent, especially after Jacob shouted at her.

“Extremely.” He deadpanned.

Abi winced and changed the topic. “Hey, so… how have you been? We haven’t talked in a while.” 

“It’d be a lie if I said ‘good’. But… okay, I guess. I’m here.” He sighed and pushed open a gate, holding it for her as she walked through. “How have you been?” He asked a few moments later, catching up to her after closing the gate.

Bad. Lonely. Sad. “Fine. I missed everyone so much.” She tilted her head and corrected. “I think everyone missed everyone.”

“Maybe not some.” He muttered. Her shoulders hiked up again.

“Fair point.” She hesitated and changed the topic once again. “Hey, so… have you heard from Mr. H?” That wasn’t exactly a safe topic, but it was further away from the group drama.

Ryan shook his head, his voice shifting into something wary. “Not really. He answered my texts when I asked about getting the keys for this place, but I haven’t seen him in person. I’m a little worried.” He scratched at the back of his head.

“Mh. And… the others? Mr. T?”

“He never stopped looking for them, if that’s what you’re asking. I saw him a few weeks ago. He mentioned a lead.”

Abi couldn’t help the way her eyes widened. A year of nothing, and now a lead out of nowhere? “They found something?”

Ryan grimaced. “More like someone. Some skiers saw a man wandering the woods in heavy winter gear, but no skiing supplies. One even said he had something on his back; mining gear, maybe.”

Abi’s skin crawled at the idea. It was an accident, right? But if there really was a man, if it was possible he was here the night the siblings went missing… She shook her head to clear it of bad thoughts. “Out here ? And… you still invited us? Why?”

Ryan didn’t seem nearly as worried, which admittedly was a little calming. “I mean. We all know the miner story. It’s pretty infamous around here. I think they saw what they wanted to see.”

Ugh. Not that story. It was a bad spooky story, if you can even grant it that. A bunch of miners suffered through a tunnel collapse – true. The rumors of them turning into flesh-eating monsters? Impossible. And disrespectful. But Ryan was right, it was a ‘popular’ tall tale out here on the mountain.

“I guess you have a point. Besides, it gets pretty dark in the woods with all the trees blocking the sun. There’s no way they could see all those details from afar.” She rationalized.

Ryan agreed with a nod. “Right. And unless he was hiding out somewhere, he would have frozen to death by now.”

Abi’s brow furrowed. “Hiding somewhere – like the guest cabin?” Like where two of their friends were currently headed?

Ryan, however, shook his head and dismissed her worry. “Needs a key to get in. But Laura’s smart. If she and Max see some busted windows or an open door, they’ll turn back.” That was true. Still… ugh. Abi closed her eyes and steadied her breathing before looking up and over at Ryan.

“You’re right. Sorry, I’m being a bit of a worry wart.”

Ryan sent her a weak smile, although it quickly faded. “Don’t be sorry. After last year… I can’t blame you for that.” His eyes were so sad. They didn’t used to be.

Abi hesitated before slowly spitting out, “Speaking of… ‘blame’. Um… D-do you—”

“No. I don’t blame you, or anyone anymore. I’m just – I want things to go back to how they used to be.” He held open another gate for her, and gave her another smile. This one felt more real, more like last year didn’t happen.

Abi shared the smile, as small as it was. “Me too.”

An amicable silence grew between them as they walked down the path, under the bridge and towards the upper cable car station. Abi’s smile lingered for longer than she wanted to admit. She missed this, missed having friends. 

The cable car came into view, but instead of relief at finally finding her bag – she only felt a jab of fear at the sight of blood spattered into the snow, the sight of an axe jabbed into the door. And a bloodied message, pinned by the axe’s blade. On the ground below, there was a…

A pig’s head.

Ryan rushed past her, his face hidden from her view, but his voice was tense and his shoulders were broadened. “Oh, shit. Look,” He ripped the message free, and there was a visible tremor to his hand as he handed it over to Abigail. “‘Welcome Back’. What the fuck?”

Abi read it once, twice, and a third time before she had to admit to herself that this wasn’t her imagination. “I-is this real? W-what… what do we do..?” Her body felt ice cold as she dropped the note into the snow and gestured wildly to the axe. “T-there’s blood on the axe, Ryan! The… the pig’s head, Ryan!”

“I know!” He snapped. She reeled away, and Ryan sighed sharply, eyes squeezing shut for a moment. “Fuck. Sorry.”

“It’s…” It wasn’t fine, and Abi couldn’t lie to him like that. She redirected, turning her eyes away from the blood and the pig to avoid feeling faint. “What do we do?”

“We have to tell the others. We have to get the fuck out of here.”

“A-agreed.”

He led the way back to the lodge, and Abi’s eyes watered with her increasing panic. This can’t be real. First, their conversation about a suspicious stranger, and now… this? It has to be a coincidence, right?

Her gut told her no.

SECRETUM

KAITLYN KA
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
12:02 AM

"So, are we really doing this?" Kaitlyn asked, settling in her seat at the round table between Dylan and Jacob, who sat across from one another. Nick was across from her. There were candles lighting up the dim room, and the fireplace popped distantly from the living area.

Nick shrugged. "I don't see why not. As long as no one–" He cut a glance to the side.

Dylan pretended to cough into his elbow. "Cough, Jacob, cough,"

"–pulls any stupid shit. Yeah." Nick finished with an agreeing nod.

Jacob placed a hand on his broad chest in offense, eyes wide. "You guys are so rude. I would never." Kaitlyn narrowed her eyes at him incredulously.

"Yes you would."

"Yes I would. But that's not the point – I promised, 'kay? Scouts honor." He held up his hand.

Kaitlyn spoke in unison with the other boys, all varying degrees of amused and mock-annoyance. "You were never a scout."

Jacob deflated and grumbled. "You're all very mean."

Kaitlyn reached over and gave him a consoling pat to his arm. "Yeah, yeah. Who's doing it?"

Nick leaned back, hands up in a 'no way' gesture. "I mean... it was you and Jacob's idea. One of you should do it."

Dylan nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

Jacob held up his hands and frowned. "Well, we've established that I will be under heavy scrutiny, so Kaitlyn, it's your go." He gestured grandly, and for some reason Kaitlyn notices that he's wearing his hat.

It's a small, insignificant detail. It wasn't important, and it wasn't unusual for him to wear it. He wore it all the time, but never usually when Emma was around. She always said it looked 'douchey'. Kaitlyn disagreed, of course, but who was she to get in their way? Jacob always grumbled and groaned, but took the hat off anyways when his girlfriend (now ex) would tell him to take it off.

It was silly, and really, not important and not something overtly 'toxic' — if he really wanted to, he would've just kept wearing it. Kaitlyn knew he'd only remove it for Emma because he truly cared about her and her feelings. So, for him to wear it so soon after their very public breakup felt like a big 'fuck you', even though the girl in question was currently upstairs bathing.

Point is, Kaitlyn is glad to see him wearing his stupid dumb hat. He looks like himself, and now she doesn't have to sit through hours of his venting about his unhealthy relationship. For now, at least. She's sure he'll crack and need someone to talk to after this weekend, but she'll be there when he does, and she'll enjoy the time in between as well.

Kaitlyn blinked and returned herself to the present, drawing herself from her head. She rolled her shoulders and nodded, reaching a hand out to the ouija board.  "Alright, here we go then. Like a blast from the past, hm?" She wiggled her brows.

Dylan snorted as the boys all put their pointer and middle fingers on the planchette. "No kidding."

She remembered being freshly ten, and surrounded by the rest of their friends, listening frightfully as Caleb led them all through a 'summoning'. Of course, it had been fake — a prank by Caleb and Dylan, the two peas in a pod (in more ways than one) — but it was still an event that had led to Kaitlyn's genuine interest in ghosts and Ryan's unending hyperfixation into the paranormal.

The various subsequent times in front of the board had been far less exciting — barring that one time where Dylan swore up and down he heard a woman's voice. No one believed him, but even today he didn't fess up.

So Kaitlyn doesn't exactly have hope for this session, despite believing in this stuff. Well... belief was a strong word. She wanted to believe in it, but she also knew that it was a lot of confirmation bias that led to most 'undeniable proof'.

Jacob cleared his throat, his free hand briefly scratching at his nose. "So, like, who are we... trying to contact?" He asked.

Kaitlyn frowned, curling her upper lip at him. "What?"

Nick already looked a little spooked, rigid in his spot. "No one, right? It's just for fun." Dylan nodded firmly, his hand tossing his hair further back in a gesture Kaitlyn knew meant he was anxious.

"I will absolutely bail if we're seeking someone out, warning you now." He said.

"No, we aren't. Jake, dude!" She scolded in a low hiss, widening her eyes at him in a warning gesture. Jacob floundered for a moment and gestured around in defense.

"I dunno! I thought that was like... the whole point." He grimaced and his teeth were bared in a very awkward smile as he glanced over at Dylan for a moment. "Sorry?"

Dylan rolled his eyes, and Kaitlyn rushed to move this along. She didn't think an argument was brewing, but she also didn't want to risk it after earlier. "...Anyway, let's get started. Clear your minds." She cleared her throat and ordered them firmly, trying to mimic Caleb from years past. "Fingers on, resting not pressing."

The wind howled outside and the wooden lodge creaked and yowled in protest. Kaitlyn regretted removing her warm vest as visible chills grew on her skin, her undershirt doing nothing for warmth. She'd sworn that Dylan had turned on the heat, but it felt as cold inside as it had outside. The only sense of warmth in the room was from their own bodies, and the various lit candles strewn about.

"Is anyone there?" She began.

Nothing happens for a long time and Kaitlyn glanced around at the boys, seeing all of their eyes directed around the room. She puffed a slow breath and tried to clear her mind a little more.

"Is anyone there?" She repeated.

The planchette twitched, jerking a whisper to the left.

Her eyes snapped towards her best friend.

"Jacob."

Jacob's head jerked towards her, his eyes wide and sincere. "It's not me! I swear." She squinted her eyes at him.

Dylan's head ducked under the table for a quick moment, popping back up with a disgruntled, uneasy expression. "No magnets. Unfortunately, I believe him."

Nick nodded reluctantly. "Me too."

Jacob looked vindicated. "Thank you!" Three, two, one... "Wait, unfortunately?"

Predictable as always, Jake. Kaitlyn pushed onward. "Anyways. I repeat: Is anyone there? Can you give us a sign?"

It's a fat load of nothing for a minute or two, but eventually, the planchette moves in the same unnatural motion, curling and inching them all towards 'yes'.

"That's so not normal," Dylan shuddered, at the same time that Nick said,

"Anyone else got chills right now?"

Jacob nodded widely. "Oh yeah dude, all over."

"Shut up," Kaitlyn hissed. She narrowed her eyes on all the boys, and once they shut up, she asked another question. "How old are—were you?"

Again, it takes a moment, but the planchette makes its way to the '1' and then, '9'. Kaitlyn swallowed hard and tried her hardest not to make connections between that and how old Kaylee would be today. She failed, and it was clear she wasn't the only one.

Dylan's eyes squeezed shut for a moment. "Dude," He directed to Jacob. "You swear it's not you?"

Jacob looked serious, his eyes lowered in a way that kept Kaitlyn from telling if he was perfectly serious or not. "I dunno how to prove it's not me, dude, but it's not. I swear." His insistent voice was hard to disbelieve, especially when it was clear that the other two boys believed him, too.

Kaitlyn tried to push this along, a wicked curiosity blending with a tingling fear. "When did you die?"

The planchette spelled '2021'.

Nick exhaled a sharp breath that rocked him back a few inches. "I hate this, have I mentioned that yet? If this is fake, you guys are doing one hell of a job."

Kaitlyn shook her head silently, finding Dylan doing the same as Jacob glanced behind him in an anxious gesture. She bit her lip, and took a sharp inhale. "Should I keep going? Do we need to stop?" She checked.

Dylan's eyes closed for a moment, his pale lips blending into the sickly pallor of his face. "I can handle it. I'm okay. Are you?" He redirected. Kaitlyn faltered.

She wasn't exactly sure if it was the truth, but nonetheless she replied with as much shaky confidence as she could muster. "Yeah. So..." She swallowed hard and made sure to speak the words loud enough for the others to hear. "How did you die?"

“F… E…” Dylan read, trailing off into silence at the final two letters. 

“Fell.” Nick finished, a visible tremor of fear going through his shoulders.

Jacob’s head turned to look between Kaitlyn and the board, confused. “Fell? From what?” He asked.

Kaitlyn felt a stab of ice jolt through her. He wasn’t supposed to ask questions – only her. That was inviting negative energy. “Don’t ask qu—shit.” The planchette was already moving.

It spelled ‘cliff’.

“Sorry.” Jacob apologized to her.

“It’s fine, i-it’s okay.” She hated to think about what ‘cliff’ meant, and how the spirit died from it. Falling? Were they climbing and lost their footing? Were they pushed? 

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She knew the next question and yet dreaded the answer. She asked anyway.

“W-what… uh… what’s your name?”

K.

A.

Y.

L.

E.

E.

Kaylee.

“Okay. Stop. Is this real?” Dylan shot out.

Jacob held up his free hand, frowning with a pale tinge to his complexion. “It’s not me. I wouldn’t.”

Nick muttered, “I want to stop.”

Kaitlyn, however, disagreed with that. “We can’t – what if she tells us where to find her? What about—” Her eyes widened and she directed a question to the board. “What about Caleb, Kaylee?”

Killed, the planchette says.

Dylan shook his head, his eyes shiny. “Kaitlyn, I’m done. We need to say goodbye.” He pleaded. Kaitlyn shook her head desperately. God she knew why he wanted to stop, but they couldn’t!

“Dylan—”

Jacob cut her off. “Who killed him?” He asked Kaylee.

“Dude!” Nick groaned, body leaning far from the table though his hand reluctantly remained.

“You dumb shit, goddammit —” Kaitlyn swore, before reading the planchette as it scraped along. She was covered in a layer of sweat, the room unbearably warm despite feeling freezing only moments ago.

Betrayed, it says.

Jacob pressed, “Who ‘betrayed’? What does that mean?”

Nick’s voice rose, free hand smacking out towards Jacob but just missing his arm. “Stop!”

It spells library.

“What’s in the library?”

Dylan snapped towards Jacob, “Cut it out. This isn’t funny!” Jacob opened his mouth, but was cut off when the planchette spelled proof, and Nick spoke up warily.

“Proof..?”

That didn’t make any sense. Kaitlyn furrowed her brow, brain whirling. “In the librar—?” Her question is interrupted by the planchette wriggling free from their hands, and flinging violently across the room. “Woah!”

“Holy shit!” Jacob swore.

“Woah.”

Dylan stood up fast enough to knock his chair clattering to the floor. “Are you fucking kidding? This isn’t something to joke about!”

Kaitlyn stiffened and stood as well, hand gesturing to her chest in defense. “We aren’t! That wasn’t us!”

“Oh, really? So I’m expected to believe that Kaylee herself just told us that Caleb was murdered and there’s proof in the fucking lodge library?!”

Kaitlyn reared back and swallowed thickly past the lump in her throat. She had nothing to say, no defense this time. 

“Heh. Okay. Screw this.” He turned on his heel.

“Wait..!” Kaitlyn called, and he paused in the doorway. “Where are you going?” Please don’t go, she thinks but can’t bring herself to say.

Dylan’s shoulders hiked up and his hands curled into fists at his side. “Just… away.” He muttered, leaving the room with stomping feet.

“...Shit.” She groaned, sitting down and covering her face with her hands. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t. And now Dylan thought she was messing with him, and she wasn’t, but there was no way to prove it.

Jacob had already recovered from the tension and spoke with a mix of intrigue and fear. “That was crazy. The thingy flew right off the table!”

Kaitlyn lifted her face from her hands as Nick stammered and shrugged.  “I — should we… do what it says? It… you know. The library?” He looked at her for an answer.

She ran her hands through her hair to disguise the tremble. “I guess… I guess we should go check it out. Give Dylan some time to cool off.” And hopefully he wouldn’t hate her once he did.

Jacob nodded, something solemn entering his eyes. “Yeah…”

They all stood and headed for the lodge’s library.

FIDES

JACOB CUSTOS
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
12:50 AM

“So, like.. what exactly are we looking for?” Jacob asked, glancing around the dimly lit library. “‘Proof in the library’ isn’t exactly the best hint.”

Kaitlyn gave him a despondent look. “I don’t know, dude, anything. Something to make Dylan hate me less.” She sighed.

Jacob frowned, and shared a glance with Nick.

Nick shook his head. “He doesn’t hate you. I think that he just…” He trailed off.

“He hates me.”

Jacob couldn’t let her think that, couldn’t let that expression stay on her face. “No, he was scared, and he lashed out. He could never hate you, Kait.”

Nick nodded firmly. “Yeah, exactly. Now Jacob, he definitely might hate.” He smiled innocently.

Jacob gave him an outraged look, an exaggerated shout leaving him, “Hey!!” Even though the quiet part of him was certain that Nick was right. Dylan definitely hated him. How could he not? It was his fault that Caleb was…

Nick’s huff of laughter broke his darkening thoughts. “Kidding. Really, Kait, I don’t think there’s a hateful bone in Dylan’s body.” He shrugged, left hand squeezing at his right bicep as he gave a softer, gentler smile. “Especially not towards you.”

Kait didn’t say anything, but Jacob knew her well enough to see how her shoulders were a little lighter, her eyes brighter. But she still needed another push, another nudge into getting out of her bad thoughts. Jakey boy to the rescue, just like old times.

Jacob clapped his hands and moved deeper into the lodge library. “Now! Come on, Scooby Gang. Let’s split up and search for clues.”

Nick frowned, an amused tinge to the curl of his lips. “What, so you’re Fred?”

Jacob shook his head wildly. “What? No! Kaitlyn’s clearly Fred. She’s the leader and the strategist.” He gestured up and down her body with his hand, and Kaitlyn gave a small, but satisfied smirk.

Bingo.

“True.” A deep breath in, a sharp one out, and she gave a cocky raise of her eyebrow. “Jacob’s Scooby, of course. A loyal companion who’s… hm. Comedy relief?” She pretended to struggle to think, finger tapping on her chin.

Jacob wiped away a fake tear, sniffling. “Hurtful, but unfortunately, I agree.”

“And I’m..?”

He shared a long glance with Kaitlyn, before they both spoke in unison to a skeptical Nick. “...Daphne.”

His playful frown turned into a confused grimace. “The… damsel in distress?”

Kaitlyn looked offended for the cartoon character’s honor. “She’s more than that! She’s smart, charismatic… and she and Velma definitely belong together.” She wiggled her brows. Jacob snickered.

Nick gaped. “Wh—?”

Jacob interjected to clarify. “Velma being Abi.”

Nick gaped a little more. “Excuse me?!” He squeaked. He gave a nervous chuckle, his cheeks visibly colored with warmth. “Wh… no… A-anyway, Emma is definitely Daphne. I’m more of a Shaggy.”

Jacob shared a knowing look with Kaitlyn.

“Mh, no. You’re both Daphne.” She nodded firmly.

“Both?? That’s—”

Jacob grabbed at Nick’s shoulder, shaking his head solemnly. “Dude. Just accept your fate.”

“Fiiine.” He groaned, an embarrassed chuckle escaping.

Jacob shook his head again, this time to himself. If one thing could come out of this getaway, it would be getting the ultimate ‘will-they-won’t-they’ couple together, finally. Those two definitely needed something to push them together.

“What are we even looking for?” Nick changed the subject.

Kaitlyn sighed, face flattening into a focused glare, eyes darting around in investigation. “Spooky shit, I guess? I don’t know. A letter, a photo. Anything that could be ‘proof’.” Jacob glanced around as she spoke, his spine straightening as he saw it.

“Does… a random button between these books count?” He pointed.

Nick shoved past him with big eyes. “Uh, yes??”

Kaitlyn also shoved past him. Great, really feeling the love, guys. “Should we push it?” She asked, a heavy frown on her lips.

Jake whispered to Nick. “That’s like… the whole point of a button, right?” Nick snickered.

“Shut up.” She called over her shoulder, and then pressed the button. A deep churning sound, and the audible creak of shifting gears – and Jacob’s jaw dropped as the bookshelf shifted and opened into a secret passageway. “Uh, what?” Kaitlyn hissed quietly.

Nick stepped back in shock. “A secret door? What the fuck?”

Jacob stepped around them both, leaned his head into the secret area, and looked back at the others. “Stay back. I’ll check it out.” He palmed for his phone, and turned the flashlight on.

Kaitlyn grabbed his sleeve, tugging until he met her eyes. “Jake…” Her head shook, something shining in her eyes that made him soften.

He took her hand and lowered it from his sleeve, shaking his head back at her. “It’s okay.” He reassured.

He stepped into the room, pulling the chain dangling above his head. A flickering yellow light bulb filled the room with a dim warmth. There was a desk on the furthest wall, showing wear and tear from years of use. It had a single torn piece of notebook paper, and a picture laying beside it.

Jacob grabbed the photo first. It was a group photo from graduation. Kaitlyn was cheering, sitting on his shoulders, and he was kissing Emma. Abi and Nick were both smiling at the camera, their caps still on their heads like the perfect nerds they were. Laura and Max were also kissing, though Laura was mid-throw with her graduation cap. Dylan was resting his arm on top of a grumpy (secretly amused) Ryan, beaming over at Caleb. Caleb was holding Kaylee close to him. The siblings were in the center of the photo.

And… their faces were both scratched out.

“What the fuuuck?” Jacob hissed the whisper to himself, not wanting to freak out the other two until he read the note. Maybe it was just… an impulsive action done by one of the Hackett’s. It didn’t have to be sinister.

That hope is snuffed out promptly when he sets the photo down and reads the torn paper beside it.

‘I waited a year for this. Their rotting bodies are waiting for them to join the pile. Two down, nine to go.’

“Oh. Oh, shit.”  

Rereading it didn’t change the words on the page. It was real. A sickening nausea flooded Jacob’s stomach, and he swallowed hard to steady his voice. It didn’t really work, because what comes out is a shaking, anxious mess.

“Guys, um. Uh… look at this.”

Kaitlyn rushed in first, peering over his shoulder. He handed the note to her as Nick came to a stop nearby. “What the hell?” She gasped, handing the note towards Nick to grab the photo instead. “Who would do this?”

Nick frowned, a deep line forming between his eyebrows. “That’s… wacko. Who wrote this? Is this a prank?”

Jacob shook his head and backed out of the room. “I don’t think waiting around to find out is a good idea.” 

Kaitlyn tucked the photo into her pocket with a shaking hand, following Jacob with Nick right behind her. Her eyes were wide, disbelieving. “We… we need to gather everyone and get the fuck out.” She spat a curse and kicked the wall with a sharp thump. “Fuck! Come on. Dylan needs to see this.” She snatched the note still in Nick’s hands and began to rush from the room.

Jacob nodded without question, following after her.

Nick spoke hurriedly behind them, his hand ice cold when he managed to grab at Jacob’s wrist to slow him. “Wait, what about Emm—” 

A loud thump came from a distant room, cutting Nick off into silence.

Then, a choked shout, coming from the exact person they were trying to find. “Fuck!” 

Another loud thump, then a bang, and a second shout, desperate this time.

“Get off of me!”

Jacob’s heart dropped to his fucking feet. “Dylan?! Dude?” He shoved open a door that led back towards the living room. He twirled around on his heel, trying to figure out where the screams and noises were coming from.

Kaitlyn shouted out, “Shit, where are you?!”

Jacob shook his head, trying to focus and clear his mind past the increasingly panicked thoughts invading his mind. He caught sight of a door, which led to the kitchen, that was shaking in time with the thumps, like someone was being thrown against it repeatedly.

Nick spoke before he could, running towards the door. “There!” He grabbed the door handle, and pushed it open.

He was yanked inside, and the door slammed shut.

“Nick!” Jacob rammed his shoulder against the door, and Kaitlyn joined him with a kick of her foot by the door handle. “Shit, again! Same time.” He demanded of her. She nodded shakily and they timed their movements with a determined count of “1, 2, 3!”

The door broke and splintered. Jacob fell down on his front, and went to push himself upright just in time to witness a man in a clown mask grab Kaitlyn by the hair.

“Kaitlyn!” Jacob grabbed at the man’s ankle, but the man kicked him in the temple. He cried out, hands instinctively flying towards his head. The man punched Kaitlyn unconscious. Jacob stammered and babbled angrily, “Y-you, you fucker! I’ll – I’ll kill y—!”

Another kick to the head had everything cutting into nothingness.

KAITLYN KA
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
1:00 AM

Her eyes opened in a snap, a thrumming pain in her temple matching the race of her heart. She unsteadily pushed herself upright, hands clumsily grabbing for her phone in her pocket before she remembered… fuck. That creepy fucking clown mask.

She held at her eye for a moment, swollen shut from that fucker punching her out. “Shit.” She hissed. She glanced around and saw Nick laying nearby, still unconscious. “Nick!”

She knelt down next to him, shaking him by his shoulders. His head lolled, and he didn’t stir. Fuck. Fuck!

She couldn’t sit around and wait for him to wake up. She had to find Jacob and Dylan, wherever they were now. Wherever that man took them away. Fuck, that man has to be the one who wrote that note. Has to be the one that Kaylee implied was the reason she and Caleb were never found.

“Sorry, Nick. I have to find them.”

She stands on weak knees and heads out the open door ahead of her. She saw a slash of browning blood sprayed on the wall next to a door that led outside. 

“God, no. No.” She shook her head pleadingly. Please let them both be okay. She didn’t know what she would do without either of them. 

She headed outside, and down the trail that she knew would take her to the shed. She shuddered and shivered from the cold, but there was no time to turn back and grab her jacket. They needed help now.

“Jake! Jacob!” She shouted out, hands cupped around her mouth. “Dylan!”

She saw another streak of blood, leading straight to the shed ahead of her, However, she also saw a few drops of blood leading to another trail to her left. She hesitated, and decided to risk it.What if the streak of blood was a trick? She had to check, to make sure.

She headed to the left. She found a dim lantern sitting in the snow, and a large lump behind it, obscured by the shadows from the trees above it. Kaitlyn swallowed hard, and bypassed the lantern to investigate.

She found a decapitated pig head, its skin bloodless and its beady black eyes staring blankly at her. Her hand clapped over her mouth to silence her frightened yelp, stepped away with a sickened lurch to her stomach.

She gagged, and turned away to vomit in the snow.

Fuck. What the fuck?!

She wiped her mouth with a weak hand and stumbled back the way she came, and towards the shed with a renewed sense of terror. What kind of sick fuck would do that? Well, probably the same sick fuck who was doing this.

Inside the shed, it was pitch black with the only light coming from the entrance behind her. She could see a glint of something shiny, perhaps metal, in front of her. “Jacob…?” She called, cautious.

“K–...Kaitlyn?” Jacob’s voice called back, sounding half-awake.

Her skin crawled. “It’s me! I’m here! Where are you?”

“I… I don’t know… it’s too dark.” Kaitlyn stepped forward slowly in the direction of his voice, trying to step quietly in case the psycho man was still here. “Kaitlyn… I… he tied me up. I can’t move.”

“I… It’s gonna be okay… I’ll save you.”

A bright, harsh light turned on, lighting up a room in the shed that Kaitlyn could see past through a chicken wire fence on the wall. If she wasn’t so terrified, so disturbed, she would have thought fondly on why exactly that fence was there instead of normal wooden slats. She would have smiled at the memory of Mr. H’s exasperated sigh when the group admitted to what they’d done and why his motorbike was trashed along with the shed wall.

But no. She didn’t think about that. All she saw when she looked past the fence was Jacob and Dylan, tied up and dangling against wooden boards. All she saw was a huge fucking sawblade on a track, a track that forked in two directions. One to Jacob, and one to Dylan.

Jacob was shouting, Dylan was stirring awake.

“Kaitlyn! Help! Oh, god. Fuck!”

“What..? What? What is this?!”

She stared wildly, speechless and barely hearing them.

She was more focused on the new, unknown modulated voice filling the air. “Hello, and thank you all for coming. Tonight we’re going to conduct a little experiment. A sort of test. A test of loyalty, you might call it.”

“Kaitlyn! Who is that?!” Dylan cried out, writhing in his bonds. “Jacob?!”

“I don’t know, I don’t know!” Jacob stammered back.

“Now for this experiment, we’re going to need the cooperation of our two test subjects, Jacob, and Dylan.”

“WHAT?!” Jacob’s face was so pale.

Dylan was crying. “Oh my god!”

“But we’re going to need one more brave participant to help decide. Which one will live, and which one will die.”

Kaitlyn’s breath left her and she folded into herself, hugging around her waist as she choked on lack of air. The boys, her boys, were screaming and begging with the voice.

But the voice only chuckled. “Please, please. Everyone calm down. It’s all very simple. Kaitlyn, you will see a lever placed directly in front of you. All you have to do is choose who you will save.”

“Oh… no, no, please!” Jacob cried out. “This is INSANE, this can’t be happening! Please, god, Kait, tell me this isn’t happening!”

Dylan tried to steel himself, though his voice came out in heaving pants. “Okay… okay, okay, okay, this is gonna be okay. J-just… let’s just think about this, for a minute.”

Kaitlyn straightened up and clutched at her ears, squeezing her eyes shut. “Give me a second! I… I can’t think! Please!”

The sawblade whirled to life.

“Oh god!” Kaitlyn keened out, unable to focus with its squealing shrieks accompanied by the begging and pleading of her two best friends.

“I’ll give you the count of three. If you don’t pick by then, I will choose for you.” The voice crooned, sounding amused.

Kaitlyn gagged and met the eyes of Jacob first. His eyes were watery. His face was so pale. His screams have turned into sobs, and he was shaking enough that she could see it even from here. He looked at her, hopeless and broken, like he already knew what she would pick. She hated it.

She looked at Dylan next. He was still pleading, meeting her eyes with desperation and terror. He had a bruise on his throat and his lip was split, presumably from being hit. He shook his head at her, begging her not to. He didn’t know who she’d pick, and Kaitlyn didn’t know either.

But she had to pick.

“Three.”

If she didn’t, one of them would die anyway.

“Two.”

She met Jacob’s eyes again. He looked away from her and prepared himself. She met Dylan’s eyes and she was the one to look away this time.

“One—”

“I’m sorry, Dylan.”

She painfully turned the lever towards Dylan, and the sawblade began its journey towards him.

“No! No, NO! Kaitlyn, NO!”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. Please, please…” Kaitlyn cried. It was like watching a horrible wreck, she couldn’t look away despite really wanting to. 

Jacob was jerking and tugging in his binds, but they’re too tight. He’s saying something, but Kaitlyn can only hear Dylan’s cries. 

“What did I do?! What did I do?!” 

Kaitlyn squeezed her eyes shut right before the sawblade tore through him. 

But.

Instead of screaming, instead of tearing flesh, the next sound she hears is the sawblade powering down and the voice returning. “Congratulations. You passed. Kaitlyn Ka, the most loyal friend in the world. Now you all have to live, knowing who she would have chosen to kill.”

The door near Kaitlyn unlocked and swung open on its own. She stared in a numb confusion. 

Oh. 

She stumbled into the room and grabbed a pair of rusty scissors sitting on a nearby table. She cut down Jacob first, then, shakily, Dylan. 

Dylan fell to his knees, staring blankly down at the ground. His hair covered his eyes. His nails dug into the rotted floorboards. 

Jacob pulled Kaitlyn into a hug, petting her hair and squeezing her as close as he could. 

Earlier, he’d told her that there would be no way Dylan could ever hate her. 

He was wrong. 

He was so fucking wrong. 

“We need to get out of here,” Jacob said, voice thick and wobbly. Dylan didn’t move or acknowledge him. “Dylan, hey…”

A door behind them slammed open, and Kaitlyn startled. Not again, please, no…

But it wasn’t the man from before. 

It was Ryan and Abigail.

“Oh thank god,” Jacob sighed, and when Kaitlyn’s knees went weak with relief, so did his. They fell to the ground together, foreheads pressed together. “Thank god.”

Kaitlyn began to sob. 

“Holy shit. Dylan? Hey… hey, can you hear me?” Ryan was speaking softly, kneeling beside the silent man. 

“What happened?! Kaitlyn? Jacob?” Abi panicked, hurrying over to their combined side. 

“A… a fucking maniac. Chained Dylan and I up. Made Kaitlyn choose who to… who to save.” Jacob explained, lifting his head to tuck hers under his chin. His voice had calmed a little, but each word had a shake to it, a hurriedness that revealed the horrific adrenaline pumping through him. “She…”

“She chose to kill me.” Dylan’s voice was hoarse. 

“What?” Kaitlyn couldn’t bear to imagine what Ryan looked like right now. 

“Oh my god,” Abigail gasped, her hand lifting from its comforting rest on Kaitlyn’s back. “Oh my god.”

“If she didn’t choose at all, that fucker would’ve chosen anyway. And… and she apparently chose correctly. So we’re both… both alive.” Jacob held her closer.

“How could…” Ryan trailed off, an indignant anger to his voice. He released a sharp, short breath, and restarted. “What do we do? We can’t call the police without service.”

Abigail moved towards him and Dylan, bending down to check on the latter. She looked over at Ryan. “What about the others? Laura, Max? Emma and Nick? Wait. Where are they?” She directed the last question to Jacob.

“They’re still at the lodge. Or. Fuck. They should be.” 

Kaitlyn steeled herself and pulled away from Jacob to speak. She didn’t meet anyone’s eyes, couldn’t. “Nick was… in the kitchen. He wouldn’t wake up but… he was alive when I saw him. And Emma, she was supposed to be taking a bath.”

“You just left him there? Shit, Kaitlyn!” Ryan’s voice was reedy and definitely angry now. “We have to find them. We can all go to the cable car station, and get help.”

“But what about Laura and Max?” Jacob shook his head. 

Kaitlyn looked up in time to see Ryan cover his eyes and groan. “Fuck. They… they should be at the guest cabin. We should prioritize getting everyone who’s near the lodge off of the mountain. They… should be fine.”

“‘Should be’,” Abigail echoed quietly. “I don’t like that.”

“What else can we do?” Dylan said. There was a snap to his voice that had the girl reeling back a step. He looked up and Kaitlyn couldn’t look away in time. He wasn’t glaring, but he looked furious all the same. No. 

Not just furious. 

Betrayed. 

“Dylan’s right, but so is Abi.” Jacob cut in. “Is there any way to call for help, other than going down the mountain? It could give us all better odds.”

“The radio tower,” Dylan said. He stood up with a small stumble and hugged himself once upright. He looked directly at Jacob, an obvious effort going through him not to look at her. “You could radio for help there. But it’s a two hour walk. Maybe an hour and a half if you hurry.”

“I’ll go.” Jacob decided. Kaitlyn grabbed at his sleeve when he stood, but he tugged her up with him. “But I’ll need someone who knows what they’re doing. I don’t know how to use a radio.”

Kaitlyn wasn’t the only one to glance at Dylan at that, but he didn’t speak up, didn’t offer himself as tribute. 

So she did. “I do.” Once upon a time, Dylan had taught her a little bit about it back in high school. She knew enough to work it. 

Jacob nodded. “Then it’s decided. You three go to lodge, get Nick and Emma. We’ll call for help then meet you at the cable car.”

Not much else was said. Everyone sort of just… split away. 

Kaitlyn’s chin shook, and despite her limbs all feeling like lead, she followed when Jacob tugged her forward. 

She’d never get the look on Dylan’s face when she chose him out of her head. She’d never forget the pain in his voice, telling everyone that she tried to murder him. 

She would never forgive herself, and he’d never forgive her. 

She was a monster. Only a monster would do that, would choose. 

The wind blew harsher around them. It felt like a hateful scold from nature itself. 

FORMIDO

NICK FURCILLO
???
February 2nd, 2022
1:10 AM

Nick wakes up to the feeling of rope around his ankles, and all his blood rushing to his head. His eyes blearily open, face tingling and temple throbbing with pain, and glanced his eyes below him. He’s dangling upside down over an open bear trap.

The spit of wind tells him that he’s outside, and a harder blink allows him to see the snow around the trap. He struggles to glance up, and sees that the rope constraining his ankles is taut around a tree branch, though as he follows it’s path, he sees that it’s connected to a rigged motor. 

He can see a secondary rope trap that leads to an innocuous place in the leaves. A tied circle of rope, for whoever comes to find him. A foot from the rope is another bear trap.

“Oh my god,” He says — or, he tries. He’s gagged, a wad of towel jammed into his mouth and tied down with duct tape. His nose whistles for air as he begins to freak the fuck out.

He’s helpless, he’s stuck, and he’s only wearing his sweater, which is riding up from being upside down. He’s going to die if no one finds him soon. But if they find them, they’ll be trapped too. His eyes water and his breathing strains as his nose grows a tad sniffly.

What is he going to do? 

As he tries in vain to wiggle free, he realizes the answer is ‘nothing’.

He’s stuck. 

He muffles out a scream, but with the wind and the gag, he may as well have stayed silent.

A tear falls, and snow begins to settle on his clothes.

All he can do is hope that he’s found before he freezes to death — and that, whoever finds him, doesn’t get trapped, too.

KAITLYN KA
Headed to Radio Tower
February 2nd, 2022
1:15 AM

“We’ll have to go around the cable car station to get to the tower.” Kaitlyn said quietly, leading the way, squinting past the flurry of snow. “It’ll cut some time off the walk.”

“Okay.” Jacob agreed. “But, Kaitlyn, we should talk about it. You…”

“I, what? I chose to kill one of my best friends? What’s there to talk about?” Kaitlyn snapped back. Then, forcefully, more to herself, “He’s alive. That’s all that matters. Nothing more to talk about.”

“Kait…”

“No. Please, Jake. Can we just… talk about it when I’m… when we get out of this?”

Kaitlyn stared over at him with pleading eyes. She watched him take a slow breath, his eyes studying the snow covered ground like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Then, he nodded. “Okay. But we will talk about it.”

“Okay.”

They continued onward. 

Kaitlyn’s mind felt clouded. Every blink would send her back into that shed, would flash to the sight of Dylan’s terrified face as the sawblade inched closer.

“Can I…” Jacob’s hand curled around her wrist, slowing their walk to a stop. She tensed when she looked up at him. His eyes were haunted, too. But there was something else there, and he squeezed her wrist lightly. “Thank you. Thank you for saving my life.”

Kaitlyn closed her eyes tightly. “Jake… w-what else was I supposed to do? I can’t… I couldn’t let you die… I couldn’t.” 

“You made an impossible decision in a horrible scenario. I’m proud of you for being brave, and… just… Thank you for choosing me.” Jacob insisted. “That wasn’t an easy choice. You… have no idea what that means to me.”

Kaitlyn sighed. “I…”

“And, don’t get me wrong, I’m so glad Dylan didn’t die. I’m so fucking glad that psycho decided to spare him. I don’t really get his game, or whatever he called it, but… you chose to save me.” Jacob shook his head. “I didn’t think you would, but you did.”

Kaitlyn closed her eyes. Neither did she. She hasn’t been close with Jacob for a few years now. She was closer to Ryan and Dylan. Was , being the key word. But… when she saw the defeat on Jacob’s face, anticipating his death before she even decided — it made her angry.

Furious.

Jacob was convinced that he wasn’t important enough to save. He met the eyes of Kaitlyn, who had known him the longest, who practically called him her brother, and was convinced he wasn’t the one she’d save. The self-hating asshole, who was the sweetest person Kaitlyn had ever known, even if he failed to show it sometimes. And that’s when she knew who to choose.

It wasn’t an easy choice. She loved Dylan. He was her best friend, and understood her in a way she’d never had with anyone else before. He made her smile like a kid and made her want to be as silly as him. He didn’t deserve to die, just like Jacob didn’t. He had stared at her in a terrified hope, unsure of who she would choose but knowing that there was a chance.

Jacob hadn’t had any hope.

A horrible part of Kaitlyn thinks that maybe she wouldn’t have saved Jacob if things were even slightly different. Maybe she would see his defeated face, and she would tell herself that ‘he expected it, anyway, so might as well’. It’s a disgusting, bitter thought that has a whiff of truth to it. 

She loved both Jacob and Dylan. But…

Kaitlyn reopened her eyes, and furrowed her brow somberly. “You’re too important to me. Even… even more than Dylan,” She admitted him, quiet and hard to hear over the snowstorm around them. Jacob still heard her. His expression turned, a stunned breath releasing in a short exhale that he visibly tried to suppress.

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

Jacob floundered for words, speechless, and Kaitlyn pulled her wrist free from her grasp. She turned away to allow him the privacy to gather his bearings, and squinted her eyes past the snow to see that the cable car station was just off in the distance.

“We’re close to the station. Come on.”

Was Jacob more important than anyone else in the group? She wondered to herself as they walked forward in silence. More than Emma and Laura, yes. She was ashamed at how easy it was to answer that, but the answer was still yes. Nick, Max, yes. Abi… yes. Dylan… well. She knew that answer now. They all did.

But Ryan? Was Jacob more important to her than him? She tried to imagine Ryan in Dylan’s place and didn’t know the answer. Didn’t want to know the answer.

The cable car station was trashed on the inside. Smears of blood, thrown papers and knocked over chairs. Repeated words written in blood, eloquently screaming ‘DIE DIE DIE’ at them. “Charming,” Jacob remarked shakily, grabbing at the axe wedged in the door.

Kaitlyn glanced around for the ladder, and made a grab for it, her fingers brushing against the cold metal rung, but she was too short to get a good grasp. “Shit.” She muttered. She turned to look at Jacob and blinked as he swung the axe experimentally in front of him. “Hey, Paul Bunyan. Give me the axe and pull this ladder down for me, okay?”

Jacob gave a disappointed glance at the axe, and handed it over reluctantly. Kaitlyn felt a fondness furrowed in her as she watched him reach up for the ladder and pull it down. He gave her a small bow, the quirk of his lips telling her that he was trying to cheer her up. She appreciated it, even if it didn’t really work. “My lady,” He gestured to the ladder.

“A real gentleman,” She said, snarky, which was all she could offer in terms of being lighthearted. Jacob just laughed either way. She climbed up the ladder and pushed herself upright onto the ledge, cursing silently to herself. This wasn’t exactly a safe shortcut, but it was the best they had. “Watch your step,” She told Jacob, turning her head to watch him clumsily push upright from the ladder. 

“I am, I am.” He mumbled, nervous, and hugged at the wall as they began to shimmy forward. “Do you think Nick and Emma are okay?” He asked, which Kaitlyn took for his way to get his mind off the height of the drop they were slowly moving above. 

“God, I hope so. I should’ve tried harder to wake up Nick,” Kaitlyn scolded herself, frowning hard. A single measly shake to his shoulders, and she had given up. If she hadn’t, maybe he would have helped her stop that cruel, psychotic game before she even had to pick. 

“Don’t blame yourself. You were panicking and I wouldn’t be surprised if that punch gave you a concussion,” Jacob’s voice was as stern as it could get with the tremble to it. Kaitlyn wasn’t sure how to reply to that, but she was fortunately prevented from doing so when Jacob quickly changed the subject. “Are we almost on the other side?”

“Yeah,” She nodded. She turned to give him a grim expression. “You’re gonna have to jump, though.”

“You’re fucking joking. No way.”

Kaitlyn shook her head, and rather than say anything else, she leapt off the ledge and onto the snow covered grate below. It squealed and wobbled but stayed strong. She straightened her legs and looked up at Jacob. He gaped down at her with big eyes. “Come on, big guy. Easy jump.”

“That is NOT an easy jump, dear god.” 

Despite all his complaints, he eventually hopped down and landed with a grunt. She patted his back as he held at his knees, bent at the waist. “There, there, you chicken.”

“I am NOT a chicken. Anyone would be terrified of that,” He groaned, standing upright. 

Kaitlyn snorted and gave the first smile in a while. “Sure.”

They started walking, off of the grate onto a concrete porch, and then onto the next trail that led through the woods. So long as they didn’t get totally turned around, they should get to the radio tower in no time. Should.

Because they might be already totally lost, if she’s being perfectly honest. Was it that tree she was supposed to turn at? No… that one? Definitely not that one, right?

She takes too long to decide, and soon they’re stepping under a bridge she doesn’t exactly recognize. Neither does Jacob, and he calls it out with a confused, “Is this the right way?”

“I don’t know, I think so,” Kaitlyn bit down on her lower lip in thought, glancing down between the gaps of the bridge. The wood creaks and whines under their weight. She stopped and frowned. “Woah, hello,” She bent down, and snuck her hand through one of the gaps.

“Kaitlyn, what are you–?”

She held up the object for him to see. “Look.”

Jacob grabbed it from her, flipping it around to see the case. “This is Kaylee’s. Her phone. How… why is this out here??” He handed it back to her as she stood upright.

Kaitlyn’s skin crawled. “First the note from that psycho, and now her phone is here, of all places. Do you think he’s the one who…”

“The one who killed them?” Jacob finished when she couldn’t.

“Yeah.”

Jacob looked pensive, his eyes shadowed. “It’s possible.”

“We… we should keep going. We can’t stall like this.” Kaitlyn pocketed the phone and shook her head, refocusing. “Come on. If her phone is this way, maybe… maybe we’re going the right way.” If they had been chased by the psycho, Kaitlyn assumed they would go somewhere safe, like the radio tower.

“You’re right, good point.”

They headed forward, and she tried to keep her eyes sharp for anything else. She thought the police had swept this area, and yet they missed something Kaitlyn had found by accident. It didn’t make any sense.

They approached a cliffside. “So…” Jacob started, kicking at the snow to reveal a busted sign reading ‘danger! cliff’. No shit. “I’m beginning to suspect this isn’t the way to the radio tower.”

“Oh, really? I had NO idea.”

“You know, I love when you get sassy with me. It’s the highlight of my day. Truly.”

“Shut up.”

The lighthearted air between them was quickly cut short by a wailing bugle behind them, and the snorts and huffs of a furious elk.

Kaitlyn’s hair rose on her arms and the back of her neck, slowly turning with Jacob in tow to see what was approaching them.

A gang of elk, rearing and braying territorially at them, pushing forward with their sharp antlers directed towards them.

“Oh, fuck .”

EMMA MOUNTEBANK
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
1:25 AM

Her music twinkled and hummed in her headphones, her eyes closed peacefully as she soaked in the hot, lavender scented water of the bathtub.

A puff of air behind her made her eyes open, frowning in confusion as she turned to see that her candle wasn't lit anymore. She pulled out her earbuds, calling out cautiously. “Hello? Guys?”

There’s no answer, silence only broken up by a distant bump outside the door. 

Emma scowled, “What are you assholes doing out there? Being creepy?” She stood out of the bath, and wrapped a towel securely around her. “That better not be you, Jacob!”

She went to grab her clothes, but in their place was a single sock. 

“You’re joking. My clothes, really?!” This was a sick joke. She stomped out of the bathroom and glared around to try and find the culprit. Finding no one around, she groaned. Typical. “You’re shit out of luck if you think I’ll parade around naked!” She called out.

She slipped into Kaylee’s room to grab some clothes. It was hard to be in here, she realized belatedly, with some surprise. The pictures on the walls reminding of lost times, before betrayal and hurt, before stupid jealousy ruined the group forever. The room still smelled like Kaylee, too, and she found herself smelling the sweater in her hands with a sting to her eyes. 

Why had she let herself destroy everything? Why hadn’t she taken one look at Laura’s plan and said ‘fuck no’?

Well. There was nothing she could do now. The past was beyond her control. All she could do was focus on moving forward.

And step one for that was figuring out what sort of stupid prank the others were pulling on her now. She left Kaylee’s room, and grimaced to herself, staring at the black balloons tied along the half-wall of the second floor, white arrows painted on the rubber.

“Am I supposed to follow these? Gotta say, this is more creative than I expected from you, Jacob.” Emma called out, reluctantly following the directions and heading towards the stairs that led to the ground floor. “The balloons are a nice touch, did Kaitlyn do that?”

No answer, and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. Classic.

A clock chimed loudly in the distance and she can’t help her flinch, chills crawling. The lodge was pitch black, and cold as ice. Hadn’t Dylan put the heat on earlier? “Jacob? Kaitlyn? Nick…? This is really getting out of hand, okay? It was all very funny, ha ha, look at Emma walking around dripping wet, but now I just really want this to be over, alright? You had enough?”

Emma groaned and shook her head to herself, peering around the living room. Nothing but an almost dead fire in the fireplace. A burst of wind outside had the lodge creaking and wailing, and she hugged herself, deciding it best to continue following the balloons.

They led her down to the lower floor, and to the media room. She stopped in the doorway, looking at the theater seats and seeing no suspicious lumps of anyone hiding. She turned around to check behind her, and saw nothing but her shadow. “Okay.” She whispered, then cleared her throat to project her voice. “If you were trying to freak me out, guess what? You succeeded!”

She grabbed a flashlight sat on the side-table by the media room entrance, flicked it on, and slowly stepped inside.

The doors slammed behind her, and she couldn't choke down the shriek that spilled loose. “What the—okay, COME ON, I am done with this! Joke’s over!” She shouted in frustration, resisting the urge to stomp her foot. “I’m done!”

The projection rolled to life, projecting a white screen against the sheet on the wall opposite her. Emma flinched in surprise, head jerking towards the projector room to try and catch a glimpse of anyone being in there. Nothing, and she shook her head in confusion.

“Hello Emma.” A deep, warbling voice greeted her, unfamiliar and unnatural. 

She felt her face slacken, her arms falling to her sides. She gripped the flashlight tightly. She didn’t know that voice. The others would have revealed themselves by now if it was a prank. She whirled around in a circle. The voice felt so close, but not like it was coming from a speaker.

 “Looking for me?” The voice asked. “I don’t think you’ll have much luck.”

“What is… what is going on? What is this?”

“You’re only going to see what I want you to see. And I have quite a lot to show you.” The projector flickered to a new sight, and Emma flinched back when the sight of her in the bath shined down. Her free hand smacked over her mouth in horror and disgust, skin crawling. “She’s quite beautiful, isn’t she? A beautiful bathing bird.”

“H-how — why —” She sputtered, feeling her eyes well with tears, shivers wracking her body.

“Do you think she has any idea of what lies ahead? Do you think these were the last happy moments of this creature’s life?”

She turned away the moment her past self stood out of the bath, covering her eyes and shaking her head roughly. This was insane. This couldn’t be real. “Why are you showing this to me?!”

“Why are you watching?” The voice countered. The projector clicked to a new scene. She didn’t want to turn around, but the sound of her friends screaming made her whirl around in an instant.

“No!” Poured out of her throat in a tear, eyes wavering between Jacob and Dylan, and the saw between them. “Stop!” 

The saw turned towards Dylan, and Emma grew more desperate, one hand flying to her hair with a tight grip. 

“Dylan! Fuck, no, no, no!” 

The video cuts off before the saw can reach Dylan’s waist. Emma still flinched, her mind painfully finishing the clip for her. No. Dylan can’t be dead. Otherwise… the voice wouldn’t have stopped the clip.

Right…? God, please let her be right.

“What did you do?!” She begged for an answer and received a chuckle.

“I’m going to give you ten seconds.”

What?

“Nine.”

Oh no. “Wait, wait–”

“Eight, seven.” The voice spoke quicker, sounding closer. Behind her.

She stumbled in her haste to get away from the doors behind her, eyes wide and unseeing as she tried to focus on what to do. “Please… please no…”

“Six, five, four, three,”

She grabbed at the vase on a side table near her, held it up, and breathed through her terror.

“Two, one.” The media room doors opened with a bang!, and she got the first sight of the sinister voice.

He wasn’t particularly muscular, but he made up for it in height. His mask was disturbing, a twisted clown mask with pure black eyes swallowing whatever color she may have seen. He wore a baggy set of coveralls, the sleeves rolled up to reveal pale white skin on his forearms.

“Emma.” The man hummed out, gloved hand tip-tapping on his tool belt that held various needles and vials. “Em-maaa.” He said her name like a taunt, taking a step towards her.

She reared back the vase and threw it right in his face.

She ran the moment he stumbled back.

She pushed through the closest door and jumped over the bed in the center of the room. She ran towards the next open door that led down a set of stairs – the basement. She could hide in there. She knows she can.

She ran down the steps, narrowly bypassing the withered step towards the bottom, and didn’t dare pause to hide. She ran for the next door she saw, and cursed when she saw it had no fucking handle. Of course not. No matter, she just had to put muscle into it.

“Where are you going, Emma?” A distant voice called out, and she rammed her shoulder against the door. It shifted but didn’t budge. “You can’t run from this, Emma.”

Yes she can, motherfucker.

She rammed her shoulder again, and again. She could feel the door caving more and more under her force.

“Why kid yourself, thinking you can run away? Don’t you know I can smell you, Emma? I can smell your fear.”

The door broke open and she threw herself inside, slamming it behind her. She slid the latch in place just in time to see the man coming down the hall.

“Hah, try to get me now, fucker.” She spat shakily, clutching the flashlight to her as she backed away from the door and through a gap in the wall of the dusty, decrepit room. She didn’t know where the fuck she was, but she knew that he wouldn’t be held back by that door forever. 

She found herself in a long hall, filled with broken furniture she can’t recall ever being in the Hackett home over the years. It’s dusty, dirty, and smelled old. She pinched her nose to hold back a sneeze, and rounding a corner, she found a broken dumbwaiter half-open.

She glanced behind her and saw a shadow of the man already catching up to her. Fuck. She had to hide, right fucking now.

She slid down into the broken dumbwaiter, curling as small as she could go. She was regretting not grabbing a pair of Kaylee’s shoes as she felt broken glass dig into her feet, but she bites her tongue to hold back her pained gasp. She turned off the flashlight just in time to hear the man’s labored breathing, his shadow right on top of her hiding position.

She held her breath, eyes squeezing shut as hard as they could go.

The man’s breathing increased until it sounded deranged, and a snarled “Fuck!” left his modulated voice.

His footsteps went back down the hall, and Emma didn’t dare move for the longest time.

She did it. She escaped.

But… Now what?

ABI BLYG
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
2:00 AM

“Did you find anything up there?” Abigail asked hurriedly as Ryan took two steps down the stairs, returning to her and Dylan’s side. “There’s nothing on this floor. E-except…”

Ryan’s hand grabbed at Dylan’s arm for a moment, glancing between him and Abi with a small frown. “Except?”

Dylan’s face was shadowed as he stared down at the floor, shaking his head once. “Blood. It leads outside.”

Abi bit her lip and hugged herself around her waist, sharing a concerned glance with Ryan. Only seeing the aftermath of what had gone down, Abi knew it had to be traumatizing. His best friend chose to kill him, and he would have died if the psycho harassing them hadn’t shown mercy. Heck, Abi was horrified for Dylan, and a little angry, too.

On one hand, she felt terrible for Kaitlyn. That was a screwed up situation and not something that could be decided so easily. But that was exactly it – Kaitlyn had decided. And that… Well, Abi understood why Dylan had looked so betrayed back in the shed. She’d picked who to kill, had actually thought through about who was less deserving to survive. That wasn’t okay, and while Abi sympathized with her, she was on Dylan’s side.

If there even was a side. He’d barely said a goddamn word other than the sentence he’d uttered moments ago. His face was so… not him. It was bone chilling, and Abi wished she could shield him from any coming danger until help arrived and they all fled from this stupid mountain. She doubted Dylan would let her shield him, but it was the thought that counted.

Seeing that Dylan wasn’t moving, Abi gestured for Ryan to follow her towards the blood that they had found while he searched upstairs. It was a long stretch of blood, like something or… someone, had been dragged. The door it led to was wide open, and the snow just outside was stained pink.

Ryan’s face curled into a grim frown, crossing his arms. “Trap?”

Abi went to answer, but Dylan nodded his head first. “I think so.”

Abigail shook her head. “But what if it isn’t ? We could be leaving Nick or Emma to die!” She couldn’t have that. She just couldn’t.

Dylan retorted, “But if it’s a trap, we could die. Ryan?” He looked imploringly at the other man, his haunted eyes making both him and Abi wince.

Ryan hesitated, eyes darting to the door, the blood, and back to Dylan. He sighed. “...I agree with Dylan. Sorry, Abi.”

Abi’s hands flopped to her thighs in defeat, her lips pressing in a thin line. “So… what, that’s it? We’re ignoring it?”

Neither man replied, avoiding her eyes.

Abi crossed her arms and bit down on her lower lip. It could be Nick or Emma’s blood, and they could be hurt, could be trapped. They could be going through another one of those sick games, and they wanted to just… leave it?

Abigail uncrossed her arms and tried to look as brave as she was trying to be. “Well, I’m going. I can’t risk it.”

Dylan’s lips turned down, not meeting her eyes but turning in her direction. “But…” He trailed off when Abi held up her hand to silence him. She told herself to apologize for that once this was over, and spoke as firmly as her anxiety would allow her.

“You can either come with me or you can look here. But I’m not changing my mind.”

Ryan’s hand met Dylan’s arm again, a protective move that Abi was sure neither really noticed. He nodded slowly, reluctant, his face visibly ashen. “Fine.”

Abigail nodded back and wrung her hands together in a self-soothing motion. She sighed, taking a half-step back towards the open door. “Be safe, please.” She pleaded.

Ryan tried to smile, but it fell flat. “Can’t promise, but we’ll try. You too, okay?”

Abi nodded. “Yeah.”

The two boys walked away, back into the deeper part of the lodge to continue searching. Abi watched them go until they turned the corner, and she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans.

She sucked in a deep breath, narrowing her eyes and trying to be as tough as Emma was. “Okay, Abigail. You’ve got this. You can do this. You can be brave.”

She stepped down the path, following the blood trail with a clenched jaw. There were various balloons tied to the low-hanging branches, painted white arrows guiding her the same direction as the blood. It did not bode well, and she shivered despite her heat-trapping coat.

“Oh, god. You’re brave, you’re brave, you can do this…”

She heard a sharp snap of a branch, and the whining creaking of a tree, and she swallowed hard. Abi pushed through two bushes, and whispered quietly, trembling more and more.

“Nick..? Emma..?” There was more blood in the snow, fresher in how dark the red still was, and the snow was more freshly disturbed. Her hands pinched into fists, eyes widening until it almost hurt. “Oh, no. No, no, no.” There was a bear trap by the blood, opened and ready to trigger.

She slowly looked up, and witnessed a terrible sight.

Nick, dangled upside down, a thick rope around his ankles. His mouth was gagged by a dirty looking cloth, and he was screaming, muffled, staring at her with terrified eyes.

Abi gasped and her earlier whisper turned into a shriek as she began to rush towards him. “Nick! Oh my god!” He shouted louder at her around his gag, but she didn't think about what it could mean.

It’s a shame she didn’t, because another rope she hadn’t seen snared around her ankles, and yanked her into the air, the tree branch creaking under her abrupt additional weight.

She cried out in terror and shock, swinging wildly in a circle. “Wha—oh, oh my god!”

Her hair covered her vision, and she flailed, crying out again. She’s trapped, just like Nick. He shouted at her again as she panicked.

So much for being brave.

VINDICTA

DYLAN LENIVY
Hackett Lodge
February 2nd, 2022
2:10 AM

“There’s only one more place to look after this,” Dylan informed Ryan as they neared the media room doors. “If not in here, maybe they went to the basement.”

“You’re right. Maybe they hid. I hope they did, at least.” Ryan opened the doors, and waved a hand to allow Dylan to walk in first.

It was dark, the only light from the projector playing a blank black screen. A shattered vase lay in the middle of the room. “Shit, something definitely happened in here,” Dylan muttered, kicking a shard of glass out of his way to push open the side door.

“Are we going to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?”

Ryan’s hand grasped at his elbow, and Dylan allowed him to tug, meeting his eyes reluctantly. “Dylan. Talk to me. What Kaitlyn did—”

“Almost did,” Dylan corrected sourly.

“Almost did, fine.” Ryan allowed, letting him go to cross his arms. “You can’t hold this in, Dylan.”

“Is now really the time? Emma and Nick could be dead. We can’t risk taking forever by talking about my feelings.”

“I… you almost died, Dylan. I would have found you dead if the psycho hadn’t…”

“What do you want me to say? One of my best friends wanted to kill me to save her brother? I hate her? No. That’s selfish. She… she did what she thought she had to.” Dylan closed his eyes somberly, disguising the tremble of his voice with a sardonic laugh. “Anyone would have done the same.” He had to tell himself that.

“No. I don’t know,” Ryan slowly shook his head. “I don’t think I could ever make a choice like that.”

“Well, good thing it wasn’t you then, huh?” Dylan said bitterly, turning away and walking through the side door. He heard Ryan sigh in defeat, before his footsteps followed.

The hallway led to an open door, directed towards the basement stairs. He went for them, but jerked to a stop at the sight of a feminine figure turning the corner at the bottom of the stairs, disappearing from view in the blink of an eye. 

Ryan bumped into his frozen back. “What’s wrong?”

“I—I saw someone. It—it looked like—“ He swallowed roughly, closing his eyes tight as Ryan moved past him.

“Who?” He turned to look up at him, brow furrowed. Dylan ran a hand through his hair and released a tense sigh.

“It looked like Kaylee,” He admitted, closing his eyes again to envision it. Petite, pale and littered with the same freckles as her brother. Thick brown hair, bangs that covered her forehead and parts of her eyes. A dark butterfly tattoo on her shoulder.

“Dylan,” Ryan sighed, looking away from him with a clear look of dismissal. “It’s been… horrible tonight. Your mind is probably fried. I don't even trust what I’ve been seeing, and I know it’s real. You… you’re probably just seeing things.”

“...Maybe… maybe you’re right. Maybe it is just my imagination…” Dylan pinched the space between his eyes, releasing a breath that was meant to steady and did nothing of the sort. “I… I just… I saw something, Ryan.”

Ryan’s hand found his for a brief moment, reassuring even as fleeting as the touch was. “Dylan, it’s okay. You’re just… we’re both… kinda out of our heads right now. I mean, we just… we gotta pull it together, okay? You with me?”

“Ryan…”

“Let’s just… let’s keep our heads.”

“I feel like I’m going crazy.”

“This is the only place left that they could be, man.” Ryan tried. Dylan shook his head and ignored the hum in his ears that sounded more like a whirring saw than blood rushing.

“I wish we could just go find everyone else, and—”

“What if they need us? What if they’re in a trap, just like you were?” Ryan countered, eyes apologetic. Dylan sighed and reluctantly nodded. Ryan walked forward, staring down at the steps leading to the basement with a grim expression. “Let’s go.”

They moved down the stairs, Ryan using his phone as a flashlight. Dylan’s phone was missing from his pocket, so he had to stay close to Ryan or be surrounded by darkness.

The basement was foreboding and eerie as ever, but something felt off, more than before. His skin crawled and his entire body felt chilly as he glanced around, briefly eying Kaylee’s creepy ass dollhouse that was resting in one of the corners. He looked away just as fast. Avoid.

“Emma?” Ryan called out, and Dylan mimicked him, eyes darting around every dark point of the area.

“Nick? Are you there? It’s us,” He said. Nothing.

He turned back around and froze at the sight of Kaylee staring back at the end of the hallway, her hand pointed, to Dylan’s right, at a hidden area. Dylan’s hand curled around Ryan’s shoulder, shaking him.

“Ryan, look—look!” He insisted, but by the time he turned his head, Kaylee was gone from view. He stared cluelessly and Dylan groaned. “You were looking at your phone?! What are you tweeting; hashtag there’s a freaking ghost after us?!”

“Dylan, calm down, okay? There is no ghost here. Ghost of what? You’re freaked out because of what happened at the shed—” Ryan’s hands threw up in exasperation, and Dylan shook his head, desperate to be believed.

“You’re not listening to me! I saw it. I saw a ghost and — and it looked like Kaylee!” Dylan’s voice wobbled and he knew his eyes were shining, but no tears came, too exhausted to be mustered. “It looked like Kaylee!”

Ryan’s face curled into something incredulous, maybe even irritated. “Wait, wait, what? Jesus, Dylan! What, you think she’s fucking haunting you or some shit?!”

“I don’t know, maybe!”

“She’s NOT! Because… ghosts don’t exist, okay?!” Ryan shouted. Dylan reared back and clenched his jaw.

Fine, if he wasn’t going to believe him, then… Ugh. Fuck it.

He went down the hall, turning to look at the wall that Kaylee had been pointing at.

A little key, hanging on a nail hammered into the brick.

“Ryan, look! This is what she was pointing at,” He said. Ryan groaned, heading over reluctantly. He held out the key for him to take. “I told you. She wants to help!”

“It’s key, Dylan. We don’t even know where it goes!”

But Dylan isn’t looking at him. Kaylee’s back, down the hall where they’d been standing a few moments ago. Her arm is extended, pointing. “Oh my god. There, Ryan!” He shoved at the man’s shoulder until his head turned.

Ryan’s eyes widened, a choked, “W-woah, wait—” leaving his lips as Kaylee walked behind a pillar and out of view.

“You can’t tell me you didn’t see that!”

“I… I d-dunno… I… this is fucking crazy,” Ryan stammered. Dylan took the key from his limp hand, and headed past him back down the hall.

He knelt by where she had been pointing — at her dollhouse. “Ryan…” He turned to see that Ryan was already right behind him. “She wanted us to see this.” He stuck the key in, and it unlocked with a quiet click.

Inside the dollhouse was a scene. The bottom floor, two male dolls lay on their faces, ‘sleeping’. On the top floor, a group of dolls circled a girl doll, with black marks on her cheeks to signal tears. One of the dolls, with a similar mole on her face to Emma’s, held a cellphone up.

“Woah, woah woah, what is… Dylan… it’s like—”

“It’s not ‘like’ anything. That’s us, down there. And that’s the others, waiting for Kaylee. Last year.” Dylan’s so fucking tired of this.

“But… It's so accurate. The… you remember the video? That’s where they were all sitting. Look, they even got Abi in the closet, and Laura with the silly string.”

“This was setup by someone, who was there.” Dylan decided. It made sense. Why else would this be happening? It had to be someone involved. Someone who knew the siblings, knew them. Someone who knew their friendships, like Kaitlyn with Jacob, Kaitlyn with him. If it’s not, then… “Or someone, some thing that was watching us.”

Ryan’s breath was shaky as he exhaled sharply. “Maybe it’s a warning. I think… I think someone put this here to mess with us. I think it’s this bastard, and he’s trying to fuck with our heads!”

“W-why would he set all this up, Ryan?”

They both gazed at the doll Kaylee, and Dylan almost wanted to reach out, to save her from the other dolls of their friends. Ryan shook his head slowly. “He’s trying to tell us he’s going to come after everyone else, too.”

The top of the dollhouse popped open with a click loud enough that Dylan jumped. “Shit!” He straightened up, grabbing the journal that lay inside the mini-attic. He studied it, a grim frown curling his lips. “It’s Kaylee’s diary.”

“M-maybe we shouldn’t read it.” Ryan’s voice wavered uncertainly.

Dylan opened the journal anyway. 

‘I really think... Caleb is doing better now that he's out of the hospital... I saw him today—’ Oh. This was before, a couple months before that night everything went to shit.

‘I saw him today and he seemed... better... he's pretty upbeat, but... he talked like he's been doing therapy... for such a long time... guess I didn't know, Uncle T and Dad never let on... Funny how you can not even know your own brother. I kinda need a good cry... thinking about how lonely he must feel…’

Dylan glanced carefully over at Ryan, and flipped the page wordlessly. That was private, something he knew that neither of the siblings tried to pretend wasn’t a thing. Dylan only knew because of how close he and Caleb once were. The fact that Ryan didn’t know about Caleb’s illness was one that had made Dylan guilty for keeping secrets. But it had never been his secret to tell, and it still wasn’t, so he moved on.

This passage, he read aloud after briefly skimming it. "...everyone being together here...on the mountain...is gonna be so awesome...cozy fires and hot tubs...and OMG Jacob...I am so psyched to spend some time with him…” Dylan slammed the book shut and tossed it away. “I can't read this!! It's so sad, Ryan…” Why would Kaylee lead them over here?

A door creaked open, back down where they had found the key. “Did you hear that?” Ryan asked. “What was that?”

Dylan shook his head and led the way forward, half-holding his breath. He walked through the door, and it slammed behind him.

He startled, turning around to slam his fist into the wood. “Shit! Ryan!”

“Dylan! No… no! Shit!” Ryan’s voice shouted back to him.

He tried to open the door, and to his surprise, it opened without any resistance. What the hell..? That hadn’t been just a regular draft. Couldn’t have been.

Ryan looked up at him, lips parted as he tried to calm down. Dylan wasn’t too far behind, wiping his palms against his pants as Ryan walked through the door quickly, not wanting to risk getting separated once more.

“Still don’t believe me?” Dylan asked petulantly.

“Could’ve been the wind,” Ryan tried, though the way he faltered was proof enough that he didn’t believe his own words.

Dylan rolled his eyes. Way to sound like every dumb horror movie protagonist, Ry.

His eyes caught on a red blinking light hiding behind a cardboard box on the ground. "...Is that a camera?" He walked over, kicking the box aside to grab the camera.

He lifted it, able to see his face from the side screen. Was it recording them? Or—no. No fucking way.

It was a live feed.

The man who'd chained him and Jacob up was watching them. How many other cameras were there? This fucking asshole has been watching them all night! "Go suck an egg!" He called childishly into the lens, dropping the camera and mashing it with his foot until the infuriating red light died. He just wanted this night to be over already. He rubbed at his wrists, and though they no longer hurt, he felt phantom ropes chafing them.

He caught up with Ryan, and he was standing still, looking into a further area. "Look at this," he murmured, and Dylan joined his side, "There's like, a whole new place down here. It doesn't even look like it's part of the lodge."

There was a staircase leading even further down, with torn walls and exposed pipes. The floors were littered in trash and dirt, and the hallway following the stairs seemed to go on for a while.

"Where the hell is this?" Dylan asked.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Ryan, this isn't part of the cabin. It can't be. I'm not sure even the Hackett's knew this was here."

As they walked, Dylan could swear he could hear the sound of faint, whispering sobbing. Ryan didn't seem to hear it as he turned left, but Dylan stopped, eying the overturned tables and chairs near a large vent.

A faint light bounced on the floor.

"Ryan, look!" He whisper-yelled, picking up the object with a shaking hand.

"Emma’s bracelet?" Ryan gasped. "She really was down here! We're going the right way." Ryan led the way once more when Dylan stood back up, his expression darker than before at the confirmation. 

Dylan stood short just before they entered another area. "I don't know if I can keep doing this," He said wearily, looking down to avoid Ryan’s face.

Ryan gave a soft, weak huff. "Yeah, I'm, I, I'm nearing my limit, too."

"I just—I wanted to forget last year ever happened, but tonight, I just…" 

"Yeah, I'm..." He swallowed roughly. "Can I... be perfectly honest with you, Dylan?"

Dylan wasn’t sure if he really wanted to hear this, but he nodded anyway. “Y-yeah.”

"I'm, I'm not too sure what Kaylee thought was going to happen that night. Did she think that Jacob would really cheat on Emma with her? Did she think that everything would work out after? And, why would she run out half-naked into a blizzard?"

"Hey, now…”

"No, I—she was being so fucking stupid that night. Going after a taken man and running away when confronted with the consequences. I've been so mad, so overly critical of the others for what they did because if I let myself think about the other side—fuck. Part of me thinks that Kaylee deserved it." He rasped.

Dylan felt his stomach drop at the words, and he couldn't help the glare that curled into his eyes. Ryan squeezed his eyes shut, roughly shaking his head. 

"Not, not the dying part. Just the. The prank." He elaborated.

“Yeah, well…” Dylan released a sharp breath and looked just past Ryan’s shoulder. “You know how it is when you’re crushing pretty hard on someone.”

Ryan didn’t reply, so Dylan continued.

“If it was you, don’t you think you would have run away? I-I mean… who likes being made fun of?”

Ryan’s eyes closed somberly.

“Ryan, they made her look so stupid, in front of all her friends, and the guy she liked! I can’t imagine doing anything worse to someone.”

Dylan turned away from him and shook off his lingering anger. Ryan had every right to think that way. Dylan couldn’t be protective of someone who wasn’t around to hear it, and Ryan deserved to speak his mind without being shamed. …No matter how much it frustrated Dylan to hear him blame Kaylee for that night.

They soon found themselves at another staircase leading down. Dylan stopped again, taking in a sharp breath.

"You know what? No.”

“Dyl—”

“No! I’ve had enough! I’m not going down any further into this nightmare, Ryan!”

“Dylan… I understand, okay? I'm really freaked out too. But if Emma's down there all alone with a maniac... and we leave? We're basically killing her ourselves!”