Chapter Text
"And we're gonna teach her a lesson! We can't just keep letting her get away with blatantly flirting with Mike." Jess said while crossing her arms. "I don't care if she's Josh's little sister she needs to learn that she has no chance with him-"
"Yeah, And I've let it slide for far, far too long." Emily pipes up, "Just because he's class prez doesn't mean he belongs to everyone." she says with a huff. "He's my man." She asserts with a hum and a smirk.
"No way am I gonna be a part of this." This was completely out of pocket even for those two.
"Don't you think this is just a little cruel? I mean it’s not her fault she has a huge crush on Mike." I turn to Sam beside me, "Finally someone with a little sense," turning back towards the others I continue," This is not a good idea. You five have got yourselves in one hellish echo chamber." My finger waggles between the idiotic group in front of me. "I'm out." It's a definite statement no way am I going to humiliate Hannah for something she can't even help.
"Oh, you party poopers, it'll be funny." Mike laughs as both Sam and I turn to leave. With an annoyed huff I close the door behind us, perhaps a little ruffer than I should.
"Hey, I'm gonna go find Hannah, try and warn her." Sam says as she splits off to go and find Hannah. With a sour expression I turn to head downstairs, see if anyone down there is still sober enough to talk to. Hopefully to find someone sober enough to put a stop to the egregious idea. My sneakers softly tapping as I descend the stairs, hand running along the cool railing. I walk around the first floor trying to find the others. A shadow moves to my left, and I jump as Beth emerges from a dark hallway. I let out a yelp as I jump slightly. "You scared the bejesus out of me."
"Heh," she lets out a small chuckle," what's got you on your toes?" she asks continuing on her way to the kitchen, so I follow along behind her. Letting out another huff," Its the jack asses upstairs, they're in a very picky mood. They're up to no good."
"Seems like they've really ruffled some feathers, who's the target of their latest escapades?" She asks as she turns to straighten up the counter, picking up and unfolding a piece of paper that seems to have caught her eye.
"Hm, oh they're trying to use Mike to get to Hannah. I don't think it's gonna go anywhere though, Sam's run off to warn her." I clarify as I look over to the two guys passed out in the setting area.
"Jeez what is she getting herself into, Look at this." She hands over the piece of paper, a little annoyed herself now. I have to adjust my glasses to be able to read in the dim light, but once I'm able to I clearly see the obvious planted catalyst. "That's just cruel," I spout in slight offence tossing the note back on to the counter.
"Sam's probably already talking her down in her room." She sighs, her head cocking back in annoyance before falling forward again. "I could use some help taking the trash out before it gets too bad outside." She leads as she grabs her coat off the rack. "Wanna help me knock it out real Quick?"
"Yeah, the less time any of us has to spend outside tonight the better." I slide my jacket on and follow behind her, us grabbing a bag each. "I know I'm about ready to go pass out, I don't know how the peanut gallery upstairs has the energy to be little shits." I laugh as we step out into the bitter wind. Light snow fall flittering around us as we shuffle towards the garbage cans. I look out at the surrounding woods as she tosses the bags into the, frankly overflowing, can. The lid hanging on by a thread balanced at the peak of the mound. Watching the branches sway and ruffle as birds and other critters rustle around I let out a pleased and tiered hum. “It’s a shame the sky’s so overcast tonight,” I sigh looking up at the shifting clouds, "I bet the stars are beautiful up here.” Glancing at her from the corner of my eye.
“They really are, hopefully next year everyone can come out during the summertime. I find it’s far superior compared to how we’re freezing our butts off now.” She shivers, rubbing her arms. “Talking about freezing let's get back inside, I wanna curl up next to the fire.”
“Heh, sounds like a plan!” I laugh walking back towards the front door, my teeth lightly chattering as we walk. As we approach the door the only sound we hear is the soft crunch of the snow under our shoes. Until the door flies open banging against the lodges siding as Hannah comes stumbling out. Tears streaming down her face as she pushes past us and runs off into the night.
“Wha- Han, Hannah?!?!” Beth turns and calls after her, “Hannah Wait!!” Just as she's about to run after her heavy foot fall comes rushing down the stairs behind us. Turning back around we’re confronted by the rest of our so-called friend group. “What the hell did you do?!?!” she shouts at them.
“Oh it's nothing,” Emily dismisses her before Jess cuts in,” Yeah it's not our fault she can't take a joke.”
“Yeah, it's just a prank Han!” Emily cups her hands around her mouth as she calls into the night.
“You guys are all such assholes!” Beth shouts as she turns and runs into the woods after her sister.
“You think we should go after her?” Mike says awkwardly rubbing his neck.
“Y’know I think you’re the last person she wants to see right now.” Sam huffs as she pushes her way through them to go back inside.
I scoff in disbelief pushing my own way through, “You’re all unbelievable, I can't believe you guys actually went through with it.” Stomping my way into the living room and over to Josh. “Josh, JOSH!” I raise my voice as I try to shake him awake. But all I pull from him is a grumble as he shifts in his sleep. I stand back up as the others file back into the lodge. “What the hell were y’all thinking?”
“What do you mean it’s not our fault she ran out into the woods.” Jess sasses arms crossed and defensive.
“Lets just all calm down and keep our heads,” Sam tries to soothe the group,” Beath went out to find her. They’ll be back before we know it. We just need to settle down and wait.” With a disgruntled huff I went over to the counter barstools to sit down.
As we’re waiting the minutes tick by, slowly creeping towards an hour, maybe more. The group slowly getting more restless as time passes. Ashley quietly pacing and chewing on her lip arms crossed over her chest.
“Something has to be wrong,” Matt points out thirty-some-odd minutes later,” they should be back by now.” He’s looking around the room now, searching for doubt in our eyes.
“I’m sure they’re fine, they probably are just at the other cabin.” Emily tries to justify. “I mean they grew up here; they know these woods better than any of us, right?” We’re all looking at each other back and forth around the room. Josh and Chris still passed out on the couches.
“We need to find a way to sober up and wake up Chris and Josh. His sisters ran off into the woods for god’s sake; he needs to know.” I state already standing from my position perched on the bar stool. Walking around the counter to fetch two cups of water, to ... I don’t know. Just to be doing something. As I’m grabbing the water Sam jumps to Josh’s Side, gently but urgently trying to wake him.
“Josh, hey come on we need you to wake up.” Her soft voice slowly rouses him, she’s able to get him to begrudgingly sit up. Mostly awake … somewhat awake. I’m able to hand off one of the cups to her as I pass by moving over towards Chris, where Ashley has started making progress, slower but progress none the less, on getting him up. I can hear Sam continue on behind me,” Here you go, drink up. Are you good, fully up?” I hand off the other cup to Ash, stepping back to help Sam with what surely is going to be a rough conversation.
As Josh looks around getting his bearings, he starts noticing the grim looks on all of our faces. “What's going on? You all look like you’re about to front an intervention.” he jokes to try and loose some of the tension, only for it to fall flat.
“Theres no good way to say this.” Sam starts as she stands up, pausing a moment to think about her phrasing carefully. Josh’s face falling from his confused grin as she continues. “A prank was pulled; it really hurt Hannah and she- she ran off into the woods on her own. We didn’t want to wake you because Beth went after-”
Josh tries to throw himself off the couch, stumbling on his liquor addled legs. His voice raising, “My sisters ran out into the woods and no one told me?!” By the end he was shouting. “How long have they been gone?” He was panicking now, trying to push through everyone to get at his coat.
“Thirty minutes?” Matt makes a guess,” An hour at most. We were thinking they could have taken refuge in the other cabin?” He said it almost like a question, like he wasn’t sure of himself.
“No, the other cabin doesn't have power to it right now. They’d still be at risk of freezing.” Josh states the news seems to be more sobering than anything. Shrugging on his coat he tries to make his way towards the front door only to be stopped by Sam, “The snow’s picked up at this point, it's too dangerous. It’ll do us no good to go out into it and get ourselves hurt. I'm sure they’ve found somewhere safe to camp out. We can go out and find them as soon as the sun rises.” She tries to ground him, a hand on his shoulder, coming up with at least somewhat of a plan.
“And- and then we can send a couple people down to the base of the mountain to call for help.” I suggest, “if we can't find them, the quicker we get a search team up here the better right?”
“If we can't find them? We have to find them. And they are going to be okay.” Josh’s panic suddenly stills to a horrifying calm. Almost as if he’s trying to convince himself that everything is going to be okay. Eyes darting around the room at everyone.