"Just a little bit further," I inform, climbing up a dingy wooden staircase. I glance over my shoulder, making sure Zac is behind me as I divet to the right and climb behind some trees fencing the path.

    "What the hell are you doing? I wanna get to the cabin and... sit down," He huffs, dropping his hands onto his knees as he watches me through the gaps in the branches. 

    "If you're fat and can't handle a little hike, don't make it my problem," I grin his way, poking my head back out of view to dust the snow off of a hidden contraption. 

    "Fat? Do you hear that? Hear how that's solid?" He asks, tapping his fist against his gut rather harshly. I roll my eyes, pulling the parts of the structure away from where it's buried in snowfall. 

    "No, but I think I saw it jiggle even through all those layers," I snort, pausing to push the trees out of the way and look at him with an unimpressed expression, "You gonna stand there imagining a set of abs or are you gonna put those 'solid' muscles to use?"

    "Not sure. You did just call me fat multiple times in a single minute," He crosses his arms, stepping up to the edge of the trees and ducking through the path. 

    "I'm impressed you can count to sixty, Zac! Well done!" I exclaim, directing him towards the makeshift object. 

    "Sixty? I said one minute. That's what 'a single' means, dumbass," He shakes his head with a scoff. I blink, puffing my cheeks out and deciding against correcting him on his very obvious mistake. "What is this thing anyways?"

    I stare down at the contraption, a cardboard cut out of a warped creature, with detailed decaying skin and rotting teeth on the flat surface. At the end, ropes and a railway from a sliding door no longer needed due to renovations in the lodge make the creature seem life-like once activated.

    "Something the twins and I made to try and scare you and Josh. Sam and I spent hours making that thing look realistic. Never got around to using it," I explain, my chest tight at the thought of Hannah and Beth. Their giggles echo in my head, their smiling faces as the three of us and Sam experimented on making it spring out of hiding. "What did you think we'd do all the time when we were up in Hannah's room with arts and crafts?"

    "I thought you were doing arts and crafts," He deadpans.

    "You gotta admit, this is pretty crafty," I laugh, moving to grab one side of it as Zac grabs the other. We lift the bottom of it, holding the cardboard straight, the wood stuck to the back helping keep it up. He follows my instructions as we position it close to the edge of the fenced trail.

    I remember when Beth and I brought this thing out here. We were laughing the whole way, lugging the chunky pieces through the woods until we found a perfect spot. Josh and the other boys always went to the guest cabin, so we knew to tuck it away on the path there. I remember her tripping and falling on her face, throwing the cardboard creature out of the way so she didn't break it. I laughed so hard I didn't notice a rock in the snow and fell down next to her. That was one of the last times I saw my best friend of over ten years. 

    As we set up our work, she spoke about wanting Josh to marry me so we could be legal sisters. Maybe that's why I dated him after she died, even if it was only two months. As much as Josh is my friend too, I was always the closest with Beth. Being close to him felt like being close to her again.

   But, that's not what I need. 

   I crouch down, grabbing a wire half submerged by snow and yanking it free, grabbing the trip wire in my palm and stepping back onto the trail. I crouch once more, clearing snow from the ground and jamming the small platform into the snow before swiping a layer of snow back over it to conceal it. 

    Pushing to a stand, I put my hands on my hips and grin, "Let's just hope they step on it," 

    The contraption is built to spring forward when triggered, and ropes at the base to spring snow around the cardboard and scare whoever is walking past. Knowing how smart Beth is--was--, I know it'll work how it's intended. 

    "Alright, to the cabin," I announce, turning to the left and continuing up the trail.

    "Fucking finally," Zac sighs. 

    We approach a gap in the wooden platform, getting a running start to clear the small wreckage. Once we do, the Cabin enters our sights almost immediately. 

    "Okay, so. The front door is locked but one of the bedrooms has a busted window so we can get in through there," I inform, aiming my phone light at the path below, walking around the cabin to where the bedroom window sits. 

    "How do you know that? Did you become a groundskeeper without me knowing?" Zac mocks, aiming his own phone torch at the wooden guest cabin. I glance up at him, sending him a knowing look before he gags, "Oh, ew. I don't wanna hear about you in that bedroom with-"

    "You literally asked!" I laugh, tucking my phone away and latching onto the window frame. 

    "If I knew that was the answer, I would have shot myself instead," He replies.

    "Y'know there's a shotgun inside. There's still time," I smile at him over my shoulder before turning back and grabbing the bottom of the frame. The muscles in my arms strain ever so slightly as I push up, the frame sliding until the window is all the way open. 

    I brace my hands on the bottom, pushing myself up and ducking underneath the top of the frame as I kick my leg over. My boots hit the wooden floors, snow falling from the material and around the floor. 

    A thump sounds behind me causing me to spin around with a jolt. Zac groans, holding his shoulder with one hand as he pushes himself up. 

    "Can you do anything?" I sigh, unable to scold him more when I hear the sound of two shrill screams, followed by familiar loud voices. I hold my finger to my lips, running to close the bedroom door, "They're coming,"

    "I can't believe that homemade spring trap worked," He laughed, pushing up against the door with me to listen as Mike and Jess barge in and slam the door shut behind them.

    "What the hell was that?" Jess' muffled voice huffs, presumably trying to catch her breath from running so fast. "It was... I think it was cardboard,"

    "Must have been something Ruby and the twins left out on the trail. Scared the blue out my jeans," Mike huffs. I hear Jessica go quiet before she scoffs and the sound of couch springs squeaking fills the air. "What?"

    "There it is again, Miss Ponytail," Jess spits the word like venom. I furrow my brows, holding back a smile at the anger laced in that silly word. 

    "Jess, c'mon," He sighs, sounding clearly annoyed, "What's the issue? I mean, I barely speak to Ruby and, Jess, it's not like we're dating, remember?"

    "Excuse me?"

    "What? What did I say now?" He sounds almost drained by this point. Zac can't help but snort, leading to me quickly slamming my hand against his mouth which only creates another sound. 

    "What was that?" I hear their voices from outside the door followed by footsteps. I slap Zac's shoulder, pointing behind him toward the wardrobe as I dive for the bed.

    Lifting the covers up from the edge, I push myself under the frame and cover the sides back up, leaving me in total darkness. 

    I hear the door open and slow footsteps enter the room. 

    "Mike! I can't find my phone!" I hear Jess's voice call from a distance. 

    I have to hold in my laugh as I hear Mike sigh followed by retreating footsteps. He closes the door behind him, muffled voices entering the room as the pair bicker or talk, it all sounds the same to me. 

    Lifting the covers from the sides of the bed, I poke my head out into the light as Zac slowly climbs out of the wardrobe. I push to my feet, meeting Zac in the middle of the room with a grin, "Let's just start banging on walls and shit and get out of here. I do not want to be here when they get down to business," 

    "Agreed," He nods. 

   I turn on my heels, heading for one side of the room while Zac heads for the other. Sure, scaring them with a homemade monster and banging on walls is lame, but--unlike them--I'm not a cruel monster. 

    Turning over my shoulder to Zac, I nod and lift both of my fists up to the wall. 

    Before I can do anything, the sound of glass shattering catches my attention. Turning back to Zac, I notice the window we climbed through is now in tiny pieces all over the ground. Zac looks at the window in shock, probably not expecting to break it from doing whatever it is he was doing. 

    "What was that?" I hear Jess's voice. 

    "Go, go go," I whisper, pointing my fingers towards the window. Not needing to slide the frame open, I climb through with ease, Zac tumbling out after me before we run back towards the lodge. Just as we clear the window, I hear the bedroom door open. 

    It takes everything in me to hold my laugh in until we get closer to the bridge with the hole in it, the noise only escaping me then. 

   Placing my hands on my knees, I force air back into my lungs and look up at my brother. 

    "They definitely shit themselves," I laugh, looking back to the mostly hidden cabin. 

    "I almost did too when that window broke," He confesses. 

    "Well, maybe don't be such a clutz near fragile glass next time," I stand up straight, lifting my hand to flick his covered bicep. 

   He winces, holding his battered arm as he furrows his brow and looks at me, "What do you mean? I didn't break it. I thought you rigged it up or something with your mad scientist crafts,"

    I pause, blinking hard to try and process his confession. "What? No, I thought you broke it by accident or by just being an idiot,"

    "Wasn't me," He shakes his head. I swallow hard, turning my head back to the cabin and holding my arms close to myself.

    All of a sudden, I feel way too exposed out here. I feel frozen, something that happens whenever the slightest bit of fear hits my system. "We should go,"

   "Agreed," He nods, grabbing onto my arm as if to keep me close as we turn our backs to the cabin. Just as we do, we spot a deer lying just at the bottom of a snow-covered staircase. 

   I suck in a breath, my boots halting in the snow before they can even leave another print on the earth. Blood stains the white snow around the animal, its neck oozing blood. 

    "What the fuck," Zac breathes, his grip on my arm is firm but gentle. Something about the way Zac starts to behave like a normal person of average intelligence only fuels my fear more.

    "What do we do?" I question, staring at the deer, too afraid something will happen if I look away. "What could have done that? A bear?"

    "I don't know-"

    Before Zac can finish, something out of sight grabs the deer and yanks it away in the blink of an eye. I've never seen a bear be able to move something that fast before. I don't realise I'm screaming until Zac pulls on my arm, yanking me away from the scene and towards the cabin. 

    I feel bile in my throat, my feet pushing down into the snow the way my heart pushes down into my gut. Zac's hand lets go of my arm, our screams dying out as we climb onto the front porch of the cabin and run through the front door. 

   Zac makes sure I run inside before turning and slamming the door shut behind him, flicking the lock and backing away from the entry with his eyes glued to it.

   Turning away from the frame, I make eye contact with a confused-looking Mike and an angry-looking Jess. Mike stands only in jeans and a white tank, while Jessica couldn't cross her arms tighter around her white shirt and jeans. 

   "How fucking quickly did you guys get undressed?" I gape, trying to distract my brain from what I just witnessed. They only look at me more confused. I lift my hands, shaking my hand and wiping my words from the air, "Okay, sorry. There's something out there and it just-- it just ripped a fucking deer-"

    "Is she serious?" Jess comments, turning to look at Mike as if I'm not standing right in front of her. 

    "Yes, she's serious. There's something out there, Jess! Something big! Zac, tell them," I yell, turning to Zac as he finally turns away from the door, joining the small circle formed beside the couch and lit fire. 

   "Dude, I'm telling you. I've never seen anything like that in my life. And there was that time I went missing for 3 days and came back in nothing but leather pants and a fluro vest--" I glare at him, his word vomit turning to mush as he stumbles on his words before pinching his eyes shut and trying to focus, "-Beside the point. I've seen a lot of shit, nothing has scared me like that," 

    "It was probably just a bear," Mike tries to be reassuring towards us, but it just comes off as condescending in my scared mind. 

    "I'm not stupid I know what a bear is. Bears don't do that to deer! I blinked and it was gone!" I argue, his eyes connecting with mine as he stares at me with deep sympathy. I feel my frustration boiling with every second they don't take us seriously. 

    "I'm not stupid either. I know it was you trying to scare us and you're still trying to ruin our night," Jess steps closer, trying to cut off my view from Mike.

    "Okay, yes, you're right. It was us that left the thing out on the trail and we were trying to scare you but, please, Jess. Listen to me. Something dangerous is out there. You need to get your head out of your ass for five minutes and you definitely need to get your head out of his ass-"

    "Ruby, stop," Zac defends, sending me a look that tells me to not finish my rant. He's right, being mean to Jess isn't going to help. If anything, it'll make her trust me less. 

     "I bet Em and everyone else is out there snickering and waiting for our reaction," Jess turns to Mike. She then turns to me, glaring before pushing past me and going for the door. Before Zac or I can reach her, she rips the door open and steps out into the cold. 

    "Hey! Yeah! Pricks! That means you! I know you're out there, the fuck are you trying to do?" She yells out into the empty woods. 

   "Jess, stop. No one else is here," I plead, stepping out to the door frame and reaching for her exposed arm. She rips her arm from my grip, not bothering to look at me as she continues to yell.

    "You want to ruin our fun that bad? Well, guess what? Ruby and all of you other bitter bitches can't! Because Michael and I are finally gonna fuck with or without you guys looming around! That's right! Enjoy, because I know we're going to," Jess finishes her rant, turning to me as she delivers her last few words. She then huffs, waiting for me to step out of the doorway and allow her back inside. 

   I step away from the door, my fear pulling at me as I fiddle with the bottom hem of my vest. I feel so blinded by fear and uncertainty that I don't realise how close I get to Mike before my back hits his chest. 

   Jess seems too angry to notice as she slams to door behind her, crossing her arms over her chest. She stands scarily close to the door, Zac on her right near the cabin's shotgun.

    "Jess, get away from the-"

    My words are ripped from my throat the same way the deer was ripped through the white plush and turned it red. Something shatters the small window on the door behind Jess, something reaching in to grab her by the hair and pull her body up to the window. 

   Her screams hit my gut, everything happening so fast as her body is folded between the frame of broken glass. Within seconds, she's completely pulled through the window and disappears from sight, with nothing but broken glass and faraway screams to prove she was ever here. 

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AUTHORS NOTE 

oh yeah, it's getting juicy. 

i edited this only quickly so if there's any typos etc just ignore them tbh. 

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