THE WIND RASPED GENTLY AGAINST THE WOOD SURROUNDING THE LODGE, THE ANNUAL SNOW STORM FALLING DOWN ON BLACKWOOD MOUNTAIN FROM THE DARK SKIES ABOVE -Inside the massive lodge, Riley stood at the sink, her breath misting slightly in the cold air of the lodge, despite the fire crackling in the corner of the room.

Snow fell steadily outside, blanketing the mountains in a thick, white silence that seeped through the wooden walls. Even with layers of clothing and the warmth of the fire, she could still feel the cold, an ever-present reminder of the winter outside. Her body shivered involuntarily, though she tried to shake it off.

Her friends were scattered throughout the lodge, a few draped across the kitchen counters, where they'd collapsed after the party. Riley had volunteered to clean up, not out of obligation - but because the warm water felt wonderful against her chilled hands.

As she moved around the kitchen, her earrings clinked softly, a tiny sound that punctuated the quiet of the night. Her brown hair, damp from the snow earlier, tickled her cheeks as she leaned forward, carefully placing plates in the drying rack.

She reached up with her free hand to brush a few stray strands away, her fingers lingering for a moment on her tanned skin, which still held the lingering coolness from outside. She had to take off all her bracelets incase they got wet, but still kept on her three necklaces that matched how cold her skin felt.

Once she was finished with the last plate, a soft sigh escaped her lips, and wiped the back of her forearm along her forehead. She reached over to pluck up her many bracelets from the counter, and slipped them back on, making them now covered by her off-shoulder long sleeve shirt.

She was wearing some baggy jeans that had a star pattern on the thighs of them, and were ripped at the ends. Her feet were covered by her black boots, and her necklaces were hidden under her green shirt, especially the one with a little butterfly on it.

Riley wiped her palms along her jeans to get rid of the warm water sticking to her, and looked back up through the little gaps of the window across from her. Something moving in the bushes caught her attention, and her green eyes narrow down trying to get a better look, hands leaning against the counter.

Whatever was outside was long gone, but how the shadow disappeared which didn't ease her nerves at all. She shakes her head, trying to forget about the figure, and decides to go find one of her friends in the lodge instead.

"I looked away for a second, and now they're gone." She mumbled to herself annoyed, walking out from the kitchen and grabbed a piece of candy that was left on the counter, munching on that.

She spots the many empty bottles of alcohol left around the floor and dining room table, another sigh leaving her at the way her friends didn't bother cleaning up after themselves. Yes, they were all best friends with the Washingtons, but still-the group were guests, yet that didn't phase the others.

"BOO!"

At the sudden exclaim from out of nowhere, a loud startled yell left Riley's mouth, her figure jumping as she span around to see who the one responsible. Standing there laughing, was Mike Munroe, hands on his hips-him being the person who was behind the scare.

"Oh, you find that funny do you?" She grumbled to him, placing a hand over her fast beating heart to calm it down, and gave him a scolding stare, "Why on earth would you do that, Munroe."

His laughter died down after a few more seconds, clapping his hands together as he caught his breath, "I do find it hilarious, actually." He admitted through a teasing smirk, dark eyes scanning her figure from head to toe, "It's only fair I get you back after you scared me recently."

A small flush spreaded over her cheeks, more so embarrassed remembering what happened, "I told you, I didn't mean to!" She argued crossing her arms over her chest, which made her shirt rise up a bit from her hips, "Not my fault you followed me into my reading area."

His gaze lingered on her exposed skin showing, and forced his eyes back up to look into her green ones, "I only did that 'cause you read in the dark, Sunshine." The nickname flying out of his mouth sounded like honey to her, "I was only curious."

She deadpanned at him unamused, and pulled down her sleeves feeling a sudden chill through the barely lit room they were in, "I don't read in the dark, if that's what you were so curious about." She told him rolling her eyes, before a grin appeared over her face, "Joshy placed up lanterns around the house for me, so now I don't."

"The key word in that sentence is, now." Mike remarked with a breathy chuckle, pushing off the counter he was leant against and strolled up in front of her, "Why are you always in that room anyways? I mean, when you can look at this handsome face--"

Riley slapped his chest in a scolding way before he finished his sentence, causing him to snicker and for her to huff up at him, "Your ego knows no bounds, Mike." She retorted, a smaller smile lining her lips, "And I stay in that room because it's peaceful, and away from all the madness in our friend group."

He hummed low in the back of his throat, pressing his palm into the counter once more as he leaned down into his best friends space, "Speaking of which," He trailed off which made her eyebrows raise confused, "Me and the others -well, minus Josh and Chris since they are knocked out drunk, are planning to prake Hannah. You in?"

Her face dropped after hearing his words, having a funny feeling she knew what that prake was about. She too shared the same feelings Hannah had for Mike, but she kept quiet about it and only told Josh, Chris and Sam about it, as she trusted them the most out of everyone. She just hopped whatever they had planned, wasn't too humiliating or didn't cause problems between their group.

"Mike, that sounds like a bad idea." She eventually sighed out, a frown creasing her brows as she fiddled with her butterfly necklace that he bought her, "If it is about what I think it is, that could do more damage then it was intended to do. I feel like you guys shouldn't go through with it."

He just stared at her for a few seconds in deep thought, making her shift a bit under his intense stare, before he broke out into a charming grin, "You're too cute when you get all worried like this, Rye." He cooed amused, before shrugging his shoulders, "If anything does happen, I'm sure we all will be laughing by the end of it."

Riley knew he was just calling her cute because they were best friends, and nothing more.... right? He had a girlfriend that he adored, who as also one of her close friends that she had to keep her secret crush from, but here Mike was saying she was cute so casual. Regardless of that, Riley knew nothing would happen so she just savored what she was given.

"Yeah for sure.... laughing...." She repeated still unsure, her hand brushing his as she placed it beside his on the counter, jewellery clinging when she tilted her head to the side, "If that's all you have to tell me, I need to go check up on our passed out friends over there."

His eyes followed to where he was pointing over her shoulder, and saw Josh and Chris asleep in the kitchen making him chuckle, "Nah, that's all." He answered standing up from his slouched position, and spotted a few strains of her hair sticking to her cheek, "Uh, Rilz--"

She stood stiff like a board as he reached out to gently brush back those locks away from her cheek, rough fingers caressing her now warmer skin and the touch lingers for a few seconds. He tucked the hair behind her ear, exposing the earrings littered along it and smiled handsomely down at her.

"There. Your hair was in your face." He eventually pulled back once he realised what he did, and nodded his head as he slowly walked backwards stuttering, pointing at the group of girls near the other room, "O-oh, I'll leave you alone now. Uhm, have fun checking up on the meatheads!"

She chuckled to herself watching him walk away, knowing he was acting like that because of her. She shakes that thought away with an annoyed groan, and runs her fingers through her hair as she made her way around the opposite side of the room.

Trying to ignore the butterflies still flapping around inside her stomach, she paused mid step to bend down and picked up an empty bottle of Jeremiah Cragg next to her childhood best friend and sighed knowingly, "Josh, c'mon. Your head is gonna be so sore tomorrow."

She gently shakes the male's shoulder, who just barely groaned feeling her touch but didn't bother moving nor opening his eyes. She chucked the bottle into the bin, giving Josh one last look as she continued on walking through the chilly room.

The sound of female's giggling and running footsteps reached the girls ears, but she paid no mind to it as she figured it was the sisters doing something again with their friends. A note on the bench near some neatly cleaned plates caught her attention next.

Her ring covered fingers pluck up the piece of paper, and turned it around to see what it was. Her eyes go wide reading he messy handwriting on the note, and chewed on her bottom lip, "Oh, no. Hannah's so gonna fall for that--" She whispered in fear, and scrunched the piece of paper up.

Just before Riley goes to turn around wanting to find the others to stop the prank, something or rather someone rushes right past her and dashes for the front door in distress. She blinks rapidly not expecting that, and runs up towards the door, as the cold air instantly makes her shiver.

"Hannah?" She calls out her worriedly, stomach sinking now realising her best friend ran into the deadly forest around them. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep warm as she heard a bunch of other running footsteps come up behind her.

Sam, the one who was in front of them all was the first to rush outside next to Riley, the others all following behind into the cold, "Hannah!" She shouts, her hands cupping her mouth to project her voice louder so she was heard.

"What's going on?" Beth's voice was heard next, coming up beside Riley as she pushed past the group to stand in front, and turned around to look at everyone in question, "Where's my sister going?"

"It's fine... she just can't take a joke." Jessica speaks up from beside Matt, waving her hand in the air with an eye roll, and it instantly made Riley's eyes dart from her to Mike.

"It was just a prank, Han!" Emily defends herself, and the others involved, her voice rising a higher pitch which made it seem like she wasn't sorry at all for what happened.

Riley's jaw clenched staring right at Mike, digging her finger nails into the skin of her forearm as she narrowed her green eyes down on him, "I told you whatever you do, it wouldn't end well." She whispered low enough for him to hear, "I should of stopped it when I had the chance."

"We were just messing around, it wasn't serious Rye--" He goes to protest in a grumble, avoiding eye contact with her as he knew she was disappointed in him and what had happened that he played a major role in.

"What did you do?" Beth gritted out in question, rage evident on her face as her gaze scans over the group, minus Riley to pin point who was at fault, "You jerks!" She seethed staring at Mike, and shakes her head, before turning around and takes off into the snow where Hannah went off into.

Riley's eyes widen watching this happen, Beth's figure also disappearing into the thick snow cloud around them, "Beth! Wait, up--" She yelled fumbling to pull up the fluffy coat around her shoulders, and went to take on after the sisters.

Before she could take another step forward, her arm was snatched by someone else's in a strong grip. She span around instantly, and was met with Mike's wide eyes, the one whom had grabbed her, "Rye, it's dangerous."

"And that's why I'm going! I'm not gonna stand here while my best friends sisters are in trouble. Let go--" She didn't even bother to listen to his protest, as she ripped her arm away from him and saw the desperate glint in his gaze for not to go. She just shot him one last disappointed look, before taking off after the sisters.

Riley didn't know where she was going, all she followed was the fading footprints in the snow on the path, as the wind pushes her hair back making her cheeks form a scarlet colour. Heavy breaths escaped her, but didn't stop her running once.

She managed to jump over a branch in the path, a small yelp leaving her from the stumble when she landed. And as she ran through the forest, all she could feel was something watching her from the shadows, which didn't help her nerves at all.

A loud branch cracking somewhere in the distance made her run pase falter, as she struggled to inhale air from how cold it was outside. Her long coat wasn't much help either, as it was only keeping her warm the slightest.

The path cut into a turn which she made, and all she saw around her was nothing but snowy pines, and what was once pathways covered by snow. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she shivered feeling the same eerie feeling of being watched.

"Hannah! Beth!" Riley yelled out in fear, coming to a harsh stop as she finally spotted the sisters near the edge of the cliff. She couldn't see behind her, so she didn't know what they were so scared of, and instead began to run towards them, "Guys--"

"Rye! There's something--" Beth's panicked shout of warning was cuff off, as Hannah goes slipping over the edge and ends up taking Beth with her, causing Riley to scream out in horror watching this happen.

She ran towards the cliff, snow kicking up as she did so, dropping to her knees in one quick motion and reached out her hand down to Beth, "Grab my hand!" She yelled trying to get as close as she could to them with falling, and saw how Hannah was slipping from Beth's grasp, "Hold on--!"

Riley Watson will never forget the look in Beth's eyes as she let go of Hannah-her little sister, to her death and began to reach for the girl's trembling hand. However, the mountain had other plans. Just as their fingers brush, Beth's grip was lost on the branch and she too fell to her death into the dark abyss of below.

A guttural cry tore through the stillness of the mountain, reverberating off the snow-covered peaks before being swallowed by the biting wind. Riley could never be sure whether the anguished sound had come from her own lips or one of the sisters, their voices blending in the chaos of that fateful moment.

Everything was a blur with what happened next.

Riley stumbled through the snow, her legs numb beneath her as she blindly made her way through the mountain path, the weight of the world pressing down on her with each unsteady step. The towering pines, their branches heavy with snow, blurred into an endless white around her.

She barely felt the bitter wind that lashed at her, the tears streaming down her red cheeks freezing against her skin. Her body trembled, not just from the cold but from the shock of what had just happened. She hadn't moved fast enough. Hadn't done enough.

Her off-shoulder long-sleeved shirt and thin coat did nothing to shield her from the freezing air. The chill sank deep into her bones, but it was a distant sensation, muffled beneath the overwhelming numbness that consumed her.

She wasn't fully aware of how she made it back to the lodge, her mind foggy and detached from her surroundings. The sound of worried voices barely registered as her friends swarmed around her, trying to make sense of her dazed state.

Suddenly, warmth enveloped her-a stark contrast to the cold that had gripped her so tightly. She didn't need to look to know who it was. The familiar scent told her it was Mike.

His strong chest was solid against her trembling body, his coat quickly draped over her shoulders, offering the warmth she desperately needed. His arms wrapped around her, shielding her from the others. She heard him shouting at the others to give her space, but it all felt distant, like a far-off sound echoing through the haze of her mind.

All Riley could do was cling to him, her fingers gripping his flannel as she pressed her face into his shoulder, her tears soaking through the fabric. His deep voice rumbled through his chest, the vibrations a strange comfort that seemed to ground her, even just a little.

The memory of it haunted her, a chilling echo that lingered in her mind, even a year later. The accident-the tragic event that had shattered their lives-was something she knew deep down she could have prevented

❪ ✏️ ❫ 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 : 3111
─►☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE :

this is probably the shortest chap i have ever written on my page omfg im so shocked rn cause normally i got somewhere between 4000-5000 words per chap (sometimes) this is very new to me LMFOAOA 😭 anyways pls ignore how shitty some bits are, im still trying to find my groove with writing vid game fics since i always struggled with them

and yeah more trauma for my girl riley, she's about to go through it fr but she will always be a baddie that ends cough ashely aAHSHAA 😜