prologue:
the Washington's

      The mountain was always creepy, not to mention oddly colder inside than the outside of it. He had seen his fair share of harsh winters but tonight he found comfort in the snow, the warmth of the fireplace was oddly soothing for once. He could see the light patches of snow coating the window as he leaned back into the couch. His eyes half closed as his arm was draped over the back of the massive furniture piece.

"Arlo?" he hummed weakly in acknowledgment as he pushed his feet outwards, his head resting more backward into the stiff cushion. He didn't hear anyone speak back, but he felt the couch dip downward beside him. The strong scent of flowers entering his nostrils, the same scent he knew by heart.

The same scent that plagued his nightmares every single night despite how many hours he got. He'd be lucky to even get a full hour these days, with the snow out and the lingering feeling of dread returning for the season. He couldn't even keep his eyes open for longer than a minute before he would doze off.

He let out a soft breath as fingers ran through his hair, slicking it backwards. The slight buzz he felt wasn't helping him focus, but he knew who it was. He didn't even have to open his eyes or mumble a weak response back to the girl. He just knew she would understand what he meant without words.

Of course he couldn't exactly tell her what he was experiencing with words, the ache he felt behind his eyelids was enough. He wished the buzz was stronger, that he was so drunk he could just sleep. All he could picture was her dead body falling endlessly, the thought alone made him tense and he almost winced.

His head ached and his temples weren't being relieved with just a simple touch. The snow always had its way of tormenting him, making him confused half the time and not to mention extra sensitive. Yet somehow she helped with the rest, even with no words he enjoyed the peace. "I'm gonna turn the music back on" she went to stand up but he quickly grabbed her hands tugging her towards him.

"No way, that shit is gonna make my eardrums explode" he grumbled. She laughed softly as she caught herself on the couch cushion. "It's your favorite, that one mixtape you made for me like two summers ago for whatever reason". He blinked and held back his cringe at the thought "my DJ phase-"he sighed dramatically "-I was just a kid back then".

"That was two years ago, we weren't even kids" he shrugged at the girl's words. "That doesn't matter, I felt like a kid. Even got that cool scar from the shitty record I always played the songs with".

Hannah huffed slightly "it's just a tiny one" he sat up fully as he looked at her "it still hurt my dignity, and that record player is still in my room. Likely hidden but that's beside the point". She laughed softly and he could see the way her eyes lit up more and more, even if all he could see was nothing but blankness.

He tensed when she grabbed his hands, the images plaguing his mind almost immediately. He pinched his eyes shut, felt the world around him almost heightened as the images plagued his skull. He let out a heavy breath, as the couch cushions sunk inward.

He felt like he was being swallowed whole as her hands mended into his neck, she giggled softly. He almost shouted when he opened his eyes and saw the blood that stained her skin and teeth, that dark glint hidden behind her eyes. The roughness of her fingertips and the sharp edge of her fingernails digging into his throat. It was almost as if his mind was taunting him as he clung to her desperately.

His hands mended into her hips as she leaned towards him, she looked so happy despite the pain that he was feeling as she held him. The headache felt throbbing and despite him holding it in, he wanted to scream. Her lips were soft, but deep down he felt the roughness of them as her hands grasped his hair.

He inhaled her scent as he closed his eyes and let his hold on her tighten. The slight buzz of the alcohol wasn't helping either, he deepened the kiss as he sat up slightly. She moved back, he smelled the slight scent of alcohol that coated her tongue as she turned.

"Music, yeah we need music" she stood up and nearly tripped over the carpet as she approached her laptop. He leaned back into the couch chuckling softly as he watched her for a brief moment. He looked away, his gaze stopping on Josh for a second, the boy was passed out on the counter with Chris beside him. Not to mention poor Hazel who was fighting her sleep.

"Shouldn't we go somewhere else, your brother's right there" his tone was quiet and when he turned Hannah was in front of him again with a grin. He could hear the slight hum of the music but it wasn't that loud and Hannah seemed even more drunk.

"I'll uh, be right back" she ran off up the lodge stairs and he saw her tumble at the top before she disappeared into her room. He frowned deeply as he stood up and approached her laptop, she clearly saw something that made her entire interest disappear.

He flipped open the screen, he smiled softly at the sight of the playlist he made her but then it faded when he saw the note. He held onto it with almost caution, reading every single word twice before he felt his head ache even more. He winced as he let it drop back onto the laptop, his hands grasped the counter.

Perfect Mike, of course it was always going to be Mike and never Arlo. He could almost hear the boys snickering and see the same douche smirk that always coated his perfect lips. Mike could never do anything wrong, he'd hit someone in rage or smack an helpless bird away and all would praise him.

If Arlo did it, he'd never see the end of it because at the end of the day he was always the second choice. In this rare situation he was probably dead last, the girls would all go for Mike if they could, at least some of them. Arlo and Beth had that whole weird summer thing last year but it faded away when the girl realized boys just weren't her cup of tea. Not to mention she was head over heels for Janet, then again that was another story to be told.

He technically could just let Hannah do whatever the hell she wanted, it's not like they were dating anyways or even at all interested in one another. Everyone knew Hannah was crushing hard on Mike and whenever the boy didn't pay attention to her, she went to Arlo. She knew he'd always give her attention, always put her first.

Let her do stupid shit in hopes that one day she'll actually notice him. Mike wasn't like that, the guy was all about the attention being on him, he would brag for hours at end about Emily and how hot she was. Emily on the other hand would just talk about how sweet he was and he's such a gentleman.

So this letter clearly wasn't real, he could just tell by the way it looked, the neat hand writing that definitely didn't match Mikes. The drawing on the back that Sam spent hours working on earlier that day, he felt the nagging of worry slam into his eyelids.

He looked towards the stairs and he wasn't sure what he wanted to do. Hannah could handle her own, she's way more tougher than people think, she's dealt with so many crushes letting her down before. Yet this time was different, Mike was different.

At the sight of Beth walking down the stairs Arlo sighed and walked towards her. "You still down here" her tone was quiet due to the sight of the trio passed out on the kitchen island. His head burned almost as he watched Beth's face fade in color, the blood was sickening to watch and he felt sick.

He looked away, inhaled slightly before he looked back and saw she was normal again. "Uh, yeah just sorta crashing out on the couch. Look, Hannah is..." his words are cut off by Beth's look of concern behind him. "Did you just see that?" He turned and looked at the kitchen window, all he saw was snow.

"What? See what?" He grumbled almost as he looked back at Beth who walked towards the window "I saw someone out there, it's just us up here this weekend". Her tone was frantic and she kept looking back and forth from the window to Josh, almost as if he'd look in his current state. Arlo licked his lips to ease his nerves "I'll go check it out, you should really go check on Hannah by the way".

He held up the letter and his hands ached. "Something tells me this entire thing isn't gonna end well, I'll make us some hot chocolate when I get back inside. That'll cheer her up when Mike turns into an ass".

He grabbed his boots and jacket quickly and Beth neared him "we could wake up Josh or Chris? I'm sure they'll go with you, even if they can barely walk". Arlo chuckled "they passed out after thirty minutes, me and Hazel drew dicks on their faces. It was the best two minutes of my life before she passed out too. They can barely handle their alcohol, I doubt they'll help me chase an imaginary squirrel".

Beth looked at the top of the stairs then the front door "okay fine, but you better be fast. It's gonna storm out there anytime now, and we don't need you getting lost". Arlo grinned as he opened the door, he felt the chill of the wind already hitting him. "Getting lost in these woods, please like that shit would ever happen to any of us. I taught you the way back, so if you ever get lost you'll manage Beth".

He patted her shoulder slightly "be back in a minute, I'm sure it's just a squirrel you saw out there. Go and check on Hannah, seriously she doesn't need Mike ruining her night again". With one final look at Beth, he turned to walk off and closed the door, he shivered as he carefully walked around the lodge towards the kitchen window to investigate.

"Where the fuck did..." the sharp pain slammed into his skull as he pictured an axe smacking into his throat and making his bones snap apart. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he turned and screamed when an axe swung at his head and nearly hit his throat. He hit the ground so hard the air left his lungs making him cough as he watched the old man.

"Ain't safe out here boy!" he looked at the flamethrower with shock as the man lifted it towards him in warning. He looked at the axe that was now in the snow, the faint flash of blood coating it before it turned normal made his brain hurt.

"What the fuck dude! You nearly..." he yelled out in protest when the man lifted him up and pushed him forward "go back inside, stupid kids". Arlo would've punched the man but given the flame thrower he didn't really feel like it would work.

The man walked off as if nothing happened and Arlo breathed heavily as he made his way back towards the lodge door. He gasped when Hannah smacked right into him, the girl's hands grasping his shoulders to prevent herself from falling into the snow.

He held his head almost immediately as the ache increased, he could barely keep his eyes open from how much it throbbed. Blood ran down his nose and Hannah was crying, that was the only sound he could focus on as the girl ran off into the woods.

"Wait.. Hannah!" The boy didn't care if he slipped or that blood was running down his chin. He ran and he heard the distant sound of Hannah slowly fading away into the snow "Hannah!". He stopped and pushed himself into a tree as he screamed and held his head.

Hannah screamed as she moved back and fell off the cliff, her hands desperately clinging onto Beth's.

Arlo groaned as he dug his hands into his head desperately trying to make his head shut up for one second. He kept moving forward holding himself tightly as he shivered "it's just in your head".

He kept mumbling to himself as he heard the sound of screaming in the distance. He ran and yelled out when he tripped over a tree branch and smacked right into a rock, his head burned and he groaned. Blood ran down the side of his head and his vision was blurry as he winced in discomfort.

He felt disoriented as he limped forward, "Arlo!" he turned as Beth ran towards him "have you seen Hannah! Holy shit.. you're bleeding". He groaned when she grabbed his face, tilting it to the side.

Beth's hand let go of the tree branch and the sound of her and Hannah screaming echoed before it turned into the horrific sound of bones cracking.

He moved his head away from her hold "go back, I'll find her Beth" the girl scoffed "no, if anyone should go back it's you. You might have a concussion. She's probably up ahead anyways, ten minutes tops".

He couldn't focus but he pushed his jacket off "take it, she needs it way more than me right now" Beth was hesitant but she took it from his hold. "I know my way back thanks to you, I'll be quick, promise".

She kissed his cheek before she ran off into the woods, he pushed his arms around himself as he shivered and turned to near the lodge again. The walk felt longer due to his slow pace, and his head was sore as he approached the lodge.

He could see the bright lights, hear the whispers between everyone as they argued about what happened. "Holy shit, Arlo..." Sam's voice was soft as she neared the boy and grabbed hold of him. He breathed out heavily as the throb in his head completely disappeared. The images that once plagued his mind constantly, suddenly disappeared.

—
authors notes:
active era? Idk yet but we shall. Also for anyone who celebrates happy thanksgivings or whatever. My until Dawn obsession is still here and I'm working on an entire series for every single character (yes even Jessica lol). They all deserve some love and I swear it's almost always Mike fics on here so I gotta switch it up a bit. I'll likely write his fic last because that's not my main priority over everyone else, I already have like 3 ready to go whenever. I'm telling myself no so I can focus on one at a time lol. Anyways enjoy!