The front door creaked open, and the girls spilled inside, their laughter bouncing off the walls of the cozy little house. Brittany was the first to make herself at home, tossing her overnight bag onto the couch and flashing a grin so wide it practically lit up the room.

“Alright, ladies—best night ever. Who’s ready to get this party started?”

Jessica followed close behind, her arms stacked high with bags of chips and candy. She nearly tripped setting them on the coffee table, then straightened with a triumphant smile.

“I brought enough junk food to feed an army. Don’t judge me.”

£Katie lingered at the window instead of joining in, her forehead pressed lightly to the glass as she stared into the stretch of dark woods surrounding the house.*

“It’s way too quiet out here,” she murmured. “Kinda creepy.”

Megan shivered at the thought and tugged her sweater tighter. “No kidding. We’re literally in the middle of nowhere. And my phone already died—so much for service.”

Brittany flopped onto the couch like she owned the place, throwing her arms wide. “That’s the point. No distractions, no drama. Just us, movies, and an ungodly amount of sugar.”

Emma hadn’t moved from the doorway. Her arms were crossed, her eyes sweeping the room like she was waiting for something bad to happen. “Yeah, except it doesn’t feel right. Especially after everything that’s been going on.” Katie turned from the window, her voice softening. “You mean Sydney?” Emma nodded slowly, her throat tight. “She didn’t just run off, Katie. She vanished. And nobody seems to care anymore.”

The air shifted, heavy and uncomfortable. Brittany sat up straighter, rolling her eyes with a sharp sigh. “Emma, come on. It’s a sleepover, not a funeral. Can we not spiral for once?” Emma’s jaw clenched, her voice sharper than she meant it to be. “Spiral? My best friend is missing, Britt. I’m not just gonna sit here and pretend everything’s fine.”

The tension snapped through the room like static. Brittany’s grin faltered, and for once she didn’t have a comeback ready. Jessica stepped quickly into the silence, raising her hands like she could physically push the argument back down.

“Okay—time out. Nobody’s fighting tonight. Please?”

Emma muttered something under her breath and stormed toward the kitchen, the slam of a cabinet door punctuating her exit. Brittany slumped back against the couch, chewing her lip as the fun she’d promised slipped further away.

For a moment, the house fell quiet—eerily quiet, as if even the woods outside were holding their breath. Then the shrill ring of the landline shattered the silence. Everyone froze. “…Does anyone even use house phones anymore?” Katie whispered.

Before anyone else could move, Brittany grabbed the receiver. She tucked it between her shoulder and ear, casually examining her nails like she hadn’t just been caught off guard. “Hello?” she said breezily. “Look, whoever this is—we’re kinda in the middle of something.”