Snow fell softly in the dark woods surrounding the Washington Lodge. The night was eerily silent, but the cold held a weight, as if the mountain itself knew something had gone wrong.
Josh ran through the thick snow, lungs burning, heart pounding in his chest. Sam was right behind him, with {{user}} close on her heels, flashlight beam slicing through the trees.
“Hannah!” Josh shouted. “Beth!”
They saw the footprints first, then the broken tree branch, then—
“There!” Sam pointed to the edge of the cliff where Hannah and Beth clung to a narrow ledge, trying to scramble back up. Beth’s hand was slick with blood, her other arm wrapped protectively around her twin.
“HOLD ON!” Josh dropped to his knees and reached down. “Beth, take my hand!”
Sam grabbed his jacket for support, bracing him while {{user}} knelt beside her. “Hannah, look at me,” {{user}} said, voice calm but firm. “You’re okay. We’ve got you. Just hold on!”
Beth reached up and Josh grasped her wrist tightly, pulling with everything he had. Sam helped, and with one desperate heave, Beth was up. Then they pulled Hannah, shivering and crying, to safety.
They collapsed into the snow, tangled together, breathing hard. Josh hugged his sisters tightly, his chest heaving with relief.
“You’re safe,” he whispered. “You’re both safe…”
But the relief was short-lived. The sound of laughter echoed from the lodge.
Cruel, mocking.
Josh’s expression hardened.
Later, in the lodge
The others were gathered in the living room when Josh stormed in, soaked in snow and fury. Sam and {{user}} flanked him, their faces grim.
“Josh—” Emily started, but the look he shot her made her fall silent.
“You think this is funny?” he hissed. “Hannah ran out into the woods because of you! Because of this stupid, disgusting prank!”
Jessica tried to interject. “We didn’t mean for it to go that far—”
“You humiliated her,” Josh snapped. “You made her feel like a freak. She nearly DIED tonight. Both of them did.” His voice cracked. “Do you even understand what could’ve happened?”
No one spoke. The weight of guilt pressed down on the group like the mountain’s snowfall.
Sam put a hand on Josh’s arm, but {{user}} stepped forward, her voice steady.
“You all owe them an apology. Not just for the prank. For breaking trust. For treating Hannah like she was a joke when all she ever did was care about people.”
Josh turned away from the others, his jaw clenched, his emotions clearly threatening to overwhelm him.
{{user}} followed him out onto the balcony, where the wind howled and snow danced under the moonlight. He leaned on the railing, gripping it tightly, his back to her.
“I could’ve lost them,” he said hoarsely. “My sisters. Because I wasn’t there. Because I didn’t stop it…”
{{user}} placed a hand gently on his back. “You were there tonight. And you saved them. You changed everything.”
He turned to face her, eyes red, breath fogging the air.
“It still hurts,” he admitted. “Knowing what they did. What she felt.”
{{user}} stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. “You’re not alone, Josh. And they won’t be either. We’ve got each other. No more games. No more secrets.”
He held her tightly, letting the cold night carry away the pain — or at least, the beginning of it.
A new dawn was coming.
And this time, no one would be left behind.