Author's Note: This was slightly harder to write in some areas than I thought it would be. Who knew that snowball fights would be awkward to describe? Shocker, I know.
Momento Mori
The day had yet to be eventful when Chloe gathered a sense of deja vu in her stomach. Her head rested comfily on the chilled glass beside her. The beanie she was wearing provided a safety barrier against the cold. Her piercing eyes dulled as she absorbed the world beside her dash past her. The frozen world brought too many unwanted memories to the surface. She sighed, shaking her head and rotating to lean her back towards the same window. Her leg curled slightly under her as she righted herself, bus travel had never been the most relaxing for Chloe to enjoy.
Chloe let her eyes scan around the vehicle. Taking in the various arrangement of clothing options, between radiant pastels to the deeper assortment of insulated jackets. She couldn't help but smile at how vast public transport users could be. She was sure that they all clocked anyone boarding or departing the bus, there wasn't much choice in the entertainment department along this road. They might have even given a guess about her own story. Why this road? How old was she? If she was as young as they guessed, why was she alone? Chuckling to herself, Chloe let her mind wander back to her own estimates. Between the limp from the woman in the second row and the prominent scowl on the man behind her, she had great fun making up her own stories in her head.
The lone woman she assumed could be an ex-mafia member. On her way towards her former lover for one last goodbye before she left a life of crime as the police closed in around them. The limp was the cause of her self-imposed exile. Her pre-ripped jeans only barely concealed a crudely stitched-up wound, only being administered by the veterinarian nurse a mile away from their home. The woman's head dipped every time she caught herself looking around to stop anyone from recognising her.
The man behind her held himself too stiffly to have been an office worker. He was slouched and walked with promise. His arms were well built from what she could see when he inspected his watch. The glass of which held too many scratches to be anything within the healthcare profession. Chloe's guess was someone in construction. From the price of the watch, she guessed he wasn't down on the totem pole, probably a site manager. The lack of a jacket helped give away he was used to such extreme temperatures. The scowl he wore only deepened as he checked the time for the third time in five minutes. He wasn't used to waiting for things and probably preferred to keep busy than being sandwiched between the cold glass and his luggage.
She knew that her assumptions were far from the truth but it helped her with the two hours she was being crammed into the moving tin. But even as she delved further into her creations, her eyes would always drift to the world outside. The blur of greys, greens and whites formed an obscure camouflage texture that only highlighted its existence. The moments she caught herself admiring the sight only deepened her frown lines.
No matter the angle she manoeuvered into, her eyes always seemed consumed with the sight. Even as she clenched her eyes shut, hopeful that she could force sleep to consume her, her mind travelled back to the video Jesse had sent to the group. While better than what remained of her reminders, Jesse's positive attitude and infectious enthusiasm still forced an unease to welcome Chloe. She had no idea if the trip was the right thing to do. To group together at the very place that had sparked such a devastating aftermath a year prior. She wasn't sure if it would be in poor taste. A small part of her mind argued that they would have wanted this. That Stacie would welcome anything that could detract from a miserable atmosphere. And Beca...
Chloe's lips turned upwards at the name. Beca would skulk around the outside of the party, inspecting the integrity of the brickwork as she leaned against it, picking at her cup as she ignored the party in general. Her eyes would chase the moving bodies as everyone became less coordinated. Her head swayed loosely to the music she had put together the weeks prior and laughed as someone slurred the lyrics nearby. While it took a lot of effort to get the girl on the dancefloor her presence could be felt wherever you were.
It was times like these that Chloe missed her the most. While not a day went by without a reminder of the girl, the bracelet Chloe cherished wearing every day was the most prominent one, it was the annual event that struck a chord with her. The group get-togethers had happened very scarcely since that day. Many of the participants hardly remembered the night, and if they did none of them would willingly admit to anything wrong. 'It was just a joke' and 'short stack needs to grow a pair' were the most common excuses as they waited for them to return that night.
She could still remember the gradual sobering glances that were tossed around as each hour passed. Emily had been the first to recover, practically sober by the time Stacie had run out. Benji was next, sending reassurances to Emily any chance he got. While she was sure nothing happened between them, Chloe noticed that they were practically inseparable that night as well as during the following interviews. Amy had never sobered up until the next day, even then it took an assortment of breakfast foods and a patchy sleep on the couch to kick-start her system. Jesse and Aubrey seemed the most put together. While Aubrey had sent a few gloating comments, each one getting shut down by the boy beside her, she had yet to display her usual tells. The only thing she seemed to show was a sense of queasiness. Every few checks to the clock escalate a new tint to her face.
Chloe couldn't deny the slight sense of pleasure she took as her friend excused herself to the bathroom. The walls weren't thick enough to hide her regurgatory ballet.
But it was Jesse that allowed Chloe a minor break from her worrying. The boy had been a major player in the prank. Actively speaking to and acting around their friend. The same friend who she knew he had a crush on. The same girl that he had tried to run after, to protect despite everything. And yet, with his girlfriend clearly needing reassurance in the other room, he had sat, staring at the clock, ignoring everyone... but her. They had locked eyes at some point throughout their wait for the snow to clear. And, at some point, they had an unspoken declaration share between them. They would get them back. They had to.
The bus jolted Chloe out of her thoughts. The sudden break spell lets her reach for her phone. She had rewatched the video saved upon it countless times. Jesse's voice had a soothing character towards it as he greeted everyone. Joking as if he could hear the countless exasperated sighs as he called them movie stars. She didn't need her earphones to listen to what the boy was saying, she practically had the thing memorised. His voice playing in her head along with the video. Chloe let herself take in his easy-going attitude and gleeful smile as the good omens they were. The reassurance they were doing the right thing.
With one last soulful look, she pocketed her phone after one final text towards the man in question. They might not have phone signal up on the mountain but it didn't mean she couldn't pretend they did. He would have a good laugh as he received it on their descent back down in a few days. Her mama had always taught her about punctuality, and while she wasn't late, she didn't know how long it would take her to reach the top of the mountain. So, a warning that she was starting her ascension wouldn't go amiss.
Chloe raised a hand, waving the driver to slow down as her stop was soon approaching. The basic stonewall branches off into an intricate iron gate. The spikes sent an intimidating message to any and all trespassers which were only subdued by the fact the gate was constantly unlocked. A loose bike chain hung between the iron bars, slack enough to squeeze anybody through the gap. The moss that had since weaved its way through the brickwork held more security than anything man-made could.
The busses breaks, while less sudden, still sent Chloe to brace against the chair in front of her. A minor flicker of discomfort came just as quickly as it left. She could feel her stomach within her throat. "Thank you." She cautiously spoke, her earphones too loud to truly hear her pitch. Her rucksack sat heavily upon her shoulders, her arms reaching to nervously mess with the straps.
Her gaze raised towards the mountain in front of her. The sky, while obstructed with a web of large branches, silhouetted the lodge magnificently. The clouds cast a dark backdrop to the scattered lightwork ascending the trail. Every few curves were lit like enchanting beacons. A treasure map.
Although the paths had rarely been walked upon throughout the year, they seemed to hold thinner layers than that of the surrounding woodland. Looking to her sides, Chloe could see the piles of untouched snow-caked layer upon layer the further you parted from the intended route. Small footprints littered around the tree trunks, and the vague pawprints relaxed the girl. Her gaze flitted from trunk to trunk trying to catch a glance of a creature poor enough to be caught out in the cold. Her heart melted as she witnessed two squirrels swirling around a far-off trunk, their bodies synchronised as they chased each other. Both perched eventually within a small knot of the wood. From the shape of it, Chloe was reminded of the cartoon owl homes. The thought of a disgruntled owl being woken up by two rowdy squirrels for a game of tag left a chuckle brewing in her throat.
Only for the entertainment to halt as she came across the secondary gate. She had never understood the importance of security. While the majority of the mountain remained private land, they still secured the first gate long enough that the intended parking spaces were always inaccessible to the public. At that rate the gate she had just reached remained to be obsolete. Providing nothing more than an annoyance to all that approached the rusted metal. And, from the billowing paper strung on top of a rod, she figured it could only get worse.
The gates knacked, climb over - Fat Amy
Chloe could practically see her brain from how far her eyes rolled back with her annoyance. While she exercised more than the others, climbing was never one of her prefered methods. The tedious amount of straining just to propel you upon a ledge that, if she needed to get up onto, should have stairs close enough to get used. The pain that radiated throughout her forearms at the simple glance she gave the stone wall beside her was enough to make her hate the idea.
Nevertheless, she trapesed her way across, leaping from stone to stone like a lost frog. Her shoes slid at certain movements, the souls completely drenched from her trek. Her arm locked itself to the other side of the wall when she reached high enough. Her arm was anchored as her legs rested for a moment before she pushed off the wall yet again, her biceps burning as she rolled over the top of the wall, almost landing on her back. The creak from her knees as she tried to stand back up straight was more uncomfortable than it typically should have been. Yet, gazing at the building in front of her, Chloe was relieved to spot a chair waiting before it.
The cable car station had never been an exceptional aspect of the mountain. While it was arguably the most expensive thing to own, barring the mountain itself, the hut was stuck in its natural neutral tones. The metal car even hovered in the sky as if a fog had rolled through the area. The wires twisted into a glorified rope aesthetic that would give a classic rope bridge from adventure movies a run for its money in the creep department. But the shack that protected the controls from the elements was nothing more than a reserved subway station. The walls had been treated poorly by the elements over the years, the exterior paintwork flaked off to reveal commercial concrete slabs. Verticale poles did little to ease the rundown apparel, implying vaguely the overhang required support. Which, upon close inspection, wouldn't be far off.
Nevertheless, Chloe still let her smile grow a little firmer at the sight. A small glimpse of humanity in the creepy woods was always accepted. So long as you weren't Hansel or Gretel, Chloe supposed. The lights warmed the surrounding snow, the soft powder remained undisturbed even as she continued closer to the shack. Her feet longed for a dry piece of land to remain before she had to squelch further north.
A trilling sound piqued her interest. Musical notes filled her ears with a continuous onslaught of poorly composed percussion. A tune which wormed its way further into her head in familiarity, yet the more she concentrated on finding the origin, the further the lyrics were to be remembered. As she scoured the music catalogue within her brain Chloe reached the source. Half discarded beside the bench, slumped over in its misery, sat a rucksack. The vague glowing light only became brighter as she turned the bag by its handles to face her. The front pocket remained half open, a phone peeking obviously from within. Its light chirking pausing under the attention of her eyes.
Chloe opened the bag further, giving her more space to inspect the device. Her face was blinded as the screen lit up. Blinking a few times, Chloe peered back down towards it. A spree of messages littered the homepage, followed closely by a notification of a missed phone call. All of which came from the same sender; Cabbagepatch kid.
"Anything cool on there?" Chloe was sure there was a newly flavoured patch of snow from where she once stood. The foot or so she had jumped seemed slightly less interesting as the voice simply laughed at her discomfort.
"Amy!" The redhead rested her hand upon her chest, able to feel the quickened beat from through her jacket.
The Aussie continued to laugh at her. "What? You're the one perving on me, Red. If you wanted to join us, you could have just asked you know?" Amy took an exaggerated look over her. "Although, he might not be able to handle the both of us. We'd break him."
Chloe suddenly wished she had left her earphones in as she prayed for the conversation to end. "Amy!" She simply let the phone drop back into the same pocket she had retrieved it from, sealing the pocket completely before handing it back to its owner. "Your phone was ringing."
"Must be around dinner time then, he always gets hungry." Chloe actively tried to ignore the innuendo. "Oh, I have got to show you something." The taller woman practically bounced foot to foot when she walked around the building, leaving her bag discarded once again. Her infectious excitement compelled Chloe to shuffle faster to catch up, her curiosity was peaked.
Turning the excavated corner meticulously blocked off with lines of barbed wire, pinned tight between solid wooden posts, Chloe was met with the sight of a small kiosk. Thin pine struts capped with corrugated iron sheets. The untreated roof was left with patches of a bubbly rash of rust splattered across the main frame. The wood was barely treated, the paint blistering at a faster rate than the building beside them. A simple wooden slab doubled for a worktop, braced wobbly upon a firmer fence, and vertical spars of thin oak ran along the width of the structure.
"What is this?" Chloe breathed, the sight was new to her. Through a vacant space that hovered above the slab, she could spot various objects strung up to dangle beneath branches of the majestic oak tree that sat centre in the frame she peered from. Broken trunks sat on either side carrying empty bottles and cans upon them.
Amy gave her a wide grin, whipping around entirely. Her hands held a piece of metal as she buzzed on her spot. "It's a gun range!" Chloe instinctively took a step back from the sight. Looking closely she spotted some wood-casing parts of the metal within the blonde's hands. Aspects of the metal branched off in spacious intervals. While the redhead had little experience in these situations, she could recognise both the bolt and the scope of the gun in her friend's hands.
"Where did you get that!" She was more shocked than curious.
Amy simply shrugged the question away with nonchalance. "I found it in the station."
"So, you took it? Amy!"
"What? Have you seen this? It's awesome." As if to prove her point the Aussie took a step towards the wooden slab, her arms sitting angled as she braced the butt of the gun against her shoulder. Her shoulder repelling as she took a shot, and a bottle smashed. The thunderous noise permeated through the air. The fluttering of frightful birds dwarfed in comparison. Her arm raised to fiddle with the bolt, Chloe could see the smoking shell throw itself into the snow. Amy's eyes cast themselves upwards, her arms locked and following her gaze. Another shot rang out with a clang. Chloe watched as the dented can swing hazardly from the force. Amy repeated her actions, hitting multiple targets until she was required to go looking for more ammunition. Her muted cooing followed behind her as she searched the area.
Chloe hung back opting to look between her friend and the fallen targets. Once the blonde had started to physically crawl through the snow in her adventure, did she start to speak. "Where did you learn to do that, Ames?" The wonder shone through.
The girl in question's head peaked out of the crevice she was in. "Hmm? I was the best buckshot shooter in Transylvania." Looking back at the range, Chloe couldn't help but think this one was true. Even if the gun had different ammunition she held it with enough confidence and skill that Chloe would doubt a novice could.
"Huh."
"Yes!" Emerging from the side of the station, Amy laughed as she spun around, a tattered box within her fingers. "Found some!" A smile lit up both their faces, bouncing from each other's enjoyment.
Neither paid enough attention to the range. The fallen leaves from the tree provide added padding from the bitter ground. A platter of mulch was assembled at the bottom of the trunk. Its colours attract various assortments of insects. From worms to beetles; they wriggled appealingly towards other creatures. Welcoming them to a buffet of protein. Enticing enough to gather a brave solitary bird. Its feathers shine like an oil spill in the moonlight.
Amy let the gun nestle into her shoulder for the second time in half an hour. Her aim landed upon the cans upon a tree trunk before falling towards a hanging bottle. While Chloe tensed in anticipation of the thunderous sound, the wildlife had no such warning. The first shot fired sent a flurry of motion to return within the woods. Crunching of twigs to the wild screeches as animals scurried from the source. The crow startled at the base of the tree, its wings stretching out in preparation to remove itself from the area.
Amy removed the empty shell from the chamber, cocking the bolt back into place as she noticed movement. Her eyes tracked as she lined up a shot.
Chloe couldn't help but recoil in the same movement as the girl beside her. Her eyes widened as she saw a splatter of red explode from the ground. She could feel the bile rise within her. Her hand blocks her dropped jaw as she sees her friend dance about hitting a moving target.
"Oh yeah, didn't even stand a chance!" Amy practically taunts the other creatures to retaliate. "You alright, Red? Looking a bit green over there." While Chloe could tell the girl had good intentions, the lack of awareness spun her head further. Instead of answering, she simply gestured to the incoming cart. "Right."
The redhead's eyes continued to hover over the newly stained tree, sending silent apologies before leading Amy back around the building, looking everywhere but her. Between the swirling clouds and the collection of icicles, her head wound up scanning over the very walls she had passed initially. Only now with more interest. "Hey, Ames, come check this out."
Her stomach wobbled further as she read the hung-up sign. The paper weathered yellow and tearing at its pin towards the top. A faint blurred image paired messily with smudged writing. Only bold lettering resting near the start gave any indication of its purpose. WANTED, Chloe let her mind wander. She knew disappearances happened, knew that before the Swansons had purchased the land the mountain was a hotel resort for family members of those contained within the neighbouring sanitorium. A distraction for all those involved but wasn't aware of anyone escaping.
"Oh, cool. Think I should go get the gun back?" Amy jested. Her tone was way too light considering the topic matter.
Chloe shook her head. She needed a drink and the weekend had just started. "Why don't we just get to the car?"
While one side of the cable cart station had wilted under the duration of its existence, the connected station remained more put together. The cables continued to creak as the cart pulled itself between both stations. Cracks appeared throughout the concrete flooring but the walls held strong. All the paintwork remained frozen to the metal it clung to. Only the corners showed the primary deterioration, the constant expansion and reduction within its walls warped the paintwork into bubbling.
The entire station was a carbon copy of its twins' layout. The bench that was abandoned on the station below remained solitary next to the door. A thin plain glass window sat awkwardly above it, uncentered to its wooden slats. Piles of snow anchored the metal base to the porch it remained upon. Although facing the majority of the elements, the bench remained to be the thing in the best conditions. No rust or mould within its connecting parts.
Benji paid the details no attention as he primed his focus towards his lap. A folded pink slip of paper rustled in the wind, pinned only between his hand and the book he was using to brace it flat. The boy's tongue stuck precariously between his teeth as he reworked the words he had once written with confidence the day prior. His brows furrowed as he repeated the inspection of his work.
Resisting the temptation to through the paper away in frustration, Benji instead opted to place the note away in his rucksack, the book sliding cautiously into the inside pocket of his overcoat. His cream scarf followed his movements, needing to be untucked as he went to secure the larger marbled buttons together.
Looking around the area brought a sense of boredom towards him. While he could sense the gathering could be a great start towards things, his mind would always roll back towards the blurred memories of the night. He could hardly remember the details but as the last year had rolled on, he gained snippets of memories. From scents to noises; his mind would play tricks on him. His heart wants to wait for his friends to return. Only the constant presence of Emily had eased his guilt. The girl had started to gain her pep back when Jesse's video had been sent to them. They had shared a look of restrained unwillingness before they had decided to attend. They knew that Jesse needed someone, and while the boy had been interactive throughout the year, there remained a distance within him that was difficult to ignore. Although from what they had witnessed, the majority of the group had been struggling with their own demons to get involved.
A chill worked its way up his sleeves as a flow of wind blew past him. His arms raised across his chest, resting on the other. His hands worked quickly to rub the worst of his discomfort away to no avail. His chin attempted to hide behind his scarf's loose knot, his body turtling within his clothed shell. Only his eyes peeked out between the scarf and his windswept hair. The blue of his eyes shone with the mounted lights at the door beside him.
The gloomy red light flickered off for a moment before being replaced with a bright forest green. "Guess we have some company." He muttered to himself. He emerged from his cacoon to welcome the stragglers of the group. His hand reached prematurely towards the door.
Before he could work his fingers around the handle, a startled shout from within the room had him repelled backwards. His arms held protectively over his body as a flash of red was seen through the small gridded window. Locks of her hair swayed frantically as her voice raised further, eventually giving up and sheltering her head with her body. A loud thunk echoed throughout the forest, accentuated by the shelter shaking with it. Another sound followed before the door flung itself forwards, a body trailing in its wake.
Amy lay dazed on the floor, her head spinning as she giggled to herself. "That was awesome!" The race of her heartbeat drowned out the worried calls from the others. Her smile grew on her cheek as she noticed Chloe edge her way around her collapsed form. "Come on, you know it!"
Chloe only rolled her eyes in amusement before she went to greet the poor stunned boy. "Hey, Benji."
His faze hovered between the busted door and his fallen friend. "Hey." He distractedly answered.
She followed his eye line and shrugged. "Oh, the door froze itself stuck."
"Huh." Benji couldn't let himself complain about it. It was neither his cable cart nor would have come up with a different idea. All the years doing magic practice was little help in real situations short of making a kid smile from a quarter in their ear.
"Yeah, Red over here didn't think I could do it."
"I said you shouldn't do it. There is a difference." Amy only shrugged one shoulder as she righted herself. Snow caked the back of her jacket, the material darkening under the moisture.
Benji's pocket buzzed, the vibrations working their way through his ribs. The sensation of which sent a shudder in response. His frozen hands attempted to unbutton his jacket only enough to let him have access to the contraption. His heart was racing as he saw the message flash in his notifications. While delayed from when she had intended to send it, Emily had decided to message him. Wishing to see him, and she was missing him. The boy could feel his smile turn lovesick.
Before he could type his response, a hand swiped the device from his grasp. Amy smiled as she took in the words. Oohing at certain ones all the while batting Benji's attempts at retrieval away. The duo rotated in a large circle, creating an uneven groove within the snow.
While Chloe let herself block out the interaction to gaze at the surrounding view, taking in the steep decline in the mountain ridge, she kept an ear out. Absorbing the teasing radiating from the blonde while Benji stuttered over his words, unable to deny her claims. One look at the boy and you could practically feel the heat radiating from his reddening cheeks. His eyes locked onto hers for help.
Amy continued to scroll through his privacy. Muttering the messages to herself, practically rotting her teeth from them. "Seriously? Why do her texts have to be so cute?" Chloe could see the temptation to dry heave from the thought lurk its way into the Aussie's head.
"No need to be mean." She almost seemed offended at the concept.
"I was not mean." Amy lifted the phone. "Legacy can't even be this stupid, I mean it's adorable that they can't admit to each other they like each other."
Benji coughed up a shocked chortle. "Actually..." He trailed off seeing the pure glee in Chloe's eyes and the shock in the other girl's.
"About damn time stud." Amy clapped his shoulder, jolting his body down an inch. Chloe took the distraction at face value, letting her hand slip the phone back into Benji's possession. "Wha-"
"Let him have it," Chloe warned. Her head tilted to convey her message, let them have their moment. The blonde let out a heaved sigh, placing her entire body into the action.
"Fine!" The girl's arms were raised by her side at the faux frustration. Only a large wink gave her away as she continues up the trail.
"You joining us, Benji?"
The boy's demeanour seemed to shrink, a shyness waved over him until he stuttered his response. "I'm going to wait here, and see if anyone else needs help with the door." Chloe let herself look towards the door, sitting wide open - swinging in the wind.
"Course." She followed Amy's example of a wink, a more tamed style as her lips curled at his reddened cheeks. She turned to catch up with the blonde her feet leaping from step to step, leaving Benji to return to his initial seat. His note was long forgotten as he shook his head at his friend's antics. It was never a dull day with Amy around, he thought to himself.
While the relationship had somewhat dwindled between Aubrey and Jesse, they had remained on good speaking terms. After the search parties had cleared their way through the mountain (Aubrey organising search groups on a rota while Jesse led a search under his frantic gaze) the two of them had started to realise they had needed a break from the romantic side of things. Jesse still invited himself into her room on the nights that his nightmares kept him awake only to be met with a bleary-eyed Aubrey holding her bedding up for him to sneak under.
It wasn't perfect but it had allowed them to keep a lighthearted aura around each other. Jesse knew that while Aubrey had remained an unshaken appearance around the public, her hair straightened and blown to perfection while keeping a near constant level of makeup caking her swollen cheeks and red eyes, that she couldn't keep a meal down for months after. Only recovering long enough for the news of the search's cancellation to send her plummeting back into her old habits. A loud voice and thinly veiled temper were lurking at all social gatherings the two had attended together. A toxic mess of codependence sent the other into a vicious tyrant that sent all those around them into the next room to avoid them.
It was how they wound up travelling to the mountain together. While the others in the groups travelled alone towards their checkpoint, it was Aubrey's suggestion in the group chat to carpool that was widely ignored or rejected. Only Jesse was close enough to her apartment and he had remained the designated driver every day since that he was happy enough to let her ride with him. The two are too stubborn to bail while in each other's company. Jesse's quotes seemed too lighthearted for the blonde, and her backseat driving had irked him enough into more rambled quotes to ease the tension - which only worked in doubling her efforts. The cycle was vicious.
By the time the two had worked the way towards the end of the mountain, they had reached an eased banter between them. Both people fluctuate between friendly beings and estranged lovers. With body language landing a touch between them while their speech grew stale.
"Why couldn't your family build the lodge closer to the cable car?" Aubrey tugged her jacket closed, her hands shaking against the metal zip. She could even look as Jesse's bare hands landed upon the metal of the gate in front of them. His hands clasping against it as the control light blipped green. Aubrey skipped past him, holding the object open with her boot. The faux leather insulation chills at the interaction.
Jesse grunted as he bent to lift the pile of bags at his side. The strap materials imprinted themselves into his skin. "They didn't think it would be quite as pretty. Something about the noise keeping up the wildlife makes them rowdy." He attempted a shrug only to be weighted down on either side.
He watched as a smirk lit up the blonde's face. Her golden hair lit up the path. "I don't think it's the noise that makes people rowdy up here." Her eyes trailed slowly from his lips towards his eyes.
His voice dropped a few octaves. "Oh yeah, and what does?" The low silky texture of his voice caused heat to radiate throughout her cheeks. Their bodies are magnetised to each other, and their steps bring them a head away from each other.
Aubrey's face sunk slightly as she noticed their positions. Her body turned back towards the path. Ignoring the way Jesse's face fell blank as they separated. "Well, Amy's creations for one."
A gust of frost left his mouth as he sighed. "It's going to be a bit strange seeing everyone up here again."
"Why'd you invite them then?" The wind picked up enough to sweep her hair into her face. Aubrey was trapped into picking strands of hair out of her mouth. The strawberry of her shampoo became more chemical-scented than ever.
"It's tradition," Jesse answered, his voice hollow at the thought. "It would've been weirder if I hadn't. It- It's something we always did, ever since we were kids." His eyes glazed over in nostalgia. The memories of hot cocoa as they revived their frostbit fingers from their snow forts that would crumble within the hour, typically while they were still inside, consumed him into a trance.
Aubrey's eyes softened at the man. Her lips sealed themselves into a pitying line before her arms wrapped around him tightly. His shoulders quivered as he held back hiccups. Her eyes screwed shut as they grew more violent, his hands tightening around the bag straps. His head rested on her neck as he tried to take deep, calming breaths to no avail.
"Raah!"
The duo threw each other from their grasp. The hug discarded as Jesse rotated towards the noise, the heavy bags falling softly into the snow trail while he raised his arms protectively in front of them. His fingers clenched into fists as he readied himself for a fight, maintaining a stance in front of the girl. Aubrey remained frozen behind the boy as she tried to kick her brain into fight mode. Her eyes were wide and dry as she convinced her body against its instinct to cower.
Cynthia-Rose continued to laugh with her body, her hands clapping while her chest shook under the restrained audible laughter. Her simple plaid shirt was unbuttoned and whisked away behind her in the wind. Her jacket trailed along with it. Jesse shook his head at the notion while Aubrey continues to cling to his shoulders behind him. His hand rested splayed upon her stomach, restraining her from coming closer to their 'attacker'.
Aubrey's face blossomed into hot red heat as she collected her thoughts. The moment that had been ruined flittered out of her mind as she tried to step closer. "What the-? CR?"
"Sorry, you should have seen your faces." Her head shook to the side, her smile continuing through the lighthearted apology.
"You can't just do that!" Aubrey whined. "Why would you even do that?"
CR simply shrugged. "Saw you guys coming my way. Thought it would be funny." Jesse started to laugh a little. He welcomed the distraction from his mind, the shriek having given him enough of a shock to wake him up from his downward spiral. "Seriously, Jess, you're laughing at this?"
He made eye contact with the dark-skinned girl. "I thought it was pretty funny."
"Funny? She scared me half to death." Her fists smacked lightly across his chest. The wraps and he gently grasped them. He lowered them as she squirmed slightly in his reach. Her feet stopped her from walking past him as they collided with the fallen luggage.
"It's okay Bree."
"No, it's not." Her mind thought back a year. "It's really not. You can't just scare people like that!" Her fingers worked out of Jesse's grip before they looped into her bag straps, throwing them over her shoulder. Leaving Jesse behind with his own luggage, she brushed past CR as she continued down the path. Ignoring the quieting strew of apologies.
Jesse bent down to pick up the solitary bag laying at his feet. "Sorry about her, she gets this way when she's tired." His free arm reached around her for a slight hug. The girl attempted to wiggle her way free from him.
"I'm pretty sure she's always like this." Cynthia-Rose shrugged. "Comes with the territory of being the head bitch in charge." Jesse laughed again, unable to dispute her point.
"I best not keep her waiting, wouldn't want her to castrate me." His arm folded over his shoulder as the bag slumped further down his back. He gave a little wave and a cheeky smile in lew of a goodbye. The girl responded with her own salute as she turned to make her own way down the path, opting to take a branching route to find the others.
No one had found her yet. Her feet barely imprinted within the snow as she walked her own way up the mountain. The way the animals had remained unaware or unbothered by her presence within their home turf had brought a sense of joy within Lily that she hadn't felt in a while. The general sense of unease and imbalance coming from the mountain itself had been gently eased upon the surface environment. But Lily couldn't help the shiver make its way throughout her.
Goosebumps trailed the length of her skin as she searched her way through the landscape. The telescope provides little help with her quest. While her gaze had been zoomed further through the branches than her bare eyes had allowed, the blurred vision from frequent scratch marks that had littered the lenses left much to be desired. A general series of blurs gave her a rough idea as to what she was looking towards.
Lily allowed herself to pull away frequently as she tried to orientate where she was gazing towards. The blur she had been searching towards had left her analysing a bridge for ten minutes. The smile she had once harboured had dwindled tremendously at the thought. Nevertheless, she had found interesting blurs within the forests. From the red of CR's plaid to the more blue-orientated outfit Chloe had trekked with, she had managed to catch an understanding of everyone's group status.
The girl had watched as Jesse walked with Aubrey, neither speaking towards the other, Chloe had split off from Amy as she continued towards the lodge with a sly grin. Lily had caught the slight blur that Emily had become as she made her way back down the mountain without the bags she had carried, to begin with. Benji was nowhere to be seen and Lily had spotted CR chase footprints throughout the trails.
But it was Amy loitering on the path up, neither out of breath nor pranking someone, that had dragged her attention. It was unlike the girl to take things easy without a smart comment in her repertoire. As a lovesick Bumper made his presence known towards the Aussie, Lily understood what was happening. She had no interest in watching the fight for dominance within their tonsile hockey display. Her face repulsed from the sight as she turned her eyes away from the telescope.
Emily had loitered around the cable car station for a few minutes as she watched her boyfriend become engrossed with his book. The bliss on his face turned into shocked horror as he flipped the page, only to become confused. His fingers fiddled with the corner as he flipped back and forth between the pages, only for them to peel apart. She giggled as the realisation sunk into his face that he had skipped a page and ruined something. Even the internal facepalm he gave was too reactive not to giggle at.
Benji's head whipped upwards. The faint echo of her laughter hovered in the air. His head meerkated from side to side, his neck poised and his spine sat ramrod straight while he pivoted upon the same seat he had remained upon for the last hour. A flash of white left him with a soggy shin. "Gotcha!" Emily's voice continued to echo even as he dashed for cover, the book long forgotten.
His shoes slid amongst the snow, skidding slightly as he hunkered beside one of the benches. His hands scooped the snow within them while his eyes scope the area. Only the laughter she produced gave her away. His hands twitched as he launched the ball from his grasp. The shriek he received as a response once the ball collided with the wider tree trunk held a level of satisfaction that he couldn't ignore. A smile lit up his face as she scurried towards the other bench beside her.
Emily blindly let herself dive under cover. Her knees skimmed across the snow with more momentum than she had intended. The snow melted into the fibres of her clothes even as she gathered it into a small malformed ball to throw over her protective shield. The powder erupted halfway through its arc. The snow cloud masking the boy's head peeks around his tree, snowball in hand.
Just as she popped out for a peak of the area, a cold splat made itself known in her hair. The ball fell short of his intended target instead splattering across the bench, catching Emily with its shrapnel of water. Her squeal shook the trees as she tried to gather another piece of ammunition, waiting for the man to appear again, catching him in the shoulder as he emerged a third time.
Benji laughed as he saw the shock register on her face. "I did it? I did it!" Emily shrieked in happiness. Her arms were thrown above her head in victory. Her eyes were as wide as her smile, Benji joining the infectious glee. The snowball dropped from his grip as he ran towards her.
Her laughter cut off as she saw his imminent arrival. Her back turned as she tried to run away from him. his arms wrapped around her waist as he hoisted her up in a bear hug. His legs slipped out from underneath him, the snow cushioning the blow of the ice beneath them. Emily landed solidly onto him as his back ached. His disorientated groan filled the air. "That was a bad idea."
Emily laughed at the rough texture of his voice. The air slowly refilled his lungs as he looked at the lady that lay upon him. "Hey." His arm raised to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. Her head leaned into his touch as she gazed dopily at him.
"Hi." Her eyes dropped towards his lips, his eyes reciprocating the gesture. The boy gulped as she readjusted her position, her hands landing on either side of his head. His head tilted forwards, leaning towards her head as he closed his eyes, a blissful expression masking his face.
Her hands tighten around the snow clumped beside them. Her face took in his expression as she raised her hand towards his face. Only to cake a clump of snow upon him. His eyes widened as he blinked the snow away. Emily's hands raised to her mouth as she giggled at his bewildered look. A flicker of betrayal ignited into vengeance as he reached for more snow. A shocked shriek left her mouth as she ran away. A laughing apology followed her as he raced behind her.