2020 Fallenclan Holiday Handouts

by FallenClanrp

For the past month or so, the hugely talented writers of Fallenclan have been chipping away at their stories for our fellow writers, eager to give in the festive spirit. This is the result! So settle down with a cup of hot cocoa, and start to guess at who might have who! Enjoy, everyone, and happy holidays.

2. For Rain

A/N- Hey Rain! Merry Christmas, happy holidays! I really hope you enjoy this, it took a very long time. I am very proud of it, and I hope you find it a good read! Also! Quick note- there is a mistake somewhere within this oneshot. If you can find it, let me know in your review! :)

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The bus jostled, a short bang ringing in a young noirette's ears as her blue eyes shot open. She cursed under her breath at the pain in the side of her head from the bus window as she winced and looked around, gaze still blurred with sleep.

The girl reached up to massage the sore spot before reaching beneath her tortoiseshell frames to rub her sleepy eyes. Her movements were slightly restricted due to a weight on her shoulder. Dark blonde locks lay splayed in waves over her shoulder as she glanced down at the dozing girl beside her.

A smile curved her lips at the sight of her, and she dared not disturb the blonde. Slowly, she reached for her phone to check the time and her messages, only to find there was no service. There were a few text banners from friends earlier in the day, and the time read 4:13 pm. One glance outside told her their arrival to the "winter retreat" was near, as she saw distant light filtering through the fog in the woods. Snow blanketed the earth, wrapping it in a white sheen that was almost blinding when the sun shone down from the clouded sky.

The bus eventually turned onto what looked like an old dirt road, or at least- that's what she could tell from the smooth surface of the snow dusting it. The sight of cold weather made the noirette shiver. She'd never liked the cold, in fact, she'd been dreading this entire retreat since Riley brought it up, knowing it would take place in the mountains in the middle of winter.

"Slooaane," drawled a familiar voice from the seat behind her. She groaned and tipped her head back, slipping her phone under her leg as she spotted the neat brown hair of her girlfriend's bitchy brother.

"Whaaaat?" She whined back, squinting at him with a slightly mocking tone that turned to a wide yawn.

"Is Riley up? We're almost there and she took my blanket," he asked, leaning over the back of the girls' seat. Sloane glanced at the sleeping girl for a moment and shook her head.

"No, can you wait?" she answered, and Brent groaned.

"Lazy bum… It's cold back here…" he grumbled, just as another voice piped up.

"Hey, sit down!" Shouted a man with blank hair towards the front of the bus, his arm resting on the back of the seat as he twisted to look back at the two of them. Brent scowled and rolled his eyes, disappearing from Sloane's view as he sat down. She heard Tristan muttering something to him as the bus rounded one last corner.

Finally, the circle of small wooden cabins came into view and excited murmurs began filling the bus as it came to a slow stop beside a large wooden building. The driver glanced over his shoulder, a gruff looking man with a pipe drooping from his lips. "We're here," he announced, thick accent obscuring his words as the other college students around Sloane began to stand up and grab their smaller bags.

Sloane glanced at Riley, who still dozed on her shoulder, and softly poked her cheek. The blonde stirred and looked up, squinting at the light as she muttered a sleepy, "what…?"

"We're here," the girl informed her with a small smile as students began passing them, filing out of the bus slowly. Riley sat up and stretched, and Sloane stood up, groaning as her muscles cramped in protest. They'd been on the road for almost 4 and a half hours now, and she was more than ready to get off this damned bus.

As Sloane gathered her backpack, she noticed Brent standing in the now-empty seat across from them, arms crossed expectantly. Riley seemed to notice the look and raised a brow at her, to which she pointed at the blanket.

The blond nodded and wadded up the blanket she had been using, then threw it at her brother, who proceeded to stumble backward in the seat, swatting at her. A muffled "Hey!" found their ears and Riley snickered. Sloane joined in as they exited the seat and headed down the aisle to exit the bus.

As soon as the girls stepped out, a bitter cold wind made Sloane tense up and wrap her arms around herself, teeth grinding. "Jesus…" she muttered, hurrying over to the lower compartment of the bus to retrieve her suitcase with Riley at her heels.

"It's so pretty out here," commented Riley as she stooped down to grab her own luggage, a bright smile on her face. Sloane couldn't disagree more. It was bright, cold, windy, and snowing. There was nothing beautiful about this place. But she kept her mouth shut- she knew how much this trip meant to Riley, and she wasn't about to ruin her girlfriend's fun with a sour attitude.

Once everyone had collected their belongings, they were directed by their 'chaperone' through the doors of the lodge and into the dining hall. The contrast of the bitter cold and the comforting warmth sent shivers down Sloane's spine, and she walked with Riley to one of the long tables. Both girls sat down and were soon joined by Brent and Tristan.

Riley began chatting with the boys, but while they waited Sloane took the time to look around the room at the other students clambering to find seats. At one table she spotted a man with darker skin and curly brown hair seated with a pale brunette man, huddled together for warmth. She watched as a girl with reddish-brown curls plopped down across from them, soon joined by a tall, balding guy and a smaller ginger. They seemed to chat excitedly, about what she didn't know, but from what she could see they looked happy.

She looked away from them to see a girl with long brown hair standing beside a broad-shouldered ginger, seemingly looking for somewhere to sit. They seemed to decide on a table beside the one she had just been looking at, and the girl waved at the curly brunette guy. She could've sworn his name was something like… Peter or Potter or something like that. Parker- that was his name- and his boyfriend Kacey. She recognized them from a baseball game she'd seen on TV while at a small sports bar with Riley, Brent, and Tristan.

A few moments later, the two were joined by a guy with brown hair and a thick hoodie, a few snowflakes dotting his head. The redhead greeted him with a friendly wave and a smile, and they started talking.

"Right, Sloane?" The girl blinked in confusion and looked back to the group. Brent had been talking- she didn't know what about- and somehow her name had come up.

"Oh uh… Yeah…?" she answered, hoping her answer made sense.

Riley raised her brows, eyes glinting with amusement at her girlfriend's antics. "You weren't listening at all, were you?"

"Nope." Sloane leaned back in her seat slightly, running a hand through her short hair as she popped the final consonant. Riley giggled and Brent rolled his eyes. Tristan just looked down awkwardly.

The moment was quickly interrupted by Sebastian, the teacher assigned to go with them on this retreat. "Listen up, dimwits!" He called, clapping his hands obnoxiously until everyone quieted down.

"Thank you. Talk and you're going back on that bus," he spoke, tone rough. Sloane shook her head. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. But, then again, Sebastian always seemed angered, whether he was subtle about it or not.

"Now. While we're here there's going to be a few rules for bunking and whatnot. First off, I will be getting my own cabin. If anyone steps foot in it, may the Lord have mercy on them," the platinum-haired man glared around the room before clearing his throat and straightening himself up. "Now for the cabin assignments, there are none. You pick a partner to bunk with you, two to a cabin."

The students immediately jolted in their seats, forming groups of two before Sebastian could finish. His annoyance was obvious.

"Hey! Pay attention!" he demanded, his voice cold as the room grew quiet again. In the corner of her eye, Sloane spotted a mocha-skinned girl clinging eagerly to the arm of a guy with frost-tipped gray hair. Both students were looking awkwardly at Sebastian as he spoke up again.

"There will be no cross-gendering in the cabins. Cabins one, two, and three are designated for the ladies, the men get cabins four, five, six, and seven. Cabin eight is mine," he announced, earning a loud, offended groan from the mocha-skinned girl.

"Seriously?!" she exclaimed, tightening her grip on the boy next to her, who awkwardly glanced at Sebastian. "That's bullshit, what do you think we are, kids?" she grumbled.

"Yes," the man responded, scowling at her. "That's exactly what I think you are. It's the policy here, and you're going to follow it." Riley pinched the bridge of her nose and Sloane patted her back. "If you have a problem with it, I can stick you with someone of my choosing. Like…" he surveyed the crowd for a moment before pointing at the brown-haired girl from earlier. "Lily, there."

'Lily' immediately looked uncomfortable at the suggestion and the boy beside her grimaced, placing his hand comfortingly in the small of her back to rub circles. His green gaze seemed to be locked onto Stanley, cold and judging. Luna furrowed her brows.

"No, I want to share a cabin with Stanley, old man," she insulted, and Sloane found herself groaning with annoyance. She hadn't properly talked to Luna, but man was this girl getting on her nerves already.

Sebastian's glare was piercing as he watched Luna, who seemed to crumble slightly under his harsh gaze. "If you are so insistent on pairing yourself with your boyfriend, you can go ahead and take one more person with you."

The girl huffed, trying to look strong under his demeaning gaze. "Fine!" she muttered, releasing her grip on the boy to cross her arms defiantly over her chest.

Sloane caught a glance of Parker shifting uncomfortably beside Kacey, looking anywhere but at Luna. That's when she recognized the resemblance between the two and quickly connected the dots. Luna was Parker's sister. The embarrassment and discomfort made a lot more sense now, and she almost pitied the guy. The whole room had fallen into an awkward silence, and Sebastian stared at Luna for a few more long moments.

"Alright. Pick your partners. If I hear anything while I'm trying to sleep you will be separated from your bunkmate," he warned, casting pointed glares at the same-sex couples in the rooms. Sloane felt her chest tighten as Sebastian's glare met her own. Something about it just felt… wrong. She narrowed her eyes at him before hesitantly turning to Riley, who stretched and turned to her as well.

"Bunk with me?" Riley asked jokingly, holding her hand out for a mock-shake. Sloane shook off the weird feeling and offered a lazy smile, taking her girlfriend's hand and bringing it to her lips. She placed a gentle kiss to her knuckles and watched as the blonde laughed, her cheeks taking on a soft, rosy hue.

"Sure, I got no one better to go with," she teased, chuckling with a coy smile. Brent made a disgusted noise beside them, making Sloane snicker.

Riley stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Shut up, Bee, you're just mad that you're too scared to kiss your boyfriend," she shot, earning a flustered glare from her brother, a bright red Tristan beside him.

"Alright! Everyone get your things and select your cabins. Autumn, Luna, Stanley, you'll be in cabin three," Sebastian instructed, and the other students began to stand and grab their things. "Dinner is going to be at 7:30, so hurry up!"

Sloane got to her feet and offered her hand to help up Riley. Once the other girl was up, she grabbed her suitcase and slung her backpack over her shoulders. She waited for Riley to gather her belongings before heading out behind Brent and Tristan.

The evening was pretty quiet after that. Most of the students were busy unpacking and setting up their beds, much like Sloane and Riley were doing. The cabins weren't very big by any means, but each one had a bunk bed, a fireplace, and a single hand-crafted couch with a small coffee table and a bearskin rug. It was quaint, but nice enough.

The two girls finished sorting out their things fairly quickly and had decided (per Riley's request) to go hang out on the small porch attached to the cabin. Sloane had bundled up with a hat and heavy jacket, but Riley had just skipped out in a light jacket and her clothes from the bus ride. They sat in silence for a while, Riley on the railing and Sloane on a bench, just watching the clearing as the sun dipped behind the mountain rise, casting a shadow of dusk across the landscape.

It wasn't long before they heard quiet chatter coming from the cabin next door, the one Sloane had seen Lily and the dark auburn-haired girl walk into earlier. The two girls were outside now, hands shoved in the pockets of their jackets as they talked.

Her gaze slowly turned back to Riley, who seemed to be watching them as well, purely out of boredom. She smiled softly, her chest growing warm at the sight of her girlfriend, her hair tied back and away from her beautiful face. She sat admiring her for what felt like hours, arms crossed on her chest and a warm smile on her lips. That is, until the girl gasped and went tumbling over the railing into the fresh snow below, a short cry of surprise bursting from her throat.

Sloane jolted to her feet and dashed down the short steps to the blonde's side, eyes wide with concern and surprise as she knelt beside her. The girl had sat up, snow dusting her shoulders and head as she rubbed her temple, looking dazed. "Riley! Are you okay?" she questioned, catching sight of a shocked Luna, Stanley grabbing her arm to pull her away. In her gloved hand was a snowball, and Sloane realized quickly what had happened. She shot a glare at the girl, who stumbled away, snowball dropping from her hand.

Riley spoke up after a few moments, shaking her head. "Yeah, yeah I'm alright. Someone hit me with a… snowball?" she answered, sounding uncertain. "Just scared me a little," she offered a small, slightly confused chuckle. Sloane sighed and offered a small smile, standing up. She held out her hand, and Riley took it, standing up with her. She brushed herself off and shivered, snow falling down the back of her shirt.

"Here," Sloane directed, placing her hand on her girlfriend's back to guide her. "Let's get you changed before that melts." She led Riley up the stairs, earning small protests from the blonde as she marched the two of them into the cabin to get Riley ready for dinner.

Sloane and Riley sat together at a table in the dining hall, munching on a bag of chips they'd found in the pantry after dinner. It'd been pretty uneventful so far, the most drama had been a bitter exchange between Stanley and the redhead from earlier, Blaise, as she'd found out, over who was the better actor out of the two. The two seemed to always be neck and neck, she assumed they maybe had a fight or something to that sort when they were stupid teens and never got over it. The ordeal didn't concern her, though, so she ignored it for the most part.

Everyone else was sitting by the large fireplace at the end of the dining hall. It was quite grand for such an old lodge, and it was the only source of light in the dark room. Both girls sat in a comfortable silence, listening to the crackling of the fire as the other students exchanged scary stories. Every once in a while, the storyteller would make a loud noise and earn a few startled gasps from the audience. Sloane and Riley would just snicker together at the stupid jumpscares and flawed story logic, watching with amusement.

The two hardly noticed as they were approached by two figures, one dressed in a jacket that was much too big for him and the other wearing a beanie hat. Both held two cups in either hand, and they came to a stop beside the two girls. "Hey," greeted the shorter of two, the girl from cabin one. The boy beside her shuffled awkwardly, a finger drumming rhythmically on the rim of one cup. "Sloane and… Riley, right?"

Sloane looked over at the two of them, somewhat quizzically as she popped a chip in her mouth. Riley cast a glance at her, raising a brow before responding. "Yeah, that's us. What's up?" the blonde questioned, leaning forward on the table.

The girl gave the boy beside her a gentle nudge, and he spoke up. "Oh uh. Want some hot cocoa…? And possibly some more company? Neither of us are really fans of the scary stories," the boy explained, glancing between Lily and the other girls as he spoke.

Riley glanced at Sloane, who nodded. "Sure, I don't see why not," she agreed with a shrug, and the two took seats across the table. They each passed the girls the extra cups, and Sloane gratefully took a sip. The warm, rich liquid slid down her throat and warmed her belly, and she smiled, sinking down into the seat with content.

"Thanks. I don't think I could take another one of Luna's dumb horror stories," Lily muttered bitterly, casting a glance back at the fire. Sloane followed her gaze and spotted Luna holding Stanley's arm while she spoke. The way Lily looked at her- Sloane could tell there was something more than just some shitty story fueling those words. Before she could comment on it, Lily spoke up again. "Ah, anyway, this is Connor," she introduced the previously nameless ginger. Sloane offered a wave, and he seemed to nod in her direction.

"Nice to meetcha," she greeted, looping an arm around Riley's shoulders.

"S'nice to meet you too," he responded, taking a sip of his drink. "You two like it here so far?" The boy seemed to be contemplating his words as he reached up to fiddle with the string of his hoodie.

Riley was quicker to respond. "Yeah! It's gorgeous out here. The snow is awesome." Sloane chuckled softly at her girlfriend's excitement. She didn't particularly like the cold or the snow, but seeing her joy warmed her heart and made this trip worth it.

Lily nodded in agreement, offering a warm smile. "It really is. Tomorrow, once we're settled in, Parker and Kacey thought we could have a snowman building contest. You're welcome to join in if you'd like!"

Riley perked up at that, a grin spreading across her face. "Totally! I mean, don't sulk when my snowman beats yours into the ground," the girl laughed, and Sloane shook her head with amusement. Connor chuckled from his spot.

"I think a snowball fight sounds much more fun. But hey, there's always time for that afterwards," the ginger quipped, huddling over his drink. Lily nodded in agreement, brushing her hair out of her face.

That suggestion reminded her of the mishap from earlier, the face Luna made after she knocked Riley off of the porch railing. It looked like it had been an accident. In fact, she knew it was an accident, but that didn't mean she was any less upset about it. Poor Riley had been sent tumbling because of that girl's poor aim, and she was less than impressed.

"Hey! 9 O'clock, bedtime kids!" Shouted Sebastian from the kitchen doorway, a glass of what was most likely liquor in his hand. There were groans of protest, but everyone began to get up and slunk to the doors and outside. By then, Sloane could see snow falling outside, swirling and flying every which way with the wind. She had to hold in a groan as she rolled up the chip bag and slipped it in her jacket for a midnight snack. Lily and Connor had already stood up and were waving to the two of them, bidding a goodbye.

"Goodnight, you two! See you tomorrow morning, sleep well," Lily called, quickly followed by a swift "Goodnight" from Connor.

Riley grabbed Sloane's hand and plucked her own cup from the table before leading the two of them outside into the cold. Sloane squinted at the white blur that met her eyes, the wind throwing snowflakes pelting against her skin. She muttered a few colorful words at the feeling and sped up towards the cabin.

She was happy to sink into bed later that night, Riley laying just above her.

"JESUS CHRIST! OH MY GOD, LUNA!"

Shrieks and chaos outside awoke Sloane from her pleasant dreams, and she fumbled out of the bed. She could hardly see through her sleep-blurred vision, and she squinted as she stumbled to the door. She rubbed her eyes and opened the door, ready to yell at whoever was making the racket.

Instead, she was met by a grizzly scene. She stood in shock.

There, in the snow, just inches from the next door cabin's porch steps lay Luna's body. The girl's mouth was agape in what she could only imagine was terror, a partially melted icicle skewering her throat. Blood sprayed the snow around her and her mouth was clogged with the same thick red substance. She looked pale, and the small parts of the girl's back she could see were dark with lividity. In one hand, she clutched a broken flashlight, her knuckles white, as if she had been clinging to it for dear life in her dying moments. Stanley was knelt beside her body, tears streaking his face as he stared in horror at what his lover had become.

"FUCK, LUNA!" he sobbed, his voice breaking with emotion as he tried desperately to shake her awake and find a pulse. "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?! LUNA, WAKE UP. OH FUCK, WAKE UP!" he begged desperately, and Sloane could only stand and stare. By then, Riley had tripped in the doorway and was beside Sloane, watching in horror. Everyone was starting to come out of their cabins, and she heard startled gasps and terrified screams everywhere.

A strangled, shocked cry from two cabins down made Sloane's heart twist, her gaze flying to its source. Parker was stood on the porch of his cabin, absolutely mortified by the sight of his dead sister. He gripped the railing, and even from the distance she could see the tears streaming from his eyes as he stumbled towards her. He looked like a blind, lost, kitten, his hair a mess and his eyes glazed as he tripped on every step. "Luna!" he cried, choking on the word as he reached her side.

She watched as he tore the flashlight from her hand and grabbed onto it. She could feel his grief from where she stood and watched his eyes dim with realization. Sloane swallowed the lump in her throat and shared a glance with Riley before slinking down the stairs toward the scene.

"What happened?" Her throat felt dry as she spoke, though she felt the answer was stupid. She knew what happened. It was obvious, the whole scene was right there, she'd be stupid not to connect the dots.

"An icicle went through her throat, what do you think happened maldito idiota ?!" shouted an obviously confused and angered Sebastian. "Back up!" He demanded loudly, shoving through the thin crowd, platinum hair still messy from sleep.

He grabbed Stanley's shoulder and tore him away from the body, dropping to his knees beside it. He muttered colorful slurs under his breath in the foreign language he liked so much as he looked over her body.

Sloane watched, her stomach flipping at the sight. If the impact of the sharp ice shard hadn't killed her immediately, she would've choked on her own blood. The thought almost disturbed her. She wondered what Luna had been thinking when she died. What had it felt like? Did her life flash before her eyes like Sloane had heard it often did?

She thought of Luna writhing in the snow, desperately clawing at her throat while trying to scream through the hot blood bubbling in her mouth. How utterly helpless she must have felt in her final moments.

A loud demand shook her from her morbid thoughts, and she felt a gentle tug on her shirt. She looked up to see Riley, gaze unreadable, trying to pull her towards the lodge. "Come on…" she could hear faintly, and she cast her gaze to Luna's body one more time. Her eyes were now closed, and Parker was trying to coax her gaping mouth shut.

She watched in a daze as Parker scooted away, turning with grief-stricken and terror-filled eyes while Sebastian wrapped his hands around the icicle. With a sickening squish, he dislodged the bloody object and tossed it away, his hands smeared with red.

Quickly, Sloane trudged away, her socks wet from the snow. Her heart was racing, eyes wide as she made it to the lodge and pushed her way inside. There, most of the students had gathered at the tables. Most clung to one another, some cried and some just trembled in their spots.

Riley pulled her over to where Brent stood, Trent pulled close to his chest. The blonde boy was shaking in his grasp, as small, terrified whimpers came from his form. "What the hell was that?" Brent hissed, looking more angry than anything. Sloane could see through the facade, though. He was scared, she knew it.

"You think we know any more than you?" Riley shot back, obviously aggravated after leaving the scene. Sloane pulled the girl into her side and rubbed her arms, flashing a glare at Brent as the doors swung open and Sebastian stomped into the building. His hands were bloody, and there were red smears on his pants where he'd wiped them.

The man trudged over to the table and slammed his hands down. He muttered something under his breath as students jumped and some gasped. His hard gaze crossed the room, seeming to pick apart every set of eyes until it landed on her. Sloane found his gaze scrutinizing, as if he was trying to see into her very being. Her throat grew dry and she did her best to shoot him a strong glare. It felt like hours before he finally tore his gaze away and addressed the room.

"I know you all must be shocked," he started, his voice gruff. He was met with silence, until Brent decided to open his big mouth.

"No shit, Sherlock."

Sloane winced and looked at Sebastian, who seemed to be holding back a snarl at the remark.

"Some more than others." The man's voice was cold, and he straightened himself up. "This was... a tragedy, to put it simply. I don't know how this could have happened, but if anyone knows anything, I expect you to report directly to me."

Sloane glanced around the room, watching the reactions of her classmates. There was such a mixed feeling in the air, and the atmosphere felt incredibly heavy. Sloane hated it.

Suddenly, someone spoke up. "How could that have been an accident? Someone had to have done it." Stanley's voice wavered as he looked around the room, trembling with shock and despair.

"And who the fuck would have done it?" piped James, his brows furrowed as he leaned forward on the table, glaring at the silver-haired male.

"I don't fucking know!" Stanley exclaimed, his voice cracking as his eyes drew over every person in the room. "Fuck, it could've been Sebastian! I mean, look how fucking calm he is right now!" The man wasn't stable, Sloane could've seen it from miles away. His accusation was unfounded. At least… at first thought.

"Maybe it was Lily," hissed James, pointing at the trembling brunette. Her eyes widened, and she made a shocked, choking sound. "She hated Luna after what she did to her back in October," he reasoned, and Blaise stiffened beside her.

"What- what the… what the hell, James?!" she cried, frantically grabbing a fistful of her hair in a panic.

"It makes sense, Lily!" The man retorted, and Stanley looked between the two with a conflicted gaze.

"Maybe it was Parker," piped Brent from beside Riley, and Sloane's head whipped towards him in disbelief. She'd always thought Brent wasn't the brightest, but this was a whole new peak of stupidity she didn't think existed.

Everyone seemed to have the same idea as silence filled the room. 15 sets of eyes stared him down, all of them expressing the same thing. Brent stood strong in front of all of them, speaking up again. "Think about it! Yesterday Luna was whining non-stop and bothering Parker on the bus here. He must've snapped!"

"What the actual fuck, Brent?" Sloane vocalized what everyone was thinking, staring down the brown-haired boy. He seemed to grow uncomfortable with her harsh words, and he shuffled his stance slightly.

"I'm just giving ideas, Jesus Christ…" he muttered, but the glares didn't stop. Parker seemed to be in absolute horror at the prospect, tears still streaming from his eyes. His grief was evident, and Sloane knew in her gut he wouldn't be able to kill her. She watched as Kacey pulled his boyfriend close, his glare the sharpest of all. He murmured something to Parker, but the poor guy was inconsolable. She didn't blame him. She hadn't liked Luna, in fact she'd found her incredibly irritating, but she hadn't expected the girl to meet her end. Not like this, anyway.

Sebastian took a moment before speaking once again. "I don't believe anyone did this," he sent a short glare to a distraught Stanley before he continued. "Her body was inches from the stairs, and the roofline was just above her body. More likely than not, the icicle broke off in the wind while she was outside and struck her. Like I said. It was a tragedy, not a murder."

The room filled with quiet murmurs, some of agreement, some of disbelief. The accusations were quiet now, but they were still there. Sloane, however, thought Sebastian's words were odd. Sure, she'd come to the same conclusion based on the scene, but he seemed so quick to say it was an accident. She remembered clearly how pissed off Luna had made him the day before. It was a possibility he snapped and took her out in the dead of night. It would make sense as to why he insisted on her death being an accident.

The noirette stared at the blonde man, her gaze hard as she pondered. Riley grabbed her arm to shake her from her state, and before she knew it, Sebastian was leaving the room to try and make a call. "I'm going to try and go call the bus and the district. I'm sure you all want to leave, so for right now stay here and be quiet," he'd said as he exited into what Sloane assumed was the kitchen area.

The time passed quickly. Everyone had gotten louder as panicked discussions got heated and fingers were pointed every which way with no logic behind them. Sloane and Riley were sat huddled together, unsure of what to do. That is until Sebastian came back in, a glass of whiskey in his hand.

The room grew silent as he entered, everyone anxiously awaiting information. "Line didn't go through," he announced, taking a swig of his drink. "S'totally dead. All I got was radio silence."

Hopeless cries rang through the air as the students around Sloane began to panic once again. "Hey. Hey!" Sebastian hushed the crowd, swirling his drink. "Even if I can't reach the driver, the bus will be here in two days." The man took another swig. "So in the meantime, we'll just be extra cautious. Nobody panic, for fuck's sake. I'll get the cereal out, and for those that want to, you can help me put Luna to rest later."

Sebastian proceeded to turn and leave the room once again, leaving everyone in a shocked silence.

It was Autumn that spoke first. "So we're stuck here with a dead body for two more days?" Something in her tone made Sloane shiver.

"What the fuck? Is that what you think to say in this situation? Seriously?" shot Riley, staring at the ginger in disbelief.

"It's better than anything he would've said," pointed Autumn, sticking her finger in Brent's direction. The boy creased his brows in offense, his lip curling.

Tristan looked between the three, clearly panicked. "Please- um- please don't… d-don't fight…!" He tried to interject, placing his hands on Brent's chest.

Sloane wrapped her arm around Riley in an attempt to calm and soothe her. She kissed her head softly, and decided to scoot the two of them farther from the group.

When Sebastian returned, everyone sat in silence. Some prodded at the cereal that was provided, but most had no appetite after what they'd seen. While they sat, Sebastian explained that they would now be spending the day grouped together in the lodge. The only time anyone would be allowed to leave was to use the outdoor restroom, and to do that they couldn't go alone. The only time they would be allowed to go to their cabins would be for lights out at ten, and everyone was instructed to take someone with them if they needed to leave for any reason.

Sloane wouldn't object to these new rules. They were reassuring, and she figured they would help keep them all safe. She turned her gaze towards the window, blue eyes staring out at the white camp.

The snow outside had begun falling again, and it was being blown every which way by a harsh wind. Overnight they'd gained a foot of snow, and Sloane had begun doubting anyone would be able to reach them out here. The dark clouds overhead only promised more snow, and Sloane could have sworn she heard Sebastian mutter something about a blizzard while passing her and Sloane.

The day passed slowly, and the girls watched as Sebastian, Parker, Kacey, and Stanley left to bury Luna somewhere out past the treeline, a shovel in Sebastian's grip. The ground would have been frozen, but their method was preferred to be unknown once they returned. Parker and Stanley both looked distraught, and each of them took seats by the lit fire. Nothing happened for the rest of the day. There was nothing but silence all day, and when night finally fell Sloane couldn't have been more grateful.

Everyone shuffled through the snow to their cabins, and Sloane wasted no time in changing into a clean pair of pajamas once inside her own. She lit the fireplace for Riley, per her request, and grabbed a blanket to sit beside her on the small sofa. The two sat together in a comfortable silence, and Sloane found herself quickly drifting off to the gentle crackling of the fire.

When she awoke the next morning, the fire had gone out and Riley was sprawled out on top of her on the couch. It was cramped, but Sloane didn't mind in the slightest. She laid there for what felt like hours but was really only a few minutes before Riley awoke and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Sloane smiled sleepily up at her. "Morning, Beautiful," she hummed quietly, slowly sitting up herself. Riley smiled at her and moved from her legs, brushing her fingers through her blonde locks.

"Morning," she greeted, stretching.

"You hungry?" Sloane questioned, feeling her own stomach growl. Her appetite was back after the day before. "I know I am."

Riley nodded, standing from the couch. "Yeah, I am," she answered, walking over to her luggage. She pulled her suitcase out from under the bunk and unzipped it to retrieve a fresh change of clothes. Sloane waited a few moments before following suit.

Riley looked a little off as Sloane glanced at her. She was tugging on a sweater, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere. She assumed she was thinking about what had happened the day before, and she offered a comforting look.

"You alright? You're looking a bit dazed," she questioned as she readjusted the clothes in her arms. Riley blinked and looked over at her, quickly nodded.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," she replied, laughing awkwardly. "Sorry just… Still a little shocked from yesterday. Kinda hard to forget something like that."

Sloane nodded in agreement, stepping around to the side of the bunk to change. She threw on a thick sweater, a pair of jeans, and a hat. Even if there was a fire in the lodge, it was incredibly cold a majority of the time.

"I get it," she called as she tugged on a pair of woolen socks. "I don't think I'll ever forget that." Riley nodded in agreement and picked up a windbreaker from the floor.

"Shoot, I must not have hung this up yesterday- it's all wet," she muttered, seemingly annoyed with herself. She took the coat over to the small set of hooks on the wall and hung it up.

Sloane grabbed one of the fleece jackets she'd brought with her and draped it over her girlfriend's shoulders. Riley glanced back with a thankful smile. "Oh, thanks!" she chirped, happily snuggling into the jacket.

Sloane chuckled lightly and nodded as she scooped up her remaining jacket. "No problem," she hummed with a loving grin. She slipped her jacket over her own shoulders then tugged on her boots by the door. Riley followed suit and the two soon exited their cabin. They were met by snow piled up to their thighs. The two looked between each other and realized quickly their pants would not stay dry after their trip.

The girls linked arms and took a deep breath before setting off towards the lodge. The two rushed away from the roof line, neither wanting to share Luna's fate. As the two hurried along, Sloane spotted some uneven snow in their path.

She froze, pulling Riley back a few paces as she stared at it. Something wasn't right about that patch, she could feel it. Her stomach flipped and she pulled Riley behind her, inching forward until her leg hit something cold and hard beneath the layers of snow.

Her eyes widened, and she kicked the object again. It moved slightly, and Sloane swallowed hard. She began scraping snow frantically away from her until she reached the hard object. Or rather- the bloodied fucking human staring back at her.

Despite her shock, she didn't scream. It was like she'd forgotten how. All she could do was stare at the blue face of James, his auburn eyes half-lidded and staring up at the world above them. Riley stood just behind Sloane, silent as both girls stared at the body. Sloane's mouth went dry, and she eventually managed a hoarse cry for help.

"I- Somebody! Help it's- it's James!" she called, turning towards the cabins as Riley moved around her to try and uncover more of his body. In doing so, another gruesome discovery was made. There, in the snow in James' arms was Autumn, her face bloody and bruised. Her lashes were frozen, and her eyes were wide open, staring straight at James' corpse.

"Shit…" Sloane muttered, her stomach dropping to her feet. James seemed to be curled up around Autumn's broken body, his own contorted in inhuman ways. He had one arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders, and the other was bent in the complete opposite direction under him. From what she could tell, it looked like James had been trying to cling to Autumn for warmth in his final moments. She couldn't tell what either of them had died from. Distinguishing whether or not they had frozen or succumbed to their injuries was nearly impossible, especially as the snow began billowing around them in the wind.

Their views were obscured by the harsh white surrounding them, but Sloane called out once again. People were beginning to exit their cabins, and she heard shouting over the wind. She heard the crunching of snow nearby as people began pushing through the snow towards them, terror on all of their faces. "We found- we found them in the snow-" Sloane tried to explain, her chest tight as she stepped back.

The new arrivals screamed and gasped and turned away from the scene, but Sloane couldn't seem to stop staring. She was… shocked and disgusted at the way each of their bodies were bent and contorted.

First Luna and now James and Autumn. Sloane wasn't sure how much more of this her mind would be able to process. She hadn't known either of them, but that didn't make the scene any less disturbing.

It wasn't long before Sebastian stomped up with Blaise just in front of him, the redhead obviously disturbed and shocked. Sebastian was less so, his face was like a stone slate as he made it to their side.

"Holy-" Blaise muttered, his eyes wide as he stared at the corpse that was once his friend. Sloane realized with a jolt Blaise and James had been cabinmates. This must have been especially shocking, knowing he was most likely the last person to see James alive.

She swallowed and looked to Sebastian, who had begun uncovering the bodies fully. That's when Sloane spotted them- the grey cylinders with broken reflectors. She swore she'd seen a flashlight identical to those in Luna's hand when her body was discovered the day before, and she couldn't help but think her death wasn't an accident like she'd originally assumed.

She backed up and watched as the Spanish professor hauled James out of the snow, then Autumn. He laid them both on their backs, and disgusted groans and coughs followed seeing their frozen corpses laid out in full view.

No one spoke, but some immediately either ran to the toilets or to the lodge to escape the scene, too scared and disgusted to remain. Sebastian ran his hand through his hair, looking calmer than Sloane had expected. She glanced uncertainly at Riley beside her, who looked to be rubbing her arms. Whether or not it was due to discomfort or the cold she didn't know, but she wrapped her arm around the blonde and led her away into the lodge.

"Hey, go grab something to eat…" she told her girlfriend quietly, glancing behind her to see Sebastian examining the bodies to determine a cause of death. "I'll be right back. I'm just- I'm going to go see if Sebastian needs help," she muttered, pressing a firm kiss to the taller girl's cheek.

In turn, Riley simply nodded, pulling Sloane into a quick hug before turning away and trudging towards the kitchen. Sloane watched her go and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

The noirette, trying to keep a straight face, turned and walked back out of the lodge towards the bodies. There, Sebastian was running his finger over a gash in Autumn's temple. There was dried blood there, staining her skin in streaks, showing which way she had fallen after the blow. The rest of her body was covered in large black and purple bruises and varying cuts. Some were deep, as if someone had plunged a wide, sharp edge straight down into her body, while others were smaller scrapes and nicks, like she'd caught the corner of whatever had been used against her. It made Sloane shiver.

Her death hadn't been quick, she could tell that much. Whoever had done this had made sure she would never be getting back up again. It was gruesome. She hadn't stood a chance. And neither had James, but the looks of it.

He was lain sprawled out with limbs bending every which way. The only thing that didn't seem to be broken was his left arm, and the unnatural way in which his limbs were twisted and broken made Sloane feel sick. His body was also covered in bruises, though they were different to the ones Autumn had attained. It was his head that made Sloane really feel like hurling.

She hadn't seen it when she'd first found him, he'd managed to roll over before his death. In doing so, he concealed the wound he had obtained to his head. It looked like his attacker had tried to bash in his head, the way his skin had been broken to reveal bloody fragments of his fractured skull. Sloane's stomach churned and she felt bile rise in her throat. It looked like his head had been broken open, blood covering half of his face and clotting in his hair. With closer inspection, it seemed more likely that he had succumbed to the blunt force trauma to his skull rather than the cold, but his blue lips made Sloane question that theory.

She had to turn away, unable to look at either corpse any longer. Someone among the group had done this, and she had no clue as to who. Who had a vendetta against James and Autumn? She couldn't think of a single person capable of this… this violence.

Sebastian coughed behind her, and she hesitantly turned to look at him. He was looking expectantly at her, and she gulped. Was he going to make her touch one of these corpses? Really? That question was answered quickly when the man grabbed her arm and spun her around to face the two, pointing at Autumn's feet.

"We're moving these two away from the lodge. You're helping." His glare made her jolt where she stood, and she hesitantly took hold of the girl's feet. She curled her lip and grimaced at the cold stiffness in the limbs. Sebastian moved to her head and slipped his arms beneath her shoulders, lifting her up with Sloane's help.

He directed her movements as she moved backwards through the snow, stumbling through the snow. With every step she felt like she was sinking, further and further into the cold white. As they moved, Sloane realized she was being led into the woods surrounding the cabins. Unease tingled in her spine, and she just tried to speed up her pace through the unfamiliar area.

Soon, Sloane found that she had been led to the bank of a small river. There, the snow only dusted the pebbled shore, and the noirette was able to see a large pile of stones a few meters away. Her stomach twisted with realization. This is where Luna had been buried. Or- covered up, really.

"Stay here, and don't do anything. I'll be back with James in a minute," he ordered gruffly, setting Autumn down before plowing his way through the snow.

Sloane dropped Autumn's legs and walked a few steps away, rubbing her temples with shut eyes. She was alone with a body on a river shore out in the middle of nowhere, and she was certain no one would be able to hear her if she were to scream.

She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing them up and down her upper arms to try and warm herself as she waited. It felt like it'd been at least half an hour when Blaise and Sebastian trudged onto the riverbank, James' mangled body shared between the two of them.

Sloane looked away, trying not to see his fatal injury again. "Okay, you two- start getting stones and help me bury them," he directed, and Sloane shared an alarmed look with Blaise. She knew this was all they could do but- it felt so wrong.

They were disposing of evidence. Murder victims who would never get real justice. The stones she was kicking over each of the bodies reminded her again and again that she was burying people that had been alive just the night before. She tried to just block everything out and soon enough she was making her way back towards the campground between Blaise and Sebastian.

By then, Sloane's pants felt damp from sinking into the snow and she was freezing. She wanted nothing more than to get back to the lodge and curl up with Riley to try and forget everything she had just done. She felt dirty.

As soon as the lodge came into view, Sloane sped up, hardly taking notice as she trudged through the bloody patches of snow and dove into the building, her body begging for warmth. Riley was there to greet her with a mug of hot tea and a bowl of oatmeal. The girl gladly followed Riley to sit down and began sipping the tea, her mind fuzzy.

She hardly registered the conversation that broke out around her, but there was a mix of tones that told her generally what was happening. There was arguing, lots of it, and it sounded like accusations were being thrown around the room. She couldn't seem to focus on the actual words or the logic of anything being said, if anything it sounded like she was underwater, the words distorted in her ears. She swallowed a small bite of oatmeal and pressed her fingers to her temple, a soft ache beginning to form in her head. This was all too much.

Sloane stood abruptly, seeming to startle the nearby students. "I'm going to take a shower-" she muttered quickly, hurrying to the door. She needed to cleanse herself of the filthy crimes she'd committed.

She was stopped by Sebastian, who had grabbed her arm as she tried to pass him. "You need to take someone with you," he reminded with a glare. "No one leaves here alone. For all any of us know, you could be leaving to dispose of evidence." The very prospect made Sloane scoff.

"Dispose of evidence? Really? The only 'evidence' we had you forced me to help bury! All we had was those bodies, and because of you, they're rotting under a pile of rocks. So don't even try to accuse me of disposing of evidence when that's all you can think to do the moment you see a god damn dead body!" she countered, the agitation evident in her voice. Her mind raced as she glared at the man.

However, he remained unphased. "Everyone is a suspect. Just because you helped lay those two to rest does not mean you are innocent in this."

"Oh fuck off! 'Laid them to rest' my ass!" Sloane hissed, ripping her arm from his grip. "You're dragging students with you to dispose of the corpses of our classmates so that if we ever get out of this damn campground, we can be charged as accessories to murder and go down with you when you get caught!"

The girl immediately turned and stormed out of the lodge towards her cabin, her head now pounding. She was frustrated and shocked that she would be accused of doing something so brutal to other human beings. As she made it to the door, she felt her foot catch on something.

In her agitated state, she stooped to pick up the small objects in front of her door. By closer inspection, she determined these objects were gloves- but there was something wrong with them. The dark gray fabric mostly hid the dark red stains, but the undeniable stench of blood assaulted her nose as soon as the gloves were in her hands. In shock, she stared at the attire.

Seeing these left at her doorstep made her stomach flip. What the hell were these gloves doing on her doorstep. It felt like some kind of sick joke, like this murderer was mocking her. She felt like whoever was doing this was taunting her, and her back was tense with fear. She quickly ripped open her door and ran into her cabin, pulling open one of the drawers in the bedside table and slamming the gloves in it.

No one needed to know what she'd found. She stumbled to her suitcase and rummaged through her things to retrieve a new set of clothes and the single towel she'd brought. She was quick to leave the cabin and run as best as she could to the bathrooms.

Her shower was quick. Her anxiety wouldn't allow her to stand under the hot stream of water for very long. She was vulnerable like this, with nothing but a stall door between her and what could possibly be her demise. She was quick to get dressed and get out of that bathroom, knowing full well that nothing good ever happened there.

She took her damp clothes and towel and returned them to her cabin, then entered the lodge again. No one would look at her. After her outburst, she couldn't exactly blame them. She walked over and took a seat beside Riley, who looked at her with concern.

Brent, however, glared at her from across the table. "Nice stunt you pulled," he hissed at her, and Sloane met his glare with her own. "I swear to God, you did this."

Sloane stared in disbelief at those words. "What the fuck?!" she exclaimed, eyes wide. "How fucking stupid are you?! Why the fuck would I kill those two?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe you have some kind of secret vendetta against the two of them!" the boy shot back, crossing his arms.

"Oh please!" Sloane sneered, her lip curling with anger. "That's rich, coming from you! I didn't even know they existed until we got on that damned bus! So shut your god damned mouth and leave me the fuck out of this!"

Brent grew quiet, glaring at her with scorn on his face.

"Leave," demanded Sloane, her voice hoarse with emotion. Brent whipped out a finger as he stood up and stomped away, Tristan trailing after him like a lost puppy.

Sloane scoffed, watching them with disdain as they left for the fire. "What a dick," she grunted, tugging on her hair with frustration. Riley placed a careful hand on Sloane's shoulder, but her gaze was glued to the two boys at the fire. She seemed conflicted. Brent was her brother, but calling him out on his words and behaviors had never really been something she'd liked to do, unless in the heat of the moment.

The two girls sat in silence for most of the day after that. Occasionally one would get up and grab a snack or make a quiet remark about someone's behavior, but they were quiet other than that.

Night came before they knew it, and Sebastian caught everyone's attention before they could leave.

"I know everything that has been going on has been stressful and surreal lately. It's not… every day you find a friend dead in the snow." That comment earned some uncomfortable mumbles and shifting in the group. "But for safety measures, seeing as Blaise and Stanley now have no cabinmates, I've decided to have the two of you share a cabin. No one sleeps alone. And- I know it's grim, but if tomorrow something happens and you don't have a cabinmate, join up with another group."

With that grim, uncomfortable announcement, Sloane and Riley slunk back to their cabins. Sleep didn't come so easily for Sloane that night. She found herself tossing and turning, her fight with Brent repeating in her mind. She couldn't believe what he'd said to her. Sure, she knew he was an asshole sometimes but this was- this was just different. It was a whole new level. To think he genuinely believed she was capable of such violent acts made her… angry, almost. That he didn't trust her and that he believed Sebastian over her.

She eventually found herself in a fitful sleep, tucked up in her blankets.

When Sloane awoke the next morning, there was a frantic pounding on the door. Riley looked like she was trying to sloppily pull on a new pair of pants as she hopped over to the door. The noirette sat up, rubbing her head as she squinted to see what was happening. She felt dead to the world, and the knocking was not welcome. She watched as Riley opened the door, looking confused as the strong auburn-headed girl- Bridgette- began speaking in a low voice.

In her half-asleep state, Sloane could only pick out a few words. "Tristan… branch… woods… Brent…" That made the girl rub her eyes and hop out of bed.

Shit, she thought, her chest tightening with dread. She silently begged that she had misinterpreted the girl's words, but the look of shock on Riley's face told her she hadn't. She hurriedly tried to throw on her boots and a jacket, and followed on her girlfriend's heels as Bridgette led them towards the treeline.

In the distance, Sloane could make out a crowd forming around a large branch. She spotted a brunette figure knelt beside the branch, rocking something in his arms. It didn't take long for the realization to dawn on her.

Tristan was dead.

Riley quickened her pace to reach her brother's side, but Sloane stayed back with the rest of the crowd. She could hear shocked murmurs around her, but the heart-wrenching sobs and pleads of Brent eventually became the only thing she could hear.

"Tristan please," the boy begged, hiccuping and whimpering in his spot as he held the crushed and bloody boy close to his chest. "Wake up, please! I love you, please!"

His cries made Sloane's stomach flip. Brent had never said those words to Tristan. As far as she knew, Brent was only with Tristan because he was fond of the shy boy. She hadn't thought there was real love involved, the way Brent denied his feelings whenever anyone would bring them up. He denied it every single time, and every single time Tristan had looked dejected. It was subtle but… she always knew.

Brent had denied it until he lost his chance at love, and now the pain in his face showed the regret he was feeling. He looked overwhelmed, his hair a mess and his face red and streaked with quickly falling tears. He was rocking back and forth, holding Tristan in his arms.

The poor blonde boy had a gaping hole through his stomach. It only took a moment to realize the branch must have fallen and impaled him. That was confirmed by the bloody fragment of wood that was partially broken from the much bigger branch a foot or so away. Whether or not the branch had crushed him to death or his stomach wound had killed him was a mystery to her, but if she were being honest, she'd rather think his death was quick than know what exactly had killed him.

As she watched the heartbreaking scene in front of her, she noticed a shining gray object just a few inches from where Tristan's body had been before Brent moved it. Another broken flashlight. Another damn broken flashlight, just like the ones every other victim had been found with. His death was no accident; she knew it wasn't. Someone had killed him, how she didn't know, but this was a setup. This whole accident was staged. She just knew it. Call it instinct or call it creepy, but she just couldn't see this being accidental.

A few moments passed, and Sloane felt eyes burning into her head. She looked up, shivering with discomfort only to meet the gaze of a taller boy who seemed to have bald patches on his head. Sloane wrinkled her nose, furrowing her brows as if to question him.

His gaze felt… weird. Like a predator narrowing in on its prey. He knew something, what she didn't know, but he seemed to know more than he had been letting on during this trip. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, and she only just noticed the redhead burying his face in his chest. It was Connor, the boy who had brought her and Riley hot chocolate on the first night.

The boy was shaking now, which- she couldn't blame him, this was… This was awful to witness. But his… friend seemed to be focusing on her. She hated it. She ducked further into the crowd, trying to hide beside Bridgette.

It seemed like she'd lost his gaze for now, and she stood in silence as she listened to Brent mourn. She could barely hear Riley's comforting whispers, but even she seemed stiff beside her brother.

The moment Sebastian turned up, Sloane felt dread building in her stomach. He was just going to dispose of the evidence again, and he was going to drag more students into it. She ducked behind Bridgette, hoping she wouldn't be spotted and dragged into another "burial".

However, this time Sebastian seemed all too eager to bury this body. His eyes were bright despite the disturbing scene, and he immediately stooped down to try and grab Tristan's broken body from Brent.

The boy cried out in protest, yanking the blonde corpse away from the outstretched hands of the older man. Riley stood up, anger evident on her face. Sloane watched as she pushed Sebastian back, the man stumbling back a couple steps.

"Lay off!" she warned, teeth gritted. Sebastian glared at the shorter blonde, who crossed her arms firmly across her chest. Brent's broken cries could still be heard as the two had a stare down, and Sloane wrapped her arms around herself, trying to block them out.

By now, Sloane almost felt this… feeling of- of tension and grief and… shock, was normal. The fact that she had immediately assumed there was someone else dead made her stomach churn. It was instinct- almost- and knowing that made her swallow the bile rising in her throat.

Waking up to a death didn't feel so… shocking anymore. In fact- she expected it. That disturbed her.

Through the crowd, Sloane watched as Brent curled himself around Tristan. She could see the absolute horror on his face, the disbelief and the grief and the pain. Everything was so strong, and it felt like a punch in the gut.

Sloane turned away, following in the lead of a few other students who began slinking to the lodge. On the way over, something caught her eye, however.

Something silver glinted in the direction of the boys' cabins, and she squinted to see through the sparse flakes falling around her. There, leaning against cabin eight was a snow shovel, but something about it was… off. There was something wrong with it, but she couldn't pick out what.

Hesitantly, she strayed from the group and crept over towards the cabin, able to get a better look from her new viewpoint. However, with closer inspection she noticed the dents in the metal and- more importantly- the poorly washed bloodstains decorating the tool.

She stared at it wide-eyed for a few moments in shock. She realized quickly what this meant but, afraid of being caught, she turned and hurried back the other way.

The lodge was cold, the fire having only just been lit by one of the few other students who had retreated from the scene at the treeline. All of them were quiet, the harsh reality of this setting in. At this rate, she realized the likelihood of them all getting out alive was- well, if she was perfectly honest, it was low.

There was a killer at large and so far all they had was suspicion. People were dropping like flies around them and they couldn't do anything to stop it. There was an overwhelming sense of fear and… hopelessness.

But, Sloane realized quickly, the bus was supposed to be coming today. Today at noon, the bus was supposed to arrive. It would be here… It had to be.

The obvious doubt in her mind told her that was wishful thinking. That storm they'd had on and off for the first two days had felt like a blizzard, and the snow had been piling high. There was no way a bus could reach them. Not by noon. They would be lucky to get out of this hell within the next two days. Communication was cut, so getting an ETA from the driver or trying to find the road conditions was out of the question.

They were stuck. There was nothing more to it. They were stuck here until their inevitable death, and there was nothing they could do but wait for the slaughter.

With that grim thought, Sloane shuffled over to the fireplace and sat down in an empty seat, arms crossed as she stared into the fire. Time passed, and eventually the remaining students slunk into the lodge, all looking tired, disturbed, and utterly hopeless. Sebastian was… less so.

He was calm, so very calm, and there was something in the way he looked around at the remaining students that sent shivers down her spine. He had done this. All of this. She knew he had. The bloody shovel- she was certain that's what he had used against Autumn. And stones- stones. That's what had been used against James, she was sure of it. Sebastian was the one who had found the rocky riverbank, he knew just where to find plenty of that weapon. And where to dispose of them, too. The motive was harder to determine, but if he was the one that had been carrying out the killings since Luna's death, he could be high on the feeling.

That thought scared her even more than she thought. A killer high on nothing but the adrenaline of taking lives was dangerous and unpredictable. There was no telling who would be next if that was the case. For all she knew, she could go to sleep tonight and never wake up.

That- no, that couldn't happen. She had Riley to take care of, she couldn't just die and leave her alone. That wasn't fair. But- she could be overthinking this. She just needed to calm down and try to make it through the day without psyching herself out.

She had hardly noticed that Sebastian had begun talking by the time she abandoned her thoughts.

"What happened to Tristan- I don't know, honestly. It looks like he got caught under a tree branch while on his way to the bathrooms last night."

"How the fuck did that branch fall?!" cried Brent, who still sat shaking with anger and despair. She couldn't blame him- what he'd gone through was horrible. She couldn't imagine losing Riley, especially if she had never gotten the chance to tell her how she felt.

Sebastian remained calm under his harsh, grief-filled glare. "Did you not notice the wind last night? It was incredibly strong around the time he died."

The room went silent with shock for a moment. Sloane spoke up first. "How on earth would you have known when he died?"

The man went quiet, as if realizing something. "I woke up at about three in the morning and stepped outside for some air. It was real windy out, but it was better than my stuffy cabin. After that I went back to sleep. The state of his body suggests he most likely died sometime around then, though I wasn't outside to see what happened."

"Bullshit," countered Riley from across the room. "How are we supposed to believe you? You easily could've seen the branch falling from your cabin porch. It's right across from you."

"At three AM?" quipped a new voice, to which Sloane found to be the balding boy from earlier. He seemed to be staring at Riley, something in his eyes.

"It's winter, meaning it's especially dark out. You expect him to look all the way across the campground into the treeline and see a branch falling in the middle of the night?"

"You're standing up for him?!" Riley shot back in disbelief. Sebastian stood at the head of the table with the slightest of satisfied smirks on his face. "The man who had an obvious motive to murder Luna back when we first got here? The same one who eagerly runs to the murder scenes to dispose of the bodies?! Think about it! He may not have been able to see the branch fall, but what if he was the one that put Tristan in that position? He could've easily knocked him out and put him under a weak branch."

Otis raised a brow at that. "How would he know the branch would fall and kill Tristan?" he questioned simply, and Riley glared at him.

"Hell if I know! He's a shady bastard, and like he said, it was windy out. He could've caught Tristan on his way to the restrooms and knocked him out or something! Then he could carry him over to a tree with a creaking branch and place him underneath it. All he would have to do is wait and make sure the branch fell," she explained, looking ragged beside her brother.

"That hardly seems likely," countered Otis, leaning forward on the table.

"He was outside around the time of Tristan's death! Even if it was an accident he had to have heard something!" she argued.

"You have a point, but Sebastian could've come out before or after his death, easily. We can't be certain of his exact time of death. We can get a really rough estimate, but that's it. He easily could've missed Tristan's death. Any of us could."

Riley glowed at him, looking distressed as Brent spoke up beside her. "Please stop-" he muttered, hands trembling as he reached to bring his sister back down to sit with him.

"But-"

"Please! Please… just be quiet… I want to mourn in peace, without your shouting…" whispered Brent, staring desperately at the blonde beside him. The girl stared back for a few more moments before giving in, growing quiet as Otis continued his hard stare.

Riley hesitantly stood from her spot and walked over, catching the tall man's glare. She didn't flinch this time, simply met it with as much dignity as she could muster. She sat down beside Riley, waiting in silence as the boy stared at the table.

Finally, Sebastian spoke up again. "Look, I know this has been an awful trip, but let's try to… enjoy the time we have left. No more talking about any of this today. Let those who have lost mourn, and let's leave accusations for another time. We need to get the morale up, and fighting will not accomplish that. For now, everyone separate into small groups and find something to do. Other than sit around."

Everyone stayed quiet, and it took a moment for people to begin to disperse. First up was Connor, leading Otis away from the table. The taller man still felt… off to Sloane. He knew more than he was letting on, and it worried her. Would he voice what he knew or would he keep quiet? She wasn't sure, but the looks she kept getting made her incredibly uncomfortable.

It wasn't long before Kacey and a very frail Parker joined them, Bridgette soon following. Sloane glanced over to see Lily getting up, and she took that as a good time to get up and leave as well. She gently grabbed Riley's arm and motioned to Brent, to which the girl nodded and gingerly helped her usually prickly brother up.

The two girls led him over to the fire, where Stanley was sitting alone. They quietly sat down across from the obviously upset man, giving Brent the plush seat while the two girls took the floor in front of them.

It was a long time before any of them moved. It was Riley who stood, tightening the strings of her pajama pants. "I'm gonna go get some hot cocoa and maybe a book or two," she informed before walking off. Sloane waited patiently for her return. If there was anything she would love to have right now, it was a cup of warm cocoa and a good book to distract herself. She glanced up at the clock on the wall.

11:36 AM she read, her chest feeling hollow. She didn't know why she'd hoped the bus would come. One glance outside at the snowy terrain told her the roads were in no condition to be driven on, especially by a bus. They were stuck here.

Riley returned with Lily by her side, helping to carry a small selection of books and an extra mug, the blonde's hands being full with two other mugs. Brent hardly looked up, but Sloane jumped to her feet, taking the mug from Lily's outstretched hand gratefully. The taller girl offered the smallest of comforting smiles.

"Thanks…" murmured Sloane, to which the brunette simply nodded.

"It's- no problem. I'm so sorry about… Tristan," the girl lowered her voice, as if afraid to upset Brent more than he already was.

Sloane frowned, glancing at the slouching boy. "I… It's alright," she responded, voice hushed. "I um… I'm sorry about James. Blaise seemed really upset by the river," she apologized quietly, to which the girl nodded.

"Yeah, they weren't the best of friends but they got on well," Lily explained, looking longingly behind her at the ginger man sitting alone, seemingly twiddling his thumbs. "Thank you for the condolences. Let me know if there's something else I can do. I… know how hard it is to lose someone close to you." The brunette nodded politely, handing over the small book stack before turning and walking back towards her friend.

The flash of pain she'd seen in Lily's eyes made her wonder. She was speaking from experience, that she could see. What had happened to that girl…? She was curious but… there was no point pressing the matter. Riley and Brent needed her, and she was going to be there for them through this hardship.

She returned to her spot on the floor beside Riley and set the books down in front of them. If she was being honest, a nap sounded much more pleasant than reading, but she knew that would be… inappropriate at a time like this. Brent was sat staring dazed into the fire, slowly sipping his hot chocolate while the girls each picked up a book and began reading.

Time went by and there was still no sign of the bus. Sebastian had been regularly leaving the room to retrieve food for the students and try to make calls. However, each time he came back with another glass of whiskey, meaning he'd received nothing for his efforts.

It felt like it had been days, but eventually night fell. Sloane and Riley had begun picking up after their fourth cup of cocoa and worked on putting the books back onto the small shelf Riley had retrieved them from. Brent was slumped in his chair, passed out from exhaustion. Sloane couldn't blame him for that, she would've been out the moment she hit the chair if she'd gone through what he had.

Riley had left Sloane to return the last two books to the shelf while she went and woke up her brother. She finished within moments and turned to see Brent leaning on Riley as she helped him towards the front door. Sebastian stepped in front of the two before they could go very far. Sloane quickly headed over to them, worried about what this man might say.

"Hey, where are you two off to?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Riley, looking tired and confused, raised a brow. "What do you mean? To our cabin," she answered simply, to which Sebastian tutted.

"Ah ah- no cross-gendering in the cabins. I understand this must be very hard for your friend here but he needs to bunk with one of the guys."

Riley stared, bewildered. "He's my brother!" she explained, exasperated.

"And?"

"And he needs support?! Why the hell can I not take in my brother for the night?!" Riley exclaimed, clearly shocked and angered by Sebastian's utter heartlessness.

"You know what I'm most likely going to be punished severely for this school trip and what happened under my watch, and I'm sure when they look into the incidents my attempts to retain normalcy during such hard times will be appreciated. Following the rules and guidelines set out to me by the school administration is my top priority right now, and if I'm able to keep my job, I would be most happy. So, you may not bunk with your brother. He must find someone else to share a cabin with. I don't care who else he bunks with, Parker and Kacey, Stanley and Blaise, whoever. But they must be male."

Riley stood staring, dumbfounded. Brent looked shocked, the despair evident on his face. He needed Riley right now. He needed support from the one person here who knew him better than anyone else, and this… this pig was standing in the way. Sloane was furious, but she knew better than to speak up.

"That's fine. Come on…" she muttered, quickly placing her hands on both Riley and Brent's shoulders to lead them away. The smug look on Sebastian's face made her blood boil. This man was sick. Quickly, she whipped out her middle finger in his direction. Sure, it was childish but… there was really no other way to express her anger.

Sloane managed to catch Kacey and Parker by the door, getting ready to head out of the lodge, most likely to their cabins for bed. "Parker, Kacey!" she called, hoping to get them to stop. The two boys did, pausing in their movements towards the door to look back at them. Parker still looked… tired. Sorrowful. After losing his sister, she wasn't surprised.

"Yeah?" questioned Kacey, who had his arm wrapped securely around Parker for comfort.

"I'm- really sorry to bother you but Sebastian won't allow Brent to stay with us tonight. Is there any way he could squeeze in with you two…?" she questioned, looking hopeful. She felt bad Brent had to leave Riley's side, but they would catch up with him first thing in the morning.

The two looked between each other for a moment, as if contemplating silently, before Parker looked back at them and nodded. "Yeah… um… S'alright with us, if Brent's okay with that," he answered, albeit quietly.

Sloane and Riley both looked to Brent, who nodded slowly. He looked dazed, however, and Sloane pursed her lips. The poor guy… she couldn't help him much anyway, but she still felt bad.

Riley quickly spoke, "I'll walk you there. Sloane, you can head back to the cabin, I'll be there in a minute."

Hesitantly, the noirette nodded and released her soft hold on the siblings. She waved to them, then turned to mutter a quick thank you to Kacey in Parker, who nodded in return. Then, she was off towards the cabin.

On her way, however, something bumped into her shoulder, and she started in response, turning to look at what was there. Or rather- who- as she saw. There stood Otis, Connor nowhere to be seen.

Sloane furrowed her brows and looked at the boy, questioning him with her gaze. Then he spoke in a hushed tone, glancing around.

"Make no mistake. I know what's going on," he muttered, shooting a glare at her before turning and walking away. Sloane was left standing dumbfounded in the snow, shocked at his words.

He knew? But how? No one knew anything that was going on, not really, so what made him so special? The events that had been taking place were so strange, on the surface level in any other circumstances the crimes wouldn't have been connected. But everyone knew they were, only because they occurred within the same group. No one knew much more than that.

So why did Otis say he knew what was happening? No one else had a clue. She wasn't sure, but it made her stomach churn. Something in the way he spoke… it sent shivers down her spine. She didn't like it one bit.

Before she could get too lost in thought, however, she hurried to her cabin to change and jump into bed. At the time she hadn't known that would be the last she would ever see of Otis. Alive, anyway.

The next morning was… surprisingly calm. Sloane didn't wake up to a scream or a frantic banging on her door. It was… quiet. She took her time getting ready for the first time since they'd arrived. She had time to actually get dressed in appropriate clothing, and Riley was able to do the same. It was refreshing.

They did make their way out of their cabins eventually, though it was with much more delay than previous mornings. They were able to take a leisurely walk to the lodge instead of making a mad dash there or stumbling there after witnessing a corpse. It was so nice…

Brent was waiting for them there, standing idly by the door inside with a cup of hot tea in his hands. He looked… distant but… not so shocked. It looked like Tristan's passing had set in a bit better. Sloane wasn't sure whether that was good or bad, but she'd never been good at reading Brent's emotions or knowing how to help him when he was down. That was Riley's job, with her 'Twintuition' or whatever it was.

Speaking of which, Riley walked over to her brother and placed a cautious hand on his shoulder. Sloane could tell in the way she touched him that she was being mindful of his wants and needs during his vulnerability. She'd seen plenty of people immediately reach to hug someone in despair but… after seeing Riley and Brent during rough patches, she had grown to know that people didn't always want to be touched or hugged. It depended on the person, but it seemed Riley knew just what to do to comfort her brother.

Sloane admired her for that. She admired Riley for a lot of things, of course, but there were certain things about her that just caught her eye that much more. She watched as her girlfriend led her brother across the room to the tables, seating him at one nearby to the unlit fireplace.

She decided to go light it, seeing as no one else had made any move to. It took longer than she'd hoped, but eventually she had a steady fire going. By then, people were shuffling into the lodge, looking wary but… a bit less on edge. Maybe today would be normal. Maybe today they could live knowing everyone else was safe.

The morning seemed to go by relatively quickly, people were getting breakfast and talking quietly amongst themselves. But… something wasn't right. There was something missing, but she couldn't pick out just what it was.

That is, until she overheard Parker mentioning something about Otis and Connor's absences. It was strange but… it didn't bring up too many red flags. It was only 9:30, the two of them easily could have slept in.

Sloane headed away from that direction and stopped beside Riley, who was sitting with Brent. The two were quietly reading together, something Sloane would never normally see either of them doing. But- given the circumstances and recent events, it wasn't too odd. "You two want anything?" she questioned softly, causing Riley's head to shoot up and Brent's to follow; slower, of course.

"Hm- is there ice cream here? I could go for some ice cream," Riley questioned, to which Sloane shrugged. The blonde quickly stood up at that.

"Oh, I'll go see!" and with that, Riley was gone, off to find the freezer and, hopefully, the ice cream. Sloane awkwardly tapped her fingers against her thigh. She was going to offer to retrieve the treat herself but- Riley had just been a little too quick. So, instead, she took a seat at the table, leaving Riley's seat open for her return.

What she hadn't been expecting, however, was the girl to let out a shocked scream from the other room. Sloane's stomach did flips. She already knew what had happened, her gut told her so. She scrambled to her feet along with some of the other students and ran to where the noise had come from.

There, in the doorway of the freezer, stood Riley, trembling as she stared at the corpse of Otis. He was laid on the ground, a thin line on his neck and his limbs sprawled out. His face looked to be aghast, and Sloane knew something wasn't right with this.

"Holy-! Connor! Where's Connor, someone go get him!" cried one of the nearby students, Stanley.

"Holy shit…" Sloane muttered under her breath, slightly dazed from the sight. She thought today would be normal. There was supposed to be no death today. Just rest and peace. Right? Right?

Apparently not. Fate had a cruel way of dealing cards to those under its grasp, and Sloane felt sick. Why? Why again? Couldn't they have a break?

Sebastian pushed to the front of the crowd to get a visual, and once he did, he stood still for a few moments. His expression was unreadable. He looked almost… shocked. Something she hadn't seen on his face since they first arrived.

"Everybody- move away from the freezer doors, let me see him," he ordered, and students hesitantly backed up. Sebastian took a few steps into the freezer and knelt beside Otis's body. He seemed to be examining it, running his fingers across the line on his throat.

Just as he was about to speak, a shrill cry came from the boy's red-headed lover. "OTIS!" Connor looked like a wreck standing there in his pajamas, tears streaking his face and horror stretching his mouth wide. He was gaping like a fish, unable to process what he was seeing. Just like Brent the day before.

She remembered the friendly boy from the first night here, how shy but happy he'd been. That same boy wasn't here now, he was replaced by this… this gaping, horrified shell of a boy. Sloane felt guilt and sorrow twisting in her chest. This poor boy…

He let out a strangled cry and stumbled into the freezer, reaching for Otis. Sloane could only watch as he fell beside his partner, grasping his body. Sebastian glared at the boy, as if perturbed by his presence.

"Otis, Otis please… Wake up please…!" pleaded Connor, to which Sebastian merely scoffed.

"He's dead, he's not waking up. Move," the man knocked Connor back, the boy falling backwards in a fumble, trying to catch himself in shock. Sebastian stood up and reached to pick up Otis's body. Sloane immediately spoke up.

"Oh no. Oh no no no you are not taking him to the river. No way in hell," she warned, standing in the doorway while Connor sobbed.

Sebastian glared at her, as if trying to warn against her behavior. "I'm not going to watch you dispose of another body- another piece of evidence against you!"

"Against him…?" muttered someone from behind her, and she spun to look at them.

"Have you not realized?! Sebastian has been disposing of bodies before all else. When Luna died, he hardly examined her! He was adamant about it being an accident! Sure, at the time that's exactly what it looked like, but knowing what we do now, wasn't it the perfect excuse? He had been fighting with Luna all day when we first arrived, he easily could've taken her out," she explained, looking around at the group. Sebastian opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by Riley's agreement.

"Yeah… you're right."

"But what motive would he have to kill James and Autumn…?" questioned Blaise from within the forming group.

"Honestly, he could have been tired of all of the accusations everyone was throwing around after he very clearly tried to make Luna's death look like an accident. He easily could've waited for a student to leave their cabin and take them out as a way of 'punishment'."

"Well… that explains one of the two dying, but could he have taken both of them? Why would he attack the two of them at once?" questioned Stanley. That was a reasonable question.

Riley spoke up in response. "Well- what if he didn't attack them at once? It's perfectly plausible that he began the attack on one of them- whether it was James or Autumn, I'm not sure, but the other could've walked up on the crime. It would make sense to dispose of the witness."

The students began nodding, albeit hesitantly. "That- would make sense…" muttered Bridgette, arms crossed as she contemplated. "But… Tristan?"

Riley took over the explanation from there, her own grief shining in her eyes. "At this point, I think it would make sense for him to- as sick as it is- enjoy the… thrill of murder. That would mean he would be doing it because it felt… good. I hate to think about it, but it's a possibility. It's either that, or someone close to Tristan pissed Sebastian off. Wouldn't it make sense for him to kill Tristan as payback, if the person he originally wanted to victimize wasn't in a position to be killed? He could've spotted Tristan on his own outside and… taken care of him."

The group looked around uncertainly. Everyone seemed to be conflicted as Sebastian spoke up. "That's fucking nonesense," he hissed, glaring at the two girls in the doorway.

"Is it?" shot Sloane, crossing her arms. "If you aren't responsible, then why are you hiding evidence?"

The man furrowed his brows. "Hiding evidence? What the hell does that mean?"

"Yesterday. I was walking to the lodge after we found Tristan and you'll never guess what I found leaning against your cabin."

The man narrowed his eyes. "What the hell could you have found?"

"I mean… you should know, shouldn't you? I would think someone as calculating as you would be more cautious when disposing of Autumn's murder weapon but… I guess not. Care to explain the bloody, dented shovel I found leaning against your cabin yesterday?"

Sebastian went quiet, seemingly shocked and confused. She'd caught him now. "No? Thought so. You're always the first to pass things off as an accident. Why would you do that when there's obviously a killer among us? What reason could it be other than you are the murderer picking us off? You need to cover your tracks, and how do you do that? By disposing of the very things that prove your guilt. It's no coincidence."

Murmurs of agreement passed through the group after that, and Sloane turned back to look at the other students.

"He needs to be stopped but… how?" piped Parker, who stood beside Kacey, nervously fiddling with the drawstrings of his hoodie.

"I don't know," answered Riley, and Sloane quickly added on.

"But he needs to be punished." She looked around the group, almost expectantly. She had an idea as to how to do that, but she needed someone else to suggest it. She would be seen as suspicious for both accusing Sebastian and then suggesting a method of punishment.

"Maybe we should do exactly what he did to the rest of us…" suggested Connor from behind her, and she looked to see the distraught boy on the ground beside Otis. "He slaughtered five people… maybe we should do the same to him…"

Sloane lit up. Yes! Someone agreed. The only way to guarantee their safety now would be to get rid of Sebastian. The man spoke up, infuriated by this.

"What the hell?! You believe everything those two said?!"

"Yes, because everything they've said has made perfect sense! You haven't come up with a single good reason as to how they could be wrong. You can't be trusted!" retorted Stanley, glaring at the older man in the freezer. "As long as you're around, our safety and lives are at risk."

Everyone began to nod in agreement. Some looked hesitant but, everyone was beginning to get the same idea.

"That settles it, then. Connor, come here," Sloane called to him, beckoning him towards her. The boy clambered to his feet and stumbled over to her, out of the freezer. Sloane watched as Sebastian's eyes went wide.

"Shit…" he muttered as Sloane stepped back and nodded to Riley. The blonde quickly shut the freezer door and pressed her back up against it as the group heard a loud, "NO!"

The noises after that were muffled. The door was quickly locked and the group backed away from it, listening to Sebastian shout and pound on the door.

"Holy shit… he's- we're going to kill him-" murmured Lily from somewhere behind her in the crowd. Sloane turned to look at them all.

"Let's… let's go, I don't want to be in here any longer," she told everyone, pushing through the group to go back to the dining hall. Everyone shuffled out behind her, slowly finding seats. They all seemed to be shell-shocked, their eyes wide and fearful with the weight of what they were doing to that man.

Sloane just kept reminding herself that they had gotten rid of a major problem. The one man who threatened the safety of every person here would be gone soon.

The rest of the day passed slowly. Everyone sat and grieved, but even after Sebastian was gone, people were fearful to go to sleep when night fell. People had decided to bunk with who they wanted. No one would be sleeping alone still, but Brent came to stay with Sloane and Riley like they had originally wanted. Parker, Kacey, Bridgette, and Connor all spent the night in the same cabin, afraid to be sleeping in pairs, and Stanley, Luna, and Blaise all shared a cabin. Sloane had to admit, it was the first time she'd really felt safe since the discovery of Luna's body.

That night, Sloane slept well. And when she woke up in the morning, there were no bodies to be found. The entire group was beyond relieved to wake up with their loved ones breathing and by their sides. No one went near the freezer, as was expected, but they finally felt safe enough to go sit outside and experience the melting snow.

The bus would be here by the next day with any luck, and they would soon be able to leave this hell hole. Sloane was looking forward to going home. There, she would be able to fully forget this trip. All the lives lost to the hands of herself and Riley in the late hours of the night. They would never need to think about this trip again. They were safe. No one would ever know what exactly had gone on during this school trip.

As far as everyone knew, Sebastian had mercilessly and brutally murdered five of his students. It would go down in history, for sure, if anyone found out. Sure, Sloane wasn't happy that he would be getting all of the credit for her and Riley's hard work, but if that meant they could walk away and continue to live their lives like normal, she would gladly give him the credit. All that mattered was that she and Riley were safe, and that they would walk away from this two innocent college girls who had experienced unimaginable horrors while on a school field trip in the mountains.

She grabbed Riley's hand as they sat in front of the fire and smiled at her. They were legendary, and they were free.