Chapter 2

Sam attempted to open the door that will lead them inside the station, but would not move.

"Huh. That's weird." She grunted in a failed attempt to push the door open. "Door's lock."

"We sure it's not busted like the gate?" Joel suggested.

"Thank god, no." Chris assured them both. "Josh wanted us to keep it lock. Keep people out."

"He said that?" Sam sounded puzzled. "What people?"

"I- I dunno." Chris dug into his jacket pockets pulling out a key. "Said he found people sleeping in the station one time."

Sam was a bit surprised by that answer. What would people be doing up all the way up in the mountains? "Creepy."

Joel brought his face to the window of the door peaking through the other side before stepping away. "Good news. I don't see anyone in there."

"Well that's a relief." Chris walked over to the door putting the key into the lock and twisting it opening the door. He pulled the door open and bowed slightly. "Ladies first."

Sam smirked first to enter. "A real gentlemen."

Joel simply rolled his eyes and followed Sam over to the railings; both friends reeling into them looking up at the mountain right in front of them.

"Ugh, I thought the car would be closer." Sam groaned.

"Guess we gotta wait." Chris said plainly entering the interior of the platform with his eyes scanning everything.

Joel nudged Sam in the arm. "I spy... with my little eye.. something... black!"

Sam was puzzled. Something black? Where would there be something black out in these mountains? She looked at Joel's gaze trying to catch a hint of what he was talking about. Her brain clicked eager that she had the answer.

"Oh! Oh!" She was jumping up and down and pointed in the direction in front of her. "The other platform!"

Joel smirked. "Good guess, but no."

"What?!" Sam was incredulous. "Uh uh! You're cheating!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Hey, as much as I hate to ruin to fun, can we lower the volume please?" Chris called from inside the operating room of the platform.

"Sure thing, Squidward!" Joel called back giving him a goofy smile.

Chris rolled his eyes and went back to snooping around the room.

Sam laughed at Joel's response. "You brought some SpongeBob DVD's with you, huh?"

"Don't worry I'm not that cruel. Oh speaking of bringing stuff." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his small pack of bread sticks offering some to Sam. "Pizza flavor."

Sam graciously took one. "Thanks." She looked back out at the mountain letting out a breath. "Hey don't worry. I got some movies with me, coupla bags of popcorn, snacks, and all sorts of other goodies that I didn't really need to bring." She giggled, but noticed that Joel wasn't paying attention. He was just staring out at the mountain. Sam gently shook his shoulder. "Hey."

It seemed to snap Joel back to reality. "Oh, huh?"

"You awake?" She gave him a semi serious look.

"Am now." He replied giving her a reassuring grin.

Sam stared at him for a couple of seconds before nodding. "We'll have fun. Don't worry."

Chris's voice joined the group. "This is a crazy place to set up house. No matter how rich you are..." He was mentioning a poster that was represented the Blackwell Lodge.

Blackwood Pine

*Hotel and Sanitarium*

For a healthy body and mind

"They're not so rich." Sam mumbled bringing her arm out forward. "Only bought a mountain."

Joel snickered at her comment. "If they were rich, they'd buy an island."

Chris did not answer and went over to the TV showing him footage of the other cable car platform. The sound of gears turning louder and louder gave him the signal that their ride was almost here, making him exit the room towards Sam and Joel to find that the cable car was almost there.

Sam inhaled the cold air through her nose and closed her eyes. "This place is so beautiful in the day, but at night just feels... I dunno, menacing. Like a sleeping giant"

"I think at night it's very peaceful." Joel offered a different way of thinking. "Like an eternal night of serenity."

"You gonna publish?" Chris question was directed at Joel.

"Huh?"

"You pretty poem: An Eternal Night in Blackwell Forest."

Joel smirked. "More like a novel. And I think I'll stick with the 'Night of Serenity' part. It speaks to you."

"Okay, critics. You guys coming or what?" Sam entered the cable car that opened it's doors.

"Ahh well, was gonna catch some Zzzzz's buuut... yeah sure okay." Chris joked with him and Joel right behind Sam taking their seats with Chris taking a spot next to Sam and Joel claiming the other side all to himself even placing his feet on the bench leaning back and made himself comfortable.

Sam shook her head grinning. "You're such a bench hog!"

"Am not! I'm just making full use of this side!" Joel defended.

Sam scoffed. "Whatever."

The car shook around a bit startling all three friends and almost flew Joel out of his seat, but caught his grip. Sam giggled. "Think you were being a little too dramatic over there."

"Not anymore." Joel adjusted himself almost laying down. "Oh. I like your fur cap."

Sam beamed. "Thanks! Got this last Thanksgiving."

"Aren't those hats Russian though?" Chris asked.

"No, stupid! They're for people who live in the freezing cold! Russia is one of those countries."

"I was half right..." Chris mumbled.

They felt the cable car moving after that quick rumble.

"Here we go!" Sam sounded like she was on a roller coaster.

"Right! Adventure begins." Chris added in an epic tone.

"Hope this was the right thing to do..." Gloominess caught Sam's voice thinking back to the tragedy last year.

"What?" Chris was confused.

"You know, getting everyone together on the anniversary." Sam clarified. "I mean Josh seemed pumped about doing something about us all doing something didn't he?"

"A little too pumped." Josh shared his concern. "At the end of his little video... I dunno.. just seemed off..."

"Hey don't worry!" Chris assured him. "This is awesome! I mean, I haven't seen him this excited in forever."

"Good, good..." Sam nodded. "It's hard to tell with him and I... I've gotten kinda worried..."

"No, no.. This is a good idea." Chris enforced.

"Hope everyone feels the same way." She said.

Sam and Joel were still not all that convinced but had different concerns. Sam was thinking will he really be okay, and Joel thought there were some screws loose.

Chris, on the other hand, dismissed these worrisome thoughts as he looked out to the platform. "We're all here, are we?"

Sam jabbed Chris's arm with her fist. "Thanks bro. Good talk!" Emphasizing on 'bro' making Joel chuckle silently.

"You know what? Let's just... Let's just stop talking about what happened and enjoy the trip." Chris said really wanting to drop this conversation.

"Soo... I did something... new a few weeks ago." He started out hesitantly planning to switch the conversation. "And before you guys start getting freaked out of me doing something bad, no it's nothing like that."

"Oh good." Chris faked his relief sigh. "I thought you became a pornstar!"

"Chris!" Sam scowled at him. "What is it, dude?"

Joel was about to say something, but when his mouth opened nothing came out, so he lifted his arm up with his hand landing on the top of his beanie planted on his head and slowly lifted it of revealing his tousled hair with a unusual dye color coating the front of his hair. The two friends were blown away.

"You dyed the front pink?!" Sam laughed very surprised. "Oh... Oh my god.. I'm sorry. I just... You said you'd never dyed your hair."

Chris was not excited as Sam was, but he gave Joel a goofy expression. "I will admit, that is something none of us will never see coming."

"So you guys think it's weird?" Joel assumed.

"No! Oh no!" Sam quickly spoke. "It's just you're the last person in the world that would do that."

"I'm being totally serious, it's unusual choice, but I like it. Really I do." Chris approved.

Sam nodded. "Me too. A unique but good choice."

Joel smiled. "Thanks. And I knew there would be some reaction when you saw my hair." He covered his head with his beanie.

"Hey did you guys know how you and Josh met?" Chris asked.

Sam shook her head. "Uh... No..?"

"Lemme guess: It involved you two trying to win a girl?" Joel humorously thought with a smug smile.

"Uh, no! Nice try, smartass!" Chris replied looking back over to Sam. "A girl was involved in it though."

"Oh ho!" Sam exclaimed. "This I gotta hear."

Chris scowled at both of them as his two friends had their full attention on how he and Josh became met. "Ok... Well it was third grade. Josh was sitting in the back of the room, and I was sitting up front."

"Aww... teachers pet." Joel teased.

Sam rolled her eyes while Chris ignored him. "We didn't really know each other existed. But this kid sitting next to Josh started strap snapping the training bra on the girl in front of him, so the teacher made him move to the front where I was sitting!" His excitement started building up.

"And...?" Sam egged him on without his enthusiasm.

"And I got moved to the back!" Chris told the climax of his story.

"Next to Josh I take it..?" Joel guessed obviously know where this was going but his eyes were focused on the view outside.

"Yeah! That's how we met! We became friends. To this day!" Chris concluded pretty stoked of just seeing his best friend again.

"A match made in heaven." Sam added.

"If it weren't for the fact that Jeanie Simmonds hit puberty three years earlier on that day and decided to wear a low cut shirt showing off her training bra, well... I mean who knows? You two would have this cable car to yourselves. Right now. Or with some totally different person." He brought his fist out and opened up. "Boom: Butterfly effect."

Sam scoffed. "And thus ends another glorious philosophy lesson with Chris Vickers."

"Class dismissed." Chris announced bringing his hands around his head. "Are we there yet?"

"An important reminder: Patience is a virtue." Sam quoted rubbing her hands.

Chris didn't say anything for his attention was on Joel now as he looked like he was just zoned out to the extreme. He looked back to the Sam and nudged his head to Joel where she can see that he looked pale, and that wasn't the winter doing it's part. Like he was drained.

"Joel?" Sam called in a loud tone hoping to snap out of it.

He was startled out of his trance as he turned back to them giving them a small smile. "Yo."

"You doing alright? You look pretty... I dunno.. pale I guess?" Chris mentioned.

"Well it's winter!" Joel answered in a casual friendly tone.

There was a loud grinding sound forcing the car to slow down to a complete stop.

Upper Car Station

Up on a lonely car station was a bench with only one person occupying it. This young woman is known for her beauty as well as her sassy attitude. Her smooth bisque complexion was lightly covered in makeup and bright lipstick making her lips shine. Her beige blonde hair was in two French braids that was her new styled for the year. She wore a blue stoned parka jacket, dark jeans and caramel snow boots. She was passing the time reading a romantic erotica, but soon she was going to meet up with people she has not seen in a fairly long time.

Jessica's POV

People think that reading books while waiting for people is overrated and can make you lose your mind. To some extent I agree, but it depends on the book you're reading, and this book does not disappoint. It looked like I was about to finish this chapter when I heard what sounds like the car pulling into the station.

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy." I was a little excited to see who I would run into, closing the book. "New people. Time to meet and greet." I got to my feet and and strolled over to the sealed door. A loud thump startled me. "AHH! What the hell?"

"Jess! Hey!" I glanced at the glass window on the seeing Chris and Sam.

"Jessica! Over here!" Sam called her voice somewhat muffled. Oh my god seeing her just made my blood boil a little.

I shouldn't be surprised she's here, but... ARGH!

Lucky for her I had the good judgement to not blow up in her face. "Uhh... it looks like you guys are having some weird stroke."

Chris frowned. "We're stuck in this stupid thing, thank you."

"Pretty please open the door?" Sam gave me the puppy dog eyes making me more irritated.

Those eyes may work on other people, but don't try them on me.

Still I wasn't going to leave them all night, so I pushed the button making the light turn from red to green releasing Sam and Chris into fresh air.

"Oh. My. God." Here goes Chris being a drama king. "I thought we were goners. Another ten minutes in there, I would've chewed off my legs!"

"Eugh, really, Chris?" Sam sounded disgusted.

He brought arms out in a 'What' way. "Hey! Got alotta meat in my bones." He pointed down at his legs. "All muscle down here."

I silently scoffed. "Yeah, gross." I mouthed turning around.

"Hey, sleeping beauty! Chris called. I looked back at him giving him a scowl thinking that he was talking to me, but his head was facing the direction the cable car is. "Rise and shine! We still got some ways to go!"

"Yeah! Yeah! I'm coming out!" Another voice responded.

Wait.. that voice...

I couldn't even believe who it was that came out of the car. I couldn't even move when Joel joined up with the others. Oh my god... I haven't seen him in so long. When he saw me, he gave me a smile and a wave. "Hey, Jess."

His voice forced me from my immobilization but I did managed waved back at him. "Hi, Joel..." I couldn't find words right now, because I never thought I would never see him again.

Even though he was still smiling, I knew he was probably doing it to put on an act. That or he's just really freakin' tired from the trip up here. I hope my second guess is right.

Right when I least expect it, Chris pulled an asshole move with a "Bwip" noise snatching the envelope out of my hands.

"Hey, what the hell?!" I stretched my arm out attempting to steal it back, but he just turned away. What the hell was that all about?!

"Chris.." Sam obviously backed me up.

"Well, well, well..." Chris ignored us inspecting the front of the envelope. I pray to god that he didn't open it. "Looks like someone has lil' crush on our good friend and class president Michael Munroe."

"Wow, can I see?" Joel asked gesturing it to give it to him. Oh he's gonna start on this too? Really?

"Joel!" Sam sounded surprised and and so was I. He's not like this at all.

"Feast your eyes." Chris gave him the letter, but instead of reading it he walked over to me and gave it back me grinning. "Hey! Deceiver!"

I smiled back at him and took it back. "Sly dog!" I gave him a gentle push laughing slightly by that sneaky but good deed he did for me.

"I should've known you would pull off a move like that.." Chris mumbled.

Sam chose to change the subject. "Sooo... about Mike..."

I turned to her. "We're together. Mike and Em split a month ago, so she's out, I'm in." I bluntly explained wanting her to drop this.

"Huh. Okay." Sam shrugged and walked forward to enjoy the view by the edge leaning on the side.

Chris decided to fall down to the ground and make a snow angel, one he did somewhat poorly on, and Sam got a good laugh in, but Joel just smirked and rolled his eyes.

"You wanna sit down for a sec?" I offered. "Talk for a bit?"

Joel was quiet for a few seconds then nodded. "Sure."

No Ones POV

"Wow..." Sam was in complete awe of the beauty being displayed in front of her. "Look at this view! I mean, holy cow. Sometimes I just forget to stop to take it all in."

Chris came up to her not feeling as blown away as his friend. "I know I can't." He muttered crossing his arms loosely as he slightly shivered.

Sam scoffed. "Oh who's being a wuss now?" She teased.

"Hey! It's like below 12 degrees out here, okay?"

"Excuses!"

Chris brushed his hand off at Sam. "Sooo... what's Jess's beef with you?"

Sam raised her brows. "Huh?"

"I- I mean..." Chris was struggling to find the words. "Well... ever since that Valentines Day show, Jess has been more... I dunno... hostile towards you?"

"Oh!" She remembered that day clearly. "I really don't know. She really shouldn't be pissed at me when she won first place."

Chris shrugged. "Maybe she's just surprised you made it into second place?"

"Maybe she's jealous of my moves." Sam guessed doing a quick twirl hopped down attempting to land on her hands, but fell in the snow grunting on impact, making Chris chuckle. "Hey! It's been awhile, okay!"

Jess and Joel took a seat on the bench quiet for a few seconds until Joel spoke. "Looks like a good book." He mentioned Jess's novel.

"Oh! Yeah it's..." She picked up trying to say words but just placed it back to her side. "Just another... romantic kinda thing."

"Sounds like I should read that book." Joel said.

That caught Jess by surprised thinking romance wasn't really his type of genre, then her brows furrowed thinking of where he was getting at. "You just want in for the smutty chapters." She accused.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Joel feigned innocently.

"Yeah. Nice try, perv!" Jess scowled making Joel chuckled at his failed attempt.

Her expression shifted from slightly annoyed to concerned. "How's your mom doing..?"

Joel looked instantly drained and glanced down at the floor. Jess squeezed his arm hoping it would comfort him, for the worst case scenario he might give out but prayed it wasn't.

"She..." Joel started uncertain. "The chemo.. got rid of all the cancer. Token a toll on her, but it's gone."

Jess smiled and embraced him. "That's great news!" She whispered squeezing him tightly. Joel didn't say anything but she felt him nod.

Joel slowly pulled away after a long hug. "What about you? How have you been?"

"Oh... Well... was pretty much a boring senior year." Jess explained letting out a exasperated sigh. "I'm so glad I'm outta high school."

"Was fun being Miss Homecoming though, right?" Joel recalled her Facebook post.

"Yeah!" She laughed. "That was a really good night."

"Hey, Pinky!" They broke away from the hug and looked back up at Chris and Sam. Chris was waving at him to come on. "Train's leaving, man! Come on!"

Jess scowled at Chris but puzzled why Joel was called that. "Pinky?"

Joel sighed and took his hat off revealing his hair. He felt pretty certain that she would start bursting out laughing at the pink hair. But she didn't. She gave him a smile. "That's very thoughtful of you." Jess looked away for only a few seconds before returning her attention to Joel. "Joel just know that if you ever wanna talk, about anything, anything at all, Just lemme know. Okay?" She spoke in a caring manner gently placing her hand on his shoulder

"Thank you, Jess. I will. Promise." Joel put the hat back on. "You coming?"

"I'm gonna wait here... see who else is coming." Jess answered.

Joel smirked. "You mean Mike?"

Jess blushed. "I-I mean.. Yeah you know.."

Both of them pulled into another hug, but Jessica yelped and pulled away with her arm over her head scooping out some snow Joel planted in her jacket.

"You are SO dead!" She yelled tacking a laughing Joel to the ground.

Joel's face turned red and looked away. "Wow umm... sorry..."

Jessica quickly got off him helping him to his feet. "No harm done." She assured him grinning.

So chapter 2 is up now. Looks like Jess seems to not like Sam. Is it a stupid reason or something more :P and surprisingly, Jess and Joel are good friends, which may sound out of character (MAY) But I want to give Jess more of a personality. Don't worry I'm not planning on making her a Mary Sue.

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! More will be on the way!

DeltaSandman out!