Right so sorry everyone it took so long to get this update ready; I was writing another story! I also have plans to write this story all the way to the end and THEN update it, but I'm not sure if that will work yet. Anyway, here is the 3rd chapter of Just Step Away - Mountains and Murder.

Just Step Away

Chapter Three, Mountains and Murder

Nina

Usually it rained in Scotland, they had told me. But instead it was snowing. Little clumps of heather were rapidly being covered by the snow. I turned away from the cold window, still trying to figure out what was going on. The kitchen was unusually quiet compared to when we had gotten here. Fabian had stopped trying to fix the lights and instead we had somewhat cheery candles and an open fire both in the kitchen and the living room. The stove was gas powered so we didn't have to worry about that . Mara was quietly cooking breakfast along with Patricia "helping". Patricia was secretly, I knew, trying to think up ways to combine all of her various gothic outfits so she might stand a chance in the cold outside.

"So, are we going on that trip?" Fabian asked Eddie after he finished a chapter of his book.

"Snowing wasn't exactly part of the plan," Eddie said uncomfortably.

"Come on, don't be such a wimp." Jerome sneered.

I walked up next to Fabian. "It's not a question of being a wimp, it's just whether you want to walk up a mountain in the snow. I don't care either way," I said pointedly.

Jerome shrugged. "Aren't there some winter coats in the closet?" he asked.

"Yes Jerome, there are." Fabian sighed. "It doesn't have to be something we fight about. I just wanted to know."

Mara walked over to the table with a pot of porridge and six bowls. "Okay, help yourselves." she said, and sat down at the table. Somehow I thought she looked slightly uncomfortable or that something was out of place. I realized that her usually glossy brown hair hadn't been brushed. I frowned slightly at the thought; not because I cared that she hadn't brushed her hair, but because it seemed unusual.

I wondered silently as I sat over my steaming bowl of oatmeal if it had something to do with last night's scare. I still couldn't figure out what was going on, but it seemed like it was certainly something Sibuna-y. Amber would love that word, I knew.

I still had to talk to Fabian about it, and I thought maybe the walk up the mountain would be a good place to tell him. There might be somewhere the others couldn't hear me talking.

"Right, well I for one want to go, because I'm not a scaredy-cat!" Jerome stated, frowning at the rest of us as if he were in any way menacing.

"I think it would be a good way to spend the day, but it's up to everyone else..." Mara said slowly.

I added my sentiment to Jerome's. "I think we should go," I said.

"Come on, what else are we going to do all day?" Fabian asked.

Patricia came up with her hands on her hips. "I'm not being a scaredy-cat, I just think there are better days to do this."

"That's what I'm thinking. Besides, we have plenty of time left." Eddie said, crossing his arms.

Everyone stood still for a minute.

"Well, what about us four go, and you two stay here?" Mara suggested, fair as always.

"Sounds good," Eddie smiled.

I felt like grinning. I was starting to become more and more like Amber. I thought Patricia and Eddie were cute. I was familiar with her words like 'Peddie'!

I thought about 'Fabina' for a minute. I was glad to have things be like they were before Joy came back. It was nice and comfortable (although sometimes uncomfortable) to have Fabian just be there without the awkwardness with Joy or the mystery.

"Right then," Jerome said.

*.*.*

Patricia

I sat warming my hands on the warm cup of tea. The steam swirled when I shook it slightly. I stood in the kitchen, against the cupboards. "Eddie, I think we should go into the attic."

He looked up at me and frowned. He had been working on some stupid list of Fabian's swear words, all scrawled in big messy handwriting.

"Look, if you're too scared to do it-" I said forcefully, only to be cut off.

"Does he use bligitz?" he asked me, putting the pencil to his lip.

"Eddie, you're avoiding my question." I scowled at him. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to go up alone, where I could finally get away from him!

"Whatever. At least you'll be quiet when a plank falls on your head, Yakker." he walked towards the living room, where the ladder to the attic was.

"Right then," I said, after we had put the rough wooden ladder in place.

"Going first then are you?" he asked, grinning.

"Course I am," I frowned. "You didn't think I would let a sissy like you go up first, did you?" I asked, smiling.

Eddie scowled at my back as I went up the ladder.

*.*.*

The attic was cold and dark. We had to go on our knees. Also, we were waaaay too close for comfort. My comfort, anyway. He seemed perfectly comfortable. At least there was one upside; his blonde hair was filled with dust and spiderwebs, making him look more like a dog than a boy. I shook away the thought that I might have spiderwebs in my hair as well.

"Argh!" I yelled as I suddenly slipped. There was a a floor board missing and my hand shot down the hole.

He spun around, knocking some old bits of furniture on the ground. The noise echoed around. "Are you alright?" he asked after a pause.

"There's... there's something down here." I said in shock, my eyes wide.

Slowly, my hand emerged, covered with cobwebs.

Clutched in it was a wedding ring.

*.*.*

"Why are the lights on?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said, examining the light switch. He frowned back at me.

"Well, there's a name engraved on the wedding ring." I told him.

"Really? On that bit of thin wire?" he asked sceptically.

"Emily Penn," I told him.

"Let's look her up," was his simple response.

*.*.*

"Took you long enough!" I groaned.

"Hey, I haven't practised my nerd skills!" he joked.

"Whoa," I said.

"Emily Penn was murdered on this very mountain," he gulped. "The case was never solved, but her husband to be was suspected and the estate was left to Anna Penn, her younger sister. The locals disliked her because her family was English and had moved into this cottage."

I looked at him for a long moment. "We have a dead girl's wedding ring."

"What if she's not completely dead?" he asked me in a whisper.

The floorboards above our heads creaked.

Ahhh cliff-hanger! You know what makes me want to write more, so click that button! Thanks guys.

~Iceshadow~