Songbird in a Snowstorm [Yandere! Marble Hornets x Reader]

A Dark Path Chosen

The photo in your fingers bent at an odd angle, deformed from your harsh grip. Your own happy face stares back at you accusingly, surrounded by those of your friends. This was the only photo you had brought with you from your time at college. It just so happened to be taken right before your grades started to slip. All your friends are probably off relaxing with their families or busying themselves with internships. That could have been you. It really, really should have been.

"Wakey wakey~" Jessica's voice drifts into your ears from the radio innocently resting on the desk in front of you, causing a slight jump from you. She probably expected you to be lounging about in bed, still exhausted from the past three days. It would make perfect sense, especially considering the final miserable stretch of trail right before the ground evened out. Contrary to her belief, you had been up for hours. The cot the forest service so kindly provided you was little more than a thick blanket wrapped around a sheet of plywood. The ache in your neck was a constant reminder of that fact.

Then again, if she thought you were asleep you might just be able to nab a few more minutes of silence. "I know you're awake." There goes that plan. "I can see you through the binoculars y'know." The radio chirps from its place on the charger, just daring you to respond. Your hand hovers over the radio, the slightest hesitance before you reluctantly lift the radio from its charging stand.

It's too early for this. The sky just barely started to lighten with the first rays of sun. Even the birds had yet to start their seemingly endless chatter. Fucking binoculars. "Pretty sure that's not what you're supposed to use those for." You croak out, throat in desperate need of a glass of water.

"Took you long enough." Jessica teases from the other end, far more chipper than anyone should be at six am. "There's some smoke on the horizon. It's closer to you, so you get the honor of checking it out." Glancing out the window your eyes scan the forest for the supposed fire.Through the faint early morning light, a dark plume of smoke could just barely be seen deep in the tree line. That would be at least a four mile hike.

You manage to mumble out a small, "Lucky me."  The soreness in your muscles hadn't gotten any better from the previous day's hike. If anything, it got much, much worse. You rise to your feet and stretch out, attempting to rid yourself of the worst of it.

Five minutes later and your feet were following a poorly kept trial. Fallen trees forced you into far more climbing and scrambling than you were hoping for. It was quite clear that this path didn't see much use, but it was starting to get ridiculous. Coming to a break in the trees, a stark cliff waited meters in front of you. You stepped out from under the shady cover provided by the trees, feeling the warmth of sun on your skin. With each step closer to the cliff you could see more and more of a shimmering blue lake.

Jessica's voice pipes up from the radio on your hip. "Can you tell where the fire is yet?" Slipping a crumpled up map out of your pocket, you scrutinize the trails shown on the map and try to place yourself. There was no way you were that far from the tower. You hadn't been walking for long at all. But on the other hand...

You glance around you to find trees. Trees on trees bordered by trees and- oh look! More trees. "I don't even know where I am." You plainly state, glancing back and forth from the trees to the lake. The trail ended where you stood, fading into rock as the cliff took its place.

Her voice crackles out from the radio once again, "What do you see around you?" There were no hints of irritation in her voice, just a calm acceptance that only came from people who weren't angry, just disappointed.

Your eyes linger on the hulking body of water, resting not even a hundred meters away. "There's a big lake over here." You offer. Big would be an understatement. The lake stretched out farther than any sane person would even attempt to swim.