TWISTED ICE (ONC 2023)

CHAPTER 5

Back in the cave, Jasmine's tears reach hysterical levels. She shrugs me and Chloe off, throwing our hands aside as we try to console her, try to help her make sense of what happened. Despite her recent struggles with Isaiah, it's obvious she still loves him. Loved him. I guess that's how it works when someone dies... they become past tense. Like my dad, but I can't remember a time when I loved him. Hard to love someone who hit you, which gets me to thinking about Jasmine. I'd say it's difficult to love someone who cheats on you, or at least someone you suspect of cheating. Or someone you know who desires someone else. Wants to cheat.

Jasmine shoves her blanket into her backpack, then gathers anything that belonged to Isaiah and stuffs it into his. Just a blanket, some power bars, and a canteen. She picks up both packs and sets them against the back wall of the cave, away from everyone else's bags. Head held low, sniffling, she makes for the exit, but Hunter blocks her path.

"Get out of my way," she says.

He doesn't budge. "Where do you think you'll go? Look at it out there. The blizzard is back in full force."

"I want to see Isaiah for myself."

"You'll die if you go out there."

"Better than staying in here, with a..." Her words trail off, eyes accusing each of us.

"You don't know what happened." Hunter pauses, gaze darting from one to the other. "We don't know what happened. It could have been an accident."

"Or someone could have killed him."

"What if he fell and landed on a stick?" Chloe says.

Jasmine cranes her neck back to glare at the cheerleader, her eyes raking across her like she could claw her to shreds. "Did you see one stuck in his stomach? Because Hunter said it looked like a stab wound."

"No, I wasn't down there. Eliza. What did you see?"

Lately, when Chloe addresses me, it's harsh and feels like a punch to the gut, but this time, her tone softens, as if she's searching for answers or hoping to deflect the attention off of herself. I wonder if she knows I witnessed her and Isaiah's conversation last night? Did she hear me when I raced back to my sleeping spot? She could have seen me pull the cover over my body. Regardless, the sight of Isaiah in the snow may have shattered her abrasiveness and shaken her resolve. Even if she killed him, by accident or not, it would have to affect her. It would affect anyone, unless that person had very little conscience. Or any at all.

"Quit stalling, Eliza."

Though my face tingles from the cold, my cheeks feel the heat of the moment. "I saw tracks that led from the cave to the bluff where Isaiah died, but we trampled all over them when we barged into the woods. Doesn't matter, anyway. After we found the body—Isaiah, I mean—I'm sorry." I try my best to offer Jasmine a sensitive and caring expression. "You all were there. After we found him, it started snowing again, and we all know that the snow is already covering up the tracks."

"What's your point?" Chloe asks.

"Well, if someone killed him—if it was one of us who killed him..." All eyes shift to me, everyone, dead serious. "Then that person would have had to walk back from the bluff to the cave. We could have compared boot prints, but we can't now because of the snow."

"What about Isaiah?" Jasmine's tone grows weak. "You saw his wound. What did it look like?"

"A lot of blood," I reply. The crimson staining his sweater reminds me of how the indented flesh in his upper abdomen looked. "It appeared to be a puncture wound."

"Meaning?"

"That some object pierced his body." Hunter crosses his arms. "I don't think it was an accident. It didn't look like one, but... before we sling accusations around, did anyone notice if we were being followed? Or stalked?"