A Deadly Winter Retreat

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THE LIVING ROOM was cloaked in darkness, with only faint rays of light tenderly caressing the corners of the room. The television flickered, casting its eerie glow into the dimly lit room. The sound from the television speakers reverberated throughout the space, engulfing us in the relentless chilling sounds of the classic Friday the 13th movie as it played out on the screen.

My partner in the horror movie marathon, Gina, didn't have the stamina to last for even half of the movie. As soon as I hit the play button, she dozed off after drinking her sixth can of beer. Dale ended the guys' domino game early, so he came and scooped her up in his arms and carried her upstairs to their room.

Troy replaced Gina when he decided to join me in my horror movie marathon while Dave took it in for the night. I snuggled up next to Troy as he sat beside me on the couch, caressing my thigh with his hand. My head rested on his shoulder as he held a bucket of freshly popped popcorn on his lap. The buttery aroma caught me off guard. With an irresistible urge, I plunged my hand into the bucket, scooped up a handful of the buttery lumps, and tossed them into my mouth. I chewed on the popcorn as my eyes were glued to the screen, captivated by the haunting scene unfolding before us. I was rooting for the girl who was running away from the madman, Jason Voorhees. Adrenaline surged through my veins, quickening the pace of my heart as I was vicariously living through the frightened character on screen.

"Run!" I screamed at the TV, frustration lacing my voice. I could feel the veins popping out of my head as my heart pounded in my chest as I watched the character stumble over a rock, crashing face-first onto the ground.

"Get up!" I shouted again, hoping, or rather, fervently wishing, that she would find the strength within her to escape. But my heart sank as Jason emerged, his knife glinting ominously in his hand. Unable to withstand the terrifying scene any longer, I buried my face into Troy's arm, shielding my eyes from the brutal massacre unfolding before us. The tension in the room was palpable as I held my breath, and Troy was completely immersed in the thrill of the movie.

"It is over?" I asked, my voice muffled by Troy's sweater as I kept my head buried in his arm.

"No, babe. The blood and guts are still spilling out," Troy replied, his tone laced with a hint of humor.

The movie ended, and I gazed down at my watch.

2:34 AM.

"Troy, it's really late, let's go upstairs," I covered my mouth as I yawned.

"Good idea." Troy stood up from the couch, but as he scanned the living room, I noticed a furrow in his brows. "Did Lena ever come back? I don't think I saw her."

I gulped, my heart rate increasing slightly. I began to scan the room too, "Um, I don't know," I replied, still surveying the room. "I haven't seen her either."

"Maybe she came back and went upstairs with Dave." Troy shrugged his shoulders, attempting to brush off the concern.

"You're probably right," I added, sounding nonchalant, "I remember mentioning how tired she was before she went outside for a walk."

Troy pulled me closer, his arm wrapped protectively around my neck. We both made our way toward the staircase, but a lingering sense of mystery hung in the air, casting a shadow over our otherwise peaceful night. As we headed upstairs, I couldn't help but feel a growing tension, wondering if Lena had disappeared. A growing ache in my consciousness told me that I should've listened to my initial concern.

**********

I awoke to a knock on our bedroom door. Thinking it was Troy, I quickly turned to my left, but Troy was still sleeping in his usual position next to me- his face up toward the ceiling, and snoring louder than a freight train. I wearily sat up in bed, grabbed my robe from off the nightstand, and slowly placed my arms into the silky sleeves. I wrapped it around me, tying it in front.

"Who is it?" I asked groggily, trying to shake off the sleep from my voice.

"It's Dave, Trish," he responded, urgency lacing his voice. I sensed fear and tension in him, so I quickly opened the bedroom door.

"Have you seen Lena?" Dave asked, concerned. His eyes were glossy, with a hint of fear as his brows were raised in seriousness.

My heart skipped a beat. "No, I thought she had gone to bed with you last night."

Dave shook his head, his worry deepening. "I hadn't seen her since she left for her walk yesterday evening." He bent his head, gazing down at the floor. "I thought when she came back, she probably decided to watch movies with you and Gina."

A chill ran down my spine.

Lena's gone!

I bit my lower lip, a habit I took on as a kid whenever I felt frightened or nervous, "Did you try calling and texting her?"

Dave nodded, "I called her a ton of times." Dave put his phone up to my face, "And look here, I've texted her thirty times and no response."

My heart flip-flopped in my chest as I lost my breath.

"We have to go out and find her!" I suggested, "We need to call the police." Worry surged through me, plaguing my thoughts. Creating a whirlwind of emotions that I didn't know how to contain.

Troy immediately sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes, as he began to wake.

"What's going on?" Troy asked, "Why do we need to call the police?"

"Lena didn't come back last night. And Dave cannot get in contact with her." I responded, a sense of urgency lacing my voice.

Troy's eyes widened, "What?! Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Troy. I'm absolutely sure! She hasn't responded to any of my phone calls or text messages." Dave stressfully rubbed his forehead, his eyes sullen with worry and fear.

The fear in Dave's eyes mirrored my own, and a sense of foreboding settled over us. The peacefulness of the morning shattered as the shadow of mystery loomed over us. We were left with the haunting realization that Lena was missing.