Until Dawn

Chapter 1: Welcome Back

"I really wanna spend some quality time with each and every one of you and just share some moments that we'll never forget, for... for the sake of my sisters, you know? Okay... So! Lets party like we're fucking porn stars, okay? And make this one trip we will never forget! Alright?! Yes!" My eyes lingered on the phone for a moment before I removed the earbud from my ear and passed it to Mike. He was looking skeptically at the screen.

"He's pretty excited for this, huh?" Mike asked from my right. I shifted uneasily in my seat before leaning against Mike's shoulder. Josh had seemed pretty eager, and that was what upset me. I hadn't handled the loss of Beth and Hannah well, in fact. I seemed to have handled it the worst out of everyone that had been there. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to the snow.

"Robin, hey come on." I woke to Mike jostling me as he attempted to stand up without letting me fall over. Groggily I straightened in my seat and pulled my glasses off of my face to rub the sleep from my eyes. Mike squeezed between me and the seat, stepping into the isle. I slipped my glasses back on and stood as well.

"Come on little sis!" Mike called out, grabbing his bag and jogging to the front of the bus. I leaned into the seat in front of me and hoisted my bag off of the cheap upholster. I slung the black and red bag onto my shoulder before heading after Mike. I nodded at the elderly man driving as I stepped off, though he didn't seem to notice. Or care.

I looked up as I stepped off of the bus and into a snow bank. The mountain looked just the same as it had last year. The snow was falling around, the sky was a deep shade of purples, blues and grays. The stars and moon lit up the trail and caused the fallen snow to glitter like diamonds. Mike was only standing a few feet away from me, his eyes locked on the mountain side as well.

"It's weird. It looks just the same... I mean... I half expect to see them all up there..." Mike stated idly. I walked over to him and bumped my shoulder into his.

"I know what you mean." I led the way toward the front gate. A note was taped to the front with scribbled hand writing on it. I pulled it off of the gate before reading it.

"Chris says the gates locked." I offered the note to Mike before attempting to open the gate. It rattled but stayed firmly closed. I glanced off to the side. Several uneven bricks were sticking out of the wall to the left of the gate. I pulled off my bag and tossed it over before hoisting myself up the wall and sliding down to the other side. Mike's bag landed beside me as I stumbled into another snow bank.

"Coming over?" I questioned turning to face the gate and wall. I couldn't quite make out what he was grumbling but I saw his head pop up over the wall. He pulled himself up and then slid down to my side. I smiled and pushed on his shoulder lightly as he landed. It was enough to send him down into the snow. There was a brief silence as he looked up at me from the ground. I blinked slowly and reach down to pick up my bag.

"I'll meet you.... at the lodge..." I stepped away from him slowly as I shouldered my bag. A smile flickered to his mouth as he lunged for me. I jumped back and felt my face light up as I danced out of his reach.

"K BYE MIKE!" I shouted behind me as I took off along the path. I let the symphony of snow under shoes lull me up the mountain. Mike was somewhere just behind me as the Cable car came into view. I felt my heart sink as I slowed down. This had always been the worst part about coming to see the Washington's.

"Ahhhaaa!" Mike slammed into my from behind. One of his arms wrapping around my shoulders, the other in front of me to keep me from plummeting into the snow face first. "Got you." He joked. I shook my head and made my way more slowly to the car.

"Nervous?" He questioned stepping around me and into the suspended steel case. I shuddered and followed him in. The doors slid shut behind me and the car began pulling itself up the cables. I slumped down into the seat beside Mike, I pressed my leg against his.