The Last Winter

Friday: Something Off (7)

Oriana
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"Will someone finally explain to me what happened?" I hear Nelia demand, and I see a flash of light as someone turns their phone on.

"Blankets? Anyone need blankets?" I ask.

More phone lights turn my way, and various hands come out of the darkness to take their share of extra warmth. The bundle in my arms disappears.

"Me--I need one!" Cameron says somewhere, but I don't have any more.

"Here! I have one!" Maggie offers, handing it over. "I have more--anyone else need one?"

"Hello?" Nelia says again, and we fall silent. "What happened out there?"

"Michal tackled Cameron and hurt his leg while we were skiing," Isabella replies.

I hear a frustrated sigh in Michal's direction. "That's not what happened."

"It sure feels like that happened," Cameron mutters bitterly.

"It was an accident," Nolan says, defending his brother. "I saw it happen. Michal wasn't looking where he was going."

"Anyway, what happened to you guys?" Michal interrupts quickly, eager to change the subject. "We were stranded, like, five miles away in the freezing snow while you all were in here having a party!"

"That's not--" I begin, but Vena cuts me off.

"Yeah, we thought you guys were dead."

"Or Ronnie had kidnapped you or something," Dallas adds.

I shake my head, crossing my arms over my chest. The heat is vanishing rather quickly. I'll have to go and find my coat if the generator doesn't kick in soon.

"We were just, uh--" I can't bring myself to confess what we did.

"Exploring!" Maggie fills me in with a chirp, and I sigh.

Yes. We, mature adults, decided to explore our new surroundings...like kids.

"Well, I hope you feel good about yourselves. While we were fighting to stay alive, you guys were frolicking in the snow," Michal says drily.

"We found a mine--and Ronnie's house," Maggie tells him.

Dead silence.

"What?" Michal says.

"Was he in there?" Veronica asks.

"No, this was just after you all left the church. Ronnie was still with you guys," I answer. A shiver runs through my shoulders as I think about what we saw.

"And?" Dallas persists.

"And, nothing--" I try, but Maggie interrupts with the truth.

"We went inside the living room. There was a fireplace and a couch."

"The couch was pretty beat up, like some wild animal had gotten inside and torn everything up. Why would Ronnie keep something that trashy?" Nelia says.

She proceeds to explain that something was definitely off about the house, and we got freaked out because the wind had slammed the door shut on us. So we ran away and locked ourselves inside the lodge.

But she doesn't mention the fact that it smelled like death in there.

"So...Eugena wasn't with you guys?" Nolan asks slowly.

"No. Wasn't she with you?" I ask, my heartbeat accelerating.

"That's it. Ronnie kidnapped both Ralph and Eugena," Dallas says firmly. "He lied to us, tricked us into going down the slope, and now we're trapped on this mountain with no way of calling for help."