A Deadly Winter Retreat

|19|

THIS CAN'T BE REAL.

This cannot be happening.

Fear coursed through my veins, and my heart thumped against my ribcage. I was gripped with an undeniable fear, burying my face into the palm of my hands. I desperately wanted to scream louder than I ever had in my life.

But what would I accomplish by doing that? Probably little to nothing. I mean, I would likely relieve my body from all the stress and tension it's been holding onto, but it would only return as I sat and tried to navigate this unbelievably horrific situation.

We were essentially up against a psychopath with no limits or boundaries. And now, here we stood, confronted by this grim reality that a depraved individual had inflicted a psychological torment of the most sinister kind upon us.

Glancing down at the letter once more, I picked it up. The mere sight of it caused a lump in my throat and butterflies swarming in my stomach. The shock of disbelief paralyzed me, holding me hostage at that moment. I had to face the truth of reality: my best friend was missing, Leroy had been murdered, and now this?!

I angrily hurled the letter onto the table. It glided slowly, like a leaf descending from a branch and landing on the ground. The letter softly came to rest on the oak-brown dining room table.

My thoughts swirled in a chaotic mess- I had reached my breaking point. Collapsing, I sank to my knees, and tears gushed from my eyes, flowing down my cheeks like water bursting from a broken fire hydrant.

Why?!

***

Troy reached out to the Pine Glacier Hills Police Department. He spoke with an officer there and explained the haunting chain of events. The officer then requested a copy of the letter. So, Troy took it upon himself to screenshot the letter and send it to the Pine Glacier Hills Police Department.

However, much like the Arcaden Police Department's response to us, they turned us away, stating, "It's not a real threat, nor is it even a genuine letter," the officer explained over the phone.

"Can you send an officer to our cabin so they can examine it in person?" Troy asked with increased urgency, his tone tinged with frustration.

"Listen, Troy. It's just some eerie note from a disturbed individual. There isn't sufficient evidence to link it to Lena's disappearance or Leroy's murder," the voice on the other end explained.

"I'm going to ask once more. Could we please have an officer come down to our cabin?" Troy's desperation was palpable.

"We won't be able to reach your cabin until tomorrow morning, and that's only if the snow lets up. The blizzard makes it too dangerous," the officer responded.

"Thanks for your lack of assistance!" Troy's frustration reverberated through the phone. "Goodnight!"

We stood there, silent and stunned by the Pine Glacier Hills Police's swift dismissal of the letter we had received. Sorrow and grief hung like an unrelenting, somber winter storm.

Gina's voice sliced through the silence, like an axe cutting into wood, commanding our attention, "Who could have killed Leroy?" Gina's voice trembled, her eyes red and swollen, her hair tangled. "I just don't understand." Her head dropped, and her gaze fixed on the hardwood floors beneath her feet. Dale moved closer to her, offering comfort by pulling her against his chest and enfolding her in his arms.

"We've got to figure out what's happening!" Dale's brows furrowed, his expression a mixture of anger and frustration. "First of all, we need to find Lena and Dave!" Dale added, "I haven't given up hope. And Whoever this psychopath is that sent this letter, they won't be satisfied with how this game ends. I can guarantee that!"

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, jolting our senses. Gina and I exchanged glances, fear and curiosity mingling on our faces.

"Who could that be?" Troy muttered, his steps carrying him toward the front door. Glenna stood there as he swung open the door, shivering, her teeth chattering. Beside her was a tall man with a beard and a beanie and a petite woman snugly dressed in a down jacket and snow pants. They were all covered in snow, their faces and noses reddened by the cold.

"Glenna?!" Troy's eyebrows shot up in a mixture of concern and surprise. "What are you doing out here?"

"We—w-we got stuck," Glenna stammered, her teeth audibly chattering, "In the storm."

I promptly sped and walked to the front door when I heard Glenna's voice.

I stood next to Troy, "Glenna?!" I exclaimed, my eyes widened as I fixed my gaze on her, "What are you doing out here in this snowstorm?!"

Turning my head, I glance at the petite woman standing beside Glenna. A single tear ran down her frost-bitten cheek. "Someone is following us," she offered in a quiet tone.

"What do you mean?" I inquired, my eyebrows arching in a mixture of interest and concern.

"Someone in a brown van has been tailing us," the man began, stepping in front of the petite woman, his voice tense. "We tried to flee but didn't get far. When we spotted this cabin, we were hoping to seek shelter here." the man coughed, "At least until the storm calms down." He gave me an apologetic frown as if he was sorry for asking to seek shelter with us.

My gaze shifted back to Glenna; she stood there, frozen in fear. Something was amiss. The vibes the two individuals gave off seemed disconnected from Glenna - an unsettling feeling reverberated through my soul, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I sensed trouble in the air.