' a d d i c t ' ||UNTIL DAWN||

' Memento Mori '

     -  Chapter 1.  -

A year later...

"Well hello, friends and fans... alright let's do that again... Alright. Well, hello, friends and fans! It's beyond awesome to have you guys all back this year. First off, I gotta say I am super excited to welcome all my pals back to the annual Blackwood winter getaway!"

"So, um... let me just let you know, let's take a moment to address the "elephant in the room" for a second. I know you're all probably worried about me... and I know it's gonna be tough on all of us going back after what happened last year... but– I just want you all to know... it means... it means so much to me that we're doing this."
"And I... I know it would mean so much to Hannah and Beth that we're all still here together, thinking of them. I really want to spend some quality time with each and every one of you. And share some moments that we'll never forget, for the sake of my sisters, you know?"

I looked down at my phone turning it off, watching the video that Josh had made for us. The bus shaking it sped down the road. "You, ok?" I heard my brother say beside me. I took out one earbud looking at him.
"Yeah, just nervous." I looked at my feet. He put a hand on my shoulder giving me a reassuring look. "Don't be this is going to be fun, remember?" I looked up at him giving him a fake smile and nodding my head before turning to the window and looking outside.

TEN HOURS UNTIL DAWN...

Sooner or later the bus had stopped, arriving at our destination. We grabbed our things as we exited the bus. It sped away; I watched it leaving before turning to the sign posted up by rusted chains reading.

' BLACKWOOD PINES '

My gaze narrowed towards the sign, I sighed longingly for this trip to be short and quick.
I couldn't bear the memories that had held a special place in my heart here in these mountains. My heart ached at the thought before my brother nudged my shoulder motioning to go on. I did so as we walked the trail to the big gate. A note was posted on the bars of the gate reading:

Gate's busted, climb over!
– Chris.

"Aw, What?" I said in disbelief as I read the note. My brother snatched it from my hands to examine it and laughed, putting it back. "Too bad for you, shorty," he continued to chuckle at his joke. I playfully hit his shoulder, causing him to flinch and mutter a quiet "ow." We walked up to the stone wall and looked up before Nick shrugged and climbed over it. I followed suit, jumping down and feeling a throbbing ache in my legs. We continued down the path and came across a sign that read:

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND BUTTERFLY PROPHECIES
Tribes who lived in these mountains believed that butterflies carried dreams and prophecies of possible futures. The color of the butterfly indicated the nature of the prophecy.

"Huh..." I read the board, curious. "Hey Nick, look at this," I called him over, bending down to get a closer look. Nick came to my side.

Death:
BLACK BUTTERFLIES PROPHESIED THE DREAMER'S DEATH.

Danger:
RED BUTTERFLIES WARNED OF DANGEROUS EVENTS.

Loss:
BROWN BUTTERFLIES FORETOLD OF TRADEGY AFFECTING FRIENDS.

Guidance:
YELLOW BUTTERFLIES OFFERED VISION TO HELP AND GUIDE.

Fortune:
WHITE BUTTERFLIES BROUGHT DREAMS OF LUCK AND GOOD FORTUNE.

"This couldn't make this trip any better..." I said sarcastically, "Woah! That's so cool..." Nick got out his phone from his pocket, snapping a picture.
"Yeah, well it's not that cool, paparazzo," I shoved him towards the cable car station as he laughed. I buried my hands into my jacket in desperation to get a feeling in my fingertips.

Chris and Sam stood at the cable car station waiting for us. Sam waved her over smiling, Sam had always been sweet to me, even after all these years she was the one I could always talk to without being judged, and I loved her for that.

Nick and I walked over to Chris and Sam, "Hey guys, did you make it here ok?" Sam asked. "Yeah, more or less. Forgot how cold it was up here though." I smiled at Sam, looking at the big snowy mountains in the moonlight.

"So, should we go ahead and go?" Nick asked as we all agreed, entering the cable car.
"Just like going to the prom." Chris put his bag down, sitting next to Sam. The cable car began to move Nick and I sat opposite Chris and Sam.

"Here we go." Sam said excitedly, "Right! Adventure begins." Chris smiled. "I hope this was the right thing to do." Sam looked at the ground, debating if this was genuinely the right thing for her to go on this trip.
"What?" Chris confused. "You know, getting everyone together on the anniversary," Sam explained in her defense.

"I mean Josh seemed really pumped about us all doing something didn't he?" Sam looked at Chris before he spoke. "Yeah, no, he definitely did!" Chris looked at Sam before Nick and me. "I mean— Me, Nick, and Nikki haven't seen him so excited about something in... forever." Nick and I nodded in agreement.

"Good, good." Sam looked at the ground before lifting back up. "It's hard to tell with him and I... I've kind of been worried..." Sam admitted, I looked at Sam confused and curious. "No, it was... it was a good idea," Chris said.
"I hope everybody else feels the same way," Sam said awkwardly. "We're all here, aren't we?" Chris looked outside before turning back.

"Thanks, bro. Good talk." Sam playfully punched Chris's arm smiling. "You know what? Let's just...Let's just stop talking about what happened and enjoy the trip." Chris broke the second of silence, and Sam sighed. "Y'know what? you're right." Sam smiled; I saw Chris look at me before darting his eyes to Nick giving a cunning smirk.
To both of us.

"You know how all of us met?" Chris referring to Me, Nick, and Josh. I sighed covering my face with my frozen hands.
"Oh god..." I said quietly groaning. "No...?" Sam looking at Chris. "Ok, Third Grade. Josh sat in the back of the room; I sat in the front. We didn't even know either of us existed."

Chris started. "But the kid sitting next to Josh started strap-snapping the training bra on the girl in front of him, so the teacher made him move to the front — where I was sitting!" Chris explained. "Okay, so?" Sam said confused. "So, I got moved to the back!" Chris smiled. "And?" Sam wanting more explanation.
"And next to Josh! That's how we met! And became friends. To this day." Chris gave a toothy grin. "Ok? But where do they come in." Sam pointed at me and Nick.

"No, no it's fine he doesn't have to—" I quickly reacted to Sam's words looking at her with widened eyes before glancing at Chris.
"Anyways, if it weren't for the fact that Jeanie Simmonds hit puberty like three years early and on that day— decided to wear a low-cut shirt that showed off her training bra.
I mean who knows? You three could be riding in this cable car talking to some other person entirely." Chris looked at the three of us, raising his eyebrows.

"Boom. Butterfly effect."