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A year had drifted by, the weight of Beth and Hannah's absence hanging heavy like a storm cloud over Lucy's life. Her days became a ritual of isolation, barricaded within the confines of her home. Friends' calls went unanswered, and her family found themselves at a loss, unable to penetrate the fortress of her grief. Nights were plagued by haunting terrors, cold sweats soaking her sheets and leaving her gasping for air. The sunlit hours were spent were spent sleeping, and in an unexpected turn, she turned to smoking - a desperate attempt to coax herself out of the house, a fleeting reprieve from her self-imposed exile.
An invitation from Josh to the lodge served as an unexpected lifeline. Lucy replayed the video message he had sent, each viewing a bittersweet mix of pain and nostalgia. The mere fact that he could move forward left her bewildered. The family had been shattered that night, a tragedy spun from a senseless prank.
Sitting in the back of a taxi en route to Blackwood Pines, Lucy let her phone rest in her lap, her gaze tracing the passing landscape. As the familiar sign came into view, her heart clenched. Memories and emotions intertwined, and she realized she hadn't spoken to Mike since that fateful night. Strangely, she found a strange sense of comfort in his absence. She couldn't bear another apology; she had let her tears flow that night, a vulnerability she had fiercely guarded until then. Expressing her feelings was a terrain she seldom ventured into - and for good reason. Vulnerability felt like an open wound, and she had no intention of exposing herself again.
In the aftermath of the ordeal, Mike and Emily's relationship had crumbled, a casualty of the fallout. Mike's heartache had run deep, his soul echoing with Lucy's word of resentment and anguish. Seeking solace in the aftermath, he had sought out Jessica, a desperate attempt to mend the fractures within himself. Yet, he had kept this secret from Lucy, the fear of causing her further pain acting as a barrier.
As the taxi slowed to a stop at the Blackwood Pines gate, Lucy's gaze settled on the sign, her breath catching in her throat. With a sigh, she thanked the driver and handed over some cash before stepping out onto the familiar terrain. The cab gradually retreated, disappearing around a bend, and Lucy was left alone. Fingers found a cigarette in her pocket, a lifeline she had come to depend on. She lit it, drawing in a long drag, the nicotine a temporary anchor. Her gaze remained fixed on the gate as she took a steadying breath. "Here goes nothing," She murmured to herself, her voice carrying a mix of determination and trepidation.
A piece of paper taped to the frosty bars caught Lucy's attention. "Seriously?" She muttered in annoyance, her eyes scanning the note's message: 'Gates busted, climb over - Chris.' Lucy couldn't help but groan in frustration, her breath forming puffs of mist in the frigid air. She took one last drag of her cigarette, then extinguished it with an impatient stomp. Bracing herself, she clambered over the retaining wall, awkwardly maneuvering herself over the gate. Her backpack landed with a thud on the other side before she followed suit, her landing less graceful than intended. "Ah, damn it!" She exclaimed as she hit the ground, a grimace crossing her face as her knees scraped against the snow. "Could this day get any worse?" She grumbled, brushing off snow and dirt before hoisting her backpack onto her shoulders. Gritting her teeth, she started trudging up the path, the towering trees casting long shadows over her.
