-One Year Later-
TEN HOURS UNTIL DAWN
Location: Cable Car Station, Blackwood Pines
Time: 2052
Y/N
Today is the one year anniversary of the dreadful tragedy that took place on Mount Washington...Sheriff Annie Cline was in charge of the investigation...
Thanks for having me, Marty.
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...listeners an update on Hannah and Beth Washington, the twins who are still missing...
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One year ago tonight the Washington girls left the safety of their parents' lodge and headed into a snow storm...
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...foul play...?
Not officially no. There is one individual we're considering as a person of interest but his whereabouts are currently unknown. He has an interesting history with the Washington family...he had warned them against pursuing their construction project...and claimed the land was sacred to his forefathers.
You know there is still the old Sanitorium on the mountain. Could he be hiding there...?
My officers did search the grounds but...the girls themselves couldn't have made it that far...
Something about that mountain seems to breed tragic events.
More than you know Marty.
Well thank you for joining us, Annie...to all the Washingtons tonight...their son Josh on this, the anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of Hannah and Beth Washington.
I watched as the screen changed to Josh. I bounced my leg as I sat on the bench.
Well hello, friends and fans...alright let's do that again...
Josh walks up to the camera as it zooms in on him even more.
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! Wah!
I shook my head as Josh shows his excitement. "Why am I even surprised..." I muttered as I continued to watch the video.
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? Okay...so! Let's party like we're fucking porn stars, okay? And make this one trip we will never forget, alright? Yes!
I pressed the home button as I tapped away and opened my music app. I took one earbud out as I started playing O'Death by Amy van Roekel. I started drumming to the beat so my brain could stay occupied. I didn't even notice the figure standing in front of me.
"You having fun there, drummer boy?" The voice asks as I looked up. I just shook my head as I stood up. The person enveloped me in a warm hug as I returned it. "It's good to see you again, Sam. How've you been?" I asked as I stowed my earbuds into my bag. "Nothing that interesting. You?" She asks me.
I shook my head as she got my answer. "Hey. It's just like Josh said, we gotta --" "Please don't say it...it makes me cringe..." I muttered as Sam just chuckles. "We should walk around while we wait for the cable car to come, yeah?" Sam suggested as I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Sure." I simply answer as I followed her.
We walked around the back of the station and we saw a paper. "Oh man...look at this." She tells me as I read the paper.
WANTED
Milgram, Victor
Sex: Male
Height: 6'2" (1.88 m)
Last known address: Blackwood Pines
Last seen: 03/16/1998
I noticed that the profile picture was ripped out. "How do they expect people to find him if the profile picture was ripped off. Anyway, it seems outdated." I told her as my eyes caught something. "A shooting range...?" I muttered as I left Sam behind.
I walked towards the shooting range and picked up the rifle. "You know how to shoot?" She asks me as I inspected the rifle. "There's something called beginner's luck, Sam." I let out as I smiled at her. "Well, let's see if you have beginner's luck then." She said in a challenging way. "You think I don't know how to shoot?" I ask her as I brought the rifle up and pushed it against between my bicep and chest. "Maybe...maybe not..." She let out. I shook my head as I looked down the scope.
BANG
I hit a can...
BANG BANG
I hit both suspended sandbags.
BANG BANG BANG
I hit all three cans on a gasoline drum. "Wow. So you do have beginner's luck." She said amused. "You wanna try? It isn't hard." I told her as I held the gun out of her. She shakes her head. I shrug my shoulder as I brought the rifle back up. I looked down the scope and saw a squirrel. I put the rifle down and held onto my bag. I think the cable care is on its way. Let's go." I told her as she nods.
"Don't you think it's weird...being back here? It's been a whole year, you know." I told her as I continued to walk. "Yeah, I swear, the moment I got here it just all came flooding back." She told me. I then started to remember the cliff as I shook my head. Sam walked ahead of me as she went for the door. But it didn't budge. "Hey, that's weird. Door's locked. You think you can use your beginner's luck?" She asks me in a jokingly matter. "I'm no Hulk or Agent 47, Sam. Since Josh wanted is to keep it locked, keep people out." I told her.
"He said that? What people?" Sam asks me. "I do not know. He said they found people sleeping in the station one time." I told her as I pulled out the key and unlocked it. I held the door open for her as she walked right through. I closed and locked the door behind me. "Ugh, I thought the car was closer." Sam grumbled.
I walked into the office and noticed a screen that flipped through various cameras. 'Bathroom...the front...the living room...?' I thought as I walked out of the office. I saw that the car had already arrived. "Let's go, Y/N!" Sam signaled me into the car as I walked in and sat next to her. The door closed as it started to ascend. I stared out of the window as I traced the mountain outlines with my eyes.
"The adventure begins!" Sam exclaims as I tore my eyes away from the mountains. "Yeah." I answered back as I smiled at her. "I hope this was the right thing to do." Sam started as I just look at her. "Getting everyone together on the anniversary?" I ask. "Yeah. Josh seemed really pumped about us all doing something didn't he?" She asks.
"Yeah...that was the first time I've seen him this pumped before...it's rare." I told her. "But...I think it was a good idea that everyone is meeting up." I spoke. "I hope everybody else feels the same way." She hoped. "C'mon...no doubting when we're going to see everyone again. Let's just live in the moment, okay?" I ask her as she brings her smile up again. I then felt a small punch to my arm as she still held her smile. "Thanks bro. Good talk." She said. I shook my head as I looked behind us. I watched as we got closer to the top.
"Come to think of it...how did you and Josh meet each other?" Sam asks me as I tried to remember. "I can't remember if it was the third or fourth grade...but Hannah was getting bullied during recess and I didn't like it...so I just stood up and pushed them all away. Good thing Beth held me before something happened." I chuckled as I continued.
"After school, Josh waited for me in front of the school gates. I didn't know he waited for me until he walked up to me and thanked me. And you can guess what happened next." I told her. "A match made in heaven." Sam commented. "But not in that way, right?" I asked her with a playful smile.
"Maybe...maybe not..." She answers as she displayed a playful smile, as well. "You and your 'maybe and maybe not's." I shrug as the car stopped. "We're here!" Sam exclaimed as she popped off her seat and walked out of the car. She went ahead and tried opening the door. "It won't budge..." Sam muttered. I then saw Jess.
"Jess! Hey!" I shouted from the other side as I knocked on the door. "Jessica! Over here!" Sam shouted. "Uh...are you guys having a really weird stroke?" Jess asks. I let out a sigh as Sam spoke. "Can you please let us out? Pretty please?" She asks Jess. I heard a click come from the door as I opened it. I let Sam through as I close the door behind me. I then noticed a note in Jess's hand. I pointed at it.
"A note? For who?" I ask as she hides the note behind her. "Mike and Em split. We're together. That's who's the note is for." She explains. "Drama?" I questioned her. "Not really. Pretty clear cut, actually. Em's out, I'm in." She explained. "Huh." Sam let out as I nodded.
"We're headed to the lodge now. Let's go." I talked out loud, as I turned and made my way uphill. "You guys go ahead. I'm just gonna wait here for a bit...see who else is coming." Jess tells us. "Sam?" I queried as I noticed she wasn't following after me. "Did you see this view?" Sam asks out loud as she looks at the mountains. "I mean, holy cow. Sometimes I forget to just stop and take it all in." She says as she stares out at the mountain range.
"We all do, Sam...we all do..."