Chapter Four: The Lodge

(Jealousy)

***

The minute the Washington Lodge loomed out of the winter-night gloom, Jordan's heart wrenched.

This place had once held so many good memories once. Of snowball wars being battled out on the grounds—she and Emily were always in a team together, for if they were in seperate teams, then Jordan's rare competitive streak emerged like a bear out of hibernation and she and Emily would try to take each other out without any shred of mercy no matter how much their friends begged to head inside, determined to be the one who won in the end, so it was better they were on the same team together. Of movie nights in the home cinema, watching movies such as classic horror movies, rom-coms, Disney flicks that always made Ashley, Hannah, Jordan, and even Mike and Mateo and Chris cry, though Mike was the one who always denied, Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings movies, and horror movies that were produced by Josh's dad, movies Jordan expected Josh would be producing or even directing someday, especially with the film course he was doing in college. Of card and board games by the fire—Uno and Monopoly, however, were long since banned—and drinking booze and just having a good time together. Of sneaking away to her spot, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, as either Emily, Sam, Beth, Ashley, Chris, Matt, Mike or Mateo would come out and put a blanket around her shoulders so she wouldn't get cold. Sometimes, Mateo would stay with her, especially when it was at sunrise or sunset, watching the sun rise or fall and painting the sky and mountains in a miracle of colour, a beauty of nature.

For so many years, despite the history of this mountain, this held so many good memories, was the one place Jordan could never feel anxious.

But one night had altered the Washington Lodge significantly, had cast all those memories in a horrific light. That no matter how many good memories she had, Beth and Hannah's disappearance would always stain the lodge forevermore, would poison its memory like it would poison the soil, as the one place Jordan's anxiety could never surface now became the one place where it always felt it was constantly brimming up, fighting to consume her.

It had become a haunted house of memories and the twins' ghosts.

Jordan wonderend how she could last the night, let alone the whole weekend, being in there before she remembered she wasn't alone. She had Mateo, had Emily, had Sam and Chris and Matt, had Mike, had her whole support system inside there. They had all of each other to support and heal from the wounds of the past, to stitch up and soothe those festering injuries and let them finally heal. 

And it wasn't just about them. It was about Hannah and Beth, to let their ghosts be put to their peaceful rest. It was about Josh, to help him and make sure he was okay and coping with his guilt well, that he wasn't drowning in it and pull him back out if so. To have all of them remember the girls.

It was what they deserved,  after all. Even if their bodies may never be found, it was what they rightfully deserved.

"Everything okay, querida?" Mateo asked, looking at her in concern.

"I'm... okay. Just... remembering," Jordan answered honestly.

At hearing that, Mateo gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze before Jordan refocused and recognised the people outside the lodge—Ashley, sitting on the steps and Matt near them, Emily's bags with him but no sign of her best friend, or of Mateo's best friend, Mike. They were probably catching up on the trail; just because they were exes didn't mean they had to be friends.

Jordan stuck with Sam, Mateo and Chris as walking up to them was Josh Washington, smiling. At seeing the smile, Jordan relaxed. If Josh was smiling—smiling here—then he had to be okay, had to be doing better. Or maybe the smile was just a front and he was still feeling guilty over his sisters' disappearance. Maybe this whole thing was an act and it was a subconscious cry to help and Josh was drowning in himself, the guilt and the regret too much and maybe coming here was a stupid decision, maybe the wounds of the past could never be fully healed, maybe—

Stop. Stop overthinking and worrying about it, Rutcher, Jordan scolded herself. He's smiling, he looks okay. Josh is okay. He's okay.

He's okay.

"Hey man!" Mateo greeted, grinning as he held his hand up for a high five.

"Hey, dude! Glad you could come!" Josh replied, meeting the high five. He turned to Jordan, arms out. "Come on, Sidney. Hug for old times' sake?"

Jordan rolled her eyes fondly at the nickname he gave her of the final girl protagonist from the Scream franchise before she hugged Josh. When they pulled apart, he asked, "You going okay, Jordan?"

"I'm good. I'm on some meds for my anxiety, and I'm feeling a lot better," Jordan answered, smiling. It dropped as she asked, "What about you? Are you okay? Aside from now and that invitation about us all coming back here, I haven't heard much from you in the past couple of months."

Something flashed in Josh's eyes as he smiled. "I'm doing okay, Jordan. Doing okay."

"You sure?" Jordan asked.

"Positive."

Jordan frowned, but stepped back as now Josh and Chris greeted each other.

"Man, I feel like this mountain gets bigger every time I climb it," Chris remarked after they did.

"Oh yeah? Feels the same to me," Josh quipped, grinning.

Chris scoffed. "Oh come on, you grew up here. It probably feels like it's shrinking."

"I guess that's true," Josh mused.

Looking at his phone, Chris sighed and asked, "When are you gonna install some cell towers up here? I'm getting withdrawals already."

"Please, I'm sure you can survive a couple days without cell service. Take in the natural beauty around you," Jordan remarked, looking pointedly at Chris as she gestured at the wintry nature around them.

"Ha ha, funny, Jordan," Chris deadpanned. Jordan just smiled.

"You got a spare million lying around and I'll fix you right up," Josh offered.

"You sure you aren't rich enough for that?" Mateo asked pointedly.

"Funny you should say that. I think I left that in my other jacket," Chris snarked as they all walked up to the lodge.

"Oops," Josh said, smirking, before saying to Matt and Ashley, "Hey guys. Get up here okay?"

"Yeah. Well, more or less. But it's so good to see you!" Ashley answered from where she was sitting on the steps. Matt, meanwhile, looked upset.

"'Sup with him?" Josh asked, noticing Matt's reaction as well.

No answer came as Chris and Josh walked up the stairs to unlock the lodge and get inside while they stayed by the stairs. As they waited, Jordan looked at Matt and asked, "Hey, Matt, where's Emily?"

"She went back to find Sam," Matt said, the words terse.

Jordan frowned. "She said that? Weird, we would have seen her."

"Yeah, funny that," Matt muttered, looking down as his jaw clenched.

Jordan sighed, understanding what was going on. "Is this about Mike? Did you see them together?"

Matt didn't answer, but his silence was answer enough.

"Look, they're just friends. They're probably catching up, saying hi. Exes can be friends, you know, and I know Emily. She may have her share of break-ups, but she is loyal to those she dates," Jordan assured. Because yeah, Emily may be a bitch and have had multiple relationships, but she considered cheating to be a grave sin in her book. Even if she still had romantic feelings toward Mike, she was with Matt. No way would her best friend ever cheat.

"But the prank—"

"The prank was an outlier. Emily knew about Hannah's feelings for Mike and she knew Mike didn't like Hannah back. If it looked like it was going too far, she would have stopped it out of loyalty to Mike," Jordan interrupted. "Matt, she likes you. Trust me."

"Thanks, Jordan," Matt muttered, before he gave her a concerned look. "Are you okay, being back here? With your anxiety and all?"

"I'm... okay. It's not great, being back here, but I'm doing okay. Plus. I brought my meds, so if I need them, I have them," Jordan answered, before she gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Matt, for checking up on me. You're really great."

Matt gave her a smile back. As always, Jordan was grateful for his support—Mateo would always be her number one, but while Chris and Josh would always make her laugh, Matt was a quiet, comforting force, always asking if she was okay and seeing if she needed her meds, if something would trigger her anxiety, or if she had a therapy session and if Mateo or Emily couldn't drive her to it he would. Jordan appreciated his support, and his friendship, a lot and she hoped he and Emily would work out. Matt was the calm, supportive, ambitious force Emily needed to balance out her harshness.

Turning away from Matt, Jordan walked over to stand with Mateo as the couple looked at Josh and Chris still at the doors.

"What are those two doing?" Jordan muttered.

"Maybe prolonging getting us all inside and leaving us to freeze to death?" Mateo theorised.

Jordan laughed, before frowning. "You think Josh is doing okay?"

"His sisters disappeared. I doubt he'd fully be okay. But... he seems to be," Mateo observed.

"Yeah, but what if he's just putting up a front to make us think he is when he actually isn't? What if he—" Jordan worried before Mateo wrapped his arms around her and gently interrupted, "Jordan, querida, he's okay. Maybe not entirely, but right now, he is. He's healing, like you and I are. This weekend's gonna be good, for all of us."

Jordan bit her lip, before sighing. "You're right. He seems to be doing okay. And it will be healing. For all of us."

Mateo nodded, right as Chris and Josh walked back down the stairs toward them.

"Hey Ash," Chris greeted the redhead, still sitting on the bottom step.

"Hi Chris," Ashley greeted back, smiling.

"So... how're you doing?" he asked her.

"Mm, good! But... a little cold. I think I could use some time curled up the fire," Ashley answered.

"Yeah, that does sound pretty nice," Chris agreed.

Jordan and Mateo looked at each other, sensing the obvious flirting happening there. Not like it was a secret they had massive crushes on each other but were unwilling to make the first move.

But when Chris turned, Jordan frowned when she saw his and Josh's faces.

"Hey, what's wrong? Thought we were heading inside and getting warmed up," Jordan asked.

"Yeah, think I'm getting frostbite," Mateo joked, but he also looked confused.

"Doorknob's iced over. We're gonna find another way in," Josh explained.

"And by a way in, you mean breaking and entering?" Jordan questioned.

"Hey, it's not breaking and entering if I own the place and let it happen and don't report any of you," Josh argued, grinning.

Jordan threw up her hands. "Can't argue with that logic."

"Yo, Mateo, come with us," Josh offered, waving his arm over.

"Okay," Mateo said, before he kissed Jordan. "See you in a bit. I shall thaw you out of the ice soon, mi amor."

"Can't wait," Jordan replied, grinning.

Mateo grinned before he followed after Chris and Josh, leaving Jordan with Ashley, Matt and Sam still at the unlocked lodge and the cold freezing her from the inside out.

Hoping the boys would find a way in and they'd all get warm soon.

***

Mateo knew the minute Josh asked him to come along wasn't because he needed help but was instead about his surprise as Josh gave him a knowing look and grin and asked, "So, Mateo? Big surprise for Jordan, eh?"

"Shh! She'll hear you," Mateo whispered. "And how did you find out anyway? I only told Emily, Matt and... Chris."

He glared at Chris, who just held his hands up and apologised, "Sorry, man. I just... I know this I really exciting for you! But I promise, no one else knows."

"Good. It's hard enough keeping this from Mike—he'll just let it accidentally slip to Jordan about it. Thank God Emily knows how to keep a secret," Mateo said, though he shuddered as he remembered the terrifying look in Emily Davis' eyes as she lectured him that if he was serious, then he better not hurt her best friend, the girl she saw as a sister, or he'd face her wrath and an unmarked grave. Not like Mateo would ever hurt Jordan, but Emily's words convinced him even further not to dare hurt her.

"Right, right. And when are you planning to ask her, big guy?" Josh asked, smirking.

"Soon, hopefully. Sooner once we get the lodge unlocked and everyone inside," Mateo answered, gripping the strap of the carry-on bag. The surprise was still inside, safe and secure, as it would be for the rest of the night until he could show his surprise to Jordan.

He hoped it would go well. He had everything planned out. It just depended on what Jordan would say after.

Josh grinned. "Good luck, man. She's totally gonna say yes."

"That's the hope," Mateo said, grinning as they resumed the walk.

As they did, Josh remarked to Chris, "Ashley was looking pretty hot today, right?"

Mateo frowned as Josh stepped and turned around, saying to his best friend, "She's like a 'sleeper hit' kinda gal, you know? Now I just want to rip that parka right off her and make some snow angels. Right?"

"Dude, don't talk about women like that," Mateo muttered, glaring at Josh. Even though he had his own girlfriend and could guess Josh was joking, he hated hearing women talked about like that, a product of growing up with his mom and older sisters and forthright, strong-willed tias and his iron-minded, no-nonsense abuelitas, especially the woman who raised his dad. At the thought of his father, an old knob of grief built in his throat before Mateo pushed it down and kept glaring at Josh.

"Hey, I'm just saying," Josh said, raising his hands.

"Josh, I'd punch you if you said that about my girlfriend."

"I wouldn't. But, she isn't gonna be your girlfriend for long, huh, Delgado?" Josh asked, smirking.

Mateo rolled his eyes as Chris said to Josh, "Yeah. Absolutely.

"When are you gonna take her to the bone zone?" Josh questioned.

"I agree—except for the bone zone. Chris, dude, when are you finally gonna tell her how you feel?" Mateo asked.

"Sheesh, like that could ever happen. We're not you and Jordan, Mateo," Chris answered.

"Come on, man. She practically spends her entire life with you as is, just like my man Mateo and Jordan do. Only difference is they're officially an item and Mateo's gonna pr—" Josh argued, but Mateo covered his mouth as he hissed, "Quiet. This is why I didn't want to tell anyone else except for Emily, Matt and Chris, especially you, Josh! You can't keep a secret to save your life."

Josh's eyes gleamed as Mateo lowered his hand from Josh's mouth. "Yeah, sure."

"Well, yeah, but we're like, friends," Chris argued to Josh. "It's not like Mateo and Jordan. We're just gonna be friends. That's all."

"Listen dude. Look around you. Look at these beautiful mountains. Do you see any parents? I mean can you imagine a more perfect, ripe scenario just dripping with erotic possibilities? You and Ashley. Alone at last," Josh said. "You've lad all the groundwork. You've been a perfect gentleman. Now you come in for the kill!"

"He's right, Chris. Tonight is the perfect night to make a move," Mateo agreed, looking down as he muttered, "For both of us."

Chris frowned, before saying, "Maybe you're right."

Josh scoffed. "You're a hunter, bro. No fear. No mercy. I mean she won't even know what hit her."

Chris and Josh laughed as Mateo glared at Josh again for the comment. "Dude."

Josh held up his hands, before he and Chris walked away, Mateo following after them as Chris said, "Alright, alright, I got it. Jeez."

"Hey, if us being alone out here has you finally make a move on Ash..." Mateo mused, Chris shoving him as he grinned.

As they walked to the lodge, Josh inquired, "So how are we planning on breaking into my parents' lodge, buds?"

"Hey, I'm staying out of this. You wanna break into your own house, go ahead dude," Mateo said, gesturing to show it as well.

Josh shrugged as Chris said, "Wait I didn't say I had a plan..."

"You sounded like you had a plan," Josh argued as they walked around the side of the lodge, coming to a window. "You better deliver, Cochise, or else you got five lovely ladies who are gonna be freezing their buns off, and last time I checked, that's not a good way to get laid."

Mateo glared at Josh. "Dude. That's my girlfriend you're talking about."

'Sorry, man. Except for Delgado's girl. We all know you have other plans for Jordan," Josh amended, grinning as Mateo sighed.

"Well shoot. Nobody likes cool buns," Chris deadpanned.

As they walked toward the window, Mateo noticed the absence of the axe that was usually in its case on the wall for chopping firewood or an emergency.

"Uh, that's weird," Mateo muttered as he looked at Josh. "Hey, you noticed you're missing an axe, Washington?"

"No, but it must be inside," Josh reasoned.

Mateo frowned, thinking that weird, before he decided to shrug it off as they stood underneath a window leading into a storage room, a cabinet near it.

"Well, well, well. We got ourselves a thinker. Nice one," Josh quipped. 

Mateo rolled his eyes as he, Chris and Josh worked together in dragging the cabinet until it was now underneath the window and a suitable climbing platform for them to get through the window. Straightening, Mateo joined Chris and Josh in standing in front of the cabinet and staring at the window, before Josh pointed to Chris, obviously a sign that he should go in first.

Chris did so, climbing up the cabinet, wobbling a bit before he opened the window and climbed inside. But instead of sticking the landing, he toppled inside and crashed to the floor. Instantly Mateo was on the cabinet and climbing through the window, Josh right behind as he dropped to the floor and helped Chris up, saying, "Shit, dude, are you okay?"

"Fine," Chris wheezed as he stood up with Mateo's help, groaning and wincing as he exclaimed, "I'm okay! Should have paid more attention in climbing class."

Mateo gave him a disbelieving look as Josh asked, "You mean gym?"

"My thoughts exactly. Chris, how could you get that wrong?" Mateo questioned.

Chris just shrugged. "Yeah you know, with the climbing up the rope—"

A shattering, popping noise came as the three boys looked to see that the lightbulb that had been providing light was busted, as now the only way they could see in the dark was the light filtering in from outside through the open window..

"Oh man," Mateo groaned.

"Whoa," Josh muttered.

"Did I do that?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, your latent telekinesis shattered it, dude," Mateo deadpanned, Chris giving him a look.

"I... I don't think so," Josh said.

"Could have been a surge," Mateo reasoned, shrugging.

"Yeah. Here, use this," Josh said.

The two turned to Josh as he handed Chris a lighter. Chris flicked it on and a small orange flame came to life, lighting up the dark storage room a fraction.

"Whoa, Chris, Mateo. I just got an awesome idea," Josh said.

"Yeah?" Chris asked, Mateo frowning—sometimes Josh's "awesome" ideas weren't as awesome as he thought.

"Totally."

"Well, what is it?"

"Okay. So, I am pretty sure that I've got some deodorant in one of the bathrooms. You could use that with the lighter," Josh explained.

"I don't—I don't follow. How's a stick of deodorant gonna help?" Chris questioned.

Mateo looked at him in disbelief again as Josh clarified, "Spray on. It's a can."

"Oh, yeah. Now I gotcha," Chris said, catching on.

"Flamethrower!"

"Just like we did with the lil' army dudes!" Chris exclaimed.

"Yup. The ones we melted. Just point the spray can at the lighter and FWOOSH," Josh explained.

"Bye-bye frozen lock," Chris said, finishing what Josh meant for the deodorant, the lighter and the lock,

"Hey, we're already breaking and entering. Might as well add arson to our list of crimes," Mateo deadpanned, shrugging.

"Bingo," Josh said, looking away, before turning back and saying, "Alright, so you two got this. I'm gonna go sort something out. You two up for hunting around in the dark for a little bit?"

Mateo frowned. What did Josh need to do that wasn't involved with the lodge? Unless he wanted to help Mateo with his surprise and make it better... No. No, Mateo didn't need that. He already planned it perfectly, he didn't want any additions Josh might concoct for it.

"If you're thinking about what I'm planning and wanting to make my—" Mateo threatened, only for Josh to cut him off with a chuckle and say, "Relax, Delgado. I'm sure you have it all planned out. It's something else."

"Oh," Mateo said, but he still gave Josh a suspicious look, not entirely trusting it.

Chris, meanwhile, looked around before shrugging and replying, "Nope. But I'll do it."

"I'll go with you, Chris—make sure you don't accidentally burn down the lodge," Mateo said, grinning teasingly.

"Hey," Chris said, but Mateo ignored it as Josh saluted them and farewelled, "Godspeed, pilgrims."

Then he was gone, leaving Chris and Mateo alone to find the deodorant and unlock the door.

As they looked around the storage room, Mateo's eyes landed on what looked like one of the totems Sam had found next to the sign. Frowning in confusion at how this ended up in the lodge storage room and filled with an urge to pick it up and see what was inside it, Mateo bent down and picked up the wooden totem, noting the paint around it, as he stared at the hollow blackness inside it.

*

* LOSS TOTEM *

Jordan was running in the mines, her face full of terror. She was right behind Emily, but as she reached for the elevator, and just before she could grab Emily's outstretched hand to pull her to safety, the monster chasing her down caught up to her and tore its claws down her leg. She screamed in pain as the creature's long, thin, clawed fingers wrapped around her throat, something silver glinting around her neck before the claws dug in and tore her head off. Blood sprayed in a fountain of red as Jordan's head toppled down, unseeing blue eyes staring blankly as the creature pressed its fangs to her headless body, consuming her as Emily's sobs over her best friend's death rang out in the mines, quiet except for the horrifying noises of the monster eating Jordan's lifeless, decapitated body.

*

Mateo frowned as he stared at the totem before he put it down and stood up. 

"You okay, Mateo?" Chris asked.

"Yeah. Just found a totem. It was really weird," Mateo informed.

"Huh," Chris said as he walked over and picked it up. He stared at it before setting it down and admitting, "Yeah, that is weird."

Mateo nodded, before he suggested, "Come on. Let's get that deodorant and bring everyone inside."

"Including Jordan, huh? Don't wanna pop out your surprise on a popsicle, huh?" Chris teased, grinning.

Mateo shoved Chris as he chuckled, before they walked toward the door. Something clattered as a squeak rang out—were there rats in the lodge or something?—before Chris headed over to a cabinet shelf, seeing something on the top of it.

Mateo followed behind him as he saw the headline printed in bold: 'EX-JANITOR CONVICTED FOR ARSON—SWEARS REVENGE ON MOVIE MOGUL'S FAMILY'. 

Mateo whistled lowly as Chris observed, "So, what have we here?"

"A reason we shouldn't have come back here," Mateo muttered, before his eyes widened and he said, "Chris, don't say anything to Jordan about this. She says she's fine, but I can tell she's nervous about being back on the mountain, after what happened to Hannah and Beth. She's keeping it together for my sake as well as Josh's, and she took some of her meds before we left Toronto and brought them with her if she needs them, but if she hears some psycho might be on the mountain with us..."

"It could freak her out. Badly," Chris finished, knowing exactly what Mateo meant—Jordan finding out about some maniac on the mountain, coupled with her current nervousness, seemed like a perfect mix for her to have a panic attack. And since he'd seen her have an attack once, Chris wasn't willing to cause one by telling her about this and tipping her already-high anxiety levels over the edge. "Don't worry, man. I won't tell her."

"Thank you," Mateo murmured, giving him a grateful smile as Chris put the newspaper fragment back down and they headed toward and through the already-open doorway—and into the lodge proper.

Inside, the flame from the lighter cast an orange glow over the stone-and-wood walls, before lighting up an old portrait of the twins, Josh and their parents in a gilt frame.

"Huh. That's cool," Chris remarked at seeing it.

Mateo scowled. He was thinking more pretentious. Did he need any more reminders on how fucking wealthy the Washingtons were?

"Let's just find that deodorant," Mateo muttered, turning down the right as Chris followed him. Faint noises clanged about in the lodge, but that could just be the lodge settling. After all, it had been a year since they'd all been up here, minus all the police and reporters and forensic scientists walking through the lodge when they were still actively investigating the twins' disappearance, before letting it grow cold. That had left a despondency in Mateo—if the police could give up on Hannah and Beth, two rich girls, the demographic they'd look for the hardest and use as many resources as they could, what hope was there in finding them? In finding their bodies, if what Mateo suspected was true. Even though it had been snowing and at night, no one could have just... disappeared like that. There had to be an explanation for why they were gone.

He tried that, but he had to stop—it was taking too much of a toll on his mind, had left him consumed with the mystery and the guilt of not finding them, different from Jordan's guilt. Mateo didn't regret not letting her go after Beth and Hannah—she would just be lost, and he'd be driven mad with grief and guilt. But still, the mystery plagued him, and he knew, he knew, they were dead.

No one could have survived this long, on this mountain, without being found and still be alive.

It just determined whether their deaths were accidental and a cause of the elements and starvation... or someone murdered them.

Shaking the thoughts away, Mateo and Chris kept walking further into the lodge—until a creak sounded before the door closed.

"Huh?" Chris questioned, looking unnerved. "What the hell was that?"

"Probably the door to the room we just walked out of closing from the wind," Mateo reasoned as they came to the end. Mateo saw a deer skull hanging from the wall as he and Chris walked up the steps and opened another door into the main lodge, going inside as Mateo closed the door behind him. Inside, Mateo saw the entrance room, and his heat lurched at how normal it looked, that aside from some sheets covering the furniture it looked like nothing had changed at all, that it had been preserved in time the moment the twins had vanished. He couldn't imagine what seeing this room, seeing how unchanged it looked, would affect Jordan, but Mateo knew he would be there for her, for the girl he loved most in the world, the girl he'd always choose in every lifetime they had together.

Walking across the room, Chris and Mateo came to the front door, where he could see Jordan, Sam and Ashley outside, trying to keep warm even though Jordan in her blue parka, grey sweater, thermal tank top and the red, black and grey flannel she stole from Mateo long ago would have been the warmest of them all aside from her cream scarf, lilac beanie and matching gloves, and her jeans and hiking boots. Still, Mateo wanted to open the door to let the girls in and have Jordan warm up a little, maybe see if he could find some hot chocolate and make what he was planning even more perfect for her.

God, he hoped she would say yes.

His rumination of the surprise was cut off when Chris ducked out of sight at the door, a grin on his face. Getting what he intended, Mateo matched the grin and ducked to the other side of the door before they dramatically moaned, "WOOOOoooooOOooooOOO!"

Jordan groaned outside as Sam walked up and snarked, "Hi, Chris, Mateo very funny."

"How'd you know it was us?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, could have been the other side communicating," Mateo replied, still grinning.

"Because it seems like the type my idiot jokester of a boyfriend and my idiot jokester of a friend would do," Jordan deadpanned, glaring at them through the window pane.

"Aw, querida, you know me too well," Mateo said, smiling at her. Jordan just rolled her eyes and huffed, though a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Shouldn't you two be, like, getting the lock open or something?" Sam questioned, Jordan adding pointedly, "Before we either die of hypothermia or frostbite?"

"Don't worry Sam, Jor, you'll be nice and toasty and frostbite-free soon," Mateo assured.

"Yeah, we're on it," Chris affirmed before he and Mateo turned away from the door and continued their search for the deodorant that would unfreeze the lock and have everyone come inside.

As they walked out of the entrance room and into the main living room room, sheets draped over chairs looking like phantoms in the orange light of the flame, before they walked up the stairs and went right, reaching the landing and walking down the corridor to where Mateo hoped they could find a bathroom, turning the corner and heading into another hallway, walking through it and out the other end, back to the main space of the house. 

Mateo bit back a groan—he didn't remember the lodge taking him around in fucking circles last year, but then again that was maybe because it wasn't so freaking dark—as Chris found a door and opened it. It creaked as it swung open and the two headed inside, seeing much to Mateo's relief they had entered the bathroom. He looked at the tub, and wondered if, after his surprise, he and Jordan could sneak up here and take one together. After all, it was big enough for them both, and he could play their playlist, maybe light some candles and set a romantic mood...

A screeching growl punctured the romantic thoughts in Mateo's head as he whirled around, seeing Chris on the ground and a wolverine that must have found its way in there darting out of the room.

"Holy shit, Chris, you okay, man?" Mateo asked as he helped him up.

"I'm fine," Chris answered as he stared the wolverine. "What the fuck!?"

Mateo grinned. "Guess the local wildlife wanted to say hi."

"Funny," Chris snarked with a roll of his eyes, before he lifted the can of deodorant and said with a grin, "Jackpot."

"Great. Let's head back to the door," Mateo suggested.

Chris nodded and they left the bathroom and went back and down the stairs, heading right to the front door to let everyone in. As they did, Mateo heard Ashley yell, "We're freezing our buns off out here!"

"Do not fret, ladies. Help has arrived!" Mateo declared dramatically, before he stepped aside to allow Chris to do the honours. He did, the spray from the deodorant passing through the flame of the lighter, causing a burst of fire that had the knob glow slightly as it was thawed. Once it looked thawed enough, Chris shut off the makeshift flamethrower and opened the door, yelping in pain at the hot handle as the door swung open, revealing Jordan, Sam and Ashley.

"Thank you. Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week," Chris said in a dramatic announcer's voice, only to let out a yelp as the wolverine charged past and out the door, running straight between the girls.

"Jeez," he hissed as the girls smiled and chuckled.

"Crap, that thing freaked me out," Chris said, hand to his chest. 

"What was it? Are you okay?" Ashley questioned.

"It was like a bear or a tiger or something," Chris answered.

"Chris, it's winter. Bears are hibernating right now, and tigers live in Asia," Jordan pointed out.

"Aww, it was just a cute little baby wolverine!" Sam teased, grinning as Josh ran up the stairs behind the girls.

"Baby?!"

"Don't worry, buddy. You're gonna be a big boy soon," Josh teased as he ran up the stairs, smirking at Chris.

"Yeah, just give it a couple of years," Mateo teased as he helped Jordan carry the suitcase inside as she, Sam and Ashley walked in. She smiled and Mateo smiled back. God, he could live forever off of that smile, a smile so beautiful and kind that just lit up her whole face. A smile that was like her—warm, sweet, compassionate and kind. That even with her anxiety, Jordan Rutcher was one of the kindest and most driven souls on the planet, her dedication to her studies just so she could help others and save lives as a doctor, that whenever any of them were hurt or sick Jordan became single-mindedly focused on making sure they were better, no trace of anxiety or nervousness in her as an inner strength was brought to the light.

Mateo loved that smile, loved that kindness and compassion, loved that dedication and inner strength, loved everything about Jordan Rutcher. 

And he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with her—and hopefully he would, if everything tonight went according to plan.

***

>:)

I loved writing this!! And yeah, poor Jordan is feeling anxious about being here and being worried about Josh and his mental health (if only she knew....) but I liked writing it and her interactions with Matt, especially Matt! He's so underrated

And yeah, we finally got a Mateo viewpoint!! Josh knows thanks to Chris about the surprise, and Mateo's immediately suspicious he's gonna do something about it (except Josh has his own surprises) And Mateo was with Chris in the lodge before they let everyone in and found the loss totem, with it being a vision of Jordan being killed by a Wendigo in the mines. Now to see if that will come true... >:)

Also, for people who might be saying Mateo and Chris are babying Jordan about not telling her about the faked newspaper and "maniac"... she literally has a diagnosed anxiety disorder and, when they're triggered, has really bad panic attacks that only got worse after the twins' disappearance and the guilt she has from it, bad enough that she needs medication to help her manage it. Maybe it's coddling and Jordan will find out anyway the mountain isn't exactly safe and find some inner strength when she's in the mines with Emily, but can you blame Mateo and Chris being a concerned boyfriend/friend making sure they don't trigger one of her attacks because of a supposed maniac on the mountain when she's already tense enough?

But we have only a couple more chapters of calm! And then the craziness starts >:)

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!