Chapter Zero: Winter Takes All

(Prologue)

***

*Warning: Implied near-sexual scene*

One year ago...

"Em, this is a really bad idea."

"Relax, Jord, it's gonna be fine!"

"How can you be so sure it will though?" Jordan questioned, arms folded over her white pattern sweater. The light from the lodge glinted against the two silver rings on her middle and index finger and the other three rings dangling from a necklace around her neck—a gift from her boyfriend, Mateo. 

"Because it just will. And it's just teaching her a lesson that she shouldn't make any moves on my man," Emily said, waving it off. At seeing the look on her face, Emily held her arm and assured, "Relax, babes. She's going to laugh it off with us after. It's just a prank."

Jordan fiddled with her rings, before sighing. "Fine. Do it. But for the record, this is a really bad and very humiliating idea and I will stand by that till the day I die."

"Thanks, Jord! Seeya once it's over!" Emily exclaimed, blowing her a kiss before sauntering out of the library and toward the other co-conspirators of the prank. Not like they would do it—Jordan didn't think they'd be able to go through with it and humiliate Hannah or mess with her feelings. 

Jordan sighed, dropping her arms and looking at the books filling the library. This had to be one of her favourite places in the lodge, surrounded by so many books, so much knowledge. Her second would have to be when she looked out one of the windows and was treated to the spectacular view of the snow-brushed mountain, black pines stretching up to scratch the sky with their snow-laden boughs, as the valley below continued as far as the eye could see. It looked like something straight out of a painting, a picturesque view of a wintry mountain landscape. Like some winter fairytale.

But with the wind howling outside and the vicious flurries of snow that darkened the day even before night had fallen, the fairytale transformed into a horror movie.

Jordan shook her head. She was being ridiculous. Despite the ominous feeling of night falling during a snowstorm, there was nothing to be afraid of. It was just a mountain, after all. There was nothing lurking in the dark among the snow and cold.

Nothing.

A knock startled Jordan, heartbeat spiking.

"Hey, querida."

Jordan turned and relaxed at seeing Mateo Delgado there, a playful smirk on his face that used to annoy Jordan but was now endearing to her, leaning against the doorframe, his hand still raised to knock.

"Oh my God, Mateo. You scared me," she breathed, hand still to her chest.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you," her boyfriend apologised, before the smirk shifted into a concerned look. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just got lost in my thoughts. You know how it is," Jordan assured, smiling.

"Yeah, I know. You get so stuck in your brain it feels like you need to be physically pulled out," Mateo told her, walking across the room to stand in front of her.

"Yep, that's me," Jordan affirmed.

Mateo gave her a quizzical look. "Everything okay, Jor?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Absolutely, completely fine," Jordan assured.

Mateo didn't look convinced, before the smirk returned, a twinkle in his eyes that Jordan knew too well.

"What? What's got you with that twinkle?" Jordan asked, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Well, Emily and the rest are doing something, Josh and Chris are currently passed out drunk and Hannah and Beth are doing whatever. So..." Mateo started, holding her arms as his hands rubbed them up and down.

"So?" Jordan prompted, tilting her head as her brown hair shifted down and her smile widened a fraction.

"So, that means we're alone to... warm each other up a bit," Mateo proposed, the twinkle sparkling in his eyes.

"Oh. And by warm up, you mean..." Jordan said, stepping closer as she fiddled with the collar of his flannel, smile turning playful and knowing.

"I mean, you look sexy in that sweater, but you'd look sexier without it," Mateo purred in her ear.

Jordan looked at him, smirking, before she tugged his arm.

"Well, then, let's get started in warming each other up," Jordan said, the smirk dancing across her face as Mateo grinned and they rushed out of the library and up the stairs to the guest room they shared, giggling and shushing each other so no one would hear, then laughing again before they walked into their room.

Once they were inside, Mateo slammed the door before he took Jordan's face in his hands and kissed her passionately. Jordan's arms came up around his neck, fingers tingling in the short hair at the back of his neck before they pulled apart, smiling and laughing, until Jordan pulled off Mateo's flannel and he helped her take off her sweater, before he took off his short-sleeved shirt and Jordan pulled off her tank top and then they both unbuttoned and shimmied out of their jeans, leaving them half-naked except for their jeans and Jordan's bra, standing close to each other and smiling at each other as Jordan splayed her hands against Mateo's chest, fingers tracing over the tattoos imprinted on his chest then down his arms, before she took off her boots and grabbed his hand, tugging him over to the bed as he laughed and kicked off his shoes, Jordan laughing as well as she fell down on the bed, Mateo over her as he held her face gently, reverently and pressed a kiss against her mouth, down her neck, across the lines of her collarbone and drifting over her shoulder, gently kissing the tattoo there of a daffodil—her mom's favourite flower—before he tugged down the bra strap and pressed a kiss to Jordan's mouth, so long and so passionate it had Jordan's toes curl up and golden warmth flood throughout her.

He pulled back to whisper, "You warm enough yet, mi amor?"

"Nope. Barely," Jordan whispered back, before slamming her mouth against Mateo before she rolled them over so she was on top, kissing him again and again as she traced the lines of his tattoos, a map across his skin she knew so well, patterns she could trace in her sleep, feeling Mateo's hands around her waist, sliding up her back and beginning to unclasp her bra as her hand held his face and the other drifted to the button on his jeans and—

Something swept past the window.

Jordan jerked up, saying, "What the hell was that?"

"What the hell was what?" Mateo asked, sitting up awkwardly as he looked out the window. "Querida?"

"I thought I saw something outside," Jordan breathed as she moved off Mateo, eyes locked on the void-like darkness of outside, peppered by the white flash of snow.

"There's no one out there. It's just us on the mountain," Mateo assured.

"Yeah, but what if there was somebody outside? What if they were watching us, and we're alone here and without any cell reception, what if there's some sort of psycho who wants to kill us, oh God, there's some psycho outside and..." Jordan spiralled, chewing her nails as her breathing sharpened.

"Hey. Hey, hey. Querida, mi amor, look at me. Jordan, please, look at me," Mateo implored, his gentle voice and the weight of his hand on her shoulder pulling Jordan out of her spiralling thoughts as she looked at Mateo as he assured, "There's no one out there, Jordan. We're alone, yes, but we're the only humans here. There's no one else here. It was probably a deer or something, okay? We're okay, and we're safe in here. It's alright."

"Yeah, but what if—" Jordan worried.

"There isn't. We're safe, okay? It's just us. Just us," Mateo assured before he wrapped his arms around her, the security of his embrace calming the anxiety and panic threatening to send Jordan spiralling as she relaxed in the comfort, the safety, of his arms, to relax in the surety of his words.

"Yeah, you're right. It's just us. Stupid to think no one else would be here," Jordan murmured as she rested her head against his chest. "Thanks. I feel pretty stupid."

"Hey, don't be. It's not stupid to worry about something like that," Mateo assured her, before he pressed a kiss on the top of her head, still holding her. "But we're alone. There's nobody else on this mountain but us."

"Nobody but us," Jordan agreed.

A beat of silence before Mateo asked, "Do you want to resume things where we left off, or..."

"Actually, I'm not in the mood anymore. Being frightened to death by some imaginary psycho watching us kinda killed the mood for me," Jordan answered, pulling herself out of Mateo's arms.

"Okay. Totally understand. Whatever makes you feel comfortable, querida," Mateo told her, holding her shoulders and rubbing his hands up and down her forearms to comfort her,

Jordan smiled before she turned around and said, "Although, I'm very keen on keeping each other warm. Except we just cuddle instead."

"Sure. I would love to cuddle you," Mateo said as he moved under the sheets, a playful smirk on his face as he remarked, "Though I was right. You look even sexier without that sweater on."

Jordan playfully swatted Mateo on the arm for that, her boyfriend chuckling as she slid under the sheets and wrapped her arms, Mateo holding her as well, their legs tangling together. Jordan smiled, the warmth of their combined body heat and the feeling of Mateo's arms around her, the sound of his heartbeat against her eyes relaxing her, making her eyes drift close.

"I love you, Mateo," she murmured.

"I love you too, Jordan," he whispered back, kissing her forehead as Jordan snuggled closer, sighing in contentment at being in the arms of the man she loved so much, eyes sliding close as she could feel her breathing even, hearing Mateo's doing the same.

Neither knew how long they slept for, holding each other, before a loud BANG startled them awake.

"What was that?" Mateo questioned.

"I don't know," Jordan said, before she realised she did know—or she thought she know. "Oh shit."

"What? What is it, Jor?" Mateo questioned as Jordan got out of the bed and pulled on her boots, then her tank top and sweater on.

"Emily told me she, Jess, Mike, Ashley and Matt were going to play a prank on Hannah about her crush on Mike. I didn't think they'd actually go through with it, but they did and Hannah's probably humiliated right now and we gotta go to them and make sure Hannah's okay," Jordan explained in a breath as she fixed up her mussed hair.

"Oh. Shit, I knew something was up with Mike. Shit, shit, okay, okay..." Mateo said, muttering a string of Spanish as he tugged on his shirt and flannel before they rushed out of their room and down the stairs—right as they heard Beth say, "Guys, there's someone outside."

Jordan looked at Mateo, before she sprinted down the stairs and nearly collided with Beth, who stared at her and Mateo and questioned, "Uh, were you guys screwing?"

"No, but Beth, where's Hannah?" Jordan asked.

"I saw her run outside, but I also saw—" Beth answered, only for Mateo to interrupt, "Hey, everyone's running outside."

The girls shared a look before they and Mateo sprinted toward where the others were,  Beth pausing to grab her pink puffer jacket, Jordan hearing Sam shout into the snowstorm, "Hannah!"

"What's going on? Where's my sister going?" Beth questioned as she pushed past Mike and Matt.

Mateo turned to Mike. "Dude, what did you do?"

"Ugh, it's fine. She just can't take a joke," Jess said.

Jordan looked at her, stunned. "A joke? Really, Jess?"

"It was just a prank, Han!" Emily called out.

"What did you do?!" Beth demanded.

"We were just messing around, Beth. It wasn't serious," Mike defended.

"You guys humiliated her! I told you that it was a bad idea, Emily," Jordan exclaimed, glaring at her best friend.

Beth was just as angry, yelling, "You jerks!", before she ran off into the snowstorm, shouting, "Hannah! HANNAH!"

"So... Should we go after her?" Mike questioned everyone.

Jordan and Mateo stared at him in disbelief along with Sam, as the blonde sniped, "Y'know, I kinda think you're the last person she wants to see right now, Mike."

"But someone should. She's gonna get lost in there," Jordan said, making to run after her—but Mateo grabbed her before she could.

"Hey! Let me go, Mateo!" Jordan yelled, struggling in his grip.

"Jordan, I can't!" Mateo yelled back.

"She's gonna get lost—they both will. I have to go after them!" Jordan shouted, fighting even more to get free. That snowstorm was thick, howling like a banshee, snow whiting out the world. Coupled with the night's darkness, it was impossible to see, much less recognise your surroundings, Beth needed someone after her, she had to go after Beth and Hannah.

"Jordan, you'll be killed if you go after them! Beth and Hannah know this mountain, they grew up here. They know their way back. They'll be fine," Mateo argued, voice turning softer as he whispered, "I can't lose you in there."

"He's right, Jord. Hannah and Beth know the mountain. They'll be back," Emily assured, stepping in.

Finally able to fight free, Jordan glared at Emily. "You're the last person I want comfort from right now, Em."

"Jord—" Emily started, but Jordan yelled, "I told you this prank was a bad idea! I told you it would just humiliate Hannah! Now she and possibly Beth are out there, in the woods, alone and in a snowstorm during the pitch fucking black of night! They could get hurt or killed, just because you all wanted to prank Hannah."

She glared at everyone except Sam and Mateo, saying lowly, "I won't go after them. But you should have never pulled that prank. Just pray they both make it back alive."

Then she was storming inside the lodge, as behind her she heard Mateo tell Mike, "Mike, why the hell didn't you tell me about the prank?'

"If you told you, you would have tried to stop it," Mike reasoned, as Mateo yelled, "Damn right I would have! What the fuck were you thinking, that you were all thinking? You don't play with feelings, man. You just don't."

Then he was storming inside as well as the rest followed, wearing varying expressions of guilt on their faces for what happened with the prank causing both twins to run out into the snowstorm. Jordan and Mateo kept their distance from Emily and Mike, neither willing to be near their best friends at the moment.

That was when Chris and Josh woke up from their drunken stupors, Chris groaning, "Ugh, my head..."

Josh laughed bitterly. "You and me both, Cochise."

Chris just groaned.

Josh looked at them, before he asked, "Hey, why's the door open? Where's my sisters?"

They all looked at each other before Sam started, "Josh, they..."

At that, the smile fell off his face as it paled. "No."

"Josh—" Sam started, but he was out of the chair as he demanded, "What did you do?"

"Josh, it was just a prank," Ashley whispered.

"What did you do!?" Josh repeated in a roar. 'What the fuck did you guys do to my sisters?!"

"Hannah just couldn't take a joke and ran out crying. Beth followed her, and—" Jess started, rolling her eyes, before Josh yelled, "They ran out?! Into that?!"

Then he was running, before Chris and Mateo grabbed him.

"Let go of me! I need to go after them!" Josh shouted.

"Josh, bro, are you crazy?! You can't go out there! It's snowing and fucking pitch black out there!" Chris yelled.

"They're my sisters! My baby sisters! I need to go after them, I need to bring them back!" Josh yelled, struggling even more.

"Josh, you go out there, you'll get lost as well! Stay inside, they'll come back! They'll come back!" Mateo yelled.

At that, Josh stopped struggling before he harshly pulled away and stayed near the door, watching and waiting for any sign Beth and Hannah were coming back. Any sign his sisters were returning to the lodge.

They waited as well, all night, for any sign Beth and Hannah were coming back, any sign that the twins were coming back to the lodge and would materialise from the snowstorm like ghosts.

But there was no sign, not that night or any other night no matter how long or how far the search parties looked on Blackwood Mountain, looking through the woods, the area around the lodge, even the abandoned sanatorium, Josh, Sam, Chris, Jordan and Mateo joining the search parties to look tirelessly for the twins before they couldn't. But there was nothing, no sign or any trace of them.

Beth and Hannah Washington had vanished, the snow and the dark taking them away.

As if they never existed at all.

***

ATTRIBUTES

Jordan

brave: 3/10

funny: 7/10

curious: 4/10

romantic: 8/10

Mateo: 10/10

Chris: 8/10

Ashley: 7/10

Jess: 6/10

Matt: 7/10

Emily: 9/10

Josh: 8/10

Mike: 7/10

Sam: 8/10

Mateo

brave: 7/10

funny: 8/10

curious: 7/10

romantic: 9/10

Jordan: 10/10

Chris: 8/10

Ashley: 6/10

Jess: 5/10

Matt: 8/10

Emily: 7/10

Josh: 8/10

Mike: 9/10

Sam: 8/10

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HERE WE GO!!!

Literally so excited to write this AHHH!!! Can't wait!!! (especially once all the supernatural shit starts going down >:) )

Yeah, Jordan knew about the prank and thought it was a bad idea and said as much (but Emily didn't listen to her), but it still wouldn't help her guilt at all. And you all met Mateo!! He and Jordan are the cutest and just the sweetest couple ever—I love them so much 🥰 And yes, they almost had sex before the Stranger interrupted, but it's not as if I would have actually depicted them having sex (sorry, but that's all you getting—I don't do sex, both in real life and in writing), but it was nice writing their moments together before Hannah and Beth ran off and disappeared...

... Which they did, and which Jordan immediately wanting to go after them, but Mateo stopped her, and her and Mateo calling out Emily, Mike and the others who participated before going back inside where Josh and Chris woke up and Josh also tried to chase after his sisters if Chris and Mateo hadn't stopped him. Writing that hurt, tho :(

And yeah, the twins have vanished, and the fic proper shall start!! Also, since there's not a lot of group interactions in the first half of the game until Jordan and Mateo split up, there'll be original chapters for them (but they'll be very sweet, especially with one certain surprise Mateo has in store for Jordan a year later 🥰)

Buckle up everyone, for a traumatising—I mean exciting—night on the mountain >:)

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!