Once Alex was finally convinced of what made this universe so peculiar, the days began to blend together in a monotonous rhythm. He kept going to school with Lucina and Alice, watching from the sidelines as Bella and Edward played out their strange "romantic comedy."

Edward acted like a true two-faced jester: one day trying to get closer to Bella, the next pushing her away with cold words, as if suffering from sudden bouts of bipolar disorder. Sometimes Alex barely managed to restrain himself from stepping in and punching Edward in the face, but Lucina and Alice always stopped him, reminding him that Bella had to walk this path on her own.

Grinding his teeth, Alex only rolled his eyes and left Bella in the care of the girls, who could support her with words. His focus was elsewhere: finding the chess pieces set on the board by Chuck — the one who played the role of God here. His first priority was to search for traces of Amara. But he knew that as long as he concealed his powers, finding her would be nearly impossible. And if he used them, he risked drawing Chuck's attention.

Meanwhile, the girls from Orario began showing up more often. Now they came not just in the mornings to cook breakfast, but also in the evenings — helping Alex, Lucina, and Alice with their endless search for clues.

Still, Bella remained the main distraction. Every time Edward acted like a complete idiot, Alex struggled to keep his composure.

Weeks passed. Alex managed to visit several cursed places across the country — the kinds of places locals avoided and warned tourists away from with creepy legends.

One such place was the town of Blair, surrounded by a dense forest. The locals said people vanished in those woods without a trace — both travelers and townsfolk. Everyone believed a witch lived there.

Alex stood at the edge of the forest, staring into the darkness. To ordinary eyes, there was nothing but trees and shadows, but he saw far more: warped space, a territory the witch had turned into her own snare. Time flowed differently there, tangled like knotted threads woven into endless patterns.

People who stumbled into that place were trapped in an unending nightmare — a loop where each lived within their own fragment of time. Sometimes their paths crossed, but the endless horrors erased the line between dream and reality.

Alex took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled smoke. He wanted to enter the forest and deal with the witch, but he knew it was too soon. Chuck's chess pieces couldn't simply be swept off the board. Every move had to be covered, every disappearance — explainable.

He lifted his gaze toward the setting sun."Already evening. Time to head back. But first, there's one more place I need to visit," he murmured, releasing smoke into the crimson sky.

Alex cast one last look at Blair's forest and then vanished into thin air, like a mirage.

In the next moment, he stood in another place. Everything was blanketed in snow, the air slicing into his lungs with its icy chill. Snowflakes drifted down quietly, settling on his coat.

He raised his head toward the leaden clouds, then lowered his eyes. Below stretched a cable car line climbing up the mountainside. Nearby stood a wooden building with benches under a shelter, a place to wait for the funicular. A sign above the entrance bore the name of the location.

Alex smirked, taking another drag.

"Blackwood Mountain… Hm. No wonder they call it cursed."

Through the snowy haze, he could see the mountain's peak, illuminated by the last rays of the setting sun.

He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with the cold, fresh air. But along with the icy purity, he could clearly taste something else: a hunger for flesh, a gnawing pain, and a curse woven into every snowflake.

Blackwood Mountain was considered cursed for a reason. This was the domain of the Wendigo — creatures that the locals had tried, generation after generation, to keep contained, always in vain.

Alex could feel their presence clearly, as if countless eyes were watching him from deep within the mountain. A particular concentration came from one place — the Blackwood Sanatorium. Built in 1922 as a resort and spa for the wealthy, it had later been converted into a psychiatric clinic, and eventually abandoned altogether. Now it stood empty, hidden by trees and snow, but Alex knew — inside it teemed with a curse.

He understood: a Wendigo was not just a monster, but a malevolent spirit that possessed a person who had committed cannibalism out of desperation. From that moment, the victim was no longer human: the spirit slowly twisted them into a creature that devoured all living things. And though Alex could destroy both the Wendigos and the curse itself, there was no way to bring back those who had already been taken. Their souls had burned away, leaving nothing behind.

Alex drew on his cigarette, debating whether to interfere now. But his thoughts were interrupted by a strange sound — shuffling footsteps behind him. Someone was moving through the snow.

He turned his head and saw a girl carefully walking along the path. She hadn't noticed him yet, hidden as he was in the shadow of a tree.

"Hello? Is someone there?!" she called out, glancing around.

"There is," Alex answered calmly.

The girl flinched, sharply turning her head, and saw a young man about her age. A black coat dusted with snow, dark hair, and unusual eyes shimmering with every color of the rainbow. He looked as though he had stepped out of a novel.

Alex raised an eyebrow: her face looked familiar. Pale skin, light hair tied into a bun, with a few strands framing her face. A fur hat on her head, a warm leather jacket on her shoulders. A red plaid skirt reached her knees, black tights underneath. Hazel eyes, lips painted dark, and nails painted blue with tiny snowflakes.

"Um… who are you?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"Alexander," he replied with a faint smile, lifting the cigarette to his lips. "But my friends just call me Alex. Something like a private detective. And you?"

"Samantha Giddings," the girl answered with a smile. "You can just call me Sam. But… what's a detective doing in a place like this?"

"I've got an unusual client. An old man who collects legends. He heard about this mountain and hired me to look into the reasons for the sanatorium's closure. They say it shut down back in '55, and the reasons are still unclear." Alex took a step closer.

Sam narrowed her eyes slightly."Aren't you a little young to be a private detective?"

"You're not the first to think that," Alex smirked. "I prefer to prove my professionalism through results. None of my clients have ever complained… especially after seeing how meticulous I can be."

For a second Sam looked away, her smile faltering."I see. I thought… maybe someone else had gone missing in these mountains again."

"'Again'?" Alex repeated softly. "So there were disappearances before? If it's hard for you to talk about, you don't have to answer."

"It's fine," Sam sighed. "Maybe it'll even help your investigation. A year ago, two girls vanished here. They were never found. Not a trace. As if they just dissolved into thin air."

Alex pulled out a small notebook."Did you know these girls? Were they acquaintances? Friends? Or maybe family?"

"Yes… we were friends. Hannah and Beth. That night there was an incident. Hannah was upset and ran into the woods, and her sister Beth chased after her. And no one ever saw them again."

Sam fell silent, gazing toward the mountain.

"I'll need every detail," Alex said gently. "Even if a year has passed, there might still be something left… a clue. And maybe it ties into my case."

He smiled calmly, though deep within his rainbow eyes flickered a cold, calculating interest.

Sam looked at Alex, and she couldn't explain why — but she felt as though she had known him for a long time. His calm, reassuring smile inspired trust, as if she were standing beside someone she could truly rely on.

Above his shoulder, the drone-fairy Navi hovered quietly, recording every moment. Not only the girls in Orario were watching the broadcast, but also Lucina and Alice, who had stayed behind in Forks. Even Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Jay, who had dropped by to visit Alex, were seeing everything on the screen.

Samantha sighed heavily. It was clear how hard it was for her to revisit the memories of that day. Alex noticed her hesitation and gently patted her shoulder in support. It worked: gathering her thoughts, she began to speak.

It had all started with a foolish misunderstanding. Hannah was in love with Mike, and their friends decided to prank her by planting a fake note. What began as a joke turned into cruel mockery. Hannah couldn't take it — in tears, she ran into the woods. Only her sister Beth followed after her. And no one ever saw them again. No trace, no evidence. The police could only shrug.

Alex listened in silence, nodding occasionally. He already knew the story, but he understood: Samantha's words were more than just a retelling — they were her personal pain. All he could do was sympathize. The truth about what had happened to Hannah and Beth he kept to himself. To others, it would have sounded like madness.

After weighing everything, Alex made his decision — he would stay on the mountain for the night. He knew perfectly well that very soon events would unfold here that were better avoided.

Meanwhile, the viewers of the broadcast — Alex's family and the Cullens — listened closely to Samantha's story. All of them wanted to know the most important thing: what had really happened to the girls. But while Alex spoke with Sam, no one dared interrupt.

Then suddenly, a familiar voice for Samantha rang out behind her:

"Sammy! Hey, you came! Didn't expect to see you here… But here's the weird part — you never said you'd gotten yourself a boyfriend!"

Samantha and Alex turned at the same time. In front of them stood Chris — her friend. A teenager with rectangular glasses, bright blue eyes, and messy blond hair brushed to the side. He wore a layered light blue jacket over a green sweater and a shirt with a blue collar.

"Hi, Chris," Samantha said awkwardly, glancing at Alex. "No, he's not my boyfriend. This is Alex, a private detective. We just met, he was asking me what I know about this place."

"Aaah…" Chris drawled with a smirk. "And here I thought Miss 'Shine-Somewhere' had finally found herself a boyfriend. Turns out — just a detective."

"Don't start," Sam rolled her eyes wearily. "Have you run into anyone else from our group?"

"Only you so far. But you know…" he smiled slyly. "I stumbled onto something interesting."

"And what exactly?" Samantha raised an eyebrow.

"Not telling. Better you see for yourself. Come on, follow me," Chris said, heading off.

"Hey! Wait! Where to?" Sam called after him, but her friend only waved his hand dismissively.

She turned back to Alex, feeling awkward about leaving their conversation hanging.

"It's fine," he said calmly, lighting a new cigarette. "We'll have time to talk later. You should catch up with him, since you haven't seen each other in a while. Either way, we'll be taking the cable car together."

"Alright…" Sam apologized and hurried after Chris.

Alex watched her go, then sat down under the shelter on a bench. Pulling out his phone, he saw dozens of messages in the family chat. Most of them were about Samantha's story: the girls condemned her friends' prank and speculated on where Hannah and Beth had disappeared.

Alex began typing. In his first message, he explained why he had ended up on Blackwood Mountain after the events in Blair. Then he wrote about what was really happening here. With every sentence, his family waited eagerly for more, while he recalled and laid everything out step by step: the curse of the Wendigo and its connection to this mountain.

He hadn't finished typing when articles and legends about the Wendigo started appearing in the chat. Everyone quickly realized: these creatures weren't just monsters, but spirits of a curse. Alex, however, knew more: ordinary fire destroys their bodies, but not the spirit itself. Once freed, it seeks a new victim. And until the source of the curse itself is destroyed, getting rid of the Wendigo is impossible.

While Alex was busy messaging with his family, Samantha followed Chris. Her eyes suddenly caught a flyer pinned to the wooden wall.

She stepped closer and saw that it was a warning about a wanted dangerous criminal, accused of arson and threats of murder.

"Whoa… look at this," Sam said, pointing to the flyer. "They're looking for a criminal here."

"Seriously?" Chris perked up, walking over to her. "No way! So the most dangerous guy in the country might show up here?"

"I doubt it," Samantha said skeptically. "Why would a criminal hide out in the middle of nowhere?"

"Come on," Chris replied. "It's quiet and empty here almost all year round. Perfect hideout, isn't it?"

"Maybe," Sam shrugged. "But I don't think anyone would willingly freeze their butt off just to hide from the police. Now tell me, where are you leading me?"

"You'll see soon," he said mysteriously. "Just a few steps."

Sam cast one last glance at the flyer and followed him. Rounding the corner, she saw Chris had stopped near a small clearing.

Getting closer, Samantha noticed the place looked like a makeshift shooting range. Sandbags hung from a tree, rusty iron barrels stood nearby — all clearly used as targets.

"Ta-da!" Chris exclaimed, beaming. "So, how's that? Cool, huh?"

"Yea… very… cool," Sam drawled, exaggerating her tone.

"Look at this beauty!" he said enthusiastically, gesturing toward the clearing.

"'Beauty'? Seriously?" she scoffed. "Why even set up a shooting range under a ski resort?"

"Don't you know Josh's dad?" Chris shrugged. "He's a hunting fanatic. This is probably his doing. Want to go first? As a gentleman, I yield to the lady." He picked up a hunting rifle and handed it to Samantha.

"Why don't you go first, cowboy," she refused.

Chris just smirked, raised the rifle, and aimed at the nearest target.

Meanwhile, Alex, left alone, decided to survey the area a little. He approached the cliff and looked down: only rocks, snow, and frost-covered firs. The thought of dealing with everything quickly and leaving came to mind again.

The priority was handling the Wendigo living in these woods. And also those that Jack Fiddler kept in the sanatorium. He had no intention of interfering with someone else's revenge: John, having lost his sisters Hannah and Beth, had the right to his own plan. Alex knew the guy wasn't going to kill anyone — just scare his friends.

Leaning against the snow-covered wooden fence, he watched as the cable car approached. In the distance, Chris's shots echoed, and Alex just shook his head. Good thing there were no Wendigo nearby — otherwise the noise would have attracted them long ago.

When the cabin was halfway to the station, Alex headed for the doors. He pulled the handle — locked. Chuckling, he applied a little more force, and the lock gave way with a crack. He didn't care what the owners would think.

nside, the room was filled with skis, snowboards, and other equipment. Alex looked around, hoping to find something useful, but, alas, there was nothing. Returning to the platform, he leaned against the railing and waited.

Voices sounded. Turning, he saw Sam and Chris entering the room.

"Wait, weren't the doors locked?" Samantha asked in surprise.

"Josh said they were locked. He even left the key," Chris replied, pulling it from his pocket.

"Strange. But I found the doors open," Alex said calmly. "Who broke them or opened them, I don't know. Maybe your friend just forgot to lock them, that's all."

"Very like Josh," Chris nodded.

Alex smirked subtly. No one would guess that he was the one who had broken the doors open.

Chris wandered around the room, examining everything with interest, while Samantha stood by the railing, looking at the mountain. After a while, she turned to Alex, deciding to start a conversation.

"You said you work as a private detective, right? Why did you choose this profession?" she asked curiously.

Alex began weaving a plausible lie as usual. He confidently spoke about a "family business," supposedly investigated cases, skillfully inserting small details to make his story more convincing. Samantha listened attentively, occasionally nodding.

"And what are you looking for here, in Blackwood?" she asked, leaning on the railing next to him.

"Hard to say…" Alex lit a cigarette. "So far, I've found out that the Blackwood Sanatorium opened in 1922 and catered exclusively to wealthy clients. A kind of prestigious place for the elite. But in the early fifties, everything changed."

"Why?" Chris, clearly eavesdropping, interjected.

"There are mines northwest of here," Alex continued, exhaling smoke. "In 1952, there was an accident. The beams gave way, and the mine collapsed. About thirty miners were trapped underground."

"And what happened to them? Were they rescued?" Sam asked cautiously.

"Not all of them. Weeks in darkness, hunger, cold… Eventually, they started going insane. Some survived through cannibalism. Twelve died, the rest were pulled out, but their condition was… horrific. The survivors were sent to Blackwood Sanatorium for observation."

Alex flicked the cigarette butt into the abyss and continued.

"According to the documents, they all died shortly after being rescued: supposedly from disease and the effects of breathing dust for so long. But in the archives, I found mentions that experiments might have been conducted on them."

"My God…" Samantha whispered, clearly shaken. "I had no idea such horrors happened here."

"Maybe the ghosts of those miners still roam underground… Boo!" Chris said with a grin, trying to scare his friend.

"Idiot," Sam snapped, swinging at him. "People died there, and you're joking."

Alex just shook his head. At that moment, the cable car arrived. Without hesitation, he got inside and took a seat by the window. Sam followed, sitting across from him. Chris, although wanting to linger a little longer, eventually gave in to her persuasion and sat down beside her.

Alex leaned back and rested his head against the glass. The cabin slowly climbed up the slope. He half-listened to Sam and Chris talking about a friend named Josh, whom they were heading to see, and he couldn't help but wonder: could he himself show up to someone if he were responsible for the death of that person's sisters?

Meanwhile, Chris, animated, started talking about the "butterfly effect."

"One event in the past can change the entire future. For example, if I hadn't become friends with Josh at school, you, Sam, would be riding with someone else right now. Even our new detective friend might not be here," he said, nodding like a professor.

Alex lazily turned his head.

"Sounds like a parallel universe theory. Imagine: countless versions of you and Samantha riding this cable car, but with different people. And somewhere, maybe you don't even exist at all."

"Exactly!" Chris exclaimed. "One action sets off a whole chain of events."

"Sure," Samantha rolled her eyes. "But in this universe, we're riding together. That's it."

Alex just smiled and said nothing more. He leaned back, pressed his head against the glass, and watched the Blackwood Mountain scenery unfold from the cable car. The place was beautiful, even calming… if one didn't remember that at night, the Wendigo hunted here.

I wonder what they'll be like here, he thought. And what forms these creatures will take.

He could sense the presence of every Wendigo on this mountain—hunting them wouldn't be much of a challenge. The thought even crossed his mind to catch a few alive for dissection and experiments. After all, Wendigos were mindless creatures, almost like zombies, only faster and stronger.

The cabin jolted and stopped at the top. The doors creaked, then swung open. Chris stepped out first, followed by Samantha. Alex stood and followed them.

At the exit, a girl was waiting on the other side of the door. Chris pulled the handle, but it wouldn't budge. The girl flinched slightly when she noticed them.

"Damn, you scared me," she muttered.

"Hey, Jessica!" Sam called. "Open the door for us—it's stuck."

"Stop yanking the handle, hold on," Jessica replied, pressing a button. The doors smoothly slid open.

Chris and Samantha stepped toward her. Alex came out last, his gaze lingering on the new acquaintance.

Gray eyes, light beige hair braided into two neat plaits with purple ribbons. A blue parka with fur trim, a purple top, a white blouse, jeans, and cream-colored boots with dark fur—she looked stylish and confident. And just as he was assessing her, Jessica gave Alex a scrutinizing look. Her gaze clearly said: she hadn't expected to see a stranger here… especially one so attractive.

"And who's your new friend? Is he your boyfriend, Sam?" Jessica asked, squinting.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Sam exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "Even Chris thought Alex was my boyfriend."

"Alex, huh?" Jessica looked him over again. "And where did you pick him up?"

"Nowhere," Sam snorted. "He's a private detective. He has his own business here; we were just riding together."

"A detective?" Jessica's curiosity was obvious. "Pretty young for that profession. And where are you from, Alex?"

"Los Angeles," he replied calmly, handing Sam a piece of paper. "Here's my number. If anything happens—call me, I'll help. But I need to get back to work before the snowstorm picks up again."

Sam took the paper and immediately handed him her number in return.

"Do you have somewhere to stay? If the storm starts, you won't get back. Our friend has a house here. So if anything—come over."

Alex paused for a second, then simply nodded.

"Let's see how my work goes. I'm not even sure that place has what I'm looking for. But thanks for the offer. If a storm starts or I get delayed, I'll call. Or if I find what we talked about, I'll call too. For now, see you later."

He waved briefly and headed down the path. His primary target was the mines—a perfect refuge for the Wendigo that the hunter named Jack hadn't managed to catch yet. After the mines, he planned to check the Blackwood Sanatorium itself.

The sky was darkening rapidly. Alex looked up—night was falling fast, and there was little time left before the first events would unfold.

When his figure disappeared into the shadows, Sam watched him go for a long while. Jessica smirked and nudged her friend with an elbow, but Sam pushed her away irritably. Chris and Sam headed toward Josh's house, trying to reach it before complete darkness fell. Meanwhile, Jessica stayed behind to wait for her boyfriend, Mike.

To be continued…

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