After Alex disappeared into the forest, Samantha kept staring after him for a while, as if lost in thought. Only when Jessica nudged her in the ribs a couple of times did Sam snap out of it. She turned to her friend and saw a sly grin — Jess had clearly found something to tease her about.

"Cut it out," Samantha muttered, shoving Jessica away, who was already itching to gossip.

When Sam suggested they walk together, Jess refused, saying she would wait for Mike. Samantha and Chris didn't insist and continued along the path toward Josh's house.

Chris kept talking nonstop, but Sam only half-listened. Her thoughts bounced from one thing to another, often circling back to the events of a year ago. Back then, one harmless prank had turned into a tragedy that shattered their group. And now, one year later, they had gathered again in the same place…

But it wasn't just the past that weighed on her mind. She kept recalling the image of the stranger — Alex, the private detective who introduced himself as someone investigating the legends of Blackwood Mountain. Thanks to him, she had learned about the miners' old tragedy. Still, what troubled her most was whether Alex would be able to find even the slightest trace of Hannah and Beth. Even the smallest clue…

She couldn't explain why she trusted a stranger she had met only an hour ago so quickly. But there was something in his words that made her believe. Alex had promised to contact her if he found anything important — and Samantha hoped that moment would come.

The path gradually led to Josh's family home. From afar, the stone fence and gate were already visible. Chris quickened his pace, eager to see his best friend again. Sam only smiled at his impatience. She didn't rush — the climb was slippery with snow, and one careless step could send her tumbling down.

When she finally caught up, Chris was already chatting with Josh. The two guys exchanged warm smiles, and relief crossed Samantha's face: Josh seemed to be holding up well despite the loss of his sisters.

"Sammy, why so quiet?" Josh asked cheerfully, waving at her. "We haven't seen each other for a whole year! Not even a word?"

"I'm just tired, Josh." Samantha smiled. "But I'm glad to see you too. The climb was harder than I remembered. Your family really should do something about that trail."

"Don't believe her," Chris cut in with a sly grin. "She's been thinking about our new friend the whole time."

Josh raised his eyebrows in surprise. His curiosity was instantly piqued — gossip was something he enjoyed as much as Jessica. Samantha shot Chris a glare sharp enough to kill. Her eyes screamed "idiot," but Chris only leaned back, hands behind his head, whistling innocently.

"Come on, Sammy, spill it," Josh teased. "Who's this guy who managed to steal your heart?"

"No one stole anything," she snapped, kicking Chris in the leg. "His name's Alex. We met an hour ago. He's a private detective, investigating the legends of Blackwood Mountain. We talked a little — that's it."

"Yeah, like I'll believe that," Josh smirked, folding his arms.

Chris and Josh exchanged a knowing look and burst out laughing, while Samantha was already on the verge of exploding.

"By the way, Josh," Chris quickly changed the subject. "Did you know that back in the fifties there was a cave-in on this mountain? Around thirty miners got trapped alive. They didn't recover the bodies for weeks."

"I heard something from my dad, but I was too young to remember the details. Why do you ask?" Josh frowned.

"Our new friend told us," Chris replied. "He said he investigates not only legends but also old cases tied to this mountain."

"Hm… interesting," Josh murmured thoughtfully. "I'd like to learn more about this place myself."

"That's not a problem," Chris grinned slyly. "Sammy already exchanged numbers with him. If she wants, she can invite him over so we can all ask him questions ourselves. Oh, and—" he shot Samantha another mischievous look, "she already invited him here. You don't mind, right?"

"Of course not," Josh shrugged. "The more, the merrier. And if your detective really knows his stuff, maybe he'll help us avoid trouble. Especially since Jessica and Emily won't last long under the same roof without a fight."

Chris and Josh slapped each other's palms and burst out laughing. No one in their group doubted it anymore: Jessica and Emily couldn't stand each other, and every one of their encounters almost always ended in a fight — sometimes even a scuffle that the others had to break up.

Samantha just shook her head, watching the boys. Josh, changing the subject, led them further along the path toward the house.

A little higher up, near the porch, Ashley and Matt were already sitting.

Ashley wore a striped red-and-pink sweater with a gray-blue hoodie thrown over it, a red long-sleeved shirt underneath, and denim shorts paired with dark leggings. As always, Chris kept sneaking glances at her — and, as always, couldn't bring himself to confess his feelings.

Matt, Emily's new boyfriend, looked sporty: gray pants, a cobalt-blue letterman jacket over a denim jacket, and a light turtleneck.

When Samantha saw them, she smiled and waved.

"Hey! You made it here okay?" Josh called out, raising his hand in greeting.

"Yeah, though too bad there aren't any porters for the luggage," Matt joked, climbing the wooden steps.

"We got here fine…" Ashley said, shivering and rubbing her hands together. "But honestly, it's kind of creepy here."

"No wonder," Chris immediately chimed in with a spooky tone. "In the fifties, a mine collapsed here. They say the souls of the dead miners still wander the mountains, looking for victims…"

"Really?" Ashley's eyes went wide, clearly impressed.

"Of course!" Chris dropped his voice theatrically. "They're searching for people to drag down into the mine… to the place where they were buried alive."

"Don't listen to his nonsense, Ash," Samantha interrupted, nudging Chris with her shoulder. "Ghosts don't exist. But the cold is very real. If we don't get inside soon, I won't feel my hands anymore."

Ashley let out a relieved sigh, though she still cast wary glances at the grinning Chris. She already felt uneasy, and his jokes only made it worse.

Meanwhile, Josh tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. Matt stepped forward and shoved it a couple of times with his shoulder, but the door was frozen solid to the frame. They decided to look for another way in: Josh and Chris went around the house to check the windows.

Left on the porch were Samantha, Ashley, and Matt. The girls shifted from foot to foot, trying to stay warm. Minutes dragged by until finally Josh reappeared, giving them a thumbs-up: Chris had already gotten inside and would soon open the door.

While Chris was searching for something inside to help unstick the lock, Josh and Matt went to meet Mike, Jessica, and Emily, who were supposed to arrive soon. On the porch, Samantha and Ashley waited, growing colder by the minute — all they wanted now was to get indoors and warm up.

Noise came from behind the door. Ashley and Sam stepped closer. In the small window, Chris's face appeared — he was holding a can of deodorant and a lighter.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Samantha muttered, but didn't get to finish.

Chris lit the aerosol, creating a makeshift flamethrower. The lock loosened under the heat, and a few seconds later the door creaked open with a loud crack.

"Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week," Chris announced with dramatic flair, as if performing on stage.

At that exact moment, a furry creature shot out of the doorway with a screech. It dashed past Chris, Samantha, and Ashley, nearly knocking them over. It turned out to be a wolverine that had snuck into the house in search of food and made itself a nest there. It was this very creature that would later be nicknamed Peach — and soon after, it would cross paths with Alex, becoming his unusual companion.

Chris stumbled back, clutching his chest."Oh, crap! I nearly had a heart attack!"

Samantha and Ashley burst out laughing at the sight of his twisted expression.

"You okay?" Ashley asked, trying to hide her smile.

"That… that could've been a baby bear… or a tiger!" Chris stammered, glancing around defensively.

"Yeah, sure," Samantha drawled in a mock childlike voice. "It was just a cute little baby wolverine."

Chris grumbled under his breath at Samantha's teasing, but that only made her laugh harder. Ashley joined in too, and soon the whole group was openly poking fun at poor Chris. When Josh returned, he couldn't resist adding a few sharp remarks of his own, making Chris's expression even sourer. Laughing, the friends finally stepped inside the house, eager to warm up.

However, it wasn't much warmer inside than outside. The place had been empty for a long time, and the cold seeped through every crack. Samantha cupped her hands and blew on her fingers, trying to thaw them just a little.

Looking around the spacious hall, her thoughts drifted back to the previous year, when Hannah and Beth had disappeared without a trace. Sadness pinched at her heart, but she quickly pushed the memories away and followed the others into the living room. Sitting on the wooden stairs leading upstairs, she briefly thought of Alex, who was still wandering somewhere in the forest. The cold was growing harsher, and her worry for him only deepened. Even though they had only known each other for an hour, she couldn't stand the idea of something happening to him.

She was just about to call his number when Jessica and Mike came in, followed by Emily and Matt, the latter hauling her luggage. After a year apart, the group was finally together again.

Samantha happily looked over her friends, but soon her gaze dropped back to her phone screen. She quickly typed a short message to Alex, wanting to make sure he was okay.

To her surprise, the reply came almost instantly: "I'm fine, I'm busy for now. Don't worry, I'll text you later."

Samantha frowned. There was no signal here — so how had the message gone through? But she didn't have time to think about it; her attention was pulled away by the all-too-familiar bickering between Jessica and Emily.

The reason was as banal as ever: Emily had once dated Mike, who was now Jessica's boyfriend. The two girls glared at each other as if ready to claw each other's eyes out right then and there. Matt tried to intervene, but they quickly shoved him aside, telling him to stay out of it.

"Enough!" Josh cut in sharply, shutting down the escalating conflict. "This isn't why we're here. This is not what I wanted. If we can't go ten minutes without fighting, then I suggest we take a little break."

Emily and Jessica exchanged heavy glares and both huffed at the same time, making it clear this wasn't over. Jessica demonstratively settled next to Mike, practically sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Emily narrowed her eyes but stayed quiet, knowing another argument would only ruin the moment. The others sighed wearily — it was obvious these two would keep butting heads forever.

Samantha gave Josh a grateful look — he had diffused the tension quickly and skillfully before the quarrel could explode.

"Mike, buddy," Josh said, deciding to distract everyone, "how about you and Jess take a walk over to the guest cabin?"

"No problem," Mike agreed calmly and got up with Jessica.

"You remember the way? Or should I escort you?" Josh smirked, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.

"I remember," Mike replied with a small smile, offering his hand to Jessica. "Shall we?"

"As long as it's away from her," Jessica muttered, unable to resist shooting Emily a sharp look.

When Mike and Jessica left, the house felt just a little lighter — at least there wouldn't be another fight for the next few minutes. But the peace didn't last long: Emily immediately turned on Matt, scolding him for not standing up for her in the argument. It took the poor guy a lot of effort to calm her down. Only when Emily finally stopped grumbling did Matt let out a sigh of relief. He loved her, but her constant reasons to pick fights sometimes drove him crazy.

Soon Emily noticed that one of her bags was missing. Her eyes flashed, and before she could start a scandal, Matt suggested they go back to the cable car station — maybe she had left it there. Reluctantly, Emily agreed, grabbing Matt's arm and dragging him along. The bag contained "very important things," and arguing with her was pointless.

Once they left, only Samantha, Josh, Ashley, and Chris remained in the house. Quiet returned.

"While they're running around, I think I'll take a hot bath," Samantha said, putting her phone in her pocket and rising from the steps. "I could use some warmth."

"Of course, of course," Chris smirked, hugging himself and mimicking her. "You have to be ready if our new friend shows up from the forest — cold, hungry… You'll warm him up with your body!"

"Back off, Chris," Samantha rolled her eyes. "I just want a hot bath. And really, it's normal to worry about someone wandering around a place like this alone."

"Whatever you say, Sammy," Chris drawled with a grin. "Fine. You're just caring."

Samantha decided to ignore his teasing and went up to the room she planned to occupy. She took off her hat, tossed her backpack onto the bed, and stretched. In the bathroom, she turned on the tap, but instead of the long-awaited hot water, a stream of icy cold water rushed out. She waited patiently for a minute, but nothing changed. Sighing in disappointment, Samantha turned off the water — it seemed there would be no hot bath today.

As she stepped into the hallway, her gaze lingered on Hannah's door. Memories flooded in instantly — pain, loss, shadows of the past. Overcome by the feeling, she almost decided to peek inside, but at the last moment, she pulled back: it was too painful to stir old wounds.

From the first floor, the voices of Josh, Chris, and Ashley could be heard. Apparently, Josh was fiddling with the fireplace, while the others encouraged him.

Samantha cast one more glance at Hannah's door and headed downstairs.

"Hey, Josh, no hot water is really disappointing," she said, approaching.

"Oh, right, of course," Josh realized. "We need to turn on the boiler. It's in the basement. Alright, Sammy and I will go down, and you and Chris can look for the Ouija board in the meantime."

"Great!" Ashley perked up, grabbing Chris's hand. "Let's go search — maybe there are some ancient treasures lying around!"

"E-eh, easy!" Chris protested as she pulled him along. "If I fall, you'll have to carry me!"

Samantha and Josh watched as Ashley grabbed Chris by the hand and pulled him off in search of the Ouija board. A faint smile flickered across Josh's face, as if he had been waiting for this moment. Samantha didn't notice the subtle change in his expression as he watched the departing pair.

"Since they're gone, let's head down to the basement too," Josh said, half-jokingly. "Your stare is starting to scare me."

"Don't be afraid," Samantha replied with a smile. "I'm not going to hit you for not thinking to turn on the boiler or at least the heating before we arrived. No, I'm not mad at all… But if I don't get a hot bath, you'll have to heat the water for me yourself."

"And how exactly do you expect me to do that?" Josh raised an eyebrow, looking at her.

"That's your problem now," Samantha smirked. "Come on, show me the way. It's easy to get lost in this house."

"No argument there," Josh chuckled. "When I was a kid, I once got lost in the basement. I even thought I'd never find my way out."

"I remember you telling that story!" Samantha laughed. "We all laughed so hard back then. You probably would've wandered around forever if Hannah hadn't found you…" She stopped abruptly, her smile faltering, and looked at Josh with concern. "Oh… sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay, Sammy," Josh said softly. "That's a good memory. Alright, let's go."

He went first, and Samantha, watching his back, felt a mixture of emotions. She had returned here specifically to see how Josh was coping with his loss. Catching up to him, she decided to change the subject so as not to dwell on anything sad.

On the way, Josh joked and smiled, and Samantha kept the conversation going, their lightheartedness easing the tension a little. When they reached the right level, he opened a cupboard, took out a flashlight, and led her toward the basement. Just in front of the door, Josh stopped, turned to Samantha, and hesitated.

"You know, Sammy…" he began, searching for the right words.

"What is it, Josh?" she asked curiously.

"I wanted to say…" He stepped forward as if trying to escape his own thoughts.

"Well?" Samantha followed him.

"It means a lot to me that everyone came back this year. And especially… that you came. You're a good friend, Sammy. Really."

"Josh…" she said softly, smiling. "We're your friends. Always with you. If you need anything, just say so. We'll manage, we'll find a solution together."

"Thanks, Sammy," he said, smiling a little wider. "I just want everyone to enjoy being here and for the house not to remind us only of sad things."

Samantha smiled too, feeling the warmth in his words. After this short heart-to-heart, they finally reached the boiler.

As Josh had warned, the basement was a real maze: corridors, turns, and doors came one after another, and it was easy to get lost without a guide. But Josh led her confidently and soon brought her to the right spot.

While he tinkered with the panel, Samantha held the flashlight, directing the beam onto the buttons. Josh tried them one by one, and within a few moments, the boiler emitted a low hum and came to life, filling the air with the sound of startup. Samantha breathed a sigh of relief — the hot water was definitely coming.

Climbing back up, they ran into Ashley and Chris, who had already returned from their search. Samantha didn't linger and headed straight for her room.

The first thing she did was fill the bathtub with hot water. While the water ran, Samantha prepared her clothes, laying them neatly on a chair, and glanced at her phone. She was tempted to text Alex, but held back—he had said he was busy searching for clues. Her curiosity burned—where was he now, and what had he found?

When the bathtub was almost ready, Samantha removed her clothes and sank into the hot water, letting out a blissful sigh. She plugged her headphones into her phone, turned on music, and closed her eyes, allowing herself to completely relax for the first time all day.

Samantha enjoyed the hot bath, listening to music and paying no attention to the passing time. Through the headphones, she didn't hear what was happening in the house, and she had no idea that Josh had already begun executing his little plan. In her carefree state, she didn't notice Josh, dressed up like a maniac, enter the bathroom and take her clothes that were laid out for changing. Before leaving, he deliberately slammed the door so Samantha would notice.

The muffled sound pierced through her music, and Samantha pulled off her headphones.

"Hey?!… Guys?!… What are you doing in there?!" she shouted, turning toward the door. "Decided to scare me with your stupid jokes?"

No answer came. Frowning, Samantha climbed out of the bathtub and hastily wrapped herself in a towel. Her eyes immediately fell on the empty chair where her clothes had been—only one warm sock remained. Holding it up, she exhaled irritably.

"Guys, this isn't funny anymore! Give me back my clothes! You're acting like children!"

Silence. Not a single sound in response.

Her irritation grew. She grabbed her phone, holding the towel in place with one hand, and stepped out of the bathroom.

"Josh! Chris! Ashley!" she called, using the phone's light to guide her. "I'm serious, this isn't funny!"

No one responded. But the atmosphere in the house had changed. Candles flickered on the staircase, their flames dancing in the darkness, and red balloons were tied to the railing. The sight sent a chill down Samantha's spine. She forced a nervous smile, convincing herself her friends were just playing a prank.

Descending to the first floor, Samantha heard a strange sound coming from the room where they usually held small movie nights. Cautiously looking around, she made her way there.

As soon as she stepped inside, the doors slammed shut behind her with a crash. Samantha jumped, clutching her phone tighter.

"That's enough!" she shouted into the empty room. "Do you hear me?! This isn't funny anymore! Stop ignoring me!"

At that moment, the projector turned on. The white screen flickered to life, and distorted images began running across it. A chill ran through Samantha. She watched as blurred frames flashed on the screen, as if secretly recorded.

"Guys?.." her voice trembled.

The image changed, and now the screen showed her… in the bathtub, where she had just been.

"What the…" Samantha whispered, feeling her heart pound faster and faster.

Then a distorted male voice came through the speakers:

"Hello, Samantha… Looking for me?"

"What the… what the hell are you doing?!" she shouted, panicking as she looked around.

"Look or don't look… it won't help, Samantha," the voice replied, as if ignoring her words.

"What…" she swallowed hard, trying to comprehend what was happening.

"You'll see what I want to show you. And I have a lot to show," the voice said, monotone, eerily calm.

"Why… why are you telling me this?!" she almost screamed.

A pause. Then a new, cold, mocking voice came through the speakers:

"And why are you listening?"

At that moment, a wave of terror gripped Samantha's heart. The screen changed again—this time showing the scene of Josh's agonizing death. A circular saw slowly cut his body in half, screams of pain and horror tore through the silence, and blood splattered in all directions.

"Nooo!" Samantha screamed, recoiling from the screen.

Panic consumed her completely. She darted toward the door she had entered through, but hadn't taken more than a couple of steps before the door burst open—and a man in a work jumpsuit and a terrifying clown mask appeared in the doorway.

Without thinking for a second, Samantha grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it at the intruder with all her strength, then bolted toward another door. She slammed her shoulder against it, nearly breaking it open, and rushed into the hallway, slamming the door behind her.

Breathing fast and raggedly, Samantha ran. She leapt over the couch in the living room, but behind her, she heard doors crash open again. The same man stood in the doorway once more.

"Damn it!" she exhaled, fear giving her new strength.

Ahead were the doors leading to the basement. Without hesitation, she dashed for them, almost tripping on the steps. The darkness of the basement met her with heavy, damp air. Behind her, the heavy footsteps of her pursuer grew louder. Using her phone screen to light the way, Samantha darted into a side corridor—and froze in front of a locked door with no handle.

"Damn it, how?!" she gasped, ramming her shoulder against the door.

The footsteps behind her grew closer. In desperation, Samantha hit the door again—and it creaked open slightly. She squeezed through the narrow gap, slammed the door, and managed to lock the bolt. Relief lasted only a moment. A gloved hand appeared in the door's window—he tried to push it inside.

"Ahhh! Go away!" Samantha screamed, slamming the door with all her might, striking his hand.

Buying herself a few seconds, she ran further. The second door gave way under her push, and Samantha tumbled down the steps. Ignoring the pain from the fall, she got up and found herself in a dirty, run-down corridor, littered with debris.

Racing past several turns, she came to a fork: ahead yawned the shaft of an old elevator, and to the side stretched a dark corridor. Without hesitation, Samantha slipped into the shaft and pressed herself against the wall, covering her mouth with her hand.

Heavy footsteps echoed loudly through the corridor. The man's breathing was loud and ragged. Samantha's heart pounded so hard it felt like it could be heard by anyone nearby. But soon, the footsteps began to fade.

She exhaled in relief, but panic flared again. Her mind was a whirlwind—on the screen, she had seen Josh being killed. Where was Chris? Where was Ashley? What was even happening?

Her hands trembled as she unlocked her phone. Randomly tapping the first contact, she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Samantha. I was just about to call you. I found something…" Alex began calmly.

"Alex! Help me!" Samantha's voice broke. "Someone got into the house… Josh… I saw him get killed… and Chris and Ashley are nowhere to be found!"

Silence fell on the other end, then Alex's voice turned serious:

"Repeat that. Someone broke into the house, Josh is dead, and the others are missing?"

"Yes!" Samantha sobbed, trying to hold back her tears. "I ran, but he's somewhere nearby! Alex, please, help me!"

"I'm not far. Listen carefully. Hide and don't show yourself. As soon as I get to the house, I'll call. You have to hold on, Samantha."

"Alex… please… faster…" her voice trembled, no longer able to contain her emotions.

"It's going to be okay. I'll be there soon. Just don't let him catch you. Be careful," Alex said, and the call ended.

Samantha wiped her tears and took a deep breath. She needed to find shelter before Alex arrived. Her eyes fell on a ventilation grate. Crawling closer, she carefully pulled at it—the metal creaked, but gave way. Holding her breath, Samantha squeezed inside and began to crawl further, hoping this hiding spot would keep her safe…

To be continued…

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