''At least I can think. 4.0, honour roll. Suck on that while you try to sleep your way into a job.''

Jess laughed mockingly. ''Who needs grades when you've got all the natural advantages you can handle?''

''Oh, please.''

''You couldn't buy a mouldy loaf of bread with your skanky ass.''

Emily's jaw clenched. ''Are you serious? Do you think that's insulting?''

Jess scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. ''That bitch is on crack or something.''

''Jessica, you need to shut your mouth, okay?'' Matt stepped forward.

But Jess whirled on him. ''No, you're the one who needs to keep your nose out of other people's business!''

Emily stepped closer. ''I'm about to get right up in your business, you bitch—''

Jess didn't back down, fists clenched. ''Are we about to get real? Because I am down to get real.''

Just as Jess took a step toward Emily, Josh abruptly stood up.

''STOP IT!'' he commanded. ''This is not why we came up here. This is not... helping. It's not what I wanted.'' He glanced around, meeting each of our eyes, his voice softening. ''If we can't get along for ten minutes, maybe we need a break, right? Mike—why don't you check out the guest cabin? The one I told you about.''

Mike hesitated for a moment, glancing over at Jess as she glared pointedly in Emily's direction. He lifted an eyebrow at her, nodding towards the door. ''Yeah... Yeah, alright,'' he murmured, a slight smirk playing on his face. ''Want to go do that?''

Jess's lips twisted into a sneer as she glanced back at Emily. ''Any place without that whore.''

The room went quiet, everyone holding their breath, waiting to see if Emily would take the bait. Josh quickly intervened, clearing his throat. ''It's right up the trail,'' he interjected firmly, keeping things from boiling over again.

With an eye-roll, Jess looped her arm through Mike's, tugging him out into the cold night. Matt watched them go, and as soon as the door shut, he let out a loud sigh, throwing his hands up in mock relief. ''Phew! ... Glad that's over!'' He mimed his head exploding, which got a reluctant chuckle from me and a faint smirk from Josh.

Josh's grin faded as he turned his attention back to the fireplace. He seemed lost in thought for a moment, watching the flames dance, before Matt's voice pulled him back.

''So, Josh...'' Matt rubbed his hands together, glancing toward the crackling fire. ''Uh, should we actually get this fire going?''

''Yeah,'' Josh agreed, standing up and brushing his hands on his jeans. He moved back towards the wood pile, checking to make sure we'd have enough fuel to keep it going all night.

Across the room, Emily was rifling through her things. She stopped, glancing around, then froze as her eyes widened. ''Where's my bag?'' she exclaimed, her voice rising sharply.

Matt looked up, clearly taken off guard. ''Huh?''

Emily's face flushed with irritation as she held up her hands, as if expecting her bag to just materialise in front of her. ''My bag! The little bag with the pink pattern! You know, the one I got on Rodeo?'' She fixed him with an intense stare. ''Matt, are you even listening? Oh my god, don't you remember? It was right next to that Italian shoe place, where I got those stilettos, and you... well, you knocked over that display rack because you were drooling over the girl at the counter!''

Matt's face reddened as he scratched the back of his neck, glancing awkwardly toward me as if seeking backup. ''Well, I mean... she was asking about my jacket—''

Emily scoffed, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. ''Right, because she was really interested in your 'designer' letter jacket.''

Matt blinked, trying to stay calm. ''Why do you hate my jacket?''

Emily let out an exasperated breath, clearly done with this conversation. ''Matt, I need my bag!''

''Oh my god, Em... maybe you just forgot it?'' Matt offered, shrugging helplessly as he gestured around the room.

Emily fixed him with an icy glare. ''Do you seriously think I'd forget my bag?''

Matt opened his mouth to respond but seemed to realise it would be pointless. He sighed, resigned. ''Guess not.''

Emily's expression softened, almost pleased he'd conceded. ''You must have left it down by the cable car station.''

Matt groaned, reluctantly getting to his feet. ''Ugh...''

Emily's voice grew saccharine as she linked her arm through his. ''C'mon, hun. We'll be back soon.''

Matt's eyes lit up slightly. ''And then we can... get warm?''

Emily's lips curved in a knowing smile. ''We can get very warm.''

''Okay. Okay.'' Matt tried to hide his eagerness, pointing toward the door. ''Let's go.''

As they made their way outside, I caught a hint of something like relief in the room as it settled back into quiet. Sam, who'd been sitting cross-legged on the couch, stood up with a satisfied stretch.

''Alright,'' she announced, her gaze lifting towards the stairs, ''I'm going to take a bath.''

With a quick wave, she headed up the staircase.

Josh, meanwhile, was still lingering by the fireplace, his brow furrowed. He frowned, muttering to himself as he watched the flames flicker. ''Damn... I forgot to give Jess and Mike the keys.''

He made a move to stand, but I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ''I'll keep an eye on the fire,'' I offered, giving him a slight smile. Josh hesitated, glancing between me and the door, but finally gave a grateful nod.

''Thanks, Coco,'' he murmured, his voice softer now, seeming relieved for a moment of peace.

As he stepped away, I focused on the flames, adding a fresh log and adjusting the poker. 

After a few minutes, Josh came back and sat down nearby, running a hand over his face as he leaned back, staring into the fire. I glanced over at him, catching the slight furrow in his brow as he stared into the flames, deep in thought.

ॱ⋅.˳˳.⋅˙ॱᐧ.˳˳.⋅ઇଓ

JOSH SHOOK HIS head as he gestured toward the basement door. "Alright, peanut gallery," he said, directing a look at Chris and Ashley, who were still chuckling over their little cheer, "I've got an idea for you two."

Ashley perked up, curious. "What?"

A glint of mischief flashed in Josh's eyes. "I'm pretty sure there's a spirit board somewhere in this place."

Ashley's face lit up in excitement. "Wait, are you saying... we should have a seance?"

Chris snorted, crossing his arms. "Spirit boards? Really, man? Those things are a joke. They don't do anything."

Josh raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Chris's scepticism. "Come on, bro. We used to do it all the time. Me and... well..." His voice drifted, and an awkward silence hung in the air before he snapped back to the present.

Sam took this chance to speak up, leaning over the railing of the staircase. "Hey, Josh, no hot water's kind of a major oversight, doncha think?"

Josh exhaled, rolling his eyes with a smirk. "Yeah, yeah. I just need to fire up the boiler. It's down in the basement," he replied. "You guys go find that spirit board."

Ashley clapped her hands, nudging Chris excitedly. "Come on, Chris! It'll be like a scavenger hunt!"

Chris sighed, glancing around, but nodded. "Ummm... okay. Guess so."

"Rad. You won't regret it," Josh assured them, giving Ashley a playful salute as she led Chris down the hall.

As they disappeared, Josh turned to Sam, who stood beside him with a knowing grin. "You can wait in the bathroom and wait for the water," he told her, "I'll bring Coco with me as my helper."

Sam's smirk widened, and she gave me a thumbs-up as she made her way upstairs. With a nod toward the basement door, Josh gestured for me to follow him.

Josh let out a chuckle as we reached the bottom. "Hey, did you notice how I gave Chris and Ash a mission together?" he asked. "I was thinking they could use some alone time."

I laughed. "They're so cute together. I just wish they'd finally get together already."

Josh grinned, glancing back at me. "Right? I swear, they just need something to bond over. Something, I don't know, traumatic to send them into each other's arms." He shook his head, chuckling. "At this rate, they'll be in the geriatric ward before Chris makes a move."

We shared a laugh as Josh opened a nearby drawer and pulled out a flashlight, flicking it on before handing it over. He opened a heavy door that creaked, revealing a narrow hallway leading to the boiler room. "Alright, Coco, after you."

The cold intensified as we entered the boiler room. Josh's shoulders relaxed, and he cast me a small smile. "You know, Coco..." he started, his voice softer now.

"Yeah, Josh?" I asked, glancing up at him, sensing he had something more to say.

His eyes darted away for a moment, then he looked back at me. "I just wanted to say... it really means a lot that everyone came back this year. That you came." He shifted slightly.

My  voice softened. "Josh, we're here for you. Really. It's strange to be back, but... I'm glad I came."

Josh smiled faintly, nodding, though a flicker of sadness passed over his face. "I want us to have a good time, you know?" He turned toward the boiler, his expression settling as he refocused on the task. "Watch your step."

"Funny coming from you, Mr. 'Here, carry all these crates,'" I teased, flashing a grin as I carefully stepped over a dusty toolbox in my way.

Josh just shrugged. "Uh-huh," he replied. He reached for the boiler cabinet, opening it with a creak. "Welcome to the bowels of the lodge. Sorry to drag you down here, but it's not exactly a place you'd want to be on your own."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing around at the cobweb-covered pipes and ancient metal fittings. "Oh, I know. But you enjoy scaring me in creepy basements."

Josh's grin widened. "Your reactions are too good to pass up." He looked around, lowering his voice. "And seriously, not a place I'd want to be on my own either."

 My eyes wandered as I scanned the room, catching sight of an old baseball bat propped against the wall. Frowning, I reached over, picking it up and examining it. "What's this doing here? Is this yours?"

Josh looked at it, a faintly nostalgic expression coming over him. "Yeah, that's mine. I used to play ball with my dad all the time... before he got too busy to hang out." He paused, then forced a light chuckle, quickly brushing it off. "Oh well. Guess I'll save that story for the therapist's couch." He set the bat down, giving it one last glance before returning his focus to the boiler.

"Alright," he muttered, shifting his shoulders as he reached inside the cabinet. "Let's see what I can do with this old machine." He gestured to me, holding out the flashlight. "Here, can you... hold this?"

I took the flashlight, nodding as I aimed it toward the boiler. A faint noise echoed from the far end of the room, like something shifting in the shadows. I instinctively flinched, glancing over my shoulder. "What was that?" I whispered.

Josh didn't look up, though his shoulders tensed slightly. "What was what?" he asked. "Just keep shining it here so I can see what I'm doing."

"Right," I replied, reluctantly focusing back on the task. "But if this is some elaborate prank, I swear I'll make you pay for it."

Josh smirked, rolling his eyes. "Nice try. Okay, first things first: we need to increase the water pressure before we fire up the boiler." He gestured at a series of knobs and levers, his hands moving confidently.

"Sounds complicated." I muttered, watching as he twisted a valve.

Josh shrugged. "Nah, it's actually pretty simple."

Suddenly, a loud hiss of steam filled the room as the boiler rumbled to life, and I flinched back, startled. "Whoa!" I exclaimed, clutching the flashlight.

Josh laughed, holding out his hand. "Alright! Five, girl!"

Grinning, I reached up to high-five him, our hands clapping together. Josh closed the cabinet with a satisfied grin. "There we go," he whispered. We stood there for a moment, basking in the small victory and the warm light from the boiler.

My heart lurched as I heard the strange clanging echo through the basement. The noise seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"What the hell is that...?" I muttered, my eyes searching the shadows.

Josh just shrugged, looking far too calm. "Could be a lot of things... none of them nice," he drawled, flashing that lopsided grin.

I narrowed my eyes. "Hey, quit it."

He chuckled, clearly entertained by my reaction. "I'm just... just Joshing ya."

"You're doing too much." I tried to sound annoyed, but I knew my face probably gave me away.

"You were totally freaked out," he teased, unable to hide the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

I rolled my eyes, doing my best to keep my voice steady. "I was not scared."

Josh raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? So you just jumped back because you're squeezing in some aerobics?"

"Oh my god, Josh." I scoffed, trying to brush him off. "You were freaked out too. You're as white as a sheet!"

He shook his head, laughing a little too loudly. "Nah, nah, come on. I've been down here enough; this place makes all kinds of sounds. Big old lodge like this? It's gotta... y'know, belch sometimes."

Just then, another clang sounded. This one was louder, more distinct, like metal being struck in a steady rhythm. I went still, feeling every hair on my arms stand up.

"Okay, so you hear that too, right?" I whispered, feeling the unease growing in the pit of my stomach. "Josh...?" I whispered moving closer to him.

He shrugged, glancing away like he was trying to play it cool. "Uh... what?"

I gave him a look, not buying it. "The rhythm's... weirdly regular."

"Not... No... Nothing regular about it..." he muttered, but his voice wavered.

"Maybe we should, you know, check it out?" I suggested, inching closer to the noise despite myself.

"Why?" he asked, sounding mildly annoyed.

I folded my arms, feeling a twinge of impatience rise. "Because... what if it's a pipe about to burst or something? Or maybe there's a problem with the furnace?"

"Unlikely," he grumbled, looking unimpressed, but there was a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

I huffed, squaring my shoulders. "If it were me, I wouldn't want this place burning down on my watch." Josh sighed, glancing at me before finally nodding, resigned. "Yeah... right."

I took the flashlight back, steadying myself as I crept toward the source of the sound. Josh followed closely, his footsteps right behind mine. I barely had time to register the figure lunging from the shadows before a masked man jumped out in front of me, his hands raised threateningly.

A scream tore from my throat as I stumbled back, my heart slamming against my ribcage. Without thinking, I grabbed Josh's wrist, feeling his pulse quicken under my grip. We bolted, stumbling over each other as we scrambled away from the figure's looming shadow. I saw a metal barrel nearby and shoved it over, blocking our pursuer's path.

"Whoa – Coco – whoa!" Josh gasped as we made a break for the basement door.

We skidded to a stop, only to find it locked. I rattled the handle, growing frantic. "Oh, come ON now!" I mumbled. "Why are these doors locked?!"

"To keep out strangers!" Josh managed, still breathless.

Then, through the haze of panic, I heard another voice.

"Hey..."

I whipped around, pulse pounding, as the masked figure dropped the act, casually pulling off his mask. My stomach dropped as I realised it was Chris.

"...What?" I stammered, barely able to believe my eyes.

Chris looked far too pleased with himself, grinning like he'd won a prize. "Heeyyyy..."

I shook my head. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

He laughed, completely unbothered. "Boom! You just got monked!"

"Oh fuck you." I felt heat rise to my cheeks, both from the embarrassment of getting scared and from how ridiculous the whole thing was.

Josh's laughter joined Chris's, and they exchanged a high-five, both of them grinning like kids who'd pulled off the ultimate prank.

"Nice one," Josh chuckled, nudging Chris. "That was good."

I just shook my head, exasperated. "Why would... Why would you do that?"

Chris looked at me, feigning innocence. "There's all this cool old movie crap down here. What, was I... was I not supposed to take advantage of the opportunity?"

I shot him an incredulous look. "Are you serious right now?" I turned to Josh, narrowing my eyes. "And were you in on this, you putz?"

Josh threw up his hands defensively, grinning. "Nope! But I wish I was! That was too good!"

The two of them were practically falling over each other with laughter, giving each other high-fives again like they'd just pulled off the prank of the century. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the residual nerves, but I knew I'd never live this down.

"It wasn't even that good," I muttered, arms crossed, as I stalked back toward the door.

Chris pointed at me, shaking his head. "Oh, come on. I'm the Jokemaster!"

"Your prank, which was dumb—" I started, but Josh cut me off, still grinning ear-to-ear.

"Holy crap, you were scared," he insisted, eyes dancing. "Admit it."

I turned away, rolling my eyes. "I was not!"

Josh snickered, nudging me lightly. "Come on, you totally pissed yourself!"

"Josh!" I shoved him, laughing despite myself, even though I hated that he was right.

I heard Ashley's voice break through our little scene. "What... in God's name... are you wearing?" she asked, sounding genuinely baffled.

I turned to see her watching Chris, eyes wide with amusement as he shrugged off the last of the prank costume.

Chris smirked. "I found my true calling."

Ashley folded her arms, looking unimpressed. "Please tell me you're going to take a vow of silence."

Chris tried to keep up the act, mumbling inaudibly to himself.

Ashley just laughed, rolling her eyes. "Okay, okay... Did you at least find the thingy?"

With a smug grin, Chris produced the Ouija board from his costume. "Boi-oi-oi-oing! Here's our one-way ticket to the spirit realm...!"

Ashley just looked at him with mock suspicion. "Hmmm."

Before anyone else could react, Sam reappeared, shaking her head as she looked at all of us with a faint smile. "You know what? You know what? No. If you got that water heater going, I'll be on my way upstairs. I've had enough spooking for one night, thanks. I see a hot bath in my crystal ball."

Josh tried to look disappointed, though he couldn't hide his grin. "Hmmm..."

Sam smirked as she left, tossing a casual wave over her shoulder. "Alright? So have fun! But watch out for that Josh—he's a schemer!"

Josh chuckled, giving a slight nod. "Okay..."

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