(Emily, I'm Sorry)
ACT ONE —CHAPTER TWELVE

1996

"Oh hell yeah bitches!" Van exclaimed, the lake finally coming into view.

Emily sighed in relief, running alongside the team towards the lake. Van was the first one in the water, "Guys come in! It feels fucking great!"

Emily dove into the water, "Oh my god it's fucking freezing!"

Natalie stood in the water not quite getting in yet, Emily splashed water on to her and she flinched, "What the fuck, Em!"

"Come on, Nat," Emily held out her hand, with a smile.

"No way," Natalie shook her head, not taking the girl's hand.

Emily stepped forward, "Please?"

Natalie shook her head again, Jackie and Mari stood nearby, and Mari spoke up, "Is Travis actually...hot?"

Emily scoffed, and Jackie shook her head, "It's been three days. You guys can't be that desperate."

For the brief moment that Natalie was distracted, Emily snuck around the side.

Swiftly wrapping her arms around Natalie, and pushed her causing them both to fall into the water.

"OH MY GOD!" Natalie screeched as they hit the cold water, "You are such an asshole."

"I know," Emily laughed making her way to her feet before Natalie dragged ger back down.

"Payback is a bitch," Natalie shrugged, and Emily splashed her, starting a splash war of sorts.

Emily and Natalie eventually joined the others further into the lake, splashing around like little kids.

Van looked between the two of them with a small smile.

"Guys!" Lottie called out, "look," she pointed to where something was sticking out of the trees.

"What's that?" Natalie asked, and Emily shrugged, "it looks like some sort of reflection."

"Guys there's something on the hill! Let's go!"

They all scrambled out of the water, Emily stuck close by to Natalie.

"I'm cold," Emily whined, and Natalie rolled her eyes, "You're getting no sympathy from me, karma's a bitch."

And yet moments later Natalie tossed her a jacket from her bag, "Here."

"Thanks," Emily smiled softly, Natalie was never getting that jacket back.

They all hiked back through the woods, towards the reflection.

"Hey Em?"

Emily turned toward the other girl, "What's up, Tai?"

"Is there uh—" a small smile tugged at her lips, "is there something going on with you and Natalie?"

"What?" Emily's eyes widened, "What are you talking about?"

"It's okay Emily." Taissa smiled, "Your secret is safe with me."

"Tai I have no idea what you're talking about," Emily stated, clearly playing dumb.

Taissa let out a short laugh, "Whatever you say, Em."

Emily frowned as Taissa sped back up catching up with the group.

"Guys it's here," Shauna smiled, some sort of cabin coming into view.

Emily tried to crush down any hope, the place looked entirely abandoned. There was no way anyone was inside, not anyone who could help them anyway.

"I don't see anybody."

All of the girls were either peering through the dirty windows or pushing against the old door. Emily kept her distance, the place gave her a strange feeling.

"Hello?"

"Anybody home? Hello?" Ash called out walking around the side of the cabin. Lottie stuck close by to the other Jensen girl.

The door finally budged open, and the team started to file inside. Emily nervously lingered outside the door.

"I have a weird feeling about this place." Emily murmured mostly to herself, Lottie who hadn't even found her way on to the porch agreed, "Me too."

Emily nervously stepped into the cabin behind Taissa, "Maybe he just went for a hike?"

"Yeah...like a decade ago."

Emily only looked around briefly before re-exiting the cabin.

"Hey, you okay?" Natalie peered out the door, Emily shook her head.

"I don't know—something about this place feels off." Emily shrugged.

"Sure it's creepy...but it's just a cabin Emy." Natalie said softly, "I think we'll be okay."

Both girls turned back around toward the inside of the cabin following Jackie's loud exclamation, "See this is why we should've stayed back at the plane!"

"Yeah, well we didn't."Taissa stated.

Van sighed, "So this is helping how?"

"This is a fucking nightmare." Jackie stormed out of the cabin and directly past Emily.

"Jackie!" Emily called out and the other girl shook her head, ignoring her.

"She'll be okay," Natalie spoke gently setting her hand on Emily's shoulder.

Emily leaned into the touch, trying to pull all the comfort from it she could.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." Natalie suggested, successfully getting the two of them away from the cabin for at least a couple minutes.

"Thank you," Emily smiled softly, holding Natalie's hand once she deemed it far enough from the rest of the team.

Natalie smiled giving Emily's hand a gentle squeeze.

"You know," Natalie started, with a small teasing smile, "You looked pretty fucking hot at the lake today."

"Natalie." Emily playfully scolded, and then smiled, "Well, you did too...I guess."

"You're an asshole." Natalie elbowed her.

Emil laughed, "I guess it's a good thing I'm pretty."

"Damn right it is."

A pained yell pulled them out of their perfect little world. Emily and Natalie rushed back to the cabin.

When they got there coach was on the ground yelling, Misty was trying to console him, and instead end up with a hit directly to the face.

Emily flinched, even knowing that the man wasn't currently in the best state, it still scared her a bit.

—

Emily fell asleep fairly quickly once she laid down, she had tried not to. Not in that place, that just felt so off.

She usually didn't enjoy sleeping anywhere, even if it was the safest place possible...ever since the nightmares sleep was quite possibly the worst part of her day.

That night she woke up near hyperventilation, visions from her dreams  pouring over into her true world.

"Emily? Are you okay?"

Emily attempted to take a nice deep breath her chest constricted.

"What can I do for you?" Taissa asked softly, and Emily shook her head. She didn't really know—no one was ever around for these moments.

"I'll get you some water." Taissa said softly, and Emily forced herself to take several deep breaths, calming back down slowly.

Taissa handed her some water, and she took a small sip, "Thank you." Emily whispered.

The other girl nodded, "I assume you don't want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly." Emily whispered.

The floor above them creaked, and that's when Taissa noticed that Lottie was no longer in her spot.

"I'll be back," Taissa gently patted Emily's shoulder, standing up.

Emily stopped her, "I'll go with you."

The two girls creeped up the ladder, and spotted Lottie rocking back and forth in the corner. Before either of them had a chance to ask her what was wrong she spoke up.

"I told you." She nodded across the room.

When Emily looked over a gasp escaped her lips, there was a skeleton. Presumably one that belonged to the man who live there.

"We're all gonna die."