14:00 – Day 2

There was something about the abandoned cabin that was incredibly peaceful. The occasional creak of the wood, the crackling of the fire place. If it weren't for the condition that the world was in, Lukas would actually have enjoyed staying there.

But at that moment, as he sat on one of the leather couches, silently praying for their friends to return, it was hard to enjoy the peacefulness of it all.
Lukas's eyes were resting on Jesse, who slept beside him out the couch. After learning how she and Petra first got reunited, Lukas wasn't about to leave her side for anything.

Jesse mumbled something inaudible in her sleep, moving her head on the couch as her breathing became more shallow. Lukas gently put a hand out onto her uninjured shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Upon feeling his touch, Jesse's sleeping form relaxed a tiny bit again. Now aware of his presence, she edged closer to him, seeking his comfort in her sleep.

Lukas silently allowed Jesse to nestle up against him, letting her rest her head on his lap. She let out a soft, almost contented sigh in her sleep, settling back down again. A faint smile formed on Lukas's face, feeling happy to know that while he couldn't do much, he was still helping Jesse in some way.

Letting out a slow exhale of his own, Lukas leaned back on the couch. His gaze rested on the fire place, while he proceeded to rub the sleeping Jesse's back.

His eyes subtly glanced down to his right hand, which he had resting on his knee. The fingers still bent in the same angle they've been in for hours, the entire area numb. Gritting his teeth, he simply pulled his gaze away from his hand to look at the fire again.

Jesse tensed up slightly again in her sleep, the fingers on her one hand subconsciously clutching the fabric of Lukas's jacket. He pulled her slightly closer, continuing to rub her back until she slowly relaxed again.

Feeling Jesse shiver slightly against him, Lukas moved his hand over from her back onto her forehead to feel her temperature. His eyes glanced around for anything that could offer more warmth than the thin blanket she was already under.

Lukas spotted the heap of items from where Petra had carelessly tipped out the backpack before she and Olivia left. There was a thick red jacket among them.

Trying his hardest to not change his position too much and disturb Jesse, Lukas reached out and pulled the jacket closer with his foot. He then picked it up, draping it over Jesse and tucking the woolly fabric in around her.

Jesse let out another soft, contented sigh, snuggling into the new-found warmth. Her weight against Lukas grew heavier again as she relaxed back into a deep sleep.

Lukas smiled faintly again, brushing a strand of hair out of Jesse's face, before leaning back into his former position. As he did, something caught his eye.

Lying on the carpet, having probably been hidden beneath the red jacket, was a small book. It looked like some sort of diary or journal.

Curious, Lukas guided the diary over to him with his foot and picked it up. The light from the windows and fire was just enough to allow him to make out the two letters, engraved in the leather cover of the diary. C.S.

Lukas frowned, remembering that it were the same initials carved out on the hunting knife Petra had been using. Did the diary and knife belong to the same person? It was very possible that the diary was hidden beneath the jacket inside the backpack all along.

Glancing down to make sure Jesse was still sleeping soundly, Lukas opened up the diary. While snooping around other people's stuff wasn't usually a hobby of his, it was hard to overcome the curiosity when you had absolutely nothing else to do.

On the first few words, Lukas's interest was very quickly intensified as he released he might in fact be sitting in the mysterious C.S.'s living room.

New Years is in a few days, and I've decided the best way to celebrate would be for me and my sister to head down to that little cabin in the valley. Oh, I love visiting that place. It's going to be weeks filled with hiking, fishing and simply enjoying the solitude.

Lukas paged ahead slightly, scanning each page as he did. Skipping past most of the writer's details about their first few days at the cabin. A few pages in, some words caught his attention and he began to read again.

It's been raining with no end for a few days now. It's really going to spoil all our plans if it doesn't clear up soon. I can't believe we had to actually go dig out our thicker jackets.

Lukas paged a few more pages ahead.

I have a nasty feeling that it's time we head back to Beacontown. As I'm writing this, it is snowing outside the window. I'm sure there has to be a logical explanation for this, but my sister is in a blind panic.

Lukas bit his lip, remembering that that was exactly what they had all thought. A logical explanation... if only.

Blizzard upon blizzard, I've never seen weather like this, not here. Even I am starting to become panicked right now. With the car refusing to start, we're as good as tapped here. 
And as if things aren't bad enough already, I think my sister is coming down with something.

Lukas began paging ahead again, skipping past the writer's descriptions of the harsh stays they spent hidden inside the cabin. Describing her fears and worries.
He began picking up that the person who was writing the diary, was a lot more confident than her sister who she mentions almost every other paragraph.

We're without power now and our food and water supply is dropping low. I've brought up the suggestion to my sister, that we should think about hiking back to Beacontown. I think my words sent her into near hysterics.

Lukas paged ahead again, noticing a gap of a few days as the writer began writing less and less entries.

We're going to leave today. I've gotten some food and other supplies into a backpack, as well as the firearm we keep here for emergency. There are wolves in the mountain, and we need to be prepared for in case.
My sister isn't doing well, this whole situation is taking a terrible toll on her. I can tell she's traumatised and would rather be anywhere but here right now. And with her getting sicker by the day, on top of that... I can't very well blame her. The most I can do is try and stay strong for the both of us.

Lukas turned the page, noticing the entry abruptly coming to an end. A lump settled in his throat as he began to read the next entry.

I am at the gas station, up the road. The place is abandoned, but it's my best bet to stay here while the newest blizzard rages outside.
I am alone.
This morning, hours before we were going to leave, I was packing downstairs. That was when I heard the gunshot upstairs.
I knew my sister didn't want to go through this any longer, but I never expected her to go to the lengths she did. How I'm going to go on without her, I am not sure.
I couldn't bring myself to take the weapon with me, not while I knew it was the same weapon my sister used to end her own life. I have my hunting knife on me, and it's my only defense right now. Call me foolish, but put yourself in my shoes and you'll understand.
I will continue in the direction of Beacontown, for what it's worth.

Just in case I don't make it, and anybody ever finds this book; I hope you're reading this. My personal information as well as our family's, is in the back. Please, let them know what happened to us.

I will continue to leave updates on my journey.

Lukas slowly turned the page, feeling his heart skip a beat at the blank paper in front of him. Whatever happened to the writer of the diary, she never made it further than the gas station. Petra found her belongings there, with no sign of the woman herself.

What could have happened?

Lukas raked his hand through his hair, placing the diary down on the arm rest of the chair beside him. He felt Jesse shift her head slightly on his lap. She only adjusted her position a bit, before continuing to sleep soundly. Lukas wrapped the fingers on his good hand around Jesse's, gently holding her hand in his. Even though she wasn't awake at that moment, Lukas felt some sort of reassurance from being able to hold her hand.

As the minutes slowly ticked by, everything Lukas read stayed with him. He couldn't stop puzzling over the two sisters who had lived in the cabin he was sitting in, especially with knowing that they were both dead... one of their bodies still there as well.

Lukas frowned to himself, thinking about what he had read. The writer of the diary had left behind the firearm that her sister used. While it was a horrible thought to begin with, Lukas couldn't help wonder where the weapon was.
It would help Petra and whoever decides to accompany her on their next journey tremendously, if they had a proper weapon against all the predators out there.

Lukas glanced down at Jesse. She had completely settled again, breathing out slow and calm breaths. Very carefully so he wouldn't disturb her, Lukas lifted Jesse's head off his lap, placing a pillow beneath her head. Jesse didn't do so much as stir. He got up from the couch, stretching out his stiff legs. Especially his left leg was awfully numb and sore from the time he's spent sitting.

Checking one last time to make sure Jesse was still okay, Lukas began walking away. His nose twitched slightly at the unpleasant smell in the air, as he neared the stairs.

He hesitated before taking the fire step. Maybe he should search for the weapon downstairs first? He wasn't very keen on hanging around a dead person...

Lukas shook his head, putting on a determined expression. Ignoring all the thoughts, he began to walk up the stairs. Much to Lukas's annoyance, his stiff legs still wasn't cooperating, muscles cold and numb.

He let out a light puff of breath in relief, as he stepped up the last step. The smell in the air stung his nose, and his leg was numbly throbbing, but he was up there nonetheless – no turning back.
Lukas shuddered when he finally spotted the corpse, resting against the side of one bed. He stepped closer to it, trying to avoid looking at the body itself while scanning the floor around it with his eyes. He felt his heart sink when he didn't see any weapon just lying there on the ground. It was probably stupid for him to think it would be, but he had hoped nonetheless.

Lukas knelt slightly down to get a closer look, all of a sudden feeling his weight shift backwards. He cursed softly, rubbing his stiff leg that had been the one to give away.

As he did, Lukas felt a new rock f dread settling in the bit of his stomach. He had almost completely forgotten about nearly falling in the lake the previous night. That was the leg that had gotten soaked.

Completely forgetting about the dead body right in front of him, Lukas sat back on the wooden floor and rolled up his pants leg. His heart was beating heavily as he prepared himself for a terrible sight.

While it wasn't as devastating as what Lukas had been expecting, he could immediately tell that his suspicions were correct; his skin had been damaged by the cold. Lukas slowly ran his hand down his leg, his eyes tracing the patterns of swollen, red skin.

"As if things couldn't get any worse." Lukas breathed with a sigh, pulling the fabric back down over his leg. "I guess Olivia will have to accompany Petra, while I hang back with Jesse and Axel then..."

Lukas sighed a second time, leaning back against the bed behind him. Not even realising that he was sitting right across from the corpse at that moment, his mind filled with a truckload of horrible thoughts.

But as Lukas did, his eyes spotted an object halfway in beneath the bed. His mouth slowly opened as he leaned forward, reaching out a hand and bringing the item closer.

Small, yet deadly, in his hands he was holding a loaded pistol.

Lukas let out a mixture between a relieved and a triumphant chuckle.

Deciding not to hang around any longer, he quickly got back to his feet. Ignoring the distant throbbing in his leg, Lukas quickly turned around and began to swiftly walk away from the corpse. But as he reached the stairs, the small bathroom door caught his attention.

Lukas frowned, wondering if any of the others had checked it. Bathrooms weren't exactly chock full of loot, but in their situation it could be very useful, especially if there was any usable first aid.

Ignoring how desperately his nose wanted fresh air, or how much his leg wanted him to sit down, Lukas headed in the direction of the bathroom. Much to his dismay, it appeared the place had already been ransacked. A first aid kit was lying on the ground, contents spilled all over the place, the most essential items no longer there.

Deciding there was nothing that could be of any use to him, Lukas turned away again. As he did, something caught his eye. Lukas frowned, bending down and picking up the item. A piece of cloth, looking oddly... familiar.

Lukas slowly inhaled as he realised what he was actually holding. An old bandanna, the faded blue stripes only just visible beneath the dark stains of blood.

Petra. It was Petra's bandanna.

Lukas hadn't thought much of it when he first saw her without her bandanna. He had simply assumed she lost it along the way, especially with everything they've been through.

But looking at the once blue piece of cloth in his hands, Lukas could feel his heart fluttering in panic. The fabric, although now dry, had clearly been drenched. Soaked all the way through. It was a shocking amount of blood, blood that had to be Petra's.

Lukas took a deep shaking breath, trying to fight off all the horrible realisations that were starting to strike him. The wound on Petra's head was not that large, the blood had to be from somewhere else. She was hurt, severely by the look of things. And worst of all, she had kept it to herself completely and hid it from them.

"Damnit Petra." Lukas breathed, dropping the bandanna to the floor and raking his fingers through his blonde hair. Why did she have to be so stubborn? More importantly, why did she have to be so good at hiding things?

Taking a deep breath to try and keep his wits about him, Lukas picked the pistol back up. Not having any reason to spend more time up there, he just wanted to get back downstairs again. Think things through.

Lukas's sore leg painfully complained as he walked down the stairs again. He simply gritted his teeth, trying to ignore it like he did just about everything that day. Simply placing the pistol down on the dining table, Lukas walked back over to the living room. Jesse seemed to be in a slow process of waking up.

"Lukas?" She asked sleepily, looking up at him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Lukas asked, pushing all the worries into the back of his head so he could focus on Jesse.

"Not well." Jesse admitted, weakly propping herself up on the couch.

"Would you like me to get you anything?" Lukas asked her in concern. "Water? Maybe even food?"

Jesse shook her head. "No... any sign of Petra and Olivia yet?" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"I'm afraid not." Lukas said, sitting down beside Jesse. "It hasn't been that long yet, even though it feels like so much more time has passed. They're probably not even on the way back yet."

Jesse gave a small nod in response, looking down. Lukas placed an arm around her back in a comforting matter.

"Why don't you get some more rest?" He suggested.

Jesse shrugged at the question, but didn't resist when Lukas gesture for her to lie down. She silently lowered her body back onto the couch, Lukas allowing her to once more use him as a pillow.

"Thank you." She said softly as she closed her eyes. "You don't have to do this... watching over me."

"I'd do anything for you." Lukas responded honestly.

Jesse smiled faintly at his words, before her expression slowly faded away again as sleep settled in. Lukas pulled the red jacket back over Jesse for some warmth. Then he returned to his earlier position, leaning against the backrest of the couch while staring at the fire place.

Thousands of new thoughts, worries and concern plaguing his mind.

___

So a little bit of a calmer chapter, but an important one nonetheless. The backstory on the owners of the cabin is now roughly filled in. Lukas also found Petra's bandanna, and now knows that she's hiding some sort of wound. So the secret about the wolf bite on her arm should be out as soon as she gets back...

Jesse hasn't gotten any better, and Lukas has started suffering the consequences from almost falling into the lake. Things aren't looking too bright.

Can I also just mentioned that I really like writing these cute friendship  moments? 'Cause I really did-

Anyhow, feel free to share any new theories of what will happen next, if you have 'em! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in THREE days with chapter 22!