𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑    𝐓 𝐖 𝐎
ɪᴛ ʙᴇɢɪɴs

     SHILOH WAS confused when she heard screaming echoing from the basement; Josh hadn't given her any sign that he would be starting the prank, only sparing her a glance before he ventured into the basement with Sam.

     They'd agreed that she would also be a 'victim' of the prank, so she instantly got into character. Running to the basement door, she swung it open with a panicked look in her eyes. The false tension in her shoulders deflated when her gaze found the sight of Chris and Josh laughing, looking at a very unhappy Sam Giddings.

     "What the fuck was that?" She asked, obsidian irises locking onto her best friend's steely blue ones. "You guys were screaming bloody-fuckin-murder."

     Josh chuckled, slowly recovering from his laughter. "Chris scared the hell out of us. You should've seen it, oh my God. It was great."

     "It was not!" Sam argued, breathing still slightly frantic from the encounter. She looked to Shiloh, "He chased us through the basement in," she motioned to the robe he wore, "whatever the hell that is; had the hood covering his face."

Shiloh sighed, entirely deflating as she stepped to the side, allowing them to exit the basement. "Christ, you guys scared the hell out of me with that screaming."

     Josh sent her a sympathetic smile as Chris chuckled. "Sorry, Shy. I couldn't resist. You should see all the old movie shit they have down there."

     The brunette rolled her eyes with a sigh before the four of them made their way back into the lodge.

     "I'm ready to admit that your dumb little prank may have had a slight whiff of humor to it." The blue eyed girl smirked, voice reaching Chris over her shoulder.

     "Jokemaster!"

     Sam stammered to respond, "Woah—I-I said nothing about jokes. I said your prank, which was dumb—"

     "Holy crap. You were scared, admit it." Josh mused, Shiloh smirking beside him as he placed the flashlight onto a nearby table.

     "I was not!"

     "Come on, you totally pissed yourself!"

     "Josh!"

     Ashley found them by the stairs, holding back a laugh as she spotted Chris' monk robes. "What in God's name are you wearing?"

     The blonde male motioned his hand into a cross, before placing his hands in a praying position and saying. "I found my true calling."

     The girl smiled up at him, folding her hands in the same praying position. "Please tell me you're going to take a vow of silence."

     As Chris mimed a conversation, Shiloh and Josh found themselves by the fire once more. She was sat on the couch, watching the pair with a small smile; it kind of sucked that Ashley was in on last year's incident, but at the same time, she'd never once seen the girl show any sign of genuine remorse.

     Chris pulled a Ouija board from his robe, catching the brunette's attention instantly. Her face held false anxiety, eyes glimmering as she glanced at Josh, who was currently crouched by the fire. She knew that this was the beginning of their prank, the beginning of their revenge; he'd mentioned the Ouija board before, planning to use it as an excuse to freak out and leave without them.

     "Here's our one-way ticket to the spirit realm!" The blond announced, holding the board above his head.

     Sam shook her head by the stairs, "Y'know what? Y'know what? No! I've just been through enough spooking for one night, okay? I see a hot bath in my crystal ball." She backed up, beginning her ascent, "Alright? So have fun!"

     Shiloh chuckled, "Okay, enjoy your bath, Sam!"

     "Oh, but watch out for that Josh. He's a schemer!" She added, playfully whisper-shouting her words.

     Josh and Shiloh's gazes met, small smirks decorating their lips at her words. If she only knew.

     "Okay," the Washington boy chuckled, turning toward their friends as they prepared to set up the Ouija board.

     The brunette smiled subtly, gaze never leaving Josh's as they followed Chris and Ashley. "Let the games begin."

❆

     The group of four were seated around a table, the board before them, and a candle flickering beside it. The world outside was beyond dark, now, the moon peaking through the blinds, blending with the orange glow of candlelight and creating a haunting atmosphere—one that perfectly fit the moment.

     "Okay. So, it says here: to communicate with the spirit world you must free your mind of all preconceptions, drop all inhibitions, and generally give yourself over entirely to the will of others, sublimating your every desire to the whims of the spirit master. Which is me—"

     "It doesn't say that." Ashley countered, Shiloh watching as Josh got comfortable in his seat.

     The candlelight illuminated his features beautifully, his blue eyes darkened by the riot formulating in his brain. She'd hoped he was taking his medications, fearful that he'd take things too far otherwise; they were here to scare their friends, not to genuinely hurt any of them.

     "...and all present will remove their garments at my soul discretion." Chris continued, causing his best friend to smirk, glancing at Shiloh beside him.

     "Now that, I am okay with," he winked, chuckling at the eyeroll he'd received from her.

     "Shut up," she chuckled, gently pushing his shoulder. "This is serious."

     "Oh, I am deadly serious."

     Ashley tensed in her seat, deep breath making her shoulders rise with anxiety. "Oh, shush it. Let's try this."

     Chris sighed as they all moved their hands toward the planchet, "Okay, then, let's see what happens."

     The wood felt smooth beneath her fingertips, her pale hands hidden by the baggy sleeves of her jacket. The black lettering on the board looked even more haunting in the dim light, the font beautiful as her arm hovered over it. Her pinkie grazed Josh's, firing a jolt of electricity up her arm and warming her heart; neither of them moved their hand.

     "Ashley," the blond began, "since you're a recent convert, why don't you be our medium for the day?"

     She sighed, looking to the ceiling hesitantly before she spoke. "Okay. Um... Anyone there? Will you reveal yourself to us... if you're there?"

     Josh and Shiloh shared a glance, waiting a moment, before moving the planchet to 'YES'.

     "Wait a minute—" Chris began to protest, only to be cut off by the flannel-clad man across from him.

     "Did you do that?" His voice was shaky, feigning fear as he questioned their friends.

     "I didn't do anything!" Ashley protested, looking fearfully to the blond beside her.

     "It's moving again!"

     Shiloh's face contrasted her mind, brown eyes wide from anxiety, but glimmering with focus. She began to move the planchet around the board, Josh silently helping her as they began to spell something out.

     'H'

     "What's it spelling?"

     'E'

     "Hold on."

     'L'

     "How's this happening?"

     "Are you moving it?"

     "No, Chris!" Shiloh exclaimed, voice low and shaky, convincing enough to scare the other two at the table as the planchet continued to race across the board.

     'P'

     "Holy shit..." Josh muttered, nearly panting from the speed it'd moved.

     "Help?"

     "How are we supposed to help?" The blond questioned, looking around the table at his friend's scared faces.

     The beanie-clad girl to his right shook her head, "I don't know. What does it mean?"

     Shiloh gulped from her seat, glancing briefly at Josh. He was a damn good actor. She turned her gaze back to the board, "We can't help if we don't know who it is. Ash?"

     She nodded from across the table, eyes quickly moving to the planchet. "Who are you?"

     The Munroe girl was relieved by how gullible their friends were, moving along with Josh much slower this time.

     'SISTER'

     They all looked at the eldest Washington, eyes brimming with worry and fear; he was breathing heavily, approaching the point of hyperventilation, steely blue irises swirling with a mix of emotion only he could ever understand. "Whose sister?"

     "Oh, come on. Is this for real?"

     "Shut up." He and Shiloh said in unison, briefly looking to Chris before turning their gaze back to Ashley. "Ask it whose sister."

     "Josh..." She nearly cried, "It's... It's gotta be..."

     "Yeah? Okay, well..." He gulped, tearing his eyes away for a moment to think. He glanced to Shiloh, whose hand was resting on his thigh in an attempt to comfort him. "Which sister is it then?"

     Chris, defeated and clearly unhappy with the way things were going, lazily turned his head to his crush. "Ashley, ask who it is..."

     "Who are we speaking to?" She called, voice faltering under the weight of her anxiety, "Hannah? Is that you?"

     Slowly, it moved to 'YES'. Shiloh glanced to Josh, who was maintaining his mortified facade, his mind laser focused on the task at hand; she nearly had to force back a laugh when Ashley released a sob. "Oh, God."

     "This is so fucked," the brunette muttered, wide eyes flickering between their friends. "Are you two doing this?"

     "No, Shy—"

     "Is this another one of your pranks?" She interrupted, looking between the two with a frantic look in her eyes. Her breathing grew heavy, labored, as she pretended to panic. "Cause it's not funny!"

     "No, Shy, I swear." The girl across from her pleaded, only slightly understanding the weight of her words.

     Ashley still had yet to apologize to her for the previous years events, as nearly everyone else involved had. The only one to ever apologize was Matt. She knew that Shiloh was aware of her lack of remorse, knew that she felt as if she deserved an apology—but Ashley disagreed. In her mind, Hannah had overreacted, and the events that followed were not their fault.

     Shiloh gulped, looking to Josh. Their eyes met, feigned worry in hers and feigned fear in his. He understood the silent question that her eyes held, the silent plead for confirmation that he was okay.

     "I'm fine."

     "Are you sure—"

     "No. I want to hear what it says." He interrupted, eyes blown, pleading the blond across from him to continue, convincing Chris that he needed this—that he needed answers.

     Ashley looked around, voice quiet. "I don't know where to start..."

     Chris tilted his head in thought, "Think about it. If this is actually Hannah, I mean, we can find out what happened that night..." His gaze drifted to Shiloh, "We can find out what happened to you, too, Shy."

     She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes on command. "I know what happened to me." Despite the shaky tone, her words were firm; she wasn't lying. Sure, she was missing bits and pieces, but she knew the outcome. They fell. They were gone. "I can't... I can't do this."

     Josh looked at her pleadingly, convincing their friends even further that neither of them were responsible for this. It was all part of the plan. "Shy—"

     A tear slid down her face, boiling her skin as she stood from her seat. "I'm sorry, Josh."

     With that, she spared the other two a glance and hurried from the room. Once out of sight, and out of earshot, she snuck to Josh's surveillance room to watch the rest of the game. The footage had no audio, but she reclined back in the chair and watched the plan unfold further. The panic on Ashley's face, the confusion mixed with irritation on Chris', and Josh's impeccable acting were enough to bring a smirk onto her lips.

     She took the time to watch Josh, their moment on the couch flickering through her mind. That look in his eyes, like she was the only source of happiness he had anymore, like he loved her.

     Was he going to kiss her? Was Beth right?

     The memory of sitting with the girl at the ski lift echoed, her words burning into Shiloh's brain—like they'd finally registered.

     "The only person you're fooling is yourself, Shy."

     Her smirk dropped, eyes widening. She hadn't acknowledged her feelings for Josh, preferring to ignore them and hope they'd fade. She'd done it for so long, she'd almost forgotten why her stomach flipped every time he'd look at her, why her heart would thunder in her chest every time he'd touch her.

     The past year had been so hectic: her relentless search for the twins, her complicity with Josh's plan, the stress of getting everything prepared, therapy, work, being there for Josh every time he needed it. She'd been so distracted, she hadn't noticed the small flame morphing into an inferno, imprisoned in her damaged ribcage.

     The realization nearly brought her to tears, her heartbeat thundering in her ears as she watched him storm away from the others to find her.

     Hurriedly, she opened the entrance to the surveillance room, nearly hitting her accomplice as she did so.

     "Woah," he chuckled. "You okay, Shy?"

     She nodded, a breathless smile on her lips. "Yeah, just got lost in my thoughts." She cleared her throat, pulling him inside, "Everything go as planned?"

     Josh smiled, sitting in the chair comfortably. "Yeah. God, they're total suckers."

     "I know," Shiloh laughed. "You'd think Chris would be harder to trick."

     He shrugged, blue eyes scanning the screens, following the two as he responded. "You'd be surprised."

❆

     The two of them ventured to the kitchen, Josh fully disguised as this 'psycho' character he'd created; the props in the basement came in handy for their prank, they hadn't had to spend a dime on his disguise.

     Shiloh sighed, leaning against the bar with a small smirk on her lips. "Ready to play psycho-killer?"

     "Sure am." He held his mask up, the bottom of it hovering over his forehead as he sent her an apologetic smile. "You sure you're okay with this?"

     She chuckled, pushing off the counter and pulling the mask over his face. He laughed from underneath before her whispered words reached his ears, "I've been through worse. Just—don't punch me in the ribs."

     "I know," his voice was distorted, but she could hear the small smile on his lips. "Don't wanna hurt your pretty lil' face either."

     The brunette smiled, handing him a wooden board, "Back of the head?"

     "Yes, Ma'am." Josh confirmed, playfully saluting before gently taking the board from her hand. "Ready?"

     "Always."

     In a quick moment, Shiloh released a blood-curdling scream, one that would have won an award if it were in a movie. He followed soon after with a scream of his own. She winked at Josh, her smile never faltering as she turned her back and the board collided with her skull.

     The last thing she'd heard was a muttered 'I'm sorry' from him, just before Ashley stormed in the room, Shiloh's vision blurring just as she received a punch to her face. Everything went black soon after, the dark clutches of unconsciousness grasping her and dragging her into the tranquil promise of sleep.

     Chris rushed in not long after Ashley had, a distressed yell escaping him when his eyes landed on the girls' bodies on the ground. Josh quickly jumped from around the corner, delivering a brutal right hook to his childhood best friend and knocking him out cold.

     He'd grabbed Ashley's arms, dragging her from the other two and down into the shed, where the first part of the prank would commence. His blue eyes found Shiloh's form through the eyeholes of the mask, a small smile gracing his lips before exiting.

     The snow hadn't woken her up, neither had any stray rocks or loose stuff in the shed. He chained her up, quick to change out of the disguise and hide it under a nearby floorboard before sliding his head through the hole he'd created in the board, situating himself to make his head seamlessly fit with the neck of the dummy.

❆

     Chris had woken up first, screaming for his crush the moment he got to his feet. "Ashley!"

     His voice pulled Shiloh from the depths of unconsciousness, a faint whimper escaping her lips. Dried trails of mascara, left by her tears, marked her cheeks, and her glassy eyes wandered, disoriented, as she woke.

     Her voice was groggy as she spoke, tone quiet as her eyes found the blurred figure of her friend. "Chris?"

     He was by her side in an instant, crouching to help her stand. "Shy. Are you okay?"

     The brunette groaned, placing her hand on the back of her head. She pulled it back, the crimson liquid tarnishing her pale skin, "Fuck... Yeah, it's just... my head." She looked around, eyes widening in false realization, "Where's Josh?"

     Chris shook his head, the bruise on his cheekbone prominent. "I-I don't know. We heard you guys screaming, ran to check it out. Ash, she... she got here before me, and there was this guy—"

     "I saw him, too." She breathed, eyes wide as his recollection sunk in. "He came after us—"

     "Do you think he took them?"

     Shiloh scoffed, helping her friend realize just how stupid the question was. "No, they vanished into thin air, Christopher."

     The blond sighed, "Good to know the head injury didn't dampen your sarcasm, Shy."

     "Uh-huh." She sighed, her tone urgent, "C'mon, we've gotta find them."

     They wandered into the hallway, their eyes finding a large crimson splatter on the wall. Shiloh had to stop herself from rolling her eyes as a thought crossed her mind, "Way to milk it, Josh."

     "Aw, shit. No!" Chris yelled, eyes wide and tone panicked.

     The brunette frowned, gulping at the sight. "Don't be so loud—we don't know if he's still in here."

     "But—Shy—do you not see that?" He emphasized, waving the flashlight frantically at the stain.

     She snatched the flashlight from him, eyes wild with false panic. "Yes, I see it. Did you not hear me? He could still be here, Chris."

     His shoulders deflated, the blue parka lowering with them, and he nodded. "Y-Yeah.. You're right—I'm sorry. I just—I'm worried."

     "It's okay," she whispered, but the promise of her words sounded empty. He knew that she was just trying to stay focused, trying to find their friends without completely losing her shit. "Let's just... Let's just keep looking."

     With a deep breath, they ventured further down the hall, coming upon an open door. As they made the descent, Chris' hushed voice reached her ears. "Shy... Did—uh—did you recognize him? Or, his mask?'

     She shook her head, confused, "No. Why?"

     He gulped. "Well, you said that you, Hannah, and Beth were chased—I was just wondering if... if the mask jogged any memories."

     Shiloh frowned, eyes watering as flashes of the growling she'd heard echoed through her mind. It wasn't a person that had chased them, it couldn't have been. "No."

     Chris stayed silent, continuing to follow her down the stairs. When their boots crunched against the snow, they turned right. It was the only trail leading from the lodge, the mostly covered drag marks directing them to a horrifying destination.

     "Ashley!" He yelled, his voice echoing into the forest around them.

     Shiloh struggled to keep up, the burning in her lungs being amplified by the frigid air of the February night; she lagged a few feet behind him, panting. Chris heard this, stopping and turning to wait for her. He'd wrapped an arm around her waist, careful not to place his arm too high or too low, and draped her arm over his shoulder. "You okay?"

     "Just... can't breathe..." She wheezed, "My chest hurts... so bad."

     That wasn't part of the act, her lungs truly were screaming at the exertion. She accepted his help, glancing left and right as they reached a fork in the trail. One lead to the shed, the other lead elsewhere; she pretended to be confused, to struggle deciding which way to venture, until Chris made the decision for them. They turned left, making it about ten feet down the trail, when a scarecrow with a clown mask shot up from the ground.

     Shiloh screamed, falling backwards and out of Chris' hold. She panted, eyes wide as she looked at the mask above her; Josh hadn't told her about this, she was going to kill him.

     "What in the hell?" The blond asked, turning to help her to her feet. "Who would do this?"

     The brunette shook her head lightly, still trying to catch her breath from the scare. "No fuckin' clue... C'mon. Let's go."

     They ventured past the scarecrow, where a severed pig's head layed beneath a small light. She cringed as a groan of disgust echoed from her lips, "What the fuck?"

     "Aw, shit." Chris muttered, before gently pulling her away from the animal. "C'mon... Let's just—let's just find them."

     The Munroe girl nodded, following his lead. The sounds of the forest chilled her more than the snow ever could, the constant feeling that she was being watched—hunted. She couldn't help the paranoia, the feeling induced by the traumatizing location; every time she returned, even if it were during the day, she felt like unfinished prey.

     They continued to venture down the trail, calling for their friends to no avail, when they came upon the shed.

"They've gotta be in the shed..." He muttered, "There's no way he could've taken them into the woods without one of them waking up and fighting back."

Shiloh nodded, breathless as they approached the doors. One of them were open, the entrance dark and haunting as they journeyed inside; they turned the corner, the entire shed only illuminated by the faint moonlight that peered in through the frost-bitten windows.

     "Ashley?"

     "Josh?"

     "Chris?" Ashley's voice echoed through the abyss, "Shiloh?"

     Josh's voice soon followed, "Guys!"

     Shiloh weakly pushed off of her friend, stumbling through the darkness. "Josh! Where are you guys?"

     "I-I don't know," he called back, his voice weak and riddled with fear and confusion. "Just—Just follow the sound of our voice?"

     The brunette sighed, glancing over her shoulder to ensure that Chris was still following her. He sent her a nod of confirmation, steadying the flashlight so they could see; the duo ventured further into the darkness, Chris' voice echoing through the building. "Are you guys okay? What the hell happened?"

     Shiloh released a short sob, rushing to the tall chain link fence that separated her from their friends. Before her were Ashley and Josh, both chained with their arms above their heads, dangling, clearly in distress. "Josh!"

     She didn't care to show worry for Ashley, making the beanie-clad girl and Chris believe it was because of the night that diluted their friendship into near nothingness.

     "Chris? Are you there?" Ashley called, eyes wandering through the dark in search of the blond.

     Just as he went to respond, the masked man's voice echoed through the dim shed. "Hello, and thank you all for joining me. Tonight we're going to conduct a little experiment."

     "What is this?" Josh yelled as Shiloh tried to help Chris breach the fence. It wouldn't budge.

     "A sort of test," the voice continued.

     The brunette shook her head, hot tears streaming down her face, boiling her skin as they fell. She whipped her head around frantically, as if she were trying to find the culprit hidden away in the dark. "What the fuck is this?!"

     "Now for this experiment, we'll need the cooperation of our two test subjects... Joshua and Ashley..."

     Shiloh watched Josh through the fence, her fingers wrapped tightly around one of the links, eyes blown with fear as his eyes briefly met hers and his fearful words echoed from his lips. "Holy shit. Oh my God."

     "But we're going to need one more brave participant to help decide... which subject will live, and which will die."

     "Oh, no! Oh, my God! Oh, God. Chris! Get us out of here!" Ashley screamed, thrashing against her shackles.

     "No! You can't do this!" Josh screamed soon after, thrashing more aggressively than the girl beside him. "Let me down from here, you maniac!"

     "Please. Please, please, everyone calm down. It's all very simple." Shiloh was shaking, breathing growing more labored in the face of the situation. "Christopher..."

     Her obsidian eyes widened, looking to the boy in fear. She and Josh knew he was going to choose to save Ashley, their friend was far more predictable than he believed himself to be. They'd made that prediction from day one, both annoyed that the blond's infatuation with the girl seemingly grew after what she'd done.

     Chris' shoulders tensed at the sound of his name, eyes blown with fear as the voice continued. "You will find a lever placed directly in front of you. All you have to do... is choose who you will save!"

     The sound of a motor starting echoed through the space, the sickening whirring of the large sawblade following soon after, slightly muffling the screaming hostages before them. Shiloh screamed, throwing herself at the fence with even thicker tears falling from her ducts; she banged against the metal, rattling the barrier in a feeble attempt to get through. "No! Why him?!"

     "Because, Shiloh, you're too fragile to decide."

     She nearly glared at Josh; she didn't know he'd say that in the recording.

     Shiloh slowly turned to Chris, a pleading look in her eyes. He knew what she was asking, what she was begging him to do, but he could only look away; the brunette gulped, covering her mouth with her hand to muffle her knowing cry.

     The blond swayed anxiously on his feet, the repetitive mumble of 'oh crap' tumbling from his conflicted lips. Josh and Ashley were begging with him, pleading for him to spare them.

     "Oh, my God. Chris! You can't let me die!"

     "Dude... Buddy... Let's just think about this for a minute..."

     Ashley threw her head back, her tears reflecting the moonlight. "You can't let me die!"

     "Just—just—just give me a second... I-I can't think straight—" The blond pleaded.

     Josh widened his eyes, watching through the darkness as Chris placed his hands on his temples, stressed beyond comprehension. "Huh?!"

     Shiloh was sobbing against the fence, her tortured gaze locked firmly onto her best friend's dangling figure. She knew the plan, she knew the saw was rigged, but the event she was about to witness would surely bring agony upon her soul.

    "Ashley, I'll get you out of this!" Chris yelled, earning a soul-shattering scream from the brunette beside him. "I won't let you die!"

     "Oh, God... Thank God!" Ashley yelled, her extreme self-preservation having already been revealed.

     Josh shook his head, forcing a few tears to drop from his face, "No! Please, no!"

     The saw inched closer, waiting for the an order of direction; Chris hesitantly grasped the lever, quickly pulling it to Josh's picture. Shiloh collapsed, screaming for the man she loved. "Josh! Please, no! Fuck!"

     "I see. You have chosen... to save Ashley." The voice echoed, barely audible over her pulse thundering in her head. She continued to cry, to scream; Beth's words from the previous year reminding her that all of their friends were well aware of her feelings for the eldest Washington. She needed to make it convincing.

     At the sudden order from the lever, the blade sped to Josh's dangling form. Chris' mutters of internal confliction fell deaf upon her ears, only her best friend's voice reaching her. "No, Chris! I thought we were friends, man! I thought we were friends! Please! Shiloh! Shiloh—" he paused, teary eyes finding hers through the fence; he had to sell it, right? "I love you."

     She let out a wail as the sawblade sliced through his stomach, quicker than her words could escape her; Josh screamed in agony as Chris muttered apologies, before the only sound left was Shiloh's sniffles and the whirring of the sawblade.

     "No!" The brunette screamed, collapsing as guttural sobs shook her body. She couldn't hear, she didn't want to. Even though she knew Josh was alive before her, the sight still wrecked her soul, creating small fractures in her already darkened heart. A heart polluted by nightmares, by trauma, by fear—by revenge.

     She'd barely noticed when the gate opened, Chris rushing in and freeing Ashley, her cries when she saw what had almost been her fate. She was stuck, staring at Josh, even when the blond tried to usher her from the shed.

     "Don't fucking touch me." Shiloh snapped, her voice broken yet lethal as he went to pull her up. "I didn't even—" she cleared her throat, but her words still came out broken and powerless, "I didn't even get to tell him I loved him too."

     She knew he could hear her, which was exactly why she'd said it. She figured she'd spare them the awkward confession that would've taken place in the aftermath of this, one that she knew she'd be too scared to face.

     When she finally stood, and began to follow her friends from the shed, she looked over her shoulder. Chris and Ashley had gone ahead of her, leaving just the two of them in the building; Josh opened his eyes slightly, sending her a wink, before going limp once more.

     A small smirk flickered across her lips, before her broken facade returned, and she joined the others.