I can’t handle the ride to the mountain, but the bus took its time getting up with all the snow. I’m surprised the road wasn't too wacky, but my stomach felt the engine because I’m close to the front. So I listen to a Podcast from the videos that ended up online. About the people who died a year before on this mountain, why does my brother want to be here with our friends?. I’m worried about my brother, but what is going to happen to him? I hope he is still taking his medication.
I finally got to where I had to get off at, so I got my backpack and a duffle bag to get slashed on my back on the other bag. So I started to get off the bus, and the driver stopped me momentarily.
“Do you know what you're getting up to here?” He asks, but it's more like a warning.
“Not really, sir, but I’m sure it will be fine,” I say honestly.
“Most of those who take this path never come back down,” he says to me, harbinger of death to come, it seemed to him.
“I’ll be careful, sir, so I’ll warn my friends too,” I say.
It seemed to worry the man more, but he waved me to go. Then the moment I step away, he drives away like hell is coming. Then it’s time to go for a walk up to the cable car station. I start walking and see a cute squirrel, and find a nut nearby. Then I crouch down and stay very still until the nut is taken, then I say goodbye to the squirrel.
I walked to the station and felt happy to find two friends there. It’s Jackie and Victoria, the cute couple, they would say every time. At least when we get together a lot, I remember that for some reason. It’s now time to face that, I walk to them, and they go dead silent suddenly.
“Hey, you two, why so quiet?” I say in a jokey way.
“It's nothing, just hope you’re okay,” Jackie says, concerned.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I say that because I am okay.
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“Because your brother was just released from a mental hospital,” Victoria says bluntly as usual.
I went silent and looked at her angrily, but walked past them. So I went towards the cable car station and got into the cable car, but they joined me in it. I looked out through the window, and it was like white noise in my head. I shook it off when we made it to the destination further up the mountain. We all pop our ears so that we won’t feel pressure in our ears and head.
I try walking away, and Jackie stops me by grabbing my arm.
“I know we made it weird, don’t you notice the oddness?” She says.
“What oddness? He is alright, honestly.” I say to them both.
“If you say so, but understand we all care about you,” Jackie says.
I try to reassure them that I’m okay, though it is a lie. It’s time to walk away from this for right now and get to my brother. I hold myself feeling quite cold now, and it’s time to think of my brother. Why was he released early? The doctors said he needed more treatment. Is he good enough right now? Should I call the doctor? I might be overthinking now.
Then I heard fluttering paper while the girls were silent, and I looked around to see a bulletin board. A note seemed odd on the board:
Friends never last here
They never live long
Not up here in the snow, eat them
Eat before the hunger takes you
Look for the monsters on the mountain
Look away from death
I was so confused looking at the note and then seeing the missing people's pictures, and I suddenly felt on edge by it. As though I’m going to be sick from the note’s content, and the girls come over to see that I’m holding it.
“What the hell is this?” Jackie says and takes it from me.
She reads it and looks at me wide-eyed about the note.
“What is going on? Is this from when those people died?” she asked, as I knew.
“I’m not sure, maybe we can tell the others if it’s new, honestly,” I say, maybe to be helpful.
We all start walking again, more afraid of being up in the cold mountains and not truly safe. I’m not sure we are safe here anymore, so we move faster to the meet-up spot. Let's hope we don’t see some killer up here, so let's get going.
