Narrator:

  Ah, another winter getaway. Aria Clarke, skis, and chaos—it's almost like I can predict the future. And of course, there’s Lily, the voice of reason in this madness. But something feels different today. A little too quiet. Too... still. Something's coming. And it's not just Aria's inevitable crash.

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  The mountains were gorgeous, covered in a thick blanket of snow, and I couldn’t help but grin. There was something magical about being this high up—like the whole world was quiet except for the crunch of the snow beneath my boots. And then there was Lily, looking way too calm and collected for someone about to ski down a mountain. I couldn't help but feel a burst of excitement seeing her here with me. This trip was exactly what we needed—just the two of us, surrounded by snow, and ready for whatever chaos we might bring.

  Okay, first things first—why the hell am I on skis again? After the last disaster, I should have learned my lesson. But no. Aria Clarke, extraordinaire, never backs down. Skiing? I’m basically a pro..

  I pushed off from the snowbank, attempting to glide down the slope like some majestic snowbird. Except, let’s be real, I looked more like a clumsy penguin with a caffeine addiction. My feet were all over the place, and I was sure I looked ridiculous, but hey—at least I was moving.

  Behind me, I could hear the laughter of my “beloved” friends. They were already halfway down the bunny hill, completely carefree and zooming around like they knew what they were doing. Typical.

  And then there’s Lily, my 15-year-old little sister, who’s basically the only one who cares about my safety—or at least pretends to. She’s probably about ten times more graceful on these skis than I am. I can see her in the distance, adjusting her poles, giving me that look—the one that says, “Please don’t do something stupid.”

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  “Aria!” she calls out from behind. “Be careful, okay?”

  I shot her a wink, trying to look way more confident than I felt. “Relax, Lil. I’ve got this.”

  But of course, no sooner did I say that, my skis decided to betray me. I hit an uneven patch of snow, and next thing I knew, I was flailing in the air, completely out of control, heading straight for a snowbank—again.

  “Not again!” I groaned, face-first in the snow.

  I could hear the sound of footsteps approaching, and before I could stop myself, I shot a dramatic, very exaggerated sigh. “Well, that’s enough skiing for the day. Who’s up for hot cocoa?”

  “Isn’t this like your fifth time falling?” Jason’s voice floated through the air, and I could practically hear the grin on his face.

  “Shut up,” I mumbled, brushing snow out of my hair. “I’m a vision of grace.”

  Lily, as always, just shook her head, trying her best not to laugh. “If by vision of grace, you mean a complete disaster, then yeah, sure.”

  “Ha-ha,” I deadpanned. “You’re hilarious, Lil.”

  “I am,” she grinned. “Now get up, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

  But before I could reply, I noticed something strange. A low rumble in the ground, a weird shudder running through the snow beneath me. My stomach dropped.

  I turned quickly, scanning the horizon.

  “What the hell…?”

  Lily froze too. Her smile disappeared in an instant. “Aria?”

  I held my breath.

  A sudden gust of wind whipped through the trees, but it wasn’t just the wind. Something was off. Something was wrong.

  “Lily…?” I called out, my voice unsteady. “Get back here. Now.”

  Lily took a few hesitant steps towards me, but I could see the confusion in her eyes. “What’s going on?”

  And then, in the distance, I saw something that made my blood run cold.

  The snow was shifting, moving like some kind of giant wave. But there was no water. No storm. Just… something pulling the snow, making it come alive.

  “Lily—MOVE!” I screamed.

  Too late. Her skis were stuck in a patch of ice. She tried to pull them out, but it was no use. The slope beneath her was unstable, and with a sickening crack, she began sliding toward the edge.

  “LILY!” I screamed, my heart racing.

  I could see her eyes wide with panic. The snow beneath her feet was cracking, and she was sliding faster.

  My chest tightened, my breath coming in shallow bursts. This was bad. Way bad.