Underview Resort

Author's Note: This story is best read in the dark.

October 18th

Well Journal, I think I just may have had my final, real lucky break today. What's that you ask? I've won something!? Yes, strange but true. The event? I'm part of a group that's getting one week free at what is apparently the world's best resort for kinksters the world over. That's right, Underview resort! I know, interesting name. What's really interesting though is that I've never heard of this place before. Neither has anyone else who have won the contest with me. Better list them out: Rhys, TJ, Steve, Reinette, Tiedash, Janey, and Slesia. I'm going to be staying with some of my friends from an online form at a resort where we can all indulge in our little fantasies and be free from prying eyes! This is all so cool! I think I'd better get some sleep. More to come.

October 24th

Today I checked to make sure that I'm not going to be missing any important dates or events while I'm off at the Underview resort. Luckily, I'm not going to be missing anything. Sure I'll have to take some time off from work, but being able to go to a bondage exclusive resort is a once in a lifetime chance! Why pass it up, I say.

Furthermore, all the other winners from our forum have confirmed that they can make it. We're going to all meet at the resort right next to Alberta international airport on the twenty second, then drive out to the resort. One rather nifty feature about this resort is its remoteness. It's located about five hours away from any major city, dead set in the middle of nowhere, amongst mountains, trees, and snow. The host of the contest, Mrs. Fercuil, has posted a few pictures of the resort for us to look at. I find it a bit odd that they're in black and white and seem to be quite old, but it's still a beautiful resort nonetheless.

The last thing I did today before sitting down to write was do some packing. Of course I had to take my trenchcoat and PVC bodysuit. The two are just so stylish together, and I can't imagine going to a kinky event without them. Tried the bodysuit on, still fits me like a second glove and feels absolutely wonderful. A few cuffs, a leather hood, and presto, all packed. The contest specified that a lot of our gear and equipment for play would be given to us on site, so I can travel fairly light.

I don't know about you journal, but this is turning out to be a great trip, and we haven't even started yet!

October 25th

2:00 PM (Canada time)

Hello journal. I'm currently writing this in the plane that's carrying me off to the Alberta airport. Nothing too much to report. Got up really early and that was a pain in the butt. Said goodbye to my pet hamster (she's going to be taken care of by a neighbor while I'm gone), got into the car and drove off to the airport. The place was busy for such an early hour, but still managed to get a parking spot fairly easily. The only real hard part was going through security. I caught a few curious glimpses from people who saw what was in the luggage, but since all the stuff is going in the cargo hold, I didn't get any real questions. Good, because I really don't like explaining this kind of stuff to security people.

We should be landing in about an hour or so. Even from this height, Canada looks gorgeous…though the cloud and fog cover is apparently thicker then normal for this time of year.

5:00 PM (Canada time)

I can't believe it. I have finally met all the people I've talked with for so long online. I've finally met them face to face. To say it's a fascinating thrill would be an understatement. Just knowing that these are the people who share many of my same interests and that I've chatted with them for over five years is awesome in a humbling way.

I'm pleased to report that we all quickly adapted to each other and we seem to have gotten along very well so far with no quarrels. Okay, maybe a little bit awkward at first, but we're going out for dinner in a few minutes.

8:00 PM

Dinner was quite fun. We went to a steak house and shared our money to get quite a lot of pizza to share. What surprised me is that we really didn't talk about our "interests". There doesn't seem to be the need to. Since we all know them, we could just focus on the chitchat. I don't think we're going to have any problems getting along this week at the resort.

October 26th

We left this morning for the resort, a bit early for my tastes, but damn, I have to say that where we are in Canada, they have great sunrises. Good thing we have coats and had some coffee to help us wake up. Steve volunteered to drive the van to the resort which I’m grateful for, because one, I don’t have to drive, and two, I get to just enjoy the scenery. Before we took off, Tiedash (who’s a rather lovely lady if I may say so myself) double checked that if we aren’t back in two weeks, our families know to begin looking for us. Hopefully it won’t come to that.

We took off a few minutes later, saying adieu to the hotel and heading off into the Canadian wilderness. And that’s where we are right now. I’m in the front seat next to Steve while the others are in the back of the van. I can hear the occasional giggle or laugh, but for the most part the atmosphere in here seems quite charged and energetic. Can’t say I blame them! The scenery out here, especially a huge lake we passed, is astonishing. Mountains and pine trees as far as the eye can see.

5:00 PM

Wow. Just wow.

We’re at the Underview resort right now, I’m in my room, and I have to say, this place is amazing. Just really, really amazing.

We got our first glimpse of the resort around noon, when we rounded a corner of a mountain and saw it, just sitting there, miles away in a clearing. Though it would take a few more hours to reach it, just knowing that it was there, and that it was enormous was enough to send shivers down my spine. The others saw it too, crowding up to the windows to catch their own glimpse of this place. Tiedash and Janey in particular, looked positively ecstatic. Perhaps Slesia said it best. “I wonder what’s in there?”

Not knowing what was in the resort really made me wonder. There could be anything in there. Anything at all.

Two hours passed before we finally reached the resort. Aside from all the excited talking and chitchat amongst ourselves, the only real incident was going through a very thick patch of fog. I know virtually nothing about Canadian weather, but shouldn’t this fog be odd for this time of year?

We passed through it without incident though. And soon enough, we pulled up to the resort itself! What struck me the most as we pulled out was the fact of how big this place is! It’s almost three stories tall, made out of stone and wood, and it just really made a huge impression on me. Rhys and TJ wanted to go in immediately, but I managed to go with them while everyone else unpacked. We walked down a long, carpet lined corridor made of solid oak wood, got to the front door and went inside.

When we first stepped through…well journal, I’m really not sure how to say this, but…I got a really big chill when I stepped through those double doors. I’ve never felt anything like it. Whether it was a good chill or a bad chill, I don’t know. The others didn’t seem to get one, so I stayed quiet. We had entered the resort lobby and I’m struck by how much it resembles one of my favorite horror movies. It even has the orange pillars, steel chandeliers, and those big ornate murals in the floor! Just like the notice I got in the letter said (the same letter gotten by everyone who won), we would be the only inhabitants of the resort for a day while the rest of the staff got up here.

The entire resort was all but dark, with only a light or two on for us to see by. Rhys found the main switch for the lobby behind the desk and managed to turn all the lights on while TJ went off exploring down the main hall leading to the heart of the resort. I took that moment to ask Rhys what he thought of the resort at first glance. “Big and spooky, but cool.” Was his response. We went outside and got our luggage and helped the others carry their own luggage in. And like me, they all seemed awed at how big and just…well, epic, this whole resort seems like. It wasn’t until then that I noticed some of the finer details that I had missed earlier. For one thing, the black wood statues of naked people that were mounted on some of the walls. And the fact that the candleholders in the chandeliers were figures of latex wearing ladies, laps open for the candles to come in.

The letter we had gotten informed us that we could pick any room we wanted, with the exception of room 372 (which is a private room). Add to the fact that apparently every room in the resort is slightly different from each other, and each of us was quickly off on a quest to see which room would fit our needs.

I eventually chose a room near the very top of the resort. It’s walls are a mix of black with gold stripes, it’s carpet is a dark black, and the two beds have rubber sheets and blankets. That’s right, rubber! This resort is definitely getting four stars in my book! And to further sweeten the deal, there are a few…ahem, decorations in here for that little extra kink for guests. There are adjustable manacles on the walls, should one decide to shackle a partner to there for the night. The giant counter upon which the TV stands is really a giant, narrow steel cage where someone can be locked in! Hmm…I wonder if any of my fellow guests are up to a night over in my room…or vice versa!

Anyway, when I had unpacked, I figured it was time to go take a look around the resort. The Underview is arranged like a giant “Y” and has three main halls. The first is residency, the second is dining and dancing, and the third is simply labeled as “activities”. The number of rooms is fairly small, a brochure I found says, because the smaller number allows guests and caretakers to become more acquainted with each other, and to allow a trusting relationship to take place. Makes sense to me.

All the others were out and about in the hotel, eagerly examining the place for themselves. Tiedash, Janey and Slesia were looking at the dining room and the ballroom, while TJ, Rhys, Steve and myself were exploring the activities section of the resort. The activities section starts out with an enormous lounge that has a lot of couches, a piano, and lots of carpets and murals. In fact, the whole room looks strangely similar to the one in that movie I like so much.

But in the sections behind the lounge…that’s where the real fun is. On both the bottom, second, and third floors there are rooms like “Rubber room” “corset room” “cuff and manacle room” “jungle room” “Cathedral room” etc. Lots of different themes and various scenarios apparently offer a lot of different places to try out whatever fantasy you have in mind. There are even classrooms about how to become a better slave and a better master, the art of wrapping, things like that. I can’t wait for the staff to get here so we can try all this out!

Dinner time is almost here. We’ve all agreed to get together in the dinning room to share our first meal in the resort together. Dinner wear is casual. But then again, there weren’t any rules defining what casual is *smile*

11:00 PM

Our dinner together was a very pleasant event simply for one reason: Everyone had the exact same idea to come down dressed in our favorite fetish gear outfits! I, along with Tiedash, Rhys, Janey, and virtually everyone else came down dressed in our finest rubber, but I was the only one to have a trench coat along. There was a brief discussion of who was going to cook (Reinette won that one), then the rest of us spent the time before dinner having some light drinks and admiring each other’s outfits. Tiedash and myself in particular, enjoyed each other’s outfits.

“You look really good in that catsuit.” I said. “Where’d you get it?”

“Oh, you know me.” She giggled. “I’ve posted the answer a few times. And besides,” She stroked my rubber covered chest. “You look pretty cute yourself.”

Let’s just say that the comment gave me a really big…er…blush on my cheeks. She gave me a little smile, then walked off to get a refill on her drink. Slesia, while going through the music and speaker system for the dining room, came across some old dancing songs from the thirties. So naturally, she put them on for us to listen to. I overheard Steve talking to her. “So,” he said. “Just how come your eyes are different colors?”

“Just a little something from birth. And besides.” He chuckled. “They go really well with guys. Always a great way to start a conversation.”

I walked over to the kitchen to ask Reinette if she needed some help cooking dinner when she opened it and announced that it was set for those who were hungry. We had quite an appetite by that time (perhaps due to the high altitude) so we all eagerly began to eat what she had cooked up: Some nice burritos that had plenty of beans, rice, and cheese. Seated around the center table with the music and lights turned on, we all ate our burritos.

That is, until Steve came up with an excellent point. “How many of us are going to be sleeping under very tight sheets tonight?” We all had a laugh over that one. A serious question yes, but funny.

When we finished eating dinner it was only seven in the evening. Nobody was interested in going to bed so early, so we had some time to kill. How better to do it then go around and further explore this amazing resort? All of us except Tiedash. She went off to look at the ballroom. TJ and I went to the mummification room to see what it was like. After being in it for a few minutes, one will inevitably wish that they had such a room in their own house. Plenty of tables lying around with stocks to hold ankles and wrists firmly in place while the owner is wrapped up as tight as a bug. But perhaps the most exciting item in the room was the dangler. Basically, a tall, upright frame with two stocks for someone's hands. They're lined and padded, which is good because the device forces the occupant to dangle about a foot off the ground. TJ and I think this device is for those who really want the extreme thrill of being wrapped up. Or possibly, being able to playfully kick before being wrapped up and unable to.

TJ was very attracted to this device. He walked around it, rubbing his hands over it slowly and steadily. "I could really go for this." He told me. "I'd love to try it out." Was he subtly asking me to wrap him? Possibly, but truth be told, I'm not into wrapping guys up. He was going to have to wait until the rest of the staff arrived.

"So would I." I said. "But I think it would go best if there were lots of people to help me wrap me. Can you imagine it? Being helpless as several others wrapped you up faster then you could imagine?"

"Oh, I think I can. Could you imagine it?" He asked me. "Being wrapped and put on display in this? Helpless to do anything? That would be my greatest wish. To simply see it come true would be awesome."

"Maybe they let some displays get their wish at the ball." I said. TJ didn't say anything after that, but his face was brightly lit up like there was a roman candle in front of it. While he continued to look at the device, I went off in search of the others, to see what they were up to. Janey was in the gag and muzzle room, overlooking a lot of the devices with Steve.

"What do you think of this one?" She asked him, pulling up an O ring gag. "I think this one would look really good on me."

"Mmm, maybe. But I personally think that this ball one would go better." Steve pulled out a big, purple ball gag. "If I may say so Janey, gags seem to be your thing."

"Actually, they're nice, but I have another thing that really turns me on."

"Oh? And what is that?" Janey blushed, slightly turning. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Well, okay. Promise you won't tell?" I ducked out of there after that. No need to intrude on a private moment. Maybe I would find out before the week was over. Anyway, I went on over to the ballroom to see if Tiedash was there. Sure enough, she was. Amazingly, the ballroom here at the Underview is, eerily enough, a lot like the gold room in that movie I like so much. All the similarities were getting a little strange, maybe a little creepy, but that didn't distract me at that point. But anyway, Tiedash was there, near a small bar, still dressed in her layers of rubber and PVC. Silhouetted against the glowing lights, she looked stunning. She must have sensed me because she turned around when I entered.

"Oh, hi there." She said. "You come to join me here?"

"Well, actually yeah." How could I lie? "I wanted to see what this room is like."

"And what do you think?" She asked me.

"Simply beautiful. I can see why they hold balls and dancing in here." Smiling, she patted the bar stool next to her. Her eyes told me that she wanted to talk to me some more. How could I resist that? Walking up, I pulled up my coat and sat on the stool. Tiedash looked at me, but said nothing. I think she wanted me to start the conversation, so I did, by asking the first question that came to mind.

"Why Tiedash?" I asked.

"Privacy reasons. You don't mind those however, do you John?"

"Err…no." She smiled.

"Well, John, do you find this resort to be all you thought it would be?"

"Yeah, I do. I'm looking forward to the others showing up."

"I don't know. I like the peace and quiet here. When there's only a few of us…"

"Yeah, it is nice I suppose." She yawned right then, a little tired. No doubt from the long day and the altitude changes. "Can I escort you to your room?" I asked.

"Why John, that's very sweet of you." She said. "I'd love that." Getting up, the two of us walked out of the ballroom, back through the hallways into the sleeping rooms, and up to hers. I got a brief glimpse of her room as she opened her door. It was gold, just like the ballroom we had just been in. I didn’t get to see much else though, because after that she gave me a little wave goodnight and closed the door.

Hmm…the way she looked at me is making my mind swirl, even now, a few hours later. Does she have feelings for me? Don’t know, but it would be nice…

After that, I still didn’t feel like going to bed just yet, so I decided to try out that small Jacuzzi they have here. After all, I was already dressed for the occasion. Apparently, Slesia had the same idea because she was in the water, suit on, when I arrived. We both chuckled and shared a joke at how great minds think alike, but otherwise just went for a dip in the water. We chatted for a little bit about whatever came to mind for a while. Then we discovered that the pool had a built in heater, so I got out and turned it up quite a bit.

Well, hoping that no one ever reads this…I must say, Slesia looks really nice with all those bubbles coming up around her. I did consider asking her if she wanted to hug…but I thought that it was going too fast. Best to let things go slowly I suppose.

Anyway, I’m back in my room, and I’m going to go to sleep now. These rubber sheets look so inviting!

October 27th

9:00 AM

Had a pretty pleasant night’s sleep last night. No nightmares, but it was, well, heavenly lying under those rubber sheets while wearing a bodysuit. Did it get a bit hot? Yes, and in more ways then one! I’m thinking about possibly spending this upcoming night in that big steel cage, but the hard part would be asking someone to spend the night in the room (need to have someone on hand in case of an emergency you know). The question is, who to ask? Maybe I can ask…hmm…I’ll have to think about this. Anyway, off to breakfast now. Hopefully the staff and other guests will get here before noon.

10:00 AM

Breakfast was a more casual affair this morning, with more bathrobes and pajama pants then rubber. Nobody felt like cooking, so it was simple cereal with milk. Nobody has any real plans for the day, with the exception of just waiting for the staff to arrive. Maybe I’ll take a refreshing dip in the bubbly pool again. I’m thinking of also going outside to take a look at the surrounding scenery.

5:00 PM

That’s odd. The staff and other visitors haven’t arrived yet. I went for my walk around noon with Janey and Steve and found it to be quite enjoyable. There’s some lovely scenery around here, mostly coming from the giant trees that surround the resort. Wish I had some pictures, but I *forgot* my camera! Curses! Of all the trips to forget it! Aargh! Oh well. I’m sure someone else has a camera. On another note, the fog is back. Strange in how it’s starting to surround the surrounding area. There was one moment where it ended just beyond a few of the trees in the distance, making it look like we were all cut off from the outside…but at least it goes well with the snow that’s starting to show up. Yes, that’s right, snow! We’ve got snow up here! Most likely from the high altitude.

Anyway, the three of us considered making a snowman, but we’ll have to wait for tomorrow for more snow to arrive. We had a light lunch afterwards with the others, followed by a discussion on why the staff wasn’t here yet. None of us had gotten any messages about another delay, nor have there been any communications here. In fact, we all realized something strange. There is no internet access here. There are telephones, but we don't have any numbers to call. I guess we'll have to wait to see what happens. In the meantime though, I've mostly been walking through the resort and trying to keep myself occupied. There's a general sense in the air that none of us, while we're friends and all, have really gotten to the point of close intimacy. Not surprising, considering we've only been together for what, three days now?

However, after going through the rubber room and looking at some of the suits they have, I think I just may have an idea…better go now. I'll write back later.

11:59 PM

Wow…that was an even bigger success then I could have ever hoped for. What happened? Read on. As the evening came on, it began to snow outside. Slowly at first, but then it increased, slowly, bit by bit. Tiedash, at the playful urging of the others, dashed outside…only to come just as quickly back inside, saying that it was blisteringly cold. Far too cold to play outside. All of us agreed that this was the cue to cue up the fire in the dining room and to eat dinner sitting around it.

I kept my suggestion about the after dinner activity quiet. I thought it was best to keep it a secret as much as I could. I thought…well, anyway, we stayed by the fire and ate some warm soup. Reinette discovered that PVC was helpful for repelling soup, as the little that was spilled simply rolled off her chest, down to the legs, and then onto the carpet.

When Rhys asked what we wanted to do upon finishing our soup, I proposed my idea. Basically, it went like this: We all dress up head to toe in latex, rubber, or PVC. Everything. Feet, hands, and head, so we're effectively blind. In the ballroom, we turn out the lights and have a hugging session, not knowing who we're hugging or snuggling with. Truth be told journal, I was terrified suggesting the idea. I mean, I didn't know how everyone else was going to react.

Much to my surprise…they loved the idea. Though Rhys jokingly pointed out that it would probably be a good idea to put the hoods on after all the other preparations were set. With the activity agreed upon, we quickly put the dishes away, went to the rubber room and gathered our gear, making sure we were all wearing pretty much the same thing…a skin-tight rubber bodysuit, a thick hood, and to ensure that there was to be no sex, a thick steel chastity belt.

With most of the gear put on (as I have never worn a chastity belt before, it was a startlingly new experience for me. It just feels so…weird!), we retreated to the ballroom. Slesia, our unofficial music expert, went browsing through the music on hand and came across a little number called "Midnight, the stars and you." Which, when played over the speakers, seemed to fit the mood perfectly.

We roped off a designated area where we would all stay, being careful to not wander off and bump into something (we would be blind, after all!). A few quick hand gestures were agreed upon, and then, after reaching a count of three, we all pulled on our hoods. Mine was thick, black leather with a lace up back. The feeling of the thick leather coming close to my face and pressing up against it is simply something that I can't describe in words, no matter how much I try. It was thick, yet smooth and fine. Kinda like pushing your face into a pillow. I had to feel my way behind the hood as I laced it up tightly, ensuring it wasn't coming off easily. The belt and buckle around the throat helped ensure that as well.

The automatic timer for the lights clicked off a few seconds later. It was already dark from what I could see, so it wasn't any darker with the lights off. A few seconds later, and the music clicked on. "Midnight…with the stars and you…." I must admit journal, I had been looking forward to this moment ever since I recalled reading about this kind of thing from a book at the library, but there was still some hesitation. Maybe it's the kind where you're not exactly sure what's supposed to happen next. Stay still, or slowly walk forward?

I thought that perhaps it would be good to try and initiate something. So, with that in mind, I walked forward. Being blind, I went slowly. Besides, no need to rush. I could hear soft footsteps around me. Some of the others had apparently taken the initiative as well.

That was when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. Soft and slightly numbed by my thick suit, but still a hand. It felt good. So I reached over and put my hand on whoever it was, to let them know that they could keep going. Another hand put itself on my other shoulder, and very slowly began to rub. I could still faintly hear the sound of the song in the background. "Playing I surrender…all my love to you…"

My own hands moved, following the arms until I came to a body. It was one of the ladies. I could tell just by feeling the shoulder. Of course, I didn't know who it was. But it didn't matter. Whoever it was, she was very good at touch. Her hands rubbed my shoulders, then slowly, very slowly, began to press me down. Playing along, I went down. She followed me. A few minutes later we were on the floor, our arms and legs intertwined, bodies pressed up against one another.

And still the music played. I could hear the sounds of some others moving close by, some quite close. I did want to kiss her, whoever was with me. But that wasn't part of the game. Touch and closeness was, but kissing wasn't. I of course, was getting a huge hard on, but the chastity belt locked around my waist ensured that there wasn't going to be any playful sex.

Instead, the two of us just held and hugged each other. I pulled her close, legs tightening around hers. Her arms tightened around me. And then, surprisingly, I felt others gathering around the two of us, warm bodies lying down next to me and her. Other arms and other legs draped themselves on, across and around the two of us, until there was little more then a mass of bodies touching, holding, and lying across each other, hugging, rubbing, and stroking. It was, for me, a dream come true. Why, I couldn't imagine a nicer fantasy come true then all of us just being here, hugging each other forever, embracing and letting all our differences slide away.

Me? Well, I did let one arm loose so I could wrap it around two legs that were near my head. And someone lay their head on my legs, but overall, I was in heaven. Eventually, as the night went on, we slowly decided that it was time to call the event to an end and go to bed. We all got up, walked away, then took off our hoods as I went over to switch the light back on. The look on everyone's face was priceless. Sweaty, damp, tired and fatigued, but very happy. Just as I hoped it would be. We didn't talk much, but our expressions said more then words ever could. Specifically, "Lets do this again!" A quick poll showed that everyone was more then happy to try it again tomorrow night, but everyone also wanted it to be an overnight event. Maybe like a slumber party with blankets and pillows.

But now, here I am in my room at almost midnight. A brief shower to help get rid of all the gunk and sweat sure helps. And as I finish up tonight's entry, I can't help but think back and wonder who it was that I embraced (and embraced me back). I might never know, and neither will she, whoever it was, but it was magic. Pure magic.

Goodnight!

October 28th

Journal…something's happened. I don't really know how to say it, so maybe I'd better start with what happened this morning.

I woke up at ten this morning, feeling very, very refreshed and energized. More then enough to start the day off right. A quick hop out of bed, a pull on of the bathrobe and the spandex shirt, and I headed out of the room and down to breakfast. But I noticed, walking out into the hallway, was how quiet it was. There was no sound at all. I figured that everyone was still in bed or still waking up. No problem I figured. I could just go down, get some cereal and munch on it while waiting for everyone else to arrive.

But when I got to the ground floor and headed to the dining room, I happened to glance inside the great lounge. The cup I was carrying for milk fell from my hand and shattered on the concrete floor. On the far wall of the lounge were, in five foot tall red letters, were three words.

IT HAS BEGUN

I didn't know what to think of it. I was startled, don't get me wrong. Scared? Oh yeah. I mean, those words were BIG. They were there in plain sight for anyone to see. I walked up to them, and when I saw what they were made of…well, I wanted to shriek.

The words were written in wet, red liquid. And it wasn't paint.

That's when I ran back to the guest rooms, shouting at the top of my lungs for everyone to wake up. Doors opened and the others looked out, clearly not happy with getting up at this early hour. I told them to come to the lounge, that something was going on. I still remember Steve mumbling "This had better be good."

When he, and the others, saw the words on the wall, he was wide awake immediately. There was a long pause before Slesia spoke. She asked, "What the hell?" A quick survey found that nobody had been up painting during the night. And looking at everyone's faces, I just knew that nobody was kidding when they said they hadn't done this.

It was Reinette who noticed that TJ was missing. There was a mad dash to his room. It was locked. We called out, trying to get TJ to wake up. There wasn't an answer. Rhys ran to the front desk and came back two minutes later with a spare key for the room. It was unlocked and we dashed in…only to find the room empty. The bed hadn't even been slept in. It was like TJ had never been in there.

I can still recall how you could feel the chill in the room when we all realized that TJ was missing. It took only a few minutes for us to start running through the resort, looking for him. We split up into teams, with me being paired up with Janey. We searched the dinning room, the kitchen, and the basement. Nothing. But as it turned out, Tiedash and Rhys found him first.

He was in the mummification room. When I got there, it felt like déjà vu. The others were crowded around one part of the room, all of them giggling. I asked what was so funny, and they showed me. Remember that device Journal, the one I talked about earlier? Well, TJ was in it. He was in the hand shackles, dangling a foot off the ground. And, just like he had wished about, he was completely wrapped, head to toe, in bandages, just like a mummy. Well, actually, there was one thing that wasn't wrapped. Three guesses as to what it was. His…ahem…member, was the only part of him that wasn't wrapped.

It was sticking straight out, jerking slightly as blood rushed through it. All the guys in the room recognized it instantly, as to how TJ felt about his situation. With his face completely wrapped away, we couldn't rely on visual clues from his face. His hands, now locked securely in the stocks, were clenched fists.

"Well, that explains it." Tiedash joked. "The question is, do we leave him here?"

"I don't see why not." Reinette said. "After all, he looks really cute!" TJ wiggled slightly at that statement, his legs (wrapped together I might add) wiggling slightly. The sight of him like that was, well, fascinating to me. I've seen mummification in pictures before, but to actually see it live and up close…that was different. I walked up close to the frame, looking over the bandages. I didn't need to touch them to know that these wrappings were ultra tight, the kind that compressed your body while you were helpless to do anything about it.

TJ tried to turn his head upon sensing that someone was right next to him. "Okay." I asked. "Who wrapped him up? Was it you Steve?"

"Sorry, but no."

"Rhys?"

"Nope."

"Reinette?"

"No." I started to feel a bit worried.

"Tiedash?"

"No."

"Slesia?"

"No. I didn't do it."

"Wait…so none of you…none of you…wrapped him like this?" Everyone nodded.

"He could have wrapped himself, then put himself up in that." I turned to TJ.

"TJ, can you hear me?" I asked. There was a very muffled sound that had the appearance of a "yes". "Did you do this to yourself?" I asked. Another muffled reply, but the tone was negative. He hadn't wrapped himself up. "He didn't." I said.

"But that's impossible. He didn't wrap himself, and none of us did it. If that's true, how'd he get up there?" I looked around. There wasn't a stool he could have stood on, nor was there any ropes or cables that could have maneuvered him into place. It was simply too complex.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to find out for ourselves." I walked up to TJ and tried to undo the wrappings around his mouth. But…well…they wouldn't give. I tried pulling harder, but the bandages refused to give even a centimeter. It was as if they were superglued into position. "Does anyone have a knife?" I asked. "I can't get these bandages undone."

"Here, let me." Slesia said. "It can't be that hard." She took the wrappings and pulled…but they wouldn't give. She paused, then pulled out a pocketknife and tried to cut them away, being very careful. But…journal, I can't believe I'm saying this…the knife wouldn't cut away the wrappings. We tried for almost five minutes before Janey went and got a shaper knife from the kitchen. But even that couldn’t cut away the wrappings that firmly held TJ.

Now, here we are, five hours later, and we can't cut TJ out. We can't even cut any of the wrappings. It's like they're made of steel, even though it's just cloth. Very, very tight cloth yes, but still, it's just cloth…I hope so. We've been working on it all day, and we can't get TJ out. He's been quite most of the time, only making a sound when we did something like pulling a bit too hard. He seems to be taking it pretty well, with his member sticking straight out the entire time.

We've moved the device out of the mummification room and down to the lounge for now (thank goodness it has wheels on it), where we'll keep TJ until we figure out what to do. He'll probably be taken up to one of our rooms for the night. I hope it's not mine. Knowing that there's a man sealed inside those wrappings and unable to get out may sound sexy, but I'm not sure I would want to be in his position.

10:00 PM

We all ate a very quick dinner before trying out all the keys we could find in the resort, trying them on the wrist shackles. If we couldn’t unwrap TJ, at least we could try and take him out of the stocks so he could lie down. But none of the keys worked. Not even the supposed emergency key, which is supposed to unlock anything and everything here. Those shackles are locked down tight, and we can't get them open. TJ is stuck where he is. Mummified, placed into stocks and dangling in the air. We can only ask him yes and no questions because apparently, his mouth is filled with bandages and he can't speak. But from what we can gather, he seems to be taking it pretty well. He says the last thing he remembers is going to bed, then waking up to find himself blind and dangling in the air with his penis exposed to the cool air.

Reinette is going to take him in her room tonight to keep an eye on him. The rest of us are grateful. Me, I'm not sure I want to be around TJ, not after what happened today. Those letters are still on the wall, as wet as ever. We're all silent about that, and I don't think any of us want to try and figure out where that came from. There is, I think, one other unspoken question.

Are we alone?

October 29th

I can't believe it. I can't fucking believe it.

I woke up, as did all the other people here, much earlier then normal today. And like the others, I instantly went over to Reinette's room. A knock at the door, and we waited for her to answer. And when she didn't, we called out to her. Again, she didn't answer. The universal key was on hand, so we quickly opened up the door and went in. TJ was still in his display rack, still dangling from the day before. Reinette…wasn't inside.

After a quick check of the closet and bathroom, we ran through the resort, yelling out Reinette's name. Somehow, I just knew to head to the great lounge. When I got there, the writing…oh god, the writing on the wall had changed. Now it said, EXQUISITE DISPLAY, IS SHE NOT?

And once again, it was written in blood, smeared across the wall, clearly done with hands instead of brushes. The writing from the day before was nowhere to be found. It was gone, as if it had never existed.

Janey found her. Reinette was in the ballroom. When I got there, I was close to going into shock. Reinette was upon on the wall near where the band normally would be. Her body, just like TJ's, had been completely covered and wrapped head to toe in bandages. But whoever had done it hadn't stopped there. They had taken Reinette and tied her to a crucifix, her arms outstretched to the side, and her body straight up. Thick iron manacles bind her at the wrists, throat, waist and ankles. She looked like some kind of art display, set up there like that.

The others were already working on trying to get her out, but just like TJ, they couldn't get her free. The wrappings, just like TJ's, seemed to be glued to her skin. I got some hammers and chisels, but the iron manacles are set so deeply into the wood that it's impossible to get them out. Reinette struggled for a little bit, but eventually went limp and relaxed in her restraints. Fortunately for her, she has a small platform to stand on, so she isn't dangling like TJ.

Everyone's nerves were on edge. You could tell just by looking in their eyes. They're scared. None of them, it's obvious, did this. They're all too scared and terrified by what's happening. And truth be told journal…I'm scared too. Steve was the first to say what all of us were thinking. He said, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to call this trip off and get out of here." We all agreed. A quick plan was made. We'd take the crucifix (Reinette attached of course), get TJ and his frame, pile them in the van and get the hell out of dodge. It was a good plan…but there were complications. For one thing, the crucifix was bolted to the wall with five inch screws. It's impossible to get it, and Reinette off the wall.

That caused us a lot of distress. We couldn't just take off and leave Reinette here. That's unthinkable. But as we were trying to figure out what to do next, Rhys came over. He had gone out to get the truck ready, only to discover that it had snowed outside overnight. Now the entire resort and the surrounding forest is covered in almost four feet of snow, making it virtually impossible to drive out of here.

That made us all very quiet. Then Steve thought of trying the phone. I volunteered to go do that while everyone else worked at trying to figure any other way out. I quickly reached the reception area and went behind the counter to the radio room. I clicked on the system and tried calling anyone who might be out there, might be listening. But I didn't get any reception at all. No answers, not even static. I couldn't figure out why. But then I looked behind the radio…and, well…the wires were cut. Somebody had cut the wires, so that the radio was useless. I tried the phone next, but the line was dead. It too, had been cut.

I ran back to the ballroom and told the others what had happened…that the lines had been cut. That got everyone's attention. And all eyes went to both Rhys. Makes sense, considering that he was the only one who could have done it. But as quickly as we all looked at him, he pointed out that why would he want to cut out the phone and radio wires? He was just as scared as everyone else. And journal, you could tell just by listening to him that he was telling the truth. He didn't cut those wires. None of us had.

But if that's the case, we realized that…there was someone else here at the resort.

We quickly decided that the only thing, the safest thing to do now was to search the resort and see if we can find whoever it is. Going to the kitchen, we gathered up some knives. I got a fire axe. And then we started. It took us an hour for each branch of the resort, going from room to room, looking in every closet, every locker, every bathroom stall, anywhere where somebody could hide. We couldn't seal the rooms behind us as we went on, so we just tried to be as thorough as possible. And when that was finished, we checked the basement together (going in as a big group. We weren't dare going to separate) but there was nobody there. Then the attic. Then every single guest room.

Nothing. No sign of anyone. All the air ducts in this place are far too small for anyone, even a child, to get through, so they were ruled out. We were stumped, and afraid. If there is someone hiding here at the resort, they were doing a damn good job.

That was when Tiedash suddenly remembered room 372. The private room. There was an air of extreme unease as we approached it. It was on the very top floor of the resort, near the small tower in the center. It was a simple wooden door with a heavy handle. We stood there for a long time, listening to see if there was anyone inside. We didn't hear anyone. Slesia knelt down near the door to try and peak inside. All she could see was some carpeting, but that was it.

Steve, with the universal room key, walked up and tried it. It didn't fit. Apparently, this room has a thick lock that requires a special key to open it. We all looked at my fire axe, wondering if we should dare break down the door. It was a very extreme approach, but then again, this was serious. Blood on the walls. Two of our party being mummified impossibly tight with no escape being possible.

But we decided not to break down the door. At least, not yet. Instead, we would do the next best thing. Room 372 is in a separate hallway, meaning that if the door to the hallway is closed, there's no other way in or out. So, after closing the door, we barricaded it, pressing tables, chairs, and anything heavy up against it. We got at least nine hundred pounds of furniture up against the door. Nobody was going in or out.

By that point it was around midday. With nothing else to do, we all quietly went down to the ballroom to resume trying to get Reinette off the wall. Janey and Rhys took TJ's frame and rolled him down there via the elevator. But, just like earlier, we were unable to make any progress in getting Reinette off the wall. She did however, at a few random moments, start to moan, and her body would wiggle in it's wrappings before calming down.

And so, here we are now. It's the evening and we're all sitting here in the ballroom. We can't stand the thought of leaving Reinette by herself here all night long, so we'll be rotating throughout the night to make sure everything's going to be okay. To that end, most of us are going to sleep in the dinning room, with Slesia in the ballroom. I'd better go help make sure that all our stuff is moved.

10:00

Well, it's nighttime. We're going to keep all the lights on tonight to make sure everything is illuminated, especially here in the big open rooms. We've all got bedding (except for TJ and Reinette for obvious reasons) to sleep in, and we've dressed in our pajamas. I have chosen to sleep in one of the latex bodysuits. If something bad is going to happen to me, I want to at least be wearing something comfortable.

And we won't be alone. Slesia and Rhys may be staying in the ballroom, but Tiedash, Steve, Janey and myself will be staying here in the dinning room, just outside the ballroom. The door leading into this part of the resort has been closed and locked, and we've barricaded it with as much stuff as we can.

What exactly is one supposed to say at a time like this? I hope to God that the staff gets here soon, though I have a gut feeling that with the snow, nobody's going to be coming through here for quite a while. I think tomorrow I'll go find the garage and see if there are any snowmobiles around here. There just has to be. With two of the three wings of the resort abandoned…then there's no telling what's going on in there. Anyone…oh god, anyone could be walking around in there without us knowing. I'm keeping my fire-axe close just in case.

Our blankets, comforters, and pillows are all bunched together. We all want to sleep closely together tonight, that's for sure. How many more days until our families know to start searching for us? Oh god, that's almost a week and a half from now. How the hell are we going to last that long?

I don't think I'll be sleeping much tonight.

October 30th

I am so seriously scared now. My nerves are shot, and I'm getting goosebumps just writing this. It's happened again. My God, it's happened again. But that's not what's making me scared.

I heard it. Last night, I heard it. My god in heaven, I heard it.

I don't know what time it was. Only that when something woke me up, the lights were all off. It was dark, and there was…oh god, there was something walking in the corridor outside the dinning room. I was scared shitless. I wanted to do something, but…but…just hearing the thing made me freeze. It was big. Whatever it was, it was fucking big. It sounded like it weighed a lot, maybe three hundred pounds. It was walking, slowly, on two legs. It went into the ballroom. And I just lay there, scared out of my fucking mind, too scared to even tremble.

It walked past us again a while later. I don't know how long, but it wasn't that long. I only knew that I didn't dare to look, that I felt like not breathing, not trying to make a sound. But it just calmly walked past the dinning room…and then it was gone.

I still couldn't move. Not for hours it felt like. There is something in this resort with us. And it's not human.

When the light of day slowly came into the room, that was when I realized I was clutching Tiedash, almost like an infant. I was just grabbing her, clutching her, not wanting to let go. Not now, not ever. When she woke up, Tiedash was surprised to find me holding onto her. When she asked me if anything was wrong, I couldn't answer her. It was as if I had lost my voice. I just clutched her, feeling like I wanted to burst into tears.

Eventually, she realized that something was wrong. She woke the others, who, upon seeing how terrified I was, grabbed all the weapons we had and ran to the ballroom. We heard a shriek a few seconds later. Tiedash, somehow, talked me into letting go. It took quite a while, but somehow her voice managed to make me feel better. And so I did.

We walked into the ballroom. Steve and Janey were standing next to…oh god, Slesia and Rhys. That, that thing had gotten to them. Slesia, she's mummified now. She's wrapped up just like TJ and Reinette. But while they're on display, she's just wrapped up. Arms crossed onto the chest, legs together, just a simple mummification with lots of black belts around her. And just like the bandages that now encircle her, the belts won't come undone. We can't get them off.

Rhys…Rhys wasn't mummified. No, he can still walk. But he can't tell us what happened. He's wearing a monoglove, and he's got a thick hood on around his head. Both are padlocked, and we can't get them off. Now he looks just like a rubber slave out of a sex story or something. I mean, wearing that latex body suit, the hood, the monoglove, the cuffs around his ankles…it's like somebody's favorite fantasy gone horribly wrong. It' just so…so…

We have to get out of here. I don't care about the snow, we have to get out of here NOW. I'm going to go and find that garage and get some snowmobiles and we're leaving today. Damn the snow.

11:00

Oh fuck. Oh fuck, oh fuck.

The snowmobiles…they're useless. I found the garage a few minutes after I started looking, and there were three snowmobiles in there. I was so happy to find them but…but then I saw that the fuel lines had been cut. And the engines were smashed to pieces. They're useless. I even checked the truck…with the same results.

Somebody…no…something smashed and made these things useless. It did it deliberately.

We're trapped here. We're fucking trapped here. There's no way out. Oh God, what's happening?!

12:00

TJ, Reinette, Rhys, and Slesia are all in the ballroom. We've made them as comfortable as we can, but there's really nothing we can do. Rhys can walk, but that's it. And even then, he can't see (his hood doesn't have any eyeholes). We have to stay close with him to make sure he doesn't hurt himself.

What are they feeling? What are they thinking? I don't know. They seem to be doing okay. TJ and Reinette's wrappings are still surprisingly fresh. They don't smell and apparently they haven't needed to go to the bathroom. How long is that going to last though? At least TJ can just pee if he has too. Reinette moans occasionally, but it almost sounds like she's being stimulated sexually. She always stops moaning within twenty seconds and if one listens closely, it sounds like she's giving off some muffled curses.

I finally told Steve, Tiedash and Janey about what happened last night. About how I heard…something…going into the ballroom, and heard it coming back out. The look on everyone's face was one of absolute terror. We know it now. There is something in this resort…something here with us. And whatever it is, it can move silently, quickly, and it's big.

We didn't know what to say. Should we try to hunt it down and attack it? Should we try to run away into the wilderness and hope to reach civilization in time? Wait it out? All of them seem suicidal. The fire-axe would do some big damage, but the knives…I don't think that will do anything. It's suicide running into the storm that's raging out there. We'd freeze to death within minutes. Trying to wait out until help arrives sounds even more suicidal. We still have at least another week and a half until our families start looking for us. God, I can't wait that long. I'd rather run out into the blizzard and just get it all over with in a few minutes. I certainly can't stand another night here in this resort. None of us can.

We talked for a few more minutes, trying to figure out what this thing is. And why, for all reasons, is it putting some of us into restraints? That question has been on my mind for a while, but I just can't figure out what's causing it. Why on earth would this thing mummify three people, then put another into all this latex and restraint gear? Why? Does this thing have a sick sense of humor? What on earth is it doing here? What does it want? We don't know. We just don't know.

It was around then that we suddenly realized that none of us had been in the great lounge. Grabbing our weapons, we ran out. The letters had changed again.

GOING TO GET YOU ALL

I…I…I'm sorry journal, I have to stop. I just can't keep writing right now.

2:00 PM

Okay…we've decided that at the moment, all we can do is…well…goddamnit, there is nothing we can do. Not really. The only thing I can think of is wanting to run screaming into the thing's face to face it head on. But we know nothing about this creature. We don't know it's physical structure, it's fighting abilities. All we know for sure is that it's big. After thinking about it for a few more minutes, I theorized that maybe this thing, judging from how big it's footprints sounded, might be seven or even eight feet tall.

Steve and Janey went to try and find spare parts for the snowmobiles, to see if by some possibility there are some that the thing didn't find. But even if they do find the parts…we may have to leave the others behind. Rhys we can take and probably Slesia, but TJ and Reniette…oh god, I don't even want to think about it. The only thing we could do is pray that they would be okay until we come back with armed men. Yeah, dozens of armed men with machine guns and fucking grenades.

I…I'm sorry. Just that all this is getting to me. I haven't even changed my latex suit. Seems so stupid that this whole thing was once supposed to be fun. It seems so fucking stupid now.

3:00 PM

There are no spare parts. The ones they did find…were all smashed to pieces.

We are so screwed. No, forget that. We are beyond screwed.

It's going to be dark in a few hours. We're going up to room 372. We're going to smash down that door, and we're going to attack this thing. God help us.

7:00 PM

Oh God…

We went upstairs with our weapons, my axe at the ready. The lobby was absolutely silent as we walked up the steps to the third floor. There wasn't any sign that anybody had been through here since yesterday. No imprints in the carpet, no wet footprints, nothing. Not a thing.

Then we reached the entrance to the hall. The barricade was still in place. It hadn't been moved. Every chair, every table we had propped up, was still there. Nothing had, by all appearances, gotten in or out. What the fuck? We were standing there, trying to figure out what to do next when we heard footsteps on the other side.

We froze.

The steps got closer and closer to the door…then they stopped. I stood there in the hall, clutching my fire-axe so tightly that the handle began to creak under my hands. We stood there…waiting for something…anything to happen. But nothing did. I finally crept closer. There was a shadow…a big shadow…coming out from under the door.

The handle began to turn.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?!" Janey screamed.

The handle suddenly turned lighting fast and the door shot open. But we were all running. I ran and ran and ran, not daring to look back. Tiedash and Steve were right next to me…but then Janey tripped on the carpet. We kept running. We heard Janey scream.

We were down the stairs and running for the lobby. Janey was screaming hysterically upstairs. And then, just as quickly as it started…it stopped.

It has her. My God in heaven, that thing has Janey. That was all three hours ago. We haven't heard a thing from that section of the resort since. No screams, no movement…nothing.

Walking into that blizzard sounds like a very tempting idea right now.

9:00 PM

It's just three of us now. Steve, Tiedash, and myself. We've heard nothing from Janey and seen no trace of her. I'm fearing the worst, but hoping that maybe, just maybe, she's been tied up like the others. But I don't know. None of us know. And the only thing we can do right now is try and last the night.

We're going to stay awake all night, here, in the hallway outside the ballroom. We've gotten the hallway in front of us barricaded with all the tables, chairs and sofas we could get. We've got our knives and the fire axe. We've gotten all the food we can get, along with buckets of coffee to stay awake with.

Steve, Tiedash, and myself have made a deal. Tomorrow, at first light, we're going to run for it. We're going to hike out. It's suicide, we all know it, but simply staying here at the resort is simply too much. This place…it's like a horrible dream. Its hell now, and the only thing to do is just run, and pray that the others will live long enough for us to possibly get home and get help.

But deep down…I don't think they will.

Rhys is now just quietly sitting against a wall. I don't know how he feels with that hood embracing his head, but I went up to him and gave him a hug, trying to comfort him as best I could. We all did, hugging TJ, hugging Reinette, hugging Slesia. But also…hugging each other. We cried a lot. None of us know what's going to happen, but I have a feeling this may be our last night on earth.

I don't know why I'm even writing in this journal anymore. Maybe it's because deep down, I want someone to find this, to know what happened here at the Underview resort. Maybe it'll be like one of those stories where all they find is the journal, and they always wonder what happened. God, I hope not. I want to live. I want to get away from this place.

Steve, Tiedash and myself have wrapped and bundled ourselves in multiple layers of…well, of all things, rubber, PVC and latex. It's the only things we have, and they will keep us warm. So the three of us are wearing these bodysuits (Tiedash has two on), hoping, but knowing that it probably won't happen, that we'll make it out.

11:00 PM

We've still awake. We've heard nothing, and we haven't seen anything. All the lights are still on, thank God. Right now I'm too high on adrenaline to be even remotely tired. The longest I've ever stayed awake before was 37 hours straight last Halloween. I'm getting close to the twenty four hour mark.

Steve and Tiedash seem wide awake too. We break the tension occasionally by hugging and embracing each other. It seems like the only thing we can do to try and hold the fear back. Is it a social thing? A special bond between individuals who are about to di…no, no, I can't think like that. I'm going to get out of here. All of us are going to get out of here.

Tiedash and I hugged each other for a very long time. It's like she's my mother, the only being I can truly count on, who will be there for me. It's hard to believe that a few days ago, I was having really deep fantasies about her. Seems so silly and pointless now. We did talk for a little bit, theorizing as to why the others had been restrained as they had been. It seems to be connected to sexual bondage, that's for sure. But why? Why are three wrapped and one restrained with latex and a monoglove? Why?

Maybe it's…agh, I don't know. I should

October 31st

OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD

Oh God what am I going to do?! God, it's gotten them. It's gotten Tiedash and Steve. It got them, it got them! I was…I was writing when all the lights suddenly went out. And then we heard it coming, running straight for our barricade. We didn't even have a chance. It plowed right through it, coming for the three of us. We all screamed and I tried to hack at it, but it just picked me up and threw me through the wall into the dinning room. And when I came too, I heard it running away.

I ran out into the ball room. The door's been torn apart, the doors lying on the ground. The others were still okay but Steve…my God, he's dressed up as a woman. He has fake breasts on, a corset, and a mask that looks like a woman. His arms are tied behind his back. He's struggling and screaming, but I can't get the ropes off. I can't get him loose. The others, they're screaming too. But Tiedash…

I can't find her. Goddamnit, I'm going after that thing.

I don't know what time it is, but this is it. Oh my God, I'm getting out of here. I can't stay here anymore!

I ran upstairs to the hallway. I ran and ran, carrying my axe. I had to run in darkness, all the lights were off (still off). The barricade, it was gone. Smashed to pieces and torn apart. It was all gone, leaving only the door. It was cracked open. But as I ran towards it, I suddenly saw Janey. God, she's dressed like a dog. She has a muzzle on, dog ears, a suit, a tail…she looked at me and barked.

I ran through that door, and I saw room 372. It was open, but it was dark inside, even darker then it is right now with no lights on.

I didn't see the thing…but I saw its eyes. It's enormous, evil eyes…just staring at me from the darkness.

Oh god I ran. I turned and ran. I ran and ran. But then I heard screaming…coming from my old room. I ran inside and found Tiedash. She's inside that huge steel cabinet, locked inside. She was hogtied, head pulled back towards her feet. Her mouth was stuffed full of rags and tied shut. When she saw me, she begged to be let out, rocking back and forth. But I couldn't. Goddmanit, I couldn’t get the cabinet open. It was bolted shut, sealing Tiedash in…permanently.

I couldn't do anything. I cried, sobbing, telling her that I couldn’t get in to help her. Then I heard a roar from down the hall. I didn't have a choice. I had to run, leaving her behind.

And now, I'm about to run. I'm just inside the front gates, scribbling this down before I run out there. I'd rather freeze to death out in that blizzard then stay here a moment longer. This is my final entry. If anyone ever finds this journal and reads it, please…stay the fuck away from this place. Or come here and save us. Bring guns, bring the army, bring anything. Please God, please help us. And please God, please forgive me for what I'm about to do.

God help us.

The journal was slowly closed, placed down on the table. Detective Mulligan stared at it, mouth open slightly. "Stanley?" He looked over at his partner, who was standing in the doorway. "Did you finish reading it?"

"Yeah. The snow and water damage was pretty bad, but I read it."

"And?" Mulligan shook his head.

"I don't know what to think Steven. It just…it just doesn't make sense. All of it. It just couldn't have happened."

"The families are outside in the waiting room. They want to know what happened."

"I know."

"Should I go talk to them?"

"No, no…" The detective got to his feet. "I'll go tell them." Wrapping his coat tighter around him, Stanley Mulligan walked out of his office, leaving the worn and wet journal on his desk. Walking through the hallways of the police office, he reached the door leading into the waiting room. He paused a moment, trying to regain his composure. "God help me." He muttered. This wasn't going to be easy. Taking the handle, he opened the door and walked in.

Immediately a woman walked up to him. "Mr. Mulligan, please, do you have any information?" He nodded. The woman's face lit up. "What is it? Where's my son?"

"Mam, please sit down." Mulligan took a chair and sat in it, rubbing his forehead. The woman did so, but the other family members came closer, wanting to hear what he had to say. They wanted to know what had happened to their loved ones. The detective took a deep breath. "Now, I know you all want to know what happened to your loved ones, and I do have some information for you. We went out to the location where they said they would go, and we searched for them. All we could find however, was their van, and a small journal on the ground about two miles away from the van. Our analysis of the fingerprints indicates that it did belong to a party of the member…John I believe."

John's family clutched each other.

"The last entry was dated October 27th, almost two and a half weeks ago. It indicates that he was going to head out into the wilderness to try and get back here to town, to the closest part of civilization." He paused. "We could find no trace of his body. We haven't found it, and to be honest, I don't think we will."

"He wouldn't do that!" John's mother said, standing up. "We all know how powerful that blizzard was. It would be suicide to head out. Why was he heading out? Does the journal say?"

Mulligan paused. "Yes. Yes it does."

"Well?"

"Mam, I think your son might have been suffering from mountain sickness, or possibly some other illness. What he wrote was…well, it couldn't have possibly happened. There are a few details that match the van, but other then that…he must have been hallucinating."

"No…no, that can't be. He was used to going out into the wilderness. He couldn’t have! And besides, all of them were at the Underview resort." Mulligan bit his lip. "What?" John's mother asked, her face going pale. "What's wrong? They were at the Underview resort!"

"Mam, please, sit down. There's something I need to tell you…"

"He couldn't have been hallucinating! He just couldn't have!"

"Mam…what your son wrote cannot possibly be true. None of it after they all left to go up in that area can be true. "

"Why is that?!"

"Because the Underview resort burned to the ground eighty years ago."

 

10.02.08