sunrise [until dawn]

0: before

"Ten!"

Chris and Josh both slam their shot glasses down on the counter at the same time, Josh gripping his chest from the burn of the alcohol.

"I think Chris won, Josh," Beth pours more alcohol into their shot glasses.

I laugh as Chris whoops around and Josh pouts his bottom lip. I finish my shot and wipe my mouth, setting my glass next to theirs.

"No fair, he cheated!" He pokes at Chris, who's still 'whooping.'

Chris sits down on the stool, rubbing his hands on the granite counter top. "Next game!"

Josh belches and blows it towards my face, my nose scrunching up in disgust. Sure, it was fun to spend time with the guys, but it most definitely wasn't fun to have a drunk one burp in your face.

"I think we should drink to failure," I say. "See who can drink the most shots until they get sick."

Josh pats my knee. "Good idea, shortie. Are you up for the challenge, Chris?"

Chris nods, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"Are you ready to go down, baby sister?" He cracks his knuckles as if to taunt me.

"Only if you're ready to eat my dust, big brother."

Josh lets an "ooh" from his mouth as Beth laughs.

"Ready," she says. "Set. Go!"

For the first four shots or so I was sitting pretty, but once I got to the fifth, I started feeling sick. I was small, why did I think this was a good idea? Regardless, I didn't stop, rather than drinking the next few shots slowly. By the seventh, I was done. I felt like I was going to die.

"Tap out-"

My stomach heaves and I just barely get to the sink before my stomach pushes out its contents. I grip the chrome, feeling the gagging return with more warm liquid. Someone pulls my hair back from my face, and I can tell that it's Beth rubbing small circles on my back. Once I finish, I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, before rinsing out my mouth.

"Sorry guys," I say turning. "I can't handle my alcohol-"

I turn to see the twins right behind me, while Josh and Chris are passed out at the counter, shot glasses still in hand.

"Thank you Hannah, Beth-"

A pain shoots through my head, and I rub my temples in an attempt to soothe it. It doesn't work, however, but Hannah and Beth lead me to the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Rest," Beth shoves a blanket towards me. "You'll need it. It is freezing cold in here."

I oblige, gaining double vision as I lay on the couch. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I drift off into slumber.

-

I wasn't expecting, when I woke up, for my life to be completely different than it was before I went to sleep. I woke up to crying, flashing lights and what sounded like Matt throwing up into the same sink I had. I sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Chris, Josh?" I call. "Anyone?"

I pad out towards the lodge kitchen to see Em and Jess sitting at the counter, Matt indeed throwing up into the sink.

"Emily? Jess?" I don't trust my voice to speak louder than a whisper.

"Maggie," Em gasps, jumping up and throwing her arms around my body. "Beth and Hannah...they're missing."

I didn't believe it. I had just seen them not even three hours ago. They couldn't be gone.

"You're a liar, how do you know they didn't go far a walk?" I refused to believe it.

Emily explained to me the prank: Get Mike to lure Hannah up into the guest room and make a move on her. The intention was for the group to get Hannah to keep away from Mike, Em's boyfriend. She wasn't supposed to take her shirt off, or run away. It was fun, Emily explained.

"You fucking bitch," I spit at her. "You're a fucking horrible friend."

"Maggie-"

"Get away from me."

Tears cloud my vision, and I push past Mike and Ashley to find Josh and Chris.

Josh.

I tear around the lodge, passing by officers and the outstretched arms of my friends in an attempt to find him. I pass by the movie room, and I can hear Chris' muffled voice. Poking my head in, I can see Josh and Chris standing in front of the projector screen.

"Maggie, what's happening?" Chris grabs me by the shoulders, "No one is telling us anything."

"Chris, Josh, I-uh..."

"Tell us, please," Josh begs, tears glimmering in his eyes.

"Beth and Hannah....they've disappeared."

"No, fuck Maggie, you're lying!" Josh begins to breathe heavier, pressing a hand to his chest.

"I'm not," I shake my head as tears roll down my cheeks, "The others played a half-assed prank on Hannah and Beth ran out to find her. It's b-been almost three hours, Josh. The police scoured the woods, there's no sign of them."

"No," Josh's hands grip onto my wrist, "No!"

He attempts to wriggle past me, but Chris grabs onto his arm.

"Let go of me!" Josh's voice cracks as he shouts back at us. "Let go!"

Choking sobs fall from his lips as he falls to his knees.

"No, no no no..."

I crouch down on my knees, placing my hands on his cheeks. I wipe a tear from his cheek with the pad of my thumb. He buries his face into the crook of my neck, and wraps his arm around my body.

-

Relationships:
Josh: 9/10
Chris: 10/10
Ashley: 5/10
Sam: 8/10
Jess: 2/10
Mike: 5/10
Matt: 4/10
Emily: 1/10