[Day 5, Dec. 24 – Wintermist Island]
Dave Carter
The freezing winter air bit into my skin, sharp and unrelenting as I stood frozen outside the villa. I pressed myself against the column, my breath visible in short, uneven puffs in the icy night. The soft glow of Christmas lights strung along the nearby villas was a reminder that tomorrow was Christmas— the saddest day of my life.
Instead, here I was, hiding in the shadows, trying to make sense of something that felt utterly incomprehensible.
I’d passed by here earlier today, and I was certain this was Margaret’s place. We’d even had a brief conversation—her usual flippant remarks about the resort’s luxuries and how “fabulous” they were. She’d been her usual self—charming, playful, and seemingly harmless.
So why?
Why was the resort w
