Thank you Radioactive Jeans for all of your reviews! I was so excited when I got an email from fictionpress every 5 minutes telling me I got another review, that made my day. Haha. : D Enjoy this update.

The name Margery Muddle is very, very deceiving. I honestly expected a nice, little-old lady who harboured a freakish fetish for snow. Snow cones, snowflakes, snowmen, heck even the abominable ones. She would also be too into the ‘outdoors’, and always encouraged her campers to (cringe) have fun. No such woman existed as we sloshed into a large hall, at five in the evening after a day-long trip. The hall housed a number of dining tables, reminiscent of the cafeteria tables back at school. Even though we had been sitting down for most of the day, we were so worn out that we all collapsed into our chairs, not caring to stand to survey our surroundings. Note that the moose heads unnerved me.

“Welcome, students!”

The greeting boomed in our ears, and our heads snapped up, alert, looking for owner of voice that imposed on our drear.

“Oh dear god –”

Gem murmured, shrinking away like the rest of us. Margery Muddle was one mammoth of a woman. She was certainly not little or old, for her stature equalled that of a fridge and her complexion was quite youthful, around the forties maybe. She held her hands behind her as took a step towards us.

“I hope all of you find your stay here enjoyable. Goodness knows the last time a group of youngin’s like yourselves have stayed at my snow lodge. My, it must’ve been eight months now. Again, welcome!”

She suddenly threw out her arms in an air embrace, and unconsciously we all flinched. It was terribly weird, even Miss Jacyln and the other home room teachers held themselves up against the wall farthest from Margery, scared and frightened.

“Your teachers have asked me to arrange some activities that will encourage you to learn ‘bout you as an individual, ‘bout one another, and most importantly ‘bout team work.”

I placed her accent as Texan.

“I see you’ll have your luggage with you. Well, before we do anything else, we better get you into your bunks. The snow lodge is just a little way up from here, and I believe the teachers have already organised who’s to share with who. Note that we do not allow for gender-mixed sleeping arrangements – sorry boys!”

And she laughed a laugh that shook with snow-laced windows. The boys were now officially terrified, and they all sank into their seats a bit further. Margery called for us to follow as she strolled briskly out of hall, but no one was so inclined for a long moment that everyone was perfectly still, glued to their places. We then all heard a chair screech across the vinyl floor, and we all saw Cameron get up. Everyone was staring at him at this point, is he crazy? we all thought. He found me among the students, and gestured with a chin-up to follow him. He was halfway to the door with my bag when I got up. I slung his bag slung over my shoulders, and I pulled Gem up with me.

“What are you doing?”

Gem whimpered, not really wanting to leave her chair. I raised an eyebrow.

“Are you crazy?”

I nodded briefly and then skipped towards the door where Cameron was waiting for me. He smiled, but I didn’t smile back. I frowned. I couldn’t help it. Samantha was there too, smirking, judging. She beat me, and she knew it. My eyes fell to the ground. Gem was suddenly behind me.

“Let’s go, Pen.”

Gem said unenthusiastically. Samantha agreed, linked arms with Cameron and pulled him into the snow. I stood there for a moment, on the threshold, watching his shoes disappear out of my sight. I could’ve looked up, let everyone see how jealous I was, but I didn’t. I kept my eyes on the white ground beneath me, allowing Gem to guide me up to the snow lodge.