Recorded April 18, 2017, 11:37 p.m.
For a few seconds, the scenery is shadowy and indistinct, only the sound of footsteps trampling through the brush audible. Then the phone’s flashlight comes on, and the camera tilts up, steadying. Trina Jeffries walks ahead, bobbing in and out of the edge of the frame. She looks down at her phone as she walks. The light from the phone washes her out and gives her a pallid cast. She stops, staring at the map on her phone, and doesn’t move for nearly ten seconds.
KYLE: Hey. Trina.
She doesn’t respond at first.
KYLE: Trina, you okay?
She jerks, eyes focusing on him.
TRINA: What? Sorry. I’m, um—we’re almost there.
She scrubs her palm against her jeans, an unconscious gesture.
KYLE: Are we the first ones?
NICK: Up here!
TRINA: I guess not.
She flashes a tight, nervous smile at Kyle.
TRINA: Let’s go.
Her voice is too loud, too brightly cheerful, and her brother doesn’t respond. He follows her as she marches toward Nick’s voice. Soon the light from the phone dimly illuminates Nick Dessen and Vanessa Han. Nick is gawky and lean. His sneakers are duct-taped together at the soles, and his shirt is much too light for this weather, but he doesn’t seem to mind. His shaggy brown hair hangs down past his jaw. On someone else it might look roguish; he just looks young. Vanessa has a knit cap jammed down so low it brushes the top of her round glasses.
NICK: Hey, Kyle.
He gives Trina a questioning look. She shrugs, a hiccup of movement.
KYLE: I liked Becca, too. Besides, anything’s better than staying home.
NICK: Oh, it’s cool you’re here. I kind of thought Trina’d bring a boyfriend.
Trina doesn’t respond; she seems distracted.
NICK: So . . . no boyfriend, then. Uh, Earth to Trina?
Trina blinks. Shakes her head.
TRINA: I, um. Paul and I broke up.
NICK: I heard. The whole school heard.
KYLE: His voice got very high.
They share a chuckle, then stand awkwardly as Trina doesn’t react, the brief burst of renewed friendship withering, becoming distant again. Vanessa examines her hands. Kyle pans the phone around the clearing idly.
KYLE: So this is where it happened?
VANESSA: R-roughly. W-w-we don’t know exactly wh-where.
Another beam of light pierces the trees, and Kyle keeps the camera trained in that direction as two figures approach. Anthony Beck and Jeremy Polk enter the dimly lit area.
TRINA: [Muttering] Great.
ANTHONY: We’re the last ones here, then?
He tries to catch Trina’s eye, but she crosses her arms and looks at the ground.
NICK: Other than Sara. You brought Jeremy.
His voice is too neutral to read as anything but unfriendly.
JEREMY: So what do you think this is? My money’s on prank or some kind of ARG, geo-caching-type thing. Good, you’re recording. We can be internet famous.
NICK: Why are you recording?
KYLE: If something happens out here, we’re going to want proof.
JEREMY: You don’t actually think it’s going to be, like, a ghost? Do you?
TRINA: Why did you bring him?
ANTHONY: Because he’s my friend, and he offered.
JEREMY: He’s also standing right here.
He signs to Anthony, looking disgruntled.
JEREMY: Why didn’t you tell her?
ANTHONY: I don’t know. I didn’t think it would be a problem.
TRINA: I sign, too, remember?
JEREMY: We need to learn Spanish.
TRINA: I speak Spanish. Try German.
JEREMY: Da.
TRINA: That’s Russian.
ANTHONY: Are you two going to argue the entire time? Jeremy’s here to help.
TRINA: He didn’t even know Becca.
The others look a bit taken aback at the vicious edge to her voice.
VANESSA: N-neither did I.
Trina shakes her head. Jeremy shrugs, but he looks uncomfortable.
ANTHONY: Trina, do you—should we talk? For a minute?
TRINA: No.
ANTHONY: Are you—
TRINA: We don’t need to talk. Where the hell is Mel? Is she really not coming?
Anthony gives Trina a concerned, speculative look, which she ignores.
NICK: I tried texting her, but she didn’t answer.
TRINA: I really thought she’d change her mind. I mean, Jesus, I know she hates me right now for some reason, but—
NICK: It’s not your fault. It’s just that you embody everything her parents want from her and that she can’t give them.
TRINA: What?
KYLE: Yeah, you’re too perfect. It’s irritating.
Trina visibly blanches, her hands curling into fists for a moment before relaxing one finger at a time, the effort palpable.
TRINA: I’m not perfect.
KYLE: Captain of the girls’ softball team, shoo-in for valedictorian, perfect attendance, perfect teeth, perfect manners . . .
NICK: And you want to be a doctor, and Mel’s parents want her to be a doctor, and . . .
Trina throws up a hand to stop him.
TRINA: Enough! Jesus. I get it. But even if she hates me, she should be here for Sara.
NICK: Not Becca?
TRINA: We all know this isn’t for Becca. She’s gone.
JEREMY: Damn, this is getting heavy. Should I go stand over there by the not-friends-with-Becca tree?
ANTHONY: Which one is that?
JEREMY: I’ll pick the one that looks the most ashamed of itself. For Trina’s sake.
VANESSA: D-did you guys hear something?
Everyone falls silent for a moment. And then laughter breaks through the silence, along with crashing footsteps. Trina flinches and whirls toward the sound, prompting a startled chuckle from Kyle.
ANTHONY: Well. I think Mel decided to come after all.