12. The Discovery

**"So, what was all that about last night?"** Marcus asked, his voice tinged with curiosity as he poured himself a cup of coffee. The morning sunlight streamed through the cabin windows, casting a warm glow on the worn wooden floors.

Harper sat at the kitchen table, her fingers nervously tapping against the edge of her mug. She hadn't slept much after her conversation with Leo. His words still echoed in her mind, a constant source of unease.

**"What do you mean?"** Harper replied, trying to sound casual as she took a sip of her coffee.

**"You and Leo, talking in the middle of the night,"** Marcus said, leaning against the counter. **"It seemed pretty intense. Everything cool?"**

Harper hesitated, unsure of what to say. Leo had made her promise not to tell anyone, but keeping this to herself felt like carrying a weight she wasn't sure she could bear.

**"It's nothing,"** she finally said, forcing a smile. **"Leo was just having a rough night. You know how it is."**

Marcus raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. **"Yeah, I guess. We've all got stuff we're dealing with."** He paused, studying her. **"You sure you're okay?"**

Harper nodded quickly. **"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."**

Marcus seemed to accept that, but there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes as he turned away.

**"Alright, well, if you need to talk… you know where to find me,"** he said before heading out to the porch.

Harper watched him go, feeling a pang of guilt. She knew Marcus meant well, but the secret she was holding wasn't something she could just casually drop into conversation. She needed to talk to Leo again, to find out exactly what he meant by his cryptic warning.

---

Later that morning, the group decided to take a hike through the woods. The fresh air and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot seemed to lighten everyone's mood, but Harper couldn't shake the tension that clung to her.

Leo was walking ahead, his gaze distant as if lost in thought. Harper quickened her pace to catch up with him, her heart pounding as she tried to figure out how to approach the subject again.

**"Leo,"** she called softly, pulling him to the side of the trail. The others continued walking, unaware of their hushed conversation.

**"Hey,"** Leo replied, his expression guarded.

**"We need to talk about last night,"** Harper said, keeping her voice low. **"What did you mean when you said someone here isn't who they say they are? And what does that have to do with Emily?"**

Leo glanced around nervously, his eyes scanning the trees as if expecting someone to be watching. **"I can't explain it all here,"** he said, his voice tense. **"But there are things… things I've found out since we got here. I've been digging into some old stuff, and it's not good, Harper. Emily… she didn't just die. Something happened to her, and I think someone here knows more than they're letting on."**

Harper felt a cold chill settle in her stomach. **"What did you find out?"** she pressed.

Leo hesitated, then sighed. **"I found something in her old room, back at her place. A letter. It was hidden in a book, like she didn't want anyone to see it. But the thing is, the letter wasn't just some random note. It was… it was a warning, Harper. She was scared of someone. I don't know who, but she wrote about being followed, about things that didn't make sense. And she mentioned something about this trip."**

Harper's mind raced as she tried to piece together what Leo was saying. **"Why didn't you tell anyone sooner?"** she asked, her voice shaking.

**"Because I didn't want to believe it,"** Leo admitted, his voice breaking. **"Emily was our friend. I didn't want to think that someone we know could have done something to her. But now… now I'm not so sure."**

Harper felt a wave of nausea wash over her. The thought that one of their friends might be hiding something this dark was almost too much to bear. But as much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn't ignore the possibility.

**"What do we do now?"** she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

**"We need to find out who it is,"** Leo said, his expression hardening. **"And we need to be careful. If they know we're onto them, who knows what they'll do next."**

Harper nodded, her mind swirling with fear and determination. She knew they couldn't trust anyone now, not until they had answers. But getting those answers would mean delving into secrets that had been buried for too long, and the thought of what they might uncover terrified her.

---

As the group continued their hike, Harper and Leo stayed close, their conversation echoing in their minds. Every glance, every word exchanged between the others took on new significance, as if they were seeing their friends in a different light. Who was lying? Who could they trust? And most importantly, how far would they have to go to uncover the truth about what really happened to Emily?

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the forest floor, Harper couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that something or someone was lurking just out of sight, waiting for the right moment to strike.

But for now, all she could do was keep moving forward, one step at a time, toward the truth that was waiting to be discovered in the depths of the forest.