Page 2

Ivy

I cradle the phone against my ear, curled up on my couch as I listen to Sam ask me for the sixth time this week to spend Christmas with her family in Chicago.

"Come on, Ivy! You know my family would love to have you for Christmas. Mom's already asking if you're coming this year.

I met Sam my freshman year of college. We shared a dorm room and have been inseparable ever since.

"That's sweet of your mom, but I couldn't impose like that. Your family should be able to spend a holiday together without me intruding."

"Impose? Are you kidding me? You are family at this point."

I sigh, twirling a loose thread from my blanket around my finger. "I appreciate it, Sam. I really do. But I don't want to force myself into your family's holiday. It's your time, you know?"

"Ivy... You wouldn't be forcing anything. We want you there."

"I know, and it means the world to me. But I'll be okay. Promise."

There's a pause on the other end of the line. I can almost see Sam's face, the way she bites her lip when she's worried.

"Are you sure? I hate thinking of you alone for Christmas."

"I'm sure, besides, who says I'll be alone? Maybe I'll meet a handsome mountain man, have a whirlwind holiday romance, and we'll live happily ever after."

Sam snorts- actually snorts! "In that tiny town you're going to? Girl, keep dreaming. If you did by chance meet a handsome mountain man, even mountain men want their women to shave their legs."

"Hey bitch! Stranger things have happened. Seriously, Sam. I'll be fine. Go enjoy your family. We'll catch up after the holidays, okay?"

"Okay, fine. Be that way." Sam teases, and I can picture her rolling her eyes. "But you promise to text me when you get there?"

"Promise. I have to get off the phone, I need to finish packing. I'm hitting the road first thing in the morning. My tiny mountain cabin awaits."

"Are you sure you're okay? Like, really okay?"

I hesitate, the thread from my blanket now a tangled mess around my finger. I'm not okay, I'm lonely. But I'm not about to confess that to her and make her worry more about me than she already does.

"I'm fine, Sam. I promise. It's been a year; I'm okay. Dirk was a user. I'm over it and ready to move on." Sam doesn't respond, and I know she's not convinced. "Give your family my love. Love you!"

"Love you too. Let me know when you get there. And try not to get murdered by some weird mountain man."

"Will do."

I hang up and set my phone down on the coffee table in front of me. My life has changed so much, last Christmas feels like a lifetime ago. Twelve months ago, I thought my life was perfect. I had a beautiful home, a happy marriage, the murder mystery podcast I had worked hard on was finally taking off and bringing in real money. Just a few weeks later, my husband blindsided me with divorce papers. He was leaving me for his 23-year-old secretary. I felt like my life turned into a bad movie cliché.

Now, here I am, a year later. I'm packing up for a two week stay in a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania. All because I couldn't stand the thought of spending my first Christmas alone in the house I shared with my ex-husband.

Shaking my head, I push myself off the couch, refusing to dwell on the past or feel sorry for myself any longer. That life is behind me now and tomorrow I'm determined to start a new and better life. This trip will be the beginning of my fresh start.

Walking into my bedroom, I survey my half-packed suitcase. A stack of books lies on the bed, waiting to be packed away. Just because I don't have a real boyfriend, doesn't mean I can't have multiple book boyfriends. And none of them care if I shave my legs or not.

Maybe I will meet someone— a handsome brooding mountain man that will change my entire life. Yeah right.

I grip the steering wheel as I carefully navigate the winding mountain roads. The radio crackles with static, cutting in and out as I climb higher into the mountains. My GPS estimates another hour until I reach Hemlock Hollow. I've never been one to hit the road early, but the weatherman predicted a storm rolling into the area.

"Come on, come on," I mutter to myself, pressing the gas pedal a little harder. The darkening sky has me worried. The last thing I need is to get caught in this storm.

My mind wanders to the reason I'm here, driving six hours into the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. The Hemlock Hollow Huntsman, a mysterious man said to roam these very mountains. According to local folklore, he wears a handmade leather mask. Similar to the hood executioners used to wear to hide their identities from the public. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, he seeks out those who have been nice to reward them. Leaving behind candy and sweets for them to find. But the naughty ones? The Huntsman finds them in the middle of the night to deliver their punishment, sometimes even death .

The closer I get to Hemlock Hollow, the more my excitement builds. I recall the Reddit post I stumbled upon while researching this area. The locals here genuinely believe in the Huntsman. To them, he's not just a fictional character but a real entity patrolling these mountains. And it's not just ancient history; there was a string of missing women in recent years, the latest being the young woman in 2022. Locals believe the Huntsman took her, and her body was never found. It's equal parts intriguing and chilling.

I tighten my grip on the wheel, the road ahead twisting before me like a serpent. My mind begins to wander, weaving a tale of the Huntsman and his victims. The women, nice or naughty, that he sought out and either rewarded or punished. It's an eerie thought, especially with the storm rolling in, turning the sky into a shade of dark gray.

What if the Huntsman is more than just a legend? A masked man, doling out rewards and punishments. It's exactly the kind of story my podcast listeners eat up and then ask for more.

I can almost hear the intro now: "Welcome to 'Murder, Mystery, and Myths,' where we explore the stories that no one else dares. I'm your host, Ivy, and today we're diving into the chilling tale of the Hemlock Hollow Huntsman..."

I can't help but smile at the thought. It's a fun legend, one that will no doubt captivate my listeners. But more than that, it's a distraction from the pain of the past year. This trip is my "screw you" to my ex-husband and the life we once shared. With some of the money from the divorce, I've booked a remote cabin far away from everything familiar. A place where I can be alone with my thoughts, my research, and the quiet beauty of the mountains.

A gust of wind slams into the side of my car, snapping me back to reality. I ease off the gas, my heart pounding. The trees on either side of the road seem to close in, their bare branches reaching out like gnarled fingers.

Part of me wonders if I'm crazy for doing this. Spending two weeks alone in a remote cabin, chasing after a fictional Christmas tale. But the alternative of spending Christmas in the empty shell of a house that doesn't feel like my home anymore is unbearable.

The first snowflakes begin to fall as I pass a sign welcoming me to Hemlock Hollow. I've made it, just in time. Now all that's left is to find my cabin and hunker down before the storm hits.

As I drive through the small town, I can 't help but wonder what secrets and stories are waiting here for me to uncover. For the first time in months, I feel a spark of excitement. This is going to be one hell of a Christmas.