Vivian was heading to the mountain where Joe and Skylar had once disappeared. It was a popular tourist attraction just outside of Jipsburg, a two-hour drive away.
Despite the well-established facilities and numerous surveillance cameras, her parents went missing in such a place. No footage had captured them.
Today, as she set out for the hike, she didn't tell anyone, only mentioning she had plans with some friends.
She didn't want to cause them any unnecessary worry. Vivian didn't drive herself. Instead, she took the direct shuttle to the tourist attraction, as she had brought along hiking gear.
Given that it was winter, there weren't many visitors, and the shuttle wasn't crowded.
As she gazed out the window during the ride, she was lost in thought, filled with a sense of regret.
"Why didn't I go hiking with them that day? If I had, maybe I would know what really happened," she thought about the mystery surrounding their disappearance, wondering if going to the mountain now would help her understand.
"Hey, are you hiking alone?" A middle-aged man sitting next to her interrupted her thoughts.
Vivian hadn't noticed when the middle-aged man sat down. She had been so focused on her thoughts when she boarded the bus that she didn't pay attention to the empty seat beside her.
Now, as she looked at him, she simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"Aren't you with a boyfriend or family?" Bud Snyder asked, his gaze intrusive and even somewhat aggressive as he looked Vivian up and down. His unabashed stare seemed completely oblivious to the nature of their situation.
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