Dead of Winter

Following her husband's death, Barb determines to scatter his ashes at Lake Hilda, the place where they first began. The act signals a final ritual to honor his memory and anchor her in a familiar location amid grief. She sets out toward the frozen lake, carrying the ashes with mounting resolve.

A brutal snowstorm roars through the area, pushing Barb off her intended path. The blizzard drives her to seek shelter, leading her to a nearby cabin she hadn't planned to reach. The snow and wind heighten the tension as danger seems to close in.

In the cabin's shadow, Barb asks for directions. The Tall Hunter explains that the blood on the snow is from a deer, but his calm tone carries an undercurrent of menace. The encounter plants a seed of unease about who else might be listening inside the cabin.

Back at the cabin, Barb discovers Leah bound in the basement, a captive she hadn't known. She overhears the Tall Hunter and the Purple Lady plotting to kill Leah. The realization hits hard: danger is close, and Leah's fate hangs in the balance.

Barb processes the plan and the motive behind it while the danger remains in the room. She understands that the threat is not just outside, but within reach. She resolves to take drastic action to protect Leah.

Desperation drives Barb to use her late husband’s hunting gear to lure the Tall Hunter and Purple Lady. The Tall Hunter falls into a concealed ice hole, a brutal, calculated trap. Barb's quick thinking shifts the balance of power in the cabin.

With the trap sprung, Barb floods the space with water, hoping to flush the assailants into the open. The plan buys time, but the attackers return and Barb is shot in the arm. The cabin becomes a claustrophobic battlefield with the clock ticking.

As the Tall Hunter grows weaker from hypothermia, Barb uses the truck radio to call for help and grabs a pistol. The man interrupts, revealing his wife is sick and that Leah's selection is tied to a darker history. Barb decides to bring authorities to intervene.

Barb rigs the truck to explode, hoping to lure more hunters back to the cabin to rescue Leah. The plan rattles the trio and seems to work until the Purple Lady detonates a fresh wave of violence. She reveals she has already killed her husband.

The escalating confrontation leaves Barb on the back foot as the Purple Lady tightens the noose. She narrowly avoids a fatal encounter but finds herself surrendering to the danger she tried to escape. Leah, Barb, and the others prepare for a precarious future.

The trio moves to the icy lake where a makeshift medical tent sits in the snow. Leah learns the woman intends to take Leah's liver for transplant elsewhere. Barb ties Leah to keep her safe, but loosens bonds to mount a counterattack when possible.

A stray bullet hits the box containing Barb's husband's ashes, creating a distraction that Barb uses to strike back. Barb and Leah contrive a risky escape from the precarious ice. The water becomes their refuge as they fight for life.

In a brutal, improvised struggle, Barb uses the same handcuffs to restrain the Purple Lady. They both plunge into the hole in the ice as the lake swallows them. Barb scatters her husband's ashes into the dark water, marking a quiet, mournful closing gesture.

As the night winds ease, Leah finds an old photograph of Barb and her husband, a haunting reminder of what was lost. The image underscores the toll of Barb's protective actions. Leah processes the sacrifice and the fragile bond formed in crisis.