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Curveball - UNTIL DAWN REWRITE Chapter Four

[UNTIL DAWN-MASTERLIST]

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Summary: Things escalated extremy quickly and the things they found out... well, it was a hell lot of hard pills to swallow for a bunch of young adults that thought they were going to have a chill week end in their friend’s lodge. There was no time to waste crying and complaining. Synthya had made up her mind, she was going to find Josh no matter what, even if it led to her ultimate demise, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t try to save him after he turned out not to be dead... and then was snatched away by a Wendigo. She would get the both of them through the night, or she’d rather not survive this. Her thoughts weren’t really with her family on that one.

Words: 5.6k

Warnings: Until Dawn spoilers (chapter 8), lots of dialogues, stress, angst, blood, wendigos, blood, severed head, trauma, chase, death

Mount Washington’s Lodge, 04:23 AM

THREE HOURS UNTIL DAWN

After the bloodcurling revelation in the basement, where Synthya and Mike found Chris and Ashley tied to chairs with sawblades hanging down from the ceiling right above their heads, they had found out who was hidden underneath the psycho’s mask and it was a shock for all four of them. They saw Josh die in a gruesome and traumatic way, screaming to death only to find him laughing erratically at the whole situation. He seemed so detached from what had happened. About fourty minutes ago, Chris and Mike led him to a shed further away from the lodge. The two argued with Synthya as she wanted to come with them, fearing something might happen outside but she ultimately stayed at the house, keeping company to Ashley until Chris came back alone, having left Mike to guard Josh there. She was restless, to say the least, extremely worried and unable to sit down, she kept walking back and forth in the living room of the lodge, fidgeting her fingers nervously. The cold was the least of her worries right now. The three of them just stood there, in heavy silence until they heard a high-pitched scream outside the lodge, echoing through the mountain and a minute later, Emily was screaming frantically, pounding on the door, begging to be let in.

“Is that—?” Ashley timidly wondered, sitting on the edge of the couch.

“It’s Em!” Synthya stopped in her tracks, and the two girls ran to the door with Chris.

“Let her in! Quick!!” He opened the door and she fell to the floor, gasping.

“Shut the door! Oh my God—Shut the door!!” Chris closed it right away and Synthya and Ashley dragged her inside and helped her get back on her feet before leading her to the living room as she caught her breath, recovering from what had happened to her out there. Seeing her like this instantly reminded Synthya of her own state after she was chased by this creepy stranger a year ago. “I didn’t think that I’d make it—”

“You were screaming bloody murder.” Chris said.

“You look totally wiped—” Ashley observed.

“There was something—” Emily spoke, cut off by her sobbing.

“Where’s Matt—"

“Come sit down, sit down--” Synthya advised, sitting beside her as they settled her on the sofa. Ashley kneeled in front of her, a hand on her lap, concerned for her friend. Synthya wasn’t really close to anyone but Chris, Josh and Ashley but still, she was a quite sympathetic and forgiving person and never liked seeing anyone being completely freaked out like this.

“Did you guys split up?”

“A monster—It’s a monster--!” Emily cried out, too freaked out to hear Ashley’s questions.

“Are you okay?” Chris inquired, standing in front of the three young women.

“I’m fine, I don’t feel anything. I just need to calm down. It was moving so damn fast—”

“What?”

“I just had to get away—”

“Away from what?” Synthya asked.

“Th-there was this thing, whatever it was--!” Ashley straightened up and sat next to her.

“Em, Em, you can relax… Josh was messing with us… but we—”

“You’re not listening to me.” She shook her head, letting it fall forward.

“Wait Em… Where’s Matt? Is he okay?” Chris wondered. She looked up at him.

“Matt, oh, God…” She lamented. “We couldn’t use the cable car, so we climbed to the tower and then it fell and we were down in the mine, like way down, down in this terrifying freaking mine shaft…”

“Hold on, hold on…” He tried to slow her down.

“And then, it was Matt and me down there and… Oh, God, I think that Matt might be dead.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, what mine shaft?”

“I— I was walking down there, in the mines, and it was dark, and I found this pile and… there was Beth’s head!” Synthya felt a cold sweat running down her back, staring at Emily, processing what she just said. She knew they were dead; she saw them fall down a cliff but hearing that was rather unsettling and upsetting. Beth, and Hannah, were her best friends.

“Whait, what?!” Chris exclaimed while Synthya now stared into space. She softly closed her eyes for a second, swallowing harshly.

“Beth’s head. I found it.”

“Oh my God.” Ashley curled up on the couch. They were all shocked and taken aback by her statement.

“I think they fell down there.” She continued, in a lower voice. Synthya thought of saying that the twins fell down a cliff, but she let the words die in her throat and remained quiet. “But the worst part is I don’t thnk Hannah died, like, from the fall, not right away…”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… I feel like she was down there… like, starving to death… for weeks… when we were all up here looking for her… we had no idea!”

“Jesus, that’s… horrible…” Chris shook his head, sighing. He glanced at Synthya who was staring at her feet, her jaw clenched. She looked even paler than before, troubled by the discovery. “Are you okay, Synthya?”

“Uh?” She raised her head, snapped out of her thoughts. Ashley and Emily were looking at her and she nodded, trying to get her shit together, clearing her throat. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“Listen.” Emily spoke. “In… In the tower there was a radio and I—I got through to someone, but that was right when the tower collapsed!” Out of the blue, Mike ran in the room and Synthya stood up at the sight of him. The only thought that crossed her mind was that he left Josh on his own in the shed. She felt a sudden urge to yell at him, but she was so dumbfounded and disturbed by what Emily had told them, she just stood there as they hugged. He seemed relieved to see her safe and sound.

“What about Matt?” He frowned in worry, looking around.

“We’re trying to figure that out…” Ashley replied.

“Mike—”

“And there was this “monster” that was chasing her…” Chris added, inadvertently speaking over Synthya trying to get their attention to ask about Josh.

“She’s all messed up, guys.” He held her shoulders somehow tenderly.

“Mike!”

“What?” The moment he looked at Synthya, someone banged on the back door of the lodge and every single one of them turned their head in confusion kind of freezing in place for a second. Mike lowered his voice, glancing at Chris from the corner of his eyes. “Who the fuck can that be?”

“Josh?” Synthya and Emily looked at Ashley.

“Jess?” Chris thought.

“It’s not Jess.”

“Sorry man… but who is this?”

“I don’t know… We should check it out.”

“I got your back.” Chris said, touching his shoulder. Synthya stared at the back door, taking a step forward. When no one moved along with her, she gazed at Chris and Mike, motioning for them to come and even though she knew Chris would probably want to ask her to stay there with the others, she wasn’t about to wait for something to happen again. Mike pulled out his gun and the three of them carefully made their way to the back door. He held up the weapon, pointing it at the door. “Uh… let me have the pistol. Cause you can take whoever it is through sheer good looks. And muscle and all that… Just, uh—”

“I think I should have the gun.” Synthya cut him off with a straight face and Mike looked at her.

“Actually, yeah, no you’re right, give it to her.” Chris agreed. “I saw her at the shooting range, she… she can definitely hold a gun.”

“All right then.” Mike handed the gun to her, and she aimed at the door, one finger right above the trigger in case she had to shoot whoever was out there.

“Okay, I’m gonna open the door. You ready?” Chris asked and both Mike and Synthya nodded. His arms hanging down his body, he fidgeted his fingers nervously and jumped when Mike urged him.

“Just do it already, whoever it is has probably gone by now.” Chris eventually approached and the moment he turned the doorknob, the stranger kicked in the door and Chris fell backwards. A man walked in, staring at Synthya who held him at gunpoint, even though he didn’t really seem that impressed. She frowned, uneasy as she glanced at the weapon in his hands.

“Stop right there! Freeze—" She tried raising her voice, but he suddenly reached for the gun and almost twisted her wrist. While Chris was getting up, Mike grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the stranger.

“All right, all right… take it easy grandpa.”

“Okay. Everybody just calm down.” The stranger spoke. Synthya noticed he had a scar across his right eye, the pupil of which was milky white and when her eyes lingered on his weapon and clothes, she noticed a pair of goggles around his neck and a flame thrower in his hands and suddenly, it all clicked in. The man that was chasing her and the twins in the forest a year ago with the flame thrower. She shook her head as she stepped back, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. He walked towards them, pushing them back to the living room and she felt threatened, and when he rose his voice, she couldn’t help but be startled. “Now just move over there. Go on, move! Let me say what I came to say.” She stared at him with restless eyes, uneasy. “I’m just here to tell you what you’re up against being back on this mountain. You should never have returned. I don’t know why you did after what happened last year.”

“You mean with Hannah and Beth?” Ashley asked shyly.

“Yeah, how could you know without being involved—” Chris added. Synthya parted her lips to say something, but she gulped and let herself fall on the couch, staring at the floor. The stranger turned towards them.

“You hold onto your horses. I don’t take kindly to you kids coming back up here on my mountain.”

“Your mountain? Huh, I’m sure the Washingtons would be very surprised to hear that.” Mike retorted and the man laughed.

“Well, this mountain don’t belong to me, it’s true. But it don’t belong to the Washingtons. This mountain belongs to the Wendigo.” He went on to explain.

“What the hell’s a wendigo?” Mike wondered. There was a brief silence of confusion among the five friends and Synthya raised her head, glancing at the stranger. She looked away when she crossed his gaze and he narrowed his eyes, staring at her. She was quite uncomfortable with the man that chased her in the forest just glaring at her. She was also very confused as to why he would be there trying to give them advice and why he looked somehow less scary than in her memories.

“I knew I’d recognized your face.” He took a step towards her, and the others turned their faces towards her. She eventually held his gaze, frowning. “You’re the one that was with the two Washington girls that night. You fell over the cliff, and I pulled you up.”

“What is he talking about?” Chris wondered.

“Why would you chase us down and then save me?”

“I wasn’t the one chasing you in that forest.” She was a little dumbfounded at his answer. “It was the wendigo.”

“What—?”

“That’s what I’m trying to warn you about and listen, because I’m only going to tell you this once. It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. I got reasons I want to… Get it off my chest…”

“See? I told you!” He waved at Synthya and the Stranger. Synthya was still trying to process what the stranger said and trying to understand that he was never the one after them and that all this time it had been some monster was very hard. “He’s guilty as shit! Guilty of something!”

“There is a curse.” He said, his back to them. “That dwells in these mountains. Should any man or woman resort to cannibalism in these woods the spirit of the wendigo shall be unleashed. You’re gonna need to fing somewhere safe.

“Wait…” Synthya spoke, starting to grasp how bad the situation was if there really were creatures roaming around. She stood up and faced Mike on her left. “Josh… What about Josh?”

“I… ran off and left Josh when I heard screaming.”

“Where did you leave him?” The stranger inquired.

“In the shed…”

“Your friend will already be dead.”

“No…” Synthya brought her hand to her hair, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe Josh might be dead, really dead this time.

“No… No, he can’t be… We were just with him!” Chris got up.

“A lot can happen quickly on this mountain.” The stranger shook his head.

“No. I’m gonna go get him.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“You can’t go out there!” Ashley disapproved.

“I’m supposed to be his best friend and I let him down.”

“No… he let you down, Chris. You too, Synthya – he let all of us down.”

“I don’t care.” He retorted.

“We’re going to get him.” Synthya added, her jaw clenched. “And y’all can hate him, when he’s safe and sound too.”

“I’ll go with you.” The stranger calmly said, stepping forward.

“We don’t need your help.”

“Going alone is suicide.” He warned Chris and he and Synthya just shrugged agreeing to go with out there with him. “The rest of you- get down to the basement. Be safe. Don’t go outside until we’re back.” He came in front of Chris and Synthya and they held his gaze. “You don’t seem to understand the magnitude of the situation.”

“Well, we’re going to get Josh, aren’t we?” Chris replied.

“No, I’m going to get Josh. You’re going to help me. Do you understand?” The two friends glanced at each other and slowly nodded. “You need to follow me. And do everything I tell you.”

“Okay.” Synthya mouthed, looking at Chris, shooting up her eyebrows as they followed the stranger to the front door in silence, leaving the others in the living room. He stopped before opening the door and got a shotgun hanging beside the flame thrower tanks on his back and turned to them, handing it out to Synthya.

“That’s the end you point towards the thing you want to kill.”

“Yes. I do know how to use a shotgun, man.” She sighed, annoyed.

“I know. That’s why I gave it to you.” She was surprised by the confidence in his voice. He had probably heard Chris say she knew how to hold and use a gun, or maybe he was up there on the mountain and saw them at the shooting range earlier in the evening. He opened the door and Synthya took a step forward to follow him when she heard Ashely’s voice and she glanced to her left. The latter came up to Chris, worried, and kissed him and Synthya was torn between being excited for the two as they finally shared a kiss, and being saddened by this sight, reminding her of her own relationship with Josh. She wanted to find him, and she wasn’t even religious, but she never prayed so hard for something. This was the only thing left to do, hoping he wasn’t dead, and she and Chris would get him back and then, she would get him the help he needs, even if it means that he’ll hate her for it. She was ready to do anything to help him and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she just waited for dawn with the others, safe in the basement. She was going to face her demons and she didn’t like one bit, but it was for something worth fighting for. Synthya stepped outside and the stranger glanced at her, noticing Chris was still inside. She looked around at the dark woods surrounding them and swallowed harshly. “We need to hurry, son.”

“I’ll see you soon.” He said to Ashley before heading out, joining Synthya and the stranger in the snow. “So… so tell us. You’re the expert on these things. What’s… uh… What’s a guy gotta know…?”

“You just be careful. You follow my lead. And you stay near your friend, she’s got the gun.”

“Yeah, I’ma breathe down your neck. I’ll become like your shadow.” He joked, trying to hide how nervous he was feeling, and she briefly chuckled. Normally, she would have laughed because it was funny but right now, they were both extremely worried and anxious, unsure about what was going to happen. Nonetheless, it was reassuring to have one another to go and rescue Josh, if he was still alive.

“So, how do we kill these things? How many times do I have to shoot it before it’s dead?” Synthya asked as they climbed down the stairs.

“Well, you’d be shooting a long time.”

“You mean this shotgun won’t even kill it? Is it why you have a flame thrower? They’re sensitive to fire or something?”

“Right on the mark.” He nodded, walking down the path in front of them. “The shotgun will slow it down. The fire, they fear it, and it can kill them if you have to… See their skin if like… it’s like tough armor, unless you burn it off first.”

“That’s gross…” Chris remarked. “What are these things like? I mean, are they just crazy unpredictable or can you figure out what they’re gonna do?”

“Well… they adhere to some patterns… like any animal… or human.”

“Wh- you mean, like how? Ike they’ve got schedules?”

“Well, they only hunt at night.”

“Why?” Synthya asked after being silent for a minute, listening.

“I didn’t ask.” The strange responded.

“Any, uh, pro Wendigo tips? Like if I rub garlic all over me, they won’t be able to smell me or something?” Chris then went on to ask, his uneasiness growing as they got deeper in the woods, and close to the shed.

“They’ll still smell you.”

“Anything like that?”

“They can’t see you if you’re standing still. It’s like toads… sight is based on changes of movement in their field of vision.”

“So, if we don’t move… We’re basically invisible.”

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t recommend testing it out… unless you have no other choice.” They then fell into silence for a moment until they were about 60 feet from the shed. They walked around it and Synthya tightened her grip on the shotgun, ready to pull it up and shoot it a wendigo appeared in front of them.

“If these things… Wendigos… are, or were human… do they still have some aspect of humanity in them?” Chris wondered and they stopped in their tracks for a second.

“Well, they retain certain things.”

“I mean is it really right to kill them?” The stranger tittered. “Maybe they can be cured or—”

“They surrender human rights the moment they eat one another. There is no cure. There is no redemption.”

“I mean if they’re still human I don’t know if it’s a right to hurt them—”

“If they’ve done anything to Josh, I’m not gonna hold back. That much I know.” Synthya declared and the stranger gave her a glance before looking at Chris. Good thing she was the one with the gun.

“You’ve got good survival instincts. Lucky your friend’s there, cause when you’re staring one in the face, it’s them, or you. You feel free to take the high road. You won’t be on it for long.” they resumed their walk and came to the shed door, wide open and inside, a broken stool was knocked over next to a wooden a lamp oil and a pool of blood. Synthya widened her eyes in panick, assuming that it was where Josh was supposed to be.

“Oh my god… is it his blood? What the fuck happened?!” She inquired in fear, staring at the ground and Chris squeezed her shoulder, looking around.

“He’s gone…! We’re too late!”

“Shh! Quiet!” The stranger suddenly shushed them, and they turned to him as he lowered his voice, taking a look outside the shed. “We gotta go. Right now.”

“We gotta find Josh – he could still be out here!” Chris insisted.

“Ha-ha! First, the Wendigo, he’ll render you immobile.” He approached them, almost whispering before gradually stepping away again. “And then he strips the skin off of your entire body, piece by piece, and then he keeps you alive and aware and feasts on your organs, one piece at a time.”

“So, the Lodge, then.” Chris said, reluctant to go back just now. Synthya sighed, closing her eyes shut for a second. She couldn’t believe they were giving up so quickly and that they were leaving Josh out there on his own and in the confused and disorientated state he was in.

“Let’s go now, it might still be near!” He instructed and quickly jogged out. Chris and Synthya joined him and the moment they got near him; he ordered them to stop moving. They glanced at each other as they stood as still as a statue and after a few seconds, the stranger decided to take a careful step forward. Synthya’s heart missed a beat when she saw this slender and inhumanely tall figure in the distance. “Run! Go! Now! Now!”

“Holy shit what the fuck?!” Chris swore, stopping in his tracks abruptly when the stranger used his flame thrower and the Wendigo jumped away. Synthya was feeling this lump in her stomach again and her throat was getting sore and uncomfortable. She wanted to dig a hole and break down but there was absolutely not second to waste, and she just tried to get a hold of her breathing accelerating, getting prepared to shoot at the creature if needed. She had the gun, and she needed to be ready to use it, no matter how scared and frightened she was.

“We’re right out of the pen— We gotta get out of here!” The stranger peeked around when suddenly, the Wendigo came out of nowhere, jumping right on him and sliced through his throat, cutting his head off. Synthya screamed at the top of her lungs to the point her whole mouth felt completely dried, her eyes widened out of terror, his body fell down to his knees and then lied flat on his stomach while she stared in absolute shock at the head and the pool of blood growing around it. When Chris rose his voice and called her name, she just pivoted her body like she was on auto mode and shot in the Wendigo’s direction, pushing him away from them. He then grabbed her arm as she sobbed frantically, this vision of horror engraved in her mind, and they ran back to the lodge as fast as they could. They ducked underneath a fallen tree, and she turned around to see the Wendigo on it, ready to jump at them and end them the same way it killed the stranger. She immidietaly shoot and they resumed running to the lodge like they became track stars. As they approached the front of the house, another Wendigo popped out of the blue. She shot it without wasting time, sniffing, and they made their way to the door and Chris started banging on it. Ashley arrived and opened it for them.

“Guys!! Oh my god, what happened?”

“We gotta go, that thing was like right behind us—” The Wendigo hopped over to the door and jumped on it, breaking through the glass as they fleed.

Old hotel, 04:47 AM

“Oh my god! Guys! Thank god!” Emily sounded overly relieved to see Chris and Synthya walk pasted the door along with Ashley. They were all in a sort of small room in the basement, closed by thick mesh walls. Opposite to the door, there was a desk and half a dozen screens displaying CCTV footage of the cameras set around the house. Mike closed the door behind them. Synthya took a deep breath in; she wasn’t sobbing like crazy, but her eyes were red and despite being naturally pale, she must have looked like literal corpse, staring into space and just following Chris to sit down.

“It’s not so good up there right now…"

“Understatement of the night.” Mike said, he was exhausted too. Synthya rested her elbows on her laps and cupped her face in her hands, letting it all sink in. She was already traumatized enough, she didn’t want the sight of the stranger’s severed head to be there when she would cose her eyes because until someone came to get them out of here, she had to be fully there in order to survive and help Josh as well. She could work on everything that happened that nigh when she would see her therapist again. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate and raised her head. “Where’s the flame throwing guy?”

“Ah… yeah… He, uh… He didn’t make it…”

“Oh no… What happened?” Emily slightly shook her head, resting her hands on her hips.

“The thing it… it tore him apart… Right in front of us…”

“All right… these all the doors?” Mike inquired, walking around the room, warily looking around.

“Yeah.” Ashley nodded.

“Are you sure?”

“What are you looking for?”

“Another way out.” He walked to the screens and watched.

“Mike… I don’t think that’s a good idea. We should stay put until dawn. At least we’re safe down there—" Emily stated worriedly and he turned to her instantly, cutting her off.

“Oh? Yeah? All wrapped up like a little present with a bow on top for that thing to tear us apart on Christmas morning?”

“People will come for us. In the morning.” Ashley said.

“You don’t sound so sure.”

“That is what will happen… right, Em?”

“Uh, yeah… I mean…”

“Well, you can wait.” He retorted. “I’m leaving.”

“Mike… There’s no key for the cable car—” Emily said.

“Josh.” Synthya glance over at him as he mentioned his name. “He’s gotta have it. One of his dirty little tricks. If that fucking thing got a hold of Josh… then… we’re shit outta luck.”

“I don’t know, Mike… it’s possible…” She shrugged.

“What’s possible?” Synthya stood up, staring at them.

“It may have taken him down to the mine… I saw some horrible stuff down there… I think it’s where that thing lives… and…” She turned to a table along the wall and bent over a map spread over it, taking a look at it. She went silent for a second, picking up a book to see the map better but didn’t say anything else. Synthya walked over to Emily.

“Fuck it.” Mike exclaimed. “I’m gonna get that key. Right from that thing’s goddamned bedroom, and then I’m gonna get us all the hell out of here.”

“What’s all that?” Synthya asked, seeing a whole bunch of stuff over the table.

“It’s that old guy’s bag.”

“That guy was prepared for anything…”

“Not quite.” Mike commented.

“What is this place?” Emily wondered, pointing at an old map.

“Oh my God. I was down there. It was horrible.” He explained. “There had been a cave-in. In the fifties I guess, and these miners got trapped down there. Some of them survived but… like… fifteen of ‘em didn’t make it. There was this reporter and I think he figured out there had been some, like, big cover-up going on. I found these plans – they knew the mine was a death trap, but they let the miners keep working anyway. And… I’m not sure what it means but I found this chair, with dried blood all over the place… like somebody’s been tortured…”

“Michael, I’d like to maybe focus on how we’re going to get the fuck out of here please?”

“I’m just saying it’s weird how much crazy shit’s gone on up here…”

“What’s weird is that there’s a tunnel leading from the lodge to the Sanatorium, see?” She pointed at it on the map.

“That’s how I got back here.”

“I saw this. When I was down in there. That’s where it lives.”

“Em…” Ashley stood behind Emily and brought her hand to her shoulder, worried, for some reason and she then pointed at her, walking away. “Em, what is that…? What is that? Em, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god—”

“It’s nothing.” She tried calming her as Mike and Synthya stepped away from her as well. “I just – it bit me, and—”

“It bit you? What bit you?” Ashley cut her off.

“The, uh… the Wendigo. It’s nothing, really, it’s not a big deal—”

“Are you okay?” Synthya asked.

“Yeah. It doesn’t hurt anymore. Really. It’s not that bad.”

“Em… if that thing bit you…” Mike frowned. The situation was already tensed, learning that Emily got bitten by a Wendigo didn’t help lighten up the mood. She tried assuring him she was fine, but he didn’t seem to want to hear it or believe it. “Emily, if the Wendigo bit you… You could turn into one of those things.”

“I don’t think it works like that, Mike. It’s not fucking vampires.” Synthya came to stand next to Emily. She had no idea how this whole Wendigo thing actually worked but according to what the Stranger had told them, it wasn’t this way. One had to eat another human’s flesh in order for the spirit of the Wendigo to possess their body, or something like that. And with everyone really nervous and scared, regrettable mistakes would easily happen, so she watched Mike.

“He said it was from eating each other, remember he said that!” Ashley cried out. “It happens if it bit you, you’re gonna turn into one and—"

“Yeah, Ashley, from eating each other, not biting each other!” Synthya cut off Ashley, raising her voice in annoyance. She could see where this whole argument was heading from a mile away. “Emily didn’t eat fucking human flesh; she’s not going to turn into a Wendigo! Think for a second!”

“Emily… you can’t stay here. You’re putting us all in danger!” Mike yelled.

“Hey, Mike, just cool your head, okay? It doesn’t work like that. It’s definitely just a bite.”

“I’ve seen what these fuckers can do. I don’t want to see it again.” Chris spoke in a calm voice, seriousness on his face.

“Chris, come on, man!” Synthya looked at him in disbelief. “I’ve seen what they can do too, but the stranger never said you coud turn into one with just a fucking bite!”

“What is this, guys? What are you doing?” Emily asked, looking at each and every one of them.

“Door’s right here.” Mike pointed at the door on his right. “I’m letting you do this voluntarily.”

“Oh no,” Emily walked up to him. “you’re just making yourself feel better about sending me to my death since you know there’s a Wendigo out there ready to rip me to pieces like it did with—"

“Okay, oh my god! Will you just go!? Go! Get out of here!” Ashley aggressively told Emily and Synthya sighed. She so wanted to tell her to shut the fuck up but when she saw Mike grab a gun and aim it at Emily, she widened her eyes.

“Mike… calm down.”

“You’re going to shoot me?” Emily couldn’t believe it. “Mike…? Me?”

“This is the safe room, Em.” She started crying and begging him, but he wasn’t listening. “It’s not safe as long as you’re in it. Not for us. I’m really sorry.” He held the gun up, clenching his jaw, distressed at what he was about to do when suddenly, Synthya just stepped in front of the gun, staring at him. He grumbled, trying to get her to step away and just let him do this but he could see that she wasn’t moving any time soon and he let his arms fall down along his body, letting out a heavy sigh and walked in a circle. “Shit… Fuck… Fuck…”

“You did the right thing.” Synthya declared before checking on Emily, who was wiping away the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

“Alright, you keep an eye on her… if you see anything weird… you guys know what to do. And no one leave, okay?” Mike instructed. “It’s not safe out there. I’ll be back soon.”

“Hey, Mike. Wait a sec’.” He was about to leave the room and looked at her, stopping in his tracks. “You want to find the keys and I want to find Josh. I’m coming with you.”

“Synthya, you’re brave and all, but you just came back, I don’t think you—”

“It doesn’t matter what you think about it. I’ll rest when I find Josh.” She declared and he knew there was no way he could talk her out of it so he just shrugged, reluctantly inviting her to leave the safe room with him. She knew very well that she was still a little shaken from what happened with Chris and the Stranger, not so long ago but she couldn’t just wait around, until dawn finaly came and just pray that Josh would come out safe and sound. She woud rather die along with him if something happened, than never know what his fate ended up being. Either she saved the both of them, or none at all. Living with the fact that she preferred to save herself rather than go after him would be worst than having to become his caregiver, whatever other serious underlying menta illness he had. She didn’t know what to expect of him and their relationship once all this shit would be over, if they did survive until dawn, but whatever it would be, she woud live better knowing he was alive.

[To be continued…]

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Published (09/21/2022) by Andrea

Taglist: @cathrin2405 @kika64

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