All of Me
Josh/OC
Gender: Female
Word Count: 9, 516
Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence/gore, language, a dabble of angst, smut with a plot (eventual), mental illness, Supernatural (television show) references, I do 'diagnose' Josh (I am not a doctor, nor do I claim to be highly knowledgeable regarding mental health/medicine. So if my diagnosis doesn't match up with a more realistic one, I'm truly sorry. I don't mean to offend. I did some research and read a few opinions, but that can only go so far.), unbeta'ed (sorry for any fuck ups!).
Sorry if nobody wanted this but this boi needed a redemption/healing arc.
Part 1: Sunrise
The Washington estate, which sat upon Blackwood Mountain, was a perfect example of modern luxury. With its chalet styled facade, it's beauty could easily rival the picturesque scenery of the surrounding forest while it's massive size only seemed to match the mountain upon which it sat.
But none of that mattered anymore. No. Because the Washington estate was gone.
Where the once proud and stately vacation home stood was nothing more than a pile of burnt cinder. Logs lay broken, blackened and charred upon the earth. Metal supports pointed towards the sky in jagged spears; bent and gnarled from the heat of the fire that had long since died. Glass from the windows lay scattered about the surrounding area; a violent explosion having sent the shards flying into the snow and trees.
That's how Daisy Lee Fiddler found it in the early morning of February 3rd. She stood among the thick pine, silently staring at the estates skeleton in wide eyed disbelief.
"What the hell happened?" The woman quietly whispered to herself, breath coming out in wisp-like puffs. Her dark eyes never strayed from the skeleton of the home as she slid further within the shadows of the forests edge. Each step was calculated and measured as her boots sunk within the deep snow. A biting breeze howled through the trees, causing her to absentmindedly pull her heavy jacket closer to her body. Releasing a low whistle at the carnage, she whispered. "Holy moly."
The 'what the hell happened' wasn't such an easy question to answer, it seemed. The local news remained unhelpful; which was to be expected. Local journalism moved about as slow as molasses. One thing was confirmed though, the local authorities had picked up seven young adults from the scene. From what Daisy had gathered from the radio broadcast she had listened to while on her way to Blackwood mountain, the authorities were currently dealing with conflicting stories from the individuals.
But, with the sun barely above the horizon, the police presence on Blackwood Mountain was at a minimum - a few mulled about to look for evidence that might have been missed and to ultimately keep watch over the area itself, while the rest of their department was focusing their efforts on interviews.
So, even though the police presence was low upon the mountain, Daisy kept her distance. She moved carefully and silently around the mountain, her footfalls light as she carefully glided through the dark shadows being cast by the trees. Staying far from the popular trails that would be used by the police and anyone else poking around.
The reason for her skulking? Simple. Daisy did not feel like being taken into custody and questioned; knowing how bad it would look to be caught with a handheld M240 flamethrower situated upon her back. Not to mention the hidden weapons all within arms reach, or the leather backpack filled with more questionable items. The bags contents would cause more than a raised brow from the authorities. The various other dangerous weapons placed readily upon her person would be enough to lock her up.
Although, she could play it off as big game hunting...but even Daisy wasn't that good. And she knew it.
I'm not my father, after all. Daisy thought with an amused huff. The man can sell a ketchup Popsicle to a woman wearing white gloves.
The sound of heavy footsteps meeting the snow brought Daisy from her thoughts. Her brown eyes snapped towards the direction of the sound as a pair of officers came into view, moseying around the edge of the estate while talking freely between themselves.
In a flash, Daisy's silently dropped to her knees as the officers wandered dangerously close to her hiding place within the woods. The girl ignored the uncomfortable chill biting at her jean-covered knees and, instead, focused on their conversation.
"-currently at the station and being interviewed as we speak. Josh Washington is still missing." An older officer gruffly explained. He rubbed thoughtfully at his extremely bushy mustache with a gloved finger.
"The owners kid?" A much younger officer asked, squinting against the blinding reflection upon the snow.
"Yeah. So there's extra pressure to find him. But Detective McGuinness said that one of the survivors mentioned having seen him down in the mines after they had taken that fall." The older officer pondered before adding. "He was, apparently, taken away by something down there. That was the last time that any of them saw him."
The young officer shivered and looked about with an air on unease. His fretful gaze automatically slid over towards Daisy's hiding spot, which caused every inch of her body to lock up and freeze. But he quickly turned back towards the house with a sound of discontent, causing Daisy to breath a soundless sigh of relief. "This case is giving me the fucking creeps. It's getting weirder and weirder."
With a huff, the older officer dismissed the others unease with a wave of his gloved hand. He turned and continued on his way with a shrug. "I doubt it's anything. Just a bunch of rich kids from California up for the weekend. Drinking and dropping acid or whatever these kids do nowadays. Who knows what kind of shit they were doing up here. Probably had a bad trip."
As the older officer continued on his patrol, the younger one swiftly followed. "Are we going to send a crew down to check out the lead regarding the kid? Maybe the Park Rangers?"
"Most likely. But, to be honest, they're probably just looking for a body at this point. The only thing that the survivors could agree on was how screwed up the Washington kid was. He was apparently having some sort of severe episode when they saw him down there. Could barely walk. I doubt he could survive down in the mines on his own; especially if his mental state was as bad as they say. I mean, you know how dangerous it is down there. One fall or one wrong step and - boom - gone."
Daisy furrowed her dark brow, contemplating, as one of the officers responded with a low whistle. Their steps halted and came to stand directly in front of a hidden Daisy, swiveling to look down at the pile of cinder near their booted feet; hands poised readily at their holstered hip.
"The parents of the Washington kid are driving the station crazy. Demanding that we search every inch of those mines. But Sheriff Robb told them that they need to make sure the mines are safe and secure before going anywhere near them. It'll probably be another day, day and a half, before we can get the proper clearance-"
Daisy pursed her lips, mulling over the new information. So the mines will be completely empty. That's good. I'll just stay away from the well known entrances and that'll hopefully be enough to remain out of their way. If I even have to go down there, that is. Hopefully not. I'll check out the Sanitarium next - hopefully he'll be there.
Mind made up, Daisy slowly and carefully crept away from her hiding place and away from the chatting officers.
She didn't care about a missing rich boy from California. Her main priority was to find her father: Jack Fiddler.
For a good portion of Daisy's life, the Blackwood Sanatorium was her home. When Jack and Daisy weren't traveling from place to place for work, the Sanatorium was considered their headquarters. Their safe haven.
Daisy had learned much while living within the seemingly abandoned halls of the building. She had made her first sawed off shotgun in one of the security offices, studied countless lore books and journals near the cracked stained glass windows within the chapel, and honed her fighting skills around the fenced in yards. It wasn't much, but it was her home.
That's why, when Daisy had found the Sanatorium in complete shambles, more so than usual, her heart seemed to shatter into a million pieces.
Like the Washington estate, an intense fire had ravaged throughout the building; leaving the once cream-colored stone interior charred. The air was thick with the smell of fire and smoke, causing Daisy to pull a faded red bandana from around her neck to cover the lower half of her face.
Anxiety coursed through her veins at the sight of the torched rooms and destroyed furniture, making her movements jerky as she hastily - yet carefully - searched through the rooms of the building.
"Dad?" Daisy called out, voice strained with panic. The knot in her stomach only seemed to tighten when an echo of her own voice was the only response. She swallowed thickly, throat dry and feeling as if it were swelling shut. "K...Keme. Kitchi. C'mere, boys. Come o-on."
Again. Silence.
The wolves would have come running once they heard their names. Daisy thought, eyes wide and nostrils flared.
A hushed list of expletives flowed freely from behind the bandana. The lump in her throat only seemed to grow bigger as the seconds ticked on. The wolves absence was telling, but the girl pressed on with stubborn determination.
Daisy entered the main hall and quickly bolted for the stairway. All sense of caution disappeared in her swiftly rising panic, causing her booted feet slapping loudly against the stone steps in quick succession.
Suddenly, Daisy paused in her ascent and released a shaky breath. Her eyes, having been focused on the stairs in front of her, widened.
"Oh, no." She softly muttered, eyes widening in fear.
Daisy slowly knelt down, her quivering hand hovering over a pair of long jagged marks within the stone steps.
The marks were seemingly insignificant. To an untrained eye, they were just cracks in the steps; cracks that were coincidentally spaced the perfect width apart to match the elongated hand and spindly fingers of a human.
But Daisy knew better.
"No. No. No." Daisy muttered, alert, knees shaking as she straightened. "How'd they get out? How the fuck did they get out?"
Knowing that she was not in immediate danger, knowledgeably concluding that the escaped Wendigos would have ventured back into the mines until the sun sank below the horizon; she pressed on with furious fervor. The girl quickly ran up the remaining flight of stairs, careful to bound around the debris that littered the stone.
Reaching the landing, she instantly broke into a sprint. Even though Daisy hadn't stepped foot within the sanatorium in years, it felt as if she had never left. Her body seemed to move on its own accord, easily navigating the maze of hallways before bringing her into the west wing of the sanitarium. As she came to stand within the series of rooms that Daisy and Jack had personally called their own, only then did she stop.
At first glance, the room was completely destroyed. The fire had ravaged through the small space; leaving the furniture and possessions, like everything else within the building, torched and extremely brittle. The remnants of papers and books were scattered haphazardly upon the floor, charred remains all but delicate black soot under her boots.
The girl knew what she needed to find...which only added more stress to an already stressful situation. An overwhelming sense of anxiety gripped Daisy's insides, tightly squeezing her lungs until the thought of catching her breath felt impossible.
Allowing a moment, Daisy closed her eyes and gently inhaled.
You need to calm down. The girl mentally scolded herself. Getting upset will not help you find him. Getting upset will not help you find the books. You could easily miss something while frantically running around. Calm. Down.
With a nod, Daisy exhaled. As a newfound sense of focus and determination cleared her mind, Daisy began to search with purpose through her fathers room. The girl moved swiftly but carefully; turning over brittle furniture and opening destroyed drawers, spilling out its contents until nothing but a pile of useless possessions was discarded at her feet.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Daisy moved towards her fathers bookshelves; brushing aside damaged books and random knick knacks. A photograph, that had been partially covered by a heavy book weight, caught her attention; making her pause in her frantic search. One edge of the Polaroid was charred, but the photo itself was only slightly withered and wrinkled from constant attention; which made her smile at the possibility that her father glanced at it often. After all, sentiment wasn't her fathers strongest trait.
The photo was of Daisy and her father, right before she had moved away from Blackwood Mountain to live with her grandmother - well, Kokum - in Montana. They were on a hunt in Ontario with a few others, checking out a lead regarding a possible Wendigo nest.
Daisy studied the picture with fondness, finding humor in the fact that her father actually had his arm rigidly around her shoulder.
Daisy looked the same, much to her amusement. The girl had inherited her fathers pale complexion but stole her mothers dark freckles, which were splashed haphazardly across the bridge of her prominent nose and sharp cheeks. Her dark hair was also stolen from her mother, thick but silky straight, with fringe falling into her eyes in choppy layers.
The only addition to her physical appearance since the photo was taken were the scars. A hazard of the job as a Hunter; something Daisy didn't mind all that much since it helped secure her reputation among the hunting community - a community made up mostly of battle hardened and bigoted men.
The scars were dappled haphazardly across the plains of Daisy's body; ranging from small nicks to deep gashes that made even the most seasoned Hunter whistle in appreciation. The roadmap of scars on her body acted as a reminder of the past, hard lessons learned while knowledge was gained. One scar stood out while the rest remained hidden beneath clothing; a deep gash upon her right jaw line. A Wendigo had nearly taken her head off; if she had dodged a second later, it definitely would have succeeded.
The subject of scars made her gaze drift towards the slightly smiling - possibly scowling - image of her father. Her attention was drawn to his damaged right eye; an angry and gnarled scar that ran from his brow to the top of his plump cheek. Daisy snorted, quickly pocketing the picture before turning away from the bookshelf.
Having looked through every possible place, Daisy glanced towards the only occupied space she hadn't yet searched: her fathers bed.
Once her gaze landed upon the bed, she gasped; heart shattering at the sight of the seemingly insignificant possession: her family quilt.
It was a family heirloom made by her mothers great-great-great grandmother, having been passed to every female relative upon their wedding night. Now, the priceless piece of her ancestry lay charred and barely salvageable. The once bright colors of the quilt - having slightly faded some time ago - were blackened and singed. The bed and quilt were covered in tiles and wooden planks, the debris having fallen from the ceiling during the fire.
Daisy quickly removed the offending rubble, throwing it carelessly aside until the quilt was unhindered. The girl gingerly grabbed for the ruined quilt, something she had once snuggled under countless times within the past, while jerking a large knife from a sheath at her hip.
"I'll fix this." Daisy frantically cooed as she quickly hacked away pieces of burnt fabric. After a moment of desperate cutting, the final bit of ruined fabric fell to the floor. Once the the knife was returned to its sheath, the girl gingerly folded the salvaged portion of the quilt and placed it safely within her backpack. "Damn it. I'll fix this, mama. I promise."
Once the backpack was returned to her back, Daisy got to her knees and thrust her hand under the bed. Furrowing her brow and grunting from exertion, the girl wildly flailed her arm around under the bed.
With her face pressed up against the frame, Daisy growled in frustration. "Damn it, dad. Where the hell is-"
At that moment, Daisy's hand slapped against something with a hearty thump. She smiled at her luck, hopeful that she had found what she was looking for.
With a heave, she pulled a stout safety box from its hiding place. Seconds later, and without hesitation, the safe was opened with a flourish.
Within the fireproof safe, her fathers most prized possessions resided: a small mole-skinned journal and a large leather-bound tomb that was bursting with mismatched pages and clippings of seemingly random articles. Upon seeing the two vital and irreplaceable items, she released a heavy sigh of relief.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Daisy muttered, eyes rolling to glance towards the ceiling, as gloved hands swiftly picked up the smaller journal. The girl instantly turned to the back of the book and thumbed through various entries, dark eyes scanning through the crinkled and coffee stained pages.
After a moment, her fingers stilled:
January 20th, 2015
That Washington boy is up here again. He's been coming up here consistently for the last few weeks. A lot of deliveries being sent over via cable car. What is this boy planning? All I know is that he needs to go back home - he doesn't belong here.
January 23rd, 2015
Found a Wendigo lurking around the Washington house. The little rich runt has no idea what's outside his door. If he only knew.
I'm beginning to suspect that this particular Wendigo is possessed by the spirit of Makkapitew. It's so strong and seems to rule over the rest of them. I'll have to find a better way to trap it. This one is smart.
January 26th, 2015
The Washington runt finally left. Replaced the Anasazi symbols around the house - but that doesn't seem to be keeping that one Wendigo out. I'll have to contact Payipwat and see if he has any ideas.
February 1st, 2015
Finally found the time to talk to Payipwat - said that he'll talk to the elders and get back to me. Hopefully something will come up. I'll be sure to let Dais know once I find something out.
February 2nd, 2015
The Washington runt is back. He came up earlier this evening. I overheard him talking to somebody on the phone. Said that he'd "see him in a few hours". Once I'm done refilling my tanks I'm going to keep a close watch over the idiots. I'll try to focus on the mines; try to keep the Wendigos down there and away from the house.
I don't want anything to happen. Especially after what happened last year.
Daisy slowly blinked, anxiety tightly gripping at her insides.
"Well, shit."
The mines had never been Daisy's favorite. From a very young age, she had traversed the dirt paths with her father - learning every inch of the endless maze of twisting and narrow passageways. Discovering it's secrets and finding ways to constantly be one step ahead of the Wendigos. Daisy proudly boasted that she could find her way around the mine blind folded; not that she would even dare try.
Even with all of the knowledge within her skull and a flamethrower readily at her finger tips, it still gave her the creeps.
The stone walls around her shifted with crawling insects. Some of the passage ways contained rusted tracks upon the ground, making traversing those paths cumbersome and dangerous without proper light; especially when a rogue mine cart randomly came barreling down the tracks. The ceiling above her groaned and buckled; seeming to be one shifting rock away from a cave-in. The air was stagnant, making anyone's lungs choke for a breath of fresh air.
But one fact made the girl hesitate above all else: the mines were the Wendigos home. Their home turf. Daisy was just a trespasser within the endless maze of decrepit corridors and dead ends.
Wendigos were masters at ambushing their prey and, even though the creatures would be recuperating until the moon rose, Daisy knew that they could wake at any moment. If they did wake, they would instantly take advantage of a seemingly easy meal.
So, with that knowledge and hands locked securely around the active M240 flamethrower, Daisy carefully and quietly traveled through the winding footpaths. A low hiss escaped from the barrels tip, ready to ignite into a dangerous flame with the pull of the trigger. Small goggles covered her eyes while the handkerchief remained upon the lower portion of her face, protecting her delicate skin if she were to ignite the weapon.
Lower and lower down the footpaths she wandered. Descending further into the darkness until she felt as if she had been swallowed by it. Beneath a furrowed brow, Daisy's eyes swiftly scanned through the dark; looking for fresh foot prints and other clues leading to her fathers whereabouts.
But, after hours of searching through the seemingly endless maze of tunnels, she found nothing. No fresh footprints. No sounds. Just an eerie silence.
The silence was what bothered her the most. It was odd. Not hearing the high pitched screeches and unearthly growls was a relief to Daisy - but its absence made her even more uneasy. Even more so than if she heard the swift approach of a prowling Wendigo.
"Dad." Bravely, Daisy called out into the darkness; her voice ringing shrilly off the cavern walls before fading into a haunting echo. Her call was met with that same stifling and unnerving silence. Sighing, Daisy refrained from slamming a fist anxiously against the wall.
Mentally, physically and emotionally weary - Daisy automatically found herself following the distant sound of running water. The once narrow and stifling passageways gradually opened up into a large cavernous room. The harsh chill of the air nipped at her body in an unpleasant way, thanks to the nearby cavern mouth; which allowed the outside elements to fill the space with winters frigid bite. Although the fresh air was a welcomed change from the stuffy and stagnant air of the mines.
The girl had wandered into the area known as the North West Mines. It was also the Wendigos main domain.
The walls were covered in large groupings of bulky stone; slick and smooth from the continuous drip of water over the ages. Tapered formations of stalactites hung from the caverns ceiling in menacing points while thick stalagmites emerged from the dirt covered floor. Over time, some had even merged together and formed gnarled but thick columns. A large pool of water sat within the middle of the room, continuously being fed by a flowing waterfall that fell from an opening in the ceiling. The water dribbled upon a wooden water wheel, one that hadn't turned in many years.
Daisy wandered further into the colossal space, instantly stopping once her eyes caught sight of fresh tracks within the dirt. Kneeling closer, she caught sight of two sets of prints - one was much larger than the other. A male and a female.
"Or a lady with a size ten-and-a-half shoe." Daisy muttered, straightening with a low and tired groan. Trying to lessen her anxiety with a bit of her infamous dry humor; something her father always detested, while shrugging good-naturedly. "Which is a possibility. I don't judge."
The larger of the two didn't belong to her father though, which disappointed Daisy. But, remembering what the officer had said, she could only assume that these belonged to two of the survivors.
"Why the hell were they even down here?" Daisy pondered aloud. "The officers said that they had fallen...but how? And why? What made them travel so far away from the lodge in the first place?"
Following the tracks down a natural corridor and along the planks near the edge of the water, she stumbled upon what looked to be an old shallow grave. Her assumptions were solidified when she caught sight of a crudely made cross. A few of the victims bones were even visible through the dirt, looking as if someone - or something - had dug up the remains.
Curious, Daisy bent forward and gingerly grabbed a small but thick piece of bone, bringing it up to her face for a closer inspection. Acutely examining the bone while rolling it between her pointer and thumb, she furrowed her brow when she spotted harsh indentations upon the dull colored bone.
"Teeth marks. Not from a Wendigo though." She quietly concluded, frown deepening at the thought. With a thoughtful hum, Daisy delicately returned the bone to where she had found it.
Following the set of tracks once more, she deduced that the pair had waded through the murky waters in order to reach the other side. Daisy, however, didn't intend to get wet and, ultimately, suffer from hypothermia.
Strapping the M240 to her back after disengaging it, she made her way back towards the shallow grave. Passing it altogether, Daisy wandered towards the rock face and secured her hands upon a small and natural ledge. With a mighty heave, she began to carefully shimmy across the large body of water.
The crystal clear water shimmered below her swinging legs as she passed above it. Daisy could almost feel the icy chill of the water nipping at her shins. Although she focused on carefully grappling the rock face, and ultimately keeping her from plunging into the frigid waters below, she listened.
Wendigos would not hesitate to take advantage of someone that was seemingly occupied and unassuming. So, Daisy intently listened while she climbed - ears straining to hear the telltale signs of a looming Wendigo.
But nothing came.
Once again, strange.
Good, but strange.
With a prickle of sweat upon her brow, Daisy released the wall and dropped to the cavern floor with a huff. Muscles properly strained and heated, she wiggled her fingers in order to regain feeling.
"Phew. I'm glad I kept up with those pull ups-"
A sudden shriek in the distance made Daisy snap to attention. All sense of nervous joking aside, her hand flew towards the hilt of the M240. Once activated, the weapon was held readily in front of her.
Remaining perfectly still, she listened once more. Nothing but the sound of rushing water met her ears, making Daisy ponder if she had actually heard anything at all.
Knowing that her next move could - quite possible - lead to her death, she called out anyway. "Dad? Jack Fiddler? Are you there?"
She waited. Blood pounding in her ears while her breaths came out in shallow puffs.
Nothing.
Damn it.
Daisy's booted feet felt like they were made of cement as she slowly inched forward. Numbly, she returned the M240 to her back and carefully clambered onto the wooden supports that held up the wheel. The planks of wood groaned under her feet as she deftly passed through the wooden wheel. The spray of the waterfall hit the visible portion of her face - but Daisy didn't feel the frigid bite. She was too caught up within her troubled thoughts.
Where could he be? Something isn't right and I don't like it.
Skillfully jumping from the wooden frame to the cavern wall, her fingers seized the rock face one more. Using her feet as leverage, she hoisted herself further up the wall; hastily scaling the rock until she had reached the other side.
Again, she dropped from the rock face with an exhausted grunt. Serious, Daisy silently returned the M240 to her hands before stalking ahead.
After a moment of carefully moving forward, Daisy froze as her eyes caught sight of dark splatter upon the cavern floor. There was no mistaking it...it was dried blood. A large amount of it too. She swallowed thickly, squinting at the elongated prints that had made an appearance upon the ground, her stomach rolling with anxiety.
"Crap."
A distant sound caught her attention, causing her to quickly turn away from the blood splatter and tracks upon the floor. Daisy looked in the direction the unmistakable sound had come from, her eyes landing upon a severely rusted metal door; which happened to be ajar.
As she wandered closer towards the door, Daisy smelled it. It slithered through the thin fabric of her bandana; that harsh tang of copper that burnt the insides of her nose and made her stomach roll.
It was the unmistakable smell of death.
"Christ." Daisy growled, trying to rid herself of the smell with a shake of the head. The girl had done and experienced much during her tenure as a Hunter - things that would make a normal person instantly faint - but there was one thing Daisy hated the most: the smell of death and decay. "Damn it. Keep it together, Dais."
Pushing passed the nausea, Daisy reached for the door but her gloves fingers hesitated mere inches from the corroded metal. Blood pulsed within her veins as her body quivered, the sound of her heart beat pounded loudly within her ears like a frantic drum.
The girl closed her eyes, brow pinching together while she clenched her teeth in a fierce scowl.
Oh, god. I don't want to do this. I don't want to -
Daisy shoved against the dense metal with a grunt. The door groaned loudly as it swung on its severely rusted hinges, allowing the girl entrance. But Daisy didn't even make it passed the threshold before she stilled.
Inhaling a sharp breath through her teeth, the girl stood within the entryway - stunned.
"No..."
With trembling hands, Daisy slowly removed the goggles from her face and wrenched the bandana down to sit around her throat; revealing wide eyes and a slackened jaw. Her breath visibly puffed in front of her, short and rapid with panic. The goggles dropped from her fingers, falling to the dirt as Daisy lurched forward with a strangled whimper.
Tears instantly sprang to the corner of her gaping eyes. Falling in quick succession down her suddenly ashen cheeks.
"No, no..."
A single sliver of light erupted from a crack in the stone ceiling, shining down upon a lone figure. It hung from the rafters, several feet from the dirt below. The figure itself was completely still; except for when a gust of wind whistled through the corridor, causing it to gently sway to-and-fro.
Daisy wandered closer, blinking through the tears. Bile burned her throat as her brain slowly began to process what exactly she was looking at.
The girl recognized the extremely worn boots, the tanned pants, the green winter jacket...that was stained with a substantial amount of carnage. The reason for the gore was realized a moment later. The body had been lanced upon a grisly looking meat hook, which hung from the rafters above; the sharp end of the hook emerged from the chest, glinting crudely in the light.
Abruptly, the girls attention flickered upward-
A horrified gasp escaped Daisy's throat, hands flying to cover her mouth. The M240 clattered to the dirt beside her feet, the girl too dazed to notice or care that the barrel of the weapon bent from the jolting impact. Daisy's legs gave out as she stumbled forward, body jolting as her knees collided painfully with the ground. She lurched forward and retched violently upon the dirt covered floor, coughing and hacking with each surge of her contracting stomach.
Jack Fiddler, much to Daisy's horror, had been violently decapitated and hung to rot upon a hook.
Finished, the girl straightened with a gasp. Her eyes, red and glistening, came to stare unwaveringly up at the figure of her father. Her lower lip began to violently quiver. "Oh, d-dad..."
Daisy sat frozen upon her haunches, pained gaze locked onto the headless corpse of her father. So many questions entered her mind - What? Who? How? When? - it was all so overwhelming.
"No, no, no, no-"
As if struck by a jolt of electricity, Daisy sprang to her feet and began to frantically search the room with her eyes.
"I need to get him down." Daisy slurred in a frenzied whisper, spinning in place. Eyes frantically searched through the dark for something that she could stand on in order to reach the body. She gagged once more, stomach heaving from distress. "I-I-I need to give him a hunters burial. I need to get him down. I need-"
"Oh, god! Stop it. Just s-stop. Please, stop. Please!"
Startled by the unexpected sound, the girl instantly stilled and glanced over her shoulder - listening intently.
"Why? N-no. No no no, please."
The voice came from a short distance away; behind a wall of askew and damaged planks. Daisy could hear their extremely labored breaths and their footsteps, which were heavy and staggering.
Sobering, Daisy swiftly reached around to her back, but found the space where the M240 usually occupied empty. With a whispered curse, she frantically looked down towards her feet - instantly grabbing for the weapon when located. The girl attempted to engage the flamethrower, but it merely fizzled and sparked. Swiftly looking over the weapon in confusion, growling once she noticed the bent barrel.
"Damn it." The girl spat before roughly returning the damaged M240 to her back. "Damn, damn, damn-"
With her main weapon busted and temporarily unavailable, Daisy grabbed for the next best thing: a Taurus PT92. It wasn't a flamethrower, but the silver plated bullets packed a fierce punch and would slow even the strongest Wendigo down. Without hesitation, Daisy pulled the pistol from its holster and surged forward.
"Why...why are you telling me this?! Stop it! Leave me alone! Why are you doing this?!"
The words were strained and agitated; they were also growing distant, making the girl move after the fading voice with haste. Daisy sprinted along the wall of wooden planks, bursting through a flimsy door with a loud crash.
"Why are you saying that?!"
Daisy sped through the thinning passageways, frantically following the string of anxious words and bumbling foot prints. Knowing that she was gaining upon being where the stranger seemed to have momentarily paused, her footfalls became silent and light; decreasing to a slow and hesitant walk as she advanced upon a corner within the cavern wall. With the pistol held firmly within her hands, the girl slowly sidled further up against the wall while listening intently.
"Why are you saying that? Why?!" The person boomed in fury, hyperventilating breaths reverberating within the dark. "DON'T COME - no - DON'T COME NEAR ME!"
Turning the corner, Daisy quickly assessed the situation while the pistol became poised unwaveringly in front of her.
But, much to her surprise, the dimly lit hallway was empty of anything malicious. No garish creatures snarling menacingly at her sudden appearance; gnashing their sharp teeth and lashing out with lanky extremities. No. The area was devoid of anything...except for a boy.
Well. Boy wasn't the right word to use, considering that he was grown. But the way that Daisy had found him - cowering in the dirt with eyes clenched tightly shut - made him look incredibly small and meek. Like a child experiencing some form of night terror.
The stranger was wearing a torn denim shirt under a filthy jump suit, held up by a bulky utility belt. Large hands covered his ears as he muttered incoherently against his bare forearms. His whole form violently trembled; either from the cold or fear. Or a little of both.
"Hey. Hello? Are you hurt?" Daisy called out in an attempt to gain his attention as she cautiously inched closer. The pistol remained poised in her hands, aimed safely towards the ground and away from the cowering figure. "Hey."
The boy continued to mutter against his forearms, distressed whimpers mixing with the equally distressed words that came out in a rushed, incoherent jumble. Suddenly, Daisy remembered then what the officer had said: Josh Washington is still missing. Detective McGuinness said that one of the survivors mentioned having seen him down in the mines-
"Josh?" Daisy asked hesitantly, slowly kneeling down beside the cowering figure. "Josh Washington?"
Daisy let out a startled yelp as the boy suddenly whirled onto his back with a gasp, allowing her a good look at him. He looked to be around Daisy's age, although his haggard appearance seemed to age him considerably. His forest green eyes were wide and fearful, with deep bags seated below them in dark circles. Muck and grim clung to his short hair, which stood on end in some places from what looked to be caused by frantic wringing fingers. A nasty gash sat upon his forehead, right above his cinched and raised brow, while another cut ran jaggedly along the side of his throat. A deep crimson welt colored his left cheek bone.
After a swift once over, Daisy's eyes lingered upon a particularly nasty injury - a deep puncture wound right near his left shoulder. She frowned at the wound, wondering how he had gotten to be in such a state.
Long story short, the kid looked as if he'd been through hell.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy." Daisy cooed, voice calm yet firm, as the boy began to cower away from her in fear. His large eyes shifted down to stare at the pistol in panic. Upon realizing the partial cause of his discomfort, Daisy slowly returned the weapon to its holster before showing him her empty hands. "Josh Washington, right?"
Startled at the mention of his name, he instantly paused in his retreat.
He must be freezing. Daisy thought with worry when she noticed his chattering teeth and flushed cheeks; although he didn't seem mindful of the frigid chill. If anything, he didn't seem to notice.
The boy blinked rapidly before warily squinting up at her, suspicious.
"W-who are you?" He spoke slowly and with a slight slur, eyes flitting erratically across the expanse of her face. His wide eyes settled intently upon her lips as she answered.
"My name is Daisy Fiddler and I'm here to help you."
"Are..." Josh paused, swallowing thickly before wetting his lips with his tongue. Tentatively, he reached out a gloved hand towards her face. But, before his fingers could touch her skin, Daisy batted his hand away with a frown. Josh, seemingly unbothered, continued with uncertainty. "A-are you real?"
Daisy's expression became guarded, baffled by such a strange question.
Within seconds, a million sarcastic and witty responses bubbled forward to sit at the back of her tongue; all vying to be delivered in a tone that often accompanied her dry humor.
-how fucked up the Washington kid was. He having a severe episode-
Daisy blanched, realization morphing her expression into one of understanding. Oh. Well, shit. They weren't kidding.
With an arched brow, she responded with a slow nod. "Yes. I'm real."
Josh visibly deflated, relief softening his once steely features. He blew a raspberry, smile lethargic as he came to lounge on his forearms. Daisy couldn't help the confusion that wrinkled her forehead as Josh began to chuckle.
"Boy, am I glad that you're here." Josh chirped, voice heady with a southern Californian drawl. Teeth coming to nibble at his lower lip, his eyes grew hooded as he regarded the girl before him with interest. "I have...absolutely no friggin' idea where I am. I don't even know what's going on, to be honest."
Smile tight, the girl responded. "Well. It must be your lucky day, Josh, because I do."
He hummed, impressed. "Oh. Well, that's good. It definitely must be my lucky da-"
Josh paused, eyes shifting to stare over Daisy's shoulder. Concern brought her brows together in a harsh bunch as Josh's body grew rigid.
"What?" Daisy asked, watching as his skin seemingly paled before her very eyes.
"No, no, no, no." Josh fretfully muttered and began to violently kick away from the confused and concerned girl. "Not again. Go away. Please. Not again."
Daisy instantly stilled.
They're here. Recognizing the troubling situation, Daisy slowly reached for the pistol at her hip. This will hopefully buy us some time. I'll need to drag him out. He doesn't look like he can do it on his own.
Her gloved fingers wrapped around the hilt of her pistol, eyes shifting to glance over her shoulder with a slow exhale.
Three, two...
Swiftly, she spun on her heels and aimed, releasing a fierce growl through her clenched teeth - Nothing.
Incredulously, Daisy searched through the dark for the cause of his distress; squinting against the shadows.
Again, nothing. The corridor was completely barren.
"Why are you saying this to me?" Josh whispered brokenly from his position upon the floor, writhing in the dirt. "W-who are you? Why are you saying this to me?"
Frustrated, Daisy exhaled forcefully through her nose.
"I need to get him out of here. He won't last much longer out here. Especially if the rangers won't be down here for another day or two. Definitely need to get him somewhere safe before..." Daisy paused, losing her train of thought while warily glancing around the corridor. "...before..."
The cause of her distraction was a strange sound. It started in her mind, a soft but consistent buzzing. The sound soon became accompanied by a persistent ache within her head; feeling as if something was scratching against the side of her skull in an arduous attempt at escaping. Like the sound, it grew more forceful as the seconds ticked by. Soon, Daisy was shaking her head with a pained scowl.
"Whoa." Daisy hissed, suddenly feeling overwhelmed and confused. Pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, her vision blurred around the edges as the strange sound abruptly morphed into a vehement pulse. Blinking rapidly, Daisy's eyes failed to adjust. The inability to focus made her head swim from disorientation. "Wow. Egh. Holy...holy moly. What the hell."
Daisy Fiddler.
A voice broke through the constant thrum, startling her. It was clear as a bell, ringing hollowly within her mind. Daisy gasped and glanced around, suspicious. After a moment, the echo of her name disappeared; replaced, again, by the pulsating thrum.
"What the - AGH!"
Your body is weak. Your mind is weak.
Without warning, excruciating pain accompanied the unfamiliar voice; erupting within her skull in a monstrous wave. Her eye sockets felt as if they were on fire, like something was trying to claw its way out of them from the inside.
The pain hit her so powerfully and abruptly that it caused her to fall back upon her haunches, dazed. Daisy covered her ears, the sudden and loud pulsating threatened to burst her ear drums.
Your spirit is weak. You are weak. You need strength.
"I don't take orders from you!" Daisy heard Josh yell fretfully through the pounding haze. "No! I don't take orders from you!"
Barely able to keep her eyes open, Daisy shakily placed her pistol within the holster. Then, she slowly shifted towards the writhing boy beside her.
"Jo - urgh - Josh." Daisy hissed, clenching her eyes tightly shut when her vision lurched and swayed. "Josh -"
You can kill him, you know. He would be easy to overpower.
Kill him.
Shrill and panicked voices overcame her mind and senses with a new fervor. Daisy's hands flew up to protect her ears, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.
It hurts! Daisy cried out through the thrum. Oh, god, it hurts!
"Who are you?!" Daisy irately demanded. The unfamiliar voices attacked her thoughts in droves, filling her with unrestrained anger and fear. "Get the hell out of my head!"
The Washingtons are the reason your father stayed on this mountain.
Kill Joshua Washington.
Kill him.
"No - no they're not!" Daisy barked, confused by the words. She lashed out, pounding her first against the dirt. "He stayed because this is his home! It's our mountain!"
Joshua Washington is the reason your father is dead.
Kill him.
"No!" Daisy shrieked as the pain surged violently against her skull. The pressure building within her brain was debilitating; making it hard for Daisy to focus. "Stop!"
Blind rage swiftly consumed her mind and body; making her limbs shake and her fingers curl into fists. Daisy heard Josh scream, which reverberated painfully within her already pounding skull and sensitive ears. The girl hissed in pain, the scream only adding to her obvious discomfort; causing her to grow furious. The urge to strike him bubbled up within her, becoming almost unbearable.
Eat.
Kill Joshua Washington. Shut him up.
Need strength.
Kill him.
Eat him.
The girl balked, startled by the words.
"W-what?" Daisy incredulously asked, unsettled by the incessant whisper.
Eat him.
Kill Joshua Washington.
Eat him.
Gain strength. Gain clarity.
"Oh my-"
Kill him.
Eat.
Avenge your father.
Eat Joshua Washington.
"Holy shit." Sudden realization came to Daisy, smacking her hard across the cheek through the haze. "Makkapitew."
His spirit must be free and he's desperately trying to overtake one of us. Hoping to get one of us to feed. Daisy concluded, snarling while shaking her head. Hands shakily reached for the cold earth, steadying herself. I need to get Josh out of here before one of us complies and bashes the others brains in.
"No, no, no. Please." Josh whimpered. Breathing heavy and quick. "No. Please, no. I don't want to. I don't want to hurt her. N-no. She seems nice. S-she said...she said that she can help. Please don't make me. I don't want to hurt her, please."
Knowing that her time was running out, the girl opened her eyes with a pained groan; fighting passed the large amount of discomfort and nausea it caused. Squinting through one eye, Daisy hastily began to run a gloved finger through the dirt. Seconds later, two crudely drawn, yet intricate, shapes began to take form.
To the general public, they looked like gibberish. With their squiggled lines and straight edges that made up random shapes. However, to the well trained and highly experienced eye, one was a protection sigil while the other was a banishing sigil. They were very powerful symbols from a language that only a handful of hunters and historians around the world knew: Enochian. The language of the angels.
Daisy was lucky to have learned the language from two Hunter brothers and their personal angelic contact; people she considered friends and trusted with her life.
Finished, Daisy pulled back while panting from exertion; annoyed at how much that simple motion exhausted her. While reaching towards her hunting knife, she brought the other hand to her lips.
The voices, which had been light and impish, quickly grew hostile. Morphing into demonic baritones that spewed disgusting and loathsome words. Daisy quickly realized that the closer she grew to completing the ritual, the more desperate and irate the voices grew.
You left your father to rot on this mountain.
Kill him.
Let me in.
You deserve to die. Let Josh eat your skin-
You father needed you.
Let me in.
You killed your father by leaving him here. You let him die.
Let me in.
"Please. Stop. I don't want to do it." Josh muttered through a sob. "Stop saying those things!"
Ignoring the venomous words as best as she could, Daisy bit down upon the finger of her gloved hand, teeth catching upon the edge of the heavy fabric. With a swift tug, the glove slipped off of her palm and dropped to the ground near her knees. Making swift work of the other glove as well, she pulled the knife from the safety of its holster.
Your father hated you.
Daisy swiftly brought the blade down upon her palm.
Let me in.
You killed him.
Let me in.
A soft hiss passed through her clenched teeth as the sharp blade bit into her palm, splitting open the soft skin. Dark crimson bubbled up as the blade slid smoothly along the surface of her skin.
Your father wanted you dead.
With a pained growl, she took the knife in her injured palm and sliced into the other.
Let me-
Once the knife was dropped heavily to the ground, Daisy quickly brought her palms over the ancient symbols. Curling her fingers until she made a set of tight fists, a stream of dark crimson began to dribble from between her fingers and onto the dirt below.
-in.
With a mighty roar, Daisy slammed her bloodied hands down upon the sigils.
A powerful pulse of energy radiated up through the glyphs once her bloody palms made contact with the dirt. A ripple of power quickly traveled through her palms and up her arms, causing her insides to vibrate as the unforeseen force filled her body and soul with a comforting warmth.
Daisy nearly sighed at the warmth that radiated within her, spreading from her fingers down to her toes. It felt as if she were momentarily suspended within a vat of warm honey.
The air within the mine crackled and snapped with electricity as the cleansing energy swiftly traveled throughout the surrounding area; riding the darkness of anything with malicious intent.
After a moment, the warmth faded from her body. The familiar chill slowly returning to bite at her exposed hands and nose; which brought her back to the present.
Daisy cracked open a curious eye, hesitantly looking about. A deafening silence met her ears, devoid of the voices and the pain. The only reminder of what had previously transpired was the cold sweat upon her brow and the beginnings of an annoying headache.
The girl exhaled a forceful sigh of relief, hanging her head between her shoulders. A low groan caught her attention, causing Daisy to glance back at her companion with a wince. The boy was spread out upon his back, staring at the ceiling with wide-eyed confusion.
"Whoa." It came out in a rushed exhale.
"You okay?" Daisy asked with a hint of amusement, grabbing for the knife upon the ground. Unwinding the bandana from her neck, she cut the fabric in half before deftly wrapping it around each palm. Once the cuts were sufficiently covered, Daisy shoved her hands back into the gloves; flexing each finger experimentally. I'll have to remember to really clean these when I -
"What...the..." Josh mumbled, seemingly lost for words. Finally deciding on a question, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly. "What the hell was that?"
"You really don't wanna know." Daisy huffed a laugh, rising to her feet with a groan. The movement caught Josh's attention, causing him to pick his head off the ground and lean upon his elbows. "To be honest, it's better if you didn't."
Josh tilted his head in curiosity as he observed her from his position on the cavern floor, looking up at her with squinted eyes and a tight jaw. Daisy found him to look oddly endearing, like a curious puppy ready to pounce on a new toy.
With a snort, Daisy swung her backpack from her shoulder.
"Are you with the park rangers?" He simply asked, pushing himself forward until he was seated upright. He watched attentively as the girl pulled the burnt quilt from her backpack.
"No. I'm not with the Park Rangers." Daisy answered, holding out the folded quilt while shrugging the pack around her shoulders. However, Josh didn't take the proffered quilt; he only stared at it, puzzled and unsure. Sighing, Daisy knelt down, shaking out the quilt before draping it around his shoulders. The girl watched, slightly tickled, as Josh tentatively took hold of the singed fabric. "But, I'm here to help you get out of here. I'm going to take you somewhere safe. Okay?"
Hesitantly, Josh nodded. "Okay."
"Good. Now I'm going to-"
Let me in.
The words died in Daisy's throat as a barely audible whisper flitted through the back of her mind. She glanced to the side, eyes trained on the unseen. Josh had heard it too, it seemed. Deep worry lines found their way onto his forehead as he anxiously began to fidget beneath the quilt.
Let me in.
Now.
With a sense of urgency, Daisy turned towards Josh with a sense of purpose. With a firm thwump, she brought her hands down upon his broad shoulders. Josh jumped at the sudden and unexpected contact, blinking up at Daisy with his wide eyes.
"You hear them too?" Josh asked in a rush, voice hoarse with anxiety.
Daisy's heart shattered at the the childlike hopefulness and fear she found within his eyes.
Let me in.
Kill him.
"Yes. Yeah, Josh." Daisy hastily affirmed with a quick nod. "I hear them."
"You see my sisters?"
Daisy sputtered, confused. "Wait. What?"
Let me-
"You're not going to leave me, right?" Josh asked, voice quivering with fear as he clutched onto her forearms, desperate. Daisy tensed under the heavy touch, feeling unsure and overwhelmed. "I just...I'm so scared. I don't want to be alone."
IN.
Carefully, Daisy slowly replied. "No, Josh. You're coming with me. I promise."
Josh released a shaky sigh, comforted and content with her answer.
Kill him.
Eat his skin.
"Shit." Daisy hissed as the voices began to grow louder and more persistent. A small ringing in her ear began to form, making her heart pound with adrenaline. "Josh, listen to me. We need to get out of here. Now. If you want to get out of this alive, you need to listen to everything I say. Understood?"
"O-okay. I trust you." Josh blinked and nodded his head, words morphing into a slight slur. His eyes became glazed over once more and Daisy knew that she was quickly losing him. With slumped shoulders, he sighed out the words. "I trust you."
Let me in.
I can work with this. Daisy thought, panic rising. I need to work with this.
Nodding firmly, she said. "Good. Now let's go."
Josh groaned, carefully rising off of the dirt floor. Daisy's weight went with him as she helped guide him to his feet; hands held securely around his waist. Daisy cooed to Josh - rushed words of encouragement - while he struggled to hold himself steady. His body was incredibly weak while his mind remained tired and disoriented.
A low rumble traveled through the dark, causing dread to clench at Daisy's heart as she attempted to help steady the boy. Josh, having regained his footing, firmly held onto the quilt around his neck while his other hand sought out Daisy's gloved palm.
Unintentionally, she took it.
KILL JOSH WASHINGTON.
LET ME IN.
"Okay, Josh. We good? Okay? Yeah?" Daisy hastily stuttered, attempting to hide her rising panic but knowing that she was doing a poor job. At his tired nod, she directed. "Okay. We need to run. Like, now."
And so they did.
A/N: I'm unsure if anyone will actually be interested in reading this. But I've been writing this off and on for a few years now and finally found the courage to actually post it.
I'm a big fan of Supernatural and I couldn't help but laugh at the character of the flamethrower guy/Jack Fiddler within the game. He reminded me of a hunter, so I decided to introduce the concept into the Until Dawn universe. I mean, hey. Supernatural creatures obviously exist in this universe, so why couldn't hunters? Amirite? Makes sense to me.
Now just a warning: updates won't be frequent. I know where I want this story to go, I have it all outlined out, but I own a small Etsy business. That will always have my undivided attention. This is just a fun thing that keeps me from going crazy and burning out. So it gets written here and there. Sometimes I go weeks without being able to touch this. But, it will be written. Pinky swear!
Anyway, let me know what you think and if anyone is actually interested in this.
Thanks for reading!
Cheers.
XOXO