FINALLY! So, I would've had this uploaded sooner, like HOURS ago, but my computer restarted on me, deleting about 80% of the work I did AND I have family visiting from my daughter's first birthday. So, I spent most of my night trying to recover and rewrite what I had... Oh boy... Anyways, thank you all for the comments, favs, and follows! Makes my day when I see so many of you enjoying this! If you see any issues with spelling or anything, let me know, I did this while being tired as fuck. So, bear with me? Nnnngh.
Anyways! Read on!xxxxx
"Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be." xxxxx
They were so close...
"Okay... It doesn't seem too deep guys. We can cross this lake to the other side."
"Are you kidding me?! How do we even know it's safe to cross, Mike?" Chris looked around his surroundings. "Just... Give me a minute to look for another way across." Mike just rolled his eyes and watched the dark cavern waters ripple as the water wheel continued turning. "Whatever you say." He muttered under his breath. As they waited for Chris, Mike scanned the area till his eyes landed on Sam. The once happy, sarcastic blonde athlete was anything but she once was... Her face looked tortured and scarred as she was gettting lost within her own thoughts. Mike couldn't blame her... This whole night has gone to shit, becoming a never ending nightmare. A nightmare he so desperately wished he could wakeup from...
Was karma getting them back for that prank they pulled last year?
Or, was it something that was far beyond their control, beyond their comprehension...
All this shit... He shook his head and gripped Sam's shoulder in a reassuring matter, breaking her train of thought. "Don't worry so much. We'll save Josh and we're all going to get off this damn moutain of terror. Together." He did his best to give her a reassuring smile, but he knew she could see through him. She was very inqusitive. "Yeah... Thanks Mike." She returned his smile with a sad, but thankful one of her own.
"Uhm... Guys? You might wanna come check this out..." Chris called, but his voice sounded sad... and uncertain. It only took them a few steps to see what he was talking about, but what they saw made their hearts drop like anvils.
"Beth..." Sam choked out. There in front of them was a grave. The wooden cross had the name 'Beth' etched into the old wood. They found one of the lost twins, but her grave. "But... Who would've dug up her grave...?" Sam couldn't help to ask. Her friends were down here that night... They were down here the whole time! She couldn't help be feel angry and confused. Did the search teams not even bother to look down here? If they did, would they have been saved? Who buried Beth? And... Where was Hannah?
What is going on here...? So many questions was running through Sam's head, and yet, there weren't enough answers... "They were down here the whole time..."
"I'm so sorry Sam..." Chris's eyes were downcast. He couldn't bare to continue staring at the gravesite.
"Fuck... Fuck fuck fuck..." Mike walked away running his hand through his hair. Of all places they would find Beth's remains... it HAD to be here! The guilt, frustration and confusion bubbled within him. A reminder of that damn prank... Of what happened to their friends... Of what caused so much hell and heartbreak...
They desperately needed to get out of here.
There was too much going on... Too much at risk. They were here to rescue Josh and get out of here. Sam walked away from the grave of one of her beloved friends and looked to the water with newfound determination. Nothing was going to stop her now... Without even a second thought, she jumped into the frigid water and started wadding through.
Chris and Mike just stare at her, dumbfounded at her sudden reaction. "H-Hey, wait for us!" Chris yelled after her as he and Mike jumped in. Mike made sure to keep the torch high enough away from the water, Chris did the same with the shotgun, as they wadded through the frigid waters behind Sam to the other side. Sam was the first to pull herself out on other cove.
On her far left, something eggshell white with muddy brown spots got her attention. Paper...?
Grabbing the old paper, she could feel it was damp. Probably from being down here for so long.
As she opened it, nothing could prepare her for the short horror story she was about to read containing entries of her condition, how long she was down there starving and waiting for rescue and resulting in devouring her sister's body to survive.
"Oh my god... Hannah..." She turned to the two boys, horror stricken and mouth gaping. "Hannah was alive... sh-she..." She didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to say it. Mike and Chris did their best to comfort her as she tried to keep herself from breaking down. It's all just too much... Hannah... Beth... She felt like puking. Like the world was slowly caving in on her with guilt and sorrow, making her mind spin with naseua and confusion, warping her sight into nothing but a wet blur. Chris hugged her tightly and protectively, soothingly rubbing her back. He didn't know what to say anymore as the girl tried to choke down the oncoming tears. He wished he could take her away from all this insanity... All this horror.
"Sh-She... Was down here..." She chokingly sobbed out. "All alone... F-for a whole month starving... She buried Beth... And.. And..."
"Sam-" Mike started but she cut him off. "She... ate Beth... She's a wendigo..." She looked up at Mike with tearful light blue eyes. Her best friend was the monster that was hunting them down. That decapitated the Stranger. That kidnapped Josh and brought him into the mines... "She could've been saved..." Chris kept her steady as she began breaking down. The once strong-willed, charismatic, witty, nature loving athlete was a heartbroken mess. The men were at a loss of words over the new information.
"Christ... Sam..." Mike just didn't know what to say. No one knew how to handle any of this. He started pacing, trying to process what Sam just told them, his face scrunched up in pure frustration, panic and anguish. "Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck! Goddamnit!" Sam did her best to regain her composure, straggering as she tried to stand by herself after her emotional breakdown.
Breathe.
Just breathe.
Focus.
"I know its fucked up guys. But... I know its shitty to say, but there's nothing we can do for her. That thing is out to kill us. Plain and simple." Despite feeling uncertain and horrified, Chris remained playing the voice of reason. Someone had to keep this rescue group going. They needed to focus. Sam exhaled deeply, releasing some of her stress and anxiety, though still hearbroken, she grabbed Mike's arm firmly, stopping him mid pace. "Mike... Chris is right. We need to save Josh and get out of here." Her face glimmered of tear streaks that finally made her escape. He couldn't help but pity her...
"NO NO NO NO!"
All three looked over to the rusty door where Josh's delirious shrieks were resonating. Sam raced over to the rusty door, using all her strength to pull it open. Grunting, pulling, she got it open only to be surprised by the Stranger's head rolling out. His ice blue eyes wide and emotionless, looking up into his skull with his mouth slight ajared. Sam looked away and dashed into the room, trying her best to ignore the Stranger's headless body hanging above her, lightly swinging, on a meat hook. The boys did the same as they chased after her. Unknown to them, a icy gray bald head watches from the lake as they dashed into the room, submerging back into the black waters...
"Leave me alone!"
It was him!
Sam ran even faster, bursting through the final door blocking her from the mad man who screamed and pleaded to no one, lost in his own mind. "Sam! Becareful!" Chris called out after her as he and Mike stop right behind Sam. They all look in and see Josh standing there, arguing to no one but his own echoes. Sam gave him a small, sympathetic smile as she slowly walked up in his direction.
Looking in her direction with wild, panicked eyes his breathing became heavy as he repeated to himself, "Okay, I trust you. I trust you."
Sam smiled a little more till she was right in front of him, wild hazel met light blue.
"Josh..."
I'll save you.
