PAX: Living Nightmare
(A/N: Now for an emotional chapter. That unfortunately wasn't edited a lot so may not be as good as it could have been. These guys just can't get a break.)
Aaron!
The four young men walked silently through the forest. Not much was said between them. Mark and Aaron were still in the process of recovering and were still trying to catch up to the fact that people were actually here now. Of course it would be no easy task to get away, but maybe all together they'd have a better chance. "You guys are crazy!" Aaron finally blurted, unable to keep quiet anymore.
"Damn straight," Felix replied, smiling dryly.
"We're regretting it," Cry groaned.
"What horrors did you two have to go through?" Mark asked.
"Amnesia," Cry answered. Mark shuddered.
"Mark, we have to find the baby!" Aaron said.
"Don't worry about it, bros, we found it. And its parents. Who were prisoners in the Amnesia manor replica. And Swedish," Felix said. Immediately he and Cry narrated their little adventure in the place that had potentially been the main base.
YT
"At least that kid's safe with his parents," Mark said at the close of the story, sighing in relief.
"More than can be said for us," Cry more pessimistically answered, pointing out a brook up ahead that they could follow. "What are we supposed to do? Just try and stay alive?"
"And find a way out of this forest," Mark said as they began following said brook. "Or at least to a road."
"Where's Aaron?" Felix questioned, frowning and looking around.
They froze and turned, searching. "Aaron?!" Mark called, immediately concerned. "Yami!"
"Oh this isn't good," Cry said. "We need to…" he began.
Just then, though, Aaron came limping towards them, holding his leg. "Aaron, are you okay?" Mark questioned immediately, going to his friend and supporting Aaron back to the other two.
"I-I'm fine. Just-just tired is all. I need to rest, guys, my leg is killing me," he said.
"Definitely not good," Cry groaned.
Aaron undressed the wound, examining it. He felt his stomach dropping. "Oh god…" he moaned.
"It's infected," Felix said, alarmed. "He needs medical attention pronto, bros."
"We can't get to any!" Mark replied in dismay.
"I can tough it out," Aaron said. As long as he didn't lose a leg in the end, he'd be all good… It was bleeding… and oozing puss a bit. Eww. He grimaced.
"I have hand sanitizer," Felix said, taking it out of a pocket. "Well, Marzia had it. Just forgot to give it back to her."
"It'll come in useful now," Cry said, taking it.
Mark tossed the dirty cloth and took out another. He wet it in the water and knelt by his friend, handing the wet cloth to him. "Wash it as well as you can," he said.
"On it," Aaron replied, taking the wet cloth and gently beginning to bathe the wound. Soon he had it as cleaned as it could be.
"Now the sanitizer," Felix said.
"Right," Cry replied, opening the bottle. He looked at Aaron. "Dude, this is going to sting. Bad," he warned. Aaron cringed. Great. Cry poured some of the sanitizer onto the bullet wound. Aaron cried out in pain at the massive stinging sensation on that bad of an infected injury. Quickly Mark bound it up with a cleaner cloth and tied it firmly.
"Tie something above the injury too to slow the blood loss," Felix said.
"Tourniquet. Good idea," Cry replied. He took off a belt he was wearing and fastened it above the bullet hole. "We've officially done all we can," he said. And Aaron was still looking pale and dizzy, and he was still losing blood.
"I'll be fine, guys," Aaron brushed off. It was obvious he was lying and in a lot of pain, though.
"We have to get out of here," Mark gravely said.
YT
They'd let Aaron rest as long as they could risk. Now they were on the move again. "Slenderman is probably still out here," Mark said.
"Oh boy, that's great," Cry sarcastically said, looking around.
"Maybe the clown from Hide and Seek too," Aaron pointed out.
"Oh god," Felix said, grimacing at the thought.
"He's probably dressed up as something else by now," Mark said.
Just then they heard a snarl and froze, blinking. The four looked around. "That was not a sound effect, bros," Felix said.
"I swear if he has attack dogs…" Cry began.
"That-is not-a dog," Mark numbly said, gazing ahead at something. The others turned and gasped. Coming out of the forest was a wolf!
"It-it looks-looks hungry guys," Aaron tightly said. There was no way they could outrun a wolf!"
"It looks like it's been starved!" Cry said in outrage. "Oh boy, if this wolf is that psycho's pet…"
"Then we're screwed!" Felix cried out in terror. The wolf began barking furiously and charged them!
"S**t!" Cry exclaimed. Quickly they ran to a tree and leapt up for the branches, starting to climb up into it. Aaron cried out, putting too much weight on the injured leg, and lost his grip and balance, falling back. "Aaron!" Felix exclaimed, catching the other's wrist and stopping him from falling.
"Oh god!" Aaron exclaimed as the wolf began jumping to try and get him. Quickly Mark and Cry helped Felix haul him up into the tree. They heard footsteps and voices. The wolf turned its head and whimpered. It headed back towards the voices. "This guy is crazy!" Aaron exclaimed.
"A truly disturbing number of people have wolves or wolf-dogs as pets," Cry dryly pointed out.
"They're wild animals!" Aaron protested.
"Try telling the owners that," Mark replied. "But I guess technically the wolf-dogs aren't really wild, they just have more wild in them. Full blooded wolf is pretty… extreme, though."
"That thing is going to lead them back to us," Felix said. "We need to move."
YT
Quickly the four young men climbed out of the tree and began hurrying through the woods. They heard the barking and snarling again. "It's tracking us!" Aaron exclaimed. "What horror game is this?"
"One of the ones we've played with a werewolf as the enemy," Mark replied. He was too busy running to remember names. Aaron blinked and almost face-palmed. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of that?
Felix and Cry stayed in the lead, trying to pick out the easiest most efficient path. "We are so dead, bros," Felix said.
"Look, over there!" Cry exclaimed, pointing out a path that went up a steep hill. "It might not be the easiest path there is, but it'll slow them down."
"Not the wolf, though!" Mark argued.
"We can deal with the wolf! It's the people I'm worried about," Cry replied.
"Come on, Mark, I'll help you carry Aaron up the path," Felix said.
"Did you know yami in Japanese means darkness?" Aaron asked dryly, trying to distract himself from the gravity of the situation.
"As in what we'll be seeing if they catch us? Yeah," Cry replied. Mark lifted Aaron by the shoulders while Felix lifted by the legs. Quickly they started up the steep path. When they got onto relatively flat ground they could put Aaron down, but not before.
YT
They got to the top of the steep part. Aaron was placed back down. He grimaced in pain. His leg was throbbing. He looked over the edge of the path and squeaked in fear, hugging the cliff immediately. "Oh god," he said.
"Scared of heights?" Felix asked.
"No, not really. More scared of falling," Aaron replied.
"Ditto," Mark agreed, grimacing at the drop.
"Let's go, people!" Cry insisted. Felix went first followed by Mark then Aaron then Cry. The path was pretty narrow, but if they stayed in single file they should be fine. They could hear voices nearing. They were definitely being caught up to. They looked down the hill and spotted the wolf leading a group of men and women dressed—or rather not dressed—as the enemies in The Forest along after them!
"We must be getting close to escaping!" Aaron hopefully said. Especially if they were all converging now!
"Or maybe this is just supposed to lead up to the grand finale," Mark dryly replied. "I'm banking something to do with Amnesia."
"Easiest and least fantastical one to replicate," Cry agreed. "That game practically set the bar for horror gaming without relying on an unbelievable setting."
YT
The path soon started to widen out. Now one side was forest and one said was cliff. At least they could break for the forest if something blocked the path without worrying about having to climb anymore. They began to break out into a full run. All of a sudden figures leapt from the woods with battle cries.
"The mutants from 'The Forest'!" Mark exclaimed in terror as they slid to a stop. The 'mutants' charged them, immediately driving the four young men to separate from one another. Dammit! "Cry, Mark, Aaron!" Felix called out.
"Over here, Felix!" Mark's voice called. In moment Mark had slipped back to his side and they began to run. "Aaron, Cry!" Mark called.
"Mark, Felix, help me!" Aaron desperately shouted.
"S**t! Yami!" Mark called, looking around.
"I don't see either of them!" Felix exclaimed. "Wait. The voices are getting farther! Cry!"
"Felix, Mark!" Cry called out in fear. He was too distant.
"Go back!" Felix exclaimed. They turned to do so only to be attacked by about five of the 'mutants' from the Forest. "Goddammit! Help!"
YT
Cry and Aaron, who had regrouped, heard the voices. They were so far away. "They're herding us apart!" Cry exclaimed.
"Not like we have a f***ing choice!" Aaron replied. "Guys! Guys, where are you?!" Quickly they turned, running from the group of people chasing them. "Guy…" he began. He suddenly cried out as all at once the wolf sprang from the forest, tackling him. "Help!" he screamed, immediately blocking his throat. The wolf sank its teeth into his arms. Aaron screamed in pain!
"Dammit! Aaron!" Cry exclaimed, racing back and viciously kicking the wolf in the side. It yelped, but dug its teeth deeper.
"Cry!" Aaron begged.
Cry grabbed a stick and struck the wolf's back. It yelped, letting to, and leapt at Cry with a vicious snarl. Oh this was bad! He cried out, putting the stick up. The wolf tackled him down, but was the stick was blocking its access to any part of Cry's body. Aaron staggered up and shoved it off. Quickly he began throwing rocks at the animal. Cry staggered up and joined him making loud noises and waving the stick. The wolf backed away. It tried to lunge but a rock hit its head and it backed off again, ears flat against its head and hackles raised as it snarled in ways that almost sounded more like roars.
"Get back!" Cry furiously yelled at it, swinging. It began backing away then finally barked once more. It turned and quickly ran back into the woods. Cry and Aaron sighed in relief. Mistake. All at once it was back, tackling Aaron from the side again. Aaron cried out. Wait. The ledge! He screamed as he toppled over it, the wolf holding him fast. "Aaron!" Cry called, diving for the edge to try and catch his acquaintance's hand. Too late. He watched, feeling his heart drop to the pit of his stomach, as Aaron fell and hit the ground hard, the wolf on top of him. Aaron lay still. The wolf began trying to finish him. Cry grabbed a stone and hurled it at the animal. The wolf yelped and quickly limped back away from Aaron. It looked up at Cry quietly then back at Aaron. It whimpered slightly, limping, and backed away from Aaron as Cry threw another rock and began coming down the hill. The wolf limped away quickly, disappearing into the woods. Cry had no idea where the 'mutants' had gone, but he honestly didn't care right now. He had to get to Aaron!
YT
Cry reached the bottom of the cliff and ran towards the other. He slid to a stop next to him, pale. "Aaron? Aaron, come on man, wake up!" he begged. Aaron didn't move. "S**t!" Cry exclaimed. He quickly checked Aaron's injuries. God f***ing dammit, he was bleeding horribly! The bullet wound was wide open again, and now his arms were basically a mess of teeth and scratch marks that were soaking his acquaintance—or at this point fire-forged friend rather—in blood. "Aaron!" he called out. He didn't dare try to move him for fear Aaron may have broken his back and would be paralyzed if he did.
Aaron's eyes flickered dazedly open. He blinked. "My body hurts," he moaned.
Cry sighed in relief and swallowed, nodding. "You took a bad tumble," he replied.
Aaron was quiet and pale, having noticed the shape that he was in. "That… what…" he began numbly. He began shivering. "How bad is it?" he finally asked.
Cry closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose and grimacing. He inhaled deeply, covering his mouth. How to put this? "It's bad," he soon replied. That was all he could say. "It's really bad…" At least appearance wise. He couldn't really know until he got it all cleaned up, and even then only a doctor would probably be able to tell. "Look, hang in there, I'll get you cleaned up as best I can and we can find Mark and Aaron. It's… it's going to be okay…"
YT
Aaron was quiet. And numb. At this point… "I'm dead," he numbly said.
"If you were dead, you wouldn't be talking," Cry replied, quickly going to the nearby brook, removing his coat, and soaking it in the water. He returned to Aaron and began trying to wipe away the blood.
"No, no, stop," Aaron said, shaking his head and closing his eyes, swallowing. "I'm a gonner, dude… I can't-I can't do this anymore…"
"Yes you can," Cry insisted, eyes narrowing in determination. "You just have to hang on. Keep fighting, Aaron, keep fighting. We're going to find Mark and Felix, we're going to get out of here, and it's all going to be okay. There's no other way this ends." He noticed, though, that Aaron was pale. Blood loss or shock, he realized. Dammit! "Don't you dare give in!" he sharply ordered.
"I feel tired…" Aaron replied, weakly flickering his eyes open. Cry felt a shiver run up and down his spine. Aaron was… he was dying! "Oh f***ing s**t!" Cry exclaimed. He let loose with a string of curses afterwards best not repeated, quickly and desperately working to clean away the blood and wrap the injuries. Aaron watched through glazed eyes. "I'm sorry," he whimpered.
"Don't talk!" Cry shot. "Don't even go there!"
"You-you have to go, dude. Hurry. They're coming," Aaron said. Sure enough voices were nearing. And the voices weren't Mark's or Felix's.
"I'm not leaving you behind!" Cry shot. Aaron was going limp, though, and his eyes were closed. Cry paled. "Aaron?" he asked. Aaron didn't reply. "Aaron!" Cry exclaimed as the body went limp in his arms. "No, no, no, this isn't happening. Aaron! Aaron, wake up! Aaron!" he begged, shaking the other. No response. He was so pale… "Aaron, please!" Cry begged. He couldn't be watching this! His friend was seriously dying in his arms! Quickly he searched for a pulse and felt sick. He couldn't find one! Aaron wasn't breathing anymore. Quickly he began CPR. There was no response. "Come on. Come on Aaron…" Cry whispered, feeling a burning in his eyes. For a moment he thought he felt a pulse again, but then… then he couldn't find anything… He placed a hand on Aaron's forehead, brushing some hair out of his face. He shook his head in denial and sobbed, covering his mouth and resting his forehead on Aaron's chest for a moment. Quickly he began to try again. There was no way this was playing out like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons! "Come on, come on, come on! Aaron, wake up!" he begged, desperately carrying out CPR again.
"Down there!" a voice called. Cry looked up, eyes wide. The men and women disguised as mutants! There was no more time. Cry staggered to his feet. He tried to move Aaron, but the mutants were coming. He sobbed, gently laying the other down. No pulse, no breathing… Not that he had time to check again anymore… He was gone… "I'm so, so sorry…" he whispered painfully to the body. Quickly he ran into the woods just as the mutants came down the hill with intent to attack.
YT
Mark and Felix were silent, tears in their eyes as they covered their mouths. "They got away. They had to…" Mark finally murmured, stunned.
Felix was quiet. He glanced up. "Of course they did. It's Cry and Aaron," he said.
"But why can't we find them?!" Mark demanded, shooting to his feet and pacing.
Felix watched then sighed, rising. He put his hands firmly on Mark's shoulders. "Get a grip!" he shot. Mark blinked in surprise. "They'll find us," Felix assured.
Sure enough. "Felix?! Mark?!" Cry's voice called. The two gasped, looking over.
"Cry! Over her Cry!" Felix called.
"Aaron?!" Mark called out. No reply. Why was there no reply?!
Cry suddenly staggered through the bush, scratched up and pretty battered, but surprisingly not the worse for wear. "Cry!" Felix exclaimed, running to him and grabbing his friend in a bear hug. Cry hugged tightly, almost desperately, back, and Felix realized something was very wrong. He pulled back and noticed tears in the other's eyes. A chill ran through him. He blinked. "What happened?" he seriously questioned. Cry felt his mouth quiver and quickly looked away, closing his eyes. "Cry, what the f**k happened?!" Felix urgently demanded.
Mark, however, already had an idea. He was pale and looked sick. "Cry, where… where's Yami…?"
Cry sniffed, trying to get a grip, and looked over at Mark who had joined Felix. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. Soon he just shut his mouth and shook his head, looking down. "Oh god…" Felix breathed.
"Cry, where's Aaron?!" Mark sharply shot, roughly seizing the other's shoulders and pushing him against a tree. "What happened to Aaron?!"
Cry watched him quietly. Soon, though, he replied, "He didn't make it…" Mark felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach.
"Didn't… didn't make it…?" he repeated numbly. "Didn't make it?!" he yelled, grip tightening so that Cry winced.
Felix quickly pulled Mark away from Cry and looked at his friend. "What happened?" he quietly asked, eyes sympathetic and reassuring.
"We… we were running and then the wolf attacked and we managed to fight it off, but then it attacked again and knocked Aaron over… over the cliff… It tried to maul him, but I managed to drive it off except… Except when I got down there it was too late… The bullet wound… It had opened again and was bleeding all over the place, and his arms… They were so bloody… And then he passed out and I couldn't find a pulse and he wasn't breathing, so I tried CPR but he didn't respond… And then the mutants came down the hill and I ran… I tried to bring him with me, but I couldn't, and… And he was gone…" Mark blinked. All at once he broke down into tears. Felix shook his head in denial, closing his eyes and swallowing tightly, willing away tears. "I'm sorry…" Cry whispered.
"It wasn't your fault," Felix assured quietly, turning worriedly to the sobbing Mark. "We should rest and… Oh god…" Numbly he sat, leaning against a tree. "He's not gone. No way! We have to go back for him! We… we have to…" Neither Cry nor Mark replied, Mark weeping and Cry still trying to process what he had just watched happen. Felix swallowed. He hated being alone in this… He hated being the only one who believed it wasn't true…