Until Dawn: Embers of Hope

Chapter 24 of my Until Dawn story, enjoy.

Reviews

Boris Yeltsin: Thanks.
Marina Ka-Fai: Thanks.
thedarkpokemaster: Yes, now it's just the girls, or, as the trophy says, the 'Four Daughters of Darkness' :) Yeah, well, that's one small consolation.
wolfgirl2013: Thanks :)

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Until Dawn or its characters.

Chapter 24

Realizing the danger they were in, Emily fought to compose herself; this was getting out of hand. She and Jess had survived the killer, who had been intent on torturing them to death; Emily still struggled with the injuries she had suffered at his hands.

'Fuck, I've done what I can but...' She noted to herself. 'Once we're outta here, we need to...we'll need to get our injuries properly seen to...But the others…?'

She looked over at Jess who was still broken, almost catatonic over everything she had endured, being attacked by what Emily now realized must have been a Wendigo and then everything she endured with the killer, right up to seeing Mike die.

Emily had managed to pretty much drag her away from that very human monster's horrific den to the mine tunnel they were currently in.

Shaking her head Emily approached her. 'I can't leave her like this, I need her focused if we're to get outta here alive.'

She grabbed Jess by the shoulders, prompting Jess to react, by instantly trying to cover her exposed breasts.

"Jess, hey, Jess, look at me." She said. "Hey, c'mon..."

Jess just choked out. "Mike..."

Emily sighed heavily and bit her lip. "I know, Jess. I know, but we…"

"He's dead Em, you, we can't just..."

"Jess, listen to me." Emily hissed. "There is something out there, more dangerous than that man, we have to get away from it...I, I'm not any different from you, I still can't believe Mike died; but..."

Jess shuddered and broke down; this was not going the way Emily hoped.

Composing herself however she lifted Jess' chin, to make the girl look at her.

"Jess, listen, I know what you're feeling right now, don't forget, Mike and I..."

Jess nodded, sniffling and Emily continued. "Yeah, but look, he gave his life trying to save us, if we don't pull it together and focus on getting out of here alive, it would be a waste; it would mean he gave his life for nothing. So we're getting out of here okay, but to do that, I need you to pull yourself together."

Jess nodded again, slowly seeming to calm down.

"Alright, yeah, that's it...We can grieve as much as we want later, okay." Emily replied not even sure where this was coming from.

She and Jess had every reason to be at each other's throats and she wasn't the type for consolation or things like that. But after the suffering they both shared, as well as losing someone they had both cared deeply about, she supposed compassion just came naturally, even to her.

Seeing Jess was a good deal calmer, although obviously still dazed and in too much pain to do much, Emily helped her stand and directed her to follow; they began making their way down the tunnel, seeking a way out of the mines and hopefully to safety.

Their journey was made more difficult by their injuries, for Emily, the worst was her two missing fingers, especially whenever she had to take hold of something, it would be her dominant hand that was the one injured.

"Fuck, it's freezing..." Emily muttered.

Jess nodded. "Y-y-yeah."

Jess certainly had to be feeling the cold more, Emily noted. She was exposed from the waist up, covered only by her bra, Jess had nothing but her panties. It was then Emily spotted something.

"Hold up, that might do it." She said suddenly.

She directed Jess over to where some ratty old miner's coats hung from old fashioned pegs, as well as similar boots. Handing Jess one of the coats Emily quickly pulled the other one on, trying to ignore the musty smell emanating from it.

Jess quickly pulled on a pair of boots too, now only her bare legs bore the brunt of the cold. Looking around Emily was once again grateful to their good fortune as she found an old fashioned lantern which she was able to light with a nearby lighter, although her fingers did cause her difficulty using them both together.

"Right, here we go." She said at last.

She turned, holding the lit lantern, Jess stood nearby, looking even paler, her wounds looking even worse, in the light of the lantern. Emily bit her lip, still amazed at how much Jess seemed to trust her, despite everything that happened between them, the drama, the fights.

She shook her head, between the two of them, despite both of them being in agony, it was clear to Emily she was the more fully functioning one.

'Jess must have seen or probably thinks that too...Great, so the responsibility for getting us out of here falls on me.' She thought sardonically.

Shaking her head she sighed and, preparing herself, began to lead the way, Jess following.

They walked in silence, except for Jess' labored breathing as they turned and made their way down another tunnel; this one mostly bare rock, until they reached some wooden walls. Suddenly they heard the screech again, this time louder, it was closer.

"Huh?" Emily gasped.

Jess looked around, desperate. "Fuck."

Emily began to move quickly. "Quick"

She looked over her shoulder; Jess was following but not quickly, she was stumbling, she couldn't run, the pain was too much. Emily stopped around looked around, she could keep running, even though she was also in such pain.

But to do so would mean abandoning Jess and, despite everything, she couldn't do that, not after Mike died trying to save both of them. She saw another option. She could take cover behind a gap in the wooden wall. Jess' whimper of pain decided for her.

She knew she couldn't keep up if they ran; so this was now the only way

"Alright." She said at last. "Come on, Jess."

She followed him into the gap behind the wall and they pressed themselves up against it, Emily gently motioned for Jess to stay quiet and she did her best, screwing her eyes shut against the agony ricocheting through her body.

They could hear the skittering and screeching behind them, and the ragged breathing of the creature, then it began to fade as it moved away. Suddenly Jess felt dizzy and began to stumble, acting quickly Emily caught her, making her cry out.

"Jeez..." She whispered, looking around, nothing had heard them. "Hold on, nearly there."

Jess's only response was choked. "Oh God..."

"Alright, alright..." She said gently, letting her go once she could stand.

She gently guided Jess out and they began to move down the tunnel, a lot more wary now. Emily quickened her pace slightly, but not to a run. Jess was still able to just about keep up.

"Let's go, we gotta do this, get out of here." She told her. "Come on, come on, come on, come on."

Urged on by Emily, Jess followed as quickly as she could.

As they turned another corner they heard the screeching again.

"Jess!" She cried out in a panic. "Jess come on."

Looking back she could see the creature leaping around the corner, behind them. She then stopped, as did Jess, the path split, they could go left and continue, or she could try and break through the wooden boards to her right, where she could see light filtering in.

She knew Jess couldn't make it down the long path to the left, not with that thing so close behind. So she barged through the boards, breaking them.

"Whoa!" She cried as she nearly overbalanced, almost falling off the cliff.

They were outside now, the snow falling down. Seeing a ledge to their right as Jess joined her, Emily moved carefully over to it, with Jess right behind her.

"Ugh..." She groaned as she felt the cold immediately bite into her bare legs, turning them almost numb. "Oh my god...Okaay..."

She edged up next to Emily and they stopped, staying as still as they dared. The creature leapt out and looked around, growling; but didn't seem to see them, it finally turned and leapt back into the depths of the mines.

Emily let out a breath of relief, Jess slumped against the rock wall behind her, letting out a dry sob.

"We made it out, now we just need to..." Emily said quietly. "Look, the lodge, one more push and we'll make it, let's go."

Seeing the lodge, Jess found the strength to continue and agreed, together the two girls began making their way down, finding a path they could comfortably use, to get down from the ledge and begin heading for the lodge.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.