To clear up a concern: yes, I did kill Jessica right after I almost killed her just a couple chapters ago. This was intentional. It was a reference to how everything can go south very quickly in the games, and how no one is really safe. I hope that cleared that up!

Chapter Twelve: Sympathy

Chris was watching Ashley closely, being careful to not make any movements while the wendigo was around them, but doing what he could to keep his girlfriend safe. There wasn't much he could do, though. He saw the wendigo run to under the table when Jessica gave away her and Emily's positions, killing them. He saw Ashley react, as she was the one the closest to them. Blood was dotted across her face. He saw her eyes start to fill with tears. He couldn't blame her for crying. He wanted to scream, yell, and get the hell out of here, but he couldn't. He need to keep still. That's why it practically killed him when one of her tears fell to the ground. The wendigo probably wouldn't have noticed, if she hadn't flinched.

The flinch gave away her position. Immediately she resumed the game of don't move, freezing on the spot, but it was too late. His hand had already grabbed hold of her. No, he couldn't sit here. This was once Josh. He would never kill Ashley. He had to protect her! He had to do something... All he could think to do was call out to it, though. "Josh!"

The wendigo Josh threw Ashley, like she was a toy, sending her into one of the columns. A large crack pierced through the air, followed by a thud. Chris had to keep himself from looking. If he looked, then he would run to her. If he ran to her, then they would both be dead, if they weren't already.

Josh drew closer to Chris, stalking him, getting closer and closer. Chris could feel his breath on him, see the soulless eyes that once belonged to his best friend. How was it possible that a monster could come out of someone he cared about so much?

"Hey! Josh!" Chris heard Sam's voice call over the wendigo. Josh's attention turned away from Chris and went to the other side of the room. Chris could see Ashley. She was lying on the ground, not too far away from him. He dared a glance at the wendigo. If he could time it out just right, then he could reach Ashley. His plan was wait until the monster turned his attention here, then turned his attention away, but it seemed as though it was transfixed on Sam. He took the risk and darted towards Ashley, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

"Ashley, Ashley, come on." He was speaking under his breath, looking at the girl, trying to get her to wake up. She wasn't moving. "Come on, Ash." Nothing. "No. No, no, no. This can't be happening, no!"

The sound of the wendigo coming towards him interrupted his movements, but not the grief inside him. The wendigo grabbed the bodies of Jessica and Emily and left where he came from. Why? He had no idea. Sam probably did something. "We've got to go, Chris." He felt Mike's hand on his shoulder, trying to get him to get up.

"No, no I won't leave Ashley!"

It was Matt who stepped up to save the day. "Chris, go with Mike, man. I'll get Ashley." Chris looked out of the corner of his eye as Mike led him away. Matt had Ashley in his arms. Sam was leading them out, making sure their escape wasn't interrupted by another monster. Mike let out a small woop when there was signs of dawn arising over the mountain. Matt passed Ashley over to Chris.

A helicopter in the distance was a welcome sight to the survivors of a second night of surviving until dawn. Why was a helicopter coming for them? What happened? Chris didn't particularly care, at the moment, though. His attention was still on Ashley. She couldn't possibly be dead, could she? She couldn't be! No way! She had to wake up. He stroked her hair, hoping she would come to. He could check for a pulse, but he was terrified. What if he couldn't find one?

When the helicopter landed, a dark haired woman stepped off, as well as a paramedic, who rushed over to where Chris and Ashley were. The dark haired woman's focus was on Sam, Mike and Matt. The paramedic was asking Chris questions while he looked her over. "There's a pulse, but it's faint. She needs immediate medical attention. Help me get her into the helicopter and I'll do what I can there until we can get her to a hospital." Chris did as he was told.

"Come on, Ash," he whispered under his breath, "you've got to pull through. Please, Ash." They loaded Ashley onto the helicopter. Chris watched as the paramedic took tests on Ashley, stripped off some of the layers of clothing she was wearing. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't happen to Ashley.

It was only a couple of minutes after Chris had gotten on the helicopter that the rest of the survivors joined him. They were looking at Ashley with worry in their eyes, but they were also giving Chris sympathetic looks. Halfway in the air, the shock seemed to hit Matt that Emily was dead, as well as Jessica, and he completely shut down, refusing to look at anyone, being almost as unresponsive as Ashley. Mike and Sam weren't much better. They looked like they were trying to stay strong for the other. They passed looks between one another, one holding a brave face, the other about to break down, then they would look at Ashley, concern in their eyes, that would eventually shift back to Chris. He did everything in his power to ignore them, but if he ignored them, then his thoughts started racing about Ashley again. He didn't know what was worse, suffering through their looks, or thinking worse case scenario for the girl he liked... No... maybe loved. Fuck! This couldn't be happening. "Chris?" he was pulled away by Sam's voice, "Do you need to talk?"

"No," he said. "I don't."

'Not to you,' he thought. The only person he needed to talk to was Ashley. He just hoped he could.

I realize this chapter might be confusing. The next chapter will fill in the holes that were created in this chapter. The next chapter will also be the final chapter of the main story, then it will be followed by two epilogues. I hope you all are enjoying the story!