Until Dawn: The Light in the Darkness

Chapter 5 of my Until Dawn story, enjoy.

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Now onto the story.

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

Chapter 5

CHRIS POV

Now standing just outside the lodge, along with Sam and Grant, I fought to catch my breath from the climb. We weren't alone either, we had been met outside the lodge by Josh himself.

"Boy, every time I climb this mountain it feels bigger." I remarked.

"Oh yeah?" Josh queried, raising an eyebrow. "It feels the same to me."

I couldn't help but laugh at his comment and replied. "C'mon, you practically grew up here, it, it probably feels like it's shrinking."

"Maybe." Josh conceded with a wry laugh.

He nodded in greeting to Sam who smiled back, and Grant who waved languidly before we made our way further up, heading towards the front steps of the lodge. As we walked, I pulled out my phone and shook my head, sighing.

"Man, when are you gonna get some cell towers installed up here, I'm getting withdrawals already."

Josh smirked and joked. "You got a spare million lying around and I'll fix you right up."

Laughing, I pretended to pat down my pockets. "Funny you should say that...Ah, I think I left it in my other jacket."

"Oops." Josh quipped, playing along.

We walked up to the foot of the lodge. I smiled when I saw Ashley was already there, seated on the steps, and then saw Matt standing nearby, looking forlorn.

"Hey gang." Josh greeted them enthusiastically. "You guys get up here okay?"

Ashley nodded as she too spoke up. "Yeah, it was pretty easy, a little creepy though...I mean, it's just really weird being back here."

They all nodded and Josh, seeing Matt's reaction, spoke quietly to Ashley.

"What's up with him?"

Ashley just shook her head and I stepped back as Matt and Sam moved a little further down the path, Sam going as far as the gate and leaning on it. Ashley remained seated on the stairs while Grant casually leaned against one of the wooden railings and Josh approached the door, I hurried up to join him.

Once I reached Josh, I grinned and spoke up.
"Yo, yo, yo!" He cried out excitedly. "Are we gonna get things moving up here or what?"

"Yeah man!" Josh replied, just as enthusiastic.

There was, however, a slight edge to his voice that I noticed.

I began to feel concerned. "Hey...you doin' alright, I mean, it must be really tough without your sis-"

"Stop."

Silently cursing myself, I tried to recover. "I just meant that-"

"No, I know what you meant." Josh said reassuringly. "You know, seriously, I'm over it, and I just want us to have a really good time, you know? Like we always used to."

Letting out a relieved sigh, I nodded, before waiting as Josh attempting to unlock the door.

"Dammit, this freaking thing." He muttered angrily.

Surprised, I stepped forwards, raising an eyebrow. "It's iced?"

"What else?"

Thinking for a moment, I came up with an idea "Maybe there's another way in."

Josh shrugged and stated. "There are a million ways in, they're just all locked."

"There's gotta be, like, a window round the corner we can get, like, get open, or something." I said in reply, not to be discouraged.

Josh turned to look at me, incredulous. "Wait a second, are you saying we should break in?"

I quickly shook my head, stammering slightly. "I don't think it's technically breaking in if you own the place, right?"

"Hey, not if I don't report you." Josh replied, laughing. "Lead the way, Cochise."

I just sighed and turned, starting to head down the steps.

On the way down I decided to stop and turned to Ashley, biting my lip as my heart suddenly sped up, I couldn't deny she looked nice, even all bundled up against the cold..

"Hey Ash..." I greeted somewhat awkwardly.

She smiled and returned his greeting. "Hi, Chris."

He thought briefly before replying. "So...how're you doing?"

"Mm...good." She replied with a slight shrug. "But, a little cold. I think I could use some time curled up by the fire."

I smiled gently at that. "Yeah, that does sound pretty nice."

She also smiled at that and I stepped down, heading along the path around the side of the lodge. Once out of earshot of the others, however, Josh turned to me, grinning.

"Ashley was looking pretty hot today, right?" He remarked teasingly. "She's like a 'sleeper hit' kinda gal, you know?"

I paused, startled and a little uneasy.

Josh's next comment made me even more so. "Now I just wanna rip that parka right off her and...make some snow angels, right?"

"H-hey, cut it out, man-" I protested, a little startled.

Josh just laughed and held up his hands. "I mean, if you don't wanna bang her, maybe...Mike'll take up the case."

I narrowed my eyes. "W-Will you back off already?"

Josh simply laughed, shaking his head and gently eased me.

"Relax man, I'm just...checking to see if there's some blood flowin' down there." He stated jokingly.

I shook my head, exasperated. "Yeah..."

There was a brief pause, before Josh sighed.

I got the feeling he was looking to emphasize a point, and sure enough.

"Listen dude. Look around you. Look at these beautiful mountains. Do you see any parents? I mean can you imagine a more perfect, ripe scenario, just dripping with erotic possibilities?" He stated, announcing. "You, and Ashley, alone at last... You've laid all the groundwork, you've been a perfect gentleman. Now you come in for the kill!"

I smiled lightly and sighed. "Maybe you're right."

Josh grinned and added. "You are a hunter, bro. No fear, no mercy. I mean, she won't even know what hit her."

We both laughed at that.

"Alright, alright, I got it. Jeez." I replied, holding up a hand.

Satisfied Josh nodded and together we resumed our quest, Josh querying as we did so.

"So, how are we planning on breaking into my parents' lodge, bud?"

I grimaced lightly. "Wait, I didn't say I had a plan-"

"You sounded like you had a plan." Josh replied; before joking. "You better deliver, Cochise, or else you got four lovely ladies who are gonna be freezing their buns off and last time I checked, that's not a good way to get laid."

"Well shoot, nobody likes cool buns." I shot back.

Laughing, we continued onwards.

As we walked, I stopped as he noticed something, at the side of the lodge was a holder for a fire axe, but the glass was broken and the axe, disturbingly, missing.

"Hmmm..." I muttered, biting my lip.

Josh nodded. "Don't worry about that, it's been missing for ages."

I nodded, reassured and then, just to my right, I saw it, just what we needed. There was a window I could see that was unlocked, and nearby was a cabinet that could be moved underneath the window, with a bit of elbow grease. I gestured to the cabinet, drawing Josh's attention and moved to shove it.

Josh went to the other end and took hold. "Well, well, well, we got ourselves a thinker, nice one."

Working together, we moved the cabinet beneath the window. I then climbed up and nearly overbalanced.

"Whoa..." I muttered, but managed to right myself.

Nodding to Josh, I pulled open the window. Looking through, I could see that it led to the garage. I began to climb through the window, only to tumble unceremoniously, landing on the floor with a yelp. Groaning as I lay there, I heard Josh climbing the cabinet quickly and saw him holding onto the windowsill, looking down.

"Ugh, I'm okay." I replied quickly. "I should have paid more attention in climbing class..."
Josh looked a little perplexed by that. "Uh...you mean 'gym'?"

Standing up, I nodded. "Yeah, you know, with the climbing up the rope-"

My words were cut short when, with a loud pop, the light bulb smashed, plunging the room into darkness.

I looked around, startled. Josh was surprised too.

"Whoa?" He gasped.

Suddenly feeling awkward, I looked up to just. "Uh, did I do that?"

"I don't...I don't think so." Josh replied, before pulling out a lighter and throwing it to me. "Here, use this."

I caught it and ignited it, providing me with at least some light to see with. Looking at the lighter, Josh's eyes widened and he grinned.

"Whoa, I, I just got an awesome idea." He said quickly.

"Yeah?"

"Totally."

I nodded. "Well, what is it?"

Josh began explaining. "Okay. So. I am PRETTY sure that I've got deodorant in one of the bathrooms... you could use THAT with the LIGHTER..."

"I don't...I don't follow." I replied, shaking my head. "How's a stick of deodorant gonna help?"

Josh looked amused as he replied. "Spray on, it's a can."

Realization dawned on me. "Oh, yeah, now I gotcha."

"Flamethrower."

I grinned. "Just like we do with the lil' army dudes."

"Yup, the ones we melted." He said with a grin. "Just point the spray-can at the lighter then...FWOOSH."

"Bye-bye frozen lock."

"Bingo. Alright so you got this." Josh remarked, he glanced back to the front of the lodge. "I'm gonna go sort something out. You up for hunting around in the dark a little bit?"

I sighed but shrugged. "Nope, but I'll do it."

"Godspeed, pilgrim." Josh shot back with a John Wayne impression.

Josh then jumped down from the cabinet, out of sight, leaving me to wander the dark alone.

I began making my way through the lodge, looking around, remembering so many things from the previous trips there. Some things stood out, catching my eye, namely a newspaper fragment about an arrested convict with a grudge against Josh's parents. I couldn't deny that worried me, especially in light of recent findings, such as the wanted poster and missing axe. This was despite Josh's assurances.

'Well, what do we have here, huh...' I thought to myself, but stopped.

Smiling wistfully as, on my way up to the main floor, I spotted a family portrait, showing all the Washingtons, including Hannah and Beth. Just then, I jumped as I heard a strange noise.
"Huh, what the hell was that?" I muttered.

Anxiously, I continued onward, opening the door and entering the main part of the house. In the main hall, I continued to look around. It was clear to me now that the power was gone in the whole place, not just the garage.

My journey through the house, interrupted by me looking around, lost in memories, led me to some strange things, such as a rather unsettling answer phone message. It seemed the wanted man I had heard about was released from prison not too long ago and was on the loose. The message had been from a police officer, warning Josh's mother. Other things were less worrying and produced pleasant sights, a picture of Hannah, Emily, Mike and Sam at prom, a picture of Josh, Hannah and Beth at the beach and finally a film trophy Josh's dad had won. I actually remembered it, I had gone with the Washingtons to the ceremony where it was won.

'Wow, feels like so long ago...so many memories.' I thought to myself; before shaking myself out of complacency. 'Okay, stop dawdling Chris, you got a lock to heat up.'

Quickly recovering, I made my way through to the bathroom. I immediately went to and opened the cabinet beneath the sink and saw the deodorant can in front of me. Smiling, I went to take it. Just as my hand closed around it, a furry, sharp-toothed creature leapt from the cabinet with a roar and ran from the room.

"AHHH, SON OF A-!" I cried out in shock and alarm as I fell to the ground.

Recovering, I stood, staring out of the door. "What the fuck!"

I blinked and then looked down, I still had the can. "Ahh, perfect."

I picked up the lighter and lit it again and made my way back to the front door.

Approaching the front door, I got to work using the deodorant and lighter to burn the ice off the lock. Putting the items aside, I opened the door. The handle was still hot, making me wince, but I recovered well and gave a mock bow.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week-" I joked, making the girls roll their eyes.

Suddenly at that moment, the creature from the bathroom darted out through the door, startling me and the girls, me more so.

"EEEK!" I cried out, admittedly not in a very manly way. "Jeez!"

Sam and Ashley laughed at that while I shook my head, trying to recover. Grant was grinning as he walked up the stairs.

"Crap, that thing freaked me out." I muttered.

"What was it, are you okay?" Ashley asked, concerned.

Shrugging, I shook my head. "It was like a bear or a tiger or something."

"Aw..." Sam replied in a cutesy tone. "It was just a cute little baby wolverine."
"Baby?" I shot back incredulously, making Grant chuckle.

Josh had, by this point, reached the top of the stairs, with Matt just behind him.

"Don't worry buddy, you're gonna be a big boy soon." He teased.

I just groaned but stepped back and we soon entered the lodge.

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