Until Dawn: The Light in the Darkness

Chapter 22 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 23

ASHLEY POV

I groaned while Chris looked around frantically. We had both just woken up to find ourselves in a rather bland room, except for the centre, where we were. In the centre was a table with two chairs. We found ourselves tied to these chairs, sitting across from each other. Ominously, a gun was situated on the table in front of us. Chris was utterly helpless, strapped in and unable to get free. To my surprise, my right hand had been left free.

"Ohh, shit...oh crap..." he muttered, looking around. "Ash? ASH!"

I groaned again, still feeling the pain in my face, but I lifted my head to look at him and he gasped.

"Jesus, Ash, what did he do to you?"

I was still feeling dizzy and had only a vague recollection of the encounter that I'd had with the masked man. I was sure that I was sporting a heavy black eye, bruising all the way around my left eye.

"I think...he hit me." I choked out, wincing at the pain.

Chris growled. "Shit. I'm gonna murder his fucking face off."

I looked around frantically. "What is this?"

"This is him..." Chris realized. "This is the guy who killed Josh-"

"No, Chris! Oh my god, no!" I screamed, realizing now that we had to be in some sort of death trap.

I was panicking. I could feel it building inside me; raw terror. "Oh God...Chris.!"

Chris looked around, fuming. In his anger, he yelled out, "You murdering piece of shit! You MONSTER!"

"Look around!" I cried out. I couldn't help it, my terror got the better of me. "We're gonna die, Chris! I'm not ready to die!"

I could see Chris biting his lip, clearly worried. I wondered if he was actually worried about me. Despite the fear, just the hope of that sent a warm feeling through me.

He gently spoke, shaking his head softly. "No one is going to die." he tried to sound convincing.

I looked at him, teary-eyed, my vision almost blurring. "I wish I could tell you. It's just not fair!"

"What?" he asked, confused. "Tell me what?"

"It's too late! Chris, what's the point!?"

Chris shook his head. "Stop it, just say..."

I looked at him and through the terror and tears, despite being tied to chairs and likely awaiting a death trap, I felt something. I could also see something in his eyes. I couldn't hold back any longer, I had to admit the truth.

"We're always talking around it." I choked out through my tears. "And now, I mean, we've wasted everything!"

Chris spoke softly. "Ashley...none of it was wasted."

"What do you mean?" Surely, I hadn't heard that right.

"Every second that I spent with you was only thing I ever wanted to do with my time." he confessed, letting his voice carry his emotions.

"What are you saying, Chris?" I could scarcely believe it. Was Chris truly admitting that he had feelings for me? Also, what a place for it.

"I'm sorry..." Chris said at last. "I should have told you how I felt."

"Chris…!" I whispered, realizing the truth at last. Now we both did.

Chris nodded and began to talk. "Ashley, I swear, when we get out of this-"

But his words were cut short by a horribly familiar sound. We looked up in terror as two circular saws situated above us turned on and began their deadly high speed rotations. All the while, slowly, but inexorably descending towards us.

I screamed and tried to free myself, but couldn't get loose. Chris tugged as his bonds uselessly.

"Oh, God!"

"AHH!" I screamed. "No! Chris!"

He spoke swiftly but firmly with renewed resolve. "Ashley...We'll get out of this. I won't let you die!"

"Hello there, my special little subjects."

I screamed and began sobbing as the Psycho spoke again. Unseen, but no doubt watching.

"I'm so scared, Chris..." I sobbed uncontrollably.

"Aw, shit..." he muttered before talking again. "Don't be scared-"

The Psycho cut across him. "Oh you should be, Ash...Because here's the twist. Chris has made one fatal choice already today. And now, it is your turn."

There was a pause, during which, I found myself hyperventilating, terrorized as I realized the horrible truth.

The Psycho continued. "Ashley, you can take that gun in front of you and shoot Chris...or you can shoot yourself. Whoever is left can live...the choice is yours."

Chris froze, as did I. It was, again, a choice of killing someone. Chris bit his lip. I shook my head, picking up the gun and looking at it in fear. I couldn't believe that I was considering this.

'What is there to think about? It'll be messy, it'll hurt like fuck, but then it'll be over...' I told myself firmly. 'At least this way, Chris will live...I, I can't let him...'

I took a deep breath and lifted the gun, aiming it against my own head.

"Wait, stop!" Chris cried out "You can't do this, Ash. It should be me."

I gasped, staring at him, incredulous.

I tried to speak but he shook his head. "Please Ash, you don't, you don't have to do this. Just...just please..."

I found myself crying again. Chris had to understand that I needed to do this to save his life and so that he could escape. He had a better chance than me and if I killed him, I could never live with myself.

"Oh, fuck!" he cried out.

The saws were getting closer. We were running out of time. I trembled and lifted the gun to my head again.

"ASH!"

Trying to blink away the tears, I replied, "I'm sorry, Chris."

With that, I pulled the trigger.

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