Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own the above picture and the title page. Again, I do not own Until Dawn or its characters.  

Now, let's get to the story...

Y/N's POV

It is going to be a weekend unlike any other. At least that was what I had told myself before I got here. But now, I'm just sitting here at the bar with Chris and Josh, drinking my sorrows away.

My plan had been to tell my crush, Matt, how I feel about him, but my confidence had long diminished when I realized that he probably likes Emily and not me. The last thing I want is for him to go out with me due to pity and because his crush is currently taken by Mike.

So, that's why I'm sitting here playing drinking games. Some weekend this is turning out to be. I guess it's not that bad, though. Chris and Josh are fun to hang out with. 

Eventually, though, the three of us are too wiped to play any more games and instead rest our heads on the counter, telling stories until we can't talk anymore. Chris falls asleep first, then Josh. I want to stay awake so I can best them, but I can feel my eyelids threatening to close for a long time. 

The last thing I hear before I fall asleep is, "Don't you guys think this is a little bit cruel?"

Beth's POV

I think I see someone outside. "Hey... Did you see that?" I ask, slightly turning my head to catch my brother's attention. "Dad said it'd just be us this weekend."

I turn around fully when no one responds to me. "Josh?"

I pick up a bottle, seeing that it says "Jerimiah Cragg" on it.

"Jeez, Josh," I tell him, tapping him several times on the arm and setting the bottle down. "Once again brother, you've outdone us all." 

I shake him, but his only response is groaning. I glance over at Chris and Y/N across from him, noticing that they don't look any better.  

I walk alongside the bar, seeing that there's a note. I pick it up and turn it around, reading, "Hannah, you look so hot in that shirt, but I bet you're even hotter out of it. Come to the guest room at 2:00 am. -Mike XXX"

Oh no. 

"Oh my gosh. What'd our naive sister get herself into now? Intervention time."

I set the note down and am just about to go find Hannah when I hear Sam call, "Hannah!"

I look up to see my sister running away from the house. Figuring that Josh is too drunk to wake up even if I tried to with all my might, I run straight out the door to find the others and warn them. Maybe they can also give me some answers.           

"Guys! There's someone outside!" I yell, running outside after I don't see anyone. 

When I run to go outside, I see that the others are already outside, looking out into the forest. I push past some of them as I move to the front of the group, turning around to face them. 

"What's going on?" I demand. "Where's my sister going?"

"Ugh. It's fine. She just can't take a joke," Jess informs me. 

"It was just a prank, Han!" Emily calls out. 

Then I remember the note. I narrow my eyes. "What did you do!?!"

"We were just messing around, Beth," Mike says. "It wasn't serious."

"You jerks!!" I run away from my so-called friends and head out into the snowstorm to find Hannah.  

"Hannah! HANNAH!" I yell into the wind. I just keep running, leaves hitting my face from the trees as I brush past them. I jump over various obstacles as I try to find my sister as fast as possible. Then, I reach a fork in the path. 

I pause for a moment, deciding to follow the noise I just heard. I take off on the right path, pausing at yet another fork. I look around. 

"Hannah, where are you?" I mutter. 

I take off down the right path again, following the footprints in the snow. I glance behind me as I run, the forest sounds scaring me. I keep running, panting as I go. Eventually, I have to take a break, pulling out my phone to get better light. 

Unable to run any further for now, I speed walk down the path, calling my sister's name as I direct my phone's beam around the path. I jump when an elk runs past me. 

I need to find Hannah. And fast. 

I pick up the pace, getting more paranoid by the second. "Hello? Hellooo?"

Then I see something in the distance. It looks like... fire?

"Huh?" 

I just keep moving, calling louder. "HANNAH!"

I see it again. I'm getting closer to it. I hope Hannah's okay. 

Then I brush past another branch of leaves and see Hannah sitting down on the cold snow. "Hannah?"

"Hello?" she responds. 

I run to her.  "Hannah! Oh my gosh, you must be freezing! Here, take my coat."

I take off my coat as I near her, putting it around her shoulders. 

"I'm such an idiot! I'm so dumb!" Hannah cries as she stands up. 

I am about to tell her that it's not her fault, but then we hear a rustling. 

"Hannah?"

"Beth?" she returns. 

We try to reach for each other's hands, but just end up running. I can hear Hannah's crying right behind me as I continue running as fast as I can. Eventually, I hear Hannah fall over. 

"Hannah!" I yell, going back and helping her up before taking off running again.

That's when we reach the cliff. I take Hannah's hand, slowly backing up on the cliff with her. 

"No!" I cry, eventually being forced off the cliff. I hold onto a branch, Hannah still grasping my hand below me. 

I see the fire overhead again. "Hold on! Hold on!" I tell Hannah as I feel her slipping.

A dark figure appears and it seems to be reaching for me to take its hand. 

Not wanting to leave my sister, I decide to let go. 

And I do, falling and screaming with Hannah off the cliff. 

My body hits something and everything goes black. 

Y/N's POV

I wake up who knows how much later to the sound of chattering and sirens. I lift my head up, its weight seeming to have doubled with the immense headache inside it. 

I look over next to me to see that Chris is gone. I then look across from me to see Josh's back heaving as he sobs. He's talking with a police officer. 

Police officer?

I don't think it would be the best idea to ask Josh what is going on. He looks too upset. 

I look around the room to see the others. 

Chris is talking with Ashley as he grips his hair in pain, likely because of his hangover headache. Sam is talking with another police officer at the far corner of the room. I then see Mike, Jess, Emily, and Matt talking in a group, Matt standing off to the side and looking defeated. 

In fact, everyone looks upset. 

What's going on?

Wait. 

Where are Hannah and Beth? 

I look around the room frantically, the questions swirling in my head and mixing with the headache to cause a pounding of pain and emotion. 

Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to find Matt looking at the ground, tear stains on his cheek.

"Matt... what.... what happened?" I beg, hoping that he'll give me answers.

"Hannah and Beth. They're... they're missing, Y/N." 

No. 

Tears spill out, quickening until they're falling at the pace of a waterfall. 

It hurts so bad. I should have been awake. I should have been there. 

Matt notices my tears and pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms around his waist from the stool I'm on and cry into his stomach, willing for Hannah and Beth to return.