Chapter Fourteen

Sam's POV

The Wendigo comes towards me.

I quickly position the flamethrower I'm carrying above my head to shoot at it, but I am not able to get an accurate shot with the weird position I'm holding it in.

Thankfully, I am able to shoot the flames close enough to spook the Wendigo, causing it to screech and scurry away into a different part of the mines.

With the Wendigo gone, I look around for Mike and Josh. There's no sign of them. 

Are they still...

I panic, going under the water to search for them. 

I need to find them. 

I can't...

I open my eyes in the murky water, but it's so dark that I can't see anything. My hands search the water in vain, coming up empty.

But I refuse to give up.

I won't come up for air until I found them.

I start to get lightheaded as I continue to search.

They should be in this area!

They... should... be...

I can feel my eyelids begin to close. My body goes limp.

But suddenly I feel an arm slide around my waist, yanking me to the surface.

I gasp for air, turning around to see Mike. He's drenched and shaking, but alright.

"What the hell were you thinking!?" Mike scolds. "You could've died! Don't be stupid."

"Oh my gosh," I manage, still gasping for air. I give Mike a quick hug. "You're alive. Oh my gosh! Thank you."

But I don't see Josh.

My eyes go wide. "Josh."

I wriggle away from Mike, about to go into the water again to search more before Mike grabs me again.

"Sam, stop!" he orders.

I start to cry. "But... Josh."

"He's with me! He's with me, okay!? I'm the one who pulled him under and away from the Wendigo. We were just hiding behind that big rock." Mike points to a huge rock nearby. "I kept Josh safe over there. He's still there."

I walk in the water over to the rock, Josh meeting me halfway.

"Sorry, Sam. I'm right here," he says.

I rush to him, giving him a big hug and crying on his shoulder. "I almost lost you."

Josh returns the hug just as tightly. "And I almost lost you. You probably saved our lives."

I reluctantly release Josh, knowing we have to keep moving. 

"I'm going to get you out of this alive," I promise him.

Josh smiles gratefully. "Right back at ya, Sammy."

I giggle.

Mike sighs, rolling his eyes with a smile. "Let's get out of here and back to the lodge."

Josh and I nod in agreement, following Mike back through the way we came, out of the mine, and back to the lodge.

We are all freezing, but finally right outside the lodge. 

Mike points to a rock on the ground. "Let's get inside."

I lean down and pick up the rock, using it to smash the glass on the door so I can reach in and open the door.

"Okay..." I say as we all get inside the lodge.

Mike closes the door behind us and I go for the light switch, turning the lights on.

Mike immediately turns them back off. "Not good."

I nod in agreement, not sure what to do next. "What do you think we should do?"

"We should check the basement. The others should still be down there."

Josh, Mike, and I all head down to the basement together, entering the theater room.

"How do you rate our chances of survival?" I ask Mike.

He sighs. "I'm trying not to think about it."

We reach the door to get to the safe room and the others, but then we see the others running out of that very room.

"GO!! RUN!" Ashley screams from right behind Chris. 

"GET OUTTA HERE!" Chris warns as he passes us. "GO! GOGO!" 

"GO! GO! WE GOTTA GO!" Emily cries, trying to drag Jess behind her.

Mike runs in there, grabbing Jess, picking her up, and rushing past me. "RUN!"

Matt then rushes past me right after Emily, Y/N in his arms. "THEY ARE RIGHT BEHIND US, SAM. GO!"

"SAM! JOSH!" Y/N screams. "JOSH, GET... OUT... OF... HERE!"

I see that there are two Wendigos that had been chasing them.

I quickly turn to Josh, motioning him away. "JOSH, GO! I'LL BE FINE! PROMISE! JUST GO!"

Josh only hesitates for a moment before turning and running away as fast as he can.

"OHHHHHHHHHSHIIIIITT." I quickly run to the door, closing and locking it as I feel the Wendigos banging against it.

Now that we have more time, I run up the stairs and to the main floor after everyone else. 

I rush to Josh, but then I freeze, noticing the Wendigo from the mines sitting on the decorative ball hanging from the ceiling. 

"Don't... move..." I hear Mike whisper. "Don't fucking move a muscle."

I watch as the Wendigo surveys the room, trying to find us. 

Then I hear the Wendigos from downstairs join us on the main floor.

This is not good.

Y/N's POV

I stay as still as I can in Matt's arms. Unlike Mike, he didn't have enough time to set his cargo down before we had to freeze.

I watch in horror as the three Wendigos climb around the room, attacking each other.

Suddenly, one of the Wendigos is thrown into the fireplace, causing a pipe to start leaking gas into the room.

I watch as Mike subtly looks from the leaking gas to the light bulb to the light switch. 

He's not thinking of blowing up the whole lodge, is he?

Sam catches onto his plan, giving him a slight nod. 

Mike slowly moves towards the light bulb, a look of determination on his face. 

One Wendigo is rendered unconscious, leaving the remaining two to continue to fight. But when one Wendigo takes the head clean off of the other, there is nothing to distract it from hearing Sam's creaking footsteps. 

It turns towards her, screeching. 

My heart races.

Please. 

Please.

Please.

Sam stays still, making the creature unable to see her. 

I watch as Mike puts his hand around the light bulb, crushing it and just leaving the wires.

I hear the lodge door open as Chris and Ashley make their escape. 

Mike winces, realizing that the Wendigo would have heard the glass breaking.

He's right, as the creature turns its attention from Sam over to where Mike is. 

I want to help, but I feel so helpless in Matt's arms with an injured foot.

Thankfully, Sam saves him, yelling, "HEY!!"

The Wendigo gives a blood-curdling screech as it whips its head in Sam's direction. It walks towards her as Emily runs out of the lodge, Jess almost to the door.

My attention is drawn to Matt as I feel us moving. His eyes move from me to the lodge's door, trying to send me a message.

He's trying to get us closer to the door to escape. 

Matt continues to slowly move as the Wendigo searches for Sam, screeching. When it turns away from her, Sam hides behind a post, causing the creature to direct its attention towards her once again.

I look over and realize that Jess has gotten out and that Matt and I have reached the door, but Sam, Josh, and Mike are still in there.

I want to tell Matt that I can't leave yet, but I wouldn't be able to help much with my injured foot. And I can't make a sound or we're both dead.

So I let Matt rush out of the lodge with me in his arms. 

When we reach the outdoors and go tumbling onto the snowy ground, I look at Matt and whisper, "Josh, Sam, and Mike... are still... in there! Mike and Sam are... trying to set the lodge... on fire. But Josh isn't in... on the plan. Sam would get him... out of there, but she's busy... with the... Wendigo. No one can... help Josh out!" I start to cry. "Matt, he's... going to burn... in there!"

Matt glances back at the lodge and then back at me. "I'm going back in. I'll get him."

"Matt-"

He holds up a hand to silence me. "We don't have time to debate this! I'll get him."

I nod. "Just... be careful."

Matt quickly waves at me before standing up and running back into the lodge.

I stare at the lodge, my breathing picking up as time goes by without any sign of Matt, Josh, Sam, or Mike.

After what feels like an eternity, Matt, Josh, and Mike come running out of the lodge. 

"Where's... Sam?" I ask nervously as the three hit the snow.

As soon as the question leaves my lips, Sam comes running out of the lodge, the lodge blowing up behind her and sending her flying until she lands by Josh.

We all look at the burning lodge as helicopters appear in the sky. 

We're saved!

I look around at everyone.

Emily is sitting with her knees tucked into her chest, tears frozen to her face. Ashley is sobbing on Chris's shoulder as he looks unblinking into the lodge's flames. Jess has crawled over to Mike and the two are silently cuddling, Mike planting a soft kiss on Jess's forehead. Sam has her arms around Josh's shoulders, pulling him close as he holds onto her for dear life. 

And then I look at Matt, who takes my hand before kissing me everywhere on my face.

I giggle once he backs away, a huge grin on his face.

"Do you know what this means, Y/N!?" he asks.

I smile. "Yeah!"

"We all made it until dawn!" he cheers, throwing his arms in the air before throwing them around me. 

I finally feel at peace. He's right. We're all still here. 

It's over.

It's finally over.

Chris's POV

After being rescued, we're all taken to the station and put in different rooms for questioning. 

Once I'm brought to my room, I start my story.

"The old man... I... er... I don't know how to describe him, I mean-"

"You said you thought he was stalking you at first... Did anyone else in your group think that?" the female cop questioning me interrupts.

"Well, yeah-"

"Is it possible they could've killed him?"

I can't believe what I'm hearing. "What? No, no you don't understand. Don't you underst-"

"If he attacked you..."

"He saved my life... And I watched him die. Just ask Mat! It was real!! All of it!"

Ashley's POV

"We heard Mike... I don't know how or why he would've been down there, but I know I heard him. He went the other route, so the voice had to be a trap."

Emily's POV

"He held it right up to my face!" I point to my nose. "Right here! Right in front of my nose. And he could have shot me. He almost shot me, the prick! I mean, you go out with a guy for however long and you think you know him, but man this one really takes the cake. If Y/N hadn't stopped him from shooting me, I would be dead."

Matt's POV

"I was right there. And I could have done something. I tried to do something! But I was stupid and let my emotions spill out too soon. Emily was about to die and I broke up with her right there. I should have waited, but I just couldn't take it any longer. I guess I wasn't good enough."

Jess's POV

"How did you end up in the mines?" the cop asks me. 

"I was... carried... and... taken... and..."

"What did you see?" he questions. 

I shake my head. "I don't know... I don't know... It's all too much." I start to cry. 

Mike's POV

"He was out of his mind! He wanted to hurt us. Yeah, he... and... I thought he was the one who attacked Jess."

Sam's POV

"I thought we had a connection, well I know we do, but I just thought that after his sisters... disappeared, he'd come and talk to me... He said I was the only one who understood him. I don't know why he didn't come and talk to me, tell me what was going on..."

"If you need someone to talk to..." the cop starts.

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

"Sometimes, after a traumatic experience..." he tells me.

"I said I'm fine! Just let me see Josh again!"

Josh's POV

"Why did you pull the prank?"

I fight the tears threatening to spill out. "I... I don't know... I wanted revenge for the prank they pulled on my sisters last year. I... I wasn't in my right mind. My meds... they weren't working, so I stopped taking them."

"So you were off your meds while you were there?"

I nod. "Yes."

"Is it possible that you could've imagined it?"

"What part?"

"Well... the... the creature."

I scoff. "No! Everyone saw it! Didn't you ask them!?" 

"Maybe that was part of your prank too and you just don't remember."

"No! That wasn't part of the prank! It wasn't! I didn't want to hurt anyone. We could've died!"

Matt's POV

"So your friend Chris said that you saw the old man die?"

I nod in affirmation. "I did. He saved my life. More than once. He's the reason Y/N, Jess, and I were able to get out of the mines. And then he saved Chris and me when we went to save Josh."

"Are you sure you're not just being modest?"

I glare. "What!? No!" I scoff. "I barely did anything. I just did what had to be done. Y/N... she's the one that helped Jess and I go through the right paths. She's the one who assured us that we could trust the stranger. Just ask her! He was real! We didn't make him up! Why don't you believe us!?"

Y/N's POV

"The old man? He was real?"

I nod. "Yes! He was real! He helped us... in the mines! He helped us... get back to the others! If it wasn't for him... I think Chris and Matt would be... dead."

"What's your relationship with Chris and Matt?"

I blink in confusion. "Why does... that matter? Chris is like... a brother to me... and Matt is my boyfriend. Well, not officially... but he means the world to me... and we like each other. Why? Why does it... matter?"

"Do you think they're trustworthy?"

"What!? Of course! Of course, why would... they lie?"

"You don't think they killed the man when they went outside with him. You said earlier that he gave the boys guns. They would have weapons."

"I can't believe you would even... suggest something... like that! They went to get... Josh! They wouldn't have... killed him! They knew... he was trustworthy."

Mike's POV

"Why did you try to shoot Emily?"

Oh no. This doesn't look good.

"Listen," I start, "this isn't as bad as it looks." I chuckle.

"Just tell me what happened."

"I thought she was a danger! She got bit!"

"Got bit?"

"Yes! She got bit by one of those things and I was afraid she would turn into one!"

"But she didn't."

"How was I supposed to know!?"

"And what about Y/N's foot?"

I look down at the ground. "It was an accident. She grabbed my arm and pointed the gun away from Emily when I shot it. The bullet got her toes. I didn't mean to... I swear I didn't... Gosh... I'm so sorry..."

Ashley's POV

"I-I stabbed him and I tried to get away, but I didn't know! I swear I didn't know!"

"Didn't know?" the cop inquires. "Who did you stab?"

"I stabbed the maniac!" I tell her. "I didn't know it was Josh, but then he was the psycho and how was I supposed to know Josh had all the saws and the gun and oh my gosh."

Emily's POV

"Matt broke up with me when I was about to die! Who does that!? I mean, whatever. We're cool now or whatnot, I guess Y/N saved my life so I owe that to her..." 

Mike's POV

"Your friend, Ashley... she told us that she and your friends tried to help you."

I raise an eyebrow in confusion. "No. Sam came to help me later, but the others were in the safe room."

"She said they heard you calling out."

"No... That wasn't me..."           

 Jess's POV

"Mike..."

"What do you remember?" the cop asks me. 

"He came for me..." I smile. "He did! More than once. He saved my life."

"Came for you?"

"Where is he? Can I talk to him again? Please, I miss him."

Y/N's POV

"So, Mike shot you in the foot?"

I nod, my forehead creasing with worry as I wince from the pain of my injury. "Yeah. Why?"

"He said it was an accident."

"It was! I'm the one... who moved the... gun! I'm not... pressing charges."

"But he tried to shoot Emily?"

"Well... yes... He... Yes, he did. But he was just... looking out for us! And Emily turned out... to be alright! We're all... alive! It's okay!"

Sam's POV

"You need to listen to me. I don't care if you believe me or not. Doesn't matter. Because you will. You need to go down to the mines."

"What's in the mines, Sam?"

I smile coldly. "I've seen what's down there... and I'd give anything to unsee it." 

One Year Later...

Y/N's POV

We all had some recovering to do over the past year. 

We all started seeing therapists, and Josh was able to get the correct medication. It turns out that he was misdiagnosed, but he was able to get help and is doing much better now. We all are.

Thankfully, no charges were pressed against Mike, and he was able to still be with us.

I got medical help for my foot, and it's hard to walk sometimes, but it could have been much worse. 

Even though no one quite believed any of our stories, the mountain was closed off for good, as Josh was able to get his parents to give it to him as a birthday present. Josh now knew how dangerous that mountain is, so now no one is allowed there. Ever. It's a piece of our past that no one will even have the opportunity to relive. And we all knew that it is for the best.  

We had a memorial service for Hannah and Beth. It was hard, but each of us was able to say a few words and in the end, we knew that it was good to put that part of our past behind us as well. Hannah and Beth will always be remembered, but we know that they wouldn't want us to torture ourselves with what happened.

We were all able to forgive ourselves as well as each other. Emily even forgave Mike for trying to shoot her, it just took time. Jess and Emily were also able to completely mend their friendship and became besties again. As for me and Ashley, we grew even closer than when we had been best friends. I tell her everything now and we spend tons of time together. In the end, we all grew as people and grew closer as friends, or otherwise.

Chris and Josh continued to be like brothers to me, and the three of us grew inseparable. Chris and Josh also grew inseparable with their girlfriends. As soon as we had been released from questioning that night, Chris got with Ashley, and Josh got with Sam.

Nowadays, Sam and Josh have moved in together, right next to the apartment Ashley and Chris now live in.

Jess and Mike got engaged, and their wedding is in a few months.

Emily started dating someone from college. With her change of heart, her relationship flourished and I can tell her boyfriend thinks she is everything. And although he still hasn't been adopted into the friend group, we all really like him and think he is a great person. He hangs out with us sometimes, but we know that with the things we've been through together, no one else would ever be able to truly join us. 

As for me and Matt, well, we started dating that very day too. Officially. He asked me to be his girlfriend, and I, of course, said yes. Now we've moved in with each other on the same floor of the other's apartments. 

We all visit each other constantly and seem to always be texting. Honestly, I never thought that we could get closer than we were a few years ago. And once Hannah and Beth vanished and we had our fall outs, I expected us all to be on again off again friends, but that wasn't the case.

Here we are, together at our favorite restaurant. 

I glance at the menu, looking over at Matt.

He notices I'm staring at him and he smiles, turning to give me a kiss.

Once he pulls away, I'm blushing like mad. "What... what are you getting?"

Matt taps his chin in thought. "Mike, thoughts?"

Mike gives Matt a sly smile. "I gotcha, man."

I roll my eyes. "Oh no, please guys. Tonight was supposed to be bonding night. Please tell me you're not going to do your 'I'll order something ridiculous for you if you order something ridiculous for me.' It never ends well."

"We are totally doing that," Mike admits.

I let out an exasperated sigh as Ashley giggles.

"What?" Matt questions. "We are bonding. Ordering for another person establishes trust."

 Emily scoffs, rolling her eyes with a smile. 

"I think it's cute," Jess says.

"I think you're cute," Mike tells her.

Jess's cheeks flush. "Aww, Babe!"

Chris groans. "Why do you always have to upstage me, man?"

Josh folds his arms. "Yeah. Not cool."

Sam laughs, giving Josh a kiss on the cheek.

"No one could upstage gaming night," Ashley assures Chris.

He grins, making me grin.

I love seeing everyone happy.

This moment couldn't be more perfect.

Except then I see Matt get off of his chair out of the corner of my eye. 

When I turn to face him, he's down on one knee.

I gasp as Matt takes a ring box out of his pocket and opens it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. "Y/N, I know I can't possibly upstage Mike." He chuckles. "But I hope that this is special enough for you. Because... because I just want to give you everything you desire. Everything you need. Everything you want. I know I'm not perfect, but I promise to provide for you and take care of you until the day I die. So, will you give me that chance? Y/N, will you marry me?"

"OH MY GOSH, YES!"

As soon as Matt slips the ring on my finger, I give him the biggest hug that anyone could possibly give.

I can hear other customers around us cheering. 

I giggle and smile, not believing that this could actually be happening to me. 

Last year everything looked so bleak. 

But everything is better now.

We all have things that we regret, we all have our ups and downs, there will always be times of miscommunication, and there will always be trouble in this world, but in the end... hope is always there. No matter what. 

As I sit on the restaurant's floor kissing Matt in front of all my closest friends, their cheering reverberating in my ears, I realize how lucky I am.

I realize how lucky everyone is. 

No matter if you're an Emily, a Jessica, a Mike, a Chris, an Ashley, or someone else entirely, despite clashing personalities and flaws, there will always be someone there to help you. To be with you. To protect you. 

To make sure you survive until dawn.

THE END

I hope you all enjoyed this fanfiction! I had a blast writing it! I just wanted to put a little message at the end to make something clear. 

This story is a fanfiction, as you've probably noticed. So, being a fanfiction, I wanted this story to be about Until Dawn's story. The story of Until Dawn introduced things from other cultures, cultures that I am unfamiliar with. I am sorry if I offended anyone with this story. It was not my intent. I just wanted to keep this story as intimate with the story of Until Dawn as possible. This is true for other stories I am writing about Until Dawn and stories I will write about Until Dawn in the future. I will continue to use these themes that were introduced in Until Dawn to remain true to its story. I am aware that Until Dawn did not represent these cultures properly, and that it will cause my fanfictions to not represent these cultures properly. However, I am just going off of the game and the information it has for me. I hope you understand what I am trying to say. I do not mean to offend anyone and I am sorry if I happen to. I hope you will forgive me. Thank you again for sticking with me and reading this story. It really means a lot to me.  

Chris X Reader story coming next! I'm going to start working on it tomorrow! See you soon! I can't wait!

-Ash