Survivor ~ Until Dawn

Chapter 11. Wake

Days After Until Dawn: -337

Mike had no idea where he was going but he did know that he had to get Josh away from his parents. Mostly his dad considering either of them could snap and do something they regretted.

"Come on buddy, let's get you sober." Josh barely even noticed that Mike was talking to him. Mike didn't mind. He knew how to deal with this.

Like he dealt with his father. The better part was that Josh wasn't hitting anyone. Or throwing things.

"Where are we going?" Josh slurred.

"Wherever I think of." Mike said.

Josh had his head pressed to the window and he was grumbling something.

"How many have you had?" Mike asked.

"You think I counted?" Josh countered.

Mike groaned and stopped at a red light.

"I know it's hard, Josh, but you can't do this to yourself. To your family. You have to get through this."

Josh didn't say anything as Mike started driving again with the green light.

They drove for a while until Mike found a parking lot by a lake. "Get out here." Mike said.

Josh did what Mike said and stumbled out of the truck and stood near Mike.

"I'm not gonna tell you that I come to this lake to think in those shitty movies. I just picked this because it had a bench. And a parking lot and I saw those ducks right there. See them?" Mike pointed to them for Josh to see.

Josh squinted and it took a lot of concentration for him to see them but he did.

"They're young. They have their whole life ahead of them. They could've had friends, siblings, but they keep living. They keep swimming. That's what you have to do." Mike said.

They were closer to the lake now. Looking at the ducks as they swam by.

Josh snickered. "What? You want me to go swimming?"

Mike rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I do."

Mike pushed him into the lake and Josh was flailing around as he fell.

It was early March at that point and even though spring was near, that didn't mean it was any warmer than it had been when the twins had gone missing.

Josh sat up and got out of the water, spitting it out of his mouth and shaking. "What the fuck Mike?" He asked. Mike laughed. "Looks like your sober considering you can stand on your own."

Josh scoffed at him but he didn't have a comeback for him and he just shook off some of the water. "Let's go back to this shit." He said.

"You know everyone's here to talk to you if you need it." Mike said to him.

"Yeah, like Emily and Jessica? You, Sam and Chris are the only ones I got. And even you guys don't wanna hear it." Josh said.

"We do. Some of us have it on our minds already. Like today, Sam was having a hard time. I talked to her, helped. We help each other." Mike explained.

They both got into the car after Josh had dried off a bit.

"Sam let you help her. Like no questions asked?" Josh asked.

Mike gave him a look. He hadn't started his truck yet.

"I've tried talking to her. About her problems. About all that shit. She never wants to open up about it. Hell, I even tried asking her out once and she barely acknowledged it." Josh said.