Not Lost Forever (Discontinued, Possible Re-write?)

Chapter 1- Determined

Chris had gotten used to waking to the news rambling on about him and his friends, continuously repeating their crazy story about monsters who tried to eat them like it was a prayer. He was used to how the reporters would theorise about how they were so traumatised they were seeing things, or it being another trick of the maniac who put them through said trauma. Or how it was wolves, or bears or some other animal. Nobody even considered they told the truth.
Nobody even thought to talk to them since their initial rescue.
Which as frustrating as it was, was equally comforting.
They might be right. None of it was real and we were just so fucked up from the night and its torture that we made shit up in our heads.
But Chris knew he was just trying to fool himself, to convince himself that his nightmares were baseless, and that the things that go bump in the night are just stories for bad behaving kids.
Despite all this, there was one thing Chris could never adjust to.

When the news would report yet another search team missing.

So far, there had been four search and rescue teams sent out, the first two having beem smaller, and the latter two being larger groups with more expertise.
The latest one, about seven people, was sent out on the first day of June, reportedly entering the mines on the same day.
They were supposed to return out of the mines on the fifth of June at the latest.
It was now the tenth, and not a soul had even been reported to have returned.
Chris sighed to himself. Whatever was left of those demons were getting a good meal.
'Yet another team has gone missing on Blackwood Mountain.' Had begun to replay in his dreams, whilst he watched the said teams being torn apart by the creatures, knowing their faces as he had seen them on the TV, which would then turn and rip him open.
He didn't get a lot of sleep.
He was dragged out of his thoughts when a reporter's sentence piques his intrigue.
'A volunteer searching up on the mountain has apparently discovered shredded overalls near a mine entrance. Whether this is helpful or not can only be told in time, but its more than we have gotten to hear about this case in months.'
Chris's eyes were immediately glued onto the screen.
An image of the said clothing flashes onto the television, and Chris's heart near failed.
The overalls were Josh's.
The same ones he was last wearing when he was dragged off.

Chris sprung to his feet.
He'd had enough of this. He needed to know what happened to his best friend.
He couldn't continue living like this anymore. It was killing him. Every second of his day was dominated by thoughts of the mountain, his friend, the Stranger who helped them and of the monsters that lurked below.
He had to face it.
He needed answers.
And if he were to die to get them, then so be it.
At least then he would be with Josh.
He didn't even push the dark thought away as he pulled out an old backpack from the corner of his room closet and began filling it with clothes.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in." Chris invited Emily. The door knob pushed down, and with a click, Emily was standing in the doorway to his room.
She opened her mouth to say something, then noticed the backpack.
"Where are you off to?" Her voice was immediately suspicious, and Chris could hear the same news report ranting on the livingroom TV.
"Nowhere." He responded, hoping it didn't sound suspicious.
By Em's face, it definitely was.
"Where is 'nowhere?" Concern rose within the brown depths of her eyes.
Chris gave in. "I'm gonna to go back. I'm gonna find him."
Emily gasped sharply.
"Chris! NO! Do you HEAR yourself right now? That's crazy. You know that!"
Pain glistened in her fierce gaze.
"You'll DIE, Chris."
He just blankly looked at her, watching her face fall with the realisation that he didn't care at all about his fate.
At this, she just turned and left in what Chris percieved as defeat.
Though, as he continued to pack, his phone suddenly going off with spammed messages from the group chat told him otherwise.

-Ashleeeee: CHRIS!! WTF ARE U DOING!

-Sam: Chris you need to think this through.

-Mikel: Yeah, dude this is a terrible fucking idea.

Chris sighed, and then began to type.

-Chris: Guys. I am going to go. I need to find him. None of the teams are coming back and I can't take not knowing anymore. If I die then so be it. Better than whatever this is.

After going through the message for mistakes, he hit send and let the messages which were now from all of his friends make a mess of his notifications.
He only checked again after he had packed, and was surprised to see Sam's last message.

-Sam: Okay. If you insist on going, Chris, I am coming with you.

-Mikel: Me too. We can help. Please man you gotta let us help ya.

The other messages from Jess, Em or Matt became a blur in his eyes as he focused in on Mike and Sam's offers.

-Chris: Thank you. Be here soon. I won't wait long.

With that, he let his phone screen go dark. Emily wandered back in, but didn't fight him on it like he expected.
Instead, she sunk to her knees beside him and they sat quietly for a moment.
Em then swung to face him with a ferocity in her eyes that near made him flinch.
"I won't get in your way. But if you die, I'll fucking kill you." Em's expression softened, and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug he slowly returned. This was one of the rare moments where Emily let out her softer side, and Chris was thankful for this blessing.

He heard a car pull up outside and beep, realising Sam and Mike had taken his threat to heart and were here as quick as they could be. Em let go, and with a tearful smile, got up and walked with him to the door.
"Good luck. We all love you guys. See you soon." Emily's soft voice concerned Chris more. You knew it was serious when Em used that tone.
But he had no time to question, or even think, as he waved his goodbyes and jumped into the left backseat of Sam's small car.
"Ready to go?" Sam asked with an enthusiasm that he knew was fake.
"Yes. Let's do this." Chris responded with as much confidence as he could. Mike nodded as if he were accepting this was going to actually happen.
All Chris's thoughts were halted as Sam started the engine, backed out of the driveway, and headed onto the main road.
Towards Blackwood Mountain.
There was no turning back now.