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

Chapter 4- You Know Me

Mike kneeled next to Josh, holding him down while he hissed and thrashed. Sam rushed to Mike's side.
"Mike! Sam!" Both relief and annoyance ran through Chris.
"We weren't leaving you, dude." Sam smirked at him.
Mike nodded.
Chris smiled at them. Then remembered his best friend being held down.
"What do we do with him?"
"Let him wriggle around until he exhausts himself?" Mike suggested.
Sam just shrugged.
Chris facepalmed. "I got through to him and then you two slam him to the floor."
"Good idea! Try again!" Sam shouted over Josh's hissing.
Chris wasn't sure it'd work, but it was worth a shot.

He sat down in front of Josh, who snapped at him.
"Hey, Cochise."
Josh froze and stared at Chris, hungrily.
"I'm Chris. Remember me, Josh?"
Josh's name seemed to snap him out of his daze, and the looked at Chris's face in shock.
His voice came again.
"Chris."
That was clearer.
Chris nodded. "Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"
Josh nodded.
He nodded.
Chris felt hope run through him. He knew who Chris was. He knew what he was saying.
"We are here to help you. We can't do that if you eat us. Understood?"
Josh grumbled, but nodded.
"Josh, you remember Sam, right?"
Josh recognised the name, looking pleased. He made an odd chirp, which Chris took as agreement.
"And Mike?"
The demon growled and looked significantly less pleased, but nodded.
Chris held back a laugh at Mike's offended face.
Chris smiled at Josh.
"If they let go of you, will you not eat us?" Chris tried to keep desperation out of his voice.
Josh looked at him for a moment, as though thinking that through.
"I won't."
Chris looked up at Sam and Mike. They looked skeptical, but Chris stared at them, begging.
Sam sighed, and stood, taking her weight off of Josh. Mike followed, backing away from Josh.
Josh pushed himself off of the ground, onto four limbs, then slowly and clumsily to only his legs. He stared at Chris, emotion unreadable.
Then lunged forward at Chris.
Chris tried to jump back, but Josh had a hold on his shoulders, and his companions stood weaponless, looking desperately around, trying to save Chris from the attack.
But the attack never came.
Josh grasped hard at Chris's shoulders, then let go, throwing himself into Chris's chest, wrapping his arms around him.
Josh was hugging him.

Chris slowly returned the hug, sparing his friends with a look of shock and confusion. They returned it with the same expressions.
Josh's body was shaking, and Chris could hear him sniffling as he cried. His body felt like air, his bones jutted out every piece of him, and he looked so small.
Chris felt his own tears threaten to fall, but held himself together as he stroked Josh's back.
There wasn't time for Chris to pity himself.
"We need to get him out of here." Sam whispered to Mike, trying to remain inaudible to Josh.
Though he likely heard, he ignored it.
"Where though? It's going to be dark and Josh looks too... Weak to make the walk to the cable car." Mike's voice was uncertain. "We don't even know if he's really safe to take down the mountain."
Sam didn't hesitate. "The cabin that you and Jess were in. Where is that? We stay there until we know what to do with him."
Chris felt his heart stop at the thought of staying on the mountain.
Sam and Mike are right though. He's not safe to take home...
Though Chris couldn't believe this twig of a human was a threat to anyone.
Mike nodded in response to Sam.
"Hate to say it, but you're right. That's our best bet." He turned to Chris. "Do you think he can make it to the little cabin?"
Chris shrugged. "Do we have a choice?"
Mike sighed. "Nope."
"Lets get a move on then. We don't have forever. Josh needs food."
At that, Josh perked up. Chris jumped and Mike eyed him wearily.
Sam looked unimpressed.
"No more people for you, sir."
Josh huffed.

Wading through the cold pool yet again was bad enough, but doing that with a cannibalistic monster clinging to your shoulders for dear life made it thaf bit more difficult.
"Don't like water?" Chris asked, half amused.
The response was a grumpy sigh.

Once out, Sam traced their steps impressively to the enterance they had come in from. The dying sunset shone back at them, and despite all the stress and anxiety, Chris gasped at the beauty of the mountains.
Josh closed his eyes, as if light hurt them.
Chris put an arm around him, and they began the trek to the small cabin.

By the time they got there, Chris was freezing. He had quickly given up his jacket to Josh when he realised that he was shivering. They had been surprised he could still feel the cold.
Mike opened the door, which was still unlocked. The window of the door was still shattered from when Jess had been dragged through it, and Chris could see the bathroom window was also reduced to jagged pieces of glass.
The cabin was less breezy than the outside, and Mike got to making a fire immediately, quickly finishing the task and disapearing off into the hallway.

Sam began unloading everyones bags, pulling out whatever food or drinks they had, and Chris led Josh over to the couch, seating him down and placing himself next to him.

Josh just stared into the flames, and Chris got a good look at the right side of his face. It was unscarred, no teeth sticking out of his jaws, and his iris was still green, with a black pupil still visible. He was skinny, and his usually tan skin had paled. He looked ill.
Chris tried to ignore the guilt again.

Josh turned to face him, noticing how Chris was inspecting him.
The left side of his face was a world away from the right side. His cheek was basically nonexistent, an extention of his mouth, lined with knife-like teeth, surrounded by scarring.
His left eye unnerved Chris. It was white, the pupils pale and cloudy, wide as if they could never get enough light.
Chris realised that all the time he had been looking at Josh, Josh hadn't blinked.
Oddly, that disturbed Chris more than anything about Josh's appearance.
"Dude, do you even blink?" Chris asked, keeping the fear from his voice.
As a response, Josh blinked slowly and deliberately, like when a cat is being friendly, except this felt more threatening.
"Okay. Nice." Chris responded, turning to look at the fire. Josh turned around on the couch to watch Sam as she worked at the table.
Chris guessed that it was because she was moving.
Chris turned as well, and Josh gave him an inquisitive look, but Chris just motioned to shush and began watching Sam as well.
Josh seemed to catch on, and they both sat and watched her.
It took her a minute to realise, but she stopped working and moved her head to glance at them, jumping out her skin when two pairs of eyes met hers.
"God! You two! Not even funny!" She scolded, but Chris caught her slight smile as she went back to preparing their food.

She seemed hopeful. Like Chris.
Josh was still there.

Chris was suddenly tackled onto his back on the couch, Josh atop of him, a mischevious sparkle in his eye.
"Wha-" Chris was cut off in laughter as Josh tickled his sides. He was gentle with his claws, but still somehow managed it.
"Co-Cochise- Sto-Stop!" Chris eventually managed to blurt. Josh stopped, still with what Chris believed was a grin on his face.
Chris could have cried at that alone. His best friend was alive.
And was still a goofy dick.

Mike appeared back around the corner.
"I cleared the glass off of the bathroom floor. The water still appears to be on, and even warm. Seems the Washingtons didn't want the pipes to freeze."
Sam seemed genuinely happy. "Lucky for us, then. I think we all could use a shower, some more than others." She gave a meaningful glance to Josh, who didn't notice at all. "Anyway, I chopped some apple for everyone, some chips, and theres sandwiches. Forgive me for the shitty meal." Sam handed each of them a plate, and went and sat at the table to eat hers. Mike joined her and they chatted quietly.

Chris dug in to his chips, but noticed Josh wasn't eating at all.
"What's up?" Chris asked, but he already felt he knew the answer.
Josh shook his head, looking guilty. He prodded at the apple, then looked at Chris with an unreadable expression.
"Theres... Ham in the sandwich? You can eat that?" When Josh looked unsure, Chris added "Please?"
Josh sighed, picked up the sandwich and bit into it. He seemed to realise how starved he was, cause within the next minute it was gone, and Josh was moving onto the chips.
Chris smiled to himself and continued with his snack.
Maybe our hope isn't completely misplaced.