Guiltale

Chapter 0: Lost

In her town, everyone knew the story: long ago, a boy had visited his grandmother in town, learned the myth surrounding Mt. Ebott, and climbed the mountain with the intention of trying to help the monsters escape. He was full of compassion, so she was told, and seemed to feel that monsters – or anyone else for that matter – didn't deserve to be stuck underground, without the sun.

Grace thought, growing up, that that decision was overall idiotic.

I'm sure the Monsters never trusted him, she always thought whenever she heard the story, and taking his soul would probably be the most logical choice, right? It's our fault they're down there, if they are at all, and they have every right to take revenge, don't they?

Then why. Why did her only friend have to climb the mountain? Why were they so stupid as to climb a mountain filled with man-eating Monsters? Grace couldn't imagine her friend being quite selfless and foolhardy enough to climb the mountain to save them, but she also didn't think she seemed sad enough to throw herself to the Monsters on purpose.

A long time passed. Grace was all alone, with nobody but H_____'s mother for company, when she wasn't out looking for her kid. She couldn't wrap her head around it; what could her friend have wanted so badly that they left behind their mom and best friend? Grace knew the only way to find out would be to ask them herself.

Climb the mountain. That was all she could think about for a whole month after she made her decision. Prepare. Climb mountain. Find idiot.

She had a full backpack: camping gear, her nicest boots, a battery pack for her phone with all the cords, and a sturdy walking stick. Under the guise of taking a hike through the surrounding woods, she was able to escape the watchful eye of her friend's mom. Then, bag and stick in hands, she took a brisk pace up the mountain. The day grew long, and before she knew it, she couldn't really see her town through the intense greenery that surrounded her on all sides.

It wasn't supposed to be a long hike, just a test, but that all changed when she spotted the faintest sliver of a color that wasn't green, brown, or gray.

"H-----...?"

But her exclaim was covered by a small figure's sneezing. They didn't' seem to notice Grace was behind them, nor that she'd just called out a name, and continued walking. It was a kid; maybe ten or twelve years old, wearing her best friend's favorite colors. Grace had to stifle a cry of frustration. She wasn't about to ruin this kid's independent morning walk... but she wasn't about to let them wander all alone though, either. They were way too far away from town for that, and it wouldn't be right for her to be the reason this kid's parents never found them.

Grace followed them a while – their sweater was bright and unmistakable – before losing them for a moment and almost deciding to give up. As she turned a corner, she saw them - staring into a huge chasm, determined to see what was down in its murky depths. Grace didn't want to scare them should she be found, so she snuck as close as she could to them without being spotted. All of that was for nothing, though, since the kid began to fall into the hole! Grace surged out of her hiding place and caught them by the arm, pulling them out of harm's way - but lost her own footing.

She began to fall.

It was a quiet drop: normally, she'd be screaming, but, it felt like something was breaking or slowing her fall. She should be terrified since she should die from a fall like this. But she didn't. Grace was comforted by her own confirmation; she knew that if she could have chosen again and only have the kid live and her fall to death?

She'd do it again.