The Blackwood Curse

Seven Hours Until Dawn

I wake up in the dark, cold kitchen. The first thing I notice is that I am resting on flagstone, not on Josh. The hand that had held his is lying limply on the floor, my cheek pressed against icy ground. I force myself to stand, even though the motion of it makes me feel extremely nauseous. I glance around the room.
He's gone.
Instead, I find Chris propped up in a corner, slumped over like a rag doll. I stagger forwards and bend down, shaking him awake.
"Chris," I try to call him, but my voice is scratchy and extremely weak. "Chris, wake up"
"Hnnnuh?" He groans.
"Chris!" I shout urgently, growing desperate.
"Ugh...ungh...what the fu-..." He mumbles as he slowly stands up, holding a hand over a massive bruise on his head. He looks around, his eyes growing wide with fear. "Oh no! Max, where are they?"
"I don't know"
"Ashley?" Chris calls, stumbling forwards. I notice a flashlight on the ground and pick it up, hoping to hell it still works. I flick the switch and it turns on. Well, it's something I guess. I search the room, walking through the eerie darkness while Chris deliriously calls Ashley's name. I find something lying on the floor in a pool of crimson with my torch beam. I squat down and pick it up to inspect it. A little green woollen purse with white decorations sewn on it. I gulp; that's Ashley's purse.
"Not good" I whisper to myself. I straighten up slowly and show it to Chris, who simply groans and buries his head in his hands. Irritation sparks inside me.
"Come on dude, you need to snap out of it if we're to have any hope of finding Ashley and Josh" I order him, perhaps a little more harshly than I intended, but it has the desired effect. Chris straightens up and readjusts his glasses.
"Y-You're right. You're right" He stammers apologetically. I stride over to the door on the other side of the room and fling it open. Abruptly, a crow flies across the doorway, frantically squawking. The hell was that doing in here? I shine my torch beam into the darkened hallway, peering around in search of any lurking threats. I see a dark patch on the wall across from me and direct the light on it. The breath catches in my throat.
A large blood splatter paints the beige plaster scarlet. It looks fresh.
"Josh" I gasp, my breathing turning jagged with fear. I hear wind howling to my right and notice snowflakes plummeting into the house, riding on a icy gale. The open door sways and creaks along with the strong winds as we pass by it and through the doorway. I tug my coat tighter around me as the chilled air works its way along my body in piercing tendrils. I hurry down the meticulously decorated wooden stairs outside, almost slipping on the thick frost coating it.
"Ashley!" Chris startles me by calling for her again.
"She can't hear you Chris. We need to find them first" I remind him in my best attempt to keep calm. We trudge through the snow-blanketed woodland path, fighting against the furious storm. As we go, I keep having to turn around to make sure Chris is behind me, as I can't hear his footsteps over the roar of the wind. The torch doesn't do a lot apart from illuminate the falling snow, but the light is just about enough to see by. I push onward, when my shoe knocks something hidden amongst the snow. Just a foot in front of me, a figure bursts from the white powder and lunges at me. I scream, stumbling back.
"Hey, it's okay. It's just a scarecrow, see?"
I glare at the straw-filled mannequin in contempt.
"Bloody h-...thing scared me!" Is the closest thing to a comprehensible sentence that I can force out.
"Yeah, it kinda got me too" He huffs, rubbing his brow with the back of his hand. With one lingering, suspicious stare, I push past the scarecrow and pick up the pace, the sensation of being watched prickling the back of my neck. I see something out of the corner of my eye, and I have to look away to stop myself from throwing up.
"Max-"
"Keep on walking Chris"
"But it's a-"
"I know, just keep walking"
So we hurry away. Despite myself, I can't help but look over my shoulder at the bloody pigs head lying on the ground. My stomach wrenches, so I turn away, heaving internally. We come to a clearing; dead end. I exchange a worried glance with Chris.
"We're running out of time" I murmur despairingly.
"Calm down, we'll be fine. They'll be fine"
We retrace our steps, heads hung. Suddenly, I don't feel like I can take it any more.
"If something happens to them...I don't know what I would do" I lament, unexpected tears springing to my eyes. Chris abruptly stops me by placing a hand on my shoulder and turning me to face him.
"You still love him, don't you?" Chris demands. I open my mouth to respond, but I can't say anything. Do I? Don't I? I have no idea; I honestly have no clue whatsoever.
"I..."
"Come on, Max. It's so obvious to everyone except for you. You've barely left his side ever since you arrived here"
There is a long pause. My mind battles with my heart furiously. In the end, I let out a very long, deep sigh.
"I care about him a whole lot. I know that much for sure" I admit. This doesn't seem to satisfy Chris, but he swivels on his heel and walks away from me. I shake my head and run to catch up to him.
We march through the forest for what seems like hours. With every step my heart seems to sink even lower. Where has that psycho taken them?
There are indentations in the snow ahead. I follow them with my torch beam into a dilapidated old barn. I rush towards it -my hope rising- with Chris right on my heel. I notice that the large doors are slightly ajar, with trails of snow powder leading inside. We've found them. I slip through the opening and pull a face at the smell that hits me. After a quick glance around the room, I can tell that this is where Josh's dad keeps all of his traps for hunting. Bear traps and cages dangle from the ceiling, making the room resemble a scene out of Saw.
"Josh? Ashley?" I call, my voice echoing through the barn. The freezing air brushes around my ankles, making goosebumps shoot up my legs.
"Ashley!" Chris repeats desperately.
"Chris?" I can hear her respond feebly. We exchange a worried look.
"Ashley, are you okay?" Chris looks around wildly, trying to find her.
"Oh my god Chris you have to help me" She whimpers. I start walking in the direction of her voice.
"Don't worry Ash, we'll get you out of here, just keep talking" I instruct her calmly.
"Guys, please hurry. You have to help us before he comes back!"
I think I've almost found her.
"What happened?"
"He tied us up. Oh god...Chris!"
I can hear the panic in her voice. I approach a wire mesh fence; I think I can see shadows behind it. Is that a lever? I squint, but I can see only silhouettes, nothing more.
Light suddenly floods the room on the other side of the fence. I swallow hard when I see what is on the other side.
"Chris" I squeak.
"Max" He replies, equally as shocked and quiet. Ashley and Josh are bound to an old wall, dangling by their hands. Josh's head is resting on his chest, his chest rising and falling and eyes closed. The blood on his head has dried, and I can see a large bruise forming.
"Hello, and thank you all for joining me" The same deep voice I heard earlier announced over a speaker.
"JOSH! Oh God, Josh! Wake up!" Ashley screams. His eyelids flutter open. I heave a sigh of relief; he's okay.
"Huh...?" He mumbles, only half-awake.
"Josh!" I cry out; I can't hold it in any more. His head snaps up, and he looks at me, wide-eyed.
"G-Guys?"
"Tonight we're going to conduct a little experiment" the gravelly voice continues. Experiment? Josh takes in the room, looks up at his hands.
"What is this?"
"A sort of test" The voice answers.
"What's going on?" He yells, straining at his ties as his fear rises.
"Josh, it's okay. We're gonna get you out of there"
"There is only one way out of here, Maxine. We'll need the cooperation of our two test subjects, Joshua and Ashley"
I start to look around for something sharp, and that's when I see it. A circular saw blade attached to a motor on a set of tracks. The tracks split, one branch leading to Ashley, and the other...
"Holy shit! Oh my God!" Josh starts to freak out when he sees it.
Fury boils inside me.
"You sick bastard!" I roar at the ceiling.
"Max, don't!" Josh warns me. I glance at him and see the plea in his eyes. I bite my tongue and stare at the floor, breathing heavily to try and keep in control.
"W-what?" Ashley stammers timidly. She hasn't noticed it yet. Good, that means we still have time.
"But we are going to need two more brave participants to help decide which subject will live...and which will die" The voice sneers in sadistic pleasure.
I look at Josh in panic. No...no this can't be happening! Ashley and Josh both start to freak out.
"Let us down from here you maniac!" Josh shouts, thrashing around. I search desperately for something, anything.
"Please, please everyone calm down" the psycho tells us. I bite my lip; I can't see anything of use. It's all old traps and rust.
"It's all very simple. Christopher and Maxine, you will find a lever placed directly in front of you. All you have to do, is choose who you will save"
The saw makes a whirring sound as it comes to life and starts advancing. Running out of time, Max. Use your eyes, damn it!
"Please! Please! This can't be happening!" Ashley sobs.
"What do I do? I can't choose! Don't make me choose!" Chris panics. I catch a glimpse of something metallic in the shadowy corner. I bend down to inspect it and have to hold back a cry of joy. It's a fire axe; that explains where it went then. I pick it up gingerly, but apart from damage to the handle it seems to be ship-shape. I stand again and turn to Chris, axe in hand. He sees it and nods at me.
'Act natural' I mouth at him. I don't want my plan to be discovered before it's too late. I take a swing at the wire fence, and it gives a little, but not enough. I can hear Josh murmuring to himself, trying to calm down.
"Oh shit oh shit oh shit" Chris freaks out, and I have to hand it to him, it's really convincing. After that, everything they shout blends into one fearful white noise. I take two more swings at the fence. It makes the hole bigger. Come on, three more swings and I can get through. The tracks spark. I look at Chris; he hasn't touched the lever. It starts moving rapidly towards Josh. I steady myself, try to ignore his shouts, and bring the axe down as hard as I can.
One.
The blade draws closer, closer, ever closer.
Two.
Josh's chest heaves with terrified breaths. He struggles against his restraints.
Three.
I jump through the opening in the fence and sprint at the saw. With an angry scream I bury the blade into the cord connecting the saw and the motor. It judders and spits, black smoke rising from it. Suddenly, it's start to shudder and spark violently. A strong electric current surges into the axe blade. There is a burst of light, and I am thrown back by a strong force. I cry out when my back smacks against the floor painfully, sending a wave of pain through me. A high-pitched buzzing fills my ears-I can't hear anything else. As it fades I lie still on the ground, dazed and a little singed.
"Max! Max!" Is that Josh? Chris? I can't tell; it sounds so muffled and distant. I sit up slowly, pressing a hand to my throbbing head.
"I'm okay...probably" I groan, stumbling a little as I stand up. Chris places a hand on my shoulder to steady me.
"Woah, okay, easy"
I walk over to the -now broken- saw and retrieve my axe from it, yanking it out with a grunt of effort. I kick it back, and it slides along the tracks a few feet. I look up at them both still dangling by their hands.
"Think it's time to get you guys down"
"I have a pen knife in my pocket" Josh offers, nodding at the right front pocket of his jeans.
"Of course you do," I shake my head fondly as I retrieve it. I glance up at their hands. "Uh, Chris? Could you gimme a boost?"
Chris kneels down and holds out his hands. I step into them and he lifts me up so I can reach the ties. I sever them without much effort, allowing Ashley and Josh to drop a couple of feet to the ground. I climb down, mumbling thanks to Chris before we both turn to the other two respectively. Josh tries to straighten up, but falters slightly. I grip his arm to help him keep his balance.
"Are you alright?" I whisper gently.
"Thanks to you" He replies shakily. I hear a clang, and tense.
"We should get out of here" Chris reminds us and starts to walk out while supporting Ashley, who is still sobbing. I wrap my arm around Josh and go after them. We get outside before Josh speaks up.
"I was really worried about you"
I frown and look up at him.
"What? I wasn't the one who woke up tied to a wall. How do you think I felt?"
"But I didn't know if you were okay or not. I kept thinking that maybe he had done something to you"
"You disappeared! I had no idea where you were! I was terrified! If you had been killed I don't know what I would have done!"
I avert my eyes after my outburst is finished. I didn't mean to say that much. The colour rushes to my cheeks, and my shoulders slump. I let out a heavy, weighted breath.
"Max...hey, look at me" Josh gently cups my chin with his fingertips and turns my head to face him. I don't bother to disguise my emotion, he would only suss me out. His hazel eyes search my face as his hand moves up to my cheek.
"That was awesome" The corner of his mouth twitches in a small smile. My skin burns under his touch. Shivers run down my spine as I quietly sigh in content. He slowly leans down and kisses me on the cheekbone. My heart thumps against my chest and my knees go weak. Holy crap, that felt good. When he pulls his head away, I can feel something inside me reaching out to him longingly.
"I don't care how you think I see you. You're still my Max"
"Josh..." I can't speak, I can't think. He trails his fingertips down the side of my face. Chris is right; I do still love him. More than I ever have before
"Guys!"
Both of us turn to look at the newcomers. Matt and Emily run up to us, panting and out of breath.
"What happened?"
"There was a maniac and he tied up me and Josh and oh my god it was horrible Josh nearly died and..." Ashley trails off, crying. Chris puts his arm around her and calms her down gently.
"Maniac? Oh my god, we have to get outta here!" Emily exclaims fearfully.
"I don't understand. What happened? Did she just say you almost died?" Matt urges.
"There was this saw and it was either me or Josh and he almost got cut right in half! If Max hadn't found an axe-" Ashley's gushing gets cut off by another wail. I feel Josh tense beside me and I absent-mindedly grab his hand. I drag my teeth across my lip, looking at the snowy ground, where the track marks from where the psycho dragged Josh and Ashley into the barn still lie, though covered by a thin layer of fresh snow. I frown in frustration; he's still out there, and he could still hurt my friends.
"Someone needs to go get help, right now" I mutter sternly.
"We should go find the others" Matt suggests. Emily rolls her eyes and folds her arms.
"Mike and Jess are off 69'ing or something and who knows where Sam is"
"She was in the lodge the last time I saw her" I interject.
"Fine. Fine, you're right. Get everyone else together. But if there's a maniac running around I think we need to get some help too, right? Not just wait around?" Emily points out.
"Sounds good to me"
I readjust my hold on the axe.
"Okay, let's go. Matt and Max, you're with me. Josh, Chris; take Ashley and head back to the lodge" Emily orders. I have to admit, she is a natural leader, no matter how bitchy she can be. I start to walk towards Matt and Emily.
"Hey, I'm coming with you," Josh catches my hand. "I was worried sick about you. We're not splitting up again this soon, okay?"
"But Ashley is distraught! Look at her!" He glances over his shoulder at the quivering Ashley. I lower my voice. "If something happens to Chris, I need you to make sure she gets back safely, okay?"
Josh averts his eyes, hesitating.
"Can't you just come with us?"
"Umm, I don't think so. When a girl looks that dangerous with an axe, she's automatically on protection duty" Emily declares, leaving no room for argument.
"We'll be fine, I promise" I assure him with a little smile.
Suddenly, he grabs me and pulls me close, taking my face in his hands and pressing his lips against mine. I completely melt inside, as easily as if I were made of the very snow that surrounds me. I grip his arms as my pulse soars erratically. It's like a warm, lovely ache that fills my body. I never want to feel anything else for the rest of my life. I kiss back instantly; automatically. I missed this -missed him- so, so much. When we pull apart, I utter the only three words I can recall.
"I love you"
"I love you too"
There are a few, precious seconds where it is as if only he and I exist.
"Oh...kay, then"
Dammit Emily.