It was too dark to see anything around me, as if the darkness had swallowed everything. I grabbed my phone from my bag and turned the flashlight on, but it didn't help much. This was a really bad idea, but I had no other choice. Last time someone stormed out of the lodge they never made it back, and I was not going to let that happen again. I carefully followed the set of footsteps that led to the little shed next to the lodge. Maybe Josh had gone in there and was totally safe, but I still wanted to be there for him.
As I got closer I noticed someone coming out of the shed, and visibly relaxed, so Josh had come out here after all. I started to make my way to him and stopped dead on my tracks. This man wasn't wearing the same clothes as Josh. His back was turned to me, but thanks to the little light on the shed's ceiling I could see the knife in his hand. I turned my flashlight off and very carefully stepped back, trying to make my way back into the lodge when he turned around. He was covered completely in blood and from the looks of it, it seemed fresh.
Trying to hold back a scream, I stepped back quicker, only to fall back onto the snow and catch his attention with the noise. He looked straight at me and stepped forward. This time I didn't hold back and let out a piercing scream, scrambling to my feet and running wherever my feet took me. I heard his steps as he followed me and willed myself to go faster.
I was running in the dark and into the woods before I realized, trying desperately not to think who all that blood belonged to. Please don't let it be Josh's. Please don't let it be Josh's, my mind said over and over. The stranger's footsteps stopped as soon as they had started, but I kept running. I didn't know where I was going at this point and I knew I had to go back. My friends were in danger and I had left them, Josh was probably dead and I couldn't do anything about it. Oh God, Josh was probably dead.
My vision blurred with tears, not that it mattered since I couldn't see where I was going anyways. Finally, karma got to me and I tripped, falling over and rolling down an unknown hill. My arms and legs hurt as I bruised and scraped them all over, my head and back got all banged up, and I somehow cut my cheek and bit my tongue as I was falling. Once the fall was over my entire body ached and was cold. I didn't know where I was and the dark wasn't going to help me find out either.
Slowly I stood up and checked my bag, violently pushing all my fears aside. Now was definitely not the time to curl up into a ball and cry, my friends were in danger and I needed to go back and help them. I grabbed my phone and checked if it still worked. The screen was shattered from all angles, but the flashlight still worked. I grabbed my camera out of its protective case and saw that it was still miraculously intact. Those fifty dollars were good for something at least. Then I started walking hopefully in the right direction.
The snow was falling heavily, but not fast enough to be considered dangerous. I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me and always jumped at the slightest movement or sound. I almost turned around and started walking in the opposite direction when I heard a scream.
"MICHAEL!" Jessica's terrified scream echoed through the forest. In a frantic, I ran towards her. I couldn't let another one of my friends die while I could possibly do something about it. I ran as fast as my banged up legs and snow would let me and shortly found myself in a sort of mine entrance. I ran in and slowed down a bit, listening for another scream that could direct me to where Jess was.
"JESSICA!" This time it was Michael who screamed, but he had to be close to her so I followed.
There were a lot of turns here and there, but eventually I found her just as Michael did on an elevator. We both ran to her and I gasped when I saw just how beat up she was. Michael reached out to her carefully and was about to drag her away from the elevator when it just fell down, as if someone had cut the ropes from the top.
"JESSICA!" This time it was mine and Michael's voice that echoed through the mines as the elevator plummeted to the bottom. I started to make my way down to her when Mike grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
"Leave it, she's dead." He stated, sounding defeated and beyond hope.
"But what if-" I refused to believe it, I didn't want to.
"Abby, no one could survive being beat up that badly and falling such a distance in and old, rusted, metal elevator." His eyes were devastated and his voice no louder than a whisper. Then just as quick they turned cold.
"But the bastard that did this is up there and alive. Come on." Mike started making his way up and I followed close behind. I was never really good at climbing, but for the sake of not staying alone down here and making sure Mike didn't do anything stupid, I kept up. On the last jump to safety I messed up and almost fell to my death like Jessica, but Mike caught me just in time and pulled me to him. We stood like that for a second before I pushed him away and pointed towards the end of the hallway, unable to mask the fear in my eyes.
The killer was there, calmly walking away. Mike immediately pointed the sniper he had at him and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. He groaned audibly and threw the useless thing aside, grabbing my hand instead and slowly followed the maniac. We saw as the man went through a door that was slowly closing and made a run for it, trying to reach the door before it closed. I tightened my grip on Mike's hand and prayed to whatever God would listen that we both made it safely through that door.
We jumped at the last second and both slided through the tiny gap that was closing, my phone falling from my free hand and staying behind. We sat in total darkness for a bit before I heard Mike struggling to do something. A gas lantern turned on and I saw him reach out to me with his free hand. I then realized he was only wearing a tank top with jeans and his combat boots, with a few cuts and bruises on his arms and face. I grabbed his hand and jumped down with him going through the small hallway.
"How are you here?" Mike suddenly asked, startling me. The memories from the lodge came rushing back and my grip on his hand tightened.
"We were contacting spirits, playing a stupid game. Hannah actually responded, Mike. It was horrible, she said things like "Betrayed," and "Killed," I couldn't handle it, she was my best friend. I ran out, and saw her ghost, it was Hannah Mike, she was walking around the lodge and I screamed and..." I couldn't help it, the memory of seeing Hannah's ghost brought tears to my eyes and made want to cry uncontrollably.
"Abby, it's ok, you're fine. Look at me. You didn't do anything to cause her death, stop feeling responsible, I know you do. Is that why you ran out and ended up here?" There was pity and concern in his eyes as he looked at me breaking down. I shook my head and continued telling him what happened.
"Chris, Ashley, and Josh came to see what had happened and when I told them they believed me, except for Josh. He said we were all bullshitting him and ran out the house. I followed him, hurt that he wouldn't believe me but more worried that he might to something stupid, when I saw him. Oh God Mike, he had blood all over him and a knife in his hand. He saw me and, and I panicked and just ran. I ran for so long in the dark and then I just fell down a hill. I tried to find my way back to them, but then I heard Jess scream and I still couldn't do anything Mike! I can never do anything!" I was speaking too fast now, and couldn't stop myself from saying those last two sentences.
Mike put the lamp down and hugged me. He didn't say anything for a while and just held me close.
"I couldn't do anything either, sometimes you just can't do anything, but right now we can. This bastard is still alive, and while he is, he's a danger to us all. We can put an end to that." He wiped the tears from my eyes and held my face in his hands.
"Come on, let's go right some wrongs." Mike let go of my face and held my hand again as I slowly nodded. We continued walking down the hallway until a cold breeze hit us and we were outside. We were in a sort of hill and could see a building in the distance. I remembered the radio interview mentioning an old sanatorium and guessed this was it. I quickly grabbed my camera and zoomed in, looking for any trace of the killer when I found him walking towards the building.
"He's going to the old sanatorium. Let's go." I said, sounding way more confident than I actually felt. Mike grabbed my hand and we walked towards the building, towards the Lion's den.
