Until Dawn - Personal AU

Chapter 2 - Darkness - Nine Hours Until Dawn

Cat - Hatcheter Lodge Grounds

"I feel like this mountain gets bigger every time I climb it."

"Same for me."

"But you grew up here. Shouldn't it be shrinking?"

"I guess."

I raise my phone. "When are you gonna install some cell towers up here? I'm getting withdrawals already."

"Got a spare million lying around?"

"How about you, Mr. My Parents Own a Goddamn Mountain?"

Cedar scoffs, "Fuck off." He rolls his eyes and brushes off the comment by picking up his pace and meeting up with Max and Madison. Cedar stands by Max immediately so he's not shouted at to "get his womans" by a certain someone.

"Hey, guys!" Madison hops up and gives both Maya and I hugs. "Augh! I'm just so excited!"

"Yeah. I'm excited to finally find someone that won't make me wanna stab everyone." Maya greets. And she thinks I'm crazy...

"Did you guys get up here okay?" interrupts Cedar.

"Yeah." Maddie smiles. "It was kinda creepy, though. Like, it's just really weird to be back."

Maya - Hatcheter Lodge Grounds - 22:00

"Hey, Maya, do you think you could help me with something?" Cedar tries opening the front door but fails. He steps onto ground level and walks over to another side of the house. "C'mon."

I trail behind him. "So, you ever gonna get your womans?"

"No."

"Aww! Come on! Now's your time!"

"No."

"Boo, there are no parents-"

"No. Just stop."

I roll my eyes and continue walking. Cedar stands by a cabinet thing, seemingly wanting help with it, but I decide that looking around is more important. Near the cabinet, I spot an empty axe holder. "Hey, isn't there usually an axe here?"

"Huh?" Cedar walks over and looks at the empty case. "Weird."

I glare at him. "But there's a psychopath on this mountain! Didn't you see the wanted poster?"

"Uh... yeah. Sure. Can you just help me move this?" I scoff and help Cedar push the cabinet so it's under the window. We both climb on top of it and look at the window. "Think you could open the door for me?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, whatever. As long as I'm not out in the cold with some psycho. Well, multiple psychos." I swiftly slide through the window and just about stick the landing. The lights then go out with the sound of glass breaking. "Did I do that?"

"I don't... I don't think so." Cedar throws a lighter to me, and I catch it, putting the object in my pocket. "Use this to help you open the door. There's a can of deodorant upstairs in the bathroom so you can melt the ice."

I think about it for a second, then realize what to do. "Got it." I turn my back and begin to wander around the basement. I hear Cedar jump off of the cabinet and the crunch of snow under his steps, so I know it's safe to snoop around.

Looking around, I discover a piece of newspaper and pick it up, flipping it around. It reads, "EX-JANITOR CONVICTED FOR ARSON" right at the top on the very first page. Great. And just to make sure, I read a bit of the article. "Victor Milgram-" Yep. That's all I needed. At least I can defend myself. I look around the cold storage room some more when I catch a glimpse of a picture on the wall. On closer examination, I realize it's a family portrait of the Hatcheters. It brings back bittersweet memories of Laurel and Verity before that awful prank.