We Wait Until Dawn (Human AU)

Diary

"Wendigos?"

The group of teens sat in terror as Ivan explained to them exactly what he explained to Arthur down in the mines. They were sitting in the parlor with Ivan sitting on the singular arm rest chair, Gilbert, Alfred, Francis, and Feliciano sitting on the sofa, and Kiku standing next to the fireplace where Matthew was tied up.

"Yes, that's what they're called. I just said it." Ivan retorted, finding it irritating how they repeated every obvious thing he explained. "They will kill you if you are not careful or quiet. And, with all of the antics you all have been doing up here, you're on a one way path to death."

Feliciano shifted uncomfortably at the new information, casting anxious glances out the window as if expecting to see one there. To think, monsters like that existed in the real world. Sure, he knew there were always supernatural beings, but... ones like this? And one where he was in a situation with them? It was unbelievable and terrifying.

"How do we protect ourselves from them?" Kiku asked, biting his lip nervously. "Surely, there has to be something, right? They can't be invincible."

Everyone nodded in agreement, clinging on to that ray of hope that there was some way they can be protected by this.

Ivan let out a short laugh before swinging his massive backpack off his back. It hit the table with a loud thud, startling Feliciano and Alfred. With a closer view of it, the friends could see a rather thin tub snaking through the backpack, connected to a tank that was strapped to the side.

"Fire." The Russian stated simply. "Wendigos are afraid and can be killed by fire. However, do not kill them. If you kill a wendigo, their spirit will be released and find their way into some other person." The friends stiffened at the sound of that, causing Ivan to roll his eyes. "No, not just anyone like one of you morons. The only way to become one of these things is through starvation and feasting off human flesh. When a starving human resorts to eating another human in order to survive, they turn into a monster, forever damned into eating viciously as a hideous wendigo. I've locked up many of them in a building not too far from here to keep from having anyone else turn into these things.... or eaten by them. However, there's still one or two running around since they're fairly new."

Feliciano winced softly in discomfort as he thought about his brother... Could he possibly have been eaten by one of those? God, just the thought of it made him want to puke. No... he couldn't think like that. There's no way that could've happened.

"C-Can you take us to get Arthur?" Francis inquired shakily, trying to keep his composure. "I don't mean to be rude and impatient but... he's down there! He's been taken by one of those things! He could be dying or-or dead and-"

"He's probably dead." Ivan said in a matter-of-fact tone. Francis flinched at the other's confidence in the statement. "If the wendigo had already taken him, then he is probably dead. I've seen the wounds on his body and how he was tossed down there when he didn't listen to me. By now, he's probably already become a feast for the monster. There's no use in going down there. It's best if you all just stay here and—"

Ivan's words were cut off as a fist punched him squarely on the side of the face with surprising strength. He fell off the chair  as Francis threw himself over the table to continuously hit the man over and over where he could.

"How DARE you give up on him so easily! You don't know if he's dead! Stop saying that he is! We have to rescue him! We can't just leave him down there, you worthless piece of sh-"

"Francis!" Feliciano yelled, wrapping his arms around the boy's stomach to try and pry him off the older man. Francis allowed himself to be pulled back as he was shoved into the couch once again. His eyes were narrowed in anger and despair as he glared over at Ivan. Ivan sat upright on the chair once again, rubbing his now red cheek.