Rosswood (A Marble Hornets 'What If' Story)

Chapter 1: Entry #80

We look around the abandoned building as we walk to the staircase near the doors. Tim came back into the hall after me, and figured out I was following him. I can tell he's still pissed off at me for coming here, but seems shaken none the less about what I told him. It's not my fault that I want to help solve whatever was going on. I check the battery on my camera, 50% charged. I don't leave anywhere without it now, and it seems Tim doesn't either by the fact he's wearing his chest mounted camera. Paranoia I guess. We make it to the stairs, where we look around some of the side rooms. "I think I found something." Tim calls out from the room opposite. I look over and see him holding a tape. It looks old. "You sure that's the only one?" I ask, knowing he tried to keep the others from me before. "Yeah, really this time." He says, walking over and throwing it to me. I walk forwards and catch it, meeting him in the middle of the corridor. "If this is what we came here to find, then I think we should get out..." He tells me, looking around nervous. I look at the tape. "It can't be all there is to find. I mean, there was more in the asylum, wasn't there?" He looks back at me, annoyance but also agreement present in his eyes. "I guess. Y'know, if we spit up we'll be able to check faster." I agree to this and go over to the stairs. "I'll search upstairs. If any of us find anything, I think we should meet up here." I suggest, Tim nodding in agreement while walking into another room.

Sighing, I go up the stairs, beginning to search through one of the rooms. Boxes, desks, cabinets, and other random junk thrown in disarray, leaving nothing to really see. No tapes or clues here. The other rooms are the same. I check them all again, then a third time. Nothing. I should go back downstairs. Maybe Tim's right; maybe there really is nothing here. I lazily move back to where we agreed to meet. I wonder if Tim's found anything. Probably not. I'm suddenly broken out of my thoughts by a gunshot. I freeze for a second before hearing another, followed by a door slamming. What the hell? I run down the stairs and to where we were before, seeing Alex standing in front of the door, firing another four shots at it. He turns as I run into another room, hiding amidst the rubble as he walks past me and out the door. What was he doing here? I leave and go over to the room Tim was in. I manage to get the door open thanks to the age of it and look at him. He's leaning against the wall, his hand held in front of him covered in blood and two holes in his shirt. He got shot. I drop the camera and run over to him as he suddenly collapses, taking in shaky breaths. The wound is bleeding profusely, the sight making me feel like passing out on spot. I try to stop the bleeding as his breathing gets slower. "Tim, please stay with me! Please! I can't figure this out on my own! You're the only one I have left, come on!" I say, trying desperately to keep him awake. Despite my efforts, his eyes close, and his breathing stops. I shake him, trying to get him to wake up. No response. I check for a pulse. Nothing.

I feel myself beginning to cry, the shock turning into heavy sobs. I pull him closer, not caring if I get his blood on me. He's my best friend, he can't be dead! I feel someone watching me, but can't see who from the tears blocking my eyes. It's probably Alex waiting there. I hear footsteps coming closer, and I don't move. I don't care who it is anymore. Someone kneels down in front of us, the figure wearing an all too familiar mask. The hooded man.