Something to Bond Over || Until Dawn Jossam

The Prankster [Part 03]

I look at him for a moment before I nod for him to continue.

"I... I was angry at you, guys, about the prank that led to... that lead to all of this. So, I planned an elaborate prank to punish those that needed punishing. It was going to be a good short film. I was going to post it on YouTube and everything. It was perfect," he says wistfully before shaking his head.

Josh's love for film and directing is something we all know. Last year, he suggested we vlog our whole party, and we were gonna do it. We were known in the whole school, and that might've even boost our fame—make us well known vloggers. But it all went down to shit when I did that stupid prank.

"Anyway," Josh continues, bringing me back to his explanation, "it started when I faked a seance with a Ouija board with Chris and Ash. I made them believe that my sister was killed and that there's proof around the area. I made elaborate contraptions to scare Chris and Ashley around the lodge. Then I was gonna chase and catch Sam in the lodge to bait Chris and Ashley while they look around for clues."

I take a deep breath. The information was overwhelming me. But more importantly, I can't believe Josh did this. Josh.

"I didn't catch her, though. Still, I got Ash, and I made Chris choose between me and Ash."

"...What do you mean by—"

"There was a saw coming between me and Ash. He has to choose which one to live and die."

"Shit, Josh," I blurt out.

Josh closes his eyes at my outburst but something else forms in my head.

"Who... Who did Chris pick?"

He sighs. "Ashley, of course."

"Oh, Josh," I whisper.

"Yeah, well, I know it sucks. Let's carry on, shall we?"

He's hiding how much that hurt him. I already know that Chris and Josh are best friends. Hell, we all tease them as each other's lover. I can't believe Chris would choose Ashley over Josh, but then again, he's been pining over Ashley for God knows how long. Even Sam with—

Wait, hold on a minute. "You said you chased Sam and you made Chris choose between his two best people..."

"...Yeah... What is it?"

"Why them? Sam tried to stop us, and Chris was passed out drunk at the night of the... that night. Josh, you targeted the wrong people."

Josh looks away. "Yeah, I know."

"Josh, what the fuck?"

"Look, it's... I don't know, okay? I mean, I told you... The filming was perfect. After Chris chose, I caught them again and they thought they were gonna get sawed again unless Chris chooses to shoot either himself or Ashley. It was perfect. They even confessed their feelings with each other. And Sam... She gets to be the final girl. The one chased but the one who wins in the end. The one who gets to take the monsters away, you know?"

Ohhh... "So, you think this will help them? What is this, a thank-you prank?"

"No. I meant to make you all feel as humiliated as Hannah did and as panicked as Beth did a year ago. With Chris and Sam... I wanted them to have the happy ending. I don't know. Maybe, you're right. Fuck, I don't know."

"Jesus, Josh."

"It all went wrong when Mike came in and hit me on the head with the butt of a gun..." he ends with a whisper. I don't even want to comment about Mike having a gun.

"He thought your prank with me is so much worse than that, didn't he?" He stays quiet. "He thought you killed me. That's why he hit you, didn't he? And you started to believe it?" He nods morosely at that.

"I'm glad he was wrong," he replies quietly.

Now, his episode makes much more sense. "I KILLED YOU! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD! I KILLED YOU! GET AWAY FROM MY HEAD! I KILLED YOU!" he yelled when he was clawing his own face out. God, that really scared the crap out of me.

But another thing came to mind:

"Mike thinks I'm dead," I say, tears coming out of my eyes despite my best efforts not to.

"They all probably think the two of us are dead," Josh replies plainly.

"So, we might not get rescued?" I deduce in horror.

"Fuck, you're right," Josh says before he stands up. "We gotta find a way out of the mines."

"But the... the monster..."

"Shit... er... Let's just... Do it in the morning, I guess? When there's sunlight. Better that way, yes?"

I nod in reply. A lump in my throat forms and before I know it: "Josh, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry about the prank. I'm sorry about Hannah and Beth... I'm so sorry!" I sob on his shoulder, grabbing the front of his shirt as I cling on to him for dear life. I want him to get the message.

I want him to know how truly deeply sorry I am.

I did a terrible thing. I extorted a friend's feelings without caring about what it might do to her, and now it led to their disappearances, or possible deaths, if I'm being honest.

It takes me a while to realize that someone is rubbing my shoulders and telling me to stop crying.

"Don't be sorry, Jess. I have something to confess to you, too," Josh starts nervously.

"W-what?" I ask, my voice still shaky from weeping.

"You never asked what prank I had planned for you and Mike."

I keep silent, not really knowing what else to say. He's right. I never asked. What could be worse than being traumatized with saws and pretending your best friend is dead?

"The cabin has cameras around."

I suck in a breath. "Party like we're fucking porn-stars," I quote him. "You were gonna film us, too, like how we filmed Hannah taking her shirt off."

Josh nods before looking away.

"I... I would've deserved it," I whisper.

I'm surprised Josh didn't get whiplash at how quick he turned to look at me.

"No," he told me, "everything we did. No one deserved that."

I nod solemnly before laughing. "God, Josh, we're fucked up, huh?"

"I guess we are."