Complications (Until Dawn Fanfiction: Chris X Female Reader)

Chapter Fourteen: When the Sun Rises

Ashley's POV

I follow Sam out of the safe room and down the tunnels, looking back periodically to check on Chris and Y/N, who are lagging behind. 

"Come on, guys!" Sam ushers. "Hurry up! We gotta find Mike! Come on!"

Chris suddenly stops, leaning against the tunnel wall. "Hey... I'm kinda gimping out here, guys. I think maybe you should go on without me."

"Are you going to be okay, Chris?" I ask.

He nods. "Yeah. I can't keep up with you macho ladies."

"Oh, Chris. Just stop it, okay? It's alright."

"I'll stay with him, Ash," Y/N offers.

I nod. "That's a good idea. Catch up with us once Chris is ready."

Chris sinks down to the floor, leaning his head against the wall.

Y/N sits next to him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

I give them a small smile and a wave before turning to follow Sam and Emily.

We reach the door Mike must have used to get out, Sam pushing on it to get it open. She backs away when it doesn't work, frustratedly hitting it. "Shoot! Mike must have locked it behind him. Crap! There's got to be another way in."

I look down and see a sewage grate. I point to it with my flashlight. "Wait. Hey! What about this?"

Sam walks over to look at it with Emily and me. "Oh... huh."

"I mean, should... should we try it?"

"Well, it's not like we got a whole lot of choices here."

I grab a pipe nearby, using it to shift the grate so Sam can help me move it completely aside.

The three of us peer down the whole.

"Okay, this is maybe the last place I'd wanna be right now," I admit.

Sam looks at Emily and me. "So who's going first?"

Emily chuckles humorlessly. "After you."

Sam nods, getting on the ladder and starting to climb down the hole. "Not so bad. You think this is the tunnel to the Sanitorium?"

"Of course it is. Where else would it go?" I question.

Sam makes it down the ladder, Emily starting down after her.

But when it's my turn, I hesitate.

"I want to make sure Chris and Y/N can find us. Maybe if I leave marks along the way, they'll be able to follow us!"

Sam peers up at me. "Huh?"

"You guys just go, I'll catch up."

Sam nods. "Alright."

Once she disappears out of sight, I get a pebble nearby and use it to make an arrow mark at the opening of the hole. That way, they'll know to go down the ladder to get to us.

With the mark made, I climb down the ladder to follow the others.

But I pause when I hear someone crying and calling for help.

"Hello? Who's there? Anybody? Jessica? Is it you?" 

It sure sounds like Jessica.

I decide to investigate, climbing down to get to the origin of the voice. 

If it's Jess, she needs my help.

Y/N's POV

I watch as Chris sucks in a breath through his gritted teeth, his eyes closed.