Post Dawn

15: Healing

Josh woke up in his normal hospital bed and sat up. He felt the side of his mouth, feeling that his teeth were normal now.

"Nice." He heard himself whisper. He put his hands over his mouth and then looked over to the side of his bed and grabbed his water.

He took a sip from it. Then spoke. "Hey." He heard himself say.

His voice was a bit raspy but he could speak nonetheless.

It had been a week since he had been taken off that mountain. He barely remembered what happened after he and Mike went into that river.

There were some memories that felt like he shouldn't be seeing. Some that just felt like they weren't him. After he had been face to face with that Wendigo, who he assumed was his sister, he had memories that he thought didn't belong.

He shook his head and remembered seeing a dead body in front of him. Only flashes of it but he didn't know what else he was seeing.

He heard his door open, distracting him from his thoughts. He saw Emily walk in with a cup of coffee for herself. She never brought one for him, in fear that it would burn his throat more.

"Hey." She greeted as she sat at the end of his bed. "Hey." He said with his raspy voice.

Emily's eyes widened as she turned towards Josh quickly. "The mute finally speaks." She teased.

Josh rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

"Yeah." Was all he managed to say. Emily took a sip from her coffee as an awkward silence fell on them.

"Everyone's gone. They all left." Emily said randomly.

Josh looked to her and then down at his hands.

His fingers ached for a reason he could not explain. They were sore whenever he moved them.

"But you stayed? Why?" He asked.

Emily scratched her head and looked to the door. "I don't- I don't know. I don't really have anywhere else to go." She admitted.

Josh felt sorry for her. He knew she had been through a lot. On the mountain and here. She was alone. "You're really the only person who can stand to be around me." She said.

She looked back to him, hurt in her eyes. He bit his lip, not knowing what to say. "Do you know where everyone went?" He asked.

"Chris and Ashley are at his place, Jess and Matt are at another hospital and Mike and Sam, they- I don't know where they are." Emily explained.

Josh looked away from her at the mention of Sam's name. Emily regretted talking about her as soon as she said her name. Josh knew that Sam would never feel the same way he did for her. She was his best friend and that was all.

Nothing else would ever come from that. He sighed and then looked back at Emily. "Sorry." He said. She shook her head. "It's okay. I know what it's like." Josh nodded.

~~~~~~~

Chris and Ashley were on their way to visit Jessica in a taxi as they were both too nervous to drive themselves.

Ashley twiddled with her thumbs as Chris looked out the window.

"How do you think she is? If she had to be sent there?" Chris asked randomly. Ashley looked up from her hands and over to Chris.

"I don't know. It must've been something that the doctors figured out from tests. I mean it's been a week or so since we were there, right?"

Chris nodded as he put his hand in hers. "I'm sure everything is okay. I mean how much could change in a week?" Chris asked.

Ashley gave him a look as he chuckled nervously.

"Don't jinx it." Ashley said to him. He shook his head and looked out the window once again. Ashley did the same and watched the road go by quickly.

*Time skip*

Ashley had felt herself beginning to fall asleep until Chris lightly shook her awake. She opened her eyes quickly and looked over to him.

He pointed out her window and she saw the place Jessica was supposed to be staying at. She saw a huge mountain on the side of it, it loomed over them.

Ashley shivered at the sight and scooted over towards Chris.

The driver told them they had arrived. They got out of the car and looked up at the building that towered over the two.

Even with it's height, the mountain could be seen slightly over it.

Chris and Ashley both made their way to the gate that guarded the place. "Chris, are you sure this is the place?"

"This is where Emily said they were staying."

Ashley nodded and watched Chris buzz the button near the gate and heard a voice come from it.

"Who are you?" It sounded like Matt but they weren't sure anymore. Everything about Matt had changed since the mountain.

His voice could have too.

"It's Chris." No answer. Chris looked at Ashley and then back to the speaker.

"Chris Hartley?" Chris said hopefully.

A loud buzz came from the gate as it opened.

Ashley quickly walked to Chris and grabbed his hand. "Ash it's okay." He reassured her.

She looked around everywhere and then back at Chris.

"I don't know Chris. I have a weird feeling." She told him. He nodded to her as he too looked around.

"I know. I do too. But I'm sure everything is okay. We're safe I promise." Chris said.

Ashley shook her head as they stood at the huge double doors in the front of the building.

"Here we go." Chris mumbled.

He knocked on the door and stood back, waiting for it to open.

They had been standing there for almost two minutes with nothing happening. Ashley looked at Chris and stepped up to the doors and knocked a little harder then Chris had.

She walked backwards away from the door and then turned to Chris.

"Maybe we should just go." She said to him.

As Chris opened his mouth to speak, the doors opened. And there stood Matt, who looked exhausted.

"Hey guys."

A.N. So I realized that these chapters have been a bit short, especially in comparison to the other story I have been working on, so the chapters after this one will be a bit longer so I can add some more detail. Hope you're all enjoying so far.