Post Dawn

26. Cleansing

Emily grabbed a pot and put tap water into it as she left it on the stove. She glanced at Josh every few seconds to check if he had woken up.

Each time she looked, he'd be in the same position. She knew that he would wonder how this happened to him. Maybe if she explained it to him then she would be able to do it.

She told herself that she would try.

She waited until he got up. It was 20 minutes. Then 40. She had taken the pot off the stove so she didn't burn the whole house down.

She would put it back on five minutes after she'd taken it off. Making sure it was as hot as possible.

Then she heard him. He groaned and got up. Then his head turned towards her at an abnormal speed. Well no telling him then. She thought to herself.

She grabbed the pot off the stove and then made her way towards Josh who was looking at her like she was the tastiest thing for miles. His mouth watered the closer she got.

Then she formed her hand into a fist. She didn't want to but she knew she had to. She got as close as she could and then punched him in the face, knocking him out cold.

"Sorry Josh." She said quietly. He was on the floor and his mouth was already open. "I have to." She said to herself.

She then poured the water out of the pot in a small stream so she would be far away from his face in case something happened when he swallowed it.

With the first swallow, his body contorted in an inhuman way as he made shrieking sounds deeper and louder then any Wendigo she had heard.

She saw his eyes open as he screamed and then his body went limp. It felt like hours but it must've only been a few seconds. Then she saw an orange smoke come from Josh and shriek as it went out the open window.

She propped Josh against the couch although he still sat on the floor.

She put the pot into the kitchen sink and then went back into the living room to try and wake Josh up.

She stood in front of him for a while and waited for him to wake up on his own. She had started to walk away and walk down the hallway when she heard him coughing.

She rushed back into the living room and saw Josh with his fist in front his mouth as he started to have a coughing fit.

When she made it into the room he put his other hand up in front of him to tell her he was alright. He stopped a few seconds later and took a deep breath.

"What happened?" He asked her. Her eyes went wide at Josh's voice sounding completely fine. "Uh well-."

He rubbed the side of his face where Emily had punched him and then looked at his hand. Then his eyes went wide as he realized.

"Oh my god. Did I- did I hurt you? I'm so sorry Em I-."

"You didn't.. hurt me." Emily drew out. Josh sighed in relief and then sat down on the couch.

"So what did happen?" He asked her. She crossed her arms and sat down next to him with her hand on his back.

"Well I called Mike. Chris first but then Mike. I told them both that I thought you might be turning into a Wendigo. I wasn't really sure what to do. Mike said that he and Sam poured some coffee down your throat in the hospital to try and cure you but clearly that didn't work. I just boiled some water. A lot. And I tried it myself. And I saw- what I think was a Wendigo spirit come out of you." She explained quickly.

Josh rubbed his hands down his face and then rubbed the side of his face again. "Jeez. Sorry you had to do all that." Josh said.

Emily chuckled to herself. "It's alright. At least now I know you're okay now. I'm just surprised your throat's okay." She explained.