...3 hours until dawn...

the stranger

Katy, Ashley, Chris, and Sam both sat on the couch of her parents' lodge. Chris had returned because Mike said he'd watch Josh overnight. Suddenly someone started pounding on the door. "Let me in! LET ME IN!" Emily screamed.

"Is that??" Ashley questioned.

"It's Em!" Sam shouted.

"Let her in quick!" Chris yelled and the four of them rushed to the door.

They swung the door open and Emily fell inside "Shut the door! Oh my god shut the door!" She screamed. Chris slams the door shut and Ashley, Sam, and Katy help Emily to the couch.

"Em, are you alright?" Chris asked as the girls took a seat.

"I didn't think that I'd make it!" She said, sighing with relief.

"You were screaming bloody murder," Chris said.

"You were totally wiped," Ashley mumbled.

"Are you okay?" Katy asked.

"There was something." Emily started.

"Where's Matt?" Ashley interrupted. "Did you guys split up?"

"A monster! It's a monster!" Emily shouted.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked.

"I'm fine, I don't feel anything, I just need to calm down. It was moving so damn fast," Emily explained.

"What was?" Katy asked.

"I just had to get away," Emily said.

"Away from what?" Katy asked.

"That thing! T-there was this thing whatever it was!" Emily exclaimed.

"Em, Em, you can relax... Josh was messing with us... but we," Sam reassured her.

"You aren't listening to me," Emily interrupted.

"Where is Matt?" Chris asked.

Emily sighed sadly "Matt- oh God. We couldn't use the cable car so we climbed the tower and then it fell and we were down in the mine, like way down, down in this terrifying freaking mine shaft..."

"Matt..." Katy mumbled.

"Hold on- hold on," Chris said.

Emily fiddled with her hands "And then, it was Matt and me down there and..." she mumbled "Oh God I think that Matt might be dead."

"Wait what?" Chris questioned.

Katy looked at Emily "No!" She cried. Her best friend. Dead? She had lost too many people because of this mountain.

"How?" Sam questioned.

Emily sighed "The mines- I-- I was walking down there, in the mines, and it was dark and I found this pile and there was Beth's head!" She explained.

"What?" Katy questioned.

"I found Beth's head," Emily repeated.

"Oh my god!" Ashley cried and turned away.

"What the fuck!" Chris exclaimed.

"Are you serious?" Sam asked.

"Yes, I'm serious!" Emily shouted, " I think they fell down there."

"Jesus Christ," Chris asked.

"But the worst part is I don't think Hannah died, like, from the fall, not right away..." Emily explained. "Her glasses were down there... and a cross for Beth."

"What? What do you mean?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know... I feel like she was down there... like, starving to death... for weeks... when we were all up here looking for her... we had no idea!" Emily explained.

"Holy shit," Katy mumbled.

"Listen. In... In the tower there was a radio and I - I got through to someone - but that was right when the tower collapsed!" Emily told them.

Mike burst into the room "Em! You made it!" He approached her.

"Oh, god, Mike," Emily said with relief.

Mike hugged Emily "Yeah, yeah barely." Chris said.

"Where's Matt?" Mike asked, pulling away.

"We're trying to figure that out..." Katy said quietly.

"And there was this "monster" that was chasing her..." Sam explained.

"She's all messed up, guys. Emily? Hey, Em?" Mike said, shaking her.

There was a loud bang from the back door of the lodge "Woah.." Chris mumbled.

"Who the fuck could that be?" Mike questioned.

"Josh?" Ashley questioned.

"Jess?" Chris asked.

"It's not Jess," Mike said.

"Sorry man... but who is it?" Chris asked.

"I don't know... We should check it out." Mike suggested.

"I got your back," Chris told him.

"Good," Mike said. The two boys walked to the back door together and came back with a stranger.

"Ok. Everybody just calm down." The Stranger reassured them. "Now just move over there. Go on, move! Let me say what I came to say. I'm here to tell you what you're up against being back on this mountain. You should never have returned. I don't know why you did after what happened last year."

"You mean with Hannah and Beth?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah? How could you know without being involved?" Chris asked.

"Or responsible," Sam suggested.

"You hold on to your horses. I don't take kindly to you kids coming up here to my mountain." The Stranger said.

"Your mountain? I'm sure the Washingtons would be very surprised to hear that." Mike said, signaling to Katy.

Katy nodded, "Well yeah my parents bought the mountain."

"Hehheh. Well, this mountain doesn't belong to me, it's true. But it doesn't belong to the Washingtons. This mountain belongs to the Wendigo." The Stranger admitted.

"Who?" Chris asked.

"Wendi what?" Katy asked.

"What the hell's a Wendigo?" Mike inquired.

"Let's hear him out," Sam suggested.

"Not like we have a choice." Mike pointed out.

"Now I'm only going to tell you this once. It doesn't matter to me if you believe it or not. I got reasons I want to... Get it off my chest..." the Stranger started.

"See? I told you! He's guilty as shit! Guilty of something!" Mike yelled.

"Shh! Shut up, Mike!" Sam hissed.

"There is a curse. That dwells in these mountains. Should any man or woman resort to cannibalism in these woods the spirit of the Wendigo shall be unleashed." He explained.

"Oh, crap..." Mike whispered.

"You're going to need to find somewhere safe." The Stranger told them.

"The basement might be fine." Katy offered.

"Okay. Get down there, now. All of you. And wait." The Stranger demanded.

"What? Why? For how long?" Sam asked.

"Until dawn," Emily said.

"Guys... I ran off and left Josh when I heard screaming." Mike said suddenly.

"What?" Katy asked.

"Where did you leave him?" The stranger asked.

"In the shed..." Mike answered.

"Your friend will already be dead." The Stranger admitted.

"No no. He has to be alive." Katy said.

"No... No, he can't be... We were just with him!" Chris yelled.

"A lot can happen quickly on this mountain." The Stranger said.

"No, I'm going to get him," Chris demanded.

"No, Chris! You can't go out there!" Ashley exclaimed.

"I'm supposed to be his best friend and I let him down," Chris said.

"No ... he let you down, Chris - he let all of us down," Ashley said.

"I don't care." Chris admitted, "I'm going to get him."

"Then I'll go with you." The Stranger offered.

"No, I'm fine," Chris assured.

"Going alone is a suicide," the Stranger said.

"Fine." Chris agreed.

"The rest of you - get down to the basement. Be safe. Don't go outside again until we're back." The Stranger said.

Chris and the Stranger walked off, talking. Ashley rushed after them. From the corner of Katy's eye, she could see Ashley kiss Chris.

Tonight's events had brought people together. That's the only good thing.

The rest of the group excluding Ashley, and Chris obviously, made their way to the basement. Sam set down the Stranger's stuff. Katy looked around the familiar part of her parents' basements.

They all sat in silence until they heard the door slam shut upstairs. "Shit-" Katy mumbled.

Mike had already run upstairs, in a few he came back down with a limping Chris and Ashley.

"Oh my god, guys! Thank god!" Emily said with relief.

"Chris, what happened?" Katy asked.

"What room you so long?" Sam questioned.

"It's not so good up there right now-" Chris mumbled.

"Understatement of the night," Mike said.

"Chris, where's the flamethrower guy?" Sam asked.

Chris looked down "Ah yeah, he uh..." he trailed off.

"He didn't make it?" Ashley asked.

"Oh no..." Emily mumbled.

"Shit," Katy whispered.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"The thing, it... it tore him apart! Right in front of me!" Chris explained.

"Oh god..." Sam said, covering her mouth.

Mike was looking around "These all the doors?" He asked.

"Yeah," Sam said.

"Are you sure?" Mike asked.

"What are you doing?" Katy asked.

"Another way out." He replied.

"Mike... I really don't think that's a good idea. We should stay put, right here, until dawn. At least we're safe down here-" Sam suggested.

"Oh? Yeah? All wrapped like a little present with a bow on top for that thing to tear us apart on Christmas morning?" Mike bellowed.

"People will come for us. In the morning." Sam reassured.

"You don't sound so sure." Mike pointed out, crossing his arms.

"That's what will happen? Right Em?" Sam asked. Everyone turned to Emily.

"Yeah, I mean... right?" Emily said.

"Well, you can wait, I'm leaving!" He insisted.

"Mike, there's no key for the cable car-" Emily pointed out.

"Josh he's gotta have it!" Mike insisted again.

"What?" Katy asked.

"One of his dirty little tricks." He explained.

"Great. Great!" Sam said.

"If they fucking thing got ahold of Josh... we're shit outta luck," Mike said.

"I don't know, Mike, it's possible," Emily explained.

"What is?" Katy asked.

"It might've taken him down into the mine." Emily replied, "I saw some horrible stuff down there... I think it's where that thing lives and... ...huh."

"Em, what is that?" Sam asked.

"Fuck it. I'm gonna get that key. Right from thing's goddamned bedroom, and then I'm gonna get us all the hell out of here." Mike announced.

"Em, what is all that?" Sam asked.

"It's the old guys' stuff." She replied, looking at some of it.

"Is that a map?" Mike asked.

"That guy was prepared for everything," Sam said.

"Not quite," Emily replied.

"What is this place?" Katy asked, pointing to a spot on the map.

Mike gasped "Oh my god." He mumbled.

"Wait what? What is that?" Sam asked.

"I was down there. It was horrible," Mike answered.

"You were?" Katy asked.

"Some of them survived, but like... fifteen of 'em didn't make it," Mike explained. "There was this reporter and I think he figured out there had been some, like, big cover-up going on. I found these plans - they knew the mines was a death trap, but they let the miners keep working anyway."

"What?" Sam questioned "That's messed up,"

Mike nodded "And... I'm not sure what it means, but... I found this chair, with dried blood all over the place... like somebody's been tortured." He added.

"Michael, I'd like to maybe focus on how we're going to get the fuck out of here please?" Emily said.

"I'm just saying it's weird how much crazy shit's gone up here," Mike responded.

"What's weird is there's a tunnel leading from the lodge to the Sanatorium, see?" Emily pointed out. The four of them looked at the map again.

"That's how I got back here," Mike told them.

"I saw this when I was down there. That's where it lives." Emily said.

"Em, what is that?" Ashley asked suddenly pointing at her.

"Huh?" Emily asked as she turned around. Everyone looked at Emily.

"What is that?" Ashley repeated. Everyone noticed her shoulder bleeding and took a step away.

"Ash..." Emily whispered.

"Em... oh my God oh my God oh my God! Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Ashley cried.

"It's nothing, it bit me and," Emily explained.

"It bit you! What bit you?" Ashley asked.

"Em..." Katy whispered.

"The ah... the Wendigo," Emily replied quickly, ignoring Katy.

"The what?" Mike asked.

"It's nothing, really, it's not a big deal," Emily insisted.

"You okay?" Sam asked.

"Shit," Mike mumbled.

"It doesn't hurt anymore. Really. It's not that bad," Emily told them. "Believe me please."

"Em if that thing bit you..." Mike started.

"I know what you're thinking, and I'm fine..." Emily insisted.

"Are you?" Mike asked.

"Yes!" Emily repeated.

"Emily at least let us check it out," Sam told her.

Katy sighed "I mean she seems fine."

"Emily, if the Wendigo bit you... You could turn into one of those things." Mike said.

"Oh, that's ridiculous!" Sam exclaimed.

"He said it was from eating each other, remember he said that!" Ashley pointed out.

"Wait is that how it worked?" Katy asked.

"Yes! It happens if it bit you, you're gonna turn into one and then you're gonna turn on us oh my God oh my God oh my God!" Ashley cried.

"You can't be down here with us," Mike told her.

"What!" Emily shrieked.

"Mike Cmon!" Sam said.

"You gotta go." Mike insisted.

"Are you kidding me!" Emily yelled.

"You're putting us all in danger!" Mike shouted.

"Like hell I am!" Emily defended.

"Emily you can't stay here!" Mike said.

"Mike, just cool your head okay? We don't know if it works like that. Maybe it's just a bite," Sam explained.

Chris's lifted his head "I've seen what these fuckers can do. I don't want to see it again." He said blankly.

"What is this. Guys? What are you doing?" Emily asked, her eyes watering.

"Door's right here. I am letting you do this voluntarily." Mike said.

"Mike stop it!" Katy yelled.

"Oh no, you're just making yourself feel better about sending me to my death since you know there's a Wendigo out there rip me to pieces like it did with-" Emily was cut off.

"Oh my God will you just go! Go, get out of here!" Ashley insisted.

Mike pulls a gun out, pointing it at Emily. "Whoa!" Sam said, approaching him.

"...Okay..." Emily said slowly. She backed up into a counter.

"Mike calm down. You don't wanna do this." Katy said.

"You're going to shoot me? Mike... me?" Emily asked, her face looking betrayed.

"This is the safe room Em!" Mike yelled.

"Please!" Emily begged.

"It's not safe as long as you're in it... Not for us!" Mike shouted.

"No... Don-Don't do this!" Emily kept begging.

"I'm really sorry..." Mike said quietly. There was a long silence of Mike pointing the gun at Emily. "Fuck... I can't do this."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief "Oh my god." Emily said.

"You did the right thing," Sam told Mike.

Emily remained curled up on the counter and Mike looked at Sam "I hope so."

"Maybe... for now. Shit... fuck fuck." Mike panicked. "Keep an eye on her. If you see anything weird... you guys know what to do."

"Yeah," Ashley agreed coldly.

"No one leaves. Okay? It's not safe out there," Mike demanded, "I'll be back soon." Mike leaves the basement.

"I thought that... that he was going to help us..." Emily whispered.

"Who?" Katy asked. "The flamethrower dude?"

"Now we don't have a chance." She mumbled.

"No, guys, it just means we've got to be tough. We gotta do this on our own." Sam said, trying to help.

"I don't know if I can," Emily said.

Ashley walked away from the other girls to the flamethrower dude's stuff. Katy walked over to Emily "I'm sorry Em." She said softly.

"No no- don't apologize." Emily told her "You tried to stop him. It means a lot to me." Emily knew Katy and her were never the closest especially after the whole incident with her sisters. "I should be the one apologizing," Emily admitted.

"Hm? Why?" Katy asked.

"The whole prank we did on your sisters. Because I was jealous of Hannah. And insecure." Emily whispered.

Katy sighed and nodded "It's okay."

"It says that... well... the bites... if it bites you... it's not infectious. It doesn't do anything." Ashley explained.

Emily looked at Ashley quickly "Excuse me what did you say?" Emily asked.

Katy hopped off the counter and walked over to Sam and Ashley. "Em, it says you'll be okay... " Ashley said slowly.

"It says what?" Emily asked again.

"You'll be fine Em," Sam said.

"Fine?! Mike almost shot me? Is that fine?!" Emily fumed.

"He didn't shoot you," Sam said.

"And this bitch almost let him!" Emily snapped.

"Hey! That's not fair she was scared!" Sam said.

"I'm the one who's scared!" Emily persisted.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry Emily... I didn't know what was going to happen... None of us know!" Ashley quaked.

"There's- There's no excuse! There's no excuse for this!" Emily yelled. She was right, what Ashley did was a bitchy move.

"Please, Emily, please just try to understand" Ashley pleaded.

"Understand the palm of my hand bitch!" Emily yelled and slapped Ashley across the face.

"I'm sorry... I'm so so so so sorry..." Ashley mumbled and walked away.

"Shit. Shit-shit-shit... We've got to get to Mike, like now!" Sam insisted and walked out of the basement, everyone following her.

A/N: finally a longer chapter! I hope you enjoyed this one. I can't believe I'm almost done with this story.