The pain they felt in that moment was indescribable. It coursed it's way through the girls bodies, making them weak kneed. Sarah looked over at Josie, who had a look of horror glazed over her eyes. She knew what was coming next; a scream. Before she could, Sarah clamped her hand over Josie's mouth and pulled her to the side of the door.
"You can't scream. We don't know if the killer's down here."
"I-I..."
"It's awful, I know. You shouldn't have to see that and neither should I. But we came down here prepared for anything. Well, here it is. You can't give up now, Jo. We have to get justice for the both of them. God bless their souls."
Josie's body started to heave with silent sobs, as Sarah pulled her in tightly for a hug. They had just walked into the sight of Anna laid on a cold stony ground, stab wounds all over, eyes gaping open with a shocked expression washed over her face. Worst of all, she was laid facing the door, meaning that as soon as they opened it, they saw her terror frozen face instantly. Instead of dwelling on their ill fated friend, the girls knew they had to concentrate on finding the killer. He had to be down here too, because Sarah could hear power tools in the distance.
"We'll take it one step at a time, okay? I won't rush you, but if we find the killer, you have to promise me that you'll run away as fast as you can in the opposite direction."
"Sarah, I couldn't do that. I'm not leaving you alone."
"Jo, look. I'm the one who dragged you out here, I'll be the one to face the killer. There is no way in hell I am gonna let you die, too."
Josie felt hot tears sting at her eyes and an overwhelming lump rise in her throat.
"I can't let you die, either. Please, don't leave me. You're all that I have now. You can't go."
"I'll try my best to get back to you alive. But you have to understand, I might not, Jo. If I don't, I don't ever want you to blame yourself. It's my doings, my suggestions that got us in this mess in the first place, and you can bet on it that I'm gonna get us out of it. There's nothing I want more than to kill that disgusting vermin murderer right now."
It was no use arguing. Josie knew that when Sarah had her heart set on something, she wouldn't let anything or anyone get in the way of it. Taking a deep breath, Josie led the way into the room first, much to Sarah's surprise.
"Josie, what are you doing? I go first, remember? It's protocol by this stage."
"Sometimes, I've gotta take charge of the situation."
"As much as I'm proud of you for that, you do realise we're in a life-death situation right now and you have more of a chance of dying if you go first?"
Josie couldn't help but laugh at that. It was Sarah's pure bluntness that really made her an amazing person to be around.
"Okay, you lead the way into the next room."
Taking charge, Sarah stepped around Anna's stiff body. Josie followed, but first stopped to blow a kiss in Anna's direction.
"Love you always, my gorgeous Anna. Sleep tight. I'm so sorry about all of this."
It was a sincere, upsetting moment for Josie. Anna was her longest friend, as they'd known each other since they were two. All that time playing on the swings, arranging play dates, gossiping about crushes, making lifelong pacts...
Josie smiled fondly at the beautiful memories that crossed her mind. It was the perfect goodbye; instead of focussing on the negatives of her death, she reminisced at the times she'd had whilst alive. However, she didn't have time to reminisce any further. As Sarah walked towards Josie to pull her into the next room a masked, burly man leapt through the door frame, revving his bloody chainsaw threateningly towards Sarah.
"JOSIE, RUN!"