chapter nine:
the breaking point

six/five/four hours until dawn

Hazel felt frozen, she heard the muffled voices of Chris and Ashley outside as they looked for Sam. "She wasn't up there?" Hazel sighed as she tried to drown out the duo talking. "I don't know, I didn't see her in the bathroom. She must've come down here. Did you run into Hazel? Tell her we're gonna meet back down here if we can't find Sam?".

"She's in the bathroom, she threw up a bit and I tried to hold her hair back but I didn't do that great. Then she started crying and I tried to help her calm down, she wanted to be alone and attempt to watch the blood off so I came down here".

Ashley gasped when a candle lit up "did that just happen?" Chris sighed "damnit, what is going on around here?". The duo made their way into the cinema room and Chris stopped "wait, should we keep going without Hazel? It doesn't seem safe leaving her upstairs alone. Especially with the maniac potentially running around here trying to kill us".

Ashley nodded "yeah, leaving behind her all alone isn't exactly ideal.. especially since she's pregnant? I mean was she gonna tell us? We're her friends, why didn't she tell us about it". Chris scratched his neck "I mean would you? We haven't exactly talked in almost a year. Let's just go get her and try to find Sam together, leaving someone behind doesn't sound like the best idea".

They walked towards the door to leave but it slammed shut making them scream. Ashley tried to open it but it wouldn't budge "what the heck! Is there another way back into the entrance, we can't leave Hazel".

"No, this is the only down back out, I guess we have no choice but to keep going without her. Let's just hope we find Sam and nothing happens to Hazel". The duo flinch when a door down the hallway opens "well, I guess we have to go this way, just stay together".

Hazel made sure the bathroom door was locked twice before she set down a towel near the sink. She sniffled as she slowly took her jacket off, the front was ruined and her shirt was slightly ripped as well.

Thankfully it kept her warm enough as she set the jacket down on the small chair. She turned the sink water on letting the blood on her hands slowly wash off as she let out shaky breaths. "This wasn't supposed to happen, oh god" she looked at herself in the mirror.

She looked like a mess as she sniffled and turned towards the bathtub, it was still full of water. Likely from when Sam was in here earlier. She had hoped the girl was okay and nothing bad happened to her too.

Hazel pulled the drain out watching as the water slowly disappeared into the pipes. When it was empty she began filling it back up before she grabbed her towel off the chair and placed it closer in case she needed to leave quickly. She hunched over in discomfort as her stomach began to cramp, she groaned as she clung onto the edge of the bathtub.

"Not now.. please not now" she let out a shaky breath as she held her stomach and turned the water off. She groaned again when another sharp pain dug into her stomach. She gritted her teeth to try to be more quiet in case the maniac was still around.

"Keep it together Hazel, come on" she smacked herself slightly as she leaned back into the tub. "Keep it together..." she inhaled sharply as she forced herself to stand up. Her legs wobbled as she reached downwards and took her boots off.

She screamed when the door burst open, the maniac tilting their head towards her as they waddled forward. She cursed when she lost her footing and hit the ground making her cry out in discomfort.

"Shit..." she let out shaky breaths as her stomach cramped again. She threw her boot at the figure and then grabbed the other one tossing it, they managed to grab it that time and angrily tossed it away. "Oh come on... those are expensive!" she was getting agitated.

She crawled backward, groaning as she pushed her head into the wall. She tugged at the maniacs arms as they grabbed a hold of her, the mask nearing her face once more making her scream. "No! Not again" she screamed louder as her stomach pain increased.

The figure almost flinched at the sound as she screamed again, her hands clinging against her stomach desperately. She cried as she pushed the figure back "get away from me, you fucking asshole".

She forced herself to sit up and she cried out as her body began to ache. "Not now, god not now" she groaned as she crawled towards the doorway. She heard the muffled breathing behind her as they grabbed her by the hair and tugged her backwards.

"Bastard!" she inhaled sharply as she felt the push itself against her face once more. She quickly threw her elbow back, the figure groaning as it hit their crotch. She coughed as she tugged the door open and limped into the hallway. She held onto herself as she made her way towards the stairs "just a little bit longer, keep it together for a little bit longer".

She was whispering to herself desperately as her stomach ached "don't you dare break yet". She groaned as she pushed open the cinema room door, the screen was on and she gasped as she watched Josh being ripped in half all over again.

It kept replaying and she held in her tears as she looked away "oh god, Joshua. He'd know what to do" she quickly hid behind a set of chairs and tried to be quiet. She held onto herself more tightly as she watched the maniac walk inside "oh come on Haze! I'm not gonna hurt you. Where are you?".

She held her mouth as she ducked down more "where are you hiding?" Her eyes widened in horror as she felt an intense sensation in between her legs. She cringed at the feeling as her pants began to slowly become damp.

"This can't be happening... oh fuck!" She screamed as she held onto her stomach. Her fingernails nearly dug into her skin as she felt the intense wave of pain enter her entire body. She was grabbed by the maniac, the mask being shoved into her face.

She tried to fight it but the pain kept hitting her more and more intensely and then her eyes drooped and her head lowered into the ground.

"Hazel!" the girl's head dangled downwards as the thick ropes were untied from her wrists. "What did you do to her!" soft hands grasped her face "her water broke, that can't be good. What are we gonna do".

"It's not our fault Josh went all batshit crazy and attacked us, you'd think he'd leave Hazel alone. But then again, what did you expect, he's off his meds".

Sam sighed "Mike, your input really isn't helping. If she has this baby right now, we have no proper supplies or even help until morning. The storm is getting worse and we can't leave. Chris, you used to hang out around here a lot, where's the first aid?".

Chris looked around "bathroom maybe, but then again we haven't been here in a year. It could be expired or some shit". Sam sighed "it wouldn't expire, it doesn't work that way Chris".

Josh chuckled as he laid on the ground his wrist bound "oh funny guys gonna make a snarky comment again, hey asshat, be helpful and help us out here. Where's the first aid? Huh! You piece of...".

Mike's words were cut off by Sam glaring at him "right" he threw his hands upwards before moving back. Sam kneeled downwards looking at Josh "look Josh, I know you're not doing the best right now. But it would be really helpful if you could tell us where to find the first aid. For Hazel's sake, can you do that?".

Sam kept her voice soft and slow as the boy mumbled to himself, he was losing it slowly and barely functioning. "She's not waking up, is that like a concern?" Ashley asked as she placed her fingers under Hazel's nose to see if she was breathing.

"She's waking up, but it's gonna take awhile since she's out cold. Check her pulse, make sure it's not weak or anything". Mike glared down at Josh "hey asshole, that's your ex girlfriend right there, and you just willingly hurt her! What kind of a person does that, meds or not, that's not even remotely cool".

Josh giggled, his hands twitching as he tried to get the ropes off his wrists "you're all just a bunch of bullies! Every single one of you!". Mike rolled his eyes "this asshat isn't gonna help us, you should just get Hazel to the lodge and we'll keep Josh out here. Watch him until the morning so he doesn't try anything".

"Doesn't seem like the best idea splitting up again. Emily and Matt aren't even back yet, and it's not safe out here". Mike looked at Sam "definitely isn't safe for the pregnant girl who could give birth at any second. Just get inside and try to find what you need".

Sam sighed "I really think it's not smart just being out here, we can bring Josh inside. You can watch him there and when it's morning, we'll make sure Hazel gets the proper help she needs". Mike groaned in annoyance "why can't you just get everyone into the lodge and let me handle this out here. Josh could try anything, he's got the entire place rigged and who knows what else he was gonna do".

"Fine, we'll go to the lodge. But you have to at least bring Hazel, me and Ashley can't carry her and we all know neither can Chris alone. It's not like Josh can go anywhere if we leave him for a minute".

Mike scratched at his head "I don't trust it, this little shit could make a run for it the second I bring Hazel". Sam sighed "one minute Michael, that's all it's gonna be. Josh can barely run a mile, he won't get that far. Especially in this weather. Look, me and Ashley will go and set up the living room for Hazel. Chris can try and find the stuff we need for her. All you have to do Mike is walk straight down and just put Hazel on the couch, it's that easy. Then you can run back here, you're a lot faster than any of us".

Mike looked at Josh then at Hazel who was slowly waking up "fine, but make it quick". Sam nodded "just keep her safe, when we're past that tree, then bring her". Ashley held onto Chris's arm as they followed after Sam towards the lodge.

"What's going on?" Hazel's voice was muffled as she lifted her head upwards. Mike neared the girl "hey, you alright?" she inhaled sharply "I've been better". She went to laugh but groaned as she held her stomach, Mike nervously looked around.

"So you're really having a baby then, Sam told me. I didn't really believe it personally". Hazel rolled her eyes "you sound almost surprised. A girl like me getting pregnant isn't anything new". She held her stomach "look, I gotta get you to the lodge. Can you walk?" Hazel tried to stand up but cried out.

Mike held onto her "that's a negative Michael. You're gonna have to carry me. I'm sure your big man muscles can handle it". He chuckled weakly and she frowned "Joshua?" She looked at the boy who was tied to a pole. He didn't even look at her as he tried to wiggle free of his ropes.

"Yeah about that..." she looked at Mike as the boy talked hesitantly "you mean to tell me he's not dead! What the fuck did I miss while I was being sleeping beauty". Josh laughed and Hazel felt her heart break "he's off his meds, apparently he was the one running around tonight messing with everyone".

"He's the maniac? But that doesn't make any sense, why would he..." she held herself more "why would he after me. I didn't even do anything to him". Mike scoffed "what do you think, he made us all come back here for some fucked up revenge plan".

"Revenge plan! I wasn't even a part of that stupid prank you assholes pulled last year. Josh! I didn't even know!". She was getting pissed off by the second as she moved away from Mike and neared Josh. "You know that don't you Joshua, I wasn't involved, so why the fuck did you torment me? Hannah and Beth, it wasn't my fault".

Josh laughed as he leaned back "oh Hazel, but it is. You didn't stop them! You didn't save them! You're just like everyone else, you deserve to be punished. See how I feel, did you feel it?".

Hazel held in her tears "you don't mean that Josh, you just need to get back on your meds". Mike turned at the sound of loud screaming "what the fuck was that" Hazel held onto herself as she heard the screaming increase. "Sounds like Emily" she watched as Mike hesitated "just go Michael, I'll be fine here".

Mike looked at her "I'm not leaving you with this psycho, he's off his hat. He could hurt you. You're gonna go into labor at any second, I gotta get you back to the lodge, they're waiting for you".

Hazel let herself sink into the ground as she sat down beside Josh's post. "I'm not going anymore Michael, me and Josh are having a much needed conversation and you'll come back for me after you see why Emily was screaming bloody murder. The lodge is a two minute walk from here, I'll fucking waddle myself back if I get worse. Just go!".

Mike sighed "fine, god why must all you women be so damn scary". He ran off and Hazel groaned as she pushed her hand into her stomach, she stood up reaching for Josh's ropes. "Oh Haze, the trouble maker, gonna set me free. What would they think".

She sighed "not now Joshua, I'm not even remotely in the mood for one of your comments. Are you even still in there?". She looked at him and that light behind his eyes was gone, he looked so lost.

"Oh, I'm always here Hazel! You just never once fucking paid attention to me, to the real me!". She sneered angrily "oh don't get pissed at me! I stayed beside you through it all, and what do I get out of it? You broke up with me, then to make matters even worse, I got pregnant because of you. Everyone hates me enough, it's just gonna get worse".

Josh scoffed "oh please, little miss perfect and her perfect family, mommy and daddy will buy you whatever you want. That thing inside of you will be just like you, but with my fucked up brain".

She held the ropes, her hands shaking "don't say that, you don't have a fucked up brain, we can get you help, and you can get better. Hannah and Beth would want you to get better". He tugged at the ropes "bullshit, they're gone! They don't want anything, and it's all my fault! Everything is my fault ".

Hazel let out a shaky breath as a loud screech entered the air "what the fuck was that?". She hunched over in pain as her stomach ached more "fucking shit, where the fuck is Michael!". She was thrown into the ground so harshly she didn't have enough time to scream.

Josh screamed as the wooden pole he was on snapped quickly and he was dragged along the ground, Hazel groaned "Josh?". The boy screamed as the creature hissed angrily and threw him into the wall, he cried out as a piece of wood dug into his arm cutting it.

"You're not real!" he kept screaming and then Hazel gasped as she looked at the creature. Her leg ached and she looked down at the piece of wood that was stuck inside of it awkwardly. She held her breath as she watched Josh begin to be dragged away, he screamed "Hazel!". She knew she'd regret it; she saw Hannah and Beth all over again as she watched Josh being dragged into the woods.

"Joshua!" she limped forward screaming as the creature's claws dug into her ankle making her fall downwards. She cried out as blood poured out of her wound and the creature growled angrily at her, she breathed heavily as its hands gripped her face.

Her eyes widened "Hannah..." her voice cracked as she looked at the tattoo on the creature's arm. It growled angrily and then Hazel grew tense as it looked at her stomach. It leaned closer and Hazel whimpered as she reached her hand outwards towards Josh. The boy lay on the ground ahead of her mumbling to himself as he watched the entire thing.

Tears ran down her cheeks "please don't... please" it growled again and she screamed out. Her eyes widened as its claws dug into her stomach so aggressively, "no! No!" Hazel screamed.

She felt its teeth sinking into her skin and she screamed "Hannah!". It stopped its head looking up at her as she cried "it's Hazel... Hannah..." her head limped downward as she tried to breath. "Hannah I'm so sorry, oh god... what happened to you".

Hazel cried, the creature sniffed her neck and Hazel grew tense as its hand pushed against her stomach. It moved forward fast, grabbing hold of Josh's leg and dragging him away. "Joshua!" Hazel tried to stand up but couldn't, she screamed as blood rushed out of her stomach. Her body aching as she shoved herself against the wall.

Her breathing increased as she looked around, she pressed her hands against her stomach, "okay.. just push... just push Hazel, just push". She inhaled sharply as she pulled her underwear off "you're gonna be okay.. oh god please be okay...".

She couldn't handle the thought of her baby being dead, of it being too late. She didn't care if she was loud or if she got caught by that thing from before, she had one mission and that was getting this baby out. Maybe if she was fast enough, she could save it and let herself be taken if Hannah came back.

She screamed as she began to push, her entire body on fire as blood seeped into the ground below her. "Fuck!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she dug her hands into the ground in agony.

The inside of the lodge was tense as the others all kept listening to this crazed man tell them about the Wendigos. "Your friends are likely already dead" Sam stood up from the couch "what! But we can't know that for sure, sir please. One of your friends out there is pregnant and she needs our help".

Emily's eyes widened "what! You mean I was right? Hazels freakin pregnant! Those things out there are gonna hurt her, oh god...". Emily held onto herself anxiously "first Matt... now Hazel".

"Stop it Emily, we don't know if she's dead or not, maybe she's fine. Maybe they're both fine". Hazel's loud scream entered the air "holy shit, that's Hazel!".

Emily ran towards the window "oh god what if they're eating her out there! We have to do something, she sounds like she's in a lot of pain. Michael can't you get her! Or flamethrower guy! You're the expert, go and get our fucking friend".

"She's as good as dead now, wailing out here in these mountains like that. The wendigo will go for her the second they can, that baby inside of her is just more meat. The wendigo don't care who it is or if we try to help, all they know is hunting is killing".

Ashley covered her ears "I can't take it... oh god make it stop" she closed her eyes as the screaming kept going. Chris ran for the door "fuck that man, that's my best friend's kid out there, I'm not gonna leave it without a mother or let it be eaten!".

Chris grabbed the gun off the ground "Hazel would do the same thing for every single one of us, and we don't even appreciate her enough, Josh would never forgive me if I let anything happen to her. And I'd never forgive myself if I stood here while she got killed, this isn't gonna be like last year, I'm gonna do something, I'm going to save her. And you're not gonna stop me!".

Chris ran off outside and the flamethrower guy groaned in annoyance before following after him. The screaming stopped the second they passed a set of trees and Chris's grip on the gun increased "quiet".

Chris held in his tears as he feared the worse, could Hazel actually be dead? He couldn't imagine the girl actually being gone, sure he didn't talk with her much but she was the only one who could help Josh.

The only person aside from Hannah and Beth who could see Josh fully and not care about the flaws. She was also the only person who understood him for who he truly was, it was always Josh and Hazel. Chris was the third wheel half the time but he didn't care.

She was like a little sister to him so the thought of her being ripped to shreds and eaten alive made him wanna throw up as they neared the shed.

"Hazel?" the place was empty and blood was everywhere on the ground "oh god, it took her". The boy walked forward seeing the trail of blood lead straight outside "dragged them both away".

"Best we get back, those things aren't gonna rest until every last one of ya is dead. Y'all just rung the dinner bell by coming back to these mountains". Chris walked back outside, his eyes widening as the wendigos screeched and ran around them.

The flamethrower guy quickly turned on his flame thrower hitting them and Chris narrowed his eyes "holy shit, Hazel...". He saw the girl weakly pressed against a tree as she held onto a baby in her arms, her entire body was covered in blood as she breathed heavily and tried to stay awake.

"Get the girl! I'll hold them back, and if I don't make it back, you kids stay inside where it's safe. Don't come out for anything you hear me!". Chris nodded before he ran forward and picked Hazel up off the ground. The girl groaned as he looked down at her "Haze, oh god we thought you were dead" .

He held back his tears as he ran off towards the lodge he could hear the wendigo behind him making him tense as he kept running. Hazel let out weak breaths as blood ran down her body "just leave me".

Her voice was scratchy and Chris licked his lips in agitation "I'm not leaving you Hazel, there's no fucking way I'm gonna leave you out here to be taken by those things!". He turned fast, shooting at a barrel, the wendigo screeched in pain as the fire hit it "bullseye bitch!". He kept running the lodge coming into his view as he held onto Hazel.

"Take my baby, just leave me" blood ran out of her mouth and Chris panicked "no! Stop talking like that, you're gonna be fine, you're both gonna be fine. The lodge is right around the corner, Sam can help you, we'll make it out of this together".

Hazel chuckled weakly "I'm dying, there's no coming back from this, at least I can be bait and you guys can have a surviving chance until morning. Those fucking things are gonna come for me, for all of us. I'm gonna get Josh, I don't fucking care if I die doing it".

She pushed herself into the ground groaning at the hard impact of it. "Haze" she dragged herself back "just take my fucking baby!" the boy kneeled down as she cried. "Haze, you're losing blood and a lot of it" she sniffled "you're not thinking straight, let me see, let me see the baby..".

She pushed it closer to her chest as Chris let out a shaky breath "Hazel let me see the baby" he reached his hand forward as the girl held it more. "I gotta find Josh, let me find Josh.. please". Her voice cracked as Chris grabbed the baby from her arms.

"Oh god... Hazel" he looked down at the baby and looked away quickly as he covered it with his jacket. "He didn't cry" Hazel let out a shaky breath "he wouldn't cry, I tried to make him cry. But he won't cry, Chris why won't he cry".

The boy sighed "Hazel, you did everything you could" Hazel held onto herself "I wasn't fast enough, it came out of nowhere. It was Hannah! I saw her tattoo! She attacked me! She hurt me!".

The baby's loud cries entered the air and Chris's eyes widening "holy shit, how is that even...". He moved his jacket back as the boy in his arms cried loudly "hey buddy, must've just needed some air huh?".

Hazel smiled softly but then it faded away as she was grabbed. Chris screamed as she was dragged away so fast by the wendigo, by the time he stood up the girl's screams had faded away into the woods.

He let out a shaky breath as he looked down at the baby in his arms, he ran straight for the lodge. He pounded on the door "let me in! Guys! Open the door!". The door burst open and Ashley gasped "oh my god Chris, is that...".

He walked inside clinging onto the baby as it began to settle down "it took her, it fucking took her!". The others began to slowly near them as Chris panicked "it  just took her right in front of me, I couldn't do anything. I wasn't fast enough".

Sam moved forward fast holding onto a blanket "her baby, she had the baby. Oh god, what are we gonna do? I don't know what to do".

"We survive, that's what we do, until dawn".

—
authors notes:
holy shit... I was struggling with this chapter for days literally had 300 words for so many hours and then out of nowhere somehow we end up here. I guess inspiration finally hit because holy smokes. I ended up just putting a bunch of the hours together because it just felt right. Also I was gonna split this into different chapters for each hour but screw that. Just gonna make it really long for no reason because I can. One more chapter left I've decided and then the epilogue. Honestly once I complete this don't be survived if I end up making another one at some rate. I have a few other video game fics in the works and I can't wait for that. It's just way more fun than normal fics, at least currently. Anyways this is long, enjoy!