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It had been nearly a year since that night occurred. The night where, naturally, the eight… six referred as their own personal night of Hell.
She remembered the cold and damp mines. She remembered how alone she’d felt, wandering around and hoping for someone to accompany her. Hell, she’d even found herself wishing Em was there. Even if their bickering filled the air, at least it would fill the silence. The silence was only filled with the screeches of the… creatures. Out of all the crazy shit that happened, Jess definitely didn’t want to think about those things. No matter what their name was, she didn’t care.
The helicopter was full of tense silence. For some of them, they simply were thanking whatever God they believed in that they survived. Ash had fallen asleep on Chris’ shoulder- the only semi-good thing that happened on that trip, if you asked them.
For some reason Jess couldn’t explain, she didn’t feel comfortable around Mike. His face was bruised and scratched, fingernails caked with dried blood. His expression was… haunted. With a pang of shame that still haunted heavily in her chest like a ghost tied down with chains, she stayed away from him. Her own goddamned boyfriend scared her. It was bullshit. Sure, the others (including her) were visibly shaken, but he was a different story. In her haste she didn’t even recognize the other blonde woman beside her at first. Sam somehow looked stronger than ever before.
Naturally, as Jessica’s dreams got worse, she got drawn to the confidence of Sam. The only thing different about her negatively was the hearing aid in her right ear after a creature screeched right into it. Sam was as hard, and normally as cold, as stainless steel. That coldness was only reserved for those who threatened her or her friends. To those who didn’t know her, she was seen as a massive bitch, unafraid of anyone.
The thing Jess loved about Sam, however, was the warmth she reserved for those she cared about. That warmness was what made her the perfect flame to Jessica’s frail moth.
The hotel was silent. Unnervingly so, she thought with a chill. Almost like… no. She can’t think of that now, dammit. She just wanted some sleep, for fuck’s sake.
“Scarred scaredy freak,” She’d hear them whisper when they thought she couldn’t hear. Scars littered her body like a masterpiece was slashed to pieces by some sadistic artist. Whatever self-confidence she had was long gone. “Holds onto that bitch like a leech.” Those truths tore deeper than the wendigoes did.
She was practically a parasite. “She doesn’t like you,” The now familiar voice crooned. “Like everyone else, she just pretends to. Her only feeling for you is pity.” Those stormy eyes bore into her. Forever disapproving of her.
“I know,” She sobbed. “I knowIknow-” The shame is crushing. Not only the shame of latching onto Sam and the others, but also the shame of the mess the once confident woman became.
Once again, she found herself walking down the hallway to Sam’s room. At this point it became so regular everyone expected Jess to sleep in the same room as her. None of them said anything about it anymore.
At least, not that Jessica heard.
Her knuckles hit scraped the patterned door lightly. Like everything else in the hotel, the door was cream colored and gilded. Like a five-star hotel door probably should look.
Emily pulled all the stops planning this trip. It was a one year anniversary of their hellish trip with Matt and Josh dead and a two year anniversary of two of their friends meeting their demise because of a stupid unoriginal prank. So, of course, lodges in the woods were immediately out of the discussion. Someplace with a lot of people, so a city was their first choice. This led them to a fancy hotel in Florida, with a swimming pool and heated Jacuzzi that Mike and Chris were most likely still playing around in.
Jess and Mike had officially broken up, yet still remained close. Sometimes Sam wasn’t around for comfort. That only meant she had to latch onto someone else. It never feels the same. Not even with Mike, though she knows he cares. He holds her close and whispers in her ear that everything will be okay. While appreciated, it feels like a trap sometimes. The caring words fade away and are quickly replaced by far off screeches. His embrace feels like the creature holding her close, preparing to strike and—
“Stop it.” She mutters to herself. At that point, she’s glad no one heard. It’d only give her the sight of another set of judgmental eyes coldly examining her and seeing her as a lunatic who talked to herself.
Jess knocked on the door. An uncertain minute passed by- what if Sam was already sleeping? Should she leave? Probably, but that’d only leave her another sleepless night. She had enough bags without adding the dark ones under her eyes. Her shoulders tensed. She should definitely leave right now.
“Jess,” Even through the door, the muffled voice was slightly scratchy. Sam was definitely tired, but hadn’t been sleeping. “Door’s open. You don’t have to knock.” Jess felt her warm steel eyes upon her once she turned the shiny brass knob and stepped inside.
The other blonde was sitting upright in the bed cross legged. A closed picture book with a faded red cover lay on the black wooden bedside table, right under the unused lamp. Her attention shifted back to Sam when she patted Jess’ side of the bed.
Jess practically jumped onto the bed with a whump. Sam uncrossed her legs, allowing herself to lie down beside Jess. Her eyes were sparkling and alive. Sam looked at her like she was precious- a kitten from the rescue center, perhaps. One that was broken and confused. It certainly fit how Jess always felt.
“Looking at old memories?” Jess asked, gesturing to the book. Sam looked down at the sheets, giving a nod.
“Looking at the good old times.” She said with a forlorn expression. “Hannah, Beth, Josh, and Matt. Even with their own flaws, none of them deserved…” Her voice trailed off. She didn’t need to say more.
They lay there in somewhat comfortable silence. Before Jess knew it, her heavy eyelids were closing. The darkness of sleep welcomed her as she drifted off. Like an old friend…
“Why, Jess?” The sobbing voice asked desperately. “I thought we were friends!” Hannah’s figure appeared, looking her square in the eyes. Her skin was gray, falling off. She looked… well, dead. “What did I ever do to you? Why did you want me to die?! And for WHAT?”
Jess fought to even breathe. She was drowning, desperately clutching for precious oxygen. Her tears only added to the water determined to pull her under. “Hannah,” Her broken voice was barely a whisper. “It was a stupid prank. I-I never wanted you to-”
“LIAR!” In her former friend’s rage, she seemed to be growing. She seemed to be saying something, but Jess couldn’t hear what. She felt the water swallow her whole.
Her eyes opened with a gasp. Being awake didn’t stop them from tormenting her. Her nightmares only shifted themselves into reality. Her entire body felt heavy, muscles sore and unable to move.
She was trapped.
Instead of a hotel room, she was greeted by the sight of the mines. She could see the faint outline of bodies hanging from hooks. Poor souls who couldn’t defend themselves soon enough for it to matter. One of them, she remembered, looked familiar. Jess shook her head.
“Stop it,” She begged. A slender figure was shown in the light. The shape of it was human, but she knew it wasn’t. It crawled toward her and she could see the fresh blood on its face. Not to mention the tattoo on her it’s shoulder.
“Jess?” She heard a faint voice call. The wendigo was on the floor now, eyes trained on her. “Jess, can you hear me?” It came closer and closer. She tried to move back, only to have her spine meet the craggy wall of the cave. Somehow it felt a little bit smoother than she remembered.
The ground shifted as the wendigo got closer. It reached a clawed hand toward her. When it rested on her leg, however, it felt smaller. It felt like a human hand.
It takes her a minute to realize it is a human hand. Sam is the one sitting in front of her, giving space but letting Jess know she’s there. That she’s real.
That doesn’t stop her heart from racing. She still feels heavy and worn.
She still sees the mines. She still sees the bodies, the fading smell of macabre death lingering in her nostrils.
Now she just sees Sam with her and the monster. The monster inching closer and closer to her.
“Jess,” She hears Sam instruct to her. Why isn’t she afraid? “Describe the room.” She tries to talk but her heart is beating faster and faster and-
“Jess, I need you to breathe slowly.” Sam is calm, her steady port in the rough uncertain sea. The currents pull at her, threatening to take her and pull her under.
She knows that Sam won’t let that happen.
Jess only realizes she was hyperventilating once she slows her breath. Her heart slows slightly, aligning with the pace of her breathing. She hears Sam clearer now.
The screeches of the creatures are farther off to the point where she can’t hear them. The one in front of her is gone. “Good. You’re okay, Jess.” She looks to Sam now sitting beside her, one hand rubbing soothing circles onto her back. The last of the mines fades away to show reality. She notices it’s still dark outside.
Still tired, Jessica moves down the mattress, allowing herself to lie down once more. Sam’s hand moves from her back to her loose dirty blonde braids.
She sees Sam smile, and her lips quirk up in response. She can’t even begin to express her thanks. They’d have to wait until morning. Right now, she just wanted to sleep without being haunted.
She feels something soft on her forehead when she closes her eyes. For once, she feels something she hasn’t felt in a long while. Then the softness leaves, and the other blonde is lying down beside her.
“You’re safe, Jess,” She hears Sam murmur before she enter long awaited blissful sleep.