Until Dawn (Hosie)

Chapter 17: No Good Apart

Josie

I'd figured there would be something that could help me figure out where we were, but I didn't expect an opening leading to god knows where. I decided to peer inside. It looked like a chamber of some sort. I opened my fist casting fire to appear, hovering above my palm. The rocky ceiling was glowing map of the stars, though at its highest point was a mysterious looking symbol painted across. It looked like a stick figure of a person trapped in a triangle with a line slashed diagonal.

The floor was a smooth cobblestone, and from it came an entirely different sound— the sound of pain. I walked further ahead and saw an elderly old man. He was shackled and on his knees before two hooded figures in black robes. One of the figures held the prisoner down while the other sprinkled something powdery into his eyes. He screamed and writhed until he fell onto the floor laying still.

I shutter my eyes tightly sickened by the sight and the sound of the room. I fought the urge to set the robes figures aflame. The noise was like a drum pounding in my ears; I had to leave. There was nothing I could do for the man. But one thing I knew foreshore; we weren't alone on this mountain.

I walked back out into the snow storm looking down. I didn't see Hope anywhere. "Hope, where are you?" I thought hoping she could still be able to hear my thoughts. Nothing. "Hey, are you still looking out" I tried to talk to her once more. Still nothing. Only the sounds of the whistling wind rang in my ear.

I jumped down from the cliff landing safely at the bottom. I looked all around the dark forest but couldn't make out a single figure. I couldn't hear any voices or anything. I began to panic thinking the worst of something that might of happened to Hope. I knew I shouldn't of gone on my own.

"Josie... Josie over here" I heard Hopes voice. My head quickly turned to the voice pinpointing it's location. My legs began to move on its own running. "Josie... this way hurry" Hopes voice sounded clearly in my ears like she was right next to me. I suddenly stopped, looking around once more. I was at the center, no trees, no nothing. It looked almost like an isolated area where nothing grew yet trees were surrounding it.

"Hope... Hope where are you" I cupped my hands over my mouth and yelled.

"Josie, I'm over here hurry" Again Hopes voice was as clear as day. I turned quickly, chills ran down my spine as if they were talking right in my ear. Nothing. Not a soul in sight. I thought for a minute looking at the ground, studying it. The only foot prints on the freshly fallen snow were mine. Yet the voice sounded like they were right in front of me.

Then before I knew it I saw it. A large monster, maybe a spirit of some sort since it didn't look human. The skull that of a stag with large spiky antlers. I stood up on its hein legs and arms where just as long with claws. It had a fair amount of fur but you could easily make out its rib cage and muscle like it didn't have flesh. Beside it were more creatures but they looked different.

Those creatures looked more like a haggard and decomposing corpse. Their skin is stretched extremely tightly over its bone creating a thin translucent layer of desiccated flesh from which its bones look ready to burst. It's complexion varies from a sickly white to an ashy gray. It has long spindly fingers and sharp nail that it uses to tear its victims into pieces. The easiest way to describe this type of creature looks like a gaunt skeleton that looks like it has risen from the grave.

I quickly summoned my grimoire and the familiar red glow appeared on my arms. Fire was casted as I punched the air shooting a line of fire to the creatures before me. I managed to hit a few causing them to turn tail, yet the large stag just glared at me.