Mind Games [until dawn fanfic]

Chapter One

Josh stared in horror, his mouth opening with a pop. A small whimper escapes his lips as he watched Chris's lifeless body slump against the ground, as he watched Chris's head roll to a stop on the deck of the cabin. Josh felt tears rise as he watched Ashley see the horrific scene. He barely heard her whisper as his whimpers continued.

Tears rolled down his face as the horrifying monster ran by him, not giving him a glance. His whimpering got louder, and he let out a cry.

"No! No no no no! Nononononono!" Josh shouted, hands clawing at his face, trying to get the horrific scene out of his head, trying to get the horrifying image of his friend, dead by the hand of that...monster, out of his eyes. He didn't want to see it every time he closed his eyes!

"No...I didn't want..." Josh moaned, hands still clawing at his face. He backed up slowly, then turn and ran, far far far away from the scene. He ran, ignoring the way the trees reaching limbs scratched his face, ignoring the small amount the blood that poured out in a slow pace from his foot, ignored the-

Blood from his foot? Josh stared, wondering how his foot was bleeding if he was wearing shoes. He continued to stare until a soft voice, one he knew all to well whispered gently into his ear "Josh...why did you kill us?"

"No..." Josh moaned again, turning around to see the rotting, talking corpse of his sister, Hannah, staring at him. Her eyes were a milky white, while her skin was a greyish color. Parts of her internal organs were showing, since different parts of her flesh was rotting and falling off in different places. She was still wearing the clothes she died in, and they were covered in blood.

"T-That's blood." Josh said, and his eyes widen as suddenly, Hannah was there, her cold, stiff fingers going through his hair gently.

Josh quickly pulled away, and fell on the floor, curling into a small ball. Scooting backwards, Josh moved away from Hannah until his back met with a small indent in the tree, one almost like a corner. Huddling into the tree, Josh buried his face in his knees and started rocking, his arms latching around his knees, a small mantra of "Not real not real not real..." running through his head.

Josh stiffened when he felt Hannah start running her fingers through his hair again, and his rocking got more desperate. He tried to ignore the soft voice of his dead sister whispering in his ear, saying things such as "Josh...Josh...do you miss us? Do you feel the guilt? You killed us Josh. You are our murder. YOU KILLED US!"

"Josh?"

Josh gave a jolt as another voice said his name gently in question and shook his head muttering "Not real not real not real."

A gentle hand was placed on his back, causing him to look up. His eyes widened as he took in a concerned face, glasses covering his eyes, his dark blond hair done up in its usual style.

"Chris?" Josh asked breathlessly, and reached up and gently touched his friend face before pulling back and moaning.

Josh heard Chris ask "Josh? You ok man?"

Josh just gave a distressed moan and huddled deeper into his corner, then said sadly "Nonono you're dead, you died, I didn't want this to happen! I didn't want you to die!"

Josh felt a hand hit his face, not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to sting. Tears collecting in his eyes, Josh looked around and blinked in surprise.

There was not forest. No snow. No monsters. He was in his bedroom, with broken glass and small drops of blood surrounding him.

"W-What happened?" He croaked, his hand clenching his shirt material in confusion.

"That's why I'd like to know." Chris muttered as he gently helped Josh up and steered the confused man back to his bed.

"You're alive?" Josh asked, almost fearfully and Chris nodded, then gently pushed Josh into said bed.

"I'm. Fine." Chris said firmly. Josh winced slightly as he felt the covers touch his skin and stared at Chris for a couple more minutes, before sleep caught him in it's net.

-line break thing-

Chris sighed as he walked out of the room, leaving the door partly open so he and Mike could here if Josh had another hallucination again.

Throwing himself on the couch, he looked at Mike, just as Mike asked "What happened?"

"He broke the glass on his window and cut himself all over his hands and feet. He also thought I was dead...." Chris said before trailing off.

"Did you clean the glass up?" Mike asked and Chris slapped his forehead in anger.

"God dammit no! I knew forgot something."

Shaking his head, Mike grabbed the broom and dustpan an quietly entered Josh's room. Chris watched as two minutes later, Mike emerged triumphant, the dustpan full of glass. Throwing the glass away, Mike dropped the broom and dustpan then collapsed on the couch beside Chris.

Mike groaned and Chris turned to look at him. Mike blew air out of his mouth then asked "how bad was it this time?"

"Well he thought I died this time and refused to believe I was real..." Chris muttered, sighing sadly.

Both teens stared at the ground, sadness filling them. Chris had been Josh's best friend since third grade, both of them stayed close as the years past. Mike had become Josh's friend later on, but had quickly became close friends with both Josh and Chris. All three of them did everything together.

So when the news that both Hannah and Beth Washington were murder when out shopping reached their ears, both Mike and Chris rushed to give their support to Josh. Once there, however, both teens received even more bad news.

Josh had been hiding his diagnosis of not only severe depression, but also Dementia. Chris and Mike were not only shocked at the fact that he had managed to hide this from everyone for so long, but also at the fact that Josh was dealing with it alone. Mike and Chris managed to find out that both Mr. and Mrs. Washington had left Josh the house then left his life, both knowing about their sons illness, yet not caring for some reason.

This had angered both Chris and Mike and both of them agreed to stay with Josh and make sure he was OK.

It was hard though, especially when they had to watch Josh suffer through the horrible hallucinations. It was every worse when they couldn't help him out of it.

Chris and Mike jumped at the sudden noise as the doorbell rang loudly through the house, startling them out of their thoughts. Chris gave Mike a look, only to get a glare in return. They stayed locking in an epic battle of wills, until Chris got up with a groan.

Ignoring Mike's triumphant laughter, he made his way to the front door and opened it, only to say in shock "Ashley?!"