Help me

Finally

Josh was feeling nervous now that 4 o'clock was rolling around. What if they weren't as accepting as Sam and Chris had been? He was wearing his mask. Even though Sam and Chris both said he looked fine. Good, even. He had decided it was better not to show the scars on first meeting. He was currently waiting with Chris in the living room. 

"You okay?"

He smiled, always so keen to be kind his Chris was. "Nervous."

"Anything I can do?"

"Hold my hand, Cochise." His mocking tone only got a small smile out of Chris. Then their fingers were laced together. He looked from their fingers to Chris. The blonde was about to speak but their was a knock on the door. Sam let the, what sounded like, two people in. 

Mike met his eyes and hugged Jess to his side. Sam spoke softly to them both and Mike was the first to nod. They slowly approached. It was silent for a bit. He was unsure of how to start.

"I thought you were dead. I'm so sorry." Mike's head hung.

Josh looked up at him silently for a minute. "No, I'm really sorry-"

"No don't, in hindsight you didn't do anything. I don't blame Jess or wendigos on you. I'm actually really glad you made it out."

"Josh" The voice was so broken and small. He turned his attention to Jessica. "Why do you have that mask on?"

He looked away at this. "I uh, I got pretty hungry up there." It was silent again.

"You are okay now, though?" The frail voice asked. He looked at her and slowly nodded, "Can I see?" For some reason he was comfortable lifting the mask off his face. "Oh, Josh" She looked sad. He ran his fingers over the distorted skin. 

Mike was the one to reach out and put a hand on his knee cap. "I am so sorry we left you. Just like-"

"She never came back for me." Josh hadn't really talked about this part. He liked to avoid it. "She took me to the mines. but she never came back." It was awkward to speak around his sharp teeth but he knew they could see them. Jessica's eyes were following them.

"Yah, we uh, we burned her. She can rest easy now."

He nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Michael." 

They were so kind. Of course they hadn't been a big part of his game. Mike had been involved but for different reasons. 

When Matt and Emily showed up Emily was not pleased. It was Jessica's soft broken voice that actually calmed her down. He guessed she was the most traumatized, so everyone was careful with her. And when she trusted someone they all knew it was okay. Matt and Emily took his apology and he actually got one from Emily about his sisters, at this Mike chimed in. Their apology made him tear up. It meant a lot to hear.

When Ash showed up is when it all when down hill. Chris on the one hand was not happy to see her. Ans Ash was not happy to see Josh.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She shook her head.

"Ashley" Chris spoke first.

"No no, I'm not listening to his bullshit."

"Ash!" Mike glared. "Hes not going to hurt you. Alright?" She kept her distance though. 

"Ash, I can't even put into words how sorry I am for what I put you and Chris through." He tried to look her in the eyes but she wouldn't.

"He may forgive you but I won't"

Chris stood up at this, "Ash, we left him starving. When I found him he was becoming a wendigo. That is nothing compared to some prank. No matter how scared we were. We left him to a fate worse then death."