Until Dawn Fanfiction-Epilogue

Emily

'Mrs Washington, that was the antidote!' Chris yelled. 'Your son's changing back.'

I shot Chris a grateful look, even though it probably came off as a weird expression due to my lack of ability to rearrange my features resembling gratefulness at this point of time.

'Changing? Look at him-- does he -' Mrs Washington roared thunderously, stopping short to catch her breath.

'Josh!' Matt raced forward. I stood in my spot in wide-eyed wonder. It wasn't as if he had magically transformed like Cinderella did from her rags to a stunning ball gown in a split second, but his skin seemed to be shedding. A flesh coloured layer was clearly visible underneath. The dilated pupils seemed to have shrunk, and his irises were losing its cloudy appearance. Even his strangled cries were sounding more... human-like.

'How...' the man who looked like a doctor clenched his jaw, his intense gaze on me. 'What was that stuff you threw at him?'

'Supposedly the antidote... but I wasn't sure it was going to work.' I held up the empty bottle.

'Well, give it to me.' He started walking towards me, one hand stretched out.

'No. Why should I?' I swiftly dropped it back into the pocket of my coat.

Eyeing the scratch on my arm with narrowed eyes, the balding man sneered. 'Because you're going to be like one of them soon. If you don't give it to me, I won't be able to make a new one for you.'

The greedy expression on his face only made me harden my resolve ,even against the throbbing pain searing through my arm. 'Hell no. After what you've done, all you deserve is a one way ticket to prison.' I gritted my teeth.

'...mom?' A soft voice piped up. 'What... what just happened?'

I felt a gamut of emotions wash over me. Happiness and immense relief... as well as resignation...that I was going to die.

'Josh!' Sam burst out, literally throwing herself onto him. 'I'm so glad you're back... I can't even begin to describe how...' she embraced him tighter.

Josh still looked befuddled. 'Um... did I...? Was I...?' he stared around at us, and at the chain and handcuff now lying on the floor in a heap.

'It's not important anymore.' Mrs Washington cut in. 'You're back. That's all it matters.' she reached out her hand to caress his cheek.

'Hang on...' Josh had shut his eyes tightly, his brow scrunching up as if trying to stave away a migraine. 'I remember... I was it... all of you were trying to save me... Sam... but then...' his eyes snapped open, his jaw tight with tension. 'But... you...' he swivelled around to face the doctor guy. 'You took me. And...' with a look of both anger and confusion, he turned his gaze to Mrs Washington. 'Mom? Why do I remember... your voice when he was dragging me away?'

'Oh honey, you must have been hallucinating. Would I ever do this to you? I came here, just like all your friends did. It just wasn't safe yknow, and I really wanted to find where you were...and see you again.' her voice was sickly sweet, making me want to throw up the bile rising steadily from my oesophagus.

I looked at Josh's hopeful expression. Looks like Emily has to play the bad guy again. I was someone who couldn't handle lies. To me, the brutal truth was always better than a sugar-coated blatant lie. And if it meant someone got hurt? Screw it. People should learn to grow up & accept things as they really are. I had been a victim of lies up til my teenage years, what with my parents struggling to convince me they still loved me despite everything. And it didn't make me feel any better when I came to realise their intentions were solely for their own benefit.

'Bullshit.' I said, my voice clear & firm. 'Josh, it's time you believed in yourself. Because this woman you call mom tried to kill us mere seconds ago.' I forced myself to say, waiting for his expression to fall.

'What?' Josh swung his head towards the person he trusted most next to his mom. 'Tell me, Sam. What really happened?'

'Josh...' Sam lifted her tear-stained face towards her crush (really, it's obvious to anyone but these two). 'I... I'm sorry.'

'What... why are you apologising?' Josh clenched his jaw. 'Tell me, Samantha. Please.'

'Emily's right.' I heard Sam say softly & reluctantly. 'I'm sorry, Josh...'

I knew Josh's unreadable expression on his face was just a thin mask concealing his anger & confusion, which flickered in his eyes. 'How could you? Did you really think doing this will make me happy? That Hannah & Beth will be alive again?' his voice rised with every accusation.

'Josh... are you forgetting why this even happened in the first place? It's because of your so-called friends. Your sisters would be alive without their doing.' Mrs Washington stressed.

'That doesn't justify a single thing.' Josh was shaking, but with rage or shock I wasn't sure. 'You were the one who told me to continue going for counselling. And you...' he turned towards the man. 'Dr Hill... how wrong I was to think you genuinely cared for me like a friend would.' his hands clenched into fists.

'You know what, let's just move on and put this behind us.' Mrs Washington switched tactics, her expression softening. Ugh, that manipulative hypocrite. 'I've realised my mistake now, sweetheart...'

Josh's face was still taut with tension and rage, and for the first time in ages I began to feel unsure and... scared? If Josh decided to let his mom and therapist off the hook just like that, God knows what else they're capable of doing, considering the fact that they just attempted murder. It didn't take a psychologist to figure out that both of them had unresolved anger or even issues which drove them to such extremes.

A piercing wail cut through the air. This was the first time I felt relieved hearing sirens. My well-hidden secret meant that nobody was aware that Emily was not to be trusted or how I got all tensed up whenever one sounded. (Yes, I'm speaking in riddles on purpose, period.)

'It's not my call anymore.' Josh turned his piercing blue gaze onto both perpetrators coldly. 'The law will decide.'

As the cops burst into the room, I felt an indescribable warmth flood my chest as my friends began hugging each other, tears brimming in every eye. I felt someone's arms engulf me as well, and felt a tear roll down my cheek.

A/n: next chp will probably be the last! Whose POV should I do next?? Thank you once again for being such supportive readers and taking the time to leave comments. Without y'all, I'm pretty sure I would have gave up on this after 3 chapters. As always, hope you've enjoyed this! x have a great friday ahead! (Almost 12am here)