Barely Alive - Josh Washington x Reader

Chapter 17

As the three of you had inspected the basement, it seemed to be the most safe room in the whole lodge. It had locks on each door, and several exits in case you needed to the escape. 

You called the others and explained that this was the safest place to stay until the three of you got back, and they all seemed to agree.

"Okay, keep these locked while we get to Josh. If we bang on that metal door over there three times, open it. If we are rapidly banging on the door... keep it closed. Save yourselves.." The tone of your voice caused their eyes to widen, and reality dawned onto them. The situation was serious, and the chance that one of them was going to die was bigger than they had anticipated. Your words proved this. You knew sacrifices had to be made in order to get off this mountain.

"W-We're not getting out of here without you guys. We survive together and we die together." Chris spoke, and while his words were kind, his way of thinking was stupid in a situation like such. You knew that when you were on the other side of that door, banging on the door and begging them to open it, they would freeze on the spot. Adrenaline and instinct keeping them from opening the doors. 

Chris meant well, he really did. But if his actions represented his train of thoughts, more people could die than anticipated.

You looked up at your brother, but his eyes were averted towards the red haired girl next to him. He was trying to stay strong for the scared girl, but the look in his eyes revealed how truly terrified he actually was. You looked up at your brother and gave him a gentle smile.

"That means a lot, Chris. But I want you guys to get out of here, even if it meant I have to die." Everybody nodded, agreeing they would rather sacrifice themselves in order to save others, than die with their friends.

As you turned to Sam, you felt a certain presence lacking, and you roamed your eyes over the group.

" 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... Where's Mike?" Sam furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, and let her eyes roam around her. When she didn't find Mike's presence, she cursed to herself.

"He left without us..." You groaned, and rubbed the back of your head with your hands. It didn't help much that the wound caused a throbbing headache, but you had to ignore the pain for now. You nodded towards Sam when she motioned towards the group.

"Mike left on his own, so maybe it's best that we stay together for now." Chris didn't hesitate and agreed immediately. Emily and Ashley also agreed. You nodded, before explaining what the plan was.

"We're gonna get Mike." 

They all nodded at you, except Emily. She gave you two wide eyes, before scoffing.

"I thought we were going to get Josh?" She hissed through her teeth, and you shushed her. You could understand how scared she was to go back into the mines, but you really needed to find Mike. Her eyes showed fear, and you confirmed that a scared Emily wasn't a good one. 

"I understand, Emily. But Mike needs us and I promise you, you will be the first one to get out." She hesitated, and looked around the group, before eventually nodding.
"Okay... I guess." You gave the girl a smile, and motioned them to follow you and Sam.

30 minutes later, you were walking through the hall, leading to the sanatorium. You had no idea where to go, but apparently Sam knew the way. You just quietly followed her, while making sure everybody was keeping up. It was dark and cold, as you walked through the halls.

Torn up curtains were hanging from the sealing, and the dirty green  paint was chipping from the walls. Behind the chipped paint, there was wood, rotting due to the water dripping from the roof, through the ceiling. 

It didn't help much that it was night, and the place was thrashed. You had tripped over several chairs or bumped your hip into the edge of a table. 

You eventually arrived at a big metal door, but when Sam tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. You took this moment to catch your breath, and you suddenly flinched at the pain on your head. You placed your hand over the hurt area, but hissed when your hand made contact with the wound. Nobody noticed that you were in pain, and you decided to not let anybody know, and not bother them.

Ashley suddenly spoke up, and pointed downwards.

"Wait. Hey, what about this?" Everybody joined her side, Looking down at what seemed to be some kind of manhole.

"I mean... should we try it?"

"Well, it's not like we got a whole lot of choices here."

You and Ashley lifted the lid and placed it on the side, before inspecting inside of it. 

"It seemed to lead to the sewers..." You concluded, shining a flashlight down the sides of the tunnel. 

Sam was the first to go down the ladder. She looked around, before giving us a thumbs up. You were second, and you placed your feet on the steps before quickly joined Sam at the bottom of the manhole.

But as you reached the floor, a wave of nausea hit you, forcing you to extend your hand out to the wall to keep your body from falling. While placing your hand against your forehead  your vision began to blur. You looked up and saw a misshapen Sam, her mouth moving as if she was talking to you. She was blurry and you couldn't hear a thing she was saying.

"What?" Was the only thing you could say, before suddenly passing out.

∞∞∞

Look where you ended up, Josh.

"Get away..."

You finally got what you deserve.

"Stop! You're lying!

His voices chuckled as Josh leaned his head against the wall, trying to silence the voices haunting him. But they were determined, and he couldn't rid himself of the evil whispers.

Is this what you wanted?

"Please, stop..."

She doesn't care, she never did, Josh.

He had always talked to his voices, and begged them to stop, but they never showed mercy. They invaded his mind with their hurtful words, and whispered in his ears without permission. They looked over his shoulders every time he talked to someone, and repeated sentences and words they knew triggered him. 

How did her lips feel?  At least you got a taste, before you left her to freeze to death in the snow!

"No, I didn't want her to die!" His voices echoed through his head, leaving chuckles and devilish laughter.

You know what to do, right Josh?

"What?"

It's an easy solution... die.

Josh eyes widened, but somehow the thought of it felt relieving. He could escape the horrible nightmare called life, and could let his friends and family rest from his problems while he was buried in the ground. He wouldn't hear the sobs of his loved ones as he hurt them yet again. It happened too much and he was sick of it.

Josh... Josh...

They mocked him. They sang your name in his ear, filled his mind with dangerous thoughts.

It's sweet relieve Josh.... 

Josh looked up from the ground. He stared into the open air of the cave, bit somehow it felt like he was looked down upon. It felt like the devil was looking at him, while giving him a sinister smirk as he sang the words in his ear.

Sweet relieve.... Sweet...

"Relieve..."