Masks

Alternate Ending

Skully's POV

I'd been waiting several minutes near the exit. The fire was making it difficult to breath and my thick coat wasn't helping the situation with the intense heat around me. Sweat dripped down my face under my mask and my hood and shirt stuck to my body under my outer coat as I paced impatiently. At any point I could've gotten myself to safety but I'd promised to get her out.

"This is taking too long." I stared at the thicker section of the burning tree before running in that direction.

The smoke alone was nearly enough to blind me as I ran through the flames. It was nearly impossible to get air the deeper I ran and eventually I stumbled over my own feet. Pausing, I tried to catch my breath while I was lower to the ground before getting back up. In the distance I could hear gunshots ring out. I hesitated at the sound- none of us had a gun, which meant someone was here with us.

"Ash!" I yelled over the crackling of branches as they crashed down to the ground nearby. "Ashley!"

The only answer was a loud, bloodcurdling scream of someone in agony. Despite the heat around me, I felt my body go cold. I picked up my pace, unnerved by the following silence. My calls continued to go unanswered and I fell silent after a small fit of coughing. Whatever else was in the area could easily still be around.

I nearly stepped on what remained of Brian's body. Upon first glance I wouldn't have even known the piles of mashed blood and bone was once a human. I gagged at the smell and backed away from the mess. The only telling sign of who the person had once been was the shreds of familiar yellow fabric and torn mask. Nearby, a bloodied white mask caught my attention.

My heart pounded in my chest as I ran from the masacre. Whatever had done that probably wouldn't hesitate to kill me. My cries became more desperate. "Ash! Ashley!"

Another fit of coughing hit me and I doubled over until I managed to push it aside. The lack of her body suggested she escaped alive but the fact she wasn't answering... I wanted to believe she just couldn't hear me, but deep down I had a feeling in my gut it wasn't the case. My search continued as I began making my way back- still occasionally shouting for her.

"Ash?" I came to a halt as I heard a suffocated coughing noise from nearby. It wasn't long before I found her collapsed on the ground in a small divot in the charred earth. "Ash, come on, get up."

I pulled her onto her feet and began moving back in the direction of the tunnel as fast as possible. Ash was light but her dead weight wasn't making it easy. Admittedly, the thought of leaving her to burn crossed my mind. Tim wouldn't know and given she'd fallen unconscious so quickly after I found her I doubted she'd make it out on her own.

"He lied about Jessica, why shouldn't I lie about what happened to her?" I adjusted my grip and looked at Ash's limp form. Her pale skin was starting to turn a sickly grey-blue as her breathing worsened. "No, I can't let them take any more lives. I won't let them!"

"Wake up, come on... we're almost there." I stopped as I began coughing again and checked her as the lack of response continued. Blood soaked her shoulder but that was the least of my concern when I felt how weak her pulse was.

I dragged her the rest of the way into the tunnel, nearly collapsing as the disorientation affected me. Immediately I began looking for Tim, calling out to him in panic despite the strain it was putting on my throat after all the smoke. The fact he might recognize my voice didn't even cross my mind. "Tim... Tim! ...Tim, hurry!"

My gaze focused on him as he got up and rubbed the side of his head. He immediately became more alert when he saw me half drop Ash on the ground. "S-she's not... breathing..."

I moved away and began coughing again. Tim was at her side in an instant trying to get a response. With him distracted, I managed to move and relax against the side of the tunnel. Sliding to the ground, I carefully lifted my mask just enough to help get fresh air without Tim being able to see my face.

"I pushed for this... I should've let her recover- I really do make everything worse." I readjusted my mask as I managed to catch my breath and watched Tim as he attempted to get her to breathe again before her heart could stop. "At least he can blame me and not himself this time."

Minutes passed by and he was growing tired. He'd stopped pleading for Ash to wake up and I could tell his compressions were significantly weakening. The gashes that were healing on his shoulder were bleeding through his shirt. I knew it was better for me to leave before he remembered I was there but I couldn't bring myself to abandon him.

"I... I tried." My voice was unsteady, nervous, as I spoke up. "She ran into something... It- I don't know what it was... but it slaughtered Brian. If I was fast-"

"Don't." Tim's voice was tense as he restrained his emotions. I got to my feet, prepared to flee, as he looked up at me. The dead look in his eyes hit harder than the bullet Alex had nearly killed me with. "It's done... This is over."

Reluctantly, I backed away and left the tunnel. I regretted leaving but it was for the best, especially after this. All I could do now was keep an eye on the area and make sure those things didn't return anytime soon. 

Hope you enjoyed reading this. 

I might make a One-shot book for this/ Marble Hornets and Slenderverse in general if there's interest.