barbarawrites presents the second chapter to CONTAIN THESE DEMONS. enjoy! :) 

Bo was convinced sleep would never come easy to her ever again. She had thought that being home again, in a place of comfort and normalcy, would help her insomnia, but she had been wrong. She tossed and turned in her bed, trying to nestle herself into the covers in a way that would make her so comfy that she would have no choice but to fall asleep. Instead of drowsiness, frustration came over her as she flipped herself over, her face smushed into her pillow.

Bo muffled her cry of anger into it, holding the sides to wrap around her ears. She pushed herself up again, taking in new air and returning to lay on her back. She stared up at the ceiling, letting her mind go blank.

No thoughts, because they hurt to think about. No emotions, because emotions bring stress. No sleep, because with sleep comes dreams.

Bo hadn't dreamt ever since she went through her insomnia therapy, and she wasn't complaining. Even the good dreams she had were nightmares because she always dreamt of Josh Washington.

The dreams pained her more than the nightmares. Remembering those good moments with him. Or the moments that could had been. Fabricated memories that she won't forget all because he was apart of them.

She had so much faith in him still being alive on that mountain, but there was always that little part of her that mourned the very real possibility of his death. It was an intense grief that Bo was sure would had killed her if it wasn't for that spark of hope burning inside her. For that reason alone, she'd deal with the emptiness that comes with grief.

Bo turned on her side, and placed her hands under her pillow, staring at the wall in front of her that was plastered with posters, and photos of family vacations and other types of memories. The moonlight perfectly illuminated the middle of the collage, where a photo of her and Josh during their first date hung. It was the exact photo used by Josh in the Lodge when he had "pranked" his and her friends with his own brutal death. Her copy didn't have a bold "X" over his face, however.

She stared at the picture, at their smiling faces in front of the theater where they saw a movie together. It was an innocent time, before things got complicated in only a matter of a day. Josh was lonely after losing his older siblings and Bo was the only one there for him at any given time. Sure, he had Chris and his parents, but they listened to him because they had to. Bo listened because she genuinely wanted to. It seemed suddenly that the connection the two had was too much to bear, and Josh made his move, transforming their friendship into a beautiful relationship.

The photo turned into a mirror, and Bo could practically see the memory that came with it like it was on television. She remembered Josh getting so excited at the yellow lights of the movie theater sign that spelled out 'Shutter Island'. The theater was putting together old thriller films and showing them for nostalgic entertainment. Bo watched him pull out his phone from his jean pocket and opening up the camera. He had asked a middle-aged man to take a photo of them together in front of the old-fashioned bilboard. Bo could feel his hand wrap around her forearm, to bring her in closer to him as they smiled for the camera. Their smiles were big and bright, eyes crinkled, noses scrunched. They were smiles of true happiness.

Suddenly, a jolt of energy went through Bo's body, causing her to sit up in her bed. Wide awake, her head began to spin in remembrance of all that happened on Blackwood Mountain. Bo ripped the covers off her body and barreled for her desk, where her laptop sat.

With new-found determination, she turned on her browser and searched for anything and everything she could find that might help all the ideas circling in her brain. If she could just find enough information to come up with one solid plan, maybe an effort could be made.

For hours, she stared at maps, and scrolled through website after website on Native American spirits and the lore behind them all, familiarizing herself with the mountain once again. She scribbled stuff down that she thought would be crucial in a notebook until her fingers cramped, and her eyes began to puff up in sleep-deprivation. Bo could feel herself slipping away as the rising sun peeked over the horizon and into her room. She fought it as hard as she could, taking in the last of the map that was pictured on her screen until her eyes closed and her mind drifted into a world of vulnerability and unconsciousness.

•••

Bo stood outside of her car that was parked in Jessica's driveway and zipped up her jacket to her chin as the frosty air of Canada bit at her through her already thick sweater underneath. Between the jacket and the sweater, she hid a notebook that was secured tightly in a secret pocket. The sun was beginning to set as it hit 7:38 PM. The night was overtaking as she followed the trail of stars to the moon that was peeking out over the array of rooftops in the suburb that Jessica lived in.

It was one similar to Bo's but on the North side of the city, rather than the East. The "Tiers" of wealth in her town was North, being the wealthiest, East, West, and then South, the poorest. Her friend group mainly consisted of mostly Northerns, like Jessica, Mike, Josh, and Ashely. The rest were from the East, and Sam was from the West. The rankings used to be a big matter of subject, Jess and Mike would constantly pick on the group for being "poor" even though everyone, including themselves, knew they weren't.

Bo tore her eyes away from the sky and they fell upon the exposed back of a truck behind the garage to the left of the house. Mike's truck. She smiled to herself in remembering that it was all a surprise party for her return. Bo took a small step forward. Even though the thought of the get together had warmed her, she debating turning back to her car and driving away. She was afraid that seeing them all again would bring up things that she had tried to forget about the Mountain. Things that she didn't want to focus on until she had her head straight. However, Bo's fears diminished when she felt the notebook in her jacket and was replenished with the knowledge that she had been itching to tell them all about.

It was just foot in front of the other, and Bo was ringing the doorbell to Jessica's house. It didn't take long before her very own smiling face answered the door.

"Hey, Bo." Jessica's spirits were just as cheery as ever, which had surprised her. According to the group stories, Jess has been left to fend for herself through the whole battle. She had to make her own way to safety through the mines, and through the forest to make her way back to the group all while being chased by Wendigos. However, through immediate treatment, all of her wounds healed in a matter of a couple days. "Come on in." Her voice had become permanently damaged, as consequence for her struggles. It was scratchy and sounded like it had to squeeze through a cheese grater in her throat in order to make a single sound.

Bo gave her a warm, close-lipped smile, before stepping through the door, and taking her shoes off. She had remembered that the rest of her friends had still believed she had no idea that they were also at Jessica's house.

"It's so nice of you to invite me over. I really appreciate the get-away." She tried her best to make it seem like she was clueless.

"Oh, of course!" Jess tried her best to accentuate her words, but the damage to her vocal chords made it hard for her. "Anything for my girl."

Bo smiled at her again before looking around the house. In front of her was a lavish and long, glass table decorated with elegant dining chairs. A chandelier hung from the raised ceiling in the middle of the room, brightening the place up with it's yellow glow. As she looked to her left, she saw the usual study, where Jessica's father, Grant Riley, Canada's favorite attorney, sat in a desk with his head in a book. Even with his back turned, she could see the grey hairs winding to the back of his head. When he heard Bo's voice, he turned around to look at them.

"Ah, Bo-Anne." He greeted with a stale expression of happiness, his glasses tipped on the edge of his nose. He was never an emotional man by any means, and typically minded his own business when it came to Jessica and her friends. "So good to see you again, all healthy."

"Thank you, Mr. Riley, it's nice to see you as well." She answered politely, giving him a nod of appreciation. He gave her another forced smile and turned around again to his book.

Jessica let out a nervous breath out of her mouth, as if trying to laugh to break the suddenly stale atmosphere.

"Did you bring a bag for the overnight? The rest of the girls will be coming in later. We'll be staying in the guest house in the backyard."

"Yup, it's back in my car." Bo looked around at the place again before following Jess in through her kitchen and to the living room, which was completely dark.

"Sorry about that!" Jessica referenced the darkness, "I'll turn on a light-." Just as she had flipped the switch on her outlet, the room exploded with color and noise.

"Surprise-!" The room shouted in unison, scaring Bo slightly as she jolted back a bit. Everyone seemed to be there. Emily, Matt, Mike, Chris, Ashley, and Sam all were throwing balloons at her, clapping, and laughing at her shocked face. The room was covered head to toe with streamers and confetti. A banner reading "welcome back" hung from over the glass door leading to the backyard.

Bo smiled at the sight, holding back happy tears as her eyes scanned the faces of everyone in the room. They all looked genuinely happy to see her at it touched her lonely heart.

Jess was quick to engulf the girl in a tight hug. Ashley and Sam were not too long after her. The embraces from her friends moved her to silent tears, and she relished in their friendship.

The late hour was quick to catch up to the older teenagers. They lounged around in the Riley's living room, all sitting in a ring, talking to the night's end and morning's beginning. Not much was left to be said, and a quiet spirit seemed to entrap the friends' mouths closed.

There was nothing left to be discussed other than the one thing they wanted to put off for as long as they could. The topic ate them all up inside, each one of them wondering if it was as bad for them as it was for their friend next to them.

"Thank you, guys. So much." Bo finally pierced the silence, the mug of coffee in her hands warmed her up as she sat crisscrossed on the leather couch next to Ashley and Jess. She also took the notebook out from hiding underneath her jean jacket and placed it in between her legs until she was ready to bring it up.

Jessica smiled and rested her head on Bo's shoulder as a comforting gesture.

"You're so welcome, sweetheart."

"I really don't deserve this, though." Bo's smile dropped, and she stared into her coffee. Jessica picked her head back up and looked at her in concern, the rest of the group following. "We all went through the same thing."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, we'll make this a celebration for all of us." Mike cut in, and sat back against his chair that he pulled from the dining room table.

Bo gave him a small smile and let out a breath through her nose, before bringing her mug to her lips and taking a small sip.

"Yes, that does feel better." She admitted, looking amongst her friends. The weight of the one thing they needed to discuss was paralyzing.

"I don't know if you guys believe this is the appropriate time yet," Mike began again, "but if I don't bring it up now, we might not ever have the chance again." He made eye contact with Bo, who nodded him on, encouraging him to speak. He took a shaky breath, and leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on his knees. "We all survived."

The atmosphere was almost relieved that they now had this opportunity to put out everything they went through in words between each other.

"We survived something that no one else ever has." He added. "We need to have an outlet to talk about this, to process it. Interviews and news stories aren't enough."

The group nodded and murmured in agreement.

"I agree." Chris piped in, "Having to deal with this is a big weight on all of us. We all need to be here for each other, we need to communicate through this."

"Yeah," Sam nodded her head, and looked around, "I don't wanna feel like we can't bring up Blackwood anymore. It's eating me inside, the things we went through, the things I felt while we were there."

All eyes seemed to be on Bo for her input. She shrugged her shoulders and met the eyes of her friends, "It's fine with me." She spoke meekly. Bo was ready to hear about the Blackwood travesty, she just wasn't ready to talk about it on her end. "If this is what's going to help us move on, if this is what we feel would be healthy, I'll support it."

Chris gave her a sympathetic smile, and his gaze lingered on her longer.

"Yes, this would be a step towards moving on, exactly." Mike encouraged. "The second step is when we'll really all move past this."

The group again nodded amongst themselves.

"Yeah," Bo agreed softly, but something perked her interest, "Wait, second step? What's the second step?" Her eye narrowed slightly as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Bo," Mike looked back at her, like he was easing her into a pool of burning lava. "While you were in the hospital healing, we all talked about taking action against this situation. Legal action."

"Legal action?" Bo's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. "Legal action against what? Against the 'situation', you said? How do you take action against a mountain-"

"Against the Washington's, Bo." Mike cut her off, growing in passion as she was, "We're gonna sue the Washington's and get that mountain shut down for good. No one in, no thing out."

Bo's back straightened.

"No." She firmly stated, and shook her head once. "No, we're not going to sue them, are you guys insane?" Bo set down her mug . "You guys aren't serious about this, are you?"

Their guilty faces told her otherwise. They looked amongst themselves, as if passing the responsibility of explaining everything to Bo to someone else. Mike heaved a heavy sigh, and leaned back in his chair.

"We've already contacted lawyers. They're working on the suit already and already have substantial evidence that will propel us in winning."

"I can't believe it." Bo stood up from the couch, a death glare forming on her face. "We took their kids. Now you want their money. Now you want their reputation." She stepped over Jessica's legs that were on top of the coffee table so that she could leave the room. Bo lingered in the doorway, as they watched her.

"What about what we went through? You really think that doesn't deserve some form of compensation, some kind of justice?" Mike stood up as well.

"Well, yes, but we don't have to drag anyone down in the process! The Washington's are grieving just like we are. Do you think that suing them is somehow going to reverse it all?"

"Bo, it's not about reversing it! It's about our own healing and about raising awareness." He argued. Bo scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Really, now? Our healing? If it was really about our collective healing, why wasn't I apart of the discussion?"

"You are apart of it!" Mike exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Right now!"

"Right after you contacted lawyers and got the case up and running-"

"Bo, I understand that you are close to the Washington's, but they'll be fine." Chris suddenly stepped in, joining the conversation. His comforting gaze shook Bo out of her anger, and her expression softened. "They'd mostly just have to pay compensatory and punitive damages to the government for the explosion and you and Jess's injuries. It's not gonna be as bad as Mike is making it seem."

"That's not the point, Chris." Bo gained her back bone again. "You're putting them in the lime light for an accident that was not their fault. It was an accident." She stressed.

"Not everything on that mountain was an accident." Mike's voice dropped to a concerning tone. "Do I need to remind you all of what Josh did to us?" He sat back down calmly, without emotion. Bo could see the twinkle in his eyes, as if he had won the argument. It only angered her.

"Fuck you." Bo looked him in the eyes, with a stare that could kill, as she began to back away. She got out of the doorway before turning and storming away. She heard the cries of her friends as she walked past Mr. Riley, still studying at his desk, and busted through the front door. Bo pulled her keys from out of her pocket and raced for her vehicle.

She opened the driver door and slammed it behind her just as she made it in. Bo was quick to start it and drive off, watching her friends gather at the front patio, to watch her leave.

Bo's anger was almost uncontrollable.

She kept driving and driving, unaware of her destination. She thought the only place she could escape the madness of her life was with her friends, but just like her parents had, they dragged her back down. Nowhere was safe for her anymore.

Bo sat cross-legged on the hood of her car, staring out past the ski lift that lead off the cliff and into the forest where Blackwood Mountain was located. The steaming tears rolled down her fast as quiet and quick breaths escaped her lungs. The cold air froze her insides, but she didn't care. She heard the stillness of the forest and could picture the Wendigos sneaking around through the trees, hunting for their next meal.

Her phone began to buzz next to her. Bo found herself able to tear her eyes away from the sight of the mountain and looked down at her cellphone. Chris's contact flashed in front of her, as he desperately called her. A photo of Chris, Josh and Bo at a pumpkin patch the year before showed along with it. Bo turned her head away fast, and closed her eyes tightly.

That memory was too good to remember at that moment.

Bo used the sleeve of her hooded sweater to wipe her running nose as she worked up the courage to decline the call. However, her phone stayed in her lap. She stared at her home-screen that remained, which was a photo of Josh and Bo at their 11th grade prom.

She wore a red silk dress, and he wore a matching tie and black suit.

Another memory that was too good to remember.

She looked back out into the deep, dark forest and then back at her phone. The tears began to flow out steadily once again, as she scrolled through her contacts and began to call the only person she could trust in that moment.

The phone rang for a few moments, which was what Bo had expected because of the late hour. However, it wasn't much sooner when the call was picked up.

"Hey, Bo, is everything alright?"Josh's mom, Lauren Washington spoke into the speaker. Bo broke down right then and there.

"Lauren," her voice choked up, with her withdrawn sobs.

"Oh, honey, what's the matter?" Lauren was quick to hear the distress.

"Um," Bo took a shaky breath, "is it possible that I can stay the night at your place tonight? I just...there's no where else I can turn to, right now."

"Oh my gosh, hon." Her soothing voice almost melted away all her anxieties. "Of course, you can. Is everything okay?"

"Yes," she choked again on her lies, "No, it's not...not yet, I don't know."

"Bo-Anne, you just come on over and we'll talk more, alright?"

Bo nodded on the other side of the line as if Lauren could see her.

"We'll leave the lights on the front porch, hon, okay?"

"O-Okay." Bo took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, her tears rolling down her cheek and trickling off her jawline. "Thank you, Lauren. Thank you."

"It's not a problem, sweetie. You just come on over right now, alright?"

"Alright."

"Okay now, see you soon."

Bo couldn't bring herself to say goodbye, so she let Lauren hang up the phone as she stared off again into the mountain scene in front of her. As she scaled the forest line with her eyes, something moves within the trees.

Her eyes widened and her heart rate quickened at the sight. Her mind raced back and forth between what the movement could had been. Anyone who didn't know better would simply assume it was a deer or a fox.

Anyone who didn't see what the mountain really inhabited wouldn't think twice.

Anyone who never saw a wendigo or lost a loved one in an underground mine wouldn't bat an eye.

Hoping for the best, Bo jumped off the hood of her car and raced to the edge of her side of the cliff. With everything in her, she called out as loud as she could.

"Josh!" She screamed into the forest. Her voice broke and came back as she shouted for him again. "Jo-osh!"

Not a stir in response.

Defeated, Bo turned around again and walked towards her car. She got into the driver's seat and turned the key to start it. On the passenger side sat a green notebook, taunting her with her night's worth of ideas and planning. All for nothing. The engine roared loudly and gave her a slight headache, but she pushed on and drove away, unable to take the weight of being alone any longer.

Thank you so much for waiting and reading the second full chapter of Contain These Demons! It's so great to be back and uploading again. The global quarantine is giving me so much time to get back to what I love most: writing and until dawn! Expect third chapter to be out before March 23rd!

See you all in the next chapter, very very soon!

Graphics by the lovely girlpotterheadxx