chapter two:
Joshua

She would've walked that entire forest back and forth if it meant she could find Beth and Hanna. Yet somehow the search stopped and all that remained was no answers for what happened with the girls. Hazel sat at the end of her bed as she weakly pushed her boots on. It wasn't even winter and yet the habit remained, she laced them with ease as she listened for any signs of her phone going off.

She was always on alert, waiting for the second Josh will finally answer her back. She messaged everyday and made sure it wasn't anything too pitiful, she knew he was upset with what happened. That he was blaming himself for the accident. She learned from Sam of all people about the prank everyone pulled on poor Hanna, it led to her running into those woods and disappearing. Beth followed after her and all that was left behind was empty memories and broken friendships, it didn't make any sense.

Hazel sighed softly as she pushed her hair backwards, she hated the length of it but she didn't want to cut it. Hanna would do it for the girl whenever she could, having someone else do it just felt wrong. Besides she didn't trust herself with a pair of scissors, so letting her hair grow was the better option.

Her phone buzzed and for the first time in a few days she actually smiled. She grabbed it so fast it nearly slipped onto the ground but she caught it just in time as she flipped it over to see the message.

Mom: gonna be gone late tonight sweetie, order yourself pizza or something.

Hazel sighed as she put her phone into her back pocket, yet another day of no message from Josh. She walked down her stairs in a fast motion but paused at the sound of knocking on her door. She approached and the only reason she could see Josh was because of how tall he was. She could see the top of his head when she stood on her tiptoes to see who it was.

"Joshua?" she pulled open her door, letting herself lower from her tippy toes. The floor creaked awkwardly as she stepped forward, she wasn't sure if he wanted a hug or not. He seemed pretty out of it as he looked at her with a blank expression. She didn't mind, she had seen that look so many times before and every time she acted like it wasn't a big deal.

"Haze" he smiled weakly but it didn't reach his face, she smiled softly as she pushed her hair back. "Joshua, I got worried. You haven't been answering my messages or calls. You don't have to explain yourself or anything, I know with everything going on it's probably just so hectic for you".

She moved back, letting the boy walk inside. The door clicked shut and she looked at the lock, she could lock it but then again she didn't feel the need too. The boy was whispering to himself as his hands clasped in front of himself weakly. His hair was a mess and he looked pale and exhausted as Hazel grabbed his arm.

"Hey you doing okay? You're not getting sick are you?" she pushed the back of her hand against his forehead and felt his warmth. He sighed softly as he gripped her side hesitantly. "I'm not sick" he mumbled in annoyance, and she let her hand move back. "Of course you're not Josh, I mean like a cold or the flu, you tend to get those when the weather changes around here".

She fixed his hair, letting the knots slowly disappear as she smoothed it downwards. "I uh, gotta go away for a few weeks, or maybe a month" she looked down at him, she saw that hidden look of distress in his eyes. "The hospital? I thought... you were better" he shrugged as his hold on her side increased.

"Well, I mean is this your decision or your parents? I thought you were doing really well with Dr. Hill, he's oddly nice despite his creepy demeanor. He gave you all those exercises to help when you're stressed or feeling depressed. He's a nice old man". She saw Josh weakly chuckle "stop trying to make me feel better Hazel, my sisters... they're gone and it's my fault".

"Joshua, it's not your fault. I've been out there everyday searching for any answers, we all have" he scoffed "not all of you, none of them care". Hazel smiled sadly "I care Joshua, isn't that enough? I lost my best friends and I'm really scared of what we actually could find out there".

He sat down on her couch, and she stood up as he ran his hands through his hair stressfully. "It wasn't my idea, but apparently I'm getting bad again so they think it's best I go away for a few weeks, see if it'll help me get better. And if I don't, they'll probably just give me a higher dose of my medication".

"I wish you didn't have to go" she sat down beside him and he looked down in defeat "it's what is best Hazel, I'm not doing any good just sitting here, waiting around for something to happen". She grabbed his hand slowly, and when his fingers intertwined with hers she smiled sadly "when do you leave?" he was hesitant. A habit he always held when it came to his health and it was almost always Hazel that he would hide things from.

"Tomorrow night or maybe afternoon, my dad's gonna drop me off, that's why I came to see you". They locked eyes and he envied the way hers looked so much brighter than his, she was still herself and he was a mess. He was slowly losing himself and yet even having Hazel didn't seem to help anymore.

"You can stay here, I can sleep on the couch and you can..." her words were cut off by him kissing her. Another means of distraction, of not facing his plenty problems that never seem to go away. Josh was spiraling and she could feel it, she didn't even have to look at him to notice the changes. The blankness, the slight shake of a hand and the desperation, the loneliness that never seemed to fade away.

He tried, he truly did to make it all go away, and yet it never did. That hole inside his chest was growing bigger and getting heavier, and it made him want to scream at the top of his lungs. Yet somehow Hazel managed to wiggle herself into it, but he would rather lose himself than ever lose her.

—
authors note:
After many days of being hella busy and work, I'm finally back. I've played the remastered version of Until Dawn (Emily broke my game and made it freeze so that was pretty funny, luckily it didn't mess up anything and it loaded back fine). As I was playing I could already picture my girl Hazel there, I technically didn't finish the game (I'm on chapter 8) like seriously I've been so busy but hopefully I can finish the full game tomorrow after work. (I accidentally killed Matt.... I gave him the flare gun but I didn't know you're meant to not save Emily on the tower... I tried to save her both times cause Matt seemed the type who would do that. So yeah he's like dead... oops. Gonna probably replay that part again and save him after I beat the game. Luckily no one else is dead!!!! So yay!) anyways this is a long ass note and this is a basic chapter and also short because I want to get to the actual game! So 2 more chapters left for this act (might make it 1 idk), then the actual game and I can't wait for that.