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Interviewer: So, Cora, can you walk me through what happened up there on the mountain?

Cora: You want the truth? It's... a lot to take in.

Interviewer: Of course. Just tell us what you remember.

Cora: Alright. Something happened in those mines. We were being hunted. Something was down there... and it took Josh.

Interviewer: "Something" you sure it wasn't the killer your friend called us about?

Cora: Yes, something alive. The others saw it too. It was... not human.

Interviewer: I see. And by "not human," you mean...?

Cora: A creature. Wendigos, if you know that term. Flesh and bone, but not like us. They took Josh right in front of me. Tore him away. If you don't believe me, you should look. Search those mines.

Interviewer: Cora, I understand you're processing a lot. You've been through trauma. It's common to feel like there's an outside force, or someone to blame—

Cora: You think I'm making this up? You think I'm crazy? Look, whatever it was that took him—it's real. And if no one's going to search the mines, then I will.

Interviewer: Miss, you need rest. Maybe some time with family or friends. I'd suggest therapy to work through—

Cora: No, you need to listen. If you don't get a team in those mines, you'll be putting anyone else up there in danger. You have no idea what's down there.

Interviewer: Let's back up, Cora. Can you tell me a bit more about Josh? Your relationship with him?

Cora: I'm not saying a word about him without a lawyer.

Interviewer: We're only trying to understand. Your connection to him could help us piece together what might have actually happened up there.

Cora: Get me a lawyer. Then maybe we'll talk.

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THE CABLE CAR jolted to a stop, and I stepped out, bracing myself for the worst. The shotgun I'd grabbed from the old shooting range felt heavy in my hand, it was only for distraction, I knew those bullet wouldn't do shit.

I passed the lodge, it was wrapped in strands of police tape that flapped and twisted in the wind. The authorities had conveniently blamed it all on some fugitive who'd apparently been loose in the area for years—an easy scapegoat, an easy close. But I knew better. I'd lived through it. And nobody was looking for Josh anymore. Not really.

It had been almost month now, and something in me had shifted. If he was still down there, lost in the darkness, he might have... changed. The thought of him succumbing to the same fate that had taken others haunted me. I wasn't giving up on him, even if it meant facing that nightmare all over again.

My phone buzzed violently with messages from Mike and Emily, their notifications flooding the screen. Don't do it, Cora. Please. Turn back, we'll talk about it. I typed a quick reply, fingers numb against the cold: ''Don't come back here, but if I go missing, my body will rest in the mines.'' With a deep breath, I flicked my phone to Do Not Disturb and stashed it in my pocket. This was something I had to do alone.

I walked into the mines and clicked on my flashlight. With each step deeper inside, a sense of dread curled in my stomach, but I swallowed it down, pressing forward.

The air grew thick as I ventured further. It was eerily silent down here, as though the mine itself had frozen in time. The faint scent of decay clung to the air, and I fought the memories that rose up, the memories of the bodies we'd left behind.

Suddenly, a piercing scream ripped through the silence, so sharp it felt like a knife against my skin. I froze, my heart thundering as the sound echoed down the passageway, getting closer. I took a deep breath, willing myself to remain completely still, my face hardening. The scream drew closer, and then I felt a rush of air as a Wendigo thundered past, barely brushing past me. My body remained stiff, refusing to betray any sign of life. The creature snarled as it moved further into the tunnels, leaving me standing froze in the middle of a tunnel with a heart pounding in my chest. I gave it a few seconds, then continued forward.

I followed the familiar path deeper into the mines, the one that led towards the water. My hands shook slightly as I neared the edge of the cavern. This was where we'd last seen Josh. Where Wendigo Hannah had dragged him down... but Hannah was gone now, nothing more than ashes of the lodge.

I stepped through the space where the bones lay scattered. I moved forward, picking my way carefully until my light landed on something lying just ahead on the ground. My breath caught as I recognised the shape. It was Josh.

I dropped to my knees beside him. Tears blurred my vision as I looked at him, my heart breaking at the sight. He was thinner, bruised and scarred, with a jagged mark cutting across his face. But he was breathing. I reached out, my hand hovering just above his shoulder, and a single tear slipped down my cheek.

Then, suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he jolted back, his gaze flitting around in a frantic search for something.

''Josh...'' I whispered, barely able to hold back the tremor in my voice.

''AHHH! No, no no no! You're not real!''

''Josh! It's m–'' I barely managed to get the words out before he flinched, recoiling from me.

''Get the hell away from me!'' he hissed.

His shouting echoed around us, bouncing off the stone walls, too loud, drawing the attention of the Wendigo lurking just ahead. I swallowed down the pounding fear in my chest and snapped, ''Shut the fuck up, Josh, and don't move, or I'll never forgive you.''

He froze, his gaze locking onto mine. We both stayed silent, barely breathing, our eyes fixed on the Wendigo now prowling closer. Its empty, white eyes swept over us, pausing right where I stood. Its twisted face leaned in close, sniffing at the air, and the scent of rot overwhelmed me. I gritted my teeth, standing stock-still as its claws reached out. The second its bony fingers came close, I ducked, narrowly dodging its grasp.

''Follow me, ugly bitch!'' I shouted, sprinting off into the maze of metal cages. My feet pounded against the stone as I ran, skidding around a corner just in time. I ducked behind a cage, my shoulder catching the sharp edge as I leaned in. The Wendigo's claws slammed against the metal, sending a chill through me as they scraped down with a screech.

My gun was practically useless against this thing. All I had was the lighter and a can of gasoline in my bag, but I was out of time. I bolted towards the cage's entrance, using my momentum to kick it back into place. The metal door slammed against the Wendigo's face with a sickening crunch. It staggered back, snarling, and I took off again, slipping behind a wall, heart pounding. As I ran, I tore off my backpack, flinging it ahead of me to clear my hands.

The Wendigo shrieked, its head twisting left and right, searching, and then its head turned sharply towards ne, the echo of its scream shattering the silence. It was close, too close. It screamed directly into my ear, and I forced myself to stay still.

''Hey, over here!'' Josh's voice broke through the dark, just as the Wendigo's attention shifted away from me.

''Josh, no!'' I whispered, feeling a surge of dread as I took off, chasing after the monster to protect him. When I rounded the corner, I saw him, standing and holding a flame thrower. His grip on the handle was shaky, but he held his ground. He fired, sending a rush of flame that roared over the creature, consuming it in blistering heat. I watched as the Wendigo screeched, flailing in agony, before it finally collapsed into ashes.

The silence that followed felt heavier than the creature's screams. Josh stared at the smoking remains, his shoulders sagging as he dropped the flamethrower onto the ground, letting it clatter against the stone. I stepped forward, every inch of me wanting to go to him, to check if he was really alright.

I walked up slowly, my hands trembling as I reached out to touch his face. But he turned his head away in shame. Ignoring the hesitation, I pulled him into a hug, wrapping my arms tightly around him. His body was tense, rigid at first, but after a long moment, his shoulders relaxed. He hugged me back before finally sinking into the embrace, like he was holding onto something he thought he'd lost.

We stayed like that for a while, just breathing, feeling each other's presence. When we finally pulled back, I looked up into his tired eyes.

''Where the fuck did you get a flamethrower from?'' I asked.

''It–it was just lying there...'' He managed, glancing away, as if still processing everything.

We stood there, gazing at each other. I could see the guilt and regret in his eyes, shadows he couldn't hide from me, not now. He swallowed, his voice barely a whisper. ''Coco, I'm... I'm so sorry...''

''Shh.'' I shook my head gently, resting a hand on his cheek, feeling the slight stubble beneath my fingers. ''Let's just get out of here.''

Something tugged at my chest the moment I said that. I bit my lip, hesitating, then I took a shaky breath. ''Actually, I... I need to tell you something.''

Josh looked at me, his brow furrowed. ''Cora–''

''I love you.''

''I was going to tell you after we got out of here, after all of this, but I never got the chance. I wanted you to know the truth. You deserve that.'' I added with no hesitation.

He looked away, his eyes shining in the dim light. ''Cora, I... I've loved you since... forever, I think.'' He swallowed. ''I took the meds, you know... for you. I didn't want to flip out, I didn't want to scare you or hurt you, but everything just... it felt like I couldn't breathe. After... after what happened to my sisters, I thought I needed to do something, to make it right. And then, I don't know, I just... I felt like I'd ruined everything, for you, for everyone.''

I took his hands, gripping them tightly, forcing him to look at me. ''You didn't ruin anything, Josh. You've made mistakes, yes, but you were hurting. We all were. You didn't need to carry all of that alone.''

He gave a small nod, his face softening, and I could see the relief in his eyes, like some weight had finally lifted. His hand tightened around mine, and together we turned towards the path leading out of the mines.  Despite everything we had been through, we were still here. Alive. Together.

CORA WINSLOW SURVIVED UNTIL AND AFTER DAWN

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