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It wasn’t anything too shocking; no sudden jump from his bed, no nightmarish hellscape awaiting him among the living. In fact, everything was just the way it was. Almost everything.
Jakes eyes slid open slowly, cautiously, and begrudgingly. The last thing he remembered was their trial, the last test of the entity- a free for all battle. Everybody was together, spread out across a large landscape, where each area was all too familiar, including the many silhouettes of killers he could make out in the distance. 30 generators required and only 10 exit doors remained. They all rushed for escape, some forgetting about the importance of teamwork.
When the trial had started, they knew it was the end. Kill or be killed, it was their finale. The entity couldn’t feed forever and it's reign over their consciousness’ was finally collapsing. The purgatory they were being held in was now releasing its grip, and whether they climbed the ladder to freedom or fell to damnation relied on those few hours left. Jake barely remembered what actually happened during the trial. He remembered the last hook he took slashing through his right shoulder. Bill pulled him off of it, slamming a hand down on his shoulder to say the last words Jake remembered hearing-
“Run. Even when your legs won’t last, they’ll find a way. You’re too young for it to get you now, kid. So be smart, be brave, and no matter what, keep going.”
Jake wondered if Bill had made it out too. Post conversation, all Jake could remember was sprinting through the exit doors. The only other person running with him was Meg; he hoped she made it out, too.
After opening his eyes, he didn’t try to move. Who knows if the killers had made it out with him- if that was the case, they could be anywhere, and he wanted to know if his location was safe, first. Glancing around, he was tucked away in the bedroom of his cabin, no noise to be heard but the soft whistling of wind through the trees beyond wooden walls. Steadily, he arched his back up, making as little noise as possible. Jake sweeped his legs off the bed, now crouched in front of his bedroom door. It opened slowly, creeks echoing through the home. Jake lived in a small space, and thus far he hadn’t heard any suspicious noises. He only heard noises he remembered from before the trials- noises he now so desperately hated and once loved. The sound of leaves falling from their branch and of rushing air pushing against those leaves, carrying them several feet away from their original tree.
Jake used to relish this silence, craved it’s warmth and comfort- now, however, it haunted him. In every waking hour, in every waking minute, the moment he was left with just the trees, he knew- there was nobody left but him. Just him and the unknown beyond. It shook him to his core, a cold breeze sweeping through every limb of his body. Jake wished he could just sit and watch nature run its course like before, but now everything’s different. He wished he could just become numb to it all instead.
The house was now thoroughly checked- every dark corner of his closet, every cabinet in his kitchen- it was all clear. Just like before, except one thing had changed- his furniture was lightly covered with a layering of dust. Jake quickly rummaged through his hiking bag, pulled out his laptop, opening it with definite speed. He needed to check the date- how long had it been…?
After a painfully slow boot up, Jake breathed out a long sigh of relief. It had only been a couple of weeks- around 2. He thanked whatever sort of deity or whatnot that was out there for time not going any further. Jake currently worked as an online journalist, and knew his boss decently well- well enough for him to roughly bullshit an emergency situation and his boss would be understanding of it. At least Jake hoped it would be that easy- he struggled through some long days and nights to keep this online job, not willing to leave his cabin to town except for food and other necessities. At one point in time, he would have rather not have to see anybody at all. Now, the craving of somebody else being there and working with him ate at him slowly.
Jakes skin pricked upwards, alerting him that something nearby was off. He hurriedly shut his laptop, wincing slightly at the loud slam it made. Quickly and quietly he hurried over to his door, creating hushed shuffling motions to not leave any marks-
The thought of scratch marks being left behind made Jake breathless- he isn’t there anymore. This was real life. Wake up.
Shaking his head, he silently peaked upwards to look through the living room window- at first, he noticed nothing. Just the typical Jake Park Cabin scenery- a couple of local homeless cats feeding from his outdoor cat food, which Jake thanked was still there after a couple weeks, and the empty chair he had gotten from a local thrift store sitting idly on his porch. Nothing had changed- but before he could move from his current hunched position he spotted a figure from his peripheral vision. Jake quickly moved his hand to his heart, feeling the heartbeat becoming restless, but not painful. Not like before,
Jake. It’s not like before. Snap out of it. You’re here- the cats are living proof. You worked your way into being here, now live in the moment and realize it’s probably another hiker, like always. Live in the moment. Breathe.
Shaky breaths became less frantic by the second. However, Jake noticed that the figure had stopped walking and was now leaning against a nearby tree. It was still at a far enough distance that Jake couldn’t identify the figure, but his nagging brain and heart, which continued to beat faster and faster, told him to check the situation out. If he didn’t, he might end up locked and alone in his cabin against whatever killer could be there. After all he had gone through, Jake couldn’t stand the thought of dying now. Not after what they had gone through for him. He wondered where they were. He wondered if any of them were still there, entity feeding on them for its last sadistic meal. He wondered if he would ever see them again.
The bathroom window was easy to open and sneak through- Jake silently climbed over its frame to land on ground. He hunched over to a nearby tree beside his front porch, close enough to finally get a look at the stranger, or killers, face.
Jake was used to not making much noise- living alone for a while typically does that to somebody. He barely showed reactions on a daily basis; a couple chuckles and such here and there, but not much aside from that. When his eyes landed on the figure close by, he audibly gasped, which was something completely rare for him. Something he hadn’t done since his first trial so seemingly long ago. His crouching turned to standing, and standing to walking, and walking to sprinting. Out of any person to be out here, Jake couldn’t believe his eyes- ones currently welling with mixed emotion. Glistening with joy, hope, and of worry.
Dwight was leaning heavily against the tree in front of him- it’s bark turning crimson from a wound on his side. His back faced Jake, but when he heard the footsteps of somebody breaking into a sprint behind him, he jolted up and quickly spun himself around. Dwight's reaction upon seeing him was almost identical to Jakes- only twice as dramatic. Feet leaping into the air about an inch, and his gasp almost echoed through the woods.
“J-Jake…? Is...Is that you? Oh thank christ…”
Dwight sighed, pushing his head against the tree in relief and a smile spread across his face. Jake noticed one of Dwight’s hands covering an apparent open wound on his right side- the shirts blood stain growing. Jakes shocked face quickly subsided into a frown, and he ushered Dwight to stand beside him.
“...your side. It’s still bleeding- even though we’re...what happened?”
Jake put his arm under Dwight's shoulder, hoisting him up and moving step by step with him as they both approached the cabin.
“I… don’t really remember. I thought I was g-going … going to… to die, Jake. But this time… for good,”
Jake opened the door to his cabin with one swift motion, leading Dwight inside his home and onto the nearby sofa.
“All I remember was trying to get Kate and Adam out the nearest gate. I lead them to it and everything- They were the only two I could sense nearby. I would’ve gotten more people if I had only sensed more, but once the gate was open... I walked behind them to make sure that they both escaped safely… I … I really hope that they.... that… that they’re still breathing out there, somewhere.”
Jake nodded along as Dwight talked, trying not to seem disinterested, since he felt the entire opposite- he desperately wanted to know how how Dwight was still injured.
“Wait. I’m going to grab first aid,”
Jake put his hand up to signal a stopping point and stood to move towards the nearby bathroom. He hurriedly grabbed his first aid kit and rushed back to the living room. Dwight had leaned against the couches armrest- he had taken off and bundled up his tie to put against the immense wound. This wasn’t to help the wound at all, but just to not stain Jakes couch- his lips quirked up at the gesture as he approached Dwight.
“Continue. I’m listening.”
“I-If you need some time that’s okay- I know talking about everything right now is kind of hard and if you need a break-”
Jake put forward the same hand signal as before- a sign for Dwight not to ramble and finish off his previous story. Dwight sighed, nodded, and started talking once more.
“Once I saw Kate and Adam burst into full sprint, being completely immersed in the fog, I knew they escaped and were gone for good. I… I’m glad I helped, somehow,”
Dwight hesitated before talking again, eyes drifting off to the distance, staring at nothing, but thinking of everything. Jake pulled out the necessary supplies to aid Dwight’s wound, trying to not disturb the other. He knew the man would continue eventually, but he also knew not to rush him.
“I really wanted to go back and help the others… I … I promise you I really wanted to, but… I was already injured, and the… the humming grew louder, before I knew it, I turned around and saw… her. Y-you know…”
Jake huffed a little, causing Dwight to flinch.
“Yeah. The Huntress.”
Dwight's skin visibly pricked at her name, the very sight of his skin standing up caused shivers to roll down Jakes arms.
“Y-Yeah… I panicked and tried sprinting away- I got to the exit, but… r-right before I went into the fog, I felt one of her… her axes spin and… it cut into my side, even in the fog,”
He shook his head and chuckled lowly, Jake raised an eyebrow to further question him to explain.
“It’s funny… we’ve all been hit by her axes, but this time… I … I really felt it,”
Dwight's previous chuckle turned to a hefty laugh- he held his head in one hand, shaking it softly.
“She… she really got me. Even when I woke up, my forest map in one hand and empty bud light in the other, just like before, the pain… it… it didn’t leave. I-It’s… it’s … it’s still...”
Dwights head swayed heavily downward and Jake quickly reacted by jolting forward, tightly gripping onto Dwight’s shoulder. The bleeding was still significant and it made Jake realize that now injuries like these were more serious- it wasn’t something you could put off until later like in the trials. Right now, the two of them were here. They were breathing in the smell of burnt embers emanating from his fireplace, no longer lit but wooden pieces still creating the smell.They were sitting in front of one another, faces close and hearts beating rhythmically, almost in sync. They were here, alive, reality pressing against them. The essence of it was consuming them by the minute, and the revelation of just how real everything was wrung the air out of Jake, causing him to suddenly begin coughing. Dwights head snapped up.
“J-Jake…! Are… are you alright…? Are you injured anywhere and didn’t tell me!?”
Jakes coughing subsided and he slipped a slight smile from the other caring so deeply for him. Another person was worried for him, and it felt all too real.
“Yeah, fine, it’s just… it’s a lot.”
Dwight lifted the right side of his shirt to where the gash was, Jakes instincts began kicking in and he aided Dwight just like times before. Once he was finishing up the first aid, he locked eyes with Dwight. They sat like that for a bit, nothing but trust and security, an odd feeling, but Jake decided that it was one of the most comforting. Something about its reliability and understanding left him awestruck- he figured Dwight felt the same, as neither of the two spoke, just stared.
For what seemed like a while, reality being about two minutes, Dwights face changed and a giant smile was brought up.
“Yeah… It really is a lot… but you know what’s good about that?”
Jake seemed confused, but somewhere in the back of his mind he heard the answer; nonetheless, he hummed audibly, enough for Dwight to continue his statement.
“Even though we both went through that… through what seems like a fate worse than hell… w-we are both here now. And I think that’s a good thing,”
Dwight leaned forward, not enough to move his wound in any uncomfortable position, but enough to comfortably sit and grasp Jakes arm gently.
“We made it. And we are here, together. Even if something happens, we watch each others backs. We work as a team- I need you to survive so that I can survive, too. I-I don’t know about you… but thinking of that really inspires a person to keep going, huh?”
His smile never let up, and he looked to Jake with hope now radiating in his eyes- brighter then any cursed hex could cover up, and brighter than the hope of their old campfire- his eyes were lit with something much larger; perseverance. Jake smiled back-in that moment he thought to himself,
Dwight really has been the perfect leader for us, huh…?
The tone shifted and Dwight's hand swept back to it’s previous place by the armrest- his eyes nervously flickered to different points of the room. Jake wondered if not replying really made Dwight this nervous, but he wasn’t sure what to say. He was speechless.
“O-Oh god, sorry- I-I didn’t mean to just grab you, and I just kind of went off on a rant, huh…? A-Anyways, thank you for helping my wound, seeing it still open made me more nauseous than usual so I’m glad you made it feel better...! T-That was a dumb way to put it…”
Dwights face and the tips of his ears tinted a shade of red from embarrassment, and his words became more muffled as time went on. Jake laughed, which caused Dwight to snap focus back to him.
“What you said… it was perfect. Now follow me, I need to apply an extra set of bandages across your waist for pressure,”
Jake went from sitting in front of the couch to standing, extending a hand for Dwight to take. Dwight said nothing, silently nodding and started another smile. That smile made Jake feel almost nauseous, but in a way that felt more affection than disgust- his stomach feeling like it was on air. It felt… refreshing. It was a common feeling he started having around Dwight not too long ago. Now, however, Jake could savor the feeling, and the warmth spread to his face. Dwight took his hand, standing up and following him. The two headed into the bathroom, and Jake quickly searched for his supply of bandages.
“Found them. Now take off your shirt,”
Dwights face currently glowed a more vivid rose color, and he began stuttering utter nonsense; before he could form any sort of sentence, Jake rolled his eyes and spoke,
“I need to put a final wrapping around your torso. For pressure, like I said earlier. It’s easier this way,”
He ushered Dwight to take a seat on the edge of the bathtub, to which he complied. Dwight unbuttoned the top part of his shirt before removing it completely, and Jake took a quick look up and down. His eyes spread open more than usual, and Dwight gave him a confused look when Jake lifted a hand to his mouth. They were there. All of them, formed into his skin. Every scratch, every poke, every scrape. From knife stabbing, chainsaw tearing, and even hook ripping- the scars decorated his body in different directions, shapes, and sizes. They were still there. The entity did have a way to haunt them physically among the living, after all.
“J-Jake? What’s wrong? You… you don’t look too good,”
Dwight didn’t move, just eyed Jake cautiously, also concerned. Jake slowly stepped forward, fingers lightly touching the upper right side of Dwight’s chest. Dwight was breathing in and out quite heavily, not dangerously or painfully, just frantically. Jake noted that he was panicking, but when he himself stopped to listen to his own breath, he realized he was panicking too.
Dwight slowly looked downwards, after seeing Jakes eyes trail his body in shock. His eyes expanded immediately upon the sight, his own body now completely changed, and almost yanked himself backwards into the tub.
“T-This...T-These… These are…”
Dwight brought his own arms up to view them, obviously shaking. Jake quickly grabbed Dwight's arm to pull him towards the outer edge of the tub so he wouldn’t slip and injure himself even more. They both stared in awe and sorrow. An empathetic mood. Jake was always speechless with things he didn’t expect- he just grew to not show it as much. This time, however, seemed different… even though it wasn’t his own injuries, he felt this was still personal. The thought crossed his mind on how his body must look the same, they all probably do… but right now, Dwight was on the verge, and Jake couldn’t risk seeing him go over, and felt a distraction coming on.
“ You know… even after savoring the feeling of destroying a hook… knowing it wasn’t going to hurt another person… It made the feeling of seeing somebody get hooked afterwards all the more painful. Kind of fucked… right?”
Jakes fingers slid from Dwight's arm to touch one of the obvious hook scars, grazing over it softly to get Dwight’s attention. It seemed to be working, as Dwight's gaze was now stuck on him, but it also made him frown in confusion. Jake snickered.
“I know. Fucking stupid, huh? The killer was going to hook us regardless, but still. The idea that I could’ve been faster… or maybe smarter… it hurt. And now, they’re toying with us- giving us these damn scars. We didn’t have them before. I guess the feeling of not being enough still lingers.I know you feel it too, Dwight. Feeling like you could’ve done so much more, just so some of us didn’t have to go through any of it, so maybe we wouldn’t have these scars. But they’re permanent. They’re here forever just to remind us of what we lost. It’s fucked.”
Jakes face twisted into a form of messed up empathy, something uncommon to him- it made him feel vulnerable. This intimacy and openness, something completely foreign to him. When Jake met Dwight's gaze, it reminded him why he has to keep trying this. To try and display his emotions verbally.
Dwight was now crying. Tears cascaded silently down his face, which scrunched with a sort of memorable agony; they felt a feeling of connection and reassurance. Jake didn't want Dwight to think he was alone. He knew how Dwight was feeling- and he was there for him.
“I guess that’s why what you said earlier was important. We… we have to keep living, together. So we can survive together.”
Jake began to bandage Dwight's waist, both of them in tears, droplets of different types but of the same emotions. This feeling of commonality made them both smile.
“Wow… I, I didn’t know you had such a way with words! O-or something like that…”
Dwight nudged one of Jake's shoulders lightly, and they both laughed. It was open. It was free. They didn’t feel forceful about these things. They were living life how it was supposed to be.
“Guess I just feel comfortable… it’s… sort of nice, having somebody to talk to.”
Jake finished up the final touches on bandaging, now standing and taking Dwight's hand to lift the other up. Dwight's smile beamed through his tear soaked face, and he intertwined their fingers.
“Hm. Getting bold? Now that’s leadership.”
Jake laughed softly and Dwight flushed, shoving him gently.
“ I-I thought it was smooth! Ah, you’re probably tired. We can go rest up now- o-only if you’re okay with me staying here…?”
Dwight's nervous habits rose back again, and he started to bite at his free hands fingernails. Jake lifted one of his eyebrows.
“... that’s fine with me, but don’t you need to.. Ah… be somewhere?”
Jake cursed himself for sounding anywhere close to rude with Dwight, since he’s always been anything but kind, but Jake did need to get his point across. Dwight responded soon after.
“Oh, it’s alright. I haven’t been home in a while- Just kind of been… wandering around in the forest. Nobody will miss me or anything, either.”
Dwight swapped from biting his nails to rubbing his upper arm anxiously, causing Jake to look at him with worry.
“They should. Everybody could use somebody like you.”
When Dwight looked at him with a face full of misunderstanding, Jake rushed to finish out his words.
“I meant somebody who’s reliable, and kind,”
And cute-
Luckily, Jake caught his thoughts before he repeated them out loud, keeping the last tidbit to himself. Dwight's ears began to burn from embarrassment.
“T-Thank you… that… it means a lot, so thank you,”
He now was rubbing the back of his neck with a wide smile. Jake nodded with a smaller smile in return, and they continued back to the living room sofa. Jake sat down and patted the spot next to him, which Dwight complied. Jake thought through his next words before grabbing Dwight's shoulder to lightly press them together.
“We can worry about things tomorrow. I’m tired, and with that wound you must be exhausted. Don’t worry. I’ll be here.”
Jake smiled at him, and moved his hand to rest it on Dwights thigh. Dwight replied by intertwining his hand with Jakes.
“Y-Yeah, you’re right. We… we will still be here. We can work it out. Together.”
Dwight's voice trailed off and his eyes flickered slowly before going out completely. Jake relished the feeling of having Dwight lean against him, and he slowly leaned over to plant a small kiss in Dwight’s curly hair. It was soft, a small moment amongst many, but it meant so much to him. Jake smiled one last time before resting his own eyes.
The sun already began to fade, leaving the dark indigo of night to soak through the sky, it’s small iridescent rhinestones reflecting above the cabin, complimenting the bright lights glowing from a distant town. Their scars, mental and physical, reminded them daily of what the past had done. They were always aware of what happened, and things which were previously easy to do became troublesome and difficult. But it didn’t bother either of them. The idea that teamwork and communication could become so important was foreign to Jake at one point in time. But now, imagining a life without it, without Dwight to remind him and be with him through everything, was almost painful. So Jake savored this feeling- of trust, of companionship, of knowing there were days to come- but this time, the days were full of light. Whether it was the light in Dwight's eyes that shined of hope and something more, or the light of the sun rising to a new day full of life, Jake appreciated every piece of it, and wouldn’t trade the world for anything more.