Sacrifice

Title: Sacrifice
Words: 1,518

Characters: Josh Washington and Melinda Washington, mentions Hannah and Beth Washington.
Fandom: Until Dawn

Warnings: Mature language, dubious consent, description of pain.
Spoilers: The prologue of Until Dawn


Summary:

It's been 19 days since the cruel prank and the twins' disappearance. In order to find his sisters, Josh Washington makes a life changing sacrifice.

​

Chapter One​

21st February 2014

Josh couldn't stop shivering. He was just wearing shorts and it was cold in the basement. He was nervous, fidgeting and wetting his lips. He didn't really want to do this but, for his sisters (for his mother), he would go through with this. It was life changing however losing his sisters would be the worse of the two. Better them alive and he changed, then Hannah and Beth dead when he could've done something to help.

He watched his mother move around, as she prepared the materials for the ritual. There was a cauldron bubbling away in the corner, its contents boiling, black and tar like with a horrible, thick smell that permeates the air. It almost made him gag the first time he entered the basement but now he was just a mild annoyance.

His mother was muttering under her breath, her eyes flying over the pages of her book. Josh's stomach turned, his hands cold. He knew that he had to go through this or else the guilt would eat him up alive but... But, at the same time, he didn't want to do this. This would change his life forever and that was scary. He was fucked up enough as is, and adding another condition was just another thing to make him worse.

There were seven black candles on the floor, placed in equal distances around a silver circle with elaborate runes and archaic language. It was a huge magic circle, taking up most of the floor, and he was going to be lying in it soon.

He swallowed, eyes wide. This was happening. This was actually going to be happening. Fuck, he-

"Joshua," Melinda Washington, his mother, said," come. It's time to start."

He felt short of breath, his palms were sweaty and he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready at all.

"Joshua, please. Your sisters..." she trailed off, her face full of agony. Maybe she didn't want to do this too, maybe she was just that desperate.

It was difficult to walk into the circle and lie down, his chest was tight and throat dry. He felt out of breath and nothing even happened yet. Fuck, he was such a fucking coward.

Melinda stepped into the circle, a bowl and brush in hand. "Now, stay as still as you can Joshua. This shouldn't take too long," she soothed, kneeling down beside him. She placed her warm hands on his cold cheek. He leaned into her touch, his racing heart calming slightly. It didn't help his stomach though.

They both took a moment before Melinda started chanting softly, a wet tip of the brush swept across his skin. First on his chest then his stomach, his shoulders and wrists and ended at the hollow of his neck.

His mother's voiced tapered off - fuck. Fuck, it was actually happening now - and she brushed his hair before placing a kiss on his forehead and leaving the ritual circle.

He blinked, his vision blurry with tears. He felt short of breath again, his chest heaving as he tried to pull more air into his gasping lungs. He noticed that the seven candles were alight with blue flame (that wasn't normal but what was normal about this whole situation? Fucking nothing, that's what!) and his mother looked so, so grave.

"Try to stay calm, Joshua. We'll get through this together and find Hannah and Beth."

'We? I'm the one who's going to be different forever!' He thought, bitterly.

She began chanting, the circle beneath him started glowing and the air felt charged with electricity. There was a distinct hum in the air, only audible between his mother's words.

Fuck - No! - Stop! - STOP!

He didn't want this! He didn't want to do this at all!

But none of his panicked thoughts escaped his throat. There was a vice wrapped around his neck, he couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe!

His mother's chanting increased in volume and speed, the humming became a high pitched ringing, and black spots started to fill his vision. Oh God. Oh God, it was happening!

Mum, stop it! Stop the ritual! Fuck, don't do it!

Then his mother was standing above him, a silver chalice in her hand. He shook his head. No, no, no, nononononono-!

Her cold hand - what happened? She was warmer than him just moments ago! - touched his locked jaw, coaxing him to open his mouth. He shook his head, that was the next step.

She was talking to him but he couldn't hear her over the insistent ringing and suddenly he felt hot, thick liquid pouring down his throat. He coughed and his chest heaved but most of the concoction slid down his gullet.

His vision whited out, the glowing circle burned so brightly that it started to hurt. He felt a fire in his veins, boiling under his skin, coursing through his whole body. Oh God, something went wrong! He was burning from the inside out!

The markings on his body burned even hotter than the lava flooding his bloodstream. The air was heavier and he knew he was screaming. His body jerked, his arm slamming down hard on painted concrete.

He arched his back, his muscles convulsing and straining as the magic took hold. He didn't want this! He didn't want this! HE DIDN'T WANT THIS!

There was another painful spasm and he felt bone break. Ligaments and tendons snapped, muscles shifted and swelled as the transformation took over.

He only knew pain, even the ringing - his screams, his mother's chanting and sobbing - had fallen silent. There was only the pain of his body contorting and mutating, his body suffering through a change he didn't want.

The pain continued to rise. He thrashed as he felt his teeth elongate, his jaw lengthened to accommodate his growing teeth and tongue. As his misshapen skull continued to change, he knew the end was coming. 'It can't get any worse than this, it can't get any worse than this, itcan'tgetanyworsethanTHIS!'

"... ​

In a shape that make both men and spirits quake ​

Let his new form wake​

Come, werewolf, come!"​

His body arched, muscles pulled taut, and a loud cry echoed in the basement. A strong gust of wind blew through the house, blowing out the candles and leaving the basement bathed in moonlight.

Pain continued to throb through his body. It was done. It was done and nothing will be the same ever again.

A mournful whine escaped him. Oh God, he was so fucked up.

"Joshua?"

He was on his stomach, face pressed against the cold floor. He slowly looked up, the pain slowly subsiding as he studied his mother. She looked wrecked, her face pale with tear stains on her cheeks.

"Oh Joshua, I'm so sorry," she sobbed, her shoulders shaking as she sunk to the floor. She started crying in earnest, wrapping her arms around herself.

Josh didn't understand, couldn't phantom why his mother would break down. He crawled forward, new muscles making themselves known, his ears pressed flat against his skull and tail tucked underneath him.

She flinched when he wrapped his clawed hand (?) - well, they certainly weren't paws. Like a cross between the two - around his mother's wrist. She looked up - did he get taller too? - at him, tears streaming down her face.

"I didn't know, Joshua. I promise I didn't know," she wept, placing her hand against his cheek. What didn't she know? That the ritual was going to be that painful?

She continued to pet him, to soothe him - or herself - after the distressing experience.

Then she wiped her face and pushed him away. He felt a pang of anxiety. Did he do something wrong? Melinda Washington stood up, glancing out the basement window. "Come, Joshua. There time is running out to search for Hannah and Beth tonight."

Right. Right, he was like this for that reason only. He had to find them. Or he'd die trying.

He shakily got to his feet, standing on four then straightening up to stand on two. 'Yeah, I did get taller,' he noted, his ears brushed against the low ceiling. He was massive really...

Melinda walked over to the side door and opened it. She looked back at his and said, "Joshua, you must come back before dawn. It's dangerous if you transform back outside."

He blinked. Oh, right.

He bolted out.

---​

Melinda closed the door, shutting the cold wind and snow out. She took a breath and another before she collapsed onto the floor. Her chest heaved as she was overcome with grief and sorrow.

She didn't know. She really didn't know!

She sobbed again. But she needed to find her daughters, her heirs, and Joshua - her son, her precious child - had paid the price.

She hadn't realised how Joshua had felt about the ritual or how badly the ritual would be for her only son. Oh God, her only son.

Because Joshua was not an as willing participant as she thought he was. The ritual had explained that the lighter the colour of the new werewolf, the less willing the participant and Joshua was all white.

---​

 

Title: Sacrifice
Words: 1,078

Characters: The Stranger, Melinda Washington, mentions Bob and Joshua Washington.
Fandom: Until Dawn

Warnings: Strong language
Spoilers: General stuff associated with The Stranger

Summary:

An old man contemplates and a mother worries endlessly.

Chapter 2​

22nd February, 2014

He studied the gun, his thoughts swirling. He had been on this mountain for many, many years and this was the first time he had come across a new supernatural creature. His family had dedicated their lives to protecting others from the mountain's supernatural inhabitants; from the malicious Wendigos and the fae... But this was the first time he had come across a werewolf. Something new after centuries of only wendigos and faeries. He checked.

He had been shocked stiff when he noticed the heavily built creature below him. At first he had thought it was another white dog from the faery realm - they loved to send them over to scout for potential hunts, and he made sure to silence them before they could even dream of heading back - when he noticed that the creature had been lumbering on its hind legs.

Not to mention, the shredded pants gave the werewolf away.

He couldn't phantom why it would be roaming the mountain but he knew that it was looking for something. What, he didn't know but he knew it was a threat. To him, to his wolves and to the stupid people still on the mountain.

He had warned the Washingtons against purchasing the mountain and his grandfather had warned the miners and so on and so forth, but did they listen? No! And now this hell of a place was even more dangerous than ever before.

The only good thing to have happened that week was the fact that he had managed to burn the elusive Makkapitew. Everything else had just made the week worse. The girls falling off the cliff into the mines, the appearance of police to search for them had been once huge headache.

And to add on to that, a werewolf was on the mountain.

He grabbed his gun, checking his bullets. He only had iron bullets but they would make do until he had the time to melt some silver ones. He could just kill the bastard before it did anything like infect an unsuspecting police officer or even outright kill someone, or he could incapacitate it and question why it had come to the mountain. Decisions, decisions.

He stood up, his wolves watching his movements. Eh, it would probably be better to ask first, shoot later but he'll see. He checked his supplies and flamethrower; there were still more wendigos about. It was only a matter of time before someone else went missing.

He stilled. Wait a fucking second.

Could it be on the mountain because of the missing girls? Then who on God's green earth could it be? And who was the one to bring it here?

He swore, grabbing his gear. 'I bet it was those damn Washingtons! Always making things worse!'

It was daylight, the chances of encountering either wendigo or werewolf was low so he'd only grabbed his pistol before leaving the sanatorium. There was one person he wanted to talk to and it was a Washington.

- + -​

Melinda Washington was in the kitchen, a hot mug of tea in her hands. Worry was gnawing away in the pit of her stomach for her girls and Joshua. He had come back just before Dawn, tired and sore but in one piece.

The transformation back to human was marginally better. The pain level was less, according to Joshua. She also noticed that the ritual circle was present when he changed back. She didn't know if it would always appear when he was forced to change with the moon or not.

He was currently on the couch, underneath a number of thick blankets, and fast asleep in front of the fire. He looked ill and exhausted; his skin pale and dark shadows underneath his eyes. His teeth were a little sharper and he'd gotten a little bit taller, but other than that there were no other indicators of the ritual or what he'd become.

Her lips trembled, her eyes squeezing shut. She had no idea that Joshua had not wanted to go through with the ritual. He had seemed so willing to do it to help find his sisters. He had told her that he wanted to do it.

He always was so convincing. She was distraught that he would choose to lie to her; she would have listened to him if he had said no. She would have tried harder to find some other way, to call her family to send someone to help rather than transform him. But that would have taken more time, more time than they could spare.

Even now, she wished there was something she could do to try and pinpoint their location but no scrying spells worked on Blackwood Mountain. Even if she were to perform the spell off the mountain, it would not have worked. The land was full of natural magics which made it difficult to navigate through.

She looked out the kitchen window, her tea lukewarm. It's been twenty days since she received a frantic call from Joshua, his voice choked as he informed her of what had happened. Hannah and Beth had run out of the lodge and they hadn't come back. The teens had searched for them but, with the snow and darkness, they couldn't find them.

She had come as soon as she could with her husband. He had been with them for the first week - making calls to local police, getting the other kids home safely and working with search and rescue. But his work could not be delayed any longer and he was forced to fly back twelve days prior with a heavy heart and had asked to be kept up to date on progress.

She hadn't told him what had happened with Joshua. She should have told him, then maybe he would have talked her out of doing the ritual and her son would be spared.

Abruptly, there was a loud pounding. She flinched. Who? What-?!

She rushed to the door, tea forgotten. Who could it be? Had they found them? Finally?!

She tore the door open only to jerk in shock. It was that man, the one that had tried to discourage them from purchasing the mountain. He looked different; older, a new scar running through his right eye and cheek.

"Mrs. Washington," he addressed, cold as ever.

"What- What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

- + -​