Author's Note:

Okay so first, I wrote up my idea of the history of this group of friends to explain the canon this story is set in. It is very important to this story to understand the past that I created for them, though it is completely within the canon of the game:

Josh met Chris in elementary school after the "strap snapping" incident and they quickly became best friends (Boom. Butterfly effect). Hannah met Sam in middle school, and they eventually became best friends as well (as Sam grew up, it seemed that her hopeless best friend perpetually stayed that age).

In high school, Beth had a class with Ashley, shy and introverted in a way that hid her quirkiness (Ashley has dealt with mild social anxiety due mostly to depression for a long time, stemming from abusive parenting and a drunk father). Beth, a relatively quiet person as well-uninvolved with the drama of high school not because she was introverted but because she simply didn't care-sat on the back row next to the quiet girl and they connected. She was with Beth a lot when Hannah and Sam hung out, but it was the mutual friend type thing for Sam.

Hannah developed a massive crush on Mike, the most popular and sought-after guy in high school, and Sam knew she'd get over it and move on just like all the countless others, but she didn't. Eventually, after a year or so, Hannah started slowly adjusting the way she dressed and acted at school, the people she talked to and sat with, to try to worm her way into the popular group. Sam was patient and understanding with Hannah's phase, though she had no interest in being popular. (Sam was on the track team, and she was the best rock climber in gym class, which combined with her stunning looks got her more attention than she wanted as it was.) Eventually, Mike noticed Hannah, and he and his current girlfriend Emily invited Hannah to parties, to which she readily accepted. Sam tagged along to these because she felt the instinct to protect her friend. She never really trusted the popular people—Mike and Emily and Emily's best friend, Jessica. Matt, the leader of the jocks at school, was usually there too, though he was gentler and quieter than the others. Everyone could tell he and Jessica had a thing.

But Hannah seemed to be pretty welcome in their group, at least by Mike, who could always use an extra set of boobs around (and Sam came with Hannah, which was a bonus). Emily and Jessica were pretty much indifferent to her—they knew she had a crush on Mike (everyone at school did) and it made them a bit reluctant of her, but Hannah was nice and funny and they didn't mind having her around.

Finally, Hannah was able to convince Mike, Emily, Jessica, and Matt to come hang out with her other friends—her brother and sister and their friends, who she promised were cool, for a weekend at their lodge in the mountains. It sounded like a pretty awesome party, and the four of them agreed.

Chris was a little awkward, but he liked people, and he liked meeting new people. But when it exhausted him, he went with his best friend down to the kitchen to drink with him. Josh loved making new friends, though he was pretty well known at school anyways for his looks and his charisma—he just liked having a good time, and he just always got along with everyone so well. Beth was responsible and smart—she had promised her parents to watch after everyone that weekend and she played the part of their mother. When Jessica had the idea for the prank, Ashley was so willing because she had issues with depression and anxiety and an impulsive desire to be accepted and fit in—and it was her first time hanging out with them. She needed them to like her. Matt just did what he was told.

Obviously, everything changed the night Hannah and Beth disappeared. The trauma took its hold on everyone in the group and no matter how they chose to handle it, they could not deny the ties that bound them now (I get into it a bit in the story). And then their relationships change yet again the next year, when all of their true colors show—this kinda plays into the mail purpose of the story.

All of this is canon to this fanfiction and will come into play eventually. Also in this fanfiction, you'll notice the various "decision branches" that I chose as canon in my head (Mike loses his fingers to the bear trap, Chris chooses to save Ashley, Ashley stabs Josh...), but I don't think I need to point them all out, since they should be obvious, and there are no contradicting events—if it can't happen in the game, it doesn't happen in my story. What I do need to point out is that everyone survives in this story, and Josh is a wendigo (NOT the best ending in my opinion but it is necessary to this story… you'll see why).