He hated the mountain. He hated everything on that fucking mountain. If he could, he'd burn everything down to the ground and tell everyone, to stay the fuck away from it. That mountain, that horrible mountain was just as bad as the things inside it. It takes things away fast, and just leaves you watching in despair.

That mountain and its smug ass watching him leave broken, scared, and traumatized. He hated the mountain, and wanted nothing more that to burn it down.

"Chris" a soft voice whispered beside him.

He startles but feels the warm hand of Ashley slip into his own "It's ok Chris, it's over now..." she trails off quietly before looking out of the window.

He nodded and slowly relaxed into her hold. But even as he held her hand and watched the sun rise quietly (or as quietly one can watch from a helicopter), he couldn't help but sneer and glare at the beautiful dark landscape that spread bellow them.

After all, how could he? It took the 1 person that mattered to him the most, the 1 person who he was willing to walk into hell and back again.

"Really?" the figure behind him asked sadly. Chris simply rolled his eyes and kept his back towards the figure.

"Chris" the figure spoke up again.

He stubbornly ignores the figure, who lets out a tired sigh "You can't keep up this stint Chris, your being a brat"

Chris whips around, glaring at Josh's wide eyes "ME A BRAT?" he yells "I WASN'T THE ASSHOLE WHO EMBARRASSED HIS BEST FRIEND IN FRONT OF THE GIRL HE LIKES" he screams before turning away and staring at the lavatory wall.

"Go away Josh, just...go" he whispered.

To his surprise Josh wraps his arms around Chris and Chris stiffens "I just..couldn't bare the thought of loosing you" he whispered quietly.

Chris sighs before disentangling himself from the hug "I know Josh, but I'm your best friend right?"

Josh nods before looking awayand biting his lower lip "Of course you are" he says before looking down at the floor "I'm just afraid..you'd forget about me"

Chris sighs again before wiping his own tears away "Josh, I know your afraid, but I'll be here with you" he takes Josh's hands in his own and tightly grips it.

Josh looks up and gives him a hopeful and shy smile "Thanks" he whispered.

Chris smiled before embracing him "Now, since you blew my date with Ash" he whispered in Josh's ear "You need to take me out"

Chris barely got out of the interview room, before he was ushered into another room. The voices and the faces of the people blurred together in his mind and the sounds and the lights became the same to him.

They'd ask him a question, and he'd answer them with the same mechanical response he stated ever since they got out of the mountain.

"It's evil, it takes everything away and destroys it all"

They must have been tired of his responses because he soon found himself in a bright room, filled with small trinkets around the table. A balding man, with a kind twinkle in his eyes and a smile always on his face spends time with him every day for a few hours.

He didn't bother speaking, at first, but the man was nice and he soon started talking to him. At first he shared simple things, his favorite color, his name, and soon gradually things got deeper and their bond grew over time.

"I'm sorry but I forgot your name" Chris sheepishly said as he entered the small therapist room on the week before Christmas.

"Hello to you too Chris" he smiled as he motioned the blonde to sit "After all these months?" he asked in a non pulsed, calm way.

Chris nodded before sliding a neatly wrapped present on the table "I bought you something but I can't remember your name" he said, guilt lacing his voice.

"It's alright Chris, you've been through a lot lately" he answered kindly. He brings 2 cups of tea before settling on the chair at the other end of the oaken table.

"My name is Dr. Allan Hill"

It was cold, so cold. Even as he ran as fast as he could away from those...daemons, he couldn't seem to shake the cold that raced after him.

"Chris"

A hoarse, raspy voice called out his name as he jumped over a fallen branch. The path was strewn with rocks and he could feel his shoes barely clinging on the slippery smooth surface of the rocks.

He barely managed to leap over a stream of water when a loud, ear piercing roar echoed around the dark forest.

"CHRIS"

The roar was louder and he could feel his heart nearly running out of his own chest. He screamed as he semed to get deeper and deeper into the dark maze of trees. As he runs through, a stray branch whips across his face and his foot snags under an overturned root. He falls and twists his ankle and barely manages to stop a pained howl.

"Fuck you" he spat at the forest.

The trees began to move and he lay still on the cold, hard ground. The last time they stayed still, those..things didn't see them. So he lay there, quietly, freezing but quiet, cursing the root and cursing his luck.

Soon the sounds of something approaching catches his attention and he couldn't help but silently pray. As the heavy footsteps walked by, he spots a figure walking towards him to the east.

'Oh god no...NO' he thought as the figure approached him seemed to be making a huge noise. As he closed his eyes and waited for the imminent sound of death and pain, the noise stopped and he found a warm jacket over his freezing form.

"Chris?" Josh's concerned face appears over his "Chris, come on get up. I know I was an asshole but, I need you to get up for me ok?" he gently picks Chris up and helps him stand on his feet "It's very cold Chris" he manages through grit teeth "But I know you can do it" he gives him a string, a red string "It will help you out".

Before Chris could say anything or process anything, the string was wrapped around his arm tightly and he was at the base of the mountain.

"Dr. Hill?"

"Yes, Chris?"

The old Dr. was looking at him with kind, patient eyes, and yet he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

"Do you know something about a red string?" he asked quietly.

"Pardon?"

"Red string?" he gave a shrug.

Dr. Hill sipped tea and gave a thoughtful sigh. He looks outside the window for a moment before looking at Chris again "In Chinese and Japanese mythology, they call the 'red string' a symbol for soulmates, people meant to stay together"

Chris nods before sipping his own tea.

"I assume this has something to do with your strange dreams?" the Dr. asked, worry lacing his tone.

Chris gives him a shrug and stares outside "I guess"

The Dr. gives him a strange look before he shrugs it off again.

"I mean, it's not like it's telling me to do anything"

Josh wakes up to find himself in a damp, cramped, cave. The air was foul, as if something was decaying and he couldn't help but shudder as screams echo around the cave.

It was cold, it was dark, and he was scared. Nothing was working and his mind was a mess. Nothing made sense and he was alone.

Alone.

But then he smells a familiar scent and for a moment, the cold was gone. The air was sweeter and fresher. For a moment everything was perfect. But then it was gone.

Alone.

But he was ok with it, for now. For now, he would sit there and wait. Wait for as long as he needed.

After all, Chris would come for him.