Seeing Josh converse with all his friends again was a sight you'd never forget. There was plenty of laughter and inside jokes you would never understand, but if it meant seeing Josh smile it was worth more than your entire world. Chris was making fun of Josh' antlers, calling him rodent Rudolph to the point Jessica was crying of laughter and rolling on the floor.
Josh punched the side of his arm with a pout, before joining the laughter of his friends.
Everything was all fun and games, but for some reason nobody mentioned the fact that there was someone from the group missing. Of course it was nice to have everyone around once again, but Mike wasn't there, and you felt a bit guilty to not include him, even after all he did.
You decided not to mention it until everybody left, but unfortunately Josh asked the group to stay over for the night, you couldn't wait any longer mention the elephant in the room.
As Josh returned from the front door with a pile of pizza boxes on his arms, you sat down next to Sam with a less evident smile than the rest. Josh plopped the boxes onto the ground in the middle of the circle of friends, before sitting in his previous spot as well. Your leg nervously bounced up and down in eagerness of asking about the guy. As soon as the first box was opened, you couldn't hold it in any more and blurted out the long awaited question.
"What about Mike?"
The group immediately turned silent at your words, and a tension rose from within the group that made you regret your decision to mention him. Jessica's eyes immediately found comfort in the carpeted floor, Matt and Emily offered each other a look that seemed like a silent agreement between the two.
Josh was afraid of their reactions, but just as curious as you had been. Sam luckily answered your question without making it even more awkward. She placed her hand on your knee and offered a small sigh.
"He's at the hospital at the edge of town. After everything that happened Mike had a hard time coping... which doesn't surprise me." She explained, eyeing the group who brought all their attention to her. "He told me about how bad his night terrors had become, as well as seeing wendigo's in his bathroom mirror. His mother told him to go talk to someone, but after one session they figured the mental hospital might be a good solution to his mental state..."
You nodded, averting your eyes from Sam to Josh, only to figure out he was already staring back at you. There was a lump in your throat that only increased by the way Josh looked at you, but to avert your eyes away from him was more difficult than you had thought.
"You want to visit him?" You mumbled, and he nodded at your words. There was a certain curiosity lingering in his eyes, and you figured there was a reason why he wanted to meet up with Mike. After everything that happened, you found it hard to forgive people as easily as Josh did, but as you questioned him about that, he confessed that he was still angry as well, only he tried not to let it consume him
"I'll look up the address for you, but I can't guarantee they'll let you see him."
You shrugged, knowing that trying would already be more successful than giving up. There must have been some questions Josh needed answered as well, and while there was a chance that you would leave with none of them answered, at least there was the thought of trying to reach out to them.
Once Sam had texted you the address, you saved it in your notes, and made a reminder for you to mention it tomorrow once everybody had left.
*1 week later*
It had been much sooner than you had expected. Currently on your way towards the mental hospital, Josh sat next to you, fiddling with his hands while staring at the passing scenery. You could tell he was getting more anxious with each turn, and every time the navigation mentioned how many minutes were left, he would sigh and try to control the tremble in his fingers.
You kept your eyes on the road, nodding along to the music on the radio, and noting that you had never heard this song before. Mentally keeping notes of things had always helped calm down your nerves, and while you felt anxious as well, it was nothing compared to Josh. He seemed to actually count to himself in order to keep to himself, and as you placed your hand on his thigh as a silent support, he jumped at the gesture.
"Calm down, Josh. I know you're nervous, but it's just Mike."
He nodded in response while staring out the window, and you could tell he hadn't even heard a word you had said. He probably needed some time to himself. To think things through, discover some questions he needed answered, and to mentally prepare him overall.
10 minutes later, the screen notified that you had arrived at your location, and you were relieved that you finally got there. While you were very eager to see Mike as well, you also just wanted to get this over with and go home.
You parked the car just outside the building, in the parking lot especially for visitors. You got out and headed for the entrance. But Josh stayed seated, staring at the tall building that somehow looked a bit like the lodge in Black wood Pines. It seemed somewhat friendly, and aside from the sides being separated by black fences, it didn't look like those creepy mental institutions you would see in movies.
"You okay there, Washington?"
Josh seemed to snap back to reality, and as he sees you standing by the entrance, he quickly leaves the car and walks towards you. He mumbled something about being fine, before heading into the building.
Inside the interior was just like you had expected. Wooden furniture that felt like a winter get away, detailed with dusts of color to brighten things up. The receptionist offered you a gentle smile as you approached her desk, and you returned the gesture with a little less conviction.
"We are here to visit... Mike Monroe? " Her eyes beamed at his name, and immediately she started typing on her computer. She eyed Josh for a moment, but ignored him in favor of searching Mike's room number.
"Mike Monroe... yes, room 1.12." And while you thanked her and wanted to head for the mentioned room, she stopped you and told you visiting hours would start in 15 minutes. She motioned towards a set of chairs in front of a big window, which looked over a beautiful garden. Josh sat beside you, and immediately turned towards the sight, looking at the way people walked through the flowers, talking to the nurses and smiling brightly. There was an elderly couple playing chess, and one of them seemed somewhat agitated, probably losing the match.
"It's much different than you had expected, right?" You retorted, and watched as Josh nodded absentmindedly. The scary image of mental hospitals must bother a lot of people, because this place seemed so peaceful. No sign of explicitly dangerous patients or alarming signs of violence. It was a harmonious setting that had Josh a little less tense.
10 minutes of sitting in silence, Josh looking outside and you flipping through a magazine, a voice interrupted the quiet atmosphere.
"Josh? ___?"
Josh' head snapped towards the familiar voice, and as his eyes met Mike's he couldn't help but blush. You, on the other hand, offered a smile and rose from your seat to great him. Mike accepted your hug, but never took his eyes off Josh, who was swallowing down his nerves to properly greet him.
Mike wasn't aware of everything that happened to Josh. The last time he saw him was probably when he shot him. He never heard about his recovery, about how Josh hadn't remembered anything about him being a wendigo. There was only a scar on his cheek to prove it.
"Josh, you're alive..." Mike mumbled, and Josh anxiously grabbed his left arm with his hand. There was clear embarrassment on his features as he approached Mike, and you noticed tears brim at the corners of his eyes.
"M-Mike, I'm sorry-" Before he could even finish his sentence, Mike had pulled him into a bone crushing hug. Josh was startled by the sudden gesture, but eventually melted into the touch and hugged him back.
He pulled back, noting the tear in his cheek that forced him to recall the times when Josh was still a wendigo. Mike let out a breathless chuckle, and ran a hand through his hair in clear unbelief. Josh had actually recovered, unlike he had thought when he last saw him. So much time had passed since then.
"I have so much to ask you."
"Yeah, me too."
Of course you loved them reuniting, but things were getting nowhere if they continued to just stare at one another. You clasped your hands together and received both their attention.
"Right, let's start from the beginning then..."
Within 30 minutes, Josh had told Mike all about his recovery. How he woke up not knowing what happened, and how there was no clear explanation why he had survived. Mike listened carefully, often offering a reaction towards his words. A small gasp, a raise of his eyebrows, or even a small 'That's crazy".
After Josh finished his story, Mike was speechless, also still entranced by the tear in Josh' cheek. After Josh' story, it was Mike's turn to tell what happened.
Apparently he was arrested because of attempted murder, but because it was an exceptional situation, they concluded that his reaction was only natural. Therefore he was told to see some therapists to talk about the traumatic experience.
"I was sent here because of the mental weight, and honestly, it really cleared my mind."
Josh nodded, the anxiety once in his head now slowly fading the longer they talked. It seemed better to just sit back and listen to how they conversed. They seemed happy, but there was still an evident tension in the air, and it seemed to come from Josh.
As Mike seemed to want to conclude things, Josh hesitantly interrupted him.
"Mike... why did you shoot me?"
His main question finally dropped, and Mike turned silent at the look in Josh' eyes. Betrayal, hurt and many other emotions than only welled up more guilt in Mike. You eyed the way his eyes flickered over his scar, and he swallowed thickly before answering with a faked chuckle.
"I-I mean, you were a wendigo, you were dangerous. You took ___ and I figured the only possible thing to do was-"
"Kill me?" Josh interrupted, a stoic look on his face that proved he wasn't exactly happy with the answer Mike gave him. You understood, but Mike seemed to side with his own reasoning.
"You weren't Josh back the, and you were going to hurt ___!"
"But I didn't."
"How could I know?"
There was no development within the conversation, and both Josh and Mike seemed to sense that. They stayed within their own point of view, and you wondered if they even cared about one another's thoughts. Josh seemed to do so, after telling Mike he understood.
"It must have been instinct. I can tell you didn't mean to shoot me but... you knew I was in there. You didn't even care if I would recover or not."
"There was no sign of recovery, Josh! Why are you blaming me?! I wanted to help you!"
"By shooting me? Killing me? Mike..." Josh mumbled, slightly jumping at the way Mike raised his voice. You asked him to lower his volume, but you only received an angry glare in response.
"What do you want from me Josh?" Mike eventually spoke with a sigh of frustration. Josh looked up at him, and asked him in the smallest voice.
"P-Please... apologize. So I can get past all this and forget about it, knowing you're actually sorry."
Another wave of silence filled the air, and you could feel your own heartbeat pound within your chest at the tension. Mike continued to stare at Josh with unbelief tugging at his features. Mike never thought of Josh as the victim. He thought himself and all the others to be victims under Josh, especially after what Josh had done at Blackwood Pines. Maybe he could never get over that, but if he wanted to stay friends with Josh, he had to come to terms with what Josh had gone through. Both mentally at the lodge, as physically as he turned into a monster.
"But I'm not." Mike responds, and Josh's eyes fade from hope to hurt. His fave drops into a frown and he mumbles a please, which is answered by Mike scooting his chair back. You get up as well and grab his arm, which he harshly pulls away from your grip. He turns to the two of you with sadness flickering within his orbs, and you offer him a look that asks him to stay.
"I'm not apologizing or something I don't regret." Were his last words, and Josh felt like someone stabbing him in the chest. Mike returned to his room, and the receptionist told the both of you that the visiting hours were over now. Josh and you left with aching hearts, but at least his questions were answered.
You drove back home with Josh even more silent than before, and you hoped someday things would clear up for both Mike and Josh. It truly was an unusual and difficult situation, and you didn't blame any of them for reacting like such.
"It will get better, Josh. We'll make sure of it." You promised, and Josh hummed in response, still sulking at the memory of Mike telling him he had no regrets.
It hurt, but Josh knew that was what he needed to carry from here on forward. Things would never really get like it was before. His sisters were gone, just as his father and just as Mike, and he needed to accept that.
But that was easier said than done.