While Josh, Mike, Chris, and Ashley remained in the basement, Alex went upstairs with Samantha to grab a bite. He made himself comfortable right on the kitchen table: a sandwich in one hand, a can of beer in the other. Chewing thoughtfully, Alex became more and more certain that he would once again have to trudge through the snowy forest and the dark mines. All because no one was going to listen to him.

He had little doubt: Mike and Chris would definitely drag Josh outside, just to avoid listening to the ramblings spilling from the poor guy's mouth. The realization that he was about to get stuck with this dirty work again only made Alex sigh with disappointment.

Samantha sat nearby on a chair, watching him closely. She couldn't help but notice how often he sighed, as if something was weighing heavily on him. Since they'd stepped into the kitchen, Alex had sighed at least four times.

Taking another bite, he chewed in silence, trying to come up with a plan that wouldn't force him to reveal his powers and everything tied to them. Sure, he could try to lead everyone to the cable car, but there was one problem—the Wendigos.

In the "original" timeline, there had been about fifteen of them, and most were locked in the sanatorium by the hunter Jack. But here, things were different. Alex could feel it: there were far more creatures now. Even after taking down five, he hadn't noticed any change. The mountain was practically crawling with Wendigos. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he tried to calculate his next step.

"You've sighed for the fifth time already," Samantha said softly, watching him. "Is something bothering you?"

"You could say that. Too many things are gnawing at me, and it's starting to give me a headache," Alex replied tiredly, taking a sip of beer.

"Is it because of your job? Is that why you ended up here?" Her gaze grew more searching.

"Not only that. Also because you asked me to find traces of Hannah and Beth," Alex said, turning his head toward her.

"So? Did you find anything? Or nothing at all?" Samantha's eyes stayed locked on his.

"What I found is strange. Better to wait until everyone's together, then I'll explain everything. Believe me, it's much more complicated than it looks." He gave her a faint smile, trying to reassure her.

Samantha was about to ask another question when suddenly a scream rang out from outside. Alex instantly jumped off the table and rushed to the door, Samantha right on his heels.

At the entrance, they ran into Chris and Ashley, but Mike and Josh were nowhere to be seen. Irritation flickered in Alex's eyes—the same scenario was repeating itself. Josh had been dragged to the shed again. But there was no time to dwell on it: in the distance, a figure was running toward them, screaming desperately for help.

"Emily?! Emily, over here!" Samantha cried out, recognizing the figure.

"Help! Someone's chasing me!" Emily screamed, nearly choking on her terror.

To the others, her pursuers were invisible. But not to Alex. His sharp gaze caught movement: two Wendigos, darting effortlessly from tree to tree, were closing in on the girl.

Without hesitation, Alex drew Blue Rose from its holster and fired twice. The booming shots echoed through the woods. Samantha, Ashley, and Chris clutched their ears, not catching the heavy thuds that followed—two bodies crashing to the ground.

Panting heavily, Emily reached the porch. Alex grabbed her by the collar and shoved her inside, slamming the door shut. She collapsed on the floor, gasping for air, unable to process what had just happened. Reality and nightmare blurred into one chaotic mess in her mind.

"Emily, are you okay? What happened out there?" Samantha and Ashley rushed to help her up.

"I thought I was done for… I barely escaped," she whispered hoarsely.

"You were screaming like death itself was chasing you," Chris said, stepping closer.

"You're pale as a ghost… What happened?" Ashley added worriedly.

While the girls tended to Emily, Alex cracked the door open and glanced outside. The snow bore marks of the Wendigos' fall, but the creatures themselves were gone. They had fled. Alex clicked his tongue in irritation—he had aimed for their heads, yet even that wasn't enough.

The Wendigos turned out to be far tougher than the demons created by Davoth. In terms of endurance, they could only be compared to Necromorphs. That's when a thought struck Alex: Josh was in the shed now. Which meant only one thing—he would have to go down into the mines and find the Wendigo nest.

"What if Hannah can still be saved?" the idea flashed in his mind. "She's only been a Wendigo for a year. Back then she still had scraps of reason, memories of her brother. That's what made her kidnap Josh—to turn him. The same reason stopped her from killing Jessica and Mike, even though she could've finished them off without effort."

"So I'll have to go into the mines after all…" Alex muttered, rubbing his face with a groan. "What a pain in the ass."

Another weary sigh slipped from his chest as he pulled his eyes away from the small window in the door. He didn't think the Wendigos had fled. More likely, they were lurking, waiting for their prey to step outside and trigger the trap.

When Alex returned to the others, the scene was familiar: friends huddled around their terrified companion. Emily's face was frozen in panic, her eyes glinting with a trace of madness, as if she couldn't fully grasp what she had encountered. She tried to explain that a monster had been chasing her, but no one seemed eager to believe her. What worried everyone more was the question—where was her boyfriend, Matt?

A few minutes later, Mike returned—alone, without Josh. Alex barely suppressed an irritated groan. They had simply abandoned Josh in the shed, left him at the mercy of the Wendigos.

"God, Emily… You're alive. I'm so glad you're safe. Where's Matt?" Mike said, hugging her tightly.

"We don't know yet…" Ashley answered for her friend.

"She keeps going on about some monster chasing her," Chris added, repeating Emily's words.

"She's just shaken up," Mike muttered, trying to calm her down.

"Alex," Samantha suddenly spoke, looking straight at him. "Did you see something? What did you shoot at?"

All eyes turned to Alex. Only now did it hit them—he had fired his gun when he opened the door to save Emily. Which meant he had seen something.

Alex hesitated. Maybe it was time to tell them the truth—about what was really happening on this mountain, and about Hannah and Beth.

Emily, still breathing heavily, looked at Alex with gratitude."Thank you for helping me… really, thank you. If it weren't for you, those things would've gotten me," her voice trembled, but it carried sincerity.

"Don't mention it. I just did what I had to do. But I think it's time I explained what the hell is going on here," Alex said calmly.

"So you believe in this monster crap too, mister private detective?" Chris asked, giving him a suspicious look.

Alex opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly a noise cut through the room. Someone was fumbling with the door at the back porch.

Everyone tensed and turned toward the sound. Alex gave the slightest nod. Deep down, he hoped it was old man Jack. With his help, explaining everything would be much easier. But the real question was—was Jack even alive? Or would fate repeat the original timeline here as well? Alex clenched his jaw and made a silent decision: if he had the chance, he would pull Jack out of this nightmare. The old man deserved at least a chance to live out his last days in peace.

"Who the hell is that?" Mike whispered.

"Maybe it's Josh?" Ashley suggested, getting up from the couch.

"Or Jess… maybe she managed to escape?" Chris said quietly.

"It's not Jess. I saw… what happened to her," Mike cut in flatly, barely holding back his emotions.

"Sorry… but then who is it?" Chris asked carefully, casting a guilty glance at his friend.

"Enough guessing. Let's check it out. Chris, Mike—you're with me. Girls, hide for now," Alex said curtly, pulling the white pistol from his holster.

Chris and Mike nodded in unison. Samantha looked at Alex with worry, as if wanting to stop him, but she said nothing.

The trio moved toward the back door. Mike held an old revolver he'd found in the Blackwood sanatorium at the ready, while Chris gripped a chair leg—pathetic as a weapon, but better than nothing.

As they got closer, Alex noticed a man's silhouette through the glass, bundled in heavy clothing. Behind him were a couple of tanks—gas or gasoline, it was hard to tell.

"Alright, I'll open it," Chris said, glancing at his friends. "You ready?"

"Yeah, ready," Mike replied, aiming the revolver toward the door.

"And you, Alex?" Chris added, shooting him a quick look.

"Oh, for God's sake, just open it before our 'guest' changes his mind," Mike snapped irritably.

Rolling his eyes, Alex holstered his pistol and walked toward the door. He wasn't about to wait around for Chris to gather his courage. Seeing him move, Chris tightened his grip on the chair leg, and Mike's hands tensed, ready to pull the trigger at a moment's notice.

Calmly, Alex turned the handle and opened the door. On the threshold stood a man with long, shoulder-length hair streaked with gray and a deep scar over his right eye. Several teeth were missing on the left side of his mouth. Despite his age and heavy clothing, he was clearly in excellent shape. He wore a dark sweater, khaki jeans, a green fur-lined parka, heavy boots, a knitted cap, and thick gloves. On his chest hung a small Native American amulet resembling a dreamcatcher.

"Come on in, old man. No sense freezing outside," Alex said, stepping aside to let him through.

"Now that's more like hospitality," the man rasped with a grin, flashing his uneven teeth. "But you, kid, better keep that gun out of reach. Wouldn't want you to shoot yourself."

And before Mike could react, he snatched the revolver right out of his hands.

"Hey, easy there, old man! Who the hell are you?!" Mike barked, his eyes locked on the intruder, hands trembling in frustration at having his weapon snatched away.

"Alright. First, let's all calm down," the man cut in sharply, gesturing toward the living room. "Now get in there. Go on, move!"

"What are you planning?" Chris asked darkly, refusing to budge.

"I said move. And listen to what I have to say."

His gaze shifted to Alex, and he added, "You too, kid. Stay away from the windows before the creatures notice you."

Alex just shrugged and followed the others. He was curious to hear what this strange old Wendigo hunter had to say. In the living room, his eyes immediately met Samantha's—her face tense with worry. He gave her a subtle wave, signaling not to panic. The stranger didn't seem hostile. The girl relaxed a little and nodded.

Alex sank into an armchair, and Samantha settled beside him, staying close—she felt safer at his side. The others kept their eyes fixed on the guest, who, it had to be admitted, looked dangerous: in his hands was a real flamethrower.

"I came to warn you about what's waiting on this mountain," the man said in his raspy voice, stepping toward the fireplace.

"And what is that?" Samantha asked cautiously, watching him intently.

"You shouldn't have come back. Not after what happened last year," his gaze darkened.

"You mean Hannah and Beth?" Ashley whispered.

"Yeah…" Chris frowned, stepping protectively in front of her. "How do you know them? Did you see them?"

"Was it you who killed them?" Samantha blurted out sharply, ducking behind Alex.

Alex barely held back an eye roll. He squeezed her hand and gave a slight tug, forcing her to look at him. His expression clearly said: "Are you serious right now?" The girl blushed, realizing what a silly question she had asked.

If he were a killer, he wouldn't be standing here talking by the fireplace—he would be doing something else entirely, Alex thought.

"Take it easy, little girl," the stranger said, turning to Samantha. "I really don't like that you've come back onto my mountain."

"Your mountain?" Mike chuckled. "I wonder what the Washingtons would say if they heard that."

"Heh… well, you're right. Technically, this mountain isn't mine, I won't argue with you, kid. But the Washingtons aren't the owners here either. This mountain has long belonged to the Wendigo," the old man said with grim seriousness.

"Wendigo?.." Chris looked at him like he was insane. "Are you completely out of your mind, living on this mountain?"

"Alex, what is he even talking about?.." Samantha whispered, clutching Alex's hand tighter.

Alex raised a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. Samantha noticed he didn't look surprised at all by the old man's words. A thought flashed in her mind: Alex already knew all of this… and was just staying silent. And immediately another question arose: could this be connected to Hannah and Beth's disappearance a year ago?

The others exchanged confused glances, clearly understanding nothing. Jack, looking at the teenagers' bewildered faces, didn't seem surprised at all.

"What the hell do you mean, Wendigo? Are you out of your mind?" Mike snapped, crossing his arms.

"I'm not going to repeat myself," Jack said grimly, with the voice of a man tormented by the same truth for far too long. "Believe it or not—it doesn't matter to me. But I have to take this burden off my shoulders."

"There! I told you! He's a criminal!" Mike raised his voice sharply, unwilling to listen further.

"No, Mike," Alex calmly intervened, cutting off the flow of accusations. "The old man is telling the truth. There really are Wendigo on this mountain. And there are quite a few of them. All the strange noises you've heard—they were the Wendigo."

Jack looked at Alex carefully, and a spark of respect appeared in his eyes.

"Finally, someone with a working brain," he muttered. "Judging by your look and the fact that you're not surprised, you already knew about them."

"Bingo," Alex smirked, lighting a cigarette. "But I have to admit, old man, you're holding up well. So many years hunting these creatures and not becoming their dinner—or part of the pack."

Jack narrowed his eyes.

"So, you're a hunter too… That explains why you're still alive. How many have you seen? How many have you taken down?"

"Five. Actually, six. Killed five, let one go. I was trying to get to the nest, but got interrupted. And if you count the two that chased Emily—that's even more," Alex replied calmly, exhaling a stream of smoke.

Jack stared at him in surprise, then burst out laughing loudly. Now he looked at Alex differently—not as a teenager, but as an equal.

Meanwhile, Samantha, Mike, Ashley, Emily, and Chris watched them, understanding nothing. Hunters? Wendigo? Why is the old man laughing? To them, everything happening sounded like madness.

Alex smiled. A thought flashed through his mind: In this world, there really are monster hunters. That means he could pretend to be one himself, so no one would ask unnecessary questions. Sooner or later, he'd cross paths with the others anyway. Even with the Winchester brothers—and that was inevitable.

"Well, you've got guts, kid," Jack finally said, smirking crookedly, which made his face with the missing teeth look even darker. "Daring to go after a Wendigo nest… either brave or crazy."

"Aren't all hunters like that?" Alex countered with a grin. "Everyone's got a few screws loose. Including you, old man. Who else would live side by side with Wendigo, hunting them like animals, year after year?"

Samantha grabbed Alex's hand anxiously.

"Alex… hunters? Maybe you should explain what's going on here?"

Jack frowned and, turning to the fire in the fireplace, said:

"This mountain has been cursed for a very long time. As soon as someone here becomes a cannibal—the Wendigo curse awakens, turning them into a monster that desires only one thing: fresh flesh."

"Damn…" Mike exhaled. "So that's who took Jessica…"

Fragments of memories surfaced in his mind: the shadow in the mine he had ignored, the creature glimpsed from the corner of his eye, the despair of not being able to catch the kidnapper. Now it all made sense.

Fear appeared on everyone else's faces. Alex, however, calmly finished his cigarette when his wolverine, Peach, suddenly jumped onto his lap, snorting contentedly.

Alex glanced at the creature and noticed crumbs on its muzzle, realizing where it had been all this time.

Of course. It had raided the fridge. Sometimes Alex seriously thought Peach was the embodiment of insatiable hunger. No matter how much he fed him, the beast kept eating nonstop.

"Alex…" Samantha whispered, squeezing his hand tighter. "You knew about this. But why did you stay silent?"

Alex gave a crooked smirk.

"And how do you think I'd do that? 'Hi. Here's the deal—don't go on the mountain, there are man-eating monsters. Oh, and a curse. If you go there—you're dead. How do I know? Well, fifty years ago there was a mine. Collapse. The miners, to survive, ate each other. The curse awakened. One survivor told me how it happened. He's been in an asylum for forty years, mumbling about monsters on the mountain that love human flesh. But monsters don't exist, right?'" Alex's voice was dry and detached.

"So you've been investigating this? Fake private detective?" Chris challenged.

"First of all, I'm not fake," Alex snapped. "And secondly, no one will ever believe you until they face it themselves. People are like that: tell them not to go—and they'll do the opposite. You'd do the same. Only you'd mess it up. I tried to do something. Old man Jack too. But there are only two of us, and these creatures… there are dozens."

Alex rolled his eyes and took another drag from his cigarette.

No one could argue with Alex—everything he said was true. In a sane mind, it's hard to believe that monsters who feed on human flesh inhabit the mountain. But Jack only nodded, confirming each word. Over the years, he had warned anyone daring enough to climb the mountain, yet no matter how much he spoke or tried to stop these stubborn fools, tragedy repeated itself over and over.

As Alex rightly noted, ever since the Wendigo curse awakened, too many people had died or vanished without a trace in these woods. Old man Jack was tired. Exhausted to the limit. He had almost no strength left to fight the Wendigo, despite trying dozens of methods. He dismembered them, buried the bodies, even burned them. But over time, the Wendigo always returned—already in a new body of an unfortunate person who just happened to cross the curse's path.

That's why Jack had made a different decision: not to kill, but to capture the Wendigo, sealing the curse in a single body forever. These creatures were immortal, and even if they were destined to starve for decades, their hunger for fresh flesh would never vanish—only grow fiercer. Jack wearily closed his eyes as Alex continued speaking.

"That's exactly why you all need to find shelter before the creatures reach you," Jack said, looking at the teenagers.

"Maybe in the basement? They definitely won't reach us there?" Samantha suggested, glancing at Alex as if expecting confirmation from him.

"Good idea. Go downstairs and wait," Jack nodded, fully agreeing.

"What? Why? And for how long?" Ashley asked anxiously.

"Until dawn," Emily said tiredly.

Alex and Jack nodded simultaneously, confirming her words. The Wendigo hunted at night. But Alex couldn't shake a heavy thought: everyone had forgotten about the person who was still in the shed. He hoped for only one thing—that Josh had been found by Hannah, transformed into a Wendigo, and dragged into her lair.

At that moment, realization dawned on Mike's face: they had forgotten a crucial detail.

"Guys… I think we left someone behind…" he muttered. "I left Josh alone when I heard Emily's scream."

"Where did you leave him?" Jack asked sharply, fixing Mike with a hard look.

"In the shed… we tied him to a post so he wouldn't run…," Mike murmured guiltily, realizing he had effectively left his friend to be torn apart by the monsters.

"Ugh… Damn. Your friend can't be saved now," Jack said, shaking his head in regret.

"No… That can't be… We saw him just recently! He couldn't have fallen to those creatures so fast!" Chris exclaimed, his voice trembling.

"Unfortunately, things happen faster on this mountain than you think. The Wendigo won't wait while you talk before devouring you," Jack said grimly.

"No! I'm going after Josh! He's my friend, and I abandoned him!" Chris said resolutely.

"Chris, stop! Don't go there—it's too dangerous!" Ashley grabbed his hand, refusing to let go.

"No, Ashley. I'm his best friend. I failed him back then… and I failed him now. I've done it twice. I won't betray him a third time," Chris tried to pull his hand free.

"No, Chris… He's the one who failed you. And all of us too. You owe him nothing. He's the one in our debt," Ashley said firmly, continuing to hold him.

Alex struggled to keep from throwing up the sandwiches he had eaten just minutes ago, right there on the carpet—against the backdrop of this overly dramatic spectacle. He knew perfectly well: if he interrupted this dramatic moment between Chris and Ashley now, every girl left in Orario, as well as Lucina and Alice—who were currently cozy in his house in Forks—would later bombard him with complaints.

For everyone watching through Navi, the fairy-drone hovering invisibly under the living room ceiling, it looked like a scene from a horror movie, with the characters playing out a "crucial turning point" with complete seriousness.

Samantha, who kept glancing at Alex from time to time, noticed a strange change in his expression and couldn't figure out what had happened to him. Fortunately, the scene soon ended, and Chris, still stubborn, announced his intention to go after Josh.

"I'm going after him anyway. He's my friend, and I'm not leaving him," Chris said firmly, finally freeing himself from Ashley's grasp.

"In that case, I'm coming with you. Alone, you're just walking food," old man Jack grumbled, deciding to join them.

"Then count me in too. The three of us are safer than just two. And if Josh is still alive, someone's gotta carry him," Alex added, handing Peach to Samantha.

"All right… thanks," Chris exhaled, nodding.

"The rest of you—go to the basement. Hide and don't make a sound. Don't even peek out until we return, with your friend or without him," Jack said, then suddenly looked sharply at Chris. "And you, hero… You have no idea where we're going or what awaits us."

"I'm going after Josh," Chris stubbornly met his gaze.

"No. He and I," Jack nodded at Alex, "are going after Josh. And you'll be the one carrying your buddy on your back while we cover you. Got it?"

"Uh… yeah… got it, sir," Chris muttered, lowering his eyes under the weight of the old man's gaze.

Alex just smirked, shaking his head. He drew the Blue Rose from his holster and, for the sake of appearances, reloaded the revolver. Approaching Samantha—still wearing his coat—he noticed her worried look. Alex smiled, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a magazine of bullets. With one swift motion, he loaded the cylinder and returned the weapon to his holster.

Samantha grabbed his hand, her eyes flashing with concern.

"Be careful," she said quietly, squeezing his fingers.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Alex replied calmly, then smirked. "I'll keep an eye on Chris so he doesn't become dinner. And you watch Peach and make sure he doesn't eat anything he shouldn't."

Samantha gave a small smile and nodded. Alex patted Chris on the shoulder, giving him some encouragement, then nodded to Jack. The old man returned the nod and went first. Alex followed him, with Chris quickly falling in behind.

Soon they reached the door leading to the backyard. A path began there, leading to the shed where Josh had been left. Jack took the shotgun off his shoulder and handed it to Chris:

"This is the barrel. Aim—shoot, the bullet hits the body. Simple as that."

"I can shoot. I've handled a shotgun more than once," Chris said confidently, taking the weapon skillfully.

"You think you can. Soon you'll realize you can't shoot worth a damn. So listen carefully. You go in the middle. Jack's ahead, I'm at the rear. Move when he moves. Stop when he stops. Do what you're told, and if we're lucky, we'll get out alive, and you won't become a midnight snack in a Wendigo's mouth," Alex said, lighting a cigarette.

"Listen to this kid," Jack smirked. "Unlike all of you, he's got a brain in his head."

"All right, I get it," Chris muttered, rolling his eyes. "No need to repeat the same thing ten times—I'm not deaf."

They were about to step outside when Ashley dashed out of the hallway and ran up to Chris. Alex just shook his head and followed Jack outside. They exchanged a look and exhaled in unison—wasting time.

Alex even smirked mentally: Ashley had just waved a huge red flag over Chris's head. With a single kiss, she had turned him into a walking target for fate. Alex struggled to keep from commenting aloud.

As Chris and Ashley exchanged words as if seeing each other for the last time, Alex strained his ears, listening to the nighttime forest. Somewhere in the darkness, among the trees, hunters lurked—the Wendigos were already nearby.

To be continued…

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