(Alex Tarquin ENTER: from now is the winter of our discontent)
A true actor must master their stage entirely.
A million things may go wrong during a performance. You may be sick, but decide to carry on. Your other players may be sick, and forget a line, or a cue, or some part of their blocking. A light could go out. A prop could be unexpectedly broken. You must be ready to adapt to every changing circumstance. The show must go on!
And if you intend to play the villain? If you intend to be a figure of menace and dread, and inspire fear in those you face? If you intend to be the finest example of a monster preying upon the weak that this wretched game has ever known?
Alex Tarquin is facing a problem. The problem has truly, seriously occurred to him now, for the first time in his life. It has been attacked before, certainly. He no longer overtly professes his belief in the world of musicals and martial arts movies, of effortless choreography and moments of masterful movement too magnificent for mere reality. But he still believes it, on some level. In the idea of men and women who transcend reality's paltry limits.
Or at least, he did believe it. But the girl is dead. Rea was her name, apparently. That's what Tracen Danya said, droning on in those announcements. Rea, the woman he killed.
Rea, the first of many.
He sliced her open while playing pretend, imagining he could use a weapon made for slicing and killing for something besides slicing and killing. He imagined he could be such a master, such a hero. He understands better now. When the blade slices through the air, no one can really stop it cleaving flesh. It's kill or be killed. It's survival.
A hero cannot exist. But a villain might be equally impossible. To be intimidating and compelling, the villain must have a compelling allure of invincibility. In order for there to be dramatic tension, the heroes must think their cause is hopeless. They must face incredible odds.
But Alex is just a man. How can he become that villain? How can he be a creature of such terrible, fatal grace that he compels the attention of his audience.
The answer, of course, is in the stage. Master the stage, and you can adapt and improvise to the unexpected.
There are only two people on the island who know that he is a killer, that have borne witness to his start of darkness. That gives him time. Before word spreads, he must prepare.
He spent all that remained of his first bloody day wandering the island and studying his map. As he moved, he was gathering supplies. He had half-formed ideas already, though of course these would change based on the nature of the stage and the nature of the tools he might find.
Well. Truth be told, he already had a stage in mind.
As dark drew a heavy curtain across the island, Alex returned to the place where he'd found the leather jacket. He started to lie on one of the creaking, musty mattresses, then decided against it. Instead he rolled beneath it, pulling the mattress down so he was obscured. That was where he'd been when the announcements had started.
The world knew now. So it was time to get to work.
The asylum seemed ideal for his purposes. It had to have been built for security, he reasoned, and besides that there was the symbolism of the place. If he could master it, learn its ins and outs, he could use it as a weapon just as effectively as any of his swords. He wandered its halls, hesitated at the sounds of voices, kept finding new halls, new paths, until...
Until in a little corridor of heavy doors, he found Conrad.
He stared at the shredded remains of the man still pinned to the wall. He remembered the Announcements. Who had done this? Isabel? Did he remember an Isabel? He thought he recalled one, he thought--a small, almost mousy girl, who...
Who had done this?
One monster among many is part of the background. How to be a monster they can't forget?
He stared at the body, and thought of Isabel, and almost didn't notice that it was the shredded corpse of a man he'd once known.
He felt like vomiting, but he would not allow it. What monster would vomit? How to make himself stand out?
"Fascinating," he said, leaning forward and drinking deep of the blood-and-shit smell of the shredded, tortured corpse.
This World Belongs to the Mad
open
This World Belongs to the Mad
Those Whose Time Has Come]
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
-
Yugikun
- Posts: 950
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- Location: in a place where this joke is funny
- Contact:
Josh had died.
((Jeremy Frasier, continued from Two Mules for Sister Sara))
Jeremy had learned about that a couple minutes ago. He closed his eyes slightly, looked down. It seemed right. He didn’t have a watch or anything and he never would but around fifteen minutes or so seemed right. He had been alone since he had left the church. Alone to ruminate in the thoughts he wanted to keep himself away from. At least, he was stuck there until the outside became cold. Then his thoughts changed to him trying to find a suitable place to sleep. He found a place. A room with a giant mirror in it. That worked for him well enough. It was fairly easy. Once he closed his eyes he didn’t have to keep them there for long. All his thoughts were drifting away then, images slowly replacing them. He couldn’t tell you what they were. He couldn’t really remember that well.
The next thing he knew, the speaker was clearing. The man that had given the presentation the day before started speaking. Reading off the names of those who died.
It was… okay. For the most part. There wasn’t a real way that he could give what he thought without sounding horrible. He knew that people had to die. He knew that people were going to die. So, when the names of the dead came up, Jeremy was slightly relieved at who they were. They were… neutrals. People Jeremy honestly didn’t really care about. Abby stung, just that tiniest bit, but the names after - Conrad, Rea - were able to push him back. They weren’t really names that he liked all that much, in all honesty. Did Jeremy want them to die? No. That was a stupid question, but if he had the choice between them and a friend of his, he didn’t think it would be too much of a decision.
And then Josh’s name was listed among the dead and everything came crashing back.
His fists had clenched. His breathing had changed. He could feel the verges of tears and anger on his skin and in his body, because fuck, Josh was already dead. Not one day in and one of his closest friends was already gone. Stabbed. Killed. He was a face that Jeremy would never see again and now Jeremy would never get that closure that he wanted and needed because he knew he was going to die and he knew that he had no shot and the best thing that could happen in this goddamn place was that he’d get something out of it and now he couldn’t and he couldn’t think properly because he could see the images and he could hear the names of the dead and he woke up on that beach and he stared at the sky and he couldn’t-
Think. He couldn’t think properly. He couldn’t stay calm. He knew he needed to, especially at that point because they were watching and if he couldn’t he’d be giving the people on the cameras what they wanted, but he couldn’t.
And you know what the worst part of it was? He was dead. That was obviously the worst part but there was one part that stung just that little bit harder. Jasmine. She was the one who killed him. No, not the snooty underclassman. The person that always hung out with Cadeyn. The person who followed her everywhere she went and gave her all the attention she craved and enabled her just because she was on the bottom with her. Her bitch, basically. Puppy dog. Just did what she did. Just reminded him of other times. Worse times. The time when he wasn’t him and he wasn’t thinking and no.
He just had to think. Stay calm. Josh was dead.
That meant that he just had to find the rest faster.
He had a list to fulfill, after all.
He had walked around, since then. Explored the place. He was… as fine as he could be. Bitter. Sad. Annoyed. Maybe a little bit of determination underneath that. Josh died, but there was a slight positive side to that, right? This was just all an act to give him some goddamn motivation to find the rest of his soon to be dead friends! It’d be all okay once he did that! It wouldn’t even matter that one of his best friends died before Jeremy got a chance to say goodbye to him! Never mind the fact that he was probably going to brutally die within the next two weeks or so. He’d do it, and it’d all be just fine and dandy.
He knew that it wouldn’t work out. He knew that he wouldn’t succeed, as he walked and saw the person in the room with the corpse. He jumped, slightly. Stopped. Took a closer look. The dead person in the room was Conrad, it seemed. Looking at him… he supposed he was sorry for what he was thinking about him earlier. That was all he could cover, as he recognised the person standing above him. Alex Tarquin. Someone he recognised the face of, not someone he knew much more than that though. Well, that wasn’t fair. Jeremy knew of him, considering he was one of the people who had killed a person yesterday.
One part of Jeremy said to get away and hope that Alex didn’t see him. He was a murderer, after all. It’d probably be best that Jeremy not die before he was able to find another one of his friends.
The other part wasn't really interested in that option. He was a murderer, after all. It’d be interesting to get that perspective. Figure out why, so long as Alex didn’t try to stab him, either.
Two options. Each with their own benefits. No real drawbacks to each. There was one he was leaning a little towards, however.
He had a list to fulfill, after all.
He walked up, behind one of the walls. Alex voiced out a comment about the corpse.
Jeremy figured that he could make a decent enough entrance.
“I presume that you’d understand it a little better than I would.”
((Jeremy Frasier, continued from Two Mules for Sister Sara))
Jeremy had learned about that a couple minutes ago. He closed his eyes slightly, looked down. It seemed right. He didn’t have a watch or anything and he never would but around fifteen minutes or so seemed right. He had been alone since he had left the church. Alone to ruminate in the thoughts he wanted to keep himself away from. At least, he was stuck there until the outside became cold. Then his thoughts changed to him trying to find a suitable place to sleep. He found a place. A room with a giant mirror in it. That worked for him well enough. It was fairly easy. Once he closed his eyes he didn’t have to keep them there for long. All his thoughts were drifting away then, images slowly replacing them. He couldn’t tell you what they were. He couldn’t really remember that well.
The next thing he knew, the speaker was clearing. The man that had given the presentation the day before started speaking. Reading off the names of those who died.
It was… okay. For the most part. There wasn’t a real way that he could give what he thought without sounding horrible. He knew that people had to die. He knew that people were going to die. So, when the names of the dead came up, Jeremy was slightly relieved at who they were. They were… neutrals. People Jeremy honestly didn’t really care about. Abby stung, just that tiniest bit, but the names after - Conrad, Rea - were able to push him back. They weren’t really names that he liked all that much, in all honesty. Did Jeremy want them to die? No. That was a stupid question, but if he had the choice between them and a friend of his, he didn’t think it would be too much of a decision.
And then Josh’s name was listed among the dead and everything came crashing back.
His fists had clenched. His breathing had changed. He could feel the verges of tears and anger on his skin and in his body, because fuck, Josh was already dead. Not one day in and one of his closest friends was already gone. Stabbed. Killed. He was a face that Jeremy would never see again and now Jeremy would never get that closure that he wanted and needed because he knew he was going to die and he knew that he had no shot and the best thing that could happen in this goddamn place was that he’d get something out of it and now he couldn’t and he couldn’t think properly because he could see the images and he could hear the names of the dead and he woke up on that beach and he stared at the sky and he couldn’t-
Think. He couldn’t think properly. He couldn’t stay calm. He knew he needed to, especially at that point because they were watching and if he couldn’t he’d be giving the people on the cameras what they wanted, but he couldn’t.
And you know what the worst part of it was? He was dead. That was obviously the worst part but there was one part that stung just that little bit harder. Jasmine. She was the one who killed him. No, not the snooty underclassman. The person that always hung out with Cadeyn. The person who followed her everywhere she went and gave her all the attention she craved and enabled her just because she was on the bottom with her. Her bitch, basically. Puppy dog. Just did what she did. Just reminded him of other times. Worse times. The time when he wasn’t him and he wasn’t thinking and no.
He just had to think. Stay calm. Josh was dead.
That meant that he just had to find the rest faster.
He had a list to fulfill, after all.
He had walked around, since then. Explored the place. He was… as fine as he could be. Bitter. Sad. Annoyed. Maybe a little bit of determination underneath that. Josh died, but there was a slight positive side to that, right? This was just all an act to give him some goddamn motivation to find the rest of his soon to be dead friends! It’d be all okay once he did that! It wouldn’t even matter that one of his best friends died before Jeremy got a chance to say goodbye to him! Never mind the fact that he was probably going to brutally die within the next two weeks or so. He’d do it, and it’d all be just fine and dandy.
He knew that it wouldn’t work out. He knew that he wouldn’t succeed, as he walked and saw the person in the room with the corpse. He jumped, slightly. Stopped. Took a closer look. The dead person in the room was Conrad, it seemed. Looking at him… he supposed he was sorry for what he was thinking about him earlier. That was all he could cover, as he recognised the person standing above him. Alex Tarquin. Someone he recognised the face of, not someone he knew much more than that though. Well, that wasn’t fair. Jeremy knew of him, considering he was one of the people who had killed a person yesterday.
One part of Jeremy said to get away and hope that Alex didn’t see him. He was a murderer, after all. It’d probably be best that Jeremy not die before he was able to find another one of his friends.
The other part wasn't really interested in that option. He was a murderer, after all. It’d be interesting to get that perspective. Figure out why, so long as Alex didn’t try to stab him, either.
Two options. Each with their own benefits. No real drawbacks to each. There was one he was leaning a little towards, however.
He had a list to fulfill, after all.
He walked up, behind one of the walls. Alex voiced out a comment about the corpse.
Jeremy figured that he could make a decent enough entrance.
“I presume that you’d understand it a little better than I would.”
A voice, out of the dark.
Alex whirled, a sharp cold shock stopping his heart and spasming across his body. It would have reached his face, to show his naked terror: it took every instinct he had to instead make his eyes flash into an appraising glare. Surprised, yes: he might be larger than life, but he could have his flaws. But scared? A villain couldn't be scared. A monster couldn't be scared.
How to be a monster that exceeds this?
He allowed (forced) a small smile to flicker beneath his glaring eyes.
"You presume wrong," Alex said. "We all understand it. Some of us are just more willing to admit that fact."
He gestured towards the broken body with his machete. He tried to make the gesture as casual as possible, as though he was not conscious of the thing in his hand as a weapon that had already killed a woman.
"You already know why he died," Alex said. "Now the question is: why was he killed? More to the point: why was he killed like this?"
Alex whirled, a sharp cold shock stopping his heart and spasming across his body. It would have reached his face, to show his naked terror: it took every instinct he had to instead make his eyes flash into an appraising glare. Surprised, yes: he might be larger than life, but he could have his flaws. But scared? A villain couldn't be scared. A monster couldn't be scared.
How to be a monster that exceeds this?
He allowed (forced) a small smile to flicker beneath his glaring eyes.
"You presume wrong," Alex said. "We all understand it. Some of us are just more willing to admit that fact."
He gestured towards the broken body with his machete. He tried to make the gesture as casual as possible, as though he was not conscious of the thing in his hand as a weapon that had already killed a woman.
"You already know why he died," Alex said. "Now the question is: why was he killed? More to the point: why was he killed like this?"
Those Whose Time Has Come]
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
-
Yugikun
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:48 am
- Location: in a place where this joke is funny
- Contact:
“Depends.”
He had stepped out into view at this point. Alex seemed willing to not cut him open with the machete he had, so he figured that it was only fair. Polite. A nicety, or something like that. The both of them seemed to be okay with talking with each other so it was probably for the best that they do it the proper way. Look at him in the eye when speaking or when he’s speaking, or else he’d get reprimanded by his parents. Still a good lesson, probably. One of the few good things his parents actually taught him. But anyway, Jeremy wasn’t quite sure what Alex meant by that, because no, Jeremy didn’t really understand it. He wasn’t a murderer - and ideally wouldn’t - so he was yet to know what that feeling was like. Sympathy v.s Empathy, except the moral opposite.
Still, even though Jeremy couldn’t say he felt whatever the equivalent of empathy was in this scenario, that didn’t mean he wasn’t interested. Just had to feed him a line. Pretend that he understood what understanding was in this scenario.
“On the person, I mean. Everybody’s different. Depending on who did it, we’d have a whole range of different reasons as to why he was killed.”
He had to admit that the machete was a little disconcerting, though. Just a little twinge on his neck.
The machete wasn’t where his eyes were focused, though.
“The corpse there was of Conrad. According to the announcements, he was killed by Isabel. Judging from what I could see…”
The twinge felt slightly larger. The machete was one thing. Seeing what he was seeing right now, he didn’t really hope that Isabel found him alone in the middle of the night.
“I’m assuming that Isabel wanted him to suffer.”
He had stepped out into view at this point. Alex seemed willing to not cut him open with the machete he had, so he figured that it was only fair. Polite. A nicety, or something like that. The both of them seemed to be okay with talking with each other so it was probably for the best that they do it the proper way. Look at him in the eye when speaking or when he’s speaking, or else he’d get reprimanded by his parents. Still a good lesson, probably. One of the few good things his parents actually taught him. But anyway, Jeremy wasn’t quite sure what Alex meant by that, because no, Jeremy didn’t really understand it. He wasn’t a murderer - and ideally wouldn’t - so he was yet to know what that feeling was like. Sympathy v.s Empathy, except the moral opposite.
Still, even though Jeremy couldn’t say he felt whatever the equivalent of empathy was in this scenario, that didn’t mean he wasn’t interested. Just had to feed him a line. Pretend that he understood what understanding was in this scenario.
“On the person, I mean. Everybody’s different. Depending on who did it, we’d have a whole range of different reasons as to why he was killed.”
He had to admit that the machete was a little disconcerting, though. Just a little twinge on his neck.
The machete wasn’t where his eyes were focused, though.
“The corpse there was of Conrad. According to the announcements, he was killed by Isabel. Judging from what I could see…”
The twinge felt slightly larger. The machete was one thing. Seeing what he was seeing right now, he didn’t really hope that Isabel found him alone in the middle of the night.
“I’m assuming that Isabel wanted him to suffer.”
"You think so?" Alex asked, glancing back over his shoulder (and making sure he could see the other man from the corner of his eye). "I couldn't tell. I thought perhaps he'd been desecrated after the fact. Each would raise some interesting questions."
He pondered the body, and he pondered the man, too. Jeremy...something. He couldn't remember the last name. Bit of an introvert, but Alex had seen him down in the pit on a few shows.
"And each shows a frightful lack of control, doesn't it?" Alex asked. "One way or another, it was important for her to dominate the body. Either by pain or by mocking the corpse. Hardly seems like she could be the fittest, does it?"
Ah, interesting. That was a motivation, wasn't it? It could turn him into something of an anti-villain. A man determined to win, but also to be the example of what honorable victory looked like. Clean. Precise. Why else had he cut down Rea?
Because you were scared.
"I think someone will have to educate Ms. Ramirez," Alex mused, glancing down at his sword and squelching the whisper in his mind. "On how to properly kill."
He pondered the body, and he pondered the man, too. Jeremy...something. He couldn't remember the last name. Bit of an introvert, but Alex had seen him down in the pit on a few shows.
"And each shows a frightful lack of control, doesn't it?" Alex asked. "One way or another, it was important for her to dominate the body. Either by pain or by mocking the corpse. Hardly seems like she could be the fittest, does it?"
Ah, interesting. That was a motivation, wasn't it? It could turn him into something of an anti-villain. A man determined to win, but also to be the example of what honorable victory looked like. Clean. Precise. Why else had he cut down Rea?
Because you were scared.
"I think someone will have to educate Ms. Ramirez," Alex mused, glancing down at his sword and squelching the whisper in his mind. "On how to properly kill."
Those Whose Time Has Come]
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
-
Yugikun
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:48 am
- Location: in a place where this joke is funny
- Contact:
“I think so. Not sure what the point would be of doing it after he died.”
Kind of a hilarious thought, though. ‘Hey fuck you corpse I really hate your guts I’m just going to use whatever this weapon is to just tear you apart and stuff.’ Okay, not that hilarious phrased like that and probably kinda tasteless especially since it was an actual corpse of someone he knew right in front of him, but you got what he meant, right? Besides, the main goal was to have fun here. Apparently more important than finding the people that were likely going to die alongside him within the next few days before someone like Isabel did. Anyway, the main goal was to have fun, and holding himself back based on what others could think or based on what could happen was something that Jeremy highly doubted could give him what he wanted. It’d be the equivalent here of working in an office all your life. Wouldn’t give him that fulfillment, and it’d give him those regrets he didn’t really want.
Case in point, Alex standing right in front of him, same as Conrad. If he avoided the situation based on the thought that he might have been attacked, he would have missed out on this conversation he was very much enjoying right now. He hadn’t gotten any sort of motivation yet, but hey, this was pretty fun in itself. Just so long as that machete didn’t turn on him, he could temporarily forget just where he was.
“Burn bright, burn fast,” he said, taking one or two steps closer. “They might have all the screentime now, but it’d be a flaw if they made it halfway through.” He knew a couple examples of that. They were normally gone by episode… four? Four seemed to be a common number. Regardless of whether he was correct or not, they didn’t tend to last long.
He smiled, as Alex turned back around to the corpse. He came here looking for fun, and he was getting it right now. Maybe he didn’t get a motivation, but he was definitely getting perspective. Personality. This guy had one, part of which seemed to be a bit of a showman. Jeremy was down with that. If Alex wanted to entertain himi, even if Jeremy was wrong and that wasn’t quite his attention, then entertained Jeremy shall be.
It was a better prospect than being worried about the future at hand, at the very least. Alex had said something as he looked down on his sword. Vaguely threatening. Vaguely disturbing. Gave Jeremy the vague idea that maybe this wasn’t the best idea he had for his long term survival.
He snorted, slightly. That didn’t matter. What did was what was happening in front of him. If worst came to worst, he had the gun in his pocket. Right now, it hadn’t gone to worst, so he supposed he’d keep responding.
Get him to elaborate on a little something, as well.
“So,” he said, as he leaned his left shoulder on the wall, “I’m assuming that someone is you?”
Kind of a hilarious thought, though. ‘Hey fuck you corpse I really hate your guts I’m just going to use whatever this weapon is to just tear you apart and stuff.’ Okay, not that hilarious phrased like that and probably kinda tasteless especially since it was an actual corpse of someone he knew right in front of him, but you got what he meant, right? Besides, the main goal was to have fun here. Apparently more important than finding the people that were likely going to die alongside him within the next few days before someone like Isabel did. Anyway, the main goal was to have fun, and holding himself back based on what others could think or based on what could happen was something that Jeremy highly doubted could give him what he wanted. It’d be the equivalent here of working in an office all your life. Wouldn’t give him that fulfillment, and it’d give him those regrets he didn’t really want.
Case in point, Alex standing right in front of him, same as Conrad. If he avoided the situation based on the thought that he might have been attacked, he would have missed out on this conversation he was very much enjoying right now. He hadn’t gotten any sort of motivation yet, but hey, this was pretty fun in itself. Just so long as that machete didn’t turn on him, he could temporarily forget just where he was.
“Burn bright, burn fast,” he said, taking one or two steps closer. “They might have all the screentime now, but it’d be a flaw if they made it halfway through.” He knew a couple examples of that. They were normally gone by episode… four? Four seemed to be a common number. Regardless of whether he was correct or not, they didn’t tend to last long.
He smiled, as Alex turned back around to the corpse. He came here looking for fun, and he was getting it right now. Maybe he didn’t get a motivation, but he was definitely getting perspective. Personality. This guy had one, part of which seemed to be a bit of a showman. Jeremy was down with that. If Alex wanted to entertain himi, even if Jeremy was wrong and that wasn’t quite his attention, then entertained Jeremy shall be.
It was a better prospect than being worried about the future at hand, at the very least. Alex had said something as he looked down on his sword. Vaguely threatening. Vaguely disturbing. Gave Jeremy the vague idea that maybe this wasn’t the best idea he had for his long term survival.
He snorted, slightly. That didn’t matter. What did was what was happening in front of him. If worst came to worst, he had the gun in his pocket. Right now, it hadn’t gone to worst, so he supposed he’d keep responding.
Get him to elaborate on a little something, as well.
“So,” he said, as he leaned his left shoulder on the wall, “I’m assuming that someone is you?”
"I think so. Not sure what the point would be of doing it after he died."
"No?" Alex asked, turning to face Jeremy fully once again, pretending that the thick and awful stench of the shredded body didn't make his stomach curdle, pretending he was the creature of iron confidence that Sabrina Luz had believed in. "I should think it was obvious. It's the same motive she'd have if she'd tortured him. It's control." This was bullshit, wasn't it? But it sounded like compelling bullshit. It sounded like the kind of bullshit that meant he didn't have to slice this man down where he was standing.
Any difference between him and Rea?
Rea's already dead.
"If he's alive, she wants control by inflicting pain. By turning him into more than a victim. If he's dead, then she robs him of any dignity. Either way, she comes out the superior. A desperate need for that superiority." He pursed his lips. "Sounds dangerous, no?"
"Burn bright, burn fast," Jeremy said, taking one or two steps closer. "They might have all the screentime now, but it'd be odd if they lasted much longer than that."
Alex almost took a step back, but caught himself in time, turning it into an appraising stare, leaning back to survey the man in front of him. To step back would make him look frightened, caught off-guard. If he was going to show his fear, it would only be when the show was over. He did not intend to burn fast. But still, Jeremy's words struck oddly close to home. Thoughts of screentime, and performance.
"So," Jeremy said, as he leaned his left shoulder on the wall. "I'm assuming that someone is you?"
"It could be," Alex mused, turning the machete each way, examining the edge of the blade. He saw the faintest trace of red where it had sliced into Rea. Imagined spilling Jeremy's blood the same way. "I do intend to win this game." And if that's your line, Alex, why aren't you killing Jeremy now. "But it aggravates me that they want me to win on their terms." He turned glaring eyes to the camera in the corner of the room. "They create the game, but refuse to play it. When I win, I intend to test their fitness." He remained like that, glaring at the camera, Jeremy still visible from the corner of his eye.
A mad idea popped into his head. An idea that brought to life every one of the fears he'd had when talking to Tara and Lizzie. An idea borne of the same tree that had slet him cut down Rea.
"But I don't see any reason why we can't be civil about it," Alex said, turning back to Jeremy. "I intend to be the fittest. Here, that is defined by the last person able to survive. If you think you can fill that role, you're welcome to join me. We can cut each other down when there's no one else left."
"No?" Alex asked, turning to face Jeremy fully once again, pretending that the thick and awful stench of the shredded body didn't make his stomach curdle, pretending he was the creature of iron confidence that Sabrina Luz had believed in. "I should think it was obvious. It's the same motive she'd have if she'd tortured him. It's control." This was bullshit, wasn't it? But it sounded like compelling bullshit. It sounded like the kind of bullshit that meant he didn't have to slice this man down where he was standing.
Any difference between him and Rea?
Rea's already dead.
"If he's alive, she wants control by inflicting pain. By turning him into more than a victim. If he's dead, then she robs him of any dignity. Either way, she comes out the superior. A desperate need for that superiority." He pursed his lips. "Sounds dangerous, no?"
"Burn bright, burn fast," Jeremy said, taking one or two steps closer. "They might have all the screentime now, but it'd be odd if they lasted much longer than that."
Alex almost took a step back, but caught himself in time, turning it into an appraising stare, leaning back to survey the man in front of him. To step back would make him look frightened, caught off-guard. If he was going to show his fear, it would only be when the show was over. He did not intend to burn fast. But still, Jeremy's words struck oddly close to home. Thoughts of screentime, and performance.
"So," Jeremy said, as he leaned his left shoulder on the wall. "I'm assuming that someone is you?"
"It could be," Alex mused, turning the machete each way, examining the edge of the blade. He saw the faintest trace of red where it had sliced into Rea. Imagined spilling Jeremy's blood the same way. "I do intend to win this game." And if that's your line, Alex, why aren't you killing Jeremy now. "But it aggravates me that they want me to win on their terms." He turned glaring eyes to the camera in the corner of the room. "They create the game, but refuse to play it. When I win, I intend to test their fitness." He remained like that, glaring at the camera, Jeremy still visible from the corner of his eye.
A mad idea popped into his head. An idea that brought to life every one of the fears he'd had when talking to Tara and Lizzie. An idea borne of the same tree that had slet him cut down Rea.
"But I don't see any reason why we can't be civil about it," Alex said, turning back to Jeremy. "I intend to be the fittest. Here, that is defined by the last person able to survive. If you think you can fill that role, you're welcome to join me. We can cut each other down when there's no one else left."
Those Whose Time Has Come]
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
-
Yugikun
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:48 am
- Location: in a place where this joke is funny
- Contact:
Jeremy got what Alex meant there, in terms of control. It was a reasonable motive for Isabel (of course, it was still more of a guess than anything, he’d have to go and talk to Isabel if he wanted the truth), although he still didn’t know why she would do it to a corpse. If she wanted to make him suffer, and if she wanted to exert her control, wouldn’t it be better to do it to someone still alive? Even with the further explanation that Alex gave him, he still wasn’t convinced. Yeah, she got to remove the corpse of its dignity, but what point would that prove? Not one that Jeremy could really see. Still, he wasn’t going to argue back. It ran the slight risk of annoying him, and the conversation seemed to be moving into more interesting waters, so he was happy to just let that happily slide.
Interesting waters, however, turned out to be a deal. Work with him, and they could keep each other safe until the final two.
His foot shifted. His breathing stopped. Started again, by his action.
If he accepted that deal, would that mean he would have to kill people?
He didn’t know. Alex was vague on that part. If the answer to his question was yes, then the answer to Alex’s offer was no. He knew that. It was the right thing for him to do.
But still…
He didn’t know. Everything rational in his head told him that the answer to this was no, but there was something. Couldn’t say what. Couldn’t name it. Something telling him that the answer to his offer was “yes.” It didn’t give a reason why, it didn’t tell him about any consequences, but it was there. And it was telling him to say yes.
But there are people out there, right? People you know who you care about who are going to die before you get the chance to say goodbye.
He…
He didn’t know. He needed to think. Have more time. He just needed to stall, for a bit. Get Alex to respond so that he could give Alex and answer and possibly get further elaboration.
Further elaboration. That was it. Maybe it wasn’t what he needed, but it might just be able to give him it.
“Depends. Would I have to,” he paused. Looked down, for a slight second. “Uh, you know.”
There were eyes. Standing in front of him. He didn’t know whether to look at them or not.
Interesting waters, however, turned out to be a deal. Work with him, and they could keep each other safe until the final two.
His foot shifted. His breathing stopped. Started again, by his action.
If he accepted that deal, would that mean he would have to kill people?
He didn’t know. Alex was vague on that part. If the answer to his question was yes, then the answer to Alex’s offer was no. He knew that. It was the right thing for him to do.
But still…
He didn’t know. Everything rational in his head told him that the answer to this was no, but there was something. Couldn’t say what. Couldn’t name it. Something telling him that the answer to his offer was “yes.” It didn’t give a reason why, it didn’t tell him about any consequences, but it was there. And it was telling him to say yes.
But there are people out there, right? People you know who you care about who are going to die before you get the chance to say goodbye.
He…
He didn’t know. He needed to think. Have more time. He just needed to stall, for a bit. Get Alex to respond so that he could give Alex and answer and possibly get further elaboration.
Further elaboration. That was it. Maybe it wasn’t what he needed, but it might just be able to give him it.
“Depends. Would I have to,” he paused. Looked down, for a slight second. “Uh, you know.”
There were eyes. Standing in front of him. He didn’t know whether to look at them or not.
For a moment, Alex said nothing. Mostly because he didn't know what to say.
He was forging on blind into unfamiliar territory. He was a killer now. There was blood on him, metaphorically and literally. He had fought to kill. And now he had assumed his role. He would be the villain you could love. The villain you might almost want to win.
But that required envy. And what do men and women of all stripes envy? Freedom. Freedom from consequence, freedom from moral restraints, freedom from the common things that compel every man and woman to bite their tongue and bend their heads. Everyone wants the Nietzschean Superman. So how to become that creature? How to be that man?
So he slowly raised his machete, and pointed it at Jeremy.
"You cowards!" he snarled. He advanced two steps forwards, glaring into Jeremy's eyes. "You enter this place, you survive this long, and you will not admit what is expected of you? What is required of you?" He leaned closer. "Survival of the Fittest. Say it with me. And we must aspire to fitness. We must be stronger and better than the others. We must be better than this."
He jerked his head back towards the shredded corpse against the wall. "Is that who you want to win?" he asked. "Is that the future you want for mankind?" He sneered. "Or should we all be such cowards that we would fear so swing the blade when it is required of us?"
His stomach felt queasy. His legs felt shaky, but he refused to show it. His eyes were watering, but he kept them narrowed into a derisive glare. He was the villain in full. Let no one think otherwise.
"If you don't have the guts," Alex said. "Then run before I cut you down myself."
He was forging on blind into unfamiliar territory. He was a killer now. There was blood on him, metaphorically and literally. He had fought to kill. And now he had assumed his role. He would be the villain you could love. The villain you might almost want to win.
But that required envy. And what do men and women of all stripes envy? Freedom. Freedom from consequence, freedom from moral restraints, freedom from the common things that compel every man and woman to bite their tongue and bend their heads. Everyone wants the Nietzschean Superman. So how to become that creature? How to be that man?
So he slowly raised his machete, and pointed it at Jeremy.
"You cowards!" he snarled. He advanced two steps forwards, glaring into Jeremy's eyes. "You enter this place, you survive this long, and you will not admit what is expected of you? What is required of you?" He leaned closer. "Survival of the Fittest. Say it with me. And we must aspire to fitness. We must be stronger and better than the others. We must be better than this."
He jerked his head back towards the shredded corpse against the wall. "Is that who you want to win?" he asked. "Is that the future you want for mankind?" He sneered. "Or should we all be such cowards that we would fear so swing the blade when it is required of us?"
His stomach felt queasy. His legs felt shaky, but he refused to show it. His eyes were watering, but he kept them narrowed into a derisive glare. He was the villain in full. Let no one think otherwise.
"If you don't have the guts," Alex said. "Then run before I cut you down myself."
Those Whose Time Has Come]
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
-
Yugikun
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:48 am
- Location: in a place where this joke is funny
- Contact:
Alex’s sudden outburst had caused Jeremy to look up, again.
Wait, no, that wasn’t all of how Jeremy reacted. There was more, for better or worse. A feeling. Tingly. Alex did not react the way that Jeremy had expected him to, and that plus the out-of-nowhere nature of his threat gave him a feeling of surprise. Wait, no. Not surprise. Something else. His arms were tingling. The hair on them was raising. It was like what happened if you put your arm near static electricity except he didn’t do it voluntarily and they were moving on their own and the feeling was invading him and Alex was standing in front of him holding a machete and he couldn’t look at anything beyond that and if he didn’t do anything he’d get cut and-
He shook his head, slightly. He just needed to think. Stall. He still couldn’t think about what choice he wanted to make because of the machete so he just needed to stall him. Ideally without inviting his wrath.
He just needed to say something.
But what?
He wasn’t sure. Nothing was coming up.
But if he showed too much fear, then he would be cut down.
Wait, that was it. Fear. He had an idea, he just needed to think about it, for a little.
Something that would stall.
Something that would feed him.
Something that would work.
“You think I don’t have the guts?”
He leaned onto the wall, again. Smiled, slightly.
Any trace of seeming fear had disappeared after the first syllable.
“Allow me to tell you otherwise. You know how there was that bell that rang, yesterday?”
A slight pause. A snort, from his side. Hopefully Alex knew what he was talking about.
“That was me.”
Wait, no, that wasn’t all of how Jeremy reacted. There was more, for better or worse. A feeling. Tingly. Alex did not react the way that Jeremy had expected him to, and that plus the out-of-nowhere nature of his threat gave him a feeling of surprise. Wait, no. Not surprise. Something else. His arms were tingling. The hair on them was raising. It was like what happened if you put your arm near static electricity except he didn’t do it voluntarily and they were moving on their own and the feeling was invading him and Alex was standing in front of him holding a machete and he couldn’t look at anything beyond that and if he didn’t do anything he’d get cut and-
He shook his head, slightly. He just needed to think. Stall. He still couldn’t think about what choice he wanted to make because of the machete so he just needed to stall him. Ideally without inviting his wrath.
He just needed to say something.
But what?
He wasn’t sure. Nothing was coming up.
But if he showed too much fear, then he would be cut down.
Wait, that was it. Fear. He had an idea, he just needed to think about it, for a little.
Something that would stall.
Something that would feed him.
Something that would work.
“You think I don’t have the guts?”
He leaned onto the wall, again. Smiled, slightly.
Any trace of seeming fear had disappeared after the first syllable.
“Allow me to tell you otherwise. You know how there was that bell that rang, yesterday?”
A slight pause. A snort, from his side. Hopefully Alex knew what he was talking about.
“That was me.”
Another precarious moment where Alex hung suspended between what he'd decided to be and what he actually was.
The ringing of the bell? Tolling across the island, calling for attention? Bold, true. It did take guts. Calling for attention. It was big and it was bold and it meant something, but...
But did Alex think that? Or did Alex David Tarquin, the man who would be the fittest, think that?
"So let me see if I understand you," Alex said. "You rang a bell, and you think qualifies as courage? What exactly did you gain from that, Jeremy? What point did it serve?" He gestured back to the corpse. "This? This is a sign of weakness. But what do you imagine ringing a bell accomplishes? What do you think it proves?"
His machete had slowly dropped, however. He was studying Jeremy with naked curiosity on his face. Both the man and the role would benefit from knowing what point Jeremy was trying to make.
The ringing of the bell? Tolling across the island, calling for attention? Bold, true. It did take guts. Calling for attention. It was big and it was bold and it meant something, but...
But did Alex think that? Or did Alex David Tarquin, the man who would be the fittest, think that?
"So let me see if I understand you," Alex said. "You rang a bell, and you think qualifies as courage? What exactly did you gain from that, Jeremy? What point did it serve?" He gestured back to the corpse. "This? This is a sign of weakness. But what do you imagine ringing a bell accomplishes? What do you think it proves?"
His machete had slowly dropped, however. He was studying Jeremy with naked curiosity on his face. Both the man and the role would benefit from knowing what point Jeremy was trying to make.
Those Whose Time Has Come]
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
-
Yugikun
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:48 am
- Location: in a place where this joke is funny
- Contact:
Oh thank god. It worked. Now he could relax. Wait, no. He couldn’t. Now he could think. About what, though?
He didn’t know.
Wait, he did. Alex had asked him a question. It was an easy answer though. Just state why he did something. He could do that.
“I mean, anything could have happened, depending on who came. That bell was pretty loud. I could have attracted someone like Isabel or Kimiko or Jasmine and I probably would have been on the announcements today. But you know who did come? Wait… uh…”
…
Oh yeah. That was right. Just a bit he forgot the moment Josh’s name had come up.
“Instead I attracted Nancy! And Conrad! I saw Barry there as well so I’m half sure I got Alvaro as well!”
He paused, slightly. To rest his mouth, not because he needed to figure out how to get to his point. Admittedly, messing up made it slightly easier there.
“But you know what? I’m still alive,” he continued, excitedly. “And I wouldn’t have known what would have happened if I was too scared of what would happen to ring the bell.”
One more pause. He swirled his tongue around his mouth, a little bit.
“And that is why I was a brave man for doing it.”
Why was he saying this, though?
Oh right. The deal. The offer.
He should probably make a choice regarding that.
Because honestly, he still didn’t really know what to do there. There were two options. None made it obvious that he should pick the other. The rational part of him, the little white guy on top of his shoulder, was screaming at him. No. Don’t ally yourself with the known murderer. You’ve got goals to accomplish. There were so many ways that saying yes could go wrong that it wasn’t worth any of the upsides. He could stab you. He could stab one of the people who you’re looking for. Emma. Junko. Serena. Cadeyn. Al. Clarice, he supposed. They were still out there. They were still out in the open possibly dying in front of all these cameras. You have to find them as soon as possible. Dying or even watching the person you’re allying with kill them would mean that you failed to do that. No. Don’t do it. There is every possible reason for you to say no and there’s absolutely no reason for you to say yes to it.
Well.
That statement wasn’t entirely true. The little red guy on his other shoulder told him that. There are reasons for you to say yes. You’ve got goals to accomplish. It might go wrong, but you won’t know what’ll happen until you’ve tried, right? It’s just as you’ve said. You did it and you were brave for doing it. If you back out now, what does that say? What would Alex think? How would he react? You have to say yes, Jeremy. You have to ring that bell again. You have to be brave. You can’t show fear. It’d be wrong.
But no, you can’t do it, can you? There are people out there. People you have to find. There’s a list. You need to tick as many items off of it as you can.
Well.
Yeah.
So what? There’s a list. You have to tick as many items off of it as you can.
…
He supposed that was his choice, then.
“Now, there are a couple things I wanna do, and I’m pretty sure dying would be counterproductive to some of them.”
He paused. One last time.
“But I’m pretty sure a final two deal will help to fulfill others. I’m in.”
He didn’t know.
Wait, he did. Alex had asked him a question. It was an easy answer though. Just state why he did something. He could do that.
“I mean, anything could have happened, depending on who came. That bell was pretty loud. I could have attracted someone like Isabel or Kimiko or Jasmine and I probably would have been on the announcements today. But you know who did come? Wait… uh…”
…
Oh yeah. That was right. Just a bit he forgot the moment Josh’s name had come up.
“Instead I attracted Nancy! And Conrad! I saw Barry there as well so I’m half sure I got Alvaro as well!”
He paused, slightly. To rest his mouth, not because he needed to figure out how to get to his point. Admittedly, messing up made it slightly easier there.
“But you know what? I’m still alive,” he continued, excitedly. “And I wouldn’t have known what would have happened if I was too scared of what would happen to ring the bell.”
One more pause. He swirled his tongue around his mouth, a little bit.
“And that is why I was a brave man for doing it.”
Why was he saying this, though?
Oh right. The deal. The offer.
He should probably make a choice regarding that.
Because honestly, he still didn’t really know what to do there. There were two options. None made it obvious that he should pick the other. The rational part of him, the little white guy on top of his shoulder, was screaming at him. No. Don’t ally yourself with the known murderer. You’ve got goals to accomplish. There were so many ways that saying yes could go wrong that it wasn’t worth any of the upsides. He could stab you. He could stab one of the people who you’re looking for. Emma. Junko. Serena. Cadeyn. Al. Clarice, he supposed. They were still out there. They were still out in the open possibly dying in front of all these cameras. You have to find them as soon as possible. Dying or even watching the person you’re allying with kill them would mean that you failed to do that. No. Don’t do it. There is every possible reason for you to say no and there’s absolutely no reason for you to say yes to it.
Well.
That statement wasn’t entirely true. The little red guy on his other shoulder told him that. There are reasons for you to say yes. You’ve got goals to accomplish. It might go wrong, but you won’t know what’ll happen until you’ve tried, right? It’s just as you’ve said. You did it and you were brave for doing it. If you back out now, what does that say? What would Alex think? How would he react? You have to say yes, Jeremy. You have to ring that bell again. You have to be brave. You can’t show fear. It’d be wrong.
But no, you can’t do it, can you? There are people out there. People you have to find. There’s a list. You need to tick as many items off of it as you can.
Well.
Yeah.
So what? There’s a list. You have to tick as many items off of it as you can.
…
He supposed that was his choice, then.
“Now, there are a couple things I wanna do, and I’m pretty sure dying would be counterproductive to some of them.”
He paused. One last time.
“But I’m pretty sure a final two deal will help to fulfill others. I’m in.”
-
ViolentMedic
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
"Isn't that just stupidity?"
((Lillian 'Lily' Caldwell continued from Pitstop.))
Lily wasn't sure what she'd been looking for. Well, she did. Water supplies. But the problem was figuring out where to go. The best solution would probably be to rob someone, but she couldn't just jump out of the bushes and stick someone up. Not with a mirror shard.
She'd heard voices. Vaguely, the idea of taking their supplies if they were distracted had come to mind. And, moving quietly along, she'd seen an open door. She'd seen the body within, and two boys talking. She'd backed up again, shaken and revolted.
Funnily enough, apart from revulsion, the body itself hadn't phased her too much. Disgusting, sure, but... maybe because it had been mutilated until it was so unrecognisable. That had obscured the body's identity, and that made it easier to deal with on first glance.
But the weapon sticking out of it. She'd seen it in the room where Tina died, although no-one had been using it. When she entered the room afterwards, it had been gone.
Which meant Isabel had been here.
And it would be a good idea to know where Isabel had been, where she'd gone. It would help in avoiding her. And maybe these two had seen where she'd gone.
But she'd gotten a little distracted by what one of the boys had been talking about while she was hiding and thinking. She could only blame a lack of sound sleep for the fact that she'd said her response outloud.
After her thoughtless comment, she moved so she wasn't hiding in the doorway anymore. Looking at the two, she realised she might have made a very big mistake. She recognised Alex—she couldn't remember where from, on a stage maybe, possibly a school assembly?—and the other boy had a gun.
...Well. At least Alex didn't have the gun.
"...I'm sorry for interrupting. I didn't mean to insult anyone," she said. She tried to keep her voice calm, and tried not to look at the body. Tried to keep eye contact, like she had nothing to fear. Calm. Confident. Polite. Especially polite, after the whole 'stupidity' comment. Grandma would be disappointed if she let her manners slip now, and Lily had betrayed enough family already.
((Lillian 'Lily' Caldwell continued from Pitstop.))
Lily wasn't sure what she'd been looking for. Well, she did. Water supplies. But the problem was figuring out where to go. The best solution would probably be to rob someone, but she couldn't just jump out of the bushes and stick someone up. Not with a mirror shard.
She'd heard voices. Vaguely, the idea of taking their supplies if they were distracted had come to mind. And, moving quietly along, she'd seen an open door. She'd seen the body within, and two boys talking. She'd backed up again, shaken and revolted.
Funnily enough, apart from revulsion, the body itself hadn't phased her too much. Disgusting, sure, but... maybe because it had been mutilated until it was so unrecognisable. That had obscured the body's identity, and that made it easier to deal with on first glance.
But the weapon sticking out of it. She'd seen it in the room where Tina died, although no-one had been using it. When she entered the room afterwards, it had been gone.
Which meant Isabel had been here.
And it would be a good idea to know where Isabel had been, where she'd gone. It would help in avoiding her. And maybe these two had seen where she'd gone.
But she'd gotten a little distracted by what one of the boys had been talking about while she was hiding and thinking. She could only blame a lack of sound sleep for the fact that she'd said her response outloud.
After her thoughtless comment, she moved so she wasn't hiding in the doorway anymore. Looking at the two, she realised she might have made a very big mistake. She recognised Alex—she couldn't remember where from, on a stage maybe, possibly a school assembly?—and the other boy had a gun.
...Well. At least Alex didn't have the gun.
"...I'm sorry for interrupting. I didn't mean to insult anyone," she said. She tried to keep her voice calm, and tried not to look at the body. Tried to keep eye contact, like she had nothing to fear. Calm. Confident. Polite. Especially polite, after the whole 'stupidity' comment. Grandma would be disappointed if she let her manners slip now, and Lily had betrayed enough family already.
The scene expands. New players take the stage. New potentials. New stories. So many interesting narratives for the crafty villain to exploit.
I really must learn the name of Rea's friend. He'd make an excellent hero. I hope.
And what timing, too! This woman enters the scene just as the man is joined to Alex's compelling cause! Yes, very good! No easy victories! If he is to become the villain of this tale, he must earn his place.
"You know," he said, smiling. "We've got about a half-dozen killers now, myself included. Our plan might sound like stupidity, but surprising armed men? I think that's a very special breed of stupid. Not very fit of you." His smile widened, and he tried to show a little teeth. Tried to look like a snarling animal.
"But you're not wrong," he conceded, glancing back to Jeremy. "I'm afraid you haven't quite understood my plan."
He gestured to the camera in the corner of the room. "Our captors have designed a crucible," he said. "They want us to believe in betrayal. They wish to select the fittest from our ranks. I don't think I disagree. But we will do it on our terms." He gestured casually with the machete, indicating Lily, Jeremy, and himself. "A coalition of the like-minded, until we are all that remains. And then we shall test ourselves properly. We will play their game, but we do it by our rules." The smile was wider, a little maniacal. "We decide who is the fittest."
I really must learn the name of Rea's friend. He'd make an excellent hero. I hope.
And what timing, too! This woman enters the scene just as the man is joined to Alex's compelling cause! Yes, very good! No easy victories! If he is to become the villain of this tale, he must earn his place.
"You know," he said, smiling. "We've got about a half-dozen killers now, myself included. Our plan might sound like stupidity, but surprising armed men? I think that's a very special breed of stupid. Not very fit of you." His smile widened, and he tried to show a little teeth. Tried to look like a snarling animal.
"But you're not wrong," he conceded, glancing back to Jeremy. "I'm afraid you haven't quite understood my plan."
He gestured to the camera in the corner of the room. "Our captors have designed a crucible," he said. "They want us to believe in betrayal. They wish to select the fittest from our ranks. I don't think I disagree. But we will do it on our terms." He gestured casually with the machete, indicating Lily, Jeremy, and himself. "A coalition of the like-minded, until we are all that remains. And then we shall test ourselves properly. We will play their game, but we do it by our rules." The smile was wider, a little maniacal. "We decide who is the fittest."
Those Whose Time Has Come]
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
Terra Johnson (female student no. 73, DECEASED): Oh...duh...Abel's...dead...the one who...lives is...
Tom Swift (male student no. 60): It didn't matter what he wanted anymore.
Daria Bhatia (female student no. 56): "I pity you, and everyone who knows you. Because if you can live with this, I don't...I don't think you're human anymore.”
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Yugikun
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:48 am
- Location: in a place where this joke is funny
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He had said it.
He had done it.
And the regret immediately came flooding into his system. Why did he say yes? Why did he agree to a deal with a known killer? He knew what he had to do. He knew that he wasn’t long. He knew that the people out there weren’t, either. He knew that he had to find them. So why? Why did he just do what he just did?
The third voice came and he jumped right out of his thoughts. He turned. It was Lily. Insulting him, although that wasn’t the part he was paying attention to right now in favour of the fact that she had been behind him while they were talking and had surprised him. She was a junior. Not really someone he interacted with. She was away from school a lot, and that was all Jeremy really personally knew about her. She was alone, holding a glass shard in her hand. She didn’t look like she was going to attack, but Jeremy was just that slight bit of wary considering what she was holding. Then again, he was the one who casually had a gun in his pocket. He couldn’t really judge others in that area.
...Also, did she bring an army helmet on the trip with her or something? Whatever, didn’t matter. Just answer her question.
“Same difference,” he replied, accompanied with a shrug beforehand.
And then Alex started speaking again, and apparently Jeremy didn’t actually get what Alex’s idea was. That was… interesting. Apparently he might be wrong about Alex. If that meant that he wouldn’t have to kill other people, then it meant that-
The idea was a killsquad.
So much for him not having to do anything.
The options came up in his mind again. One screamed. One whispered.
And as much as he wanted to conform to his screams and do the right thing, he knew that he couldn’t. He had made his choice.
He couldn’t go back on it now.
“I mean, the main gist of it is still the same. All we’ve done is add more people, so I’m still in.”
He paused. Looked down. Sighed, slightly.
“For better or worse.”
He had done it.
And the regret immediately came flooding into his system. Why did he say yes? Why did he agree to a deal with a known killer? He knew what he had to do. He knew that he wasn’t long. He knew that the people out there weren’t, either. He knew that he had to find them. So why? Why did he just do what he just did?
The third voice came and he jumped right out of his thoughts. He turned. It was Lily. Insulting him, although that wasn’t the part he was paying attention to right now in favour of the fact that she had been behind him while they were talking and had surprised him. She was a junior. Not really someone he interacted with. She was away from school a lot, and that was all Jeremy really personally knew about her. She was alone, holding a glass shard in her hand. She didn’t look like she was going to attack, but Jeremy was just that slight bit of wary considering what she was holding. Then again, he was the one who casually had a gun in his pocket. He couldn’t really judge others in that area.
...Also, did she bring an army helmet on the trip with her or something? Whatever, didn’t matter. Just answer her question.
“Same difference,” he replied, accompanied with a shrug beforehand.
And then Alex started speaking again, and apparently Jeremy didn’t actually get what Alex’s idea was. That was… interesting. Apparently he might be wrong about Alex. If that meant that he wouldn’t have to kill other people, then it meant that-
The idea was a killsquad.
So much for him not having to do anything.
The options came up in his mind again. One screamed. One whispered.
And as much as he wanted to conform to his screams and do the right thing, he knew that he couldn’t. He had made his choice.
He couldn’t go back on it now.
“I mean, the main gist of it is still the same. All we’ve done is add more people, so I’m still in.”
He paused. Looked down. Sighed, slightly.
“For better or worse.”