((Nadia Riva continued from Lay My Purple on the Grass))
Nadia sighed. Here she was again. The bridge. The terrorists finally cleared the area, allowing Nadia to cross its great expanse once again. She closed her eyes and let out another sigh. Bridgette was still nearby, but she was doing her best to ignore the body. She could put a hand over the side of her face that may catch a glimpse of the former person, but the sight of the blood-drenched Caedyn stumbling out was still on her mind.
Nadia shook her head. That wasn't the point of any of this. She had a reason for going back across the bridge. There wasn't a deep reason, but one that was comfortable enough for her: she was sick of the asylum.
After leaving the roof, she sealed herself in a ward and had to contend with the creepy sounds of the asylum. She tried her best to ignore the echoing of people walking in the halls, the dripping of the pipes, the stench of mold and decay everywhere, but by morning, she had her fill. She would rather be outdoors or in a less nightmarish location than spend another minute there. The asylum was a snake pit, and she was getting out.
So where to go? The cliffs were pretty decent. Sure, she may run into Rea's rotting corpse or find some other new bodies there, but it was a much more comforting location than the asylum. Nadia had gone six days lying low, so maybe she could pass a few more over there. It sure as hell beat being in a place everyone would flock to.
Plus, it was still early in the day, and not many other people may be heading for the bridge. She had the chance to cross it unencumbered. She sighed again, pulled her bag over her shoulders, tightened her grip on the chair leg, and began to walk. Just a few minutes, and she'd be in her natural sanctuary.
How Easy it was to Lie to Strangers
(Private)
"Nadia."
((Min-jae Parker continued from The Scarlet Garden))
Jae tried to keep his shivering under control, but the temperature had been steadily dropping for the past few days, and now his hair was damp, as was his shirt. The privacy afforded by the underside of the bridge had been worth the annoying scramble down and even more ridiculous trek back up the slope by its side; the water hadn't done much for the bloodstain down the front of his shirt and the saltwater had stung like hell in all of his myriad injuries, but he was clean-ish for the first time in nearly a week now and soaking his shirts had at least done something for the smell. Re-doing the splint on his leg had been an issue, with only the tape from Samuel's first-aid kit to use, and it was a bit loose now. Not as good as when Vanessa had done it, but it was holding him up. Something had felt loose in his shin when subjected to his first actual exploration of his injured leg since the first day, and though Jae was no anatomy expert, he knew that shouldn't be the case.
When he finally dragged himself back up to the bridge, he had seen her. Even with her back turned to him at a distance, Nadia was instantly recognizable.
She turned at his call and he took a hesitant step forward, absently working his jaw. He had taken all his piercings out; the skin around them was starting to get irritated thanks to six days without removal or cleaning. His tongue felt odd without the weight of the barbel in it, and he kept running it over his teeth expecting to feel the familiar click.
He had reflected on the announcement while bathing. Alvaro was dead, and there was an about time. Michael was dead, and there was an I told you so. Lizzie Luz was dead, and though they had been in school together for a good six or seven years, all he could remember of her was the sight of her tear-stained face as she huddled in the radio tower shack.
Lily Caldwell was an interesting name, more for when and with whom it had been announced than for its own merits. He filed it away along with the other important ones.
None of it felt good like he had thought it might. Alessio and Isabel were still alive, and he still intended to make sure that stopped being the case if (when) he saw them again, but then he would still be here and half-crippled and Henry and Asha would still be dead and Hazel would still exist in that nebulous space where they would probably never see each other again.
But Nadia was here. His last friend.
It was obvious that she wasn't exactly thrilled to see him.
((Min-jae Parker continued from The Scarlet Garden))
Jae tried to keep his shivering under control, but the temperature had been steadily dropping for the past few days, and now his hair was damp, as was his shirt. The privacy afforded by the underside of the bridge had been worth the annoying scramble down and even more ridiculous trek back up the slope by its side; the water hadn't done much for the bloodstain down the front of his shirt and the saltwater had stung like hell in all of his myriad injuries, but he was clean-ish for the first time in nearly a week now and soaking his shirts had at least done something for the smell. Re-doing the splint on his leg had been an issue, with only the tape from Samuel's first-aid kit to use, and it was a bit loose now. Not as good as when Vanessa had done it, but it was holding him up. Something had felt loose in his shin when subjected to his first actual exploration of his injured leg since the first day, and though Jae was no anatomy expert, he knew that shouldn't be the case.
When he finally dragged himself back up to the bridge, he had seen her. Even with her back turned to him at a distance, Nadia was instantly recognizable.
She turned at his call and he took a hesitant step forward, absently working his jaw. He had taken all his piercings out; the skin around them was starting to get irritated thanks to six days without removal or cleaning. His tongue felt odd without the weight of the barbel in it, and he kept running it over his teeth expecting to feel the familiar click.
He had reflected on the announcement while bathing. Alvaro was dead, and there was an about time. Michael was dead, and there was an I told you so. Lizzie Luz was dead, and though they had been in school together for a good six or seven years, all he could remember of her was the sight of her tear-stained face as she huddled in the radio tower shack.
Lily Caldwell was an interesting name, more for when and with whom it had been announced than for its own merits. He filed it away along with the other important ones.
None of it felt good like he had thought it might. Alessio and Isabel were still alive, and he still intended to make sure that stopped being the case if (when) he saw them again, but then he would still be here and half-crippled and Henry and Asha would still be dead and Hazel would still exist in that nebulous space where they would probably never see each other again.
But Nadia was here. His last friend.
It was obvious that she wasn't exactly thrilled to see him.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Nadia froze in place when she heard a familiar voice call out to her. She slowly turned and caught sight of what remained of her friend, Min-jae. They had gotten along quite a bit in school, mostly due to their similar interest in goth-culture. Granted, he was more punk-goth and she was glamour-goth, but their temperaments had made them get along for a few years. Heck, Jae even got her Americanah for her birthday a few weeks ago, which was quite nice of him.
Unfortunately, he didn't look to be doing so well. There was a stain on his shirt with a color that didn't look like cranberry juice or ketchup. There was also the splint on his leg, which told her he had a bit of a scrap earlier. Added to that, she had heard about him a few days ago. He had beaten someone to death, and he was armed with a crossbow right now. He didn't look to be doing so well, and she had to ponder that for a moment.
Nadia thought about how fortunate she had been compared to him. Sure, she had run into some crazy people here, but she wasn't hurt. She hadn't been in any serious conflicts, and she was in fine physical condition compared to a lot of people. Still, there had to be a reason someone like Jae would be hurt this much after almost a week here. If it was all from killing that guy, she could understand, but there had to be a reason for it.
"Min-jae," she said, keeping a neutral expression on her face. "I see you're still scraping by. You are, right?"
Unfortunately, he didn't look to be doing so well. There was a stain on his shirt with a color that didn't look like cranberry juice or ketchup. There was also the splint on his leg, which told her he had a bit of a scrap earlier. Added to that, she had heard about him a few days ago. He had beaten someone to death, and he was armed with a crossbow right now. He didn't look to be doing so well, and she had to ponder that for a moment.
Nadia thought about how fortunate she had been compared to him. Sure, she had run into some crazy people here, but she wasn't hurt. She hadn't been in any serious conflicts, and she was in fine physical condition compared to a lot of people. Still, there had to be a reason someone like Jae would be hurt this much after almost a week here. If it was all from killing that guy, she could understand, but there had to be a reason for it.
"Min-jae," she said, keeping a neutral expression on her face. "I see you're still scraping by. You are, right?"
Well, wasn't this just a warm and fuzzy reunion. It wasn't like Jae hadn't expected it; out of everyone he considered friends, Nadia gave him the most shit and he gave it right back. It was how they got along. The fact that she hadn't outright rebuked him was almost like welcoming him with open arms under normal circumstances.
Normal circumstances. Now, her face was deliberately expressionless and her voice guarded.
He moved forward, grimacing as the bridge creaked. Crossing it the last two times had been bad enough - if he had any cause to go back to the other side of the island again, he might just take the long way around. Keeping a grip on the staff for balance, his steps were slow enough that they hopefully made it clear he wasn't a threat.
"Scraping by, yeah. You could say that." His voice was still hoarse, but not as strained as yesterday. Nadia looked like she had been doing a bit better than scraping by. Funny to think there might be anyone in an enviable position when they were all in the same shithole, but there it was.
"What about you?"
Normal circumstances. Now, her face was deliberately expressionless and her voice guarded.
He moved forward, grimacing as the bridge creaked. Crossing it the last two times had been bad enough - if he had any cause to go back to the other side of the island again, he might just take the long way around. Keeping a grip on the staff for balance, his steps were slow enough that they hopefully made it clear he wasn't a threat.
"Scraping by, yeah. You could say that." His voice was still hoarse, but not as strained as yesterday. Nadia looked like she had been doing a bit better than scraping by. Funny to think there might be anyone in an enviable position when they were all in the same shithole, but there it was.
"What about you?"
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
"I guess 'scraping by' works for me as well," Nadia explained to Min-jae. "I mean, I've mostly run into weirdos and budding killers over the last few days. Jerry, Brendan, Will, those sorts of people. Oh, and I saw Caedyn Miller kill someone. That was something I never thought I'd see. For the most part, I've just been drifting by and avoiding these assholes when I can. It's not easy, but I'm still here, so it has to mean something."
Nadia stepped slightly closer to Min-jae.
"Of course, I can't do much when this is all I got," she said, holding the chair leg up. "So I think I'm fine hiding in the shadows for now."
Nadia lowered the chair leg. Jae wasn't proving to be an immediate threat, so she figured she could keep it down for now. Being on the bridge with a guy holding a crossbow was bringing back memories of Will McKinley on the cliff, so she'd rather it stay clean and full of escape routes for now.
"But it looks like you haven't had as much luck as I have. Tell me what happened."
Nadia kept her gaze on Min-jae. She needed to understand him right now, especially if he was a murderer.
Nadia stepped slightly closer to Min-jae.
"Of course, I can't do much when this is all I got," she said, holding the chair leg up. "So I think I'm fine hiding in the shadows for now."
Nadia lowered the chair leg. Jae wasn't proving to be an immediate threat, so she figured she could keep it down for now. Being on the bridge with a guy holding a crossbow was bringing back memories of Will McKinley on the cliff, so she'd rather it stay clean and full of escape routes for now.
"But it looks like you haven't had as much luck as I have. Tell me what happened."
Nadia kept her gaze on Min-jae. She needed to understand him right now, especially if he was a murderer.
"Heh." It was a sarcastic exhale of a laugh. "Tell you what happened. Haven't you been paying attention?" No, no, he knew what this was about. Yet another person poised to pass judgment on him, when they hadn't seen what he had to see, done what he had to do. But it was still Nadia, still the last friend he had anywhere, so Jae wouldn't blow her off completely.
"Alvaro happened, and then Samuel happened, and then Alessio, and Michael, and Isabel and that little bitch helping her out, and Brendan, and Caedyn, and Jasmine." Jae bit off the end of his sentence sharply, not entirely on purpose; his teeth were starting to chatter. "Asha and Henry are dead. That happened."
Jae's eyes drilled into Nadia, searching her for any hint of a reaction. Asha and Henry had been her friends too. They deserved more than some veneer of cold composure.
"Alvaro happened, and then Samuel happened, and then Alessio, and Michael, and Isabel and that little bitch helping her out, and Brendan, and Caedyn, and Jasmine." Jae bit off the end of his sentence sharply, not entirely on purpose; his teeth were starting to chatter. "Asha and Henry are dead. That happened."
Jae's eyes drilled into Nadia, searching her for any hint of a reaction. Asha and Henry had been her friends too. They deserved more than some veneer of cold composure.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Nadia glanced downward as Min-jae began to speak. He really did have it much worse than she did. He had run into more dangerous people, and he had seen more people die. She had almost forgotten about Asha and Henry. They were acquaintances, but they were definitely people Jae would have regarded more than others here.
"Well, that does sound as bad as I imagined," she said, rubbing her neck with her free hand.
She looked back up at Jae. He still didn't explain Samuel, and with people like Isabel, Alessio, Caedyn, and Brendan included on his list, it sounded like he had some enemies.
"Jae...what's next?" she asked. "I'm probably going to keep doing what I was doing, but what about you? That sounds like a lot of bad people who have crossed your path. Are you going after them?"
Nadia gestured towards the crossbow.
"Are you going to end them?"
"Well, that does sound as bad as I imagined," she said, rubbing her neck with her free hand.
She looked back up at Jae. He still didn't explain Samuel, and with people like Isabel, Alessio, Caedyn, and Brendan included on his list, it sounded like he had some enemies.
"Jae...what's next?" she asked. "I'm probably going to keep doing what I was doing, but what about you? That sounds like a lot of bad people who have crossed your path. Are you going after them?"
Nadia gestured towards the crossbow.
"Are you going to end them?"
End them. She made it sound so simple. Jae was momentarily taken aback, both at Nadia's phrasing and how bluntly she got to the point. She hadn't changed either, it turned out.
He had expected her to ask him why. The answer would have been "Does it matter?", and that probably wouldn't have satisfied her. But did it matter? When it was all over, everyone here would be dead except for one, and it wouldn't matter what they died for.
Jae recalled his words to Caedyn from yesterday and felt a hot rush of shame. I got my one. He hadn't meant it, or hadn't thought that he meant it. But he had said it, and then the thought wouldn't leave him alone. All it took was one. How many people were left now?
If he went home, would anyone even want him back?
Would it really be better to fight for the chance to pick up the pieces, when he could just hit the reset button and start over again from the beginning?
Obviously, he was still here, so something was winning out. Whether from cowardice or defiance, he was still alive. And one was all it took, but that wasn't his plan at all, was it?
"Yeah," he said finally. "When I find them... yeah." No questions asked, no reasons why. Jae might not be playing to win, but he could make sure that some of the people who were didn't get there.
"They deserve it."
He had expected her to ask him why. The answer would have been "Does it matter?", and that probably wouldn't have satisfied her. But did it matter? When it was all over, everyone here would be dead except for one, and it wouldn't matter what they died for.
Jae recalled his words to Caedyn from yesterday and felt a hot rush of shame. I got my one. He hadn't meant it, or hadn't thought that he meant it. But he had said it, and then the thought wouldn't leave him alone. All it took was one. How many people were left now?
If he went home, would anyone even want him back?
Would it really be better to fight for the chance to pick up the pieces, when he could just hit the reset button and start over again from the beginning?
Obviously, he was still here, so something was winning out. Whether from cowardice or defiance, he was still alive. And one was all it took, but that wasn't his plan at all, was it?
"Yeah," he said finally. "When I find them... yeah." No questions asked, no reasons why. Jae might not be playing to win, but he could make sure that some of the people who were didn't get there.
"They deserve it."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
So Jae was on a quest for blood. Nadia felt her heart race start to increase. What a thing a week could do to a person. Min-jae may not have been the friendliest person back in Kingman, but he was still decent. Now he was prepared to hunt down and murder people. Nadia wasn't sure she could agree with it. Sure, there were people who probably deserved to die for their actions here, but she wasn't going to go after any of them. Yes, some of her friends were dying, but unless she could directly save them, she didn't see why it was important to go after people like Isabel or Caedyn. They'd keep killing, but they'd probably burn out after a while and croak, like Alvaro and Nancy.
Nadia rubbed the back of her neck again. That damn collar was still in the way, but she tried to move it a bit as she touched the skin on her neck.
"Well, can't say I'm surprised you'd go after those people knowing what they've done to you," Nadia said. "Someone has to do so."
That still left some things unanswered about Min-jae's plans. This was her friend, and she had to understand him a bit if his behavior was going to continue on for the rest of his time here.
"Was that the case with Samuel? Did he do something to you too?"
Nadia rubbed the back of her neck again. That damn collar was still in the way, but she tried to move it a bit as she touched the skin on her neck.
"Well, can't say I'm surprised you'd go after those people knowing what they've done to you," Nadia said. "Someone has to do so."
That still left some things unanswered about Min-jae's plans. This was her friend, and she had to understand him a bit if his behavior was going to continue on for the rest of his time here.
"Was that the case with Samuel? Did he do something to you too?"
"Samuel was..." A mistake. Random, senseless violence. Self-defense. The worst mistake of his life.
At least if he hunted someone down with intent, he would be consciously making a choice.
"It was dark. He shot at me. We fought, I won." Jae sighed and fought back another shiver. "That's all."
"I'm not... I won't pretend it was the right thing, but he did start it."
At least if he hunted someone down with intent, he would be consciously making a choice.
"It was dark. He shot at me. We fought, I won." Jae sighed and fought back another shiver. "That's all."
"I'm not... I won't pretend it was the right thing, but he did start it."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Min-jae didn't have much to say about Samuel. It didn't seem like there was much to say, but Jae was quite okay with it, it seemed. He had the excuse of self-defense for why he did it. Nadia could go with that defense back home, but here it was somewhat different. You could go with it for a while, but then it would change into an excuse, or a rationale to keep going and to keep killing. Jae could probably use "it's either them or me" in a variety of scenarios after this, and he may have already done so against someone like Isabel. Nadia wasn't sure what to say about it, so she merely moved on.
"I get it," she said. "It's hard to say what's right or wrong here anymore. It's like we've started anew on an alien world and have to decide the rules of society ourselves. Not everyone's going to be happy, and we're certainly not all going to make it out of this okay."
Nadia moved a bit closer to Min-jae, keeping her chair leg by her side.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that. At the very least, I can buy why you may have made a choice like that. I just hope you can handle whatever's next with that."
Nadia gestured to the splint on his leg.
"Are you going anywhere in particular next? Do you need help getting there? Cause I was going to hide out by the cliffs or somewhere close by for the day, but I'm open for other ideas."
"I get it," she said. "It's hard to say what's right or wrong here anymore. It's like we've started anew on an alien world and have to decide the rules of society ourselves. Not everyone's going to be happy, and we're certainly not all going to make it out of this okay."
Nadia moved a bit closer to Min-jae, keeping her chair leg by her side.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that. At the very least, I can buy why you may have made a choice like that. I just hope you can handle whatever's next with that."
Nadia gestured to the splint on his leg.
"Are you going anywhere in particular next? Do you need help getting there? Cause I was going to hide out by the cliffs or somewhere close by for the day, but I'm open for other ideas."
She... got it. Jae let out a breath he hadn't realized it was holding. No accusations, no further grilling. Nadia got it.
"I was heading for the vehicle depot. I... left some stuff there. Hazel and this Jordan guy might be around there too, that's where I last saw them." More fudging, but he had already spilled his guts about all of this to one person. He didn't need to do it again and Nadia most likely didn't care to hear it. He adjusted his grip on the walking stick when Nadia gestured to his splinted leg. "I've been making it around okay, I guess. It's just slow."
He managed a faint smile. "But if you want to stick together, that's fine with me."
"I was heading for the vehicle depot. I... left some stuff there. Hazel and this Jordan guy might be around there too, that's where I last saw them." More fudging, but he had already spilled his guts about all of this to one person. He didn't need to do it again and Nadia most likely didn't care to hear it. He adjusted his grip on the walking stick when Nadia gestured to his splinted leg. "I've been making it around okay, I guess. It's just slow."
He managed a faint smile. "But if you want to stick together, that's fine with me."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Min-jae had a place in mind to go to and people in mind to meet. Hazel and Jordan were people who had been away from the announcements for the last few days, so they were probably decent people for now. Nadia had to wonder if they were also okay with Min-jae's explanation for killing Samuel. Maybe they had been around for the incident, and maybe they experienced the awful things Jae experienced alongside that.
"Well, I can at least walk with you until we get to the vehicle depot," Nadia said. "I don't know about your buddies, but at the very least it'll be nice to be near someone with a decent weapon unlike this oversized toothpick I have."
Nadia looked at the chair leg and then the crossbow Min-jae was holding. Of course he'd get better weapons for killing and fighting his way through the last week. The most she got was a toothbrush. She hadn't even found a use for those walkie talkies that were weighing her down. Jae was dealing with so much shit and he'd keep getting rewarded for it.
Nadia stepped aside and gestured towards the other end of the bridge.
"Lead the way, I guess."
"Well, I can at least walk with you until we get to the vehicle depot," Nadia said. "I don't know about your buddies, but at the very least it'll be nice to be near someone with a decent weapon unlike this oversized toothpick I have."
Nadia looked at the chair leg and then the crossbow Min-jae was holding. Of course he'd get better weapons for killing and fighting his way through the last week. The most she got was a toothbrush. She hadn't even found a use for those walkie talkies that were weighing her down. Jae was dealing with so much shit and he'd keep getting rewarded for it.
Nadia stepped aside and gestured towards the other end of the bridge.
"Lead the way, I guess."
Jae nodded and made sure he had a sure grip on both the crossbow and the staff as he started walking again. Nadia agreeing to stick together for a while didn't lift his spirits as much as it should have. One last friend to cling to until one or the both of them died, that was all it was. What a bitter thought about friendship.
He wondered if her thoughts were as morbid. She seemed to have gotten through the last few days relatively unscathed, despite running into both Brendan and Caedyn and even bearing witness to Caedyn's killing someone. Running into Alvaro right off the bat had shaped his entire stay here, leaving him with a half-wrecked body and a deep mistrust of almost everyone he came across. Most of the time, it had proven justified.
Jae glanced over at Nadia as they made their way across the bridge in a not-quite-comfortable silence. She had slowed to keep pace with him, absently turning the table leg that was her makeshift weapon over in her hands, expression unreadable. They had always been similar, but on different enough wavelengths that it was difficult to guess what was going on with each other a lot of the time.
"What are you thinking about?"
He wondered if her thoughts were as morbid. She seemed to have gotten through the last few days relatively unscathed, despite running into both Brendan and Caedyn and even bearing witness to Caedyn's killing someone. Running into Alvaro right off the bat had shaped his entire stay here, leaving him with a half-wrecked body and a deep mistrust of almost everyone he came across. Most of the time, it had proven justified.
Jae glanced over at Nadia as they made their way across the bridge in a not-quite-comfortable silence. She had slowed to keep pace with him, absently turning the table leg that was her makeshift weapon over in her hands, expression unreadable. They had always been similar, but on different enough wavelengths that it was difficult to guess what was going on with each other a lot of the time.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
And so they were off, to continue to walk into parts unknown. Nadia wasn't sure what to say now that she and Min-jae were allied. The last alliance fell apart when it became clear she was with a ticking time bomb, but was Jae the same? If everyone in Cochise High was now revealed the have the capacity to kill, was that something that was always there, or was it something brought out by the situation? Nadia was a believer in nature vs. nurture, but now more than ever it was on her mind.
She walked, absentmindedly turning the chair leg in her hand while remaining blank. Jae then asked her what she was thinking of. Nadia slowed down.
"Not much," she said. "Just curious about what drives people to play this game."
Nadia looked at Min-jae.
"I mean, I can believe that people like you would kill to defend themselves, or that people can kill accidentally. But what about people like Caedyn who stab unarmed girls to death? Or people like Isabel who can keep killing long past the point they'd even be required to. I know there's that one-kill rule, but is that what motivates them all? Or were they all just waiting for an opportunity like this game to defy all societal expectations and tap into something darker?
"Sorry if this sounds weird, but I was just curious since I've been at most a casual observer to this game. I don't know if I can entirely understand all the killers, but I would like to at some level."
She walked, absentmindedly turning the chair leg in her hand while remaining blank. Jae then asked her what she was thinking of. Nadia slowed down.
"Not much," she said. "Just curious about what drives people to play this game."
Nadia looked at Min-jae.
"I mean, I can believe that people like you would kill to defend themselves, or that people can kill accidentally. But what about people like Caedyn who stab unarmed girls to death? Or people like Isabel who can keep killing long past the point they'd even be required to. I know there's that one-kill rule, but is that what motivates them all? Or were they all just waiting for an opportunity like this game to defy all societal expectations and tap into something darker?
"Sorry if this sounds weird, but I was just curious since I've been at most a casual observer to this game. I don't know if I can entirely understand all the killers, but I would like to at some level."