Lily Maclaughlin was alive. She was awake. And for the moment, she was entirely lost.
The journalist girl had her back to one of the myriad felled stumps in the area she had woken up in a short while before, her body hunched over the only thing left to her not in the daypack; her small notepad. She had it balanced in her left hand, while her right scribbled away with the small golf pencil she carried. Strands of her brown-dyed hair had fallen loose from her ponytail and hung from her head, framing eyes that seemed almost vacant.
What Lily was writing could have been notes, if it made any sense. The words didn't follow any structure, any form. She scribbled close together; letters overlapped, slipped into the margins, bullet points lost in a sea of shorthand and abbreviations that probably didn't mean anything.
She kept telling herself she was writing up the situation, that she was taking info, as if this island, this whole game was something she could take interviews on, that she could compartmentalize and put into a nice 350 word story in AP format (Updated for 2008 of course) and shoot off to the paper for editing. Honestly, it was the only way she could deal with the shock.
Halfway through her fifth little page of scribbling the pencil broke. Lily stared at it, as if it was a friend that had betrayed her. With a frustrated growl, she threw the pencil, watching it bounce off a stump before sliding out of sight. She looked back to the sketchpad, and saw, probably for the first real time, what she'd been doing. She recognized none of it.
Lily replaced the notepad in the pocket of her capris and buried her face into her hands. There were tears in her eyes, but she rubbed them out of her face with the heels of her hands. She'd already done that before, and she didn't think she could handle crying again.
She was going on the camping trip to cover it, thinking it'd be a good feature for the issue when the class came back. Not like she had any real desire to be in the woods. Then again, she might've even had fun. Then the horror started. She remembered the auditorium, the man...Danya. Lily knew plenty about Survival of the Fittest; several of the major news outlets she watched aired specials on it almost all the time. Not once, not ever did she expect she'd on it. If she didn't absolutely believe she was going to die, Lily might have believed she could've gotten an amazing story out of this whole deal.
It didn't help that they gave her a book on plants. When Lily had rummaged through her pack that was the first thing she saw, and she almost didn't want to believe she'd been saddled with it. She still didn't throw it out, maybe thinking it would be handy at some point. Maybe she just needed a talisman. She still didn't believe she'd be alive for very long. She'd heard gunfire, which meant someone was falling into the paradigm quite well.
"Maybe I'll have to write obituaries soon." She said aloud, and almost laughed with the absurdity of it.
She stayed slumped against the log for awhile, and finally grabbed her daypack. She was sure she was done for, but she'd be damned if she let the fact go without trying to change it. She shouldered the bag and pulled out the compass that had been provided, trying to get her bearings.
"A high school class of over 200 was kidnapped and forced to compete in near gladiatorial combat this week, according to reputed sources..." She muttered, and had to stop herself from giving another grim laugh.
No News is Good News
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JamesRenard†
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((Miranda Merchant continued from Extinguishing the Light of the Future))
((OoC: This post has been edited to retain continuity))
Miranda was pissed.
It had been a very long time since separating from Garry and the others, in fact night had long since fallen and dawn had once again broke during her travels, but she was no less bitter about the way they'd split up. It had been a stupid plan, in her opinion, and what had annoyed her the most was that the others couldn't see it but her. Garry and Saul were more than content to trail along after Cyrille, and would inevitably end up as fodder when the French girl did something reckless again.
And when the first announcement was broadcast over the island some hours back, Miranda couldn't help but feel a little bit vindicated when Cyrille's name was read out, although she was still terribly saddened that she and all the others had died and all. Garry and Saul's names were not given out, so she assumed they'd managed to get away from Reiko ('never thought she'd be the killing type,' Miranda had thought), the apparent little psycho who'd somehow killed two people in one go.
'Yeah, I made the right decision to leave them behind... I'm sure I did... didn't I?'
Despite feeling extra confident in her decision, the element of doubt still plagued Miranda as she walked through the tree stumps and passed the occasional stack of logs. By splitting off and going her own way, Miranda had possibly put herself in as much, maybe even more danger than Cyrille had done. She was all by herself now, and she had nobody else to rely on or protect her. 'Garry had that massive sword... thingy. What do I have? A length of wire and a rotting branch.'
She held the stick up in front of her. As if solely to taunt her, the branch suddenly broke in two where a particularly mouldy piece of bark finally gave way under gravity. 'Oh, come on, that's just perfect,' Miranda bitterly thought, throwing the remains of the branch onto the grass around her and continuing to walk to destinations unknown.
Miranda's aimless wandering was brought to an abrupt end when she saw a girl sitting against a tree stump in the near distance, holding a compass in her hand with her bag slung over her shoulder.
'Oh no, it's Lily,' Miranda thought, instantly recognising the brunette ahead of her. She'd seen her several times before in and around school, believing her to be always sticking her nose in where it didn't belong, just to get a story for the school newspaper. All-in-all, Miranda thought she was just a big nuisance. 'No way am I hanging around with her. Let's just turn around and pretend I didn't see her-'
"ACK!"
Things didn't go quite to plan. Miranda had gone to turn around and walk away from the amateur journalist, but as she turned, her foot painfully collided against a tree stump next to her. "Oww!" she cried out, tripping right over the stump and collapsing onto her front, scrapping her shins against the stump as she fell.
'Way to look where you're going, idiot,' Miranda mentally cursed, hissing as the front of her legs throbbed in pain.
((OoC: This post has been edited to retain continuity))
Miranda was pissed.
It had been a very long time since separating from Garry and the others, in fact night had long since fallen and dawn had once again broke during her travels, but she was no less bitter about the way they'd split up. It had been a stupid plan, in her opinion, and what had annoyed her the most was that the others couldn't see it but her. Garry and Saul were more than content to trail along after Cyrille, and would inevitably end up as fodder when the French girl did something reckless again.
And when the first announcement was broadcast over the island some hours back, Miranda couldn't help but feel a little bit vindicated when Cyrille's name was read out, although she was still terribly saddened that she and all the others had died and all. Garry and Saul's names were not given out, so she assumed they'd managed to get away from Reiko ('never thought she'd be the killing type,' Miranda had thought), the apparent little psycho who'd somehow killed two people in one go.
'Yeah, I made the right decision to leave them behind... I'm sure I did... didn't I?'
Despite feeling extra confident in her decision, the element of doubt still plagued Miranda as she walked through the tree stumps and passed the occasional stack of logs. By splitting off and going her own way, Miranda had possibly put herself in as much, maybe even more danger than Cyrille had done. She was all by herself now, and she had nobody else to rely on or protect her. 'Garry had that massive sword... thingy. What do I have? A length of wire and a rotting branch.'
She held the stick up in front of her. As if solely to taunt her, the branch suddenly broke in two where a particularly mouldy piece of bark finally gave way under gravity. 'Oh, come on, that's just perfect,' Miranda bitterly thought, throwing the remains of the branch onto the grass around her and continuing to walk to destinations unknown.
Miranda's aimless wandering was brought to an abrupt end when she saw a girl sitting against a tree stump in the near distance, holding a compass in her hand with her bag slung over her shoulder.
'Oh no, it's Lily,' Miranda thought, instantly recognising the brunette ahead of her. She'd seen her several times before in and around school, believing her to be always sticking her nose in where it didn't belong, just to get a story for the school newspaper. All-in-all, Miranda thought she was just a big nuisance. 'No way am I hanging around with her. Let's just turn around and pretend I didn't see her-'
"ACK!"
Things didn't go quite to plan. Miranda had gone to turn around and walk away from the amateur journalist, but as she turned, her foot painfully collided against a tree stump next to her. "Oww!" she cried out, tripping right over the stump and collapsing onto her front, scrapping her shins against the stump as she fell.
'Way to look where you're going, idiot,' Miranda mentally cursed, hissing as the front of her legs throbbed in pain.
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Lily had been about to set on her way when a cry of pain from behind her draw her attention. When she wheeled around to look who had made the noise, it was hard for her to see at first if there was anybody at all. She got lucky when she looked down a bit, and saw Miranda Merchant sprawled out on the ground, from the looks of things having tripped over the stump.
For a cold-gut half second, Lily wondered and almost believed if the girl had been stalking her, maybe thinking about killing her, but she let that thought go. Lily had seen her around when she'd interviewed the swim team once, and though the girl seemed a little bit standoffish, Lily didn't think she was anything more than that. Truth be told, Lily was just happy she'd run into someone at all.
"Hey, are you alright?" She called out, and started to hop over and skirt the stumps in her way, taking care not to trip. First thing you say to anybody on this island, and it's a question. Next you'll be taking down her initial thoughts on the game and her plans, Lily thought as she jogged, with no small amount of bitterness toward herself.
The journalist made it to Miranda and knelt beside her, taking care to put at least a foot of space between her and the prone girl. Lily wasn't about ready to give anyone the benefit of the doubt yet, If you assume, you make an "ass" out of "u" and "me".
"Are you....Are you playing this game?" She asked, and felt stupid for doing so. She felt like a hooker asking a potential customer if he was a cop or not.
For a cold-gut half second, Lily wondered and almost believed if the girl had been stalking her, maybe thinking about killing her, but she let that thought go. Lily had seen her around when she'd interviewed the swim team once, and though the girl seemed a little bit standoffish, Lily didn't think she was anything more than that. Truth be told, Lily was just happy she'd run into someone at all.
"Hey, are you alright?" She called out, and started to hop over and skirt the stumps in her way, taking care not to trip. First thing you say to anybody on this island, and it's a question. Next you'll be taking down her initial thoughts on the game and her plans, Lily thought as she jogged, with no small amount of bitterness toward herself.
The journalist made it to Miranda and knelt beside her, taking care to put at least a foot of space between her and the prone girl. Lily wasn't about ready to give anyone the benefit of the doubt yet, If you assume, you make an "ass" out of "u" and "me".
"Are you....Are you playing this game?" She asked, and felt stupid for doing so. She felt like a hooker asking a potential customer if he was a cop or not.
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JamesRenard†
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Miranda spat out some dirt and grass that had somehow made their way into her mouth as she fell. She rolled onto her front and sat up, inspecting the damage done to her shins. They weren't bleeding, luckily, but some of the top layer of skin had been peeled off by scraping against the wood and bark. And it still stung like hell.
And then, if to make things worse, she heard Lily call out to her. 'Aw hell, she saw me, she thought, looking round to face the journalist as she asked if she was alright. 'No, I'm not alright. I've tripped over a stump, hurt my legs and now you've probably come to gawk at me and turn it into a news story just to humiliate me,' Miranda harshly thought, though she wouldn't say that out loud. No telling how Lily would react to hearing that.
Miranda just watched as Lily knelt down in front of her, and then she started to pick off the loose bits of skin that were peeling off her legs. Then came the second, more important question.
'What? No, I'm not playing the game,' Miranda thought, having to hold back from rolling her eyes. 'Wait a minute... you don't know that...' Miranda inwardly grinned as the cogs in her brain turned and came up with a plan. Lily didn't know that if she was playing or not, she didn't have to know either. And if Miranda could convince her that she was playing, maybe she would leave her alone.
"Yes, yes I am playing," Miranda eventually replied, putting on a smirk at the girl kneeling ahead of her. 'Now to see if she freaks the fuck out, runs away and leaves me in peace.' Miranda had however overlooked one detail when formulating her plan; she didn't take into account what Lily's weapon was and if she would use it to defend herself from the 'player'.
And then, if to make things worse, she heard Lily call out to her. 'Aw hell, she saw me, she thought, looking round to face the journalist as she asked if she was alright. 'No, I'm not alright. I've tripped over a stump, hurt my legs and now you've probably come to gawk at me and turn it into a news story just to humiliate me,' Miranda harshly thought, though she wouldn't say that out loud. No telling how Lily would react to hearing that.
Miranda just watched as Lily knelt down in front of her, and then she started to pick off the loose bits of skin that were peeling off her legs. Then came the second, more important question.
'What? No, I'm not playing the game,' Miranda thought, having to hold back from rolling her eyes. 'Wait a minute... you don't know that...' Miranda inwardly grinned as the cogs in her brain turned and came up with a plan. Lily didn't know that if she was playing or not, she didn't have to know either. And if Miranda could convince her that she was playing, maybe she would leave her alone.
"Yes, yes I am playing," Miranda eventually replied, putting on a smirk at the girl kneeling ahead of her. 'Now to see if she freaks the fuck out, runs away and leaves me in peace.' Miranda had however overlooked one detail when formulating her plan; she didn't take into account what Lily's weapon was and if she would use it to defend herself from the 'player'.
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Lily flinched a little as Miranda picked the skin off of her shins. The fall she took had to have been nasty. Taste of what's to come....you're gonna see a lot worse. The thought came to the forefront of Lily's brain, but she pushed it back abruptly. It wasn't going to help anyone to think like that.
Though it didn't seem like Miranda was going to be any help either, considering she has just answered Lily's question in the affirmative. As quick as she had knelt down by Miranda, she stood up, taking a step back for distance.
But something about the way Miranda answered Lily didn't seem to hang right. Lily had the benefit of experience in interviewing people. Miranda hadn't seemed sincere. It definitely helped that the girl was still prone, a little worse for wear, and not armed that Lily could see.
But just the fact that Miranda said it added to Lilly added to her despair. She didn't want to be here. If she had to be here, then she didn't want to be alone. But the first person she had met since being dropped on this island had suggested she had killed people, or was intending to.
Lily felt her hand creep into her pocket, and it closed around the notepad she'd been frantically writing in moments before. Holding it was calming, like it was a talisman. She wish she had a pencil, wish she hadn't thrown hers into the grass. She probably could've scraped a point out of it with her fingernails.
"Who...How many?" She asked. The questions rolled off her tongue as easily as if she was interrogating a source, but with a cold edge to it. Lily slid her daypack off of her shoulder and her hand out of her pocket, reaching in as if grabbing hold of something in the pack. Lily wasn't armed, but Miranda didn't know that.
She tried to make it look like something particularly dangerous was in her hands, and kept a poker face. She hoped to God that the fact she just wanted to not be alone in this wouldn't show through.
Though it didn't seem like Miranda was going to be any help either, considering she has just answered Lily's question in the affirmative. As quick as she had knelt down by Miranda, she stood up, taking a step back for distance.
But something about the way Miranda answered Lily didn't seem to hang right. Lily had the benefit of experience in interviewing people. Miranda hadn't seemed sincere. It definitely helped that the girl was still prone, a little worse for wear, and not armed that Lily could see.
But just the fact that Miranda said it added to Lilly added to her despair. She didn't want to be here. If she had to be here, then she didn't want to be alone. But the first person she had met since being dropped on this island had suggested she had killed people, or was intending to.
Lily felt her hand creep into her pocket, and it closed around the notepad she'd been frantically writing in moments before. Holding it was calming, like it was a talisman. She wish she had a pencil, wish she hadn't thrown hers into the grass. She probably could've scraped a point out of it with her fingernails.
"Who...How many?" She asked. The questions rolled off her tongue as easily as if she was interrogating a source, but with a cold edge to it. Lily slid her daypack off of her shoulder and her hand out of her pocket, reaching in as if grabbing hold of something in the pack. Lily wasn't armed, but Miranda didn't know that.
She tried to make it look like something particularly dangerous was in her hands, and kept a poker face. She hoped to God that the fact she just wanted to not be alone in this wouldn't show through.
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JamesRenard†
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Miranda's smile grew ever so slightly when Lily stepped backwards. 'That's it, go away... keep going... no, keep going! Damn it, girl, why have you stopped?!' Already, Miranda was getting frustrated with the girl's apparent stubborness. 'I just said I'm playing, why haven't you run in fear of your life yet?!' If Miranda's legs weren't hurting so much, she'd just get up and run away as quick as possible, leaving Lily in the dust.
And then Lily threw that fastball at Miranda by asking her how many people she'd killed. 'Oh crap, how the hell do I answer that?' she quickly thought. If she said none, then she wouldn't sound like much of a threat. If she said an absurd number of kills, while she sounded much more dangerous, there was a chance that Lily wouldn't believe her. Each second that passed as she tried to think of an answer was adding up and going to make it more obvious that she was bullshitting. 'Crap, crap... what to do, what to do, gotta decide quick-oh fuck.'
Miranda had been watching Lily carefully while determining her next course of action, seeing if she was going to resume the retreat. Instead, she'd got her bag and reached inside it. 'The weapons! I forgot about her weapon and what she might have!' Miranda's frustration all but evaporated, ice-cold terror taking its place as she began to worry that Lily's weapon was a gun, and that she was going to be on the receiving end of it. And then Miranda's plan would (quite literally) backfire with deadly consequences. She could feel the sweat starting to pour out of her skin, but she was determined not to let Lily show how scared she really was.
She remembered that she hadn't answered her question yet, but the turn of events had only complicated matters. 'Tell her I've killed someone and risk being blown away. Tell her I haven't and she'll probably stick around.' As much as she didn't want Lily around, she didn't want to be killed by her either, and that finally helped her to make her mind up.
"I-I haven't killed anyone..." she miserably spoke.
And then Lily threw that fastball at Miranda by asking her how many people she'd killed. 'Oh crap, how the hell do I answer that?' she quickly thought. If she said none, then she wouldn't sound like much of a threat. If she said an absurd number of kills, while she sounded much more dangerous, there was a chance that Lily wouldn't believe her. Each second that passed as she tried to think of an answer was adding up and going to make it more obvious that she was bullshitting. 'Crap, crap... what to do, what to do, gotta decide quick-oh fuck.'
Miranda had been watching Lily carefully while determining her next course of action, seeing if she was going to resume the retreat. Instead, she'd got her bag and reached inside it. 'The weapons! I forgot about her weapon and what she might have!' Miranda's frustration all but evaporated, ice-cold terror taking its place as she began to worry that Lily's weapon was a gun, and that she was going to be on the receiving end of it. And then Miranda's plan would (quite literally) backfire with deadly consequences. She could feel the sweat starting to pour out of her skin, but she was determined not to let Lily show how scared she really was.
She remembered that she hadn't answered her question yet, but the turn of events had only complicated matters. 'Tell her I've killed someone and risk being blown away. Tell her I haven't and she'll probably stick around.' As much as she didn't want Lily around, she didn't want to be killed by her either, and that finally helped her to make her mind up.
"I-I haven't killed anyone..." she miserably spoke.
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Lily stared Miranda down, still holding on to her flat expression as best she could as she waited for an answer. She was scared, terrified, because if Miranda saw through her bluff and she really was playing...well, Lily was only so much dead meat. Miranda's hesitation only served to make it more difficult for Lily to hold on to her expression.
When Miranda finally answered, the building tension in Lily's shoulders relaxed and she almost folded in half, she was so relieved. She slid her hand out of the bag and threw it back up on her shoulder. She almost considered showing Miranda that she'd only been clutching the stupid fucking book she'd been given, but didn't. She didn't entirely trust the girl yet, and it might be handy to let her think Lily was armed.
"Thank God...I was...I didn't want to believe anyone was playing." She dropped to her haunches, brushing an errant strand of her hair out of her eye, and regarded the taller girl with a quizzical look. "Why would you lie about something like that? What if I had tried to k....What if I had bad judgment?" Lily's voice noticeably wavered this time when she continued her line of questions.
When Miranda finally answered, the building tension in Lily's shoulders relaxed and she almost folded in half, she was so relieved. She slid her hand out of the bag and threw it back up on her shoulder. She almost considered showing Miranda that she'd only been clutching the stupid fucking book she'd been given, but didn't. She didn't entirely trust the girl yet, and it might be handy to let her think Lily was armed.
"Thank God...I was...I didn't want to believe anyone was playing." She dropped to her haunches, brushing an errant strand of her hair out of her eye, and regarded the taller girl with a quizzical look. "Why would you lie about something like that? What if I had tried to k....What if I had bad judgment?" Lily's voice noticeably wavered this time when she continued her line of questions.
((Sarah Atwell continued from The Prime Time of Your Life))
She had been sitting on a rock close to the clearing for a few minutes when Sarah finally heard the voices of Lily and Miranda float in to her ears from the small area nearby. Her legs were aching and tired. Although she hadn't done anywhere near the amount of walking she had yesterday her body was not coping too well with the added stress and exercise of the previous day. The thin rations of bread and water did not really help and more than once Sarah had almost taken a sip of the ketomine laced water bottle in her bag. The splashes of blood across her shirt and jeans had dried now and had left a thing brown-red layer across her usually clean clothes. Despite her best efforts the smell of blood still lingered.
After another moment of considering she hopped off the rock and moved towards the source of the sound. Both girls seem to be relaxing as if just assessing each other. Neither seemed to have any weapons apparent and Sarah smiled slightly. Taking a deep breath she stepped forward she spoke up, stuttering slightly. "he...hey guys. It's me, Sarah, they," she gulped, her bottom lip quivering ever so slightly, 'they are killing each other. You have to help. Please!" She stumbled a little forward, her body seemingly at its very limits, putting her hand forward on a tree to steady herself. She didn't have to act too much, her legs were in fact on the verge of giving out and she wanted nothing more than to sit down.
She looked down and breathing deeply once more continued her entrance. "I... came across Eve. They killed her. You can't trust anybody." Her eyes widening once more she took a step back. "How, how can I trust you?! What weapons do you have, please, don't kill me. Please!"
When you got down to it people were pretty easy to manipulate. Play the damsel in distress and having grown up with the stereotype most would rush to their aid. It was even easier with girls, since often their motherly instincts came in to play. Sarah didn't know whether it would work in this case or not, but at best it was a decent way of finding out what weapons they had so she could properly think of an entertaining script for her next scene. She had to... what was that they said?
Oh that's right.
Break a leg.
She had been sitting on a rock close to the clearing for a few minutes when Sarah finally heard the voices of Lily and Miranda float in to her ears from the small area nearby. Her legs were aching and tired. Although she hadn't done anywhere near the amount of walking she had yesterday her body was not coping too well with the added stress and exercise of the previous day. The thin rations of bread and water did not really help and more than once Sarah had almost taken a sip of the ketomine laced water bottle in her bag. The splashes of blood across her shirt and jeans had dried now and had left a thing brown-red layer across her usually clean clothes. Despite her best efforts the smell of blood still lingered.
After another moment of considering she hopped off the rock and moved towards the source of the sound. Both girls seem to be relaxing as if just assessing each other. Neither seemed to have any weapons apparent and Sarah smiled slightly. Taking a deep breath she stepped forward she spoke up, stuttering slightly. "he...hey guys. It's me, Sarah, they," she gulped, her bottom lip quivering ever so slightly, 'they are killing each other. You have to help. Please!" She stumbled a little forward, her body seemingly at its very limits, putting her hand forward on a tree to steady herself. She didn't have to act too much, her legs were in fact on the verge of giving out and she wanted nothing more than to sit down.
She looked down and breathing deeply once more continued her entrance. "I... came across Eve. They killed her. You can't trust anybody." Her eyes widening once more she took a step back. "How, how can I trust you?! What weapons do you have, please, don't kill me. Please!"
When you got down to it people were pretty easy to manipulate. Play the damsel in distress and having grown up with the stereotype most would rush to their aid. It was even easier with girls, since often their motherly instincts came in to play. Sarah didn't know whether it would work in this case or not, but at best it was a decent way of finding out what weapons they had so she could properly think of an entertaining script for her next scene. She had to... what was that they said?
Oh that's right.
Break a leg.
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JamesRenard†
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'Stupid, stupid, you're smarter than that,' Miranda mentally kicked herself as she saw Lily remove her hand from her bag. 'You got lucky that time. If she was serious you'd be lying dead on the ground right about now.'
Miranda kept her eyes locked on Lily's daypack as she asked her a further question that knocked her for a loop. Why she'd lied to her. Okay, it wasn't like she didn't have an answer, but it was an answer that Lily wouldn't like to hear. And if she got mad, there was every likelihood of her grabbing her (as of yet unidentified) weapon again and slaughtering Miranda with it. 'Gotta be careful here,' she thought, thinking of an acceptable answer to give. 'Got it. Here goes,'
"It's because I didn't want to sound like a weakling," she spoke. It wasn't exactly the truth per se, but it wasn't a full blown lie either; she hated appearing weak and helpless in front of others. "I didn't know if you had a powerful weapon or not, but I thought I could bluff my way to stop you from attacking me. Yeah, I know now that it could have backfired and got me killed anyway."
Miranda looked down at her legs and rubbed her hand over the shins, removing any remaining shreds of peeled-off skin. They still hurt a little, but nowhere near as much as when she'd first tripped over. 'Good, maybe I can start heading away from here soon,' she thought.
Unfortunately, the arrival of a third girl wrecked that idea for the moment. Miranda looked round to face the newcomer, a look of annoyance on her face as she was faced with the prospect of more company. That expression changed to horror when she actually saw the girl who was approaching them for the first time. It was Sarah Atwell, the girl who went around school with that camera of hers. And her clothes were splattered with dried blood.
"Oh my God!!"
Miranda shrieked and instantly leapt to her feet, ignoring the pain coming from her legs (and trying to ignore the sudden pain that came from her ear), and stared at the girl. 'Holy shit, holy shit, it's Sarah and she's covered in blood. Did she kill someone, is she injured? No, she doesn't seem injured-holy shit, Eve is dead?!'
While she didn't know Eve personally or talked to her all that often, she had heard about her pregnancy and childbirth. So to hear that she was dead, and that her baby was now going to grow up without a mother, that shocked her to the core. 'Look at the blood on her, whoever killed Eve must've, oh God, I don't want to think about what happened to her.'
"W-who did it?" Miranda asked, glancing up and down her clothes that were stained with red-brown marks. "Did you see w-who k-killed her? I want to know who did it so I can avoid them." Miranda suddenly felt lightheaded and her legs began to shake, prompting her to sit on top of the tree stump that she'd tripped over previously.
Miranda kept her eyes locked on Lily's daypack as she asked her a further question that knocked her for a loop. Why she'd lied to her. Okay, it wasn't like she didn't have an answer, but it was an answer that Lily wouldn't like to hear. And if she got mad, there was every likelihood of her grabbing her (as of yet unidentified) weapon again and slaughtering Miranda with it. 'Gotta be careful here,' she thought, thinking of an acceptable answer to give. 'Got it. Here goes,'
"It's because I didn't want to sound like a weakling," she spoke. It wasn't exactly the truth per se, but it wasn't a full blown lie either; she hated appearing weak and helpless in front of others. "I didn't know if you had a powerful weapon or not, but I thought I could bluff my way to stop you from attacking me. Yeah, I know now that it could have backfired and got me killed anyway."
Miranda looked down at her legs and rubbed her hand over the shins, removing any remaining shreds of peeled-off skin. They still hurt a little, but nowhere near as much as when she'd first tripped over. 'Good, maybe I can start heading away from here soon,' she thought.
Unfortunately, the arrival of a third girl wrecked that idea for the moment. Miranda looked round to face the newcomer, a look of annoyance on her face as she was faced with the prospect of more company. That expression changed to horror when she actually saw the girl who was approaching them for the first time. It was Sarah Atwell, the girl who went around school with that camera of hers. And her clothes were splattered with dried blood.
"Oh my God!!"
Miranda shrieked and instantly leapt to her feet, ignoring the pain coming from her legs (and trying to ignore the sudden pain that came from her ear), and stared at the girl. 'Holy shit, holy shit, it's Sarah and she's covered in blood. Did she kill someone, is she injured? No, she doesn't seem injured-holy shit, Eve is dead?!'
While she didn't know Eve personally or talked to her all that often, she had heard about her pregnancy and childbirth. So to hear that she was dead, and that her baby was now going to grow up without a mother, that shocked her to the core. 'Look at the blood on her, whoever killed Eve must've, oh God, I don't want to think about what happened to her.'
"W-who did it?" Miranda asked, glancing up and down her clothes that were stained with red-brown marks. "Did you see w-who k-killed her? I want to know who did it so I can avoid them." Miranda suddenly felt lightheaded and her legs began to shake, prompting her to sit on top of the tree stump that she'd tripped over previously.
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Lily let her head drop as she gave a small, almost inaudible laugh. Weakling? Christ, did all this bring out new sides to people. "You won't have to...Have to worry. I only ever wanted to cover the news, not make it, you know?" She stood up again, feeling the joints in her knees pop like gunshots.
"I think we should stick toge..." Lily was about to say when Miranda exclaimed, and followed her sight. She couldn't talk at first, struck dumb by the sight of Sarah Atwell walking into view, looking like she'd spent the morning chopping meat. Miranda beat her to the obvious question, so Lily was content to gape. She was glad the girl found them, glad to have another member to the makeshift group, but something seemed off. The girl's question unsettled Lily just a little bit. Why did it matter what weapons they have? Then again, maybe the girl didn't want to run with people who had nasty surprised for her.
Lily tried to bite down on her fear, but it kept trying to get away from her. Seeing a near-hysterical and bloody girl striding into view made it hard to remain calm. Anyone who could was a fucking robot.
"Are you....Are you hurt?" Lily ventured to Sarah after Miranda sat down.
"I think we should stick toge..." Lily was about to say when Miranda exclaimed, and followed her sight. She couldn't talk at first, struck dumb by the sight of Sarah Atwell walking into view, looking like she'd spent the morning chopping meat. Miranda beat her to the obvious question, so Lily was content to gape. She was glad the girl found them, glad to have another member to the makeshift group, but something seemed off. The girl's question unsettled Lily just a little bit. Why did it matter what weapons they have? Then again, maybe the girl didn't want to run with people who had nasty surprised for her.
Lily tried to bite down on her fear, but it kept trying to get away from her. Seeing a near-hysterical and bloody girl striding into view made it hard to remain calm. Anyone who could was a fucking robot.
"Are you....Are you hurt?" Lily ventured to Sarah after Miranda sat down.
Sarah shook her head in answer to Miranda's question. "I didn't see who it was, they ran off when I screamed. I tried to help, but it was too late." She held up a hand to her face, wiping away dirt and grime from her cheek. There was just so much blood, it's not mine, I'm ok, but, I couldn't..." She slumped down, covering her face with her hands. "I couldn't do anything."
Sarah was genuinely distraught, but not because of Eve's death. It was because she didn't do it right. Her next move would have to be planned better. Although not mentioned directly the two girls implied that they didn't possess firearms or anything else so she was relatively confident with Eve's sword and her own mixed bag of items if she timed it right could enact quite a moving scene. People loved drama, she had learnt this from film class. People's lives were so boring. Our lives drifts along with normal things happening. Some ups, some downs, but nothing to go down in history about. Nothing so fantastic or terrible that it'll be told for a thousand years. But Sarah had a chance. A chance to go down in the annuals of time, a masterpiece of work. She imagined it. Her name being heralded as the youngest successful director of all time. The imagery so real that for just a second she felt it had already happened.
Outwardly however, she continued sobbing. She would wait some time. With the announcements being broadcast she knew she had at least a few moments of respite before her name was called out by Danya and she intended to use that time to gain trust with her new found allies. Little Sarah Atwell couldn't possibly of murdered someone, she just didn't have it in her. But if someone was to accidentally trip, maybe hurt themselves in the process and somehow everyone else wanted to continue on and Sarah volunteered to stay, who was to say that she could be blamed for the events that might transpire next?
Why in every good movie people fell behind. Not everyone could survive or there would be no emotion, no heartbreak. And that just wouldn't do. A true masterpiece had to flow. Now was a lull in the movie but soon, soon, there would be drama once more.
Beneath her palms, tears running down her face, Sarah struggled to contain the smile that tried to fix itself to her face.
Sarah was genuinely distraught, but not because of Eve's death. It was because she didn't do it right. Her next move would have to be planned better. Although not mentioned directly the two girls implied that they didn't possess firearms or anything else so she was relatively confident with Eve's sword and her own mixed bag of items if she timed it right could enact quite a moving scene. People loved drama, she had learnt this from film class. People's lives were so boring. Our lives drifts along with normal things happening. Some ups, some downs, but nothing to go down in history about. Nothing so fantastic or terrible that it'll be told for a thousand years. But Sarah had a chance. A chance to go down in the annuals of time, a masterpiece of work. She imagined it. Her name being heralded as the youngest successful director of all time. The imagery so real that for just a second she felt it had already happened.
Outwardly however, she continued sobbing. She would wait some time. With the announcements being broadcast she knew she had at least a few moments of respite before her name was called out by Danya and she intended to use that time to gain trust with her new found allies. Little Sarah Atwell couldn't possibly of murdered someone, she just didn't have it in her. But if someone was to accidentally trip, maybe hurt themselves in the process and somehow everyone else wanted to continue on and Sarah volunteered to stay, who was to say that she could be blamed for the events that might transpire next?
Why in every good movie people fell behind. Not everyone could survive or there would be no emotion, no heartbreak. And that just wouldn't do. A true masterpiece had to flow. Now was a lull in the movie but soon, soon, there would be drama once more.
Beneath her palms, tears running down her face, Sarah struggled to contain the smile that tried to fix itself to her face.
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JamesRenard†
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:55 am
"Well... t-that's not going to work then," Miranda spoke, continuing to sit on the tree stump as the dizziness started to fade away. "I... I suppose we'll have to wait for the next announcement to find out who-who killed her." Miranda didn't have the foggiest how long that was going to take. Looking up to the clear blue sky and seeing the sun hanging high up, she hazarded a guess that it was currently late-morning or early-afternoon. 'So that makes it arooouuund... 18 hours until the next one, give or take a few,' she calculated. 'Damn, that long? Whoever killed Eve could go on to kill even more people in that space of time! They could even find us! What if they were nearby when they murdered her?!'
The thoughts started to send shivers down the swimmer's spine, and knowing that a murderer could be lurking in the vicinity, possibly standing just yards behind her and Lily and waiting for an opportunity to strike, to say that it scared Miranda was a massive understatement. "S-Sarah, where... where did you find Eve?" Miranda asked, praying it was nowhere nearby. She knew she was in the northern part of the island, possibly close to the coast, so somewhere in the south would alleviate her fears. If only slightly.
"Look, we're not going to harm you, okay?" Miranda spoke and looked round to Lily, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible and trying to reassure the girl, though it was a damn lot harder knowing that a killer could very well be in the area. If that was indeed the case, she was going to get the hell away from there as fast as her legs would allow it, which was probably quite quickly. 'No way am I hanging around here if there's a killer close by,' she thought.
Completely unbeknownst to Miranda, the killer in question was slumped down right in front of her.
The thoughts started to send shivers down the swimmer's spine, and knowing that a murderer could be lurking in the vicinity, possibly standing just yards behind her and Lily and waiting for an opportunity to strike, to say that it scared Miranda was a massive understatement. "S-Sarah, where... where did you find Eve?" Miranda asked, praying it was nowhere nearby. She knew she was in the northern part of the island, possibly close to the coast, so somewhere in the south would alleviate her fears. If only slightly.
"Look, we're not going to harm you, okay?" Miranda spoke and looked round to Lily, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible and trying to reassure the girl, though it was a damn lot harder knowing that a killer could very well be in the area. If that was indeed the case, she was going to get the hell away from there as fast as her legs would allow it, which was probably quite quickly. 'No way am I hanging around here if there's a killer close by,' she thought.
Completely unbeknownst to Miranda, the killer in question was slumped down right in front of her.
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Lily didn't think she was skilled at comforting people. As a journalist, she spent most of her time outside of events, observing, reporting. It helped that actual tragedies during her run on the school paper were mercifully absent. This is why Lily felt awkward as she walked over to Sarah, her initial feelings of distrust initially lost in the face of whatever horrors the poor girl had likely seen.
"Hey, come...Come here. Sit down with us." She said, resting her arm lightly on the girl's shoulders, intending to guide her over to where Miranda was already sitting.
Lily looked at Miranda as she asked the girl where she found their slain classmate. "Does it matter? If our class is really participating in all this, I don't think we'll be safe anywhere."
Lily patted her pocket with her free hand, as if reassuring herself that the notepad was still there since the last ten minutes she checked. Christ, she wish she had a pen. She wanted a pen like a career smoker wanted a cigarette. Being able to write some of this down would've made her feel a lot better.
"Miranda, I just woke up. What things have you seen? How..How long have we been here?"
Maybe a tape recorder. Yeah, Lily would've killed for a digital recorder, even one of those cassette tape monstrosities, if only to keep a running record of what was going on.
"Hey, come...Come here. Sit down with us." She said, resting her arm lightly on the girl's shoulders, intending to guide her over to where Miranda was already sitting.
Lily looked at Miranda as she asked the girl where she found their slain classmate. "Does it matter? If our class is really participating in all this, I don't think we'll be safe anywhere."
Lily patted her pocket with her free hand, as if reassuring herself that the notepad was still there since the last ten minutes she checked. Christ, she wish she had a pen. She wanted a pen like a career smoker wanted a cigarette. Being able to write some of this down would've made her feel a lot better.
"Miranda, I just woke up. What things have you seen? How..How long have we been here?"
Maybe a tape recorder. Yeah, Lily would've killed for a digital recorder, even one of those cassette tape monstrosities, if only to keep a running record of what was going on.
Sarah looked up, ashen, as the two girls moved to reassure her, the comforting hand of Lily guiding her to a small pack of grass. "I know Miranda" she sniffled, wiping away a drip of snot which had formed at the tip of her nose. "I know you guys wouldn't hurt anyone, it's just I guess the boys. I think he was a guy I wasn't sure, whoever it was, they were big."
Sarah smiled sadly. "Look at me, rambling away when both of you are so calm and collected. I'm being stupid... I'm sorry. I bet you guys have a plan or something right? I think I'm just tired and all I want to do is brush my hair. That's dumb..."
She gave a weak laugh. "Maybe one of us should look around and the other two stay here just so we know there's no one close by."
Despite her short rest Sarah felt weary. It was a poor attempt to split the two but in her current state she felt it was more than justified. Either way she was going to stick with the group for at least a little while longer and in truth Sarah did hope that one of the girls had some sort of a plan. She might be concerned with ensuring her film debut went as planned but she still wouldn't mind a soft bed and a nice warm shower. In fact both of those things seemed fantastic right now. Her clothes were dirtied, her hair matted and her fingernails broken or worn. Even heading back to the infirmary would be nice right now.
"So," she questioned, "what should we do now?"
Sarah smiled sadly. "Look at me, rambling away when both of you are so calm and collected. I'm being stupid... I'm sorry. I bet you guys have a plan or something right? I think I'm just tired and all I want to do is brush my hair. That's dumb..."
She gave a weak laugh. "Maybe one of us should look around and the other two stay here just so we know there's no one close by."
Despite her short rest Sarah felt weary. It was a poor attempt to split the two but in her current state she felt it was more than justified. Either way she was going to stick with the group for at least a little while longer and in truth Sarah did hope that one of the girls had some sort of a plan. She might be concerned with ensuring her film debut went as planned but she still wouldn't mind a soft bed and a nice warm shower. In fact both of those things seemed fantastic right now. Her clothes were dirtied, her hair matted and her fingernails broken or worn. Even heading back to the infirmary would be nice right now.
"So," she questioned, "what should we do now?"
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JamesRenard†
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:55 am
"Good point," Miranda spoke. Nineteen deaths had occured and some seriously unhinged people were seemingly running about all over the island. Reiko particularly stood out, seeing how she had been the one to kill Cyrille, possibly only hours after she had abandoned her at the tunnels. And where was Reiko, or Kris, or Alex? Miranda had no idea at all, they could be absolutely anywhere. 'Even right behind you,' her mind told her.
Miranda whipped round in a panic and glanced behind her, seeing nothing but tree stumps, felled logs and the silhouetted form of the mountain in the distance behind her. 'Brilliant, I just made myself look like a paranoid mess. And just how long have we been here anyway?'
"Uh... I first woke up over a day ago, there's already been an announcement as well. You're either a heavy sleeper or they pumped a lot of sleeping gas into you," Miranda said, peeking back over her shoulder just to be sure she hadn't missed anyone hiding. "Uh, well... n-nineteen of our class h-have been...k... k..." She trailed off, unable to bring herself to say the k-word. "And all I can remember is that R-Reiko, Kris Hartmann, Alex Rasputin and Clio have... done it twice."
Miranda would have written the names down as they were read out, but she didn't have a pen on her at the time and so had to rely on her memory, which really wasn't at its best that early in the morning. As a result, she'd forgotten a handful of the names, and recalling the announcement, knowing full well that the names rattled off belonged to killers or people who'd now passed into the great beyond, was tearing her up.
Sarah suggested that it might have been a huge guy that killed Eve. The first person who sprang to Miranda's mind was her previous companion, Garry, and with his large bladed weapon and the amount of bloodshed it could potentially cause (or already caused, if her allegations were true), it made sense, except for the fact that Garry didn't sound like a murderer at the least.
'That doesn't mean anything. I knew Janet was a bitch, but I wouldn't have thought of her as a murderer, and look what she did,' she thought, wiping some tears from her eyes. 'And Garry seemed pretty pissed when I ran off, did he take it out on Eve then? I hope not...'
Sarah then offered her suggestion, one that Miranda immediately disagreed with. Why was Sarah suggesting that only one of them split off from the group? If that one person went off to look around, there was every chance that a killer lurking nearby could easily pick them off. 'Sarah doesn't know what our weapons are, right?' Miranda surmised. 'So what good is sending someone like me with a piece of wire? I could have a bundle of cotton wool for all she knows, like THAT would be helpful against a gun. Speaking of...'
"I don't know what to do right now. By the way, Sarah, what's your weapon?" Miranda curiously asked. "I don't think you told us."
Miranda whipped round in a panic and glanced behind her, seeing nothing but tree stumps, felled logs and the silhouetted form of the mountain in the distance behind her. 'Brilliant, I just made myself look like a paranoid mess. And just how long have we been here anyway?'
"Uh... I first woke up over a day ago, there's already been an announcement as well. You're either a heavy sleeper or they pumped a lot of sleeping gas into you," Miranda said, peeking back over her shoulder just to be sure she hadn't missed anyone hiding. "Uh, well... n-nineteen of our class h-have been...k... k..." She trailed off, unable to bring herself to say the k-word. "And all I can remember is that R-Reiko, Kris Hartmann, Alex Rasputin and Clio have... done it twice."
Miranda would have written the names down as they were read out, but she didn't have a pen on her at the time and so had to rely on her memory, which really wasn't at its best that early in the morning. As a result, she'd forgotten a handful of the names, and recalling the announcement, knowing full well that the names rattled off belonged to killers or people who'd now passed into the great beyond, was tearing her up.
Sarah suggested that it might have been a huge guy that killed Eve. The first person who sprang to Miranda's mind was her previous companion, Garry, and with his large bladed weapon and the amount of bloodshed it could potentially cause (or already caused, if her allegations were true), it made sense, except for the fact that Garry didn't sound like a murderer at the least.
'That doesn't mean anything. I knew Janet was a bitch, but I wouldn't have thought of her as a murderer, and look what she did,' she thought, wiping some tears from her eyes. 'And Garry seemed pretty pissed when I ran off, did he take it out on Eve then? I hope not...'
Sarah then offered her suggestion, one that Miranda immediately disagreed with. Why was Sarah suggesting that only one of them split off from the group? If that one person went off to look around, there was every chance that a killer lurking nearby could easily pick them off. 'Sarah doesn't know what our weapons are, right?' Miranda surmised. 'So what good is sending someone like me with a piece of wire? I could have a bundle of cotton wool for all she knows, like THAT would be helpful against a gun. Speaking of...'
"I don't know what to do right now. By the way, Sarah, what's your weapon?" Miranda curiously asked. "I don't think you told us."
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler JamesRenard. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.