((Arizona Butler continued from WXUNDS))
Another day had come and gone. Darlene was still absent from the announcements. That gave her hope and she held onto it. Arizona didn't think she'd manage to maintain hope on the island, especially not after Jonah's death. She'd had the idea that he had ascended and taken it all with him. She'd had a dream to that effect the previous night. Jonah walking up a staircase in a house she didn't recognize, she had been there and they'd been moving boxes. She thought it looked like they had just moved in, and the early morning sun shone into the open plan ground floor through a wall of floor to ceiling windows. She had been struggling to lift a box and was getting frustrated, but he had helped her and then taken the box himself. He'd carried it to the staircase in the middle of the room and started walking up them but when she attempted to follow he had said she wasn't allowed on the second floor yet and had kept climbing until she could no longer see him and was left alone.
But regardless, Darlene was alive and still out there. Their arena was also getting smaller and smaller, the chances were getting higher that they'd encounter each other. That was the theory at least. Arizona's stomach rumbled as she continued to pick her way through the undergrowth of the woodlands. The ribs she had left for Darlene were still packed in her back. Instead of indulging on them, she had instead been subsisting off the remnants of the food the terrorists had provided her with plus whatever was left from the stock they'd taken from Quinn and she’d taken from Michael.
She had managed to stick to her plan though. The announcement had played and she'd listened, taken note of the names but hadn't made any plans. There was already a plan in place. She was going to find Darlene and until that was done everything else was secondary. As Arizona had continued her search she'd considered what had happened with Michael. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. She had no doubts that it needed to happen. He had been killing consistently after all. But maybe she had been too harsh on him, maybe if she had let him speak more, or given him the death he'd wanted she wouldn't have doubts about how she had handled it. She wasn't sure. The only person she would have asked was no longer with her.
Arizona had been thinking about what she was going to say to Darlene. Saying that she knew the girl was an overstatement. She would have had no idea who Darlene was if it wasn't for Jonah. She didn't know anything about her, she didn't even know if she liked ribs, or even ate meat for that matter. Arizona decided to abandon her original plan of asking Darlene what had happened with Michael and Jonah. She didn't need that information anymore and it would have been unfair to ask Darlene to relive it. Instead, she was going to learn who Darlene was. Jonah would have liked that, the two people who he cared about most looking after each other and becoming friends. It was sappy as shit. He would have loved it.
Dead Bxdies in the Lake Part II
Private
Dead Bxdies in the Lake Part II
V8
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine
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MurderWeasel
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((Darlene Silva continued from You Gotta Roll With It, You Gotta Take Your Time))
Darlene hadn't gone far. Not really far, at least. She'd taken a few minutes more than she expected to find a good bush that was both concealing and non-prickly, and then after she'd put her old blouse back on (the same one she'd had at the start and still kind of greasy and tattered but everything she had was now and most of it to a greater degree) she'd for a second considered going right back to Abe and Christina. And she was going to still! Just, she was taking a brief look further up ahead first, just an extra minute or two to herself.
It was strange. When she was with others, she was mostly fine with it, but in these brief moments on her own, she realized how much she missed being solitary. Darlene was not an extrovert. She rarely spent any real time hanging out with friends outside of school, and certainly not in big groups. She'd done sleepovers when she was a kid, but a little kid. It had been a long time, and she'd never entirely liked it. Sleeping in some other person's house felt too intrusive and personal, and using someone else's blankets and a cot or futon the floor made her feel anxious. It was hard to say whether the invitations drying up had been a function of her mounting tendency to decline or not.
The forest smelled pretty good in the rain. It was a little weird, because it smelled a lot like old wood and mulch and damp soil which wasn't normally what drew her, but that was a big improvement over much of what their environment had to offer. She could fantasize that she was in a jungle exhibit at the zoo, and that thought almost made her laugh, because here she was in an actual jungle imagining she was in a pretend one.
With the trees towering above her, and the scrape of dirt and twigs beneath her shoes, and the faint noises of animals sheltering from the now-lightening downpour, she almost felt safe. It was one of those little moments when every piece of the natural world came together into something bigger and grander, a whole that she was happy to be a tiny little piece of. She wanted to stay like this, to live in this instant forever.
She couldn't.
If there was anything that she'd learned in the past days, it was that nothing lasted. Right now, she was in a tiny clearing with dense trees and bushes surrounding it on three sides. The light shone faintly from above, and the droplets that fell came not from the sky but from the leaves, pooling and turning fat. It was magnificent, and maybe she could come back here, but she was pressing her luck too much leaving Abe and Christina alone. It had been maybe ten minutes at the absolute most, she hoped, maybe less even, but she was being selfish and irresponsible by stealing time like this, under these circumstances. She should go get them and then come back. It wouldn't be the same, but now that she'd experienced it maybe she could recapture some of that even with company. That was the right thing to do.
It took a second and a deep breath to steel herself to actually do it.
Slowly, Darlene turned and began to trudge back the way she'd come, dragging her feet (literally!) but moving, doing what was right. She was, she thought, no more than a thousand feet or so from the spot she'd left the others, even with her extra wanderings, and probably hopefully less. She'd kept track of the direction, and had scraped up the dirt with her shoes besides so she had signs to follow. She wasn't stupid. She wasn't lost. She'd been listening, so she knew they hadn't been screaming for her. Everything except for nature had been quiet. It would all be fine. It would be different, but alright, and neither of the others seemed the sentimental type but maybe Abe and Christina could enjoy this too? Probably they'd look at her like she was crazy, probably they'd think it was just another patch of forest like every patch of forest they'd ventured through so far, and probably it was true.
She took another slow, crunching step, looking up at the branches and imagining a better world.
Darlene hadn't gone far. Not really far, at least. She'd taken a few minutes more than she expected to find a good bush that was both concealing and non-prickly, and then after she'd put her old blouse back on (the same one she'd had at the start and still kind of greasy and tattered but everything she had was now and most of it to a greater degree) she'd for a second considered going right back to Abe and Christina. And she was going to still! Just, she was taking a brief look further up ahead first, just an extra minute or two to herself.
It was strange. When she was with others, she was mostly fine with it, but in these brief moments on her own, she realized how much she missed being solitary. Darlene was not an extrovert. She rarely spent any real time hanging out with friends outside of school, and certainly not in big groups. She'd done sleepovers when she was a kid, but a little kid. It had been a long time, and she'd never entirely liked it. Sleeping in some other person's house felt too intrusive and personal, and using someone else's blankets and a cot or futon the floor made her feel anxious. It was hard to say whether the invitations drying up had been a function of her mounting tendency to decline or not.
The forest smelled pretty good in the rain. It was a little weird, because it smelled a lot like old wood and mulch and damp soil which wasn't normally what drew her, but that was a big improvement over much of what their environment had to offer. She could fantasize that she was in a jungle exhibit at the zoo, and that thought almost made her laugh, because here she was in an actual jungle imagining she was in a pretend one.
With the trees towering above her, and the scrape of dirt and twigs beneath her shoes, and the faint noises of animals sheltering from the now-lightening downpour, she almost felt safe. It was one of those little moments when every piece of the natural world came together into something bigger and grander, a whole that she was happy to be a tiny little piece of. She wanted to stay like this, to live in this instant forever.
She couldn't.
If there was anything that she'd learned in the past days, it was that nothing lasted. Right now, she was in a tiny clearing with dense trees and bushes surrounding it on three sides. The light shone faintly from above, and the droplets that fell came not from the sky but from the leaves, pooling and turning fat. It was magnificent, and maybe she could come back here, but she was pressing her luck too much leaving Abe and Christina alone. It had been maybe ten minutes at the absolute most, she hoped, maybe less even, but she was being selfish and irresponsible by stealing time like this, under these circumstances. She should go get them and then come back. It wouldn't be the same, but now that she'd experienced it maybe she could recapture some of that even with company. That was the right thing to do.
It took a second and a deep breath to steel herself to actually do it.
Slowly, Darlene turned and began to trudge back the way she'd come, dragging her feet (literally!) but moving, doing what was right. She was, she thought, no more than a thousand feet or so from the spot she'd left the others, even with her extra wanderings, and probably hopefully less. She'd kept track of the direction, and had scraped up the dirt with her shoes besides so she had signs to follow. She wasn't stupid. She wasn't lost. She'd been listening, so she knew they hadn't been screaming for her. Everything except for nature had been quiet. It would all be fine. It would be different, but alright, and neither of the others seemed the sentimental type but maybe Abe and Christina could enjoy this too? Probably they'd look at her like she was crazy, probably they'd think it was just another patch of forest like every patch of forest they'd ventured through so far, and probably it was true.
She took another slow, crunching step, looking up at the branches and imagining a better world.
But here she was, trudging through the woods. Not going anywhere in particular. She had no plan, no destination. She supposed the next time she saw another person she would have to ask if they had seen Darlene. There had to be some lead she could have gone off. But she had no idea what that would be. Darlene didn't exactly strike her as memorable. That wasn't to be rude. It was just the truth.
it was at that point she heard another person moving around. Out of instinct, Arizona moved behind the nearest tree trunk and peered in the direction of the noise. There was definitely someone just ahead of her. They weren't moving particularly fast and they didn't stop moving after she'd hidden. Peering out from her hiding place Arizona saw a flash of black hair. Then she saw the glasses. Somehow, just like when she had found Jonah in the manor house she had stumbled onto Darlene. Arizona didn't like putting things on luck but...it was getting hard to deny.
Stepping out from behind the tree, Arizona moved closer, a smile breaking across her face.
"Darlene!"
it was at that point she heard another person moving around. Out of instinct, Arizona moved behind the nearest tree trunk and peered in the direction of the noise. There was definitely someone just ahead of her. They weren't moving particularly fast and they didn't stop moving after she'd hidden. Peering out from her hiding place Arizona saw a flash of black hair. Then she saw the glasses. Somehow, just like when she had found Jonah in the manor house she had stumbled onto Darlene. Arizona didn't like putting things on luck but...it was getting hard to deny.
Stepping out from behind the tree, Arizona moved closer, a smile breaking across her face.
"Darlene!"
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MurderWeasel
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Like any good moment in this place, like every good moment in this place, it ended abruptly and far too soon. Darlene had been careless. She was watching the sky instead of where she was going. She was in a daze, a day and a half or more since she'd last slept. She was taking her time, lost in thought and fantasy, and then she heard movement, from the side, a voice starting to call, and everything pleasant emptied out of her mind before the word completed.
What flashed through her mind was a jumble of memories and images, each one seconds before everything went to pieces. Standing at the mouth of the cave, leading the way with Max and Stephanie close behind and not even bothering with her flashlight as she enjoyed the spray from the falls. Singing with Abe, so proud of herself, spirits rising as Christina tried to bury the hatchet. Amelia smiling, nice and kind and a kindred spirit until she turned creepy and clingy and ominous. The beach, Sakurako getting dressed while Darlene looked away and then gunfire, and then just as that turned out to be a false alarm, a thump and an explosion and blood and smoke and ringing and sand.
The revolver was in Darlene's hand, still, always. She'd clung to it even when putting her blouse on, awkwardly tugging it through the sleeve even though the pointy bits tugged on the fabric. She didn't even think about it anymore, most of the time. It was taken for granted, her tool to push the horrible things just a little further away, to buy just one more moment she would wish she could linger in forever.
By the time she actually processed that the voice was familiar, that it had called her own name, it was far too late.
Jolted from her reverie, Darlene spun and brought the gun up in front of her in both hands like Beryl had taught her, pointed straight at the only form around, trigger held down, thumb flicking the hammer again and again until there was nothing but clicks.
What flashed through her mind was a jumble of memories and images, each one seconds before everything went to pieces. Standing at the mouth of the cave, leading the way with Max and Stephanie close behind and not even bothering with her flashlight as she enjoyed the spray from the falls. Singing with Abe, so proud of herself, spirits rising as Christina tried to bury the hatchet. Amelia smiling, nice and kind and a kindred spirit until she turned creepy and clingy and ominous. The beach, Sakurako getting dressed while Darlene looked away and then gunfire, and then just as that turned out to be a false alarm, a thump and an explosion and blood and smoke and ringing and sand.
The revolver was in Darlene's hand, still, always. She'd clung to it even when putting her blouse on, awkwardly tugging it through the sleeve even though the pointy bits tugged on the fabric. She didn't even think about it anymore, most of the time. It was taken for granted, her tool to push the horrible things just a little further away, to buy just one more moment she would wish she could linger in forever.
By the time she actually processed that the voice was familiar, that it had called her own name, it was far too late.
Jolted from her reverie, Darlene spun and brought the gun up in front of her in both hands like Beryl had taught her, pointed straight at the only form around, trigger held down, thumb flicking the hammer again and again until there was nothing but clicks.
OneTwoThreeFourFiveSix.
Six shots.
Not all of them hit.
But the ones that did were enough.
Arizona's smile faltered and fell as her body did, stumbling back from the white-hot points of pain that exploded across her chest. As she looked down the worst was confirmed. Weakly she turned and saw a tree, her feet carried her to it. She pressed her forehead against the bark and screwed her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears forming.
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!" Her fist connected with the trunk, punctuating each word as her voice turned to a yell. A part of the bark cracked and fell away, but she was achieving nothing but sound and fury. When she opened her eyes her vision was tinged red, the edges slowly blurring and refocusing.
Another look down.
She sighed and slumped to the ground, using the tree to prop herself up.
After all the bullshit, she had found Darlene.
But what had Jonah said? All the way back when they'd first found each other?
He'd said that Darlene had shot someone.
As Arizona sat there bleeding, she thought that she really should have seen that coming.
And they could add another one to the tally.
Six shots.
Not all of them hit.
But the ones that did were enough.
Arizona's smile faltered and fell as her body did, stumbling back from the white-hot points of pain that exploded across her chest. As she looked down the worst was confirmed. Weakly she turned and saw a tree, her feet carried her to it. She pressed her forehead against the bark and screwed her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears forming.
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!" Her fist connected with the trunk, punctuating each word as her voice turned to a yell. A part of the bark cracked and fell away, but she was achieving nothing but sound and fury. When she opened her eyes her vision was tinged red, the edges slowly blurring and refocusing.
Another look down.
She sighed and slumped to the ground, using the tree to prop herself up.
After all the bullshit, she had found Darlene.
But what had Jonah said? All the way back when they'd first found each other?
He'd said that Darlene had shot someone.
As Arizona sat there bleeding, she thought that she really should have seen that coming.
And they could add another one to the tally.
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MurderWeasel
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- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
The gun hit the ground as Arizona hit the tree.
It was Arizona. Of course it was Arizona. Darlene had been so focused on threats, so alert for ambushes, so sure and ready to finally manage to avert an impending disaster that she had instead barreled headlong into one. The call had come from the side, from a direction that Christina and Abe couldn't have easily gotten, and in that moment that had been all she needed to know. But any surety and confidence drained out of her in an instant, as she realized what she'd done.
Darlene had emptied her revolver many times by now, and aside from that single unintentional shot on the first day, she had never produced any discernible effect by doing so. Even as it served as an instrument of defense, even as she contemplated turning it on threats real and imagined, she didn't quite emotionally comprehend just what it could do. As far as she knew, she'd never hit anything. Until now.
The world smelled like old wood and mulch and damp soil and faint smoke. The beads of water on her glasses blurred her vision as she stood frozen, distorting parts of the girl before her, the foliage that formed the backdrop. She'd been so quick to react, so prompt, for once in her life. It was like the song again, a moment of unexpected cleverness. She'd reacted properly, she'd thought, spinning and opening fire and not giving danger a chance. For half a moment, she'd been proud.
How many times had she hit? She couldn't tell. She didn't want to know. The only movement was her trembling, head to toe, for a few long seconds.
Then Darlene ran towards Arizona, gun left lying in the dirt behind her, bag thumping against her side and threatening to pitch her to the ground but somehow she kept upright, kept on target.
"I'm sorry," she said, everything rushing out with no real thought behind it, or maybe all her thoughts colliding with each other without a filter, "I'm sorry, Arizona, oh god, I'm sorry, I didn't, you, you, I didn't mean, I'm, Jonah, I'm sorry, Jonah, Arizona, I..."
She was clawing at the zipper of her bag, searching for the first aid kit. She had her things with her still. She didn't know how to use them any more than she had with Beryl, with Sakurako. Her throat was dry and her eyes were wet and she had to do something, figure it out, fix it and take it back. Because this time, the one who destroyed everything was her.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
It was Arizona. Of course it was Arizona. Darlene had been so focused on threats, so alert for ambushes, so sure and ready to finally manage to avert an impending disaster that she had instead barreled headlong into one. The call had come from the side, from a direction that Christina and Abe couldn't have easily gotten, and in that moment that had been all she needed to know. But any surety and confidence drained out of her in an instant, as she realized what she'd done.
Darlene had emptied her revolver many times by now, and aside from that single unintentional shot on the first day, she had never produced any discernible effect by doing so. Even as it served as an instrument of defense, even as she contemplated turning it on threats real and imagined, she didn't quite emotionally comprehend just what it could do. As far as she knew, she'd never hit anything. Until now.
The world smelled like old wood and mulch and damp soil and faint smoke. The beads of water on her glasses blurred her vision as she stood frozen, distorting parts of the girl before her, the foliage that formed the backdrop. She'd been so quick to react, so prompt, for once in her life. It was like the song again, a moment of unexpected cleverness. She'd reacted properly, she'd thought, spinning and opening fire and not giving danger a chance. For half a moment, she'd been proud.
How many times had she hit? She couldn't tell. She didn't want to know. The only movement was her trembling, head to toe, for a few long seconds.
Then Darlene ran towards Arizona, gun left lying in the dirt behind her, bag thumping against her side and threatening to pitch her to the ground but somehow she kept upright, kept on target.
"I'm sorry," she said, everything rushing out with no real thought behind it, or maybe all her thoughts colliding with each other without a filter, "I'm sorry, Arizona, oh god, I'm sorry, I didn't, you, you, I didn't mean, I'm, Jonah, I'm sorry, Jonah, Arizona, I..."
She was clawing at the zipper of her bag, searching for the first aid kit. She had her things with her still. She didn't know how to use them any more than she had with Beryl, with Sakurako. Her throat was dry and her eyes were wet and she had to do something, figure it out, fix it and take it back. Because this time, the one who destroyed everything was her.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
A role-reversal, or karma for shooting Garren perhaps. Regardless, she was now the one who had to watch someone try to perform first-aid. No matter what Darlene did, it wouldn't be enough. She knew that. She had experienced that herself. The sense of guilt followed by failure. The questions of what you could have done differently if you could have saved them. Darlene's hands were shaking, and as Arizona saw her desperately try to open up her bag, her initial anger felt pointless. Because it was pointless. It was too late. They'd both fucked up and here they were. Whatever they did, the ending was going to be the same. Being angry wasn't going to achieve anything.
The Pancor fell from her shoulder as she reached out and placed one of her hands on Darlene's.
"Hey..." Her normally strong voice came out as a whisper, the wounds already having an effect. She took a couple of ragged breaths before continuing.
"Hey, don't bother with that shit." She paused for a moment to swallow. "It's alright."
She squeezed Darlene's hand and gave a weak smile.
"Glad you're still okay."
The Pancor fell from her shoulder as she reached out and placed one of her hands on Darlene's.
"Hey..." Her normally strong voice came out as a whisper, the wounds already having an effect. She took a couple of ragged breaths before continuing.
"Hey, don't bother with that shit." She paused for a moment to swallow. "It's alright."
She squeezed Darlene's hand and gave a weak smile.
"Glad you're still okay."
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MurderWeasel
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Darlene's mouth was moving even between the words. She kept trying to bite her lips, but it wasn't happening because she couldn't even focus on a single motion for that long. She'd gotten to the metal box and plopped it down on the ground with a clang as it struck a little rock or chunk of wood or something, and the noise made her jerk like someone had just fired another shot, and still she trembled.
The contact of Arizona's hand against hers stilled her, but only from guilt and nervousness. It meant she couldn't just go back to what she was doing, because if she did that she might hurt Arizona more, but she'd already hurt the girl far too much, and the only hope of fixing it was to, to use the first aid kit. Maybe it didn't matter that Darlene didn't know how. Sakurako had lived, for a little at least, and Darlene hadn't had a clue then either. She'd coached her own aid, her and Abe, and, and Arizona was cool and tough so maybe she knew how too.
The kindness was what hurt more than anything. It was so, so familiar. It was smiles and the color blue. Darlene hadn't deserved it then, and she certainly didn't now. She'd told herself, at the time, that maybe she did, but if she truly had then this would have never ever happened.
"No," she said quietly, "no, it's—I promised."
Arizona was glad she was okay? That was all wrong. Darlene wasn't the one who was supposed to be okay. She wasn't the one who tracked Michael down, or set things right, or did anything other than hum and sing sometimes. She made people feel a tiny bit better when she wasn't being a stupid pathetic mess. That was her contribution.
"I," she said, her words quick but stumbling, "I promised, I promised Jonah not again. I promised it wouldn't happen again, and, and not you. Never—it can't... we can help you. I'm so, so sorry."
She turned her hand over and squeezed gently. It wasn't the water making it hard to see, not anymore.
The contact of Arizona's hand against hers stilled her, but only from guilt and nervousness. It meant she couldn't just go back to what she was doing, because if she did that she might hurt Arizona more, but she'd already hurt the girl far too much, and the only hope of fixing it was to, to use the first aid kit. Maybe it didn't matter that Darlene didn't know how. Sakurako had lived, for a little at least, and Darlene hadn't had a clue then either. She'd coached her own aid, her and Abe, and, and Arizona was cool and tough so maybe she knew how too.
The kindness was what hurt more than anything. It was so, so familiar. It was smiles and the color blue. Darlene hadn't deserved it then, and she certainly didn't now. She'd told herself, at the time, that maybe she did, but if she truly had then this would have never ever happened.
"No," she said quietly, "no, it's—I promised."
Arizona was glad she was okay? That was all wrong. Darlene wasn't the one who was supposed to be okay. She wasn't the one who tracked Michael down, or set things right, or did anything other than hum and sing sometimes. She made people feel a tiny bit better when she wasn't being a stupid pathetic mess. That was her contribution.
"I," she said, her words quick but stumbling, "I promised, I promised Jonah not again. I promised it wouldn't happen again, and, and not you. Never—it can't... we can help you. I'm so, so sorry."
She turned her hand over and squeezed gently. It wasn't the water making it hard to see, not anymore.
As Darlene spoke Arizona listened. She didn't push the issue. She mentioned a promise to Jonah. It seemed that they'd both done that. It made sense, he was the only thing that connected them. It was still painful, both physically and emotionally. Darlene struggling to help her only made things worse. It laid the extent of their mistakes bare and made it even more obvious how inevitable the outcome was.
She didn't respond at first. The only sound she made was her labored breaths.
"You probably heard, but I killed Michael."
Avenging Jonah and finding Darlene had been her two goals. Ever since she had put Michael down Arizona had been focused on finding Darlene.
But ever since had been rewarded by the terrorists for a second kill she had been thinking about something else. Her trip through the woods had given her a lot of time to mull things over. She had been considering her own actions, thinking about how much of it mattered and what she had been going to do next. The answer had been simple initially. She had been planning to go after Justin. He had killed Shauna after all. It only made sense. But then it had stopped seeming so obvious or so vital a task. Going after Michael had got an innocent boy his life. Going after Justin could have led to the exact same situation.
Arizona didn't want to keep going through that. Realistically it didn't solve anything. Garren had died a stupid, avoidable death. It was her fault for putting him in that situation. The exact thing she had told Shauna she couldn't do.
Irony.
Letting go of Darlene's hand, Arizona moved her hand into her bag and fumbled around until she felt a familiar weight. When her hand reemerged it held Jonah's Desert Eagle, in all its hideous golden glory. She held it up for Darlene to see, another weak smile on her face.
"I got Jonah's gun back too."
She didn't respond at first. The only sound she made was her labored breaths.
"You probably heard, but I killed Michael."
Avenging Jonah and finding Darlene had been her two goals. Ever since she had put Michael down Arizona had been focused on finding Darlene.
But ever since had been rewarded by the terrorists for a second kill she had been thinking about something else. Her trip through the woods had given her a lot of time to mull things over. She had been considering her own actions, thinking about how much of it mattered and what she had been going to do next. The answer had been simple initially. She had been planning to go after Justin. He had killed Shauna after all. It only made sense. But then it had stopped seeming so obvious or so vital a task. Going after Michael had got an innocent boy his life. Going after Justin could have led to the exact same situation.
Arizona didn't want to keep going through that. Realistically it didn't solve anything. Garren had died a stupid, avoidable death. It was her fault for putting him in that situation. The exact thing she had told Shauna she couldn't do.
Irony.
Letting go of Darlene's hand, Arizona moved her hand into her bag and fumbled around until she felt a familiar weight. When her hand reemerged it held Jonah's Desert Eagle, in all its hideous golden glory. She held it up for Darlene to see, another weak smile on her face.
"I got Jonah's gun back too."
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MurderWeasel
- Posts: 2566
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
"I... I did, I heard," Darlene said, when Arizona spoke of Michael.
She'd had questions about it, a few hours ago, if it had been dangerous, an adventure, what role the other guy had played, but none of that mattered now. She could learn, maybe, but to what end? It had probably had to happen, and now it was done.
"You did," she said, when Arizona held up the gun.
It was strange, seeing it again, even what Darlene could make out through the tears and speckles. She'd never thought about it that much at the time, but maybe it was just another part of what had made Jonah someone she could so easily trust. It was brilliant, outrageous—it looked like an object of art more than a weapon. They'd all had their strange, different armaments, so it hadn't stood out so greatly, but in a weird way it had fit him perfectly.
In this moment, Darlene abruptly realized that the only time she could recall him firing it, or even seeming that interested in the prospect of using it, was at their little training session. When Abe had made off with the ammunition, that had been more disappointing than scary. That idea, that relaxed feeling, it sure hadn't started from anywhere in Darlene. If it had been her stuff, she would've been terrified and outraged.
Darlene was smiling back at Arizona, and she felt more than a little bad about it. What gave her the right? This was her fault. All of it. She realized that now.
The bad things that had happened, the spoiled moments of happiness, the suffering and pain that fell inevitably on the amazing people she'd gotten to know, the people like Jonah and Max and Sakurako and Arizona, it all seemed to spiral back to one moment, one mistake. And it felt wrong, now, finally, not to admit it.
Darlene sniffled. Her mouth tasted like gunk and salt, from snot or tears or both. She pawed at her eyes because she wanted to see clearly, just for a moment. Her lips were flat of maybe turned down at the edges.
"I'm sorry," she said again, but the tone was now quiet and steady, the words delivered with thought if not grace. "He, I... I think Michael was aiming for me. Jonah, Jonah talked to him like they were friends."
She'd had questions about it, a few hours ago, if it had been dangerous, an adventure, what role the other guy had played, but none of that mattered now. She could learn, maybe, but to what end? It had probably had to happen, and now it was done.
"You did," she said, when Arizona held up the gun.
It was strange, seeing it again, even what Darlene could make out through the tears and speckles. She'd never thought about it that much at the time, but maybe it was just another part of what had made Jonah someone she could so easily trust. It was brilliant, outrageous—it looked like an object of art more than a weapon. They'd all had their strange, different armaments, so it hadn't stood out so greatly, but in a weird way it had fit him perfectly.
In this moment, Darlene abruptly realized that the only time she could recall him firing it, or even seeming that interested in the prospect of using it, was at their little training session. When Abe had made off with the ammunition, that had been more disappointing than scary. That idea, that relaxed feeling, it sure hadn't started from anywhere in Darlene. If it had been her stuff, she would've been terrified and outraged.
Darlene was smiling back at Arizona, and she felt more than a little bad about it. What gave her the right? This was her fault. All of it. She realized that now.
The bad things that had happened, the spoiled moments of happiness, the suffering and pain that fell inevitably on the amazing people she'd gotten to know, the people like Jonah and Max and Sakurako and Arizona, it all seemed to spiral back to one moment, one mistake. And it felt wrong, now, finally, not to admit it.
Darlene sniffled. Her mouth tasted like gunk and salt, from snot or tears or both. She pawed at her eyes because she wanted to see clearly, just for a moment. Her lips were flat of maybe turned down at the edges.
"I'm sorry," she said again, but the tone was now quiet and steady, the words delivered with thought if not grace. "He, I... I think Michael was aiming for me. Jonah, Jonah talked to him like they were friends."
Well...that made sense she guessed.
Arizona slowly nodded in understanding but didn't say anything.
It certainly helped explain how they had ended up sitting under a tree as she bled to death. Michael had been going after Darlene because of the person she shot. Jonah had explained it back then. Nearly a week ago. Michael had attempted to kill Darlene but killed Jonah instead. Then she had killed Michael.
The path had been set from the beginning. A precut, prearranged trail. A great big circle of people chasing each other.
Arizona put the desert eagle down next to Darlene.
"I want you to take it," She said, before returning to her position against the tree, wincing as she did so.
Her eyes drifted to the Pancor that lay discarded by her side, and then to the KS-23M, she also thought of Michael's handgun that sat in her bag.
"Darlene, I want you to do something," She started, her hand grabbing at the Pancor and pushing it so it stood up, barrel pressing into the dirt.
"I want you to get rid of my guns."
Arizona slowly nodded in understanding but didn't say anything.
It certainly helped explain how they had ended up sitting under a tree as she bled to death. Michael had been going after Darlene because of the person she shot. Jonah had explained it back then. Nearly a week ago. Michael had attempted to kill Darlene but killed Jonah instead. Then she had killed Michael.
The path had been set from the beginning. A precut, prearranged trail. A great big circle of people chasing each other.
Arizona put the desert eagle down next to Darlene.
"I want you to take it," She said, before returning to her position against the tree, wincing as she did so.
Her eyes drifted to the Pancor that lay discarded by her side, and then to the KS-23M, she also thought of Michael's handgun that sat in her bag.
"Darlene, I want you to do something," She started, her hand grabbing at the Pancor and pushing it so it stood up, barrel pressing into the dirt.
"I want you to get rid of my guns."
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MurderWeasel
- Posts: 2566
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
Darlene reached over put her right hand on Jonah's gun. She didn't think she'd ever touched it before, not in all the time they'd traveled together. There had never been a reason to. It was cool against her skin, and her fingers didn't grasp it instinctively like they did her revolver. They hung over the barrel, tips pressing into the dirt. There were little pebbles there in the soil, or chips of tree bark. She could feel them.
Arizona had given her a mission. Darlene didn't like how she was talking about it, though. The truth was clear, but was it inevitable? She could start screaming. She could yell for Abe and Christina, and maybe it would bring them and maybe it would bring others down on her, but did that even matter anymore? They might be able to help in a way Darlene couldn't. They weren't far. Maybe they were even already coming, drawn by the gunshots, or else running away. That would've been smart. She thought Abe was pretty smart.
She was forcing herself to smile again.
"Okay," she said, trying to be calm, comforting. "Okay. I can—we can do that."
She'd slipped, there, fallen into Arizona's own terminology, the very turn of phrase that had made her nervous to begin with. This was hard. Jonah would've known what to do, how to make it better. If the shoe was on the other foot, Arizona probably would've too. Darlene was just lost.
If she had to do it alone, well, of course she would. There was no other choice, not now, not after this. It was the tiniest fraction of an effort at penance. But she didn't want to take that trek by herself. There was, there had to be a better way, a better ending to this.
Her gaze turned, for the first time, to the scattered elements of Arizona's arsenal. Setting aside Jonah's giant pistol, there were two bigger and longer and stranger guns, and a whole pack full of who knew what else besides.
"There's so many," she said. "I can, we can try to, the bandages. And then, then you can help me carry them and find a good place."
Arizona had given her a mission. Darlene didn't like how she was talking about it, though. The truth was clear, but was it inevitable? She could start screaming. She could yell for Abe and Christina, and maybe it would bring them and maybe it would bring others down on her, but did that even matter anymore? They might be able to help in a way Darlene couldn't. They weren't far. Maybe they were even already coming, drawn by the gunshots, or else running away. That would've been smart. She thought Abe was pretty smart.
She was forcing herself to smile again.
"Okay," she said, trying to be calm, comforting. "Okay. I can—we can do that."
She'd slipped, there, fallen into Arizona's own terminology, the very turn of phrase that had made her nervous to begin with. This was hard. Jonah would've known what to do, how to make it better. If the shoe was on the other foot, Arizona probably would've too. Darlene was just lost.
If she had to do it alone, well, of course she would. There was no other choice, not now, not after this. It was the tiniest fraction of an effort at penance. But she didn't want to take that trek by herself. There was, there had to be a better way, a better ending to this.
Her gaze turned, for the first time, to the scattered elements of Arizona's arsenal. Setting aside Jonah's giant pistol, there were two bigger and longer and stranger guns, and a whole pack full of who knew what else besides.
"There's so many," she said. "I can, we can try to, the bandages. And then, then you can help me carry them and find a good place."
Arizona held up three fingers as Darlene mentioned the number of guns she had. Darlene talked about her getting up and them going to find somewhere to hide them together. It was a lovely dream, but it was just that. Arizona was certain she wasn't going anywhere. Not with multiple gunshot wounds in the chest.
She placed her hands to either side of her body and tried to stand, she managed to get onto a knee before she had to slump back down. She shook her head as her lungs burned and vision swam.
"Yeah, bandages first if you want to do that."
Arizona was certain it would be pointless, but Darlene seemed insistent.
Darlene had said Jonah had spoken to Michael like they were friends. That sounded like the most Jonah in the thing in the world, him comforting his own murderer. Arizona smiled at the thought. It was almost funny. But that was the person he had been. She hadn't known him for as long as she wanted to. She hadn't been able to carry his memory for as long as she wanted. But it made her happy that Darlene would hold her own memories of him, something that she could carry on to remember him, as well as the gun.
It had seemed like the least she could do. But it did give her another idea.
"Hey Darlene," She began, before stopping as her vision pulsed between clear and blurry.
"How did you meet Jonah anyway?"
She didn't think she'd ever heard that story.
She placed her hands to either side of her body and tried to stand, she managed to get onto a knee before she had to slump back down. She shook her head as her lungs burned and vision swam.
"Yeah, bandages first if you want to do that."
Arizona was certain it would be pointless, but Darlene seemed insistent.
Darlene had said Jonah had spoken to Michael like they were friends. That sounded like the most Jonah in the thing in the world, him comforting his own murderer. Arizona smiled at the thought. It was almost funny. But that was the person he had been. She hadn't known him for as long as she wanted to. She hadn't been able to carry his memory for as long as she wanted. But it made her happy that Darlene would hold her own memories of him, something that she could carry on to remember him, as well as the gun.
It had seemed like the least she could do. But it did give her another idea.
"Hey Darlene," She began, before stopping as her vision pulsed between clear and blurry.
"How did you meet Jonah anyway?"
She didn't think she'd ever heard that story.
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MurderWeasel
- Posts: 2566
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
Okay, okay. Bandages were still on the table. That made Darlene feel a little better, a little calmer. She opened the drab olive box and pulled out some big pads of gauze and patted at Arizona with them, gently, as softly as she could, covering the bad spots. Jonah's gun was lying unattended now, but that was okay. Then she got some gauze, an entire roll to wrap around her torso, except that would mean Arizona would have to lean forward some and Darlene didn't want to make her do that because it seemed like moving hurt. But Arizona had to get wrapped if she was going to get better. But was that really about making her feel better, or just Darlene? She recognized the care, the concern for her she didn't deserve, and her eyes were getting hazy again before the question pulled her out of it.
"It's, well, um," Darlene mumbled, but then she thought more and she actually laughed, just a bit but genuine.
"Actually," she explained, "I met him here."
Her hands were steadier now as she unspooled loops of gauze and as carefully and lightly as she could did circles of it around Arizona's torso, guiding the girl and talking the whole time, keeping the both of them distracted.
"But, but he'd done something for me before. There was, I had this sweater, it was from my grandmother, and I left it somewhere at school, and I looked all over for it but I couldn't, it wasn't anywhere and, uh, I finally got it back from the lost and found. And they said it was dropped off by Jonah, and I wanted to say thanks but I didn't know who he was."
Despite herself, Darlene was smiling as she told the story, because it was such a normal everyday thing. She had been so stressed out at the time! It had seemed like one of the worst things in the world that could happen, and she'd thought for sure she'd never get it back, and then she'd been saved by a stranger. It probably didn't even mean much to him. Probably it was the sort of thing he just automatically did, but that meant even more.
"Then, then I woke up here and I was scared and I was trying to hide, but all these people saw me, and they were calling and I was scared, but someone said his name and then I knew it would be okay," she continued, "because, because I knew he was a good person. Because of the sweater."
It sounded pretty silly when she laid it out like that, really, and yet at the same time it was just about the truest thing she'd ever known. She had actually bet the entire rest of her life on it, and her only regret was that she hadn't been able to give as much as she took.
"I wish I'd know him, and you, you two—I wish I'd known you before," Darlene said. "I saw you at prom."
She was turning just a little pink when she spoke those words, at the same time tying off and tucking the ends of the gauze. It looked pretty ragged, but it might hold the bandages for now? But she wasn't thinking about. She was thinking about the dance, and the powder blue dress that made her feel fat. At the time, she'd only known Arizona's name, and she'd been so mortified when she watched the French teacher tell the girl to stop rubbing her butt on Jonah. Now Darlene wished she could go back and just walk right up to them and laugh about it. She wished it could be one of those moments they all stayed in forever.
"You two were beautiful."
"It's, well, um," Darlene mumbled, but then she thought more and she actually laughed, just a bit but genuine.
"Actually," she explained, "I met him here."
Her hands were steadier now as she unspooled loops of gauze and as carefully and lightly as she could did circles of it around Arizona's torso, guiding the girl and talking the whole time, keeping the both of them distracted.
"But, but he'd done something for me before. There was, I had this sweater, it was from my grandmother, and I left it somewhere at school, and I looked all over for it but I couldn't, it wasn't anywhere and, uh, I finally got it back from the lost and found. And they said it was dropped off by Jonah, and I wanted to say thanks but I didn't know who he was."
Despite herself, Darlene was smiling as she told the story, because it was such a normal everyday thing. She had been so stressed out at the time! It had seemed like one of the worst things in the world that could happen, and she'd thought for sure she'd never get it back, and then she'd been saved by a stranger. It probably didn't even mean much to him. Probably it was the sort of thing he just automatically did, but that meant even more.
"Then, then I woke up here and I was scared and I was trying to hide, but all these people saw me, and they were calling and I was scared, but someone said his name and then I knew it would be okay," she continued, "because, because I knew he was a good person. Because of the sweater."
It sounded pretty silly when she laid it out like that, really, and yet at the same time it was just about the truest thing she'd ever known. She had actually bet the entire rest of her life on it, and her only regret was that she hadn't been able to give as much as she took.
"I wish I'd know him, and you, you two—I wish I'd known you before," Darlene said. "I saw you at prom."
She was turning just a little pink when she spoke those words, at the same time tying off and tucking the ends of the gauze. It looked pretty ragged, but it might hold the bandages for now? But she wasn't thinking about. She was thinking about the dance, and the powder blue dress that made her feel fat. At the time, she'd only known Arizona's name, and she'd been so mortified when she watched the French teacher tell the girl to stop rubbing her butt on Jonah. Now Darlene wished she could go back and just walk right up to them and laugh about it. She wished it could be one of those moments they all stayed in forever.
"You two were beautiful."
When Darlene laughed and smiled, Arizona smiled with her. She winced every so often as Darlene had to maneuver her to apply the bandages. Her vision occasionally faded and came back but Darlene's voice stayed strong and clear. She heard everything she said. She had a beautiful smile despite everything and she seemed like a lovely person. It seemed a shame they never got to know each other, she really regretted that.
When she said he was a good person Arizona smiled and nodded.
"He was," She muttered as Darlene continued.
Her vision faded and when it came back it wasn't clear.
When she mentioned the prom Arizona laughed and the memory of that night. Then grimaced as the pain flared up.
"Thanks, Darlene," Arizona managed to say, one of her hands managed to find Darlene's again. "You're beautiful too."
She blinked as her vision faded out again and slowly it returned but the edges were dark. So she started telling Darlene a story, to take their minds off it.
"The first time I met him was when he asked me out to prom, he'd baked me a cupcake with a basketball hoop in it, and he came up to me and said 'I wanted to know if you had any plans already for prom,' that was his big proposal." She laughed and then gasped and winced, and blinked some more. "I was so surprised I just stared at him and said what. Then he asked if I had any plans and I remember thinking that no one had ever asked me out before, so I was going to make this motherfucker say those words."
She grinned.
"We got there eventually."
Then her vision faded out and didn't come back.
When she said he was a good person Arizona smiled and nodded.
"He was," She muttered as Darlene continued.
Her vision faded and when it came back it wasn't clear.
When she mentioned the prom Arizona laughed and the memory of that night. Then grimaced as the pain flared up.
"Thanks, Darlene," Arizona managed to say, one of her hands managed to find Darlene's again. "You're beautiful too."
She blinked as her vision faded out again and slowly it returned but the edges were dark. So she started telling Darlene a story, to take their minds off it.
"The first time I met him was when he asked me out to prom, he'd baked me a cupcake with a basketball hoop in it, and he came up to me and said 'I wanted to know if you had any plans already for prom,' that was his big proposal." She laughed and then gasped and winced, and blinked some more. "I was so surprised I just stared at him and said what. Then he asked if I had any plans and I remember thinking that no one had ever asked me out before, so I was going to make this motherfucker say those words."
She grinned.
"We got there eventually."
Then her vision faded out and didn't come back.
G001: Arizona Butler
Deceased
19 Students Remain
Deceased
19 Students Remain
V8
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine