Malice Aforethought
Private. Day 3, post-announcement.
Malice Aforethought
They’d trusted her. More than she’d expected or probably deserved, but it had worked out well enough for one night. Emmett and Emil hadn’t been the worst company she could’ve asked for. Cecil less so, and Erika did as much as she could to avoid provoking him.
Trying not to provoke my own head was hard enough.
The darkness hadn’t been kind to her somewhat fragile mental state. Sleep always reminded her of what it’d be like to die, or at least what she desperately hoped it’d be like. Eyes wide open, she’d project herself forward to the last moment when everything would fall away. Wondering whether or not she’d be able to feel the particular moment when her body stopped functioning, or if it would come unexpectedly, like falling asleep. These ruminations would cast a shadow on everything else in her mind, and wrestling it down took a monumental effort. Usually she’d have lit up just to find a way out of her own head.
I wish I had more than just the one joint. Gotta save it though. Never know when I might need to kill some worse pain.
Attempts at mindfulness occupied most of her evening, in between quiet consternation in trying to remember bits and pieces of entry-level existentialism that she’d once found comforting. Before long she was pulling herself back up from what she’d surmised were only a few hours of sleep.
Waking up from uneasy dreams to find myself transformed into...
A gigantic insect? A murderer?
Nothing out of the ordinary.
She’d almost expected to find something different. Something unfamiliar, a horrid transformation that only could’ve happened somewhere so hostile and desperate.
It’s just me.
Just Erika. A girl who’d just started breaking out of her shell. A teenager still excited about their first real relationship. Planning a move to Berlin, to live in a cute little apartment. A person who dealt with a fear of death by concerning herself with the well-being of things that lived. A person who valued kindness and decency above all else.
Soon she’d be known as an active participant in Survival of the Fittest. The kind of person who’d choose to kill someone at a great distance just because she was too afraid of seeing the body, and was entirely capable of doing so. A person who’d carelessly abuse the trust of others, even those who sincerely loved her. Someone who thought her life was worth more than one hundred and fifty others, and acted accordingly.
It was all her. She just hadn’t had a chance to realize it until now.
In the early hours before the other three awoke, Erika left quietly. The announcements came not long afterwards, and she caught them as she took shelter from the rain underneath a tree. At the first set of names she felt a wave of sadness, her mind momentarily cast back to an afternoon spent in a cafe some months ago.
“Mikki…”
Danya kept a quick enough pace, and Erika forced herself not to dwell on it.
Lorenzo killed Sapphire, the girl with the cool name.
Because of course he did. Bastard.
Quinn had killed twice now. Erika tried to remember her face, and did so with some difficulty. She’d have to be shot on sight if they crossed paths.The same would be true for Tirzah, who she knew well enough as another photography kid.
And then there’s me.
She tensed up as she heard her name announced. So it was Desiree after all. Kind of a loner, so it was hard to say who exactly might be gunning for her as a result other than those in the infirmary. That group might even turn on itself given the revelation at what Zach had done. Danya left out enough that her story still probably held up with Em & Em and Cecil.
Regardless, she didn’t suppose she’d find shelter in many groups from then on out. As many of the names blended together, and Erika tried her best to focus on the methods they’d used to suss out who might’ve been armed with what. There were more guns on the island than she’d initially suspected, and it seemed that Kelly had been issued with some kind of poison like Erika had.
At some point I’m going to be picking bodies from supplies. Can I do that? Can I look at them? What if they're still-
She tensed up and put a hand to the device on her neck as Danya described Caroline Ford’s demise.
There’s no dignity in this. No right and wrong. Just survival. Focus on that. Everything else will fall into place.
Violet. One more name to remember. Whatever she was to be rewarded with, it’d no doubt be better than the Martini-Henry, powerful as it was.
I can’t believe I’ve got a fucking kill list. This is insane.
The announcements faded, and Erika stood staring at the water dripping off the edge of her poor, leafy shelter. Stepping out from under the thick canopy, rifle under her arm, she tried to focus on the bracing feeling of rain on her skin.
It’s going to be okay. It’s not over yet. It’s going to be okay. I can do this. I have to do this.
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Super Weegee
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:14 pm
((Blake Davis continued from My Lucifer is Lonely))
After that mess back in the village, Blake was kicked to the curb faster than the punch that knocked Aditi to the ground. With one move, the other girls immediately sided against him and told him to get out. They made him out to be the bad guy and Aditi the innocent victim.
He should’ve felt ashamed, and he did in some ways. After all, Aditi was right in calling him out for stealing. Had it been anyone else, he would’ve done the same thing. Something like that couldn’t be tolerated in any circumstances. They needed all the supplies they could get and having someone hogging all of it for themselves could have jeopardized everything.
But his resentment towards them gradually grew until it overtook that shame. While Aditi had every right to be pissed with him, Adele didn’t even consider the possibility that he might have been innocent. Cheri just asked him to fess up while Sakurako and Adele didn’t bother to ask him for an explanation. Granted, Sakurako was playing peacekeeper, but she probably assumed him guilty. Hell, they saw Aditi punch first and freaked out when she got hit back?
They trusted the girl throwing around accusations instead of the only man in the group. Guess they didn’t like him much to begin with.
And what did he gain from all of that? Three bars? In hindsight, it wasn’t worth it.
Since going back and trying to apologize to them isn’t exactly an option, he focused on trying to find his friends. Anybody that didn’t hate him, really. It’s a big island, but he had to run into somebody eventually. As the sun went down and the stars went up, he was still all alone when he found a place somewhat out of the way to sleep.
Soon enough, Blake was out like a light. Probably would have slept until the afternoon if it wasn’t for the rain waking him up in the early hours of the morning. The dark clouds above him was clearly a sign to get a move on, so he picked up his bag and moved towards the wilderness.
After a few minutes of walking in one direction, he stopped underneath one of the many trees just as the announcements came on to name the killers and victims. He didn’t know a good chunk of them well, but a few of them stuck out like a sore thumb.
Zachary killing Bree, who was already injured. Couldn’t wait for her to die on her own and just had to finish her off?
Some girl named Sapphire, which is admittedly a cool name, bleeding to death because of a fight with Lorenzo. Fucking prick.
Violet Quinn getting her second murder. There’s no doubt about her being dangerous now. Probably didn’t mind playing this sick game. He has to avoid her until he can get his hands on an actual weapon.
Kyle was shot to death by Violet Qui-no, Schmidt. Blake barely stopped himself from yelling. Why the fuck would she kill him? What did he do to her?
Erika shooting some poor girl’s head open. Didn’t Blake see her on the shooting range occasionally?
The last set of names caught his attention again and he felt a twinge of sadness over what happened. Caroline shooting Regina and deciding to kill herself by shooting the cameras. Must have been an accident. Those two were close.
After saying something about how they were free to go to the waterfall, the Menagerie being off-limits and Schmidt getting a special reward, the speakers went quiet once again. He sat there for another minute, trying to get his head straight. That fucker was still treating this as if this was some sort of game. Rewarding the best kills. Having all of this filmed for the world to see.
Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he stood up and walked deeper into the woods. The rain’s annoying, but he can’t be sitting around for too long around here. He continued onwards, not really knowing where he was going. After...probably twenty minutes, he saw a figure in the corner of his eye.
An armed figure.
Eyes widening, Blake hurried over to one of the nearby trees and hid behind it. Oh, this is just great! Another possible trigger-happy prick armed with a gun! Peeking around the side, the guy...had his back turned. They didn’t see him.
Now that he got a good enough look, he saw that it was Erika. She was just standing there in the rain, not really doing anything. Was she thinking about something? About the announcements, maybe?
His eyes shifted to the rifle under her arm. That fits the profile for that girl she killed, alright. It was just hanging under her arm, ready for…
...the…
...taking...
Hiding behind the tree again, he considered his options. Run away and not take the risk? Safe, but that’s going to catch up to him eventually. Persuade her to explain why she murdered someone? That’s just asking for more trouble. She’s likely going to lie about it and get him on her bad side.
Rob her?
Blake tried to think of good downsides of it, mainly that he didn’t have any weapons, but the advantages outweigh them. If he can take Erika by surprise, and the rain certainly helps with that, he can swipe the gun and she’ll have to do what he says.
Besides, what’s wrong with confiscating weapons and supplies from a killer without actually hurting them?
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he walked around the tree and slowly walked towards Erika, doing his best to make as little noise as possible. All the while, the fear of her turning around and seeing him rose with each footstep in the mud. Before he knew it, though, he was right behind her.
As fast as he could, his hands darted out and grabbed the stock end of the rifle. Immediately pulling it towards him, he took a few steps back, trying to prevent her from simply beating the shit out of him. Putting his right finger on the trigger and leveling it at Erika’s chest with his left hand, he made his demands clear.
“Don’t move. Put your hands in the air now.”
After that mess back in the village, Blake was kicked to the curb faster than the punch that knocked Aditi to the ground. With one move, the other girls immediately sided against him and told him to get out. They made him out to be the bad guy and Aditi the innocent victim.
He should’ve felt ashamed, and he did in some ways. After all, Aditi was right in calling him out for stealing. Had it been anyone else, he would’ve done the same thing. Something like that couldn’t be tolerated in any circumstances. They needed all the supplies they could get and having someone hogging all of it for themselves could have jeopardized everything.
But his resentment towards them gradually grew until it overtook that shame. While Aditi had every right to be pissed with him, Adele didn’t even consider the possibility that he might have been innocent. Cheri just asked him to fess up while Sakurako and Adele didn’t bother to ask him for an explanation. Granted, Sakurako was playing peacekeeper, but she probably assumed him guilty. Hell, they saw Aditi punch first and freaked out when she got hit back?
They trusted the girl throwing around accusations instead of the only man in the group. Guess they didn’t like him much to begin with.
And what did he gain from all of that? Three bars? In hindsight, it wasn’t worth it.
Since going back and trying to apologize to them isn’t exactly an option, he focused on trying to find his friends. Anybody that didn’t hate him, really. It’s a big island, but he had to run into somebody eventually. As the sun went down and the stars went up, he was still all alone when he found a place somewhat out of the way to sleep.
Soon enough, Blake was out like a light. Probably would have slept until the afternoon if it wasn’t for the rain waking him up in the early hours of the morning. The dark clouds above him was clearly a sign to get a move on, so he picked up his bag and moved towards the wilderness.
After a few minutes of walking in one direction, he stopped underneath one of the many trees just as the announcements came on to name the killers and victims. He didn’t know a good chunk of them well, but a few of them stuck out like a sore thumb.
Zachary killing Bree, who was already injured. Couldn’t wait for her to die on her own and just had to finish her off?
Some girl named Sapphire, which is admittedly a cool name, bleeding to death because of a fight with Lorenzo. Fucking prick.
Violet Quinn getting her second murder. There’s no doubt about her being dangerous now. Probably didn’t mind playing this sick game. He has to avoid her until he can get his hands on an actual weapon.
Kyle was shot to death by Violet Qui-no, Schmidt. Blake barely stopped himself from yelling. Why the fuck would she kill him? What did he do to her?
Erika shooting some poor girl’s head open. Didn’t Blake see her on the shooting range occasionally?
The last set of names caught his attention again and he felt a twinge of sadness over what happened. Caroline shooting Regina and deciding to kill herself by shooting the cameras. Must have been an accident. Those two were close.
After saying something about how they were free to go to the waterfall, the Menagerie being off-limits and Schmidt getting a special reward, the speakers went quiet once again. He sat there for another minute, trying to get his head straight. That fucker was still treating this as if this was some sort of game. Rewarding the best kills. Having all of this filmed for the world to see.
Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he stood up and walked deeper into the woods. The rain’s annoying, but he can’t be sitting around for too long around here. He continued onwards, not really knowing where he was going. After...probably twenty minutes, he saw a figure in the corner of his eye.
An armed figure.
Eyes widening, Blake hurried over to one of the nearby trees and hid behind it. Oh, this is just great! Another possible trigger-happy prick armed with a gun! Peeking around the side, the guy...had his back turned. They didn’t see him.
Now that he got a good enough look, he saw that it was Erika. She was just standing there in the rain, not really doing anything. Was she thinking about something? About the announcements, maybe?
His eyes shifted to the rifle under her arm. That fits the profile for that girl she killed, alright. It was just hanging under her arm, ready for…
...the…
...taking...
Hiding behind the tree again, he considered his options. Run away and not take the risk? Safe, but that’s going to catch up to him eventually. Persuade her to explain why she murdered someone? That’s just asking for more trouble. She’s likely going to lie about it and get him on her bad side.
Rob her?
Blake tried to think of good downsides of it, mainly that he didn’t have any weapons, but the advantages outweigh them. If he can take Erika by surprise, and the rain certainly helps with that, he can swipe the gun and she’ll have to do what he says.
Besides, what’s wrong with confiscating weapons and supplies from a killer without actually hurting them?
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he walked around the tree and slowly walked towards Erika, doing his best to make as little noise as possible. All the while, the fear of her turning around and seeing him rose with each footstep in the mud. Before he knew it, though, he was right behind her.
As fast as he could, his hands darted out and grabbed the stock end of the rifle. Immediately pulling it towards him, he took a few steps back, trying to prevent her from simply beating the shit out of him. Putting his right finger on the trigger and leveling it at Erika’s chest with his left hand, he made his demands clear.
“Don’t move. Put your hands in the air now.”
V8 Relationships Thread
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Erika let out a yelp as she felt the barrel of the Martini-Henry slide through her fingers, slick with rain. She whirled around, at first grasping at the air and then freezing in place as she stared down the barrel of the rifle. Her rifle. Shame and frustration took a backseat to paralyzing, all-consuming fear. It was loaded, and she knew very well what it could do.
Blake, the aspiring military kid. One with a reputation for being a narc and a thief. Someone with absolutely no reason not to just pull the trigger right now, save whatever might’ve been left of his moral center on the third day of this waking night-terror.
Oh God. This is it, isn’t it?
Her hands shook as she held them up. She was trembling all over. Probably glassy-eyed, though she couldn’t much tell tears from rain at this point. Her voice wavered, pleading.
“Don’t. Please, I… You don’t have to…”
The trigger pull on the Martini was pleasant when it was her on the right end of it. Crisp, even. Notable for a gun that old. It would’ve been easy to accidentally pull it, especially in a tense situation like this.
All too easy. Even if he didn't mean to. Does he mean to?
What could he have been waiting for? She almost wanted him to do it, just so she could stop shaking. So she wouldn't be afraid anymore. Almost.
“Please don’t. Just... “
I can get out of this. Please just let me go.
Erika searched his eyes and her mind for something, anything she could say to get out of this. She found nothing.
“W-what do you want? I’ll do anything, just don’t - don’t shoot me. I don’t want to die. Please.”
Blake, the aspiring military kid. One with a reputation for being a narc and a thief. Someone with absolutely no reason not to just pull the trigger right now, save whatever might’ve been left of his moral center on the third day of this waking night-terror.
Oh God. This is it, isn’t it?
Her hands shook as she held them up. She was trembling all over. Probably glassy-eyed, though she couldn’t much tell tears from rain at this point. Her voice wavered, pleading.
“Don’t. Please, I… You don’t have to…”
The trigger pull on the Martini was pleasant when it was her on the right end of it. Crisp, even. Notable for a gun that old. It would’ve been easy to accidentally pull it, especially in a tense situation like this.
All too easy. Even if he didn't mean to. Does he mean to?
What could he have been waiting for? She almost wanted him to do it, just so she could stop shaking. So she wouldn't be afraid anymore. Almost.
“Please don’t. Just... “
I can get out of this. Please just let me go.
Erika searched his eyes and her mind for something, anything she could say to get out of this. She found nothing.
“W-what do you want? I’ll do anything, just don’t - don’t shoot me. I don’t want to die. Please.”
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Super Weegee
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:14 pm
That was more effective than he thought. One quick move and she's doing what he says, pleading not to be shot. How ironic. That girl who was killed, wasn't her name Desiree? She probably begged for her life as well before Erika shut her up. The predator became the prey. The hunter became the hunted.
Blake would've chuckled to himself, but now wasn't exactly a good time for that.
"You do what I say," Blake said, tightening his grip on the gun, "and I won't have to take your life."
Even with her bag in view, Blake found himself asking more and more questions about Erika and Desiree. Why did she do it? Did they have some kind of history that he doesn't know about? The announcements didn't say anything about it, just the names of the people who murdered and how the victims died.
Why not ask the killer herself?
"Before that, though," he said, "I have a question to ask you. What I do with you depends on whether you answer honestly or not. People have been telling me what happened, but I want to hear it from you."
That last bit was a lie, but she didn't have to know that. After letting that sit for a second, Blake spoke again.
"Why did you kill that girl?"
Blake would've chuckled to himself, but now wasn't exactly a good time for that.
"You do what I say," Blake said, tightening his grip on the gun, "and I won't have to take your life."
Even with her bag in view, Blake found himself asking more and more questions about Erika and Desiree. Why did she do it? Did they have some kind of history that he doesn't know about? The announcements didn't say anything about it, just the names of the people who murdered and how the victims died.
Why not ask the killer herself?
"Before that, though," he said, "I have a question to ask you. What I do with you depends on whether you answer honestly or not. People have been telling me what happened, but I want to hear it from you."
That last bit was a lie, but she didn't have to know that. After letting that sit for a second, Blake spoke again.
"Why did you kill that girl?"
V8 Relationships Thread
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
So there's a chance, Erika thought. A small one, but she could get out of this situation alive. If she did what he said, he wouldn’t have to take her life. If one option was death, it didn’t much matter what the other was, she’d have to take it.
He needs a reason. I won’t give him one.
She shook her head at Blake’s question, initially answering with what felt at first like honesty.
“I… I don’t know.”
It was hard to see much else aside from the barrel of the rifle. The truth was on the tip of her tongue; either she killed, or someone would kill her. She’d have to live with the guilt and the memories of what she’d done, but she would live.
Only if I say the right thing. Only if I don’t give him a reason.
Erika stammered, half-truths escaping between frenzied glances at Blake’s trigger finger and pauses spurred on by the thought of exactly what four hundred and fifty grains of lead alloy would do to a human body at this distance. Her body.
“I mean, I - I didn’t want to die. Someone shot at me. It was a long way off, but I’m a good shot. Really good. Spent enough afternoons at a range, y’know? Just - I was just scared, I did what I knew how to do.”
Her mind raced. Whatever he might’ve wanted, shooting her dead on the spot didn’t seem like it. Not yet.
Unless he’s just lost it.
“H-hey, the trigger on that’s kind of sensitive. If you - if you’re not going to k-kill me, would you m-mind just easing up a b-bit?”
He needs a reason. I won’t give him one.
She shook her head at Blake’s question, initially answering with what felt at first like honesty.
“I… I don’t know.”
It was hard to see much else aside from the barrel of the rifle. The truth was on the tip of her tongue; either she killed, or someone would kill her. She’d have to live with the guilt and the memories of what she’d done, but she would live.
Only if I say the right thing. Only if I don’t give him a reason.
Erika stammered, half-truths escaping between frenzied glances at Blake’s trigger finger and pauses spurred on by the thought of exactly what four hundred and fifty grains of lead alloy would do to a human body at this distance. Her body.
“I mean, I - I didn’t want to die. Someone shot at me. It was a long way off, but I’m a good shot. Really good. Spent enough afternoons at a range, y’know? Just - I was just scared, I did what I knew how to do.”
Her mind raced. Whatever he might’ve wanted, shooting her dead on the spot didn’t seem like it. Not yet.
Unless he’s just lost it.
“H-hey, the trigger on that’s kind of sensitive. If you - if you’re not going to k-kill me, would you m-mind just easing up a b-bit?”
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Super Weegee
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:14 pm
Unsurprisingly, she went for the self-defense excuse. Blake had a feeling that he's going to hear that a lot. Granted, he's a good shot himself, but he didn't really know a whole lot of other people who were. He looked at her face for any signs of deception, any signs that she's just making it all up.
Nothing. Erika...seemed to be telling the truth? The shooting range, her being a good shot, it adds up. A good chunk of his classmates, except for him obviously, weren't exactly devoted to guns.
Deciding to leave it at that for now, he eyed the bag on her shoulder. Interrogations can be helpful, but that's not the point of all of this. Besides, this is getting riskier the longer this goes on and he can't afford to waste too much time. Her friends could be popping up any minute.
After a few seconds of silence on his end, Blake pointed towards her duffel bag and spoke.
"Toss me over your bag with one hand. Slowly. After that, I want you to get down on the ground and not move a muscle."
Now that he said that out loud, that gave him an idea involving something in his own bag...
Nothing. Erika...seemed to be telling the truth? The shooting range, her being a good shot, it adds up. A good chunk of his classmates, except for him obviously, weren't exactly devoted to guns.
Deciding to leave it at that for now, he eyed the bag on her shoulder. Interrogations can be helpful, but that's not the point of all of this. Besides, this is getting riskier the longer this goes on and he can't afford to waste too much time. Her friends could be popping up any minute.
After a few seconds of silence on his end, Blake pointed towards her duffel bag and spoke.
"Toss me over your bag with one hand. Slowly. After that, I want you to get down on the ground and not move a muscle."
Now that he said that out loud, that gave him an idea involving something in his own bag...
V8 Relationships Thread
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Either he didn’t listen or didn’t care, and Erika saw no signs of his grip easing up. Rather, Blake made it clear what this was: a robbery. While she supposed that was better than being shot dead, she still had no guarantees that wasn’t the way this would end up.
Besides, he takes my supplies I might as well be as good as dead.
Though she’d lightened her pack of anything redundant, she was still carrying a significant amount of supplies from what Ty had given her. The most dire need she had was water, with only two of the plastic bottles in her bag having any water left in them. One was half-full, the other…
One of Felix’s.
She’d only opened it once, and hadn’t had the courage to take a drink from it at the time. Now even the thought of losing it, losing everything she had left, seemed almost unbearable.
Almost.
Slowly, as Blake had said, she dropped the bag in front of her, and backed up against a nearby tree, her hands still visible.
“T-the ammo belt is in there. I put it in the bag so the c-cartridges wouldn’t get wet. Just in case. I don’t have any other weapons.”
Slumping to the ground, Erika watched as a fraction of his attention turned to the bag. Hers didn’t stray from the gun still pointed at her, but she began to think of ways she might barter for something, anything to leave this confrontation with.
“Blake, please - I can’t just walk around here with nothing. Not out here, not after what they said I did.”
Besides, he takes my supplies I might as well be as good as dead.
Though she’d lightened her pack of anything redundant, she was still carrying a significant amount of supplies from what Ty had given her. The most dire need she had was water, with only two of the plastic bottles in her bag having any water left in them. One was half-full, the other…
One of Felix’s.
She’d only opened it once, and hadn’t had the courage to take a drink from it at the time. Now even the thought of losing it, losing everything she had left, seemed almost unbearable.
Almost.
Slowly, as Blake had said, she dropped the bag in front of her, and backed up against a nearby tree, her hands still visible.
“T-the ammo belt is in there. I put it in the bag so the c-cartridges wouldn’t get wet. Just in case. I don’t have any other weapons.”
Slumping to the ground, Erika watched as a fraction of his attention turned to the bag. Hers didn’t stray from the gun still pointed at her, but she began to think of ways she might barter for something, anything to leave this confrontation with.
“Blake, please - I can’t just walk around here with nothing. Not out here, not after what they said I did.”
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Super Weegee
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:14 pm
Though, considering how Erika's pissing her pants and doing what he says, Blake didn't have to pull his handcuffs out. Might need them for someone more...combative.
After she tossed the bag on the ground and backed away, he kept the rifle trained on her as he slowly approached it. Can't give her any room to fight back. She has to be kept reminded of what happens if she did. Using one hand, he grabbed the strap and took quite a few steps away from the shaking and fearful girl.
Crouching down, he opened up the bag and just like Erika said, the ammo belt was there. Perfect. The more the merrier.
Just as he began to dig a little deeper, while switching his attention to Erika for a bit to make sure she didn't try anything, she begged him to leave something behind. There was quite a bit of supplies in here, but why should he give her anything? What, did she expect him to just stop the robbery because she said so? She could be the one with the most food and water, but how would that change what the others think of her?
She should've saw something like this coming.
"There are consequences to everything, Erika." Blake said, "Consider this one of them."
He dug around in the bag some more, looking for something else. Where's the-
And just as he was wondering about it, there they were. Two water bottles.
After she tossed the bag on the ground and backed away, he kept the rifle trained on her as he slowly approached it. Can't give her any room to fight back. She has to be kept reminded of what happens if she did. Using one hand, he grabbed the strap and took quite a few steps away from the shaking and fearful girl.
Crouching down, he opened up the bag and just like Erika said, the ammo belt was there. Perfect. The more the merrier.
Just as he began to dig a little deeper, while switching his attention to Erika for a bit to make sure she didn't try anything, she begged him to leave something behind. There was quite a bit of supplies in here, but why should he give her anything? What, did she expect him to just stop the robbery because she said so? She could be the one with the most food and water, but how would that change what the others think of her?
She should've saw something like this coming.
"There are consequences to everything, Erika." Blake said, "Consider this one of them."
He dug around in the bag some more, looking for something else. Where's the-
And just as he was wondering about it, there they were. Two water bottles.
V8 Relationships Thread
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
She couldn’t help but shoot Blake an incredulous look as she heard his insipid comment about how this was a consequence for what she’d done. Or maybe he meant, a consequence for not being vigilant enough.
Actually, it’s just a consequence of you being a monumental piece of shit.
He thought this was justified because of what she’d done. It was only a robbery, not murder! Confiscating ill-gotten gains, not depriving someone of the basic supplies they need to have a fighting chance. Of course, someone like him would have a fucked up sense of ethics. People so eager to join the ranks of the military usually were a bit hollow when it came to that sort of thing. A person would have to be to do the kind of mental gymnastics to make being a cog in a capitalist war machine somehow acceptable.
Like I’m any better.
A dim hatred began to rise in her as her musings on Blake’s questionable life choices slowly turned back on her own. What made anything she did acceptable, broadly speaking? Nothing could, she supposed. Not to everyone else. She might as well have been pure evil, to her peers. It didn’t feel like a choice. She wanted them all dead, so that she could live. It had to be all of them. Hundred and fifty-something to one. It wasn’t really a choice as far as she was concerned, but like she’d said to Ty - whatever rationalizations she had didn’t matter to anyone but herself.
So why try? Why try to make this right and moral? There’s no way it can be and I get to make it out of here. This place is purpose-built to kill hope and heroics.
Unlike what the jingoistic propaganda people like Blake bought into suggested, wars would always be fought in a moral grey area. Trading on human lives, no one got to hold the moral high ground. She knew the more she tried, the worse she’d feel. The worse the toll her personal war would take on her.
Erika straightened up, hatred briefly cutting through the nearly all-consuming fear that she still felt emanating from the spot on her body she’d imagine the rifle would cut through. She forced her gaze from the gun to his eyes as she reciprocated with an indignant plea.
“Yeah, there are consequences to everything. If you leave me with nothing, the consequence is I’m fucking done for, and if that was what you wanted you should’ve just fuckin’ shot me and gotten it over with. Dude, just like - the water, one of the bottles is like half full, at least give me that much. It’s not like we’re short on water out here, at least then I can maybe figure something out with all this rain. Please? That’s one full bottle of water and a bunch of rations, and a big fuckin’ gun. That’s a good haul, right?”
She dropped her hands limply to her sides, still trembling slightly. Even without a gun, she wouldn’t have been a match for him physically. Hopefully he saw that.
“Isn’t that enough?”
Actually, it’s just a consequence of you being a monumental piece of shit.
He thought this was justified because of what she’d done. It was only a robbery, not murder! Confiscating ill-gotten gains, not depriving someone of the basic supplies they need to have a fighting chance. Of course, someone like him would have a fucked up sense of ethics. People so eager to join the ranks of the military usually were a bit hollow when it came to that sort of thing. A person would have to be to do the kind of mental gymnastics to make being a cog in a capitalist war machine somehow acceptable.
Like I’m any better.
A dim hatred began to rise in her as her musings on Blake’s questionable life choices slowly turned back on her own. What made anything she did acceptable, broadly speaking? Nothing could, she supposed. Not to everyone else. She might as well have been pure evil, to her peers. It didn’t feel like a choice. She wanted them all dead, so that she could live. It had to be all of them. Hundred and fifty-something to one. It wasn’t really a choice as far as she was concerned, but like she’d said to Ty - whatever rationalizations she had didn’t matter to anyone but herself.
So why try? Why try to make this right and moral? There’s no way it can be and I get to make it out of here. This place is purpose-built to kill hope and heroics.
Unlike what the jingoistic propaganda people like Blake bought into suggested, wars would always be fought in a moral grey area. Trading on human lives, no one got to hold the moral high ground. She knew the more she tried, the worse she’d feel. The worse the toll her personal war would take on her.
Erika straightened up, hatred briefly cutting through the nearly all-consuming fear that she still felt emanating from the spot on her body she’d imagine the rifle would cut through. She forced her gaze from the gun to his eyes as she reciprocated with an indignant plea.
“Yeah, there are consequences to everything. If you leave me with nothing, the consequence is I’m fucking done for, and if that was what you wanted you should’ve just fuckin’ shot me and gotten it over with. Dude, just like - the water, one of the bottles is like half full, at least give me that much. It’s not like we’re short on water out here, at least then I can maybe figure something out with all this rain. Please? That’s one full bottle of water and a bunch of rations, and a big fuckin’ gun. That’s a good haul, right?”
She dropped her hands limply to her sides, still trembling slightly. Even without a gun, she wouldn’t have been a match for him physically. Hopefully he saw that.
“Isn’t that enough?”
-
Super Weegee
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:14 pm
Blake glared at Erika after she finished talking. Was she really trying to say that he might as well have killed her? That it was somehow the same as murder? There's a difference between taking a life and robbery, and he didn't see why she didn't understand that.
Did he have to kill her? No.
Did he have to hurt her? No.
Was he going back on what he said after he was done? No.
She obviously didn't know what she was talking about.
"What I'm doing is nothing compared to what you did. I'm not stooping to your level."
Pulling out the two bottles, he saw that one of them was indeed half-empty like she said. He considered her request as he looked over at Erika's bag, which was filled with rations. She can survive a while without food, but water was far more important to have. She could probably go to the lake, but the water there is probably dirty. The rain wasn't going to give a lot if she wanted to try that route...
...Well, at least he'll be giving her more of a chance to survive. Even if it's not much.
"Fine, take it." Blake said as he tossed over the half-empty bottle, "Take it and get the hell out of here."
He stood up and aimed his gun at Erika again.
"If I see you following me, I'll shoot your legs. Got it?"
Did he have to kill her? No.
Did he have to hurt her? No.
Was he going back on what he said after he was done? No.
She obviously didn't know what she was talking about.
"What I'm doing is nothing compared to what you did. I'm not stooping to your level."
Pulling out the two bottles, he saw that one of them was indeed half-empty like she said. He considered her request as he looked over at Erika's bag, which was filled with rations. She can survive a while without food, but water was far more important to have. She could probably go to the lake, but the water there is probably dirty. The rain wasn't going to give a lot if she wanted to try that route...
...Well, at least he'll be giving her more of a chance to survive. Even if it's not much.
"Fine, take it." Blake said as he tossed over the half-empty bottle, "Take it and get the hell out of here."
He stood up and aimed his gun at Erika again.
"If I see you following me, I'll shoot your legs. Got it?"
V8 Relationships Thread
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Yeah, you’re not on my level. This shit is beneath me.
Catching the half empty bottle, she watched as Blake made a show of pointing the rifle more squarely in her direction. His threat only seemed tangible because of it. At the very least, he seemed to implicitly acknowledge what he was doing was wrong, at least to some degree. If he only carried that thought a bit further, he might’ve had a chance here.
Now’s my chance. Get up. Leave. Walk away from this.
Erika got up from the ground, at first starting to brush off some of the dirt before realizing it was entirely a lost cause. The rifle barrel followed her up the whole way, though she was beginning to rein in the white-knuckled terror she’d felt in those first moments. Nothing good fell into place though. Nothing about any of this felt good.
“Got it.”
She uncapped the water bottle, taking a small swig. With only a bit left, she’d have to conserve it until she found some way to collect rainwater or could pilfer a bit of iodine from someone.
Erika looked up to Blake, capping the water bottle and watching as he picked up her bag. All she really owned in this world.
“Cheers, asshole.”
Turning away from the barrel of a gun didn’t feel right, and it took her a few steps before she was able to face the right direction. Slowly, she wandered away.
That motherfucker took everything I had. Everything.
She stepped through foliage clumsily, with heavy feet on the soft ground. Without purpose. Feeling only the smallest drive to keep moving. It was as if she’d carried all of her hope in that bag, too.
Do I deserve this?
Erika took a shaky breath as she turned and looked behind her. Blake had already started walking away, in the opposite direction. She stopped in her tracks next to another tree, kneeling down in a solitary dry spot on the ground. Hugging her knees close to her body, she tried desperately to summon some sense of courage, some warmth that might keep her going. That might erase the sickness she felt in her gut at what had just transpired.
Every moment here was seemingly more absurd, more pointlessly fucked up than the last. She laughed at all of this, at herself, but it felt wrong. She fell quiet.Trembled a bit more. Maybe would've cried if not for having done so several times already. The parts of her psyche that she knew were supposed to feel sad just felt... tired. Worn out, as if overuse had broken them down somehow. The contrast between the heat and the humidity and the unrelenting emotional chill felt disconcerting.
That’s long enough.
Erika stood up, and started walking. Every movement deliberate and driven. Light on her feet, with the confidence that came from having traipsed through forests for years, and enjoying every moment of it. Driven by the one basic instinct on which every other aspect of being a person had to be built. Not some sort of moral resolution or psychotic apathy, but the will to survive.
At any cost.
Catching the half empty bottle, she watched as Blake made a show of pointing the rifle more squarely in her direction. His threat only seemed tangible because of it. At the very least, he seemed to implicitly acknowledge what he was doing was wrong, at least to some degree. If he only carried that thought a bit further, he might’ve had a chance here.
Now’s my chance. Get up. Leave. Walk away from this.
Erika got up from the ground, at first starting to brush off some of the dirt before realizing it was entirely a lost cause. The rifle barrel followed her up the whole way, though she was beginning to rein in the white-knuckled terror she’d felt in those first moments. Nothing good fell into place though. Nothing about any of this felt good.
“Got it.”
She uncapped the water bottle, taking a small swig. With only a bit left, she’d have to conserve it until she found some way to collect rainwater or could pilfer a bit of iodine from someone.
Erika looked up to Blake, capping the water bottle and watching as he picked up her bag. All she really owned in this world.
“Cheers, asshole.”
Turning away from the barrel of a gun didn’t feel right, and it took her a few steps before she was able to face the right direction. Slowly, she wandered away.
That motherfucker took everything I had. Everything.
She stepped through foliage clumsily, with heavy feet on the soft ground. Without purpose. Feeling only the smallest drive to keep moving. It was as if she’d carried all of her hope in that bag, too.
Do I deserve this?
Erika took a shaky breath as she turned and looked behind her. Blake had already started walking away, in the opposite direction. She stopped in her tracks next to another tree, kneeling down in a solitary dry spot on the ground. Hugging her knees close to her body, she tried desperately to summon some sense of courage, some warmth that might keep her going. That might erase the sickness she felt in her gut at what had just transpired.
Every moment here was seemingly more absurd, more pointlessly fucked up than the last. She laughed at all of this, at herself, but it felt wrong. She fell quiet.Trembled a bit more. Maybe would've cried if not for having done so several times already. The parts of her psyche that she knew were supposed to feel sad just felt... tired. Worn out, as if overuse had broken them down somehow. The contrast between the heat and the humidity and the unrelenting emotional chill felt disconcerting.
That’s long enough.
Erika stood up, and started walking. Every movement deliberate and driven. Light on her feet, with the confidence that came from having traipsed through forests for years, and enjoying every moment of it. Driven by the one basic instinct on which every other aspect of being a person had to be built. Not some sort of moral resolution or psychotic apathy, but the will to survive.
At any cost.
-
Super Weegee
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:14 pm
Staying quiet while Erika got the last word in, Blake watched as she walked away from him. After watching her for a bit, he turned around and began to walk in the opposite direction, her bag in hand. A few seconds pass before he realized that he should've kept an eye on her for a bit longer, but she disappeared from his sight by then.
It was over. What's done is done. She's going to have a harder time trying to survive, but she won't be able to kill as easily either.
Continuing to walk aimlessly through the woods, he took a few deep breaths. That was...certainly something. It could've gone wrong in so many ways. She might've had a spare weapon. She might've been quick to grab her rifle back. She could've had her friends come to the rescue. But it went right for him. Everything went according to plan.
Lifting Erika's bag in front of him, he opened it up again and looked inside. At this rate, he wouldn't have to risk anything for a good while. He could just hide in some obscure spot and let the others fight it out. But who's going to be his one kill?
Well, he didn't have to worry about it right this second. Now he just have to wait for that...feeling to come back, which eventually did after a few minutes...
...
...
...But why didn't it feel as good as before?
Where the fuck was he?!
Over the past hour, he was walking in as straight of a line as possible trying to escape the wilderness. When he only saw more trees with no signs of it lightening up, he changed course after ten minutes.
And after ten more minutes, he went another direction.
And again.
And again.
Soon, even he had to admit that he's lost. Just fucking great. Trying to use the sun as a compass wasn't going to work because it's hidden behind the rain clouds. Hell, the map isn't even that reliable because that involves him knowing his general location. Which he doesn't. Why the hell didn't he keep track of where he was? Would've made things a lot simpler. Just retrace his steps and he would've been out.
He could've sworn that he heard something a few times, but he figured that he was just hearing stuff. He was in the woods after all.
Then, as if the world still wanted to make fun of him, it started to rain harder.
Blake moaned in frustration. This is getting ridiculous. Now he pretty much has no choice but to wait this out, at least until it lightens up. Looking around, he found a relatively dry spot underneath a tree and walked over to it. Yeah, this'll work.
Setting his two bags on the ground, he proceeded to lean against the tree's trunk and watched the rain fall to the ground in front of him. Now that he's stopping, he felt a bit thirsty. Actually, he never took a sip of water since he woke up today. Why he didn't feel parched was beyond him.
Might as well start on a new bottle while he's here.
Opening the bag once again, he pulled out the stolen water bottle. Standing back up, he undid the cap and put the mouth of the bottle to his lips. Raising the bottle slightly upwards, the liquid went past his mouth and down his throat. As he put the bottle back upright and screwed the lid on, a grimace was evident on his face.
That tasted...odd, to say the least.
It was over. What's done is done. She's going to have a harder time trying to survive, but she won't be able to kill as easily either.
Continuing to walk aimlessly through the woods, he took a few deep breaths. That was...certainly something. It could've gone wrong in so many ways. She might've had a spare weapon. She might've been quick to grab her rifle back. She could've had her friends come to the rescue. But it went right for him. Everything went according to plan.
Lifting Erika's bag in front of him, he opened it up again and looked inside. At this rate, he wouldn't have to risk anything for a good while. He could just hide in some obscure spot and let the others fight it out. But who's going to be his one kill?
Well, he didn't have to worry about it right this second. Now he just have to wait for that...feeling to come back, which eventually did after a few minutes...
...
...
...But why didn't it feel as good as before?
10:15 AM
Still in the woods, Blake had only one thing on his mind.Where the fuck was he?!
Over the past hour, he was walking in as straight of a line as possible trying to escape the wilderness. When he only saw more trees with no signs of it lightening up, he changed course after ten minutes.
And after ten more minutes, he went another direction.
And again.
And again.
Soon, even he had to admit that he's lost. Just fucking great. Trying to use the sun as a compass wasn't going to work because it's hidden behind the rain clouds. Hell, the map isn't even that reliable because that involves him knowing his general location. Which he doesn't. Why the hell didn't he keep track of where he was? Would've made things a lot simpler. Just retrace his steps and he would've been out.
He could've sworn that he heard something a few times, but he figured that he was just hearing stuff. He was in the woods after all.
Then, as if the world still wanted to make fun of him, it started to rain harder.
Blake moaned in frustration. This is getting ridiculous. Now he pretty much has no choice but to wait this out, at least until it lightens up. Looking around, he found a relatively dry spot underneath a tree and walked over to it. Yeah, this'll work.
Setting his two bags on the ground, he proceeded to lean against the tree's trunk and watched the rain fall to the ground in front of him. Now that he's stopping, he felt a bit thirsty. Actually, he never took a sip of water since he woke up today. Why he didn't feel parched was beyond him.
Might as well start on a new bottle while he's here.
Opening the bag once again, he pulled out the stolen water bottle. Standing back up, he undid the cap and put the mouth of the bottle to his lips. Raising the bottle slightly upwards, the liquid went past his mouth and down his throat. As he put the bottle back upright and screwed the lid on, a grimace was evident on his face.
That tasted...odd, to say the least.
V8 Relationships Thread
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
She’d been following him for almost an hour now, by her reckoning.
Blake’s red shirt stood out well enough against the green and brown of the forest to follow at a distance. The rain had stopped sputtering and now came down in steady sheets.The few dry spots under thick canopy had been totally soaked through, as was Erika’s clothing. If not for the considerable effort involved in moving through the brush, she was sure she’d have probably started to feel something of a chill.
For a cadet, you’re shit at orienting yourself.
More than a few times she had to hide under dense brush, as motionless as possible, as he looked around trying to figure out where it was he was going. It was hard to tell whether or not he had any idea, and she was sure he’d gone in a few circles. At one point he even started moving in her direction, though she’d managed to keep out of the way long enough for him to decide against it.
Eventually he’d get tired, she told herself. Eventually he’d stop to take a drink. Maybe it’d be from the bottle he gave her. Maybe not. Blake had no cause to hide his excitement in finding the supplies, which meant he was at the very least a bit low himself. It was hard to tell.
Suddenly, he stopped. Erika stopped too. Waiting, feeling droplets of water running down from her hair across her chest. Dripping from her elbows, from the leaves above. Despite the white noise of rain hitting foliage and the few hundred yards between them, Erika put a hand over her mouth. If nothing else, it helped her slow her own breathing. Her heart had been racing the whole time she’d been keeping up with him. Blake had made no empty threat; it was one thing to let a known killer go when the circumstances of their crimes were fuzzy - it was another entirely to find that killer stalking you through the woods.
A killer stalking him through the woods. That’s what I am now, is it?
She didn’t have to put it that way, but that didn’t make it any less true. That was reality now whether she liked it or not. She started to feel a bit queasy either that thought, or the intense discomfort she felt kneeling wet against a tree. The smell of life, of wet dirt and bark, was overwhelming. Even as she waited, eagerly hoping he’d -
He’s doing it.
It might’ve taken hours. Even a whole day. No, in only one he’d had to stop to take a drink. Erika slowly closed in, moving from cover to cover, her eyes not leaving his silhouette for a moment. Before long she was less than a hundred yards away, by her estimate.
A minute passed. Blake seemed confused, bothered by something.
He moved his hand to his chest. Lost grip on the rifle, and it fell to the dirt.
She knew by then. A few minutes more and it would all be over.
I wish I was sorry for this, Blake. I truly do.
This person was suffering. Confused as to what was happening to him. Terrified. If what she knew about cyanide was true, he wouldn’t have time to think of the things he should’ve been thinking of. Happy memories, people he cared about. Things he was proud of.
It made her wonder how long she'd have to spend dying, and if she'd know what to do when it happened.
Don’t look away.
Emerging from the brush, she made a beeline towards Blake’s struggling form. For all it was a powerful motivator, she truly hated the fear that she carried with her. Death was a necessary condition of life. There was a reasonable degree to which fearing it made sense, but what she’d felt for years was so far past that. It was a dark corner in the fringes of her psyche that occasionally expanded to drown every thought. It tore away dreams and aspirations, and brought panic into moments that should’ve been happy.
It was something she’d gone out of her way to avoid mentioning, to even think about. Now she had a chance to stare it down directly. To understand what it was she’d been afraid of. Maybe, it would make all of this easier. Maybe she just felt shame for how strongly she wanted to look away from him, to hide until it was all over.
I will watch this. I have to.
Blake’s red shirt stood out well enough against the green and brown of the forest to follow at a distance. The rain had stopped sputtering and now came down in steady sheets.The few dry spots under thick canopy had been totally soaked through, as was Erika’s clothing. If not for the considerable effort involved in moving through the brush, she was sure she’d have probably started to feel something of a chill.
For a cadet, you’re shit at orienting yourself.
More than a few times she had to hide under dense brush, as motionless as possible, as he looked around trying to figure out where it was he was going. It was hard to tell whether or not he had any idea, and she was sure he’d gone in a few circles. At one point he even started moving in her direction, though she’d managed to keep out of the way long enough for him to decide against it.
Eventually he’d get tired, she told herself. Eventually he’d stop to take a drink. Maybe it’d be from the bottle he gave her. Maybe not. Blake had no cause to hide his excitement in finding the supplies, which meant he was at the very least a bit low himself. It was hard to tell.
Suddenly, he stopped. Erika stopped too. Waiting, feeling droplets of water running down from her hair across her chest. Dripping from her elbows, from the leaves above. Despite the white noise of rain hitting foliage and the few hundred yards between them, Erika put a hand over her mouth. If nothing else, it helped her slow her own breathing. Her heart had been racing the whole time she’d been keeping up with him. Blake had made no empty threat; it was one thing to let a known killer go when the circumstances of their crimes were fuzzy - it was another entirely to find that killer stalking you through the woods.
A killer stalking him through the woods. That’s what I am now, is it?
She didn’t have to put it that way, but that didn’t make it any less true. That was reality now whether she liked it or not. She started to feel a bit queasy either that thought, or the intense discomfort she felt kneeling wet against a tree. The smell of life, of wet dirt and bark, was overwhelming. Even as she waited, eagerly hoping he’d -
He’s doing it.
It might’ve taken hours. Even a whole day. No, in only one he’d had to stop to take a drink. Erika slowly closed in, moving from cover to cover, her eyes not leaving his silhouette for a moment. Before long she was less than a hundred yards away, by her estimate.
A minute passed. Blake seemed confused, bothered by something.
He moved his hand to his chest. Lost grip on the rifle, and it fell to the dirt.
She knew by then. A few minutes more and it would all be over.
I wish I was sorry for this, Blake. I truly do.
This person was suffering. Confused as to what was happening to him. Terrified. If what she knew about cyanide was true, he wouldn’t have time to think of the things he should’ve been thinking of. Happy memories, people he cared about. Things he was proud of.
It made her wonder how long she'd have to spend dying, and if she'd know what to do when it happened.
Don’t look away.
Emerging from the brush, she made a beeline towards Blake’s struggling form. For all it was a powerful motivator, she truly hated the fear that she carried with her. Death was a necessary condition of life. There was a reasonable degree to which fearing it made sense, but what she’d felt for years was so far past that. It was a dark corner in the fringes of her psyche that occasionally expanded to drown every thought. It tore away dreams and aspirations, and brought panic into moments that should’ve been happy.
It was something she’d gone out of her way to avoid mentioning, to even think about. Now she had a chance to stare it down directly. To understand what it was she’d been afraid of. Maybe, it would make all of this easier. Maybe she just felt shame for how strongly she wanted to look away from him, to hide until it was all over.
I will watch this. I have to.
-
Super Weegee
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:14 pm
Something’s wrong.
Soon after he drank that shitty-tasting water, he began to have one hell of a headache. Barely any warning either. One second he was feeling relatively fine, and now it felt like something was squeezing his brain. He rubbed his head with one hand trying to quell the pain.
Then he began to have trouble breathing. His nose began to run as he tried to take as many deep breaths as possible. Either he wasn’t doing it right or it just wasn’t working, but he began to breathe in and out faster and faster with each passing second.
That didn’t matter as soon after all of that, his heart stopped beating.
And he felt it. Blake dropped everything to the ground as he clutched his chest. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! He felt like he was about to explode! What the fuck is happening?!
Soon, it hurt too much to keep standing. Collapsing to his knees, he felt himself fall towards the mud beneath him. With his oxygen suddenly vanishing, he instinctively flipped himself around so that he was looking up towards the sky. Loudly inhaling, his vision began to darken as he desperately looked around for any solutions.
Something.
Somebody.
Anybody.
Anything.
Eyes widened as much as possible, his head practically flailed around. He was about to call out for help when he saw a figure emerge in front of him. Looking up towards their face, he recognized them as...
...
...
...
...Erika...
But...that means...
Even in his condition, Blake still managed to speak to her with his hatred evident in his voice.
“...You knew...”
Soon after he drank that shitty-tasting water, he began to have one hell of a headache. Barely any warning either. One second he was feeling relatively fine, and now it felt like something was squeezing his brain. He rubbed his head with one hand trying to quell the pain.
Then he began to have trouble breathing. His nose began to run as he tried to take as many deep breaths as possible. Either he wasn’t doing it right or it just wasn’t working, but he began to breathe in and out faster and faster with each passing second.
That didn’t matter as soon after all of that, his heart stopped beating.
And he felt it. Blake dropped everything to the ground as he clutched his chest. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! He felt like he was about to explode! What the fuck is happening?!
Soon, it hurt too much to keep standing. Collapsing to his knees, he felt himself fall towards the mud beneath him. With his oxygen suddenly vanishing, he instinctively flipped himself around so that he was looking up towards the sky. Loudly inhaling, his vision began to darken as he desperately looked around for any solutions.
Something.
Somebody.
Anybody.
Anything.
Eyes widened as much as possible, his head practically flailed around. He was about to call out for help when he saw a figure emerge in front of him. Looking up towards their face, he recognized them as...
...
...
...
...Erika...
But...that means...
Even in his condition, Blake still managed to speak to her with his hatred evident in his voice.
“...You knew...”
V8 Relationships Thread
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
Brook Peterson
Lula Gray Any thoughts or criticisms on my writing are welcome and appreciated! Feel free to message me on Discord.
“Yeah.”
Arriving next to Blake, she reached down and took the rifle away from him. If for no other reason than to remind herself why it was he was down on the ground right now, struggling to breathe.
The other day, when she’d started clearing her bag of anything expendable, any extra weight, she’d thought for some time about what to do with the cyanide capsule. There was no situation she could conceive of where she’d willingly end her own life, much as the terrorists seemed to suggest it by sticking her name on a fake prescription on the pill bottle. Dissolving it into a surplus bottle of water made sense, as it was one of Felix’s and more than she’d expected to have in the first place.
If she crossed paths with someone who wanted an easy way out, she told herself, it would be a relatively quick way to die. Even just leaving it in a bag somewhere would be an easy way to thin out the number of people on the island without actually having to be present. No one would’ve taken a suspicious pill, but they’d eagerly grab a bottle of fresh water.
The point was, she’d planned for this. While making sure he took the poisoned bottle was an act of improvisation, she’d thought of using it for over a day now. Imagining what it would do to someone. Now that she saw it…
Don’t look away.
It was more horrific than she could’ve imagined. The colour drained from his face. No matter how hard he struggled, his body continued to fail him. Bloodshot eyes glared at her. Surprised at first, then narrowed with hate. Blake had to know what was about to happen.
Don’t look away.
As she knelt down next to him, she could feel the involuntary reflex of her jaw clenching, of every muscle in her neck tensing up. It wasn’t enough to see him fall, or to hear his ragged attempts at breathing. It wouldn’t even be enough to see his head fall limp to the side, or to see his chest rise and fall one last time.
In the eyes of the people she loved, she’d always seen a glint of life. A sign that their internal worlds were as vivid and complex as her own; something that let her believe that she wasn’t alone in facing it all. It was a comforting thing to notice in the faces of strangers, too. So easy to get lost in thinking of what it must be like to see the world through one pair of eyes or another. Easy to succumb to magical thinking, notions that whatever she truly was might find itself looking at another world through another pair of eyes, after hers finally shut forever.
Don’t look away.
She gently rested a hand on the side of his face, making sure he couldn’t turn away from her gaze though he likely didn't have any strength left to try.
Erika felt that dark place in her mind begin to reach out, its jagged tendrils beginning to tear at familiar, scarred places. Nevertheless, she continued to watch him. Blake could show her what it meant to die, as long as she kept watching.
Arriving next to Blake, she reached down and took the rifle away from him. If for no other reason than to remind herself why it was he was down on the ground right now, struggling to breathe.
The other day, when she’d started clearing her bag of anything expendable, any extra weight, she’d thought for some time about what to do with the cyanide capsule. There was no situation she could conceive of where she’d willingly end her own life, much as the terrorists seemed to suggest it by sticking her name on a fake prescription on the pill bottle. Dissolving it into a surplus bottle of water made sense, as it was one of Felix’s and more than she’d expected to have in the first place.
If she crossed paths with someone who wanted an easy way out, she told herself, it would be a relatively quick way to die. Even just leaving it in a bag somewhere would be an easy way to thin out the number of people on the island without actually having to be present. No one would’ve taken a suspicious pill, but they’d eagerly grab a bottle of fresh water.
The point was, she’d planned for this. While making sure he took the poisoned bottle was an act of improvisation, she’d thought of using it for over a day now. Imagining what it would do to someone. Now that she saw it…
Don’t look away.
It was more horrific than she could’ve imagined. The colour drained from his face. No matter how hard he struggled, his body continued to fail him. Bloodshot eyes glared at her. Surprised at first, then narrowed with hate. Blake had to know what was about to happen.
Don’t look away.
As she knelt down next to him, she could feel the involuntary reflex of her jaw clenching, of every muscle in her neck tensing up. It wasn’t enough to see him fall, or to hear his ragged attempts at breathing. It wouldn’t even be enough to see his head fall limp to the side, or to see his chest rise and fall one last time.
In the eyes of the people she loved, she’d always seen a glint of life. A sign that their internal worlds were as vivid and complex as her own; something that let her believe that she wasn’t alone in facing it all. It was a comforting thing to notice in the faces of strangers, too. So easy to get lost in thinking of what it must be like to see the world through one pair of eyes or another. Easy to succumb to magical thinking, notions that whatever she truly was might find itself looking at another world through another pair of eyes, after hers finally shut forever.
Don’t look away.
She gently rested a hand on the side of his face, making sure he couldn’t turn away from her gaze though he likely didn't have any strength left to try.
Erika felt that dark place in her mind begin to reach out, its jagged tendrils beginning to tear at familiar, scarred places. Nevertheless, she continued to watch him. Blake could show her what it meant to die, as long as she kept watching.