SOTF Archive/SOTF Classic

"Huh? Oh y-yeah don't worry about it Brookie, it's all good."

Nathan had been caught in a daze again. His thoughts had lingered back to the fact that he was now on an island, standing out like a sore thumb amongst his family now. All he wanted was a little attention, now he got to be on the six o'clock news.

Well ain't that swell...

He looked back up to Jason, he was going on and on about sticking together and forming some sort of group. The idea sounded preposterous, but it was probably better than just nibbling on a gun barrel or kicking as many logs as possible until they broke in half, or until he broke his foot. Hanging out with these four was a much better way to spend his days, however few they may be.

"Nathan's finally going to break that 11.0 on his hundred metre sprint."

As soon as Jason said that, Nathan began to grimace. Throughout the four years he had spent in high school, it was widely known, and widely joked about that he had been trying to eclipse his older brother. As the years had gone by, the results didn't yield, he has run himself ragged, ate as well as he possibly could and trained just as hard as some of the members of the football team and still nothing. But as the years went by, the joke still remained, Nathan will finally break 11.0...

Nathan fucking hated that joke...

He knew Jason was trying to cheer all of them up, but it wasn't exactly perking him up at all. Still he forced a smile and clung to the straps of his backpack.

"Yeah yeah, maybe I will...Let's all just get out of here, this place gives me the creeps..."

As Jason and Maf started to head off, Nathan let out a heavy sigh and began to follow them.

Well...here goes nothing I guess...

((Nathan Choultard continued in The Only Way Is Up))

Jason...

Nathan...

Maf...

And himself. Brook thought about the four of them, the four kids who would spend their days on the island together. These days could very well be their last. Brook sniffled a little at the thought, but he allowed himself no more tears. He had already broken down, he had already hit the bottom of his depression, his wallows in the despair of uselessness. There was no more time for that now that his friends were here, though. Jason had helped him to his feet, Nathan offered hope, Maf gave him strength. They were holding up just fine, no tears, no sniveling... so why couldn't he?

The four had begun to set out for nowhere definite, but according to the map which he had peered at, there was a residential district over in that direction. This was his new life it seemed, and he was determined to live it out to the end. Sure, his nerves were still going a hundred miles a minute, but all four of them were armed with guns. Maybe, just maybe, that was enough to scare others off, if anybody decided to try and hurt them. If it worked out like that, then they wouldn't have to kill anybody!

But then they'd just die after twenty four hours, wouldn't they...

Brook looked over the gun in his hands, the gun which he'd probably have to use. Once he got a moment to sit down without some tears pouring out of his eyes, he'd have to learn to use it, at least to protect himself. He was going to die, and he knew it. End of story. He wasn't killing Jason, which meant he couldn't be the last one alive. As long as he dressed it up like that, knowing that at least Nathan, Maf and Jason were all there for him, Brook felt like he could make it. Life or death.

Wake up, Brook... wake up, and smell the roses...

((Liam "Brook" Brooks, continued in The Only Way Is Up))