((Jason Harris and Maf continued from The Cavalry Arrives))
Slowly, the grainy sand of the beach gave way to first grass then shrubs then forest. As the duo headed further inland, the calming sound of the waves and the chatter of the students boarding the life rafts faded from hearing, leaving them once again alone in the now eerily quiet forest. Maf had followed behind and despite Jason's insistence for both Nathan and Maf to turn back they had doggedly refused his protests. Although they had set off as soon as they could Jason had stopped to inquire if anyone knew Brook's whereabouts. Although no one had given him an exact answer there was enough to indicate that his friend was somewhere in this vicinity. The rest of what Jason had heard he dismissed out of hand. The idea that Brook was some sort of psychopath was almost impossible for him to comprehend.
He paused at a tree, the firm bark felt dirty across his hand. It didn't matter though, last time he had a shower he was... back at Bayview.
The shower head spluttered in to life and Jason leapt backwards. "Fuck's sake!" he cursed. The water in these showers was always either ice cold or scalding hot. It was as if some government wizard has somehow calibrated the system to remove all the temperatures that could possibly be useful.
The boisterous laugh Nathan echoed down the locker room wall. "What's up Jason? Having problems 'down under'?"
"Suck it Nath!" Jason yelled back. "It's pretty obvious that this country hasn't fully mastered the concept of temperature yet. You guys still using the Fahrenheit system? I mean what's up with that?" The water was at least usable now and Jason tentatively stepped in. The track run had really taken it out of him. The cuts and bruises stung as the water ran over him. It felt good and Nathan's response was lost in the haze of water that engulfed him.
Graduation in a few weeks, and the class trip before that. He was glad that this would be the last track run of the season but he got the feeling he'd miss the consistency of the exercise. He doubted he'd ever run such a long distance or so fast again. He arched his head back so his ears were out of the immediate stream of water.
"Maf! You around?" he yelled.
"Yeah." The monosyllabic Fijian kept true to form. He had never really forgiven himself for the incident all that time ago. Jason had tried initially to tell him to snap out of it, but after a while it was clear that nothing would change him back to the gregarious football player he once was.
"I'm thinking we should grab something to eat after class yeah? I've got nothing to do."
Maf nodded in response. "Ok"
Jason turned the water off and grabbed his towel. "You guy's too." He motioned to Nath.
Nath looked up. "Yeah sounds good, but where's Brook?"
"What do you mean? He's right here?" said Jason motioning to the benches. Nathan gave him a weird look.
"Where's Brook Jason?"
"What?"
"Where's Brook?"
The coarse bark scrapped against Jason's hand as he blinked in the sunlight. "Jason, you alright?" Nathan queried. "We need to find Brook remember. Before the boats leave."
Jason shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Yeah. I'm good. I just needed a sec." Maf had caught up with the two, panting. This was the first time he had managed to catch them. He turned his gaze to the duo.
"Nathan, Jason, what is going on?" The words rumbled across the empty clearing.
Jason turned to Nathan. "You want to field this one mate? I've just got to..." A wrenching feeling grasped Jason's stomach for an instant and he barely managed to turn away as he expelled the contents of stomach. He waved his hand behind him. "Just winded is all."
He frowned. The specks of blood in the vomit told him otherwise.
Never Take Friendship Personal
calm before the storm
Never Take Friendship Personal
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GregTheAnti-Viking†
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((Nathan Choultard continued from The Cavalry Arrives))
Nathan's whole body ached. In his time at Bayview, he never made an attempt to try the more long distance races and now he was starting to regret it. His breathing was rushed and shaky and spittle kept flying out of his mouth. He had fumbled around his bag to fetch himself his bottle of water. The contents, were rather grim, he had about a third left in his bottle and it was the last water bottle he had with the river god knows how many miles behind him.
Then again they were going to be escaping...So he didn't particularly care too much about how much or how little was used now. He quickly chugged the water down and let out a heavy sigh.
He turned his head to Maf, but said nothing. Nathan was fine with following Jason but Maf was in no condition to follow them, especially if the reason that they had even left the beach in the first place was as dangerous as the announcements had claimed. Yet despite Jason's pleas and Nathan's assistance, Maf just followed them.
They were all idiots.
Maf had asked where Brook was and what they were doing. Jason did his best to deflect the attention to Nathan, causing him to turn his head away from them so he wouldn't show the poisonous look he had wanted to give to his friend. The look faded as Nathan breathed another heavy sigh. Why should he complain at this point though. He had made the decision to come along. He had to repay Jason somehow for what had almost taken place.
"Brook is....well we're looking for him. We're trying to find him so we can all get on the escape boat together."
He looked up at the sky, it was already dusk and vision was starting to become difficult.
"We only have a limited time, we have to be back by morning. So we're going to try and find him before then."
He wiped the sweat that was seeping off of his brow and bent down.
"If we don't we're going to run back...we have no choice. Who knows when they'll have to leave."
He placed his hand on a nearby tree and used it for support. They did not much happen. But then again, Nathan was still hoping that they didn't run into Brook, if it was all true.
Nathan's whole body ached. In his time at Bayview, he never made an attempt to try the more long distance races and now he was starting to regret it. His breathing was rushed and shaky and spittle kept flying out of his mouth. He had fumbled around his bag to fetch himself his bottle of water. The contents, were rather grim, he had about a third left in his bottle and it was the last water bottle he had with the river god knows how many miles behind him.
Then again they were going to be escaping...So he didn't particularly care too much about how much or how little was used now. He quickly chugged the water down and let out a heavy sigh.
He turned his head to Maf, but said nothing. Nathan was fine with following Jason but Maf was in no condition to follow them, especially if the reason that they had even left the beach in the first place was as dangerous as the announcements had claimed. Yet despite Jason's pleas and Nathan's assistance, Maf just followed them.
They were all idiots.
Maf had asked where Brook was and what they were doing. Jason did his best to deflect the attention to Nathan, causing him to turn his head away from them so he wouldn't show the poisonous look he had wanted to give to his friend. The look faded as Nathan breathed another heavy sigh. Why should he complain at this point though. He had made the decision to come along. He had to repay Jason somehow for what had almost taken place.
"Brook is....well we're looking for him. We're trying to find him so we can all get on the escape boat together."
He looked up at the sky, it was already dusk and vision was starting to become difficult.
"We only have a limited time, we have to be back by morning. So we're going to try and find him before then."
He wiped the sweat that was seeping off of his brow and bent down.
"If we don't we're going to run back...we have no choice. Who knows when they'll have to leave."
He placed his hand on a nearby tree and used it for support. They did not much happen. But then again, Nathan was still hoping that they didn't run into Brook, if it was all true.
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((Just a quick post to avoid inactivity - waiting on you ben 
))
Jason nodded grimly.
"I'm almost certain Brook's around here somewhere. We can't up and leave him and surely if someone's found us and sent rescue boat's they'd of dealt with whoever kidnapped us. I'd rather not take chances though, lets see what we can do."
He paused momentarily feeling rather than seeing the presence of Maf. The guy wanted to say something for sure but as usual was waiting his turn. Maf was nothing if not polite. The guy had taken a few hits already and had followed the two other boys. Jason hoped no permanent damage had come to him.
"You ok mate?"
))Jason nodded grimly.
"I'm almost certain Brook's around here somewhere. We can't up and leave him and surely if someone's found us and sent rescue boat's they'd of dealt with whoever kidnapped us. I'd rather not take chances though, lets see what we can do."
He paused momentarily feeling rather than seeing the presence of Maf. The guy wanted to say something for sure but as usual was waiting his turn. Maf was nothing if not polite. The guy had taken a few hits already and had followed the two other boys. Jason hoped no permanent damage had come to him.
"You ok mate?"
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((Whoops sorry))
Maf was not okay.
Understatement of his life.
For starters, he was back with Jason. Both him, and Nathan, they were back with someone who hadn't given him answers. Sure, back when he left the warehouse and he still didn't know what happened soon after, which was...days ago now, he remembered, he was gone, and whatever happened there after the fact was up to god. Did he tell Nathan? Did Nathan know why Jason had someone's blood on his hands, the girl Brook pinned after was dead by her hand and now Brook himself was slowly reaching the likes of a serial killer?
And don't get him started on the fact that there seemed to be a huge gap in the last few days from his memory.
But he didn't let these idle worries surface. Maf was sure he'd know in time.
At least he hoped he would.
But for now...
"Yeah. I'm fine, Jase."
He pretended.
Maf was not okay.
Understatement of his life.
For starters, he was back with Jason. Both him, and Nathan, they were back with someone who hadn't given him answers. Sure, back when he left the warehouse and he still didn't know what happened soon after, which was...days ago now, he remembered, he was gone, and whatever happened there after the fact was up to god. Did he tell Nathan? Did Nathan know why Jason had someone's blood on his hands, the girl Brook pinned after was dead by her hand and now Brook himself was slowly reaching the likes of a serial killer?
And don't get him started on the fact that there seemed to be a huge gap in the last few days from his memory.
But he didn't let these idle worries surface. Maf was sure he'd know in time.
At least he hoped he would.
But for now...
"Yeah. I'm fine, Jase."
He pretended.
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GregTheAnti-Viking†
- Posts: 267
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 6:10 am
Nathan nodded, resting his back up against the tree. Now that he was standing still, breathing became easier. It was weird, he was always the sprinter and yet he somehow found the energy to run for miles. Maybe he should have tried long distance. Or maybe it was just adreneline. He didn't know.
He wiped his mouth of spittle, feeling the peel of dead skin rubbing against his fist. He smacked his lips, as if it would become a lip balm for him. Nothing doing on that end, just more dry mouth.
Jason tried his hardest to be reassuring that what they were doing was right, but it was still difficult to stomach it. The boat said that they wouldn't take murderers right? Well, they seemed to accept Jason alright, but what about Brook. It was, difficult to stomach.
"So, uh Jason. What if..."
He looked to Jason and then to Maf, and then back to his friend.
"What if what they say is true? What are we going to do then?"
Nathan was scared of what the answer would be. And yet, he already had a feeling he knew what it was.
Please. Let me be wrong...
He wiped his mouth of spittle, feeling the peel of dead skin rubbing against his fist. He smacked his lips, as if it would become a lip balm for him. Nothing doing on that end, just more dry mouth.
Jason tried his hardest to be reassuring that what they were doing was right, but it was still difficult to stomach it. The boat said that they wouldn't take murderers right? Well, they seemed to accept Jason alright, but what about Brook. It was, difficult to stomach.
"So, uh Jason. What if..."
He looked to Jason and then to Maf, and then back to his friend.
"What if what they say is true? What are we going to do then?"
Nathan was scared of what the answer would be. And yet, he already had a feeling he knew what it was.
Please. Let me be wrong...
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"What if what they say is true? What are we going to do then?"
So, what were they going to do. They. That was an odd collective term for the two of them. In fact, it might not even be the two of them, it might as well just be Jason - every little bit of wrong and misgiving had involved Jason and Brook - Nathan and Maf might as well have not even existed.
"We?"
Maf spoke up almost suddenly. He was barely expecting it himself.
"Well, I assume you mean you. I've been so out of the loop on every little thing that's happened so far you might as well just ditch the group terms and just talk about yourself, Jason."
It really occurred to Maf just then that he was the only person out of the four of them who had no idea what happened. There were big gaps in his memory, stuff that he couldn't explain, and it didn't feel like he'd ever really been told. The way Nathan and Jason spoke, it seemed like they were pretty in the loop, but not Maf? What a surprise.
"When you're done with...whatever you did to Brook, and whatever the hell he's done now, you come and find me, Jason."
He was over it already. This blatant stringing along of Nathan and himself towards what, come to think of it, could have been a cleverly designed trap. The only people who knew what happened there were Jason Brook and Tiffany as far as he knew, and he wasn't willing to just deal with that risk. No way, kangaroo boy, you go sort out your own problems, don't risk our lives to fix your mistakes.
He started to turn away.
"Whatever you do, don't appear on those announcements. Cause..."
"..."
Maf paused. he turned back around to face his friends, and could only let out a silent exhalation and shake his head softly at Nathan.
"..."
And almost like that, he was gone.
((Ma'afu Tuigamala continues in Hatful of Hollow))
So, what were they going to do. They. That was an odd collective term for the two of them. In fact, it might not even be the two of them, it might as well just be Jason - every little bit of wrong and misgiving had involved Jason and Brook - Nathan and Maf might as well have not even existed.
"We?"
Maf spoke up almost suddenly. He was barely expecting it himself.
"Well, I assume you mean you. I've been so out of the loop on every little thing that's happened so far you might as well just ditch the group terms and just talk about yourself, Jason."
It really occurred to Maf just then that he was the only person out of the four of them who had no idea what happened. There were big gaps in his memory, stuff that he couldn't explain, and it didn't feel like he'd ever really been told. The way Nathan and Jason spoke, it seemed like they were pretty in the loop, but not Maf? What a surprise.
"When you're done with...whatever you did to Brook, and whatever the hell he's done now, you come and find me, Jason."
He was over it already. This blatant stringing along of Nathan and himself towards what, come to think of it, could have been a cleverly designed trap. The only people who knew what happened there were Jason Brook and Tiffany as far as he knew, and he wasn't willing to just deal with that risk. No way, kangaroo boy, you go sort out your own problems, don't risk our lives to fix your mistakes.
He started to turn away.
"Whatever you do, don't appear on those announcements. Cause..."
"..."
Maf paused. he turned back around to face his friends, and could only let out a silent exhalation and shake his head softly at Nathan.
"..."
And almost like that, he was gone.
((Ma'afu Tuigamala continues in Hatful of Hollow))
((Placeholder as well as I'm waiting for certain long overdue events to happen and to respond to Maf))
Jason partied hard. A Little too hard. After arguing with nathan a little and watching maf go to his dismay, finds something of brooks and follows that lead.
Jason partied hard. A Little too hard. After arguing with nathan a little and watching maf go to his dismay, finds something of brooks and follows that lead.
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GregTheAnti-Viking†
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((I really didn't want to make a placeholder, but I guess this will have to do until the neccessary info is provided back here))
Nathan was not pleased with Jason's answer to the question. Were they really supposed to resort to that if the rumours were true. With each passing minute he found himself wanting to go back to the boat.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Maf was walking away from them. He was wobbly and didn't look to be in any condition to leave. He called out to him, but before he could, he rushed off.
Jason suddnely called out, making Nathan turn his head to see that Jason was holding up something that belonged to Brook. They were close to him. It was a thought that should have been plesant, but was more of a petrifying fear. As if he was a bloodhound on the trail, Jason rushed out in the direction that he found the item.
Nathan turned his head back to where Maf had disappeared to and then back to Jason.
I can't believe I'm doing this...
Nathan followed his friend. Yet he couldn't help shake the feeling that he was making a grave mistake.
((Nathan Choultard continued in Bloodgarden))
Nathan was not pleased with Jason's answer to the question. Were they really supposed to resort to that if the rumours were true. With each passing minute he found himself wanting to go back to the boat.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Maf was walking away from them. He was wobbly and didn't look to be in any condition to leave. He called out to him, but before he could, he rushed off.
Jason suddnely called out, making Nathan turn his head to see that Jason was holding up something that belonged to Brook. They were close to him. It was a thought that should have been plesant, but was more of a petrifying fear. As if he was a bloodhound on the trail, Jason rushed out in the direction that he found the item.
Nathan turned his head back to where Maf had disappeared to and then back to Jason.
I can't believe I'm doing this...
Nathan followed his friend. Yet he couldn't help shake the feeling that he was making a grave mistake.
((Nathan Choultard continued in Bloodgarden))
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((Double placeholders cause... ><, stuff re announcements etc.))
Jason wanted to move on, but he somehow couldn't as if he was waiting for something that was not appearing.
After some time he snapped out of it and moved onward.
((Jason Harris continued in Bloodgarden))
Jason wanted to move on, but he somehow couldn't as if he was waiting for something that was not appearing.
After some time he snapped out of it and moved onward.
((Jason Harris continued in Bloodgarden))
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