"Because people are shit, Nadia." It came out harsher than intended, but that particular sentiment had been building up ever since he first woke up here. There were the people like Hazel and Asha who kept trying to see the good in others or ease their passing, but when it came down to it? The students of Cochise had more than proven what sort of things polite society was just holding back day to day.
"People are shit, they've always been shit, and they always will be. We didn't need fucking Murder: The Reality Show to prove that to anyone!" Jae swung his arms wide to indicate the island all around him, narrowly missing Nadia. "Think about any one of them: are you actually surprised someone like Isabel would kill and that she gets a kick out of it? I've seen her - she's having the fucking time of her life. Fucking Michael Crowe talking big like he's some kind of action hero and then hiding behind someone when he might actually have to put his money where his mouth is, Brendan thinking he can just say 'sorry' and make it all better when he stabbed someone in the back - they've all been like this their whole lives, every single one!"
Jae's voice had been steadily rising as he went on, pouring out the thoughts he had kept to himself around Asha and Dorothy and had no audience for afterwards. "Most of them probably wouldn't do anything like this in real life, maybe none. But they've made their choice here. That's who they are, really. That's the point the sick fucks that put us here are trying to make, I guess, like we really needed proof that humans are assholes."
He stopped for a moment, breathing hard. "I don't care why any of them did it," he said finally. "The important thing is that they did, and they're going to fucking pay. Every single one I can get my hands on."
It was the first time he had said any of it out loud, the first time it was more than dark thoughts when he had no distractions. I've got my one was a sick fucking rationale, and it wouldn't be his. He wouldn't let it become the truth. After six days here, Jae was just starting to come to terms with the fact that, in all likelihood, he wouldn't be going home. Even if he did, he couldn't see anything in the future but desolation. It hurt, it hurt like hell to even consider either option. Jae still didn't know where he would end up, body or soul, but he knew how a few stories were going to end if he had anything to say about it. He could endure Hell knowing that others were there who deserved it just as much, if not more, and that he had put them there.
Nadia's expression said everything he needed to know about what she thought of his outburst. He turned away.
"Let's just go."
How Easy it was to Lie to Strangers
(Private)
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Nadia slightly stepped to Jae's side as he began his rant. She had figured her pseudo-intellectual discussion about morality and action on the island would lead to more pleasant conversation. But Jae went off. Jae had a completely negative opinion about everyone and everything here. Nadia could understand it to some extent. Yeah, people were shitty, and she had mocked the general populace of Kingman in school or with Rod. But even she had to think there was something to be redeemed.
Min-jae's experience must have really broken him. He saw Isabel in all her madness, seen Michael in his boisterousness, and Brendan in his apologetic state, and all he could feel was anger. It had been a rough week, and her friend was becoming transformed by all of this. She could tell in his body language, as he swung his arms around and continued to raise his voice with each line.
It was one line that really got Nadia.
I don't care why any of them did it. The important thing is that they did, and they're going to fucking pay. Every single one I can get my hands on.
Nadia remained stone-faced as he finished his rant. Her teeth clenched tight, and her hand gripped tighter on the chair leg. Jae finally decided to keep moving, allowing her to exit the frozen state she was in during his rant. Her eyes closed slightly as she stared at Jae beginning to walk away. She looked over her friend, and she finally realized what he had become.
Jae was gone. The friend she knew back in Arizona was lost to the game. He wasn't as much a necrophiliac as Will nor as rowdy as Jerry. Hell, he wasn't as vicious as Caedyn. But he was truly gone. He had written off the rest of the class, and he was going to continue to draw blood while he was here. Nadia knew now that staying with him would lead to violent situations, probably resulting in her death at the hands of someone like Caedyn or Isabel or Brendan. The smart thing to do would be to run from Jae as soon as possible, whether it was to get lost investigating some noise or wanting to check out a nearby building.
But as he started to walk, another thought came to Nadia. She left Jerry and Brendan to their devices, and they had killed people. Brendan killed two people after leaving the cabin, and Jerry killed the girl he ran off with when they separated. If she left Min-jae alone, he could kill someone else, whether they were on his hit list or not. She had been a casual observer of the game, but wasn't it her responsibility to at least save people if she could? Wasn't that the kind of person she wanted to be back home?
Everyone needs their one.
Nadia slowly followed after Jae, keeping her gaze to the back of his head. It would be easy. He was already weakened from numerous fights. All it would take was one forceful shove of the chair leg, enough to pierce a lung or his stomach, and it would be over. Then she could get his supplies and remove a potential threat to the island. Her chances of survival would increase, as would the chances of everyone else who could potentially meet Jae on the island. In a way, she'd be doing everyone a favor. She could even help Jae by freeing him from these feelings and thoughts.
Betrayal was supposed to send you to the ninth circle of Hell, but could she rationalize it like Jae had rationalized killing Samuel? Nadia thought about it for a moment. Once she did, she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She then raised the chair leg to her hip level, pointing it at Jae.
Yes. Yes I can.
It was for her sake, and for the sake of so many others on the island. For those reasons, she pushed the chair leg forward as quickly as she could towards Jae's back. This was her chance to do something about the game, and she wasn't going to waste it.
Min-jae's experience must have really broken him. He saw Isabel in all her madness, seen Michael in his boisterousness, and Brendan in his apologetic state, and all he could feel was anger. It had been a rough week, and her friend was becoming transformed by all of this. She could tell in his body language, as he swung his arms around and continued to raise his voice with each line.
It was one line that really got Nadia.
I don't care why any of them did it. The important thing is that they did, and they're going to fucking pay. Every single one I can get my hands on.
Nadia remained stone-faced as he finished his rant. Her teeth clenched tight, and her hand gripped tighter on the chair leg. Jae finally decided to keep moving, allowing her to exit the frozen state she was in during his rant. Her eyes closed slightly as she stared at Jae beginning to walk away. She looked over her friend, and she finally realized what he had become.
Jae was gone. The friend she knew back in Arizona was lost to the game. He wasn't as much a necrophiliac as Will nor as rowdy as Jerry. Hell, he wasn't as vicious as Caedyn. But he was truly gone. He had written off the rest of the class, and he was going to continue to draw blood while he was here. Nadia knew now that staying with him would lead to violent situations, probably resulting in her death at the hands of someone like Caedyn or Isabel or Brendan. The smart thing to do would be to run from Jae as soon as possible, whether it was to get lost investigating some noise or wanting to check out a nearby building.
But as he started to walk, another thought came to Nadia. She left Jerry and Brendan to their devices, and they had killed people. Brendan killed two people after leaving the cabin, and Jerry killed the girl he ran off with when they separated. If she left Min-jae alone, he could kill someone else, whether they were on his hit list or not. She had been a casual observer of the game, but wasn't it her responsibility to at least save people if she could? Wasn't that the kind of person she wanted to be back home?
Everyone needs their one.
Nadia slowly followed after Jae, keeping her gaze to the back of his head. It would be easy. He was already weakened from numerous fights. All it would take was one forceful shove of the chair leg, enough to pierce a lung or his stomach, and it would be over. Then she could get his supplies and remove a potential threat to the island. Her chances of survival would increase, as would the chances of everyone else who could potentially meet Jae on the island. In a way, she'd be doing everyone a favor. She could even help Jae by freeing him from these feelings and thoughts.
Betrayal was supposed to send you to the ninth circle of Hell, but could she rationalize it like Jae had rationalized killing Samuel? Nadia thought about it for a moment. Once she did, she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She then raised the chair leg to her hip level, pointing it at Jae.
Yes. Yes I can.
It was for her sake, and for the sake of so many others on the island. For those reasons, she pushed the chair leg forward as quickly as she could towards Jae's back. This was her chance to do something about the game, and she wasn't going to waste it.
There was a movement in the corner of Jae's vision.
He paused, started to turn and ask what was up, and as he turned the sharpened end of the chair leg tore into his side.
People kept proving him right in all the worst ways.
Jae let out a short, sharp yell of pain and swung the crossbow out like a bludgeon, feeling the impact as he stumbled back. He lost his balance and fell backwards, landing hard on his ass, the staff clattering off to the side somewhere.
In the confusion, he half-saw, half-sensed Nadia reel back and go for another swing, and he jerked the crossbow up and fired.
He paused, started to turn and ask what was up, and as he turned the sharpened end of the chair leg tore into his side.
People kept proving him right in all the worst ways.
Jae let out a short, sharp yell of pain and swung the crossbow out like a bludgeon, feeling the impact as he stumbled back. He lost his balance and fell backwards, landing hard on his ass, the staff clattering off to the side somewhere.
In the confusion, he half-saw, half-sensed Nadia reel back and go for another swing, and he jerked the crossbow up and fired.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Nadia's eyes widened as Jae turned right when she made her attack. Because of that, she only scratched the side of his torso. Jae's reaction was to swing the crossbow her way and nail her in the chest with it. This sent her stumbling back a bit, and also sent Jae to the ground. She could feel a stinging sensation in her chest. The tip of the bolt must have scratched her a bit. She'd have to deal with that in a bit, but she couldn't wait. Jae was down, and if she was to finish him, she had to do so before he could retaliate.
Unfortunately, Nadia discovered that she wasn't as fast as a crossbow bolt. She brought a stick to a sharpshooting contest, and now she was paying the price for it. The bolt flew through the air, hitting Nadia in her lower chest. She let out a cry, then fell backwards. She hit the floor of the bridge, dropping the chair leg to the ground.
She winced as she looked at the bolt in her stomach. She couldn't believe she had been shot with it. Blood was starting to seep out of the injury. She wasn't sure she could pull it out, but that didn't matter. Jae had wounded her, and she was sure this was going to be it. After five whole days of inaction, she was too weak to actually put up a fight, and now it had resulted in her death.
Well, not yet. Nadia sat up, keeping her hand over the wound, her fingers between the bolt sticking out. Her hand was getting warm with blood, but she had some things to say to Min-jae first.
"Okay, I see that wasn't a good idea," she said, her breathing starting to increase. "I guess I should have stuck to hiding."
Unfortunately, Nadia discovered that she wasn't as fast as a crossbow bolt. She brought a stick to a sharpshooting contest, and now she was paying the price for it. The bolt flew through the air, hitting Nadia in her lower chest. She let out a cry, then fell backwards. She hit the floor of the bridge, dropping the chair leg to the ground.
She winced as she looked at the bolt in her stomach. She couldn't believe she had been shot with it. Blood was starting to seep out of the injury. She wasn't sure she could pull it out, but that didn't matter. Jae had wounded her, and she was sure this was going to be it. After five whole days of inaction, she was too weak to actually put up a fight, and now it had resulted in her death.
Well, not yet. Nadia sat up, keeping her hand over the wound, her fingers between the bolt sticking out. Her hand was getting warm with blood, but she had some things to say to Min-jae first.
"Okay, I see that wasn't a good idea," she said, her breathing starting to increase. "I guess I should have stuck to hiding."
God what was happening, why this, why now-
Nadia sat up.
Oh god no please I didn't mean it
That was... it wasn't fatal. She was getting up, she would be fine.
They would kill each other.
Nadia was hurt, badly, but she was still getting up faster than Jae could. He let go of the crossbow and scrambled backwards out of her reach, not bothering to respond as she made some quip. He could hear the pain in her voice. He could see the blood running over her fingers.
Jae reached for the baton in his belt, keeping his eyes fixed on his last friend, who had betrayed him.
"Nadia-"
Nadia sat up.
Oh god no please I didn't mean it
That was... it wasn't fatal. She was getting up, she would be fine.
They would kill each other.
Nadia was hurt, badly, but she was still getting up faster than Jae could. He let go of the crossbow and scrambled backwards out of her reach, not bothering to respond as she made some quip. He could hear the pain in her voice. He could see the blood running over her fingers.
Jae reached for the baton in his belt, keeping his eyes fixed on his last friend, who had betrayed him.
"Nadia-"
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Nadia looked at Jae as he dropped the crossbow and moved back. He had some other weapon on his belt, but she closed her eyes and chuckled.
"Don't worry, I give up," she said to him, kicking the chair leg to the side. "I accept that I fucked up and am now paying the price for that mistake."
Nadia looked at her friend, studying every injury he had received and how frightened he looked. He was going to have a rough time from here on out. If she really was his friend, she needed to do something for him before the end.
"Min-jae, I'm sorry," she said. "I thought I could take you out before you realized it. I thought I could end your suffering and prevent any more chaos that would follow in your wake. But I think I get it now."
Nadia looked around the area. A thought came to her as she gazed around the bridge. There was someone who had made an impression on this bridge a few days ago, so maybe she could as well. Nadia began to walk towards the edge of the bridge, keeping her back to the edge and staring at Jae the entire walk over. She could feel more blood dripping down her chest and leaving a trail on the ground as she walked, but she kept her focus on her friend.
"This game is all about the choices we make. It's not just because people are shitty that they kill, but because they found that to be their only option in all this mess. You chose to kill Samuel because you decided it was for your survival. I decided to try and kill you because I thought I'd be preventing more deaths and because I'd be relieving you from all your pain. Looks like all I did was bring about my own end."
Nadia reached the edge. She stepped onto the ledge and stared at Jae.
"But I'm making one last choice. I won't let them credit you for this death. What happened here was my choice, and I'm owning it. I won't let them give everyone else reason to come after you. My time here has been about being sneaky and making choices that benefit myself, but I think I'll make one last choice to help someone else."
Nadia chuckled a bit.
"But, who am I kidding? I just want to fuck with the terrorists one last time."
Nadia raised her bloody hand to her head. She extended her index and middle fingers, tapping them to her forehead before she flicked her hand out. She smiled at Jae.
"Make sure you make the right choices, Min-jae. See you around."
Nadia closed her eyes and held her arms out to her side. She stepped back a bit, and in a second, she was no longer standing on the bridge. Nadia kept her eyes closed the entire way down. She didn't want to see any more of the island or the game. She wanted to use her last moments of consciousness to think about what mattered to her in her life. She thought of her family, of Roderick, and of her photography. She had done a lot with her short life, and at the very least she was allowed to create something one last time before the end. One last image that encompassed who Nadia Juliette Riva was and the life she lived before it was finally over.
Nadia soon hit the water. The impact caused her to lose consciousness, and in a few moments, she would be gone from this Earth. However, as her consciousness faded, taking her memories, her ideas, and her thoughts into the sea and the next world, she was still smiling.
After all, this was her masterpiece.
"Don't worry, I give up," she said to him, kicking the chair leg to the side. "I accept that I fucked up and am now paying the price for that mistake."
Nadia looked at her friend, studying every injury he had received and how frightened he looked. He was going to have a rough time from here on out. If she really was his friend, she needed to do something for him before the end.
"Min-jae, I'm sorry," she said. "I thought I could take you out before you realized it. I thought I could end your suffering and prevent any more chaos that would follow in your wake. But I think I get it now."
Nadia looked around the area. A thought came to her as she gazed around the bridge. There was someone who had made an impression on this bridge a few days ago, so maybe she could as well. Nadia began to walk towards the edge of the bridge, keeping her back to the edge and staring at Jae the entire walk over. She could feel more blood dripping down her chest and leaving a trail on the ground as she walked, but she kept her focus on her friend.
"This game is all about the choices we make. It's not just because people are shitty that they kill, but because they found that to be their only option in all this mess. You chose to kill Samuel because you decided it was for your survival. I decided to try and kill you because I thought I'd be preventing more deaths and because I'd be relieving you from all your pain. Looks like all I did was bring about my own end."
Nadia reached the edge. She stepped onto the ledge and stared at Jae.
"But I'm making one last choice. I won't let them credit you for this death. What happened here was my choice, and I'm owning it. I won't let them give everyone else reason to come after you. My time here has been about being sneaky and making choices that benefit myself, but I think I'll make one last choice to help someone else."
Nadia chuckled a bit.
"But, who am I kidding? I just want to fuck with the terrorists one last time."
Nadia raised her bloody hand to her head. She extended her index and middle fingers, tapping them to her forehead before she flicked her hand out. She smiled at Jae.
"Make sure you make the right choices, Min-jae. See you around."
Nadia closed her eyes and held her arms out to her side. She stepped back a bit, and in a second, she was no longer standing on the bridge. Nadia kept her eyes closed the entire way down. She didn't want to see any more of the island or the game. She wanted to use her last moments of consciousness to think about what mattered to her in her life. She thought of her family, of Roderick, and of her photography. She had done a lot with her short life, and at the very least she was allowed to create something one last time before the end. One last image that encompassed who Nadia Juliette Riva was and the life she lived before it was finally over.
Nadia soon hit the water. The impact caused her to lose consciousness, and in a few moments, she would be gone from this Earth. However, as her consciousness faded, taking her memories, her ideas, and her thoughts into the sea and the next world, she was still smiling.
After all, this was her masterpiece.
G004 Nadia Riva: Deceased
59 Students Remaining
59 Students Remaining
"Wait-!"
But then she had disappeared over the edge of the bridge, before Jae could even reach out to her.
The only sound on the bridge was the rush of the water and the distant crying of gulls, slowly over taken by Jae's incredulous, half-hysterical laughter.
Wasn't it fucked, that the last thing he ever expected now was for someone to own up and let go peacefully?
He pressed his hand over his mouth, but he couldn't keep the laughter from bubbling up. It was everything coming apart at the seams, now that he was out of tears and his throat still too raw to scream. Jae slammed his fist into the bridge, feeling the skin on one of his knuckles split and start oozing blood, before letting himself fall back and curl onto his side, the other hand still pressed over his mouth, still shuddering with hysterics.
Fucking Nadia, of course she got to go out with her middle fingers up and on her own terms. And she had forgiven him. His last friend, whom he had murdered.
You couldn't ever take anything back.
...He had to keep moving. God, if nothing else, be a selfish dick and think about how fucking cold it is up here. Once his shaking laughter had subsided, Jae crawled over to where the staff had rolled and used it to work himself back up to his feet. He moved to retrieve the crossbow but paused, and then picked up the table leg Nadia had been holding instead. He could see his blood on the sharpened edge of it, and the cut along his ribs stung in reminder.
"See you around," he muttered, and tossed it over the edge.
He stared after it for a long time, but he eventually turned away and gathered his things up, resuming his trek to the other side of the island.
Whatever choice he ended up making, he doubted Nadia would consider it the right one. None of his friends would, most likely. But he had made his bed, and he would have as many lifetimes as he needed to deal with the consequences after the fact. Just so long as he did something in this one that counted.
That was a choice too.
((Min-jae Parker continued in I know my soul's freezin', Hell's hot for good reason))
But then she had disappeared over the edge of the bridge, before Jae could even reach out to her.
The only sound on the bridge was the rush of the water and the distant crying of gulls, slowly over taken by Jae's incredulous, half-hysterical laughter.
Wasn't it fucked, that the last thing he ever expected now was for someone to own up and let go peacefully?
He pressed his hand over his mouth, but he couldn't keep the laughter from bubbling up. It was everything coming apart at the seams, now that he was out of tears and his throat still too raw to scream. Jae slammed his fist into the bridge, feeling the skin on one of his knuckles split and start oozing blood, before letting himself fall back and curl onto his side, the other hand still pressed over his mouth, still shuddering with hysterics.
Fucking Nadia, of course she got to go out with her middle fingers up and on her own terms. And she had forgiven him. His last friend, whom he had murdered.
You couldn't ever take anything back.
...He had to keep moving. God, if nothing else, be a selfish dick and think about how fucking cold it is up here. Once his shaking laughter had subsided, Jae crawled over to where the staff had rolled and used it to work himself back up to his feet. He moved to retrieve the crossbow but paused, and then picked up the table leg Nadia had been holding instead. He could see his blood on the sharpened edge of it, and the cut along his ribs stung in reminder.
"See you around," he muttered, and tossed it over the edge.
He stared after it for a long time, but he eventually turned away and gathered his things up, resuming his trek to the other side of the island.
Whatever choice he ended up making, he doubted Nadia would consider it the right one. None of his friends would, most likely. But he had made his bed, and he would have as many lifetimes as he needed to deal with the consequences after the fact. Just so long as he did something in this one that counted.
That was a choice too.
((Min-jae Parker continued in I know my soul's freezin', Hell's hot for good reason))
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."