Paradise

[Ares]

Everything felt hot. A steady stream of heat made it's way down Joey's torso. It seemed to happen all in slow motion. The misses on his swings. Hearing what he hoped was the noise that would lead to a hit, then the feeling of one of the swords being taken from him. All in slow motion including this heat.

Joey spun around with the momentum of the blow and placed his now free hand to chest to his mid-section. When he pulled his hand back, even through the slowly dissipating smoke screen, he could see the deep crimson coating his palm and fingers. That was when the pain of the blow struck. That was when the realization that he'd been hurt struck him. Every short breath that Joey took caused the pain to intensify.  Through it all he heard Mara's words.

"RAARGGH!"

Joey screamed again as his left arm went back to clutching his wound, and his right arm made a swoop towards the girl.  A thick puff of the smoke clouded his vision as his hand moved towards his target, but he didn't need to see to feel that his blow landed. He heard the girl's cry of pain, but he couldn't stop. If he was going to get off this island, he had to win, and he had to win fast, because the blood was coming from his chest wound at a rapid pace. His forearm was now coated too.

With a deep painful breath, Joey reared his sword back again and took another swing.

[NotAFlyingToy]

In a way, it felt more right to be waiting for Zubin to appear then to seek him out. He'd been the instigator so many times during his time on the island, been the pushing factor and the motivator for so many confrontations. In a way, it was settling to be able to drop to one knee next to a picnic table, shifting his weapon to either side of the gazebo in turn, waiting for Zubin to poke his head out.

And when Zubin did, Hansel was the first to fire, though he knew the second he pulled the trigger that the shot was wide, slamming into the gazebo wall. He fumbled with the gun, the pain in his chest suddenly blooming, KK's knife wound making itself known and fighting against him. It was almost as if she was suddenly there, throwing her weight against his arm, making the act of cocking the hammer again seem herculean.

All at once, he felt like the lives he'd taken, the people who'd fought and died by his hand were pressing in on his lungs, his chest, his shoulders - the burden overwhelming, exhausting. All at once, his left hand sang with pain, fire spreading up his throat, blooming at his face. The wounds - superficial and emotional - began bleeding again in a crimson harmony that made him sag against the picnic table, rifle uncocked, eyes drooping.

All the while the recognition of what was happening, the crisp, clear certainty of mind battling against failure of body, wracked through him.

I can't, I can't, I can't as he sagged against the picnic table, his eyes locked on Zubin's as he dropped the rifle, KK's chest wound forcing him to hunch over.

I can't.

[decoy73]

A gunshot cracked from where Hansel probably was. Zubin ducked back behind his hidey-hole before looking out towards where he heard the shot from. Nothing. He kept down while trying to cross over to the gazebo where Hansel should be.

Bingo

Hansel was lying there, holding onto the rifle while leaning on the picnic table.It was almost like he wanted to be caught. Or, at least, he was in a position where he couldn't prevent himself from escaping harm's way. Either way, it was actually a prime position for anyone to finally take down the Beast.

So he finally took two steps forward, grabbed Hansel's rifle, and pulled with his left hand, while pushing Hansel down with his right foot.

Just need to make sure of this before I do it ...

[Ruggahissy]

Mara was stunned by the oozing, gruesome wound that she'd opened up on Joey. All she saw was a flash of metal cutting through the smoke and felt stinging that burned into her chest. A second slice came at her and she recovered enough to swing her sword up to intercept the blow. She succeeded, but felt her sword hook catch on the other hook and fly out of her hand. Both weapons disappeared into the clouds like the rest of the park.

She fell backwards from the blow and the pain. Mara squeaked and gasped, putting both hands on her chest and the part of her left arm that had gaps in flesh where blood was filling in the space.

It was hard to keep her eyes open. It felt like she was continuously being sliced. This was soon augmented by a pressure around her neck, the feeling of a second collar. She couldn't breathe. Mara looked up to see Joey straddling her, fingers digging into her throat as his blood poured all over her from his center.

But this can't be it.

Her fingers fruitlessly tried to work their way between Joey's. Mara bucked, twisted and kicked with all her strength, but it wasn't enough. There was a dimness creeping in at the edges of her consciousness and her digits were were going numb.

[Ares]

Joey's heart felt like it was going to explode. He had to end it now.

He put every ounce of anger he had into keeping his hands pressuring Mara's throat. His grip tightened as he leaned his weight forward.

Suddenly, a coppery taste filled his mouth. He coughed, spraying blood downwards. The crimson substance coated his lips as it slowly flowed. Joey's body was going into panic mode. He felt his chest heave as he coughed again, the pain of which caused his grip to lessen slightly.

That was all Mara needed. As Joey's body crumpled again with his next gurgling cough of blood. Mara's feet shot up through Joey's legs and planted themselves on his wounded chest. Using every bit of force she could, Mara launched Joey off of her onto the ground.

Joey recoiled into himself in pain again. The coughing fits were not stopping. It felt like his whole body was having spasms. The wound to his chest had not slowed it's flow of blood. Joey tried to speak. Tried to let out some indication of the pain his body was in, but only a gurgling noise from the blood in his mouth managed it's way out.

From the prone position on his side, and through the shaking of his muscles, he could make out the blurred image of Mara. Eyes widened and pupils dilated, Joey extended his arm towards her. He tried desperately to move his body towards the girl. He coughed again. He had to get to her. His arm extended out in front of him. He had to finish it. His heart beat faster. He could still get out of here. His body shook violently as his arm dropped to the ground. He could still...

B70 - Joey Grey - ELIMINATED

[NotAFlyingToy]

An arm - a weighty arm - pressed against his chest as Zubin kicked him down, the phantom limb pressing tight against his ribcage and radiating white heat that made his skin crackle and burn. KK was here somewhere, a personal ghost that continued to haunt him, a consequence taking its pound of flesh from his hide.

The fall from Zubin's kick seemed to take forever, and on the way down he saw his bloody stump of a hand, a flash of gore on the grass, a wrench embedded in an enemy's skull. He felt the body shock of a person between him and a wall, the teeth-rattling impact of a knife re-directed.

It wasn't Zubin that he saw as he fell - not really. He saw legions of judgement, twisted and hating faces that all seemed to scream at him, abuse him verbally in the scant moments between getting hit and hitting the ground. Zubin's face melted and shifted into Joe's, Michael's, Marcus', Mallory's. It shifted to Andi's and Garrett's, twisted into Tyler's and Virgil's.

He saw the island in that moment.

The impact of the ground at his back jarred him back to the present as Zubin now held his rifle, and all he managed to do was jerk to the side - a futile gesture - in defense.

[decoy73]

Zubin looked at the rifle in his hand, and at the former owner. He then looked behind himself, and threw the gun as far as he could. Turning back towards Hansel, he realized that there was only one thing to do.

Zubin pointed the submachine gun at Hansel and pulled the trigger. The kickback was a little much, and he took a couple steps back in surprise, but he realized one thing.

I just took down Hansel Williams. I just took down HANSEL WILLIAMS.

The fact was, Zubin didn't really know what to feel. Queasy, at actually taking a life? Elated, now that the game's biggest killer had been taken down? Pride that he had been the one to do it? Whether the pride was from overcoming the odds, or just taking out the villain?

Shaking his head, Zubin looked to the side and saw something.

"Mara." He walked towards her. There was a body close to her, likely the fourth guy, Joey.

It's just us. He and her. For the grand prize of ... living.

"So, Looks like this is it, huh?"

[Ruggahissy]

The feeling of numbness was creeping up her fingers and toes, reaching up and trying to seize her heart. Her lungs ached and she involuntarily tried to breathe as Joey's fingers dug into her neck, crinkling and cracking parts of her small throat.

Beams of light pierced the smoke that curled around them. If she could only reach the light past the hazy cover she knew she would be free. As the seconds passed, she felt the numbness spread up her digits to her hands, making it harder to try to wrench Joey away from her.

He began coughing violently and flecks of his blood splattered her face. For a moment his grip went loose and she took the respite. Mara gasped and picked her legs up, now also slippery and soaked in Joey's blood, and kicked him as hard as she could.

She felt a rush to her head and black splotches faded in and out in her vision. Although she never thought herself possessing the physical strength to so much as land a punch, Mara kicked Joey off of her and sent him rolling to the side.

As soon as she was free Mara began taking gasping, sputtering breaths punctuated by coughs. She felt around her neck and face with trembling, blood soaked hands.

Across from her she saw Joey struggling to reach her. She looked at him and was frightened by his determination to kill her.  When they had met she was the savage and he was calm, collected. Summer haunted her again as another classmate used their dying moments to try and take her with them.

Mara tried to speak, but the only sound that came out was a pained squeak.

Don't hate me. You must hate me for this.

His tense hand was outstretched, trying to reach her and finish the job he'd started and nearly finished. Mara reached out and grabbed his hand, holding onto it tightly until he gave up trying to get to her. He was still.

Mara rolled onto her side, gasping for air and watching her torn up chest rise and fall as she held on to consciousness. There was the sound of gun shot again, and then someone was walking towards her. When she was certain who it was, she felt the bile rise.

"Z-zu-" she said before succumbing to a coughing fit. She shot him a look of defiance and contempt. He wasn't just some relic-like a reminder of home now or some harmless weirdo like when she'd encountered him before. All that was left was her withering contempt at the thought of losing to him.  

[NotAFlyingToy]

There was suddenly a suction cup on his back, keeping his lower back pressed against the earth as Zubin stood over him, looking pale and slightly colourless as the SMG raised to point down at him. Hansel saw himself from above, staring down at the two of them as Zubin's finger curled around the trigger, felt his throat go raw from screaming at his bloody, wounded counterpart, lying pathetically on the grass floor of the park. He saw barely a man curled there - bandaged face, missing fingers, seemingly more gauze and will than flesh and bone.

He saw wounds - starting with Theo's, moving to Mallory's bruise and Ray's insults to Virgil's amputation and KK's stabbing. He felt as though he should be experiencing pride at how long he lasted, success in some measure for managing to drag his way this far, but all he felt was a bone dry weariness, an exhaustion that seeped into all elements of his being.

He felt as though he'd just ran a marathon through glass, having taken every shortcut, every obstacle, every single jarring step, only to realize at the very end that there was the option to walk along the path of pillows and they neglected to tell half of the contestants.

He saw himself raise an open hand, spreading his fingers wide as Zubin's finger continued curling, his mouth opening in a croak as he said "Wait-"

A crack of thunder.

Flash he was yelling in a forest on his back as crimson stained leaves were around him and he was forcing out the word faggot as the little fucking coward starting sprinting away from him

Flash he was walking stone-faced towards the fresh corpse of a classmate under the angry stares and loud voices of the small crowd that had gathered around it

Flash he was opening fire on a duo from atop a hill

Flash he was lying on his back, bleeding from the stomach, bleeding from his chest, bleeding from his face his hands his shoulder and suddenly rage gripped him as he saw this man who thought he could waltz to the finish line, not having suffered, not having to do anything other than come in at the end and pull a fucking trigger-

His hand twitched as it shifted, dragged across the earth towards the back of his waistband. He shifted, trying to roll as his hand gripped at the hard object digging into his back, reaching for the SMG buried there. Hooking two fingers on it, he pulled, his arm screaming with pain as the gun was freed and he fell flat on his back again, the SMG resting beneath his hand.

He exhaled, breathing slowly, carefully.

Then, he rotated the SMG so that the barrel faced Zubin's back, lifted it slightly, and pulled the trigger.

[decoy73]

Okay, maybe she wasn't in the best of shape. She needed some help if they were going to end this with either of them alive.

"Ya need help? If we're going to be going at it, I'd like you to actually be able to ... " Zubin then spun around and fell on the ground, face up. He tried to push himself up and

Oh, shit. That was painful. His stomach really hurt, and felt wet, and ...red?

Zubin looked around desperately, seeing Mara in front of him, and somewhat behind him, when he was able to crane his head far enough was

Hansel, holding something black in his hands, like a

No.

Zubin desperately looked around for the weapon that he had dropped somewhere and crawled to it.

No! I can't lose like this.

He reached for his gun, gripped it in his hands. The pain was starting to fade now.

I am not going to die.

He aimed at Hansel. He was so dizzy. Just had to hold on as he squeezed the trigger. Just have to pull the trigger ... just need to keep it up and pull ...

MALE STUDENT #9 - ZUBIN WADIA: ELIMINATED

2 STUDENTS REMAIN

[Ruggahissy]

Zubin started saying something and approached her. Mara felt like she might vomit. She looked at him and saw his mouth moving, but didn't hear whatever it was.

She squeezed her eyes shut and tensed up. There was the loud sound of a gunshot. Mara opened her eyes.

Alive still

Zubin had joined her on the ground. To her left was Joey and to her right lay Zubin. Mara shifted onto her back and looked at the sky. The purple still hung in the air, mixing with the orange light and coloring the area a bruised shade.

Her head felt light and as she took a deep breath she could feel it travel all throughout her body, unwinding her muscles.

She felt like she never wanted to move again. A moment passed while she mentally prepared to move. Mara rolled painfully onto her hands and knees and crawled forward. About ten feet away from Joey was, her slashed bag with Summer's m4 carbine nearby. It had never gone far.

"You've always been there," she said as she reached for it. Slowly, she propped it up. Her hands took hold of the gun, digging it into the ground, and started climbing. The pain was being swept away by her concentration on the task. Her fingers fumbled and her socks slipped in the grass, but the gun helped until she was standing.

Mara swallowed a metallic gulp and stood tall, covered head to toe in blood and looking across the park. In the distance, across a golden lake of grass, she saw him.

[NotAFlyingToy]

It was difficult to keep his eyes open, harder still to keep himself upright. A clubbed, gauze-wrapped hand gripped tight to the picnic table, his arm shaking with effort as his torso lay draped against the wooden bench. He couldn't gain his feet, the distance between himself and Zubin's corpse seeming insurmountable, and so shifted, dragging his back across the wood until he was fully facing Mara.

Zubin's last gunshot had hit home, and a sudden and terrifying coldness was stealing over his ribcage, flooding the gauze already present with more scarlet. The thunder and lightning of the bullet joined the remainder of his wounds in an immaculate chorus that sang in tandem, vibrating across his body and making his eyes heavy, limbs weak.

It all seemed so inevitable, now. His ability to get up after a fight, soldier on, carry the weight and drag it with him had abandoned him, a tool that was overused and improperly maintained collapsing under itself. Hansel made peace with that fact, let it steel him for what was to come.

She - Mara - started towards him across a field awash with a sunset glossed in a purple haze, and he prepared to accept her.

[Ruggahissy]

Mara took one step forward. The gun dangled from her left hand, dragging along the ground behind her. Though it seemed like just one step, when she put her next foot down she'd advanced five feet. Her gaze locked onto him, waiting to see if his focus would waver.

The park became a sea of soft water colors melting together. The trees, benches, and flowers all dripped into each other, but he remained clear as she took great leaps forward in time and space.

The gun was so heavy. She tried to lift it while she continued towards her goal, but  it was impossible. There was no strength left. That was that. Mara's eyes lit up as her fingers bloomed, unraveling from around the weapon. It disappeared and drifted off behind her.

The one

Mara stopped inches from Hansel. Her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest and flop around on the grass in front of them. She was beginning to hyperventilate but bit her lip and controlled her breathing.

"It's over," she said, trembling. "B-- but... at least..."

It wouldn't be so bad, would it? She smiled sunnily, closed her eyes and lowered her head.

[NotAFlyingToy]

His head felt like a bowling ball as he nodded, a slow, steady up-down motion that - somehow - sent fire to his stomach, tendrils of pain reaching towards his hip. He eyed her, the putrid, coppery scent of blood and stench of moisture fermenting from his mouth and the gauze that wrapped him tight.

He wasn't sure if the SMG was still in his hand, had to glance towards it to double-check. The way he was stretched against the bench of the picnic table, he'd need to fall from his position in order to shoot up at her. The idea was familiar - compromising his dignity for a shot at survival - and one he'd chosen before, easily, with no hesitation.

He made the choice this time with careful thought and a cautious eye towards her, watching her bowed head, her grubby appearance, the purple smoke billowing and lingering around her, like she'd just walked out of a fire.

She had, he realized.

They both had.

He made the choice, tossed the SMG to the side, and leaned his head back against the wood, exhaling towards the setting sun.

[Ruggahissy]

Something clattered. Mara opened one eye tentatively. He threw his gun away.

"Hillbilly idiot," she murmured. "You saved me. Again."

Her eyes filled up with tears and her legs folded underneath her. She floated to the ground and landed next to him.

"Wh-- what now? What can we do?"

All she felt was her heart like a rock in her body, weighing her down. She looked up at him desperate for an answer that would lead to the end. She was tired of fighting and tired of running.

"But I don't know how to escape. I can't run anymore. I thought you knew the way out. I -- ...I thought you knew.."

Blood and tears started trickling down her face.