((Aliya Kimia Nemati continued from Brood))
The morning had come and they had reluctantly moved on. Neither Bert nor Michael had returned at any point during the day. It stung and it sucked to move on. Aliya felt guilty about it, her brain feeding her images of the two returning together or individually to find no sign of them, being left adrift on an island that wanted them dead.
She didn’t feel good about the decision, but to an extent she tried to justify it. They had to move because there was a chance they could find others. There was a chance they could encounter Bert or Michael as they wandered. Aliya didn’t lie to herself though, she knew the chance of that scenario occurring were slim, so it didn’t make her feel any better. She still carried Bert’s bags though, just in case they got lucky.
The path had been easy to follow up to a point, but as soon as they had entered the part marked on the map as the upper wilds it had become a much more arduous journey. The trails were overgrown and hard to keep track of through the greenery. She had thought she saw signs of movement in the branches and eventually a small monkey had emerged from behind the leaves of a tall tree. It had gazed at them curiously from its perch until eventually growing bored and returning back to wherever it had originally come from. That encounter had been the highlight of their walk.
Aliya didn’t know what the exact time was, but she had roused Justin and Tony as soon as the sun had emerged. They’d then had breakfast or the closest approximation to breakfast they could manage with the food they’d been given. Since then they had been walking. As they continued their journey down an overgrown path Aliya stomped some vines down flat to the earth and pushed them to one side with her foot, clearing the way for her companions. The current trail they were following had tall trees on either side of it, they loomed over them, creating irregular patches of light and shade as the sun shone. Rays of light filtered through the canopy at an angle as the sun continued its ascent. Ferns and vines tried their best to engulf the path and reclaim it for nature, forcing Aliya to push past or push them down as she led the way.
It occurred to her that she hadn’t spoken for a while. Not since breakfast at the very least.
“How’re y’all doing back there?” She called as she squashed another large fern down.
Excursion
Day Two - Pre-announcement - Closed
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MK Kilmarnock
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That was... a question.
How was he doing?
This was far more walking than Justin was used to. The temperature was okay; the island had a generally warm climate but a wet one. The hotter it was, the better, but sleeping out in the open almost felt like swimming in soup. The humidity wasn't that much worse than Tennessee, but at least his room had a fan to keep the air moving. His feet hurt from walking and his hands were growing somewhat sore from holding the tire iron, but he refused to let go with it. He even slept with it clutched between his fingers. It hadn't seemed to make Aliya nervous. At least, Justin hadn't noticed her be nervous since the very beginning. He could only imagine what Tony was thinking.
His eyelids felt heavy and crusty. The night had not been overly cushy or comfortable, so he hadn't slept much. There wasn't much to rouse or wake, and though the sun wasn't high so it couldn't possibly be close to noon, the day seemed to drag.
If only he'd caught a glimpse of that monkey that was supposed to have crossed their path, at least that would have been something to break the monotony. But Justin was still mentally in the day prior, lost in thought when somebody got his attention. So of course when he looked up, the monkey was gone. Just his luck.
"I'm alright," he finally answered. "Just... tired. Tired of walking. What time is it, do ya think?"
How was he doing?
This was far more walking than Justin was used to. The temperature was okay; the island had a generally warm climate but a wet one. The hotter it was, the better, but sleeping out in the open almost felt like swimming in soup. The humidity wasn't that much worse than Tennessee, but at least his room had a fan to keep the air moving. His feet hurt from walking and his hands were growing somewhat sore from holding the tire iron, but he refused to let go with it. He even slept with it clutched between his fingers. It hadn't seemed to make Aliya nervous. At least, Justin hadn't noticed her be nervous since the very beginning. He could only imagine what Tony was thinking.
His eyelids felt heavy and crusty. The night had not been overly cushy or comfortable, so he hadn't slept much. There wasn't much to rouse or wake, and though the sun wasn't high so it couldn't possibly be close to noon, the day seemed to drag.
If only he'd caught a glimpse of that monkey that was supposed to have crossed their path, at least that would have been something to break the monotony. But Justin was still mentally in the day prior, lost in thought when somebody got his attention. So of course when he looked up, the monkey was gone. Just his luck.
"I'm alright," he finally answered. "Just... tired. Tired of walking. What time is it, do ya think?"
Truthfully it had been a terrible question to ask. Aliya had realized that at the time, but there wasn't any other way to start a conversation without it feeling dishonest. Talking about the walk, the weather, the night, all of it would have been empty platitudes, words without meaning. So while the question she had asked hadn't been good, it was the most honest and true one she could have asked, short of asking Justin how he felt about cracking Benny's head open.
For herself Aliya was fine. If you scaled her emotions and feelings to her situation she was alright. She was alive and unharmed therefore she was doing fine. Emotionally she was coping and that was alright too. The reality was that her emotional state was an hour to hour and minute by minute battle to remain calm and in control. It was bound to her place in the world and the truth was they existed outside of time now. When the rest of the world got to find out their final fate, everything they saw would be the past. Their actions would be viewed within the context of the terrorists succeeding. Time and reality weren't strictly applying to them as far as the rest of the world were concerned.
Breaking her out of her looping thoughts Justin gave as good an answer as she expected. They hadn't found Benny, Bert or Michael. Not that she was expecting to. Michael hadn't tried to hide the fact that he had no intention of returning. Bert she thought had more chance of returning but there it was also likely she had connected with other people. Still, Aliya had her bags, their contents untouched and Aliya didn't plan on opening them.
She held up and let Justine and Tony catch up. Shielding her eyes with a hand she looked up through the canopy at the sun, it was still relatively low in the sky.
"I'm not totally sure, but probably early morning. Maybe seven or eight?"
For herself Aliya was fine. If you scaled her emotions and feelings to her situation she was alright. She was alive and unharmed therefore she was doing fine. Emotionally she was coping and that was alright too. The reality was that her emotional state was an hour to hour and minute by minute battle to remain calm and in control. It was bound to her place in the world and the truth was they existed outside of time now. When the rest of the world got to find out their final fate, everything they saw would be the past. Their actions would be viewed within the context of the terrorists succeeding. Time and reality weren't strictly applying to them as far as the rest of the world were concerned.
Breaking her out of her looping thoughts Justin gave as good an answer as she expected. They hadn't found Benny, Bert or Michael. Not that she was expecting to. Michael hadn't tried to hide the fact that he had no intention of returning. Bert she thought had more chance of returning but there it was also likely she had connected with other people. Still, Aliya had her bags, their contents untouched and Aliya didn't plan on opening them.
She held up and let Justine and Tony catch up. Shielding her eyes with a hand she looked up through the canopy at the sun, it was still relatively low in the sky.
"I'm not totally sure, but probably early morning. Maybe seven or eight?"
(Tony Acardi continued from More like FART EXHIBITION)
Well, breakfast sucked. Just some kind of... protein bar? Energy bar? Tony didn't know what they called it. All he knew was that it tasted like cardboard, and he didn't have a ton of food, so that was all he could have for breakfast. He didn't consider himself a food snob even though he knew a lot about cooking, but that bar was just flat-out bad, which meant that his day was off to a bad start.
Well, okay, there were a lot of reasons why this morning was pretty bad, but that was just the most recent one.
They were trekking across whatever part of the island they were on, searching for something that Tony couldn't remember at the moment. Did they have a goal in mind? He didn't get much sleep last night, so details were fuzzy. All he knew for sure was they they were together right now, Michael and Bert weren't with them and they were trying not to die. Was he forgetting something? Probably, but that was for Alert Tony to figure out, not Groggy Tony.
"Time?" He caught on to what Justin had asked and reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, only to come up empty. It was a reflex, and one that quickly reminded him that his phone was no longer on his person. "Oh... shit." He faintly verbalized before looking up at the sky, the sun still in the process of rising above them. He answered more audibly. "Uh... morning, I guess. Really early in the morning."
Well, breakfast sucked. Just some kind of... protein bar? Energy bar? Tony didn't know what they called it. All he knew was that it tasted like cardboard, and he didn't have a ton of food, so that was all he could have for breakfast. He didn't consider himself a food snob even though he knew a lot about cooking, but that bar was just flat-out bad, which meant that his day was off to a bad start.
Well, okay, there were a lot of reasons why this morning was pretty bad, but that was just the most recent one.
They were trekking across whatever part of the island they were on, searching for something that Tony couldn't remember at the moment. Did they have a goal in mind? He didn't get much sleep last night, so details were fuzzy. All he knew for sure was they they were together right now, Michael and Bert weren't with them and they were trying not to die. Was he forgetting something? Probably, but that was for Alert Tony to figure out, not Groggy Tony.
"Time?" He caught on to what Justin had asked and reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, only to come up empty. It was a reflex, and one that quickly reminded him that his phone was no longer on his person. "Oh... shit." He faintly verbalized before looking up at the sky, the sun still in the process of rising above them. He answered more audibly. "Uh... morning, I guess. Really early in the morning."
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MK Kilmarnock
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Justin didn't have the heart to tell Tony that his response was basically useless in the face of a more specific one. He didn't have the heart for much else, either. It took about all the gumption he could sum up to get up on his feet. If they had found a comfortable bed to sleep on, he wouldn't have gotten up at all, but it was easier to divorce yourself from your pillow when it was made of stone.
He wished the sun was higher in the sky, and he didn't truly understand why he wanted so bad for the day to skip forward. Tomorrow wasn't going to hold anything better than today. If anything, things were only going to get worse as that inevitable truth of everybody dying around them became more tangible. Eventually, it would be one of them. Justin realized it could be him, and his life could end in an instant. Depending on some of the weapons they got, anything more sophisticated than his simple tire iron essentially, and he could die quite literally before he understood what was happening, or that somebody meant to hurt him... before he knew somebody was even there. He often found himself looking off at nothing but tree trunks, imagining somebody behind each one. The rustling from animals in the canopy became threats, and he looked up or outward more than straight ahead.
Why wish the day away when it meant more of the same?
He knew he was dreading something near, and soon, but couldn't pin exactly what. The further they got from today, specifically, the better.
He wished the sun was higher in the sky, and he didn't truly understand why he wanted so bad for the day to skip forward. Tomorrow wasn't going to hold anything better than today. If anything, things were only going to get worse as that inevitable truth of everybody dying around them became more tangible. Eventually, it would be one of them. Justin realized it could be him, and his life could end in an instant. Depending on some of the weapons they got, anything more sophisticated than his simple tire iron essentially, and he could die quite literally before he understood what was happening, or that somebody meant to hurt him... before he knew somebody was even there. He often found himself looking off at nothing but tree trunks, imagining somebody behind each one. The rustling from animals in the canopy became threats, and he looked up or outward more than straight ahead.
Why wish the day away when it meant more of the same?
He knew he was dreading something near, and soon, but couldn't pin exactly what. The further they got from today, specifically, the better.
Tony was a pleasant guy and everything but Aliya really couldn't help noticing that he didn't add much to conversations. It didn't feel fair to blame him for that though, he was probably dealing with his own issues, so she didn't comment on it. Not even to rib him a little. It didn't seem right. She had a good idea as to why, there was a noticeable tension amongst the three of them. It would do none of them any good if she needled at him.
"I hear that," She said, hand stifling a yawn as she continued to move forward. "It is very early."
It wasn't the earliest she'd had to get up. Aliya was lucky in that being a wrestler meant a lot of early starts, so she was used to it. It hadn't been that hard physically to drag her carcass up out of the makeshift bed. Emotionally, it was a different story. But she had managed, she was up, in control and ready to take on the day. That tension returned again as she lapsed back into silence, Justin didn't offer anything else to go off so the conversation petered out. As silence washed over them Aliya got to thinking.
Her thoughts covered the obvious things like what her plan was, what she do when she found Mercy or Jackson or someone like that. Distantly, she even wondered how Julien was coping with the situation. Then he thoughts circled around to what she would if the person she found was violent. Her immediate thought was to treat it the same as the situation with Justin but that wasn't a catch-all. She couldn't rely on talking her way out of everything. If someone was intent on attempting violence she would need to be able to defend herself. Images of Michael's gun, Justin's tire iron, and Bert's drill flashed in her mind. As well as the memory of the man saying that they'd each get a random weapon.
It was at that moment it occurred to Aliya that she had never checked what her weapon was.
At that same moment, there was a static crackle from their surroundings.
"Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Survival of the Fittest."
"I hear that," She said, hand stifling a yawn as she continued to move forward. "It is very early."
It wasn't the earliest she'd had to get up. Aliya was lucky in that being a wrestler meant a lot of early starts, so she was used to it. It hadn't been that hard physically to drag her carcass up out of the makeshift bed. Emotionally, it was a different story. But she had managed, she was up, in control and ready to take on the day. That tension returned again as she lapsed back into silence, Justin didn't offer anything else to go off so the conversation petered out. As silence washed over them Aliya got to thinking.
Her thoughts covered the obvious things like what her plan was, what she do when she found Mercy or Jackson or someone like that. Distantly, she even wondered how Julien was coping with the situation. Then he thoughts circled around to what she would if the person she found was violent. Her immediate thought was to treat it the same as the situation with Justin but that wasn't a catch-all. She couldn't rely on talking her way out of everything. If someone was intent on attempting violence she would need to be able to defend herself. Images of Michael's gun, Justin's tire iron, and Bert's drill flashed in her mind. As well as the memory of the man saying that they'd each get a random weapon.
It was at that moment it occurred to Aliya that she had never checked what her weapon was.
At that same moment, there was a static crackle from their surroundings.
"Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Survival of the Fittest."
Tony yawned audibly. He didn't want to be rude, but... well, it was hard to keep it bottled up when his body was still trying to get used to being awake. It was a pretty loud yawn, but it was nothing compared to the crackle of the loudspeakers, which actually managed to startle him when they came on. And unfortunately, he was then forced to listen to the voice of the bastard who decided that he would spend the morning mocking them about their now-dead classmates. The more Tony listened, the more he really wanted to punch the guy.
He wondered where the man on the announcements was, and if he had any bodyguards. If they had a fair fight, Tony was pretty sure that he could take him.
"This lesson is brought to you by Benedict Murray who collapsed hours after Justin Greene cracked his skull with a tire iron."
All of Tony's thoughts stopped dead in their tracks when he heard that statement boomiing across the island. Denedict... that was the guy they had seen earlier, right? And Justin... he was right here. Justin had hit Benedict, and now... they were on the announcements.
Oh... shit.
Tony looked to Justin, not wanting to say anything, but rather to see how the big guy would take it. He braced himself for whatever may come next.
He wondered where the man on the announcements was, and if he had any bodyguards. If they had a fair fight, Tony was pretty sure that he could take him.
"This lesson is brought to you by Benedict Murray who collapsed hours after Justin Greene cracked his skull with a tire iron."
All of Tony's thoughts stopped dead in their tracks when he heard that statement boomiing across the island. Denedict... that was the guy they had seen earlier, right? And Justin... he was right here. Justin had hit Benedict, and now... they were on the announcements.
Oh... shit.
Tony looked to Justin, not wanting to say anything, but rather to see how the big guy would take it. He braced himself for whatever may come next.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
They called his name and the sounds of feet trudging through the leaves and bushes came to a stop.
Justin tried to stare at nothing in order to think, an attempt thwarted solidly by the trees located all around them. His gaze continued to sweep a wide and zig-zagged path around him. Consciously, he didn't want to look at either Tony or Aliya. Subconsciously they were the proverbial moth drawn to the flame that would burn them the harshest. He caught Tony looking at him, glanced at Aliya. Nobody wanted to talk, but they all thought something. They had to be thinking something.
The voice over the intercom droned on, then cut off.
He felt... he felt.
What did he feel?
Justin's eyes asked this to the pebble near to his foot. He could have drummed up some dramatic reaction like screaming and throwing his bag, or bashing some inanimate object with the tire iron again until he powdered the bones in his hand. He could fall flat on his ass, look up at the sky and start weeping. Justin could have done any of those things and present company would have probably let him have it with the understanding he'd need time to cope. To... cope, with this revelation that he killed somebody, if that was something a boy his age should be expected to do. Of all his options, not one seemed the slightest bit genuine.
His mouth felt dry, Justin realized, and he ground his teeth while working his jaw to summon up enough spit just to wet his tongue. He could grab some water and swish that around, he thought. He didn't do that, but he thought about doing it. Too much work. Walking was too much work, too.
I'm a killer.
Nothing.
I murdered Ben. He's dead because of me.
Still nothing. Justin felt and did and said nothing.
Justin tried to stare at nothing in order to think, an attempt thwarted solidly by the trees located all around them. His gaze continued to sweep a wide and zig-zagged path around him. Consciously, he didn't want to look at either Tony or Aliya. Subconsciously they were the proverbial moth drawn to the flame that would burn them the harshest. He caught Tony looking at him, glanced at Aliya. Nobody wanted to talk, but they all thought something. They had to be thinking something.
The voice over the intercom droned on, then cut off.
He felt... he felt.
What did he feel?
Justin's eyes asked this to the pebble near to his foot. He could have drummed up some dramatic reaction like screaming and throwing his bag, or bashing some inanimate object with the tire iron again until he powdered the bones in his hand. He could fall flat on his ass, look up at the sky and start weeping. Justin could have done any of those things and present company would have probably let him have it with the understanding he'd need time to cope. To... cope, with this revelation that he killed somebody, if that was something a boy his age should be expected to do. Of all his options, not one seemed the slightest bit genuine.
His mouth felt dry, Justin realized, and he ground his teeth while working his jaw to summon up enough spit just to wet his tongue. He could grab some water and swish that around, he thought. He didn't do that, but he thought about doing it. Too much work. Walking was too much work, too.
I'm a killer.
Nothing.
I murdered Ben. He's dead because of me.
Still nothing. Justin felt and did and said nothing.
Aliya listened to all the names, hoping that one name, in particular, didn't show up. As it turned out she wasn't that lucky. Luckily she was facing away from Tony and Justin when Benny's name was read out, she then hoped that anyone else's' name followed it. Again, they weren't that lucky.
"Shit." She muttered. "Fucking shit."
The other names were all shocking in their own rights, as individuals, and as a collective. She hadn't been expecting that many. But if you were to ask her Aliya after the Benedict's was read out who else had died she wouldn't have been able to tell you straight away. Her main focus was on Benny's name, and Justins'. For an extra few moments, she focused on sorting through her bag and her thoughts. She started to think up ways to approach the situation they found themselves in. The last thing she wanted was Justin to think that he wasn't welcome. There was no way of sugar-coating it, Benny's death was his fault, but she didn't need to address that head-on. Justin would know it was his fault, she didn't need to rub his face in it.
It was partially her fault as well. She knew that Benny's head injury was serious but she didn't rush to help him. She'd just let him wander away and left it up to others to look after him. Other people who probably didn't have that much experience with concussions or stuff like that. But she hadn't done that, she'd actively made the choice to attempt to help Justin rather than the person he had hurt, and now that person wasn't anything anymore. She was going to have to live with that decision.
She finished moving items around inside her bag and closed it up. She looked over to Tony and then to Justin. A set of questions went through her mind but she didn't like any of them, all of them too obvious or tone-deaf. In the end, she settled for the only one that made any sense.
"Do you guys want to uh...take a few minutes?"
"Shit." She muttered. "Fucking shit."
The other names were all shocking in their own rights, as individuals, and as a collective. She hadn't been expecting that many. But if you were to ask her Aliya after the Benedict's was read out who else had died she wouldn't have been able to tell you straight away. Her main focus was on Benny's name, and Justins'. For an extra few moments, she focused on sorting through her bag and her thoughts. She started to think up ways to approach the situation they found themselves in. The last thing she wanted was Justin to think that he wasn't welcome. There was no way of sugar-coating it, Benny's death was his fault, but she didn't need to address that head-on. Justin would know it was his fault, she didn't need to rub his face in it.
It was partially her fault as well. She knew that Benny's head injury was serious but she didn't rush to help him. She'd just let him wander away and left it up to others to look after him. Other people who probably didn't have that much experience with concussions or stuff like that. But she hadn't done that, she'd actively made the choice to attempt to help Justin rather than the person he had hurt, and now that person wasn't anything anymore. She was going to have to live with that decision.
She finished moving items around inside her bag and closed it up. She looked over to Tony and then to Justin. A set of questions went through her mind but she didn't like any of them, all of them too obvious or tone-deaf. In the end, she settled for the only one that made any sense.
"Do you guys want to uh...take a few minutes?"
When Benny walked away, Tony had really been hopeful that the guy was going to make it. After all, he didn't bleed out or get reduced to pulp in front of them, so he figured that he had a pretty good shot of being okay, right? Unfortunately, he didn't remember that not everyone dies instantly. Now he had to wonder about any time he might get hurt. Who's to say when his death clock will start ticking without him knowing about it? He instinctively rubbed his head in response to that thought.
And now there was the issue of Justin. With the announcement that he was officially a killer, Tony actually felt bad for the guy more than anything, which surprised himself to adegree. Yeah, he had killed Benny, but... he didn't seem like a bad guy, and he had been pretty mellow since they calmed him down. And his reaction to the announcements was pretty harrowing. He didn't panic or protest. He just looked... empty. It was almost unnerving, but TOny didn't want to disturb him or make him feel worse. It was beyond obvious that the guy was already living with some shit, and he wasn't going to compound on it.
Tony nodded to Aliya's suggestion. "Yeah man, I think we could take a few. You know... some time to think, and stuff."
Tony was already thinking. While he didn't have any concrete plans set up in his head yet, there was one idea that he was definitely going to stick with, even if he didn't know what he was going to do with it yet. And that idea was simple.
He wanted to get off the island.
And now there was the issue of Justin. With the announcement that he was officially a killer, Tony actually felt bad for the guy more than anything, which surprised himself to adegree. Yeah, he had killed Benny, but... he didn't seem like a bad guy, and he had been pretty mellow since they calmed him down. And his reaction to the announcements was pretty harrowing. He didn't panic or protest. He just looked... empty. It was almost unnerving, but TOny didn't want to disturb him or make him feel worse. It was beyond obvious that the guy was already living with some shit, and he wasn't going to compound on it.
Tony nodded to Aliya's suggestion. "Yeah man, I think we could take a few. You know... some time to think, and stuff."
Tony was already thinking. While he didn't have any concrete plans set up in his head yet, there was one idea that he was definitely going to stick with, even if he didn't know what he was going to do with it yet. And that idea was simple.
He wanted to get off the island.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
"Yeah." Justin heaved a heavy sigh. It failed to remove any of the pressure inside of him. He felt a continuing need to sigh again, and knew there was no point in doing so. His lungs would just have to burn.
"Yeah, I need to think for a little bit."
He told them. Back then, there in the woods right after he'd woken up, he screamed to everybody how this was all going to go down and how it all had to end. It ended the same way every time. Some people held this idealism that they could wait it out and they could all be safe. It happened once, ten years ago. Some kids got out. Some of them were lucky enough, life just arbitrarily let them go. Justin would have called it 'fate', but that concept never sat well with him. What happened, happened. And maybe it could happen again. Maybe he could have thought about that in time to try and not let go of his hope.
But Benny was dead, and that hope died with him. Justin couldn't just go home the normal way anymore. What about going home in a box?
"Hey," he wheezed, glancing at a fallen log somewhere in the general vicinity of Tony. "What do you think they do with the bodies?" He couldn't remember from the news stories, if there was talks of the bodies ever being sent home. By the terrorists, that didn't seem likely. Or, did they just rot on the island until some ship arrived to recover them and bring them all home, like bringing back fallen Vietnam vets or something like that? There was still a strong possibility they were never recovered at all. "If you die, like, you never go home alive or dead," he rambled to continue the thought.
He already called it. The only way forward.
"Yeah, I need to think for a little bit."
He told them. Back then, there in the woods right after he'd woken up, he screamed to everybody how this was all going to go down and how it all had to end. It ended the same way every time. Some people held this idealism that they could wait it out and they could all be safe. It happened once, ten years ago. Some kids got out. Some of them were lucky enough, life just arbitrarily let them go. Justin would have called it 'fate', but that concept never sat well with him. What happened, happened. And maybe it could happen again. Maybe he could have thought about that in time to try and not let go of his hope.
But Benny was dead, and that hope died with him. Justin couldn't just go home the normal way anymore. What about going home in a box?
"Hey," he wheezed, glancing at a fallen log somewhere in the general vicinity of Tony. "What do you think they do with the bodies?" He couldn't remember from the news stories, if there was talks of the bodies ever being sent home. By the terrorists, that didn't seem likely. Or, did they just rot on the island until some ship arrived to recover them and bring them all home, like bringing back fallen Vietnam vets or something like that? There was still a strong possibility they were never recovered at all. "If you die, like, you never go home alive or dead," he rambled to continue the thought.
He already called it. The only way forward.
Aliya thought. She thought of home and her sisters. Her friends. She thought of what it meant to live in her situation. What the correct and good thing to do was. She thought about the application of morals and how they really applied. She mainly thought about not breaking down though. It was a tough ask. Tony and Justin had both agreed to take a few but Aliya had secretly been hoping they wouldn't, she didn't blame them at all, she had just been hoping they could keep moving. It was a blatant attempt at distraction, she was going to try and hide that truth. But she needed something to do.
It had been tough. Maybe it was self-inflicted, she believed it was to an extent. It wasn't like Justin or Tony had asked her to take the lead, she had given herself that role. They were independent human beings after all. They could look after themselves to a degree. The thing was she felt responsible for them, so any pressure she felt was pressure she was putting on herself. It was a selfish pressure, but the alternative felt equally selfish. There was no way she was just going to ditch two people. That wasn't a real option for her.
Justin spoke up and she looked over from where she had been stood. She had been wandering around the area some, taking it all in. He mentioned the bodies and what would happen to them and by the same token to they themselves as well she guessed. It was a cheerful topic as any.
"I...don't really know to be honest."
It did make her realize that she was probably not going to get buried properly. Which...bothered her, it was hard to explain the exact reasons why besides the overwhelming feeling of wrongness it gave her. It was an overhanging dread, it sat there now she was aware of it. Just lurking.
"I guess that's why the monuments are a thing huh?"
It had been tough. Maybe it was self-inflicted, she believed it was to an extent. It wasn't like Justin or Tony had asked her to take the lead, she had given herself that role. They were independent human beings after all. They could look after themselves to a degree. The thing was she felt responsible for them, so any pressure she felt was pressure she was putting on herself. It was a selfish pressure, but the alternative felt equally selfish. There was no way she was just going to ditch two people. That wasn't a real option for her.
Justin spoke up and she looked over from where she had been stood. She had been wandering around the area some, taking it all in. He mentioned the bodies and what would happen to them and by the same token to they themselves as well she guessed. It was a cheerful topic as any.
"I...don't really know to be honest."
It did make her realize that she was probably not going to get buried properly. Which...bothered her, it was hard to explain the exact reasons why besides the overwhelming feeling of wrongness it gave her. It was an overhanging dread, it sat there now she was aware of it. Just lurking.
"I guess that's why the monuments are a thing huh?"
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
"Yeah." Still empty, still hollow. Barely Justin.
There are no bodies in the ground where those monuments stand. The Vietnam wall gets more and more company each year, every four years, however long it took for this to happen and however long it was going to take for it to happen again. And just like that wall, all that remains are the names and, in some instances, the faces. They're immortalized on the internet as some creepy shock footage for kids to look up and send each other if they're being particularly ghoulish. Some freak gets off to it in his mother's basement.
They won't be buried on the island, either. That's too much time and effort. Burial at sea. Cremated. Just left to rot. Didn't matter which of the feasible options were left, because they were all so, so less desirable than the one option he saw left, and he took it.
But he couldn't take it from Aliya, who had done so much to try and help. Tony was, for whatever reason he felt, safe in that moment too. The leaves crunched under Justin's feet when he turned to run.
With any luck, he'd never see either of them alive ever again.
((Justin Greene, continued in Someone get me off this merry go round called life))
There are no bodies in the ground where those monuments stand. The Vietnam wall gets more and more company each year, every four years, however long it took for this to happen and however long it was going to take for it to happen again. And just like that wall, all that remains are the names and, in some instances, the faces. They're immortalized on the internet as some creepy shock footage for kids to look up and send each other if they're being particularly ghoulish. Some freak gets off to it in his mother's basement.
They won't be buried on the island, either. That's too much time and effort. Burial at sea. Cremated. Just left to rot. Didn't matter which of the feasible options were left, because they were all so, so less desirable than the one option he saw left, and he took it.
But he couldn't take it from Aliya, who had done so much to try and help. Tony was, for whatever reason he felt, safe in that moment too. The leaves crunched under Justin's feet when he turned to run.
With any luck, he'd never see either of them alive ever again.
((Justin Greene, continued in Someone get me off this merry go round called life))
They were talking about what would happen to their bodies after they died on the island. Tony didn't want to think about that shit. Why? Because they weren't dying on that island, or at least he wasn't dying on that island. That wasn't the way he was gonna go out. The terrorists wanted one thing, and he wanted another, and unfortunately for the terrorists, Tony was stubborn as fuck.
"Chill, guys. We ain't gonna die. You know why?"
Tony wished that he could have finished what he was saying, but Justin bolted before he could get to the second part. Just up and ran away, trampling the ground under his feet as he did everything he could to get away from Tony and Aliya. TOny, for his part, was completely baffled. What did they do? Did they scare him or something? "He looked in the direction that Justin had charged off in great confusion before turning to Aliya.
"You wanna go after him?"
"Chill, guys. We ain't gonna die. You know why?"
Tony wished that he could have finished what he was saying, but Justin bolted before he could get to the second part. Just up and ran away, trampling the ground under his feet as he did everything he could to get away from Tony and Aliya. TOny, for his part, was completely baffled. What did they do? Did they scare him or something? "He looked in the direction that Justin had charged off in great confusion before turning to Aliya.
"You wanna go after him?"
Tony started talking but before he could make any point Justin turned and bolted.
"Motherfu-" Aliya began but cut herself off as she took off at a sprint after Justin, undergrowth being crushed underfoot.
"Yes!" She snapped back at Tony.
((Aliya Kimia Nemati continued elsewhere...))
"Motherfu-" Aliya began but cut herself off as she took off at a sprint after Justin, undergrowth being crushed underfoot.
"Yes!" She snapped back at Tony.
((Aliya Kimia Nemati continued elsewhere...))
V8
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine
Aracelis Fuentes
California “Cali” Fox
Darryl Smith Jr.
Jessica Romero
Roberta “Robbie” Woodvine