((Katrina Lavell continued from What a Lovely Day))
Katrina pushed the bike along the path, trying to keep it from tipping over. She let one hand free so she could wipe sweat off her brow. It had been a bit of an exhausting morning for the trio. They were already planning to leave the village early so they could move on, when the announcements came on. It was more names for the list, mostly women. Katrina was a bit shocked when she heard Teresa died, killed by Blaise. That was one less person who wanted Katrina and Willow dead, so while it was terrible to think of it, it was a bit of a relief that she wouldn't come back again.
Of course, the village was then made a danger zone, so the three of them had to hurry out. Katrina was almost prepared to dump the bike, but her bags were already on the bars so it felt easier to just run out with it than waste time untangling straps from the handlebars. But they all made it out okay, so it was fine.
After walking for a while, Katrina looked ahead and noticed the lake up ahead. She hadn't been here yet, and she felt a bit of a relief. It was a bit cooler over here, and it seemed quite still and deserted.
"Okay, I think we can rest for a bit," Katrina said to her companions.
She leaned the bike against a tree and stared at the lake. The announcement said there were only 30 people left, so with 1/10th the remaining people at this lake, the chances were they'd get some time to themselves. After all, Katrina was a little more clearheaded today than yesterday.
7 Rings
Day 11 late morning. Open
Two more people.
Faith and Michael.
Then, Willow could die.
((She continued from her past thread.))
The fermented stench that emanated from her bag was a reminder of her second plan. It was more a personal one, surprisingly selfless for the girl who robbed someone on the first day. But it was her plan, and she was going to stick to it as badly as she could. She just needed to get better at collecting, she didn't know how she could get better at it, but she needed to try.
The days were getting shorter. It was hard to describe. The first couple of days were long and hard. Now? They were short. Willow was getting used to this, it wasn't something she like to admit. Well, she never really liked to admit anything but this was worse than the usual suspects.
But she had her plan and she had her goals and she had to stick to that. She had to do it for Sierra and Roxie, whose leg was getting pretty heavy, and everyone else who had died. That was the goal. She was going to gun for it no matter the cost. It only made sense.
"So.... 30 people left, uh?" She said sitting down. "I'm totally going to die soon."
Faith and Michael.
Then, Willow could die.
((She continued from her past thread.))
The fermented stench that emanated from her bag was a reminder of her second plan. It was more a personal one, surprisingly selfless for the girl who robbed someone on the first day. But it was her plan, and she was going to stick to it as badly as she could. She just needed to get better at collecting, she didn't know how she could get better at it, but she needed to try.
The days were getting shorter. It was hard to describe. The first couple of days were long and hard. Now? They were short. Willow was getting used to this, it wasn't something she like to admit. Well, she never really liked to admit anything but this was worse than the usual suspects.
But she had her plan and she had her goals and she had to stick to that. She had to do it for Sierra and Roxie, whose leg was getting pretty heavy, and everyone else who had died. That was the goal. She was going to gun for it no matter the cost. It only made sense.
"So.... 30 people left, uh?" She said sitting down. "I'm totally going to die soon."
(Zachary Beck, continued from What a Lovely Day)
It had been a major test of patience for Zach to reach this point. After a day spent in the cabin, talking about this and that, and when the girls decided to leave the village, he complied and followed, staying wary in case one of them (namely Willow) decided to try and make a move. Good thing they left when they did, as the announcements had declared the village as a danger zone. It was worth wearing out his sandals a little further in order to stay alive.
The announcements came on as usual. They noted that thirty students are still alive on this island. Top thirty. Wow. Zach never thought he would make it this far. He thought back to his complaining back on the first day. How the Carter brothers, Johnny Ruiz, and Jackson Sullivan would find him and kill him, how Demetri called him an idiot. Zach cracked a slight grin on his face as he dwelled on the fact that he had outlasted those assholes.
As for the announcements themselves, Zach was surprised to hear how Teresa was killed by Blaise, after she had drowned Violet Schmidt. Teresa was with Michael right? Shit. Wonder what that guy’s up to.
Willow remarked how she was gonna die soon as she took a rest. Zach sighed heavily, still kind of giddy over the fact he survived for so long.
“Honestly, I can’t believe I’m still alive,” Zach said, taking a seat next to her, “I thought I was screwed from day one.”
It had been a major test of patience for Zach to reach this point. After a day spent in the cabin, talking about this and that, and when the girls decided to leave the village, he complied and followed, staying wary in case one of them (namely Willow) decided to try and make a move. Good thing they left when they did, as the announcements had declared the village as a danger zone. It was worth wearing out his sandals a little further in order to stay alive.
The announcements came on as usual. They noted that thirty students are still alive on this island. Top thirty. Wow. Zach never thought he would make it this far. He thought back to his complaining back on the first day. How the Carter brothers, Johnny Ruiz, and Jackson Sullivan would find him and kill him, how Demetri called him an idiot. Zach cracked a slight grin on his face as he dwelled on the fact that he had outlasted those assholes.
As for the announcements themselves, Zach was surprised to hear how Teresa was killed by Blaise, after she had drowned Violet Schmidt. Teresa was with Michael right? Shit. Wonder what that guy’s up to.
Willow remarked how she was gonna die soon as she took a rest. Zach sighed heavily, still kind of giddy over the fact he survived for so long.
“Honestly, I can’t believe I’m still alive,” Zach said, taking a seat next to her, “I thought I was screwed from day one.”
B018: Ned Jackson- 
G039: Yuki Hayashibara- 
B034: Zachary Beck- Katrina sighed as she stared out at the lake. She could hear Willow and Zach talking. They were just as surprised to be in the Final 30 as she was. She didn't like hearing Willow's comment though. She turned back to her friend.
"Hey, you don't know that," Katrina said. "You still have a chance of surviving. You have to at least try."
Zach mentioned he thought he was screwed from Day One. Katrina sighed again.
"Yeah, Day One was the worst," Katrina mentioned. "It seems so long ago."
Katrina walked back to the bike and removed the bags from the handlebars and set them on the ground. She began to search through one of them.
"How much water do we have left?" she asked aloud. "If we're low, we may want to consider refilling with the lake. I don't know how clean it is, but it's water. May as well try."
"Hey, you don't know that," Katrina said. "You still have a chance of surviving. You have to at least try."
Zach mentioned he thought he was screwed from Day One. Katrina sighed again.
"Yeah, Day One was the worst," Katrina mentioned. "It seems so long ago."
Katrina walked back to the bike and removed the bags from the handlebars and set them on the ground. She began to search through one of them.
"How much water do we have left?" she asked aloud. "If we're low, we may want to consider refilling with the lake. I don't know how clean it is, but it's water. May as well try."
Willow didn't stand a chance to survive. Implying anything else was intellectually dishonest. But Katrina had good intentions, so Willow let it slide. She wasn't in the mood to argue about how she would die to Katrina because in the end, it wouldn't matter. Soon, she'll find Willow dead and Katrina would need to compute with that. It wouldn't be her problem anymore.
But the water, that was a common problem. Willow wasn't going to be shot to death, but she wouldn't die of dehydration either. Something about the lines of a slow, feverful death where dreams and reality collides particularly did not enchant Willow. She wanted something more than that.
"About that, Kat," Willow pointed her bags, "there's iodine tablets in the first aid kits, you just have to put it inside and... mix it? I'm not sure."
Willow's eyes wandered back toward Zach. She smiled, knowing that she would be left alone with him. She turned her head back toward Katrina, "there's probably the instructions in it."
She put her hands against her hips. This was going to be a fun day. She would make it happen.
But the water, that was a common problem. Willow wasn't going to be shot to death, but she wouldn't die of dehydration either. Something about the lines of a slow, feverful death where dreams and reality collides particularly did not enchant Willow. She wanted something more than that.
"About that, Kat," Willow pointed her bags, "there's iodine tablets in the first aid kits, you just have to put it inside and... mix it? I'm not sure."
Willow's eyes wandered back toward Zach. She smiled, knowing that she would be left alone with him. She turned her head back toward Katrina, "there's probably the instructions in it."
She put her hands against her hips. This was going to be a fun day. She would make it happen.
Yeah, Zach would rather ration the amount of water he has left than take his chances with dirty ass water from the lake. He probably, six left, maybe? It had been a while since he did a count on his supplies. Still, he was sure he had plenty of food and drink to last another day, maybe two.
“Either of you want any protein bars?”, Zach asked. He needed to butter them up a bit before making his move.
Zach reached into his bag and dug for a couple protein bars. He brought out his billhook during the process. He also brought out a tin of crackers.
“What would I give for a fucking pop-tart right now,” Zach said.
Zach looked back and forth between Willow, her bag, Katrina at the lake, and the protein bar he was trying to offer Willow. He needed something to get through the rest of this game. He just needed to play his cards right.
“Either of you want any protein bars?”, Zach asked. He needed to butter them up a bit before making his move.
Zach reached into his bag and dug for a couple protein bars. He brought out his billhook during the process. He also brought out a tin of crackers.
“What would I give for a fucking pop-tart right now,” Zach said.
Zach looked back and forth between Willow, her bag, Katrina at the lake, and the protein bar he was trying to offer Willow. He needed something to get through the rest of this game. He just needed to play his cards right.
"Okay, thanks for the tip," Katrina said to Willow.
Katrina went through her bags. There weren't a lot of water bottles left. Even taking into account the ones they raided from Sierra, Roxie, Jonathan and Emmett, as well as the empty bottles they held onto, there wasn't a whole lot of water left. They probably had at least four or five days left here at the rate they were going, and if they were going to last longer, they'd have to deal with the bottom of Maslow's Hierarchy in hopes that it gave them even a momentary advantage. Katrina was a heavy water drinker back home due to her active lifestyle and her skin care routine, so she was used to being able to drink plenty per day.
She also searched through the first aid kit and found the iodine Willow was talking about. There was a plastic bottle that looked like it was filled with vitamins. The label had some instructions on it, so Katrina smiled.
"Okay, yep, this is it," she told the other two.
She gathered the iodine bottle and a few of the empty water bottles.
"I'm gonna quickly fill these and start purifying them," she said. "I'll just be over there, so stay safe."
Katrina walked over to the lake's edge and knelt down, dipping the first bottle into the lake. She couldn't hear Willow and Zach completely, but she knew they were still close. She really hoped they had her back as she took care of this errand.
Katrina went through her bags. There weren't a lot of water bottles left. Even taking into account the ones they raided from Sierra, Roxie, Jonathan and Emmett, as well as the empty bottles they held onto, there wasn't a whole lot of water left. They probably had at least four or five days left here at the rate they were going, and if they were going to last longer, they'd have to deal with the bottom of Maslow's Hierarchy in hopes that it gave them even a momentary advantage. Katrina was a heavy water drinker back home due to her active lifestyle and her skin care routine, so she was used to being able to drink plenty per day.
She also searched through the first aid kit and found the iodine Willow was talking about. There was a plastic bottle that looked like it was filled with vitamins. The label had some instructions on it, so Katrina smiled.
"Okay, yep, this is it," she told the other two.
She gathered the iodine bottle and a few of the empty water bottles.
"I'm gonna quickly fill these and start purifying them," she said. "I'll just be over there, so stay safe."
Katrina walked over to the lake's edge and knelt down, dipping the first bottle into the lake. She couldn't hear Willow and Zach completely, but she knew they were still close. She really hoped they had her back as she took care of this errand.
"Nah," Willow winked, "you be safe."
She turned around, her smile gone. Her eyes however had a glint of nervousness that she didn't like showing. She didn't need to be nervous, she had rehearsed this in her head several times. She knew what she was doing when she killed Sierra, when she attacked Teresa, this was the safe.
This was rehearsed, trained. Like a gymnast, the movements that would follow were engraved in her muscle memory as she started to enact that routine. Whether it was the lack of artistry or the possibility that her plan would fail, Willow started to speak. Maybe she babbled a bit more than she'd like, but it gave the audience, the people at home sitting at the edge of their seat, something to latch on as she delivered.
"Cut the shit," she said monotonously, "what do you want?"
She pointed her bag.
"Is it the gun?"
She pointed herself.
"Is it me?"
She pointed the camera, overlooking them like a hawk waiting for its prey.
"Is it a kill?"
Her voice didn't have anger in it, but it did have spite. It was a common emotion nowadays.
"What do you want?" She repeated, this time her voice dropping an octave.
She turned around, her smile gone. Her eyes however had a glint of nervousness that she didn't like showing. She didn't need to be nervous, she had rehearsed this in her head several times. She knew what she was doing when she killed Sierra, when she attacked Teresa, this was the safe.
This was rehearsed, trained. Like a gymnast, the movements that would follow were engraved in her muscle memory as she started to enact that routine. Whether it was the lack of artistry or the possibility that her plan would fail, Willow started to speak. Maybe she babbled a bit more than she'd like, but it gave the audience, the people at home sitting at the edge of their seat, something to latch on as she delivered.
"Cut the shit," she said monotonously, "what do you want?"
She pointed her bag.
"Is it the gun?"
She pointed herself.
"Is it me?"
She pointed the camera, overlooking them like a hawk waiting for its prey.
"Is it a kill?"
Her voice didn't have anger in it, but it did have spite. It was a common emotion nowadays.
"What do you want?" She repeated, this time her voice dropping an octave.
It seemed Willow could see through him like a glass vase. Zach took back the protein bar he tried to offer and looked Willow directly in the eye.
“Okay,” Zach said in a hushed tone, “I might as well come out and say it. I need a better weapon. That hatchet is not gonna be enough.”
He pointed towards the billhook.
“You got anything with a little more ‘oomph’?”, Zach asked.
“Okay,” Zach said in a hushed tone, “I might as well come out and say it. I need a better weapon. That hatchet is not gonna be enough.”
He pointed towards the billhook.
“You got anything with a little more ‘oomph’?”, Zach asked.
"Perfect!" She said smiling. "You've stumbled at the right place at the right time because so do I!"
She bent down grabbing the gun. It was heavy and she hated it. She knew weapons were meant to be heavy to look scary and harsh and brutal, but Willow still hated it. She liked the stungun because of that. It was small and she could easily hide it on her. That gun though? That wasn't going to happen anytime.
Plus, she needed to get rid off some weight anyways.
"So I want your hatchet, you want my gun," she pulled out two fingerguns, "wanna' do a trade?"
She bent down grabbing the gun. It was heavy and she hated it. She knew weapons were meant to be heavy to look scary and harsh and brutal, but Willow still hated it. She liked the stungun because of that. It was small and she could easily hide it on her. That gun though? That wasn't going to happen anytime.
Plus, she needed to get rid off some weight anyways.
"So I want your hatchet, you want my gun," she pulled out two fingerguns, "wanna' do a trade?"
Well, fuck. Never figured Willow would be so compliant. The gun she presented looked like a cross between a musket and a revolver. Where the hell do the terrorists find these things? Zach stared in awe, pulling back his hand when he realized he was reaching for it. He looked at Willow, his eyebrow raised.
“Hold up,” Zach said, “what’s the catch? This thing looks pretty handy, why would you wanna part with it?”
Why would someone part ways with something like this in their arsenal? Was it broken? Was it a fake? This was looking way too good to be true.
“Hold up,” Zach said, “what’s the catch? This thing looks pretty handy, why would you wanna part with it?”
Why would someone part ways with something like this in their arsenal? Was it broken? Was it a fake? This was looking way too good to be true.
"It's too heavy for me," she said bluntly. It was the truth. That thing was about half her weight. Well, the hatchet also looked heavy but that was different. She had different ideas about it. "Plus I know you can handle yourself with it."
Her tone was sweet. Too sweet. It betrayed her flattery. Willow knew this, and everyone else in the world should know this by now, but she didn't mind it. It was a honest gift to someone that was clearly dishonest. She bit her lips, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. There was something about her movement that was uncanny, and she hated it. She just wanted to act natural for once, not robotic like her nature.
"I was there after what happened at the lighthouse..." She hugged herself with one arm, "I actually saw everything... I don't blame you for it. Kat and I cleaned up the bodies with... Catherine...? Oh, and Sierra."
That name was still painful to utter. It was never going to be easy to say and she hated it. That weakness would be her downfall if she continued to flaunt it around like a peacock.
"I just saw what you could do, and I want to see more, you know?" There weren't tears in her eyes, but there was something else. Anxiety? Fear? Sadness? She didn't know. "I'm pregnant and- and I'm scared, you know? Don't think I can go home, but I'll try my best, you know? If I can't go home then...."
Stabbing. Shooting. They were the same thing. People had to kill. Willow couldn't kill anyone reliably. She lacked in that. She needed people to do it for her, which greatly pained her.
"I want someone who deserves it, you know?" She wasn't lying. She hated it. "If it's not Katrina, I'd rather it be you. So here, a gun. To help."
Her tone was sweet. Too sweet. It betrayed her flattery. Willow knew this, and everyone else in the world should know this by now, but she didn't mind it. It was a honest gift to someone that was clearly dishonest. She bit her lips, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. There was something about her movement that was uncanny, and she hated it. She just wanted to act natural for once, not robotic like her nature.
"I was there after what happened at the lighthouse..." She hugged herself with one arm, "I actually saw everything... I don't blame you for it. Kat and I cleaned up the bodies with... Catherine...? Oh, and Sierra."
That name was still painful to utter. It was never going to be easy to say and she hated it. That weakness would be her downfall if she continued to flaunt it around like a peacock.
"I just saw what you could do, and I want to see more, you know?" There weren't tears in her eyes, but there was something else. Anxiety? Fear? Sadness? She didn't know. "I'm pregnant and- and I'm scared, you know? Don't think I can go home, but I'll try my best, you know? If I can't go home then...."
Stabbing. Shooting. They were the same thing. People had to kill. Willow couldn't kill anyone reliably. She lacked in that. She needed people to do it for her, which greatly pained her.
"I want someone who deserves it, you know?" She wasn't lying. She hated it. "If it's not Katrina, I'd rather it be you. So here, a gun. To help."
The lighthouse. Zach hadn’t thought about that place in a while. A whole bunch of memories rushed back to the incident. The shooting, the blood, the syringe plunged into Bree’s chest.
Willow’s sweet tone felt disingenuous. But, there was a hint of something familiar to Zach. Could it have been fear, or regret? Whatever it was, Zach could empathize.
“You really want, to help me?”, Zach asked puzzled. He had no problems accepting a free weapon, but the motive certainly threw him off.
Willow’s sweet tone felt disingenuous. But, there was a hint of something familiar to Zach. Could it have been fear, or regret? Whatever it was, Zach could empathize.
“You really want, to help me?”, Zach asked puzzled. He had no problems accepting a free weapon, but the motive certainly threw him off.
"Yeah," she nodded, in a way, she didn't add.
Zach took the gun from Willow. It was heavy, just as she said. Zach felt like he had just been given a birthday present he never knew he wanted. A wave of relief had washed over him. As well as a sense of power he had given up when he found Sean again. He felt ready. Ready to fight.
“So, any idea on how to use it?,” Zach asked, “Is it like a revolver, you put bullets in the chamber, and fire?”
He inspected the gun like he was a customer in a gun shop, asking questions about his intended purchase.
“Any bullets?”
“So, any idea on how to use it?,” Zach asked, “Is it like a revolver, you put bullets in the chamber, and fire?”
He inspected the gun like he was a customer in a gun shop, asking questions about his intended purchase.
“Any bullets?”