((Nate Chauncey continued from Horizon))
Nate was starving hungry. She hadn't had a bite to eat since the start of all this, and although it was true the artist could occasionally lose herself in her work enough to forget about food, not eating anything for ... what, a day and a half, two days? That wasn't great. It sucked, in fact. At the very least she'd got hold of some water earlier, but that didn't compensate for the now-constant gnawing in her stomach. She tried to focus on something else, but when Nate tried that, her thoughts just drifted back to either getting shot at, and the other reason that she was wearing this dumb outfit...
...Marvia was dead now. Nate shivered. What the other girl had done had been nothing short of horrible, and the scratches and bites on her body were strong reminders of that, but... Nate hadn't wished her dead because of it. She didn't have it in her to wish somebody dead. That was just wrong. But regardless of what Nate had thought, Marvia was dead - the only person other than Michael she'd had any real interaction with. Bad interaction, but it had at least been...
Nate flinched at those memories. She'd been used, hurt badly. Drugged. She'd been made to feel insignificant, and Nate didn't have the tolerance to deal with insults.
She stopped walking, closed her eyes, and hurled the rifle to the floor.
Fuck this, just... fuck this.
Crunch
A voice echoes from Nate's collar...
"Natalie - I can call you Nate right? Well, Nate, listen, you've got the tool, your firearm. A powerful one at that. All those other suckers, would kill to have a weapon like that. I mean that literally. Hide out somewhere and let them come to you. Then you take them out of the running! You're the last of the team left. Everyone else is an enemy. They think we're pushovers right? That we have nothing left to offer? Well we'll show them. Yesiree, Pete Finch and Nate girl are your future heavy weight champs, I tells ya."
"Natalie - I can call you Nate right? Well, Nate, listen, you've got the tool, your firearm. A powerful one at that. All those other suckers, would kill to have a weapon like that. I mean that literally. Hide out somewhere and let them come to you. Then you take them out of the running! You're the last of the team left. Everyone else is an enemy. They think we're pushovers right? That we have nothing left to offer? Well we'll show them. Yesiree, Pete Finch and Nate girl are your future heavy weight champs, I tells ya."
The voice, the voice from before...
Goddammit Nate just wished he'd leave her the fuck alone. Didn't he get it? Didn't he understand a thing? She didn't WANT to be involved in this, she didn't WANT to be here. Being made to think about hurting people - killing people, being hurt or killed herself. Nate so desperately wanted to crawl back into her little bubble of isolation she'd lived in back... back, well, before.
Nate's mouth twisted painfully, the memory hitting her like a knife to the gut. Or getting shot at. Or getting bitten on the thigh (the bruise still throbbed painfully now and then, a humiliating reminder). All her paintings... would she ever be able to finish any of them? Would any of her songs ever make it anywhere? She'd dreamed of that, both at night and in lieu of concentrating on her actual work. The lyrics made sense to her, and she was who mattered for her singing. So long as she was happy, somebody else would see that, and somebody else would care, and maybe that other person would find somebody else to care, and it would just...
Spread.
That dream tasted like ashes right about now.
And that thought, minor as it was, finally broke Nate.
She flopped to her knees, shoulders shuddering, shaking... and tears beginning to spill from her eyes as she broke down into sobs.
Goddammit Nate just wished he'd leave her the fuck alone. Didn't he get it? Didn't he understand a thing? She didn't WANT to be involved in this, she didn't WANT to be here. Being made to think about hurting people - killing people, being hurt or killed herself. Nate so desperately wanted to crawl back into her little bubble of isolation she'd lived in back... back, well, before.
Nate's mouth twisted painfully, the memory hitting her like a knife to the gut. Or getting shot at. Or getting bitten on the thigh (the bruise still throbbed painfully now and then, a humiliating reminder). All her paintings... would she ever be able to finish any of them? Would any of her songs ever make it anywhere? She'd dreamed of that, both at night and in lieu of concentrating on her actual work. The lyrics made sense to her, and she was who mattered for her singing. So long as she was happy, somebody else would see that, and somebody else would care, and maybe that other person would find somebody else to care, and it would just...
Spread.
That dream tasted like ashes right about now.
And that thought, minor as it was, finally broke Nate.
She flopped to her knees, shoulders shuddering, shaking... and tears beginning to spill from her eyes as she broke down into sobs.
((April Stone continued from April Showers))
She hadn't exactly gotten far from the last time she'd stopped to take a break, but somehow, the intense heat was almost making her regret throwing that bottle of disgusting water against a hill to burst and never be seen again. Almost. It wouldn't be an issue for much longer, she told herself. She hoped with everything she had that she would stumble into her friends again, but somehow she doubted it. The island was big, even for the fact that the entire thing was a single resort. The hotel was a goal, but it was a short term goal, and one that would be achieved relatively shortly. It was a better idea to occupy her mind with planning than continuing to reminisce, so that's exactly what she would do. But what could she possibly plan from here? Everyone was gone. Jhamel, Brenda, Jeanette, she had absolutely no way of tracking a single one down.
And that's when she heard a faint noise. One that she was having a hard time identifying... but if she had to take a guess, it almost sounded like... Crying?
Her friend's face flashed through her mind. It might not be Jeannie out there, scared and alone, but it could be. And even if not... what kind of a person wouldn't at least investigate? With a confident stride, doing her best to not betray her intentions to the cameras, she began to turn towards the source of the sound, making her way to the poor girl. If she couldn't save Jeanette from herself, the very least she could do was...
Nothing.
She shook her head. Just leave it all behind.
She hadn't exactly gotten far from the last time she'd stopped to take a break, but somehow, the intense heat was almost making her regret throwing that bottle of disgusting water against a hill to burst and never be seen again. Almost. It wouldn't be an issue for much longer, she told herself. She hoped with everything she had that she would stumble into her friends again, but somehow she doubted it. The island was big, even for the fact that the entire thing was a single resort. The hotel was a goal, but it was a short term goal, and one that would be achieved relatively shortly. It was a better idea to occupy her mind with planning than continuing to reminisce, so that's exactly what she would do. But what could she possibly plan from here? Everyone was gone. Jhamel, Brenda, Jeanette, she had absolutely no way of tracking a single one down.
And that's when she heard a faint noise. One that she was having a hard time identifying... but if she had to take a guess, it almost sounded like... Crying?
Her friend's face flashed through her mind. It might not be Jeannie out there, scared and alone, but it could be. And even if not... what kind of a person wouldn't at least investigate? With a confident stride, doing her best to not betray her intentions to the cameras, she began to turn towards the source of the sound, making her way to the poor girl. If she couldn't save Jeanette from herself, the very least she could do was...
Nothing.
She shook her head. Just leave it all behind.
Nate wasn't sure how long she cried for - was amazed she even had the hydration to squeeze a tear out - it might have been minutes, might have been hours. She cried for that broken dream, she cried because she was hungry and thirsty, she cried because she was alone and for once truly felt lonely, she cried because she was afraid and hurting. She cried because she wanted to go home.
Nate was still sobbing when she heard the swishes of footsteps through the grass. Her head jerked up like it was on a marionette string, and she let out a gasp. Somebody was here somebody was here.
Scrambling backwards, the skinny girl grabbed her rifle, shuffling along the ground on her backside - feeling too jelly-legged to even stand. The vague thought passed through her panicked mind that she recognised the person turning to walk towards her, but Nate was too caught up in the fear and her own sorrow to really register the face.
She just wanted to be left alone. Why was it so hard to get away?
Nate was still sobbing when she heard the swishes of footsteps through the grass. Her head jerked up like it was on a marionette string, and she let out a gasp. Somebody was here somebody was here.
Scrambling backwards, the skinny girl grabbed her rifle, shuffling along the ground on her backside - feeling too jelly-legged to even stand. The vague thought passed through her panicked mind that she recognised the person turning to walk towards her, but Nate was too caught up in the fear and her own sorrow to really register the face.
She just wanted to be left alone. Why was it so hard to get away?
April found the source of the tears. As she had suspected, it was not Jeanie. Though she had been pretty sure about the probable results of her search, it was still a disappointment. She didn't want to think of Jeanie out there alone, didn't want to think about Peter, either. This was all too much. It was crazy and awful and it hurt, and she just wanted her friends back. She wanted to be somewhere where she wouldn't have to worry about where she'd find water to drink. She wanted her life back.
Instead, she got this crying girl, dressed in... whatever that was. Did everyone on this show feel the need to strip for the cameras? Or was this girl just that kind of person beforehand? No, wait, April knew her. This wasn't one of the Detroit people. It was someone who most definitely did not belong in that sort of outfit, at least, not in April's mind.
Nate, that was her name, right? She was backing away, seemingly terrified, holding a gun that she looked totally incapable of using. She looked scared and hurt, and April could see some of Jeanie in her at that moment, could see another scared, barely-dressed girl with a weapon but without a clue what to do with it.
"Hey," she said. "It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you."
Instead, she got this crying girl, dressed in... whatever that was. Did everyone on this show feel the need to strip for the cameras? Or was this girl just that kind of person beforehand? No, wait, April knew her. This wasn't one of the Detroit people. It was someone who most definitely did not belong in that sort of outfit, at least, not in April's mind.
Nate, that was her name, right? She was backing away, seemingly terrified, holding a gun that she looked totally incapable of using. She looked scared and hurt, and April could see some of Jeanie in her at that moment, could see another scared, barely-dressed girl with a weapon but without a clue what to do with it.
"Hey," she said. "It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you."
-
MurderWeasel
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A voice echoes quietly from April's collar...
"It's just you now, April. The others on your team are gone. You need to be very, very careful if you're going to survive. I understand wanting to be kind, but don't let yourself get taken in. Think before you act."
"It's just you now, April. The others on your team are gone. You need to be very, very careful if you're going to survive. I understand wanting to be kind, but don't let yourself get taken in. Think before you act."
"I don't-" Nate's breath caught, she shook her head, inhaled, then started again. "I don't care. Just go, just leave me a-alone, okay?"
Everything she'd touched since getting here had turned to shit. More precisely, everyONE who had touched her had just plain been shit, from Marvia to the person that had shot at her to the shifty guy at the geyser to Masked Michael. What creative way would THIS next visitor find to fuck things over for her? It didn't matter how, cause the track record showed the trend.
Best to just get her away, and quickly, and not open herself to any more pain.
She just... all Nate had wanted was a little time to herself. Well, maybe a lot of time to herself. But compared to back home, she'd simply had no respite. She was a private person, and she'd been exposed again and again and in the worst way possible.
And she was sick of it, and she wanted this girl to go away.
Nate tried to stand, clutching the rifle to her chest, stumbled, fell back onto the ground again.
Everything she'd touched since getting here had turned to shit. More precisely, everyONE who had touched her had just plain been shit, from Marvia to the person that had shot at her to the shifty guy at the geyser to Masked Michael. What creative way would THIS next visitor find to fuck things over for her? It didn't matter how, cause the track record showed the trend.
Best to just get her away, and quickly, and not open herself to any more pain.
She just... all Nate had wanted was a little time to herself. Well, maybe a lot of time to herself. But compared to back home, she'd simply had no respite. She was a private person, and she'd been exposed again and again and in the worst way possible.
And she was sick of it, and she wanted this girl to go away.
Nate tried to stand, clutching the rifle to her chest, stumbled, fell back onto the ground again.
The voice from April's collar told her she was alone. It told her the others were gone, the others on her team. Which team? Her assigned team, most likely. The only one the people watching cared about. That meant Brenda was gone, though. Just like that, one of the people April had met, had traveled with and laughed with, was gone. It was unreal. People were just being taken away from her, and she couldn't even see them to say goodbye. It had been like that with Peter, too.
And now, she was alone, without anyone to count on, without anyone else she could survive with.
No, she could count on Jeanie. She just had to find her, had to help her. She had to hope she wasn't too late. Every second here was a moment of the search wasted, but she couldn't just leave Nate. She couldn't just let this girl stay here, panicking, maybe in trouble herself. Nate had a gun, was trying to scare her away. She clearly had no idea what she was talking about. She was, in a way, like Jeanie, lost and confused and hurt by the game.
"It's alright," she said. She couldn't believe her collar's insinuations, couldn't accept that something like this was a trick. "You don't have to be afraid. You don't have to... cling to that."
She gestured at the rifle, hoping her point would be clear enough.
And now, she was alone, without anyone to count on, without anyone else she could survive with.
No, she could count on Jeanie. She just had to find her, had to help her. She had to hope she wasn't too late. Every second here was a moment of the search wasted, but she couldn't just leave Nate. She couldn't just let this girl stay here, panicking, maybe in trouble herself. Nate had a gun, was trying to scare her away. She clearly had no idea what she was talking about. She was, in a way, like Jeanie, lost and confused and hurt by the game.
"It's alright," she said. She couldn't believe her collar's insinuations, couldn't accept that something like this was a trick. "You don't have to be afraid. You don't have to... cling to that."
She gestured at the rifle, hoping her point would be clear enough.
April spoke again, and for whatever reason, this time the words actually made it through Nate's fearful haze this time. Clouded, tear-streaked eyes cleared up a little, and for the first time she actually looked at the other girl. She was alone, she didn't look armed and she had a look of genuine concern on her face. This... this wasn't another Marvia. This wasn't Michael, pretending to be nice yet hiding himself behind a mask. This was... somebody actually looking out for her? Worried?
Slowly, Nate got her knees, still unsteady, but now with a determination brought on by sheer wonderment. Standing up, Nate teetered like a newborn foal, remaining still until she was properly confident of her footing. Then she painstakingly made her way over to April, what just might have been a smile appearing on her face. Nate didn't put the sniper rifle down, but she now held it in just one hand, the muzzle dragging along the grass as she hobbled towards the other girl.
"I... well... thank you. It's just... lot of bad stuff."
Nate hefted the gun again, holding it in both hands once again, showing it to April. Nodded to it. "Sorry about the - you know. I got given it, like, at the start bit. Been scared."
Biting her lip, the tears threatened to come once again. "I ran into somebody... dead now. Beat me up. Stole my things. Left me with... this," Nate gestured to her clothes. She omitted the rest. She didn't want to talk about what she'd been drugged into.
"B-but I'm glad that yo-"
It was stupid. Monstrously stupid.
All she did was lose her footing and fall straight forward. A trip, just unsteady legs again... you name it.
Sheer fluke.
But fortune cuts in two different ways.
This was of the 'mis' variety.
Nate fell.
As she fell, her hands tightly gripped the Dragunov.
As her hands gripped the gun, her fingers curled around the trigger.
As her fingers pulled the trigger, the gun fired.
And as the gun fired?
It was pointing directly at April Stone's head.
Slowly, Nate got her knees, still unsteady, but now with a determination brought on by sheer wonderment. Standing up, Nate teetered like a newborn foal, remaining still until she was properly confident of her footing. Then she painstakingly made her way over to April, what just might have been a smile appearing on her face. Nate didn't put the sniper rifle down, but she now held it in just one hand, the muzzle dragging along the grass as she hobbled towards the other girl.
"I... well... thank you. It's just... lot of bad stuff."
Nate hefted the gun again, holding it in both hands once again, showing it to April. Nodded to it. "Sorry about the - you know. I got given it, like, at the start bit. Been scared."
Biting her lip, the tears threatened to come once again. "I ran into somebody... dead now. Beat me up. Stole my things. Left me with... this," Nate gestured to her clothes. She omitted the rest. She didn't want to talk about what she'd been drugged into.
"B-but I'm glad that yo-"
It was stupid. Monstrously stupid.
All she did was lose her footing and fall straight forward. A trip, just unsteady legs again... you name it.
Sheer fluke.
But fortune cuts in two different ways.
This was of the 'mis' variety.
Nate fell.
As she fell, her hands tightly gripped the Dragunov.
As her hands gripped the gun, her fingers curled around the trigger.
As her fingers pulled the trigger, the gun fired.
And as the gun fired?
It was pointing directly at April Stone's head.
It was getting better. Nate was calming down. She was listening, coming forward, losing that scared look. She was thanking April. April had done something good, had helped someone. It wasn't Jeanie, and it wasn't Peter, but it still felt good. It was still something. It gave her hope. Jeanie could still be out there, somewhere. April could still find her, could still make things better. It was too late for Peter, and that was awful, and it was too late for everyone else on April's team, and that was awful too, but there were others left. There were more people than just her and Nate.
Nate's story was not all sunshine and butterflies, though, and it reminded April that not everyone was good. Nate was robbed, beaten, abused. She was in bad shape, and whoever had done it to her, whoever had managed to be that awful, had died as well. Someone tough and mean enough to do that sort of thing couldn't even manage to survive. That was very worrisome. It made April wonder just what sort of monster it took to get out of this. Jeanie could never have done it, no matter what she had thought.
But it was going to be better now. Nate was saying so, was saying that she was glad that April had found her, and April was glad too, because maybe her days of toilet water and losing friends were coming to an end, maybe things would finally turn around and they'd all be able to—and then Nate tripped and a bullet from her rifle went straight through April's head.
Things weren't really better at all.
Nate's story was not all sunshine and butterflies, though, and it reminded April that not everyone was good. Nate was robbed, beaten, abused. She was in bad shape, and whoever had done it to her, whoever had managed to be that awful, had died as well. Someone tough and mean enough to do that sort of thing couldn't even manage to survive. That was very worrisome. It made April wonder just what sort of monster it took to get out of this. Jeanie could never have done it, no matter what she had thought.
But it was going to be better now. Nate was saying so, was saying that she was glad that April had found her, and April was glad too, because maybe her days of toilet water and losing friends were coming to an end, maybe things would finally turn around and they'd all be able to—and then Nate tripped and a bullet from her rifle went straight through April's head.
Things weren't really better at all.
BRN2, APRIL STONE: DECEASED
23 STUDENTS REMAIN
23 STUDENTS REMAIN
The sound of the gunshot seemed to echo for miles.
Nate's eyes widened as she fell towards the ground, then she slammed them shut.
If she didn't look. It wouldn't be true. If she didn't see, then it wasn't there.
Then something warm spattered onto her face and she screamed.
She hit the ground - except it wasn't the ground. She'd fallen directly on top of-
Her eyes opened.
April
And she screamed even harder.
Half of April's head was gone, blown across the grass like some monster had leaned down and taken a bite out of her face. Blood was everywhere. Over clothes, skin, a gory mess. Nate trembled, crimson running down her face, obscuring her vision. Nate put her hand on the ground to try and get away, and something hard and sharp nicked her palm. She looked down.
It was a fragment of skull.
Nate scrambled to her feet, backpedalling from the corpse like it was about to get up and eat her alive.
Then frenzy-eyed, covered in blood, Nate wheeled around and ran like she'd never run before.
((Nate Chauncey continued in As Cold As Silence))
Nate's eyes widened as she fell towards the ground, then she slammed them shut.
If she didn't look. It wouldn't be true. If she didn't see, then it wasn't there.
Then something warm spattered onto her face and she screamed.
She hit the ground - except it wasn't the ground. She'd fallen directly on top of-
Her eyes opened.
April
And she screamed even harder.
Half of April's head was gone, blown across the grass like some monster had leaned down and taken a bite out of her face. Blood was everywhere. Over clothes, skin, a gory mess. Nate trembled, crimson running down her face, obscuring her vision. Nate put her hand on the ground to try and get away, and something hard and sharp nicked her palm. She looked down.
It was a fragment of skull.
Nate scrambled to her feet, backpedalling from the corpse like it was about to get up and eat her alive.
Then frenzy-eyed, covered in blood, Nate wheeled around and ran like she'd never run before.
((Nate Chauncey continued in As Cold As Silence))