The Chuck Republic

[General Goose]

((Chuck Soileaux continued from The Shoulder of Orion.))

Chuck regretted his decision to bury Michael first. He couldn't refute the logic - get Michael under the ground ASAP, add some kind of preservative protection, some kind of insulation against further mutilation. He was past the point of an open casket anyway, but to risk further insult would have just been a cruelty against the Crowe family that they shouldn't have to bear.

But, as is so often the case with first attempts, the burial was shambolic. Soft, pliant, slightly mushy dirt torn out of a patch of the lakeside using everything from crossbow bolts to Chuck's hand, the body placed in. Chuck realised too late the hole wasn't quite deep enough. He couldn't exactly cram it in, so he pulled him out, dug some more. Placed him back in.

Chuck wasn't sure whether to give funeral rites or not. Couldn't remember anyone's religious affiliations, and didn't want to do them either the disrespect of a post-death religious conversion or to neglect to send them off properly. The ground wasn't consecrated anyway, and so, Chuck settled for a compromise. A brief prayer, mumbled under his breath, barely audible even to the terrorists.

Katarina was next. A test subject, for future burials. Not that Chuck admitted that reasoning out loud. And even in death, some form of...sanctification, glorification, putting a body away from the carnage of the surface world, was deserved. If nothing else, at least, when the island is found, the family, who surely should not suffer for her crimes, could receive the comfort of burying her in accordance with proper processes.

And what if one of these deceased souls was Jewish or Muslim? They required hasty burials, did they not? Better to be safe than sorry.

Afterwards, Scarlett and Kyran. He made sure to put the three of them together. A wordless commitment to the bonds that they had formed, the pact that they had died for.

Finally, Miranda.

It took several hours in total. He had to break a few times, to carry out perfunctory security checks or attend to his bodily needs or to break down and cry and have a modest nervous breakdown, but he carried on regardless. It was his duty.

[General Goose]

Chuck looked at the map. The danger zones were...closing in. Forcing everyone together.

The lake would be next, Chuck was willing to wager.

Forcing Chuck out of his comfort zone. Into new areas of the island. He didn't want to do that. Wanted, at least, the strategic advantage of knowing the terrain, of knowing the safe vantage points to keep a lookout or sleep, the moral boost of residing somewhere that had even some familiarity.

He sighed.

He should leave the lake.

He picked up the AK. Scavenged some supplies. Thought about taking some...mementos from the others. Decided against it.

Best to have a head start on exploring the rest of the island.

At least the bodies would remain safe.

((Chuck Soileaux continued in Unsatisfied.))