((Maxim Senders continued from A Moment of Reprise))
Maxim was panting, his legs starting to tire out as he eventually stopped running. He guessed he had lost the two boys somewhere and for that, he was glad. Now that he had some time to himself, Maxim started to take in his surroundings. The entire time he was running, Maxim didn't pay attention to his surroundings. He was too busy trying to get away from the boys, the adrenaline pumping in his veins as he pushed his body to move as fast as it could. It was times like these that he glad he did dance. After all, without the stamina from dancing, Maxim would've tired out sooner, meaning a greater chance of being caught.
He noticed the stream of water, which was barely a trickle, moving downstream and there were a few rocks that were littered about the area. Maxim slowly moved towards one of the rocks, sitting down and letting out a sigh of relief at the chance to finally relax again. Getting out his gun, Maxim went through all the procedures of reloading it, not liking how tedious the entire action was. It was surprising how Alex called out his bluff of shooting the both of them and he wondered whether anyone else had that knowledge. He probably should've payed more attention in school.
As he continued to meticulous procedure, his mind drifted back to the days when he wasn't in the Program. The times where he only worried about dancing, singing, surviving school and hanging out with friends. It was a far cry from what he had experienced in the Program and he found himself missing those days. He missed the days of having pizza with Louisa and Tori. He missed the days of hanging out with Felicia and his other friends. He especially missed the days where he didn't have to worry about surviving and hurting his classmates and instead worried about getting in the next homework in time or learning a new dance or song.
Would he ever get back to those days? He knew it was a bit odd to reminisce about his life at this time in the game. It had only started, and yet, so much had happened to him. He had done a lot of things that he didn't want to do. After all, who wants to shoot someone's ear off? However, as soon as Maxim realized he was in the game, Maxim knew he couldn't be the same person he was in Patriot High. He knew of the Program and while he never payed too much attention to it, Maxim knew that if he stayed the same way he did back in Milwaukee, he might as well of signed his own death warrant.
He had to put his own personally feelings behind him. Maxim planned on surviving. He didn't want to die and he didn't fancy dying anytime soon. The game was about survival and he needed to hone himself to that scenario. This wasn't school anymore. He couldn't be nice, even though he really wanted to. While his actions may have been seen as evil, there was a reason he didn't take Dylan's medical kit. He knew she needed it and hence left it for her. Maxim had no use for it.
On the other hand, Maxim realized he couldn't keep this up for long. He had to put personal feelings behind him. He had to be smart. He needed to do what was needed and not what was ethical. He needed to be strong and not buckle under his emotions and he needed to get the nerves to kill. The mere thought of killing made Maxim shiver and yet, he begrudgingly knew he had to do this. This was the Program, he needed to survive and that meant eliminating others.
With all his unethical actions though, it begged the question of whether Maxim could be the same person after this experience. If he had to be perfectly honest, he doubted that he could. Could he go back to his usual, carefree self after shooting off a person's ear? Can he ever go back to pursuing a career in music or dance when he had robbed someone? Would he even be able to regain his own life when it came to the inevitable truth that he would have to commit murder? Of course not. This was assuming that he would even be allowed to go back to average life. Maxim didn't know what happened to the winners of the Program. He wasn't even sure if they were allowed back in real life. The thought that even after they had won, they could never go back to their lives was something Maxim had to get used to.
He closed his eyes as he remembered fondly of the times when it was just him, Louisa and Tori. The Lost Children. He remembered the many shenanigans they got up to and the laughs and tears they shared together. He remembered the moments when Louisa comforted him and the times where he enjoyed bouts of randomness with Tori. He thought of the times where they stood up to bullies, or when Louisa kept Maxim from punching people in the face. He longed for those times to return and he wished with all his heart that there was a way they could go back to their carefree lives after the Program.
Maxim knew though. He would never be able to return to that life. Not with the nature of the game. Kill or be killed. As he said himself, he needed to take the initiative. Maxim had to survive. He had to ignore his personal feelings. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way of the game. He didn't want another interaction like Chris's. Yet at the same time, there was something that Maxim had completely forgotten. While it was all well and good searching for Louisa and Tori, they were bound to hear about his actions in the game. He never realized, up until this moment, that they wouldn't be so happy with his actions. Would they be able to stay friends?
They had to. Maxim shook his head and laughed at the thought. Of course they had to. It was a silly thought. They knew about this game. They knew what it was like. They had to realize that Maxim was just doing this to survive. At the same time though, Maxim realized that the game was probably going to change him. Would they like this Maxim? At this thought, Maxim chewed his lip nervously. He knew Louisa wasn't the type of person who liked violence and such and he was pretty sure Tori wouldn't like the whole "killing people" thing. What if they disapproved of his actions? What if they tried to kill him?
Kill him. No. That couldn't happen. That would never happen. Not to him. Not with Louisa and Tori. The thought of Maxim killing or being killed by Tori or Louisa was disconcerting. Would it have to eventually come to that though? It probably would. There could only be one winner. Would Maxim have to be the one to deliver the final blow?
Maxim shook his head vigorously. Now wasn't the time to think about that. He couldn't kill them. Not yet in any case. He wanted to take them as far as he could and then, maybe when it was just the three of them, he might consider trying to find a way out. While that did seem a little contradictory, Maxim did not want to kill them. They were his closest friends and the people he was closest to in the whole world, bar his parents and if it could be avoided, he would like that.
That wasn't the issue now though. Now the issue was to survive. Maxim had finished reloading his gun and kept it close to him, ready to aim it at someone who thought it would be a good idea to get the jump on him. He couldn't lower his guard. Maxim was in the Program now. He had to play the game. He had to play the game hard or risk death.
Maxim wasn't going to die. Not anytime soon.
Chasing Dreams
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jimmydalad
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((Becky Long continued from Tears of the Hopeless))
A while had passed since Becky’s skirmish with Shawn in the cabin, and she was still riding the high. She’d long since calmed down, transitioning from a buoyant swagger to a tranquil stroll through the pine trees, but she was still buzzing with her sense of self satisfaction.
It had gotten messy in there at first. In hindsight, she didn’t even remember why she’d kicked Yumi in the first place or if she’d done anything to prompt it, but since she had ran out when Becky wasn’t even looking, she couldn’t really think there must have been that much wrong with her. She might have scared her, there was no doubt about it, but it wasn’t like Yumi was going to end up crying over it forever; it was just one flying kick to the chest, after all. It might have been uncalled of her, but given their situation, it was hardly the end of the world.
What kept her buzz going was just that: it really wasn’t the end of the world. People survived the Program. There was always a winner, and whilst she never knew what happened to the winner, the only explanation that made sense for her is that the winner got to go home and people stopped paying attention. Therefore, by way of logic, being in the Program wasn’t an automatic death sentence.
How she’d become the winner of the Program, she had no idea, but if it was anything like beating up Shawn then it couldn’t really be all that bad. Just keep kicking ass, do her thing with her Taekwon-Do mastery, and in a few days time she’d be back home with her mom, still hospitalized unbeknownst to her, and her dad. Maybe they’d even bring her brother over to congratulate her on winning too.
She took the last swig of her first bottle of water. Obviously it went against survival training, downing one of her waters only a few hours in when she only had limited supplies, but she had worn herself out a bit on all the adrenaline. She was being reckless, but she felt invincible enough at the time to warrant it.
Not long after she emptied one of her bottles, stashing it back in her bag to preserve the environment’s natural beauty, as she’d always been taught, she began to hear the sound of running water flowing through the trees. With no better goal in mind, she shrugged and headed towards it, and soon she was aimlessly following the meandering stream, mind wandering with it.
To be fair, she had broken all the rules in her fight with Shawn. Yes, he was a jerk for trying to punch her, but they were in a fight and she should have been more ready for it. A little bit of warning would have been nice, but since she’d kicked him just as unannounced she could forgive him for it. She was still mad at him though, her arms still hurting from blocking his heavy fists, and as far as she cared the less she saw of him the better. But if it came down to it again, she’d try not to wind up kicking him in the nuts.
The fact that she had frozen was what annoyed her most. She knew what she was doing, and she could keep herself on the move and flexible in all her training, so the fact that it had faltered when it came to the real thing hurt her. There wasn’t much she could do to fix the past, but she could still promise herself that she wouldn’t let it happen again. There were no second chances in a real fight, after all.
As she trudged through the woodland terrain, she eventually got close to Maxim Senders. At the time, all she saw was the back of a blonde haired boy with a short stature sat on a rock, but it was a figure she’d seen enough times to recognize at a distance.
“Max?”
A while had passed since Becky’s skirmish with Shawn in the cabin, and she was still riding the high. She’d long since calmed down, transitioning from a buoyant swagger to a tranquil stroll through the pine trees, but she was still buzzing with her sense of self satisfaction.
It had gotten messy in there at first. In hindsight, she didn’t even remember why she’d kicked Yumi in the first place or if she’d done anything to prompt it, but since she had ran out when Becky wasn’t even looking, she couldn’t really think there must have been that much wrong with her. She might have scared her, there was no doubt about it, but it wasn’t like Yumi was going to end up crying over it forever; it was just one flying kick to the chest, after all. It might have been uncalled of her, but given their situation, it was hardly the end of the world.
What kept her buzz going was just that: it really wasn’t the end of the world. People survived the Program. There was always a winner, and whilst she never knew what happened to the winner, the only explanation that made sense for her is that the winner got to go home and people stopped paying attention. Therefore, by way of logic, being in the Program wasn’t an automatic death sentence.
How she’d become the winner of the Program, she had no idea, but if it was anything like beating up Shawn then it couldn’t really be all that bad. Just keep kicking ass, do her thing with her Taekwon-Do mastery, and in a few days time she’d be back home with her mom, still hospitalized unbeknownst to her, and her dad. Maybe they’d even bring her brother over to congratulate her on winning too.
She took the last swig of her first bottle of water. Obviously it went against survival training, downing one of her waters only a few hours in when she only had limited supplies, but she had worn herself out a bit on all the adrenaline. She was being reckless, but she felt invincible enough at the time to warrant it.
Not long after she emptied one of her bottles, stashing it back in her bag to preserve the environment’s natural beauty, as she’d always been taught, she began to hear the sound of running water flowing through the trees. With no better goal in mind, she shrugged and headed towards it, and soon she was aimlessly following the meandering stream, mind wandering with it.
To be fair, she had broken all the rules in her fight with Shawn. Yes, he was a jerk for trying to punch her, but they were in a fight and she should have been more ready for it. A little bit of warning would have been nice, but since she’d kicked him just as unannounced she could forgive him for it. She was still mad at him though, her arms still hurting from blocking his heavy fists, and as far as she cared the less she saw of him the better. But if it came down to it again, she’d try not to wind up kicking him in the nuts.
The fact that she had frozen was what annoyed her most. She knew what she was doing, and she could keep herself on the move and flexible in all her training, so the fact that it had faltered when it came to the real thing hurt her. There wasn’t much she could do to fix the past, but she could still promise herself that she wouldn’t let it happen again. There were no second chances in a real fight, after all.
As she trudged through the woodland terrain, she eventually got close to Maxim Senders. At the time, all she saw was the back of a blonde haired boy with a short stature sat on a rock, but it was a figure she’d seen enough times to recognize at a distance.
“Max?”
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
At the sound of a familiar voice, Maxim turned his head. Maxim recognized that voice and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw that he had encountered Becky Long, a friend of his. While his mind was saying that he should just shoot his friend, he ignored it. Up until now, Maxim had either encountered people he hated or didn't even know too well. Becky's presence was a much needed relief to him and he was going to make the most out of this opportunity. After all, everyone needs someone to talk to.
"Becky?" Maxim inquired, standing up and grinning at the presence of his friend, leaving his gun on the floor. While he wasn't as close to Becky as he was to Louisa and Tori, Becky was still one of Maxim's good friends and he always enjoyed her bubbly personality. It complemented his well. The two of them got along well together and he was one of the only people to even go to her birthday party. The issue was that he forgot to bring her a present as he assumed others would do so. Thinking about it, Maxim felt a little guilty for not getting her something.
"It's good to see you Becky." Maxim confided in her as he approached her and gave her a hug. He couldn't help it. He'd been through an emotional roller coaster all the way here and the presence of a friend was cathartic to him. It was a chance for him to calm down as he doubted Becky would do anything to hurt him. He could trust her, unlike most of the people that were in the game.
Releasing his hug, Maxim walked back to the rock and once again sat down, picking up his gun. The fact he left his gun on the floor to hug Becky was a sign of trust. Normally, in this situation, Maxim would not have let go of his gun and instead would've kept it close to him. It was a symbol of safety to him now. As long as he had the gun, Maxim felt safe in the knowledge that he was in the game and that he was able to fight back. The gun allowed him to have power.
"Sorry about that, you don't know how relieved I am to see a friend here." Maxim apologized sheepishly, blushing a little and laughing at his actions. Thinking about it now, Maxim didn't even warn Becky what he was going to do. He just acted without thinking, going on his instincts rather than what his mind was saying was correct. He didn't care, he was filled with a euphoria that only came from encountering a friend. Nothing else really mattered to him right now.
"I've only come across people I haven't known or that I dislike. My luck, eh?" Maxim remarked, giving her a smirk. "Then again, I did get a gun. An old one, but a gun nonetheless." He continued, lifting up his gun, indicating it as he relaxed. He had been on edge this entire time and all Maxim wanted to do now was relax.
"How about you? How has your luck been?"
"Becky?" Maxim inquired, standing up and grinning at the presence of his friend, leaving his gun on the floor. While he wasn't as close to Becky as he was to Louisa and Tori, Becky was still one of Maxim's good friends and he always enjoyed her bubbly personality. It complemented his well. The two of them got along well together and he was one of the only people to even go to her birthday party. The issue was that he forgot to bring her a present as he assumed others would do so. Thinking about it, Maxim felt a little guilty for not getting her something.
"It's good to see you Becky." Maxim confided in her as he approached her and gave her a hug. He couldn't help it. He'd been through an emotional roller coaster all the way here and the presence of a friend was cathartic to him. It was a chance for him to calm down as he doubted Becky would do anything to hurt him. He could trust her, unlike most of the people that were in the game.
Releasing his hug, Maxim walked back to the rock and once again sat down, picking up his gun. The fact he left his gun on the floor to hug Becky was a sign of trust. Normally, in this situation, Maxim would not have let go of his gun and instead would've kept it close to him. It was a symbol of safety to him now. As long as he had the gun, Maxim felt safe in the knowledge that he was in the game and that he was able to fight back. The gun allowed him to have power.
"Sorry about that, you don't know how relieved I am to see a friend here." Maxim apologized sheepishly, blushing a little and laughing at his actions. Thinking about it now, Maxim didn't even warn Becky what he was going to do. He just acted without thinking, going on his instincts rather than what his mind was saying was correct. He didn't care, he was filled with a euphoria that only came from encountering a friend. Nothing else really mattered to him right now.
"I've only come across people I haven't known or that I dislike. My luck, eh?" Maxim remarked, giving her a smirk. "Then again, I did get a gun. An old one, but a gun nonetheless." He continued, lifting up his gun, indicating it as he relaxed. He had been on edge this entire time and all Maxim wanted to do now was relax.
"How about you? How has your luck been?"
“Same Max, same.” She said, returning his hug, just as glad to meet up with a familiar face in the unfamiliar territory.
Yumi had been just as bad as a complete stranger, and whilst she knew Shawn by name there wasn’t a whole lot more to it. Max was someone she’d hung around with before, be it between classes or just over the odd lunch break. He was such a sweet and friendly guy back at Aurora High. He was just Becky’s type, and just the sort of friend you wanted to have in the Program, at least until they started mutilating other students.
She took a seat next to him on the rocks, totally at ease as the brook kept running down the rocks in front of them. She didn’t notice his rifle until he picked it up, but despite its lethal power she didn’t flinch: in her mind, it barely even registered. Instead, her attention was centered on her friend as he began to fret.
She let him speak, chuckled a little at his self deprecating joke, did everything she’d usually do in a relaxed conversation. Those feelings of horror she’d had when she’d first awoken were long gone after her bout with Shawn in the cabin, and the fact that she could enjoy the relaxed company of her friend, now a monster in many students’ eyes, was doing nothing to bring those feelings back. It was almost like the whole Program affair was just a little trip to the woods, save one that almost no-one ever came back from.
That last part wasn’t really important right now anyway: it wasn't like anything serious had happened to anyone she knew.
“Well, I bumped into that weird Asian girl, I don’t know her name. Then Shawn Bowe showed up, he got a little bit angry,” she said, adding extra sarcastic emphasis to the word little. “And, well, long story short, I kicked him the balls.” She finished with a smile and a shrug, but she had to add one more guilty word. “Twice.”
She couldn’t stop herself from bursting into laughter.
Yumi had been just as bad as a complete stranger, and whilst she knew Shawn by name there wasn’t a whole lot more to it. Max was someone she’d hung around with before, be it between classes or just over the odd lunch break. He was such a sweet and friendly guy back at Aurora High. He was just Becky’s type, and just the sort of friend you wanted to have in the Program, at least until they started mutilating other students.
She took a seat next to him on the rocks, totally at ease as the brook kept running down the rocks in front of them. She didn’t notice his rifle until he picked it up, but despite its lethal power she didn’t flinch: in her mind, it barely even registered. Instead, her attention was centered on her friend as he began to fret.
She let him speak, chuckled a little at his self deprecating joke, did everything she’d usually do in a relaxed conversation. Those feelings of horror she’d had when she’d first awoken were long gone after her bout with Shawn in the cabin, and the fact that she could enjoy the relaxed company of her friend, now a monster in many students’ eyes, was doing nothing to bring those feelings back. It was almost like the whole Program affair was just a little trip to the woods, save one that almost no-one ever came back from.
That last part wasn’t really important right now anyway: it wasn't like anything serious had happened to anyone she knew.
“Well, I bumped into that weird Asian girl, I don’t know her name. Then Shawn Bowe showed up, he got a little bit angry,” she said, adding extra sarcastic emphasis to the word little. “And, well, long story short, I kicked him the balls.” She finished with a smile and a shrug, but she had to add one more guilty word. “Twice.”
She couldn’t stop herself from bursting into laughter.
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
Maxim nodded his head as he listened to Becky talk about her experiences. At the mention of the asian girl, Maxim racked his brains to try to remember who she was talking about. If his remembered correctly, than there were at least 2 asian girls in the Program. That would be Josie and Yumi. Since she never really specified on which one it was, Maxim shrugged at his thoughts, not really minding who Becky was talking about. If he was in that situation, Maxim would've probably tried to protect the girl, but he didn't tell Becky that.
It was then that she mentioned Shawn. He sort of knew him, owing to the fact he was one of the few people around school that was friendly with minorities like himself. He was a friendly person and Maxim never really had too many problems with him, unlike with other people in the school like Callison and his Minutemen. Maxim's eyes opened wide in shock when Becky mentioned that she kicked him in the nuts. After she admitted she did it twice, Maxim couldn't help but laugh along with her. Though a bit shocking, the situation was hilarious.
For the first time in the Program, Maxim felt calm and in control of his emotions. Before, Maxim was completely consumed by fear and stress, the situation getting to him more than he would like to admit. Yet, with a friend close by, he felt like he could finally reign in all of those emotions. That didn't necessarily mean he would stop playing the game though. Stopping would be the equivalent of committing suicide. It was just that Maxim was able to feel a sense of catharsis now that he had someone to talk to. Someone that he could trust.
"God that must've really hurt. At least you're putting your taekwondo skills to use." Maxim said after he had managed to stop laughing. "My skills aren't that useful for the Program. What am I supposed to do with my talents, serenade them to death? Kill them with my epic dance moves?" He remarked light-heartedly, laughing again. After he had finished laughing, Maxim grimaced a little, thinking about whether or not he should tell her about what he had done. He didn't want to risk losing an ally, yet at the same time a part of him would feel guilty if he didn't tell her.
"Hey, so you've gotten yourself into a fight, right?" Maxim rhetorically asked Becky as he gave her a serious look. "Can I tell you what I've been up to? You might think I'm a monster, but these were things I had to do, since were in the Program and all. Can you promise me that you won't react badly to what I tell you?" Maxim genuinely inquired, chewing his lip as he wondered whether this was the right thing to do. Becky was bound to find out eventually and it would be better if it came from his mouth rather than anyone else's.
"To be honest, I haven't really been the most peaceful person here." Maxim started off, shifting in his seat in discomfort due to the memories. "Since I had the gun and I realized I was in the game, I wanted to survive. No matter the cost. I encountered Dylan and Audrey at the beginning and I threatened them with my gun here. Audrey ran away while Dylan got pissed at me. Like really pissed. She started shouting things at me, calling me a coward and everything. I lost control of my emotions and then I tried to shoot above her head in order to intimidate her... but I ended up shooting her ear off." Maxim confided, looking down at the floor as guilt and pain became etched in his face.
"I stole her things and ran. After running, I met up with that kid, Chris. I tried to threaten him, but Alex's arrival caused me to lose focus and he attacked me and tried to run away. He smashed into a wall." Maxim continued to say, laughing grimly at the thought of Chris running into a wall. He shook his head, as if mentally telling himself to stop before he continued.
"I tried to lie to Alex to get him on my side. However, you know how bad a liar I am Becky. They found out and I somehow managed to escape. Thinking about it now, I reckon those two will be out to kill me now. However, you have to understand Becky, I did these things because I had to, not because I enjoyed it. You really think I would enjoy shooting someone's ear off Becky?" Maxim exclaimed, his eyes wide as he looked at Becky.
"I know you might think of me as a monster, I probably am at this point. However, this game is just killer. It's kill or be killed and I don't want to die. I'm not going to kill you now Becky. You're my friend and I don't want to kill my friends yet. However, I know I am going to have to kill. I just don't want to kill my friends. If I don't have to." Maxim concluded, glad to get that baggage off his chest. He gave Becky a worried look as he waited to see how she reacted. Hopefully, she wouldn't try to kill him. If she didn't, Maxim wouldn't know what to do. He might have to kill her.
It was then that she mentioned Shawn. He sort of knew him, owing to the fact he was one of the few people around school that was friendly with minorities like himself. He was a friendly person and Maxim never really had too many problems with him, unlike with other people in the school like Callison and his Minutemen. Maxim's eyes opened wide in shock when Becky mentioned that she kicked him in the nuts. After she admitted she did it twice, Maxim couldn't help but laugh along with her. Though a bit shocking, the situation was hilarious.
For the first time in the Program, Maxim felt calm and in control of his emotions. Before, Maxim was completely consumed by fear and stress, the situation getting to him more than he would like to admit. Yet, with a friend close by, he felt like he could finally reign in all of those emotions. That didn't necessarily mean he would stop playing the game though. Stopping would be the equivalent of committing suicide. It was just that Maxim was able to feel a sense of catharsis now that he had someone to talk to. Someone that he could trust.
"God that must've really hurt. At least you're putting your taekwondo skills to use." Maxim said after he had managed to stop laughing. "My skills aren't that useful for the Program. What am I supposed to do with my talents, serenade them to death? Kill them with my epic dance moves?" He remarked light-heartedly, laughing again. After he had finished laughing, Maxim grimaced a little, thinking about whether or not he should tell her about what he had done. He didn't want to risk losing an ally, yet at the same time a part of him would feel guilty if he didn't tell her.
"Hey, so you've gotten yourself into a fight, right?" Maxim rhetorically asked Becky as he gave her a serious look. "Can I tell you what I've been up to? You might think I'm a monster, but these were things I had to do, since were in the Program and all. Can you promise me that you won't react badly to what I tell you?" Maxim genuinely inquired, chewing his lip as he wondered whether this was the right thing to do. Becky was bound to find out eventually and it would be better if it came from his mouth rather than anyone else's.
"To be honest, I haven't really been the most peaceful person here." Maxim started off, shifting in his seat in discomfort due to the memories. "Since I had the gun and I realized I was in the game, I wanted to survive. No matter the cost. I encountered Dylan and Audrey at the beginning and I threatened them with my gun here. Audrey ran away while Dylan got pissed at me. Like really pissed. She started shouting things at me, calling me a coward and everything. I lost control of my emotions and then I tried to shoot above her head in order to intimidate her... but I ended up shooting her ear off." Maxim confided, looking down at the floor as guilt and pain became etched in his face.
"I stole her things and ran. After running, I met up with that kid, Chris. I tried to threaten him, but Alex's arrival caused me to lose focus and he attacked me and tried to run away. He smashed into a wall." Maxim continued to say, laughing grimly at the thought of Chris running into a wall. He shook his head, as if mentally telling himself to stop before he continued.
"I tried to lie to Alex to get him on my side. However, you know how bad a liar I am Becky. They found out and I somehow managed to escape. Thinking about it now, I reckon those two will be out to kill me now. However, you have to understand Becky, I did these things because I had to, not because I enjoyed it. You really think I would enjoy shooting someone's ear off Becky?" Maxim exclaimed, his eyes wide as he looked at Becky.
"I know you might think of me as a monster, I probably am at this point. However, this game is just killer. It's kill or be killed and I don't want to die. I'm not going to kill you now Becky. You're my friend and I don't want to kill my friends yet. However, I know I am going to have to kill. I just don't want to kill my friends. If I don't have to." Maxim concluded, glad to get that baggage off his chest. He gave Becky a worried look as he waited to see how she reacted. Hopefully, she wouldn't try to kill him. If she didn't, Maxim wouldn't know what to do. He might have to kill her.
The two were at peace. Maxim joined her laugh, cracked wise himself, and she quipped him right back (“Hey, it’d be funny to watch!”). The fact that they were in the middle of a government execution was completely meaningless, as two friends enjoyed each other’s company.
And then Maxim had to go and spoil it all.
His sudden seriousness threw Becky. She hadn’t expected anything when she’d called out his name; she had just recognised him and acted on instinct. She thought that they’d share a few laughs, enjoy hanging out in these final days, but now he was trying to confide in her. It was like what had happened in the past when her friends talked about their crushes, except those crushes then became public knowledge shortly after.
She wanted to say no to Shawn for that exact reason, her complete incompetence as a confidant, but she was too busy sitting there slack jawed in surprise to stop him before he started. She would have cut him off if she’d had the chance, but his rather unsettling statements trapped the words in her mouth.
This wasn’t like Maxim.
“Dude, Max!” she finally let out when he stopped talking. “What the hell? You – Dude!” First he admits to maiming Dylan (Which Dylan? What the hell did it even matter right now?), then pretty much says to her face that he’s going to start killing everyone?
“Dude, snap out of it!” she yelled, flabbergasted, tempted to slap him right across the face for good measure. “This isn’t you, you’re the nice guy who likes to sing and dance, not the guy who goes out and murders half the school! I mean geez, what did you even expect me to do? Why’d you even tell me this?”
No way Maxim Senders maims a girl and then goes on about trying to kill everyone else. He was either doing a really bad joke, or – no, that was the only thing that made sense, that it was a really stupid joke.
God, she would kick him so hard if it was.
And then Maxim had to go and spoil it all.
His sudden seriousness threw Becky. She hadn’t expected anything when she’d called out his name; she had just recognised him and acted on instinct. She thought that they’d share a few laughs, enjoy hanging out in these final days, but now he was trying to confide in her. It was like what had happened in the past when her friends talked about their crushes, except those crushes then became public knowledge shortly after.
She wanted to say no to Shawn for that exact reason, her complete incompetence as a confidant, but she was too busy sitting there slack jawed in surprise to stop him before he started. She would have cut him off if she’d had the chance, but his rather unsettling statements trapped the words in her mouth.
This wasn’t like Maxim.
“Dude, Max!” she finally let out when he stopped talking. “What the hell? You – Dude!” First he admits to maiming Dylan (Which Dylan? What the hell did it even matter right now?), then pretty much says to her face that he’s going to start killing everyone?
“Dude, snap out of it!” she yelled, flabbergasted, tempted to slap him right across the face for good measure. “This isn’t you, you’re the nice guy who likes to sing and dance, not the guy who goes out and murders half the school! I mean geez, what did you even expect me to do? Why’d you even tell me this?”
No way Maxim Senders maims a girl and then goes on about trying to kill everyone else. He was either doing a really bad joke, or – no, that was the only thing that made sense, that it was a really stupid joke.
God, she would kick him so hard if it was.
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
Maxim winced at Becky's voice instinctively, as if bracing himself for a hit. He probably should've been expecting all of this. After all, he just stated his intentions to play the game. He would be foolish in thinking that she would react to this calmly, but Maxim just felt the need to tell her. He needed someone to talk to right now.
He stayed silent as he let Becky yell at him, his face stiff as stone as he watched Becky shout at him. What else was he supposed to do? Pretend that nothing happened and that they were just going to be fine and dandy? Maxim wasn't an idiot. He knew nothing good could come of just sitting around and conversing casually. He needed to keep his head in the game.
At Becky's question, Maxim stayed silent, looking to the floor as he tried to organize his thoughts. What could he say to Becky to explain his actions? What was he supposed to say in reply to his declarations? It took a while for him to find a way to express his thoughts but after a moment of silence, he began to speak.
"I told you this because you would find out eventually, even if I didn't tell you. I'd rather people hear it from my mouth than for it to travel down the grapevine. I felt a need to tell someone, to feel that sense of relaxation once I said it. I guess it wasn't what you wanted to hear though." He let out a sigh as he stood up and began to pace around the area, his gun clung close to his stomach. He was starting to get annoyed at Becky. Didn't she understand?
"I don't really know what to expect out of you. You aren't the type of person who is good at giving advice if I recall correctly. Maybe I just hoped you would understand. After all, you did kick Shawn in the balls twice. I have a feeling that it wasn't in self-defense. A part of me thought you would plan on playing the game as well. Eventually." Maxim continued, frustration vaguely present in his voice. He frowned grimly as he began running through his thoughts.
"Then again, I wonder what you were expecting us to do. Did you think we could just make jokes and laugh away the days, waiting for our inevitable demise? You know just as well as I do that the mere idea is stupid. Imagine how you would feel if I did just pretend we weren't in a death game and then later heard about what I did. Wouldn't you be angry at me, livid even? Telling you now is easier. I could explain my reasoning. You could understand." Maxim explained to Becky, continuing to pace forwards and backwards at an ever increasing rate.
"I just wanted to survive. Is that such a bad thing? I want to live and I want to persevere to the end if possible. I need to do what I need to do to survive. In this game, it's practically no holds barred. The only way to survive is to eliminate the others. It's an inevitable truth. I shouldn't be able to trust anyone and I need to be ready to kill. There's no other way to make it through this game. I don't want to die Becky, don't you get it? This has to be done!" Maxim tried in vain to convince her, his voice sounding a little desperate towards the end.
"You have to understand Becky. This game is going kill us all if we don't act. The only thing we can do is play along. No one's going to save us! No one is going to whisk us away from this hellhole! The only way we can leave is if we play the game. That's all we can do!" Maxim shouted in fury, his talking winding him up to the point where he was nearly exploding with anger. Why couldn't she understand what he was thinking? It wasn't wrong. It couldn't be wrong...
He stayed silent as he let Becky yell at him, his face stiff as stone as he watched Becky shout at him. What else was he supposed to do? Pretend that nothing happened and that they were just going to be fine and dandy? Maxim wasn't an idiot. He knew nothing good could come of just sitting around and conversing casually. He needed to keep his head in the game.
At Becky's question, Maxim stayed silent, looking to the floor as he tried to organize his thoughts. What could he say to Becky to explain his actions? What was he supposed to say in reply to his declarations? It took a while for him to find a way to express his thoughts but after a moment of silence, he began to speak.
"I told you this because you would find out eventually, even if I didn't tell you. I'd rather people hear it from my mouth than for it to travel down the grapevine. I felt a need to tell someone, to feel that sense of relaxation once I said it. I guess it wasn't what you wanted to hear though." He let out a sigh as he stood up and began to pace around the area, his gun clung close to his stomach. He was starting to get annoyed at Becky. Didn't she understand?
"I don't really know what to expect out of you. You aren't the type of person who is good at giving advice if I recall correctly. Maybe I just hoped you would understand. After all, you did kick Shawn in the balls twice. I have a feeling that it wasn't in self-defense. A part of me thought you would plan on playing the game as well. Eventually." Maxim continued, frustration vaguely present in his voice. He frowned grimly as he began running through his thoughts.
"Then again, I wonder what you were expecting us to do. Did you think we could just make jokes and laugh away the days, waiting for our inevitable demise? You know just as well as I do that the mere idea is stupid. Imagine how you would feel if I did just pretend we weren't in a death game and then later heard about what I did. Wouldn't you be angry at me, livid even? Telling you now is easier. I could explain my reasoning. You could understand." Maxim explained to Becky, continuing to pace forwards and backwards at an ever increasing rate.
"I just wanted to survive. Is that such a bad thing? I want to live and I want to persevere to the end if possible. I need to do what I need to do to survive. In this game, it's practically no holds barred. The only way to survive is to eliminate the others. It's an inevitable truth. I shouldn't be able to trust anyone and I need to be ready to kill. There's no other way to make it through this game. I don't want to die Becky, don't you get it? This has to be done!" Maxim tried in vain to convince her, his voice sounding a little desperate towards the end.
"You have to understand Becky. This game is going kill us all if we don't act. The only thing we can do is play along. No one's going to save us! No one is going to whisk us away from this hellhole! The only way we can leave is if we play the game. That's all we can do!" Maxim shouted in fury, his talking winding him up to the point where he was nearly exploding with anger. Why couldn't she understand what he was thinking? It wasn't wrong. It couldn't be wrong...
It was no joke. Maxim really meant every word he said, as much as Becky couldn’t believe it. Her friend, the quirky guy with a knack for theatre, had honest to god been running around using that gun of his and was committed to using it more? He was damn right that it wasn’t what she wanted to hear!
The fact that he then started attacking her, making out like she was just as bad as him just because she’d kicked a guy in the nuts in self-defence, struck a nerve. He kept talking at her like he wanted her to think like him, join his murderous mind-set and understand that playing the game was the way to go, but she just grew angrier with every word.
“I’m not an idiot, Max!” she shouted back as he finally finished running his mouth, marching up to him as her face began to flush. “I know where we are, and I know what it means, but you’re still acting freaking nuts!” She jabbed her finger at him, pressing her accusation straight at his chest. He could argue all he wanted about survival, about how the ends justified the means if he robbed people and later decided to kick it up a step to full on murder, but the notion that she was acting even a little bit alike was a step too far.
“You’re the idiot Max!” she continued, but then found herself drawing a blank. She knew that trying to kill her classmates was insane, even if that’s what the Program was all about, and on the way over, she was already beginning to believe it was something she wouldn’t have to do.
The problem was, she couldn’t find the problem in Max’s logic.
She stood on the spot, staring at the ground as her mind whirred, trying to reason out his logic. Murder was wrong, that was it, but the Program was all about murder. Everyone murdered everyone, and she’d already been attacked by a guy almost twice her size. Winning, and getting to go home, really was all about survival of the fittest.
But murder was still wrong.
“Screw you!” she screamed, face livid. “You’re not killing anyone, not as long as I’m here!”
The fact that he then started attacking her, making out like she was just as bad as him just because she’d kicked a guy in the nuts in self-defence, struck a nerve. He kept talking at her like he wanted her to think like him, join his murderous mind-set and understand that playing the game was the way to go, but she just grew angrier with every word.
“I’m not an idiot, Max!” she shouted back as he finally finished running his mouth, marching up to him as her face began to flush. “I know where we are, and I know what it means, but you’re still acting freaking nuts!” She jabbed her finger at him, pressing her accusation straight at his chest. He could argue all he wanted about survival, about how the ends justified the means if he robbed people and later decided to kick it up a step to full on murder, but the notion that she was acting even a little bit alike was a step too far.
“You’re the idiot Max!” she continued, but then found herself drawing a blank. She knew that trying to kill her classmates was insane, even if that’s what the Program was all about, and on the way over, she was already beginning to believe it was something she wouldn’t have to do.
The problem was, she couldn’t find the problem in Max’s logic.
She stood on the spot, staring at the ground as her mind whirred, trying to reason out his logic. Murder was wrong, that was it, but the Program was all about murder. Everyone murdered everyone, and she’d already been attacked by a guy almost twice her size. Winning, and getting to go home, really was all about survival of the fittest.
But murder was still wrong.
“Screw you!” she screamed, face livid. “You’re not killing anyone, not as long as I’m here!”
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
Maxim's eyes were steadfast as he glared at Becky, who stood up and made her way to Maxim. She called him nuts and pressed her finger right at his chest. As soon as Becky, Maxim threw her hand off him, maintaining eye contact with Becky as he did so. She didn't know what she was talking about.
She then declared him an idiot. At this, Maxim raised his eyebrow. He was the idiot? It seemed even Becky realized that she might have said something wrong, looking down at the floor in thought. Maxim couldn't believe what he was seeing. He lhe took a few steps back from Becky, turning his back to her before facing her again, frowning.
"I'm the idiot? Care to explain why I'm the idiot? All I'm doing is surviving. That's what this game is about, no?" Maxim asked Becky as he began preparing his gun. He had a feeling things were going south fast. He didn't want to lose his guard. Becky was still his friend, but at the same time, Maxim realized she was getting more agitated by the moment. At the same time, he didn't want to do this. But he had to.
"I'm just being logical Becky. If anything, you'd be the idiot for believing that there is a peaceful way out of this. There isn't." Maxim declared to his friend, his voice trying to be ominous as he clung onto his gun. He was lucky he still had the bag with him. It was slung over his shoulder as he continued to converse with Becky.
Did Maxim hear her right? She was going to prevent him from killing? Was that a good thing? Maxim took a few moments to think about this before realizing that it was terrible. He couldn't let Becky do that. Maxim's eyes narrowed as he raised his gun at Becky. He looked down at the floor and chewed his lip before looking up to face her.
"I'm sorry Becky, That isn't happening. You have to understand. If we don't play the game, I bet someone else will play. That's the nature of this game. It's not as if we're all going to get together and sing "Kumbaya". They're not going to let that happen. We have to play and we have to kill. It's the only way to survive." Maxim told Becky, trying to keep his voice stable and calm, but failing to do so.
"If you stop me from playing, someone else will come and get me. I can't let that happen. Becky! You have to understand! I don't want to die without a fight!" Maxim cried out, his voice losing any semblance of calmness. His arms began to shake as his emotions started overtaking him. He was on the verge of crying at this point, but his gun never strayed from Becky. His features were contorted in pain as he aimed the gun at his friend.
She then declared him an idiot. At this, Maxim raised his eyebrow. He was the idiot? It seemed even Becky realized that she might have said something wrong, looking down at the floor in thought. Maxim couldn't believe what he was seeing. He lhe took a few steps back from Becky, turning his back to her before facing her again, frowning.
"I'm the idiot? Care to explain why I'm the idiot? All I'm doing is surviving. That's what this game is about, no?" Maxim asked Becky as he began preparing his gun. He had a feeling things were going south fast. He didn't want to lose his guard. Becky was still his friend, but at the same time, Maxim realized she was getting more agitated by the moment. At the same time, he didn't want to do this. But he had to.
"I'm just being logical Becky. If anything, you'd be the idiot for believing that there is a peaceful way out of this. There isn't." Maxim declared to his friend, his voice trying to be ominous as he clung onto his gun. He was lucky he still had the bag with him. It was slung over his shoulder as he continued to converse with Becky.
Did Maxim hear her right? She was going to prevent him from killing? Was that a good thing? Maxim took a few moments to think about this before realizing that it was terrible. He couldn't let Becky do that. Maxim's eyes narrowed as he raised his gun at Becky. He looked down at the floor and chewed his lip before looking up to face her.
"I'm sorry Becky, That isn't happening. You have to understand. If we don't play the game, I bet someone else will play. That's the nature of this game. It's not as if we're all going to get together and sing "Kumbaya". They're not going to let that happen. We have to play and we have to kill. It's the only way to survive." Maxim told Becky, trying to keep his voice stable and calm, but failing to do so.
"If you stop me from playing, someone else will come and get me. I can't let that happen. Becky! You have to understand! I don't want to die without a fight!" Maxim cried out, his voice losing any semblance of calmness. His arms began to shake as his emotions started overtaking him. He was on the verge of crying at this point, but his gun never strayed from Becky. His features were contorted in pain as he aimed the gun at his friend.
If Becky had thought being attacked by asshole Shawn and being compared to Crazy Max was the worst thing that could have happened to her today, she would have been wrong. Crazy Max was now pointing his gun at her.
Bastard.
Like most Americans her age, the majority of Becky’s exposure to live weaponry was through cartoons and movies and harmless works of fiction. The civil war bayonet, impressive in its day and a mockery to any modern soldier, was perfectly symbolic of Crazy Max’s attitude towards Becky, but as a terrifying threat it did not register. If anything, it resembled more of a giant middle finger.
It hurt. The fact that her former friend, one of the few people who’d cared enough to come to her party (lack of present aside), was making it clear how much he didn’t want her to be there anymore, and how committed he was to playing the game and starting to kill everyone around them in spite of her pleas for him to listen, tore her up. He was pretty much turning his back on her in both of their time of need, and that hurt her much more than any talk of murder.
“You suck, Max.” she said, eyes that glared growing hot with tears whilst her clenching fists trembled with rage. His betrayal of everything that friendship meant to her, regardless of whether or not he was doing it with a lethal weapon, was a terrible pain to suffer and one she was ill-prepared for.
Even if they’d never counted each other as best friends, or if he’d not cared enough to bring her a gift, or if they’d wound up on an island where you had to shoot each other dead, friendship was something that really mattered. Crazy Max was spitting all over it.
“I hate you.” She whispered. It hadn’t been loud enough to show it.
“I hate you!”
With nothing left to say, she turned her own back on him and ran away crying.
Bastard.
Like most Americans her age, the majority of Becky’s exposure to live weaponry was through cartoons and movies and harmless works of fiction. The civil war bayonet, impressive in its day and a mockery to any modern soldier, was perfectly symbolic of Crazy Max’s attitude towards Becky, but as a terrifying threat it did not register. If anything, it resembled more of a giant middle finger.
It hurt. The fact that her former friend, one of the few people who’d cared enough to come to her party (lack of present aside), was making it clear how much he didn’t want her to be there anymore, and how committed he was to playing the game and starting to kill everyone around them in spite of her pleas for him to listen, tore her up. He was pretty much turning his back on her in both of their time of need, and that hurt her much more than any talk of murder.
“You suck, Max.” she said, eyes that glared growing hot with tears whilst her clenching fists trembled with rage. His betrayal of everything that friendship meant to her, regardless of whether or not he was doing it with a lethal weapon, was a terrible pain to suffer and one she was ill-prepared for.
Even if they’d never counted each other as best friends, or if he’d not cared enough to bring her a gift, or if they’d wound up on an island where you had to shoot each other dead, friendship was something that really mattered. Crazy Max was spitting all over it.
“I hate you.” She whispered. It hadn’t been loud enough to show it.
“I hate you!”
With nothing left to say, she turned her own back on him and ran away crying.
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
What was he doing? Maxim thought that to himself as he aimed the gun at his friend, or probably former friend at this rate. He reacted on instinct and now, he was staring down the barrel at someone who probably didn't do anything wrong. Was this what he was coming to, in the pursuit for survival?
Seeing Becky crying was one of the most painful things he saw. It was worse than seeing Dylan's ear get blown off, if he could believe that. He could feel the hatred emanating from her. It was hard, especially since he was one of the only people who went to her party. Seeing her like this made Maxim feel like scum.
"B-Becky..." Maxim started to say weakly, tears starting to fall from his eyes before Becky whispered something to him, causing him to shut up. He looked sadly at Becky, the tears starting to fall as she declared the words that took the life out of him. He dropped his gun in shock and simply watched as she ran away. At this point, Maxim couldn't hold back anymore.
He collapsed to the ground, his head facing the floor as he curled up into a ball and started to cry. His actions just caused him the loss of a friend and ally. Maxim let the tears fall thick and fast, this eyes closed as he continued to let out a loud, strangled cry that prevented him from staying hidden. At that point, Maxim didn't care. He had to cry.
What had he become? Was this the cost of survival? It had only hit him now that Maxim was beginning to lose any shred of humanity that he had before. He wanted to survive, or at least he thought he wanted to. Was it really worth it now? Was the pursuit for freedom and living worth losing the essence of who he was?
No.
Of course not.
But it was too late.
There was nothing he could do.
Maxim continued to cry and cry and cry. He didn't care about his survival anymore. A part of him just wanted to die right there and then. Yet at the same time, Maxim realized he couldn't. If he just killed himself, then it would all be worth nothing. Everything he did would be worthless. All the wrongs he committed, all of the people he had hurt, everything he had done in this game, it would all mean absolutely nothing to him, but more importantly, to everyone in the game.
Maxim had to play his part.
He had already started playing his game, he therefore had to play it through to the end. It wasn't a question of whether he chose to do it or not, Maxim needed to do this. He needed to play the game, he needed to see it through and he needed to kill. By this point, Maxim realized his actions had been instinctual. He caved into his inner nature to fight and kill. He therefore needed to tap into this to play the game of the Program.
He knew that people would hunt him down for doing this. He already had made 4 enemies and he was pretty sure they had told most of the students about his actions. This meant that he had a target on his back. That's what he was looking for. He was sure that if he kept up this game, he was going to die. Death was practically inevitable for him.
He wanted it. He would relish the opportunity to die. Yet that didn't mean he was going to go easy though. He wanted to play this game all out. He couldn't just let anyone kill him. That would be too easy. That wouldn't be satisfying at all. He wanted someone to kill him, but he didn't want it to be anyone. He wanted someone to kill him who deserved it. He wanted to be bested. That would be the only way for him to have a satisfying death and for them to feel that great sense of achievement.
At this point, Maxim smiled. He had found his purpose in the game. He slowly steadied himself up, wiping the tears from his eyes. He picked up his gun and stroked it, making sure it wasn't too damaged. Luckily for him, it wasn't. Readjusting his bag on his back, Maxim readied himself mentally for what he was about to do. He was already a monster in people's eyes. He needed to embody that. There was no more reason for him to live. It probably seemed that he had lost any semblance of humanity. He needed to find death.
Maxim began walking. He didn't know where. All he did know was that he had to walk. He wouldn't find others here. The Program needed a villain to make things happen. If nothing happened, everyone would die. He needed to make sure the deeds were done. At the same time though, Maxim wanted to seek the person who could bring an end to his pain. Only through his death at the hands of someone superior would his mind be truly at rest.
"I will find you." Maxim said to himself quietly, closing his eyes for a moment as he continued his journey. The journey to his end.
((Maxim Senders in Cowards Die Many Times))
Seeing Becky crying was one of the most painful things he saw. It was worse than seeing Dylan's ear get blown off, if he could believe that. He could feel the hatred emanating from her. It was hard, especially since he was one of the only people who went to her party. Seeing her like this made Maxim feel like scum.
"B-Becky..." Maxim started to say weakly, tears starting to fall from his eyes before Becky whispered something to him, causing him to shut up. He looked sadly at Becky, the tears starting to fall as she declared the words that took the life out of him. He dropped his gun in shock and simply watched as she ran away. At this point, Maxim couldn't hold back anymore.
He collapsed to the ground, his head facing the floor as he curled up into a ball and started to cry. His actions just caused him the loss of a friend and ally. Maxim let the tears fall thick and fast, this eyes closed as he continued to let out a loud, strangled cry that prevented him from staying hidden. At that point, Maxim didn't care. He had to cry.
What had he become? Was this the cost of survival? It had only hit him now that Maxim was beginning to lose any shred of humanity that he had before. He wanted to survive, or at least he thought he wanted to. Was it really worth it now? Was the pursuit for freedom and living worth losing the essence of who he was?
No.
Of course not.
But it was too late.
There was nothing he could do.
Maxim continued to cry and cry and cry. He didn't care about his survival anymore. A part of him just wanted to die right there and then. Yet at the same time, Maxim realized he couldn't. If he just killed himself, then it would all be worth nothing. Everything he did would be worthless. All the wrongs he committed, all of the people he had hurt, everything he had done in this game, it would all mean absolutely nothing to him, but more importantly, to everyone in the game.
Maxim had to play his part.
He had already started playing his game, he therefore had to play it through to the end. It wasn't a question of whether he chose to do it or not, Maxim needed to do this. He needed to play the game, he needed to see it through and he needed to kill. By this point, Maxim realized his actions had been instinctual. He caved into his inner nature to fight and kill. He therefore needed to tap into this to play the game of the Program.
He knew that people would hunt him down for doing this. He already had made 4 enemies and he was pretty sure they had told most of the students about his actions. This meant that he had a target on his back. That's what he was looking for. He was sure that if he kept up this game, he was going to die. Death was practically inevitable for him.
He wanted it. He would relish the opportunity to die. Yet that didn't mean he was going to go easy though. He wanted to play this game all out. He couldn't just let anyone kill him. That would be too easy. That wouldn't be satisfying at all. He wanted someone to kill him, but he didn't want it to be anyone. He wanted someone to kill him who deserved it. He wanted to be bested. That would be the only way for him to have a satisfying death and for them to feel that great sense of achievement.
At this point, Maxim smiled. He had found his purpose in the game. He slowly steadied himself up, wiping the tears from his eyes. He picked up his gun and stroked it, making sure it wasn't too damaged. Luckily for him, it wasn't. Readjusting his bag on his back, Maxim readied himself mentally for what he was about to do. He was already a monster in people's eyes. He needed to embody that. There was no more reason for him to live. It probably seemed that he had lost any semblance of humanity. He needed to find death.
Maxim began walking. He didn't know where. All he did know was that he had to walk. He wouldn't find others here. The Program needed a villain to make things happen. If nothing happened, everyone would die. He needed to make sure the deeds were done. At the same time though, Maxim wanted to seek the person who could bring an end to his pain. Only through his death at the hands of someone superior would his mind be truly at rest.
"I will find you." Maxim said to himself quietly, closing his eyes for a moment as he continued his journey. The journey to his end.
((Maxim Senders in Cowards Die Many Times))
There was no bullet tearing through her back as she ran, but Becky had never even considered that. It wasn’t about the fact that Crazy Max was in a position to snuff out her life with one shot of a gun and a single surrender to the Program’s philosophy; she had been afraid for another reason entirely.
It was trust. Or rather, it was the loss of it.
When she woke up in the mornings, she could trust her mom and dad to be there, two thirds of the family that she loved, and who’d listen to anything she was excited about in the day ahead. She could trust that when she cycled to school later, maybe meeting someone she knew along the way, maybe enjoying the fresh air by herself, that she might have been a bit bored with the lessons sometimes, but deep down she knew she could enjoy the school, and all her friends who were there. She could trust that her life was pretty great, and that she could count on the people close to her.
In the Program, nothing would could be trusted anymore.
She was far from where Crazy Max had broken into tears, running through the woods and away from the feelings of betrayal. If this had happened back home, she would have ran straight home after school, cried into her pillow until her parents got home and then cried to them about it. Maybe they’d even make her some hot chocolate to help calm her down.
Out in the wilderness, there were only more woods to run to, and they didn’t give a damn about her.
((Becky Long continued in Aimless))
It was trust. Or rather, it was the loss of it.
When she woke up in the mornings, she could trust her mom and dad to be there, two thirds of the family that she loved, and who’d listen to anything she was excited about in the day ahead. She could trust that when she cycled to school later, maybe meeting someone she knew along the way, maybe enjoying the fresh air by herself, that she might have been a bit bored with the lessons sometimes, but deep down she knew she could enjoy the school, and all her friends who were there. She could trust that her life was pretty great, and that she could count on the people close to her.
In the Program, nothing would could be trusted anymore.
She was far from where Crazy Max had broken into tears, running through the woods and away from the feelings of betrayal. If this had happened back home, she would have ran straight home after school, cried into her pillow until her parents got home and then cried to them about it. Maybe they’d even make her some hot chocolate to help calm her down.
Out in the wilderness, there were only more woods to run to, and they didn’t give a damn about her.
((Becky Long continued in Aimless))