Adjournment

[Dogs231]

((Cory Cartwright continued from Crash Course))

Cory found a small and modern-looking boat, swaying somewhat in the waves. He stepped from the jetties onto the swimming platform and walked past the dead motors and a tattered American flag as he climbed the stairs to the small open-air lounge.

As he entered the cockpit, he assessed the safety of the craft. It was out of the way, with only one entrance, though the openness would expose him somewhat to the weather. He could likely make a makeshift bed using the cushions of the lounge. He looked through the compartments, quickly finding himself both a pen and a small, unused notebook. He uncapped it and opened the book, beginning to write the various deaths of the first announcement on the first page of his newfound journal.

Verity Steward - Timothy Torales - Purposeful.

Carol Hong - Oliver Sheffield - Purposeful?

Rhonda Rollins - Xander Miles - Accidental, Teamkill.

Akeno Kudo - Maxine Schwimmer - Purposeful, Revenge.

Seo-yun Lee - Abel Kuntz - Purposeful.

Cory stared bullets at the paper, hovering over the words he wrote. He wondered why so many were seeking kills already. 10 kills would get you freedom, but the cost was unimaginable to him. Cory capped the pen and closed the book, placing them and his glasses in his bag. He removed some cushions from the lounge and dropped them on the floor of the cockpit. It would have to make do for now. He placed his bag on the ground next to him and laid down.

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep.

[Dogs231]

Cory dragged himself from the floor of the boat, away from the cushions he had spent the night uncomfortably laid on. He wasn't quite sure what the time was, but he estimated that he had slept for around 8 hours, judging by how well-rested he was. He removed his bandana and the bulky, warm cardigan before tying it back where it had been before, folding the cardigan and placing it in his bag, and put his glasses back on.

He placed the notebook and pen in his pocket and walked towards the edge of the swimming platform. He kneeled towards the salty ocean water.

It was such an obvious solution that he hesitated to consider it, but every avenue demanded exploration. He cupped his hands together and splashed a handful of water onto his neck.

As he expected, nothing but the sting of cold water against his skin. He walked back towards the cockpit and wiped his neck and the collar off with the towel in his bag before placing it back. He pulled the pen and paper from his pocket and wrote on another page of the notebook.

Water.

Before he had an opportunity to close the book, the announcements roared to life, the announcer's voice screeching with false amity.

He flipped back to the first page and listened as he wrote.

Fisk Bateman/Vasily Ivanov - Seth Dunn - Purposeful, Allied.

Eric Cunningham - Cassini Evans - Purposeful.

Dieffenbachia Rubus - Calla Evans - Purposeful.

Matias Juarez - Leslie Lowell - Assisted Suicide?

Junji Yamada - Cristobal Velazquez - Purposeful.

Ivan Rodriguez - Giselle Filmore - Purposeful, Revenge, Teamkill.

That made for 11 deaths in what he estimated was under 24 hours. It all felt so pointless to him. None of it needed to happen. He didn't understand why anyone chose that path.

He collected his belongings, slung the bag over his arm, and walked back towards the jetties.

He didn't quite know where he was going.

((Cory Cartwright continued in Retrograde Analysis))