Ajay saw his target. He froze. How was-
One arm left the rifle and rose to his face. He took his shades off. The arm fell limp, wide eyed he stared in disbelief.
He knew Seychelle was hurt. He knew she was the biggest killer on the island. Since the chapel, he never really knew the true extent of it all.
“Fucking hell doll, you’re all fucked up…”
He flicked his wrist and tossed his shades away.
“It’s just us now. Only way it could’ve ended.” His eyes blinked.
“Started with us, what other way was it gonna go, eh?” His voice shook. You couldn’t tell if he wanted to laugh or something else was behind it.
“I fucking hated you, you know that?” He pointed his empty hand at Seychelle. Held his arm sideways, two fingers the barrel, his thumb the lever.
“I killed you! You were fucking dead! But Rainbow… She…”
His arm lowered.
“I don’t understand you. I don’t know why you killed her for that. Was she just in the way to me or what?”
…
“Not like I’m gonna get an answer. I know what I did to you.”
“Still fucking hate you; but mean no disrespect. After what you did it’d have to have been down to you.”
It looked like Ajay was staring into Seychelle’s eyes, but it could have easily been the bullet wound as well.
For some reason he still hadn’t raised his gun.
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Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
Seychelle, limply, raised her right or left arm. She wasn't sure anymore.
She flicked her thumb up.
She flicked her thumb up.
"...Hah."
There was another lull. Ajay still had things to say. Really, he felt like he should have called out Jack, or mentioned how he got here from Phila, or that he had to admit he'd never looked anyone he killed in the eyes yet or-
He really only had time for one. He'd pick the most important one then.
"Philia took a bullet for me. It's the only reason I'm here and she isn't. I'll still never understand why, jah? I told her who I was; none of that was a good person.
She still gave me a chance, and I don't know why. Guess there's a lot of things I'm gonna go on not knowing."
His hand gripped the rifle and raised it.
"Ah fuck it! I got onto Jen for doing this shit before I klapped 'er. I don't really know if you care or not, but I know if you had the bullets I'd be dead already."
He locked eyes with Seychelle as he leveled his sights on her.
"Boer's makin' it home."
There was another lull. Ajay still had things to say. Really, he felt like he should have called out Jack, or mentioned how he got here from Phila, or that he had to admit he'd never looked anyone he killed in the eyes yet or-
He really only had time for one. He'd pick the most important one then.
"Philia took a bullet for me. It's the only reason I'm here and she isn't. I'll still never understand why, jah? I told her who I was; none of that was a good person.
She still gave me a chance, and I don't know why. Guess there's a lot of things I'm gonna go on not knowing."
His hand gripped the rifle and raised it.
"Ah fuck it! I got onto Jen for doing this shit before I klapped 'er. I don't really know if you care or not, but I know if you had the bullets I'd be dead already."
He locked eyes with Seychelle as he leveled his sights on her.
"Boer's makin' it home."
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
Seychelle closed her three red eyes.
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Catche Jagger
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The wind picked up from off the north, billowing over the cliffs and through the circle, the gust whistling through bullet holes and broken statues, rustling the branches of the trees that surrounded. Amidst the instruments of the air came another sound from behind the boy, a rusty creak, grating and broken, and yet still the sound twisted and formed itself into a word.
“Ajay…”
“Ajay…”
You saw Ajay’s face freeze.
His eyes were shaking. He did not have the look of the stone cold gangster he postured as.
It was only a moment. A few rattled breaths. A blink, maybe two.
His face changed again. He resolved, resigned? himself to what came next. He sneered, eyes still shaking. His grip tightened.
“I’LL FUCKIN’ AVE YOU!!” It came out more shrill than he’d liked it to.
Ajay turned around and fired.
His eyes were shaking. He did not have the look of the stone cold gangster he postured as.
It was only a moment. A few rattled breaths. A blink, maybe two.
His face changed again. He resolved, resigned? himself to what came next. He sneered, eyes still shaking. His grip tightened.
“I’LL FUCKIN’ AVE YOU!!” It came out more shrill than he’d liked it to.
Ajay turned around and fired.
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
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Catche Jagger
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Ajay’s shot missed, and not by some marginal degree, even though his target did not take cover, but stood standing about twenty feet ahead. Perhaps it was fear and a shaky hand that brought on the failure to connect. Perhaps it was a nervous trigger finger which resulted in him firing early. Or perhaps it was simple carelessness, the same sort of carelessness that could result in one abandoning a loaded rifle only just out of reach of an injured enemy.
So much for being the only one who took this seriously.
The girl was dirty and bloodied, red blooming at her abdomen and trailing down to her legs. Her left leg trembled as her stance seemed to wobble slightly. However, her eyes and her weapon never strayed from her own target which stood before her. No words came in response to Ajay's cry.
Depression of the trigger was accompanied by a roar from the muzzle and the sound of a low grunt from the girl as her weapon kicked back into her.
So much for being the only one who took this seriously.
The girl was dirty and bloodied, red blooming at her abdomen and trailing down to her legs. Her left leg trembled as her stance seemed to wobble slightly. However, her eyes and her weapon never strayed from her own target which stood before her. No words came in response to Ajay's cry.
Depression of the trigger was accompanied by a roar from the muzzle and the sound of a low grunt from the girl as her weapon kicked back into her.
Eyes wide, Ajay ran to the right as bullets flew past him. If he knew Seychelle was this fucked up-
If he knew Jen would get back up;
Shoulda, coulda, woulda,
FUCK!
He skidded behind a tree.
Racked a round into the chamber. He wasn't dying here. He got too far to go down to two fucking zombies.
He popped the corner, didn't bother standing still. He hit, or he missed. He was gonna be moving the entire time. Had to get close. He got close, he won.
Running forward, he shot from the hip.
If he knew Jen would get back up;
Shoulda, coulda, woulda,
FUCK!
He skidded behind a tree.
Racked a round into the chamber. He wasn't dying here. He got too far to go down to two fucking zombies.
He popped the corner, didn't bother standing still. He hit, or he missed. He was gonna be moving the entire time. Had to get close. He got close, he won.
Running forward, he shot from the hip.
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
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Catche Jagger
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Jen Mara Tuiqamea had been to hell once already, in the darkness, disoriented, in pain, her own body betraying her in its weakness. Then, she’d had someone to take her hand, a complete stranger who showed her the way back to the light.
This time, Jen already knew the way back from hell and had crawled from there herself. She had something left to do.
The next bullet flew closer, but still did not find purchase and Jen’s feet remained rooted even as the rest of her barely remained upright. Instead of moving for cover, she pulled the trigger once again as soon as Ajay revealed himself.
This time, Jen already knew the way back from hell and had crawled from there herself. She had something left to do.
The next bullet flew closer, but still did not find purchase and Jen’s feet remained rooted even as the rest of her barely remained upright. Instead of moving for cover, she pulled the trigger once again as soon as Ajay revealed himself.
Ajay ducked. Rounds flew overhead. He stood up, didn't bother to aim. Didn't bother to think.
No time.
Click.
His face twisted in a scowl. He had two choices, both of them to keep running. He dropped the rifle.
He was tired of this shit.
He ran from gunshots almost his whole life, or at least the part of his life that mattered. It got friends killed in place of him. It got Phillia killed. He needed to make it count. If not here, then he didn't stand a chance back home. He was a killer now. It was time to act like it.
Really, the choice was obvious.
He did it without thinking, almost like muscle memory. He screamed. As he closed the distance with Jen, a single thought drifted through his head.
Maybe he should've done what he was good at and went the other way...
No time.
Click.
His face twisted in a scowl. He had two choices, both of them to keep running. He dropped the rifle.
He was tired of this shit.
He ran from gunshots almost his whole life, or at least the part of his life that mattered. It got friends killed in place of him. It got Phillia killed. He needed to make it count. If not here, then he didn't stand a chance back home. He was a killer now. It was time to act like it.
Really, the choice was obvious.
He did it without thinking, almost like muscle memory. He screamed. As he closed the distance with Jen, a single thought drifted through his head.
Maybe he should've done what he was good at and went the other way...
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
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Catche Jagger
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Screaming, a blur of movement, Ajay rushed at Jen like some sort of rabid animal.
It would have been possible to convince herself that this was for some greater good, that killing Ajay would stop something terrible, but she didn’t even know if the person Ajay had been talking at was still alive. It similarly could have been asserted that she’d been guided back to her feet in order to avenge Austin or Leander, or that she’d done so for the sake of another like her family or for the sake of Katherine.
But there wasn’t enough of her left to care or to come up with excuses.
“This is for me.” She wheezed from somewhere low and deep in her throat, words slurred and accompanied by an awful gurgling sound she didn't dare dwell on. Instead she simply pulled the trigger once, twice, three and four times until her bullets were spent.
It would have been possible to convince herself that this was for some greater good, that killing Ajay would stop something terrible, but she didn’t even know if the person Ajay had been talking at was still alive. It similarly could have been asserted that she’d been guided back to her feet in order to avenge Austin or Leander, or that she’d done so for the sake of another like her family or for the sake of Katherine.
But there wasn’t enough of her left to care or to come up with excuses.
“This is for me.” She wheezed from somewhere low and deep in her throat, words slurred and accompanied by an awful gurgling sound she didn't dare dwell on. Instead she simply pulled the trigger once, twice, three and four times until her bullets were spent.
Ajay didn't register the first going through him. He kept running. He had to take Jen out, had to beat her. He was this close.
He felt the second when something punched against his shoulder. He still didn't register the first. He'd survive a bullet in him. He'd seen Jen, he'd seen Seychelle. They were fuckin' school kids. Fuckin' soft. If they could go on, so could-
The third got him in the ribs, and those second thoughts kicked in. This was a lost cause, it was time to run, to change his plans. He should've done it earlier, they were both gonna bleed out anyways-
He pivoted to the left and began running for the treeline. He wasn't dying here, not when he was this close-
The fourth shot blasted through the right-hand side of his neck. He flinched raising his arm towards his neck as he lost his footing.
But he didn't raise his arm. That first bullet finally registered when he realized that arm was useless.
He rolled to his back and screamed. Nothing but red came out of his mouth. He brought his left arm over his neck, as he rolled around on the ground.
"Gnk-"
He felt the second when something punched against his shoulder. He still didn't register the first. He'd survive a bullet in him. He'd seen Jen, he'd seen Seychelle. They were fuckin' school kids. Fuckin' soft. If they could go on, so could-
The third got him in the ribs, and those second thoughts kicked in. This was a lost cause, it was time to run, to change his plans. He should've done it earlier, they were both gonna bleed out anyways-
He pivoted to the left and began running for the treeline. He wasn't dying here, not when he was this close-
The fourth shot blasted through the right-hand side of his neck. He flinched raising his arm towards his neck as he lost his footing.
But he didn't raise his arm. That first bullet finally registered when he realized that arm was useless.
He rolled to his back and screamed. Nothing but red came out of his mouth. He brought his left arm over his neck, as he rolled around on the ground.
"Gnk-"
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
Seychelle wasn't dead yet.
She opened her eyes, slowly raising her hand back to her opened skull. Her eyes scanned the scene as her brain took too long for her own taste to process it. She realized that the person she was now looking at wasn't Ajay. It was a girl with dark skin. Seychelle tried to remember who it was, if she had met or not. Despite all of her thinking, she couldn't place a name on her bloodied face.
Was she also dying?
She opened her eyes, slowly raising her hand back to her opened skull. Her eyes scanned the scene as her brain took too long for her own taste to process it. She realized that the person she was now looking at wasn't Ajay. It was a girl with dark skin. Seychelle tried to remember who it was, if she had met or not. Despite all of her thinking, she couldn't place a name on her bloodied face.
Was she also dying?
Then, they made eye contact.
There were a few screams off in the distance. Didn’t really sound like screams as much as snores.
Ajay rolled around on the ground, the other two paying him no mind. Red and black stripes became red and dark red splotches. The formerly clean, formerly high-end Ill-gotten gains didn’t look so clean or high end anymore. Mud and blood, and mud and blood.
Silver and gold chains and rings were tarnished in the red brown grime.
He tried to yell again, not much came out besides his life.
“Kgh-el; ghel- nnnk;”
“Kelp.”
Ajay fought his last words, as what he was and what he wanted to be fought for control. In the end, what he was won out.
His hand fought to keep his life force in him, pressing against his neck as he struggled to got up. He still didn’t understand how they got so far, how they beat him. Didn’t get why Phillia chose him.
They-
They made it this far with worse.
Deliriously, he stared the two down as he fought for purchase to stand. They could do it, he could too.
He tried to pick himself up, but he slipped and fell, right arm useless to catch him. He tried again.
Fell again.
Mud and blood everywhere.
Tried again, got to standing. He wobbled around, legs going every which way like he was on ice. No friction, no leverage.
He fell on his face, coated in mud and blood.
His arm left his neck, and he pushed himself up to his knees.
He slowly raised his arm to his neck to stop the bleeding.
Now he knew. Now he got it.
Now he wasn’t going anywhere.
Ajay rolled around on the ground, the other two paying him no mind. Red and black stripes became red and dark red splotches. The formerly clean, formerly high-end Ill-gotten gains didn’t look so clean or high end anymore. Mud and blood, and mud and blood.
Silver and gold chains and rings were tarnished in the red brown grime.
He tried to yell again, not much came out besides his life.
“Kgh-el; ghel- nnnk;”
“Kelp.”
Ajay fought his last words, as what he was and what he wanted to be fought for control. In the end, what he was won out.
His hand fought to keep his life force in him, pressing against his neck as he struggled to got up. He still didn’t understand how they got so far, how they beat him. Didn’t get why Phillia chose him.
They-
They made it this far with worse.
Deliriously, he stared the two down as he fought for purchase to stand. They could do it, he could too.
He tried to pick himself up, but he slipped and fell, right arm useless to catch him. He tried again.
Fell again.
Mud and blood everywhere.
Tried again, got to standing. He wobbled around, legs going every which way like he was on ice. No friction, no leverage.
He fell on his face, coated in mud and blood.
His arm left his neck, and he pushed himself up to his knees.
He slowly raised his arm to his neck to stop the bleeding.
Now he knew. Now he got it.
Now he wasn’t going anywhere.
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.