Mason was alarmed by Shawn's sudden resolve, especially in the face of all his injuries. When he started trying to drag himself, he set himself in the injured boy's path.
"She's gone." Shawn kept moving, so Mason squatted on his haunches and tried to stop the boy by his shoulders. "Goddammit, Shawn, she's gone."
He looked over his own shoulder at where Alexis lay, then snapped back to Shawn, suddenly angry. "You want me to fucking drag her to you? We can, we can just have a fucking pow-wow, you, me, and her. Sing goddamn Kumbaye. That cool?"
Mason's humor had taken a hard, painful edge. His voice cracked as he spoke, as if he was on the verge of sobbing. He was, of course. It was a wonder the tears hadn't started in rivulets by now. The anger was just easier than crying. For now.
Oracular Spectacular
Endgame
Shawn stared straight at the pair of shoes which purposely obstructed his path toward Alexis. It confused him at first, but Mason made clear the reasons why he blocked Shawn from progressing any further. The combined stature and angry tone from the standing boy made Shawn feel small in comparison, especially from his view-point.
The taller boy squatted making sure he was heard, thankfully relieving the strain on Shawn's neck from looking up, but continued to scold him. Maybe he should have been annoyed about Mason's reaction, but he wasn't. There was a sort of broken quality in Mason's voice, familiar to Shawn when experiencing Mae and Renée's deaths. It was his own reaction then, but it wasn't so different from the one he was receiving now.
Mason delivered a bitter joke about Shawn's intent to see Alexis. The point he was furthering: Lexi is gone. She isn't coming back.
During all this, Shawn had stopped his crawl in order to turn over then prop himself up to the best of his abilities. Using his hands, he slowly lifted his body to a seated position on the floor to the kneeling Mason. He studied Mason in silence for a few seconds in thought.
After a few more seconds, Shawn leaned over to Mason, ignoring feelings of physical pain and possible repercussions for his next action.
I know man. Just how I deal...
Gently, Shawn extended one arm around the other boy and then another, this time accompanied with a few pats on the back. Brief, but it was enough.
"I know," he said softly.
The taller boy squatted making sure he was heard, thankfully relieving the strain on Shawn's neck from looking up, but continued to scold him. Maybe he should have been annoyed about Mason's reaction, but he wasn't. There was a sort of broken quality in Mason's voice, familiar to Shawn when experiencing Mae and Renée's deaths. It was his own reaction then, but it wasn't so different from the one he was receiving now.
Mason delivered a bitter joke about Shawn's intent to see Alexis. The point he was furthering: Lexi is gone. She isn't coming back.
During all this, Shawn had stopped his crawl in order to turn over then prop himself up to the best of his abilities. Using his hands, he slowly lifted his body to a seated position on the floor to the kneeling Mason. He studied Mason in silence for a few seconds in thought.
After a few more seconds, Shawn leaned over to Mason, ignoring feelings of physical pain and possible repercussions for his next action.
I know man. Just how I deal...
Gently, Shawn extended one arm around the other boy and then another, this time accompanied with a few pats on the back. Brief, but it was enough.
"I know," he said softly.
Mason sat down. Gravity and depression were double-teaming him, and he was losing the battle handily. He tensed up at first, as if to pull away from Shawn's hug. But he relaxed, and let himself be embraced.
"I..." He shook his head, as if trying to deny whatever thoughts or words he might have had. He pulled away from Shawn, gently.
"I couldn't do anything." The tears came, soft, without theatrics.
He leaned his weight back against one of the tables, eyes at the ceiling.
"If you wanna see her, I'm not gonna stop you."
"I..." He shook his head, as if trying to deny whatever thoughts or words he might have had. He pulled away from Shawn, gently.
"I couldn't do anything." The tears came, soft, without theatrics.
He leaned his weight back against one of the tables, eyes at the ceiling.
"If you wanna see her, I'm not gonna stop you."
Mason needed some time to himself, that much Shawn could tell for sure. He nodded at the other boy in response before turning back to Alexis. She wasn't far now, taking Shawn only a few scoots to reach her side.
The clean table cloth fell gracefully over Lexi, covering her from head to toe. At first Shawn wanted to move her somewhere else, maybe to one of the bedrooms on the second floor like he did with Ben-o, but with his current condition, there was no way he could carry anyone anywhere. Thus the idea to at least cover her up came to mind.
Earlier, when he had first reached Lexi's side, her eyes were already closed probably something Mason had done out of respect. Thanks perhaps to the daily tanning Lexi looked to have, it looked more like she was asleep than anything else, if he focused solely on the face and not the wounds or puddle around her. He wanted to say a few things to her then, but couldn't find the right words.
"Hey-Lexi. Like my new hair-cut? Had it cut short for you and the ladies at home... like my grandma," He mouthed a quick 'love you grandma' and formed a heart shape with his hands at the nearest camera, followed by a half-hearted chuckle of sorts.
It was a joke to help deal with seeing yet another dead classmate.
After that he was quiet, staring at her, apologizing in his head for not being able to save her this time or even saying goodbye like with Mae or Renée.
Now he had her covered out of his own respect like the many others he had laid to rest on this resort island. It took him a while to achieve the right balance and proper footing to retrieve the table cloth, but eventually he did. There was still pain of course, mostly in his shot leg, but he was beginning to familiarize it and move in a way to avoid any strong flare-ups or from buckling back down. It mostly involved staggering around slowly with a limp, but at least he could put it in the background to move and do what he had to do.
Shawn did the same with Nate, laying the table cloth over her, admiring the girl's will-power and the short time they spent talking with each other. It helped him find the will-power to move as well. If she could do it, then so could he.
When Shawn reached Madelyn's body, he stared at her, unsure of how to feel about his friend turned multi-killer. There wasn't any anger directed at her or any satisfaction from her death. The game, the culture, the desperation: People handled it in different ways. It affected him too.
Shawn saw the shotgun wound on the side of her body. He did that. Thank goodness she was lying face down, or he would've heaved. After a few seconds he dropped a table cloth over her too. Despite what she did to him, to everyone, Madelyn was still his friend.
Just another victim of the system.
Brian Eno was headless and smelled. He was already dead before, but it was only now that Shawn really felt that Brian was truly gone. He held the snake's corpse in his hands and limped his way to the bullet ridden doors. Not once did he look back after covering each of the girls.
Shawn stood in place right in front of the doors when he remembered that Mason was still in the room too. Maybe. Or maybe he had walked away from the bloodshed. Shawn could understand that; this wasn't his scene either. Especially if there was someone else still wandering around in this hotel, still a threat. How many of them were left anyway, three? Shawn wasn't sure anymore, especially not in his weakened daze.
Unsure if he was being heard or not, Shawn decided to say something anyway, just in case Mason was around.
"Dude. I'm getting out of here," he simply stated before limping out of the dining room and away from the aftermath to hopefully greener pastures.
The clean table cloth fell gracefully over Lexi, covering her from head to toe. At first Shawn wanted to move her somewhere else, maybe to one of the bedrooms on the second floor like he did with Ben-o, but with his current condition, there was no way he could carry anyone anywhere. Thus the idea to at least cover her up came to mind.
Earlier, when he had first reached Lexi's side, her eyes were already closed probably something Mason had done out of respect. Thanks perhaps to the daily tanning Lexi looked to have, it looked more like she was asleep than anything else, if he focused solely on the face and not the wounds or puddle around her. He wanted to say a few things to her then, but couldn't find the right words.
"Hey-Lexi. Like my new hair-cut? Had it cut short for you and the ladies at home... like my grandma," He mouthed a quick 'love you grandma' and formed a heart shape with his hands at the nearest camera, followed by a half-hearted chuckle of sorts.
It was a joke to help deal with seeing yet another dead classmate.
After that he was quiet, staring at her, apologizing in his head for not being able to save her this time or even saying goodbye like with Mae or Renée.
Now he had her covered out of his own respect like the many others he had laid to rest on this resort island. It took him a while to achieve the right balance and proper footing to retrieve the table cloth, but eventually he did. There was still pain of course, mostly in his shot leg, but he was beginning to familiarize it and move in a way to avoid any strong flare-ups or from buckling back down. It mostly involved staggering around slowly with a limp, but at least he could put it in the background to move and do what he had to do.
Shawn did the same with Nate, laying the table cloth over her, admiring the girl's will-power and the short time they spent talking with each other. It helped him find the will-power to move as well. If she could do it, then so could he.
When Shawn reached Madelyn's body, he stared at her, unsure of how to feel about his friend turned multi-killer. There wasn't any anger directed at her or any satisfaction from her death. The game, the culture, the desperation: People handled it in different ways. It affected him too.
Shawn saw the shotgun wound on the side of her body. He did that. Thank goodness she was lying face down, or he would've heaved. After a few seconds he dropped a table cloth over her too. Despite what she did to him, to everyone, Madelyn was still his friend.
Just another victim of the system.
Brian Eno was headless and smelled. He was already dead before, but it was only now that Shawn really felt that Brian was truly gone. He held the snake's corpse in his hands and limped his way to the bullet ridden doors. Not once did he look back after covering each of the girls.
Shawn stood in place right in front of the doors when he remembered that Mason was still in the room too. Maybe. Or maybe he had walked away from the bloodshed. Shawn could understand that; this wasn't his scene either. Especially if there was someone else still wandering around in this hotel, still a threat. How many of them were left anyway, three? Shawn wasn't sure anymore, especially not in his weakened daze.
Unsure if he was being heard or not, Shawn decided to say something anyway, just in case Mason was around.
"Dude. I'm getting out of here," he simply stated before limping out of the dining room and away from the aftermath to hopefully greener pastures.
Shawn did his thing, and Mason spent most of it staring at the ceiling. Somewhere halfway through he had thought to grab his weapon and reload it. He wasn't sure why he did it. The act of sliding rounds in the magazine, the repetitiveness of the motion settling his nerves. When he was done, Shawn had spoken.
Getting the hell out of that room seemed like a great suggestion. Mason started out after Shawn shortly after he announced his intentions.
It took him a minute to find the boy, and when he did catch up to him, he was sitting in the pool area. The pool had been regretfully drained, so there would be no post "what the fuck just happened" dip. The area was wreathed in sunlight from the skylight above. Considering what had happened, the area was oddly cheery.
When Mason made it into the room, Shawn turned to him and ask if there's anyone left.
"I don't know." The truth. Mason had a feeling they weren't all accounted for. The heat of the moment had made him forget meeting that odd girl in the bathroom.
Getting the hell out of that room seemed like a great suggestion. Mason started out after Shawn shortly after he announced his intentions.
It took him a minute to find the boy, and when he did catch up to him, he was sitting in the pool area. The pool had been regretfully drained, so there would be no post "what the fuck just happened" dip. The area was wreathed in sunlight from the skylight above. Considering what had happened, the area was oddly cheery.
When Mason made it into the room, Shawn turned to him and ask if there's anyone left.
"I don't know." The truth. Mason had a feeling they weren't all accounted for. The heat of the moment had made him forget meeting that odd girl in the bathroom.
-
MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3442
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
A voice echoes from both collars, unmistakably the same voice which has been on the announcements these past days...
"Congratulations, boys. You're the final two. Odile shot herself in the hotel before your little firefight got going. Normally, we'd make you find her, but the hotel's big enough that could take hours, and that doesn't make for good viewing, even if you don't keel over and die on the way. You're the only ones left alive on the island.
"Anyways, you know what that means. Ta ta."
"Congratulations, boys. You're the final two. Odile shot herself in the hotel before your little firefight got going. Normally, we'd make you find her, but the hotel's big enough that could take hours, and that doesn't make for good viewing, even if you don't keel over and die on the way. You're the only ones left alive on the island.
"Anyways, you know what that means. Ta ta."
Mason shook his head and slumped back against the wall. "There's your answer." He wasn't sure why, but he felt bad. Girl didn't seem all that bad. Just a little off. He guessed she was more off than he had first thought.
Girl tops herself off and you're acting like it was nothing.
"Been a long couple of days, man." Mason said. He looked down at the gun clenched in his hand, the one that had been his least cherished friend for his time on the island.
"What now?"
Girl tops herself off and you're acting like it was nothing.
"Been a long couple of days, man." Mason said. He looked down at the gun clenched in his hand, the one that had been his least cherished friend for his time on the island.
"What now?"
"What a bitch." Shawn laughed bitterly.
After all that, she shoots herself in the head, probably. Now it was only Mason and Shawn. He was slow to react, but the announcement had finally processed in his groggy mind.
Shawn rested his head on the lounge chair he'd been leaning on as he sat on the floor and stared up through the glass ceiling with a smile on his face. He was feeling lightheaded after taking only a dozen or so steps, underestimating the toll dripping blood and exertion would have on his injured body.
He had chosen the pool area for a rest, because of the tropical atmosphere and the sunny ocean view outside. The whole thing was a definite and welcoming contrast from the last room. Other Sean's hanging body was thankfully absent from the area and the pools seemed to have been drained since the last time he was here. It was too bad: He could've used some water to wash away the blood or swim away his sorrows.
"What now? I don't know dude. You freaking tell me what we're supposed to do. Now what?"
His tone was notably agitated. It was the type that contained both glee and annoyance at the same time. He didn't mean to sound like this, but the realization of the inevitable was getting to him. This was the end. It was only them two left. They were supposed to kill each other now. Sooner or later one of them had to die.
Shawn glanced at Mason, envious of his condition. The boy seemed to be healthy and mostly unharmed. Shawn knew he wouldn't stand a chance against that.
"Are you gonna shoot me?" Shawn asked. He rested Brian Eno to his side, fidgeting with the weight in his pockets as he waited for a response. He was surprised to find a few things he'd forgotten had been tucked away.
"Should I? I guess that's what I'm supposed to do," Mason said after a moment. Shawn let out a small laugh, unraveling his bandanna and rewrapping it around his eyes like a blindfold. He carefully stood up, using the lounge chair for leverage to balance and steady his wobbling knees. He spoke casually.
"Ok. Do it."
After all that, she shoots herself in the head, probably. Now it was only Mason and Shawn. He was slow to react, but the announcement had finally processed in his groggy mind.
Shawn rested his head on the lounge chair he'd been leaning on as he sat on the floor and stared up through the glass ceiling with a smile on his face. He was feeling lightheaded after taking only a dozen or so steps, underestimating the toll dripping blood and exertion would have on his injured body.
He had chosen the pool area for a rest, because of the tropical atmosphere and the sunny ocean view outside. The whole thing was a definite and welcoming contrast from the last room. Other Sean's hanging body was thankfully absent from the area and the pools seemed to have been drained since the last time he was here. It was too bad: He could've used some water to wash away the blood or swim away his sorrows.
"What now? I don't know dude. You freaking tell me what we're supposed to do. Now what?"
His tone was notably agitated. It was the type that contained both glee and annoyance at the same time. He didn't mean to sound like this, but the realization of the inevitable was getting to him. This was the end. It was only them two left. They were supposed to kill each other now. Sooner or later one of them had to die.
Shawn glanced at Mason, envious of his condition. The boy seemed to be healthy and mostly unharmed. Shawn knew he wouldn't stand a chance against that.
"Are you gonna shoot me?" Shawn asked. He rested Brian Eno to his side, fidgeting with the weight in his pockets as he waited for a response. He was surprised to find a few things he'd forgotten had been tucked away.
"Should I? I guess that's what I'm supposed to do," Mason said after a moment. Shawn let out a small laugh, unraveling his bandanna and rewrapping it around his eyes like a blindfold. He carefully stood up, using the lounge chair for leverage to balance and steady his wobbling knees. He spoke casually.
"Ok. Do it."
Mason almost gave a bitter laugh himself, at the image of Shawn blinded as if waiting for a firing squad. He wished he could have offered the kid a smoke.
He took a breath, the gun shaking in his hand as he leveled it. This was it. The moment everyone had been waiting for. The moment that dictated Mason's safe passage. He shot people before. He could do it again. He knew he could do it again.
His finger found the trigger. He swallowed. A moment passed. Then another. The boys stood stock still, a pair of tragicomic protagonists frozen in a pocket of time.
The gun dropped to his hip.
"I can't." Mason blew out his breath, unaware that he'd been holding it. "I can't do it."
He took a breath, the gun shaking in his hand as he leveled it. This was it. The moment everyone had been waiting for. The moment that dictated Mason's safe passage. He shot people before. He could do it again. He knew he could do it again.
His finger found the trigger. He swallowed. A moment passed. Then another. The boys stood stock still, a pair of tragicomic protagonists frozen in a pocket of time.
The gun dropped to his hip.
"I can't." Mason blew out his breath, unaware that he'd been holding it. "I can't do it."
The tension was strong and just like Mason, Shawn was holding his breath without knowing it, bracing himself for whatever was to happen. Shawn lifted the bandanna from his eyes and let out a breath of air of his own after hearing Mason's response. He took a seat on the pool's lounge chair and studied Mason's shaded expression.
Shawn picked up Brian Eno's slithery carcass and examined it. Then after a few seconds, he started to snicker. Shawn could still remember what he told Zach the very first time he picked up his snake friend and could already feel the philosophical ramblings form within his noggin.
"We're all a bunch of animals... and eventually we all die out. So enjoy life while you can," Shawn scratched the side of his face and yawned. "That's my motto at least. Was just giving you the same opportunity." He stared up at the sunny, aqua blue sky and smiled at the blinking camera on the edge of the skylight. Time for another Shawn fact.
"Fact: When I die. I want to become infinite light energy. Like, just become one with the universe...."
Mason had remained silent the whole time. Thinking back, yeah it was pretty crazy of him to suggest that Mason just shoot him. He had even started to regret it once he did it, but it made sense at the time, still did in a way.
"Hey Mason, we have a problem," Shawn said with a chuckle as he pulled the Firestar M43 handgun he had forgotten was tucked into one of the pockets on his blazer, until just moments ago. "You don't want to shoot me, I don't want to shoot you and I sure as heck ain't gonna shoot myself. But like it or not one of us has to."
Shawn took a breath feeling the throb of pain in his abdomen once more, his gun ready in hand as well.
"So, you shoot me or I shoot you. Huha... Unless you got any better ideas?"
Shawn picked up Brian Eno's slithery carcass and examined it. Then after a few seconds, he started to snicker. Shawn could still remember what he told Zach the very first time he picked up his snake friend and could already feel the philosophical ramblings form within his noggin.
"We're all a bunch of animals... and eventually we all die out. So enjoy life while you can," Shawn scratched the side of his face and yawned. "That's my motto at least. Was just giving you the same opportunity." He stared up at the sunny, aqua blue sky and smiled at the blinking camera on the edge of the skylight. Time for another Shawn fact.
"Fact: When I die. I want to become infinite light energy. Like, just become one with the universe...."
Mason had remained silent the whole time. Thinking back, yeah it was pretty crazy of him to suggest that Mason just shoot him. He had even started to regret it once he did it, but it made sense at the time, still did in a way.
"Hey Mason, we have a problem," Shawn said with a chuckle as he pulled the Firestar M43 handgun he had forgotten was tucked into one of the pockets on his blazer, until just moments ago. "You don't want to shoot me, I don't want to shoot you and I sure as heck ain't gonna shoot myself. But like it or not one of us has to."
Shawn took a breath feeling the throb of pain in his abdomen once more, his gun ready in hand as well.
"So, you shoot me or I shoot you. Huha... Unless you got any better ideas?"
Ideas. He wasn't so good at thinking. Especially not anymore. Mason stared at a point between his shoes. He was sure the audience at home was on the edge of its seat, burning, wanting to see some drama, to see the two boys embroiled in one last, intense gunfight where one came out on top due to skill or or ruthlessness, or both.
Mason looked up.
Fuck that. He'd be damned if the audience got anymore from him.
"Flip a coin."
It seemed so simple, so stupidly simple, that he smirked.
"Fuck this game. Let fate figure it out."
Mason looked up.
Fuck that. He'd be damned if the audience got anymore from him.
"Flip a coin."
It seemed so simple, so stupidly simple, that he smirked.
"Fuck this game. Let fate figure it out."
"Alright so, let's get this straight. Say I call heads and you call tails. If it lands on heads... I win. If it lands on tails... you win."
Mason nodded.
"Groovy."
The suggestion of fate had the wheels in Shawn's semi-philosophical view of the universe turning, yet left him with very little to say.
Shawn looked at Mason as he dug into his pants for a coin to flip. It was a bit too small for both of them to see what the result would be, but still Shawn liked the general idea of leaving it up to chance. It was sorta eerie, almost. Like every single piece of advice Shawn's Gold-team mentor-man gave, led to this very moment. It felt like an epiphany. Pretty far-out actually.
Despite the 'finale' coming up, Shawn still felt the need to have one final smoke - just in case. He was pretty sure he still had a joint stuffed somewhere. Still a-seat, he dug into his pocket, searching until his hand felt something round with a rough exterior. He pulled it out.
"Oh."
Shawn looked at the grenade he had also forgotten about. He stood up carefully, with lingering amounts of pain and limped awkwardly to Mason.
"Here you go," Shawn said as he placed the grenade in Mason's open hand.
Mason wore a puzzled expression which Shawn hadn't noticed as he searched his pants and finally found the half-lit blunt. Luckily, his blood hadn't seeped through his pocket, so it was all good. He pulled out the same lighter he used when smoking with Nate earlier, but had some trouble getting it to light. Ten tries later; the familiar essence finally began to flow.
"One thing, bro. Whoever 'wins' should respond right away." Shawn contemplated a thought as he took a drag, and then chuckled. Pain was slowly melting away.
"The last time I hesitated, I got shot. So don't hesitate this time, alright man."
Mason nodded.
"Groovy."
The suggestion of fate had the wheels in Shawn's semi-philosophical view of the universe turning, yet left him with very little to say.
Shawn looked at Mason as he dug into his pants for a coin to flip. It was a bit too small for both of them to see what the result would be, but still Shawn liked the general idea of leaving it up to chance. It was sorta eerie, almost. Like every single piece of advice Shawn's Gold-team mentor-man gave, led to this very moment. It felt like an epiphany. Pretty far-out actually.
Despite the 'finale' coming up, Shawn still felt the need to have one final smoke - just in case. He was pretty sure he still had a joint stuffed somewhere. Still a-seat, he dug into his pocket, searching until his hand felt something round with a rough exterior. He pulled it out.
"Oh."
Shawn looked at the grenade he had also forgotten about. He stood up carefully, with lingering amounts of pain and limped awkwardly to Mason.
"Here you go," Shawn said as he placed the grenade in Mason's open hand.
Mason wore a puzzled expression which Shawn hadn't noticed as he searched his pants and finally found the half-lit blunt. Luckily, his blood hadn't seeped through his pocket, so it was all good. He pulled out the same lighter he used when smoking with Nate earlier, but had some trouble getting it to light. Ten tries later; the familiar essence finally began to flow.
"One thing, bro. Whoever 'wins' should respond right away." Shawn contemplated a thought as he took a drag, and then chuckled. Pain was slowly melting away.
"The last time I hesitated, I got shot. So don't hesitate this time, alright man."
They were dancing around the edge of eternity, and Shawn was toking.
Mason laughed when Shawn finally lit the joint. This wasn't the bitter, sarcastic laugh of before. This was honest, lighthearted mirth. And it felt good. Since he shot Nate, this was the first time Mason felt like things were...well, they weren't like they were supposed to. But they weren't complete shit anymore. Just...a little shit.
Mason bounced the grenade in his hand for a second, then reached back and slid it into his pack. "Thanks, man." He only half-jokingly expressed gratitude.
"I won't hesitate. We'll do good and end it here, man."
"To make it interesting, maybe we could flip the snake?" Shawn said. Mason looked at the dead excuse for an animal that was draped around Shawn's neck.
"But it doesn't have a hea..." Mason grimaced and shook his head at the awkward joke, while Shawn's eyes twinkled.
"You're...you're something else, man."
Mason laughed when Shawn finally lit the joint. This wasn't the bitter, sarcastic laugh of before. This was honest, lighthearted mirth. And it felt good. Since he shot Nate, this was the first time Mason felt like things were...well, they weren't like they were supposed to. But they weren't complete shit anymore. Just...a little shit.
Mason bounced the grenade in his hand for a second, then reached back and slid it into his pack. "Thanks, man." He only half-jokingly expressed gratitude.
"I won't hesitate. We'll do good and end it here, man."
"To make it interesting, maybe we could flip the snake?" Shawn said. Mason looked at the dead excuse for an animal that was draped around Shawn's neck.
"But it doesn't have a hea..." Mason grimaced and shook his head at the awkward joke, while Shawn's eyes twinkled.
"You're...you're something else, man."
Shawn and Mason each held one end of the snake, their firearms ready in the other.
"Call it for me," Mason said, still obviously a bit bewildered that Shawn was serious about tossing Brian Eno into the air.
"Heads," Shawn said, a concealed smile spreading over his face within a few seconds, followed by a snicker.
Mason snorted back a disbelieving laugh and shook his head. After a bit of joking and one firm handshake later, it was decided. The soft underbelly of the boa constrictor, represented "tails" the other side was heads. Shawn was still going for heads.
"Glad you're not hesitating this time. I'd shoot you first, if you did." He took a deep drag of the joint still resting between his lips and shrugged. "Just saying."
This was really going to be the end of an experience. Shawn just hoped that live or die, his performance and implied popularity on this show gave him some celebrity status which could hopefully earn something for his family. He might as well take advantage of the show's few benefits while he was at it after all.
Mason nodded. "It's been real, man."
Real. Nice choice of words to describe it.
"Yeah, just try not to hurt this pretty face if you win, okay dude. Gotta keep the image for TV, you know? Just being real."
Both boys laughed quietly, like two chums sharing an inside joke, rather than facing the reaper. Odd how this small talk made things easier. There was a count of three, as together the boys heaved the snake up and finally let go, tossing it sideways into the air. For those few seconds, the room sat in near silence.
All except a whistle to the tune of: "Ride of the Valkyries" that is.
[[The SOTF-TV Season 65 Winner Continued in... Roll Credits.]]
"Call it for me," Mason said, still obviously a bit bewildered that Shawn was serious about tossing Brian Eno into the air.
"Heads," Shawn said, a concealed smile spreading over his face within a few seconds, followed by a snicker.
Mason snorted back a disbelieving laugh and shook his head. After a bit of joking and one firm handshake later, it was decided. The soft underbelly of the boa constrictor, represented "tails" the other side was heads. Shawn was still going for heads.
"Glad you're not hesitating this time. I'd shoot you first, if you did." He took a deep drag of the joint still resting between his lips and shrugged. "Just saying."
This was really going to be the end of an experience. Shawn just hoped that live or die, his performance and implied popularity on this show gave him some celebrity status which could hopefully earn something for his family. He might as well take advantage of the show's few benefits while he was at it after all.
Mason nodded. "It's been real, man."
Real. Nice choice of words to describe it.
"Yeah, just try not to hurt this pretty face if you win, okay dude. Gotta keep the image for TV, you know? Just being real."
Both boys laughed quietly, like two chums sharing an inside joke, rather than facing the reaper. Odd how this small talk made things easier. There was a count of three, as together the boys heaved the snake up and finally let go, tossing it sideways into the air. For those few seconds, the room sat in near silence.
All except a whistle to the tune of: "Ride of the Valkyries" that is.
[[The SOTF-TV Season 65 Winner Continued in... Roll Credits.]]