As if they hadn't gone long enough without a stroke of terrible luck, a boy walked through the door before James was able to tie it to the sink. He was holding a shotgun. Mary stared at the weapon like it was completely alien to her. He was holding a shotgun, and it was raised. It was pointing at them.
Mary remembered the boy's name. It was Paxton. He was another football guy. James confirmed both facts and asked his teammate to lower the gun. He didn't do it. Why didn't he do it?
"Really. We're not." Mary looked into Paxton's eyes. He didn't seem like he wanted to kill them. "We're, um, we're not even armed."
Cannery Blues
Phase 1 (0-12 Hours), Open
There were only two people inside the room, though Paxton was still scared shitless. The shotgun moved with his eyes as he darted between them, his hands trembling. One of the people was James. Good old reliable, trustworthy James. The girl was a nobody to him, and his focus was solely on his friend. Paxton wanted to trust him, but then he remembered the fucked up corpse in that house’s front door. How, if he’d swapped places with her, maybe that could’ve been him. How it could still be him, in a couple of days, hours, minutes. How did he know James and this girl weren’t going to kill him?
“H-how?” Paxton asked, almost whispering. Then he got louder, demanding. “How can I trust you?” As he looked James in the eye, Paxton could've sworn he saw something darker in them.
“H-how?” Paxton asked, almost whispering. Then he got louder, demanding. “How can I trust you?” As he looked James in the eye, Paxton could've sworn he saw something darker in them.
He didn't trust him. Paxton of all people didn't trust him. They'd been friends for fucking years, and of all people Paxton was the one not to trust James. Even in a place like this, that kind of hurt a little. But still, it was understandable. Paxton was panicked, and he had every right to be.
But James knew he could prove it to him. At least, he thought he could.
"T-they gave me a paper fan, I can't even do anything with that!" He exclaimed. "And Mary here got a harmonica! We're basically unarmed here!"
Gun still wasn't going down.
"Okay, let me just pull it out, that way we can get this all sorted out man."
James, the fool that he was, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the fan. Not knowing the mistake he just made before it was already too late.
But James knew he could prove it to him. At least, he thought he could.
"T-they gave me a paper fan, I can't even do anything with that!" He exclaimed. "And Mary here got a harmonica! We're basically unarmed here!"
Gun still wasn't going down.
"Okay, let me just pull it out, that way we can get this all sorted out man."
James, the fool that he was, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the fan. Not knowing the mistake he just made before it was already too late.
Paxton tried, wanted to listen to James, but the crescendo of his heartbeat pounded into his ears. His eyes practically bulged out of his sockets as he stared at James, half-processing his words, seeing him reach into his pocket. It was as calm and casual as pulling out your phone, but here, to Paxton, it was a quickdraw.
He swore, swing the shotgun up to James's face, and pulled the trigger. He instinctively shut his eyes, bracing himself for the kick of the gun, the splatter of blood, perhaps even the scream of the girl, who he felt was detached and distant from this moment in time.
But all he heard was a small click.
And Paxton Dombrowski felt his heart fall out of his ass.
He swore, swing the shotgun up to James's face, and pulled the trigger. He instinctively shut his eyes, bracing himself for the kick of the gun, the splatter of blood, perhaps even the scream of the girl, who he felt was detached and distant from this moment in time.
But all he heard was a small click.
And Paxton Dombrowski felt his heart fall out of his ass.
"WAIT NO!" James cried out as Paxton pointed the gun in his face, and immediately afterwords he could hear the loudest click he had ever heard.
Paxton had pulled the trigger.
However after the longest second of James' life, still nothing had come out of the shotgun's barrel. Did the gun malfunction or something? Did Paxton forget to load it? Who even knew. But the point still stood that Paxton had tried to kill him.
Maybe they could still talk this out, but at this point James was in full panic mode. His friend had nearly fucking murdered him after all, and he was only saved because who knows what reason? What if Paxton figured it out? Would he kill James and Mary where they stood? James wasn't about to risk it. He needed to get that gun away from Paxton.
So, James did what he did best.
He charged right at Paxton, and tackled him straight into the ground.
Paxton had pulled the trigger.
However after the longest second of James' life, still nothing had come out of the shotgun's barrel. Did the gun malfunction or something? Did Paxton forget to load it? Who even knew. But the point still stood that Paxton had tried to kill him.
Maybe they could still talk this out, but at this point James was in full panic mode. His friend had nearly fucking murdered him after all, and he was only saved because who knows what reason? What if Paxton figured it out? Would he kill James and Mary where they stood? James wasn't about to risk it. He needed to get that gun away from Paxton.
So, James did what he did best.
He charged right at Paxton, and tackled him straight into the ground.
Mary continued to look into Paxton's eyes. She saw fear. James' pleading wasn't doing anything to calm him. When Paxton raised his shotgun to James' face, Mary closed her eyes. She thought that this was the end. Mary and James were going to be killed. It all happened faster than she ever could have anticipated.
But Mary just heard a tiny click instead of the loud bang she was expecting. She opened her eyes in time to see James tackle his old teammate. She backed away from the the scene, pressing her back against one of the lockers. She just looked at them. She was confused. Was the gun not loaded? She wanted to help, but she didn't know how she could. Even if she tried to do something, would it matter at all?
But Mary just heard a tiny click instead of the loud bang she was expecting. She opened her eyes in time to see James tackle his old teammate. She backed away from the the scene, pressing her back against one of the lockers. She just looked at them. She was confused. Was the gun not loaded? She wanted to help, but she didn't know how she could. Even if she tried to do something, would it matter at all?
God, Paxton was fucked.
His eyes were wide, and they were welling up with tears Through a combination of panic and perhaps sheer stupidity, he’d forgotten to load the shotgun. If there was a change James had been pacifistic before, he sure as hell wasn’t now.
His former friend charged at him.
Paxton yelled and raised the shotgun, hoping to bring it down on James’s head. He’d been too slow, though, and James rammed him in the chest. The shotgun weakly bounced off of the boy’s back as Paxton was thrown back, smacking his head into the doorframe. A sickening crunch filled his ears as pain reverberated throughout his body. Before he could scream, his vision went black. When Paxton hit the ground, he was out cold.
He wouldn’t wake up.
His eyes were wide, and they were welling up with tears Through a combination of panic and perhaps sheer stupidity, he’d forgotten to load the shotgun. If there was a change James had been pacifistic before, he sure as hell wasn’t now.
His former friend charged at him.
Paxton yelled and raised the shotgun, hoping to bring it down on James’s head. He’d been too slow, though, and James rammed him in the chest. The shotgun weakly bounced off of the boy’s back as Paxton was thrown back, smacking his head into the doorframe. A sickening crunch filled his ears as pain reverberated throughout his body. Before he could scream, his vision went black. When Paxton hit the ground, he was out cold.
He wouldn’t wake up.
M29, PAXTON DOMBROWSKI: DECEASED
Yes! Paxton dropped the gun! This was good, now all James needed to do was have Mary grab the gun and the two of them were safe! Maybe with Paxton disarmed they could actually talk things out too, or leave this encounter without anyone being hurt. Sure, it wasn't ideal, but at least they'd be safe.
Though, once Paxton's head collided with the doorframe and the sicking sound that you can only get when you slam a head against a hard object rung through the air, that changed and one thing was very clear.
James fucked up.
James quickly rose to a kneeling position and saw his friend's body simply laying limp in front of him. The blood splatter on the door frame and the small but noticeable pool of blood forming next to Paxton's head telling him all he needed to know.
"No no no no NO!" James cried out in fear. He then quickly leaned over his friend's body and placed his ear over Paxton's mouth.
"FUCK!" He yelled out yet again. "HE'S NOT BREATHING!"
Though, once Paxton's head collided with the doorframe and the sicking sound that you can only get when you slam a head against a hard object rung through the air, that changed and one thing was very clear.
James fucked up.
James quickly rose to a kneeling position and saw his friend's body simply laying limp in front of him. The blood splatter on the door frame and the small but noticeable pool of blood forming next to Paxton's head telling him all he needed to know.
"No no no no NO!" James cried out in fear. He then quickly leaned over his friend's body and placed his ear over Paxton's mouth.
"FUCK!" He yelled out yet again. "HE'S NOT BREATHING!"
James pushed Paxton into the doorframe. Mary heard a crunch, and saw Paxton drop down to the floor. James starting shouting something and ran to his fallen friend.
What was happening?
Paxton was lying on the ground. Was he unconscious? A pool of red was gradually spreading out from his head. How badly was he wounded? James was putting his head close to Paxton's Why was he doing that?
James was yelling again? What was he saying? Mary heard the words but they didn't register. She repeated them over and over in her head. He's not breathing. He's not breathing. He's not breathing.
Oh.
Mary snapped out of her stupor and began breathing rapidly. She felt fear, real fear, for the first time since she had awoken. No, not just that, Mary felt real fear for the first time in her entire life. James had killed someone. He'd killed his own teammate, someone he knew very well. It was an accident, and Paxton attacked first, so she couldn't blame him. But it happened so fast. Paxton had walked in just a second ago, and now he was dead. That could happen out here. It could happen to anyone, it could happen to her.
What should she do? What could she do? He was already dead, there was no fixing it. Mary had been useless. She was still useless. Mary's eyes darted around the room, looking for an answer. She looked at the door she had came from, looked through the window back to the factory floor. She pictured the big entrance to the building that she had considered leaving through right after waking.
Mary took one last look at her ally and his victim, then she looked back to the door. Then, Mary did the one thing that she knew how to do.
((Mary Wieczorek continued in Take Nothing For Granted))
What was happening?
Paxton was lying on the ground. Was he unconscious? A pool of red was gradually spreading out from his head. How badly was he wounded? James was putting his head close to Paxton's Why was he doing that?
James was yelling again? What was he saying? Mary heard the words but they didn't register. She repeated them over and over in her head. He's not breathing. He's not breathing. He's not breathing.
Oh.
Mary snapped out of her stupor and began breathing rapidly. She felt fear, real fear, for the first time since she had awoken. No, not just that, Mary felt real fear for the first time in her entire life. James had killed someone. He'd killed his own teammate, someone he knew very well. It was an accident, and Paxton attacked first, so she couldn't blame him. But it happened so fast. Paxton had walked in just a second ago, and now he was dead. That could happen out here. It could happen to anyone, it could happen to her.
What should she do? What could she do? He was already dead, there was no fixing it. Mary had been useless. She was still useless. Mary's eyes darted around the room, looking for an answer. She looked at the door she had came from, looked through the window back to the factory floor. She pictured the big entrance to the building that she had considered leaving through right after waking.
Mary took one last look at her ally and his victim, then she looked back to the door. Then, Mary did the one thing that she knew how to do.
((Mary Wieczorek continued in Take Nothing For Granted))
Mary ran.
The fucking bitch just ran.
The one time James needed her most she fucking runs off into the wilderness.
Okay, James had to admit that wasn't fair. They had met all of ten minutes ago and in that time she had a gun shoved right into her face and watched the first person she'd met on the island possibly kill another man. She had every right to run. But still, Paxton's grip on life was weakening every second and James needed her help! So he felt he was at least a little justified in being upset at her.
But still, now wasn't the time to freak out. Well, anymore than James already was. Now was the time to act and act fast.
Trying to remember if his health teacher said 30 or 40 reps, James began to attempt CPR on his friend's body in a vain attempt to revive him. Not quite realizing that CPR didn't do anything for head injuries. Still, he needed to try something right?
So, with no other options at his disposal, James went to work. Placing his hands together, he quickly began to to force them down into Paxton's chest. By 30 James figured that would likely be enough, he quickly blew a single breath from his lungs into Paxton's mouth. Completely forgetting that a second breath is also required. He then checked to see if Paxton was breathing once more, and just like last time there was still nothing.
So he began the process once more, and just like last time he heard nothing.
Third attempt? Nothing.
Forth? Not a chance.
Fifth? He's gone James.
Sixth? You're wasting your time.
Seventh? He isn't coming back you fool.
Eighth? For the love of god James, STOP!
Breathing ragged, tears streaming down his face, James finally accepted the truth. Paxton wasn't coming back. No matter what he did, Pax was gone, and he was the reason why. Sure, Paxton had tried to kill him, but James was so sure that if he had gotten the gun away from him they could have talked things out. Or at least ended this shitty ass encounter without anybody being harmed. Paxton didn't need to die like this.
To make matters worse, in hindsight grabbing for the gun would have been the better option. Paxton was a scrawny little fucker compared to James. He could have easily of taken it from him without ending his friend's god damn life. On the other hand tackling him right into the doorframe however, even if he hadn't meant to, was just asking for something to go horribly wrong. He should have expected this to happen anyway. He made a very physical attack against somebody in a fucking death game of all places. There was very little chance of that not going badly. So why the hell did he do it! Why the hell did he fucking do this to Paxton!
... Because the General asked it of him. Because he decided that he needed to test James and the rest of his class's loyalty to their nation. Because he decided that multiple of the people James had grown up with should die so that one true patriot could rise above them all.
What a fucking joke.
James couldn't help but to remain motionless over his friend's body, only letting out the occasional sob. After roughly twenty minutes of this, he stood up and moved over to the gun laying motionless on the ground.
'Why did this thing not shoot?' He thought to himself, not quite sure why he wasn't the one laying dead on the ground.
Picking it up, James was finally able to recognize what model the gun was. A Mossberg 500 of all fucking things. If nothing else, he can at least say he put his gun loving ways to use at least once in his life.
First thing James noticed was that Paxton had left the safety on. An easy mistake to make if you don't read the manual and know nothing about guns. However once he pressed the slide release button and pulled back the pump, he realized Paxton had forgotten to load the gun as well. Lucky him, right? James couldn't be too sure, but if nothing else Paxton's inability to read the manual or even load his damn gun at least saved Mary's life.
With no other reason to remain in this place and no desire to remain here either, James quickly grabbed his bag, put all of Paxton's things into it, and walked out the locker room door. Not quite sure what hell he was heading towards.
(James Bagstad continued in Last Scott Standing)
The fucking bitch just ran.
The one time James needed her most she fucking runs off into the wilderness.
Okay, James had to admit that wasn't fair. They had met all of ten minutes ago and in that time she had a gun shoved right into her face and watched the first person she'd met on the island possibly kill another man. She had every right to run. But still, Paxton's grip on life was weakening every second and James needed her help! So he felt he was at least a little justified in being upset at her.
But still, now wasn't the time to freak out. Well, anymore than James already was. Now was the time to act and act fast.
Trying to remember if his health teacher said 30 or 40 reps, James began to attempt CPR on his friend's body in a vain attempt to revive him. Not quite realizing that CPR didn't do anything for head injuries. Still, he needed to try something right?
So, with no other options at his disposal, James went to work. Placing his hands together, he quickly began to to force them down into Paxton's chest. By 30 James figured that would likely be enough, he quickly blew a single breath from his lungs into Paxton's mouth. Completely forgetting that a second breath is also required. He then checked to see if Paxton was breathing once more, and just like last time there was still nothing.
So he began the process once more, and just like last time he heard nothing.
Third attempt? Nothing.
Forth? Not a chance.
Fifth? He's gone James.
Sixth? You're wasting your time.
Seventh? He isn't coming back you fool.
Eighth? For the love of god James, STOP!
Breathing ragged, tears streaming down his face, James finally accepted the truth. Paxton wasn't coming back. No matter what he did, Pax was gone, and he was the reason why. Sure, Paxton had tried to kill him, but James was so sure that if he had gotten the gun away from him they could have talked things out. Or at least ended this shitty ass encounter without anybody being harmed. Paxton didn't need to die like this.
To make matters worse, in hindsight grabbing for the gun would have been the better option. Paxton was a scrawny little fucker compared to James. He could have easily of taken it from him without ending his friend's god damn life. On the other hand tackling him right into the doorframe however, even if he hadn't meant to, was just asking for something to go horribly wrong. He should have expected this to happen anyway. He made a very physical attack against somebody in a fucking death game of all places. There was very little chance of that not going badly. So why the hell did he do it! Why the hell did he fucking do this to Paxton!
... Because the General asked it of him. Because he decided that he needed to test James and the rest of his class's loyalty to their nation. Because he decided that multiple of the people James had grown up with should die so that one true patriot could rise above them all.
What a fucking joke.
James couldn't help but to remain motionless over his friend's body, only letting out the occasional sob. After roughly twenty minutes of this, he stood up and moved over to the gun laying motionless on the ground.
'Why did this thing not shoot?' He thought to himself, not quite sure why he wasn't the one laying dead on the ground.
Picking it up, James was finally able to recognize what model the gun was. A Mossberg 500 of all fucking things. If nothing else, he can at least say he put his gun loving ways to use at least once in his life.
First thing James noticed was that Paxton had left the safety on. An easy mistake to make if you don't read the manual and know nothing about guns. However once he pressed the slide release button and pulled back the pump, he realized Paxton had forgotten to load the gun as well. Lucky him, right? James couldn't be too sure, but if nothing else Paxton's inability to read the manual or even load his damn gun at least saved Mary's life.
With no other reason to remain in this place and no desire to remain here either, James quickly grabbed his bag, put all of Paxton's things into it, and walked out the locker room door. Not quite sure what hell he was heading towards.
(James Bagstad continued in Last Scott Standing)