“B-Because I had to,” Leah frowned, “And she told Junji to kill us and he shot Dale right in front of us, and he shot her, too, and she was just-”
Hands in front of her face, hiding it from the cameras, hiding the rifle, she couldn’t see it, she knew it was there but she couldn’t see it, she can’t see it, she can’t, she can’t, she can’t, it wasn’t there-
“Just laying there with a hole in her throat, I swore she was just gurgling blood, just dying there, and I didn’t want to see that anymore. I met her before that, and she- she didn’t deserve that. She was desperate. I didn’t want to kill her but I had to, I’m sorry, I had to.”
If she could, if she wasn’t trying to hold back her tears, she could’ve said a lot more. She’d look Anthony in the eye and she’d ask, “What gives you the right? What makes you special, that makes you killing somebody alright, but when they do it it’s wrong? I knew Pippi more than you ever will. I saw Mateo, and I saw him slip away and you were, what, slipping into your delusional fucking fantasies? Sucking your own dick, so full of yourself and your own moral superiority that you manage to justify four separate murders? Who gave you the right to take the sword? Who gave you the right to be the judge, jury, and executioner? They’re just trying to survive. Nobody cares about their fucking character here except you. We’re all just trying to live and you took it away from them to satisfy your own moral judgement, and you’re the worst person on here because of that. Because at least they are killing for something, while you are killing for a concept. Nothing in the world could justify beating a girl’s head in and then being proud of it.
I hate you. I hate that you’re wrong. I hate that you think you’re right. Your hands are dripping with the blood of four children and you’re saying that you’re a better person than them. That’s how they justify concentration camps. That’s how corruption begins. That’s, like, the fucking source of all evil, it’s little boys that we call men who are so convinced of their own superiority that they don’t care about the blood they spill and the people they hurt. I can’t believe I thought you were good. What happened to you? Who raised you this way?”
Of course, she didn’t say that. Because she had a rifle pointed at her, and she didn’t want to be shot. Instead, she just sobbed gently into her hands.
“Stop pointing it at me,” She muttered, cowering underneath the force of human engineering and a teenage boy holding something he shouldn’t.
“Put that gun down.”
Did this boy ever know what self-defense was? Self-preservation? Nonviolence? It was so easy to spin a story. She could create whole narratives in her head. She could say she wanted to kill Rebecca, and she could say that she didn’t, and nobody would know the truth but her.
How do people not hate themselves, she’d never know, and if he pulled the trigger, then she would never find out. She still wasn’t looking at it. She didn’t want Mary to hurt him and she didn’t want him to hurt Mary or herself but if he didn’t put the gun away she would crumple like dust right onto the floor.
All Cats Are Grey
Mary just gripped the oar tighter. She began shaking as her heart sped up.
How disgusting.
It was one thing to kill. But to kill for moralistic reasons…? No. No.
She was familiar with this sort of reasoning. Growing up in a church environment meant that you saw a lot. People will tell you that being not straight or not cis will doom you to an eternity of pain, while at the same time arguing why it’s okay for them to cheat on their wife. They will tell you that Jesus loves everyone, except for certain people. They will try to argue that they’re being oppressed for their religion when in actuality it’s because their ideas were repulsive. They will tell you things like Halloween, or pre-marital sex, or not 100% Christ-approved media, or anything that they disapprove of is ‘evil’. It was a whole lot of really bad moralizing.
You’d think here would be away from that. You’d think wrong.
In a normal sitch, she would have had mixed feelings about RJ’s death. It still stung, the memory of Leo. Even now. She still felt raw, strong emotions. Knowing that he was dead, it was an odd experience. But then Mr. Moral Butthole comes by, and tries to go ‘oh, no, I need to kill people who are killing, I’m not guilty of anything.'
And somehow that was worse than if he was just a normal threat. At least Seo-yun or Junji didn’t try to justify their actions by going ‘oh, I’m doing the right thing’.
She stepped closer. Mary felt her eye twitch. Especially since he was now threatening Leah.
Mary didn’t say anything for a beat. Then, loud and clear, her voice dripping with contempt:
“You need to leave. I saw what happened, and can vouch for her. She helped me. You… you’re going around, passing judgment on people for doing the same thing you’re doing. Just, get out.”
She gestured with the oar towards the entrance.
“Out!”
How disgusting.
It was one thing to kill. But to kill for moralistic reasons…? No. No.
She was familiar with this sort of reasoning. Growing up in a church environment meant that you saw a lot. People will tell you that being not straight or not cis will doom you to an eternity of pain, while at the same time arguing why it’s okay for them to cheat on their wife. They will tell you that Jesus loves everyone, except for certain people. They will try to argue that they’re being oppressed for their religion when in actuality it’s because their ideas were repulsive. They will tell you things like Halloween, or pre-marital sex, or not 100% Christ-approved media, or anything that they disapprove of is ‘evil’. It was a whole lot of really bad moralizing.
You’d think here would be away from that. You’d think wrong.
In a normal sitch, she would have had mixed feelings about RJ’s death. It still stung, the memory of Leo. Even now. She still felt raw, strong emotions. Knowing that he was dead, it was an odd experience. But then Mr. Moral Butthole comes by, and tries to go ‘oh, no, I need to kill people who are killing, I’m not guilty of anything.'
And somehow that was worse than if he was just a normal threat. At least Seo-yun or Junji didn’t try to justify their actions by going ‘oh, I’m doing the right thing’.
She stepped closer. Mary felt her eye twitch. Especially since he was now threatening Leah.
Mary didn’t say anything for a beat. Then, loud and clear, her voice dripping with contempt:
“You need to leave. I saw what happened, and can vouch for her. She helped me. You… you’re going around, passing judgment on people for doing the same thing you’re doing. Just, get out.”
She gestured with the oar towards the entrance.
“Out!”
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Applesintime
- Posts: 836
- Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 11:57 am
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Leah was having some kind of breakdown, and normally, Anthony wouldn’t fault her for it, but if she was a player then he had absolutely no sympathy for her. But, if Mary was right, it wasn’t a murder, it was a mercy kill, and he couldn’t condemn her for that. But, Beau had been a mercy kill. A lot of kills might have started out as a mercy kill, but then the player derived pleasure from their murder, and started to conspire with their mentor on how to best build their Character. He could rule her out being a player for now. But he couldn’t rule it out as a possibility.
“You didn’t answer my goddamn question. Why? Why ask me how I handle it?” Anthony repeated. Was she going to lie? Probably, but she wasn’t a player, and if Mary decided to attack him, then he’d just put the both of them down. Simple.
“I’m not going to fucking leave until you are both clear!” The De Lisle swung around to Mary. “I will not pass up a chance to maybe kill a player just because some stuck-up fuck with a oar tells me to! Back the fuck off, lower your oar, hands up or I will put you the FUCK down!” The only people he has killed are murderers! Pippi the murderer, RJ the murderer, Britnee the potential murderer. Beau was the exception. Why would people not fucking see that? As if he was oh, fucking Seo-yun with a gun going around executing everyone who looked at him funny because he was such a fucking narcissist he couldn’t imagine not being famous.
“You didn’t answer my goddamn question. Why? Why ask me how I handle it?” Anthony repeated. Was she going to lie? Probably, but she wasn’t a player, and if Mary decided to attack him, then he’d just put the both of them down. Simple.
“I’m not going to fucking leave until you are both clear!” The De Lisle swung around to Mary. “I will not pass up a chance to maybe kill a player just because some stuck-up fuck with a oar tells me to! Back the fuck off, lower your oar, hands up or I will put you the FUCK down!” The only people he has killed are murderers! Pippi the murderer, RJ the murderer, Britnee the potential murderer. Beau was the exception. Why would people not fucking see that? As if he was oh, fucking Seo-yun with a gun going around executing everyone who looked at him funny because he was such a fucking narcissist he couldn’t imagine not being famous.
“BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY’S A FUCKING PSYCHOPATH LIKE YOU ARE, ANTH!”
Every word tore into her throat with barbs and hooks. Her figure shook underneath the sheer pain of it all.
“Do you not realize that people aren’t actually looking to kill like you? Do you realize that some people don’t actively want other people dead? Because I don’t, and they forced me put Rebecca down anyways, and now I can’t stop thinking about putting- about putting myself down with her, because, guess what, I can actually feel remorse for my actions!”
Her body uncurled, just a little bit. Leah knew that she must look so pathetic, so little and weak and useless, just crying and shouting and not doing anything.
(“You rabid dog. Is there something wrong with your brain?”)
(You’re a fucking sadist.)
Her anger was justified, but every single insult she shot at him just felt like they’re bouncing off and landing at herself. It hurts to hurt. She knew that she shouldn’t feel bad, but she still did, because she just felt so much… pity? No, something more akin to secondhand embarrassment for Anthony. She wasn’t yelling to make him feel bad, she was yelling to teach him something. To save herself. And Mary. She didn’t want him to be another Gregory, she didn’t want him to be another Rebecca, she didn’t want to put her hands on his throat, too, she didn’t want to shoot him and she didn’t want to be shot, so all she could do was shout.
“You’re a player, Anthony. You killed four people and you’re looking for an excuse to kill two more, and it’s very, very clear that you aren’t in the right state of mind, so, please, just- just please put that gun down and maybe think about yourself for a second. And calm down.” she said, unsure of her own words. She was just throwing out assumption after assumption, hoping that they could stun him enough that he would actually take a look at himself and realize what he became.
Here was a boy, filled with self-righteous anger and bloodlust, pointing a gun at a girl, ready to repeat the same crime he had committed thrice before, Beau notwithstanding. Here was a girl, holding nothing but an oar, with her hands still clean, staring down at the barrel just trying to protect a friend.
(A friend?)
Here was Leah, and here was a camera on her neck, and a camera to her right, to her left, above and below, everywhere, and everybody knew who was going to be the victim.
“You’re so delusional that I can’t even be mad at you anymore. I’m sorry. I feel so bad for you right now.”
Every word tore into her throat with barbs and hooks. Her figure shook underneath the sheer pain of it all.
“Do you not realize that people aren’t actually looking to kill like you? Do you realize that some people don’t actively want other people dead? Because I don’t, and they forced me put Rebecca down anyways, and now I can’t stop thinking about putting- about putting myself down with her, because, guess what, I can actually feel remorse for my actions!”
Her body uncurled, just a little bit. Leah knew that she must look so pathetic, so little and weak and useless, just crying and shouting and not doing anything.
(“You rabid dog. Is there something wrong with your brain?”)
(You’re a fucking sadist.)
Her anger was justified, but every single insult she shot at him just felt like they’re bouncing off and landing at herself. It hurts to hurt. She knew that she shouldn’t feel bad, but she still did, because she just felt so much… pity? No, something more akin to secondhand embarrassment for Anthony. She wasn’t yelling to make him feel bad, she was yelling to teach him something. To save herself. And Mary. She didn’t want him to be another Gregory, she didn’t want him to be another Rebecca, she didn’t want to put her hands on his throat, too, she didn’t want to shoot him and she didn’t want to be shot, so all she could do was shout.
“You’re a player, Anthony. You killed four people and you’re looking for an excuse to kill two more, and it’s very, very clear that you aren’t in the right state of mind, so, please, just- just please put that gun down and maybe think about yourself for a second. And calm down.” she said, unsure of her own words. She was just throwing out assumption after assumption, hoping that they could stun him enough that he would actually take a look at himself and realize what he became.
Here was a boy, filled with self-righteous anger and bloodlust, pointing a gun at a girl, ready to repeat the same crime he had committed thrice before, Beau notwithstanding. Here was a girl, holding nothing but an oar, with her hands still clean, staring down at the barrel just trying to protect a friend.
(A friend?)
Here was Leah, and here was a camera on her neck, and a camera to her right, to her left, above and below, everywhere, and everybody knew who was going to be the victim.
“You’re so delusional that I can’t even be mad at you anymore. I’m sorry. I feel so bad for you right now.”
“I’m stuck up…?”
Mary shook even harder. Her shoulders hunched. The grip on the oar got tighter. Blood rushed to her face.
“No, Tony. What’s stuck up is you, spending your time playing pretend as judge, jury, and executioner. Like, what is even the logic here? You hate people dying on live television, so you’re killing on live television? I’m sorry, but you’re a hypocrite.”
This is a good time to calm down, take a moment, walk away as soon as possible, don’t waste your energy, especially not on someone with a gun who could shoot you. These were all things she knew, deep down. Things that were talked about in therapy. If someone isn’t budging, it isn’t worth arguing with them, or wasting emotional energy on them, or even acknowledging them if they were frustrating enough. Don’t give them the headspace.
Despite the logical side’s protests, the emotional side overpowered it.
She seethed.
“We’ve asked you to leave multiple times! We’ve made it clear that we don’t want you around, and that we’re not doing anything! Leah killed because of a specific thing, I haven’t done a thing by your definition! And you come in here, passing judgment despite killing more people, and act like we’re Satan-spawn for, what? Not feeling comfortable around some dimwit violent fundie-wannabe?”
You should stop talking.
But she did, her voice rapid.
“If you really want to know, we came here to stock up on things we needed. We buried Abel at sea and were having a nice conversation until you came along. We weren’t even thinking of anything even potentially murder-y. There, happy?”
She gestured again at the exit.
“Now get out of here. I don’t want to see your face right now. Or ever.”
Mary shook even harder. Her shoulders hunched. The grip on the oar got tighter. Blood rushed to her face.
“No, Tony. What’s stuck up is you, spending your time playing pretend as judge, jury, and executioner. Like, what is even the logic here? You hate people dying on live television, so you’re killing on live television? I’m sorry, but you’re a hypocrite.”
This is a good time to calm down, take a moment, walk away as soon as possible, don’t waste your energy, especially not on someone with a gun who could shoot you. These were all things she knew, deep down. Things that were talked about in therapy. If someone isn’t budging, it isn’t worth arguing with them, or wasting emotional energy on them, or even acknowledging them if they were frustrating enough. Don’t give them the headspace.
Despite the logical side’s protests, the emotional side overpowered it.
She seethed.
“We’ve asked you to leave multiple times! We’ve made it clear that we don’t want you around, and that we’re not doing anything! Leah killed because of a specific thing, I haven’t done a thing by your definition! And you come in here, passing judgment despite killing more people, and act like we’re Satan-spawn for, what? Not feeling comfortable around some dimwit violent fundie-wannabe?”
You should stop talking.
But she did, her voice rapid.
“If you really want to know, we came here to stock up on things we needed. We buried Abel at sea and were having a nice conversation until you came along. We weren’t even thinking of anything even potentially murder-y. There, happy?”
She gestured again at the exit.
“Now get out of here. I don’t want to see your face right now. Or ever.”
-
Applesintime
- Posts: 836
- Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 11:57 am
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
He was not a player. He was not a fucking player. He was a survivor. He was a hero. The more Mary and Leah talked, the more rage welled up in Anthony. Raising the gun to Mary, to Leah, to Mary, to Leah to Mary to Leah to Mary to Leah. His arm trembled. His finger tensed on the trigger.
He couldn’t do it.
They were fucking idiots.
But they weren’t players.
Not yet, anyway. Rebecca was like Beau; a mercy kill. And if he killed them, murdered them, he’d just be proving Diana and Nadine and Britnee and everyone who thought he was a player right. He would prove them right. And as much as he wanted to, for acting like he was evil, for acting like he was a player, he would not kill them. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. Exodus 23:7.
Slowly, Anthony lowered the gun.
“You two get the fuck out of here. I’ll believe you. You’re not players. But if I see either of your names on the fucking announcements again, you better fucking believe I will hunt you down, and
you will regret ever being fucking born. Got that? Good. Fuck off!” He gestured out towards the back door with the rifle.
He couldn’t do it.
They were fucking idiots.
But they weren’t players.
Not yet, anyway. Rebecca was like Beau; a mercy kill. And if he killed them, murdered them, he’d just be proving Diana and Nadine and Britnee and everyone who thought he was a player right. He would prove them right. And as much as he wanted to, for acting like he was evil, for acting like he was a player, he would not kill them. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. Exodus 23:7.
Slowly, Anthony lowered the gun.
“You two get the fuck out of here. I’ll believe you. You’re not players. But if I see either of your names on the fucking announcements again, you better fucking believe I will hunt you down, and
you will regret ever being fucking born. Got that? Good. Fuck off!” He gestured out towards the back door with the rifle.
“Don’t talk to me that way,” she wanted to say.
“Don’t talk to us as if you’re in charge.”
She put one hand up defensively and kept another covering her face.
“Yes, Yes, I got it, I promise, I won’t kill anyone, yeah, alright, alright,” she said, the words spilling out of her mouth like water. As if she needed his threats to de-incentivize herself when her own guilt could do the trick thrice as well
They weren’t done yet. Just before Anthony came and barged in and ruined her little moment of peace, she was trying to find a mirror. She wanted to know how much of a mess she was, but if she looked in a mirror now she’d just see how ugly she was when she cried. She was finally getting that spark of connection with Jewel.
Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. Leah wasn’t the kind to react with aggression with even more- well, she did swear at Olivia. And also she did swear at Anthony. And a lot of people these days. She did say things that aren’t very nice to people who weren’t very nice to her.
But she probably should’ve told Anthony to leave, yeah. Should’ve insisted on it. First come, first serve, leave us alone, that’s what Jewel would’ve done, maybe, she wasn’t really sure about that, but either way she was grabbing at Mary’s hand, like, let’s get out of here even though Anthony didn’t deserve this place and he didn’t deserve to have things go his way when all he did was yell and threaten and kill.
None of them deserved this, though.
“Don’t talk to us as if you’re in charge.”
She put one hand up defensively and kept another covering her face.
“Yes, Yes, I got it, I promise, I won’t kill anyone, yeah, alright, alright,” she said, the words spilling out of her mouth like water. As if she needed his threats to de-incentivize herself when her own guilt could do the trick thrice as well
They weren’t done yet. Just before Anthony came and barged in and ruined her little moment of peace, she was trying to find a mirror. She wanted to know how much of a mess she was, but if she looked in a mirror now she’d just see how ugly she was when she cried. She was finally getting that spark of connection with Jewel.
Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. Leah wasn’t the kind to react with aggression with even more- well, she did swear at Olivia. And also she did swear at Anthony. And a lot of people these days. She did say things that aren’t very nice to people who weren’t very nice to her.
But she probably should’ve told Anthony to leave, yeah. Should’ve insisted on it. First come, first serve, leave us alone, that’s what Jewel would’ve done, maybe, she wasn’t really sure about that, but either way she was grabbing at Mary’s hand, like, let’s get out of here even though Anthony didn’t deserve this place and he didn’t deserve to have things go his way when all he did was yell and threaten and kill.
None of them deserved this, though.
Was he serious?
Was. He. Serious.
So he barged in here, told the two people already present that he needed to be certain whether or not they’re players, with that hypocritical ‘oh, killing people on TV is bad unless I’m doing it’ logic, threatened them, ignored their demands to leave, and then, when he finally, finally got that this whole endeavor, at least with them, was pointless and stupid…
Asked them to leave! Like he was the one who was barged in on, threatened with weapons, had repeated requests to go away ignored, and had someone LARP ‘The World’s Lamest Witch Hunt’ at him.
What was wrong with him? How do people like him think? Never mind, she knew. Oh, she knew.
And as the cherry on top? Anthony, classy as ever, threatened to kill them if he heard them on the announcement. Oh, but it was okay for him to keep popping up. Of course.
Her head hurt. Her throat did, too. Leah was tugging at her with urgency. It was a habit she was starting to notice. That probably meant she wanted to get out of here.
“We weren’t planning on spending too much time here, anyway,” Mary said, her voice lowering, but her grip on the oar remaining tight. “Got business to attend to elsewhere. Just give us a few more minutes. Or you could leave yourself, let us finish. Either or. I’m happy to get out of here, for the record.”
So she wouldn’t see his ugly, stupid, burnt-up face again.
She didn't dare to bring Leo up to him. He’d probably twist it in some stupid and awful way. Like, RJ was a dumb, yes, but she really didn’t want to hear Anthony gloat anymore.
Was. He. Serious.
So he barged in here, told the two people already present that he needed to be certain whether or not they’re players, with that hypocritical ‘oh, killing people on TV is bad unless I’m doing it’ logic, threatened them, ignored their demands to leave, and then, when he finally, finally got that this whole endeavor, at least with them, was pointless and stupid…
Asked them to leave! Like he was the one who was barged in on, threatened with weapons, had repeated requests to go away ignored, and had someone LARP ‘The World’s Lamest Witch Hunt’ at him.
What was wrong with him? How do people like him think? Never mind, she knew. Oh, she knew.
And as the cherry on top? Anthony, classy as ever, threatened to kill them if he heard them on the announcement. Oh, but it was okay for him to keep popping up. Of course.
Her head hurt. Her throat did, too. Leah was tugging at her with urgency. It was a habit she was starting to notice. That probably meant she wanted to get out of here.
“We weren’t planning on spending too much time here, anyway,” Mary said, her voice lowering, but her grip on the oar remaining tight. “Got business to attend to elsewhere. Just give us a few more minutes. Or you could leave yourself, let us finish. Either or. I’m happy to get out of here, for the record.”
So she wouldn’t see his ugly, stupid, burnt-up face again.
She didn't dare to bring Leo up to him. He’d probably twist it in some stupid and awful way. Like, RJ was a dumb, yes, but she really didn’t want to hear Anthony gloat anymore.
-
Applesintime
- Posts: 836
- Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 11:57 am
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
They were going. Alright, that Anthony could handle. A peaceful resolution, one where he didn’t have to shoot two innocent people dead. Of course, that maybe wouldn’t stop them from going at him, but they’d be fucking stupid to do that, considering he had the De Lisle, and if that fucking jammed again, the flintlock was in his bag. And the axe. And all they had was an oar, and maybe the crossbow bolts that Leah had? No match for him.
“Alright. Pack your shit up, and then get out of here.” Leaning against the doorframe, Anthony watched them with a detached curiosity. What was going on in Leah’s head? Was she thinking about how she had tricked him, letting her go so she could murder more, turn herself into a Character? Or was she grateful that he had done the right thing, that he had spared her, knowing that she was not a player, she was not his enemy? It didn’t matter what she was thinking. What mattered were her actions after this. If she killed, if she murdered one more person, Anthony would come down onto them with righteous fury, and they would regret it when they burnt in Hell for all eternity.
“While we’re here, have you seen any other players recently?”
“Alright. Pack your shit up, and then get out of here.” Leaning against the doorframe, Anthony watched them with a detached curiosity. What was going on in Leah’s head? Was she thinking about how she had tricked him, letting her go so she could murder more, turn herself into a Character? Or was she grateful that he had done the right thing, that he had spared her, knowing that she was not a player, she was not his enemy? It didn’t matter what she was thinking. What mattered were her actions after this. If she killed, if she murdered one more person, Anthony would come down onto them with righteous fury, and they would regret it when they burnt in Hell for all eternity.
“While we’re here, have you seen any other players recently?”
It was so tempting to say ‘yes, you’ and then bolt out. That urge was unbearable. She wanted to give herself just the littlest bit of edge, of that meanness.
Instead, she wiped her hand against her cheeks and shrugged.
“I mean, Junji, I guess. I dunno.”
The hand on Mary tightened.
“But don’t be stupid, please. He’s going to shoot you. Other players are going to shoot you, too. Please don’t try to do what you think is the right thing and then get yourself killed.”
(You’re too delusional to get out of this alive.)
She took a deep, deep breath and calmed her nerves.
“Anthony,” she started, “I know what you want to do, and I just want to say that it’s a… it’s a slippery slope, I think. And a dangerous one. I don’t want you to get any worse- just, I mean, just look at the state you’re in.”
Did she say too much?
“Physically, I mean, physically! Just- you need to be careful. Please. You’ve been lucky so far but you can’t keep on running on that luck forever.”
That hand tugged a bit harder.
One last chance. One last chance for him to prove that he wasn't… like, more batshit than he is.
Anthony was a ticking bomb that she didn’t want to set off. But she didn’t want to leave it for somebody else to set off, either. She didn’t know what to do here just like how she didn’t know what to do anywhere.
Instead, she wiped her hand against her cheeks and shrugged.
“I mean, Junji, I guess. I dunno.”
The hand on Mary tightened.
“But don’t be stupid, please. He’s going to shoot you. Other players are going to shoot you, too. Please don’t try to do what you think is the right thing and then get yourself killed.”
(You’re too delusional to get out of this alive.)
She took a deep, deep breath and calmed her nerves.
“Anthony,” she started, “I know what you want to do, and I just want to say that it’s a… it’s a slippery slope, I think. And a dangerous one. I don’t want you to get any worse- just, I mean, just look at the state you’re in.”
Did she say too much?
“Physically, I mean, physically! Just- you need to be careful. Please. You’ve been lucky so far but you can’t keep on running on that luck forever.”
That hand tugged a bit harder.
One last chance. One last chance for him to prove that he wasn't… like, more batshit than he is.
Anthony was a ticking bomb that she didn’t want to set off. But she didn’t want to leave it for somebody else to set off, either. She didn’t know what to do here just like how she didn’t know what to do anywhere.
Right, then.
It seemed Anthony was kicking them out, for real. But then he had a little question for them. He was still on the ‘all killers must die’ train. Lesson apparently not learned! Mary huffed, and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What was she thinking? People like this never learn. They’ll just bark like dogs, yelling about how everyone they dislike is a demon-possessed homosexual or something and wonder why people get upset at them. Or, in this case, an evil, sadistic player. Either way.
“I ran into Seo-yun right at the start,” Mary said, loosening her grip on the oar and picking up her bag. “Wouldn’t know where she is right now, though.”
Was this technically her betraying a friend? Even now, despite Seo-yun… betraying first? She had… difficult thoughts and emotions, sure. But even in this situation, was it appropriate to send a fundie loser her way so he becomes her problem? She thought about her scream of rage, and how she hit Leo way back when, and felt her eyes narrow at the memory. She wondered if she would see her again and deal with her personally.
“And, yeah, Junji. He gave me that scratch across my cheek. The one I have all bandaged up. It might look cool if it scars, dunno.”
Leah was still tugging, begging.
Mary… wasn’t sure if she agreed with this strategy. Like, he was being a dumb butthole, sure. But was it really necessary to plead to him how he was going to get hurt? Anthony would probably come up with some twisted counterargument like ‘I will give up everything to destroy players’ or ‘don’t tell me what to do, player’ or ‘I’m doing fine.’ Stubbornness was a thing, and she was expecting it to go bad in a split second.
It seemed Anthony was kicking them out, for real. But then he had a little question for them. He was still on the ‘all killers must die’ train. Lesson apparently not learned! Mary huffed, and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What was she thinking? People like this never learn. They’ll just bark like dogs, yelling about how everyone they dislike is a demon-possessed homosexual or something and wonder why people get upset at them. Or, in this case, an evil, sadistic player. Either way.
“I ran into Seo-yun right at the start,” Mary said, loosening her grip on the oar and picking up her bag. “Wouldn’t know where she is right now, though.”
Was this technically her betraying a friend? Even now, despite Seo-yun… betraying first? She had… difficult thoughts and emotions, sure. But even in this situation, was it appropriate to send a fundie loser her way so he becomes her problem? She thought about her scream of rage, and how she hit Leo way back when, and felt her eyes narrow at the memory. She wondered if she would see her again and deal with her personally.
“And, yeah, Junji. He gave me that scratch across my cheek. The one I have all bandaged up. It might look cool if it scars, dunno.”
Leah was still tugging, begging.
Mary… wasn’t sure if she agreed with this strategy. Like, he was being a dumb butthole, sure. But was it really necessary to plead to him how he was going to get hurt? Anthony would probably come up with some twisted counterargument like ‘I will give up everything to destroy players’ or ‘don’t tell me what to do, player’ or ‘I’m doing fine.’ Stubbornness was a thing, and she was expecting it to go bad in a split second.
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Applesintime
- Posts: 836
- Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 11:57 am
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Seo-yun and Junji. Nobody he didn’t know about. Junji was armed, though, which was somewhat worrying. He doubted the fat cunt could aim, but that was still something to watch out for. But Anthony didn’t need to worry about that right now. He’d get to that when he came for Junji. Show the world another example of righteous justice.
“Cheers. Seo-yun and Junji are already on the list, though. I will make sure they receive justice.” Anthony gave them a little reassuring smile. See, this is how it should be going. The innocent tell him where the players are, and he executes the players to protect them and to ensure the Lord can judge them and send them to hell. A symbiotic relationship. But, there seemed to be very few innocents left. Everyone was a player, or helping a player, or working with one, so it was a breath of fresh air to find anyone who was innocent.
Leah’s concern about his injuries, though, surprised him a little.
“I’ll be fine, Leah. But thanks. You see, this gun?” Anthony took the De Lisle in both hands, pointing it away from them and towards the floor. “Listen.” Turning around towards the empty doorway, Anthony aimed and pulled the trigger, ejecting the casing before turning back to them. “Hear that? No? Exactly. This thing’s nearly fucking silent. I don’t need to get shot, I can’t get shot if I shoot them before they even know what’s going on. They won’t hear me coming. They won’t see me coming. The only thing they’ll see, they’ll feel, is the Devil beckoning them to Hell as they bleed out. And that’s why I’ll be fine. I don’t need luck when I have stealth.” He gave Leah a little smile. Her concern was touching.
“Cheers. Seo-yun and Junji are already on the list, though. I will make sure they receive justice.” Anthony gave them a little reassuring smile. See, this is how it should be going. The innocent tell him where the players are, and he executes the players to protect them and to ensure the Lord can judge them and send them to hell. A symbiotic relationship. But, there seemed to be very few innocents left. Everyone was a player, or helping a player, or working with one, so it was a breath of fresh air to find anyone who was innocent.
Leah’s concern about his injuries, though, surprised him a little.
“I’ll be fine, Leah. But thanks. You see, this gun?” Anthony took the De Lisle in both hands, pointing it away from them and towards the floor. “Listen.” Turning around towards the empty doorway, Anthony aimed and pulled the trigger, ejecting the casing before turning back to them. “Hear that? No? Exactly. This thing’s nearly fucking silent. I don’t need to get shot, I can’t get shot if I shoot them before they even know what’s going on. They won’t hear me coming. They won’t see me coming. The only thing they’ll see, they’ll feel, is the Devil beckoning them to Hell as they bleed out. And that’s why I’ll be fine. I don’t need luck when I have stealth.” He gave Leah a little smile. Her concern was touching.
OK, nevermind, he was beyond saving.
Well, he wasn’t, but probably no one would probably put the effort to drag him out of the mental tar he was stuck in, unless they really, genuinely, liked the person that he used to be, and Anthony wasn’t the most likable back then, either, though, not unlike herself, although Leah would classify more under just not being noticed at all than being noticed for being annoying.
Leah wished somebody cared about him enough to fix him. She couldn’t even fix herself, how could she do this?
If she knew she couldn't, why was she still trying so hard to dissuade him?
“Al-alright then. Just, um, just trying to make sure you know what you’re doing.”
For the producers, Anthony must’ve been a field day. An ironic sort of character, turning into the very person they hated. Maybe it was selfish of her, to persuade him otherwise when this was what he wanted. Maybe it was selfish of everybody for trying to survive. But she didn’t want him to turn into a freakshow, at the very least.
“Because it’s all on camera, you know. So don’t slip up.”
Would Anthony’s mom and dad be proud of him?
Would Leah’s parents be?
Everyone’s just another character for them raking in the cash. But if Leah could do anything to interrupt that flow, to make sure that their profits from her suffering would be less… it would be petty, but she’d do it.
“Goodbye.”
She didn’t say ‘see you,’ because that would imply she’d meet him again, and that she wanted to. So she just kept on dragging Mary behind her, or maybe she was the one being dragged. She wasn’t sure, and she won’t be checking it on the cameras anyways. The chemicals in her blood were still swirling around.
Well, he wasn’t, but probably no one would probably put the effort to drag him out of the mental tar he was stuck in, unless they really, genuinely, liked the person that he used to be, and Anthony wasn’t the most likable back then, either, though, not unlike herself, although Leah would classify more under just not being noticed at all than being noticed for being annoying.
Leah wished somebody cared about him enough to fix him. She couldn’t even fix herself, how could she do this?
If she knew she couldn't, why was she still trying so hard to dissuade him?
“Al-alright then. Just, um, just trying to make sure you know what you’re doing.”
For the producers, Anthony must’ve been a field day. An ironic sort of character, turning into the very person they hated. Maybe it was selfish of her, to persuade him otherwise when this was what he wanted. Maybe it was selfish of everybody for trying to survive. But she didn’t want him to turn into a freakshow, at the very least.
“Because it’s all on camera, you know. So don’t slip up.”
Would Anthony’s mom and dad be proud of him?
Would Leah’s parents be?
Everyone’s just another character for them raking in the cash. But if Leah could do anything to interrupt that flow, to make sure that their profits from her suffering would be less… it would be petty, but she’d do it.
“Goodbye.”
She didn’t say ‘see you,’ because that would imply she’d meet him again, and that she wanted to. So she just kept on dragging Mary behind her, or maybe she was the one being dragged. She wasn’t sure, and she won’t be checking it on the cameras anyways. The chemicals in her blood were still swirling around.
What an idiot.
He literally just fired his gun, at the ground, to illustrate how ‘quiet’ it was. It still wasn’t a good sound. It wasn’t a loud pop, more a whistle, but it still made Mary flinch and her ears start ringing. And if he had managed to sink the boat to prove a point… he would suck even more.
Mary winced, trying to come down from the sound. Leah was talking again, but it took her a few beats to understand what she was saying.
She looked at the camera. Back to Anthony, back to Leah.
“Right… see ya.”
Don’t wanna be ya. Loser.
As Leah dragged her away, Mary made a salute gesture with a free hand. Sarcastic, of course.
Gah, her head hurt and her blood was still boiling from this whole thing.
He literally just fired his gun, at the ground, to illustrate how ‘quiet’ it was. It still wasn’t a good sound. It wasn’t a loud pop, more a whistle, but it still made Mary flinch and her ears start ringing. And if he had managed to sink the boat to prove a point… he would suck even more.
Mary winced, trying to come down from the sound. Leah was talking again, but it took her a few beats to understand what she was saying.
She looked at the camera. Back to Anthony, back to Leah.
“Right… see ya.”
Don’t wanna be ya. Loser.
As Leah dragged her away, Mary made a salute gesture with a free hand. Sarcastic, of course.
Gah, her head hurt and her blood was still boiling from this whole thing.
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Applesintime
- Posts: 836
- Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 11:57 am
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
"Don't worry, Leah. I know what I'm doing. Wouldn't have four dead players under my belt if I didn't." Anthony chuckled, returning the gun to a default position and giving Mary and Leah a little wave as the two of them left the shop boat. Once they were far enough that he was sure they wouldn't be bothering him again, turning back and sneaking up to kill him when they had the chance, he let out a sigh, sitting down. Thank fuck. He hadn't wanted to kill Leah. If he had to put her down, if she was a player who wanted to murder, he would have done it without hesitation, but he would have felt terrible about it. And now, all the people claiming he was a player couldn't say that anymore, because if he was a player, why would he let them two go? Put a huge hole in their argument.
"Ben," Anthony started before remembering Ben had already talked with his collar earlier, and so he couldn't talk to him until the next announcement. It was still bright outside, so that was gonna be a while away. And you know what, he was still fucking tired. Maybe he'd let a few killers go if he slept now, but he could always make up for it in the night. Gabby, Junji, Seo-yun, they might all be sleeping, tired from a long day of trying to murder people and being utter fuckwads, and Anthony would be wide awake to shoot them in their bed. By the time the night was over, Anthony could have several killers dead if he wasn't tired. The problem was, of course, waking up before the announcement.
Pushing himself up from the chair, Anthony began to search the rows of shelving and on the floor. A clock, a timer, something he could use to wake himself up before the announcements so he could see who deserved death and who he no longer had to worry about. That was all he needed.
"Ben," Anthony started before remembering Ben had already talked with his collar earlier, and so he couldn't talk to him until the next announcement. It was still bright outside, so that was gonna be a while away. And you know what, he was still fucking tired. Maybe he'd let a few killers go if he slept now, but he could always make up for it in the night. Gabby, Junji, Seo-yun, they might all be sleeping, tired from a long day of trying to murder people and being utter fuckwads, and Anthony would be wide awake to shoot them in their bed. By the time the night was over, Anthony could have several killers dead if he wasn't tired. The problem was, of course, waking up before the announcement.
Pushing himself up from the chair, Anthony began to search the rows of shelving and on the floor. A clock, a timer, something he could use to wake himself up before the announcements so he could see who deserved death and who he no longer had to worry about. That was all he needed.