((Karl Chalmers continued from The Spire.))
"Damn," Karl muttered under his breath. His legs were cramping up now, and he was pretty sure he had a blister or two on his feet from all the running. He stopped somewhere about a hundred meters from where his collar stopped beeping. He stumbled towards the ground, hoping to land on a soft patch of the jungle floor.
Almost everywhere was a danger zone, now. He realized they were being herded. Gathered up into one place, like a bunch of animals. That's what they were. How many people were still alive, who hadn't killed anyone yet?
He pushed himself off the ground and turned towards Carol.
"Are you holding up okay?" he asked. He found it rather ironic that he was that question, considering he was probably the worse off of the two.
He debated on whether or not they should stay here, or try to go back to the hotel.
Click
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
((Carol Burke continued from The Spire))
As Carol trudged through the jungle, her mind was still in a daze.
The memory of seeing Ben's corpse in the lighthouse, followed by the dangerzone, still stuck with her. To make matters worse, Karl had apparently killed someone before she got there. Janet Claymont. She didn't see anything when she got there, but what if he had... well...
Just finished killing her?
Carol didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about how Amber and Marty died, or how Paige died, or how she had shot Lyn, or her meeting with Glen and Anna, or her falling into the lake, or-
Just no. Didn't want to think about it.
It was going to turn out alright! She was sure of it. Just sure.
Everything turned out alright in the end, didn't it?
Right. Yes it did. The beeping had stopped. Carol hated that beeping. She hated it.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Karl.
"Oh, yeah. I'm... fine", she said, forcing a small smile. "Are you?"
As Carol trudged through the jungle, her mind was still in a daze.
The memory of seeing Ben's corpse in the lighthouse, followed by the dangerzone, still stuck with her. To make matters worse, Karl had apparently killed someone before she got there. Janet Claymont. She didn't see anything when she got there, but what if he had... well...
Just finished killing her?
Carol didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about how Amber and Marty died, or how Paige died, or how she had shot Lyn, or her meeting with Glen and Anna, or her falling into the lake, or-
Just no. Didn't want to think about it.
It was going to turn out alright! She was sure of it. Just sure.
Everything turned out alright in the end, didn't it?
Right. Yes it did. The beeping had stopped. Carol hated that beeping. She hated it.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Karl.
"Oh, yeah. I'm... fine", she said, forcing a small smile. "Are you?"
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
Carol said that she was fine, and asked of him in return the same thing.
"I've... been better. I'd be fine if we weren't on this god-forsaken island. But as it is right now, I'm fine for the time being." That last part of the last sentence sounded more sarcastic in tone than he wanted it to be.
"...Sorry, you know, it's been a long couple of days."
Actually, how many days had passed, now? Karl knew they couldn't have been here more than aweek, but the days had started blending together, from a combination of paranoia, insomnia, and the shock of the whole situation. He tried to think how long it had been since he'd been kidnapped?
How long had it been since his last school day?
Why did this have to happen? Why them? Why their bus?
He shook his head, and rubbed his face with both hands. Now was not the time to ask rhetorical questions. He'd have a chance afterwards, whether it'd be to God or Danya or whoever, he'd get answers.
For now, it was best if they kept moving. He took a step down the closest thing resembling a path nearby. Gesturing down the path, he turned to Carol.
"This way."
Karl was lucky.
His next few steps were wide.
"I've... been better. I'd be fine if we weren't on this god-forsaken island. But as it is right now, I'm fine for the time being." That last part of the last sentence sounded more sarcastic in tone than he wanted it to be.
"...Sorry, you know, it's been a long couple of days."
Actually, how many days had passed, now? Karl knew they couldn't have been here more than aweek, but the days had started blending together, from a combination of paranoia, insomnia, and the shock of the whole situation. He tried to think how long it had been since he'd been kidnapped?
How long had it been since his last school day?
Why did this have to happen? Why them? Why their bus?
He shook his head, and rubbed his face with both hands. Now was not the time to ask rhetorical questions. He'd have a chance afterwards, whether it'd be to God or Danya or whoever, he'd get answers.
For now, it was best if they kept moving. He took a step down the closest thing resembling a path nearby. Gesturing down the path, he turned to Carol.
"This way."
Karl was lucky.
His next few steps were wide.
Carol continued that smile, feeling a bit better.
Karl was fine. Not well, but fine.
Really, they both would be a billion times better if they weren't here.
Carol still missed Amber and Paige. She still missed them both, so much. Marty too. Heck, even Lyn. She also missed her friends back home, in Nevada, now that she thought of it. Jake, Whitney, and Alan. Did they know where she was? She couldn't imagine what they were going through. She just... couldn't. They must feel really bad. Carol hated it when her friends were sad. Whitney had this little look on her face when she was sad. It made her feel horrible whenever she saw it.
Sometimes, Carol wondered if she was going to wake up soon. Maybe it was a dream. That would be the best option. There were still some things she couldn't undo. Like Lyn. Or Amber. Or Marty. Or Paige. In fact, she wished she could just undo this whole trip. Forget about escaping or someone coming to rescue them. Carol wanted to just rewind time so she could somehow stop the whole trip altogether. Then maybe Danya wouldn't have gone after them.
But would he have gone after someone else?
Carol didn't know the answer to that question. Nor did she want to know.
Karl apologized.
"It's... okay, really."
She still had a little fear here. Karl was a multiple murderer, sure, but she couldn't hate him. Amber used to seem to dislike him at school, but he had decided to team up with them. They were friends. Was that the right term? Yeah, she was pretty sure of it. She couldn't leave Karl behind, not after what both of them had been through. That was fact.
Karl gestured in front of him, telling her to move forward.
Carol nodded, and with her things in tow, she stepped up, being a few feet behind him.
She could do this, right? No one was here but them. She was safe, since she was pretty sure both her and Karl had guns.
As she followed Karl down the path, she wondered what Marty tried to tell her when he was dying. Now that she thought of it, she couldn't get it out of her head. She couldn't think of anything, could she?
A soft click.
Carol looked down, noticing she stepped in what seemed to be a mound of dirt. Someone buried something here. Carol squinted at her foot, noticing-
BOOM
She didn't even have time to figure out what she had stepped in. Just like that, Carol Burke, a once lively, cheerful teen, then a barely optimistic terrorist victim, had simply exploded.
It was her last misstep.
Female Student #04 Carol Burke- ELIMINATED
Karl was fine. Not well, but fine.
Really, they both would be a billion times better if they weren't here.
Carol still missed Amber and Paige. She still missed them both, so much. Marty too. Heck, even Lyn. She also missed her friends back home, in Nevada, now that she thought of it. Jake, Whitney, and Alan. Did they know where she was? She couldn't imagine what they were going through. She just... couldn't. They must feel really bad. Carol hated it when her friends were sad. Whitney had this little look on her face when she was sad. It made her feel horrible whenever she saw it.
Sometimes, Carol wondered if she was going to wake up soon. Maybe it was a dream. That would be the best option. There were still some things she couldn't undo. Like Lyn. Or Amber. Or Marty. Or Paige. In fact, she wished she could just undo this whole trip. Forget about escaping or someone coming to rescue them. Carol wanted to just rewind time so she could somehow stop the whole trip altogether. Then maybe Danya wouldn't have gone after them.
But would he have gone after someone else?
Carol didn't know the answer to that question. Nor did she want to know.
Karl apologized.
"It's... okay, really."
She still had a little fear here. Karl was a multiple murderer, sure, but she couldn't hate him. Amber used to seem to dislike him at school, but he had decided to team up with them. They were friends. Was that the right term? Yeah, she was pretty sure of it. She couldn't leave Karl behind, not after what both of them had been through. That was fact.
Karl gestured in front of him, telling her to move forward.
Carol nodded, and with her things in tow, she stepped up, being a few feet behind him.
She could do this, right? No one was here but them. She was safe, since she was pretty sure both her and Karl had guns.
As she followed Karl down the path, she wondered what Marty tried to tell her when he was dying. Now that she thought of it, she couldn't get it out of her head. She couldn't think of anything, could she?
A soft click.
Carol looked down, noticing she stepped in what seemed to be a mound of dirt. Someone buried something here. Carol squinted at her foot, noticing-
BOOM
She didn't even have time to figure out what she had stepped in. Just like that, Carol Burke, a once lively, cheerful teen, then a barely optimistic terrorist victim, had simply exploded.
It was her last misstep.
Female Student #04 Carol Burke- ELIMINATED
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
Karl didn't realize what had happened until he was lying against a tree, his shoulder aching. He had felt the shock of the blast propel him forward and he rolled until his shoulder hit something hard. He stumbled to his feet, trying to make sense of what had just happened. His ears were ringing, and he vaguely remembered a loud boom-
Carol?
Where was Carol?
He stumbled back to where they had just been.
He stopped when he saw the mangled body of what, he presumed, had once been Carol.
He dropped to his knees, gritting his teeth. He'd lost his only ally now. Lost to an accident that no one could have prevented.
It still made his blood boil.
This game. This bloody game and the asshole behind it.
He couldn't stand it anymore.
After a while, he stood. He was trapped, but he could fight. He'd win this twisted game, and then find some answers. He was alone now, but he'd find a way.
Carol?
Where was Carol?
He stumbled back to where they had just been.
He stopped when he saw the mangled body of what, he presumed, had once been Carol.
He dropped to his knees, gritting his teeth. He'd lost his only ally now. Lost to an accident that no one could have prevented.
It still made his blood boil.
This game. This bloody game and the asshole behind it.
He couldn't stand it anymore.
After a while, he stood. He was trapped, but he could fight. He'd win this twisted game, and then find some answers. He was alone now, but he'd find a way.
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
He'd just started walking again when he'd heard the announcement. Karl had found a small hut to duck inside, but hadn't gotten much sleep. Because of this, Karl was already fully awake by the time Danya's voice echoed throughout the island.
His expression was unwavering as he heard Carol's name on the announecement. It seems that only two people died yesterday. What was surprising to Karl, though, was that there were only four people left, and that only two of them, Nick and himself, had any kills to their name. It seems he had overestimated how many people were playing. But it was too late now.
His pace doubled when he heard that the Mall was where they were meeting. He had to find it. And fast.
((Karl Chalmers continued in The Twilight of Our Youth.))
His expression was unwavering as he heard Carol's name on the announecement. It seems that only two people died yesterday. What was surprising to Karl, though, was that there were only four people left, and that only two of them, Nick and himself, had any kills to their name. It seems he had overestimated how many people were playing. But it was too late now.
His pace doubled when he heard that the Mall was where they were meeting. He had to find it. And fast.
((Karl Chalmers continued in The Twilight of Our Youth.))