((Samuel Wilson continued from Breaking Point))
They'd made it to the Ghost Town again. They'd had to; apparently it was the only place still open. The Sheriff had announced the deaths - Sam had pretty much just tuned it out this time. All he needed to know he knew.
Killers, killed. Delilah was in there somewhere. He remembered faintly that Leo had something to do with her death. What was he supposed to do with the information? Take revenge? Kill him? Leo could have been doing the same thing, taking revenge on Delilah for killing someone he knew.
It didn't really matter. Sam was too tired to try to comprehend Leo's motives. He wasn't going to hunt him down. He'd been trying to stop the killing, at least as far as he was able. He'd failed. Nothing would bring Delilah back, or any of her victims, or any of his classmates that had died through other means. Suicide, at Rebecca or Simon's hands, it didn't matter. They were just... gone.
Sam led their way into the town. Him and Renee. He was only leading due to the fact that he was in front. Still going through the motions of leadership, as if he had some semblance of purpose. At least for now, he could pretend.
He scanned the streets, slowly, the false fronted buildings with the blasted saloon somewhere among them, the piano that he'd given up the chance to play.
Sam glanced back at Renee. It was almost a practiced movement at this point. His muddled brain forced some words into his mouth, and he spat them out.
"What now?"
He said it as if they had a choice.
Swan Song
Swan Song
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(Renee Murphy continued from Breaking Point)
Sam seemed like he was walking in a daze. Renee had no idea what to do. Delilah was dead, there was that, but the announcements just made it seem worse. Amelia was dead now, committed suicide. For some reason, Renee saw that one coming.
Benny, Anton, Mike. Also dead. Brian was responsible for that last one. He'd get what was coming to him soon. The killers were dying though, but Rebecca seemed to still elude getting killed. Renee was getting worried about her. And then there was Leo.
Renee followed Sam into the Ghost Town, pretty much the only safe place now that the Sheriff had warned them off of everywhere else. She was letting Sam lead, as usual. Renee found it funny that she'd somehow survived this long while following other people and not going off on her own. She'd believed the opposite when she first woke up.
Sam stopped. He glanced back at her and asked her what she didn't want to hear. "What now?"
Renee didn't know. There didn't seem to be much in the way of things to do at this point. Delilah was dead. Sam's only pupose in this wasteland was gone. Of course, there was that other thing they could always do.
"Survive," she said, gripping Julia's gun tighter than she ever had. "We're going to survive. Then we'll see what happens." Well, she hoped that could happen at any rate.
Sam seemed like he was walking in a daze. Renee had no idea what to do. Delilah was dead, there was that, but the announcements just made it seem worse. Amelia was dead now, committed suicide. For some reason, Renee saw that one coming.
Benny, Anton, Mike. Also dead. Brian was responsible for that last one. He'd get what was coming to him soon. The killers were dying though, but Rebecca seemed to still elude getting killed. Renee was getting worried about her. And then there was Leo.
Renee followed Sam into the Ghost Town, pretty much the only safe place now that the Sheriff had warned them off of everywhere else. She was letting Sam lead, as usual. Renee found it funny that she'd somehow survived this long while following other people and not going off on her own. She'd believed the opposite when she first woke up.
Sam stopped. He glanced back at her and asked her what she didn't want to hear. "What now?"
Renee didn't know. There didn't seem to be much in the way of things to do at this point. Delilah was dead. Sam's only pupose in this wasteland was gone. Of course, there was that other thing they could always do.
"Survive," she said, gripping Julia's gun tighter than she ever had. "We're going to survive. Then we'll see what happens." Well, she hoped that could happen at any rate.
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(Rebecca Clark continued from Hate the Living, Love the Dead)
Rebecca was feeling drained again. Her knee and hip were aching again, in addition to all her other bruises. If this had been her normal life, she would have gone to the doctor. Well fucking obviously, she had buckshot in her hip. Then, she probably would have lain around for a few days.
Not an option here. The only option left was to get rid of the others so she could get out. Besides, it wasn't like anyone at this point would give her any other choice. She had checked a few more houses near the saloon. No one in them. The whole idea of searching the town for her enemies wasn't going so well. Maybe she should just hole up by herself for awhile...
The pain in her hip burned hotter for a moment. Not an option. She knew that her pants scraping against the wound had made it bleed a bit more earlier. And then there was infection. She had no idea if she had cleaned it right.
She had to find people, before she got injured worse.
The streets were empty and boring. The houses she opened were empty. Maybe she should head to the general store she had seen the first day. She felt a burn like bile in the back of her throat. No, Vienna was there with that arrow in her. She didn't want to revisit that scene. The first time she had killed someone.
She started to pass through a nearby alley when she heard voices nearby. Now what could she do here?
Rebecca was feeling drained again. Her knee and hip were aching again, in addition to all her other bruises. If this had been her normal life, she would have gone to the doctor. Well fucking obviously, she had buckshot in her hip. Then, she probably would have lain around for a few days.
Not an option here. The only option left was to get rid of the others so she could get out. Besides, it wasn't like anyone at this point would give her any other choice. She had checked a few more houses near the saloon. No one in them. The whole idea of searching the town for her enemies wasn't going so well. Maybe she should just hole up by herself for awhile...
The pain in her hip burned hotter for a moment. Not an option. She knew that her pants scraping against the wound had made it bleed a bit more earlier. And then there was infection. She had no idea if she had cleaned it right.
She had to find people, before she got injured worse.
The streets were empty and boring. The houses she opened were empty. Maybe she should head to the general store she had seen the first day. She felt a burn like bile in the back of her throat. No, Vienna was there with that arrow in her. She didn't want to revisit that scene. The first time she had killed someone.
She started to pass through a nearby alley when she heard voices nearby. Now what could she do here?
Renee was right, of course, but if Sam hadn't been so weary he might have laughed.
Survive. It was a simple answer. An honest answer.
But really, what else could they do?
They'd try their hardest to survive. Maybe they'd succeed, maybe not. What really mattered wasn't surviving in the strictest sense of the word, but just outlasting the others being killed. It wasn't a pleasant thought.
Then, when there were only two people left, one would have to kill the other. And then, the Sheriff would declare a winner. The winner, standing in the middle of an empty street, full of empty buildings. Alderbrook's finest.
They didn't win anything.
A bullet, if they were unlucky. Maybe the Sheriff would appear, standing there in the wind and the dust, his hand on his gun. He'd tell the winner to draw, and... Either way they lost. If that happened, if the Sheriff was willing to put his life on the line to taunt the last of them, and the Sheriff lost, he still won in the end. There was truly no escape, not before the heat or the dehydration got you.
And if it was true, if the madman actually let the winner go home? There was still no escape. This place was etched in all of their memories forever, as long as they lived.
With these thoughts whirling in his head, Sam just nodded.
Survive. It was a simple answer. An honest answer.
But really, what else could they do?
They'd try their hardest to survive. Maybe they'd succeed, maybe not. What really mattered wasn't surviving in the strictest sense of the word, but just outlasting the others being killed. It wasn't a pleasant thought.
Then, when there were only two people left, one would have to kill the other. And then, the Sheriff would declare a winner. The winner, standing in the middle of an empty street, full of empty buildings. Alderbrook's finest.
They didn't win anything.
A bullet, if they were unlucky. Maybe the Sheriff would appear, standing there in the wind and the dust, his hand on his gun. He'd tell the winner to draw, and... Either way they lost. If that happened, if the Sheriff was willing to put his life on the line to taunt the last of them, and the Sheriff lost, he still won in the end. There was truly no escape, not before the heat or the dehydration got you.
And if it was true, if the madman actually let the winner go home? There was still no escape. This place was etched in all of their memories forever, as long as they lived.
With these thoughts whirling in his head, Sam just nodded.
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Renee didn't know how to survive, of course. The easiest thing to do would be to hole up, horde supplies. Perhaps some grocery store would be good, then they could try to get some rest. Maybe they might even ambush anyone who might try to attack them. They did have the superior weaponry, after all.
Ah, so there was the old Renee. The faintest hint of a smile perked at her lips.
"Well," she said, "let's just do our best. Right, Sam?"
Doing their best. Their best.
Now, that was something Renee could understand wholeheartedly.
Renee had always tried her best at everything. She did her schoolwork responsibly, did the most she could to help people, and did her best at whatever task might have been in front of her at the time. Yeah, those were certainly better days. Still, it was still true.
Doing their best at survival might not be so bad.
Ah, so there was the old Renee. The faintest hint of a smile perked at her lips.
"Well," she said, "let's just do our best. Right, Sam?"
Doing their best. Their best.
Now, that was something Renee could understand wholeheartedly.
Renee had always tried her best at everything. She did her schoolwork responsibly, did the most she could to help people, and did her best at whatever task might have been in front of her at the time. Yeah, those were certainly better days. Still, it was still true.
Doing their best at survival might not be so bad.
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She peered out into the street where the two students were standing. The girl kept talking. Rebecca didn't really care about the words, they didn't sound like they were about to fight anyway. She got her bow into position, something she felt like she might be doing right by now and pulled back the string, ready to fire.
Fuck, which one?
She saw weapons on both of them, or at least she thought they were. It was dark, hard to tell exactly what they were. She saw a glint shine off one of them. Guns? Crap, she didn't know how to kill someone with a gun. She hadn't done it so far. Maybe she could separate them? Shoot one of them and then the other would run off and she could grab a gun.
The girl was closer.
She shot the arrow.
Fuck, which one?
She saw weapons on both of them, or at least she thought they were. It was dark, hard to tell exactly what they were. She saw a glint shine off one of them. Guns? Crap, she didn't know how to kill someone with a gun. She hadn't done it so far. Maybe she could separate them? Shoot one of them and then the other would run off and she could grab a gun.
The girl was closer.
She shot the arrow.
((Oh, right. GMing approved.))
Do their best. Right. They should get moving, find a place to hole up, even if it was hopeless in the end. Better chances that way.
Sam opened his mouth to respond, when something caught his eye.
Movement in an alleyway. In the dark, it was hard to tell, but it looked... familiar. Clair, Rebecca, the drawing of the bowstring - it all came to the front of his mind in a second. Less than a second. It was Rebecca; she had her bow.
He started to raise his shotgun, to squeeze off a round to scare her off. In his haste, his finger slipped on the trigger before he could even raise it an inch, pulled it for the first time.
Nothing happened.
Sam didn't have the time to yell, or laugh, or cry, and if he had, he wouldn't have known which he would have done. He'd been a fool, all along. His shotgun was unloaded; Warren must have fired it before he died. And all this time, he had been making threats. Being a threat. Protecting himself with an empty shotgun.
As the bow stretched back to what looked like its full extent, Sam realized that they were in grave danger. More than anything, he realized he had one last chance to make a difference.
"Renee!"
He heard the arrow whistle through the air.
His shoulder connected with Renee - he felt the same give that he had felt from Richard when he had knocked him down.
Sam felt the arrow connect.
Do their best. Right. They should get moving, find a place to hole up, even if it was hopeless in the end. Better chances that way.
Sam opened his mouth to respond, when something caught his eye.
Movement in an alleyway. In the dark, it was hard to tell, but it looked... familiar. Clair, Rebecca, the drawing of the bowstring - it all came to the front of his mind in a second. Less than a second. It was Rebecca; she had her bow.
He started to raise his shotgun, to squeeze off a round to scare her off. In his haste, his finger slipped on the trigger before he could even raise it an inch, pulled it for the first time.
Nothing happened.
Sam didn't have the time to yell, or laugh, or cry, and if he had, he wouldn't have known which he would have done. He'd been a fool, all along. His shotgun was unloaded; Warren must have fired it before he died. And all this time, he had been making threats. Being a threat. Protecting himself with an empty shotgun.
As the bow stretched back to what looked like its full extent, Sam realized that they were in grave danger. More than anything, he realized he had one last chance to make a difference.
"Renee!"
He heard the arrow whistle through the air.
His shoulder connected with Renee - he felt the same give that he had felt from Richard when he had knocked him down.
Sam felt the arrow connect.
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(GMing approved)
Renee saw something from the corner of her eye.
Sam saw it first, and shouted Renee's name. An arrow flew in the air. Renee felt herself getting shoved. Sam's shoulder had collided with her, and she fell on her back, still gripping Julia's MP5.
Things were moving too fast for Renee to properly comprehend what was happening.
She heard the sounds of fabric and flesh ripping. Her eyes widened at the sight of Sam, an arrow now jutting out of his shoulder.
"Sam!" she yelled, the sound of her own voice seeming to deafen her ears.
He looked like he was in a lot of pain. Blood was leaking from his shoulder, but he was able to raise his shotgun at the direction the arrow came from. At Rebecca.
Renee scrambled to her feet and pointed her submachine gun at the one who'd just shot Samuel Wilson. At the person who'd killed their way through this game. Her eye peered at the archer through the iron sights.
Even more so than before, Renee had no idea what to do. What sort of a person just shoots someone like that? Renee gritted her teeth and planted her feet. Her finger was brushing the trigger of the submachine gun.
Renee saw something from the corner of her eye.
Sam saw it first, and shouted Renee's name. An arrow flew in the air. Renee felt herself getting shoved. Sam's shoulder had collided with her, and she fell on her back, still gripping Julia's MP5.
Things were moving too fast for Renee to properly comprehend what was happening.
She heard the sounds of fabric and flesh ripping. Her eyes widened at the sight of Sam, an arrow now jutting out of his shoulder.
"Sam!" she yelled, the sound of her own voice seeming to deafen her ears.
He looked like he was in a lot of pain. Blood was leaking from his shoulder, but he was able to raise his shotgun at the direction the arrow came from. At Rebecca.
Renee scrambled to her feet and pointed her submachine gun at the one who'd just shot Samuel Wilson. At the person who'd killed their way through this game. Her eye peered at the archer through the iron sights.
Even more so than before, Renee had no idea what to do. What sort of a person just shoots someone like that? Renee gritted her teeth and planted her feet. Her finger was brushing the trigger of the submachine gun.
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Courtography
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She had hit, she heard it. But she was already rushing Sam. That's who it was, they'd met before. Even without the height of her kill count he would see her as a threat. And he had his gun. She could grab it. Take it away, get rid of her weakness. Make up for her injuries.
All she needed was that instrument of death. She sent her right elbow swinging at Sam's side as her left hand tried to steal the gun.
Hopefully the girl, wait, Renee, wouldn't take the time to shoot her in the back. No, she wouldn't do that. She could shoot Sam. Good people wouldn't shoot if they could hit people other than the intended victim. Rebecca had shot the wrong person once, Samantha. Still, one more down, and she had finished Brian in the end.
It was only a little more guilt added to the heaping pile, so what did it matter?
All she needed was that instrument of death. She sent her right elbow swinging at Sam's side as her left hand tried to steal the gun.
Hopefully the girl, wait, Renee, wouldn't take the time to shoot her in the back. No, she wouldn't do that. She could shoot Sam. Good people wouldn't shoot if they could hit people other than the intended victim. Rebecca had shot the wrong person once, Samantha. Still, one more down, and she had finished Brian in the end.
It was only a little more guilt added to the heaping pile, so what did it matter?
Stupid move. He should have just dived at Renee, pushed both of them down to the ground, instead of replacing her presence with his own.
No time for regrets. Sam's teeth ground against each other as the blood streamed down his arm.
He was shaking, visibly, almost too much to aim the shotgun. But he was aiming it at Rebecca, trying to force her to back off.
It didn't work.
She was charging him, trying to add insult to injury. Adding theft to assault. The tremors in his arms intensified as she drove an elbow into his ribs. The pain of that was nothing compared to the arrow.
Sam kept his hold on the shotgun, a useless death grip on something that he knew was just a facade of a threat, now. Rebecca couldn't break it loose, not with just one hand on it. He had one functional arm left as well, and he sure as well wasn't just going to give up. She was just making herself more of a target by the second, and that was something she probably couldn't afford to do.
But he could hardly think clearly anymore, much less say it.
"Do you want it this badly?" he growled.
No time for regrets. Sam's teeth ground against each other as the blood streamed down his arm.
He was shaking, visibly, almost too much to aim the shotgun. But he was aiming it at Rebecca, trying to force her to back off.
It didn't work.
She was charging him, trying to add insult to injury. Adding theft to assault. The tremors in his arms intensified as she drove an elbow into his ribs. The pain of that was nothing compared to the arrow.
Sam kept his hold on the shotgun, a useless death grip on something that he knew was just a facade of a threat, now. Rebecca couldn't break it loose, not with just one hand on it. He had one functional arm left as well, and he sure as well wasn't just going to give up. She was just making herself more of a target by the second, and that was something she probably couldn't afford to do.
But he could hardly think clearly anymore, much less say it.
"Do you want it this badly?" he growled.
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Rebecca was charging Sam. She was moving too quickly for Renee to get a shot off. Rebecca grapled with Sam, driving an elbow into his ribs and grabbing ahold of the shotgun.
Renee's gun arm was still pointed at her.
No way. No way was this going to work. To shoot at her now was to shoot at Sam.
Rebecca knew it, too. Renee could just tell. Oh, that bitch. She was going to pay for this at some point. And she was going to pay for every other murder and killing that she'd committed over the past few days.
Huh, that was new. Retribution wasn't exactly on your mind a minute ago was it, Renee?
But that wasn't what was important right now. Renee shook her head to get her mind straight.
Sam grumbled something about Rebecca wanting the shotgun. An empty shotgun, a useless one. Renee had heard it make a clicking noise when Sam had pulled the trigger.
"Sam," Renee spoke up. "Just give her the shotgun."
Renee's gun arm was still pointed at her.
No way. No way was this going to work. To shoot at her now was to shoot at Sam.
Rebecca knew it, too. Renee could just tell. Oh, that bitch. She was going to pay for this at some point. And she was going to pay for every other murder and killing that she'd committed over the past few days.
Huh, that was new. Retribution wasn't exactly on your mind a minute ago was it, Renee?
But that wasn't what was important right now. Renee shook her head to get her mind straight.
Sam grumbled something about Rebecca wanting the shotgun. An empty shotgun, a useless one. Renee had heard it make a clicking noise when Sam had pulled the trigger.
"Sam," Renee spoke up. "Just give her the shotgun."
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Oh that asshole just had to ask, didn't he? Of course she wanted the shotgun. That's why she was grabbing it. If she had let go of it she could have been beating him with both hands, but no, the shotgun was more important. It evened her out with Renee, near her, and with the boy from the house on the first day. Was he even alive anymore? Rebecca wasn't sure what his name was. Maybe he was alive.
She put her other hand on the shotgun. She would fight for it, and she would win it. She wasn't here to lose. No, if she lost now that would make it all worthless. It would be like all the people she hurt didn't matter. In a twisted, fucked up way, her continuing to live made their deaths mean something.
No, she couldn't afford to think about that. She could feel the guilt building in her mind when she thought of that. Knew it could make her give up, make her lose the grip on the shotgun. Make her lose.
She gave the shotgun another tug.
She put her other hand on the shotgun. She would fight for it, and she would win it. She wasn't here to lose. No, if she lost now that would make it all worthless. It would be like all the people she hurt didn't matter. In a twisted, fucked up way, her continuing to live made their deaths mean something.
No, she couldn't afford to think about that. She could feel the guilt building in her mind when she thought of that. Knew it could make her give up, make her lose the grip on the shotgun. Make her lose.
She gave the shotgun another tug.
Sam was probably dying. The blood felt warm and wet as it trickled down his arm. Every heartbeat sent another short pulse out, staining his bloodstained jacket further. There was chaos outside that, as well. The growing pressure on his hand as Rebecca tried harder to wrest the shotgun from his grip. He could hear Renee's shouting. Telling him to let go.
Rebecca had both hands on the shotgun. He couldn't hold on much longer, not with one hand. Why didn't Renee just pry Rebecca off him? Shoot her? Disable her?
Maybe he wasn't thinking straight anymore.
He didn't have much choice. There was only one thing left to do - hope that when Rebecca got the shotgun, she wouldn't be able to escape.
Looking her straight in the face, Sam hissed, "Take it."
And he let it go.
Rebecca had both hands on the shotgun. He couldn't hold on much longer, not with one hand. Why didn't Renee just pry Rebecca off him? Shoot her? Disable her?
Maybe he wasn't thinking straight anymore.
He didn't have much choice. There was only one thing left to do - hope that when Rebecca got the shotgun, she wouldn't be able to escape.
Looking her straight in the face, Sam hissed, "Take it."
And he let it go.
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The gun was still pointed at Rebecca. Sam let go of the gun. It was the only way things could go smoothly at that point.
Renee so desperately wanted to shoot Rebecca right then, but Sam was in the way. Renee really hoped that Rebecca would get what was coming to her really soon.
Not to mention the fact that Sam was now bleeding from a shoulder wound that probably disabled that whole arm. He would've been useless in a fight. She hoped the shoulder wound wasn't fatal.
It was a good ruse, though. Make Rebecca think she had the upper, or at least equal hand. That would definitely even out the playing field.
Hell, that would probably be a good time to shoot out her legs or something, when she's distracted by the empty shotgun.
Renee pointed her MP5 at the archer's legs. When she was far enough away from Sam, she'd disable her legs then take her weapons and supplies. That sounded like a plan, right?
Renee so desperately wanted to shoot Rebecca right then, but Sam was in the way. Renee really hoped that Rebecca would get what was coming to her really soon.
Not to mention the fact that Sam was now bleeding from a shoulder wound that probably disabled that whole arm. He would've been useless in a fight. She hoped the shoulder wound wasn't fatal.
It was a good ruse, though. Make Rebecca think she had the upper, or at least equal hand. That would definitely even out the playing field.
Hell, that would probably be a good time to shoot out her legs or something, when she's distracted by the empty shotgun.
Renee pointed her MP5 at the archer's legs. When she was far enough away from Sam, she'd disable her legs then take her weapons and supplies. That sounded like a plan, right?
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She took it. Fuck Sam for telling her to. What, was it some way for him to show her he was still fine? That she hadn't beat him? No. She had it now. But crap, now that she wasn't grabbing Sam, what was to keep Renee from shooting her? Sure Sam was between them, but that didn't mean much.
No, the best idea would be to get out of there. Maybe she could ambush them with the shotgun somewhere else in the darkened town? Fuck that could work, maybe. She had never really tried to ambush someone before. Then again, she normally kept moving.
She bolted for the opposite end of the street.
No, the best idea would be to get out of there. Maybe she could ambush them with the shotgun somewhere else in the darkened town? Fuck that could work, maybe. She had never really tried to ambush someone before. Then again, she normally kept moving.
She bolted for the opposite end of the street.