The obvious rebuttal was undercut by the fact that her visual aid seemed to be debating trying to dig his way out of this situation and screaming until it was over. As far as partner's go Katarina was...unimpressed. Even less so considering him as a threat. It could very easily be that the girl already knew that and had made her choice with his weakness in mind. Still, the question needed to be asked.
Saachi. I can't be the first time you're hearing this.
KK nodded to the boy on the ground. "So what's your plan when he guts you in the middle of the night? Or, more likely...what's yours when she slits your throat, partner?" Her gaze shifted just for a moment off of the girl with the cleaver to his trembling form before settling back on her. He could be acknowledged, even solicited, but all three of them seemed acutely aware of where her attention belonged.
Two is Better Than One
Open
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Latin For Dragula
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:28 pm
Jay sat there, trembling, eyes still glued to the tip of the gun as the other two had their exchange. He was still trying to think what, if anything, he could do. Running still wasn’t an option, as much as he wanted to. He could try to charge Katarina, but as fast as he was, he was pretty sure even he couldn’t outrun a bullet (especially one he was running towards). Maybe try and trick her, get her guard down? It’d worked with Saachi.
There was no time to make up his mind, as Katarina turned her attention to him.
He flinched.
It became obvious straight away that he didn’t have to, that she was just asking a question (a stupid one at that), but he’d flinched, and that hurt. It hurt his pride, because god damnit he did not still want to be there. With such a huge advantge on KK's side, how was this even remotely fair?
So, like many times when Jay’s pride was threatened, his big mouth opened.
“Hey, fuck you! Why don’t you put the gun down and try asking us then, huh?”
There was no time to make up his mind, as Katarina turned her attention to him.
He flinched.
It became obvious straight away that he didn’t have to, that she was just asking a question (a stupid one at that), but he’d flinched, and that hurt. It hurt his pride, because god damnit he did not still want to be there. With such a huge advantge on KK's side, how was this even remotely fair?
So, like many times when Jay’s pride was threatened, his big mouth opened.
“Hey, fuck you! Why don’t you put the gun down and try asking us then, huh?”
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Latin For Dragula
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:28 pm
KK took a few quick steps closer after the boy spoke up. She didn't say a word. Only let her threat draw nearer and her gun wave between them before letting it settle back on the girl. "He's tired of our conversation. I'll wrap up." Her finger stopped fidgeting on the trigger and instead curled firmly around it. "There's value in assistance." The gun shifted fast from her to her partner.
Why couldn't you stay on the ground?
There was value in assistance. In someone else being out there willing to kill. But what was to keep them from killing you?
There's nothing for you up here.
"But he has no value."
No. That's not true.
The girl was afraid to fight her. That's why she wanted to negotiate. Fear, KK decided, was just as valuable as her assistance. Both could be nurtured with little effort.
I'm sorry. I found your value.
The gun dipped low towards his lap as a shot rang out. She didn't want to kill him. Not yet.
Why couldn't you stay on the ground?
There was value in assistance. In someone else being out there willing to kill. But what was to keep them from killing you?
There's nothing for you up here.
"But he has no value."
No. That's not true.
The girl was afraid to fight her. That's why she wanted to negotiate. Fear, KK decided, was just as valuable as her assistance. Both could be nurtured with little effort.
I'm sorry. I found your value.
The gun dipped low towards his lap as a shot rang out. She didn't want to kill him. Not yet.
Jay was caught between scared shitless and wanting to do to Katarina what he’d done to two other people by that point. The gun still served as a helpful pointer about where he should’ve sat.
But when Katarina said it, claimed that he, Jay Frickin' Harland, had no value? Fuck the gun, and fuck her. He wasn’t going to just take that, no matter what prevailing common sense might've said otherwise.
Yet, if he’d taken a moment longer, hadn’t just started to get up at that exact second, Katarina’s bullet might’ve hit somewhere else. Somewhere less vital.
He looked down, past the sudden plummeting feeling in his chest, at where he’d felt the bullet hit. He looked down, and just saw red.
He screamed. His hands shot to grip his crotch, but the damage was far too great. The pain didn’t stop, and the blood kept pouring out. He writhed on the ground, vomiting up from the pain, only to continue screaming. A cacophony of wailing, cursing, and yelling Saachi’s name for help.
He couldn’t look up, couldn’t focus on anything. There was no clarity, no directed anger, just pain that consumed everything and anything else.
But when Katarina said it, claimed that he, Jay Frickin' Harland, had no value? Fuck the gun, and fuck her. He wasn’t going to just take that, no matter what prevailing common sense might've said otherwise.
Yet, if he’d taken a moment longer, hadn’t just started to get up at that exact second, Katarina’s bullet might’ve hit somewhere else. Somewhere less vital.
He looked down, past the sudden plummeting feeling in his chest, at where he’d felt the bullet hit. He looked down, and just saw red.
He screamed. His hands shot to grip his crotch, but the damage was far too great. The pain didn’t stop, and the blood kept pouring out. He writhed on the ground, vomiting up from the pain, only to continue screaming. A cacophony of wailing, cursing, and yelling Saachi’s name for help.
He couldn’t look up, couldn’t focus on anything. There was no clarity, no directed anger, just pain that consumed everything and anything else.
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Latin For Dragula
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:28 pm
Screaming.
...
She hadn't been prepared for the screaming.
...
It had been so clear in her head. A few painful shots that would kill him but not immediately while she forced his partner to watch on helpless. A crotch, a knee-cap, a stomach. A gun to keep them complacent. A lot of blood to burn her message into the girl's mind. It worked as the fastest solution. What hadn't factored into her plans was the boy's feelings. He was already dead. Non-existent. More prop than person. Nothing he could do could influence the plan in any appreciable way.
You fucked up.
Except scream.
You let them in.
There were leaves and branches and soft earth underneath her feet.
Don't let them in.
How did she get back into the forest?
Don't let them in.
She didn't remember breaking through into the tree line. She didn't remember dropping into a dead sprint with her bag and gun flapping behind her. She didn't remember the barrel pointed up and smoking into a now empty space. She didn't remember the sudden pops of blood and flesh along the boy's body as her own spasmed into action. She didn't remember holding the trigger down and three yes one two three one two three one two three one two three onetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothree
...
.
...
.
...
.
She wouldn't remember collapsing against the treeline and rasping so hard it felt like she would vomit until she did, the burn spreading down through her throat and into her stomach and carrying its weakness through the rest of her body until she collapsed a couple of inches away from the steaming pool slowly spreading rivulets of filth through the forest floor.
...
None of that was important.
...
When she rose, Katarina would remember the only thing that was important.
Don't let them in.
One less corpse standing between her and home.
((Katarina Konipaski's next target sighted.))
...
She hadn't been prepared for the screaming.
...
It had been so clear in her head. A few painful shots that would kill him but not immediately while she forced his partner to watch on helpless. A crotch, a knee-cap, a stomach. A gun to keep them complacent. A lot of blood to burn her message into the girl's mind. It worked as the fastest solution. What hadn't factored into her plans was the boy's feelings. He was already dead. Non-existent. More prop than person. Nothing he could do could influence the plan in any appreciable way.
You fucked up.
Except scream.
You let them in.
There were leaves and branches and soft earth underneath her feet.
Don't let them in.
How did she get back into the forest?
Don't let them in.
She didn't remember breaking through into the tree line. She didn't remember dropping into a dead sprint with her bag and gun flapping behind her. She didn't remember the barrel pointed up and smoking into a now empty space. She didn't remember the sudden pops of blood and flesh along the boy's body as her own spasmed into action. She didn't remember holding the trigger down and three yes one two three one two three one two three one two three onetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothree
...
.
...
.
...
.
She wouldn't remember collapsing against the treeline and rasping so hard it felt like she would vomit until she did, the burn spreading down through her throat and into her stomach and carrying its weakness through the rest of her body until she collapsed a couple of inches away from the steaming pool slowly spreading rivulets of filth through the forest floor.
...
None of that was important.
...
When she rose, Katarina would remember the only thing that was important.
Don't let them in.
One less corpse standing between her and home.
((Katarina Konipaski's next target sighted.))
What…what the fuck?
What the fuck had happened? What’d he done wrong?
Why was he lying there in a pool of blood, shot to pieces, crying, whimpering, looking so goddamn pathetic?
This wasn’t right, not at all. He’d been doing everything right. He’d killed Lyndi, he’d killed Michael. He’d done what they wanted him to do. He was winning.
Fuck, everything hurt so bad. It hurt to breath, hurt to lie there. It hurt to lose.
He rolled his head over to the side, the most he could do anymore. He saw Saachi approaching. He wanted to call out to her, blame her for not saving his ass. Blame her for letting Katarina get so close.
Maybe he wanted to do that. Maybe he just wanted help.
Oh god, everything hurt so much.
He couldn’t keep his eyes open. He couldn’t keep awake.
No, please, not yet. Not like this.
Please.
Please.
What the fuck had happened? What’d he done wrong?
Why was he lying there in a pool of blood, shot to pieces, crying, whimpering, looking so goddamn pathetic?
This wasn’t right, not at all. He’d been doing everything right. He’d killed Lyndi, he’d killed Michael. He’d done what they wanted him to do. He was winning.
Fuck, everything hurt so bad. It hurt to breath, hurt to lie there. It hurt to lose.
He rolled his head over to the side, the most he could do anymore. He saw Saachi approaching. He wanted to call out to her, blame her for not saving his ass. Blame her for letting Katarina get so close.
Maybe he wanted to do that. Maybe he just wanted help.
Oh god, everything hurt so much.
He couldn’t keep his eyes open. He couldn’t keep awake.
No, please, not yet. Not like this.
Please.
Please.
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
When KK had turned her attention towards Jay, Saachi realised that the battle had been lost. Unless Jay was able to pull off a miracle and keep up with the narrative that she had built, things were going to fall apart.
One of Jay's main problems was that he was a wildcard to her. She had never been able to parse how the heck his mind worked, often going off guesswork as to how to proceed with him. Jay was Jay, she had found. He was loud, brash and a bit of an idiot. She had no idea how he was going to act with regards to KK. She knew that Jay was only going to make things worse.
She sometimes hated being right so much.
Saachi let out a sudden yell as shots rang out in the area. She thrust herself against the wall, watching the disaster unfurl before her. She could feel the sweat dripping down her face, the horror of the situation and the fear that her life was legitimately at risk kept her from moving and her attention sharply focused on what was happening between KK and Jay. She swore she heard her name somewhere in between Jay's incoherent wails, but refused to move. After all, KK could just as easily turn her attention to her.
"Stop it!" Saachi yelled pathetically as Katarina fired more shots. Fuck, fuck fuck. Things were not supposed to go this way. She was supposed to have control of this situation. Up until now, she had always had control of the situation. They were supposed to both get out of this situation, possibly sway KK towards their mindset and get her to leave them alone. Instead, Jay had to butt in, Jay had to get his say and then KK had to make her point.
What was the point? What right did KK have to determine whether or not Jay had any worth? Even if Jay was an idiot, Jay was still her idiot. They'd been a pretty good team, all things considered. Sure, he did shout at her all the time and their first encounter involved him beating her up, but they'd got past that and managed to kill two people together. KK had only managed to kill one, and she had that stupid gun to give herself an unfair advantage. What the hell gave her the right to decide whether or not Jay was worthless?
It took a while for Saachi to realise that KK had left. Her attention at that point had been transfixed on her dying ally, whose cries began to get muted until they were eventually extinguished. Was it over? She gave a moment before moving, wanting to make sure that KK didn't come back. Admittedly, Saachi needed some time to get her breath, take stock of the situation and prepare herself. She was still sweaty, the adrenaline slowly starting to leave her system as she clutched tightly to her cleaver. Her first steps were cautious as she expected Katarina to suddenly jump out of the bushes and shoot her. Once she had confirmed that wouldn't happen, Saachi moved quickly towards Jay.
There was blood everywhere. Jay was just lying there, his head tilted towards her direction. Was he dead? He'd just been shot to kingdom come and he now languished in a pool of his own blood. Saachi didn't want to take a closer look at his wounds. She was queasy enough looking at them from a distance. She didn't feel the need to unsettle herself more than she needed to. Instead, she focused on the upper body, the parts where KK's wrath was avoided.
Was this how Jay Harland was going to go? With Saachi just watching it happen? From what she could tell, Jay was dead. The shots, blood and closed eyes seemed to point in that direction. She had always told herself that she'd be the one to finish off Jay. Once most of the competition had been dealt with, she was supposed to have killed him in his sleep. Or something. She never really thought out how she was going to kill Jay. She had always considered him a factor going deep into the game. Something that she could put off having to think about until later. Together, they could've been unstoppable. Instead, she was now sat here, looking at his possibly lifeless corpse.
It didn't take long for Saachi to decide her next course of action. It was probably a worthless endeavour. After all, he was probably already dead. Still, she wanted a finality to their relationship. She couldn't let it end like this. She was going to decide how things ended, not KK. She could feel the tears on her cheek as she raised her cleaver.
"I'm sorry, Jay."
Saachi swung the cleaver down on his neck.
B09: JAY HARLAND - DECEASED
Saachi had finished cleaning her blade. The tears were gone. After doing the deed, Saachi had moved Jay's body and deposited it inside one of the decrepit boats. It took longer than anticipated as she had to drag him at an arm's length to avoid getting blood all over her, but she eventually managed to succeed in that endeavour. She felt it would've been classless to leave his body lying around like that on show. Moving it to a place she couldn't see also kept her mind at ease. Lingering on his death for too long wasn't what she needed.
She had decided to move Micheal's body as well. It wasn't like she felt the same feelings for him as she did for Jay, but she thought she might as well show the same respect for him as she did Jay. His body was easier to move. Though they were about the same weight, she was able to grapple onto his legs and reduce to force necessary to move him. She had deposited his body in another boat next to Jay's.
Only once that was done did Saachi think about cleaning the blade. She had pondered about the realisation that she was going to have to tackle this game alone from now on. She didn't have a Jay to reassure her that she was doing the right thing, no Jay to get in the way of others so she could enact her plans and Jay wasn't going to be able to get her out of any more sticky situations. She only had herself now.
In a way, she had realised that Jay had been a buffer for her. A way to ease her into playing the game. When she had Jay, she could justify her actions by looking at him and realising he was doing the same things as her. He was there to remind her that others were playing as well and tell her she was doing the right thing. Saachi was uncomfortable knowing that she didn't have that safety and comfort that she once had.
She also thought about KK and thinking about how to approach her. In her mind, KK was more than fair game. In fact, Saachi hoped she'd find her again. Once she did, she was going to exact her revenge. She'd catch her by surprise and make sure she felt pain as Saachi took her life from her. She wasn't going to go for the head or neck for a quick kill. No, KK had screwed over Saachi and her plans and if Saachi ever encountered KK with her guard down, she was going to feel the brunt of her retribution.
Her bag was starting to become bloated. She had moved all of the water bottles and food supplies from both Michael's and Jay's bag into her own. If there was one good thing that came out of this situation, it was that Saachi wasn't going to go hungry anytime soon. She took the antiseptic wipes as well. That was more of a precautionary move on her part.
For now, she had tucked the trident into her bag. It jutted out awkwardly, but she didn't need to carry it and the cleaver. The cleaver stayed in her hands where it belonged. Saachi took one moment to look at Jay's boat before she set off, her heart heavy.
((Saachi Nidal continued in We Know Who Our Enemies Are))
One of Jay's main problems was that he was a wildcard to her. She had never been able to parse how the heck his mind worked, often going off guesswork as to how to proceed with him. Jay was Jay, she had found. He was loud, brash and a bit of an idiot. She had no idea how he was going to act with regards to KK. She knew that Jay was only going to make things worse.
She sometimes hated being right so much.
Saachi let out a sudden yell as shots rang out in the area. She thrust herself against the wall, watching the disaster unfurl before her. She could feel the sweat dripping down her face, the horror of the situation and the fear that her life was legitimately at risk kept her from moving and her attention sharply focused on what was happening between KK and Jay. She swore she heard her name somewhere in between Jay's incoherent wails, but refused to move. After all, KK could just as easily turn her attention to her.
"Stop it!" Saachi yelled pathetically as Katarina fired more shots. Fuck, fuck fuck. Things were not supposed to go this way. She was supposed to have control of this situation. Up until now, she had always had control of the situation. They were supposed to both get out of this situation, possibly sway KK towards their mindset and get her to leave them alone. Instead, Jay had to butt in, Jay had to get his say and then KK had to make her point.
What was the point? What right did KK have to determine whether or not Jay had any worth? Even if Jay was an idiot, Jay was still her idiot. They'd been a pretty good team, all things considered. Sure, he did shout at her all the time and their first encounter involved him beating her up, but they'd got past that and managed to kill two people together. KK had only managed to kill one, and she had that stupid gun to give herself an unfair advantage. What the hell gave her the right to decide whether or not Jay was worthless?
It took a while for Saachi to realise that KK had left. Her attention at that point had been transfixed on her dying ally, whose cries began to get muted until they were eventually extinguished. Was it over? She gave a moment before moving, wanting to make sure that KK didn't come back. Admittedly, Saachi needed some time to get her breath, take stock of the situation and prepare herself. She was still sweaty, the adrenaline slowly starting to leave her system as she clutched tightly to her cleaver. Her first steps were cautious as she expected Katarina to suddenly jump out of the bushes and shoot her. Once she had confirmed that wouldn't happen, Saachi moved quickly towards Jay.
There was blood everywhere. Jay was just lying there, his head tilted towards her direction. Was he dead? He'd just been shot to kingdom come and he now languished in a pool of his own blood. Saachi didn't want to take a closer look at his wounds. She was queasy enough looking at them from a distance. She didn't feel the need to unsettle herself more than she needed to. Instead, she focused on the upper body, the parts where KK's wrath was avoided.
Was this how Jay Harland was going to go? With Saachi just watching it happen? From what she could tell, Jay was dead. The shots, blood and closed eyes seemed to point in that direction. She had always told herself that she'd be the one to finish off Jay. Once most of the competition had been dealt with, she was supposed to have killed him in his sleep. Or something. She never really thought out how she was going to kill Jay. She had always considered him a factor going deep into the game. Something that she could put off having to think about until later. Together, they could've been unstoppable. Instead, she was now sat here, looking at his possibly lifeless corpse.
It didn't take long for Saachi to decide her next course of action. It was probably a worthless endeavour. After all, he was probably already dead. Still, she wanted a finality to their relationship. She couldn't let it end like this. She was going to decide how things ended, not KK. She could feel the tears on her cheek as she raised her cleaver.
"I'm sorry, Jay."
Saachi swung the cleaver down on his neck.
B09: JAY HARLAND - DECEASED
Saachi had finished cleaning her blade. The tears were gone. After doing the deed, Saachi had moved Jay's body and deposited it inside one of the decrepit boats. It took longer than anticipated as she had to drag him at an arm's length to avoid getting blood all over her, but she eventually managed to succeed in that endeavour. She felt it would've been classless to leave his body lying around like that on show. Moving it to a place she couldn't see also kept her mind at ease. Lingering on his death for too long wasn't what she needed.
She had decided to move Micheal's body as well. It wasn't like she felt the same feelings for him as she did for Jay, but she thought she might as well show the same respect for him as she did Jay. His body was easier to move. Though they were about the same weight, she was able to grapple onto his legs and reduce to force necessary to move him. She had deposited his body in another boat next to Jay's.
Only once that was done did Saachi think about cleaning the blade. She had pondered about the realisation that she was going to have to tackle this game alone from now on. She didn't have a Jay to reassure her that she was doing the right thing, no Jay to get in the way of others so she could enact her plans and Jay wasn't going to be able to get her out of any more sticky situations. She only had herself now.
In a way, she had realised that Jay had been a buffer for her. A way to ease her into playing the game. When she had Jay, she could justify her actions by looking at him and realising he was doing the same things as her. He was there to remind her that others were playing as well and tell her she was doing the right thing. Saachi was uncomfortable knowing that she didn't have that safety and comfort that she once had.
She also thought about KK and thinking about how to approach her. In her mind, KK was more than fair game. In fact, Saachi hoped she'd find her again. Once she did, she was going to exact her revenge. She'd catch her by surprise and make sure she felt pain as Saachi took her life from her. She wasn't going to go for the head or neck for a quick kill. No, KK had screwed over Saachi and her plans and if Saachi ever encountered KK with her guard down, she was going to feel the brunt of her retribution.
Her bag was starting to become bloated. She had moved all of the water bottles and food supplies from both Michael's and Jay's bag into her own. If there was one good thing that came out of this situation, it was that Saachi wasn't going to go hungry anytime soon. She took the antiseptic wipes as well. That was more of a precautionary move on her part.
For now, she had tucked the trident into her bag. It jutted out awkwardly, but she didn't need to carry it and the cleaver. The cleaver stayed in her hands where it belonged. Saachi took one moment to look at Jay's boat before she set off, her heart heavy.
((Saachi Nidal continued in We Know Who Our Enemies Are))
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