((Emmett Purcell continued from the Cargo Floats))
Until the previous night, Emmett had never performed warzone medicine. But when they stopped at the small boat under the bow of the cruise ship, with nothing but an unusually strong wave between themselves and being crushed like a popsicle stick, Emmett was going to have to change that.
Because Amanda had been shot, and he had to figure it out. His first aid kit, and eventually Amanda's, had been spread over the deck of the tiny boat like fungus, and every time Emmett needed to grab for something he couldn't see because he didn't have enough hands for both the tweezers and the flashlight and putting his hand over Amanda's mouth every time the pain became too much and too vocal, much too vocal. Time passed, the length of which was impossible for either of them to know, before Emmett finally reached a state of being which he could call "stitched up". He wasn't sure how he did it, but he'd gotten the bullet out of Amanda's body, and the rest was somewhere within the depths of memory.
So they stayed there, Emmett basically forcing the water down her throat in some vain attempt to replace the blood she'd lost because Emmett may have performed some kind of inexplicable miracle with the bandages but he still didn't know how human anatomy worked because he'd never been worth anything at that stupid school that he could barely even remember going to because it had been nearly twenty five hours since he slept and he couldn't sleep because Amanda couldn't sleep because she'd lost a lot of blood and then the announcements came on and names came out which he couldn't remember because nothing was staying in his brain but shapes and colours so all he could do was guess what they were but something came to his head about the cruise ship being open now so he basically lifted Amanda up by himself to take her on board and he just walked and walked and walked until his legs couldn't move any more but they were near the edge of the ship but there was a room there and they stopped and Emmett tried to wipe Amanda's dried blood off his clothing or his skin but he didn't have any water because he couldn't use the water for anything other than drinking so he just sort of stood around covered in Amanda's blood as she finally got some sleep and it had been twenty nine hours since he'd slept and all he could do was feel what was going on like the strap of the bag or when he put his hand in without looking and felt furry fabric which was the most luxurious feeling in the world so he took what was supposed to be his two-person horse costume out and laid it on the floor and spread his arms upwards trying to replicate some feeling of sleep so he could function as he was supposed to because he couldn't actually sleep since Amanda was asleep and they weren't both going to sleep because that would mean the moment someone found them both asleep they were both dead so to stave off the cold he took Amanda's gun and lay it beside himself and the cold metal just prickled the pores of his arm without release and he became aware of literally every movement his body made from his toenails cutting through his socks to the canvas of his shoe to the spiral of acid swirling around in his stomach to his scalp being so unbelievably itchy with every movement because he might have had dandruff for some reason despite the fact he'd always kept his hair clean with Head & Shoulders 3-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo now in 20oz and if you buy one now you get a free-
Emmett woke up on the deck.
The tiny amount of sleep he'd received, leaning against the deck railing, hadn't been enough. He couldn't really sleep, not here, not anywhere. Sleep was for people who weren't busy, who only had themselves to look after. Three weights were pulling apart his bones, his shoulders dislocated in three different directions from the weight to bear.
He leaned against the railing once more, this time looking out at the arena. It was visibly dark, save the illuminating lights from various spots, and that meant the next announcement would probably be soon. Far in the distance he could see his first interactions with other humans, punching a kid in the back because he only had bolas. The patrol boat where he'd found what he assumed would be his main goal, instead having abandoned him long ago, was somewhere on the other side of the ship, as were the cargo floats.
The main site in front of him was a floating restaurant. He stared, intently, looking down into its rafters until the people he could see inside were just as real as the great swirl of euphoria that reminded him of his every being.
He kept staring into nowhere.
It prevented him from thinking about things.
Like what was going to happen if someone got ten kills before Amanda.
Or what was going to happen if he ended up being the only Buccaneer left.
I Thought We'd Stay Together
night, day 3 - private
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Spindarene
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((Amanda Brooks continued from 
))
Amanda woke up cold and stiff. She was aware of a hard surface beneath her, and when she opened her eyes she saw that it was still dark. As she shifted on the floor she felt a searing pain in her side and groaned, her hand going to the bullet wound. It hurt, but she wasn't bleeding anymore; instead, her hand touched dry, caked-on blood.
She gingerly got to her feet and looked around. She was on the deck of a gigantic ship; Emmett must have moved her. She couldn't really remember what had happened, only vague fuzzy memories of pain. She gently lifted her shirt to look at her wound and saw that it had been clumsily stitched up. Emmett had mended her wound. He'd saved her life.
She looked around and saw him leaning against the railing. He looked terrible. Feelings rose up inside her as she saw him standing there, looking vulnerable. The feelings made her uncomfortable and she didn't know what to do with them. She didn't even really know what they were, or at least, she told herself she didn't. She could feel herself blushing, and was glad that it was dark and he was facing the other way so that he couldn't see.
Taking small steps to keep the pain to a minimum, she walked over to the railing and stood beside Emmett, looking over at him.
"Hey. You doing okay?"
))Amanda woke up cold and stiff. She was aware of a hard surface beneath her, and when she opened her eyes she saw that it was still dark. As she shifted on the floor she felt a searing pain in her side and groaned, her hand going to the bullet wound. It hurt, but she wasn't bleeding anymore; instead, her hand touched dry, caked-on blood.
She gingerly got to her feet and looked around. She was on the deck of a gigantic ship; Emmett must have moved her. She couldn't really remember what had happened, only vague fuzzy memories of pain. She gently lifted her shirt to look at her wound and saw that it had been clumsily stitched up. Emmett had mended her wound. He'd saved her life.
She looked around and saw him leaning against the railing. He looked terrible. Feelings rose up inside her as she saw him standing there, looking vulnerable. The feelings made her uncomfortable and she didn't know what to do with them. She didn't even really know what they were, or at least, she told herself she didn't. She could feel herself blushing, and was glad that it was dark and he was facing the other way so that he couldn't see.
Taking small steps to keep the pain to a minimum, she walked over to the railing and stood beside Emmett, looking over at him.
"Hey. You doing okay?"
Amanda's voice didn't register to Emmett until he remembered who she was.
He'd brought her outside, to one of the deck chairs. At some point, she'd fallen off, but still hadn't woken up. It must have been nice, to sleep that heavy. Not for Emmett, apparently. He had to stay awake and keep the peace.
It had gotten to the point where the cold of the metal started to feel nice against his skin, comforting. Beckoning him to sleep. But then again, so did the needles in his toes and the pebbles in his shoes and the scrapes on his hands that had haphazardly healed in a smear, and the gun on his back.
When Amanda walked up beside him, asking him how he was, he could have told her the truth, that he was exhausted and needed to sleep, but what message was that going to send? He'd talked all the talk about how he was going to help her get those ten kills, to maximize the survivors in this game, and what was it going to look like if he just wandered off to sleep when there was work to do? He'd look like a goddamn wimp, a pussy, that's what he was going to look like. And what work was he going to have to do for her now?
Probably respond to her question, first.
"Yeah, doing fine. Bit tired, but you know."
With that, he slung the gun from his back by its strap and extended it in his hand back to its owner.
"Was holding this for you."
He'd brought her outside, to one of the deck chairs. At some point, she'd fallen off, but still hadn't woken up. It must have been nice, to sleep that heavy. Not for Emmett, apparently. He had to stay awake and keep the peace.
It had gotten to the point where the cold of the metal started to feel nice against his skin, comforting. Beckoning him to sleep. But then again, so did the needles in his toes and the pebbles in his shoes and the scrapes on his hands that had haphazardly healed in a smear, and the gun on his back.
When Amanda walked up beside him, asking him how he was, he could have told her the truth, that he was exhausted and needed to sleep, but what message was that going to send? He'd talked all the talk about how he was going to help her get those ten kills, to maximize the survivors in this game, and what was it going to look like if he just wandered off to sleep when there was work to do? He'd look like a goddamn wimp, a pussy, that's what he was going to look like. And what work was he going to have to do for her now?
Probably respond to her question, first.
"Yeah, doing fine. Bit tired, but you know."
With that, he slung the gun from his back by its strap and extended it in his hand back to its owner.
"Was holding this for you."
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Spindarene
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Amanda flinched internally at the terseness of Emmett's voice. His tone made her feel like she was an imposition, like her presence was a burden to him somehow. But if that was the case, why had he saved her life?
She took the gun from him and nodded her thanks.
She eyed him nervously, trying to figure out what was going on, how he felt about her, what they were going to do now. Her eyes then turned toward the sea and she asked the first question that came into her head.
"So, um, how long was I out?"
She took the gun from him and nodded her thanks.
She eyed him nervously, trying to figure out what was going on, how he felt about her, what they were going to do now. Her eyes then turned toward the sea and she asked the first question that came into her head.
"So, um, how long was I out?"
"A while."
Emmett had a tract to go on, but he still wanted to sleep. Maybe with how little happened between Amanda passing out and her waking up just now, he could bore himself into getting some.
"Was pretty touch and go. Got the bullet out, stitched you up, got you to the ship, got you a bed, then brought you with me when we needed to move. But if you're feeling alright, then I think...I think I did a good job."
That part about bringing Amanda with him to the deck might have been a lie. Emmett didn't know. There were parts of his memory that were beginning to go. He sniffed, and wiped his nose with the back of his hand.
"Had to keep guard and stuff, don't know who's out there. Couldn't really sleep. Lots of people killing."
Now that? That was something he could remember. Soy Yunn had a lot of kills already, he'd heard her name in every announcement. He couldn't remember every other name, but hers? Hers was a constant.
"And speaking of that...I don't think...I don't think anyone but that Soy Yunn chick has a lot of kills. So...I think if we can find her, and get rid of her, just take her out? We can have a better shot. I mean, you remember her, right? She's tiny, we've got weapons, how hard can it be?"
Emmett had a tract to go on, but he still wanted to sleep. Maybe with how little happened between Amanda passing out and her waking up just now, he could bore himself into getting some.
"Was pretty touch and go. Got the bullet out, stitched you up, got you to the ship, got you a bed, then brought you with me when we needed to move. But if you're feeling alright, then I think...I think I did a good job."
That part about bringing Amanda with him to the deck might have been a lie. Emmett didn't know. There were parts of his memory that were beginning to go. He sniffed, and wiped his nose with the back of his hand.
"Had to keep guard and stuff, don't know who's out there. Couldn't really sleep. Lots of people killing."
Now that? That was something he could remember. Soy Yunn had a lot of kills already, he'd heard her name in every announcement. He couldn't remember every other name, but hers? Hers was a constant.
"And speaking of that...I don't think...I don't think anyone but that Soy Yunn chick has a lot of kills. So...I think if we can find her, and get rid of her, just take her out? We can have a better shot. I mean, you remember her, right? She's tiny, we've got weapons, how hard can it be?"
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Spindarene
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Amanda felt her stomach sinking as Emmett spoke. Dread crept in as she imagined getting into another violent fight, her wound almost twinging just thinking about it. She barely got out alive from the last one. Didn't he understand that? Why was he matter-of-factly asking her to get into another fight right after stitching her up?
"I...I don't know. I mean, look at me. Look at you. I don't...I don't think that now is the best time to go looking for another fight, you know? Let's just wait a little bit and see what happens."
"I...I don't know. I mean, look at me. Look at you. I don't...I don't think that now is the best time to go looking for another fight, you know? Let's just wait a little bit and see what happens."
"Wait?"
Where Emmett's mouth currently sat there was once a filter, which had disappeared around the 17th hour awake. That filter, once extremely useful in everyday life, stopped things like showing his anger over people disagreeing with him when he was right.
"I don't think you get it, Amanda, there is no waiting - if Soy Yunn gets those ten kills before you, it's game over. The only-"
That anger didn't usually involve kicking the nearest life ring hard enough to tear the rope and dropping it to the deck, but circumstances were different tonight.
"-FUCKING reason I'm helping you out is to get you those ten kills, because you're not on my FUCKING team."
He turned like a hawk towards the girl, his face making his intentions even clearer than his words and his actions.
"So grab your shit, and let's get going."
Where Emmett's mouth currently sat there was once a filter, which had disappeared around the 17th hour awake. That filter, once extremely useful in everyday life, stopped things like showing his anger over people disagreeing with him when he was right.
"I don't think you get it, Amanda, there is no waiting - if Soy Yunn gets those ten kills before you, it's game over. The only-"
That anger didn't usually involve kicking the nearest life ring hard enough to tear the rope and dropping it to the deck, but circumstances were different tonight.
"-FUCKING reason I'm helping you out is to get you those ten kills, because you're not on my FUCKING team."
He turned like a hawk towards the girl, his face making his intentions even clearer than his words and his actions.
"So grab your shit, and let's get going."
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Spindarene
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Emmett's words stung Amanda deeply and she took a couple steps back from him as he turned on her, her face contorting with the pain of betrayal. However, as he barked his last words at her in the form of an order, her hurt turned into anger.
Amanda stepped towards him, locking eyes with him defiantly.
"No, you listen, asshole! I took a fucking bullet for you, and you've just been sitting here on your ass! So shut the fuck up and leave me alone!"
Amanda stepped towards him, locking eyes with him defiantly.
"No, you listen, asshole! I took a fucking bullet for you, and you've just been sitting here on your ass! So shut the fuck up and leave me alone!"
"And you took that FUCKING bullet because you shot at those FUCKING people without a plan or even asking me, or telling me!"
Emmett's eyebrows sharpened as the words spat from his mouth.
"I have done SO MUCH SHIT for you without ever getting a thank you - I made sure those other two fucking traitors were cool with you, I gave us all the plan to get you out with us, and none of you bitches were EVER fucking grateful for me doing all the work. But that's not fucking new, is it?"
At some point, Emmett turned back to the nightly view of the floatilla stretched out from the side of the ship.
"Of every fucking person I had to be stuck with on this ship, it had to be all bitches, didn't it! An entire fucking floatilla out there, and the only people I could ever fucking meet, the only people I could ever put myself on the line for, skin off MY fucking back, were useless, whiny cunts who were so ungrateful for the fact I was doing all this shit for them! I didn't have to help you, or help them, I just did it because this game is FUCKING stupid and I wanted as many of us to live as possible! But you don't care! Those two freaks didn't care! So don't you fucking say I haven't done anything, because I have done everything!"
Almost on cue, the speakers crackled to life - in a few seconds, the world's most useless bitch was going to read out names of literally everyone on this ship who was more useful than Amanda right now.
"Oh good, the announcements! Wanna sit down and hear how many kills Soy Yunn got while you were fucking asleep?"
As he said what he said, Emmett turned back around.
Emmett's eyebrows sharpened as the words spat from his mouth.
"I have done SO MUCH SHIT for you without ever getting a thank you - I made sure those other two fucking traitors were cool with you, I gave us all the plan to get you out with us, and none of you bitches were EVER fucking grateful for me doing all the work. But that's not fucking new, is it?"
At some point, Emmett turned back to the nightly view of the floatilla stretched out from the side of the ship.
"Of every fucking person I had to be stuck with on this ship, it had to be all bitches, didn't it! An entire fucking floatilla out there, and the only people I could ever fucking meet, the only people I could ever put myself on the line for, skin off MY fucking back, were useless, whiny cunts who were so ungrateful for the fact I was doing all this shit for them! I didn't have to help you, or help them, I just did it because this game is FUCKING stupid and I wanted as many of us to live as possible! But you don't care! Those two freaks didn't care! So don't you fucking say I haven't done anything, because I have done everything!"
Almost on cue, the speakers crackled to life - in a few seconds, the world's most useless bitch was going to read out names of literally everyone on this ship who was more useful than Amanda right now.
"Oh good, the announcements! Wanna sit down and hear how many kills Soy Yunn got while you were fucking asleep?"
As he said what he said, Emmett turned back around.
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Spindarene
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"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up shut up just SHUT THE HELL UP!" Amanda's voice curled into a scream as Emmett's tirade continued. Her whole body felt like it was burning with electricity and at the same time she felt small, powerless to stop the words coming out of his mouth.
Suddenly, she felt outside herself, felt her body move on its own to pick up the gun, felt her arms swing it above her and felt the crunch as it landed on Emmett's head. She swung it around again and felt the impact ripple through her arms as she smashed the gun into his back even harder.
Suddenly, she felt outside herself, felt her body move on its own to pick up the gun, felt her arms swing it above her and felt the crunch as it landed on Emmett's head. She swung it around again and felt the impact ripple through her arms as she smashed the gun into his back even harder.
The gun hit the boy in the head. He was dazed.
He stumbled onto the deck railing.
The second hit threw him off balance.
He began to fall from the ship.
The boy's head cracked against something hard on the way down.
It dropped into the sea.
He stumbled onto the deck railing.
The second hit threw him off balance.
He began to fall from the ship.
The boy's head cracked against something hard on the way down.
It dropped into the sea.
SBO9 - Emmett Purcell: DECEASED
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Spindarene
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Amanda's rage turned into panic as soon as she saw Emmett fall off the deck. She rushed over to the railing and saw his body flop into the sea.
"No...no, n-no..." She murmured to herself as her hands slid over the railing, feeling around for something that eluded her, some way undo what she'd just done.
Her breathing came fast and shallow and before she knew what was happening she was leaning over the railing, retching up whatever was left in her stomach after a day and a half with no food. Her vomiting soon turned into sobs that wracked her body as she slumped against the railing as the impact of what she had just done crashed over her.
Time lost all meaning for her as she sat there, staring out into the sea, fearing that the slightest movement would bring her back into reality enough for it to smother her.
Eventually, though, she did get up. Mechanically, almost in a trance, she stood up, picked up her gun and her bag, and walked away.
((Amanda Brooks continued in The Worst Kind of Tribute))
"No...no, n-no..." She murmured to herself as her hands slid over the railing, feeling around for something that eluded her, some way undo what she'd just done.
Her breathing came fast and shallow and before she knew what was happening she was leaning over the railing, retching up whatever was left in her stomach after a day and a half with no food. Her vomiting soon turned into sobs that wracked her body as she slumped against the railing as the impact of what she had just done crashed over her.
Time lost all meaning for her as she sat there, staring out into the sea, fearing that the slightest movement would bring her back into reality enough for it to smother her.
Eventually, though, she did get up. Mechanically, almost in a trance, she stood up, picked up her gun and her bag, and walked away.
((Amanda Brooks continued in The Worst Kind of Tribute))