Excerpts From A Small, Worn Composition Notebook
Update (10/24/21):
Floating kid led me the right way. I was worried for a moment that he had been off, but the explosion confirmed I was going in the right direction.
Now I'm here, and I will stand by and observe no longer. If you're reading this, know that I tried my best.
Unknown Time, Monday, October 25th, 2021: Undisclosed Location
A crackle of static from a walkie-talkie flaring to life.
SHARK: "Boss, we've got an issue."
OWL: "Ugh, what now?"
SHARK: "We found a car by the perimeter. Outta gas, with no driver in sight. Trunk was full of survival equipment, not much else of note."
WOLF: "Possible hiker. Likely lost."
OWL: "Motherfucker... just, find the bastard and kill him! Don't fuck it up this time!"
SHARK: "You got it boss."
WOLF: "On it."
The walkie-talkie beeped, then went silent.
OWL: "For fuck's sake..."
OWL: "Tiger, warn Crocodile and Bear to keep an eye out."
TIGER: "Alright, will do."
OWL: "Let's get this shit show over with."
9:46 AM, Monday, October 25th, 2021: The Great Basin Desert
Owl took hold of the microphone, hands shaking. She eyed her script, hastily scrawled in the early morning hours, only amounting to a list of deaths, with no material prepared in advance. They were so close to getting caught, but they couldn't just bug out now. They needed this footage, and she wouldn't let these little brats and a random hiker ruin everything. They would push through, and she would improvise.
When she pushed the button to begin the announcement, the speakers roared to life, the screech loud enough to hit their latest camping spot, electronic feedback reverberating around the arena.
"Hello to those who are still breathing. It's time for the latest announcement."
She clutched the microphone tightly.
"First up, we have back-to-back kills from our dear Crispin-Kelley Cuyler, starting with him breaking Gary Greer-Wheatly's neck, and ending with him bashing Kaine Griffin's face in. It was, uh, pretty sick. Good job, keep it up."
Her hands were still trembling, an audible, awkward gap between her words.
"Then, uh, we had a quadruple mutual kill between Lily Little, Mercedes Guenther, Kyle Benson, and Lincoln Guenther. It was, uh, it was something for sure. You had to be there to see it, I think. Literally, there was a lot that I couldn't see through the cams. I'm sure it was pretty crazy, though."
Her breathing picked up, thankfully unheard by both her microphone and her audience.
"Then that brings us to our last deaths of the morning, with Austin Greene and Noah Davis dying from wounds inflicted by Raymond LaSalle. Was pretty gnarly, watching it go down. Didn't even realize Austin was dead for a bit there, but don't worry, we didn't forget him. Yet."
She tried to chuckle to herself, but it trailed off just as quickly as it started, a disingenuous gesture to its core.
"Those, uh, are all of the deaths. Our newest danger zone is going to be the whole of The Flatlands. Only the area around the Compound is safe for you all now. We're going to get nice and cozy for our final act."
She stopped speaking, and after a brief pause, she pushed the button to play the fanfare. Unlike before, it sounded deflated, and weak.
"So, that brings us back to the Most Kill Award. Once again, we had a tie, and the same rules apply as before; first come, first serve. With that in mind, we're giving this one to Crispin-Kelley Cuyler. You'll find your prize out in The Flatlands, Crispin. The flag is back, big and red, you know, and you'll have until noon to claim it, like before. I suggest going sooner rather than later."
She inhaled, and sighed, trying to steady the shaking in her hands.
"That's all. You've got two days to be the sole survivor. Get it done, or else."
There was another screech that began to reverberate, only to abruptly cut off, and the arena went silent once more.
DAY FOUR: MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2021
WEATHER: For the first time since the students arrived, there are noticeable amounts of clouds in the sky. The breeze has picked back up in force, and it seems that the rare rainfall is coming to the desert soon. The clouds have brought shade, and the desert has cooled down further, with temperatures reaching a high of 15° C (59° F) in the late afternoon and a low of -3° C (27° F) late into the night. The moon is nearing its third quarter.
Here are the rolls for this cycle:
- Lucine Everett (PlatFleece)
- Mei-ling Chou (Skraal)
- Raymond LaSalle (carduinal-cyn)
- Ximena Rodriguez (Carrion Queen) Mattie Wilkinson (Maraoone, Hero Card Used)
- Ana Ford (Deamon)
- Anatoly Orlovsky (Polybius)
- Joel Foster (AnimeNerd88)
