((Madeline Wilcox continued from Too Cold To Shiver))
Maddie felt a chill as she covered ground in the Quad.
The wind was blowing, making the already chilly air feel even colder. Her jacket shielded her from the worst of it, but she still felt the occasional chill as she walked.
She had not seen anyone the previous day and today, so far. She was happy about that, she'd rather avoid conflict, especially since she found out what happened to Chris and Michael on the announcements. Michael was alive, at least, but Chris was shot by Hansel, the same person that he saved her from. She hated Hansel. She had disliked him at Aurora, but now she outright hated him.
If she got the chance, she might even kill him. Not only would he have to die eventually for her to get off the island, as far as she was concerned he didn't deserve to go home, not after all that he has done.
She wasn't sure if she deserved to go home, if she was being honest with herself, but at the very least she knew that Hansel didn't.
She brushed a bit of her hair that the wind blew into her face out of the way as she sat down on a bench. She wanted a break from walking everywhere, half looking for people and half trying to avoid them. She wanted a break from a lot of things, including just being on the island itself. She wanted to go home.
And if she had her way, she was going to. Soon enough.
Shallow Grave
Day 10, Early Noon, Open
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VoltTurtle
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Rattlesnake
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((Katarina Konipaski continued from The Society of the Spectacle))
Katarina adjusted the fit of the gorestained jacket a bit as she walked onto the grass. Really, she was just wandering now. Didn't care much where she went, as long as Hansel wasn't there. Physically, at least. He'd gone one way and she the other, and she hoped until the next morning when they were shoved together and forced to slice each other apart that things would stay that way.
It was a welcome change, besides, from the lurking and hiding that had dominated her time before. Her hair was blowing all around her face. Greasy and tangled and matted and bloody, sure, but that was something that didn't happen when you wedged yourself in a random nook like a cat under a couch. When you curled up and hugged your knees until they ached and popped and wobbled when you walked. The breeze was nice. It was nearly constant in Seattle, with the air heating and cooling and flowing in and out like a sluggish daily tide driven by the sun's rays on the rippling harbor.
She twitched her brow. Looked out and noticed a figure sitting on a bench. The figure, no doubt, noticed her as well. Of course, the wind smelled more like salt than death back home. And the rustle of her boots parting the grass didn't mean another chafing grind on her ankles or her toes, stuck near-constantly in their leather prison for fear of what might happen if she needed suddenly to run.
The announcements came to mind as she looked across the grass. The prickling pride at hearing her name, the sweat around her collar as both Hansel and Ami were announced as recipients of a shiny new gun. Not that she could really begrudge her own gift - she had gone and lost the first one after all - but, honestly, that didn't even matter. Danger was danger. Parity only put her on edge. It took her own hunt and flipped it around and made her imagine how easily her skull would shatter from the first and last well-aimed shot to come her way. She stepped on a rock, and then she busied herself finding one for the other foot. Parity.
Maddie, and then Maddie again. That was enough for her. Maybe Ami and Hansel would kill each other, she thought idly. Or maybe they'd be smart about it. There were a lot of things that were enough for her. In fact, she might go as far as to say there really wasn't anyone who was straight-out beneath her. Against her, sure. The choicest names were set in opposition, but there was nothing to be lost in drawing the rest behind herself.
She didn't wave. Little gusts tugged at the length of bloodstained tunic sticking out beneath the bulletproof vest like a trendy little skirt. They could probably shout to each other of the wind, but she didn't try. Instead she looked and nodded in acknowledgement and threw out her empty hand to show that it was indeed an empty hand. The other kept her sword steady on her shoulder. She smiled a little and wasn't sure if she was manipulating Maddie by putting herself above her or beneath her. Waiting was always a nice conversational tool, though, so whatever. And it went a ways to making you seem a bit less aggressive even when you had hamburger for a face and long rusty stains dotting your jeans.
Katarina adjusted the fit of the gorestained jacket a bit as she walked onto the grass. Really, she was just wandering now. Didn't care much where she went, as long as Hansel wasn't there. Physically, at least. He'd gone one way and she the other, and she hoped until the next morning when they were shoved together and forced to slice each other apart that things would stay that way.
It was a welcome change, besides, from the lurking and hiding that had dominated her time before. Her hair was blowing all around her face. Greasy and tangled and matted and bloody, sure, but that was something that didn't happen when you wedged yourself in a random nook like a cat under a couch. When you curled up and hugged your knees until they ached and popped and wobbled when you walked. The breeze was nice. It was nearly constant in Seattle, with the air heating and cooling and flowing in and out like a sluggish daily tide driven by the sun's rays on the rippling harbor.
She twitched her brow. Looked out and noticed a figure sitting on a bench. The figure, no doubt, noticed her as well. Of course, the wind smelled more like salt than death back home. And the rustle of her boots parting the grass didn't mean another chafing grind on her ankles or her toes, stuck near-constantly in their leather prison for fear of what might happen if she needed suddenly to run.
The announcements came to mind as she looked across the grass. The prickling pride at hearing her name, the sweat around her collar as both Hansel and Ami were announced as recipients of a shiny new gun. Not that she could really begrudge her own gift - she had gone and lost the first one after all - but, honestly, that didn't even matter. Danger was danger. Parity only put her on edge. It took her own hunt and flipped it around and made her imagine how easily her skull would shatter from the first and last well-aimed shot to come her way. She stepped on a rock, and then she busied herself finding one for the other foot. Parity.
Maddie, and then Maddie again. That was enough for her. Maybe Ami and Hansel would kill each other, she thought idly. Or maybe they'd be smart about it. There were a lot of things that were enough for her. In fact, she might go as far as to say there really wasn't anyone who was straight-out beneath her. Against her, sure. The choicest names were set in opposition, but there was nothing to be lost in drawing the rest behind herself.
She didn't wave. Little gusts tugged at the length of bloodstained tunic sticking out beneath the bulletproof vest like a trendy little skirt. They could probably shout to each other of the wind, but she didn't try. Instead she looked and nodded in acknowledgement and threw out her empty hand to show that it was indeed an empty hand. The other kept her sword steady on her shoulder. She smiled a little and wasn't sure if she was manipulating Maddie by putting herself above her or beneath her. Waiting was always a nice conversational tool, though, so whatever. And it went a ways to making you seem a bit less aggressive even when you had hamburger for a face and long rusty stains dotting your jeans.
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VoltTurtle
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Maddie's eyes narrowed as she saw Katarina approach her.
It was hard to not recognize Kat, her appearance made her stick out in a lot of ways. And that recognition was her downfall. Maddie recalled hearing Katarina's name several times on the announcements, detailing her various kills. She struggled to remember the number of people she's killed. Was it six, seven, or eight? Maddie supposed that it didn't really matter, all that mattered was that Kat was a prolific murderer, someone to not even be given a chance.
Kat seemed to be feigning weakness, showing that one hand was empty and that the other one only held a sword. Maddie wasn't about to be manipulated into making herself an easy target, Kat was not to be trusted, not even for a moment. She drew the gun-knife, chamber loaded and ready to fire, and pointed it at Katarina.
"What do you want?" She shouted, over the wind.
Maddie was prepared to fire, if she had to, but Katarina managed to survive this long, so she doubted that Kat was going to do anything she might regret. She thought that the best route might just be to kill Kat right here, get her out of the way for later, but at the same time Maddie couldn't bring herself to kill someone without very good and immediate reason. Just because she might become an issue later doesn't mean it's justified to kill her now. And besides, all Maddie theoretically had to do was simply survive, no reason to get ahead of herself and start murdering indiscriminately.
Instead, she would simply let Kat decide if she wanted to be shot now or later; she just needed to make one wrong move.
It was hard to not recognize Kat, her appearance made her stick out in a lot of ways. And that recognition was her downfall. Maddie recalled hearing Katarina's name several times on the announcements, detailing her various kills. She struggled to remember the number of people she's killed. Was it six, seven, or eight? Maddie supposed that it didn't really matter, all that mattered was that Kat was a prolific murderer, someone to not even be given a chance.
Kat seemed to be feigning weakness, showing that one hand was empty and that the other one only held a sword. Maddie wasn't about to be manipulated into making herself an easy target, Kat was not to be trusted, not even for a moment. She drew the gun-knife, chamber loaded and ready to fire, and pointed it at Katarina.
"What do you want?" She shouted, over the wind.
Maddie was prepared to fire, if she had to, but Katarina managed to survive this long, so she doubted that Kat was going to do anything she might regret. She thought that the best route might just be to kill Kat right here, get her out of the way for later, but at the same time Maddie couldn't bring herself to kill someone without very good and immediate reason. Just because she might become an issue later doesn't mean it's justified to kill her now. And besides, all Maddie theoretically had to do was simply survive, no reason to get ahead of herself and start murdering indiscriminately.
Instead, she would simply let Kat decide if she wanted to be shot now or later; she just needed to make one wrong move.
((Joey continued from The World According to Third Grade))
It was rough going for young Mr. Grey on his journey from the elementary school. Despite the weather holding out well, ten days of stress, minimal sleep, shit diet, and every other little problem were finally catching up with him. His bright idea to stake out the school on Zubin and Tyler had been amongst his dumber moves. What did he really expect anyways? Tyler was armed and had himself a human shield. Joey wasn't even sure he could actually attack anyone with his swords.
I'll bet there are people back home that are super pissed at me for not using these things.
Joey was no philosopher, but the thought of how most people would be watching this blood bath and not be appalled by what they were seeing was an interesting one. Joey himself had been one of those people. He'd first seen it after a drumming session. He remembered getting a message from a friend with a link in it. It was a video clip of a young guy in a Motorhead t-shirt ripping a hammer from the back of a girl's skull.
Bryan Calvert's kill of Mariavel had been shocking. Joey spent most of that night doing research on whether or not what he had seen was real. When it turned out to be real, it was a scary feeling.
Joey broke away from his thoughts as he approached a relatively open area.
As he strode forward towards the edge of the open area that made up the quad, the wind carried a female voice in his direction.
Joey quickly ducked himself to the ground and crawled to a patch of tall grass. It wasn't much cover, but hopefully it would let him assess the situation.
From where he was he could see Maddie and Katarina a fair distance apart but staring holes right through each other. Maddie's arm was raised and something with a distinctive shape was in her hand.
"Oh..."
Joey whispered his surprise at the situation. Both of these girl's names had been announced. Kat's more than Maddie's. This was a dangerous situation.
It was rough going for young Mr. Grey on his journey from the elementary school. Despite the weather holding out well, ten days of stress, minimal sleep, shit diet, and every other little problem were finally catching up with him. His bright idea to stake out the school on Zubin and Tyler had been amongst his dumber moves. What did he really expect anyways? Tyler was armed and had himself a human shield. Joey wasn't even sure he could actually attack anyone with his swords.
I'll bet there are people back home that are super pissed at me for not using these things.
Joey was no philosopher, but the thought of how most people would be watching this blood bath and not be appalled by what they were seeing was an interesting one. Joey himself had been one of those people. He'd first seen it after a drumming session. He remembered getting a message from a friend with a link in it. It was a video clip of a young guy in a Motorhead t-shirt ripping a hammer from the back of a girl's skull.
Bryan Calvert's kill of Mariavel had been shocking. Joey spent most of that night doing research on whether or not what he had seen was real. When it turned out to be real, it was a scary feeling.
Joey broke away from his thoughts as he approached a relatively open area.
As he strode forward towards the edge of the open area that made up the quad, the wind carried a female voice in his direction.
Joey quickly ducked himself to the ground and crawled to a patch of tall grass. It wasn't much cover, but hopefully it would let him assess the situation.
From where he was he could see Maddie and Katarina a fair distance apart but staring holes right through each other. Maddie's arm was raised and something with a distinctive shape was in her hand.
"Oh..."
Joey whispered his surprise at the situation. Both of these girl's names had been announced. Kat's more than Maddie's. This was a dangerous situation.
Stuff. Things. Stuff and things.
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Rattlesnake
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Maybe two wasn't enough, she thought with sudden venom, and traipsed back and forth a bit on her tired feet. Or shuffled, maybe, or ambled, none of which seemed particularly threatening, but she wasn't going to let Maddie draw a bead that easily. The girl might have four by sunrise, and who would bat an eye? She could have put one down already, and number four... her heart pounded beneath the bloody little slit in her armored vest because you only needed to be unlucky once. Katarina looked around herself and it felt so sickeningly compulsive by now she wanted to scream.
A shout curled on the back of her tongue, but all the anger and discomfort and terror that pounded sweat out along her arms rose up in a flurry of sheer spite and locked it all down. She could tell Maddie to put it down because she was being so gracious not to pull out her own, and that experience showed she wasn't missing with that volume of lead. Throw in a nice curse for emphasis because of course nothing meant you were clinical and dangerous and a Big Deal like wiping the blood off your tools and letting everyone know you didn't just mean it but that you fucking meant it.
Maddie wasn't worth the time, or the risk, if you only ignored the niggling fact that both statements were patently untrue. She was perched on the railing of the bridge again, only this time there was something she had to reach or whatever crappy metaphor you wanted for it. It seemed stupid and arbitrary, but it also seemed as she watched the business end of whatever atrocity the girl was holding wave slowly back and forth and frowned and hawed and sighed that she was already reaching for it.
"Would you believe a friend?" she said, almost blurted, over the distance between them. "I dunno, maybe an acquaintance. Or a battle sister, or whatever the fuck-" she bit her fingernails into her palm, and the pain reached her face "-you want to be."
The dark black O at the point of Maddie's weapon that was sometimes a tapered 0 and sometimes nowhere at all hung so heavy in her mind she feared it might spill out into her mouth. "I've got a problem," she said, "maybe you can pay that some lip service 'cause I've gone and cleaned up..."
Two fingers. Five. Two...three again. A stupid little grin.
"...eight of yours." the little vein of amusement turned suddenly into a steel file. "And can you not point that at me?"
A shout curled on the back of her tongue, but all the anger and discomfort and terror that pounded sweat out along her arms rose up in a flurry of sheer spite and locked it all down. She could tell Maddie to put it down because she was being so gracious not to pull out her own, and that experience showed she wasn't missing with that volume of lead. Throw in a nice curse for emphasis because of course nothing meant you were clinical and dangerous and a Big Deal like wiping the blood off your tools and letting everyone know you didn't just mean it but that you fucking meant it.
Maddie wasn't worth the time, or the risk, if you only ignored the niggling fact that both statements were patently untrue. She was perched on the railing of the bridge again, only this time there was something she had to reach or whatever crappy metaphor you wanted for it. It seemed stupid and arbitrary, but it also seemed as she watched the business end of whatever atrocity the girl was holding wave slowly back and forth and frowned and hawed and sighed that she was already reaching for it.
"Would you believe a friend?" she said, almost blurted, over the distance between them. "I dunno, maybe an acquaintance. Or a battle sister, or whatever the fuck-" she bit her fingernails into her palm, and the pain reached her face "-you want to be."
The dark black O at the point of Maddie's weapon that was sometimes a tapered 0 and sometimes nowhere at all hung so heavy in her mind she feared it might spill out into her mouth. "I've got a problem," she said, "maybe you can pay that some lip service 'cause I've gone and cleaned up..."
Two fingers. Five. Two...three again. A stupid little grin.
"...eight of yours." the little vein of amusement turned suddenly into a steel file. "And can you not point that at me?"
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VoltTurtle
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Maddie was taken aback by Katarina's behavior.
Kat nervously shuffled in place, presumably to throw of Maddie's aim, as she babbled about believing and problems. Maddie knew Katarina was a bit unhinged, but she didn't know that she was a nervous wreck that was blatantly off her rocker. She supposed that she couldn't blame her, if Maddie had killed as many people as Katarina had, she wouldn't be in a good place mentally either. Time to at least address what the crazy person was saying, she supposed.
"I doubt that those people that you killed were really "problems" that you solved." She shouted. "In fact, I'm willing to guess that most of the people you killed didn't even have any kills to their name, they aren't problems."
Then, Maddie had an idea. Abuse that paranoia that Kat was exhibiting. Maybe if she played up the crazy she could get Katarina to back off, or at the very least have some sort of sense to stay away. "Now, me? I have kills to my name, not a lot, but some. And you know what? I'm totally willing to kill again if you dare get on my bad side."
She gave a loud, half laugh, half chuckle, which slowly faded into an evil smirk; the whole time not moving her eyes from Katarina.
She thought that maybe she was going a bit overboard with her acting. Maybe the crazy from Katarina was contagious. Maybe she really was crazy and not just pretending.
"But, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders, at the very least. So I'll grant you this." She lowered her gun, no longer keeping it trained on Katarina, but she kept it ready at hand. "So, what "problem" do you want me to solve?" She shouted, while keeping the evil smirk on her face.
Inside, she was terrified of how this situation could go. But on the outside, she was more than ready to fight to make sure she kept on living.
Kat nervously shuffled in place, presumably to throw of Maddie's aim, as she babbled about believing and problems. Maddie knew Katarina was a bit unhinged, but she didn't know that she was a nervous wreck that was blatantly off her rocker. She supposed that she couldn't blame her, if Maddie had killed as many people as Katarina had, she wouldn't be in a good place mentally either. Time to at least address what the crazy person was saying, she supposed.
"I doubt that those people that you killed were really "problems" that you solved." She shouted. "In fact, I'm willing to guess that most of the people you killed didn't even have any kills to their name, they aren't problems."
Then, Maddie had an idea. Abuse that paranoia that Kat was exhibiting. Maybe if she played up the crazy she could get Katarina to back off, or at the very least have some sort of sense to stay away. "Now, me? I have kills to my name, not a lot, but some. And you know what? I'm totally willing to kill again if you dare get on my bad side."
She gave a loud, half laugh, half chuckle, which slowly faded into an evil smirk; the whole time not moving her eyes from Katarina.
She thought that maybe she was going a bit overboard with her acting. Maybe the crazy from Katarina was contagious. Maybe she really was crazy and not just pretending.
"But, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders, at the very least. So I'll grant you this." She lowered her gun, no longer keeping it trained on Katarina, but she kept it ready at hand. "So, what "problem" do you want me to solve?" She shouted, while keeping the evil smirk on her face.
Inside, she was terrified of how this situation could go. But on the outside, she was more than ready to fight to make sure she kept on living.
From the position he was in, it was difficult to hear everything the girls were saying. From their expressions, it seemed that the ladies were going through a rollercoaster of emotion.
Joey waited for Maddie's hand to flinch, and the distinctive sound of a gun to ring out once again, but it didn't come. In fact, Maddie lowered the gun and smiled at Katarina.
What the hell is going on...
Joey needed to get closer to hear everything clearly, but he didn't want to risk exposing himself. For the time being, he settled where he was and hoped that one of the girls would make a move quickly.
Joey waited for Maddie's hand to flinch, and the distinctive sound of a gun to ring out once again, but it didn't come. In fact, Maddie lowered the gun and smiled at Katarina.
What the hell is going on...
Joey needed to get closer to hear everything clearly, but he didn't want to risk exposing himself. For the time being, he settled where he was and hoped that one of the girls would make a move quickly.
Stuff. Things. Stuff and things.
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Rattlesnake
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She put the gun down. That was nice.
And, of course, the girl was crazy. Typical. But Katarina felt herself relax just a little. You knew where you stood with crazy people. They had that one line of thought that drove them mad and informed every decision they made, and if you could just stay abreast of that - be it as it may like riding an angry snake - you should be fine. It was the honest people you had to watch out for, because they would act completely irrationally if it fitted their perverted little worldview.
Katarina wanted to take a step forward, but she felt like a kid looking down from a diving board. But each step was really two, she couldn't help but think, and Maddie wanted a good reason to shoot. Was actively looking for one. And while, frankly, Katarina didn't think she really had the guts to do it at all, it didn't do to go around pushing buttons. If she was a gambling sort, she might want to see what exactly held it all up. There was just something about the way she framed it. How she had to remind Katarina that she was really worth it. Heck, maybe she was just reminding herself. Like the gun didn't say that for her already. She'd leveled it at Katarina's face, felt the weight of a human life rest on the twitch of her finger. If that wasn't enough, what was?
"You wanna go home, yeah?" Katarina started, grinding her toe in the dirt and sweeping a finger over her forehead. "Take a shower and a nap, eat a cheeseburger, find a guy or a cat and fall asleep curled up together. All that jazz. I know you do, 'cause you got two people out of the way already. And they just got one ticket, so I'm a problem for you, and you're a problem for me, and so is everyone else for everyone else. Your high horse left a while ago."
She recalled a bit by George Carlin. Something about meeting everyone so there would be no war. Line up, shake hands, try to remember at least one distinguishing feature. Then when Congress gets all antsy about some thing or other, you'll be saying, 'War? With the Venezuelans? I know those people!' And if that seemed stupid, it was, but then again did you ever look at the things they had to specifically outlaw?
"My biggest problem looks like a cowboy," she said. "But this is just a little favor. If you see him, or if it comes down to it and you've got one last choice to make it the end, just remember which of us didn't really want to shove you off. That good?"
She smiled and took one step forward.
And, of course, the girl was crazy. Typical. But Katarina felt herself relax just a little. You knew where you stood with crazy people. They had that one line of thought that drove them mad and informed every decision they made, and if you could just stay abreast of that - be it as it may like riding an angry snake - you should be fine. It was the honest people you had to watch out for, because they would act completely irrationally if it fitted their perverted little worldview.
Katarina wanted to take a step forward, but she felt like a kid looking down from a diving board. But each step was really two, she couldn't help but think, and Maddie wanted a good reason to shoot. Was actively looking for one. And while, frankly, Katarina didn't think she really had the guts to do it at all, it didn't do to go around pushing buttons. If she was a gambling sort, she might want to see what exactly held it all up. There was just something about the way she framed it. How she had to remind Katarina that she was really worth it. Heck, maybe she was just reminding herself. Like the gun didn't say that for her already. She'd leveled it at Katarina's face, felt the weight of a human life rest on the twitch of her finger. If that wasn't enough, what was?
"You wanna go home, yeah?" Katarina started, grinding her toe in the dirt and sweeping a finger over her forehead. "Take a shower and a nap, eat a cheeseburger, find a guy or a cat and fall asleep curled up together. All that jazz. I know you do, 'cause you got two people out of the way already. And they just got one ticket, so I'm a problem for you, and you're a problem for me, and so is everyone else for everyone else. Your high horse left a while ago."
She recalled a bit by George Carlin. Something about meeting everyone so there would be no war. Line up, shake hands, try to remember at least one distinguishing feature. Then when Congress gets all antsy about some thing or other, you'll be saying, 'War? With the Venezuelans? I know those people!' And if that seemed stupid, it was, but then again did you ever look at the things they had to specifically outlaw?
"My biggest problem looks like a cowboy," she said. "But this is just a little favor. If you see him, or if it comes down to it and you've got one last choice to make it the end, just remember which of us didn't really want to shove you off. That good?"
She smiled and took one step forward.
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VoltTurtle
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Maddie half raised her gun and nearly fired as Kat took another step forward.
But Kat only took one step, so she relaxed again. There was no point in making this situation escalate unless she had to.
"Funny you should say that. A cowboy has been causing me a lot of problems too."
She laughed a bit as she contemplated the second half of the statement that Kat made, partly due to her craziness act, partly because she considered the idea comical. If she had one last choice in the end, she certainly wouldn't choose to help someone like Katarina. Nor would she help Hansel. As far as she was concerned, both of them were just as bad, and neither of them deserved to leave.
She continued. "But... you act like I would actually help you, if it came down to it. I'm sorry, but I'm looking out for myself."
She contemplated. "And if I had no choice in the matter? I'd rather see you two fight it out."
She needed to reassure Katarina, keep her from losing her temper. "One thing I can say though, if I get the chance I can't say that I won't take care of that problem for you ahead of time. He's a problem for me too, after all."
She still wanted to get some sort of revenge on Hansel for what he's done to both her and others, but she couldn't find herself actually thinking through the act itself, killing is a difficult thing to do.
"Anyway, I'd suggest you just go ahead and leave me be... at least before I start getting trigger happy." She was getting worried that this standoff with Kat would persist and lead to violence. After all, all of the things she said were bold things to say to a known killer, and could easily bring Kat to violence. She didn't want to fight Kat, she doubted her chances, so she needed to give Kat some incentive to leave. But, Maddie was feeling bold since she had the edge, at least for the moment she was in control, and in this moment she needed to get Kat away from her.
And after all, didn't she need to take a few calculated risks in order to get out of this?
But Kat only took one step, so she relaxed again. There was no point in making this situation escalate unless she had to.
"Funny you should say that. A cowboy has been causing me a lot of problems too."
She laughed a bit as she contemplated the second half of the statement that Kat made, partly due to her craziness act, partly because she considered the idea comical. If she had one last choice in the end, she certainly wouldn't choose to help someone like Katarina. Nor would she help Hansel. As far as she was concerned, both of them were just as bad, and neither of them deserved to leave.
She continued. "But... you act like I would actually help you, if it came down to it. I'm sorry, but I'm looking out for myself."
She contemplated. "And if I had no choice in the matter? I'd rather see you two fight it out."
She needed to reassure Katarina, keep her from losing her temper. "One thing I can say though, if I get the chance I can't say that I won't take care of that problem for you ahead of time. He's a problem for me too, after all."
She still wanted to get some sort of revenge on Hansel for what he's done to both her and others, but she couldn't find herself actually thinking through the act itself, killing is a difficult thing to do.
"Anyway, I'd suggest you just go ahead and leave me be... at least before I start getting trigger happy." She was getting worried that this standoff with Kat would persist and lead to violence. After all, all of the things she said were bold things to say to a known killer, and could easily bring Kat to violence. She didn't want to fight Kat, she doubted her chances, so she needed to give Kat some incentive to leave. But, Maddie was feeling bold since she had the edge, at least for the moment she was in control, and in this moment she needed to get Kat away from her.
And after all, didn't she need to take a few calculated risks in order to get out of this?
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Rattlesnake
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And she put the gun back up.
Katarina froze mid-step, let her brow and her jaw twitch instead. She swallowed, and she was aware for the first time in a while of the way her collar rubbed against the dirt and the salt and the blood on her neck. The old familiar fire kindled within her, baking the inside of the vest like a crucible. Hot enough to melt through? She wondered, and braced against the bars of Maddie's cage that squeezed just as offensively tight.
It looked pretty stupid, she thought. So it probably only had one shot in it. And she knew - she'd researched, cited, thrown in all out on the floor of the senate to to illuminate the issue at hand - how it all worked. How people gravitated to the center of mass, or, more likely, missed entirely.
Maybe the emotional Katarina would have done it. The clinical, isolated one would have already run noiselessly away, of course. But now... she wasn't going to throw the dice. Not just yet. Not until it really, really mattered.
"Tell me if you change your mind," she said, turning it all over. Putting up a front she hoped would have the maximum effect. And that was enough. She didn't need to prove anything to anyone. Just so long as she didn't bend over in the lightest breeze.
She took a step back, and inclined her head, and then she added, "Don't find me, I'll find you."
She didn't take her eyes off Maddie until she was out of view.
((Katarina Konipaski continued in All at Once, the Consequences))
Katarina froze mid-step, let her brow and her jaw twitch instead. She swallowed, and she was aware for the first time in a while of the way her collar rubbed against the dirt and the salt and the blood on her neck. The old familiar fire kindled within her, baking the inside of the vest like a crucible. Hot enough to melt through? She wondered, and braced against the bars of Maddie's cage that squeezed just as offensively tight.
It looked pretty stupid, she thought. So it probably only had one shot in it. And she knew - she'd researched, cited, thrown in all out on the floor of the senate to to illuminate the issue at hand - how it all worked. How people gravitated to the center of mass, or, more likely, missed entirely.
Maybe the emotional Katarina would have done it. The clinical, isolated one would have already run noiselessly away, of course. But now... she wasn't going to throw the dice. Not just yet. Not until it really, really mattered.
"Tell me if you change your mind," she said, turning it all over. Putting up a front she hoped would have the maximum effect. And that was enough. She didn't need to prove anything to anyone. Just so long as she didn't bend over in the lightest breeze.
She took a step back, and inclined her head, and then she added, "Don't find me, I'll find you."
She didn't take her eyes off Maddie until she was out of view.
((Katarina Konipaski continued in All at Once, the Consequences))
Well that was anti-climatic.
Joey watched as Katarina backed away from Maddie and took off into the distance. This whole spying attempt by Joey had been a failure. He had no information from either of them other than that they both had better weapons than him. He'd barely heard a word of their convo, and on top of that, he didn't want to approach Maddie in case she was uneasy from her conversation with Katarina.
"You need to shape up pal." Joey muttered to himself as he slowly crept back to his bag, scooped it up and walked away.
((Joey continued elsewhere))
Joey watched as Katarina backed away from Maddie and took off into the distance. This whole spying attempt by Joey had been a failure. He had no information from either of them other than that they both had better weapons than him. He'd barely heard a word of their convo, and on top of that, he didn't want to approach Maddie in case she was uneasy from her conversation with Katarina.
"You need to shape up pal." Joey muttered to himself as he slowly crept back to his bag, scooped it up and walked away.
((Joey continued elsewhere))
Stuff. Things. Stuff and things.
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 801
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Maddie sighed a sigh of relief after Katarina was out of view.
She had not liked how Katarina had threatened to "find her" just before she turned around to leave.
She knew that she shouldn't worry about it; unless Katarina was somehow clairvoyant and could find her and kill her through omniscience, she doubted that Katarina would really be the one to end her life, even if she did die in the end. Even still, she couldn't help but feel threatened by someone who had so many kills under their belt.
She pushed the thoughts of dying out of her head. She needed to keep a positive outlook if she wanted to get out of this situation alive, and if push came to shove, and it likely would, she could always fight back and win against Katarina. At least, she hoped she could. In reality she doubted her ability to fight back against someone with superior killing experience and likely superior physical condition.
She stood up from the bench she was sitting down on. She needed to get out of this place. It was far too open for her to feel comfortable staying here for an extended period of time, she needed to be somewhere less exposed.
Regardless of wherever she went, she hoped that she didn't find someone she wouldn't otherwise want to find.
((Madeline Wilcox continued in There are some things a man just can't run away from.))
She had not liked how Katarina had threatened to "find her" just before she turned around to leave.
She knew that she shouldn't worry about it; unless Katarina was somehow clairvoyant and could find her and kill her through omniscience, she doubted that Katarina would really be the one to end her life, even if she did die in the end. Even still, she couldn't help but feel threatened by someone who had so many kills under their belt.
She pushed the thoughts of dying out of her head. She needed to keep a positive outlook if she wanted to get out of this situation alive, and if push came to shove, and it likely would, she could always fight back and win against Katarina. At least, she hoped she could. In reality she doubted her ability to fight back against someone with superior killing experience and likely superior physical condition.
She stood up from the bench she was sitting down on. She needed to get out of this place. It was far too open for her to feel comfortable staying here for an extended period of time, she needed to be somewhere less exposed.
Regardless of wherever she went, she hoped that she didn't find someone she wouldn't otherwise want to find.
((Madeline Wilcox continued in There are some things a man just can't run away from.))