Dangerous Burns

Open! (Day 2- Midday)

Once one emerges from the thickets of the lower wilderness, they will finally lay their eyes on the beach. The beach is formed from beautiful golden sands and still provides a scenic view to this day as waves delicately lap at the shore. At the top and center of the sand is a fenced off area made up of wooden decking and carpet that features elaborately carved wooden chairs that at one point in time sat proudly under umbrellas. Now, though, many of them have been knocked over by the winds of the island. The other noticeable feature of the beach is a large amount of washed-up shoes that have been brought in by the tide.
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ItzToxie
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Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:11 am

#16

Post by ItzToxie »

Emil listened to what Cecil had to say, taking every point into consideration. He listened to what he'd been through, and how he had seen his friend get shot by Gervais and disappeared. Emil realized that compared to Emmett and Cecil, he'd been lucky.

Really, really lucky.

Him nor Emmett could keep up with what they were doing if they wanted a chance to live, let alone if they wanted to help someone else. All they were doing right now is running to their deaths, or worse to someone else's. That couldn't happen.

It won't happen, not if Emil has anything to say or do about it. "Alright, yeah, the more the merrier. We'll stick with you."

And the voice of another classmate was heard. Emil waved to Erika as she came closer to their group. "Hey. We're still here. Still breathing." Erika mentioned Gervais, and what she said gave Emil some relief, one less issue to worry about. He noticed she was carrying a rifle. Could it have been Gervais'? Did she do it?

She must've, the way she was talking.

"Shit girl! How badly did you fuck him up?
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Primrosette
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Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
Location: In the Dark Abyss

#17

Post by Primrosette »

Well, no shit, Sherlock. Of fucking course, we have to be more wary of people out there. Okay, I need to chill the fuck out - Okay, adding Gervais to the list of shitheads to rear clear of. Fuck my life....

Before Emmett could even say anything to Cecil about what happened to him and his friend that got shot by that asshole Gervais; Emil decided that it was okay for Cecil to join them without any hesitation and Emmett couldn't help but frown a little at how eager Emil was about that. Emmett would have to deal with having someone else around and it would might a better chance of having safety in numbers. But for how long would they be safe together? That was the question that Emmett really wanted someone to answer for him.

"Well, shit. I guess... You're stuck with us now, Cecil." Emmett said with a slight, awkward smile and he was looking at Cecil with exhaustion present on his face. "I hope you can handle having us around for who knows how fucking long."

Emmett then noticed that Erika was approaching the three of them and he was wondering if this was going to be like some kind of reunion of the waterfall group. Minus Sapphire- No! Shut the fuck up, Emmett! You don't want to let out all of your shitty emotions out again. Not now, not now.... Ah, so Gervais was not a threat anymore. However, even if he was unarmed, he could still be a dangerous individual. Emmett was not going to take any chances if he ever had to run into that guy.

Emmett was staring at the rifle that Erika had on hand and he guessed Emil thought that she had been the one to take Gervais on. But that felt strangely unlikely to him and he was not going to ask her about Gervais or how he got fucked up or how she got that freaking rifle. No, he wanted to ask about him. Him who had been on his mind ever since the announcement.

"So Erika..." He paused for a few moments and then he let out a soft sigh, making himself seem more serious about what he was going to say. "....I want to know. How do you feel about Ty being a two-time murderer? I wouldn't know how the fuck I'm supposed to feel about that. But still...."
[+] V7
ImageG006 - Violet Quinn: "T-Thank you.... Ned...."
ImageB033 - Adonis Cohen: "Thank.... T-Thank you, E-Emmett..."
ImageB045 - Emmett Bunnell: "Just.... breathe, you idiot...."(Adopted to Toxie!)
ImageB054 - Drew Woods: "D-Declyn, I love you..."
ImageB051 - Jonathan Meyers: “...that’s louder than bombs and eternity…” (Adopted from Yugikun!)
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LeslieFranc
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#18

Post by LeslieFranc »

It was only a small relief, but Cecil’s heart might’ve pounded a little less and his breathing made easy a little more when Emil and Emmett agreed to letting him stick with them. Emil easily trusted and accepted him, which caused Cecil some newfound fondness and also concern. Emmett, on the other hand, seemed reluctant but acquiesced nonetheless, so Cecil supposed it all balanced out.

“Thank you,” he said with a strained smile but sincere tone. Both smile and voice was then laced with a tinge of wryness as he responded to Emmett’s comment of whether he can handle being around them for awhile. “I did share a room with you two.”

A part of him was hesitant, of course, with the ingrained lesson within him that drilled him to always be independent as well as his recent experience with sticking with someone he knew only for that someone to leave him confused and worried, but he only needed to be more cautious, right? Don’t hold others to the same expectations held on me. Don’t be the pathetic loser too caught up in feeling disappointed at someone. He just needed to do what he can in any situation thrown at him.

So of course, here came a new situation. Specifically, a new person.

Cecil’s smile dropped, his head whipping around in attention at the girl who walked up to them and his eyes immediately drawn to the rifle on her shoulder. Rather familiar rifle. Raising his knife felt like instinct when he saw it, but the girl didn’t point it at them, and from the looks of it, may even seem friendly, at least to Emmett and Emil. He still obviously tensed at her presence, but with the two boys acting amicably enough with her, he realized no cause for extreme alarm.

Turned out she had way more updated information than him.

The fact that the asshole Gervais no longer had a gun and was probably in bad shape filled him with satisfaction. The fact that said gun was in the hands of someone else, along with that, said someone also managed to do the very thing Cecil failed to do, filled him with frustration and jealousy.

He glanced at the rifle with some envy and longing.

He quickly returned his attention back to the people he was with, especially when he realized Emmett was asking the girl called Erika about how she was feeling about the two-time murderer Ty…rell Lahti, Cecil assumed.

So probably close with him, he figured. That was enough for him to decide that he wasn’t as curious about it as Emmett was.

His gaze went back to the gun again.

“How’d you get it from him?” he blurted out before he could stop himself.
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Shiola
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#19

Post by Shiola »

Smiling seemed like the appropriate reaction to Emil’s comment. She supposed Ty must not have been exaggerating when he described Gervais as kind of a garbage person. That, or Emil just liked the idea of Erika somehow beating up Gervais and taking his gun. Still, she found herself unable to really bring any levity to the situation.

Her half-smile quickly disappeared behind a rush of anxiety that prevented her from replying right away. Thankfully, Emmett was there with his own line of questioning.

That’s it? No “hi Erika, it’s good to see you’re still alive”? Fucking hell, Emmett.

Erika gripped the shell tightly, the brass acting as a poor substitute for a stress ball. Cecil didn’t allow much in the way of a reply either, inquiring about how she’d actually acquired the rifle in the first place. She sighed, and tried to offer a curt reply to Cecil first. It didn’t really come out the way she wanted though, her voice cracking.

“I didn’t. Gervais attacked Ty, and Ty won. Didn’t kill him but, uhh, didn’t help his chances.”

Composing herself wasn’t easy. Not with three sets of eyes on her.

If that’s what he thinks of Ty, imagine what they’ll all think of me.

She took a deep breath, and looked up from the ground back towards Emmett. The pain she was feeling must’ve been obvious.

“What do I think? Well, Ty told me everything. He was honest, didn't leave anything out. It didn’t make me feel any better. Chris was my friend, and the way she died-”

Choking up, Erika averted her eyes momentarily. It took some effort to force them back to earth and to the waiting glances of the others.

“It’s not what you think. He wasn’t playing into this, he just - people backed him into a corner, and he lashed out. All he wanted was to save me from this, somehow. I told him… I told him he had to leave me alone, because people wouldn’t understand. They’d shoot first and ask questions later, and I - I didn’t want to see him die. He didn’t want me to die for his mistakes either. I told him to just lay low. Make it right if he could. I don’t know, I don’t fucking know what I did. I...”

A sad chuckle escaped her lips.

I know exactly what I did. I hate it. I hate everything I have to be in this place.

She looked down at her open palm, down at the spent cartridge. Based on the point of aim, she must’ve hit Desiree in the head, or the neck. It would’ve been quick.

Or it wasn’t, and she choked to death on her own blood. Just like Chris.

After a moment she managed to find in herself, between rivers of self-hatred and a vile kind of pride, a sense of remarkable certainty. Eyes wide, she recalled events that didn’t happen as if she was still reliving them. The shame and confusion she still felt at having selfishly ended another human being’s life continued to instill a shaky timbre in her voice.

I proved I could do it. I forced myself into making the choice to survive. I can’t second-guess it now. I can’t.

“I fucked up. Not like half an hour later someone started shooting at me. Something small, high capacity. Pistol, I figured. It was far enough away they couldn't hit for shit, and I had the higher ground. I turned and fired back. I’m a good shot, must’ve hit them because I heard… screaming. A girl. It didn’t last. I didn't walk over to check who. So I sent him away..."

Because I didn't have it in me to kill him, myself.

Erika shook her head, briefly closing her eyes as if to shut the memory of the screams out.

"...for no fucking reason. Tomorrow they’ll announce my name and tell everyone I just gunned this girl down in cold blood. And I'll be walking around with a target painted on my back just like Ty. Even after everything he did I'd rather be with him than alone, out here. So there, there's your answer, Emmett."
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ItzToxie
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Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:11 am

#20

Post by ItzToxie »

Emil had met people who’d seen killers. He’d met victims before they became victims. He hadn’t met a killer yet. Now, he had met a killer, and it wasn’t what he expected.

Erika has just admitted to shooting someone. Emil’s smile disappeared and he froze up trying to reply. Erika shot someone. She killed someone. She didn’t talk like a killer. She talked like she was scared.

Emil brought his hand up to his chin, staring at Erika as she spoke. Right now she was his only focus. Emil tried to formulate a reply as much as he tried to put all this information together.

...” Shieeeit.” He trailed off. He turned around and put his hands over his face. He had to be careful of what he said next. He had to be careful of what he did yet.

Erika was shot at. She shot back. She hit. Emil could understand that but... She was with Ty, who’d killed a bit more. Was it her or Ty who got shot at? Did it actually matter? It was self defense.

Unless she was lying but... he wasn’t there. He didn’t know what happened. She told them she might’ve killed someone and she’s scared.

It started to rain, as if on some sort of cue. Had to make a decision, nobody wanted to stand out in the rain.

“Alright.”

Emil turned around to look at Emmett and Cecil before his eyes set on Erika. “We better find shelter soon I guess. Erika, you can come with us if you want.” Emil made the decision a lot faster than he thought he would.

He liked to think he was doing it for a good reason. Emil thought he did it to refugee someone who’d get called out for a crime they didn’t intend to do. He figured that’s what the others thought of his actions. He tried to tell himself that was the reason too.

It really wasn’t though. He’d never be honest with himself about it, but the real reason was this.

Erika shot and killed someone. She had a gun. She could do the same to him, or Cecil, or Emmett. Emil didn’t want to see that happen, and the truth was he really didn’t trust Erika as much as he wanted to.

He didn’t trust her enough to not shoot them in back if he said no. She might’ve freaked out and thought that they’d throw her under the bus.

She still might. But there’d be less of a chance for her to do that if she felt safer with them. It felt like the better option.

“Come on guys, let’s go.”

(( Emil Van Zandt lll continued elsewhere.))
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Primrosette
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Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
Location: In the Dark Abyss

#21

Post by Primrosette »

Emmett listened carefully to everything that Erika was saying and the more he listened, the more he had a sinking gut feeling. He thought that it was good that Ty had stopped Gervais, but he didn't understand why Ty hadn't finished the job. Emmett was not happy about people being killed; but they did not have a choice here if they wanted to survive through this and he knew that he also had to get his one kill too. …He didn't know if he could stomach killing someone else. Even if he hated Lorenzo's guts, he had just wanted to beat the shit out of the guy and things did not go the way he had wanted. He didn't want to remember, he didn't want to fucking remember anything about it.

Emmett found himself thinking about why Ty was doing this and the fact that he was doing it all for Erika's sake. He wondered how long that was going to last; he wondered how long Ty was going to believe that bullshit of doing it all for Erika and he wondered what Ty would do if there was a possibility of Erika dying before he did. All of these deaths for nothing. Emmett wondered what he would do if he met Ty on the island at some point.... He didn't know where he was going himself anymore, but he wanted to stay with Emil for as long as he could.

Emmett felt himself stiffen up a little when Erika told them that she had killed someone and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about it. Taking on stuff about Ty and hearing that Erika did the unthinkable was a bit too much for his brain to wrap around. Losing a friend and knowing that one person that he was now standing before was now a murderer. He wasn't sure that he could trust Erika for too long, but he didn't want to turn her away just like that. That would be kinda fucked-up to make her go off on her own. Okay, she did have a gun, but he wasn't in the mood to cause a conflict with Erika. Conflicts ended up getting the people that he cared about hurt. He wasn't going to fuck that shit up again.

Now Emil was talking about shelter and he was inviting Erika to join them. Emmett really wanted to talk to Emil about making decisions without anyone else's input and he wanted to make sure that Emil wouldn't open the door for a crazy person who shanked someone about 36 times. He wished that he could add his own opinion about not trusting people so easily. But would Emil believe him...? Emmett hoped that he wasn't going to regret anything as he just wanted to make sure that Emil would stay happy for as long as he would and Emmett just didn't want to let the other boy down.

"Right.... Shit, I need some time to think over everything that you said, Erika. But...." Emmett said simply, his grip on the spear felt like it tightened for a second and he then just nodded towards her with a neutral expression present on his sullen face. "But Emil's right. We should find some shelter soon and well.... it's really up to you if you want to join us or not, Erika. Come on, Cecil. Let's get the fuck out of here."

He hoped that everything was not going to go to shit for them.

((Emmett Bunnell continued in Heeling of The USS Dekcuc))
[+] V7
ImageG006 - Violet Quinn: "T-Thank you.... Ned...."
ImageB033 - Adonis Cohen: "Thank.... T-Thank you, E-Emmett..."
ImageB045 - Emmett Bunnell: "Just.... breathe, you idiot...."(Adopted to Toxie!)
ImageB054 - Drew Woods: "D-Declyn, I love you..."
ImageB051 - Jonathan Meyers: “...that’s louder than bombs and eternity…” (Adopted from Yugikun!)
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LeslieFranc
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#22

Post by LeslieFranc »

Some things weren’t making sense about the stuff Erika was spouting, and Cecil tried untangling them on his own as the girl continued seemingly baring her soul out to them.

Why would someone just leave Gervais alive? was his first thought. From his own experience with him, Gervais was an unrepentant asshole who will purposely kill. Cecil had already figured out that if you don’t kill him first, he’ll kill you. He ended up with someone who already killed twice, and yet he continued to survive. Was it really just mercy? He didn’t get it. Didn’t understand Tyrell Lahti’s decision. Of course, he didn’t really know how everything went, did he?

Erika did, and from the way she was talking about Tyrell, she must’ve understood something about it, if she can continue defending him. Cecil could understand love, at least.

It all went out the window when Erika confessed to already killing someone. And just like that, Cecil gripped his knife tighter, remembering Drew’s arm and how bad it looked when the same gun Erika had shot him. He took a step back away from her. Fuck fuck fuck fuck—

They were shooting her, so she shot back—

And she could shoot us right now.

She hadn’t pointed the gun at us.

She might later then. Might be lying now.

Might still be telling the truth. She looks…scared.


It suddenly rained.

It didn’t really wash away the tension, but it gave them something to do other than immediately decide what they should do about Erika. Cecil didn’t like it, but they need to get out of the rain.

He sharply looked at Emil when he pretty much invited Erika to go with them, and for a moment he wondered if he was with another idiot trying to make friends with a willing killer with the same exact fucking gun as earlier.

Emmett called his name, and Cecil immediately followed them, but not without keeping a wary eye on Erika.

((Cecil Salazar-Loveless continued in lethobenthos))
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Shiola
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Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:29 pm

#23

Post by Shiola »

Erika watched intently as the others reacted to what she told them.

Rain once again began to fall on the island, and from the look of things it probably wasn’t going to let up anytime soon. As the cold drops fell onto her shoulders, Emil seemed to step up and make the call to move to shelter. She breathed a sigh of relief and nodded as he offered for her to come with.

Even if I could never stand your videos, I’d still say you’re too good for this place.

It was hard to tell if Emmett was really looking at her with suspicion, or if she was just imagining it. If she had to guess, he didn’t even seem to know what it was he thought. That was better than nothing, she supposed. Better than how Cecil seemed to be reacting. The way he gripped the knife said enough about how he felt. Given the situation, she couldn’t at all blame him for it.

I wish I could tell you all the truth.

She had no intention of hurting any of them, not unless they came after her. The benefit of the doubt that they gave her was enough to keep her safe for an evening. Either way, none of them were especially threatening to her long term survival at this point.

At this point.

She knew she’d have to depart the next morning, before the announcements came. There was no telling how Danya might describe her actions, and it was entirely possible it wouldn’t line up with what she’d told them.

“Alright. Thanks… thanks for not telling me to leave. I’ll stick with you guys for a bit, if that’s okay. I don’t wanna be alone right now.”

Dropping the empty brass case into the wet sand, she followed the unlikely trio into the wilderness.

((Erika Stieglitz continued in Malice Aforethought))
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