SOTF Archive/SOTF Classic

Sapphire gave a swallow at this. "Well, the first thing to go is the collars. If we get them off, we can walk through dangerzones and outside of the island radio thing." Adjusting her bracelets, she frowned. They didn't want to play around with their own collars. And definatly not others. She did have her jewellery case, so she was reasonably confident that if all else failed, she could probably prise it open with her still hands... But the question was who to operate it on.

"We need to find dead... Oh, this is going to sound stupid." Giving a nervous chuckle, she looked at Saul, trying to think how to word it. "We need to find bodies that still have the collar on. I've got my jewellery kit, so I reckon we can prise them open. The trick is to work out what sets off what through trial and error."

Stretching, she gave a hollow grin. "Maybe those peoples lives won't be given in vain after all."

Saul blinked. Prying off dead people's collars? Sounded rash and stupid. Not to mention depraved. He didn't know if he would be very comfortable with messing around with dead bodies. Especially if he knew them.

"If we try it through trial and error, won't we just end up fingerless unless we got really lucky?"

Saul was beginning to have doubts about this girl. Was she insane? She may end up getting him killed. Still, he thought, at least she's not trying to murder me right now. That's a plus, right?

His silent inquiry remained unanswered as he looked at her, awaiting her response.

Sapphire sighed and ran her fingers through her twisted hair, her bracelets clinking. Maybe it was insane, and would get them killed, or loose a finger. Closing her eyes and gripping onto her necklace tight, she thought deep, wondering why she could say such things, ask so much.

"We have to try."

Exhaling, she nodded. Try to escape, or die. "Saul, we have a week to live. Like it or not. I don't want to die wondering if I could have done it. I want to die knowing that I tried my hardest." Looking up with wet eyes, she gave out a pleading look.

"Don't you understand? We can pretend that someone is going to magically take us out of here, but it won't happen. We have to do it ourselves."

Saul gave a frown. She was right. This has happened before. Nobody came to rescue the students before, so who would come save them now? He shut his eyelids, pinching the bridge of his nose.

We try it, and probably get killed, or we don't try, and we definitely get killed. There's no way out unless we make a way out. No way off this island unless we do it ourselves. There's people waiting for us back home. I can't stay on this island. We need to try.

"Okay, Sapphire. I'm with you. We'll get these collars off."

Just saying those words gave Saul a rush of confidence. Genuine confidence that he hadn't felt since his first day on the island. Confidence he lost, seeing his friends' backs, walking away from him, destroyed by that girl's name on the announcement.

Saul believed they could do it.

Slowly, Sapphire smiled.

"T-thankyou... for trusting me..."

Giggling, she gave a wide grin. Yes. They could do it. All they needed to do was try. Besides, she wasn't going to give up that easily. It would take more than being marooned on an island to beat this girl. Stretching out, she grinned and punched the air in joy.

"Well, why don't we rest up a bit longer here, then go walking. I need a bit more chocolate, and I think we're going to need a bigger plan than this first off."

Sitting down and getting out the last block of chocolate and her map from her bag, she sat down and started to think...

[[Sapphire McLeod continued in "Can You Hear Me Now?"]]

Saul smiled back, glad he could have made her even a little happy.

He really felt like nothing could go bad. With this girl, they would discover the secret of the collars. The really could get off this island, and expose Danya for the sick, twisted bastard that he was. Saul could feel the streets of St. Paul calling him back.

Besides, he still hasn't asked the girl behind the pro shop's counter to dinner.

He sat with Sapphire, ready to go right away, but accepted the fact that she'd need a few minutes. He smiled and waited for her to finish her chocolate.

((Saul Fetteralf continued in "Can You Hear Me Now?"))