"I was there."
Keeping Zach's advice in mind, Catherine stayed a little bit too faraway from him. Just enough to be comforted that if he came after her, he would have to strain his muscles to reach her.
"I mean, I didn't see it happen," she said before Zachary could reply. "Yesterday, we, uh, me, Katrina, Willow and Sierra were there."
It sounded strange. As if they had planned it like a girls' night out but more chaotic and brutal than they had expected. Pineapple Express but with teenagers and a complete lack of self-awareness. When she closed her eyes, she could see the bodies again. Piled up like they were pigs that were forgotten in a butcher's shop somewhere.
So, she didn't close her eyes.
"Willow and Sierra," she sniffed, "don't trust them. They fucked up Marco."
That was about it. There was also someone else she had to talk about simply to be exhaustive. As she wrapped her bandage around her hand, she tried to remember what they looked like. She couldn't really give him a description.
"I'm not sure about Karina, uh, Katrina. She looked fine but she also killed Yuko so."
Fine. That's the only thing she could use to describe Katrina. Perhaps the word sane was the better term to discuss of the situation, but in this moment, right next to a body, nothing and no-one could be described as sane. So, Catherine didn't use it. Fine was the only word she could use. It was also arbitrary. Katrina was fine but Willow and Sierra were not. Why? Catherine couldn't place her finger on it. Her biological imperative to fear people jumped over Katrina for some reason.
"But yeah, Marco's face is messed up. Like, really messed up. His eye was just gone. It looked like... gelatin left out in the sun?"
Catherine winced as she finished that statement. As she closed her eyes, she saw Marco's face again. This sucked. Everything and anything was now a scar in Catherine's mind. She wouldn't get out of this alive.
"They mutilated him and now he's killing people. This is fucking insane."
This entire area is quite dank.
Open, Day 4, just after the announcements.
“Fuck,” Zach sighed.
Taking in what the girl said, he pictured just how screwed up Marco must be. His face must be totally mutilated, scratched up, with that damaged eye. Now he’s off becoming one of this game’s contenders. And the ones who messed him up to begin with, Willow and Sierra, he’d better watch out for.
So, he made a mental list of people to stay away from. Marco, Sierra, Willow. Better add the Carter brothers to that list. Also Quinn Albert, who seems to be racking up a personal body count. If Zach ever encountered any of these people, there could be trouble. Zach had enough blood on his hands and he didn’t want to gamble with his life with any of these psychos.
“Yeah, it is fucking insane,” Zach concurred, “That’s the whole point I’m sure.”
Taking in what the girl said, he pictured just how screwed up Marco must be. His face must be totally mutilated, scratched up, with that damaged eye. Now he’s off becoming one of this game’s contenders. And the ones who messed him up to begin with, Willow and Sierra, he’d better watch out for.
So, he made a mental list of people to stay away from. Marco, Sierra, Willow. Better add the Carter brothers to that list. Also Quinn Albert, who seems to be racking up a personal body count. If Zach ever encountered any of these people, there could be trouble. Zach had enough blood on his hands and he didn’t want to gamble with his life with any of these psychos.
“Yeah, it is fucking insane,” Zach concurred, “That’s the whole point I’m sure.”
B018: Ned Jackson- 
G039: Yuki Hayashibara- 
B034: Zachary Beck- "Yeah," she echoed, "yeah."
Catherine flinched as she poured some disinfected that smelled like a forgotten hospital. She didn't know if the antiseptic was working, but she knew it was burning. Catherine closed her eyes hard, holding back tears. She pried an eye opened to take a look at the crimson smile on her palm.
Was it supposed to hurt that badly? The bandage pulled tightly on her skin. If she had any first aid knowledge, she would probably suture herself up, but she decided it would be better to avoid hurting herself more. Worse case scenario: there was something stuck inside of the wound and it would get infected. Catherine decided it was a risk worth taking simply because she knew she wouldn't live long enough to see it grow into gangrene.
She looked up, back to Zachary. He didn't kill her when he had the opportunity. Would Catherine give him another one? To test him? To see how far she can push?
"Would you," she stiffled a sharp breath out of her teeth, "are you going to spend the night here?"
Catherine flinched as she poured some disinfected that smelled like a forgotten hospital. She didn't know if the antiseptic was working, but she knew it was burning. Catherine closed her eyes hard, holding back tears. She pried an eye opened to take a look at the crimson smile on her palm.
Was it supposed to hurt that badly? The bandage pulled tightly on her skin. If she had any first aid knowledge, she would probably suture herself up, but she decided it would be better to avoid hurting herself more. Worse case scenario: there was something stuck inside of the wound and it would get infected. Catherine decided it was a risk worth taking simply because she knew she wouldn't live long enough to see it grow into gangrene.
She looked up, back to Zachary. He didn't kill her when he had the opportunity. Would Catherine give him another one? To test him? To see how far she can push?
"Would you," she stiffled a sharp breath out of her teeth, "are you going to spend the night here?"
“I wasn’t planning on it,” Zach said, “I mean, isn’t it best to keep moving in times like this?”
Zach still wanted to find somewhere to hide, where most people wouldn’t think to travel. The village seemed like the type of place others would pass through, or use as temporary lodging. Zach needed to keep a low enough profile until he reached the end. At that point, he’d be more serious about taking out the remaining competition.
“I’ll probably leave when the rain stops,” he continued.
He looked outside the door. Brandon’s corpse was face down in the rain. There was no reason to stay near his handiwork. He had two victims to his name. How would his parents feel about this? His followers and subscribers? He probably wouldn’t be able to salvage his reputation on the net once word got out. He’d probably be the next Logan Paul when that happened. The survivors of previous SOTFs were kinda celebrities, weren’t they? Not exactly the ideal way to reach celebrity status.
“You’re not one of those guys who thinks we can be rescued, are you?,” Zach asked the girl.
Zach still wanted to find somewhere to hide, where most people wouldn’t think to travel. The village seemed like the type of place others would pass through, or use as temporary lodging. Zach needed to keep a low enough profile until he reached the end. At that point, he’d be more serious about taking out the remaining competition.
“I’ll probably leave when the rain stops,” he continued.
He looked outside the door. Brandon’s corpse was face down in the rain. There was no reason to stay near his handiwork. He had two victims to his name. How would his parents feel about this? His followers and subscribers? He probably wouldn’t be able to salvage his reputation on the net once word got out. He’d probably be the next Logan Paul when that happened. The survivors of previous SOTFs were kinda celebrities, weren’t they? Not exactly the ideal way to reach celebrity status.
“You’re not one of those guys who thinks we can be rescued, are you?,” Zach asked the girl.
"I shouldn't?"
It came out harsher than she had expected. Catherine winced as she zipped up her back. It was just an estimation, but Catherine and Zachary were on the end of two spectrum. Catherine didn't know which spectrum, whether it was the one of a victim's or of passivity, bu they were opposite.
Catherine shook her head, sighing. If anything, holding out for an escape gave her the hope she needed to continue even if she wasn't sure what she was doing.
Maybe she was doing thing for karma, maybe for salvation, maybe for whatever thing came after life. Even if there was nothing, even if after death it was simply darkness, it didn't mean that she had to throw everything away. It was meaningless, but at the same time, nothing had never been this important. It was a convoluted, paradoxical mess.
"You don't, I suppose?" She shook her head again. "I don't blame you, it's just..." Catherine waved her good hand around like a politician doing a speech.
"...I don't know where I'm going with this."
It came out harsher than she had expected. Catherine winced as she zipped up her back. It was just an estimation, but Catherine and Zachary were on the end of two spectrum. Catherine didn't know which spectrum, whether it was the one of a victim's or of passivity, bu they were opposite.
Catherine shook her head, sighing. If anything, holding out for an escape gave her the hope she needed to continue even if she wasn't sure what she was doing.
Maybe she was doing thing for karma, maybe for salvation, maybe for whatever thing came after life. Even if there was nothing, even if after death it was simply darkness, it didn't mean that she had to throw everything away. It was meaningless, but at the same time, nothing had never been this important. It was a convoluted, paradoxical mess.
"You don't, I suppose?" She shook her head again. "I don't blame you, it's just..." Catherine waved her good hand around like a politician doing a speech.
"...I don't know where I'm going with this."
“I mean...,” Zach paused a bit before speaking again, “Help would have arrived by now if someone knew we were here, right? Help didn’t come the last time this shit happened.”
Zach wasn’t gonna lie to himself. The thought of rescue was nice. However, any chance of it was subdued by doubt. Didn’t the government have some kind of protocol for the kidnappings? If they did, then Zach and his classmates wouldn’t be stuck on an island. Besides, even if rescue came, did they really want to bring back someone, or some people, who have committed murder? Zach had only killed two people total, but still.
“No, I don’t,” Zach said to the girl.
She looked as if she was about to say something, but lost her train of thought. Zach rolled his eyes.
“If you wanna wait for rescue, that’s your deal, whatever keeps ya going,” Zach shrugged, “But I’m not holding my breath. If it turns out there will be rescue, I’ll put my money where my mouth is.”
Zach wasn’t gonna lie to himself. The thought of rescue was nice. However, any chance of it was subdued by doubt. Didn’t the government have some kind of protocol for the kidnappings? If they did, then Zach and his classmates wouldn’t be stuck on an island. Besides, even if rescue came, did they really want to bring back someone, or some people, who have committed murder? Zach had only killed two people total, but still.
“No, I don’t,” Zach said to the girl.
She looked as if she was about to say something, but lost her train of thought. Zach rolled his eyes.
“If you wanna wait for rescue, that’s your deal, whatever keeps ya going,” Zach shrugged, “But I’m not holding my breath. If it turns out there will be rescue, I’ll put my money where my mouth is.”
"I'm just saying that-"
There was a dead body laying just outside of her field of vision. Someone who used to be very alive and very human, and it was suddenly turned into a corpse by the boy that was right in front of her. There was literal blood on his hand and it felt normal. Discussing this as if this was a class assignment that people just hated wasn't making any of this better.
What did you think, Catherine? That people would bent and pry like rusted nails to your words? Catherine wasn't Moses. She rubbed her forehead as if it did anything to make the headache go away.
"Whatever."
She backed away. She had changed her mind. There was no point of staying here. Apathy struck her harder than herself. She sighed. There was nothing she could do that would fix her immediate problems.
"I guess I'm leaving too."
There was a dead body laying just outside of her field of vision. Someone who used to be very alive and very human, and it was suddenly turned into a corpse by the boy that was right in front of her. There was literal blood on his hand and it felt normal. Discussing this as if this was a class assignment that people just hated wasn't making any of this better.
What did you think, Catherine? That people would bent and pry like rusted nails to your words? Catherine wasn't Moses. She rubbed her forehead as if it did anything to make the headache go away.
"Whatever."
She backed away. She had changed her mind. There was no point of staying here. Apathy struck her harder than herself. She sighed. There was nothing she could do that would fix her immediate problems.
"I guess I'm leaving too."
There wasn’t much Zach had left to say to this girl. Zach stretched, loosening his back and shoulders. He rested his head in his hands, slouching forward in a thinking position. Where could he go next? Somewhere where no one will think to look for him, hopefully. He needed to look at his map again for some ideas.
With the girl about to head out, Zach raised head.
“Good luck out there,” he said, “And, er, watch your step.” He gestured his hand to Brandon’s corpse.
With the girl about to head out, Zach raised head.
“Good luck out there,” he said, “And, er, watch your step.” He gestured his hand to Brandon’s corpse.
"Thanks."
There was no use to discussing things with terrorists.
((Catherine exited the house.))
There was no use to discussing things with terrorists.
((Catherine exited the house.))
With her gone, Zach was left alone with his thoughts. He closed the door behind to the cabin, shutting the sight of Brandon’s body out. He brought out the island map and scanned over it. There were a lot of choices over what part of the island Zach could travel towards. As he sat there, mulling over the possibilities, time began to pass by.
One hour.
Maybe the lookout could serve as a good vantage point.
Two hours.
The manor and leadership houses could be more comfortable than the cabins here in the village.
Three hours.
The temple could serve as an unsuspected hiding spot.
Four hours.
Zach nibbled on some bread. His makeshift dinner was a couple of protein bars, crackers, bread, and water. Without realizing it, he had wasted the whole day in the village, instead of getting away from it as he intended.
“Fuck,” he groaned disappointedly.
Zach made his way to the bedroom, his bag and weapons at the foot of it. He laid on his side, lamenting his indecisiveness. He at least could appreciate that no one had found him so far. With that somewhat comforting thought, he drifted to sleep.
(Zachary Beck, continued into Day 5...)
One hour.
Maybe the lookout could serve as a good vantage point.
Two hours.
The manor and leadership houses could be more comfortable than the cabins here in the village.
Three hours.
The temple could serve as an unsuspected hiding spot.
Four hours.
Zach nibbled on some bread. His makeshift dinner was a couple of protein bars, crackers, bread, and water. Without realizing it, he had wasted the whole day in the village, instead of getting away from it as he intended.
“Fuck,” he groaned disappointedly.
Zach made his way to the bedroom, his bag and weapons at the foot of it. He laid on his side, lamenting his indecisiveness. He at least could appreciate that no one had found him so far. With that somewhat comforting thought, he drifted to sleep.
(Zachary Beck, continued into Day 5...)