This was supposed to be a dream.
No, not a dream.
It should’ve been a fucking nightmare.
{CK09: Ra Jin “RJ” Blackburn — START]
Every moment of his life was supposed to lead up to this? Everything he wrote, every interaction RJ had had with anyone, and was all just supposed be-what, the backstory leading up to what was likely to be his death?!
...oh god, he was probably going to die here. Yeah, there was a chance he’d survive, but how many kids like him really got off of this show alive? Out of-66 seasons was it? How many out of shape kids won this thing? Two? Maybe three? Did he have any hope of surviving like them? Or is he doomed from the start?
RJ only realized how far he dug his nails into one of his palms when something started dripping from his left hand.
He was spiraling. If he kept this up, he was as good as dead. If he learned only one thing from slasher movies, other than to stay a virgin, it was that people who were distracted were easy kills.
And he wasn’t ready to die. Not here, not like this.
The lifeboat he was in wasn’t exactly a great hiding spot, but he didn’t have time to think about that. He was injured, and even if it was minor, not treating it would be a dumb move. With this place being as shabby as it was, he wasn’t risking any injury go untreated.
He was not about to be the guy who died of an infection on live TV.
He grabbed the backpack beside him and zipped it open with the right hand as he flattened the fingers on his left to staunch the bleeding. He didn’t even bother trying see the weapon-for all he knew it could’ve been useless, and he was not ready to deal with disappointment at the moment. He just wanted that first aid kit, and he wanted it now.
Flesh came into contact with cold plastic and RJ tugged with enough force to bring out both the kit and two other things. A black t-shirt and a pair of...glasses? With no actual glass in them?
He really hoped this thing didn’t matter in the long run. He a pair of glasses might look good on him, but like Hell was he risking his vision or someone not recognizing him for them.
Throwing them in the water was tempting, but the ocean had enough garbage in it. He didn’t need to add to it. Better to just leave it in the lifeboat. Let someone else take them, if they were ever found again.
Stuffing the shirt back in the bag, he finally opened up his first aid kit, internally thanking his mother for every lesson she taught him. There was more than enough to treat his hand.
His expression had shifted many times while on the lifeboat. Panic to general fear to anxiousness. It shifted again as he set himself to work. This time, though, it was a relatively positive one.
Determination.
The others are what got people in movies killed, after all, and he wasn’t about to follow in their footsteps.
He kept looking around every few seconds, checking to see if anyone was heading his way or looking his direction. It slowed him down, but he didn’t care.
Better slowing down treatment than getting a bullet while giving it.
Bloody Palms
Open!
In through the nose, down to fill out the lungs, then out through the mouth. Visualise the flow of air.
((JL08: AMY BARROWS-SHAW: START))
She walked across the jetty, stopping every few seconds to practice that advice and retain her focus. Sweat ran down all over her body, down her forehead, down her armpits, everywhere. Deep breathing was not prepared for the terror of imminent death, but she had to stay calm. She had to try to keep her head on straight.
This was the world they lived in. It was stupid to think it could have never happened to her. She hadn’t worried about it before now, the odds seemed so small, but now she was neck deep in SOTF-TV. That media sensation that always seemed tacky to you somehow seemed less tacky when it was pointing a gun at your head.
Slung under her arm was Roberto, the mannequin. He was dressed in the pink bikini bottom from her daypack, because she kept grazing his plastic junk and it made her feel ridiculous. She was very tempted to just leave it behind, because it was cumbersome to carry, but it was the only thing she had. At least it wasn’t heavy.
She’d searched through the rest of her daypack already, but the contents were mostly untouched. She would swap into the clothes they’d given her that she recognised immediately as Melina Havelock’s from For Your Eyes Only (played by Carole Bouquet), once she found a private location. It was a rather obscure reference, she thought, but the outfit was a lot more practical than what she was wearing. There was also a lot of ocean scenes in that movie, so it suited at least, she thought. Now if she could just find a crossbow, she’d be set. Better yet, if Roger Moore could appear and save her, that would be even better. Too bad he was dead.
The only other thing she’d removed was the black bandanna, wrapped visibly around her arm. It didn’t suit the rest of her outfit, but there were higher priorities right now than fashion. The collar draped around her neck already ruined any chance of looking good on a runway for the forseeable future, anyway.
She wasn’t sure how to feel about having a team.
She had wished on some level that she’d drawn the Loner card, but she didn’t know if that was practical. She was bad enough around her own peers, but she had a mentor. She had been strangely attracted to Jewel’s demeanour: she marched to the beat of her own drum, Amy could tell, but she was so calm. Probably because her life wasn’t on the line, but Amy couldn’t help but feel some kind of draw to her. Was this what they called Stockholm Syndrome?
She had decided not to try speaking to her yet though. She could only do it once a day, if she remembered right. She had to save it for something special.
Like trying to figure out what she was going to do.
Amy kept lugging Roberto onwards, so wrapped up in her head and trying to plan things out that she was oblivious to the presence of another in her vicinity.
((JL08: AMY BARROWS-SHAW: START))
She walked across the jetty, stopping every few seconds to practice that advice and retain her focus. Sweat ran down all over her body, down her forehead, down her armpits, everywhere. Deep breathing was not prepared for the terror of imminent death, but she had to stay calm. She had to try to keep her head on straight.
This was the world they lived in. It was stupid to think it could have never happened to her. She hadn’t worried about it before now, the odds seemed so small, but now she was neck deep in SOTF-TV. That media sensation that always seemed tacky to you somehow seemed less tacky when it was pointing a gun at your head.
Slung under her arm was Roberto, the mannequin. He was dressed in the pink bikini bottom from her daypack, because she kept grazing his plastic junk and it made her feel ridiculous. She was very tempted to just leave it behind, because it was cumbersome to carry, but it was the only thing she had. At least it wasn’t heavy.
She’d searched through the rest of her daypack already, but the contents were mostly untouched. She would swap into the clothes they’d given her that she recognised immediately as Melina Havelock’s from For Your Eyes Only (played by Carole Bouquet), once she found a private location. It was a rather obscure reference, she thought, but the outfit was a lot more practical than what she was wearing. There was also a lot of ocean scenes in that movie, so it suited at least, she thought. Now if she could just find a crossbow, she’d be set. Better yet, if Roger Moore could appear and save her, that would be even better. Too bad he was dead.
The only other thing she’d removed was the black bandanna, wrapped visibly around her arm. It didn’t suit the rest of her outfit, but there were higher priorities right now than fashion. The collar draped around her neck already ruined any chance of looking good on a runway for the forseeable future, anyway.
She wasn’t sure how to feel about having a team.
She had wished on some level that she’d drawn the Loner card, but she didn’t know if that was practical. She was bad enough around her own peers, but she had a mentor. She had been strangely attracted to Jewel’s demeanour: she marched to the beat of her own drum, Amy could tell, but she was so calm. Probably because her life wasn’t on the line, but Amy couldn’t help but feel some kind of draw to her. Was this what they called Stockholm Syndrome?
She had decided not to try speaking to her yet though. She could only do it once a day, if she remembered right. She had to save it for something special.
Like trying to figure out what she was going to do.
Amy kept lugging Roberto onwards, so wrapped up in her head and trying to plan things out that she was oblivious to the presence of another in her vicinity.
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AnimeNerd
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Bandage, look around, get back to work. Bandage, look around, get back to work. Bandage, look around, get ba-
Was that a mannequin wearing a pair of pink briefs?
RJ wasn’t sure if he should feel bad for the girl, worry about her sanity, or just burst out laughing from the absurdity of it all. Here they were on a murder show and the only thing she had to defend herself was an underwear modeling mannequin.
Once he thought he recognized her, he chose Option A as he stage whispered in her direction.
“Amy? Amy, is that you?”
He wasn’t exactly close to the girl-Hell, was he close with anyone here? But they were on good terms, right? She wouldn’t attack on sight, right?
...right?
Was that a mannequin wearing a pair of pink briefs?
RJ wasn’t sure if he should feel bad for the girl, worry about her sanity, or just burst out laughing from the absurdity of it all. Here they were on a murder show and the only thing she had to defend herself was an underwear modeling mannequin.
Once he thought he recognized her, he chose Option A as he stage whispered in her direction.
“Amy? Amy, is that you?”
He wasn’t exactly close to the girl-Hell, was he close with anyone here? But they were on good terms, right? She wouldn’t attack on sight, right?
...right?
Amy turned to look at the voice calling out to her, not yet traumatised enough to jump in a panic. It took her a moment to pick out RJ’s head from among the boats. Unfortunately, she did not really know anything about him. Probably one of the guys who tried to make small talk with her, whether or not they were trying to hit on her, only for her to nervously but coldly brush him off. It was not helpful, given the circumstances.
“H-h-hello…” she muttered back, not bothering with a stage whisper. She gripped Roberto tighter, as if he’d defend her while she tried to figure out how to react next.
Are you going to shoot me? was the question running through her head, and she had trouble deviating from it. It seemed like a weird strategy with only a moment’s consideration, to call her name out before he tried to shoot her, but the situation made it impossible to ignore that possibility.
She didn’t ask it though, instead opting to remain silent. If he did have a gun, maybe he hadn’t thought about trying to shoot her. She didn’t want to put the idea in his head. More importantly, she would look pretty stupid if he wasn’t going to do that, and she didn’t want to look stupid on live TV either.
She continued staring blankly at him, words of imminent danger frozen in her brain. She knew she had to say something, not just stand there staring like a tight-mouthed idiot, but she was completely stuck. More than just social anxiety, mortality anxiety had completely paralysed her.
“...yes. It’s me.” she finally replied, the only other response she could think to give was answering his question. It was redundant, she thought, because she had responded to the shout in the first place.
God, she felt awful. She knew she had to say something, and she wanted to say something, but what the hell could she say?
“TV. We’re on SOTF-TV.” spluttered out of her mouth. Her heart scrunched into a ball of humiliation while her face remained as stiff as ever, as she heard her own words. She was continuing to state the obvious and it felt horrible embarassing to be so incapable of speaking like a human instead of a robot.
She stared at RJ a moment longer, trying to think of anything else she could say that would make her look just a tiny bit less stupid. All she could think was to continue stating the obvoius.
“I don’t know you, sorry.” she apologised, but did not turn to flee or leave her spot. She just stood still, frozen in shame and fear and all those unpleasant emotions, as she hoped this person would be a talker and not a killer.
“H-h-hello…” she muttered back, not bothering with a stage whisper. She gripped Roberto tighter, as if he’d defend her while she tried to figure out how to react next.
Are you going to shoot me? was the question running through her head, and she had trouble deviating from it. It seemed like a weird strategy with only a moment’s consideration, to call her name out before he tried to shoot her, but the situation made it impossible to ignore that possibility.
She didn’t ask it though, instead opting to remain silent. If he did have a gun, maybe he hadn’t thought about trying to shoot her. She didn’t want to put the idea in his head. More importantly, she would look pretty stupid if he wasn’t going to do that, and she didn’t want to look stupid on live TV either.
She continued staring blankly at him, words of imminent danger frozen in her brain. She knew she had to say something, not just stand there staring like a tight-mouthed idiot, but she was completely stuck. More than just social anxiety, mortality anxiety had completely paralysed her.
“...yes. It’s me.” she finally replied, the only other response she could think to give was answering his question. It was redundant, she thought, because she had responded to the shout in the first place.
God, she felt awful. She knew she had to say something, and she wanted to say something, but what the hell could she say?
“TV. We’re on SOTF-TV.” spluttered out of her mouth. Her heart scrunched into a ball of humiliation while her face remained as stiff as ever, as she heard her own words. She was continuing to state the obvious and it felt horrible embarassing to be so incapable of speaking like a human instead of a robot.
She stared at RJ a moment longer, trying to think of anything else she could say that would make her look just a tiny bit less stupid. All she could think was to continue stating the obvoius.
“I don’t know you, sorry.” she apologised, but did not turn to flee or leave her spot. She just stood still, frozen in shame and fear and all those unpleasant emotions, as she hoped this person would be a talker and not a killer.
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AnimeNerd
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Well...that kind of sucked. He was hoping she at least recognized him or something.
But he’ll take being a stranger to her. Strangers didn’t randomly decide to attack each other once they started talking to each other. At least most of the time.
He glanced down at his hand again. He was pretty much done bandaging the cuts. Putting a knot in the wrappings, he felt sure it wasn’t going to be a problem anymore.
Hopefully.
Ignoring that comment about being on SOTF-TV, because if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all, he put on a forced smile-eyes why must you betray his fear-as looked at her and he chose to respond to the latter statement.
“That’s fine. There’s worse things than forgetting someone you don’t talk to that much.”
His hands started unconsciously digging through his backpack. There was something he needed-the bandana. He wasn’t about to get his head blown sky high just because he wasn’t wearing a stinking bandana. As he felt the right material, luckily not taking too long, he pulled it out and started tying it around his forearm. Make it out in the open and all.
“Do you-do you want to walk somewhere together? Better...better to be with someone than being alone, right?”
Please let her agree with those sentiments. Maybe it was just being around someone that wasn’t immediately trying to kill him, but he at least wanted to get somewhere else with someone.
He just...didn’t want to be alone. Not right right now. Not when he had some near him.
But he’ll take being a stranger to her. Strangers didn’t randomly decide to attack each other once they started talking to each other. At least most of the time.
He glanced down at his hand again. He was pretty much done bandaging the cuts. Putting a knot in the wrappings, he felt sure it wasn’t going to be a problem anymore.
Hopefully.
Ignoring that comment about being on SOTF-TV, because if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all, he put on a forced smile-eyes why must you betray his fear-as looked at her and he chose to respond to the latter statement.
“That’s fine. There’s worse things than forgetting someone you don’t talk to that much.”
His hands started unconsciously digging through his backpack. There was something he needed-the bandana. He wasn’t about to get his head blown sky high just because he wasn’t wearing a stinking bandana. As he felt the right material, luckily not taking too long, he pulled it out and started tying it around his forearm. Make it out in the open and all.
“Do you-do you want to walk somewhere together? Better...better to be with someone than being alone, right?”
Please let her agree with those sentiments. Maybe it was just being around someone that wasn’t immediately trying to kill him, but he at least wanted to get somewhere else with someone.
He just...didn’t want to be alone. Not right right now. Not when he had some near him.
Amy froze all over again at RJ’s request.
Go alone? As in, go somewhere even more private where he could stab her in the back and leave her for dead?
She had no idea what to do. With only Roberto for self-defence, and little self-defence he offered, she was easy pickings if this guy was out for blood. He probably didn’t have a gun, because he hadn’t shot her yet and hadn’t tried to do so, but that didn’t mean he had nothing that could kill her. Worse still, he had made his team alignment clear when he slung his bandanna around his arm. The emotive red contrasting with her cynical black made it clear that there was no incentive for him to not kill her.
“Wh-what...-" she paused, collecting herself, but still uneasy. "What do you have for a weapon?” she asked, heart beating faster as she feared his response. She thought that knowing would help put her at ease, or at least give her the signal to start running sooner.
She realised as well that she’d spotted the bandage on his hand when he’d been rooting around with his bandanna. Had he already hurt himself, perhaps in a fight? Or had it been there already? There were so many unknown variables, so many fatal risks to at play here.
She didn’t want to buddy up with this guy, She never really liked hanging around with guys, but so many of them kept trying to invite themselves out with her. She was sure some of them were friendly, but not all of them were. And they were on SOTF-TV, where anything could happen and she could only count on herself for safety. She wished she could ask Jewel’s opinion on this, but she couldn’t just yell something like that out loud.
At the same time, she didn’t want to just walk around alone except for a mannequin until the worst possible outcome happened. Or maybe she did. It didn’t make sense, but none of this did.
She just didn’t know what to do.
Go alone? As in, go somewhere even more private where he could stab her in the back and leave her for dead?
She had no idea what to do. With only Roberto for self-defence, and little self-defence he offered, she was easy pickings if this guy was out for blood. He probably didn’t have a gun, because he hadn’t shot her yet and hadn’t tried to do so, but that didn’t mean he had nothing that could kill her. Worse still, he had made his team alignment clear when he slung his bandanna around his arm. The emotive red contrasting with her cynical black made it clear that there was no incentive for him to not kill her.
“Wh-what...-" she paused, collecting herself, but still uneasy. "What do you have for a weapon?” she asked, heart beating faster as she feared his response. She thought that knowing would help put her at ease, or at least give her the signal to start running sooner.
She realised as well that she’d spotted the bandage on his hand when he’d been rooting around with his bandanna. Had he already hurt himself, perhaps in a fight? Or had it been there already? There were so many unknown variables, so many fatal risks to at play here.
She didn’t want to buddy up with this guy, She never really liked hanging around with guys, but so many of them kept trying to invite themselves out with her. She was sure some of them were friendly, but not all of them were. And they were on SOTF-TV, where anything could happen and she could only count on herself for safety. She wished she could ask Jewel’s opinion on this, but she couldn’t just yell something like that out loud.
At the same time, she didn’t want to just walk around alone except for a mannequin until the worst possible outcome happened. Or maybe she did. It didn’t make sense, but none of this did.
She just didn’t know what to do.
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AnimeNerd
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You know, that was fair? Her weapon was just out in the open, meanwhile even RJ wasn’t sure what his weapon was. He should at least check for himself, if not for her.
“Alright, just...give me a second.”
Digging through the backpack again, this time until he felt chilled metal, he pulled out...
...holy fuck.
He got a gun-not just any gun, but a fucking rifle, holy shit.
“Couldn’t just get a taser...”
He knew he shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and all, but it would be nice to have a defensive weapon, really? Plus, he knew how to use a taser. Everyone did. All he knew about guns were to pull the trigger to shoot, make sure the safety wasn’t on when trying to shoot, be mindful of ammo, and for the love of God don’t point it at anyone you don’t plan on shooting.
...oh jeez, how long was Amy seeing him just stare at this gun, what is wrong with him-
Turning to her, he realized...he had no idea what to say. What, was he just supposed to make her trust him when he just pulled out this riffle that could probably leave a sizable hole in someone’s head when-if-he shot someone? Would that even work?
“Want a bodyguard?”
It was the first thing that came to mind to make her trust him, at least temporarily. It might not work, but...he had to try something, right?
“Alright, just...give me a second.”
Digging through the backpack again, this time until he felt chilled metal, he pulled out...
...holy fuck.
He got a gun-not just any gun, but a fucking rifle, holy shit.
“Couldn’t just get a taser...”
He knew he shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and all, but it would be nice to have a defensive weapon, really? Plus, he knew how to use a taser. Everyone did. All he knew about guns were to pull the trigger to shoot, make sure the safety wasn’t on when trying to shoot, be mindful of ammo, and for the love of God don’t point it at anyone you don’t plan on shooting.
...oh jeez, how long was Amy seeing him just stare at this gun, what is wrong with him-
Turning to her, he realized...he had no idea what to say. What, was he just supposed to make her trust him when he just pulled out this riffle that could probably leave a sizable hole in someone’s head when-if-he shot someone? Would that even work?
“Want a bodyguard?”
It was the first thing that came to mind to make her trust him, at least temporarily. It might not work, but...he had to try something, right?
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UnmaskedMountain
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Kidnapped. From class. How ironic.
[JL02: Luciano 'Space Cadet' Ascencio - Start]
Why study?
It's a question he'd thought about a lot, especially when he was younger, but it's not a difficult question to answer. People study for three reasons, at least the way he saw it. At the lowest level, people study in order to get good grades and appease authority; like a basketball player trying to maintain a C grade to stay on the team or an anxious kid trying to secure their parents' wavering approval. Up next is those who study for prestige; the kids who flex that they did the best in the class and brag about being Mathletes. Finally, there's people like him: People who study for an academic goal. He would be lying if he tried to say there was no overlap; a lot of teenagers with parental pressure are driven into colleges they detest and some of those people become famous doctors, lawyers and engineers. Regardless, aren't people who study for a goal the most honourable - they're the ones aiming for success, you know?
Regardless, he thought people who study for a goal are the most honourable - they're practically aiming for success, you know? They're going to succeed in life, ninety nine times out of a hundred.
Do you know why it's only 99 out of 100?
Because for every 99 people who are able to enjoy the fruits of their labour, there's a kid like Luciano. A kid who's going to die for some TV show watched by people who never even studied in the first place. Ha, that's an exaggeration - Most people fail because they get sick or get deported, but maybe that just makes him even luckier.
No.
He wouldn't die here. He'd sacrificed his life for academic success, not for SOTF-TV.
Shaking his head, Luciano released a deep breath. Saying he would survive wouldn't change anything unless he actually formed a plan. He'd crawled behind a crate pretty quickly once he'd woken up and attempted to focus and there he currently sat, gazing around at his surroundings. Now he was in a safe location, Luciano carefully opened his daypack and scanned through it, feeling for the components. There were rations; Of course there would be, but it still sent a wave of relief throughout his body. One less thing to worry about in a situation as worrisome as this one. It wasn't anything especially nice, but the sight of a tuna sandwich was almost comforting in its normal nature. Judging by his surroundings and the nautical-looking tool in his hands, Luciano figured the theme for this season must be something related to the sea. Probably, at least. Maybe.
Releasing another quiet sigh of relief, Luciano picked up the team bandana and wrapped it around his arm; honestly, loners benefitted more than anyone else from the team system in his mind since at least that meant there were less people trying to kill him. The condom was laughable; Luciano didn't want to die a virgin, but to lose his virginity here? With someone from school? Unlikely. He knew he should be careful with the flashlight, and thus rapidly returned it into the bag.
Next, he sorted through the outfit; he hoped he'd never have to use the swimsuit, and the astronaut outfit made him physically grimace - Still, the t-shirt and track pants were useful and he was planning to let him team be known anyway. Finally, Luciano touched his weapon. He didn't recognize it, but he outwardly smiled.
Luciano didn't want to kill anyone. But, thinking about it, the amount of lives he could improve through the money he'd gain from winning SOTF-TV would be worth far more than the small number of lives he might have to take. No, Luciano felt disgusted seconds after the thought - not even necessarily by the thought itself, but by how rapidly the thought had manifested.
Holding the weapon by his side, Luciano sat down behind the crate once more. He would wait, and only come out when he saw someone from his team. That would be best. Unfortunately, this day was even less lucky than he'd already thought.
He'd heard two voices; he recognized both of them, but he doubted they'd recognize him. Ra Jin 'RJ' Blackshaw, a funny, friendly but most importantly, out of shape kid. Next, Amy Barrows-Shaw - She was boring. Damn, he felt harsh saying it, but it was true. She wasn't someone Luciano could learn anything interesting from, and she hadn't let anything slip in front of him even if she was interesting in the first place. You'd think there'd be an affinity between quiet kids, but he kind of preferred the popular loud ones - He held less respect for them, normally, but they were infinitely more fun to listen to. Well, he wouldn't be listening to anything soon if he messed up here.
From the sounds of their conversation, they weren't on the same team. Amy sounded confused and scared, to some extent, like a deer in headlights while RJ was offering to be her bodyguard. This could go badly, or it could go well. He'd wait for it to end; if both of them survived this conversation, he would pretend he'd not heard anything and follow after them. If one of them died, then he'd wait for the other to leave. Sounded like a good plan.
[JL02: Luciano 'Space Cadet' Ascencio - Start]
Why study?
It's a question he'd thought about a lot, especially when he was younger, but it's not a difficult question to answer. People study for three reasons, at least the way he saw it. At the lowest level, people study in order to get good grades and appease authority; like a basketball player trying to maintain a C grade to stay on the team or an anxious kid trying to secure their parents' wavering approval. Up next is those who study for prestige; the kids who flex that they did the best in the class and brag about being Mathletes. Finally, there's people like him: People who study for an academic goal. He would be lying if he tried to say there was no overlap; a lot of teenagers with parental pressure are driven into colleges they detest and some of those people become famous doctors, lawyers and engineers. Regardless, aren't people who study for a goal the most honourable - they're the ones aiming for success, you know?
Regardless, he thought people who study for a goal are the most honourable - they're practically aiming for success, you know? They're going to succeed in life, ninety nine times out of a hundred.
Do you know why it's only 99 out of 100?
Because for every 99 people who are able to enjoy the fruits of their labour, there's a kid like Luciano. A kid who's going to die for some TV show watched by people who never even studied in the first place. Ha, that's an exaggeration - Most people fail because they get sick or get deported, but maybe that just makes him even luckier.
No.
He wouldn't die here. He'd sacrificed his life for academic success, not for SOTF-TV.
Shaking his head, Luciano released a deep breath. Saying he would survive wouldn't change anything unless he actually formed a plan. He'd crawled behind a crate pretty quickly once he'd woken up and attempted to focus and there he currently sat, gazing around at his surroundings. Now he was in a safe location, Luciano carefully opened his daypack and scanned through it, feeling for the components. There were rations; Of course there would be, but it still sent a wave of relief throughout his body. One less thing to worry about in a situation as worrisome as this one. It wasn't anything especially nice, but the sight of a tuna sandwich was almost comforting in its normal nature. Judging by his surroundings and the nautical-looking tool in his hands, Luciano figured the theme for this season must be something related to the sea. Probably, at least. Maybe.
Releasing another quiet sigh of relief, Luciano picked up the team bandana and wrapped it around his arm; honestly, loners benefitted more than anyone else from the team system in his mind since at least that meant there were less people trying to kill him. The condom was laughable; Luciano didn't want to die a virgin, but to lose his virginity here? With someone from school? Unlikely. He knew he should be careful with the flashlight, and thus rapidly returned it into the bag.
Next, he sorted through the outfit; he hoped he'd never have to use the swimsuit, and the astronaut outfit made him physically grimace - Still, the t-shirt and track pants were useful and he was planning to let him team be known anyway. Finally, Luciano touched his weapon. He didn't recognize it, but he outwardly smiled.
Luciano didn't want to kill anyone. But, thinking about it, the amount of lives he could improve through the money he'd gain from winning SOTF-TV would be worth far more than the small number of lives he might have to take. No, Luciano felt disgusted seconds after the thought - not even necessarily by the thought itself, but by how rapidly the thought had manifested.
Holding the weapon by his side, Luciano sat down behind the crate once more. He would wait, and only come out when he saw someone from his team. That would be best. Unfortunately, this day was even less lucky than he'd already thought.
He'd heard two voices; he recognized both of them, but he doubted they'd recognize him. Ra Jin 'RJ' Blackshaw, a funny, friendly but most importantly, out of shape kid. Next, Amy Barrows-Shaw - She was boring. Damn, he felt harsh saying it, but it was true. She wasn't someone Luciano could learn anything interesting from, and she hadn't let anything slip in front of him even if she was interesting in the first place. You'd think there'd be an affinity between quiet kids, but he kind of preferred the popular loud ones - He held less respect for them, normally, but they were infinitely more fun to listen to. Well, he wouldn't be listening to anything soon if he messed up here.
From the sounds of their conversation, they weren't on the same team. Amy sounded confused and scared, to some extent, like a deer in headlights while RJ was offering to be her bodyguard. This could go badly, or it could go well. He'd wait for it to end; if both of them survived this conversation, he would pretend he'd not heard anything and follow after them. If one of them died, then he'd wait for the other to leave. Sounded like a good plan.
A...bodyguard?
She swallowed the anxiety that came with a guy you didn’t know holding a gun, after he had confirmed that yes he was better armed than you. In a setting where he had a green light and encouragement to use it on you, no less. It was a big lump to swallow, and an unexpected suggestion.
She didn’t want to hang out with him when there was no real incentive, but now he had offered to protect her. If he was telling the truth. It was a dangerous decision.
If he was trying to kill her, then her answer didn’t matter. She couldn’t get away from a gun in an open place like this. She’d be dead in less than fifty yards. She’d get shot in the back while running for her life, and that would be the end of her. If he was being sincere, then…well, he was…
Stupid?
She didn’t know if that was the case, but it didn’t matter as there was only one answer.
“Sure.” she replied, nodding just a small dip but still remaining stone-faced. Her eyes wandered down to the firearm.
She hadn’t seen one in person before. Her parents weren’t interested in that sort of thing, and she’d only seen them in movies. She didn’t recognise it from any of the flicks she’d seen, but it wasn’t like she paid close attention to those details. Still, it had an appeal that would’ve not existed in another context.
“Could I look at it?”
She swallowed the anxiety that came with a guy you didn’t know holding a gun, after he had confirmed that yes he was better armed than you. In a setting where he had a green light and encouragement to use it on you, no less. It was a big lump to swallow, and an unexpected suggestion.
She didn’t want to hang out with him when there was no real incentive, but now he had offered to protect her. If he was telling the truth. It was a dangerous decision.
If he was trying to kill her, then her answer didn’t matter. She couldn’t get away from a gun in an open place like this. She’d be dead in less than fifty yards. She’d get shot in the back while running for her life, and that would be the end of her. If he was being sincere, then…well, he was…
Stupid?
She didn’t know if that was the case, but it didn’t matter as there was only one answer.
“Sure.” she replied, nodding just a small dip but still remaining stone-faced. Her eyes wandered down to the firearm.
She hadn’t seen one in person before. Her parents weren’t interested in that sort of thing, and she’d only seen them in movies. She didn’t recognise it from any of the flicks she’d seen, but it wasn’t like she paid close attention to those details. Still, it had an appeal that would’ve not existed in another context.
“Could I look at it?”
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AnimeNerd
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Holy shit she actually said yes.
He honestly didn’t think she would say yes. Most people probably would’ve thought he was insane (something he wasn’t sure he could really deny at this point) and left him out here. He was some rando with a gun, how could anyone trust him at this point?
By being honest, apparently.
Not that he was about to complain. An ally is an ally, and that was that.
With a relieved smile on his face, he put the backpack over his shoulder and carried the gun in both hands as he carefully got off the lifeboat, trotting to Amy until he was a few feet in front of her. Letting her have her personal space and all.
“Thanks, I just-don’t like the idea of traveling through here alone, you know? Pretty much in plain sight.”
At the question, the smile on his face doesn’t fade, but it seems more...strained. The grip he has on the gun becomes just a bit tighter as he holds it closer to himself.
“You can look, but...I’d like to keep holding it. Feel comfortable keeping it to myself, really.”
He may not be sure how to shoot the thing, but he sure as Hell didn’t want to risk it getting to someone that could that was willing to kill anyone and everyone.
He honestly didn’t think she would say yes. Most people probably would’ve thought he was insane (something he wasn’t sure he could really deny at this point) and left him out here. He was some rando with a gun, how could anyone trust him at this point?
By being honest, apparently.
Not that he was about to complain. An ally is an ally, and that was that.
With a relieved smile on his face, he put the backpack over his shoulder and carried the gun in both hands as he carefully got off the lifeboat, trotting to Amy until he was a few feet in front of her. Letting her have her personal space and all.
“Thanks, I just-don’t like the idea of traveling through here alone, you know? Pretty much in plain sight.”
At the question, the smile on his face doesn’t fade, but it seems more...strained. The grip he has on the gun becomes just a bit tighter as he holds it closer to himself.
“You can look, but...I’d like to keep holding it. Feel comfortable keeping it to myself, really.”
He may not be sure how to shoot the thing, but he sure as Hell didn’t want to risk it getting to someone that could that was willing to kill anyone and everyone.
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UnmaskedMountain
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:04 pm
They were both alive. Luciano wasn't surprised, but he felt reassured. Neither Amy nor RJ struck him as particularly violent types, and Luciano couldn't think of anything about them which would make them violent.
He might be wrong. As harsh as it sounded, if he was wrong, then at least survival would be one person easier. Luciano grimaced; he wasn't a bad person, right? He was just a kid. Then again, were most kids this ready to accept violence?
Maybe it was just that he was pragmatic. Comparatively, he didn't really have that much of a bond with these people as others did - Plus, it's not like a class was ever saved from SOTF. That's right, he was just being realistic. Nice.
The thing is, Luciano didn't want people to die. Not these people; RJ and Amy were fine, perhaps - they weren't as useful or as interesting as the others. That was why he continued to hide, or at least, he hoped it was that and not cowardice. See, people dying should be a given, as sickening as it sounded, but the order of death mattered. Luciano knew stuff, but not about everyone - In an ideal world, the last people left would be those he knew the most about. Secrets provides influence, and influence provides protection. That's why he didn't mind if RJ died, but someone like Sofia?
Ha, yeah, Sofia. Someone like that would have to make it, at least for a while.
Regardless, it was beginning to get uncomfortable in this awkward crouch and so he shifted himself slightly; not loudly, but loud enough for someone with a keen ear to notice. Fortunately, from Luciano's experience, neither of the two were especially aware of their surroundings - Then again, could he really insult the abilities of someone else as a self-proclaimed 'space cadet'?
He might be wrong. As harsh as it sounded, if he was wrong, then at least survival would be one person easier. Luciano grimaced; he wasn't a bad person, right? He was just a kid. Then again, were most kids this ready to accept violence?
Maybe it was just that he was pragmatic. Comparatively, he didn't really have that much of a bond with these people as others did - Plus, it's not like a class was ever saved from SOTF. That's right, he was just being realistic. Nice.
The thing is, Luciano didn't want people to die. Not these people; RJ and Amy were fine, perhaps - they weren't as useful or as interesting as the others. That was why he continued to hide, or at least, he hoped it was that and not cowardice. See, people dying should be a given, as sickening as it sounded, but the order of death mattered. Luciano knew stuff, but not about everyone - In an ideal world, the last people left would be those he knew the most about. Secrets provides influence, and influence provides protection. That's why he didn't mind if RJ died, but someone like Sofia?
Ha, yeah, Sofia. Someone like that would have to make it, at least for a while.
Regardless, it was beginning to get uncomfortable in this awkward crouch and so he shifted himself slightly; not loudly, but loud enough for someone with a keen ear to notice. Fortunately, from Luciano's experience, neither of the two were especially aware of their surroundings - Then again, could he really insult the abilities of someone else as a self-proclaimed 'space cadet'?
“Right, of course, sorry.” she replied, her eyes drawn back to RJ. She was still interested in it, but not for the same reason as it would be if she could get her hands on it.
It had been a selfish thought, but it had happened. She hadn’t dismissed it permanently, either.
She continued looking directly at RJ. She really wished she could remember something about the guy who was, for some reason, offering to keep her safe. She noted his clothes, looking for something that might jog her memory. It was an interesting style.
“I like your outfit.” she said, wanting to try once again to not stand around awkwardly saying nothing and attempt a normal conversation. At least she could speak about an area she knew about, even if it was only four words long.
She knew she was distracting herself from the real question, and discussing his wardrobe wasn’t going to make it go away. She wanted to ask him why he wasn’t just shooting her, since they weren’t on the same team. She wanted to know if he genuinely wanted to help her, instead of playing into their circumstances and upping his odds of winning. He had a gun, he could do it really easily.
But she bit her tongue. She didn’t know him, (not even his name, she remembered), and she didn’t know how he’d react to something like that. Maybe he just hadn’t realised he could kill her right there and then. Just shoot her in the face, steal Roberto and walk on to the next person who might have been better armed. Maybe RJ was the fittest, maybe he wasn’t, but right now he wasn’t trying to kill her, and she decided it was better not to put the idea in his head.
But she did want to know the name of who she was putting her life in the hands of. Conversation was already awkward enough without it.
“Um...before we go anywhere, I don’t know your name.”
The sound of Luciano shifting nearby reached her, a creaking of the jetty and shuffling of feet. Her eyes glanced in the direction, but she dismissed it. There were plenty of noises around, from the rocking of the boats to the lapping of the water, and such minor noises were not yet on Amy’s radar. Only time would tell if that would change.
It had been a selfish thought, but it had happened. She hadn’t dismissed it permanently, either.
She continued looking directly at RJ. She really wished she could remember something about the guy who was, for some reason, offering to keep her safe. She noted his clothes, looking for something that might jog her memory. It was an interesting style.
“I like your outfit.” she said, wanting to try once again to not stand around awkwardly saying nothing and attempt a normal conversation. At least she could speak about an area she knew about, even if it was only four words long.
She knew she was distracting herself from the real question, and discussing his wardrobe wasn’t going to make it go away. She wanted to ask him why he wasn’t just shooting her, since they weren’t on the same team. She wanted to know if he genuinely wanted to help her, instead of playing into their circumstances and upping his odds of winning. He had a gun, he could do it really easily.
But she bit her tongue. She didn’t know him, (not even his name, she remembered), and she didn’t know how he’d react to something like that. Maybe he just hadn’t realised he could kill her right there and then. Just shoot her in the face, steal Roberto and walk on to the next person who might have been better armed. Maybe RJ was the fittest, maybe he wasn’t, but right now he wasn’t trying to kill her, and she decided it was better not to put the idea in his head.
But she did want to know the name of who she was putting her life in the hands of. Conversation was already awkward enough without it.
“Um...before we go anywhere, I don’t know your name.”
The sound of Luciano shifting nearby reached her, a creaking of the jetty and shuffling of feet. Her eyes glanced in the direction, but she dismissed it. There were plenty of noises around, from the rocking of the boats to the lapping of the water, and such minor noises were not yet on Amy’s radar. Only time would tell if that would change.
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AnimeNerd
- Posts: 598
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“It’s alright, just...paranoid, I guess.”
Why was he paranoid? It was just Amy. It’s not like she was the kind of person that would shoot him with his own gun, right? They were friends, after all. She was his friend!
His friend that didn’t know his name.
Couldn’t even recognize him at all, even.
Okay, maybe friends was a stretch, but they weren’t on that bad of terms. That much he was sure of.
Mostly.
Oh, she complimented him. He should say something back.
“Thanks. Yours looks good too.”
He wasn’t sure if he was being entirely honest with that. It didn’t look bad by any means, but he wasn’t really focusing on clothes at the moment. But it was a response to her compliment, and it was polite, so it seemed fitting for the moment.
Oh. Right. He still hadn’t introduced himself.
“RJ Blackburn. Aspiring writer.”
He heard the creaking of wood as well, turning his head in the corresponding direction. While he couldn’t see anything, his brain thought of how many college students and high schoolers would’ve survived their movie had they been just a bit more paranoid.
“We-we should probably get going. Now.”
Why was he paranoid? It was just Amy. It’s not like she was the kind of person that would shoot him with his own gun, right? They were friends, after all. She was his friend!
His friend that didn’t know his name.
Couldn’t even recognize him at all, even.
Okay, maybe friends was a stretch, but they weren’t on that bad of terms. That much he was sure of.
Mostly.
Oh, she complimented him. He should say something back.
“Thanks. Yours looks good too.”
He wasn’t sure if he was being entirely honest with that. It didn’t look bad by any means, but he wasn’t really focusing on clothes at the moment. But it was a response to her compliment, and it was polite, so it seemed fitting for the moment.
Oh. Right. He still hadn’t introduced himself.
“RJ Blackburn. Aspiring writer.”
He heard the creaking of wood as well, turning his head in the corresponding direction. While he couldn’t see anything, his brain thought of how many college students and high schoolers would’ve survived their movie had they been just a bit more paranoid.
“We-we should probably get going. Now.”
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UnmaskedMountain
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:04 pm
Huh. There was no gunshot.
No scream. No sound of a knife tearing through flesh. No gunshot.
Luciano thought about that for a second - If there was no gunshot, both of them must still be alive. Like he thought. So, why was he surprised?
Maybe neither of them had a weapon. From what he gathered through the conversation, RJ had something sufficiently interesting to merit Amy's curiosity and desire to check it. Luciano had no real reason to assume it was a gun, now that he considered it; guns were rare, and it was just his mind's pessimistic assumption that one of them might have a firearm.
Besides, Luciano had been pretty confident RJ wouldn't do anything. He knew RJ; not inside out, not perfectly, but he knew him. He wasn't worth the effort of specific investigation, and he wasn't popular enough to have the secrets be especially interesting, but he had friends - Upon observation, RJ was a nice guy. Genuinely nice, and friendly too. Boring, yeah, but isn't that a trend with good people?
Like, morally good people are considered hard-working and compassion. Ask someone to describe someone interesting, and they'd say someone funny or someone cool. A good person might not be cool; in fact, a lot of them are the quiet kids. Not that popular people couldn't be nice; look at Alyssa Tibbett, for example. Luciano shook his head again. He had to clear his head.
Huh. Things had gone in the best possible way, right? Logically, this would be the perfect opportunity for Luciano to stumble out. Explain he didn't know what was going on, and that he'd just woken up. Or perhaps, should he be upfront about it?
Hey guys, just listening out to see if one of you shot the other through the head, no biggie!
No, he'd have to lie. But... was Luciano really a convincing liar? He wasn't confident in his abilities, but he would have to do something. Standing up and walking over would seem far too weird, far too unnatural. Luciano shifted again, his eyes peeking out the side of the crate to scan for the team colours of RJ and Amy.
Black. That was... good. Luciano had to double check his own arm to confirm his luck. Better yet, Amy was the one on his team; no offence to RJ, but Amy was more likely to resort to violence. Actually, wouldn't that be more offensive to Amy?
Either way, Luciano needed to capture their attention. "Help!" He exclaimed, with an unnatural sound of a scream that seemed quietened. He placed one hand over his forehead and lay back against the crate, feigning the pains of a headache.
No scream. No sound of a knife tearing through flesh. No gunshot.
Luciano thought about that for a second - If there was no gunshot, both of them must still be alive. Like he thought. So, why was he surprised?
Maybe neither of them had a weapon. From what he gathered through the conversation, RJ had something sufficiently interesting to merit Amy's curiosity and desire to check it. Luciano had no real reason to assume it was a gun, now that he considered it; guns were rare, and it was just his mind's pessimistic assumption that one of them might have a firearm.
Besides, Luciano had been pretty confident RJ wouldn't do anything. He knew RJ; not inside out, not perfectly, but he knew him. He wasn't worth the effort of specific investigation, and he wasn't popular enough to have the secrets be especially interesting, but he had friends - Upon observation, RJ was a nice guy. Genuinely nice, and friendly too. Boring, yeah, but isn't that a trend with good people?
Like, morally good people are considered hard-working and compassion. Ask someone to describe someone interesting, and they'd say someone funny or someone cool. A good person might not be cool; in fact, a lot of them are the quiet kids. Not that popular people couldn't be nice; look at Alyssa Tibbett, for example. Luciano shook his head again. He had to clear his head.
Huh. Things had gone in the best possible way, right? Logically, this would be the perfect opportunity for Luciano to stumble out. Explain he didn't know what was going on, and that he'd just woken up. Or perhaps, should he be upfront about it?
Hey guys, just listening out to see if one of you shot the other through the head, no biggie!
No, he'd have to lie. But... was Luciano really a convincing liar? He wasn't confident in his abilities, but he would have to do something. Standing up and walking over would seem far too weird, far too unnatural. Luciano shifted again, his eyes peeking out the side of the crate to scan for the team colours of RJ and Amy.
Black. That was... good. Luciano had to double check his own arm to confirm his luck. Better yet, Amy was the one on his team; no offence to RJ, but Amy was more likely to resort to violence. Actually, wouldn't that be more offensive to Amy?
Either way, Luciano needed to capture their attention. "Help!" He exclaimed, with an unnatural sound of a scream that seemed quietened. He placed one hand over his forehead and lay back against the crate, feigning the pains of a headache.
Amy looked in the same direction as RJ, in response to his urgent instruction. She couldn’t see anything. Or at least, she couldn’t see anything decisively threatening. If she had concentrated, she would’ve spotted Luciano’s head poking out, but she simply wasn’t observant enough at that moment to do so.
“Is someone there?” she replied to Luciano’s phony plea for help, but stood her ground. Her eyes glanced to RJ again, who was still holding the firearm. If he was on her side, and whoever was behind the crate wasn’t trying to shoot them from a distance, then they had an leverage in the situation.
She was surprised by how quickly her mind was starting to take note of things like that. Maybe watching all those Bond movies over the years was giving her a tactical edge. Or maybe it was just because she had ran through the scenario so recently with RJ. Either way, she seemed to be adapting faster than she would've thought she would had she been asked just days ago.
“You should come out if you can, we won’t hurt you.” she continued, though she could only speak for herself, and only by technicality. She couldn’t ignore the feeling that this was another trap, just like she’d suspected with RJ, and she didn't want to be caught in it.
She turned to RJ and asked him softly, “Is your gun loaded?”
“Is someone there?” she replied to Luciano’s phony plea for help, but stood her ground. Her eyes glanced to RJ again, who was still holding the firearm. If he was on her side, and whoever was behind the crate wasn’t trying to shoot them from a distance, then they had an leverage in the situation.
She was surprised by how quickly her mind was starting to take note of things like that. Maybe watching all those Bond movies over the years was giving her a tactical edge. Or maybe it was just because she had ran through the scenario so recently with RJ. Either way, she seemed to be adapting faster than she would've thought she would had she been asked just days ago.
“You should come out if you can, we won’t hurt you.” she continued, though she could only speak for herself, and only by technicality. She couldn’t ignore the feeling that this was another trap, just like she’d suspected with RJ, and she didn't want to be caught in it.
She turned to RJ and asked him softly, “Is your gun loaded?”