The Afterlife

[riserugu*]

Helena flashed a grin reaching over and patting her friend’s shoulder lightly, “Venka's right, no need to worry about all that anymore. We’re in a much better place…” She said lightly watching as August nodded, sighing as she sunk in her chair a little pulling the jacket tighter about her form.

Edward frowned up at the TV a little, turning in his seat at hopping off. Personally he could only take so much of the events unfolding on the island each day – and with the whole “Hey I’m good now!” bull that Jacob was playing just had him wish a little harder that he could posses people.

Pushing his hands into his pocket, he glanced off toward the new arrivals with a smirk. Though what stopped him in his tracks was who was slipping through the door at the moment. A uniform pants, and shirt with a tie done about his neck, an odd looking hat covering his head and blocking his eyes from being seen to some degree…

Though he looked different not covered in blood, Edward remembered the boy who had mutilated one of the new arrivals, Jimmy’s body in nothing but a mess of blood, brain matter, and bone… True, there where a couple of people here who had killed, but nothing quite as bad, or no-doubt insane like as that of the boy who stood before the door’s single kill.

“Well I’ll be damned…” He muttered somewhat, keeping his attention on the new arrival.

Blaine stood near the door, quite unable to take any of this in – this wasn’t anything like he remembered hearing about when you’re supposed to die. Nothing… it was almost like a place kids would go in the afternoon after school. But what stuck Blaine most odd was not the location, but himself…

For the first time in his whole life since he could remember, his mind was clear. Clear of everything that had made him into what he had become in life… a sick, twisted torturer who had met his end when that shotgun blast torn his throat apart.

Lifting his hand somewhat he lightly rubbed his throat, feeling nothing there than what should be. No large gapping hole spilling blood from him and into his lungs letting him drown on it. What am I doing here…? Was his only thought, someone like himself shouldn’t be here… he should be somewhere else… someone darker, and not so cheerful looking.

[LadyMakaze*]

It was wierd.

It was really wierd.

The image of Cillian and his raised cleaver, so freshly burned into his mind, suddenly seemed rather vague and distant. The entire shore, the vast expanse of sand and an even vaster expanse of saltwater and clouds, had suddenly faded, giving way to the most unfamiliar of surroundings. Had he only dreamed it? Has all that had happened to him merely a dream?

Before he knew it, Ash found himself pushing aside the door and walking through, rubbing a slight ache in his head that was in fact nonexistant. It was a truly a wierd feeling... He felt as though a veil had been lifted from his mind, making everything clearer and sharper, more discernable. Somehow, he felt more vulnerable as well.

Slightly dazed, he nearly walked headlong into Blaine, who had for some reason planted himself in front of the doorway. Only mildly annoyed, Ash muttered under his breath a curt, "Watch it."

Recovering himself, he suddenly found himself halting in his tracks as he gradually took in the surroundings about him, from the contemporary furniture and items that made up the interior of building to the people, both familiars and strangers, who stared at him with some ambiguous emotion as he walked in. He stared straight back, not knowing what to make of it all.

What the....

He finally found his voice again, uttering in a low, incredulous voice.

"...Fucking...hell....?"

[Chase*]

"Hell isn't really what I'd call it," Kichiro laughed at Ash's choice of words. He went over to him for a friendly hug, just as a self-appointed welcoming committee.

"You're the latest from Cillian, right? Did someone catch that one?"

[Cactus]

Lipson watched the television as he watched his best friend do away with Blaine Eno in a somewhat gruesome and almost cold-blooded fashion. As the body of the boy slumped to the ground, Andrew shuddered for a second. It was true that Survival of the Fittest really did twist and distort your inner workings, and to see Adam shoot someone, he shook his head, and glanced at the others who sat with him at the bar.

"Never figured that I'd see Adam kill anyone...and...not like that."

Grabbing the remote, he flipped the channel, as he couldn't bear to see his friend break down like that. Andrew couldn't help but notice as Blaine Eno stepped into the bar, a little confused and probably wondering what was going on. Andrew blinked and shook his head.

Seemed like everyone ended up here.

[LadyMakaze*]

"Oi, watch the jacket," Ash warned in a mutter as Kichiro gave him a hug. Not to be arrogant or snide though, it just felt....well, awkward, being hugged like that. He could not help but wonder....in this...heaven or hell or afterlife thing...did it have some kind of wierd effect on its arrivals? He certainly felt strange himself...but he could not quiet place it. It made him feel unsettled slightly...almost afraid.

"Cillian...huh?" Ash echoed the unfamiliar name. But then he realized. "Wait a minute...that was the git who got me, right? Blue eyes, funky hair, the kind of guy who does't take care of his nails? Something like a fresh plucking from the loony bin or something?"

As he looked over his surroundings, his eyes caught one of the television sets that showed the current SOTF session and the live remainder of the constestant pool participating. He let out an incredulous chuckle and shook his head.

"Damn....I was REALLY hoping that no one would see what happened...."

[Chase*]

"It's alright," Kichiro replied, motioning towards a seat, "You've got four in here that shared the same fate... well, sort of."

"This place is pretty cool, you don't have to pay for anything, just hang out."

[LadyMakaze*]

Ash stared at Kichiro for a good, long, wordless moment, looking as though Kichiro had suddenly grown a spare limb. He raised an incredulous eyebrow, not knowing what to make of this brazen, friendly behaviour. Then again, he supposed that folks of the Afterlife were like that...if this was indeed the Afterlife.

He did not know what to feel at the time. Come to think of it, he did not know HOW to feel. It was as though death had struck down a wall in his mind, giving him a renewed sense of emotion and feeling.

Thus...though he felt irritated with Kichiro's friendliness, he could not help but feel a bit grateful too.

Not that he would ever show this of course. Wordlessly, he walked right by Kichiro in a brisk manner that might have been rude, and slumped casually into an empty seat, assuming a rather idle-looking position.

He looked at the people around him, the bar staff walking too and fro, serving drinks and meals, wiping away at glasses, the tv screen and the odd subtitles that played at the bottom...

He groaned and covered his eyes with his fingers.

"....I need to think..."

[Chase*]

Kichiro didn't seem too phased by the boy's apparent disinterest. However, as the door opened once more, and the figure of a familiar girl entered, Kichiro almost cried. The smile, the green eyes. It was her. She....

"Hey there, brother."

[MooCow*]

COMING FROM 'Starting place for B#54':
http://s10.PLACEHOLDERLINK/SurvivalOfTheF...180#entry635696

Aiden was no longer in the tunnel anymore. He was no longer alone. He found himself standing in the doorway of a room... there were people in the room... people like Gabrielle Minase and Andrew Lipson. Was this another dream? Was he dead? He saw Umi... Umi wasn't dead? And neither were Cassandra and Kiyoko. Aiden noticed that no one seemed to be hurt... was it all a dream? The whole game... there were other students present also though. He felt his arm... the wound was still there. Why was he wounded if this was truly the afterlife and why was everyone else healed...

"Umi?"

[Cactus]

Andrew waved at the entering Aiden from across the bar. His eyes were still glued to the TV, although in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder why Aiden was still looking a little banged up. Still, his eyes were glued to the television. Arturo Villamor sat beside him, still taking bets on who was going to last.

"I tell you, Art. Those seven are one hell of a motely crew. Seriously...like you think you'd ever see any of 'em together in school...except for like, Dodd and Amanda?"

Art grinned, and shook his head.

"You're right, bro. You're the one that's got the money on Dodd going all the way, right?"

Andrew nodded. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but he had a feeling.

"Yeah, man. As strange as the feeling is, I think Adam's going all the way. Although knowing me, I'm gonna jinx it and lose my money."

Art grinned.

"Well, don't feel bad. Most people have him pined to go out near the end of it all, anyways. But nobody on him to win."

Andrew shook his head.

"I guess we'll just havta wait and see, huh, guy?"

[Slayer*]

"Personally, I can see most of them dying soon anyway. That Nanami girl will probably snap, kill at leas one of the group, then get gunned down by the others who will soon after give in to paranoia." a voice said. The voice belonged to the formerly psychotic Andrew Klock, who had managed to seperate himself from his former class (all of whon had died during Sydney's act) and had mostly been silently monitoring the progress of Amanda's group.

"I'm willing to bet at least one of them will come in by the next day."

[Cactus]

Art turned to Andrew K. with an eyebrow raised.

"Willing to bet, eh? Well, if you're willing to bet on anything, I'm the man to speak to. Who'd you put odds on, hm? Who do you think's going down next?"

[Slayer*]

Andrew fell into a considering silence as he studied the group.

"It depends on who tries to fire the first shot. I doubt any of the group would kill the other for no reason except for Nanami, she seems to be planning something. Really I think she'll be the first of them to go, maybe Madelaine afterwards. But," Andrew stopped to point at another monitor featuring Jacob and Garrett fighting each other.

"I'm pretty sure Garrett's going to lose that fight before one of Amanda's group dies, so I guess my bet's on Garrett, followed by Nanami afterwards."

[Cactus]

Art made some notations on a pad of paper as he listened to Andrew talk. Nodding, he finished writing and grinned.

"A fairly interesting prediction, bro. But I guess now that we're on it...you put any money on who you like for the winner yet?"

From his other side, Lipson shook his head.

"Man, Dodd's fucking loopy, his thoughts hardly make any sense..."

[Slayer*]

"No, I'm not oging to bet on the winner." Andrew replied, returning to his drink.

"Who's your money on?"