The Fifth Announcement

[Megami*]

Rain.

It was raining that day too. Still, it seemed like the rain didn't dampen people's spirits any. Why would it? The end of May... school's about to let out, we're all looking forward to an awesome summer and senior year. Sad part about it is, a few hours from now, most of those kids would be dead. Like cows being lead to a slaughter. That's what we were. In the end, we were just a bunch of stupid kids, never suspecting a thing as we boarded up that bus and headed off for the last big "hurrah" of our junior year. It was one hell of a "hurrah", alright.

Everything happened so fast. One minute, we're driving along, listening to Ericka blaring some random boyband music on her iPod while Taryn and Bonnie fawn over the bubblegum-pop brand singers, and the next? Hell. Total chaos. Bullet comes flying through the front windshield of the bus, killing our driver instantly, and these guys bust in with guns. The next thing we know, they're slaughtering all our chaperones. I gotta tell ya, watching my favorite teacher of all time, Mr. Blackmore, get killed? It's not on my priority list for things I wanna do on a Thursday afternoon.

Some guy in a ballcap comes waltzing in... couldn't see his face for the baseball cap covering it up... not like I was lookin' anyway by this point. Things had gone far too downhill. Guy tells us, "Congratulations, you've been chosen to participate in a trial run of the Survival of the Fittest program!" like we should be all giddy about it or something. When he starts to explain what this whole "SOTF" thing is all about... that's when we start panicking. A couple people try to make a run for it, get a few new holes in their bodies for their troubles. Guess the guy wanted to make a point.

Things went black pretty quick after that.

When I came to, I found myself laying in the grass somewhere. Things didn't really register for a minute, but the second I saw a couple guys in full camo gear and armed to the teeth go running past, everything came back to me. The next five days were hell... there's no other way to describe it. By some miracle or another, I managed to survive it... against the odds, I survived, while they all died. Everybody I ever cared about... Quentin, Chance, Keri, Lilly, Eli... Dane... everybody died.

When I look back and ask myself if it was worth it... the honest answer is no. But I'm still here... still alive.

The sound of the rain seemed to drown out the bustling noises of the nearby city as it poured from the sky. The gentle tapping of the rain against the nearby cement might have been relaxing at any other time, but not on this day. On this day, it was a reminder, and a painful reminder at that. He'd been standing on the building's balcony, absent-mindedly kicking at a nonexistent pebble on the ground for some time now. To him, it only felt like a split second. This day, and all the horrible memories it brought back, seemed to drag on endlessly.

"Zach?"

The voice that broke the silence caused Zach to glance back momentarily in some inadequate acknowledgement of it.

"I thought I'd find you here," the voice mused quietly before pausing for a moment.

The sound of footsteps radiated off the pavement as the somewhat petite figure moved out into the rain, "Dwelling on the past again, I see."

"Something like that..." Zach muttered quietly.

"You know..." the girl moved slightly, spinning around and offering a wide smile toward the rather glum figure, "They say that people who always look toward the past can never see the future."

Dera... always so cheerful. Always smiling. I just don't know how she does it... after all, she survived too.

---

Rain.

It covered the island, causing the brook that normally cascaded gently through the middle of the island to surge through its usual pathway and explode over the edges. The incessant rain had started to flood the island, and the ground was a soggy mix of mud and soaked foliage. The rainclouds had been passing over for some time and even now, showed no signs of ceasing any time soon. For many of the students on the island, the constant downpour was dampening their spirits along with the island.

Of course, the childrens' dampened spirits didn't stop Danya from being in a hearty mood after returning from his short trip home. That much was evident as the speakers across the island squawked to life.

"Gooooood morning children! I've gotta tell ya, it's great to be back! I've missed you all, you've been such busy little beavers while I was away!"

Inside his office, Danya was grinning from ear to ear as his eyes scanned down the nineteen deaths from the previous day -- well, twenty-one, if you count the two that incompetent fool Dorian forgot to announce the day prior. His mistake hadn't gone unnoticed, and after the verbal lashing Danya had given him about it, Dorian had been walking around like a scolded puppy with his tail between his legs.

"I see it's still raining out there. Must be terrible for you all. But hey, look at the bright side! At least the stink on the island had gone away a little, I hope. You all definitely added to it yesterday, that much is for sure! Well, I guess I'll get right into it then, cause it sure looks like I've got a lot to announce. I hope you all won't be too sore at me, but I didn't watch the program from yesterday. Family time and all that jazz, you know, so I'll be relying on notes to get me through this announcement."

"But don't worry guys, I still love you!"

Danya chuckled for a moment before clearing his throat and shuffling his papers.

"First and foremost, I should announce two deaths from day four that got left out, due to a certain incompetent fool who I foolishly left in charge while I was away. Maybe you've seen them around? The first was our dear Monique St. Claire, who, coincidentally, was also killed for being an incompetent fool... or I guess that's how Melina Frost felt when she slit her throat. The other that died on day four was some kid named Adonis Zorba... probably forgotten because he was a big nobody who died 'cause he foolishly fell asleep in a dangerzone."

"But out with the old, and in with the new, right kids! I've got a whopping nineteen new deaths to announce from yesterday, so get your pen and paper ready, kiddos! First and foremost was Lilah Morgan, who was shot and killed by her ex, Clive Maxwell. Boohoo. Oh well, nobody really cared anyway! Second to die was Luke Rowan, who was thrown to the wolves, so to speak, by Nick Jones when Nick shoved him to the ground in a dangerzone to save his own skin. Nick saved his, but I'm afraid Luke might've lost his head... get it? Lost his head? Hahaha!"

Danya cackled loudly at his own joke. So loudly, in fact, that he almost snorted before taking a gasping breath and settling down.

"Next down was Anna Vaan, who stupidly tried to take on the Priestly twins in the marsh. She might've had the right idea, but two-on-one are not good odds, especially when the one is armed only with a lacrosse stick. Lenny Priestly tore this girl up pretty bad. I mean, by the end, his own sister was begging him to stop! It was truly a spectacular moment! You should read all the saucy twincest fics they're writing about you two!"

"Dominica Shapiro was next to score a kill for the day when she offed Bradley Armstrong. Let that be a warning that the ladies are just as capable of murder, gentlemen. Who needs size when you've got a speargun? Certainly not Dominica! Shot that spear straight through Bradley-boy's chest, she did! Killed him dead! 'atta girl! Next down was Julia Lauper, stabbed to death by Jordan Redfield. Guess he's not such a nice guy after all!"

"Not too long after that, Lenny Priestly struck again, finishing off Keiji Tanaka as he tried to commit suicide! Why do for yourself what others can do for you, Mr. Tanaka? Lenny certainly seems to see it that way. Next up... whoo boy, this one's a doozy! It seems Mr. Wade Wilson ran out of medication and went on one heck of a killing spree. He travelled up to the lagoon and offed the entire group that had gathered there! Kode Hairesu, Mortimer Jones, Braden Marsh, Jodene Zalack, and Joe Gai. He killed them all in one fell swoop! Bravo, Mr. Wilson! Bravo!"

"I bet that got your blood pumping, didn't it, kids? Well guess what, we aren't done yet! Mousy little Madison Conner went on her own miniature killing spree next, axing Sharon Kulikov before stabbing Paul Smith to death. I gotta say, Paul, for such a tough guy, you sure went out like a little girl! Next down was Christian Rydell in what was basically a mercy killing from his lover... er... friend, Will Sigurbjor-whatsawhosit! It was more lovers killing lovers next when Steve Digaetano offed Serenity Halos. Such a shame, she was such a hit with the fans!"

"Anthony Burbank died next when his cousin Lyn.... or Laeil, I guess she wants to be called now, went a little bit crazy and decided to slice and dice him. Jeff Marontate was right behind him, axed by Jessa Vanallen. Getting tired yet, kiddies? Don't worry, we're almost done! Eighteenth down was everyone's favorite little loudmouth, Guy Rapide. You see, there was a lot you all didn't know about Mr. Rapide, like the fact that he happened to be the father of Mary McKay's child! Well, Mary didn't take too kindly to the fact that Guy didn't want to protect her and their baby so... she cut off his testicals and killed him!"

"Sadly, she didn't live long afterwards. My favorite loony-toon, Wade Wilson, saw what she did to Guy and decided to gut her like a fish, making Mary McKay last on my list of deaths for the day! So, that brings us to our little office contest! Laeil, we like you, kid. Personally, I liked Wilson a little bit better considering he performed half of yesterday's kills, but the guys in the office say you're the one, so congratulations! But... you aren't the only one! See, this time, my staff was a bit indecisive, leading to a three way tie between yourself, Lenny Priestly, and Harry Tsai! Head on over to the northern coast to collect your prizes, kids! After you get it, the area won't be a dangerzone anymore, so watch your backs when you leave!"

"Moving right along, then, it's time for dangerzones. The north coast will remain a dangerzone temporarily, and will be cleared shortly. The brook and barracks are now clear. The following dangerzones will be going to affect in ten minutes. The hospital, the cottage, the lookout tower, and the mess hall. Run, little rabbits! Run! But first, you might want to stay tuned for the last part of my announcement. You see, there's a little pain in the ass group of students on the island that calls themselves S.A.D.D., and this little pain in the ass group has been going around, destroying my cameras."

"You see, this is a problem. Maybe you little peons think I haven't dealt with groups before... but you're wrong. Very wrong. So, this is how this is going to work. Are you listening, Neil Sinclair? You might want to listen a little closer."

A staticy noise erupted from the microphone for a moment before Danya's voice was wiped from existence. Instead, another voice, the voice of Trinity Sparks, echoed out over the PA system.

"Jazz? I think we're lost."

"We aren't lost... I just... don't know where we are right now, okay?"

"But we've been in this jungle for days and..."

"Shut up, okay? Just shut up and let me think."

Beep.

"J-Jazz... what was that?"

Beep.

"What on earth?!"

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

"J-Jazz... the jungle's not a dangerzone, right? What's going on?!"

"I... I don't know!"

BOOM!

"Oh my GOD! Trinity! TRINITY!"

BOOM!

The static sound burst from the sound system again, and Danya's voice once again rang through.

"Jazzalyn Creed. Trinity Sparks. Eliminated. But hold on, Neil Sinclair! I'm not done yet!"

BOOM!

"Wednesday Ryan. Eliminated."

BOOM!

"Melissa Diaz. Eliminated."

The sounds of the girls anguished screams as their collars exploded filled the PA for a moment, even sending chills down Dorian's spine, who was hunkered over in his cubicle.

"Here's the deal, Mr. Sinclair. For every camera you break, I blow another collar. I think you'll find that I have more cameras than you all have heads, and it's just a matter of time until you or one of your other pesky little members rolls the lucky number. I hope I've made myself crystal clear on that. Toodles!"

The PA cut to silence, leaving nothing but the girls' bone-chilling screams resonating in the air.

---

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
So, just a few things to cover. Laeil Burbank, as stated in the announcement, is the winner of this month's best kill contest, and will have her new weapon PM'd to her shortly. Llama, you'll need to write up a post about Laeil picking up the weapon and post it on the northern shore to claim your prize. The weapons are air dropped in crates. The winners of this month's best death competition are Crash and Ceil, who will each receive one roll nullification card. Congratulations, boys. Dangerzones are the same as always, you have three real-life days to clear out of them or your character will die via collar detonation. So, that brings us to the fun part. Dice rolls.

Lucky number seven is what I came up with. Seven rolls. Seven deaths.

Benni Davidson
Jeff Thorne
Jake Henkie
Joey McHaimond
Herman Johnson
Corbin Arlen
John Cox

You have three real-life days to begin your deaths and five to complete it. If you require an extension, you may ask, but will not necessarily be granted one. If you wish to use a hero/swap card or if someone wishes to use their roll null on you, you must inform me ASAP in this topic. Happy hunting!