((Alessio continued from Minus Something))
He had tears in his eyes. They were itching and red. He didn't interfere. He couldn't. Raina took everything away from him.
"Why did you kill her?"
His love. His love who did not even know who he was. She did not know how he looked like. This was a bullshit bizarre situation. He killed for her, he killed to show her, to show her what she had done to him. But she did not realise.
She will never realise. She will always think that he was a murderer, a creep no more. She is dead now, though. And her memory? Her memory was gone. Her existance had been erased. Vanessa's beautiful face now just was. He couldn't look at her. No. Last week ago he wanted to marry her. He would have done anything to marry her. A week later she was not anymore.
Al died inside. Vanessa was just. Vanessa. All the things he had done for her.
Maxim was Al's friend, but. Maxim was hostile, just like Al had been hostile. He probably felt like Al felt before he knew that there were friendly people. Maxim probably listens to the terrorists. But he does not know the peaceful way Kizi suggested. If they had been peaceful they could have avoided this. If Lili, him, Raina, Penelope and Johnny would have recruited Maxim and Vanessa, Al would have two people he liked recruited. He would be able to speak with them once more before they would all die on this island. But that was not the case. Maxim killed Vanessa. Vanessa didn't want to be killed. She should have survived. She should have won the fight. Al rooted for Vanessa to overwhelm Maxim. All of Al's hate for Vanessa went away as he saw her once again. He used to hate her for what she did days ago, but Alessio completely forget all of that when he saw her again. But seeing her once again reminded him of the past. He fell in love with her again. Seeing her again evoked the feelings he felt everytime he saw her in school.
But now it's too late. For Vanessa. Not for Maxim. But for the more important living being out of the the two. The most important human of the island was dead. Vanessa was more worth than 106 lives.
Al was just standing there, after he came out from behind a bookshelf to stare at Maxim. His posture was him looking down. He held his fake gun in his hands, not pointing it at Maxim. It was not too late for Maxim. He would Kizi him.
"..."
If he could only find words to say to Maxim.
This Nearly Was Mine
Alessio Rigano.
At one point in Maxim's life, that name was a comfort. A friend. Now, it was a killer. Another killer, to be clear. Maxim could add that title to his own name now, discomforting as it was.
The alarming fact wasn't that Alessio was there. The alarming fact was that Alessio was there and he had a gun in his hands. And Maxim had nothing of the sort in his own.
He was standing a fair bit away, as was his bag. If he could just stall him, everything would turn out fine for him. As for Alessio, that remained to be seen. He didn't want to shoulder Alessio's burden, considering how he would have to be responsible for a far larger number of other kills if Maxim was going to get out alive.
So he took a step forward.
"I do not think you are in any position to ask that, Alessio."
At one point in Maxim's life, that name was a comfort. A friend. Now, it was a killer. Another killer, to be clear. Maxim could add that title to his own name now, discomforting as it was.
The alarming fact wasn't that Alessio was there. The alarming fact was that Alessio was there and he had a gun in his hands. And Maxim had nothing of the sort in his own.
He was standing a fair bit away, as was his bag. If he could just stall him, everything would turn out fine for him. As for Alessio, that remained to be seen. He didn't want to shoulder Alessio's burden, considering how he would have to be responsible for a far larger number of other kills if Maxim was going to get out alive.
So he took a step forward.
"I do not think you are in any position to ask that, Alessio."
"Touché."
That was the Maxim he knew. The smart, witty German. Always had an answer for everything.
Alessio rubbed his teary eyes. How to tell him things. He could not tell him that he loved Vanessa. That would be embarrassing. Especially since all the world would be revealed his secret love. He had never told anyone about his crush on Vanessa. Not even his closest friends. It was just a secret for himself.
But now it didn't matter, did it? Vanessa was dead and nobody cared who he had a crush on.
Still, Alessio felt uncomfortable explaining himself to Maxim. But Alessio knew that he could talk.
"There. Is a group. A big group. We could join it, Maxim."
Alessio couldn't join it. But perhaps Maxim can.
"Their plan is to stop the game by slowing it down. Stopping the killing. To beat the people who put us in here."
That was the Maxim he knew. The smart, witty German. Always had an answer for everything.
Alessio rubbed his teary eyes. How to tell him things. He could not tell him that he loved Vanessa. That would be embarrassing. Especially since all the world would be revealed his secret love. He had never told anyone about his crush on Vanessa. Not even his closest friends. It was just a secret for himself.
But now it didn't matter, did it? Vanessa was dead and nobody cared who he had a crush on.
Still, Alessio felt uncomfortable explaining himself to Maxim. But Alessio knew that he could talk.
"There. Is a group. A big group. We could join it, Maxim."
Alessio couldn't join it. But perhaps Maxim can.
"Their plan is to stop the game by slowing it down. Stopping the killing. To beat the people who put us in here."
Step.
"Do you think I have not already tried that? Finding my friends? Staying together? Keeping safe? Not killing?"
Another step.
"If we were to be rescued, or if we were to beat this game, it would have happened by now."
Stop.
"I have accepted it. And you are smart, Alessio, you need to accept it too."
As long as you do not accept it within my vicinity.
"Do you think I have not already tried that? Finding my friends? Staying together? Keeping safe? Not killing?"
Another step.
"If we were to be rescued, or if we were to beat this game, it would have happened by now."
Stop.
"I have accepted it. And you are smart, Alessio, you need to accept it too."
As long as you do not accept it within my vicinity.
Alessio was not sure what to say. Maxim went closer to him.
"Maxim..."
The person in front of Alessio was Alessio with the same thoughts he had some days ago. What would he have told to his past-self regarding his thoughts on game?
"I know that it's hopeless. I know we can't be saved. I know we are doomed."
Alessio put his gun back into his pocket. God, he needs to wash his jeans after going home.
"But dying in a group is better than dying alone. A human's uh life is worth much. We can delay our deaths in the group. We can spend our last days together in a group. We can spend our times as the class of Cochise. Not alone as victims of people who had killed. I wouldn't want to have died as the people I had killed. I wouldn't want to have died as Vanessa. I think dying in peace with friends...is...uh."
God, speaking was hard. He did not want to speak anymore. He just wants Maxim to get it.
"Maxim..."
The person in front of Alessio was Alessio with the same thoughts he had some days ago. What would he have told to his past-self regarding his thoughts on game?
"I know that it's hopeless. I know we can't be saved. I know we are doomed."
Alessio put his gun back into his pocket. God, he needs to wash his jeans after going home.
"But dying in a group is better than dying alone. A human's uh life is worth much. We can delay our deaths in the group. We can spend our last days together in a group. We can spend our times as the class of Cochise. Not alone as victims of people who had killed. I wouldn't want to have died as the people I had killed. I wouldn't want to have died as Vanessa. I think dying in peace with friends...is...uh."
God, speaking was hard. He did not want to speak anymore. He just wants Maxim to get it.
Maxim did nothing as Alessio spoke but stare. He stared because he didn't want to risk getting any closer than he already was. He stared because the gun was still trouble. But mostly, he stared because he couldn't believe a single word of what he was saying.
Mostly because none of it applied to him.
When he stopped, Maxim stared the boy up and down. Without warning, he spoke again.
"I know you were once my friend, Alessio. So if that is true, why would you insult me like this?"
His hands clenched into fists.
"The amount of friends, the amount of people I give a fuck about, in this class, can be counted in one hand. And one of them is dead. So why the fuck should I fucking give a fuck about them?"
The words felt unnatural, rolling out of his mouth. Were he in a better state of mind he might have known that that was not how to swear. That also required knowing how to swear in the first place.
"I do not care about anyone in this fucking class. They all hate me, they all think I am weird and angry and a rapist because of what HE-"
Tiny stings erupted from his palms as Maxim's nails cut into the skin and started a flow of blood.
"Why the FUCK should I die for any of them? Why should I fucking care if they die? I do not want to die, and if you cannot see that-"
Maxim quickly pulled the bow from his shoulders and leapt forward.
"-YOU ARE NOT MY FUCKING FRIEND."
He swung.
Mostly because none of it applied to him.
When he stopped, Maxim stared the boy up and down. Without warning, he spoke again.
"I know you were once my friend, Alessio. So if that is true, why would you insult me like this?"
His hands clenched into fists.
"The amount of friends, the amount of people I give a fuck about, in this class, can be counted in one hand. And one of them is dead. So why the fuck should I fucking give a fuck about them?"
The words felt unnatural, rolling out of his mouth. Were he in a better state of mind he might have known that that was not how to swear. That also required knowing how to swear in the first place.
"I do not care about anyone in this fucking class. They all hate me, they all think I am weird and angry and a rapist because of what HE-"
Tiny stings erupted from his palms as Maxim's nails cut into the skin and started a flow of blood.
"Why the FUCK should I die for any of them? Why should I fucking care if they die? I do not want to die, and if you cannot see that-"
Maxim quickly pulled the bow from his shoulders and leapt forward.
"-YOU ARE NOT MY FUCKING FRIEND."
He swung.
Did Alessio really insult him? Or was Maxim just a person who can't hear other people's opinions?
It didn't matter now, as Maxim attacked him. Maxim was selfish, just like Alessio was. Is. Everybody's selfish. Nobody cares about other people in this situation.
Alessio was hit by a bow. Although it was just a blow from a bow, it hurt his head. Adrenaline rushed and Alessio used his right leg to kick Maxim between the legs, all while trying to protect his body from further hits with his arms shielding his head and torso.
It didn't matter now, as Maxim attacked him. Maxim was selfish, just like Alessio was. Is. Everybody's selfish. Nobody cares about other people in this situation.
Alessio was hit by a bow. Although it was just a blow from a bow, it hurt his head. Adrenaline rushed and Alessio used his right leg to kick Maxim between the legs, all while trying to protect his body from further hits with his arms shielding his head and torso.
Maxim's legs locked together as Alessio's own aimed between them. No, he would never be downed in such a humiliating way. Especially not by him. Not now.
He sprung off the backs of his heels and barrelled into his former friend. The two sprawled over the ground in a heap as Maxim attempted to wrestled his fingers around the gun in his pocket. After a suspiciously long several seconds, at least for what was easily a life or death situation, he gripped his hands around it, pulled it from his pocket, and pulled the trigger at what was Alessio's head.
Before he registered even a single one of the mistakes he'd made, be it the reality of the weapon, the position near his own bag, or how open he had left himself as he dove for the gun, Maxim felt something collide with his throat. The power threw him off the other boy, in a haze of delirium and what was now a comparative lack of oxygen going down.
Maxim was no longer concerned with Alessio. His flight instinct had collided with the fight, and now he just needed to breathe. He lay on his back, grasping with ravaged fingers at his own throat. Gutteral gasps filled the air.
"ghrk!" Maxim tried to say something at the other boy, but only noise came out.
He sprung off the backs of his heels and barrelled into his former friend. The two sprawled over the ground in a heap as Maxim attempted to wrestled his fingers around the gun in his pocket. After a suspiciously long several seconds, at least for what was easily a life or death situation, he gripped his hands around it, pulled it from his pocket, and pulled the trigger at what was Alessio's head.
Before he registered even a single one of the mistakes he'd made, be it the reality of the weapon, the position near his own bag, or how open he had left himself as he dove for the gun, Maxim felt something collide with his throat. The power threw him off the other boy, in a haze of delirium and what was now a comparative lack of oxygen going down.
Maxim was no longer concerned with Alessio. His flight instinct had collided with the fight, and now he just needed to breathe. He lay on his back, grasping with ravaged fingers at his own throat. Gutteral gasps filled the air.
"ghrk!" Maxim tried to say something at the other boy, but only noise came out.
Fool.
Not only Maxim, who stole the fake gun. No, Alessio was a fool to wrestle with Maxim. His fucking arm hurt. It just hurt immensly. Alessio was also panting like Maxim. Made tiny, high noises.
But no, Maxim was the fool who shot Al with a fake gun and now lying helpless there.
Alessio rolled himself to the Maxim's bag to grab the hammer. As he stood up with the hammer, Alessio decided to spare Maxim. He shouldn't kill him. They could talk.
Still Maxim was hostile and dangerous, so Alessio swung it, for the sake of safety.
Not only Maxim, who stole the fake gun. No, Alessio was a fool to wrestle with Maxim. His fucking arm hurt. It just hurt immensly. Alessio was also panting like Maxim. Made tiny, high noises.
But no, Maxim was the fool who shot Al with a fake gun and now lying helpless there.
Alessio rolled himself to the Maxim's bag to grab the hammer. As he stood up with the hammer, Alessio decided to spare Maxim. He shouldn't kill him. They could talk.
Still Maxim was hostile and dangerous, so Alessio swung it, for the sake of safety.
His head was spinning. Everything was going heavy. But as Alessio put his own foot down on Maxim's chest and stood over him in the exact same manner that he himself once stood over Vanessa, a single thought went through his head.
It wasn't that he could have prevented all this by changing the way he approached life, and people, and anyone.
It wasn't how he should have been more careful.
It wasn't even the fact that he shouldn't have started killing right now, he should have waited until there was less people left and he was in far less danger.
Well, it almost wasn't.
Because just four words entered his head and repeated until he lost his life under the hammer of Alessio Rigano.
It wasn't that he could have prevented all this by changing the way he approached life, and people, and anyone.
It wasn't how he should have been more careful.
It wasn't even the fact that he shouldn't have started killing right now, he should have waited until there was less people left and he was in far less danger.
Well, it almost wasn't.
Because just four words entered his head and repeated until he lost his life under the hammer of Alessio Rigano.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It'snotmyfaultit'snotmyfaultit'snotmyfaultit'snotmyfaultit'sno
CRACK
M018: MAXIM KEHLENBRINK - DECEASED
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
It'snotmyfaultit'snotmyfaultit'snotmyfaultit'snotmyfaultit'sno
CRACK
M018: MAXIM KEHLENBRINK - DECEASED
It was Alessio's fault and he fucked up.
((Alessio Rigano continued in Waiting for the End))
((Alessio Rigano continued in Waiting for the End))