Hiding

[riserugu*]

Undoing the pack from his shoulder, he pocketed both objects and went about tearing at the end of his shirt working out a decent sized slip of shirt, and moved to start tying it about Madeline’s forearm somewhat tightly. Removing both the syringe and bottle from his pocket as he listened to her begin talking once more.

Admitting about all he had given up, and still there was supposed to be something left. Somehow he found it hard to believe that anything good could be left in him. But keeping his mouth closed he listened on, removing the top from the syringe and filling it with the clear medicine, pocketing what was left.

Using his free hand he reached out, pressing lightly against her arm before pressing the needle to the skin. Something he still hasn’t given up on… at the thought he couldn’t help but find himself smiling lightly. “You’re right… There is something. I want to meet my mother, just to talk to her you know? And I don’t want to give up here because I know if I do – I won’t ever get to see her.”

Removing his finger and made a quick jab into the skin pushing the medicine in, “Truth be told, I’d rather stay will all of you… I just hate to think what’ll happen if I let myself be alone again. Silly I know, but…” He trailed off, removing the needle and pressing his finger against to stop the blood starting to seep through.

Though as he heard David’s voice, which he had to admit he’d rather not, when he spoke. “To clear something up, I haven’t admitted to being to weak to fight this.” He muttered hotly, using the torn piece of cloth as a make-sift bandage of sorts to cover it.

“It’s just I’ve given up a lot of things. After all, if I had been to weak to fight this game, do you really think that you would still be alive after meeting me? Do you think Adam would still be alive after knowing me this long if I couldn’t fight this…”

He found himself blinking lightly when a voice broke through the walls of the house, and David quickly removed his gun moving toward one of the windows.

[cldukillurbestfriend]

Smiling Devi replied to him," Umm I dont know what to do to gain your trust. All i know is that i'm not looking for trouble...i'm just really scared and I hope you can believe me."

She then held out her hand,"Oh hi my names Devi. You probably know me from school i guess but hardly anyone ever talks to me. Ummm whats ur name again?"

[Cactus]

Amanda listened to the new arrival identify herself, and frowned. It was getting far too packed here, what with Hawley, Marcus, Adam...

She glanced around the room and frowned. Adam had gone outside a while back yet hadn't returned yet. Alarmed, she looked at Madelaine, and hissed to her.

"Madelaine...where's Adam? Shouldn't he have been back by now? What if this girl......" She trailed off, shuddering at the thought.

[Slayer*]

"Well, Devi, it would be best for you to leave. It would be best if you just turned around, forgot we were here, and left. I don't want trouble." Daivd said, angling the gun at Devi, silently admitting he was getting too comfortable with it than he'd like. He couldn't trust the newcomer, and something about the way she spoke suggested a murderer.

[LadyMakaze*]

Madelaine looked about the makeshift bandage on her arm, using her fingers to make sure it was wrapped all snugly, though not so much to discomfort herself. It was a fine bit of work, really, and Madelaine was impressed. Carefully, she unfolded the white sleeve of her shirt and carefully brought it down over the bandage, refastening the cuff. She looked up, giving Hawley a grateful smile. "Thank you, really... Actually, I think that even though we'll be going our seperate ways soon, we're still allies. As long as none of us gives up, none of us will be alone."

Her attention was soon captured by the arrival of yet another newcomer, followed by Amanda whispering to her, expressing her concern about the sudden disappearance of Adam. Feeling frantic, Madelaine looked around. Was he not inside, just moments ago? Did he leave or something?

This cannot be good....

"I didn't hear any gunshots, or any shouting voices coming from outside, but then again...." Her voice trailed off as her mouth was pressed to her lips. She carefully got up to her feet and peered over David's shoulder looking over at Devi. She had never seen this girl before, and due to Adam's sudden disappearance....she had a reason to become suspicious.

Beyond Devi's shoulder, she could see absolutely no sign of Adam. If he wasn't nearby....he could be anywhere by now. With a sharp glance toward Amanda, she quickly turned to gather her things: her kit and the diary with the photo she had left on the floor.

"Amanda," she murmured. Now, her smile had disappeared, replaced by a serious, almost grim expression. Her usual cool mask of composure had returned. She briskly put on her blazer and began tying her hair back with the ribbon. "I think....its best if we leave now. He can't have gone far in such a short time. We can still catch up to him if we hurry."

[Cactus]

Amanda nodded, her heart beginning to race. She had to find Adam. It had started out that she was searching for him, but now, he had wandered off again...

She couldn't bear to stomach the thought of what she might do if she found his body. As she pulled herself up, she quietly grabbed Hawley by the shoulder, and whispered to him.

"We're leaving...Adam's up and disappeared, and ...I need to find him. So Madelaine and I are leaving. Feel free to come along if you'd like...and if not...until we meet again."

She wrapped her arms around the undoubtedly surprised boy and gave him a warm hug. Smiling at him, she pulled away, and slipped out of the back door, waiting for Madelaine as she got outside into the rain.

[riserugu*]

Hawley had been observing the whole ordeal from his spot and was indeed somewhat surprised when he felt something grab at his shoulder. Listening quietly as Amanda whispered of her plan to leave to search out Adam, after his disappearing act that none of them seemed to have taken note of.

Nodding, he was ready to turn to reclaim his bag but was stopped when arms wrapped about his shoulders pulling him into a hug. A light shade of red spreading across his pale cheeks, he blinking lightly as he watched the girl move across the house and out of the back door. Waiting Madeline to follow sighing lightly as he turned grabbing at his bag and pulling it up onto his shoulder.

Rubbing a spot on his forehead he followed Amanda’s steps leading out of the back door of the house glancing about the area surrounding the house. “I’ll go with you… heads would roll if something happened to you and Adam found out. And anyway,” He muttered, dropping his voice somewhat as those inside the house wouldn’t hear. “Personally, I don’t trust that David guy too much.”

[LadyMakaze*]

With her things packed neatly and the strap of her kit resting on her shoulder, she waited beside the door, allowing Amanda and Hawley to pass before exiting the building, for the most part ignored by the remaining company. After quietly closing the door behind her, she took off to catch up with Amanda and Hawley, walking alongside them.

"So....you'll be coming with us then?" Madelaine asked, looking towards Hawley. "Well, in that case, welcome aboard." She smiled slightly. "To be honest...even after all you'd said back there, I still trust you. Even if we had split up just now, I was thinking of looking out for you later on once we caught up with Adam. After all...." She looked on ahead, lowering her voice slightly.

"You helped me back there, helped me keep a promise I made way back. Later on...and soon, I hope, it'll be my turn to help you." She turned to flash another smile at Hawley, if only for a brief moment, before moving alongside Amanda.

"If he had been in the fields, he would stick out like a bent nail. The woods is off the list, obviously, so I suppose that would leave....the Bamboo Coppice?"

[Cactus]

Amanda nodded, her heart sick with worry. She just hoped that she found him before anyone more sinister would be able to. He DID have a shotgun with him, and she supposed that made a difference, but she couldn't help but shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hoped Madelaine was right. She feigned a smile, and looked at Hawley and Madelaine.

"Okay...Bamboo Coppice. Hm, I wonder what that place is like...I don't even know what a Coppice is, actually."

She began to walk away from the house, hoping to leave the tension behind.

[riserugu*]

Hawley found himself lightly returning the smile as he followed along a few steps behind the girls, though at the mention of Madeline choice of where they should go next he felt his body give a shiver.

Be it from the cold rain still beating down on them or the fact of the memories that flashed through his mind of what had happened back in the coppice. But either way, the fire in there should be gone by now... and maybe Adam had wondered back there.

"A coppice is just a thicket or grove of small trees or shrubs... so really, just a bunch of bamboo in one place." He said, blinking once finishing as he found himself blushing again and deciding that the ground was interesting enough to look at, at the moment.

[cldukillurbestfriend]

"Fine, i'm sorry to have bothered you...i just wanted some companions." she started to walk away.

See no one wants you, just kill yourself.

"Shut up,"she whispered to the bear.

Turning around once more she faced David...."Please are you sure I cant come with you? I just really wanted someone to hang with. Just...reconsider please?"

[LadyMakaze*]

"Well, I suppose that's what the name kind of suggests. Lots of bamboo in one place, huh...? Can't be any more dangerous than the fields, though it sounds like quite a place to get lost in...." Madelaine looked sideways at Amanda, and then over her shoulder at Hawley. She was surprised to see that there was a slight tinge to red across the boy's face as he observed the ground at his feet as they went along. Looking back at Amanda, she could see the faint traces of worry and tension on her face. Well Amanda's case was obvious enough...she was desperate to find Adam after finding him once only to lose him again. Madelaine briefly wondered what was currently going on in Hawley's mind, though she decided it was best not to pry.

As she walked on, she gradually felt the symptoms of her cold, light-headedness and all, subsiding. She had finally stopped sneezing and coughing, though she still felt a bit congested. But really, it felt wonderful compared to how she had felt earlier on. Reaching into her kit, she took out her water bottle, snapping off the seal and gulping down a bit of water, feeling somewhat relieved as the coolness gushed down her throat.

As she lowered the bottle, something in the distance caught her eye. She narrowed them, focusing her keen vision on what lay just beyond.

Above the ground was simply a patch of empty air, though there appeared to be faint, sparse traces of black wisps curling up into the sky. Was that....smoke? Furthermore, thin, pole-like cylinders jutted out of the ground, charred black almost all the way to the bottom. From a distance, it looked almost like one, gigantic spike trap. Beyond that, there was a thin fog of greyness concealing what lay farther ahead.

"Is this where we're heading?" She thought aloud. "It looks as though....there had been a fire here."

[Slayer*]

David was not there to hear Devi's request. When he saw Amanda, Madelaine, and Hawley walk out, he cursed to himself and followed them, obligated by oath to make sure Amanda got off the island alive, or at least was the last one standing. Joining them outside, he heard Madelaine's comment.
"There was. Someone threw a Molotov Cocktail during a gunfight and nearly burned the place down." he answered.

A Note to the Reader: While David Jackson is technically still in this topic beyond this post, he performs no actions nor has any dialogue beyond this point, thus, his continuation link shall be posted here.

((Continued in: Shelter from the Rain))

[riserugu*]

Hawley blinked lightly, as he looked up from his feet over what was left of the coppice. The fire had indeed done its work of this place, reminding somewhat of a place out of small child’s nightmare. The once bright green stocks of bamboo, covering the area in their leaves… where now charred black, the ground taking on a similar look.

Hearing Madeline’s comment on the coppice’s look, he nodded slowly from his spot. “After the lighthouse became a danger zone, this is where Adam and I came. Of course, Alan was still in our group at the time… we came here as a place to rest, as all of us weren’t in the best of shape at the time. Well, as we where resting, another person from our school Edward Rommel had came by… him and another boy where being chased by those bastards Jacob and Uriel, who had been at the lighthouse till we chased them out.” Frowning a little, he casted a glanced over the coppice once more before continuing.

“Well, we all ended fighting, back at the lighthouse Jacob and Uriel had made some molotov cocktails and they decided to use them while we where fighting and this is the result…”

[LadyMakaze*]

Madelaine nearly jumped, startled at the sound of the voice that had not come from either Amanda or Hawley. Swirling around, she looked to meet the eyes of David, who had decided to follow them out of the house. She looked at him with a faint hint of disdain. "Oh....so you're following us now? I suppose that's alright, though we're forming quite a crowd here."

It was already clear by now that Hawley, Amanda, and Madelaine herself distrusted David. judging him for his cold, emotionless manner in such extreme circumstances. But in any case, Madelaine decided that four would make a reasonable number for a travelling company. That aside, Madelaine was definately not about to chase away someone who would never balk or bat an eye to shoot at someone, let alone point a gun at them.

She turned back towards the ruins of the coppice, staring as Hawley and David both recounted what had happened in this area. Of all things....molotov cocktails, of all things! A chill ran down her spine. Her grip on the strap along her shoulder tightened.

"So...there are those who really are serious about winning this game after all, aren't there?" she murmured. "Young people like us, hunting down fellow classmates without mercy... How awful..."

She slowly stepped towards the coppice, trying to make sense of it all. Even from a distance, she could easily make out the outline of a large, black lump lying flat against the ground. And perhaps there was another one nearby. Were those....bodies?

Turning pale underneath her tan, she turned away from the scene of ruin without a word, fingers resting against the side of her mouth.