Survival Of The Fittest

He had been quietly watching Elsie, waiting to see if she would answer his question. It looked as if an internal conflict was happening within her, even if Fred hadn’t truly gotten to know the girl in school. They were allies now, and he had been known to worry over the most simple of things… but oddly enough, he could almost tell that this just wasn’t something small.

“Elsie, ducks… you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want.” He said softly, using the tree as support as he rose to his feet. Holding his stomach as he slowly walked toward the other girl, reaching out and placing a hand along her shoulder in a comforting manner. “But…” He began, dropping his voice a bit. “If it becomes to much… and you feel as though you have to get it out. Please, tell me I promise I’ll listen and I won’t judge you.”

And as it seemed he had gotten through to her, sudden movements sent him turning in his spot when a voice flooded the quiet area. Fred blinking a bit as he tried to focus on the male standing on the scene before them… and from his spot he almost felt the need to tell the girls to stand back, and to not go near him… but as Lyndi yelled out;

"Vince!”

Vince Samsa… he had been a player on the football team. He had remembered seeing him at a number of football games Glenn and himself had attended in their time at Barry Coleson High. He had also remembered hearing his name once while the hockey team was discussing the other sport teams in the school, Vince’s name had come up quite a number of times from the other players.

He watched lightly as Lyndi got up from her spot and moved to stand next to Elsie, he watched them lightly before returning to looking toward Vince looking the boy over lightly. Fred couldn’t understand it… he was another student from Barry Coleson, he had walked the halls with this person… maybe even shared some classes. But even still… even with all he was telling himself…

‘Why does it feel like I can’t trust him…’

Maybe he was being overprotective of the girls? Since Callum had left he was pretty much left with their safety… not saying anything against the girls, but he had seen others similar to them with his time on the island. And he wasn’t quite so sure if the girls would be able to handle themselves in a situation such as this. Lyndi had only been on the island for a day… he wasn’t quite sure about Elsie but the other girl didn’t seem to be well herself.

"You don't really plan on using that on anybody, do you?"

‘Eh?' Fred blinked, looking up out of his thoughts at the question, glancing once more to Vince and drifted his eyes down to the gun in the other boy’s grasp… ‘Fuck, fuck, fuck!’ He hissed back in thought, as he found himself biting down against his bottom lip. ‘If he attacks what the bloody hell am I supposed to do… I still do have a couple of flashbangs left those could work… like before.’

The pictures of the murdering girl back at the hospital shot back into his mind… he had watched that girl be killed, watched as her body had been riddled with bullets, and part of her head exploded in a spray of blood, bone and brain matter. Pressing a hand to his forehead he breathed, biting harder against his lips until he tasted blood before the image of the dead girl left his mind.

He once again focused on those around him, as Vince questioned them on the status of their weaponry. Lyndi quickly showing off her jump rope which caused Fred to cock a brow in slight confusion. ‘It really is luck of the draw…’ but when the girl turned on Elsie and himself, he blinked glancing over lightly to his daypack with a frown. “I just have a pipe wrench…” He lied, sucking a bit at his lip in order to try and stop the bleeding now coming from there.

The nunchaku weren’t worth mentioning anyway, and the flashbangs would be used in the surprise attack if need be against the other boy. Even if he had agreed to help, he still couldn’t trust the other as far as he could throw them… which wasn’t very far to start with. But as Lyndi approached him… he found himself blinking a bit as the girl questioned him lightly.

‘How did I do it? How am I still alive…’

Fred glanced off a bit, bowing his head a bit as his mind went into rewind to try and discover the answer, all he had since, all he had been through… but only a single thought came back.

“I had hope… hope that I could get off this damn place, that maybe this could all be a bad dream. And I had Jeremy, Heather… and everyone else I came to befriend here. And I had Glenn too… they're the reasons I’m standing here right now.”

'Weapons?'

Elsie had checked her daypack several days ago, but she hadn't given the strange rope a second thought since.

"Umm..." Elsie replied cutely as she rummaged in her pack, as it was her habit to talk that way, "I got this rope thing? At least I think that's my weapon... although it's not likely to cause much harm against someone dangerous..."

Something gave her an odd feeling that this wasn't good. Vince, whom she most definately did not trust, had the only gun between the four of them. What was to keep him from shooting them all...

... perhaps he would think twice however... about shooting a pregnant girl.

She looked at Fred... for some reason, she desperately wanted to tell him. Perhaps it was the genuine concern he had for her... still she felt awkward just saying it in front of Vince, and even more strange in front of Lyndi. Would Lyndi be angry that she hadn't said anything to her yet?

She simply looked at Vince and quivered. Something wasn't right.

You survived because you had hope... you had friends... I desperately need that. I hope that you and Elsie will be able to provide. I'm worried about Callum... he promised me he'd come back, but... what if he doesn't?

She sort of felt bad for somewhat excluding the other two students from their conversation. There was just something about Fred, something told her that she could trust him. A question formulated in her mind as she looked at the other two. There was somewhat of an unsettling aura surrounding everyone, it was as if they were incomfortable. Granted, Vince Samsa was a very intimidating young man in terms of appearances, but he seemed friendly enough.

"Fred..." Lyndi inquired quietly.

She could sense the apprehension that her two companions were feeling toward this new face. Should she be afraid as well? He had a gun, but it had never really crossed Lyndi's mind that he would want to take their lives. Yes, the Shinya boy might have tried, given the chance, but he was one of those quiet ones... the weird kids who sat in the back of the classrooms. Vince Samsa was not like that. He was popular, a jock... he was one of them.

"Are you okay with this? Him... being here? Everyone seems so uncomfortable."

She tried to speak in a low manner, hoping that Vince would not overhear the conversation. It might have hurt his feelings, or worse, it might have made him mad. If that were the case, they really would have something to fear. The feeling of cluelessness that Lyndi had was unbearable, and she hoped Fred's answer would help to clear things up. She looked the new boy over once again. He certainly was an intimidating factor. There were probably others like him on the island... others who were ready and willing to play. It dawned on Lyndi that should she come across one of those people, she did not stand a chance.

Fred had told her that his friends helped him to survive. She wanted to survive, desperately. More importantly, more important than surviving, she did not want to be alone. She clung to that thought desperately. Lyndi had been alone once before, and that was when she had witnessed the atrocity that had been committed at the gazebo. She did not wish to undergo such mental anguish again. Not by herself. If her first statement had been hushed, the one she made next was barely audible, not to mention somewhat out of the blue.

"Fred... you'll stay with me, right? Callum promised to protect me but... he's gone now. You won't leave me too, will you?"

Lyndi's true nature was coming out now. She was scared of being alone... worried that Fred would leave if this new face joined up with them. She felt safe with her current friends, and she wanted to retain that feeling at all costs. Folding her arms across her chest again, she glanced about the area. Had they noticed how blatantly she had tried to keep conversation with the other young man private? Lyndi certainly hoped not.

Two pieces of rope and a pipe wrench. Vince had a small smile, he could trust them. They couldn’t touch him, what are they going to do? Attempt to strangle him with a jump rope? ”Goddamn’ it Elsie his neck his so big I can’t get a tight enough noose!” he pictured Lyndi saying that if they attempted to kill him and with that he managed to chuckle slightly.

When he noticed them talking together he felt a little like an outcast (and that was certainly not a familiar feeling), he tried to make sure that he didn’t look like he felt left out.

Fred had glanced back off to Elsie when she had made mention of what weapon she had been assigned, both girls had rather questionable weapons, both pretty useless. His weapons weren’t much better, and the flashbangs being the only thing that seemed wound be any use in the near future if Vince seemed to be more dangerous than he appeared. He looked back to Lyndi as his name was spoken, watching her a moment before she spoke, questioning him on if he was okay with Vince being here with here. She clearly able to tell it seemed of the uneasiness that surround the group since Vince had arrived on the scene.

Glancing over to the boy in question, he frowned a bit before looking back to Lyndi with a shrug. “He puts me a little on edge, but… I suppose I trust him none the less.” He answered lightly, folding his arms about his chest as he leaned back on the soles of his shoes some.

But even still, how long would he stay with these people, he knew he had to get back to Glenn and the others. He had promised to help find a way off this place, not to mention if an escape plan was discovered there was no way he was leaving without his brother, or Jeremy, or anyone else that had been in the other group for that matter.

Sighing a bit, he listened on Lyndi again as she spoke blinking at the almost… pleading tone of voice she carried. ‘Though I have to find the others… I can’t just leave the girls either…’ Sighing a bit, he closed his eyes briefly before nodding, “No… I won’t leave you.”

Opening his eyes a bit, he glanced between the two girls. "Either of you, oright. So you both are stuck with me till we figure out how to get off this damn island." He mused, smiling.

((Sllllithering from: Requiem))

The quietness of the woods was unsettling as Cody crept along, slowly working his way towards the tall stone monolith that was the lighthouse. He skirted the woods, keeping himself in the shadows of the treeline. He carried only his pack, having left Loretta in a safe place back in the woods a bit. In his left hand he held the bloodstained hatchet, and in his right the crowbar, his pistol being stowed in the front of his pants. He had taken off his jacket and shirt and was now only in his beater, which revealed his sculpted frame. A sick smile was plastered on his face as he moved, twisting his features and making his scarred face more sinister than ever. He eventually reached the path, where he could see the door to the lighthouse. He saw several people at the door, and crept closer to get a better look.

2 Girls....
2 Boys....

He noticed that one of the boys was enormous, and recognized his siluhette from the beach. It was the character who had asked him for a weapon.

If he continues to get in my way...I may be forced to off him myself...

He then caught a glimps of the two girls. One seemed to be a typical large breasted bimbo that Cody so often took advantage off after winning games. The other....It was Her!

Cody was awestruck by her beauty. There, twice in the same day, he had run across the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He took it as a sign from God, and decided that it was time to introduce himself.

Cody casually strode from his hiding place to the open, approaching the four characters who were still unknowingly chatting at the door. He continued to smile, hoping that they would see it as a friendly gesture.

I'll do anything for you...Kill anyone for you...

Lyndi could not help but smile as Fred confirmed her hope that he was staying around for the duration. He was going to stay around for her, and for Elsie. Maybe now, she could stop worrying so much. She scanned the area once again, until something suddenly caught the corner of her eye.

Another boy was coming toward them. The first thing Lyndi noticed was the bloody hatchet the young man held in his hand. Her eyes widened as she looked over this newcomer. The smile on his face seemed to be deceiving, as though the blood covered hatchet were telling his true nature.Nudging Fred lightly, she nodded in the direction of the oncoming menace.

"Hey..."

It was the only word that she could muster. Unlike when Vince Samsa had appeared, Lyndi now felt threatened. This boy was heavily armed, not only carrying the bloody hatchet but a crowbar as well. Somehow, Lyndi was completely oblivious to the other, more sinister weapon that had been stashed away.

Glancing around in a panic, Lyndi felt herself freeze up. She had a bad feeling about this new person. He wore a sinister, almost evil-looking expression on his face. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Unless Vince Samsa had good aim, they were in serious trouble. Everyone else's weapons certainly failed in comparison.

Oh God... we're going to get chopped to bits by a psycho with a hatchet. This looks like something out of a bad horror movie. She glanced nervously at Fred, then Vince, then finally at Elsie. Biting her lower lip, she could say nothing. They needed to leave. Now. Something was definitely wrong here.

Elsie's lip quivered. The boy looked menacing... and familiar.

She whispered hurriedly, "isn't that the boy... the boy from the path?"

“Fuck.” Vince muttered to the group “this guy is bad, and I mean fucking really bad… he tried to kill me.” Vince had to formulate a plan and now “Guys we need to distract this guy and get out of here! We can’t let him kill us because he will, we can’t, I can’t die here.” he whispered very loudly. “We need to distract him, we need to get the fuck out of here now!”

Fred had fallen silent in the past moments drifting between the three others that current should within his sight. Yawning a bit more, he leaned back further against his current location looking out past Lyndi who had stood before him, and back toward the path that they had taken from the dirt path that led here to the lighthouse. Fred blinking a bit, as he remembered just moments before as he decided to venture onto the path itself hoping to find someone… anyone that could help him in the state he had been in.

That’s when he had found Lyndi, which caused him to pass off a small smile to the girl. She had pretty much saved his life, having kept him from bleeding to death on that path. Giving him another chance at finding his brother, and finding his brother but this time with a lot more people in tow it seemed. But it didn’t matter, Lyndi and Elsie were sweet girls that didn’t deserve to go through something like this – none of them did, but some were much worse off mentally it seemed than others.

Breathing off a sigh he rubbed his hands together likely, glancing down to them to notice they where still lightly covered my now dry blood and the dirt from the path he making mental note to that washing them would probably be the best. So bending down he unzipped his bag and grabbed at one of his water bottles removing the top, though noticing this was the last of them, he always noticed that in the four days he had been here his food supply had been used. He frowning at this, but turned away and began pouring the water over his hands, stopping to scrub before continuing.

After a moment, and using his only spare shirt he had brought with him in his carry-on to dry them, looked over his hands a bit making sure that the blood and dirt were indeed gone before he stood upright again. Once again looking over the group, noting the sudden odd feeling glancing back on Lyndi as the other girl nudged him turning his attention as she spoke the single word Fred’s attention finding the person currently heading toward them. Jolts of panic forming in him as he looked over the other boy.

He glanced over him, his eyes quickly finding the weapon in his hands the crowbar and the bloody axe he shrugging a little as Elsie spoke, his face had been in the ground from falling when the incident on the dirtpath had happened. So he had seen much of anyone really but Callum and Lyndi, and when Vince was next to speak, speaking the fear he was sure they had all been worried about Fred in once again reached into bag and grabbing at the flashbang. Smiling a bit, only three where left after this… “One distraction coming up mates.”

They are all talking about me...They think I am crazy, just like him...I am not though, I can think just fine, if these damn headaches would just go away....

Cody continued to slowly approach the group of four, seeing the conspiratorial whispering that gave them the look of a middle school clique. He noticed one boy break off, holding something in his hand...Something that looked suspiciously like a grenade.

Acting quickly he sprinted towards the boy, hoping to drive his left shoulder into his midsection before he could let go of the deadly weapon. Cody held the ax in his right hand, knowing that it was the weapon of choice over the crowbar in a close combat battle. The boy was stocky, it would be a challenge to end him before the others could converge.

Gotta do him quick, then I can squeeze some shots off at dumbo there, and then I'll take the girls. Kill the bimbo. Keep Lyndi. Love Lyndi.

Love Lyndi.

No. Vince pointed his gun at the advancing boy, was he ready to fire? Could he really do it? The gun felt warm in his hand and as he saw his chance escaping him he put slight pressure on the trigger and finally fired at the boy… he kept his hand on the trigger, he would not hesitate to fire another bullet… hesitation meant death after all.

Cody felt a searing pain in his neck as the bullet grazed his skin. With a snarl, he twisted out of his charge and threw the ax at vince, sending it end over end towards the large boy. He then drew his own pistol and began firing shots willdly, at the large boy and then at the boy with the grenade. He really was not aiming to hit, but more to scare, and he hoped that he could at least cut someone off to finish them solo.

Gotta Hurry...Can't let them regroup...Kill...

Cody's eyes were wild. If someone who had seen after the warehouse incident could see him now, they would notice that the blood vessels in his eyes had once again burst. They were, once again, blood red.

As he placed his hand on the pin of the flashbangs, his movement to remove the pin stopped when he saw the other boy keep up speed and started sprinting toward him. No doubt in order to try and halt the flashbang from going off, but as the boy got closer a single shot stopped him in his spot. He only stayed still a moment before hauling his axe toward Vince, and then removing a pistol and starting to fire wildly at the other three there.

In the wild gunfire he felt a familiar jolt of hot pain as a bullet lodge itself along his thigh, sending him against the ground though still clutching the flashbang tightly. Gritting his teeth, he looked up to the other as the firing stopped, coming to look up at the blood red eyes of the other boy. Glancing to the girls, he moved quickly to plan the flashbang in his hand into the side pocket of his shorts and remove the pipe wrench from his bag. Getting back onto his feet in shaky movement, “You lot need to get inside now, oright? Lock the door, something… Take care of this damn loony.” He muttered to them softly.

"I TOLD YOU I'M NOT FUCKING CRAZY YOU PIG FACED FOREIGN BASTARD"
Cody hissed through clenched teeth, his eyes wide.

He shoved the gun back down the front of his pants and gripped the tire iron with two hands, as if he was holding a baseball bat. He then slowly began moving towards Fred, bits of spittle beginning to pool into the corners of his mouth. He was freely crying, and tears flowed down his reddened cheeks.

Called me crazy...I'M NOT CRAZY...Tell him what he's won....HE DIDN'T WIN ANYTHING CUZ HE IS DEAD....NyaNya British bastard...DEADEADEADEAD

Fucking Chuck Norris.