Survival Of The Fittest

D A M N

Ellis just... Went off on his entire family. The insults he gave out would be humorous if it wasn't so shocking. Jack only really had Ellis. The only person he could trust or even know? Ellis. So to see him spew such vitriol and venom, he was a bit taken aback. Ironic saying as none of it showed on his face besides widened eyes, and raised eyebrows. Jack found that at that very moment, he knew more about Ellis's family than he did about his own identity. To put it bluntly he wasn't quite sure how he felt about that.

Then Ellis's was done, he crouched in the snow and took deep breaths. After a moment, Jack grabbed one of his unopened water bottles and walked over to Ellis. He pressed the cool bottle against Ellis's face then crouched beside him and gave a one armed hug. "Hey buddy... How was the catharsis?"

ZAMN.

What the person above this said in their thoughts!!!

Just...shocked. How someone could harbor that much hate for their family is...understandable, I guess. Still, shocking, but understandable. That's a lot of family secrets.

Kathleen was just kinda...staring. Blank.

Well...I bet it feels good to get all that out.

Ellis continued to stare down at the ground. He was still crying, but he wasn't feeling that sad. It was definitely cathartic to let out all that hatred and bitterness towards his shitty family. Even so, he was feeling exhausted and drained from having done all of that.

He then got knocked out of his fugue state when he felt a bottle against his cheek and an arm around him. Jack was comforting him.

"Oh, sorry. Thanks," Ellis said, taking the bottle and taking a quick swig.

He handed the bottle back. It was Jack's bottle, so he didn't want to take too much of his water. He quickly rubbed his eyes and stood up.

"Okay, I really needed to get that out. Probably won't amount to much, but at least I said my piece. Thank you for tolerating that."

Ellis cleared his throat and wiped his eyes again.

"So, um, shall we go? I probably alerted our location with all of that shouting, so we should get out of here."

He turned to Kathleen.

"Wanna come?"

Jack shook his head and handed the water bottle back. "it's fine keep it." Jack rose with him and spoke after. "No, thank you for trusting me enough to even... Say all that? Sorry, I'm not good with my words. Long and short it's fine and I'm just happy you're feeling better."

Jack nodded and went to gather his things. "Actually, I think we ought to stay a bit longer." Jack threw his head in Kathleen's direction. "One of us is still missing the catharsis, and it's better if we all get it out now than a, to be completely honest, unknown and possibly unlikely future. We all get a turn in the...The...Dang, what are they called?... Ah, Yes confessional."

Once Jack had his things he turned to Kathleen. "You too queen, join the catharsis train." Jack gave her what could only be described someone trying REALLY hard to smile, but in no way shape or form being use to it so it just looks weird.

Yeah. Well. At least they tried.

"Catharsis? Maybe. More just saying goodbye."

Turning back to the camera.

"I'm Kathleen Vozelnik. You sadistic fucks watching this in those dark web red rooms, probably jerking off to people dying, you probably already know me. Just a weirdly dressed girl you want to die a terrible, painful death. Well, whether or not that happens, I hope you go the way of honor and kill yourself while you still can. They'll find you."

Ahem. Wow. That...was something Kat felt weird saying. But also good. It showed on Kat's face, a mix of weirdness and catharsis.

"To my family. I'm glad we've had a good relationship. To the friends at my lunch table. Thank you. Dad, remember that time you came back to the money ripped up into tiny little pieces? That wasn't the dog. And I feel like shit every day I blamed it on him. I was young, anyways. Mom, your makeup is indeed being used by me. I have a feeling that you know, but I was always afraid to ask."

Sigh..

"And to everyone who doesn't know me, and needs to identify bodies later on, my name is Kathleen Vozelnik. I am 18 years old, and a Senior at John Endecott Memorial Academy. My mother is Kyung-Hwa Vozelnik and my father is Trofim Vozelnik. I was not born in the United States, as you can probably tell, and was born in Vladivostok, in Primorsky Krai, in the Leninsky Raion. I came to the United States when I was 14. That should be enough to identify the body and match it to all my information."

All the while saying this, Kat kept stoic and as emotionless as possible. Trying to keep the act for the cameras. The act is about to break, and Kat tries to hurry this along.

"I would like to be cremated. I do not want for my body to be on display for any sick fucks watching to come and dance on the grave. I want to be with my family after this is done. That is all. And to the detective watching this tape, give these fuckers hell and make sure that, unfortunately, die from suicide with two shots in the back of the head."

Kat turned around as quickly as she turned to the camera, and immediately tears flew down her face. It was just barely being held back. She nodded to the others. "I-I'm done. Let's go."

Ellis took the bottle at Jack's behest, then watched as the girl spoke. Her name was Kathleen, and from what she was saying, it sounded like she had a way better relationship with her family than he did. Hers would miss her if she died here, and she even had funeral arrangements discussed. Ellis wasn't sure how the bodies got back, but there was probably a way to cremate on the island.

"Okay. I think we're good to go," he said once Kathleen finished.

Ellis picked a direction and began walking. He was sure he stepped on some of the remnants of the photo on his way out. He hoped it was Darren's face he stepped on.

((Ellis Wheaton continued in Friar's Club))

Jack listened silently as she spoke. He had things to say about things she said.

He was almost certainly the only way any of their bodies would even get close to America, from wherever the hell they were, was by being the only survivor and dying back home. How from what he got from Teddie's memories the other games happened on more tropical islands, and how because of this they didn't even have an opportunity to get burried with how cold the place was. Hell, the best he could give Eden was snow.

That cremation was a bold choice because the only way she could get that was a painful, and slow death bathed in flame. That even Revenge for their deaths and suffering was unlikely. Jack couldn't exactly remember how many there had been, but he knew it was over five. Five Times they did this and what!? One escape that didn't go to shit? In what he remembered as the biggest one?

Painful deaths... That's what Kathleen wanted to happen to the people... No, the Things that put them here, that forced them to slaughter each other like cattle.

None of them will be buried. He could put money on that, everyone was fighting and killing for the chance to go back to some semblance of daily life again.

Jack was fighting because that's what he was made for. There was no real after for him. Teddie would take control again... Probably And something would happen to Jack, that's just how it's going to be.

So when Kathleen turned around and tears streamed down her cheeks. Jack closed a mouth he didn't even know he had opened. Jack gave a single nod and turned around to follow Ellis.

"I hope you feel better now... Thanks for coming with us and... Not attacking..." Jack began to walk. "I think we will all survive longer together than alone... I hope we go somewhere warm."

Jack fell into silence once more. As he walked he took out a slice of bread from his loaf and began to nibble at it.

He felt like he took two steps forward and three steps back.

((Jack/Teddie boyd continued elsewhere...))

Kathleen stood silently for a tiny bit. Let the others walk away for a moment.

...

Kathleen just showed her own funeral arrangements to the world. Kat just hopes that someone - like a cop - is watching.

Sigh.

((And Kathleen followed..))