Survival Of The Fittest

The whole thing was just confusing. Dorian's idea was a good one, it really was. However, Viki was adamant that they find Gabe and get the group together, and based on Gabe's state of mind, Steve would probably need Viki's help in getting him straightened out. Sure Nathanial Harris was dead, but Steve knew Gabe would see it as a failure on his part.

"Look man, I want to say yes, but my best friend is out there wandering around trying to hunt someone, and I'm scared for him. Hell, there are probably going to be people who will associate him to me with killing Serenity. He's in danger. Viki and I are going to go look for him."

Steve turned away from Dorian to look at Viki, trying in some strange way to be re-assuring to her.

Suddenly Steve heard footprints rushing him from behind, as he saw Viki's eyes widen out of fear. Steve spun and saw Shawn had risen, anger in his eyes and was closing on Steve. He was thrashing wildly as he came closer, and Steve did the first thing his instincts told him to.

Steve swung the rifle up into a firing position and fired the remaining two shots of the clip directly at Shawn.

Shawn didn't really have much of an opportunity to react. Steve's timing was on the ball, and as he swung the rifle around all Shawn could do was attempt to emit some kind of battle cry. Of course, with the blood seeping down his throat and his cheeks blown out all that came out was a rather humiliating gurgling and sputter as he stumbled forward.

Soon afterwards the gun erupted and sent two bullets flying in his direction. One missed with a sharp angle over his shoulder, but the other snagged him right between the eyes. He barely had time to focus his vision on the figures in front of him before he crumpled to the ground in a heap, staring up at the dull, overcast sky. It was as dreary and depressing as most of his life had been; a fitting end, he supposed.

B101: SHAWN WAITS - DECEASED

"Look man, I want to say yes, but my best friend is out there wandering around trying to hunt someone, and I'm scared for him. Hell, there are probably going to be people who will associate him to me with killing Serenity. He's in danger. Viki and I are going to go look for him."

Steve's response was, honestly, not what Dorian had expected. Not only was Steve the kind of person it would have been immensely advantageous to have backing Dorian up - large, strong, formidable, loyal, capable, genial (if a little angsty) - but Dorian didn't expect Steve to be the kind of person who would sacrifice the many for the one. Is he an idiot? We succeed in this, we can fucking save his friend and everyone else. What the hell?

"But, don't you...oh Jesus fuck..."

Dorian's angry train of thought was derailed by a sight in the corner of his eye. He turned to look at it.

Shawn Waits, blood and vomit seeping out of his cheek wounds, was standing up. Fuck, that douchebag should be dead!

Shawn began running towards Steve, his fists primed.

The world slowed down.

Steve turned around, hearing the footsteps. Slowly, he brought his gun up to his shoulder and squeezed off two shots.

One rocketed over his shoulder.

The other collided with the middle of his face.

The back of Shawn's head appeared to explode in a gruesome mess of blood and brain.

Dorian staggered backwards, shocked.

The world sped up.

Dorian shook his head, shocked and amazed. The Waits boy just would not die - what is he, the fucking Terminator? A fucking young Robert Patrick? - and it scared Dorian immensely. The scene of him finally dying was more visceral than any onscreen violence he'd born witness to.

Dorian stammered out his next sentences.

"O-okay. I'm getting the hell out of here. You and Vikki go look for your friend, Steve. When you find him, come and find me, and we can do this thing. In the meantime, I'm gonna go looking for the transmission tower. If you wanna find me later, Steve, I'm heading towards the Lookout Tower - that's the highest place on the island, seems suitable for a tower. Stephanie, if you want to come, now's your chance. I just gotta get out of here."

Dorian, shaken, turned his back on everyone and walked out of the field.

((Dorian continued elsewhere))

Stephanie looked at Dorian, herself shocked at what had happened to Shawn. Reeling, she looked down at her feet, then closed her eyes. The blood, the gore... it was something Stephanie never wanted to see again. She shook her head. As much as she was disgusted right now, it wasn't the time to be dwelling on it.

"Y-yeah... Let's go Dorian..."

Stephanie checked the needle gun, ready to fire, and followed Dorian to the Lookout Tower.

((Stephanie Evans continued elsewhere))

((OOC: Viki actions were approved by Megs to keep the story going))

Steve watched the second bullet as if it were in slow motion enter Shawn's skull, followed by what looked like an explosion from the back of his head. Steve dropped the gun at his feet, his hands shaking and a blank look of shock on his face.

All of what Dorian was saying had gone completely unheard by Steve, there was a white noise filling his ears. He couldn't hear anything and his only vision was of Shawn's body lying on the ground in a mangled heap. Steve tried to speak but nothing came out. Not even the faintest sound.

He'd just killed another person, and this time it wasn't out of love and mercy. He'd just shot another human being, another classmate and this time there was no reason for a lethal shot. Steve was marksman, he'd been hunting every year with his dad since he was 11 years old. He knew even under pressure like that he could have made another non=lethal shot. Why had he done it?

Steve sat on the ground next to where his gun lie, and ran his hand through his hair.

I'm not a killer right?

"Right?"

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"S-Steve. Let's just go, come on. I just want to leave." Viki whimpered to Steve trying to avoid eye contact with Steve also trying to avoid looking at Shawn's corpse.

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Steve snapped out of it at the sound of Viki's voice. He turned his head to her with a glassy eyed look of confusion.

"I'm not a killer right? I-I don't know what I'm doing. I mean he rushed us. He was going to hurt us, but I didn't have to kill him Viki, I didn't have to."

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Viki nervously placed her hand on Steve's shoulder. It took everything she had in her to keep her voice strong while she spoke,

"Steve, you did what you had to do. He was going to try and hurt all of us like you said. You didn't have a choice. Now come on, we're going to need to find Gabe and Evan. Especially now that the announcement said Nathanial Harris was killed."

-------------------

She was right. No matter what he wanted to believe, he had been given no choice but to defend himself when Shawn rushed them. It was the lives of not only him, but of Viki, and Stephanie and Dorian as well. Still, the little monster inside of Steve was eating him up. Steve got up and walked over to where Shawn's pack now lay. He moved Shawn's water, food and scythe into his own pack, then made his way back to Viki. Steve then picked his rifle up, reloaded it and spoke to Viki.

"Thanks....you're right, lets just go."

As Steve and Viki walked from the field in search of their two friends, Steve couldn't help but think of one of his favourite songs that perfectly described their predicament.

We are the ones who lost our faith
We dug ourselves an early grave
We are the dead, can we be saved?

((Steve and Viki continued elsewhere))