Survival Of The Fittest

The water was coming so quickly she wished she could stretch it out.

Up past her stomach. God her abs felt fucking rock hard. This island had made her fitter than she'd ever been in her life. Made her. Odds on.

She just kept breathing. Kept the crossbow above the water. Kept it ready.

Alba stared at Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn wasn't listening to her anymore. She really was gone. The water was getting to chest height. Alba raised her arms up, keeping her upper body and the gun above the water. She still couldn't point it back at Kaitlyn.

Alba couldn't take it any more. She would try one more time, and pray that'd be the one.

"Kate, I want to go. Please."

...And Kaitlyn heard her.

She blinked for a second and looked over the gun at Alba. Yeah. Alba was crying. Alba wasn't having a good time.

Alba had just stumbled in and thought she'd found a friend and now just like Mia look where Kaitlyn was taking her, because Kaitlyn in that moment knew she could lie all she wanted to everyone else. Like she had for days. Like she had for years. But there's that old cliche about who you can't do that to, huh.

"I..."

The feeling was still there, still surging and so damn strong and as the water got up to the bottom of her ribs Kaitlyn swallowed and felt it subside just enough. For a moment.

This was...

"Alba, I'm..."

Better figure out what it was fast Kaitlyn because she managed a quick glance out of the cove and how many seconds left; she couldn't tell. Not many.

So Alba was going to die in here. Her buddy. No threat to win if it really came down to it days from now. Like Mia, and like Mia it wouldn't be fucking peaceful, now would it?

"Alba!"

No. No.

"Fuck, I'm-- I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I..."

She lowered the crossbow just a bit. Alba still had her gun raised. Kaitlyn looked her in the eye.

And then Kaitlyn laughed. High-pitched, jumpy in her throat.

"I'm sorry you're not having a good time! Here, let me lighten the mood. Here's a joke!"

And she realized it didn't matter one fucking bit. Because the rush, oh the rush was back up to eleven and streaming live everywhere now and it was unbeatable. It was unstoppable. Kaitlyn owned it. Owned everything.

"What's long and brown and smells like shit? Give up? The unemployment line!"

She threw her head up a bit and laughed again as the water was flying now up to breast level. Oh man. Oh man that was a great one.

"I'm kidding, I like you Mexicans and--"

A sudden wave struck her and she stumbled back, feet scratching against the ground to find their footing. Fuck lost her concentration for a second but it was so worth it and as she planted her feet and looked back she saw.

Oh assblast. Now Alba was trying to fumble with the gun? NOW? Just when it was getting to the best part?

"You fucking blinked, Alba!" Kaitlyn screamed, and fired the crossbow.

Alba watched as Kaitlyn snapped back into the scene. The water was getting higher and higher, but it seemed like Kaitlyn was finally reaching her limit. She was apologizing for everything, and was going to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, she had to do so with a joke that only made Alba grimace and let out a groan. Seriously, she thought Kaitlyn was better than that. Well, not anymore, but before this cave stuff she did.

"Great, then I'm getting out," Alba said.

Alba was about to try and wade her way out when the uzi almost slipped out of her hand. She fumbled a bit, but managed to keep it in her hand, although it was now facing Kaitlyn and her finger was near the trigger. That's when Kaitlyn shouted something about blinking

"Wha-"

Then, everything fell silent. Something flew by Alba, flying over her shoulder and hitting the cave wall behind her. Alba seized up when she realized what just happened. Kaitlyn shot at her. Kaitlyn shot at her. She wasn't letting her go. She was baiting her. Sure, she had missed, but it was clear to Alba now that Kaitlyn was going to kill her.

Alba screamed the second she heard the bolt hit the cave wall. Time seemed to move a lot slower at this moment. As she screamed, her hand clenched around the uzi. Alba didn't know how the gun worked, had no clue if it was loaded, and had no idea if the safety was off. But the deafening sound that followed informed her it was working, it was loaded, and the safety was off.

It also told her, as her ears started to ring from the sounds of the bullets echoing off the cave walls, that shooting at Kaitlyn was nothing like shooting a can of cat food with her friends yesterday.

This, it turns out, was much easier.

Huh. She missed. Fucking sights must be off on that or something. Well, never said she was perfect. Next one.

Kaitlyn pulled back the handle and let a new bolt fall into the bow. She aimed, grinned, and got punched right in the shoulder and breastbone as a wild volley of shots whipped around her. Staggered back as another swell of the tide swept past her and -- way to go -- dropped the goddamn crossbow.

"Fuck!"

Couldn't have that. Couldn't. The thing was just too badass to lose, so Kaitlyn turned her attention away from Alba just long enough to reach through the weird red mist in the water now and grope for it... grope for it... fuck.

Kaitlyn blinked. Heartburn or something. Or.

OK.

She looked back up at Alba.

"You shot me?"

And smiled.

"Fucking... well, go! Let's go! Game on, Reina!"

Alba did better than she'd expected. Alba was good enough. She's passed the game. So fuck High Tide, it's time to go.

Kaitlyn stepped forward against the tide. Eh, forget the crossbow. She still had that other gun. She'd get more. She'd get everything. She laughed, weakly, saving her strength you see.

"Go on, Alba! You win too! Bitch you're stronger than..."

A wave washed over her and Kaitlyn forgot what she was saying. Oh yes, now that the tide was almost in it was time to go and it was time to get back on shore, get those couple bullet out, slap on a bandage and wait for the next time that feeling returned because this was finally... finally enough for a while. Enough to subside the rush for a couple days. And it was all so worth it. This island was the greatest thing that had ever happened to a girl from the middle of nowhere, Arizona.

She paddled. Alba was ahead of her now. Made sense. Less energy expended. Her chest was aching now; it was getting tougher to breathe but that all was temporary, it was all just the rush coming down. Kaitlyn grabbed for her. Bitch couldn't think she could leave her behind now, could she? After the gift she'd given for Alba? After what Kaitlyn had shared with her? Now Alba just had to return the favor.

"Alba... Alba!"

The tide came higher. Just a bit more now. She'd still make it out.

She was owning it. She was living it. Gone all in.

And finally, Kaitlyn wasn't blinking.

She died with her eyes wide open.

G058: Kaitlyn Greene - DECEASED

Alba opened her eyes after the sounds of the uzi died out. The ringing was back. In that deafening sound, her eyes widened as she looked at Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn had dropped her crossbow into the water, which was now starting to turn red. Alba began to pant and shake. She had shot Kaitlyn.

"Kaitlyn? Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Alba shouted.

Kaityn was going to be so mad at her.

Except she wasn't. She was smiling. Alba shot her friend, and Kaitlyn was happy about it? Alba couldn't understand. Kaitlyn was having fun. She was enjoying the prospect of drowning. She was happy to be threatening a good friend of hers. And now she was happy that said friend shot her repeatedly? Alba couldn't understand it at all.

Alba started to tread through the water to the exit. Kaitlyn was making her way over to her. Alba didn't know if Kaitlyn was coming back to attack her out of revenge, but she wasn't staying there any longer. Alba tried her best to get out of the cave, trying to keep her arms above the rising water. As she left, she heard what sounded like Kaitlyn encouraging her. Every time Kaitlyn shouted Alba's name, Alba imagined her getting closer and about to strike her.

Alba reached the mouth of the cave and hurried out once she was free of the incoming water. She stumbled out into the sand and turned back. She kept the uzi by her side. She had no idea if Kaitlyn was going to emerge and come after her. She expected Kaitlyn to emerge with her retrieved crossbow and ready to fire it at Alba. Alba wasn't sure if she'd be able to fire back if that happened. This must have been what Brendan felt when Jae shot him yesterday. This must have been what Brendan felt when he killed Jeremiah and Bernadette...

Alba waited for a few minutes, but saw nothing. Kaitlyn wasn't coming out of the cave. All she could hear was the sound of the water crashing against the beach. Alba fell to her knees, dropping the uzi into the sand and continuing to stare at the cave. It was done. Alba had done it now. She killed her friend. She had gotten her required kill to go home. The whole island would know she murdered Kaitlyn tomorrow. They'd all know. Bryony. Fiyori. Kimiko. Jae. Brendan.

Alba clenched her eyes shut and screamed. She bent over, pounding her fists into the sand as tears began to fall down her face. It was horrible. Her chest hurt, her eyes stung, and her body was itchy all over from the salt water. She was done. She had killed someone, and now there was no way she could go home. Alba wasn't sure if her family would take her back if they knew she had killed her friend. She wasn't sure if she could justify it either. She was a killer, and now that's all people would know her for.

Alba let out a gasping cry. She had wondered why Brendan felt so guilty and hopeless after killing. She wondered how he could lose the will to go home when he killed to save someone and accidentally. Now she knew. It didn't matter the reason, killing was horrible, and even encouragement wouldn't help.

"Wait," she muttered. "Brendan..."

Alba looked up and around the area. No one was around. The bags were where they left them before the game. Alba picked herself up off the ground and looked at the bags. Brendan was somewhere nearby. She had to find him and explain what happened. Right now, he may be the only person who could understand her. She had to find him and she had to talk to him. She needed to confess what happened. She needed someone to tell her she could be okay.

Alba picked up the uzi and walked over to the bags. She threw the uzi into her bag. It seemed terrible, but she'd need Kaitlyn's stuff. People would know Alba was a killer, and if they saw her with Brendan, they'd assume the worst about the two of them. The game had truly begun for Alba now, so she needed to be prepared for what happened.

Alba slung both her bag and Kaitlyn's over her shoulder. She'd look through Kaitlyn's bag once she was somewhere safe and far away from the cove. She kept the rifle out, the strap over her other shoulder. For some reason, she felt better carrying Bradley's rifle than that uzi. Alba took one last look at the cave.

"Kate, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she whimpered. "Please forgive me."

Alba sniffled, then turned away. She began to quickly walk away from the cove. She had to find Brendan. She had to find some help. She had to know what to do now.

((Alba Reyes continued in If You Don't Like What We Say, Try Living Here A Couple Days ))