((Ruby Forrester continued from Friends 'til the end))
Where are they? WHERE THE FUCK ARE THEY?!?
Ruby wasn't sure how much time she had spent searching for Lana and Stephanie. Probably hours judging from how dark it was getting, not that she had noticed. All she cared about right now was finding the people responsible for Brian's death and making them pay for what they had done.
However, despite her best efforts, her search proved to be fruitless. After all, she had absolutely no way of knowing which direction they had gone, nor did she have any clue as to where they would head to. Not that she didn't try, but in the end she only realised how lost she truly was when she found herself staring over the edge of a small cliff.
She didn't even remember ever leaving the town. Sure, she recalled running past trees and passing a couple of bushes, but it was only when she stopped at the edge of what looked like a lagoon of some description that she realised just how far she had ran. Hell, it was only by complete luck that she had noticed the cliff's edge to begin with. Had she not suddenly decided to look down at her feet, she wouldn't have noticed the fact that the ground stopped just a few yards ahead of her.
So now she was just standing around, gazing down at the murky depths below her with her weapon hanging limply by her side. Only a single thought was running through her head as she stood there, looking down at her reflection in the water.
She had failed again.
First she had let Cassidy run off on her own, followed quickly by her rejecting what might of been a really good alliance with someone who actually knew how to use the gun she had been assigned. Then not only was she unable to prevent the death of someone in the street just outside the house she was staying in, she couldn't even make sure that the killer wouldn't go on to hurt anyone else.
And now, not only had she failed to avenge her best friend's death, she was also partly responsible for it happening in the first place.
Why. Oh dear god, why had been so aggressive back then? Had she not threatened them, then maybe they wouldn't have felt the need to take a preemptive shot at them. All it had taken was for her to look away for one brief second, and BAM they take the opportunity to strike. That gunshot had been meant for her, not Brian! Why did he have to die because of her stupid mistake?
After a good minute or so had past, Ruby found herself dropping to her knees, her gun falling onto the ground beside her as she let out an anguished scream.
She had fucked up. Fucked up in such a horrendously bad way, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. This wasn't like in a video game where you could just reload an old save whenever you made a bad decision. Now she had to live with the fact that her best friend was dead because of her stupidity for the remained what little time she had left.
Why? Why did this have to happen to them? What the fuck did anyone on this island do to deserve this? So many of her classmates were already dead, and they weren't even at the half-way point as far as she could tell. What was the fucking point of it all? To make some bullshit political statement? Why the fuck did innocent people like Brian have to die for absolutely no reason whatsoever?
She looked up from where she was kneeling at one of the nearby trees, wiping away her tears as she looked up at a nearby camera.
Those mother fuckers were still watching her, weren't they? Recording her every moment, watching her as she broke down on live television.
"The fuck are you looking at?" she barked at the camera, a hateful scowl on her face as she picked up her gun and began standing up.
"Happy now? My friends are all either dead or killing each other, and you've got the whole thing on tape. Are you sick fucks now satisfied?"
She walked towards the camera, cocking her weapon as she did so.
"Hell, you've even got me joining in. That's three people I've tried to kill in the past few days. Halle-fucking-lujah."
She was now standing right beneath the camera, glaring at the lens with a look of pure hatred.
"What is it you want?!? Money? Attention? Or do you bastards just get off on watching us all die out here?"
She waited a second.
"Well? The fuck are you waiting for, answer me!"
Oddly enough, the camera did not respond.
"Fucking answer me!"
Ruby was now aiming her gun's sights on the camera, tears running down her cheeks as she prepared to open fire.
"FUCKING ANSWER ME!"
She pulled the trigger...
On the edge
(Ami Flynn continued from Friends 'til the End.)
Ami felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack and it was all thanks to Ruby. Nothing was going according to plan. Everything was wrong. The only thing going right was Zubin, who managed to catch up to her after a minute, but they spent so much time trailing behind Ruby that by the time that by the time they reached the beach Ami had no clue what time it was. Time was relative, and the last thing on her mind.
Ami almost lost track of Ruby when she finally stopped to catch her breath. A sudden shock of realization hit her, but it quickly faded when she heard Ruby start to scream. Ami looked behind her to see Zubin before following.
Ruby's voice became louder the closer she got. Not because of her proximity. Ruby started out with a low growl which became frantic, desperate screaming. Another wave of anxiety hit Ami. Did Ruby run into someone? She kept asking what they were looking at, for them to answer her! Was she talking to someone in particular or...
No.
It became very clear for her when she finally reached the Lagoon. She had to push leaves out of the way with rolled up sleeves, fearful of poison ivy and other such things. None of that mattered when she saw Ruby. She had her gun pointed at a camera.
NO.
Before Ruby managed to shoot off a single round, Ami had her hands around her, scrambling to pull the gun away. Ami was not strong enough to rip it out of her grasp but it would be enough to stop her from killing herself.
"Ruby!" she said through clenched teeth. "Ruby, don't be stupid! It's not worth it, just calm down, please calm down..."
Ami could not understand what Ruby was thinking. The terrorists didn't kill Brian, breaking a camera would not bring them back! The terrorists were a non-entity, they were just watching from some place far away. Ami's mind reeled at the thought of Ruby getting killed over something so, so illogical.
Zubin might be able to help her. She could trust Zubin. But Ruby, Ami needed Ruby. Ami spun her head around to look for Zubin.
"Zubin! Help!"
Ami felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack and it was all thanks to Ruby. Nothing was going according to plan. Everything was wrong. The only thing going right was Zubin, who managed to catch up to her after a minute, but they spent so much time trailing behind Ruby that by the time that by the time they reached the beach Ami had no clue what time it was. Time was relative, and the last thing on her mind.
Ami almost lost track of Ruby when she finally stopped to catch her breath. A sudden shock of realization hit her, but it quickly faded when she heard Ruby start to scream. Ami looked behind her to see Zubin before following.
Ruby's voice became louder the closer she got. Not because of her proximity. Ruby started out with a low growl which became frantic, desperate screaming. Another wave of anxiety hit Ami. Did Ruby run into someone? She kept asking what they were looking at, for them to answer her! Was she talking to someone in particular or...
No.
It became very clear for her when she finally reached the Lagoon. She had to push leaves out of the way with rolled up sleeves, fearful of poison ivy and other such things. None of that mattered when she saw Ruby. She had her gun pointed at a camera.
NO.
Before Ruby managed to shoot off a single round, Ami had her hands around her, scrambling to pull the gun away. Ami was not strong enough to rip it out of her grasp but it would be enough to stop her from killing herself.
"Ruby!" she said through clenched teeth. "Ruby, don't be stupid! It's not worth it, just calm down, please calm down..."
Ami could not understand what Ruby was thinking. The terrorists didn't kill Brian, breaking a camera would not bring them back! The terrorists were a non-entity, they were just watching from some place far away. Ami's mind reeled at the thought of Ruby getting killed over something so, so illogical.
Zubin might be able to help her. She could trust Zubin. But Ruby, Ami needed Ruby. Ami spun her head around to look for Zubin.
"Zubin! Help!"
Ruby wasn't expecting to get tackled just as she pulled the trigger, causing her to fire into the branches of a nearby tree and miss the camera entirely.
Naturally, her first instinct was to shake off her assailant, kicking and elbowing them with as much strength as she could muster. How fucking dare they try to take her weapon from her! This was the only means she had to actually defend herself, so like hell she was going to give it up so easily to some random thief trying to pry it from her grip.
Of course, she quickly realised once her assailant began speaking that it wasn't just some random thief trying to steal her gun. It was Ami, trying as best as she could to stop her from shooting the camera.
Nevertheless, despite this realisation Ruby still continued to fight back, the only difference being that she was no longer trying to hurt Ami.
"Get off! Let go of me, I need to..." she began, stopping as she gazed up at the camera looking down on her.
"I need to..."
It was at that point that it suddenly occurred to her just how close to death she had been. If Ami hadn't of averted her aim at the very last second, she would have destroyed that camera and gotten her collar blown off as a result. It was a miracle that they didn't decide to blow her collar anyway for even attempting to destroy the camera in the first place.
"I..."
It was also at that point that she realised how faint she was feeling, her gun lying limply by her side as her legs felt as though they were about to collapse under her weight.
"I....."
What happened next was the result of a number of factors that had accumulated over the past couple of days. Factors such as her relative lack of sleep, poor diet, breathlessness, near-constant stress and the very recent death of her childhood friend, with the catalyst being the shocking realisation as to how close she had been to getting her collar blown.
"I think I'm about to pass out..."
Sure enough, that's exactly what happened.
Naturally, her first instinct was to shake off her assailant, kicking and elbowing them with as much strength as she could muster. How fucking dare they try to take her weapon from her! This was the only means she had to actually defend herself, so like hell she was going to give it up so easily to some random thief trying to pry it from her grip.
Of course, she quickly realised once her assailant began speaking that it wasn't just some random thief trying to steal her gun. It was Ami, trying as best as she could to stop her from shooting the camera.
Nevertheless, despite this realisation Ruby still continued to fight back, the only difference being that she was no longer trying to hurt Ami.
"Get off! Let go of me, I need to..." she began, stopping as she gazed up at the camera looking down on her.
"I need to..."
It was at that point that it suddenly occurred to her just how close to death she had been. If Ami hadn't of averted her aim at the very last second, she would have destroyed that camera and gotten her collar blown off as a result. It was a miracle that they didn't decide to blow her collar anyway for even attempting to destroy the camera in the first place.
"I..."
It was also at that point that she realised how faint she was feeling, her gun lying limply by her side as her legs felt as though they were about to collapse under her weight.
"I....."
What happened next was the result of a number of factors that had accumulated over the past couple of days. Factors such as her relative lack of sleep, poor diet, breathlessness, near-constant stress and the very recent death of her childhood friend, with the catalyst being the shocking realisation as to how close she had been to getting her collar blown.
"I think I'm about to pass out..."
Sure enough, that's exactly what happened.
((Zubin Wadia continued from Friends til the End))
This game was officially driving everyone crazy. The were in the middle of nowhere, forced to kill each other to the last man, and Zubin didn't even have his watch likely taken by the terrorist assholes. On top of that, he, the 120-pound man, was carrying a thirty pound machine gun that seemed more appropriate for assassinating government buildings.
Then Ruby started screaming. Trying to yell at a goddamn camera. It would have been funny if he hadn't witnessed somebody die less than twenty-four hours ago. And then she raised her gun at the camera, only to be pile-driven into the ground by Ami before any shots could be fired. To his credit(?), Zubin was able to get about five feet away from them before he had to drop the weapon and gasp for breath.
Ruby passed out right then and there, and Zubin himself sat down, pulled out a water bottle, and chugged the swill before any dizziness could overtake him. He shook his head before that familiar screech pierced the air. But instead of the new Mr. Dipshit, they were treated to bondage master James, who explained to them that nobody had died in the last day.
bullshi
Beep
"Just kidding. Keep up the good work." And then they continued with the announcement, naming Mallory on top of Brian in the dead for the third day. And still not a single guy dead had actually scored a kill. Great. Zubin just pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Hey, James. If I live through this game, I will personally cut your dick off and feed it to you."
This game was officially driving everyone crazy. The were in the middle of nowhere, forced to kill each other to the last man, and Zubin didn't even have his watch likely taken by the terrorist assholes. On top of that, he, the 120-pound man, was carrying a thirty pound machine gun that seemed more appropriate for assassinating government buildings.
Then Ruby started screaming. Trying to yell at a goddamn camera. It would have been funny if he hadn't witnessed somebody die less than twenty-four hours ago. And then she raised her gun at the camera, only to be pile-driven into the ground by Ami before any shots could be fired. To his credit(?), Zubin was able to get about five feet away from them before he had to drop the weapon and gasp for breath.
Ruby passed out right then and there, and Zubin himself sat down, pulled out a water bottle, and chugged the swill before any dizziness could overtake him. He shook his head before that familiar screech pierced the air. But instead of the new Mr. Dipshit, they were treated to bondage master James, who explained to them that nobody had died in the last day.
bullshi
Beep
"Just kidding. Keep up the good work." And then they continued with the announcement, naming Mallory on top of Brian in the dead for the third day. And still not a single guy dead had actually scored a kill. Great. Zubin just pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Hey, James. If I live through this game, I will personally cut your dick off and feed it to you."
Survivor: UCONN - Seriously, it's awesome!
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
The beep from her collar did not alert Ami. She almost didn't notice it. Ami was much more worried about keeping Ruby still in her lap. The announcements were about as known to her as white noise. As far as she was concerned, the announcements did not exist. She did not listen when someone said that no one was killed. So she was confused when she heard the beep. She jumped, of course, but she simply hovered there, unsure of what just happened. Zubin spoke halfway through, about cutting someone's penis off, or something similarly boorish, but that flew right past her, unheard.
The prank did not fill her with the intended anger. If anything, the joke made her pay closer attention to the announcement.
There was a lot to pay attention to.
Amy Bachelor. Brandon Baxter. Mallory McCormick. Brian Zhdanovich
There were other names, sure, but these were the ones that burned the most.
Amy. Ami. Amy Bachelor thought it funny, oh so funny, that they had the same name. Ami Flynn didn't get the joke, at first. Sometimes Ami wondered if the only reason Amy wanted to be friends with her so bad was because they had the name. The fact that she found it so funny suited her. Ami didn't hang around the popular kids. It wasn't like people teased her (must be her father scaring the bullies off) but she just never jelled with them. That wasn't the case with Amy. Amy was one of the first friends she made at school. To think, Ami was actually glad she was coming on the trip only a few days ago.
Baxter. Of course he would be the one to go and get himself killed. He was always stupid, with his beard and his attitude. Hearing his name triggered something inside of Ami, and it took her until she heard Amy's name to realize that tears were streaming down her face. Why couldn't that asshole keep his lid shut for just one second? Why did he have to die?
Mallory. Killed by Hansel Williams.
Ami's mouth tasted of metal. The tears were pouring into her mouth. It was the same taste she found when she bumped into Mallory. Literally bumped. Ami had been looking at her cellphone and Mallory had been running in the hallway. Only it wasn't tears then; Mallory had just bumped into her so hard that Ami hit the floor. She bit her lip, drawing blood. Mallory must have seen the cut because she spat out so many apologies right then, and her expression of almost exaggerated distress. Any hostility Ami could have had went right out the window. Next to Maynard, Mallory was the closest friend Ami had. Funny, how tears reminded her of Mallory.
Now she had almost no friends left. Ruby, Yukiko and Maynard.
Ami said nothing as the announcements ended. By the time she heard Baxter's name she knew it would be pointless to fight back the tears. Instead she lowered herself to the ground. Her legs were shaking and she was afraid they would give out. Sitting with her knees bent under her, Ami carefully lifted Ruby's head with both hands. Worried that she might choke on vomit, something else she learned from health class. She needed all the friends she could get, after all.
The nape of Ruby's neck felt so soft, it reminded her that she, underneath the clothes and the attitude, was a girl. Ami understood why Ruby chose masculine clothes and dyed her hair. In that moment, an intense feeling of guilt stung her. She remembered how she would try to avoid Ruby in the hallways whenever Mallory wasn't there with her. Funny, how all of that sounds so rude and silly in retrospect now that Mallory was dead.
The boy, Ruby's other friend. His name was Brian Zhdanovich.
Ami did not know a single thing about him. She would remember that name though. Remember him.
Curled into Ruby, she barely noticed the passage of time. In the shade of the encroaching fog, there was a distinct beam of light that illuminated Ruby's face. Even Zubin too seemed to glow, though the things past him. Ami stared out over the cliff.
Barely able to make out the water beneath them, Ami said nothing. The tears still came.
Jesus Christ.
She was going to die here.
...
Ami didn't deal with the services. Didn't want much to do the parlor altogether, you came right down to it. She had walked in on her uncle reconstructing someone's face when she was shy of thirteen but that was a long time back. She never asked her father if he needed help, she never volunteered, but sometimes, usually on the weekend, she would attend a service. Don't ask her why. She went to church almost every week and she just felt it was the right thing to do. Since it was technically in her house, she couldn't exactly ignore what was happening. People rarely spoke to her during the service. She rarely spoke to any of the families at all. Or maybe it was because she didn't want to. Sometimes one of the grieving members would try to talk to her at the house when they were planning things out with her father. Every time she would find an excuse to escape.
She just did not like her father's work. She didn't enjoy living in a funeral home when she was a kid. Ami always wondered what it was like to have a dentist for a father. Or a doctor. Or someone who would be out of the house as much as her mother. Anyone but the guy dealing with corpses.
But perhaps she should be thankful. Being so close to the dead made it easier to deal with seeing people die right before her. She shed no tears for Brian Zhdanovich, didn't feel much of anything. Ami wondered if that meant something. She figured it had something to do with the mistaken identity. Brian thought that Ami was Ruby, clearly, and he confessed everything he felt. It was an incredibly emotional moment, she assumed. Learning that Mallory died was like a stab to the chest, but with Brian, the fact that she didn't even know his name ruined the effect.
Did that say something about her? Being so cold, so uncaring?
Every time you thought you had a take on it, the world just turned itself in a different direction and everything becomes foreign.
Kaitlyn showed her that she wasn't taking things seriously. Brian showed her that she had to change.
It felt so obvious to her now. She, they, not just her, had been going about everything all wrong. Thinking of it as an crisis, not thinking of it as a game. A game with rules, unspoken ones at that, and Ami had the distinction of knowing very little. She had relied on Ruby for so long because the girl just seemed to know what she was doing, and Ami was still in shock from the events transpiring that any time she tried to take. The violent, bloody images from before in the shopping center had a purpose. They punctuated a question, one that she tried desperately not to answer for the longest time, pretending that they were some sort of parasite trying to eat away at her mind.
Ami wished she had her uncle's opinion. Dillon was a man who did not take himself seriously but could be if things got heavy. He cared about family, every last person within it, even on her mother's side of the family. Whenever Ami had a problem, she would turn to him. Ami was a logical person but Uncle Dillon was different, he understood things that others simply missed. Ami wondered if Dillon'd ever marry again. If perhaps his wife got in touch with him once he found out she was on the island. Maybe Ami's being kidnapped brought more good than harm. Maybe her mother and father would start spending time together again, and not bicker since she wasn't around to hear them.
Dillon wasn't here though. And as much as Ami tried, she could not think of what he might say. She did not have the answers Dillon could give her. As much as logic could help her, all she could do was it was speculate, paranoid, frantic, fearful.
But she tried.
Sitting there for the longest time, with Ruby's head in her lap, a soft wind blowing past her and that faint, pleasant smell that lingered when rain was hovering, all she could do was come up with stupid thoughts, and all of her stupid thoughts spawned stupid thoughts, complicated ideas, springing, from branch to branch, tangling, suffocating, rampantly speculating every possible outcome of every possible path spawned from every possible action until she had to tell herself that none of them could ever be true.
They all had ends though, conclusions, none of them with her seeing her mother or father again.
Ami should not have been asking herself, "Could I kill someone?" Any normal person would answer with a no, perhaps refuse to answer. Even the daughter of the Cryptkeeper had trouble with that. Every few people would be able to answer that with the affirmative, even fewer would answer without doubt.
The question should "Could she win?"
No, she could not. Not the way she was playing. Ami could see no moves that ended in her winning.
Turning the chessboard over though, seeing it all from the angles and maybe...
The problem was that she had never seen a single minute of Survival of the Fittest. A severe handicap.
She would get over it though.
She would have to.
...
It was a half hour before she came back to reality. Zubin might have said something to her but it would have fallen on deaf ears.
When Ami finally came to her conclusion, she snapped back. Her head tilted, looking at the boy across from him.
"Zubin. Listen."
There was an edge to her voice, thinking on it later, Ami would wonder if she had become a different person. She hadn't, of course. Ami Flynn was still Ami Flynn. She just saw clearly.
Zubin. One of those sports students, swimming and field hockey, she remembered. She didn't know him all that well but if he was with Brian. And he had Ami's gun back there. He could have run off with it, killed almost everyone on the island with it too. But he didn't. Ami figured she could trust him, he had certainly earned, whether or not that was his intent she had no way of telling.
Trust was not a word one could use to describe Ami's tone.
"We should be glad it was just Brian back there," she started, sitting up straight. "They could have killed us all, you, me, Ruby. What could have stopped them?"
A pause. Ami gathered up what she was going to say, cutting Zubin off before he can speak. She needed to speak, needed the mic, uninterrupted. Speaking off the cuff. Any interruption would send her crashing when she felt so composed.
"We can't..." Ami shut her eyes, wincing, emphasizing, "Ju-Just holing ourselves up, waving our guns at everyone that comes near and expecting them to leave us alone isn't going to cut it Zubin! I, we can't just place our faith in an idea that sounds good in the short-term! You saw what happened to Brian! That's how quickly things can deteriorate. You, me, Ruby, we have to be smarter! We have to think long term!"
The false promise of security. The assumption that everyone was a rational, peace-seeking student. Feeling entitled to survive. It had all been so stupid and Ami aught to be ashamed for getting caught up in it all. Worse of all, Ami thought it would last. Because nothing lasts forever. She of all people should know that.
Ami kept her eyes on Zubin.
"We need a plan, Zubin. That's the only way any of us are getting out alive."
The prank did not fill her with the intended anger. If anything, the joke made her pay closer attention to the announcement.
There was a lot to pay attention to.
Amy Bachelor. Brandon Baxter. Mallory McCormick. Brian Zhdanovich
There were other names, sure, but these were the ones that burned the most.
Amy. Ami. Amy Bachelor thought it funny, oh so funny, that they had the same name. Ami Flynn didn't get the joke, at first. Sometimes Ami wondered if the only reason Amy wanted to be friends with her so bad was because they had the name. The fact that she found it so funny suited her. Ami didn't hang around the popular kids. It wasn't like people teased her (must be her father scaring the bullies off) but she just never jelled with them. That wasn't the case with Amy. Amy was one of the first friends she made at school. To think, Ami was actually glad she was coming on the trip only a few days ago.
Baxter. Of course he would be the one to go and get himself killed. He was always stupid, with his beard and his attitude. Hearing his name triggered something inside of Ami, and it took her until she heard Amy's name to realize that tears were streaming down her face. Why couldn't that asshole keep his lid shut for just one second? Why did he have to die?
Mallory. Killed by Hansel Williams.
Ami's mouth tasted of metal. The tears were pouring into her mouth. It was the same taste she found when she bumped into Mallory. Literally bumped. Ami had been looking at her cellphone and Mallory had been running in the hallway. Only it wasn't tears then; Mallory had just bumped into her so hard that Ami hit the floor. She bit her lip, drawing blood. Mallory must have seen the cut because she spat out so many apologies right then, and her expression of almost exaggerated distress. Any hostility Ami could have had went right out the window. Next to Maynard, Mallory was the closest friend Ami had. Funny, how tears reminded her of Mallory.
Now she had almost no friends left. Ruby, Yukiko and Maynard.
Ami said nothing as the announcements ended. By the time she heard Baxter's name she knew it would be pointless to fight back the tears. Instead she lowered herself to the ground. Her legs were shaking and she was afraid they would give out. Sitting with her knees bent under her, Ami carefully lifted Ruby's head with both hands. Worried that she might choke on vomit, something else she learned from health class. She needed all the friends she could get, after all.
The nape of Ruby's neck felt so soft, it reminded her that she, underneath the clothes and the attitude, was a girl. Ami understood why Ruby chose masculine clothes and dyed her hair. In that moment, an intense feeling of guilt stung her. She remembered how she would try to avoid Ruby in the hallways whenever Mallory wasn't there with her. Funny, how all of that sounds so rude and silly in retrospect now that Mallory was dead.
The boy, Ruby's other friend. His name was Brian Zhdanovich.
Ami did not know a single thing about him. She would remember that name though. Remember him.
Curled into Ruby, she barely noticed the passage of time. In the shade of the encroaching fog, there was a distinct beam of light that illuminated Ruby's face. Even Zubin too seemed to glow, though the things past him. Ami stared out over the cliff.
Barely able to make out the water beneath them, Ami said nothing. The tears still came.
Jesus Christ.
She was going to die here.
...
Ami didn't deal with the services. Didn't want much to do the parlor altogether, you came right down to it. She had walked in on her uncle reconstructing someone's face when she was shy of thirteen but that was a long time back. She never asked her father if he needed help, she never volunteered, but sometimes, usually on the weekend, she would attend a service. Don't ask her why. She went to church almost every week and she just felt it was the right thing to do. Since it was technically in her house, she couldn't exactly ignore what was happening. People rarely spoke to her during the service. She rarely spoke to any of the families at all. Or maybe it was because she didn't want to. Sometimes one of the grieving members would try to talk to her at the house when they were planning things out with her father. Every time she would find an excuse to escape.
She just did not like her father's work. She didn't enjoy living in a funeral home when she was a kid. Ami always wondered what it was like to have a dentist for a father. Or a doctor. Or someone who would be out of the house as much as her mother. Anyone but the guy dealing with corpses.
But perhaps she should be thankful. Being so close to the dead made it easier to deal with seeing people die right before her. She shed no tears for Brian Zhdanovich, didn't feel much of anything. Ami wondered if that meant something. She figured it had something to do with the mistaken identity. Brian thought that Ami was Ruby, clearly, and he confessed everything he felt. It was an incredibly emotional moment, she assumed. Learning that Mallory died was like a stab to the chest, but with Brian, the fact that she didn't even know his name ruined the effect.
Did that say something about her? Being so cold, so uncaring?
Every time you thought you had a take on it, the world just turned itself in a different direction and everything becomes foreign.
Kaitlyn showed her that she wasn't taking things seriously. Brian showed her that she had to change.
It felt so obvious to her now. She, they, not just her, had been going about everything all wrong. Thinking of it as an crisis, not thinking of it as a game. A game with rules, unspoken ones at that, and Ami had the distinction of knowing very little. She had relied on Ruby for so long because the girl just seemed to know what she was doing, and Ami was still in shock from the events transpiring that any time she tried to take. The violent, bloody images from before in the shopping center had a purpose. They punctuated a question, one that she tried desperately not to answer for the longest time, pretending that they were some sort of parasite trying to eat away at her mind.
Ami wished she had her uncle's opinion. Dillon was a man who did not take himself seriously but could be if things got heavy. He cared about family, every last person within it, even on her mother's side of the family. Whenever Ami had a problem, she would turn to him. Ami was a logical person but Uncle Dillon was different, he understood things that others simply missed. Ami wondered if Dillon'd ever marry again. If perhaps his wife got in touch with him once he found out she was on the island. Maybe Ami's being kidnapped brought more good than harm. Maybe her mother and father would start spending time together again, and not bicker since she wasn't around to hear them.
Dillon wasn't here though. And as much as Ami tried, she could not think of what he might say. She did not have the answers Dillon could give her. As much as logic could help her, all she could do was it was speculate, paranoid, frantic, fearful.
But she tried.
Sitting there for the longest time, with Ruby's head in her lap, a soft wind blowing past her and that faint, pleasant smell that lingered when rain was hovering, all she could do was come up with stupid thoughts, and all of her stupid thoughts spawned stupid thoughts, complicated ideas, springing, from branch to branch, tangling, suffocating, rampantly speculating every possible outcome of every possible path spawned from every possible action until she had to tell herself that none of them could ever be true.
They all had ends though, conclusions, none of them with her seeing her mother or father again.
Ami should not have been asking herself, "Could I kill someone?" Any normal person would answer with a no, perhaps refuse to answer. Even the daughter of the Cryptkeeper had trouble with that. Every few people would be able to answer that with the affirmative, even fewer would answer without doubt.
The question should "Could she win?"
No, she could not. Not the way she was playing. Ami could see no moves that ended in her winning.
Turning the chessboard over though, seeing it all from the angles and maybe...
The problem was that she had never seen a single minute of Survival of the Fittest. A severe handicap.
She would get over it though.
She would have to.
...
It was a half hour before she came back to reality. Zubin might have said something to her but it would have fallen on deaf ears.
When Ami finally came to her conclusion, she snapped back. Her head tilted, looking at the boy across from him.
"Zubin. Listen."
There was an edge to her voice, thinking on it later, Ami would wonder if she had become a different person. She hadn't, of course. Ami Flynn was still Ami Flynn. She just saw clearly.
Zubin. One of those sports students, swimming and field hockey, she remembered. She didn't know him all that well but if he was with Brian. And he had Ami's gun back there. He could have run off with it, killed almost everyone on the island with it too. But he didn't. Ami figured she could trust him, he had certainly earned, whether or not that was his intent she had no way of telling.
Trust was not a word one could use to describe Ami's tone.
"We should be glad it was just Brian back there," she started, sitting up straight. "They could have killed us all, you, me, Ruby. What could have stopped them?"
A pause. Ami gathered up what she was going to say, cutting Zubin off before he can speak. She needed to speak, needed the mic, uninterrupted. Speaking off the cuff. Any interruption would send her crashing when she felt so composed.
"We can't..." Ami shut her eyes, wincing, emphasizing, "Ju-Just holing ourselves up, waving our guns at everyone that comes near and expecting them to leave us alone isn't going to cut it Zubin! I, we can't just place our faith in an idea that sounds good in the short-term! You saw what happened to Brian! That's how quickly things can deteriorate. You, me, Ruby, we have to be smarter! We have to think long term!"
The false promise of security. The assumption that everyone was a rational, peace-seeking student. Feeling entitled to survive. It had all been so stupid and Ami aught to be ashamed for getting caught up in it all. Worse of all, Ami thought it would last. Because nothing lasts forever. She of all people should know that.
Ami kept her eyes on Zubin.
"We need a plan, Zubin. That's the only way any of us are getting out alive."
Zubin finished off the rest of his water, and then lay down to catch his breath for a while. He closed his eyes for a second, and his sleeping reflex took over as the comfortable ground warmly swallowed him
"Zubin. Listen."
Zubin opened his eyes and looked at the source of the voice.
Ami, I hate you so very, very much.
"We should be glad it was just Brian back there. They could have killed us all, you, me, Ruby. What could have stopped them?" Gunshots. The fact that Ruby shot back, maybe.
"We can't ... Ju-Just holing ourselves up, waving our guns at everyone that comes near and expecting them to leave us alone isn't going to cut it Zubin! I, we can't just place our faith in an idea that sounds good in the short-term! You saw what happened to Brian! That's how quickly things can deteriorate. You, me, Ruby, we have to be smarter! We have to think long term!" Ah, that was it. How do we get through this without going bonkers, was her question.
Zubin looked around as he took out his notepad and started writing. "Well, I was thinking that, since there isn't really any way to go out alive without resorting to killing, we could attempt to cheat the game." Zubin though up his next sentences carefully. "So here's what I say we do: we find everyone else we can, and we start the largest orgy possible. Then, we let one of the women win. Seeing as at least one sperm cell must have breached an egg's perimeter, two people will leave where one came in. Here are the lewdly specific details of the plan." Zubin handed Ami the notepad, which said this:
Sex plan fake. Collars keep game going. Need to make hiding spot and find intact collar. Can take it apart to see inner workings of collar, defuse explosives only. Then can spread knowledge to others discreetly. Act offended - sex plan sucks.
"Zubin. Listen."
Zubin opened his eyes and looked at the source of the voice.
Ami, I hate you so very, very much.
"We should be glad it was just Brian back there. They could have killed us all, you, me, Ruby. What could have stopped them?" Gunshots. The fact that Ruby shot back, maybe.
"We can't ... Ju-Just holing ourselves up, waving our guns at everyone that comes near and expecting them to leave us alone isn't going to cut it Zubin! I, we can't just place our faith in an idea that sounds good in the short-term! You saw what happened to Brian! That's how quickly things can deteriorate. You, me, Ruby, we have to be smarter! We have to think long term!" Ah, that was it. How do we get through this without going bonkers, was her question.
Zubin looked around as he took out his notepad and started writing. "Well, I was thinking that, since there isn't really any way to go out alive without resorting to killing, we could attempt to cheat the game." Zubin though up his next sentences carefully. "So here's what I say we do: we find everyone else we can, and we start the largest orgy possible. Then, we let one of the women win. Seeing as at least one sperm cell must have breached an egg's perimeter, two people will leave where one came in. Here are the lewdly specific details of the plan." Zubin handed Ami the notepad, which said this:
Sex plan fake. Collars keep game going. Need to make hiding spot and find intact collar. Can take it apart to see inner workings of collar, defuse explosives only. Then can spread knowledge to others discreetly. Act offended - sex plan sucks.
Survivor: UCONN - Seriously, it's awesome!
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
Oh god, this is so awkward...
Ruby sat quietly in the plastic seat just outside the principle's office, patiently waiting for the lecture inside to come to an end.
Well, patiently was probably the wrong word to use when describing her feelings. The last thing she wanted to be doing right now was sitting alone in this hallway as some poor boy was getting told off for sticking up on her behalf. She hadn't asked him to intervene! Sure, it was nice of him to step in and tell that other boy to stop bothering her, but if hadn't of done that the other boy wouldn't have hit him in the face and started a scrap.
She sighed and looked up at the window in front of her, taking note of her reflection in the glass. Like most days of the week, she was wearing her signature orange hoody that still looked a size too big for her, despite the fact that she had owned it for two years now. She wiped a loose brown hair that was covering her eyes, again reminding her of how much she wanted to have a proper haircut someday.
Eventually, the principle's door opened, and stepping through it was the boy who had stood up for her. She winced as she saw the plaster covering his bruised cheek. How was it fair that he got in trouble as well despite the fact that it had been the other boy who had started the fight?
"Hey." the boy said when he noticed Ruby looking at him. "You alright?"
"Um, yeah." she replied. "What about you? You look like you got hurt pretty bad..."
"What, this?" the boy said, pointing at his cheek. "This is nothing! I feeling fine, really!"
"You sure? You were in there for a long time..."
The boy shrugged. "Eh, they let me off on a warning because I wasn't the one who started it."
"Oh, I see..." replied Ruby. "Still, you shouldn't of been told off at all in the first place."
"Maybe." the boy said, shrugging again before extending his hand out. "Oh, my name's Brian by the way."
Ruby paused for a moment, then smiled as she extended her own hand to shake his. "Mine's Ruby."
"Nice to meet you Ruby." said Brian with a grin on his face.
The two stood there for a moment, neither of them particularly sure as to what they should say next. Eventually though, Brian was the one who broke the silence.
"So..." he began. "Here's what I say we do: we find everyone else we can, and we start the largest orgy possible."
...What?
It was at that point that Ruby woke up.
Her vision was blurry for a few seconds as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, but she could still just about make out one... No, two figures. A boy and a girl respectively.
Brian? No, not Brian. It was Zubin, going on about something to do with sperm and perimeters. Whatever it was, Ruby suspected that she was waking up at an awkward time.
"The hell are you two talking about?" she said groggily as she slowly rose from where she was laying, clutching her head as she began to suffer the worst headache she'd had in years.
"Jesus, how long was I out for?"
Ruby sat quietly in the plastic seat just outside the principle's office, patiently waiting for the lecture inside to come to an end.
Well, patiently was probably the wrong word to use when describing her feelings. The last thing she wanted to be doing right now was sitting alone in this hallway as some poor boy was getting told off for sticking up on her behalf. She hadn't asked him to intervene! Sure, it was nice of him to step in and tell that other boy to stop bothering her, but if hadn't of done that the other boy wouldn't have hit him in the face and started a scrap.
She sighed and looked up at the window in front of her, taking note of her reflection in the glass. Like most days of the week, she was wearing her signature orange hoody that still looked a size too big for her, despite the fact that she had owned it for two years now. She wiped a loose brown hair that was covering her eyes, again reminding her of how much she wanted to have a proper haircut someday.
Eventually, the principle's door opened, and stepping through it was the boy who had stood up for her. She winced as she saw the plaster covering his bruised cheek. How was it fair that he got in trouble as well despite the fact that it had been the other boy who had started the fight?
"Hey." the boy said when he noticed Ruby looking at him. "You alright?"
"Um, yeah." she replied. "What about you? You look like you got hurt pretty bad..."
"What, this?" the boy said, pointing at his cheek. "This is nothing! I feeling fine, really!"
"You sure? You were in there for a long time..."
The boy shrugged. "Eh, they let me off on a warning because I wasn't the one who started it."
"Oh, I see..." replied Ruby. "Still, you shouldn't of been told off at all in the first place."
"Maybe." the boy said, shrugging again before extending his hand out. "Oh, my name's Brian by the way."
Ruby paused for a moment, then smiled as she extended her own hand to shake his. "Mine's Ruby."
"Nice to meet you Ruby." said Brian with a grin on his face.
The two stood there for a moment, neither of them particularly sure as to what they should say next. Eventually though, Brian was the one who broke the silence.
"So..." he began. "Here's what I say we do: we find everyone else we can, and we start the largest orgy possible."
...What?
It was at that point that Ruby woke up.
Her vision was blurry for a few seconds as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, but she could still just about make out one... No, two figures. A boy and a girl respectively.
Brian? No, not Brian. It was Zubin, going on about something to do with sperm and perimeters. Whatever it was, Ruby suspected that she was waking up at an awkward time.
"The hell are you two talking about?" she said groggily as she slowly rose from where she was laying, clutching her head as she began to suffer the worst headache she'd had in years.
"Jesus, how long was I out for?"
Zubin didn't have to tell Ami to act disgusted. It all came naturally. It started with a slow realization, her eyes widening and her lips pursed together so tight that they were going white. As Zubin began to explain, in detail, how the sperm cells would have to enter the egg, Ami's whole body was like a tidal wave of emotion. What was she feeling, exactly? Embarrassment, disgust, anger? Ami barely recognized the irrationality of his plan his flippant tone or even how stupid he sounded. It was all obscured by the shock of finding out that Zubin was an unholy, irredeemable sex fiend, and by the desire to wake Ruby up and drag her away before he tried to do something depraved to them.
In her haste, Ami had completely forgotten that Zubin pulled something out. She pulled her head back when he handed the notebook to her, looking incredibly weary of even taking the slightest peek at it. Ami knew they had taken most of her notebooks away, so she figured he must have found it somewhere. With a trembling hand, Ami reached out and took the book. Her eyes scanned over the first line.
"Sex plan fake. Collars keep game go-"
Immediately it clicked for her. Clenching her fingers around the binding of the notebook, Ami spun her eyes to look at a nearby camera.
They had to be watching, just had to be. Zubin was probably drawing more attention by talking like an idiot! Hiding her initial disgust, Ami began to read on.
The plan made sense to her, though there was no reason for her to question it. It lacked detail and it relied heavily on not letting the gamekeepers see them. That seemed nigh on impossible, considering the amount of cameras scattered about. While Ami was no engineer, frankly when she stared at Zubin's collar she didn't see complicated bomb wiring. It was all steel, jet black, and looked intimidating, just like her own. How did he honestly expect them to wrestle something like that open? Ami might have been running on very little sleep but logically the plan only sounded good in theory.
The nerves were overtaking her though, and soon she was trembling. Lord forbid the single, solitary beep from her collar only drew confusion from her, but the book she held was no joke. It was akin to a live bomb with an invisible fuse. She tried her best to push it off, swallow the pressure like she did the sick gore stuck to her head days before. It got caught halfway down her throat.
"Zubin, I-I'm being serious here." Her attempt at playing off his foolish, perverted plan. Her voice was monotone, like she was just given her lines and had no experience. "Stop joking around."
Ami was getting to the end of reading when Ruby began to stir. She closed the book, hands still shaking. In the heat of the moment, Ami had almost forgotten that she had Ruby's head in her lap. The asian croaked,
"Ruby, I... Fuck it, I love you Ruby. I think I've always loved you, since the day we first-
Ami's mouth hung open for an embarrassingly long time. Eventually she closed it.
No, now wasn't the time.
Ruby began to lift her head from her lap. Ami had to admit, she felt a tad disappointed. The warmth from Ruby's cheek against her leg felt nice, and something about the kind gesture made her feel safe in return. If Ami's face wasn't still in a heavy flush from before, she most certainly would have blushed when Ruby stirred.
Ruby asked what they were talking about. Ami kept her focus squarely on that.
"It's nothing, Ruby."
Ami lifted her head and looked straight at Zubin, her expression easily described as 'nasty'.
"Zubin's just being a creep."
Ami pressed the book to her chest and pretended, for the moment, that it did not exist. Forget all about what Zubin was just yammering on about. Ami remembered Brian, the previous boy she did not know the name of, and how he had only died hours ago. She recalled how Ruby responded, how she ran off, and how Ami rushed after her almost immediately. Indeed, Ruby was relatively calmer than she expected. Ami wanted to keep it that way.
She forced a smile that looked okay as smiles go.
"Du-Dunno. I'd say about a few hours? The announcement came on not too long ago."
There was a pause, more to figure out what to say and how to say it. Her smile waned. Brian. Mallory pained Ami but Brian... caused her more trouble. Brian. Wonder how they would spell his name? With an I or a Y? Both seemed possible to her. She wondered, off-topic, whether all she would learn about this boy past what he told her in his dying moments and what's written on his duffelbag.
"I... We were just talking about what our next course of action will be."
The topic veered into a mine field, and Ami tip-toed forward, hoping, praying. She spoke slowly.
"Ruby, you should know. Mallory, she's," Ami let out a sigh. The wound hurt even worse. "She's gone too. I'm sorry."
In her haste, Ami had completely forgotten that Zubin pulled something out. She pulled her head back when he handed the notebook to her, looking incredibly weary of even taking the slightest peek at it. Ami knew they had taken most of her notebooks away, so she figured he must have found it somewhere. With a trembling hand, Ami reached out and took the book. Her eyes scanned over the first line.
"Sex plan fake. Collars keep game go-"
Immediately it clicked for her. Clenching her fingers around the binding of the notebook, Ami spun her eyes to look at a nearby camera.
They had to be watching, just had to be. Zubin was probably drawing more attention by talking like an idiot! Hiding her initial disgust, Ami began to read on.
The plan made sense to her, though there was no reason for her to question it. It lacked detail and it relied heavily on not letting the gamekeepers see them. That seemed nigh on impossible, considering the amount of cameras scattered about. While Ami was no engineer, frankly when she stared at Zubin's collar she didn't see complicated bomb wiring. It was all steel, jet black, and looked intimidating, just like her own. How did he honestly expect them to wrestle something like that open? Ami might have been running on very little sleep but logically the plan only sounded good in theory.
The nerves were overtaking her though, and soon she was trembling. Lord forbid the single, solitary beep from her collar only drew confusion from her, but the book she held was no joke. It was akin to a live bomb with an invisible fuse. She tried her best to push it off, swallow the pressure like she did the sick gore stuck to her head days before. It got caught halfway down her throat.
"Zubin, I-I'm being serious here." Her attempt at playing off his foolish, perverted plan. Her voice was monotone, like she was just given her lines and had no experience. "Stop joking around."
Ami was getting to the end of reading when Ruby began to stir. She closed the book, hands still shaking. In the heat of the moment, Ami had almost forgotten that she had Ruby's head in her lap. The asian croaked,
"Ruby, I... Fuck it, I love you Ruby. I think I've always loved you, since the day we first-
Ami's mouth hung open for an embarrassingly long time. Eventually she closed it.
No, now wasn't the time.
Ruby began to lift her head from her lap. Ami had to admit, she felt a tad disappointed. The warmth from Ruby's cheek against her leg felt nice, and something about the kind gesture made her feel safe in return. If Ami's face wasn't still in a heavy flush from before, she most certainly would have blushed when Ruby stirred.
Ruby asked what they were talking about. Ami kept her focus squarely on that.
"It's nothing, Ruby."
Ami lifted her head and looked straight at Zubin, her expression easily described as 'nasty'.
"Zubin's just being a creep."
Ami pressed the book to her chest and pretended, for the moment, that it did not exist. Forget all about what Zubin was just yammering on about. Ami remembered Brian, the previous boy she did not know the name of, and how he had only died hours ago. She recalled how Ruby responded, how she ran off, and how Ami rushed after her almost immediately. Indeed, Ruby was relatively calmer than she expected. Ami wanted to keep it that way.
She forced a smile that looked okay as smiles go.
"Du-Dunno. I'd say about a few hours? The announcement came on not too long ago."
There was a pause, more to figure out what to say and how to say it. Her smile waned. Brian. Mallory pained Ami but Brian... caused her more trouble. Brian. Wonder how they would spell his name? With an I or a Y? Both seemed possible to her. She wondered, off-topic, whether all she would learn about this boy past what he told her in his dying moments and what's written on his duffelbag.
"I... We were just talking about what our next course of action will be."
The topic veered into a mine field, and Ami tip-toed forward, hoping, praying. She spoke slowly.
"Ruby, you should know. Mallory, she's," Ami let out a sigh. The wound hurt even worse. "She's gone too. I'm sorry."
That
could be troubling. Had he laid it on too thick?
"Zubin, I-I'm being serious here. Stop joking around."
Please let her be faking, please let her be faking And then, a groan. Ruby was coming to.
"The hell are you two talking about?" Ruby asked.
"Zubin's just being a creep." Ami replied.
"Whoa, whoa. I admit it's not a very good plan, but it's all I have right now to cheat the game. Hopefully I can think of something better."
"Jesus, how long was I out for?"
"Du-Dunno. I'd say about a few hours? The announcement came on not too long ago. I ... we were just talking about what our next course of action will be." Ami replied. "Ruby, you should know. Mallory, she's she's gone too. I'm sorry."
Not that. Why did you have to tell her that?
"Zubin, I-I'm being serious here. Stop joking around."
Please let her be faking, please let her be faking And then, a groan. Ruby was coming to.
"The hell are you two talking about?" Ruby asked.
"Zubin's just being a creep." Ami replied.
"Whoa, whoa. I admit it's not a very good plan, but it's all I have right now to cheat the game. Hopefully I can think of something better."
"Jesus, how long was I out for?"
"Du-Dunno. I'd say about a few hours? The announcement came on not too long ago. I ... we were just talking about what our next course of action will be." Ami replied. "Ruby, you should know. Mallory, she's she's gone too. I'm sorry."
Not that. Why did you have to tell her that?
Survivor: UCONN - Seriously, it's awesome!
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
"Zubin's just being a creep."
What else is new?
Well, at least from the sound of things Ami was not on board with whatever the hell it was Zubin had been suggesting. It was probably why she was blushing so much. Her orientation aside, Ruby wasn't exactly in the right mood for desperate last-second orgies, especially seeing as she had recently seen the only person she had ever slept with get gunned down right before her eyes.
Brian. Christ, now she was beginning to remember what had happened. How her overly-aggressive defensive stance got her best friend murdered right in front of her. Or was it her hesitance to the idea of opening fire that got Brian killed? Either way, what mattered was that her actions ended up causing her to lose one of the few people on this island that she genuinely cared about.
And from the sound of things, he was not the only one.
"I see..." was her initial response when Ami told her about Mallory's fate. It was odd, really. Hearing that not one, but two of her closest friends had died, more-or-less one after the other. Whilst it pained her to no end to hear about what happened to Mallory, she had already used up all her energy reacting over-dramatically to Brian's death to muster up a more emotional response.
"T-Thank you for letting me know." she said uncertainly to Ami, shortly before glancing up at the camera she had fired at a few hours ago. A camera that was barely a few inches away from a tree branch she had broken when Ami veered her aim at the last second.
"And thank you for what you did earlier. If you hadn't of stopped me, I would... Jesus, I can't believe how close I was to getting my head blown off."
She gently rubbed her neck, the metal collar still feeling cold against he skin. After wearing it for several days, the temptation to rip it off in order to allow herself room to breath was getting harder and harder to resist. The fact that she was pretty sure the skin around her neck was beginning to blister certainly didn't help.
"I'm sorry about earlier. After seeing what happened to Brian, I... I guess I kind of lost it for a second. I'm feeling a lot better now, but... But thank you, I really appreciate it."
After forcing herself to smile for a few seconds, she quickly turned to face Zubin.
"Anyway, I believe you were saying something about our next course of action?"
What else is new?
Well, at least from the sound of things Ami was not on board with whatever the hell it was Zubin had been suggesting. It was probably why she was blushing so much. Her orientation aside, Ruby wasn't exactly in the right mood for desperate last-second orgies, especially seeing as she had recently seen the only person she had ever slept with get gunned down right before her eyes.
Brian. Christ, now she was beginning to remember what had happened. How her overly-aggressive defensive stance got her best friend murdered right in front of her. Or was it her hesitance to the idea of opening fire that got Brian killed? Either way, what mattered was that her actions ended up causing her to lose one of the few people on this island that she genuinely cared about.
And from the sound of things, he was not the only one.
"I see..." was her initial response when Ami told her about Mallory's fate. It was odd, really. Hearing that not one, but two of her closest friends had died, more-or-less one after the other. Whilst it pained her to no end to hear about what happened to Mallory, she had already used up all her energy reacting over-dramatically to Brian's death to muster up a more emotional response.
"T-Thank you for letting me know." she said uncertainly to Ami, shortly before glancing up at the camera she had fired at a few hours ago. A camera that was barely a few inches away from a tree branch she had broken when Ami veered her aim at the last second.
"And thank you for what you did earlier. If you hadn't of stopped me, I would... Jesus, I can't believe how close I was to getting my head blown off."
She gently rubbed her neck, the metal collar still feeling cold against he skin. After wearing it for several days, the temptation to rip it off in order to allow herself room to breath was getting harder and harder to resist. The fact that she was pretty sure the skin around her neck was beginning to blister certainly didn't help.
"I'm sorry about earlier. After seeing what happened to Brian, I... I guess I kind of lost it for a second. I'm feeling a lot better now, but... But thank you, I really appreciate it."
After forcing herself to smile for a few seconds, she quickly turned to face Zubin.
"Anyway, I believe you were saying something about our next course of action?"
A knot formed in her chest when Ruby thanked her for telling her about Mallory. Immediately she wondered whether she made a huge mistake The urge to double back and apologize again came, she almost did it too, but then Ruby thanked her a second time and caught her off-guard. She watched as Ruby rubbed at her neck, awkwardly apologizing for lashing out. It all sounded genuine too, like Ruby was just putting it all into perspective.
She felt heat rushing to her cheeks at all of the sudden gratitude. Part of her wanted to shrug and tilt her head at Zubin, because he had been there too! Don't thank her. It was nothing. It was what anyone would have done.
But the more times Ruby said thank you, the more Ami found herself smiling. She could not stop smiling. She saved Ruby from harming herself. No matter how humble Ami tried to act, she could not deny that she did something good.
She closed her eyes and pressed the book tighter against her chest. Her cheeks were buring up.
"It's okay, Ruby." Ami reassured with a bright smile. "That's what friends are for, right? I..."
It felt weird to be saying that, and how she felt so pleased despite their situation though. It was true though. That was what friends were for. If Ruby needed help...
The moment didn't last for very long though. Ami wished it lasted forever, really. But when Ami opened her eyes, Ruby was already turning to look at Zubin and started speaking to him, and Ami realized that the conversation had shifted gears. All the pleasant satisfaction drained, she stared at the two of them with her mouth opened slightly.
Ami wanted to say something else. But in the time between Ami telling Ruby it was okay and Ruby talking to Zubin, she had completely forgotten what.
She sat back against the ground, one arm still wrapped around Zubin's notebook from before, the other bracing the ground beneath her. Looking down at it, she winced slightly, remembering the little speech Zubin put on for the cameras. Gross. But he had every right to share, it went without saying that she had asked him for his opinion. And Ruby had a right to know.
Ami looked down at her notepad, eyes flicking between it and her friend. Almost reluctantly she took the pad into both hands and handed it over to Ruby without saying anything. Seeing what Zubin had scribbled would at least let her know that he was on the level... sorta.
" Just because we aren't responding doesn't mean we aren't watching you. "
It occurred to Ami that she should say something. Her eyes darted to the camera stationed to the left, the one Ruby almost shot. She found herself staring at cameras, letting her eyes gloss over into lifeless little beads until she could see the barest reflection. This was different though. It wasn't just one eye. It was a thousand eyes, watching their every move and listening to every word they spoke.
What if the cameras could see what was written on the notepad?
" If you cause us trouble, we can easily have you disqualified from the game... Keep that in mind before attempting yet another futile and pointless escape plan. "
... but she had no right to voice her unsureness. Because she was idiot who refused to watch this damned show back home. She knew nothing. So why should she question?
Ami Flynn sat back, looked straight at Zubin, forced a sour look just to keep up appearances and kept her mouth shut.
"You really want to tell her?" She pretended that Zubin's plan was fatuous and her tone of voice naturally followed.
She felt heat rushing to her cheeks at all of the sudden gratitude. Part of her wanted to shrug and tilt her head at Zubin, because he had been there too! Don't thank her. It was nothing. It was what anyone would have done.
But the more times Ruby said thank you, the more Ami found herself smiling. She could not stop smiling. She saved Ruby from harming herself. No matter how humble Ami tried to act, she could not deny that she did something good.
She closed her eyes and pressed the book tighter against her chest. Her cheeks were buring up.
"It's okay, Ruby." Ami reassured with a bright smile. "That's what friends are for, right? I..."
It felt weird to be saying that, and how she felt so pleased despite their situation though. It was true though. That was what friends were for. If Ruby needed help...
The moment didn't last for very long though. Ami wished it lasted forever, really. But when Ami opened her eyes, Ruby was already turning to look at Zubin and started speaking to him, and Ami realized that the conversation had shifted gears. All the pleasant satisfaction drained, she stared at the two of them with her mouth opened slightly.
Ami wanted to say something else. But in the time between Ami telling Ruby it was okay and Ruby talking to Zubin, she had completely forgotten what.
She sat back against the ground, one arm still wrapped around Zubin's notebook from before, the other bracing the ground beneath her. Looking down at it, she winced slightly, remembering the little speech Zubin put on for the cameras. Gross. But he had every right to share, it went without saying that she had asked him for his opinion. And Ruby had a right to know.
Ami looked down at her notepad, eyes flicking between it and her friend. Almost reluctantly she took the pad into both hands and handed it over to Ruby without saying anything. Seeing what Zubin had scribbled would at least let her know that he was on the level... sorta.
" Just because we aren't responding doesn't mean we aren't watching you. "
It occurred to Ami that she should say something. Her eyes darted to the camera stationed to the left, the one Ruby almost shot. She found herself staring at cameras, letting her eyes gloss over into lifeless little beads until she could see the barest reflection. This was different though. It wasn't just one eye. It was a thousand eyes, watching their every move and listening to every word they spoke.
What if the cameras could see what was written on the notepad?
" If you cause us trouble, we can easily have you disqualified from the game... Keep that in mind before attempting yet another futile and pointless escape plan. "
... but she had no right to voice her unsureness. Because she was idiot who refused to watch this damned show back home. She knew nothing. So why should she question?
Ami Flynn sat back, looked straight at Zubin, forced a sour look just to keep up appearances and kept her mouth shut.
"You really want to tell her?" She pretended that Zubin's plan was fatuous and her tone of voice naturally followed.
And here came Ruby, demanding to know the details of a plan he made up on the fly to cover up a plan he actually thought of. He just took a deep breath.
This seemed a lot simpler in the abstract.
"Okay. Here's what's going down. There's cameras everywhere, and we need some way to cheat this game, to really stick it to them. But we also need to do it without getting caught. So here's what I was thinking " Zubin licked his lips as he saw Ami pass the notebook to Ruby.
Read the notebook, Ruby. Read the notebook.
" Nobody running this game is going to care what we're doing, so long as it doesn't get in their way. The only way I can see more than one person leaving is if the winner were pregnant. So, we find as many people as possible to get it on, so to speak. Now, there are things that, that complicate this plan, like fertility of the partners, where the woman is in her monthly cycle," Zubin racked his brain through sex ed and what he knew about the female anatomy, "the chances that the winner is a woman who partook in this, and of course the willingness of the partners. Volunteers only. I was trying to figure out the details in writing. I passed it to Ami, so once we all take a look, we can get rid of the flaws in this idea."
Please, read the notebook. Show that you understand the idea. Play along, for the love of whatever higher power you believe in.
This seemed a lot simpler in the abstract.
"Okay. Here's what's going down. There's cameras everywhere, and we need some way to cheat this game, to really stick it to them. But we also need to do it without getting caught. So here's what I was thinking " Zubin licked his lips as he saw Ami pass the notebook to Ruby.
Read the notebook, Ruby. Read the notebook.
" Nobody running this game is going to care what we're doing, so long as it doesn't get in their way. The only way I can see more than one person leaving is if the winner were pregnant. So, we find as many people as possible to get it on, so to speak. Now, there are things that, that complicate this plan, like fertility of the partners, where the woman is in her monthly cycle," Zubin racked his brain through sex ed and what he knew about the female anatomy, "the chances that the winner is a woman who partook in this, and of course the willingness of the partners. Volunteers only. I was trying to figure out the details in writing. I passed it to Ami, so once we all take a look, we can get rid of the flaws in this idea."
Please, read the notebook. Show that you understand the idea. Play along, for the love of whatever higher power you believe in.
Survivor: UCONN - Seriously, it's awesome!
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
Version 8
S001: KAEDE TSURUMI: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!" Status: ACTIVE
S024: VICTOR GRAIL: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all." Status: ACTIVE
S103: JOAN LEAVEN Status: ACTIVE
S129: DAVID WORTH: Status: ACTIVE
Eh? What's this...
Ruby glanced down at the notebook that Ami passed over to her, quickly reading the message Zubin had written moments ago. It didn't take her long to put two and two together and realise what was going on, after which two thoughts quickly sprung to mind.
The first being Well thank god for that, should have realised that nobody was that stupidly desperately horny.
The second being Jesus fucking Christ, if those terrorist assholes realise what's going on they could just blow our collars right here and now, especially after that stunt I pulled earlier!
She tried as best as she could to act nonchalant about what she had just read, her only act of acknowledgment being a stern stare and a sarcastic raised eyebrow. Of course, deep down she was inwardly freaking out over the idea of someone behind those cameras deciding to preemptively blow their collars after realising what they were really talking about. But for the most part she hid this reasonably well. She was an actress after all.
Okay, so maybe her only experience at acting was from a couple of minor roles in lousy school productions, but that still counted damnit.
More importantly, she realised that what Zubin was suggesting was also an idea for something worthwhile she could be do. This was exactly the kind of thing Brian wanted to do, right? Disable the collars, fight the power, or die in a blaze of glory whilst attempting to do so. That was one of the last things they ever spoke about. How it would be better to die fighting the system instead of hiding and delaying the inevitable. For the most part, Ruby had to agree with him. If death was practically inevitable either way, why shouldn't she do the dumb thing and do something that could potentially get her collar blown?
Unsurprisingly, actually putting herself in even more danger was something she had no intention of doing.
"Yeah... I don't think this plan of yours will work out as well as you think it will. I mean, no offence, but I'm pretty sure that nobody on this island is experienced enough to pull this off without making a huge mess."
She paused.
"Okay, maybe one or two people are, but good luck finding them amongst the dozens of scared and paranoid teens who're probably more interested in surviving this game relatively unscathed."
Ruby glanced down at the notebook that Ami passed over to her, quickly reading the message Zubin had written moments ago. It didn't take her long to put two and two together and realise what was going on, after which two thoughts quickly sprung to mind.
The first being Well thank god for that, should have realised that nobody was that stupidly desperately horny.
The second being Jesus fucking Christ, if those terrorist assholes realise what's going on they could just blow our collars right here and now, especially after that stunt I pulled earlier!
She tried as best as she could to act nonchalant about what she had just read, her only act of acknowledgment being a stern stare and a sarcastic raised eyebrow. Of course, deep down she was inwardly freaking out over the idea of someone behind those cameras deciding to preemptively blow their collars after realising what they were really talking about. But for the most part she hid this reasonably well. She was an actress after all.
Okay, so maybe her only experience at acting was from a couple of minor roles in lousy school productions, but that still counted damnit.
More importantly, she realised that what Zubin was suggesting was also an idea for something worthwhile she could be do. This was exactly the kind of thing Brian wanted to do, right? Disable the collars, fight the power, or die in a blaze of glory whilst attempting to do so. That was one of the last things they ever spoke about. How it would be better to die fighting the system instead of hiding and delaying the inevitable. For the most part, Ruby had to agree with him. If death was practically inevitable either way, why shouldn't she do the dumb thing and do something that could potentially get her collar blown?
Unsurprisingly, actually putting herself in even more danger was something she had no intention of doing.
"Yeah... I don't think this plan of yours will work out as well as you think it will. I mean, no offence, but I'm pretty sure that nobody on this island is experienced enough to pull this off without making a huge mess."
She paused.
"Okay, maybe one or two people are, but good luck finding them amongst the dozens of scared and paranoid teens who're probably more interested in surviving this game relatively unscathed."
Ami just stared as Zubin rambled on about monthly cycles and willing volunteers with a blank, glossy-eyed look on her face. To anyone watching it would naturally come off as an act. But it really wasn't. Everything Zubin was saying began to run together. She knew he was just pretending so that no one would think anything suspicious was happening. That much had been obvious. But it seemed that Zubin was pressured to come up with things to say, and the more he forced the worse his points and puns got. Did boys think like this? She knew some were pigs but she never thought they were this bad.
A chill settled in, running up and down her spine like a cold wave. It came in the form of a gentle whirring sound, from the south. Ami looked.
One of the cameras moved. Not right in front of her own eyes but while she was looking away. It was pointed at the coast, not at them. She wasn't just her imagination. Cameras all around, literally locked on them.
Ami would not look up at them again, refused to. She stared at Zubin, straight ahead. Zubin's talking fell away into an echo and then a dull ringing the harder she concentrated. At that moment, every camera in the vicinity turned on their own and locked onto Ami. No, not cameras. Eyes. Dozens of pairs of eyes. She felt the glare of each and every member of her mother's family, living and dead, bearing down on her, squinting, lips clenched, coarse sneers, sitting, silent, listening as a pervert sex freak talking to a dyke and a disowned mutt about having sex with everyone else.
Disgusting. The woman with the sagging, slanted eyes. Her grandmother. Disgraceful. She should know better.
Another would turn to the others, the man with the thick jaw who should have been Ami's uncle. What were you expecting from that Irish straggler? The only thing those drunken louts are capable of producing are two-bit criminals and whores.
Shameful, they would all say as their turned their backs on her father, on her mother. On her.
It took Ami a moment that she was clenching her teeth. She turned her head and and looked over the ocean. She felt sick.
Ruby started talking, and for a second she honestly thought she was referring to the sex plan. Quickly she realized that wasn't the case, but it still bugged her. Had to get her mind out of the gutter. Ami pressed a hand to her temple as Ruby began to talk logistics. How no one was experienced enough to try. Ami pursed her lips. The eyes were still on her. Was she going crazy? They probably didn't even know or care that she was here! Why would they be watching? Ruby stopped talking and Ami quickly picked right up. Had to keep things moving.
"Zubin. When I said we needed a plan, I wasn't talking about breaking out. I was talking long-term. These people are serious, they won't let us get away with anything! Do you even remember what they did to Mr. Davidge?"
That nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach again. Couldn't think about that. Stop thinking about that.
"Look," she sat up. "What do we do if we can't cheat the system? Do we just wait? Or..."
The boiling inside her began to foam.
"I-I don't know, that's why I'm asking you! Didn't you say that you used to watch this show?"
A chill settled in, running up and down her spine like a cold wave. It came in the form of a gentle whirring sound, from the south. Ami looked.
One of the cameras moved. Not right in front of her own eyes but while she was looking away. It was pointed at the coast, not at them. She wasn't just her imagination. Cameras all around, literally locked on them.
Ami would not look up at them again, refused to. She stared at Zubin, straight ahead. Zubin's talking fell away into an echo and then a dull ringing the harder she concentrated. At that moment, every camera in the vicinity turned on their own and locked onto Ami. No, not cameras. Eyes. Dozens of pairs of eyes. She felt the glare of each and every member of her mother's family, living and dead, bearing down on her, squinting, lips clenched, coarse sneers, sitting, silent, listening as a pervert sex freak talking to a dyke and a disowned mutt about having sex with everyone else.
Disgusting. The woman with the sagging, slanted eyes. Her grandmother. Disgraceful. She should know better.
Another would turn to the others, the man with the thick jaw who should have been Ami's uncle. What were you expecting from that Irish straggler? The only thing those drunken louts are capable of producing are two-bit criminals and whores.
Shameful, they would all say as their turned their backs on her father, on her mother. On her.
It took Ami a moment that she was clenching her teeth. She turned her head and and looked over the ocean. She felt sick.
Ruby started talking, and for a second she honestly thought she was referring to the sex plan. Quickly she realized that wasn't the case, but it still bugged her. Had to get her mind out of the gutter. Ami pressed a hand to her temple as Ruby began to talk logistics. How no one was experienced enough to try. Ami pursed her lips. The eyes were still on her. Was she going crazy? They probably didn't even know or care that she was here! Why would they be watching? Ruby stopped talking and Ami quickly picked right up. Had to keep things moving.
"Zubin. When I said we needed a plan, I wasn't talking about breaking out. I was talking long-term. These people are serious, they won't let us get away with anything! Do you even remember what they did to Mr. Davidge?"
That nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach again. Couldn't think about that. Stop thinking about that.
"Look," she sat up. "What do we do if we can't cheat the system? Do we just wait? Or..."
The boiling inside her began to foam.
"I-I don't know, that's why I'm asking you! Didn't you say that you used to watch this show?"
-
MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
((Sean Mulcahy, continued from Prepare to be Boarded))
"TELL ME... what's become of me ship?"
Sean wanted to drop that line ever since he saw Geoffery Rush say it as Captain Barbossa in the second Pirates of the Carribean movie. It seemed oddly appropriate now, but maybe it would be moreso if he had actually waited to be in the presence of the freighter first. For now, he was only rhetorically addressing his first mate Sara Corlett. They were close though, according to the map. Very close. He was honestly ashamed to admit that they needed a map in the first place to get from point A to point B when they were right next to each other in the first place, and you could just get from one to the other by taking the coast and following it up.
However, for purposes of shelter, both he and Sara had decided to take a more in-land route that nearly hit the woods before turning back out to the sea. Sean couldn't help but wonder what was to the north and east of those woods beyond the beach, but at the same time, whatever was out there wasn't his ship. That's all he needed to really be happy for the time being.
Instead of seeing the familiar shore with the rusted-over ship straight away, the pirate crew of two was greeted with the sight of an interesting-looking lagoon and, with it, a few people sitting and chatting about something. Two girls and a boy, from the looks. The people had come to his attention after other sights about the lagoon did, though; Sean briefly wondered if there was enough time to arm himself just in case they were headed straight for a pack of trouble, or if it was too late and they were already spotted.
Considering he had a pretty good view coming in to them, there was a far chance they could, in turn, see him. Might as well put up the friendly flag, then.
"AHOY, THERE!" Sean shouted in his best, gruff captain's voice. He was sure to avoid an embarrassing, cracking voice by practicing his captain voice when talking to Sara all the way from the airstrip. Nothing was worse than blowing a first impression, after all. "We've set course for the freighter, but it's a fine time as any to meet company on the seas!"
He continued the approach, smiling as he would in school whenever he saw any of these people. Ami. Zubin. Ruby. He knew them all. Maybe he didn't particularly like them all, but he most certainly knew them. They didn't look like killers.
Maybe he did, though.
"So..." Sean said in a lower voice, given the closer proximity. "Uh... what sortie's going on here?"
"TELL ME... what's become of me ship?"
Sean wanted to drop that line ever since he saw Geoffery Rush say it as Captain Barbossa in the second Pirates of the Carribean movie. It seemed oddly appropriate now, but maybe it would be moreso if he had actually waited to be in the presence of the freighter first. For now, he was only rhetorically addressing his first mate Sara Corlett. They were close though, according to the map. Very close. He was honestly ashamed to admit that they needed a map in the first place to get from point A to point B when they were right next to each other in the first place, and you could just get from one to the other by taking the coast and following it up.
However, for purposes of shelter, both he and Sara had decided to take a more in-land route that nearly hit the woods before turning back out to the sea. Sean couldn't help but wonder what was to the north and east of those woods beyond the beach, but at the same time, whatever was out there wasn't his ship. That's all he needed to really be happy for the time being.
Instead of seeing the familiar shore with the rusted-over ship straight away, the pirate crew of two was greeted with the sight of an interesting-looking lagoon and, with it, a few people sitting and chatting about something. Two girls and a boy, from the looks. The people had come to his attention after other sights about the lagoon did, though; Sean briefly wondered if there was enough time to arm himself just in case they were headed straight for a pack of trouble, or if it was too late and they were already spotted.
Considering he had a pretty good view coming in to them, there was a far chance they could, in turn, see him. Might as well put up the friendly flag, then.
"AHOY, THERE!" Sean shouted in his best, gruff captain's voice. He was sure to avoid an embarrassing, cracking voice by practicing his captain voice when talking to Sara all the way from the airstrip. Nothing was worse than blowing a first impression, after all. "We've set course for the freighter, but it's a fine time as any to meet company on the seas!"
He continued the approach, smiling as he would in school whenever he saw any of these people. Ami. Zubin. Ruby. He knew them all. Maybe he didn't particularly like them all, but he most certainly knew them. They didn't look like killers.
Maybe he did, though.
"So..." Sean said in a lower voice, given the closer proximity. "Uh... what sortie's going on here?"
V8 Characters:
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in