Leap of Faith
Leap of Faith
((Eliza Patton continued from Perspectives, an Alternate))
Eliza shielded her eyes as she looked down from the zip line tower. Her body was still a little stiff from waking up, but the pain from her bruises had mostly passed. She sighed as she scanned the tree line below. There didn't seem to be anyone there, but the foliage was too thick to be completely sure. She quickly glanced down the ladder before taking a seat.
Leaving her rifle beside her, she rummaged through her bag. It was a hot day, and she was getting pretty thirsty. Eventually, her hands closed around a water bottle. It was pretty warm, but it was better than nothing. Eliza picked it up, unscrewed the cap and took a sip. The water tasted kind of funny, but it wasn't like she had a choice of drinks.
Choice. That word stuck in her mind. It was something that she had almost taken for granted before. The ability to drink what she wanted, to go where she wanted, to live on her own terms. It had all been taken from her, and for what? Some crazy fucker's sick entertainment? She closed her eyes, wallowing in the unfairness of it all. At least Leah, Cherry and the others back in Seattle didn't have to deal with this. Eliza sighed.
She wished she was home.
Eliza shielded her eyes as she looked down from the zip line tower. Her body was still a little stiff from waking up, but the pain from her bruises had mostly passed. She sighed as she scanned the tree line below. There didn't seem to be anyone there, but the foliage was too thick to be completely sure. She quickly glanced down the ladder before taking a seat.
Leaving her rifle beside her, she rummaged through her bag. It was a hot day, and she was getting pretty thirsty. Eventually, her hands closed around a water bottle. It was pretty warm, but it was better than nothing. Eliza picked it up, unscrewed the cap and took a sip. The water tasted kind of funny, but it wasn't like she had a choice of drinks.
Choice. That word stuck in her mind. It was something that she had almost taken for granted before. The ability to drink what she wanted, to go where she wanted, to live on her own terms. It had all been taken from her, and for what? Some crazy fucker's sick entertainment? She closed her eyes, wallowing in the unfairness of it all. At least Leah, Cherry and the others back in Seattle didn't have to deal with this. Eliza sighed.
She wished she was home.
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((Luca Johanssen continued from Ducks Love Fireworks))
Luca didn't know how it had happened, but instead of arriving at the northern part of town as he'd intended, he found himself on almost the opposite side of the island. Damnit, I messed up big time here. How did I manage to do that?
The first step had been getting separated from Bianca en route to the suburbs. Shortly after leaving the park, Luca's injured knee began playing up again. He'd told Bianca to go ahead and that he'd meet up with her later on, then stayed put to give his knee a much-needed rest. After about half an hour, it was still aching quite a lot. He searched through his first aid kit and found some ibuprofen, much to his delight. He took a couple of the pills with some sips of water, and waited for them to kick in. It was a while later before his knee felt well enough for him to continue, and by that time the sun was already starting to set.
He continued to wander towards what he thought was the town, but in the encroaching darkness, he became totally disorientated and starting going in the wrong direction. When it became too dark to continue, Luca just gave up for the night and took cover among the trees to rest some more. The next morning, after the announcements, Luca set off once again but feeling a lot, lot more anxious than before. He'd learnt that eight of his classmates had died over the past twenty-four hours, and not all of them through accidents or suicide. There were indeed murderers out there. Adonis and Bianca were still alive, something he was thankful for. As much as Adonis was a dick for abandoning both him and Bianca, he didn't want to hear that he'd gone off and died.
Continuing his trek, losing his map halfway through to an errant gust of wind, he eventually arrived at the coast. Unfortunately for him, it was the eastern part of the island, far away from where he was supposed to meet up with Bianca. With no map, Luca was forced to follow the coast around the island. And that was how he came to be at the zipline attraction.
His lightsaber was still in his grip, virtually glued to the palm of his hand since that morning. I need to take a rest... I've been walking non-stop since this morning. Luca slowed to a stop and plopped down against the trunk of one of the many tall trees, and began to rummage nosily through his bag for something to eat. He pulled out an energy bar, sighed loudly and tapped the plastic sword against the floor as he ate, unaware of the female lurking several metres above him.
Luca didn't know how it had happened, but instead of arriving at the northern part of town as he'd intended, he found himself on almost the opposite side of the island. Damnit, I messed up big time here. How did I manage to do that?
The first step had been getting separated from Bianca en route to the suburbs. Shortly after leaving the park, Luca's injured knee began playing up again. He'd told Bianca to go ahead and that he'd meet up with her later on, then stayed put to give his knee a much-needed rest. After about half an hour, it was still aching quite a lot. He searched through his first aid kit and found some ibuprofen, much to his delight. He took a couple of the pills with some sips of water, and waited for them to kick in. It was a while later before his knee felt well enough for him to continue, and by that time the sun was already starting to set.
He continued to wander towards what he thought was the town, but in the encroaching darkness, he became totally disorientated and starting going in the wrong direction. When it became too dark to continue, Luca just gave up for the night and took cover among the trees to rest some more. The next morning, after the announcements, Luca set off once again but feeling a lot, lot more anxious than before. He'd learnt that eight of his classmates had died over the past twenty-four hours, and not all of them through accidents or suicide. There were indeed murderers out there. Adonis and Bianca were still alive, something he was thankful for. As much as Adonis was a dick for abandoning both him and Bianca, he didn't want to hear that he'd gone off and died.
Continuing his trek, losing his map halfway through to an errant gust of wind, he eventually arrived at the coast. Unfortunately for him, it was the eastern part of the island, far away from where he was supposed to meet up with Bianca. With no map, Luca was forced to follow the coast around the island. And that was how he came to be at the zipline attraction.
His lightsaber was still in his grip, virtually glued to the palm of his hand since that morning. I need to take a rest... I've been walking non-stop since this morning. Luca slowed to a stop and plopped down against the trunk of one of the many tall trees, and began to rummage nosily through his bag for something to eat. He pulled out an energy bar, sighed loudly and tapped the plastic sword against the floor as he ate, unaware of the female lurking several metres above him.
What was that noise? Eliza looked up, scanning her surroundings. The sound had to be coming from below her. Picking up her gun, she crawled to the ladder and looked over the edge of the platform.
She didn't have much of a view from this angle, but she could tell that there was a person down there. He was banging some kind of stick on the ground. Eliza stared at him, unmoving. What should she do? He didn't seem too dangerous, but you never really could tell here.
Fuck it. It was was pretty boring to have nobody to talk to, and it wouldn't kill her to act friendly to one person, would it? Tucking her gun out of sight, she called down to the boy below.
"Hey. How's the weather down there?"
She didn't have much of a view from this angle, but she could tell that there was a person down there. He was banging some kind of stick on the ground. Eliza stared at him, unmoving. What should she do? He didn't seem too dangerous, but you never really could tell here.
Fuck it. It was was pretty boring to have nobody to talk to, and it wouldn't kill her to act friendly to one person, would it? Tucking her gun out of sight, she called down to the boy below.
"Hey. How's the weather down there?"
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Luca very nearly choked on the energy bar when the unexpected voice called out and startled him. He coughed a couple of times, dislodging the bolus from his throat, which allowed him to swallow it properly. Oh man, are you trying to kill me or something?
That was actually a real possibility, he realised soon after thinking that.
He leant forward, peeking either side of the tree he sat beside. Nobody to his left, nobody to his right. The voice had echoed amongst the trees, making it difficult to pinpoint its actual location. So, where did that voice come from? He looked in an upwards direction, just to humour himself, and was extremely surprised to see someone standing on a platform high above him. He couldn't tell who it was exactly, though he could catch a glimpse of some pink hair that really stood out.
"Oh, hi," Luca called back, trying to think of a proper response to the girl's question. "It's... I guess it's cloudy with a chance of dying down here."
Well that wasn't morbid at all.
That was actually a real possibility, he realised soon after thinking that.
He leant forward, peeking either side of the tree he sat beside. Nobody to his left, nobody to his right. The voice had echoed amongst the trees, making it difficult to pinpoint its actual location. So, where did that voice come from? He looked in an upwards direction, just to humour himself, and was extremely surprised to see someone standing on a platform high above him. He couldn't tell who it was exactly, though he could catch a glimpse of some pink hair that really stood out.
"Oh, hi," Luca called back, trying to think of a proper response to the girl's question. "It's... I guess it's cloudy with a chance of dying down here."
Well that wasn't morbid at all.
((GMing Approved))
Well, that was actually kind of funny. Maybe this wouldn't go so badly after all. Eliza leaned back over the side and called back to him.
"Why don't you come up here so we can talk without shouting?"
Evidently he had decided to take her up on the offer, as she could see him climbing up the ladder. So far, so good. Eliza shuffled back to where her bags were, running her hand over her gun to make sure she knew where it was.
She sighed. Hopefully this would end better than the last few times.
Well, that was actually kind of funny. Maybe this wouldn't go so badly after all. Eliza leaned back over the side and called back to him.
"Why don't you come up here so we can talk without shouting?"
Evidently he had decided to take her up on the offer, as she could see him climbing up the ladder. So far, so good. Eliza shuffled back to where her bags were, running her hand over her gun to make sure she knew where it was.
She sighed. Hopefully this would end better than the last few times.
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The girl seemed friendly enough, no malice in her voice. It seemed pretty advantageous to be higher up as well; better view of your surroundings, being able to hide from everyone else more easily. "Sure," he called back and trudged along to the ladder linking the forest floor and the platform.
Luca tried to climb up while holding the lightsaber loosely in one hand, but he only managed to go up one rung before his fingers slipped. Tucking the lightsaber away in his bag as best he could, he tried again and reached the platform without slipping, falling or other general incidents. He pulled himself up, took his bag off his shoulders and looked up to see the girl he'd been conversing with.
Now up close and personal, he could recognise her almost immediately. Especially now he was able to see the piercings, the tattoos on her arms and the brightly dyed hair.
Oh you have to be fucking kidding me.
Eliza Patton. Anarchist, vandal and held back a year. Not to mention that jerk Cody's sister. Not a person I was hoping to run into. Great. Luca tried to hide his dismay at running into her, reminding himself that she hadn't gone as far as kill anyone yet. She wasn't someone like Theo or Iselle, that was some consolation.
"So..." he began, racking his brain to find something to start a conversation with, "how have you been faring over the past couple of days?" he asked. Luca sat down cross-legged near the ladder, looking around at the thick foliage of the trees that surrounded them, and the ancient-looking zipwire that connected to the platform.
Luca tried to climb up while holding the lightsaber loosely in one hand, but he only managed to go up one rung before his fingers slipped. Tucking the lightsaber away in his bag as best he could, he tried again and reached the platform without slipping, falling or other general incidents. He pulled himself up, took his bag off his shoulders and looked up to see the girl he'd been conversing with.
Now up close and personal, he could recognise her almost immediately. Especially now he was able to see the piercings, the tattoos on her arms and the brightly dyed hair.
Oh you have to be fucking kidding me.
Eliza Patton. Anarchist, vandal and held back a year. Not to mention that jerk Cody's sister. Not a person I was hoping to run into. Great. Luca tried to hide his dismay at running into her, reminding himself that she hadn't gone as far as kill anyone yet. She wasn't someone like Theo or Iselle, that was some consolation.
"So..." he began, racking his brain to find something to start a conversation with, "how have you been faring over the past couple of days?" he asked. Luca sat down cross-legged near the ladder, looking around at the thick foliage of the trees that surrounded them, and the ancient-looking zipwire that connected to the platform.
Now that he was finally on her level, Eliza was able to get a good luck at him. He seemed like a jock, though she didn't recognise him as one of Cody's friends. Hopefully he'd be a little more intelligent than the one's she was used to. After a few moments of thought, she responded.
"To be honest, things have been pretty shitty around here." Eliza laughed. "I've been in a couple fights already, but I suppose I'm not too bad off."
There was a brief pause as her hands came to rest on her gun. Couldn't be too careful.
"Maybe I'll actually get to win one for once."
"To be honest, things have been pretty shitty around here." Eliza laughed. "I've been in a couple fights already, but I suppose I'm not too bad off."
There was a brief pause as her hands came to rest on her gun. Couldn't be too careful.
"Maybe I'll actually get to win one for once."
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So Eliza had been in a few scrapes herself, it seemed. Luca felt somewhat sorry to hear it and nodded in response. At the same time, however, he felt kind of relieved to know that he wasn't the only person there to have had a lot of shit happen to them. "Yeah, well yesterday me, Bianca and Adonis met some twit who decided to fire a massive gun..." He trailed off into silence when he saw Eliza's hand go down to her own rifle, and listened in silence as she continued to speak.
Win for once? And she's going for her gun? Something's not quite right here...
"Define 'win'," Luca spoke while frowning, feeling extremly uneasy all of a sudden. His eyes flicked down to the bag sitting on the platform next to him, the strap of which still dangled around his neck. The lightsaber that still poked out of the partly opened zip was no match for that rifle, not by a long shot. It was just a cheap toy, it couldn't do any real damage. It couldn't even cut through butter, let alone cut through the barrel of a gun.
Still, it was the only thing he had.
He placed his hand on the green plastic blade and began to slowly draw it out, just so he had something to hold on to. If she was getting her weapon to hand, why shouldn't he go for his as well?
Win for once? And she's going for her gun? Something's not quite right here...
"Define 'win'," Luca spoke while frowning, feeling extremly uneasy all of a sudden. His eyes flicked down to the bag sitting on the platform next to him, the strap of which still dangled around his neck. The lightsaber that still poked out of the partly opened zip was no match for that rifle, not by a long shot. It was just a cheap toy, it couldn't do any real damage. It couldn't even cut through butter, let alone cut through the barrel of a gun.
Still, it was the only thing he had.
He placed his hand on the green plastic blade and began to slowly draw it out, just so he had something to hold on to. If she was getting her weapon to hand, why shouldn't he go for his as well?
Eliza's heart was pounding as she saw the boy reach into his bag. Her eyes were glued to his hands as he produced... a... a lightsaber?
Well that was just fucking great. She wanted to laugh. Did he actually think that he'd be able to make it through this with just a plastic toy?
Still. The football player from earlier didn't exactly get assigned a good weapon either... Eliza didn't think she'd end up so lucky if another fight started. Her whole body stiffened. There was no way in hell she'd let the same thing happen again.
Keeping her gun at the ready, she took a few steps back from the boy in front of her. It was a long way down, and all it would take would be one push...
"What're you doing? Don't move!"
Well that was just fucking great. She wanted to laugh. Did he actually think that he'd be able to make it through this with just a plastic toy?
Still. The football player from earlier didn't exactly get assigned a good weapon either... Eliza didn't think she'd end up so lucky if another fight started. Her whole body stiffened. There was no way in hell she'd let the same thing happen again.
Keeping her gun at the ready, she took a few steps back from the boy in front of her. It was a long way down, and all it would take would be one push...
"What're you doing? Don't move!"
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"W-what? I was just getting this out my bag," Luca responded, feeling more and more anxious with each passing moment.
So pulling the lightsaber out hadn't been such a good idea after all. Even if he meant nothing by it, she still seemed to take it as a threat. Does she really think I can do anything with this? Serously, she's that paranoid? She's got a freaking gun and I got a toy sword!
This was not good, not good at all. The girl in front of him was way better armed than him, and was better prepared to strike if she wanted to. All she had to do was aim the rifle up him and squeeze the trigger, and it would be Luca Johanssen out for the count. He could feel his body begin to sweat heavily, and not from the warmth of the day. This was a bad idea, I should have just stayed down on the ground. I need to go, quickly. Find the town, find Bianca, just get the Hell out of here while I still can.
"Look, this is the only thing I have," Luca spoke, trying to sound as calm and rational as he could, though his voice faltered in some placed. "It's just a piece of crap, I can't hurt anybody with it. You've gotta be extra deluded to think I can do anything while you have that gun in your hand. So how about putting it down and letting me be on my way, okay? You're really starting to make me nervous and that's something I can really do without."
Luca slowly got to one foot as his knee began to get sore again in its current position.
So pulling the lightsaber out hadn't been such a good idea after all. Even if he meant nothing by it, she still seemed to take it as a threat. Does she really think I can do anything with this? Serously, she's that paranoid? She's got a freaking gun and I got a toy sword!
This was not good, not good at all. The girl in front of him was way better armed than him, and was better prepared to strike if she wanted to. All she had to do was aim the rifle up him and squeeze the trigger, and it would be Luca Johanssen out for the count. He could feel his body begin to sweat heavily, and not from the warmth of the day. This was a bad idea, I should have just stayed down on the ground. I need to go, quickly. Find the town, find Bianca, just get the Hell out of here while I still can.
"Look, this is the only thing I have," Luca spoke, trying to sound as calm and rational as he could, though his voice faltered in some placed. "It's just a piece of crap, I can't hurt anybody with it. You've gotta be extra deluded to think I can do anything while you have that gun in your hand. So how about putting it down and letting me be on my way, okay? You're really starting to make me nervous and that's something I can really do without."
Luca slowly got to one foot as his knee began to get sore again in its current position.
Shit, he was standing up. That wasn't good. The image of Tyler slamming into her flashed through her head. Eliza stepped back from the boy in front of her. After a few steps, however, she made a realization. She didn't any more room to go backwards. She looked back at the yawning chasm behind her.
She didn't want to die.
Looking back at Luca, she could see that he was already on his feet. Her heart was pounding. Was she just imagining things, or was he actually moving closer to her? Could she take the chance that she was wrong? Her gun was already pointed at him.
Almost without thinking about it, she pulled the trigger.
She didn't want to die.
Looking back at Luca, she could see that he was already on his feet. Her heart was pounding. Was she just imagining things, or was he actually moving closer to her? Could she take the chance that she was wrong? Her gun was already pointed at him.
Almost without thinking about it, she pulled the trigger.
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Luca was becoming more and more freaked out now with Eliza's behaviour. He'd told her he was leaving, why was she still holding onto that gun for dear life? Why was she stepping backwards away from him? Doesn't she trust me or something? Is that is? She thinks I'm going to attack her?
Surely this girl knew that he wasn't stupid enough to come charging at her with a silly fake sword. He wasn't playing that game, he thought himself better than that. No, something's wrong, very wrong. I'm getting out of here. Now.
Eliza continued to step backwards as Luca got onto both his feet. His lightsaber was still firmly gripped in his hand, but pointed downwards, so as to look as least threatening as possible. He kept his eyes on her and her rifle with each step that she took.
Each step bringing her closer to the unguarded edge of the platform.
She... she's going to go off the edge! All the worry and fear that he had for Eliza instantly turned into concern for her.
"Eliza!" Luca called out to her. He took a slight step forward and put his arm out to reach towards her, preparing to run forward if necessary to stop her from toppling over and plummeting to the ground below. "Eliza, you're going to fall-" Too late, he noticed that she'd already stopped walking backwards. Too late, he saw that she'd already raised the gun and was pointing it right at him. Too late, he realised the position he'd put himself in by moving ever so slightly towards her.
Like he was about to attack her.
Oh God.
"No, wait a-!" A deafening crack echoed through the air, and Luca instantly felt something kick him excruciatingly hard in the gut. He grunted, eyes wide in shock as he staggered backwards a step. He immediately released hold of the lightsaber, which fell to the wooden platform with a soft thud.
Oh God it hurts, it hurts!
He'd thought he'd hurt himself badly when he had that collision with the cyclist back at home. But this was something else, that incident was nothing compared to the intense pain he felt now. The skin on his abdomen was starting to feel warm, damp and sticky, and the sensation was spreading outwards. He took another step backwards; had he looked down, he'd have been able to see the darker stain that bloomed on his dark red shirt.
"W-why?" he spluttered in absoloute shock, still focusing on Eliza and the gun that had practically ended his life. He took another half a step backwards, and then his legs gave out on him. He collapsed backwards, his view swinging upwards away from the anarchistic girl to the canopy of green leaves above his head. His body didn't hit the platform with a hefty thump as he'd anticipated, however. There was no more platform to back onto; Luca had walked up to the edge and had now just fallen over it.
Luca opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out apart from a few drops of saliva.
They say when when you're experiencing an emergency situation, time seems to slow down. Luca had head about that phenomenon before, and had heard it was due to the brain working harder to pick up extra information that it normally would have dismissed as superfluous. Falling to one's death seemed like such an emergency, though there was nothing that his brain could do to prevent it. Luca's body rotated in mid-air as he fell, allowing him to view the dirt, grass and leaves that his body was about to slam into.
Luca would have laughed at the irony of it all if he wasn't currently falling to his death with a painful bullet wound to his stomach. There he was, believing the government was behind SOTF. He'd publicly voiced his opinions on the matter, made rivals and enemies along the way. And now he was about to die because of SOTF.
Well, I guess you've won in the end.
Just moments before he hit the ground with a sickening thud, Luca did manage one last thought.
I hope you're happy.
B030: LUCA JOHANSSEN - DECEASED
133 STUDENTS REMAINING
Surely this girl knew that he wasn't stupid enough to come charging at her with a silly fake sword. He wasn't playing that game, he thought himself better than that. No, something's wrong, very wrong. I'm getting out of here. Now.
Eliza continued to step backwards as Luca got onto both his feet. His lightsaber was still firmly gripped in his hand, but pointed downwards, so as to look as least threatening as possible. He kept his eyes on her and her rifle with each step that she took.
Each step bringing her closer to the unguarded edge of the platform.
She... she's going to go off the edge! All the worry and fear that he had for Eliza instantly turned into concern for her.
"Eliza!" Luca called out to her. He took a slight step forward and put his arm out to reach towards her, preparing to run forward if necessary to stop her from toppling over and plummeting to the ground below. "Eliza, you're going to fall-" Too late, he noticed that she'd already stopped walking backwards. Too late, he saw that she'd already raised the gun and was pointing it right at him. Too late, he realised the position he'd put himself in by moving ever so slightly towards her.
Like he was about to attack her.
Oh God.
"No, wait a-!" A deafening crack echoed through the air, and Luca instantly felt something kick him excruciatingly hard in the gut. He grunted, eyes wide in shock as he staggered backwards a step. He immediately released hold of the lightsaber, which fell to the wooden platform with a soft thud.
Oh God it hurts, it hurts!
He'd thought he'd hurt himself badly when he had that collision with the cyclist back at home. But this was something else, that incident was nothing compared to the intense pain he felt now. The skin on his abdomen was starting to feel warm, damp and sticky, and the sensation was spreading outwards. He took another step backwards; had he looked down, he'd have been able to see the darker stain that bloomed on his dark red shirt.
"W-why?" he spluttered in absoloute shock, still focusing on Eliza and the gun that had practically ended his life. He took another half a step backwards, and then his legs gave out on him. He collapsed backwards, his view swinging upwards away from the anarchistic girl to the canopy of green leaves above his head. His body didn't hit the platform with a hefty thump as he'd anticipated, however. There was no more platform to back onto; Luca had walked up to the edge and had now just fallen over it.
Luca opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out apart from a few drops of saliva.
They say when when you're experiencing an emergency situation, time seems to slow down. Luca had head about that phenomenon before, and had heard it was due to the brain working harder to pick up extra information that it normally would have dismissed as superfluous. Falling to one's death seemed like such an emergency, though there was nothing that his brain could do to prevent it. Luca's body rotated in mid-air as he fell, allowing him to view the dirt, grass and leaves that his body was about to slam into.
Luca would have laughed at the irony of it all if he wasn't currently falling to his death with a painful bullet wound to his stomach. There he was, believing the government was behind SOTF. He'd publicly voiced his opinions on the matter, made rivals and enemies along the way. And now he was about to die because of SOTF.
Well, I guess you've won in the end.
Just moments before he hit the ground with a sickening thud, Luca did manage one last thought.
I hope you're happy.
B030: LUCA JOHANSSEN - DECEASED
133 STUDENTS REMAINING
That....that was not what was supposed to happen. Eliza stared wide-eyed at the place where Luca had been standing moments before. They were just talking, and then... She didn't even know what happened. It all went so fast...
The scene replayed itself over and over in her head, burning itself into her brain. The noise of the shot, the blood spreading through Luca's shirt, the fall... Overcome with nausea, Eliza leaned over the side of the tower and vomited. After the remains of the the couple energy bars and crackers had finished spewing out of her mouth, she steadied herself.
She stood still for a few moments, the taste of bile in her mouth. Eventually, she began to make her way to the edge where the other boy had fallen off. The view confirmed her suspicions. There was no way that he could have lived through that. Eliza dropped her gun, putting her hand to her face. She had attacked people before, but never like this. Before, she could have said that the other person had deserved it somehow. This was different. This was all her fault.
No. This wasn't happening. She wanted to live, but was this really the cost? Was this what she would have to keep doing over and over again? Hurting innocent people just because she was scared? That was wrong, wasn't it? Tyler's words rang through her mind. There was no room for hesitation in this place. She was going to have to kill now if she wanted to survive.
...
Hastily gathering up her things, she went down the ladder as fast as her arms and legs could carry her. She had no idea what to do now, only that she wanted to get away from here as soon as possible. Clutching her gun tightly to her body, she ran off into the forest, supplies spilling out of the open part of her bag.
((Eliza Patton continued in Catus Carnival))
The scene replayed itself over and over in her head, burning itself into her brain. The noise of the shot, the blood spreading through Luca's shirt, the fall... Overcome with nausea, Eliza leaned over the side of the tower and vomited. After the remains of the the couple energy bars and crackers had finished spewing out of her mouth, she steadied herself.
She stood still for a few moments, the taste of bile in her mouth. Eventually, she began to make her way to the edge where the other boy had fallen off. The view confirmed her suspicions. There was no way that he could have lived through that. Eliza dropped her gun, putting her hand to her face. She had attacked people before, but never like this. Before, she could have said that the other person had deserved it somehow. This was different. This was all her fault.
No. This wasn't happening. She wanted to live, but was this really the cost? Was this what she would have to keep doing over and over again? Hurting innocent people just because she was scared? That was wrong, wasn't it? Tyler's words rang through her mind. There was no room for hesitation in this place. She was going to have to kill now if she wanted to survive.
...
Hastily gathering up her things, she went down the ladder as fast as her arms and legs could carry her. She had no idea what to do now, only that she wanted to get away from here as soon as possible. Clutching her gun tightly to her body, she ran off into the forest, supplies spilling out of the open part of her bag.
((Eliza Patton continued in Catus Carnival))