Survival Of The Fittest

((Continued from Mending))

"Look what the fuck you've gotten yourself into now."

Now, Izzy liked water... in a glass, chilled and with ice at the end of a work out.

If the water was hot? Then in a tub, so she could relax away the stress of the day was also quite likeable.

Most of all she liked her water tamed, contained, and easily disposed down a convenient drain.

Shin-high, and the whole slightly cold factor—though at least clean enough to refill her water bottles—no matter how nice the latter was, the aforementioned ones led this to be her least favorite way of comforting the element.

She wasn't quite sure how long she had been walking/jogging/limping since she had left the scene of the grenade explosion that had, more or less made her lose the two people she felt she could trust until she could actually find her own friends. Now though she was standing atop a rocky bed looking at a following river before with no knowledge to how she got here. Besides, of course, the fact she had left wanting to find both Keith and Trey and also kick their asses for running off and leaving her with the… weird squad that had been forming in the midst before the attack. Thankfully though she had managed dodging them as they had seemed pretty keen on following her under she had decided hiding in some bushes until they passed seemed to work in getting them to leave her alone.

It wasn't really that she didn't want to be a part of a group, sure there was the safety in numbers but she had spent a large amount of her time held up in the jungle doing absolutely nothing, time she could have spent searching for her friends instead of staring at the jungle floor. Unsure if she was thankful or not for that grenade explosion—not thankful though that she had to suffer through two of them since she had woken up on the island—put at least it had gotten her out of that jungle, minus her only two allies though. Now she was standing in water, taking a moment to refill her water supply… why of course she didn't waddle herself down some more yards to a swallow spot she hadn't the foggiest.

Perhaps it was the excuse that it was starting to feel as though she couldn't walk anymore; her leg was killing her as was her shoulder it felt like. Not to mention the exhaustion taking over to where she'd be happy to just fall over and sleep, but that was a questionable action at best… going to sleep was more or less just giving yourself up for somehow to come along and stab you, or shot you, blow you up, or something horrid like that. Shaking her head though as she screwed the cap onto the last of her refilled water bottles and placed it back into her pack, sifting her shoes about in her hands before making her way across the rest of the brook and onto the dry ground along the bed.

Taking a moment to dump her own bag and then the issued daypack to the ground, sifting and working her socks and shoes back onto her feet, before grasping the two bags and continuing her way into the surrounding wooded, and brush like area. Allowing herself to located a spot amongst the overgrowth to once again drop the pack and settle into a seated position, breathing out a soft sigh and flinching a bit at the pain coming from the gash near her knee that she had patched up quickly, though it seemed to be holding so that was good, right?

Closing her eyes for a moment, Izzy just allowed herself to sigh again, her whole form slacking for the first time in three days as her mind ran circles about all that had happened and what needed to happen. Like finding Adam and Andy wherever they where, finding Keith and Trey again, because she knew that she could trust them if something bad did happen—though with them having run off like that, they could be just about anywhere on the island now and Izzy had no way of knowing where to start. Which put her right at the start just like with the two she actually called her friends, which in turn caused her to frown in worry though having not heard their names yet should put her at ease she just could not find it to be that way.

Not here at least, there was no ease.

The air was filled with a terrible sound, a buzzing drone that was deafening enough to drive a stake through one's spine.

The chainsaw was a burdensome and unwieldy weapon. Breath heaving as he struggled to keep ahold of the heavy saw while the vibrating motor was causing his arms to shake, Luke Rowan felt his limbs grew weak and tired as he started to approach Izzy. The motorized blade spun menacingly...

... Why couldn't he have had something light instead? Like a baseball bat or a hammer or something? @_@;;; Luke could feel the strength gradually waning in his arms.

Staggering slightly, he looked towards Izzy, ears buzzing from the din of the roaring blade. He opened his mouth and spoke.

He frowned somewhat. Why was it that no words were coming out of his mouth? Surely his voice was fine, yes?

....And then it occurred to him.

Maybe he ought to turn the motor off. ^_^;;;;

Yes, that was it. The motor of the chainsaw was simply making it next to impossible to hearing himself speak. In any case, it seemed a bit awkward to approach a classmate with a powered-on chainsaw in hand, didn't it?

His shaking fingers found the switch and he let out a weary sigh of relief as the chainsaw quieted, and came to a merciful stop. Yet still his ears were ringing from the din, as well as the blood pounding in his head. As always, he started to feel faint, barely able to hold up the weight of the saw.

Looking towards her, he rubbed the back of his head and nodded towards her in greeting.

"Um, sorry about that. What I meant to say was....do you mind if I...." He staggered a bit. "...if I took a rest here? I only just woke up, and as you can see...I found the weapon they gave me. Unfortunately I don't appear to be feeling well...."

He was starting to look a little pale as he smiled politely and humbly at her. Luke Rowan had always been of poor health, and even now seemed even more unwell after having to bear the weight of the chainsaw.

"You are Izzy, yes? I don't think we've talked before...." Looking towards her, he frowned somewhat. "....By the way, are you alright? ...It looks as though someone shot you. That was Madison, wasn't it? I heard on the announcement..."

((Continued from Three Panel Soul))

Dawn was fast approaching. The pre-dawn lighting was all over, the feeling in the air, the temperature change, everything gave way to the fact that another night on the island had passed. The birds chirping in the trees were a sign of hope for some. A sign that you survived another day. Another night. Despite the screams and the shots and other terrors and beasts in the night, Lenny Priestly was still walking.

He stood close to his sister all night. They had traveled from the cave, and walked, and walked together. Everything they did, they did together. They stumbled together, hoped together, and feared together.

Elizabeth was deathly afraid of the dark. The reason? It really stemmed from their nanny Tabatha. Oh Tabatha. Sick, twisted, demented Tabatha.

How Elizabeth hated her. And at the same time, loved her. It was a sick game that they played. That was the problem. It was all a game. A game that Tabatha, that old middle age witch played because she had nothing better to do than terrorize two kids. The first couple years she was in charge of raising Lenny and Elizabeth, it had been good. While their parents had been out of town almost every week and always working late, Tabatha took care of them.

As the years passed though, that's when things started to get a little...demented.

Elizabeth remembers the first night clearly. It's because of that night and a thousand nights like it or worse that she's afraid of the dark. It's the reason there are scratch marks all over Lenny's arm right now because of Elizabeth digging her nails into him because of her fear.

That night so long ago.

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

Tabatha was cleaning the dishes while Lenny and Elizabeth (both 10) were at the dinner table. Lenny was drawing a picture with finger paints, mixing the red and the blue, drawing an image not yet discernible. Elizabeth watched him curiously and said, "What are you drawing?"

She propped herself over the kitchen table to see.

Lenny looked at his sister and said, "I'm drawing a family.'

Elizabeth looked at the picture and said, "Looks like just a bunch of colors to me." Lenny stuck out his tongue and said, "I never said I was an artist."

Elizabeth said, "I can tell." She smiled and lost her balance on the table, and she came crashing down into Lenny's drawing. That caused Lenny to drop his finger paints onto the floor, causing the kitchen floor to explode into a rainbow of colors.

"Oops." Elizabeth looked at the mess, and at Lenny. Lenny looked down at the colors on the floor, and a smile spread across his face. "That's better that what I could have drawn. Don't worry about it sis."

Tabatha had stopped her dishes and just stared at the mess.

Dead nanny Tabatha.

"That's it! I've had it with you little brats!" She ran up and grabbed Lenny and Elizabeth by the arm. "Your parents don't pay me enough to put up with you stupid little children. Come with me. I'll teach you to make messes around me again."

Tabatha dragged them both to a closet and first she pushed Lenny in. He tried to leave when she backhanded him, stunning him enough for her to toss his sister in with him, and the door to shut. She had put something on the outside to jam it, locking Lenny and his twin sister Elizabeth in the dark closet.

They stayed in there all night before they were released. That first night was one of the longest. Feeling ashamed for what they did to deserve being locked in the closet.

Things only got worse though...much worse...

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

Elizabeth smiled at the coming dawn. She made it through the night. She wanted to go home. She wanted to eat food again. She just wanted to leave this island. Though at what cost? She loved her brother to death. She didn't want anything to ever happen to him. He helped her so many times. Suffered so much for her. Could she bear to live without him?

Lenny knew his course of action already. Do anything in his power to make sure his sister survived. Kill anybody he came across, no matter who, to make sure his sister won. Of course, then came the element of the cameras. Fame. Something Lenny only dreamed of. A chance to be famous. People cheer his name. Though was the risk of going out of his way and killing worth the chance of putting his sister in danger? A thought he'd have to ponder.

Lenny and Elizabeth stumbled near the babbling brook, and saw two figured. It was dark, and Lenny could barely make them out. One was a girl, and one was a guy. The guy was short and scrawny, and the girl, he couldn't make out her features as well.

Lenny slipped his hatched into the back of his jeans, making sure his shirt covered it.

He then stepped out into the open, his sister leaning against him.

"This is Lenny and Elizabeth. We're lost."

((Continued from Mending))

The explosion had caused a lot of confusion, and separated the slowly forming group. None of them wanted to fight, and a plan to escape, or at least take down a good number of their captors had been hatched. All they needed was some teamwork, and maybe some divine favor. Finding Izzy was an important step though. She had been part of the group before Nick had happened along, and he could see that she was kind and not wanting to participate in this crazy game.

His eyes had become more bright upon seeing Izzy. It was definitely a good thing. He waved at her and jogged over, smiling.

"So glad I found you, we've been looking for you...well I guess I've been looking for you, we got separated again it looks like." He paused for a moment and looked at the others in the area. One with a chainsaw, and another with his sister, and a weapon that nobody could see. Well, Nick assumed he had a weapon. Everybody had a weapon. Nobody who was still alive at this point would have just tossed away what they had been given.

"If we hook up with the rest of the guys...we might be able to get off this island..."

She hadn't meant to fall asleep really, maybe close her eyes and rest a minute but defiantly not sleep, but Izzy couldn't help it really. Feeling as sick and tried as she was it wouldn't hurt for a little while; she had made sure to keep herself at least hidden from those that would be wondering along the embankment of the brook.

But her time spent resting didn't last long when an odd sound entered her hearing, lazily blinking her eyes open and letting her hazy eyes focus and finding herself now staring wide-eyed at someone holding a chainsaw… a chainsaw that happened to be on and pointed in her direction. Cursing her stupidity in allowing herself to fall asleep, and now she was about to kill like she was in a horror movie, tilting her head up toward the figure holding the chainsaw and the fact his lips where moving.

Blinking somewhat in a confused manner though as fingers moved to a switch along the chainsaw, watching with a large sigh of relief as the chainsaw slowly but surely came to stop. Her ears ringing and her headache worse but she was just thankful at least, glancing up to the boy with a curious look as he spoke, tilting her head somewhat and nodding, he did look a bit wobbly at best and pale as well. Izzy almost worried that he'd just pass out or something at any moment,

"Um. Yeah, sure… go right ahead, I'm just happy you aren't about to turn me into something out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Izzy said with a small laugh as she looked up to the boy.

Listening as the boy continued and nodding lightly, pursing her lips somewhat at the question but smiling and nodding. "I—I'm okay I suppose, Hurting somewhat… and I guess I'm just jumpy but that could go for all of us, I got separated from the two people I really had any trust in besides my friends. So… it's kind of alarming being by myself again. But more importantly, a-are you alright you're looking a little pale. "

Though she barely had any time to get this out before someone was talking and Izzy found herself turning and looking toward two new people, biting her bottom lip because it was happening just like back in the jungle. How long until someone showed up that actually wanted to kill them? Raising a curious brow at the whole ‘lost' comment because in a way they where all lost, didn't they have their maps?

But before she had a chance to comment on this he saw yet another person joining the crowded location, tisking somewhat at the sight that it was one of the ones from the jungle… one of those boys from the odd squad that she had figured she had eluded earlier. Not bothering to wave and frowning in turn to the smile present on his face as she managed to get onto her feet with a bit of a stumble.

"Listen… whatever your name is, there's a reason I left before. I'm not interested in being apart of your little group, less of course your name is Adam or Andy. Or you happen to be Keith or Trey, which looking at you, you really don't seem to be huh?" She muttered, sighing heavily as she rubbed at her bandaged arm.

"I've already wasted almost three whole days that could be spent searching for my friends, I'm not looking to be apart of your little group of people and I'm defiantly not interested in looking for them."

Brushing a strand of dyed hair out of her face, Izzy glanced off in the harsh wind after her spark of anger and tried to put her mind back on focusing on where she needed to head next in order to find where the before mentioned four people might be. Lost within her thoughts and worry, and the howling wind masking a lot of it she missed the familiar sound of intercom system starting up.

Izzy didn't miss the voice though, but she was surprised because it was so… well meek, so much so it was clear (hell how couldn't it be?) that this was not the person they had become so used to hearing these past few days. Blinking somewhat over this but didn't think on it for long because whoever this rambling assistant was, was already starting to go over the deaths from the last day and there might be…

The first one was A-anderson Walker... I think he c-called himself A-andy.

And she felt as though her world was thrown sideways and upside down at this, mouth opening to perhaps say something but it felt as though her throat had closed up. Mind spinning with the news that someone she had know for such a long time, someone that had been her friend since she was a kid was now dead. True, they hadn't been on the best of terms in recent time with him seemingly focused solely on his new boyfriend… and she spending a lot of her time with Adam, well they just hadn't hung out and talk the way they used too. Or well Andy would do all the talking and Izzy would listening, and offer her suggestions or laugh… almost laughing at the thought itself if she didn't suddenly find herself crying, something she truly didn't want to do in front of these people but herself unable to help it or care.

Next was Ivye Dewley. S-she was incinerated in a grenade e-explo-s-s-ion caused by Adam Dodd.

Gabrielle... n-no, Gabriel Theobaldt was n-next, also dying in the g-grenade explosion that was caused by Adam D-d-dodd.

As the announcement continued, she wasn't sure how she should carry herself anymore. With Andy's death, and Adam's apparent kills the pain she had managed to ignore for the past few hours was coming back double-fold making her sick to her stomach and with the whole crying thing she probably looked like an absolute mess.

Her focus popping at the seams and causing her to be unsure just what she should do anymore, b-but she knew that Adam wouldn't have killed those two unless a threat had been posed—she just knew that. And both Ivye and Gabriel had deaths from other days to their days, that damn Ivye girl the reason for the wound in her leg and the reason she had been separated from Keith and…

Trey Leyton, who was k-k-killed by... by...

She didn't even stop to listen to who Trey had been killed by because she was already turning, making her way over to her bag and gathering her things. Removing her map and tugging it back onto her good shoulder, she needed to find Adam before anything bad happened to him too… being attacked by two killers was once thing, she didn't want to think if that person who had been making a name for himself around the island could possibly do, or what might happen.

Preparing to take off, she found herself pausing as the assistant went on to mention something. Listening as it seemed it seemed addressed to the very person she was looking for, taking in a small breath of air at the statement. Because this was good, because she now knew where Adam was at least going to be… she had to get to the mess hall or well—close to the mess hall…

Unfolding her map she noted that the mess hall itself had a good distance on her, but if she hurried she might just be able to make it nearby in time. Glancing back to the people that had managed to come into the area in the time since she had gotten here, giving a bit of a shaky smile as she tried to rub away some of the tears that had been staining her features.

"S-sorry, but I've got to go now." She mumbed before turning and making her way down the bank as fast as her leg would allow her too.

[[ Izzy continued in Stalwart ]]

With the arrival of some students, and the exit of one, and with the announcement, Lenny began to get a little nervous. Something felt wrong being here, and he didn't want to put his sister in any unwanted danger. Looking at his sister, Elizabeth, he said, "I think we should take that girls head and move on ourselves."

Elizabeth nodded and Lenny said to the two students in the area, "Sorry, but, we're going to move on too. Maybe we'll see you guys later. Uh-good look."

And with that, the duo of Lenny and Elizabeth left as quickly as they came, barely making any memorable impression on the area.

((Continued elsewhere))

It was real...or was it?

Jeff Marontate had spent the majority of the last three days constantly moving about the island, stopping to take a rest in some vacant areas whenever he felt the urge, which wasn't often. His mind was totally engrossed by some of the sights he'd seen, and things he'd heard courtesy of the Director (his newly coined nickname for Mr.Danya)'s announcements. The grotesque, yet perfectly captivating remnants of some of his classmates were just one of the elements that composed the Director's masterfully orchestrated symphony of despair, in Jeff's eyes. He was whole-heartedly convinced that the Survival of the Fittest game was one of the greatest tragic masterpieces ever to have graced the modern age, and was more than thrilled to have been chosen to participate.

"That must mean the Director noticed my talent at Southridge and chose me! Oh, thank you, Director! I won't let you down, I promise." Jeff was genuinely thankful for the opportunity he'd been presented with. It was the first time somebody had really noticed something about him other than his male-pattern baldness, or what the other students deemed his disgusting habit of creating plays of brutal violence. There was nothing disgusting about it to Jeff. Human life, in his mind, was the most frail and beautiful thing in existance; thusly, when it was so tragically thrown away, he deemed it moving and inspiring, and eventually became convinced that murder, in essence, was an act of beauty. The victim's last gasp of air, the potential joy or remorse of the killer...it was a recipe for dramatic perfection.

His thoughts of murderers and victims rounded him onto yet another train of thought, however. "What role do I play, then? Surely he didn't pick me to just be an extra. I'm not going to just lay down and succumb to these idiots," Jeff hissed harshly, and altogether remembered something very important. Wasn't every student in the program issued some kind of weapon? He had been so lost in thought for the last few days that the thought hadn't even occurred to him. Jeff took a quick look around; he couldn't see anybody yet, but he could hear voices in the distance. He'd have to prepare himself quickly.

Kneeling down, Jeff quickly removed the daypack from his back and replaced it on the ground, undoing the zipper with his hands. He had only briefly rummaged through it before to digest one of the loaves of bread and finish one of his bottles of water, but hadn't bothered to closely examine its contents. Quickly putting aside the other contents of the bag, his eyes found what they were looking for. Gripping the handle, Jeff removed his designated weapon. It was some kind of long dagger; it possessed an eight-to-ten inch serrated blade, which made Jeff perhaps more excited than he'd previously been. The Director had assigned him a fantastic role; he was to be the one that set the wheels in motion. He'd seen it a thousand times before; Iago, in particular, having been his favourite character in dramatic literature. He was to manipulate the events of this game to his liking, and ultimately assume victory. It was too good to be true.

Glancing over the blade, Jeff mused quietly to himself. "Oh, I'll play the part. I'll play it perfectly. I'll make sure everyone realizes just how talented I really am. They couldn't see it before, but they will now. Oh, they'll see, all right..." Jeff had never before imagined that his revenge upon the prats that made his life so miserable would come in such a satisfying form, but he definitely wasn't complaining about it. The Director had given his career the perfect chance to be thrust off the ground. He could see it now, neon signs in New York casting his greeting, "Jeff Marontate - Renowned for Survival of the Fittest version three, starring in..." Starring in...? The last part didn't matter. He was sure this opportunity would skyrocket him to the top of the Hollywood ladder, and his starry eyes were blind to the sheer scope of what he was actually about to commit himself to.

Suddenly he snapped back into reality as the harsh roar of a chainsaw suddenly died down. Jeff made sure to cover himself in the underbrush, stashing his daypack and dufflebag in the bushes as silently as he could muster. He found himself behind two boys - neither of whom he could recognize from his current position. One was carrying the aforementioned chainsaw, but he looked pale and sickly - the perfect target for the first act of the play. The other didn't have a visible weapon to him, but it didn't matter. Jeff had his sights set. He waited quietly in the bushes for the perfect opportunity, ready to strike when the moment arose.

Act One; Enter the Weaver of Woe.

(Sorry for double-posting, but I kinda need to save my character's ass!)

The hunted had become the hunter.

It was a bit of a rapid transformation, but truth be told, Jeff Marontate had always been waiting for a chance to prove himself. Not only was he pleased with having the opportunity to take revenge on his rotten classmates, but this particular act would expose his true talents as an actor and dramatist. Of course, Jeff had never planned on extracting his revenge to this degree; but now that he had no choice in the matter, who was he to complain?

His right arm gripped the handle of his blade tighter, twitching slightly. He lusted to begin his journey to stardom; to give his pathetic existance some kind of meaning...unfortunately for him, it would have to wait. His train of thought and concentration were suddenly interrupted.

Beep.

Jeff's eyes shot open wide as he realized just what was about to happen. The three synchronized beeps of the collars of those in the area brought him right out of his daydreams of future aspirations. He'd been so focused on stalking his prey that he must've completely missed the day's announcement. Not that it mattered to him much; none of the deaths would've phased him, and who killed who didn't matter. Right now, all that mattered was him surviving.

"The climax can't come right at the beginning, after all. Oh, Director, you've outdone yourself!" The majesty of it all was simply surreal to him. Danya had thought of everything. It was as if his hands were guiding Jeff's, leading him to his future...

Beep.

Once more Jeff was thrust out of his daydream, this time making sure to grab his duffle bag with his left hand, staring somewhat sourly at the boys he'd had a fine chance to do in just moments ago before pivoting on his foot and breaking into a run in a last attempt to escape an untimely doom.

(Jeff Marontate continued elsewhere)

W-what's going on?! Everything's happening so fast!

Nick Jones was completely dumbfounded. It seemed like only moments before that things were going so well for him. He'd managed to find Izzy, even though he'd lost the rest of the group in doing so. Still, between himself, Izzy, and the others that had gathered at the brook, they could surely come up with some way to get the collars off and escape. But then... the announcement went off, declaring the brook a dangerzone.

Just as quickly as everyone had banded together, they had fled, all going in separate directions. Izzy had gone one way, Lenny and Elizabeth Priestly had gone another. All of a sudden, the only person left standing beside him was Luke. Nick panickedly looked at Luke, then immediately began searching the surrounding area for some way out. The collar around his neck began to feel suffocating, and Nick simply knew that he was going to die.

"Let's run!" Luke suggested, dropping the heavy chainsaw at his feet and taking off in a run away from the area.

No! No!!! You can't leave me here alone!

The threat of death had sent Nick into hysterics, and he grabbed Luke's chainsaw as he slung his pack over his shoulder. Luke was trying to abandon him, just like the others had. Nick wouldn't let it happen. He took off behind Luke, using his free hand to grab ahold of the other boy's arm. With one swing, it was easy enough to take the frail boy down and send him sprawling to the ground.

What are you doing, Nick? Luke wanted to help you! He wasn't playing! He was your friend!

For a moment, Nick stalled, his line of vision trailing to Luke, who lay sprawled out on the ground behind him.

No... he wanted to abandon me here. He was gonna leave me to die... so I... so I'll feed him to the wolves if it means saving myself.

Nick's attention tore from his companion and he ran from the woods, leaving Luke sprawled out across the ground. Luke struggled to his feet, his head spinning from having been chunked across the ground, and began running once again. Unfortunately for Luke Rowan, it was too late. His time had run out. Luke's eyes grew wide as the collar around his neck began beeping. Faster and faster, the nose made him panic all the more.

In the next moment, the collar detonated, taking Luke Rowan with it.

MALE STUDENT NO. 53 - LUKE ROWAN - DECEASED

((Nick Jones continued elsewhere.))