(Jimmy Trejo continued from Death and All His Friends)
Jimmy's arms were starting to feel like they were on fire. Having to support his daypack, an axe, or a teenage girl individually wouldn't be too much of a problem for him. All combined, they were an agonizing experience that occupied his every thought. Going all the way through the jungle again, his only thought was that he would have to drop one of these items soon, or his spine would snap. Fortunately, he discovered a clearing in the forest before such a thing happened. Of course, once he looked around, he found quite soon that this place was not going to be the safe haven he imagined.
How many people is this? Half a dozen? What happened here?
For once, Jimmy's blindness worked for him. The blood blended with the brook's water, and he couldn't see any wounds on the bodies. They were just six human-shaped gray lumps, lying down as if asleep. He knew differently, of course, but he wasn't affected emotionally like he would have been if he could have seen the grotesque wounds. He couldn't even tell which ones were women and which ones were men. Perhaps this is why he was able to walk among them, and just sit down next to the water of the brook.
What a sick thing this game is. I've seen so many dead bodies that I'm no longer offended or shocked. I can't keep on going like this. How long is it until I start making corpses too? And if I start doing that, what's to say that I won't start losing all feeling whatsoever?
Turning to the lady he had the honor of escorting, Jimmy's hand tightened on his axe when he realized what he had just been tempted to do. Throwing the axe to the side, he clutched his head and practically growled, "Why am I still doing this? What is the point of winning this stupid game if you lose everything that makes you human? That's almost as bad as dying!" Standing up, he walked over to where his axe was and picked it up with a sigh. "I'm sorry," he said to the lady. "I've just been holding that in for a while. I'm okay now."
Sitting down again, the half-blind man took a granola bar out of his bag and bit into it. It was stale, but it still tasted pretty good. "By the way, I didn't catch your name. My name's Jimmy, Jimmy Trejo."
There's No Home For You Here
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Super Llama*
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:39 am
{{continued from Death and All His Friends}}
Laeil followed silently at Jimmy's side, her face just as blank as her mind was at this point. It could be wondered if a single thought crossed her mind between the two of them leaving the Storehouse and arriving at the brook.
Of course, there just had to be a plethora of corpses waiting for her. Fuck, not again... She groaned and looking away, not wanting to deal with this shit again. At least they were away from the potential danger that awaited them before. Not all she had to deal with was the boy that helped her escape. She was in no condition to start anything with him, so it'd be better for her to wait for the right moment and then make her escape.
At least, that what she would've hoped for. Instead, as soon she stopped bracing herself against Jimmy, she went right down to the ground, settling into a cross-legged seated position, throwing her daypack to the side as she faced away from the carnage. How tempting it would've been to lay back and just pass out, to fuck with everything else.
No, dammit, not yet... She kept persisting. Jimmy's sudden outburst barely registered at this point. "It's okay..." She mumbled, her vision starting to dim. No, wait! Not yet! It was futile, though. In her battle with exhaustion, exhaustion finally won. The last thing she heard was Jimmy asking her name, barely able to respond before lapsing into sleep. "Laeil...no...Lyn...Lyn Burbank..."
Laeil followed silently at Jimmy's side, her face just as blank as her mind was at this point. It could be wondered if a single thought crossed her mind between the two of them leaving the Storehouse and arriving at the brook.
Of course, there just had to be a plethora of corpses waiting for her. Fuck, not again... She groaned and looking away, not wanting to deal with this shit again. At least they were away from the potential danger that awaited them before. Not all she had to deal with was the boy that helped her escape. She was in no condition to start anything with him, so it'd be better for her to wait for the right moment and then make her escape.
At least, that what she would've hoped for. Instead, as soon she stopped bracing herself against Jimmy, she went right down to the ground, settling into a cross-legged seated position, throwing her daypack to the side as she faced away from the carnage. How tempting it would've been to lay back and just pass out, to fuck with everything else.
No, dammit, not yet... She kept persisting. Jimmy's sudden outburst barely registered at this point. "It's okay..." She mumbled, her vision starting to dim. No, wait! Not yet! It was futile, though. In her battle with exhaustion, exhaustion finally won. The last thing she heard was Jimmy asking her name, barely able to respond before lapsing into sleep. "Laeil...no...Lyn...Lyn Burbank..."
This Lyn Burbank lady must have been pretty tired, as she fell asleep shortly after saying her name. Jimmy was glad that she had fallen asleep, because that meant that he finally did have some time alone. His granola bar long finished, he found a nice tree to lean back against, and held his axe lazily, barely keeping it in his fingers at all. As he sat back, occasionally glancing over at Lyn, he recalled a time before all this madness had happened. Back when he was just sitting in his room playing a slow melody on the guitar.
-----------------------------
Feeling his way up the strings, Jimmy instinctively placed his fingers in the frets. Months and years of practicing and training had taught him where to put his hands. Though he now had a small degree of sight, he kept his eyes closed, because that was the why he'd learned to play. Seeing his hands moving would be far too disorienting. For a moment, the world stood still, and then he played. The guitar was one of his few real talents, and as he played it, he felt like there wasn't anything wrong with the world. He was a few months past his surgery, and the world had never seemed so beautiful.
Partway through the song, the door opened. Setting down his guitar, Jimmy saw a person framed in the doorway, but he couldn't tell who. "Jimmy?" the person said, and he immediately recognized it as his mother. "Yes mom?" Jimmy replied, his mouth widening just a little to make a smile. His mom gave a quick glance at her son's T-shirt and boxers and said slowly, "Why aren't you ready for school yet? You've only got half an hour."
"What? Wait.....AAGGHHH!" Falling off his bed, Jimmy suddenly remembered why he had been up so early this morning. It was his first day of public school. His mom had leapt back herself at her son's sudden shriek, but composed herself and said, "Get dressed as soon as you can. I'll be waiting downstairs." Almost the instant the door had slammed shut, Jimmy ran over to his dresser. Picking out a somewhat ratty pair of jeans, he quickly pulled that on, donned some sneakers, and walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Because he still had problems navigating stairs with his new eyesight, Jimmy's room was on the ground floor.
Sitting down at the table, Jimmy ate his cereal like a vacuum cleaner. "This is great, mom! My first day out in the wild!" His mom was drinking a cup of coffee at the other end of the breakfast table. When he had made that comment, the coffee cup jerked suddenly down to the table again. "Yes, it is," his mother said slowly, before turning to her son. "Jim....are you sure you want to do this? Even with the operation, you still can't see that well. People might take advantage of you."
"Come on, mom," Jimmy said with a grin, "school isn't like that. I'll be fine."
"But it's the middle of the semester. You won't know anyone there."
"All I want is to be like everyone else, at least for the last year of high school. Please let me do this, mom. I need this."
".....Alright. But just promise me that you won't get into any fights."
"Okay, I promise. But seriously, mom, what are the chances of that happening to me?"
-----------------------------
Higher than I thought, apparently, because here I am.
Placing his axe into his daypack, Jimmy decided that he would take this chance to get some rest for himself. Nothing was happening for now, and so there was nothing else to do than to take a nap. He hadn't forgotten about Lyn, but he figured that so long as she was resting, she wasn't a threat.
-----------------------------
Feeling his way up the strings, Jimmy instinctively placed his fingers in the frets. Months and years of practicing and training had taught him where to put his hands. Though he now had a small degree of sight, he kept his eyes closed, because that was the why he'd learned to play. Seeing his hands moving would be far too disorienting. For a moment, the world stood still, and then he played. The guitar was one of his few real talents, and as he played it, he felt like there wasn't anything wrong with the world. He was a few months past his surgery, and the world had never seemed so beautiful.
Partway through the song, the door opened. Setting down his guitar, Jimmy saw a person framed in the doorway, but he couldn't tell who. "Jimmy?" the person said, and he immediately recognized it as his mother. "Yes mom?" Jimmy replied, his mouth widening just a little to make a smile. His mom gave a quick glance at her son's T-shirt and boxers and said slowly, "Why aren't you ready for school yet? You've only got half an hour."
"What? Wait.....AAGGHHH!" Falling off his bed, Jimmy suddenly remembered why he had been up so early this morning. It was his first day of public school. His mom had leapt back herself at her son's sudden shriek, but composed herself and said, "Get dressed as soon as you can. I'll be waiting downstairs." Almost the instant the door had slammed shut, Jimmy ran over to his dresser. Picking out a somewhat ratty pair of jeans, he quickly pulled that on, donned some sneakers, and walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Because he still had problems navigating stairs with his new eyesight, Jimmy's room was on the ground floor.
Sitting down at the table, Jimmy ate his cereal like a vacuum cleaner. "This is great, mom! My first day out in the wild!" His mom was drinking a cup of coffee at the other end of the breakfast table. When he had made that comment, the coffee cup jerked suddenly down to the table again. "Yes, it is," his mother said slowly, before turning to her son. "Jim....are you sure you want to do this? Even with the operation, you still can't see that well. People might take advantage of you."
"Come on, mom," Jimmy said with a grin, "school isn't like that. I'll be fine."
"But it's the middle of the semester. You won't know anyone there."
"All I want is to be like everyone else, at least for the last year of high school. Please let me do this, mom. I need this."
".....Alright. But just promise me that you won't get into any fights."
"Okay, I promise. But seriously, mom, what are the chances of that happening to me?"
-----------------------------
Higher than I thought, apparently, because here I am.
Placing his axe into his daypack, Jimmy decided that he would take this chance to get some rest for himself. Nothing was happening for now, and so there was nothing else to do than to take a nap. He hadn't forgotten about Lyn, but he figured that so long as she was resting, she wasn't a threat.
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Super Llama*
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:39 am
Lyn stared up at the sky.
Or at least, she assumed it was the sky. She couldn't really see anything clear, but she was certain that she was facing up, and what else would there be that's up but the sky?
She was a bit confused about a lot of things. Wasn't she supposed to be scared or angry about something? She couldn't remember. In fact, she couldn't even remember what anger or fear felt like. They felt like such alien emotions. She didn't really feel anything, really. Everything felt so far away.
Then she felt a hand resting on her forehead. It was warm, comforting. And then she heard a voice.
"Oh no, did you get yourself a fever again? You should know better then to work yourself so hard."
She didn't need to look to see who was speaking, but she did anyway. She recognized that voice anywhere, and for some reason she didn't think she'd hear it again.
"Maggie..."
Something reminded her that she should be angry at her for something, that she should curse her out, but she couldn't bring herself to. There she was, kneeling over her, with a corcerned look on her face. Lyn smiled to her. Not one of those psychotic grins that seemed to come so naturally lately. It was sincere and reassuring. This was all she ever really wanted. It just felt so...right. Nothing else mattered. Any hardships, injustices she faced, she could weather them all, just as long as she had this.
Then it hit her like a ton of bricks.
This is a dream.
Lyn's smile turned into a look of disappointment. This wasn't really happening. Maggie wasn't here. She was back in the States, while Lyn had been thrown onto some island, given a sword, and told to kill everyone there. She'd probably never see the real Maggie again. And even if she did, Maggie had still betrayed her, revealed her and her sexuality to the whole school, allowing it to tear her apart.
But she didn't care. She wanted this, though if she couldn't have exactly this, something close to it would do. If she didn't have the same feelings for her that she did, that was okay. She never expected her to, anyway; that would be asking for too much in a life that was dedicated to kicking her around. She just wanted to be close to her.
But to do that, she'd have to get off the island, wouldn't she?
She looked back at Maggie, who looked rather perplexed. "Is something wrong?"
She had to tell her. She may not be the real Maggie, but this could be as close as she would ever get. She could feel her mind slipping with every day on the island, and when she woke up all that hatred, fear, paranoia, madness would come back. She had to tell her now, while she still had a clear head.
She took a deep breath. "Maggie, I..."
----------
Laeil snapped awake, wincing a bit as her back protested her falling asleep while still sitting like she did. Standing up and stretching a bit, she stared off into space for a few moments. She could've sworn she was dreaming something, but she couldn't remember what it was. At least her head wasn't spinning any more. Taking a chance, she looked back at the cavalcade of corpses behind her. Nothing. She gave a sigh of relief. It felt good to be back in control again. That downward spiral she had gone into was definitely something she didn't want to experience again. Though she couldn't shake that odd feeling in the back of her mind, like it was just a matter of time before everything collapsed again.
Suddenly, she remembered that there had been somebody else with her.Shit! She looked frantically around, quickly finding her sword and pack. Kneeling down and rummaging through her pack, she found everything where it was. Good, so he didn't steal anything... Looking back at the trees, she noticed Jimmy leaning against one of them, apparently taking a nap.
Good. I can make my getaway, then. She took a step, then stopped, looking back at the boy. That guy shouldn't have gone to sleep around a complete stranger. He was just asking to get taken out in his sleep, especially if he was carrying anything valuable. It would be so easy, really. Just a slash across the throat, and it would all be over. Or maybe a stab to the chest, that would take care of things, quickly. Or maybe she shouldn't take any chances of sudden retaliation and just jab the sword through his eye. No, wait, it was probably too big.
Wait, what? Next thing she knew, she was kneeling over the boy, sword hovering over his throat. She smirked a bit; she'd gone this far, no reason not to go all the way.
But how did she know he had anything worth taking? All she saw him with was an axe, and she already had a melee weapon. No reason to weigh herself down with needless equipment.
There was only one way to find out. One less person out of the way, at least.
But he could be more useful alive.
How? If you teamed up, it would only be a matter of time before it fell apart. That was just what the game did to groups. She knew. The last group she formed, she pretty much saw the other two as expendable pawns. Someone to keep the group they were attacking busy while she went after Melina. And even then there was the ever-present paranoia that one of them would stab her in the back the first chance they got. Best to not repeat the experience and just kill him.
But he rescued her!
And since when did she start caring about the lives of the others on this island!? They were all already dead, anyway!
Not all of them. Just him.
Laeil scowled. Why the fuck was this so difficult?
Just then, she remembered the last thing Anthony (the Anthony in her head, anyway) said to her. "Anybody who knows you, anybody that could help you, they'd rather just watch you die." It looked like he was wrong.
Dammit... Irritated as hell, she pulled the sword back, she went back to her pack and pulled a water bottle out of it. She could really use someone to kill. Someone she didn't owe a favor.
Or at least, she assumed it was the sky. She couldn't really see anything clear, but she was certain that she was facing up, and what else would there be that's up but the sky?
She was a bit confused about a lot of things. Wasn't she supposed to be scared or angry about something? She couldn't remember. In fact, she couldn't even remember what anger or fear felt like. They felt like such alien emotions. She didn't really feel anything, really. Everything felt so far away.
Then she felt a hand resting on her forehead. It was warm, comforting. And then she heard a voice.
"Oh no, did you get yourself a fever again? You should know better then to work yourself so hard."
She didn't need to look to see who was speaking, but she did anyway. She recognized that voice anywhere, and for some reason she didn't think she'd hear it again.
"Maggie..."
Something reminded her that she should be angry at her for something, that she should curse her out, but she couldn't bring herself to. There she was, kneeling over her, with a corcerned look on her face. Lyn smiled to her. Not one of those psychotic grins that seemed to come so naturally lately. It was sincere and reassuring. This was all she ever really wanted. It just felt so...right. Nothing else mattered. Any hardships, injustices she faced, she could weather them all, just as long as she had this.
Then it hit her like a ton of bricks.
This is a dream.
Lyn's smile turned into a look of disappointment. This wasn't really happening. Maggie wasn't here. She was back in the States, while Lyn had been thrown onto some island, given a sword, and told to kill everyone there. She'd probably never see the real Maggie again. And even if she did, Maggie had still betrayed her, revealed her and her sexuality to the whole school, allowing it to tear her apart.
But she didn't care. She wanted this, though if she couldn't have exactly this, something close to it would do. If she didn't have the same feelings for her that she did, that was okay. She never expected her to, anyway; that would be asking for too much in a life that was dedicated to kicking her around. She just wanted to be close to her.
But to do that, she'd have to get off the island, wouldn't she?
She looked back at Maggie, who looked rather perplexed. "Is something wrong?"
She had to tell her. She may not be the real Maggie, but this could be as close as she would ever get. She could feel her mind slipping with every day on the island, and when she woke up all that hatred, fear, paranoia, madness would come back. She had to tell her now, while she still had a clear head.
She took a deep breath. "Maggie, I..."
----------
Laeil snapped awake, wincing a bit as her back protested her falling asleep while still sitting like she did. Standing up and stretching a bit, she stared off into space for a few moments. She could've sworn she was dreaming something, but she couldn't remember what it was. At least her head wasn't spinning any more. Taking a chance, she looked back at the cavalcade of corpses behind her. Nothing. She gave a sigh of relief. It felt good to be back in control again. That downward spiral she had gone into was definitely something she didn't want to experience again. Though she couldn't shake that odd feeling in the back of her mind, like it was just a matter of time before everything collapsed again.
Suddenly, she remembered that there had been somebody else with her.Shit! She looked frantically around, quickly finding her sword and pack. Kneeling down and rummaging through her pack, she found everything where it was. Good, so he didn't steal anything... Looking back at the trees, she noticed Jimmy leaning against one of them, apparently taking a nap.
Good. I can make my getaway, then. She took a step, then stopped, looking back at the boy. That guy shouldn't have gone to sleep around a complete stranger. He was just asking to get taken out in his sleep, especially if he was carrying anything valuable. It would be so easy, really. Just a slash across the throat, and it would all be over. Or maybe a stab to the chest, that would take care of things, quickly. Or maybe she shouldn't take any chances of sudden retaliation and just jab the sword through his eye. No, wait, it was probably too big.
Wait, what? Next thing she knew, she was kneeling over the boy, sword hovering over his throat. She smirked a bit; she'd gone this far, no reason not to go all the way.
But how did she know he had anything worth taking? All she saw him with was an axe, and she already had a melee weapon. No reason to weigh herself down with needless equipment.
There was only one way to find out. One less person out of the way, at least.
But he could be more useful alive.
How? If you teamed up, it would only be a matter of time before it fell apart. That was just what the game did to groups. She knew. The last group she formed, she pretty much saw the other two as expendable pawns. Someone to keep the group they were attacking busy while she went after Melina. And even then there was the ever-present paranoia that one of them would stab her in the back the first chance they got. Best to not repeat the experience and just kill him.
But he rescued her!
And since when did she start caring about the lives of the others on this island!? They were all already dead, anyway!
Not all of them. Just him.
Laeil scowled. Why the fuck was this so difficult?
Just then, she remembered the last thing Anthony (the Anthony in her head, anyway) said to her. "Anybody who knows you, anybody that could help you, they'd rather just watch you die." It looked like he was wrong.
Dammit... Irritated as hell, she pulled the sword back, she went back to her pack and pulled a water bottle out of it. She could really use someone to kill. Someone she didn't owe a favor.
With a satisfied yawn, Jimmy woke up from his nap, only to suddenly stop mid-yawn, and quickly feel himself for wounds. Not finding anything, he darted out his hand to investigate his pack, and found that it was still there and zipped shut like he'd left it. Giving a deep sigh of relief, the half-blind guy stood up and cracked out his back. Sleeping against a tree wasn't anywhere near as comfortable as they made it seem in the movies. Taking a quick sip or two of water, he got himself ready to leave for somewhere else, only to see that a particular someone was still around, and moving.
So wait, she wakes up, and just decides to let me rest? Boy, I must be the luckiest guy on this island.
Deciding not to take anything of his pack, but keeping his hand down there just in case, Jimmy leaned casually against the tree he had previously been sleeping on. "Hey Lyn," he said, "I hope you don't mind or anything, but I've got someone I need to find. His name's Eddie Sullivan. He and I, well....we got separated when the caves went Danger Zone. It just happened out of nowhere, and I sort of panicked. And now I can't find him. I'm going to go look for him, and I was wondering if I could get some help. You see Lyn, the thing is...."
Do I really want to tell her this? She might still be playing, and take advantage of this. But then again, I don't really have a choice in the matter. I can't find Eddie on my own.
"Lyn," he said after a little hesitation, "I can barely see anything. Right now, you, and all these dead people, are just gray blobs. You've got the shape of a human being, but that's all I could say about you. If I'm going to find Eddie, I'm going to need a pair of eyes that can actually see people. I know you've never met me until now, but I need your help if I'm going to help Eddie kill Wade Wilson." He really didn't know what reaction he'd get from that, if any, but he hoped that he would be able to get some help. If not, finding Eddie would be difficult, if not impossible. Especially if Eddie was unable to talk.
So wait, she wakes up, and just decides to let me rest? Boy, I must be the luckiest guy on this island.
Deciding not to take anything of his pack, but keeping his hand down there just in case, Jimmy leaned casually against the tree he had previously been sleeping on. "Hey Lyn," he said, "I hope you don't mind or anything, but I've got someone I need to find. His name's Eddie Sullivan. He and I, well....we got separated when the caves went Danger Zone. It just happened out of nowhere, and I sort of panicked. And now I can't find him. I'm going to go look for him, and I was wondering if I could get some help. You see Lyn, the thing is...."
Do I really want to tell her this? She might still be playing, and take advantage of this. But then again, I don't really have a choice in the matter. I can't find Eddie on my own.
"Lyn," he said after a little hesitation, "I can barely see anything. Right now, you, and all these dead people, are just gray blobs. You've got the shape of a human being, but that's all I could say about you. If I'm going to find Eddie, I'm going to need a pair of eyes that can actually see people. I know you've never met me until now, but I need your help if I'm going to help Eddie kill Wade Wilson." He really didn't know what reaction he'd get from that, if any, but he hoped that he would be able to get some help. If not, finding Eddie would be difficult, if not impossible. Especially if Eddie was unable to talk.
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DetectiveArcher*
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:45 pm
((Continued from A Moment's Hesitation/The Pedestrian))
Brushing aside the probing caress of the jungle's hanging foliage, Morgan Green pressed ever onward. It had not been a productive few days. Working along aside Laeil and that other girl was supposed to have been a fruitful undertaking. Instead, the whole plan went up in smoke. Oh well. No reason to dwell on the past. Not when the future was so much more important.
Following the general direction his map and compass had pointed him in, the bespectacled boy sternly hoped he hadn't gotten himself lost again. His water supplies had begun dwindling dangerously and needed tending. His given food rations were running close to exhaustion, but there was little he could do to help that. Hunting would certainly alleviate the problem, but the boy simply couldn't imagine being able to catch any sort of game with his razor blade. Foliage would help as well, but eating something you found in the jungle, without knowing precisely what it was, didn't strike him as a particularly bright move.
So, deciding to address a problem that could be solved with little trouble, Morgan had chosen the brook as his next destination. Hearing the rushing waters of the small river ahead, the scarred boy almost rushed headlong into the open area before stopping himself. No. There's the strong possibility there are other people who need to refill their water supplies. Best to make sure the area is clear before getting into any trouble. Always observe the situation first. Minimize risks and maximize advantages. Stupid mistakes will get you killed.
Carefully sneaking to the edge of the clearing, Morgan hunkered down and scouted the area. Grey eyes behind thick, wire rimmed glasses quickly passed over the dead bodies that littered the ground. The cautious student was surprised to find that the bodies didn't mean anything to him. No troubling morality tugged at his heart strings or inspired any tremendous sense of guilt. Of course, he took no pleasure in seeing the lifeless husks of his contemporaries. The boy just recognized a harsh necessity when he saw one.
His scan stopped when the emaciated outline of a familiar young woman came into view. Oh, hello, Laeil. Lose track of Melina so soon? His interest perked up when he noticed that she was holding a boy at sword point. What surprised him so wasn't that she held her sword a hair's breadth away from the boy's throat, but that she was slowly pulling the blade away entirely. After a long moment, the slight girl stalked away from the resting boy and snatched a water bottle from her pack.
In that moment, Morgan wondered what had happened to the terrifying woman he'd met back in the barracks. The Laeil before him was smaller. Her height hadn't changed, nor her physique, yet all the same, she seemed so much less than she had been. She didn't possess that same naked desire for blood. The change made her seem less real, somehow.
She didn't seem the devilish villain quite so much anymore. Morgan wasn't exactly sure how he felt about that. Surely one less player meant better odds for him, but why had the young woman had the change of heart? Was this some sort of trick or plan? Yes, that must be it. She probably stumbled upon the poor fool and enlisted his help. Might have thought of killing the poor bastard, but saw him as a useful asset and decided to keep him alive, for the time being. Not a bad choice, all considered. It's what I would have done.
The boy stirred and woke from his nap. He mentioned a person he'd been traveling with, how he'd gotten separated from this person and how he wanted assistance in finding the lost ally. And he couldn't see. Morgan smiled viciously. Oh, some days, life was really very kind. He shook his head a moment. Wait, why did that make him so happy? He didn't take pleasure in murder. He didn't view himself as a monster. I've got to remember to keep this strictly professional. Only crazy people enjoy killing.
Shaking off the unpleasant thoughts, Morgan slowly made his way from the foliage, purposefully striding to the edge of the brook before kneel and setting down his day pack. Carefully keeping his attention on his empty water bottles, the boy spoke to the people at his back. "Hello, Lyn. It's good to see you again. I thought you might be in trouble, after the problem at the bridge. It's a relief to see you well. Who's the new friend?"
Brushing aside the probing caress of the jungle's hanging foliage, Morgan Green pressed ever onward. It had not been a productive few days. Working along aside Laeil and that other girl was supposed to have been a fruitful undertaking. Instead, the whole plan went up in smoke. Oh well. No reason to dwell on the past. Not when the future was so much more important.
Following the general direction his map and compass had pointed him in, the bespectacled boy sternly hoped he hadn't gotten himself lost again. His water supplies had begun dwindling dangerously and needed tending. His given food rations were running close to exhaustion, but there was little he could do to help that. Hunting would certainly alleviate the problem, but the boy simply couldn't imagine being able to catch any sort of game with his razor blade. Foliage would help as well, but eating something you found in the jungle, without knowing precisely what it was, didn't strike him as a particularly bright move.
So, deciding to address a problem that could be solved with little trouble, Morgan had chosen the brook as his next destination. Hearing the rushing waters of the small river ahead, the scarred boy almost rushed headlong into the open area before stopping himself. No. There's the strong possibility there are other people who need to refill their water supplies. Best to make sure the area is clear before getting into any trouble. Always observe the situation first. Minimize risks and maximize advantages. Stupid mistakes will get you killed.
Carefully sneaking to the edge of the clearing, Morgan hunkered down and scouted the area. Grey eyes behind thick, wire rimmed glasses quickly passed over the dead bodies that littered the ground. The cautious student was surprised to find that the bodies didn't mean anything to him. No troubling morality tugged at his heart strings or inspired any tremendous sense of guilt. Of course, he took no pleasure in seeing the lifeless husks of his contemporaries. The boy just recognized a harsh necessity when he saw one.
His scan stopped when the emaciated outline of a familiar young woman came into view. Oh, hello, Laeil. Lose track of Melina so soon? His interest perked up when he noticed that she was holding a boy at sword point. What surprised him so wasn't that she held her sword a hair's breadth away from the boy's throat, but that she was slowly pulling the blade away entirely. After a long moment, the slight girl stalked away from the resting boy and snatched a water bottle from her pack.
In that moment, Morgan wondered what had happened to the terrifying woman he'd met back in the barracks. The Laeil before him was smaller. Her height hadn't changed, nor her physique, yet all the same, she seemed so much less than she had been. She didn't possess that same naked desire for blood. The change made her seem less real, somehow.
She didn't seem the devilish villain quite so much anymore. Morgan wasn't exactly sure how he felt about that. Surely one less player meant better odds for him, but why had the young woman had the change of heart? Was this some sort of trick or plan? Yes, that must be it. She probably stumbled upon the poor fool and enlisted his help. Might have thought of killing the poor bastard, but saw him as a useful asset and decided to keep him alive, for the time being. Not a bad choice, all considered. It's what I would have done.
The boy stirred and woke from his nap. He mentioned a person he'd been traveling with, how he'd gotten separated from this person and how he wanted assistance in finding the lost ally. And he couldn't see. Morgan smiled viciously. Oh, some days, life was really very kind. He shook his head a moment. Wait, why did that make him so happy? He didn't take pleasure in murder. He didn't view himself as a monster. I've got to remember to keep this strictly professional. Only crazy people enjoy killing.
Shaking off the unpleasant thoughts, Morgan slowly made his way from the foliage, purposefully striding to the edge of the brook before kneel and setting down his day pack. Carefully keeping his attention on his empty water bottles, the boy spoke to the people at his back. "Hello, Lyn. It's good to see you again. I thought you might be in trouble, after the problem at the bridge. It's a relief to see you well. Who's the new friend?"
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Super Llama*
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:39 am
Laeil unscrewed the top on the bottle of water, looking back as Jimmy awoke from his sleep. She took a swig from the bottle as she silently listened to the boy's request, stopping at the mention of him being almost blind. Great... She couldn't help but sigh. Freaking out and having to be rescued was humiliating enough, but now this?
Then came the zinger. Apparently, this Eddie kid was hunting Wade Wilson. The Wade Wilson that killed five people in a single day. Hell, five people in a single FIGHT. This guy was either out of his mind, or he had some good equipment to support his ambitions.
It was then that an idea sprung into her head. This Wade guy must have an impressive weapon, to have killed five people at once. And even if he didn't, he must certainly have one by now. She could really use a gun at this point, now that it seemed that everyone and his brother had one. And all it would take is tagging along with this half-blind kid and looking for his friend. Hell, they could very well run into Melina again.
"Hello, Lyn. It's good to see you again. I thought you might be in trouble, after the problem at the bridge. It's a relief to see you well. Who's the new friend?"
Just as soon as Laeil finished her thought about Melina, who else would show up but one of the people that had accompanied her to take out the Angels? Unfortunately, it wasn't Margaret, but instead the shady one with the razor. She didn't like him in the least; he seemed too much like he was waiting for her to display any kind of weakness so he could exploit it. The only reason she agreed to let him join was so that they'd be 3-for-3.
This could complicate things... She thought, turning towards Morgan. "This is Jimmy." She started to say more, but decided against it. She didn't need more people knowing about her recent breakdown, least of all him. Looking back towards the bodies, she walked over and started to gather up their daypacks, starting her new ritual of scavenging supplies and destroying what she didn't need so others couldn't take advantage of them. "Alright." She said to Jimmy, unzipping all of the packs as she dug through them. "I'll go along with your plan. There's one condition, though. There's somebody I'm looking to kill as well: Melina Frost. And understand that for me, she takes priority over everything."
Pausing for a moment, she decided that she might as well get something else out of the way, before he find out some other way and accuses her of hiding things from him. "Another thing you should know is that...I'm a player. I've already killed before, and besides Melina, I plan on killing again. As long as you and I are in the same group, and until the job is done, I won't do anything against you or Eddie. But I plan on surviving to the end." She stood back, waiting for his reaction.
Then came the zinger. Apparently, this Eddie kid was hunting Wade Wilson. The Wade Wilson that killed five people in a single day. Hell, five people in a single FIGHT. This guy was either out of his mind, or he had some good equipment to support his ambitions.
It was then that an idea sprung into her head. This Wade guy must have an impressive weapon, to have killed five people at once. And even if he didn't, he must certainly have one by now. She could really use a gun at this point, now that it seemed that everyone and his brother had one. And all it would take is tagging along with this half-blind kid and looking for his friend. Hell, they could very well run into Melina again.
"Hello, Lyn. It's good to see you again. I thought you might be in trouble, after the problem at the bridge. It's a relief to see you well. Who's the new friend?"
Just as soon as Laeil finished her thought about Melina, who else would show up but one of the people that had accompanied her to take out the Angels? Unfortunately, it wasn't Margaret, but instead the shady one with the razor. She didn't like him in the least; he seemed too much like he was waiting for her to display any kind of weakness so he could exploit it. The only reason she agreed to let him join was so that they'd be 3-for-3.
This could complicate things... She thought, turning towards Morgan. "This is Jimmy." She started to say more, but decided against it. She didn't need more people knowing about her recent breakdown, least of all him. Looking back towards the bodies, she walked over and started to gather up their daypacks, starting her new ritual of scavenging supplies and destroying what she didn't need so others couldn't take advantage of them. "Alright." She said to Jimmy, unzipping all of the packs as she dug through them. "I'll go along with your plan. There's one condition, though. There's somebody I'm looking to kill as well: Melina Frost. And understand that for me, she takes priority over everything."
Pausing for a moment, she decided that she might as well get something else out of the way, before he find out some other way and accuses her of hiding things from him. "Another thing you should know is that...I'm a player. I've already killed before, and besides Melina, I plan on killing again. As long as you and I are in the same group, and until the job is done, I won't do anything against you or Eddie. But I plan on surviving to the end." She stood back, waiting for his reaction.
A small moment of silence hung over the scene as Jimmy pondered what he had just heard. He had suspected for almost all this time that Lyn was playing. Her shaken condition when he had found her was more than enough evidence of that. However, at the same time, this brought up a few perplexing questions. Quite a few of them, in fact. If she was really a player, there was no reason why he was still alive, or still in full possession of all his items and weapons. Unless...
A debt for a debt, I suppose. I helped her away from the Storehouse, she spared my life. I should probably not expect the same favor again.
Tapping his chin, Jimmy thought about it some more, and eventually spoke. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but I feel very uncomfortable. I want to take you at your word, but....well....playing the game properly means that you lie to people. As for you," he said to Morgan, "I don't even know where you fit in. To be honest, I think that killing Melina Frost is good, but I know I won't be able to feel safe after it's done." Sighing, Jimmy said quietly, "I like your offer, and I do accept it, but I think that after it's done, we should split and go our own ways. You're a good girl, Lyn, but I don't want to die. It's just that simple."
A debt for a debt, I suppose. I helped her away from the Storehouse, she spared my life. I should probably not expect the same favor again.
Tapping his chin, Jimmy thought about it some more, and eventually spoke. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but I feel very uncomfortable. I want to take you at your word, but....well....playing the game properly means that you lie to people. As for you," he said to Morgan, "I don't even know where you fit in. To be honest, I think that killing Melina Frost is good, but I know I won't be able to feel safe after it's done." Sighing, Jimmy said quietly, "I like your offer, and I do accept it, but I think that after it's done, we should split and go our own ways. You're a good girl, Lyn, but I don't want to die. It's just that simple."
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DetectiveArcher*
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:45 pm
Morgan masked his surprise well, calmly filling his water bottles in the brook. Why had Laeil told Jimmy that she was playing? It certainly wasn't in her best interests to reveal that. In fact it was downright detrimental to expose herself as a player. Morgan didn't like the way this new Laeil was about. Not at all.
"As for you, I don't even know where you fit in. To be honest, I think that killing Melina Frost is good, but I know I won't be able to feel safe after it's done."
Where Morgan fit in? The scarred boy shook his head. Even he didn't know exactly where he fit in. What he did know, however, was that these were not the sort of people that it was healthy to be around. No, this boy had more honor than sense and it was beginning to rub off on Lyn. When you put a vague, archaic semblance of duty before your need to survive, it would only cause the whole situation to end in tears.
"Where I fit in? That's something I'll worry about, I think. You and Lyn can go about your business. I don't think we really have anything to offer one another." Finished with the last bottle, the bespectacled boy carefully placed them, one after the other, back into his bag. "Excuse me if I sound discourteous, but I think I'll stay on my own for the time being."
"As for you, I don't even know where you fit in. To be honest, I think that killing Melina Frost is good, but I know I won't be able to feel safe after it's done."
Where Morgan fit in? The scarred boy shook his head. Even he didn't know exactly where he fit in. What he did know, however, was that these were not the sort of people that it was healthy to be around. No, this boy had more honor than sense and it was beginning to rub off on Lyn. When you put a vague, archaic semblance of duty before your need to survive, it would only cause the whole situation to end in tears.
"Where I fit in? That's something I'll worry about, I think. You and Lyn can go about your business. I don't think we really have anything to offer one another." Finished with the last bottle, the bespectacled boy carefully placed them, one after the other, back into his bag. "Excuse me if I sound discourteous, but I think I'll stay on my own for the time being."
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Super Llama*
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:39 am
Laeil didn't blame Jimmy for feeling uncomfortable about allying with a player. She'd be uncomfortable as well in his place. "I have no problem with that." She said, moving everything she needed to her own pack. She couldn't help but smirk at the comment of her being a good girl. Not quite the angle I was going for, but...whatever.
As Morgan announced that they'd be parting ways, she felt a bit of relief. The last thing she needed was someone hanging around who could stab her in the back at any time. If she had to travel with someone, she'd rather it be someone who she was sure had her back. "All right, then. Good luck with that." She said, though she didn't really mean it.
Gathering the other daypacks together, she dragged them over to Jimmy. "Pick out what you need. We destroy the rest. Can't risk the others making use of them, right?"
As Morgan announced that they'd be parting ways, she felt a bit of relief. The last thing she needed was someone hanging around who could stab her in the back at any time. If she had to travel with someone, she'd rather it be someone who she was sure had her back. "All right, then. Good luck with that." She said, though she didn't really mean it.
Gathering the other daypacks together, she dragged them over to Jimmy. "Pick out what you need. We destroy the rest. Can't risk the others making use of them, right?"
It felt weird actually, partnering with someone who he knew was a killer. Seeing the bags of all the dead people slid over to him, Jimmy wondered at how easy it seemed. Rooting through the packs, he mostly took extra water and food that would last. He hadn't needed to refill his medical kit since yesterday, and the kid who he had 'acquired' the revolver from had provided enough of that stuff to last him for a long time. In a short time, Jimmy had picked it all clean of whatever he needed. After that, he began doing the process of destroying the remainder. He never had to do something like this before, and it just felt wrong to him.
Starving and thirsty people are going to come by these packs, and find nothing of worth in them at all. How many people will die because they ran out of supplies?
With a grim expression, Jimmy aided Lyn with disposing of anything he didn't want. It felt abominable to him, but he knew that if he didn't, other people would be strong enough to start hunting him down. In a sense, it wasn't something he had much of a choice about. Zipping his own daypack closed, Jimmy stood up from his business, his axe in one hand, his now heavier pack in another, and gave Lyn (he hoped it was Lyn anyway) a nod. "Let's get out of here," he said, without any humor or cheerfulness in his voice whatsoever. He might have been happy to associate with her under any other circumstances, but in this game, he was already starting to see that she was determined to win. He wouldn't allow her to get close enough to him to use that sword at any time.
(Jimmy Trejo continued elsewhere)
Starving and thirsty people are going to come by these packs, and find nothing of worth in them at all. How many people will die because they ran out of supplies?
With a grim expression, Jimmy aided Lyn with disposing of anything he didn't want. It felt abominable to him, but he knew that if he didn't, other people would be strong enough to start hunting him down. In a sense, it wasn't something he had much of a choice about. Zipping his own daypack closed, Jimmy stood up from his business, his axe in one hand, his now heavier pack in another, and gave Lyn (he hoped it was Lyn anyway) a nod. "Let's get out of here," he said, without any humor or cheerfulness in his voice whatsoever. He might have been happy to associate with her under any other circumstances, but in this game, he was already starting to see that she was determined to win. He wouldn't allow her to get close enough to him to use that sword at any time.
(Jimmy Trejo continued elsewhere)
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Super Llama*
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:39 am
Once Jimmy picked out what he was going to carry, Laeil got to work disposing of her half, breaking up the rations and scattering some of it across the wet ground, and some of it right into the brook itself. She saved the first aid kits for Jimmy to despose of, though she took out an extra set of bandages, as she reckoned that she'd need to redress her wounds soon.
Slinging her pack over her shoulder, she stole one more glance back at Morgan before setting off after Jimmy. And thus it begins... She thought. With any luck, they'd run into Melina during this thing and she could finally have the rematch she desired. Until then, she just had to follow along and get this over with, and quiet her meddlesome conciousness. How annoying. She began to wish that she could just go back to the old Laeil. The nihilistic kind that simply lived from day to day, who didn't give a shit about what happened to the people around her, regardless of whether they helped her or not. Having long-term (well, relatively) goals like this was such a nuisance. It meant she had something to lose.
But what did she have to lose? She already knew the answer, but she didn't want to think about it right now.
{{continued elsewhere}}
Slinging her pack over her shoulder, she stole one more glance back at Morgan before setting off after Jimmy. And thus it begins... She thought. With any luck, they'd run into Melina during this thing and she could finally have the rematch she desired. Until then, she just had to follow along and get this over with, and quiet her meddlesome conciousness. How annoying. She began to wish that she could just go back to the old Laeil. The nihilistic kind that simply lived from day to day, who didn't give a shit about what happened to the people around her, regardless of whether they helped her or not. Having long-term (well, relatively) goals like this was such a nuisance. It meant she had something to lose.
But what did she have to lose? She already knew the answer, but she didn't want to think about it right now.
{{continued elsewhere}}
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DetectiveArcher*
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:45 pm
His eyes snapped open. Morgan quickly scanned his surroundings. Nothing but the river, the trees and the dead bodies. He forced his heart rate back under control and slowly rose to his feet. Laeil and her new friend had long since gone, leaving the bespectacled young man to hide himself well enough to rest without fear of being easily found.
The rest hadn't done him much good. His joints and muscles still ached from unaccustomed use, his head ached, and his stomach wouldn't wait more than a few minutes before voicing its discontent with his rationed meals. Grumbling to himself, the dusty haired student fished out the bread from his pack. Methodically picking small chunks from the loaf and popping them into his mouth, he wondered exactly what to do next.
A weapon he couldn't use effectively, no experience in fights, dwindling food supplies, and no allies to use as shields if the going got too rough. "Hmph." he muttered to no one at all, "Not exactly the most favorable of circumstances, are they?" His brow furrowed in thought as he carefully chewed the stale bread. Whatever he needed, he wouldn't find it here. Best to move on before someone else came along.
Quickly finishing his paltry meal, he gathered his few belongings and made his way to his feet. Casting one last glance around, he turned and disappeared into the jungle.
((Morgan Green continued elsewhere.))
The rest hadn't done him much good. His joints and muscles still ached from unaccustomed use, his head ached, and his stomach wouldn't wait more than a few minutes before voicing its discontent with his rationed meals. Grumbling to himself, the dusty haired student fished out the bread from his pack. Methodically picking small chunks from the loaf and popping them into his mouth, he wondered exactly what to do next.
A weapon he couldn't use effectively, no experience in fights, dwindling food supplies, and no allies to use as shields if the going got too rough. "Hmph." he muttered to no one at all, "Not exactly the most favorable of circumstances, are they?" His brow furrowed in thought as he carefully chewed the stale bread. Whatever he needed, he wouldn't find it here. Best to move on before someone else came along.
Quickly finishing his paltry meal, he gathered his few belongings and made his way to his feet. Casting one last glance around, he turned and disappeared into the jungle.
((Morgan Green continued elsewhere.))