[Travis Webster continued from Law And Order...]
The rain had finally stopped. Both him and Cass had wandered through the entire island in one day, going from the Western Beach up to the Lighthouse. The wind and rain, on top of his many injuries, had made him weary of venturing any further when they had reached their destination. But then they'd run straight into Tyler Lucas.
After throwing his companion to the wolves and running off, he'd tried to figure out where he could escape to. Tyler would no doubt try to find him again, and his gear felt heavier and heavier for each step. And then, for some reason, he'd ended up here. Back at the Amusement Park. He imagined Tyler wouldn't come look for him in the place they'd met on the first day and had become enemies.
Back then, Tyler had been a crazy person, charging people who had much better weapons than he did. Now... he had a gun. His level of danger was much higher now.
He hid in a concession stand. It wasn't warm, but it allowed him to hide away from the wind and any more potential rainy weather. He changed his clothes quickly. Luckily, he still had Edgar's clothes as well as his own. He pulled on a V-neck that barely fit him, and another hoodie. It would allow him to get warm more quickly.
He had moved around far too much today already. He was such a dumbass. Why had he walked around the entire island for hours in the rain, despite swearing to himself he wasn't supposed to go anywhere until he had rested!? He was already beat before going on that whole journey with Cass, and now he was positively exhausted.
Unless this place was made a danger zone, he was planning on sticking around for a good while.
Oh... Hi...
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ViolentMedic
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((Joe Carrasco continued from Affluenza.))
Joe had spent most of the day kicking every third inanimate object that he came across. The announcement... hadn't been good.
Familiar names added to the list of the dead. Michelle Wexler and Gavin Hunter, the two he'd met at the gazebo... Michelle had given him a gogurt. Talked to him on occasion after. Pretty nice girl. Gone now.
Theodore on the announcement again. This time not for killing. Hansel got him. Joe had thought maybe he'd be happy about it, even if it would be wrong to feel that way. But he just felt angry. Any 'why,' any 'justification' that could have told him why Gabby needed to die... anything like that died with Theodore. Along with the purpose that had turned Joe away from the cliff on the second day.
And then... there was Travis.
Joe just did not want to think about that.
He tried not to. Instead, he kicked things. Mostly trees. Now boxes and stands and whatever else was lying about the amusement park. He smacked his foot into a stand that had some of those turning clown heads on them. His mind drifted off for a moment, recalling that day with the bake sale and the fair. R.J (murderer) had been there and Rosemary (murderer) had been there.
Everything was meant to stay like that.
Joe's hands clenched. He kicked the stand viciously. Again and again. Then he moved on.
Anger still there. Not dissipating. Kicking things that couldn't kick back was meant to help. All it was doing was adding a new ache to his feet. But he kept doing it because staying still made him feel like all that anger would just blow up. But then again, maybe blowing up would be good. Maybe talking a walk in a danger zone would be good so he didn't have to hear about... about any of this. Or see any of it. He just wouldn't have to deal with it any more.
Joe swung his foot into a concession stand.
Joe had spent most of the day kicking every third inanimate object that he came across. The announcement... hadn't been good.
Familiar names added to the list of the dead. Michelle Wexler and Gavin Hunter, the two he'd met at the gazebo... Michelle had given him a gogurt. Talked to him on occasion after. Pretty nice girl. Gone now.
Theodore on the announcement again. This time not for killing. Hansel got him. Joe had thought maybe he'd be happy about it, even if it would be wrong to feel that way. But he just felt angry. Any 'why,' any 'justification' that could have told him why Gabby needed to die... anything like that died with Theodore. Along with the purpose that had turned Joe away from the cliff on the second day.
And then... there was Travis.
Joe just did not want to think about that.
He tried not to. Instead, he kicked things. Mostly trees. Now boxes and stands and whatever else was lying about the amusement park. He smacked his foot into a stand that had some of those turning clown heads on them. His mind drifted off for a moment, recalling that day with the bake sale and the fair. R.J (murderer) had been there and Rosemary (murderer) had been there.
Everything was meant to stay like that.
Joe's hands clenched. He kicked the stand viciously. Again and again. Then he moved on.
Anger still there. Not dissipating. Kicking things that couldn't kick back was meant to help. All it was doing was adding a new ache to his feet. But he kept doing it because staying still made him feel like all that anger would just blow up. But then again, maybe blowing up would be good. Maybe talking a walk in a danger zone would be good so he didn't have to hear about... about any of this. Or see any of it. He just wouldn't have to deal with it any more.
Joe swung his foot into a concession stand.
Travis swung himself to his feet. Everything ached, but he didn't care. Whoever it was outside, they didn't seem to be in a good mood. And on this island, anyone approaching with something other than friendly intentions meant danger.
He quietly climbed out of the stand, planning to sneak around and jump whoever it had been approaching. The only way he was ever getting any rest would be after finishing this game, it seemed.
He pulled out the scalpel from his back pocket. Maybe after this one, this kill, he would finally be allowed to sleep. He stepped around the corner, ready to strike....
".... Joe?"
This was a day full of coincidences.
He quietly climbed out of the stand, planning to sneak around and jump whoever it had been approaching. The only way he was ever getting any rest would be after finishing this game, it seemed.
He pulled out the scalpel from his back pocket. Maybe after this one, this kill, he would finally be allowed to sleep. He stepped around the corner, ready to strike....
".... Joe?"
This was a day full of coincidences.
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ViolentMedic
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Five days of searching. Five days of running back and forth across the island. And suddenly Travis just pops out from behind a concession stand at the moment where Joe doesn't want to face him. Like the island had chewed him up, not liked the taste and spat him out at Joe's feet.
Joe stared back at his best friend (Still best friend? Even after what he'd done?) for what felt like forever. Eyes flickered to the scalpel. Back to Travis. Eyes started glaring. Similar to the glare he'd given Miles. Maybe not quite as intense.
Joe put his hands on his head, to show he had no intention of fighting back. Even if Travis did decide to slit his throat right then.
A lot of questions were trying to cram their way through his throat and out his mouth. A lot of 'why' was involved in those questions. But they got stuck in his throat, and Joe stayed silent.
He just stared.
Joe stared back at his best friend (Still best friend? Even after what he'd done?) for what felt like forever. Eyes flickered to the scalpel. Back to Travis. Eyes started glaring. Similar to the glare he'd given Miles. Maybe not quite as intense.
Joe put his hands on his head, to show he had no intention of fighting back. Even if Travis did decide to slit his throat right then.
A lot of questions were trying to cram their way through his throat and out his mouth. A lot of 'why' was involved in those questions. But they got stuck in his throat, and Joe stayed silent.
He just stared.
He looked at his old friend and let out an exhausted laughter. So Joe had made it this far. What a relief!
"Oh man, you scared me. When I heard that noise, I thought it might be someone coming after me. You know how this place is..."
Joe had put his hands on his head, like he was being put under arrest or something.
"No, no, no. C'mon, man. That's not necessary!", he laughed.
This reunion had put him in a stellar mood, despite his aching body. Now, if they could only get some weed, they could properly celebrate!
Joe did not look very happy with him, however. He didn't really understand why. For him, this was just what he needed after the travesty that had been his and Cass attempt at cooperation. Now he had a companion that he trusted on this island of horrors. Together, they might just be able to get until the very end. He'd listened for updates on his friend ever since the first day, and even though he knew that Joe had become a killer just like him, he trusted Joe with his life.
Does Joe not feel the same way?
He locked eyes with Joe. This time, his tone felt a bit more detached.
"Uh... Dude... Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Oh man, you scared me. When I heard that noise, I thought it might be someone coming after me. You know how this place is..."
Joe had put his hands on his head, like he was being put under arrest or something.
"No, no, no. C'mon, man. That's not necessary!", he laughed.
This reunion had put him in a stellar mood, despite his aching body. Now, if they could only get some weed, they could properly celebrate!
Joe did not look very happy with him, however. He didn't really understand why. For him, this was just what he needed after the travesty that had been his and Cass attempt at cooperation. Now he had a companion that he trusted on this island of horrors. Together, they might just be able to get until the very end. He'd listened for updates on his friend ever since the first day, and even though he knew that Joe had become a killer just like him, he trusted Joe with his life.
Does Joe not feel the same way?
He locked eyes with Joe. This time, his tone felt a bit more detached.
"Uh... Dude... Why are you looking at me like that?"
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ViolentMedic
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Travis was happy. How could he be happy? How could he butcher two people and be happy?
But that's what Travis had always done. He'd done stupid things, like get kids high at prom without telling them, brushed it off and laughed about it, and left other people to deal with it while he went to mess something else up. He'd always just waltzed through life, being... being him... and brushing off anything he did that wasn't nice because 'oh well, there's other things to do, I've got to take five types of drugs and find a girl to bang and never call again.'
And now two people were dead.
Joe did not remove his hands from his head. He did not stop staring. But he did speak.
"I'm looking at you like this... because you have a lot to explain. And I don't think you have a good excuse lined up, Travis."
Still quiet. Slightly shaky.
There was nothing in the world that could excuse what Travis had done. It hurt to think it. But Joe knew there was no good explanation coming.
Still. A tiny bit of him fruitlessly hoped.
But that's what Travis had always done. He'd done stupid things, like get kids high at prom without telling them, brushed it off and laughed about it, and left other people to deal with it while he went to mess something else up. He'd always just waltzed through life, being... being him... and brushing off anything he did that wasn't nice because 'oh well, there's other things to do, I've got to take five types of drugs and find a girl to bang and never call again.'
And now two people were dead.
Joe did not remove his hands from his head. He did not stop staring. But he did speak.
"I'm looking at you like this... because you have a lot to explain. And I don't think you have a good excuse lined up, Travis."
Still quiet. Slightly shaky.
There was nothing in the world that could excuse what Travis had done. It hurt to think it. But Joe knew there was no good explanation coming.
Still. A tiny bit of him fruitlessly hoped.
There was a long, horribly drawn out silence. Had Joe not spoken so softly, his words might have echoed through the whole amusement park. Joe still had his hands on his head, his brown eyes transfixed on Trav's own cold blue ones. Travis dropped his jovial demeanor for a few seconds. Annoyance, exhaustion and anger flashed over his sharp features in rapid succession.
Finally, he was the one who broke the silence. He once again let out a laugh, this one far more strained than the first one.
"I'm glad to see you're okay as well, asshole."
He shook his head and looked up into the dark, cloud filled sky for a few seconds.
"You want an explanation, do you? Fine. After several days of running around, I'm sitting on a bunch of stolen supplies. And I stole a fuckin' chainsaw from Naomi. Enough for me to rest for a while."
He motioned towards the concession stand.
"Oh! And I fucking killed Matt because he was attacking me. Buuuuuut he was doing that to stop me from choking his girlfriend... So his reaction was entirely justified. Not that it helped her much in the end. She took a bullet for me a few hours ago. Pretty ironic, actually..."
He chuckled bitterly to himself.
"Oh yeah, and I killed Edgar because the little shithead threw me off a storage container several feet in the air. He tried to kill me! He did this!"
He threw up his heavily cut up hands and waved them around.
"Buuuuut... he did that because I had robbed him a couple of days before. So I guess it all just goes back and forth..."
He realized he was rambling and shrugged. But hey, Joe had wanted an explanation. Now he had one.
"So yeah, I've fucked over the people who didn't immediately fuck me over. That's how things work here, dude. I make no excuses for what I've done. I didn't run around pretending to be a hero. I did what I did to increase my odds of surviving."
He eyed Joe up and down.
"I actually thought you'd understand, considering you killed as early as the first day. But I guess not."
Finally, he was the one who broke the silence. He once again let out a laugh, this one far more strained than the first one.
"I'm glad to see you're okay as well, asshole."
He shook his head and looked up into the dark, cloud filled sky for a few seconds.
"You want an explanation, do you? Fine. After several days of running around, I'm sitting on a bunch of stolen supplies. And I stole a fuckin' chainsaw from Naomi. Enough for me to rest for a while."
He motioned towards the concession stand.
"Oh! And I fucking killed Matt because he was attacking me. Buuuuuut he was doing that to stop me from choking his girlfriend... So his reaction was entirely justified. Not that it helped her much in the end. She took a bullet for me a few hours ago. Pretty ironic, actually..."
He chuckled bitterly to himself.
"Oh yeah, and I killed Edgar because the little shithead threw me off a storage container several feet in the air. He tried to kill me! He did this!"
He threw up his heavily cut up hands and waved them around.
"Buuuuut... he did that because I had robbed him a couple of days before. So I guess it all just goes back and forth..."
He realized he was rambling and shrugged. But hey, Joe had wanted an explanation. Now he had one.
"So yeah, I've fucked over the people who didn't immediately fuck me over. That's how things work here, dude. I make no excuses for what I've done. I didn't run around pretending to be a hero. I did what I did to increase my odds of surviving."
He eyed Joe up and down.
"I actually thought you'd understand, considering you killed as early as the first day. But I guess not."
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ViolentMedic
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(Passive GM-ing approved.)
Five full seconds of silence followed Travis' 'explanation.' The expression on Joe's face briefly resembled that of someone who had flipped over a rock expecting to see an ant's nest and found a sea of black widow spiders underneath instead.
Joe went white and his eyes practically bulged, like suddenly everything—not just every angry, disgusted, guilty, depressed thought he'd had over the last five days, but every little frustration he'd ever had in regards to Travis—was trying to push itself out of him at once.
Then it came out.
"That's not even an explanation! Even coming from you, Mr. 'Let-Me-Read-Your-Biology-Homework-I-Had-A-Legitimate-Reason-For-Not-Doing-Mine' that was just... just... those are the worst excuses I've ever heard, and don't you say 'I'm making no excuses' because those were excuses!
"This was all for survival, was it? Was it?! Well, good job! You've got a pile of supplies you don't need and the island is probably out for your blood!" Joe sarcastically clapped his hands together in the middle of his tirade. "Well done, Travis. Great job. Because people like you survive for a long time on the island, don't they? Why don't you ask Maximilian or Theodore how it worked out for them? Or look at yourself! How non-injured would you have been if you didn't go around actively messing everyone up?"
Joe continued getting louder as he went along, his voice cracking every time it rose. He shouted over Travis' attempts at a rebuttal, because he was not in the mood to hear it.
"And that's not even getting into the fact that that's... it's... it's messed up! It's wrong! You're wrong! I mean, stabbing people in the throat? Butchering people while threatening to do the same to their sisters? Trying to strangle people's girlfriends and... and... what are you doing?! You're just going to justify this with 'that's how the game is played' when on those announcements—on a list of 'everything bad that happened on the island'—you stand out as being batshit fucking crazy?!
"So, you know what? No. I'm not glad to see you're okay. Because you are not okay. This is not okay."
Five full seconds of silence followed Travis' 'explanation.' The expression on Joe's face briefly resembled that of someone who had flipped over a rock expecting to see an ant's nest and found a sea of black widow spiders underneath instead.
Joe went white and his eyes practically bulged, like suddenly everything—not just every angry, disgusted, guilty, depressed thought he'd had over the last five days, but every little frustration he'd ever had in regards to Travis—was trying to push itself out of him at once.
Then it came out.
"That's not even an explanation! Even coming from you, Mr. 'Let-Me-Read-Your-Biology-Homework-I-Had-A-Legitimate-Reason-For-Not-Doing-Mine' that was just... just... those are the worst excuses I've ever heard, and don't you say 'I'm making no excuses' because those were excuses!
"This was all for survival, was it? Was it?! Well, good job! You've got a pile of supplies you don't need and the island is probably out for your blood!" Joe sarcastically clapped his hands together in the middle of his tirade. "Well done, Travis. Great job. Because people like you survive for a long time on the island, don't they? Why don't you ask Maximilian or Theodore how it worked out for them? Or look at yourself! How non-injured would you have been if you didn't go around actively messing everyone up?"
Joe continued getting louder as he went along, his voice cracking every time it rose. He shouted over Travis' attempts at a rebuttal, because he was not in the mood to hear it.
"And that's not even getting into the fact that that's... it's... it's messed up! It's wrong! You're wrong! I mean, stabbing people in the throat? Butchering people while threatening to do the same to their sisters? Trying to strangle people's girlfriends and... and... what are you doing?! You're just going to justify this with 'that's how the game is played' when on those announcements—on a list of 'everything bad that happened on the island'—you stand out as being batshit fucking crazy?!
"So, you know what? No. I'm not glad to see you're okay. Because you are not okay. This is not okay."
He tried to talk back. He tried to interrupt. It didn't work. When Joe finally stopped, it felt like he'd been pummeled. He took a couple of deep breaths. He was feeling very hot all of a sudden. All the joy of seeing Joe alive and well had vanished, and yet again anger took over.
"No, of course this isn't okay, you fucking idiot! Of course I'm not okay! Nothing is okay! We're on a fucking murder island, sent here to fucking kill each other until there is just one person left standing! How the FUCK could anything ever be okay here!?"
He curled his hands up into fists. It was his turn to shout at Joe now, and he was damned if he was going to let his friend interrupt him after that scolding.
"But who the FUCK are you to come up here and judge me for my actions!? Do you know who the THIRD goddamn killer on this island was!? Huh!? It was YOU! First it was Theo Fletcher, then Hansel Williams, and then JOE FUCKING CARRASCO!"
His knuckles were starting to get white. His nostrils flared.
"And sure, you might consider me batshit fucking crazy, but I still fucking retain that all I did was for survival! Every last bloodfilled moment of it!"
He punched the concession stand and stared into the wall. He didn't care about the pain, even from his cut up fingers.
"Do you know what happened just now? Just a couple of hours ago, I escaped from Tyler Lucas. That fucking maniac was firing a goddamn submachine gun at me! The only reason I'm not dead is because Cassidy Kant took the bullet that was meant for me!"
He gave his friend an angry glare. He felt no need to mention that Cass hadn't exactly done so in a volontary fashion.
"The day before that I was thrown off a bunch of storage containers and almost fell to my death! The day before that I was almost choked to death! A couple of days before that I was threatened and almost shot with a crossbow, and the day before that I fucking WAS shot by a crossbow!"
He displayed his arm and continued, almost shouting himself into a frenzy now.
"Every goddamn day that I've spent here I have been shot at, stabbed, choked and battered! I ran into goddamn Hansel Williams as well! On the first fucking day - the first goddamn motherfucking cocksucking day - he began firing at me with a goddamn FAMAS! A fucking FAMAS, Joe!"
He was going out of control, and he was beginning to realize it himself. He'd been screaming for nearly a minute now.
"Do you know what that is!? A goddamn assault rifle is what it is! I recognized it because I've used it in fucking Counter Strike myself! And he runs around with one on the first day! Me? I got duct tape! Six days and a ton of violence later, I'm running around with a scalpel, a chainsaw and some pens! How is that fair!? So, no, Joe! It's not like I chose to make my kills that bloody! I'm not playing Texas Chainsaw Massacre of my own goddamn volition here!"
He took a deep breath. Then he took several more. He had barely had time to breathe during his rant. But now he had calmed down. He gave Joe a chilly look and continued, this time in a more normal tone.
"I don't know where you've been spending your past week, dude, but on this island, being batshit fucking crazy isn't a bad thing. This is an island filled with monsters. Either you become one and try to survive, or you fall victim to one and become just another name for those asshole terrorists to joke about the next day. So I'm sorry you're disappointed, Joe, but for me the choice was simple. I want to go home."
"No, of course this isn't okay, you fucking idiot! Of course I'm not okay! Nothing is okay! We're on a fucking murder island, sent here to fucking kill each other until there is just one person left standing! How the FUCK could anything ever be okay here!?"
He curled his hands up into fists. It was his turn to shout at Joe now, and he was damned if he was going to let his friend interrupt him after that scolding.
"But who the FUCK are you to come up here and judge me for my actions!? Do you know who the THIRD goddamn killer on this island was!? Huh!? It was YOU! First it was Theo Fletcher, then Hansel Williams, and then JOE FUCKING CARRASCO!"
His knuckles were starting to get white. His nostrils flared.
"And sure, you might consider me batshit fucking crazy, but I still fucking retain that all I did was for survival! Every last bloodfilled moment of it!"
He punched the concession stand and stared into the wall. He didn't care about the pain, even from his cut up fingers.
"Do you know what happened just now? Just a couple of hours ago, I escaped from Tyler Lucas. That fucking maniac was firing a goddamn submachine gun at me! The only reason I'm not dead is because Cassidy Kant took the bullet that was meant for me!"
He gave his friend an angry glare. He felt no need to mention that Cass hadn't exactly done so in a volontary fashion.
"The day before that I was thrown off a bunch of storage containers and almost fell to my death! The day before that I was almost choked to death! A couple of days before that I was threatened and almost shot with a crossbow, and the day before that I fucking WAS shot by a crossbow!"
He displayed his arm and continued, almost shouting himself into a frenzy now.
"Every goddamn day that I've spent here I have been shot at, stabbed, choked and battered! I ran into goddamn Hansel Williams as well! On the first fucking day - the first goddamn motherfucking cocksucking day - he began firing at me with a goddamn FAMAS! A fucking FAMAS, Joe!"
He was going out of control, and he was beginning to realize it himself. He'd been screaming for nearly a minute now.
"Do you know what that is!? A goddamn assault rifle is what it is! I recognized it because I've used it in fucking Counter Strike myself! And he runs around with one on the first day! Me? I got duct tape! Six days and a ton of violence later, I'm running around with a scalpel, a chainsaw and some pens! How is that fair!? So, no, Joe! It's not like I chose to make my kills that bloody! I'm not playing Texas Chainsaw Massacre of my own goddamn volition here!"
He took a deep breath. Then he took several more. He had barely had time to breathe during his rant. But now he had calmed down. He gave Joe a chilly look and continued, this time in a more normal tone.
"I don't know where you've been spending your past week, dude, but on this island, being batshit fucking crazy isn't a bad thing. This is an island filled with monsters. Either you become one and try to survive, or you fall victim to one and become just another name for those asshole terrorists to joke about the next day. So I'm sorry you're disappointed, Joe, but for me the choice was simple. I want to go home."
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ViolentMedic
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Joe could have shouted again. He almost did. He had tried to while Travis was yelling. Didn't work. And there were so many things he could have said. This time he mulled the words. He gave himself a chance to think. To formulate what he wanted to say.
At this stage he didn't believe it would get through to Travis at all. And a large part of him wanted to punch his face into a pulp. But... that was just not the road he wanted to take.
"All that happened because you started it. You admitted it. And of course it's not fair. It's not fair to any of us. If it was fair, we'd be at Disneyland, you'd probably be getting into trouble like you always do and I'd be quite happily ignoring you for the brownies thing at prom.
"So I don't care what your reasons are. I will judge you all I want, because I stopped. I made the biggest mistake of my life. And then I stopped. And you know what?"
Joe adjusted the strap of his bag, nose scrunched up and eyebrows furrowed as he matched Travis' cold stare with his own.
"I would rather be someone the terrorists mock than someone they praise."
He turned around and started walking off.
Part of him wondered if he was about to feel the cold metal of a scalpel between his shoulder blades.
At this stage he didn't believe it would get through to Travis at all. And a large part of him wanted to punch his face into a pulp. But... that was just not the road he wanted to take.
"All that happened because you started it. You admitted it. And of course it's not fair. It's not fair to any of us. If it was fair, we'd be at Disneyland, you'd probably be getting into trouble like you always do and I'd be quite happily ignoring you for the brownies thing at prom.
"So I don't care what your reasons are. I will judge you all I want, because I stopped. I made the biggest mistake of my life. And then I stopped. And you know what?"
Joe adjusted the strap of his bag, nose scrunched up and eyebrows furrowed as he matched Travis' cold stare with his own.
"I would rather be someone the terrorists mock than someone they praise."
He turned around and started walking off.
Part of him wondered if he was about to feel the cold metal of a scalpel between his shoulder blades.
His jaw almost hit the floor. He hadn't expected this. His best friend had, so easily, turned his back on him and begun walking off. A part of him wanted to attack Joe for abandoning him. A part of him wanted to scream and shout and punch the boy. But he quickly swept those thoughts away. He ran after Joe.
"Look, Joe, wait! Hold on! I'm sorry I said all that stuff!"
He put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Please... don't leave. I've been alone on this fucking island for almost a week now. The few people I've met have treated me with contempt and fear. Can't we just..."
He stopped. Just what? Go back to the good old days? That was hardly possible now. Not after this. Not after what he'd done. Not after what he'd said.
"... Can't we just chill a little? Even if you're angry at me. Even if you think I'm a fucking monster for all that I've done..."
Their argument didn't matter. The anger he'd felt was gone, replaced by fear. Fear of being alone. Fear that this might be his last interraction with his best friend before one of them died on this godforsaken island. He had even looked for Joe during the first couple of days.
"... Just... Please... Don't leave."
His last words were more of a whimper than anything else.
"I don't want to be alone again..."
"Look, Joe, wait! Hold on! I'm sorry I said all that stuff!"
He put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Please... don't leave. I've been alone on this fucking island for almost a week now. The few people I've met have treated me with contempt and fear. Can't we just..."
He stopped. Just what? Go back to the good old days? That was hardly possible now. Not after this. Not after what he'd done. Not after what he'd said.
"... Can't we just chill a little? Even if you're angry at me. Even if you think I'm a fucking monster for all that I've done..."
Their argument didn't matter. The anger he'd felt was gone, replaced by fear. Fear of being alone. Fear that this might be his last interraction with his best friend before one of them died on this godforsaken island. He had even looked for Joe during the first couple of days.
"... Just... Please... Don't leave."
His last words were more of a whimper than anything else.
"I don't want to be alone again..."
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ViolentMedic
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Footsteps. No scalpel in the back.
When Travis touched his shoulder, Joe shrugged him off immediately. But he stopped walking. He listened. He didn't look at Travis, but he listened.
And this was perhaps the only thing Travis had said so far that made sense, because being alone on the island was much worse than being alone anywhere else. Joe had been feeling that since he left Aileen. No, even earlier. Since Jason.
Still. That didn't remove the fact that Travis was a psychotic murderer.
However. That in itself stopped Joe from walking off. He shifted from foot to foot and then turned to face Travis again.
"Let's get one thing perfectly clear, Travis." Joe jabbed a finger into Travis' chest. "No more killing. You kill one more time—you even try? This ends immediately. I don't care what they do or how many supplies they have. No. More."
And there was the reason that Joe had to say yes. Sentiment and friendship did have a pull, but more than that... so much more than that?
If he let Travis leave, he would just kill someone else.
When Travis touched his shoulder, Joe shrugged him off immediately. But he stopped walking. He listened. He didn't look at Travis, but he listened.
And this was perhaps the only thing Travis had said so far that made sense, because being alone on the island was much worse than being alone anywhere else. Joe had been feeling that since he left Aileen. No, even earlier. Since Jason.
Still. That didn't remove the fact that Travis was a psychotic murderer.
However. That in itself stopped Joe from walking off. He shifted from foot to foot and then turned to face Travis again.
"Let's get one thing perfectly clear, Travis." Joe jabbed a finger into Travis' chest. "No more killing. You kill one more time—you even try? This ends immediately. I don't care what they do or how many supplies they have. No. More."
And there was the reason that Joe had to say yes. Sentiment and friendship did have a pull, but more than that... so much more than that?
If he let Travis leave, he would just kill someone else.
That was it? That was a cakewalk.
"Sure. Fine. No more killing... No more violence unless it's in self defense. I promise."
He was lying, of course. Eventually he knew he was going to have to kill again. But right now he was desperate for Joe to stay, and he'd been planning on avoiding fights and resting up for the next couple of days anyway. He needed some time to get his strength back, and if he could do so while hanging out with his best friend, even better.
He smiled. It was the first time in ages that he'd smiled out of genuine joy. Not malice, not cockiness, nothing like that. He was actually happy.
"Let's head back to the stand, yeah?"
"Sure. Fine. No more killing... No more violence unless it's in self defense. I promise."
He was lying, of course. Eventually he knew he was going to have to kill again. But right now he was desperate for Joe to stay, and he'd been planning on avoiding fights and resting up for the next couple of days anyway. He needed some time to get his strength back, and if he could do so while hanging out with his best friend, even better.
He smiled. It was the first time in ages that he'd smiled out of genuine joy. Not malice, not cockiness, nothing like that. He was actually happy.
"Let's head back to the stand, yeah?"
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 1442
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
Wow, did that not sound sincere.
But if Joe was here, he could stop it. He... wasn't sure how. But he'd figure it out. Travis wouldn't be murdering again, no matter what.
Joe didn't smile back. He just grunted and followed Travis back.
"I want to find Marcus," he said stiffly, once they reached the stand again. "Did you see him? Without pissing him off like you've done to half the island?"
Marcus was the only one left to find now. After that...
What was there to do after that?
But if Joe was here, he could stop it. He... wasn't sure how. But he'd figure it out. Travis wouldn't be murdering again, no matter what.
Joe didn't smile back. He just grunted and followed Travis back.
"I want to find Marcus," he said stiffly, once they reached the stand again. "Did you see him? Without pissing him off like you've done to half the island?"
Marcus was the only one left to find now. After that...
What was there to do after that?
They began heading back to the concession stand. He was looking forward to warm up and maybe eat something. He laughed as Joe accused him of pissing off half the island.
"Hey, you're overestimating the effect I have on people. There aren't THAT many people on this island who have it in for me, dude."
I think...
"As for Marcus, I have no clue. I haven't seen him. Haven't heard anything on the announcements either, so I suppose he's still safe."
He shrugged casually. Why did Joe want to find Marcus Leung?
"Hey, you're overestimating the effect I have on people. There aren't THAT many people on this island who have it in for me, dude."
I think...
"As for Marcus, I have no clue. I haven't seen him. Haven't heard anything on the announcements either, so I suppose he's still safe."
He shrugged casually. Why did Joe want to find Marcus Leung?