((Ruby Forrester continued from Broken Hearts of Gold))
Once again, Ruby was reminded that familiarity did not necessarily equal comfort.
She wasn't sure why she had found herself drifting towards the gated community again. Maybe it was because it was an area that she already knew to be reasonably secure, or at least it would be were it not for the fact that there was little she could do about the front gate.
That said, it hadn't been secure enough to prevent the death of one of her closest friends.
She avoided the house that she had previously stayed in. Partly because the very sight of it was enough to bring back painful memories, and partly because she didn't want to see... Him, again. Was he still there? Just lying in the middle of a bush like a discarded ragdoll? She had run away without doing anything about the body, too enraged for the thought to even cross her mind. Perhaps now she could make up for that mistake? Or perhaps she should just ignore the question entirely?
She went with the latter in the end. Odds are, Brian wouldn't want to be buried on some random island, although she dreaded the thought of what his body would look like when it is finally retrieved.
Why was she still alive? It was a question that had propped up a number of times as she wandered aimlessly across the island, passing god-knows how many bodies on the way. She'd lost count of how many days it had been since this all started, as well as the number of her classmates who had died. There couldn't be that many of them left, could there? Why the hell was she still around? Why her, and not the many other students who probably deserved to outlive her. All she did since the moment she woke up was go around threatening people, regardless of whether or not they showed any aggression. And sure, as far as her own personal safety went she was still very much alive, but the same couldn't be said for nearly everyone she had travelled with except for Ami. And possibly Zubin, although by this point she couldn't remember whether or not his name had been brought up. Christ, to think she was now trying to remember who wasn't dead rather than who was.
In any case, all she wanted to do now was find a reasonably clean room amongst the houses, bar the door shut with a drawer or a desk of some description and just lay in bed for as long as she could get away with. And sure enough, she was able to do so without much trouble. Maybe this time she can finally achieve the solitude she was looking for. Maybe this way she can finally get her thoughts straight, decide on what to do next.
Or maybe now fate will finally decide to stop toying with her and finally get it over with.
Awaiting fate
It wasn't long until Ruby woke up.
Well, not so much wake up as stop pretending to be asleep. It was difficult for her to get any shuteye knowing that within a matter of days, either her or someone else will be the only person left alive on the island. That any second now, someone could just wander in and snuff her out without her even realising it. Those kind of thoughts made it difficult for her to let her guard down and actually get some rest.
Still, it meant that she had time to think about things. Things such as what her family and friends back home must be thinking. How long had it been since the kidnapping? Five days? A week? It felt like forever since the days when things were normal. When her routine consisted of getting up, having a shower, grabbing breakfast and not having to worry about getting shot in the back by every person she met.
She didn't even know whether or not her family were still watching, or if they even bothered to watch at all in the first place. They never dared to watch any of the previous versions, and she wouldn't have blamed them for not wanting to watch whatever awful fate this island had planned for her.
That said, her parents were far from the only people on her mind. What was Regan doing right now? It had been so long since Ruby had seen her, since they had the opportunity to hang out with each other. She had tried to avoid thinking about it too much, but the fact of the matter was with each passing day, her desire to be back with Regan became more and more painful to endure. There was so much that they had yet to do together. So many things that they had wanted to see, places they wanted to go. They never even got around to...
Ruby got out of bed, yawning loudly to herself as she looked into a nearby mirror. Christ, what she would do for a nice shower. Or even a supply of clean water and a bar of soap. Not to mention her hair. Was she doomed to die with blue hair? Why couldn't she have gone for something more normal, like red, or blonde, or even just some shade of brown. But blue? Well, at least she'd be remembered as "That chick with the blue hair in season 5".
God, I hate this island. Maybe I'll go look around this house, see if there's anything interesting I missed the first time.
Well, not so much wake up as stop pretending to be asleep. It was difficult for her to get any shuteye knowing that within a matter of days, either her or someone else will be the only person left alive on the island. That any second now, someone could just wander in and snuff her out without her even realising it. Those kind of thoughts made it difficult for her to let her guard down and actually get some rest.
Still, it meant that she had time to think about things. Things such as what her family and friends back home must be thinking. How long had it been since the kidnapping? Five days? A week? It felt like forever since the days when things were normal. When her routine consisted of getting up, having a shower, grabbing breakfast and not having to worry about getting shot in the back by every person she met.
She didn't even know whether or not her family were still watching, or if they even bothered to watch at all in the first place. They never dared to watch any of the previous versions, and she wouldn't have blamed them for not wanting to watch whatever awful fate this island had planned for her.
That said, her parents were far from the only people on her mind. What was Regan doing right now? It had been so long since Ruby had seen her, since they had the opportunity to hang out with each other. She had tried to avoid thinking about it too much, but the fact of the matter was with each passing day, her desire to be back with Regan became more and more painful to endure. There was so much that they had yet to do together. So many things that they had wanted to see, places they wanted to go. They never even got around to...
Ruby got out of bed, yawning loudly to herself as she looked into a nearby mirror. Christ, what she would do for a nice shower. Or even a supply of clean water and a bar of soap. Not to mention her hair. Was she doomed to die with blue hair? Why couldn't she have gone for something more normal, like red, or blonde, or even just some shade of brown. But blue? Well, at least she'd be remembered as "That chick with the blue hair in season 5".
God, I hate this island. Maybe I'll go look around this house, see if there's anything interesting I missed the first time.
(Ami Flynn continued from Layabout.)
Can't hunt a player without becoming one.
Joe was right. He was absolutely right and Ami, for the life of her, could not argue. She was becoming a 'player'. She was the one thing she promised herself she would never become. And it wasn't just a gradual adaption either. She was choosing to become one. Ami didn't know what else to do though. What could she do? It was getting to the end
Survival had never been on the table before...
...
There was a voice. It kept telling Ami instructions. She had been ignoring it until now. The voice was not a voice but Ami heard it. She heard it but she ignored it. Up until now. How long had that voice been with her? She only just noticed it.
Hindsight. 20/20. All of your friends are dead. She wanted to believe... but Deanna and Maynard ripped whatever hopes she had. She had nothing else.
Well. Just one hope. Finding Katarina. She couldn't let her die to anyone else. It had to be Ami. The how's and why's were irrelevant. Ami knew that it had to be her. Just had to be. In the morning, she promised herself. By then she'd be rested and ready.
Ami planned to sleep in the apartments, but having the sense to avoid Leona meant she had to walk in a different direction. Soon she ended back at the community she had stayed in before.
It wasn't until she got close to one of the houses that Ami remembered she had been in this area before. The houses and the safety they provided... God. She completely forgot. She remembered Brian, but she didn't make the connection. It just. Ugh. Whatever. She was too tired to start making conspiracy theories. They were corralling the students so her returning to the place where Brian died was only a coincidence. Nothing more.
Ami opened the back door and stepped inside. The whole house was deathly quiet. The floorboards creaked under her feet but she didn't think much of them. A stupid oversight, due to exhaustion, but nowhere near as stupid as her dropping her dufflebags in the middle of the room with a loud clank.
She rubbed at her eye.
She wondered, for a moment, why she even bothered coming on this trip.
Can't hunt a player without becoming one.
Joe was right. He was absolutely right and Ami, for the life of her, could not argue. She was becoming a 'player'. She was the one thing she promised herself she would never become. And it wasn't just a gradual adaption either. She was choosing to become one. Ami didn't know what else to do though. What could she do? It was getting to the end
Survival had never been on the table before...
...
There was a voice. It kept telling Ami instructions. She had been ignoring it until now. The voice was not a voice but Ami heard it. She heard it but she ignored it. Up until now. How long had that voice been with her? She only just noticed it.
Hindsight. 20/20. All of your friends are dead. She wanted to believe... but Deanna and Maynard ripped whatever hopes she had. She had nothing else.
Well. Just one hope. Finding Katarina. She couldn't let her die to anyone else. It had to be Ami. The how's and why's were irrelevant. Ami knew that it had to be her. Just had to be. In the morning, she promised herself. By then she'd be rested and ready.
Ami planned to sleep in the apartments, but having the sense to avoid Leona meant she had to walk in a different direction. Soon she ended back at the community she had stayed in before.
It wasn't until she got close to one of the houses that Ami remembered she had been in this area before. The houses and the safety they provided... God. She completely forgot. She remembered Brian, but she didn't make the connection. It just. Ugh. Whatever. She was too tired to start making conspiracy theories. They were corralling the students so her returning to the place where Brian died was only a coincidence. Nothing more.
Ami opened the back door and stepped inside. The whole house was deathly quiet. The floorboards creaked under her feet but she didn't think much of them. A stupid oversight, due to exhaustion, but nowhere near as stupid as her dropping her dufflebags in the middle of the room with a loud clank.
She rubbed at her eye.
She wondered, for a moment, why she even bothered coming on this trip.
Noise.
At first it was subtle, the kind of thing one could attribute to your mind possibly playing tricks on you. Creaks that could either be footsteps or a result of staying in an old abandoned wooden house. But then there was a loud bang. Not a gunshot kind of bang, but the unmistakable sound of something heavy landing on the floor.
Ruby was no longer alone in the house.
Instinctively, she grabbed her gun, edging her way slowly down the corridor with her free hand clutching he flashlight. Good thing her gun was small enough to be used with one hand, although she doubted that she would be able to hit anything thanks to it's recoil. Hopefully she wouldn't have to find out.
As she slowly made her way down the stairway, the sounds of someone else being present became more and more apparent. Fear began to grip Ruby as she clutched her gun tightly in her hands. Odd, how the unseen presence of a intruder was more terrifying than facing one head on, or seeing dead bodies in the middle of the street. Goes to show that what you don't see and what your mind conjures up is scarier than anything you could actually meet.
Then again, the fact that whoever was down there could potentially kill her was still a somewhat distressing thought.
Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, it wasn't long until she happened across the room that her intruder appeared to be inhabiting. After several long breaths and psyching herself up, she poked her head through the doorway to see who it was.
Much to her relief, it was the one person she was hoping it would be.
"Ami?"
At first it was subtle, the kind of thing one could attribute to your mind possibly playing tricks on you. Creaks that could either be footsteps or a result of staying in an old abandoned wooden house. But then there was a loud bang. Not a gunshot kind of bang, but the unmistakable sound of something heavy landing on the floor.
Ruby was no longer alone in the house.
Instinctively, she grabbed her gun, edging her way slowly down the corridor with her free hand clutching he flashlight. Good thing her gun was small enough to be used with one hand, although she doubted that she would be able to hit anything thanks to it's recoil. Hopefully she wouldn't have to find out.
As she slowly made her way down the stairway, the sounds of someone else being present became more and more apparent. Fear began to grip Ruby as she clutched her gun tightly in her hands. Odd, how the unseen presence of a intruder was more terrifying than facing one head on, or seeing dead bodies in the middle of the street. Goes to show that what you don't see and what your mind conjures up is scarier than anything you could actually meet.
Then again, the fact that whoever was down there could potentially kill her was still a somewhat distressing thought.
Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, it wasn't long until she happened across the room that her intruder appeared to be inhabiting. After several long breaths and psyching herself up, she poked her head through the doorway to see who it was.
Much to her relief, it was the one person she was hoping it would be.
"Ami?"
The revolver was in her left hand.
Ami heard the footsteps. How could she not? While exhaustion distracted Ami from whoever it was coming down the stairs, when she heard a pair of shoes against the floor on her level, she immediately sobered up.
Four bullets. She had it in both hands.
She could hear breathing coming from around the doorway. Ami brought it up to eye-level. She knew they were there. She knew.
Would it be possible to shoot through the drywall? Do it. Risk it. Just pull the trigger and if it doesn't work they might slip up and give you an opening.
She swore to god she was ready to do it too. The worst part about it was that she wasn't even scared. Not even a nibbling fear in the back of her head she had when she killed Joachim either.
Part of her prayed it wasn't Katarina.
Turned out to be the last one Ami ever expected.
The voice told her to shoot. She dropped the gun instead.
Ami said nothing. She just stared at Ruby for the longest time. A rogue blink here, and a quiver of lips there. Then she grabbed Ruby and hugged her as tight as she could. Ami buried her face in Ruby's shoulder, a heavy tremble in the back of her throat. Ruby would have needed to see Ami's face to realize she was on the verge of tears.
"Jesus Christ, Ruby, Jesus Christ. Deanna's dead Ruby. I thought you died, I thought you both died. Oh - Oh god I was just - "
Her head hurt. Words were too troublesome.
Fuck it, it didn't even matter. Nothing mattered. Ruby was still alive. Even though she was tired, out of sorts and without any hope, in that moment, Ami was truly happy. Absolutely pleased.
Could the plan still work?
Not now. Later.
Ami heard the footsteps. How could she not? While exhaustion distracted Ami from whoever it was coming down the stairs, when she heard a pair of shoes against the floor on her level, she immediately sobered up.
Four bullets. She had it in both hands.
She could hear breathing coming from around the doorway. Ami brought it up to eye-level. She knew they were there. She knew.
Would it be possible to shoot through the drywall? Do it. Risk it. Just pull the trigger and if it doesn't work they might slip up and give you an opening.
She swore to god she was ready to do it too. The worst part about it was that she wasn't even scared. Not even a nibbling fear in the back of her head she had when she killed Joachim either.
Part of her prayed it wasn't Katarina.
Turned out to be the last one Ami ever expected.
The voice told her to shoot. She dropped the gun instead.
Ami said nothing. She just stared at Ruby for the longest time. A rogue blink here, and a quiver of lips there. Then she grabbed Ruby and hugged her as tight as she could. Ami buried her face in Ruby's shoulder, a heavy tremble in the back of her throat. Ruby would have needed to see Ami's face to realize she was on the verge of tears.
"Jesus Christ, Ruby, Jesus Christ. Deanna's dead Ruby. I thought you died, I thought you both died. Oh - Oh god I was just - "
Her head hurt. Words were too troublesome.
Fuck it, it didn't even matter. Nothing mattered. Ruby was still alive. Even though she was tired, out of sorts and without any hope, in that moment, Ami was truly happy. Absolutely pleased.
Could the plan still work?
Not now. Later.
At first, a part of Ruby wondered whether she had mistaken someone else for Ami. Or whether her mind was playing tricks on her as the result of her sanity deteriorating from all the horrific things she had witnessed thus far.
But sure enough, one or two blinks later, there was no doubt about it. She had found Ami again. Well, more specifically, Ami had found her. It didn't matter either way. One thing that did matter though was whether or not Ami was as pleased to see her as she was to see Ami. After their last encounter, she got the impression that Ami never wanted to see her again.
Which was why she was slightly taken aback when Ami's first instinct was to drop her gun and hug her, burying her head in Ruby's shoulder. Not that she was complaining. If anything, Ruby was now more relieved than ever, and it didn't take long for her to drop her own gun and return Ami's embrace with as much strength as she could muster.
"Shhh, it's okay Ami, I'm here now. It's okay..."
It was nice. Hugging Ami, that is. Nicer than Ruby was willing to admit. She couldn't remember the last time she was able hold someone close to her like this. It was comforting, reassuring even. And for the briefest second, she almost forgot that they were trapped on an abandoned island with explosive collars around their necks.
Eventually though, she found herself letting go, her eyes quickly glancing about the room to make sure that nobody else had sneaked in whilst she wasn't looking. It was at this point that she noticed how dishevelled Ami was looking. Admittedly, that was par for the course at this point in the game, but something about her eyes suggested that a lot had happened since they last saw one another.
"I... Are you okay? Do you want to sit down? I have plenty of spare rations if you need anything..."
But sure enough, one or two blinks later, there was no doubt about it. She had found Ami again. Well, more specifically, Ami had found her. It didn't matter either way. One thing that did matter though was whether or not Ami was as pleased to see her as she was to see Ami. After their last encounter, she got the impression that Ami never wanted to see her again.
Which was why she was slightly taken aback when Ami's first instinct was to drop her gun and hug her, burying her head in Ruby's shoulder. Not that she was complaining. If anything, Ruby was now more relieved than ever, and it didn't take long for her to drop her own gun and return Ami's embrace with as much strength as she could muster.
"Shhh, it's okay Ami, I'm here now. It's okay..."
It was nice. Hugging Ami, that is. Nicer than Ruby was willing to admit. She couldn't remember the last time she was able hold someone close to her like this. It was comforting, reassuring even. And for the briefest second, she almost forgot that they were trapped on an abandoned island with explosive collars around their necks.
Eventually though, she found herself letting go, her eyes quickly glancing about the room to make sure that nobody else had sneaked in whilst she wasn't looking. It was at this point that she noticed how dishevelled Ami was looking. Admittedly, that was par for the course at this point in the game, but something about her eyes suggested that a lot had happened since they last saw one another.
"I... Are you okay? Do you want to sit down? I have plenty of spare rations if you need anything..."
Ami barely recalled the moment Ruby let go. All she could remember was that her legs became jelly for a split second and she stumbled, once. She convinced herself that she only took a step back. No weakness. Not even a drop of the stuff.
Ruby sounded so worried. Wore her heart on her sleeve. Ami smiled. It was forced. Came naturally to her.
"I'm fine. Really. Don't worry, I'm just tired. I'm just..."
Punctuated with a shake of her head.
"I'm just glad you're okay. I really thought you were dead."
She meant it. She did not notice the tears streaming down her eyes but it wasn't like she was sobbing. If somebody asked her why she was crying, she'd ask what they were talking about. Ami didn't feel like breaking down. She was relieved more than anything. And yet there were tears streaming down her face.
Ami tried to examine Ruby, just to see how she was fairing, but it was too dark for her to see clearly and she started zoning out. Stopped looking at her, started looking through her. She closed her eyes and found the effort to open them again too cumbersome. All she could manage was a squint. It would have to suffice.
"... How about you? Have you been hiding out in here?" Ami sighed."I honestly didn't expect anyone to be in here. I'm lucky it was just you..."
Luck. That was the only reason Ami was still alive. Not speculation, fact.
"... I'm glad it was you."
She turned back to her bags. Ruby killed someone, didn't she? She couldn't even recall who, just that her name was on the announcement. If her name was on the announcement, and she was still alive, that meant something.
"Give me a sec."
Ami bent down, fishing for one of the bags. B018. She pulled out the Beretta, zipped the bag back up. She wasted no time in handing it over.
"I found this. You should take it." Ami turned her head. "... Sorry about Deanna. I'm not sure if you two were friends or anything, just. Yeah."
Ruby sounded so worried. Wore her heart on her sleeve. Ami smiled. It was forced. Came naturally to her.
"I'm fine. Really. Don't worry, I'm just tired. I'm just..."
Punctuated with a shake of her head.
"I'm just glad you're okay. I really thought you were dead."
She meant it. She did not notice the tears streaming down her eyes but it wasn't like she was sobbing. If somebody asked her why she was crying, she'd ask what they were talking about. Ami didn't feel like breaking down. She was relieved more than anything. And yet there were tears streaming down her face.
Ami tried to examine Ruby, just to see how she was fairing, but it was too dark for her to see clearly and she started zoning out. Stopped looking at her, started looking through her. She closed her eyes and found the effort to open them again too cumbersome. All she could manage was a squint. It would have to suffice.
"... How about you? Have you been hiding out in here?" Ami sighed."I honestly didn't expect anyone to be in here. I'm lucky it was just you..."
Luck. That was the only reason Ami was still alive. Not speculation, fact.
"... I'm glad it was you."
She turned back to her bags. Ruby killed someone, didn't she? She couldn't even recall who, just that her name was on the announcement. If her name was on the announcement, and she was still alive, that meant something.
"Give me a sec."
Ami bent down, fishing for one of the bags. B018. She pulled out the Beretta, zipped the bag back up. She wasted no time in handing it over.
"I found this. You should take it." Ami turned her head. "... Sorry about Deanna. I'm not sure if you two were friends or anything, just. Yeah."
"Um, thanks..." Ruby replied as Ami handed her the beretta, quickly sheathing it in her jacket pocket.
She briefly wondered how Ami happened across the gun, and the extra bag for that matter. B018. That meant it had belonged to a boy, right? Whilst normally that would be the kind of thing she'd be more concerned about, at that particular moment she shoved thought aside Ami continued to speak.
"....It's okay. I... I just wish I could have done something. I mean, sure, we weren't exactly close compadres or anything. And we were working together more out of necessity than anything. But... But seeing her die like that, knowing that I could have done something to prevent, like how I could have done something to save..."
Ruby paused, her lips unable to even spell out the name of the boy lying dead just a couple of blocks down the road. Her eyes however said enough, as did the tears she found herself wiping away.
"...I never want to experience that again."
She sniffled, her lips forming a smile as she reached out to hold Ami's hand.
"But now that you're here, I... God, you have no idea how glad I am to see that you're okay. I mean, I've been looking all over for..."
She stopped, remembering what Ami had told her the last time they met, and her smile quickly faded away as she removed her hand.
"I... I'm sorry. I know you told me not to worry about you. To just forget that we ever met. But... But after everything I've seen, everything we've been through, I feel like you're the only person left on this island I can trust. Like... Like you're one of the few people left who I really care about, you know? And I don't want to ever have to leave you alone again, not after everything that has happened."
She briefly wondered how Ami happened across the gun, and the extra bag for that matter. B018. That meant it had belonged to a boy, right? Whilst normally that would be the kind of thing she'd be more concerned about, at that particular moment she shoved thought aside Ami continued to speak.
"....It's okay. I... I just wish I could have done something. I mean, sure, we weren't exactly close compadres or anything. And we were working together more out of necessity than anything. But... But seeing her die like that, knowing that I could have done something to prevent, like how I could have done something to save..."
Ruby paused, her lips unable to even spell out the name of the boy lying dead just a couple of blocks down the road. Her eyes however said enough, as did the tears she found herself wiping away.
"...I never want to experience that again."
She sniffled, her lips forming a smile as she reached out to hold Ami's hand.
"But now that you're here, I... God, you have no idea how glad I am to see that you're okay. I mean, I've been looking all over for..."
She stopped, remembering what Ami had told her the last time they met, and her smile quickly faded away as she removed her hand.
"I... I'm sorry. I know you told me not to worry about you. To just forget that we ever met. But... But after everything I've seen, everything we've been through, I feel like you're the only person left on this island I can trust. Like... Like you're one of the few people left who I really care about, you know? And I don't want to ever have to leave you alone again, not after everything that has happened."
... It was one of those situations where she just knew something but she couldn't figure out why. She had no proof, Ruby didn't tell or let anything slip. All Ami had were glances. Could have just been her mind playing tricks, making mountains out of anthills. Or maybe Ami was so happy Ruby was alive that she was building a narrative that did not exist.
Now she couldn't just write it off. Ruby was dropping hints but Ami was too tired to make heads or tails about them.
She frowned.
"Christ, Ruby, stop it."
Ami ran a hand through her dirty hair. She didn't blush, or stutter. Ami did not transform into a PG-13 stereotype. But she was embarrassed all the same. Ruby cared about her. Ruby didn't even know Ami's favorite color. Ami couldn't deny that the thought of Ruby dying hit her hard but... How was Ami supposed to respond to that?
Ami never talked to Ruby in school, did she? Not really, no. The only reason she knew Ruby was through Mallory. Mallory had as many friends as weeds in Ami's backyard. Ami knew most of them by name only, Ruby included. But she knew Ruby was dating someone, a boy whose name she did not know. So this, all of this, was coming from out of left field.
Ami pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Listen, I'm... I'm sorry about all of that. I wasn't right in the head back at the boat. I was just losing my shit, freaking out - I realized something and it just, it was eating away at me." Ami's eyes darted, staring intently at the drywall. "You looked out for me. You were there. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't run into you. And I really appreciated that, still do. So I was just worried. I didn't want you getting hurt. Because, really, that's all I've doing this past week. Hurting people. That's why I told you to forget about me."
That wasn't why she told Ruby to stop.
It was because she was afraid Ruby had a thing for her and she really. really, really did not have the inclination to deal with it.
Ami remembered how Ruby ran after Brian's killers. Back on the freighter, Ami seriously thought Ruby was going to try to wrench the gun away from her. It seemed like the sort of thing she'd do. And Ami secretly knew she followed Sean after Sara died. She knew it.
She was afraid that Ruby actually had a thing for her. Like Ami had a thing for Mallory. Like how Brian had a thing for Ruby.
... 'had a thing'. What did she even mean by that? It wasn't like Ami wasn't stuffing letters into Mallory's locker. Mallory was open about her sexuality, her lack thereof. It would never have worked out, not in a million years. And Ami accepted that. She didn't ask any questions, she took it without any reservations. And she would have still accepted it, had Ruby and Mallory changed places. Because Mallory was her friend. And what kind of person would up and stop being friends with somebody because there wasn't a chance at something more? An asshole. Mallory was a good person. Ami wanted to be her friend. It wasn't a hard decision to come to.
She regretted not being able to tell her. There was nothing she could have done though. She didn't even know that she had a crush on Mallory until after she died. But, fuck, that's not something you keep from other people.
... She sighed. Jesus, she almost forgot where she was for a second. She honestly thought she was over Mallory. Apparently not, if her long-winded note to Michael was any indication.
Ami forgot what she was talking about. She looked at Ruby then, staring her in the eye.
"You were looking for me, even though I told you not to?"
She was about to add in a 'Seriously?', but then she shook her head. 'Nevermind, forget I said anything'. A voice told her to act flattered. Another said it had a bad feeling. But the voices were not voices, so Ami swallowed them back. Then she reached out and took Ruby's hand. She squeezed it. Because what friend would she be if she left a friend hanging like that?
"... I trust you too, Ruby." Ami forced another smile, another sigh. "I won't leave again. I'll stick with you. Promise."
Ami didn't mention how she shot and killed two people that same day. Didn't even occur to her.
Now she couldn't just write it off. Ruby was dropping hints but Ami was too tired to make heads or tails about them.
She frowned.
"Christ, Ruby, stop it."
Ami ran a hand through her dirty hair. She didn't blush, or stutter. Ami did not transform into a PG-13 stereotype. But she was embarrassed all the same. Ruby cared about her. Ruby didn't even know Ami's favorite color. Ami couldn't deny that the thought of Ruby dying hit her hard but... How was Ami supposed to respond to that?
Ami never talked to Ruby in school, did she? Not really, no. The only reason she knew Ruby was through Mallory. Mallory had as many friends as weeds in Ami's backyard. Ami knew most of them by name only, Ruby included. But she knew Ruby was dating someone, a boy whose name she did not know. So this, all of this, was coming from out of left field.
Ami pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Listen, I'm... I'm sorry about all of that. I wasn't right in the head back at the boat. I was just losing my shit, freaking out - I realized something and it just, it was eating away at me." Ami's eyes darted, staring intently at the drywall. "You looked out for me. You were there. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't run into you. And I really appreciated that, still do. So I was just worried. I didn't want you getting hurt. Because, really, that's all I've doing this past week. Hurting people. That's why I told you to forget about me."
That wasn't why she told Ruby to stop.
It was because she was afraid Ruby had a thing for her and she really. really, really did not have the inclination to deal with it.
Ami remembered how Ruby ran after Brian's killers. Back on the freighter, Ami seriously thought Ruby was going to try to wrench the gun away from her. It seemed like the sort of thing she'd do. And Ami secretly knew she followed Sean after Sara died. She knew it.
She was afraid that Ruby actually had a thing for her. Like Ami had a thing for Mallory. Like how Brian had a thing for Ruby.
... 'had a thing'. What did she even mean by that? It wasn't like Ami wasn't stuffing letters into Mallory's locker. Mallory was open about her sexuality, her lack thereof. It would never have worked out, not in a million years. And Ami accepted that. She didn't ask any questions, she took it without any reservations. And she would have still accepted it, had Ruby and Mallory changed places. Because Mallory was her friend. And what kind of person would up and stop being friends with somebody because there wasn't a chance at something more? An asshole. Mallory was a good person. Ami wanted to be her friend. It wasn't a hard decision to come to.
She regretted not being able to tell her. There was nothing she could have done though. She didn't even know that she had a crush on Mallory until after she died. But, fuck, that's not something you keep from other people.
... She sighed. Jesus, she almost forgot where she was for a second. She honestly thought she was over Mallory. Apparently not, if her long-winded note to Michael was any indication.
Ami forgot what she was talking about. She looked at Ruby then, staring her in the eye.
"You were looking for me, even though I told you not to?"
She was about to add in a 'Seriously?', but then she shook her head. 'Nevermind, forget I said anything'. A voice told her to act flattered. Another said it had a bad feeling. But the voices were not voices, so Ami swallowed them back. Then she reached out and took Ruby's hand. She squeezed it. Because what friend would she be if she left a friend hanging like that?
"... I trust you too, Ruby." Ami forced another smile, another sigh. "I won't leave again. I'll stick with you. Promise."
Ami didn't mention how she shot and killed two people that same day. Didn't even occur to her.
Ruby was initially taken aback by Ami's response.
Was it something she said? Stupid question, of course it was. Now that she had the chance to pause for a second to think over everything she had just said, it occurred to her just how easy it would be to get the wrong impression. Did Ami think she was coming onto her or something? Oh god...
As much as she wanted to, Ruby couldn't hide the fact that she was now beginning to blush. The last thing she had wanted to do was make Ami feel awkward. Christ, why had she worded it like that?
Come to think of it, why did she word it like that? Phrases like 'one of the few people left who I really care about' and 'I don't want to ever have to leave you alone again' weren't the kind of thing you usually said to friends, or allies-by-circumstance who you barely knew for that matter. Yeah, she liked Ami. She did care about her, and wanted to make sure she was safe. And admittedly, she did find her somewhat cute in a shrinking violet kind of way. But she didn't LIKE like her, right? She already had a girlfriend for crying out loud!
A girlfriend whom she hadn't seen for over a week, and possibly would never see again. Whereas Ami was here, right now, alone in a house with her...
Nonono, where the hell were these thoughts coming from? She hardly knew Ami! They were friends at most, allies by circumstance at the very least. Just two scared teenagers who happened to bump into each other really early in the game. Just because Ruby happened to like girls, and Ami just so happened to be a girl she had been able to spend lots of time with in a tense and dangerous situation, didn't mean Ruby had developed a thing for Ami. Sure she remembered once reading an article online suggesting that it's not unknown for people who share dangerous experiences to fall for one another, due to adrenaline and heightened emotions and stuff, and after spending so much time with her Ami did kind of remind Ruby of Regan...
Oh. Fuck.
Ruby returned Ami's forced smile with one of her own. She wasn't sure which was worse. The idea that she may have developed feelings for Ami without even realising it, or the idea of having to continue interacting with Ami with those thoughts gnawing at the back of her mind.
"I, um... Thank you! I... I'm sorry if I got a little overdramatic earlier, it's just..."
Shut up. Just shut up and change the subject.
"Uh, you look like you haven't slept in a while? There are plenty of beds upstairs if you want to share... As in, take one of the spare beds that is! Not, um..."
Oh Christ...
Was it something she said? Stupid question, of course it was. Now that she had the chance to pause for a second to think over everything she had just said, it occurred to her just how easy it would be to get the wrong impression. Did Ami think she was coming onto her or something? Oh god...
As much as she wanted to, Ruby couldn't hide the fact that she was now beginning to blush. The last thing she had wanted to do was make Ami feel awkward. Christ, why had she worded it like that?
Come to think of it, why did she word it like that? Phrases like 'one of the few people left who I really care about' and 'I don't want to ever have to leave you alone again' weren't the kind of thing you usually said to friends, or allies-by-circumstance who you barely knew for that matter. Yeah, she liked Ami. She did care about her, and wanted to make sure she was safe. And admittedly, she did find her somewhat cute in a shrinking violet kind of way. But she didn't LIKE like her, right? She already had a girlfriend for crying out loud!
A girlfriend whom she hadn't seen for over a week, and possibly would never see again. Whereas Ami was here, right now, alone in a house with her...
Nonono, where the hell were these thoughts coming from? She hardly knew Ami! They were friends at most, allies by circumstance at the very least. Just two scared teenagers who happened to bump into each other really early in the game. Just because Ruby happened to like girls, and Ami just so happened to be a girl she had been able to spend lots of time with in a tense and dangerous situation, didn't mean Ruby had developed a thing for Ami. Sure she remembered once reading an article online suggesting that it's not unknown for people who share dangerous experiences to fall for one another, due to adrenaline and heightened emotions and stuff, and after spending so much time with her Ami did kind of remind Ruby of Regan...
Oh. Fuck.
Ruby returned Ami's forced smile with one of her own. She wasn't sure which was worse. The idea that she may have developed feelings for Ami without even realising it, or the idea of having to continue interacting with Ami with those thoughts gnawing at the back of her mind.
"I, um... Thank you! I... I'm sorry if I got a little overdramatic earlier, it's just..."
Shut up. Just shut up and change the subject.
"Uh, you look like you haven't slept in a while? There are plenty of beds upstairs if you want to share... As in, take one of the spare beds that is! Not, um..."
Oh Christ...
...
Ami stared at Ruby with heavy eyes.
Ruby's reaction did not confirm or deny her suspicions but they seemed really flustered. In fact, it only brought more confusion.
Maybe Ami was wrong. Maybe Ruby only thought of Ami as a friend. Maybe Ruby was worried about being misinterpreted. Maybe Ruby had a crush on her. Maybe Ruby just wanted sex, and it didn't matter who it came from. Maybe Ami felt nothing for Ruby. Maybe Ami had a thing for Ruby. Maybe it was like what happened with Mallory and they'd never bring it up to one another. Or, maybe, Ami would just consent regardless of who it was in the hopes that it might distract her from the horrible raincloud slouching over her head at all times. She was going to hell anyway, after all. Maybe it would feel good. Maybe she would regret it. Maybe she wouldn't feel anything at all. Maybe she would die before anything could happen.
... Who was she fooling? Nothing was going to happen. Even if she wanted Ruby in the worst way possible, Ami was an out-and-out coward. She liked to think she meant well, but she was a coward, and nothing could change that.
Whatever. She didn't know anything anymore. She didn't give a shit. She was too tired for feelings. Too tired for rationality.
"Yeah. I should get some rest. It's been a long day."
Ami closed her eyes again.
"We should stay in the same room though." Ami said, hollow. She hesitated. "I just think it would be kind of dumb to sleep in different rooms. It leaves us vulnerable. Maybe we can board the door up? I don't know. I'm not sure."
She really didn't care if they slept in the same bed. Unless it was a twin bed. She didn't want to fall out and hit her head.
"And it's okay. Tensions were high. They would have been even higher if Deanna wasn't there to calm me down. I can't blame you for freaking out."
Ruby was probably talking about what she just said. That whole spiel at the freighter was ridiculous though and it was the first thing that came to mind when Ruby apologized.
"Let's head upstairs. We can talk a bit more if you want. I just want to go. Is that okay?"
Ami stared at Ruby with heavy eyes.
Ruby's reaction did not confirm or deny her suspicions but they seemed really flustered. In fact, it only brought more confusion.
Maybe Ami was wrong. Maybe Ruby only thought of Ami as a friend. Maybe Ruby was worried about being misinterpreted. Maybe Ruby had a crush on her. Maybe Ruby just wanted sex, and it didn't matter who it came from. Maybe Ami felt nothing for Ruby. Maybe Ami had a thing for Ruby. Maybe it was like what happened with Mallory and they'd never bring it up to one another. Or, maybe, Ami would just consent regardless of who it was in the hopes that it might distract her from the horrible raincloud slouching over her head at all times. She was going to hell anyway, after all. Maybe it would feel good. Maybe she would regret it. Maybe she wouldn't feel anything at all. Maybe she would die before anything could happen.
... Who was she fooling? Nothing was going to happen. Even if she wanted Ruby in the worst way possible, Ami was an out-and-out coward. She liked to think she meant well, but she was a coward, and nothing could change that.
Whatever. She didn't know anything anymore. She didn't give a shit. She was too tired for feelings. Too tired for rationality.
"Yeah. I should get some rest. It's been a long day."
Ami closed her eyes again.
"We should stay in the same room though." Ami said, hollow. She hesitated. "I just think it would be kind of dumb to sleep in different rooms. It leaves us vulnerable. Maybe we can board the door up? I don't know. I'm not sure."
She really didn't care if they slept in the same bed. Unless it was a twin bed. She didn't want to fall out and hit her head.
"And it's okay. Tensions were high. They would have been even higher if Deanna wasn't there to calm me down. I can't blame you for freaking out."
Ruby was probably talking about what she just said. That whole spiel at the freighter was ridiculous though and it was the first thing that came to mind when Ruby apologized.
"Let's head upstairs. We can talk a bit more if you want. I just want to go. Is that okay?"
"Sure. I think I saw a room with two beds upstairs..."
Ruby neglected to bring up the fact that there was a room with a double bed as well, but despite the numerous intrusive thoughts that kept popping to mind, she thought it best not to mention it.
"Anyway..." she continued, picking up her gun from the floor. "Let's get going, I could do with a decent rest myself..."
This time, Ruby was actually able to get some sleep for a couple of hours before waking up again.
She couldn't recall what she dreamt about, although given recent events she wasn't sure if she wanted to. She'd spent a lot of her time trying to shut those thoughts out, think of other things. Things like what her next plan would be now that she had found Ami again. Or whether or not there really was anyone else on the island who she could trust without it having to be proved.
There was one thought however that, despite knowing for a fact was an important thing to consider, was something she knew would be an issue. Namely, the unfortunate fact that like it or not, only one person on the island was guaranteed to survive. Which meant sooner or later, it would come down to her and Ami facing off, assuming someone else doesn't get them beforehand. It was an unpleasant thought to say the least, especially given the fact that she now suspected herself of having stronger feelings for Ami than she even realised. She couldn't bare the thought of having to actually kill Ami. But at the same time, was she willing to sacrifice herself so that Ami could live? In all honesty, despite her feelings towards Ami, she was fairly sure that she wasn't selfless enough to do that. Not if it meant getting a chance to reunite with Regan and her family again. Was that selfish of her? Probably. Then again, she was pretty sure Ami and just about everyone else on the island felt the same way.
So, where did this leave them? Did she just have to hope that some random occurrence would solve the problem for her? Let fate judge which of them should be the one who died? They could always find a revolver or something and play russian roulette, let lady luck decide. Or maybe they will come across a player willing to...
Christ, I can't believe what I'm thinking here! Seriously, fuck this island...
She sat up, her eyes drifting about the room. It was now early morning from the look of it, probably an hour or so away from the next announcement. Either way, the room was now light enough for her to take note of the surroundings. Toys littered the shelves, ranging from Ninja Turtle action figures to dusty Lego structures, along with a plethora of old VHS tapes. For any kid who grew up in the 90's, it was a treasure trove of nostalgic goodness.
I wonder how old the kid whose room this used to belong to is? Probably around my age, maybe a little older. God, what a weird thought...
Eventually, Ruby's eyes eventually drifted to Ami, who was resting on a bed on the other side of the room. She couldn't tell whether or not Ami was awake, so for now she didn't say anything. Odds are, the announcement would probably wake her up soon enough anyway.
So for now, Ruby simply sat there on her bed, mulling over her thoughts as she waited for the telltale sound of a speaker phone turning on.
Ruby neglected to bring up the fact that there was a room with a double bed as well, but despite the numerous intrusive thoughts that kept popping to mind, she thought it best not to mention it.
"Anyway..." she continued, picking up her gun from the floor. "Let's get going, I could do with a decent rest myself..."
This time, Ruby was actually able to get some sleep for a couple of hours before waking up again.
She couldn't recall what she dreamt about, although given recent events she wasn't sure if she wanted to. She'd spent a lot of her time trying to shut those thoughts out, think of other things. Things like what her next plan would be now that she had found Ami again. Or whether or not there really was anyone else on the island who she could trust without it having to be proved.
There was one thought however that, despite knowing for a fact was an important thing to consider, was something she knew would be an issue. Namely, the unfortunate fact that like it or not, only one person on the island was guaranteed to survive. Which meant sooner or later, it would come down to her and Ami facing off, assuming someone else doesn't get them beforehand. It was an unpleasant thought to say the least, especially given the fact that she now suspected herself of having stronger feelings for Ami than she even realised. She couldn't bare the thought of having to actually kill Ami. But at the same time, was she willing to sacrifice herself so that Ami could live? In all honesty, despite her feelings towards Ami, she was fairly sure that she wasn't selfless enough to do that. Not if it meant getting a chance to reunite with Regan and her family again. Was that selfish of her? Probably. Then again, she was pretty sure Ami and just about everyone else on the island felt the same way.
So, where did this leave them? Did she just have to hope that some random occurrence would solve the problem for her? Let fate judge which of them should be the one who died? They could always find a revolver or something and play russian roulette, let lady luck decide. Or maybe they will come across a player willing to...
Christ, I can't believe what I'm thinking here! Seriously, fuck this island...
She sat up, her eyes drifting about the room. It was now early morning from the look of it, probably an hour or so away from the next announcement. Either way, the room was now light enough for her to take note of the surroundings. Toys littered the shelves, ranging from Ninja Turtle action figures to dusty Lego structures, along with a plethora of old VHS tapes. For any kid who grew up in the 90's, it was a treasure trove of nostalgic goodness.
I wonder how old the kid whose room this used to belong to is? Probably around my age, maybe a little older. God, what a weird thought...
Eventually, Ruby's eyes eventually drifted to Ami, who was resting on a bed on the other side of the room. She couldn't tell whether or not Ami was awake, so for now she didn't say anything. Odds are, the announcement would probably wake her up soon enough anyway.
So for now, Ruby simply sat there on her bed, mulling over her thoughts as she waited for the telltale sound of a speaker phone turning on.
Ami couldn't sleep again. The nightmares were too numb inducing.
She was awake for the announcements. She didn't take notes. They read off her two kills the day before. Katarina killed Deanna. For some reason she wasn't shocked. Of course Katarina killed Deanna. Of course Ami caused the death of another person. After Joachim, she wasn't surprised by anything anymore.
Until she won the Best Kill Award.
Tied with Hansel Williams.
Ami was going to flip her shit.
She was going to kill them. Just murder them. Rip their heads off. Watch the light drain from their eyes and then throw all their bodies in a fire. Good riddance. Bunch of patsy fucks.
How dare they. They have to be mocking her. They have to be. It was the only explanation.
Ami threw the covers off. She paced, still in her nighttime clothes, fingers needling against her temple.
Only then did she notice Ruby. She didn't even look at her when she started talking.
"They're mocking me," Ami said, doing her best to contain herself. "I found Mallory's body, you know. I knelt down and covered her with a sheet. They must know, why else would they put me in the same room as her killer?"
Ami stopped pacing. She started slapping her temple.
"I should head there. Kill him. Maybe it'll help her family. Oh, but he's killed so many. The only people I've killed were... Doesn't matter. I have to kill him and I have to kill Katarina."
Ami stopped taking to Ruby. She started talking through her. Picked up her pants from the floor.
"If we go there now we can catch him off guard. Maybe I could lure him out. You can wait by the edge of the dangerzone and wait for him to show. He won't be expecting me. We can share the food. I don't care about the..."
Ami stopped talking when she saw the look on Ruby's face.
"What?"
She was awake for the announcements. She didn't take notes. They read off her two kills the day before. Katarina killed Deanna. For some reason she wasn't shocked. Of course Katarina killed Deanna. Of course Ami caused the death of another person. After Joachim, she wasn't surprised by anything anymore.
Until she won the Best Kill Award.
Tied with Hansel Williams.
Ami was going to flip her shit.
She was going to kill them. Just murder them. Rip their heads off. Watch the light drain from their eyes and then throw all their bodies in a fire. Good riddance. Bunch of patsy fucks.
How dare they. They have to be mocking her. They have to be. It was the only explanation.
Ami threw the covers off. She paced, still in her nighttime clothes, fingers needling against her temple.
Only then did she notice Ruby. She didn't even look at her when she started talking.
"They're mocking me," Ami said, doing her best to contain herself. "I found Mallory's body, you know. I knelt down and covered her with a sheet. They must know, why else would they put me in the same room as her killer?"
Ami stopped pacing. She started slapping her temple.
"I should head there. Kill him. Maybe it'll help her family. Oh, but he's killed so many. The only people I've killed were... Doesn't matter. I have to kill him and I have to kill Katarina."
Ami stopped taking to Ruby. She started talking through her. Picked up her pants from the floor.
"If we go there now we can catch him off guard. Maybe I could lure him out. You can wait by the edge of the dangerzone and wait for him to show. He won't be expecting me. We can share the food. I don't care about the..."
Ami stopped talking when she saw the look on Ruby's face.
"What?"
And then the announcement began to play.
For the most part, it was the same old stuff. This and that killed this and that. Ruby was reminded again about how Deanna was dead, severely narrowing down the list of people she actually trusted.
But then there was one part that genuinely caught her off guard. Namely the fact that Ami's name was brought up not once, but twice. Revealing her to be the killer of both Maynard and Joachim. That bothered Ruby. Not necessarily because of fact that Ami had killed two people. From what she can recall from previous announcements, Joachim was a confirmed player with a fair number of kills under his belt, and judging from the announcement Maynard's death sounded more like a mercy killing than a malicious act. But the fact that Ami hadn't told her she had killed two people was somewhat troubling, to say the least.
Then again, what did she expect Ami to say? It wasn't as if Ruby hadn't done the same thing regarding her role in Sharon's death. She didn't bring it up for the simple reason that she didn't want to talk about it, or think about it for that matter. So of course it made sense for Ami to be discreet about it.
Even so, judging from the look on Ami's face, it was clear that she was not happy about the announcement either. Before Ruby even had the chance to speak, Ami was already up and about, going on about how they should head down and kill Hansel and Katarina. Ruby hadn't even given much thought about the fact that she had won the Best Kill Award. And then there was seeing Ami talk about actively seeking people out to kill them. Not out of self-defence, but outright hunting them down. Whilst Ruby had no issue with taking out both Hansel and Katarina should the occasion arise, she couldn't help but look somewhat shocked at the kind of things Ami was saying.
"Ami, I..." she began, pausing for a moment as she glanced to her side.
At that point a brief thought ran through her mind. Namely that, with no central heating, she was feeling awfully cold without her jacket on. And that her jacket was currently lying on a counter just out of arms reach. So naturally, without giving it any further thought, her first instinct was to reach out for it.
"I think you should calm down, think things over for a minute" she said, her eyes focusing on her jacket. "I mean, I hate to say this, but you're starting to sound kinda crazy."
For the most part, it was the same old stuff. This and that killed this and that. Ruby was reminded again about how Deanna was dead, severely narrowing down the list of people she actually trusted.
But then there was one part that genuinely caught her off guard. Namely the fact that Ami's name was brought up not once, but twice. Revealing her to be the killer of both Maynard and Joachim. That bothered Ruby. Not necessarily because of fact that Ami had killed two people. From what she can recall from previous announcements, Joachim was a confirmed player with a fair number of kills under his belt, and judging from the announcement Maynard's death sounded more like a mercy killing than a malicious act. But the fact that Ami hadn't told her she had killed two people was somewhat troubling, to say the least.
Then again, what did she expect Ami to say? It wasn't as if Ruby hadn't done the same thing regarding her role in Sharon's death. She didn't bring it up for the simple reason that she didn't want to talk about it, or think about it for that matter. So of course it made sense for Ami to be discreet about it.
Even so, judging from the look on Ami's face, it was clear that she was not happy about the announcement either. Before Ruby even had the chance to speak, Ami was already up and about, going on about how they should head down and kill Hansel and Katarina. Ruby hadn't even given much thought about the fact that she had won the Best Kill Award. And then there was seeing Ami talk about actively seeking people out to kill them. Not out of self-defence, but outright hunting them down. Whilst Ruby had no issue with taking out both Hansel and Katarina should the occasion arise, she couldn't help but look somewhat shocked at the kind of things Ami was saying.
"Ami, I..." she began, pausing for a moment as she glanced to her side.
At that point a brief thought ran through her mind. Namely that, with no central heating, she was feeling awfully cold without her jacket on. And that her jacket was currently lying on a counter just out of arms reach. So naturally, without giving it any further thought, her first instinct was to reach out for it.
"I think you should calm down, think things over for a minute" she said, her eyes focusing on her jacket. "I mean, I hate to say this, but you're starting to sound kinda crazy."
"Crazy."
Ami glared at Ruby. She called herself crazy a thousand times over and it didn't stick. Ruby called her crazy and she took it as an insult. The terrorists were mocking her. Ruby was looking at her like a crazed animal. She practically forgot about putting her pants back on. The revolver was in her pocket. She held it in her hand and it
"You're calling me crazy? Crazy. You give me some bullshit story about walking the plank and you're calling this crazy? Screw you Ruby. Do you even know what I've been through this past week?"
Ami tried to calm herself down. It didn't work. She was so damn mad. Her hands were shaking. She can't recall being so mad in her entire life.
"This is about me, isn't it?" Ami asked."You heard the announcement, right? I killed two people. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Maynard tried to kill himself and Joachim put me up to it. There's nothing else to it. It wasn't my fault, trust me."
Her voice lowered a notch but her hand still clenched around the gun. Four bullets.
"I've got a plan Ruby." Ami said. "It could get us both off this island. We can get to see our families again, Ruby. It's perfect. But if we're going to do this..." She shook her head. "It's got to be me. You have to listen to me. Last time you were in charge, you lead me on a wild goose chase for god knows how long because you ran your mouth at the wrong person. So let me lead Ruby. Just come on. Get your stuff. I'll explain it on the way."
The gamerunners were laughing at her. She'd show them. Just tug the rug out from under them, that's what she'd do to them. They won't see it coming.
Ami glared at Ruby. She called herself crazy a thousand times over and it didn't stick. Ruby called her crazy and she took it as an insult. The terrorists were mocking her. Ruby was looking at her like a crazed animal. She practically forgot about putting her pants back on. The revolver was in her pocket. She held it in her hand and it
"You're calling me crazy? Crazy. You give me some bullshit story about walking the plank and you're calling this crazy? Screw you Ruby. Do you even know what I've been through this past week?"
Ami tried to calm herself down. It didn't work. She was so damn mad. Her hands were shaking. She can't recall being so mad in her entire life.
"This is about me, isn't it?" Ami asked."You heard the announcement, right? I killed two people. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Maynard tried to kill himself and Joachim put me up to it. There's nothing else to it. It wasn't my fault, trust me."
Her voice lowered a notch but her hand still clenched around the gun. Four bullets.
"I've got a plan Ruby." Ami said. "It could get us both off this island. We can get to see our families again, Ruby. It's perfect. But if we're going to do this..." She shook her head. "It's got to be me. You have to listen to me. Last time you were in charge, you lead me on a wild goose chase for god knows how long because you ran your mouth at the wrong person. So let me lead Ruby. Just come on. Get your stuff. I'll explain it on the way."
The gamerunners were laughing at her. She'd show them. Just tug the rug out from under them, that's what she'd do to them. They won't see it coming.