Massive character development, and 1 death, please bear with me. Now the map is getting really important; don't forget to tell me your opinion about the characters, and maybe vote in the poll.

Benjamin Booster (Boy #3) wasn't famous for his brains, but rather for talking abour sex all the time, and thinking women were all crazy over him despite his not really handsome appearance. He had huge stuck out ears, pimples, uneven, yellowish teeth and wore glasses, but didn't seem to mind. Until then, he hid in some bushes at the bottom of the mountain, in zone B6, but now that the sun had risen, he could finally read the manual to his weapon (for using a flashlight in total darkness in the middle of a game like this wasn't a very clever thing, something that even he could figure out). An AK-47, a Kalashnikov, wow, now that was really awesome! He could let out single shots or even a series, hmm…

Just when he was wondering who would be the honoured one on whom the mighty Benjamin Booster would try out his gun, Miss Durham's voice was heard. He couldn't see the source, but the sound was clear and easy to understand.

"Greetings to my dear 10./C! Wow, I see you've really gotten into it! Now, let's see the list of your beloved classmates who, unfortunately, are no longer with us! Boys: number five, Peter Gayle; number twelve, Jonathan Stanley. Girls: number four, Kristen Boone; number six, Rebecca Chapman; number seven, Susan Fletcher; number thirteen, Dora Sanders. Girls, don't give up, get yourselves together already! And now the danger zones: from seven AM, E2; from nine, E12; from eleven, D2. See you later!"

Benjamin smiled. Fine, no danger zones near him. He took out the class roster he got with the map, and crossed out the six names without any emotion. Jon… he used to be his friend, but heck, only one person can win! And that was going to be him, Benjamin Booster, the pride of the nation. Though he wasn't particularly good at anything, if not at graffiti, destruction of public property, playing StarCraft and winning drinking contests, Benjamin took himself as a particularly gifted and special person. Well, of course he would leave the Training, if possible, but now he decided he'd play to win. And with such a wonderful weapon…! Yes, it seemed apparent that he was the one destined to make it out alive. He quickly ran through the list of the dead ones… Aw, were Pete and Kris busy with THAT, when someone surprised them? Not out of the question. Benjamin licked his lips. Yeah, upon running into one of the hot chicks, he wouldn't kill them immediately… like, there's Madeleine Beaumont (Girl #2)… aw, doing it the first time with such a beauty! (Yes, Benjamin was still a virgin!) Then there's Becky… no, not any more, and that cute blondie Martha Miller (Girl #9), and not to forget Lily Bell (Girl #3)! Oh, and there's Lindsay Carter (Girl #5) too, just imagine, raping that loser! Lindsay had a pretty face, after all. Not as beautiful as Madeleine's, but definitely cute, epecially with her big deep brown eyes; too bad very few people noticed the class outcast.
(He obviously didn't take into account the girls' personalities. Like that Maddie would most likely rip his balls off before letting him touch her, Lily wasn't a weakling either, and Girl #8, Rose "Rory" German would punch him to death if he got anywhere near Martha, so the only easier option would have seemed to be poor Lindsay.)
To be completely honest, on sleepless nights Benjamin often fantasized also about the sporty, strong, though definitely not beautiful, but undoubtedly charismatic Miss Durham. To say it more clearly: he already knew what kind of extra prize he'd ask for once stepping onto the red carpet as the pride of the nation.

His thoughts suddenly ended, when he heard a noise from the forest. Finally, I could try this beauty out!

But what if it was just a bird or a squirrel? He concentrated, and heard a slight crack. Somebody must have stepped on a small branch! He immediately picked up the Kalashnikov, and shot a series aiming downwards, maybe he'd get the leg of a pretty chick, and then it would be very, very easy…

He then walked to the trees, to see who it was, when he heard a tap, and felt something hit his forehead.

Then nothing any more.

Boy #3 Booster, Benjamin – Eliminated

23 contestants remaining

Daniel Scovell (Boy #10), dragging his injured right leg, tried in vain to run among the trees. Judging from the height, he thought the mysterious person he saw to be Nick or Gabriel, both nice guys, but no, it was Benjamin! He didn't do anything, and he instantly shot at him! A bullet ran through his leg right above his ankle, the wound was strongly bleeding. He stopped after ten minutes – he was advancing so slow that he didn't even get out of zone B6, Benjamin's body was lying less than 100 metres away from him. He took a napkin out of his bag, poured a little water on it, and cleaned his wound. The few band-aids he brought with him would never be enough… Then, he thanked the heavens for having the quirk of wearing a tie, always. Nobody joked about it any more, it was his definite trademark. Even on the class trip, he came in a light blue shirt, dark trousers and, of course, a striped tie. He took it off and wrapped it around his ankle tightly. Still not enough, not for long anyway. Daniel knew there was a clinic in zone D6, at least according to the map. He aimed for that direction, though his pace was getting slower and slower. His leg hurt very badly; he hoped he would be able to get there. It wasn't mainly the physical pain that hurt him the most, rather the thought that he had killed. He had killed one of his classmates. He didn't like Benjamin, but they were peacefully going on their own way without bothering about each other; and anyway, he used to be a sweet, kind boy, who would never hurt a fly… but now, there was no turning back. He looked at the now unloaded crossbow hanging in his hand. They're only in twenty-three now! And then, where could his best friend be? Lindsay, Linnie, please, don't get yourself killed!

After half an hour he realized he wouldn't last till the clinic, he was going so slowly. He sat under a tree, cleaned his wound again, and wrapped one of the T-shirts from his own bag around it. He decided to rest a little, as he spotted a two-story house not too far to reach.

Rose German (Girl #8), usually called "Rory" or even "the great Rory", blew out the smoke, and looked at Martha Miller's (Girl #9) lying figure in the dim light entering the church's (zone E7) windows. In the adjoining sacristy she had found a few covers, her friend was now wrapped in one, dozing lightly, only her long, silky blonde hair was visible. Beside her lay a blunt poker; a serious weapon, really… still nothing compared to the table-tennis racket Rose got, though perhaps she would be able to kill even with that, as many would be ready to swear, like the boy she had beaten up a year ago (risking an expulsion from Jefferson High). Rose, despite being a girl, was most likely one of the strongest students not only in the class, but even the whole school. At only sixteen years of age, her height surpassed 185 centimetres, she had been practicing sports since she was three, later got into karate, in which she had already reached the brown belt; only a small step separated her from the black one. They had been neighbours with Martha for very long, and their friendship was without compare. The boy mentioned earlier got beaten up for insulting her, too. Even though the name "Rose" usually invokes cute little blonde girls, Miss German was anything but that. In addition to her nearly scary height, there was her bright red, nearly crimson hair usually held tightly back by a golden clip, dark poison green eyes, muscular body… without, of course, forgetting the shades she never took off (though now she pushed them back on her forehead) and her boyish clothes. Her torn jeans, baggy green T-shirt and many-pocketed denim vest (she needed a place to keep her pocket knife, lighter and cigarettes, after all) perfectly completed her image. Taking all this into account, her friendship with Martha seemed even more surprising. For Martha was a shy, soft-spoken, angelic straight A+ student (Rose, Miss Durham's favourite, was good only at PE), who always seemed a little sleepy due to her small brown eyes hidden behind her cute, round glasses. Her clothing used to be always flawless, like now: white shirt, dark blue skirt, white socks and dark blue patent-shoes. Perfect. As a "sport", she practiced ballet, and used to play the violin as a main hobby.

Rose put out the cigarette on the stone flooring (they found shelter between the first seats and the altar), and took out another one. At least they're together with Martha…

"Poor Dora… and everyone else…" sighed Martha suddenly.

"Mart…!" it was only Rose to call her by that nickname "I thought you were sleeping!"

"No, Rory, I woke up to the news… I'm just resting…"

"We're not in a danger zone yet."

"Fine then" Martha didn't even turn around "aren't you sleepy?"

"Not at all."

Martha looked at the fresco on the wall.

"Rory, you don't believe in God, do you?"

"Not really…" she shook her head.

She knew Martha was a faithful Catholic, going to church nearly each Sunday, but this was something that could never threaten their friendship.

"I'm scared, Rory."

"I'm by your side, Mart. I'll watch over you."