Yet another chapter...so hang in there and enjoy the rest of this story and review!
Tuesday: June 4th, 2010 – 12:27 A.M. (Church; Deserted Island)
Lulu was crouched low with her knees bent like straw tubes as she breathed in a weird animal like manner; her hair still put up in a lazy bun. Her eyes still look filled with crazy delusions as she scraped the tip of her gleaming kitchen knife across the wooden floor boards of the altar. She kept doing this while turning all the around to make it look as if she were making an invisible circle around her and chipped wooden pieces popped up from the floors as she did this. "Uh…uh-huh! Huh! A-Ah-ha!" she kept breathing out in a crazed fashion as her chest rose and fell rather slowly like some deranged beast.
The dim candles arranged around her continued to gleam gently letting an orange light caress her surroundings. Her Rainbowland games were still scattered among the altar as light rain drops splashed against the painted windows from the outside. The dent Kevin made with his axe just a couple days ago was still there in the middle of the isle like some ugly home renovation, but Lulu didn't seem notice. "I did it! Created the protective shield so that I can seek rest! I've done it…I must rest so that my health and MP can go up then I will be ready to go on to the next and final level to defeat the evil witch!" She laughed psychotically before staring down at her recorder with a look of paranoia.
She grabbed it frantically with her mouth expelling a few hysterical breaths of air. "My highness? I've done what you asked," she whispered into the recorder. "I've created the shield."
"Good Lulu, soon you may rescue us at last and free us from the witch's curse! My kingdom and daughter will be saved all thanks to you, Lulu the greatest warrior of Rainbowland! Warrior of destiny!" the 'king' cheered in praise making Lulu giggle incredulously as she felt herself become overwhelmed with joy.
That's until she thought of her comrades…the people she was supposed to share this victory with. Her friends. Her family. Her bestie, True Jackson. "Um…your highness?" Lulu squeaked out with a single tear streaming from her eye as she bit her lip in order to fight back the overfilling emotions. "Why? Why did…the others they…why did they have to go? True…Andre, Kevin. Suzie, Jo, Hayley, Freddie, Sam…all of them. Why were they subjected to such an awful fate of death? They were my comrades…my friends. True was my bestie…"
"Lu! We'll always be besties okay!" True smiled reassuringly while clutching the poor girl's wrist. Lulu returned the smile and nodded.
"I know True…besties for life right?" True nodded and gave a cheery little chuckle.
"Besties for life…I-I loved them all your highness. Was this a part of the prophecy? That they die before the victorious end approaches? Was this their destiny?" Lulu asked with a dry yet remorseful tone as she lightly sobbed; her frail hand clutching the rainbow crystal dangling around her neck while she stared absently off down the narrow aisle leading to the exit doors.
"Lulu…they died in great honor. This was their destiny for they have died completing their own quests…you, however, have a quest of your own to complete," the king spoke boastfully within Lulu's foggy mind making her cringe and fight back a stream of saddening tears.
"Why!? Why must it be this way your majesty!? Why must I be the one who goes on alone!? I need them in order to face the queen of darkness and her servants! I…I-I need them here with me like before. Why won't you give them back to me? Why were they allowed to be taken?"
"My warrior! Where is your strength? Your sense of sureness? Are you trying to tell me and your subjects that you're now filled with doubt when it comes to what you must do? Your comrades have served their purpose and they have done what they needed to complete their portion of the quest! What else is there to understand?" the king scolded with his mighty tone echoing throughout Lulu's head. Lulu almost felt ashamed of her fear and remorse as she heard her superior ruler speak these things. She narrowed her frantic eyes while gazing down towards the gleaming knife in her bloody hand. "Well? Are you resorting to a state filled with doubt my warrior?"
"No…they served their purpose your highness. They have completed their parts of the quest and it is up to me to make sure their deaths do not go on in vain," Lulu whispered faintly into the tape recorder with a horrifying look in her twisted eyes as she began to look over at her collection of games and started to chuckle in a dark, psychotic fashion. "I must complete my quest your highness."
9 Students Remaining
Tuesday: June 4th, 2010 – 12:40 A.M. (Tourist Association; Deserted Island)
The alliance had decided that Drake's plan was probably their best bet if they wanted to find Lucy in time. Beck stood in the front yard of the tourist association building that seemed to look as if it were some kind of hotel at one point as the glass doors leading into it looked beautifully decorated and the stairs leading up to them were made of magnificent marble stone. Beck couldn't stop staring at it in absolute awe as he craned his neck and saw the building tower like the gorgeous trees around it (this building must have been at least ten stories if not more). The rain splashed lightly against Beck's pale face and the bandage upon his cheek was now damp yet still stuck to him.
Tori and Camille were scouting out around the building in order to see whether or not there was any way inside. It was quite unlikely that there would be considering, but they still had to give it a shot just in case Hardcore Stone was seeking refuge in there. "Hey!" Camille announced from the side of the giant building with her brown eyes narrowed at something strange. She was staring interestingly at a shattered window leading into the barren lobby of the building that was now cloaked with darkness except for the rays of moonlight coming in through the various windows. "Magnifique! I think I found a way in."
Tori immediately gasped in surprise and ran over to the window like a rapid cheetah as Beck walked slowly over trying to ignore the overwhelming pain radiating from his thighs and legs. Katniss even ceased her scouting activities and flew over to the trio with a look of excitement on her stern looking face and peered inside the broken window. Glass shards covered the grass covered ground and were strewn around their feet as if someone had broken inside early on. Little did they know, this was all Moze and Suzie's doing the first morning of the competition.
"Do you think she's hiding out in there?" Tori asked with her sparkling eyes squinting as she tried to take a peek inside the pitch black room that seemed to be quite broken down. Silver wires were hanging loosely from the tall ceilings and the beautiful walls were now chipped and looked as if they were about to collapse at any given moment.
"Perhaps she is Tori. What do you think Katniss?" Camille spoke with a voice filled with thought and wonder as she turned her gaze over to Katniss hoping for an answer.
"I think we should get in there and find out. Get your flashlights out and keep quiet," Katniss whispered lowly in order to keep themselves incognito. The gang quickly nodded with determined grins before carefully hoisting themselves up one by one into the broken window. Once they were all inside, they all looked around the room with wide eyes and felt almost creeped out in a sense as they brought out their government supplied flashlights; letting the beam of light flood search the room. The lobby's desk still had a shimmering bell sitting up on its surface along with a check in and checkout log laying open next to it with a fancy pen sitting on top of it; it even had names written inside it filling up half of the page. Bellhops' golden carts were standing motionless in all corners of the lobby with luggage of all sizes, shapes and colors occupying them. Disconnected elevators were on each side of the room with their silver doors shut tight for who knows how long and a flight of marble stairs were proudly next to the receptionist's desk leading up to the next floor and various others.
"This is so creepy," Tori whispered with a shiver running down her spine as she stared at the ghost like parts of the room with terrified eyes. "What even happened on this island 61 years ago?" she asked while clinging onto Beck's lean arm with one dainty hand causing Beck's eyes to go wide as a blush rose on his cheeks.
"I dunno, but it doesn't matter now. We've just got to try and find Lucy before our time runs out," Beck coughed in order to regain his previous state as his scarlet red hands clutched the Browning pistol with both of his hands like a cop entering a suspicious location in the TV shows. Katniss squatted for a quick second in order to get a low perspective of the room and her gray, silver eyes examined every detail.
"Beck's right for a change," she chuckled while standing straight back up with her hypnotic eyes still surveying the ghost hotel lobby in great precision. "We're gonna have to find Psycho- Bitch Lucy and fast. To do that, here's what we're going to do…I'll go off and search the lobby from top to bottom…see if I can get any leads. Then I'll search the first couple floors. You three are going to scout the floors that follow understand?"
The others quickly nodded in comprehension as Katniss gave them all a sly grin before observing the interior of the fancy lobby that seemed darkened by the clouds forming outside. Tori stood there trembling madly as she watched the silver eyed girl turn her back on them as if this were some dramatic parting scene in a movie. Man, did Tori hate those…she always hated sad movies in general, but this entire experience had to top the charts for biggest emotional rollercoaster for sure.
"Is this it? Katniss, what if…what if she gets us o-or…what if she gets you? What if she winds up winning in the end? What if this is all good bye?" Tori began to lightly sob as her light brown waves of soft hair swerved around her thin form; Beck trying his best to console the emotional Latina while squeezing her hand lightly and comfortingly.
"Tori! Stop acting like every second is our last. Stop with the goodbyes and tears…you only need those when they're absolutely necessary and right now is not the time or place for them. You all need to quit acting like we haven't got a chance in the world and start reverting back into those annoying idiots who kept preaching hope and faith like airheads looking for a bullet to get shot with…those are the two people I miss and hope to see again," Katniss gave a genuine grin while turning her head over so that she was face forward and the gleaming specks of light beamed onto spots on her face.
"But Katniss we-" Beck started with a nervous look o his face only causing Katniss to growl in objection.
"Enough! We'll escape and do what we planned to do from the very beginning! I made a vow you three…a vow that I would never die on this island. Never would I fall victim to this sick game to entertain these bastards. I wouldn't die like the ones I loved did here on this piece of fucking land…I wouldn't die until I brought this fucked up government down to its knees on the amazing foundation they've created over the years. This time will be different. Yeah…I actually have people I know I can trust, and that sure means everything right now. True friends…definitely different," Katniss sighed with a deep surge of fury running through her body as she thought back about her classmates. The ones she watched die right before her eyes…the people she promised to avenge and honor.
Tori stood there within the security of Beck still shivering as if she were out in the horrific cold, but on her glowing face she wore a friendly smile while Beck grinned confidently at Katniss' moving words. Camille even felt a faint, beaming smile slowly play its way onto her pale face.
"That's right Beck…Our time will come. No matter how many people die…we'll make sure they go on unforgotten. Kendall, Jake, Mike, Trina, Cat…all of them will be here with us no matter what anyone else says and we'll make sure other people know that too! We have to remember why we're doing this guys. We have to close our eyes and think to ourselves 'Who am I even fighting for? God, why am I even doing this?' and when you see all those cherished moments you all shared as a class…as a family, you'll know exactly who and why," Katniss felt a tears brew within her gleaming, silver eye as she looked up at a portrait hanging magnificently over the entrance. It was a black-and-white photo of the exact island showing various tourist spot as well as the sea shining with the sun hanging beautifully over it. The picture was dated '1945' on the bottom right hand corner of the picture as Katniss examined it with a painful feeling arising within her chest. "Hmph, those assholes had their fun…not just with me, but with 599 other victors over the past 60 years and 600 episodes. Now, it's our turn. Our turn to turn the tables. We all deserve that much!"
"Magnifique…very well said Katniss," Camille whispered with a small smile on her beautiful face that shined in the moonlight as rain continued to pour faintly from above.
Katniss only gave off a sad grin as she turned her head back over to the three teens with a look of bittersweet joy upon her olive toned face. "No need for the praise Camille…just thought I'd show you that even monsters that are made can change their ways. We hide it well don't we? The pain and reasons why we are who we are? Sometimes too well…but I think meeting Tori and Beck made me realize how important being real is. I guess meeting you both was either the one thing I should have never done, or it was the one thing I needed the most."
"C'mon Katniss…no need for the gushy moments. You said you hated that stuff" Beck laughed with a few fresh sparkling tears rolling down his cut cheek and into Tori's soft brown hair. Katniss gave him a look of amusement as she saw this and began to chuckle lightly to herself; her hand gripping the finely carved bow she made in a tight grasp.
"I do, except when it counts. With that being said…you two need to wake up and hear the bells ring. Stop playing games and realize that you two were made for one another because trust me when I say that love or even just liking someone is probably one of the only beautiful things left in this world. It's probably the only thing that can bring joy in the darkest places," Katniss left that floating in the air like a piece of paper drifting in the damp air for others to read before folding her strong arms over chest and nodded over to the stairs with a genuine smile. "Now get going…we're running out of time."
"Yeah…let's make this count," Tori smiled brightly through the course tears she was producing from her beautiful eyes as Beck nodded with Camille giving off an elegant grin. The three teens soon turned on their heels with determination set in their hearts as they ascended the flights of marble stairs and disappeared into the vast darkness.
9 Students Remaining
Tuesday: June 4th, 2010 – 1:02 A.M. (Southern Mountains; Deserted Island)
The rain continued to drip from the over towering leaves that gleamed from the moonlight and fell to the dewy grass blades on the ground as night began to gradually go on. Zander was sitting on his knees with his wooden pole propped up against a thick tree trunk that had streams of rainwater drizzling down it. His eyes were glazed with fresh tears as he examined the sight before him with Kacey and Drake at his side almost feeling like their hearts have been torn from the heaving chests.
"Zander…I'm so sorry," Kacey whimpered like an emotional wreck as Drake nodded in absolute agreement.
"Yeah…To find her…just like that must have been…damn," the skinny brunette grimaced with a saddening expression as he felt his chest tighten in remorse as he heard Zander begin to lightly sob yet he still had a small beaming small on his face as he fixed his teary eyes upon a proud sight. Under the exact tree Zander held Stevie as she died…was her body.
Right after Stevie's tragic death Zander decided to praise her by giving her a proper funeral. He decorated her auburn hair with beautiful, exotic flowers of all colors that seemed to make her wavy hair look absolutely breath taking. He manually picked numerous bouquets of brilliant lilies (Stevie's favorite type of flower) by a creek a few minutes away that seemed to be shining from the glowing sun that afternoon. He then took those lily flowers and made a magnificent outline around her body to make it look as if she were sleeping in a bed of the gorgeous plants and he even clasped her hands together over her chest with a single lily in them. She never looked more at rest…
"Stevie was killed by Lucy huh? My God," Kacey stammered with a few tragic sobs escaping her shiny lips as the rain began to make her hair look damp yet soft.
"Yeah…I just wish I could have been there for her when it counted the most," Zander chuckled sadly with his innocent brown brewing with tears as he thought back to the very first year they were friends.
They met on the very first day of school at lunch when all the sixth graders in Garside had to determine who they would sit with and where, after all…that does define your entire life at school. Zander, however, had no idea who to sit with. The cheerleaders were all crowded together with their pearphones beeping tremendously as they giggled and talked as if they've known each other all along. Zander then turned his head over to where Lucy Stone was sitting near the back of the cafeteria with her three lieutenants. Her cold yet small eyes looking into a makeup mirror as she applied a bit of mascara as Jade kept chatting with a shy little Molly on the opposite end of the crimson red metal table. Grace kept popping her Trident gum as if she were trying to irritate everyone in the room as she laughed obnoxiously and kept singing I'm A Slave For U by Britney Spears as loud as she could. Zander was definitely not going to sit with them…
He only had one choice…sit and eat alone in the hallway. He wasn't really the outgoing type of guy so that day he ate his peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the empty halls that gleamed in the sun light. That was until a pair of feet began marching down the hallway causing the black haired boy to snap his gaze up in fear that someone would try and steal his fruit roll up and no way was that going to happen.
"Hey!" a confident voice called from down the hall. It sounded so demanding yet friendly if that were even possible. "Why are you all alone?"
It was one of the girls he recognized from class…the one who always gave dirty looks to everyone. The one many people had a fear of speaking to. It was Stevie Baskara with her arms folded as she smirked at Zander's tense, shy form. "You okay?"
Zander couldn't even speak to her. It was as if his throat had been closed and locked up as he stared at her tan and beautiful face with his brown eyes wide with fear. She was gorgeous…Zander never saw someone so breathtakingly beautiful. In fact he's never really had a conversation with a girl before. Whenever he tries he winds up babbling like a complete fool or tripping over his own two feet.
"Hello? Earth to kid? Are you okay?"
"Huh!? Oh uh…yeah," Zander blurted in shock as he felt his cheeks turn hot pink in embarrassment causing the young girl to giggle in response.
"Why are you out here all alone?" she asked with a tone of kindness making him feel somewhat at ease as she placed a firm hand on his tiny shoulder.
"I just…I don't want anyone to see me eating alone. You know how people eat alone because they're losers," Zander whispered in shame as he felt tears sting the domes of his innocent eyes making Stevie sigh in disappointment.
"I don't think you're a loser dude. I actually think you're pretty cool…except for when you cry like a little baby," the tough girl teased with a laugh as she wiped a rolling tear from his pale cheek as the muffled sound of children and teenagers exchanging words in the cafeteria began to carry through the glistening halls. For some strange reason…this all made him smile. How did this girl make him feel better…why did her presence make him feel real happy? Why did she make his chest and stomach feel all funny whenever she smiled?
"I don't cry like a baby!" he snapped in defense while glaring at her with a smile still on his face causing her to laugh hysterically.
"Okay…what's your name? Your Zander right? From my class right? How about a trade…my jello cup for your bag of Doritos," Stevie smirked with her light brown eyebrow arched in mischief. Zander gave her a faint little grin before nodding his head and exchanging snacks with her.
"Thank you…" Zander mumbled nervously while tapping the heels of his light green shoes together with a little smile on his face causing Stevie to beam like the sun.
"You're pretty adorable," she busted out laughing while patting Zander on the back as she held her stomach as if she were about to explode from all the laughter. "Pretty cool…you know? I bet that when you get older, you'll turn into a real stud."
"S-Stud!?" Zander gasped as he felt his face turn beet red as the bell rang throughout the huge private school making him jump in response. The doors to the cafeteria busted open allowing rambunctious and refreshed students to barrel into the hallways with smiles plastered onto their faces. Laughter and timeless conversation filled the halls and echoed throughout as they made their way back to their assigned classes.
"We better get going huh?" Stevie sighed with her eyes rolled in annoyance. "More private school…blech!"
"It isn't that bad," Zander spoke with a faint smile as they retrieve their backpacks and began blending in with the stampede of red, white and gray (not to mention plaid thanks to the girls' school skirts).
"Are you kidding? Uniforms and seven hour school days?! It's the worst! I wish I could just grow up and be in the Olympics already," the head strong girl fumed with an irritated look on her face as they both threw all of their trash into a bin by the bathrooms. They saw their classroom come into view up ahead along with their hippy like teacher, Mr. Sikowitz, greeting his new batch of students with a wacky smile causing them all to look at him as if he were a simple loon.
"You want to be in the Olympics?" Zander gasped in response causing Stevie to give off a boasting smile as they neared the scarlet red doorframe of their classroom.
"Yep. What do you want to do when you grow up?"
"I…actually I wanted to be an MMA fighter…I'm joining a kung fu club today in order to help me out," the pale, shy boy beamed in joy as they passed a few more gleaming red lockers that shined from the lights above. Stevie's eyes went wide in shock as she heard this and her lips opened as she began to smile in amazement.
"MMA! Holy sh…sorry. Oh my God! That's insane! I never would have guessed by looking at you. You seem like you'd be a teacher or a dentist or something," Stevie laughed teasingly making Zander return the favor as she tilted her head to the side once they made their way into their class after their crazed teacher urged them to give him a high-five. "Hey…howabout we sit together for lunch tomorrow? We could trade again if you want…but don't forget to bring some chips and I hate veggies."
"Oh, yeah. Sure!"
"Cool…see you later Zander," she giggled causing him to feel a bit of that funniness in his insides as he watched her go right back to her seat behind a quiet Owen and in front of a beaming James who had finished talking to his three best buds.
That's when he knew how precious this spunky girl was in his eyes. How their trading of lunches soon turned into a beautiful friendship that could have turned into something more. Could it have? Did Stevie have any certain feelings for him she couldn't convey before…
"Did you ever wonder…whether or not…we could ever be something more? Ya k-know? More than friends?" Stevie sat there in his arms with a weak smile while half-closing and half-opening her eyes.
Zander didn't know…all he knew was that she was gone now and it was up to him to make sure his precious friend was honored. "It was too late," he lightly whispered as he stared upon her peaceful body that looked as if she were a slumbering beauty waiting to awakened. "We…we said things to each other, but it was too late. I…she deserved better."
Kacey only placed her head on Zander's slender shoulder in order to offer him some bits of comfort as Drake sighed with a saddened grin on his pale face as the rain started to get a bit heavier. Then, Zander slowly started to laugh in order to regain his sense of motivation before wiping away the tears of bittersweet joy from his eyes. "So…we uh, we really should get going."
Suddenly, Kacey felt her heart break for her dear friend and she and Drake exchanged quick looks before nodding their heads in synch. "Hey Zander?" she spoke up with a warm smile on her face as the cold rain began to sound like a rapid drum due to it slamming into the numerous leaves above. Zander looked over to her with tears still brewing within his deep brown eyes that still seemed to radiate with innocence just like when he was younger.
"Yeah?"
"I think we all need to be open with one another," she curtly responded with her arms folding as if she were about to scold him like a trained mother to her child. This can't be good now can it? "I haven't really been all that open with you guys…I actually haven't been truthful with anyone in our class. Even with Amanda."
"Huh? Kacey what are you-" Zander was quickly cut off once the popular cheerleading queen put her finger up as if she were signaling him to shut up and listen to her. Drake leaned his damp back against the bark of a towering tree as Kacey's glossy lips began to part again as she spoke.
"You want to know the truth Zander? I was all that cool and confident you know? Hearing you talk about Stevie and how she made you a better person. How you grew to be stronger…how you got so vulnerable like that. That really shows how big of an inspiration you are and now I think it's my turn to be vulnerable," she whispered while taking in a deep breath of air as if it were her last.
In truth…Kacey wasn't at all what she seemed. The gorgeous cheerleading captain with enough popularity to have people of all types lining up to be her added to her list of friends. However, she really didn't have the glamorous life like everyone thought.
Her mother had her when she was only fifteen and it wasn't an easy task. Kacey had to be watched by her grandmother for the first few years of her life until her birth mother could finally find the means to support her and her baby. Her father was training in the military at the time so he was never in the picture. Even then it wasn't all that great…they had to reside in the beat up commons of New York City with only an income of $500 per month to keep them supported.
It was hell whenever Kacey had to go to school and would see all of her classmates playing with the new additions of Barbie and the beautiful dream house the Malibu blonde would live in. That's what Kacey wanted more than anything…to finally have a life of happiness and be that gorgeous Barbie living in that grand house without any worries. A life where she didn't have to be worrying whether she had have dinner on her plate tonight or have an adequate set of warm clothes for the harsh winters in NY.
It wasn't until she was eight and diagnosed with diabetes did her mother finally have to stoop to desperation in order to find a paying job whether it'd be dancing in adult night clubs or selling her services after hours. She had to give Kacey what she needed whenever she needed it. It got so bad that by the time Kacey was ten, they both wound up living in their small car for a few months until Mr. Simon finally came up with the money…
He managed to scrounge up a few thousands of dollars due to his overseas job which almost seemed as if God had been looking out for them this whole time. They used the money to buy a modern home in a much nicer neighborhood and Kacey's mom was finally able to get back on her feet and start her new found career as a manager at an up class bar in the heart of New York City. It was amazingly popular amongst the town and drew in thrill seekers from all over the state.
Kacey could finally get the clothes she'd dreamed of having whether it'd be from a fancy downtown shop with all the high class money makers or a simple store in the popular mall just within the city where every teen stuffed with cash and hungry to spend it would go.
The only downside was that one crucial thing still stayed the same…one thing still was missing in her new yet joyous life filled with glamour. Her dad still couldn't come home. He still had to be shipped all around the world for his important missions which meant he could never see them as much as he or they wanted to. Maybe as few visits each year…nowhere near enough time together. However, Kacey wasn't complaining. She had her newfound group of close friends once she made it into the sixth grade and from that year on, she realized that she finally had a family she could see more than just a few times each year.
It's only one of the huge secret pasts Kacey has been keeping deathly secret ever since she started at Garside…she didn't want anyone to ignore her or label her as the girl who went from rags to riches. What else was frightening is that she had to sometimes help out with her mom's bar gig on some late nights if the staff ran low. The one thing Kacey Simon hated more than anything was a gang of drunken idiots filling up her eyes as they guzzled down pints of liquor while cackling like utter fools after someone cracked a sick, perverted joke.
As long as her mother stayed happy and her business continued to flourish…that's all that really mattered in the end. After all, those drunken idiots were the one raking in all the cash Kacey and her mom used to pay their bills.
After Kacey finished explaining all of this to Drake and Zander with a stern voice, she watched them gawk at her as if she'd revealed that she wasn't who she said she was all these years. It was like she was a different person completely in her past. "There you have it…that's who I truly am and that's where I came from. I wasn't some baby princess being taken care of in a golden crib with waiters and butlers. I was just a poor little girl with dreams to cling to. I know…weird right? I don't blame you guys if you don't believe me at first."
"No it's just…man, I never would have guessed that," Drake sighed with a look of amazement; taken aback by the coming of age story Kacey had supplied to the two boys. "I mean…just wow."
Zander looked over at Drake with his eyes still wide in shock from the hidden secret Kacey had revealed and began to nod in agreement. "Definitely. That must've been rough Kace'…you guys were okay though right? No more financial trouble?"
"Nope. All is well or…was well. Hm, I just wish my mom would stop worrying about me so much. She's the one who urged me to try out for cheerleading in the first place and wanted me to go out there and make friends," Kacey giggled lightly as she thought about her hard working and respectful mother with a gleam in her brown eyes. "Hopefully my dad can be there for her in the future…I mean you guys heard Beck…once we escape there's no going back home."
"C'mon Kace…we'll never have to say good-bye. You'll see your mom again okay? I promise," Zander smiled sadly to her as he began to let out another rolling tear drop from his deep brown eye. The emotional toll of this entire event was beyond insane. It was nearly tearing their minds apart…but they had to hold on until the end came.
"You know what? I think I need to share some secrets too now that were here like this," Drake announced from his spot by the oak tree letting the rain seep into his soft brown head of hair. His bangs were covering one of his bright as eyes as he stepped forward with his eyes closing with a deep breath spilling from his mouth before he began to tell his own story.
Drake Parker. A boy who'd been known as the laid back guitar player with a hopeful dream of making it in the big city with his hardcore guitar skills. However, to make it in this type of business…you have to please people in order to make sure your name gets out there. In short, Drake was tossed around the city of New York trying his best to pick up any gigs available until he came across a shady group of people in an alley one late Saturday night in 2005.
This shady group was a wide brotherhood…a gang that made their reputation based off of crime and dark missions. They told Drake that by joining he'll make enough money to create his own label…so as dim witted as he was, he accepted completely willingly.
For three years, Drake had been selling and heisting drugs from and to the most exclusive dealers all around the city. He'd been getting into all sorts of gang fights late into the cold, dark hours of the night, only to come home with cuts hidden under his shirt from knife fights (if he was lucky enough). It got so bad that he almost considered dropping out of school to make the sick world of alley gangs his top priority.
He almost lost sight of why he even was in this little gang in the first place…and Josh noticed this with complete fear in his heart. It wasn't until Josh confronted his troubled step-brother late at night when the brunette crept into their living room after a long night of drug dealing.
It took almost three hours for them to talk it out with tears, arguments and deep hearted words until Drake finally came to a terrifying realization. He was throwing his life away. If Josh hadn't of stepped as he always did…Drake would have- actually who knows what would have happened to the poor boy. Probably in jail or worse…dead.
That's why Josh meant so much to him. He saved his life in a way…he was the one person that knew him inside and out; including the dark twisted part he had kept from his family and classmates. No one knew this morbid past except his lovable, nerdy step-brother Josh Nichols…until now that is.
The rain began to pour at a much harsher rate making the sound of rattling leaves fill the awkward air after the story had finished. "Well…now we all know each other huh? I was a gang banger…you wouldn't know by looking at me but hey I needed the cash. Pretty pathetic huh?" Drake chuckled a bit with an ashamed voice as he sigh a bit; looking up at the trickling green leaves.
"I never would have guessed it," Kacey sighed as she stared at Drake's form with wide brown eyes. "You? A part of an actual gang Drake? I dated a gang member?! My parents would totally kill me if they knew."
"Well they didn't…neither did you thank God. No one did except Josh. Maybe that's why I never fit in with any of the guys in our class…I was great friends with them all, but I still didn't belong in any of their groups. Not Kendall, James, Carlos and Logan's…not Jake, Freddie, Andre and Kevin…Simon, Owen and Ned? Hell no! Definitely not that bunch! I guess I'm just a lost dog or whatever, and Josh was the person I fit with as a 'group'," Drake chuckled a bit as he felt faint joy go through his veins as he thought about his totally opposite brother.
"You do belong in a group man. Ours! I'm glad you could be open like that…you never really were the getting real and deep type of guy. I never knew you felt that way," Zander chimed in with a friendly smile as he draped an arm around Kacey's curved body. The popular, pretty girl had a sad smile on her face as the mourning skies grew thick and dark letting thunder roar within them.
"Well that's a first. Someone actually likes me…all of me. Who knew eh? I'm glad too Zander. I'm glad I got to know you guys too, even though it was only for a few hours. I'm glad we could all come together like this bro. Hella awesome!" Drake cried with joy as he gave Zander a gleaming look filled with excitement. Kacey soon nodded her head as fast as she could letting her annoying tears fly from her beautiful eyes like the rain drops falling around them. A foggy mist became to creep throughout the dense forest as the group began to give each other looks of motivation.
"Hell yes! I agree with Drake 100 percent! We'll keep up Zander…we'll stick together even if these damn bastards try and kill us themselves along with Eikner! We''ll all beat this game," Kacey cheered with her perfect smile playing across her supple lips.
"Oh yeah. With that being said…we better keep moving huh you guys? Not safe to keep hidden in one spot for too long right?" Drake beamed with a smirk while shaking his head of soft and perfect hair causing the brown locks to shake from his moist face.
"What? No! D-Drake? We can't just go out like this!" Zander gasped with a nervous look on his face making both him and Kacey burst out into a loud fit of laughs that belted from their mouths.
"Always the 'playing it safe' guy aren't you Zander? C'mon bro! Live a little! I did and trust me…it can be a real thrill ride at times," Drake whispered with an arched brow, but all he got in response was a gradual look of terror from Kacey. Her deep brown eyes were filled with complete and utter fear as she stood there beginning to shake horribly, but it wasn't from the chilling cold.
"Kacey? What are you doing?" Drake began to laugh a little bit nervously as he looked right at her intently as if she were about to drop dead on the spot, but all she did was slowly shake her head from left to right as Zander began to let his mouth drop open in shock. His eyes narrowing at Drake in disbelief.
"Oh God…please no," Kacey whimpered with tears coming to her eyes.
"Huh?" Drake replied in confusion as Zander began to grasp Kacey's body close to his heaving chest only to utter a simple yet crucial word.
"No."
Drake only arched his brown eyebrow in confusion before he began to let everything sink in…footsteps were filling his ears. A pair of damp feet stomping into the moist, damp patches of grass and mud behind him. "Oh…Oh No," he groaned with his eyes growing wide in hysteria before frantically turning around to view the intruder. An individual with a gleaming blade tightly gripped in their hands with a crazed look in their eyes was headed straight for them.
9 Students Remaining
Tuesday: June 4th, 2010 – 1:38 A.M. (Tourist Association-Fourth Floor; Deserted Island)
Tori and Beck had been scoping out the third and fourth floors for almost an hour and still no sign of Lucy. Where could she be? All Beck knew was that they were almost getting down to having only four hours to pull off their escape. If they were going to do this…they had to act fast.
Tori was searching out a simple hotel room from top to bottom letting out annoyed grunts as she did so as Beck came hobbling into the room with an amused grin on his face. "Find anything?" he teased with a smirk as his head of long hair began to blow around due to the gentle breezes coming through the cracked window. The air was damp and smelled strongly of rain as it slammed against the tattered window pane mercilessly and Tori slipped her head from underneath the bed with a tired look.
"No. I'm so done with this. Where is she?" Tori gasped for air as if she was running the mile letting her thin body plop down on the plushy bed and stared into the screen of an old fashion TV screen (a vintage set from the 40s no doubt).
Beck staggered over to the comfortable bed as well with a pained grin as his bandages continued to rub against his sore skin uncomfortably as he sat down next to her. "We'll find her Tor'. I know you want to end this…God damn though Tori. Is revenge all you want though?"
"You bet!" she snapped immediately with a look of fury in her chocolate brown eyes as she thought about the red and black haired beauty everyone feared of. However, that only intensified her hunger for vengeance. "That…ugh! She killed my sister Beck. No mercy…just looked at Trina like she was another point for scoring! That's all we are to her…points for her winning. Cattle to the slaughter are what all Forty-one of us are to her."
"But revenge? What is that-"
"You've got to be kidding me…wouldn't you want to kill Mr. Eikner for what he did to Mike? Well? Beck you can't just sit there and pretend you don't care about getting even. Wouldn't you kill Eikner if you had the chance?"
Beck couldn't answer…he desperately wanted to shove a knife right into that bastard's red throat after what he did to Mike that night in the classroom before this game began. However, that wouldn't bring him back. Besides, they have bigger fish to fry if they're looking to bring the BR law down for good.
"I don't know Tori…I honestly would but that isn't what truly matters to me Tori. What matters is bringing this government down to its knees like Katniss said. We just have to find Lucy and kill her for the right reasons…not for revenge. I guess sometimes we have to think whether or not things should be justified though huh? I mean what if she changes her mind?" Beck asked with his shoulders shrugged as if he was offering a mere suggestion but all Tori could do was look at him with a pair of longing eyes.
"Still trying to search for the good in people huh Beck," she laughed in a tired way yet she still seemed joyful. "Same ol' Beck. Willing to look for the light in others…You know what?"
"What?"
"I bet you'll turn into one of those guys who homes people whenever they need a place to stay no matter who they are or what they've done to you in the past," Tori laughs with a feeble yet endearing smile on her tanned face as she thinks about the circumstance. "You might even be someone who could open up an orphanage for kids who were just like you Beck."
Beck only gave her a weak grin before elbowing her in the side causing her to let out a light chuckle in response. "You really think that?"
"I know that you doof," Tori beamed at his big hearted personality; that was actually one of the main reasons she adored him. It was rare to find a boy with such kindness in his heart. A genuine boy with only a good conscience to cling to. "All that care and passion? You'd make a great husband Beck. Too bad it'd be a pain to have to worry about you all the time as your wife-"
The room went dead silent after the 'w' word was utterly spoken causing the both of them to widen their eyes in bewilderment. Tori began to fiddle her thumbs in hysteria while looking away from Beck's handsome face in shame. "Wife? What the…Tori!? Husband!? Where did all that come from!?" the head strong boy babbled in absolute shock as Tori jumped from her spot on the bed with her cheeks flushing with pink. She began to speed over to the open doorway leading out into the dark and dim hallways of the hotel.
"I…Oh God! I was um…I was just speaking in uh…you know? Metaphorical terms! Nothing serious just uh…" the flustered Latina blurted senselessly as she felt Beck's eyes staring over her in curiosity. She couldn't help but bite her pink lip while squeezing her hands into fists at her sides; her polished nails beginning to dig into her soft palm as she did so. She then turned her head halfway over to Beck as he continued to sit there on the bed. "We could die today…"
"Huh?" Beck whispered obviously not understanding what Tori meant by this little sentence as he watched her with soft eyes that gave off a compelling look.
"Well…I mean, I've had so many things I've wanted to say to you ever since we met in the sixth grade. So many…and here it is to sum it all up. I've had the biggest crush on you Beck. I've liked you since the day we met…I don't just want to be close friends with you. I know you probably get all these love confessions from plenty of other girls in our school, but I had to say it. I had too…" Tori whispered with a relieved look washing over her face as if a huge anchor had just been lifted from the depths of her chest.
Beck only sat there with his eyes wide from all of this out of the blue information. His heart felt as if it were jumping for joy at the sound of this beautiful girl's confession, but he had no idea of how to react. Should he smile and grin…should he cry and cheer…should he skip all of it and get right to the kiss?
However, Tori already beat him to it. She turned on her heel with a look of determination while closing her eyes tightly with a single tear flying behind her as she did it. "Screw it!" she shrieked with a joyous smile and all that happened next was the touching of two pairs of lips.
Beck's eyes shot open wide as he felt the caramel skinned girl's soft lips pressing against his and he couldn't understand what he was feeling at the moment. She tasted like raspberries…sweet raspberries and it made him want to break into song of how incredible this was. Soon, he felt Tori's fingers intertwine with his own as the kiss continued with Beck beginning to kiss right back with eyes fluttering to a close.
He felt as if something delightful and warm had rushed over him as he felt Tori's warm tears trickle down his cut cheek. This is what they've both been wanting for the longest time…
The kiss was simple and sweet but Beck didn't mind and neither did Tori. It was beautiful to both of them. That is, until they heard a voice coughing from behind them. "Did I miss something?"
"GAH!" they broke the kiss in frantic way as they both screamed for dear life; clinging onto one another as they did so only to see a smirking Camille in the doorway with her eyebrow arched in suspicion.
"Camille!" they both yelled but began bursting into fits of laughter as they watched the pale brunette waltz into the room with a romantic look on her porcelain face as if she were an exact replica of Juliet from Romeo and Juliet.
"Alright, alright…" Beck sighed in humiliation causing Camille to collapse onto the bed they were sitting upon with a chorus of giggles spilling from her lips. The tender moment felt as if it would last forever until they heard another noise coming from the long winding hall. Footsteps.
The trio jolted up in alert as they heard the slow torturous footsteps echoing throughout the hallway and into the hotel room they were in. One step…a second one…a third.
They kept getting closer and closer, growing in volume causing everyone's chests to tighten in absolute fear from the suspense. Tori felt her breath catch in her throat as she heard them coming right up to their room and grasped Beck's arm for dear life as Camille slowly made her way over to her supplied duffle bag just in case.
Soon, the figure was standing right outside the door; cloaked in darkness with their head hanging low. Who was it? They then turned into the hotel room…their face becoming illuminated by the specks of pale light remaining from outside.
It was Lulu. Her face was completely drenched with rain as it dripped from her chin and splashed onto the dark red carpet underneath her. Splotches of crimson red were all over her uniform and even on her bright neon pink socks that went up to her knees and were on her bright yellow sneakers as well. Lines of sticky coagulated blood were all over her face due to her killing Felix…and her eyes seemed somewhat in a daze yet they weren't that wide anymore.
Tori lit up almost immediately as she saw her close friend standing there like a motionless statue only to let her lips part so that she could speak these two words, "Found you."
Lulu's lips curved into a smile as she said this, but Tori leapt up like an overjoyed child and ran over to her with her thin arms open wide. "Lulu! Thank God it's you! Are you alright? What happened to you out there!?" Tori asked frantically as she examined the disgusting blood stains al over the deranged girl's body with wide eyes before pulling her into a tight hug.
The second Tori let go of her, Lulu began to examine the thin girl known as Tori Vega with a satisfied grin.
Tan skin…light brown hair…thin form, Luluthought as Beck and Camille gave relieved smiles to her. "Lulu! Awesome! Now we can have a full blown alliance!" Beck cheered with his fist pumped in happiness.
"Thank Goodness," Lulu began to speak with a low yet deranged tone to her usual cheery voice. "If I hadn't of found you…I wouldn't know how to go on with this mission."
Tori only gave her a look of weirdness to show how lost she was… "What are talking about Lulu?" she asked with an arched brow while placing her dainty hands on Lulu's gentle shoulders.
"But now…" Lulu's lips grew wider into a psychotic little grin as she felt her brown eyes grow wider into the previous state they were in before (bulging tennis sized eyeballs). "Now that I've found you…I can finally rid the land of your wickedness…Pavarotti."
"What?" the other three whispered simultaneously.
Lulu ignored their lost states and began to grip the smooth handle of her kitchen knife; rubbing her thumb over the blunt edge in joy. Then she brought it up in a stabbing motion ever so slowly with a series of twisted giggles coming from her throat causing Tori to widen her eyes in disbelief as Lulu began to scream like a banshee.
"Send the evil back to the darkness!" she howled like a warrior going into battle while raising her gleaming, blood tainted metal blade high above her head; aiming it straight at Tori's terrified face.
9 Students Remaining
