Anotha Chapta! Sorry for the wait :) Hopefully this makes up for it!
Sunday: June 2nd, 2010 – 4:55 P.M. (Deserted Island: Northern Mountains)
"Where are you headed Ms. Roberts?" Grace giggled while sneaking through the bushes as she scaled down the green mountain. A nice breeze shook the beautiful plants and caused them to sway as if they were dancing. Grace kept her distance from Camille but still had her right in her sight in order to know what she was up to. Camille's eyes were portrayed with no emotion and continued to be glazed with intimidation. In school, she hardly ever talked and was a part of the aspiring drama club along with Cat and Suzie...weren't Suzie and Camille friends? Hm, It doesn't really matter anymore does it? Camille was usually a little creepy to most of her classmates and always had a strange air about her.
Jake usually said that she resembled that freaky girl from the Orphan movie due to how she looked. It didn't matter to Camille one single bit…especially now. Camille continued to swerve through the trees with her Uzi close intact; the leaves blew wildly past her as she flew past the towering trees. Grace was in close pursuit with her weapon (a scalpel that resembled the ones that she usually used in dissection assignments in her biology class). The narrow blade glistened in the golden light as she dashed quietly into the trees' shadows in order to catch up with Camille.
Wait up Roberts! I'm not that physically built, she laughed in her head as she held her iPod tightly in her left hand. Her music continued to play at a low volume and the sound of Katy Perry filled her ears.
I know a place…
Where the grass is really greener…
Warm, wet and wild...there must be somethin' in the water
It was incredible to know that she was still in a state where California Girls mattered more than making it out alive for some reason; it doesn't matter though, Camille still hadn't suspected Grace's presence yet.
Where are you headed? Hm…wait just a second…Grace squinted her eyes after seeing her stalked prey hop into the bushes like a small rabbit. Suddenly, she heard a small tinkling sound emerge from the leaves at faint volume.
"She's…oh my god," Grace laughed stupidly while rolling in the grass with her hand covering her big mouth. Even the cold Camille Roberts has to go sometime…
After coming out of her fit of laughter, she got down on her stomach against the tickling grass and brought out her supplied map of the island to check the zones. Her hazel eyes skimmed the detailed map as her iPod sent music up her ear buds to flow into her ears warmly.
"Now…where are we?" she muttered while biting her soft lips delicately. "Ah, here we go. We are in…C8. C8! But…why would she come here?" Grace sputtered with a confused look as she glanced from her map to the bushes that Camille was supposedly using the restroom in.
C8 was announced by Mr. Eikner to be a danger zone once the clock strikes 5:00…Camille's cutting it a little too close! Grace frantically looked at her glowing iPod screen and it brightly showed the time as the music continued. 4:57…only three minutes until the sector was declared a forbidden zone.
Calm down Grace! The drama slut obviously knows what she's doing, Grace thought calmly while staring into the glowing bushes with a dumb grin curling across face. The sunset was breathtaking above her through the golden leaves. Pink, orange and yellow were all mixed up elegantly in the vast skies as the digital clock changed to 4:58. Only two minutes, it's fine…
Even though the time was edging on and on into 5:00, the tinkling noise continued to flow from the fat shrubs up ahead. The deadly girl must have been holding it in for quite some time…
4:59…God…What is she thinking! Grace began to panic and look down at her map in distress while the tinkling noise went on.
Fine, Fresh, Fierce. We got it on lock!
West Coast represent, now put your hands up (oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
California! California Gurls!
The summer jam quietly played in the back of Grace's mind as she felt a sudden breeze flow right past her confused form and she began to feel a little queasy. The wind tore past her and right up to the bushes like an angry bull. The gust threw the bushes down a little bit and Grace was expecting to see Camille in the middle of her bathroom break, but instead…
"Oh...please no," she whispered in a panic as the sight before her unfolded. There was a water bottle dangling from a far off branch with a slashed bottom. The crystal liquid dripped constantly out of it and tapped the autumn grass below…but Camille was nowhere to be found.
"B-but! H-h-how…wh-what?" Grace's mind went completely blank and she had no idea what to think as the seconds counted down in a slow manner. 10…9…
Out of the corner of her hazel eyes she saw a pale face with an evil look in its icy eyes. Camille was standing there with a look of nothingness with her brown eyes slightly narrowed at Grace as if saying "You thought you could get me that easily?" 6…5…
Grace (the most loyal member of Lucy's gang) was absolutely flustered. Her eyes grew to the size of grapes as the shock began to set in. Camille Roberts had tricked Grace using her own skills. Being a nosy sneak…
Camille was already in the next area (C9) by now and was safe…but Grace wasn't. Everything began to feel dark and ominous to her as time told her how long she had to live.
"How? You bitch! How did you…" she screamed with tears forming in her panicked eyes as she grabbed her things and dashed back to where she came. Katy Perry didn't help one single bit. Her bubbly singing actually made the situation ten times worse.
California! California Gurls!
Grace glanced at her iPod in horror and realized it was over…she was as good as dead. 2…1…
"NOOO! FU-" Grace's scream was suddenly cut off with a quiet explosion and her entire body shook from the impact of the detonated collar. The ear buds tore from the iPod jack and Katy's song was immediately silenced as Grace's head flew through the treetops like a blood covered basketball; scarlet liquid rained over the forest floor like a rainy sprinkle. With the iPod still in her clenched fists, Grace's lifeless (and headless) body sank to its knees and she fell with a thud into the grass.
Girl # 20: Grace King (ELIMINATED)
21 Students Remaining
Sunday: June 2nd, 2010 – 5:02 P.M. (Garside Jr. /Sr. High School: 3rd Floor Hallways)
Tori's POV
I feel a slight chill run down my tingling spine as I take slow pacing steps down the empty hallway. The afternoon light shines through the wide windows and it sounds like classes are being taught. That must mean…Class 3-C! My class! It was all a dream! That awful stuff about killing and survival was all in my head…thank God.
I walk hesitantly over to my classroom and stare absent mindedly at the red metal door. I always hate being late. I always get stares from everyone…including Lucy and her group. "Late again Tori? What was it this time? You trip and fall down the stairs again?" I hear my teacher laugh in my mind followed by the rumbling chuckles that come to follow from everyone else.
I open the door causing Mr. Sikowitz to cease his lecture on the method of character development. Wait…what! He stares at me with his eyes gone from his sockets and he smiles widely at me while blood flows from his face and drips onto his glistening podium. The remaining hair on his balding head is matted terribly to his scalp and he begins to motion his hand to my desk.
"Tori!" he cheers happily as ever, "welcome back. Please, take your seat so we can continue." His face is right in my direction…how can he see me though?
I slowly utter a "Yes sir," and swerve through the rows of red wooden desks with a terrified feeling within me. I take my seat behind Beck (strangely, our calling order for the competition matches our seating order as well) and look around the lit up room. This isn't right though! What's happening?
I look over at Mindy's desk in the first row on the side of the room. She is holding her bright pink mechanical pencil with her supplies neatly arranged on her desk as always. She's covered in black holes and blood is continuously streaming from them; dripping on to the floor which forms a dark red puddle around her chair. Yet, she still sits there and diligently takes notes as if the day is absolutely normal. She looks wet also…like drenched in water.
Behind her, Kirby Bancroft (one of the richest boys in school) sits poised like a delicate doll and is looking down at his paper while craning his neck in a classy fashion. The side of his head looks sliced open and a sickle is deeply embedded into the wound. A disgusting mixture of meat and blood oozes from the sliced opening and onto his bright dress shirt like a thick stream of ketchup…what is going on?
Voices fill my head as I continue to frantically look around the room. Ned's head is halfway gone, yet he is functioning completely normal while talking to a blood covered Simon. About six seats behind me, Amanda sits with her legs crossed elegantly while applying a fresh coat of makeup for the afternoon. Sadly, the thick knife that is lodged into the front of her skull is taking away from her look.
I look over Beck's broad shoulder and see a long stick poking out of the back of Jo's head. An arrow is protruding from her dirty blonde locks as she rested her sweet and smiling face in her supple hands. I see Sam near the front with skin as wrinkly as a prune. Her skin is beyond pale…like ghostly white and her blonde hair is soaked as if she just took a shower.
Silly Tori! A voice shouts in my mind as all the disturbing images of my classmates fill my eyes. Moze and Suzie stand in front of me in the gym while holding their blood covered mega phone. They are both completely riddled with bullets and Suzie's head looks like a splattered fruit after a sledge hammer went to it.
"Tori! Join us! We can all die together!" Moze cries enthusiastically. I stand there and feel like I'm paralyzed all over. Their voices resonate off of the gym walls and bounce around in my head. What do I do? No…I can't do this. I just can't!
"No! I'm sorry guys…I can't help! I don't wanna join you! I can't die!" I shout frantically while stumbling out of the gymnasium. My feet squeak soundly against the basketball court before I fall out and into the blank halls that lead to the locker rooms. It smells odd…wait. I turn around and try to keep myself from screaming in terror from what was right in front of me. Kevin was standing there with a bright smile on his disfigured face. An axe was awkwardly lodged into his face and caused him to look like an oddly cracked walnut…Blood dripped profusely from the handle; making a seeping stain as it dripped onto my shoes.
"Is that anyway to treat us Tori? Treat your friends?" he laughed which caused the axe to shake a little. It was the sickest thing I've ever seen in my life.
"God…Kevin. No, I-I'm sorry," I manage to get out even though my throat feels incredibly sore. The blood stained basketball jersey he is wearing begins to shine from the lights overhead and his gym shorts even have spots of red on them.
"How can you just leave us out there to dry Tori? I thought we meant more to you," Kevin sighs in absolute disappointment as his cut eye begins to ooze. It's disgusting…I can't do this anymore. It's too much!
"What makes you so special!" another voice spits from behind me in a harsh tone. The voice belongs to none other than Robbie Shapiro. His stomach looks horrifyingly mashed up like a sausage assortment as he talks. Another figure approaches his side like a dark shadow and begins to laugh in morbid way.
"Everyone plays Tori. There is no 'escape'…it's kill or be killed!" True arises from the shadows while bleeding heavily on her side with her locket sparkling in the sudden light. "We weren't given that choice. What makes you better than us, huh?"
I spin around in a panic and run at full speed as the two voices echoed behind me as if they were following me. The darkness is in every direction now and I have no idea where to turn. Where now?
A sudden light appears at my side followed by a warm voice that I can make out perfectly. "Buncha losers if you ask me," the voice laughs as the light clears out in a fade and reveals our school's glowing courtyard. Mike? That's Mike's voice!
"Mike?" I whisper in amazement while standing there; my soft hands shielding me from the sunrays.
"Don't be scared. I told him…I told my buddy, Beck to take good care of you. He'll make sure nothing bad happens to you," he says warmly with a shining smile. His school uniform is glowing brilliantly in the daylight sun and suddenly the scene changes and the last thing I hear from Mike is, "Oh! Thanks again for the watermelon Tori! Even though it was all mashed up…it was sweet just like you."
"Thank you…" I whisper with a small smile as I open my eyes and see the interior of our bus…what am I doing here? Was this all just a horrid nightmare?
I look over slowly with a feeling of fear and expect the worse. Instead, I see Trina dancing in her seat while blasting to her music. Trina. The name repeatedly echoes in my mind like an annoying bird call but it makes me happier than ever at the same time.
"Come on,"
"No!"
"Why not you chicken?"
"He's…He's sleeping. Sleeping, yeah that's why,"
"You scaredy cat, come on, let's go Tor,"
"I don't wanna!".
"Excuse me! Coming through!"
She always makes me do something that I can't stand doing on my own…but that makes her more special to me. Without her, I basically wouldn't be able to do many of the things that caused my life to change for the better. I realize that everything is just a memory and the entire scene with me making a fool of myself in front of Beck while Trina laughs her big head off is just repeating itself before my eyes.
"Um…H-hey Beck. I um…I got these watermelons last night from my mom and uh…Well…I was wondering if…Would you like some…you know, some of the watermelon?"
"Thanks Tori, I forgot to bring a lunch for the bus ride. Moronic move huh,"
"Yeah, I guess you kind of are…Oh wait! That's not what I meant! You're not really a moron I just thought- Jeez…I'm so hopeless."
"Don't worry about it, I was joking with you."
Beck…who knew we'd become close friends over this? I-I'm so thankful though. Thankful that I got to know you…thank you.
I hear a voice laugh cheerily from behind me which causes me to widen my eyes in shock, "Gotta have faith Tori! Oh man, don't tell me that you've just been giving me lip service. C'mon Tor'! Faith…" Beck's voice soothingly chuckles in a cheery tone. I turn around but I don't see him at all in the bright light that sweeps over me.
"Beck, I do have faith! I do…" I say with a trembling feeling that overtakes my body. I feel racked with all sorts of emotions right now…but it all comes to an end when I feel a sudden shake go through my body followed by numerous shouts from above.
21 Students Remaining
Sunday: June 2nd, 2010 – 5:32 P.M. (Deserted Island: Farmhouse)
Tori's POV
After being awakened from my uncomfortable sleep, I see a blurred face from above and realize that there are fresh tears in my eyes from my strange dream. I slowly bring my clammy hands up to my sweating face and wipe my moist eyes calmly. My vision then returns to normal, and I see everything clearly now. The salmon cushions that I am laying on, the nailed shut doors near the front of the house, and right above me I see Beck's smiling face.
"Glad you're up Tor'. Had me and Katniss worried for a sec…you seemed so upset just now. Are you feeling any better?" he pats my back after sitting me up like a stuffed bear. I can't really speak right now. Everything feels confusing! I don't know whether this is a dream or not either. Is this a dream? "Tori? Are you okay?" he repeats with a soft tone while curving his mouth to make a sincere smile.
"Yes…thank you. Thank you so much," I say while nodding my head in happiness. Beck begins to laugh in joyful manner before wrapping his arms around me. Even though he's covered in blood and dirt…all sorts of things even, he still feels warm and he has been so brave..but stupid (in a good way of course!). Sure, he did leave me a few times to die…and he went out and almost got himself killed a numerous amount of times but, that's just who he is. A big hearted guy with enough time on his hands to care about everyone he meets.
"Gosh, I might need to find a crowbar in order to pry you two off of each other," I see Katniss laugh hysterically from the sink. I chuckle into Beck's shoulder to hide my embarrassment before sniffing the delicious aroma coming from the sparkling kitchen. It smells fantastic!
"Here…this a special dish created by the one and only Katniss Everdeen. Compliments to the chef," Beck announces while bowing politely and motions towards Katniss in the kitchen. He hands me the steaming bowl after taking a small rag from the top which lets a huge puff of steam come rising out in victory.
"Bon appetite," the olive toned girl laughed with a French accent. I take the spoon and dig up a pile of rice mixed with soft beans. After plunging the heap of warm deliciousness into my mouth, I feel a wave of comfort flow through me and begin to scarf the entire bowl right down; amazing Beck and Katniss with my hungry appetite.
"It's delicious!" I cry in happiness while licking my lips free of the meal.
"Happy to see that you enjoyed it," Katniss laughs while walking over to me and Beck with her arms folded. "Now, we'll be taking off…maybe around ten o'clock when everything goes dark, making our movements around the island easy. We'll probably be able to still find Jake out there…maybe even find a few others. I hear that Kendall has formed a little group somewhere, so we can go off and find them next."
Beck nods in agreement and I quickly follow up from the overwhelming excitement. Katniss smirks a bit before narrowing her eyes at me. "Tori? We can defer to you when it comes to the girls. We need to be careful though…I don't want to run into another issue like True Jackson again," she sighs while brushing her black braid back over her shoulder.
True…I can't believe she's dead. Out of everyone, I was expecting her to be the least interested in this game and try to escape…it's scary now that you know what people's true intentions are when their lives are on the line like this. How many are left now anyway? Let's see…ever since the noon report, there was a total of twenty-five of us. True died…so that makes twenty-four, but who else died since then? Stop it Tori. Don't think about it…it's too horrible to think about.
"Awesome! Soon, we'll all escape together!" Beck cheers with enthusiasm while pumping his fist the way he does every time before a basketball game…so what if I pay attention to him a little.
"However, I think Jade should be our top priority considering that she was so willing to join," Katniss says in a low tone. "True winged her right in the arm and if that wound doesn't get attended to…she's not gonna last very long out there."
Jade…how could she just run off like that? She was safe with us and we could have banded together, but I guess I am always an issue for her. The living room begins to loom with darkness as time ticks on into evening. The sun glows like a radiant fire on the sea horizon and mixes in with the purple skies above. It's beautiful…but knowing about what really goes on here every year takes that beauty away.
"You mean, Jade is…will she die?" Beck asked in with a quiet voice; his lips trembling. Katniss sighed and shook her head indecisively while chewing on her lower lip.
"Don't know for sure yet. What I do know is that we need to find her fast before death becomes a possibility."
21 Students Remaining
Sunday: June 2nd, 2010 – 5:45 P.M. (Deserted Island: Woodlands)
Jade sped through the trees while swerving in every way possible to avoid the rough bark. Her body felt overheated…and her tongue felt barren. She couldn't take it anymore, and the moist feeling in her mouth was long gone.
Jade's exuberant face was now drenched in fresh sweat and her long black and blue hair continued to heat up like a wool coat; only adding more to the dilemma. Dehydration was the only answer to this, but how could she be dehydrated? She drank half of her clear blue water just ten minutes ago…unless.
Jade quit running immediately and stared at her arm with wide eyes as if she were a fly. She was able to wrap the sleeve of her dress shirt around her wound after cutting the fabric off, but it hasn't made much of a difference. The white strip around her bloody arm was now soaked with red and it hurt tremendously. Her entire body wouldn't stop tingling from the painful sensation coming from the bullet lodged into her upper arm.
"Ugh! Damn it all," she hissed violently through her clenched teeth. She couldn't help but feel helpless at the moment. Her entire water supply was gone…and she couldn't keep her thirst at bay anymore.
"I'll…kill that…gah!" she screamed from the torturous pain as images of True firing bullets at her flowed through her fogged mind. She felt her wound begin to burn terribly from the torn nerves that were destroyed by the speeding bullet. Her entire mouth felt dry as the evening came into view. The sun was beautifully resting on the horizon and the trees glowed a brilliant orange color. Jade felt like she was on the verge of dehydration, and at this rate…wasn't going to last very long.
"N-need! N-need w-water!" she squeaked as her throat began to burn as if embers were being poured down it. She frantically searched through her bag and quickly pulled out her map with a small grin on her flushed face. Approximately a mile away, there was a life-saving well…that means water!
Jade leapt to her feet and staggered off in that direction with her TMP pressed to her side in case anyone tried to shoot her again. According to Jade, she shouldn't have been shot the first time…if only Beck didn't distract her. If only she paid attention to her surroundings and didn't come off as vulnerable.
Screw Beck! Screw all of them! What do they know anyway? Jade grimly thought to herself as she trudged on through the forest. Those bastards come off as saviors and right when I lower my guard, BANG! I got fucking shot by that Jackson bitch!
Who am I kidding? There's no way out…we're all going to die in the end so what does it matter? Jade slowly rolled her eyes to the side and saw small mocking birds flutter onto a log. Their silver feathers shone in the golden light that came from the setting sun and they looked right at Jade's distressed form with their tiny eyes. Jade paid them no attention…she only cared about her burning throat and the relief she longs for once she makes it to that well filled with thirst quenching water.
So hot! Burns so b-bad damn it! I need…water now. Jade's eyes were wide like a zombie's as she slowly slid her feet through the branches and yellow leaves that scattered the forest ground. Little did she know…she wasn't alone.
21 Students Remaining
So...what did you think? Hopefully you enjoyed reading this filler chapter! Again, sorry for that waiting :D
Yep...Grace has been outsmarted by the one and only Camille Roberts! Camille is ruthless, but I guess Grace had it coming :P What about Tori's dream? Will the trio get closer as the game continues and will their alliance grow bigger in size? On no! What will happen to Jade!? Find out in the next chap of the 61st Annual Batte Royale Competition! XD
Review are greatly appreciated! Thank You all for reading :)