Another Chapter my friends!
Monday: June 3rd, 2010 – 3:14 A.M. (Deserted Island: Lighthouse)
"Wonder where they all ran off to?" Carlos whispered with a scared tone as he looked around the, pitch-black quiet kitchen of their Lighthouse or…'Fort'. Carlos really liked this idea…he loved it actually. It was like the super heroic power rangers…Carlos was the blue one though; the blue one has always been his favorite.
Kenny is the red one…because he's the leader! Carly is the yellow one…Cat is the pink one…Jamie is the black one…and Logie is the green one! Carlos cheered in his groggy head as he began to smile at the thought of being a super powered alliance. The sound of the arctic winds were howling against the sealed glass windows in agony and it made Carlos' smile fade almost instantly.
Ever since he woke up in that classroom with a horribly cold metal collar locked around his sweaty neck he had only felt one emotion…utter fear. He usually would be bright and smiley every minute of every day, but he just couldn't bring himself to smile anymore. This was just the one rare occasion where he actually would and not feel like vomiting at the flashbacks he would get constantly of Mike's gunned down face, Amanda's knifed head, and Kevin's butchered body. The moment he stepped outside the school building with fresh tears in his puppy-like eyes; scared to absolute death.
He remembers seeing Jo's body sprawled out on the concrete with her face barely being visible. Her blonde hair softly blowing around her head as the calm winds breezed by. A long metal like arrow sprouting from the back of her head with blood oozing from wound…thick red. Luckily he was able to escape without being seen by Beck, Tori or Gibby as they continued to have their frantic conversation over alliances and video games.
"You where planning something huh!" Gibby shouted. Tori crawled over and slowly got back on her feet still shaken, leaning on me for support. "It's like a videogame right? LikeModern Warfare or Left 4 Dead? It's all about 'Kill or be Killed' it's all about survival. The only difference is that you only have one life…no retries, no 1Ups! It's all over after that one life is used!" Gibby shouted while shaking his crossbow around.
"Yeah you're right Gibby it is like a videogame. You can team up and have allies…partners that will help you out…friends that'll stand by you," Tori piped up.
"Exactly Gibby! You can trust your friends. Zander, uh Kendall, Andre, Drake, Josh! Me and Tori. We're there for you," Beck said with a smile. Gibby lowers his crossbow and begins to repeat what we said.
He never thought that Beck would try and trick Gibby…Then he remembered, Tori! What happened to her? Did he kill her like he killed Kevin? These questions swirled around Carlos' brain mercilessly and he continued to picture blood…the smell, the feeling, the bodies.
Blood…so much of it…Blood everywhere… Carlos began to shiver as he pondered the deaths of his classmates. The soft blue blanket that Logan had given him was wrapped tightly around his body to the point where it might rip in two.
Demon…Boy…Beck is an evil Demon…Killed Kevin…I saw it…He killed him. Carlos felt tears burn his red eyes as he pictured the shaggy haired boy pulling the sticky scarlet red axe straight out of Kevin's cracked skull.
Squelch…
That noise is what made Carlos feel sick to his churning stomach. The sound of the curved blade leaving the goofy dark-skinned boy's torn flesh. His eye leaking out some disgusting fluid…and Carlos just couldn't forget any of it. It was burned into his mind like a torch and it even scorched the inside of his head causing it to throb in pain. His mind felt like a train was running through it recklessly and he heard his classmates' voices reverberate within it.
"Go away," Carlos began to cup his ears as the faint voices continued to angrily whisper all around him causing him to let out distressed sobs.
"Carlos…Did you like me?" he heard Suzie's small voice hoarsely whisper in his pained head. "I loved you…with all of my heart. I thought you would help me…you left me there to die."
"Suzie, I did like you…but I was scared! I was nervous around you whenever we had Photo club together…your smile would always make me feel funny, like there were butterflies in my stomach, and when I heard crying…I wanted to help you, I'm sorry! I was just scared Suzie!" Carlos sobbed horribly as he saw Suzie's face disappear from his unstable mind.
"What about me Carlos my man? Beck killed me like a pig comin' to the slaughter!" Kevin's angered voice hissed like a snake next to the caramel skinned boy's tiny ear. "You're just going to let him walk around unpunished?"
"No! He-He's a demon boy! Never innocent…he won't get away with what he did to you Kevin…I don't want to believe it…but Beck is a bad person," Carlos narrowed his giant brown eyes till they were slits fixed on the chipped wall in front of him.
Demon boy must die…Demon boy cannot live…
"In here," Carlos immediately jumped like a frightened alley cat after hearing the metal front door clang madly as it opened with a group of people barreling inside. The miserable Latino couldn't make them out exactly but he recognized their voices perfectly.
"Where should we put him?" he heard James grunt as if he was carry something agonizingly heavy. The darkness was overbearing the fresh smelling room, but Cat was able to scurry into the kitchen cupboards and scavenge some matches they found from earlier. In just a few seconds there were sweet scented candles lit in all corners of the 1st floor; casting a dim glow that revealed almost everyone's distressed faces. Carlos saw Carly leading a group of four boys (Kendall, Zander, Logan and James) with nothing but concern on her pale little face.
"We should place him in the bedroom just on the second floor. C'mon, just have to try and get up the staircase," Carly pointed out with a hint of fear in her voice as she watched them carry the bloody body through the front door.
Him? Thought Carlos obviously confused. Who's…him?
"Easy now boys," Kendall chuckled in-between his heaving gasps for air. "Logan…I don't want you getting too worked up. Remember your-"
"My anxiety…yeah, yeah," Logan grumbled as he withdrew from the crew of boys carrying an injured Beck over to the stair case with Cat Valentine trailing a few feet behind them; her magnificent red hair flowing behind her delicate form.
"Why don't you stay down here and keep 'Litos company?" James suggested while giving a charming wink causing Logan to give him nothing but a scowl of irritation.
"Alright…But you guys don't have to keep doing this. I can help too you know!" Logan muttered with his arms tightly folded over his puffed chest in a stubborn manner. Carly continued to lead the way while occasionally asking a series of delirious questions that only made the situation a lot more dramatic. Frankly, she sounded like an overbearing mother instead of a seventeen year-old teenage girl…
"Is he bleeding?" or "Oh God! Hurry up and get him upstairs you lazy bums! Move it! Move it!" was the only thing she kept frantically squealing.
Zander's mop of curls were sticking to his dripping forehead as he heaved Beck's legs in his arms. Cat kept covering her mouth in fear as her cinnamon colored eyes scanned Beck's condition.
"This is horrible!"she gasped from behind as Beck continued to sprinkle droplets of red liquid onto the hardwood floor of the lighthouse along with streams of sea water. "Is he gonna be okay?"
"Of course Cat…just have to let him…rest," Zander seethed with a faint smile as he continued to lug the injured boy up to the bedroom along with Kendall and James who were sharing in the amount of exasperating breaths.
"Kay Kay," she sighed while following them up the rusty metal steps that were leading up to the various floors above. The sound of forceful breaths along with Carly obsessing over Beck's condition was the only thing that could be heard until the hushed sound of a door slamming upstairs filled the quiet air.
Carlos and Logan were both alone now. Logan sat there on the couch twiddling his pale thumbs as he looked all over the dim lit kitchen. The candle's scents filled the cool air causing the faux hawk genius to take in a deep sniff.
"Mmm…Vanilla. Doesn't that smell good Carlos?" Logan asked with a friendly smile as he scooted over to his terrified friend.
"I guess…" is all he replied before tightening the sheets around his shaking form.
"Carlos. I know you're scared…I am too actually."
"You are?" Carlos asked in amazement. Logan always looked so serious and put together…
"Yeah," Logan bashfully grinned while running his fingers through his locks of brown hair. "But I'm not going to lose sight of what's important."
"What's that?" Carlos asked softly like a young child as he continued to cuddle with the comforting blanket.
"Getting out of here obviously. With all of you guys…You guys are my brothers and there is nothing that can change that," Logan gave a sincere smile that actually lifted the shorter boy's spirits a little.
"Okay…I want to get out here too Logan…With you, and James and Kendall. Carly, Cat and Zander too!"
"That's the spirit 'Litos! Now c'mon…let's go see how Beck is doing."
"Beck?" Carlos shrieked unintentionally causing Logan to give him a funny look of confusion.
"Yeah…Zander washed up on shore with him. By the looks of it, he barely has enough blood to keep his internal organs functioning," Logan contemplated with his eyebrow arched as he entered a medical state of mind.
"You mean…he might die?" Carlos asked quietly with a barely visible grin. Demon boy…he'll die! Even the spawn of Satan can't escape such a fate! Mi madre says so herself!
"Hopefully no. If we can properly care for him…then he might have a chance," Logan gave a dignified smirk before lifting himself off of the couch, leaving an imprint on the cream colored cushion. "Here…let's go."
Carlos stared wide eyed as the kind brunette offered him a hand and couldn't force himself to take it willingly. "I…I wanna stay here," Carlos whispers timidly as he sank deeper into the dimly lit couch as the candles surrounding them continued to give off a calm glow.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah…you guys go ahead. I'll be waiting here for you."
"Carlos? Are you still fixated on the whole 'Beck and Kevin' thing?" Logan crossed his arms like some sort of concerned father that gave his little Hispanic friend a bit of comfort.
"N-No! I'm over all of that Logan…promise okay?" Carlos answered in a stutter like manner. All Logan did was stare at him for a few seconds with his eyes narrowed in suspicion before shaking his head with a small sigh coming past his lips.
"Okay," he sighed hesitantly before turning around slowly to head up the rusty spiral staircase. "Carlos…we all care about you okay?"
"I know! I know! I'm not a baby," Carlos gave an authentic set of giggles from the couch that gave Logan a reason to smile. With that he went up the stairs and opened the bedroom door which caused a loud chorus of voices to spill from the inside of it.
As it closed, Carlos sat there with a small smile on his face…but couldn't stop thinking about the Demon Boy…Beck Oliver. Kevin's 'so-called' killer.
Please God…use your power to vanquish him!
17 Students Remaining
Monday: June 3rd, 2010 – 3:46 A.M. (Deserted Island: Grove)
"Not too shabby," a stern voice belonging to Katniss sighed as she tossed one of her assorted knives to the side. It landed into the moist grass with a thud as she admired her newly enhanced bow…absolutely beautiful. Her fingers moved gracefully as she tied the thin strand of nylon string she received from the farmhouse around each ends of the bow. "What do you girls think?" the fearless leader asked with a hint of amusement in her voice as she held the bow up in admiration. She slipped in an arrow straight into the heart of it and shot it off within a second causing it to pin into the center of a sturdy evergreen tree.
Thank God for woodshop…
Tori crouched over her knees; shaking wildly from the cold that was whipping through nature's elements. Katniss had stitched her wound up once again and had given her a few painkillers that she gathered from the farmhouse last night.
Camille had her ghostly white legs crossed as she gave Tori an encouraging grin. "I bet you he's okay."
"What if he isn't? What if his body is sprawled out somewhere like the twenty-five others?" Tori began to choke in sadness as Beck's dead form filled her clouded mind.
"That's not something we should dwell on," Katniss sighed while bringing the bow back down to lay it against an ancient tree stump. "We should get some shut eye…or at least a nap for a few hours before we have to chipper up and hear those stupid announcements."
"I agree. Tori you're exhausted…you should get some shut eye," Camille suggested as her eyes reflected a bright shine from the moon above. Her curly brown hair continued to trail down her back as she spoke.
"Sleep? I can't sleep! Camille…it's been almost an hour since…Oh God. It shouldn't be taking him so long!" Tori began to chew on her pink bottom lip as she stared at the brightly lit up time on her Blue pearphone's lucid screen. 3:50 A.M. it read…
"The only way we know for sure is if we hear his name screeching from those speakers at 6:00," Katniss nonchalantly sighed before leaning against the stump shared with her bow. She popped a piece of gum into her mouth before closing her silver eyes; prepping herself for a nice little nap before she had to wake up to another nightmare.
"What! Katniss how can you say that? He…He can't be… Katniss please!" Tori cried quietly into her palms which only made her look even more pathetic in Ms. Everdeen's eyes.
"You're seriously not good when it comes to feelings are you," Camille sighed while draping her arm over Tori's sobbing body in a consoling manner.
Katniss didn't even give a nod or a shake of the head. All she did was stare at the both of them with an arched brow that could have meant anything.
"Katniss…don't you feel anything? He can't be dead! He just can't be," Tori continued to weep.
"Yep…guess I'm just another Superman in the making."
"Shut up…so conceited."… "Don't die."
"Don't plan on it."
"Beck…Please be careful."
"I will… Katniss, get her out of here! Camille…Go!"
"What is it with you girls and jumping to conclusions?" Katniss' ebony black hair is unraveled from her usual braid. It sat upon her shoulders perfectly as she leaned her head back against the smooth bark of the over towering tree. "He's fine…I just have a feeling…He's fine trust me. My sixth sense is never wrong."
"Sixth sense?" Camille and Tori both ask in unison with the faces covered with curiosity. "What are you going on about?"
"Ugh! Do you guys believe in it? Yes or no? Take a pick?"
"Kind of."…"Maybe a little." Both of the girls answered in shy voices as Katniss sighed in annoyance.
"Good…because I definitely do. I'm a nurse's daughter for crying out loud. Every day she would bring in patients from all over and sometimes my little sister, Prim, would help out. However, no matter what the prognosis was…I always knew which ones were going to make it through. Even if they were diagnosed with a terminal illness…I just knew," Katniss began to peacefully stare up at the swaying tree branches as she told her beliefs to her two…friends. "I'm never wrong you two! Beck's alive…end of story! Just like I knew a family friend named 'Greasy Sae' would recover from her sickness that only left her with an inch of life."
"Greasy Sae?" Camille scoffed, "What kind of name is that?"
"You'll be amazed at the kinds of names the people in my town had," Katniss began to roar with laughter as she thought about each of their faces. Now that she thought about it, Greasy has been sending her all sorts of letters and gifts since she moved. Even a few of her infamous kettle soups much to her dismay.
"I like her," Tori giggled; beginning to come out of her little rump, "She sounds like a sweet lady."
"She definitely was…but I'm not lying! Beck will come back to us okay?"
Tori began to purse her lips as if she was thinking with all her might. "Are you really sure Katniss?" Tori gave a hopeful sigh that was tinged with doubt, but all Katniss could do was look directly into her deepened eyes and nod confidently.
"Yes…count on it you two."
"We will," Tori giggled before staring down at her stitched up knee cap. The bright red flesh swelled around it giving her the absolute creeps. "I hope this is the last time…I get an injury like this."
"Yeah, It's all the running around you've been doing Vega. Rest…" Katniss whispered soothingly as she yanked a thin wool blanket from her bag.
"But-"
"AH AH! No ifs, ands or BUTS! Now shimmy on into this blanket and if Beck does show up- which he will! I'll make sure he gives his little princess a 'true loves' kiss to wake her up."
"What! K-Katniss!" Tori babbled with an embarrassed blush on her thin, caramel face. The teasing girl merely smiled in amusement before laying the blanket onto the soft grass patches underneath her. Slowly, Tori crawled into the man-made bed with a humiliated grin before burying her face into the blanket. Camille gave a shy smile as well when Katniss trotted over to her and laid her bed out.
"Ms. Roberts. Your nest awaits."
"Thank you very much," Camille laughed before resting her curl-infested head on the cool blanket; making her heated skin instantly flood with pleasurable relief.
"Sure…you two girls get plenty of rest. Still got two days…Still have a little bit of hope left."
With that, the two teenaged girls began to close their eyes and drift away without a care in the world. However, Katniss had different plans in mind. Sleep? Like I need that…Now, where is that laptop? Katniss scoffed within her head as she began to scavenge her bags. Her hands were yanking objects of all sorts from water bottles to bags of deer meat she ruthlessly hunted yesterday morning. Her sterling gray eyes were scanning the whole interior of her duffle bag for a few more seconds before she finally cracked a satisfied smile.
"Aha…here we are," she whispered before bringing out some sort of electronic device. A laptop. A laptop decorated with various stickers including a few symbols that officially stand for rebellion against the government, a bright blood red eagle surrounded by black stars is one of them. On the very bottom corner, a name was plastered onto it in shining glory.
JAKE 'THE MAN' COLLINS!
"Of course," Katniss sadly laughed as she held Jake's infamous laptop in her strong hands. The same laptop used for hacks against the grading system, changing the gnarly days known as 'Tulip Tuesday' to 'Tatertot Tuesday', even creating flawless blogs that held secrets of all kinds to expose the dark presidential system. This was his life…and Katniss was determined to finish the job on his behalf. "Alright…let's get to work."
Katniss was actually able to heist it from Jake's heavy bag in the heap back when they were hastening an escape from Felix…
She knew that Eikner and the other officials were listening to her so intently that they were practically hanging off of her every word. She had to be careful. She slowly opened the laptop in suspense only hoping that the sound of it clicking open wasn't heard in any way. The soft glow from the screen instantly illuminated the grove patch causing her to squint her eyes to get a clear look at the screen. As her blurred vision began to adjust to the bright glowing light, her fingers moved over the asphalt colored keys hesitantly as she thought about what to do.
Hm…Hacking? Katniss…what the hell do you know about hacks? I can't even operate a laptop back home! Sure, we hardly use them where I'm from but…
Katniss thought fiercely as the screen continued to glimmer; emitting a pale white light. On the desktop she saw that his background picture was him and his bearded father; smiling brilliantly into the camera. Jake was about thirteen when it was taken, only a few weeks before his father was executed by government officials.
She started to smile lovingly at the picture of her new and perished friend. Pictures of him smiling and cracking jokes went through her mind causing her to purse her lips as raw emotions began to take their toll.
"Kat…thought you left me," Jake grinned as he looked up at her. Katniss responded with a smile before giving him a soft shake.
"Are you insane! I would never leave my teammate behind."
"Teammate? Pretty rad…So…that bow…it was you?" Jake asked with a soft whisper as his voice began to become hoarse from all the yelling. Katniss simply nodded her head with a smirk as the strands of hair poking out of her braid swayed in the wind along with the foggy smoke.
"You bet…I had to do something. Couldn't just leave you here to die could we?" she stated her brow arched in question.
"Guess not. T-Thanks…Kat," he graciously thanked her with a smile as he watched the heroic girl's entire body become outlined in an enticing orange glow from the fire. "Katniss Everdeen…the girl on fire."
"What?" Katniss laughed in confusion.
"You…you're on fire Kat. K-Keep it up," Jake hoarsely chuckled.
"Girl on Fire, huh?" Katniss laughed before wiping her teary eyes with the tainted cuff of her dress shirt sleeve. She tried to think of the basics of how to get into the hard drive of a computer…she knew that it was where Jake had all the darkest secrets. She instantly thought about her prior technology professor…Mr. Beetee…
Ashen skin that resembled specks of smoke, glasses that were always too big for his face and a thirst for knowledge that would leave anyone he had a conversation with longing to know more. She loved him dearly and he was one of her favorite teachers…
She tried to recall one of his lessons, but it's been over a year and she would usually doze off or think about her plans in the woods with her dearest friend, Gale, that afternoon until that class ended. However, she regretted it more than ever now. Her brain was exerting every bit of knowledge she ever retained for that class and began typing none the less.
Gotta get somewhere right? She thought with a smirk as she began to fulfill Jake's final wishes.
17 Students Remaining
Monday: June 3rd, 2010 – 4:28 A.M. (Deserted Island: Lighthouse)
Logan had been at it for over an hour. His careful hands were moving over one another with perfect synchronization as he stitched Beck's gruesome wounds up precisely. Even better than what Katniss could usually achieve. His usually shy brown eyes were now intently glaring all over his 'patient's' tattered body as he chewed his lip out of crazed nervousness.
"That's incredible," Zander gasped in awe as he watched Logan's every move. Carly sat next to Cat on the spare white bed and both of them had looks of insane curiosity as well.
"Oh! Thanks.," Logan replied with a small smile as he resumed his work. A first aid kit was right on Logan's left side with its assortments messily arranged. A roll of bright white bandages were strewn in a heaping pile, A bottle of rubbing alcohol was sending toxic fumes into the chilled air as its cap was screwed completely off and drugs of all colors were organized in specific bottles with labels plastered onto them. "To be honest….this is great practice!" he beamed excitedly as he continued to stitch his friend up swiftly.
"Keep it up Logan. Our awesome medical genius!" Kendall praised with a bright smile. "Now Zander? Are you sure?"
"Sure about what?" Zander asked as he shook his head vigorously to stop the genius' brilliant threading skills from entrancing him.
"About Lucy? Harcore Stone?" Kendall emphasized the terrifying girl's street name causing everyone in the room to shudder in revulsion. Cat even hid behind Carly's limber back with a look of fright on her baby like face.
"Oh…yes. Lucy is definitely playing to win," Zander sighed making everyone widen their eyes at the horrific thought.
"Crap…Lucy's crazy! And you've actually confronted her?" James gasped with his sandy brown hair swooping over his pretty eyes. Zander simply nodded in disappointment before rubbing his pale, clammy forearm. He was still soaking wet from the salty oceans, but James was able to hastily drape a fuzzy warm towel over him to help dry him off.
"I have. I even fought her a little…However, her eyes…they were just black. Solid Black. It was like she had no soul at all."
"I wanted him to stop but no matter how much it hurt he said it felt too good to stop. Soon he started inviting his friends over while my mom was at work and began to do even more things to me…I guess little girl bodies turn them on," Lucy snickered darkly as she turned around so that her rear was facing Zander. "See? They all wanted a piece of Lucy Stone, hm. They all wanted me to make them feel good like my daddy."
No matter how many times he let that scene wash through his head, he still couldn't stop cringing with a slight shiver. What has she been through? Is that why she's so messed up? Lucy…what happened to you? Zander pondered these questions with a disturbed expression still fresh on his moist face as he rewound the entire story Lucy had told him.
"My God," Carly whispered as if she had witnessed something beyond brutal. "We definitely should watch out for her. Right?"
"Agreed! She's a meanie," Cat whined with her eyebrows furrowed like a pouty little girl making everyone in the bedroom laugh in a light manner. Laughing was the one thing they could to take their minds somewhere away from this nightmare…
"Oh and Zander? I'm sorry about Stevie," Logan piped up with a sincere look on his face as everyone else gave him the same amount of sympathy. Zander stared at the ground as he thought his dearest friend; tears flooding his two exhausted and pink eyes. The tears perfectly blended in with the thin sheet of water he already had on his face.
"Thank you Logan…Thanks to all of you," Zander softly spoke with a smile of appreciation. "Well…I should get going."
"Okay," Kendall said in a disappointed tone as he rose from the folding chair he set up next to Beck's bed. "Be careful out there, you hear me man?"
"I hear you," Zander laughed as he gave his close friend a hug. "You all stay hidden…I'll come back whenever I can."
"Got it," the good natured blonde boy beamed with a wink.
"Oh! I almost forgot…When Beck wakes up, make sure to give him this," Zander's hands held what seemed to be a gleaming throwing knife…Molly's throwing knife. Earlier this afternoon, Zander came across both Molly and Kirby; almost throwing up on the spot.
Her head looked blown apart almost with one of her eye sockets barren as blood thickened around the crevices in her destroyed skin and bones. Kirby looked even worse…as if that was possible. His head had some sort of chunky, meaty fluid leaking from the side of it.
Both dead…little did he know that Ms. Stone was the one who committed these two lovely murders before moving off to gun down Stevie. Trying not to purge the water he had guzzled down only moments before, he quickly took Molly's knives; wrapped in solid black cloth that felt like velvet in his fingers, and took off like a cheetah on the hunt.
When handing the covered set of weapons over to Kendall, Zander gives him a simple nod of affirmation. However, Kendall merely looks at him in confusion before setting them down on the blank white bedside table next to a purely white lamp that wasn't working…surprise, surprise.
"I know it might be a weird gift, and I have no idea how much it'll help him out…but tell him that I will find him again. I promised him…I promised all of them," Zander firmly told them as he stood strong and proud; the pale pink light of dawn seeping through the baby blue curtains that shielded the window panes overhead and hitting Zander's exuberant face.
"Will do," Kendall gave him a strong grin as he nodded in understanding. As Logan began to inject various drugs that seemed all identical into Beck's bloodstream using sterile IV needles, Zander grasped his broomstick handle before waving his free hand to everyone. The stable alliance of close friends all waved back with sincere smiles before watching him step past the bedroom door's threshold and disappear down the spiral steps into the calm candle light.
"Will Zander be okay?" Cat asked with her head rested on Carly's slender shoulder; her velvet red hair sweeping over her own as she did so. Kendall nodded with hope in his green eyes which answered everyone's questions immediately. Hope…it's all they have and it's everything they need. They have to cling to it no matter how slim their chances are. Kendall, especially, had to keep this dying fire of faith alive as long as he could even though being the leader isn't always easy.
Beck was lying on his blank white bed with his entire body freshly bandaged and shirtless; revealing slivers of toned skin. The thin covers for the bed were pulled up to his heaving chest and the entire crew stayed for a few minutes after Logan finished giving him his last few doses of pain killers.
"Look! I guess those drugs were able to open his blood vessels a bit and get his heart moving again…He's breathing too, so far so good," Logan sighed with exhaustion after wiping his pale forehead free of beads of sweat.
Thank God…Kendall thought with a smile as he watched Beck's chest begin to rise and fall in perfect rhythm. The sleeping boy's damp hair was laid carelessly about the fluffed pillow and his entire fore head had a moist and warm cloth over it because Logan insisted that it would keep his body temperature above or at normal.
Zander had said his good-byes to a jittery Carlos downstairs before heading out of the front clanging metal door of the lighthouse. The refreshing ocean spray almost soaked him once again as he made his way south with his tracker gripped tightly in his hand. He heard the waves crash mercilessly into the pile of boulders next to the towering lighthouse and couldn't believe how loud it was. He was just happy his friends were still safe…happy that they haven't been victimized yet. Yet? It's strange for Zander to think the word 'yet' when he says things like that.
They haven't died yet.
They weren't found and murdered yet.
They haven't gone crazy like the others…yet.
It was such an awful thing to think, but it was reality and it had to be accepted.
17 Students Remaining
Monday: June 3rd, 2010 – 5:02 A.M. (Deserted Island: Forest ledge)
Lucy had finally come to a slowing stop after running for at least a mile from the gleaming fire that erupted hours ago. She checked her map with a devious grin before she sat down with her back leaning against a curved, smooth tree trunk to where the top was leaning over the slanted ledge. Her hair was now pinned in a half-up and half-down style making her red and black highlights stand out even more.
"Why must I be so goddamn beautiful," she sighed with a smile as she pulled out her purple leather make up bag; reflecting the remaining stars' light that continued to shine until dawn would occur.
She swiftly took out her blush and began applying it to her toned cheeks and then began applying it to her perfect nose. Lucy Stone always knew she was a beautiful legend, but she always loved to remind every girl at her school how great she really was.
"Eyeliner time," Lucy sang as she threw the soft powder brush into her bag and began to pick out the dark purple highlighting pencils. After she was finished with her make up session, she slowly drew out her sickle with a face filled with lust as she placed her fingertips upon the cold, curved blade. Dried splatters of red were splotched on random spots and she couldn't help but look at her reflection when staring into the deadly metal.
Flawless…as always. She sighed before tilting her head to the side to check herself at all angles. Abso-fucking-lutely flawless…
Her eyes resembled two entrancing orbs yet they were empty…nothing lay within them, but they always drew attention. As she continued to scan her reflection, an instant change threw her completely off. She saw a small girl in her spot instead.
"What the?" Lucy glared at the image within the sickle's blade and began to arch her thin eyebrows in disgust. The small girl had a shining face that seemed to brighten the world. Her hair was jet black, but shoulder length. Her skin was just a light shade of bronze…who is she?
It was Lucy. It was Lucy before she became…Hardcore Stone. It was Lucy when she knew what love felt like. It was Lucy before her innocence was heartlessly preyed up by sickening old wolves.
She threw the curved blade to the grass with a grunt of irritation causing the ground to vibrate from the impact. "Hmph! What the hell was all that about?" she grumbled with her eyes fixed on the weapon as if the little girl was about to jump from the reflecting blade, but instead it just reflected the pale blue and purple sky along with a few faded stars. She shook her head fiercely which made her hair float around her head.
"Must be going crazy, wouldn't be the first time," Lucy rolled her coffee like eyes in annoyance before looking down at her clasped hands. She zoomed in on one of her fingers which held something that glittered in the sun that was rising briefly from behind the rolling hills from up ahead. The air was fresh with nature and everything seemed clean in the cooling breezes, as if everything that occurred from yesterday had been reset.
The glittering object caught Lucy's eye immediately and she instantly thought of her younger self in response. It made her insides twist because with those good memories…came the bad ones as well. The object she had on her ring finger was a ladybug ring made out of pure gold. You would think that Lucy would have sold it for some big bucks by now, but the truth is that she simply couldn't. It meant to much to her…
It meant so much to her because that was the first thing her birth father gave her on her fifth birthday. He gave her a ladybug because it simply was the nickname her father gave her when she was just a baby…then he stopped…and that's when everything bad happened in her life.
Truth is…my father never ran off and married…he died when I was just eight in a hit & run. Damn! I always tell myself that he left us because then it makes me feel just a little better. It makes me feel like, at least he's still there… Lucy's mind quivered as she thought these things for the first time in years. But why? Why now?
"How's my little ladybug?"
"Good Daddy!"
"He's the only man in my life who hasn't hurt me, or used me," whispered with her eyes glazing with tears. Not fake tears either…genuine tears of sadness and nostalgia were forming in her eyes. "He left me forever…he left me with that douche my mom called 'the perfect man'...hmph! 'Perfect' my ass."
She felt her well polished nails dig violently into the moist soil around her as she began seeing his horrid face smile in her head. She hated him…she hated all men. They were all the same to Lucy…they take and take until there's nothing left. Steal. Take. Lie. Hurt. Destroy. All the same in all of them.
His clean cut businessman look fooled the eyes of many, but Lucy knew. She knew what he really was…he was a hungry wolf who heartlessly devoured the innocence of children.
Over, and Over, and Over! Lucy shut her eyes tight as she began reminiscing on the horrific things he would do to her. The touching…the things he would put inside me...the things he would scream at me.
That's exactly why she believed in giving before they could take it. Seducing those dumb morons would always get Lucy what she wanted even if it meant doing things such as pre-meditated murder. The male gender was like putty in her soft hands. Putty she could play with and use over and over again until she got bored of it, and it all originated from her dark childhood.
"Always would smack me…" Lucy cringed as the images of her past haunted her relentlessly. The pale blue sky was mixed with shades of pink and the horizons were tinted with a glowing orange. Nails were digging into the crumbling dirt every second as she felt the blows from her stepfather being delivered to aching her cheek just like when she was younger. "He beat me because I was flat-chested. That bastard smacked me over and over just because I didn't have any breasts to squeeze!"
She heard the sound of skin being slapped echo throughout her mind as well as a horrendous sound of a small girl wailing like a dying animal. She felt hot tears come trickling down the corners of her closed eyes just like when he would hurt her and began hearing his voice growling in pleasure in her ear. She could feel his disgusting breath rolling off of her skin and she felt like she was on the verge on vomiting.
"I learned to take it after a year or two, but…" she breathed slowly to keep herself from puking and felt her fingers finally leave the earth. The voices have finally left her with a quiet sense of nature as winds caressed her tear-stained face and blew off into the distant horizon. The smell of fresh tree leaves filled Lucy's nostrils with each deep breath she would take in and her thin brows turned into an angered furrow. "They always try and take advantage…fuckers."
She had to prep herself for her next move to another location as the announcements neared. Where to…next? She thought while trying to regain her 'old' personality. The beastly tears had finally stopped and so has the vulnerability that had surfaced in her ruined eyes.
After a few minutes, Lucy Stone was back and ready for action. "Time to play," she giggled while staring at the blood covered sickle lying at her feet with her old cold eyes. She looked at her obscured reflection once more and saw that little girl again. Her lips curved into a sinister sneer as she bent over slowly and wrapped her delicate fingers around the smooth handle.
"What are you looking at? You and I both know that those days are over," Lucy scoffed into the mirrored image of herself and all she was met with was a sad smile from her eight-year old self. "Just as I thought."
With that, Lucy pranced off with her sickle tightly gripped in her hand; leaving the old curved tree basking in the rising orange sunlight.
17 Students Remaining
Monday: June 3rd, 2010 – 5:45 A.M. (Deserted Island: Outer Woodland)
Birds were singing rather beautifully in perfect harmony that made Josh almost smile at how gorgeous it all was. He breathed in the refreshing woodland air that almost made him close his eyes lovingly to take in the fantastic scent. His hair was still neatly combed back, leaving a few gelled strands in front of his calm and peaceful face as the wind blew past him gently and made the leaves overhead on the branches sway soothingly.
"So Josh," Drake started with a grunt as he threw his bag against the stump of a light brown tree that was sprouting a magnificent display of brilliant orange and yellow leaves from its towering branches. "We layin' low here for a little?"
"Uh-huh. Just until we feel it's safe enough to move on," Josh softly spoke with a content smile. That was Josh alright…always soft and approachable. Drake gave his brother a half-smirk as he nodded in understanding.
"Gotcha. Well, I'm going to sit down and eat some of the berries we found back in the grove while you go out and find more just in case I get hungry," Drake suggested in a matter-of-fact tone that made Josh give a scoffing laugh.
"Haha," Josh moaned lowly and sarcastically as he fell to his knees across from his brother who was gorging the purple tinted berries. He watched the sweet juice trickle from Drake's thin lips and couldn't help but feel his stomach growling protest. "C-Can I have a few?"
"A few? Have as many as you want Josh! My God man, you're the one who found 'em after all," Drake gave a boastful laugh as he tossed the clear bag of violet colored berries over to his tamed brother. Josh instantly gave a smile of joy as he fumbled it in his warm hands.
"Thanks brotha!" Josh laughed jokingly as he threw the berry into his mouth and let the juice flow down his throat like a thin stream of happiness. He bit into another tender berry and let it burst in his mouth; allowing the flavors to dance merrily on his pink tongue. He never would have guessed that this place would have offered so many beautiful things for them, but he wished he was back in his loft. Playing his video games in his pajamas with Gibby on the phone as they played together joyously.
Gibby…Mindy…Josh thought sadly; allowing his infectious smile of serenity fall from his face. He missed them so much. If only he was with Mindy that night, then maybe she would still be here. She could have been here with the both of them, but Drake couldn't stand her bossiness. In fact, Mindy couldn't stand Drake's moronic nature. Frankly they couldn't stand each other one single bit, but Josh loved them both and they both had to accept that Josh was the one thing that kept them from tearing each other apart.
"Drake?" Josh said in-between his chewing with a widened set of eyes.
"What up?" Drake replied with his eyes focused on a notebook that had doodles scratched onto the cover with pencil. He was intently writing lyrics for a new song he had been thinking about and whenever he was in that state of mind, it was always best to leave him alone. However, Josh was an exception.
"I want you to handle this," Josh softly spoke as he brought his weapon (A Colt Anaconda revolver) out of his navy blue duffle bag and held it out to a confused Drake.
"What?" Drake nervously asked while bringing his pencil down and setting it down on the marked up paper in his 'Lyric' book. He stared at the gun with unsure eyes as Josh continued to hold it out to him with a smile of amusement. "Josh…Josh? Are you sure about this?"
"Definitely, you were always the one with a knack for guns. I don't even know where the safety is on this thing. It's better off in the hands of a genius musician who's a pro with his hands…don't you think? Besides, I'm a gamer. The only gun I've ever fired was one in Call of Duty…"
"Sure…" Drake gave him an unnerved smile as he leaned forward to grasp the gun. The soft breezes whistled through the forest trees as well as the whistles from musically gifted mocking birds. The amazing sun began to rise higher into the bright blue sky minute by minute and 6 o' clock was now set on the clock.
The horns blared throughout the sun washed island and a song began to flow effortlessly from the speakers. It was a classical song of sorts…possibly from Bach?
The sounds of violins and piano chords harmoniously flowed throughout the island in strings of lovely melody. After a minute or two, Mr. Eikner's nice little voice had finally started to roar from the speakers; completely ruining the music's lasting appeal.
"Well Gooood Morning little warriors! How are my little troopers doing this fine and dandy morning? Good I hope! Now, how about we get on with it eh?" his cheery voice boomed with jolly laughter causing Drake and Josh to both cringe in disgust.
"How fucked up can you get?" Drake whispered in disgust as he placed the shiny gun in the patch of golden grass next to him. The leaves were restlessly tumbling across the forest floor as Eikner roared once again with more awful banter.
"Drake! Language dude," Josh sighed with a whisper in his voice making Drake groan in response.
"Looks like we hit a triple limit for the death count since midnight…well, you're doing better but I'm still not that impressed! Any who…Girl # Steele…awww I liked her. Oh well, I'll get over it," he laughed merrily once more making Josh tear up.
"Hayley's dead now?" he whispered as he remembered seeing her leave the classroom before the game began. Her smile and waving to all of us just to make us feel better.
"Josh, c'mon…don't think about it too much," Drake reassured with a small smile of encouragement.
"Next up we have a couple of males! Boy # 11. Andre Harris and Boy # 13. Jake Collins! Oh well…looks like three more contestants aren't going to see another day. Now! Here are the danger zones! At 7:00, D-8! I repeat, D-8! Then at 8:00, E-5! Hope you guys are writing these important times down…I would hate to eliminate you all. Next at 9:00, B-6! B-6! Then…during the hour of 10:00…G-8! Last of all! At 11:00, H-2! Alright my little warriors, keep it up and try to fight much harder okay? Much, much harder! Enjoy the nature while you're at it. It's beautiful is it not? Well, I'll talk to you all soon," Mr. Eikner chuckled good mannerly before signing off from the intercom giving the winds and their mocking bird companions their musical spotlight back.
"This sucks…only seventeen of us left now," Drake sighed in depression as he stared at the class roster with his eyes squinted. He now crossed off Jake, Hayley and Andre's names from the list with his wooden pencil; filling the air with the sound. Josh sat there still mystified…
"We'll make it out though, right Drake?"
"Duh. Of course Josh. No way am I gonna hurt you," Drake gave him a wink before moving back to his lyrics as he picked the notebook back up and placed it upon his lap.
"Me either. Besides, it's already game over when you can't trust your own bro'," Josh beamed with his eyes sparkling in hope. "We also have a few other friends out there somewhere. It might take some searching, but I think we should try trusting them also…whaddya say?"
"I say…Hell Yeah," Drake gave cool nod that gave the video gaming boy a case of light chuckles.
"I'll go out and search for more of those berries okay? You stay here and keep watch," Josh grinned as he got onto his two feet whilst brushing the crumbled pieces of yellow leaves from his gray uniform pants. "Be back in flash."
As Josh walked away with his eyes peacefully scanning the scenery around, Drake stayed behind with his eyes glued to notebook pages; filled with scratched up lyrics that unveiled Drake's true emotions. His soft hair was sweeping down over his eyes as he took another juicy into his mouth. On the very top of the page was the Drake's new song title 'Hope is All We Have Left' and began to let rhyming lyrics flow from his head and down to his fingers to let them come to life.
As the sun shined brightly from behind him; casting a nice shade over him as he continued his work, there was a figure shadowed with her knees crouched in a predatory state. She was leaning over a ten foot cliff that was just above Drake's relaxed body and a pleased smile etched onto her angelic face. Her empty eyes were fixed upon his unsuspecting form while he continued to scribble things down. "Well, Well…Drake Parker. What's a cute little boy like you doing all alone?" her voice cooed quietly so that it could barely be heard over the breezing winds as well as the rustling leaves. Lucy was the only possible suspect. Her hands wrapped around the crafted handle of the sickle as she raised it high above her head ready to strike. "Game over…guitar junkie."
She leapt off the cliff while bringing the sickle down in one swift slice, ready for the tip of her shiny blade to dig into the top of his skull. Her hair perfectly flew behind her brilliantly as she descended but everything was thrown once she heard something scream from out of her view.
"Drake!" Josh screamed in hysteria as he dropped the berries he had gathered and stared at Lucy's flying form in terror. Her eyes locked with his in an instant moment of surprise.
"Huh?" Lucy gasped as she stared right at the serene boy she recalled being 'Josh Nichols'.
"What! What's going on!?" Drake cried as he threw his lyric book to the side frantically. Little did he know…Lucy was seconds away from impaling his head.
17 Students Remaining
So much suspense! What do you guys think is going to happen with Lucy and her attempt to kill Drake? What baout what she trouly went through as a child? What do you think about the entire situation with Carlos and his paranoia? What do you think Katniss is planning to do with Jake's laptop? Find out in the next chapter of Battle Royale Competition!