Gah! I swear to the lord that I will finish this story! I won't give up on it! Haha I am literally this close to finishing it so hang on tight for the conclusion of this awesome story ;) Oh and I'm in the process of starting another story as well...it might be a suspenseful horror story. Still deciding. Well, hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter :P
Tuesday: June 4th, 2010 – 5:36 A.M. (Hilltops; Deserted Island)
The tree's rustling leaves brushed against Katniss, Beck and Tori's shivering bodies as they sped up a steep hill. The grassy patches were covered in crystal dew drops as they struggled to get to the very top of the hill with frantic and heavy breaths expelling from their lips. It was only a few minutes ago did they hear that horrid yet familiar sound of a gun being fired in the distance and assumed the very worst.
"K-Kat!" Beck coughed as his lungs began to writhe and burn from all the running he was doing; not to mention his wounds were still somewhat fresh. Katniss stopped dead in her tracks making her majestic braid swing forward like a snapping whip and she leaned over to with her hands resting upon her thighs.
"What," she breathed rather messily with her eyes squinted down at the fresh blades of grass underneath her.
"We're running out of time and if you haven't noticed we don't even have any idea what this 'plan' is," Tori spoke loudly with her voice verging on hysterical. It wasn't as if she had a reason not to be now that after all this time…only they were left along with a deranged psychopath.
Katniss slowly looked over her shoulder and exchanged glances with Beck for a quick second who seemed to be faintly grinning even though his face still looked beat up and his cut lip still had a drizzling trail of crimson red blood dripping down his chin. "We don't have anything to worry about Tor'," the single braided girl laughed with a few raspy coughs spilling from her mouth.
All Tori did was give her a dumbfounded look while arching a brow in suspicion as they heard a few mocking birds chirp and sing beautifully right over them. Even though the air seemed tense these gorgeous birds of the island couldn't help but bless the trio with their breath taking songs.
Katniss gave one final huff of air before grunting with her legs trying to climb up the steep hill; the golden, morning sun rising faintly over the top of it and shining on her moist face. They had come this far…after all this time they finally had their chance. She let the music of the birds fill her ears and in response she smirked with a look of peace on her face as she thought about one special little girl. "That's our song Rue," Katniss mused while trudging up the hill.
In minutes they reached the glorious top of the hill. The golden yellow sunlight glowed upon the three of them as they admired the entire island. They saw everything from up here. They saw they vast forest down beneath them, the gorgeous lakes and streams that were reflecting the sun's rays, the various hill tops all over the island, the farmhouse as well as the small abundant groups of town homes littering the land, the towering lighthouse basking in the sweet sun, the sandy beaches and the free ocean waters with a few twinkling lights on the horizon (populated cities or other places of civilization most likely).
Tori's locks of brown hair swayed with the calming winds and brushed against her cheeks as she admired the view with a peaceful smile. "It's beautiful," she whispered as the wind whistled by them creating a magnificent sound along with the mocking bird's melodies.
"Hmph," Katniss scoffed with her arms folded over her heaving chest as she gazed upon the beautiful landscape and gave a simple shrug. "Despite the little fact that there are thirty-eight dead bodies sprawled all over the place down there…other than that, I agree."
Beck and Tori merely shivered from the silver eyed girl's choice of commentary as she held her finely carved bow in her right hand with a look of set determination as she looked off into the horizon. "So what next?" Beck chuckled lightly to ease the uncomfortable tension between all of them as he hobbled over to her with the thin Tori Vega at his side who was holding Hayley's designated weapon (A deadly machete).
They hoisted it while running off after they witnessed Kacey's untimely death. That's all they had time to really get their hands on before Camille could catch them…luckily they left just in time before she could add them to her death toll, but it was all still too awfully shocking to grasp. They thought they could trust her, but obviously they thought wrong.
"Do you…Do you guys think she killed him," Tori suddenly blurted with a fearful look in her tearing eyes as she thought about Drake's fearless action to distract Camille. Katniss only shook her head in response while taking a deep sigh.
"I don't know, but we need to make sure we finish our end of the bargain."
"Okay…still waiting to know what our end of the bargain is?" Tori spoke with an impatient sound to her usually soft voice.
Suddenly, an ear shattering shot rang through the air making everyone grimace yet fly to the ground in great speed. The only sound that followed was a high pitched screech coming from the mouth of Tori who seemed to have collapsed to the ground with a fresh bullet wound in the side of her tanned thigh. Blood oozed from the dark red hole made by the gunfire and Tori only let out a few shaky breaths along with a couple whimpers due to the pain coursing through her.
The air felt strangely still from the sudden event and Beck felt as if his mind was spinning like a carousel gone haywire. The adrenaline in his veins was coursing at a rapid pace making his senses heighten frighteningly. "Tori! D-Damn!" he hissed while turning around to gaze upon her wounded form. "Always the leg…hold on Tor'," the determined young teen spoke with his face scrunched from the crude wound on Tori's tanned leg.
Katniss was the one who was the most alert from the deafening gunshot. Her silver eyes were intently fixed towards the source of the sound; a dense leafy thicket that had rain drops drizzling from it, yet a gun's barrel was poking out from it. Smoke drifted from the red hot tip of the gun like a cigar and Katniss quickly drew the machete like a warrior getting poised for battle.
The bright orange sun was barely finished rising from the ocean's glorious horizon and the rays were coating the entire island welcoming in the third and final day. Beck held Tori in his lanky arms with a few whispers softly coming from his lips as he tried to console Tori who was writhing in pain. He wrapped her crimson red coated leg with a few pieces of cloth he scavenged from the lighthouse (most likely used for cleaning) after cleansing it with clean drinking water and hoped it would be enough.
Her face was scrunched up in utter pain and terribly pained hisses were spilling from her trembling mouth. To put it bluntly, she was actually handling it all too well…looks like the petite cheerleader really has come a long way.
"Goddamn it! Get out here!" Katniss barked madly with her teeth barred in anger as she glared at the thicket with a pair of vengeful eyes. "Camille! C'mon! Get out here and fight! It's just us now! No more hiding bitch! It's all or nothing right now!"
Suddenly without any hesitation or any kind of resistance, Camille slowly emerged from the dense thicket with her eyes coming into the light. A calm essence filled them as she stared straight into Katniss' and her locks of brown, curly hair flowed behind her from the soothing breezes. She kept her gun (Owen's Colt Python) raised up to the single braided girl's tense and fearless face; her pale finger pressed against the cold trigger.
The whistling melodies of mocking birds filled the air like an awkward song being played at the worst possible moment as Camille finally pulled the trigger making everyone shut their eyes as tight as they could, expecting to feel their ear drums burst…but they didn't. Nothing could be heard. Nothing but the continuous music coming from the trees around them.
Everyone slowly opened their eyes with nothing but confusion written in them as Camille stood there with the gun; a look of curiosity on her intelligent face as she began to examine the gun as if it were a foreign object. "Interesting," she whispered softly with her brow arched interestingly before pulling the trigger again to test it out.
CLICK-CLICK-CLICK
Still nothing. She was out of bullets. Talk about luck.
She merely gave a bored little shrug before tossing the useless icy heap of metal to the grass covered ground making a soft thudding noise for a brief moment. However, she still had another trick up her sleeve which made everyone cringe in horror as she brought up yet another weapon she was holding at her side. The katana…Suzie's deadly katana. The one that you'd normally see samurai's use in those violent rated-R flicks that every teenage boy loved seeing no matter what their parents would say.
The blade of the katana reflected the bright light coming from the morning sun as she slowly pointed it right at Katniss; Camille's pale hands gripping the handles. Katniss fixed her with an intense glare that burned with all of her hatred as she did the same and drew her machete. It was official…a duel was about to begin.
The air grew crisp as it blew through their locks of soft hair delicately yet Katniss couldn't even take in a single breath of air due to how terrified she was. She never fought with a melee weapon like this before, and when she did…she failed horribly whenever she did practice runs with her old buddy Gale (they used wooden play swords, but still). No, she couldn't think about him. Him or his name…it hurt too much, especially now.
She felt her tightened throat loosen as she tried to swallow dryly and parted her chapped lips to let a rolling wave of clean air come into her lungs. This was it, now or never. She could feel Beck and Tori's agonized eyes glazing over her as if she were being offered up at the stick for death…might as well be. Her braid swiftly flailed behind her lean back as a gust of sudden wind swept past her and she could see Camille's supple, red lips curve into a slight, faint smile.
"So Ms. Everdeen…Girl on Fire…What a strange nickname. I never would have guessed that off the top of my head. I suppose Jake really did have a knack for being such a spontaneous gentleman…don't you agree?" Camille sighed softly with her head tilting the side.
"Yeah how about you tell him that after I chop your damn head off eh? I bet you would love to talk to all the people you've murdered," Katniss growled with her eyes still flooding with pure rage. "Now, are you gonna keep chatting like were two bored skanks in a salon, or are we gonna hurry up and get to the ass kicking?"
"Fine, but hopefully you realize that once I kill you…all three of you, you'll all be nothing but drop out contestants from a national reality show…not a group of saviors who created irreversible history," the reserved brunette spoke indignantly with a her eyelids drooping a little bit as if she were tired. All Beck did was give a grunt of displeasure while trying to get back onto his feet to give this girl a taste of his fist until he felt Tori's hand tugging on his sleeve; urging him to ,for once, not do anything too stupid.
"Let's just do this," Katniss spat with zero remorse in her stern voice as she began to step towards Camille with her strong hands grasping the rusty machete. She could still hear those mockingbirds whistling softly in the trees as if they were her own audience…as if Rue was still there. Rue…Gale…Madge…Peeta…Everyone in her class. Their deaths all meant nothing to this shit world except her. She definitely wasn't going to let it all be in vain. Never was she going to fall to her knees when it came to this fucked up government.
She felt the damp earth underneath her feet as she suddenly began to take off like a speeding bullet towards Camille's calm form. The glorious sun washed over her perfectly as she flew across the dewy field with her machete raised high above her ahead. She brought it down with one single slice and released all of her pent of anger into that one fatal blow, but all she hear was the clanging sound of metal ring into her ears. Their blades must have clashed and as she opened her eyes she saw Camille's face showing barely any signs of discomfort from the impact. She was just holding Katniss off as if she meant nothing.
Their deadly swords stayed fused as they exchanged murderous glares and without warning, Katniss broke the contact and slashed towards Camille with full force. They could literally hear the wind being sliced like flesh as she did this and Camille deflected the blow once more with a look of boredom.
The interesting sounds of metal being clanged endlessly filled the cool air and overpowered the mockingbirds' glorious music. Tori could only feel her heart drop a foot or two whenever she heard that horrific sound. She was scared out of her damn mind about this whole 'duel'. She would rather die herself than see someone like Katniss fall like a lifeless doll right before her very eyes (headless, eyeless, everythingless…it didn't matter. She just didn't want her to get hurt). Tori almost felt like she had a second sister after all this time of knowing the stubborn transfer. It was weird yet true…and she didn't want any of it to end.
Beck almost felt like running in there like always to do something, anything…but he knew he couldn't. If this were like that time with True then he would have or that whole ordeal with Kevin, but this was different. It was different because this was probably going to be their last confrontation, their last fight and last reason to be afraid.
Camille's chocolate brown curls swayed in the magnificent wind as she continued to maneuver her samurai blade in every way she knew how. The sword almost looked untraceable next to invisible every time she made a slash or a jab…she was beyond fast, but Katniss seemed to be holding up well. Her crimson red school tie flew behind her shoulder as she spun around to avoid be stabbed in the chest and her silver eyes gazed quickly over to Camille with set determination in them. She heard the waves crashing against the shore in the distance as if her senses reached their peaks and she raised the blade up over her head again with a smirk playing onto her face.
That's when she felt it. A sudden pain tearing through her side as if a scolding hot skewer was digging into the side of her body. Her silver glazed eyes shot open in an instant and her mouth hung open in absolute horror as she let out a torturous scream. Her eyes locked with Camille's emotionless orbs as she fell backwards slowly releasing her grip on the machete.
"Katniss!" she heard Beck roar in hysteria; his voice becoming a distant echo as she stared up at glorious sky. The glowing sun burned like fire in the sky as Katniss stared at it as if it were a flickering candle slowly dying out. "N-No…" was all she could get out along with a few shaky breaths.
Camille gave a simple sigh of amusement before looking over at her tainted blade; freshly coated with the bright red blood of the Girl on Fire. It was intriguing to say the least. How this simple element called blood can determine whether a living creature lives or dies. She slowly looked over to see Katniss lying on her back in the patches of grass with a look of horrendous pain on her face.
The porcelain skinned actress merely let out an amused laugh before bringing her deadly weapon up like an executioner getting ready to bring down his life ending hatchet. Katniss' gleaming eyes shot open as wide as possible as she saw the sun shining off the metal blade that was about to chop her in half. "No…damn it! N-Not like this…not like th-them," she hissed with her eyes literally stinging with tears before shutting them as tight as she possibly could.
She could hear the katana slicing through the tense air as Camille began to bring the blade down with one swift motion without any type of emotion in her glassy eyes whether it was joy or even a hint of regret; there was nothing within them.
However, instead of hearing flesh tear underneath a steel metal blade, she heard the sound of metal clanging together; ringing her ears and almost making her shiver in shock. As she slowly opened them, she saw a blurry image towering over her…it was Beck. He was fending off Camille's blow with the very same rusty machete Katniss had dropped.
His teeth were gritted and barred in fury as he gripped the handle of the machete with all of his remaining bits of strength. A bead of glistening sweat rolled down the side of his tan face as he began to grunt in frustration with every second that passed by. He roughly pushed forward making Camille topple backwards a bit with a dumbfounded look upon her face as Beck staggered to his feet in a quick hurry.
Tori managed to limp over to Katniss even though her legs were about to give out like feeble twigs underneath a steel titanium vault. She collapsed at Katniss' side; her blood coated knees digging into the moist, fresh scented blades of grass that seemed to be changing into a gorgeous yellow color due to the blazing sun up above.
The thin caramel skinned girl ran her delicate fingers lightly over the gash made in the stern girl's firm side and felt the warm sticky flow of scarlet red blood washing over them. Tori's chocolate brown eyes grew in panic…however, it wasn't as bad as she thought but it still wasn't on the good news scale either. "Katniss…no…y-you're going to be fine. I just know you will be okay? Just hang in there you hear me? Just hang on," she whispered fiercely while gripping Katniss' filthy hand as if she were her life support.
"Aw…still the same sweet old Tori Vega," Katniss was able to sputter with a wheezy laugh as she felt the globs of blood begin to build in the back of her parched throat. "Don't you worry…I know I'm not going anywhere."
After hearing this, Tori couldn't help but break out into a relieved grin as a single tear of joy began to stream from her eye. "You better not."
Beck felt his chest pound in anticipation as Camille gave him an intense that glare that soon melted into a soft stare in a matter of seconds. The calming winds caressed his cut face as he felt his grip on the machete's grimy handle begin to loosen all due to the sweat he was producing.
Suddenly, without even a hint of warning, Camille flew forward with her blade poised and ready to strike at any moment. Beck grimaced in absolute anger as he drew his very own blade as well and immediately felt her sword slam into his. It was like in those intense movies he would watch in the packed theaters on the weekends with his closest friends; the very last scene where the two head characters have an all-out sword duel.
Beck could literally feel the brittle bones within his arms ring and shake like bells with every clash he would have with the acting queen. He was swinging that sword as if it were a splintered wooden stick used to beat a tattered piñata. His nerves were racked to the very core as his brain began to endlessly spin like a crazed merry-go-round.
It almost felt like he didn't have a chance in this fight…until he finally saw an opening. Camille's arms were lowered as if she were about to putt a simple golf ball; her eyes glazed with confidence and elegance. This maybe his only chance…he had to take it.
Beck clenched his jaw tightly as he felt the winds rush past him in fury and without thinking any second thoughts; he leapt forward and made a swung the deadly machete towards her with all of his might.
It was almost a fit moment to let out a roaring battle cry, but he decided against it. It felt like a slow motion moment being played out in an action packed film. He felt her bouncing curls brush his blood stained cheeks as he jumped right past her and he could hear the wind screaming in his ear.
Once he landed on his feet, he expected to feel any sort of pain…maybe a stinging gash in his leg or maybe his arm got chopped off? Her katana is protruding from his stomach maybe? Nope. None of the above.
He turned and saw Tori's mouth literally hanging open like a pitch black tunnel due to overwhelming shock. What did I…What did I do? Beck stammered within his fogged mind as he turned his nerve racking gaze over to Camille only to see her standing there with her lean back facing his; her front side facing Tori.
It was almost too hideous to even look at directly. A putrid slash was deeply embedded into the side of Camille's head making her look like a gashed apple…scarlet red liquid spilling from it along with an oozing, thick mixture of clear liquid as well. It painted the entire side of her pale face red as if she were a porcelain canvas and her eyes remained dull and confused yet her soft pink lips were parted out of shock.
And that's when it happened. Camille Roberts suddenly began to slip into another dimension and state of mind as she tried to stagger a few feet away like a drunk, intoxicated fool.
Camille's POV
Hurts…Hurting. Hurts and…and it feels like p-pain…I can't remember the last time I felt anything, but…for it to be this type of feeling. I don't like it. I don't like all the pain. All the hurting and the horrible feelings.
Sadness…Loneliness…Fear…all get in the way. That's why I hate them and learned to block them out see. I learned when I was real little…I had to learn. I couldn't feel when I was little…just a petite fille…that's small girl in French you should know. I began taking lessons in French ever since I was four and by the time I was eight I could speak nearly perfectly.
It made her proud…made my mommy real proud.
I can still see her smiling…why is she smiling? Didn't she learn that feelings do nothing for you? Didn't she learn anything from that night? That dreadful night when the bad stuff happened. That was horrible and I hated it.
B-But everything was good before the bad stuff happened! Yes…I remember how my life was before that night. How I could laugh and smile like every other child my age. How I could play with my older sister, Olivia, with nothing but cute little giggles leaving our small mouths.
Always joking with daddy…always having fun being his princess. So many deep, manly laughs and the smell of cigar smoke radiating from his over coat every time he'd come home from work in the early evenings with a treat hiding in those deep jacket pockets for us. Mommy giving us kisses and always saying we would be the greatest actresses to ever grace the streets of the U.S., no…the world. She gave me a playbill for my birthday to instill some inspiration.
I wanted to become one of the best actresses ever to make her proud. She was a lovely woman…soft auburn hair that merely brushed past her shoulders, a pale complexion that made her look like a graceful model, a pair of gorgeous brown eyes…she was oh so pretty. I-I miss her…I miss daddy too. O-Olivia's gone also….all gone thanks to the bad stuff.
I could feel and it hurts now that I can once again. Why now?! Why am I remembering all the feelings now?
Laughing, smiling, feeling…I could do all of that once when I was younger.
But it all ended when my family took me out to see the Romeo and Juliet play for my sixth birthday…it was in one of those fancy theater's that lit up with blinding lights during every performance and the women always looked so breathtakingly beautiful as if they weren't even from this planet. Like once you put on your costume and make up…you were in a whole different world as someone else.
It was a fantastic play…I always wanted to play Juliet when I grew up. Always wanted to be pretty like her…always wanted to have someone love me like Romeo did her. But they all get taken away in the end all thanks to the feelings.
After the play we all went out for ice cream in the lively, lit up streets of New York with nothing but laughter filling our ears and leaving our mouths. So happy…b-but…why now? Why am I r-remembering? M-My head…head hurts. Something wrong…something w-wrong with…head.
Then when we got home…something wasn't right. The lights were on upstairs…our house was big and fancy. I can still hear the sound of mean men storming down the stairs after my dad began to suspect something was wrong. Burglars. They broke in while we were gone and had guns and long ugly knives. Scary…fear…all the feelings I felt at that moment in time.
I remember they dragged my dad by his arms up the stairs along with my mom and big sister in tow all the way up to the master bedroom. The smell of my mommy's luxurious lavender perfume still fills my nostrils as I think of all the times I went in that room…now it reeks with death and the stench of blood now.
They took me up there too, but they locked me in my mommy and daddy's closet just to keep me from seeing anything in case things were to get 'graphic'. They said that they couldn't afford to have any witnesses…it was terrifying, but my daddy tried to fight them off, but after a few minutes he…they got him.
No…No more remembering! Hurts too much!
I can still hear my mom and sister screaming as they plunged the knife into his chest. The splotches of red he kept coughing up in the moments of time before he slammed into the shiny oak wood flooring. I was peeking through the keyhole letting the dim lights hit my face as I witnessed his death. I was sad…sad and confused, but mostly scared. I didn't know what was happening. I didn't…Damn it! Why remember all the blood now!?
It all happened too fast…then just like that, one of those sickening criminals slammed the tip of the gleaming silver blade straight into his dying heart just for laughs making my stomach turn and twist into a tangled jump rope. I could literally see the light that used to flood my father's eyes slowly dim as the blade got yanked out.
I clutched my fuzzy, bright white polar bear stuffed animal close to my heaving chest as a cold bead of sweat rolled down my temple. What's going on? Why are they doing this? What did daddy do?
However, before I can even comprehend the events that had already been played out, the head leader of this filthy crew of burglars let out a putrid and sickening chuckle that verged on sadistic. He slowly gazed over at my mother and older sister with a twisted look in his beady eyes as they literally shook in each other's arms against the closet door; whimpering and sobbing as if their lives depended on it.
"Take 'em out," the head leader growled like a hungry beast making his cohorts give off cunning grins. It was all a never ending nightmare but I knew…I knew all too well that this was one I would never wake up from. I watched as one of the followers revealed a thick knife that beamed all thanks to the brilliant lights shining from above in the ceiling.
Almost without even any second thoughts to repel his actions, the sick criminal took hold of the other knife used to kill my father; it's blade splotched with scarlet red. As he pointed them both at my sister and mother…I couldn't help but try and let out a scream. I could barely see the dim lighting reflecting off of the two knives making me cringe in hysteria. No, I couldn't scream. If I did…I'll d-d…die. I can't scream.
My mother continues clutching my sister as close as possible to her warm chest as if she were trying to shield her from the knife's deadly tip. She brushed the panicked fourteen year old girl's delicate locks of chestnut colored hair with her gentle fingers to try and calm her even though she was on the verge of breaking down as well. Then, my mother placed her other hand on the golden knob of the closet door as if she were trying to get a hold of me as well and whispered to us both, "I will always love you…both of you…always."
With those being the most thoughtful and beautiful words to ever grace my ears I place my small hands on the fine carved door just to try and get a sense that I'm still with the both of them. My sister doing the same; placing her well manicured hand over my mother's on the golden door handle still trembling madly with her teeth clenched.
Only a second went by until the two knives were being rammed right towards my mother and sister's heaving bodies. Screams ringing from their throats and cries of mercy burning their mouths. It was no use…I immediately saw the two knives' steel tips pop through the door as if they went right through their bodies like paper.
My eyes went wide at the sight of the tip nearly an inch from my ghostly pale face and I could literally feel my heart breaking ever so slowly out of pain. I know that they're no longer holding onto that door knob for me…but a part of me wants to deny all of it. That is until I feel something warm yet sticky start to brush against my knees and as I look down I see a sort of puddle begin to consume the pitch black floors underneath me.
It's their blood. I know it is…I can smell the horrid scent of raw iron radiating from it and the stench filled liquid keeps oozing from underneath the door crack; forming around my pale as snow knees. The feelings…their hurting me. I can't help any of it. Hot tears begin to stream from my brown glazed eyes as I begin to let out a few choked sobs of denial
"Mommy? Olly? D-Daddy?" I said in bewilderment as I began to hiccup on my tears. Of course they're not going to respond. They're gone…gone forever. I sat there still feeling the sticky flow of their blood splashing against my knees all alone in that closet. A closet that's beginning to smell like rotting flesh.
Finally I heard heavy footsteps begin to stomp madly over to where I was hiding and sickening voice rumbled from the other side of the fine wooden door. "What about that other kid?" he asked with a fearful growl that made him sound like the Beast from the Disney Movie.
"Her too…we can't have any brats going to the cops now can we?" the supposed leader sighed with a tone of amusement in his light voice. That's when it all happened…
That was when he came to the closet opened the door with a wide grin etched onto his shadowed face; his teeth nearly tainted yellow almost making me want to hurl. He brought his meaty hand to his loose solid black pants pocket in the back and revealed a dim, metal gun.
"Don't worry hon'…it'll all be over soon," he chuckled with his beady eyes resembling two sickening lumps of coal as he placed his finger on the rebounding trigger despite the tears I had leaking from my pleading eyes. My lips trembled like crazy and even my fingers shook like brittle leaves in the fall.
Suddenly, I heard a loud ringing noise fill my ears and fogged mind. A sharp pain filled my small head like those panging migraines you'd get and I fell on my back with a blank stare covering my face. Crimson red blood leaked from the bullet wound made in my forehead and all I could do was stare up at the bright lights on the ceiling with an emotionless and dull look on my childish face.
Was this how my life ended? No…not at all. However, they thought so. They thought they had robbed and murdered all of the Roberts family, but they were beyond mistaken. After they left literally torching the house with gasoline they poured all throughout the home, I laid there like a porcelain doll with the same dull look on my face and a puddle of warm blood formed around my head.
Red…red…red…red…all red. That's all I could see while I tried to catch a glimpse of our burning family portrait. Me sitting in my mother's lap wearing a gorgeous gown that matched my joyous smile. A purple ribbon in my curly hair. That was the last time I ever saw that little girl. The last time I ever saw the old Camille who felt things and actually could find it in herself to smile.
As the room began to be eaten and consumed by ravenous flames, I heard sirens begin to approach my isolated home. Fire trucks blared through the night in hysteria along with ambulances as well as police cars flashing their bright red and blue lights. They rescued me just in time…keeping me in sights as they wheeled me away into the depths of the hospital after the grueling trip from my burning home.
I was rushed to the ICU for 'immediate' surgery they said. However, the bullet had tore through a certain region of my brain causing a few nerve endings to become severed and eventually they realized that a few bone fragments had been blown inward and were deeply imbedded in my brain as well.
It was quite the scare but I managed…they restored me to my well functioning self only a month later after numerous procedures, but the feelings and senses…they were gone. Those were the things the doctors couldn't get back all due to the damage the gun shot had done to my cerebrum. Rather disappointing…all the feelings disappeared as well as the smiles and laughs.
I went to go stay with my grandmother immediately following my release from the hospital and I could tell she felt nothing but pity when it came to me and my situation. That's all I ever received from anybody from that day forth: sympathy.
I remember wandering her comfy little home that was stuffed up in the upper streets of Manhattan. You could literally see the Brooklyn bridge gloriously standing on top of the shining waters from there. It was beautiful, but I really didn't find it in myself to care for that kind of beauty. I couldn't care for any kind of beauty to be quite honest…I just had the same blank look on my young face making me look like a poised doll as I trotted around the house in my bright white night dress.
My eyes which used to be a brilliant shining brown were now dull and bored as if the life had been sucked out of them. I was now a walking zombie with nothing but logic to cling to. I hated it, but I couldn't really express that hatred. I was stuck in a robotic state of mind like a programmed machine.
It all pissed me off beyond compare…but I swore I'd get revenge for this. I swore it. Then once I hit age eleven, I did it. I managed to locate that bastard in the inner, grimy streets of NY…the same leader of those hooligans that broke into my house that fateful night and stole my last bits of childhood innocence. He was such an imbecile…thinking I would actually thank him for 'sparing' me. Was he in for quite a shocking surprise when I simply smiled at him rather softly before plunging a knife right into his sickening eye and pulling it straight back out; letting the eyeball fly throughout the air and land right on top of a Foosball table, rolling into the goal with ease. How dark I may say. Score for Camille Roberts I suppose.
At first he let out a infuriating screech as if he were a wild monkey from the jungle depths of the Amazon, but then he began crying for help while tripping and staggering all throughout the bright room of his hideout's lounge; knocking over numerous chairs and pieces of classy furniture. He clasped his gloved hand tightly over his eye letting his panicking and terrified screams roar throughout the room.
"You crazy little brat! Fuck You! I'm gonna kill you fucking little piece of shit! I'll kill you! I'll fucking get you!" is all he kept screeching in a shrill tone while swinging his other arm around like some disoriented King-Kong while he kept his other hand pressed on his gouged eye socket.
"I'll believe it once I see it…no pun intended," I merely spoke with a calm yet low tone with that same look of boredom on my face before I tightened my grip on the long hunting knife. I then walked up to him as he continued to trample around the room like a rampaging toddler and slammed the blade straight in his chest like those fools did to my father. Right when I did so I felt a few of his ribs crack underneath my touch and I saw his untouched eye grow wide from the sensation of a knife impaling his twisted heart.
Then, that was that. He merely groaned in a horrible fashion while letting out a strangled gasp for air before collapsing to the ground letting a loud thud dully fill the room. I let out a vengeful sigh as if a load had been lifted from my shoulders and turned to leave the scene.
That was when I realized that if it comes to it…I must do things just for the sake of human nature. Function by doing things to survive whether it's merely making simple yes or no decisions or having to take the life of another living thing. I couldn't let the feelings get in the way anymore…I had to live my life like a robot. Just function the way life tells you how to do so.
However, now is a totally different story. I stand there with my katana still tightly gripped in my trembling hands and can feel the stream of blood flowing from the gash in the side of my head. What's happening? It must have set something off in my brain or something…
I stare at Beck letting all the emotions I haven't felt from the past twelve years flow through my veins like a type of reeling drug. It hurts so badly yet feels so amazing at the same time. A tear leaks from my eye for the first time since that fateful night and I begin to let a quiet sob leave my supple lips.
I can hear the distant waves crash into the shore making it sound like a faint roar from a proud lion. I can feel the warm tear rolling down my icy cheek as I continue to breathe rather lowly making my chest heave.
"I-I…I can feel," is all I say in a hushed whisper as an aching smile comes onto my face as my mind begins to spin madly. I look right into Beck's quivering eyes as he continues to breathe in a shallow manner; his gaze fixed on my head wound. "Im-Impressive sword technique," I stammer with a pained laugh leaving my dry mouth. My throat literally feels like it's filled with clumps of cotton every time I swallow, but I know what's in store for me. I know what happens next.
"Camille?" he whispers with his caramel colored eyes widening out of fear as he realizes what he just did. Beck always came off as a complete fool when it came to where to draw the line between morals and jut not giving a fuck. Huh…I've never cursed before. Fuck? Yep, definitely never uttered such a foul term.
"No Beck…I'm fine. Please. Let's keep going," I chuckle in a shushed way as if I'm quietly groaning it instead. However, he knows what I said due to the fact that he gives off a slow and hesitant nod making his locks of wavy black hair shake and flutter in the gentle breezes.
Without even steadying ourselves, we leap back into our quick paced duel of blades.
Clash.
Clang.
I feel my arms begin to fatigue as if they are becoming two soggy spaghetti noodles ready to be cooked. My chest is pounding with every clang of cold, icy metal whenever we slam our swords together. I feel drunk…almost like I'm floating with every movement I'm making.
Then, I feel something else besides sadness filling my chest…I feel another sensation course through me as I stumble forward with my arms raised high in pride. A sensation as sharp as this katana's swift tip. I feel it right in the center of my chest causing my eyes to go wide in absolute astonishment.
Feelings do nothing but get in the way…
No. They don't. They help guide us. They help keep us grounded in all ways of human life. I see that now. I s-see…
I slowly gaze down lazily letting my two chestnut brown eyes fall upon a dreadful sight. That machete Beck was using is literally impaled into my still chest. The rusty blade is halfway in and I can feel my heart cry out in agonizing pain as if it is about to burst from inside me. Blood begins to ooze from within the broken skin and seeps through my cotton school dress shirt.
My eyes are barely open making it look like I'm falling in and out of a dreaming state and my lips curve into a relieved smile while I fall to my bare, pale knees; dropping the katana as I do so. I debate whether I should pull it out or not…my porcelain hands resting upon the dirty machete's handle. I decide not to and merely stare into the blazing sun that shines above me.
I'm slipping away I see…I'm fading like dust in a windstorm. But I feel…I feel again. Even though it was just for a quick moment I got to understand. I got to understand how ridiculous my actions were. How ridiculous my life turned out to be all because of this silly head complication.
I can see my family…all smiling. Daddy laughing his deep laugh like before. Mommy smiling ever so elegantly like a gorgeous queen. My sister, Olivia, giggling and waving me over excitedly. I even catch that familiar scent of lavender perfume from afar as it drifts around me along with a strange smell of cigar smoke. It all reminds me of the times before.
I start to waver a bit on my knees like a swaying grass blade as I begin to smile genuinely at them. Then, with that blade still trapped within me, I teeter left and right before falling to the lush ground with a soft thud. But before I even hit the ground, everything goes blank as if I've been teleported to a completely different location.
I…Camille Roberts…bid all of you adieu. I understand if you loathe me for what I have done, but hopefully it can all be forgiven…good-bye…
Girl # 6: Camille Roberts (Eliminated)
3 Students Remaining
Tuesday: June 4th, 2010 – 5:56 A.M. (Hilltops; Deserted Island)
The luscious blades of grass surrounding the body of the drama queen Camille Roberts were now tainted scarlet red as the sickening liquid continued to ooze from the massive gash in her head. Her locks of curly hair were sticking together in clumps all thanks to the horrific wound and her chest was leaking a thin stream of blood as well making it all look like a death that was far from being peaceful.
Beck's horrified eyes were locked upon her deceased form literally about to pop from their sockets as he realized that he had just killed a second person. He knew it had to be done but it still made him feel like puking his guts out. His stomach twisted like a trampled bendy straw as he shuffled closer to her but only could see her dazed eyes looking off along the leveled hilltops. Her titanium collar gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight making him let out a deep breath as a chill ran though his brittle bones.
His thick wavy locks were matted on his forehead an almost tangled like crazy from the intensity of their stay on this lovely island. He knew it was over…but it still felt empty in a sense as if they still had to keep glancing behind their shoulders every few seconds or take turn keeping watch while the others caught maybe a good half hour of sleep without getting stabbed or shot up.
He felt his throat tighten as he knitted his eyebrows together after examining Camille's body one last time in a half regret-half thankful sort of way. As he looked over at Tori who was nearly holding Katniss' head as if it were a newborn baby, he saw her lips moving at a rapid pace yet he could only hear muffled shouts. Like they were both submerged underwater and she was trying to call out to him but only bubbles and muffled voices could be heard.
It was obvious however, that she was just happy in a sense that he survived…it didn't feel right to actually celebrate the death of a classmate no matter who they were. It was like partying on Saturday night in the famous graveyard near the Manhattan skyline; doing the Dougie on a loathed family member's newly placed grave while blasting confetti canons. Totally screwed up.
His ears still deceiving him, he simply walked over to Tori's thin body and enveloped it as if it were a long lost procession he had been missing for the longest time. He actually only talked to this one girl only once before…he couldn't remember when but it was the one time he knew how special she was. The one time he understood what would happen if they ever reunited.
He had to make sure she made it out okay…he had to.
"How freakin' adorkable," a grumpy teenage girl moaned in disinterest from below while rolling her eyes to the max. Katniss was the one behind it making the two teens give her an embarrassed look before turning humiliated shade of red. "I hate to kill the mood and be a total cock blocker, but we still have a ways to go before…gah! We get off this damn island."
Katniss winced as Tori and Beck began to lift the huntress to her feet and luckily…she could still walk somewhat normally despite having her back nearly torn open. The crisp winds crawled over their wounded flesh as they began to draw in deep breaths and took off without even glancing back at Camille's poised body.
"Where to now?" Beck sighed with a tired groan as he felt the sun sting his vulnerable eyes. He shielded the light with his blood coated hand and felt Tori squeeze his other one gently in a comforting manner.
"Well…my guess is that we should find another way out considering these collars are going to be turned back on any minute now," Tori replied with a weak smile while trying to hold back a deeply hidden yawn that she's suppressed since the first night of the game. It was tempting to say the least. They were the only ones left now. There was no reason to be afraid until that time limit reached them…they could finally sleep and lounge about without a care.
Yeah right. They had to get moving and Tori knew that more than anyone. She held her fist against her soft lips to try and cover the exhausted yawn that spilled from the depths of her throat.
"I agree completely with Ms. Upgraded-Tori-Vega. Looks like we'll need a new and improved plan in order to get our loser trinity off this fucked up island," Katniss spoke with an irritable sigh yet she held a proud smirk on her stern face making the others wrinkle their foreheads obviously not understanding.
"I know that grin," Tori smiled broadly as she watched Katniss rather closely with her two observant caramel orbs. "What's the pl-"
Tori was cut completely off by a loud blaring mess of feedback that was being screeched from within the speakers all throughout the sun bathed island. Following that well-known and annoying noise was a nonchalant cough coming from the throat of their psychotic teacher Mr. Eikner. He seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood considering he hasn't started off the announcement like an outraged psychopath, threatening to blow their heads off with the click of a button.
Instead he seemed rather chirpy and filled to the brims with unbelievable joy as his howls of sickening laughter poured into the microphone and blared from the static inducing speakers.
"How incredibly shocking! This must be a type of pattern you're starting to pull on me you naughty kids. I'm sitting here literally doubting you'll strike up a jaw dropping blood bath battle to the gruesomely extreme…and you completely surprise me by doing a complete 180! I mean seriously…six more added to the elimination roster. Ma-gni-fi-cent!" he roared in absolute amazement only making the remaining three shiver in disgust while glaring up at the sky as if he were God speaking down to them.
"Just you wait bastard…it's not over yet," Tori whispered in determination with her brows creased I defiance making the other two give impressed glances to each other.
"Alright now here I have a list of names I collected from the death toll so let's get started shall we? I'll go in the order they died just to speed things up here okay? Haha! Okay then kiddies…Girl # 1, Lulu Johnson! Boy # 11, Zander Robbins…man, he was a real crowd pleaser with his whole teenage love story thing. He'll be dearly missed and let's not forget those cute little Karate moves he did. Next up! Girl # 13, Lucille Stone. Aw…my sweet, sweet little succubus. She was a shoe in for the BR crown but I guess putting your tits on display can only get even a beautiful young lady like her so far. Girl # 16, Kacey Simon the cheerleading queen. Little miss OMG-so-popular…ah, she was a sweetheart but oh well! Next, Boy # 9, Drake Parker…quite a show we got from that one! From his whole dilemma about his nerdy step-brother to his heart stopping duel with Girl # 6! Oh my were my palms sweaty from all that! Lastly, we have our biggest fan favorite next to Boy # 13…Girl # 6, Camille Roberts who in my opinion should have won but whatever. There you have it folks! Only three of you remaining and uh, Beck, Tori and Katniss? I know you're trying to be defiant and everything but please do speed it up and get on with the backstabbing…we don't wanna bore our audience too much. And I don't think adding any more danger zones would do any good considering you're the only ones anyways so…good luck to the three of you and remember…Kill…or be killed."
3 Students Remaining