It's gotta be Pesky Bird for me, haha, I make jokes about it constantly.
The Bunker Fight
Today is a good day.
Gideon and I had a good chat last night.
Static filled my mind. "What if I lose control again?" What if I do right now? Fire flared in the edges of my head, consuming myself, or what I thought was myself.
"Then look towards the village." He smirked, cleaning the sand off a smooth rock and tossing it towards the river. It skidded two times and sank. "Because I'll be on my way back here."
Refreshing. Very, very needed. And I haven't heard the voice once since then! Which is even more significant since I didn't sleep at all. I think we must've talked until dawn.
Orange creeped into the night sky, making our faces bright with sunlight. The warmth crawled up the chilling sand dunes. "G, do you think we'll go back to real life as soon as we're done here?"
"Wish I knew." With the crusty sleeve of his red crewneck, he smudged the dark circles under his eyes. "Hope so. But… I understand very little about what is going on here."
Of course, not all of it was encouraging.
"I hope so." My breath releases in a heavy sigh. "I miss my cat."
He laughs a big, full laugh, laying back to grasp his abdomen. "That's it?"
"Well, yeah?" I chuckle. But he's right. Sure, I miss my cat a lot. But there are other things, other people. And warm showers. That was high on the list. "Alright, I miss a lot."
"Doesn't it scare you, though?" He turned on his side to look at me. I did not want to look over. Of course I knew what he meant, but I tried not to.
"Hey, Scout," his voice floats over the mountainside. A yawn and stretch accompanies me to the edge to meet him. "Come check this out!" My eyes fall on a large structure out in the dunes, a metal box. Alright. I know that was not there before.
"It does me too." He continued, thankfully, as it was evident I was not going to respond.
Doesn't it scare everyone, just a little bit? Never being certain of what awaits after. If anything at all. If there were a way to be certain, would we want to know it? "I think I saw an apple tree in the forest. We should go." I think I would, like to know, I mean, but now here I am facing the question and… I'm not trying to figure it out.
With another yawn and stretch, he rose to extend me a hand. "Yeah, I'd like that."
"What is this thing?" My hand runs along the rivets carved on the side of the structure. A military-style peephole lines the upper part of the wall to see inside. There are some levers and buttons, a few chests, a lot of sand…
"It's the bunker!" Gideon laughs. "Completely forgot about it. Man, I had so much fun designing this thing!" His arms are flying around faster than we ran away from the castle yesterday.
His smile is contagious, and so is his energy. It's been too long since I've gotten a good rest. "How do you get in?" I can't help but admire the craftsmanship. It looks pretty solid.
And it better be, too.
Oh no.
We can't go losing our last life now. Who else will I have to play with?
Please… please just leave me alone.
None of the others know me as well as you. They aren't as fun.
Stop, just stop! "See, look," what? When did we get inside? "This lever sets off a trap in the desert just out front there." He motions me over, and although I feel stuck, my feet edge forward. "In the original game it would set off smoke. I have no idea what it'll do now." A nervous hand moves up his neck, and once again, his energy is contagious. But this time it doesn't feel as good. "Oh, but over here,"
He won't use it, you have to.
No, I don't.
Don't worry. I will.
No, you won't. "This button, see?" Don't look. Don't look. Don't… the stone-looking button, simple in appearance, shaped to look like a rectangle and seemingly defying gravity as it hangs off the wall with no support or mounting. "It'll drop the floor just outside the walls! Ha, it was supposed to drop into, like, water, so it was difficult to get out of but… I don't know, fun," He chuckles. "I don't know that it'll be fun anymore."
"Oh, I think it'll be very fun." My eyes twitch. Stop. No. You can't.
I can't.
"Scout?" He knows, why hide it?
"We'll lead them here." I look out across the golden plains. I can see it now. A battlefield forming before my eyes. The pawns in their places, ready to take down the king.
"Who?" The pesky voice drops to a near whisper.
"Everyone who wronged us." Everyone who wronged me.
I… what's the point in fighting you? If you just. Keep. Coming. Back.
"I'm sorry I brought you here, Scout." He's talking to you.
I know.
"You did good, G." I turn and ruffle his hair on my way to the exit. Time to get the plans started. "We'll get them here, alright. Just have to figure out how…"
"Scout," he grabs my wrist. Yeesh, bold move. He's lucky I don't chop that hand off.
"What?" My eyes roll. "We have work to do." And he's wasting time. My time. Right as things are starting to fall into place.
"I know." He sighs. "So, when it comes to doing this, I want you in here. I'll take the battlefield. You can work the controls." Oh, brilliant.
No!
"Well, if you insist." My smile widens. Now that's a good lackey. "No." What?
What!
"No!" Using both arms, I shove him off me. Just go. Just need to leave. My feet carry me far away from his calling voice to somewhere unfamiliar. With darkened vision and a lens of water, I run. And run. Until I trip on a log that sends me face first into the muddy muck of the swamp.
"Shoot." Sore limbs rise out of the mire and I rest against a tree. How long do I have this time? Until he's back again?
And how long will he stay?
It's not fair. This was supposed to be fun. He told us it would be fun. But it's not fun at all. Why did I have to die so quickly? As luck would have it, I suppose. But I knew better than anyone else! So why? How?
What's this now, about knowing better? What makes you believe it so?
Stop following me! Am I not allowed one moment of peace?
Not when you say things like that, you aren't.
I didn't mean anything by it, I don't know.
Liar.
Don't call me that! I haven't lied once.
Then please, make it make sense. Why should you know better?
"Stop!" The birds caw as they leap from nearby trees.
"Who's there?" Now… was that voice inside my head, or out?
"Hello?" My mud smudged fists do not help in cleaning the dirt off my face. "It's…" Should I say? "Scout."
"Scout!" The chipper voice repeats. Well, not an enemy then. They sounded at least a little surprised, but not a fearful surprise. "I've been looking for you."
"For me?" I can't help but scoff. "Why is that?" Kim steps cautiously about the bushes a few feet away and comes to sit across from me. His head is hung and he's covered in a blanket of half-dry murk, much like myself. Except his is contained to the waist and below. I guess he actually knows how to watch his feet when he goes. But he doesn't answer my question. "How long have you been out here?"
"Oh, uh, I don't know. The minutes feel like hours, and the days like seconds." The boy sighs a deep, heavy sigh. He was looking for me, though, right? Surely everyone knows how to find the desert.
"Why out here? You know where to find me."
He stares at the ground a while longer, then shakes his head, and responds with, "Huh?"
"Are you…"
"I've been having bad thoughts." He admits, twiddling his thumbs between sweaty palms. "Thought… maybe you could help."
"Surely you've heard…" Wasn't it I who orchestrated the very event which took his second life? Who has been the word of gossip on insanity? Does he not know who he's talking to?
"But you haven't killed him. How?" Bright red eyes meet my own. Wet, sad, and very red. I don't understand.
"Who?"
"Gideon." The name sends daggers through my chest. Can't go back.
Does this fool threaten to kill him? Why don't we take care of that?
Quiet, you, he's not said anything of the sort. And what do you care of Gideon's life? "I don't know what you mean."
"How do you live with him and restrain it? I know you hear it. I've heard stories." Do you plague the others, too?
What's it to you? You should be glad, I have others to split my time between now.
You're sick. "Maybe I do."
"I don't want to leave Sean on his own, but… maybe he's better off without me." Oh, now I think I'm starting to understand. Of course he came to me. One monster to another.
Well, maybe Sean is better off. And Gideon too. Isn't that what I'm doing here? But he's got a point. I left Gideon alone. He's not even able to defend himself until they start it, and maybe by then, it'll be too late.
But they might not have the chance, if I get to it first. "I really don't know what to tell you," If only I had the answers myself. "But… in my experience, anyways… you have the strength to hold back. It's just not an easy thing to do." Nothing is here. My head begins to burn. "And sometimes it'll slip. I can't guarantee you'll hold on. Any hint of doubt, and he wins."
Oh, don't flatter me!
"But you're stronger than it." My fists tighten. "Just keep a grip."
We both pause to reflect before he sighs, "I'm not sure that helps." It doesn't, I know. It really, really doesn't.
But that's all I have. "If I could offer you more, I would." A dry chuckle squeaks through my teeth.
"Thanks." He nods several times. "Why are you out here?"
"The same reason you are." I allow a small smile. "I slipped."
"Maybe we could help each other." His own face brightens. "Sean wanted us to team up, and, and, then we could watch each other. Ya know?"
Don't even think about accepting that offer. Those two school boys are going to get you killed, leave them to their own demise! Or better, speed it up!
"I think that's the best idea I've heard today." I stand to shake his hand, and he rises a bit more enthusiastic. I think I am, too. Things seem to finally be turning around.
When Scout came back, he brought one of the lads from the flower fields with him. Eyes a neon red. And all my fault. If I hadn't set that explosion.
But he seems ok. As ok as you can be, when you're tormented by voices. Which I still don't understand! Where did the voice come from? What is it?
Scout seems ok during the visit from the lad, but just as soon as Kim made to leave so he could bring the other boy back, Scout did another turnabout. He dragged me out to a spot in the forest we had been through before, but never stopped.
"See that, G?" Scout asks me, pointing upwards to the red and white clad banner waving slightly atop a small tree hut in an empty plane. Sebastian's place of hiding. "A sign of the King."
"How do you know that?" I haven't seen those banners until today, so I don't exactly know where he's getting off there.
"Doesn't it just scream Redge?" I don't see it that way, but nothing in me could compel me to disagree. Some battles are worth fighting, but this one is not. "Just see how the white bits stagger up like a crown?"
"I don't think they made it, we pre-designed the team flags. They must have just found them." His head spins about the peer down at me and I instantly close my jaw. Once again, my love of explaining the fruits of my labor has endangered me. "I mean, yeah, it does look like a crown."
"We're going to steal it." He spins back again to look over the landscape. We're going to… why?
Maybe I shouldn't argue. But why steal a banner? Isn't he just asking for trouble? "Seb is red, you know…"
"So am I." He continues eyeing the land, pushing past me as he points out certain things whilst mumbling to himself.
"But, why do you care if he has a banner? We already knew he was on Redge's side?"
"Sure, but we aren't. And don't you think it would just kill them if they knew we had it?" A deep, malicious laugh vibrates through his chest.
"Or… put a huge target on our backs?" My arms cross over my chest. "Which doesn't need to get any bigger than it already is."
"I forgot when you started making the rules?" Sure, now I have his attention. When he's trying to frighten me with a glare.
Well, tough, because I've had enough of this… thing trying to take my friend from me. "Since I made the game, I suppose."
"Seems you're forgotten your standing with me since your little chat by the river." Within seconds, his sword is pressed gently into the skin of my neck. "Don't forget who you're talking to."
"Right." I guess it would be stupid of me to completely forget this maniac wants nothing more than to coat his blade with my blood. Even if the real Scout doesn't. "My apologies." And I don't want Scout to have to do it. I don't know how much control he really has, but in the end, I think it'll hurt him more than it'll hurt me. As insincere as my apology might have been, it seemed to satisfy him.
"Now let's go," he slides down the hill and towards the house.
"Let's go… where?" I whisper-shout. "You can't keep expecting me to know what you want me to do!" I know he can't hear me. Really, that was the only reason I said it.
He shimmies up the rickety sides of the log shack, nearly toppling the structure multiple times as he does, and I keep watch. I don't know if that was what he meant for me to do, but he didn't correct me, so… I guess that's fine.
"Hey!" But… maybe I wasn't even doing that right. "What are you doing on my house?"
Scout's eyes tighten on me. "Er, Sebastian is coming." I say dumbly. Should've just kept my mouth shut. Why do I have a death wish? He tosses the banner down to me and comes sliding off.
"Seb, buddy, long time no see!" Scout meets him with a large smile and an outstretched hand. "How've you been?"
Seb eyes his hand but ignores the gesture. "Not so good since you and your lapdog blew me up." Lapdog? Really? "And we aren't buddies. Give me the banner."
"Oh, banner, you say?" Scout brushes the words away with a flippant hand. "I thought it was just a bit of trash blown by the wind and got caught up there, I thought I was doing you a favor."
"Funny." His eyes windmill. "But not that funny. Make your henchman give me my flag, and get off my patch." Well, I suppose henchman is a little bit better than lapdog.
"Yeah, I'm afraid we can't do that." Scout frowns in an overly exaggerate pout. I really don't feel like fighting right now. Not sure I even can. But it's not really my choice.
An arrow zips past my ears, making my entire body go rigid. "Uh, Scout,"
"Ambush." He mutters. The first I think I've seen this version of him afraid. "Come on!" He spins and runs before Seb gets a hit off on him, grabbing my arm to compel me to move. Without it, I don't know I would have. He also steals the banner out of my hands and ties it about his waist. We dodge the arrows by weaving through the trees, but they're chasing after us with an army. I have no idea how many, but by the speed and repetitiveness of the arrows, I would say a lot. We scale the sand mountain and dive behind the walls of our shack. We're dead for sure. If they follow us up here, there's nothing we can do.
But I guess they weren't interested in that just yet.
A loud squeal shatters my eardrums. It's not human. But it's loud. And it sends a shiver through my body. "Pizza!" Scout exclaims, making his way to the window. They're lined up at the foot of the mountain. We watch as an array of arrows takes down our pet. With a few whimpers and snorts, his breathing slows and stops. Scout doesn't move.
Thankfully, they retreat after the slaughter. I go outside to see the stilled carcass. With one knee in the sand, I push back the thick fur on the animal's neck. "I'm sorry." I whisper to the innocent animal. Another pawn caught up in my silly game. Scout doesn't come by for a while. Although I never saw him leave, I'm sure he has gone. So I take to digging a grave at the top of our mountain above the cactus ring, and there I bury Pizza. So long, little buddy. You were well loved, and I wish we could've done better.
Stupid. Why did we go back to the desert?
With a powerful swing of my arm, I hurl a large stone into the river.
We should've hid in the forest, at least then we had some protection.
My sunburnt skin peels and shrivels under the intense heat of noonday. Sweat and dirt cakes my unclean body.
Why didn't we run to Kim and Sean's base? At least the numbers would've made it a bit more even, and they have a better terrain for fighting and, possibly more important, retreating.
"Idiot," my breath hangs in the humidity of the air. I toss another large stone.
"Scout?" Perfect timing! Now they show up!
"Kim, you're back," my voice has an utter lack of enthusiasm. Intentionally. He moves closer.
"Ah, no, what happened?" Kim scans the bloodied sand, looking for something. Someone, I imagine. I start to head up the hill. They can come or stay, it doesn't matter either way.
"He's been a thorn in our side for far too long." My hands curl into fists. I still don't know if they're even behind me. But I don't care. Few or many on my side, it's time we give him what's coming. "I have a new plan." Yes, yes! We can do it, too! "One that involves taking down that sorry King once and for all."
"Hey, wait, now," Sean insists, "I came here for protection, not retaliation, I am not fighting your battles!" His sentence ends on a lisped whisper.
I spin and crouch until I am face to face with the blue-haired child. "Did you expect something for nothing?" Ridiculous. Who do they think I am? Santa Clause? Well, this isn't the North Pole, it's about the farthest thing from it. And I sure don't sit around here making toys all day. In fact, the only thing making my cheeks rosy is the blistering sun.
"What?" He shrinks under my gaze. "I, well, I just…"
"If you want my protection, I expect yours in return." The only thing frozen up here is him, but I release him from my gaze and back up a few inches. "And if one thing is certain it is that Redge wants my head. If we are expected to survive the end of this thing, we need to take them by surprise. We need to strike first."
"But, what happens if they die?" Sean mumbles. "I mean, those on their last life…"
"Let's not find out, shall we?" Kim deadpans, joining me at my side. I can't help but agree. I would rather not get the answer first hand. "Whatever you need me for, just say the word."
"Excellent." I smile. We both pause and turn to Sean, who draws a few lines in the sand with his foot. He'll come around. If he's stuck with red-eyed-Joe this long, he won't want to see him go.
Not without a fight. "Fine." Sean relents. "But… but I don't want to do any killing."
"You can't, anyways," I shrug and we continue again. "Anything you do will have to be self defense."
"Yeah, but, in actuality…" Kim continues, scratching at his neck with eyes downcast. "Neither of us really know how to fight."
"Don't worry, you won't have to." Without an explanation, and no questions from my guests, the remaining walk is rather quiet. But my face does a turnaround when at the top of our glorious mountain awaits a snake. Waiting in the sand. Sword drawn. "Ethan." My tongue clicks. "And I was having such a good day."
He swivels a large shield about his waist and plants it in the sand on his side. With a quick jerk he pulls the mask off his face, sword clutched tightly in his fist, looking anguished. What's he got to be sad about? It wasn't his side that lost. "Scout, I just came to say…"
"Save it." I usher the two boys around him and we continue on to find Gideon. "Don't think I didn't notice the banner." His shield is fitted with the same red and white design I tore down off Seb's hut. "And if memory serves me right, I think I may have seen a flash of silver over the hillside just a few hours ago." I glance at his spiky locks. I have no idea if he was there, but, better to be sure.
"I helped them kill Pizza, but you have to believe me, I didn't want to do it!" He tosses the shield and sword to the ground and runs to be in front of me with pleading hands. Bold move. A warrior should never abandon his weapon. I ought to teach him that. "Scout, I didn't want to betray you. It's just that Redge,"
"Let me stop you there." With one palm extended to him, he shushes, shrinking beneath me. "Didn't want to, you say?" I laugh. "Didn't want to? That's rich!"
"I didn't! And if I…"
"Let me tell you what 'didn't want to' looks like." I gesture to Kim with a pointed finger. "Because I didn't want to set that trap. Taking three lives in one blow." Or, in actuality, make Gideon set that trap. Same difference. Right? My finger moves towards the direction of the castle. "I didn't want to trick Brock. Burning him alive in his own home. Which, come to think of it, you helped with. On yellow." And, again, using Gideon… I stare beyond my own hut, past the cactus ring, where I see him. He's shoveling sand into a hole. A grave, I imagine, where the body of an innocent beast now lies because Ethan "didn't want to," and did. "I didn't want to be red, to hate myself and my actions." All the stress in my face falls away as the emotions become void. Meaningless, when your hands are stained with so much blood. When a friendship goes wrong. "I didn't want to fight my every waking thought. To try and decipher which were actually mine. To question everything about who I am." My voice raises and saliva sprays his rigid face "And one more thing I didn't want to do." He is shaking, but I am as smooth as a cutting board. Hey now, that's not a bad idea. My hand swings to my side for the sword which strikes him at the hip. With a short gasp he falls to the ground, grasping the wound with one arm. "I didn't want to do that."
"You've completely lost it!" In a sloppy attempt, he picks himself up and hobbles down the hill. Leaving a trail of blood behind him. He won't make it far.
Or… maybe he will. Somehow he is still able to run. No. I didn't cut deep enough. With hurried steps I find my bow in the chests and aim it for his descending run.
"Scout," Kim warns me. "That's enough, let him go."
"He hasn't learned yet." I've got him in my line of shot. He's far and getting farther. No time to waste. "What it means to not want to… " The arrow leaves my finger, nailing him perfectly in the chest. The heavy body falls. "But he's about to."
Maybe there is a bug. Yeah, yeah, that's gotta be it. Well, maybe it's…
I thought I changed all the original script? Well, I suppose if you use a template there are always going to be some things you miss. Whatever.
"Chloe!" Brock steals the knife from my hand and my head spins a second to catch up with him. Why is he always around? I have work to do. "What has gotten into you?" He crosses the room to wash the bloodied knife in a basin and retrieve a bandage for me. Not that I need it.
With a quick couple bites of bread, I feel fine again. The marks made on my hand are already beginning to scab. He just needed to give me a little bit more time.
"In the last few days I've caught you sticking your hand into fire," which didn't burn me, "jumping off the castle," and I didn't break my foot, "and now you're stabbing yourself? Are you trying to test fate?"
Fate? No. Just my calculations. "You wouldn't understand it anyhow." And I mean that both in a moral and literal sense. There are a lot of complications here, there is no way he will get them all.
"Maybe not." He doesn't argue. At least he's stopped asking me questions. Although, I'm not entirely certain he has, just that he isn't vocalizing them. Either way, not my problem. The less he knows, the better.
Just need to… change the subject. "Should we go after Ethan again? He did try to blow us up. Twice." I offer a smile, but he does not return it. "Or, Scout?"
"Ethan is red."
"Ethan is red?" Using the watch I quickly scan over the chat log that I've been ignoring. Wow, Scout killed him. I guess they weren't partners afterall?
"This is the first time Scout has taken a life with his own hands." Brock sighs, dipping a cloth into a bucket of water we keep for the fire and scrubbing his face with it. Maybe we should stay out of it this time."
Maybe he's right. "Yeah, maybe so." Wow, he's awfully quiet. Guess I really have struck a nerve this time. But I can't tell him!
He wouldn't understand.
What am I saying? My imagination runs wild with countless characters from books and movies who have said this very thing before me. The plots and consequences flood my mind. And though this is not the plot of someone's imagination, I still wonder if it will be my demise as well. Maybe he would understand? Is it so wrong to think so?
No, no, this is beyond that. This doesn't just cross one line, it crosses nearly all of them. He would hate me! But doesn't everyone else?
Not yet. They will. It's only a matter of time until they know, too.
But since when did people's opinions matter to me? Let alone these people? This is groundbreaking work, far more important than any of them. I shouldn't care about a few worthless opinions.
So why do I?
"Pick your feet up, men, we're almost in enemy territory!" I know that voice, as faint as it is. Sounds like red life has amped up his passion, his drive.
Hopefully that drive isn't towards me. Brock and I take up our bows and head to the window. They're up the hill, by Jay's old place. Heading towards the desert. Without much thought, I rush out the door and up the hill.
"Chloe! Stop! They're leaving us alone, just stay here!" Brock shouts as quietly as he can, but my blood boils. Dragging me further. And further.
If I am to understand anything about this game, I need to know what it feels like.
While the army climbs the hill, I pull my tired limbs up the remnants of Jay's house. It would be a lot safer if it weren't half in ashes, but hey, who am I to complain? It's my fault it looks this way. Breathlessly I draw my bow at the king. Two birds with one stone, at least, that's my hope.
Or should I say two birds where one bird is the stone? No, no, let's not complicate things here. Just shoot. Shoot! Shoot!
"Look out, Redge!" Shoot. And, well, they do. I get one arrow off and dive behind some rocks. The flint head of one particular projectile slices my arm near the elbow. My drawback arm. I hoped to get at least one of them, but it seems my fate is set. I could have chosen a better way to die.
Another barrage of arrows whistles past my ears. A gust of wind combined with the disturbance from the arrows causes my cover to break away as waves of thick, choking smog. I am forced to move down the building. That's when my hip pulses like an electrical shock. Wow, wow, wow! He told me I was taking it too far with the nerve endings. I fall against a stone wall that was leaning, wanting to fall, as thousands of streaks soared by me on every side.
But then… one of the arrows goes backwards. No, of course not, arrows can't do that. It's just coming from the opposite direction. My eyes fasten on a figure in the woods, someone facing me. Well, it seems this is it. They've got me surrounded now. No… no? They're firing beyond me. On purpose? Fighting with me. Brock?
Not Brock, it's Jay! He runs to the base of the stone wall I'm stuck behind and extends a hand. "Let me help you down!"
"No, I chose my fate, just go!" I shout back. "They'll just get you too."
"No, I don't think so." He smirks. Five, six, seven large timber wolves come barreling from behind him, scattering the army in its pursuit! What an image, and also… what?
"How'd you get them to do that?" Was this part of it? I know in the original script it would have been but I really thought we had changed that? My busy thoughts are interrupted by a resounding beep. My health has reduced to only a few hearts. Shoot.
"Oh, that's not looking good," he agrees, climbing up a little ways to extend his hand further. "Here, let me help you down."
"I won't forget this!" Redge's distraught call cuts my ears, and I turn to see him with weapon drawn. Need to move, but nowhere to go. I try to grab Jay's hand, but the rocks slip as an arrow collides with a load bearing stone.
I wake up in the village. No scraps or cuts, not a single bruise, but I can feel where every last stone had hit me. Scars litter my skin like an age-old injury, not a fresh wound. As I study the scars a bit closer I begin to notice a pattern. A quite literal pattern, at that. It's all the same. Differing sizes, sure, and at various locations and shades of red, but the same. Same. Exact. Injury.
And if I really thought about it, I think the same would be true for Scout's injuries, for Jay's too. And Brock!
Gosh, I am tired. This is a problem for another day. I need sleep. But what about Jay? Was he really trying to save me? Maybe he isn't so bad afterall. Maybe there is another person here worth trusting.
And what about the army? Sure, the wolves scared them a bit, but they were heading to the desert. Oh, no. They're going to need help! I need to find Gideon. I need to tell him.
That little pain in my hind end better not die before I have a chance to talk to him.
And he's going to want to hear it.
Did Scout just kill that guy?
I know I wasn't paying that much attention, but how much changed between the last time I saw him? Really?
And last night went so well.
Dragging the shovel behind me, I slowly make my way back to him. Sean and Kim are here, no one is talking, and Scout is still staring off towards the place the body fell. The young boys look up at me, neither about to speak. "Scout?" He doesn't move an inch. I don't think he even blinked. "Scout,"
"I didn't…" the bow slipped from his hand and crashed into the sand. "I…"
At least he's still feeling remorseful. "Why don't you go see Pizza's grave." I put a hand on his shoulder until he relaxes a little bit, nodding and doing the very thing. While he's gone I pick up the bow and invite the boys inside. They come, albeit very timidly.
"How are you so calm?" Kim mumbles, dragging a finger through the sand in circles.
Calm isn't quite the word I would use for it, but, yeah. I guess it might look that way. "Well," I yawn, suddenly feeling the full force of my exhaustion and a sleepless night. "Would it help anything?"
Neither of them answer. Maybe that didn't make sense, but, really… it wouldn't help anything. Trying to argue with him makes him more defensive. Yeah, yeah, see I knew what I was talking about. I think.
"I'm going to go see him." Kim announces, getting up before we could argue it. Although, maybe we should. I choose to hope they can keep themselves sane but I don't completely believe it. However, it might be good to talk to Sean alone.
Once Kim is gone, and I'm sure out of earshot, I turn to Sean. He's already staring at me. "How are you doing?"
"It's hard." He laughs. "Really hard. I mean, the other night, he was asleep and I was still wondering if he was dreaming of how to kill me."
I couldn't help but join him in a laugh. "You're not alone there. I don't sleep much anymore." But not all nights are bad nights.
"Same here. But you've been doing it longer than me. I can't imagine it." I wonder if he's helped Kim trap or kill anyone.
I wonder if he enjoyed it.
Woah… what was that thought? No, I don't enjoy hurting people. Stop thinking that. He tricked me, he's making me. But when did he actually make me? Couldn't I have tried… harder?
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Gosh. "Hello?" What? Shoot, what did he ask?
"You're going to have to repeat that." I reply sluggishly. Maybe he will take it as me being tired. It probably is just tiredness.
Shifting in his seat, his attention drifts to the window. It takes him a while and a long breath, and on a whisper he says, "Do you ever think about leaving?" Yikes. Now I feel bad for asking him to repeat it.
Have I? I haven't thought about it seriously, I suppose, because where else could I go? Until now no one else even wanted to talk to me. But if I were in his shoes? "Yeah." I swallow. It caused a huge dip in my stomach even to say it. "I won't lie."
It gets really quiet again. "Do you think you ever would?"
"No." But the pit doesn't go away. It actually seems to get worse. "I mean, you see the difference… right?" Man, that was open ended. "He's not the same as he was before he became red."
"No, you're right there." He agrees. "But that's… why I want to."
"If you're watching even now, too." I join his gaze out the window, to the duo by the grave. "You'll see the real them come back."
"But are those little instances worth the risk?" Wow. This sounds a lot like the conversations I have been having in my head.
"Well," I smirk, both of us turning away from the window and towards each other. "Not for us, is it?"
With a heavy sigh, I know he's already come to the same conclusion. But much like me, I'm sure, it doesn't make the conclusion any easier. For the next few minutes we enjoy the silence. The silene we both know is quickly…
The door flies open. By which I mean it skids halfway across the room, completely removed from the wall.
…interrupted.
Like I was saying.
"We have a plan." Kim smiles. A wicked smile I know too well, and one matched just to his left. So Sean and I follow, albeit not enthusiastically, as we travel down to the bunker. "We're going to stage an attack here, drawing all of our enemies into one place."
"Do we have enemies?" Sean shrinks to the back. They didn't. Until they came here.
"If we're going to be with team desert, you bet we do." Kim smirks. "And I don't know about you, but I'm staying." He doesn't know the significance of what he's asking. I hope Sean doesn't leave, or I'll be stuck with the two of them.
"We'll trick them, lead them here, and hide in the bunker," Scout continues, pointing some good routes out. "Yeah, and we can shoot arrows from inside."
"What makes you think they'll stay for a fight like that?" I frown. I mean, really, if we're all behind a safe wall… why would they come any closer?
"Well, you did say you would take my place out here." Scout looks me dead in the eyes. Shoot. I… I did say that. "So, as I see it, we have a reason for them to say. Just don't be stupid and get out of the way before I flip the lever." Simple as that.
"Wait, what lever?" Sean beckons, his voice cracking slightly. Poor guy. He didn't sign up for this level of crazy.
"It's essentially a doomsday lever," I explain with an awkward scratch at the back of my neck. "If it's flipped, something is going to go up in the desert and I don't know what. Being inside the bunker very well may be the only way to survive it."
"Well, we have lives to spare here," Scout glares at myself and Sean. "If it means taking down their entire army, isn't it worth one life?"
While I don't appreciate the argument, I don't entirely disagree with him. "Wait…" Kim whispers, his face softened again. "No. No, I don't want to put them in that position that's not fair. You didn't tell me that."
"Kim, if we let their army live, it will eventually be the end of all of us." Scout scoffs. "We went over this. We don't have a choice here."
"We always have a choice." Kim glares, stepping away from him. Maybe having both of them isn't so bad after all.
"He's right, I think." Sean nods definitely. Wait, what? "It's kill or be killed here. And one things certain, I'm looking out for my own." No… Sean, not you too!
Should I be angry? It's what I did. It's what I just told him to do.
So, somehow, we came to the conclusion then that myself and Sean would take up arms outside of the bunker, while Scout and Kim would stay inside with bow and arrow. But we had a few more things to put in place. For myself, that looked like rigging our home. Yes. Rigging it to explode. Since we would be spending most of the rest of our time here in the bunker, it seemed like a good enough idea to make it so if anyone went looking for us there they would be met with an unpleasant surprise. For the others, it looked like gathering resources and allies if we could.
It doesn't take me very long to finish the base so I go to find them, but they aren't at the bunker. I follow our usual trail into the woods where I spot them just up ahead, but someone is with them. And not just that…
"Uh, Jayden," I swallow. At his feet are six large timber wolves. Their noses perk as I get closer. Seeing that the rest of my party stands idly by as if this were not a problem, I hope it is not. "Got some new friends, have you?"
"Could say the same for yourself." He bends down to pet the head of the closest one to settle them. "They see me as their alpha now," when he stands again he is addressing the whole group, and a large, heavy, breathless cough separates his sentences, "but I'd rather not expend them for a desert fight. It isn't their best ground and I won't be able to keep them off the field."
I couldn't help but laugh a little. "Really?" His head rockets around to look at me. Whoops. Definitely meant to say that in my head. "I mean, you tamed them? I always saw this as a possibility, but you?"
The wolves growl at me as the red grows in his face. When will I learn to keep my mouth shut? "Why does everybody keep saying that?"
"Well," Sean begins, "You're temperamental."
"Kind of a push over." Kim shrugs.
Well, if everyone else is joining in, "You lack the general leadership esque."
"And you're short." Scout beams. Yikes.
Jay's mouth fell into an O. "I'm average! And what has that got to do with anything?"
"Just thought it needed to be said." Scout chuckles.
"Come on, guys," I try to muster my laugh. "We probably shouldn't be dogging on a potential ally." That earns me a few stiff chuckles.
However, Jay was anything but laughing. "You see my eyes, don't you? I am red. I will kill you all."
Scout steps into the middle and quiets all our stifled laughs with extended hands. "Alright, let's take it easy. We all know Redge is our biggest threat right now. Let's get our heads in the game,"
"Right. I won't be joining you for this fight," Jay huffs. As he began to retreat, the dogs did too. I still can't believe it. "But I do wish you luck, and if you find yourself in a tricky situation near my neck, give me a shout."
"Thanks, Jay." After he's retreated, Scout adds, "We don't need him. We can grab their attention and fight them off all on our own. Who wants those smelly dogs anyways?"
"Uh, well," Kim gulps. "I think the attention part might be easier than we imagined." All our heads spin to look as we watch the hoard approach. The red army. On their way to the desert. Right. Here we go… I guess.
This wasn't the plan. Shoot. Not yet, we aren't ready!
We're going to have to be. I shove my sword into Gideon's hand and pull Kim along with me to the secret tunnels under the bunker. Is this going to work?
It's going to have to.
They stay off in the woods for a while, watching us, not moving forward or back. No one here makes any sound, simply readied with their various weapons. Anticipating.
Come on, now, some part of you must be excited?
No. Pretty sure that's just you. I never cared about wondering if my friends would walk away from something or not.
Well, I for one don't care which side of this wins. All I know is I'm about to see some blood spilt.
Not if everyone here would just come to their senses!
But, they don't. They come to us.
So Gideon and Sean hold long enough to get them closer. Closer. Closer!
"Nooooowww! Scout!" Gideon screeches, him and Sean turning head and tail, and I do it. No. No, it was too soon! They weren't out of the way! Why did I do it?
Everything in front of me explodes into a wave of dust while the sound of a thousand explosions ring a chorus of ear numbing symphony.
Did it work? Was it enough? My hand flies to my watch, but there are no deaths. I'm glad not to see any familiar names, but I can't help but wonder… Was it all for nothing? And what comes next? My eyes glisten a button, one I hadn't seen before. Maybe this will help…
Without a second thought, I do it. Fire rockets upwards just beyond the walls, clearing a way through some of the dust but leaving a reddish tint on the world.
Isn't it beautiful?
For once, I can't completely disagree. But that's when the screams start to cut through. They're faint, but they're Gidion's, I know it. I find him on the battlefield, but I wish I hadn't. Part of the fire trap had got him. Only a few seconds of piercing screams cut my ears before Mark takes a sword to him, ending the cutting cries.
But I still hear it, and it was not something I would forget soon. And then one much closer. His body collapses at my feet, an arrow straight through his forehead. Kim. No. No. Nononono, he was red!
He… he was red. The body is so, so still. And it doesn't disappear like the other ones. It stays. Until they come to me, taunting me to come out and face my fate. My watch says Ethan killed Sean, although it must've happened behind the wall of sand. I'm glad I didn't see this too. But, what hope is left for me now? I'm a bunny in my hole,
And there is smoke coming up the other end.
For the first time I feel truly stuck. Where do I go? As I'm kneeled next to this fallen body, all I know is… I can't stay here. It can't end this way.
Really, I am rooting for you. I'll really miss you if you don't make it.
This doesn't help my will to move, but flight kicks in regardless. I make it back through the tunnels and onto the field. The desert never felt so long, but if I can just make it to the woods!
I just might be able to slip past, they're still digging around to get to me. Little do they know.
Don't think, just run. That's all I have left. Sweat and desperate breath take me. Almost there!
And then they show up. Friends? Or foes? Trent and Chloe, rushing from two directions, eyeing themselves and then me. Chloe, yellow eyed, addresses me first, "Where is he?"
"Redge?" I ask, albeit in a huff, but hopeful. She nods, so I point.
"In case I don't see you again, tell Gideon to look at the scars." Scars? What do scars have anything to do with this? "And get out of here! Find some place to lay low." They both rush forward into the fight. And I manage to slip away. I… I made it.
But with the weight of three friends, one lost forever, it doesn't feel like much of a victory.
"Scout? You're alive!" A weight drops in my stomach. "Where is Kim? What happened?" Sean runs to me, scanning the trees. "I came back immediately, I didn't want to check the…" I want to offer solace, some sort of encouraging smile. But I have nothing. "No. No, he…" The blue haired boy, beaten by battle, frantically pulls the name list onto his arm. But there is one less name. "This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't his fault…"
"Sean," I can't even say I'm sorry. Because if it wasn't his fault,
It definitely was mine.
But we aren't able to fight for words, the moment is interrupted by a zip through the hazy fog of the setting sun: Another arrow. We were followed. "Run," I grab his arm and pull him along. I won't let him die too. Not today.
"Give it up, Scout!" Mark calls. I shove Sean behind one tree and I go behind another, grabbing my bow off my back and loading an arrow. Sean grabs a few heavy rocks. We wait for him to come closer. "What a pathetic army. A coward, two school boys, and you. Why do you fight for him?"
Sean begins to turn to throw, but I stop him with a gesture. He steps on a twig, causing our pursuer to stop and wait before coming any closer. Almost.
"This is his fault. Do you still not see that? There is no way out, and it's his. Fault." A nervous laughter falls among dead leaves. "I don't want to kill you, Scout, I pity you. But you hurt my friends. You hurt my family. And if you're going to keep on with that, I can't let that happen. We have too much to lose."
Now. We spring into action, Sean's stones cause Mark's shot to misfire, but mine hits his shoulder. He gasps, making a run as the bow slips out of his palms. We pursue. Now it's my turn to talk.
And talk I will. "You think it'll stop with me?" We weave through woods, the descending sun causing our eyes to readjust. "You think Redge will stop? Ethan? Seb?" I hurdle a fallen log, Sean on my heel. Mark has made it to the river, it slows him down. So I stop and load another arrow. "They've tasted blood. It craves blood, it demands it."
"What?" Sean stops just beside me. "Scout, that's…"
"Not now." I whisper through my teeth. "But don't let me be the one who tells you that." My lip pulls upward as I get my shot ready. "He will."
"No!" Sean grabs the bow in my hands and forces my shot to miss. What. What? What!
"That was a mistake." I grasp his shirt by the collar and slam his back into the tree. "What do you think you're doing?"
"This isn't the way." He grimaces, covering his face with both arms. "It won't bring Kim back, so what's the point?" My fist clenches tightly on his clean shirt, courtesy the yellow eyes. But he's right.
Awe, come on! I just grabbed the popcorn.
Wait… did I do this? Without you?
It's nothing to be ashamed of, I was enjoying the show.
My hand falls away and I fall against the bank. No. No, I didn't do this, I wouldn't. You're lying.
Imagine me sitting back in a rocking chair on my front porch, you've got the wheel right now.
Stop it. You're just trying to make me doubt, trying to make me scared. Stop.
Hello? Where did you… you're playing with me! Stop! Get back here! Get back…
"Scout." Sean, kneeling by me, both his hands on my arm. "It's ok. And look," he pulls the death log up. Mark was shot and killed by a skeleton. "It wasn't you. That's something, right?"
We should have found these boys sooner. Should've fought for them harder. "Thank you." I hope he heard it, too, because I couldn't repeat it if he didn't.
"Scout, Sean, this way!" It's Gideon. His face littered with the same sort of scars on my chest. On Jay, on Kim. Burn scars. Is this what she meant?
"Come on, Scout, let's go." Sean helps me up and we follow Gideon to the castle. The castle! What? What has happened to enemies and allies anymore? Don't complain, just hope it's genuine. Brock ushers us all in and closes the heavy door behind us.
"Chloe is dead." He says simply. Chloe? She was only yellow! What happened?
It all happened in a flash. Swords, arrows, red eyes. Too many of them. Not enough of us. It was Redge that shot me the first time. And that just would not stand. That maniac doesn't get that satisfaction, I can't just run away now! Jumping to my feet, I grab for anything I can wield, a heavy log. It'll have to do.
The king dies today.
Yes. Kill him! Take your blood. This belongs to you!
"Redge!" My cry cuts the battle, and he turns to face me. He's smiling. He's not afraid.
He will be.
I rush forward, blocking his first arrow with the log. It splits, and I am only able to hold on to the smaller piece.
It's all you need.
"I see you're eager for another life lost." He grins. Wipe it off, that smirk. "Oh, Chloe, I pity you." He throws the bow aside and pulls the iron sword off his belt. I don't need pity. Just a clear shot. "You could've been on the right side of this battle, but no, you're defending them instead."
"I can't help it." A small chuckle makes its way past my teeth. "Me and him, we were always meant to be on the same team." And there it goes, now he's listening to me. The smirk is mine.
"What does that mean?" I try to answer, not stopping my pursuit, but the words halt in my chest. I fall to my knees, unsure what hit me or where. "No!" Redge drops to his knees in front of me, scolding his man with a glare. Seb. Seb shot me. "Tell me what you meant, what did you just say!"
"You know the best part of this?" My hand now makes it to my hip, bleeding profusely. "I still beat you."
Well, I will miss this fire. I wish we had more time together… but I will enjoy your blood.
Wait… I know you.
You should.
Am I right then? About it all? Or am I crazy?
If I told you, I may never see this crazy again. Just wait. We'll meet again.
Promise?
Promise.
Good. I can still smile. And I hope it drives him crazy.
First life, down… Burned to death. Can't say it was at all pleasant, either. Now I understand why they scream for so long after coming back.
The name list is long. My own, Sean, Kim… no, can't think about him, Trent, and Chloe. Scout is ok, he made it… somehow! But the fight isn't over.
"Chloe is dead." Dead? Like, dead, dead? Well, add her to the list as well. One of our greatest contenders, just like that… we are in the end game, now. "I slipped away, and you're welcome here until they retreat." Brock shook his head. The air in the room was thick. No one was speaking, yet you could see the words running around in their heads. Cause we were all thinking the same thing.
What happened to the two red names who died today? And who is going to be next?
You have to wonder if it'll be someone you know, someone you've fought with or for. You have to wonder if it'll be you. Chole lost two lives back to back, even green names aren't safe anymore.
Now that a red name has fallen, by their hands, what will stop them from wiping us all out?
For so long, it felt like an awkward stalemate. Like, no one really wanted to see a red name go. But Kim's death started something. It's going to go fast now. We're all in danger! This is it!
Need to stop this silence. Need to get out of my head. "A lot happened out there." I mumble. Even if there isn't anything good to talk about. "But I think we lost more than we gained."
"They caught you by surprise this time, just don't let it happen again." Brock nodded, scrolling through the death log and then closing it with a slap on his wrist. "But all in all, you still made it out… ok." Brock clasps Sean on the back and encourages him with a smile. "Even this guy got a kill. Good job, kid."
"What? No, no, I didn't…" Sean grabs for his watch and pales when he realizes his name is attributed to taking Issac's first life.
"Issac abandoned us for Redge." Brock scoffs. "Said he wanted to be on the right side of this battle. I told him just to stay out of it. Serves him right." I start to go towards Sean, but a knock at the door takes everyone's attention.
"Refuge? Please!" The voice is a familiar one, but do we trust it? Sure, he jumped in at the end of the battle, but he's been a loose cannon this entire game.
"Trent?" Brock calls. He opens the door. I guess the trust isn't completely lost between the two of them, given what happened. Or maybe people are just desperate. Anyone who isn't aligned with Redge. But Trent was scary enough without red eyes, I honestly can't imagine what he's going to be like now! "Quick, quick!"
"Seb is on his way here." He warns, helping close the door and taking a position at one of the open windows. "If he's stupid enough to do it alone, we will get him easy. He won't take on all of us, will he?
"Coward!" He shouts, probably to Trent. Leave him alone, gosh, he just got killed once! But it seems Seb is just asking to be the third red life lost. Someone shoves a bow in my hand and I join some of the others by the windows. He's an easy shot, out in the open and alone. "This isn't over." He's right. This isn't over. Because if you check the chat, you'll see who did it. Who killed a child. Who killed our friend.
And it was him. It was Seb.
But not just that, he killed Chloe, too. It's him! He's the one who started this chain. It won't stop, now, until we're all gone. Every. Last. One of us.
Unless… unless it stops with him. Maybe the others aren't ready yet, ready for the blood, maybe it's just him. If we kill Seb… no, no, we can't fight fire with fire. It won't stop them.
But he's such an easy shot. He pulls his bow back, probably just trying to intimidate us… but we are not amused. Me, the least of all. I'm sick of it. Of this ridiculous cycle of death.
There are so many shots going off at once, and my fingers slip too, I suppose. I don't know if part of me really wanted to or not, but one way or another it happened.
I killed Seb.
Whew, that was a long one! I really hope you kept up with all the perspective changes! And on that note, whose perspective have I not done who you want to see me do? I can't guarantee I'll get to it in 3rd Life since I have that basically done, but maybe I could explore them more in the next one!