Toddward Howard- Swing Vote D9M
There were a million questions I wanted to ask. Is it true about the silver thing? What about the having to be invited thing? We don't own the hospital so I guess the Gamemakers might have invited you. Can you turn into a bat? I doubt it, since if I could, I'd do that all the time. Are you super strong? Guess we'll find out.
My questions were not destined to be answered, since Brad lunged at Maxson and I had to concentrate on that. I stepped sideways between them and shoved Brad away- or tried to. I ended up more of bouncing off while he barely moved.
"Okay, rude," Braddock said as he turned to face me. "Now I'm gonna-"
Maxson punched him in the mouth. Brad took a step back, shaking off the blow, as Maxson looked with dismay at the two tracks of blood down his hand.
"Duh," Braddock said, pointing at his fangs. He whirled and came at me so quick I wasn't really aware he'd hit me until my back hit the wall. Maybe it was shock, but it seemed unreal when he chomped into my neck. It was honestly so cool that vampires were real that I was more focused on that than the pain. It did hurt a lot, though.
Maxson Deloria- Swing Vote D6M
"Get off him!" I ran up behind Braddock and yanked on his arm. Braddock tore free and waved dismissively over his shoulder as he tried to crowd in closer to Todd past Todd's battering arms. I stepped back so I'd have enough room to try my mace. I swung it up right at his head. It hit with enough impact that my hands vibrated. Braddock's head was knocked sideways a few inches. He grunted in annoyance, but Todd screamed as the fangs already in his neck were dragged through his flesh.
This isn't working. Gaius had the shotgun aimed at Braddock, waiting for a shot but unable to pull the trigger until Braddock was farther from Todd. Clearly Brad was too strong to shove loose. There was already blood trailing down Todd's neck. We didn't have much time. I needed to think of something different fast.
I went with the first thing that popped into my head. I had no idea if it would work or not, but Gaius had said something about that once. He said in his militia days there were moments where you had to make a life or death decision in a split second. Despite what you'd think, the most important thing wasn't making the right decision. It was making a quick decision. An okay decision that got chosen in time was better than the best decision not getting made at all.
I grabbed Brad by the hair and yanked his head back. He barely responded, since I hadn't pulled him loose from Todd. The response came when I bit him on the ear.
Gaius McClellan- No Way Down D12M
"Ow!"
Braddock's mouth flew open, releasing Todd, after Max latched on to his ear. He threw back his arm to knock Max loose. He did knock him loose, but he quickly realized that meant Max's still-clenched teeth tore two strips of flesh out of his ear, eliciting another scream.
"Ha ha!" Todd jeered, pointing at Braddock's torn ear. He tried to full stand and toppled sideways a bit as the sudden movement exacerbated his blood loss.
"I'm gonna rip you apart!" Brad yelled at Max, who was dazedly trying to get to his hands and knees after Max's throw had smashed him into the opposite wall. He took a step toward Max, leaving him a step away from Todd. I aimed the shotgun at his chest. Todd saw it and scrambled past my wheelchair to get out of the blast range.
"Oh no, I'm really scared," Brad mocked just before I pulled the trigger. The blast knocked him off his feet like something in a cartoon. It was equally cartoonish, in a really gross way, when he stood up. His entire front was riddled with holes, with his upper torso taking most of the impact.
"You dumbass!" Brad said. "I'm a vampire! Gun don't kill vampires." He looked at my still-dazed allies and smiled at me. "But just for that, I'm killing you first."
Braddock stalked forward, baring his teeth and hunching forward exactly like something in a movie. I didn't have any more shells, not that it mattered. I turned the gun around to use like a club. Braddock saw it and smirked.
"This time I'm actually scared," he mocked again. I waited until he was right on top of me to shove the gun barrel forward.
Braddock Simpson- Heart of Darkness D7M
It was pretty cool how I could feel the cold air on my insides. Not exactly comfortable, but pretty cool. It was nothing to be worried about. Once I'd eaten Gaius and his friends, it would heal. Probably pretty quick, if I had to guess. I just wished Gaius could walk. It wasn't that fun killing a guy in a wheelchair.
Gaius shoved the shotgun forward in a last pathetic attempt to fight me off. The barrel sank into the crater on my chest and-
I realized my mistake just as I felt the exposed bit of my heart squish back against something smashing into it.
"Oh."
It was like someone had stomped on a rubber ball. The gun barrel was slowed by the tissue, both in my heart and in the rest of my chest, but it had enough power to punch through. I felt a pop like a burst pimple and then nothing but panic. Gaius grabbed my shirt collar as I tried to rear back. I should have been able to break free effortlessly, but my strength had left me. Gaius pulled me down further onto the barrel as I tried to raise my arms to push away.
He got me. He got me. I took in several desperate breaths, scared at how shallow they were. I'm gonna die. I'm dying. But aren't I already dead? I'm gonna be superdead. I'd been doing so well. Despite everything they threw at me, I'd been moving forward and keeping myself alive. It wasn't fair they gave him a stake.
Toddward Howard- Swing Vote D9M
I was hoping he'd burst into flames or crumble into ashes, but it seemed the Gamemakers were trying to preserve some pretense of seriousness, though I really thought they'd gone past that when they introduced vampires. Braddock unceremoniously drooped toward the ground, his face sliding across the handrails of Gaius' wheelchair on the way. He made some weak attempts to get up as he lay on his stomach on the ground, propped up a little by the shotgun propped diagonally between his chest and the ground.
"You did it," I said in amazement. I'd thought we were all three gonna die right here. I wouldn't have to watch it, since I was already bleeding out, but it still sucked.
"Oh my gosh we gotta get help," Maxson said. I hadn't even noticed him crawling up to me.
"Try a priest," I mumbled. I had a sinking feeling, and I didn't think it was just my blood pressure.
Gaius clambered out of his wheelchair. "Get him up here," he said. I saw what he was thinking. It would be faster to wheel me, right? Not fast enough.
"I love you guys." I'd been aiming for a less cheesy last declaration of friendship, but words were taking longer to reach my brain than normal. I blinked up at Maxson, wondering why he was shirtless. I slowly registered the softness at my neck. Aw, I'm gonna get it all bloody.
"Buddy?" Max said, his worry obvious from both his tone and his expression.
I felt his hand in mine. Pretty cool way to go- fighting a vampire with the boys. I gave them a smile. "See you next time."
11th place: Braddock Simpson- staked by Gaius
I got this idea and I was like oh heehoo this is gonna be so cool. Brad is our last villain standing and as such I kept him a long time, combating my distaste for villains. He got a chance at a second life as a vampire and immediately wasted it on failing to kill Gabriel and then getting staked like an idiot, which is a fitting send-off for such a terrible person. Braddock continues to defy all chances to be not-horrible and remains a nasty, nasty person. I'm sure there are traumas and extenuating circumstances in his past, but you can have all those things and still be a terrible person. A respectful RIP to Brad even though he doesn't deserve it.
10th place: Toddward Howard- Blood loss caused by Brad
Since Todd's lifeblood came out in the shirt and he wasn't specifically drunk to death, he shall not rise as a vampire. He was really cool, though, and deserved a cool death battling a vampire (and seeing Gaius defeat it). He also saved Max, since Brad was originally lunging at him. Todd is a cool dude and we all love him. Maybe he's a bit of a silly Tribute, but a little silly is good for the world. May he never stop being silly.