Battle Royale – A Game To Remember

Chapter Four

Joyce placed a clammy hand onto the thick rusting metal door in front of her, and gave it a sure shove with her shoulder. After a tight creak and another hefty budge, it fell open to reveal the surroundings; Joyce stumbled forward before jumping right back into the shadow of the door, afraid to be seen by any prying eyes. Outside, the scene was dark and densely covered in overgrown plants, looking uncared for and thriving for nourishment. For a moment she stood in the doorway, hovering between the security of the abandoned school and the bloodthirsty game that lay in wake. No one would play, would they?

They couldn’t.

Hugging her duffel to her chest, and quivering slightly with the cold of the night, her eyes searched the space in front of her for any familiar objects or faces. It was empty, and suddenly the chilled air blew at the sandy ground. Slowly, the blue moonlight crawled to her legs, giving her hiding position away and causing her to heave an intake of breath. There was nowhere to go, and there was nothing to do. She wasn’t even sure if all this was real.

Joyce shuffled again; her white sneakers leaving their unique sole marks on the dry ground and she strode forward into the empty field by the school - its long and once healthy grass, now yellow and dying. The school looked different from the outside, compared to the interior, it looked almost decent out here – a perfectly respectable school, except for various broken windows and stained brick walls. It was a lot like their school. The wind caught her again, from this height there was less heat and less oxygen – she felt it unsafe to breathe, but she did anyway.

Drawing to the edge, she found the school to be on the pinnacle of a hill, surrounded by solid trees and green forestry: from here the entire island could be seen and there was even the distant hemline of the coast. She wondered how everybody was, and from her distance she saw a flash of light rushing through some trees to her east, its brightness escaping past the thick leaves and into her view. A rush of assurance hit her as she felt that she was not alone, but before long fear struck her again. It was still a dangerous situation.

“Joyce!” A hushed voice called from remoteness, shocking the girl and causing her jump. She lost her step and almost tumbled down the steep hill, but was abrupt to regain, due to practiced reflexes. Joyce attempted to get away as quick as possible, but a swift hand shot out from behind and grabbed her arm, pulling her back so that she collided into a firm chest.

She struggled and pulled back, feeling the fear of death at hand, but was surprised to feel a familiar embrace and the sweet smell of faded C.K. perfume in her nostrils. Instantly she eased and looked up, sighing when she met with Danny’s gentle face, and she fell limp onto him, as if so glad that he was here, because she was. His warmth and his presence was enough to love him more – he was always there for her. Now was the right time to arrive.

“Oh my God, Dan! You scared the life out of me.” She said, burying her face in his shirt, grabbing a handful of it. Feeling relieved and safe, he smiled before replying.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I was waiting for you to come out, and when I saw you...” He replied quietly, but was stopped when there was a recognizable high-pitched ringing erupting from both their collars. He froze and took a step back, his hands still lingering on Joyce’s elbows. Her eyes darted around the scene, and they grew wide when she saw the red light on Dan’s collar, giving his chin a faint glow.

“Move Dan!” Joyce screamed in her instant panic, pushing him backwards hard and forcing herself away too. She had just seen Madison die with front row tickets, she was not about to see Dan die too – they could survive this, she knew they could. Before she could react, Joyce felt herself missing the ground and being hauled downwards by gravity.

Danny staggered back, just as the information took in and fell over a protruding rock. He made contact with the ground violently, creating dust clouds and soon he coughed fiercely. The ringing stopped, but Joyce had freaked out. She lost her step and had slipped down the hill, with one leg bent at an awkward position. An image of bloodstained sand flooded his mind; he hurried to the edge of the hill and peered over anxiously. His fingers gripping into the dirty earth as his head edged into the lack of land, and his eyes rummaged the dark scene, somehow adjusting rapidly to the evening.

“Joyce!” He screamed into the dark of night, “Joyce!”

He was met by a deathly silence and he felt his eyes prickle with that of tears. Danny staggered to get up, and grabbing his rucksack again, salty tears flowing down his face and cleaning the dust. He skidded and ran down the side of hill in the greatest hopes of finding Joyce, and with some luck on his side, seeing her alive.

Zach Parker (Boy 12) panted loudly, feeling his ribs rise and fall violently along with his sync breathing. A few sharp branches here and there persisted in clawing at his uniform and his lightly tanned face. He sucked in a breath along with the pain, making sure that he made no sound to give away his position. He continued to run for his life, not stopping though he felt like he was about to collapse, and from the corner of his eye, he saw his torch faltering. It flickered a few more times before it shut off completely.

Battery depleted.

“Shit.” He cursed under his breath, his legs slowing to a halt as he smacked the metal torch against his guitar-playing callused palm. Zach made a face at it and decided inwardly to leave the damn thing off for now at least, there was still somewhat of light from the sky and immediately his heart sank as he saw the sun quickly fading. He swore again, stuffing the large gadget into his pocket and running once again, following a seemingly well-used path in the muddy earth.

According to his compass, which he gave a short glance at while he clipped it clumsily to his front blazer pocket, said he was going east. Well, east was a good start, maybe he would reach a coast or something. Then he could figure something out there, and finally he could think about what the hell he was going to do in a crazy situation like this. He was sure he would reach somewhere convenient; after all, his luck was great next to none. With a troubled childhood and the determination to get him anywhere, he smirked and ran faster, until he was sure his body was going to snap into two.

Slowly, through the sound of a drumming heart in his ears, he heard another hum of heavy breathing. Suddenly, paranoia erupted within him and all he did was bolt away faster, like a greyhound of its owner’s leash and surely enough, he heard twigs snapping behind him from a pursuit, another breathing growing louder along with his own.

In the attempt to look behind him, he smacked into a large tree bark, winding him and causing him to be trapped. Panicking, he backed up against the tree and shook off his rucksack from his shoulders, scavenging through its depths for something to defend himself with, fully aware of the breathing that edged ever closer to him. His hands shook; picking up and throwing away objects that were in his bag – a watch, a bottle of water, a map…

“Damn it!” He stage whispered, still shifting through his bag, with only the sense of his fingers to know what was within it. It was pitch black now, with only the dim outline of things in his surroundings, and he knew that inside he was frightened to death. He hurriedly rummaged until his palm felt something cold and sharp, cutting deep into his wrist. Zach cried out in pain and pulled out the weapon with his bleeding hand - its warm liquid slowly gushing out of his wrist, and soaking his clothes. He stifled back another painful cry, and staggered up, wiping some sweat off his cheek and leaving blood streaks there.

He looked around, feeling his lungs gasping for fresh air, and his eyes met with a familiar figure a few metres in front of him. Zach instinctively grasped his knife tighter, still not knowing the extent of its appearance and stepped back as much as he could into the tree bark - its rough exterior scratching his back.

“Parker…” He heard a creepy voice say, and a shadow swaying in the distance. He knew that voice straight away and knew that this was not a position he would want to play in. The guy was fucking unstable for God’s sakes.

“Mark Smith.” Zach whispered back into the darkness to him (Boy 16). He held out the knife in defence and slightly saw it glimmer through catching the last ounces of light. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the night and he saw Mark walking closer.

“Well, well. Look here, poor Zach with a little knife.” Mark taunted, sifting a shaky hand through his shoulder-long brown hair, and smoothing down his dirty uniform. Zach was really tall, and also brunette, but somehow Mark was still taller, his thin figure stretching almost 10 centimetres over Zach’s head. Mark pursed his large lips and it grew into a smirk.

Zach caught a foretaste of the crowbar that Mark had, held with both hands due to its weight and in the fear of a fight; Zach blew the hair out of his eyes. Hand to hand combat? From what Zach had just heard from that deranged teacher of theirs, that wasn’t going to go down too well with these damn collars. He should just get it over with, and get out of this forest.

“What’s your deal Mark?” Zach managed to say, after studying his weapon for a while, and he thrust his bag back onto his shoulders, all the while not removing his view off the other guy.

Mark chuckled, in a creepy way and even though Zack asked, he already knew the answer. The both stared and narrowed their dark brown eyes into slits to focus on the other, “Dear Zack, you know ‘the deal’ with me!” He screamed, mimicking Zach slightly and edging forwards, knowing the extent of their boundaries. He held up the crowbar and though it was heavy, he lifted it above his head.

It really was true, Zach knew all that happened but it was a long time ago. None of it was their fault, he never really knew why it went wrong and they used to be good friends too. But after that, Mark was never the same. He was now eerily mad and looked like he didn’t care for himself at all, when he had used to be happy, funny and extremely optimistic. Zach still wanted things to be the same, but after a while he knew that everything had to change eventually.

“Come on man! Don’t do this!” Zach yelled, daring to step forwards and drop his arm back down to his side. Mark changed no emotion and remained staring at Zach with angry eyes.

Mark cried out and leapt forwards, striking Zach with the crowbar in the upper gut. Zach fell forwards on his knees and knew that would leave a bruise, he groaned and heard the ringing of their collars, the flashing of the red light chasing away the shadows and revealing the two boys in front of each other. He rolled his eyes and stumbled up with the help of the tree.

“Damn it Parker! Fight me like a man!” Mark screamed from above him, watching him on the floor with eager eyes. Zach felt anger in his throat and it grew when Mark kicked him fiercely in the chest. He spat out a mouthful of foul tasting blood and almost puked. He never was one who passed gym class.

“Fuck you!” Zach screamed, fighting back his good conscience and grabbing onto Mark’s shirt to haul himself up, then stabbing him in the right of his chest, feeling as the sharp metal rigged into muscle and bone, he pulled out the weapon when Mark pushed him away. Zach leapt back away from him and lay down in the earth, feeling the cold and dirt, he was just all right that Mark had stopped – Zach was tired. Soon the ringing stopped and the red light disappeared to leave him the darkness once again.

Was Mark dead or was he just out of range? Zach weakly propped himself up his elbows and looked for a body, he saw something slouched by the tree and Zach sickened. What did he just do?

He felt a pain in his chest and with that, he suddenly threw up, turning over on his side to get it out quickly, ridding his body of all his feelings and meals. But not even puking it all out could take away the pain of what he just did. Zach was a good guy, all he had ever done in his life was play the guitar and sing, but now nothing really was ever going to stay the same.

Ever.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and crawled, laying down again after a short while, away from the mess and the body. Zach shut his eyes tight until it hurt, hoping he would just wake up, but nothing at all happened. He was still here in this damned nightmare.

“Damn it Taylor, move away more!” Ashley screeched loudly and childishly, stomping her ballet-pumps wearing feet as if to kick the other girl, “Our collars keep lighting up and I do not want my head to be blown off like that Madison girl!” She added, and Taylor scooted over further away from her, pouting since she was the one who usually did the bossing around.

“Shut up you skank! I’m just real freaked out. I mean people are dying!” Taylor replied, twirling a strand of flawless hair around her youthful finger. She sighed and moved over another few metres or so until they were both sitting opposite each other. Taylor looked around them, and reached for her duffel, hugging to her chest for protection. The both of them had run from that creepy school once they were out and eventually, they had found this cave on the side of this hill. Well, it was more like a little dip, but they still counted it as a cave.

They figured they would stay here since nobody would hurt them – after all, they were popular and pretty. Sure. But they were frightened when they heard screaming and retching, from not too far away, which is when Taylor tried to sit closer to Ashley.

Ashley, who was calmer than ever, leant back on the rock and opened her bag to fish for anything that would keep her warm since with night, comes chill. She rolled down the sleeves of her navy blue school blazer and pulled down her skirt, but it still barely brushed her thighs. She shivered and took out a map, and a few bags of food, making disgusted faces at it.

“What?” Taylor asked, seeing her friend’s face. Ashley threw the bags of food aside into the darkness of the forest near them and continued her search. Taylor gasped and crawled forward to retrieve the food and she put them into her bag. “You can’t just throw that away, we might starve if we don’t get killed! And if you’re just going to chuck it up in your bulimic pukes, then I’ll eat it.” She mumbled to herself, and for once she actually sounded like one of the less popular people who were concerned for their friends.

Ashley shrugged, and rolled eyes, “It’s not even called bulimic…” She pathetically retorted back. Taylor looked up to see Ashley smiling at something her bag, and then her heart skipped a beat. Had she found a weapon and was it good? Could it protect the both of them? Ashley stuck her hand into her bag and held something for a while.

“Ashley, did you find your weapon?” Taylor asked anxiously, kneeling forwards and placing her hands on the rough ground. Her cherry glossed lips parted slightly as expectantly awaited an answer.

Ashley looked up and shook her head; her smile never ceasing to leave and she took out a piece of bubble gum from her bag before jumping her seat excitedly. Taylor’s heart sank while Ashley’s stupid one got happier.

“Ashley? Give me your bag!” Taylor screamed, and to which Ashley obliged obediently before going back into awe with her beloved gum. Taylor caught the bag, and took a quick look inside, shifting through everything was in its content, but there were no signs of anything else as a weapon. How was a gum supposed to a weapon? “Fuck!” Taylor swore loudly, her cheeks colouring as she threw the bag away angrily. Ashley stiffened when she heard the echo of Taylor’s voice and knew that when the girl was mad, there were to things to do: either stay out of her rampaging way, or suck up to her extra.

“I think I’ll save this.” Ashley muttered, referring to her gum and placing it in her front pocket. Taylor placed her head in her hands looking frustrated before she moved onto looking through her own duffel.

Everything was the same, food x2 because of Ashley, water, map, and compass…

Ashley eyed her friend apprehensively, but frowned when Taylor shook her head to indicate she had nothing good either. She put the bag beside her and pulled out her supposed “weapon” which was a blanket, and threw it over to Ashley who she had seen shivering (even though they usually dressed very similarly). Ashley nodded in appreciation and pulled it over to keep herself warm, Taylor hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, attempting to sleep since everything that had sunk into her brain was too much to swallow. They were tired.

Ashley gave her a faint smile and thought of something to cheer her up, “Don’t worry about it Taylor, I mean things will work out for us. Just look at what we have…” She began but was cut off by the “Queen Bee’s” glare.

“What we have? We have a gum and a blanket! What can we do with that, huh? A sticky blanket or whatever.” Taylor dropped her icy glare feeling a short period of guilt for taking out her anger. She didn’t want to die, but then again who didn’t. There were a lot of people out there who didn’t like them and she was sure they would find her, “Unless it’s a fucking poison gum or something…” She added sarcastically, turning over to go to sleep, using her bag for a pillow.

The other girl was hurt, because who of the plastic clan wouldn’t be hurt if you got on Taylor’s bad side. She looked briefly at her gum stick in her pocket, and hoped that it really wasn’t poisonous. That was too unreal.

She shut her eyes and pulled the blanket to her chin, hugging her bag. Yeah, everyone was calling it one big nightmare.

“Freddy, when do you think your band practice will be over tonight?” Mark asked, walking over to the two boys sitting in the music room playing their instruments, “It’s been ages since me and my brother have actually hung out together!” He smiled, patting Zach on the shoulder as he put down his Fender guitar.

“Sorry dude, okay I promise I’ll cancel band practice tonight. We can go catch some tricks at the skate park or something.” Zach replied, beaming and standing up to a height much taller than Mark. He laughed as the summer rays walked through the windows and lit up the room, it was two years ago and the three boys looked so young.

Mark had short, spiked hair and though he played no instruments, usually hung out with the band guys; and he was naturally, lightly tanned, like Zach. He was loud, fearless and very optimistic. But unlike Zach, who had medium long, surfer hair and a tendency to stay quiet, not stick up for himself, overall he was still one of the nicest guys.

And Freddy, was still Freddy. Blonde, sweet and was nowhere without his drumsticks, stuck in his back pockets. He loved to laugh and was very laidback, his extra “cool” probably made up for his lack of smart skills.

“Well, I’ll catch you later Freddy.” Zach said, zipping his guitar case and swinging it onto his back, he gave a half wave, half salute before walking out to follow Mark. Freddy chuckled to himself, and thanked God that he didn’t have to carry the drum kit; he stuffed the drumsticks into his pocket and got up, leaving the room shortly after them.

He shut the door behind him and with that, nothing would be the same between the three of them again.

Time

1 hours played

71 hours left

Dead

Male: None

Female: None

Remaining

39 students

A/N : Well, there and out. I’m sorry of the long delay, because I have a good explanation… or not. One, its exam time again, so I have lots of work to do, especially with Art and English finals… grrr, even though those are my two favorite subjects. Two, I have been obsessively watching Fruits Basket. Three, I don’t know I just wanted to say three. Haa. So I squeezed this little short number chapter in for you all to read while I’m gone, working my ass off in the exam room. Sighh.

Okay, I figured I would fill you in on a character each time in my authors note and this time around is Joyce. Well, Joyce is my best buddy old pal, and she is exactly the way I write her, even the fact that she’s with Dan (haha, only in dreams) but yeah she’s real and she doesn’t want to die. Haha, I already have my mind set on one character winning and depending on votes, I might changes my mind (votes on my profile I mean.) One exception IT WILL NOT BE ME aka. Valerie. Because wheres the fun in that?

Anyway, now I apologize for the short chapter, but it was all my fingers could type. As Shigure says: There are no ideas flowing through the pen. Mhmm producticity. Carrying on, expect I’m not using a pen. Ahhh, and yes, I changed it because both Neri and my brother put a good point. 5 metres it too big, we even measured it. So I changed it to one, unless you guys think it should be otherwise. Tell me please.

As you know the drill, review review review until my heart is content. Please. Thanks to all you put this story on Alert or on your Favorites. And your reviews, SlasherFanatic26, Galantria, Neri, and my chum LoserLove, you guys are awesomeee! Thanks again guys - and to all you others, review please. I would really appreciate it.

-Fallen11angel

(Yuki Sohma my love)