Battle Royale Fan Fiction ❯ Battle Royale: All American High School ❯ Night Watch ( Chapter 3 )

-------> TONIGHT ON A BRAND NEW EPISODE OF “BATTLE ROYALE!”

 

The games have begun! Two students have already been removed, but that's just the beginning! With every student in the game being given a viable weapon, more blood should begin to spill in no time at all! Some students will seek out alliances in some poor attempt to challenge authority. Others will simply run and hide in terror. Then they are those proud few who will decide to play! God bless those individuals that decide to service the masses, eagerly awaiting entertainment. Thrill, chills, and much more awaits you in the latest episode of “BATTLE ROYALE 5: DESERTED ISLAND!”

 

At 2000 hours tonight on America Network 7.

 

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT! <-------

 

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Chapter 3: Night Watch

 

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The small tree is cold against my exposed legs. I try to pull my uniform skirt down further to cover it up but its really no help. I sit there behind my little brush tree, hugging my knees, hoping if someone passes me, they won't be able to see me.

 

I hope Erika is all right. She was the only one who saw it coming. I don't remember her crying during the entire presentation.

 

I never thought this would happen. The Leader LIED to us! How could he take our trust like that? I don't know. All of this seems so terrifyingly real to me. Like I had been dreaming and just now woke up. I always tried to avoid thinking about death and my own life. Every time my mind would go there I would try and focus on something else. I don't want to die. I want to live. What are the chances of that? Weak, little, Samantha Barrack? God, I'm going to be one of the first people to die aren't I? They gave me a boomerang. A boomerang! What am I suppose to do with that? What the fuck is wrong with them? I can't defend myself with a boomerang! I can barely throw a basketball!

 

It's now that I realize I had just sworn for the first time in a very long time. I swore once in front of my mom, when I was little, and she had a talk with me and made me stand in the corner. I was only about four or five. I don't think I knew the meaning of the word, anyway. I can't even remember what it was anymore.

 

Once when I was five I was invited to Danny Forbrush's sixth birthday. I had a crush on Danny. I think he had a crush on me to. Anyway after the scary clown had left and we had handed out presents and had cake, Danny asked me if I knew where babies came from...

 

God, Samantha, why are you thinking about that? Don't think about that. It's morbid and depressing.

 

I said no, of course. And I meant it too. He then said it was...

 

Shut up, Samantha! That's no good! Just be quiet! No need to think about that! It will just make you feel strange and depressed. You need to be smart now, Samantha. You need to keep your head up. You're not dying here. You're going to survive, somehow.

 

I look around and see a big tree. I discard the tiny brush and start up the tree. It was hard to get a hold of something at first but I didn't fall down. I held on with my body. I guess you could say I held on with my will. My backpack, filled with the food and my useless weapon, was heavy but I figured I better bring it. So I started up the tree and made it to the top in no time at all. Being there on top, looking down, I almost start to laugh. I hadn't climbed a tree in years. I lay down on the large branch and try to spread myself out as much as possible so I can't be seen. I look over to see that the sun was setting. It was actually a really pretty sunset. People wouldn't see me in the dark. I'd be safe.

 

I once read a report that said the reason why little girl's think there are monsters under their beds is because back in ancient times, girl cavemen would sleep in trees. They where always afraid of being attack from below. Being stuck in the middle of all of this makes me feel like I'm a little child again, except this time the monsters are real.

 

****

 

My feet are really tried. I've been running full speed for what seems like hours but has probably only been a few minutes. I'm somewhere in a forest now. It's dark here and I can tell the sun will be going down soon. I want to stop and rest but I can't. Right now I'm not even thinking about anything really. I'm just running on pure adrenaline. I think that's best. If I think about this situation I'll become depressed. I gotta' live...

 

Brandon Custer, by the way. In case you couldn't tell.

 

I'm still running at full speed when I trip over something. I fall forward to the cold, hard ground. I let out a grunt and then wish I hadn't. God, I hope no body heard me.

I slowly climb to my feet and try my best not to make any noise. For a moment I just stand there. I think the seriousness of the situation has finally just dawned on me. I decide once again to try and focus on something else. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt, you know.

 

I look towards my duffle bag. I move towards a tree and sit down. It feels good to rest, even though in a sense I'm not really resting. My nervous system is still running, even though my body is sitting down. I open my bag. I dig past the water bottle and the food rations. I throw aside the bag of bar soap. I don't really need that. Hygiene isn't a big issue at the moment. I need to shed the weight. Finally at the bottom of the bag I find my weapon. I remove it from the bag and hold it in my hand. It's a hunting knife, I think. I remove the sheaf and look over the weapon. The blade looks to be about eight inches long. It's pretty heavy and has a curved point. I barely remember some of the kids that hunt talking about this kind of thing. I think it's called a Bowie knife. It looks pretty intimidating. I feel safer with the knife.

 

Nothing happens for about a half a hour. The sun's down now and it's hard to see. Other then that, though, nothing has really happened. Just me sitting here with my knife and my duffle bag, scared shitless, but strangely comfortable. Just about then I feel something heavy and warm land on me.

 

****

 

It's been almost thirty minutes, if my watch is correct, since I climbed up the tree. The sun has gone down all the way and it's dark. I've heard the phrase “So dark you can't see an inch in front of your face” before but I never knew that kind of thing could actually happen. I think it may be because I'm in a forest. I've never been in a forest after dark before. People where always shocked when I said I'd had never been camping before. I guess it's a thing to do. I don't like the dark.

 

I cling to my tree, trying really hard not to fall down. If I fall I think I'd break a bone. It would be over with then. I would have no chance of surviving at all if I broke a leg. I would be screwed, I guess you could say.

 

I'm alone and it's still dark. I feel kinda' tired but I don't think I could fall asleep. I guess I'm tired because it has been such a stressful day. I think stressful is actually an understatement. Traumatic works better. I don't know. I'm scared. Really scared.

 

I notice something. I can't see real well, but I think a person has entered my general area. I shrink against my tree and try to disappear. Oh, God. Some one else is here. I'm gonna' die. I'm gonna' die...

 

Shut up, Samantha. I'm sure this person is just as scared as you are. God, I hope so.

 

It's a boy. I've heard stories about this show, about how the girls get raped a lot. Oh, God, I hope he doesn't see me. I can't tell who it is. God, I hope he doesn't see me. The boy, whoever he is, is running. Running fast too and soon he'll be out of my plain of view. See, Samantha, nothing to be afraid of. You're gonna' live.

 

The boy trips over a tree root. That's not good. He quickly stands back up and just stands there. I hope he'll leave soon. I don't want him to see me, rape me, murder me, and then move on. That would be bad. That would be really bad. The boy walks over to my tree. Oh, God, he's seen me. He knows I'm here. It's gonna' happen. I'm gonna' die.

 

Dear God, I'm sorry for my sins. For everything I've done wrong. I've been a bad person, sometimes. I've told lies to my parents. I've told lies to my teachers and to my best friends. I've had impure thoughts about several boys in my class as well as one teacher. I stole a soft drink from a store once, it was an accident. I didn't mean too. Please forgive me, God. Please...

 

The boy sits down at the base off my tree. Wait, maybe he hasn't seen me. Maybe he's just tried. God, I hope he's just tried. The boy sits there for a while before he digs through his bag. I peek over my tree branch to get a closer look at what's in his bag. He pulls out the soap bars and throws them aside. Typical boy. Then he removes his weapon. Oh, shit. It's a knife. A great big knife. Oh, god, he's gonna' to cut me open like an animal and… And… Oh, God… Oh, please don't.

 

Get your self together Samantha. See? He's just sitting there. If he knew you where here he would have climbed up the tree and killed you all ready. See Samantha, he's just resting. Don't worry.

 

I grip my boomerang. It may be useless but I can still beat him with it. It's pretty heavy. I could hit him with it, if I had to. I don't want to but if I had to it's there. For safety reason, you could say.

 

For a long time it seems the boy just sits there. He doesn't know it, but I'm on the edge the whole time. I'm ready for him. All along him and me are playing a game of endurance, I guess. I'm sitting there waiting for him to move the wrong way. I don't want to hurt you, Boy, but I will. God, what am I saying? I'm acting like some serial killer. Something terrible is getting to me. I'm not gonna' kill him. I'm not, I tell you.

 

But what if he climbs up this tree and tries to cut me with that knife he has? What will I do? What can I do? I would have to hit him! I would have to hit him! I would have to defend myself! I can't sit back and die! Or would I just freeze up? Oh, God, what am I gonna' do? Oh, God, I have to fight him. I have to do something! I'm not gonna' sit back and just die! God, I have to do something about this! I'm going to… Don't touch me!

 

Before I realize what's happening, I've leapt from my spot and I'm falling on the boy.

 

****

 

I look around quickly and see a young girl holding a boomerang (I think they're called) striking me. I've dropped my knife somewhere in the struggle. She's just a small girl, really. She doesn't look much taller then I am. She's not hitting very hard. Obviously not an athletic girl. She keeps screaming. I think she's saying don't hurt me or something like that. Gee, I really think she should take her own advice on that one. I'm not sure I recognize her. Wait…

 

“Samantha? Samantha!” I say.

 

“Don't touch me! You fucking pervert! You sicko! You boy! Stay away from me! I'll kill you!” Samantha says all of this in-between whacks with the boomerang. It's obvious that she's panicked.

 

“Samantha, I don't want to hurt you! Samantha, calm down! It's me, Brandon!” I hold up my arm to try and protect me from the hits with the boomerang.

 

She stops hitting me and stares at me. She holds the boomerang over her head, just in case she decides to hit me again. She's breathing heavily. Finally she says something.

 

“Brandon? Do I know you?” She still is breathing hard, out of breath.

 

“Remember on the class picnic earlier this year? I gave you half of my egg salad sandwich. I don't want to hurt you, really.”

 

She tilts her head at me, obviously unsure of me. Who wouldn't be? I'm not sure I trust myself.

 

“How do I know you're not lying?” She finally says, after a long pause.

 

“You don't. You're just going have to trust me. I'm not playing. I don't know how, but I'm going to beat them somehow.” I say to her.

 

I mean that, too. These fuckers are going down. They can't play with us like this. The school, the government, and everything they represent. That's who we should be fighting, not each other. Samantha continues to stare, quietly. She's judging me, I can tell. I don't like that but I understand.

 

Samantha stops staring and says, “I believe you. I think if you where going to kill me, you would have.”

 

She drops her boomerang and props up against the tree. I stand up and walk closer. I try to make little conversation just because it's way too quiet out here.

 

“How long where you in that tree?” I'm really digging for subject matter.

 

“About an hour, I guess. What did you mean when you said you where going to fight them?” Samantha still looks unsure.

 

“I don't know how I'm gonna' do it, but I know I will find a way. I mean, think about it. This is an island, they said. Maybe people use to live here. I think I saw a village somewhere. Maybe there's gasoline there. We could make a bomb. We could take them down.” All of this is coming together just as I speak.

 

“Didn't they say that if we try to enter the school our coalers would explode?” Samantha says in a tone of voice that makes me sound crazy.

 

I remember the collar for the first time since the classroom. I feel around the sliver ring. The cold sensation of it sends a chill down my spine.

 

“Well, it's is a work-in-progress, I guess. I don't know, Samantha. I not sure what I want to do. I just know we can't do anything tonight. Nothing's good out in the dark like this.”

 

Samantha walks closer to me. Maybe she does trust me.

 

“I agree with you about the night. I don't like the dark. I'm afraid something will pop out and get me.”

 

“I understand you, there. Who wouldn't be scared? Who isn't?” I'm pretty much just rattling off my thoughts.

 

Samantha sits down by the tree. I sit down next to her. I don't really know her but I have this need to look out for her. I don't want Samantha to die. I don't want to die. I don't want anyone to die. We sit there for a long time, both of us looking out into the forest. Both of us are watching, ready for anything. I reach over and pick my knife back up and hold it close. Samantha does the same thing with her boomerang. Like I said, we're all scared. I don't like the quiet, but I can't think of anything important to say right now. After some time, a thought comes to me.

 

“Samantha, is they're anyone out there that you care about?”

 

She looks at me, once again. She says, “Yeah. I have a friend, Erika. I hope she's okay. She knew this was going to happen. She lost a sister to this thing once. I didn't believe her when she said that she did. Now I wish I did. What about you?”

 

“My girlfriend, Lauren. Now I wish I had spent more time with her. Gone out with her more. I really like her. I don't know what love is, but I think she's the right one. I hope I can find her. That's what I'm gonna' do, come morning. I'm going to find Lauren and get as many people together and I'm going to take down the school.”

 

“Lauren Reynolds, you mean? I know her. She's really nice.” Samantha smiles at me.

 

“Thanks.” I say.

 

****

 

Brandon is really serious about this. If anybody is going to take down the School, it's him. He's gonna' do it.

 

That strange feeling of sleepiness comes over me again. I yawn. I don't know what time it is, but I feel like I've been up all night. I curl up to next to Brandon.

 

“Samantha, are you okay?” He says and begins to scoot away from me.

 

“I'm not coming on to you, Brandon. I'm tried and I need to sleep. And I trust you.”

 

He looks at me with an unsure look. He says, “You trust me?”

 

“I know it's absurd, but I do trust you. I feel safe around you and I'm not sure why. I don't really know you that well but you feel kind. You don't want to hurt me.” I yawn again and curl up against Brandon's shoulder. “I'll know you'll keep me safe.”

 

Brandon sits there still looking confused. After a moment he looks at me and smiles. “You're right. I will.”

 

I close my eyes and begin to drift to sleep. The last thing I see is Brandon looking out over the forest, looking unsure.

 

****

 

Samantha shouldn't trust me. Who knows what I'll do before this is over. I don't want to hurt her right now, but who knows what'll happen. What if she loses it and tries to kill me? What if I lose it and try to kill her? I don't want to hurt anyone but not everyone will be like me. Mr. Stephens was right; a lot of the kids will play. I can't just sit back and let them kill me. I would have to fight back. I don't want it to come to that, but what if it does? I shouldn't think about this. Brandon, you just need to take it as it comes. Roll with the punches.

 

Samantha's head slumps onto my shoulder. She looks like a little child when she's sleeping. She reminds me of a little sister I never had. It's amazing how people latch unto each other in times of crisis. The way she looks reminds me of this one time with Lauren. It was about a year ago, I think. On one of the long weekends. We took a bus into the seedy part of town and snuck into one of the theaters that play non-Government approved movies. I don't remember much about the movie other then that it was pretty poorly done. I think the movie was called “The Street Fighter” or something, I can't remember. That's not important. It was a late showing. Lauren and me had gone to dinner and on a whim just decided to go downtown. She was tried. She wore one of the t-shirts I had bought her. She looked so beautiful that night. She had fallen asleep in the theater, I remember and she was probed up against my shoulder just like Samantha is now. I remember looking over at her face and smiling. She then snuggled up closer to me. That was a good moment. I remember that I fell asleep to, soon. I remember that we woke up in the morning not knowing where we were. Both of our parents where so angry at us. They thought something more serious had happen. Nothing like that, though, just both of us asleep in the theater. God, that was a perfect moment. I don't think I've ever felt so warm before in my life. I wish I could remember what movie it was...

 

Something rustles in the near-by bushes. My head shoots up and I'm at attention. I grab my knife tightly. I can't sleep. I need to keep watch. I need to keep watch so I can stay alive so I can get back to Lauren. Get back to that perfect moment.

 

****

 

End of chapter three.

 

“38 contestants remaining!”