Island, Round Six: By a fallen stake...

[Avery]

Mister Gregory Merkshire was a practical man.

He knew that everyone on the island was a suspect. He knew that no matter how someone appeared, there was a very real chance that they were, indeed, a killer. He even knew that this applied to himself, and he admitted it. Perhaps this should have cast suspicion away from Gregory-- after all, no real killer would say they could be a killer, right?

The islanders, however, did not feel this way.

"What sort of person says they should be suspected?" asked one skeptical survivor.

"I know!" agreed another. "It's so very... odd."

And so they decided that Gregory must die. There was a chance he was innocent, of course, but better safe than sorry, eh? So that afternoon, as Gregory sat eating a coconut, the islanders crept up behind him. Tied a rope around his neck. Hung him from the gallows they'd used to kill Mina.

**

"These people are so dumb," said a killer later that day. "Killing Merkshire? What a stupid move!"

"Like we would be so daft as to say to suspect us?" laughed a second. "Oh-- that should have been a glaring sign of his innocence right there!"

"Poor old bloke," sighed the third.

"No matter," said the fourth. "As long as it's not us, right?"

Gregory Merkshire was an innocent survivor.

[Nova]

It was nighttime when Hunter Harris was flying around the island, looking for possible means to escape. He couldn't see very well - as bats rely on hearing echos rather than sight - but he was determined to figure out how to get off this island full of killers.

He heard the shouts of the island rising up against Gregory. He heard his lifeless body dangling from a rope. He could barely see his spirit rise up from his body, and the spirit gasped at his lifeless form.

Another one bit the dust. And an innocent one, at that.

Fortunately no one would be able to find him at night; that's when he'd go off to sleep in his favorite palm tree and morph into his wonderful flying form. But if anyone found out about his secret... well, he'd be a lot like some of those spirits that are popping out of their bodies left and right.

He wondered how people will deal with the killing... another killing of a perfectly innocent human being.

[Yoyti]

Aha! thought Gregory, now a zombie (although he was very much immobile and speechless, having a rope wrung around his neck). I'm very much glad I had preparations made for my zombie afterlife. And it was true. In life, Gregory had had himself injected with a dormant form of a zombie virus, which would activate when he died. His intention was not to live on, but rather, to provide a source of study for interested scientists. And now, he thought, perhaps his zombie could be useful here?

No.

There was one thing Gregory had not counted on. He was a mathematician, after all. Not a biologist. For though his body was very much alive, it had no consciousness. And additionally, it was completely paralyzed, the rope having severed his spine. He could not do anything for anyone, except perhaps make slight twitches of the face. If there were a biologist on the island, they might have found it interesting, but there were none.

Then how, thought Gregory, am I thinking?

The answer came clearly to him. Moments before death, his body would have produced a hallucinogen, as most bodies do when dying, though it is of interest to few people, most of them dead. But now, he realized, the hallucinogen, or something of the like, must have pickled his consciousness. He now existed on a different mental plane!

Of course, Gregory was completely wrong. He was a ghost, nothing more. But at least that kept him occupied for a few minutes.

[Ginz ❤]

Danielle had become pretty aloof from the group lately. After Mina had died, something had changed inside of her. Before she died, Mina had pulled her away from her newest friend, Camille, warning her not to trust her. Danielle didn't listen to her at the time, because she rather liked Camille. But after Mina was hanged, she wondered if she should have taken her advice.

Danielle realized being stranded on the Island was actually a serious matter. This was on her mind for a surprisingly long time, but about an hour later, she forgot and went back to thinking she was on vacation at a beach resort. But she had lost her drive to socialize. She was't sure why, but suddenly everyone seemed less friendly. She hardly ever saw anyone smile!

The day Melanie was murdered, Danielle was too busy picking seashells to make a necklace with, and she hadn't even known about it. But with Gregory it had been different.

That day, she had been chasing a colorful bird. The bird had tried to stand on top of a refuge Danielle was building, but the structure was weak and it collapsed at once. The bird got startled by the noise and flew away, but not too far. Danielle disregarded her (now destroyed) fort, and followed the bird, because its wings were colorful and shiny.

She followed it until she couldn't follow it anymore, because the bird smartly perched herself too far up on a palm tree. When the chase was over, Danielle took notice of her surroundings. There was a group of people nearby. There were a few people around. The angel was giving Thomas some kind of intensive massage, but besides them, Danielle only noticed Gregory, for it was him who said:

"Oh just listen to the way I'm talking. It's almost as if I thought we were playing a game!"

As soon as he spoke, she was interested. She got closer to the group. "A game? I want to play!" She said excitedly. But no matter who she asked, no one seemed to know what it was about or what the rules were. Danielle eventually got tired of asking and went off to play her own games.

But later that day, a crowd gathered around Gregory, and Danielle figured the game he had mentioned was starting. At first she joined in what others were doing, but soon she stopped. It was the cruelest, least fun game she had ever seen. She tried to look away, but she couldn't. As Gregory was being hanged, the only thing on her mind was: If this is the game, I don't want to play anymore.

[gold]

"--you should suspect me."

If Gregory hadn't said that, perhaps Comwell wouldn't have realized that Gregory was totally the killer. There was no way it wasn't him. A crazed mathematician, carefully subtracting lives. It made sense.

"As of yet, I am suspicious of the good captain, Dean Comwell."

That was when Dean made his choice. Of course, dear Gregory had realized that he had just made everyone suspicious of himself, so he deflected the suspicion onto Dean. It made sense, of course.

And that was what caused Comwell to suggest the execution of Mr. Gregory Merkshire.

He was still completely sure that he had just lead the execution of the killer, until he realized that Q had been unaccounted for for the first few days, being on another part of the island and all. Perhaps Q was in on it as well?

Captain Dean Comwell then turned to Q. "So, what drove you to kill people? What was it that pushed you to murder innocent survivors?" he smiled. He was sure that it would all be over soon, and that he was about to save everyone.

[Draco]

Q was staring at the everyone kill someone when Captain Dean Comwell started to talk to him. He turned around slowly, legs actually not even moving, and he smiles.

"I was hungry. And that boar did attack me first...."

He sips a cocktail that was in his hand.

"Now if you don't mind. I managed to get that dead girl's cellphone to work, and I ordered some Jimmy Johns. Then it died. The delivery should be here any moment."

He stares out at sea as if expecting something. While staring at the water, a bag flies out of the trees behind him and hits him in the back of the head. A monkey in a uniform swings away.

"Oh, it's here."

He unwraps it and begins to eat.

[Avery]

Nelly wished she were surprised by Gregory's execution, but she wasn't. People on this island were antsy-- a murder was surely to be followed by a lynching, whether or not the survivors really had a good idea of who was guilty. And with Gregory, it was obvious they were just grasping for straws. He was not a killer; Nelly was sure of this. But fat lot of good that did Merkshire. He was dead. The killers were still loose.

She sighed, and then went back to roasting some meat over a fire. She was going to call this pork, though really it was a combination of several of the last murder and lynching victims. Her first batch of meat-- a.k.a, Cassie-- had sold well, so she was hoping for similar success.

She just hoped another killing didn't happen too soon. Otherwise bodies would begin going to waste, because even Nelly couldn't explain that much meat to the islanders. A feral pig or two they could believe. A whole colony? Probably not.

[Rosalie Dylas (Maddy)]

Christoper happily helped Miss Nelly carry Melanie's body, trying to put her death out of his mind. Then he helped her cook some of her delicious food. He still hadn't found out what it was, but he was so honored to be allowed to help her.

After Christopher was done helping Miss Nelly he wondered back to where everyone else was, using voices to help aid him. Thomas's voice helped alot. Christopher wish he could never stop talking, then he did. Because from what he could gather the voice named Shani was punching him and attacking him and... She was an angel. What did that mean? An Angel? What kind of angel attacks a person with such an amazing voice like Thomas?

Then Gregory spoke, and what he said made sense then it didn't, then Captain Comwell spoke and what he said... and then noise, and movement and... Christopher knew what was happening. He knew what was happening and he knew he couldn't stop it. Then the excitement died down. Gregory, the crazy voice who would babble one second then speak so logically next was gone.

It didn't make sense. Why were people dying? Why was this happening? Why? Why? Why? What would all this bloodshed do? It wouldn't do anything!

Christopher shoved the execution in the back of his mind along with all the other murders, he couldn't think about them, he couldn't think about them. He had to focus on something else... The body! Miss Nelly would need the body. He made his way back to where Miss Nelly had been, following the smells of her meat cooking over a fire.

"Miss Nelly, there is another body. Want me to help you get it? It's sad, isn't it?" Christopher told Nelly, his voice wavering.

[Robyn]

It felt like it hadn't been any sooner than Moonflower had turned around that yet ANOTHER survivor had been slaughtered off. This was getting to be all a bit too much for her. She took a few spinning steps around, seemingly questioning her surroundings as to why all these killings were taking place. This was a tropical island. It was supposed to be a place of harmony and natural magic. She could sense the dark energy clouding around them with all the unhealthy releases of these spirits, as plain as a hurricane swirling in the skies above. She felt unsafe. She felt exposed.

All this violence and suffering...

Moonflower wiped a few tears away from her face. It was the first time she'd cried since they'd been shipwrecked. She hadn't even particularly liked or known the mathematician-- in fact, she held a certain disdain for those of his trade, trying to act like the world could be dissolved down to a series of numbers and formulas. There was more to everything than that. She knew it. She knew.

Distraught, Moonflower sniffed, wondering if she could find peace in temporary isolation. She hugged Sam, told her she needed to sort things out karmically, and began to wander into the unexplored forest.

[Draco]

Once Q was done with his sandwich, he buries the paper wrapping. Why? Just because. He then turns to the forest that bordered the beach. With a dramatic pose he points to it and begins to speak loudly.

"Has anyone explored this forest yet? I think it is time to do so! Who's with me?"

He holds his pose for a few moments before walking towards the forest. He was totally unaware of Moonflower walking in ahead of him however.

"Follow me when ready."

He begins to strut into the forest right past Moonflower. He stops for a moment and looks at her.

"Come along hippie!"

He grabs her hand and begins to lead her into the forest.

[Lizzie]

Sam was frustrated and silent about the death of Gregory, still crying, and was still pretty quiet when Moonflower hugged her and left.

Falling back into the sand, she wondered when the murders were going to stop...

[Avery]

"Miss Nelly, there is another body. Want me to help you get it? It's sad, isn't it?"

Nelly was startled by Christopher, though glad for his presence.

"It's ok, child," she said, roasting the meat carefully. "We will leave that body be. Now, help me cook up the islanders a lovely lunch, okay?"

She thrust a skewer of raw Melanie into his hands and then gently steered him next to her, so that he could roast the meal. Poor little tyke, she thought. Only a wee thing. Shouldn't have to deal with such calamity.

As she roasted, she suddenly noticed the crazy hippie and that weirdo, Q, walk by her towards the forest. She frowned. What were those two up to? It didn't seem very safe to her, walking off into the woods with maniacal killers on the loose. A group of two was not safe, not when one could be a killer (although she supposed she was doing the same with Chris-- but he couldn't be a killer, no sir, he just a little innocent boy!).

Then it dawned on Nelly. What if both Q and the hippie were killers!? Off to plot the next murder!? Her stomach twisted into a little knot. She ran her fingers over Christopher's arm, feeling his soft, warm skin. She had to keep him safe. Had to.

"Good roasting, dear," she said, handing him another skewer. "You're the best apprentice in the world."

[Deleted]

Mina gasped. She had been sitting dormantly since Gregory died. She didn't know if he was innocent or not...

And now Q had grabbed Moonflower and was pulling her towards the forest! What was he going to do to her?!

Quickly, she flew to Moonflower's side, vowing to herself she would stop Q from doing any harm.

[Avery]

The girl was not having a very good vacation.

She got on the big pretty ship, and that was swell, but then the big pretty ship went bye-bye into the ocean! She got into a smaller, not-as-pretty boat, and floated along with some scary people, until suddenly they showed up at an island resort! Oh boy! It was so much fun!

Except other people started to die. It scared the girl, scared her so very much. She tried to block it out and suntan, like she heard people normally did at resorts. And she built sandcastles, too. Lots and lots of cool sandcastles!

That's what Danielle was doing-- building a nice sandcastle-- when four scary, scary people came behind her. She looked at them and frowned.

"Why do you guys look so mean right now?" she asked.

Their only reply was a quick slash to Danielle's throat. She gasped and slumped over, crushing the sandcastle. She wanted to yell at the mean people, but she couldn't find any breath.

Oh boy, she thought before fading away. This vacation is so not fun!


Danielle was an innocent islander.

[Jayeee]

Thomas had not being having a good couple of days. After being hit repeatedly by that horrid vulture thing, which he was sure was just trying to peck out his eyes and feed them to its young, he had been carried back to his tent, moaning and groaning. In fact, he was sure it was fatal. “Don’t forget to tell daddy, I still want my Porsche,” he’d muttered in a delirium. “Death doesn’t mean daddy doesn’t owe me all the things he promised.”

Through some kind of miracle, he’d survived. But nonetheless, he simply couldn’t bear to step outside of his shelter. Oh the horror of seeing the site of his brutal attack. He’d only wanted to break the curse and save everybody. WAS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?! Instead he was being abused by prehistoric monstrosities. Oh, what a difficult life he led.

Naturally he’d asked some islanders to bring him some very large rocks – the uses of which remained top secret. When they’d been brought to him, he’d promptly thrown one at the face of the helpful person who had gathered them. He needed his peace and quiet after all – nobody was going to ruin that.

Which is why, when the helpful person who came to inform him that Gregory Merkshire had been murdered walked away; they had a split lip and a bleeding nose. “Goodness,” Thomas had exclaimed irritably, “decent servants are so hard to find these days. People have started thinking that actually have rights. How silly!”

The following day, Thomas had decided to brave the outside once more. It had always been a plan; it’d be the chapter of his book in which the daring hero made his grand return after being on the brink of death, and save everybody. Oh how brilliant it would all turn out. So, with a walking stick made out of bamboo, he hobbled into the open once more.

But wait.

Something was wrong. He sniffed – or attempted to. His nose was blocked. His throat was sore. He had a man cold rabies! “OH, THE DREADED PLAGUE! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!” he called out. “That thing must have bitten me with its venomous fangs, and clawed at me with its talons. I AM DISTRAUGHT!” he screamed hoarsely and then broke into a fit of coughing. “Just when I thought I’d gotten over the attack, I AM ONCE MORE AT THE EDGE OF DEATH. WHO WILL STOP ME FROM KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF DEATH?! You know, a friend of mine had some parents who were sadly dying. But it took ever so long. I mean, REALLY! I was trying to work and all I could hear was this child’s sobbing in the background. Very distracting. So do you know what I did? I had daddy lock up their entire house, and then I swallowed the key. We came back two weeks later and they had passed. It was very sad, but very satisfying to get it all over with. The boy continued to cry, and actually accused me of doing something wrong. So I had him arrested and then shipped to the state prison. Such a pity, really – he was a rather good friend.”

Thomas sniffed. “Oh, AM I NEVER TO SMELL ANYTHING AGAIN?! In my last days on this world, can I have no joy?! Although, from the smells of these islanders, I think I might rather not want to smell again,” he chuckled to himself. “BUT NONETHELESS, THIS IS A CATASTROPHE. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO OUR HERO?! WILL ANYBODY BE ABLE TO SAVE HIM?! Of course not, ONLY THOMAS EVERINGTON – OF EVERINGTON CAKES LIMITED – can save himself!”

Thomas wandered around to find somebody to complain and moan to when he fell over something hard. He didn’t notice it was Danielle’s body, but only flailed on the ground and rolled in the sand. “OH DEAR! HELP ME, SOMEBODY! I am in grave danger! I HAVE FALLEN AND I CANNOT GET UP!”