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

[Nova]

(responding to Jay's post on page 3)
Hunter was not exactly prepared for the big spiel that Thomas Everington of Everington Cakes Limited would give him. But, Hunter had a remarkable memory and was able to take in a lot of information at once, it was part of his job, so he was able to understand everything Thomas said.

"Hello Mr. Thomas, I'm pleased to meet you! In fact, I've heard all about Everington Cakes Limited! I work for an accounting company, Big Five Inc, and whenever there is a celebration, Christmas party, anniversary or what have you, we always get our cakes from Everington Cakes Limited. What other choices are out there? Nothing compares to an Everington Cake in my humble opinion. And your daddy is going to buy this island, is he? Well that's just marvelous! This is a wonderful location, if there is adequate transportation of course. The lack of boats and jets to get back to the mainland is a bit worrisome, is it not? Though I'm sure people will come to our rescue soon enough. As long as the islanders here remain civil."

Thomas pointed to the Angel with wings, and Hunter looked in her direction. "Yes, she is a beautiful creature. But for a zoo? I must tastefully disagree with you, Mr. Thomas. A creature such as her deserves to roam free at her own will, to bless and protect anyone she chooses, if that is in her power. She should not be bought or sold or imprisoned, but to remain free. Though, onto the topic of your birthday party, I think having your birthday here is a marvelous idea! I just turned twenty three a few days ago, and I certainly do like it on this island."

Thomas then mentioned the rumor he was telling Danielle, about himself and Melanie Baruch. "While I do enjoy a ladies' company, Melanie and myself are not an item, nor are we married. I have a wonderful wife at home, and I long to be with her once again. And marriage is not just something you do after you fail at one thing. I happen to love my career, which is certainly not a failure, and I have a wonderful wife and twins. But I thank you for your best wishes all the same."

Just as Thomas was getting caught up in his own gossip, Danielle introduced herself to Hunter, and commented on the shiny necklace, and shrieked about a murder. Then the songwriter joined, and said to innocent Danielle that this wasn't a beach resort, and they were stranded. Then Danielle concluded there was a murderer on the island.

She wasn't slow at all.

Then the Angel, Shani was her name, joined the group as well, and Thomas went into another large spiel about putting Shani into their zoo. And then countrygirl Sam pushed Thomas over for the inhumanity it is to put the lovely Angel into his zoo. It's never dull on a deserted island.

Hunter looked at Danielle, who was getting very hungry. "We can collect some coconuts," he said, trying not to think of Calista's comment about eating the dead.

[Yoyti]

Gregory gave a belated response to just about anyone who had responded to him, "It is the way of the mathematician to assume any and all options until one or more of them give a useful result. As of yet, I'm assuming the cake merchant to be the killer. Should I be given enough reason to suspect otherwise, I shall."

He then turned to the topic of food. "It would be a shame to put such dead bodies to waste. They are dead. The best they can help us is by supplying us with nutrition. The best mathematical way to survive on a deserted island with no renewable food sources is to cannibalize first. Then eat whatever other animals we my have, before resorting to fruits and vegetables, and finally grain. I do not endorse murder, but I do endorse using whatever we have to make do. Also, seaweed is edible, and rather nutritious, so long as we have some fresh water."

With that, Gregory walked into the sea, and started picking up seaweed, laying it onto a log to dry in the sun. And as per usual, he was arranging the seaweed in strange patterns, and muttering to himself. "Why do people on deserted islands always resort to coconuts?"

[Ginz ❤]

"Well..." Calista gulped. "I was just thinking...I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone...but these bodies...do you think they could sustain us for a little while? I mean, they're already dead...I mean, if I died, I would want to let my body be put to good use, rather than just let it rot..."

Danielle's eyes grew wide. She froze again. There was only so much her brain could take at once. She couldn't believe what the girl was suggesting. Maybe there wasn't a lot of food to be found, but eating dead bodies? Danielle didn't think she could ever bring herself to do it. She instinctively inched away from Calista. She didn't trust her.

Hunter looked at Danielle, who was getting very hungry. "We can collect some coconuts," he said.

"Okay, that sounds good," said Danielle. She was still a little shaken, but the prospect of eating juicy coconuts cheered her up. "Oooh, maybe we can make it a game! Whoever collects more wins!" she added, excitedly.

[Luna]

Cassie looked at her mother and the people gathering around, talking and yelling. She was getting nervous and scared. She didn't like everyone moving and talking. People stared at the body and her, and she didn't like it. Not now. Especially this A man who would not SHUT UP about his stupid money and cake company. She was glad when people started to get onto him.

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!"

She heard something about the angel girl and human rights and-- ugghh, her brain was foggy and unclear. Thoughts just wouldn't prcess, her mind was on her mother, and all the words people said were just sounding like annoying noises. The words were piecing her brain with every noise.

Her ears tuned into the voice of the little girl. She liked her. She seemed nice and safe.

"Well..." The girl swallowed. "I was just thinking...I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone...but these bodies...do you think they could sustain us for a little while? I mean, they're already dead...I mean, if I died, I would want to let my body be put to good use, rather than just let it rot..."

Cassie's blood froze. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth parted.

"Wha-what?! D-do you mean we can just-" She stopped as a man with very bad speech and she had seen talking to himself started to talk.

"It would be a shame to put such dead bodies to waste. They are dead. The best they can help us is by supplying us with nutrition. The best mathematical way to survive on a deserted island with no renewable food sources is to cannibalize first. Then eat whatever other animals we my have, before resorting to fruits and vegetables, and finally grain. I do not endorse murder, but I do endorse using whatever we have to make do. Also, seaweed is edible, and rather nutritious, so long as we have some fresh water." He words were hard to understand, but she understood it well enough to die a little inside.

"I-I." Words couldn't come out of her mouth. She looked down at her mother, her vision blurred as she was disgusted.

She could not eat her mother.
Why?
Why had God or whatever powerful force that controlled fate done this to her?
She wanted to live, but this was her mother. No, no she couldn't let them touch her, at least not eat her.

"P-please, don't! Please, j-just this one body, c-can we not eat?" She stood next to her mother, defensive. "Only this one, please. I-I know we need to survive but we can d-do it without eating her." She looked around, frightened.

She noticed some other people talking about gathering coconuts and other things. Yeah, they could survive on coconut and berries and other things of the sort, right? Plus who was going to eat right now? They needed to build shelter and fire and things.

But the words pressed in the back of her mind, wanting to come out so badly.

She knew that there was probably a murderer among them, and that her mothers body would not be the last. Not by a long shot.

The thought scared her.

[Celestial]

Shani had to admit, she appreciated Sam standing up for her. That was quite nice of her. It was good that most people on this island were not huge jerks like the Thomas guy. She still wanted to tear his guts out and use them as strings for a new harp or something but she should not do that, not when there was a murderer on the loose. But she could not stop the thoughts coming. She took any and all comments about restricting her freedom close to the heart, after what happened. You never knew what could happen if you did not. They had to work together to get off this island and then, when they were done, she could fly as far away from him as possible.

But despite her hatred of Thomas, everyone else was ok. Shani did not mind them, especially Danielle and Cassie. They seemed pretty sweet, maybe too sweet but at this point it was probably her paranoia talking. Aside the rich, snotty one and the hippie, they were all alright. And even the rich one with her tech wasn't too bad, she just had misplaced priorities. The hippie just seemed a bit spacey to her.

Maybe, if she was feeling particularly energetic and risk-taking, Shani would fly out to see and go catch a marlin or something for everyone to eat and share. Whether she would be able to handle a marlin was a good question, since those creatures were pretty vicious but she could dream. For now, fish seemed like a good option.

She gave a kind nod and a smile to the businessman, Hunter he was called, for his slightly boot-licking but nevertheless appreciated his sentiment. However, when the discussion turned to eating humans, things began to get ugly. The crazy guy doodling in the seaweed voted for while Danielle and Cassie both looked at Calista as though she had suggested something awful. Which, Shani guessed, she did.

She stood up, drinking the last of her coconut.

"Look, we don't have to eat anybody's mother. If you guys really want to cannibalise each other the captain is just over there. In the meantime, we're surrounded by rich ocean. I can fly out and get some fish, no problem. All I need are a few spears which are ridiculously easy to make," she said casually, chewing on the coconut's insides.

"For now, let's save the cannibalism until we have nothing more to eat."

[Draco]

Q layed on the deck chair staring out at sea from the empty beach he was on. It was boring. His drink was also empty. Then his stomach growled.

"Hmm, what to do, what to do?"

He leans over to his chest and opens it up. With a small snapping noise, he pulls out a steamed lobster.

"Glad I saved my meal."

He begins to eat it, then stops.

"I wish I had some butter...."

He goes back to eating.

[Avery]

The girl was distraught.

The past few weeks had, without a doubt, been the worst of her life-- and funnily enough, they had started as the best: a lovely cruise, time with her loved ones. Then the ship sank, and she was the only one in her party to make it off.

She'd thought it couldn't get any worse, especially when the Captain turned up dead. But then, just hours later... up onto the beach washed a body. A dead, bloated body, battered by the sea.

The girl knew this person, once. Knew and loved them.

It was Cassie's mother.

She wasn't thinking rationally, not after that. She felt hollow, empty, like a shell. People tried to comfort her, but the words felt... insincere, somehow. And then one of the horrid survivors actually suggested eating her beloved mother. Eating her! Like Cassie's mom was nothing, meant nothing.

This utter lack of sympathy sickened Cassie. She didn't want to be around these people, these terrible people. She needed to be alone. Collect herself. Cry and grieve in private.

In the end, that's what did her in-- the privacy. And Cassie didn't ever see it coming. As she sat under the shade of a tropical tree, knees tucked up to her chin, sobbing, she did not hear the four stealthy individuals sneaking up behind her.

They bashed her over the head with a rock. She was too stunned for fight back. It only two more heavy whacks to do her in. End her life.

Her last living thoughts were: At least I'm with my mother now. At least I am no longer alone.

Cassie Myles was an innocent survivor.

[Lizzie]

Sam stumbled across the body early in the morning, when she was out taking a walk in the morning sunrise.

An early riser by nature, she had wandered out to sit under the trees... just like Cassie, apparently. That's when she tripped over the body itself and screamed as loud as she possibly could, running toward the beach and yelling for someone who could hear. Anyone.

"MOONFLOWER? GREGORY? MINA?! HUNTER! DANIELLE... CALISTA?" Sam was yelping, screaming any name she could possibly remember, "CASSIE..."

[Draco]

Q sat on his beach, lobster gone, stomach full. He had a small wooden shelter made up by the tree line now. He just had to make a fire, then his camp would be complete.

"Sure is quiet out here. I wonder if there are anyone else on the island."

He hears some screaming from the distance.

"Yep, wonder if there are anyone else here."

He begins to try and make a fire, and fails several times. He opens his trunk and pulls out a small blow torch, and lights his fire.

"Done!"

[Deleted]

Mina woke up to Sam's screaming. Oh no. Something was terribly wrong.

Immediately she bounded out of the tent and joined Sam.

That was when she saw Cassie...dead.

She screamed too.

How could anyone...why did anyone...what sort of monster would do this?!

She couldn't speak. She was too shocked and too horrified.

[Ginz ❤]

Danielle awoke with a jolt. Someone was screaming, and she was almost sure she had heard her name. She got herself on her feet and went looking for the source of the screams. Soon, she found a very distraught Sam.

Danielle wasn't sure what was going on. Sam definitely didn't look okay, but she wasn't sure what to do to help her. She wondered what had happened. She walked in the direction she had seen Sam coming from, and soon enough, she got to where Cassie was.

"Hi! Your name is Cassie, right?" she said, but there was no reply. "Oh, I guess you're asleep.What a funny place to sleep in!" Danielle giggled.

She knelt beside her and shook her gently. "Wake up, Cassie!" She was surprised to find that her body felt completely cold. "Oh, you must be cold! I'm sorry I don't have a blanket I can lend you."

"I saw that other girl... Sam, is it? I saw her running and screaming, do you know what's wrong with her?" She asked. But Cassie ddn't respond at all. She hadn't even moved. She must be a heavy sleeper, Danielle thought.

[Robyn]

The night had passed without event-- seemingly. Moonflower had informed the others of the location of the fruit trees, and they'd all shared a dinner of roast coconut over a large, crackling fire Capt. Comwell had been sensible enough to build once it'd started to get dark. At one point, Shani had even flown out to catch them all a fish large enough to cook and share among the several of them. Angel-caught marlin was, in a word, delicious. All of their auras had danced and flowed together in that moment-- even if not all of them seemed to get along, Moonflower couldn't argue with their spirits' rainbow display.

The dusk provided the perfect setting for them all to get to work building their own individual shelters. She herself had dug a little pit of sand and constructed a sturdy covering out of two Y-shaped branch supports, a thatching of thick palm leaves, and plenty of woven and knotted vines to keep it all together and standing. During her brief stint trying out life as a feral girl, she'd developed quite the array of survival skills, shelter-building included. The smell of the ocean breeze, the bonfire smoke, and the sandalwood trees were what lulled Moonflower to sleep that night, completely at peace.

If only her morning could've gone as smoothly.

She awoke to Sam screaming out her name, as well as the names of many others on the island. Sand sifted out of her hair and her feather as she sat up.

"Whoa, that's not how we greet the patron dawn, soul sister," Moonflower murmured, crawling out of her den. The sun hung low in the east. This was quite the early wake-up call. Sam seemed to be gesturing wildly towards a far end of the beach, where a lone tree stood silhouetted and black against the early light of day. A body was also laying there, dappled in shadows and blood.

Moonflower's stomach dropped as she tried to make out who it was from the distance she was at. She could already feel her aura lurching dangerously, and proximity to the body and its seeping spirits would only serve to damage her own ultra-sensitive energy further. The color & style of the clothing suggested it was the girl whose mother had died, Cassie.

"Oh, man. At least they're together now," Moonflower whispered, thinking of their souls reuniting in the astral levels of the soulosphere. She twisted her healing crystal around between her fingers. She willed herself not to cry. It was not an end for Cassie, after all. Merely a beginning, one more wonderful than she could ever hope to imagine, as she embarked on her next grand adventure.

Usually an axiom like this would put Moonflower back in touch with her inner chi in no time, and while it did help a little, she still found herself wanting to sit down and let her teeth chatter for a while. Beside her, Mina was an emotional disaster, and it appeared that Danielle had not even realized the poor girl had passed.

Wait a minute.

Moonflower regarded Mina with widening eyes as a sudden revelation hit her. She decided, however, that it would be wise to keep quiet about it until the commotion over this most recent tragedy had died down a little. Moonflower then cringed at the unintentional pun.

[Jayeee]

Thomas stormed out of the shelter he’d stolen off of somebody else. It was simple really; sit near a tree and jump in as soon as they stepped out of it. Finders keepers, and he certainly wasn’t going to let anybody else have a better shelter than him. He’d keep a look out for an even better shelter, and if they came about, he could move onto that one. He was anything if not adaptable.

“Can we get some quiet, please? I know that not everybody can vacation on an island every month like me, but this handsome young face doesn’t just appear, you know. Some sleep would be nice…”

His voice trailed off when he saw a small crowd gathered around a young girl who was lying on the floor. He ran forward, and pushed people out of the way.

“Get out of the way. MOVE! I am a trained executive; I know what I’m doing. If we could please have some space around the unfortunate victim, please.” He knelt down next to the girl. “Once, when I was in school, an elderly teacher collapsed and almost died. I was appalled. So do you know what I did? I called daddy immediately. I mean, REALLY, she shouldn’t have even been teaching. I told daddy that if he didn’t get her fired that instant, I’d scream and scream and scream. I started screaming and he agreed with me soon enough. Oh, it was wonderful. Never saw that silly old woman again. Heard she survived. Not that that was my problem. I need teachers who can actually teach, you know? If they’re going to fall over or forget where they put their pen, I’m not going to be satisfied. I was completely in the right, don’t you think? There was an awful lot of commotion about it though. I got more than a few letters from parents complaining about that incident. Very unreasonable, don’t you think? They didn’t even give me a chance to explain. It’s those kinds of snap judgements that make me sick. Really, they do – once on a trip to a museum there was a fight between two of my friends, and I had to be carried by them all the way back to the limousine. Those kinds of things do disgust me! But anyway, yes, those complaining parents. Well, in the end I had to have their houses destroyed to make way for another cake factory. All very technical business, but it had to be done. We can’t have them ruining my good name now can we?”

He looked down at Cassie. “Oh, right, yes. Well, she’s dead.” He shrugged his shoulders and stood up. “Well it wasn’t my fault you know. I did do everything that I could. I’m a trained executive, not a miracle worker. Goodness, people these days. You know, not everybody can glow with positivity all the time, but there really is no need for negative Nancy’s. Especially not at a crime scene.”

He paused for a few seconds and took another look at Cassie. “Oh, but you know, wasn’t she the one whose mother was the CIA agent who was killed due to a conspiracy plot in which our deceased captain wanted her and his illegitimate children killed? Oh, what horror. THE HORROR!” Thomas sunk to the floor. “How could something like this happen?” he sobbed and punched the sand. “If only I had realised sooner. I DID EVERYTHING THAT I COULD, DEAR CHILD. Oh, how unbearably upsetting this is.” He placed a hand over his forehead. “I feel faint, SOMEBODY CATCH ME! Oh, this is simply the worst thing that could ever have happened. Am I never to live a nice life? Must I always deal with such depressing circumstances? It’s any wonder that I can remain so upbeat and positive!”

He shook his head mournfully and stood up, still shaking. “But, we mustn’t dwell on the past now, correct? Mourning period over. Once, a girl in my school was crying because both of her parents died in an accident at my cake factory. Very serious business it was, but we eventually had her removed from the city and taken somewhere far away so that I never had to see her again. Oh, it was horrible though. A few days before she moved, the silly creature was still crying away, so mummy walked over and gave her a swift slap to the face. Oh, that did cheer me up! I was verging on having a breakdown, but leave it to mummy to sort it all out and make me feel better. I do like watching a show!”

Thomas noticed that various other people had gathered around by this point. “Ah, all that speak of creatures has reminded me. Does anybody, by chance, happen to have a rabies immunisation injection? You see, after talking with that winged thing yesterday I feel that being correctly immunised against rabies and typhoid is imperative. Can’t have any of us catching some kind of horrific disease, now can we? I often test out my zoo animals on my school friends, just to make sure there is no disease we might have missed. But alas, there have been no volunteers for that on this island. But no matter, as long as I’m safe from rabies, I’m sure everything will be fine. I’m not even sure what it is just yet. It does look rather savage though, don’t you think? Oh, I was simply distraught when I had a midnight revelation that it might be ravaged with disease and horridness. I almost had a crisis! But being the wonder that I am, I calmed myself down. ‘Tommyboy,’ I said, ‘Now you don’t want to scare everybody else. They all look to you for guidance. We can’t have you starting a panic that that winged creature has rabies – even if it is true.’” He nodded his head. “Now, let us not panic, I’m sure everybody has had their immunisation shots. I’ve had five, myself, but it can’t help to be careful, now can it? Such things are required of a trained executive like myself. Did I mention I’m the youngest executive in our generation?”

[Nova]

It was a peaceful night on the island, at least from Hunter's perspective. He slept on top of a palm tree by himself, somehow he found a comfortable position up there and he managed to refrain from falling in his sleep.

But he awoke to some horrible, high pitched screaming. Like an untuned trumpet blasting into his ear. It was wretched.

He cut down some coconuts while he was up on the tree, and skillfully climbed down, looking in the beach and seeing a small group of people. Pondering at what could have happened, he stepped closer and started to overhear what people were saying.

"Hi! Your name is Cassie, right? Oh, I guess you're asleep.What a funny place to sleep in!"

"Oh, man. At least they're together now,"

“Oh, right, yes. Well, she’s dead. Well it wasn’t my fault you know. I did do everything that I could. I’m a trained executive, not a miracle worker. Goodness, people these days. You know, not everybody can glow with positivity all the time, but there really is no need for negative Nancy’s. Especially not at a crime scene.”

Cassie was dead, murdered. And clearly how people react to murders is not what you see on shows, such as CSI. Apparently in real life people think they're either sleeping, are way too calm about it, or have no sympathy whatsoever.

And as Hunter was trying to process all this information, Thomas was going off on one of his rambles. He's not a selfish conceited bigot. No, not at all... Hunter thought sarcastically.

"Oh Cassie," he said sympathetically. "I didn't know you that well, but you were a lovely girl." A tear welled in his eye. "You will be greatly missed."

Black smoke caught his further down the beach. It wasn't noticeable at first, but it seemed like someone was making a campfire. "Does anyone else notice that...?" he asked.

[Deleted]

Mina noticed that more people were coming. Danielle, the oblivious kid, didn't even notice the poor girl was dead. Moonflower was talking about her being with her mother and whatnot. Mina supposed that was true, but that didn't take anything away from the tragedy of it all. Thomas was being annoying again, like he didn't even care. She thought perhaps the mathmatician was right and that he was a murderer...why else would you not care? And Hunter...he was sad.

Mina gave a sigh and a tear. She knew she had to say something.

"I'm sorry," she stammered. "P-please forgive me, it's just...unbelievably horrible that someone could do something like this."

She stepped closer to Hunter, and she too noticed the smoke. Was it the killer? Or was it something else entirely? Either way, she thought they should go check it out.

"I see it too, Hunter," she said.