Fanon:Survival Island/Chapter 18

Laurel saw how alone she was. She had seen the Lunar Lakes pact, she had seen Max and Bart. Though it was just from a distance, it made her lonely. She was nothing special for love or power. She would die alone.

The two female Barnacle Bay contestants hadn't moved from the spot where they'd arrived. Patty wept daily. Jonah had left camp in search of weapons and never returned. Serena had sworn she would never start a combat. She wanted to be alive for her Bart when he returned. She would stay with him, then. They could hide on the island, love forever. They could help the new batch of contestants in the next Battles. They would survive together.

Max McDermott was furious. He had learned that Bart was trying to survive for a girl. Some Serena, probably dead by now. He moved through the jungle silently. Then he froze. Bart was walking on the beach towards two people, silhouetted against the pale flames of the rising sun. One, the shorter of the two, jumped up and ran to him, embracing him. "Oh, Serena, I'm alright, I'm okay," Bart soothed the frantic but happy girl. "Oh, Bart, we have won already?" "No, but I had to see you, I needed to know you were okay. Is this all you have?" Bart said, looking around at the meager provisions. Serena bit her lip and nodded. "Wait here. I'll go back to my camp to get some things for you. It isn't far." Max almost killed Bart right then. How dare he put someone else over victory? But no. He would see the body of his girlfriend before he died. Maybe he would realize that the death was inevitable, that it was good, helpful. Serena's death would assist them. Bart walked off, promising Serena he would return soon. Max gripped the spiked club. He could hear Bart's footsteps get farther and farther away. He stood tensed, ready, waiting for the right moment to destroy the weakest piece of Bart. The moment came. He ran forward, and the two girls screamed. The taller one ran, and Max didn't chase her. He was after Serena. She turned to follow her sister into the jungle, but Max caught her by the neck. He flung her to the ground and ran the spike of the club into her chest. Her dying scream, a call for Bart, cut off as she seemed to find peace in her death. Footsteps thudded on the sand, and Max turned, the joyous savagery of murder in his eyes. Bart roared as he saw Serena's body and the trail of blood on the club. Max assumed he'd give up, accept his defeat without a cause anymore. But Bart leapt at Max, knocking the weapon into the jungle. Tears streamed down Bart's face. Serena was dead. There was no cause anymore but for this monster to die. Max recovered from the surprise and began to fight back. He gripped the sides of Bart's head, forcing him back. Then he picked up a stone and brought it down hard on his ally's head. Bart barely had time to grip Serena's cold, still hand before he fell back, dead.

The sun rose over the coldening bodies as Max turned away, his heart as cold as the corpses of his victims.