Chapter 2: Displaced

First Part Written by MrsOogieBoogie

Being alone is one of Aubrey's greatest fears, and it was happening to her right now. The forest was dark due to the purple trees, but it was still early in the morning and the suns rays were able to peek through the leaves every now and again when the breeze tousled them. She had found water and was back on her feet again, walking through the purple forest as she searched for any other signs of life; a bunny, a fox, another person.. Well, she hoped she wouldn't run in to anyone that was dangerous.

Aubrey had seen the shows, the exclusive late-night live airs that featured people from these sections, running into one another and some have engaged in the most gruesome acts. Aubrey had never thought once in her entire life that she would be thrown into a Section, it just didn't make sense for her to be there. Why was I chosen to live here, Overlord? ..Why was I chosen to die here? She began to wonder, her hair standing on all ends and getting scared as she continued her trek through the purple forest she had known as Section F - 5. Seeing birds eye view of these sections set into her mind, and she knew that this forest was full of the purple leaves that she had remembered seeing on television back home; where it was safe.

Where the hell is Scarlett? She and I were at home, not within one of these terrible Sections, safe, sound, laughing. I don't remember when I was knocked out or how, or even how I got into these clothes. Aubrey continued to panic more, the faintest sounds of twigs breaking in the distance or the sound of a large leaf dragging along the grass spooked her every time and she was constantly looking over her shoulder and around her. 

It seemed as if she had been walking for hours, the sun was now above her and she still hadn't come across a single life form besides the birds in the trees that were beginning to only make everything more ominous and creepy. She knew there were people around, there had to be, all of the footage she had witnessed back at home in these Sections was mournful, and she wished that she would never be put here under any circumstances.. There was footage of people killing one another over a pair of shoes that were better than their own, even footage of a wife and husband finding one another after years of being apart, but who knows what has happened to them now, especially in these lawless lands.

Walking was exhausting and she was getting thirsty again, soon the sun was going down and her stomach growled with hunger pains. Why didn't I try and catch a fish to eat or something when I was by the river? She could kick herself right now, and her stomach painfully reminded her again of how stupid she was. She soon reached an area where she would be secluded and surrounded by brush, hiding herself from any passerby and she sat down weakly, mourning that she was alone and not knowing what to do or where to go. She was lost, she never expected to be put to the test, and now she was; without her older sister for guidance and protection, too.

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Second Part Written by LateKnightSimmer

A white willow tree. I need one of those. The bark will act as aspirin for my headache. Too bad every single fucking tree around me is a palm tree. Damn Overlord asshole probably did that on purpose, no, he definitely did that on purpose. Everyone who gets put in one of his "sections" is theoretically supposed to die, either at the hands of someone else, or by succumbing to the elements, either through starvation, or drowning, or any other thing nature can throw at them. Maybe I should go for a dip, there's water right in front of me. That might ease my headache. Oh, I don't fucking know. I just want my head to stop hurting. 

I lay back on the sand and look up at the palm trees, playing with a strand of my hair. The leaves blowing in the wind, they're so pretty. As I look up at the clear blue sky, it reminds me of Aubrey's eyes, which are a beautiful shade of sapphire blue. Why is she gone? Ugh, where am I? I decide to get up and explore. Maybe if I go do something, anything else, I will stop thinking about my headache and it will go the fuck away. Mind over matter, right? Jeez, I hope so. 

I brush the sand off my leather pants and start walking towards the shore. I love water. It's so relaxing, just looking at it has taken my mind off my headache. It's still there, but it's annoying me a lot less. What was I doing with Aubrey right before this? I know we were at home, maybe just talking? I don't know, I can't remember. I wonder if Aubrey is suffering from memory loss like I am. Maybe we were watching one of the Section Broadcasts. I don't like the fact that real people are being placed in such dangerous situations, but I do like the violence of the broadcasts. It does make for some entertaining television. Back before the world turned crazy, some of my favorite movies and tv shows were pretty bloodthirsty. It just saddens me that people are now being forced to their core animalistic instincts just because no one has been willing so far to stand up to the Overlord. They just allow themselves to be molded and shaped to what he wants them to be. I wish I could kick his ass into oblivion. I strip down to my underwear and go for a swim. As I walk past some giant barricades, I realize I'm in Section B-8. I also notice some surveillance boats nearby. I make a mental note to steer clear of them so I don't get myself captured.

Surveillance boats are particularly nasty. The guards on them are far from nice. The Overlord only gets the cruelest people to work for him on the boats. They patrol the Sections, causing conflict between people. I know because I've seen it on the Section Broadcasts. Two people will be in a Section, possibly trying to form an alliance, or getting closer to their missing loved one, and a surveillance boat will be sent to manipulate the situation. Obstacles are placed to break up the alliance, and loved ones that get too close in physical distance are split up. Alliances are broken up through mental, or physical manipulation, anything that causes mistrust. Sometimes the surveillance boats even drop someone working for the Overlord to come in and break up an alliance. The surveillance boats usually capture one of the people trying to get close to their loved one and transport them to a Section as far away from the other as they can. If Aubrey is anywhere near me, I have to stay away from those surveillance boats.

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Distance Between Aubrey and Scarlett: 996 miles