8.
As, of course, with being so large, stealth wasn't one of Roland's strengths. He was struggling to find the man he knew would become his last victim prior to getting to go after Claude. Roland had no idea who this man was, what his background is, or what he looks like, but at least some of that does not matter. Apart from Roland himself, and Claude, this other fellow is only other person still living upon this island. So, lack of knowing what he looks like, is something that can only go so far.
Ultimately, and as it would be, it was Roland who would be the one to be found when a large stone hit him by the left side of his head. He immediately turned and fired an arrow in the general direction from where he thought the stone had come from. Once again, Roland was to be hit in the side of his head by a stone. He ran in the general direction to which he thought this stone came, which was a different direction from where the first stone had come from.
Roland would be hit for a third time, but this time it would not be a stone, nor would he be hit in the head. Something hit him in the back of the knees and Roland fell hard, coming down onto his knees before his face would hit the dirt. Slowly but surely, Roland got back to his feet and could see no one anywhere near him. Someone is having their way with him, having a laugh at Roland's expense.
'Where are you? Show yourself' Roland shouted while looking around at his surroundings.
Again, he was hit in the head. A larger stone than before caught him hard right in the center of his forehead. He put his hand to his head and pulled it away to find blood on his fingers, his forehead had begun to trickle blood. Angering an already angry giant is never a good thing to do whether he be in a weakened state or not.
A shout of 'over here' came from Roland's left.
It was Fabio Catelli. He was about thirty-five feet or so away and no, he had not been the stone thrower. Presuming that no living person other than himself could or would be able to hear Fabio, Roland made a run in Fabio's direction, only to find his stone throwing assailant crouching in a position right in his path. Catching this person off guard, Roland dived on the man and quickly placed him in a reversed choke hold. Tightening his hold Roland refused to budge. Even when the body of the man he held became limp and lifeless, Roland refused to let go.
Safe to say this fellow had not been as tall or as tall as Roland, for this fellow had been lifted clearly and easily up off the ground. Roland's rage was more than evident in this moment, as he let out a roar and continued to apply the hold. He had become consumed. Every cell in his being let out that roar. It would take someone special to calm him down and get him to release his hold.
Yeah, ... Rachel placed her hand on Roland's left shoulder and said 'hey, you can let go now, ... I think you got him; he is dead.'
Roland did let go, he jerked backwards and fell to the ground in shock. Even though he had already seen four apparently resurrected dead people prior to this moment, he definitely was not expecting to see Rachel.
'You cannot be here' he said in a whisper before saying the same thing twice more, getting slightly louder each time.
'It is alright, I really am here.'
'You can't be, you can't be', Roland backed himself up along the ground.
'Roland, Roland, you have to listen to me.'
Roland looked up at Rachel. There is no time to absorb this moment ...
'Claude is coming, are you ready?'
Roland got up quickly asking 'where is he?'
It didn't take long until the two men stood no more than thirty feet away from each other. Roland, however, had lost his advantage. During his last scuffle he dropped the bow and arrows and now did not know where they were. This upcoming battle is what Claude had been waiting for. He wanted it as badly as Roland does.
Claude had been watching Roland from the moment Roland came to be on the island and Claude wanted a challenge, a proper challenge, a fight where he can be tested, and he saw that test coming from Roland. He wanted the man before him to bring the anger, to bring the fury. That moment, their first confrontation was nothing more than that challenge being sent Roland's was Claude set up almost to say, 'come get me'. Taking Rachel's life ensured that the challenge would be accepted as it also it ensured the accompanying anger.
Being the killing machine that he is, Claude fancied his chances in full on combat. Of course, her did. This upcoming moment was and is one to be relished. Bouncing on the spot soon became a running motion, a run straight at Roland. Claude felt that he could use Roland's anger and make it work against him. And even if that weren't to be so, it would make this opponent all the more ... worthy.
Having a strong physique and knowing that his own speed was a definite advantage, Claude managed to hit Roland and move away from him as Roland began throwing wild swings, none of which were connecting or coming close to connecting with Claude.
This, indeed, is terribly frustrating. Roland's forehead was still bleeding, and he was also still sweating quite heavily. Could a less than one hundred per cent Roland stand any kind of chance against this killing machine? The fight is never over until it is over, for Claude moved in again and un-characteristically slipped allowing Roland to go for it and catch Claude full on in the face with a very heavy punch knocking him clean out.
Timing proved vital for Roland had been feeling dizzy for a little while prior to this moment. This dizziness quickly took him now. He began vomiting soon after having knocked Claude out and his eyesight quickly became blurred. Fairly soon, Roland collapsed and passed out. He awoke in a hospital bed with no idea of how he got there. Being connected to monitors and the likes Roland tried to get up out of bed. A nurse wasted no time in approaching.
'Mister Allen, please lay down. You are in a hospital.'
'In a hospital? ... There must be some mistake ... and who is this Mister Allen you speak of?'
'That would be you sir, you have been a very sick man, a bad fever along with a serious infection has had you unconscious for the last three days.'
'Three days?' Roland sat up.
Looking at his left arm, he could see that it was heavily bandaged. This was and is proof of his existence on the island; however, he began to doubt that he had any contact with any dead people. Maybe this fever the nurse spoke of had created that though that very thought was itself thrown into doubt when Rachel seemingly passed by Roland's hospital room. She even had glanced into the room and smiled at Roland, before passing on by.
This time he did get out of his bed. Roland moved out into the hallway while dragging along the intravenous drip he was hooked up to. Confusion would set in; he could not see Rachel anywhere in his line of sight. He had watched her die, but he felt her touch his shoulder after her death on the island and he was sure that he had just seen her again.
When things settled, Roland soon found out that his name now was Daniel Allen. Winners of the 'Animal' show are always reintegrated into society with a new identification. He may be the newest victor of the Island, but he had no idea as to the status of Claude Raymonde. Was he still alive? If so, is he on or off the island? If he is no longer there, then it is also very likely that he has a new identity too. These questions along with others would haunt Roland.
Over the next ten months Roland did not see Rachel again, nor did he see any of the other dead people from the island. He did however, as Daniel Allen, get an invite to a show called 'Animal'. As far as he was aware, no one had ever been invited back to the island for a second run. There was always the possibility that Claude may have had a second invite from the year before, though there is also the thought as he had mentioned before, that perhaps Claude had never left the island the year he won and maybe he is still there. If Claude was and is still alive, would Roland get his opportunity to kill him? Or die trying? Who knows? Only time will tell ...
