19.
Just like his good buddy, Al too awoke on the island. From what he could tell upon waking was that he was nowhere near Roland. The two friends would so like to be able to tackle the island together, at least initially, but in order to do that they need to find one another. There was movement close by Al when he awoke, and he knew well enough not to assume that this movement could belong to Roland, or anything else which might be ... friendly. So, if he were to call out for Roland and it would turn out to be someone else then Al would find himself at one hell of a disadvantage, assuming he has yet to be noticed by whatever it is that is out there.
Having only just awoke and not completely knowing what occurred since he last lay down to rest, Al decided to sit this out or rather hide if he could despite the fact of his own physical size and his ability to take it to whomever he may come across. Al may not be able to react as well as he would under any other circumstance as for there could be sedatives in his system.
If he is in any way groggy or not quite yet himself, it may then be a wise move not to get physical just yet. Add to that the fact, he has no back up from Roland for if and when he were to get into difficulties. It is not fear getting the better of him in this moment, it is more common sense. If it was fear then he more than likely would not have ever been invited to where he is, never mind be a joint winner just twelve months earlier.
The terrain where Al awoke consists of thick grass over a foot high. He was high up on a slightly slanting hill and surrounded by trees closely stacked together, most of which being large enough to hide someone of Al's girth. The movement he could hear was no more than one hundred feet away and down the hill over along to his right side as he would attempt to look down that hill and at what was moving in Al's general direction. With dawn approaching it was just dark enough to make it all the more difficult to see just what it is that is moving.
Whatever it was or is, it would be easy to determine that it is at least human and not animal though the term animal is something which would be up for grabs. It moved slowly and easily, not finding the terrain all too difficult to manoeuvre through. It would soon become clear that he who was approaching was and indeed male, a big man and well built.
Al continued to keep his distance while also keeping himself hidden though he would almost give away his position. He would slip slightly while ensuring his distance is kept, quickly managing to catch his balance. That slight trip ruffled what was around and that indeed almost did give him away, it resulted with the other man throwing a look in Al's general direction.
After a brief pause, this man would continue along his way having not been able to see life of any kind. Early potential disaster diverted.
***
So, it is obvious to say the least that this year's fun and games have begun. The past two year's experiences both on and off the island now seriously work to Roland's advantage and that would begin with feeding time. Roland is also leaner, stronger and faster now than he has ever been before so catching a bore will not be as difficult as it once was and having done this before as in having experienced going after and catching such an animal, it is not and would not be as tough a challenge as it once had been.
As with before, Roland would go on the move straight after having been fed and he would bring along some of the leftover meat. He knows only too well of the islands non-human inhabitants, inhabitants he would ensure to be wary about, though last year he had made a friend rather than having to deal with what threats the wildlife could bring.
For the moment anyway Roland would need to put any thoughts of finding Al out of his mind. If they were to come together then all would be well and good, and if not, then nothing could be done about that ... so it would be best to just worry about himself, defend himself as well and he can and move forward. As always, defeat is not an option.
Indeed, Al was not so ready to forget about Roland. Al being such a big man is well able to take on and defeat anyone. However, he enjoyed how well he and Roland worked together the year before and that had a big influence on his decision to go back to the island again. Of course, Al fancied his chances of being victorious overall. He is more than confident in his abilities, for he would like to enjoy the journey as much as possible and he knows that fighting alongside Roland has been and would be once more quite a lot of fun indeed.
When Dara Cunningham awoke on the island, he did not have the luxury that Al did in deciding as to when and where his first confrontation may come. For when he awoke, he had no opportunity to even stretch, never mind wondering as to what had happened between being on the ship and getting to this point on the island. He had no opportunity to even get his bearings for another man would come running at him before he could even get up off the ground.
Dara's reactions were and are as good as they have ever been for despite the situation, he finds himself in. If Al feared possible grogginess or some sort of side effect from a sedative, he may have been given to ensure his sleep during transport from ship to island, then he would be lucky indeed to have the time to find out how he actually does feel. As far Dara, he did not have that same luxury, groggy or not, he had to defend himself.
Dara managed to get in with the first blow as when the quickly moving man got close enough, he would jump towards Dara. Dara did manage to get up off the ground quickly and he would spin himself around to connect with an upper angled kick to the solar plexus of his incoming competitor.
The recipient of the kick, being of similar size and shape to Dara, would get up quickly though from the way he would hold himself it was clear that he was hurt already. With his opponent holding his side it would be safe to assume that a rib or two had been broken or at least fractured. Dara at this point took a stance and waited to make further use of some of his training, looking for the other man to come at him again, which he did, and Dara would take two steps backwards before delivering a full-on kick to the face of his opponent, a knockout kick at that.
Whether it was the fact that he had never intentionally killed before, Dara showed mercy by deciding not to finish off this other man and before long Dara would get going. This however would not be something which could come back to possibly haunt Dara for when the man he had come across awoke, he would awake to see a much larger man standing over him.
The larger man, being Damien Meadows, would reach down and grab the injured man before him. Damien may be used to a cage, though out here ... a whole island is his cage. Before there could be any sort of plea from the injured man before him, Damien reached down to grab the chest area of the man who lay before him before picking him up with ease; soon Damien would have his first kill on the island via a broken neck. This was not a mercy kill or pity kill; this is not something which would bring worry or remorse. This is a show of intent and strength. If there had ever been anyone bred to be on this island for such a show, then this indeed was or is a fellow Damien Meadows.
If Roland had been a one-time favourite for this event, well, he, and everyone else too, has one heck of a rival to contend with show they cross paths.
For the island's latest victim, if things couldn't be worse than having your ribs cracked and being left unconscious only to re-awake and have your life ended with your neck being snapped, then how does having your remains eaten by a pack of wolves sound? For no more than ten minutes after Damien had made his first island kill, that first victim became a meal for the island's permanent inhabitants.
