Game On (An oc x DRV2 au)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It's been twenty-four hours by this point. Twenty-four hours since a single rule was put into play- no food until a murder is committed. Monokumace even went so far as to specify that it must be a homicide. I have a feeling they knew that several people would've been willing to sacrifice themselves. Myself included, I guess.

Only a few hours ago, I started to feel the effects of no food. I mean, sometimes I've just gotten so engaged in my work that I forgot to eat, drink, or sleep. Maybe it's just been preparation for this. Honestly, I don't see why we can't just figure out what plants are edible. With Evangeline on our side, I'm sure it's possible.  Nobody knows their way around plants like the Ultimate Herbologist herself.

Will suggested slaughtering some of the livestock. However, apparently when he and Dana went to the corral, all the animals were gone.  Except for Mononity, who is still apparently trapped in the barn.  So things aren't looking great.  Zeben, as far as I know, is trying to do some fishing right now, but a part of me knows that he probably won't have much luck.  If Monokumace could make all the food and livestock disappear so quickly, who's to say they haven't taken care of the nearby fish as well? 

This is how it's going to end, I guess.  We're all gonna starve, or worse, we'll resort to cannibalism.  Or as Will would probably say, we'll go down Lord of the Flies style.

"How is everyone?" Iris asks as I shut the door behind me.

Since the attempt on his life yesterday, he's been staying in the hospital while he's recovering.  He's insistent that he's well enough to go back to his cottage, so he may end up back there tonight.  The good news is that nobody seems to want him tied up anymore, in case someone tries to kill him again.  For his sake, I hope that he doesn't end up doing anything worth tying him back up for.  I won't lie, I'm really worried about him.  He's seemed more stressed since waking up after the incident.  The idea of there being someone among us who isn't afraid to kill hasn't left his mind.  

"Everyone's doing okay," I finally answer. "How about you?"

"We need to find out who tried to kill me." And there it is.  Not even two seconds into the conversation.

"Iris, for all we know, we may never find out," I say honestly.

He narrows his lavender eyes as he says bitterly, "Then let's let everything go to hell."

His words make me shiver involuntarily.  Still, I don't want to be afraid of him.  He isn't someone to be feared. "You know that we all want to figure out who did it.  I'm just saying that it may be out of our control now.  We might just never get enough evidence to accuse someone."

"We will find them one day," he hisses. "And if they don't receive punishment for their actions, then I'll do it myself."

"You're overreacting.  I'm sure we could restrain them or something," I insist.

"For attempted murder?" Iris snarls, taking a dangerous step towards me. "No, no, no.  If they get the punishment I get for doing less AND confessing to my crimes, then that's not balanced."

"Then how would you handle it?  It's your attacker, after all." I really want to stay on his good side right now.  I mean, I'm almost certain I already am, but I don't want to risk it.

His fists tighten at his sides, and I can see his nails digging into his palms as he says in a low voice, "A threat to the balance needs to be removed.  Restraints aren't enough.  If you need to get rid of the one causing imbalance, you kill them if you need to."

My heart sinks.  I'm still broken over the fact that this is really who he is. "You don't mean that, Iris."

Iris's body tenses up as he grits his teeth. "Why is that so unfair to you?  Is it because you tried to kill me?"