Island of the Slaughtered

Episode 10: Bloodied Hatchet

It's very early morning and the only ones awake are Axel and Ripper. "Hey, I gotta use the confessional. Lemme have your hatchet." Ripper says to Axel. "Don't lose it or else I'll kill you myself." Axel says to Ripper menacingly.

As the sun rises fully, a heavy tension fills the cabin. The remaining contestants, still on edge from the previous night's events, begin to stir.

Ripper, on the other hand, had left to use the confessional early in the morning. Axel, who was up eating a small breakfast, she furrows her brow when she notices Ripper’s absence. “He’s been gone a while,” She mutters to Damien, who is half-awake and disinterested.

"Maybe he just needed to clear his head," Damien replies, yawning. “Can’t say I blame him.”

As the hours pass, everyone starts to gather in the main area, but Ripper is still missing. Axel's concern grows, and she finally decides to search for him. “I’m going to look for Ripper,” She announces, determination in her voice. Emma, still on edge after Chase's death, stands up quickly. “No, it’s too dangerous! You shouldn’t go alone!”

“I’ll go with you,” Raj volunteers, his voice steady. The group agrees, and Axel and Raj set off toward the confessional area.

Meanwhile, Julia feels a chill run down her spine as she catches sight of Scary Girl in the corner, her usual giggle replaced with an eerie silence. “You okay?” Julia asks hesitantly, unsure of how to approach her.

“Just thinking,” Scary Girl replies, a faint smile creeping onto her lips. “About how funny it is that everyone thinks they’re safe when they’re really not.”

Julia shivers, feeling the weight of those words. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, you know. It’s just a matter of time before someone else goes missing.” Scary Girl’s eyes twinkle with mischief.

As Axel and Raj approach the confessional, they find the door ajar. “Ripper?” Axel calls out, peeking inside. “You in there?”

The confessional is dark and empty. The hatchet Ripper borrowed from Axel lies on the ground, stained with what looks like fresh blood. Raj’s eyes widen. “This doesn’t look good bro…”

Suddenly, they hear a rustling behind them. Axel spins around, gripping the hatchet tightly. “Who’s there?” She demands.

They step cautiously outside, only to see Scary Girl standing behind a tree, her expression unreadable. “Looking for Ripper?” she asks innocently. “I saw him go that way.” She points into the thick trees, a sly smile on her face.

Raj exchanges a worried glance with Axel. “We should get back to the others,” Axel says, backing away slowly. But Scary Girl steps closer, blocking their path.

“You really shouldn’t go looking for him. You might not like what you find,” she says cryptically, her voice low and chilling.

The tension rises as Axel and Raj weigh their options. They glance back at the cabin, hearing the faint sound of  the others chatting. Should they take the risk and continue their search for Ripper, or head back and warn the others about Scary Girl’s strange behavior?