04-16-2021, 01:06 PM
Final Girl — Game #3
NOTE: I know this is the internet, and things tend to float around. That’s fine, and my material is posted freely, but if you’re inclined to share it elsewhere, please provide a link back to the original, or at least mention my username. Thanks.
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This is my third attempt at the Wretched & Alone game, Final Girl. Instead of using the highly unstable virtual Jenga tower I’ve used before this (see the other entries above), I’m trying a new technique, which I’ll detail below.
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This is Frannie Blackwood and it’s midnight. Everyone else is dead. Except Cleveland Hutson . I think he’s still alive. We got split up but I think he got away…
We were at the White Ridge campground, just… having a good time. Just a normal night. Then suddenly… the generator conked out . I think it’s some kind of maniac .
There’s no cell service out here but I called the cops. They’ll find me. I know they’ll find me. I just have to wait it out. I’m hiding in this abandoned cabin, and I think I have a shot.
If I’m wrong… I guess this is goodbye.
Midnight to 1am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s 1am. I’m still alive, so that’s good, right? I’m talking to my phone like they’re a person, but what else is there to do? I haven’t seen Cleveland since I lost track of him in the woods. I keep hoping I’m wrong about everyone else, but I know I’m not. They’re gone, and we’re the only ones left. Or maybe I’m the only one.
It’s supposed to be a big deal, you know? Senior trip. We get out here and have one last good time before high school ends and we’re all grown up, or whatever. Rebeccah — that’s Rebeccah Reeves — sneaked in a bottle of some nasty hard liquor from her mother’s stash. I don’t know how anybody drinks brandy. Yuck. But it got the party started, I guess.
The best part is when everybody got up and started singing along to “Despacito,” even though no one knows Spanish. I even took Spanish and I don’t know any Spanish. Dancing around, buzzed, and singing. That was good. I have some nice pictures from that. I wanted to send some stuff out on TikTok, but the signal’s not great and I didn’t want to use my data.
I thought the worst thing about tonight would be getting sick from drinking too much. I swear, that bottle was the size of a jug. But it doesn’t matter. Nothing turned out the way we thought.
The guy out there is going to kill me if he finds me. I saw him hack one of my friends’ arms off. She was still alive. That was Ainsley Read. She’s out there with no arms. I don’t know what he’ll cut from me. But he will.
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To simulate drawing from a tumbling-block tower, I’ve borrowed a technique found by another RPGsolo user, Teviko604. It involves throwing a huge number of six-sided dice and eliminating from the pool all those which come up with a one. Eventually the pool runs dry and the “tower” has fallen.
The dice-roller I’m using only allows sixty dice at a time, whereas the technique calls for a hundred. I think we can let that slide. So here we go.
Tower Throw — 60 dice minus 10 dice leaves 50 dice
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1-2am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s two o’clock in the morning. I cut my hand on some broken glass when I was looking around for something I can use as a weapon. I guess I could always use glass, because it sure does cut deep. Or maybe I can bleed all over this psycho when he comes for me.
I guess I should probably say if he comes for me. Not when. Because he might not, right? That’s the thing. He might not, and it won’t matter that I still don’t have anything worth calling a weapon except for a stupid old chair leg, and it won’t matter that I’m bleeding all over the place. Because help is coming, and that’s going to be it.
The first thing I’m going to do when I get back to civilization is I’m going to WASH. All this sweat and dirt and now the blood? I might as well throw these clothes away, because even I wanted to be reminded of tonight, they’re never going to come clean.
I guess I ought to start looking for a therapist. I could talk to Mom and Dad, but they’re not going to get it. I saw people die tonight, torn apart like they were nothing. I don’t even know where to get started with that.
I already told you about Ainsley. Rebeccah had her skull chopped in half. Jonny Morris got run through with a tent pole. Judith Clark fell into the fire when everything else was happening and her sweater caught and she was in flames before anyone could do anything. Not that there was time. People were running everywhere, and there was screaming, and… it was bad.
Ashlie Dudley got slashed across the back and I guess he severed her spine, because her legs just fell out from under her. He was still chopping her apart when I saw them together last. Vern Ecclestone was the first one who died, I think. After the generator died and all the lights went out, the psycho dragged Vern into the campsite with an electrical cord wrapped all around his head and neck. I didn’t have to see him die to know he didn’t make it.
And then there was Sophie Outlaw. It took one machete swipe and her whole face was gone. You could see into her skull.
So, yeah, a therapist is going to be just fine, thanks. And I’m thinking I’m going to stop eating meat, because if this is what it’s like in the places where they process that stuff, I’m not about that. Vegetarians are obnoxious and all, but I don’t have an appetite for anything else right now. Or ever.
I’m probably going ask to skip the rest of the school year. If this didn’t earn me a diploma without having to take finals, I will SUE.
Maybe I ought to sue anyway. Because the school picked the campground, right? And they didn’t provide enough security, obviously, or this wouldn’t have happened. We would have had, I don’t know, an off-duty cop or somebody with a gun who could have stopped things before they got worse. So give me a million dollars and a diploma. Yeah.
And then I’ll have to start thinking about what to tell everybody. Like, what am I going to tell Zander Morrison’s parents? Do I tell them that when he tried to squeeze into my first hiding place, I pushed him out, and that’s when the psycho found him? I mean, how can I tell them I watched him get his chest hacked open? And that it was my fault?
But here’s the thing: he couldn’t have made it. There was no room for both of us behind that turned-over picnic table. If I hadn’t pushed him out, the guy would have found us both, and we’d be dead together. What good is that? None.
There is a break in the video here.
Hey, sorry about that. I wanted to check something. It’s pretty dark in here, and I can’t see much and I don’t want to use up too much battery just running the flashlight. I’d rather save it for these videos.
The windows are shuttered because I think they only used this in season. Back when they used it, because it’s obvious nobody’s been in this place forever. But I thought there was a door off the kitchen and I was right, there is.
There were some basement stairs. I wasn’t even sure I could make it down them without something bad happening. It made a lot of noise, that’s for sure. I hope he didn’t hear.
I’m not sure what I expected. I mean, it’s a killer basement, or it could have been. But it was full of old, broken furniture and rotting cardboard boxes. One of them had Christmas decorations and when it busted open, the bulbs and stuff got everywhere. Seeing all that happiness covered in dust and abandoned… I’m not saying it’s more depressing than what’s happening tonight, but it didn’t cheer me up.
The more I think about it, the more I think this place isn’t going to work. I mean, I’m not in a fortress here. Yeah, the windows are shuttered and I could always lock myself in the bathroom, but this guy out there is STRONG, and I’ll bet his machete could go right through any of this dry wood.
Maybe I ought to try running. Maybe.
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2-3am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s three o’clock in the morning. I just had the s— scared out of me. The wind picked up a lot about a half hour ago and I guess the latch on the front door is bad, but it came banging open. I was sure it was the psycho and that was it but, you know, it wasn’t.
I have a chair blocking it shut now, but it’s just like I said before: if he wants to get in here, I don’t think there’s any way to stop him. So I have to be quiet and I have to be really still.
And I hope he didn’t hear that.
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3-4am
The Trials
Your only real chance to survive these games are the Aces. When one is played, ten tokens are placed on the card. Obviously we’re not going to use tokens here, but I’ll keep track of it. The point is that every hour from here on removes one token. When all the tokens are gone, I’ll make one last “pull from the tower” and, if that doesn’t “topple” the thing, Frannie will get away.
I should note this is the first time this has happened, but because of that unstable Jenga tower, I’ve never been able to progress to the point where this mechanic could play out.
But look at those numbers. I don’t think she’s going to make it.
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The Message
This is Frannie. It’s four o’clock in the morning.
This place sucks. I wouldn’t want to be in here even if I weren’t being, you know, stalked by a maniac with a three-foot machete. It’s cold, and dirty the shutters aren’t keeping out the wind, so it’s freezing in here. I thought it was spring.
I can’t move two inches without the floorboards creaking super-loud and half the time I’m worried I’m going to step on a nail, or cut myself again. I’m giving this cabin a bad rating on Airbnb.
Oh, s—. I just heard something. Did you hear that? He’s out there! And he’s… humming? He’s nuts, okay? A total psycho. He’s getting closer!
Okay, did you hear THAT? It’s Cleveland. He called my name. He needs to be quiet! Let’s go. If I can get to the door. Come on, don’t give me away.
There he is. Come on, Cleve! Get in here! Hurry up! He’s close!
Everybody, this is Cleveland. Just put the chair against the door, Cleve. Come on, I’m hiding back here.
Cleveland, say hi.
Hi, uh, everybody. Are you streaming this?
No, I’m making a video diary. Don’t talk so loud! Can’t you hear him out there? Look, everybody, I have to go.
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Because I haven’t drawn any Kings in this game, I decided to save the other survivor as opposed to sacrificing him. Now there are two of them, and this has taken a turn neither of my previous games have done. Each one mentions a second survivor, but they’ve never actually appeared.
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4-5am
The Trials
It’s worth pointing out that some of these prompts contradict things I’ve already written. I could go back and edit, which I don’t think is in the spirit of the game, or I can adapt the prompts to the current circumstances.
I’ll choose the latter, because it seems that so long as the tower rolls keep counting down the remaining hours of Frannie’s life, it doesn’t matter if some of the details get fudged.
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The Message
This is Frannie. It’s five o’clock. I keep thinking about the psycho’s machete. I guess it’s super-big because it’s supposed to clear brush, or something? Whatever it is, it’s excessive, you know? Anything that can take apart somebody’s skull with one swing… it doesn’t seem right.
I’m starting to get thirsty and I don’t know how it’s possible, but I’m actually hungry. I don’t have anything to eat or drink and Cleveland doesn’t have anything, either. I guess I could search around, but anything I find in this place is probably going to be poisonous.
Cleve, did you hear that? I thought I heard somebody. Wait, somebody’s screaming! I hear him now. I think it’s Hardy! How did he make it?
Hey, where are you going? We have to get him in here. Don’t hide down there, it’s dangerous on the steps. Cleve, you have to calm down. Hardy’s coming. He’s on the porch. Let go of me! We have to let him IN! Stop it! Let go! The guy’s going to hear him.
Hardy, I’m coming. Goddamn it, Cleve, don’t put your hands on me again. What? It’s him! No, don’t get too close to the windows, or he’ll see you between the shutters!
Yes, I’m letting him in. Yes, he—
A jumble of sounds and images, and then the sound of shrill, panicked screaming which becomes the noises of death.
Everybody, we’re in the basement. Hardy’s dead for sure. I’m here with Cleveland. My hand’s bleeding really bad, and I cut my leg on something. There’s so much rust on everything, I’m going to get tetanus for sure.
I don’t know why this is happening. Did we break some kind of rule coming out to the campground? Is that it? Does this guy think he owns all this land and this is how he deals with trespassers? Or is he just a killer who kills because he can?
Cleve? Hey, Cleve? Why do you think he’s doing this? Hey, are you asleep or something? Oh, my God, he hit his head. He’s still breathing, I think? Yeah, he’s still breathing. What am I supposed to do for a concussion HERE?
This is great.
Of course I’d be here with him. I mean, I’m sorry he’s messed up, but that doesn’t change anything that happened. Going with me and then cheating with Rebeccah. I’m not glad she’s dead. I’m not glad about any of this. I feel crappy even bring it up now. Forget I said anything.
Wake up, Cleve.
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5-6am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s six o’clock and the sun’s coming up. I can see it through the basement window. I haven’t slept at all. Cleveland still hasn’t woken up, but he’s still alive.
About ten minutes ago, I got signal on my phone. I don’t know how, because I’m like under a house, but it happened. None of my texts would go through, and you can forget about calling anybody, but maybe they can track me this way? I called them, and they know I’m out here, so… I don’t know.
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6-7am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s 7am. I just found something I don’t think I supposed to find.
I couldn’t sit still after I made my last video, so I wandered around down here a little more. I was too scared to before, but I thought maybe there might be something here worth taking. That’s when I found the secret door.
It’s like something out of a movie. A secret door hidden behind some shelves? But I saw the marks on the floor because the sun’s up, and I got it open. And that’s when I found out where this guy’s been keeping his… stuff. Trophies, I guess. Parts of people. Some of their stuff, like phones and clothes. He put some girl’s body in a sweater, but she doesn’t have any arms or legs or a head. She’s just wrapped up in it.
If this is his place, then— oh, my God. He just kicked the door in upstairs! I knew he’d come back here. I knew he’d be able to get in! I have to hide somewhere! Cleve, wake up! Cleve, we have to GO!
I can’t wait. Here’s the place where he’s keeping all his stuff. Do you see it? He won’t look for me in here. I’ll hide behind this.
He’s coming down the stairs. I have to go.
There is a break in the video.
He’s gone. I’m pretty sure he killed Cleve, but I’m not moving. He brought more pieces in. These are all fresh. I’m going to be sick.
You can think what you want about me because Zander died, and because I left Cleveland out there. What’s that they say about how you have to do anything to survive? That’s what I’m doing. If I died, they’d still be dead, so what’s the point?
I guess it’s because I’ll do anything that I’m alive and everybody else isn’t. And I will do anything.
Look, I have to go.
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7-8am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s eight o’clock. I’m feeling… okay.
When that freak was gone again, I went upstairs. I don’t even care anymore. Cleveland was gone. There was just the blood from his head. I don’t know why he’d get up and walk away, or why the psycho would take him. He’s just gone.
I found somebody’s stash in the medicine cabinet. Old, expired painkillers and a bottle of whiskey. I took them all because my hand hurts and my leg hurts. It was good to drink, too. I don’t feel anything.
I know I said I’d do whatever it takes to survive, but when I saw Cleve was gone, I thought: what’s the point? If he can disappear on me, what chance do I have? All this hiding and running. I can’t even leave this place because I’d get lost, so where does that put me?
F—.
I could drink the rest of this bottle. The alcohol and the pills will do it for me, right? Maybe I took too much already, and drank too much. I guess I’m going to find out.
This guy, whoever he is, knows the area, and he’s quick and he’s strong. He doesn’t care about anything except killing. What chance did I ever have?
No. I need to get back to where I was. I have to make it somehow. They’re coming for me. I know they are. But you know what else? I’m not going to let that asshole cut me up alive like everyone else. I’ll cut my wrists before I’ll let him do it.
If I don’t die from these pills first.
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8-9am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s nine o’clock. Time to go to Chemistry.
I fell asleep. It was the pills and the liquor. It started raining while I was out. The roof is full of holes, so I’m soaked. I never knew it could get this cold this time of year. Or maybe I just never noticed?
The cut on my hand is swelling up. I knew it was going to get infected, or something. I can see lines under the skin, and I think that means it’s already starting to spread. Too bad there wasn’t anything in that medicine cabinet I could have used to clean it. The alcohol might have helped. I didn’t think about it.
I heard more screaming. I don’t know who it was, and is it wrong of me not to care? I feel like I’ve been doing this forever. Like there wasn’t a time when I WASN’T doing it. And if that nutcase is out there killing somebody else, he’s not killing me. Because you know he’s going to come back. But where else can I go? It’s pouring out there. I have the only dry spot in the place.
I found a stupid pen flashlight Ashlie gave me. I didn’t even remember I had it all this time. Could have used it. Duh.
I’m going to miss her the most. The way she died, with him just hacking at her and hacking at her. And she couldn’t even try to crawl away because her legs didn’t work. She was a good friend. She was friends with everybody, really.
Oh, s—. The door just opened. I won’t fit in the pantry. Is it him? Tell my mom and dad I love them, okay?
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9-10am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s ten o’clock.
I’m starting to think it’s just luck of the draw that I made it. Not because I’m tough or anything, but because I drew the right cards. God’s the magician, and he said pick a card, so I did. Again and again. And somehow… I don’t know. I’m rambling.
I can’t remember who died first. Can you believe it? You’d think every detail would be right there and I could tell you everything, but I don’t remember. So many people died so fast, I’d have to go through all these videos to see who it was. That’s if I remembered to say so in the first place.
The thing is, they were unlucky. I’m lucky and they weren’t. It’s all luck.
I went digging around in the kitchen and found where they kept the old flatware and stuff. I have a knife now. A real butcher knife thing. It has rust all over it, but that doesn’t matter. I’m going to stab that asshole. I’m going to stab him in the eyes.
Did you know it was Cleveland’s idea to go camping? Of all the people who could have been here in this cabin with me, it had to be him. It’s HIS FAULT. Camping? Who goes camping anymore, anyway? You know what I mean? He’s a jerk.
I guess that makes me a jerk for going along with it. I mean, nobody says you have to do senior trip. And things go wrong. Like those high school kids who went to Manhattan? Everybody’s heard about them. I just never figured it could happen to us. To me.
Oh, hey, I forgot to mention. Check this out. First aid kit. So now I have a bandage on my hand, see? Nice. Doesn’t matter because it’s already infected, but at least I have bandage on it now.
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It occurs to me that Final Girl makes no allowances for running out of cards. And since all the cards are unique and non-repeatable, it’s not like you can shuffle them back into the deck and use them again.
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10-11am
The Trials
This is Frannie. It’s eleven and time for lunch. Except there’s nothing to eat. Still.
I’m getting tired again. I don’t know if it’s the pills hanging around, or what, but about a half an hour ago I found myself falling asleep sitting up. My hand hurts like hell. It hurts so much, I can’t even feel my leg anymore. It’s like the whole wound went numb.
Hey, wait. Is that the door?
there are no further videos
NOTE: I know this is the internet, and things tend to float around. That’s fine, and my material is posted freely, but if you’re inclined to share it elsewhere, please provide a link back to the original, or at least mention my username. Thanks.
————————
This is my third attempt at the Wretched & Alone game, Final Girl. Instead of using the highly unstable virtual Jenga tower I’ve used before this (see the other entries above), I’m trying a new technique, which I’ll detail below.
————————
This is Frannie Blackwood and it’s midnight. Everyone else is dead. Except Cleveland Hutson . I think he’s still alive. We got split up but I think he got away…
We were at the White Ridge campground, just… having a good time. Just a normal night. Then suddenly… the generator conked out . I think it’s some kind of maniac .
There’s no cell service out here but I called the cops. They’ll find me. I know they’ll find me. I just have to wait it out. I’m hiding in this abandoned cabin, and I think I have a shot.
If I’m wrong… I guess this is goodbye.
Midnight to 1am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 2
- Card 1 — Three of Clubs. You look through the photos and videos you took tonight before everything started to go wrong. What was the highlight of the evening? How were you expecting tonight to end?
- Card 2 — Ten of Spades. What is the killer going to do to you when they find you? Pull from the tower.
This is Frannie. It’s 1am. I’m still alive, so that’s good, right? I’m talking to my phone like they’re a person, but what else is there to do? I haven’t seen Cleveland since I lost track of him in the woods. I keep hoping I’m wrong about everyone else, but I know I’m not. They’re gone, and we’re the only ones left. Or maybe I’m the only one.
It’s supposed to be a big deal, you know? Senior trip. We get out here and have one last good time before high school ends and we’re all grown up, or whatever. Rebeccah — that’s Rebeccah Reeves — sneaked in a bottle of some nasty hard liquor from her mother’s stash. I don’t know how anybody drinks brandy. Yuck. But it got the party started, I guess.
The best part is when everybody got up and started singing along to “Despacito,” even though no one knows Spanish. I even took Spanish and I don’t know any Spanish. Dancing around, buzzed, and singing. That was good. I have some nice pictures from that. I wanted to send some stuff out on TikTok, but the signal’s not great and I didn’t want to use my data.
I thought the worst thing about tonight would be getting sick from drinking too much. I swear, that bottle was the size of a jug. But it doesn’t matter. Nothing turned out the way we thought.
The guy out there is going to kill me if he finds me. I saw him hack one of my friends’ arms off. She was still alive. That was Ainsley Read. She’s out there with no arms. I don’t know what he’ll cut from me. But he will.
————————
To simulate drawing from a tumbling-block tower, I’ve borrowed a technique found by another RPGsolo user, Teviko604. It involves throwing a huge number of six-sided dice and eliminating from the pool all those which come up with a one. Eventually the pool runs dry and the “tower” has fallen.
The dice-roller I’m using only allows sixty dice at a time, whereas the technique calls for a hundred. I think we can let that slide. So here we go.
Tower Throw — 60 dice minus 10 dice leaves 50 dice
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1-2am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 6(!)
- Card #1 — Jack of Diamonds. You hurt yourself looking for something in the cabin. What did you do, what did you find, and was it worth it? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Throw — 50 dice minus eight dice leaves 42 dice
- Card #2 — Nine of Clubs. List the first five things you’re going to do when you get back to civilization.
- Card #3 — Jack of Clubs. You can’t stop thinking about one of your many escapes tonight. The time when one of your friends died and you survived. How did that happen? Could you have helped them, maybe even saved them? Be honest. Pull from the tower.
- Tower Throw — 42 dice minus four dice leaves 38 dice
- Card #4 — Two of Hearts. Exploring the cabin, you found a rickety set of stairs down to the basement. Every step sounded like they might collapse under you. What did you find down there?
- Card #5 — Nine of Spades. There are so many weak points in the cabin. Maybe you should make a break for it. You know that’s a bad idea, but can you resist? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Throw — 38 dice minus seven dice leaves 31 dice
- Card #6 — Seven of Clubs. List all the people who died, and how.
This is Frannie. It’s two o’clock in the morning. I cut my hand on some broken glass when I was looking around for something I can use as a weapon. I guess I could always use glass, because it sure does cut deep. Or maybe I can bleed all over this psycho when he comes for me.
I guess I should probably say if he comes for me. Not when. Because he might not, right? That’s the thing. He might not, and it won’t matter that I still don’t have anything worth calling a weapon except for a stupid old chair leg, and it won’t matter that I’m bleeding all over the place. Because help is coming, and that’s going to be it.
The first thing I’m going to do when I get back to civilization is I’m going to WASH. All this sweat and dirt and now the blood? I might as well throw these clothes away, because even I wanted to be reminded of tonight, they’re never going to come clean.
I guess I ought to start looking for a therapist. I could talk to Mom and Dad, but they’re not going to get it. I saw people die tonight, torn apart like they were nothing. I don’t even know where to get started with that.
I already told you about Ainsley. Rebeccah had her skull chopped in half. Jonny Morris got run through with a tent pole. Judith Clark fell into the fire when everything else was happening and her sweater caught and she was in flames before anyone could do anything. Not that there was time. People were running everywhere, and there was screaming, and… it was bad.
Ashlie Dudley got slashed across the back and I guess he severed her spine, because her legs just fell out from under her. He was still chopping her apart when I saw them together last. Vern Ecclestone was the first one who died, I think. After the generator died and all the lights went out, the psycho dragged Vern into the campsite with an electrical cord wrapped all around his head and neck. I didn’t have to see him die to know he didn’t make it.
And then there was Sophie Outlaw. It took one machete swipe and her whole face was gone. You could see into her skull.
So, yeah, a therapist is going to be just fine, thanks. And I’m thinking I’m going to stop eating meat, because if this is what it’s like in the places where they process that stuff, I’m not about that. Vegetarians are obnoxious and all, but I don’t have an appetite for anything else right now. Or ever.
I’m probably going ask to skip the rest of the school year. If this didn’t earn me a diploma without having to take finals, I will SUE.
Maybe I ought to sue anyway. Because the school picked the campground, right? And they didn’t provide enough security, obviously, or this wouldn’t have happened. We would have had, I don’t know, an off-duty cop or somebody with a gun who could have stopped things before they got worse. So give me a million dollars and a diploma. Yeah.
And then I’ll have to start thinking about what to tell everybody. Like, what am I going to tell Zander Morrison’s parents? Do I tell them that when he tried to squeeze into my first hiding place, I pushed him out, and that’s when the psycho found him? I mean, how can I tell them I watched him get his chest hacked open? And that it was my fault?
But here’s the thing: he couldn’t have made it. There was no room for both of us behind that turned-over picnic table. If I hadn’t pushed him out, the guy would have found us both, and we’d be dead together. What good is that? None.
There is a break in the video here.
Hey, sorry about that. I wanted to check something. It’s pretty dark in here, and I can’t see much and I don’t want to use up too much battery just running the flashlight. I’d rather save it for these videos.
The windows are shuttered because I think they only used this in season. Back when they used it, because it’s obvious nobody’s been in this place forever. But I thought there was a door off the kitchen and I was right, there is.
There were some basement stairs. I wasn’t even sure I could make it down them without something bad happening. It made a lot of noise, that’s for sure. I hope he didn’t hear.
I’m not sure what I expected. I mean, it’s a killer basement, or it could have been. But it was full of old, broken furniture and rotting cardboard boxes. One of them had Christmas decorations and when it busted open, the bulbs and stuff got everywhere. Seeing all that happiness covered in dust and abandoned… I’m not saying it’s more depressing than what’s happening tonight, but it didn’t cheer me up.
The more I think about it, the more I think this place isn’t going to work. I mean, I’m not in a fortress here. Yeah, the windows are shuttered and I could always lock myself in the bathroom, but this guy out there is STRONG, and I’ll bet his machete could go right through any of this dry wood.
Maybe I ought to try running. Maybe.
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2-3am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 1
- Card #1 — Queen of Hearts. The cabin’s door creaks and swings open every time there’s a strong gust of wind. You had to secure it, but it was a noisy process. What did you do? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Throw — 31 dice minus seven dice leaves 24 dice
This is Frannie. It’s three o’clock in the morning. I just had the s— scared out of me. The wind picked up a lot about a half hour ago and I guess the latch on the front door is bad, but it came banging open. I was sure it was the psycho and that was it but, you know, it wasn’t.
I have a chair blocking it shut now, but it’s just like I said before: if he wants to get in here, I don’t think there’s any way to stop him. So I have to be quiet and I have to be really still.
And I hope he didn’t hear that.
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3-4am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 3
- Card #1 — Eight of Hearts. List five things that make this cabin a truly horrible place to wait this out.
- Card #2 — Two of Spades. It’s all too much. The killer’s getting closer, and it’s all you can think about. Everything you try to do is twice as hard, and half as effective. Pull twice from the tower.
- Tower Roll — 24 dice minus four dice is 20 dice
- Second Tower Roll — 20 dice minus four dice leaves 16 dice
- Card #3 — Ace of Spades. You hear the other survivor moving around outside. If you want to, you can find a way to attract the killer’s attention to her. If you do this, how? If you go through with it, you can shuffle one King card back into the deck. Do not discard this card. Set it aside where you can see it.
Your only real chance to survive these games are the Aces. When one is played, ten tokens are placed on the card. Obviously we’re not going to use tokens here, but I’ll keep track of it. The point is that every hour from here on removes one token. When all the tokens are gone, I’ll make one last “pull from the tower” and, if that doesn’t “topple” the thing, Frannie will get away.
I should note this is the first time this has happened, but because of that unstable Jenga tower, I’ve never been able to progress to the point where this mechanic could play out.
But look at those numbers. I don’t think she’s going to make it.
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The Message
This is Frannie. It’s four o’clock in the morning.
This place sucks. I wouldn’t want to be in here even if I weren’t being, you know, stalked by a maniac with a three-foot machete. It’s cold, and dirty the shutters aren’t keeping out the wind, so it’s freezing in here. I thought it was spring.
I can’t move two inches without the floorboards creaking super-loud and half the time I’m worried I’m going to step on a nail, or cut myself again. I’m giving this cabin a bad rating on Airbnb.
Oh, s—. I just heard something. Did you hear that? He’s out there! And he’s… humming? He’s nuts, okay? A total psycho. He’s getting closer!
Okay, did you hear THAT? It’s Cleveland. He called my name. He needs to be quiet! Let’s go. If I can get to the door. Come on, don’t give me away.
There he is. Come on, Cleve! Get in here! Hurry up! He’s close!
Everybody, this is Cleveland. Just put the chair against the door, Cleve. Come on, I’m hiding back here.
Cleveland, say hi.
Hi, uh, everybody. Are you streaming this?
No, I’m making a video diary. Don’t talk so loud! Can’t you hear him out there? Look, everybody, I have to go.
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Because I haven’t drawn any Kings in this game, I decided to save the other survivor as opposed to sacrificing him. Now there are two of them, and this has taken a turn neither of my previous games have done. Each one mentions a second survivor, but they’ve never actually appeared.
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4-5am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 6 (this game is trying to kill me)
- Card #1 — Five of Spades. You can’t get the memory of the killer’s weapon out of your head. What is it? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — 16 dice minus one die leaves 15 dice
- Card #2 — Four of Diamonds. You’re so hungry. And thirsty. You found some supplies in the cabin but who knows if they’re still safe to eat? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — 15 dice minus zero dice leaves 15 dice!
- Card #3 — King of Clubs. The other survivor found the cabin too. She was outside for a long time, begging you to let her in, but the killer was right behind her. Her screaming stopped after a while. You don’t know if she got away or… the other thing. Do not discard this card. Place it where you can see it. If this is the fourth King you have drawn, the killer found you. You died.
- Card #4 — Two of Diamonds. What injury did you sustain before you got to the cabin? How did it happen? How is it going to hamper you? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — 15 dice minus one die leaves 14 dice
- Card #5 Four of Spades. Why do you think the killer targeted you and the people you care about? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — 14 dice minus one die leaves 13 dice
- Card #6 — Queen of Clubs. The other survivor is no angel. Describe the time in the past when he really screwed you over. Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — 13 dice minus three dice leaves 10 dice
- TOKENS REMAINING — 9
It’s worth pointing out that some of these prompts contradict things I’ve already written. I could go back and edit, which I don’t think is in the spirit of the game, or I can adapt the prompts to the current circumstances.
I’ll choose the latter, because it seems that so long as the tower rolls keep counting down the remaining hours of Frannie’s life, it doesn’t matter if some of the details get fudged.
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The Message
This is Frannie. It’s five o’clock. I keep thinking about the psycho’s machete. I guess it’s super-big because it’s supposed to clear brush, or something? Whatever it is, it’s excessive, you know? Anything that can take apart somebody’s skull with one swing… it doesn’t seem right.
I’m starting to get thirsty and I don’t know how it’s possible, but I’m actually hungry. I don’t have anything to eat or drink and Cleveland doesn’t have anything, either. I guess I could search around, but anything I find in this place is probably going to be poisonous.
Cleve, did you hear that? I thought I heard somebody. Wait, somebody’s screaming! I hear him now. I think it’s Hardy! How did he make it?
Hey, where are you going? We have to get him in here. Don’t hide down there, it’s dangerous on the steps. Cleve, you have to calm down. Hardy’s coming. He’s on the porch. Let go of me! We have to let him IN! Stop it! Let go! The guy’s going to hear him.
Hardy, I’m coming. Goddamn it, Cleve, don’t put your hands on me again. What? It’s him! No, don’t get too close to the windows, or he’ll see you between the shutters!
Yes, I’m letting him in. Yes, he—
A jumble of sounds and images, and then the sound of shrill, panicked screaming which becomes the noises of death.
Everybody, we’re in the basement. Hardy’s dead for sure. I’m here with Cleveland. My hand’s bleeding really bad, and I cut my leg on something. There’s so much rust on everything, I’m going to get tetanus for sure.
I don’t know why this is happening. Did we break some kind of rule coming out to the campground? Is that it? Does this guy think he owns all this land and this is how he deals with trespassers? Or is he just a killer who kills because he can?
Cleve? Hey, Cleve? Why do you think he’s doing this? Hey, are you asleep or something? Oh, my God, he hit his head. He’s still breathing, I think? Yeah, he’s still breathing. What am I supposed to do for a concussion HERE?
This is great.
Of course I’d be here with him. I mean, I’m sorry he’s messed up, but that doesn’t change anything that happened. Going with me and then cheating with Rebeccah. I’m not glad she’s dead. I’m not glad about any of this. I feel crappy even bring it up now. Forget I said anything.
Wake up, Cleve.
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5-6am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 1
- Card #1 — Ace of Hearts. You have cellphone signal. Not enough to call for help, but enough that someone could use GPS to find you. Or triangulate from cell towers. Or something. You’re not exactly sure, but this has to be a good sign. Pull from the tower. Do not discard this card.
- Tower Roll — 10 dice minus zero dice is 10 dice!
- TOKENS REMAINING — 8
This is Frannie. It’s six o’clock and the sun’s coming up. I can see it through the basement window. I haven’t slept at all. Cleveland still hasn’t woken up, but he’s still alive.
About ten minutes ago, I got signal on my phone. I don’t know how, because I’m like under a house, but it happened. None of my texts would go through, and you can forget about calling anybody, but maybe they can track me this way? I called them, and they know I’m out here, so… I don’t know.
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6-7am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 3
- Card #1 — Seven of Spades. You find something in the cabin that can only belong to the killer. Describe it. Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — 10 dice minus one die leaves nine dice
- Card #2 — Jack of Spades. The killer is inside your cabin and closing in on you. Can you scramble to some other uncomfortable hidey-hole in time? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — Nine dice minus 2 dice leaves seven dice
- Card #3 — Eight of Clubs. What did you do right? How come you’re the one sheltering in a cold, rickety cabin in the woods when all but one of the people you care about are dead?
- TOKENS REMAINING — 7
This is Frannie. It’s 7am. I just found something I don’t think I supposed to find.
I couldn’t sit still after I made my last video, so I wandered around down here a little more. I was too scared to before, but I thought maybe there might be something here worth taking. That’s when I found the secret door.
It’s like something out of a movie. A secret door hidden behind some shelves? But I saw the marks on the floor because the sun’s up, and I got it open. And that’s when I found out where this guy’s been keeping his… stuff. Trophies, I guess. Parts of people. Some of their stuff, like phones and clothes. He put some girl’s body in a sweater, but she doesn’t have any arms or legs or a head. She’s just wrapped up in it.
If this is his place, then— oh, my God. He just kicked the door in upstairs! I knew he’d come back here. I knew he’d be able to get in! I have to hide somewhere! Cleve, wake up! Cleve, we have to GO!
I can’t wait. Here’s the place where he’s keeping all his stuff. Do you see it? He won’t look for me in here. I’ll hide behind this.
He’s coming down the stairs. I have to go.
There is a break in the video.
He’s gone. I’m pretty sure he killed Cleve, but I’m not moving. He brought more pieces in. These are all fresh. I’m going to be sick.
You can think what you want about me because Zander died, and because I left Cleveland out there. What’s that they say about how you have to do anything to survive? That’s what I’m doing. If I died, they’d still be dead, so what’s the point?
I guess it’s because I’ll do anything that I’m alive and everybody else isn’t. And I will do anything.
Look, I have to go.
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7-8am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 4
- Card #1 — Queen of Diamonds. You find a bottle of painkillers, and you slam some. And then some more. Did you get the dose right, or are you about to get woozy or throw up? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — Seven dice minus zero dice is seven dice!
- Card #2 — Three of Spades. Who, or what, is the killer? List everything you know about them. Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — Seven dice minus one die is six dice
- Card #3 — Queen of Spades. You find yourself thinking about all the other ways you could end this. If you can’t make it out alive, you could die on your own terms. Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — Six dice minus one die is five dice
- Card #4 — Ten of Clubs. Who is the other survivor? How did he survive? How do you rate your chances, compared to his?
- TOKENS REMAINING — 6
This is Frannie. It’s eight o’clock. I’m feeling… okay.
When that freak was gone again, I went upstairs. I don’t even care anymore. Cleveland was gone. There was just the blood from his head. I don’t know why he’d get up and walk away, or why the psycho would take him. He’s just gone.
I found somebody’s stash in the medicine cabinet. Old, expired painkillers and a bottle of whiskey. I took them all because my hand hurts and my leg hurts. It was good to drink, too. I don’t feel anything.
I know I said I’d do whatever it takes to survive, but when I saw Cleve was gone, I thought: what’s the point? If he can disappear on me, what chance do I have? All this hiding and running. I can’t even leave this place because I’d get lost, so where does that put me?
F—.
I could drink the rest of this bottle. The alcohol and the pills will do it for me, right? Maybe I took too much already, and drank too much. I guess I’m going to find out.
This guy, whoever he is, knows the area, and he’s quick and he’s strong. He doesn’t care about anything except killing. What chance did I ever have?
No. I need to get back to where I was. I have to make it somehow. They’re coming for me. I know they are. But you know what else? I’m not going to let that asshole cut me up alive like everyone else. I’ll cut my wrists before I’ll let him do it.
If I don’t die from these pills first.
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8-9am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 5
- Card #1 — Three of Diamonds. On top of your injury, you splashed through a stream on your way here and you’re soaked to the skin. Combined with the cold this isn’t just nasty, it’s dangerous. Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — Five dice minus one die leaves four dice
- Card #2 — Ace of Clubs. You heard a scream outside. It’s the other survivor, and it sounds like she’s attracted the killer’s attention. Bad for her, great for you: she’s bought you more time for the cops to find you. While you have cellphone signal (from the Ace of Hearts) you can remove a token from it on a roll of 5 or 6. Do not discard this card. Set it aside where you can see it.
- Bonus Roll — 2
- Card #3 — Ten of Diamonds. Your injury’s getting worse. Fast. Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — Four dice minus one die leaves three dice
- Card #4 — Six of Clubs. You find something in your pocket that belonged to one of the people you were with. They’re the one you’ll miss the most. Why, and who were they?
- Card #5 — King of Spades. The door of your hiding place bangs open. Is it the killer… or a gust of wind? Do not discard this card. Place it where you can see it. If this is the fourth King you have drawn, the killer found you. You died. If you’ve already drawn all four aces when you draw this card, you did enough. You have every advantage you need to end the killer before they end you. Blood-soaked and weary, you survive. The killer does not.
- TOKENS REMAINING — 5
This is Frannie. It’s nine o’clock. Time to go to Chemistry.
I fell asleep. It was the pills and the liquor. It started raining while I was out. The roof is full of holes, so I’m soaked. I never knew it could get this cold this time of year. Or maybe I just never noticed?
The cut on my hand is swelling up. I knew it was going to get infected, or something. I can see lines under the skin, and I think that means it’s already starting to spread. Too bad there wasn’t anything in that medicine cabinet I could have used to clean it. The alcohol might have helped. I didn’t think about it.
I heard more screaming. I don’t know who it was, and is it wrong of me not to care? I feel like I’ve been doing this forever. Like there wasn’t a time when I WASN’T doing it. And if that nutcase is out there killing somebody else, he’s not killing me. Because you know he’s going to come back. But where else can I go? It’s pouring out there. I have the only dry spot in the place.
I found a stupid pen flashlight Ashlie gave me. I didn’t even remember I had it all this time. Could have used it. Duh.
I’m going to miss her the most. The way she died, with him just hacking at her and hacking at her. And she couldn’t even try to crawl away because her legs didn’t work. She was a good friend. She was friends with everybody, really.
Oh, s—. The door just opened. I won’t fit in the pantry. Is it him? Tell my mom and dad I love them, okay?
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9-10am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 5 (where was that five earlier?)
- Card #1 — Two of Clubs. Who was the first person to die tonight? Why? Did they make a mistake, were they unlucky, or was there some other reason it was them?
- Card #2 — Eight of Spades. You’ve found something you can use as a weapon. What is it? How does having it make you feel about your odds? Do you know how to use it? Pull from the tower.
- Tower Roll — Three dice minus one die leaves two dice
- Card #3 — Four of Clubs. Whose idea was it to go camping instead of all the other things you could have done tonight? Why did you agree?
- Card #4 — King of Diamonds. Your injury is making you weak and sluggish. Too weak to fight back… and you can hear someone testing the cabin’s door. Do not discard this card. Place it where you can see it. If this is the fourth King you have drawn, the killer found you. You died.
- Card #5 — Ace of Diamonds. You found medical supplies. What were they? How are you going to use them? Next time you need to pull from the tower, you may choose not to. Do not discard this card. Set it aside where you can see it.
- TOKENS REMAINING — 4
This is Frannie. It’s ten o’clock.
I’m starting to think it’s just luck of the draw that I made it. Not because I’m tough or anything, but because I drew the right cards. God’s the magician, and he said pick a card, so I did. Again and again. And somehow… I don’t know. I’m rambling.
I can’t remember who died first. Can you believe it? You’d think every detail would be right there and I could tell you everything, but I don’t remember. So many people died so fast, I’d have to go through all these videos to see who it was. That’s if I remembered to say so in the first place.
The thing is, they were unlucky. I’m lucky and they weren’t. It’s all luck.
I went digging around in the kitchen and found where they kept the old flatware and stuff. I have a knife now. A real butcher knife thing. It has rust all over it, but that doesn’t matter. I’m going to stab that asshole. I’m going to stab him in the eyes.
Did you know it was Cleveland’s idea to go camping? Of all the people who could have been here in this cabin with me, it had to be him. It’s HIS FAULT. Camping? Who goes camping anymore, anyway? You know what I mean? He’s a jerk.
I guess that makes me a jerk for going along with it. I mean, nobody says you have to do senior trip. And things go wrong. Like those high school kids who went to Manhattan? Everybody’s heard about them. I just never figured it could happen to us. To me.
Oh, hey, I forgot to mention. Check this out. First aid kit. So now I have a bandage on my hand, see? Nice. Doesn’t matter because it’s already infected, but at least I have bandage on it now.
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It occurs to me that Final Girl makes no allowances for running out of cards. And since all the cards are unique and non-repeatable, it’s not like you can shuffle them back into the deck and use them again.
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10-11am
The Trials
- Dice Roll — 6 (again!)
- Card #1 — King of Diamonds. Your injury is making you weak and sluggish. Too weak to fight back… and you can hear someone testing the cabin’s door. Do not discard this card. Place it where you can see it. If this is the fourth King you have drawn, the killer found you. You died.
- guess what?
This is Frannie. It’s eleven and time for lunch. Except there’s nothing to eat. Still.
I’m getting tired again. I don’t know if it’s the pills hanging around, or what, but about a half an hour ago I found myself falling asleep sitting up. My hand hurts like hell. It hurts so much, I can’t even feel my leg anymore. It’s like the whole wound went numb.
Hey, wait. Is that the door?
there are no further videos
