Second Scoreboard

If looks could kill, Sia was sure Sergeant Dust would rip her apart. He was talking to his soldiers but kept his eyes off Sia. Daz whizzed by, handing out cigars to everybody. Sia rubbed her hands, waiting for hers. Not that she smoked, she just hated being the left one out.

The director marched into Sia's office. "Your mother's here."

"Who brought her here?" Sia snapped.

The director shrugged his shoulders. "She came by herself."

A flying wheelchair crashed into Sia's table. She pursed her lips together, feeling that an older version of herself was looking right in front of her. Sia couldn't bare the wrinkles and grey perm before her. "Mother, I'm working."

Sia's mother, Winnie Bucks eyes up to the sparkling glass of gin. "You drink when you're on duty?"

"No."

"Oh you left one for me," Winnie bounced in her chair. "How generous of you." Sia's morning drink vanished within seconds. "Where're your friends?"

Sia knew what her mother meant. "They're over there." Sia pointed at Daz and Sergeant Dust.

"I'll go and say hello!" Out of all the times her mother had to visit, why did it have to be now? "Hello, Daz! Hello Sergeant Dust!"

"Hello, Winnie!" Daz crouched down so Winnie could give him a hug and a kiss.

Sergeant Dust did the same. "How are you, my dear?"

"I'm happy. Did you guys know that Ivan's running for president?"

Daz chocked up. "No way."

"Well done, Ivan!"

"Which Ivan?" Daz asked, kneeling down to Winnie's level. "Ivan Bucks Junior or Ivan Bucks Senior?"

"Junior!"

"Bloody hell, I haven't seen him since he was a kid."

"Is he still releasing his mixtapes?" Sergeant Dust asked, lighting up a new cigarette. "My village in Transylvania loved his music."

"Well he's popped his music career on hold you see," Winnie explained. "We got Ivan Bucks III on the way."

"Ivan's doing well!" Day said.

Sia wanted to crawl back to bed and never wake up again. Clutching onto the edge of her table, her head collapsed onto her laptop. She'd be more than obliged to toss her mother out the wheelchair and strangle her. No matter how annoying Winnie was, matricide would never be trendy.

"Professor Denki took me out for lunch in last night," Winnie squealed. "His family is so sweet. Harumi even called me Nana. I wonder if she knows."

Sia doubted that her mother knew it was Harumi who nominated Yuzuko: her own daughter. Sia hated her entire family expect for Yuzuko, and perhaps her nephew. She sighed, she didn't mean it. Maybe she did. She wasn't so sure anymore.

At least there was one thing Sia could celebrate: Pedro Primera was dead. If Mariangela hadn't have stabbed him, she would have arranged her own special punishment. Rapists always suffered humiliating fates on the Game of Mass Destruction. Pedro got off lightly with his corpse being converted into pizza.

Messages poured in. They loved Rós for helping the baby monkey. Last night's wedding left viewers on the edge of their seats. She didn't feel annoyed about her family.

The morning broadcast went on as usual. Sia read out her favourite messages. Daz Muffin said the same thing that he said every day. Sergeant Dust preached world peace. Sia wanted to laugh at them both. When it came to announcing the scores, Sia wanted to put her middle finger up to Professor Denki but decided not to.

"Shall we have a moment of silence for..." Sia gagged. She wished it would be the last time she would ever have to mention that name again. "Pedro Primera who died as he lived." Sia clicked her fingers. "That bastard ain't worth your tears. Let's get to the scores." She snatched the envelope from a soldier's hand. "At the bottom, we have Team Catherine with 944.11 points!" Sia was proud of her army. They were clapping as if their lives depended on it. The mighty screen on the island zoomed in on one of the shoulders red hands, covered in blisters. Sia vowed to punish any who lacked optimism.

"In 8th place, we have our favourite twins, Team Sook-Jo with 1010.11 points! And closely ahead in 7th place... Team Hassin with 1052.11 points. Missing out on in the top 5 but in a respectable 6th place with 1284.11 points is Team Bobby. Starting our top five we have our beloved Team Fan with 1405.11 points."

Seeing Mariangela's name on the scoreboard made her feel happy. She may not be in the lead anymore, but at least she was safe. "Mariangela is flying solo at number 4 with 1683.11 points. And now we're at the top three. Isn't it exciting? So close as well. In third place, we have Team Sakura with 1721.11 points. Day Two's runner-up is Team Lavender and her lovely pair of knickers at 1754.11 points."

A horde of monkeys hopped into Sia's hair, clinging onto her curls. "So in the league, we have Team Rós who cheated their way to the top with these adorable sweet PESKY LITTLE SHITS with 1781.11 points." She shook her head, hoping to shake the monkeys off but the monkeys swung on her hair. "Feel free to kill the monkeys, you won't get any points for it though."

"Hold it..." Sergeant Dust snatched Sia's microphone. "Please don't hurt the monkeys. My men work hard to keep them safe." The monkeys jumped on him and cuddled his arms. "Anyone who hurts the monkeys will feel the wrath of my army."

Sia gritted her teeth. "They're my army, Sergeant Dust."

"That's true," Sergeant Dust said before walking off, "but they listen to me."