Apocalyptic [Inactive]

Rise of Albion submitted a new role play:


Apocalyptic - After the world ended, can a small group of survivors manage to continue on life?

APOCALYPTIC
adj. of or relating to the end of the world


"I've begun to look at the world through apocalypse eyes. Our society, which seems so sturdily built out of concrete and custom, is just a temporary resting place, a hotel our civilization checked into a couple hundred years ago and must one day check out of." - Neil Strauss


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SIGNAL TRANSMITTING...


1754 HOURS (5:54PM)


EASTERN AUSTRALIA


‘I am afraid to state that this radio signal is going to be my...

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Rise of Albion updated Apocalyptic with a new update entry:


Starting the Role Play

Hello!
Thank you to everyone who has applied to Apocalyptic, and been accepted. I'm keen to begin soon but I am aware that some people may still want to sign up and post characters.


Anyone who has been accepted is allowed to create another one to fill up the spots required.


I want to start July 2nd (Australian EST).


Can't wait to get it going!


Thanks,


Rise of Albion

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Rise of Albion updated Apocalyptic with a new update entry:


The Beginning & Registrations

Just a quick note: Although the roleplay will be beginning today, registrations are still open until I decide when. I will still be accepting new characters. If the sign up thread becomes inactive, just e-mail me your application.
Thanks,


Rise of Albion

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The sun beat down on the hardened ground, causing a soaring temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit as a lone woman and her dog traveled along the pothole-ridden highway, trying to survive in the apocalypse. The border collie was panting excessively yet at least the heat of the cement wasn’t burning through her paws as she rested in an abandoned trolley her owner had discovered a couple miles past. Jacket cast over the top of the sides to try and provide some shade, Scarlett stumbled them both toward a destination that was currently unknown to both of them. She was just trying to find safety, and a relief from the current extreme heat pouring from the sky. A bird of indistinguishable species flew past high overhead, squawking to warn of his hunting presence. She licked her cracking lips, tried to swallow with a dry throat and allowed her thoughts to wonder to life before the world ended. Who knew that the environment would one day be granted its great karma?


For two weeks, Scarlett and Bella had been traversing the broken continent of America, stealing whatever they could find, searching for any possible signs of life of refuge. The water had dried up the last night and both human and animal had been forced to suffer without food for the past three days. The gnawing hunger in her stomach had soon been replaced with a sickening, numbness and even though they both required it, she was certain that the sight of any kind of food would cause her stomach acids to rise up her throat. It wasn’t lack of human necessities however, which was slowly dragging her optimism through the dirt. It was the complete disappearance of human life. Not humans, no, but life and existence. There seemed to be no shortage of actual bodies, but she wasn’t prepared yet to start looting through those.


When, Dr. Raymond Peterson’s last transmission had finally died out, and so had the worst of the ruined New York City’s storms, she had finally decided to be brave and stupid, and take a little trip across the states to find other people. Bella had of course willingly gone with her, but even though she was glad she had the company, she was sorely missing hearing another person’s voice. When the apocalypse began, she had done everything she could to get away from other people. Rape, murder and stealing crimes had gone so far through the roof and past the statistics, that it was a wonder the natural disasters were able to kill anyone at all. Now, she just wanted to see if she wasn’t the last person on Earth. Her mind was surely beginning to sink into insanity and she was so terribly scared, that she could do nothing but just accept it.


“You’re my good girl, aren’t you Bella.” Scarlett whispered, scratching her dog behind her ear. She was rewarded with a whine and a lame attempt at a lick, the pink tongue appearing to lift slightly before returning to loll at the side of her mouth. She laughed breathlessly, before her attention was suddenly pulled by a roaring thunderclap from the distance. “Oh god no.”


Rolling black clouds were appearing over the mountains in the horizon, shattering the earth below with rain bullets and continuous bolts of lightning. The temperature had yet to drop, but Scarlett was certain from experience that if she and Bella didn’t find some form of shelter before the storm hit, they would be killed in moments. Heart rate picking up rapidly, even through the exhaustion, she began to run, pushing the trolley in front of her. Something had caught her eye in the middle of the heat haze just ahead, and she was adamant that she would try to reach it before they were caught, stranded.


Bella raised her head as another booming roar echoed out across the desolate plains, barking in warning as she too noticed the incoming storm. What are you doing? We need to hide; She seemed to be asking, casting her intelligent gaze upon her friend. Scarlett nodded at the road ahead of them, “I’m going to try something out. Let’s hope I’m right and it’s not a mirage.”


She had seen the outlines of buildings in the distance, a small town possibly, and if she were right, there would be a supermarket that she could hide in. Storms in the new world could last for days or weeks on end and there could possibly be a food and water supply there. At least, that was what she was betting their lives on.

"Don't go. Don't even think about it," Mr. Wright had pleaded with the group of three students not to go outside. "But, Mr. Wright, sorry, you aren't our parents. You ain't responsible for us. We gotta go. We gotta find out if anyone's left in our families," One of the students, she hadn't even been one of his students, he didn't remember her from his classes, said with as little attitude as she could manage. She looked back at him with understanding eyes, but her body language said that she would do what she wanted to do with or without his permission.


He raked a hand through his hair and looked at the linoleum floor for a long time before finally looking up to say, "Fine, but-" When he did look up, they were already gone. He cursed under his breath and pulled off his glasses to clean them with the bottom of his white undershirt. That's another three gone, and not likely to come back to the school. How many was he down to now? Maybe- 12 students, if that. He was failing as their unassigned guardian. He'd never thought about any of this happening when he became a teacher. There's no SURVIVING THE APOCALYPSE WITH STUDENTS 101 for teachers.


The three teens left the school laughing and nudging one another. The teen girl ran ahead and said, "Snacks for the road?" Using her thumb over her shoulder to point to the grocery store across the street. Apparently, they all agreed and followed the girl inside to loot what they could find. A storm was brewing in the distance and one of them had the briefest thought that maybe- just maybe Mr. Wright had been right after all. Maybe they shouldn't have left?


Mr. Wright walked to the entrance and leaned against the metal door, the glass in the window was strong stuff, it somehow hadn't been blown out like the other windows in town. The school was a pretty strong building overall. Schools have to be built strong to meet the codes set by the government. For once, he was glad for the building that he used as his refuge. If only the students would see it that way. If they weren't complaining about their rations, they were begging him to leave, and then hating him for saying no over and over. He was growing tired of it, tired of being their surrogate parent.


He watched as the pack of three went into the grocery store with high spirits. They were ignorantly brave. He smoothed a hand over his chin and turned to go back to the cafeteria, but just as he turned, his eyes caught the appearance of someone down the road and their dog. Silently, he turned his body back to look out the narrow vertical door window. He wondered if the person would turn to the left and the grocery store, or to the right and the school, or just keep walking down the center.

Ari sat in her living space, trying to decide what exactly she should do. The former penthouse that she called home was decripit, but it sheltered her from the elements, despite the twelve foot wide hole where the bedrooms attached to the living room used to be. Someone before her had attempted to patch up the hole, but whoever it was was long gone by now. Overall, they had done a decent job. Only a few holes showed through the boards here and there, and she had patched up the larger ones with whatever supplies she could find.


The redhead's blue-green eyes rested on the kitchen; she stored all of her supplies there. She was running low, and a storm was brewing in the distance. A crash of noise rolled through the air, and the room crackled with the electricity of the coming tempest. She stood and picked up her bow and her bag, sighing. If she wanted to survive this storm without nearly starving, she needed to go out now.


Ari opened her door, making sure the hallways were clear. The last thing she needed was some sort of animal getting in and finding her stash of supplies. Humans weren't a problem; she couldn't remember the last time she had seen any. She pulled out a map; several grocery stores and other places where supplies could be found were marked. Most of them were crossed out. Ari had already bled them dry, and it was entirely impossible the shelves would be restocked. She spotted one across from her old school that she hadn't checked out yet. "That looks promising," she said to herself. In minutes, she was down the five flights of stairs, carefully avoiding the missing ones, and on her way to the store.

The storm was closing in on the small town by the time Scarlett and Bella reached it's main road, casually observing the buildings on either side for any signs of human or animal life. Their movements were slow and cautious, well-aware that this road could have suffered from hidden earthquakes, meaning that there could be pockets of space that would collapse at any weight. However, when she spied a grocery store just above and to her left, she hurried her pace. The possibility of food and clean water not only spurred her adrenaline and finally energy, but also caused her stomach to grumble so loudly it even drew Bella's attention. She tilted her head and looked up, causing Scarlett to smile and shrug before helping her dog out of the trolley and setting her on the burning ground. "Let's go see if there's anything we can get, yeah?"


The grocery store had clearly suffered for the natural and human destruction of the apocalypse. The meat section of the store had been crushed by the half fallen roof and had absolutely no chance of being reached. It was no big shame however, as by now, all of that kind of food would be spoiled, moldy or half-eaten by some kind of disgusting animal. The fruits had somewhat disintegrated and caused a foul smell about the place, but it was bearable. Arson had burned down the cashier's section, and survivors had ransacked most of the edible food that survived the rest. She thanked to God however, that there was still something left.


Scarlett hefted her bayonet bat from the trolley and rested it against her shoulder in the case that there would be any unwanted... dangers in there. Bella sniffed the entrance of the store for a moment before deeming it appropriate and padding over to the rotting fruits. She smiled and entered after her, moving instead to the shelved aisle. She tried to squash down her hopes of finding anything good for as long as possible, when thunder shattered near by and a scream followed soon after. Instantly on guard, Scarlett dashed around to where Bella was currently snarling in anger at a group of three students who had stumbled across the snacking dog. Humans. Alive humans. She wasn't the only one left.


"Is this your dog?" A boy accused, pointing at her with a deadly glare. He held a kitchen knife in his hands, which was hanging by his side but she was sure he would try to use it if he could. Bella barked at him and slunk back to Scarlett's side, teeth bared in dangerous warning. She leaned down and patted her between her ears, telling her to calm down. "He tried to kill my friend. Put him down, lady."


Scarlett narrowed her eyes, and realized why again humanity wasn't always her favourite. "She didn't try to do anything. You stumbled across her, and scared her. It was her screaming." She pointed her bayonet at the only girl before lowering it by her side as well.


"Still a bloody animal." The boy muttered, before he crossed his arms and studied her. "Who are you? I've never seen you around her before."


"I just arrived. I'm looking for shelter, food and water from a storm that's coming." Scarlett replied, motioning to a second clap of thunder that aired after she spoke. "Where have you been staying?"


"No where, now. We're getting out of here. The school has a couple of people there. But the food's running out and we don't just want to wait for our deaths to come." The second boy stated. "Mr Wright didn't want us to leave but we've got no choice."


"No, you can't leave now!" She exclaimed. "There's a serious storm coming. You'll die in moments when it hits. I'm planning to hide in here, to escape it. I know from experience that it's death if you'll leave now."


"Yeah, well it's death now if we stay. Come on, let's get on the road. We're done here." The first boy replied with a cold bite to his tone before leading his friends away from them and out of the store, carrying canned food between them. Scarlett shook her head and ran a hand through her hair, wondering about how much of a serious disappointment that was, when she finally found other people again. Such a short encounter too. Bella returned to her scavenging and Scarlett sat down in the middle of the aisle, feeling as though the world truly was over.

She- Mr. Wright had determined the figure to be a she had turned to go into the grocery store. He could see the logic in that train of thought. He hoped that the students wouldn't cause any trouble for her and that she wouldn't cause any for them. The sound of thunder cracking overhead made him tense up. That grocery store wasn't a fit place to hide during one of the storms. From other scouting missions, he knew that the roof was unsound, and the windows, if not already broken, were in no shape to withstand another of those storms.


He'd just made up his mind to go and bring the students back, and was outside the doors of the school when they came traipsing out jabbering on about the lady and the dog. "You three- get back inside the school, NOW," His voice was very authoritative when it came to the students, but he was a different sort when dealing with others that were not under the age of 18.


They shook their heads and continued walking down the center of the road, the girl let out a laugh, and jumped on one of the boy's backs. "At least get somewhere safe until the storm passes!" He called to them over the sounds of the growing weather system. If the teenagers hadn't been so distracting to him, he might have noticed that another person was approaching the store as well.


He knew that there was no chance he'd get them to come back into the school, not now that they were out. Slender fingers used to holding white board markers, gripped a handful of his brown hair and then he thought at least he could save this one person; this stranger. So, instead of chasing after the students and pleading with them, he darted into the grocery store.


It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the dim light, and what with the clouds rolling in, it made the light even more dismal. He could make out the aisles, and the smell of rotten meat, and sweet rotting fruit, interwoven in his senses, making everything even more real. He heard the dog before he saw the woman, "Hello? Please, come with me to the school. This place isn't safe with the storm coming. The school is well built and will offer more protection." His voice sounded larger than he meant it to be since he was trying to speak over the growing noises.


He wasn't sure of his own safety at the moment being that he was trying to communicate with a complete stranger. She could be anyone. She could be dangerous. Logan was starting to question why he had left the safety of the school building at all.

Ari's feet nimbly picked their way around the fallen street signs and other debris that littered the street. She could see the school from where she was. It brought back unwanted memories.


She remembered her life before she and her mother had moved, and her fingers tightened around her bow until her knuckles were white. The school hadn't been all bad; she had had lots of friends, though none of them were ever allowed to come over. Occasionally, one of them planned a surprise party for her, but other than that Ari didn't have many birthdays that were actually celebrated.


Tom had thought the parties were as waste of time, just like he thought Ari was a waste of space.


She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the man when she first walked into the store. She had nearly walked into him before she realized he was there. Not noticing the girl, Ari leveled her bow at him in a flash.


"Who the hell are you?" She could hear the hopeful tremble in her own voice. Finally, another survivor! She hadn't seen one since she had first struck out on her own, it seemed. The possibility occurred to her that there might be more, somewhere, but she dashed the hope almost as soon as it rose. That was highly unlikely.

Will always had a way of waking Jacob up, usually it was a few licks to the face, or a quick tap on the noes with his paw. Today was special... today Jacob was greeted with a characteristic of the West high land white terrier. Will got up right besides his head and "sung" which was him just howling. Still it was more than enough to send Jacob bolting upright, just coming around from sleep the howling of a dog wasn't to different from a howl of a wolf. He he quickly grabbed his knife, looking back and forth, only seeing his dog. "Will! don't do that...man, i don't care if you wanted to wake me up! Ok, alright...best of intentions." The grocery store that he decided to sleep in was run down...picked clean...but still the shelter was nice...and also seemingly still rung with the voices of people.


Wait a minute, those were the voices of people...


He quickly ran out of the employee's lounge that he had been sleeping in. Hopefully if they were hostile he'd be able to get the jump on them. If they were friendly...God he had no idea what he'd do if they were friendly. He'd thought of ways how to try and beat a man to unconsciousness with a crow bar or fight them with his knife. Yet he realized, he never thought of how to deal again with normal people. Hell of a time to start. His thought was interrupted as Will picked up a smell in the air. Immediately he started barking aloud. "Will what is the problem? Wait...you only bark like this when there are wolves...or coyotes...you smell a dog don't you!?" Will already was dashing around the corner. Jacob following behind, by the time he turned, there was Will waging his tail, looking at 2 girls and a guy. One of them had a dog. the other had a bow. It was time, Jacob slowly spoke up, "Well...survivors... and another fine species of canis lupis familiaris, and a bow I would not like to get shot with." He looking at the bow he added, "emphasis on the last part."

Ari wheeled around. "Another one?" Her mouth hung open in shock, and she quickly leveled the bow at the newcomer instead. "Excellent choice," she said to his comment about not being shot. "If I were you, I'd tell you who you were and what you're doing here before I change my mind about keeping you alive." The thought flashed in her mind: what I these two men were together? She'd never stand a chance, unless she could shoot one of them quickly.


Ari backed up against the wall beside the door. This way, neither of the men could sneak up on her from behind. "Who are you people?" she asked again, still not noticing the girl and her dog crouched in the aisle. "What do you want?" Ari brushed her red hair out of her face with an elbow, keeping both hands on her bow.

Jacob nodded with hands raised, "fair enough. Hello my name is Jacob David Roberts...I've been trying not to die in the apocalypse like the rest of you, with my dog Will." He motioned to Will who was sniffing the girl who currently was leveling her bow at Jacob. "He doesn't bite, he does bark loudly though...so please don't level the bow at him. I was sleeping in the employee lounge when I heard all of you...so in investigating I seem to have found myself in an interesting predicament."


Gulping loudly he again spoke, "as to what I want, 1. Survive, 2. not to be shot with an arrow...I was studying to be a vet not a doctor...so my needle work, and knowledge of physiology would better served on will, 3. predictable weather; that is something else I want. 4. World peace, though we have the world in pieces...so there goes that." He looked back at the bow and shrugged, "I can go on and on, simply put, I just want to live in the post apocalyptic world, preferably without stealing from people. currently you all are first survivors I've run across in a long time. This meeting has gone much better than I expected, I thought, by now I'd have been stabbed and throttled." he motioned to the others in the room. "anyone else want to answer the questions next? I assure you its not as terrifying as running from a wolf pack."

Ari thought about the guy's answers. Though she was still wary, she nodded, turning the bow. She leveled it at the other man now, just in case. She looked at Jacob, thinking about her own answers, before she began to speak.


"I am Arianna," she began. "I'm just here for more supplies. I'm almost out of them." She wouldn't tell the others that she was alone until she knew she wasn't in any danger. Better safe than sorry, at any rate. "I used to go to school there," she added, nodding her head out the window. "I moved, though." She wasn't quite sure why she added the last part.

"Just what I needed."


Cameron's grim comment to himself could hardly be heard over the storm directly overhead. His location in the mountains seemed like a good idea at first; it was isolated from most of society, protecting him from other people when the apocalypse started, it offered adequate shelter in multiple places thanks to the occurrence of natural caves and caverns, and there was a steady flow of water from the small snow caps at the peak. Of course, he didn't dare climb that high, as the temperature dropped too dramatically and the air was far to thin to breathe for long. No, instead he was content to weather out the End about a third of the way up the mountains. It seemed that he didn't have a choice anymore, it'd be suicidal to try to go out in a storm like this.


"Guess I just have to wait it out."


He walked back into his cave slowly, his gaze finding the small pile of embers on the ground near the end of the tunnel. They gave off minimal heat, and almost no light, but they'd have to do for now. He was out of fuel for the fire. I didn't sign up for this. He continuously reminded himself that no one signed up for this, but he couldn't help the occasional thought that this is not what he wanted. It's not what anyone wanted. It was getting bad. Spending that much time in solitude had started to get to him, even if it was hardly noticeable. Though it wasn't frequent, he occasionally found himself fighting with his own thoughts just to pass time.


Perhaps if you left the mountain, you wouldn't be living in solitude. Yes, and at the same time perhaps he'd run into an unfriendly group of survivors and get killed on the spot. Cameron was taking the safe route, one he knew wasn't necessarily optimal but one that was almost guaranteed to keep him alive, at least for the first week or so. He was running low on supplies, the cans of food he managed to smuggle out of the city were finally starting to show up empty more often than full. He knew he would need to go out at some point.


Cameron fumbled around in his backpack some, pushing past the remaining cans of food and drink until a course plastic could be felt by his fingers. He gripped the object lightly and pulled it out of the bag. This thing might finally see some use. He didn't want to think that he would have to, for the first time, use the small firearm in his hands to harm a person, but he wasn't stupid. It was a hostile world out there, he had to be prepared for anything. The slide still pulled back smoothly, the soft click of the slide catch sounding to hold it back. He peered into the weapon, seeing the dim reflection of light off of the small brass shell casing of the bullet in the chamber. At least it's loaded. He just hoped that it would fire if the time came. That was something that would have to be tested at a later point.


For now, all he could do was wait out the storm. He put his back against the hard rock wall and let himself fall until he felt the cold ground beneath him.


"Let's hope this thing blows over quick."


His own voice was once again drowned out by the booming thunder overhead, something that he knew wasn't about to change any time soon.

Mr. Wright had kept silent watching this whole exchange. His eyes were wide behind his glasses, but he remained frozen to the spot, lifting his hands as though surrendering every time a weapon was aimed in his direction. Finally, something struck him as ironic and he had to speak up.


"Arianna, Arianna Walker? Yes, that's right. You were in my 2nd bell biology class. -Mr. Wright? You probably don't remember me.."


He grew silent again, and then noticed that they were all looking at him due to speaking up and recognizing Ari. "Uh, I'm, uh, Mr. Wright...Logan if you like. I was just saying we should go to the school before the storm hits because this building isn't safe..." He swallowed nervously, as if he were addressing a large group at a conference and he was on stage as the presenter. "There's food, and water, and the roof is strong..." His eyes dropped down to the floor and he smiled at the dog, thinking about his childhood and how he always wanted a dog, but could never have one- why couldn't he have one?


He sneezed.


Oh- that's why.

Ari lowered her bow. "Mr. Wright?" she asked in surprise. Yes, she remembered him. Of course she remembered him. How could she not? When everything had gone to hell with her family and her abusive father, Mr. Wright had been the only adult she had trusted enough to tell. He had been her favorite teacher; she hated having to leave him behind, but it was for the best.


Ari hoped he didn't remember those particular details of her past. If he did, she hoped that he wouldn't bring it up in front of the others. She didn't like remembering, and she didn't like other people knowing about it. But Mr. Wright had always been different, in her mind. He was someone she could trust, the only person that knew what Ari had been through other than her mother. And now, he was the only person who knew at all.

Bella snarled at the sudden appearances of each new survivor, but it seemed that not everyone noticed her. A teacher, a girl with a bow, and a boy with a small dog. After weeks of striving to find some sense of human connection and contact, and the moment danger rises to strike again, suddenly her location is over-whelmed by... six people. Including the students who had chosen to finally set out on their own. She rose carefully to her feet, eyeing the bow and managing a small, friendly smile. She didn't want to put anyone out now, and die when she had finally found some form of company. She would have raised her hands, but felt it would have made the situation more tense than it needed to be.


The storm was almost on top of the little town, and already the crash of the thunder was shattering, the light outside was fading except for quick flashes of lightning, and the temperature was beginning to drop. If she had been by herself, she definitely wouldn't even be crossing a street at the moment. It was much too dangerous. Plus, there was the added bonus of the weather growing so cold that the rain would begin to freeze. She had seen them kill in moments. These apocalyptic storms where not the norm of before. She didn't want to risk anything in the new world.


"Hi. Since we seem to be introducing ourselves, I'm Scarlett and this is my border collie, Bella. We've been traveling from New York for a couple of weeks and just recently came across this town. There is a storm coming however, and I think it would be better to stay somewhere where there was food and water. Those students said you're running out of both at the school. I think I would rather risk my chances here." Scarlett warned them, being mindful that she not sound commanding and demanding. It would just drive them all away, or possibly infuriate them so an arrow lodged in her throat. She swallowed, closing her eyes against the thought of it. "Thank you... Logan, for coming to aid me but I just... I feel its too late for me to leave now. If you all want to, then please be my guest. I'm just glad to have found you all. I will admit, I thought myself the last person on Earth."

"Char!" Tami yelled. Her voice was high from being out of breathe. Her dog had driven her to sprint a mile through town, and she didn't stop running at the fear of losing him. Her feet ached and her lungs were on fire, but he is all she had.


When she finally caught up to her dog, who had stopped running for some reason, she pat her leg and he circled around her before finally taking a seat beside her feet. "What are you doing, silly? Are you crazy?!" she said.


Char just turned his head and barked in the direction of a local grocery store.


Tami mustered up the energy and lift her head. A single strand of wavy hair coated her face like a dark waterfall. She took one more deep breath and pat her little friend on the head. "You did good." she said "Just...slow down next time..."


~


From the outside came the sound of a barking dog.


The doors of the grocery store opened and a young lady with wild, wavy brown hair, medium to fair skin, the body of a dancer, full narrow lips, a sharp nose, and a delicate jaw entered with a wolf-like creature (he had brown and white fur and pale blue eyes) by her side.


Her eyes enlarged like two giant chocolate M&Ms when she saw the gathering. She was clearly expecting the grocery store to be empty.


"Well I'll be darned..." she said after a moment of silence. "I haven't seen other people for about 5 days now. ...AND you have a dog? What a lovely creature!" She smiled at Bella. "Look Char," She said, glancing at her own dog, "If we come to mutually trust these people, you may have found yourself a playmate!"

Ari whirled around, looking at the two newcomers and their dogs. Though the first girl wasn't a newcomer, she supposed; she simply hadn't noticed her. Everyone seemed relatively freindly, though Ari had no idea how long that would last. She looked at the first girl, thinking about what she had said. Sure, the school might be running out of supplies, but the building was far more stable.


"I think we should grab what we can and make a break for the school," Ari spoke up, trying to find a happy medium between the differing opinions. "The building is much more fortified over there. It'll be safer. But we need to hurry; the storm is almost on us. We need to make our decisions now." The girl glanced out the window worriedly, surveying the approaching storm. She had seen a bad one rip off half of a skyscraper, once. She had barely avoided being crushed by it. This building wouldn't stand a chance in a storm like that; the school might not either, but the odds were much better. She'd take her chances in the school.

Mr. Wright wasn't just going to sit around when he weighed the odds of survival based on this location verses the other. Without another word, he turned to exit the market store. The weather outside had continued to deteriorate to a point that even the 20 seconds that he was running across the street, made the hairs on his arms and head stand on end. After what felt like an eternity of running and holding his breath, he reached and opened one of the five school building front doors. He looked over his shoulder at the grocery store before he went inside and the door closed behind him.


It wasn't that he didn't care about the strangers, though he didn't rightly consider Ari a stranger after her being one of his students. It was that he simply couldn't justify leaving the remaining students alone during an apocalyptic storm. Therefore, regardless of the decision of the others, he knew what his choice had to be ultimately.


As the noise of the storm gathered to release, he quickly gathered the remnant of students from the cafeteria and rushed them to the emptied out indoor swimming pool in the gym. It was one of those old schools that had a swimming pool under the floor of the gym. Luckily, it hadn't been in use in at least 15+ years, before Logan's time. This would be the perfect spot to wait out the storm because it offered the most protection possible and it was the lowest level in the building. One by one, the remaining students tossed their gear in, mainly backpacks and whatever else they could scrounge up from lockers, the gym, the weight room, shop class and the home ec. dept. and they all settled against the walls of the pool.


Mr. Wright looked down at them, "I promise I'll be right back, but I have to check on something first..." This being said, he left the gym and ran back to the front doors to see if any of the survivors had followed his example. He was putting himself at risk doing any of this, which wasn't his choice, he'd much rather be in the pool, huddling like the students.

When Logan Wright left, Scarlett turned around and smoothed a hand through her hair, carefully listening to the building storm outside. Food and water or reinforced shelter. Both were so incredibly important, she just had to weigh up which one was currently more vital to her survival. Could she possibly survive a couple of days without much food and water? No. She could feel how dizzy her head was, and how her dry throat ached with every breath and word. But if she stayed, and the building fell down on top of her? Well, she would definitely be dead. This was a decision that she hadn't originally intended on making. If she were to be honest, she hadn't expected that she would actually find any other survivors at all. Bella was all that used to matter to her. Now, she was being given so many options and she wasn't truly in any right capability to make a choice. With a groan, she turned back on her word from earlier.


"I haven't eaten for two days, and water ran out yesterday. I'm slightly biased in what I want to do right now, but... in the end, I think Logan and Ari are right. If this school truly is what they say, then I suppose we should give it a chance?" Scarlett said, kneeling down to talk to Bella. It wasn't as though she were mentally impaired. It was a method so that she could talk through her decisions out loud, and hear if they were insane or not. She closed her eyes. She needed to do it. Get out of the grocery store before the storm consumed the town, and hopefully find where Logan and the student survivors had chosen to survive.


Gazing at the rest of the rag tag survivors she had already met, Scarlett replied, "You're right. I'm sorry I've had to hold you up here. Just let me get some things first. I have a trolley outside we can use to carry things. Give me a moment." She nodded in self-confirmation of her words and ran outside, freezing as she looked up at the sky. It was as though night had already come, even though it should be the bright middle of the day. The thunder was deafening, the lightning causing streaks of blinding flashes in the sky, and the rain already beginning to pummel the ground. The trolley was metal and would attract lightning. She needed to be quick.


The aisles still had cans of tomato, one of baby corn, brussel sprouts and a couple more almost inedible food groups that she put in there as well. All the bottled water was gone, so were any energy drinks or hydrating ones, but there were a few things of juice. Actually, she was astounded by what she was able to find. In other stores that she had been to, nothing remained. Not even flour or packets of salt. She was just hoping no animals had been able to get into the food. Wheeling the trolley back round to the little group, she whistled Bella to her side. "Are we all ready to make a dash for it?"

Ari nodded, following Scarlett's example. She checked the other aisles, stuffing what she could find in her backpack before returning to the front of the store. She hadn't found much; some cans of Spam, one of diced pineapple, and about fourteen cans of beans. The remaining bottles of medicine found their way into her bag as well, just in case. She never knew which ones she'd need. Finally, she was satisfied.


"We need to go now!" Ari yelled. Already, she could hear the wind whistling, entirely too close for her liking. She reached up, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. She glanced at the others, her mind battling with itself. Should she wait for them and risk getting stuck here? Or would it be better to risk their wrath, but run to the safety and protection of the school?


The snap of lightning outside made her decision for her. It struck a hundred feet away; she could see it out of one of the other windows. Its crack was absolutely deafening. She clapped her hands over her ears, steadying herself as the ground shook. Before the apocalypse, none of that would have happened. It was just lighting. But now, there was no rule that said lightning couldn't strike the same place twice, though Ari remembered hearing once that was just a myth.


Either way, she decided to take her chance sprinting across the street. In her mind, she justified herself, just in case someone else asked. One person is a smaller target, she thought. We're less likely to get hit, or blown away. She was nearly blown away by the wind the second she stepped outside. She started sprinting, her backpack jostling against her with every step. She clutched her bow with white knuckles, careful not to hold it too far out. A metal appendage would do nothing but attract lightning.


Ari only breathed once she reached the front door, ripping it open. She nearly ran into Mr. Wright as she hurried inside, just narrowly avoiding him. She caught her breath, closing the door. "Some of the others are coming," she said once she had regained her breath.

Jacob scooped up Will in his arms, the dog buried his head underneath his hoodie. Will had gotten used to what Jacob did by know, already he was whining. Usualy getting picked up meant, something very bad was about to happen. Adjusting his backpack Jacob looked on as the storm gathered in intensity. Looking at his target the school, he followed the way Ari had run towards it with his eyes. His thoughts were racing. Just need to run, just need to run...to get across the street all i need to do it run. Don't look back just run. It was his usual "psyche up" he'd done some stupid and desperate maneuvers to survive...this...this was child's play.


He took a deep breath, at the next peal of lighting with the deafening boom that followed, Jacob bolted from the store unleashing a yell more akin to a solider running into combat. Adrenaline was pumping, wind buffeted him. It howled Will whined wordily. Jacob just kept on running, he knew his life depended on it, to him the world faded away, all there was, was him, his dog, and the door. He made it to the door flung it open, dashed through and let it shut behind him. The world slowly faded back to normal, his breathing quickened, he had one hell of an oxygen debt to pay. he put his arms behind his head in an attempt to keep his lungs open. he stammered out "running, through...a...a...thunderstorm...we get through this apocalypse...i'm...making this...a...professional sport."

Tami's chocolate eyes darted this way and that in the search of the correct medicines. They were both running really, really low.


Once she spotted some Advil, and an anti-flee and tick thing for dogs, the tension in her face relaxed. Tami went to grab the bottles, and suddenly felt something hit her, and heard a crash. In her frenzy to find the right drugs, she'd forgotten that she'd worn her sword on her left leg that day. The darn thing had hit a little table of samples and toppled it over.


She quietly turned to her dog and said, "I guess your Mama is as reckless as you are..."


They both desperately needed sleep to replenish their awareness and decision making...


~


As he was heading out like a solider running into combat, Tami chuckled at Jacob's retort of, "running through...a...a...thunderstorm...we get through this apocalypse...i'm...making this...a...professional sport."


But after getting a glimpse of the madness going on outside, she immediately got serious. She bent down at eye level to her dog, Char. "Listen sweetheart," said Tami, digging in her backpack for a leash and collar. "I know you hate this, but I can't risk anything this time, especially after the stunt you pulled earlier. Plus...I might even need YOU to be close enough to help ME..."


Char jumped on Tami, toppling her over, and began to lick her face. He was as random a dog as he was strong.


"Ok, ok..." she said, smiling and quickly kissing him back. She sat up and hooked the leash to the collar, then put the collar around his neck. "Please behave yourself."


Tami lost a little color in her cheeks as she threw the door open and shouted "GO, GO, GO!" in a voice that resembled a female police officer. She and Char bolted out of the building faster than the lightening overhead.


They were going strong until Tami noticed the jagged rock under her feet a little too late.


The girl toppled over and yanked her dog's leash on her way down. "CRAP!" she yelled. On her back, she could see the clouds welling with wrath above them. She threw herself on Char and barrel rolled out of the way, just before lighting stuck the spot they were in seconds before.


Now Tami's face was as pale as a ghost, but she pushed feelings aside and hopped back up, regrasping the dog leash in her mildly shaking hand, and continued to run like hell with her one best friend.

Ari glanced at Jacob, laughing a bit at his remark. "We'd all be pros at that by then," she said. Part of the comment was filled with mirth, but part of it had a tinge of darkness to it. She didn't want to be a pro at something like that. She wanted her old life back, the life with her mom and her books, and nothing to worry about. But that was all long gone.


Her mom was long gone.


Ari turned her gaze back to the grocery store. She watched as yet another person readied herself for the run, clipping a leash to her dog's collar. Once again, Ari held her breath as though she was the one running. She had just barely found other survivors; she didn't want to lose any of them right off the bat. She gasped audibly as Tami tumbled, tucking her dog under her body. Even through the thick glass, Ari could feel the crackle of the electricity as the lightning cracked against the ground. The windows shook, and only the thought of certain death kept Ari from running out to help her.


It was strange, she thought. Ari had never met the girl before, but Ari was so desperate for companions in this new world that she almost would have risked her life for the girl's. Almost. But no one could possibly be that stupid. For all Ari knew, the girl would just turn around and stab her in the back.

Rick woke up in his warm bed, greeted by his wife and kids. The fresh breeze through the window. It was a perfect life.


Was a perfect life.


Rick woke from his 2 hour nap when a crack of thunder roared through the air, shaking the floor of the building and vibrating the windows. "It was only a dream..." He muttered and stretched. Day after day, night after night Rick had the same dream over and over again. Everything was like it was normal again. His family alive, his fellow Marines alive. It was his life, and he was in control of it.


After stretching, Rick walked to the hole in the wall he entered through, looking outside. Wind screamed past the building, rain poured into the streets. He could barely see down the street.


"Well, there goes any chance of finding another survivor today." He stated, and sat back down on a small chair in the building. If he was going to stay here, he was going to do it comfortably. There was a school nearly a block away, which would most likely have a lot more supplies in it than the small building he was in now. If he made the run, he'd be nice and cozy in a much safer building than this. However, more comfort was not worth the risk. So, he sat back down.


As he watched the rain pouring down in the streets through a window in the building, he took his M9 from the holster on his leg. Releasing the magazine, he counted how many rounds he had left, just to pass the time. He stared at the last three rounds in the magazine. One for the bastard that crosses him, one for the bastard's friend, and one for himself. He loaded the magazine back into the gun, and clipped the pistol back into it's holster. Only time would tell if he ever had to use it.