Commencing Survival

[Nap]

Oxygen and pressure levels unstable. Commencing emergency Cryostasis release.


The words rang through his conscience like an alarm. Gregory felt his entire body jolt to life as the loud whoosh of the Cryopod door swinging open filled the room. He struggled to pry his eyes open as he felt his body lean forward with gravity, a wave of nausea overcoming him. He couldn't stop the empty gags as his body attempted to rid of what little nutrients remained. It took him about ten minutes of crouching on the cold, broken floor before he decided to get up. Grabbing onto the edge of his Cryopod, the young male strained to stand on his feet, arms and legs shaking with weakness.


Gregory's golden brown eyes squinted as the sunlight peeped through cracks in the ceiling, blinding him momentarily. When the blurriness faded, he scanned his surroundings, noting the debris filled room. The floor was no longer a beautiful, pristine white, but a murky brown. The walls were worn, as if someone purposely came and destroyed them. His foot wobbled and he winced at the sound of broken glass and debris beneath him. In fact, all around him were shards of glass and rocks. Confusion began building in the pit of his stomach and he could feel the nausea returning. How long had he been in Cryostasis? He had to get out... but where... no... he needed to check the other pods for survivors.


The auburn hair-colored male took timid steps as he was still gradually becoming used to his own weight. While the pods near him were all shattered and bodies long gone, he could make out unscathed silhouettes a few seconds away. As he made he short journey, he began realizing there was not a single exit. Every doorway was destroyed and blocked by wall parts and stone. The only place that could be considered an escape route would be where his pod was. The hole in the ceiling was large enough for a single person to crawl through, as long as they didn't injure themselves whilst climbing the mound of rocks which led up to it. No. No... you can't leave yet. A doctor must never leave without double checking for survivors. Gregory thought angrily to himself.


Arriving at a Cryopod that was in better shape than he was, he dusted the dirt off the clear surface. It was too dark to see through the glass and the dirt didn't help. Without any warning, however, the latch opened and the release of gases into the air hissed. Gregory's heart pounded as he took a few steps back, eyes widening with caution and alarm as someone came forth.

 

[Mina]

The headache was almost instant, the moment she felt her consciousness coming back into play, her mind suddenly becoming alert. The taste in her mouth was horrific, like morning breath but ten times worse. The sudden hissing of the pod door caused Jessica's grey eyes to blink open in rapid succession, the lights almost too bright. Though in front of her, another person stood. It took her a moment, to realize that time had passed, it didn't feel like it did. There were no dreams, no thoughts, just nothingness for however long it had been. Jessica figured it would feel much the same in death, though there wouldn't be any waking up.


She could feel her stomach rising to her throat and she began gagging, covering her mouth with her hand as it trembled, before she leaned forward and dry heaved. Of course there was nothing in her stomach, but the sudden convulsions of her body as it tried to dispose of the acids, were excruciating after having been asleep for so long. If the situation weren't what it was, she would probably have been embarrassed by attempting to puke in front of a stranger, but she didn't care in that moment, her mind focusing on the pain that shot through her body and head. After she finished, she lifted her arm and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her hands stabilizing her upper body as they were propped on her knees, her body still bent over. 


She didn't want to move, it all hurt, but she had survived... did they? With as much strength as she could muster, she lifted her head and straightened, gripping the side of the pod before she stepped forward, knees wobbling. As one leg buckled, she caught herself on what she figured used to be a desk, straightening once more, and lifting her grey hues once more to the man. "D-do you... know how long... its been?" She asked a bit winded, her voice not sounding like her own, more of a scratchy squeak than anything else. Most likely due to the lack of talking while sleeping in cryo for however long. 


Her blonde locks were tangled atop her head, though she hadn't bothered to check on it, she could feel the pulls of her hair as she moved. Her gaze drifted to the debris around the room, remembering the girls face, the one that had led her to the pod. Everything was so shiny and fancy back then, but obviously a lot of time had passed... years... decades. There was no chance her family was still alive, but she couldn't help but hope, she was only human after all.


It felt as if it had only been a week since she saw them, but reality hit her hard, it had been much, much longer than that... and when she had last called them, they hadn't answered, nor did they the times before. They were dead... everyone was dead.


@Raphael

 

[Philostic]

A few yards away, a cryopod hummed to life and began depressurizing. 


There were snakes in his head. Or at least, that's the closest thing to a cohesive thought that Neeve's mind could muster. Like an ancient, rusted-over machine, gears jerked back to life in his head. He was back. As the snakes stopped hissing, his pod door slid open. Neeve's body jerked to attention and immediately proceeded to get sick, as his mind reeled like a leaf in a hurricane, trying to reconnect to its branch. After a few moments he found his body and anchored himself there. Slowly, he relaxed his tense muscles, and began flexing his fingers slowly. He blinked slowly, and looked around slowly, but found nothing to focus on. His surroundings were entirely black. 


Just my luck to wake up in a dark room, Neeves thought to himself as he reached out, futilely grasping the empty air. "H- Hel.." His voice croaked and sputtered out from misuse, a river of gravel. He took a breath and tried again, "Is anyone there?" 


@Raphael@Mina

 

[Nap]

Gregory


Hearing someone else's voice was an indescribable feeling. It felt like he only heard his grandparents yesterday so the stranger's voice was not all alarming, but at the same time, that gut wrenching feeling of not hearing anything for decades beat his head. Gregory didn't like it and he was sure the expression on his face said it all.


"I'm not exactly sure since I just woke up as well..." Gregory answered shyly, as if his response was not at all important. "From what I've gathered, however, I'd say at least five decades... but that's not considering what the virus could or can do. I don't know if it has any affect on nature so everything I've seen could be a misinterpretation based on my prior knowledge. We'd have to go outside so I can see how nature has taken hold of the city." He talked in circles as he began counting his fingers. "Then again, the debris and rocks informs me that it could even be a century or longer because it'd take at least that long to..." He glanced up and immediately looked at his feet. "S-sorry... I tend to ramble..."


The 5'11" male suddenly felt puny and waited for the girl to judge him. The sound of another pod opening up filled the room and he silently thanked it. Gregory through a conflicted glance at the blonde woman. "I'll go see what that it. Give yourself a few minutes before attempting to walk. You'll only intensify the nausea if you don't wait."


Using the little light they had in the room and the wall as a guideline, he began walking towards the direction of the pod. Is anyone there?" He heard from the darker side of the room.


"Hello?" Gregory replied hesitantly.

 

[Mina]

The expression upon Jessica's soft tired features were probably clear as the man spoke, she was horrified. Every ounce of hope that she had was gone, the moment he began talking about how long it had been. The man was smart, and she knew better to believe there was a chance any of her family survived, but that inkling of hope had lifted her dull spirits. "No, its okay." She said as he apologized, managing to smile weakly. As he left, she looked down at the ground, standing in place, breathing deep.


Everyone she knew was gone... her dreams dead, and no way would she ever wake up to a normal morning again. From here on out, it would be about survival, and if she had learned anything over her lifetime, it was that people are harsh when they are fighting for their life, you can't trust anyone. With determination, Jessica lifted her grey hues and brought her hands up to comb out the tangled mess of hair atop her head. Her hair was long, hanging down to her waist in soft thick waves of blonde. Her outfit looked the same though a bit wrinkled, but that didn't really matter to her. 


She had to move, she had to walk... so she did. The first step was difficult, like a child just learning how to walk. Her knees trembled wildly, not wanting to support her weight after having been inactive for so long. Her head spun as if she had just gotten done drinking a fifth of tequila, causing her stomach to lift once again, though she didn't puke again, she kept that down. She had never imagined that waking up would be like this, let alone facing the future would be so terrifying. From here on out, it was going to be hell, fighting for ones life was never easy when the entire world was... dead. 


The feel of tears threatened to break free, but she managed to swallow the need to cry, which she rarely did anyway, and moved forward to where the others were. She followed his voice, walking slowly as her legs got used to her weight once again. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness of this side of the... well what used to be the building, moving to settle upon the man in the pod, as well as the man that had greeted her when she awoke. 


@Philostic@Raphael

 

[Philostic]

Neeves Cromworth


Neeves heard the voice of a man, cautiously calling out to him. He still could make out no shapes, and stepped forwards, dragging his feet for fear of tripping. Whoever went through all the trouble of getting us to sleep could have provided better waking conditions, he noted bitterly. 


A shuffling noise came from a shadow-filled corner as Neeves made his way into the light. He was gaunt, and grey, with an intimidating stature; shoulders back, head high, back rigid in an almost militaristic stance, but his face was kind and inviting, worn and marked deep with laugh lines. His eyes were glazed, as if covered in scales. "Still can't see a damned thing. Who's there?"


@Mina @Raphael

 

[Nap]

Gregory Schöller


The man walked forwards, head held high and an aura of wisdom around him. Gregory squinted his eyes to get a better look and noticed the lines etched throughout the stranger's face. He was older, much older, but the twenty one year old had already guessed that from hearing his voice. "Keep walking straight. There'll be a pile of rocks to your right in three feet so be careful."


When they were within arms reach of one another, Gregory gulped. The elderly man was much more intimidating than he had assumed. It took a lot of courage to force his name out of his own mouth. "My name is G-gregory Schöller, I'm a graduate student with a Masters degree in Biology and some others..." His voice trailed off as he tried to think of the right words. It was obvious he was struggling with communicating and he knew that. During his therapy sessions, communication was always the topic he got low grades in.


A sound from behind caused Gregory to jump slightly. He turned his head in panic and the tension in his shoulders calmed released when he saw it was the girl from earlier. Sighing as he waited for someone to speak, he shuffled from foot to foot and kept his eyes low.

 

[Mina]

Jessica felt a bit better, little by little her body was growing stronger, even if it was slower than she wanted. Hearing Gregory trail off from his introduction caused Jessica to step forward with a soft, reassuring smile. "My name is Jessica Walsh, second youngest child of Joe and Melissa Walsh. I was a journalist for the local newspaper before the virus broke out. Pleasure to meet you both." She said with determination. If she was stuck here, she wanted to make sure and try to stay positive. It was the one thing that always got her through hard times.


Her gaze settled on the large man that had moved from the pod, he was older than she expected, though he had smile lines, which was comforting. She doubted he was an asshole, but then again she wasn't always the best judge of character. He had wisdom in those eyes, and he was probably a good person to survive this. The end of the world seemed like a good time to have a strong, older wise man on their side, if even just one.


She wanted to get out of this building though, it was far too dark in here, and she hated not being able to see. Not that she was super scared of dark or anything, but in the current situation, she wasn't sure she was not afraid of it either. There could be any type of animal hiding in the broken down building, who knew what kind of animals had evolved in the last fifty years or so, especially since all the humans were gone. "I am sorry, but should we keep searching for more survivors or possibly go outside and see what we are in for? This building gives me the creeps." She said honestly, her eyes shifting to the dark corners of the room.


@Philostic@Raphael

 

[Philostic]

Neeves was surprised to hear another voice. He turned in her direction, and nodded a greeting that, after a moment, he realized was lost in the darkness. "I'd greet you properly were it not for the pitch."


He thought a moment on how to introduce himself, knowing any bold or over-zealous statements would immediately detract from his credibility. "Neeves Cromworth, Preacher and Prophet. Any name will do." He flashed a smile, again out of habit, then directed his attention to the trio's surroundings. "I second us finding our way out. I've no inclination to stumble around in the dark until I pass on."


@Raphael @Mina

 

[Nap]

Thoughts wanted to be words but they remained trapped in his head. Voices bounced from one region of his conscious to the next as he tried to think of what to say or how to convey what he wanted without confusing the two. Thankfully, however, the blonde woman stepped up and introduced herself as he had. Gregory listened carefully, noting their names and occupations almost instantly. It was one of his rare abilities to hear something and retain it for later use. People would often call his strange for that as he could recite the simplest, unimportant remarks at random. 


Upon hearing Jessica's suggestion, the male nodded his head in agreement to finding an exit, sure that the movement was seen by both until he heard Neeves' comment about the dark. It wasn't that dark in the room. Indeed, it was difficult to move around but with precautions, one could easily go from point A to point B. The young man could also see the his senior's clumsy movements. Was he perhaps... blind?


"Forgive me for asking, but... are you perhaps... blind?" Gregory asked, concern in his voice as he looked around nervously, as if voicing such a weakness would spark an invasion. He bit his lip as he glanced from Jessica to Neeves and then back to Jessica as if he were waiting for a cure.


@Mina @Philostic

 

[Mina]

Jessica studied the large male as he looked around, and she frowned slightly as she noticed his eyes didn't focus, they didn't seem to see. She had seen people that had gone blind before, if even for a short period due to medications or sickness, and his eyes held that same look. With a sigh, she moved toward the man and smiled toward Gregory as she approached the two, seeing as they were closer together than she had been. "Here, I am going to take your arm, and how about we find a way out of here? When we are outside maybe we can figure something out about your eyesight." She said softly before bringing her arm up to lightly wrap her slender fingers around Neeves' arm, trying to do so slowly so he didn't get spooked.


She lightly tugged at him in hopes that he would follow her, before turning to look at Gregory once more. "Do you by any chance, know a way out of here? You were awake first right? So maybe you got to look around before hand?" She asked patiently, keeping her spirits up even though right now they seemed pretty dim. She was good with first aid, but she definitely was no doctor, she had no idea what to do about this man's eyesight if he was in fact blind... part of her wondered if he was blind before hand, if that was the case then there was no way he would get it back, but if not... maybe. And judging by the way he looked around, his blindness was recent. But in all reality, if he didn't get his eyesight back, he was definitely going to be in danger if any predators were out in the real world.


Instead of asking about his blindness, she decided to touch down on his profession. She had a very spiritual father, and she knew from him that when you brought up their beliefs, it was almost a relief to get to talk about them. It never mattered if she believed or not, when her father was upset for one reason or another, she would ask him questions about the bible, and he would recite many things, suddenly cheering up. "Neeves, you are a preacher and a profit? What would you say to everything that has happened and us being the ones living?" She asked curiously, waiting for Gregory to lead the way so she could lead Neeves with them. 


@Philostic@Raphael

 

[Philostic]

The preacher stiffened at the word blind. He heard the concern in the young man's voice, but was set off nonetheless. Neeves had been a perfect example of health his entire life, even during his time in remote villages treating contagious diseases. Who does this boy think he is, to question my health?  He regained his composure after a brief moment. "I've never known myself to be blind, how's about we just worry about getting out into the light."


Neeves accepted the girl's arm, shuffling behind her with as much dignity as he could manage in the situation. Luckily, he never stumbled. He took a minute to respond to her, mulling over which approach to take. "I've spent my life travelling. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that our world was a lost cause. People had put too much faith in organizations that they knew nothing of. Government and corporations, tearing the world apart, and the people blindly accepted it. We had lost faith in ourselves as a society, and in our god." He paused, taking a deep breath. "I may have been asleep for it, but I have no doubt that this world experienced rapture. We were chosen, and whatever lies outside this.. this tomb," he indicated the surroundings with a broad gesture, "is our promised land."


@Raphael@Mina

 

[Nap]

Thankful for Jessica's intervention after his blunt question, Gregory sighed in relief. He hadn't meant to offend the man, but he could tell by the preacher's brief lost of poise that he wasn't expecting such words. It was a problem of his, wording things incorrectly. While he has gotten better at choosing his words wisely, there have been many incidents where his work did not shine at its brightest. This being one of them.


"There is an exit near the pod I was in. It's about two or three feet in diameter so we'll be able to fit if we go one at a time." Gregory nodded as he began walking back to where he awoke. It didn't take long before they reach the large mound of rocks. The young scientist leaned into them, squinting as he gazed through the hole. After examining both the exit and rocks, a smile formed on his lips. "It's stable, so we don't need to worry about this," he motioned, "giving out on us."


His eyes scanned the two before him. The question now was 'who would go first?' There was the danger of something being out there as soon as someone climbed through. Neeves would have to be second and someone would need to be last to make sure the older man didn't fall. Jessica didn't seem like the type who would be able to support the him if he slipped but Gregory didn't feel comfortable with her going first. If only the-


Rory, stop calculating. Just ask. A voice ordered.


"Anyone care to go first?"


@Mina @Philostic

 

[Mina]

Jessica nodded as Gregory began leading them down the corridors before they came to the exit. She noted the fact that there would have to be an order, one first, and one last after and before Neeves. She had weighed her options, turning her gaze to look at Neeves, seeing the height and size difference, she was quite skinny too, so if he were to fall back onto her, realistically, she would end up crushed, especially since the rocks she fell on would be devastating. She turned to look at Gregory to speak, though he asked if anyone cared to go first just as she opened her mouth. 


She didn't hesitating before saying "I will, I can guide him through." She said with a smile before releasing her hand from the large man's arm. "I am going to go through and then I will crawl back through to get you Neeves." She said with a smile before looking at the exit. It looked like someone were shining a flashlight at you in a dark room, not able to see the view outside it. She had a feeling it was going to blinding at first since their eyes were not used to the light at this point, it would take a minute to adjust. "Alright, see you guys outside." She said with a bright smile before she began climbing the rocks. As she made it to the tip, she dropped low and made her way through. The wall was surprisingly thick, probably to keep it standing longer.


The dull headache was instant, the moment she made her way through the exit. She pushed herself to her feet and blinked wildly. Everything was ridiculously bright, and as her eyes adjusted, everything became insanely blurry, before it slowly started clearing. The world was overgrown, which wasn't a surprise. There were huge weeds surrounding the area, ivy stretching up the remainder of the building. But from what she could tell, there weren't any predators right now. Spinning back around, she made her way back through the hole, reaching out of it toward the two. "Here Neeves, take my hand and I will lead you through it. No offense, you are a pretty big guy, so this is going to be a tight fit for you." She said honestly, hoping he would understand that she wasn't trying to offend him, she simply wanted to let him know so he didn't hurt himself in the process of going through the hole. 


@Philostic@Raphael

 

[Philostic]

Neeves listened intently as the one that led him left his side, and crawled up the rubble slope. When she turned back, he followed her voice, and after a moment of fumbling, caught her hand, and allowed her to guide him through.


He was hopeful as he worked his way up the slope. Surely, once he was out in the daylight, he'd be able to see. Surely. But once he crawled through the hole and stood in the open air, he knew that what little hope he had was in vain. With the wind on his face and the heat from above, he knew it was daylight, and he still couldn't see.


Taking a few tentative steps forward, ready for the wave of emotion to come, though it never did. He was surprisingly at peace with his new state of being. It's only another challenge to overcome, he thought to himself. Nothing I can't endure.


Neeves turned his face from the sun, back towards the hole he crawled from. "I'm thankful for the help, though I have to admit, my pride's a bit touched." 


@Raphael @Mina

 

[Nap]

Gregory didn't argue with Jessica when she jumped up to take lead. He knew it was the most logical but there was nothing wrong with asking. You're doing good. The voice said. 


Smiling to himself as he watched the two make their way up and through the opening, his eyes focused on Neeves movements. A simple slip up could send the man falling and while he did feel terrible for asking such a blunt question, he was still cautious. After Neeves safely made it to the surface, Gregory began the climb. His hands touch the rocky edges, noting the mold and vegetation growing around them. He kept his head low as he climbed so the sun's rays didn't affect him until his feet were on solid ground.


The ache in his head didn't wait. He rubbed his eyes and blinked them multiple times as he attempted to adjust to the sudden brightness. Every once in a while he'd squeeze his eyes shut, only to have them water once they were open again. A few minutes passed before he was used to the light and he immediately took to analyzing their surroundings.


They were in the ruins of a city, of course. Vegetation sprung from areas where life seemed impossible to grow. Trees and shrubbery scattered along the roads and sidewalks. There were even plants Gregory had never even seen before.


A couple yards away, Gregory spotted a small antique store. Around it he saw foreign plant life and being the curious student he was, he walked closer. It was an odd piece of work. He took caution and found a stick in order to poke it. Too his shock and surprise, the cute little plant with thorny stems turned into something that ressembled a Venus Fly Trap. And if Gregory wasn't a safe distant, his head would have been gone.


"What on Earth..." Gregory muttered, confusion etched onto his face.


@Mina @Philostic

 

[Mina]

Jessica smiled softly at Neeves, though she knew he couldn't see her. She moved to lightly touch his large arm with her relatively small hand, in an attempt to reassure him and sooth him. She had always been caring, probably a bit too much. "This is what you think the promise land is? It is beautiful Neeves, the world has taken itself back, in a lot of ways. I have never seen some of these plants." She said as she turned to look at the overgrown plant life, before she spoke again. "My father always told me that humility is an important part of growth, too much pride can be bad. Maybe this is just your final lesson? I have no doubts we will get your eyesight back, we just have to wait it out... I am sure of it." She said, though she wasn't sure of it, not even in the slightest.

Shuffling behind her caused her to turn and look at Gregory, smiling at the young man as she dropped her hand from Neeves arm. Though as he started moving, her smile fell and she watched, the plants he approached suddenly opened up and Jessica's mouth dropped in shock. The view of the possibly deadly plant caused a shiver to rush up Jessica's spine, and she hugged herself before looking around her and Neeves. This was not good, not only could there be animal predators, but now they had to avoid predator plants? Her insides twisted in fear, and anxiety, though she was pretty sure she didn't show it real clearly. Thankfully, in that moment, Neeves couldn't see her, and Gregory was a bit engrossed in the mean looking plant.

"We need weapons." Jessica said quietly. She wasn't sure if she was talking to anyone or just to herself, though her voice shook a bit, and she hadn't been real loud. Keep composure, we will all be just fine. Just gotta pay attention. But that wasn't so much true, they could keep their eyes peeled all they want, and for all they knew, there could be a scorpion that grew larger than humans that would pop out of the ground and impale them with its giant stinger. She was about to have a break down, she was fine when she didn't see the giant mean looking plant, but now? Well, the bad just got worse, and she wasn't entirely sure they would be able to keep Neeves alive if this world was full of predators. 

@Philostic@Raphael(I am so sorry it took so long! I have been ridiculously busy with rl!)

 

[Philostic]

The Preacher listened intently as the young doctor make his careful way up the rocks, and step out onto the ground, the deteriorated road shifting under his feet like gravel. Neeves was surprised that he could pick up such a detail. He began to expand his range of hearing, listening to the rustle of plants and the faint call of what he assumed to be birds. 

As engrossed as he was, it took Neeves a moment to realize he was being addressed to by the young girl. Jessica, he reminded himself. He only caught her last snippet, and harrumphed. "Hell of a trade-off, don't you thi-" He was cut off by an abrupt rustling, as if someone had begun swinging a tree branch around. The doctor - Gregory - took a quick step back, and Jessica pulled away from his side, mumbling something.

"What? What happened?"


@Raphael @Mina

 

[Nap]

Gregory rubbed his temples as he returned to the others, giving Jessica a warned look. That single plant had evolved into something so threatening and beastly. A plant, for crying out loud. Who knew what else went against the laws of Earth's nature? As much as Gregory didn't want to admit, he was curious and wanted to explore further. The logical side of him, however, said they needed to find a safe place to make shelter first, and possibly weapons.


"Well... Neeves..." Gregory hesitated. "The world has changed quite a bit. We've come across what seems to be a carnivorous plant that's twice our size." He paused, unsure of how to continue his explanation without rambling nonsense. Should he even continue? His eyes flickered to the pair, resting on the older man, and his shoulders tensed. Things were going to be difficult.


Let him go.


No.


He'll slow you down.


No. "Stop," Gregory mumbled to himself, as he covered his ears and squinted his eyes. A few moments passed before he regained his composure and gave Jessica a nervous nod before addressing the two. "I-I think we should find a place to temporarily call home, gather supplies, and... maybe check out our homes while exploring the city. How does that sound? I'm open to ideas."


@Mina @Philostic (I tried. Super distracted right now, so.)

 

[Mina]

Her mouth remained open as she stared in shock, though she snapped it shut when Neeves asked what happened. She didn't want to answer, last thing he needed on his mind was the fact that he could very well stumble into a plant that will chomp his head off in an instant due to his lack of eyesight. Though Gregory took care of the explanation for her. She instinctively wrapped her arms around her body as if she had gotten a chill, her grey hues moving to rest upon Gregory as he covered his ears and squinted his eyes. Was he having a nervous breakdown or something?


Suddenly the world seemed darker, though she knew that was due to the fact that negativity settled within her like a plague. 'Positive... remember to stay positive.' She thought, though it brought no comfort. They were three people, one blind at that, with no weapons, and no intelligence of the world around them. She didn't notice that she had begun breathing fast, her heart feeling as if it might beat from the confines of her chest, her knees wobbling slightly. She was panicking. How were they going to keep the blind man living if they themselves were going to be struggling to live as well? 


Though she head him, she didn't react. Her gaze fell to the ground as she tried to think, but the only thing she could think of was that they were all going to die. Painfully, die. He was right though, they could find a place to call home temporarily, though what if the home that they tried to find solace in was the home that would bring their deaths? 


Jessica squeezed her eyes shut, before breathing deep and lifting her gaze back to Gregory and Neeves. A nod was all she could manage, afraid that if she spoke she would betray her facade of strength and show how terribly afraid she really was. She lifted her eyes to the sun, realizing it was a bit further to the West signifying that it was a couple hours after noon, they didn't have a long time til sunset, so whatever they planned on doing, it had to be soon. It would take them the remainder of the day just to find where they wanted to bunk for the night, hopefully they wouldn't be snoozing outside. 


With a shiver, she dropped her focus to the plants once more... this was going to be an excruciatingly long day... but at least, they were alive. For now.


@Philostic@Raphael(Finally responded! I will get my other responses done faster! I apologize again!)

 

[Philostic]

As Gregory explained the situation in an all-too-verbose manner, Neeves could feel a laugh bubbling up into his throat. The sheer absurdity of what Gregory described led Neeves to believe it was a joke, though from the doctor's tone, he knew otherwise.


He heard the pair, one after the other, detach from the conversation, pulling back into themselves. He reached out for Jessica, resting his hand on her shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. 


When Gregory suggested that the group find a safer place, Neeves was all too eager to agree. He turned, leaving Jessica to her thoughts, and addressed Gregory. "Well, what are our options? Are there tall buildings standing nearby?" He tried to recall the area from before the Freeze- 'the Freeze', that's a bit magnanimous- and found himself coming up empty. "Perhaps a building with a steeple?"


@Post @Mina