Realistic or Modern Overcast: Outbreak [EnkoKasumi]

[Lorsh]

​

Dynis's Inventory
-Claw hammer [Held]
-Medical mask, jacket, T-shirt, jeans, sneakers [Worn]
-Multitool [Pocket]
-Mobile phone [Pocket]
-Lighter [Pocket]
-Cigarette pack [Pocket]
-Aspirin bottle [Pocket]

Alexis's Inventory
-Crowbar [Held]
-Medical mask, light jacket, T-shirt, trousers [Worn]
-Gas mask [Strapped]
-Pendant [Worn]
-Mobile phone [Pocket]

Greg's Inventory
-Combat pistol (4/16) [Held]
-Combat pistol magazine (16/16) [Pocket]
-Ballcap, surgical mask, T-shirt, trousers [Worn]
-Pocket knife [Weapon]
-Matches [Pocket]
-Wallet [Pocket]


Lost Companions
† Fraser
† Batts

IC below

8:46 AM
Central Republic
Chanceton Province
Carbridge City

You've been stuck in your apartment for awhile now. The streets started becoming rather dangerous yesterday; it looks like some people started getting a little "delirious" after being afflicted with the new bug going around. Several hospitals were overwhelmed by large numbers of people seeking treatment, and apparently things got pretty violent. According to the news, riot police were deployed in a few areas of the city.

This morning, the local news said that cases of violence in general have skyrocketed. However, they attributed it to looting by profiteers taking advantage of the civil disorder, although it seems likely that the pathogen itself may have something to do with it.


Nothing bad seems to be going on in your apartment building (yet, at least.) Your room is locked, and you still have that stuff the health officials gave you two days prior.

Spoiler: The Stuff

Your apartment has the essentials. Bed, bathroom, kitchen, couch, TV. Your fridge still has some food in it.


On your person, you have a mobile phone, and a pack of cigarettes. However, you can search your residence for other basic items you may want.

 

[ArcticFox]

The past couple of weeks had been hectic for her. When the first cases of the mysterious new illness started appearing, no one paid much attention. It look like any ordinary cold at the beginning, but show some distressing symptoms in the later stages. Their patients would get violent, dazed, acting like rabid animals and she heard of the colleagues even being bitten by some when they were in their fits. Luckily, Dynis did not have it that bad. She was a nurse at the local children's hospital and the fluctuation of patients was far lesser there. Of course there were enough cases of the mysterious illness among the kids to make it seem suspicious. Even though the doctors and the politicians insisted that it is just some new version of a mutated cold virus and that it will be under control soon, Dynis did not believe the things to be so simple.

Three days ago her annual vacation had started. And two days ago she was ordered not to leave her apartment by the officials that made rounds through the neighborhood giving out safety gear. It seems that things had gotten only more complicated. She paced around her living room nervously, reaching for a pack of cigarettes. Lighting one would calm her down a tad, she knew it. So she lit a cigarette and sat on the couch, turning on the television. The same news had been transmitting for the entire morning and the officials were calming people down and warning them not to go on the streets. Profiteers on the streets, huh? Dynis shook her head in disbelief. Taking a drag on her cigarette and exhaling a plume of smoke, she stood up to look around. (general search)

 

[Lorsh]

Puffing on the cigarette, you feel yourself relax a bit, as per usual. You can worry about the nasty lung cancer and stuff later.

Outside your room, you hear a few nervous voices in the apartment hallway. You can't quite make out what they're talking about, however. It sounds like it's just a normal conversation, probably about all the shit that's going on.

Your mobile phone rings.

You had glanced around your apartment, seeing or remembering several items that you happened to own.

-Lighter
-Multitool
-Small toolkit
-Nurse scrubs
-Disposable medical gloves
-Medical handbook
-Aspirin

 

[ArcticFox]

She listened to the talking going on behind her closed doors, but was unable to decipher any words. Must the be the neighbours conversing about the recent happenings. She was of half a mind to go out and join them, when her phone rang. Forgetting that she went pacing through the home, trying to find anything to keep her busy, she flipped open her phone and clicked the answer button without paying attention to the name on the screen. Yes, the tension was starting to get to her.

"Hello?"

 

[Lorsh]

When you put the phone to your ear, the voice of your friend becomes audible.

"Hey, Dynis? It's Alex. You doing okay?" She speaks quickly, her voice shaky, but excited.

"Like, holy shit. Did you see all those choppers fly overhead?" It was about an hour ago, but you had.

"Things are getting really, really bad. I'm not sure what to do." There is a brief pause, and you hear Alexis take a deep breath.

"Also, um... I think there's people fighting in my condo. It just started happening."

 

[ArcticFox]

"Yeah I heard." Dynis responded to her friend. "My neighbours are gathering in the hall, chattering." She took another drag on the cigarette, before stubbing it in the ashtray. "Who is fighting? Why? Are they saying anything?" She hurried to ask, and then all the warnings popped up in her head. "Alex, don't go outside. Lock the doors and stay silent. It should pass." It might just be another set of neighbours getting agitated over the recent happenings. Or it might be the so called looters. Dynis thought for a moment if she should get to Alexis. They both lived alone. Surely, they would be better at staying safe together.

 

[Lorsh]

There is another short pause before you hear her voice again.

"Shit, uh... I don't know. Just my neighbors? They're-" You faintly hear high-pitched babbling in the background, along with what sounds like distant screams and shouts.

"Sounds like people are getting freaking murdered out there." Your hear Alexis's breaths grow more frantic, as panic is likely setting over the other woman.

At least she seemed to have a similar idea in mind. "Should I try to get out of here, maybe come over to you?" she asked. "I mean, I got my mask on. I'll just avoid whatever's going on, and head to you? But traffic looks kinda... bad... I can't take my car, dammit! I'd feel a lot safer in one, though..."

The voices in your hallway get louder for a brief moment, then stop. You hear a few doors slamming.

 

[ArcticFox]

The last statement of her friend had gotten her scared and worried, but the doors slamming in the hallway made her jump. She couldn't tell Alexis to just get out and get to her, she would be exposed out there and Dynis would probably die of anxiety before she reached her.

"Stay there." Dynis said to her friend, but as whispered hiss. She felt something strange going on in the hallway. "I'll get to you. I'm faster." She was not, but it did not matter. She'd feel much better if Alexis stayed in her home. Still on the phone, she moved a couple of steps to the drawer in the living room to get her pockets stuffed with various things she didn't even know she'd need. A multitool and a lighter in the pocket of her jacket, and the bottle of aspiring in her hand. She thought for a moment and then popped one in her mouth, before putting the rest inside her jean pocket.

Lastly, she felt she needed something for defense out there, the situation did not seem to get better. So she went into the kitchen to look for a knife.

 

[Lorsh]

"Alright, alright. But seriously, be careful," Alexis whispers back. "Put on your mask if you haven't already, you might get sick or something."

You pocket the lighter and multitool. Who knows, they might come in handy.

You grab a knife from one of your kitchen cupboards. It wasn't exactly made for self-defence, but it's better than nothing.

"Hello?" You hear Alexis whispering again. She sounds afraid, but... there's still the underlying excitement in her voice. "I got the door locked, I'm just gonna look outside the window now."

Alexis's room is a few storeys up, so she probably has a pretty good view of the street. "Maybe you could call me, if you want me to let you know what I can see? Still, we probably shouldn't chatter on the phone all the time. Gotta stay focused and stuff, too."

 

[ArcticFox]

"I'm here." Dynis answered, holding the knife in her hand, not quite sure what to do with it. She somehow managed to put it through the belt on her jeans, as she got the keys to her flat and unlocked the doors. "I won't hang up. Stay on the line. But, I will put the phone in the pocket, so speak only after you hear my voice."

It was a sound option, she hoped. With that she placed the phone in the back pocket of her jeans, so she could keep it flipped open, and turned the knob of the flat doors. Slightly opening it, wide enough so she could only peek through, she scanned the hallway in front of her apartment.

 

[Lorsh]

"Gotcha," Alexis says, before hushing up as you put your phone away.

You open up the door, and peer out into the hallway. You see one of the other apartment residents, Betsy, curled up outside of her room. "Nrh... help." She breaks into a violent coughing fit. Upon closer inspection, you can see a puddle of vomit staining the carpet next to her.

Some shouts are heard from her roommates on the other side of the door. "We're sorry, you can't come in... you gotta go get help somewhere else. We're not unlocking the door, you'll spread it to us."

You are currently on the building's third storey. Betsy is not blocking your path to the stairs.

You do not have your mask on.

 

[ArcticFox]

Nose slightly wrinkling at the sight, Dynis quickly closed the doors. She looked around for the safety nask that she was given knowing full well that it would only provide her comfort in false assurance that if she had it on she was safe. Being on her job in the last couple of weeks only served to deepen her paranoia. Still she tied on the mask and got back to the doors.

In the next moment she was conflicted weather she should go to Betsy to help, it was in her nature after all. But it was also in her nature to care about her friend and Alex's situation sounded urgent. Trying not to look at Betsy she got into the hallway and locked the doors behind her. Putting the keys in the jacket pocket, she walked toward the stairs.

 

[Lorsh]

You leave Betsy to her fate, walking quickly. You head to the stairwell, where you manage to descend the steps to the main floor, where the apartment lobby is located. A few people (all wearing masks) are entering the building once you arrive, but they quickly rush past you and head for the elevators, probably to go hide in their rooms. Other than that, you see a ballcapped teenager arguing with the receptionist about something, although it doesn't sound like anything important to you right now.

Looking outside the window, you can see cars on the street speedily drive past every once in awhile. In order to get to Alexis's apartment unit, you'll need to take a right and head down the sidewalk for a relatively short distance (the building is immediately in sight, but then again, it's rather large.)

There's some signs of pandemonium on the street, but there isn't a total jam, at least by the looks of it. A few cars look abandoned, while others are still driving nervously along. Your most likely destination would be the crosswalk up ahead.


Your phone beeps, leaving a message from your workplace.

ALL EMPLOYEES MUST REPORT TO THE CARBRIDGE CITY HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY. NO QUESTIONS, THIS IS MANDATORY.


The "request" doesn't exactly seem fulfillable, but at least they tried.

 

[ArcticFox]

Dynis disregarded the message sent to her. Yes, it was her duty to listen and yes, people probably needed the help of the doctors and nurses now more than ever. But her friend needed her even more now. She would get Alexis first and then she will think about what is to be done later.

Before walking out of the building, she took the phone from her pocket and called for her friend. "Alex? Still there?" She though that it would be the best to ask her if she sees anything suspicious on the streets. Well, more suspicious that what she could already see. "Is the sidewalk clear in front of my building? Are you able to see?"

 

[Lorsh]

The message display box on your phone closes after a few seconds.

"Have you crossed yet?" Alexis asks, sounding worried. She calms down after assuming that you haven't, though; it wouldn't have made much sense, after all.

"I think there's something going on at the other side of the street, but uh, your side looks clear. If you just keep going until you reach the crosswalk, then you should be mostly clear of it," Alexis tells you.

Although your view is partially obscured by the remains of a multiple-vehicle collision that occurred near the other side of the road, you can see what looks like an odd melee between a group of individuals. A fistfight here, a wrestling match there. Looks like there may be some clawing involved as well. Might be best to steer clear of the whole thing.

At least further down the sidewalk, the area around the crosswalk is clear. Still, the panicked motorists don't appear to be obeying traffic laws at the moment, so crossing the street may be dangerous.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Got it." Dynis nodded, putting the phone back into the pocket. She wondered for a moment if she would look like an insane person if she took the knife in her hand. It would make her feel more secure, but it would also draw attention. She needed a cigarette.

Taking a deep breath she got out of the lobby and onto the street. It was her plan to follow the sidewalk on her side to the crossing, avoiding any and all people she saw. They could be neighbours or the sick or bandits, she couldn't care less. She will avoid eye contact and hurry on her way. Adjusting her jacket so it partially covered the knife at her belt, she walked toward the crosswalk. Once there she would just rush over it, hoping to be quicker than the maddened drivers.

 

[Lorsh]

You continue to make your way along, eventually reaching the crosswalk. Even further down the street, you see another car crash, as well as an overworked ambulance crew tending to the victims. Everything just seems ridiculously chaotic, and it's clear that a lot of people in this city are already dead. Whatever this sickness is doing, it's directly causing a lot of subsequent problems.

Presumably, you look both ways like a good kid, before dashing across the road. Luckily, you found a sizable "gap" between the incoming cars, and managed to cross without getting hit.

However, upon closer inspection, you can see that there is another orgy of violence occurring at the front entrance of Alexis's apartment building. The doors are wide open, and several windows are smashed. A few bodies are lying on the ground, while the ones still standing up are just... fighting strangely. Some look drunk, some look rabid, some look desperate. Blood is visibly pooling in several areas.

"I can see you down there!"

You hear Alexis's muffled voice emit from your pocket. Though, judging from her room's position, she is unable to see what's going on at the front of the building.

"You okay?"

 

[ArcticFox]

Stopping to examine the chaos, Dynis felt her heart beat fast. How in the hall could she get inside that building! The sight of slaughter was everywhere and now when she was out in the streets, staring at it from so close up, and over her TV screen, she saw a different layer of horror in it. Her legs started shaking and it took all her willpower not to turn away and run back to the relative safety of her apartment.

"I'm fine." She whispered into the phone. "But there are men fighting in front of the entrance to your building. I don't think I can sneak by unnoticed." Then a though popped into her mind. "Is there another way in?" There could have been a back entrance somewhere, or if nothing she could try the fire escape stairs, though she wasn't sure if she was fit enough to do it.

 

[Lorsh]

"Wait... Oh shit, really?"

Alexis pauses for a moment. Out of the corner of your eye, you see one of the upper storey windows open up. Maybe Alexis is peeking out.

The fighting continues, although you can now see that some participants are beginning to flee. Several wounded, disoriented people rush past you, and quickly scatter into the ambient chaos. One injured man wanders out into the street and is hit by an SUV- you can hear a distinctive 'crunch' as the tires roll over him. The SUV just keeps on driving, quickly disappearing after making a sharp turn down another street.

"Quick, uh... go into the parking lot, I think there's another door there. Check along the side of the building, stay away from the front!" Alexis urges.

 

[ArcticFox]

Taking the suggestion of her friend, Dynis rushed to the corner of the bulding. She had no time to think about the things she witnessed in such a short time. The shock would set in later, she was sure of it. She peajed behind the corner, scanning the parking behind the building for any danger.

 

[Lorsh]

You see that there's quite a few cars still in the lot. On the ground, there are a few spots where you can see broken glass, along with small, shattered parts from vehicles. It probably came from a few minor bumps and collisions. Though, there's no outright crashed vehicles sitting around, so one could assume that those motorists managed to drive away regardless.

You can see a few stragglers running out to their cars, many of them wounded. Most of them seem to just be trying to drive away quickly, but you also see two men carefully packing their bags into their car, ignoring the chaos.

You see the door that Alexis was talking about; the fire exit. You should be able to use it in order to enter the building. It has been left wide open.

 

[ArcticFox]

Dynis walked carefully over the fire exit, still alert to any sudden movements. She checked to see if the knife was still there, somehow feeling secure just by touching the handle. Would she even be able to use it should it come to that? She was not very sure of it. Peeking through the doors, she slid inside the building carefully.

 

[Lorsh]

Once you enter the building, the stairwell is readily accessible, being located just to your left. There is a door that leads deeper into the apartment. You can faintly hear some thudding noises, as if someone was methodically slapping against the door.

Bright crimson blood is dripping down through stairwell's small gap, probably coming from one of the upper floors. It has created a sizable pool on the floor.

Throughout the building, you hear the screams, muffled by the walls. You can faintly hear a distant security alarm, blaring pointlessly.

Suddenly, you see a man making his way down the steps. When he notices you, he becomes startled and nervously raises his pocket knife. "You sick?" he asks, voice muffled by his medical mask. Wearing it, he almost looks like a surgeon, but his white "Get 'er Done" T-shirt and blue baseball cap says otherwise.

 

[ArcticFox]

Her attention focused on the blood first. That was not a good sign. The thudding sounds were very ominous and did not help her frayed nerves and when the man appeared from above, she jolted slightly, alarmed.

Dynis raised her hands up in a defensive manner. "No, I'm not." She gestured to her own mask. "I'm trying to get to Alexis Lourie, on the fourth floor. Do you know her?" She asked, trying to change the subject. To make some kind of a normal conversation and so get the man to lower his knife down, to not feel threatened by her.

 

[Lorsh]

The man seems to relax, although only slightly. He throws a quick glance over his shoulder as he hears screaming upstairs, before sighing and muttering something under his breath.

"Well, I'm Greg, and yeah, uh- I don't know her. Do you need help goin' to get her, though?" he offers. "I only came down from the second floor, we can run back up there quick."

Greg seems a bit wary of you, but his desire to assist must have been instinctive. Or he just doesn't have anything better to do.