Fantasy Reclaiming Humanity

[Songbird500]

Charlie had hoped for a better reception to her knock at the door but also couldn’t deny that she wasn’t surprised by the survivor’s wariness. She herself practiced such caution, if not more so, and it wasn’t everyday someone climbed into your room from the balcony. From the quick glance inside she hadn’t spotted either her brother or her sister but considering how far up she was and the number of infected she didn’t believe throwing herself back over the balcony would be a wise choice. But this brought forward a completely new set of decisions for Charlie to make. She had been very specific about keeping other human contact to a minimum and if none of her family were indeed inside this hotel, it meant Charlie would have to be careful how she proceeded.

The first order of business was uncovering the real motivations of the message senders. Naturally, one would assume a cry for help was just that, a cry for help. But these days, when some people are stretched to their most vulnerable and desperate state, a cry for help can just as easily be a trap. From the looks of it, Charlie was at a slight disadvantage, she had a hockey stick and they had a gun and not to mention the fact she had just given away any hopes of a sneak attack. She was also outnumbered. However, Charlie was smart enough to know that if she couldn’t beat them with strength, she would beat them with speed. Of course, the matter of an exit was also an issue, Charlie had essentially locked herself in a box with these people, but again this was all running off the basis that they were trying to hurt her. Taking several deep breaths she moved her hands over her head and gripped the hockey stick with both hands. She didn't want to put it down, for obvious reasons, but she was also aware what it might appear to those in side. She had decided she was willing to take the chance but hadn't moved from her spot outside the screen door. She would allow him to open it and then they could have a nice, civil conversation in which everyone would leave unharmed and Charlie could get back to finding her family. Everything was going to be fine. If she assumed the worse, the worse would always come, in one way or another. A quote her mother had reminded her on the daily.

"I don't mean any harm. You're right. I heard the message."

LetsGoGuy Tjek

 

[Tjek]

"How about we don't hit or shoot each other?", JJ raised her hands to show that she ment no harm to the balcony intruder.

JJ was very confused on how the new person managed to get to their balcony. They were two stories up and there was no ladder to be found, especially not one that connected balcony to balcony. JJ opened the screen door for the girl to enter the room with her and Adam. Slowly backing away from the door JJ took up a spot behind Adam, it was better to behind the armed trained soldier than to be exposed in the open.

"Adam maybe you should point the gun down?", JJ suggested to the man.

 

[Nephalem]

Dr. Matilda King
"...dinner?"

Had she heard him correctly? Had the man in front of her, the first survivor she had been less than ten feet apart from in two years, just offered her dinner? This stranger seemed to stark contrast to the ruffians that broke into her old hideout at her previous place of employment. Despite this, his offer was rather forward. Matilda had no way of trusting this man. At any moment he could unsheathe the large knife she noticed strapped neatly to his side and lunge at her. Dooley and her's survival could be at stake.

However,

Food was a hot commodity these days, and the potential of a somewhat balanced meal was much more compelling than her jerky. While the offer of food was almost enough to have won her over, Tilly took a moment to consider her situation. Firstly, she was outmatched. Her common household lamp was nothing compared to the stranger's blade unless she was secretly Bucky Barnes from a different dimension. Secondly, Dooley was in dire need of the benefits of leafy greens, such as the proposed canned spinach, in his diet. Its fibrous qualities would do wonders for Dooley's recent constipation. Thirdly, something the stranger mentioned caught her attention. An SOS call? Tilly realized she must have really been in the dark on her world's current situation. Survivors were beginning to pop their heads out from every nook and cranny.

Matilda knew she had to reply soon. The silence in the room was only adding to the tension between herself and the man before her. Her next few words needed to be picked carefully. She needed to come off as a strong, respectable and intimidating individual.

"I have Roo jerky," Tilly finally replied, her Australian accent making her origins quite obvious. "I don't mind sharing it either". Matilda slowly returned the lamp back to the coffee table it was on originally. Tilly swung her backpack from her back, over her shoulder, and to her chest. She unzipped it and shuffled through it for a few awkward moments before pulling out a plastic back full of dried Kangaroo meat.

"I'm Matilda, this" she motioned down to the small scruffy dog at her feet, "is Dooley". Upon hearing his name Dooley dropped his Cujo impressed and looked up at Matilda, tail wagging. He was still side eyeing the dirty man, but his agitation was subsiding. "Maybe you can tell me more about this SOS call over 'dinner'". She gave a friendly, but still quite nervous, smile.

Truth is, Tilly was lonely. She loved Dooley, he was amazing company, but she was tired. Tired of always watching out for herself and tired of being afraid. Tilly had always been an intuitive creature. Despite being incredibly nervous, something was telling her that she didn't need to be afraid of him.

Crazy Trey-n

 

[Mystikelh]

They followed the road together for a few hours. Wren was doing his best to keep up the pace Daniela had set up despite his sore leg asking for a respite. But he just sucked it up and kept walking. Their walk through the forest had been rather uneventful. Wren had almost felt like they were back in the days before the infected started popping out. Just nature and silence. Not that he ever had been the nature type. He spent his whole life in a city full of sounds and lights. But every time he saw a movie where they were in a forest, it looked kinda like this. They did meet a few infected stranded in this forest, but they simply avoided them completely. No need to waste a bullet or risk their life to stab them when they could just make a small detour around it.

The two new companions tried to do small talks on the way. Wren had learned that Daniela had also been part of a group about a month ago, but, apparently, things didn't work out and she left. Guess they had something in common, kinda. Wren simply told her a similar story. About how he didn't feel safe with his old group and decided to leave. He also told her about his escapade in the river and how he was dragged for miles by the current, explaining why he kept limping. He also showed her his scar and missing eye, saying he had been shot, a long time ago. He didn't specify it was before the apocalypse, though. But her being aware of his visual weakness would be better for both of them. She could more easily cover his lacking field of view if she knew about it, after all.

After a while, the forest gave place to vast fields that used to be there for agriculture. They could see buildings and cities in the distance. They both decided to avoid going into cities if possible. It was easier to walk along the fields where they could see for miles. Any infected they met, they would avoid them if possible, or use a distraction to lead them away. If it needed to be taken down, one of them would distract it while the other snuck on it for the kill.

It was after two days of carefully navigating around cities and fields that they finally reached the only bridge that led into the city they needed to go. By that time, Wren had already consumed both his cereal bars and a bottle and a half of water. He hoped that guy hadn't lied about food, because they were running low.

"Do we have any idea where that hotel is?" he asked Daniela as they were making their way across the bridge. "Hope it isn't too far. I'm not too happy about the idea of being trapped on an island with only one way out," he added, looking back from where they came from. "I say we watch the surrounding of this hotel before attempting to walk inside. Call me paranoiac, but I don't want to walk in a trap."

From that message, it sounded like the guy was alone. So if the hotel seemed to have more than a few people buzzing about it wasn't normal and would be the sign of a trap. It was a classic one, too. Laid down an attractive bait and just let the preys come to you. All you need is an ambush and bam! You got yourself whatever you wanted.

He sighed. "Though if it's a trap and we turn around, I have no idea what we can do for the food." He leaned to the side a bit, trying to get a better look at the water below them. "Do you know how to fish? Maybe we can find something in those waters. I don't know if I told you, but I'm a good cook. I would make you the best fire-grilled fish you ever tasted since this shitshow started," he added with a smirk.

Some domestic skills kept being useful after the start of the apocalypse. Cooking and sewing were ones that Wren possessed that had become handy. It seemed pretty irrelevant, but it helped a lot with the moral when people could just sit down and enjoy a nice cooked meal once in a while. He half wondered if anybody was going to miss that, back home. Most of them couldn't cook for shit. It was just something he liked to do and tried to keep alive despite their new way of living.

____

(OOC: Just to note that frogmilk and I are talking a lot in DMs to build those posts. So even if it seems that this post is forcefully dragging Daniela into things, it was discussed in advance to get our characters as quickly as possible to Cascade.)

 

[Crazy Trey-n]

Dietrich - Abandoned Sea-Side Home

Luckily, Rich was nothing if not patient, so he was content to wait out the silence until she'd broken it with her strong, respectable and quite intimidating words. The last lingering remnants of doubt and suspicion were cast aside in that moment; he hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath until it seeped out of his lungs in an audible sigh of relief.

"I'm in no place to refuse any kind of food, and quite frankly, I've always enjoyed trying new ones, " he responded in a mellow tone that suited the quiet nature of the house. His smile lacked the nervousness that hers held, though that was mostly for her sake. She didn't seem to be entirely comfortable quite yet and putting on a confident, friendly front despite his own mild nervousness may be in their best interest. "My name's Dietrich. It's nice to meet you both, Matilda and Dooley." Rich had to resist the urge to reach down and pet Dooley - it seemed just a tad bit too early for that, at least until the pup realized that he meant no harm.

The first order of business was simple... preparing a makeshift dinner. As if urging him into action or speaking on his behalf, Rich's stomach growled loudly enough to rival Dooley's, and he scratched the back of his head with one hand, the gesture accompanied by an embarrassed chuckle. "Guess we should eat, huh?"

There was no time wasted as he began backing into the kitchen, making sure to move slowly and cautiously so that Matilda and her companion could see what he was doing, then made short work finding what he needed: two forks, two cans of beans, three cans of spinach, a can of meat, and he'd even managed to find a dusty old bowl that was made mostly clean with a quick puff of breath. His knife made short work of the cans, digging into the metal with a raspy shhhk and removing the tops, separating them into thin metal disks. Two of the cans found their way to one side of the worn-down oak table in the middle of the kitchen - with two chairs conveniently placed opposite of one another - while another two were placed on the other side, leaving the last can of meat and spinach to be mixed into a mash in the bowl. Almost as a sign of goodwill, Rich looked right at Dooley and placed the bowl on the floor, pulled out both chairs, then seated himself at one end of the table.

The young man's gaze ended up settling on the woman who shared his company now, and while he wanted to ask dozens of questions about her and where she came from, the topic he settled on was the one she'd suggested earlier. "There was a message sent out not too long ago by someone in this area over the radio. Whoever it is, he seems to be in danger, and requests help. He said he has food and water, which was enough to pique my interest and convince me to at least scope out the area... not that I've had much luck." He paused, contemplating how to ask for help while eyeballing the food before him that had remained untouched. It'd be poor manners to eat without her at the table. "I suppose it's a far-fetched idea and I'm not sure if you're here on business of your own, but searching is always easier with a second set of eyes."

Rich left the comment hanging in the air. It'd been a while since he'd been a part of a group that he could truly settle down with and she might be one more person to add to a group that he could trust. She seemed genuine and kind enough, that was without a doubt. A brief glance at the lamp now back on it's place atop the table reminded him of that and drew out a goofy half-smile that brightened up his face.

"In any case... bon appétit?" The words came out as more of a question than a statement. It certainly wasn't the most refined meal or ideal setting, but it was a start.

Nephalem

 

[LetsGoGuy]

Adam watched as the woman distanced her hands from the stick. He waited another moment, before he heard JJ's voice suggest he lower the weapon. He did so, taking his finger off the trigger. He looked the woman up and down. He was rather impressed that she had come in through the balcony. At the very least, it was an indication that she was athletic enough to climb the outside of the building. That would prove useful if she decided to stick around. However, whether she would do so remained to be seen. He decided to give her an abridged version of the events that had transpired.

"I got stuck here, with some of the infected inside, and I needed help to get out. Help that young lady, JJ, graciously provided me. However, just getting out of this situation was not the only reason I called for help. I need help with a project of sorts. If you'd stay to help, I'd be more than happy to provide food, weapons, and safety as they become available." He explained to the woman.

"My first step in this project would be to clear a way to the basement of this building. I happen to know that the military made small caches of equipment, food, medicine, and more across the island before they pulled out. I received word that there was one such stash here that they didn't get to when they fled the island. I don't know if any of it has been looted since, or how many infected we'll have to kill to get there, but the haul could be quite promising, and a good start for myself as I try and accomplish the rest of the project. But before I say anymore than this, would you be willing to stay and help?" He asked the woman.

Adam decided to give her a moment to think as he slowly stepped back and dug through his bag. He slowly pulled out an MRE and tossed it to her. He figured, like most people, she was fairly hungry.

 

[frogmilk]

Daniela Ryder

Weariness was seeping into Daniela’s body as they made their way to the city. She had enjoyed the small talk Wren and she had shared, it made her feel safe with him, allowing her to let her guard down. Daniela wouldn’t have minded taking care of the few stragglers they came across, though her logic and analytical side stopped her from taking the risk. While nothing had happened so far, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being followed.

As the two got to the bridge into the small city, Wren had used up his provision and to be honest Daniela wasn’t doing all that well in the food department either. Mouthing a small prayer that the radio-guy wasn’t lying about the resources, she looked at Wren when he broke the silence that had surrounded them for a while. She paused, looking ahead at the bridge in front of them before answering him. “He said Stairway to Heaven, right? Kind of a cheesy name…” she started making her way onto the bridge. “I agree with you. You can’t be too careful nowadays.” She said, glancing over her shoulder to look at Wren, her gun back in her hands.

Wren asked her if she knew how to fish, to which Daniela shook her head. “I mean, I went fishing with my dad a couple of times but… I wouldn’t claim to know what I was doing.” She offered him a weak smile. “Fire-grilled fish with a sprinkle of sea salt sure would taste great after all those cans of beans though.” Talking about food made her hungry, she longed for her mother’s homecooked meals. She quickly pushed that thought out of her head though, not really feeling like this was the time to get all sad and mopey thinking about her family. And speaking of salt, she was rather thirsty as well. Her water had ran out just now, so finding some kind of shop that hadn’t yet been raided of all the mineral water would’ve been nice.

They walked onto the island, Daniela took careful steps and made sure to check her surroundings for anything that moved. Just in case. She recalled the voice on the radio had mentioned the hotel overlooked the ocean, so it made sense for them to just keep walking on this road until they got to the ocean and then scan for the hotel.

Nature had reclaimed a lot of the island. Broken down cars were on the road, one that seemed to have been quite trafficked back in the old world. Just as they got over the bridge and onto the island, Daniela laid eyes on a big sign, advertising parasailing and dolphin watching. This whole place looked like a vacation resort to her, an abandoned one, of course. A place in this state back in the day wouldn’t be her first choice, after all. While she wished it didn’t affect her, her heart broke a little.

This train of thoughts was quickly interrupted by her realizing they were in a city of sorts. That meant lots of undead. She hated walking down a big road like this, leaving themselves in a rather vulnerable position if there were to be anyone in the buildings. A sniper could take them out in a second, not to mention they had very few places to take cover in in case they suddenly were under fire. Her uneasiness grew as they got closer to the hotel, once there she was practically nauseous. Maybe that was due to her hunger, though.

The hotel was finally in sight, after a long journey. If they were to receive what was promised, Daniela thought the name of the hotel was quite fitting. They made their way into an empty, nearby building with a nice view of their goal. "I know this might be a trap but... what if we stay out here too long? What if he's dead once we get there?" Daniela shared her worries out loud. Maybe she didn't care all that much for the radio-dude but as Wren had accurately pointed out earlier, food was in very short supply and if this was to turn out in anyway that didn't end in them getting more, they were kind of in trouble.

 

[This Name is unavailable]

Daniel had been following the two for quite a while now. While it could be chalked up to paranoia for fear of being led into a trap, that wasn't really Daniel's case, it was mostly due to the fact that he was just extremely awkward with social interactions. He already figured out a while ago that this wasn't a trap and that them meeting was completely circumstantial. Once they had made it to the city Daniel figured it would be about the time that he revealed himself. After they had made their way across the bridge Daniel took the time to view his surroundings.

There were many places for someone to hide in this concrete jungle and it slightly unnerved him.

The state of the once beautiful tourist attraction didn't faze him all that much, after all, Daniel rarely ever frequented his once small town. Let alone a place such as this. The sea would be a great place for a source of food, especially if he could find a bay to set up some nets, this was brought to his attention by the conversation he heard them having from a distance, and a little while later after they had entered the vicinity of the hotel.

Daniel figured it must have been the very same hotel from the transmission he had heard quite some time ago. He now knew it was now or never for him to approach the other wary travelers, he had a good bargaining chip so that they wouldn't shoot him too, he had been able to snag a couple of rabbits just before they had arrived.

He waited until they had entered a building before stopping outside and taking a deep breath. He absently mindedly walked back and forth in front of the building, making sure to keep his ears open just in case, all the while silently muttering to himself. Alright Danny, you can do this, just walk in there, give a simple greeting, offer them food, and then ask to join them in heading into the hotel. That's not so hard! But what do I say?! Daniel runs a hand through his hair. It's not like I can just be like, "Hey there! My name's Daniel nice to meet you, by the way, I've been following you for the last few days! Would you like some rabbit meat?" He huffs in frustration, he was never going to be good with this type of stuff, so he may as well suck it up and get it over with.

Slowly and quietly he walked into the building where he was just able to catch the female asking the male a question though he wasn't able to actually hear what was being asked. His heart was pounding as he held up his hands for them to see that he wasn't holding a weapon. Come on Danny, just, say something! So he cleared his throat and stopped in his tracks, "Excuse me, the name's Daniel, would you like some food?" Well, at least he didn't mention that he was following them, that should save him from being shot...right?

frogmilk Mystikelh

 

[Songbird500]

Charlie caught the MRE and was rather taken aback by the mans kindness. He had lowered his weapon quick enough and didn't seem particularly hostile now Charlie was seeing him up close. Of course it could all still be a trap but he seemed genuine in his desire to clear the Hotel and the other girl seemed comfortable enough in his presence. The promise of food, medicine and other equipment seemed rather enticing and the man clearly knew how to handle himself against the infected. Surely, if Charlie helped him in some capacity he would be willing to help her find her family in return. She had been wary of trusting others before, but now she was stood in front of two such individuals that had the potential resources and skills to not only help but also hinder her work, it seemed unwise for her to just leave. Charlie fiddled with the MRE for a second before taking a glance up at the man that had just given It to her. "Do I need to heat this up or is it good cold? She tried to put some humour into her voice but she wasn't sure if any actually came through, it had been a while since she'd laughed or smiled to any substantial degree. It was strange to think what serious changes could happen to a persons social skills after a couple weeks alone, Charlie had never really considered it until this moment when faced with the probability of working in a team. "My name's Charlie by the way."

Charlie considered her questions very quickly before glancing between her two new acquaintances. "I'm not saying im in yet but If I was, how long do you think this would take? And would it be just us three or do you have more backup?" Charlie wasn't a fool to think clearing the whole hotel would be a walk in the park and take but a couple of days but she also didn't want to delay any longer in finding her family. She was so close now and it would be difficult for anyone not to take that final leap. True, staying and building friendships would also help her when it came time to asking for their help and if it was just the three of them maybe the likelihood of serious fights would be cut. It was all a guessing game at this point but Charlie wasn't completely opposed to the idea.

LetsGoGuy Tjek

 

[LetsGoGuy]

Adam smiled a bit before he answered her. "You're probably going to want to add some water to it. I have a little left in the canteen by my bag." He said. He watched her head over to fill the bag, before he continued. "My name is Adam. Nice to meet you."

"Well, at the moment it is just the three of us, but I was hoping more might come. If you were asking if other soldiers such as myself would be coming, well, I'm afraid at the moment I'm all that you've got. My mission is to try and clear this city up, as much as possible, before I'll be tasked any reinforcements. There's not a lot of soldiers fit for duty in the world anymore." He added with a sad chuckle.

"As far as clearing this hotel, I hope it won't take more than two or three days. I picked this hotel for a few reasons. First off, it isn't as wide open as the rest of them. It has a waist height fence that stretches around most of the property, so that was enough to keep most of the infected out. Another reason I chose it was because it keeps us fairly close to the ocean. That's nice because, if we get a boat up and running, we could start to fish. I wouldn't mind a nice fresh cut of cod right now even.." he muttered, holding his stomach. He missed the taste of home cooked meals, and he couldn't really remember what fish even tasted like. It had been over a year since the battleship had run out of its fresh stocks and had to resort to canned foods and military rations. Adam stopped this train of thought before it took him down a road filled with steaks, baked potatoes covered in butter, and any other number of delectable treats that were a long ways off.

"Anyway, as for clearing the city out, I don't know how long it would take. It all depends on if more people come to help out. The more survivors we can gather here, the more work we can do, and the safer we will all be. I'm not so blind as to think everyone is here for the good of humanity, but I do know that whatever goals people might have, they'd be a hell of a lot easier to do in an infected free city than the one that's just filled with them now." He explained. He waited a moment before gesturing to his map, still lying on the floor next to the bed.

"Which brings me to my third reason for choosing this hotel. The military set up a series of caches across the island, just in case their soldiers ever had to make a tactical retreat or hole up at some point. I imagine the military thought that they were fairly safe on the island, right up until they started to have an outbreak. That being the case, during the full blown retreat, most of these caches were simply abandoned. Now, I don't know the specifics for each of these caches, but I know that most of them were supposed to be a standard set of equipment. Think food, ammunition, medical supplies, maybe even a small amount of weapons. This map has on it the location of some of the caches across the island, one such cache being in the basement of this hotel. If we clear this place out, then we can head down to that cache and have all the supplies we need, at least for the present. If you stay up until the point where we clear out the hotel to reach the cache, I have no problems giving you a portion of whatever we find there." Adam concluded, looking Charlie as she stood there, munching on her food.

"I take it your in?" He asked.

THREE DAYS LATER​

Adam sat down in the office of the first floor with a sigh. The desk was a mess, papers strewn all over in what was likely the manager's last act of trying to establish order. Just that morning, Charlie and JJ had helped him finish clearing the hotel. RDG 18

To be frank, there were less infected in the hotel than Adam had anticipated. Perhaps this merely was not a popular hotel back in the day, or possibly many people had escaped this hotel before things got bad, but whatever the case, there weren't over 60 infected within the hotel, despite it having the housing capability of over 300. While that number would be daunting to someone with no knowledge, it helped that the infected were dispersed all throughout the hotel, some in rooms, a few wandering the halls, there even were two poor souls trapped helplessly at what was an indoor swimming pool. They sat their rather sadly, right up until Adam sneaked behind them and stabbed them through the skulls.

JJ and Charlie had done well too. Neither of them had much offensive capabilities, in fact, JJ really had no combat abilities to speak of. It didn't matter much though, as they provided two other points of interest or distraction, dividing up the larger groups in such a way that Adam could sneak behind them and take them out stealthily. After the third day, they had cleared all the infected from the hotel. Adam's final act was to push two cars in front of the only gaps in the fence around the property. He wanted to make damn sure that this work wasn't pointless, and that they would be protected in the future.

Adam had then went down, by himself, to where he was told the cache was. He was hopeful that no looters or infected had gotten to it. RDG 20

Adam couldn't believe his eyes when he found three medium sized pallets huddled in the corner, as if hiding from prying eyes. They had a large beige tarp over them, military grade, and he pulled it off in an instant, hoping to find something to get his group started, and he wasn't disappointed. Once he had opened each of the pallets, and the boxes housed therein, he knew that they really had a chance to pull this off.

The first pallet was entirely food. Canned goods of all varieties were wrapped in plastic, the metal containers guarding the treasures inside. There were pineapples, peaches, cherries, apples, beans, corn, carrots, and any number of other fruits and vegetables. There were also canned meats of a few kinds, which Adam would have snubbed a few years ago, but now set his mouth to watering. Apparently, whoever made this cache was especially cheeky, as they had left two bags of potato chips in the small space between the boxes. Clearly not military grade, but Adam sent up a small prayer they were OK and he could thank them one day. There was also at least four packs of water, boasting at least twenty four bottles, but perhaps even thirty two. Adam didn't pause to count. The final and key ingredient was a field stove, complete with three propane canisters to heat up food in. Adam felt like crying tears of joy, knowing that they wouldn't have to eat an MRE for a long time.

​

The second box was full of medical supplies, all hospital grade. Syringes empty and full, bandages, disinfected cloth, stitches, scissors and rubbing alcohol, and even kit to take blood pressure and do an intravenous drip. Some of these supplies were a little too complex for Adam to understand, given his basic medical training, but he knew that there was a lot to go off of. It seemed almost as if a small medical facility was packed into this pallet. Once again, Adam was impressed with both the thoroughness of the preparation, as well as the sheer luck that none of this was touched. He chalked it up to the fact that not a lot of survivors in their right mind would want to explore a dark basement for supplies in an infected filled hotel.

​

The final box was enough arms to start a gang war. Clips, magazines, and cartridges of all sizes were neatly stacked in the box. There were two boxes of grenades as well. One box was clearly military grade fragmentation grenades, but the other box boasted oblong grenades painted dark green with a neon strip down the side. The lettering had become faded with time, so Adam couldn't quite make out in the darkness what they were, but he guessed they were either smoke or concussive grenades. Either would be fairly useless against the infected, but Adam knew that infected wouldn't be all they were facing. Finally, he began to pry open a long rectangular box at the bottom of the pile, which boasted a piece of premium military kit.

​

"Would you check this beauty out..." Adam whispered to the darkness. Inside the box was a factory issue M249 SAW. Adam hefted it and grunted, remembering just how heavy these were. The battleship only had a handful of them for just this reason, given that they were an impractical weapon on the run and many of the soldiers who made it had ditched the heavier, burdensome kit. Those that hadn't, well, didn't make it to the ship. As he picked up the weapon, he noticed three bandoleers neatly folded down the side of the box, hidden among the straw that cushioned the majesty of a gun. Adam put it back in the box gently, before readjusting the lid. He had re-stacked all the materials back to the way they were, save taking with him a box of assorted canned treats. He decided that tonight he would treat Charlie and JJ to a good meal. Beside the effect of it being a good way of making sure they stayed in the long term, it also was a sign of trust and showed that he kept his word.

Adam had taken a brief pause with the materials in the manager's office, hoping to find one thing he was looking for. He sighed as he closed another empty drawer before rubbing his eyes. It was already a long day and yet it had just started. Hopefully, the rest of the day would prove fairly uneventful.

Songbird500 Tjek

 

[Tjek]

It had been days since JJ happened to meet Adam and Charlie and, surprisingly enough, she had already began to trust them. If either were going to do something to her it would've happened by now, instead they were working together as a team. First thing they did was systematically clear the whole hotel out room by room, not leaving a single closet unchecked. After that was done, JJ "provided fire support" as Adam managed to use cars to block the hotel off. Finally the group struck gold when the managed to find a load of supplies left behind by the military. Food, water, medicine, guns, clean clothes, they had everyrhing they could want.

With the lucky find of medical supplies JJ realized that maybe she could actually be somewhat helpful to the cuase afterall. Although she was just a college kid studying to be a vet she came to the conclusion that a lot of the skills she had could apply to humans too. Wether it be giving IV's, sewing up wounds, or even just something as simple as applying a bandage, she was finally helpful. Given this new found usefullness JJ turned her attention to the one thing that truly worried her. She still couldn't defend herself even if she tried but thankfully she had somebody who has had a lot of experience with making bad guys go away.

"Hey Adam can I ask you something?", JJ smiled at Adam as she entered the manager's office where she knew he liked to stay. JJ walked over to a now dust covered brown leather couch and plopped down onto it making the years worth of crap fly into the air.

JJ removed her makeshift medical bag from her back and used it as a pillow as she turned on her side and laid down on the couch. It was odd that she was able to actually just casually lay down in a place like this in middle of a zombie infested city and not feel worried. Although the hotel with it's flickering lights, dark quiet hallways, and numerous blood stains freaked her out she still felt safe.

"Adam can you teach me how to shoot? We have a bunch of guns and bullets now, and I'm tired of being a liability".

LetsGoGuy

 

[Mystikelh]

It was too bad none of them knew how to fish. Just talking about a meal made Wren's mouth water. The food he had eaten hadn't nearly filled him up, and he felt the hunger coming back to him. Fishing couldn't be too hard, right? On an island town like this one, there sure was a fishing shop somewhere. Maybe they would find something to fish with. Maybe a guide or something. It's not because the apocalypse had arrived that they stopped learning new tricks, on the contrary. Adaption was the key to survival, after all.

They walked through this city that used to be a tourist trap. Advertisement for all kinds of things that tourists like to do on their vacation. Wren was familiar with those kinds of places, but in a much different way than others. No, he knew the underbelly of it. The inner workings. The conmen sucking the money out of innocent and dumb tourists. Pickpockets, thieves, and other things that were much worst. Growing up in a family of crime, Wren had been stripped away from his "pink-tinted glasses" at a very young age. He saw all the bad and ugly that people can do to others, and he even took part in some of them. His life was a dance around the laws, bending and twisting them to his profit. The "no witness" rule was their more powerful tool. But there were no more laws to dance around, anymore, which meant that all the bad and ugly could freely crawl out of their hole, no more caring about being caught and caged by the law.

He glanced at Daniela. He couldn't say he fully trusted her, but that's because he never trusted anyone. She had proven herself to be a good ally, though, and he was hoping it would stay this way. He still made sure to walk on her left side, though. At least like that, she was still in his peripheral vision. Despite the logic of letting her walk on his left to cover what his vision cannot, he still preferred to keep an eye on her for now. His father had repeated so many times that the people the closest to you were always the most dangerous. He could hear an infected coming from his left, but if she pulled a knife on him, he couldn't. It's just how he's been raised. His brain was wired like that and he couldn't get rid of this mindset of not keeping an eye on his allies, no matter how much he wants to trust them.

The hotel finally came into view and Wren felt his guts clenching. It was silent, the place seemed abandoned. No sight of people at first glance. Daniela rose the concern that if they waited too long, the man on the radio could be dead. In response, he let out a single dry chuckle.

"It's been three days. I think he can wait 10 more minutes," he argued, scanning every single window of this building.

He couldn't see any sign of people inside, for now. Focusing on sounds, all he could hear was the ocean. Everything was calm. A bit too calm, if you asked him. But, indeed, it didn't look too active.

"Okay, fine, let's go see what's inside," he said, pulling out his gun and knife, holding the blade downward.

They sneaked toward the building, jumping carefully over a couple of cars that blocked the entrance. Making their way inside carefully, Wren scanned the welcoming area. There was absolutely nothing. No survivors, no infected. Only plants that managed to grow through the cracks here and there. What floor did that man say he was stuck in, again?

He didn't have time to think further before a voice rose behind them. Feeling his heart skip a bit, he quickly turned around, lifting his gun, using the back of the hand holding his knife as support under it and ready to strike too. It was a young man, holding a dead rabbit in his hands, asking them if... they wanted some food?

Daniel, he said?

He looked the guy up and down. He didn't look very military-like. Then again, two years in the apocalypse, what would a military look like?

"Are you the man on the radio?" he asked, still not lowering his weapon. "Got yourself out on your own or other people came to help you?"

Wonder what that meant for their reward. Thought he was offering the rabbit. His mind quickly went over the ways he could cook a rabbit, but he quickly chased those hungry thoughts away. Focus, Wren, that man could be an enemy. He turned his head toward Daniela to see her reaction. Now that they turned around, she was on his blind side. Great.
_____

frogmilk This Name is unavailable

 

[frogmilk]

Daniela Ryder // mentions: Mystikelh This Name is unavailable

Wren was right, it wasn’t like they were going to sit out here waiting another three days. The place was peaceful, there didn’t seem to be any movement at all in there actually. Daniela wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing. She sure hoped the dude was still alive, for obvious reasons. She supposed they’d really have to learn how to fish if things went south. “Okay, fine, let’s go see what’s inside.” He said. Daniela nodded, she felt a little impatient. Curiosity had gotten to her and she really wondered what they were going to come across. What did this mystery man look like? What exactly was the reward? While she didn’t hope for the place to be swarmed, she was itching for a little combat.

That being said, her breath caught in her throat as the man behind them spoke. As quickly as her body would let her, Daniela turned around, gun held high. Wren was quicker than her to speak to the man before them. Her head was still assessing the situation. Finding him without a weapon pointed at them calmed Daniela down a little. Instead he was holding his hands up, she figured it was as a sign of peace. She found the way he had introduced himself a bit strange, but then again what was he supposed to say? A short and sweet “I’m not here to kill you” would’ve been nice though.

The stranger was taller than her by almost a head and seemed a bigger threat physically than she had originally thought of Wren when they first met. His face had strong features, but the thing that caught her attention the most was the bow and quiver poking out from behind him. Her eyes searched his body for something resembling a gun but she found nothing. Of course, he could be hiding one behind his back, but if he was to reach for his bow, she figured she’d have time to shoot him in the leg or something. Hanging around his waist was a rabbit, which caused her to furrow her brows. She shot a quick glance at Wren. It didn’t make sense for him to be the man on the radio. Even if he had gotten out of the pinch, where the hell would he have found a rabbit on an urban island like this?

Finally, Daniela thought she might have put two and two together. She had felt followed since they left the forest. “Where’d you get that rabbit?” she asked, nodding towards it. It scared her, that someone had been able to follow them all the way here without her noticing. She almost felt like throwing up, this new bit of information hadn’t mixed well with her already anxious state. Her face had gotten pale and she really felt the urge to sit down. This wasn’t the time though. Her hands had gotten a little unsteady and a wobbling gun wasn’t exactly a good look, so she tried her best to steady her grip. Daniela longed for a place where she could just relax for once, at this rate she figured what would kill her would be a heart attack.

 

[This Name is unavailable]

Daniel sighed internally, 'Well I'm not dead! So I guess I did something slightly right, now, how am I going to do this next part. You've still got guns painted at you Danny.' He took a deep breath, keeping his hands up, not moving, since it was important that they felt as if they had the power over this situation. "To answer your first question, no I am not to man on the radio, I was actually travelling this was to investigate the message on the radio. Second, I am alone, have been for a very long time. Even before the apocalypse, I wasn't a very big...people...person, per se."

He tried to smile and slightly panicked, 'Shit, how does one smile again? Oh man, this isn't going how I thought it would! Welp, I've come this far, just gotta get it over with!'

Next was the question that could put them more on edge around him, but, he was just going to have to deal with it. 'Man, dealing with a territorial bear is still harder than dealing with the social aspect of people.' Daniel cleared his throat a little, "to answer your final question, I caught this rabbit in the woods." He begins to feel sweat starting to perspire on his back a little. "I apologize, but I've been following you since the rest stop a few days ago, I had to make sure that you weren't bad people before I showed myself. I mean you no harm." Daniel chuckles awkwardly before settling himself down. He really wanted to run away at this moment, his heart hadn't beat this fast since his first hunt, and he was beginning to feel like he had to throw up. 'Well this is going slightly better than I imagined! At least I haven't actually thrown up yet, that wouldn't be pretty...what was the last thing I ate again? Berries? Well at least it would be colorful!'

It had been so long since he had seen people, let alone spoken to them, and it was extremely nerve wracking! He took the time to slightly study the two while he waited to be shot or not. The man was quite short compared to Daniel and his hair covered over one eye, which was slightly intriguing. The man might be blind in that eye, since the hair would obscure his vision if he wasn't, that or he was trying to make a fashion statement. Some people liked that look and Daniel wasn't one to judge. The woman could be described as beautiful, though the apocalypse does no one any favors, and if she wasn't pointing an instrument of death at him in that moment.

He chances a small smile, it wasn't a full one, but at least he remembered how to do that!

frogmilk Mystikelh

 

[LetsGoGuy]

Adam looked up from the desk as he heard the door open. He smiled a bit as JJ walked in. He had just messaged Charlie and her regarding the amazing find over the radio. After sending out a general call for help, they had all switched to a private channel, in case they needed to communicate within the hotel. Adam chuckled as the girl flopped down on the couch, sending papers and dust flying for cover.

"Sure, JJ, what's on your mind?" He asked as he sat up, taking his leg off of the table.

Adam watched as the girl used the medical satchel she carried as a pillow and laid down. Honestly, it had been a tiring few days, and the prospects of a little bit of safety and a stomach full of good food promised to offer them a good night's sleep for a change. However, that was for later, as there was still daylight and they had work they could do.

"Adam, can you teach me how to shoot? We have a ton of guns and bullets now, and I'm tired of being a liability."

Adam pondered over what the girl had said for a few moments. Practically speaking, there was no reason not to teach her how to shoot. She had been around long enough that if she meant to hurt him or do something to him, she could've done it a long time ago. Teaching her how to use a weapon would be a good thing to do. However, some other part of him was reluctant. He had known what it was like to be put on the line, to point and kill, and it was an experience that stuck with him everyday. Looking at JJ, cuddled up on the couch, he wasn't sure if he wanted that for her, or if she could handle it. However, with the small numbers they had. He wasn't really sure if he had the option to decline. He returned from his thoughts and replied.

"I think I can do that. We'd have to find a place that is soundproof, or where the sound would be muffled, so as to keep the infected's attention off us. The defenses we have here are only temporary, and I don't think they'd exactly withstand a hoard battering down our doors." He said with a bit of a chuckle. He opened up one of the drawers and put an object on the table with a solid thunk. It was a small, snub nose revolver. Apparently, the hotel manager had been one prepared for trouble, although the fact that he didn't take it left something to be said for his vigilance.

​

"Here. This should serve for the present. It's a simple point and shoot gun, with enough stopping power to put something down quickly, but with as little kickback as possible. I found it while rummaging around in here and figured this might be your style." He said. He put his hand up before she could make a move to take it though.

"Two rules: Don't point it at anything you're not willing to kill, and always keep it loaded. It's a tool, and like all tools, it could be used properly or improperly. I'll show you how to use it later today. We could probably head to the bas-" Adam was saying, before he stopped. He held up his hand as he listened, leaning a bit toward the hallway. There! He definitely heard voices. And it wasn't Charlie.

Adam stood up and slung his rifle over his shoulder, before drawing his own pistol from his pocket. He looked at JJ. He handed her the pistol as he walked towards the door.

"Someone's in here. Follow me, stay quiet, and if you have to, use that. But let's see who it is first. I'd rather ask questions first and shoot as a last resort." He told her.

Adam slowly opened the door and listened. Again, he heard voices, these ones coming from the lobby. He slowly stalked down the hallway, pressing himself against the wall, until he finally came within view of the lobby. Within, he saw a handful of individuals, already mid-conversation. Two of them were armed, pointing at a third who was sitting on the ground. He had... what appeared to be a bow, strapped to his back, and something hung limply from his side. Adam figured these could be more people responding to his call, but he didn't know what kind of people they were. Unlike JJ and Charlie who had come to his rescue, there was no trial by fire with these people. They'd have to earn his trust the normal way. As he took another step toward the people, betting on their weak peripheral vision and focus on the first individual. As he indicated for JJ to stay behind the wall with her gun ready, he caught the bowman's last words, mid sentence.

" ...make sure you weren't bad people before you showed myself. I mean you no harm." The man's nervous voice concluded. Adam took another step or two into the foyer, before adding his voice.

"Let's all lower our weapons and talk like reasonable people. If you came because of the radio, I'm the one who called." Adam replied. His body was tense, ready to dive for the cover of a couch or table if they opened fire on him, but he was hoping it wouldn't come to that.

 

[Mystikelh]

Wren blinked in disbelief. That guy had been following them since the rest stop? How the hell did that happened, especially since they walked through their fair share of large fields where you could see everything around for miles. And they've been walking for three days! If he really wanted to be sure they weren't bad people, why wait until they got to the damn hotel before showing himself? He opened his mouth to voice his thoughts when another new voice coming from behind him almost made him jump out of his skin.

Wren's immediate reaction was to turn a 90° to face Daniela at his side and take four steps back to be able to see every party in this room. Keep everyone in your field of view, Wren, give yourself some space. He stared at the newcomer, still holding his weapons but not aiming at anybody.

That man did look more like the military type that Wren remembered, and he had confirmed that he was the man on the radio. So he did manage to escape before they got here, but in hindsight, it wasn't really surprising. They did take a few days to get here. Maybe if he hadn't limped so much they could have arrived much faster. Wren's eye kept looking back and forth between the man of the radio and the guy with a bow. He also looked at Daniela, trying to judge what she was thinking. He would also not enjoy his new ally being hurt.

"Yeah, we're here for you," Wren started, slowly. "We came here for the food, and I needed a new organization. But I guess we're a bit late if you already escaped that room you got yourself stuck in, huh?"

Wren lowered his gun a little, trying to show his goodwill to the military man, but he didn't put it away. His palm felt sweaty a little, the tension rising inside him. God, he wanted a cigarette, now. Anything to calm his nerves. His eye glanced around, trying to find an exit if they needed to bolt away. The bowman was standing in front of the entrance, and the military guy was on the other side. Guess if anything, he could shoot a window and jump out of it.

"Look, we're not here to create trouble. Don't know for that guy, though," he nodded toward the man with the bow, "since he's apparently been following us for three days." He glared at him on that last part. "If you don't want us here, we're just going to walk away peacefully."

He stared at Daniela again, looking for support from her. Hopefully, they were on the same wavelength with all this.
_____

frogmilk This Name is unavailable LetsGoGuy

 

[frogmilk]

Daniela Ryder // mentions: LetsGoGuy Mystikelh This Name is unavailable

Daniela had trouble breathing. She drew a deep breath, but it didn’t seem to help. When the third voice spoke up, her heartbeat spiked again. What the hell is up with everyone sneaking up on us? She swiftly turned around again, the gun still in her hand but no longer pointing where she wanted it to. Daniela took her finger off the trigger. That was him, the radio guy. This scene didn’t exactly convey “trustworthy and kind individuals who don’t want trouble” so she decided to put her gun down, despite all the alarms in her head telling her not to. For once, she needed to trust these people really weren’t out to hurt her.

She looked at Wren, who had turned to be able to see all of them. Too anxious to even really take in the situation and what it implied that the radioman had already gotten help, she let out a small gasp. “Dear God, I need to sit down.” She was grateful to Wren for taking the situation better than her. She felt it best to put keep the gun down as they were the only two coming off as threats here. Daniela nodded in agreement to everything Wren was saying, not being able to really put it better herself.

As Wren was talking, she was able to finally assess the situation. The man who apparently was the owner of the voice they had heard on the radio looked tense. Understandable, she herself wouldn’t have taken the gun down until the “reasonable talk” was over in his shoes. It was nice though, meeting people who weren’t as cynical as her. And maybe Wren. She still wasn’t sure about him, after all they had only known each other for a couple of days and it usually took Daniela a lot longer to get to know someone. Radio-dude was really tall, taller than the other man. Daniel, was it? She struggled with putting her finger on how old they were, after all, the apocalypse didn’t make anyone look any younger. They seemed to be in their twenties, though she was able to conclude little more than that.

Wren made eye contact with her, seemingly wanting her to say something. She cleared her throat, still struggling to get enough air into her lungs.
“Uh… yeah, what he said... I’m pretty sure that guy is no menace either. If he wanted us dead, he had three days to do it.” She gave the two strange men a nervous look, an attempt of a smile on her lips, trying to make herself appear a little more friendly. She wasn’t sure if it was visible, but in her state, she could barely manage it. Ever since the dead started rising, Daniela’s view on life after death had been taken for a ride, and she still had some talking with the big guy to do before the idea of death didn’t seem scary as hell. Until then, she guessed the only thing keeping her alive would be to never fully trust anyone.

 

[LetsGoGuy]

Adam lowered his weapon a bit and slid it into his leg holster. From the looks of things, these three were as ragged as he was. The girl looked like she was on her last nerve, if not a bit malnourished. The man with his hair in his face looked a little worse for wear as well, but a shade better than the girl. However, it was the bowman who really looked the best. Sure, his clothes were patched and ratty to a reasonable degree, just like everyone else around here, but he didn't have the same dim, sickly, pallor the other two had. If anything, he glowed in comparison to them. Adam reasoned this was likely because the man could hunt or gleam for his own food. From the bow on his back and the dead rabbit dangling from his side, it was likely that he knew how to keep himself fed. That was something immensely useful. Adam turned to address the long haired man first.

"Well, while my immediate troubles were solved by my current companions, I do have some long term plans that could use more hands. So, in that regard, I wouldn't turn down any help you could offer. At the very least, it'll take more than myself to keep this hotel safe and secure, and even if I had the energy, I don't think I'd have the time to keep it all running myself. So, at the very least, if you wanted to help with that, I'd be more than happy to help."

Adam addressed the rest of the speech to all three, "However, even if you didn't help me out of my mess, you wanted to. You came to my rescue even when you didn't have to. The least I can do is offer to share what food I have at the moment. Care to join us for dinner? I promise it'll be delicious. Especially if we have some roast rabbit to add to the mix." He said, turning to the bowman.

"You wouldn't mind sharing right?" He asked, curiously. He then remembered he hadn't even told them his name. My manners have sorely lessened he thought as he cleared his throat.

"My name is Adam by the way. Would you mind sharing yours?" He asked.

 

[Songbird500]

Charlie had been looking over the map again when she’d received the message from Adam. Since her and JJ’s arrival they’d switched the radio to a private channel, and it had worked perfectly for them to keep in touch. Clearing the hotel had been much easier than expected, granted Adam did much of the heavy lifting with JJ and Charlie having very little skill when it came to killing the infected, but they still did their dues with a plan Adam had concocted to focus on each of their strengths. As such, they’d managed to get the whole place cleared in three days. It had come to a surprise to Charlie and she could tell Adam felt the same way. The amount of infected they’d found scattered within the hotel had been nothing compared to its actual capacity, but clearly people hadn’t waited around to see what fate might bring them. Charlie hadn’t had time to venture off in search for her family yet and she’d also yet to bring it up to Adam or JJ .However, with the good news over the radio, maybe tonight would be a good time to do so if everyone was in a good mood.

Charlie had been making her way down to meet Adam when she had heard the voices. Immediately she had crouched down and tried to limit her movement but cursed herself when realised she’d forgotten her hockey stick. It had faired her well so far, giving her reach when dealing with the infected but clearly she’d grown complacent after clearing the hotel and hadn’t thought much of carrying it with her at all times. It probably wouldn’t have been much help anyway if she was facing off with real people, but it felt foolish not to have something as protection. Charlie managed to shuffle quietly over to the top of the stairs and where she was, she was high enough to look down into the lobby and the corridors leading off from it. She managed a peek in the direction of the voices and saw three individuals and to her surprise one was sitting down. It had to be noted that the other two seemed not to know the individual seated since they had their own guns pointed at him but that he did appear the least ragged out of the bunch. Charlie was deliberating heading back to their room to warn Adam over the radio when he appeared from a doorway. He'd come out with his own gun pointing at them but after a brief exchange of words he had holstered it and seemed to invite the strangers to eat with them. Charlie would have been lying if she said she agreed with his plan of action, she’d been wary enough as it was with Adam and JJ but with three others now added to the mix things could get complicated, and two of the strangers had guns to boot. Charlie had been trying to catch Adam’s eyeline for some time now but didn’t want to make much noise to give away her position. She’d not seen JJ yet so they still had some element of surprise, but Charlie still couldn’t help but bite her lip in anticipation. She didn’t know what to do other than watch the individuals and hopefully in that have Adam’s back.

LetsGoGuy frogmilk Mystikelh This Name is unavailable Tjek

 

[Mystikelh]

Wren looked between all the occupants of the room. This man, Adam, seemed honest enough. He couldn't sense any cunning vibe coming from him. He had put his weapon away, leaving himself vulnerable to them. It still could be a trap, but at this point, Wren was too exhausted to fight if a skirmish blew up. Despite that, Wren couldn't stop the nagging voice at the back of his head, sounding awfully like his father, telling him he was giving in too easily and a true Kingsley should just take whatever he wanted. But Wren chased away those thoughts. He had limited ammo, he was exhausted, and his only ally looked like she was going to faint at any moment.

With a heavy sigh, Wren put his weapon away, hoping he wasn't making a mistake. His pride felt somewhat bruised at this. How low had he fallen, in those last few days? If he was killed, right here and now, would his father have been right about him? Somehow, this was the thing that left the most bitter taste in his mouth.

"My name is Wren," he answered Adam. "And she's Daniela," he nodded toward her.

He took the few steps he had put between Daniela and himself, awkwardly putting a hand on her arm in a slow movement. "You're going to be okay?" he asked, watching Daniela's face. It really wasn't the moment for him to lose the only person he somewhat knew. Guess he was better under pressure than she was.

He turned back to Adam, not forgetting about the other man behind him, "Dinner sounds fantastic. We've been running low on supplies on our way here. It wasn't a short walk for us. If you need help with that, I'd love to give a hand. I did a lot of cooking, before and after the start of the apocalypse."

He glanced around the lobby of the hotel. "How safe is this place? Where are your other companions? How many are you?" That was probably a lot of questions for the man, but Wren needed to know. If he was okay with sharing all this, then he would be easier for Wren to judge if he was trustworthy or not. At least, enough to call him his leader.

A group was only as strong as their leader, after all. And if the people couldn't fall under their leader, out of respect or fear, then everything would crumble very quickly and Wren would rather just jump ship before it catches fire.

 

[Le Sigh]

They'd chosen to go south, through the Nineteenth Bloc territory. Rhyse had said she'd be able to handle herself in combat.

They'd been overwhelmed, and Judith had to make a break for it. Rhyse and her had been separated; she didn't know if the therapist was alive or dead. Hopefully, it was the former and not the latter.

Now, about four days later, Judith had arrived at the fabled town of Cascade. She still had most of the fresh fruit, and her silenced 9mm still had enough ammunition to last for about one week, longer if she didn't have to run into too much trouble.

Looking around, she almost immediately found the hotel - a large, 90-degree-angle-shaped Art Deco building that had been ancient and decrepit long before the infected arose. The old (and dead) neon sign read "STA RW Y TO HE VEN", and she could see the crushed remains of the letters that had fallen to the ground. Several bullet-ridden infected corpses lay around the parking lot and front lobby, and she could hear voices speaking inside.

Still wary after that close encounter with the Nineteenth Bloc, she edged around the corner, pistol out, remaining hidden.

(RDG 1 - son of a b*tch)

And that was when the anklebiter bit her. It had been lying beneath the wreck of an abandoned car, which had run it over and severed it from below the waist before crashing through the walls into the central lobby and remaining there. Judith, so focused on not being seen by the humans, did not notice it as she stepped towards them. And so when it sunk its teeth through her leather boot into her left ankle, she was caught completely by surprise.

A small, involuntary cry escaped her lips, and she yanked her leg from the creature's grasp. She whipped her pistol around and fired twice, directly into the head of the thing. It exploded like a rotten egg, spraying blood and brains on her arms and chest.

Afterwards, Judith simply collapsed, back against the wrecked car, feeling ill. She'd been bit. How could she have been so stupid? If they hadn't seen or heard her before, they definitely would now.

 

[This Name is unavailable]

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, he was glad that things seemed to be settling down somewhat, and he really wasn't all to comfortable with all the guns that had been pointing at him. After the long haired man introduced himself as Wren, the girl as Daniela, he took that moment to speak up. "Hey, the name's Daniel, I wouldn't mind sharing any of this rabbit. I caught it the other day while traveling here, I will help out wherever I can, I grew up in the woods with my father learning the ways of nature." He chuckled nervously. MAN, could he have sounded any more like a tool? He was slowly wilting inside and decided to do something before the situation turned extremely awkward.

"I'm sorry if I caused you panic," said turning towards Wren and Daniela, "I didn't reveal myself because it just never felt like the right moment? I'm not very good with interacting with people." He chuckled while scratching the back of his head. He could feel the blood rushing to his ears.

It was then that he remembered that Wren had been asking the man some questions before he had put his two cents in. "Anyway, i'll uh, let you get back to the questions!" So Daniel went silent and just elected to pay attention to what was going on around them. He began to secretly, yet thoroughly, scan the environment like he always did. Looking for anything out of the ordinary.

His eyes passed by a figure looming over the top of the stairs but decided not to say anything about it as it had seemed to really want to gain the attention of Adam. It was slightly amusing but he couldn't really feel any hostility coming from the figure so he chose to ignore it for now. Besides, there may be more pressing matters to deal with, like the undead that could be silently surrounding this building as they speak. There was too much life in this one area and it was bound to draw them.

That's when he heard the gunshots, along with a high pitched, scream.

It sounded like it had come from outside, definitely human, and it had sounded like a woman. Well, either she was dead, or she was going to be soon. Though he refrained from drawing his bow. He didn't want to attract the attention that move would bring him. He would follow what the others would do first.

 

[frogmilk]

Daniela Ryder // mentions: LetsGoGuy This Name is unavailable Mystikelh Le Sigh

A small sigh of relief escaped Daniela as the man from the radio returned his gun to its holster. Well, this is new, she thought to herself. She wasn’t usually like this. After so much time alone, she guessed she’d gotten used to the only danger being walking corpses. Paired with her body protesting the lack of nutrition, she really was worse for wear.

She listened carefully to what the man was saying. It made sense, a place as big as this would need more than one man guarding it. Ideally, maybe they’d take turns. She shot a glance at Wren, to see how he was taking it all. To be frank, her decision wouldn’t all be based on Wren. After all they had only known each other for a couple of days and Daniela knew better than to trust a man she found in the forest. Speaking of, her eyes shifted from Wren to the Daniel guy before quickly returning to Wren as she felt his hand on her arm.

Daniela nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m good. Don’t worry.” she answered. Maybe she wasn’t fine or good, but it wasn’t a big deal. She figured it would blow over as soon as she got her hands on something to eat. As the rabbit hunter spoke up, Daniela turned to look at him. His speech was a little awkward, though she found it oddly endearing. He didn’t seem like bad people. Though… a lot of them don’t.

“It’s okay, I suppose. To be fair I’d probably have done the same.” To err is human, to forgive divine, or whatever. She put the gun back into its place in her jeans before returning the attention to Adam. The mention of dinner reminded her of how long she had gone without eating and she considered just playing nice and going along with whatever until dinner had been served. How very ethical.

Not that she was going to say anything, but before she had the chance Wren had already started asking him questions. All of which she wanted answers to as well. A big group would be intimidating, though judging from what Adam had mentioned earlier about needing help with this place she figured it couldn’t be more than a handful of people. Including him.

A cry reached her ears and she was quick to have the gun back in her hands. Though still unsteady due to her shaky hands. “What was that?” she blurted out, eyes travelling to the door. Weirdly enough, this new rush of adrenaline returned her sharp senses. Going out alone would be kind of risky. It could be a trap. She looked at Wren for his reaction. She thought they might as well stick together until further notice.

 

[Mystikelh]

The cacophony coming from outside sent Wren into high alert, clutching his gun again as he pointed it past Daniel toward the entrance door. He waited for a moment for something to happen, anything. People armed bursting in, ready to kill them. Infected monsters coming for their flesh. Even another lost soul wandering inside this hotel searching for food. But it just didn't happen.

Wren released his breath slowly, glancing at the other occupants of the room. The sound of gunfire had caught everybody's attention. He crossed Daniela's eyes who stared at him and he nodded back to her, swallowing with difficulty. Someone needed to act, and guess that would be Wren. He took a few steps, walking around Daniel, sending him a look that hopefully conveyed the words: Cover me and I might forgive you. The ex-criminal made his way to the entrance door, holding his own gun steadily in his right hand as he pushed the still standing door of the hotel. He froze for a moment, listening for any movement, keeping himself glued to the wall of the entryway in case he needed to duck for cover. One second, two seconds, three seconds...

A ragged breath. Something like a whine, maybe? Very close to where he was. Actually, probably just on the other side of the wall. No time to turn around to see who was behind him - curse his dumb limited vision on the left side - Wren suddenly jumped out, pointing his gun toward the person on the other side only to encounter a collapsed young lady clutching her bloody ankle. The dead infected at her side told the whole story.

A swear escaped his lips as he turned back to the lobby. "Somebody just got bitten! Get your asses over here!" He turned back to the bitten lady. "You're one unlucky fucker, you know that?"

He looked at her ankle again. He always wondered if it was possible to save someone if they were quick enough. His father always chose to shoot anyone who got a deep scratch or a bite from an infected.

"So, you want the bullet right now, or you wanna try the saw?" Probably too blunt, but he didn't care. This day was just becoming more and more of a shitshow.

_____

Le Sigh frogmilk This Name is unavailable LetsGoGuy Songbird500

 

[Le Sigh]

Bitten.

How could this happen? For two years since the infected hordes overcame humanity and triumphed in the reduction of civilization to a paranoid tribal state, Judith had let her guard down. When had she gotten so sloppy? How could she have gotten this sloppy? She'd been a trained criminal and hitwoman, and ever since the apocalypse - the Desolation - she had only honed her ability to evade the assaults of the mindless hordes of undead.

And in one fell swoop - one moment in which she could have looked under the car to make sure nothing was there, wasted - she was done for.

Perhaps it was the human comfort. The first comfort she'd had in almost a week, since the therapist... went missing. It was a foolish thing to fall for. The last time she'd joined a group, they'd been very successful until they got sloppy. And then they all died a horrid death while Judith was able to escape with nary a scratch - with another survivor in tow as well! She should have learned from that experience. Don't get sloppy. Don't think things are better. And definitely don't join up with large groups.

But all the same... there was something very tempting about being around a large group of others. There was... comfort. Security. Joy. Welcome. The feeling of belonging. And a sort of distant nostalgia for the way things had been only two years before. All of these things were very dangerous and would (and did) eventually lead to death and collapse.

But still-

"Somebody just got bitten! Get your asses over here!" Immediately, Judith snapped back to reality. A small man with a grungy appearance had a large handgun trained on her - she couldn't make out the caliber and manufacturer from here. The man turned back to her and growled, "You're one unlucky fucker, you know that?"

Judith chose not to respond, thinking anything she said might only worsen the situation. Instead, she looked down at her bitten ankle and hissed through her teeth. The bite was deep - the infected had been able to sink its teeth in. Small, pulsing red veins were beginning to spread out from the wound. This was most certainly not good.

The man with the gun saw it too, and looked at her in a somewhat exasperated manner. "So, you want the bullet right now, or you wanna try the saw?" he asked her.

Judith considered for only a moment, then said "As long as you have something for the pain - even a rag to bite on - I'll take the saw."