The Last Stand

[pheliskougra]

It's a dark stormy night might be a cliché in story-telling, but it's also stark reality now: the patter of heavy rain and the crack of thunder rousing you to conscience.

You are inside your sedan, face-first into the deployed airbag. Your chest hurts a little from the yanking of the seatbelt, but besides that minimal discomfort you seem uninjured.

The car is halfway into a ditch beside the road, the left-side light still on. The engine is stopped, and the whole of the car is askew, stuck in an odd angle. There's a crack on the windshield, passenger side, and the rain is washing off what seems to be blood.

You remember... a person, running into the road right in front of you. No time to stop, and you only had a glimpse before hitting the person, losing control of the car and crashing.

Probably you should do something about your current situation.

Who are you?

Why were you going to Union City?

Comments

[aeons_crackshot]

Yay, teamwork! Annabelle starts swearing aloud now, more out of frustration than fear.

Why is is always zombies, damn it!

[pheliskougra]

Why always snakes, Indy?

Hmm, Ted obviously has skill and experience with guns, since he manages to score neck and head shots fairly consistently. Monica goes for center of mass, and more often than not needs two shots to drop a zombie.

See, the shotguns also have only five shots, which means she needs to go for reload a lot.

[aeons_crackshot]

Well, she DOES carry a whip.....

"Aim for the head!" Annabelle barks in Monica's direction. "Center mass only works if the damn things aren't already dead!"

And this has bee your Life Lesson for the day, kids!

[pheliskougra]

"Easier said than done!" She will try, miss two shots, and need a quick rescue by Ted, who uses the heavy Death Adder revolver to down the zombie.

It's a good thing Annabelle happened into the scene, going alone Monica would be zombie chow quickly.

Coast's clear, for now.

[aeons_crackshot]

A very good thing. Annabelle sometimes forgets that not everyone has lots of experience with guns.

"Looks like we've thinned the herd for the moment," she says with a sigh.

[pheliskougra]

"For now." Ted agrees, reloading the guns, and shouldering the backpack. "Let's move."

Monica takes her load of weapons and ammo too, ready to move.

[aeons_crackshot]

"Sounds like a plan," she agrees. Maybe the trip back will be uneventful? Ha ha ha.

[pheliskougra]

Very uneventful.

Except for the few zombies who don't shamble, but rather run, charge and screech. And a couple military zombies, wearing helmets still.

Yes, the noise they made attracted unwanted attention.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle sighs at the sight of military zombies, but she doesn't let the exasperation slow her down.

Stupid zombies, stupid military, stupid messed up universe....

[pheliskougra]

Blessed safehouse: they make their way back before noon, and are very welcome.

You get to meet Ray Stevens, Jackson's neighbor, an older man who seems very calm and collected about the whole situation. A bit of conversation reveals he's a retired police officer.

While this, Monica's busy separating the things she will take (heavy revolver, shotgun, ammo, water, food), clearly intending to head out at once.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle's keeping an eye on Monica. "Easy there, Tiger. You're not heading out by your lonesome."

Especially not with Monica's....lackluster gun skills.

[pheliskougra]

"I'm not leaving my husband a minute longer alone. I can get to our apartment in three hours, if that much." Technically, plenty of time until sunset.

Not being out in the dark with the zombies, good idea.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle nods. "You'll have to lead the way."

Yes, she is inviting herself along.

[pheliskougra]

Monica pauses, and blinks: apparently she had forgotten. "Thank you."

Jackson will help pack, and tell about safehouses... HERC and the Military were going to secure some buildings with grating, steel blinds, reinforced doors, to be used as refuges for survivors. All are marked with the same symbol and should have beds, food, water and medical supplies. "Any radio you tune to AM 1200 or FM 100 will catch an HERC broadcast... it has been only a recording about staying indoors and waiting for rescue lately, but who knows?"

[aeons_crackshot]

"Good to know," Annabelle replies with a smile. "Try and stay out of trouble till we get back, eh? One rescue operation is enough for a day," she teases Jackson.

[pheliskougra]

"You take care too, miss." He chuckles and nods. "And if things get dangerous, well, we'll be here a while."

[aeons_crackshot]

"I will," she promises. "Keep the light on for us."

Next up, adventure!

[pheliskougra]

And dangerous adventure.

But, there's any other kind?

As a parting gift, Ed Boone offers you and Monica some bolt cutters and a crowbar. Who knows when breaking and entering might be needed, right? "There's a hardware store not far across the river, you'd do well checking for more tools there."

[aeons_crackshot]

Indeed.

"Good to know. My walking through walls skills are a little rusty."

And by "rusty" she means non-existent.

[pheliskougra]

"Good thing those things out there can't walk through walls either." Ed says, shaking head. "Or do more than try to grab you."

Monica is by the door, waiting...

[aeons_crackshot]

"Damn good thing. Catch you on the flip side, Ed."

Annabelle walks to the door. No point in burning any more daylight.

[pheliskougra]

None, really.

The bolt cutters quickly prove to be really useful: opening the gate on the blocked bridge. securing it closed is a simple matter of 'tying' it with some leftover barned wire.

Monica leads the way out of the bridge, into Tanner Street. "We go down to the end, and turn into 8th Avenue. I like on Brookvale Heights, an apartment building overlooking Canal Park."

[aeons_crackshot]

None of those names mean anything to Annabelle, but she nods in understanding. This place is, thankfully, not her home.

"Is there a canal in Canal Park? That could be useful." Zombies don't swim well, and travel by water can be faster than going overland.

[pheliskougra]

"Yeah, it's actually Whistler's Creek, the Canal was built for flood control back in the 50's. Whistler's Creek meets the Union River down that way." She points eastwards, while the street you're following head North.

Just a block down the street, there's the hardware store Ed mentioned.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle nods, fixing those directions in her mind, just in case. She grins when they reach the hardware store. "Time for a bit of breaking and entering, I think."

You never know what will come in handy, right?