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]

"Asshole," Annabelle comments. "Yeah, I've got a spare." Or two, or six. You know, just in case.

"Anything in particular you favor?"

[pheliskougra]

Kelly's not picky, she'll gladly take a heavy hunting revolver, and seems to be pretty comfortable handling the Death Adder .45. "So where you guys' going?" She will gather a jacket and an unipack too, plus a sturdy hatchet.

[aeons_crackshot]

"We're looking for someone," Annabelle replies. She glances at Monica. If Monica wants to go into detail, that would be her cue.

[pheliskougra]

"My husband." Monica clarifies. "We're heading to the Heights."

Kelly nods. "Mind if I tag along?" Nobody in their right mind wants to stay alone in a nightmare like this.

"Sure. Let's go." Monica starts back to the door.

[aeons_crackshot]

"The more the merrier," Annabelle adds with a smile. The three women head back out into the zombie infested town.

Maybe they won't run into any more zombies on the way, for once?

[pheliskougra]

Oh, sure.

Hah!

They barely stepped outside when a rotund shambler comes out of the alley. Kelly quickly puts a bullet on its face, but the zombie just staggers back a half step. "Shit. It's my boss!" It seems his cowardly escape did not take him far.

[aeons_crackshot]

"Ironic," Annabelle drawls. Then she removes most of the zombie's head with a shotgun.

It's kinder than making Kelly do it, after all.

[pheliskougra]

Ah, the overpowering stench of zombie flesh splattered all around.

Monica fires her shotgun into the face of another zombie who just lurched to its feet from behind a crashed car. The sound of gunshots stirs a few others, out of houses, buildings, alleys.

It was too quiet to last, after all.

[aeons_crackshot]

"Why is it always walking fucking corpses," Annabelle grumbles.

Possibly the two ladies with her will be a bit surprised at the action movie like combat skills Annabelle suddenly brings to the table. She's capping zombies and making the laws of probability cry in ways that would make action movie producers go "Nah, that's too unrealistic for our audience."

[pheliskougra]

They will say something. Later.

Monica still lacks skill, but with more confidence, she manages to not just waste ammo.

Kelly, on the other hand, is a fairly good shot, and could probably hold her on unless really swarmed.

Some two dozen zombies later, things are quiet again.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle eyes the position of the sun. "We'd best put some speed on if we want to be sure we get where we're going before it gets dark."

[pheliskougra]

Monica totally agrees with that. She'll redistribute some ammo for Kelly to carry, and lead the way at a faster pace.

Ten blocks ahead (and about the same number of zombies) they turn into the 8th Avenue, and Monica points out the apartment buildings block far ahead. "Brookvale Heights." Still a ways to go, but -probably- the group can make it there before sunset.

You likely notice a building (Plenty Phone), reinforced much like Jackson's house, and marked with the 'safe' symbol.

[aeons_crackshot]

"Do you want to check that building out first?" Annabelle asks, gesturing toward the fortified building.

[pheliskougra]

Monica pauses, glances one way and the other, then nods. "Quickly. We can spend the night at the apartment, and then double back here in the morning."

Opening the place is simple, Jackson having demonstrated how to operate the external lock system.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle nods. She'll keep an eye out for trouble while they get the door open.

Paranoia, what paranoia?

[pheliskougra]

Paranoia's the wing beneath your wings.

Monica quickly opens the 'cage' protecting the entrance, and Kelly slips in after the other woman.

For now, things seem quiet.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle slips in after them, still on full alert.

Better paranoid than undead, as it were.

[pheliskougra]

The inside is a bit dark, but never fear: on a table near the entrance there are lanterns and batteries. Further in, a dozen sleeping bags, then piles of MRE's and bottled water, medical supples, four shotguns and a good stock of ammo.

At the very back, six chemical toilets.

All the comforts of home.

Monica gives a satisfied sigh and nod. "Yeah, looks like a good place where we could retreat."

[aeons_crackshot]

"Definitely." "Now we've just got to get your fellow out of whatever mess he's stuck in."

[pheliskougra]

"Roger better not be in any messes." Monica frowns, heading to the exit again.

Kelly takes just long enough to slip two water bottles into her bag, before going after the other woman.

[aeons_crackshot]

"Well, we are all smack in the middle of a zombie attack," Annabelle points out.

She follows the other two to the exit.

[pheliskougra]

Outside, you see the sun going down on the west. Only a couple hours of daylight more.

There are dead-dead corpses on the street, crashed cars, rubble, hastily made barricades. Piles of burned bodies still smolder, empty gun cartridges litter spots here and there, all signs speaking of fierce battle.

Monica is already rushing ahead some, impatient and reckless, worry for her husband cutting on her survival instincts.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle doesn't curse, much, when Monica rushes ahead. She just grumbles and picks up her own pace a bit.

Maybe the zombies in this area are already re-dead?

[pheliskougra]

Is it any surprise that a zombie jumps out of an alley and attacks Monica?

Most likely not at all.

Is it any surprise this is not a shambler, but a quick-moving walking corpse that is armed with a two-by-four, and plenty able to to use to whack the woman out of balance and off her feet?

Is it a surprise the way the zombie screeches at its intended victim, acting more like a cunning predator than like a flesh-eating drone?

Finally, is it a surprise how Kelly drops into a crouching position for stability, takes aim with both hands and taps Mr. Armed Zombie with a bullet to the head, sending it tumbling away from Monica?

[aeons_crackshot]

Now, on the other hand, is the perfect time for cursing.

Annabelle has never run into 'smart' zombies before, and she would much rather have kept up that record, thank you.

The tumbling zombie gets another bullet or two to the head to make sure it will no longer be a problem. (There is no such thing as overkill, there is only 'open fire' and 'I need to reload'.)