"Perhaps The Dead Are The Lucky Ones" (closed)

Primary Character's Profile (from TertiusHuman's first post and info from GM).

• Name: Andrew Cross
• Age: 29
• Place in Story:
  • Survivor; too early to tell.
  • Former Career: Jobless, previously employed as mechanic
• Personal details:
  • Heterosexual; single; no children.
  • 2 years military; two years college.
  • No family in the nearby area; father and mother were on a trip in Europe and sister was working in Australia for her company when the story began.
• Other pertinent life experience:
  • IT training.
  • Basic mechanical experience.
  • Loves camping.
  • Avid bow hunter.
• Physical description: Dark brown hair, green eyes, tall and stocky build. Skull tattoo on left shoulder. Hair cut short. Clean shaved.
• Marital/Dating Status: Single
• Combat and Killing Experience:
  • None against humans.
  • Hunting (with bow; see below).
  • Will edit as time passes.
• Weapons and Experience:
  • Skilled with a compound hunting bow.
  • At the story's beginning, he has such a bow and a quiver of 12 arrows.
  • At the story's beginning, though, he isn't at home.

Non Player Characters:

• For the 1st 4 named NPCs, see Post #3.
• To include information here would be a "spoiler" for anyone reading along.
• Others will come.

May 1st:

No one understood what was happening until after it was too late…

A military-style drone began circling the city just after dawn. It never took quite the same path through the sky twice.

Then, it simply flew away, without anyone down below realizing that it had been emitting a biological weapon from a tank where typically a missile would have been attached.

By sundown, dozens then hundreds then thousands of people were going mad, becoming little more than rabid animals, rushing about the streets attacking, killing, and eating other people.

Eating other people!

There didn’t seem to be any pattern to who was affected and who wasn’t.

You weren’t!

ManInTheLoft said:

Name: Andrew Cross
Age: 29
Career: Jobless, previously employed as mechanic
Other pertinent life experience: IT training, loves camping, avid bow hunter and basic mechanical experience.
Physical description: Dark brown hair, green eyes, tall and stocky build. Skull tattoo on left shoulder. Hair cut short. Clean shaved.
Current location: Applying for work position at Garage
Marital/Dating Status: Single

Click to expand...

Andrew stood at the window, he had heard rumors about people attacking other people early this morning, but he took it as some sort of protest action. Usually people clashed with each other when they protested about something that the other people did or accepted as normal.

He was busy waiting for his turn in the interview room and to keep himself calm, he had decided against the trap of sitting down and reading. Those two things takes your mind off of the interview and that was something he did not want. He wanted to think about it, run the various possible questions and answers through his mind.

But the sirens broke his attention and he was now looking outside to see what was going on.

The streets just outside the garage erupt in mayhem.

Inside the garage, there is panic amongst the patrons. One by one, most flee, either with their cars or on foot.

, the owner of the gun shop down the block. And yes, she is packing: a 9mm semi-automatic rarely if ever leaves her hip.

Four people remain behind with you:

• Frank, the boss. He very quickly reveals himself as being a bit of a grouch with a cynical side. (He'd been making rude comments about protesters and how they should appreciate what America has given them ... not realizing, of course, that it wasn't a protest.
• Pablo, the chief mechanic. He's kind of quiet. He was the one who initially interviewed you, not Frank; and during that process, you got a good feeling that he knew his stuff and was a standup kinda guy.
• Sasha, the assistant mechanic. She barely acknowledge you initially, just looking you up and down before going back to her work. (BTW, Pablo told you that she's not a trained mechanic. "Lube jobs, wipers, fill the tires, that kind of stuff. She's Frank's niece, so, what's that tell you. But what a fuckin ass, right?")
• Valerie, the owner of the gun shop down the block. And yes, she's packing heat: a 9mm rarely if ever leaves her hip. And she's got attitude: at one point, she declares "I'm white male society's greatest fear: a black woman with a carry permit!"

As the mayhem on the street continues, Pablo and Sasha look to Frank for direction, as he is the boss. Valerie just watches the mayhem, worried about whether or not her store will be looted.

But Frank's no hero. He orders the bay doors closed and the security gates shut across the front.

He asks you just before the last security gate is closed:

• "So, ya stickin' around buddy...?"
• "Or are ya getting the hell out of here?"

What are you going to do?

BTW, I will send you PMs titled "SPOILER". Don't open them until you have read the most recent Game post.

On hunting trips I had stalked cats, that meant that I had to observe them, remain undetected as I watched them go about their hunting and patrolling. I had seen cats kill, I had seen wild dogs and wolves kill and I sure as hell never saw a human dragging another one down to throw dukes.

I turned from the windows and eyed the last open security gate. Would it be safer to stick around? I mean right outside it seemed like people had gone totally mental. Do I really want to try and make my way home through that mess?

My window of opportunity wasn't big and I made my decision, "I think I will stick around. I sure hope these windows will keep those people outside, they seem dangerous."

The last security gate is pulled into place. You are reassured that no one and nothing is getting inside.

Over the next hour, there is a lot of discussion about what’s happening outside. The mayhem continues; rabid humans attack normal ones.

The police are ineffective. They are overrun almost as easily as regular people. The cops’ guns are dropped and picked up by others, who then drop them after they are attacked. From the auto shop, you can see rifles and guns on the street, but it is very unlikely that any of them have rounds in them.

Remaining here until the mayhem ends is considered. Frank says, “It’s gotta end sometime, right?”

A quick inventory finds:

• The candy/chip/juice vending machine is full. In the sense of servings, let's call it 30 servings to be shared amongst them all.
• You can create all sorts of hand weapons from the parts in the shop.
• Frank has a bottle of vodka.
• Valerie has two clips of 9 rounds each.
• Frank has a 12 gauge riot gun and a partial box with 14 rounds.
• Did I miss anything obvious? Feel free to ask.

Concerning the others:

• Pablo wants to stay here. He is concerned but not overly scared.
• Sasha: same pretty much.
• Frank: he’s already swigging on the bottle, scared shitless.
• Valerie: she’s feigning confidence and occasionally pulling out her Glock, then holstering it again. But she is actually afraid and uncertain.

So, if you want to wait until morning to see what happens, the others will do that. (There is a couch in the waiting room and cars in the bay in which they can sleep.)

If you want to go out when dark arrives, Valerie wants to get to her gun store. She will go with you.

If other, tell me.

"I'm all up for waiting to see if things calm down. I'd rather not go out at night, we don't have any night sight equipment here and light will attract attention if we move outside."

My main concern is Frank, people look to him since he is the owner and boss, but as he swigs on the Vodka, I fear that it might bring about two reactions. Either give him courage and have him storm out or make him break down and he starts shooting anything that moves.

I wait until he picks up the bottle again, I gently rest a hand on his wrist and speak softly so that the other's will not hear. "Listen Frank, maybe you want to easy on the bottle huh? We might need it later or not and right now we all need a clear head. How about we grab some juice and share that with the others."

I deliberately didn't make it a question, that would make things seem uncertain. Also I gave him the option to either do as I suggested or go on drinking, which will force me to get help from the others and since I was the outsider, I wasn't quite certain that I'd get that support.

Your handling of Frank goes over well with the others if not with Frank. He’s used booze all his life to wash away his problems, and right now that’s all he wants to do.

The no nonsense Sasha sees your concern but also knows her uncle. He’s not going to respond to you wanting to seize his bottle. She steps right up to snatch the bottle, take a swig, and pass it onto Pablo.

“Let us join you, Uncle,” she tells Frank, before looking to you and saying almost in a whisper, “More for us means less for him, right?”

She smile to you and winks. It’s impossible to know whether she is flirting or just being friendly because she immediately turns to chat with Valerie about her gun shop. The bottle makes its way from Pablo to Valerie to Sasha and then to you.

Do you sip, swig, or pass?

The bottle goes again to Pablo, then Valerie, then Sasha, is offered to you again, and by the time it gets back to Frank there is only one gulp remaining. Problem solved, in a roundabout way.

Valerie speaks of her gun shop. It will likely be safe from the cannibals and from the casual looters: it was still early in the morning and she hadn’t yet opened, so the heavy steel security gates were still down. But if someone rammed a vehicle through the front, all bets are off.

Later:

The sun is down and the streets are quieter. They are virtually no living people left, and the only time you see them they are running for their lives with cannibals on their tails.

“It’s been a long day, and we need to sleep,” Sasha says. Valerie agrees. Pablo has already searched the cars for bedding: he finds a long, heavy coat and 2 blankets. Sasha reports, Franks already passed out in this office, so don’t worry about him.”

What do you do before going to sleep?

It is not quite my brand of Vodka, but Sasha kind of makes sense, the less there is for Frank the less of a problem there will be. So I take a sip and on the return of the bottle I take another sip. Along with juice and a few chocolate bars from the dispenser, the day goes by and it seemed like the streets around the garage grew quiet.

Some people still wandered around, but to me they looked drunk, stumbling and shambling around. I noticed how they react to loud noises and luckily we have kept rather quiet so far. The street lights flicker to live as does a few advertising boards. I return to the group.

"It's been a long day, but from the sound and look of things outside it doesn't seem over yet. I suggest we stay put and overnight here. Better to be safe than sorry."

They nod their consent and I realized that I am part of the group now.

"I also realize that we are secure in here, but I feel we should keep watch. We can't be too sure and place our lives in that security."

"Distrusting much?"

I gave Sasha a slight smile, "Maybe too much horror movies."

We share a chuckle and I motion to Frank, who is already passed out in his office, "He knows we are looking out for him, so he is sleeping already."

"Okay, but how do we stand watch?"

I look at Pablo, "We are five, so the first thought would for each of us to take an hour of guard duty. I think we should buddy up. One person will be the odd one out and I will take that as well as the middle shift, that will give everybody around six hours of sleep."

"Let me guess, war movies?"

I had to smile, Sasha was not going to take my suggestions without good reason and for now it seemed like a good thing. "No, writing programs to use logistics for working out guard schedules for a Security company. Turns out that two guards on two hour shifts really get more done than one guard in an hour."

I just hope that if something bad happened she would trust my reasoning enough to not question me, unless it was an idiotic idea of course.

The comradery seems to already be forming: with the exception of Frank being a bit peeved about having to share his vodka, they all seem to like you; and you notice that they all seem to like one another enough.

"I've been up since 4am," Pablo says, explaining about having to be at the gym before work. You will notice over time that he's just a slightly bit conceited about his physique. "If you don't mind, I'll take the second watch."

"Similar sitch here," Valerie says. She pulls her 9mm's belt clip holster from her hip and gives it to Sasha. "If I recall, you know how to use this."

Sasha doesn't hesitate to pull the weapon, check the clip and the pipe for a round, and fit the holster onto her own hip. She's obviously handled one before.

Sasha in turn pulls the shotgun out from under the counter and offers it out toward you. "Point, pull. Watch the kick."

She drops onto the couch in the waiting room, smiling to you as she says, "I guess its me and you, then."

Pablo and Valerie bid the pair of you good night and wander off. Pablo finds a Cadillac in the far bay and drops into its back seat with one of the two blankets. Valerie takes the second one to a van with its seats folded down to make some room for her long legs.

Before the other two are settled in, Sasha is already asking you what your story is: gay, straight? married or significant other? kids? military? schooling? folks and siblings nearby?

She isn't one to hold back questions for which there might be interesting answers.

She gets up at one point, disappears into a backroom, and reappears with a couple of bottles of cheap beer. "Last two. Frank doesn't think we know about the mini fridge hidden behind the tool locker."

She tells you about herself, too:

"Alone but never lonely," she says with a smirk that might mean she is always up for a hookup. "Guys mostly, but, I dabble."

She laughs again. "Don't get your hopes up thinking you're gonna be watching me and Valerie munching at one another anytime soon. She's not my type."

Sasha goes on to explain that she's never been married, ain't got no kids; her parents are in Seattle but she's got both a brother and a sister here in town.

"I tried to get them on the phone a couple of dozen times today," she says, giving explanation to why she'd been on and off her cell all throughout the day, leaving voice mails and sending texts. "Never been to school, well, 'cept high school, which I bailed on junior year to start working for Uncle Frank. I like working on cars. Good with my hands. Like to get them dirty."

She notes that the mayhem on the streets has just about subsided.

Things really calm down after midnight: there are virtually no people on the street. Sometimes, after a loud sound occurs down the street, the cannibals -- 1, 2, sometimes 10 or more -- come running down the street and sidewalk, disappearing.

Then, about 1am, all hell breaks loose: automatic machine gun fire begins several blocks away. A moment later, there is an explosion. It sounds like a grenade or maybe a rocket; something military.

Within minutes, both Pablo and Valerie are awake and joining you and Sasha in the office. Valerie recognizes the sounds of some of the military hardware. "It's the National Guard, I'd guess."

Another explosion ... and the entire town goes dark in an instant.

I check out the riot gun, slightly familiar with it, but it seems stock so I don't worry about it complicating up if needed. I found Sasha
's curiosity slightly entertaining. And since she is free with her own life story I reply in kind. Being straight, single, no children, two years military, two years college and no family in the nearby area, in fact my father and mother was on a trip in Europe and my sister working in Australia for her company.

I take the beer and drink it slowly, a welcome break from water and juice. When she mentions that things seemed to have calmed down, I pointed out that groups still seem to loiter around and take off after loud noises.

It is just before one when I mention that we should get some rest, at first Sasha is reluctant, but I convince her that once she lies down, she will realize that she is tired. Suddenly automatic fire erupts a few blocks away, followed by explosions and then another salvo of fire.

Pablo and Vallerie joins us, having been awakened by the fresh commotion. Vallerie confirms my suspicion, that the National Guard must have been called in. Those weapons and explosions sounded military grade. Another explosion rattles the windows and immediately all power cuts off.

"Shit."

"I agree with Pablo."

A few moments of silence ensues until gunfire erupts again.

"We have a generator, it still works right Pablo?"

"Yes, we tested it two weeks ago."

"I doubt that is a good idea right now."

I could almost feel their eyes lock on my general direction.

"Well first if it starts up, that will bring on lights and that will stand out like a homing beacon for trouble. Also I doubt that it is silent."

It is Pablo who speaks up, "It does make a racket when running."

I reminded them that noise seem to attract these people and that it was in our best interest to remain silent. "What I suggest is to find a torch or two, hood them and use them only when necessary."

I stiffled a yawn, "And I think that despite the action, Sasha and I need to get some shut-eye. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

After exchanging weapons and getting reassurances that Pablo and Vallerie will try and find torches, Sasha led the way. There is just enough ambient light to make out vague forms and I make sure she is settled before heading for the car Pablo used. Despite the sporadic gunfire and explsions, I fall asleep soon enough.

The night continues to settle down, likely because those who have not already been killed have fled.

The interior light of the Cadillac in which you are sleeping illuminates. Sasha stands at the open door. Earlier in the evening she'd cleaned up and changed; ironically, her new wardrobe is just a clean set of what she'd been wearing the first time you saw her.

"I'm cold, and this isn't doing much," she says, holding the thin picnic blanket out before. "If you think you can keep your hands to yourself..."

She nods her head toward the seat across which you are laying.

(OOC: I am adding the details of your past to the profile in the first post.)

The click of the door opening brought me awake with a start, I stared at Sasha for a few moments and then understanding dawned. Yes I am not that sharp when woken up quickly. I also realized that it had cooled down, but not that much.

"Sure. I can be all left feet and no hands at all."

I shifted to allow some space for her, not much, it will be a tight fit, but that did mean more shared body heat. She clambered into the back, closing the door softly behind her. I fluffed the jacket I had been using as a pillow and try to divide it equally for us both and then shifted to accomodate her body as she settled down and added her blanket to my own, which we now share.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

I settled my head into a better position and closed my eyes.

Sasha is no slut, but she isn't shy either. She turns her back to you, pressing in tight to spoon against you for warmth, and pulls your upper arm around her side. She clutches it against her belly, high enough that you can feel the under roundness of a boob.

After a bit, she giggles and whispers, "Sorry about that."

You've developed an erection, whether you wanted it to happen or not.

"Keep it to yourself, too," she says with humor. "Go to sleep."

She settles in against you, and soon enough she's asleep.



Sunrise comes, and the interior light once again illuminates. A smirking Valerie looks in on the pair of you: during the night, Sasha rolled and your fronts now press firmly together, her cheek to your chest as each of you has an arm around the other's body.

"Fogged up windows...? Just what have you two been up to," Valerie says with a laugh about the condensation-coated windows. As she turns to leave she says, "Get up. You're gonna want to see this."

Do you say anything to Sasha about your night of sleeping with her? (Her response will be in the PM.)

It's chilly when Sasha gets out of the car. Goose flesh erupts across her flesh and the nipples of her unbridled breasts harden noticeably. She catches you looking at her, smiles, and turns away, only saying, "I'm sure my nips aren't what Valerie wanted you to see. C'm'on."

The others are all standing at the windows and door of the garage's office. The security gates are still in place but through them you can see the previous night's devastation:

• Smoke rises in the near and far distance from a dozen fires.
• Mutilated bodies -- perhaps 20 within view though there are surely far more elsewhere -- lay in the streets or dangle out of cars.
• Some store front windows are broken and/or doors wrenched open by looters.
• Debris blown by the wind scatters down the road and sidewalks.

But the strangest, eeriest thing are the cannibals:

• Some are on their hands and knees, eating on human bodies like wild animals.
• Others mill about aimlessly, either uninterested in food or already sated.
• Eating alongside the cannibals are dogs, cats, crows, and other scavengers in which the former humans don't seem to show an interest.

A quiet conversation is already taking place in the office, a talk about what to do next:

• Frank is perfectly fine with staying right the fuck here 'til the end of time.
• Valerie wants to get to her gun shop. She's concerned about her property and she wants to be more heavily armed.
• Pablo thinks maybe they should stay here since it's safe, but at the same time he agrees with Valerie and thinks It'd be nice to have a big fuckin' gun and a wheelbarrow full of ammo.
• Sasha isn't eager to go outside, but she turns to look at you, asking, "What do you think?"

Pablo hurries off to take a peak out of the windows on the other three sides of the garage. When he returns, he reports that there are cannibals in every direction except down the alley.

"But there's no way of knowing what's at the end of the alley," Pablo says, looking at you.

It's pretty obvious that they have already begun looking to you for some leadership, what with learning that you are the only one of them with some military background. (Oh sure, Frank was in the army for 3 years, but that was 40 years ago.)

What do you advise?

• Stay inside longer to see what more happens?
• Try to get to the gun shop?
• Try to get into Sasha's pants?
• Other?

Decide first, then open the PM coming your way.

I did manage to fall asleep, it was a bit hard with a tight ass pressed to my hard cock and my arm pressing up on underboob (it's been a long long while), but I managed. Valerie's laughter woke me, the door was not fully closed and I didn't hear it open. I wisely decided to not try and explain, Valerie could either believe me or not.

"Sleeping," Sasha replied as she clambered out of the car. I followed suitt and hid a yawn as I stretched out.

"Well having hard nips to look at is welcome amidst all of this." I replied and followed her towards the office. I wondered if I should say anything about her sleeping with me, but decided against it. There was nothing to it, it was the same as sharing a tent when it is raining outside and it becomes too cold.

The sight outside made my stomach churn, due to the diet of juice and chocolate the previous day, there wasn't much to churn. Nature can be viscious, but this went beyond nature as it was fucking unnatural.

"You guys are seeing this right?" Valerie asked with a concerned tone. We both nodded, I was relieved to see revulsion on their faces as well.

"I really need to get to my shop."

Frank looked incredulously at Valerie, "You want to go out there?" He motioned towards a group of...cannibals for lack of a better word as they tore at a female body.

"Frank, that shop is all I have, I have to make sure it is still save and I want a bigger gun"

Pablo came back into the room, "They are everywhere but the alley. We could make it through there."

Frank turned towards Pablo, "Now you want to leave as well? Have you all gone mad?"

"Face it Frank, we will have to go outside sooner or later. We are secure here, which is good, but we don't have food and can we trust the tap water now that the power is down?"

Frank looked at me with a fearful yet stubborn look, "Well I am not going out there. The Army will arrive today and sort this out."

"Like the National Guard did?"

Valerie's remark goes unanswered.

"What do you want to do?" Sasha's question had everybody look at me. I took a breath, before replying.

"I want to go with Valerie, but we should also start to collect water and food. For now, we can collect as much tap water as possible. We will need weapons." I motioned towards Valerie's pistol, "And not firearms."

"What?"

"I watched them yesterday, loud noise attracts them. When the automatic fire and explosions started, you could see them running towards the sound. Every time something fell or broke, they ran in that direction. We will need hand weapons for silent kills and silent weapons like bows, crossbows or silenced firearms."

I could see that they had noticed the same, but haven't yet put it together.

"I have a few pistols with their silencers."

I looked shocked at Valerie, "Isn't that illegal?"

She motioned outside, "You worry about that now?"

I had to chuckle, "OK good point. Your place is locked you said?"

She nodded and I thought about it for a moment. "That means that you will need a few moments to open the doors. There goes the idea to run for it."

I ran a hand over my face, "OK how about we stay here for now, make some weapons out of what we have and discuss our options then? I need to freshen up a bit and perhaps get something to eat."

"OK how about we stay here for now, make some weapons out of what we have and discuss our options then? I need to freshen up a bit and perhaps get something to eat."

Click to expand...

"I think we should call them monsters," Valerie says out of no where.

"What are you talking about?" Pablo asks before realizing she's talking about those former people outside who are eating on other people. "Why monsters? Sounds kinda like what you'd find under your bed ... or in a Disney movie."

A conversation breaks out about what the things are, what they do, and what they should be called. Sasha looks to you and asks, "What do you think? We gotta call them something. Cannibals works for me, but... Something different maybe. Your choice."

The other four just stare at you, waiting for an answer. It's obvious they respect your opinion and leadership thus far. Plus none of their suggestions were liked by the others.

You give your answer and it sticks; Pablo and Frank say they will head to the garage to make more weapons; and Valerie says she'll stand watch from the office (which, with it's corner location and the parking lot out before it, gives a great view for between 2-3 blocks in 4 directions).

"We'll keep an eye on the alley and the two streets there as we work," Pablo says. That means the area around the garage is being watched in all directions, sort of. "We made some hand weapons yesterday, but I have some more ideas."

That leaves you and Sasha. She gives you a flirty look before saying, "I get the bathroom before you to ... how did you put it, freshen up? Freshen up, ya sound like a girl."

She laughs as she grabs her purse and a bag from under the front counter and heads for the bathroom.

After Sasha is gone, Valerie says to you softly, "Watch that one."

She looks for the guys to ensure they can't hear, then adds, "Story is she's tough with men. I mean, men who don't respect her. Broke one guys nose when he cheated on her. Smashed another's hand in a car door after she caught him using after saying he was clean."

Valerie looks for eavesdroppers again, then continues with a sly smirk, "But I guess if she likes you ... and trusts you ... well, I only wish she was into other women ... like I am..."

She hesitates a moment to see your reaction to her coming out to you so bluntly before continuing, "...'cause I hear she's a fucking fireball in bed. I wish you luck, Andrew."

Valerie turns back to the window.

The guys call for your help with cutting a pipe to make into a spear, and when you finish you turn to find Sasha all cleaned up again. She's noticeably wearing a bra, and she whispers to you flirtatiously, "Because I don't want you distracted by my nips."




Later:

Valerie has put together the best lunch possible, mostly from the vending machine but also from the office lunch offerings: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, juice, cola, and candy.

Sasha digs out the last two beers to Frank disappointment and begins passing them around as Valerie explains, "We have enough food for today and tomorrow, I think. It's not much of a balanced diet."

She waves a hand toward what was taken from the vending machine after Frank unlocked it. "About like this. I think we have to make a run for my shop, today sometime ... tonight after dark ... tomorrow morning at the latest."

"What's safer?" Sasha asks. "If we go during the day, we can see them but they can see us, too. If we go at night ... hey, do we have any idea whether or not they can see at night?"

"Fuck!" Frank murmurs. When the others look at him, he says, "Well, they're acting like wild animals ... carnivorous predators ... and most carnivorous predators are nocturnal, aren't they?"

A conversation erupts about that new danger...

...a conversation that ends with everyone looking at you for answers.

Isn't it great being leader?

By the way, the streets by now are practically deserted: there are no more living people to be seen anywhere, and the few monsters -- choose a name -- are simply standing about or still munching on bodies. (You can see for an average of 2 blocks in 4 directions, and there are about 20 cannibals just hanging out, sort of like in World War Z.)


So, what do you do?

"I think we should call them monsters," Valerie says out of no where.

"What are you talking about?" Pablo asks before realizing she's talking about those former people outside who are eating on other people. "Why monsters? Sounds kinda like what you'd find under your bed ... or in a Disney movie."

A conversation breaks out about what the things are, what they do, and what they should be called. Sasha looks to you and asks, "What do you think? We gotta call them something. Cannibals works for me, but... Something different maybe. Your choice."

Click to expand...

Not that I minded that they wanted my input, but asking me to name things? That is a huge responsibility. I cleared my throat.

"Well I know it is a word that gets tossed around in popular culture, but I mean look at them. No normal human being will act that way, I mean the animals are eating with them and they don't even bother looking at them. If those are not zombies, I don't know what else to call them."

She gives you a flirty look before saying, "I get the bathroom before you to ... how did you put it, freshen up? Freshen up, ya sound like a girl."

Click to expand...

"Well I sure ain't gonna get a shower and shave in there." I tell her retreating...back...yes I was looking at her...back.

After Sasha is gone, Valerie says to you softly, "Watch that one."

She looks for the guys to ensure they can't hear, then adds, "Story is she's tough with men. I mean, men who don't respect her. Broke one guys nose when he cheated on her. Smashed another's hand in a car door after she caught him using after saying he was clean."

Valerie looks for eavesdroppers again, then continues with a sly smirk, "But I guess if she likes you ... and trusts you ... well, I only wish she was into other women ... like I am..."

Click to expand...

I had guessed from Sasha's comment about Valerie and her "tough girl" exterior, that Valerie had a certain sexual preference and it didn't bother me when she told me so, I mean live and let live and to each their own, do no harm and all that...right?

She hesitates a moment before continuing, "...'cause I hear she's a fucking fireball in bed. I wish you luck, Andrew."

Valerie turns back to the window.

Click to expand...

Uhm... luck? Why would she wish me luck? I thought about that for a second, realized that she thought there was something because Sasha shared the backseat with me to sleep with and I wanted to tell her that it had meant nothing. But even telling that to myself felt like a lie, sure I had liked sharing the seat with Sasha, I liked her personality and so far she seemed like somebody who would have your back when you needed her to. So I left Valerie with one remark, "If things ever went that far, she wouldn't need to break anything on me. I am not that kind of guy."

"Hey Andrew, a little bit of help here?"

I walk over to help Pablo and Frank with cutting a pipe into a spear. I hear the bathroom door open and find Sasha all cleaned up again. She's noticeably wearing a bra, and she whispers to you flirtatiously, "Because I don't want you distracted by my nips."

I make a show of making a quick inspection and put on a hangdog expression, "Aw there goes my entertainment for the day." I give her a grin and enter the bathroom basically just to rinse my face and get my hair into order.

As everybody went about their own chores, I started looking for containers. Any kind of bottle and bowl I could find and started filling it with water. Unfortunately I ran out of containers before I ran out of water, so I just hoped that it would help if things go further down hill. I lent a hand with the weapon productions and it turns out that Pablo is an imaginative guy when it comes to making weapons.

After the lunch which Valerie had made a new discussion started up about Valerie's shop and the zombies. Their attention turned to me as I sat and listened to their thoughts.

"Well for one thing, I want to get to Valerie's shop as well. It sounds like a much better defensible position and I am sure that your gun safe would be able to take a lot of punishment if the need arises to hide in that. So that should be a priority, but we also need food, we need light, we need warmer clothing and blankets, we will need basic medical supplies especially disinfectant and anti-biotics and from the shops I can see from here, we will not find a lot of any of that in them. We will have to scrounge, cannibalize, excuse the word, and improvise from what we have in our immediate area."

I motioned towards a window, "For a human being to become able to see better nocturnally, you have to change the eye, our light perception cones are enough to make us see, but not on the same scope as nocturnal animals or animals over-all and I'm sorry, if this was some sort of radiation or mutation, there would have been more affected than eyes and wanting to eat human flesh and for the most part they still look human even though we know that they are not."

I turned to Valerie, "Look I understand you wanting to check on your place and load up on weapons. I want to get home as well, I have tons of useful gear there, but we need to be careful. If there was a way to get onto the roof and use the roofs to get to your shop, I would gladly take that option and we can go now, but since nobody mentioned it, I just took it that the option is not there..."

I cast a thoughtful glance at the others, "Is there a way to do that? Use the roofs?"

"Zombies?" Pablo asks with obvious expression of displeasure. "What did they call them in that movie, World War Z ... or in that Will Smith movie?"

"Zeeks," Valerie responds to the first, adding, "And Darkseekers in I am Legend, 'cause they liked the dark, obviously?"

"Well, these guys apparently like the daylight," Frank says.

He points to a pair of the creatures just standing in the middle of the street as if unsure where they wanted to go.

"How about Zeeks then?" Pablo asks.

Once again, everyone looks to you as if needing your approval.

"Hey Andrew, a little bit of help here?"

Click to expand...

Everybody goes about their chores.

Inspired by your filling containers with water, Frank and Pablo pull out a pair of plastic gas tanks that were never used. "They're clean, and they hold about 20 gallons."

They put them on top of a tall rack near the bathrooms, attach hoses, and begin filling them so that you all will have water to clean up with or drink.

"So, it's unlikely that they can see any better in the dark than us," Valerie muses after you explain what you believe about the Zeeks' ability to see in the dark. She looks about the others, then to you as she asks, "So, we should wait until dark, right? If we can just make it to the shop, I have night vision goggles and night vision scopes. They aren't the best in the world, but they're better than nothing."

After you speak about how you would like to travel, Pablo sets up a ladder to one of the garage's sky lights and gains access to the roof. Now 18 feet above the ground, you get a better view of the mayhem:

• There is smoke rising from dozens of fires, including a major fire at the oil refinery just beyond the city.
• After walking to each of the garage's four sides, you see the remains of at least 50 people. They are mutilated to varying degrees, and in some places Zeeks are still eating on them.
• There are a varying number of Zeeks -- 15-30 -- as they sometimes appear and disappear, drawn by sound and movement.
• There are no Zeeks in the alley but 4-8 between the garage and the gun shop. They are all just standing there.
• The strip mall on the other side of the alley is only 12 feet away, but after that, there is no way to travel between buildings via the roofs.
• Pablo points to the gun shop, kitty corner across the intersection. "From the strip mall, that's what, 100 feet ... 130?"

"I think that if we used a rope to lower it slowly, silently," Pablo tells you as he uses his hands and arms to illustrate, "we could lower the extension ladder across the alley from the garage to the strip mall. Then, we could go down through the skylight over there and see if there's anything inside there, like something more nutritious than Cheetos and Gator Aid."

What do you do?

• Stay put until the next morning to see is you learn any more?
• Cross the alley now during the daylight?
• Cross the alley during the night?
• Other?

(BTW that was a good idea, suggesting the roof! I didn't even think of that!)

I think about the situation, taking a seat on the roof. I look all around from my perch and point out to Pablo that I didn't see anybody in our near vicinity on the roofs, not humans nor Zeeks.

"I think your bridge idea is the best way for us to get safely across. But that is about 12 feet and how do we secure the ladder on the other side? I know for a fact Sasha and perhaps Valerie will be able to cross, since they are both lighter than us."

I look at the opposite roof. "We need something sturdy, if we had planks I would suggest using the ladder as base and stabilize it with planks."

Pablo looks at the gap, he recognized that his plan would work, but it needed some refinement. "Metal will make noise, so we can't use body parts or kits. Fibre glass will not hold weight."

We both looked at the gap, I measured the space and grinned up at Pablo, "It might be heavy, but how attached are Frank to the office doors?"

Pablo shared my grin, "How about we go find out?"

He helped me to my feet and together we returned to the inside where we came together at Valerie's guard post and explained the plan.

"If we do it right, we can move across in relative safety, check out the strip mall, get what we can, come back and tomorrow morning head for the gun shop. Which is still intact from where we could see." I finished and waited for objections or other plans from Valerie, Sasha or Frank.

"I don't want to leave."

I had expected that from Frank, "Somebody will have to stay behind, this is our base until we find a better spot. Somebody who can open and close the doors in a hurry if things go sideways."

Frank nodded, "I can do that."

Perfect.

"Now about those doors..."

Frank's disapproving mumbles -- as the doors to his office and the storage room are removed -- are driving Sasha nuts. She finally drags him off to help with other things. It takes a couple of hours and everyone's efforts up on the roof to finish construction of the bridge. When finished, it includes the extension ladder, two doors, and 4 fifty foot extension cords used to strengthen them all.

"So, who's going across?"

"I will!" Sasha says immediately. She holds a hand out. "I want a gun, though."

Pablo had told Sasha about his conversation with you, about how the lighter women wouldn't stress the bridge as greatly as the heavier men. She looks to Valerie with an expectant expression.

"Fine," Valerie mumbles. She doesn't want to go, but at the same time she can't see her shop from here and yet can from the other building. "Give Sasha the shotgun. I'll rig a sling so she can put it over her back."

Do you go with the idea of the women crossing? Some other combination?

Once a decision is made, use the die roll randomizer we talked about to determine a result. I have modified these a bit as a positive bonus for coming up with the door idea.

• d6=1, the ladder is across the alley just fine; the 1st person gets across; but then the ladder slips loose and falls. (See damage below.)
• d6=2, you fail to get the ladder across the alley; it falls or disassembles and falls; or what ever.
• d6=3, you get the ladder across but it just doesn't seem sturdy enough and no one wants to go across it. If you do, you succeed, and someone will then be brave enough to follow. You will both make it just fine.
• d6=4, 2 get across, then the ladder snaps and falls into the alley. No one gets hurt, but you can't get back across via the ladder.
• d6=5 or 6, crossing is assured, both to and from. Good job.

Damage if the die roll above is d6=1. Roll again:

• d6=1, the person who falls either dies from the impact or is attacked and killed by Zeeks right before your eyes ... your choice.
• d6=2, the person who falls is injured, but the others get him/her back into the garage via the back door before the Zeeks arrive, alerted by the noise. The Zeeks will take up station there until attracted to noise elsewhere.
• d6=3, the person who falls lands atop a cargo van parked in the alley. Now, you have to find a way to get him/her out, while the Zeeks are clawing at the van's sides, unable to get up to its roof.
• d6=4, the person who falls lands atop a cargo van parked in the alley. The ladder will get him/her back atop the garage.
• d6=5, the person who falls lands atop a cargo van parked in the alley. The ladder will still get him/her to the strip mall. Do you find a way to bring him/her back onto the garage or continue onward to the strip mall's roof?
• d6=6, the person who falls lands atop a cargo van parked in the alley. The ladder will still get him/her onto either the garage roof or the strip mall perfectly fine.

If no one gets across, you can ignore the rest of this post and write your reply.

If someone does get across, you can break through the skylights or roof accesses of either the hair salon, an ice cream shop, or a tax preparation office.

Which do you select? (Result will be in the PM I am sending you.)

I looked as Valerie worked a sling onto the shotgun. Then I looked at the "bridge", it looked sturdy, but did I want to see Sasha risk her life on it? I adjusted the sharpened metal which reminds me of a short sword, still no idea what metal Pablo had used to make it, and took a step onto the bridge.

The sound made everybody turn around to look at me, but I didn't look back, I worked on going as fast as I could without toppling off. Which I did manage. I took a breath and turned to face them. Oh Sasha didn't seem happy, most likely because I went first, but I could explain my reasons later. Better to ask forgiveness than permission after all.

Valerie finished the sling and handed the gun to Sasha, she looked determined to cross now that it proved possible. I watched with bated breath as she started her walk, only to notice halfway that something was wrong.

I looked down and realised that the ladder was slipping!

"Jump!"

For a split second I saw confusion on her face and then determination as she launched herself. The ladder slipped off and I managed to grab hold of her and step backwards, tripping and landing with Sasha on top of me.

"Oof!"

We lay there for a moment and I realised that I could let her go, which I did.

"Luckily your nips didn't distract me."

I wasn't sure if she found my remark funny, or if the giggle was from released tension. Sasha managed to disentangle herself and got up. I followed suite and looked down at the ladder, it had landed on a cargo truck parked in the alley. The commotion had drawn two Zeeks from where they had stood and they darted around in the alley.

The ladder was fine and so were we. With hand signals and extensive miming we agreed that they should wait for the Zeeks to leave or at least calm down and then pull the ladder back and lower it over the alley again.

We went exploring, through the skylights we could see to some extent into the shops. From the three, the ice cream parlor seemed like the more attractive proposition as its doors stood shut. We neaded to break in with minimal sound. I removed my shirt and withdrew the "sword" from my belt. Wrapping the handle and my hand in my shirt, I took aim and smacked at a pane. It broke with a muffled 'tink' and the resulting tinkle sounded loud to me, but a quick check showed that it didn't draw attention.

Unwrapping the shirt from my hand, I slipped it back on and reached in to unclasp the latch and raise the skylight panel. This time Sasha went first. She dropped lightly and looked around carefully before she went to the door and thumbed the latch shut. I followed inside and as precaution, I pulled the drapes half-shut, giving us light, but less chance to be seen.

The icecreams had all melted, they hadn't gone bad yet, but the thought of drinking that sweet slurry made my stomach churn. My revulsion didn't stop Sasha from having a taste. As she tested out the different melted options, I found the storage room and pushed it open.

Inside stood boxes of cones, toppings, various candy and ironically enough three boxes of Twinkies. So at least we had a lot of energy food stuffs, but nothing which could be seen as healthy or nutritious. I turned to find Sasha standing in the door, a drop of ice cream going unnoticed on her chin.

(OOC: Perfect opportunity if Sasha wants a heart-to-heart)

"Did you check the counter?"

I shook my head and with a smile she produced a baseball bat, I chuckled and went on with taking inventory.

"Not much here in the form of food."

I walked back towards her and absentmindedly I wiped the ice cream from her chin.

"The walls seems thin, we can break through to the hair salon from here."

She nodded in agreement and we walked to an open space in the wall. I took the bat and gave the wall a sharp whack. I paused, there was a good sized dent, but I could swear I heard something. I took another swing and heard it again. I looked at Sasha, "There's something on the other side."

"There's something on the other side."

"You're imagining things," Sasha says. She's torn by two emotions: anger at your crossing the bridge first, as if some show of machismo; and gratitude, ironically for you crossing the bridge and being there to save her life. She snatches the bat, hands you the shotgun, rears back, and says, "All of the Zeeks are outside."

She smashes the bat into the drywall, expanding the hole you had already created and creating a small one in the wall of the adjacent hair salon. Leaning to peek through, she sees no movement.

"See? Nothing in there," she says proudly, beaming with a wide smile as she turns to look at you. Suddenly her eyes widen, her mouth opens, she points, and she screams, "Look out!"

A shelf unit that an employee had used to block the office door comes crashing to the ground, and 2 Zeeks fight to get past the haphazard barricade.

You have ______ seconds before they are free. (Roll 2d6)

Roll for Attack/Defend. (I presume you will use the shotgun, then move to the bat and any other hand weapon):

• You will notice that the lowest number in this case is good while the highest number is bad. The reason for that will become obvious in a moment.
• d6=1, you fire 2 rounds and kill both Zeek's outright. Nice shootin', Tex!
• d6=2, you fire 4 rounds and kill both Zeek's. Still good.
• d6=3, you fire all 4 rounds -- it wasn't fully loaded -- and 1 Zeek is dead while the other is injured but wobbling unsteadily toward you. Use the bat maybe? Or another hand weapon?
• d6=4, you fire 2 rounds and the gun jams; both Zeeks are wobbling unsteadily toward you.
• d6=5, you fire 2 rounds, and the gun jams; both Zeeks are injured but still coming at half speed.
• d6=6, the gun will jam after 1 shot; both Zeeks are still coming with one injured.

There is a possibility that Sasha will be attacked and killed.

• You, Andrew, can't be killed so long as you have an NPC present with you. Consider them sacrificial lambs, and try to get more as the story proceeds. I'll help you.)
• The less time you have to react (the first roll above, "Time"), the more dangerous the situation is.
• And the less successful your attack is with the shotgun, the more dangerous the situation is.
• Therefore, subtract your Attack/Defend roll from your time roll to see if Sasha gets attacked.
• For example:
  • 2d6=10 seconds (time) minus 1d6=2 (Attack/Defend) = 8.
  • 2d6=4 seconds (time) minus 1d6=5 (Attack/Defend) = -1.
• If the sum is a negative number, Sasha is killed.
• If the sum is zero or a positive number, Sasha is fine and dandy.
• Important: Because you were willing in the very beginning to make Andrew an average joe kind of guy, I'm going to give you a +2 modifier to the above roll. So, if your total is -2 or -1, it becomes zero or positive, so again Sasha is fine.
• I think that sounds fair.

Presuming Sasha lives, what do you do next:

• Continue to try to get into the hair salon?
• Or the Tax Prep office?
• Or do you stack tables and chairs and begin lifting food to the roof?
• Other?

You know how gamers joke that when the zombies attack, they will love it because they have been trained for it through various games? It doesn't.

I am a gamer at heart, I will admit that I play games when I can. It doesn't compare to basic training, it doesn't compare to firing that rifle, it does not prepare you to kill. Person, animal or any creature.

The two Zeeks were caught up in the shelf, their unearthy scream/moans grated on my nerves. I tossed the gun to Sasha and pointed at the hole she had made, "Cover that, anything comes near it. Shoot."

I drew the weapon at my belt and charged the two Zeeks. Dimly I heard Sasha rack the shotgun. (Using the same rolls as for the gun) I slammed into the shelf. It knocked them off balance and knocked most of my wind out as well. I swung and caught one Zeek across the cheek, I stared as it completely ignored the wound and tried to claw the shelf out of the way.

I stabbed at the same Zeek and got lucky, driving the blade through its eye and deep enough to damage the brain. It sagged and I managed to barely pull the blade and my arm free as the second one lunged at my arm.

I stabbed it, catching it in the chest. The blade snagged on something and I let go to prevent my arm from becoming a chew toy. I retreated and Sasha called my name, I looked at her and grabbed the bat she tossed me. A crash made me look back at the remaining Zeek, the shotgun fired off behind me and it drew the Zeek's attention away from me.

It ran straight at Sasha and allowed me to swing freely. I may not have been a baseball player in school or college, but I had swung an axe or two on camping trips. The bat connected with a loud crack, another shotgun blast followed it. The Zeek went down without a sound, but it stirred as if to get up. I swung again and this time the bat broke the weakened skull.

I turned from the Zeek to check up on Sasha, she had laid down one of the Zeeks in the hair salon and severely wounded the second. In her haste to correct, she must have jammed the feeder and the wounded Zeek was clawing its way through the hole. I tugged at the handle of the "sword" and it came free easily.

"Sasha duck."

She crouched and I took a big step and swung with all my might. The blade cleaved through the Zeek's head and snapped. The body fell half through the hole and left me with just the bat as weapon. I dropped the remainder of my "sword" and took the shotgun from Sasha, I managed to unsnarl the jam and reloaded the gun.

Only then did the adrenaline seem to ebb away, leaving me shaking slightly. It had been close, too close. We needed those silenced pistols of Valerie's. I leaned against the wall, resting the bat against it and shoved my hands under my armpits and clamped them as I allowed the moment to pass.

"You OK?"

I nodded at Sasha, not trusting my voice. A few moments later the shaking subsided.

"Nervous tick. Adrenaline rush along with a violent act, kind of give me a small panic attack. It passes quickly."

I gave her a sheepish smile, "Not a very macho thing to admit to."

At least she didn't seem to judge me after I had told her of a flaw I have. I dragged the dead Z from the wall and carefully climbed through. The door stood half-open, but it was clear that they had been inside all the time. I quickly close and lock the door, then browse through all the stock.

"No food, but we can make some nasty explosions from some of these. We can use that to distract the Zeeks when we make our run for the gun shop."

I glanced at the skylight, "Time is short, got to get going if we want to make it back."

We found large bags for some of the hair products and tossed a few of the flammables into them, we go back to the ice cream shop and we manage to fit two boxes of Twinkies into her bag and some cones and a box of candy bars into mine. With some effort we manage to get two tables stacked onto one another and climb unto them. We decide that she would give me a lift as I can pull her up and not the other way around.

She formed a stirrup with her hands and as I used it along with a lunge from my other leg, it turned out to be just enough to get a hold of the open frame and pull myself up. After a short breather, Sasha tossed up the two bags and then came the moment of truth. I leaned down as far as I could get and she jumped.

Afterwards we both lay panting for breath on the roof, "I really need to work out more. Know any good gyms?"

We both laughed breathlessly at my silliness. The only down side was that the shotgun's sling had caught on the sill and snapped. It lay on the tables below the skylight. Sasha stood looking down at it, I took a measure of the light remaining and touched her arm.

"We can come back for it. Use a hook to pull it through, we got to get these things back first."

I noticed that Pablo had secured rubber to the end of the ladder and as Sasha went over first, I saw that it helped. No slipping occurred. I followed Sasha and we met the other's on the roof, we briefly explained what happened, well most of it and Pablo volunteered to rescue the shotgun.

With a cheeky grin, Sasha shoved her bag into my hands and led the way back, Pablo following with a spear and something resembling a grappling hook. Valerie helped me to return the food and other materials to the garage and then we both returned to keep watch and also see if Pablo and Sasha succeeded.

(As per our conversation, this is my post that will link to a second thread.)



Sasha Michaels

In my 24 years old on this planet, I had never been so scared as when those things were trying to break through that barricade to get me. Get me AND Andrew, of course. But at the time that it was happening, self preservation and deep fear were telling me that all they wanted to do was eat me alive, like I was the last hamburger on the planet.

I had been carrying the shotgun earlier and had convinced myself that when the time came to use it I could. I'm not entirely unfamiliar with guns. Valerie has taken me shooting at the range with some other women since we became friends after she came to the repair shop for the first time. I respect Valerie like I do few women. She's tough and she doesn't take anyone's shit. Maybe being a lesbian prepared her for being a bad ass. So many people can be cruel so cruel to people who are different than them. I bet no one will have a problem with having a 'lezzie' with a gun at their side now!

When Andrew gave the shotgun back to me, I thought I was ready. Then, as he was battling those things, sticking and stabbing and slicing with that 'sword' Pablo had made. I remember tossing him the bat at one point. Didn't I?.

Then I FREAKED when I felt something at my leg. I jumped away from the wall and looked back, finding one of those things, a Zeek we were calling them, clawing its way through the wall that Andrew and I had broken with the bat.

I'd checked the other room! Hadn't I? There hadn't been any of those things in there. Had there? I ... I don't really remember the specifics after that. I fired the shotgun, Andrew continued to hit and slice, told me to duck or something, I tried to shoot the shotgun again and again but it didn't work anymore, I used it as a club instead, Andrew took it from me, did something to it, asked me if I was okay, said something about being macho and about working out.

I'm sure it will all come back to me clearer later. Do I want it to? Jesus, it was so awful. So horrifying. Even now, as we are getting out of here, I am beginning to recall specifics.

Andrew saved my life.

Sure, I killed one of those things. Two? I think two. But. Andrew saved my life. That fucking thing was coming at me. I couldn't stop it. But Andrew did.

Suddenly, the fear inside me begins to wane. I study Andrew as he and the others talk about what happened and what we found in the building. And I get all warm in ways that are going to require Andrew and I to be alone together, very soon!

"I'll take Pablo back across," I say, my courage returning to me as I begin to imagine the near future with my 'savior'. I tell them all, "We found fun food. Not the best diet, but it's better than starving."

Pablo and I spend some time gathering food from the Ice Cream Parlor and bringing it to the roof for transfer back to the garage. (OOC: how much, ManInTheLoft? That's between you and TertiusHuman, I would imagine. ) But it gets dark and Andrew suggests that we give it up for the day. There are Zeeks in the alley below, but the ladder has been stabilized. We get back across and down into the garage just fine.

"You need to clean up," Valerie tells me. She pulls at some stuff in my hair, saying with a chuckle, "I think this is blood. Or BRAIN! What the hell happened over there?"

"Will you do me a favor?" I ask Valerie after we get to the bathroom. I look about for eavesdroppers, then say, "Without letting the others know?"

"Of course, honey, what is it?"

I look across the garage to see the three men looking through our 'treasure'. On one of the trips back, Pablo opened the Ice Cream Parlor's freezer door to find that it was still cold in there. Some of the ice cream was actually STILL ice cream, though more like soft serve than anything else.

"Will you tell Andrew I need to see him?" I ask Valerie. I can see in her face that she suspects amorous intent, and she smirks with tight lips. I almost beg, "Quietly. I don't need the other guys knowing about this."

"Of course," she says, picking a piece of flesh from off my skin and grimacing.



(At this point, I am going to start another thread for us to write the interaction between the two of them, so that it does not hinder the progress of this game thread. Here is that thread: link.)

Nice posts, both of you. This is getting better every day!



While you and Sasha were in the strip mall, Pablo and Valerie -- and even Frank when he finally got enough nerve to ascend to the roof -- managed to pull the ladder back up and replace it. They secured it with some more ropes and extension cords, and by the time you and Sasha were ready to come back over, it was solid.

You only got about 40 minutes of moving stuff from the strip mall to the garage before it was time to pack it up for the night.

"So, what did we get?" Valerie asked.

• 3 tubs of ice cream, softened but still cold and edible.
• 8 Boxes of snacks: Twinkies, candy bars, candy toppings, etc.
• A case of sugar cones.
• Two cases of kiddy sized juice boxes.
• And more, enough to pump you all up with sugar and other carbs for a week or more.

"And there's more over there," Pablo says. "Five times this, maybe ten, maybe more. I know it isn't balanced, but ... it's food."

"We need vegetables and fruits," Valerie says. She's maintained her health via a strict diet and exercise, and all this processed sugar just isn't going to cut it for her. She adds, "And protein. Meat. Beans. Nuts."

"There were boxes and bags of nuts in the ice cream shop," Pablo cuts in. "Shit, I didn't think of getting them 'cause I'm allergic to peanuts. But, I can eat other nuts. Should we go back now?"

It is decided that it's too late to go back now. Valerie heads away to go find Sasha.

Pablo asks you, "We can go back tomorrow, right? Valerie's right. We need protein, and since I don't plan on eating one of those things out there."

Frank and Pablo ask you for details about what it was like to battle the Zeeks face to face.

After a bit, Valerie inconspicuously gestures you to her, near the office. When you arrive, she says, "Sasha needs to talk to you about what happened over there. She's washing up in the bathroom."

(OOC: I am going to stop here to see what happens in your post in the other thread, then we will resume the game thread without delay.

Seems like Pablo was testing a grappling hook for our descend to the ground to rush for the gun shop and it worked like a charm. I helped to stack the new "food" as it was brought over. Soon enough it started to get too dark and we all retreated inside the garage.

"I agree with having to find better food. We are at least secured in the knowledge now that we will not starve or dehydrate soon."

Valerie left and Frank and Pablo asked about up close with the Zeeks.

"To be honest guys, whatever you know about self-defense and dealing damage in a fight, forget it. I saw a Zeke going after Sasha with a hole blasted through his heart."

I caught their disbelieving stares, "Right through the heart and lungs. It still came at her. I hit one full swing with the bat and it went down, but it took another swing to the head to put it down. It had the "sword" sticking out of its chest. I cut open one's face and it just kept coming."

I took a breath as I recalled the fight, "it seems like the only thing that stops them is enough trauma to the brain. You basically need to damage the brain, not the head, the brain itself."

I nodded in sympathy at their looks, "Yeah I know."

Valerie caught my attention and I went over to her from where she directed me towards the ladies room. The guys were talking among themselves and Valerie just gave me a knowing smirk as she turned to her guard post.

I pushed open the door and entered the room.