The Last Of Us (Closed)

[EroticLiteracy]

How did it come to this?

Andrew Jackson asked that question every day. Some times when things got to him and the situation felt hopeless he would repeat it to himself over and over again. It became his mantra of sorts his unanswered question to the world he now lived in. He never found an answer but still found comfort in the humanity in his question. Humanity others had lost but he kept close to his heart.

“How did it come to this?” He muttered to himself as he sat on the roof top of the small office building. Even though he was on top of a thick blanket he could still feel the heat from the rooftop. The sun beat on him overhead threatening to cook his body to a crisp. It didn’t help that the clothes he was wearing were heavy designed more for protection than comfort. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead clearing a path through his dirt stained cheek as he took his third look at the city laid out before him.

Big cities like Atlanta were considered by most to be no man zones. The big cities were hit first during the fall. Whole blocks quickly fell to infection and while most cities were just learning about the infections cities like Atlanta were already completely infected. Those bodies became walking landmines ready to set off and hunt at the slightest bit of provocation. “It was too dangerous!” Survivors argued whenever someone debated going and trying to loot the place for the sweet loot left over.

On first glance, He couldn’t help but agree with everyone else’s opinion. They were EVERYWHERE clogging every street and corner section. They didn’t move sitting in the sun and drinking in its rays. Ever so often a gust of wind would pick up and a few would sway ever so slightly. The city itself was entirely devoid of sound. It reminded Andrew of a tomb and he felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he scanned the city one more time. After the fall it was estimated that two hundred thousand fungi were in the city packed together and just waiting to fight over a fresh meal.

Like him

Andrew Jackson one time gang banger and now full-time survivor sighed. He put the binoculars down and with a grunt pushed himself off of the hot roof. He moved back into the shade sighing with relief as the sun stopped beating on his body. His eyes flickered eyeing the old air conditioning unit with sadness. He could probably take a look at it and fix it but it would be a waste of time and resources he didn’t have to spare. No…. it was nothing more than a relic of the past now.

“The good old days” He murmured stepping back into the small office building he was using to recon the city. Thankfully the office was semi cool and more importantly free of any of the fungi that were so coming in abandoned buildings now a days. He moved down the concrete staircase going down to the second floor where he decided to set up his living space. He passed rows of cubicles and desk each one still holding the touch of humanity its owner had brought to it. Each one told a story, each one a testament to a life that didn’t exist anymore.

He kept walking his head down low as he attempted to ignore them. Even a year later he couldn’t quite handle what had happened. Humanity was a few massacres shy to becoming extinct and facing an unrelenting army that wanted nothing more than to feed and consume the rest of them! An estimated ninety five percent of humanity was already consumed either as a meal or as another body in the undead army.

The remaining five percent like Andrew were left to try and survive. Andrew wasn’t quite sure what they were surviving FOR though. Hope for a better future? Sheer tenacity to live? Andrew wish he knew. Funny enough he never contemplated offing himself. He wasn’t religious or anything like that either just too afraid of death to go seeking it out. He could never do it himself and the idea of walking into the fungi and having them do it was to terrifying a thought to even contemplate.

He reached the door at the far end of the office and opened the door. He stepped into the corner office pulling off his olive-green army jacket (looted from a couple of soldiers he still had nightmares about it) and grabbing the water bottle he left on the desk. He went over to his supplies taking a large sip from the water bottle as he crouched down and riffled through his backpack. He ignored the silver handgun instead grabbing some snacks as he walked over to the large oak desk in the center of the office. A map of the city stretched across its surface. Several routes were already marked most of them with red signaling they were a no go.
Andrew sat down running his hands over it. He traced a line with his finger running through the various intersections and twist and turns. After a few seconds, his hand landed on a street near the middle of the town. A large circle was drawn around the street along with a single name.

“Sanctuary” He murmured to himself studying the circled street. The rumor was that someone managed to create a safe zone in the middle of the god forsaken city! Right in the heart of the infection to boot! Andrew could hardly believe it. Hell he wouldn’t have if it weren’t for the radio transmission…..

He first heard it in a small settlement to the east an area rural enough the fungi weren’t as big a problem. He had been helping the community with its radio tower when the transmission came in. At first it was nothing more than garbled noise static. Eventually and with some help he managed to clean it up just enough to make out the message.

Andrew fished the tape recorder out of his pockets. He placed it face up on the desk still studying the map as his long tan fingers hit the play button. The older tape recorder began to play grinding ever so softly before the message finally came on.

“This is The Watcher on the wall” A older man’s voice said. Andrew guessed he was in his fifties or late forties at least. The idea of anyone that old surviving was rare yet here this man was talking urgently but firmly over the radio! It was enough to grab Andrew attention and he once again thanked whatever force was up there that he had already repaired the busted up old tape recorder.

“If anyone is reading this” The man continued “I am enclosing our coordinates our towns name is sanctuary and we have found a way to completely repel the fungi. I repeat there are NO fungi to worry about in sanctuary. If you can come please we are in the city of Atlanta. I am going to read off our coordinates. Remember when you reach them you must FOLLOW the signs”


Andrew paused it ending the recording before the man could give out the coordinates. They led to the mysterious circled street the one that couldn’t be safe. The one nestled in the heart of the city.

“Come on” He murmured softly to himself as he focused entirely on the map “How to get through, how to get through”

Then he saw it.
…………………………………………….
“God I’m going to be sick”

Andrew wrapped the scarf tighter around his face trying in vain to hide himself from the odors. His feet sloshed in the dirty water kicking up droplets of god knows what onto his body. Andrew had hoped that a year of no one using plumbing in the city would have made the sewer system more bearable or at least less dirty.

He was wrong on both counts.

He went as far as he could using his flashlight and his map to get as close to the street as possible. Eventually his senses overrode his caution and he all but ran to the nearest access hatch. He scrambled up it pausing long enough to push it open and make sure the area was relatively clear before sliding out and into the city.
A starry night sky greeted him. Now that most of the lights were out around the world the sky at night was blazing with stars. The night air which carried with it the scent of fall chased away the lingering smells from the sewer system. He was on an empty street right next to what looked like a motel and a few store fronts. The sight of the motel even though the sign was faded and broken sent a burst of relief through him.

The idea of finding an actual bed to sleep in sent a burst of hope through Andrew. He quickly walked to the hotel his hopes further fueled by the sight of the empty parking lot. He carefully clambered up the steps pausing on the final step and trying to listen for the telltale sign of fungi. After a few seconds he moved having heard nothing to indicate the fungi were around or in any of the rooms. Still he moved carefully his body hunched his legs ready to turn around and haul ass if anything went wrong.

He didn’t have a weapon not because there wasn’t plenty to find but by his own choice. He was a pacifist someone who turned away from violence in all forms. Years before the fall he had made the mistake of living a violent life. Said violent life landed him in a host of trouble which finally culminated in a prison sentence. He changed in prison turning himself from a gang banger to a half decent person who used the skills god gave him. He foreswore all violence and even though society had fallen he was still trying to keep said promise.

Even if it was stupid.

He carefully and quickly scouted out the rooms. He found one at the far end of the hall that had minimal damage to it. He set up shop inside closing and dead bolting the door before pushing a dresser in front of it. He carefully busted out the window running a length of rope down in case he needed a fast exit. Once he felt secure he pulled his tools out of his backpack and went to work trying to get some water pressure into the bath.

“Yes!” He cried as the water kicked in and began to pour out of the shower head. The water pressure was shit and it was cold as hell but he quickly undressed and hoped in. With relish he ran the soap over his body clearing the dirt from his tan muscular torso and large forearms. Once his body was washed he shaved trimming his long unkempt beard into a semi respectable goatee and even shaving his pubic hair.

Once he was clean he toweled off and dressed in a pair of fresh jeans and a light black T shirt. He ignored the leather armor he had managed to fashion together feeling relatively safe enough to forgo it. He stepped out of the bathroom and with a sigh of pleasure flopped down onto the small twin bed.

“Little comforts” He murmured to himself closing his clear blue eyes. He began to drift off never quite falling into the deep sleep the old world allowed.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

Hoofing it was hell... but what choice did they have? It was several years since the outbreak, and most of the cities had gone to total hell--if they weren't literally over-run with infected, they had been reduced to nothing short of ashes from Napalm, or bombs. Gasoline was hard to come by at times, and it slowed their caravan down... and slowly but surely, the members of their tight knit group began to drop off one by one... some people were hunting, still, for a safe-zone that was infection free of the fungus parasite that had literally turned the human race into mindless, vicious killing machines hell bent on devouring the flesh of their fellow man. What was worse, good, moral human beings were almost impossible to come by. Marley Edison, the self-proclaimed leader of this little troupe held the strongest skepticism when she head a broad-cast over the satellite radio, or when a group who offered trade crossed their paths... good, wholesome communities didn't exist. There was nothing left of the world but hordes of the infected, and the twisted shell of human beings scraping to survive.

"This was a greaaaat idea." One of the girls huffed, her smooth, sultry-deep tones filled with dry sarcasm and exasperation.

"What other choice did we have? Low ammo, no gas, no, food... it was either check this place out, or be fucked..."

"The city is overran... if there was Sanctuary here, Mar, then we'd have seen it... the welcome party's nothing but fucking fungus infected dead-head's." They'd been stuck in this fucking shoddy motel for almost a week, and rations were running thin, and tempers thinner. Jada pitched the glass she was idly sipping water from at the far wall, and it shattered, but the group of women were hardly phased. Marley's pale blue eyes darted harshly to the thin Asian girl, reclined absently in the desk chair at the receptionist's table. "Keep it the fuck down, there's fucking hordes in the area... all it takes is for one to notice us, and they all notice us!"

"Fuck, okay! Geeeez... don't get your panties twisted, Your Highness."

Jada Takahashi was by far the most rash and temperamental of the girls... you'd never have expected her to have been working administration as her professional career, before the outbreak, nor would you have expected her to be a connoisseur of weaponry. An ex-boyfriend once upon a time had gotten her into firearms, and it had paid off greatly when gathered with survivors... she came bearing a fucking armory. Granted, most of it was gone now, and they held only a few pistols now and a few automatic weapons... it was intimidating enough. They tried to save the bullets, because not only did it draw attention, ammunition was a high form of currency these days.

"Oh, man... what I wouldn't give for a--"

"If you say shower Michelle, I'm going to kick you in the twat." Jada spat in a low tone, causing the girl draped over the love-seat to groan and shift ever so slightly, drawing out her bowie knife and absently tossing it into the air, swiping it before it landed by the blade, and flipping it up again. "You know how long it's been? What was the last place, South Carolina?"

"Over four hundred miles ago... eight weeks." The Asian woman muttered. They made due as best they could, being women hygiene was essential to them... and they lucked out, every now and then, finding things like baby wipes and an ample supply of clothing to switch out when they found their attires too travel and battle worn. Their resident 'sorceress', Anatasha Grey often times had tips and tricks for bathing--she was the only one of their group effective in the forests, and so she often knew where there was a clear stream, creek or lake near by. She tipped them off to boiling pots of water when they found gas for hot baths which was as good as things got... the last working facility they had come across with running hot water was an old self-sustaining mental institution, which had been evacuated and was left surprisingly untouched. Michelle Dupree continued to toss her blade, and catch it. "Just let me enjoy the thought of it at least--whoa!"

A sudden lurch of sound, a groaning creek of something down the hall leading to the many rooms of the motel had caught all of the women's attention. They swept the motel, and found all rooms empty.. so what in hell's name was that noise?

"The fuck was that?"

"Sounded like... the plumbing? We must have guests... at the ready ladies." Marley started forward, and surely enough the women followed.

In a matter of moments all women were on their feet, moving in formation as they had become accustom to... two on either side of the hall as they slowly made their way down, wordless, signaling to one another and weapons at the ready. You never knew who or what you were dealing with. Room by room, they went, opening each door, doing a careful sweep and moving on... when they came to the final room, however, it only took Marley moments of peering into the room to realize that they were indeed not alone. She closed the door quietly, and motioned the girls back, her voice a lushed whisper.

"Caucasian male, seemingly unarmed, and sleeping... I say we move on, leave him be."

"And if he's got friends?" Jada's finger remained on the trigger of her glock, absently checking the chamber. They all had the right and experience in this day and age to be weary of men, and even more of groups of them.

"If we leave quickly enough we won't have to worry about it."

"And go where exactly? It's broad daylight, the geeks will be all over us!" Michelle whispered, irritation lacing her voice. "What if he knows something about the Sanctuary?"

"Can we just forget about the fucking sanctuary? Come on, Marley said we're leaving, so lets go... Ana, you got coordinates on the fastest way out of the city?" The woman nodded her head briefly, and turned her gaze from Jada to Marley, who gave a gentle nod as the go-ahead. Best to leave the stranger be and continue on than walk themselves into trouble. It was a sad world, when you couldn't trust mankind and always had to question their intentions... but it was better safe than sorry.

 

[EroticLiteracy]

A noise startled Andrew out of his slumber.

For as long as Andrew could remember he was a light sleeper. He was used to waking up quickly and so when the noise startled him awake he casually slid out of the bed and tried to find the cause of the noise. The first thing he did was crouch down low keeping his body out of sight and grabbing his backpack off the foot of the bed. He slid the backpack over his shoulders securing the straps as he army crawled over to the door. He kept his body tense, ready to bolt at a moment’s notice and go down his escape ladder.

He could hear a group outside talking chatting amongst themselves about what to do. A bolt of fear went through Andrew when he realized a total of three or four voices were talking. Groups were something to be fearful of in this day and age. They were a wild card he preferred not to deal with as they were just as likely to shoot and loot your corpse then to offer you any sort of aide.

Still…. There was something different about the group. Something he couldn’t quite place. It didn’t come to him at first not until they began to walk away and chat louder amongst themselves.

“Women” He murmured his eyes widening in realization “They all sound female”
The fact surprised him. Survivor groups tended to be a large bunch of mixed races and genders. In all of his travels he had never met a one gender group. Were they part of the same sorority or something? Or perhaps a family?

He debated going out and introducing himself. The chance to be around a group of women was something he hadn’t experience since before the outbreak. The need to be social was important to your mental health, that and as a male the idea held a certain appeal. Ultimately however he decided not to, there was too much that could go wrong. He decided to play it safe going over to the window and his escape ladder and silently sliding off of it. He checked to make sure the street was clear before he turned moving to the back of the motel. He mouthed a silent good bye to the group of females and with a turn of his heel began to pick his way down the street.

He was almost around the bend when he felt it.

If you didn’t know what you were looking for you would miss it. The signs were subtle invisible to the untrained eye. The first thing he noticed was the lack of activity on the street. There wasn’t a single fungi in sight, the next was the vibrations which lightly rattled the windows of the shop next to the motel, and the final sign were the birds which were currently high tailing it in his direction in a large flock.

“Shit” He murmured backing up a bolt of fear running through his body.

“A horde”

He turned running back to the motel as fast as he could. Now that he was tuned in he could hear them moving down the street he was seconds from stepping onto. The sound of them chattering amongst themselves began to bounce off of and reverberate off the concrete motel. Andrew quickened his pace all but running back over to motel and bounding up the steps to the second floor.

“They have to be on the other side of the motel” Andrew murmured to himself. In his haste to get some sleep and a shower he hadn’t bothered to check the right branch of the motel. It was a stupid rookie mistake but one he couldn’t beat himself up over. He ran as fast as he could intent on letting the girls know the danger heading their way.

The right side of the motel was the first part the horde would stumble upon.
Luckily a horde of the fungi was as stupid as one single fungi. They couldn’t open any doors and wouldn’t go into a frenzy unless provoked. Andrew couldn’t count the numbers of times he had safely waited out a horde just by sticking his head in the sand and letting them pass by.

He reached the right side of the motel and began to scan the rooms. His eyes swept over the building trying to find the tell-tale signs that spoke of human habitation. When he finally found it he went to the door softly knocking on it and hoping beyond hope the girls were still there and would let him in.

“Ladies” He said his tone polite “I’m not here to harm you I swear there is a horde heading our way and I came back to warn you. If you look outside your window you should see them. Please let me in or at least be very quiet and let them pass us. They won’t attack unless we give them a cause to”

 

[SeraphNocturne]

They drew back in a hushed group, minding all directions as they made their way back down the hall to the main lobby. They'd situated themselves on the far end of the motel near several possible exits--the roof, the streets, and the ally. Marley located the room-number of the one they'd claimed as their stash spot, and the women quickly entered, sealing off the heavy door with several intricate ties for the infected. They didn't bother pushing anything in front of it because of the need for a quick get away. The lock and deadbolt were enough for now... Jada had a hand-held with a homemade silencer on it for any unwanted company.

The women began to gather their personal effects quickly, stuffing full large military issue backpacks. Jada and Ana were typically the 'mules', and as such carried the bottled water, artillery, and ammunition... Marley and Michelle gathered their clothing and trinkets in their own packs, clearing any sign that they had been there.

"God I miss beds... you know cramming in the backseat of a car gets to feel like hell after an few 'ours." Michelle chimed softly, the slight southern drawl of her accent evident as she reminisced.

"I miss dick." Jada purred bluntly, causing Michelle to gasp softly, and shoot her a disproving glare before grinning slowly at the brazen statement. The pair began to laugh, and Michelle threw one of the pillows of the bed toward the slim Asian woman. "Is there anything you don't miss about pre-Apocalypse?"

The long, light ginger-haired girl frowned a bit and looked to be visibly contemplating. "...Monday morning traffic."

"Ahhh no, fucking Starbucks. Hated that place..." Jada had taken to examining the clip of the .45 cal Desert Eagle pistol, undeniably her favorite second only to the glock with the silencer on it. If they were going back out in the open, back to being vulnerable and without a properly operating vehicle, she wasn't taking any chances. At the holster on her left was a machete, which was more likely to be of assistance outside than anything... the place was flooded, crawling with host-occupied decaying bodies. The fungi owned this city now.

"The President." Marley mused softly, standing at the door and waiting for the women to finish up. Their joking and light-hearted nature brought her peace. With all they'd been through, it was refreshing to hear. You'd never have known at this point that they came from all around the globe, and had not known one another before the apocalypse. Desperation brought them together. Perhaps more of a coincidence that they were exclusively female... when they were with the caravan it wasn't so. When everyone began to split up though, they found themselves left with only each other.

A knock on the door jerked her attention, and she quickly rose the Stag 15 at her shoulder, aiming level to the chest. The other women had fallen still behind her as she stepped back and away, her light blue eyes hardened.

“Ladies...I’m not here to harm you, I swear there is a horde heading our way and I came back to warn you. If you look outside your window you should see them. Please let me in or at least be very quiet and let them pass us. They won’t attack unless we give them a cause to.”

She glanced back to Jada, who instinctively moved to the window and very delicately drew back the thick orange black-out curtains to have a sliver of space to peek outside. Surely enough, down the block the tell-tale mass of decaying host-bodies filled with the mossy-green fungus had blackened the streets. She swore under her breath, letting the curtain fall and looking to Marley, who had already lowered her weapon, and nodded her head. She too reached for her go-to hand to hand combat weapon... an aluminum baseball bat, with long six and seven inch spikes decorating the end. It had been designed this way, and had been acquired in a trade nearly six months ago... so she had good practice.

She drew the slipknot and opened the door, allowing Andrew to greet the business end of the bat before anything else. It was swung, and stopped short right before his face.

"Get in, shut up--no funny business, or I'll crack your head open like a melon." The low, serious tone she took suggested she was not to be fucked with. She swung her bat back and dropped it against her shoulder, waving him in quickly, and quietly telling him to hurry the hell up.

Once the door was closed, she returned the tie to it, and slowly slid the dresser in front of it as precaution.

"Secure back here--there's a fire ladder. We can access the roof if need be." Jada reported quietly. The girls fanned out, leaving Marley to do her usual interrogating.

"How many of you are there?"

 

[EroticLiteracy]

For a second Andrew began to panic. The door, the one he was sure the girls were behind remained closed and locked. He knew they were in the room which meant that they were ignoring him. Andrew could hear the horde getting closer and closer chattering and talking amongst themselves. A bolt of panic ran through his body wrapping around his heart. He felt the bile rise up in his throat and he knocked again as hard as he dared to do with the horde so close.

The door suddenly flung open, before he could say anything or step inside a baseball bat was inches from his face. It was so close he could count the nails! If he squinted he even thought he could see dried flecks of what looked like blood….

"Get in, shut up--no funny business, or I'll crack your head open like a melon."

He nodded stepping in the minute she waved him over the threshold. He played nice raising his hands and keeping them above his head as he stepped into the center of the room. He eyed the girls assembled sizing each of them up as they began to fan out and take positions at different corners of the room. He gave a low whistle his eyes showing how impressed he was. He tried not to stare casting his eyes down ever so slightly out of respect and decorum.

“You girls know your stuff” He murmured under his breath. Before he could introduce himself, the girl who let him in was back leveling her bat as she starred him down. It was clear that she was the leader the grand poombah of the group. The other girls defaulted to her looked at her for guidance before going about their business.

“How many?” He questioned his tone confused. Shouldn’t he be asking her that? She was the one with a group!

“Oh!” He said understanding dawning on his face “I’m alone”

He realized how weird that sounded and blushed. His hands went to the back of his neck a nervous habit he had never been able to drop. He shifted his feet his eyes drawing up her form and settling on her face as he blushed.

“I’ve been to a couple communities but I travel alone” He explained his eyes flickering to the window. He could hear the horde advancing moving like a wave over the streets. He backed up from the windows instinctively looking for the nearest exit.

“As long as we stay in here we should be fine” He told them his voice dropping to a whisper “It takes them a few hours to clear the streets but there dumb as shit and won’t open a door unless they think someone’s in here”

“Of course, that means you trusting me” Andrew remarked pulling off his backpack and throwing it onto the bed “Check it I don’t have a single weapon on me. All you girls could plug me full of holes before I could attack. I came back to warn you instead of leaving”

“My name is Andrew” He said holding out his hand “It’s a pleasure to meet you ladies”
……………………………………………..
TWO STREETS DOWN

F.O.B ALPHA

“Boss you need to see this”

He turned moving away from the window of the gas station. As he walked his soldiers turned saluting him and murmuring sir after he returned the salute. He towered over most of them and his powerful shoulders and forearms gave him a slightly menacing appearance. His graying hair was buzzed short a military no nonsense cut. His skin was tan and wrinkled his face as serious as his hair cut. The military fatigues he wore showcased his muscular frame.

“What is it Dale?” Colonel Richard asked folding his arms as he stopped in front of his second in command.

“We got a horde” Dale explained tossing the colonel a walkie talkie “By a motel two streets down”

“Your shitting me” Colonel Richard said his tone one of pure pleasure “Are the men ready?”

“As ready as they’ll ever be” Dale replied grinning “Shall I have them prepare the ambush”

“Do you even need to ask?” Colonel Richard asked laughing “I want the trap ready by the time those monsters reach position Alpha”

“Yes sir”

Dale moved barking orders to the assembled soldiers. Richard watched with pleasure as they began to unpack the gas station securing their equipment with practiced ease. Richard felt a burst of pride for his soldier’s men and women who were prepared to lay their lives on the line to take back their homes. They were all in this together facing the threat of death and possibly becoming the enemy. They didn’t falter didn’t second guess instead following his orders and rushing to engage the enemy.

Atlanta would be the first city of many that they would take back. More and more would rally behind them joining their cause. He would lead them he would kill the undead fuckers who had taken EVERYTHING from him. His wife and daughter would be avenged and he would become a hero.

“Were ready sir” Dale said from the entrance to the gas station.

“Excellent” Richard said shaking himself from his thoughts and turning on his heel.

“Let’s move out”

 

[SeraphNocturne]

It really wasn't safe to be alone, not these days. Less safe for women than men but at the end of the day the infected really didn't care what gender you were... naturally, for a survivor who had managed to live this long though, the infected weren't exactly the biggest threat you could encounter unless it was a horde. A few were easy enough to dispatch, a group was easy enough to outrun... a horde would likely tear you to bits if you weren't careful. But humans? Humans were the worst of them. A few of the women knew first hand exactly how bad other humans could be, which was exactly why this unfamiliar person--this man, specifically, was under such scrutiny for being an enemy. Marley wasn't taking any chances.

He seemed surprised at first and perhaps even a little impressed... who wouldn't be. A group of women, all of them relatively attractive in their own right, with high-powered weapons and the knowledge to use them operating with a near militant style of expertise thought not one of them had the background for it. Only an idiot wouldn't be intimidated. She listened at he spoke, keeping a weary eye on him, and passing his bag off to Michelle to search as Jada kept watch by the window and Anatasha moved to flank the unfamiliar man. The blush on his cheeks took Marley off guard, her hardened icy gaze softening ever so slightly. She motioned for the women to stand down after a few more moments of staring at him as he moved to introduce himself, reading the tone of his voice and making the silent judgment of him telling the truth.

"Marley... the woman behind me is Ana. That's Jada, and Michelle."

"Hi." The soft, sweet-lull of a southern accent laced the greeting as Michelle waved a few fingers cheerily. Jada simply cast a dull and dead-pan nod of her head his direction, not quite accepting Marley's opinion that this man was no threat, as she should. Anatasha seemed to follow Jada's opinion as well, wearily prodding Andrew away from the door with the barrel of her weapon. After successfully checking his pack, Michelle moved to hand it back to him gently, and finally shifted to sit at the old, dust-covered desk of the little motel room. It was a little cramped at this point with five people in it.

"I suppose... we owe you a thank you for letting us know about the horde." Marley's voice was soft, and she gently allowed the Stag to drop back, looping her thumb in her shoulder strap. He had mentioned communities--the last they had seen was perhaps the last place you would want to make a life. They had not seen another for years, prior. They lived as nomads, and honestly, the idea that any place was safe was all but a dream... if the infected had not invaded the lands then the humans who inhabited any sanctuary were unhinged or dangerous.

"Once they pass, you're free to go... just... make sure you're not going the same way we are. We're giving you the benefit of the doubt and counting on you not to send anyone after us for our weapons or, well, anything else they might want."

 

[EroticLiteracy]

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all” Andrew said his powerful tan shoulders dropping as they finished going through his bag and passed it back to him. Without a moment’s hesitation he swung it back onto his back securing it with the traps as the horde came closer and closer. He didn’t dare relax save for pulling a battered pack of cigarettes out of his bag and drawing one out before tossing it at their leader the girl named Marley. Next came a homemade lighter which he used to light his cigarette before passing it on to them to use if they wanted a smoke.
He took the time to assess them. Once again he marveled at the idea that there was a group of hard edged females making a life for themselves in the unforgiving world they not inhabited. He had so many questions for them! Where did they come from? How did they all form together? Where any of them single?

The last question made him blush. He berated himself for being so… hungry for female companionship. These women wouldn’t want to go where he was going nor should he try to push himself upon them. The point was further driven home when their leader Marley spoke warning him about following them.

He laughed softly shaking his head. He took a drag from his cigarette and released slowly letting the smoke curling out of his nostrils and dance to the window that was slightly open.

“Trust me” He said his eyes shining with humor “I doubt you’re going the same way I am going. I don’t know many people these days willing to plunge into the heart of the infestation for a mystical colony that might or might not exist”
Before anyone could say anything more the sound of a trash can falling outside rang out. Andrew grew quiet and still his eyes shifted from amused to worried in a mere matter of seconds. He moved over to the window facing the outside parking lot his cigarette dangling on the corner of his mouth as he bent and peered under the blinds.

“Shit” He murmured taking in the horde.

They were a teeming mass of black and decay. Everyone in a while a vibrant blue or green would punch through the black from a growth of mushrooms or the fungus on one of the infected. They glowed softly in the midafternoon light, their bio-lumescents activating and giving their faces a nightmarish demonic glow. Some of them were completely covered in fungal growth with black tubes sticking out of their bodies and mushrooms sprouting out through every crack on their body and orifice. Just by looking at their heads he could tell which ones had carried the infection the longest. They were the ones that were missing their heads, whose mushrooms had burst out of their scalp like a flower from the dirt.
“I haven’t seen a horde this big in a long time” Andrew whispered frowning as he took them all in.

“As long as we stay quite they’ll leave” He murmured more to himself than to the females behind him. He inched back from the window slowly turning to them and moving towards the wall by the bathroom. He slid down and sat there watching them and staying utterly still.
……………………………………………………………………….
“Let’s move people!”

Richard watched with pride as his people moved into position. After months of training the motley crew of civilian survivors and military they were finally ready to launch an offensive against the undead bastards. He watched as they moved into the buildings on either side of the street bursting through front doors and sliding under half opened garage doors. Minutes later the windows above began to open suppressed riffle barrels poking through as they took up firing positions.

“Charlie and Whiskey are in place sir” Dale said his voice crackling over the walkie talkie attached to Richards belt. He reached for it his large hands cradling the low-tech walkie talkie and bringing it to his mouth.

“Everyone hold position” Richard commanded moving from his position on the far side of the street to the center. A group of men were in the middle of the street laying down a combination of mines and gray putty from one end of the street to another. They moved slowly and methodically making sure to cover the entire intersection with enough explosives to stop a tank.
Or a horde.