Capital of the Dead

After 4 weeks of riots, fires, screaming, crashing, and among other things, zombies. Everything has finally calm down, but it's winter. Fall has come and gone, and the streets are empty. Not a soul in sight, just empty buildings, cars, parks, etc. You survived though, you're the one of the few who have, or maybe you're the only one who has survived. Whatever the case is, you must begin your quest to survive. Grabbing equipment, and killing Zombies, and maybe a few humans. They can also become hostile towards you.

Now, here you are, waiting, quietly. Where ever that maybe, you know it is time to rise. Like the undead, but with a conscience mind, and a beating heart. Your story begins here, in Washington D.C. The capitol of the 'greatest' country in the world, The United States.

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Since the beginning, Frank has been driving his ambulance around the city for days. Helping those he could, and killing those who were already zombified. It was all he could do here now, was help those in need of it. Keeping people safe, and keeping them healthy. As he he made a routine stop at a neighborhood, he searched building after building for survivors. Everytime was the same, no survivors, only resources. He grabbed as much food as possible, and he grabbed as much water as he could everytime he stopped. But he ran out so quickly, from cleaning wounds, to drinking it, to sterilizing his equipment. The scariest places to go were the Police Stations, Hospitals, Prisons, and Government Buildings. Lots of valuable things inside, but to dark and empty, and crawling with Zombies inside.

"Well, I might as well pack-up and go home... No need to stay here any longer. Maybe I'll just see if the radio has picked up any Military or Government frequencies."

The con was slamming into Aria without mercy, at a force that the girl thought would tear her in two. She had screamed the first few days, but soon she barely could move. They rarely gave her enough water or enough to eat, and, week, she was again the relief of the cons. They had spent years in prison without the touch of a woman, and now they had it.

Aria could hear her mother's muffled moans, the same as hers; unwanted, unstoppable, and horrible. This ordeal was only easier since four of the ten cons had already died, killed by their cohorts in an attempt to avoid infection.

Aria felt the man release, and she was mercifully dropped to the floor. Left there, the con zipped and left for food, and Aria crawled to her bed. She managed to get on, and shook.
This hell could end.

But she had no strength. She knew her dad kept a Browning M1911 .45 ACP loaded pistol in the hall bookshelf, attached to the underside of one of the lower shelves. If only she could reach it...if only...

But as the next con entered for his turn, and she was flipped onto her stomach, bloodcurdling screams penetrated every wall of the home. The man about to rape her stopped and looked around, then ran out.

Now.

Aria stumbled out of bed and into the hall. The sounds of a scuffle were heard, and she fell. Crawling, she made it to the bookshelf and grasped the Colt. Pulling it free, she swung up to find herself looking down the hall. The door to her mom's room was open, and the man from before crawled out. Bloody and crying, he attempted to crawl away...but two men descended, beginning to tear him apart.

Aria screamed and opened fire, the brace of four shots taking them out. She stood and swung to the bannister, and fired the last three shots at a pair running up. One struck the leader's shoulder and the other two impacted in the second's torso. Aria turned and sprint-stumbled to the master bedroom and into the closet, where, thankfully, the combination-locked gun case was still tucked on an upper shelf, left untouched due to the gun cabinets downstairs raided. The combination was her birthday.

Inside sat her Dad's SOCOM. It was the gun she learned to shoot with, and her favorite. She quickly loaded it with shaky fingers and spun around. The Heckler & Koch Mark 23 12 round sidearm fit easy in her hand. She flicked the laser sight on, and waited.

Two cons came into view, shotgun and hunting rifle raised. On one knee, Aria, who had recovered a bit more, dropped them with four shots. She crawled out of the way as a staccato of gunfire ripped apart the area by the door. Three dead from the Browning, four if the lead guy broke his neck falling. The other guy probably was dying, and two more dead...left maybe three more.

The first guy to enter the door lost is nuts and his head. Six shots left.
She fired into the wall, the FMJ rounds punching through the thin wall of the closet. She heard a scream, meaning two down.

Aria stood. Three rounds.
One target.

Adrenaline coursing through her veins, every single lesson her father taught her running through her head at speeds that the Flash would be jealous, Aria spun around the corner and found herself facing the last con. Not the leader, but the lower guy. He had been given a turn with her last all the time, and had a tendency to beat her for fun when he was bored.

He was looking at his dead comrades, shaking. "How...she...she's just a girl. A kid...how?"
He was still staring at his dead comrades when three .45 ACP rounds tore his face off, and Aria fell to her knees, throwing up out of revulsion, exhaustion...and because now...she saw her mother.
Lying on the bed.
Ripped apart.


Desperation. Hatred. Revulsion. Adrenaline. Four things that can turn a girl into a monster. With basic training and a marine dad, desperation, hatred, revulsion, and adrenaline turned Aria into a killer. No one would believe she would have been able to kill eight convicts with two pistols, nineteen bullets between them.

What most people don't think of...is that after a week of raping a woman and her daughter with little to no resistance after day one...relaxation becomes your worst nightmare.

A nightmare that Aria, naked, bloodspattered, and exhausted, now was coping with as she sat in that closet, vomit all over two bodies, staring at the gun in her hands as she shook.

Frank's Ambulance started like it always did. The lights always flashing but the sirens were never on. All he wanted to find was some human contact, someone he could talk to. Every person he's met only had seconds left of their life. He had one more errand to do, and then he would head off to his house.

He grabbed his .45 and some extra Magazines, griping it tightly. He had to find food, water, some kind of supplies so he could survive. He opened the door of one of the houses he went into, looking around it didn't seem like anyone was inside, but he smelt something. It smelt like someone needed to take a shower or they would just kill the people he was trying to save.

As he put his shirt over his nose, he moved slowly forward. His boots making a thumping sound as he moved forward. He never was one for sneaking into a house, or anywhere for that matter. As he reached the kitchen, he grabbed some canned food, put it inside his dufflebag and kept searching. Some sour milk, moldy left overs, and what seemed to be some kind of meat loaf, but he wasn't so sure.

After the kitchen he moved towards the bedrooms, he entered the hallway. A few bodies lay on the ground, none of them were alive. Gun shot wounds... Since when do people get shot in this part of D.C.

Frank checked their pulses, nothing. He entered the room they were lying in front of. Two more bodies lie on the ground, vomit all over their torso's. It looked strange to say the least, someone was here with him, but he wasn't sure if it was alive or dead. So he whispered, "Hello... Is anyone here? My name is Frank Herning, I am- was a paramedic for the Washington D.C. medical centers... If you're alive and you can hear me, please, come out. I'll even put my weapon on the ground."

He hesitated for a second to put it on the ground, but he did it anyways. No trust from a stranger is the worst thing you could do in all situations. So he sat it down, moved away from his weapon, and backed away slowly, "Please, I say again. I'm not here to hurt you, nor am I going to harm you. I'm here to help you, in any way I can." His voice was soft, it wasn't the first time he had to deal with this, well when civilization actually existed in the real world.

Aria raised her gun. She was hiding in the corner of the closet, shivering.
"Do-don't come closer! I-I'm armed!" She called. "Please. Don't make me kill anyone else." She sobbed. "Don't make me kill anyone else."
The girl's grip on the SOCOM tightened. She was still naked, still bruised and scrapped, and could feel fluids crusted over her thighs. Aria needed a bath, but right now, she was so scared she probably would shoot the Army.

But as her adrenaline again subsided, her brain started to realize he just started to say he wasn't there to hurt her. A...a paramedic?
"T-throw your weapons into the closet! I-I'm serious! I won't let someone else do this to me!" She sobbed out.

Frank raised an eyebrow, he kicked his weapon to the closet door. Grabbing the dufflebag full of food he got out some cookies he had found in the kitchen. "I found some cookies if you want any, I know it isn't much but since this all started there isn't much left of the old world."

He then remembered what she was saying about someone else doing things to her, "And what do you mean... Things? Unless you mean these men were..." He sighed, heavily. Shaking his head, he wondered how he could make things better for the girl. How could he get her to trust him, or even come out of the closet first off.

Aria whimpered. Hungry.
"Come in slowly. F...food in sight." She cried a bit more. "Don't make me shoot you. Please don't make me shoot you." The girl begged. She paused. "T-towel. B-bring in a t-towel. L-large one. Half damp. Please."

Logan and his friend, Mike, rode in his black pick up truck. Dodging the abandoned cars as best he could.
He was heading to the local Lowe's in hopes of finding good decent wood. They'd need it for barricades.
After that they'll head to anywhere that might have food. Grocery stores, convenient stores, farmer's markets. Wherever.

Lauren marched silently along the road, her eyes scanning for any signs of life... Both human and undead. She had no real plan apart from head home and see what was left of it. Though she did doubt that there would be anything left for her there. She glanced up at the sky, longing to be in it again. But her days of flight where sadly over for now. Time to ground pound it instead of the ease and joy of flight.

Frank nodded, "O- Okay, what's your name by the way?" He grabbed a blanket from the floor, and had the food in hand. Doing as the girl directed, "Again, my name is Frank."

He opened the closet door, and handed her the blanket, and the cookies, "We'll go get a damp towel when we get you to the bathroom, so you can clean up. Okay?" He felt sorry for her, it was in his eyes, but he tried not to show because some people didn't like it to much when you showed pity. But he couldn't help it, she looked like she was about in her teens. Small, and innocent, he couldn't help but feel sorry.

"I also want to ask... Where are your parents? Are they okay? Can I help you find them?"

"Mommy is dead. They did things to her too, then they turned. Sh-she's on the bed."
Aria stood up, moving forward. She was naked and shivering worse. Wrapping the blanket around her with one hand, she clutched the cookies under her arm. "M-move." She said. "B-bathroom." She directed, motioning to the doorway to the left.

Frank reached down for his gun, "I hope I can do this, I'm not here to hurt you."

As they walked he grabbed it, tucking it in the back of his pants. "If you want I have an Ambulance outside with lots of medical supplies in it. I can bandage you up, and we can either go our separate ways or we could stick together."

They got into the bathroom, and he grabbed one of the towels that were hanging on the wall. Thankfully the water still worked, so he damped it lightly, ringing out some extra water from it.

Aria paused. He..he seemed like the real thing.
"O..okay..."
She took the towel and let the blanket drop, then started washing herself off. Frank could see the dried blood and semen on her thighs beforeit was washed away. She was quick, and again covered herself up with the blanket.
"I need clothes..." she said softly.

"Aria." The traumatized girl finally added.

Frank nodded, "Well... Do you have clothes here? You can search while I grab some supplies... If that's alright."

He felt more sorry for her, it was seen in his face. He couldn't help it, his eyes were a bit glazed. Like he was going to cry. But he kept it in, trying to get his bearing.

Aria nodded numbly. "My room. Food mostly gone. Guns downstairs in cabinet or near bodies. Ammo in bottom drawer of cabinent. Gas in SUV."
Aria spoke in broken sentences, and started to stumble her way out, heading for the hallway.

Frank nodded, looking at his watch. Almost 1400. He went to the basement, Aria was right. Guns were in a cabinet, so he opened it. Grabbing as many as he could without hurting himself or the weapons. He knocked on her door, "I'll be back, I'm going to open you SUV and put the weapons there... You know how to drive right?"

He had been wondering that since he first met her, and since she told him about the SUV.

Finally able to get clothed, she pulled on panties and jeans. He knocked as she clasped her bra, causing her to scream. When she realized what she said, she looked at her feet.
"Daddy was teaching me before the army called him..." she said.

He looked down, I hope he made it... The military was told to hold a border along most of the East Coast. Not much they could do until they have an official leader.

He sighed, "Well, we can either take all of the supplies into the SUV, and take the gas out of the Ambulance or vise versa.

"Ambulance carries more. SUV better mileage." She started packing things into a duffel bag and backpack. "...were yu...serious...about me staying with you?" She aaked hesitantly. She was currently looking at her laptop, on the front a sticker her dad gave her. It was the symbol for his company, the 433rd.
"At...at least...until I find daddy?"

Frank wasn't sure about it, but he had to. No way would she survive by herself, "Yes I'm serious about you staying with me. As long as you follow my exact orders, and you don't question them."

He was serious about the order's part, he never liked it when someone would question his gut feelings, but right now they needed an answer to their vehicle problem. It was running on 1500 now. Even though the Undead didn't walk around this part for the past week, he knew it was a matter of time before they actually got to this area. He quickly thought, "Alright, we'll take the Ambulance and come back for the SUV tomorrow if we have time. We need to get these supplies to the safe house before the walkers get here."

He walked to the weapons, grabbed them, and headed for the front door. As he opened it, there was a lone walker down the street. They had to hurry if they were going to get out of here. That was only one of a few million coming this way. And he wanted to get out of here before the commute became larger.

Nodding, Aria ran her duffel outside to the ambulance before running back in. She started ferrying the loads od ammunition out, the gun collection well stocked.
"Can you get the ammo? I...I need mommy's cross..."

Aria sprinted upstairs and, after throwing up again, she searched. It was fast; it had been kicked under the bed.
Clutching it tightly, Aria returned to Frank. "I packed my must haves..." she said softly. "C...can we go now?"

Ammo in hand, he nodded to her. Opening his door, and unlocking the passenger side. Turning the lights off he went the opposite way of where he saw the Walker. Taking different directions to his safe house, "So tell me Aria, what did you do. Obviously school but did you do any after hours activities?"

Trying to make conversation, he wasn't best at. But since there was no radio to listen to, he had no choice. The ambulance zoomed past some houses, then across a bridge towards DC itself. His safehouse wasn't much of a house, more of his old apartment. It had taken him at least two weeks to take care of the Zombies in the building. Nothing was more terrifying than killing Zombies in close quarters. But he had gotten it done. He had barricades all around the first floor doors, and barricades on the stairs. Especially on the 3rd floor where he was staying. But he would tell her the secret ways when they got there.

Aria huddled in the passenger seat, arme around her knees. She was silently crying again, her mom's cross around her neck.
"I was a girl scout. Daddy was teaching me shooting and driving while mommy taught me cooking..."
Aria sniffed. "I'm still hungry." The remains of the cookies were on the floor of the ambulance.

He nodded, it was silent. He looked a the ground. Then back at the road, "Look in the light blue dufflebag, might be something to eat in there. But dont eat a ton of it, your body needs to take food in small portions. Wait... How long has it been since you've eaten?"

Remembering he had just found her, and not much communication was going on between the two. As he drove, he knew the apartment building was a few blocks away now. So he slowed his speed, and checked the streets for walkers, and people. No need for unwanted attention from either group.

I continued to drive on, avoiding the dead and cars. Didn't want to get a dent in this, even though it's bound to happen.
I was going through a mental map of the roads, trying to find the quickest way to the store. But of course there could be something in the way.
Barricade of cars, hordes of the monsters, opportunistic killers. So pretty much anything that walked the streets.

Lauren heard the sound of an approaching vehicle, rather than remain in the open she took cover behind an abandoned car. She was going to wait for it to pass rather than let it's passengers spot her easily.
She was just one soldier, she could not afford to not be too careful and cautious.

"Two days ago..." Aria said. She rummaged around and tooka small. It of food, devouring it without much pause. She resumed her huddled position, eyes staring blankly ahead as her face looked as hollow as her eyes dis when she first calmed down.

As the Apartment became into view, Frank stepped on the brakes. Parking in a nearby alleyway. "Alright, go to the front, I'll meet you there in a bit. I have to take care of hiding the Ambulance."

He swung open the door, then moved to the front. Since it was getting dark he grabbed the black tarp, and covered the Ambulance with it. Usually no one comes down here, but better to be safe than sorry. Once he was done covering it, he strapped the tarp down, and locked the Ambulance. He would have to get the supplies in the morning, and get Aria to help him. But right now, it was time to get in the apartment before the undead began to make their rounds this way.

Aria waited at the designated place, huddled against the wall. She wanted to fall down and cry more, but she wawnt safe yet.
Her hands were clenching her gun still, wanting to just collapse.

An ambulance? She shook her head in silent disbelief as it drove past. Should she follow it? For Lauren that was the real question, it might lead her away from home and having someone or several people watching her back would make surviving easier. However, they might not be friendly.
Lauren chose to avoid, keeping in cover as much as possible so that she would be harder to spot. She needed to find somewhere to hold up. She did not want to see how many of the damned lurked here.
She had to keep moving for now...

When Frank finished he walked towards the front, seeing Aria tense and worried made him want her to trust him more. Somehow he needed to do that. So she could feel safe, and he didn't have to worry on what she was thinking every second of everyday.

As he came up to her, he put his hand on her shoulder, "Alright, let's get inside. I've memorized the Zombies walking paths in this area. Right now is going to be their 'feeding' time. Or whatever they do. Also, no lights. I have glow sticks up to the third floor, where my apartment is. It may not be much, bu it's better than nothing."

He smiled, unlocked the door, and moved the barricades out of the way. "I've got two keys, one is in my room, and the other is on my person. When I find a key smith shop, I can make a third for you. If you're still staying here."

Aria jumped at the touch, but nodded. Sticking the gun into her messenger bag, Aeia followed beuind him quietly.
"Ok." She said quietly, hugging herself.
She didn't really say much more as they headed upatairs.

Lauren saw the tell tale shuffle of movement that signalled that it was a zombie. At first it was just one but it soon turned out to be many more. Her first instinct was to get out of there but a swift glance over her shoulder revealed that a tactical withdraw backwards was impossible. She brought up her MP5K and pulled the bolt back with a click.
They knew she was there already, might as well thin out their ranks a bit.
Lauren thumbed the selector to burst and opened fired from the hip, advancing into the middle of the street. A few zombies fell but a couple struggled back to their feet. "Come on! You want some? Get some! Your not eating me!" A few more zombies collapsed but their losses where meaningless. There was nowhere for Lauren to get to if she could not make it across the street. The sound of battle echoed loudly. "Come on maggot for brains! Come get a soldier who still lives!" Her bravery was commendable.

As they entered the building, Frank closed the door, locking it, then moving the barricade back into place. "Tomorrow, I'll teach how to use some of the emergency exits I have around here."

He followed his glowsticks, to the apartment. It was average sighed, not much to it. Had a bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen, and one closet. The windows were boarded up, and the door had lots of locks on it. Frank looked at Aria, "You can have the bedroom. I'll take the coach, if you're hungry. Foods in the kitchen, and water is in the fridge that no longer works. Is that alright by you?"

Aria nodded numbly. She began heading for the bedroom.
"Thank you."
Closing the door behind her, Aira unlaced her shoes.
Climbing onto the bed, Aria collapsed into the fetal position and dissolved into long horrible sobs, crying her eyes out.

"Wow." I put a hand up as I slowed the vehicle, making it less noisy. "Do you hear that?" Mike nodded then said. "Sounds like gunfire."
I nodded myself. "Should we do something, check it out?" I ask. But he just shook his head. "We don't know what's going on."
I nodded again. Without another word I pressed back down on the pedal, making the truck roll again. It'd be maybe another five or so minutes before we got there.

Frank took off his boots as he saw the door close. He sighed, got up and walked to the door. He didn't know what to say, but as he was going to knock he heard he crying. I don't even know if my words would help her in a situation such as this. I have to do something though... Right?

He sighed heavily,Well... Here goes nothing... Knocking on the door, he closed his eyes, "Hey... Aria... Are- Are you okay? Do you want to talk about what happened? I know we don't know each other very well, and we met in terrible circumstances, but I would like to help you in any way I can..."

Her weapon clacked empty and she dropped it, the weapon strap allowing the gun to still be carried by her. In a single swift movement she drew her pistol and emptied the whole clip of that into the undead horde.
Holstering it, she had only one weapon left. Her e-tool, The entrenching tool. She gripped the small, fold-able shovel in her hands and licked her lips and found herself smiling. She charged forward using the e-tool to hack down any zombies that got close. She sliced the head off of one and turned to her right to kick back another zombie and it fell back knocking over a dozen or so. Yet she had no time to stop, immediately another zombie lurched forward and Lauren slammed the shovel into it's chin. Sweat soaked her, this fight was long and intense. There was only on outcome to this battle, her defeat was inevitable, there was no way that she could take this many zombies down alone.

The gunfire got louder as we went on, then changed slightly, then suddenly... nothing. My heart started pumping harder, I was about to do something stupid.
"We're gonna go see what happened." I said I made a sharp turn to the left, throwing us to the side. "What the hell man! I thought we agreed nothing heroic!"
"It won't hurt if we go a little out of our way to help someone." He just shook his head. "This is stupid, we should ignore it."

I pressed the pedal down harder which in turn speed the truck up. "Dude, where's your humanity?" I ask with a serious tone.
He replied rather grimly. "When people started eating each other." It went quiet after that, I didn't have anything to say.
It wasn't even a few moments later we found what looked like a flock... or what did they call it in the movies? A horde.
They were all facing the same way, so there had to be someone on the other side. Or a corpse being eaten...
Mike spoke up. "Look man, there's nothing we can do. We only have tools. Just turn us around." I shook my head.

"There is one thing I can do." I grinned. It's not like you do something like this everyday. I put it in reverse and back up a good distance.
"Ready?" I didn't wait for answer. I put it in drive and smashed the pedal to the floor, speeding towards the horde.

Aria sobbed. "They raped us. I heard mommy beg them to let me go. They laughed and I heard her scream. She didn't stop for minutes." She shook badly. "They wouldn't let us rest until th-hey all were satisfied, then they left...left me tied to the floor. They barely fed me." She screamed. "WHY WASNT DADDY THERE?"

Aria's crying didn't let up. "Why wawnt daddy there."

Frank looked down, a tear ran down his cheek. He couldn't say anything, he couldn't just hug her and tell her everything was okay. It wasn't, and probably won't ever be okay for a long time. With zombies, and the people who kill others... It was a mess.

He wiped his face, wanting to say something was tougher than anything in the world. Trying to think of something to say was hard also, then he spoke up, "I'll find him for ya, okay? We'll go out everyday, and try to find your dad! We'll find him one way or the other! I swear, I will not rest until I find him for you!"

He walked off, back to the couch. He wanted to find him for her. So he took the blanket from the end and covered himself. Tomorrow, was going to be the beginning of a real mission.

Lauren e-tool caught itself in a zombie and it was ripped out of her hands when the zombie staggered backwards. Now disarmed, she made a mad scrambled up an abandoned car and stood their on the roof of it, breathing hard. The undead surrounded the vehicle all trying to reach up and grab her. For the moment she was safe and she managed to reload her MP5K.
Over the sounds of the zombies she could not hear the vehicle coming to her rescue. She glanced up at the sky almost as if she was hoping for their to be something up there. So... This was to be her end. Lauren let out a weary sigh and forced a thin smile. If it was to be it, then so be it.

Seconds later we send ourselves straight into the mass of them. The popping, crunching, squishy sounds were a bit sickening.
When got through to the other side I did a quick U-turn and charged in again. This time closer to the survivor.
It was when I was practically next to the car did I stop and yell. "Jump in the back! Quickly!"

Lauren looked visibly shocked for a moment to see the car, but it lasted for just a fraction of a second. When the vehicle slowed down, she leapt landing in the back. "Go go go!" She fired a burst of her MPK5 into the horde dropping one of the zombies and injuring another two.

Aria heard little. But promise, and find her dad.
That's all she heard.

That was all she needed.

The truck swayed as the abominations pushed against it desperately in an attempt to get inside. I put the pedal to the medal, speeding out of there. Hoping our new passenger can hold on or at least stay in.

Lauren managed to hold on and watched the horde disappear into the distance as they sped away. "Thanks..." She whispered her body exhausted from the brief battle. "Nice rescue"

After we made a good distance away from them I stop the truck and get out. Leaving the keys in just incase we're jumped.
I look over the side of it. All the blood and dirt's gonna be a royal pain in the ass to clean... I sigh at the thought.
"Hey, you okay back there?" I asked the woman who by the looks of it is military. Considering the camo, helmet and guns.

"I'm fine thanks... I appreciate the help back there" She found herself giggling slightly. "There where too many even for me" Lauren ejected the magazine and tapped it against her helmet before slotting it back into the weapon with a satisfying click. "I'm Lauren" She removed her helmet, her dark brown hair plastered to her head from sweat. She checked her helmet, it seemed in good condition still.

"It wasn't a problem really. Got to stem the tide a bit." Smirking at the fresh memory, I point to Mike. Who was on the other side.
"That's Mike and I'm Logan. Good to meet ya." I raise myself up on the tire then offer to shake hands.

"A pleasure to meet you both" Lauren replied with a smile as she moved forward and shook Logan's hand. She leant back again and let out a quiet, almost revealed sigh. Lauren toyed with the idea of telling them about her base and how the undead owned it now. She chose not to, on the account that it was obvious as otherwise she would not have been on her own... Or without her helicopter in sight.