ZRP-2: Chapter 5: Pariah's Warning

"Oh..." was all Eve said.

Hibiki sighed. "Soon I guess..."

(James)
"Heh, I'd suggest taking an early break......but what sort of example would that set for everyone else?"

(Sam)
"Besides, start stealing mine and I'll just have to steal yours to balance things out."

(Andrew)

=I sigh, bored out of my skull= 

Good Grief...just attack already...

(Sarah)

=I looked up at Andrew=

Geez...you jumpy enough?

(Andrew)

When can I get some sleep? 

(Sarah)

Shush you...

=I smile, taking the sting from my words=

(Andrew)

=I sigh, still bored=

Eve blushed. "Ok..."
Tempting tempting... she thought.

Hibiki sighed. "No early break."

(James)
"Damn. I'm at a loss then."

(Sam)
"So, good thing the walkers never got smart enough to simply pile on top of each other to get over the wall. This would get a lot more interesting."

"Don't give them ideas. Or I swear Sam, in Heaven, I will slap you." Eve said.

Hibiki sighed. "I know."

(Sam)
=I grinned at her=
"Admit it. It would add to the whole siege vibe."

(James)
"Well, we could always see who's the better shot."
=Gently, I moved her off my lap and stood up=

"Soldier, mind if I see that rifle?"
=The soldier nodded, and handed me the hunting rifle, bolt action=

"So, call out a target."

Hibiki frowned. "We shouldn't waste ammo."

Eve sighed. "No thanks. If we start that, cannabalism will come soon. I'd rather not be stripped naked to be cooked. Kinda ruins my fantasies."

(James)
"Maybe, but it sure as hell beats sitting around here doing nothing."

(Sam)
"Wow, moved from siege to canabalism pretty quickly there Eve."

"True." Hibiki shrugged. "Just wait."

"Welcome to the world." Eve sighed. "There goes some fun."

(Sam)
"Bah. At least they'd be doing something other than walking out there moaning. Besides, it's starting to gets my nerves."

(James)
"We can wait and do nothing, or we can loose a few bullets in a bit of healthy competition. Unless you're backing down from a challenge?"

"Waiting and doing nothing saves the bullets we need. I'm backing down from a challenge because we can't waste ammo." Hibiki frowned.

Eve sighed. "Anyways..." She sighed. "When is our shift up?"

(Sam)
"In another hour maybe? I don't know."

(James)
"Well then we are going to die of boredom before the shepherds actually show up."

Hibiki rolled her eyes. "We leave our shift and find something else to do."

Eve groaned. "Alright."

(James)
=I sorta smiled at her, my tone teasing=
"Leave, stay, leave stay. Make up your mind."

(Sam)
"Suck it up Eve. We are the only ones that can do.....nothing."

Eve laughed. "I guess so."

Hibiki sighed. "Oh shut up."

(James)
"This is why I proposed shooting at walkers. I'll just talk your ears off if we don't do something."

(Sam)
=Time started to go buy.....slowly=

Hibiki frowned. "And draw more, waste ammo..." She scowled.

Eve sat there quietly.
"I was addicted to soap. I'm clean now."

(Sam)
"Seriously? Soap? What, did you like the taste it left in your mouth or something?"

(James)
=I just chuckled again, then handed the rifle back to the soldier=
"May as well take an early break. Thirty minutes, then swing back."

Eve facepalmed.
"It was a pun."

Hibiki sighed. "Let's get something to eat."

(James)
"Sounds good. Book, you have the wall. Keep out trespassers."

(Book)
:Will do James."

(Sam)
"Oh. Okay."

(Andrew)

=I wasn't just bored, I was wondering how Mira was holding up without me=

It's just driving me crazy not checking up on her...

=I tapped my foot, the wait starting to fray at my nerves. Sarah looked at me with a patient expression=

(Sarah)

Andrew...if you're that anxious, don't worry about it. I'll cover for you.

(Andrew)

=I quirked up an eyebrow=

You sure about that?

(Sarah)

=I nod=

Yeah...I can handle it. This is best nap I've had in AGES. 

=I chuckle= 

Now go on...I can handle the heat for thirty minutes. No more.

(Andrew)

=I nod, a grateful smile on my face=

Good...just what I needed...

=I step off the wall, grateful to get up and stretch my legs for a few seconds=

And my size doesn't exactly help that...

=I then went out to check in on Mira, just hoping she was okay. This was as much for my peace of mind as it was for her's.=

That, and I'm STARVING...

=I went to go get some food=

Sarah can handle herself...she's not that shy little sister I knew...

(James)
"I've got some granola bars in my pack. Want to find a quiet place and eat, maybe talk to ourselves?"
=I looked at Hibiki with a hopeful expression=

"Heh, I can't say I can blame you, I left this place and went back to the town. Though I think we left too early. Because I've heard James and company started a little civil war here."

"Well. I guess it will have to do. You know me, steak dinners at fine restaurants and all." She grinned.

Eve sighed. "I'm hungry."

(James)
"Next time I'll see what I can do."
=We walked for a bit, though stopped at a bench near the wall, close enough so we could get back if anything happened=

(Sam)
"Really? I'm....sorta fine."

Hibiki giggled. "Deal."

Eve blinked. "It's me."

(James)
=Sitting down, I got out two bars, still wrapped up and handed one to her=
"Now all we need is some wine and candles..."

(Sam)
"Yeah, I know. So do you want to go grab some food?"

"Yes." Eve said.

Hibiki accepted it. "Yep..."

(Sam)
=I sighed a little=
"If the assault begins, and we're not here to counter it.....I blame you."

(James)
=I chewed in silence, glad at least to have her close by=
"This is sorta comical. Zombies at the door, and we're sitting at a bench eating granola bars."

"Go ahead." Eve said, moving into a crouch to avoid any snipers, like a smart person would.

Hibiki chuckled. "yep..."

(James)
"You know, I'm sorta curious. All this time, the walkers have remained the same. Not just them, but the virus. You'd think by now it would have mutated or something, like nearly ever other virus does."
=Granted, my knowledge of viruses and how they actually work was very, very small=

(Sam)
"Oh I will. I will blame you Eve. And your little stomach too."

"DO NOT JINX US!" Hibiki nearly screamed at him.

Eve blushed. "Yes ma'am..."

(James)
=And I nearly had a heart attack=
"Jesus Hibiki, just a simple question. And a conversation point, fuck!"

(Sam)
=Climbing down, I figured the cafeteria would be best=

"Never think about mutation...Did you never play a zombie game?" She asked.

Eve followed quietly, but happily.

(James)
"Too many. But in all honesty, it's a valid question Hibiki. Not saying it doesn't mean it won't happen, least at some point."

(Sam)
=We headed for the hotel, and I hoped it would be open, or that the cafeteria would be open at least=

Eve reached out and looped two fingers through one of Sam's belt-loops quietly.

Hibiki sighed. "It is. But now we're gonna face a mutation. I've read enough books."

(Sam)
=Stopping in my tracks, I reached around and gently removed Eve's fingers=
"Uh, Eve? You trying to pull down my pants or something?"

(James)
"Yeah, sorry. I guess the most we can hope for is that whatever it mutates into, it just makes them....I don't know, faster or something."

"No...but I didn't think you'd want me to hold your hand...so I tried for a healthy medium..." She blushed. "I'm sorry."

"Mutate them so they are slower and easier to kill. Or like. Just kills them off." Hibiki said.

(Sam)
"Well, there's always the third option: just walk next to me and don't hold my hand?"

(James)
"If only fate were that kind."

"Sam." Eve looked at her. "You do realize that is pretty impossible, me not hanging onto you when I can. So resign yourself to having a clingy little sister who may or may not be more and be happy that I'm not vicegripping your arm like a Kingler."

Hibiki sighed. "If only."

(James)
=I continued chewing on the granola bar=
"You know.....I'm probably going to regret saying this, but I sometimes think it would have been better, back when we first met, if I went with my original plan. Just grab some weapons, a car, and go on a run against the Shepherds and take them all down."

=Waiving a hand in the air at everything, I continued before she could respond=
"Beats sitting on our asses, waiting for the impending assault. And.....it beats knowing about the people I lost."

(Sam)
"Yeah but Eve....honestly, it's just weird. And makes it hard to walk. So just take my hand."

Eve took Sam's hand and stayed quiet.

Hibiki frowned. "Then you wouldn't have married me, had a child, and have something worth fighting for, not useless revenge."

(James)
=Smiling just a little, I gripped her hand=
"Yeah....but then I wouldn't have had so much to lose. And neither would you really."

(Sam)
=Grinning, I led us both inside and to the mess hall=
"Now, we don't have much time. Just grab a snack and lets get back to the wall."

Hibiki gripped back.
"Me too."

Eve let go and grabbed an apple and some candy before returning to same. She took a bite of the apple, some of the juices flowing down her chin.

(James)
"So....it kinda occurs to me that with the Elites, or at least the rich ones dead, we're sorta faced with an interesting question; who leads the compound?"

(Sam)
"Enjoying the humor, aren't we Eve?

Eve blushed. "Yes..."

Hibiki sighed. "I dunno...Cooper?"

(Sam)
"Well I'm no Adam, Eve. And there's certainly no serpent 'round here."

(James)
"Or Marcus. Or hell, maybe both?"

(Sarcastic) "Good times..."

Abel took another puff, then offered the cigar to Tyler.

"Uhhhh, sure."
I take it and, having watched how it was done just now, 'puff' it. Immediately I have to start coughing and wheezing.
"Heh... bad idea. Here."
I try to hand it back to him.