ZRP-2 Chapter 6: Scattered

Hibiki followed James. "Think we'll find anything?"

Eve shrugged. "Mommy is fine..."

(James)
"If we're lucky, yeah we should find some food."
=We kept walking, and soon the trees began to clear up a little. I fond myself staring at the back of a building, maybe two stories and made of bricks=

"Okay, time to raid Metropolis...."

--Caravan--

(Sam)
"And your dad? What about James?"

"He's with mommy. He's fine." Eve said softly.

Hibiki wrinkled her nose. "Uh. If Superman comes by, you're the scapegoat."

(Sam)
"Yeah.....probably doing just fine."
=We sat there for the rest of the wait, before the horn on the bus honked and it was time to move=

"Buckle up. Time to drive again."

(James)
"I'll claim desperation."
=The three of us moved to the building, backs to the wall as we edged to the corner so I cold poke my head around. For the moment, it looked clear, though the tiny space between buildings I was looking through entered into a street with a building directly in the other side. Not much else to see. Notching an arrow, I crouched low and moved down the tiny alley, staying low=

Eve buckled up. "Ready."

Hibiki followed. "Yeah...right...."
She rolled her eyes.

(Sam)
=The caravan started up again, engines coming to life as we began moving. It felt.....right, in a way, being on the move. Brought back memories of what it was like when I was on the move with my caravan. Before they died=

(James)
=Stopping at the corner of the same building, I checked to see if the coast was clear. It wasn't six walkers in total were to the right, while the left side was clear. Between us and them, were a few cars we could use for cover=
"Okay, we can sneak by or take 'em out. I'd sneak though."

--Train--

(Andrew)

=I double check my gear, making sure everything is up to par=

Good...everything is ready to go...

=I look at Sarah, who just stares at me with overt hostility=

Why won't you trust me anymore...?

=I shudder a bit, but continue on with my checks=

Eve just looked out the window.
"This sucks."

Hibiki rubbed her forehead. "Sneak by. No need to waste energy on them."

Seeing the tension, Mira walked over and pushed Sarah down, kissing her full on the mouth for five seconds. When she broke away, the young woman glared. "You're not my Sarah. Give her back."

(Sam)
"The driving?"
=As we drove along, the field was replaced by more trees, until the caravan began driving through the woods=

(James)
=Nodding, I started us off. Creeping from one car to the next, I moved down the street without getting the attention of any of the walkers=

"Yeah. And my shoulder..." Eve sighed.

Hibiki followed...then scooped up half a broken bottle.

(Sarah)

=I blinked, my face a bright red. It was both from embarrassment and shame. Andrew just gave me a stare that felt hurt, and he then looked away. I had felt betrayed...and I now realize my betrayal was misplaced and wrong=

You get her back...

=I then lean up an whisper in Mira's ear=

And we'll continue that later.

(Sam)
"Ah....well, with luck it should be better soon. That way you won't have to be laying there all the time."

(James)
=Stopping at one of the cars, I looked back to see Hibiki grabbing a glass bottle. Something told me not to worry=

Mira kissed Sarah again. "Thank you." She then glanced at Andrew. "Don't worry Andy. She'll share me."

Eve sighed. "Would be bearable if you could snuggle with me..."

Hibiki siddled up to James.
"Which way are we going?"

(James)
"I don't know. Never been here, so I don't know much about this place. But something tells me we should try moving further in, that way."
=Pointing with my finger, I gestured to around the next corner=

"But we need a distraction. Hibiki?"

(Sam)
"Heh, maybe next rest stop we get. But cuddling won't do your shoulder any good Eve."

Hibiki chucked the bottle to the other side of the street, away from their destination.
"Move!"

Eve shrugged with one shoulder.
"You're gentle..."

(Andrew)

=I sigh, but I smile=

I'm alright with that.

=I go back to my checking=

(Sarah)

=I smile=

Of course I'll share...

=I then give Mira a mischievous grin=

After I've had my fun with her.

Mira went scarlet. "Um...I like it gentle?"

(James)
=We all moved as the walkers looked the other way, drawn to the sound of the breaking bottle. However, once we turned the corner, there was another group of walkers, eight this time. And no cover=
"Shit..."

=They saw us, and stealth went out the window. Drawing my knife, I approached the first walker, waited for an opening, and then slammed the tip down into the skull. It died, and I relied on Trevor and Hibiki to cover me while I yanked it out. For his part, Trevor held a machete in hand and chopped off the head of another walker=

(Sam)
"Maybe. But still, better to be careful."

Drawing her katana, she neatly beheaded one, then sliced another's head in half before kicking a third away from James.
"Well. This is fun."

Eve sighed. "It'll be fine..."

(Andrew)

=I roll my eyes=

And they thought I'd be the one who turned out wrong...

=I just sit there, not really wanting to say a thing=

(Sarah)

=I smile=

I'll take note of that.

=I giggle a bit=

But I'll save that for later.

=I then follow Andrew's lead and check my gear=

(Sam)
=Sighing myself, I resisted the urge to honk my horn at the bus just so it could move faster=
"In any case, not like we'll be cuddling anytime soon."

(James)
"Yeah, fun fun fun...."
=Knife free, I moved to the walker she kicked down and stomped on its head, crushing the already rotted face and caving in the skull. I followed it with a knife thrust through the eye of the next walker while Trevor removed another head=

Mira checked her meager gear. "Good...maybe I'll tell you more Sarah...if you deserve it."

Eve groaned. "Why is it so hard to get spooned by you?"

Hibiki stabbed another, then followed eith a diagonal slice, cutting one almost in half. "Almost got them..."

(Sam)
"Because the greater the value of something, the harder it is to get? I don't know."

(James)
=Not bothering to respond, I finished the last walker after I slammed the knife right into its ear, twisted, and then pulled it out. It fell to the ground=
"Okay, we need to move now."

=Looking around, I saw a sign for the sheriff's office=
"Okay, looks like we go this way."

"Well. You are worth it Sam...more if you'd stop running from me..." eve looked away.

Hibiki nodded. "Let's go."

(James)
=We broke into a run, moving as fast as we could down the street. A street sign told me we were currently on 4th street, though when we reached Pearl I had us move left. Eventually, after making a right on 5th I saw the strangest of signs=
"Superman Square? Are you kidding me?"

(Sam)
"Well, I'm not running anymore Eve. Now I'm just driving."

(Sarah)

=I grinned at the statement while Andrew merely rolled his eyes=

I'll make sure I do.

=Andrew once again rolls his eyes in the background=

Deal with it...

=I look at my gear and nod, satisfied that it is in working order=

"Either way. There's a lack of emotional cutesy moments between us. Or just relaxed intimacy." She blinked. "I'm feeling woozy. Um. I'm gonna sleep before I start acting delirious..."
Eve blushed, closing her eyes.

Hibiki facepalmed.

Mira then went over to kiss Andy. "Oh just calm down."

(James)
"I hear ya Hibiki....Okay, I think I see the sheriff's office ahead. Let's just get in there, check for any weapons or ammo, and move on."
=Moving down the street, I close enough to the building on my right, the centerpiece of "Superman Square." A banner, slightly torn and weathered, read "Superman Museum and Gift Shop." What kind of town was this? My question was answered soon enough though, as we came to the edge of the building and I saw what was behind it=

"Oh my god.....I'm breaking something after all."
=There before us, in the middle of the square, was a giant statue of Superman. At the moment we just saw his back, cape frozen behind him as he was posed out in front of the museum=

(Sam)
"Yeah, wouldn't want you acting delirious...."

"Least you know my thoughts are mostly pure." Eve replied.

Hibiki blinked. "Oh dear..."

(Andrew)

=I smile a bit=

I know...I'm happy she's her old self again.

=I get my gear ready=

But I don't like how she draws attention to me when she does that.

=I smile once again=

But I'll deal with it.

Mira laughed.
"Just let me kiss her and she'll be good as new."

(James)
=Slowly, ignoring what we came here for, I walked to the statue so that when I reached it I stood at the feet of the Man of Steel=
"Am I the only one expecting a cult to have been formed here? Bunch of people kneeling before his feet?"

(Sam)
=Grinning a little, I continued to drive=

Hibiki slapped the back of James' head. "Lets just continue on."

Eve adjusted herself. "Wake me when we get there..."

(James)
=Rubbing the back of my head, I took one last look at the statue and the moved for the sheriffs office. The windows for the building were already broken, so that solved the problem of how to get in. Inside, there were discarded papers everywhere, flipped over chairs and tables, and bloodstains. So many bloodstains=
"Okay let's look for ammo, weapons, and medicine. They were bound to have a first aid kit or two in here, so lets see if it's still around."

(Sam)
"Will do."

(Andrew)

=I chuckled as well. I couldn't be mad...not one bit=

Thanks...

=I smile once again=

You got a deal.

=For the first time in three weeks, I truly felt like my old self again=

Hibiki followed James. "Here's to hoping."

Eve fell asleep pretty quickly.

Mira hugged Andy, then hugged Sarah. "If either of you go mopey, I'll slap you. Ok?"

(James)
=Trevor moved to one area of the office, carefully and quietly picking through the wreckage. I followed Hibiki, since she was the former cop and would know where all the weapons would be stored=

Hibiki sighed.
"This place wouldn't have guns...maybe batons..." she frowned. "Check downstairs for a snack bar."

(Andrew)

=I nod=

Got it...

=I chuckle once again. Like I said...I couldn't really be mad=

(Sarah)

=I smile=

Yeah...

=I slide my knife into it's sheath=

Give me a hard slap just to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Instead, Mira gave Sarah a sweet kiss. "That's more fun then slapping." She giggled. "And you'll be more gentle then the only man in my life, right?" She asked sweetly.

(James)
"I don't think there is a snack bar. And why wouldn't they have guns?"
=Right as I said that, Trevor shouted and I immediately reached for my knife before I realized he was just shouting for our attention=

*Trevor*
"Found it, I think. Back here."
=We headed over for where he was shouting from, and found him standing outside large door. A small plaque set up next to it read "Armory"=

(James)
"Okay. Now we just need to open it up."

Hibiki blinked. Sheriff's office. "Fuck."
Hibiki sighed. "I'm not exacerbate ly here. Sorry." She walked up to the door. "If it's unlocked, we've lost the supplies unless some stuff got left behind."

How long had it been since she’d been up? How long had she been walking this road? She asked these questions again and again but came to different conclusions each time. It seemed as if her entire memory of the day had soggily melted into the frayed hood she hid behind. A light humming hunger drummed in her stomach, an ache all too familiar. The sensation was mundane for the most part but on occasion an outburst of discomfort would rise from the pit of her torso all the way up to her head, leaving her disorientated and dizzy. Sensing one of these waves rising the woman stopped, leaving the main road she travel in the hopes of finding a small building or bothy to rest within. As she veered to her right she swung her head back in an attempt to take a mental image of her turn off. She might have to return to it later as only the main roads were marked on the map she had available to her. Ideally she would prefer a proper map as her's was greatly frustrating, yet without it she knew she would never make it to the coast.

Having left the wider roads that were crowded with memorabilia of the old world the woman bobbed between country lanes following the shade of the trees. It was best to avoid the harsh rays of the beating sun as the only protection she carried against it was the hood she wore so tightly. Minutes, perhaps even hours later she found a road that crisscrossed with train tracks. The signal boxes that overlooked the crossing hung like decaying birds’ nests, each of them peppered in rust. With mild trepidation the woman approached closer, spanning her gaze across the copper tracks. Her mind burned back to life as distant recollections of trains and her passage within them sunk into her. She stood for longer in silence, unsure how to react to this find.

Logically she could follow them, they must go somewhere, and there could even be a station nearby. A station… The relatively unassuming appearance of a train station could work to her advantage. Surely there would be no reason for other humans to be there. At least she could assume that the risk of a bandit attack was low, certainly lower than traveling on the roads. She waited, and even paced for a while until the heels of her boots stung.  That was it, indecisiveness would kill her, she had come too far and done too much to die here, alone. She would travel the tracks for another few miles at least to find a shelter. Then she would leave her pack and scout awhile to find the best place to scavenge. If she really was going to make it to the coast she would need a new map and more supplies. What she needed was options. If even one of the main roads were blocked on her travels her entire plan would be spoiled. Realising and trying to rectify this gave her a slight boost and mild sense of control and direction. However if shelter could not be procured nearby the woman would have to face another night outside in the cold, exposed to the elements and the monsters that stirred in the dark.  

Dreaming of a comfortable sleep to make her journey less dreary she began walking the tracks, gaining balance by widening her stride.

I stared intently at the map on the table of my room in the motel that was our home for now. Three weeks ago, another group of survivors had attacked us and driven us out.

About 30 of us had escaped the school alive and with whatever supplies we could carry, within a week we were down to 25, people leaving to survive alone and taking our supplies with them. In the second week, our leader, Aron, had been found with a wound that he hadn't reported, which a lot of us had assumed was a bite, but Aron insisted he'd cut himself while gathering supplies.

I'd suggested leaving him behind or shooting him, and while many had agreed, about half of the group had taken his side. Within an hour, the group had ripped itself apart.

Within two, I'd shot Aron, even if it wasn't a bite, he'd hidden it and then allowed his group to fight itself. Four of the survivors who'd sided with him had survived, until I had Mark shoot their legs.

I'd taken over the group since then, with no complaints from the ten survivors of the fighting. Mark had stepped up and became my second in command, helping me plan supply runs and keeping order within the group. We'd even found a few survivors who'd joined us, bringing us up to fifteen.

"We need to move, but we need somewhere to move to." I said to Mark.

"What about here?" He asked, pointing to a church several miles away up the road.

I shook my head,
"Churches have too many windows, a hoard hears us and we're fucked." I sighed, scratching my head. "What about fortifying a house? They're smaller and we can put a sentries on the upper floors."

"That could work. But which house?"

"We'll get to that. Tell them to pack up."

==Somewhere in the South-West United States==

=Blood stains the floor and walls as the battered and broken body of a woman lies in a mangled heap in the corner, leaking redness in a slowly growing pool. The room is dim, lit only by the natural light coming in from a broken window, beyond which lies a barren scene of sparse grass and a single road. The room is only about the size of a small office, and it's interior is dirty and messy, implicating abandonment before this time. There are papers strewn about, an overturned office desk made from grey metal sits in the corner opposite the Woman from the single entrance, and a man sits unconscious directly across from the door, against the wall and beneath the broken window, which has been crudely boarded up with plywood planks so that only minimal sunlight enters. There is also another man, tall and slender, holding a long, smooth shape in his right hand, standing in the center of the room. Apart from this, his details are hidden by the shadows. He speaks in a horse voice=

Get up...

=Silence=

MOTHERFUCKER I SAID GET UP! MOVE IT!

=Silence again. He kicks the unconscious man in the chest, which makes an audible "Thud". He doubles over and coughs, his eyes fling open as he comes to. He looks around lazily, then up=

Why are you still here..?

CAUSE I AIN'T DONE WITH YOU YET.

What more can you take from me..?

Don't be so fuckin stupid. You know what I want.

Alright... Alright... They're in the desk... Top drawer on the left...

=The standing man walks over to the overturned desk and crouches down to it, opening up the top drawer on the left, relative to it's proper upright position. Out falls a key. He picks it up and shoves it into his pocket before standing again and moving back to his original position=

Was that so fuckin hard?

Why didn't you just look for it yourself?

Because I wanted to hear it from you.

=He turns away from the sitting man and towards the doorway=

So you're just going to leave me here to die?

...No. I got something for you. A little fuckin present for you bein such a good boy.

=A moment of silence=

A break... TO YA FACE, BE'ITCH!

=The standing man quickly turns around as he shouts, swinging his bat hard and fast. It connects with the sitting man's skull, and the crack of bone can be heard in the room. There is a spurt of blood as he falls over, the left side of his head bleeding profusely. The standing man smirks proudly before turning back towards the door. As he opens it, light pours in from the outside. He steps out and looks around, walking around the small building, which looks to be a stand of sorts, a single-room construct beside the road. On this side of the building, there are two broken gas pumps and an old truck with two flat tires and a broken windshield. He approaches...=

(Sarah)

=I feel my cheeks turn bright red from embarrassment=

Believe me.

=I feel Andrew roll his eyes=

I'll be much gentler than Andrew.

=Trevor tested the handle on the door, and found it to be unlocked. Pulling the door open, the three stepped inside and found the cage. It seemed a bit overkill but then again it was keep guns and ammunition secure. The cage itself was right feet wide and nine feet long, going as high as the ceiling. The room it was in was around 12x12 feet, allowing some space=

(James)
"Okay....lets get the cage open, check for bags or duffels and load up what we can. Then we'll check for food."

*Trevor*
"Got it. Give me a second, I'll try and get the cage open."

(James)
=Nodding, I walked over to Hibiki, quietly whispering to her=
"You alright?"

"I'm away from my daughter without any indication that she's still ok. I'm not alright James."
She watched Trevor fight with the lock. "Shoulent that have been looter by now?"

She sighed.

(James)
=Yeah, I guess that was reason enough for her to not be fine. But I never imagined it would be bad enough that she wouldn't be aware of her surroundings=
"Could be no one ever came this way until now. After all, a lot of people did die when the outbreak hit, and it doesn't look like there are enough survivors to hit every town."

=There was a glancing sound, and a squeak of metal as the cage door opened=

*Trevor*
"Either way, how about we just count ourselves lucky?

Hibiki nodded, pushing into the cage. "Let's load up and get our asses back to the boat. We shouldn't press our luck."