ASILI- A New Beginning It is the year 2052, on the planet Earth. There were once 5 great nations. America, New Asia, Russia, Japan and India. These nations once lived in peace, but because of greed and distrust, they went to war with one another and after a single year of horrible bombings, there was very little left on any continent. Barely 10,000 people out of 7 billion survived this massacre. Those who have survived scrounge what they can from the ruins. Where there was once Hope of a brighter future, despair thrives instead. Much of the land, that was once fertile and green, isn’t much more than a desert now, with scattered plants, dead forests, and the ruins of once great cities. However, scattered across the continents are oasis where life still manages to survive, but just barely. Rumors have spread of a large strip of land, the size of a state once known as Florida, that has been completely untouched by the bombings. It has been named Asili, meaning New Beginning. The most common belief is that it is located somewhere between America’s states of Maine and New York. Large groups of people have begun to gather in caravans and brave the dangers released by the bombings; mutated creatures, invisible mires, poisonous plants, murderous scavengers and more, in order to get to this rumored safe haven. Where once there was naught but despair, Hope is once again beginning to blossum. Perhaps there is still a place where humanity could survive and rebuild; if they survived the journey. GAME RULES: It has been 5 months since the bombings. You are one of the people who have managed to survive the massacre. Your goal is to find a caravan to group up with, as people on their own rarely survive anymore, and find your way through the dangers to Asili. As a survivor of the bombings the only equipment you would have is what was on you at the time and what you have managed scavenge and carry with you for the past 5 months. This could also include a vehicle IF it runs on a fuel that you can easily find. IE: Solar powered. Keep in mind this game takes place approximately 40 years in the future so feel free to introduce new technology (after you run it by me). Also this is a non-alien game. 40 years in the future we still haven’t found intelligent life on other planets or been visited…according to this game. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a character who is convinced the bombings were caused by aliens. The most important rule is to use your imagination and have fun. I will throw obstacles and criminals and dangerous mutant creatures at you to keep it the story interesting and flowing. Feel free to throw an obstacle out there yourself; after you run it by me. The rules are simple, the game is simple, but the journey is dangerous and wrought with hardship. Will you survive? Character Sheet: Please post this in the Discussion Thread after you get it approved by me. Name: Gender: Age: Appearance: Personality: Profession: Supplies: RPG RULES ------------------------- 1) Write the next part of the story. 2) No controlling other characters! This means not moving another player, writing their response or writing another character’s actions without SPECIFIC PREMISSION from the other player. 3) Post your Character Template in the Discussion Forum after being approved by me. 4) Try to keep all your posts from being too long or too short. 5) All posts must progress the storyline. 6) Read all posts (or the last post well enough to keep the story flowing without plot holes.) 7) No killing off other characters. 8) Those that leave are welcome to come back, but you need to inform me if you are going to be away for more than a day. 9) FLAMING, INSULTING, OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF HARSHNESS THAT IS DELIBERATELY USED TO HURT SOMEONE ELSE’S FEELINGS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AT ALL, NOR ACCEPTED ANYWHERE ELSE AROUND THE FORUM. 10) Edit before posting. 11) NO GOD-MODING. 12) Do not control other characters unless given consent. 13) Discuss issues in Discussion Thread aka keep all Out of Character posts out of the game itself. 19) Game master’s word is law. I will do my best to keep the story fun and on track but that can’t happen if people create their own main storylines. I would, however, appreciate side-story line ideas to help progress the game. 20) HAVE FUN!
Matt Garter Colonel Matt Garter looked over the horizon of Illinois with a pair of binoculars. It was sunrise and the sky looked beautiful. He stood on a small hill over-looking the valley before him. To his right were the ruins of Joliet, a city a few hundred miles away from Lake Michigan; and to his left was a strip of green land. An oasis! It was smaller than the one his caravan had stopped at a few weeks before but it would give them time to rest and gather supplies before making the trip to Lake Michigan. His theory was that they could survive there for several months before needing to move again. He lowered his binoculars and looked over the caravan he had managed to amass over the past 5 months. Nearly 25 men, women, and children looked up to him for guidance and protection. His scar twitched as it often did when he got anxious or excited. He’d lost so many already to wild beasts and radiation poisoning; but they were always picking up stragglers who had managed to survive by themselves. Matt remembered the day their country had declared war and he remembered the thrill of battle as his team marched across the country side to destroy the enemy’s bunkers and put the fear of America into their enemy’s hearts. Only now looking back did he realize what a terrible mistake they had all made. Had they gone to war to protect themselves or was it to prove that they were better then everyone? He shook his head trying to clear out the thoughts and memories that bogged down his mind. Now was not a time to look to the past. It was a time to look to the future and hopefully, a new beginning. Samantha Hazel Samantha bent down and refilled hers and another woman’s water bottle in the stream that flowed through the oasis. The water didn’t taste that great but after 5 months, one got used to it. After washing her face and hands she walked back the campsite. There were only about 12 of them in this caravan. There had been more but a group of bear-like animals had dragged off several of them during the night about 2 months back. She sighed. So many had given up hope of ever finding Asili. She could see the weariness, fear and despair on their faces. She did what she could to encourage them but she was beginning to feel the same. Maybe Asili didn’t exist. Maybe it was story made up by mothers to cheer up their children. No. Samantha stopped the thoughts as she bent down and handed the water bottle to its owner. She was going to survive…and they were going to find Asili and start a new life. She just knew it! “Alright, everyone! On your feet! We need to get moving. That sun ain’t gonna stay in the sky forever!” Jaxo Torris, their leader yelled out. Samantha was sure that Jaxo had been a crime-lord in Michigan before all this had happened. He was probably in his early 40s and he carried himself with a no nonsense attitude. His arms and neck were covered in tattoos and carried a mean looking switch blade along with a simple solar-powered gun. He had two cronies that were his disciplinarians. They looked almost as mean as he did. When Jaxo talked people did what he said or they got beat up by his men. “We arn't far from Lake Michigan! Sooner you get up and moving the sooner we’ll get there!” Jaxo continued to yell at them. The man had very little sense of right and wrong. She even watched in horror, a few days back, as he shot a man in the chest because he stood up to Jaxo. Even though she wanted to leave she couldn’t. To be alone was to ask for death. Maybe they would find another caravan that had a leader strong enough to stand up to Jaxo, but until then they did what they were told without question and prayed that he would lead them to Asili.
Elspeth McArdinthal Squirting a thick coat of shining liquid onto the metal board that held most of her machinery tools, Elspeth wiped it down until she could see her face in it. She brushed a few stray hairs from her cheek with the back of her gloved hand before raising back up from her crouched position with a slight gasp. "Another fine day, another clean-up.. sure wish I had an assistant sometimes." Elspeth mumbled under her breath as she laid back in a chair she had leaned up against the wall. Dusting off her overalls, she quickly searched the locker beside her for a cigarette. The slow humming of her lighter played before the tip ignited with a bright spark. The clinking of the bell beside the door-frame then echoed in her ears. She swerved around to see a fresh-faced young boy that was helping her open some boxes earlier. He crossed his arms and tugged the cap down over his ears. "Aye, Miss McArdinthal, you needin' any help?" the boy smirked, placing his gloved hand on one of the counters that held many trinkets of Elspeth's. "Hand off the case, lad. It's fragile. I'll tell you what I told the last guy who came in here, if yer' looking for a job as a mechanics assistant, you've came to the right place. Otherwise, buzz off, you're wasting your time if you think you can come in for the pay and don't come back again." Elspeth spoke to the boy from across the room; swirling her glass of purified water in her hand. "Pah, always one. You must be gettin' up in your old age, lady. Your life's probably gonna end soon." The boy gave a grin that would make even a Buddhist monk's blood boil. This time, Elspeth was ready to show another would-be assistant that she wasn't an old lady. Sliding her engraved wrench off the wall, she walked slower towards the boy as he searched the cabinets on the walls. She slid the wrenches grasp against his fingers and gave a wide-eyed grin. "Last asshole that said that got his fingers crushed. You sure you really wanna do this, kiddo?" Elspeth flicked the streak of silvery-grey hair out of her way, keeping eye contact. "You've got about.. hmm... 15 seconds before I crack these little piggies?" Elspeth tightened her grip around the wrench. The boy looked at her once and took off like a shot, pushing the door handle and running out into the street. "Always works.." Elspeth hummed to herself, before swinging the wrench into her holster. She whistled a small tune while turning her way around the counter and positioning herself at the cash register. Then.. the love of her life, William came in. He was dressed in his casual suit, looking handsome as ever.. but then.. shadows escaped from Elspeth's mind, clouding up her memories until.. She woke up in a daze, covered in sweat, hot tears steaming the corners of her eyes. "My love.. why.." she rubbed her eyes in shock before staring out into the wastelands. The man with the scar standing at the edge with binoculars in hand. "Another day, another daydream." she shrugged.
Bee The fish swam about just out of reach; Bee didn't move. The bait was just a few inches closer, all the fish had to do was swim towards her and she could grab it. It was a big one aswell, it would make a tasty meal. As the fish swam closer Bee misjudged the distance and grabbed, falling forwards and into the water. It panicked and tried to turn away but Bee grabbed it's tail. She stabbed into it as it swam through the shallows towards the deep. Bee panicked. She'd encountered the giant thing that lurked at the bottom of the lake and wasn't too keen to let it have another crack at her. She sank her claws in again, and again, the fish slowing enough for her to start swimming against it. Blood filled the water now. Bee carried on swimming, the fish had stopped moving now. Leaving the water she dragged the fish behind her. She took it to the building she'd been living in since...since as far as she could remember. It was right next to the lake, a large wooden square hung above the door with wierd shapes Bee didn't understand carved into it. She had found a lot of the symbols around the building, carved onto walls adn various places. Placing the fish on the table in her cooking room she started to slice it up with her claws. 2 days worth counting tonights meal! Fish sliced she wrapped it in some cloth she had found before storing it in a metal box set into the wall. So far nothing had entered the house but she did it just incase. Bee headed up to the second level of the building and to her sleeping place. Her sleeping spot was a large bathtub she had filled with pillows from around the building. She was about to settle down when a noise came from outside. "Ggggrrrrr" Bee darted downstairs and peaked out from the door. What looked like a bear with scales stood metres from the building, sniffing the trail of blood she had left. It looked up and she hid behind the door wimpering. After a moment she stuck her head out again. "Go away or Teddy will get you!" Bee called dropping to all fours. The bear paused for a moment before turning and heading back into the woods. Bee waited a moment before heading back to her sleeping place and settling down. As she slowly drifted off she wondered what things were like out side of the lake.
Dr. Evan Fox “Garter!” Evan called as he made his way up the small hill, “Garter!” He stopped for a moment to catch his breath once he reached the top. Matt had turned to face him. “Colonel Garter,” he corrected himself. He wasn’t too familiar with military rankings. He started talking before the man could reply, “There’s something you should know, very important. Can’t wait ‘till later, lives depend on it!” “I’m listening, doctor,” replied Matt. “Sasha and Hayden are sick, mild radiation poisoning. Not safe for others either, we just travelled through radiation dense lowland a few weeks ago,” said Evan, pacing from side to side. “How bad is it?” asked Matt, with a concerned look on his face. “Radiation sickness? Not bad. Nothing my equipment can’t handle. But seasonal flu, very bad,” replied Evan, waving his arm around for emphasis. “How so?" “It's much worse with radiation poisoning. Radiation makes the immune system weak, easy prey for influenza strains,” explained Evan. Matt seemed to think for a moment. “We should be reaching an oasis soon. It's not more than another day or so of travel,” he said, indicating a small strip of greenish land in the distance. Evan glanced over at the oasis. It was a welcoming sight after the dreary, broken plains they had been travelling through for the past few days. “Excellent,” he said. “We’ll be able to stock up on food and water, maybe some natural herbal medicine… but nothing for influenza.” “What do you suggest we do, Evan?” asked Matt, looking back over the hill. “Two options, both problematic,” said Evan with a serious look. “One, we hope the sickness doesn’t spread, and the sick get better. Hard bargain: it might not end up so well. Or…” he paused for a moment. “Or we risk sending a team into the cityscapes. Try to find penicillin,” he finished.
An oasis. Few and far between, but pleasant. A girl was bent over getting water from a stream, and across the stream there was a grove of birch trees. If you looked closely you could see the black robes of a man kneeling in the distance, his figure obstructed by the slender white bars of his own personal cage, where he remained locked away in thought. ************ In his mind's eye a young boy played in a small fishing village, he was beating his wooden katana against a white tree. His parents stood in a warm embrace watching form a distance. Their son was delighted with his New Years gift and couldn't wait to start practicing. He was going to be a great warrior someday, that was what he told the bullies at school. His parents were too poor to pay for his training. But that didn't stop him from watching in the distance. "Takai!" The false sword cracked against a knot in the tree, the face of his assailant... "Middo!" Quickly with little recovery from the rigid defense of the tree the boy struck again cracking the ribs of the enemy... "Hikui!" The warrior spun around, refusing to give his enemy ground, the katana made one last crack sweeping the feet out from under his enemy. But he didn't fall... ************ Back now to the man in the birch grove, a long sword before him. The warrior slowly rinses the blade, washing away corruption. Drops of water glistening in the sun. Next, smooth stone gives the steel an abrasive caress. Teaching. Strengthening. Reforming. The stone, and The steel, sing... ************ "Senshi!" Four men dressed in crisp black Kimonos snap to attention at the sound of their master. "You have all been brought here because you are exceptionally talented martial artists. Because you are ruthless, cunning, and cold. Because your previous masters thought you were ready. I, however, do not." The blade-master paced in front of them, staring through each man, knowing three of them would be dead in minutes. "If you ever want to earn the title of 'Senshi' then you must be better then the man standing next to you..." The blade-master spun on his heal and took three paces forward before speaking again, "you will earn your title when your blade is dressed in the blood of these three enemies..." A sturdy young man, standing in the middle of the line drew his sword rapidly, without question. He swung at his first target as if he was a unyielding birch tree... A barely audible "Takai." escaped his lips... ************ The gruff voice of a leader broke the man free from his cage, “Alright, everyone! On your feet! We need to get moving. That sun ain’t gonna stay in the sky forever!” The warrior finished washing the blade one last time, letting a salty tear break on the blade. Without sound or whimper the warrior put his emotions away once more. He locked the sword in a metal chest and returned it to its home on his donkey's side. Senshi picked up a slender walking stick from a tree nearby and led his donkey back to the caravan...
Naomi Resser Naomi walked back from her hunt, having successfully evaded one of those stupid scaled bears, lucky that Timber, her falcon, had spotted it before they got too close. Not that Whisper, her panther, couldn't have taken it, but Naomi needed both of them in good health every day so that she could survive. Without them, and without Rick, she was sure she'd be helpless, maybe even dead. Naomi thought of Rick, smiling as she finished cutting a small piece of meat from her most recent kill. She handed the raw meat to Whisper, who chewed it as they continued walking back to the Shack. The Shack was her and Rick's safe haven, since she had reinforced it under his guidance, and had decent protection on the building to keep away the mutant animals that had been caused by the bombings. After getting to know Rick, Naomi was glad she had met him, because, despite his lost leg, he knew a lot of things about hunting and survival, which she'd grown to understand in the past four months, and understand the importance of not relying on technology. Where Rick had gotten the training, she didn't know, but she was grateful he'd taught her everything. Cutting off a smaller piece of meat, she handed it to Timber, who snapped it in his beak as he sat on Naomi's shoulder. Then there was that device he'd given her, having said he'd found it one day: the Animalia. It had the power to make animals, even wild animals, obey commands. Needing the assistance in her hunting, but not too eager to take a risk, Naomi had found Whisper and Timber, and formed a bond with them. Whether they would willingly stay with her without the device, she didn't know. But she tried to believe that if the device failed, or was stolen, she would still be by her side. "Rick, we're back!" Naomi opened the door to the Shack, and dropped her kill, rushing over to the sheet-less bed in the corner. Rick was laying on it, his blood having covered the already dirty mattress. "Rick! Rick no!" She knelt down, feeling his neck. No pulse. She put her ear over his mouth, but there was no breathing. She felt his chest, but there was no heartbeat. "Rick! Rick no! Come on Rick, stand up. Rick!" She couldn't help it, she started crying. Timber and Whisper sat in their respective areas, waiting to see what Naomi wanted next. However, Naomi just knelt next to Rick's lifeless body, sobbing as she laid her head on his chest. It was obvious that someone had killed him, because an animal, even a mutant one, would have taken the meat. Even a murderer in this world would have taken the body for something to eat. No, someone had killed Rick...
Doctor Sophie Martins ________________________ Sophie paced back and forth tapping her forehead with her index finger. She threw a wild look at her captive, being restrained to a rusted metal chair. He sat there, bent over with a grey sack over his head, breathing hard. “I grow increasingly weary of your stubbornness.” Sophie snapped. “I will get what I want out of you, no matter how I do it.” A crow perched itself above them, settling on the edge of the demolished warehouse. As its black coat absorbed the light from the newly awakened sun, it gave a shrill caw. Sophie didn’t even flinch. Under the pale shadow of the torn warehouse roof, she pulled the sack off her captive, revealing a panicked, sweaty man. Long brown hair covered his dirt ridden face and his eyes searched frantically around the room. “The caravan has not moved for over two months now. You’re keeping something from me.” Sophie said. She moved closer and stroked his face, softening her voice. “Come now Chief, don’t hide anything from me. If you help me, I may reward you.” With that, she glided her tongue from his neck to the top of his cheek. Backing away, she stared deep into his eyes and gave him a sensual smile. The Chief did not utter a word, resolute in his silence. “Fine.” Sophie spat, resuming her pacing. “We will have to do things more… efficiently.” She glided behind him, making his skin crawl. Sophie swiftly returned, dragging an IV filled with a thick, black liquid. The Chief’s eyes widened as he followed the drip all the way into his left arm. He shook violently, attempting to remove the needle from his vein. Sophie let out a wry smile. “The IV bag currently consists of a powerful hallucinogenic and motor oil. I am afraid I do not know what type of effect will happen from combining the two, but I can assure one thing; A painful death.” “Stop this!” His silence broke with a croaky squeal. “Let me finish please, Chief.” Sophie retorted. “The intended effect is a combination of horrific hallucinations and poisoning from the…” “Please, I have nothing of worth to you!” “…poisoning from the oil, sinking you into a gruesome nightmare which you will not wake from.” Sophie put her hand on the IV valve attachment ready to turn it. This was the only thing standing between The Chief and this grizzly death. “Asili!” The Chief roared, knowing his life depended on it. “Asili… My safe box… There are clues… In my safe box…” “Asili!?” Sophie scoffed. “You expect me to believe you know where Asili is?” She turned her attention back to the valve. “No! No… I only have the clues… the puzzles in my safe box… combination 7539. I swear it.” Sophie smiled, letting go of the valve. She calmly removed the IV from The Chief’s hand, whilst giving him a delicate kiss on the cheek. As Sophie stood and turned away, The Chief let out a huge sigh of relief. In one fluid motion she spun to face him again, aiming a silenced Colt .45 handgun at his head. The weapon’s pearl white metal gleamed in The Chief’s eye, causing every bit of colour to run from his face. “I thought you were done with me!? What about the caravan!?” he said, pleading for reason. Sophie unscrewed the white silencer from the handgun. “Considering what I have done to you here – do you really think I’m going back to your caravan? You’ve done nothing but hinder this entire convey with your stupidity. I believe it’s time for me to jump ship and I’ve heard rumours of a caravan moving south towards Lake Michigan. I will not stay here a moment longer.” With that, Sophie aimed down the iron sight. “You heartless bit–” The weapon recoiled. Smoke twisted upwards from the barrel of the gun. And the crow rose from the warehouse, giving one last screech.
Colonel Matt Garter “Two options, both problematic,” said Dr. Evan with a serious look. “One, we hope the sickness doesn’t spread, and the sick get better. Hard bargain: it might not end up so well. Or…” he paused for a moment. “Or we risk sending a team into the cityscapes. Try to find penicillin,” the doctor finished. "Penicillin." Matt sighed and rubbed his face with a callosed hand. Sending people into the ruins was dangerous. There were murderous scavengers, wild beasts with homes in the rubble, and unstable architecture. However, he couldn't risk this flu spreading and infecting the rest of the caravan. Most were already weak and tired for the months of traveling. Finally he made his descision. "I'll seperate Sasha and Hayden from the rest of the group; put them if front so they don't give anyone else the flu. And you doctor." Matt said turning and holding his hands behind his back. "You, me and one other volunteer will take a day to search the ruins. I don't like the idea of bringing you along to such a dangerous place, but you are probably the only one who can identify the penicillin or at the very least, the necessary items to make pencillin." "No need to worry, Colonel. I may be more capable than you might think," said the doctor, with a slight grin. "We should get started as soon as possible." Matt Garter nodded then turned to the rest of the caravan. Speaking loudly he said, "Dr. Evans has told me that the seasonal flu is approaching. Without proper vaccination it will spread like a wildfire and kill those who already weak from the radiation. I need one volunteer, who can handle themselves in a fight, to join us in an excersion into the ruins of the city to find the needed medicine."
Elspeth McArdinthal "Dr. Evans has told me that the seasonal flu is approaching. Without proper vaccination it will spread like a wildfire and kill those who already weak from the radiation. I need one volunteer, who can handle themselves in a fight, to join us in an excersion into the ruins of the city to find the needed medicine." Elspeth's interest peaked at the sound of that. Ruins of a city? Sounds dangerous. It might take my mind off all these thoughts of my family. Maybe bash a few animal skulls in to get rid of tainted anger, haha.. Elspeth thought about it, before raising a gloved hand. "Sir, I would gladly do it. I.. I'm old but that won't stop me from doing it." Elspeth murmured, pushing the streak away from her forehead. The man with the binoculars seemed glad that someone would do it. Elspeth didn't have any weapons, except.. the wrench. But really, would a wrench bash skulls in efficiently? Nah, Elspeth didn't think so. "If you have a weapon I could borrow, I'll use it to the best of my ability." Elspeth spoke to the man, throaty dryness escaping into her voice. The man handed her some sort of weapon, but she didn't look at it. She holstered it quickly into her cleaning supply belt and nodded towards the doctor and him. "Bring em' on." she spoke, crossing her arms as she walked through the crowds of caravaners. They whispered to each-other, inaudible babble to Elspeth. They sounded sort of harsh; like they were speaking about her being crazy or something. Elspeth just shook her head in reply and stood beside their leader with the large scar.
Doctor Sophie Martins ________________________ As quickly as the gun had gone off, Sophie realised her arrogance had got the better of her. The noise reverberated throughout the warehouse, leaking out into the surrounding areas of the ruined industrial estate. The rising sun was not a guaranteed contraception to all the threats of the new apocalyptic world. She tapped her forehead three more times before dismantling the IV. After that, she removed the restraints from the sitting corpse and pushed it to the floor, the body landing in a slump. Sophie juggled her equipment over to her Bergen, placing it all carefully in the backpack. Her attention turned to the safe box she had extracted from the corpse’s secret stash. It lay beside her Bergen; a sleek, black metal box no bigger than a cement block. A numbered key pad lay above it, with a thin, grey handle. 7539. It called to her, the curiosity of its contents shouting out. 7539. Sophie's hand hovered above the key pad. All she had to do was input the numbers. 7539. But this was not the time. Sophie grabbed the handle and threw the Bergen over her shoulders. As she stood, uncomfortable warmth rose from her stomach. She turned hesitantly, inspecting the openings of the derelict warehouse. Shadows flickered in the morning sun and she felt eyes on her, staring intensely. Reattaching her silencer, Sophie gripped the weapon tightly, reassured by its presence. It was time to head south – and quickly. Sophie moved towards a crossroads in the industrial park. The sun hung low in the sky, forming heavy shadows in the alleyways either side of her. She spotted a man in the middle of the crossroads, waiting there on a red, 125cc Jintawa dirt bike. Sophie had never been so glad to see such a thin, grimy mess of a man, sporting a red bandana on his head and a van dyke beard. The sun shone on him, revealing many small, round scars on the crease of his arm. A haze of blue shot in front of Sophie’s eyes. A speeding oil drum flew past her, smashing into the brickwork on her left. She glanced right, peering into the gaping alley where vibrant yellow eyes met her gaze. Black scaled mutants crawled out of the darkness, bearing grim teeth stained with blood. Sophie ran. The supplies held her down, but she ran hard. The creatures darted on all fours into the sun light, sliding round the corner towards her. Sophie fired wildly behind her. The round landed in the ground, distracting the creatures for a moment. It was enough. She had reached the bike. “Heroine? Do you have it?” The man asked. “Now is really not the time, idiot!” Sophie barked, as she sat on the bike behind him. The quick stamps from the beasts cut into her like nails on a chalkboard. More mutants with pale white scales joined the chase. The man turned his head. “I’m not taking you if you don’t have it. That was the deal.” He said. Sophie’s hair dropped as she removed her long, sharp hair pin. Striking with venom, she forced the pin into the back of his neck. Blood oozed from the wound, as the driver collapsed over the bike. The sight of fresh blood fuelled the creatures, as their run became a hungering sprint. Sophie pulled the pin out and pushed the man from the bike. She assumed the driver position before he had dropped to the floor and started the ignition. “There’s your fix, my friend.” Sophie allowed herself a dry smile as the mutants flooded in, only a few yards away. The bike flew off into the distance as the mutants reached the crossroads, tearing into the man like rabid beasts. After driving south for an hour, the dirt bike let out one last splutter before giving up. Sophie threw the bike to the ground, surveying the deserted highway. Crumpled vehicles littered the road and the sickly vegetation surrounded her. She was about to begin a long walk along the highway when she heard a booming voice, barely covered by a stack of hills beside the road. “Alright, everyone! On your feet! We need to get moving. That sun ain’t gonna stay in the sky forever!”
Samantha Hazel Samantha placed herself near the back of the group. For some reason she found it was easier to think and walk, when she wasn't huddled in a sweaty mosh pit. Jaxo led the group forward at a quick pace. She knew from experience however that he would slow way down within an hour or so. She scanned the familiar faces, all of sad but more hopefull with the promise of an oasis only a few days away. Samantha heard rustiling behind her. Thinking it was an animal, she turned quickly drawing a knife she had found earlier that week. It wasn't an animal. It was a tall woman with brown hair and the body of a supermodel. However this 'supermodel' wore dark green scrubs and dirty lab coat. A doctor maybe. She put her knife away and walked backwards as she watched the woman run to catch up with them. Samantha turned back around when she reached the edge of the group. They both trudged forward with the quick pace for a few seconds then Samantha asked, "You alright? You looked like the devil was after you." "I'm ok" the woman replied, a little bit shaken. "Where are you all heading?" "At the moment to Lake Michigan. Our leader said that it's only a few days away. But our main goal is Asili. They say that its one of few peices of land untouched by the bombings or radiation. Like an Oasis...only bigger. " They walked in silence for a few moments then Samantha asked, "Whats your name and what happened to your last caravan? Assuming you were in one." "I'm Sophie. A small group of us tried to travel south, but one by one we became ill from either starvation, infection or radiation. I tried my best to help with the supplies I had but... but... but it wasn't enough." Sophie shied away for a moment, wiping away a tear. "I'm Samantha...and I'm sorry to hear about your last caravan. Seems like fate is bound to get us one way or another." Sophie laughed coldly. "Yeah, sure seems that way. So, who's leading the caravan?" Samantha's face hardend. "A mob boss named Jaxo. He's cruel and vicious but he's kept us alive and moving." "If he is cruel, why do you all follow him?" "Because he claims he can get us to Asili, and there's no one in this caravan strong enough to challenge him and his goons. Except for maybe that guy." Samantha nodded her head to an asian man traveling on their left. He had the body and stride of a warrior. She had often seen him practicing with a sword in the trees during the early morning. He had a donkey and his black hair was in a short pony tail. He truged along with the rest of the group but he never really associated with them. Samantha kept trying to get up the nerve to talk to him but she never seemed to be able to. "But he hasn't done anything to show that he is willing to challenge him." Samantha concluded. Sophie nodded, seeming to absorbed the information. "What are the other people in the caravan like?" "Well, we are all indeed very unique." Samantha smiled. Matt Garter "Sir, I would gladly do it. I.. I'm old but that won't stop me from doing it. If you have a weapon I could borrow, I'll use it to the best of my ability." an elderly woman spoke up. If he remembered correctly her name was Elspeth. She had a raspy voice and streaks of gray hair but her eyes burned with a fire. Matt looked around to see if anyone else would volunteer but none would. "Very well." He said handing her an extra solar gun. Elspeth pocketed the gun then said "Bring em' on." He risked a small smile at her enthusiasm. Matt called out to one of his Lieutenants and told him to continue leading the group to the oasis. "Hopefully we'll make it back by sundown tommorrow." With his caravan in safe hands Colonel Garter lead the doctor and vollunteer to the ruins of the town. It took maybe half an hour for them to make it to the outskirts of the ruins. Garter turned his head to Dr. Evans, "Alright, doctor. What are we looking for?"
Kyra Shade “Gigi, this is Kyra Shade. Tell me, what is our location?” Kyra sidestepped some debris, while smacking her flavorless gum. She had started walking since the crack of dawn, trying to stretch her sore legs. Sleeping inside what was left of a log wasn’t the most comfortable. Not that she had gotten much sleep, with hearing hunting mutants’, gnashing their teeth in the night. Kyra sat down on the ground with a sigh, as her phone chirped back its response. “Hello, Miss Shade. We are currently in a forest on planet Earth, residing in the United States of America, state of Michigan. A body of water is located at---” “Yes, I can see that very well,” Kyra said scanning the wasteland, “How many miles from our previous location?” “Approximately 15 miles.” “Good. Gigi, initiate Life Scanner.” “Initiating LifeScan. Please stand by.” Kyra held the device at arms length. For a few seconds, Gigi flashed a blinding red light, sounding out a silent radar. “LifeScan complete. Life detected 2.5 miles away. Species Homo Sapien and several other species unknown.” “You’re very helpful, thank you.” Kyra said bluntly, ending the conversation. So, there was life close by. She had hoped leaving that caravan hadn’t been a mistake. Her life depended on her every choice, every move. Although those people thought I was done for anyway. Kyra laughed out loud in the still silence, a small smile spreading across her face. She had been through 4 caravans already. That previous caravan she had spent the longest with, 2 months, and she still couldn’t believe she had gotten that lucky. Though, it had been work managing to play with them for that long. They certainly hadn’t noticed it had all been a show for Kyra, until one man tried to kill her while ‘helping’ her search for food. Kyra had flicked her knife out so fast, he didn’t have a chance to take a bite. That’s when she fled, three days before. “You should never underestimate a blonde, no matter how dumb they act.” Kyra spoke her words of wisdom, while reaching into her bag for a new piece of gum. She had never killed anyone before, but it had been pure reflex, and her arm muscles had gained extra strength from all the haircuts she’d given. Bet they’ll miss me when their beards start growing. Kyra chuckled again. The caravan had been mostly men; helpless arrogant men. The only one with sense had been the one she killed. “Okay, break’s over. Let’s find some life in this land, shall we?” Kyra added the new piece of gum to the clump already in her mouth. Pushing her other hand into the soft earth, she brought herself to a standing position. She touched the slick surface of her phone to revive it again. “Gigi, bring up the map.” “Yes, Miss Shade. One moment.” In barely a second, a hologram of the area beyond floated in front of her face, at least what the land used to look like. Several dots blinked in the distance, but only one large dot caught Kyra’s eye. The other human.
Dr. Evan Fox “Alright, doctor. What are we looking for?” asked the Colonel, once they had reached the outskirts. Evan scanned the ghost town in front of him. It was smaller than most, and surprisingly intact. Usually the majority of the structures were burned down or stripped, but it seemed that the town was small enough to have been left alone. On one hand, it would be much easier to find supplies. On the other, there was a greater chance it would be inhabited by... other things. He drew in a deep breath before speaking up. “First priority is penicillin. Don’t look for hospitals or pharmacies; they’ll have already been ransacked. Look in homes. Penicillin is… was a common household medicine,” said Evan, nodding. “Won’t be hard to spot if you can find it: always nicely labelled. Of course, we need to find uncontaminated bottles.” “Oh, and speaking of which…” Evan handed both the Colonel and Elspeth a radiation collar. “Keep this on, and activated. Should protect you from short term exposure. Won’t protect you from extreme doses, however. Avoid hotspots. Collar will beep if you approach one.” He paused for a moment to put his own collar on. “And finally, any useful supplies are also on the menu. Food, if you find any. Water. Other medicines. Tools. Just don’t start hoarding, carry only what you can,” Evan finished. He turned back to the town. It would take decades; maybe centuries before plant life would be able to grow there again. It was a pity. But right now, he had to focus on the mission at hand. “Now then. Any questions?”
Elspeth McArdinthal A haunting air arose from the dilapidated city; which lay around them. Pieces of rubble and metal lay scattered around this arid wasteland of a city-scape. Elspeth's eyes filled with immense concentration as she scanned the area with her icy glare. Dr. Fox, who Elspeth recognized from the caravan, spoke in his usual quick pace. “Now then. Any questions?” Elspeth asked him her question. "I'm just wondering how the hell we're gonna be able to find what even remotely looks like a house. This place is a goddamn rickety mess." Elspeth snapped in her usual cold voice, fixing the radiation collar so it wouldn't distract her from keeping her eye on any incoming baddies. Dr. Fox as expected, delivered a straightforward answer. She just nodded, as she continued to fix the collar with her left hand, slipping her fingers down against her polished solar gun. "This thing must be a new model. Haven't seen one of these in a few years. I have.. had.. one back in the good ol' days before this. Ran a shop, y'know?" Elspeth replied, playing with the guns underside. The Colonel gave her a few directions in where to look before she headed out. Clambering over rubble and thick piles of dust and scrap, she spotted a rotting wooden door jutting out slightly from its hinges. She casually strolled in, checking the ceiling as she did so. She heard about damp and dark places like this.. Masmopods just loved the fungus that would grow in between wood. This place was a goldmine for them; a large beam that supported the roof had fallen and cracked through the wooden floors. As she slowly looked around, an otherworldly beeping noise erupted from her collar. Masmopods.. they must have been getting closer to her. They had a small radiation discharge between their claws.. they.. were ugly things. Just as she opened up a cabinet; Elspeth spotted the thing rearing its ugly head from the corner of the room. It was a slobbering pod that hung from the ceiling, fleshy strands holding it together as it bobbed up and down. A row of gargantuan teeth arose from its mouth, snarling in between the gaps like some sort of dog. Elspeth raised her solar gun towards it; "You want to mess with me, mutant? Come and get me!" Turning quickly back towards the cabinet, Elspeth grasped at a small bottle, not knowing necessarily what was in it, and ran for the door. She could hear the hissing and grunting of the Masmopod behind her. With a sift kick, she knocked the door loose from its hinges, and spun around to check where the Masmopod had stopped. She could spot it, its mouth gaping wide as it tried to make a wild bite for Elspeth. Raising the gun back up to her eye-level, she shot a beam of solar energy at it. It let out a throaty hiss, its teeth discharging themselves from its mouth. It seemed to be gone.. As Elspeth turned around, she realized that she had killed a mutant. Her, the 'old lady' as the younger folks called her.. killed something. Maybe she wasn't so useless anymore.. maybe she didn't have to rely on her flashbacks to get her through the cold nights.. Elspeth grinned to herself, holstered the gun back into her cleaning supply belt; and walked towards the main roads, her prize from the house in hand.
Naomi Resser After wiping her eyes again, Naomi finally had packed everything up. She kissed Rick's forehead one last time, regretting that she'd never gotten to tell him that she loved him. It was a shame, because she'd just worked up the courage today to let him know when she came back from hunting. Now... it would never be. "I'm sorry love," she said, letting out a nervous laugh as she wiped her eyes. "You would tell me to do it, I'm sure." She threw the last of the meat in the pull along cooler Rick kept in the house. Then she duct taped the cracks, not only keeping the coolness in, but the smell as well. Mutants were attracted to any meat that smelled fresh. Naomi took a deep breath, and kissed Rick's forehead one last time, before covering up the bodyless head with dirt. Then she whistled, and Whisper came walking in from the other room. She tossed a small piece of meat to him, one she had left out. Then she handed a piece to Timber, who had been perched on a shelf. "Let's go guys. We need to get started walking somewhere else. There isn't much left to hunt here." She took out a short piece of rope, tied it to the cooler, and then tied the other end to a clasp on her belt. She had padded the wheels of the cooler with some carpeting, which made it awkward to pull, bouncing around on the uneven wheels, but it was better than making noise and attracting unwanted attention. Then she grabbed her bow and an arrow, returning her quiver to her back. It was awkward and strenuous to carry everything she had, but she was a one-woman survival team. She had tied the extra backpack to the top of the cooler, and it meant pulling more than she was carrying, but that was easier. Maybe she'd actually try to find a working vehicle, so she didn't always have the cooler waddling behind her. Timber flew down and perched on the cooler-backpack, while Whisper slowly walked aside of Naomi, all of them careful not to make much noise. Naomi often wondered if the two animals were trained enough not to use the Animalia, the device Rick had given her to keep control of them. It was better not to risk it though, since it was bad enough dealing with mutant beasts that were based on pure, killing instinct. She didn't want to fight a panther that was doing the same, but intelligent. As Naomi got to an old, run-down house, she decided to stop and see if there were any supplies around. It was a house she hadn't marked yet, so there was possibility of something she would need. She went inside, with Timber flying up to the roof to survey around. He would screech if he saw anything coming their way. Whisper sneaked slowly through the house, Naomi right behind him. He always led, ready to pounce on anything that might attack them. He suddenly stopped in one room, his ears perking up. Naomi heard it too; there was something in the house with them. She readied her bow, knowing it would take too much time to switch to her sword. Not to mention, if she put her bow down, and had to leave in a hurry, she'd never get it back. Peeking around the corner, she saw a man looking in a bathroom cabinet for something. She sighed in relief as he opened another door to the cabinet, one with a mirror on it. Naomi's eyes widened, and Whisper let out a very soft growl. In the mirror was the reflection of something she had begun to call the Slime-wolf. It was a greenish colored wolf, but it looked mad, almost as though it had rabies. And its drool, it was a bright greenish color, like radioactive slime. The bombings had turned some dogs into these things, and they were vicious. She made her move as it lunged through the hall at the man. Turning the corner quickly, she lifted her bow, took the extra two seconds to aim, and shot. The man jumped at hearing the creature lunge, but Naomi's arrow struck its mark: right through the skull of the mutant. With the strength of her bow, the arrow buried itself into the skull and out the other side, the creature's momentum carrying it through the bathroom and coming to rest hanging on the wall, the arrow making somewhat of a hook to hold the body up. She pulled another arrow and aimed at the man. "You'd better not be a threat here pal." Whisper walked up beside her and growled, staring at the man hungrily.
Dr. Evan Fox “You'd better not be a threat here pal.” Dr. Evan Fox frowned when he heard the commotion and the unidentified voice coming from the other room. He was afraid this would happen; that they would encounter other forms of life. But he didn’t expect intelligent life. Was it a human who had said that? Or a mutant? There was only one good way to find out. Evan approached the doorway of his room quietly. The door had long since rotted and fallen away to the side. Through it he saw what looked like a girl, and a dark animal. A dog? No, it was shaped like a feline. A cat? Too large. A… panther? But that was the least of his worries. The mystery girl was currently pointing a bow at the Colonel, threatening to shoot him. Without a second thought, Evan pulled his own gun from his holster and pointed it at the back of the girl’s head. He had heard her speak, so it must have been intelligent, human or not. “I recommend you lower your weapon,” he said tersely, cocking the gun so that she would know what the situation was. The panther, hearing the new voice, turned its head around and snarled. Dr. Evan quickly switched his target, aiming for the animal instead. If the animal was mutated, he couldn’t see any of its effects. “Dr. Fox, stand down,” said the Colonel, placing his hands behind his back. He didn’t seem at all fazed about having a bow pointed at his chest. “But –” “Stand down, doctor,” he repeated. “Understood, Colonel, but will have to run scans. Can’t guarantee anything until then,” said Evan, lowering his gun, and lifting a round, wrist tool. He passed his hand over the panther in front of him as the scan’s results quickly lit up on the screen of his tool. “Panthera pardus, unmodified, unmutated…” he moved his hand over so that it pointed at the girl, “Homo sapien, unmodified, unmutated.” He switched the scanner off, and holstered his pistol, glad that he hadn’t tried to shoot them. “Miss, I am Colonel Matthew Garter. He’s Doctor Evan Fox. We’re not here to cause you any trouble,” said the Colonel formally. "Colonel? And a doctor? Well, if you're military, you leave my things alone, lest I decide to have Whisper here rip you apart,” snapped the girl. “As I said, we have no intention of causing trouble,” repeated the Colonel, clearly undaunted. “But we will defend ourselves if need be. Will there be a problem?” "I'm just defending myself. You don't give me trouble, I won't give you trouble. I just came here to look for some supplies,” the girl replied. “As did we,” Evan interjected, nodding vigorously. “Medicinal supplies to be specific. We’re part of a caravan group on route to a large oasis people refer to as ‘Asili’. You’re a nomad?” "A loner really. At least, now I am," said the girl, lowering her bow. This seemed to pacify the panther beside her, which sat down on its haunches. "I was with someone." She lingered on that for a moment before continuing. "Medicine you say? What sorts?" It was only now that Evan realised how young the girl in front of him was. She was basically a teenager. He wondered briefly how she had managed to survive, and even longer about how she had managed to domesticate a panther. “Penicillin or any similar anti-biotic solutions. Something for the seasonal influenza, caravan members have fallen sick,” explained Evan. His next words were sharply cut off by a loud screech coming from the roof of the house. The girl and her panther seemed to react to it. “Trouble?” asked Evan. “Something’s coming our way,” she replied hastily. Another sound pierced through the air. This time, it was a deathly, demented cross between a howl and a gurgle. There were many of them, and they sounded like they were headed their way. Evan quickly pulled his weapon back out and placed himself by a shattered window. The Colonel had already taken up position by the side wall with his gun drawn. “Get ready.”
Naomi Resser "Don't bother," Naomi said to the two new people she had just met. "I'm sure you've got a lot of bullets, but it's probably best not to waste them. Put your weapons away," she said, handing her backpack to the Colonel. "You'll find a pack of your penicillin in there, and I'll be glad to give it to you in trade for coming with your caravan." She took out a knife and cut open the cooler, removing a piece of fresh meat from it. "You, Doctor, take this cooler and both of you get ready to run." While the two men stared at her, Naomi kicked a hole in the wall and ripped out a piece of wiring. Then she took an arrow out and tied the piece of meet to the tip with the wiring. Then she grabbed the knife again and put a fresh cut in the meat, allowing a bit of blood to drip out. "They'll smell this and go for it. They prefer blood to something that is still healthy." Knocking the arrow, she looked over her shoulder at the two men. "I don't know what you're waiting for, but if you intend to get back to your caravan alive, grab my things. Whisper will protect you when you leave. Now go!" Naomi pulled back as she heard the two men and Whisper get up and leave the room. Then she released the arrow, sending the arrow high into the sky over a building across the street from them. She saw the pack of Slime-wolves heading towards her, but they turned as soon as they caught the scent of the blood. "Thank you Rick," she said, watching the arrow begin its descent. Then she turned and ran to the front door, where the two men and Whisper had already left. She ran after them, feeling Timber land on her shoulder. The Slime-wolves were heading around the corner to the arrow, but it was only a small piece of meat, which wouldn't keep them occupied very long.
Elspeth McArdinthal Elspeth had gotten away from the Masmopods in the dilapidated building, but only for a little while. She couldn't see where the men had gone when she returned to the sidewalk; clutching the bottle from the house in her left hand. She decided to stop for a bit, leaning against a half-crumbled brick wall. She turned the bottle in her hand to look at the label. Most of the piece of material that wrapped itself around the brown-tint bottle had peeled away; revealing inside, what looked to be like a glowing slime of some sorts. It was strange to say the least; but so was the mutants which Elspeth had killed. She decided to set out and find Dr. Fox and the Colonel. As she stepped away from the wall, a pattering sound like feet on gravel seemed to come closer to Elspeth. She raised her gun from the holster; and slowly inched her way around the wall. She could see a young woman; a teenager perhaps? With some sort of eagle perched on her shoulder. She couldn't tell if she was a scavenger or if she was friendly-enough. Co-operating would be a risk, but Elspeth believed that to be a caution she'd had to take. She raised her gun as she stepped around the corner; "You! Stop right there. I just want to talk to you, I mean no harm." the Eagle on the woman's shoulder screeched a bit, and readied its wings; like it was about to attack. Elspeth kept an eye on the bird, just in-case. Soon enough, the girl spoke. Not in a husky tone; in a young girl's voice. She couldn't have been more than 18, that was for sure. "Dr.Fox? You know about 'im and the Colonel? I lost them on my way outta that house. We should pair up.. that is, if you want to." Elspeth asked her, still unsure about the young girl. She waited for her response, moving the gun slowly down by her side.
"Well, we are all indeed very unique." Samantha smiled. Sophie eyed the girl up and down, examining her mannerisms, clothing and physique. Unlike the rest of the rabble in the caravan, Samantha seemed to have an aspect of grace as she marched; an unwavering pride in each step. Even with her small stature Samantha appeared tall above the crowd, immune to their fears and doubts. Yet she carried the weight of the world through the heavy pain in her eyes. Sophie saw strength in this girl; a determination and sense of honour which most would have you believe gone in this world. Honour which could be broken and moulded to provide me with power, Sophie thought. “Unique, you say? I see only a select few here that I would call unique… me, you and the top-knot warrior. We have qualities these others could only dream of.” Sophie scoffed, inspecting the caravan one by one. “What do they have? Nothing. Nothing except the clothes on their back. They are sheep, too scared to stand up for themselves. They only follow.” Sophie turned her head to face Samantha, meeting her with a stern gaze. “I wouldn’t have made you out to be a sheep.” Samantha slowed her march, taken aback by the sharp words the doctor had prescribed. But she would not let her emotions rise and instead responded, “I am no sheep, but a shepherd. I do not lead these people, but I guide them and care for them, as they care for me. We are a family.” Sophie let out chuckled sigh. “I do not doubt your loyalty – in fact I see it in you clearly.” Sophie then slowly pointed her hand across the rest of the caravan, before her finger rested in the direction of who she presumed to be Jaxo. “But I do not see it in any of them. Wherever Asili is, it will be a long and perilous journey. They will lose faith in each other and themselves, and before long you will have anarchy.” Samantha viewed the troop in front of her. They marched silently, shoulders slumped and morale shaken. The sun beat down hard upon them as the deathly grass surrounding them shone yellow and brown. Samantha looked at Sophie, disappointed in her criticisms towards a group she knew nothing about. “Jaxo may be cruel, but he keeps us going, he keeps us alive. You think you could do any better?” In a split second Sophie replied, “Of course. But as a doctor it’s a bit tricky to lead and aid at the same time.” She calmly walked on and whispered, “What’s your excuse?” Samantha marched along, unravelling the riddles in her mind. Was this woman trying to aggravate me, or does she really think I could lead? I'm only 18. I couldn't get these people to follow me. Could I? I wouldn't even know where to lead them. I did ok in geography...but still. She kept moving, unsure by the conversation. Sophie interrupted her thoughts. “Why don’t you take me to the front so I can prove my theories on this... leader of yours.”
Matt Garter "Evan and I are right here, Ms. Elspeth." Garter and appeared from behind the rubble of a house with a panther trailing them. "We were killing a couple of those green teethed dogs while they were distracted by the some meat this young lady threw at them." He gestured to the girl with hawk that Elspeth was talking too. "That was a brave thing you did. If I had medals...I'd give you one." Garter watched as Whisper took his place by the girl. "That is an amazing animal you have there. How did you train him to protect you like that?" "Sorry Colonel," Naomi said. "That's my little secret. I'm afraid I can't tell you that, lest someone find out and decide that Whisper and Timber are worth more to them than me." Naomi stroked Whisper's head, and the panther purred a rather loud purr. Matt smiled and nodded. He then addressed doctor. “Doctor...is there enough penicillin in that pack to treat the whole caravan?" "Enough for the whole caravan? No. Enough for the infected, yes," said Dr. Fox nodding his head. "May need more later, but not from here. The mutant presence is a problem. I rcommend we return with haste." Growling in the distance confirmed the doctor’s assessment. “I agree doctor. We’ll have to get moving immediately if we want to catch up with the caravan. As for you, young miss. You are welcome to join us. The wilds aren’t safe to be alone in anymore.” Samantha Hazel “Why don’t you take me to the front so I can prove my theories on this... leader of yours.” Samantha nodded her head. "Yeah. I can introduce you. Just be careful...he and his goons aren't safe." Sophie laughed, "Don't worry about me." Samantha lead Sophie past the weary travelers to the front of the group where Jaxo and goons had slowed down exponentially. "Jaxo...this Sophie. She's just joined our caravan." Jaxo turned his head to take a quick glance then did a double take when he saw her figure. He stopped suddenly, and stared at her as if she was Asili itself. The caravan, glad for a break, immediatly took Jaxo's stop as an invitation to sit and rest. "Sophie, huh. I'm amazed this war left something as pretty as you alive." He licked his lips then reliezing that he was beginning to drool, stood up straight...puffed out his chest...and spoke in a deeper voice. "So what skills, other then your looks, do ya have that makes you worthy of joining my caravan?"
Naomi Resser "I think I'll do that," Naomi replied to the colonel. "However, again, I must insist that my possessions remain with me, and me alone. I have worked very hard to gain all that I have, and though I'm not against sharing, I feel a trade should be even. So, just forewarn the members of your caravan that my belongings are not for sharing, unless they have something to give in return." Naomi nodded, satisfied that she had made her point. Then she added, "also, since I will be traveling with you, and you will be providing me with safety in numbers, I will do you the favor of being your scout, or an additional scout if you do not have one. Whisper, Timber, and I can walk ahead of you to keep an eye out for trouble." After all she'd learned from Rick, it was that in the new, destroyed world, you could only survive by giving and receiving. An unbalance of such could get someone killed. She felt as though the colonel owed her a favor for what she'd done back in the house, having saved him twice. However, he had ordered his doctor to stand down, in addition to saving her from being shot at by the other woman. She supposed that made them even now. The four of them, along with Timber flying overhead and Whisper walking behind them, began their walk back to wherever this colonel's caravan was. Naomi began to wonder how it would be, to be in a group again. She and Rick had survived alone for quite some time, and even having three other people with her made her a bit anxious. She didn't even know how big this caravan was, and she could be seen as a loner pretty easily. She'd been mistaken for a threat by that other woman, Elspeth. What would the rest of the caravan think of her? Hopefully, she could prove she was worth their company by protecting them.
Kyra Shade Kyra kept her eye on the dot blinking with each second that went by. It was odd there was only one, when normally there was a cluster of them, the traditional 15-25 people in a caravan. That person must be by themselves too. Kyra went on at a steady pace, pausing only to tighten her boot laces. Her feet were sore with open blisters, but a broken ankle would be far worse. Even as she did this, she continued to stare at the dot getting closer. “1.5 miles to life form detected.” Gigi signaled. Kyra wondered if the human would be male or female, and how old would they be? Would they be easy to sway; would they accept her lies as truth? Would they have food to spare? Kyra sped up slightly, with the thought of food. She had run out of her dried meat yesterday, now being forced to chew large amounts of gum to keep her stomach from rumbling. “1 mile to---” The report was interrupted by a chilling snarl. Kyra dared to look at what made the noise. She turned to see a deathly black mutant-dog across the path, pushing its paw into the dirt. Foamy green slime dripped from its fangs, gleaming in the morning sunlight. Kyra seemed frozen to the spot, but her mind raced at 100 miles an hour. The few times she had come across mutants was with a group of men back in the other caravans, who easily shot them down with guns. She had only a knife. No way could she risk losing her only weapon with bad aim. What else could she do? The mutant-dog decided for her, charging at her with full force. Kyra bolted off into a run, screaming at the top of her lungs. As she leap over a pile of rotting debris, the mutant-dog snapped at her feet, disengaging one of her boots in its jaw. She stumbled the uneven landing, scrambling to get upright, and kept running with her blonde hair flying wildly behind her. “Gigi, how do you escape a mutated dog?” Kyra yelled into her phone, peeking behind her shoulder to see the dog coming at the rear. “Please scan said ‘dog’.” Gigi replied. “No time for that, sorry!” “Time: a limited period or interval, as between two successive events.” “Your system must be warped. I know what time is!” Kyra hissed, pumping her legs furiously. She gritted her teeth, blinking her eyes to wipe away the kicked up dust. Her lungs burnt with every gasp of oxygen. Kyra knew she couldn’t run for much longer, and when that would happen, well, she would be no more. There weren’t any trees to climb, anywhere to hide herself from the beast. The only thing in the distance was a bubbling lake to her right, with a faint outline of a building that Kyra excused as an illusion. She couldn’t be that lucky. But, as she drew closer, the outline revealed itself to be a wooden building right beside the water. A sonic bark from the mutant-dog reminded her that it was growing impatient at its chase for food. She wouldn’t let it win the prize. Kyra ran for the door, her safety only inches away.
Bee Bee sat up the tree her hand covered in honey from the bee's nest she had just invaded. They buzzed around her head trying to sting her as she sucked her hand. It didn't bother her, her skin was tough. Gazing out over the horizon her thoughts were interupted by a roar. Bee finished licking the honey off her hand and darted to the top of the tree, looking around for the source of the noise. The noise came from back by the boathouse. Her eyes could just make out dog shaped figures. Running towards her home. Bee panicked and headed off leaping through the trees as Teddy stirred. Why would they go to my home? Dogs never come this close. She reached the edge of the tree line and jumped to the ground. Bee blinked as Teddy woke up, her world going black. Teddy dropped to all fours as Bee's body grew. Her claws and tail getting longer and her skin getting tougher. Teddy broke into a sprint almost immediatly, reaching the dog and slamming his claws into it. before it could blink. It rolled away whinning and even angrier. Getting up it turned to face Teddy as they circled about. The dog snarled leaping towards him. Teddy waited until the last moment before slicing into its throat. It fell to the ground gurgling for a few moments before laying still. Teddy waited for a minute to check for any other threats before letting Bee wake up. Bee blinked. She was in a different place now. "Aah." She yelped as she spotted the body of a dead dog. Teddy must have done it she thought. But the dogs never came this near to the house, even when they smelled meat. Something must have attracted them.
