Last One Alive, Lock The Door ~ A Zombie RPG

"Well, there's a difference between insanity and action under duress," Dr. Jacobs began. "I'd have to observe you in a few different situations before I could make a complete professional evaluation. Until then, I might be able to discern some details by asking you a few questions."

"In other words, you'd like to get to know me a little better," Fitz said, suggestively raising his eyebrows. But he could see she had no tolerance for flirtacious behavior. "Just kidding," he said. "I'd be glad to tell you more about myself. Where shall I begin..."

Jerry darted in front of the car, dragging Grell with him, and waving his hands frantically.

"Looks like we have some more company," Ms. Jacobs said, bringing the car to a halt.

"I see you're as true to the Hippocraic Oath as anyone," Fitz said as the two entered the vehicle. "We have that in common. I, too, live by a code of honor."

 

"Oh, by the gods."
The car stopped in the street and Jerry saw movement behind the glass. He led Grell over to the rear drivers side door and he got in. Jerry got to the other side and was about to get in to ride shotgun when he saw Fitz, staring at him with a large smile. He got into the back beside Grell.
"Hi Sarah," Jerry said as he closed the door. He realized that she didn't know Grell and added, "This is Grell. Grell, this is Sarah."

 

Gerald had nailed the implied suggestion rather well, in fact. Good to see he had some semblance of a head on his shoulders.

"I see you're as true to the Hippocraic Oath as anyone," Fitz said as the two entered the vehicle. "We have that in common. I, too, live by a code of honor."

"You'll have to tell me about it some time." She said pleasantly as Jerry and his friend climbed into the back seat.

"Hi Sarah,"

"Jerry." She gave him a nod and a bit of a smile.

"This is Grell. Grell, this is Sarah."

She glanced over at the other man and gave him a similar nod.

"A pleasure, Grell." She said politely. She turned her eyes back to the road as she accelerated again to keep up with the truck.

"So. I didn't exactly catch where we were supposed to be heading. North, obviously, and away from populated centers when we can help it, I would presume. Anyone know of any agreement being made between everyone that didn't involve pointed guns?"

 

Jason had noticed the Impala following them, and the nutter hop out. Oh well, let him go. He slowed down a bit, almost to a crawl.
"Uhh...where the hell do we go?" he said, "I don't know Phoenix. Someone give me directions or I'll just drive." There was a fork in the road, and he wasn't sure where to go.

 

Jason had noticed the Impala following them, and the nutter hop out. Oh well, let him go. He slowed down a bit, almost to a crawl.
"Uhh...where the hell do we go?" he said, "I don't know Phoenix. Someone give me directions or I'll just drive." There was a fork in the road, and he wasn't sure where to go.

 

"So. I didn't exactly catch where we were supposed to be heading. North, obviously, and away from populated centers when we can help it, I would presume. Anyone know of any agreement being made between everyone that didn't involve pointed guns?"

"I believe the gist of their plan is 'point the nose north and hold down the accelerator until the needle drops to E,'" Fitz said. "I like these people -- don't get me wrong -- but strategizing isn't their strong suit. Fortunately, outsmarting zombies isn't a tall order, even for the least of us. That would explain why they want our brains so badly... and why I make mine as undesirable as possible."

 

Dirk listened to the army guy asking for directions.

"I ain't from Phoenix either, yo. Let the doctor get in front. She's a capable woman or somethin', she'll lead us out. Relax."

He settled back in his seat and pulled his hat and hood over his eyes and attempted to get some sleep. Fitz leaving gave them more room in the back, so Dirk took the window Fitz occupied. He smiled to himself that Jake was sitting shotgun.

 

"Right."
Jason slightly nudged the doctor.
"You know Phoenix?"

 

"So, no one knows where they're going?" Jerry asked incredulously. "Oh, Zeus' beard."
He turned and began watching the buildings and street signs as they whizzed by, trying to get an idea of where they were.
N Central Avenue and E Monte Vista Road.....
"Get them to stop," Jerry said suddenly. "I know where we should go."
While it was likely that they could have continued going north, they would have been going through several miles of city, encountering many obstacles, zombies, and god knows what else. The freeway was close, and if they could get on that, it should be relatively smooth sailing.

 

It certainly did seem like the truck was moving nowhere in particular. If Jerry had better ideas, she could probably back them up. She knew the city fairly well. She nudged the horn twice, and then pulled over, hoping it'd get their attention.

"What'd you have in mind?" She asked Jerry.

 

"Well, a few streets over, there is a freeway. We could get on that and avoid the city driving and the potential zombie hazards. It leads all the way to flagstaff. After that, though, I have no clue what to do."

 

Sarah nodded slowly.

"Good idea. We'll need a map after we hit Flagstaff, then. And we'll probably have to fuel up and get some supplies."

She lowered her hands from wheel and absently stroked the barrel of the rifle that sat next to her. Amazing how much a comfort a simple mechanical device could be. For that matter it was rather amazing how much they took things for granted...

 

"Right. Get Mrs. Impala to lead, I'll follow."

 

It was that day again. She could taste the blood in her mouth again. Fingers cracking, the noise louder than even her screams.

Kaeila bolted up, wide awake and breathing hard. Just a dream, she thought, just another dream. She buried her head in her hands as the truck began to slow.

“Where are we?” she asked, still groggy from the nap. It was still dark, and she could feel she hadn’t slept long, not nearly long enough.

 

Sarah got out of the Impala, and didn't realize until she was halfway to the truck window that she had dragged her friend the rifle along with her. She tapped on the driver's window, and it was rolled down in response.

"If you guys are interested, Jerry and I know the city pretty well. If we get onto the freeway, we'll be on the road to Flagstaff. We can gas up there, get some supplies, and keep going. Sound good?"

 

"If you guys are interested, Jerry and I know the city pretty well. If we get onto the freeway, we'll be on the road to Flagstaff. We can gas up there, get some supplies, and keep going. Sound good?"

Dirk peeked his head out the window with a smile.

"Spoken like a true angel. You a student out here?"

 

Sarah eyed the man who stuck his head around the driver's to look at her. He was rather young-looking, certainly not out of his teens yet. She decided to let his flirting attempt go.

"Yeah, Phoenix U. I was working on my MD before all this happened." She looked closer at him, some hint of recognition forming.

"Have I seen you on TV or something before?"

 

"Have I seen you on TV or something before?"

"Uhhh..." he said with another smile. "No, I just have one of those faces. I get that a lot. So, Sarah right? How much longer did you have left?"

Hopefully his changing the subject would take the focus off his familiarity.

 

They were in the city, a.k.a. zombie central. The urban zombies were much worse than the residential ones. The longer they sat there, the more likely they'd be found out. At risk of seeming like a jerk, Fitz leaned over and honked the horn. "Not the time to be chatting," he called to her, hoping the noise wouldn't draw trouble. "Let's get moving."

 

"Uhhh..." he said with another smile. "No, I just have one of those faces. I get that a lot. So, Sarah right? How much longer did you have left?"

Kaeila couldn't believe her ears. He'd never denied his fame before it, so what's different now? And how exactly did he plan on explaining his bodyguard?

"Not the time to be chatting, Let's get moving."

Kaeila leaned back again.

 

He seemed a little hesitant as he answered the question, and quickly changed the focus back to her. She shrugged it off. No use prying. Everyone was a little on edge as it was.

"Well, I actually have my premed work all done. I crammed it into two years. The actual med school stuff, I've had to take slowly, but I was in my second year of that. After med school, its on to an internship and then probably a specialty." As the words came from her mouth, she realized that now, it probably wouldn't be happening. She bit her lip and looked away.

"At least, that's what was supposed to happen."

She was jerked back into reality by Gerald's voice.

"Not the time to be chatting, Let's get moving."

Right. Zombies.

She turned back to the man she had been conversing with.

"Talk to you later, then!" She returned to the vehicle, shut the door, and began to pull out.

"Sorry about that." She said to Gerald.

 

"I look forward to it, Sarah," he said.

He leaned back and saw Kaeila burning a hole through him. He smiled at her.

"What? I was trying something new. I wanna see if I can hold somebody's interest without the... you know."

He raised an eyebrow at Kae and reached out to touch her shoulder.

"You know I always come back to you. You have a good nap?"

Once again, he was changing the subject. A few acting classics, natural talent, and a child-like cuteness that even money couldn't buy mixed in well for Mr. Weston.

 

"Sorry about that." She said to Gerald.

"No problem," he said. "I just didn't want to see things get ugly. Seems like everybody's finally starting to mellow out." He couldn't believe he just said that. On any given day, he'd be looking for trouble, now he was trying to avoid it. What are these people doing to me? he thought as the car began to pull away and the truck fell in behind them.

He gazed out the window as they left the cold, dark, city and boarded the freeway. The last time he'd seen this place was six months ago when his car crept to a stop on a hot summer day. He'd been in hell ever since.

 

"You know I always come back to you. You have a good nap?"

"Yeah, yeah," she said, thinking of no good retort. She wanted to close her eyes again, but was afraid of what she might see beneath the lids. She leaned her head back on the seat, looking at the roof, pretending to see the stars.

 

"No problem," he said. "I just didn't want to see things get ugly. Seems like everybody's finally starting to mellow out."

"Let's hope so." She said, remembering the relative chaos at the school. She breathed out a sigh, trying to loosen up a little. It was no small task. Everything she knew was ripped away from her. She had been thrust into an alliance with people she didn't know. She was heading north into an unknown future. The emotions surrounding those facts weren't exactly easy to control. She reached up abruptly and brushed away a rogue tear, hopefully before anyone could see. Whether or not she was weak, she couldn't appear weak. It wouldn't do anyone any good.

They made it onto the freeway without incident; and soon the cityscape made way for the sandy desert.