[img]https://uscrow.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/zombie-apocalypse-head.jpg[/img]


[b]The City[/b]

[i]Dallen and Raven[/i]

The sound of the alarm buzzing gave Dallen an immediate headache to start the day.  His hangover didn't help either.  The 36 year old lawyer rolled over and turned it off, giving out a sigh as he did so.

[color=steelblue] "Fuck..." [/color] he muttered, massaging his temples as he got up.

Just another day.  His morning routine consisted of a warm shower, followed by putting on a suit.  He rarely ate breakfast, though he did drink a lot of juice.  Partly because he smoked so many cigarettes in a single day that his throat was always dry and ichy, while the other part was his every morning hangover he had to get rid of.  

A lawyer should know better than to drink nightly, but at least he didn't drive.  Anymore, that is.  That's a whole different story.  He had no vehicle, instead he took the subway to and from his firm.  It was a pain in the ass, but necessary.  

His apartment overlooked the entire city, 42 floors above the ground below.  Dallen walked out to his balcony, which was his favorite and most visited spot, and lit up the morning's first smoke.  The sun was barely dawned over the distant mountains, giving off a gorgeous dim light that sprinkled over different areas.  The city was quiet.

He felt his phone vibrate from his pocket as he exhaled.  It was his partner at the firm, and the message he texted read:  Dal, court at 8:30am.  I can't come in today, feeling really, really sick.  Sorry buddy, I wouldn't normally do this as you know...if you saw how sick I was you'd understand.  Text me the details later.

Fucking great.  They had a lose, lose case to deal with as partners, and now he had to gun it alone.  Typical.  Dallen took one last hit from his cigarette and ashed it out in an ashtray, then started off.

Once he was on the subway train, he noticed something unusual.  Looking from his left, then to his right, he saw that everyone on board were all wearing medical masks.  A few of them were coughing, though generally everyone was pretty quiet and kept to themselves.  At almost every stop on the way to his firm, it was the same thing.  People got on wearing masks, all save for this one girl.  

She was young, attractive, and dressed like a punk rock kid.  Her hair was short and blonde and her arms were covered in tattooes.  She had some band shirt on he didn't recognize and was carrying a school bag over one shoulder.  The young woman sat directly across from Dallen, and eventually caught eye contact with him.  He hadn't even realized he'd been staring at her since she came in, mainly because she wasn't wearing a mask.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer," she told him.

Dallen shook his senses back into him. [color=steelblue] "No, uh, sorry..."[/color] he started.  	[color=steelblue] "I was just noticing you...Uhmm..."[/color]

"Yeah?  Great story," she said with a roll of her eyes.  "Well, notice someone else, Suits."

"[color=steelblue]...Noticing you weren't wearing a mask,"[/color] he finished.  [color=steelblue] "Not sure what that's about." [/color]

The girl looked around and realized what he was talking about now.  They were the only two without masks on.  "Oh," she said.  "Yeah, well I feel fine.  What, have you been living under a rock?  There's some kind of airborne virus that's been killing people off on the east coast.  It only started like, a few nights ago but has escalated quite a lot.  I guess, anyway.  People are starting to get worries 'round here, is all."

[color=steelblue]"Oh."[/color]

"You have been living under a rock!"

Dallen tried to remember his last few nights.  Work, more work.  Whiskey.  Bed.  Lots of cigarettes in between.  He had someone under his employ, his secretary, who paid attention to real world events like that for him.  Besides, he hated watching the news.

[color=steelblue] "Just been busy, is all." [/color]

"Right, with the suit and all," she said with a smile.  "Must be important business.  You a salesman or somethin'?"

[color=steelblue] "Lawyer," [/color] he replied.  He took a card out from his inner jacket and handed it over to her.  [color=steelblue] "In case you ever need one." [/color]

"...the law offices of Forrester and Larson," she read.  "Dallen Larson, nice to meet you.  I'm Raven."  She pulled out a card of her own and handed it over to Dallen.  "In case you ever need a cut, man."

The card read:  [i]Sun City cuts.  Hairstylist.  Raven Brinkman.[/i]

Dallen nodded as the subway train came to a stop.  They both stood up and got out together, then shook each others hand.

"Well, if the world doesn't end soon," she said.  "Come on by sometime.  Or, you know, maybe I'll spot you back on this subway again.  No car, and all.  Goodluck with work!"

[color=steelblue] "Thanks, have a good day." [/color]

They then went their separate ways.