[IC] "Broken Souls" - Zombie Survival (Closed)

[SwarthyBard126]

"And actually, we have to move, like. Uh. Now" The boy said, panic leaking into his voice slightly as Anthony heard the sound of more raiders approaching them. "Shit," Anthony muttered under his breath, "Yeah, you're right. You seem to know your way around here, you know any fast routes out of here?" As he finished, he pulled out his knife and held it out, hilt-first, to the boy. "You look like you could use a tool," nodding at the free hanging knife at the boys side, "now come on, let's go."

[Dondude]

"...You seem to know your way around here, you know any fast routes out of here?" As he finished, he pulled out his knife and held it out, hilt-first, to the boy. "You look like you could use a tool," nodding at the free hanging knife at the boys side...

Bobby flinched at the sudden movement of Tony's hand, assuming the worst; but was surprised to realize it was a kind gesture, as the gruff man held out the knife, the "pointy-end" facing away from him. What... what kind of trick is this? Bobby thought, unfamiliar with anyone holding a weapon towards him the wrong way. What is the meaning of this gesture... this man doesn't even know me. Tony shook it slightly, starting to grow a little more impatient at Bobby's hesitance, trying to kindly telegraph that he needed to hurry.

"Now come on, let's go."

Bobby took the knife, taking a slight moment to admire how sharp and pristine it was. The man clearly was familiar with maintaining such weapons... and it only reminded the boy of what a dangerous man he was about to join parties with. Bobby points to the forward-most sewer tunnel, and begins a light jog in its direction. "About five hundred feet this way, we should come to a manhole leading to a less... eh. Crowded part of town." Bobby winces nervously, hearing the stompings of Raiders growing closer, and the volume was growing exponentially. He waves Tony on, quickening his pace. "Stick to the walls!"

[SwarthyBard126]

Hurrying after the boy, Anthony spared a few glances behind him, and he saw the first of the raiders appear from the darkness. Turning around, he urged the boy in font of him to go faster. "Quickly kid, we got some crazy's on our ass." he whispered-shouted to the boy. He could see the ladder only a few feet away at that point, and sparing one final glance behind him, he saw the raiders catching up. Cursing under his breath, he sped up unti he was breast to breast to the boy, who was running like a gazelle, wide eyed and terrified. As they finally reached the ladder, he spun around and told the boy, "hurry on up, I'll hold them off. Once we reach the surface, these bastards will finally get off our tail. Well? What are you waiting for? Up ya go kid!"

[Dondude]

"hurry on up, I'll hold them off. Once we reach the surface, these bastards will finally get off our tail."

Bobby just gawked at him for a short moment, not really sure what this guy was thinking.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Up ya go kid!"

Bobby obeyed, scurrying up the ladder as the Raiders were mere moments away from colliding with the man. Ten feet above, Bobby watched in awe as the man stood his ground; either his bravery, or his madness, knew no bounds. Bobby fired off a hefty stone in their general direction, hoping to knock at least one of the crazed men out of the fight...

[WildCobra]

He had finally manage to make his way down to the second floor, but not without taking down two walkers in the descending stairs down to the third floor. He back up at a slow pace leading them up single file back up the stairs for a few steps until they were in the right position, then proceeded to smash in their skulls with the curve part of the heavy weighted crowbar. After dealing with them, he reached the third floor, but another one had surprised him from the back and nearly caught him off-guard, were it not for it's dead moaning, he would've never managed to turn around in time as it came out the darkness of an open apartment door. He stabbed into the head with the tipped end of his weapon and moved a bit more faster, not wanting to run into anymore surprises.

The second floor was in ruins. The doors were completely torn off now lying on the carpet hall, the wall paint was chipped and covered in a mess of splattered brown, mainly dried up blood from those that were either killing each other over food and water or from the dead feasting on them until they themselves rose.

Adrian didn't want to find out which was one was true, so he trudged on back down the path until he reached the second to last room, the door was still intact. He reached for the handle, turning it slowly so it didn't make the *Click* noise when you opened them, and pulled the door open. He quickly went inside and shut it exactly as he did when he opened it, and luckily he did to, because he heard the sound of something and the echo of shoes running through the stairwell as he just came down through. He moved towards the room window and looked out to into the the alley way. Adrian counted six walkers, all slowly walking around with nothing but the sounds of moaning and hunger. He had to make a decision and a quick one, because the he couldn't hear them moving outside the in the hall anymore, because the most dangerous sound was no sound at all, meaning something was about to go down.

'Hell no, I'll take my damn chances outside in the night.' With his mind made up he unlatched the the window pushing it up as it lead to the outside and onto the second floor fire escape.

[SwarthyBard126]

Anthony grinned to himself as he assessed the situation in front of him. The ladder was connected to the main pathway by a rusty cat walk that was only barely holding itself up above the water. Pulling out his 35 lbs sledge hammer, Anthony began hammering down the walkway. As the first raider's reached the bridge, the bridge was on it's last hinge. The bridge itself was wide engough to support one person at a time, and the waters were deep. As a large mass of raiders bundled up on the bridge, their weight proved to much and the bridge collapsed with an ear wrenching screech. Som of the raiders attempted to jump to safety, only to meet the business end of the sledgehammer. Quickly turning around, Anthony began climbing up the ladder, calling up "Hey Bobby, I'm on my way!"

[czechmate46]

Once in the stairwell, Petra heard a series of noises sounding from farther down the stairwell. Not clumsy noises like that of the undead. They were short noises, measured noises, careful noises. Noises of a human. Now, Petra was not a people person. If she could avoid an interaction, she'd make damn sure that she would. It wasn't fear - it was apathy. She didn't want to be wrapped up into other people's problems. However at this point, she was running out of options. If she had to approach another person, so be it. But, these days, the living could be me dangerous than the dead.

Following the noises all the way down the stairwell, Petra made sure to keep her steps light incase the person got the bright idea to come back up or shout to her. There were no animated walkers all the way down, so she assumed whoever was below her had cleared them out.

Petra neared the ground floor. That's when she saw him, peering out the window at the parking lot. What was he looking at? She held her breath, standing just a fee steps above him, not ready for a confrontation yet. Spending weeks alone on a rooftop with little to no human interaction was punch in the gut to Petra's social skills. She let the moment linger, watching the man as he glared out the window. She had to say something, do something. The building was not safe to scavenge anymore and if she was going to go out on the streets, she was at least going to attempt to gain help before going it alone. Petra was an introvert, however she wasn't stupid. She wasnt going to let her preference for solitude get her killed.

The right phrase couldn't seem to form in her mind. Should it be a snarky remark, a fair proposal, or just a simple greeting? Before she could decide, her stomach growled loudly, prompting Petra to try and take a few steps up, only resulting in more noise.

[Dondude]

Bobby watched Athony in amazement at how effectively his sledgehammer made work of the encroaching raiders. Maybe this was actually a good idea... Bobby thought to himself.

"Hey Bobby, I'm on my way!"

Brought out of his awestruck daze, Bobby scurried up the rest of the way, pushing off the manhole covering and making his exit out into the desolate night. Looking around, making sure the coast was clear of any Raiders (or anything worse), he turned around and offered a hand to his accomplice; it seems, in the moment, forgetting his 'no-touch policy.'

[SwarthyBard126]

Grasping the outreached hand, Anthony was careful not to pull to hardly on the boy's hand, and scrambled out of the sewer grate. Quickly repositioning the man-hole over the entrance, Anthony found a printer sized piece of rubble, and placed it on the man-hole. Looking around, Anthony was surprised at how deserted it was, with nary a zombie to be seen. Not willing to take a chance, he motioned for Bobby to follow as he jogged to a fire escape. The ladder was about 5 feet off the ground, and so Anthony crouched down and cupped his hands under it waiting for Bobby.

[WildCobra]

As he started to push the window open, the window jammed half way up. 'Oh you have got to be kidding me!' he looked to see that if he could push it back down and try to reopen it, but it barely moved as quietly tried to make it budge. *Bang... Bang... CRACK!* could be heard outside of the apartment room. He didn't know what it was, but he hoped it wasn't what he thought was in the dark hall. He put more of an effort into hurrying his progress and it seemed to be working as to put more force down onto the window seal. *Bang... Bang... CRACK!* echoed again against wood, the sound getting closer and closer. 'Come on!' Adrian. straightened his body up and with one last forceful push, the window went back down into place, but now the noise that emanated from closing the window, halted the movements of whatever was outside.

A loud screech pierced into the air followed by the fast movement of heavy footfalls nearing the door... that he carelessly forgot to lock behind himself upon entering. 'Aw shit...'

The door was hit with a hard *Thump* as it nearly caved in. Adrian's mind was rattling as he stood frozen, unable to move out of the fear of what was on the other side of the door. *CRACK!* the wooden door had now lost a chunk of itself as it now shown a gaping hole through it. On the other side of the door, was the one thing he wanted to avoid the most, a zombie, but it was sprinter... a huge one at that and it's red bloodshot eyes were looking dead at him with a feasting hunger. It had the body of a roid-raging bodybuilder, as well as decaying flesh and skin. Adrian didn't need to be told twice, he quickly turned around and opened the window all the way open this time, but as he hurriedly start to make his way out the massive thing bust through the door ran at him screeching, as it reached out grabbed onto his leg. "Get the hell off my damn leg! You dead prick!"

He swung and swung and swung with all his might with his heavy crowbar to free his leg from it's grasp, cursing like a mad man with each hit. "You goddamn... big ass... limp-dick... fucker!"

[Dondude]

Grasping the outreached hand, Anthony was careful not to pull to hardly on the boy's hand, and scrambled out of the sewer grate. Quickly repositioning the man-hole over the entrance, Anthony found a printer sized piece of rubble, and placed it on the man-hole.

And he seemed to block it off just in time, as Bobby was startled by the shift of the rubble from the remaining Raiders below. He could hear them snarling and scratching like crazed animals. But soon enough they subsided, having to suffice scrounging for rodents or whatever else they ate (beyond other humans, that is).

Bobby took a moment to gaze around him. The abandoned buildings weren't much to look at, but the lack of zombies or cannibals was certainly a sight for sore eyes. Far greater, however, was the sight above. Without the light pollution that plagued New York before the outbreak, the night sky actually glittered with stars. It was eerily peaceful. Despite all the chaos that has since unfolded, it has made the little qualities of life all the more appreciated for Bobby.

Last, he noticed his breath; he could actually see it. Only now was Bobby reminded with a cool breeze that the seasons were indeed changing; and he certainly wasn't prepared for it, dressed in what was essentially waste-covered rags. He shivered, noting that he didn't even have shoes.

Not willing to take a chance, he motioned for Bobby to follow as he jogged to a fire escape. The ladder was about 5 feet off the ground, and so Anthony crouched down and cupped his hands under it waiting for Bobby.

Bobby found himself caught again in his own thoughts, and rushed over to Anthony. No more time for meandering, Bobby thought to himself, having another person waiting. Especially now that we're above ground. Bobby used Tony's leverage, practically throwing him up to the ladder, catching Bobby by surprise. Bobby rushed to the next ledge, waiting for Anthony. "I... I think from here on you should lead the way...", Bobby said with hesitation, not very privy to the outside world.

[Crazedm]

Spence awake to the sound above him. Someone must be in the building. It has been awhile since he had heard noises that were not of the dead. He did not even have time to process that there might be survivors in the building before he heard them. The moans were overpowering, more than he had ever heard. Creeping slowly over to his third story window he saw something that made his heart sink. Beyond count, they were everywhere on the street. Best guess is someone ran into the building to hide from this crowd of walkers. Unknowingly ruining his perfect hiding spot. In the past 7 or so months he has been lucky enough to stay in his apartment and scavenge supplies from the remaining apartment in the building. There was 16 apartments in all 4 floors with 4 apartments on each. He knew he was the only one staying in here as he had already gotten through all of them within the first two months with his roommate.

Spence’s roommate Brad was another college kid that went out for medication for a cold 4 months ago and never came back. He never questioned it but hoped he wasn’t an enemy now. Either way reminiscing now wasn’t the time. He grabbed his water, few cans of food, also all of the medication off of the counter and threw it all in the oversize camping backpack. The moans were ever increasing and seemed to get twice as loud every minute. He knew people would have had a tough time getting into the building they would really have to be dedicated as all the exits are secured from the inside with sofas and other large furniture from the lower level apartments.

At this point he grabbed his backpack and shoved his baseball bat in. He shouldered his .308 and then he decided to carry the tire iron he grabbed from his car so many months ago when things first went downhill. He always had a plan that going downstairs to the underground parking garage that his building and the building across the street shared as the exit from here is on the other side of the block. He can only hope it was clear enough to be manageable. He was down to the lobby in no time and as expected he didn’t run into anything living or dead. Which made him wonder what he had heard upstairs as the walkers thought it must be important. “No time to worry about that now” he told himself. He could hear them banging on the glass in the lobby. He pulled his key out to access the garage and opened the door slowly.

[SwarthyBard126]

Jumping up, Anthony managed to grasp the rung and pull himself up the fire escape. He was slightly winded form the morning's experience, and he sat on the edge catching his breath. "I... I think from here on you should lead the way..." Bobby spoke to him from the landing above him with a more than a bit of reticence. Anthony mused that that was probably how the kid survived, avoiding the surface and staying in the sewer. Cathing his breath he moved up to the boy's level, and pulled from his bag a can of tuna and a spoon. Wrinkling his nose, he opened the can and began spooning the fish into his mouth. Looking at the boy, he asked, "You hungry? I've got some more food in here. 'Sides you don't have to worry, I know the street better than the sewers."

[Crazedm]

Although the structure was underground it did have windows a foot tall at ground level which is a good thing as Spence does not have any flashlight or anything to see with. The light was just enough to see four of the creatures lurking between him and his destination. He watched them for a minute before deciding the best way to go about his movement. Very slowly he snuck behind the car nearest the first walker and followed the passenger side of the car until he was right behind the mindless creature.

One swing from the tire iron was enough to bring the walker down. It was down for the count but the noise of its head exploding caused the others to become restless. Spence got out of sight before others caught sight of him. They were headed towards his location pretty fast so he got back to the front of the car and hugged the wall of the garage. Carefully and slowly he used the distraction to get to the exit of the garage.

He heard the moans of the crowd of the dead outside his building. With any luck they all are over where he last saw him. He peeked his head out into the street and saw a handful of them heading toward the noise of the crowd. Quickly making himself invisible to the zombies in front of him he checked behind him to make sure his other friends were still busy, which they were as they were still inspecting the body of the walker. The others on the street were passed enough to not be a threat. He ran quietly as possible across the street the closest alley. The alley was 4 blocks long and so kept running wanting to put as much distance between him and that crowd as fast as possible. He slowed down between each street in the alleys to make sure not draw any unwanted attention.

[Shoe Thief]

@czechmate46
Hunter heard the noises on the stairs, A person? He didn't know if he should be happy or scared, One of the last people he has seen in the building had tried to shoot him, the one after though was a decent friend for a few weeks.

Hunter looked at the shotgun that was set down between him and Petra. He knew he could grab it first but grabbing it would leave him open for an attack. He didn't see any guns on her but he had no way of telling if there was something he could't see.

He drew his personal defense Revolver and took aim. "Who are you? Are you following me? Are you armed?" Hunter was panicked, but he knew shooting the gun in the stair well was a bad idea. If he did that he was going to have more problems then one person who may or may not be friendly.

[SwarthyBard126]

Bobby nodded slowly, unsure of of how to react to Anthony's offer. Anthony in return merely grunted at his reticence, and pulled out another can from his bag, this one a cam of spam, and handed it to the boy. The boy began wolfing the meat down voraciously like it was the first food he had seen in days. Feeling a bit nostalgic, Anthony told the boy, "Hey kid, slow down or you'll get a stomach ache." The boy suddenly became quiet, and put down the piece of spam from his mouth. "My dad always used to tell me that..." the boy mumbled as he began curling into himself and began crying. Anthony didn't really know what to do, no training had taught him how to deal with this kind of situation. Eventually he settled for saying, "Shit, sorry kid didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

As he began crying, Bobby was cursing himself in his head. "Why now you idiot? Countless days in the sewer, and now you breakdown? In front of a stranger?" But he couldn't help himself, as his began to realize that his tears were more that those of sorrow. True, he finally cried for his father, he cried for his life now gone, and he cried for the world that fell so hard. But he also wept to be alive, to being with a guardian that was proving to be kinder than he once expected, and he cried that the world had not all gone to hell and that good people still lived. And so, the two of them sat there, on the fire escape balcony, waiting for the boy to release his pent up stress and emotions.

[czechmate46]

Petra froze on the spot, facing the man as her left leg was on one step and her right leg was extended back on the step above. Upon seeing the main aim his gun at her, she raised her hands slightly in the air. This is what she had feared would happen if she handled this clumsily.

Although her head was slightly lowered, her eyes were glaring up at the man, maintaining eye contact with him. She cocked her head in the direction of her belt which holsters her axe and knife. "What you see is what I have," she said calmly. "I heard a noise come from the stairwell. I came to see what it was," she explained, her voice holding a noticeable Slavic accent. When communicating with strangers, she forced herself to speak slowly so she wouldn't mess up her words. And right now, a slip up could cost her a bullet to the head. "I used to live here," she finally added.

Petra knew the key to keeping this situation under control was to remain calm. She didn't have the best people skills but she also wasn't stupid. She figured, best case scenario, this guy would come to his senses and lower his gun. Perhaps join with her to find some place with resources. Or answers. Or maybe he had a camp. Petra wasn't entirely optimistic but she knew she had to justify her reasoning for surviving alone on that rooftops for weeks. It had to be for something. She also knew what the worst case scenario would be for this situation: she didn't need to amuse that thought.

[Shoe Thief]

@czechmate46
Hunter lowered the revolver. This person didn't seem like someone who would stab him in the back. Hopefully. "I'm Hunter, What's your name?" he holstered the gun and grabbed the shotgun, he held it in a non threatening way, jut holding it. "If you are looking for supplies don't expect a lot, I am out of meds which is a problem because my migraines are kicking in again. If you want some feel free to help me get tot he pharmacy across the street, If not feel free to stay in the stairwell, it's safe enough." He pumped the shotgun and slung it on his back, trying to push of the corps off the door.

[Crazedm]

Spence got to the end of the 4 block stretch and decided to duck behind a garbage can and sit for a minute to make sure he did not gather any followers. When he was sure they weren’t following him he moved to the right side of the ‘T’ intersection. He went out one more block. It was just past 10 in the morning so he had plenty of time to find shelter for the night.

When he almost made it around the next corner he heard two sets of voices that made him stop in his tracks. One was an older man and the other sounded like that of a younger boy. He knew that he did not want to scare them by just walking out and saying hi, but he was sure it should be a safe bet they were probably friendly. At least hopefully... He peeked around the corner and saw two figures sitting in a fire escape. Quietly he put all of his weapons and backpack down before he walked around the corner.

“Excuse me, my name is Spence. I am unarmed, please do not shoot.” He said as loud as possible without yelling as he showed himself to the two up on the fire escape.

[czechmate46]

Petra exhaled lightly when the man lowered the gun, now feeling more free to lift her head up completely and settle both feet on the same step. It was remarkable how clear the stairwell was. For some reason, the walkers didn't congregate there.

"Petra," she introduced herself in a slow but steady voice. She listened to Hunter's proposal with a blank expression, hearing him out. The idea of getting into the pharmacy did sound good to her, but it also sounded like a risk. But, then again, this was a risk too. Petra had a good mind to believe the pharmacy was ransacked and they would arrive only to find a mess of empty shelves. But she also knew that she wouldn't get anywhere without at least trying.

"I will come with you to the pharmacy," she announced. She quickly recognized what Hunter was trying to do, and joined him in pushing against the door.