So I am feeling a Walking Dead roleplay and have for awhile. It would be taking place about two years into the epidemic so most people who have been outside are used to it by now. The story will revolve around a town created by two surviving brothers, (my characters) the town is in reality a medium sized gated community so it had some natural defenses which have been souped up by now with metal walls and guard walks at key points around the community. For the most part the small community was barely touched by the apocalypse, it is rather far and out of the way, at least 10 miles from the nearest towns. As it was newly built back than no one lived there yet, its grand opening never really arrived so it was safe inside. Most of the people in the town itself are survivors, they have spent considerable time out there, however it is a mixing pot in there so there are some who are not accustomed to the outside world as the community was started a year into the epidemic and they have been there since.
The town has remained safe however this is going to change throughout the roleplay and the more greedy of the world are going to find this haven and you already know how that goes down. The story is open to pretty much and ideas you want to do, its sort of a sandbox where we will make up our own storylines.
I am looking for an enthusiastic partner who wants to make up this story line with me. You can be male or female it makes no difference to me. There is a strong chance for romance if you want it but its not a requirement for the story if you want to shoot straight and keep it friendly. I am ideally looking for someone who can play 2 or more characters as I will be playing a fair few to keep it well rounded. I am also looking for someone who can do at least a couple paragraphs or more per post. If your interested please PM me and I will get back to you, we can discuss the story further and I can answer any questions you might have.
The town has remained safe however this is going to change throughout the roleplay and the more greedy of the world are going to find this haven and you already know how that goes down. The story is open to pretty much and ideas you want to do, its sort of a sandbox where we will make up our own storylines.
I am looking for an enthusiastic partner who wants to make up this story line with me. You can be male or female it makes no difference to me. There is a strong chance for romance if you want it but its not a requirement for the story if you want to shoot straight and keep it friendly. I am ideally looking for someone who can play 2 or more characters as I will be playing a fair few to keep it well rounded. I am also looking for someone who can do at least a couple paragraphs or more per post. If your interested please PM me and I will get back to you, we can discuss the story further and I can answer any questions you might have.
One Year Earlier...
Ryan sighed sadly to himself as his ears caught the continuous huffing and puffing of what one might consider an animal that was wounded and dying. It had only been like this for the last twenty years or so, to say he was used to it by now would be technically correct but than again it had worsened since the world ended. Ryan turned on his heels to look back at his brother Norman, Norman was an overweight white man with curly brown hair, big glasses, puffy cheeks and the girth to make the appearance fit. He was by all accounts a nerd in adult form, the only time he exercised before the apocalypse was when he went to the corner store to buy Cheetos's. It was rather easy to say that Norman had always been this way. Ryan himself was a well built oiled machine, he exercised all the time at the gym or at least he did, ate right, a chiseled jaw and jet black hair, he was without being high on himself the kind of guy woman went for.
Norman on the other hand, he wasn't exactly a ladies man, all his little brother did was play computer games and code for some company Ryan really couldn't remember the name to. He made pretty good money doing it but it often lead Norman to spend all his time cooped up in his one bedroom apartment all day. Ryan on the other hand had been army all the way like his dad had been before he died, he had made a fine career doing it at least until he suffered a mental break down and was forced out because of it. Most people would take one look at Ryan, than at Norman and wonder how the hell either one of them were related to one another, they were in respects oil and vinegar. Although the truth was much more simple, Ryans father hand married Normans mother and they both became step brothers, it really wasn't a complicated equation. Although Ryan had not been happy about it, he thought Norman was just a fat nobody back than and it wasn't far from the truth.
In truth Ryan saw the relationship between Norman and his mom, it was sweet and loving and supportive. Ryan's father was military which in the simplest terms meant he was an extreme hard ass who rode him day in and day out. His other reason was that Ryan had never known his actual mom, she had died during childbirth, his father was a good man, a great man, but raising Ryan alone was hard on him being a single parent. When his father had meant Normans mother, for him it was another chance at happiness and for Ryan it was a betrayal to a mother he never knew. It sounded stupid but when your a teenager you do tend to be short sighted. He could not deny he had taken most of that frustration out on Norman, if he had tried to take it out on his father he would get the belt in a heart beat. Once upon time Norman made Ryan embarrassed all the time, he was always bullied, and he cried a lot, he wanted nothing to do with a fat loser like him dragging him down.
That was pretty much how it had gone down for those years before he joined the military and left Norman behind and never once looked back. By than he hated his dad, hated his step mother and hated Norman even more, he was a hot mess. It was his fathers untimely death in combat that had drove him to his mental break. He had remembered those days, sitting in a hospital bed in a blank white room, restrained so he couldn't hurt himself or others. No one came to visit him, he had burned the bridge with his step mother and his father died and Norman had no reason to care about him at all. But it was Norman who had stepped through that hospital door, seemingly out of nowhere. When he had first appeared Ryan thought he was just an illusion, his mind making it all up because it seemed like Norman had not changed since the day he left for the army. It was safe to say though their first time meeting back up after eight years was less than nice.
In a nut shell Ryan lashed out at Norman and like when they were kids he took out all his anger on Norman. His dad, his stepmom, Norman himself, he lashed out like a madman trying to draw blood. Day after day Norman came back time and time again, he never said a word, just sat their creaking in that old chair listening to Ryan berate him and his mother. It was like this for weeks, hours a day on end, at least until the day came when Ryan was too tired and emotionally destroyed to scream anymore.
Both of them had sat their silently for hours, in that time Ryan had realized that for weeks he had made front of and screamed at Norman and he never once said a word, just listened. It was because of that silence that Ryan finally asked Norman why, why he would come visit him, why he would sit there and take that, why he cared at all. His answer was simple and direct and honest his answer was:
“Your my brother and I love you.”
Ryan broke down that day, he cried for the first time in so many years, all the anger he kept inside just drained away and he let himself cry and Norman was the one who put his arm around his shoulders. He did not judge, he did not hate or berate him, he was there for him and that was all that really mattered to his younger brother. After that day Ryan found the strength to get better, Norman kept coming and he even convinced his mother to come as well, and for the first time since he knew them he had formed a relationship with them both. Soon he was out of the hospital and both Norman and his step mother had taken him in and helped him back on his feet. It wasn't easy but it was fairly safe to say in the end that Norman and his big heart had been the catalyst he had needed to change.
Ryan started back to Norman who's face was red from the summer heat, they had been walking for hours now trying to keep ahead of the horde they had passed not long ago. Ryan stretched his arm out as he approached Norman and put his arm around his sweat soaked shoulders and walked with him. It was obvious Norman was damn near ready to passed out, he lead him to a nearby tree and helped him to sit under it in the shade. Pulling out a bottle of water he cracked the cap and gave it to Norman who drink it down, damn near inhaled it in one shot as his chest was bumping inches out under his shirt.
“Hey you gotta calm that heart beat down Ganon, breathe in through your nose slowly, hold it, than let it out your mouth.”
Norman followed the instructions silently, Ryan could tell he wasn't going to make it much further today, not in this heat. Although if it was only the heat that was doing this too him, he would have been grateful. No it wasn't just the heat, that was putting a toll on him physically but emotionally Norman was one step from just killing himself and being done with it. Even though it had been months ago now, Norman... Norman had to kill their mother. Ryan had been out looking for supplies and left them both at camp in the forest, they were attacked by walkers and their mother was bitten in the neck. Norman tried to defend her, and managed to killed the walkers but it was too late by than. By time Ryan had made it back that night Norman was in a corner of a tent wrapped like a ball shaking, their mother was nearby with a knife in her head. In a lot of ways Ryan felt that Norman is where he was all those years ago when he had his mental break.
He barely spoke anymore and when he did it was just random words through heavy breaths of air. This was the first time Norman had dealt with death close to his heart, his mother had been everything to him. An not only could he not save her but he had to be the one to put her out of her misery. The event had lasted less than ten minutes but it had left its scar deep on Norman and it was starting to fester. Ryan removed the black pack from his back and sat in front of Norman who was breathing a bit easier now. Neither one of them spoke, there wasn't much to say anyways, they were just two men trying to survive in a world that no longer had any hope of being normal ever again. Ryan was trying to be that light of hope for Norman with all he had, but even he was starting to question if it was worth it, worth the pain and misery.
“Just leave me. Just let me die.”
The words were simple and direct as Ryan turned his head and caught Normans brown eye's beneath his large dirty glasses. Those were the eye's of one who did not care anymore and just wanted it to end, he knew that look well, he had worn it before.
“Not gonna happen Ganon. You already know that.”
Norman looked away as he removed the glasses from his nose and set them in the grass, the tears were streaming down his cheeks. Ryan scooted across the grass and put his back against the large tree and wrapped his arm around Normans shoulders again.
“I just slow you down... I ain't worth it. I am worthless, I can't do anything, I never have. An when I had a chance to do something I failed an I...”
Normans words trailed off as he broke down and finally let himself cry for the first time since their mother had died. Ryan swallowed hard as Norman's face became red again and filled with tears and snot. It seemed that he was finally letting out some of that pain he had been holding in.
“Let it out dude, just let it all out, that's when things will start to get better, when you finally let yourself hurt. You taught me that with tough love all those years ago.”
Norman screamed loudly as he let out the pent up anger, he cried as he fell sideways heavily into Ryan's lap crying. Ryan slowly rubbed his hand up and down Normans back, trying his best to give him even an ounce of comfort. He wasn't good at this sort of thing, he really wasn't but he would be there none the less and that was more than enough in the end.
“I am... just a.. Fat nobody! A pig!”
Ryan was surprised when Norman lunged from his spot calling himself names as he stumbled to his feet, his face was completely flushed as Norman tried to walk away but tripped over his own feet and went tumbling back to the soft grassy hearth. Ryan quickly got to his feet and went to his side but Norman pushed him away with a strength he never realized Norman had, he flew backwards and landed hard on his ass with a thump.
“Just leave me here!!! Its what I deserve!!! Let me get eaten and die because all iv ever done is eat!!! If I hadn't eaten all the food... than... than... you wouldn't have been gone and you could have protected her!!! Im a pig! A fat pig that doesn't deserve love!”
Ryan launched to his feet as Norman started hitting himself in the head with his head as hard as he could, the first few shots drew blood from his nose. Ryan tackled Norman and grabbed the hand he was trying to beat himself with, they both rolled a small distance before coming to a stop. Ryan was now on top of Norman, his legs pinning Normans arms he struggled hard trying to free himself so he could beat himself.
“Norman! Enough! It wasn't your fault! Your weight didn't have anything to do with me going to find food or her death!”
Norman struggled hard, hard enough he was able to free a hand, reaching up he caught Ryan by his shirt and pulled him in. The next thing Ryan saw was stars as Norman cracked his heavy skull into his, he felt back dizzy as hell for a couple moments on his back. It took Ryan a moment to regain his senses, when he looked up Norman was walking away towards... towards a damn walker that was straying towards him.
“Norman.... Norman! Stop!”
He wasn't listening, Ryan jumped to his feet but he felt dizzy almost immediately as he fell back to one knee shaking his head. He could see two Normans getting closer to the stray walker. Ryan reached to his hip and removed the machete getting back to his feet. He started to run, the dizziness be damned as he managed to keep his footing. Norman had dropped to his knee's the walker was within breathing distance.
“NORMAN!!!!!”
Ryan screamed his name at the top of his lungs as time seemed to slow down, the walker was reaching for Norman to grab him and end his life.
“NO!!!!”
Ryan jumped like a mad man and vaulted over Norman's head just as the walker grabbed him, there was a sick crunch as both Ryan and the walker did a couple rolls grabbing onto each other. By time he was still again Ryan had rolled a short distance from the walker whom was now crawling towards him. It was on him before he could react, he reached his arms up and held it away from him as its stench invaded his nose. Its teeth clicked hard as it opened and closed its mouth trying to get a chunk from him. Ryan looked sideways and saw the machete close by, he positioned its hand under its jaw and held it as best he could and reached for the blade. He gritted his teeth as his fingers just barely scrapped the hilt, the walker was bearing down farther on him, its weight playing havoc on his arm. He managed to pull the blade a little bit, his fingers scrambling up the hilt and gripping it.
There was a loud zing of blade against bone, Ryan drove the blade through the walkers head. It was dead before it even had a chance to fall. Ryan thrust the body sideways breathing hard as he rolled to his stomach closing his eye's for a moment before finally getting to his feet. He removed the blade as he looked up to see Norman still on his knee's tears dripping down his chin to his gut, his eye's closed. Ryan stumbled to him and fell in front of him on his knee's letting the machete fall beside him.
“Why? Why couldn't you just let it kill me? I am useless, you said so yourself so many times before, why save me?”
Ryan wanted to smack Norman across the face as hard as he could to try and wake him up but instead he wrapped his arms around Normans neck and put his face into his chest. Ryan was still breathing hard as he spoke:
“Its not your fault Norman... it isn't and you can't keep holding that blame over yourself. It was her time Norman, and there isn't anything neither of us could have done. I won't let you die, if by your own hand or a walker. You were there when I needed somebody, and you gave me a chance to be someone. An I am going to do the same no matter how long it takes or how much danger I have to face. I was wrong Norman, I was wrong, you are not nothing, I am so sorry... your all I have left in this hellish world...”
Norman wrapped his chubby arms around Ryans lower back as they both sat there on their knee's in a brotherly embrace. The words just seemed to pour out as Ryan wanted to say so much but kept jumping from thought to thought so fast.
“Your my brother... and I love you.”
Current Day...
“You cheating fat bastard!”
Ryan looked in disbelief at the royal flush on the table. Norman was grinning from ear to ear shaking his head like he was that one guy who was always right. Ryan threw his full house down on the table and took on a sour expression as Norman reached onto the table and took the candy bars they had been using as money for the game. Just to rub it in he opened one and took a huge bite of the caramel chocolate, eating the bite real slow an making noises about how good it was.
“Your just a sore loser Reno, but if you want a chance to get some candy bars back you could always open that box of Hershey bars over there and we could go another round.”
Ryans look became even more sour like he had eaten a lemon straight up and he picked up the box of bars and set them away from the table.
“Oh hell no you slimy little ass hole, you ain't getting these candy bars, not even if I die tomorrow, I will burn them to a crisp before you get your grimy paws on them!”
Norman laughed as he finished the candy bar, leaving a bit of chocolate residue on his chin. He crinkled up the wrapper and threw it hitting Ryan in the forehead. Jesus even though Norman had shed a lot of weight he could still put those damn candy bars away like a super fat guy at an all you can eat buffet.
“Suit yourself, you know I will win them from you sooner or later Reno, its a matter of fate, the fat guy always wins when it comes to candy. Its like our super power.”
“My super power is going to be kicking your ass...”
Norman rolled his eye's as he stuck out his chocolate covered tongue and made a you and what army sign. Ryan was about to give him a good smack for his defiance when the door to the house there were sitting in opened up and a man walked through. The look on his face was of amusement realizing that Norman must have taken Ryan to the cleaners again for candy bars.
“Sorry to interrupt the beating but we are putting together our weekly scouting party and wondered if you two would grace our ranks again? Were trying to train some of our younger folk and you two are pretty good at finding food. Besides some of them are rather gloomy still and a little comical relief couldn't hurt.”
“Yeah... trust me if there is food Ganon will sniff it out like a vulture from six miles away, thats his true damn super power. We might as well, if I lose another hand of poker I am gonna slap around your flab until its too funny to be angry anymore.”
Norman grinned as he put his hand up and started playing the worlds smallest violin to mock Ryan. Ryan reached his hands forward, they were shaking with fake anger in the form of someone who was going to strangle the hell out of the other. He eventually found his own grin and they both laughed it off easy enough.
“Yeah lets go find some supplies our stores are running a bit bare of late. We might have to go out further this time to find some decent prospects so its better that we have as many experiences runners as we can. Lets go slobbo and get ready.”
Norman got up laughing against as the three exited the front door and heading away towards the armory.
Ryan sighed sadly to himself as his ears caught the continuous huffing and puffing of what one might consider an animal that was wounded and dying. It had only been like this for the last twenty years or so, to say he was used to it by now would be technically correct but than again it had worsened since the world ended. Ryan turned on his heels to look back at his brother Norman, Norman was an overweight white man with curly brown hair, big glasses, puffy cheeks and the girth to make the appearance fit. He was by all accounts a nerd in adult form, the only time he exercised before the apocalypse was when he went to the corner store to buy Cheetos's. It was rather easy to say that Norman had always been this way. Ryan himself was a well built oiled machine, he exercised all the time at the gym or at least he did, ate right, a chiseled jaw and jet black hair, he was without being high on himself the kind of guy woman went for.
Norman on the other hand, he wasn't exactly a ladies man, all his little brother did was play computer games and code for some company Ryan really couldn't remember the name to. He made pretty good money doing it but it often lead Norman to spend all his time cooped up in his one bedroom apartment all day. Ryan on the other hand had been army all the way like his dad had been before he died, he had made a fine career doing it at least until he suffered a mental break down and was forced out because of it. Most people would take one look at Ryan, than at Norman and wonder how the hell either one of them were related to one another, they were in respects oil and vinegar. Although the truth was much more simple, Ryans father hand married Normans mother and they both became step brothers, it really wasn't a complicated equation. Although Ryan had not been happy about it, he thought Norman was just a fat nobody back than and it wasn't far from the truth.
In truth Ryan saw the relationship between Norman and his mom, it was sweet and loving and supportive. Ryan's father was military which in the simplest terms meant he was an extreme hard ass who rode him day in and day out. His other reason was that Ryan had never known his actual mom, she had died during childbirth, his father was a good man, a great man, but raising Ryan alone was hard on him being a single parent. When his father had meant Normans mother, for him it was another chance at happiness and for Ryan it was a betrayal to a mother he never knew. It sounded stupid but when your a teenager you do tend to be short sighted. He could not deny he had taken most of that frustration out on Norman, if he had tried to take it out on his father he would get the belt in a heart beat. Once upon time Norman made Ryan embarrassed all the time, he was always bullied, and he cried a lot, he wanted nothing to do with a fat loser like him dragging him down.
That was pretty much how it had gone down for those years before he joined the military and left Norman behind and never once looked back. By than he hated his dad, hated his step mother and hated Norman even more, he was a hot mess. It was his fathers untimely death in combat that had drove him to his mental break. He had remembered those days, sitting in a hospital bed in a blank white room, restrained so he couldn't hurt himself or others. No one came to visit him, he had burned the bridge with his step mother and his father died and Norman had no reason to care about him at all. But it was Norman who had stepped through that hospital door, seemingly out of nowhere. When he had first appeared Ryan thought he was just an illusion, his mind making it all up because it seemed like Norman had not changed since the day he left for the army. It was safe to say though their first time meeting back up after eight years was less than nice.
In a nut shell Ryan lashed out at Norman and like when they were kids he took out all his anger on Norman. His dad, his stepmom, Norman himself, he lashed out like a madman trying to draw blood. Day after day Norman came back time and time again, he never said a word, just sat their creaking in that old chair listening to Ryan berate him and his mother. It was like this for weeks, hours a day on end, at least until the day came when Ryan was too tired and emotionally destroyed to scream anymore.
Both of them had sat their silently for hours, in that time Ryan had realized that for weeks he had made front of and screamed at Norman and he never once said a word, just listened. It was because of that silence that Ryan finally asked Norman why, why he would come visit him, why he would sit there and take that, why he cared at all. His answer was simple and direct and honest his answer was:
“Your my brother and I love you.”
Ryan broke down that day, he cried for the first time in so many years, all the anger he kept inside just drained away and he let himself cry and Norman was the one who put his arm around his shoulders. He did not judge, he did not hate or berate him, he was there for him and that was all that really mattered to his younger brother. After that day Ryan found the strength to get better, Norman kept coming and he even convinced his mother to come as well, and for the first time since he knew them he had formed a relationship with them both. Soon he was out of the hospital and both Norman and his step mother had taken him in and helped him back on his feet. It wasn't easy but it was fairly safe to say in the end that Norman and his big heart had been the catalyst he had needed to change.
Ryan started back to Norman who's face was red from the summer heat, they had been walking for hours now trying to keep ahead of the horde they had passed not long ago. Ryan stretched his arm out as he approached Norman and put his arm around his sweat soaked shoulders and walked with him. It was obvious Norman was damn near ready to passed out, he lead him to a nearby tree and helped him to sit under it in the shade. Pulling out a bottle of water he cracked the cap and gave it to Norman who drink it down, damn near inhaled it in one shot as his chest was bumping inches out under his shirt.
“Hey you gotta calm that heart beat down Ganon, breathe in through your nose slowly, hold it, than let it out your mouth.”
Norman followed the instructions silently, Ryan could tell he wasn't going to make it much further today, not in this heat. Although if it was only the heat that was doing this too him, he would have been grateful. No it wasn't just the heat, that was putting a toll on him physically but emotionally Norman was one step from just killing himself and being done with it. Even though it had been months ago now, Norman... Norman had to kill their mother. Ryan had been out looking for supplies and left them both at camp in the forest, they were attacked by walkers and their mother was bitten in the neck. Norman tried to defend her, and managed to killed the walkers but it was too late by than. By time Ryan had made it back that night Norman was in a corner of a tent wrapped like a ball shaking, their mother was nearby with a knife in her head. In a lot of ways Ryan felt that Norman is where he was all those years ago when he had his mental break.
He barely spoke anymore and when he did it was just random words through heavy breaths of air. This was the first time Norman had dealt with death close to his heart, his mother had been everything to him. An not only could he not save her but he had to be the one to put her out of her misery. The event had lasted less than ten minutes but it had left its scar deep on Norman and it was starting to fester. Ryan removed the black pack from his back and sat in front of Norman who was breathing a bit easier now. Neither one of them spoke, there wasn't much to say anyways, they were just two men trying to survive in a world that no longer had any hope of being normal ever again. Ryan was trying to be that light of hope for Norman with all he had, but even he was starting to question if it was worth it, worth the pain and misery.
“Just leave me. Just let me die.”
The words were simple and direct as Ryan turned his head and caught Normans brown eye's beneath his large dirty glasses. Those were the eye's of one who did not care anymore and just wanted it to end, he knew that look well, he had worn it before.
“Not gonna happen Ganon. You already know that.”
Norman looked away as he removed the glasses from his nose and set them in the grass, the tears were streaming down his cheeks. Ryan scooted across the grass and put his back against the large tree and wrapped his arm around Normans shoulders again.
“I just slow you down... I ain't worth it. I am worthless, I can't do anything, I never have. An when I had a chance to do something I failed an I...”
Normans words trailed off as he broke down and finally let himself cry for the first time since their mother had died. Ryan swallowed hard as Norman's face became red again and filled with tears and snot. It seemed that he was finally letting out some of that pain he had been holding in.
“Let it out dude, just let it all out, that's when things will start to get better, when you finally let yourself hurt. You taught me that with tough love all those years ago.”
Norman screamed loudly as he let out the pent up anger, he cried as he fell sideways heavily into Ryan's lap crying. Ryan slowly rubbed his hand up and down Normans back, trying his best to give him even an ounce of comfort. He wasn't good at this sort of thing, he really wasn't but he would be there none the less and that was more than enough in the end.
“I am... just a.. Fat nobody! A pig!”
Ryan was surprised when Norman lunged from his spot calling himself names as he stumbled to his feet, his face was completely flushed as Norman tried to walk away but tripped over his own feet and went tumbling back to the soft grassy hearth. Ryan quickly got to his feet and went to his side but Norman pushed him away with a strength he never realized Norman had, he flew backwards and landed hard on his ass with a thump.
“Just leave me here!!! Its what I deserve!!! Let me get eaten and die because all iv ever done is eat!!! If I hadn't eaten all the food... than... than... you wouldn't have been gone and you could have protected her!!! Im a pig! A fat pig that doesn't deserve love!”
Ryan launched to his feet as Norman started hitting himself in the head with his head as hard as he could, the first few shots drew blood from his nose. Ryan tackled Norman and grabbed the hand he was trying to beat himself with, they both rolled a small distance before coming to a stop. Ryan was now on top of Norman, his legs pinning Normans arms he struggled hard trying to free himself so he could beat himself.
“Norman! Enough! It wasn't your fault! Your weight didn't have anything to do with me going to find food or her death!”
Norman struggled hard, hard enough he was able to free a hand, reaching up he caught Ryan by his shirt and pulled him in. The next thing Ryan saw was stars as Norman cracked his heavy skull into his, he felt back dizzy as hell for a couple moments on his back. It took Ryan a moment to regain his senses, when he looked up Norman was walking away towards... towards a damn walker that was straying towards him.
“Norman.... Norman! Stop!”
He wasn't listening, Ryan jumped to his feet but he felt dizzy almost immediately as he fell back to one knee shaking his head. He could see two Normans getting closer to the stray walker. Ryan reached to his hip and removed the machete getting back to his feet. He started to run, the dizziness be damned as he managed to keep his footing. Norman had dropped to his knee's the walker was within breathing distance.
“NORMAN!!!!!”
Ryan screamed his name at the top of his lungs as time seemed to slow down, the walker was reaching for Norman to grab him and end his life.
“NO!!!!”
Ryan jumped like a mad man and vaulted over Norman's head just as the walker grabbed him, there was a sick crunch as both Ryan and the walker did a couple rolls grabbing onto each other. By time he was still again Ryan had rolled a short distance from the walker whom was now crawling towards him. It was on him before he could react, he reached his arms up and held it away from him as its stench invaded his nose. Its teeth clicked hard as it opened and closed its mouth trying to get a chunk from him. Ryan looked sideways and saw the machete close by, he positioned its hand under its jaw and held it as best he could and reached for the blade. He gritted his teeth as his fingers just barely scrapped the hilt, the walker was bearing down farther on him, its weight playing havoc on his arm. He managed to pull the blade a little bit, his fingers scrambling up the hilt and gripping it.
There was a loud zing of blade against bone, Ryan drove the blade through the walkers head. It was dead before it even had a chance to fall. Ryan thrust the body sideways breathing hard as he rolled to his stomach closing his eye's for a moment before finally getting to his feet. He removed the blade as he looked up to see Norman still on his knee's tears dripping down his chin to his gut, his eye's closed. Ryan stumbled to him and fell in front of him on his knee's letting the machete fall beside him.
“Why? Why couldn't you just let it kill me? I am useless, you said so yourself so many times before, why save me?”
Ryan wanted to smack Norman across the face as hard as he could to try and wake him up but instead he wrapped his arms around Normans neck and put his face into his chest. Ryan was still breathing hard as he spoke:
“Its not your fault Norman... it isn't and you can't keep holding that blame over yourself. It was her time Norman, and there isn't anything neither of us could have done. I won't let you die, if by your own hand or a walker. You were there when I needed somebody, and you gave me a chance to be someone. An I am going to do the same no matter how long it takes or how much danger I have to face. I was wrong Norman, I was wrong, you are not nothing, I am so sorry... your all I have left in this hellish world...”
Norman wrapped his chubby arms around Ryans lower back as they both sat there on their knee's in a brotherly embrace. The words just seemed to pour out as Ryan wanted to say so much but kept jumping from thought to thought so fast.
“Your my brother... and I love you.”
Current Day...
“You cheating fat bastard!”
Ryan looked in disbelief at the royal flush on the table. Norman was grinning from ear to ear shaking his head like he was that one guy who was always right. Ryan threw his full house down on the table and took on a sour expression as Norman reached onto the table and took the candy bars they had been using as money for the game. Just to rub it in he opened one and took a huge bite of the caramel chocolate, eating the bite real slow an making noises about how good it was.
“Your just a sore loser Reno, but if you want a chance to get some candy bars back you could always open that box of Hershey bars over there and we could go another round.”
Ryans look became even more sour like he had eaten a lemon straight up and he picked up the box of bars and set them away from the table.
“Oh hell no you slimy little ass hole, you ain't getting these candy bars, not even if I die tomorrow, I will burn them to a crisp before you get your grimy paws on them!”
Norman laughed as he finished the candy bar, leaving a bit of chocolate residue on his chin. He crinkled up the wrapper and threw it hitting Ryan in the forehead. Jesus even though Norman had shed a lot of weight he could still put those damn candy bars away like a super fat guy at an all you can eat buffet.
“Suit yourself, you know I will win them from you sooner or later Reno, its a matter of fate, the fat guy always wins when it comes to candy. Its like our super power.”
“My super power is going to be kicking your ass...”
Norman rolled his eye's as he stuck out his chocolate covered tongue and made a you and what army sign. Ryan was about to give him a good smack for his defiance when the door to the house there were sitting in opened up and a man walked through. The look on his face was of amusement realizing that Norman must have taken Ryan to the cleaners again for candy bars.
“Sorry to interrupt the beating but we are putting together our weekly scouting party and wondered if you two would grace our ranks again? Were trying to train some of our younger folk and you two are pretty good at finding food. Besides some of them are rather gloomy still and a little comical relief couldn't hurt.”
“Yeah... trust me if there is food Ganon will sniff it out like a vulture from six miles away, thats his true damn super power. We might as well, if I lose another hand of poker I am gonna slap around your flab until its too funny to be angry anymore.”
Norman grinned as he put his hand up and started playing the worlds smallest violin to mock Ryan. Ryan reached his hands forward, they were shaking with fake anger in the form of someone who was going to strangle the hell out of the other. He eventually found his own grin and they both laughed it off easy enough.
“Yeah lets go find some supplies our stores are running a bit bare of late. We might have to go out further this time to find some decent prospects so its better that we have as many experiences runners as we can. Lets go slobbo and get ready.”
Norman got up laughing against as the three exited the front door and heading away towards the armory.
