[IC] The Island of Giant Insects: Swarmed

[RickyG85]

CONTENT WARNING:
This game will include graphic descriptions of injuries, merciless predation and violent human death.
If you are sensitive to this sort of content, it is strongly recommended you reconsider participation in this rp, or even reading it if one is especially sensitive.

American Pacific Northwest, Washington;
Inside what was once "Capital State Forest"
10:00 AM

A man was limping his way up the ridge. The trails were still there- they had to be. They had learned to watch the roads. It was cool, in the mornings, this time of year. He was thinking to himself, frantically, that is should have been safe to rest, to sleep.

They'd ignored the advice of their "Ranger", thought they'd be alright. They'd left without her, or any other Ranger.

Now, as he was limping for his life, he wished he'd been willing to part with some of his trade-goods.

There was a slow, steady rustling of brush, and an slick, oozing sound. He knew it was coming for him, and catching up fast. If he could just make it to the top of the ridge, he'd risk further injury to outpace it with sheer gravity. Just make it to the top, and roll down the other side.

His mind echoed with the screams of the others; two of their number were dead before the rest even woke up. The others tried to fight them, but he panicked. He heard the others die as he fled.

And now, all he could hear was the monster pursuing him.

The mist was thick, but clearing. He was panting, mist and sweat soaking through his shirt, stinging his eyes. His leg burned with pain; one of them had taken a bite of him before he got away. The ragged wound was bleeding profusely, he'd figure out what to do later, he just needed to get away. The light peeking through the mist was almost like a beacon, shining the way to his salvation. Surely, he thought, surely they would stay out of the light. That was what he'd been told before The Swarming. They fled from the sun.

He reached the top, and stumbled into the clearing. He began laughing between breathes; he'd beaten them! He'd made it! He allowed himself to fall on his back, basking in the purifying sun that would banish his pursuers.

He laughed, and sighed with relief.

Until he sensed something blocking the light, and heard the noise.

The slithering.

No. NO.

He opened his eyes just in time to see his last ray of sunshine. It was on him before he could scream. He couldn't breath, and he flailed, he felt more weight on him- the sun didn't drive them away at all. Not if there was food, and shelter close by. The pain was beyond anything he'd experienced; like he was being devoured by garbage disposals.

Had the first Leopard Slug not latched onto his face, his screams would have echoed in the hills...

The Island of Giant Insects:
Swarmed

[Zoey Boey]

American Midwest, West Texas;
Upper Rio Grando Region
9:01 AM

"Heat beats the bugs. Heat beats the bugs. Heat beats the bugs." Lizzy reminded herself in a monotone mantra. It must have been close to a hundred. The lithe blonde woman, hair tied into a ponytail drifting out from underneath a light purple beanie, trudged alongside a desert road. A backpack on her shoulders full of supplies, a metallic water canteen attached to the belt of her shorts.

"Come on, Lizzy. You got this." She lifted up her purple shirt and wiped her sweaty forehead with it. Then she tucked it back into it's normal position, revealing most of her midriff but drooping down the sides of her body to let her skin breathe as much as possible.

"The stars at night, are big and bright...deep in the heaaart of Texas. Bum bum bum bum, bum bum bum...bum." She clapped half-heartedly. This was her life. Hours upon hours of mind-numbing boredom, punctuating by minutes of sheer terror. She was so...lonely.

"Why?" Lizzy pondered aloud. "I'm likable, aren't I?" She kicked at a loose stone with her boot. She'd spent the better part of the morning travelling from one small, unmarked town to another. Fortunately they weren't that far. But if Lizzy was going to get anywhere, she was going to need to get a car up and working again. The distances between places in Texas were just too vast. Fortunately, there were supplies in places one wouldn't expect. If you knew where to look. The Swarming happened pretty damn fast, so...people left stuff behind. One of the reasons the bold scavenger still had some meat on her bones and some rose in her cheeks.

"Here we go. Shithole-Nowhere, Texas." Lizzy spotted the town in the distance. "My home for the next few weeks." Place to place, place to place. A nomad. It had worked out for her so far. Self-reliant. Stay quick, stay quiet.

She approached the outskirts of the quiet town and tried to find the nearest point of interest. Gas station, grocery store, library. Even just a house that didn't look too ransacked or broken. And definitely looking for signs of bugs. She kept to the middle of the street, staying away from any buildings until she got a good look at them. Didn't want anything jumping out at her without some time to react.

[RickyG85]

Walking into the town, there was a great deal of visible damage. Humans, and Insects, have been through this place more than once.

There was some sound, up ahead, just around the corner, to the left, maybe? something being dragged. Also some rubble moving, glass crunching?

Stepping around the corner, the source of the noise comes into view- A "Bee-Like Robber Fly"; Order Diptera (her favorite.)

Ambush predators; at it's size, it cant use trees for cover, so it's holding up inside that storefront. It's close to human size, which is certainly big enough...

It was dragging a limp human body in it's mandibles, probably to eat in peace, and get back out of the heat. It seemed like it's attention was focused in the direction it came?

"Psst- Ninita! ¡Cállate, muévete despacio, hacia mí!"

A snap-look, and she was looking at... A S.W.A.T. cop in a Mexican wrestlers' mask??

He was sitting on the ground, on the passenger side of a hard-top jeep, facing toward her. The driver side door was hanging open, with a spray of blood on the window and windshield. the distorted air raising from the hood made it clear they only recently got here, themselves.

He sat up, peaking through the windows, keeping an eye on the fly across the street. It seemed to be gone, now, but he conveyed a sense of urgency as he waved her over. "Vamos!"

[Zoey Boey]

Lizzy got low, going into a well-practiced stealth crouch. All at once her footsteps fell almost completely silent. This place was a wreck. Not nearly as lucky as the last town. Still, she knew how to scrounge things up better than most people did. Carefully she squinted around the corner and-

"Gasp~" Lizzy gasped. A fly. Not just that, but one with a corpse in its mandibles. Just like... Images and sounds flashed through her head, her heart felt like it had just imploded in on itself. Her eyes were wide and she began to hyper ventilate. Guess she was skipping this town after all!

"Fuck." She whispered quietly, eyes wet.

Much to her surprise, she heard a human voice. Spanish. Lizzy snapped her head toward the source and blinked. What the fuck? Was that a luchadore? It was bizarre, but somehow it made her trust him more. Fresh blood- was that dead body a friend of his? Still, Lizzy was hesitant to follow this random stranger she had just met. Single women wandering around like her were in danger before the apocalypse, let alone when there were no cops around.

But at this moment...it was between the luchadore and the flies. Lizzy stayed low in her crouch, but moved across the pavement at a high speed. She ducked behind the truck, putting it between her and the fly but keeping some distance from the stranger. "What now?" She asked in Spanish, her midwest accent strong. Keeping an eye on where the Fly went, she wiped her eyes, trying to toughen up.

[Metal Head]

"Quickly, come on...I'm a Ranger."
Hector looked in the side mirror for the giant fly, it was still distracted.
" Come on , while it's distracted."
Hector climbed slowly into the driver's seat, and buckled up.
He leaned slightly over, and opened the passenger door inch by inch, praying it would not creak.
The luchadore motioned for the girl to come on with a wave of his hand.
" Quietly, but quickly."
Hector placed his hand on the key, ready to turn it over, once the girl was safely inside of course.
A silent prayer to God, not for himself, but for the girl in need of strength and courage, and for her safety.
"Now or never, amen."
Hector made the sign of the cross, as he turned his head to look for the girl.

[Ozzy Cross]

"Seriously dude, you need to come back to the city, I wouldn't know what to do if there wasn't an Outback nearby to eat at." Denny chuckled at his brothers remark as the sixteen oz porter steaks cooked on the grill in front of him. The fumes hit his nose and tickled his nostrils, a smoke flavored like fresh hickord wood, it made a little drool drizzle down his chin. "Your drooling again, you seriously need to work on that Ganon." Without warning Denny would drop the spatula and pick up a half drinkin bottle of water and throw it at Norman with a precision that most would not think a man his size had.



"Ow! You fat bastard!" Norman squeeled in pain as the bottle knocked him right in the side of the head. He grabbed at it with his hand to hold the spot that was now becoming red. "What did I tell you about calling me Ganon you big ass piece of danish with extra cheese!?"Norman rubbed his face as he pouted lowely to himself stretching his face into a grimace. "Oh stop all that pouting you faker."Norman let go of his face with a smile having been called out as he retaliated and threw his own water bottle at Denny whom turned and slapped it with his spatular knocking it onto the lower roof of his two floor ranch. Son of a bitch! I swear if that blocks my gutter im rolling your fat ass down the biggest hill I can find! Denny his this out as he saw the water bottle hit his gutter however the serious look on his face didn't last long as they would both laugh at each other, Denny would return his attention to the grill shortly before driving his steel fork through the steaks as he placed them on a couple plates. Beside them was two large baked potatoes with a healthy piece of cobbed corn, charred, he would quickly bring them over to the picnic table which was littered with condiments, napkins, silerware and drinks. "About time, the damn turtle beat the rabbit faster than your cooking." Norman made the joke as he pulled his plate to himself and placed a nearby napkin in his shirt before he would cut into his potato and throw some sour cream in it. Denny just made a 'you talk to much' hand gesture as he poured some A1 steaksauce on his place and dug in himself.

"So, hows life in the big city? You got yourself a life yet?" Denny asked the question casually as he placed a piece of medium rare steak in his mouth. 'Psh' Norman made the sound with a hint of sarcasm in it knowing well his brother was referring to his love life. "Well my land lady has been giving me signs lately." Denny would gag as the piece of steak went down the wrong way at Norman's response, he would guickly beat on his chest to get it down. "Your gonna make me choke you jerk! You damn well know that old bag has hated you since she invited you to dinner and you left that surprise in her toilet. I know because Roto Plumber came by my place and thought I was you." Denny laughed at Normans expense as he remembered the incident, old Mrs.Portia lost the use of her bathroom for like half a day. "That did not happen you ass, at least not like the way you tell it. I had some bad mexican that day..." Norman spoke lowely and his face reddened alittle bit, Denny spit alittle bit and he laughed behind his hand, it was fun when Norman got all red faced.

"Well reguardless of what happened, she told me to tell you that you were never allowed to use her facilities again. Took them five hours to get it working." Norman rolled his eyes as she chose to ignore the remark and just let this one die. Instead he would pose the same question to Denny: "What about you, hm, wheres your wife and kids? Seeming you have a life compared to me." Norman smiled a bit evil like as he posed the question sarcastically, Denny however did not miss a step: "That will come after I am Sheriff, you know that, and you would do well to remember, Im single by choice not because I got to speed dating events and scare all the woman away." Norman picked up his fork and quickly threw it toawrds Denny who ducked it with relative ease as it flew over his head and landed somewhere in the yard. "Your picking that up porky so keep that in mind if you intend to scatter my silverware to the four winds." Denny was almost casual as he said this, Norman just crossed his eyes and made a face as he imitated his brothers words dorkily. "So did you hear? I have heard some things through the grapevine about something weird involving bugs. It wasn't anything specific just that some places in the east had some kind of big problem."

Norman would shove a big piece of steak in his mouth and savor it after posing the question, Denny would just shrug his shoulders: "Can't say I have, I keep my attention on my own town more than the outside world. People be getting crazier these days, just last week we had someone running through town naked with a meat cleaver. Apparently he was high off his ass and thought he saw aliens everywhere." Denny shook his head at the memory, things like that didn't usually happened in their small town so naturally it was the front page news for a week as the story progressed. "Ah well, in the city thats fairly normal, I am not surprised, was bound to make it to our little old town eventually. Sometimes it gets so crazy I think your were right about moving out here where its peaceful." Norman would take a large swig of his water while he spoke, Denny would nod his head understandingly: "You know I have an extra room here if you want to escape the city for awhile, be nice to have company. Ever since mom passed its been pretty desolate around here." Norman would smile at the offer but shake his head back and forth: "Nah, can't right now, got a lot of important inventions I am working on, but who knows I may take you up on it for a vacation sometime." Denny would nod his head, holding up a water bottle in front of him Norman would clink it with his own.

_That was the last time I saw my brother, it wasn't too long after that dinner that everything went to shit. It happened so quick that by time the news had reached out small little town, the bug were already there and running through the streets._

Denny raised the Beretta 92 and pulled off three shots toawrds the large thick shell of the bug before him. The shots rang true, it would squeel in pain as one of them pentrated and came out the other side dragging a thick darkened blood trail with it. Sheriff Ken Baker fell from its hooked arms and rolled away as the bug quickly disappeared from view. Denny raced forward and grabbed Ken under the arms and dragged him back managing to get him back into the police station slamming the door shut. Denny quickly raced and grabbed the medical kit from the back, tearing into it he pulled out some gauze and quickly pressed it into the large gash that went across Ken's stomach. He could smell the stomach acid already, the smell of it mixing with blood, Denny knew that it was over but he had to try, he couldn't just give up. "Denny... i'm done, you know it already, my guts are coming out boy." Denny swallowed hard as he pushed the compression bandage harder, "just stay quiet your gonna be okay.." he was intent to do something, anything. "Enough boy, enough, you saved me from the monstrocity, its more than anyone else would have done, you need to get out of here. Save who you can." Kens voice was weak as he spoke, he was slipping and Denny knew it all too well, a tear raced down his dirty cheek, "I'm sorry Sheriff, I am sorry." Denny spoke the words as he bowed his head in shame, when he felt a cold piece of metal hit his hand he would look down to see Ken's badge in his hand.

"You make me proud boy, its yours now, keep it safe and always remember who you are."

_My town fell that day, there was no stopping it, I tried to help who I could but there just wasn't anyone left by time it was over. I was one of the only person who escaped that day. I went for Norman but it was useless, the city was in turmoil and there was no way to get in. Later after everything had died down I managed to make it to his apartment but it was ransacked and he was gone... that or dragged away._

Denny swallowed hard as he looked around the apartment that was once pristine and kept cleaner than a hospital room. Everything was scattered around like a huge struggle had taken place in the room, picture frames shattered, computers smashed, the couch was torn to shreds, it was like a tornado had swept through this place and destroyed everything in its path. The only missing thing or rather person was his brother Norman, he was no where to be seen, dead or otherwise. Denny wanted to say he was happy he did not find him but the grimness he felt in his tightened chest made him feel otherwise. He knew better than anyone that for as quirky and sarcastic Norman is, he is defintly no fighter, that was always Denny. Back in school Norman would shoot his mouth off to the bullies thinking they would leave him be but instead Denny had to tackle them and drive them back from his brother. The reality was more than he could bare, he could hardly face the fact that Norman was gone. Slowly bending down he would pick up a picture from beneath the broken glass of its frame. It was the picture they had took on vacation in a Costal Villiage years prior. Denny brought the picture to his chest as he closed his eyes and fought back the tears he wanted to cry. No... he wouldn't believe Norman was dead, he couldn't, no he would find Norman, in his heart he could feel his twin was out there still alive.

_Its been a year since than, and while I still hold out hope that Norman is alive, the chances of him living this long on his own are rather slim. But thats all I have left now and I won't give up on him even if I may never find him. Its foolish but its the only comfort I have left in this world, that I will be able to hug him one more time._

_______________________________________________________________________

STATUS: Alive / Unharmed
LOCATION: Upper Rio Grando Region

_______________________________________________________________________

Denny opened his eyes slowly, the room before him was blurry, a semi dark blurriness as his eyes adjusted and came alive again. Looking around slowly, methodically, he would view the old cellar he had been napping in. It was the same as when he had passed out, just a small root cellar with a dirt floor and broken down shelving. He didn't know why he expected it to be any different, maybe he just thought one of those large burrowing bugs would come while he was sleeping and take him away. Couldn't exactly say that he minded that fate as morbid as it may have sounded. What did he care? He could be eaten in the next five seconds and not one person would know or even remember he existed. That was always reality really, but with killer monsters being the cause it just seemed to make it all the more grim of an outcome. Rubbing his eyes he would lift himself up as his body cracked in several places, the consequences of old bones and sleeping upright on dirt floors. Disting himself off he approached the workbench where his items were and grabbed at his duffel taking out a single piece of jerky. Chewing it slowly he pulled an old map out of his bag and opened it across the table turning on a flashlight.

The entire map was one big marked up piece of paper, sircles, x's, lines, there was literal canvas of explored areas and other places marked Shelter and some were just marked KEEP AWAY in big bold letters. Denny would grunt as he swung the flashlight around the map and located his current area, he wasn't too far outside of a small town, maybe half a mile. His next stop was to a small store in the town, he needed provisions or at least something anyways. He really didn't want to approach one of the shelters, in fact he preferred to avoid them all together unless he had to and most of the time it was to ask about Norman. People in those shelters see you and all of a sudden someone wants something from you because your not afraid to walk outside the walls. He wasn't a ranger but people often thought him one given his rough appearance. Ever since this all started he had dropped a good amount of weight and he was way more grizzled now than he used to be, a new look with his new personality he supposed.

Sighing to himself he drew a line to the town and circled it indicating he had yet to search it. He would have to be careful, town were often hotbeds for bugs sometimes, people were always trying to scavenge or what not. This often attracted attention and most used guns which drew in even more, another reason he avoided shelters, it was only a matter of time before the bugs found a way to get in and destroy whatever or whoever was inside. Placing the marker back in his bag along with the map he took a swig of his water and hooked it back onto his bag before tightening the strap on his machete. Placing his old faded stetson on his head he approached the barred up entrance and listened quietly for anything that could be moving outside of it. Doing this for at least a minute until he was satasfied nothing was out there he removed the bar from the handle of the door and pushed on open slowly, peaking his head out, he looked left, right and than above himself before leaving the safety of the cellar.

The hot air hit him almost instantly, it was early but the air was already heating up or maybe he just never liked the heat. He slowly made his way around the house to where a large bike was laying on the ground. Bending down he picked it up and got on top of it. Adjusting his dirty glasses on his nose he looked ahread on the road and sighed... another day. Pushing off from the ground he headed for the town just ahead of him.

[Zoey Boey]

Lizzy just nodded, her eyes wide and hands shaking. This was a little embarassing, she had to admit. If she had known someone was watching her she might have stifled her trauma as best as possible but this luchadore caught her off guard. Apparently, he was a ranger. 'Distracted'...you mean while that disgusting, evil creature is devouring the flesh of a human being? Right. Everyone was so jaded these days.

This car was good sign. She needed one at some point if she was going to get out of here and to a place that had some real sustainability to it. While she was confident she could find a working car on her own, this one was right here. And currently this wrestler ranger scavenger, whoever he was, was offering her a seat in it.

Heart pumping, Lizzy did as she was instructed. Quickly and quietly she entered the passenger seat. Unlike him, she didn't buckle up.

"Okay, go. Go, go, go!" She whispered urgently to him, her eyes glued on the spot where she last saw the fly. "Get us the fuck out of here." The girl had her hand on the armrest and wrapped around the handle above the passenger door, her knuckles white. She wasn't sitting as much as she was hovering over the seat.

[RickyG85]

The man turned on the engine, and hit the gas- a sound also could be heard, almost like helicopter blades spinning, but very slowly? Something large being swung around, in the air?

The fly gave chase as the vehicle got moving, jostling the vehicle as it latched onto the side! The driver screamed as he fought to maintain control of the vehicle, swerving around the corner.

It crawled along the outside of the car as it picked up speed, over to the passenger side...