Survivalist Plot: Our Tools and Our Reasons

[meat_mooks]

End of Day Two

If there were any signs of life at all, it could be said that the town is now sleeping. After a blistering day in the sun, the cool of night may be a welcome relief - at least, in terms of temperature. The knowledge that the crews foes are out there, now hidden under the cover of darkness, will be decidedly less comforting.

On the south end of the city, a series of red signal flares goes up, signaling that at least one crewmember has found safety out there. Howard waits across the street with binoculars, ready to hail anyone he sees down.

Comments

Diana Setting Off Flares

[meat_mooks]

[Diana and NPCs]

Re: Diana Setting Off Flares

[keep_surviving]

Diana was stood in the garden, flare gun in one hand, light in the other, trying to figure out how best to do this. She wouldn’t use all the flares, just half. Enough for a repeated series of shots to catch attention but still saving the gun for future for use.

She sighed. Why did everything have to come back to planning for the worst events? Yes, Diana had always been a ‘planner’ of sorts, but not like this. Not planning for life threatening situations.

Oh well, at least she wasn’t as bad as Howard. And at least the both of them weren’t as bad as Albert. God forbid.

Diana looked around herself one more time, keeping the light steady. She didn’t want to wave it about and attract attention just yet, but she wanted to make sure nothing was about to ambush her the moment she sent the first flare up. No way to know for sure though and standing here wasn’t getting anything done.

Raising the gun above her head, she switched the flashlight off and wrapped her finger around the trigger.

Three blasts. Three shots of red into the sky. The recoils as shuddered down her bad arm, jerking her shoulder painfully.

Stupid. She should have used her other arm. Why hadn’t she thought of that?

No time for hindsight. The moment she’d shot the third flare she turned and made her way out of the garden back towards the other house at a brisk pace. Her legs ached to run away from the threat of danger but she forced herself not too. The flares served another purpose, as distraction as she left, running would just attract attention. Save the energy for the last mad dash once the house was in sight.

Diana cast a glace over her shoulder, the flares were descending at a lazy pace, casting a red glow over everything that Diana found more threatening than comforting. It made all sorts of shadows that moved way too much for her liking, but she dare not turn her flashlight back on.

Worst of all, it made her visible. Casting aside the cool logic of a brisk walk exit, she was unable to resist making a jog for the gate.

Re: Diana Setting Off Flares

[meat_mooks]

Something slinks out of the house Diana just left. The sound of the flares confused it, but scent - scent is what tells it where the prey is. And the prey is on the move, shoes making little slap sounds against the ground, and the prey smells like fear and sweat. It moves from the backdoor of the house and then quickly, to trap its prey, heads to the street.

Between Diana and the house, there's the sound of something breathing hard and of claws against asphalt. In the light of the flares the silhouette of one the beasts they encountered earlier can be seen.

Re: Diana Setting Off Flares

[keep_surviving]

Diana froze at the sounds and stared right at the illuminated face of her stalker.

She couldn’t move. Even her lungs seemed to be struggling with the concept of inhaling and exhaling. She was stuck.

That is, until an aftershock of pain rippled through her arm and snapped her back to her senses. Cursing herself. Really, she should be used to all this by now.

No time to plan. No time to pick the best direction. She just ran.

The Crew Reunites

[meat_mooks]

[Tag order: Karis, Howard, Clef, the Master, Maxine, NPC, Diana]

Re: The Crew Reunites

[teethofneedles]

Karis had seen the flares and had (helpfully) led the way for herself and Clef. It wasn't as if she was going to leave him behind. Well, not intentionally. Not yet. The quarry had given way to a suburban setting and Karis found herself prowling through the houses, ax held ready in one hand. The flare had come from over here. Right?

Re: The Crew Reunites

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

He recognizes the shape of the ax in the red glow of the flares. Oh, thank God it's Karis. Howard was worried he'd have to deal with someone he didn't like first, like the Master, and have to walk the ethical minefield of 'do I let them know I'm here or do I hope they get eaten by monsters?'.

He turns his flashlight on and, sitting atop the roof, flashes it at Karis. The short guy, too. Apparently Howard and Diana aren't the only survivors. He clicks the flashlight on and off, on and off, and leans over the edge of the roof so he can talk to them.

Re: The Crew Reunites

[bequiet_hescreamed]

Clef had to restrain himself from bouncing a little in jubilation at the light from the flashlight. After more than a day of tromping around in suburbia without any sign of the others, it had almost begun to feel as though he and Karis were just biding their time until they got eaten by monsters. Other survivors meant hope, even if it was only the hope that they wouldn't die alone.

He stuck close to Karis, unable to see the figure ahead beyond the glare of the flashlight. Still, he couldn't resist saying at least something to their mysterious bringer of hope and ruiner of night vision.

"Hello?" He called, as softly as possible while still being heard by the person on the roof. When you couldn't think of anything else to say, 'hello' was a very good standby.

Cedric Returns

[meat_mooks]

[Cedric tags in, then any crew members may respond.]

[theboywhodied]

Cedric's spent most of the past few days completely alone. After a narrow escape from the monster that had separated him from Howard and Diana, he'd set off watching for them. Surely they lived and would find him, right? The first day passed like that, with his strength steadily draining. Probably best not to move around so much.

He'd eventually fallen asleep in an abandoned room heavily barricaded with objects that would make loud noise should a monster disturb them---that didn't last long. One scare in the middle of the night had kept him wide awake, trembling inside doorways near the road. He hadn't seen dust, anything resembling those things Muggles use to draw attention, other life, or food and water.

That sort of isolation brought up a number of unpleasant feelings, fear highest among them. He kept trying at the fastest pace he could manage without completely depleting his energy too fast, but there was nothing that would sustain him for long. He'd waste away here, to the point where a monster eating him would be a relief---no. He couldn't just give up, could he?

But what hope was there? Anything he tried to be found by the rest of the crew would draw monsters, and why should they look for him anyway? The others probably thought he'd died.

He was crouched on a porch with his usual floorboard-weapon in tow, feeling more and more hopelessness as the hours dragged on when the flare appeared. That light was likely to be a person---or some strange trick of the monsters he hadn't seen yet. Either way, it looked far more promising than the rest of his surroundings (though that wasn't saying much), so he slowly set off on one last walk.

With his torn clothes, caked dirt, and dragging feet, he might even resemble a monster from a distance. Please don't shoot him first.

[bequiet_hescreamed]

Clef stared, watching the shape resolve itself into something resembling a human. It certainly moved like one, and was doing so much too slowly to be any kind of threat. That didn't rule out the possibility that it was a monster in human form, though - namely, some guy with a knife and a certain amount of desperation. Risky though it seemed, Clef thought it best to meet whoever it was before they reached the group proper.

He glanced back to the others and checked that his lucky chisel was still securely in his belt before heading over to meet the figure.

SUBTHREAD EXTRAVAGANZA

[meat_mooks]

[Thread with each other or with the NPC!]

BRIDGE

[meat_mooks]

The little girl's infection has become increasingly awful over the last few hours - hours which she's spent alternately crying to herself and screaming in agony. A medical examination reveals that she has a nasty fever, as well. Either way, she needs medical care and possibly a muzzle to stop making so much noise.

In her disheveled clothes, she covers herself in blankets in the corner of the communal living room and sweats and cries. Whenever someone approaches, she asks for water.

BRIDGE

[bequiet_hescreamed]

She was probably going to die.

Clef came to this conclusion as he leaned against the wall nearby, half-dozing and listening to her sobs. If the fever didn't get her, the next monster to find them probably would - and would do so sooner rather than later, thanks to her own screaming. There was nothing they could do to save her.

He dwelt on that thought because it hurt - she would probably die, and there was no way they could save her. The more he dwelt on it, the less it seemed true - "nothing" sounded more like "very little" or "maybe something" and then his mind went looking for what that something might be. He couldn't just listen to a child wither away so painfully without at least trying to do something. Maybe if they found some water--

He pushed himself upright. Sitting here and letting his mind spin wasn't getting him any real rest. The fact that nobody had done anything up until now seemed to imply that the girl wasn't a priority for whatever reason, but maybe that was because no one was aware of the severity of the situation. Going out to hunt for water in the middle of the night might be dangerous, but they desperately needed it anyway. Did it really make that much difference?

HOWARD

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

For the most part, Howard's more withdrawn than usual. Now more than ever, he's feeling the pressure of knowing that anyone else here is just another person consuming resources they can't afford to spread thin. Or any resources at all, really - they're going to stay quiet for the night and then find something, anything in the morning,and Howard and Diana haven't mentioned the small diaper bag of granola bars, honey, mayonnaise and apple juice.

He's mostly been avoiding Cedric's eyes. All he gave Cedric upon his return was "he didn't bring food with him, did he?" before cold shouldering him. This is only slightly less friendly than how he's been treating everyone else, aside from trying to treat the girl's injuries (with the ulterior motive of getting her to shut the fuck up).

He lays in the sleeping bag with his flashlight, editing the map he's drawn in his notebook with the information they've gotten from everyone else while he takes tonight's watch duty.

CEDRIC

[theboywhodied]

Cedric doesn't talk very much, if at all. It's too dry and painful, and he needs to save every drop of strength he can for his turn at foraging for supplies in the morning. He hasn't really slept at all since landing (when you're alone, there's no taking shifts), and it's clearly catching up to him.

He's curled in a small ball, trying to battle his own doubts. Cedric has the distinct impression that some of their crew is disappointed that he survived, especially Howard. Now he's just an unexpected drain on resources, and it shows. A spare not needed or wanted.

In the morning, he needs to challenge that. He doesn't have the strength right now.

Re: CEDRIC

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

Howard waits until he's sure Diana's sleeping before he'll even approach Cedric. Then he waits a little longer, until everyone else is sleeping or otherwise occupied. Now's not the time to be careless. He's going to be reckless enough doing what he's going to for Cedric.

He walks over and stands over Cedric. "Follow me."

MAXINE

[windwitch]

Maxine felt cold, hungry, and scared. She wanted to sleep, but she was too frightened to. She felt like a big ball of emotions, listening to Bridge crying nearby, looking around at everyone. She was high strung and frazzled and she felt useless. Especially without her powers.

The least she could do was keep watch as long as possible, avoiding going to sleep.

[bequiet_hescreamed]

Clef felt restless. He knew he couldn't stay here if he was unable to sleep and there was so much that needed to be done, but Maxine looked like she needed someone. It couldn't hurt to sit with her for at least a little while.

He went over and sat close by, against the wall with his knees hugged to his chest. Although he didn't feel the least bit like sleeping, his expression was tired and resigned as he stared straight ahead. Yet he didn't say anything - there was nothing he could think of to say.

CLEF SNEAKS OUT FOR WATER

[meat_mooks]

[Clef and NPCs]

[bequiet_hescreamed]

The danger inherent in going out alone was almost the next best thing to nourishment. Clef suddenly felt more awake, every sense - every currently working sense, at any rate - on the alert anything that might be of danger or benefit, figurative sticks and carrots. It was the most fundamental level of functioning in any living being, but he excelled at it on an intellectual level. Perhaps that was why he generally got along better with animals than with people.

He made a loose circle around the house before starting, not wanting to just head off in some random direction. Instead, his plan was to stay close to the base and thoroughly search the area around it, moving outwards in a spiral, house by house and lot by lot. The idea was to take inventory of the resources in the immediate area and grab what he could. Howard and Diana had probably done something similar before he and the others had arrived, but he doubted that they had been in this area long enough to make a thorough search of it.

[meat_mooks]

Diana and Howard have searched through the first three houses Clef will encounter - their pantries, refrigerators and cupboards are completely bare. Worse, many of the houses Clef runs into have rotting corpses, or at least bloodstains. It might be worth remembering if they get desperate enough for cannibalism, but also serve as a reminder that the house they're staying in provides only the illusion of safety.

One of the houses Clef enters is bare, though. The only sign that someone left suddenly, unwillingly or not, is a set of housekeys left on the floor. Most of the food is gone, but Clef will be able to find a near-empty packet of chips, mold-covered bread, and a small jar of baby food. And, best of all, a pitcher in the useless refrigerator with an inch of water at the bottom.

From a bathroom near the kitchen, the sound of claws clicking on linoleum can be heard.

THE SPARE

[meat_mooks]

There are still a few hours until morning, but with the news that no water's to be found, tensions are higher than they otherwise would be. Finally, the orphan girl is sleeping. Not soundly, but even the occasional whimper in her sleep is preferable to the anguished cries.

Which brings the waking crew members with the question of what to do with her.

[Any order, but Karis tags last.]

Re: THE SPARE

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"We can't keep her around." Howard doesn't even want to get attached enough to the girl to call her 'she', and as far as he's concerned she's a liability to all of them, so it's difficult for him to not just go and call her 'it'. "That screaming? She's dead weight, and she's going to get us killed. Not to mention we don't have the medicine to treat that kind of infection. She's dead in a few days at the most."

He actually does look regretful as he suggests it, like he'd rather it not be necessary, but not like he's going to change his mind about it. "Most humane thing to do would be kill her now before she gets time to be afraid. Or if no one wants to do that I'm sure one of the things outside would be happy to do the dirty work for us."

[theboywhodied]

As it's been for most of the night, Cedric says nothing. He stares at the others, conveying clear horror that's visible from his face all the way down to his hand. It rests on the floor gripping his useless wand.

They can't hear it, but Cedric's desperately hoping for a miracle here. He's silently pouring his mental energy into it, as if a strong enough show of will will break the barrier and save her.

No use. He dreads the course of this conversation.