Cesura | Started and Open With Permission Only

Cecilia Felise

Morris handed out backpacks and guns and after giving us a briefing, led us through the city. The city stretched on and on, as if it had no end. Maybe my hunch had been right. Maybe the city had grown bigger than My had expected and become the size of a small country. The buildings loomed over our heads as we walked past them, and went deeper into the museum-like city.

I noticed Tillman approach a wall and photograph it. Among the dull grey colour of the wall, I could make out a few letters. As Val flipped through her research, looking for clues that would point out who had left the message, Morris told all of us to keep quiet. I turned, and saw large shadows of a group of people on the pavement. We heard wheezing, and noticed the shadows twitch. Mordents? Already? And just when I was thinking I didn't want to come across any!

As I watched the shadows approach us, I heard a soft buzzing sound behind us and turned to see a horrible, mutated cockroach. Oh, the Mordents weren't enough, now we have a Sharp behind us! I alerted the rest of the group as quietly as I could, and Val, looking around quickly, pointed out a small cave to us. Nooooo! What if there's a Sharp in there? I didn't point out this alarming fact but quietly followed everyone into the tunnel.

Everyone kept absolutely quiet and still as the shadows of the Mordents grew larger. The Sharp seemed to have vanished, since I couldn't see it anywhere. Slowly, we watched as the Mordents walked right past the tunnel. As soon as I saw them, my eyes widened. These... people looked like someone had dumped all of them in a giant tub filled with chemicals, which was almost the same as what had actually happened to them. Most of them looked demented with their eyeballs rolling around in their sockets and their mouths hanging open. It was quite a frightening sight and I felt myself shiver. And then, suddenly-

Thunk.

The sound was loud enough to make the Mordents stop in their tracks and turn around. I turned around and realized the sound had been made by Tillman, who had accidentally dropped one of his cans of energy drinks on the floor. Turning back to the opening of the tunnel, I saw the Mordents turn around and head straight towards us. And what was more, there was the Sharp we had seen previously, right behind them.

Uh Oh.

Name: Joanna Mason

Age: 23

Occupation/Skills: She is majoring in journalism and photography.

Appearance:

Spoiler

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luklxgbyg91r629poo1_500.jpg

Joanna has long black hair thats silky to the touch. Her skin is slightly tanned and supple. Her eyes are wide and a vibrant pale blue. She's petite and is only 5'2. She's semi curvy with a cute butt, but other than that she's just slender.

Personality: Joanna is calm and cool. She really sarcastic and temperamental when she's in a bad mood, but other than that she's usually nice. She's creative and always makes sure to write a journal entry once a day to stay true to herself and her feelings. She's brutally honest, but knows when to hold back or not. She is also very acute to reading peoples feelings and finding out how they feel at that exact moment. She's neither a leader nor follower, but more of an independent. If she doesn't like how someone is running things she'll speak her mind and then proceed to follow her gut. Joanna looks out for herself, and no one else unless she really cares for that person. In the end, I guess that she's just herself.

History: Joanna grew up traveling. She's been to pretty much every continent, and has visited so many countries and cities that she wouldn't even remember the amount if she didn't have the pictures and journal entries. Her parents were open-minded and taught her everything that she had to know at age 12. She's always been mature for her age and has always excelled at everything that she does. She's always know how to balance her personal life and her work life equally and is a very successful young woman now because of that.

Strengths: As said before Joanna is strong-willed and knows how to stand up for herself. She's usually more of a brains person, but is also able to think on her feet and make critical decisions in a short time.

Weaknesses: Joanna is fragile and couldn't fight for her life. She has a bit of a hard time respecting authority, and a strong fear of insects and reptiles.

Extra: Joanna is up for love, but is just getting out of a bad relationship. Not only that but love isn't all that much of a priority for her. She loves making new friends though and studying people when their not looking. She's also very curious and has no problem leaving a group to go study something on her own.

Joanna Mason

Waiting for everyone to arrive was hell. Cecilia and I had a quick chit chat for a bit but it didn't really go anywhere and died off five minutes before everyone got here. I sighed when being handed the gun. Being a firm anti-gun/violence believer wouldn't get me anywhere it seemed. I left my opinions to myself and listened to what Morris was saying. But soon I drifted out and began thinking about how I got here.

In my college journalism class we had been discussing Cesura for the past few weeks before the invitation came in. I had been shocked when my professor offered to let me go, stating that I was the most skilled photographer in the class, and could probably handle it better then the other students. I failed to tell him that I truly wasn't interested in going. I mean the thought of exploring a "supposedly" abandoned city was very interesting. but all of my life i've been traveling and college was the first place I had actually finally been able to settle down. Yet when he mentioned that the trip would make a definite appearance on my manuscript i couldn't possibly say no.

But back to the present. We were beginning to walk and now i was getting a real look at things. When we got to the city itself I was shocked. I mean I had heard rumors about it being a a real city underground but I hadn't thought that they meant it like, literally being a city underground. I wanted to take a picture but since Morris hadn't given us the A-ok yet, I had to settle with taking mental images. And then I heard the wheezing. When I looked over towards where the sound was coming from I was shocked. Wasn't this place supposed to be abandoned? I think to myself. As we move into the shadow's to stay out of those things' way I almost scream. Instead I gasp loudly and sit completely still. Some type of weird cockroach mutant thing is coming toward us. I feel like throwing up. While the others quietly sneaked into the cave next to us I sprinted.

The things or mordents as Morris called them, were just passing the cave. A few more yards and they'd be out of ear shot. They were disgusting looking, with twitching bodies and practically melted skin. Again I feel the urge to puke as they walk past but hold it in. And then of course just to make things worse, that idiot Tillman decides to drop his energy drink and make the Mordents stop in their tracks. Since we're already caught i decide to just go ahead and his "Ah F*UCK".

Stephan Morris

I froze, knowing that there were potentially two threats about to attack us from two different directions. Not 25 minutes in and we were already face to face with two of Cesura's worst denizens. I had, of course, by reading my father's research and by conducting my own research, come to the conclusion that these were not the only ones that lurked underground, but right now, I couldn't afford to wonder.

"Alright. Stay calm, we have to focus. Get your guns out and ready, we are going to have to run for it." I wasn't sure if this was the best idea, but it seemed the only one we had. "Do not fire your gun in the cave, it may cause a collapse."

I couldn't blame anyone for this situation, though I wanted to yell at Tillman for a good hour. However, no matter how you looked at it, this was my fault for bringing them down here, no one else's, and I already afraid it was the wrong decision. I waited solemnly while the others prepped their ammunition and as Cecilia's barrel clicked into place I nodded. The entire situation could not have taken more than 45 seconds but for me it felt like an hour.

I pointed to the opening where the shadow of the creature could already be seen.

"Run!" I yelled, and they bolted behind me as we ran onto the street where the pack of Mordents made their way, using quick bursts of twisted movement. I could almost see the remnants of what they once were. The one that led them still had clear blue eyes though her nose was broken in and pus seeped from pockets down her face like tears. She was wearing a tattered blue suit with the words "Cesura Inn," causing me to believe that she had once been a concierge or something. She still had keys around her neck that swing from side to side as she jolted through the street.

"What are you doing? Keep moving!" Val bumped me as ran next to me. I noticed that I had unconsciously slowed.

"Wait." Cecilia stopped in her tracks. "Look at them, they're not going after us."

I stopped and looked carefully at the scene. They had not even turned to acknowledge us, instead they were headed straight for the Sharp. Without a moment's pause, they lept onto it's back and attacked its wings and eyes bringing it to the ground. As it tried to fly it crashed into a cement wall, cracking it's exoskeleton. The Mordents then threw themselves at it, tearing it apart and shoving the innards into their mouths. As it fell from the air it landed on the Mordent in the blue, crushing her underneath it. The others seemed indifferent, not even hesitating to examine their loss.

"Alright, take notes. This is interesting. Joanna, we need some pictures, see how close you can get."

Then, as quickly as they had attacked, the Mordents stepped back from the carcass and ran into the shadows, individually, not as a pack.

"I want some samples from the carcass too, as well as from this Mordent," I told the others. As they obliged, I bent down to pick up the keys from around the dead Mordent's neck. "I suppose we're staying at the Cesura Inn tonight." I announced.

It was my goal to map Cesura and no matter where the Inn was, I wanted to cover as much ground as possible. As they collected data, I laid out my mapping tools and started composing the first of what we had seen.

Tillman Antaeus

I sunk down against the floor heavily. I tried to take notes, I did, but I couldn't stable myself enough to hold a pencil.

Pull yourself together.

Mordents are those turned zombie by the effects of the drugs, the insects have also fallen prey to the drugs, called Sharps. Somebody sat down next to me, I turned and saw it was Mr. Morris, he started immediately on a map. Trying not to hover, I watched him closely. I'd been watching for a while when he cut his eyes towards me.

"Tillman?"

I snapped back to reality and stood up, perhaps too quickly. My head spun and I leaned against the wall for support.

"Sorry, sir."

When my world stabled I stumbled over to where the others were working and started to take samples of the moist walls and floor.

"This is crazy," I thought aloud.

Aristol I have decided to create a mixture of the two ideas I had.

Age: 17

Occupation/Skills: Surviving

Appearance: Has long blonde hair that has been drained of most color because of the lack of light underground. Looks skinny, but is extremely tough. Doesn't care for clothing, but keeps some on for appreciation of the "spirits" that she sees in the city.

Personality: Basically lost all emotions during her time in the city of Cesura. She is highly adaptable and loyal to people she trusts, although it takes her a long time to trust someone.

History: Was not born in Cesura, but moved there a couple years later. She was there when everyone started going crazy, but her parents refused to give her any Canons, for which is the reason she is still alive today. She used to be a poet and she often wrote about the scenery that was Cesura. Now she is a warrior in all aspects of it.

Strengths: She can find anything and everything edible in Cesura, she knows the city better than the back of her hand, can solve almost any problem one can find in Cesura, and she has major perseverence.

Weakness: She can stick on one subject for far too long, and she doesn't like arguing.