Necropolis

Day 1. 2:22 pm. Derrik.

Fresh air.

I do not like it—
Shut up.

Derrik was lying on his back on hard concrete. His bloodshot eyes stared hungrily at the people who had just ascended from the tunnels. He groaned as he fought to keep his urges in check and Dave noticed him.

“Hey man.” The old Dave knelt beside him. It was the one that looked after him, watched out for him, and that treated him like a brother.

We both know that what has changed is still changed. You are still second best.

Derrik gazed at the man above him. On the surface it was Dave, his best friend. A little deeper, it was different. He knew who Dave would run back to as soon as he’d assured himself that Derrik was alright.

“You stink,” Derrik spluttered and his friend cackled.

“Don’t smell too good yourself!”

“You stink,” he repeated coldly, “of her.”

The grin fell off Dave’s face. He bit down on his bottom lip and Derrik saw exactly how awful he looked. The reflection in Dave’s eyes stared back at him, tiny ragged and shaking.

But soon we shall be—
Shut up!

“Calm it, Derrik. You’re gonna be alright.”

“Fuck alright.”

The voice was getting louder, darker, and not so easily silenced. It was a bad voice, but Derrik had given up on the simple split of good and evil. He understood now, that the world was not split into two groups, but as many groups as there are people.

Hues and tints, within shades of colour. I imagine you are a kind of yellow- brown.

Oh god, thought Derrik, it even laughs like me. Anger crept into him uninvited.

“Alright? Alright! Don’t worry, it’s all going to be fine!”

“Derrik, keep your voice down,” Dave pleaded. His worried eyes glanced over the open street pausing on the small clumps of people still waiting by the tunnel entrance.

Derrik shook his head and allowed himself a small snicker. There were none of them out there yet. No scraping footsteps and uneven gaits, just the measured crunch of Kevin pacing. He spoke up.

“You guys better get moving, you could cover some ground whilst the sun’s still up.”

“We aren’t leaving you already!” Dave’s fists were balled at his side and quivering, “You know how much you mean to me.”

“Ha!”

Dave flinched backwards as if he’d been shot.

“I’ve meant fuck all to you since you got back with her!”

“Derrik—”

“You might as well leave me. Three is a fucking crowd!”

“Just quit—”

Shadows flitted across Derrik’s vision and the anxious man above him slid apart. The wound on his chest splintered and became a fiery point of pain. Instinctively, he clasped his hand to it, moaned and scrunched his eyes shut. He felt another hand on his, prising and prying. He tried to stop but it was too late.

The air is glue, now it’s just me and you—

(No problem Rieda and if this doesn't make sense, you need to read the discussion thread.)

2:32 pm

Katalyn

Katalyn and Louis slowed to a halt, observing the guns and their owners warily. They were stood beside a small cafe, merely the width of two buildings from the other people.

"Hello?" Kat called timidly as she resumed her approach, much more cautiously. Louis hung back a few steps, leaning against the wall of the cafe for support and breathing deeply, his knuckles white and his face a ghastly grey. The guns were not lowered and Kat faltered, half afraid that they intended to kill her. The memory of Mike's body shot through with bullets was still incredibly vivid in her mind.

"Kev, Mev put the damn guns away!" One of the girls shouted.

"Zombies don't speak," Another stated.

"We're not zombies," Kat declared. "We're just fine, aren't we Louis?" Her companion did not answer and she turned to see him kneeling on the floor, one hand still pressed against the wall and the other clutching his head. "Louis?" Kat repeated.

Adara
2:30pm(Meant to go above Kitty's. Sorry!)


I couldn't believe that we were finally out. I'd been longing for this moment...that's why I was wondering why I felt so terrible. It couldn't be Abby, could it? I mean I hardly knew the girl, she was always so quiet. But now she was gone. I'd never ever see her again. The guilt twisted in my stomach. I wasn't sad about Abby, I was sad to be alone. Our group was getting smaller. How small would be by the time we were out of this? How many of us would be left, if any?

But we kept walking as if Abby had never been here. We didn't even look back. I didn't even look. Was that how it would be if I had just died? I didn't want to think about that, it looked like everyone in the group had their own problems.

Kev's jaw twitched as he restrained his finger on the guns' trigger. Jo tried to calm him by placing a hand on his shoulder but her hand shook, and she stared into space. Mev on the other side of them looked traumatized with his mouth gaping open speechlessly. I studied them for a while and then decided that it wasn’t worth it. We were out, that’s what was important.

I breathed in the rotting air and did my best to ignore the police sirens and screaming. Other than that, it was a pretty good day.

I heard footsteps pad ahead of us but saw no one for a while in the sun light. Then I saw a figure running towards us. It looked to fast to be a zombie but you never could tell. Kev saw I before could say anything.

“What the fuck__” he grabbed for his gun and aimed it carefully. The figure waved its arms and yelled something unintelligible. Jo tried to knock the gun out of his hand but only had the strength to push it downwards before he fired.

“Pay attention damnit! It’s a person!” She shouted angrily. Mev pulled out his own gun.

“Don’t touch the fucking gun! What if it isn’t!” Kev made a growling sound and turned away from her.

“I wasn’t going to shoot until I knew! Touch me again and I’ll__”Jo through him a glare and he blew it off, aiming his gun again at the approaching figure. She was now close enough to see.

“Two people.” I said, stating the obvious.

“I know.” Kev snapped. I stared at him as the girl and the person next to her slowed to a walk, they were only a good fifty feet away now.

“Drop the gun.” I said calmly.

“No.” I turned towards Mev to help me convince him but he only looked away from me and raised his own gun. Jo came to stand by me behind them and I looked at her pleadingly.

“What’s going on?” I whispered. She shook her head.

“I don't know. I think they see something.”

----------------------
heh, this is meant to go above Kitty's message...I don't quite know how to do that yet, or if I even can...so yeah. Sorry about that.

Day 1 2:25pm

Dave noticed Derrick hand on his chest. He lifted his hand up and just stared, horrible teeth marks-blood spurting out. He saw Dave gun-but no- there had to be another way. Dave sighed miserably and went to tell someone. His bestfriend could die. Keri had lied she knew he was going to die. Yet she had sworn he'd live. Yeah right, what a bitch lying to him like that. He took a deep breath thinking who needs her...? -I don't all she is a pain. If she'd loved me at all she'd told me. But no.

Dave came to Kev and coughed, he swung round looking incrediably irritated. Dave ignored his obvious comtempt of him and just spoke, getting sadder with each word, "Derrick has been bitten, can't we save him? I've seen alot of movies and he's gonna die ain't he? I'm telling you because even though I hate you, your decisions haven't done us wrong." He turned to Keri and shook his head.

Kev rolled his eyes and stared at Dave coldly, eyes narrowed, "If he's bitten, he can't come with us."

Dave tried desperately to appeal to him, "What if we find a cure, there must be a way to save him, or if we at least kill him now can we give him a proper burial somewhere?"

Kev just carried on coldly, "We will do neither. We don't have time to do either. Either we will leave him to his own devices,or give him a quick death."

Dave walked away when Keri wrapped arms round his back he threw them off angerily and walked by Derrick.

Keri frowned, "Dave, whats wrong?" She asked walking over and looking down at Derrick,

Dave turned to her angerily, "Nothing you don't already know you are a bitch apparently "

"Excuse me? What the hell are you talking about?" She asked shocked,

"You know fine well, you didn't think I should know, I thought you loved me!" Dave wept angerily.

"Know what?" Keri demanded, "I do love you!"

" Yeh, funny thing about love is we have to be honest to each other..." He hissed at her,

"And when I have I not been, what have I done that I didn't know about." She asked,

"of course you know, my life was easier without ya, and for a while I thought you loved me but now look lying to me bare face fucking lies."

"Oh, I'M LYING, what the hell did I lie about?" She demanded,

Dave looked at her angerily and just punched her, "Derrick, ya bitch, Fuck off!"

Keri stepped back at the force of the punch, her shoulder stung from the blow and she started at him, "I never lied about anything to you," She said now almost in tears, but she forced them away,

"Oh yeah, why Derrick fucking dying? He'll soon be annoying you again Dave, but no he won't cause he's fucking becoming one of them, you don't love me!"

"How was I supposed to know that he was bit, huh?" She demanded, "I don't have x-ray vision ya know."

Dave growled and she flinched worriedly, "You don't love me!"

Keri almost laughed, there was no use talking to him, no use trying to change his mind. He was just upset. "Think what you want, but that is one of the biggest lies I have ever heard."

Dave looked at her furiously, "I'm not afraid to hurt you Keri!2 He raised his fists warninly.

"Dave please..." Dave swung his fist into her shoulder hard.

"I'm not going to hit you, Dave, now cool off." She walked away, she wasn't going to cry. Nothing would make her cry. She looked around, she needed something to beat up, shoot up, anything. Her shoulder was sore and the pain in her heart hurt more, he'd never did that to her ever, he never hurt her physically,

'will he still love me after Derrick dead?' She wondered to herself,


'Don't let it get to you, he's just upset.' A voice in her head said,

'Like hell he is, he hit you, you've never let anyone else do that with out beating the shit out of them.'

'Your talking about Dave here, my Dave.' She argueed in her head.

'Its all Derrick's fault,' The voice nagged,

'No its not, it's the zombies.' She hissed, 'Its their fault not his, not Daves, not mine.'

*Re-read above post and see discussion thread*

Jo stepped forward, away from the group. Still seething from Kevin's actions, she purposely stepped in the line of fire to meet the newcomers. She could hear Kev swearing under his breath, but she continued forward.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked bluntly as she reached the two.

"Nothing, he's fine," the girl answered quickly, kneeling at her friend's side. "Aren't you, Louis?"

The boy did not respond. He was trembling.

Jo grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her back. The girl resisted.

"Hon, you have to come with me," Jo said urgently.

"No, he's fine! He's just tired..."

Grabbing her shoulders, Jo forced the girl to meet her eyes. "Tell me now -- was he attacked?"

"He's fine," the girl responded coldly. She, too, trembled.

"Come on." Jo wrapped her arms around the girl and dragged her back to the main group, careful to not look back, equally careful not to look at Kevin.

NAME: Rick Baker
AGE: 18
HEIGHT: 5'5"
WEIGHT: 145 lbs
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Brown
PHYSIQUE: Musuclar
EDUCATION: High School student
PROS: Strong and fears nothing
CONS: Slow due to leg injury, and can be mistaken as an enemy
BACKGROUND: Rick Baker was in the war but sent back due to an injury in his leg. Rick carries two pistols and a big knife. Rick is a very secretive person and can be seen as an enemy but means no harm towards people who he does not see as a threat.

2:35

Katalyn

"But he needs me," I protested as I made another feeble attempt to reach Louis. "Please. I already lost Mike. Please let me help him." I could feel the warm, heavy tears trailing across my face until they blurred my sight and I watched through a veil of disbelief as Louis let out a high, ear splitting scream before collapsing to the ground.

"Louis!" I screamed, my anguish echoing his own as I tore away from the girl and ran to his side. I placed a gentle hand on his arm and then his head jerked up and he stared at me with hollow, unblinking eyes. He opened his mouth and his breath smelt of decay as though all that was left of him, all that had been Louis was now resting in a grave within this living corpse.

Day 1. 2:36pm. Kevin.

The dumb broad stared dumbly at the corpse for a second--that was all the zombie needed. All humanity gone from the revenant, it grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled itself to her, its mouth gaping wide, teeth bared.

"Sorry."

BAM.

The sound was as familiar as my own voice, now.

The brass casing hit the ground as the ghoul crumbled to the cement, its arms flailing. The young woman was still standing there, shaking. I didn't offer a word of condolence to her, didn't even meet her gaze. Maybe I couldn't.

Poor bastard.

I walked back toward Derrick. Dave was crouched beside him, and he looked up. He must have seen the pistol in my hand, because he stood up and looked ready to challenge me.

"Back off, asshole." I raised the gun to hip level, showing him I was not in the mood.

I holstered the XD as soon as he relaxed, then knelt down next to Derrick.

"Look at me."

His eyes focused after a second of haze.

"You can't come with us. Either you die here or you go off on your own. Your choice."

My voice scared me. Cold. Emotionless.

"...Look man. I don't like doing this, Derrick. You're a good guy. Saved Joanna's life. Sacrificed your own. Thank you." I'd lowered my voice to a whisper, so only he and Dave could hear. "I'm sorry, Derrick. I wish there was another way."

With that, I walked to the sidewalk and sat down, laying my rifle on the cement next to me and laying the XD next to it. I had only seven shots left for the pistol, having used two entire magazines in the tunnels.

I still had a full magazine and six loaded for the Ruger, but I had a feeling it wouldn't be enough to get us to my store to reload.

I busied myself with checking my weapons, a show for the others. But I was hurtin'.

Suck it up. You'll make it.

Day 1. 2:38pm. Katalyn

I stared at his once familiar face that was now contorted into an evil grimace. His mouth was open, displaying sharp, yellowed teeth and those vacant eyes seemed to watch me with a lutful hunger.

"Come on," The girl from earlier urged me. She took my arm and dragged me away from the body towards the rest of her group. I dragged my feet and when she released me, I did not move. I stared down at the concrete, challenging it, daring it to defy my strength. If the concrete could be so still, so motionless in the face of death then so could I. But then I blinked. I blinked and I rubbed away my tears and began to cry anew. I folded to the ground and pressed my cheek against that cold concrete, taking strength and reassurance from the object that had defeated me. And when no more tears would come, I sat up and hugged my legs to my chest so that I could place my head upon them.

"What's your name?" The question was repeated once or twice before it reached my ears and I mumbled my response;

"Kat."

Day 1. 2:38 pm. Joanna.

"Kat. Okay, Kat." Jo sat beside the girl and rubbed her back gently. "I know it's tough, honey. We'll make it."

She sat there, rubbing the girl's back, staring off vacantly. So much death in so few hours, she thought, trying unsuccessfully to rid her mind of the screams that still echoed through the streets, of the blood spraying across the cement, of the terrible numbness threatening to cloud her vision.

She hazarded a glance over to Kevin. Ruthless bastard. Here he had killed yet another victim, and he was simply checking his guns, as if they meant more than the lives he destroyed. She didn't know how much longer she could stay under his "leadership."

He met her gaze, and his hand faltered. As he swore and picked up his gun, Joanna stood.

"We have to keep moving," she announced to everyone.

"We move when I say we move," Kevin replied, checking another gun.

"You're only in charge until someone replaces you."

This got Kevin's attention. He stood up and pulled her aside. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Taking charge," she answered coolly.

"They need a break. We all do. We'll move when I say we move," he reiterated slowly.

"Oh really? And the zombies, are they taking a break, too?"

Kevin didn't flinch from her pointed glare, but paused. "Derrick can't come with us. You know that."

At this, Jo hesitated, looking away. "He's not that bad yet... I'm sure he can come just a little further with us..."

"No."

She nodded to herself. "Okay then. Okay. But we still have to keep moving. And if you don't move them, I will."

"Fine." He spat and turned to the others. "Everybody get ready to move."

As he walked back to get the rest of his weapons, Jo walked slowly over to Derrick. "How is he?" she asked Dave quietly.

"He's still there... But fading fast."

Jo nodded and looked into Derrick's eyes. They looked clouded and frantic. Closing her eyes, she pulled him close to her, her heart pounding. She felt him tense, but she whispered into his ear anyway. "I'm so... so sorry, Derrick. I wish you hadn't saved me, but... thank you. I... I'm sorry."

She released him and walked away, avoiding anyone's eyes. The tears came too easily this time, and she couldn't stop them. She stood away from the group, sobbing silently, her entire body shaking.

How did this happen?

Day 1. 2:40pm. Kevin.

"You have any bullets left?" I looked up from a very interesting leaf on the ground to see Mev standing in front of me, shotgun in hand.

"...Yeah. Twentyish,” I said.

There was a moment where neither of us said anything.

"You did all you could, man. Derrick's dead."

"As good as, yeah." Somehow that didn’t seem good enough to me.

"If we take him along, more people might die."

"I know." Still not good enough.

"So, you're doing the right thing."

"...I hope so, man."

Mev looked like he was about to say more, but I stood up before he could say anything.

“Whatever, right? Fuck ‘em. They’re just criminals. Convicts.”

I holstered the Xtreme Duty and slung the Ruger over my shoulder. Pulled the slide back and let it slide forward with a metallic click. “Get ready to go, Mev. Tell the others. Two minutes, not a second longer–“

A woman’s scream cut me off. I whirled around, looking down First Street.

“Sonofabitch. Mev--with me.” The chick was laying on the ground, a little kid in her arms. She was trying to climb to her feet, but she looked exhausted. Behind her were the shambling forms of no fewer than thirty walking corpses. They were a lot closer than Mev or me.

I took off a sprint. They may be closer, but I was a hell of a lot faster.

Mev was right behind me.

“Get her. I’ll take care of the dirty work. Once you have her, get the others moving. Head toward Costco. We’ll hole up there. I'm gonna run by the store and grab some stuff. I'll meet you guys there. Just don't lock me out,” I huffed.

“Got it.”

"Listen, Mev--if the others ask, tell 'em I didn't make it."

He just stared as we ran.

Day 1. 2:39pm. Angie.

Angie rolled, her shoulder taking the brunt of the fall, to protect the wailing six-year-old in her arms. The adrenaline coursing through her was no match for nearly six hours of running and hiding, though, especially since the last two and a half had had the added burden of Teddy, who had collapsed of exhaustion. She struggled to her feet, tripped again, and this time let go of Teddy in an attempt to catch herself. He rolled away, then crawled and curled up in a fetal ball, sobbing, as Angie cried out, her wrist turning agonizingly beneath her weight.

“Help!” she screamed again to the men she could dimly see through the haze of tears. This was it—she was going to die—she was going to be cannibalized, or worse, turned into one of them—oh God, and Teddy! She couldn’t breathe—she couldn’t see, or think, or—no, she had the handgun, if she could just reach it—but her wrist was broken, she thought, putting weight on it or trying to grasp the gun with it made her scream out again, sobbing as hard as Teddy now as the zombies bore down on her—

Hands grabbed her, and gunshots rang out around her as she was half-hoisted to her feet, half-dragged away. “Teddy!” she screamed, struggling against the hands that had helped her up, clawing at the man with her own good hand, the other clutched to her chest. “The kid! Don’t leave the—Teddy, ven aquí! Rápido! Teddy!”

She lost track of time for—however long it was. She was with the others, now, and there was a man gripping her shoulders, telling her they’d done all they could, they couldn’t save the boy, it was too late—

They’d get Teddy. They’d already gotten Maria and Juan, and probably Angie’s parents, as well.

She’d never heard anything more horrific than her nephew’s screams as he was engulfed by the zombies, but every time she struggled to get back to him, the man who’d saved her—Mev, she realized now—grabbed her and forcibly pushed her in the other direction. Her eyes blurred with tears again and she plugged her ears tightly with her fingers, allowing herself to be pushed along, whispering in a voice hoarse from screaming.

“Aunque ando por el valle de las sombras de la Muerte, no temeré ningún maldad…”

Day 1. 2:45 pm. Bernard.

“—and just keep running!”

The English couple grasped hands and skittered down onto the road. In front of them lay a pool of blood interspersed with broken figures. The landscape was desolate; once busy streets had been scraped clear of the living, leaving only tattered remains behind.

“Come on, Bethany,” Bernard muttered urgently, his huge pack thumping his back as he ran. A clump of the flesh eaters had followed the woman and child down First Street. Bernard had to catch them.

“I’m trying!” The late reply jolted him and he fought to control his beating heart. His partner was just as scared as him.

“It’s ok.”

They stopped. Fifty meters away from the zombies. Still so far to go.

“Now g-get behind me,” Bernard stammered. Bethany’s tear stained face nodded once and she complied. He turned towards the pack and regulated his breathing as they descended upon the unfortunate woman.

“D-do you think the ones with the guns will,” she gulped back a sob, “will let us join them?”

Bernard grimaced.

“They’d have to be pretty cold-hearted twats not to,” he grunted, not trusting his voice to keep steady. A firm hand grabbed him and pulled him round into a hug. He held Bethany tightly.

“We should never have left the hospital,” she wailed into his chest, crying freely now. Bernard matched her with tears of his own.

“I-I-,” he whispered, “I know.”

Shouting from the group with guns brought back his attention. He wiped his eyes on his shirt sleeve and then, after a moments hesitation, his nose. He squeezed the trembling Bethany, still clutching his waist, and prised her off.

“When this is all over…”

Bernard looked deep into her blue eyes. She bit the corner of her lip and turned her head to the floor. He smiled, the situation drifting away again.

“I’ll buy you a coffee.”

She looked up, a mixture of surprise and happiness drifted through her.

“I’d love that!”

“Then get behind me.”

Bernard was serious once more, but the thrill of the future had not been entirely leeched away. That was warmth that would linger a little longer, prospects and promises and possibilities.

“Now, Bethany!”

Their large packs, brimming with medical supplies, bounced as they ran. They picked up pace, heading for the safety of the unknown. After all, it couldn’t be as bad as the devil they knew.

Could it?