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Dead Men Walking
Topic Started: Nov 28 2014, 02:20 AM (70,838 Views)
Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Kelsey snapped her eyes open at the sound of her name. For a few seconds, she didn't remember what we going on and didn't know how she had gotten here.

Where are we? How long was I sleeping? Why do I feel so groggy?

The young girl looked through the window next to her and saw her father looking back at her. Her heart stopped in her chest; her dad was dead, wasn't he? This was simply impossible. A thousand thoughts flew through her waking mind, but her hands moved first, grabbing the handle of the and pushing it open. She half-jumped and half-stumbled outside onto the pavement of the freeway. She looked up to see her father, but this time only saw the face of Eli. Frantically, she looked back and forth for a sign of anyone else, but it was just to two of them and a bunch of dead rotters on the side of the highway.

"What is it?" She asked curtly, trying to hide the bitter disappointment she felt.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
Brandon sat down in one of the chairs inside. Emmett was laid out on a couch. Even giving what little help he could had drained him and Brandon sat down for what felt like the first time in days, even though he'd been in a car for hours. The mountain of worry he was carrying was no lighter than it had been before, but he had shared some of it with Willow and that made it easier to bare.

She was much like him. She had used those painkillers to push herself, to be stronger for those around them. It was the same for Brandon, though he pushed himself in other ways. Punished himself perhaps, as Emily had said. Always it was everyone's job to be strong for everyone else. Between him and Willow though was a confidence they could have with nobody else, a permission to be weak and lean on each other. His guilt was likely evident to all, and his worry, but with everyone else but Willow it should go unspoken from now on, so as not to give it more power over him. Willow, his wife in his heart, would be the only one to really know his weakness and be his greatest source of strength.

Though they had more than their share of pressing concerns Brandon couldn't help but fret over Eli and Kelsey and their unknown fate some more. He recalled that it was he and Willow specifically that Randall had entrusted Kelsey to. He wished to be with Eli, tracking her down and making sure she was safe, but nobody could be in two places at once and he was needed where he was. He desperately wanted the girl back with them, now that she had lost Nolan too her place was with them, the people who loved her.

He also thought of Eli, who he'd turned his back to and been turned on in kind, now standing in his shoes with that mountain of worry he felt an understanding with him. He understood his anger now, a little better. How other people's hurts become his own when he was the one they looked to for guidance. He understood a little of Eli's pain at their ultimatum, or betrayal, or intervention. Whatever it was it all felt the same, regardless of how his actions really affected them he was trying to do what he thought was right for the people he cared about, and they deemed him unfit. Just the thought of that same judgement befalling him sent a wave of grief over him. He differed in that he couldn't blame them though, if they chose that, and he could abide by it if they deemed him so. He didn't know if it was simply selfdoubt that made it easier to swallow or if he was more honest with himself than perhaps Eli had been, but he didn't know what he was doing and he could admit that to himself. Who could know though? Brandon wondered if the only real quality of a leader is that they're willing to be one.

He found himself nodding off as he lost himself in these myriad uncertainties, but roused when Emily came by and kicked the soul of his shoe lightly. With a sort of grateful nod he acknowledged her.

"What's the plan? We just sitting here until Eli gets here?" she asked.

"You, Connor, Antonio and I are going to go looking for supplies. See if we can scrounge up some more food and water." he declared as he rose to his feet.

"I'll go let them know." she said and walked off to do so.

Brandon had something else he needed to see to. Riley's distate for him was more tahn evident, she could only be more plain in it if she spat in his face. Even so he once again approahced the Kellys.

"Hank." he greeted the man.

It had been only hours since he'd llst his best friend,and Brandon had a hand in that loss, but that was beside the point. They couldn't continue to lug around his body. It was unhealthy for one, and he must be starting to develope an odour, but the extra weight would mean more drain on their gas. They had to get rid of it.

"I'm heading out again with some of the others, see if we can find some more stuff. I was also going to find us some tools. I know it isn't ideal, but when we come back Andy should be put to rest." he advised.

Likely Hank knew it, but grief had a way of making it impossible to decide anything for yourself. When he lost his own family he was almost catatonic, and Andy was family to these people.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Eli studied her for a second, waiting to see if she put it together that her rest wasn’t exactly voluntary. She didn’t – at least, not immediately.

“Dunno yet,” he eventually answered her question.

He stepped aside so she could see the scene for herself.

“I think our friends were here,” he said, putting a heavy sarcastic bent on one of the words. “Looks like they tore these rotters to shreds. And look…”

He directed her attention to the freshly disturbed ground, and the cross of sticks that marked it.

“I saw some ice scrapers in the car,” he said, adopting an even expression. “Grab ‘em. I think we have to do some digging.”

* * *

While Hank was helping Emmett inside city hall, his family had made their way in after them. They had staked claim to the office of the city manager, which had a waiting room furnished with a comfortable couch. Hank had only recently caught up with them when Brandon found him again.

Hank met him outside the door, to avoid another passive-aggressive scene with Riley. He nodded after Brandon had given him the update.

“Oh… okay,” he said. “Thank…

The words almost came out automatically, as a matter of politeness, but his voice got stuck on them. He told himself he didn’t blame Brandon like Riley did. He thought he was telling himself the truth. The reminder that Andy’s body was still waiting in the trunk had stunned him, however.

“Okay,” he repeated.
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Is that so?
Kelsey glanced across the bodies a few more times, trying to blink the remaining drowsiness out of her eyes as she did with limited success. With her clouded mind, it took the young girl a few tries to piece together what Eli had found and what he was now suggesting.

"I don't..." She said quietly.

Then it hit her. The bodies had been killed by somebody. There were tire tracks on the ground -- possibly fresh? -- and a newly dug grave. If they dug up the body, they might find out if they are on the right track or not. There was no doubt in Kelsey's mind who was in that hole though. It had to be Alma. Kelsey nailed her really good with her first few shots earlier. But it didn't hurt to check.

"Okay."

After an awkwardly long time standing, Kelsey finally ran to retrieve the ice scrapers that Eli had asked her to grab. She jumped back into the car and scrounged around until she found them. They didn't look like the best digging tools, but she didn't exactly want to dig using her hands either. After popping out of the car with the scrapers in hand, she presented one of her finds to Eli.

* * * * *

Antonio leaned against the wall just outside the main entrance to the city hall building. The air was brisk and the sky was overcast. In the back of his mind, he worried there might be a storm on the horizon. As if there wasn't enough to worry about already right now.

Most everybody else was inside. Hank and his family were still shell-shocked over the death of Andy, Willow had crashed on the first couch she saw and was currently out like a light, and Brandon was absorbed in his own thoughts. And Emmett was... hopefully going to be okay. There had been enough death already today -- Antonio hadn't even had time to come to terms with Nolan's death yet. It still didn't feel real, not without seeing the body. A part of Antonio expected the young man to pop out any second with a glum look on his face to ask for another razor or bar of soap. But in his brain, he knew that was never going to happen.

The Catholic priest sighed heavily as another cool breeze swept through.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
Wordlessly Brandon left Hank alone to his mourning. He hoped that burying Andy might help the Kellys. It was an honor they had no opportunity to give to Nolan. In fact, Nolan may very well be walking the streets of Salt Lake City at that very moment for all he knew. Brandon felt another pang of grief at the thought. Another Phillips lost to them and they couldn't do him even that service. He hoped it wasn't the case.

The others moved all their gear inside. Brandon wasn't taking any chances this time so he took his carbine. There would be no repeats of what happened in Twin Falls, if anyone wanted to take what little they had they'd have to fight for it. He saw the Ruger leaning against a chair and picked it up. Willow's Ruger. It was the gun he used to kill Gregory. Whatever the outcome of that action he couldn't help the satisfied smile the memory of Gregory's lifeless body hitting the ground brought to his lips. It didn't feel right in his hands somehow, it already had a place with Willow.

He found her leaning sleeping on a couch in the waiting room. Even drained and tormented by pain as she was she was undeniably beautiful. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed deeply, one arm above her head and the other resting lighting on her thigh. His eyes traced the contours of her body and he felt a familiar wanting. Even though it felt cruel to disturb her rest he kneeled down and leaned over her. He kissed her until she roused rested his chin lightly on her shoulder as she stirred.

"I want you." he whispered, echoing himself weeks earlier.

He always wanted her. He hadn't been starved for her affections by any means but with such a new passion in his life it seemed they never had time to appreciate each other. With one hand he reached around her waist, with the other he reached down and picked up her rifle and brought it up in front of her.

"You'll keep them safe until we get back?" he said, half request and half statement.

Even compromised she was a terrifying beauty to see with a rifle.
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Is that so?
Numbly, Willow nodded her head and hummed in response. Had she felt better, she might have just shown him how much she wanted him back. She might have enthusiastically replied. She might have told even Brandon to sit his ass down and do that himself since he was in no condition to be perambulating around a dangerous town.

But she didn't say or do any of that. She was still sore, nauseated, and tired.

How long was I out anyway?

"Yeah." She managed groggily as she unconsciously gripped the Ruger as if it were an extension of her arm -- which at this point it practically was. "I can totally do that... just... gimme a minute to wake up."
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Strompy
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"Give you a minute to fall asleep again more like it. Come on." Brandon coaxed her, his hand looming over her ticklish spot threateningly.

He wanted her to sleep and recuperate but she was the only one he trusted to keep the others safe. It wasn't a matter of fitness. Annie, Hank, Riley or even Ruby were well enough for that but when it came down to it Willow was the only person he trusted to pull the trigger if she had to. He thought about leaving Emily behind to watch over them, but the greatest threat would be to the away group, so he needed their best guns, which right now, didn't necessarily include him but he wouldn't let Connor do this without him. He wondered if he was doing a diservice to both Connor and the others.

They took the convertible and hit the first store they came to. There wasn't anything of use there, other scavengers had stripped it a long time ago judging by the dust on the shelves. They left that after a cursory examination revealed they'd find nothing and headed further on. As they got further away from base Brandon noted an increase in rotters. So the town wasn't empty, which was oddly reassuring. The next store they came to was a supermarket. Like before it had been picked clean, what was slightly odd however was that the toiletries had all been looted to. There wasn't a single tube of toothpaste or bottle of mouthwash to be found. No toothbrushes or safety razors or anything. It was the same story with the medication aisle, not a single aspirin and bandaid.

Most looters only ever took food and water thinking it would all be over soon. Only people who thought they were in for the long haul had the insight to stock up on other incidentals. His curiosity only turned to worry when they found several houses had been similarly picked clean. This wasn't the work of roaming scavengers. This was concerningly methodical, and worryingly familiar.

...

Hands up. No sudden movements. You'll be okay. Romain reminded himself.

It was weird that even with the dead coming back to life he was still anxious about white people. Motherfuckers could be racists or something. This wasn't exactly Mississippi so he wondered why his mind keep leaping to that possibility.

Probably the guns. he realised.

It was the fact they could shoot him that made him wonder why they might shoot him, even if it was ridiculous. He raised his hands high above his head as he stood in the street in front of Town Hall.

"Hello!" he called out as loudly as he dared.

He looked all around him, keeping an eye out for any wendigos that might have heard him.
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Is that so?
How did I let him sweet talk me into this shit? He didn't need to take everyone else that was good with a gun with him, he could have left Emily behind and let me get some sleep or something.

Willow yawned. It was probably for the best this way -- no matter how much she slept she never really seemed to get any less tired. This withdrawal business was sapping her strength, but according to Annie the worst of it was just about over since she hadn't been dependent on these things for too long. Thankfully. She was looking forward to the day when the only thing she had to worry about was back pain; which is ironically what she had been trying to stop with the painkillers.

God, this sucks SO MUCH!

The nice thing about complaining in her head was that nobody else had to know how much she was complaining.

She sat perched by one of the many windows that made up the front of the town hall in a chair she had dragged there from one of the offices. Her FNP rested at her hip, the Ruger was in her lap, and Glenda's old knife strapped to her thigh. It really said something about the state of the world when she was armed to the teeth just to relax. Not relax, keep watch. In a very comfortable office chair.

Again, she leaned her head back and let out a yawn, this one longer than the last one. Then she leveled her gaze back out the window and froze.

Oh shit, there's someone outside!

Willow bolted out of her chair and gripped the rifle. There was a person outside. She couldn't tell much about him other than the fact that he was probably black and he was a male and that his hands were above his head. The fact that he was black meant that he couldn't be one of theirs and the fact that his hands were up meant he was coming peacefully. Hopefully. If he came here to fight, they were probably fucked without anyone here.

She leaned forward and quickly opened the window in front of her. Then she perched her Ruger on the windowsill and aimed it at the newcomer.

Try not to be too abrasive. She had to pause and remind herself. We don't need to be assholes to be cautious. That's kinda why I have a gun pointed at him right now.

"Hello!" She hoarsely shouted back at him. "Is there... something we can do for you...?"
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
Romain tried to stay calm. It was difficult but he managed. He had to remind hismelf that people were just being cautious when they pointed guns at you and not hostile. Still his heart started beating faster than it had been a second before.

"I came..." he began but choked on the words.

He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"I came to ask you the same thing. If you're looking for food or water, you're not gonna find any. It's all with us. We got medicine, and food and all that. We like to help people though, so you know, if you want any of that we can hook you up. We over at the Red Lion." he explained.

His mouth was dry and a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead that wasn't completely because of the heat. There was a moment of quiet and Romain kept his eyes locked on the barrel poking out of the window. He couldn't see inside because of the brightness outside and the comparative darkness inside. He saw the gun though, that was all he needed to see.

"So, if you interested we'll be there. I'm gonna go now, if it's all good here." he said, taking a few tentative steps back.
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Is that so?
Before she knew it, Willow's mouth was open and she was answering; "Wait!"

There was a lot she wanted to ask. Why were they helping people? How had they survived? What were they doing? How many of them were there? Were they telling the truth? Her past experiences with that coward Maxwell and the people -- no, cult -- at Salt Lake City flashed through her mind. She wanted to believe that these people were good. To see something like that might restore her faith in humanity. But she resisted the thought. It was a dangerous one to have.

"Ah... um..."

Willow struggled to find the right question to ask among the maelstrom of them spinning through her head. After a few long and awkward seconds, she stopped trying and just asked the first question that came to her mind.

"Why?" That might be a little too vague. "I mean, you're stupid, you know that? Walking up to us like this? We could be violent. Why risk it?"
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Romain stopped in his tracks and his heart skipped a beat, fortunately instead of bullets she shot him questions.

"That's why I got my hands up. Because we're s'posed to help each other I guess. Not enough people left to keep killing." Romain answered.

He couldn't think of another explaination. He hoped that was satisfactory and that he'd be allowed to go on his way. He swallowed hard as he waited for their decision.
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Is that so?
For a few long seconds, Willow remained silent. Processing the request would be a lot even on a good day, let alone a bad one. But he needed an answer, so she gave him one.

"We'll think about it."
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Romain breathed a sigh of relief and continued backing up before walking slowly away. Once out of sight the gangly black man slid down against a street light and cradled his head in his hands. He focused on slowing his racing heart down.

Nearby he spotted Jake waving at him from a window of one of the houses. Without much enthusiasm he gave him a sluggish thumbs up and got back to his feet before heading over.

...

After they found the second house stripped bare of anythig they'd find useful save for some disinfectant, toiletries and two shovels Brandon ordered them back to town hall. This place reaked of ongoing human activity. Emily's driving bordered on reckless as she sped through the streets. Even the abandoned cars around town had been looted, with their doors and trunks left hanging open.

Brandon shook his head and considered what they might do next. If their were people here then they might not be safe waiting here for Eli and Kelsey. They could leave a message back at town hall giving them another location to meet up at and a warning about this place. Or they could keep they could just keep their heads down a couple of days, ration their food and water before risking another trip. They may have already been spotted, expecially with them driving all over town looking for supplies.

His finger rested on his trigger the entire drive. Finally they arrived back and exited the vehicle with weapons raised. Brandon and Emiyl kept their eyes peeled for any signs of activity while Connor and Antonio brought their meagre score back in.

"I think there are still people in this town." Brandon announced once they closed the door behind them.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Eli and Kelsey went to work. The job wasn’t easy, especially with the improvised tools, but the dirt was freshly displaced, so it wasn’t terribly difficult either. Eli made faster progress than Kelsey, and when he made it a couple foot into the ground, he tossed aside the dull scraper and started scooping up dirt with his hands.

He stopped when his fingers touched something that wasn’t dirt. He flinched and stood up from his knees.

After a second, he realized Kelsey had stopped to look at him. He looked back to her.

“Almost there,” he said, and his tone was serious.

He kneeled down again, hesitantly, and kept digging. A minute later, his eyes confirmed what his heart and mind already knew.

It was Alma. The top of her face was peeking out from her makeshift grave. Eli could see her nose, her lips, and her lifeless brown eyes.

Eli didn’t stare. He saw what he needed to see and he stood up again. He took a step away from the hole in the ground and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He waited for Kelsey to see for herself.

* * *

Annie made it to Willow after her conversation with the stranger had ended. She thought she heard her talking earlier, but she wasn’t positive at first. Once she was, she grabbed her Glock – the one Connor had recovered from the hotel, and presented her with on the ride to Twin Falls – and rushed to her side. She was too late. The stranger had already gone.

Since then, Annie had done a lot of pacing, waiting for Brandon and her son to get back. She let out a long sigh of relief when it finally happened.

“Thank God,” she said after Brandon’s announcement. “And you’re not wrong. Willow?”
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Is that so?
Digging several feet into the ground had a way of waking up people. Kelsey was no different in that regard. By the time they were near the bottom of the hole, the drowsiness was out of her eyes and body and she was focusing everything she had on finding out who was in the grave. And when they found her, Kelsey only needed to look long enough to confirm what she already knew.

"Good." She told Eli after she was sure it was Alma. "She got what she deserved. Now we need to hurry before Lowell and Noah get away."

She pointed down the freeway, in they had been heading before.

* * * * *

"Yeeaaah..."

Unlike Annie, Willow didn't have the energy to pace back and forth so restlessly. So she was still sitting in the office chair, quietly contemplating everything that had happened. She hoped that things would be a little more clear by the time Brandon and the others returned.

They weren't.

"This guy." She leaned forward and started to explain slowly. "He came walking up to us while you guys were gone. Right? Said he and his group had already scavenged everything in the area and they had it all at the Red Lion. That big ass casino we passed on the way in, you know? Anyway, he said we should go check them out if we want supplies and that they are just in it to help people. 'Not enough people left to keep killing' I think were his words."

After she finished, Willow leaned back in the chair. It reclined along with her.

"I don't know what to think of it either." She added while everyone else was digesting the information she fed them.
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