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Dead Men Walking
Topic Started: Nov 28 2014, 02:20 AM (70,807 Views)
DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Emmett’s mind was somewhere else. He was staring out the window, watching the road go by, reflecting on the choices that brought him to this car on this afternoon – both his choices and the choices of others. The reality of Brandon’s disfigurement had sunk in. The part he played in those events – or more accurately, the part he didn’t play, was deeply bothering him.

He thought about what might have happened if he was stronger. If he hadn’t been shot by Wendy’s sniper in Lincoln, if he hadn’t made the injury worse escaping Green River, and if he hadn’t almost bled to death after the events of Salt Lake City – if he could have gone to save Brandon in Connor’s place, maybe their leader would still have his hand and the kid wouldn’t have been traumatized. Or what if he went anyway? What if he didn’t let Connor do the job that he should have done in the first place?

Emmett wasn’t one to let many people in, but the ones he did, he absolutely hated to let down. So he hated that it kept happening.

Willow’s small-talk interrupted his depressing thoughts, only to turn his mind to different, equally depressing ones. He still did his best to answer:

“Didn’t have much of one,” he said quietly. “My father left. My mother took a long time to get over it. Eventually she did. Then I had a brother. He was a good kid. Stubborn. But good.”

He didn’t need to finish the story. Willow knew how it ended.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
"Ahhh..."

The energy Willow was trying to summon drained from her as she leaned back in her seat. That was a stupid thing to ask Emmett, of all people. If she had taken half a moment to think before opening her mouth, maybe she would have realized how moronic of a question that was.

"Sorry." She said quietly.

Way to shoot yourself in the foot there, Willow.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
"My brother wasn't." Emily chimed in trying to save everyone from an uncomfortable silence.

She spoke as if he'd died, but he had enough trouble living even before everything else went to shit. He was almost definitely dead. Her mom would be too, since she was a nurse and hospitals were among the first places to go. It would be completely unfair if her shit head father were still alive, so he probably was.

"He was a meth head, moved down to Florida last I heard of him. We'd only ever hear from him when he came to suck more of our mom's blood. Mom was good, hard working, compassionate. Less said about our dad the better. When we were living in Patterson I think I might have spent more time with the Keenans than my own family. They were good people." she sumarized.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
"I never had a brother or a sister or anything." Willow decided it was only fair if she threw her two cents into the bin, now that she had gotten everyone else talking.

She glanced at the sky above, where gray clouds hovered menacingly overhead.

"Only had my mom and dad. And they were both super strict assholes. They had my life all planned out for me before I was even born. Unfortunately for them, I wasn't quite the child they had in mind. And when word of this new virus started circulating, my mom and dad said they had to go somewhere. They wanted me to come with them, but I was stubborn and stupid and refused. They left without me."

Willow exhaled; sometimes she regretted being so stupid in that moment. Maybe they had gone somewhere safe. Maybe they had a doomsday bunker set up in the mountains somewhere; if the worst were to unfold, they could just weather the storm out underground. That would be like them, out to save themselves while the world burned around them.

"I don't know if they were good people."

No sooner had she finished the thought than did a hill to the right side of the car drop. The wide expanse of dry plains came into view once again. But this time, there was more.

About a few hundred feet off the side of the road was the twisted but intact fuselage of a mighty gray airplane. The windows of the cockpit had all been shattered and one of the wings had been sheared off and was laying on the ground a fair distance away. From the dents and tears in the hull, it was clear this airplane had not made a soft landing. And it hadn't been there for long either, maybe a few months at best. Right next to the "U.S. AIR FORCE" that was printed by the cockpit was a somewhat newer addition, red letters that read "HELP."

For all the wreckage, however, there was not a single rotter to be seen.

"Oh, shit." Willow said absently. "That's military..."
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Emmett gazed at the wreckage when it came into view. Willow was right. Judging by the logos on the hull, the downed aircraft was once operated by the Air Force. It wasn’t the first wrecked plane Emmett had seen. When he rode from Ontario to the Maritimes and back, looking for help that he never found, he had come across many other crash sites. Some managed softer landings than others. All were abandoned by the time he found them.

At first glance, this crash told the same story. There was not a living soul in sight. But there were also no rotters – and that gave him pause. And someone living would have needed to write that message asking for help.

Emmett didn’t immediately know what to do – whether it was wiser to investigate or keep driving. It wasn’t his call to make, anyway. He was glad for that. He had a feeling what side Antonio would choose, however – and apparently Brandon had decided to step down and give the priest the reins. Whether that was for the best or not, Emmett also wasn’t sure. Either way, it was another decision he was happy he didn’t have to make.

“We should probably slow down,” he said.

* * *

Daisy Evans had been assigned to check on their guests one more time before leaving them to their rest. Boulet was concerned for them – for the girl, especially. He told Daisy that wanted her honest okay before he gave the two of them a car and some gasoline like he promised. He wanted to be sure they were okay, he said. Daisy suspected that he also wanted to make sure they could succeed in their mission. He wasn’t going to risk sending one of his own people after Lowell, but she knew he wanted him caught. Could be he even wanted him dead. He kept an even-keel in front of his people, but Daisy could sense how much his pride was hurting.

For her part, Daisy also wanted to be sure their guests okay, but she didn’t care about Lowell. She had her own reasons, and they weren’t complicated. She had a job to do. She was barely qualified for it, and hadn’t asked for it, but it was now basically all she had.

So she opened the trailer door slowly, and without knocking. If their guests were already asleep, she didn’t want to wake them. Sleep was the whole reason they were being accommodated. And Boulet was right to make sure they had it. If Lowell had done all the heinous things they said he did, and they were truly going to confront him, they couldn’t do it in the state they arrived in.

Especially not the older man of the duo – Eli. He was clearly running on fumes, and his appearance reflected that. His complexion was pallor; there were bags under his eyes; his eyes themselves were red. That he had crashing his car outside of the trailer park was not a surprise. The only surprise was he hadn’t crashed it sooner.

He was sleeping now, fortunately. Daisy saw that when she poked her head inside and let some light in. There were two cots in the trailer, and he was lying down on one, his eyes closed. He didn’t appear at rest, exactly – he was rolling over, his skin covered in a sheen of sweat – but he was definitely unconscious. That would have to do.

The young girl, however – Kelsey, who reminded Daisy so much of Shelby at her age that it almost hurt to look at her – was awake. She was sitting up on her cot, staring forward when Daisy entered. The windows of the trailer were covered up to block the sun, so there was nothing to stare at, but that wasn’t stopping her.

“Can’t sleep?” Daisy asked softly.

She took a step sideways through the trailer door, revealing herself fully. She made a point to show off both her open palms. She didn’t want Kelsey thinking she was in any danger.

“I’m just checking in,” she added. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
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Strompy
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Emily had seen a lot of crazy stuff lately, a plane crash was new to her but nothing that set any kind of record. Still it was novel for another reason. Seems whoever landed this things survived long enough to leave a message. And it was military. Military meant guns. She checked the magazine in her AKM and it was on the lighter side. Her sidearm was still fully loaded at least.

"We're running low ammo. Military means guns, for better or worse. Somebody asked for help too.Could be worth checking out."
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Is that so?
After Emily had brought the car to a stop at the side of the road, Willow lifted her Ruger off the ground. She rested the weapon on the car door, aiming at the airplane, and peered her eye through the sights. It took her a moment to find the plane through the scope; once she did, she began scanning the whole wreckage, looking for any signs of movement.

As she did that, the car Antonio drove pulled up behind them. The former priest, looking something like a country singers with his blue jeans and red flannel shirt, opened the door and stepped out from behind the driver's seat. His gaze was fixated on the same thing everyone else was; the crashed military plane resting in the desert.

"What do you see, Willow?" He asked.

"The place is pretty desolate, so not much." She said. "Somebody musta been there at one point, but I would guess they moved on or, well... died."

The only sign of movement was the rustling of the wind across the plains. Try as she might, she couldn't see anything there that suggested a living soul had been there any time recently. In fact, it was almost eerie to look at.

"Maybe it's a trap?" Willow lifted her gaze from the scope of the rifle and suggested the obvious.

"In the middle of a desert with this much visibility?" Antonio shook his head. "That sounds unlikely. And even if it is, investigating it might be a risk worth taking. Our ammunition reserves are dangerously low."

Willow frowned. Between Green River and Salt Lake City, they had used a lot of bullets recently. And they hadn't stocked up in even longer. She knew for a fact that she could count the bullets she had left for both her Ruger and her FNP. Another extended gunfight would probably see her running dry before the dust settled. That was a terrifying prospect.

"What if the ammo there is already looted?" Willow asked.

"What if it is not?" Antonio countered. "We might not see another opportunity like this to round up military grade weapons and ammunition. As much as I loathe to think about it, they would be an invaluable edge against any brigands we may encounter on the way to California. That being said, it is not impossible that this actually is a trap. What do the rest of you think?"
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Annie was next out the car after Antonio. She rubbed her eyes as she approached the scrum Antonio and Willow had formed. She had spent the last 20 minutes taking a nap, only to be woken up when the car stopped moving. She yawned before adding her two cents:

“I think the last person we stopped to help was Gregory,” she said. “But before that, it was Emily. We can’t control what kind of people we encounter. All we can control is the kind of people we want to be. We should be the kind of people that help when they can. I still believe that.”

She knew what Eli would have said, if he were there. But there was a reason they didn’t want him to be the leader anymore.

“But if there is someone there – let’s not follow them to a second location this time,” she added.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
Brandon was only half-asleep as they drove, caught between his need to rest and his need to be alert. The issue was decided for him when they came to a stop. It took a moment to absorb what he was looking at.

"Whoah." he mumbled in subdued awe of the sight.

He reached about until his hand wrapped around the familiar grip of the Supergrade.

"Give them a warning. If they want help let them come to us." he said, after a slight yawn.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
“Just maybe not a warning shot,” Annie advised. “Jimmy tried that with the Kellys when we first met them, I remember it not working out so well.”

Speaking of the Kellys. Annie thought, as she looked over her shoulder to see the front door of their car open up. Hank filed out alone and joined them in looking at the plane wreck. He didn’t immediately say anything, so Annie went ahead and talked first:

“We don’t know if anyone’s still there,” she explains. “We’re about to find out. And help if we can.”

“Are you sure?” Hank asked. “It’s just…”

He trailed off. His expression was a picture of concern and conflict. Annie knew what was going through his head. The same thing that was going through hers a moment ago. The last time they encountered a message asking for help, it turned out they were helping the man who would kidnap his family. He was adamant then about doing the right thing, even though Eli was heavily pressuring him to do the opposite. Now he was uncertain.

“No, I get it,” he said. “Just… let us know if something’s wrong.”
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
"I'll take the lead on this one. Leave the engines running just in case. Keep a pair of eyes looking in every direction, if this is bait they'll try to flank us." Emily said, checking her weapon again.

She didn't need to, she knew how many rounds she had and that everything was working just fine. There was something reassuring about double checking though, and this situation made her a little nervous. Emily took a few steps toward the aircraft, not so far that she couldn't make a quick dash for the cars though.

"Survivor. If you're still in there we can assist you. Come out with your hands raised and we'll help you however we can. If you don't and I come in there to find you waiting, I will shoot you on sight." Emily shouted.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Willow sat motionlessly, the scopes of her rifle trained on the plane. Spinning her rifle was too difficult, but she was constantly checking the horizon around them with her other eye, looking for even the slightest hint of movement anywhere. She presumed Antonio and the others were doing the same.

Five seconds passed.

Then ten seconds.

Then a minute.

Yet the twisted wreckage of the military aircraft continued to lay silent despite Emily's threat. Only the rustling of the wind and the distant rumble of thunder answered them. Willow lifted her gaze from the rifle and glanced to her side, where Antonio -- a few meters behind Emily -- was rubbing his chin thoughtfully with one hand as he cradled his shotgun with another.

"No movement." Willow reported.

"I'm not a tactician." Antonio mentioned. "I'll follow your lead on this one, Emily."

* * * * *

In the darkness of the room, Kelsey sat motionlessly. With all of the windows covered, she couldn't see much of anything. But she could see enough to know that nobody was in the room with her, except for the sleeping Eli.

"Well, what would you do?" Kelsey whispered.

"He doesn't deserve to die, Kels." Her dad cautioned her. "Taking the life of someone else isn't a decision you should make on a whim like this."

"He killed our son, Randy. And nobody else is gonna do anything about it." Her mom retorted.

And yet she heard the voices of people she recognized. Her mom and her dad. She knew they weren't real. They couldn't be real. They were both dead. They were just audio hallucinations; they were caused by lack of sleep and emotional trauma. That was obvious. And yet... once they started talking, she didn't know how to make them stop. And even if she did know, it was calming to hear their voices again. They sounded exactly the same as they had all her life. Their conversations, even if they weren't real, sure felt real.

"Mom's right." She quietly agreed. "They didn't think about taking Nolan's life. And nobody else is gonna make this right."

"Killing someone for revenge isn't making something right. All it does is-"

Her father's voice abruptly stopped. The door opened and a stream of light flooded in through the door. Her body tensed, then relaxed after she saw it was only Daisy. Before Kelsey could ask what she was doing here, the nurse told her.

"Oh." The young girl answered her, keeping her voice quiet. "No. It's been hard to sleep recently."
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Annie didn’t say anything. Like Antonio, she was out of her depth on tactical discussions like these. She just wanted them to be careful.

“I’ve got your back,” Emmett said.

Annie didn’t hear him get out of the car. She wouldn’t have even known he was listening if not for the giant shadow he cast over hers.

* * *

“I understand,” Daisy said simply, giving her a nod.

Boulet had already relayed the entire story about her brother and what Noah and Lowell had done to him. She couldn’t imagine what Kelsey was feeling right now. She had lost plenty of people, and it hurt – when she lost Shelby, it hurt more than she could reckon with for a long time – but there was never anyone to blame. Just illness, or more recently, the living dead. There was no one in a prison cell 100 feet away that she could pin the responsibility on. And if there was, she didn’t know what she would do about it.

“Since you’re awake – are you hungry?” she asked.

She produced a granola bar from her shirt pocket, still in its wrapping. Oats ‘n Honey. She held it out for Kelsey to accept or not.
Edited by DoctorYerishi, Jul 7 2018, 11:01 AM.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Kelsey's eyes fixated on the granola bar. She hadn't really been thinking too much about food, but now that she was, her stomach let out a low-pitched groan.

Without questioning it, she took the bar, unwrapped it, and started to eat it. Though she paused after a few bites and looked at the nurse with a somewhat sheepish gaze.

"Thanks."
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
“You’re welcome,” Daisy said.

She produced another bar and then looked to the nearby kitchen, where there was a table and two benches on either side.

“You mind if I join you?”

When Kelsey didn’t object, Daisy moved to the bench overlooking the rear of the trailer and took a seat. She waited for Kelsey to take a seat opposite her before she started eating. As she did, she glanced again at Eli – still rocking back and forth in his sleep.

The nature of their relationship was another thing Boulet expressed concern about, even though Kelsey had apparently already assured him that it was okay. Daisy had only interacted with Eli briefly herself. Her sense was that he was who he said he was, but still – while she was here, it was worth investigating.

She nodded to Eli as she chewed her own bar.

“He seems very protective of you,” she said.
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