「 ❝ as the world caves in. ❞

[Ashton_99]

⇥◈⇤𝙴𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚜 𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐​⇥◈⇤
◈ Town Drifter ◈ Location: Bunker Entrance ◈Tags: Town People/Bunker People/Open ◈

xxIt was a dreary day, the rain wasn't heavy but Elias had never been a fan of the muggy and grey. Especially after he'd been up most of the night on watch. He'd finally trodden back up to the estate after the most recent burn in the defensive trenches. Most of his thoughts were about the next excursion that he and his fellow drifter had to plan out. Supplies weren't the lowest they'd ever been but every little bit the two drifters could get helped. Having only made it to the estate half an hour ago, Eli was still decompressing. His muddy boots had been kicked off and he'd half changed out of the damp clothes he'd been wearing. He scrubbed his hands over his face. Exhaustion wasn't a new beast but no matter how often he dealt with it the headaches he got from it never got any more fun. The room Elias had been assigned wasn't much even after two years. Half of his belongings were still rotting away across town in the little house the Song family once owned. The jacket and shirt Elias had been wearing had been abandoned when he face planted into his bed. Tension that had made a home in the line of his shoulders began to melt away.

xxThen there was noise. Louder than anything he'd heard in just about two years. The shrill cry of security alarms made him nearly jump out of his skin even sounding at a distance. Dressed only in his cargos and undershirt he raced down the stairs of the estate. There was a pressure squeezing his ribcage that only became more intense as adrenaline shot through his blood stream. He shoved his feet into muddy boots and was out the door in an instant. He knew what that sound had to be, the Jericho survivors had taken great care in eliminating all the sources of noise that they could. Only one group could be wrecking all of that.

xxElias tore across the compound. He was an athletic man but even still every draw of his breath burned his lungs. Hot Anger mixed with honest to god fear. The bunker and all of the people deemed important enough to be in it had always made him more irate than anything else ever could. But the fear the alarms caused- that was worse than the anger. It made him feel like a wild animal, like a fox who could hear the hounds baying in the distance. A horde would be on them soon. They would gather and rip through the valley. The smell of rot and decay would become a part of everything.

xxHe made it to the stable in record time, disregarding everything but his mount. The grey giant was usually a calm, sweet thing. Now he shifted on his hooves, his rider's adrenaline passing on to him. Elias made quick work of putting on the horse's tack. Today wasn't the day to take the saddle bags he usually supped the horse up with. As well, the gear the Elias usually took with him on excursions was still mostly tucked away in his room with his actual shirt and the rest of the meager possessions he kept so he grabbed what he could. A shotgun, bare bones ammo, and his trusty machete were secured to his person before he mounted up. It was a bare bones operation. Getting up on a horse as big as Goliath wasn't the easiest thing, but Elias was well practiced in that art.

xxThe big guy wasn't the fastest horse, being as heavy as he was, but he was strong and had the stamina to make up for it. Armed and ready, the rider and mount tore out of the stable. In the distance ahead a familiar dark horse he knew to be Vale's was carrying her rider towards the bunker and Elias knew he had to follow. Goliath took his commands loyally, jumping the distance of the trench with his long strides. They made it to the back of the swarm of monsters just as Valentina dropped from her own mount. Biting out a curse, Elias tried to make a path towards the town leader but new zombies emerging from the tree line made it impossible to turn his back.

xxTurning Goliath in an ark, Elias fended off the new waves of zombies as best as he could. Each shot was a calculated risk, weighing his chances of taking another zombie down with against the dwindling ration of ammo he had. Goliath's height was an advantage in this case, giving him the high ground over the majority of the rot bitten attackers. The horse kicked up dust and rock, attempting to trample whatever got in his way. In the past both Percherons and Belgian drafts were war horses. They were the ancestors of his horse and thundered across battlefields just like Goliath did now under his command. Swinging around, Elias managed to drop an encroaching zombie with his machete, the image of its body hitting the dirt burned into his mind just like all the ones before it.

xxIt felt like there was an assault happening behind his eyes. He hadn't managed to get to sleep yet, but it felt like a nightmare was happening around him anyway. Vindictively it came to haunt him while he was awake since it couldn't catch him unconscious. Working in tandem with his mount, the pair dove further into the swarm. By then he could hear Vale yelling over the chaos. Orders, ones he didn't like but knew he had to follow. The Navy had taught him that much at least, for all the good that did him. Kicking out with his boot, he knocked off a zombie who had grabbed his leg. Elias called back in a bark, "Got it!"

xxHe was in the thick of it then, pushing his steed towards the group of survivors. The bunker's cavernous entrance was like the maw of a beast. "C'mon already, you all heard the woman. Someone climb up already!" Goliath was a heck of a horse for someone to try and get on if they weren't practiced, but Elias wasn't in much of a position to offer a hand as he tried to clear space.

[Zyn]

🗡️ 𝒩𝒶𝓂𝑔𝓊𝓃𝑔 𝒥𝒶𝑒-𝒮𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑔 🗡️
The Petty Thief || Second Hand || Male || Twenty-Six || Demisexual || wc: 1,373

◤xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◥
🗡️ Location: The Bunker
🗡️ Tags: Alice & Valentina & Cheonsa
🗡️ Mood: Of course this would happen
◣xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◢

.
That morning had been just as dismal as the last, the water that was pouring from the sky really put a damper on his mood. Hard to wake up with any semblance of a good mood with such a dreary greeting. Though he honestly shouldn't have been so surprised that the rain was back at it, it simply meant that he had started out slow. Shifting as slowly as possible through his belongings that could barely fill a duffle bag. He had more when he first arrived in the states, a couple suitcases actually. Lucifer had been well prepared for his month long visit with his friend but that had gone all so terribly when the world came to an end. He had no doubts that some scavenger had come across the belongings he had left behind in that hotel. It had been a mere two years but it felt more like a life time ago, like someone else had left those suitcases behind. The person who had walked out of that hotel room that fateful day was both an entirely different person and frighteningly familiar. If the person he had once been could meet the person he had become would they understand or would they be disturbed? As he shrugged on his signature black turtle neck Lucifer dismissed those thoughts, shoving them deep into Pandora's box to be revisited at another time. Striding out of his room, a place had started to form into something of his own over the past nine months, he made his way into the hallway.

Lucifer had taken all of two steps when a loud call assaulted his ears, harsh and grating and loud for such a quiet space. For a moment he was shut down, recoiling away from the noise like a horse spooked by its own shadow. Wild terror coursed through his veins, he didn't have to be outside to know where those alarms were coming from. The bunker was opening again and with it drawing the attention of every zombie within hearing distance. The town of Jericho would be overrun by zombies, the dead swarming until nothing but a memory of the living would remain. Nothing but rotting corpses would remain to remind those that dared to come close enough of what had once been. He would have allowed himself to get lost in that imagery if it wasn't for someone rushing past him. The drifter known as Elias sprinted past a froze Lucifer and with them they brought the right about the cold reality crashing down upon Lucifer. He could either linger in this horror or he could do something about it. Jerkily at first as though he was being pulled from a deep sleep Lucifer lurched into a run, chasing Elias' curtails. He skidded to a halt by the door and yanked on his boots, taking very little time to ensure that those boots were tied tightly enough. Then he was bolting out the estate, hot on Elias' heels as he sprinted towards the stable. The taller drifter pulled away from him, long limbs and their athletic build allowing them to draw further and further in front of him. It was fine by Lucifer, he wasn't particularly slow by any means, but it would be overwhelming for the horses if everyone arrived at the same time.

Lucifer made to the stable fairly quickly, though he paused to pant pathetically just outside the stable. Staggering in gasping like a fish wasn't how he wanted to appear, it would only serve to rile up the more flighty horses and draw attention to him. Sucking in deep lungful's of air he steadied his breathing just enough so that he could walk in relatively calm. Once his breathing was under control he straightened and with purposeful strides made his way into the stable. Cheonsa was already at her stall door, her head hanging over the stall door as she regarded him from the far side of the stable. Alice was in the stable, not surprising to Lucifer at all. What surprised him was Cheonsa's tack, neatly set up and waiting for him. Knowing Cheonsa the tense atmosphere would have her nipping at anything that came too close. Shooting a grateful look over at his friend he hurried to the white mare's stall and quickly began tacking her up. His fingers were nimble as he quickly worked on tightening belts and the tan halter. It wasn't long before the antsy white mare was ready to go. Moving with practiced ease he slipped the daggers into sheaths on his thighs and quickly yanked on his gun holster, slipping his two 9mm springfield armory hellcat's into their holsters. They weren't the biggest pistols but with its 13 round count he wouldn't want any other weapon by his side. Now that he was ready he turned to the horse in the next closest stall to Cheonsa's. A huge chestnut shire draft, easily the tallest horse in the stable, the gentle giant was watching him with curiosity. The perfect horse to grab.

Striding through the stables he collected the tack that had been scrounge for the giant horse. Lucifer picked up the pace as he hurried back towards the draft. It took longer than he would have liked to get the massive horse tacked up, though the beast did everything they could to make the work easier. Still it wasn't long before the draft was standing patiently beside Cheonsa, the mare already had her ears pinned back. Ignoring his horses clear irritation at being made to stand so close to another horse he mounted the white mare, gathering the reins in one hand while grasping the reins of the draft in his free hand and tying the drafts reins to the horn. Then he urged the white mare forward and the trio shot towards the trench. The yawning trench made Lucifer's stomach clench every time, between the depth and the size he didn't want to go plunging into its depths. Two horses took off from the edge of the trench, powerful arcs across the empty space and two horses landed neatly on the other side and then they were off again. Streaking after the draft horse that had collided with the first wave of the zombies. Beyond Elias and Goliath, Valentina and Elvira had disappeared into the massive throng of zombies. People and horses disappearing were never a good thing and he urged the draft to pick up speed, they had to go by the speed the massive draft could upkeep rather than the speed that Cheonsa could run at. It wasn't long before the three of them hit the first wave of zombies.

Thankfully he had the forethought to tie the draft to the saddle and had a free hand to wield his hellcat. The moment they hit the first wave it was utter chaos, between his calculated shots and the draft being the powerhouse and sending zombies flying away with massive kicks. Though because he had the two horses it was harder to maneuver through the throngs and several times he was almost dragged from Cheonsa's back. It meant that when Vale's orders rang through the blood roaring in his ears he was more than happy to follow them. He offered their leader nothing more than a grime nod before urging both horses to bully their way through the throng and too the bunkers entrance. The moment he got there he was untying the reins from the horn and tossing it to the closest person. He didn't bother to pay attention if said person actually caught the reigns as he pushed closer to the bunker, searching for someone small enough to ride behind him on Cheonsa. The white mare was strong and fast but he didn't want to overburden her if at all possible. After all he had already dragged the draft out here so he had more than done his part in the whole rescue mission. When he deemed it too risky to be so picky about whomever would be his passenger he stuck his hand out towards the nearest person. Urging them to take his hand so he could help them swing onto the white mares back.

[Ashton_99]

◁𝙍𝙖𝙢𝙞 𝙄𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙠▷
❖ Bunker ❖ Location: Bunker Entrance ❖Tags: Bunker People/Town People/mentions Almos❖

xxRami usually didn't mind mornings, this one might be an exception however. Not that the concept of morning had much meaning to him anymore since he'd been in a bunker for two years, but still. Due to the nature of living like he had the past two years, Rami was no longer very accustomed to change. He'd hardly slept more than a few hours since the decision had been made by the bunker's de facto leaders yesterday. Leaving the bunker and going out into a world supposedly filled with walking, rotting corpses wasn't a concept that made sleep come easily.

xxSince sleep was an unreachable goal, he'd started preparing for their departure. It was up to Rami to pack what few belongings he had in addition to the truly impressive amount of research and experiments he'd written and created over the past two years. Not that most of it would likely help much with whatever they'd meet out in the apocalypse. Engineering had its uses, but being an Astronomer probably wasn't going to help him much now. It still made him feel bitter despite himself, it was supposed to be space travel- the major event of his generation. Instead they'd gotten the actual apocalypse, the thing bad horror movies were supposed to be made of. At least he could see the sky again. That was the only thing keeping him sane- seeing the constellations and planets he knew by heart in person once more.

xxHis more grandiose musings helped pass the time while he packed just as it had for the past two years. In the end, Rami had split his belongings between a backpack and duffel bag. One kept his clothes and personal belongings. The other held as much of his research and equipment as he could fit. The larger experiments he'd been working on would have to be left behind as much as it killed him. What was left of his bunk wasn't anything to write home about. It looked more or less like he remembered it when he'd first been given it- clean and militant. So, boring, was the most apt term. He'd taken down the various blueprints and celestial diagrams that he’d copied and tore out of books to use for decoration on his walls. The origami DNA model he'd made out of old fuel research notes that had led nowhere had to be left behind and he'd mourn it's slightly crumpled loss.

xxHe changed out of the clothes he'd been wearing and traded them for new, cleaner ones by the time his watch read six AM. There wasn't a dress code for going out into zombie land, but he figured it was better safe than sorry. He still had a few hours before he was supposed to report to the bunker's entrance and he was running out of things to do. The thought of going down to Almos or Kennedy's respective labs came to mind. But if he knew either of those men as well as he thought he did, he knew they probably didn't need the additional stress of him flitting around trying to help. Almos especially. He seemed more stressed out than usual and while it made sense with everything going on Rami was still worried about him. Over the past few days it seemed like his friend had been pulling back and getting even less sleep than usual. Fiddling with his hands, Rami clocked his watch for the fourth or fifth time that hour. His anticipation seemed to have a molasses effect on the hands of the watch. Needing a reprieve from his impatient waiting, Rami decided to take a final walk around the bunker. He pulled on his bags and overcoat, shifting his bag full of research and equipment around until it didn't dig into his shoulder too badly.

xxNot that it was ever particularly homey before, but now the entire bunker felt as bare and empty as his room did. Even with the destruction. Frankly he didn't know much about what had happened, and despite his curiosity his tiny amount of self preservation had staved off his search for answers for the time being. He roamed the corridors for the remaining few hours he had left. Before he even realized it, Rami had made it to the bunker's entrance. The giant metal doors that locked them in appeared just as militaristic and foreboding as they always had. He stayed near the back of the group for the opening of the bunker. He was not the militant, leading sort and knew he'd only get in the way if he pushed his way to the front.

xxThe small group had gathered for their departure. Rami frowned, scanning the small group. The population of the bunker had been cut dramatically. He still remembered the people they lost. It made him feel guilty, being a part of this group. He knew it wasn't his fault. There was probably some explanation as to why he felt like he did- survivors guilt or something- but being aware of that didn't keep the feeling at bay.

xxIt was perhaps by nature that Rami was too consumed in his own thoughts to realize the moment he'd been dreading was occurring until after it had already happened. The shriek of the alarm felt like a stake through his skull. It's sharp whine straightened his posture and Rami looked forward to seeing the world being revealed before them. It was beautiful and vibrant, the green of the distant trees and the earth tones of the rock and dirt awed him.

xxAnd his awe turned into horror. Rotted, dilapidated corpses emerged from the trees. A swarm. The cold hand of fear reached into Rami's chest and squeezed, his heart stuttered under the pressure. His lungs emptied as a scream attempted to unsuccessfully tear out of his mouth. He managed only a choked noise. Against his will his body carried him out after his fellow survivors. He had no idea what he was doing, just that he didn't want to be alone doing it. Fumbling with his bag and unable to tear his eyes away from their impending attackers, Rami's adrenaline ignored the pain in his wrist when he gripped the first tool that he could find. A hefty Flatter hammer was secured in his grip which Rami had to figure was as good as any weapon he'd be able to use.

xxThe swarm of zombies seemed torrential. Unending. Clothes dirty and torn asunder and flesh much the same. For every zombie the group managed to fend off, another seemed to take its place. It struck Rami that this was how he might die. And then a woman on horseback toting a flaming bat appeared like a bad hallucination. Not sure how to deal with that, Rami followed the lead of the group and helped bat away the approaching swarm as much as he was able. The woman's yelled orders to the others who appeared on horseback rung in his ears just as loudly as the gunshots. He eyed the animals and riders swimming through the horde, he'd never been around horses really but he wasn't afraid of them. At the very least, they were the less terrifying option between them and the zombies.

xxA new stab of fear shot through him. He did know someone who might not be as resolute in the decision to get on the horses. Almos. The man had told him once about his fear. He'd lost sight of him when the doors had opened and now he was having trouble finding the botanist again. Rami had to make sure he got out safe too.

[fun]

xxxxxxxxx

━━━━━━━ ❝ 𝐀𝐗𝐄𝐋 𝐋𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐄 ❞ ━ ➤

❝ 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐃 ━━━━━

tagging ; ━ the town people
━ the bunker people
word count ; 1,851
location ; family estate area

The frigid air nipped at Axel's cheeks as he scanned the vast cliffside he had found himself living on. Though the cold never bothered him much, it was quite different when you had no heater in your house. Axel could only rely on a thin blanket and what he was wearing, which wasn't much. Therefore his opinion changed and the wind that gusted by annoyed him, especially when he was trying to sleep. Morning dew sprinkled around the window he was looking out of and made the gates that surrounded the estate shine more than they usually would. Soft mist also added to this shine, with the smell of rain engulfing Axel's nose. The clouds enveloped the skies above him, almost like a warning sign. Rare puddles in the grass created mud piles that would probably go up to your ankles if you stepped in them. But by now, Axel wasn't bothered by something as minuscule as that. The ruffling of trees was not so far, mixed with the soft chatter the house always seemed to have. It was depressing, to say the least, but every day was the same. Tired mornings and anxious nights were all he knew now, but at least he had some people that he could relate with. Being alone is far worse than being with someone after all. He was the youngest out of the group he lived with, which was somewhat daunting. He felt selfish for being jealous of the others who got to live more of a normal life than he did. But self-acceptance was key to him, worrying about the past or future was useless. Furthermore, it's not like Axel should expect anything more with the situation everyone was stuck in. Rotting corpses controlled by a virus were trying to infect him and everyone else he had grown close with. The thought of being bitten was even worse, the hours of relentless agony screaming at your soul before you eventually perished. He shivered at the thought as well as the icy cold the near winter was bringing in. The most he could hope for was a little sun peeking through the clouds, at least that was somewhat exciting. But he knew that wouldn't happen, at least frequently until spring came. The idea of his reality itself was dispiriting. Axel always yearned for answers to things that happened to him and why they did. But no matter what, he couldn't think of the exact reason why this was happening. And he probably would never solve that question. He was a curious person at heart, but not knowing everything wasn't life or death for him. Glancing outside because of mumbling and the sound of the fence, he spotted a corpse trying to get its way into where they had settled. But Valentina, the leader of the town, was probably in her watchtower by now. The zombie brought back memories of the past and the grotesque way people around him were killed by the very things trying to kill him now. It was a mortifying site, and watching the person slowly suffer into nothingness was even worse. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to experience that again.
Axel turned his eyes away from the outside and sighed heavily at his inner monologue. His face drooping into more of a frown, sniffing away the cold's effect on his nose. The responsibilities given to him were far more important than his impossible wishes, he didn't want to sacrifice the people around him ever for his gain. Although this wasn't something he was practically fond of, especially because of how melancholy he had found himself being. He wanted to help out as best he could, and that's what got him into the position of second of command. This made him determined but also sink his heart to the bottom of his stomach. Axel was practically a baby to everyone else, so it was surprising he did. At 20 years old, he was a decade younger than most of the people in the estate. But his position reassured him that he had some good qualities he brought with him. Axel felt the responsibility given to him was important in keeping everyone safe, so he was determined to stay by the town leader's side through thick and thin. Selfless was something he has always been. Valentina, or more frequently called Vale, was someone Axel admired for her caliber. She knew how to use a rifle, that's for sure. Nevertheless, if she would pass away he couldn't imagine himself becoming the leader of the town. Axel felt that anyone else could take the role he would receive. He could look up to anyone he was living with, they all had amazing talent in one way or another. Their personalities are different but all unique in different ways. Another member he was close with and wouldn't like to admit he looked up to was Eli. Boy, was that man getting on his nerves nowadays. They were both dominant personalities and very blunt, so you could predict there would be clashes amongst both of them. This remained true, in some cases. But Eli had a lot of characteristics Axel admired. He was selfless, faithful, and diligent. Axel has similar qualities, so this is what made them have a younger-older sibling-like bond. Eli would also be a good choice if they ever had to choose a new leader. Although he appreciated all his friendships, the sad reality always crept upon him as he recalled the relationships he had formed. Eventually, either he would die or they would in this grief-stricken world. He didn't want to lose them like he had prior lost others to what seemed like an apocalypse. But that dark shadow would always remain by his side, glued to the back of his mind.
Axel shook his head and adjusted his thoughts once more. Sure, the world was depressing, but he didn't have to entrap himself into that. Slowly walking out of where he slept, he trudged his way downstairs. Carrying the weight of his thoughts and worries with him. Before he could make it, a loud alarm blasted through his eardrums. He practically flew when he flinched because it startled him so much. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as it continued to roar back and forth. He was familiar with the blaring sound that flooded his ears.
The bunker!
He knew what the siren meant for everyone in the town. It would attract all the living dead right to the doorstep of their current home. The fence they had built was strong, but it stood no chance against the heard that he didn't doubt would come. Practically jumping down the flights of stairs, he watched as others rushed out of the house in a hurry. Everyone at that moment was in danger, but they couldn't sit around and do nothing. Sliding past the firepit in the center of the living room, the heat snuck up behind him before it disappeared again as he got farther away. Axel didn't even notice, as adrenaline rushed through his veins. He made it to the front door, which was open wide and gave him a clear view of what was taking place. The bunker doors were opening, and chaos was coming. He observed as Eli, Vale, and Lucifer dashed towards the stables where they kept their horses with their weapons. Following in their footsteps, Axel grabbed his MCS rifle and darted towards where his horse remained. Sweat trickled down his neck as he used his newfound strength from the rush of the situation to sprint as fast as possible. The first hoard was already arriving in the distance, and he felt death creep up behind him. He almost forgot to breathe as he got closer to the stables as his heart practically skipped a beat. Shots rang out in the distance like rocket blasts as the other members tried to aim for the frontal cortex, the part of the brain that killed the corpses once and for all. The days of anxiously waiting for his demise had finally come like he knew it would. But if it meant sacrificing himself for another soul, he would do it in a heartbeat. Axel could barely hear his feet splashing through the puddles of mud. He felt his pants and shoes being drenched in it as the numbing cold bit at his toes. By the time he arrived, the others had already galloped off with their assigned horses. Axel's vision was dilated beyond comprehension and he was able to spot his horse in the blink of an eye. His horse was easy to spot though, its black shiny mane glistened in the sprinkling rain as it eagerly waited for his arrival. "Hey there," Axel spoke to her, his smooth voice trembling. He had named her Athena when he first met her, she seemed similar to the Greek goddess he knew. Calm, smart, but fearsome and powerful. Saddling up his horse as fast as he could, he was ready to look death in the face. He swung his weight over the mare and sent Athena forward, her hooves clomping in the dust and hard mud on the ground.
Gun in hand, Axel was ready to protect others' lives and save his own. Aiming at the first zombie he saw in the middle of the onslaught, he shot as his ears rang and the bullet drove a tunnel through its head. He continued as more zombies came towards him with infecting him on their minds. But, Axel wasn't going to let that happen to him or anyone else. He continued defending, but the number of corpses kept growing higher and higher. Worried about the others, he looked around as his greatest fears became reality. The undead came in waves, no, tsunamis crashing towards them. Aiming towards more and more, he could feel his face slowly turning into a worried gasp as he tried his best to fend off the zombies with the others. It was never-ending like a constant time loop. Seeing Vale's glance of urgency, Axel charged with the rest of the members towards the attack. One by one, shots followed each other in harmony like a symphony. He watched Vale plunge off her horse and her injury unfold. But soon became relieved after her horse Elvira came to her rescue before he had the chance.
His leader then gave orders, and they were clear. Grab someone and run.
Turning Athena around, he ordered her to drive straight towards the house. Her gasps of air matching his as he quickly made his way towards the area they were staying in. Axel could feel his heartbeat in his ear, the sound growing like vines. The estate was a dreary sight before, but it became even more drearier once he finally made his way to the front porch. He began shouting for people who might need assistance, his voice tired and breathy. Then waited eagerly for someone who needed his help.

[Zyn]

🛡️ 𝔗𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔴𝔶𝔫 𝔎𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔩𝔢 🛡️
Bunker Drifter || Ex-Marine || Male || Thirty-Five || Homosexual || wc: 1,522

◤xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◥
🛡️ Location: The Bunker
🛡️ Tags: Kennedy & Rami & Almos
🛡️ Mood: Well dang, this sucks
◣xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◢

.
As Terrwyn crouched, rifle raised and staring down the sight at the disgusting undead, he found himself wondering how he got here. That morning had seemed like it was going to be just like every other morning in the bunker aside from the tangible tension in the air. The news from a couple of days ago had those that remained in the bunker on edge. Personally he had been in the outside world many times over the past couple of years, gathering supplies and such for the bunker. However quite a few of the people who had survived hadn't been outside the bunker in the past two years and of that had been it was rarely. Those that considered themselves the drifters had been outside the most and despite being one of them even Terrwyn felt a tug of uncertainty. The undead were unpredictable and had to kill, and he was limited in the ways he could save someone. As a marine fighting other humans at least he could take a bullet or a knife for one of his teammates but he couldn't just take a bite for someone else. The idea of eventually turning on people who he had fought so hard to protect put his teeth on edge and it hovered at the edge of his nightmares. So the idea of dragging all these people back outside and into a world that had been infested with these undead for far too long made him anxious. Which is why he found himself making the rounds at every hour of the day, hardly stopping to take a cat nap. While the others had taken a while to pack he had everything in his duffle bag within the first hour.

During his last round he had peered into the labs. The botanist's lab was in absolute ruins and Almos had been leaning against the wall with a backpack and a duffel bag beside him surveying the chaos. Terrwyn would have gone in to offer his help but the botanist had been quick to sho him away as though he was some dog searching for scraps. Willing to play along with the botanist's antics he had held up his hands up in surrender and moved onto the next lab. Rami's lab was next but he knew before he had even peered in that he wasn't needed here either. He did make a mental note of the two bags before moving on. The last lab was the med bay, peering in at the two packing things up. If he had been smarter than maybe he could have pitched in and help the duo but he knew he would only get in the way and find some way to mess thing up. So instead he had backed away from the lab and kept walking, waiting for someone to ask him for help. To do something to keep his mind to returning to what he knew what was waiting for them beyond those giant doors. The undead waiting for some unsuspecting and unprepared human to cross its path to continue along its path of destruction. At some point the undead had outnumbered the living and Terrwyn couldn't help but wonder how much the last dredges of humanity could hold out until nothing but rot and ruin remained. When would the stain of humanities mistakes be obscured by time and nature? At what point would the rotting bodies decompose until nothing but dust and bones and forgotten cities be the only proof that humanity had once walked across this world.

With those musings Terrwyn had found himself cutting it close, only enough time to return to his room to sling his duffel bag over his shoulder. The duffel bag itself was stuffed to the brim with clothing and memorabilia. A small journal with a thin piece of ribbon to bookmark where he had left off. Stuffed next to the journal was a small photobook with little polaroid pictures of his teammates from the past and those he cared about. Dog tags were used to frame photos of those that had been lose in combat. Somewhere in the mess that he called organization he had his parents wedding rings on a necklace, when they had died a few years prior the rings had been the only thing wanted. Those rings gave him strength when he needed to be reminded of his own strength. He never wore the rings out of fear of loosing them, though today would have been a good day to wear them. Instead he decided to keep them save and instead stuck to wearing cargo pants, combat boots, and a red flannel. He wore a double shoulder Alaskan chest holster with two .44 redhawks. On his hips he wore a hip holster with a .22 victory on his left thigh for easy access and a bolo machete on his right hip. Loaded to gills with weapons he had tossed on his bomber jacket in case it got cold. Over his other shoulder he had tossed his trusty bergara B-14 and had called it good. It hadn't him long to get to the entrance and despite his delay he hadn't been the last person to arrive and he had slipped to the front of the group to stand as close to the doors as he could. If anyone was going to be the first to stand between this group and the outside world then it was going to be him. Putting himself between the people he swore to protect and the beasts that wanted nothing less than to rip them apart was what he was meant to do.

Terrwyn had turned to peer around at the group. Letting his gaze flicker over those gathers, taking a tally of who was there. Because he was distracted doing a head count of those who remained he missed the moment that the door had started to open. He wasn't unaware of this fact for long, the deafening howl of the alarm rang out through the bunker and he was whirling back around to face the entrance. As he spun he was already grabbing his rifle and peering down the sight as he prepared for what he hoped would be the worse case scenario. For a moment as the bunker opened up he was even able to entertain the idea that everything was going to be okay. That there weren't enough zombies nearby to call them towards them. That they could slip away from the bunker without worrying about running into any of the decrepit undead. That shred of hope was stomped out the moment the first zombie showed up because that zombie wasn't alone. Beyond the first zombie was the first wave of zombies and he sucked in a breath of horror as he stared down the barrel at the waves of zombies headed towards him. His first shot rang out like a battle cry, attempting to down the zombies headed towards them to give the others time to get out. A naïve thought, something even Terrwyn was aware of. Now that the alarm was going off it would draw any zombies for miles to come, he had no doubt that once a group started moving that others would follow them. There was no way they were getting out of this alive, at least not all of them.

Just when he thought they were doomed to be added to the ranks of the zombies a woman appeared on a horse, battling through the throngs of zombies towards them. With her she brought more people, all willing to fight by her side, guns firing and the glint of metal swinging through the air. The woman shouted something along the lines of 'get on the horses' and Terrwyn knew what he had to do, his way forward came in the form of reins being tossed into his hands. The reins belonged to the biggest horse had had ever seen with beautiful white and orange mane. Grasping the reins Terrwyn managed to scramble up onto the huge horse's back in the most ungraceful mounting that he was sure would bring any actual equestrians to tears. Swinging the huge horse around he found his first target, a completely petrified Almos. As he made his way over to the botanist's side he made note of a rider with a giant horse as well. Reaching down he grasped the skinny man by their shoulders and hoisted them onto the back of big grey horse. "Keep him safe" he managed to get out before turning back to the others in the group. The next person he spotted was Rami and he urged the horse to pave the way to the engineers side. He assumed from the way they were searching the crowd they were looking for either Kennedy or Almos. "Almos is safe, get on one of the horses, I'll find Bones" he called out to the engineer. Without waiting for a response he made his way through the crowd until he found Bones and extended his hand towards the doctor.

[Zyn]

🌿 𝙰𝚕𝚖𝚘𝚜 𝚃𝚊𝚔á𝚌𝚜 🌿
Bunker Dweller || Botanist || Male || Twenty-Eight || Pansexual || wc: 1,669

◤xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◥
🌿 Location: The Bunker
🌿 Tags: Elias & Terrwyn & Open
🌿 Mood: Hecking! Heck! Heck!
◣xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◢

.
Almos had taken full advantage of the time he had been given to pack, using it as an excuse to lock himself in his lab and not be disturbed. The actual packing itself had been relatively easy, all his clothes and extras fit into his backpack. The singular piece of décor he had actually put up would have to stay in the bunker. The sticker would have been far too much effort for what it was really worth. Sure he would be sad to not wake up to that every day but it was easier to leave it behind rather than eat up precious time. The lab had been almost as easy to the pack up, what remained of his studies were pitiful. A sad assortment of seeds from plants he had been testing out splicing with as well as a few plants that were young enough to be transported without being destroyed by being stuck in a bag. His equipment that he could take was easy enough to fit in a duffle bag along with a couple of books he had collected over the years. It had taken him a grand total of an hour to get the whole lab packed up and he had found himself leaning against the wall staring at the disaster that had been formerly known as his lab. It had once been a clean and tidy lab, everything in its place and carefully tucked away. Despite the ever present dirt that came with the territory of being a botanist it had been visually clean as well. No clutter sitting around to get in the way or distract from the lush plants sprouting from their beds. Their beautiful green leaves stretching towards the fake sun that he had managed to scrounge together. If one only focused on the plants it was easy to forget that they were trapped inside a bunker.

Finish packing so quickly had backfired on Almos, leaning against the wall his gaze fixed on some distant point. Ever since his encounter with the zombie a few days prior he hadn't been sleeping well. He had found out first hand what it felt like to be at the mercy of a zombie, kicking and thrashing and barely managing get free without an injury. If Tommy had shown up when they had he would have definitely ended up as another undead monstrosity. His near death experience that should have spooked him didn't phase him nearly as much as witnessing Tommy's death. That had been too horrifying for words, unable to rush to the soldiers defense he had been forced to just watch. The image of the look that Tommy had shot him would haunt him for the rest of his life. The what ifs would always be there lurking in the back of his mind. What if he had been strong enough to get away faster, would Tommy still be alive. Or what if he had been quick enough to get both himself and Tommy out alive then where would they be then. These were the thoughts that had plagued Almos' mind, keeping him from falling into a restful sleep. When he had finally managed to catch a couple minutes of shut eye he had woken in a panic and had sworn off sleeping. Nothing good came from sleeping, just memories that threatened to bleed into his waking world. Sometimes he swore he could see a zombie shuffling towards him out of the corner of his eye. There was never a zombie there when he had whirled to face it, though if he had spun to face a zombie and found out that it wasn't his imagination but real he wouldn't know what to do. Racing through the bunker while screaming at the top of his lungs seemed like a grand idea but it would place everyone else in danger. Thankfully he never had to figure out what he would have had to do.

His musing had been interrupted only once that morning when a curious Terrwyn had peeked into the lab and he had kicked them out. Perhaps he had been a bit to much since the ex-marine had held up their hands in surrender before retreating. He wasn't sure how much time had passed after Terrwyn peering in and when he finally pulled himself together. A quick peek at the time had told him that it was about time to get moving towards the entrance. Almos had tossed the bags over his shoulders in an almost robotic way before slowly making his way through the bunker. He had been vehemently against going into the bunker when he had first arrived and had kicked up quite a fuss before he had been convinced to enter. The bunker had seemed to small that first day, all enclosed with no way to leave and he had hated it. He had spent the first couple days on the verge of a panic attack. Now looking around the bunker it felt so big and empty and spacious. The dark corners of each room seemed darker than before and there was a distinct lack of footsteps that he had gotten so used to. The muffled sounds of voices and the smell of food being made is what turned this dank bunker from being terrifying into the home that it was. Without all those pieces and the knowledge that they were completely safe from the zombies that were slowly eating up the world outside made it even more cold and empty. A shudder ran down Almos' spine at the thought of more zombies lingering just out of sight in the shadows. Picking up the pace he hurried along the hallways until he had found his way to the bunker entrance. It seemed that he was one of the last people to arrive, most of the small group that remained was already there. Slinking into the group he tried to his best to blend in. He had spotted Rami and Kennedy already and felt a wave a relief wash over him at the sight of his two friends.

Being a little to space out Almos found himself get jostled further from his friends than he would have liked and found himself much closer to the front of the group. On one hand it meant that he couldn't peer out at the group and be painfully aware of who wasn't with them. Those that should have been standing with him waiting for the bunker to open up but had been lost in the disaster. But on the other hand it meant he was closer to whatever was waiting for them on the other side of that bunker door and further from his friends that he had found so much comfort in. With his gaze riveted on the door he knew the moment the door started to open and sucked in a breath as though he might not get good air from the outside. The overwhelming noise of the alarm blaring startled Almos enough to cause him to recoil away from the door. Him flinching away from the sound meant that he missed the moment of peace, the moment before the first zombie stumbled out of the tree line to mar the nature with its necrotic scent. The second his eyes flickered open Almos found himself staring at the first wave of zombies, drawn by the blaring alarm like a beacon calling the zombies to their meal. Shrinking back Almos suddenly found it incredibly hard to drawn in air, as though his chest was constricted with the fear that was coursing through his veins. Wanting to propel himself backwards he made a vain effort to try and go back into the bunker. Unfortunately bodies pressed against him pushing him forward and out of the bunker. Pushing him towards the horrific monstrosities that had already made and attempt had getting to move along to the other side. Almost wild with fear, Almos spun around trying to spot his friends in the ground.

Instead of finding the familiar faces of his friends he could only find the zombies. Stumbling along he scrambled to find some kind of protection, he had managed to snag a gardening fork from his duffel bag. Hardly useful with its short range but it gave him some semblance of fake security to be able to cling to it. As though so long as he had this he wouldn't have to worry about the zombies. The something even crazier than the waves of zombies headed straight for them happened. A strange woman appeared out of nowhere astride a dark horse and no far behind her several other people on horses. He watched in shock as they began to hack away at the numbers of zombies that were headed towards them. It seemed fruitless, with the alarms going there was no way that the waves could ever stop, not unless the zombies ran out which wouldn't happen. Their little group would be long dead before the zombie army ever ran out of undead to fill its ranks. The woman seemed to realize this and shouted an order he hated and brought instant panic bubbling to the surface. They were supposed to just hop on the horses and ride off into the sunset with those unpredictable beasts. Gasping for air Almos started shouldering his way back towards the bunker, facing the bunker or dying was suddenly far more appealing than this. He would have made it too if Terrwyn hadn't spotted him. One minute he was pushing himself through the crowd and the next his feet were leaving the ground as he was being lifted straight into the air. For a split second he floundered for a hold and then he was being swung onto a giant grey horse. His heart leaped into his chest and he let out a tiny strangled noise before latching onto the person already on the horse. Fear almost had him burying his face in their shoulder.

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

┌──────┐

│

form link--

│
└──────┘

─────────── 𝑱𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑬 ────── 𝑵𝑶𝑾𝑨𝑲 ──────────────────────
───────────────────────────────────────── 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙏𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙊𝙐𝙇 ────✿

LOCATION; town > bunker > gates ─ TAGGING; Rami ─ MENTIONED; Valentina, Veronica, Ursa, Axel ─ WC; 2,518

The rain was a continuous drone against the roof of the Hathaway estate, broken only by the intermittent clangs and thumps as gathered water made its way down and crashed over the eaves. It washed as a steady film across the window panes, but it was only so long one could watch the rivulets race from wooden bar to another before the bone-chilling, damp cold radiating from outside became too sombre to bear. Jesse leaned against the railing of the second floor mezzanine, overlooking the living room down below. She had pulled the sleeves of her turtleneck over her hands, in which she was grasping a cup of priceless coffee. She had chosen the place deliberately, because the firepit's chimney passed right by her here on its way to pierce through the roof, and the heat from the flames below warmed up the tiles nearby.
indentindentindentBodies passed by, both in the hallway behind her and through the living room downstairs, and as someone begun stirring in their bedclothes in one of the rooms nearby, she sipped her revered coffee ─ it was nothing more than instant powder found by a drifter and water boiled in a firepit kettle, but it was the only cup she had had in months. Quiet moments of contemplation were sparse, feelings of serenity even sparser, and so she spent this one considering her ongoing and never-ending project of maintaining the camp's morale. Opportunities for uninterrupted socialization were always good for the spirit, especially in these times, and she had ideas aplenty, but ever since Ursa's accident, she had found it harder to concentrate without her mind drifting to matters she had no true time to dwell on.
indentindentindentTime had begun to feel somehow pressurized, as if it were always merely a point between the beginning and something inevitable and terrible awaiting in the horizon. There was an urgency to do everything that needed to be done all at once, but it merely made it difficult to get anything done. She had her supply of anti-rejection medication from a pharmacy raid managed by a drifter so long ago, but the truth was, if she wished to harbour some certainty of seeing another year, she would need whatever they had left in that booby-trapped hospital, but that was not something she could ask of anyone. They had already lost so much attempting to break through, and in this world of endless need, what weight did the life of one Jesse Nowak have? She would do what she could for these people while she still could, then accept the end if it were to come.
indentindentindentJesse wiped at some of the dust that had settled on the lacquered railing, then rubbed her fingertips together to shed the dirt into the air and settled her eyes on a survivor stoking the smouldering coals in the pit below. He caught her gaze and greeted her with a nod, and she responded with a polite smile. In a way, it was comforting to know that she might go as quietly as she had arrived. This was a world of violent loss, of walking corpses piloted by ravenous hunger, of guns and blood-spattered death. She had spent her life witnessing many harrowing and difficult things, the very darkest recesses of the human heart, far before the virus had ever ravaged the world and its communities ─ righting at least some of those wrongs had been the path she had chosen, and it had eventually taken her to the human rights council she had worked with. Someone died so you could have this heart, put it to good use.
indentindentindentHer attendance at that emergency conference felt like a stroke of fate in hindsight. Back then, witnessing a makeshift refugee camp get mowed down by a horde of undead had been horrifying and cruel, but in a way, it had brought her to Jericho. The soldiers had come and she had been too stunned to resist, but once she had seen the gaping maw of the bunker, she had come to her senses and declined. And in spite of many devastating days, she had never regretted that choice, because the months that followed had allowed her to see exactly how much she was needed on the surface, with those left behind. She had set to organizing the human side of things, crafting comfort and order where she could not reliably swing a hammer or aim a gun. Human kindness was and continued to be their candle in the dark, and if they were to lose that, what would they have left? Or what part of what they had left would be worth saving?

indentindentindentJesse brought the mug up to her lips for another sip, and the coffee inside had managed to cool during the time she had spent in her thoughts. That was when the elongated, wailing noise pierced into the house, reminiscent of distant storm sirens, and it startled her, sending a tremor of disquiet running its course through her body and gouging the bottom of her heart. She swallowed the coffee harshly as everyone stopped to listen and an eerie lull settled into the room. There was a split moment where she was frozen, all conscious thought expelled from her body, but then she stirred, abandoning her mug on the railing and starting toward the stairs with steps that were fast but controlled. She was stopped yet again in the middle of the stairway, when the sight through the windows told her exactly what had happened ─ the ground in the distance was breaking open, as the bunker's doors parted for the first time in two years. And there was what she could only assume to be Valentina, astride her horse, half-way to the horde pouring from the hills on each side.
indentindentindentBy the time she reached the bottom step, a small crowd had gathered at the foot of the stairs, their expectant faces turned to her for answers in the absence of their leader and her second in command. Her gaze rose over the tops of their heads, back to the sight of the bunker yawning open. Then her eyes found Veronica, lingering at the back of the group with her arms wound tightly across her body. Her face betrayed nothing, not until she noticed Jesse looking at her, and that's when concern etched itself in the lines of her face. In times of crisis, Jesse was more used to Valentina giving the orders while she focused on the humanitarian side, but it seemed she had no choice, and if she wouldn't make the difficult decision of picking those who would risk their safety, even more lives could be lost. This wasn't the time to cower.
indentindentindentShe gestured to three eager bodies at the front, men and women she knew to be strong riders and capable of remaining calm under pressure. What Jesse herself lacked were nerves of steel, but she had hope, and while she was not a drifter and she rarely even left their secure base, she had a horse, and so she found herself obligated to go with them and try her best. What was not a question to her was the matter of helping those emerging from the bunker. She had no quarrel with any of them, because as callous as it was to select those few who would have the right to safety, logically, she also knew they never would have had enough supplies to hold more than their capacity of people. Taking in more would have risked them all, and as imperfect of a solution as it was, she understood. She had seen far too much not to.
indentindentindent"Get your horses and light some torches. We'll buy them more time before that swarm closes in," she instructed, already moving at a brisk pace toward the door and out into the grey drizzle. The accent may have turned some heads in the beginning, but the survivors of the town had long since grown accustomed to it. Her volunteers took off running toward the stables, and once she had pulled on her ancient barbour jacket, she followed after, not even taking the time to zip it up. Each thump of her heart acted as an acute reminder of how this was exactly the kind of stress her physicians would warn her to avoid, but with the situation being what it was, what choice did she have?

indentindentindentJesse dove inside the dusty scent of hay and horses. The stables had burst to life, as the volunteers set to lighting their torches and getting their mounts tacked up, and riled up by the sound of the wailing alarms, the alerted animals had joined the cacophony, banging against the wooden walls of their stalls and squealing. Jesse tossed the saddle onto Rain, and the sole thing keeping her hands in movement as she fastened the straps and pulled down the stirrups was experience. There was mournfully little time to properly appreciate the gentle, black velvet of Rain's nose as she pulled on the bridle and led him out by the reins. She hauled herself onto his back and was handed a burning torch, and even as she made the mental note to set up a firepit outside so that they would not have to waste lighter fluid or matches again, that was the moment it became clear there would be no turning back.
indentindentindentThe air seemed to grow electrified, and somehow denser, as the riders clustered around her and they all sat astride their horses, peppered by the thin rain, awaiting last minute orders. Over the howling of the alarms, she called out to them, even when it pained her to say: "Do what you can, but if things get bad, don't sacrifice yourselves. Get out of there alive." The nods she received in response were grim, but not a single one wavered as they turned their horses toward the trench and prodded them into a gallop. Rain, ever-reliable, took off with a jerk, and the four riders flew down the slippery hill, hooves tearing up turf as they neared the jump. Her stomach lurched as they crossed the ditch and poured out of the fenced compound, into the overcast day beyond. It had been far too long since she had ridden like this, if ever.
indentindentindentWith their torches primed, they cut through the grey, solid air. The feeble rain lashed against Jesse's face as she rose against the stirrups, and she had the fleeting thought that she should have taken a second to tie up her hair, because the wind was ruthlessly whipping it around, but at least the turtleneck was protecting her throat from the cold, even as her unzipped jacket soared to flap behind her. The light of the flames gleamed on the wet pavement ringing beneath the horses' hooves, but the thundering was soon swallowed up by the alarms and the uproar of the undead horde's garbled shrieks. A near-palpable wall of decaying stench struck them as they dove into the fray, opening up a pathway through the undead as if splitting a sea of trashing tides. She was scared, deeply, but she was holding onto her belief that they must save as many as they could.
indentindentindentWhile Jesse headed straight for the group of people who had emerged from the bowels of the bunker, the three riders split off from her wake and began to circle, wielding their torches like shields and pushing against the horde to keep it from advancing. Terror sent tremors through her legs, but she squeezed the saddle and pressed on toward whoever was closest, all the while treated to the sight of the horde squeezing through their feeble defenses at the very back of the crowd. She turned Rain around and tore her eyes from the image, just as reaching, rotting hands pulled two men into the jaws of the swarm. Valentina was nowhere to be seen, and Jesse prayed she had known what she was doing when she had charged in on her own.
indentindentindentThrough the rippling chaos, Jesse locked eyes with a bearded man, hammer clenched tightly in his fist, and she did not allow him time to waver as she took hold of the duffel hanging from his shoulder and dragged it onto the saddle in front of her. Rain was pacing nervously beneath her as she reached her free hand out to the man, obtaining a secure grip of his forearm.
indentindent"Climb on up," she encouraged, and while he was a tall man and she wasn't the strongest, she did her best to pull him up into the saddle. His gaze seemed to be searching for someone in the turmoil, but each moment of hesitation was costing them the precious seconds the riders had bought. "Someone will find your friends," she promised, although she had no way of knowing whether they might have already been dragged into the horde ─ or if they had enough riders to bring everyone back. Dread tightened her chest.

indentindentindentRain swayed anxiously, picking up his feet as a weight settled behind Jesse, and she told her passenger to hold on tightly as she coaxed the black gelding and he took off with a jolt, eager to flee the shifting mass of the undead. Staggering corpses began falling into their path, but she grasped the leather reins tighter and reached forward with her torch. The light of the spluttering flames flashed along Rain's sweat- and rain-slicked neck and danced in the dark of his terror-stricken eyes, but the gelding held steady. They tore free of the fray, the deafening mayhem falling behind them, soon replaced by the comforting falls of hooves on the grass-coated dirt and the distant lament of the alarms. And the pounding of her heart in her ears.
indentindentindentAs they neared the tiered fences, Jesse stopped in her seat, slowing Rain down to a trot, then a walk. With her every limb stiffened from the costs of the adrenaline, she more slid down from the saddle onto legs she feared might give out than dismounted, and to manage the uncontrollable shaking of her hands, she held on to the reins, eventually pulling them down over Rain's neck. The torch, finally burnt-out, fell to the wet grass at her feet as she looked over her mount for cuts, but he had escaped the swarm unharmed. She thanked the gelding with a rub of his neck and exhaled shakily, battling the sudden urge to throw up as the adrenaline waned, because she most definitely was not built for this. But having somewhat gathered herself, she turned to the man she had pulled out of the chaos and laid a tremulous hand on his forearm.
indentindent"Are you alright, love? No injuries, no scratches?"
indentindentindentRivulets of sweat-mixed rain rolled down the gelding's flank, and past it, in the distance, Jesse could see the roiling pandemonium of the horde pouring toward the bunker's entrance. All she could do now was hope that everyone she had sent in would be coming back home.

[Ashton_99]

⇥◈⇤𝙴𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚜 𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐​⇥◈⇤
◈ Town Drifter ◈ Location: Bunker Entrance/Compound ◈Tags: Almos ◈

xxAmmo was running low. Elias knew that soon he'd be down to his shotgun as a bat and his machete if he didn't get out of the swarm of hungry corpses soon. Close range fighting was a skill of his, but not one he wanted to use while being this outnumbered. He only just managed to hear one of the fighters from the bunker yelling out to him as a tall, horrified man was hefted onto the back of Goliath. The large achromatic horse did his best to still despite to still despite his species' predation instilled instincts. Shifting on his hooves, the horse moved to compensate for the new weight. The draft's muscles tensed and shifted under his pelt in anticipation to move. Elias himself used his temporarily free hand to pull the petrified man into a better position. He called back to him, "This is gonna suck. Hold on tight." He wanted to tack on that he wouldn't come back for the man if he fell of but Elias figured that was too mean even for him. That and the fact that he would probably come back for him.

xxGetting back out of the swarm from what was essentially the epicenter was a battle in it of itself. Elias helped spur his mount forward, clearing a path in front of them with what little ammo he had left while Goliath attempted to shake off any grabbing hands or rotted bodies. One of the zombies, a larger one with most of it's flesh taken by the virus, tried gripping on to his leg to pull him off. Elias made a sound half way between a shout and a curse, trying not to loose his cool or knock off his passenger while kicking off the offending hand. It's grip was brutal. The pain as he tried to twist out of the monster's grip made it feel as if his tibia was about the splinter apart, something that no one could afford in the situation at hand. Nearly sliding off Goliath, he swung out with the butt of his 12 gauge, clipping the zombie's head. The monster didn't yell out in pain- Elias wasn't really sure how much pain the thing could feel- but at the very least it gave him the leverage to get back in Goliath's saddle. He didn't even want to imagine what his skin must look like under his pant leg when he finally got free.

xxGoliath was nearing the back of the horde once more, pushing through the remaining few yards to be freed from the horde. He squealed and and reared when he finally broke the line. Elias held on to the reins in one hand and his shotgun in the other, he could only hope that the skinny guy had a tight enough grip of him to not fall off as Goliath kicked it into high gear. Based off the grip on his shoulder, it seemed like safe enough bet. Muddy, dark earth flew up under the powerful stride of the draft horse. It spattered both mount and riders alike, Elias acutely reminded of his how much he hated this sort of dank, grey weather.

xxThey crossed back the way Elias and Goliath first came in top gear, adrenaline and fear pushing the horse to run harder and faster than Elias would normal like. The trench came into view up ahead as they approached the compound and Goliath's stride changed to compensate. From one side of the pit to the other, the behemoth horse covered the distance, only barely managing to land it as his back leg clipped the edge, sending a spray of dirt into the pit as they continued on. Elias began slowing his horse down, trying to let him cool down as they circled their way towards the stable. When Goliath finally dropped from a trot to a walk, Elias twisted in his spot to look at just who exactly he'd picked up.

xxThe man was not exactly who'd he'd expected to come out of a top secret military bunker, but he was something. Elias looked mildly impressed. "Hey look, you made it. Congratulations." He slipped down off of Goliath, immediately struck with how bad an idea that was. Pain shot up through his left leg. It was the one that the zombie from before had grabbed. Elias had to brace himself against Goliath, the horse was to tired to do much more than huff. "Alright. C'mon down." He helped the man down from Goliath, the drop from the back of the horse could be intimidating to do alone the first time.

xxOnce he was sure the man was steady on his feet as he could be, Elias went about his responsibilities. He'd finished doing what he was told so his priorities shifted. He lead them towards the stables, expecting the man to follow if he didn't want to get lost. His attention was split between the pain in his leg, his horse's wellbeing, the man, and the horror they'd just left behind. It was no question that his insomnia born headache would be following him around for a lot longer than he'd anticipated. Taking off Goliath's tack was a more tedious experience than putting it on was as both rider and horse where coming down from the adrenaline. Elias almost felt bad for the man he'd picked up from the horde, the drifter knew he wasn't exactly welcome wagon material. It was only when he finally put Goliath up with a treat and lead the man up to the main house in a half hearted attempt at a tour that he finally regarded the man again.

xx"Well. Welcome to Jericho- or what's left of it." His tone was gruff and his expression didn't lend to friendliness nor any particular animosity now that his adrenaline was fading while pain and fatigue took over. He took one of the sectionals as his own ungracefully, disregarding the dirt and grime he was covered with. "I'm Elias," from deeper in the house came light, rapid footsteps. A little tricolor dog burst into the room, doing an excited little dance as she raced towards Elias. She leaped in one impressive arc onto both him and the sectional, landing square on his chest. Elias groaned at the sudden attack, doing his best to pull the wiggling dog from his face, "and this would be Honey- who is significantly better at greeting people than I am." He motioned to little dog towards the man from the bunker and she was happy to go and say hello. He watched them with a considering stare, "So, who're you then?"

[Ashton_99]

◁𝙍𝙖𝙢𝙞 𝙄𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙠▷
❖ Bunker ❖ Location: Bunker Entrance/Compound Enterence ❖Tags: Bunker Jesse/Terrwyn/Mentions Almos and Kennedy❖

xxAs the horde pressed closer and closer into their front line, Rami was just barely able to catch sight of Almos being forced astride a giant grey horse behind a man who seemed to be made out of anger and explicit shouting. The man tugged at his horse's reins and the horse began to turn. That was the last Rami saw before he lost sight of them. From some place off to his left he heard Terrwyn before he could locate the man. The information wasn't a lot to take in but still felt overwhelming as he nodded. He tried to put forth the same sort of bravery and assurance that the other man seemed to have in spades, "Make- make sure the both of you get out of here safely." He wasn't as close to Terrwyn as he was Almos or Kennedy but he still wanted everyone to get out safely. Before he could even being to look for a horse and rider to join as he was instructed, a pair found him. If someone asked him later, Rami would have say the woman had to be some kind of god or something for getting him out of that situation without getting infected. She rode atop a beautiful inky black horse, carrying a torch lit with dancing orange and red flames as her weapon.

xxHis fear for his friends was temporarily abated, the woman's reassurance- as unsupported as it may be- being the final push he needed before he clumsily climbed up onto the horse. It was an ungraceful affair additionally hindered by Rami's shaking limbs and inexperience with the equine species. He could only be grateful that the hammer that he'd fished from one of his bags wasn't going to tumble from his hand since his fear had made his grip vice-like. He slipped into the spot behind the woman, squeaking out a strangled 'Thank you' when he did. His voice was probably lost in the cacophony of noises around them but there was nothing else he could say or do. Over stimulated and terrified, he was acutely aware of every shift and sway of the dark horse he was now a passenger upon. The fear that gripped him had essentially welded his jaw shut when the dark horse took off. He couldn't scream or yell as they swam out of the horde of rotted corpses. Wind and rain stung his eyes as they fled further and further from the bunker that had been his home and salvation for the past two years.

xxThe further they got from the fading alarms, the easier Rami could breathe. Grass and trees had long since become a concept found only in his botanist friend's lab and now Rami's erratic gaze and overworked mind was trying to justify so much flora actually being present across the valley. It was only when they slowed down that Rami registered their destination in front of them. The place must have once been idyllic and inviting, he supposed. Now however, it was a fortress fortified from the foundation up with fences and layers of protection separating them from the compound. His stunned awe was cut short once the woman dismounted the horse. Figuring it was in his best interest, he followed her off. The ground he landed on was grass and mud, the likes of which stuck to the shoe's he put on that morning. The impact nearly folded his knees during his clumsy dismount. He only just barely managed to not fall over by pinwheeling his arms out and stumbling a few steps forward.

xxEverything was so alive and earthly. It was so jarringly different from the metal and concrete interior he'd called home for the past two years. His attention tracked back towards the bunker. The bedlam the horde was creating as they seized the bunker and attempted to take the few remaining survivors was audible even at the distance they were at. That and the distant whine of the alarm made him blanch. He quickly averted his gaze, unable to think further on what might or might not be happening to his fellow survivors. Instead, he hefted his duffel back onto his shoulder and adjusted his backpack. It calmed him some to be able to have his possessions on him, as unimportant as they may be. The bags he brought with him felt significantly heavier now that he was carrying them after all that had happened in such a short amount of time. The hammer he'd taken out was still held in his white-knuckled grip. He didn't know if they'd be welcome in the compound for very long, but at the very least Rami could be grateful for being saved.

xxThe woman's voice wasn't loud or jarring but it startled him all the same. His entire posture was that of a nervous great dane puppy. Rami's expression wavered between a grimace and a smile, "I uh- well. I'm not hurt, I think at least, but I've certainly been better." He shifted back and forth on his feet, "So do you guys do that often? Just race into a horde of zombies to save a bunch of people?" That seemed like the kind of thing only crazy people did. The woman who had saved him didn't seem crazy though- caring instead maybe. He figured either way that he couldn't be too careful. "I'm Dr. Rami Ishak by the way- uh, not the medical kind though so just Rami." His expression had finally landed on a smile, the sort that was both genuine and sweet but anxious.

xxNow that they were further away from the bunker he wanted nothing more than to get inside the compound but he restrained himself from trying to do so without the woman's lead. There was no telling how many unseen methods the town's people used on to protect themselves and after surviving that horrifying incident he didn't want to risk a repeat by setting something off. His troubled gaze flitted between the woman and the compound. "Are we- can we, rather, go in? I wouldn't really be much help if another pack of them tried to attack us."

[kalo.]

𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃𝐘 "𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒" 𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍!! x𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑 ' )

mood; stressed, tired, anxious dad mode // mentions; almos, rami // tags; wynn // wc; 1191

indentindentAn empty bag sat on one of the various desks in the bunkers med bay. Keyword; empty. The doctor had been shuffling back and forth, unable to figure out what was of utmost importance to bring with him. He had So much to bring to begin with. They couldn't expect him to be given one bag and pack everything. Even with the weeks-worth advance, Kennedy was stressed. He had spent all week doing inventory and prioritizing everything that he nearly pulled his hair out. Pacing around the room biting his nails. It would be an understatement to say that the doctor was stressed. He was Beyond stressed. Kenney would assume he aged several years during this process. If he could bring everything with him, he would. But he couldn't. He was limited, but if he could fit more than humanly possibly in this bag he would. Without damaging or breaking it of course. Which was proving to be difficult. The doctor ran his hands over his face as the stress started to build before finally looking over the list he had prepared. This is what he was bringing. Hopefully it was the right decision. If he realized that he brought the wrong supplies he would beat himself up over it for Months. And then even try and come back to get it. The thought of being unable to care for the extreme injuries of others made Bones feel sick.

indentindentHowever, Bones told himself he would only stress over supplies needed for major injuries, such as breaks or amputations [which thankfully he hadn't partook in yet. There were close calls, but nothing along those lines], but he knew deep down he would still treat the minor wounds. A particular person came into the doctors head. Wynn. He often got himself hurt and came into the med bay frequently, but not that the doctor minded. However, wasting supplies was something Kennedy hated to do. Even before the apocalypse. And now with no promise of even getting more supplies he was rationing it off as often as he could. It didn't help that he could only bring so much. Leaving behind some of the bulkier and 'useless' stuff even if none of them were useless. Everything in the bed bay was useless, especially in the apocalypse.

indentindentSo here he Still was. Taking out and putting back in the same supplies. Cursing at himself as he tried to piece together everything. It would be a tight fit, and wouldn't be comfortable for the male, but it had to be done. Between his own personal belongings [which were far and few, mostly clothes and some old sentimental items] and the med bay tools and medication [if you could even call it that as there was little]. The duffle was going to have to work. The doctor had no idea how they would even be Getting the their destination, but at this point he was too stressed and busy to check. Not even acknowledging the people that passed by the lab and tried to make small talk [except for a few. Wynn, Almos, and Rami. They usually got the doctors attention, however more so for the reason in fear they would get hurt. Again.]. When the doctor finally got everything he thought was needed in the dark duffle bag. Adjusting the backpack on his back before looking at the empty room once more. Feeling a sense of melancholy before moving on. Gripping the duffle bag tightly before leaving. Taking a few deep breaths to calm the nerves that ate at him before following the crowd. He couldn't quite tell where anyone was or what was going on, everyone's bodies morphing together and making it hard to identify anyone. It didn't help that the doctor was also keeping his gaze down, running through the plan for keeping his supplies safe. There were some items he packed that could easily be shattered, and he prayed someone like Wynn didn't trip and crush the duffel bag beneath him. That would ruin Kennedy's life. [But the doctor could never get mad at Wynn, he had a soft spot for the man]. As the group approached the door to the bunker a shattering noise rang through the compound and the outside.

indentindentThe blaring of the alarm literally swept the doctor off of his feet. Stumbling forward but catching himself before he face planted. Letting out an irritated sigh before the fear of the alarm settled. That meant zombies were going to be swarming them; and Kennedy was not prepared for the stress he was about to go through. If someone got bit out in the chaos he wouldn't have the time or the tools to help them right away. If he even could help them. Or if he even got out of this without getting bit or trampled himself. So as the light flooded his senses he closed his eyes and winced before trying to adjust as quickly as he could. Heart hammering in his ears as he tried to focus on one thing yet everything at once. Spinning around as the chaos only continued, people rushing past him. And there were horses-instantly Bones was even more confused. Swearing he saw someone ride past that he never saw before. Breath coming out in wheezes as his chest felt like it was caving in. This wasn't ideal.

indentindentLifting his gaze Bones felt his eyes lock with Wynn's as he rode on a horse. [How he got there was beyond Kennedy, he could care less he just wanted to get out of here] Feeling his nerves subdue slightly he reached out to take his hand. Ignoring the way he felt his heart flutter [Literally we are in a life or death situation stop being useless Sir] in that brief moment. Hulling himself on the Horse with an 'oof' before adjusting his position behind Wynn. Trying to keep himself in place so he didn't fall off of the horse as fast as he got on. That would be embarrassing. Slinging the delectate duffle bag over his shoulder before feeling himself start to slip backwards off as the horse flung forward, quickly wrapping his arms around Wynn's waist in a small scream. "Give a man a warning next time-" Before resting his head against Wynn's back as he watched the people around them. Head already reeling in the chaos. God how he wished he could stop any injuries from happening. But he knew it was in vain. Someone was bound to get hurt and now with little supplies it only caused Kennedy's anxiety rise. He felt sick to his stomach and only tightened his grip on Wynn. Unable to say anything. He just wanted to get out of the chaos. And have Everything else get out of the chaos. At this point Bones also just wanted to go back inside the compound. He knew it was unsafe but he would give anything to just Go back to bed and ignore the overwhelming fear that they could easily get bitten anytime in this chaos. But hey, at least he had Wynn with him. That was a plus.