Subject: In The Days Ahead 1,035 views

[Racer Xonclar]

Watching as Sarah stared out the window after her response, Martin nods slightly, "Alright. I can't complain about someone trying to cope, even if it's a way I can't..."

Turning to look at everyone, "Cassandra, Sarah, James? Do we have a plan then? Get our hands on some bikes so we can check further away places for food and stay here?"

[Weasel]

Charles says nothing, but looks to each person in turn knowing the doubts that cloud each one of their minds.

"And if we find something more secure, or... or, longer term while we're out there... we can give it a look."

[Black_Hawk]

Sarah blinks a few times, as though rising from sleep, then nods. "Sounds like a plan." She turns to her pile of things, gathering up the things she feels will be helpful and storing them in her pack.

"Certainly better than sitting in here watching our neighbors shuffle about and devour the living."

She quirks a grin.

[Shiv]

Behind her back Cassandra gives Sarahs comment an almost disgusted look, though her visage quickly reverts to normal.

"I'd rather sit here and not watch it at all. I'd rather never go out at all", she intones mutedly as she rises. Her tone is neutral, though with a light tinge of fear and revulsion.

"But you're right. Bikes'll be good for us. At least its better than running..."

Cassandra stands up and slips into her coat, and then packs and slings a backpack containing a lighter, flashlight and several empty plastic bags over her shoulder. Finally she straps on a tool belt, though the only tool currently hanging from it is a large screwdriver, almost eight inches long.

Sufficiently geard up the girl turns to the rest of the group.

"There's a few walkers on the street. Maybe we should use the back?"

[rescindment]

On the street outside, the behaviour of the walkers has changed. Where previously they seem to wander aimlessly, their movement has become more and more erratic. A few, however, stand staring in the safehouse's direction, unmoving.

As the survivors discuss their plans, one of the dead edges its way towards the safehouse slowly, the others noticing its plight and beginning to follow. Haltingly, the now growing crowd reach the front door of the safehouse.

The door handle turns slowly, one way and the other. Over, and over.

[Weasel]

Charles head snaps to the direction of the now turning door knob.

"Oh fuck..." he says as he quietly moves towards the window nearest the door. As discretely as possible he looks out and sees the dead moving in their direction.

"Something's drawn their attention. Their coming."

Grabbing up his back pack, he opens it to make sure he isn't forgetting anything. His two water bottles are full. He has two pairs of dry socks, a pair of 'dishwashing' gloves', two folded up trash bags, and the hammer he had stashed from earlier. He grabs the hammer out of the pack before strapping it to his back.


"Let's check the back." he says nudging Martin.

[Racer Xonclar]

Martin's eyes lock on the jiggling doorknob. The back and forth twisting motion holds his attention until Charles speaks up. Speaking now in a softer voice, "They must have heard us talking."

He nodded to Charles' nudge and grabbed the bat off the couch. "Cassy, Sarah," he said hushed as he started to sling his small duffle bag onto his back. "Grab us enough rations to last a day...please," he added on. "Just in case we get lost or have trouble getting back in."

With that, Martin moved towards the back door, peaking out windows to see if it was clear.

[Black_Hawk]

"Sure, we will take care of it." Sarah grabs her pack, stuffing a last few sundries into it. Spare change of clothes, a canteen she found somewhere, along with a screwdriver she found. A magazine or two she hadn't finished reading.

She gets up, cinches her pack, and goes to the kitchen, rolling her eyes at the irony. She tosses some of the rations from the kitchen, things that won't spoil easily, into some of the Tupperware containers from the house, packing enough for the group to live on for a day. She stuffs a container in her pack, and silently walks about and puts one in everyone elses as they go about their business.

[Shiv]

Cassandra, throwing a scared look at the door, quickly creeps over to the refrigerator with Sarah, stuffing assorted canned foods into her bag. The lethargic, slow way she normally moved replaced in an instant, she now more resembled a scared doe as she hastilly dumped the foodstuffs into her backpack.

[rescindment]

The behaviour of the walkers has turned from what seemed to be curious interest, to aggression. Attracted by the change in their peers, more and more flood towards the door - which is now taking a beating as the frontmost zombies attempt their entry, beginning to smash through the wooden door. The door handle falls to the floor. Apparently, they lost interest in it.

Hunger. That's the only way to describe the feeling of the infected - they're hungry. The door is blocking their next meal. That makes them angry.

The back yard is clear, surrounded by a fence on each side. The backmost fence is partially shattered, leaving a small, few foot hole leading to the back garden of the adjacent house. A shape can be seen moving in the darkened windows of that home, and the back door lies wide open, swinging on its hinges in the increasing wind. The shuffling and groaning of more walkers can be heard on either side of the other two fences - perhaps trying to join their comrades at the door.

[Weasel]

"It's clear... well... clear enough. Let's move!" he keeps his volume as quiet as possible, but is sure all heard. "Stay together, "he reminds everyone "and head to the adjacent yard." he adds pointing as if anyone's forgotten the layout.

He opens the door wide, and holds it open for Martin to move through first. With the girls now ready he rushes them through as well before quickly following. As soon as he is in the open his head darts in all directions looking for movement. Keeping the hammer tightly gripped he stays with the others rapidly moving towards the fence.

[Black_Hawk]

Shrugging her pack into a more comfortable position, she moves out the back door, going toward the gap in the fence, with her eyes peeled for any walkers. Hopefully the door has them occupied enough for the time being. A brief thought crosses her mind. I need a weapon. Then I don't have to worry so much about this letting the guy go first.

Focus, Dumbass

As she heads toward the fence behind Martin, she keeps her eyes peeled, warning anyone in a harsh whisper of any threats coming.

[Shiv]

Keeping low and slithering through the fence with surpising grace, Cassandra moves in behind the rest of the group. Her eyes are focused now, ready, shifting constanly between the house in front of them and the surrounding area. She still looks like a young deer ready to bolt, but at least her mannerism has improved by the call to action, the force of fear propelling her out of her mental and physical seclusion.

[rescindment]

With a crash, the door falls, the dead stumbling in through the door into the once safe house. Some crawling, some shuffling, some moving quicker than the others. They spot the survivors making their escape through the back and edge their way towards them, starving and groaning with an endless pain and longing.

[Racer Xonclar]

As the sound of splintered wood and mindless groans comes from behind, Martin snaps his head around to look. His brain freezes for a moment, flashing back to the sight of blood covered zombies scrambling over fallen lockers. Shaking his head briskly to get the thought out of his head, he looks to Charles, "Keep an eye on the girls."

Jumping the fence ahead of them and pushing ahead to the open backdoor, Martin holds his bat tight and starts to peak in the open door.