The room was packed, FBI, SWAT, local police forces, everyone was here and present. JP was proud. It’d been months now since the murders started, the infamous Dragonfly killer had been on the loose for far too long racking up the body count. 37 total, scattered across the area.
Today was his day of reckoning.
JP had been on the case since the beginning, and this was the kind of case that kept people awake at night. How could such a high-profile killer escape justice for so long? The answer was simple, he was a well-respected businessman by day, cold-blooded killed by night.
At first his targets seemed random, no connections at all. It was a dead end in every direction. But after about the 7th murder, JP had realized the one connection between each and every one of them. The killings weren’t random, they’d been racially motivated this whole time.
It made JP sick that someone like that was allowed to exist.
“Congratulations men, we’ve captured the most dangerous criminal this area has ever seen.” Said the chief. “Today, he’ll be transferred to Howard Penitentiary for execution.”
“You ask me, we should’ve shot the racist bastard out behind the station after we caught him.” JP grumbled.
“I’m not going to say I wouldn’t have like to do that myself.” The chief said. “But that wouldn’t be justice, that would be revenge.”
“It would’ve all come to the same end anyways.” JP said. The chief looked at him, quickly losing patients.
“Do you want to be reassigned? I can take you off the transfer if you’d like.” He said.
“No sir.” JP responded.
“That’s what I thought.” He said. “Are there any questions about what’s going to happen here today?” He asked.
Nobody spoke.
“Then let’s get that motherfucker to his death.” He said.
JP sat on the bench waiting, soon enough the back door would open and a man in an orange suit and shackles would be loaded in with him. He used the term ‘man’ lightly here, this was no man they were transporting. This was an animal.
“You ready for this?” JP asked the driver, who gave a small laugh form the front seat.
“Hell yeah.” She responded. “It’s a lot better than sitting around and watching shit blow up.”
“Speak for yourself, I like fireworks.” Spoke the man in the passenger seat.
“Yeah, well I think shipping this motherfucker off to his death is a better way to celebrate independence than launching all-out war on the sky.” JP said.
“Amen.” The driver spoke. It was silent for a moment before she spoke again. “Jesus, what kind of person does it take to single out minorities and kill them without a cause?” She asked.
“One sick bastard.” JP said.
“Look alive, we’ve got us a prisoner incoming.” Said the officer in the passenger seat. JP reached back and pulled the handle, throwing open the van’s back door. Only a few feet behind was a shaggy looking man decked in all orange and shackled.
He was flanked by numerous armed police officers, there was no chance of escape. But something struck JP as odd, despite the fact that he was about to die within the next day. He held his head tall, a smirk on his face. It made JP sick, that even as people all around the area were in pain, he could smile at his handy work.
He was loaded into the van, and sat on a bench. His shackles were locked into a loop on the floor, no escape for him.
After some words the doors were closed, the driver started the engine. There were two other vans, identical to this one. They’d all branch off in separate directions once they left to compound, no one other than those on the case right now knew which van actually held the Dragonfly Killer.
“One million.” Spoke the Dragonfly, piercing the silence once they reached the road.
“Shut your mouth.” Their drive snapped at him. He laughed as he responded to her.
“If you would’ve given me enough time, you’d be dead too.” He said.
“Yeah?” She asked. “And why’s that?”
“Don’t act like I don’t know about your girlfriend.” He responded. She instantly went quite, her face turning red. JP’s face turned red, not with embarrassment, but with anger.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” He asked. “What do you have against minorities?”
“Someone finally asks the right question.” Dragonfly responded as he shifted in his seat, getting comfortable. JP wished nothing but a slow and painful death for this man, perhaps a botched execution. “They’re nothing but a varmint. One that’s polluting our gene pool. Officer Fillmore, you and me, we’re the exact same. We’re meant to rule the world.”
“I’m nothing like you.” JP said. “And I never will be.”
“He who fights monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.” Dragonfly spoke. The man in the passenger seat growled unhappily.
“Look buddy, you still have the right to remain silent. I suggest you exercise that right before I make you.” He spoke. Dragonfly laughed.
“One million.” He said.
“What the fuck are you talking about one million for?” JP asked.
“One million, for each of you. Just let me go, the money gets transferred into an account and you can all slip away.” He said.
“I have a suggestion on what you can do with the money.” JP said.
“And what would that be?” He asked.
“Go fuck yourself.” JP responded. Dragonfly laughed, a menacing, soulless cackle that filed the entire van.
“I like you, Fillmore.” He said. Just as he said that, JP heard a ringing sound from up front.
“What’s that?” He asked. The driver shifted, pulling out a phone from her pocket.
“It’s…” She trailed, looking into the rearview mirror. “It’s my girlfriend. Mind if I take it?” She asked.
“Not a problem.” The passenger said, JP stared directly into the eyes of Dragonfly.
“Doesn’t bother me a bit.” He said.
“I’ve suddenly lost a lot of respect for you.” Dragonfly said.
“Good. Having your respect is the worst insult I could imagine.” JP said.
“Hey babe.” The driver said into the phone. JP could see her face morphing from relaxed to concerned and even scared. “What do you mean? Why didn’t you call the police?”
“What’s going on?” JP asked.
“She said someone’s trying to break into the house.” She responded.
“Why didn’t she call the police?” The passenger asked.
“She did, all lines were full.” She said. “She said his eyes are really weird, like glowing or something.” She said.
“Drugs?” The passenger asked.
“None that I know of.” JP said.
“I don’t know what to tell her. I’m just a driver.” She said.
“Give me the phone, I need you to focus.” JP told her. She put the phone back to her ear.
“Baby, JP’s going to tell you what to do. I want you to listen to him, do what he says. Stay safe, please. I love you.” She said, JP slowly reached forwards, grabbing the phone from her. As he sat back he heard Dragonfly’s tell-tale laugh.
“What do you think’s so funny?” JP asked.
“I’m just a martyr, and it looks like someone’s already picked up where I left off.” He said.
“You.” He said, pointing to Dragonfly. “Shut up.” He looked over at the driver, she was clearly bothered. “Are you good? I need your head clear.” He said. She nodded.
“I’m good.” She said. He lifted the phone to his ear.
“Hello?” He asked.
“JP? Is that you?” She asked.
“Yeah, it’s me.” JP said. “Can you tell me where you’re at right now?” He asked.
“I’m… I’m hiding.” She said.
“Where?” He asked.
“In the closet.” She said quickly, her voice was shaky, her breathing heavy.
“I’m going to need you to calm down, okay? Freaking out is only going to make this worse.” He said.
“How can I calm down when there’s a killer outside my house?” She asked frantically.
“It’s not a killer.” JP said. “It’s the 4th of July, it’s more than likely some druggy that got lost on his way to the crack house.”
“I don’t think so.” She said.
“Did they say anything? Did you hear anything?” JP asked.
“No… They didn’t say anything. They were just acting really weird.” She said.
“How?” He asked.
“Like…. Like they were on drugs or something.” She said.
“I told you it was just a drug addict.” JP said. He heard a loud crash from the other end of the phone, a sharp inhale following. “What was that?”
“T-They just smashed the back door.” She said. “They’re in the house.”
“Just stay as quiet as you can, get as far away from the door as possible. Don’t make any sudden moves.” JP said.
“What do I do if they find me?” She asked.
“If I’m right and they’re on drugs, they won’t react quick enough. You just run past them, don’t stop. Get to the police station and tell them everything.”
“Okay.” She said. There was silence, the only sound was her breath. Shaky and uneven. The creak of a door opening, a sudden shrill scream. Unhuman sounds, the screams of someone being beaten. The phone went silent, all he heard was the dial tone.
He stared at the phone screen, shocked. Unsure of what just happened. A break-in, most likely a drug addict, they found her and a fight ensued. He got disconnected after that.
“Is everything okay?” The driver asked, he looked up at her.
“Yeah, she’s fine. Whoever it was left after we started talking.” He said, lying through his teeth.
“Can I talk to her?” She asked.
“No, I told her to head to the station and talk to them just in case. She needs to focus right now, just like you.” Dragonfly laughed again.JP snapped at him.
“Stop laughing! This isn’t some game! You’re going to die and nothing’s going to matter! Those people died for no reason! Stop acting like you’re some sort of hero. There’s no escaping now, it’s impossible.” JP said to him. He smiled at JP.
“Officer Fillmore, the American revolution was impossible. The colonists stood no chance, yet here we are celebrating that victory.” He said. “You know they couldn’t have done it on their own however, it just took the right friends.” He continued.
“The hell are you going on about?” JP asked. Dragonfly smiled.
“Fuck!” The driver screamed, though her scream got cut off being replaced by choking. JP snapped his attention forwards, seeing that she had a knife stuck in her neck. The van swerved drastically, going off the road, the last thing JP saw before the van crashed was the passenger, his hands covered in the driver’s blood.
“You son of a bitch.” JP squeezed out moments before he was thrown across the van, the impact nearly liquefying his organs.
The Dragonfly Killer
Their blood stained the carpet. Blood had stained the entire compound ever since he arrived. The idiots that posed as guards weren’t smart enough to put two and two together and realize it was him.
He’d left a red stain across all of Georgia before he ended up here, kidnapped at some compound on the boarder Georgia. But it was good for him, it brought more targets for him.
It’d been years now since his escape, two… three maybe? Old habits die hard.
This family was no exception, the three of them. A mother, A father, and a teenage daughter. He’d gotten to know them over the past few weeks, they disgusted him. A great many of the people here disgusted him, Chase Hernandez included. But he had to stay alive. For now at least. His lover on the other hand… He was expendable. Suicide, murder. It’s all the same if you have no proof.
Maybe the girl was the hardest to kill, he watched her sleeping for about a minute, her chest gently rising and falling. Just before the knife hit, her brown eyes had opened, staring into his own if only for a moment. It just reminded him how soulless he really was as he dragged the knife through her throat anyways.
Now she lay dead in a pool of her own blood on the rickety steel cot that was set up in the corner of the room, the mother lay dead in bed next to the father, whom he now stood over. This man had brought his family over from their homeland in Asia just before the outbreak. How unfortunate his timing was.
The Dragonfly crouched down next to him, his lips next to the man’s ears.
“Happy independence day.” He muttered as he thrust the knife into his neck.
He stood, looking around the room. Three offed, how many more to go? One thing was missing however. From the blood of the young girl, he cover his hand. On the wall he drew, a single creature of which his namesake belonged. It was more tribal than anything else, but it’s been his calling card since the beginning. Underneath the bloody Dragonfly, he marked their sins of being a foreigner in his lands, marked their deaths of the fourth of July.
He wiped his hand on the girl’s bedsheet and turned to leave, shoving the blade back into its holster. He walked to the door and out into the hallway, not bothering to close it. This way they’d find the bodies sooner.
Outside it was storming, thunder roared as lightning crashed. It was his favorite weather to hunt in, the compound practically shut down during storms, security quit doing sweeps and everyone was locked away in their cages like little animals. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.
As he walked he heard the sound of his black boots hitting to floor, producing a muffled thud with every step he took. He timed it perfectly to the beat of his heart. His cold, merciless heart.
JP Fillmore, before the outbreak
The room was packed, FBI, SWAT, local police forces, everyone was here and present. JP was proud. It’d b… moreeen months now since the murders started, the infamous Dragonfly killer had been on the loose for far too long racking up the body count. 37 total, scattered across the area.
Today was his day of reckoning.
JP had been on the case since the beginning, and this was the kind of case that kept people awake at night. How could such a high-profile killer escape justice for so long? The answer was simple, he was a well-respected businessman by day, cold-blooded killed by night.
At first his targets seemed random, no connections at all. It was a dead end in every direction. But after about the 7th murder, JP had realized the one connection between each and every one of them. The killings weren’t random, they’d been racially motivated this whole time.
It made JP sick that someone like that was allowed… [view original content]
Alright, this guy is extremely creepy. Like, Chase the human trafficker guy suddenly doesn't sound that bad anymore, at least in comparison. I see he apparently had a hand in the death of Chase's husband, which fits with what Laken said in the last part. I also see he is in Georgia, which possibly means he is going to encounter our group sooner or later While I'm happy Sammy is not a minority (unless you count single mothers as minorities in these days), I know they have Eve, who is French if I'm not mistaken and wasn't Miller black? That means our group already has two potential targets for him at the very least. In any way, a very creepy and disturbing part, especially once we actually got to see a part from Dragonfly's PoV. This guy is so fucked up, he mustn't be allowed to live. It was also a really well-written part, great job!
JP Fillmore, before the outbreak
The room was packed, FBI, SWAT, local police forces, everyone was here and present. JP was proud. It’d b… moreeen months now since the murders started, the infamous Dragonfly killer had been on the loose for far too long racking up the body count. 37 total, scattered across the area.
Today was his day of reckoning.
JP had been on the case since the beginning, and this was the kind of case that kept people awake at night. How could such a high-profile killer escape justice for so long? The answer was simple, he was a well-respected businessman by day, cold-blooded killed by night.
At first his targets seemed random, no connections at all. It was a dead end in every direction. But after about the 7th murder, JP had realized the one connection between each and every one of them. The killings weren’t random, they’d been racially motivated this whole time.
It made JP sick that someone like that was allowed… [view original content]
For hours now she lay on the hard cot that felt like solid stone on her back, but she could be grateful. It was more than she used to have.
She prayed that Laken and Rossi were okay, wherever they were. She hoped they found some good people. She knew they’d come back for her, someday. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday.
Laken was something else, a real work of art. How someone could be such a good person and yet be so messed up, it blew her mind. It blew her own mind to think of where she started and how she got here.
She was not unlike Laken in the beginning, her father was a raging alcoholic, her mother non-existent. Her two brothers liked to pick on her, she was never big, never strong, never popular, she just was. And that wasn’t enough for them.
It wasn’t until her oldest brother entered high school that he turned violent. Just a young girl then, she was subjected to all kind of abuse from the moment she stepped foot in her house to the time she left. She became accustomed to showing up to school with various bruises, with even more various excuses as to how she’d gotten them.
She never had friends, only herself and the monsters that hid in her head. And in the medicine cabinet, as she came to find out. She remembered the day she found Laken trying to overdose in that alleyway, it was like looking into a crystal ball of her childhood. She almost did it, almost. She woke up in a hospital, her father looming over her just as he always had.
After that she was always in and out of the hospital, broken ribs, broken bones. Those always healed, but doctors still don’t know how to heal a broken heart.
Somewhere between the ages of ten and twelve, she ran into a man named Tim. She knew him, he was a local youth minister from a church down the street. He’d come knock on the door sometimes, offering Christmas gifts only to get run off by her father. That had been the extent of their friendship until then.
When she really got to know him, she’d found out he was a really good guy. Married, no kids. He always wanted kids, but was never able to have any. She began making excuses to slip out of the house, to not be home. She would do anything to just spend some more time with the man named Tim.
She spent a lot of time with him, a lot of time with his church, the youth group. For the first time, she was part of something. For the first time she felt welcomed, she felt loved.
Her story had slipped out on accident somehow, and Tim learned of it. It wasn’t easy for either of them, but she confessed the truth to him. Soon her father was arrested, she was put into foster care, her brothers disappeared. She was scared, didn’t know what to do.
Tim rescued her, adopted her as his own child. She, for once, now felt happy. She stared high school as a new person, she was no longer just damaged goods. She was now someone’s damaged goods.
She, one way or another, had gotten involved with her high school’s gymnastics team. She loved it, didn’t know why. She was part of the team, a team of great people. They welcomed her, they loved her, they taught her everything they knew. She poured hours into it, all her energy, all her focus. She ate and breathed gymnastics.
By the end of her first year, she’d made it to the state championships. It was the most exciting and at the same time the most terrifying and humiliating moment of her life. She tried hard, but didn’t place in the championship. She went home empty handed, she’d always been self-critical and it took her time to realize that it was pointless. Doubt only holds you back.
She pushed herself to the edge and over, finding her breaking point and then pushing it just a little farther. She was best in the state by her senior year, undefeatable. Years of training, practice and dedication payed off. She was offered a chance to try out for the Olympic gymnast team. Her dream came true, prayers answered.
She was an Olympic gymnast, and nobody could do anything to make her change her mind. She trained hard, partied harder. In all this time, she let herself slip. She’d taken her eyes off the prize, forgotten the goal. She thought she was untouchable, she thought she was a god.
It took a near-death experience to bring her back to reality. It was a snowy day in January, in the hills of Colorado. She’d gotten drunk, too drunk to drive. Someone had enough sense to call a cab for her. Thank God for that, had it been herself driving, she might actually be dead.
The driver of the cab lost control, overcorrected the skid and swerved into oncoming traffic where they were hit head-on by a city bus. She was paralyzed by the impact, that news devastated her. Everything she was, everything she’d worked so hard to become, just stolen away from her in a flurry of ice and steel.
The surgeries were extensive, the recovery took long. But she got back to her feet, she had to learn to walk all over again.
It was a year or two later when she ran into Laken at a bar. She saw what the alcohol had done to her, it’d torn her apart. It stole her from herself. Laken was no longer herself.
She couldn’t tell which one of them had it worse trying to sober up. It was hard for the both of them. Isabelle just forced a straight face and acted like it wasn’t hard every time she was around Laken. But somehow, buy some small miracle, the both of them made it through.
The two of them were separated before the apocalypse began. Isabelle had been alone for most of it, she wondered eastwards in hopes of something better than the hell she’d been trapped in.
She never realized that being kidnapped would be one of the best things that would happen to her in this world. She ran into Laken once more when she was abducted.
The two of them worked together to get out, but realized not all of them would make it. Isabelle agreed to stay behind, wait for them to come back and get her. So, when the fire was set, Rossi and Laken slipped out while Isabelle stayed behind to make sure no one noticed until it was too late.
So now she waited for them to come back. She waited to be rescued from her own hell once more. She hoped it just wouldn’t be too late.
She heard the deadbolt sliding away from outside and she sat up, finally being released from her cell. The door squeaked open, she saw a man standing on the other side. She knew him, His name was Ryan.
He was a member of Chase’s guard. Not voluntarily, but as he was a prison guard before the apocalypse, Chase put his abilities to use as a guard.
He stood at the doorway, and ran a hand through his long brown hair before he knocked on the frame. He looked over at her with his blue eyes, and sighed.
“Chase called a meeting to order.” Ryan said. Isabelle narrowed her eyes at him.
“What do you mean?” She asked. “What’s wrong?” He shook his head.
“A family was murdered last night.” He said. “All the evidence points towards the Dragonfly.” Isabelle sighed as she laid back onto her bed. She covered her face with her hands.
“How may were there?” She asked.
“Three of them.” He answered. “Brutally murdered. A mother and a father, teenage daughter.” He answered.
“When is this world ever going to change?” She asked.
Lizbeth Morrison
Lizbeth took a moment before responding. She sighed as she looked at Rossi.
“Okay, I’m with you.” She said. “We go.” He smiled, not one of triumph, but one of pure misery.
“Thank you, Lizbeth.” He responded. She saw his eyes drift over to Eve. “She’s tough. She’ll make it.” He nodded.
“Doesn’t make me feel any better about it.” He said.
“We all make dumb decisions every once in a while. Wounds heal.” Lizbeth said. He nodded.
“That they do.” He said. “You two seem close.” He said, nodding over to Eve.
“We are. She saved my life, saved all our lives actually.” Lizbeth said. He nodded.
“She sounds like a good person.” He said.
“She is.” Lizbeth responded.
“Who is she to you?” He asked, Lizbeth stopped. Her mind blanked, she had no real answer for him. Not yet.
“I… I’m not sure.” She responded. He nodded.
“It goes that way sometimes.” He said. “Keep her close to you, everyone deserves someone.”
“I’m not sure if I deserve anything anymore.” Lizbeth said, he shook his head.
“You’re one of the good ones. You just don’t know it.” He said, Lizbeth began to say something but Rossi cut her off as he continued. “The other kid, over there-“ He said, pointing towards Josh. “Who is he?”
“His name’s Josh.” Lizbeth said. “He’s a good friend.” He nodded.
“He seemed protective.” He remarked. She shrugged.
“It’s who he is.” She responded.
“Keep him close.” Rossi said as he stood up, brushing the dirt of his pants.
“Where are you going?” Lizbeth asked. He looked over towards Josh.
“I’m going to talk with him, get a feel for your group. I have a feeling we might be getting to know each other pretty well.” He said as he began walking away. Lizbeth looked back at Eve and smiled, seeing that she’d somehow drifted off to sleep. For a moment she sat still and watched her chest gently rising and falling.
But then she turned back around, remembering Laken and Samantha. The two were still talking, she could see Laken’s eyes were red and puffy as if she’d been crying. Lizbeth stood and began walking over towards them, trying to walk normal despite the pain still in her leg. It was better than it was before, stll bad. But it was bearable.
She sat down beside Samantha and looked over at Laken, the two stopped talking as Lizbeth joined them.
“What’s going on over here?” Lizbeth asked. Samantha shrugged.
“Not much.” She responded.
“She’s asking me stupid questions about the old world.” Laken laughed.
“It was an honest question.” Samantha remarked.
“What was it?” Lizbeth asked. Samantha smiled.
“I asked her what her favorite band was.” Samantha responded. Lizbeth looked back at Laken, who sat with a smug smile on her face.
“So?” Lizbeth asked. “What is it?” Laken shook her head.
“You wouldn’t know if I told you.” She responded.
“Try me.” Lizbeth said.
“Katelin O’Riley.” She responded. Samantha laughed.
“I know exactly who you’re talking about.” She said. Laken sat back in shock as if Samantha had just spoken a foreign tongue.
“Really?” Laken asked. Samantha nodded.
“That girl from New York, she’s a musician and a hacktivist. Got some of GreyWater’s CEO’s arrested for breaking toxic dumping regulations, organized protest rallies against GreyWater, stole information from the government and gave it to the people. All this and she got away with it.” Samantha said.
“Yeah, because someone else took the fall for her. After that, she kinda went dark.” Laken said.
“After that, the apocalypse began.” Samantha corrected. Laken shrugged.
“You think she’s still alive?” She asked.
“I don’t know.” Samantha responded. Laken sighed, they went silent. Lizbeth saw Laken picking at the beads on her dog tags.
“When I was over in Iraq, it was her that released that information that my city was being moved on.” She said, looking over at Samantha. “Lizbeth said your brother was in the marines?” She asked. Samantha nodded.
“For a few years, he came home after my parents died.” She said with a sigh.
“What was his name?” Laken asked.
“Marcus Bishop.” Samantha responded. Laken narrowed her eyes, as if thinking.
“What did he look like?” She asked.
“Hmm…” Samantha pondered, patting her pockets, shifting the baby in her arms. “Shit.” She snapped, her face going red.
“What?” Lizbeth asked.
“My picture. I had a picture of him, it’s the only one I had. I left it back there at the damn house.” She said, obviously distraught. Lizbeth could see her eye going glassy as they watered. “It’s all I had left.” Laken seemed to only ponder for a moment, looking on as Samantha began to break down in front of her.
“Wait.” Laken said, as she reached into one of the many pockets on her vest. She pulled out a folded piece of paper. With clumsy hands, she unfolded it, looked at it for a moment, then spun it around to face Samantha. “Is this Marcus?” She asked.
Samantha looked at the picture, Lizbeth did too. On the left stood Laken herself, looking not much different than she did now. Same short hair, muscular body. The only difference was her eyes, in the picture, her eyes were different somehow. They looked like they saw hope, joy, like they hadn’t seen the horrors of the world yet like they did now.
Beside her stood a man, easily taller than her. He was just as muscular as Laken, his hair short. His eyes blue. The same blue as Samantha’s eyes. He stood tall, his arm resting on Laken’s shoulder as she stood with her rifle in her hands. Both sporting their uniforms. Both looked like the worst hadn’t hit them yet.
“T… That’s him.” Samantha stuttered, her fingers brushing the image.
“Take it, it means more to you.” Laken said as she placed it in her hands.
“A-are you sure?” Samantha asked. Laken nodded.
“That picture was taken just days before my accident. If you would’ve saw me afterwards, you wouldn’t have been able to recognize me.” She laughed. Samantha shook her head.
“How did you know Marcus?” She asked.
“I was stationed at the same base as him.” Laken said. “He was one of the good ones.”
“He was.” Samantha agreed. Lizbeth felt a yawn crawling out, only now realizing that it was getting late. She noticed that more of the group had gone to sleep. It was only Laken, Rossi, Josh, Samantha and herself awake at this point.
Choice
[Sleep]
[Stay awake]
Tegan Marsh
She had to admit, about a month ago she was afraid of the Wasteland. Now? Now she was terrified of it.
She wasn’t in the bad part, no. She avoided going to the great plains region, instead being sold to a man up the Mississippi, in Minnesota.
Somedays she thought of running, trying to make it back down the Mississippi back to the Georgia area. But she knew she wouldn’t make it that far. They’d hunt her, they’d kill her. She’d never see home again, and she just became used to it.
She just hoped that the man that sold her away got what he deserved in the end. Chase Hernandez, she hoped he died.
She watched her breath curl upwards. It was cold outside, colder than she was used to. She wore a grey hoodie underneath her black leather jacket in a feeble attempt to block the cold, but to no avail. It seemed to rip right through her.
She was happy for the gloves, made of black leather, as they kept her finger from freezing off. Her gun hung haphazardly at her side. It was just a mac 10 that they shoved in her hands and sent her to the gates. She didn’t argue. She knew better.
Her conditioning taught her many things. Don’t talk back, don’t question authority, don’t step out of line, don’t break the rules. Fall in or die. Strength through forced unity. Just do what they say, and the pain will end.
She once thought of turning her gun on those that gave it to her, but knew better. She’d be dead before her bullets could even hit her target.
So now she stood, leaning against a brick wall, gazing out down the street. Her hand nervously dove into the pocket of her black skinny jeans, pulling out a small carton. She flipped open the lid, and sighed. Only one left.
She took it, throwing the box aside as she nervously tapped the cigarette against her hand. Her other hand went digging into her jacket pocket, pulling out a gold plated lighter. She stuck the cigarette between her lips and flipped the lighter open, watching a flame spark upwards into the frigid air.
The second the smoke hit her lungs, it was like slipping into a restful sleep. Her heart slowed, her hands quit shaking, and she could think again.
She quit smoking long ago, before all this. What changed? The apocalypse. The kidnapping, the slavery in the Wasteland. Out here, cigarettes are as cheap as water.
Her pale blue eyes fixated out into the street as she ran a hand through her short black hair that ceased before her shoulders. She saw a shadow looming on the horizon, and adjusted her glasses on her nose to get a better look. A single deer stood still in the middle of the road up ahead, looking right at her.
For a moment neither moved, just stood still. Tegan could see smoke rising every time the deer took a breath. It was too cold to exist. Then, she watched the animal scamper off the other side of the road and disappear into the brush.
“You should’ve shot it.” A voice spoke, nearly making her jump. She spun around and saw a man standing next to her, he loomed over her as he was a tall man. She herself was in no way short, just never tall. He looked at her for a moment, she could tell he was trying to find her name.
His name was Tyler, he worked for the owner of this town. Well, technically he was his son. He wasn’t a bad guy, but she had no want to be his friend. But he always came to her, only because she would actually listen and talk to him, unlike everyone else in this town. He was just a teen looking for friends, and the only one he had was a slave from Georgia, how sad.
“Tegan.” He finally deduced.
“Tyler.” She said, he sighed.
“You’re a hard one to find, you know that?” He asked. She shrugged.
“I don’t really try.” She said.
“You look just like a guy, I keep walking up to the wrong guard thinking it’s you.” He said. She sighed, she’d always been conscious about her physique, she never had curves like other women. Anytime anyone brought it up, it always sent her into a pit of self-pity. “Sorry.” He quickly added. She shook her head.
“It’s fine.” She said. “You should probably get inside. It’s too cold to be out here.”
“You’re out here, aren’t you?” He asked. She sighed.
“That’s because I was sold to your father. My life no longer belongs to me.” She said.
“If you can be out here, so can I.” He said. “My father’s an ass. People aren’t something that should be bought and sold.”
“At least someone in the family has some smarts.” Tegan remarked.
“I’m nothing like my father, and he doesn’t understand that. He wants me to take over this town once he’s too old, and I don’t want to. He’s doesn’t even care about me half the time. He arranged for me to date the chief of Denver’s daughter, she acts like I don’t even exist.” He said. “Do you know what it’s like to be ignored by someone you love?” He asked. Tegan sighed, puffing the cigarette as she stared southwards, the way the Mississippi flows.
“Yes.” She responded, with a sigh.
“Really? I didn’t think anyone liked you.” He said, then instantly slapped his face. “Sorry, I said that wrong. Just… Go on.” He said, his face red.
“Somewhere out there-“ Tegan said, pointing with the cigarette in her hand. “Is my girlfriend. She was a big figure in politics and activism, practically leading the strike against corrupt business practices… She knew how to bring people together, all kinds of people. But, she thought that if they knew she was gay nobody would take her seriously as an activist.” She stuck the cigarette between her lips once more. “So… she pretty much ignored me most of the time. Acted like I didn’t exist.” She said.
Tyler looked at her, narrowing his eyes.
“I didn’t know that about you.” He said.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” She said.
“Did your parents suck too?” He asked. She nodded.
“My parents sent me to a mental hospital.” She said.
“Seriously?” He asked.
“They though homosexuality was some sort of mental illness.” She said.
“That’s… Sick. That’s horrible. Who would do something like that?” He asked.
“Lots of people.” She responded. There was a moment of silence.
“Do you think you’ll ever see her again?” He asked. “Your girlfriend, I mean?”
“She dragged my ass from New York to Georgia. I’m not ready to give up yet.” He nodded.
“You’re a good person, Tegan.” He said. “I hope you know that.”
“If you think I’m a good person, you’ve got the wrong idea.” She responded.
“No, you’re a lot better than most of the people here. You’re…” He trailed.
“I’m soft.” She said. “Your father said so.”
“No.” He corrected. “You’re human, and you’re not afraid of it.”
“What does that mean?” She asked. He looked her dead in the eye.
“If I was going to run away, would you come with me?” He asked. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, her mind instantly switched. This was a test. His father had put him up to this.
“K-2-7, do you copy?” A voice crackled over her radio before she could even respond. She grabbed the radio from her pocket.
“K-2-7 responding.” She spoke.
“Your shift’s over. Get to the hall before you freeze.” They said.
“Copy.” She said. She looked back towards Tyler, only to see that he was gone. “Son of a bitch.” She mumbled as she began walking. Halfway down the street, she took the cigarette from her lips. She looked at what was left of it with a sigh, that was the last one for the week. She quickly took oe of her gloves off, She grimaced as she pressed the cigarette against the palm of her hand, extinguishing it. She had multiple of such burns covering her hand. It was just one small way of reminding herself that she was still alive. One small way of saying she still controlled her life.
The second she pushed through the doors of the hall, she lifted her hands above her head and waited patiently as she was checked, her mac 10 removed, her pistol lifted from her. Her lighter taken and all stowed away, to be given back next time she left.
“K-2-7, right on time.” Spoke an all too familiar voice that sent shivers up her spine, both of fear and exhilaration.
“Yes sir.” She responded as the man stepped forwards. He wore a lab coat, plastic gloves and a surgical mask. He treated everyone here like they had some sort of disease he didn’t want. Her heart began racing as she saw the syringe in his hand.
“You’ve done good today, braving the cold.” He said, she nodded.
“Happy to do it, sir.” She said. She could tell that even behind the mask he had a sick smile.
“Hold still, little bird.” He said, moving close to her. She felt his hands on her neck, “This will pinch a little.” He said just a she felt the familiar sting of the needle tearing into her flesh. He quickly released the needle’s contents and pulled it out.
Her eyes instantly rolled back into her head as her knees buckled beneath her, she began falling forwards but someone caught her. A sense of relief overcame her as she melted into the arms of whoever it was holding her.
She felt herself being dragged away, but in her drugged up state, she didn’t care. The person dragging her took her out of the main room and into an adjacent room full of bunks. They threw her into one face-down. She turned her head slowly, looking at the one that’d carried her.
His face was blurry, as was everything else. She was numb, her vision beginning to fade. She saw his hand digging into his pocket. He pulled out a carton of cigarettes, throwing it onto the bed where she lay.
“You’re going to need these more than I am.” He muttered as he walked away. The thundering of his boots on the wooden floor became her lullaby as she slipped away into a drug-enduced sleep.
As was her daily routine since the day she arrived here.
“She dragged my ass from New York to Georgia. I’m not ready to give up yet.” He nodded.
“You’re a good person, Tegan.” He said. “I hope y… moreou know that.”
“If you think I’m a good person, you’ve got the wrong idea.” She responded.
“No, you’re a lot better than most of the people here. You’re…” He trailed.
“I’m soft.” She said. “Your father said so.”
“No.” He corrected. “You’re human, and you’re not afraid of it.”
“What does that mean?” She asked. He looked her dead in the eye.
“If I was going to run away, would you come with me?” He asked. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, her mind instantly switched. This was a test. His father had put him up to this.
“K-2-7, do you copy?” A voice crackled over her radio before she could even respond. She grabbed the radio from her pocket.
“K-2-7 responding.” She spoke.
“Your shift’s over. Get to the hall before you freeze.” They said.
“Copy.” She said. She looked back towa… [view original content]
Now, perhaps I'm just too paranoid here, but there is this Dragonfly arse somewhere out there and I'm still afraid he could stumble upon the group. The more people are awake, the less likely it is that he could successfully ambush them. Thinking about it, I'm almost certainly too paranoid here, but it can't hurt to have another pair of eyes awake.
Great part by the way! I enjoyed Laken's connection to Marcus, I did not see that one coming. She's really growing on me quickly, I certainly liked this interaction between her and Sammy. The other PoV's were nice as well. Tegan seems interesting and I really like Isabelle here in this part. After the build-up, I'm curious to meet this Chase guy.
“She dragged my ass from New York to Georgia. I’m not ready to give up yet.” He nodded.
“You’re a good person, Tegan.” He said. “I hope y… moreou know that.”
“If you think I’m a good person, you’ve got the wrong idea.” She responded.
“No, you’re a lot better than most of the people here. You’re…” He trailed.
“I’m soft.” She said. “Your father said so.”
“No.” He corrected. “You’re human, and you’re not afraid of it.”
“What does that mean?” She asked. He looked her dead in the eye.
“If I was going to run away, would you come with me?” He asked. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, her mind instantly switched. This was a test. His father had put him up to this.
“K-2-7, do you copy?” A voice crackled over her radio before she could even respond. She grabbed the radio from her pocket.
“K-2-7 responding.” She spoke.
“Your shift’s over. Get to the hall before you freeze.” They said.
“Copy.” She said. She looked back towa… [view original content]
I enjoyed Laken's connection to Marcus, I did not see that one coming.
I was just reading through her backstory and was like 'wait, they were both in the marines weren't they?' And I thought it would be cool to have some sort of reckoning back to Marcus after all this time.
After the build-up, I'm curious to meet this Chase guy.
[Stay awake]
Now, perhaps I'm just too paranoid here, but there is this Dragonfly arse somewhere out there and I'm still afraid he could … morestumble upon the group. The more people are awake, the less likely it is that he could successfully ambush them. Thinking about it, I'm almost certainly too paranoid here, but it can't hurt to have another pair of eyes awake.
Great part by the way! I enjoyed Laken's connection to Marcus, I did not see that one coming. She's really growing on me quickly, I certainly liked this interaction between her and Sammy. The other PoV's were nice as well. Tegan seems interesting and I really like Isabelle here in this part. After the build-up, I'm curious to meet this Chase guy.
Cold. Hard. Uncomfortable and rickety, all these words could be used to describe the bed she now slept in. But anymore, it was the best bed she knew.
She remembered a long time ago, back before all this, she’d had someone. It was easier to sleep back then, a heart beating next to hers. Not always having to sleep in fear of never waking. Yeah, even when she was with her she felt alone, abandoned, but at least she wasn’t actually alone.
Now was the kind of time that made her think of everything that’d led up to now. She remembered her first day she arrived here, over a few month ago. The first day is known as processing, the first week is conditioning.
She remembered shambling off the boat onto the landing, wearing her old NYIT hoodie and soccer sweats. They were lined up, there was about twenty or more of them in totally on that day. A man in a lab coat walked down the row, scrutinizing the features of each and every person. Every so often he’d stop and take a note, or mark someone.
Then he got to her, his eyes stopping on her hoodie. A smile formed at his lips.
“What do we have here?” He asked. Tegan refused to meet his gaze. She felt his cold hands under her chin, bringing her face close to his. “My son graduated from NYIT” She then had suggested he go do something that was anatomically impossible. He laughed, she saw he’d marked her on his list.
In total he’d picked five of them. The five of them were stolen away from the rest, rushed into a room and locked in together. Three of them were men, only one other woman. Will, Yakim, Zach and Hannah were their names. The Hasting’s Five.
One by one, they came. They grabbed one of them and dragged them away, what happened on the other side of the door, she didn’t know until they came for her. They grabbed her, lifted her on her feet and began taking her away, she thought she was about to die. She looked back at Yakim one last time before the door shut.
Three guards and the doctor were right beside her. She was desperate, looking for a way out. The guard on her left had his pistol hanging in the open. She grabbed it, turned it on the doctor. Then she pulled the trigger. He should’ve been dead, but he smiled.
“Little bird, you’ve failed your first test.” He spoke, soullessly, emotionlessly. “Gentlemen, kindly teach her.” He went on. It was only a few seconds before the first blow hit, she was sent sprawling onto the ground, but they kept hitting her. She saw the bottom of a black boot sailing down above her face, then nothing.
She awoke in a white-washed room, chained to a chair that resembled the kind you’d see at a dentists. She struggled and fought, but the door opened and the doctor walked in again, accompanied by another man.
“You’re awake, that’s good.” He said. “That means we can continue onto step two.” He said, saying step two as if this was some sort of recovery plan for addicts. The man that had accompanied him in the room stepped behind her, she tried to turn to look but couldn’t. He ran a hand through her then long hair, with a sigh.
She fought, long and hard. She kept kicking ad trying to escape, but he accomplished his task. By then end of it, the floor was covered in a sea of her hair, leaving her head bare. The doctor looked at her like she was a puzzle.
“It’s okay to cry, little bird.” He told her. Her cold glare was all he got. He nodded as nothing happened. “At first I wasn’t sure why I chose you, but now I know. You’re a fighter.” He said. “Garret, it’s time.”
“Time for what?” Tegan demanded. The doctor looked at her, eyes kind. The other man left the room.
“The way we get our newcomers to obey our rules around here… The process takes time, something we can’t afford. So, I’ve been employed to find a quicker way.” He said. He held out his hand and waited, seconds later, Garret handed him a needle full of an off-colored liquid. “This is something me and few others cooked up in a lab, they’ve told me the first dose is the worst. Your body will reject it, fight it, but then it will get used to it and begin craving it. Then you’ll become addicted, then you won’t be able to function without it.” He explained. Her eyes widened, step two wasn’t some sort of addict recovery program. It was a program to make an addict.
Her eyes rolled back, her body began convulsing, her head was dizzy, feeling drained from her body as she felt her blood turn into liquid fire surging through her veins, she felt her heart beating wildly out of her chest as the light faded into black.
Over the next few days it was the same, a test. Wrong choice, you got a beating until you wished you were dead. Then they moved on to the drug, one shot a day slightly increasing the dosage.
She was the only survivor by the end of it. Will killed himself on day three. Yakim strangled a guard to death and was promptly executed on day five, Zach was shot while trying to run on day four. Hannah died on day one after her body rejected the drug. Day seven rolled around, and Tegan was no longer herself, she was a slave to whatever it was pumping through her veins.
She no longer responded to her name, she was only K-2-7. The number she was given for the tests. Now a mindless zombie, she was trained as such. She’d do anything to get one more dose. She trained, drilled, executed, she was a good dog to her master.
K-2-7 had completed her training weeks before any of the others. Therefore, it was a minor success, scratch the fact that four out of the five died in the process.
She went day by day doing grueling tasks like constructing barricades and guard duty in the biting cold, making sure none of the infected reached the town. It took her awhile to get back to even being relatively human.
She remembered the day she met Tyler. It was a warmer day than most of the recent days had been. She was standing on the edge of town, gun in hand, listening to the mighty Mississippi when he appeared.
“Wanna swim?” He’d asked. She’d stared at him for a minute as if he’d spoken a foreign language. “I asked you a question.” Even after that it took her a moment to put a cognitive sentence together.
“It’s too cold.” She spoke. He shrugged.
“It won’t get much warmer, let’s go.” He said. She shook her head.
“I can’t swim.” She said. He looked at her oddly for a moment before leaning back against the wall beside her. It was about that time she extinguished the cigarette she’d been smoking in her hand. He offered her a hand.
“My name’s Tyler. What’s yours?” He asked. She took his hand awkwardly and shook.
“K-2-7.” She said. He laughed.
“No, you’re real name.” He said, she stared at him for a moment. And his face wet slack. “You have a name, right?” He asked, as if genuinely concerned.
“T-“ She began but stopped. She didn’t know who she was, not anymore. Tegan was someone else, someone that died long ago.
“Go on.” He coaxed. Her lips moved, making no words. He waited, she didn’t answer.
“Tegan.” She managed. He nodded.
“Tegan.” He said. And that was that. That was the beginning of the end. Right there and then. Trust. That’s all it took. One conversation led to a little trust. She trusted him, he trusted her. She would never admit to it, however.
“If I was going to run away, would you come with me?” He asked her. Trust. He trusted her with the question, she brushed it off because of fear. Now it was her turn to trust, to have faith that he needed her. Was she going to do that? Was she willing to do that?
Choice
[Trust Tyler]
[Don’t trust him]
Aspen Diaz
The truck slowed to a stop. The family kept their distance, hands in the air.
“Are you armed?” Aspen shouted from the truck.
“Of course we are!” The father shouted back. Aspen looked back at Raven, who shrugged.
“Where are you headed?” She asked.
“Anywhere but here.” He responded.
“South?” She asked.
“Better than here.” He said. Aspen killed the engine and threw the door open, stepping out. She looked over the group, she took note of the girl. Her hair was long and black, reaching her waist. Her eyes were brown with a certain pain in them, the pain of loss. Not only losing someone or something, but the pain of losing yourself. She had pale skin, now that Aspen was closer, she could tell that she was maybe a little older than just a kid. Maybe in her later teens.
She waited a moment, Raven limped up beside her. She looked them over, scrutinizing them with a passion. She especially took interest in the girl, who wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“Can we have a ride? We don’t have much, but we can share what we have.” The man said. Aspen looked at Raven.
“What do we do?” She asked. Raven looked back at them.
“We’ll give you a ride. I’m driving. The girl stays in the cab with me. The rest of you are in the back with Aspen.” Raven decided.
“What?” Aspen asked.
“No way.” The man spoke. “My girl is going to stay with me.”
“No dice.” Raven said as she turned and began limping back towards the truck. “Aspen, let’s go.” She said.
“Wait.” The man said. Raven stopped. “She’ll ride with you, but please, just don’t hurt my girl.”
“Not my intentions in the slightest.” Raven said as she continued on her way to the truck. “Climb in the back.” She told them. Aspen followed close behind her, stopping her at the truck.
“Whatever you’re doing here, I want to know.” Aspen said.
“I need to talk to the girl.” She said. Aspen shook her head.
“Just… Don’t hurt her.” Aspen said.
“I already said that wasn’t part of my plan.” She said. Aspen shook her head with a sigh. Then she continued on her way to the back of the truck.
Raven Lee
She waited for a minute, the girl joined her in the cab. She heard a knocking on the back of the truck, everyone was secure. She started the engine and the truck began crawling down the road.
They drove in silence, neither one starting a conversation. They’d traveled about ten miles before she spoke up.
“What’s your name?” Raven asked.
“What happened to your eye?” She countered.
“Why don’t you answer the question?” Raven asked.
“Answer mine and maybe I’ll answer yours.” She said. Raven grumbled.
“It got stabbed out while I was being held prisoner in a bunker.” She said.
“So you’re not Ohioan.” She said.
“You’re not either anymore.” Raven said. She sighed.
“I never was.” She grumbled.
“What’s your name?” Raven asked again.
“Amber Drake.” She said.
“Raven Lee.” She said.
“What’s with the questions?” Amber asked.
“I know what’s going on.” She said. “I could tell from the moment I saw you. You’re hiding something.” Amber’s face changed, it turned from offensive and confident to defensive and reserved.
“I’m not hiding anything.” She said.
“I can heard the edge in your voice, there’s something you don’t want me to know.” She said. “I saw how you stood there when you were with your family, you didn’t feel safe. I saw the relief on your face when I asked for you to ride with me up here.”
“There’s nothing.” Amber insisted.
“If that’s the case, then you wouldn’t mind if I pulled over and let Aspen back up here and sent you back there with them?” Raven countered. She went silent. “I thought so. So tell me, what is it? What’s the dark family secret? You folks murderers? Were you kidnapped by them? What is it?”
“I was adopted by them. Before the apocalypse.” She said.
“Then can you explain something to me?” She asked.
“What?” Amber asked.
“It’s not that cold outside. What’s with all the layers?” She asked.
“I like it that way.” Amber countered.
“Yeah?” Raven asked. “Let me see your stomach.”
“What? Hell no.” Amber snapped. “creep.”
“Then I’ll just pull over here and let you and your family out, and you can explain why they all just lost their ride.” Raven said. Amber sighed.
“I hope you go to hell.” She grumbled.
“I’m sure I will.” Raven responded. She lifted her shirt, showing the skin of her stomach. It was purple and bruised, swollen. “I bet you have a good bullshit story on what caused that.”
“Before we met you we ran into bandits in the woods.” She said. “One of them took a swing and got me pretty good.” She explained. Raven nodded.
“Mind if I tell you a story, Amber?” Raven asked. She shrugged.
“You don’t seem to care what I want anyways.” She said.
“Good answer.” Raven said. “Once upon a time, the apocalypse began. There was a young woman who thought she knew what she was doing, she got lost in the woods she thought she knew and nearly starved to death. But along came a knight in shining armor to save her. He helped her back on her feet, but when it came time for her to leave he turned on her. He locked her in a room for months, using her as if she were just some sort of toy to be played with. One day, he left to go hunting and she kicked the door down and ran. She ran right into the army, which she ended up joining, and later ended up deserting. And now she’s sitting in a truck somewhere, telling a story to someone who won’t tell the truth.” She said.
“Nice story.” Amber said. “But it doesn’t change what happened.”
“I think it does.” Raven said. “I think it makes me and you quite the same.”
“It doesn’t.” She said.
“Your parents hit you. Your father probably does worse.” Raven said. Amber’s eyes widened.
“How did you know-“ She spit out, before being able to catch herself. “I mean-“
“Stop the lies.” Raven said, “I want to truth.” Silence filled the cab again.
“It’s been happening like this most of my life.” She said, solemnly. Defeated. “I was an unwanted child give up for adoption. I was bounced around in foster care for a long time, each one just as bad as the last. They’d just hit me, for no reason. Sometimes they’d keep going until I was out, sometimes longer. They’ve… done things to me that I’d rather not talk about…” She said. Raven nodded. Her mind trailed back to long ago. A choice she was given.
She’d run, joined the CDC army. She was a broken mess, barely able to talk or eat or be human. Aspen knew what happened. Aspen knew everything about her. One day a group of soldiers showed up and loaded her into a truck, they drove for a long time and then they stopped, seemingly in a random place.
They marched out into the woods, leading her through the trees until they found a cabin, one with a broken door. They walked in. Inside there was a guard hovering over a man who was tied down to a chair. The same man that’d broken her.
That was the choice they’d given her. Forgiveness, kindness, or revenge. Justice. She didn’t even blink as they put a bullet between his eyes. Her only wish was that they would’ve drawn it out longer. That was the beginning of a new life for her, not a who she was. Not as the broken woman. But as a solider, she reshaped herself to be a soldier from that day on.
Tegan Marsh
Cold. Hard. Uncomfortable and rickety, all these words could be used to describe the bed she now slept in. But anymore, it wa… mores the best bed she knew.
She remembered a long time ago, back before all this, she’d had someone. It was easier to sleep back then, a heart beating next to hers. Not always having to sleep in fear of never waking. Yeah, even when she was with her she felt alone, abandoned, but at least she wasn’t actually alone.
Now was the kind of time that made her think of everything that’d led up to now. She remembered her first day she arrived here, over a few month ago. The first day is known as processing, the first week is conditioning.
She remembered shambling off the boat onto the landing, wearing her old NYIT hoodie and soccer sweats. They were lined up, there was about twenty or more of them in totally on that day. A man in a lab coat walked down the row, scrutinizing the features of each and every pe… [view original content]
Oh man, it must really suck to be Tegan She already has my heartfelt sympathy. Anyways, while I believe this could be yet another test, I also believe it could be important for her, to retain a bit of herself. Obviously, since this seems to be part of her memories, she won't manage to run away (or perhaps she hasn't yet tried). Still though, I think she should trust him, or else she might even start to loose the will to escape.
[Give her the choice]
I agree with Mathea on this, it should be interesting to see what she's going to do.
Tegan Marsh
Cold. Hard. Uncomfortable and rickety, all these words could be used to describe the bed she now slept in. But anymore, it wa… mores the best bed she knew.
She remembered a long time ago, back before all this, she’d had someone. It was easier to sleep back then, a heart beating next to hers. Not always having to sleep in fear of never waking. Yeah, even when she was with her she felt alone, abandoned, but at least she wasn’t actually alone.
Now was the kind of time that made her think of everything that’d led up to now. She remembered her first day she arrived here, over a few month ago. The first day is known as processing, the first week is conditioning.
She remembered shambling off the boat onto the landing, wearing her old NYIT hoodie and soccer sweats. They were lined up, there was about twenty or more of them in totally on that day. A man in a lab coat walked down the row, scrutinizing the features of each and every pe… [view original content]
Tegan Marsh
Cold. Hard. Uncomfortable and rickety, all these words could be used to describe the bed she now slept in. But anymore, it wa… mores the best bed she knew.
She remembered a long time ago, back before all this, she’d had someone. It was easier to sleep back then, a heart beating next to hers. Not always having to sleep in fear of never waking. Yeah, even when she was with her she felt alone, abandoned, but at least she wasn’t actually alone.
Now was the kind of time that made her think of everything that’d led up to now. She remembered her first day she arrived here, over a few month ago. The first day is known as processing, the first week is conditioning.
She remembered shambling off the boat onto the landing, wearing her old NYIT hoodie and soccer sweats. They were lined up, there was about twenty or more of them in totally on that day. A man in a lab coat walked down the row, scrutinizing the features of each and every pe… [view original content]
Obviously, since this seems to be part of her memories, she won't manage to run away (or perhaps she hasn't yet tried).
Oh. The choice was for her in the present time, even though the part was in her past. I probably should've explained that somehow, sorry for the confusion.
[Trust Tyler]
Oh man, it must really suck to be Tegan She already has my heartfelt sympathy. Anyways, while I believe this could be yet … moreanother test, I also believe it could be important for her, to retain a bit of herself. Obviously, since this seems to be part of her memories, she won't manage to run away (or perhaps she hasn't yet tried). Still though, I think she should trust him, or else she might even start to loose the will to escape.
[Give her the choice]
I agree with Mathea on this, it should be interesting to see what she's going to do.
Tegan Marsh
Cold. Hard. Uncomfortable and rickety, all these words could be used to describe the bed she now slept in. But anymore, it wa… mores the best bed she knew.
She remembered a long time ago, back before all this, she’d had someone. It was easier to sleep back then, a heart beating next to hers. Not always having to sleep in fear of never waking. Yeah, even when she was with her she felt alone, abandoned, but at least she wasn’t actually alone.
Now was the kind of time that made her think of everything that’d led up to now. She remembered her first day she arrived here, over a few month ago. The first day is known as processing, the first week is conditioning.
She remembered shambling off the boat onto the landing, wearing her old NYIT hoodie and soccer sweats. They were lined up, there was about twenty or more of them in totally on that day. A man in a lab coat walked down the row, scrutinizing the features of each and every pe… [view original content]
When her eyes opened, she wasn’t alarmed to see that Tyler was right next to her. He stood next to the bed she was sprawled on, probing her with his eyes.
“Morning sunshine.” He mocked her. “Had a bad dream?” She shook her head with a sigh.
“No.” She responded. He raised an eyebrow.
“Sounded like you did.” He responded.
“This life is a bad dream.” She said. “What happens inside my mind doesn’t matter.”
“I think it’s what happens in our minds that matters the most.” He said. She slowly sat up, blinking away the black spots that formed in her vision.
“Tyler, when you ran off yesterday I never got the chance to answer your question.” She said. He shifted back a little as he continued looking at her with his beady eyes.
“I understand, you don’t trust me. It’s not something I should’ve even said. Let’s just pretend it never happened, alright?” He asked. She shook her head.
“No, it’s not that.” She said. Then she went silent. She felt like her old self, trying to grab words from the rivers that flowed through her mind and form just one cohesive sentence. “I want to go.” She said. “I want to leave this place, I want to go home.” She said. Tyler stood still for a moment before he sat down on the bed that was beside her.
“Where is home?” He asked. She bit her lip, he looked at the ground. Both knew she had no answer to that question.
“I don’t know.” Was all she could say. He sighed.
“I know where to start.” He said.
“Where would that be?” She asked.
“South. Back to where you came from.” He said. “It’s the perfect plan, we can follow the Mississippi all the way to the gulf if we have to.”
“When do we leave?” She asked. He thought for a second.
“I thought it was only going to be me going, so I have to get some supplies for you. But…” He trailed thinking. Improvising.
“I’m on duty again the morning. They’ll give me my gun and you can meet me at the south wall, we can leave before the sun comes up.” She said. He nodded, his eyes not hiding the fact that within his mind he was still running the plan through a series of worst case scenarios.
“It can work, It has to work.” He said.
“It’s our only chance.” She said. “We leave before the sun comes up, flee south as far as we can and then we can…” She trailed, unable to finish her plan.
“Let’s take this one day at a time, Tegan.” He responded. She nodded.
“It’s our only choice from here.” She said.
“I’ll see you at the wall in an hour.” He said. She nodded, and like that he was gone. She was alone again. She sighed, the cold sinking in again. It was time for her to go back out again, she couldn’t fight it. The drug had become part of her, it told her what to do. She could only pray that she could make it long enough to get out of dodge without it.
Then she remembered something, her hand searched the bed next to her, brushing over a small box next to her. She shoved it quickly into her pocket. She almost hated herself for giving in so readily to something she beat so long ago, but given the circumstances she though it was more than acceptable.
She walked out, down the hallway back to the main room. The same man stood at the door as before, he looked at her with his cold brown eyes. He conveyed no emotion as he spoke.
“Are you heading out?” He asked.
“I have perimeter duty on the south wall.” She responded. He nodded. She received her pistol, her lighter and her sub machine gun and stowed them away. She pressed through the doors into the cold of the early morning. The sun had yet to rise, and wouldn’t for a few more hours at least.
The cold reminded her of a place she used to know, a place she used to call home once upon a time. It wasn’t like this kind of cold, the bitter cold she faced daily. It was more of a refreshing kind of cold that kept you awake. The New York kind of cold, the one that was ever present in the early morning but slowly dwindled as the sun rose.
She could remember the apartment she lived in, high above the city below. She herself would’ve never been able to afford a place as fancy as that, but it wasn’t her paying. It was always Kat, her wealth she’d obtained from her family was more than abundant.
But she also remembered the silence that filled that apartment, the endless nothingness of being alone. Kat would leave for weeks at a time, she’d have to stay in New York all alone. The sound of the traffic was her only comfort.
She remembered one day, she’d just been here alone like many of days before, but it was different somehow. She felt it. She sat on the couch, the TV on in front of her. She’d been preoccupied playing some video game all afternoon, she couldn’t even remember the name anymore.
Her cell phone had rung repeatedly throughout the day, every time it’d been Kat calling her. Never once did she answer. She regretted not answering the phone. It wasn’t that she was mad at Kat for leaving her alone like that, it was just that she felt the pit forming in her stomach then than she did the love that was in her heart. Kat had gone out to Albany for some protest rally against some big corporation that’d been destroying the ecosystem and covering up some crooked deals.
Tegan had all the Emails on her computer, she’d hacked them long ago. For a top of the line business machine, their security sucked. In reality, Tegan had done all the hacking. But it wasn’t accredited to her because the world really didn’t know she existed. It’d been Kat that had first asked her to hack one of the corporate databases, it was easy for her. It came natural. Hacking almost felt like some sort of pastime to her, just like football or soccer. She used to play soccer long ago, before her parents had forced her away from her home into a mental institute. She hoped that wherever they were, they were feeling her pain.
She heard a noise outside the door, and she turned her attention away from the TV as she came barreling in. Kat threw open the door and rushed in, Tegan could see fear in her steely blue eyes. Her auburn hair was a mess, she was breathing heavily.
“What’s wrong?” Tegan asked. Kat could barely answer.
“We have to go, they’re coming.” She said. Tegan furrowed her brow.
“Who’s coming?” She asked.
“The police, they know who’s been hacking the databases.” She said, running her hands through her hair as she paced around the polished wood floor. Tegan realized what she was getting at.
“And they think it’s you.” She deducted. Kat sat down on the couch, Tegan took a seat next to her, wrapping her arms around her.
“What are we going to do?” Kat asked, nearly crying. “I can’t go to prison.” Tegan kissed her on the cheek as she buried her head into her shoulder.
“We’ll find a way, we always have.” She said.
“They know, Tegan. They know.” She said.
“But it was actually me, not you.” Tegan said. She felt Kat stiffen suddenly as she looked her in the eye.
“What are you saying?” She asked.
“You’re not going to go to prison.” Tegan said, nervously biting her lip. “I am.”
“No.” Kat snapped almost immediately. “You can’t do that.”
“I confess that it was me, and they’ll have no other choice than to leave you alone. All you have to do is just keep doing what you’ve been doing ever since you met me.” Tegan said.
“What’s that?” Kat asked, sounding confused.
“Just keep acting like I don’t exist.” Tegan said. She could see the pain flaring up in her eyes.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.” She said.
“You’ll have your time for sorry’s later.” Tegan said. “Right now, you need to go. And you need to stay out of the spotlight for a while. The police are going to come and take me away and I’m going to tell them everything. They’ll still watch you, but you’ll be safe.” Tegan pulled her up from the couch onto her feet.
“Don’t do this.” Kat begged.
“I was in a mental hospital for two years, that’s pretty much like being in prison already. I’ll be fine.” She said. “Worst case scenario, I get a few years in prison no chance of parole.”
“Why would you do that for me, after all I’ve done?” She asked, Tegan could see her rosy lips quivering as she held back tears.
“Because I love you.” Tegan said. “And love is stupid.” She pushed Kat away, towards the door. Kat took a few stumbling steps before she could even regain her posture. At the door she froze, looking back at Tegan. Tegan couldn’t take her eyes off her. She was as beautiful as a supermodel.
“I-“ She tried to find something to say, something more to add. There was nothing. This was the void where words became pointless. Any words said after that point would’ve fallen on deaf ears. The only thing that mattered was watching her linger, and then disappear.
Then she waited. She leaned back against the counter top, staring at the door. She didn’t flinch as the white door splintered into an explosion that canvased the entire room. She watched them charge in, but didn’t move. They surrounded her, she laced her fingers behind her head as she faced them.
“Took you long enough.” She scoffed. The next thing she knew she was on a prison bus, dressed in bright orange that clashed with her hair, which back then was a bright blue. She was jostled around in her seat as the guard glared them all down. She was wrong about one thing. The power of the corporate influence on the justice system. She was being sent to three years in a maximum security prison on charges of terrorism and internet hacking. She’d nearly forgotten the time she hacked the feed of an LEO and saw that an entire town was being moved on by terrorists in the middle east.
Apparently spreading the truth is also known as terrorism to some.
Just up ahead in the road, a group of three lumbered across the grass median and right into the street. The driver didn’t have enough time to stop, plowing right into them. He jerked the wheel, the bus turned sharply and flipped onto its side. Tegan was thrown across the bus, hitting her head on the wall where she blacked out.
And that was the first day of the apocalypse.
Lizbeth Morrison
She slept. The fatigue gnawed away at her and she gave in, slipping into sleep before too long.
She wished it was a restful sleep, though none was the case as her dreams that night were plagued with horrors. A night spent inside a small car the air freezing, her mother still by her side. Men on the highway, rummaging through garbage, finding a small car. The door jerked open, her mother fought back. A single shot ripped through the silence of night like a veil, ripping a hole in her heart. Three days locked in a cage, three days treated like an animal, a toy, not human. A hole in the cage, wedging herself though, a rifle laying on the ground. Two shots ripped through the air that night, though it wasn’t enough to fill the sinkhole in her heart formed by what those men had taken from her.
Then, a young girl wondering, lost in a place she didn’t know. Then a town, Athens Georgia. A man surrounded by infected, the one called Evan. A girl by then toughened by the world. She had no care in her mind as she killed the infected, she’d lost that part of her long ago. Then a man, no longer surrounded by infected. He had supplies, supplies she needed. A rifle in her hands, she wondered how far was to far as her finger tightened on the trigger.
But instead, she ran. Ran right into the man named Miller, the one who would become the fabric that would begin to sew the wound in her heart. The blood she lost on the highway was replaced by flesh, family to her was no longer genetics.
Then a cabin in the woods, ripped apart by bandits and a man she’d saved long ago. A man who’d lost part of himself he still fought to retain. Then an army, and new friends. Then a new life in a new place, safety for once in her life. Not feeling alone.
Then, the incident. A fight, disappearance. A knife tearing into her leg, she passed out. She woke up, and a new friend was found. A girl, who’d lost everything but insisted on still giving what she had left. A girl who had no home, no friends, no family, but instead felt confined within herself. Or so she had thought. From high in a belfry she was a group of people, struggling to stay alive. She put herself in danger to make sure they were taken care of. The one they called Eve.
She had to question it, her mind begged it.
Who was the one they called Lizeth Morrison?
“Hey, wake up.” A voice spoke. Her eyes fluttered open and next to her stood Miller, hovering over her with his hand on her shoulder jostling her from her sleep. She saw an orange circle burning its way through the darkness as it crested the horizon. “Rossi said it was time to move.” Lizbeth pushed herself up off the ground, brushing off the dirt and the leaves. Her leg hurt, a kind of numb pain. It was there, it was present, but it was retreating.
Lizbeth had noticed that everyone minus one was awake. Laken still lay sleeping on the ground, no one bothering to wake her. It was odd how she slept, hold her rifle against her chest as if letting it go would mean the death of her. It was Rossi himself that decided to wake her, he nudged her and called out to her asking her to wake. She grunted as her eyes opened.
It took her a moment to rejoin the living world, but Lizbeth could see something different in her eyes. The pained and broken woman she saw last night was no longer present, replaced by a fierce and determined one. She looked at the early sun and sighed,
“You should’ve waken me up earlier. Now it’ll be midday before we get to the compound.” She said, but shook her head. “But it’s all good. I came up with a plan on how we can get in there, without anyone noticing.” She kept going, Rossi tried to stop her though she refused to let him be heard. “I was thinking about it, we need a way in that we can’t be seen. And then it came to me, the sewers. We can go in and come up in the center of the compound and just take them out without them even knowing.” She said.
“Laken.” Rossi quickly said before she could continue.
“What?” She asked. “Don’t like the plan?” He shook his head.
“We’re not going back to the compound. We’re escaping.” He said. Her face went expressionless.
“But-“ She stammered, then looked over to Lizbeth. “You said you’d help me.” Lizbeth looked to the ground.
“It’s too dangerous, Laken. I’m sorry.” She said. Lizbeth could see a flame catching in her eye as she looked at Rossi.
“You bastard!” She yelled. “We made a promise and you want to just turn on it? Don’t you have any integrity?”
“It wasn’t just me, Laken.” Rossi said. “It was a decision we all made.”
“I can’t be mad at them. They didn’t know better. But you, I can sure as hell be mad at you, and I will be.” She said.
“Laken.”
“Just stop, okay?” She asked. “I don’t need it.” She angrily snatched her rifle off the ground and she glared at him.
“I’m sorry.” Lizbeth said. Laken looked at her, her eyes not filled with rage or hate or anything. They were void of emotion.
“Maybe one day I’ll accept your apology.” She said as she began walking away. She quickly disappeared into the brush.
“I guess we’re heading out?” Evan asked.
“I guess we are.” Rossi said as he followed through the brush after Laken. Lizbeth noticed that Josh had picked up Eve and was carrying her.
It wasn’t long before the sun illuminated the forest. It became easier to see, and easier to walk. Laken hadn’t spoken a word, she kept cutting away from the pack and trekking alone into the woods, surveying the area around them.
“It’s not your fault you know.” Said a voice. She looked over, seeing Josh. He’d recently handed Eve off to Miller.
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“I know you. I know you think it’s somehow your fault, like you could’ve done something to change this from happening.” He said. “There’s nothing you could’ve done.”
“I wasn’t blaming myself for anything.” She said, though deep in her heart she knew it was a lie.
“Eve getting shot didn’t have anything to do with you. This… This thing going on right now with Laken, she might not understand why we’re doing it right now, but someday she’ll understand.” He said.
“And what if she doesn’t?” She asked. He sighed as he looked ahead.
“We all cope in different ways.” He said. “She’ll just have to learn how to.”
“And what if I made the wrong decision? What if supporting Rossi and his choice to leave was the wrong choice?” She asked. He narrowed his eyes.
“It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks of a choice you make. As long as you think it’s the right choice, they can learn to deal.” Josh spoke.
“What if I don’t think it was the right choice?” She asked, he sighed.
“Welcome to life.” He sighed.
“Why did you decide to come talk to me?” She asked.
“Because like it or not, you’re a good person.” He said. “And I just didn’t want you to forget that.” She laughed.
“A good person?” She questioned. “who thinks that?”
“Me for starters. And Eve, Miller, Evan, Rebecca, Rossi, Samantha, and Laken too.” He said. “You’re just too hard on yourself. I’ve made that mistake before, and it changed me. I don’t want to watch it happen to you too. When you start forgetting that you’re the good guy, you become the bad guy.”
“When did you stop thinking you were a good guy?” She asked. He shook his head.
“I never thought I was one.” He answered. Then he laughed, it was a random laugh with no cause. Maybe a thought had floated through his mind, maybe a joke form long ago he just remembered.
“What’s funny?” She asked. He shrugged.
“Before the apocalypse, I was sure that I was going to become a pathologist. You know, study diseases and find out how they work, what makes a disease tick. And then find out how to kill it.” He said.
“So what’s the funny part?” She asked.
“The Infected are doing the exact same thing to us. The disease is figuring us out, studying us, finding out what makes a human a human, and then finding out how to stop that.” He said.
“That’s more scary than it is funny.” She remarked.
“What did you used to want to do?” He asked.
“Does it matter?” She asked.
“No. Just a question.” He said.
“I always wanted to do something outdoors.” She said. “Maybe something with the wildlife.” She said.
“Like a marine biologist?” He asked.
“No, more on land.” She said. “I wanted to be like Jane Goodall.” He smiled.
“Animals.” He remarked. “What’s your favorited animal?”
“Deer.” She answered. “I used to hunt them. What’s yours?”
“Promise you won’t laugh?” He asked.
“Promise.” She said.
“Turkey vultures.” He said.
“What? Why?” She asked.
“Because, they’re so under appreciated. People hate them for no reason, they just do what they’re meant to do. And people hate them because they’re alive.”
“They eat dead things.” Lizbeth said.
“If they didn’t eat the dead things, the dead things would pile up on the road and never go away.” He said. “Everything serves a purpose.” She nodded.
“Alright, now I get to ask you a question.” She said.
“Sure.” He said.
“Is Pluto a planet?” She asked. He smiled.
“Out of everything you could’ve asked, you chose that?” He asked. She nodded.
“It’s my question.” She said.
“Yes. It’s a planet.” He said. She smiled.
“I guess we do have something in common after all.” She said.
“Hold up guys.” Rossi spoke. “I think it’s time for a break, this looks like a good spot up ahead.”
“Should we really be stopping if you think we’re being followed?” Miller asked.
I'm still pretty sure this Dragonfly guy might stumble upon them, which is something I want to prevent at all cost. This guy sounds insanely dangerous and he is in the same area, so staying too long at one spot is a terrible idea in my opinion. There is also Chase and his people, quite probably the lesser evil in this case, who nonetheless pose a threat to the group. Getting all of them away from these sick bastards as far as possible is my priority at the moment.
Tegan Marsh
When her eyes opened, she wasn’t alarmed to see that Tyler was right next to her. He stood next to the bed she was sprawled o… moren, probing her with his eyes.
“Morning sunshine.” He mocked her. “Had a bad dream?” She shook her head with a sigh.
“No.” She responded. He raised an eyebrow.
“Sounded like you did.” He responded.
“This life is a bad dream.” She said. “What happens inside my mind doesn’t matter.”
“I think it’s what happens in our minds that matters the most.” He said. She slowly sat up, blinking away the black spots that formed in her vision.
“Tyler, when you ran off yesterday I never got the chance to answer your question.” She said. He shifted back a little as he continued looking at her with his beady eyes.
“I understand, you don’t trust me. It’s not something I should’ve even said. Let’s just pretend it never happened, alright?” He asked. She shook her head.
“No, it’s not that.” She said. Then … [view original content]
Tegan Marsh
When her eyes opened, she wasn’t alarmed to see that Tyler was right next to her. He stood next to the bed she was sprawled o… moren, probing her with his eyes.
“Morning sunshine.” He mocked her. “Had a bad dream?” She shook her head with a sigh.
“No.” She responded. He raised an eyebrow.
“Sounded like you did.” He responded.
“This life is a bad dream.” She said. “What happens inside my mind doesn’t matter.”
“I think it’s what happens in our minds that matters the most.” He said. She slowly sat up, blinking away the black spots that formed in her vision.
“Tyler, when you ran off yesterday I never got the chance to answer your question.” She said. He shifted back a little as he continued looking at her with his beady eyes.
“I understand, you don’t trust me. It’s not something I should’ve even said. Let’s just pretend it never happened, alright?” He asked. She shook her head.
“No, it’s not that.” She said. Then … [view original content]
Tegan Marsh
When her eyes opened, she wasn’t alarmed to see that Tyler was right next to her. He stood next to the bed she was sprawled o… moren, probing her with his eyes.
“Morning sunshine.” He mocked her. “Had a bad dream?” She shook her head with a sigh.
“No.” She responded. He raised an eyebrow.
“Sounded like you did.” He responded.
“This life is a bad dream.” She said. “What happens inside my mind doesn’t matter.”
“I think it’s what happens in our minds that matters the most.” He said. She slowly sat up, blinking away the black spots that formed in her vision.
“Tyler, when you ran off yesterday I never got the chance to answer your question.” She said. He shifted back a little as he continued looking at her with his beady eyes.
“I understand, you don’t trust me. It’s not something I should’ve even said. Let’s just pretend it never happened, alright?” He asked. She shook her head.
“No, it’s not that.” She said. Then … [view original content]
Tegan Marsh
When her eyes opened, she wasn’t alarmed to see that Tyler was right next to her. He stood next to the bed she was sprawled o… moren, probing her with his eyes.
“Morning sunshine.” He mocked her. “Had a bad dream?” She shook her head with a sigh.
“No.” She responded. He raised an eyebrow.
“Sounded like you did.” He responded.
“This life is a bad dream.” She said. “What happens inside my mind doesn’t matter.”
“I think it’s what happens in our minds that matters the most.” He said. She slowly sat up, blinking away the black spots that formed in her vision.
“Tyler, when you ran off yesterday I never got the chance to answer your question.” She said. He shifted back a little as he continued looking at her with his beady eyes.
“I understand, you don’t trust me. It’s not something I should’ve even said. Let’s just pretend it never happened, alright?” He asked. She shook her head.
“No, it’s not that.” She said. Then … [view original content]
Tegan Marsh
When her eyes opened, she wasn’t alarmed to see that Tyler was right next to her. He stood next to the bed she was sprawled o… moren, probing her with his eyes.
“Morning sunshine.” He mocked her. “Had a bad dream?” She shook her head with a sigh.
“No.” She responded. He raised an eyebrow.
“Sounded like you did.” He responded.
“This life is a bad dream.” She said. “What happens inside my mind doesn’t matter.”
“I think it’s what happens in our minds that matters the most.” He said. She slowly sat up, blinking away the black spots that formed in her vision.
“Tyler, when you ran off yesterday I never got the chance to answer your question.” She said. He shifted back a little as he continued looking at her with his beady eyes.
“I understand, you don’t trust me. It’s not something I should’ve even said. Let’s just pretend it never happened, alright?” He asked. She shook her head.
“No, it’s not that.” She said. Then … [view original content]
So, this is like the second time I've done this... But I'm doing it again. I'm going to step away for a little bit, maybe a week or more. I have a lot of stuff I need to get together and I need to get ready for school to start again and I need to get my thoughts in order and... Life. I need to get my life in order really. So, uh, I guess I leave you guys with a small list of questions like I always do when I run out of ideas if that's okay.
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
4.) Least favorite character and why?
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
6.) What do you like best about this story?
7.) What do you like least about this story?
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
(Just a heads up, I'll be posting this in my other story also. You don't have to answer both sets if you don't want to, this is purely voluntary. It's just a way for me to get feedback from you guys and see how I'm doing. Thanks muchly.)
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I enjoy the story a lot, especially due to a fact that I am the recent follower. I think my favorite part so far was one with Raven's flashbacks.
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
Least favorite? Not existing.
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
Raven and Aspen, because of their relationship they builded up. Their parts are always interesting to read and are filled with emotions.
4.) Least favorite character and why?
There is no least favorite character.
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
I guess they will fall in another troubles soon enough, especially after reading about Chase.
6.) What do you like best about this story?
The special dark vibe it's giving.
7.) What do you like least about this story?
That parts appear rarely.
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
Newest character Tegan seems to be in indirect danger. I have a bad feeling about the recent choice concerning her.
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
Rain.
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
So, this is like the second time I've done this... But I'm doing it again. I'm going to step away for a little bit, maybe a week or more. I … morehave a lot of stuff I need to get together and I need to get ready for school to start again and I need to get my thoughts in order and... Life. I need to get my life in order really. So, uh, I guess I leave you guys with a small list of questions like I always do when I run out of ideas if that's okay.
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
4.) Least favorite character and why?
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
6.) What do you like best about this story?
7.) What do you like least about this story?
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will d… [view original content]
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I enjoy the story a lot, especially due to a fact that I am… more the recent follower. I think my favorite part so far was one with Raven's flashbacks.
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
Least favorite? Not existing.
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
Raven and Aspen, because of their relationship they builded up. Their parts are always interesting to read and are filled with emotions.
4.) Least favorite character and why?
There is no least favorite character.
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
I guess they will fall in another troubles soon enough, especially after reading about Chase.
6.) What do you like best about this story?
The special dark vibe it's giving.
7.) What do you like least about this story?
That parts appear rarely.
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of m… [view original content]
Next part, please.
Patience grasshopper.... I know it's been awhile and I'm pretty speratic, but once I get back on track I'm sure it'll get a little more smooth.
Finally managed to answer As I said in The Dark before the Dawn, it's alright. Take your time, I'm sure the next part will be awesome!
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I am loving it. Having read your work since the beginning of Stranded, I can say that Youngstown clearly shows the massive development your writing underwent over the past year and a half. SInce it is your newest story, it is also the most refined and while The dark before the dawn for example started a bit weaker than its most recent parts, Youngstown already had this insanely high level of quality from the very beginning. I still feel that the recent Dark before the Dawn parts are even better, but that does not mean that Youngstown is not absolutely and utterly amazing. Because it is absolutely and utterly amazing. When thinking of my favourite part, the one that came to mind immediately was the part in which Sammy returned. She is among my two or three longest living characters in the forum, which gives me quite the connection to her and made her reappearance (and prior updated resubmission) very special to me. It was the part that put a stupidly huge grin on my face and therefore my clear favourite.
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
You're always asking me this question and I can never give you a clear answer. I mean, I'm sure there is a part I liked the least, but it is simply a part I have no opinion at all about as opposed to a part I actively disliked, because such a thing does not exist.
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
I think my absolute favourite at the moment is Aspen. She is amazing and I found her parts very thought-provoking and emotional. Her parts in the bunker were a collective highlight of the story and her relationship with Raven is one of the coolest aspects of the story. Another one I grew to like is Evan, because of how he developed not only in the story, but in my view on him. I started with a mixed opinion on him, but by now I genuinely like him and think that he is a great guy. The only reason he is not my clear favourite is because I found Aspen's parts more emotional. Finally, there is Samantha. She currently seems a bit less important to the central plot than Aspen or Evan, but as I meantioned above, I simply feel a connection to her. I adored her in Stranded and it is incredible to see how she developed until now and how utterly perfect you capture this new and mature version of her.
4.) Least favorite character and why?
That Dragonfly turd loaf. So far, he seems to be pretty much the things I despise the most. His murders are despicable on their own, but his reasons are even worse, as it seems he simply murders out of racism and violent nationalism, which are two concepts I will never be able to understand. From what we heard about him, I also highly dislike Chase, though I don't hate him on the same level I hate Dragonfly.
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
Evan's group might be in trouble very soon. There is the Dragonfly arsewipe around and if he doesn't get them, I'm afraid Chase will do so sooner or later. The fact that a human trafficker sounds like the better alternative makes me highly afraid, especially as I don't know if he would see any value in Sammy's baby. Or, and that would seriously surprise me, they manage to evade both dangers. I still don't think that things will continue to run smoothly for them.
6.) What do you like best about this story?
Your writing style is, as I said above, at its best here in Youngstown. Every part is simply a joy to read and I find myself deeply engaged in the characters and their fates, which is the thing I like the most about a good story.
7.) What do you like least about this story?
At this point of the story I find it impossible to criticize anything. As Mathea said, the parts could appear more frequently, but the same applies for The Dark before the Dawn and it is no critique about your writing, which I am incapable of criticizing.
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
Alright someone is going to die. There's no way everyone will make it through. While I hope for Sammy and her baby to survive, I don't think it will be easy for them, or for anyone. Tegan is in a lot of danger, I agree with Mathea, though I don't think she will die first, considering that she is a very new character. The one I have a bit of a bad feeling about is Eve, who is wounded and a potential target for the Dragoncunt. Miller is another one where I don't have the best feeling, as he is also a possible target, but he is a strong and capable guy who would at least put up one hell of a fight before going down, if he even goes down at all. Still, I don't have the best feeling for him. And I somehow don't think that Laken and Rossi will make it. One is going to survive for sure, I am convinced of it, but I don't know if both will survive. Laken sounds like the person who would sacrifice her life to protect the people she cares for, so I say she has more of a possibility to die than Rossi.
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
As I said in Dark before the Dawn: Rain over Sun, Snow over Rain. Snow rules. Hail snow!
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
Well... thank you. Thank you for writing this amazing story. I can't wait for future parts
So, this is like the second time I've done this... But I'm doing it again. I'm going to step away for a little bit, maybe a week or more. I … morehave a lot of stuff I need to get together and I need to get ready for school to start again and I need to get my thoughts in order and... Life. I need to get my life in order really. So, uh, I guess I leave you guys with a small list of questions like I always do when I run out of ideas if that's okay.
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
4.) Least favorite character and why?
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
6.) What do you like best about this story?
7.) What do you like least about this story?
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will d… [view original content]
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I am enjoying it very much! Stranded was the first story I have read from you and it was one of the first stories I have really been invested in in this forum. Because of this, I like Youngstown so very much. My favorite parts are have also something to do with this, because it is always special for me when things from Stranded matter in Youngstown, like Eva in the bunker and Samantha returning to the main story with her baby. I hope for more surviving characters to return in the future
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
What is a least favorite part? I dont think I have this
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
Out of the Youngstown only characters it is Aspen, because I love her complicated friendship with Raven, who is another of my favorite characters. And call it Nostalgia bonus but since they bring up good memories from Stranded, I also like Eva and Samantha a lot. I have hoped for both to return and was sure that at least Samantha will show up but it was still a nice surprise in both cases.
4.) Least favorite character and why?
The Dragonfly Killer really sounds like the kind of guy that is better off dead. He is creepy and scary and I am afraid for anyone that crosses paths with him.
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
The group with Evan, Lizbeth, Samantha and co is probably going to encounter Chase and he is going to do something that will make us hate his guts. And the Dragonfly Killer is there as well, he could make things even worse for our heroes.
6.) What do you like best about this story?
Not counting your awesome writing, which I think I have praised enough, I like that Youngstown is a continuation of Stranded. I did not like the ending of Stranded so much because it left so many questions open (for example why Marcus and Mariza had to die) and one of my favorite things about Youngstown is that it continues where Stranded left off, develops the world and the characters further and answers some of the plot points left open by your first story.
7.) What do you like least about this story?
Nooothiiiing XD Its all so great
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
I have no good feeling for Eve and Josh. He seems so jealous of her and maybe there will be a confrontation that ends with one or both of them dead. I dont think both of them will survive for the entire story.
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
Sun and snow
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
No questions. I hope you will soon have the time to write again
So, this is like the second time I've done this... But I'm doing it again. I'm going to step away for a little bit, maybe a week or more. I … morehave a lot of stuff I need to get together and I need to get ready for school to start again and I need to get my thoughts in order and... Life. I need to get my life in order really. So, uh, I guess I leave you guys with a small list of questions like I always do when I run out of ideas if that's okay.
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
4.) Least favorite character and why?
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
6.) What do you like best about this story?
7.) What do you like least about this story?
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will d… [view original content]
They slowed pace as Miller looked at the small clearing that lay just ahead. It was open, no cover. Anyone and anything would be able to catch them off guard if they stopped here. They couldn’t risk stopping too long anywhere at this point.
“We keep going.” Lizbeth spoke from behind Miller. Miller turned and looked at her, his eyes drifting to her leg. He didn’t want to stop, but he didn’t want anyone to get hurt.
“What about your leg?” He asked out of concern.
“My leg is fine.” Lizbeth said.
“I still say we should stop.” Rossi said.
“I’m the injured one. If I say we can keep going, we can keep going.” Lizbeth responded. Rossi sighed.
“Fine, we keep going then. But don’t go complaining when you’re tired or your feet hurt. You had your chance.” He said as he pressed forwards. Without warning or as much as a word Laken cut away from the group walking away from them into the woods. Miller watched her as she quickly grew harder and harder to see through the thicket.
“Laken, get back here! We’re not waiting for you.” Rossi called after her, though she made no acknowledgment that she even heard him as she kept pressing on into the woods. Miller grabbed Rossi by the arm and pulled him to the side. “We can’t leave without her.” He said.
“That’s why we’re going to get her.” Miller said, as he looked over to Evan. “Just keep heading on the path. We’ll catch up once we get Laken.” He said. Evan nodded. Miller quickly handed Eve off to Josh.
“On it boss.” Evan responded sarcastically as he motioned for everyone to follow. Him, Rebecca, and Josh carrying Eve, Samantha with her child, but he noticed that Lizbeth had stayed behind.
“What are you doing? They’re going to leave without you.” Miller said. Lizbeth looked to the ground.
“I’m going to come with you.” She said. “And don’t tell me no.” Miller nodded.
“At least you know what you want.” He said as he turned around and the trio began trekking after Laken, easily following her trail.
“She makes a real easy path to follow for a sniper.” Miller remarked.
“An aggravated bear doesn’t care what sees it.” Rossi said. “She’s the same way.”
“She’s not going to shoot us, right?” Miller asked. Rossi shook his head.
“You guys, no. Me on the other hand…” He said, adding in a small laugh at the end. Miller rested his baseball bat on his shoulder as he walked. Lizbeth had her rifle slung over her shoulder. Rossi’s bow was hung on his shoulder as he walked.
“Over there.” Lizbeth said, pointing over to their left. Miller looked over and saw Laken, at first he was alarmed. He readied his bat, ready to strike. She was on her knees, her rifle on the ground in front of her, she’d taken off her vest and laid it on the ground next to her. Directly in front of her was a small pond, filled with murky water.
Miller approached slowly after he scanned the area and saw nothing and no one. Just feet from Laken, he finally let out a sigh of relief as he realized something. She wasn’t being held at gunpoint, she was praying. He stood a few feet from her, silently waiting. Rossi, on the other hand had different plans.
He walked forwards, grabbing her by the shoulder and shaking her.
“The hell is your problem? You just walk away and don’t say anything, just disappear into the woods. We had to come find you, we could’ve gotten hurt or worse.” He growled. All she could do was stare at him with her dark eyes.
“You obviously don’t care who gets hurt as long as you can save your own ass.” She said.
“Look, I’m sorry I decided to leave Isabelle behind. But I’m not sorry about wanting to save my life as well as yours.” He said. She glared at him for a moment, not saying anything. But her eyes quickly snapped off to the woods as she heard a snap coming from nearby. Miller heard it too, but thought nothing of it.
She quickly moved for her rifle, picking it up off the ground, but by the time she’d spun around Miller heard a loud crack split the silence. Her left shoulder was ripped open, spewing blood like a geyser. The force of the bullet knocked her backwards. She dropped her rifle and fell backwards into the pond.
She didn’t stay down for long, however, as she quickly sat up. She surly looked shocked, but didn’t seem to be in pain.
“Nobody move.” A voice called through the trees, Miller felt a breeze fill the woods, he knew fall was coming. Miller saw Lizbeth unslinging her rifle from her back. “I wouldn’t do that. You’d be dead before you even got your shot lined up.”
There was a moment of silence, nobody moved, nobody spoke. Miller kept the baseball bat at the ready, Lizbeth froze, Rossi hadn’t moved an inch.
“On your knees, hands on your heads.” He said. When nobody moved, this seemed to anger the shooter. “Do it now, or I’ll put a bullet in the girl’s skull!” He yelled. This seemed to be all he needed to say, Lizbeth was the first to react. He guessed she just didn’t want to be shot. Miller slowly lowered himself to the ground, dropping his baseball bat next to him.
He felt a set of hands grab him, take his hands and then bind them behind his back, Miller assumed he was using a zip tie or something like it. The shooter moved past Miller, towards Lizbeth. Miller watched him grab her rifle, and throw it to the ground. He then took her hands, binding them behind her back. It was then that Miller realized something. He’d seen this man before.
“Nass?” Miller asked. The shooter turned and looked at him, it was Nass, truly in the flesh. The black gloves, the duster, cowboy hat and black scarf. He looked just the same as the day they’d met back in Youngstown, however long ago that was now.
“Do I know you?” He asked, turning his attention to Rossi.
“We met, back in Youngstown.” Miller said. He paused for a second, turning to looked at Miller.
“Does it look like I care?” He asked, before continuing. He was walking towards Laken, pausing at the edge of the pond. “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?” He asked. He stepped one foot into the water before Laken shot up, launching herself at him. She had a knife in her hand.
Nass quickly stepped to the side, letting Laken sail past him. She turned to face him, bringing up her knife.
“Come on, put the knife down. I’m not allowed to kill you.” He said sarcastically. She lunged at him, but he caught her forearm, holding her arm away from him. The two began struggling over the knife, Nass’s face began turning red as he was forced to put all his strength into not dying. Laken was slowly gaining ground as the blade inched closer and closer to his neck.
Just as the blade was inches from his throat, he brought up his knee right into her stomach. She was momentarily winded, giving Nass just enough time to wrestle the knife from her grip. Laken’s slowly stood back up, seeming like she was about to run out of steam. Nass had a smug smile on his face.
But his smile was quickly wiped away when Laken sucker punched him in the ribs. He doubled over, the knife clattering to the ground as he stumbled away. Laken stumbled the other way, covering her wounded shoulder and cursing under her breath.
It was Lizbeth who acted next, just as Nass was recovering he began moving towards the knife, but Lizbeth was able to kick it away, closer to Laken. Her hand quickly clasped the knife, but Nass was there just as fast. His hand gripped Laken’s as the two fought for the knife. Then Nass did something strange, he gripped the blade of the knife.
His hand on the blade, blood began dripping to the ground as for a moment the knife was frozen between the two. Nass quickly broke the stalemate as he punched Laken in the face. She let go of the knife as the momentum of the blow spun her around. Miller could see blood dripping form her nose.
Her back now facing Nass, he made his move. He slashed the knife upwards across the back, she let out a yelp of pain as he processed to kick her in the back of the knee for a moment she caught Miller’s gaze. Her expression was filled with shock, like she hadn’t expected to lose the fight. Blood dripped from her nose, down to her chin, it stayed there for a moment, lingering on the edge of her before succumbing to gravity and helplessly falling to the muddy ground below her. Her hair was plastered against her face, her clothes were drenched with water and covered in mud and now blood.
Her dark eyes seemed afraid for a moment, as her lips moved but no sound came out. Then she collapsed to the ground, the air knocked out of her lungs. Nass bashed the base of the knife against the base of her skull, and she was out.
Nass bound her limp arms behind her, then stood breathing heavily. He dragged his sleeve across his chin and breathed deeply. He looked down at her body.
“You’re lucky I can’t kill you.” He muttered, then looked over at Lizbeth. “But you on the other hand.” He growled. He marched over to her, tossing the knife on the ground. His hand wrapped around her throat and he easily lifted her off the ground, pinning her to the tree behind her. “You trying to get me killed? You thought you could get me killed?” She kicked against him as her face turned red and she gasped for air. He held her there, off the ground gasping for air.
Miller was filled with rage, without even thinking he stood up. Nass quickly spun around, holding Lizbeth.
“You want to try something?” He asked. “Sit down or I’ll snap her neck before you can even blink.” He said, Miller hesitated for a moment before he went back to the ground. “Thought so.” He muttered, looking at Lizbeth. “Now, enough of this shit, alright?” He asked. She nodded. “Good. Then let’s get moving, shall we? Don’t want to keep the boss waiting.” He chirped as he walked over, grabbing Laken. He slung her over his shoulder and then turned to the others, pointing his pistol in their direction.
“Move.” He demanded. So they went, their hands bound and at gun point they were led through the trees, moving farther and farther away from where they’d last left their people. Occasionally Laken would incoherently mumble something, usually quickly followed by Nass telling her to shut up. Miller could see Lizbeth’s eyes turning misty, a single tear running down her cheek before falling to the ground. Rossi seemed solid, like what just happened didn’t bother him. He seemed determined. And Miller himself? What was there to say? Miller was Miller.
Miller saw a road up ahead through the trees, what looked like a moving truck stalled on the side of the road. Miller saw a big faded yellow smiling face on the side. He saw multiple people lounging around the truck, heavily armed. Miller was hesitant, but Nass pushed him out onto the road.
“Look at what I caught.” Nass announced as he approached the truck. A woman lounging on the back bumper of the truck, her dark red hair a choppy Mohawk, looked up at them without any intrest.
“More fodder for the trade.” She sighed.
“And this.” Nass said, simply throwing Laken off his shoulder and onto the ground like she was nothing. She shifted slightly and moaned in discomfort but quickly fell silent. The Mohawk woman pointed a finger at her.
“Is that…”
“Laken and Rossi Dennis?” Nass finished her question. “Yes, yes it is.”
“That’s a hell of a lot better than our catch.” She said.
“What’d you get?” Nass asked.
“Some French girl.” She said. “There were more, but they got away.” Nass sighed.
“That’s why you don’t send a sacker to do a bounty hunter’s job.” He said. She rolled her eyes.
“Whatver, get them loaded up so we can get out of here.” She said as she pushed herself up, she pushed the door up, revealing the innards of the truck. Nass picked up Laken and hefted her into the back like a rag doll before stepping aside, he motioned for the others to climb up. Rossi went in first then Lizbeth followed by Miller. Just as Miller was climbing in, Nass stopped him.
“And by the way, I do remember you.” He said. “You were the one who didn’t pull the trigger.” And with that the Mohawk woman pulled the door shut. While light did seep in from the cracks in the door, it was only enough to light the back part of the truck.
There was silence for a moment as Miller found his way close to Lizbeth who was sat off to the right. Moments later the truck fired up and they were moving.
“Lizbeth?” A voice called from the dark.
“Eve?” Lizbeth called back, sounding confused. Miller heard a shifting and then saw her, the dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes and light skin. He saw the girl that’d knocked on the door and saved a life. But she didn’t look the same, she looked scared. Scared in a way Miller knew well, she’d just seen something she’d never be able to forget. “W-How did they get you?” She asked.
“Josh…” She began.
“He dropped you and ran?” Lizbeth finished her sentence for her. “That son of a bitch!” She yelled. Eve just shook her head.
“They had us surrounded… They came out of nowhere. Josh was fighting back, shooting at them. He was trying to hand me off to Evan but he got shot and Evan got dragged away by Rebecca… And then Josh just kept fighting them, even while they were dragging us back here… So they shot him again and left him in the woods.” Eve managed to get out, her voice was broken and strained. “He died… He died because of me.” She said, beginning to cry. She buried her head into Lizbeth’s shoulder, muffling the sound of her sobbing.
“This… This is all my fault.” Laken mumbled, her speech choppy.
“Damn right it is.” Rossi said.
“No.” Miller said. “This is nobody’s fault.”
“Like hell it isn’t. If she hadn’t run off like that we wouldn’t have had to hunt her down.” He retorted.
“If we hadn’t had to go after her, we’d all have been caught. At least Evan, Samantha and Rebecca are still out there. They’ll save us.” He said.
“I’m sorry.” Laken mumbled. “I’m so sorry.” She said again, and again. Like nobody would hear her if she only said it once.
“It’s okay… It’ll be okay.” Lizbeth said, trying to reassure a broken Eve.
“Nothing’s going to be okay.” Rossi muttered under his breath.
“They’ll save us.” Miller said. “They will.”
Tegan Marsh
South wall. Cold morning, the sun hadn’t risen yet. The cold bit at her fingers under her gloves, so she stuffed them in her pockets. This morning was colder than usual, apparently nature had a poor sense of timing when it came to escapes.
She watched her breath curling upwards every time she breathed out, every time she breathed in she could feel the cold jabbing at her lungs like a knife.
She looked around, she kept checking behind her. She was on edge, she felt as if everyone could hear her thoughts.
“Ready to go?” He spoke, coming out of nowhere. She nearly jumped as she spun around and saw Tyler standing next to her, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder and a military-grade backpack in his hand. He handed her to backpack and she slung it over her back.
“You seriously shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.” She muttered.
“Then where would the fun be?” He asked.
“Do you think getting shot is fun?” She asked. He shook his head.
“Not high on my list.” He said. “We need to get moving before the sun comes up.” He quickly tacked on, changing the subject. He began walking ahead, away from the wall. Tegan took a few steps forwards but froze, something triggered in her mind. She felt trapped, like she was bound to the wall. Like if she left she would die. Tyler looked back at her. “You coming?” He asked.
She looked from him to the wall, then back at him. She nodded.
“Yes.” She responded. It was like learning how to walk all over again. She had to force herself to keep moving forwards, keep ignoring that voice in her mind telling her that from the second she left the wall she was instantly in danger. She just had to keep going.
But then it was strange, the farther she got the easier it got. It began feeling like a weight was lifting from her. It felt like she’d just broken a barrier that’d never been crossed before. She kept going.
“So, you never told me where you were from.” Tyler spoke as they walked.
“I told you I was from New York, did you forget or something?” She asked. He shook his head.
“No, I mean before that.” He said. She narrowed her eyes at him.
“How did you know?” She asked. He shrugged.
“You still have an accent, it’s not very profound but I can hear it sometimes. So, I’m guessing you’re from somewhere in England?” He asked.
“Yeah.” She responded, still taken aback by the fact that he knew she wasn’t from the United States. She’d just always lied and told everyone she was from New York and they never questioned her.
“What part of England?” He asked.
“If I said anywhere other than London would you know where I was talking about?” She asked.
“No.” He said.
“Good thing I’m from London then.” She said.
“Really?” He asked.
“No.” She responded.
“Oh.” He said. “So, where were you from?” He asked again. She shook her head.
“Just because I was born there doesn’t mean I’m one of them. That’s a life I’d rather forget.” She said.
“Your parents?” He asked.
“The whole reason I came to the United States.” She said.
“Let me guess, your father was a Lutheran preacher and your mother was nonexistent.” He said. Tegan laughed.
“So wrong.” She said. “My father was a Baptist preacher, for one, and my mother was just his loyal housewife that never did anything he didn’t approve of.”
“Alright then.” He said. “So you’re an English Baptist.”
“Not at all.” She remarked. He laughed, looking up the road.
“You hear that?” Tegan asked, hearing a low rumbling sound.
“Sounds like a big truck.” He said.
“Sounds like it could be a transport, bringing in more captured people.” She said.
“Those trucks only have a driver and a passenger.” He said. “And a ton of gas. Like, enough to get us from here to at least Kentucky or Tennessee.” He said, looking at her gun.
“All I’d have to do is get close enough to spray the living hell out of the cab.” She said. For a moment they were silent.
“It’s not moving fast.” He said. “We hide in the bushes and then ambush them when they get close.”
“But everyone within a mile will hear those shots.” She said.
“We’re already two miles out from the town, even if word gets back to them we’ll be long gone.” He said.
Choice
[Ambush the truck]
[Keep going on foot]
Isabelle Shaw
The meeting room, or so it was called, was as silent as ever. The air was as thick as fog. No one dared disturb the silence that penetrated the room. Even Isabelle herself was a little on edge, she knew Chase could act a little unpredictable at times.
They were all seated around a big wooden table, six on each side, she was sat across from Ryan as always and when Chase arrived, he’d take the head of the table which was frighteningly close to her. Beside Ryan sat the detective, Detective Kelly Brown, who served as Chase’s eyes and ears and practically everything else. She was the one with the real power.
The door flew open, and in he walked. Everyone in the room climbed to their feet quickly as he walked by to take his seat. He stood at the head of the table for a moment, Isabelle dared not look at him, though she knew what he looked like well. Swampy green eyes, a stubble forming on his chin, short dark hair, very muscular and tall. He always wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans. He had a silver chain he wore around his neck, and he had a fresh scar over his right eye from Laken’s escape, though his vision was spared.
He took a seat and everyone else sat down. Isabelle suddenly became nervous, she could see that he was eyeing her for some reason.
“Detective, fill everyone in on what just happened.” Chase demanded. Kelly grabbed at a tan folder an flipped it open, throwing a few poorly shot polaroid photos
onto the table, each depicting the brutal murder of an innocent family.
“Last night a family was murdered, they were of Asian descent which made them targets from the beginning. Each one was killed in the same fashion, a knife was used to slit their throats, presumably while they slept.” She said. “Once again, all evidence points to the Dragonfly Killer. The man we executed yesterday wasn’t the real killer, he was just a racist bastard.” A heavy weight settled across the room. Dragonfly really was still out there.
“What are we going to do about it?” A man asked. Kelly cleared her throat.
“I suggest that we cordon off anyone that isn’t white, isn’t American, and isn’t heterosexual and keep them under close guard.” Kelly said.
“Keep them all in the same place?” Ryan asked. “That’ll just make it easier. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.” He said.
“Kelly.” Chase said.
“Yes?” She asked.
“Why haven’t you caught this man yet?” He asked.
“I’m trying to, but he just blends in too well. He could be anyone. I think we need to quit looking at the obvious suspects and take a look at people who seem more ordinary.” She said.
“So you’re saying everyone’s a suspect.” Chase said. She nodded.
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m thinking.” She said.
“You want to know what I’m thinking?” He asked.
“Sure.” She said.
“I’m thinking that I gave you more than enough resources to catch this man, more than enough time to catch this killer. I’m starting to think that the reason the killer hasn’t been caught is because you don’t want the killer to be caught. I’m starting to think that you’re the killer.” He said. She looked at him with her eyes wide, she knew just as well as everyone that the next words out of her mouth might be her last.
“Please, I’m trying my best.” She said. Chase stood from his seat, walking around the table towards her, her rested his hand on her shoulder for a moment, then grabbed her by the neck.
“I don’t want your best, detective, I want the killer caught.” He said. “Make it happen.”
“Chase.” Ryan spoke.
“What is it?” Chase snapped.
“The amount of people in the guard as compared to the populace of this camp, it’s out of proportion. If we have more members in the guard, we can canvas a bigger area and we’re more likely to see anything if it happens or just hear something. With your permission, I’d like to boost the numbers of the guard.” He said, Chase pondered that for a moment.
Finally managed to answer As I said in The Dark before the Dawn, it's alright. Take your time, I'm sure the next part will be awesome!
1… more.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I am loving it. Having read your work since the beginning of Stranded, I can say that Youngstown clearly shows the massive development your writing underwent over the past year and a half. SInce it is your newest story, it is also the most refined and while The dark before the dawn for example started a bit weaker than its most recent parts, Youngstown already had this insanely high level of quality from the very beginning. I still feel that the recent Dark before the Dawn parts are even better, but that does not mean that Youngstown is not absolutely and utterly amazing. Because it is absolutely and utterly amazing. When thinking of my favourite part, the one that came to mind immediately was the part in which Sammy returned.… [view original content]
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I am enjoying it very much! Stranded was the first story I ha… moreve read from you and it was one of the first stories I have really been invested in in this forum. Because of this, I like Youngstown so very much. My favorite parts are have also something to do with this, because it is always special for me when things from Stranded matter in Youngstown, like Eva in the bunker and Samantha returning to the main story with her baby. I hope for more surviving characters to return in the future
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
What is a least favorite part? I dont think I have this
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
Out of the Youngstown only characters it is Aspen, because I love her complicated friendship with Raven, who is another of my favorite characters. And call it Nostalgia bonus but since they bring up good memories from Stranded, I also … [view original content]
onto the table, each depicting the brutal murder of an innocent family.
“Last night a family was murdered, they were of Asian descent whi… morech made them targets from the beginning. Each one was killed in the same fashion, a knife was used to slit their throats, presumably while they slept.” She said. “Once again, all evidence points to the Dragonfly Killer. The man we executed yesterday wasn’t the real killer, he was just a racist bastard.” A heavy weight settled across the room. Dragonfly really was still out there.
“What are we going to do about it?” A man asked. Kelly cleared her throat.
“I suggest that we cordon off anyone that isn’t white, isn’t American, and isn’t heterosexual and keep them under close guard.” Kelly said.
“Keep them all in the same place?” Ryan asked. “That’ll just make it easier. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.” He said.
“Kelly.” Chase said.
“Yes?” She asked.
“Why haven’t you caught this m… [view original content]
onto the table, each depicting the brutal murder of an innocent family.
“Last night a family was murdered, they were of Asian descent whi… morech made them targets from the beginning. Each one was killed in the same fashion, a knife was used to slit their throats, presumably while they slept.” She said. “Once again, all evidence points to the Dragonfly Killer. The man we executed yesterday wasn’t the real killer, he was just a racist bastard.” A heavy weight settled across the room. Dragonfly really was still out there.
“What are we going to do about it?” A man asked. Kelly cleared her throat.
“I suggest that we cordon off anyone that isn’t white, isn’t American, and isn’t heterosexual and keep them under close guard.” Kelly said.
“Keep them all in the same place?” Ryan asked. “That’ll just make it easier. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.” He said.
“Kelly.” Chase said.
“Yes?” She asked.
“Why haven’t you caught this m… [view original content]
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JP Fillmore, before the outbreak
The room was packed, FBI, SWAT, local police forces, everyone was here and present. JP was proud. It’d been months now since the murders started, the infamous Dragonfly killer had been on the loose for far too long racking up the body count. 37 total, scattered across the area.
Today was his day of reckoning.
JP had been on the case since the beginning, and this was the kind of case that kept people awake at night. How could such a high-profile killer escape justice for so long? The answer was simple, he was a well-respected businessman by day, cold-blooded killed by night.
At first his targets seemed random, no connections at all. It was a dead end in every direction. But after about the 7th murder, JP had realized the one connection between each and every one of them. The killings weren’t random, they’d been racially motivated this whole time.
It made JP sick that someone like that was allowed to exist.
“Congratulations men, we’ve captured the most dangerous criminal this area has ever seen.” Said the chief. “Today, he’ll be transferred to Howard Penitentiary for execution.”
“You ask me, we should’ve shot the racist bastard out behind the station after we caught him.” JP grumbled.
“I’m not going to say I wouldn’t have like to do that myself.” The chief said. “But that wouldn’t be justice, that would be revenge.”
“It would’ve all come to the same end anyways.” JP said. The chief looked at him, quickly losing patients.
“Do you want to be reassigned? I can take you off the transfer if you’d like.” He said.
“No sir.” JP responded.
“That’s what I thought.” He said. “Are there any questions about what’s going to happen here today?” He asked.
Nobody spoke.
“Then let’s get that motherfucker to his death.” He said.
JP sat on the bench waiting, soon enough the back door would open and a man in an orange suit and shackles would be loaded in with him. He used the term ‘man’ lightly here, this was no man they were transporting. This was an animal.
“You ready for this?” JP asked the driver, who gave a small laugh form the front seat.
“Hell yeah.” She responded. “It’s a lot better than sitting around and watching shit blow up.”
“Speak for yourself, I like fireworks.” Spoke the man in the passenger seat.
“Yeah, well I think shipping this motherfucker off to his death is a better way to celebrate independence than launching all-out war on the sky.” JP said.
“Amen.” The driver spoke. It was silent for a moment before she spoke again. “Jesus, what kind of person does it take to single out minorities and kill them without a cause?” She asked.
“One sick bastard.” JP said.
“Look alive, we’ve got us a prisoner incoming.” Said the officer in the passenger seat. JP reached back and pulled the handle, throwing open the van’s back door. Only a few feet behind was a shaggy looking man decked in all orange and shackled.
He was flanked by numerous armed police officers, there was no chance of escape. But something struck JP as odd, despite the fact that he was about to die within the next day. He held his head tall, a smirk on his face. It made JP sick, that even as people all around the area were in pain, he could smile at his handy work.
He was loaded into the van, and sat on a bench. His shackles were locked into a loop on the floor, no escape for him.
After some words the doors were closed, the driver started the engine. There were two other vans, identical to this one. They’d all branch off in separate directions once they left to compound, no one other than those on the case right now knew which van actually held the Dragonfly Killer.
“One million.” Spoke the Dragonfly, piercing the silence once they reached the road.
“Shut your mouth.” Their drive snapped at him. He laughed as he responded to her.
“If you would’ve given me enough time, you’d be dead too.” He said.
“Yeah?” She asked. “And why’s that?”
“Don’t act like I don’t know about your girlfriend.” He responded. She instantly went quite, her face turning red. JP’s face turned red, not with embarrassment, but with anger.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” He asked. “What do you have against minorities?”
“Someone finally asks the right question.” Dragonfly responded as he shifted in his seat, getting comfortable. JP wished nothing but a slow and painful death for this man, perhaps a botched execution. “They’re nothing but a varmint. One that’s polluting our gene pool. Officer Fillmore, you and me, we’re the exact same. We’re meant to rule the world.”
“I’m nothing like you.” JP said. “And I never will be.”
“He who fights monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.” Dragonfly spoke. The man in the passenger seat growled unhappily.
“Look buddy, you still have the right to remain silent. I suggest you exercise that right before I make you.” He spoke. Dragonfly laughed.
“One million.” He said.
“What the fuck are you talking about one million for?” JP asked.
“One million, for each of you. Just let me go, the money gets transferred into an account and you can all slip away.” He said.
“I have a suggestion on what you can do with the money.” JP said.
“And what would that be?” He asked.
“Go fuck yourself.” JP responded. Dragonfly laughed, a menacing, soulless cackle that filed the entire van.
“I like you, Fillmore.” He said. Just as he said that, JP heard a ringing sound from up front.
“What’s that?” He asked. The driver shifted, pulling out a phone from her pocket.
“It’s…” She trailed, looking into the rearview mirror. “It’s my girlfriend. Mind if I take it?” She asked.
“Not a problem.” The passenger said, JP stared directly into the eyes of Dragonfly.
“Doesn’t bother me a bit.” He said.
“I’ve suddenly lost a lot of respect for you.” Dragonfly said.
“Good. Having your respect is the worst insult I could imagine.” JP said.
“Hey babe.” The driver said into the phone. JP could see her face morphing from relaxed to concerned and even scared. “What do you mean? Why didn’t you call the police?”
“What’s going on?” JP asked.
“She said someone’s trying to break into the house.” She responded.
“Why didn’t she call the police?” The passenger asked.
“She did, all lines were full.” She said. “She said his eyes are really weird, like glowing or something.” She said.
“Drugs?” The passenger asked.
“None that I know of.” JP said.
“I don’t know what to tell her. I’m just a driver.” She said.
“Give me the phone, I need you to focus.” JP told her. She put the phone back to her ear.
“Baby, JP’s going to tell you what to do. I want you to listen to him, do what he says. Stay safe, please. I love you.” She said, JP slowly reached forwards, grabbing the phone from her. As he sat back he heard Dragonfly’s tell-tale laugh.
“What do you think’s so funny?” JP asked.
“I’m just a martyr, and it looks like someone’s already picked up where I left off.” He said.
“You.” He said, pointing to Dragonfly. “Shut up.” He looked over at the driver, she was clearly bothered. “Are you good? I need your head clear.” He said. She nodded.
“I’m good.” She said. He lifted the phone to his ear.
“Hello?” He asked.
“JP? Is that you?” She asked.
“Yeah, it’s me.” JP said. “Can you tell me where you’re at right now?” He asked.
“I’m… I’m hiding.” She said.
“Where?” He asked.
“In the closet.” She said quickly, her voice was shaky, her breathing heavy.
“I’m going to need you to calm down, okay? Freaking out is only going to make this worse.” He said.
“How can I calm down when there’s a killer outside my house?” She asked frantically.
“It’s not a killer.” JP said. “It’s the 4th of July, it’s more than likely some druggy that got lost on his way to the crack house.”
“I don’t think so.” She said.
“Did they say anything? Did you hear anything?” JP asked.
“No… They didn’t say anything. They were just acting really weird.” She said.
“How?” He asked.
“Like…. Like they were on drugs or something.” She said.
“I told you it was just a drug addict.” JP said. He heard a loud crash from the other end of the phone, a sharp inhale following. “What was that?”
“T-They just smashed the back door.” She said. “They’re in the house.”
“Just stay as quiet as you can, get as far away from the door as possible. Don’t make any sudden moves.” JP said.
“What do I do if they find me?” She asked.
“If I’m right and they’re on drugs, they won’t react quick enough. You just run past them, don’t stop. Get to the police station and tell them everything.”
“Okay.” She said. There was silence, the only sound was her breath. Shaky and uneven. The creak of a door opening, a sudden shrill scream. Unhuman sounds, the screams of someone being beaten. The phone went silent, all he heard was the dial tone.
He stared at the phone screen, shocked. Unsure of what just happened. A break-in, most likely a drug addict, they found her and a fight ensued. He got disconnected after that.
“Is everything okay?” The driver asked, he looked up at her.
“Yeah, she’s fine. Whoever it was left after we started talking.” He said, lying through his teeth.
“Can I talk to her?” She asked.
“No, I told her to head to the station and talk to them just in case. She needs to focus right now, just like you.” Dragonfly laughed again.JP snapped at him.
“Stop laughing! This isn’t some game! You’re going to die and nothing’s going to matter! Those people died for no reason! Stop acting like you’re some sort of hero. There’s no escaping now, it’s impossible.” JP said to him. He smiled at JP.
“Officer Fillmore, the American revolution was impossible. The colonists stood no chance, yet here we are celebrating that victory.” He said. “You know they couldn’t have done it on their own however, it just took the right friends.” He continued.
“The hell are you going on about?” JP asked. Dragonfly smiled.
“Fuck!” The driver screamed, though her scream got cut off being replaced by choking. JP snapped his attention forwards, seeing that she had a knife stuck in her neck. The van swerved drastically, going off the road, the last thing JP saw before the van crashed was the passenger, his hands covered in the driver’s blood.
“You son of a bitch.” JP squeezed out moments before he was thrown across the van, the impact nearly liquefying his organs.
The Dragonfly Killer
Their blood stained the carpet. Blood had stained the entire compound ever since he arrived. The idiots that posed as guards weren’t smart enough to put two and two together and realize it was him.
He’d left a red stain across all of Georgia before he ended up here, kidnapped at some compound on the boarder Georgia. But it was good for him, it brought more targets for him.
It’d been years now since his escape, two… three maybe? Old habits die hard.
This family was no exception, the three of them. A mother, A father, and a teenage daughter. He’d gotten to know them over the past few weeks, they disgusted him. A great many of the people here disgusted him, Chase Hernandez included. But he had to stay alive. For now at least. His lover on the other hand… He was expendable. Suicide, murder. It’s all the same if you have no proof.
Maybe the girl was the hardest to kill, he watched her sleeping for about a minute, her chest gently rising and falling. Just before the knife hit, her brown eyes had opened, staring into his own if only for a moment. It just reminded him how soulless he really was as he dragged the knife through her throat anyways.
Now she lay dead in a pool of her own blood on the rickety steel cot that was set up in the corner of the room, the mother lay dead in bed next to the father, whom he now stood over. This man had brought his family over from their homeland in Asia just before the outbreak. How unfortunate his timing was.
The Dragonfly crouched down next to him, his lips next to the man’s ears.
“Happy independence day.” He muttered as he thrust the knife into his neck.
He stood, looking around the room. Three offed, how many more to go? One thing was missing however. From the blood of the young girl, he cover his hand. On the wall he drew, a single creature of which his namesake belonged. It was more tribal than anything else, but it’s been his calling card since the beginning. Underneath the bloody Dragonfly, he marked their sins of being a foreigner in his lands, marked their deaths of the fourth of July.
He wiped his hand on the girl’s bedsheet and turned to leave, shoving the blade back into its holster. He walked to the door and out into the hallway, not bothering to close it. This way they’d find the bodies sooner.
Outside it was storming, thunder roared as lightning crashed. It was his favorite weather to hunt in, the compound practically shut down during storms, security quit doing sweeps and everyone was locked away in their cages like little animals. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.
As he walked he heard the sound of his black boots hitting to floor, producing a muffled thud with every step he took. He timed it perfectly to the beat of his heart. His cold, merciless heart.
Okay guys, first off, this character literally creeps me out even though I'm writing him. And two, Happy Fourth of July!
That was interesting part to read, especially one from the point of view of the killer. Thanks for that and keep writing! :-)
Alright, this guy is extremely creepy. Like, Chase the human trafficker guy suddenly doesn't sound that bad anymore, at least in comparison. I see he apparently had a hand in the death of Chase's husband, which fits with what Laken said in the last part. I also see he is in Georgia, which possibly means he is going to encounter our group sooner or later
While I'm happy Sammy is not a minority (unless you count single mothers as minorities in these days), I know they have Eve, who is French if I'm not mistaken and wasn't Miller black? That means our group already has two potential targets for him at the very least. In any way, a very creepy and disturbing part, especially once we actually got to see a part from Dragonfly's PoV. This guy is so fucked up, he mustn't be allowed to live. It was also a really well-written part, great job!
Isabelle Shaw
For hours now she lay on the hard cot that felt like solid stone on her back, but she could be grateful. It was more than she used to have.
She prayed that Laken and Rossi were okay, wherever they were. She hoped they found some good people. She knew they’d come back for her, someday. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday.
Laken was something else, a real work of art. How someone could be such a good person and yet be so messed up, it blew her mind. It blew her own mind to think of where she started and how she got here.
She was not unlike Laken in the beginning, her father was a raging alcoholic, her mother non-existent. Her two brothers liked to pick on her, she was never big, never strong, never popular, she just was. And that wasn’t enough for them.
It wasn’t until her oldest brother entered high school that he turned violent. Just a young girl then, she was subjected to all kind of abuse from the moment she stepped foot in her house to the time she left. She became accustomed to showing up to school with various bruises, with even more various excuses as to how she’d gotten them.
She never had friends, only herself and the monsters that hid in her head. And in the medicine cabinet, as she came to find out. She remembered the day she found Laken trying to overdose in that alleyway, it was like looking into a crystal ball of her childhood. She almost did it, almost. She woke up in a hospital, her father looming over her just as he always had.
After that she was always in and out of the hospital, broken ribs, broken bones. Those always healed, but doctors still don’t know how to heal a broken heart.
Somewhere between the ages of ten and twelve, she ran into a man named Tim. She knew him, he was a local youth minister from a church down the street. He’d come knock on the door sometimes, offering Christmas gifts only to get run off by her father. That had been the extent of their friendship until then.
When she really got to know him, she’d found out he was a really good guy. Married, no kids. He always wanted kids, but was never able to have any. She began making excuses to slip out of the house, to not be home. She would do anything to just spend some more time with the man named Tim.
She spent a lot of time with him, a lot of time with his church, the youth group. For the first time, she was part of something. For the first time she felt welcomed, she felt loved.
Her story had slipped out on accident somehow, and Tim learned of it. It wasn’t easy for either of them, but she confessed the truth to him. Soon her father was arrested, she was put into foster care, her brothers disappeared. She was scared, didn’t know what to do.
Tim rescued her, adopted her as his own child. She, for once, now felt happy. She stared high school as a new person, she was no longer just damaged goods. She was now someone’s damaged goods.
She, one way or another, had gotten involved with her high school’s gymnastics team. She loved it, didn’t know why. She was part of the team, a team of great people. They welcomed her, they loved her, they taught her everything they knew. She poured hours into it, all her energy, all her focus. She ate and breathed gymnastics.
By the end of her first year, she’d made it to the state championships. It was the most exciting and at the same time the most terrifying and humiliating moment of her life. She tried hard, but didn’t place in the championship. She went home empty handed, she’d always been self-critical and it took her time to realize that it was pointless. Doubt only holds you back.
She pushed herself to the edge and over, finding her breaking point and then pushing it just a little farther. She was best in the state by her senior year, undefeatable. Years of training, practice and dedication payed off. She was offered a chance to try out for the Olympic gymnast team. Her dream came true, prayers answered.
She was an Olympic gymnast, and nobody could do anything to make her change her mind. She trained hard, partied harder. In all this time, she let herself slip. She’d taken her eyes off the prize, forgotten the goal. She thought she was untouchable, she thought she was a god.
It took a near-death experience to bring her back to reality. It was a snowy day in January, in the hills of Colorado. She’d gotten drunk, too drunk to drive. Someone had enough sense to call a cab for her. Thank God for that, had it been herself driving, she might actually be dead.
The driver of the cab lost control, overcorrected the skid and swerved into oncoming traffic where they were hit head-on by a city bus. She was paralyzed by the impact, that news devastated her. Everything she was, everything she’d worked so hard to become, just stolen away from her in a flurry of ice and steel.
The surgeries were extensive, the recovery took long. But she got back to her feet, she had to learn to walk all over again.
It was a year or two later when she ran into Laken at a bar. She saw what the alcohol had done to her, it’d torn her apart. It stole her from herself. Laken was no longer herself.
She couldn’t tell which one of them had it worse trying to sober up. It was hard for the both of them. Isabelle just forced a straight face and acted like it wasn’t hard every time she was around Laken. But somehow, buy some small miracle, the both of them made it through.
The two of them were separated before the apocalypse began. Isabelle had been alone for most of it, she wondered eastwards in hopes of something better than the hell she’d been trapped in.
She never realized that being kidnapped would be one of the best things that would happen to her in this world. She ran into Laken once more when she was abducted.
The two of them worked together to get out, but realized not all of them would make it. Isabelle agreed to stay behind, wait for them to come back and get her. So, when the fire was set, Rossi and Laken slipped out while Isabelle stayed behind to make sure no one noticed until it was too late.
So now she waited for them to come back. She waited to be rescued from her own hell once more. She hoped it just wouldn’t be too late.
She heard the deadbolt sliding away from outside and she sat up, finally being released from her cell. The door squeaked open, she saw a man standing on the other side. She knew him, His name was Ryan.
He was a member of Chase’s guard. Not voluntarily, but as he was a prison guard before the apocalypse, Chase put his abilities to use as a guard.
He stood at the doorway, and ran a hand through his long brown hair before he knocked on the frame. He looked over at her with his blue eyes, and sighed.
“Chase called a meeting to order.” Ryan said. Isabelle narrowed her eyes at him.
“What do you mean?” She asked. “What’s wrong?” He shook his head.
“A family was murdered last night.” He said. “All the evidence points towards the Dragonfly.” Isabelle sighed as she laid back onto her bed. She covered her face with her hands.
“How may were there?” She asked.
“Three of them.” He answered. “Brutally murdered. A mother and a father, teenage daughter.” He answered.
“When is this world ever going to change?” She asked.
Lizbeth Morrison
Lizbeth took a moment before responding. She sighed as she looked at Rossi.
“Okay, I’m with you.” She said. “We go.” He smiled, not one of triumph, but one of pure misery.
“Thank you, Lizbeth.” He responded. She saw his eyes drift over to Eve. “She’s tough. She’ll make it.” He nodded.
“Doesn’t make me feel any better about it.” He said.
“We all make dumb decisions every once in a while. Wounds heal.” Lizbeth said. He nodded.
“That they do.” He said. “You two seem close.” He said, nodding over to Eve.
“We are. She saved my life, saved all our lives actually.” Lizbeth said. He nodded.
“She sounds like a good person.” He said.
“She is.” Lizbeth responded.
“Who is she to you?” He asked, Lizbeth stopped. Her mind blanked, she had no real answer for him. Not yet.
“I… I’m not sure.” She responded. He nodded.
“It goes that way sometimes.” He said. “Keep her close to you, everyone deserves someone.”
“I’m not sure if I deserve anything anymore.” Lizbeth said, he shook his head.
“You’re one of the good ones. You just don’t know it.” He said, Lizbeth began to say something but Rossi cut her off as he continued. “The other kid, over there-“ He said, pointing towards Josh. “Who is he?”
“His name’s Josh.” Lizbeth said. “He’s a good friend.” He nodded.
“He seemed protective.” He remarked. She shrugged.
“It’s who he is.” She responded.
“Keep him close.” Rossi said as he stood up, brushing the dirt of his pants.
“Where are you going?” Lizbeth asked. He looked over towards Josh.
“I’m going to talk with him, get a feel for your group. I have a feeling we might be getting to know each other pretty well.” He said as he began walking away. Lizbeth looked back at Eve and smiled, seeing that she’d somehow drifted off to sleep. For a moment she sat still and watched her chest gently rising and falling.
But then she turned back around, remembering Laken and Samantha. The two were still talking, she could see Laken’s eyes were red and puffy as if she’d been crying. Lizbeth stood and began walking over towards them, trying to walk normal despite the pain still in her leg. It was better than it was before, stll bad. But it was bearable.
She sat down beside Samantha and looked over at Laken, the two stopped talking as Lizbeth joined them.
“What’s going on over here?” Lizbeth asked. Samantha shrugged.
“Not much.” She responded.
“She’s asking me stupid questions about the old world.” Laken laughed.
“It was an honest question.” Samantha remarked.
“What was it?” Lizbeth asked. Samantha smiled.
“I asked her what her favorite band was.” Samantha responded. Lizbeth looked back at Laken, who sat with a smug smile on her face.
“So?” Lizbeth asked. “What is it?” Laken shook her head.
“You wouldn’t know if I told you.” She responded.
“Try me.” Lizbeth said.
“Katelin O’Riley.” She responded. Samantha laughed.
“I know exactly who you’re talking about.” She said. Laken sat back in shock as if Samantha had just spoken a foreign tongue.
“Really?” Laken asked. Samantha nodded.
“That girl from New York, she’s a musician and a hacktivist. Got some of GreyWater’s CEO’s arrested for breaking toxic dumping regulations, organized protest rallies against GreyWater, stole information from the government and gave it to the people. All this and she got away with it.” Samantha said.
“Yeah, because someone else took the fall for her. After that, she kinda went dark.” Laken said.
“After that, the apocalypse began.” Samantha corrected. Laken shrugged.
“You think she’s still alive?” She asked.
“I don’t know.” Samantha responded. Laken sighed, they went silent. Lizbeth saw Laken picking at the beads on her dog tags.
“When I was over in Iraq, it was her that released that information that my city was being moved on.” She said, looking over at Samantha. “Lizbeth said your brother was in the marines?” She asked. Samantha nodded.
“For a few years, he came home after my parents died.” She said with a sigh.
“What was his name?” Laken asked.
“Marcus Bishop.” Samantha responded. Laken narrowed her eyes, as if thinking.
“What did he look like?” She asked.
“Hmm…” Samantha pondered, patting her pockets, shifting the baby in her arms. “Shit.” She snapped, her face going red.
“What?” Lizbeth asked.
“My picture. I had a picture of him, it’s the only one I had. I left it back there at the damn house.” She said, obviously distraught. Lizbeth could see her eye going glassy as they watered. “It’s all I had left.” Laken seemed to only ponder for a moment, looking on as Samantha began to break down in front of her.
“Wait.” Laken said, as she reached into one of the many pockets on her vest. She pulled out a folded piece of paper. With clumsy hands, she unfolded it, looked at it for a moment, then spun it around to face Samantha. “Is this Marcus?” She asked.
Samantha looked at the picture, Lizbeth did too. On the left stood Laken herself, looking not much different than she did now. Same short hair, muscular body. The only difference was her eyes, in the picture, her eyes were different somehow. They looked like they saw hope, joy, like they hadn’t seen the horrors of the world yet like they did now.
Beside her stood a man, easily taller than her. He was just as muscular as Laken, his hair short. His eyes blue. The same blue as Samantha’s eyes. He stood tall, his arm resting on Laken’s shoulder as she stood with her rifle in her hands. Both sporting their uniforms. Both looked like the worst hadn’t hit them yet.
“T… That’s him.” Samantha stuttered, her fingers brushing the image.
“Take it, it means more to you.” Laken said as she placed it in her hands.
“A-are you sure?” Samantha asked. Laken nodded.
“That picture was taken just days before my accident. If you would’ve saw me afterwards, you wouldn’t have been able to recognize me.” She laughed. Samantha shook her head.
“How did you know Marcus?” She asked.
“I was stationed at the same base as him.” Laken said. “He was one of the good ones.”
“He was.” Samantha agreed. Lizbeth felt a yawn crawling out, only now realizing that it was getting late. She noticed that more of the group had gone to sleep. It was only Laken, Rossi, Josh, Samantha and herself awake at this point.
Choice
[Sleep]
[Stay awake]
Tegan Marsh
She had to admit, about a month ago she was afraid of the Wasteland. Now? Now she was terrified of it.
She wasn’t in the bad part, no. She avoided going to the great plains region, instead being sold to a man up the Mississippi, in Minnesota.
Somedays she thought of running, trying to make it back down the Mississippi back to the Georgia area. But she knew she wouldn’t make it that far. They’d hunt her, they’d kill her. She’d never see home again, and she just became used to it.
She just hoped that the man that sold her away got what he deserved in the end. Chase Hernandez, she hoped he died.
She watched her breath curl upwards. It was cold outside, colder than she was used to. She wore a grey hoodie underneath her black leather jacket in a feeble attempt to block the cold, but to no avail. It seemed to rip right through her.
She was happy for the gloves, made of black leather, as they kept her finger from freezing off. Her gun hung haphazardly at her side. It was just a mac 10 that they shoved in her hands and sent her to the gates. She didn’t argue. She knew better.
Her conditioning taught her many things. Don’t talk back, don’t question authority, don’t step out of line, don’t break the rules. Fall in or die. Strength through forced unity. Just do what they say, and the pain will end.
She once thought of turning her gun on those that gave it to her, but knew better. She’d be dead before her bullets could even hit her target.
So now she stood, leaning against a brick wall, gazing out down the street. Her hand nervously dove into the pocket of her black skinny jeans, pulling out a small carton. She flipped open the lid, and sighed. Only one left.
She took it, throwing the box aside as she nervously tapped the cigarette against her hand. Her other hand went digging into her jacket pocket, pulling out a gold plated lighter. She stuck the cigarette between her lips and flipped the lighter open, watching a flame spark upwards into the frigid air.
The second the smoke hit her lungs, it was like slipping into a restful sleep. Her heart slowed, her hands quit shaking, and she could think again.
She quit smoking long ago, before all this. What changed? The apocalypse. The kidnapping, the slavery in the Wasteland. Out here, cigarettes are as cheap as water.
Her pale blue eyes fixated out into the street as she ran a hand through her short black hair that ceased before her shoulders. She saw a shadow looming on the horizon, and adjusted her glasses on her nose to get a better look. A single deer stood still in the middle of the road up ahead, looking right at her.
For a moment neither moved, just stood still. Tegan could see smoke rising every time the deer took a breath. It was too cold to exist. Then, she watched the animal scamper off the other side of the road and disappear into the brush.
“You should’ve shot it.” A voice spoke, nearly making her jump. She spun around and saw a man standing next to her, he loomed over her as he was a tall man. She herself was in no way short, just never tall. He looked at her for a moment, she could tell he was trying to find her name.
His name was Tyler, he worked for the owner of this town. Well, technically he was his son. He wasn’t a bad guy, but she had no want to be his friend. But he always came to her, only because she would actually listen and talk to him, unlike everyone else in this town. He was just a teen looking for friends, and the only one he had was a slave from Georgia, how sad.
“Tegan.” He finally deduced.
“Tyler.” She said, he sighed.
“You’re a hard one to find, you know that?” He asked. She shrugged.
“I don’t really try.” She said.
“You look just like a guy, I keep walking up to the wrong guard thinking it’s you.” He said. She sighed, she’d always been conscious about her physique, she never had curves like other women. Anytime anyone brought it up, it always sent her into a pit of self-pity. “Sorry.” He quickly added. She shook her head.
“It’s fine.” She said. “You should probably get inside. It’s too cold to be out here.”
“You’re out here, aren’t you?” He asked. She sighed.
“That’s because I was sold to your father. My life no longer belongs to me.” She said.
“If you can be out here, so can I.” He said. “My father’s an ass. People aren’t something that should be bought and sold.”
“At least someone in the family has some smarts.” Tegan remarked.
“I’m nothing like my father, and he doesn’t understand that. He wants me to take over this town once he’s too old, and I don’t want to. He’s doesn’t even care about me half the time. He arranged for me to date the chief of Denver’s daughter, she acts like I don’t even exist.” He said. “Do you know what it’s like to be ignored by someone you love?” He asked. Tegan sighed, puffing the cigarette as she stared southwards, the way the Mississippi flows.
“Yes.” She responded, with a sigh.
“Really? I didn’t think anyone liked you.” He said, then instantly slapped his face. “Sorry, I said that wrong. Just… Go on.” He said, his face red.
“Somewhere out there-“ Tegan said, pointing with the cigarette in her hand. “Is my girlfriend. She was a big figure in politics and activism, practically leading the strike against corrupt business practices… She knew how to bring people together, all kinds of people. But, she thought that if they knew she was gay nobody would take her seriously as an activist.” She stuck the cigarette between her lips once more. “So… she pretty much ignored me most of the time. Acted like I didn’t exist.” She said.
Tyler looked at her, narrowing his eyes.
“I didn’t know that about you.” He said.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” She said.
“Did your parents suck too?” He asked. She nodded.
“My parents sent me to a mental hospital.” She said.
“Seriously?” He asked.
“They though homosexuality was some sort of mental illness.” She said.
“That’s… Sick. That’s horrible. Who would do something like that?” He asked.
“Lots of people.” She responded. There was a moment of silence.
“Do you think you’ll ever see her again?” He asked. “Your girlfriend, I mean?”
“I hope so.” She said. “She dragged my ass
“She dragged my ass from New York to Georgia. I’m not ready to give up yet.” He nodded.
“You’re a good person, Tegan.” He said. “I hope you know that.”
“If you think I’m a good person, you’ve got the wrong idea.” She responded.
“No, you’re a lot better than most of the people here. You’re…” He trailed.
“I’m soft.” She said. “Your father said so.”
“No.” He corrected. “You’re human, and you’re not afraid of it.”
“What does that mean?” She asked. He looked her dead in the eye.
“If I was going to run away, would you come with me?” He asked. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, her mind instantly switched. This was a test. His father had put him up to this.
“K-2-7, do you copy?” A voice crackled over her radio before she could even respond. She grabbed the radio from her pocket.
“K-2-7 responding.” She spoke.
“Your shift’s over. Get to the hall before you freeze.” They said.
“Copy.” She said. She looked back towards Tyler, only to see that he was gone. “Son of a bitch.” She mumbled as she began walking. Halfway down the street, she took the cigarette from her lips. She looked at what was left of it with a sigh, that was the last one for the week. She quickly took oe of her gloves off, She grimaced as she pressed the cigarette against the palm of her hand, extinguishing it. She had multiple of such burns covering her hand. It was just one small way of reminding herself that she was still alive. One small way of saying she still controlled her life.
The second she pushed through the doors of the hall, she lifted her hands above her head and waited patiently as she was checked, her mac 10 removed, her pistol lifted from her. Her lighter taken and all stowed away, to be given back next time she left.
“K-2-7, right on time.” Spoke an all too familiar voice that sent shivers up her spine, both of fear and exhilaration.
“Yes sir.” She responded as the man stepped forwards. He wore a lab coat, plastic gloves and a surgical mask. He treated everyone here like they had some sort of disease he didn’t want. Her heart began racing as she saw the syringe in his hand.
“You’ve done good today, braving the cold.” He said, she nodded.
“Happy to do it, sir.” She said. She could tell that even behind the mask he had a sick smile.
“Hold still, little bird.” He said, moving close to her. She felt his hands on her neck, “This will pinch a little.” He said just a she felt the familiar sting of the needle tearing into her flesh. He quickly released the needle’s contents and pulled it out.
Her eyes instantly rolled back into her head as her knees buckled beneath her, she began falling forwards but someone caught her. A sense of relief overcame her as she melted into the arms of whoever it was holding her.
She felt herself being dragged away, but in her drugged up state, she didn’t care. The person dragging her took her out of the main room and into an adjacent room full of bunks. They threw her into one face-down. She turned her head slowly, looking at the one that’d carried her.
His face was blurry, as was everything else. She was numb, her vision beginning to fade. She saw his hand digging into his pocket. He pulled out a carton of cigarettes, throwing it onto the bed where she lay.
“You’re going to need these more than I am.” He muttered as he walked away. The thundering of his boots on the wooden floor became her lullaby as she slipped away into a drug-enduced sleep.
As was her daily routine since the day she arrived here.
[Sleep] Need to rest some.
Nice introduction of Tegan. Sad story of her life though.
Thank you. Her story is a tragic one.
Reminds me of someone else's story a bit, if you know who I mean.
I don't believe I do.
Character I've submitted.
Ah. I see what you're saying now.
[Stay awake]
Now, perhaps I'm just too paranoid here, but there is this Dragonfly arse somewhere out there and I'm still afraid he could stumble upon the group. The more people are awake, the less likely it is that he could successfully ambush them. Thinking about it, I'm almost certainly too paranoid here, but it can't hurt to have another pair of eyes awake.
Great part by the way! I enjoyed Laken's connection to Marcus, I did not see that one coming. She's really growing on me quickly, I certainly liked this interaction between her and Sammy. The other PoV's were nice as well. Tegan seems interesting and I really like Isabelle here in this part. After the build-up, I'm curious to meet this Chase guy.
I was just reading through her backstory and was like 'wait, they were both in the marines weren't they?' And I thought it would be cool to have some sort of reckoning back to Marcus after all this time.
Soon. Soon enough.
[Sleep]
Don't know if her injury has fully recovered , but if it didn't better to rest...
Really nice intro for Tegan , Curious to see what's going to happen to her and why they drugged her .
Tegan Marsh
Cold. Hard. Uncomfortable and rickety, all these words could be used to describe the bed she now slept in. But anymore, it was the best bed she knew.
She remembered a long time ago, back before all this, she’d had someone. It was easier to sleep back then, a heart beating next to hers. Not always having to sleep in fear of never waking. Yeah, even when she was with her she felt alone, abandoned, but at least she wasn’t actually alone.
Now was the kind of time that made her think of everything that’d led up to now. She remembered her first day she arrived here, over a few month ago. The first day is known as processing, the first week is conditioning.
She remembered shambling off the boat onto the landing, wearing her old NYIT hoodie and soccer sweats. They were lined up, there was about twenty or more of them in totally on that day. A man in a lab coat walked down the row, scrutinizing the features of each and every person. Every so often he’d stop and take a note, or mark someone.
Then he got to her, his eyes stopping on her hoodie. A smile formed at his lips.
“What do we have here?” He asked. Tegan refused to meet his gaze. She felt his cold hands under her chin, bringing her face close to his. “My son graduated from NYIT” She then had suggested he go do something that was anatomically impossible. He laughed, she saw he’d marked her on his list.
In total he’d picked five of them. The five of them were stolen away from the rest, rushed into a room and locked in together. Three of them were men, only one other woman. Will, Yakim, Zach and Hannah were their names. The Hasting’s Five.
One by one, they came. They grabbed one of them and dragged them away, what happened on the other side of the door, she didn’t know until they came for her. They grabbed her, lifted her on her feet and began taking her away, she thought she was about to die. She looked back at Yakim one last time before the door shut.
Three guards and the doctor were right beside her. She was desperate, looking for a way out. The guard on her left had his pistol hanging in the open. She grabbed it, turned it on the doctor. Then she pulled the trigger. He should’ve been dead, but he smiled.
“Little bird, you’ve failed your first test.” He spoke, soullessly, emotionlessly. “Gentlemen, kindly teach her.” He went on. It was only a few seconds before the first blow hit, she was sent sprawling onto the ground, but they kept hitting her. She saw the bottom of a black boot sailing down above her face, then nothing.
She awoke in a white-washed room, chained to a chair that resembled the kind you’d see at a dentists. She struggled and fought, but the door opened and the doctor walked in again, accompanied by another man.
“You’re awake, that’s good.” He said. “That means we can continue onto step two.” He said, saying step two as if this was some sort of recovery plan for addicts. The man that had accompanied him in the room stepped behind her, she tried to turn to look but couldn’t. He ran a hand through her then long hair, with a sigh.
She fought, long and hard. She kept kicking ad trying to escape, but he accomplished his task. By then end of it, the floor was covered in a sea of her hair, leaving her head bare. The doctor looked at her like she was a puzzle.
“It’s okay to cry, little bird.” He told her. Her cold glare was all he got. He nodded as nothing happened. “At first I wasn’t sure why I chose you, but now I know. You’re a fighter.” He said. “Garret, it’s time.”
“Time for what?” Tegan demanded. The doctor looked at her, eyes kind. The other man left the room.
“The way we get our newcomers to obey our rules around here… The process takes time, something we can’t afford. So, I’ve been employed to find a quicker way.” He said. He held out his hand and waited, seconds later, Garret handed him a needle full of an off-colored liquid. “This is something me and few others cooked up in a lab, they’ve told me the first dose is the worst. Your body will reject it, fight it, but then it will get used to it and begin craving it. Then you’ll become addicted, then you won’t be able to function without it.” He explained. Her eyes widened, step two wasn’t some sort of addict recovery program. It was a program to make an addict.
Her eyes rolled back, her body began convulsing, her head was dizzy, feeling drained from her body as she felt her blood turn into liquid fire surging through her veins, she felt her heart beating wildly out of her chest as the light faded into black.
Over the next few days it was the same, a test. Wrong choice, you got a beating until you wished you were dead. Then they moved on to the drug, one shot a day slightly increasing the dosage.
She was the only survivor by the end of it. Will killed himself on day three. Yakim strangled a guard to death and was promptly executed on day five, Zach was shot while trying to run on day four. Hannah died on day one after her body rejected the drug. Day seven rolled around, and Tegan was no longer herself, she was a slave to whatever it was pumping through her veins.
She no longer responded to her name, she was only K-2-7. The number she was given for the tests. Now a mindless zombie, she was trained as such. She’d do anything to get one more dose. She trained, drilled, executed, she was a good dog to her master.
K-2-7 had completed her training weeks before any of the others. Therefore, it was a minor success, scratch the fact that four out of the five died in the process.
She went day by day doing grueling tasks like constructing barricades and guard duty in the biting cold, making sure none of the infected reached the town. It took her awhile to get back to even being relatively human.
She remembered the day she met Tyler. It was a warmer day than most of the recent days had been. She was standing on the edge of town, gun in hand, listening to the mighty Mississippi when he appeared.
“Wanna swim?” He’d asked. She’d stared at him for a minute as if he’d spoken a foreign language. “I asked you a question.” Even after that it took her a moment to put a cognitive sentence together.
“It’s too cold.” She spoke. He shrugged.
“It won’t get much warmer, let’s go.” He said. She shook her head.
“I can’t swim.” She said. He looked at her oddly for a moment before leaning back against the wall beside her. It was about that time she extinguished the cigarette she’d been smoking in her hand. He offered her a hand.
“My name’s Tyler. What’s yours?” He asked. She took his hand awkwardly and shook.
“K-2-7.” She said. He laughed.
“No, you’re real name.” He said, she stared at him for a moment. And his face wet slack. “You have a name, right?” He asked, as if genuinely concerned.
“T-“ She began but stopped. She didn’t know who she was, not anymore. Tegan was someone else, someone that died long ago.
“Go on.” He coaxed. Her lips moved, making no words. He waited, she didn’t answer.
“Tegan.” She managed. He nodded.
“Tegan.” He said. And that was that. That was the beginning of the end. Right there and then. Trust. That’s all it took. One conversation led to a little trust. She trusted him, he trusted her. She would never admit to it, however.
“If I was going to run away, would you come with me?” He asked her. Trust. He trusted her with the question, she brushed it off because of fear. Now it was her turn to trust, to have faith that he needed her. Was she going to do that? Was she willing to do that?
Choice
[Trust Tyler]
[Don’t trust him]
Aspen Diaz
The truck slowed to a stop. The family kept their distance, hands in the air.
“Are you armed?” Aspen shouted from the truck.
“Of course we are!” The father shouted back. Aspen looked back at Raven, who shrugged.
“Where are you headed?” She asked.
“Anywhere but here.” He responded.
“South?” She asked.
“Better than here.” He said. Aspen killed the engine and threw the door open, stepping out. She looked over the group, she took note of the girl. Her hair was long and black, reaching her waist. Her eyes were brown with a certain pain in them, the pain of loss. Not only losing someone or something, but the pain of losing yourself. She had pale skin, now that Aspen was closer, she could tell that she was maybe a little older than just a kid. Maybe in her later teens.
She waited a moment, Raven limped up beside her. She looked them over, scrutinizing them with a passion. She especially took interest in the girl, who wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“Can we have a ride? We don’t have much, but we can share what we have.” The man said. Aspen looked at Raven.
“What do we do?” She asked. Raven looked back at them.
“We’ll give you a ride. I’m driving. The girl stays in the cab with me. The rest of you are in the back with Aspen.” Raven decided.
“What?” Aspen asked.
“No way.” The man spoke. “My girl is going to stay with me.”
“No dice.” Raven said as she turned and began limping back towards the truck. “Aspen, let’s go.” She said.
“Wait.” The man said. Raven stopped. “She’ll ride with you, but please, just don’t hurt my girl.”
“Not my intentions in the slightest.” Raven said as she continued on her way to the truck. “Climb in the back.” She told them. Aspen followed close behind her, stopping her at the truck.
“Whatever you’re doing here, I want to know.” Aspen said.
“I need to talk to the girl.” She said. Aspen shook her head.
“Just… Don’t hurt her.” Aspen said.
“I already said that wasn’t part of my plan.” She said. Aspen shook her head with a sigh. Then she continued on her way to the back of the truck.
Raven Lee
She waited for a minute, the girl joined her in the cab. She heard a knocking on the back of the truck, everyone was secure. She started the engine and the truck began crawling down the road.
They drove in silence, neither one starting a conversation. They’d traveled about ten miles before she spoke up.
“What’s your name?” Raven asked.
“What happened to your eye?” She countered.
“Why don’t you answer the question?” Raven asked.
“Answer mine and maybe I’ll answer yours.” She said. Raven grumbled.
“It got stabbed out while I was being held prisoner in a bunker.” She said.
“So you’re not Ohioan.” She said.
“You’re not either anymore.” Raven said. She sighed.
“I never was.” She grumbled.
“What’s your name?” Raven asked again.
“Amber Drake.” She said.
“Raven Lee.” She said.
“What’s with the questions?” Amber asked.
“I know what’s going on.” She said. “I could tell from the moment I saw you. You’re hiding something.” Amber’s face changed, it turned from offensive and confident to defensive and reserved.
“I’m not hiding anything.” She said.
“I can heard the edge in your voice, there’s something you don’t want me to know.” She said. “I saw how you stood there when you were with your family, you didn’t feel safe. I saw the relief on your face when I asked for you to ride with me up here.”
“There’s nothing.” Amber insisted.
“If that’s the case, then you wouldn’t mind if I pulled over and let Aspen back up here and sent you back there with them?” Raven countered. She went silent. “I thought so. So tell me, what is it? What’s the dark family secret? You folks murderers? Were you kidnapped by them? What is it?”
“I was adopted by them. Before the apocalypse.” She said.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Raven muttered. “Continue.”
“I’d rather not.” She said.
“Then can you explain something to me?” She asked.
“What?” Amber asked.
“It’s not that cold outside. What’s with all the layers?” She asked.
“I like it that way.” Amber countered.
“Yeah?” Raven asked. “Let me see your stomach.”
“What? Hell no.” Amber snapped. “creep.”
“Then I’ll just pull over here and let you and your family out, and you can explain why they all just lost their ride.” Raven said. Amber sighed.
“I hope you go to hell.” She grumbled.
“I’m sure I will.” Raven responded. She lifted her shirt, showing the skin of her stomach. It was purple and bruised, swollen. “I bet you have a good bullshit story on what caused that.”
“Before we met you we ran into bandits in the woods.” She said. “One of them took a swing and got me pretty good.” She explained. Raven nodded.
“Mind if I tell you a story, Amber?” Raven asked. She shrugged.
“You don’t seem to care what I want anyways.” She said.
“Good answer.” Raven said. “Once upon a time, the apocalypse began. There was a young woman who thought she knew what she was doing, she got lost in the woods she thought she knew and nearly starved to death. But along came a knight in shining armor to save her. He helped her back on her feet, but when it came time for her to leave he turned on her. He locked her in a room for months, using her as if she were just some sort of toy to be played with. One day, he left to go hunting and she kicked the door down and ran. She ran right into the army, which she ended up joining, and later ended up deserting. And now she’s sitting in a truck somewhere, telling a story to someone who won’t tell the truth.” She said.
“Nice story.” Amber said. “But it doesn’t change what happened.”
“I think it does.” Raven said. “I think it makes me and you quite the same.”
“It doesn’t.” She said.
“Your parents hit you. Your father probably does worse.” Raven said. Amber’s eyes widened.
“How did you know-“ She spit out, before being able to catch herself. “I mean-“
“Stop the lies.” Raven said, “I want to truth.” Silence filled the cab again.
“It’s been happening like this most of my life.” She said, solemnly. Defeated. “I was an unwanted child give up for adoption. I was bounced around in foster care for a long time, each one just as bad as the last. They’d just hit me, for no reason. Sometimes they’d keep going until I was out, sometimes longer. They’ve… done things to me that I’d rather not talk about…” She said. Raven nodded. Her mind trailed back to long ago. A choice she was given.
She’d run, joined the CDC army. She was a broken mess, barely able to talk or eat or be human. Aspen knew what happened. Aspen knew everything about her. One day a group of soldiers showed up and loaded her into a truck, they drove for a long time and then they stopped, seemingly in a random place.
They marched out into the woods, leading her through the trees until they found a cabin, one with a broken door. They walked in. Inside there was a guard hovering over a man who was tied down to a chair. The same man that’d broken her.
That was the choice they’d given her. Forgiveness, kindness, or revenge. Justice. She didn’t even blink as they put a bullet between his eyes. Her only wish was that they would’ve drawn it out longer. That was the beginning of a new life for her, not a who she was. Not as the broken woman. But as a solider, she reshaped herself to be a soldier from that day on.
“W-what are you going to do?” Amber asked.
Choice
[Give her the choice]
[Stay silent]
[Don’t trust him]
It may be another test.
[Give her the choice]
Simply because I want to see what she will do.
[Trust Tyler]
Oh man, it must really suck to be Tegan
She already has my heartfelt sympathy. Anyways, while I believe this could be yet another test, I also believe it could be important for her, to retain a bit of herself. Obviously, since this seems to be part of her memories, she won't manage to run away (or perhaps she hasn't yet tried). Still though, I think she should trust him, or else she might even start to loose the will to escape.
[Give her the choice]
I agree with Mathea on this, it should be interesting to see what she's going to do.
[Trust Tyler]
I think the tests are over and i don't think she has much choice if she want to survive
[Give her the choice]
I agree with mathea and luiquid , let's seewhat she'll do .
Oh. The choice was for her in the present time, even though the part was in her past. I probably should've explained that somehow, sorry for the confusion.
No, I missed a part while I was away! Can I still vote for it? But I would make it a tie, since I think that staying awake is the much better option.
[Trust Tyler]
It is a chance. Even if he turns on her, the chance is worth taking.
[Give her the choice]
What the others said is true. It cant hurt to give her the chance.
Tegan Marsh
When her eyes opened, she wasn’t alarmed to see that Tyler was right next to her. He stood next to the bed she was sprawled on, probing her with his eyes.
“Morning sunshine.” He mocked her. “Had a bad dream?” She shook her head with a sigh.
“No.” She responded. He raised an eyebrow.
“Sounded like you did.” He responded.
“This life is a bad dream.” She said. “What happens inside my mind doesn’t matter.”
“I think it’s what happens in our minds that matters the most.” He said. She slowly sat up, blinking away the black spots that formed in her vision.
“Tyler, when you ran off yesterday I never got the chance to answer your question.” She said. He shifted back a little as he continued looking at her with his beady eyes.
“I understand, you don’t trust me. It’s not something I should’ve even said. Let’s just pretend it never happened, alright?” He asked. She shook her head.
“No, it’s not that.” She said. Then she went silent. She felt like her old self, trying to grab words from the rivers that flowed through her mind and form just one cohesive sentence. “I want to go.” She said. “I want to leave this place, I want to go home.” She said. Tyler stood still for a moment before he sat down on the bed that was beside her.
“Where is home?” He asked. She bit her lip, he looked at the ground. Both knew she had no answer to that question.
“I don’t know.” Was all she could say. He sighed.
“I know where to start.” He said.
“Where would that be?” She asked.
“South. Back to where you came from.” He said. “It’s the perfect plan, we can follow the Mississippi all the way to the gulf if we have to.”
“When do we leave?” She asked. He thought for a second.
“I thought it was only going to be me going, so I have to get some supplies for you. But…” He trailed thinking. Improvising.
“I’m on duty again the morning. They’ll give me my gun and you can meet me at the south wall, we can leave before the sun comes up.” She said. He nodded, his eyes not hiding the fact that within his mind he was still running the plan through a series of worst case scenarios.
“It can work, It has to work.” He said.
“It’s our only chance.” She said. “We leave before the sun comes up, flee south as far as we can and then we can…” She trailed, unable to finish her plan.
“Let’s take this one day at a time, Tegan.” He responded. She nodded.
“It’s our only choice from here.” She said.
“I’ll see you at the wall in an hour.” He said. She nodded, and like that he was gone. She was alone again. She sighed, the cold sinking in again. It was time for her to go back out again, she couldn’t fight it. The drug had become part of her, it told her what to do. She could only pray that she could make it long enough to get out of dodge without it.
Then she remembered something, her hand searched the bed next to her, brushing over a small box next to her. She shoved it quickly into her pocket. She almost hated herself for giving in so readily to something she beat so long ago, but given the circumstances she though it was more than acceptable.
She walked out, down the hallway back to the main room. The same man stood at the door as before, he looked at her with his cold brown eyes. He conveyed no emotion as he spoke.
“Are you heading out?” He asked.
“I have perimeter duty on the south wall.” She responded. He nodded. She received her pistol, her lighter and her sub machine gun and stowed them away. She pressed through the doors into the cold of the early morning. The sun had yet to rise, and wouldn’t for a few more hours at least.
The cold reminded her of a place she used to know, a place she used to call home once upon a time. It wasn’t like this kind of cold, the bitter cold she faced daily. It was more of a refreshing kind of cold that kept you awake. The New York kind of cold, the one that was ever present in the early morning but slowly dwindled as the sun rose.
She could remember the apartment she lived in, high above the city below. She herself would’ve never been able to afford a place as fancy as that, but it wasn’t her paying. It was always Kat, her wealth she’d obtained from her family was more than abundant.
But she also remembered the silence that filled that apartment, the endless nothingness of being alone. Kat would leave for weeks at a time, she’d have to stay in New York all alone. The sound of the traffic was her only comfort.
She remembered one day, she’d just been here alone like many of days before, but it was different somehow. She felt it. She sat on the couch, the TV on in front of her. She’d been preoccupied playing some video game all afternoon, she couldn’t even remember the name anymore.
Her cell phone had rung repeatedly throughout the day, every time it’d been Kat calling her. Never once did she answer. She regretted not answering the phone. It wasn’t that she was mad at Kat for leaving her alone like that, it was just that she felt the pit forming in her stomach then than she did the love that was in her heart. Kat had gone out to Albany for some protest rally against some big corporation that’d been destroying the ecosystem and covering up some crooked deals.
Tegan had all the Emails on her computer, she’d hacked them long ago. For a top of the line business machine, their security sucked. In reality, Tegan had done all the hacking. But it wasn’t accredited to her because the world really didn’t know she existed. It’d been Kat that had first asked her to hack one of the corporate databases, it was easy for her. It came natural. Hacking almost felt like some sort of pastime to her, just like football or soccer. She used to play soccer long ago, before her parents had forced her away from her home into a mental institute. She hoped that wherever they were, they were feeling her pain.
She heard a noise outside the door, and she turned her attention away from the TV as she came barreling in. Kat threw open the door and rushed in, Tegan could see fear in her steely blue eyes. Her auburn hair was a mess, she was breathing heavily.
“What’s wrong?” Tegan asked. Kat could barely answer.
“We have to go, they’re coming.” She said. Tegan furrowed her brow.
“Who’s coming?” She asked.
“The police, they know who’s been hacking the databases.” She said, running her hands through her hair as she paced around the polished wood floor. Tegan realized what she was getting at.
“And they think it’s you.” She deducted. Kat sat down on the couch, Tegan took a seat next to her, wrapping her arms around her.
“What are we going to do?” Kat asked, nearly crying. “I can’t go to prison.” Tegan kissed her on the cheek as she buried her head into her shoulder.
“We’ll find a way, we always have.” She said.
“They know, Tegan. They know.” She said.
“But it was actually me, not you.” Tegan said. She felt Kat stiffen suddenly as she looked her in the eye.
“What are you saying?” She asked.
“You’re not going to go to prison.” Tegan said, nervously biting her lip. “I am.”
“No.” Kat snapped almost immediately. “You can’t do that.”
“I confess that it was me, and they’ll have no other choice than to leave you alone. All you have to do is just keep doing what you’ve been doing ever since you met me.” Tegan said.
“What’s that?” Kat asked, sounding confused.
“Just keep acting like I don’t exist.” Tegan said. She could see the pain flaring up in her eyes.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.” She said.
“You’ll have your time for sorry’s later.” Tegan said. “Right now, you need to go. And you need to stay out of the spotlight for a while. The police are going to come and take me away and I’m going to tell them everything. They’ll still watch you, but you’ll be safe.” Tegan pulled her up from the couch onto her feet.
“Don’t do this.” Kat begged.
“I was in a mental hospital for two years, that’s pretty much like being in prison already. I’ll be fine.” She said. “Worst case scenario, I get a few years in prison no chance of parole.”
“Why would you do that for me, after all I’ve done?” She asked, Tegan could see her rosy lips quivering as she held back tears.
“Because I love you.” Tegan said. “And love is stupid.” She pushed Kat away, towards the door. Kat took a few stumbling steps before she could even regain her posture. At the door she froze, looking back at Tegan. Tegan couldn’t take her eyes off her. She was as beautiful as a supermodel.
“I-“ She tried to find something to say, something more to add. There was nothing. This was the void where words became pointless. Any words said after that point would’ve fallen on deaf ears. The only thing that mattered was watching her linger, and then disappear.
Then she waited. She leaned back against the counter top, staring at the door. She didn’t flinch as the white door splintered into an explosion that canvased the entire room. She watched them charge in, but didn’t move. They surrounded her, she laced her fingers behind her head as she faced them.
“Took you long enough.” She scoffed. The next thing she knew she was on a prison bus, dressed in bright orange that clashed with her hair, which back then was a bright blue. She was jostled around in her seat as the guard glared them all down. She was wrong about one thing. The power of the corporate influence on the justice system. She was being sent to three years in a maximum security prison on charges of terrorism and internet hacking. She’d nearly forgotten the time she hacked the feed of an LEO and saw that an entire town was being moved on by terrorists in the middle east.
Apparently spreading the truth is also known as terrorism to some.
Just up ahead in the road, a group of three lumbered across the grass median and right into the street. The driver didn’t have enough time to stop, plowing right into them. He jerked the wheel, the bus turned sharply and flipped onto its side. Tegan was thrown across the bus, hitting her head on the wall where she blacked out.
And that was the first day of the apocalypse.
Lizbeth Morrison
She slept. The fatigue gnawed away at her and she gave in, slipping into sleep before too long.
She wished it was a restful sleep, though none was the case as her dreams that night were plagued with horrors. A night spent inside a small car the air freezing, her mother still by her side. Men on the highway, rummaging through garbage, finding a small car. The door jerked open, her mother fought back. A single shot ripped through the silence of night like a veil, ripping a hole in her heart. Three days locked in a cage, three days treated like an animal, a toy, not human. A hole in the cage, wedging herself though, a rifle laying on the ground. Two shots ripped through the air that night, though it wasn’t enough to fill the sinkhole in her heart formed by what those men had taken from her.
Then, a young girl wondering, lost in a place she didn’t know. Then a town, Athens Georgia. A man surrounded by infected, the one called Evan. A girl by then toughened by the world. She had no care in her mind as she killed the infected, she’d lost that part of her long ago. Then a man, no longer surrounded by infected. He had supplies, supplies she needed. A rifle in her hands, she wondered how far was to far as her finger tightened on the trigger.
But instead, she ran. Ran right into the man named Miller, the one who would become the fabric that would begin to sew the wound in her heart. The blood she lost on the highway was replaced by flesh, family to her was no longer genetics.
Then a cabin in the woods, ripped apart by bandits and a man she’d saved long ago. A man who’d lost part of himself he still fought to retain. Then an army, and new friends. Then a new life in a new place, safety for once in her life. Not feeling alone.
Then, the incident. A fight, disappearance. A knife tearing into her leg, she passed out. She woke up, and a new friend was found. A girl, who’d lost everything but insisted on still giving what she had left. A girl who had no home, no friends, no family, but instead felt confined within herself. Or so she had thought. From high in a belfry she was a group of people, struggling to stay alive. She put herself in danger to make sure they were taken care of. The one they called Eve.
She had to question it, her mind begged it.
Who was the one they called Lizeth Morrison?
“Hey, wake up.” A voice spoke. Her eyes fluttered open and next to her stood Miller, hovering over her with his hand on her shoulder jostling her from her sleep. She saw an orange circle burning its way through the darkness as it crested the horizon. “Rossi said it was time to move.” Lizbeth pushed herself up off the ground, brushing off the dirt and the leaves. Her leg hurt, a kind of numb pain. It was there, it was present, but it was retreating.
Lizbeth had noticed that everyone minus one was awake. Laken still lay sleeping on the ground, no one bothering to wake her. It was odd how she slept, hold her rifle against her chest as if letting it go would mean the death of her. It was Rossi himself that decided to wake her, he nudged her and called out to her asking her to wake. She grunted as her eyes opened.
It took her a moment to rejoin the living world, but Lizbeth could see something different in her eyes. The pained and broken woman she saw last night was no longer present, replaced by a fierce and determined one. She looked at the early sun and sighed,
“You should’ve waken me up earlier. Now it’ll be midday before we get to the compound.” She said, but shook her head. “But it’s all good. I came up with a plan on how we can get in there, without anyone noticing.” She kept going, Rossi tried to stop her though she refused to let him be heard. “I was thinking about it, we need a way in that we can’t be seen. And then it came to me, the sewers. We can go in and come up in the center of the compound and just take them out without them even knowing.” She said.
“Laken.” Rossi quickly said before she could continue.
“What?” She asked. “Don’t like the plan?” He shook his head.
“We’re not going back to the compound. We’re escaping.” He said. Her face went expressionless.
“But-“ She stammered, then looked over to Lizbeth. “You said you’d help me.” Lizbeth looked to the ground.
“It’s too dangerous, Laken. I’m sorry.” She said. Lizbeth could see a flame catching in her eye as she looked at Rossi.
“You bastard!” She yelled. “We made a promise and you want to just turn on it? Don’t you have any integrity?”
“It wasn’t just me, Laken.” Rossi said. “It was a decision we all made.”
“I can’t be mad at them. They didn’t know better. But you, I can sure as hell be mad at you, and I will be.” She said.
“Laken.”
“Just stop, okay?” She asked. “I don’t need it.” She angrily snatched her rifle off the ground and she glared at him.
“I’m sorry.” Lizbeth said. Laken looked at her, her eyes not filled with rage or hate or anything. They were void of emotion.
“Maybe one day I’ll accept your apology.” She said as she began walking away. She quickly disappeared into the brush.
“I guess we’re heading out?” Evan asked.
“I guess we are.” Rossi said as he followed through the brush after Laken. Lizbeth noticed that Josh had picked up Eve and was carrying her.
It wasn’t long before the sun illuminated the forest. It became easier to see, and easier to walk. Laken hadn’t spoken a word, she kept cutting away from the pack and trekking alone into the woods, surveying the area around them.
“It’s not your fault you know.” Said a voice. She looked over, seeing Josh. He’d recently handed Eve off to Miller.
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“I know you. I know you think it’s somehow your fault, like you could’ve done something to change this from happening.” He said. “There’s nothing you could’ve done.”
“I wasn’t blaming myself for anything.” She said, though deep in her heart she knew it was a lie.
“Eve getting shot didn’t have anything to do with you. This… This thing going on right now with Laken, she might not understand why we’re doing it right now, but someday she’ll understand.” He said.
“And what if she doesn’t?” She asked. He sighed as he looked ahead.
“We all cope in different ways.” He said. “She’ll just have to learn how to.”
“And what if I made the wrong decision? What if supporting Rossi and his choice to leave was the wrong choice?” She asked. He narrowed his eyes.
“It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks of a choice you make. As long as you think it’s the right choice, they can learn to deal.” Josh spoke.
“What if I don’t think it was the right choice?” She asked, he sighed.
“Welcome to life.” He sighed.
“Why did you decide to come talk to me?” She asked.
“Because like it or not, you’re a good person.” He said. “And I just didn’t want you to forget that.” She laughed.
“A good person?” She questioned. “who thinks that?”
“Me for starters. And Eve, Miller, Evan, Rebecca, Rossi, Samantha, and Laken too.” He said. “You’re just too hard on yourself. I’ve made that mistake before, and it changed me. I don’t want to watch it happen to you too. When you start forgetting that you’re the good guy, you become the bad guy.”
“When did you stop thinking you were a good guy?” She asked. He shook his head.
“I never thought I was one.” He answered. Then he laughed, it was a random laugh with no cause. Maybe a thought had floated through his mind, maybe a joke form long ago he just remembered.
“What’s funny?” She asked. He shrugged.
“Before the apocalypse, I was sure that I was going to become a pathologist. You know, study diseases and find out how they work, what makes a disease tick. And then find out how to kill it.” He said.
“So what’s the funny part?” She asked.
“The Infected are doing the exact same thing to us. The disease is figuring us out, studying us, finding out what makes a human a human, and then finding out how to stop that.” He said.
“That’s more scary than it is funny.” She remarked.
“What did you used to want to do?” He asked.
“Does it matter?” She asked.
“No. Just a question.” He said.
“I always wanted to do something outdoors.” She said. “Maybe something with the wildlife.” She said.
“Like a marine biologist?” He asked.
“No, more on land.” She said. “I wanted to be like Jane Goodall.” He smiled.
“Animals.” He remarked. “What’s your favorited animal?”
“Deer.” She answered. “I used to hunt them. What’s yours?”
“Promise you won’t laugh?” He asked.
“Promise.” She said.
“Turkey vultures.” He said.
“What? Why?” She asked.
“Because, they’re so under appreciated. People hate them for no reason, they just do what they’re meant to do. And people hate them because they’re alive.”
“They eat dead things.” Lizbeth said.
“If they didn’t eat the dead things, the dead things would pile up on the road and never go away.” He said. “Everything serves a purpose.” She nodded.
“Alright, now I get to ask you a question.” She said.
“Sure.” He said.
“Is Pluto a planet?” She asked. He smiled.
“Out of everything you could’ve asked, you chose that?” He asked. She nodded.
“It’s my question.” She said.
“Yes. It’s a planet.” He said. She smiled.
“I guess we do have something in common after all.” She said.
“Hold up guys.” Rossi spoke. “I think it’s time for a break, this looks like a good spot up ahead.”
“Should we really be stopping if you think we’re being followed?” Miller asked.
Choice
[Stop]
[Keep going]
[Keep going]
I'm still pretty sure this Dragonfly guy might stumble upon them, which is something I want to prevent at all cost. This guy sounds insanely dangerous and he is in the same area, so staying too long at one spot is a terrible idea in my opinion. There is also Chase and his people, quite probably the lesser evil in this case, who nonetheless pose a threat to the group. Getting all of them away from these sick bastards as far as possible is my priority at the moment.
[Keep going]
[Keep going]
beter to be tired tthan captured , let's continue .
[Keep going]
I agree with the others. When they are being followed they shouldnt stop for a break.
Edit: Why have I posted this two times? The new forums sucks, I hope they improve quick.
[Keep going]
I agree with the others. When they are being followed they shouldnt stop for a break.
So, this is like the second time I've done this... But I'm doing it again. I'm going to step away for a little bit, maybe a week or more. I have a lot of stuff I need to get together and I need to get ready for school to start again and I need to get my thoughts in order and... Life. I need to get my life in order really. So, uh, I guess I leave you guys with a small list of questions like I always do when I run out of ideas if that's okay.
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
4.) Least favorite character and why?
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
6.) What do you like best about this story?
7.) What do you like least about this story?
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
(Just a heads up, I'll be posting this in my other story also. You don't have to answer both sets if you don't want to, this is purely voluntary. It's just a way for me to get feedback from you guys and see how I'm doing. Thanks muchly.)
Sorry again for hopping ship.
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I enjoy the story a lot, especially due to a fact that I am the recent follower. I think my favorite part so far was one with Raven's flashbacks.
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
Least favorite? Not existing.
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
Raven and Aspen, because of their relationship they builded up. Their parts are always interesting to read and are filled with emotions.
4.) Least favorite character and why?
There is no least favorite character.
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
I guess they will fall in another troubles soon enough, especially after reading about Chase.
6.) What do you like best about this story?
The special dark vibe it's giving.
7.) What do you like least about this story?
That parts appear rarely.
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
Newest character Tegan seems to be in indirect danger. I have a bad feeling about the recent choice concerning her.
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
Rain.
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
Next part, please.
Patience grasshopper.... I know it's been awhile and I'm pretty speratic, but once I get back on track I'm sure it'll get a little more smooth.
First time ever I had been named grasshopper... :-)
Yes, I know. Don't worry about me and my mumbling.
my friends call me grasshopper sometimes. Just a nickname I have or something.
Finally managed to answer
As I said in The Dark before the Dawn, it's alright. Take your time, I'm sure the next part will be awesome!
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I am loving it. Having read your work since the beginning of Stranded, I can say that Youngstown clearly shows the massive development your writing underwent over the past year and a half. SInce it is your newest story, it is also the most refined and while The dark before the dawn for example started a bit weaker than its most recent parts, Youngstown already had this insanely high level of quality from the very beginning. I still feel that the recent Dark before the Dawn parts are even better, but that does not mean that Youngstown is not absolutely and utterly amazing. Because it is absolutely and utterly amazing. When thinking of my favourite part, the one that came to mind immediately was the part in which Sammy returned. She is among my two or three longest living characters in the forum, which gives me quite the connection to her and made her reappearance (and prior updated resubmission) very special to me. It was the part that put a stupidly huge grin on my face and therefore my clear favourite.
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
You're always asking me this question and I can never give you a clear answer. I mean, I'm sure there is a part I liked the least, but it is simply a part I have no opinion at all about as opposed to a part I actively disliked, because such a thing does not exist.
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
I think my absolute favourite at the moment is Aspen. She is amazing and I found her parts very thought-provoking and emotional. Her parts in the bunker were a collective highlight of the story and her relationship with Raven is one of the coolest aspects of the story. Another one I grew to like is Evan, because of how he developed not only in the story, but in my view on him. I started with a mixed opinion on him, but by now I genuinely like him and think that he is a great guy. The only reason he is not my clear favourite is because I found Aspen's parts more emotional. Finally, there is Samantha. She currently seems a bit less important to the central plot than Aspen or Evan, but as I meantioned above, I simply feel a connection to her. I adored her in Stranded and it is incredible to see how she developed until now and how utterly perfect you capture this new and mature version of her.
4.) Least favorite character and why?
That Dragonfly turd loaf. So far, he seems to be pretty much the things I despise the most. His murders are despicable on their own, but his reasons are even worse, as it seems he simply murders out of racism and violent nationalism, which are two concepts I will never be able to understand. From what we heard about him, I also highly dislike Chase, though I don't hate him on the same level I hate Dragonfly.
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
Evan's group might be in trouble very soon. There is the Dragonfly arsewipe around and if he doesn't get them, I'm afraid Chase will do so sooner or later. The fact that a human trafficker sounds like the better alternative makes me highly afraid, especially as I don't know if he would see any value in Sammy's baby. Or, and that would seriously surprise me, they manage to evade both dangers. I still don't think that things will continue to run smoothly for them.
6.) What do you like best about this story?
Your writing style is, as I said above, at its best here in Youngstown. Every part is simply a joy to read and I find myself deeply engaged in the characters and their fates, which is the thing I like the most about a good story.
7.) What do you like least about this story?
At this point of the story I find it impossible to criticize anything. As Mathea said, the parts could appear more frequently, but the same applies for The Dark before the Dawn and it is no critique about your writing, which I am incapable of criticizing.
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
Alright someone is going to die. There's no way everyone will make it through. While I hope for Sammy and her baby to survive, I don't think it will be easy for them, or for anyone. Tegan is in a lot of danger, I agree with Mathea, though I don't think she will die first, considering that she is a very new character. The one I have a bit of a bad feeling about is Eve, who is wounded and a potential target for the Dragoncunt. Miller is another one where I don't have the best feeling, as he is also a possible target, but he is a strong and capable guy who would at least put up one hell of a fight before going down, if he even goes down at all. Still, I don't have the best feeling for him. And I somehow don't think that Laken and Rossi will make it. One is going to survive for sure, I am convinced of it, but I don't know if both will survive. Laken sounds like the person who would sacrifice her life to protect the people she cares for, so I say she has more of a possibility to die than Rossi.
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
As I said in Dark before the Dawn: Rain over Sun, Snow over Rain. Snow rules. Hail snow!
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
Well... thank you. Thank you for writing this amazing story. I can't wait for future parts
1.) How are you liking the story thus far? What's your favorite part and why?
I am enjoying it very much! Stranded was the first story I have read from you and it was one of the first stories I have really been invested in in this forum. Because of this, I like Youngstown so very much. My favorite parts are have also something to do with this, because it is always special for me when things from Stranded matter in Youngstown, like Eva in the bunker and Samantha returning to the main story with her baby. I hope for more surviving characters to return in the future
2.)What's your least favorite part and why?
What is a least favorite part? I dont think I have this
3.) Who's your favorite character, why?
Out of the Youngstown only characters it is Aspen, because I love her complicated friendship with Raven, who is another of my favorite characters. And call it Nostalgia bonus but since they bring up good memories from Stranded, I also like Eva and Samantha a lot. I have hoped for both to return and was sure that at least Samantha will show up but it was still a nice surprise in both cases.
4.) Least favorite character and why?
The Dragonfly Killer really sounds like the kind of guy that is better off dead. He is creepy and scary and I am afraid for anyone that crosses paths with him.
5.) What do you think is going to happen next?
The group with Evan, Lizbeth, Samantha and co is probably going to encounter Chase and he is going to do something that will make us hate his guts. And the Dragonfly Killer is there as well, he could make things even worse for our heroes.
6.) What do you like best about this story?
Not counting your awesome writing, which I think I have praised enough, I like that Youngstown is a continuation of Stranded. I did not like the ending of Stranded so much because it left so many questions open (for example why Marcus and Mariza had to die) and one of my favorite things about Youngstown is that it continues where Stranded left off, develops the world and the characters further and answers some of the plot points left open by your first story.
7.) What do you like least about this story?
Nooothiiiing XD Its all so great
8.) So, by now you must've realized that nobody is ever safe in any of my stories. Who do you think is in the most danger right now? Who do you think (If any) will die first?
I have no good feeling for Eve and Josh. He seems so jealous of her and maybe there will be a confrontation that ends with one or both of them dead. I dont think both of them will survive for the entire story.
9.) Rain or sun? Snow or rain?
Sun and snow
10.) Anything else you'd like to ask me or just say?
No questions. I hope you will soon have the time to write again
Miller
They slowed pace as Miller looked at the small clearing that lay just ahead. It was open, no cover. Anyone and anything would be able to catch them off guard if they stopped here. They couldn’t risk stopping too long anywhere at this point.
“We keep going.” Lizbeth spoke from behind Miller. Miller turned and looked at her, his eyes drifting to her leg. He didn’t want to stop, but he didn’t want anyone to get hurt.
“What about your leg?” He asked out of concern.
“My leg is fine.” Lizbeth said.
“I still say we should stop.” Rossi said.
“I’m the injured one. If I say we can keep going, we can keep going.” Lizbeth responded. Rossi sighed.
“Fine, we keep going then. But don’t go complaining when you’re tired or your feet hurt. You had your chance.” He said as he pressed forwards. Without warning or as much as a word Laken cut away from the group walking away from them into the woods. Miller watched her as she quickly grew harder and harder to see through the thicket.
“Laken, get back here! We’re not waiting for you.” Rossi called after her, though she made no acknowledgment that she even heard him as she kept pressing on into the woods. Miller grabbed Rossi by the arm and pulled him to the side. “We can’t leave without her.” He said.
“That’s why we’re going to get her.” Miller said, as he looked over to Evan. “Just keep heading on the path. We’ll catch up once we get Laken.” He said. Evan nodded. Miller quickly handed Eve off to Josh.
“On it boss.” Evan responded sarcastically as he motioned for everyone to follow. Him, Rebecca, and Josh carrying Eve, Samantha with her child, but he noticed that Lizbeth had stayed behind.
“What are you doing? They’re going to leave without you.” Miller said. Lizbeth looked to the ground.
“I’m going to come with you.” She said. “And don’t tell me no.” Miller nodded.
“At least you know what you want.” He said as he turned around and the trio began trekking after Laken, easily following her trail.
“She makes a real easy path to follow for a sniper.” Miller remarked.
“An aggravated bear doesn’t care what sees it.” Rossi said. “She’s the same way.”
“She’s not going to shoot us, right?” Miller asked. Rossi shook his head.
“You guys, no. Me on the other hand…” He said, adding in a small laugh at the end. Miller rested his baseball bat on his shoulder as he walked. Lizbeth had her rifle slung over her shoulder. Rossi’s bow was hung on his shoulder as he walked.
“Over there.” Lizbeth said, pointing over to their left. Miller looked over and saw Laken, at first he was alarmed. He readied his bat, ready to strike. She was on her knees, her rifle on the ground in front of her, she’d taken off her vest and laid it on the ground next to her. Directly in front of her was a small pond, filled with murky water.
Miller approached slowly after he scanned the area and saw nothing and no one. Just feet from Laken, he finally let out a sigh of relief as he realized something. She wasn’t being held at gunpoint, she was praying. He stood a few feet from her, silently waiting. Rossi, on the other hand had different plans.
He walked forwards, grabbing her by the shoulder and shaking her.
“The hell is your problem? You just walk away and don’t say anything, just disappear into the woods. We had to come find you, we could’ve gotten hurt or worse.” He growled. All she could do was stare at him with her dark eyes.
“You obviously don’t care who gets hurt as long as you can save your own ass.” She said.
“Look, I’m sorry I decided to leave Isabelle behind. But I’m not sorry about wanting to save my life as well as yours.” He said. She glared at him for a moment, not saying anything. But her eyes quickly snapped off to the woods as she heard a snap coming from nearby. Miller heard it too, but thought nothing of it.
She quickly moved for her rifle, picking it up off the ground, but by the time she’d spun around Miller heard a loud crack split the silence. Her left shoulder was ripped open, spewing blood like a geyser. The force of the bullet knocked her backwards. She dropped her rifle and fell backwards into the pond.
She didn’t stay down for long, however, as she quickly sat up. She surly looked shocked, but didn’t seem to be in pain.
“Nobody move.” A voice called through the trees, Miller felt a breeze fill the woods, he knew fall was coming. Miller saw Lizbeth unslinging her rifle from her back. “I wouldn’t do that. You’d be dead before you even got your shot lined up.”
There was a moment of silence, nobody moved, nobody spoke. Miller kept the baseball bat at the ready, Lizbeth froze, Rossi hadn’t moved an inch.
“On your knees, hands on your heads.” He said. When nobody moved, this seemed to anger the shooter. “Do it now, or I’ll put a bullet in the girl’s skull!” He yelled. This seemed to be all he needed to say, Lizbeth was the first to react. He guessed she just didn’t want to be shot. Miller slowly lowered himself to the ground, dropping his baseball bat next to him.
He felt a set of hands grab him, take his hands and then bind them behind his back, Miller assumed he was using a zip tie or something like it. The shooter moved past Miller, towards Lizbeth. Miller watched him grab her rifle, and throw it to the ground. He then took her hands, binding them behind her back. It was then that Miller realized something. He’d seen this man before.
“Nass?” Miller asked. The shooter turned and looked at him, it was Nass, truly in the flesh. The black gloves, the duster, cowboy hat and black scarf. He looked just the same as the day they’d met back in Youngstown, however long ago that was now.
“Do I know you?” He asked, turning his attention to Rossi.
“We met, back in Youngstown.” Miller said. He paused for a second, turning to looked at Miller.
“Does it look like I care?” He asked, before continuing. He was walking towards Laken, pausing at the edge of the pond. “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?” He asked. He stepped one foot into the water before Laken shot up, launching herself at him. She had a knife in her hand.
Nass quickly stepped to the side, letting Laken sail past him. She turned to face him, bringing up her knife.
“Come on, put the knife down. I’m not allowed to kill you.” He said sarcastically. She lunged at him, but he caught her forearm, holding her arm away from him. The two began struggling over the knife, Nass’s face began turning red as he was forced to put all his strength into not dying. Laken was slowly gaining ground as the blade inched closer and closer to his neck.
Just as the blade was inches from his throat, he brought up his knee right into her stomach. She was momentarily winded, giving Nass just enough time to wrestle the knife from her grip. Laken’s slowly stood back up, seeming like she was about to run out of steam. Nass had a smug smile on his face.
But his smile was quickly wiped away when Laken sucker punched him in the ribs. He doubled over, the knife clattering to the ground as he stumbled away. Laken stumbled the other way, covering her wounded shoulder and cursing under her breath.
It was Lizbeth who acted next, just as Nass was recovering he began moving towards the knife, but Lizbeth was able to kick it away, closer to Laken. Her hand quickly clasped the knife, but Nass was there just as fast. His hand gripped Laken’s as the two fought for the knife. Then Nass did something strange, he gripped the blade of the knife.
His hand on the blade, blood began dripping to the ground as for a moment the knife was frozen between the two. Nass quickly broke the stalemate as he punched Laken in the face. She let go of the knife as the momentum of the blow spun her around. Miller could see blood dripping form her nose.
Her back now facing Nass, he made his move. He slashed the knife upwards across the back, she let out a yelp of pain as he processed to kick her in the back of the knee for a moment she caught Miller’s gaze. Her expression was filled with shock, like she hadn’t expected to lose the fight. Blood dripped from her nose, down to her chin, it stayed there for a moment, lingering on the edge of her before succumbing to gravity and helplessly falling to the muddy ground below her. Her hair was plastered against her face, her clothes were drenched with water and covered in mud and now blood.
Her dark eyes seemed afraid for a moment, as her lips moved but no sound came out. Then she collapsed to the ground, the air knocked out of her lungs. Nass bashed the base of the knife against the base of her skull, and she was out.
Nass bound her limp arms behind her, then stood breathing heavily. He dragged his sleeve across his chin and breathed deeply. He looked down at her body.
“You’re lucky I can’t kill you.” He muttered, then looked over at Lizbeth. “But you on the other hand.” He growled. He marched over to her, tossing the knife on the ground. His hand wrapped around her throat and he easily lifted her off the ground, pinning her to the tree behind her. “You trying to get me killed? You thought you could get me killed?” She kicked against him as her face turned red and she gasped for air. He held her there, off the ground gasping for air.
Miller was filled with rage, without even thinking he stood up. Nass quickly spun around, holding Lizbeth.
“You want to try something?” He asked. “Sit down or I’ll snap her neck before you can even blink.” He said, Miller hesitated for a moment before he went back to the ground. “Thought so.” He muttered, looking at Lizbeth. “Now, enough of this shit, alright?” He asked. She nodded. “Good. Then let’s get moving, shall we? Don’t want to keep the boss waiting.” He chirped as he walked over, grabbing Laken. He slung her over his shoulder and then turned to the others, pointing his pistol in their direction.
“Move.” He demanded. So they went, their hands bound and at gun point they were led through the trees, moving farther and farther away from where they’d last left their people. Occasionally Laken would incoherently mumble something, usually quickly followed by Nass telling her to shut up. Miller could see Lizbeth’s eyes turning misty, a single tear running down her cheek before falling to the ground. Rossi seemed solid, like what just happened didn’t bother him. He seemed determined. And Miller himself? What was there to say? Miller was Miller.
Miller saw a road up ahead through the trees, what looked like a moving truck stalled on the side of the road. Miller saw a big faded yellow smiling face on the side. He saw multiple people lounging around the truck, heavily armed. Miller was hesitant, but Nass pushed him out onto the road.
“Look at what I caught.” Nass announced as he approached the truck. A woman lounging on the back bumper of the truck, her dark red hair a choppy Mohawk, looked up at them without any intrest.
“More fodder for the trade.” She sighed.
“And this.” Nass said, simply throwing Laken off his shoulder and onto the ground like she was nothing. She shifted slightly and moaned in discomfort but quickly fell silent. The Mohawk woman pointed a finger at her.
“Is that…”
“Laken and Rossi Dennis?” Nass finished her question. “Yes, yes it is.”
“That’s a hell of a lot better than our catch.” She said.
“What’d you get?” Nass asked.
“Some French girl.” She said. “There were more, but they got away.” Nass sighed.
“That’s why you don’t send a sacker to do a bounty hunter’s job.” He said. She rolled her eyes.
“Whatver, get them loaded up so we can get out of here.” She said as she pushed herself up, she pushed the door up, revealing the innards of the truck. Nass picked up Laken and hefted her into the back like a rag doll before stepping aside, he motioned for the others to climb up. Rossi went in first then Lizbeth followed by Miller. Just as Miller was climbing in, Nass stopped him.
“And by the way, I do remember you.” He said. “You were the one who didn’t pull the trigger.” And with that the Mohawk woman pulled the door shut. While light did seep in from the cracks in the door, it was only enough to light the back part of the truck.
There was silence for a moment as Miller found his way close to Lizbeth who was sat off to the right. Moments later the truck fired up and they were moving.
“Lizbeth?” A voice called from the dark.
“Eve?” Lizbeth called back, sounding confused. Miller heard a shifting and then saw her, the dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes and light skin. He saw the girl that’d knocked on the door and saved a life. But she didn’t look the same, she looked scared. Scared in a way Miller knew well, she’d just seen something she’d never be able to forget. “W-How did they get you?” She asked.
“Josh…” She began.
“He dropped you and ran?” Lizbeth finished her sentence for her. “That son of a bitch!” She yelled. Eve just shook her head.
“They had us surrounded… They came out of nowhere. Josh was fighting back, shooting at them. He was trying to hand me off to Evan but he got shot and Evan got dragged away by Rebecca… And then Josh just kept fighting them, even while they were dragging us back here… So they shot him again and left him in the woods.” Eve managed to get out, her voice was broken and strained. “He died… He died because of me.” She said, beginning to cry. She buried her head into Lizbeth’s shoulder, muffling the sound of her sobbing.
“This… This is all my fault.” Laken mumbled, her speech choppy.
“Damn right it is.” Rossi said.
“No.” Miller said. “This is nobody’s fault.”
“Like hell it isn’t. If she hadn’t run off like that we wouldn’t have had to hunt her down.” He retorted.
“If we hadn’t had to go after her, we’d all have been caught. At least Evan, Samantha and Rebecca are still out there. They’ll save us.” He said.
“I’m sorry.” Laken mumbled. “I’m so sorry.” She said again, and again. Like nobody would hear her if she only said it once.
“It’s okay… It’ll be okay.” Lizbeth said, trying to reassure a broken Eve.
“Nothing’s going to be okay.” Rossi muttered under his breath.
“They’ll save us.” Miller said. “They will.”
Tegan Marsh
South wall. Cold morning, the sun hadn’t risen yet. The cold bit at her fingers under her gloves, so she stuffed them in her pockets. This morning was colder than usual, apparently nature had a poor sense of timing when it came to escapes.
She watched her breath curling upwards every time she breathed out, every time she breathed in she could feel the cold jabbing at her lungs like a knife.
She looked around, she kept checking behind her. She was on edge, she felt as if everyone could hear her thoughts.
“Ready to go?” He spoke, coming out of nowhere. She nearly jumped as she spun around and saw Tyler standing next to her, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder and a military-grade backpack in his hand. He handed her to backpack and she slung it over her back.
“You seriously shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.” She muttered.
“Then where would the fun be?” He asked.
“Do you think getting shot is fun?” She asked. He shook his head.
“Not high on my list.” He said. “We need to get moving before the sun comes up.” He quickly tacked on, changing the subject. He began walking ahead, away from the wall. Tegan took a few steps forwards but froze, something triggered in her mind. She felt trapped, like she was bound to the wall. Like if she left she would die. Tyler looked back at her. “You coming?” He asked.
She looked from him to the wall, then back at him. She nodded.
“Yes.” She responded. It was like learning how to walk all over again. She had to force herself to keep moving forwards, keep ignoring that voice in her mind telling her that from the second she left the wall she was instantly in danger. She just had to keep going.
But then it was strange, the farther she got the easier it got. It began feeling like a weight was lifting from her. It felt like she’d just broken a barrier that’d never been crossed before. She kept going.
“So, you never told me where you were from.” Tyler spoke as they walked.
“I told you I was from New York, did you forget or something?” She asked. He shook his head.
“No, I mean before that.” He said. She narrowed her eyes at him.
“How did you know?” She asked. He shrugged.
“You still have an accent, it’s not very profound but I can hear it sometimes. So, I’m guessing you’re from somewhere in England?” He asked.
“Yeah.” She responded, still taken aback by the fact that he knew she wasn’t from the United States. She’d just always lied and told everyone she was from New York and they never questioned her.
“What part of England?” He asked.
“If I said anywhere other than London would you know where I was talking about?” She asked.
“No.” He said.
“Good thing I’m from London then.” She said.
“Really?” He asked.
“No.” She responded.
“Oh.” He said. “So, where were you from?” He asked again. She shook her head.
“Just because I was born there doesn’t mean I’m one of them. That’s a life I’d rather forget.” She said.
“Your parents?” He asked.
“The whole reason I came to the United States.” She said.
“Let me guess, your father was a Lutheran preacher and your mother was nonexistent.” He said. Tegan laughed.
“So wrong.” She said. “My father was a Baptist preacher, for one, and my mother was just his loyal housewife that never did anything he didn’t approve of.”
“Alright then.” He said. “So you’re an English Baptist.”
“Not at all.” She remarked. He laughed, looking up the road.
“You hear that?” Tegan asked, hearing a low rumbling sound.
“Sounds like a big truck.” He said.
“Sounds like it could be a transport, bringing in more captured people.” She said.
“Those trucks only have a driver and a passenger.” He said. “And a ton of gas. Like, enough to get us from here to at least Kentucky or Tennessee.” He said, looking at her gun.
“All I’d have to do is get close enough to spray the living hell out of the cab.” She said. For a moment they were silent.
“It’s not moving fast.” He said. “We hide in the bushes and then ambush them when they get close.”
“But everyone within a mile will hear those shots.” She said.
“We’re already two miles out from the town, even if word gets back to them we’ll be long gone.” He said.
Choice
[Ambush the truck]
[Keep going on foot]
Isabelle Shaw
The meeting room, or so it was called, was as silent as ever. The air was as thick as fog. No one dared disturb the silence that penetrated the room. Even Isabelle herself was a little on edge, she knew Chase could act a little unpredictable at times.
They were all seated around a big wooden table, six on each side, she was sat across from Ryan as always and when Chase arrived, he’d take the head of the table which was frighteningly close to her. Beside Ryan sat the detective, Detective Kelly Brown, who served as Chase’s eyes and ears and practically everything else. She was the one with the real power.
The door flew open, and in he walked. Everyone in the room climbed to their feet quickly as he walked by to take his seat. He stood at the head of the table for a moment, Isabelle dared not look at him, though she knew what he looked like well. Swampy green eyes, a stubble forming on his chin, short dark hair, very muscular and tall. He always wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans. He had a silver chain he wore around his neck, and he had a fresh scar over his right eye from Laken’s escape, though his vision was spared.
He took a seat and everyone else sat down. Isabelle suddenly became nervous, she could see that he was eyeing her for some reason.
“Detective, fill everyone in on what just happened.” Chase demanded. Kelly grabbed at a tan folder an flipped it open, throwing a few poorly shot polaroid photos
onto the table, each depicting the brutal murder of an innocent family.
“Last night a family was murdered, they were of Asian descent which made them targets from the beginning. Each one was killed in the same fashion, a knife was used to slit their throats, presumably while they slept.” She said. “Once again, all evidence points to the Dragonfly Killer. The man we executed yesterday wasn’t the real killer, he was just a racist bastard.” A heavy weight settled across the room. Dragonfly really was still out there.
“What are we going to do about it?” A man asked. Kelly cleared her throat.
“I suggest that we cordon off anyone that isn’t white, isn’t American, and isn’t heterosexual and keep them under close guard.” Kelly said.
“Keep them all in the same place?” Ryan asked. “That’ll just make it easier. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.” He said.
“Kelly.” Chase said.
“Yes?” She asked.
“Why haven’t you caught this man yet?” He asked.
“I’m trying to, but he just blends in too well. He could be anyone. I think we need to quit looking at the obvious suspects and take a look at people who seem more ordinary.” She said.
“So you’re saying everyone’s a suspect.” Chase said. She nodded.
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m thinking.” She said.
“You want to know what I’m thinking?” He asked.
“Sure.” She said.
“I’m thinking that I gave you more than enough resources to catch this man, more than enough time to catch this killer. I’m starting to think that the reason the killer hasn’t been caught is because you don’t want the killer to be caught. I’m starting to think that you’re the killer.” He said. She looked at him with her eyes wide, she knew just as well as everyone that the next words out of her mouth might be her last.
“Please, I’m trying my best.” She said. Chase stood from his seat, walking around the table towards her, her rested his hand on her shoulder for a moment, then grabbed her by the neck.
“I don’t want your best, detective, I want the killer caught.” He said. “Make it happen.”
“Chase.” Ryan spoke.
“What is it?” Chase snapped.
“The amount of people in the guard as compared to the populace of this camp, it’s out of proportion. If we have more members in the guard, we can canvas a bigger area and we’re more likely to see anything if it happens or just hear something. With your permission, I’d like to boost the numbers of the guard.” He said, Chase pondered that for a moment.
“Put it to a vote.” He said.
“All those in favor?” Ryan asked.
Choice
[Support Ryan]
[Stay silent]
I like all the special little names you came up for for Dragonfly. I'm going to have to work one of those into the story somehow.
I'm planning on having a few more appearances by old cast members, but that's yet to be revealed.
[Ambush the truck][Support Ryan]
[Keep going on foot]
[Support Ryan]