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Aftermath: Survivor's Struggle

Badlands

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a part of Aftermath: Survivor's Struggle, by Bradok187.

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Bradok187 holds sovereignty over Badlands, giving them the ability to make limited changes.

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Setting

Default Location for Aftermath: Survivor's Struggle
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Badlands

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Minimap

Badlands is a part of Aftermath: Survivor's Struggle.

10 Characters Here

Jenifer Drop [47] "We're wasting our time. Someone will save us."
Alex Owens [45] "Don't you understand? There is no getting out of this."
Elizabeth Dawson [44] "I will do anything and everything to protect the little family I have left."
Zac Taylor [43] "I may talk to myself but, I'm not crazy... or at least I'm not trying to eat your face off."
Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner [42] A Canadian army K9 unit turned refugee truck driver
Jeffrey Dawson [40] "Touch my daughter, and I'll make sure you wish that you will be far better off kissing those crazy shit's asses."
Luca Dragomir [39] Nejako sme pre??ili. (Somehow we've survived.)
John Lowardi [32] "Listen, nothing is worse than not knowing what's going on. Just listen, and learn."
Joe Harris [27] "This ain't livin, this is survivin."
Derek Stapp [0] "I have seen terrible things. Things that will stay with me for the rest of my days"

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Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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The driver didn't bother to help Jenifer out, and instead Jeffrey appeared from seemingly out of nowhere and pushed her out of the truck. Pushing him away in anger, she turned around and glanced at her surroundings, not even considering helping the helpless people still remaining in the trunk.

Zac spoke up about an injury, and immediately Alex went over to assist the guy. Jenifer rolled her eyes, thinking that what Alex was doing was a total waste of time and could have been done at a later time when they all weren't under the attack of Roamers.

The driver commanded everyone to gather their gear, follow him, and for the people with weapons, don't fire until they're one hundred percent sure there is a zombie out there. Jenifer grunted with anger. If she had a gun, she would've been shooting aimlessly around the surroundings in front of her to get rid of the unlucky Roamers that would take her bullet.

After the driver stopped talking, Jenifer stormed up to Zac, hands on her waist. Alex was by him, a pistol in her hands. "Can you explain to me why you're so concerned about your pathetic little wound right now that you have to waste Alex's time, who has a weapon that could probably have saved us all." looking at Zac and Alex with vicious eyes, Jenifer turned and walked away from them both.

Everybody on Truck Eighteen sure did know how to strike Jenifer's nerves.

When the group entered the freezing water, Jenifer couldn't take it. She backed out, trying to hold in her extremely loud and attention-catching scream, but failed miserably. Letting it out, it went on for a considerable amount of time. Knowing that her scream probably caught some Roamer's attention, Jenifer shrieked again in panic. Louder this time.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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Zac winced when Alex grabbed his arm. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, the pain was creeping up on him. He could see that blood was pouring out to his heartbeat. It was actually kind of cool; painful, but cool.

"Once we get to a safe haven, I'm sure I can treat it better. But for now, I'm just going to have to do the best I can, okay?" She said.

Zac knew that dire situation they were in, so he wan't expecting hospital level care at a drop of a hat. He tried his hardest not to scream out from the pain. He tried not to focus on his cut, but the blood was to mesmerizing. He wasn't losing enough blood to be concerned about dying from blood loss. When Alex started ripping off her shirt Zac's eyes jumped to where she was ripping. He hoped that he would see a little skin. 'Damn it, I'm bleeding like a stuck pig and I want to see some skin from the girl who is patching me up. The hell is wrong me, oh wait I'm a guy.'

When Alex started to clean the wound, Zac watched her with such interest. He was only mildly aware of the wound screaming in pain. His mind was too focused on her. She made the cutest face concentrating on his wound. He lost track of time and before he knew it his wound was all cleaned up.

"Alright Zac, this might hurt, but it will help," She said snapping him back to reality.

He couldn't think straight, his mind was conflicting over the fact that his arm was in extruating pain and the budding interest in the girl who was patching him up. When she was done their gazes met. Zac almost looked away, but that would hint at something that might not be real. When The Sarge said to leave the dead, he saw the look she had for a quick seconds. He nodded to her. He knew this wasn't right but, that was the world today. They would grieve and honor them later.

"Gather your gear and follow me" Sarge barked at the lot of them.

Zac was grateful to Alex at least somebody cared enough to help him out. He wasn't sure he could make it if he was still bleeding. He decided to give her something that ought to make her smile. After he got up with Alex's help, he opened his backpack and stuffed something in his pocket. As The Sarge said something about not firing unless it's a zombie. Zac reached around his back and grabbed Yang. Yang was a standard Colt 1911 but instead of it's traditional silver nickle plating it was a black nickle plating with a white grip. He kept the safety on.

Zac was about to head into the water then Jennifer walked up to them. After she stopped talking Zac was astounded about how selfish she was. After she walked away and he was sure that she couldn't her him he whispered to Alex, "Ever hear that old saying: I don't have to outrun the tiger, I just have to outrun her, and a well placed bullet would make that happen."

As he followed Alex into the drink he reached into his pocket and grabbed the unopened pack of smokes and handed them to his nurse. "Hey, I want you to have these. Of course only half of the pack is yours until we get to safety and you finish patching me up then you can have the rest of them."

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor
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#, as written by Kaaaat
☣ Alexandria "Alex" Owens ☣



Alex's fingertips ran up her arms, grazing her shivering skin. She could faintly see billowing clouds of her cold breath evaporate into nothingness, disappearing into the night air.

The challenging trek up the creek had just begun, and she could tell it would seem like a long journey.

Zac and Alex walked onward at a constant pace as Truck Eighteen's survivors trudged through the chilling creek. Every so often, Alex stole a quick glance of Zac's patched up wound to see if everything was going well. So far, nothing happened out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, out of no where, Jenifer approached Zac, anger fuming in her expression. "Can you explain to me why you're so concerned about your pathetic little wound right now that you have to waste Alex's time, who has a weapon that could probably have saved us all." She stated angrily.

As fast as she had come, Jenifer took off, stomping through the water. Alex could practically see the steam coming out of her ears.

Alex turned towards Zac, mouth agape. She didn't know why Jenifer was so frantic about Zac's wound. Quite frankly, Alex didn't think she was wasting her time; she was helping someone with a serious wound. She almost laughed at Jenifer's outlook on the situation.

"Ever hear that old saying: I don't have to outrun the tiger, I just have to outrun her, and a well placed bullet would make that happen." Zac whispered in her ear.

Alex smiled, letting out a small chuckle. He always seemed to tie in something humorous no matter what the situation. Alex liked that about him.

"Don't tell me you want to kill Jenifer." Alex grinned at her own sarcasm. It was nice talking to someone normally again since the outbreak.

"Hey, I want you to have these. Of course only half of the pack is yours until we get to safety and you finish patching me up then you can have the rest of them." Zac handed her a pack of cigarettes with generosity.

The smokes rested in her hands like the keys to a new car. Of course she was dying to have a smoke, not to mention more than one, but she new the others would become agitated with the smell, and the flicker of the smoke itself might become a distraction to a nearby Roamer. Nevertheless, she appreciated the pack, and couldn't wait to open it.

"Thanks, Zac," She smiled again. "But I'm sure I can't have them all to myself. I think I'm at least willing to share." Her eyes met his bandage. "Not to mention, you might need a couple smokes to relive the pain after you're all stitched up."

Alex put the smokes on her back pocket, looking forward to something when they reached a safe zone. She had almost forgotten they were making their way through icy rapids.

Suddenly, an ear piercing scream made Alex flinch. She looked around, focusing on who or what it came from.

"What the hell was that?" She asked Zac.

Oh... Now Alex remembered. The scream matched the one of Jenifer's, who had shrieked earlier in the truck.

"Shit- It's Jenifer. She's gonna' end up attracting a Roamer." Alex's eyes searched through the crowd for the stupid blonde.

Boy, were they in for it now.

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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#, as written by Tempest
☣ Sergeant Henderson ☣


Henderson turned like a snake at the sound of the scream, pistol raised, ready to fire at whatever threatened them. Instead he saw Jenifer silhouetted by the taillights of the truck, screaming like a six year old, he almost threw up his arms in frustration. Instead he pushed he way through the small crowd that had come with him, grabbing the young woman who had been navigating for him.

"Take these people and make for those buildings. Whatever happens, don't turn back, and don’t wait for me." He plunged into the water again once he was sure they were moving away, Gunner following with a second splash.

He was tired, he was cold, he was afraid, and now he was angry. He managed to climb from the creek for a third time, tottering for a moment on the bank before finding a solid footing. He raised his flashlight and pistol again to see that the screaming girl was no more than a dozen yards from the first of the zombies. He fired without hesitation and the creature toppled backwards. The girl, her back to him, only screamed louder.

He took two steps forward and clubbed her across the back of the head, her screams ending abruptly as she collapsed. He caught her before she hit the ground, taking a moment to fire at two more zombies that appeared in the red glow cast by of the trucks taillights.

“Gunner, aandag!” He ordered and the dog, who was sniffing Jenifers hand where it lay in the water looked up at him at once, attention riveted on him. “Lok, vinnig vinnig, dan vind.”

The dog turned at once, barking at the nearest zombies who turned towards him, empty arms grasping, moans filling the air, lurching slowly in the direction of the dog who began to draw them away into the darkness.

Henderson knelt and heaved Jenifers listless body over his shoulders, settling her weight on to his rucksack before turning and sliding down the bank and into the water again. He must have hit the girl decently hard, she didn’t even twitch as the cold water splashed over her.

He slogged through the mud and water, now completely drenched, using one hand to help him climb the bank, the other to steady the girl. It took him twice as long to make the climb this time and he staggered to his feet, nearly falling backward again.

Gunners barking was becoming more distant as Henderson stumbled into the dark, following the path carved through the grass by the other survivors ahead of him.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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#, as written by Kaaaat
☣ Alexandria "Alex" Owens ☣



"Take these people and make for those buildings. Whatever happens, don't turn back, and don’t wait for me."

Alex watched as the sergeant ran through the crowd with great haste, his dog following behind.

"Wait! Sarge!" She exclaimed, desperately hoping to catch his attention. Much to her disappointment, she was too late; he had already dissolved into the downrush of darkness.

She bit her lip. Why did Jenifer have to be such a pain in the ass? She had forced the poor sarge to make his way back through the creek as a result of her pointless screaming. Alex hoped there weren't any Roamers where he was heading. The Sarge had to return. He had too.

Turning her attention towards the survivors, she clenched her fist, determined to make it to those buildings.

"Hurry up, Sarge." She thought.

Alex made her way towards the front of the group, giving Zac a slight nod as he left his side. She needed to act quickly. She wouldn't be responsible for these people's death.

"Everyone, listen up!" She paused, waiting for silence to cascade over the crowd. "Keep your eyes on me and those buildings in the distance." She turned, pointing a finger at the outlines of the buildings. "Whatever you do, don't turn or look back!"

She hurriedly took her pistol out of the backside of her pants. She yearned that she wouldn't end up using it. The safety was already off, and the weapon had already been cocked and ready to fire at any moment.

"Try to walk as fast as you can at an orderly pace! Those who can defend themselves, I need you on the outside of the group, weapons ready at all times."

The cries, wails, and moans of Roamers multiplied. The group had to move. And fast.

"Follow my lead!" Alex shouted, motioning her hands for the group to follow.

She proceeded through the creek with a half jog half walk pace, always turning her head to see if the group was following.

"So far, so good." She thought as the group made their way through the biting rapids. But, unfortunately, there had been no sign of The Sarge.

"Ok everyone, keep up the pace." She looked behind her shoulder as the others made their way up the hill of the creek. A few survivors stumbled upon rocks, but quickly made their way back to a balanced position. As if it were a blessing from God, the moon shined some light on their faces, lighting up the trail to safety.

But of course, Alex had second-guessed the safety thing.

She heard a few branches break behind her through the shade of surrounding trees. Was it The Sarge? She turned to look back, stopping her constant pace.

Apparently it wasn't him.

A Roamer lurched onto Alex through the obscurity, pushing her down to the ground with a large smack. The impact knocked the wind out of her stomach, causing her weapon to flail out of her grasp. She laid speechless on the ground as the infected creature sprawled its decaying arms towards her face, making it its goal to scratch her eyes out. Alex breathed heavily, flinging her backpack off her shoulders to block the Roamer's yellowing teeth from sinking into her skin.

"Shit!" Was all she managed to say.

The Roamer wailed loudly, forcing its jaw to jerk forward to try and bite Alex. She managed to squirm her arm free from beneath the Roamer, grabbing her pistol that had been sheltered by the autumn leaves. Alex promptly put her finger on the trigger, crying out as aimed the weapon. Fearing for her life, she pulled it, causing the bullet to enter the Roamer's shattered skull. It became limp as the undead 'life' disappeared from its eyes.

Alex's chest heaved up and down as she cried out once more, pushing the body off her own.

Thoughts circled through her head. She didn't know what do next. Fear had finally gotten to her, punching her in the chest with a great force. Tears managed to escape her eyes as she finally stood up, facing the group. Some of the members had turned to watch in pure panic, confused of what to do.

Alex looked into their eyes full of pain. It looked like Hell had finally risen.

"There's plenty more where that came from." She looked down at the limp and frail body that had just attacked her, motioning her weapon towards the thing.

Wiping tears from her eyes, she knew she had to stay strong for the group. She slowly walked forward as if the incident had never happened, taking her place in line again.

"Let's move out."

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson
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[What would Fiona have done in this situation...?] His thoughts flew around his mind. All these incidents had he thinking that was it worth it to live on. If everything were to just shatter every time he can knows he can firmly grasp it, why don't he just forget everything and just leave? Wouldn't that not make him hurt as much as it would when you lose something precious just when you think you can finally take it with you? He don't know. All these is just too painful. His wife and son's death were already a heavy crush on his heart. Anymore and his old heart might just pass up.

Now what are they doing? Slowly running their way towards a safe haven when all they did is just abandon and take advantage of the dead; using them as bait to temporary distract the walkers. That is no different then what the government did to the people when the people themselves are in a worse situation than they are. What did they do? They just left them to die! How is this anymore different than that?! While he is an old man, because of his healthy condition and probably because he trained a lot in the past, he is able to hold up a sniper rifle and fire it a point-blank range with impact to himself unlike the others, who are clearly normal citizens who have next to no firearm nor hand-to-hand combat training.

Although that wasn't the time to think about those. The mother, who couldn't bear to leave her child and was forced to, was suddenly attacked by one of the walkers. Obviously, she tried next to no effort to struggle against the undead. Probably because she thinks that living in this world has no meaning anymore and she should just get over with his life. Jeff couldn't bear the sight. Someone like her definitely needs time to get used to it. But no, this world just doesn't want her to. Like the rest of the world. Jeff immediately rushed towards the helpless mother and kick the walker. It noticed his kick and turned, but it wasn't given the time to even stare at him.

Jeff swung his machete just when the walker turned to face him. The machete easily slit off the half of the head cleanly, and blood spurted all over the towering old man's face and the shaken young mother on the floor. Jeff looked the mother's shoulders and an obvious chewed off shoulder stared at his face. Jeff knew what was going to happen to her. Her eyes clearly pleaded for help, and so he fulfilled her wish. As if he turned to a cold man, he stabbed the mother's chest, possibly at the heart. Her death went off without a hitch or any sign of delayed death. One second was all it took. That was all it took to end her life. Jeff re-joined the group, where almost every member were shocked by this incident. Jeff paid no heed and continued walking. Now, he couldn't think anything but to lead his daughter to safety. Beth was definitely worried, but he only wanted to bring her to safety. There was nothing on his mind but that. Nothing but that.

"Let's go." That was the only word he had to say to Alex, who was in front of the group.

Setting

9 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson Character Portrait: Luca Dragomir Character Portrait: Joe Harris Character Portrait: John Lowardi Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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#, as written by Kaaaat
☣ Alexandria "Alex" Owens ☣




"Let's go." Was all Jeff muttered to say.

She gave him a slight nod, heading away from the woman who had just been stabbed. Alex chose not to look back. She didn't blame Jeff for his actions; times had changed, and if this was the only way to fix it, so be it.

"You did the right thing." She addressed him, tilting her head in his direction.

Alex guided the group forward, every so often checking her surroundings to see if there were any lurking Roamers nearby. So far, the group had come in close contact with two of the creatures. One had attacked Alex, the other one had bitten a helpless woman who eventually ended up dying by the hands of Jeff. If Alex was ever bitten, she would choose to be stabbed, most likely shot, too. It was the good way to go. She wouldn't want to be trapped inside a lifeless body who roamed the Earth aimlessly. She wouldn't have any purpose to life anymore. She would be nothing.

The buildings were becoming closer now with each stride. She wondered what they were once used for. Houses? Apartments? She liked to imagine normalcy amid the crisis. It was nice, maybe even relaxing to think back to how things were before. But one question remained; were there any people left inside of the buildings? Probably not, but hope was one of the few things Alex had left to hold onto.



An hour had passed, perhaps and hour and a half. The group was beginning to grow tired as they made they approached some type of nearby farmland. It had been a long walk through the creek, and a mile back they had finally exited it and made it into a dirt road. She could practically kiss the ground.

Above her stood an abandoned, but very large barn. She wondered if the outbreak hadn't hit less-known areas as badly. Because of the amount of people and how fast the pathogen could spread, her predicament was probably right.

"Okay everyone," She turned gathering the group's attention towards her. "We need to stay quiet. We don't know if there are any Roamers nearby." She looked over her shoulder, glimpsing the outline of the barn once more. The poor crowd needed refuge from the long trek to safety. Maybe they should set up camp and rest. She faced the group. "I think we should take shelter for the night as we wait for The Sergeant. Those who can shoot, make sure to surround the group as we enter."

Taking her pistol out from the backside of her pants, she brought it to her eye-level, carefully walking into the barn. The place was lifeless, cold, and miserable. The group proceeded through, eyeing their way over scattered debris. Alex kept a close eye out for Roamers. So far, there had been no cries or wails in the darkness. She only prayed it stayed that way.

After a few minutes of scoping out the place, Alex guided the group into the dormant barn. Hay had been laid across the ground, and in the corner sat a rusty ladder which could lead the group up into the wooden loft above them. Typical farmer's supplies was scattered about the area.

She had a plan, and she was going to use it.

"We'll make sure that any Roamers can't make it through by blocking the entrance. Night shifts will also be distributed to those who can use a weapon. Those who have a weapon will guard through the night, switching off every hour or so before Sarge gets here."

She met the eyes of worn out faces. "Hopefully this place is safe." She thought in her mind.

"By the time The Sarge gets here, we'll figure out what to do next. For now, let's set up camp." She sighed, taking a deep breath. "Try to find anything that will support you and others as a bed. Any source of food would be nice, too."

"Sarge, you better get here. And fast." She thought.

Setting

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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#, as written by Tempest
☣ Sergeant Henderson ☣


Henderson only stopped running when the moans behind him had dulled to little more then noise on the wind and the sound of Gunners barking had faded to nothing. Now, in the pitch dark, he sank to his knees, pitching the girl from his shoulders and onto the ground beside him. He took deep welcome breaths of air and drank deeply from his canteen.

He waited for a few moments, kneeling in the dirt, hearing for the first time in a long time, the sound of crickets in the open field. The sound of the creek was faint and he heard nothing else moving. He watched as the tailights on the truck flickered as zombies passed in front of them, their fists banging on the side as they tried to reach the fresh dead, he hoped Gunner was alright.

He must have been there for five minutes before he finally knelt next to Jenifer and turning her onto her back. A pause and then he slapped her. She moaned slightly and he hit her again, a third strike finally bringing her back to conciouness. He saw her open her mouth to scream and clapped a hand over it, pressing his pistol into her right eye socket, not enough to hurt but enough to make his point.

"You scream and I promise you, I will kill you, do you understand me?" Terrified eyes stared back at him as she nodded and he slowly lifted his hand from her mouth, glancing about in the dark. "Get up."

He pulled her to her feet and then pointed towards the tracks made in the grass by the party ahead of them. "Follow them." He whispered and she nodded, hurrying ahead of him into the darkness.

For the next hour they moved in near silence. He couldn't see more then the girls shape and only once more did they stop when she tripped over the body of a zombie with its head blown off. He could see her eyes bug out and only him making a shotting motion silenced her.

They pressed on into the darkness.

Setting

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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Shortly after her sudden screaming in the cold water, all Jenifer could remember was a sharp pain in the back of her head and then nothing. Someone must have hit her, and before she fell into unconsciousness, the thought of a Roamer attacking her popped into Jenifer's head. It can't be. No.

Finally, Jenifer opened her eyes after feeling a sharp pain on her cheek. Had the Roamer bit her? No! I'm turning into one of them! Someone help me! Jenifer opened her mouth to produce a shriek so that the others could help her, but a hand clasped over it. Her right side of her vision was masked by some kind of mechanical hole. It was a gun, and the driver was the one holding it.

He threatened to kill her if she screamed. Jenifer nodded, a frightened expression on her face. Ordered to get up, he driver pulled her up to her feet and pointed at tracked in the grass. Jenifer nodded once again, not wanting to say anything; she marched into the darkness, following the tracks.

The next hour was filled with awkward silence. Jenifer couldn't help but feel respect for the driver. If he wasn't around, she knew that it was unlikely for any of the others to come to the rescue. Looking back, Jenifer saw the driver make shooting gestures towards her whenever she attempted to say something. Oh, gosh. It's too quiet.

After another short while of silence, Jenifer couldn't take it anymore. "I'm Jenifer," she said slowly and quietly, not wanting a bullet forced into her body. "And you are?"

While talking, Jenifer made sure to keep her quick pace. She didn't want to seem distracted. Looking back again, Jenifer quickly studied the driver's face. Good-looking, actually. She turned back around and smiled to herself, thinking how pathetic it was to think of men like that in the predicament she was in at the moment.

Setting

7 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson Character Portrait: Luca Dragomir Character Portrait: Joe Harris Character Portrait: John Lowardi
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The walk was long and painful. He was used to being on his feet all day, but not in a wet heavy feet. His steel toe boots were soaked to the bone. He could feel his feet starting to crack. Zac didn't care about what anybody else thought he was changing his socks when they reached dry land. He kept his arm raised to slow the bleeding, but he could feel the blood dripping off his elbow. He kept his finger away from the trigger to prevent any accidental shots. He didn't need to be surrounded by psycho's right now. His arm was like the freaking dinner bell.

He kept to the back of the group. Figuring if anything would happen it might as well be to him. He was already wounded. The only person who would miss him was Alex. His thoughts turned towards her. He looked around and saw nobody was even paying the least bit of attention to him. He shrugged and decided now was a great time to talk to himself.

"So, we're screwed right? Yeah, but look at this way; I got a great nurse tending to me. If everything was normal you wouldn't have even talked to her. She is definately out of my league. What makes you think she's even interested in a person to you." Zac was actually having fun talking to himself. He hadn't done it in a while. It felt relaxing.

"Well, she thinks I'm funny and her options at this point aren't really the greatest. So, you think the fact that the human race failing is the ultimate form of romance. Yup, it's official your crazy." Zac couldn't believe he lost an argument with himself. He decided to shut up and keep walking.

When the group finally hit dry land Zac immediately dropped down on his ass and took off his shoes. He ripped off his socks and threw them on a nearby rock to dry. He opened his bag and grabbed a fresh pair. He pulled them apart and slipped them on his feet.

"Oh god, I never knew that a pair of socks could feel so good." Zac exclaimed as he laid back.

Setting

7 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson Character Portrait: Luca Dragomir Character Portrait: Joe Harris Character Portrait: John Lowardi
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Luca was used to being on his feet a lot, it came with the lifestyle. What he wasn't used too, was the panic and the fear and everything that came along with it. His entire body was shaking now from the fear, and the cold; probably a touch of shock too. The voices around him of the others were kind of fuzzy, blurry. Luca couldn't make out words, only who the sounds belonged too. Sort of.

He pressed on, moving with the group, not straying or making barely a sound. The chattering of his teeth were almost louder than his heart pounding in his chest. His feet felt awful, his socks were soggy and making squechly sounds. They'd be kicked off once they had somewhere safe to hide.

The roamers that were stumbling towards the ground terrified him and he just gripped his knife a little tighter. If they got too close, he'd have to stab them. Somewhere. All he wanted to do right now was to curl up in a ball and hide until this was all over.

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson
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Everything sped by so quickly, the shouts; the roamers moans and then suddenly ground to a halt just as that knife was plunged into the poor woman's heart.

Beth knew it was the right thing to do but the fact that it had been her father that had done it, shocked Beth, her sweet father who'd never harm anyone, who wasn't a crazy-ass-kill-everything roamer, and yet had managed to kill a human, harmed or not she was still a human.

Shaking her head, Beth actually found herself drawing closer to this new father she had acquired. Of course she was shocked but then a small wave of safeness rippled over her, it was as if she finally believed her father could get them out of this mess - He was strong, always had been, Beth had just been to blind to see he was hiding it only for his family.

They reached a barn that looked as if it had actually been left alone throughout all of this, however highly doubtful that was. Beth couldn't keep from wishing she'd finally found somewhere unmarked by the horror the world has become.

And so, the group walked into the barn, Alex leading the way; weapons poised to attack and somehow, by some kind of miracle, it was indeed empty.
Beth sat down heavily on some old hay, her feet aching from the long walk.

Hearing Alex talk about food and making beds, she looks up from her seat and asks "what do you need me to do?"

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Zac Taylor
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#, as written by Kaaaat
☣ Alexandria "Alex" Owens ☣



Some of the survivors had made their way up into the loft above the group, most likely to avoid being the first to die if the group was ever attacked. It was probably a smart idea. Alex thought she might do the same. Just in case.

The group had made the barn their temporary home; blankets were found among steel shelves and were immediately used as beds. Although Alex hadn't gotten her hands on one, she didn't prefer to complain tonight. If she had to sleep on hay, so be it. Her backpack would end up being her pillow.

She decided she would be the first to take the hourly night shift to guard. She hadn't had any volunteers yet, and she wasn't expecting any. Some people were too selfish to do anything for others these day.

"Every man for himself." She thought. It sounded like a pathetic line from a war movie; too bad she couldn't get her hands on one of those. She would've killed to escape into a world of fantasy, forgetting every care and worry left in the world as she dived into a dramatic plot.

"Oh god, I never knew that a pair of socks could feel so good." Zac, whom Alex assumed had just put on a fresh pair of socks, exclaimed as he laid back into the hay.

Damn. She couldn't believe she had almost forgotten about his wound. Poor Zac had slipped through her mind during all the hustle and bustle along the journey to the barn.

Hopping her way through the blankets and resting survivors, Alex quickly made her way to Zac, eventually bending down at his level. She eyed the blood-stained bandaged wrapped tightly across his left arm.

"How you holding up?" She met his gaze, knitting her eyebrows together. Her eyes then traced downward as she studied his arm. "Mind if I have a look?" She asked, reaching for the bandage. She wanted to see how the wound had been cooperating through the challenging transition process to the barn.

Her fingertips gently grabbed the knot, untying it with willing caution. The gash was deep and red. His flesh rippled at the edges of the wound. It was a large slash, and Alex hoped she could still manage it. Dear God she hoped she still could.

"How'd this happen, anyways?" She asked, still looking at the gash.

As she listened to his reply, her heart ached. Zac was probably going through Hell, and without any amnesia, the process of sewing it up wouldn't exacty be "pain-free", to say the least. Her eyes frantically darted around the barn, searching for any sign of a fist-aid kit. She needed to tend to the gash and quickly to prevent any infection.

"You just keep it elevated, okay? I'll be back soon," She met his gaze, offering him a slight smile. She hoped it would lighten his spirits. "Just hold up for a little longer."

Alex stood up, carefully making her way across the barn. She pleaded with herself not to disturb anyone. She didn't want any cranky survivors in the morning; she had already stumbled across a few complainers along the way. Viciously looking for a first-aid kit, she made her way towards the shelves which had once held the blankets. The only contents left were a box of ammo and a few wrenches and screwdrivers piled up against each other inside a rusty container. No first-aid kit there.

"Shit." She mumbled, pressing forward towards a wooden cabinet. She hastily flung the doors open to the cabinet, rummaging her hands through its shelves.

"What do you need me to do?" Alex turned, eyeing Beth who had just stood up from her seat. Beth amazed Alex; for a woman who was pregnant, she was awfully generous.

Alex smiled. "Would you mind looking for a first-aid kit?" She paused, looking at Zac in the corner. "Zac's got a pretty bad wound, and some medical supplies would be great at the moment."

She didn't want to give Beth too much of a strenuous task with the baby and all. Since a wooden plank had been secured through the handles of the barn's door (by the help of the men of the group) there wasn't much left to do but sleep. Alex figured Beth at least needed some rest, and offering her a night shift wouldn't help Beth from getting some shut-eye.

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1 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Joe Harris
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Joe slowly staggered through the field as he made his approach to the area most of the others had headed to. He clenched his leg as he attempted to run and blood seeped through his pants. The screeching wails of the Infected could be heard all around as the crash site had became over run by them, and the commotion attracted dozens of others. The situation was bad and it was steadily getting worse by the minute.

Joe had gotten separated from the rest of the group due to his injured leg. He had slipped and landed on a piece on the wreckage from the truck, causing a gash on his leg. He need to apply first aid as soon as possible, but he didnt have the luxury of stopping at the moment. He could see the barn coming farm coming into view so he hurried to meet the others. As he approached however, he quickly realized what a tight spot he was in.

The infected were everywhere. The were emerging from the fields and forests in large droves, blanketing the farm in moans and hallow wails. It wasnt long before they noticed the smell of blood coming from Joe, and before he knew it they were coming at him. Joe knew he couldnt make it to the barn now, so he ran as quickly as possible towards the silo on the edge of the field.

The sound of a gun firing rang out in the night air as Joe leveled his pistol at one of the infected blocking his path. Two more shots were fired at his pursuers as he finally reached the silo and slowly began to ascend the ladder leading towards to catwalk that surrounded its top. The climb was exhausting, but a sense of relief fell over Joe as he looked down to see that none of the Infected were climbing after him. Joe sat up against the metal siding of the silo, and gave a silent prayer for those that didnt make it.

Setting

8 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson Character Portrait: Luca Dragomir Character Portrait: John Lowardi Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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#, as written by Tempest
☣ Sergeant Henderson ☣


Henderson was glad that the girl was in front of him, she wouldn't see him stumble in the dark as the exhaustion of days events started to catch up him. He was a strong man, physically and mentally fit, but thirteen hours of driving plus the past two hours of panic and terror were taking their toll.

The grass around them made gently swishing sounds as they passed, the occasional twig snapping or panicked flight of some ground nesting bird the only sound other than their breathing and foot falls. The breeze at least was warm and he felt comfortable enough despite his damp clothing and 60 pounds of equipment on his back. Some of it would have to go, he realized that now, the pack was to big and unwieldy to have on at all times, plus the assortment of weapons he carried would surely get in the way at some point.

Several times the girl turned to speak and he mimed shooting her again, glad she had finally taken the hint. That same thought came with a rush of self criticism though. It wasn't far to expect the people of truck eighteen to handle the situation well, he was the only one amongst them with any sort of training and he realized that he would need to be more patient when dealing with them.

Finally the girl had taken enough silence and whispered an introduction. He thought for a moment then replied in a whisper almost to quiet for her to hear.

"Sergeant, or Sarge will do ma'am."

Before she could ask another question he held up a hand and signalled for her to kneel as he did the same. Something was moving swiftly towards them through the undergrowth. He levelled the pistol, unsure of what would come, almost certain it was no zombie for they did have the welcome habit of moaning whenever they detected prey. Instead of shooting though, he almost cried out for joy when the shape resolved itself into Gunner, tongue hanging out, tail wagging as Henderson whispered praise in his ear and pulled a soggy, but much appreciated, treat from his combat pant pocket.

The farm wasn't far ahead now but before he could say anything to Jenifer the sound of gunshots echoed flat and clear across the fields, low moans filling the air at once. He waited but no more shots came however and no screams, whoever had done the shooting was either dead or escaped. He hoped it was the second one. He knelt next to Jenifer, his mouth almost to ear, aware suddenly of the perfume she was wearing.

"Jenifer, you need to listen carefully to me. We are going to try and make it to those buildings." He gestured in the dark towards the distant structures. "I am going to lead, you follow me, and for the love of whatever god you believe in, do not make a noise or we're both dead. Understand?'

Once she had nodded he shrugged his rucksack off and carefully re-slung his weapons so they would not impede his movement. Then he unstrapped a small folding shovel from the side of his pack and slowly clipped it open. He tested the edges of it, still as sharp as when he'd honed the edge while waiting for the truck to leave.

He took her small slender hand in his, and with Gunner stalking silently next to them , began a slow approach on the farmhouse. He wasn't entirely sure how zombies detected human presence but he wasn't going to make it any easier and so went slow and quiet.

They came across the first zombie a hundred yards from the house, the vast majority of them were clustered beneath the nearby silo, he could hear their fists beating on the metal and see where they had started to stack slightly as they climbed on top of each other to reach whoever was up there. He also caught movement on the second floor of the barn, a terrified facing peeking out quickly before ducking back inside.

The first zombie wasn't even aware of their approach as it stumbled towards the silo and Henderson moved swiftly, releasing Jenifers hand to slam the shovel blade down into the creatures skull. It gave one hideous spasm and then dropped at his feet. He dragged the blade free, cleaned it carefully on the grass and then grasped Jenifers hand again, leading her to the wall of the house.

The zombies arriving were fewer now, their moans drowning out any other noise as Henderson dispatched two more with quick blows to the head. Only once were they spotted but the zombies moans were lost amongst all the others and he allowed it to follow him into the space between the house and barn before killing it quickly.

Spade cleaned once again he knelt at the corner of the barns far side, Jenifer pressed close behind him, and scanned the open space. No zombies appeared here and he could see the doors to the barn, a small man door and two massive sliding doors. If the rest of truck eighteens survivors had made it he hoped they would be smart enough to have climbed to the second floor and removed any access, which presented a problem as much to him as zombies.

"Keep close." He hissed at Jenifer and repeated the words in a foreign language to the dog who instantly sank into a belly crawl at his heel and as one the three of them crept slowly along the side of the barn. They arrived at the big sliding doors first and he could see at once they were locked from the inside by a chain. He peered through the crack but couldn't see anything in the darkness of the barn.

The small man door was next and he found it unlocked, gently opening it, the sound of the click muffled by the moans outside. He urged Jenifer and Gunner inside before closing it just as quietly behind them, taking a 2x4 and propping it so the door couldn't be opened again from outside.

The three waited for a moment in the darkness before Henderson motioned for Jenifer to wait as he hoisted himself into the rafters. He could hear frightened whispers now and the sound of movement.

"Truck eighteen." He called quietly. Nothing. He tried again, louder this time.

Setting

8 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson Character Portrait: Luca Dragomir Character Portrait: John Lowardi Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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Jenifer was a bit irritated when Sarge didn't reveal his true name. She hated nicknames, titles, or whatever else that's used to replace a person's name. Before she could ask another question, Sarge motioned for her to kneel down. Jenifer grunted, following his command. Once her knee made contact with the ground, Jenifer heard what Sarge was hearing. Something was heading towards them quickly. When Sarge leveled his pistol, fear struck Jenifer, and the need to scream arose in her system.

A black dog emerged from the dark and Sarge looked like he was about to burst with joy. They had a little reunion party, which Jenifer kind of admired. She was about to comment on how cute she thought the dog was when the sound of gunshots fired through the air.

Sarge focused Jenifer's attention on him and told her that they were going to head towards the distant buildings in the darkness. When he mentioned that they were both dead if she made a noise, Jenifer's heart began to beat much more swiftly. That little task she was given already seemed too much to handle. She nodded anyways and Sarge began to fix and adjust his weaponry. A folding shovel was one of the weapons he had and Jenifer started to become more afraid of the incoming events. Sarge took her hand and they began their journey to the others of Truck Eighteen.

What came next dashed by to Jenifer. All she could remember was Sarge attacking a zombie with a shovel and that's it; everything else was a giant blur. She was urged into darkness with Sarge's dog and soon Sarge joined them. They all waited in darkness for a short moment. Jenifer could hear muffled voices inside the building they were in.

Sarge called out for Truck Eighteen. When he got no response, he repeated. Jenifer observed the darkness, trying to see if she could make out any human bodies.

"Hello?" whispered Jenifer, shortly after Sarge's second call. His dog snuggled close to her legs, making Jenifer feel safe for just a short moment.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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As Zac started moving his toes in his fresh pair of socks his lovely nurse was heading towards him. He wasn't worried about being forgotten about. He knew he wasn't going to die of blood loss. No, his two biggest concerns about the wound was either it was going to get infected or he could get blood poisoning. That's not counting the fact his bloody arm smelled like turkey dinner on Thanksgiving to those things.

"How you holding up?" Alex asked getting close to him. It was a difficult question, instead of the searing stabbing pain he was expecting his arm to experience; he got a dull ache pain that just kept reminding himself that he was badly hurt and he should stop moving and let it heal. Before he could answer her she popped out, "Mind if I have a look?" He nodded and prepared himself for the terrible pain from taking off a bandage.

Once again Zac couldn't bear looking at his cut. He knew that if he looked at it, it would feel a whole lot worse. Instead of focusing on his wound he decided that he would concentrate on her. He saw the subtle differences from when she's concentrating and when she isn't. When she took off the bandage Zac couldn't stay completely quiet. Some of the blood had dried on the fabric and on his cut. So when she took it off; his arm hair, the edges of the cut, and some skin patches came with it. He let out a tiny whimper. Today was not going his way.

"How'd this happen, anyways?" She asked looked at his wound.

"Honestly, I don't remember. The last thing I remember before the crash was the moment I knew we were crashing. All I could think was fuck over and over again. Then the next thing I knew two people were on top of me and my right arm was wedged under something. Even that part is still fuzzy. Anyway, long story short, I push the dead guy off of me with my bad arm and got my arm free and proceeded to jump out of the car and get patched up by the coolest person here." He said as he smiled.

Almost as soon as he finished she told him she would be back and keep his arm elevated. He silently agreed and held his hand horizontal and facing up. He forced himself not to look at it. A few moments later he thought he heard somebody call out. Then again, and finally he heard Jenifer. As soon as he heard her voice he almost considered not even acknowledging her. Then he realized that Sarge went back for her. He couldn't leave him out to die, her on the other hand well... Zac looked around and tried to discover the location of the sound. He decided to inch his way to the ledge of the loft.

"Sarge is that you?" He didn't exactly yell it, but he really didn't whisper it either.

Setting

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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#, as written by Kaaaat
☣ Alexandria "Alex" Owens ☣



"Don't worry, Beth. I found one!" Alex called over towards the front of the barn, addressing Beth.

Alex clutched onto the first-aid kit tightly. After rummaging through vacant shelves and cabinets, she managed to find it squeezed between various supplies in a rotting cardboard box. The kit didn't have much inside of it except for basic medical tools; nevertheless, Alex thought she could make it work.

"Here we are, Zac." She muttered quietly, walking over to the wounded man. Dried blood ran across the edges of his arm, cracking as he moved.

She quickly bent down to his level, opening the kit to display its contents. Medical gauze, scissors, a sewing needle and thread, disinfectant, and probes populated the inside. Since Alex didn't have any advanced sterilizing liquid, the disinfectant would have to do. She took the small bottle of disinfectant and poured a small amount onto the base of the box. To sterilize the materials, she laid the medicals tools out to soak in the liquid.

"We'll just have to wait a few minuted for the medical tools to sterilize. After that, I'll sew you up." She managed to crack a reassuring smile. "Just try and relax. It will be over with before you know it." She took a small cloth out of the kit and poured the disinfectant across it. "For now, I'm going to clean the blood up." She met his gaze. "It might sting a bit." Carefully taking the cloth, she grazed the fabric and started dabbing it across his wound, cleaning up the blood.

After cleaning the wound, she could now see the gash clearly. Alex winced.

"Truck eighteen."

Her eyebrows raised at the familiar voice. She turned towards the sight of the sound. Some of the passengers stirred amongst themselves, most likely frightened. Could it be-

"Sarge is that you?" Zac cut off her thoughts.

"Hello?" Whispered the familiar tone of Jenifer in the loft. How did Sarge find her with those flesh-crazed creatures outside the barn?

Alex quickly grabbed her backpack, yanking out a small flashlight. She shined it up at the loft through the darkness. She smiled.

They had made it out alive.

Setting

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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Everyone was tired. Very, very tired. Especially Jeff. But he was more mentally exhausted than he was physically. Probably because he had to secure the entire group while at the same time keeping a very close eye on Beth and because it's been long since he had a chance at getting a shelter and a group. Beth looked too lonely whenever they tried to stop for a rest. Jeff figured she needed companions to lift some of her burden. Anytime soon, and Beth might break down of severe stress from the burden of having to take care of the living child inside of her and to take care of this old fart.

Sigh... Jeff sighed heavily. He was resting against the wall of the barn, the small blanket covering on his legs. he raised his wrinkled arms up to block the light shining right above him. He used to do that whenever he visited the beach during the holidays. The sun used to cook the oil off his fat stomach he accumulated over the past year. He knew it was stupid to believe that but hey, it's the time of his life. He could do whatever he wanted. Jeff smirked at the stupid remarks he used to make back during the years. But that life is long gone and shattered now. The future he could see now is either him dying and everything ending, or his daughter dies and he has no more reason to life. However, that was not about to happen. No matter what happens, he will protect his daughter. Even if it meant leaving first. He knows that it's selfish, and he may have chose some other choice when this vision happened in his mind, but he still thinks that it better to leave first than feeling the pain of seeing his beloved daughter leaving first.

"Truck eighteen." A faint but loud enough voice echoed throughout the building. All voice ceased, and there was only dead silence. Jeff didn't whose voice was those, and no matter how he tried to remember, he couldn't remember a similar voice. Maybe his old friend who was probably dead by now did, but it was impossible. His voice was much more arrogant than this. Seconds later, a similar voice answered.

"Sarge is that you?" That was definitely Zac, but from how he answered with 'Sarge', he assumed that it was the Sergeant who was driving the truck. Then another voice cut in.

"Hello?" This time, Jeff recognized it immediately. The owner of this voice was the arrogant girl from the truck who actually cared about her appearance rather than survival in a life-or-dead situation and nearly abandoned the old man in the sinking truck. [Oh, no, it's that girl again. Who was it? Jenifer, was it?] He pondered about this when a flashlight flickered on and shone onto the entrance. There stood the man in military suit and a young girl, who was both catching their breaths. Jeff quickly stood up, and slowly walked towards them. He was relieved that the Sergeant was alive, but the girl? Not very much, but she's still human.

"Glad to have you back, Sarge."

Setting

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alex Owens Character Portrait: Elizabeth Dawson Character Portrait: Jenifer Drop Character Portrait: Zac Taylor Character Portrait: Jeffrey Dawson Character Portrait: Sgt. Thomas Henderson and Gunner
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#, as written by Tempest
☣ Sergeant Henderson ☣


Henderson gave a sigh of relief and smiled slightly at the people welcoming him back as he helped Jenifer climb up onto the upper level of the barn before he heaved Gunner up next to her. A final look around the lower level and then he climbed up, letting the older man give him a hand.

"Thanks." He said, nodding to the man, before glancing about the space at the survivors who had made it this far. "Not many huh?" He said with a heavy feeling in his chest. "Thanks for your welcomes, I appreciate it."

The truck had started with twenty one people and now there looked to be no more than nine. Not good odds but at least he had managed to save a few. He found himself a space near the girl who had navigated and was now acting as nurse, leaning back against a hay bail with a grunt of pleasure.

"Right everyone. I am sure you know this but we need to be damn quiet." He looked around at them. "It looked like you already set up a sentry rotation. If that's the case those of you who can should probably get some sleep. Gunner and I will take the first watch."