Viola Underwood's Story

Viola sped down the road on her 2008 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe motorcycle, the cold night wind in her dark red hair as she wived in and out of cars. She loved this motorcycle mostly because it was a royal blue which was not only her favorite color but, the color of her eyes. but, since the out brake of the L7X9 Virus she loved it because unlike most motorcycles it wasn't loud which meant it wouldn't give away he position as easily unless there was an infected really close by.

Viola looked up at the sky to see that she had lost track of time. "Shit. looks like I need to find a place to hide the bike and bunk up for the night." she mumbled under her breath. Most nights Viola would hide her bike and half her supply's as good as she can in a different location then go about a mile off and find a place to stay for the night. It was her way of always planing ahead so that if she ever ran into any untrustworthy survivors that decided to jack her stuff and run she always had a plan B. 'Never trust anyone' that was one of the many saying they had at the orphanage, especially when your money went missing because the big kids decided to go looting so they have some spending cash. and thats why Vi had always taken about 15 dollars and put it where the big kids would find it the hid the rest for herself when she was younger. It was smart and it always worked.

She stopped at an intersection and turned off her motorcycle listening to see if there were any infected around that felt like playing. she closed her eyes and concentrated it was quiet but, then she heard a voice "Oh, I'll play. I'm such a good sport. Come over here and I'll show you what a good player I am!" Vi sat there and listened to make sure it wasn't a trap. Thwap The echo of a...what was that a bat?? bouncing off the concrete road and smashing what ever it hit came back to her. Then silence. Viola waited one more second before she started her bike then heard the same person shouting "Locked. Always friggin' locked! Doesn't anyone trust anyone anymo-" followed by running."Shit. Shit. Shit."

Viola kicked her motorcycle on and raced it towards the voice. Under normal circumstances she would not have been doing this but rather, driving in the other direction and getting the hell out of doge but, this person was obviously still alive and in a lot of trouble. And Viola was still human enough to know it was the right thing what she was about to do.

Viola turned the corner and found four!! Count it four of those nasty contagious humans surrounding their fallen comrade and starting to turn toward the house of which he lay in front of. Vi took her right hand off of her bike handle and reached behind her back grabbing the handle of her machete. She heard the clean swosh of the blade as it came out of its holder. Readying herself she speed up and with one swift clean motion she slid her machete through the first two infected people it came in contact with taking their heads clean off. Didn't even know what hit them. she thought as she laughed at her own dark and twisted humor and turned her bike around stopping. The two people that were left turned to look at their attacker pulling back their lips and growling at her in anger and charging at her. Quick to react Vi swung her Winchester 101 , 12 Gauge, 3 Barrel Trap Set gun around from her back and shot the closest one running toward her in the head, brain matter and blood flying out of the exit wound. Then she turned her gun and shot the last 'Ugly' in the face.

Vi kicked up the stand for her bike and left it running, then ran toward the house where the first dead infected body's comrades were heading. As she grabbed for the door she reached behind her and pulled out one of her 75 P-07 9mm guns for protection. As she turned the handle and pushed she found the door was blocked. "Ugh. It always has to be difficult doesn't it?" She shouted at no one in particular.

Stepping back she rammed her shoulder into the door braking it free what ever was blocking it and swinging it wide open. As Vi stepped over the threshold she saw a Blond girl that looked about her age on her hands and knees on the floor breathing deeply and approaching behind her was a a very buff man with rotting flesh and dried blood on his face, arms, and chest. With out even thinking about it Vi lifted her gun and put four bullets in his head. The turned to the girl. "Are you okay? Your not infected are you? Because if your not you need to come with me and fast because there will probably be more 'Ugly's' coming and I don't know about you but, I don't feel like being around here for round two."

A gunshot, loud, boomed in front of the door and Tayte froze, "What the?" she mumbled as her stomach began to calm down a little. Breathing heavily, she waited, her heart beating fast but not too loud. She listened as intently as she could, something was at the door. She stared at it, praying that her make-shift block would work. It budged a tiny bit but held as whatever or whoever on the other side of the door tried to push it open. "Ugh. It always has to be difficult doesn't it?" The shout boomed from the other side of the door and Tayte scowled, cocking her head in confusion. That wasn't something she'd ever heard or thought of hearing an infected shout. Then, suddenly, the door popped open. Okie dokie... chairs are no good as blocks, good to kn- her thoughts turned into a vocalization as the red-headed girl raised the gun and shot over Tayte's head. "Oh. My. GOD! Are you crazy?! Guns are loud!" She took in the girl's determined set of her jaw, the blood splattered on her clothes and the way she stood, half-ready to run, and knew she wasn't infected.

A loud thump behind her and Tayte jumped up, quenched the desire to puke again, and got into batting stance with her back to the girl. Trusting, true, but better to look in the eyes of the infected than in the eyes of a "crazy". Ready to take on anything, she stood for a moment, then looked down and chuckled at her own delayed reaction. "Sucks for you!" she told the blown to smithereens dead man laying on the ground. Then, it hit her. The girl had just saved her life. Her eyes widened, and she turned back to the blue-eyed red-head, an eyebrow raised in an incredulous manner, a smirk on her face with laughter in her eyes, questioning her.

The girl ignored Tayte's questioning look and simply started talking in hushed tones, "Are you okay? You're not infected are you? Because if you're not you need to come with me and fast because there will probably be more 'Ugly's' coming and I don't know about you but, I don't feel like being around here for round two." The girl was quick with her speech, cutting down to the bare facts. Tayte appreciated this and smiled fully.

"Yeah, I'm good." She began to strip, "And you're right, round two will be worse thanks to your trigger finger." She caught herself, "No offense! I mean, thank you for saving my life and stuff." Then she went to work, taking her shirt and bra off, no time for modesty, "This will only take a second, I promise. I may not be infected now, but I don't want to know what happens if this blood seeps into my pores, you know? Watch the door?"

She talked as she moved, "I'm Tayte, and I've decided to trust you." Grabbing another tank top from her bag she wiped the rest of the blood from her body, then threw it and the already blood soaked one down. "Aren't you a lucky lady!" She pulled on a third new tank top, sans bra, Damn... I hate going braless, her leather jacket over that. "Or am I the lucky one because you totally just saved my gastro-intestinally distressed life?" Hastily chucking a couple of un-imperative items from her back pack so that it would close easier this time, she zipped it and threw it over her shoulder, grabbing her bat. "Alrighty, let's go!" She followed the girl out the door. "So what's your name?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Vi turned as soon as the girl began to strip down and change her clothes. As the girl changed her clothes Viola raised her gun at the door for the ready encase any unwanted visitors decided to drop in. You know never can be too careful. she thought. From behind her the girl spoke. "And you're right, round two will be worse thanks to your trigger finger. Vi rolled her eyes. No offense! I mean, thank you for saving my life and stuff." "Your welcome." Vi responded softening her voice but, keeping a strong stance.

"This will only take a second, I promise. I may not be infected now, but I don't want to know what happens if this blood seeps into my pores, you know? Watch the door?" " Already on it and Its okay just be thorough that way it doesn't happen."

"I'm Tayte by the way, and I've decided to trust you." Lucky me.Vi thought laughing and rolling her eyes. "Aren't you a lucky lady! Or am I the lucky one because you totally just saved my gastro-intestinally distressed life?" Viola laughed and turned around to look at Tayte for the first time taking in her olive skin, and shoulder-length, curly blonde hair that was pulled up in a messy pony tail. A few strands of hair falling out and into her bright green eyes and for that moment Viola knew she could trust her as well. "You know your pretty funny for the whole Apocalypse thing we're going through right now." Vi said smiling.Wow haven't done that in a while.She thought.

Tayte bent down and grabbed her back pack throwing it on one shoulder and setting her base ball bat on the other her stance strong and on full alert, as if anything could jump out at her at any minuet, not that Vi blamed her she felt the same way every single day since the outbreak.Hot damn!!! Vi thought smiling to herself. I was right it was a bat I heard. I'm pretty good. "Alrighty, let's go!" With that Vi turned and walked out the door Tayte following behind her. "So what's your name?" Tayte said as Viola jumped onto her bike and slid her gun in its holder. "I'm Viola, but you can call me Vi if you like. I figure we have about 15-16 minutes until the 'Ugly's' start a coming so hop on and we can go find a place to hide this and sleep for the night." Vi turned around to see Tayte's eyes widen when she saw the motorcycle. "come on she won't bite I promise and I'm a really safe drive." She said laughing mostly because it wasn't true she loved driving fast in fact she had three speeding tickets just to prove it and now that there were no limitations she was a maniac out on the road but, she was a safe maniac and had never crashed before so in her book that meant she was a safe driver. "besides it's the other psycho's you have to worry about." Vi smiled and held out her hand.

Tayte watched as the girl gracefully jumped onto the intimidating blue motorcycle that sat idling outside. "I'm Viola, but you can call me Vi if you like." Tayte nodded, "Vi it is. You can call me Tay if you're a fan of the nick-name." Stepping forward, Tayte could feel her adrenaline begin to throb again. She'd never really been one for motorcycles, preferring the safety of a roof over her head when in a vehicle. It felt less "open" somehow, less... "vulnerable."

"I figure we have about 15-16 minutes until the Ugly's start a coming so hop on and we can go find a palce to hide this and sleep for the night." Tayte's eyes widened at the idea of getting on the bike. The passenger seat looked comfortable enough but she wasn't sure how she felt about not being in control, so she stood awkwardly, in a limbo between wanting to stay on solid ground, and wanting desperately to get out of a place that would be crawling with blood hungry humans in 14.2 minutes. Vi helped her make the decision, "Come on, she won't bite I promise and I'm a really safe drive." Tayte watched as the girl chuckled a little and smiled in return. It struck her how much she'd been craving another human being, someone not bent on killing her, and she suddenly had a very warm feeling grow from the pit of her stomach. She apparently had a similar attitude to Tayte's, about not letting an apocalypse get you down.

Taking a step forward, Tayte could see the gleam in Viola's eyes. Hmm, safe driver huh? So what is that smirk about? Shaking her head on a chuckle, Tayte took the hand Viola offered as she clumsily kicked a leg up and over the other side of the bike to land with a thunk. "Besides, it's the other psycho's you have to worry about." Tayte set her bat on her lap and made sure both straps of her backpack were on, "God, don't I know it! And to answer your question, about my being so chipper in light of recent events? I just figure, why make bad situation worse, y'know?" She yipped as Viola kicked the bike into gear and took off, the knuckles of her right hand going white around the bat she held, while her left hand flew forward and around Viola, "Sorry, I'm not really the speed demon type. It's a quiet bike though, great choice! What about you? Why did you help me?"

"To answer your question, about my being so chipper in light of recent events? I just figure, why make a bad situation worse, y'know?" Viola nodded in agreement. "I know exactly what you mean.Trust me, I do." Viola frowned momentary and her shoulders tensed up as she started thinking about the family which she had never really gotten to know and how people always reacted when she told them she was an orphan, though she rarely told people because the whole, 'Oh. God how sad. I don't know what to say.', that she always got as people looked at her like she was broken really pissed her off and that's probably why she didn't have any friends or a foster family because really? When you tell someone something like that there's really no way you can make it better, no way to take away the pain, and no way to fix what was already broken.

As Viola kicked the bike into gear and took off, Tayte yelped and her left hand flew around Viola, "Sorry, I'm not really the speed demon type. It's a quiet bike though, great choice! What about you? Why did you help me?" Viola laughed and turned left, " Thank you and It's fine, but you might want to hold on. Tight. And also it helps if you lean into the turns, just kind of let yourself go I know its scary but, its amazing when you get the hang of it and so exhilarating. That why I have her. And as for why I helped you I figured I was still human right? and if the roles had been reversed and I was in your situation I would have wanted someone to come save my ass too. You know?" Viola shrugged matter of factually and took a right followed by a left and pulled to a stop turning the bike off. They were about 3.2 miles off and should be safe but just in case Vi closed her eyes and listened. It was quiet which was usually a good sign but still.Never can be too sure. Vi thought as she jumped off the bike and grabbed one of the handles " Okay, come on help me push this to the other side of the street to that shed over there. I need to hide it there. Oh!! And Tay, will you grab that pad lock and the chain out of the compartment please? Once it and half the supply's are locked up we can go into the hardware store about a half mile away from here. It should be safe and I use to work there so I know the layout." Vi turned and smiled at Tayte.

"Thank you and It's fine, but you might want to hold on. Tight." Tayte did so, as Viola continued to up the miles per hour and Tayte's adrenaline levels. They took a turn a little wobbily, "And also it helps if you lean into the turns, just kind of let yourself go I know its scary but, its amazing when you get the hang of it and so exhilarating. That why I have her."

Tayte breathed in deeply through her nose and thought to herself, Alright girl, you can make it through all this crazy-craziness, letting go a little on this beast can't hurt... right? She relaxed a little and followed Viola's movements as they took another turn. This one went by much smoother and was almost... fun. Tayte could have laughed out loud if she wasn't concerned with making too much extra noise.

"And as for why I helped you I figured I was still human right? and if the roles had been reversed and I was in your situation I would have wanted someone to come save my ass too. You know?" Viola shrugged matter of factly and Tayte grinned, "Absolutely. I do have to be honest though, I don't know if I'm as brave as you, to run in, guns blazing..." She thought of the woman who had screamed in the apartments and shook her head. Best to keep that to herself. While making ally's and friends was one thing, desperate times sometimes called for desperate measures. Tayte hated that she felt that way, but sometimes you had to do what you had to do. Viola parked the vehicle and hopped off, Tayte following shakily. She looked at Vi a moment and knew that she wouldn't ever sacrifice the girl. Not only had Vi saved her life, but she had a good heart, a kind soul. Tayte decided right there and then that Vi was a better person than Tay would ever be.

Tayte stood very still as she watched Vi close her eyes and listen. "Okay, come on help me push this to the other side of the street to that shed over there. I need to hide it there. Oh!! And Tay, will you grab that pad lock and the chain out of the compartment please? Once it and half the supply's are locked up we can go into the hardware store about a half mile away from here. It should be safe and I use to work there so I know the layout." Vi turned and smiled at Tayte, and Tayte smiled warmly in response, "You got it, El Commando! ... Commanda? ... Commander?" She screwed up her face, "Whatever, let's do this." Doing as she was asked, she grabbed the belongings needed out of the back compartment, then snapped it quietly shut again. Grabbing one handle, she helped push the bike into a corner and cover it with a dirty sheet. "That's super effective! Looks like a junker now!" She beamed at Vi. "Alright-y! Where to, boss?" She thrust her bat over shoulder and turned to follow the only person Tayte knew or trusted anymore.

"You got it, El Commando! ... Commanda? ... Commander?" Tayte screwed up her face, "Whatever, let's do this." Viola smiled and laughed at Tay and together each one of them grabbing one handle, and push the bike into a corner and cover it with a dirty sheet. "That's super effective! Looks like a junker now!" Tayte beamed at Vi while she laughed and rolled her eyes. "Alright-y! Where to, boss?" Vi smiled and knew right then that she could trust Tay with her life and for that second she was happier to have know she had meet one kind hearten person in this hell hole of a place even, if it would all end at any second.

"This way." Vi pointed at a ditch that followed the road and started to jog. "I use to walk when I went to work and I would find the strangest things. I use to think it so funny what would be abandoned out here and I always felt like I fit in here some how, seeing as how this is where the car accen-" Vi stopped talking and jogging at the same time and scrunched up her face shaking the memory clean from her mind. "Wow!! I'm so sorry, I have no idea where that came from." Vi grind lopsidedly and looked down." I ramble when I haven't had a lot of sleep or am stressed. So just try to disregard anything I say k?" Viola smiled at Tay and turned back around and keep jogging.

Coming out of the ditch after a half mile jog they finally ran across the road and safely to the back of the hardware store."I think we should go to the Employees lounge its going to be our safest bet plus they have food there if it hasn't been taken yet but, ummm just to be safe if something goes wrong and I don't make it out with you I want you to remember this; when you go to leave you want to make one left turn and two rights to get back to this exit and also there is a fire ax at the end of the hall when you take that first right that you can use and I also want you to have the spare key to my bike that way you can get the hell out of here as fast as you can okay?" Vi smiled as she pulled out the spare key and put it in Tayte's hand and shrugged , "But, don't worry I doubt anything will happen but, just in case you know?"

With that Vi pulled out her gun for protection and lead Tay into the hardware store pointing out the ax on the way that way she knew where it was. When they got to the only door leading into the room marked 'Employees Only' Vi opened the door to a large sized room colored a horad dark shad of baby barf green. As Vi surveyed the room she saw the familiar The Employees room with its two fully stocked vending machines, a refrigerator, and a microwave on one wall and a row of lockers on the opposing wall where the employees can store their belongings. In the middle of the room there were seven round tables with chairs around each one so that the employees had a place to sit when they needed to rest or wanted to eat lunch.

"We should do a sweep of the room just to be safe, then we can lock up for the night. That's what the chain and padlock are for." After the sweep they locked up and settled down at one of the tables. "Ill take first watch if you don't mind? You look like you could really get some rest But, lets eat something first because I don't know about you but, I am so hungry I could eat an elephant right now." Viola laughed and looked over at the fully stocked vending machine. getting up and walking over to one of the machines she dropped to he knees and pulled out her hand extendable back scratchier to help her get reach some of the higher things and stuck her arm through the slot and appreciated a bag of M&M's, A bag of Chexmix, one honey bun, and a bag of Cheetos.A feast fit for a king.She thought laughing, as she looked over at Tayte and asked. "Any requests?"

"This way." Tayte nodded then started after Violet as they began a slow jog. She listened with interest as Vi started a story of her past. Skidding to a stop a she jogged past Vi's sudden stop in speech and jogging, Tayte turned around with concern to see Vi frowning. "Wow!! I'm so sorry, I have no idea where that came from. I ramble when I haven't had a lot of sleep or am stressed. So just try to disregard anything I say k?"

Tatye rolled her eyes, "Oh please honey bunches of oats, don't be sorry! I don't need to know your history if you're not up for sharing it yet. And don't you worry about the rambling, I do it when I'm 100% rested and full. Shoot, I'm a ramblin' cowgirl." She faked pulling two guns from her hips "western" style and shooting down the alley way, blowing "smoke" off the tips of her fingers when she was done. Vi smiled and Tay watched her pick up the jog again. She had the distinct feeling that Vi had been about to say "car accident" which told her that it was a sad story, and she knew what that meant: deflect, deflect, deflect. She got it. Tayte definitely understood what it was like to have those hard memories that popped into your brain every now and then, and she understood that whey they did it was best to occupy that mind elsewhere or the pain would start again. She made another pact with herself then: Don't worry, Vi-lady, I'll be here when you need to talk, 'cause you will. Till then I won't ask questions if you don't! Shaking her head a little to pull herself out of her reverie, she turned and sprinted to catch up with Vi, who had gotten a good way down the block.

A couple minutes later, Tatye saw the hardware store. Grateful that she'd been in good shape, she slowed with Vi as they came around it's corner. "I think we should go to the Employees lounge its going to be our safest bet plus they have food there if it hasn't been taken yet but, ummm just to be safe if something goes wrong and I don't make it out with you-" Tay stopped listening. She didn't want to think that way, it wasn't right. She understood being prepared, sure, but thinking things like "if I don't make it out" tend to led to people not "making it out." At least, that's how it was in any horror film ever! Nope, nope, nope. She'd be prepared to take on the infected if need be, but she'd also make sure Vi "made it out" so she didn't want to make plans of any sort. If need be, she'd been on her own up until this point, so she could be again and would, but she refused to think that way. So, instead, she just smiled and nodded when Vi's speech patterns showed her that she'd finished talking and it was time for Tayte to respond. She was a little suprised when Vi set a key in her hand, then realized it would be to the bike.

"But, don't worry I doubt anything will happen but, just in case you know?"

"Oh, uh, yup! Definitely! Be prepared. Boy Scout motto, right? So, shall we see what's in this place?" Tayte pocketed the key and jabbed a thumb to the door they now stood in front of. She pulled her bat out from behind her where she'd stashed it while they ran (through the arm holes of her backpack and against the small of her back) as Vi pulled out her gun and opened the door cautiously. They moved in, Vi pointed to something off to the right and then made a beeline to the break room. Tayte following and turning to survey behind them. When they got inside, her stomach grumbled at the sight of doritoes in the vending machine, and then even more when she saw the Honey Buns. If there was one thing she adored about life, liberty and the pursuit of sugar it was Honey Buns. "You are my knight in shining armor, vending machine," Tayte said as she walked over and hugged it, whispering, "Thank you."

"We should do a sweep of the room just to be safe, then we can lock up for the night. That's what the chain and padlock are for." Tayte looked over, making a mock annoyed face, "Buzzkill!" Chuckling she moved about the room, making sure to double check the restroom too. They locked the door, and Tayte was grateful for the window in the door. They could hide so that no could see them, should they come into the store, but they could also see out if need be. That would come in hand. She stood and looked out at the story, eerie with all it's boxes and shelves, only the light coming in from off the street to illuminate things and cast creepy shadows.

"Ill take first watch if you don't mind? You look like you could really get some rest But, lets eat something first because I don't know about you but, I am so hungry I could eat an elephant right now." Tayte laughed along with Vi, turning and leaning her back on the door, "Are you just saying I look like shit in the nicest way possible? That's all anyone ever means when they say someone looks tired." She made a funny face, "But hey, if you're offering, what kind of girl would I be to turn down my... uh..." she paused as as he was trying to run a finger through her hair and found a twig in it, "When did that get there? Well, my 'beauty' sleep, anyway." She watched approvingly of Vi's back-scratcher trick. She saw the M&M's fall, then the chex mix, then was bored and turned to look back out the window. Clunk. Clunk. Two more items.

She was looking out the window at the creepy store when she saw movement. Get a grip, Tay. Probably just your mind. Viola's right, y'know. You do need sle-- nope, nope. That was definitely movement! She moved to the side so as not to be seen and kept her eye on the movement, opening her mouth to warn Viola, she was cut off, "Any requests?"

Tayte kept her focus on the movement she saw in the corner of the store, putting a finger up to her mouth to signify silence to Vi. How had they missed this? Crap. Now they were just sitting in a box of death. She felt like the Honey Bun in the machine, looking out a window at what was surely impending doom: The jaws of humans. Wait... there's... she squinted and blocked the light of the employees room with her hand, "A little girl! No, a group of people. Oh my god, Vi!" She whispered excitedly as the adrenaline began to pump in her for the thousandth time that day. "Guns are drawn, now they're not... should we... what do we do?" She turned and looked at Vi, "More importantly, is that a Honey Bun?!"