Steven Kent's Story

The landing was hard and sloppy as Steve tumbled onto the roof from the fire escaped he'd leapt off of. He hit the roof hard in a roll but still managed to crash into an air conditioner that was built into the building. He groaned as he pushed himself up into a sitting up position and leaned his back against the AC unit with a groan.

"Nice one Kent."

He muttered to himself as he rubbed his sore shoulder. He shifted position to look out past the air conditioner and out over the building. He was at the wall surrounding the city. It had taken him just over an hour to reach the perimeter set up by the military for the quarantine. He had been hoping for a way out and if he was lucky this was it. Steve got to his feet and made his way to the edge of the building looking out on the wall. Although it was thrown together in a matter of days this massive wall of steel and sand bags had done wonders keeping the occupants of the city in the city. Armed guards patrolled the wall in sectors creating a fortified defence against the denizens of New York, infected or not, and the rest of the population of the country. It appeared, however, that Steven Kent wasn't the only one who ahd plans of leaving the city through one of the few military checkpoints. As he looked down at the street below he watched as five survivors stepped out onto the street from an alley way. They all had backpacks and a few weapons but set the weapons down almost immediately. Three men and two women in total. The soldiers at the checkpoints instantly began moving around as if some order had been given. The man at the front of the group of survivors put his hands up in a show of good faith and stepped ahead of the small group.

"We're not infected! We're not inf-"

His word were cut off as the soldiers opened fire on the group with automatic weapons. Steve's eyes widened in horror as he watched the massacre. As if unfeeling the military wiped out the small group in under a minute, leaving the bodies to rot in the street. Kent sat back in shock unsure of what to make of this. He rubbed the back of his neck as his mind tried to grapple with what he'd just witnessed. Speaking out loud was something Steve had always done to help him figure thiings out especcialy when it was difficult for him to handle.

"If they're killing anyone who approaches the checkpoints there's no way I'm gunna get any different treatment."

He paused to glance at the metal walls.

"And those damn things aren't climable... not without a God damned Batman style grapple hook gun."

Steve sighed and turned back around as he slowl;y got to his feet.

"Guess I'm stuck here... perfect...."

Katrina was on her way to one of the military check points she had been hearing about, massive walls had been built up to keep the infected quarantined in the city. But there was a problem not everyone left in New York was infected she being one of them. She prayed that they were letting the uninfected people out, but as she rounded the corner she heard the cries of a group of people. A hand full of men and women and Katrina thought she spotted a child with them as well, waiving their hands trying to get someone's attention on the wall.

"We're not infected! We're not inf-", they cried and then gunfire rang out. It was maddening the noise of the rounds hitting the metal wall was deafening almost, along with the cries of the innocent people that were gunned down. Katrina sat there in pure shock for the sight that she had just beheld, her mouth agape and her mind grateful that she wasn't in the line of fire.

"How could they just gun down innocent people... it was obvious they weren't infected" she couldn't wrap her mind around it. This was the military they were supposed to protect us weren't they. She shook her head trying to get her mind out of the moment she was in the area and needed to get out before the infected in the area caught wind of the blood and gray matter in the air. Her only option was to start climbing, she had learned from experience the higher up you were, the less likely you were to become a meal.

She saw a fire escape leading up to the top of a building and decided that was her best way to get up to one of the roofs. At least from a higher vantage she could get an idea of where she might be able to go next and maybe be able to avoid any confrontation. As she finally clambered over the top of the roof she noticed a man looking over the scene she had just beheld as well. At first she was afraid he might be part of the military and she hid behind a large electrical box. But on a second examination and her gun in hand the man was not dressed in any kind of uniform.

"Maybe he's just in shock like me, if he saw the massacre of those people" she said under her breath. She stood up and slowly approached him, "It won't do you any good to head to the check point if you haven't figured that out yet" she said but keeping her gun ready just in case this turned out to be a bad idea.

"It won't do you any good to head to the check point if you haven't figured that out yet"

Steve spun around his hand on his holster ready to draw his gun at the sound of the voice from behind him that notably startled him. As soon as he saw she was not only alive, and beautiful but not currently aiming a weapon at him he relaxed some what. Kent breathed out a slow sigh but kept his hand on his gun.

"Uhh yeah I think they just made that loud and clear with about 60 rounds a peice."

Steve said, his sarcasm acting as a defense mechanism. Steve's eyes scanned her for a secnd worried she might try and put a hole or two in him but she didn't much look like a bandit. Not any he'd ever seen anyway. Steve risked a second to glance behind him. Sheer drop right off the side of the building, if he had to run there was no where to run to.

"So.. just so I know before we start, what are my chances of finishing this chat without getting shot? Cause I'd like to avoid and new holes if at all possible."

Steve asked blatanly. Subtley was never one of his strong suits and he tended to prefer cutting through social BS whenever he could.

One of Katrina's eyebrows popped up and she holstered her gun "I wont shoot you, if you wont shoot me" she smirked. "I came up here to get away from whats gonna become feeding time down there" she said as she walked over and looked over the edge down at the mess below. "It's a damn shame the only crime those people committed was having hope that our government might actually try and help those in need. It's safe to assume we would get the same reception at any of the other checkpoints around the city" she said turning to look back at the man.

She extended her hand out to shake his hand "My names Katrina Marshall".

The sounds of moaning began to come up from the carnage below, Katrina did her best to try not to listen.

(sorry so short migraines are a pain literally)

Steve took Katrina's hand with one of his trademark charming smiles.

"Steve, Steve Kent."

Releasing from the handshake Steve turned toward the sound of the moaning and peered out over the side of the building.

"Well... Look like somebody's hungry. We better get outta here before they start roaming into the buildings and find their way up here."

He suggested before turning back to Katrina.

"You don't happen to have a super secret defensible base we can hole up in tonight do you?"

He asked jokingly knowing few lone survivors had home base like locations but instead remained on the move like Steve himself. To protect and maintain a base you'd need a group which is something neither of them had right now.

(no worries ;] )

Katrina shook her head "Sorry no, but..." she looked in thought for a moment; "I used to work at the juvenile detention center... but I was a little leery about going back there. With all the new vaccinations they give kids these days I was afraid I would be stepping right into zombie central if I went there. But the plus is they are definitely well stocked with just about anything, maybe even some weapons there were armed guards." Katrina ran her hand through her hair in frustration.

"Other then that I got nothing really I've just been skating along by the skin of my teeth, for the past three months. A week of that I spent in my basement till I ran out of supplies, then I heard on the radio about the check points so I figured I would try that. Had some close calls along the way but I've managed to not become zombie chow, my only dilemma right now is a I'm low on food and ammo. I'm afraid to drink the water so I've been purifying everything I collect." she sighed.

"Listen I don't know about you but typically I'm the type of person that doesn't like to rely on someone else, but with all the shit going down it's almost impossible to get by on your own. So may I propose a deal I watch your back you watch mine, your the first person I've ran into that didn't pose a threat. They've either been bat shit crazy or on the verge of turning into a zombie, it's up to you I won't be offended if you say no" she tightened the straps of her backpack. Then started to look around for something that might be able to help, the buildings were close enough together that if you found something long and sturdy enough you could cross to the other. Now granted if you're afraid of heights it sucks but Katrina was thinking more of avoiding crossing in the streets.

"Damn where the friendly neighborhood Spiderman when you need him" Katrina came across and old ladder that looked to be used for some sort of maintenance. "Maybe this is long enough that we can cross over to the other building fairly easily" she turned to Steve.

"What do you think?".

Steve shrugged with a calm smile.

"Consider your back watched."

He said as he gave her a quick pat on the back as he walked past her and stopped by the edge of the building and gauged the gap.

"Maybe this is long enough that we can cross over to the other building fairly easily" she turned to Steve.

"What do you think?".

She asked. He turned to her with a wide grin.

"Oh yeah, I think we can handle this."

He said as he took a couple quick, hopping steps back and breathed out in order to sike himself up for the jump.

"Ok here goes nothing."

He said before sprinting towards the edge of the building and leaping out into the air. For a few brief seconds it was like he was flying. With nothing above or beneath him he felt weightless. That was until gravity kicked him in the ass and sent him flying back down. He slammed into the side of the building as his hands gripped the edge. His hold was like an iron vice, not budging for fear of falling. He groaned in pain but lifted himself up an onto the roof. He turned with a rougish chuckle and waved to Katrina to follow.

"C'mon! It's not far, I'll catch you!"

He shouted out to her from the opposing building.