OUTBREAK (Sandbox/Survival/Horror - IC / ALWAYS OPEN)

[Beiarusia]

LYNN PHAN and MORGAN KAUR
Insomnia Cookies, Chicago, IL

The door chimed as Daniel Beck entered. Having lost the element of surprise, the man stepped inside with pistol raised just in case whoever — or whatever — was inside proved themselves to be hostile. The main area was empty, as was the space behind the countertop. The door to back-of-house was slightly ajar, and although quiet Beck could hear a faint whispering and the hushed shuffle of footsteps on tile, a shadow passing the gap between the door and wall.

Someone — something — was lurking inside the cafe.

Beck clicked the handgun's safety to off. He circled around the counter, the air tainted by the scent of stale and molding cookies, no doubt considering the many scenarios that could play out in this very moment. Friendly survivors or thieving bandits? Infected? He tried peering into the gap but couldn't see much of anything. Then, despite his gut instinct telling him otherwise, he called out to whoever was hiding beyond the door, grip tightening on the gun. "Anyone here? Not gonna eat me, right?" He reached out and, gingerly, pushed the door open fully, half-expecting something to jump out at him. The office was empty but with signs of someone having been there recently. To his right was another door leading to the storage area.

He stepped inside and was immediately caught with cold metal pressed up to the back of his neck. "Don't move," the voice said, twinged in a waver of nervousness.

Beck didn't move. "That's a spoon."

The young woman tensed. "N-no it's not!"

"Yes it is," called out someone from inside the storage area.

The man turned to face his would-be assailant. A student, most likely from the university across the street, and, sure enough, she was holding a spoon in her hands as if it were a knife. Casually dressed with a headscarf that was slightly askew as if she'd been interrupted, in a hurry to make herself proper lest she be caught with her pants down.

She eyed the gun.

"Who is it?" called out the other girl.

Morgan Kaur looked to Beck with a strange mix of worry and solid unyielding, like an animal defending its territory against a much larger predator. A fight it could not win, but a fight it would undertake nonetheless. "What do you want?"

[NewLakotah]

Alexis Martin
South Side, Chicago

Alexis had been trudging along the side of the road. His eyes darting all around him, keeping an eye open for any sign of the infected. It was eerily quiet. That is, until the sound of crashing and running came from behind. His heart leap as he wheeled about sharply and saw a man running up towards him waving his hands. He was in military fatigues and furthermore appeared in trouble. There were at least two of the infected charging after him. A rush of panic swept over him as he watched him run up to him. He quickly checked his shotgun, flipping the safety off.

He darted forward. The man becoming clearer. He was a bit older looking that he had expected, not quite the military figure that he had thought he would be. He seemed tired, as if he had been running for a long time, possibly without food and water. The infected were closing in behind him, gaining ground with each step. Alexis picked up his pace from a quick jog to a full run. His movements were pure instinctual, as if operating without thought. His brain was a blank, fear and adrenaline overtaking his movements, reacting too fast for him to be able to process and think about what he was doing. His grip around the shotgun tightening as he moved in.

He was closer, well within a few yards of the running man, the infected and their gurgling screeches echoing off behind him, getting closer now, getting to be within range of his shotgun blast. It was a side by side. He had two shots to finish them off, then he would have to reload. By that time it would probably be too late. He felt the machete around his leg, but was certainly not about to pull that out now. He motioned with his hand for the man to get out of the way, a guttural yell coming from his throat.

“Get out. Out of the way, to the side!”

The shot was clear now, the infected right up on him. In a second the barrel of the shotgun was up, facing the pair. He sighted in at the first one, the one closest to him and squeezed the trigger. The blast startled him, his eyes shutting for a moment before reopening and he turned to the other infected. His movements were almost automatic, moved by pure adrenaline and survival instinct. He pulled the trigger again, the blast rocking him back a bit.

It had all happened so quick. Then it was quiet, his ears ringing softly was the only noise he could hear. Two of the dead infected were in front of him. He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out two shells and broke open his shotgun and loaded them in before turning to this new survivor.

On closer inspection he didn’t seem to appear to be much of a traditional soldier, but he couldn’t be sure. Maybe some sort of reserve personnel or something, medical maybe. He walked up to him, still wary of who he was and on whether or not he could trust him yet.

“Hello.” He said, really just unsure of how to exactly begin this type of conversation. His English was quite good, but he still had a rather strong French accent when he talked. “Are you ok? Where are you coming from? Do you need water or something?” He blurted it all out in a second. He reached back for one of his water bottles as he did so.

[Anowa]

DAY 25
Saturday, August 13, 2016
69°F (21°C) - Cloudy

---

SARAH KONIG
BUDDY
CDC Truck, Approaching Willis Tower

Mentions of POG, WIllis Tower, and general conversation in the back seat came to Sarah's ears. But she remained largely silent until the EMT asked abut a plan.

"Driving til we were on empty was the first choice. But outside Chicago the towns are smaller, and likely cleaned out by now. And every Gas station from her to Texas is probably already empty. To be honest, given the gun to person ration in the country I'm surprised things haven't blown over yet." a pause, we're heading to Willis Tower, top floors been having a lightshow the last couple days, was thinking we could camp out up there for the night, get our bearings and see what's what around town." another pause as the virologist looked at Sam in the mirror, "The girl wanted to head there too, so that settled my mind a bit."

The engine suddenly cut out, the truck rolling to a stop outside Union station, Willis Tower looming over them.

The 'Lawyer' interjected, Sarah sighed, popping the door with the others seeming to follow suit. "C'mon, we got a bridge to cross."

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

Clement Willoughby
Washington Elementary School
Running

Clement looked back to Crystal, the woman making an excellent point. “He probably is. That’s where he expects us to go. But I don’t know of where else there’d be an exit, other than… back in the cafeteria.” He nearly slapped himself. Of course there would be exits in the cafeteria. To lack them would be a goddamned fire hazard.

Before he could move them back, a voice called out and a woman with a few other smaller figures emerged into view. Clement’s heart skipped a beat. He watched the woman, throwing his baseball bat up in a defensive position. “Jesus!” He cried out, but stopped himself once the kids finally colored his vision. “Oh God, I’m sorry. I thought you were the principal, at first.” He looked over all of them, wincing. “I can… I can try and get rid of the principal. If you and her wanna try and get these kids out of here.” He crossed his arms, indicating both the new woman and Crystal with his eyes.

Crystal Wu
Washington Elementary School
School's Out Forever

Crystal was entirely surprised and dropped her gun instinctively, only to glanced to behind her and saw a woman...and several kids. So there are still kids here, inside the school. Not entirely unsurprising, but it was a shock. She picked up her gun again, and looked to Clement and the woman. Clement said he can get rid of the principal. "Not a chance if you're alone, Clement," she said. "Even if we get out here alive, there are chances the principal attracted the Infecteds to here with that loud sound he just said about," she pointed it out.

"But, here," as she offered her gun to him. "In case you need something more...violent, you can use this gun, and I will help her," as she looked to the woman, "and the kids," she completed her statements.

[Beiarusia]

SAMANTHA TALLOW
Willis Tower, Chicago, IL

The adults continued on talking. Some were indifferent to Sarah Konig's bite wound; others looked to be a bit more concerned. Samantha, oblivious to just how the infection spread, fell into the latter camp, making a point to stay out of peoples' faces as best she could despite being cramped in the middle of the backseat. Like riding the Tube during flu season but worse. Influenza was nothing but the common cold compared to this. What does that make the common cold? An errant thought that was quickly swept away.

The man sitting to her right — the one who smelled faintly of cat food — tapped her on the shoulder. Samantha looked over and watched as he made a gesture with his finger, drawing a line from the corner of his mouth to his ear. Probably sign language, most likely ASL, not that she knew of any other sign languages aside from American and British, and although she could hazard a guess to the gesture's meaning she wasn't entirely certain. Her knowledge of ASL was limited. Regardless, she signed back, touching her ear with her index and middle fingers. British Sign Language for deaf. Maybe the man would understand the sign, but he was distracted by Sarah before he could give an answer. He held a handkerchief to his nose and mouth, a rag that was surprisingly clean given the circumstances, but Samantha also saw his grip tighten on his gun.

Suddenly the strange woman (Lynn Matsubara) was leaning across cat food man (Luke LaForge) to offer Samantha a respirator that smelled strongly of hand sanitizer. She said something. Samantha, in turn, offered a confused expression. An awkward moment ensued before the woman caught on. Setting the respirator on Samantha's lap, she gestured for a pen and paper by scribbling on an open palm with a finger. Samantha offered her sketchpad and pen.

The engine cut out suddenly and the truck rolled to a stop.

Samantha, forgetting the strange woman, peered out the windshield to see Willis Tower looming just across the bridge. The girl felt a strange mix of emotions. Gratitude for Sarah for bringing her here; joy at the prospect of reuniting with her father; apprehension at the thought that he may not be there. That bitter notion was quickly buried. She'd come too far to think such things now. He was there, somewhere, awaiting her just like he said he would. They'd be together and everything would be fine. Yes, she'd tell herself that until it was true.

They disembarked, those with weapons making a point to check that nothing had followed them, or was lurking in the nearby station, but the street was empty, quiet, and on first glance they were alone. Buddy sniffed the air, the German Shepard giving no indication that something was wrong.

The group of survivors headed east on Adams Street, passing an intersection and crossing the bridge spanning the Chicago River. A few cars lay abandoned, parked on the street or bridge or, for one, on the sidewalk, some having damage from whatever accident they'd been involved in, small dings or lethal collisions. A few were pockmarked in bullet holes. A delivery truck was nothing more than a burnt husk. Something had crashed through the barricade of the bridge, leaving a car-sized gap between the pavement and open air. The ground was littered in debris, trash, and random junk. The remains of the riots that had rocked the city a few weeks ago. Some blood, but no bodies. Below the river was calm and blue. Just underneath the surface a red sedan was submerged. Above the sky was darkening as evening crept upon them. A stiff breeze, and with it darker clouds on the horizon.

Sarah Konig led the way alongside Buddy. Luke LaForge was close by, as was Caroline Tyrell. Samantha was nearer the middle with Lynn Matsubara. Behind them, the lawyer (Mawuli Jackson) and the lady priest (Angela Rus).

Samantha had taken the respirator and was toying with the straps as she followed the others. After a moment the mask was snug enough to wear without being too loose or else uncomfortably tight. It still smelled strongly of hand sanitizer, but at least it offered a sense of protection against the virus. Would it help? No telling, but something was better than nothing, at least mentally. She thanked Lynn for the respirator, signing with a flat hand, fingertips on her chin (or as best she could considering the mask) before moving her hand down and away. Thank you. Lynn probably wouldn't understand. For good measure Samantha offered a thumbs-up.

Another intersection. More vehicles were left abandoned, some of them military, but although the streets looked more akin to Iraq (post-invasion) than Chicago there were no bodies. Not many in any case. A dead guardsman lay near his overturned Humvee, flesh bloated and greying as flies buzzed nearby. Samantha looked away lest she vomit inside her new mask.

On the corner was a steel stature of the Earth, a few shrubs growing at its base. To the right was the entrance to the building.

The United States National Guard, alongside the Army, had secured this section of downtown Chicago after the rioting, Willis Tower in particular having been a designated safe zone for much of the quarantine. This was evident by the abundance of military equipment that had been left behind. Vehicles lay forgotten, some damaged others not, and further down the road a checkpoint had been established. Sandbags were set-up to guard the entrance. Not that it had helped. Inside the lobby was dark.

Samantha looked up to the building knowing that her father was somewhere inside. She needed to go, to find him, but her feet were rooted to the spot as fear stayed her action. The skyscraper was witness to something terrible.

A grave that demanded undisturbed rest.

She looked to the others, hoping that they, too, would be enticed to go inside. She didn't want to go alone.

But she would if she had too.

---

---

SCHOOL'S OUT FOREVER
Washington Elementary School, Naperville, IL

It was a strange meeting. Clement Willoughby and Crystal Wu on one side of the hallway, Sun Yunri and a gaggle of children on the other. Sun asked the pair to assist in getting the children out. Clement and Crystal had no issues in offering a helping hand, even if that meant confronting the crazed principal.

"We don't really have a place to go," Alex muttered.

Cadence shrugged. "We'll figure that out after we get rid of Mr. Hanover."

Before a plan could be solidified, however, there came a loud banging from somewhere down the hall. The thwack, thwack, thwack of a crowbar into the doors and walls of the elementary school, harsh against the soft buzzing of the intercom left on in the main office. The adults and children turned to look towards the source of the noise but they saw nothing. It echoed, closer and closer and closer, as Mr. Hanover neared in hostile fury. Alex held the yardstick up at-the-ready. Cadence, despite being the leader of the children, cowered behind Adam, the boy looking just as scared as she was. Jessica backed away closer towards Sun and the other adults. "We should probably leave," she said, the calm undertones of her voice faltering.

The noise stopped, and the still air of the hallway was filled with an uneasy silence. An unnerving quiet that foreshadowed a coming danger. For a long moment nothing happened.

"Maybe we should leave," said Clement, but as he turned to leave he ran into the bloody form of Mr. Hanover.

Mr. Hanover grabbed Clement by the throat, choking the man, lifting him to the point where his feet were struggling to maintain contact with the ground. The principal was old, a few years past middle-aged at the very least, but he was big, his deceptive pudginess hiding a layer of muscle that no longer had a limit to its exertion. His glasses were askew, cracked, and covered in dried blood, same with his tattered tweed jacket. His teeth were yellowed and eyes manic. He tossed Clement into the wall with a yell. The psychiatrist fell to the floor, more dazed than injured.

Crystal, gun still in her hands, tried to shoot the crazed principal, but he was faster, swinging the crowbar and knocking the gun aside. She stumbled back into the wall as Mr. Hanover turned to face her. He raised the crowbar for another strike, but before he could deliver a crushing blow Sun launched an attack of her own, striking the man, aiming for the head but missing and hitting his shoulder instead. The principal ignored the pain and swung wildly at Sun, missing, but causing the woman to trip backwards over the legs of Clement. She scrambled backwards as the man approached her, crowbar swaying with each and every step, very much like the monster in a slasher flick. "The PTA meeting is canceled," he mumbled.

Alex ran forward, yardstick held high as if it were a sword, but Mr. Hanover caught the blow in his hand, ripping the stick away and throwing it to the floor. He jabbed with the curved end of the crowbar, striking the girl in the stomach. She doubled over as the wind was knocked from her lungs.

"School is out," Mr. Hanover said, using his foot to roll the girl onto her back. "Why are you here? School is canceled!"

Cadence launched herself at the man, grabbing and clawing at the arm holding onto the crowbar. "Leave her alone!" she shouted, digging her fingernails into fabric and flesh. The principal tried to shake her off but Adam grabbed on as well, and Mr. Hanover lost balance, toppling with the children struggling atop him, his crowbar clattering on the tiled floor. He pushed Cadence off with a growl. Adam was already retreating, and as Mr. Hanover turned after him he found his path blocked by Jessica, the bookworm kicking the principal in the head as hard as she possibly could.

It wasn't hard enough.

Mr. Hanover roared in anger as he pushed himself up to his feet. Jessica, knowing now that she had made a terrible mistake, turned to run, but the man caught her quite easily, throwing her against the wall with all his weight, both hands wrapped tightly around her throat, holding her above his head with a look of pure malice in his eye. She gasped for air as her fingers tried desperately to break the vice closed tightly around her neck, kicking and struggling even as the energy drained from her body. Her vision faltered as Mr. Hanover shook her, slamming her back against the wall.

"School is canceled. Didn't you know? SCHOOL IS OUT!"

[Ithalian Empire]

LYNN PHAN and MORGAN KAUR
Insomnia Cookies, Chicago, IL

The door chimed as Daniel Beck entered. Having lost the element of surprise, the man stepped inside with pistol raised just in case whoever — or whatever — was inside proved themselves to be hostile. The main area was empty, as was the space behind the countertop. The door to back-of-house was slightly ajar, and although quiet Beck could hear a faint whispering and the hushed shuffle of footsteps on tile, a shadow passing the gap between the door and wall.

Someone — something — was lurking inside the cafe.

Beck clicked the handgun's safety to off. He circled around the counter, the air tainted by the scent of stale and molding cookies, no doubt considering the many scenarios that could play out in this very moment. Friendly survivors or thieving bandits? Infected? He tried peering into the gap but couldn't see much of anything. Then, despite his gut instinct telling him otherwise, he called out to whoever was hiding beyond the door, grip tightening on the gun. "Anyone here? Not gonna eat me, right?" He reached out and, gingerly, pushed the door open fully, half-expecting something to jump out at him. The office was empty but with signs of someone having been there recently. To his right was another door leading to the storage area.

He stepped inside and was immediately caught with cold metal pressed up to the back of his neck. "Don't move," the voice said, twinged in a waver of nervousness.

Beck didn't move. "That's a spoon."

The young woman tensed. "N-no it's not!"

"Yes it is," called out someone from inside the storage area.

The man turned to face his would-be assailant. A student, most likely from the university across the street, and, sure enough, she was holding a spoon in her hands as if it were a knife. Casually dressed with a headscarf that was slightly askew as if she'd been interrupted, in a hurry to make herself proper lest she be caught with her pants down.

She eyed the gun.

"Who is it?" called out the other girl.

Morgan Kaur looked to Beck with a strange mix of worry and solid unyielding, like an animal defending its territory against a much larger predator. A fight it could not win, but a fight it would undertake nonetheless. "What do you want?"

For a while, Daniel was afraid that someone had the drop on him, but the fear lasted only a moment as cold metal he felt on his neck no longer felt like the blade of a knife, but rather the dull harmless form of a spoon. If this where a different situation, he may have laughed, he almost did. A second female voice called out from the storage area confirming that Daniel, was indeed being held up by a spoon. Daniel turned to face the women who would have tried to end him with a spoon.

She was wearing a head scarf, rather sloppy to, but what struck Daniel the most was her eyes, dark like pools of oil and filled with fear. This was a primal fear, the fear of someone in mortal danger. Than he say where those fearful eyes went, the glock in his right hand, trigger finger just out side the trigger guard. He put the weapon on safe, releaved he didn't need to use it.

"My names Daniel, am-was a EMT, now I don't know what the fuck I am. But I do no that you don't need to worry about me trying to hurt you."

[Imperial Idaho]

BP Gas Station, Brighton Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Whitehorse was relatively idle for the newest escalation of tension, he'd simply hopped out of the car and drew his machete in the meanwhile, watching the two new strangers come into view. Some Brit seemed to not understand the idea of dropping your gun when you have one pointed at you. He chuckled to himself at that. Another person of little note came out of the BP. He found that rather creepy, Jack had only been there looting about five to ten minutes prior. They at least knew the path of least resistance was the best choice here. He tapped his leg with the flat side of the machete as the others exchanged words.

Whitehorse raised his voice a little so everyone could hear, at least if they cared. "Fuckin' everyone's coming out of the woodworks now. Unless you're cruising for a bruising I'd drop the gun and say what you want already."

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

SCHOOL'S OUT FOREVER
Washington Elementary School, Naperville, IL

Cadence launched herself at the man, grabbing and clawing at the arm holding onto the crowbar. "Leave her alone!" she shouted, digging her fingernails into fabric and flesh. The principal tried to shake her off but Adam grabbed on as well, and Mr. Hanover lost balance, toppling with the children struggling atop him, his crowbar clattering on the tiled floor. He pushed Cadence off with a growl. Adam was already retreating, and as Mr. Hanover turned after him he found his path blocked by Jessica, the bookworm kicking the principal in the head as hard as she possibly could.

It wasn't hard enough.

Mr. Hanover roared in anger as he pushed himself up to his feet. Jessica, knowing now that she had made a terrible mistake, turned to run, but the man caught her quite easily, throwing her against the wall with all his weight, both hands wrapped tightly around her throat, holding her above his head with a look of pure malice in his eye. She gasped for air as her fingers tried desperately to break the vice closed tightly around her neck, kicking and struggling even as the energy drained from her body. Her vision faltered as Mr. Hanover shook her, slamming her back against the wall.

"School is canceled. Didn't you know? SCHOOL IS OUT!"

Crystal Lee
School's Out Forever

Hanover came in through them, and surprisingly for an unhinged man, he is very focused at what he did. Considering that they were more than him, she thought this would be easy. She was left surprised by this, and now feared for her life. Though that, she realized that something needs to be done, she scrambled for her gun. Hanover took her gun out with his crowbar, and something needs to be done about it. She finally saw it, on the floor, but it was a bit far from the location. She quickly retrieved it, and in her attempt, stumbled in her move.

She aimed it at Mr. Hanover, with her pulling the safety off. "Drop her! DROP HER NOW! Or I'll shoot!" she yelled to Mr. Hanover. It was more of a threat, but she will pulls it off if he came close to her. Whether it will truly be aimed at him is unknown.

---

Jin-yoo Han
Union Station

Jin's car reached Union Station at this point. And that was when her car died. Out of fuel, logical and rational. Across the street of Adams, the Willis Tower. She went out from her car, and she sighted upon the tower ahead. Tough road ahead, too. Means she has to walk there, which she prepared for.

[Walabam]

SAMANTHA TALLOW
Willis Tower, Chicago, IL

Lynn Matsubara
Willis Tower, Chicago

Merely a minute ago, Lynn had been writing on a piece of paper with a pen, both handed to her by the little girl. Now, the truck's engine sputtered to a stop in the middle of the road, supposedly having ran out of fuel, surrounded by crashed cars and a scene of utter chaos. Luck seemed to be on the side of the passengers in the truck: they had apparently rolled up to close proximity to Willis Tower, as announced by McCormick, who had appeared annoyed and irritated, which was understandable. The stench in the truck's cab was horrible, and to add on to the misery, there were people whom were probably infected.

Slowly and steadily, Lynn alighted from the truck, along with the rest. A car alarm sounded off in the distance. Radiators of crashed cars were sizzling. A deceased guardsman laid by the side of his overturned Humvee, his carcass decomposed and bloated. Lynn eyed the dead guardsman and started to approach him, before stopping three steps in. Her intention was to hopefully find something useful on the guardsman - a weapon of sort - but she realized that he probably wouldn't have anything left on him. Lynn quickly rejoined the group, walking at a pace that was similar to the rest. Lynn looked around nervously at her surroundings, trying to look for something that could she could use as a weapon.

Lynn's eyes eventually landed on the kid. She gave Lynn a thumbs up, and Lynn nodded in acknowledgement. Lynn started to write on the piece of paper again. My name is Lynn. What's yours? Lynn offered the piece of paper to the little girl with a grin that was not as wide as to scare the shit out of the girl.

"Here we are," muttered Lynn, "Willis Tower."

The lobby was eerily quiet, a huge contrast from the huge amount of tourists pouring into the tower.

"Since we're here, and the street isn't really a safe place to be, should we...maybe, go in?" Lynn didn't feel confident enough to enter by herself. She wished for someone with at least a proper weapon to lead the way into the building.

[Tayner]

Luke LaForge
Willis Tower, Chicago
Day 25

The girl signed back, an unfamiliar sign to Luke. Maybe his sign language was getting rusty, or...

When he got a moment he asked for the pen and paper, scribbling down the letters ESL? in sloppy handwriting. The girl simply nodded in acknowledgement, and Luke sighed. Fair enough. He wrote, before seeing another passenger gift the girl a respirator. However, the situation had moved on.

"What is Willis Tower?" Luke asked, being a non-local he hadn't the slightest idea. It was soon apparent, the large tower that had some anomalous lighting the past few nights. The group soon stopped, cutting off the truck and heading towards the building. Luke's head was on a swivel, the place looked like hell, debris and wrecked vehicles everywhere. When they reached the doors, the girl seemed apprehensive

"Since we're here, and the street isn't really a safe place to be, should we...maybe, go in?"

"You best bet I'll be first in this motherfucker." Luke said, raising his weapon. "Flashlights out if you got 'em." He said and the group took out their flashlights, illuminating the darker corners of the lobby as they entered. Luke walked towards the elevators, and tapped the 'up' button to call an elevator, but there was no response. "Fuck me." He mumbled, looking across the lobby to a door wich had a stairwell sign over it. "I hope everyone has been hydrating, because we're about to get a helluva exercise."

[The Grand Rift]

Shaun Wilds
Day 25
St. Josephs Seminary

Shaun's eyes sat in a fury focused entirely on the murderous Mertz girl. Though muffled by his anger he heard and felt the other Mertz girl tugging and pulling at him yelling obscenities, however one fragment penetrated his skull "You killed our friends too".

Shaun flared once again and looked towards the other Mertz girl, seemingly ready belt one across her face, but instead, he loosened his grip and let out a sigh.

Letting the girl wiggle out of his grip, Shaun dropped the rusty metal pipe on the floor and walked to the opposite side of the room and slid down the wall with his back.

Shaun anger had seemed to dissipate and was replaced by a more somber and frankly blank face. Internally Shaun was starting to really feel the grief of his friend's deaths, as well as the others he had witnessed mutilated. In the rush Shaun no real time to recognize or even acknowledge their deaths. He had only focused on survival at any cost and though he employed it in an effort to protect his friends he had only killed them in the process. Shaun took off his black medical mask and threw it towards his backpack, and let down his hoodie. Revealing the young man's long hair along with his eyes. He closed his eyes briefly and reopened watching Clyde from the opposite side still in a fidgety panic. Shaun stared at his friend with fascination, and then looked away to see the holy man who had provided them refuge walking towards him.

“Loving Father and heavenly Lord I know that prayer is simply the breath of helplessness being nourished on the bosom of the Father. And Lord I come to You lifting up the many men and women that have such a struggle with the bitterness and anger that lurks deep within their soul – and who are helpless to deal with this disease without You Lord.

Shaun merely stared at the man with his hand on his shoulder. Not sure what to make of it one way or the other, he had been immersed in the Catholic church in his younger years he had heard all this before, but he didn't stop him as the man contained a look that made him think that he truly meant well.

He turned his back towards me and addressed the room.

“we can’t get out of here if we just scream back and forth. Lets calm down and figure out a way to get somewhere safe.”

Shaun knew he was right but the group needed well...a little more than just a breather.

Shaun spoke up "Alright holy man, I agree we need to stop trying to kill each other, but what grand idea do you have to escape?"

Shaun stood up and rustled into his backpack and pulled out a 12 pack of Nature Valley Bars and broke them open.

"Here. A peace offering" he said as he tossed a bar to each person around the room, and then proceeded to take one himself.

With a slightly embarrassed voice, Shaun stood and said "I know it may be a bit awkward, but I'm Shaun. Shaun Wilds. I'm a sophomore, my major is economics, and I had six toes when I was born before they cut it off." Shaun tried to level a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood and proceeded "That's Clyde", Shaun said while pointing.

He then stretched out his hand towards the holy man, and said "And you are Father....?"

[Beiarusia]

DANIEL BECK

LYNN PHAN and MORGAN KAUR
Insomnia Cookies, Chicago, IL

"My name's Daniel," the man said, lowering his gun so that it was pointing more-or-less towards the floor. "Am... was a EMT, now I don't know what the fuck I am. But I do know that you don't need to worry about me trying to hurt you."

Morgan was on high-alert but lowered the spoon regardless. "Morgan." She cocked her head slightly to indicate the storage room. "That's Lynn. We're students at Loyola. If you think of trying anything, I will hurt you, a lot." She brandished the spoon to emphasize her threat. A knife would have been preferable but she'd make do. Of course, Daniel had the gun, he was in control of the situation should worse come to worse, but Morgan would never allow him to harm a hair on Lynn's head, that much was for sure. No matter what. She'd trust the man for now but with a healthy distance.

She turned partway to allow Daniel to come inside.

"It's an EMS," she called out in answer to Lynn's earlier question.

"Does he have an ambulance?" she asked.

Morgan looked to Daniel who shook his head. "No. He walked."

The storage room was nothing special. Empty shelves and some plastic chairs dragged in from the lobby. Lynn was sitting in the corner, guitar case at her feet and looking a tad bit bored despite the slight flush to her cheeks. An indication to a moment interrupted. She turned her head to look towards Morgan and Daniel with eyes gazing at nothing in particular. She didn't look blind, and her uncanny ability to pinpoint those in a room often left people fooled.

Lynn offered a small noncommittal wave as greeting. "Hi Daniel."

They settled as best they could but the situation was unnervingly awkward. Morgan and Lynn sitting side-by-side with Daniel opposite, staring at one another as if attempting to read intentions. For a long moment no one spoke. Had the clock on the wall been functional the only sound would be the tick, tick, tick of the seconds passing in agonizing slowness.

It was Morgan who finally broke the silence. "The campus was overrun. We need someplace safe to stay. So, know anywhere?"

[Elerian]

Franklin Kersey, Southside

As Franklin got closer to the stranger he saw the shotgun, but it was pointed at the zombies rather than him. At least for the moment. He ambled past the gruff man and steadied himself on a nearby car, retrieving the fire axe off his back with trembling hands. However to his surprise, the other survivor decided to use his precious shells on the zombies. With two great cracks the zombies had been silenced.

“Are you mental? That’s just going to draw more of them!" Kersey was incredulous, even in his bedraggled state.

Kersey was beginning to wonder if he would have been better off not running into this man.

"That aside, thanks for saving my ass. The name's Franklin, Franklin Kersey" he said this while extending a hand to shake the stranger’s. He took the opportunity to give the man a once over. He looked young and relatively clean. Either he lived under a rock, or he had come from someplace nearby. Whatever the case, he certainly seemed like he could handle himself.

“We better get a move on, the infected are gonna be here any minute.”

[Ithalian Empire]

LYNN PHAN and MORGAN KAUR

Daniel Beck
Insomnia Cookies

Daniel thought over Morgans question. The simple truth of the matter was that there was no safe place. When the military pulled out the city effectively became a no man land. Every municipal function effectively ceased after the first riots and when the sick people turned into those bestial shells of human beings. The military wasn't to far behind that. He new the EMS tried to keep going despite everything, but they to would falter and eventually fold as every one either died or just gave up and tried to hold on to what precious little they could.

Daniel sighted, he hated to have to dash someones hopes like this.

"Ive been in the middle of this since the beginning, no where is safe. Some places are just less shitty than others. The military bailed on us, hell, the probably left some behind on accident. 'Fraid to say it, but we are on our own."

[Relikai]

Sun Yunri
Day 24, Washington Elementary


Violence was something alien to Yunri, who has spent most of her time sheltered while taking basic martial arts class in a bid for fitness and the ability to defend herself. When it was time to actually hurt someone however, it took more than just an instinct to swing, and even then Yunri was holding back much of her strength, her mindset fearing what would happen should she hurt the person beyond recovery. That also meant that her strike was wild, and hit the principal on his shoulder instead of her intended target before managing to dodge the wild counter.

She tripped back over the legs of a boy, giving a yelp as she held onto her weapon, eyes focused on the man as chaos erupted around them. The kids were fighting back, but it was just as hard for them to actually hurt the man who seemed... superhuman... in his endurance. However, she quickly stood, turning to see the principal with his hand around the neck of a girl, obviously choking her, with time running out as quickly as the breath remaining in the struggling student.

Her hands gripped at the barbell once more, Yunri's toned legs propelling her forward as she sucked in a deep breath of air. Without heeding any warnings and eyes focused only on her target in order to save Jessica, she raised the barbell slightly over her head, both hands gripping the metal tightly before bringing it down onto the man's arm, aiming to force him to drop the girl, her eyes full of focus, mind trying to blank out the vision of his arm yielding to the metal...

[New Grestin]

DAY 25
Saturday, August 13, 2016 | Willis Tower

"I hope everyone has been hydrating, because we're about to get a helluva exercise."

Carol hit the ground with a grunt, the cold smokey air of the new Chicago hitting her like a brick wall. Even through the mask she choked a bit. It reminded her of photos she'd seen of China; the air there choked with endless smog. It was easy to forget that the rest of the world still existed when all this was happening. She let out a sigh, feeling the warm breath against the inside of her mask. If she got through this, if the world got through this, she was dropping everything to travel.

LaForge's voice jolted her back to reality and brought her attention to the grim tower before them. The area had clearly been fortified; sandbags, armored carriers and empty metal boxes littered the plaza ahead of the tower. Up and down the intersections were what seemed like endless miles of crashed cars. Some were burnt out, some weren't. A few seemed to still have their inhabitants inside when they burned. A scowl crawled across her face as she caught up to the others. LaForge had already charged ahead into the lobby, tailed by the others. Carol followed suit, taking great effort to avoid the bodies and the broken glass.

The lobby proper was just as wrecked as could be expected. The meticulously designed interior, with it's lavish stone accenting and glassed railing, had been savaged by either fighting, looting or both. Shattered glass coated the floor alongside scattered office supplies, pieces of torn clothing and blood. Anything of any value that hadn't been nailed down was gone. Her boots crunched across the broken tiles as she approached Luke and the stairwell. Glancing upwards, she shook her head. Predictably, the stairway lead up and up and up and up into the darkness where she lost sight of it.

"This is a bad idea," she said, looking back to Luke. Her voice was low, almost whispering.

"This whole place is a death trap, and she wants us to walk right into it? "

[NewLakotah]

Alexis Martin
South Side, Chicago

Well, what the hell else was I supposed to do then, let them kill me? Alexis thought to himself as the man berated him that he shouldn’t have fired. He cleared his thoughts. His mind and heart were still racing after that quick bout of action. He was probably right. Shots would certainly attract attention, even if not from the infected, but from other people. Maybe not friendly people. They definitely needed to get moving, find a new place, a safer place than the streets.

He looked down to see the man extending him hand, introducing himself as Franklin Kersey. He took it and shook it, eyeing the man. He certainly did not appear to be a soldier on closer inspection, but again, what the hell did he know? He was older than he had originally thought, the man clearly out of breath. Who knows how long the man had been running for. He looked like he had seen quite a lot, judging from the look of him. He didn’t fail to notice the large axe that the man carried with him. That could have helped him in the fight, if he had noticed it before blazing away with his shotgun.

“Alexis. Martin. Good to meet you, I guess.” His voice was surprisingly level. Surprising to Alexis, who could still feel his heart pounding in his ears. “You are right, we gotta move. But where? Do you know this city at all?”

He turned to start walking down the road alongside the man when he started to hear faintly the sharp screeches from the infected, distant for sure, he thought, but that would change, and he wanted to be as far as possible from another encounter as he possibly could be.

“Tabernak! Ok, we move!”

[Hastur]

Ingrid Zakharova.
Atlas Security Division.
Twenty five days since initial outbreak.
3935 South Archer Ave Chicago, IL 60632, USA.

---

The small group of survivors had grew in size. A new face, one she recognized but couldn't put a name to emerging from the gas station that she had just cleared, something she had evidently not done well enough. With the man sliding his handgun across the floor towards Ingrid in response to her other command, nervously shaking and unable to speak as fear froze him up, stumbling for something to say. Taking her aim off the mustache man, she turned to face the new unknown threat. Aiming it at the man who was following orders not intended for him, Ingrid picked up the handgun with her free hand, feeling slightly lighter than she expected. Checking for brass in the chamber confirmed her suspicious, finding that the gun was empty, or at least that a round hadn't been chambered. Probably why the man hadn't wasted both of them with their backs turned.

She didn't like the situation. The group had turned from a small and nimble enough group into a mix matched bag of people, one of whom couldn't follow basic instructions. Going from a few people who could watch her back to a group that would now be a liability for everyone involved. Maybe it was the cop, or maybe it just how well they were armed, but people just seemed to be coming out of the woodwork like moths to artificial light, almost drawn to them, maybe incited by the feeling of protection. Only problem was now that she didn't feel very protected now herself.

There was no safety in numbers. the more people you had, the slower you became, the bigger target you where, the more likely you where to be picked off by infected, and the less seats there would be on the Atlas helicopter when she got a hold of that radio if they all did make it. She felt exposed, insecure around all the new faces, the cowboy, the asshole Brit with an inability to follow basic orders and the unfamiliar familiarity standing behind them all, and she didn't trust any of them yet, and probably wouldn't for a long time. Paranoia ran rampant.

Any one of them could be a wolf in sheep's clothing, waiting for the perfect opportunity to bring the dagger down.

Time was running out however, for the soldiers located in the school, and with it the chances of getting out of dodge. She didn’t feel like trying to force them away or getting into a gunfight right about now. For the foreseeable future she was ultimately stuck with the group of people for the time being and would have to put them to use. Hopefully slipping away later when the time was appropriate. Hopefully with some of the others that she had more faith in. As Ingrid didn’t want to be thrown back to square one. For now however, they'd have to get moving, a challenge itself.

Tucking the man's empty handgun into the back of her waistband for safe keeping. Ingrid making her way over to the window of the squad car before rattling it with her free hand, giving the indication for him to move out with a signal telling him to go ahead. It felt fairly wrong sending him out there alone, but they needed a distraction for them to make it inside and she assumed that the officer had left him a way of contacting them if something went wrong. Not that they'd be in any real position to attempt a rescue.

"Quit gagglefucking. We are wasting time. On me, and spread out." She said, putting back on her authoritative tone as she did so before heading over to Ruby, somebody she had a shred of trust within, only because she knew about Ingrid own plans. "You're on the rear." Ingrid stated to the officer, pulling her a slightly closer, moving her shoulder into hers."And watch my back." She asked privately, loud enough for the Mosin girl to hear, but quiet enough that nobody else would, exchanging a long and somber look with the officer, wondering if she felt the same level of paranoia around these people as she did and if she herself could be trusted.

Ingrid didn’t wait for a response, or care for any that came up, dead set on her own plans. She began to journey towards the school, moving in quickly and carefully along the sidewalk with her rifle down as she took point for the large group.Flicking the safety lever up fully, not planning on using the rifle due to the risk of bringing the infected right on top of them. Ingrid knowing that she’d have to great creative if they were spotted.

[Kentucky Fried Land]

Nancy Kirksey
The Offering
St. Joseph’s Seminary

She recoiled at the sight of the pastor descending upon Shaun, wincing in confusion as the man began to pray for him. Nancy, shaking her head and grabbing at her forehead, leaned up against the wall. “Fuck… we are so… fucking fucked.” She noticed Monica also up against the wall, this time on the floor, a stream of tears leaking onto her lap. After the prayers were all said and done, the group recollected with an ensemble of granola bars, which Monica let fall to the floor and Nancy tossed back to the boy with the blond locks. “I don’t want your fucking charity.” She snarled, the boy returning a gaze of astonished acrimony. “Fine then, fuck you too.”

“Fuck you more, asshole.”

Shaun ignored her after this, turning to the rest of the group in a shaky manner, before introducing himself. Nancy scoffed, rubbing at her greasy hair and eyes. Weird fucking kid. She smirked at the relatively short introduction that Clyde was given as compared to his predecessor, but the smile faltered when Shaun expected the pastor to give his name as well. “Fuck introductions, we need to get out of here. Pastor, do you know of any place we can go?” She looked to him, wincing as Shaun grumbled in opposition to the girl’s rudeness.

***

Clement Willoughby
The Attack
Washington Elementary School

He woke up in a daze. The last few seconds that he remembered were flying up against the wall, his back sore and cracking. He clutched at his scattered glasses, drawing them onto his nose before messily standing back up.

Now there was a kid pinned up against the principal, another woman with a barbell, and Crystal had pulled her gun on the man. Clement winced, dodging his eyes across the room for any sign of his bat, but seeing it up under a table, too far away. In true chronological fashion, his attention turned to the others.

“No! No, everybody just calm down, it’s all okay, we can all talk about this!” He held his free hand out to the others with a defensive posture, glancing between each individual involved in the standoff. “Look, principal, just tell me what’s on your mind! I think we can help you, just let go of this nice young girl and we can-” He was too late to prevent it all. “No, don’t!” He cried uselessly as the barbell crashed down onto the principal’s arm, a thick snap of bone and sinew echoing down the cafeteria. The principal howled, inhuman and shrill in his cries as he released the young girl, raising his crowbar high to crack upon his attacker’s head. Clement moved unevenly, crashing into the man and stumbling over, his glasses scattering again. The principal fell backwards, his footing lost, his legs in the air. His back of his head connected with a table, and he did not get back up.

Clement climbed onto his hands and knees, fumbling around for his glasses. The soft crying of the principal was all he heard now, vision blurry and senses overloaded with pain. He did manage to make out the principal writhing on the ground, unable to get up, blood pouring from the knot on his head as well as his left ear. His crowbar and been flung somewhere away from him, out of his deadly grasp at last. “Oh Jesus, oh my God…” Clement muttered in between terrified gasps.

***

Ruby Almanza
Plans In Action
BP Gas Station

Shit went to Hell in a handbasket shortly. She should have expected it, flaunting her status with the squad car and her uniform. Of course people would turn to her for safety or to provide armaments for their own defense. Ruby’s breaths finally settled, pupils dilating as she realized the two weren’t bandits; just a coincidental pair that had unfortunately stumbled upon a group of folks who were more capricious than their appearances showed. She lowered the shotgun, looking towards the approaching Ingrid. She had just finished informing the others of the plan before she pulled Ruby aside, new information brought in her direction. The two stared at each other for the moment, before Ruby nodded, eyes slanted with determination. She watched the others move into file, before following along with the sound of her gums being chewed. Samuel started her squad car up, seeming to take a second to get used to its slight difference from the more basic sedans he used to spin around the block.

The journey continued.

***

They reached the school in no time, Samuel struggling only little in his escapade. Ruby held up her walkie to her mouth, breathing into it and clicking the button on the side. “Ready when you are.” Her only response was the sound of the engine crying out in pain before the car swerved past a couple of infected, the sirens coming on after a second. He sped off into the distance, the ungodly screams of infected tearing after him down the street. The group moved swiftly as Ruby’s forehead leaked sweat, worry over the boy’s return flooding her thoughts. They reached the front doors easily enough, nothing but varied corpses and humvee husks littering the yard. Ruby had just put her hand on the door handle when the first spotted them.

He was tall, adorned in body armor like robes upon a king. The soldier was crowned with a battle helmet, eyes soulless and blood covering his BDUs. His rifle was slung over his back, his mouth curling into something similar to a smile as he spied the survivors. This brief glimpse dissipated, replaced by a shuddering mouth of mad screeches. “Shit!” Ruby cursed, pulling the door open and gathering the others inside. As the last one of them fell in, the soldier squeezed himself into the door, half of his torso trapped outside the school. The survivors ran as the infected came pouring in, more of them cutting off their scattered attempt through the school. While Samuel may have bought them valuable time, there were still twenty or so of the infected in scatterbrained positions about the school and more racing in.

Ruby couldn’t see any of the others now, holding the mid-region of her shotgun in one hand as she ran down the hallway. Things were a blur, things were an absolute blur. She didn’t know who was following her… or what.

***

Mawuli “Jackie” Jackson
The Decision
Willis Tower

Jackie looked among the others, watching them attempt to fabricate a choice of any kind referring to the decrepit tower. His eyes squinted, a noticeable strain in his forehead. “Look, if none of y’all… you, are going to make a decision anytime soon, then I’ll make it for you. Place’ll probably be fine, ain’t like this lobby's any safer. Infected'll definitely see us down here."

As much as he would have preferred to not go farther into Willis Tower at the moment, it was the best option offered. If it were his decision though, he would have been out of Chicago hours ago. He pulled his pistol out of his waistband before walking into the stairwell, staring up. "Though I wouldn't mind if someone got my back. You know?" He called back to the group, to any of them that would listen.

[Fantrum]

Madeline Hess
Vicinity of Kelly High School

As Ruby relaxed, so too did Madi, albeit to a far lesser degree. Ingrid took control of the quickly spiraling situation, which was fine with Madi, she didnt have any trouble with someone else calling the shots for a little while. Especially if that someone was, in fact, the most heavily armed individual in the group.

"Watch my back."

Madi barely caught the whispered words, but she did. What could that mean? Obviously the cop was the most trustworthy out of all of them, but even that much was suspect. No... there must have been something else here. Suddenly her mind was racing with different thoughts, how stupid she'd been! Of course the cop and the russian were in league! They were up to something! Her eyes widened as she watched the russian move up front and the cop take sweep, the move only reinforced her suddenly very powerful paranoia. A little nervously, Madi fell in line, disregarding the russian and sticking close to Ruby. She wanted nothing less than to be caught between them should the two turn their weapons on everyone else.

As she walked, rifle cradled, she agonized over how the hammer would fall, how these two women would kill them all. Then it hit her, the school! They were going to get all the infected to kill them or accidentally shoot her in the back in the fighting! It made sense. How best to kill them all than to have the infected do the job? After all, the three women were the only ones with actual rifles.

It was then that she reevaluated where she was in life. There she was, marching a few feet to the side of a cop, being led by a heavily armed russian, in a group made of more people than she'd seen in a month. And to top it off, the car that had gotten her stupid ass into this was driving away with the kid in it! It was fair to say Madi felt a little dumb for letting this happen to herself. After all, she'd made it into a city most people were trying to leave, she liked to consider herself kinda street smart... even if no sane person would come here.

She should just leave, there wasnt anything holding her here after all. But then, that annoying voice at the back of her head reasoned that her mom had probably gone to the school seeking shelter. Which was a very real possibility, and meant that it was better to go there now and get it out of the way first. The threat of being back stabbed, while an insufferable ache at the base of her spine, could be mitigated somewhat by staying well away from the actual fighting. Since she was carrying a hunting rifle, she figured it would be easy to convince her... acquaintances... That her strengths lay in the gun's range more than anything.

If she remembered correctly, the school was just up ahead, and signs of battle were already becoming apparent. Bullet holes started to adorn the buildings, and burned out cars grew in density as they road shot past the school. They couldnt see the building proper from where the column was moving, but she knew they would find a large brick building and adjourning sports fields. Since the place was apparently an overrun military checkpoint, the fields were likely to be where they had set up, and were probably absolutely crawling with ghouls.

She thought to voice this revelation with the foreigner on point, but she visibly bit her tongue and instead fell back a few steps, preferring to keep just that extra bit of a head start for herself.

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

Clement Willoughby
The Attack
Washington Elementary School

He woke up in a daze. The last few seconds that he remembered were flying up against the wall, his back sore and cracking. He clutched at his scattered glasses, drawing them onto his nose before messily standing back up.

Now there was a kid pinned up against the principal, another woman with a barbell, and Crystal had pulled her gun on the man. Clement winced, dodging his eyes across the room for any sign of his bat, but seeing it up under a table, too far away. In true chronological fashion, his attention turned to the others.

“No! No, everybody just calm down, it’s all okay, we can all talk about this!” He held his free hand out to the others with a defensive posture, glancing between each individual involved in the standoff. “Look, principal, just tell me what’s on your mind! I think we can help you, just let go of this nice young girl and we can-” He was too late to prevent it all. “No, don’t!” He cried uselessly as the barbell crashed down onto the principal’s arm, a thick snap of bone and sinew echoing down the cafeteria. The principal howled, inhuman and shrill in his cries as he released the young girl, raising his crowbar high to crack upon his attacker’s head. Clement moved unevenly, crashing into the man and stumbling over, his glasses scattering again. The principal fell backwards, his footing lost, his legs in the air. His back of his head connected with a table, and he did not get back up.

Clement climbed onto his hands and knees, fumbling around for his glasses. The soft crying of the principal was all he heard now, vision blurry and senses overloaded with pain. He did manage to make out the principal writhing on the ground, unable to get up, blood pouring from the knot on his head as well as his left ear. His crowbar and been flung somewhere away from him, out of his deadly grasp at last. “Oh Jesus, oh my God…” Clement muttered in between terrified gasps.

Crystal Lee
School's Out Forever
Washington Elementary School


As the principal swung away, Clement tried to talked him down. Clement surely could have chosen a better approach, to be honest. But surprisingly, Clement crashed into the principal and the principal fell uncontrollably, where he hit his head onto the table and fell. But he didn't get up. Crystal took a heavy sight of relief, "Is...is this the end?" she said, warmed up considerably as she no longer fights for her life. Or others, for her sake.

She holstered her pistol and tried to helped Clement back up, but not quite good since she isn't physically strong. "Come...on, anyone help me, please?" as she tried to gained the others for assistances in helping Clement back up.

[Huntpublic]

Zachary Cash
St. Patricks Catholic Church


Zachary leaned back, extending his arms onto the ground providing support for him.

"So, man. Have you lived in Chicago all your life or have you moved here?" Zachary asks Samuel. Prompting more conversation between them.

"Yeah, I have lived here for as long as I can remember. Went to school here, and met my wife in college. Obviously, she isn't American, but she's beautiful nonetheless. What about you?" Samuel responds.

"Oh, yeah. I guess you like exotic women," Zachary looks over at Jessie, who was to sick to respond to what he said, "Uhh... Anyways, I had not lived here all my life. I used to live in New York a little bit, then I moved up north to Michigan,"

"So, how'd you get here?"

"Well, during that time, I had a school break and my - err - my parent's house was robbed. Unfortunately, they were both murdered in the robbery. And I was orphaned. Then a good gracious couple on a Church mission trip came and adopted me, and we moved to Illinois and into Chicago," Zachary shrugged his shoulders. It was a hard story to tell, but what happened, happened. He knew it was all for a reason. One thing for sure is that it introduced him to know Jesus and God, that was enough for him.

Zachary stood up, finishing his food. And walked back to his makeshift bed on the Church Pew.

"I need to stretch before we head out or anything. Don't want to cramp up while being chased or something! That would suck!" laughed out Zachary. Bending over to reach his toes and starting his routine of generic stretches. Indian stretches, arm-across chest, knee-to-chest etc. He was tightening up, and he needed to stay fit and nimble. That was essential to his survival.

[Sudbrazil]

Edward A. Hastings[/size][/b]
S Archer Avenue petrol station

---

James looked on passively as the group talked, and the man ran out of the gas station. He quietly complied after the string of threats aimed at him, and watched the group leave with their automobile towards some unknown destination. Strangely enough, most of them weren't riding it. Meanwhile, he stood there speechless, timid. It was too late now.

"Bloody great," he muttered to himself, frustrated, "Another failed interaction, you dumb wanker. Be friendlier next time, actually talk to them." Sighing, he moved towards the building and hoped to find any useful scraps in the station. He still hadn't accustomed himself to the paranoia and brutality that now permeated the soul of Man, but at least he was unlikely to meet that group again. At least they had left the Petrol station dweller here. He was practically naked: a few dirty clothes and a backpack that seemed empty by is deformed appearance.

"Err, hello," Arthur mumbled, greeting the fellow.

[Relikai]

Sun Yunri
Day 24, Washington Elementary


She did it. The haze which clouded her senses, driving her to carry out that act of violence, the screams which followed struck deep into her heart as she felt resistance yield, sensed Jessica being released, and closed her eyes as the crowbar seemed raised to strike back against her in retaliation. At least the kids would be safe, she thought, her hands releasing the barbell as instinct called her hands to cover her head, except that the act would not be needed as one of the duo she met earlier crashed onto the principal, knocking the big man down into a heavy crash.

She fell to her knees, bile seemingly growing within her as the burning sensation of sick rose in her throat. She managed to keep it in however, preventing herself from launching a pile of vomit in the middle of the cafeteria. She witnessed worse, experienced the need for violence to survive not only the infected but perfectly healthy humans who sought to exploit the chaos to elevate themselves to positions of power among the social hierarchy. Witnessing the imagining herself do it, fall into the gladiatorial pit of Chicago seemed easy, but actually carrying out the act was hard, much more harder than she'd every imagine.

But a girl was in danger, and she had to act. What's going to happen to her now that they'd view her as a violent attacker?

"I'm... had to be... done." She coughed out, hand grasping for the barbell before abandoning that pursuit, instead moving to her face as she trembled slightly, a tear flowing from her eye as the shock temporarily overcame her. She could not even bear to look at the kids, or even Jessica, although deep inside she hoped they were alright.

[Beiarusia]

SAMANTHA TALLOW
Willis Tower, Chicago, IL

The lobby was vacant, dark, and more ominous than it had any right to be, as if copied straight from a scary movie, which, to some extent, was true. The outbreak was horror made reality. Fortunately, Samantha was not the first to enter. That honor belonged to LaForge. Caroline followed, then came the lawyer. Samantha came in alongside Buddy and Sarah, head turning this way and that, eyes vigilant, wary of trouble and monsters, her gaze picking through the desolation in search of evidence of her father having been here. None that she could see.

They gathered at the stairwell, flashlights peering up and into an omnipresent darkness that stretched on to infinity. A maw of shadows. No telling what lurked in the dark above, where the shortsightedness of their flashlights failed to illuminate, swallowed by blackness, and the adults were faced with an uncertainty on whether to head up or to stay down.

Not that they bothered to include Samantha in the discussion. The girl stood at the edge of their circle, ignored and impatient as the minutes ticked by in quiet discussion. Breaking off, she approached the stairwell, her flashlight just as ineffective as theirs, the light managing to reach only a few landings before fading off to gloom. She was terribly afraid of the dark, always had been — being deaf, and given how she relied entirely on eyesight, it made sense to be wary of the nighttime — but she was more afraid of losing her father, and he just had to be here. If not in the lobby then at the top. The adults were still dithering on about what to do, so Samantha, steeling herself, made the decision for them, her footsteps unknowingly loud as she climbed up to the second floor, and then the third, and then the fourth. The stairwell rumbled as the others quickly followed suit. A small comfort, knowing she wasn't going to be alone. A bigger comfort as no one tried to stop her, to take her back downstairs, and merely followed her lead.

Without the elevators the climb was a nightmare. Samantha was pretty athletic, having been on her school's track-and-field team, but upon reaching FLOOR 21 she was feeling a bit winded. Sarah and Buddy were leading now, followed by Samantha and LaForge. The others — Caroline, Angela, Lynn, and the lawyer — were lagging behind. By FLOOR 39 they had to stop for a breather, and by FLOOR 61 they had reached their limit.

Those with guns cleared the floor, ensuring that no monsters were lurking in the shadows, or in the broom closet, or wherever else, while the others made camp in a foyer. The space was open (although not as open as the downstairs lobby) with an information desk in the center and several hallways branching off. Underneath the desk they found a BACKPACK (with something inside) and a pair of fuzzy BOOTS that looked to be a few sized too big for Samantha. On the desk were three CANDY BARS that hadn't been opened.

Outside the sun was getting low. Samantha's phone, battery almost dead, said it was a little after 8 o'clock. Time had gone by fast without them even knowing it. She tried an outlet to try charging her phone but there was no power in the building.

Sarah returned with the group that had been checking the corners. Nothing. They were safe here.

It was as good a place as any to settle down for the night. They all were tired, and rest would do them good before stumbling back into the darkness of the stairwell. Just because this floor was clear didn't mean that others would be as well.