So Will It Be RP - [IC]

[The Twelve Isles]

Noah Gunderson
Burlington Vermont

Noah quickly raised his hands when the door was swung open, and a man with a gun answered his please for help, shoving the barrel in his face. He stepped back as a flurry of questions were hurled at him, shifting his eyes from one gun to the next in the chaotic room, soldiers and civilians and the aging mayor of Burlington all packed in together. Finally, one of the soldiers, the leader it seemed like, managed to calm everyone down at least enough for Noah to slip into the building and catch his breath. He quickly sidestepped the man from the door, skirting around to the side of the room and watching as the soldiers and the man with the gun all began to talk back and forth, a clear power struggle taking place. As he watched, Noah crouched down against the wall, holding his tire iron limply in one hand while trying to pick little shards of glass from his face with the other.

"We have to check if he was bitten though," he heard one guy say, and Noah lifted his head to look at the man speaking.

"I wasn't bitten," he said in a dull, vaguely frustrated voice, "I was in a car crash."

Noah looked away again, and over to the civilian trying to patch up a wounded soldier. He watched them for a time, before leaning slightly closer and trying to get their attention. "Hey," he said, "you got tweezers?"

[Alozia]

Noah Gunderson
Burlington Vermont

Noah quickly raised his hands when the door was swung open, and a man with a gun answered his please for help, shoving the barrel in his face. He stepped back as a flurry of questions were hurled at him, shifting his eyes from one gun to the next in the chaotic room, soldiers and civilians and the aging mayor of Burlington all packed in together. Finally, one of the soldiers, the leader it seemed like, managed to calm everyone down at least enough for Noah to slip into the building and catch his breath. He quickly sidestepped the man from the door, skirting around to the side of the room and watching as the soldiers and the man with the gun all began to talk back and forth, a clear power struggle taking place. As he watched, Noah crouched down against the wall, holding his tire iron limply in one hand while trying to pick little shards of glass from his face with the other.

"We have to check if he was bitten though," he heard one guy say, and Noah lifted his head to look at the man speaking.

"I wasn't bitten," he said in a dull, vaguely frustrated voice, "I was in a car crash."

Noah looked away again, and over to the civilian trying to patch up a wounded soldier. He watched them for a time, before leaning slightly closer and trying to get their attention. "Hey," he said, "you got tweezers?"

Looking through the first aid kid on the floor, the civilian handed Noah the tweezers. "Not much good they can do here anyway."

[Alozia]

Ben Wilson

Not wanting to be caught defenseless by the mob outside, Ben began to search for a weapon better than the trash can lid. Looking over the room, he spotted a fire extinguisher in a glass box. He walked over to the cabinet and, not thinking much about it, broke the glass - unknowingly triggering an alarm.

"SINCE WHEN--" he exclaimed, his voice mixing with the sound of the alarm. Soon thereafter, the group could hear the sounds of hands hitting the front door to the city hall, unbarricaded since the entry of the young, so-far nameless man. "Welp... shit." Ben said as he grabbed the fire extinguisher. Might as well now...

[Arengin Union]

Burling Town Hall.
Burlington, Vermont
December 20, 2020
Echo Squad (McRay, Speck, Reynolds, Harrison, Mendez, Nonato)

---

Some of the civies had begun to gather tools and objects to defend themselves with, most of what they had grabbed was of little use from McRay's perspective but at least they were trying. Mendez for her part had begun to get back to her senses as she tried to rise up from the floor, her gas mask and helmet long gone but she was back into the fight. Harrison kept himself at the corner of the room, still guarding and still awaiting any command. Nonato kept guard at the door, his LMG ready as he glanced outside of the building into the hellscape outside, he could see some people running while the vast majority of people outside were the demons who had come to eat them.

"Highland this is Echo Squad copy," McRay called over his commns only to be received by static, he repeated the call over and over again to no avail. So far it seemed that they were cut off but he would not let the civies know for now, it was best to avoid a panic. That didn't help as one of the civilians, the one who had helped the squad inside the building had seemingly triggered the fire alarm as it rang loudly. McRay and his squad were taken by surprise by the loud sound as the civilian in question took hold of a fire extinguisher of all things. The noise was so loud that the sounds of banging from the door were heard from the door were ignored though these banging were not from desperate survivors, instead of that one could've only heard coarse moans from the monsters outside.

One could tell it but within his gas mask McRay was pissed off as he took some steps away from the door and over to the civilian, "Wha-"

It was then that the windows began to shatter as bloodied arms reached out from outside and the mostly unbarricaded door began to break down, it seemed to be made of either very thin or very cheap wood. Nonato attempted to set back the barricades but it was to little avail and the infected began to break open the door, dozens of them outside of the door trying to get in. Nonato's attempts to stop them were noble but did little as he was ultimately grabbed from all over his uniform and several infected began to pull him closer, all the while McRay, Harrison and now Mendez had their sights fixed on the door but had no clear shots.

"Leave!" Nonato yelled out as the hulking Filipino dropped his SAW and merely took hold of an infected and punched him straight in the head, followed by another and another. But more and more had taken a hold of him as they tried to chomp on him. Nonato was a man of a few words and yet the ones he was uttering urged the group to flee.

"Leave now, get the civies out of here sergeant!" Nonato yelled once more.

McRay didn't say anything, he understood what he had to do as he turned his attention to the group.

"Anyone know of a back exit, any hidden access to the outside!?"

[Alozia]

"Anyone know of a back exit, any hidden access to the outside!?"

One of the Mayor's aides - the middle-aged woman, not the young man - spoke up. "I know a way, but you have to help me get the Mayor to safety."

[Arengin Union]

Burling Town Hall.
Burlington, Vermont
December 20, 2020
Echo Squad (McRay, Speck, Reynolds, Harrison, Mendez, Nonato)

---

The scene was a chaotic one, no time to waste as Nonato continued to struggle with the incoming infected, the large soldier had enough strength and dedication to knock back the maddened flesh-eating crowd but not for long as one of them began to chomp on his boot and another began to get closer to the neck. McRay wanted to act fast, get the civies out and hopefully have Nonato follow close.

It was after questioning for a back exit that one of the aides of the mayor responded.

One of the Mayor's aides - the middle-aged woman, not the young man - spoke up. "I know a way, but you have to help me get the Mayor to safety."

Glancing at the Mayor, the frail and seemingly catatonic man who seemed to be completely out of it, the Sergeant had no wish to be a politician's personal body guard but they needed a way out and fast.

Fuck it!

"Okay fine, come on then!" McRay responded fast as he moved to the mayor's side and brashly he took hold of a shoulder while the younger aide helped him up by another.

"Harrison, take point!" McRay said as he and the younger aide helped the mayor up.

"You door opener!" McRay called over to the man who had first opened the door which had caused this whole disaster. Quickly the Sergeant tossed him back his HK rifle.

"You keep our backs covered, Mendez can you fight!?"

Looking up, with new dedication in her eyes the young specialist nodded, "Hoah sir!" she said as she checked her magazine.

"You heard the man everyone, follow the group, Nonato let's go!" Mendez yelled out to the SAW gunner who still attempted to keep the crowd contained.

"Just go!" Nonato yelled back as finally the door gave in and dozens of infected jumped onto the man, Nonato for his part didn't ceade as he punched infected after infected, taking out his knife and plunging it onto an infected's head before crumbling onto the ground.

"GO!" Nonato's final yell was enough to make Mendez walk back as the entire group began to follow the female aide.

"Alright, where to!?" McRay asked.

[Alozia]

"GO!" Nonato's final yell was enough to make Mendez walk back as the entire group began to follow the female aide.

"Alright, where to!?" McRay asked.

Ben Wilson

Trying to drag the Mayor out of the hall, the female aide grabbed the ailing man by his arms, only to discover she was unable to carry him to safety, even with the help of the other staffer. "Shit." she cursed quietly. "Can anyone help me?"

Hearing the call, Ben was quick to walk up to the now unconscious elderly man, grabbing one of his arms and slinging them over his shoulder. With little ability and will to look around, Wilson simply began to follow the woman who was now guiding the group out of the hall into a narrow corridor. The majority of the group was trying not to get too close to the windows, despite the building's elevation, a privilege not granted to Ben and the young man helping him carry the Mayor. Sounds of mayhem could be heard outside as glass shattered far behind the survivors of the Christmas Fair massacre. The rioters began to break in, Nonato's desperate and cruel defense, more likely than not proving unsuccessful.

Turning the corner, the group managed to navigate the offices and corridors to an exit at the very back of the building. Trying to escape as quickly as possible, the survivors began to pick up pace despite their shock and exhaustion. Lagging behind were the Mayor and his two helpers who were the last ones to appear in the narrow hallway where the rest of the group managed to gather. Before anyone could say or do anything, the elderly gentleman that was being carried seemed to have regained his vitality as he stretched out his feet letting out a groan. Surprised, the young aide began to speak, his words cut off by a sudden attack from his boss. Sinking his teeth into the young man's throat, the Mayor tightened his grip on his aide's neck and ripped out a chunk of his flesh. His victim tried to scream, to no avail, as Ben released the politician. Taking a few steps back, he gripped his fire extinguisher in anticipation of an attack.

[The Twelve Isles]

Noah Gunderson
Burlington Vermont
Town Hall
December 20th, 2020

Noah followed closely behind, jogging just a bit in front of the mayor, watching the windows with unease and often looking over his shoulder at the mayor and the two carrying him.The old man seemed more dead than alive to Noah, dead weight more than likely, but the maid had insisted. And besides, he didnt need to move faster than whatever those. . . things, were, that kept trying to eat them. No, he only needed to move faster than the weakest link which, at this point, sure seemed to be the mayor and the ones carrying him.

Breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth, Noah turned his head forwards, following after the others as they wound through hallways and offices, until finally they reached the back door that the aide had spoken about, and they all stumbled to a stop. Noah breathed heavily in the tight little corridor, eyeing up the doorway in front of them, before straightening himself out and stepping forward towards the door, intent on opening it and getting out of here as quickly as possible, damn what the others thought. Before he could however, he heard a shuffling behind him, and looked over his shoulder to see the Mayor pushing himself up to his feet, miraculously it seemed, alive and well. The mayor groaned, and his aid opened his mouth to speak, and was cut off as the mayor sank his teeth into the young mans neck, ripping out his throat in a shower of blood. Noahs eyes widened and he stepped back quickly, as did it seem everyone else. The man, the one with the fire extinguisher who had been helping to carry the mayor, stepped backwards as well, hefting his fire extinguisher.

Almost without thinking, Noah raised his tire iron himself and shot forward, bringing the hard metal down on the mayors neck, before stepping away as quickly as he had attacked lest he get to close and have the mayor bite his throat out as well. It wouldnt do for more people to die, there was safety in numbers after all.

[Sudbrazil]

Charles Rockwell Smith
Burlington City Hall ~ 08:05 PM, 20/12/2020

---

"You door opener!" McRay called over to the man who had first opened the door which had caused this whole disaster. Quickly the Sergeant tossed him back his HK rifle.

"You keep our backs covered, Mendez can you fight!?"

“Roger, thanks.”

Some vitriol slipped through Rockwell’s mind as he slipped on his ear protection in anticipation of shooting. He had opened that door but it was the blundering teen that had triggered the alarm in a flash of genius. Nevertheless, he complied and followed the group in their retreat, closing doors and shoving chairs behind them. As they bobbed and weaved through offices and hallways, he noted that the building was eerily empty, in contrast to the perpetual hum that had always accompanied the government halls during his visits.

Before anyone could say or do anything, the elderly gentleman that was being carried seemed to have regained his vitality as he stretched out his feet letting out a groan. Surprised, the young aide began to speak, his words cut off by a sudden attack from his boss. Sinking his teeth into the young man's throat, the Mayor tightened his grip on his aide's neck and ripped out a chunk of his flesh.

“Goddammit! Get down and cover your ears,” recommended Rockwell as he shouldered his rifle and struggled to get a good sight picture on the maddened mayor. His HK33 – kurtz model – was handy, but the hallway was cramped and he did not want to shoot the aide or the guy lunging at him. After a few milliseconds that felt as minutes the sight post aligned with the mayor’s chest, and he squeezed the trigger. A 5.56 NATO round tore through the air and plunged into its target, leaving behind the smell of nitrocellulose. It was apparently a good hit, as the attacker fell down. At this range it was surely a fatal shot.

“Sorry Ed,” apologized Charles, but before he could lower his rifle the mayor rose and continued his attack, seemingly un-phased despite his age and poor state a few seconds ago. Seeing the madness in the old man’s eyes, he did not hesitate and mozambiqued him by pumping another round into his chest and into his head, felling the attacker. A relatively short rifle in a small corridor was extremely painful to unprotected ears, but Rockwell hoped all would agree that it was better than getting bitten.

“We better get out of here quickly, the sound was probably heard from outside.”

[Arengin Union]

Burling Town Hall.
Burlington, Vermont
December 20, 2020
Echo Squad (McRay, Speck, Reynolds, Harrison, Mendez,Nonato)

---

The group had made it through the building and towards an actual back exit, it seemed that they could all make it fast but the mayor and his carriers had lagged behind, McRay opting to cover the entire group alongside Harrison, Mendez, and the civ. As the group finally approached the door it was then that the mayor had seemingly come back to his old self and without any warning or suspicion by everyone the crazed public servant began to chomp on his own aide. McRay couldn't believe it as he raised his rifle and so did Harrison and Mendez, all three were hesitant to fire at the risk of killing the young aide though that seemed to be of little matter as the man had already gone out by the shock.

One of the civilians, a man with a tire iron first attempted to hit at the crazed mayor with little effect, and later it was the door-opening civilian who fired once at the mayor's chest. Just as McRay had seen with the crazy woman that had killed Reynolds the man's first shot seemed to have done nothing, nothing until the shot to the head which finally put the mayor down. There was no time to waste as those shots and the still-sounding alarm would draw more of the crazies inside at any moment.

“We better get out of here quickly, the sound was probably heard from outside.”

"Fucking agreed, everyone outside now!" McRay ordered as he and Harrison opened up the door to the outside, there was no time to grieve or wonder about what had occurred. McRay's theory made sense so far, aim for the head he thought as he and Harrison were the first to go out of the building, their rifles up and checking their corners and every possible angle around the street as the group stumbled out upon a rapidly decimated city.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Andrew Castle
8:00 PM

As Andrew, Shin, and Jerry were trying to get things under control inside of the Honey Road, all three of them started to hear something outside. It was a fire alarm? It was coming from across the street. Shin went up to where the front door was barricaded and moved aside some chairs to look outside. Shin saw how the crazy people's attention were now being diverted to the City Hall. This gave him an idea.

"Alright, you said you have a car, Andrew?" Shin asked Andrew, as he handed him the knife, where he went over to the kitchen quick to grab another sharp one. "My car is still parked. It shouldn't be trashed." "Shin, what's going on?" Jerry said, as he was starting to look under the weather. "They are all heading to the City Hall! Andrew, get this barricade now and help me with Jerry! We need you to take us to your car to get the hell out of this town!" Shin ordered Andrew, as they proceeded to move aside the rest of the chairs and tables that were covered one of the front doors. "Wait, I thought you said it was suicide?"

"It's suicide, but 911 isn't coming for us! It's anarchy!"
"This is a bad idea!"
"Shut up! I help Jerry up." Shin said, as he helped Jerry up from the counter, as he was leaning against it. He put Jerry's arm over his shoulder, as the chef was still limping. "Shin.. I think you should leave me.." Jerry said, as he was starting to see how things weren't going to go well. "Shut up, Jerry! You're my only friend and I'm getting you out to the clinic!"

Andrew made sure the door was clear, where he got the knife ready. "We are going to need to sneak. Don't make a sound or let them notice you!" Andrew said, as he slowly opened the door, as he had the two men come to the door, as they were following Andrew outside. There were dozens if not crowds of people breaking into the City Hall in an animalistic state. "Come on.. Shit.!" Andrew said, as Shin was helping Jerry walk on the sidewalk, as they ended up on Main Street as all hell was breaking loose. "Shit, where's the car?!" Andrew whispered, as he was nervously looking around to make sure no one snuck up on them.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Habid Rabbani

“Maji…” Habid whispered, frantically looking around for his wife. They had gotten separated when… when… Well, somewhere between the steps of the city hall and the offices they were now running through. Habid was holding Adel by the hand tightly, keeping more of an eye out on where she was walking than where he was going. He almost tripped over an office chair which had lazily rolled in his path, managed to side-step it adeptly.

Time seemed unfixed, as if Habid was running through a fever dream. Images flashed through his mind… Bandaging the arm of a female soldier… Mendez was her name. Helping… Trying to help another woman, who was cupping a wound on her upper arm and screamed like she was suffering a burn. The wound… It was recent, but it was vile too. Someone without a medical degree would not see anything off, but the open flesh beneath the torn skin was incredibly wrong; subdermal layers of fat seeming to boil and melt into it; around the teeth marks, blisters started forming as if immediately infected. Habid had applied a bandage and left her to her devices… He wondered what had happened to her.

Had those things already happened? They must have, Habid realised, as he was reminded of how the passage of time works. But like a dream, he had a difficult time grasping that reality. It did feel like a particularly bad dream. Through the windows he could see plumes of smoke rising into the inky black night sky, illuminated from below by the flames the spew them forth. Even more lights lit up the low-hanging clouds: torches and search lights, headlamps, sporadic flashes of what sounded like gunfire…

Before they knew it, they were outside. Habid was frantically looking around for his wife, but he could not find her anywhere. Before, on the fair, the cold air had been pleasantly chill, nibbling at his face as he drank hot chocolate. Now, it was a biting frost, stinging him through his sweat-soaked shirt. He held Adel close, shielding her from the freezing temperatures with his arm. Despite his searching, he could not make any people. The street was littered with trash and debris. Only when his eyes adjusted to the dark, and some of the bodies started to move, did he notice that the streets were littered with the dead and dying. A helicopter searchlight cast upon the street for but a moment, and revealed the rivers of red flowing from the street into the gutter, and into the storm drain.

“God…” he whispered, pressing Adel onwards.

“Don’t look, darling” he said, not checking if she actually did in fear of seeing more of the horror himself.

“Maji…”

[Alozia]

Ben Wilson

Shocked and exhausted, both physically and emotionally, Ben did little to subdue the Mayor. Looking on from the side as the members of his group took turns trying to bring down the crazed man, a small drop of the politician's blood landed on his shoe. With the gravity of the situation he and his newfound associates found themselves he couldn't be bothered to clear it off. The death of Ed led to various reactions, no one seemed to have enjoyed watching or participating in the scene, but some took his sudden death harder than the others.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, OH MY GOOOOOD... EEEEED...." the female aide started wailing as the group tried to calm down following the deadly confrontation. "YOU HAD NO RIGHT, NO RIGHT!" switching between different stages of grief in a matter of seconds, she began angrily accusing everyone in the room. "YOU'RE MURDERERS, ALL OF YOU! WE LET YOU IN AND THAT IS HOW YOU REPAY US!? THIS IS A DEMOCRACY GOD DAMN IT, YOU HAD NO RIGHT!"

“We better get out of here quickly, the sound was probably heard from outside.”

"Fucking agreed, everyone outside now!"

"RUN, RUN WHILE YOU CAN!" the woman screamed, following that up with a quiet, grief-filled comment "Someone has to clean this mess... Oh, Ed..."

Leaving the building with the rest of the group, Ben followed the Guardsmen largely unarmed. Carrying his trusty fire extinguisher, he walked carefully as to not be seen, watching his step all the time. Looking up, he noticed a helicopter that would soon briefly shine a spotlight on them. Ben couldn't help but notice all of the blood and bodies of strangers laying around the pack of survivors. Trying to look away, the young man spotted a group of people not far off from them.

Tapping the shoulder of the Sergeant, he whispered "People, that way." Ben pointed to the side "Should we help them?"

[Insaeldor]

Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area
Beau Falkner
December 18th

It had been a very uneventful winter. I started it off by seeing Helen for her birthday, I hated ever minute of it. Erin was being herself, selfish, entitled, condescending. I could through the most part handle that. But what gnawed at me was her new boyfriend, Jarrod, or Jeremy, something to that effect. I could hear Erin baby talk to Helen about him, about how he was her new daddy. It took all I had to avoid an outburst. Not because I was incensed by the proposition, but rather because deep down I knew this was true to some extent. I'd gone to the party not knowing which birthday she was having, I could have sworn it was her 4th, but it was her 3rd. I had moved from Syracuse to, in my mind, make myself anew. Yet I couldn't help but feel I'd fooled myself into running away from everything that gave me anxiety and stress. To include Helen. I loved her, as anyone would lover their daughter, and yet I couldn't help but be paralyzed by fear and anxiety whenever I saw her. Maybe if I'd swallowed my pride, maybe if I just took the abuse, we could still be a family and she'd have something more stable. I ripped apart her chance at a family, at least a family in the healthy traditional sense. I remember a girl whos dad left them early, Shyanna, and I was afraid she'd end up like her, a drug addicted trailer whore, a different father for every child. Unable to form health relationships because she never got the chance to experience a healthy relationship with a male figure. That maybe my example of leaving and coming in would set her up for that as the normal. That's what truly got to me everytime I saw myself in her pale green eyes. I knew my fears were irrational, I'd known plenty of people who grew up with step dads and single moms and were as successful if not more so than me. But that's the thing about fears right? They don't abide by the logic of probability, they gnaw at the weakest parts of yourself.

After that I sat around the bar a few nights, met a woman named Brandi. She was from Enosburg and a solid decade older than me. I met her on a Tuesday while Johnathan was doing something else, so maybe that was why I felt so inclined to spark up a conversation. She talked at length about how much she loved Nirvana and Sleater-Kinney, I nodded pretended to care, or pretended to know, depending on who she talked about. I got lost in a haze of Jägermeister, still buzzing off the Red Bull. I didn't get it in that night, haven't planned on it until I was to drunk to try. But I got her number, we met up at the bar again. That time she invited me to her house. It was a modest place out in Essex, a single room apartment, no kids, at least no sign of kids, until I saw her with a high school graduation photo, she flanked the young graduate with a man I could only assume was her husband, their son in the middle, class of 2015 in bright celebratory letters on the bottom. Made me feel weird, I was class of 2012. But I was already in too far, and I at least sort of knew what I was getting into with her. I did my work twice over and left before thevwas up. Walking through Essex and back into town, took about two hours.

When I got back home I mulled over the whole night. I could tell if I'd been used or not. My thought was her husband was out of town, she was barely 40 and already an empty nester and was looking for something. Whether I was just an end too a means I was sure of. But then again she could just be a divorced woman, if she had a husband they probably gave house of some sort. But again I didn't feel much from, maybe in the moment I felt a sense if power but now I just felt like always. It was nothing but a fuck, and would probably stay that way. But for whatever reason I figured I'd text her. I never got a response back.

Now it was December, I sat around in a heated tent with a cooler of Pabts and Keystone Lite. Deer season had been extended, they under counted the population so they kept the season going in hopes it would bring the population back down. I sat with my rifle by my side. I was ready to got when Johnathan tapped on the tent. I came out the tent with my rifle and we hiked along Dead Creek. We found prints in the snow, stalked them for maybe half a mile. We caught sight of the deer through the brush just below us. I shouldered my gun, looking down the iron sights, areas able to make out the brown mass through the brush. I held for a moment, catching my baring, making sure I was by the heart or lungs and not the belly. I pulled through on the trigger, the muzzle flash evaporated the snow on either side of it, and you could see the road slap right into the deers side. The little guy ran off deeper into the wood. We followed the blood trail, he'd expired by an old Basalm Pine. We fielded it and brought it back to camp, Johnathan stayed our to try and catch his own. Once you cut it down it was fairly easy to keep stored in the icebox he had on the bed of his truck. We'd be here for a few more days so at least we had something other than the cheap beef jerkey, hotdogs, and a bunch of MREs, the only I could stomach was the Mexican chicken soup one.it be good to go out to town amd grab some stuff for a camp fire soup. Venison shank, potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and any cheap as fuck bouillon you could get. Made me feel right at home thinking about it.

---

Shell Gas Station
Main Street
Beau Falkner
December 20th

"Hurry hurry" I whispered quickly. We'd been back awhile and stuck mostly driving around. The truck was on unning on empty so we had to figure something out. Johnathan had the idea to siphon gas, wasn't the worst idea especially now that all hell was breaking loose. I had just taken some small rubber rubbing and a gas can from the convince store. Now we quietly stalked around for a car to try and hit. An older BMW looked like our best shot. Johnathan was on look out while unscrewed the gas cap, snaked the tube down and duck on it till I got some Gas in my mouth. I shuved it into the gas can and stood up with Johnathan.

You could hear so I'll defined hollering and walling, but at least from our spot there was nothing of note. Pacing back and forth, changing up what direction I was checking fairly regularly. I'd nit felt this tense in years.

"So what are we gonna do when we get the gas." I asked Johnathan softly.

"Don't know. He responded, they usual dry honesty.

"What the fuck do you mean you don't know."

"I mean I don't know." His voice a little hotter.

"This was your idea right? You're driving shouldn't you know where you want to go?" I chuckled softly. I couldn't be too serious. Not with everything going to shit.

"Look, I just know we need the truck. Once we got it running we can start to get figure everything else out." There was a slight pause, the siphon was making a more shrill ducking noise so I went to check it. I pulled the tube, me had maybe two and two thirds gallons of gas from this. We'd have to hit a few more to enough gas, at least enough so we didn't need to worry about it for awhile. We could probably get as far as Monroe County if we headed west, maybe all the way up to Caribou.

I continued the same process for awhile. Hitting a Toyota and a Honda, but nothing, we barely had any gas to make it out if the metro and everything was either gotten to before. We were fucked. I didn't know how to activate the pumps or anything. We seemed screwed. The noise of the deranged started to grow, they were close, but they didn't seem like they were coming towards, at least not for the moment.

"Hey, we got some people coming down the street." Johnathan said.

"How do they look." I asked him.

"Looks like a guardsman and some others, can't really make them out."

"Think they saw us?"

"Now way they haven't."

"Fucking christ man." I hoped it was as he said, a couple of guardsmen and some others. If it wasn't best we could hope for was a mugging maybe. A lot of daft fucks wanting to larp like it's fallout. A badass taking on the end of the world on his own, or at least their small group.

I flipped the saftey off, hoping nothing would come of this.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Andrew Castle
8:00 PM

"Come on, where the fuck is that car, Andrew?!" Shin whispered, as he was helping Jerry as they were among cars parked to the side of Main Street. "Hang on, I see it up ahead." Andrew said, as there was a crowd of people nearby, which started to notice them. "Shin, look! There some Guardsmen over there!" Jerry pointed, where Andrew and Shin saw the crowd. "They must have escaped from the City Hall. Come on, I don't know what they planning on doing. They have some other people, though." Shin said, as Andrew got distracted by the military helicopter that was shining a spotlight over the streets.

"That chopper is going to attract those rioters! Come on, I see my car! We can-" Andrew saw his parked car nearby, however when he went to walk towards it with his electronic car key to unlock it, there was a raggedy man that popped up from in between the cars. He lunged directly at Andrew, as he tried to bite him. Andrew kept his arms around from the man's mouth, as he was trying to shove him back. "Shin!!" Andrew immediately said, as he found himself pinned onto the back of another car. "Jerry, cover me!" Shin yelled, as he ran up to the raggedy man and struck him with the knife. "Get the fuck back!"

However, the knife was stuck onto the man's back. He didn't even look like he reacted in pain. He didn't even look like an ordinary man. Jerry stood there, as he was balancing himself with his good leg, as he noticed that some of the crazed people that were trying to break into City Hall were starting to notice what was happening at the Main Street. "Shit.. Shit! Shin, do something!" Jerry yelled, as Shin was forced to grab the raggedy man and pull him off of Andrew. Andrew himself wasn't bit, but the damn bastard could have bit his nose off.

The man ended up on the back of Andrew's car, as he growled and lunged back at Shin, where Shin suddenly got a mouthful of his neck ripped off by the man. Andrew, who was free from the man's grasp, immediately used his own knife to start stabbing at the man's back. "Jerry! Do something!" Andrew yelled, as he kept stabbing the man until he got off of Shin. "Shin! Shit!" Andrew yelled, as parts of his inner throat were visible, along with the added pain of choking on his own blood.

[Arengin Union]

Burling Town Hall.
Burlington, Vermont
December 20, 2020
Echo Squad (McRay, Speck, Reynolds, Harrison, Mendez,Nonato)

---

Mendez was still shaken over everything that had happened, her friends eaten alive and people around her acting like maniacs while she herself was dripping in a cold sweat that she had to constantly clean off her eyes. She wanted to go home, she didn't want to be here and it was in this whole entire moment that she had come to regret ever signing up to the Guard for what she had thought was an easy ride into law school. Despite all apprehensions and fears, Mendez kept her head in the game as best as she could, McRay needed her as did Harrison. They had to get the civilians out of this place and she had to keep the group's rear covered as best as she could alongside Mr. Open Carry over to her left. At any other point in her life,, she would've probably told the man to go fuck himself and his second amendment but at this point, she didn't exactly feel as sassy as always.

It was as the group had finally come to a back exit that the mayor out of all people had lunged to his own assistant and had begun to bite off his neck just as that women had on Reynolds not long ago. Mendez's had thought herself ready for anything, but not this, none of this. It was the civilians out of all people who had risen up to the occasion as the armed man shot and eventually killed the crazed mayor all while Mendez had stared at the scene completely dumbstrucked. The female aide's reaction was not unexpected.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, OH MY GOOOOOD... EEEEED...." the female aide started wailing as the group tried to calm down following the deadly confrontation. "YOU HAD NO RIGHT, NO RIGHT!" switching between different stages of grief in a matter of seconds, she began angrily accusing everyone in the room. "YOU'RE MURDERERS, ALL OF YOU! WE LET YOU IN AND THAT IS HOW YOU REPAY US!? THIS IS A DEMOCRACY GOD DAMN IT, YOU HAD NO RIGHT!"

Before Mendez could even react the Sergeant had called for her and the others to get on out, McRay had always been cold and almost robot-like but he didn't even have a reaction, a response to what had just occurred. That man was a complete enigma to Mendez who continued to stare at the disaster in front of her with wide scarred eyes and then at the utterly devastated assistant as everyone else exited the building out into the chaos of the outside.

"RUN, RUN WHILE YOU CAN!" the woman screamed, following that up with a quiet, grief-filled comment "Someone has to clean this mess... Oh, Ed..."

"I..." Mendez was at a loss of words as she slowly backed away towards the door.

"I'm so sorry..." Was everything the latina specialist was able to utter as she took hold of her rifle once more and was the last to exit the building, Harrison and McRay already securing the surroundings as they had come to a scene of complete chaos. Cars covered in flames as were entire buildings, the streets covered in not only snow but also debri, blood and bodies. Mendez didn't know what to do as she looked on with a dumbstrucked face once more.

"Mendez!" McRay shook the specialist's shoulder, brutely bringing the soldier back to reality. Mendez turned over to face the Sergeant, looking at him straight to his eyes through his still gas masked covered face.

"I need you focused, keep our sixes covered alongside the civ... copy!?"

Mendez closed her eyes and opened them rapidly as she took in everything, McRay may have been a cold bastard but he was dedicated to the mission, and their mission at this point was to protect the civilians as best as they could.

"Go it, sarge..." Mendez said nervously as McRay merely nodded, the specialist made her way to the back of the group once more as they begun to move deeper into the city. McRay kept his rifle aiming forward as he watched his step, Harrison to his side the same. The scene was out of something you'd see in the nightly news about Syria or perhaps Mexico but it was here in the land of the free and home of the brave, it was surreal. A helicopter passed above them, a searchlight shinning through the sky and into the ruined streets. McRay remembered back to earlier with the helicopter, command had ordered to leave them behind, Driscoll had left them to die. That son of a bitch would pay, McRay would make sure to make him pay if it was the last thing he'd ever do but for now he had to find a way to keep what was left of his squad alive and get the remaining civilians out of this inferno.

It was then that a man, the one who had triggered the fire alarm before tapped at McRay's shoulders, the act made the sergeant flinch for a second as he glanced over to the man who then pointed over to the streets in front.

Tapping the shoulder of the Sergeant, he whispered "People, that way." Ben pointed to the side "Should we help them?"

"My priorities are to get you and the others out of here, we'll get sidetracked if we approach others..." Was McRay's response as he once more had his eyes at his rifle's ACOG scope. Harrison for his part glanced over to the sergeant.

"Sarge, we can't just leave them to die... We have to help as many as we can, and with all due respect the more of us the less crazies we gotta deal with..." Harrison spoke sternly but with clear conviction, he had always been a reliable second hand for McRay but in this instance he had to speak up in behalf of others. They were pretty messed up, down half of their size and guiding a bunch of distraught civilians but Harrison would not leave anyone else behind, they had already done so with Nonato and he wouldn't do it anymore. McRay had recognized all of this, he didn't want to take the risks but perhaps they could bring much-needed help.

"Fine," McRay said as he let out a bearable sigh of frustration, he resigned himself with having to expand his role, they were Guardsmen after all and their job was to Guard this country and its people. McRay made a gesture with his left hand as then called on his remaining squad members.

"Mendez you and civ stay on the rear, Harrison you stick to the right side, stay on them," Harrison nodded as he moved across the street and to the other side, keep caution on his every step and surroundings while keep the group covered, afterward McRay glanced back to the civilian from before.

"You, keep the others calm and stay down and behind me..." With those words, McRay and Harrison advanced forward to the sides of the street as he kept in front of the crowd of civilians and Harrison flanked to the right with his rifle at the ready. As the group began to close in towards the group of people a scuffle seemed to have started as one of the unknown survivors had gotten into a fight with what McRay could only assume was one of the crazy infected. The people had begun to yell out and cause quite a ruckus as Harrison himself approached by the right side of the street.

The man ended up on the back of Andrew's car, as he growled and lunged back at Shin, where Shin suddenly got a mouthful of his neck ripped off by the man. Andrew, who was free from the man's grasp, immediately used his own knife to start stabbing at the man's back. "Jerry! Do something!" Andrew yelled, as he kept stabbing the man until he got off of Shin. "Shin! Shit!" Andrew yelled, as parts of his inner throat were visible, along with the added pain of choking on his own blood.

It was then that the crazed raggedy man's brain would splatter all over a car's window as Harrison had fired a single shot right into the man's back of the head. The commotion had already caused some of the infected outside of the sieged town hall to begin wandering towards the scene and now the shot was certain to guarantee more, McRay only hoped the helicopter and the seemingly far off gun shots from elsewhere could draw the infected's attention again but for now they were on a limited time.

Holding out a hand to signal friendly McRay called over to the surrounding people as he kept his rifle up but aimed at none in particular while Harrison himself scanned over the surroundings, keeping ready to fire at any incoming infected that got too close.

"National Guardsmen, Identify yourself!" McRay said, expecting not only the group near the car to speak up but also the other one not too far off to approach as well.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Andrew Castle
8:00 PM

Andrew went over to Shin, as he was bleeding out badly. His neck was torn off, as Andrew could see his adam's apple. The crazed raggedy man started to get up from the ground, despite being covered in stab wounds. However, before he could make a move, a gunshot rang out, where the man's brain splatter against a car window. Andrew and Jerry immediately looked to see a group of survivors trying to get through the street. However, some more of those crazies from city hall were starting to take notice of the scene.

"National Guardsmen, Identify yourself!" a man yelled, as Andrew raised his hands. "Friendly! We need a doctor! Two of us are wounded! One of them needs critical care!" Andrew yelled, as he tried to get the people over here to help Shin before the crazies could reach them.

[Hastur]

Burlington, Vermont
December 20, 2020
DSS Special Agent Esther Pryzbylewski
One Foot In The Grave

---

"His pulse is absent!"

Pryzbylewski kept her eyes on the road, focusing on driving. They needed to get to the hospital quickly. The principal was dying, suffering from a massive hemorrhage, caused by a fresh hole in his chest. His blood caked the back seat of the Chevrolet Suburban. Mere minutes ago he was conscious, now he was unresponsive. A pit was forming in her stomach. Shit had gone from zero to a hundred fast, and it seemed like everything was spiraling out of control. It was bedlam, and Sasser shooting himself out of the blue made things ten times worse.

“He’s non responsive!” Adams shouted as he began attempting the life-saving measure of CPR. “Ah fuck! He’s fucking dying man!” The bulky man in his late thirties rhythmically thumbing up and down on his chest as he attempted to prolong his life just long enough to reach the hospital. Esther didn’t know him well, but he was panicking, his speech was unsteady and she’d yet to hear him curse. His panic was contagious, and she was coming down with it. His life was in her hands, and the selfish bastard that was bleeding all over the place had put it there. She did not know why he’d done it, but she surmised it had to do with his work at Burlington Hospital. The place they were taking him right back to.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Adams spat rapidly, frustrations peaking as his breathing peaked, attempting to get air into his lungs. ”Come on! What the fuck is going on up there! How far out are we?!”

”I don’t know! few fucking minutes or somethin’!” Esther retorted in irritation, her own cajun accented voice faltering to dread now. “I don’t know the routes in this town!”

DSS had given them ill preparation, but she thought it wouldn’t have been an issue. After all, Burlington shouldn’t have been anything like a bad day in Bagdad. The GPS feminine voice vocalised that they required a right turn onto north avenue, so she did. Driving aggressively as she swung off, wasting a portion of the vehicle’s momentum as she turned, but she was still going well over the speed limit, continuing to speed up. The sirens blaring as the undercover light bar emitted the strobing emergency lights. Esther watched as people seemed to dash into the street to flag them down, some even breaking onto roads in front of them. A sequence of petrified and strangely blank expressions defined by a concoction of headlights, streetlamps and the red and blue strobe. But Esther powered through, neglecting them as her training prescribed. It didn’t matter if she had to smash right through them, her immediate aim was saving the life of the principal in the back. Nothing else mattered.

Gunfire and screaming was discernible over the siren and roaring motor. It was complete and utter pandemonium. The civil unrest had grown out of nowhere. She didn’t understand it. No precursor and no motive. They’d been told that there could be a risk of rioting and violence if the quarantine failed, and they’d been judiciously prepared for it. But this? Esther didn’t get it. It seemed to explode off everywhere at once. Her earpiece screaming in her ear told her as much. All three other DSS teams looked to be engaged or were trying to take flight. One was even requesting whatever reinforcements they could send, declaring that they’d been besieged. But command stated that they had nothing to send. Esther had even requested medical help, but that had been denied too. Something that she’d found to be unheard of. Tonight was a night full of jolts.

“Shit I think he’s done!” Adams spat again, turning his head down towards his patient’s collar. ”I think he’s dea…!” his exclamation was abruptly cut curt with a concise grunt, accompanied by an intense, brief scream. Esther forced her eyes on the road, keeping her hands on the wheel and her foot on the gas as she kept the vehicle rolling. Her purgative was to drive. Nothing else.

“Adams?!” Esther shrieked. Fighting the screaming impulse to stare back that was attempting to override her training, the boom of a skirmish occurring in the back, a losing one at that. It sounded like Sasser had regained consciousness and overreacted. But the absence of a statement from Adams had her brain functioning at a mile a minute. Why’d he scream? Why wasn’t he talking? The sound of the fight was dying down now. Esther knew she had to look. She couldn’t fight it anymore. She tilted her head back for a second, taking a glance into the backseat. Esther’s eyes widened as her brain tried to process what she saw, her face cringing up into an expression of shock and bewilderment. Completely unable to comprehend the events unfolding.

Adams held his throat, blood cascading from a raw wound in his neck. The good doctor, Sasser, who was now white as a sheet, had Adam gripped by the shoulders, and was tearing him down towards the seats, and by proxy, himself. Fresh blood was caked around Sassers lips, droplets drooling from the rims of his lip as his jaws snapped at Adam. The only factor keeping Adams from his snapping teeth was his free right hand. Which was clamped against the passenger side’s head rest, his fingers burrowing into the leather. Desperately holding him upwards from the overweight doctor that was now trying to kill him.

Her capacity to react however was cut tight. Her decision to look back came back to sting her. Within that same second, she suddenly found herself thrown forward violently, the seatbelt being the only thing that kept her from hitting the windshield as her head whirled. Her senses frying as her vision blurred and the shriek of crunching and churning metal took over. Her grip wrestling with the steering wheel as the vehicle’s airbags deployed into her face. The next thing she noticed was an unexpected jerk as the motion of the vehicle came ultimately to a standstill. It was the first thing she noticed. The absence of motion.

Esthers bones ached. Her senses groggy as her head stung despite the helmet’s protection. Eyes watering as they bounced around, trying to figure out what happened. Esther noticed the the vehicle was facing at a different angle, well off the route. Her vision locking onto what looked like another accident on the separate side of the street, a sedan partly slammed into a convenience store. It took her a second for it all to click, the immediate shock dissipating as the fragments fell into place.

She’d hit whoever drove that vehicle, and her vehicle wasn’t moving. Esther cursed wildly, her voice breaking as she quarreled with the seatbelt, trying to get free of the seat. Attempting to tear it off before the thought to unclip it developed a moment later. Free from the clasp of her seatbelt, her collar felt an immediate sense of relief. The plate carrier’s strap had given some padding, but a dull pain still presided underneath it. Likely bruising. Esther fell back into her training, and immediately checked on her partner and the principal. Whom she had little hope for.

She glanced backwards, seeing that the rear of the trunk of the SUV had wrapped itself around a tree. The unmovable object causing the vehicle to corrupt in forms that wouldn’t be conceivable. Pure luck had prevented the front from taking any major damage. But in the rear seat was a mess. It broke the two men. Pulverising them into a barbarous fashion thanks to the unmitigated force of nature that was gravity thanks to neither of them having their seatbelts on. She’d seen injuries like that before from vehicle crashes. Nobody would be responsive after that.

But they were still moving. Sasser was still moving. They were still somehow conscious. Without thinking, Esther leaned in to assist. But something clicked as she looked at co-worker. A blank expression occupied Adam’s eyes as his arms reached out for her, unable to get any further because of just how broken up he was. His neck wasn’t bleeding anymore. A chunk of flesh missing right out of it.

She recoiled backward. She recognized he should be dead. His wound had struck a crucial artery. He shouldn’t even be cognizant. Esther sat paralyzed, battling with the notion of mortality as she looked on a medical impossibility. Then Adams snapped at her, his jaws flapping in the motion of chewing. Like a dog impatiently going for a treat. That wasn’t him. Her instincts kicked in shortly afterwards.

Esther tried the door, racking the handle, but it refused to budge. The snapping of jaws behind her audible over the howling siren that was still sounding off. punctuating the panic was setting in as she leaned back in the chair. Esther had to get out, and the only way was forward, over the hood. She put all her force into kicking the windshield. The glass shattered into a spiderweb pattern as she brought several full force kicks into it. The frame eventually coming loose, clanging off the battered hood. She felt the clutch of Adam on her elbow, stiffening as he attempted to pull her back. Esther resisted, snatching her rifle from the weapons locker in the middle, wrestling with it for the first few attempts before jerking it free. Now more appropriately armed, Esther tossed it over out the window before climbing out herself. Crawling over the hood before sliding off, landing flat onto the snowy floor. Esther gave off a heavy groan as pain shot through her body. Her face crunching up in discomfort as the stiffness from the crash still lingering.

Clambering to her feet, she threw the sling of her rifle over her body and began pushing to the other wreckage. Breaking into a jog before evolving into a full on sprint as the pain subsided, keeping her rifle low as she approached. The cold winter weather of Vermont began its assault against her. Esther wasn’t used to it. She’d been in Louisiana for most of her life, and her service in the military had almost only been in the middle east. Her clothing, casual civvies comprising hiking boots, jeans, a black sweater and a black lightweight winter waterproof didn’t help. Her tan plate carrier that was draped over the top, along with the FAST helmet, helped a little to insulate but didn’t do enough.

She could see movement from the corner of her eyes. Shadows in the distance become clearer and clearer. Appearing and disappearing between strobes of red and blue. humanoid shapes clambering over to the commotion in what looked like a brisk but uneven jog, further adding to the sense of unease that had taken over. Esther saw a woman frantically attempting to get free of the smoking vehicle as a convenience store employee clambered inside. The guy looked dead, much like Adam’s and Sasser did, and he was trying to get into the vehicle.

“Federal police!” Esther yelled towards the driver, her cajun tone authoritative as bolted to the door, attempting to force it open, only to find it jammed. Her nostrils blocked with the noxious odor of petrol. The vapors almost overwhelming. Looking for the source, she quickly observed a gas pump that was wedged between the front of the vehicle and the store that was spewing it. “Out of the car! Out of the car now!” She demanded, realising the precariousness of the position. Her feet were sloshing around in the combustible slush of snow and gas. One spark and she’d get cooked. As if to make things worse, she noticed a wiring from the ceiling was letting off a shower of sparks. She watched the woman attempt to get free of the vehicle, panicking as she began attempting to clamber into the backseat. Headed for the potential escape of the boot.

Thinking fast, Esther advanced immediately, thrusting the truck open as the woman climbed in the boot. Esther grabbing her and pulling her up as she threw her bag out. “Go! Go! Go!” Esther cried. Pushing her forward towards the road, breaking into a full on sprint as she began running. Panting as she attempted to get clear of the building. Ultimately, that spark came. Causing the scene to erupt into a fireball as the slush of fuel finally caught fire. The car and building becoming a tinderbox. Smoke billowing skyward as the materials of the car smoldered.

Once at a safe distance. Esther keyed her radio, anticipating that she’d get into contact with anybody from DSS that could help. “Blue Actual, this is Blue 2-1. Requesting medevac at North Avenue. Blue 2-2 and red 2 are KIA, I repeat. The Red 2 and Blue 2-2 are KIA. How copy over?” Her plea went unnoticed, however. Falling on deaf ears. Silence rang clear. She tired again, and again, until she realised the futility of the position.

The shadows were becoming more distinctive shapes, illuminated by the glittering blaze that was the convenience store. There were around twenty of them. Closing at a modest but unsteady pace. Normally she wouldn’t bat an eye, but something told her this was peculiar. She realized she had to run. “Hey. We can’t stay here!” Esther warned the blond woman, who looked worse for wear and was still in shock of the situation.”we gotta find a place to hunker down. If you have any ideas now would be the time to say. Come on!” Esther began running, heading in the opposite direction of the attracted crowd. Her mind focused on finding shelter to weather the situation.

[Kentucky Fried Land]

Connie Harland
December 20th, 2020
New North End, Burlington, Vermont
Hell with a Capital H

Life was hell. The drive from Castleton to Burlington was a lonely hour and a half, filled with intermittent radio silence on deserted highways and dead zones, where not even her phone would get through. The other drivers were not people; they were formless monsters behind black windows, immeasurable concepts, beings that did not exist in this world. The afternoon was filled with these spirits and their death machines, crackling thunder from exhausts and searing the smell of their burnt rubber in the sky like sulfur. Connie hated them, she hated how close they took to her bumper, she hated how they wouldn’t pass her on the left lane, how they nearly took out her side mirror when they did pass.

Burlington itself was an unremarkable city situated next to one Lake Champlain, a brackish body of water that divided New York and Vermont. It served life as a horrid tourist trap or morning sight for retirees populating stilted beach houses. In some circles, Connie supposed that Champlain could even be pretty, but all she saw were fishing boats and soda rings.

The sun dimmed overhead, tucking itself behind the horizon to give room for dark. Her headlights flickered on, illuminating the fall of several snowflakes that would stick to the top of another pile of misfit ice. Driving five over in a two-lane, she let herself fade into the radio and the swirling breeze that carried the frost with it. Two or three cars passed her on this desolate stretch, dual stars fastened to their hoods that blinded her. A mass of trees flanked her on either side, and anytime she peered into them they revealed nothing but their lightless underbellies, devoid of matter. As far as she knew, in those woods was a sheer drop off the edge of the world.

Sometimes when the road curved, when her headlights would catch an angle just right and shine into one of the forests, she swore she saw men and women silhouetted amongst the bushes and tall grass. Figments of imagination, sleep deprivation catching up; these were the explanations she gave and it was final. Visions of grinning, bloodied people beckoning her to join them filled her head. Who were these border dwellers, living on the outskirts of life? No need for society, no desire to conform to the whims of another man; she envied them. She was confined to her car, confined to Western civilization, confined to this trap of a hellhole that served only to belittle her and push her down. In that fantastical life sitting on the cliff’s edge, all men were the same piteous fools.

Before long, the girl had entered Burlington. It was a bustling little town on this night, for a reason that Connie could not understand. Cars piled in front of her, behind her, and people walking all around in the night. She shut her GPS off and turned down a side road, eager to escape the anxiety that traffic offered. Now she was squashed between abandoned storefronts and municipal shacks, their occupants moved to better buildings, but suffered no funeral proceedings for their former holes. The carcasses dried under the moon now and crisp snow rested atop the eaves. Their purpose had become a mockery of ecosystems, mismatched animals and invasive plants running amuck.

Soon, she entered another wooded area and found the figures had become more frequent. This time they were undeniable; their slivered eyes cast light from the moon, and they marched in droves. She denied them nonetheless; illusions of periphery darkness.

Connie eased the brakes down pedal, now in front of a stop sign, returned to town. A tarnished green street sign rested atop the octagon, tilted to one side. North Avenue was in front of her, and the avenue was calm. There was nothing. No crashing, no yelling, no unkempt mufflers. Absolute silence. She turned her head and looked both ways; left, no cars; right, no cars; left, no cars; right, a person.

There was a woman walking towards her car. Greasy, stringy hair stuck to her cheeks, draped over her shoulders, dark and shimmery. Her eyes were wide and navy blue, and her flower sundress glowed under a street lamp. The woman walked forward and placed a hand on the passenger window, leaving a sweaty handprint on the glass. Connie was stricken with confusion. She could no longer see the girl’s face, having put her head above the car. Connie took a better look at her sundress and noticed the blood and spit dripping down the girl’s sundress; she gulped.

Connie’s car was an older, cheaper model, still equipped with manual windows. She reached across the passenger seat and grabbed the crank, then lowered the window. “Do you need to go to a hospital?” She said, quivering in shock. The woman did not respond, but a croak came out the window and something latched onto Connie’s hair and yanked her up. Her scalp pulled and she screamed and she threw her hands up at what grabbed her. She found a cold, bony arm slathered in slime, and she pushed and punched at it until she had freed her hair, feeling a tuft leave her skull. Connie stared at the woman, her head in the window. A thick hole gaped her cheek, a broth of blood and spit drooling from her chin, to her shoulder. Connie tried to scream, but a whimper was all that left. She hit the gas without thinking, slamming the woman’s head into the side of the window frame before the car bounced the right headlight off the stop sign, bending the metal and sending the wheels skidding on ice. She only just now heard the sirens.

Something hit the back of her and she spun, unthinking, blurs of light, blood, windows, reflections, everywhere she turned was nothing but glimmering death. The glimpses drove past before the airbag went off; she heard a crash and felt the car shake, and liquid spilled through the passenger window, before it smashed into a wall of glass. Sharp bits littered the passenger seat. Something was blinking and beeping in the car; she wasn’t sure what. Her nose felt warm, it hurt. The airbag was deflated in front of her. There was a faint smell of gasoline. The first thing she did was lay back against the headrest, where a bloody creek streamed between her lips. The right side of the car had become wedged inside of a convenience store and the hood was smoking and covered in gasoline, the gas pump hugging the bumper.

There was a man in the store, glaring at her. He was standing himself up, a splintered bone jutting from her left knee. One hand on the chips aisle, he had clambered to his right foot and limped forward, dragging the broken leg along side. Connie reached past the seat again and grabbed the window crank; helplessly, it budged little, stuck. She pulled away as the man drug himself closer. Border dwellers.

She turned her head, slowly, seeing another figure in the dark of the night, this one standing on the road with a rifle. Connie winced. This new creature, a woman capable of actual speech, was yelling something. ”Out of the car! Out of the car!” She shouted and Connie’s mind clicked. Right. The car is fucked.

She tried the driver’s door first. It refused to budge; she tried to force it, slapping at the door in a fit of rage. ”Fuck!” She screamed, grabbing at her seat belt, which miraculously popped off of her. The man was at the door now, dirty fingernails on fleshy pale stubs white knuckling the frame. Connie threw herself into the backseat, landing on her back as the creature fell into the window, shoving both arms and his head inside. She tried the back door; it was worse than the last. She screamed again and tried to force it, but it wouldn’t move. The man had half his torso in the car now, arms around the passenger seat. He growled and Connie saw the next best thing; the wiring of the convenience store, sparking above a sea of gasoline.

”Get me the fuck out! Get me the fuck out!” She grabbed hold of the car door again. It had not become unstuck. She looked out the back window; the trunk was lifted up, floating. Mind ablaze, she reached behind the backseat, grasping and clawing at something was seemingly not there. Finally, she held her savior, a handle, and pulled it. The seat flew into her and she pushed it off, climbing over it and into the trunk. Something stopped her; a hand around her ankle. She squirmed and kicked and screamed, grabbing her backpack for leverage. It slid after her and she clawed at the floor.

The free foot kicked back wildly, spasming and stomping at the arm. It must have been enough, as she had been freed. She scrambled into the trunk and grabbed her bag, then threw herself onto the pavement outside. She fell onto her knees and palms, her backpack, jeans, and hands now covered in gasoline. Leaping to her feet, Connie looked at the woman with the gun. That woman was already running. Connie felt obliged to follow.

Indeed, she did. Chasing after the woman, Connie didn’t take a look back as she heard the fire catch, she didn’t dare stop until her savior had done the same. She was saying something, speaking into a wire device strapped to her jacket. She was almost pleading it sounded like. The woman said something else; they couldn’t stay here. Connie could see why now; the figures, the border dwellers flanking them from every side. She didn’t hesitate to follow the only person who seemed to understand.

There was the question of where to hold out; Connie had no clue. “Town hall?” She spat between breaths, exasperated. “Or the… airport.”

[Alozia]

Ben Wilson

Standing on the street, shielded by the group from any direct threats, Ben couldn't help but hear what seemed to be a radio broadcast playing from one of the crashed cars that stopped nearby. He listened in as the rest of the group was dealing with the newcomers.

*clears throat* "Good evening everybody... I'm Elle Hobbes filling in for Rob Hazel. I just came back from the Fair, although that's an... understatement. Look, if it weren't for me being there I would not believe what I'm about to say. *sigh* For those of you in the area who did not decide to stop by the Fair, um, let me tell you what happened a few blocks away from where I'm sitting, just minutes ago... It's probably going to be a couple of days until we get a clear picture of what exactly happened, but for now what I can tell you is that our valued annual Christmas Fair was brutally attacked by an unidentified group... It all started when two men started fighting near the stage where the Mayor was giving his speech. Soon after a group of people, um, men, women, I don't want to sound ridiculous, but someone told me there might even have been a child among them, they started to attack the people present. I don't think they were saying anything. Jack, did you hear them say something?"

*inaudible answer from the background*

"Jack didn't hear anything either. For those of you who don't know Jack is one of the producers here at WVMT. Anyway... have you found Rob? No? No calls or anything?... That's strange. Anyway, the Fair turned into chaos, pure mayhem. We're monitoring social media and apparently some video, allegedly from the Fair is already trending on Twitter. I'm not sure how long it's going to stay up, it's pretty violent. If there are kids around you or even if you're alone, I suggest you don't watch it. It's awful and it doesn't look better in person. I don't know what's happening or why I'm even here, it's chaos outside, looting, rioting, car crashes... 911 is not picking up."

*seconds of silence*

*sigh* "Look... Jack, is that? Is that.. Rob? Rob what happened? Are you oka-- OH MY GOD. JACK, ROB, OH MY GOD! OHGODOHGODOHGOD"

*sounds of clattering*

[muffled, from a distance] "LOCK, LOCK GOD DAMN IT! OH GOD"

*sounds of gunshots* "GET DOWN! ON THE GROUND! M'AM, OPEN THE DOOR"

"You just shot him, you just shot Rob..."

"M'AM PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR, WE'RE FROM THE NATIONAL GUARD."

*sound of doors unlocking* "PLEASE DONT SHOOT ME!"

"We're not going to shoot you m'am. We're you bitten?"

"Bitten, what? No, no, I wasn't."

"Okay, m'am. I need you to calm down. Our medic will examine you, in the meantime we'll be taking over the station."

"Taki-- Taking over? I don't understand."

[muffled conversation picked up by the microphones in the studio ends, is replaced by a commercial]

[Sudbrazil]

Charles Rockwell Smith
Burlington City Hall ~ 08:05 PM, 20/12/2020

---

His rifle was warm, his webbing weighed on him, and some banshee had wailed in his ear so loudly that his electronic earmuffs had mercifully blocked her complaint. Blood was splattered over the old buildings of Burlington’s downtown, guts lay in the streets, and the stench of death had claimed the air. As he followed the soldiers tacitly in their advance, grasping his weapon firmly, a shameful feeling crept into Rockwell’s heart. Though he dare not admit it, he had not felt such vigor in half a dozen years.

But a gruesomely sobering scene awaited them outside, where the sergeant had shot another man. Despite the darkness he could see parts of the person's head on a car window, as well as his victim on the pavement. Was that part of his throat peeling off? Rockwell did not dare to take another look. It was not like his bandages wouldn’t help, and he was not going to tourniquet the man’s neck. So he silently resigned himself to the back of the group, watching the murky alleys and streets. Under the lights of the lampposts, he could see the silhouettes of maddened men closing in.

“We better not stay here too long. I have my truck parked nearby, we can pile in and drive to somewhere safer.”

[Offer Erapia]

Simon, Burlington Vermont


The bustling festival was truly a sight to behold indeed. As Simon shouldered through the intense crowd he could clearly see the city had not put the taxpayers money to waste. There were beautiful lights that shined like stars and the cold bitter chill nipped at his pale skin. He really didnt mind it though, what he did mind, however, is the present he was going to get for his wife. If it wasn't for the common flu she would have been there with him. As Simon perused through the stands, looking for something suitable for the misses in question. He came across a warming sight, there, hanging from a hook in the back of a small festival stand. Was a ceramic dove necklace, it shimmered and shined and without hesitation he purchased it.
It was at this point that a large crowd had gathered before a podium. Simon was one of the many to gather and watch. A few more minutes would pass and more whispers and murmuring would travel through the cluster of bystanders. It was just then that a women approached and announced that the mayor had something to say. Of course Simon new what was going to happen. The mayors yearly speech about good times and spiritual prosperity of the holidays. It was nothing new really and, after a few moments, the mayor ambled himself up to the podium to speak. The better side of half an hour droned on, Simon could practically feel himself aging at the boredom. He took a deep sigh and watched his hot breath hang onto the chilled air for a moment longer before turning to leave.
Simon managed to get a few steps in before a sudden commotion erupted from the crowd quickly followed by horrendous screams. A spine chilling sensation shot up his spine like lightning. And before he knew it he found himself running back towards the crowd, a decision he would later regret. Getting past the jam packed folks was hard enough but when he did he finally saw what the screams were for. His blood ran cold at the sight that was presented before him. A women was on top of a man she clawed and ripped at him, her mouth was soaked in a red crimson liquid. The victim of the assault was roaring in pain trying to fight off the attacker as she came in for another bite.
The citizens that weren't frozen by fear ran with it branded on thier faces. Screams of every sort filled the evening air. Among the ones to stay was Simon himself his brain couldn't process what has just transpired. It wasn't until the roaring shout of a coast guardsmen did Simon return to his senses. He quickly pivoted and nearly made smoke as he booked it to his truck. Amongst the chaos and screams of the living came the groans of the dead. And soon thereafter came the quick and distinct sounds of gunshots. Although he didn't know it yet the end of the world was discreetly drawing near. His heart pumped and blood washed away all sound from entering his ears.

"Truck, got to get to the truck."

He repeated once or twice heading down a street or two. Simon soon found the parking lot and his heart slightly warmed with hope. He was just about to cross the street when something in the distance caught his attention. There were figures looming from the shadows of an alley across the street, a few dozen feet from his destination. With the figures came the bone chilling groans and growls that had struck fear into his heart just minutes before. The darkened figures loomed from the shadows and the light revealed dark, pale skin and bloodied clothes. The infected suddenly exploded from the black veil of shadows and cut off the large group of people that had the same idea as he did. Simon was amongst the first to turn around once more and fight the current of people who rushed towards the parking lot unbeknownst to them a wave of death was on an intercept course.

"No! The parking lot! There at the parking lot!."

He bellowed at the top of his lungs to the people that were rushing past him. It was here another set of screams occured as the two herds of people collided the dead once more feasting on the living through a torrent of dying wails and screams. The others who had seen the danger beforehand turned and ran but the overwhelming forces of the infected chased the ones who had not been caught in the trap. Unfortunately Simon was one of these people, he could here the thudding of heavy foots behind him. He turned his head for a brief second only to see a man chasing him in a full on Sprint. His tattered coat was covered in blood and chunks of flesh were missing from his face. The sudden and gruesome sight made his adrenal glands excrete all over themselves which put a burst of speed on Simons heels. He knew he had to lose him or risk being lunch so he quickly devised a plan.
He panted hard as he tried to catch his breath. His forehead was beaded with sweat and his heart still pounded hard in his chest. If not for his endurance he would not be gasping right now. His plan ended up working in the end. After cutting random corners and hiding behind a dumpster he lost the snarling, deranged creature. Simon sat by the not so pleasing oversized trash can to form a plan. Most of the general area was in shambles with wrecked cars and dead bodies being all that remained. Well that and the low moans of the walking dead. As he thought out what to do next a big idea popped into his head.

"Its a hunch, but town hall isnt too far from here. Maybe people are there, they used to do it back in the old days when catastrophic events happened."

He thought about the idea. It was a longshot indeed but one he'd be willing to go off of it. He took a deep breathe and rose to his feet and slowly emerged from the dark alley. His eyes darted around on high alert for the abominable monsters. He crouched low and booked it across the street and around a corner. There, at the end of the main street, was the town hall. But there arose a problem, the street itself was littered with the infected.

"It can never be easy can it?"

He said to himself slowly coming around several parked cars lined up along the curb. He crouched using them as cover managing to get a little more than halfway to his destination. But without any more available cover he was effectively out in the open with what appeared to be a few dozen dead walkers. He tried to think of something but couldn't bring himself to a solid plan. He was just about to give up when a sudden high pitched alarm rang out and cut the silence. He quickly looked up and found the noise to be originating from the hall itself. In an instant all the surrounding dead began changing a course. Instead of aimlessly wondering they all converged on the seemingly defenseless building. Simon now had a clear path to the town hall but it was surrounded. This, and another obvious fact appeared before his eyes.

"There are people in there, I hope there alive."

He said to himself suddenly sprinting across the street and cut through a building he ran out the back and made a left towards the town halls right flank. He stopped only when he saw the back door suddenly burst open. The next sight he saw brought joy and relief. About a dozen or so not so dead people emerged even some who appeared to be military. Without hesitation he booked it across the street on a intercept course with the large party of survivors.

[Alozia]

Ben Wilson

Having been standing in an open area for quite some time now, Ben started getting anxious. No longer focused on the radio broadcast he began to look around, glad not to see any of the rioters on the horizon, but worried that the situation could change at any moment. With the helicopter flying away the young man couldn't help but hear a crowd of people slowly approaching the group's position.

“We better not stay here too long. I have my truck parked nearby, we can pile in and drive to somewhere safer.”

"He's right, we should get going." Ben said. "There's too many of us for a single truck, so we need a couple of cars, but we gotta act fast."

[Arengin Union]

Burling Streets.
Burlington, Vermont
December 20, 2020
Echo Squad (McRay, Speck, Reynolds, Harrison, Mendez,Nonato)

---

As soon as McRay had called out for the civilian to identify himself he did so quicker than he had expected.

"Friendly! We need a doctor! Two of us are wounded! One of them needs critical care!" Andrew yelled, as he tried to get the people over here to help Shin before the crazies could reach them.

"Understood, Harrison, assess the wounded and Mendez, keep a perimeter," McRay said as he lowered his rifle, scanning around the street and finding it filled of nothing but gloom and dead bodies and the infected wandering around farther away. It was a scene that reminded him of anyplace in Afghanistan or Iraq but this was America.

Harrison for his part had approached the wounded man, his neck had been cleanly bitten off as he had now stopped moving. Checking for a pulse the Corporal found none as he pursed his lips and shook his head slightly at the Sergeant.

"I'm sorry son," was the only thing that McRay could say to Andrew. At this point in his life death didn't faze McRay much but this was on American soil, Americans killing Americans in such a gruesome and tribal way, it truly did make his stomach twist.

It was then that the man with the rifle, Rockwell as he had come to identify himself as spoke the first words that McRay had come to agree with.

“We better not stay here too long. I have my truck parked nearby, we can pile in and drive to somewhere safer.”

McRay hadn't didn't say anything at first, he simply took hold of a map of the area, Church St and Main, if we follow Willard to the South we could get onto 7 and get to the secondary position. The sergeant thought quickly as he closed up the map and set it back onto his vest. It was then that more people had begun to arrive, uncazied ones who seemed to simply be desperate for any kind of way out.

"There are people in there, I hope there alive."

He said to himself suddenly sprinting across the street and cut through a building he ran out the back and made a left towards the town halls right flank. He stopped only when he saw the back door suddenly burst open. The next sight he saw brought joy and relief. About a dozen or so not so dead people emerged even some who appeared to be military. Without hesitation, he booked it across the street on a intercept course with the large party of survivors.

"National Guardsmen, come on people stay close, we'll help get you out of this but be in order and calm!" Harrison called out as he held up a hand in a friendly gesture and even mentioned the incoming people to go on ahead. Despite everything that had happened they were all still Americans and they needed to help each other out in this unprecedented situation. Mendez meanwhile kept herself busy scanning every street, her brow dripped in sweat, and get eyes widened, she wanted to run off so badly but she knew he had a duty to fulfill. McRay didn't bother to stop Harrison nor check up on Mendez as his priorities were elsewhere, he knew that Rockwell's words were correct, they needed to get out of here and quick, but one truck as heavy-duty as it were would not cut it. Many cars were burning up and hiking it to the hospital in hopes that a humvee was still there was suicide.

It was then that one of the survivors, Wilson, the one who had activated the alarm, spoke up in agreement with Rockwell's previous proposal.

"He's right, we should get going." Ben said. "There's too many of us for a single truck, so we need a couple of cars, but we gotta act fast."

"Agreed, a truck ain't gonna cut it..." McRay said as he looked over to Wilson and then Rockwell.

"Get your truck set, Mendez you cover him," McRay ordered to which Mendez merely nodded as she approached Rockwell and awaited for him to get to his truck.

"Everyone else, we're gonna need at least 2 more vehicles, something with capacity..." McRay called out to everyone, they needed to be fast about it lest the infected would be on them fast.

"Anyone here owns a van or another truck, just a regular car is enough but something high-capacity is preferable..."

[Alozia]

"Anyone here owns a van or another truck, just a regular car is enough but something high-capacity is preferable..."

"I have a... car." Ben responded. "But it's parked a good walk from here."