Quarantine 2040

[SkyChild]

( Sorry guys! I got carried away with this one. Lots of character development. I edited my character sheet as well. Excuse my swearing, but i felt like it was necessary sometimes @Vespertide )


I opened my eyes only to close them again. Blinded by a bright light, i stand up and cover my eyes with my hand. I don't feel any pain in my chest anymore. My arm doesn't feel weird, and my skin doesn't burn any longer. No hunger. No pain. No agony.


What is this place?


My eyes adjust to the brightness, and i opened them slowly.


Looking around, i found myself in a seemingly endless white room. There were no windows or furniture, just plain nothingness.


"...Am i dead...?" I asked myself, trying to grasp what was going on. I don't believe in an afterlife.


"No. You're not dead. Not yet."


I froze as i heard somebody answering my question. This voice sounded oddly familiar, but i couldn't tell who it was. I turned halfway, and our eyes met.


I couldn't believe what i saw.


It was me. I stood there, behind me. Speaking to me. It doesn't make any sense!


"I don't have to introduce myself, do i?" He said, smiling at me. This was insane. I guess i had a terrified look on my face, because he started laughing shortly after.


"We're unconscious, David. We're about to die if nobody helps us, so we're probably goners."


"We?" All of this was surreal. Am i crazy?


"Well yeah, we. I'm you, after all. Actually, i'm a part of you. The smarter one."


"What?!" I couldn't believe what i just heard.


"Let me explain..." He- or should i say I, said. In a blink of an eye, my doppelgänger stood right in front of me, placing his hand on my shoulder.


The whole room changed.


It wasn't empty anymore.


Memories flashed up in my head.


This place... I knew this place.


It was our old hideout, 2 years ago...


"What do you see?" He asked, taking his hand off my shoulder.


"Why are you showing me this?!" I yelled at him, gritting my teeth.


"What do you see?" He asked again, in the same tone as he did before.


I decided to answer his question.


"... I see disappointment."


"What else?"


"...Sadness..."


"What else?"


"...pain."


"No. Tell me what you truly feel."


"..."


"I'm waiting."


"Anger."


He stopped asking and smiled again when he heard what he wanted to hear.


"Exactly."


He snapped his fingers, and the door opened.


The bastard walked inside, holding his pistol to Chris' head. Tears crawled down his cheeks as he was pushed inside.


I could feel my body starting to tremble in anger, adrenaline rushing through my blood. "Let go of him or i'll tear your god damn face off, you--!" I threw a punch at him, but my hand went right through his head.


"You can't do anything. It's a flashback, you moron. All in your head. Just sit back and watch!" I heard my doppelgänger saying behind me. This was cruel... I had to look into his eyes again.


They were filled with fear. My poor brother... I tried to touch him, knowing that i couldn't.


A third version of me was kicked into the room by the others. He was just a flashback, too.


Chris and I were kneeling next to each other with our hands to the back of our heads, gun barrels pointed at our heads.


"You'd kill the sons of your dead brother over supplies, Max?!" I yelled before getting hit in the face. I remember... He punched me and smiled as blood dripped out of my nose.


"The world is cruel, Dave!"


"I told you that you can have it! Why the hell are you doing this?!"


Chris started whimpering. My heart broke at that point. Max wanted to get rid of us to make sure that we aren't going to kill him afterwards.


"Are you enjoying this? Are you having a good time, you sick fuck?!"


He grabbed Chris' hair and pulled his head back, forcing him to look up at the ceiling. He let out the most terrifying scream i've ever heard. I wished to never hear it again...


"I'd shut up if i were you, David!" Max said, smiling as he placed the end of the gun under his chin.


"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, alright?!"


"That's better!" He said as his men carried the boxes of food, weapons and meds out of the building.


I can't describe the amount of hate i have for this man and all the others. I saved his life. I protected him from a bunch of infected with my bare hands and almost died myself. And this is how he thanked me.





"Chris! Chris look at me!" His teary eyes looked into mine, Max was still holding the gun under his chin.


"I'm going to get you out of here! Don't be afraid, okay? I'll protect you, no matter what!" I said quietly as Jennifer, another traitor, tied my hands behind my back.


"I can't watch this..." I said to my double, but he ignored me. Why am i doing this to myself?!


For some reason, i kept watching anyway.





"Dave!!!" Chris cried out for me, but i couldn't do anything. They would've shot him if i fought back. "Don't be afraid, Chris!" I yelled as they pulled me up to stand, and pushed me out of the room. To this day, i still don't know what they were planning to do with me.


Then, i heard gunshots. The third version of me was terrified, but i knew better. They didn't shoot Chris.


They shot the infected.


"Infected! Loads of'em! How did they get in here?!"





"What?! Are you serious?!"





I used the confusion in the situation to surprise them. I broke free from her hands and headbutted Jennifer against her forehead. She dropped to the ground and i ran back into the room, but Chris and the others were nowhere to be found. My hands were still tied to my back, but i didn't care. I would've kicked them to death.


I called out for him, but he didn't answer. I looked everywhere, but i never found him.


That's how we lost each other. He was the only one i could trust.


The only family i had.


"It's been 2 years." My doppelgänger said, and the room turned white again. "Do you really believe he's still alive? He's either still in the hands of these maniacs or all alone out there. Chances of survival are pretty low in both cases." I gritted my teeth, and my hands formed into fists. I turned and darted forward, grabbing my doppelgänger by his neck, but he just smiled.


"Woah! We're making progress!"


"What the hell are you talking about!?"


"What are you living for, David?"


"I live for Chris!"


"Wrong."


"You don't know!"


"Yes, i do. You've been searching for 2 years, David. You gave up a long time ago. You drowned your sorrows in booze."


"So what?!"


"You wouldn't be in so much pain if you wouldn't have been so naive and trusted others. Instead of dying, you could still be with your brother if you wouldn't have decided to trust people. It's suicide."


I stopped arguing with him. He was right.


"You have to change, David. It's a miracle that you're still alive. You can't trust anyone. People are selfish and cruel, you should know that."


"Yes, I know."


"What do you want, David?"


"I..."


"Hmm?"


"I want revenge."


"Will you trust anybody?"


"No."


"So you accept me?"


"...Yes. Yes, i do."


"What will you do when somebody tries to hurt you?"


"I'll kill that person."


"What will you do when somebody tries to steal from you?"


"Kill."


"Mercy?"


"No."


"When somebody invites you into a group; will you join?"


"..."


"Will you?"


"...I don't know."


"What?"


"Maybe..."


"Excuse me?!"


"You heard me."


"You never learn, do you?"


"Shut up, will you?"


My double sighed and crossed his arms. "Fine. Let's just hope we survive this one. I doubt it."


My doppelgänger hissed.


I wasn't going to let this personality possess me, but i finally realised that i had to change. I can't be the nice, attentive guy that keeps everybody's spirit up. I wouldn't be unconscious right now if i hadn't decided to join Julian and the others.


I'm dying because of them.


My doppelgänger vanished, and the room became darker. Suddenly, i felt a sharp pain in my chest, and my arm started to feel strange. My skin started burning...


What was happening?! Am i waking up?! The pain was getting stronger and stronger.


"Oh god... No..."


I opened my eyes, unbearable pain in my whole body. God, i just wanted somebody to knock me out again...


I found myself laying on a stretcher in a medbay. I couldn't believe that i was still alive. I looked around, not daring to try and get up.


Did they actually save my life? Did they care? I should be dead!


I was now fully awake, and it was getting worse. I moaned in pain, but at least i was still alive...


Whoever did this for me must be crazy.

 

[Vespertide]

((My only response to that: Wow.))


Spikes' own heart froze when she bent down to his chest again, hearing his heart stop. She had never sworn in her life, but at that moment it wouldn't have surprised her.


"David, come on!" She shouted at him. "I'm not going to remember two deaths today! Wake up!"


She interlaced her fingers, stiffened her arms, and did CPR on his chest. Fortunately it didn't take long, but in those few minutes it seemed to be forever. Why do I care? I've known this guy for maybe three days.


The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.


And that made her work harder. Because even though this guy--all of these guys--were idiots, they were human. And humans were rare these days.


She heard his chest again, and got a pulse. Relieved, she looked around for Julian and William. "Guys, he's going to die if we don't get him back to the shelter! Aren't you guys going to help me?!?"


Finally she got up herself. The other guys were nowhere to be found, and David was dying by the minute. She didn't see a stretcher, and she couldn't carry him on one by herself.


Well, that's it, then. I hope all these years of survival made me strong.


Spikes found the same rope from before, and using one of her knives cut it off and haphazardly tied David to her back. Essentially she was giving him a piggy-back ride, except he was unconscious and his legs and arms were tied to her. How exactly she managed to walk with two hundred pounds of David on her back the entire way back to the shelter, without seeing a single infected or getting attacked or collapsing, she would never know. Spikes only knew that once she got him onto the stretcher in the med bay, she was nearly on her knees praying in gratitude that she didn't have to perform surgery on him too.


She hadn't prayed in years, but that day, a miracle occurred. There was no other explanation for it.

~~~*~~~

​

Spikes was cleaning off one of her many blades after the medtech was done with David. It was several hours before he woke up, and she got bored, even though her blades were all super clean. She glanced at him, and she was surprised that he was alive. Turns out he was tougher then she thought he would be.


"Oh look, the idiot's awake," Spikes commented, continuing to clean off her knife, a jagged obsidian blade. "Next time, when you feel like jumping thirty feet is a good idea, take the rope."

 

[SkyChild]

(Thank you! xD )


"Oh look, the idiot's awake."





That voice...It was Spikes.


I turned my head and saw her standing in front of the stretcher i was laying in, cleaning her already sparkling knives.


"Wh-"


"Next time, when you feel like jumping thirty feet is a good idea, take the rope."





Even in pain, i couldn't help but smile over my own stupidity. She was right.


She was the only one i saw in the room. There was no sign of Julian or William.


"Wow." I started laughing, and it only made the pain even worse. I couldn't stop though. How the hell did she keep me alive? This was the shelter, over a mile away from the high rise!


I looked back up at the ceiling, a smile was still drawn on my lips.


"You're crazy, Spikes."


Seriously, what reason did she have? I couldn't think of anything. Maybe she wanted something in exchange. I didn't have anything special, though. Why was she still with Me?


"How and why did you...?"


I kept trying to think of why she helped me. She didn't sound as usual, either. It couldn't have been an act of kindness or humanity, could it? It had to be something else.

 

[Vespertide]

Spikes stopped in the middle of cleaning her blades. "I don't need to remember two deaths today. Besides, if you died, I'd have to deal with Julian, who's even more of an idiot than you, and I'd probably kill him myself. So there."


She put her blades back in their hidden places, and walked over to David. "Just say thank you and move on, idiot. You saved my life, I'm just returning the favor."


Glancing at her watch, she saw it was almost time. The most unpleasant part of this already horrid day was coming. She took a deep breath, and turned away from David, knowing what she had to do. A million emotions swirled around in her, and she couldn't pick one to be.


"The pain meds should kick in soon. I guessed on how much you needed."


She began to walk away, pulling a candle out from behind her jacket, in a small pouch that she kept at the small of her back, under her crossed swords. It was time.

 

[Vespertide]

((@Elijahpijah123 , we are waaaaaaaaay past that. Keep up.))

 

[RedZombieWolf]

William looked over and saw David waking up. Good thing too, because the stretcher just got there, "Ah, you're awake. Have a good nap did ya? Well break times over, let's get going."

 

[SkyChild]

I smiled again. Appearently, 'Idiot' was my new nickname. A sigh of relief left my throat when she said that the pain meds should kick in soon. She turned and started to walk out of the room, pulling something out from behind her jacket. I couldn't make out what it was.


"You're leaving without saying goodbye?"


Even if i swore to myself to not trust anybody, Spikes still saved my life. I was thankful. I now realised what she was holding; It was a candle. Why would she pull out a candle now?


She turned around, and the expression on her face was like an open book.


It hit me like a punch.


A million emotions passed through her face.


"Ah, you're awake. Have a good nap did ya?"


"Wha-? You?!" Seriously, out of all people, i expected him the least to be here.


"Let's get going."


"Wait. Get going to where?"


I had no idea what's going on.

 

[Elijahpijah123]

(>A>)(I never said i left. My character went to the shelter along with you.

 

[Vespertide]

Spikes glanced at William. "When did... Oh, nevermind. I'm not leaving. I just... I just have to take care of some things."

Well break times over, let's get going."

Spikes rolled her eyes at William. She seriously doubted David was going anywhere anytime soon.


"He just had surgery, William. We're not going anywhere yet."


She headed for the door, candle in hand, trying her very best to keep her face from showing what she was feeling. But her hand shook slightly as she gripped the candle, and she told herself to stop it. Why did she have to meet these blockheads days before today? Why not tomorrow, when she'd be fine and back to her old self?


She pressed her hand on the door. "I'll be back."

 

[SkyChild]

I'm not leaving. I just... I just have to take care of some things."

I unintentionally raised my eyebrows, surprised to hear that. She wasn't? But... She said she would, didn't she? "W-wait!--" Like the idiot i am, i tried to straighten up and regretted it immediately. Spikes already left through the door. She said she'd come back, so i should wait and ask what's up later. I let out a sigh as i layed back down. Even if she changed her mind, i still wanted to leave. But in this condition, i'm basically stuck here with the others. I turned my head to look at William, who, for some reason, was in the room as well.


I didn't trust this guy one bit. Out of all people, he gave me the worst feeling. I don't know why, he just did.


"You don't look like the kind of guy to be in a group." I commented, scanning the room for my backpack. There was stuff inside that i'd protect with my life.


After a while, i could feel the painkillers kicking in. The relief i felt was undescribeable. I forgot about my belongings for a moment and just enjoyed the peace.


I kept wondering what Spikes was doing. That candle... My new nickname might be 'idiot', but i'm not completely stupid. I cought a glimpse of her facial expression before she left the room, and she was very emotional at that moment. She kept checking her watch, too...


Was she going to light a candle for somebody? Is it somebody's birthday, or is it the anniversary of somebody's death today? Whatever it was, it was emotional, and i didn't want to bother her. Not like i could, anyway.

 

[Elijahpijah123]

As Julian wakes up, he saw David awake. He made a face of shock, and walked over to him. "I did not expect you to wake up. My idea was sort-of flawed. I'm sure you realized that."


He was really shocked to see him alive. In the apocalypse, if you were injured seriously, it was probably game over. Not for David, however.

 

[SkyChild]

I smiled when I saw Julian's shocked face. He didn't expect me to wake up any time soon. "Yeah. I didn't think i'd wake up again, either." I wasn't even joking. I thought i was a goner, for sure. "Next time when we decide to blow something up, we've got to make sure we make it out in time."


Next time? What am i saying? There is no next time.


The painkillers did their job well, and i could finally sit up. The mood was surprisingly good. It's like i finally woke up from a nightmare.

 

[Vespertide]

Spikes trudged up a small hill behind the fall out shelter, finding a flat chunk of concrete at the top of it. She decided that this would have to do, and set the candle down, reaching into her pouch for one of the precious matches. There were only four left, and she started out with six.


She scraped it against the concrete, a tiny flame appearing as she touched it to the wick. The sun was beginning to set behind her, and the candle glowed in the dusk.


Two years ago. Spikes remembered. Today makes it two years.


A sound behind her made her jump, but there was nothing there. Just the wind, rustling some garbage. There was a lot of that in the world today.


Slowly Spikes did what she always did when the anniversary came around. Unraveled what had happened, tried to understand the why's of it. But like every other year, she was still left with more questions than answers, more doubts than confirmations. And she didn't like it, so every year, she bottled it up, trudging on till the next time.


"It was six o'clock," Spikes recounted softly. "I had just put... put Abigail and Gavin to bed. We weren't expecting any attacks that night."


And there were none.


That was the worst part. Nothing attacked them that night. Spikes knelt on the platform, knowing she was alone. The tears began to roll down her cheeks, even though she fought them. It was two years ago. Two whole years had gone by, and yet it hit her like a freight train, like it had happened last night.


You put Abby to bed.


"No, I put it behind me. What's done is done."


Gavin called from his room.


Spikes shook her head. She was flashing back, and she didn't want to. She was strong, she was a fighter. What happened was in the past!


You went to him, telling Dean to go to bed, you'll deal with this.


It's. In. The. Past!


Gavin wanted one more story.


And you read him two. He was fast asleep after that, and it was your job to watch for infecteds. Your job. Dean was asleep in your room. Gavin was asleep. Abigail refused to sleep, the way newborns do. You let her cry it out.


Mistake number one.


You were exhausted. It was harvest day. And you thought you saw something move outside.


But you weren't sure, so you went outside without waking Dean and telling him to protect the kids.


Mistake number two.


And while you were outside....


"NO!"


Spikes screamed, jumping away from the candle, her swords in her hands in an instant, her breathing heavy. The tears had stopped. It took seconds before she was in control of her emotions, her feelings. Her past.


She sheathed her swords, bending down to the candle again. She didn't have to remember. But she should say a prayer for them. It was the only time she prayed.


"God our Father,


Your power brings us to birth,


Your providence guides our lives,


and by Your command we return to dust.


Lord, those who die still live in Your presence,


their lives change but do not end.


I pray in hope for my family,


relatives and friends,


and for all the dead known to You alone.


In company with Christ,


Who died and now lives,


may they rejoice in Your kingdom,


where all our tears are wiped away.


Unite us together again in one family,


to sing Your praise forever and ever.


Amen."


She had it memorized by now. Too many have died....

 

[Elijahpijah123]

"Next time, use a rope or something to avoid near death." He was wondering why he jumped without a rope in the first place. "Did Spikes leave us already?" He wouldn't be shocked if he said yes. After all, they almost got her killed.

 

[SkyChild]

(Honestly, David didn't use the rope because the dumb roleplayer forgot about it. Heh.)


"You're the second person to tell me that. Spikes didn't leave. She's just... Well, she has to do something. She'll be back soon." I had an idea of what was going on, but that didn't mean that it was true. It could've been something completely different from what i thought it was.

 

[Elijahpijah123]

Julian was wondering how they would get out. One was using the other explosives he couldn't hold and bring it to the wall which they were stuck in. The problem was that they were surrounded by Canadian Forces, around the wall of the zone. They didnt have the weapons to fend of an attack like that. As such, they would probably be murdered in 5 seconds. The other was to die, which would be more pleasant then being shot.


"How are we ever gonna get out of this rathole? Outside these walls? Because if any of us get injured again, its pretty much a done deal."

 

[SkyChild]

(Does this post even make sense...?)


I looked at him with an expression of disbelief. Getting out is nearly impossible. The Canadian Forces shoot first, and ask questions later. "It would take a miracle to get out." I said, letting out a sigh.


"But if i had to try, i'd go with subtlety, sneaking past them somehow. We don't have a chance against them."


I've been stuck in these walls for so long that i don't even know anymore what the world outside looks like. Is it like this place, or is it save? Is there a working civilisation?


The infection didn't spread, right? Because if it did, the Canadian Forces would have no reason to keep us in these walls any longer, right?


So many questions piled up over the years, but instead of answers, i just got more questions.


"A few months ago, a guy about my age went on his way to the walls. He told me he wanted to talk with the soldiers. Guess what? He never came back. And i don't think he didn't come back because he made it through. Are you really planning to try and get through?"

 

[Vespertide]

((Okay, being attacked by Canada... Who knew, right?))


Spikes heard the soldiers way before she saw them. Jumping over the concrete slab, she blew her candle out and stuffed it back into her secret pouch. She had whispered her prayer, so they probably didn't hear that. But how... How was their an actual, organized army? She thought that any government that had existed had been wiped out by the Infection.


But there they were, in uniforms and armed with rifles. The leader was clear too, he was on a...


Spikes blinked. Was that a horse?!?


She almost couldn't believe the spectacle that was happening before her eyes. The troops surrounded the fall out shelter, and luckily they didn't see her. Part of her wanted to stand up, tell them that she was here, but caution held her back. Just seeing people, normal people, and talking to them was a stretch for her. She'd best stay low and out of sight until she saw what they did.


((Okay, I'm assuming @Elijahpijah123 is controlling the soldiers. Anyone else want to give a few more details as to what's going on?))

 

[Elijahpijah123]

In one of the bases outside the walls, the Canadian Forces were checking a satellite. "We've got people who have explosives! They might escape!" "Then send a squad to take 'em out." They were taking no risks. They were gonna kill any threats to the future of Earth. "Yes sir."

 

[Vespertide]

Spikes felt a small burn on her hand. She had put her hand on the match, and it had left a scar. Or what would be a scar, if it was left to heal.

"We've got people who have explosives! They might escape!" "Then send a squad to take 'em out."

Not after I just dragged his body here, you idiots. Spikes thought indignantly. She slid out her swords, then after a moment, decided that her knives might be the best way of taking them out.


Except she'd need to be standing to be able to throw them accurately, and they had guns. Eh, guns. She always hated the things.


She narrowed her eyes. There were only two in the back; she could easily slide a sword between each of their necks and they wouldn't even scream. But these guys were human, people. They weren't infected.


Then one of them turned, glancing out over the hill she was on. The front of his uniform was exposed. And just like that, it all clicked.


Yeah, but she could do it. Because after all this time, she still didn't know what had happened that night, two years ago. But looking at those uniforms, she knew. They had done it. Intense relief filled her; it wasn't her fault. She remembered now, and didn't know why for two years she didn't before.


They killed her children. Her husband. And for no good reason. She saw something outside, and went to investigate. She then heard her baby, Abby, crying because she couldn't sleep. Spikes was about to head back in, when she first heard the shots. She remembered dashing around to the front of the house, before realizing they came from inside her home. Spikes pulled out her swords. She didn't exactly remember what happened next after that before she saw the uniform, but now she did.


There were three shots, three kills. And when she ran inside the house, she saw blood, everywhere. All at the same time so none would awake the others. There was screaming, and more blood as she killed every soldier who entered her house that night and destroyed the life she had worked so hard to build.


She really lost it when she saw Abby, though. A newborn, with a .45 through her tiny heart.


There was no way she was letting those soldiers live.


Fueled with a new passion, she stood up, her swords in hand, and did what she did best. Attack. She got the first two, no problem, before grabbing a third by his hair and holding a sword to his throat. She went to the leader, who was on horseback.


"I suggest," she said in a calm, crisp voice. "That you and your men vacate the area before I get any angrier. Not a fan of the army, if you couldn't tell."

 

[Elijahpijah123]

The leader pulled up his AK-47. "I suggest you let us take the explosives, and then we decide what to do with you." He was very determined to stop an escape. "You think you can stop our entire army? As soon as my men find a cure, we will kill you. Because we see everything on this little satellite." He pulled out a watch and showed her. "If you kill me, we airstrike."

 

[Vespertide]

Spikes shrugged. "I've done it before. And by airstriking you would only end up killing yourselves as well, so I suggest you come up with a new threat, or let the people inside go. They're innocent, and I've already killed two of your... men. I'll say it again. Order your troops to move away from the area, or I start slicing. Your choice."

 

[Elijahpijah123]

"All i will do is offer you...a little less painful experience when we get a hold of you." He fired a pistol in the air and pulled out a radio. "Demo team 1, head towards the fallout shelter." He turned the radio down as people headed to the shelter. "Do you want them to live or die?"


 
In the shelter, Julian was looking for some food, like chicken soup. "Would be nice to-" BANG! A gunshot went off above them. He heard clattering of feet. "What the?!" He opened the door and people pointed guns. "Woah! Whats going on?"

 

[SkyChild]

David flinched, and almost fell off the stretcher when he heard a gunshot flying over his head. He turned, and saw a group of people standing in the door frame, guns pointed at him and the others.


The military... Worse than any infected.


What did they want? They certainly didn't greet them in a friendly way...


Very slowly, he made his way to the backpack next to the stretcher as he stood up and raised his hands above his head, pretending to surrender.


The handguns were still inside... Right?


"What do you want?!"


He used his foot to open it and peeked inside.


They were still there.


He slowly creeped behind Julian so that he was harder to see, and his hand made it's way to the handguns in the backpack.


Hopefully they didn't notice that he was up to something... If they attack him physically, he wouldn't have a chance in his current condition.

 

[Vespertide]

Spikes glared, and narrowed her eyes. "Your choice."


She drew her blade against the soldiers throat, and began cutting down the soldiers. Knowing full well they had guns, she moved as fast as she could, making herself a very hard to hit moving target. She hoped that David and Julian and the rest of them wouldn't come outside, because if they did, they would see her go down. And she definitely didn't want Julian to see that. He was just a kid.


I'm not going to get out of this one, Spikes realized as she fought her way through the soldiers, making her way towards the leader. But at least now I'm at peace.