Fantasy Seeking the Light (1x1)

[sollie]

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Seeking The Light

main story! I'll add more later!

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© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

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Exhilirated

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

my lungs burn, reminding me I'm still alive

Sophia Adair never rocked the boat. Even on accident.

But as she barrelled down the empty street of her neighborhood towards the fence that kept things out, she had a feeling once her Father found out she was missing, the boat would be more than rocked. It would capsize. Her lungs burned as she ran hard and fast, clutching onto the small backpack she prepared the night before. Hopefully, she’d be back soon. Back with something that could help everyone inside the city, not just her family.

Taking a hard left, the woman stumbled, trying to regain her pace as she continued on. While normally there would be at least a dozen Enforcers lining the fence, their attention was drawn elsewhere. Sentencing days were especially busy, especially when they were sentencing one of their own. Sophia didn’t keep up with it, advised by her father not to busy herself in the lives of those that she didn’t need to. But at times… She couldn’t help. Besides, the crime was completely unclear in this case. So they likely wouldn’t execute the accused.

Her lungs cried out for respite which they wouldn’t receive. She couldn’t afford getting caught. This plan was devised many months prior and took meticulous care on her part to figure out guard shifts, find the supplies she thought she would need, and finally execute the plan. Knowing how watchful her father was, it would be near impossible to slip away without such a plan. And her stupid bodyguard. It was as though she had a dog following her around at all times. It was a wonder he wasn’t following after her even as she chased the fence.

Finally, she reached the tall fence. It was much more like a wall than a fence in her opinion. Reaching at least twelve feet, the thick metal wall served as the first line of defense between the Infected and healthy. They couldn’t climb, as far as she knew, and the thick metal was impossible to break through.

Her eyes scanned the length of the wall, searching for the indention on the paneling. Enforcers took shifts watching outside the wall, surveying for the Infected or others that wished to disrupt peace inside the city. Grinning when she found it and jamming her fingers inside, she pulled until there was a click. The panel swung open revealing a small passageway and a ladder. “You would think there would’ve been a lock or something…” Sophia mumbled to herself as she crammed inside the small tunnel leading up. Shutting the panel behind her, she began to climb, sweaty hands clamoring onto metal rungs.

Her body ached, sore from running, tense from anxiety, and filled with a senseless hope. Never in her life had she even dared going outside the walls… But with a chance of saving thousands, it was a risk someone needed to make. And Sophia Adair was the one making it.

35 days. 2527 miles. All for the chance at curing the illness which plagued and killed so many.

Reaching the top of the ladder, she emerged, sucking in a deep breath. If she wasn’t claustrophobic before, the narrow tunnel which led to the top of the wall certainly made her. Looking out over the endless wasteland on the other side of the wall, Sophia stilled, taking in the surroundings. Hills stretched for miles on end and there was no telling what lay waiting for her out there. It reassured her, however, that for those endless miles, no Infected seemed to be roaming around. Luck was on her side. Finally snapping from her trance-like state, Sophia began her descent down an adjacent passageway. Her way out. Out of the city and towards the Cure.

So far so good, she thought to herself, smiling in satisfaction as she descended and emerged yet again. Although she thought it was strange she hadn’t seen a single Enforcer. Perhaps the Accused was a high level individual… She didn’t know. And she didn’t care. As she began out, making quick work of trekking away from the wall, and away from her home, the distant voices of two Enforcers made it to her ears.

“Are they headed our way?” One of them asked, gesturing to Sophia’s form. “Nah, I don’t think so…”

Sophia’s heart pounded in her chest, turning to look at the two Enforcers which hadn’t seemed to recognize her. A red point followed on her forehead. Her eyes stared widely at the Enforcer, swallowing the fear which ran through her body.

“Hey wait… Doesn’t that look like…” The other Enforcer nudged him, shaking his head. “Dude, you’re clearly seeing things. Just knock it off. Let's just get the perimeter checked off…”

Watching their figures trail away, Sophia turned on her heels, making a b-line for the horizon. The more distance she could get between her and the wall, the safer she would be in her opinion. Though she felt tired, her goal was clear. And her body, however exhausted, however drained, would have to continue until she found shelter for the night. She would need to travel quickly to make it to Toronto…

Being humanities hope was difficult…

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© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
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  all alone

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
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Anxious

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

The blue sky was dotted with fluffy, white clouds that drifted lazily in the gentle breeze. The blazing midday sun shone relentlessly on the city. Its road shimmered in the heat, the sun bathing the fenced city in its warm light. It should have been a beautiful day.

But it wasn't. At least not for Diego Santiago Sainz.

His arms were pulled backwards to rest against his back, metal cuffs rubbing against his sensitive skin. For the first time in many years, the man was clothed in civilian clothes. Wearing a pair of olive drab utility pants, and a simple t-shirt in a darker shade, the change in demeanour was drastic. Two soldiers accompanied the brunet as he was lead down the quiet city streets, people peering out of their apartment windows to take a look at the accused. One of their own. A traitor in the military's eyes - a gentle soul in the population's.

The fence grew larger as the men approached. Enforcers walked alongside the barrier, holding automatic rifles in their hands, finger always on the trigger - ready to shoot. It was then that Diego truly understood what was about to happen. The city kept people safe. They had built a fence around it, and were busy constructing large cement walls for extra protection. People inside of the city survived. There was no such thing for those who weren't as lucky. The young man felt himself slow down, his heartbeat; however, speeding up. Shakily, he exhaled.

One of the soldiers accompanying the accused to the border nudged the latter, urging him to keep moving. Hesitantly, Diego did so. As they approached the barbed wire fence even more, the brunet could finally recognize a small crowd of people in the near distance. Important people, only, of course. Every member of the City Council was present, as were the few men in charge of upholding the law. General Hawkins, a fifty-something male who always looked like he was in severe pain. Diego remembered him well. The man had given the brunet his patch upon his graduation from the military academy, three years ago.

As soon as someone spotted the approaching trio, the soldiers accompanying Diego grabbed him by his arms, forcefully nudging him forwards. They let go of him as he stood in front of the gate, turning the latter around so he would face the crowd - and with it, the city. It was rather cruel, so Diego thought, that in possibly his last moments alive, they would make him stare at his home. The brunet gulped nervously, glancing around, searching the many figures for more familiar faces. His parents weren't there.

"Diego Santiago Sainz.", General Hawkins spoke up, his deep and authoritarian voice shutting the other, meaningless conversations, down immediately. "You stand here as the accused today." Once again, Diego felt as though he was unable to breathe. His heart threatened to jump out of his body, ripping through his ribcage and leaving a hole in his chest. "Over the last three years, you have been written up fifty-three times for insubordination, as a failure of following direct orders from your superiors." Diego inhaled sharply, his giant, doe-like eyes, staring anxiously ahead. "Unwilling to kill."

Instantly, Diego felt all of the crowd's eyes on him. "You were arrested three months ago, as of today." The brunet remembered it clearly. He was asleep in his shared flat when some of his coworkers suddenly barged into his bedroom. They forced him up, yelling a bunch of insults as they wrapped tight handcuffs around his wrists. The young man then spent the next days - no, weeks - inside of a moist, and mouldy, prison cell. There was no attempt at defending one's actions. Decisions were taken by the City Council, and the accused had no say in the entire process whatsoever. There were only three options anyway. Diego could be spoken free of his crimes, or he could be either executed on the spot, or exiled to live outside of the city walls. The man honestly didn't know which option was the best.

"The City Council has come to a decision." Diego held his breath. "You are to be exiled from the safety of the city, forever."

The brunet felt like he should have been happy. He wasn't going to be executed. He would live to see another day. And yet, Diego couldn't help but feel like this wasn't right. Being exiled was perhaps the cruelest way to send somebody to their inevitable death. How was he supposed to survive only a single night outside? The forest was crawling with mutated animals, with Infected, and with other dangers. No, Diego wasn't happy. This was perhaps the worst possible outcome. And for what? All because the man wasn't willing to shoot people in cold blood, over stealing some bread to survive. No, none of this was fair.

"You will be given a backpack with enough rations to last you three days.", General Hawkins continued. Everyone knew what he meant with these words. If he'll even last three days at all. "Good luck." And with those last, parting words, the General stepped back, giving the command to one of the soldiers guarding the accused to free him of the cuffs. Diego felt like it was getting harder to breathe with every second that passed. He hardly even noticed when his wrists were freed of the suffocating metal, feeling as though the world was suddenly moving in slow-motion. As promised, a bag was dropped at his feet, a thin jacket on top of it. That wasn't going to help him with the cold, either.

Diego snapped back to reality as the gate behind him creaked, turning to find that one of the soldiers had opened it for him. He felt the crowd watching, anticipating what the brunet would do. He could try to gain control of the soldier's weapons and fight his way back inside, but they all knew it was pointless. The brunet finally, slowly, reached down to pick up the jacket and backpack. Wriggling his arms through the fabric, the young man finally threw the backpack over one shoulder, taking one last look at the city he used to love so much. He had been born there, gone to school there. He had grown up there. And now he was going to be exiled, never to return to his home again. What was to become of his parents?

Someone cleared their throat, once again making Diego snap back to reality. Exhaling sharply for the twentieth time in a row, the young man finally turned his back to the city, strutting out towards the forest, unaware of what the future would hold.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

• 11111111111
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Terrified

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

on step forward, two steps back.

As she parted from the rolling hills right outside of the city, the thick of the forest became increasingly eerie. Passing through the shaded area seemed to be a good idea. More places to hide if she came upon someone– or something– that wanted to harm her, the coverage of the trees and forest plants would allow her a quick escape. Or, at least, logically, that’s what Sophia thought. All her pondering and thinking on what it would be outside the wall were hypothetical. Only traitors and highly trained Enforcers in vehicles were permitted outside the walls. Those born in the After were warned of the dangers of the world, everything that could kill you, eat you, or infect you. Schools emphasized this. But part of Sophia wondered if it wasn’t all a bit… hyperbolic.

As she traversed the forest, she thought to herself. The conditions weren’t as dreadful as she’d been warned of in school. No hoards of Infected roaming around, preying on any innocent soul. The forest was quiet and tranquil and it was beautiful. While there was an adequate amount of greenery in her neighborhood, forests like this were only spoken of and shown in pictures. And pictures of forests never took her breath away like walking through one. Looking up towards the forest top, the sunlight filtering in through the trees seemed ethereal and otherworldly. It warmed her face and put a smile on her gentle features.

Though she had many miles to go, her spirits were being lifted the further and the deeper she traversed into the forest. Why would anyone keep the beauty of all this from the residents of the city? Advertised as safe and good… But this didn’t seem bad at all!

Sophia hummed to herself as she clutched to her backpack, taking observations of the vegetation in the forest. She’d studied a lot about berries. Before, they were one of the natural things that could kill a person. Not mutated, not Infected, but simply a defense mechanism to protect itself. They disguised themselves similarly to good berries, only to cause fatality to any one who consumed or digested it. Sophia thought nature was such a fascinating thing, and so many people barely got to experience it.

A snap of a branch caused her head to jerk, looking back at the leafy abyss with furrowed eyebrows, taking a cautious step back. “Hello?” She called quietly, feeling her heartbeat increase and speed up. Her head had been in the clouds too long and now she was falling from the sky. “Is anyone there?” As she took slow steps back, another branch jumped to her throat. One snap after another and Sophie knew she couldn’t wait any longer, turning on her heel and starting her escape from whatever or whoever had been stalking her. Her legs carried her fast as she stumbled through the bramble and brush of the overgrown forest. Batting away limbs, Sophia breathed heavily. She could not die like this. Not this soon. Not when she’d barely begun.

As she ran faster and harder, maybe even faster and harder than she had inside the walls, she took a moment in her running to look behind her, nearing the edge of the forest quickly. Mistake number one, for as soon as Sophie looked behind her, the coordination of her feet failed, stumbling over a twisted root. She went tumble, ankle now nastily twisted. Cursing to herself and crying out in pain, she held her arms to protect herself, curled into a ball as if that would save her from her demise. “Please don’t hurt me!” She exclaimed fearfully.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
• 2222222222

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  not alone?

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  tag! put your tags here!!
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Curious, slightly terrified

CA, The Forestl

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run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

Although Diego was absolutely terrified, the rich brown earthen hues of the forest ground seemed to calm his nerves. His hands held tightly onto the straps of his backpack, the man walking steadily deeper into the unknown land. The seasons had been harsh, stripping away the bark and outer layers of the trees surrounding him, though he thought it just rendered them a lot more beautiful. Leaves were scattered across the ground, the forest floor woven with ancient tree roots. A light filtered by the bouquet of foliage above shone down, a softened, verdant yellow. The forest scent freshly aromatic. The brunet allowed himself to tilt his head upward, noting the giant size of the pine trees around him. They were several houses tall, reaching towards the golden rays of the sun. He felt the gentle warmth, observing how the sky was darker blue the higher he let his eyes wander. It was truly a stunning sight.

Birdsong would occasionally come in lulls and bursts, the silence and the singing working together as well as any improvised melody. After the rain of the previous days, Diego could see the dark mud of the path, although the pine needles on top were already pale and moving with the breeze. The soil was so damp that the worms had surfaced to breathe, the brunet stopping for a second to watch the strange pink, limbless creatures. They were big, definitely larger than they had been before the virus. Their backs were covered in hair, a dozen pairs of eyes littering their... head? Diego was confused in general, how come they didn't have any limbs at all? Shaking his head in disgust, the man felt shivers run down his space. Gosh, these forest animals were truly disgusting.

Diego continued on his way, not paying much attention to the unmarked path ahead, his mind still set on taking in the beautiful sight. The brunet only flinched as he stepped on a twig, the stick snapping under his boot. This was perhaps the scariest sound one could hear in the forest, especially if one was alone. Exhaling-

"Hello?"

Diego froze in a second, feeling his heartbeat fasten once again. He wasn't alone? The voice sounded once more. It actually didn't seem to be that far away. Without thinking it over, the man started running, not paying the soil underneath him any mind. Leaves crunched and twigs snapped as his heavy boots hit the damp forest floor, the former soldier already feeling his lungs starting to burn as he sped up even more. The forest was nothing but a green and brown blur as he dashed past various trees, shrubs, and plants, his mind now set on finding the other person in the woods. As he advanced, his brown eyes managed to spot a moving figure in the distance. Slim built, blonde hair, white skin - no ash-black blisters on their skin. This wasn't an Infected, this was an actual human being.

"Wait! Stop!", Diego called out, upping his pace once more. He was lucky that his military training came in handy, as it had kept him in top form. The man continued running, narrowing his eyes as he suddenly lost sight of the person he was chasing. No, it couldn't be that he had truly lost sight of the one other person in this forest, could it? The brunet came to an abrupt stop as he spotted a thick tree root sticking out of the forest floor. Exhaling sharply as he tried to catch his breath, his eyes fell on the person nearby, now not even a few feet away from him anymore. She was young, likely about the same age he was. The blonde had large, doe-like eyes, though they were a little harder to see as she raised her arms in an attempt to protect her form.

Curled up in a ball, likely hoping that this would protect her from getting hurt, the woman yelled at the brunet not to hurt her. Immediately, Diego raised his own hands, as if to signal that he was no threat to her whatsoever. "I'm not here to hurt you!", the man exclaimed, slowly lowering his own body to make himself appear smaller, almost as if he were trying to approach an injured animal. "You look hurt-" Diego moved slowly, allowing the woman to choose whether she wanted to allow him to approach or not. "Your ankle.", he gestured towards the woman's leg, her ankle slightly swollen and red already. She had likely tripped over the root from before. Taking a deep breath, Diego gulped nervously, "I'm Diego.", he introduced himself, "Diego Sainz. Do you... want me to take a look at that?"

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

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Concerned

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

on step forward, two steps back.

Whether this was an infected or someone with malicious intent, Sophia didn’t know. Through her guarded arms, she watched as the figure emerged from the forest looking well… Looking normal. Clean, healthy, and most certainly not like an Infected. But that still didn’t mean he meant her no harm. Though Sophia wished to believe in the goodness in everyone, as this was her first time outside the walls, she had to be cautious until she had more data to prove to her that this man wasn’t going to kill her.

Still, the gentle tone of his voice could sway her quickly, if she wasn’t careful. He had a gentle look in his eye, a soft gaze and a kind face. There was nothing about this man that screamed danger. Even if that assessment was wrong… Sophia had a feeling it wasn’t.

While she pushed herself away from him initially, her ankle throbbed in pain, causing the woman to wince in pain, looking down at the swelling ankle. That wasn’t good. Traveling over 3000 miles on a twisted ankle seemed to be like the biggest ‘fuck you’ from the universe she could recieve. Sophia waited cautiously, taking in this Diego Sainz for a moment. Studying his face, looking at his person for signs of a weapon. But just like her, he seemed completely unarmed. “I’m Sophia…” She spoke, her body unfurling from its defensive position. She shifted again, sucking in air as she tried putting pressure on her ankle. That wouldn’t do.

“I just need help up…” Sophia said simply, rolling to her knees and pushing herself to a standing, She clamored for Diego’s hand, steadying herself as she went to anxiously step on her injured foot. Faltering immediately, Sophia bit her cheek, hissing out in pain. It probably wasn’t a broken bone– she hoped. In school, her focus definitely wasn’t anatomy– she was far too focused on chemistry and biology of other things than to worry herself about the human body. Now, she seemed to be regretting that choice.

Cursing softly, Sophia shook her head, looking up to the stranger with wide, worried eyes. “I.. I have to get somewhere. Far away.” She said quickly. “Do you know anything about splinting?” She asked quickly, hoping maybe this stranger could provide her the necessary aid that could save her from having to rest for too long. Her journey was already a long one… Adding even a week onto that could be the difference between success and failure. Sophia felt dejected, not even finding success in the first twenty-four hours of leaving the wall. Was she truly cut out for this journey? Or was this a fantasy she’d concocted to escape her gilded cage.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
• 2222222222

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  not alone?

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  tag! put your tags here!!
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Intrigued, Anxious

CA, The Forest

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

The woman seemed uncomfortable at first, visibly pushing her body away from the brunet as he attempted to approach. It made sense, the man thought in the end. She had no idea who he was, and they all knew the stories of the traitors that lived outside of the city walls. Funnily enough, Diego was now one of them. "It's nice to meet you, Sophia.", the brunet muttered softly, watching as the blonde unfurled herself from her foetus position, slowly putting some pressure on her ankle. Although she didn't say much initially, the former soldier noticed that she was in a lot of pain. The woman proceeded to roll onto her knees, attempting to push herself up. With no hesitation whatsoever, Diego rushed to her side, offering her his hand and arm to steady herself on. She seemed in no position to walk anywhere.

"Where do you want to go?", Diego blurted out, shaking his head. It was no business of his, even if he was curious to know. Most people outside of the walls were here to survive. They didn't think of traveling anywhere unless they absolutely had to. And even then, most people didn't make it far. Bounty hunters, thieves, and killers were amongst those that roamed these forests, too. Not to mention the swarms of mutated animals and Infected wandering around as well. None of this was safe, especially not for Sophia. All by herself, and injured, too? She wasn't going to last a single day out here. The brunet gulped, nodding nervously as she spoke up once more, asking him if he knew anything about splinting.

"I am no doctor, but yes.", he replied, helping the blonde down onto the forest floor once more. This was where his military training was going to come in handy. He was no medic, by all means, but he was certified in First Aid, and Emergency Trauma Care. Not that he had actually ever been in a situation where he had needed either one of those. "I need a stick.", Diego thought aloud, glancing around the area. There were obviously enough twigs around for him to choose from. "But I don't have any bandage to wrap around your foot." Normally, one would start by wrapping tape around the victim's foot, starting around the ball of their foot below the toes. One would then work one's way up by wrapping the bandage several times around the foot and ankle in a figure-eight pattern. If possible, one could add a wooden plaque to keep the foot and hereby ankle, straight. The bandage obviously needed to be kept taut, too.

Muttering to himself, Diego threw his backpack off of his shoulder onto the muddy soil, zipping it open to see what things he had at hand. Rations, one bottle of water, and a flashlight. Really? That was all? "Okay, it's not going to work like this.", the man mumbled, growing a little anxious. He turned around to face the blonde, sighing. "You probably don't have any tape in your bag, either, do you?" Of course, she wouldn't. Who brought tape with them when they were exiled from the city? Absolutely no one did. Lifting his hand, the man ran his fingers through his locks, exhaling in frustration. "Okay. Okay." No, he wasn't going to give up that fast. "We need shelter." That was important.

"Do you think you can walk?" The blonde's ankle looked pretty bad. Diego wasn't sure if she was even going to manage getting up for a second time in a row. "Scratch that. I can carry you." Sophia didn't really seem super heavy. She was petite, and Diego knew he was strong enough to carry about twice his own weight. "I know that there must be houses around here, from before." After all, California had once been amongst North America's most populated States. Nature had already taken back many of the neighbourhoods, which once existed, though it was impossible to completely reclaim entire homes - right? "You can rest there, and I can look for tape. Maybe even a First Aid Kit." It was a long shot, and Diego knew this - but one of them had to remain stupidly optimistic, or their chances of survival would be zero to none.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

• 11111111111
• 2222222222

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• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  tag! put your tags here!!
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Concerned

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

on step forward, two steps back.

Obviously, Sophia wasn’t about to disclose her destination of choice to a man she’d met moments before. While she found it would perhaps be a wise idea to rely on him until she sorted her ankle out, he had no business knowing where she was going. Even if he seemed really nice. And very kind. It seemed their situation was a bit fraught, with no bandages, and no medical equipment. Sophia cursed herself for not thinking about bringing something as simple as a first aid kit or even a few bandages… Was that the only area she’d failed to consider or would more of her shortcomings appear in the next few days and weeks?

Her eyes scanned his bag, looking curiously at what it contained. It looked like government issued rations. And a flashlight. And as she observed the backpack, she couldn’t help but think it looked awfully familiar. Still, Sophia said nothing, keeping her observation to herself as she shifted against Diego. Making a face at his question, she shook her head. “The one amenity I don’t have…” She joked likely with a crooked smile.

Opening her mouth to respond to his second question, it seemed Diego had already moved onto the next topic. She found him endearing, and though she cautioned herself of growing fond of a stranger, she couldn’t help it. Diego was rather charming. She wondered what he’d done to get ejected from the city… That was one area she didn’t know much about. Her father reminded her not to worry with trivial things like crimes and sentencing. Still, a handsome murder didn’t sound like the kind of person she wanted to end up with.

“Shelter is good…” Sophia nodded her head, looking forward, past the edge of the forest. It seemed like there weren’t many homes past, they were in a rural area of the state, but a paved road with cracks and vegetation growing could lead them somewhere. Pointing her finger towards the road, she spoke. “Look. Surely we’ll run into a town or a house or… something.. Right? We should follow it…” Traveling on main roads wasn’t encouraged, but this was some country road in the middle of rural California, overgrown, under traveled and completely abandoned by all.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
• 2222222222

• 
  
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• 
  
  
  

  not alone.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  tag! put your tags here!!
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Worried

CA, The Forest

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

The blonde woman gestured towards the paved, cracked road in the distance. Plants and flowers were growing in the cracks, thick tree roots attempting to break through the cement even further. It was almost completely overgrown already. Nobody was foolish enough to travel on, what used to be years ago, a main road in the middle of rural California. "You are right.", Diego agreed, his gaze following along the path that lay ahead of them. "There have to be houses along that road somewhere." Most were likely abandoned. If they were lucky, they could maybe even raid out an abandoned store. The only issue was that Infected liked to hang around abandoned and empty buildings, which made this entire thing a little more dangerous than if the pair just stayed in the forest. At least here, it was less likely to run into Infected.

Diego didn't have a weapon, which was a concern to the man, on top of everything else. What would happen if they ran into a swarm of Infected? What would happen if they ran into other people, who potentially weren't interested in being kind to others? Sophia was injured, there wasn't much she was going to be able to do in such an event. The brunet shook his head. He was going to think of a solution to this problem if he encountered it. For now, it was important to find shelter for both of them, and hopefully some tape or bandage for the blonde's swollen ankle. "Okay, let's go." Diego closed his backpack, lifting it up over his shoulder to wriggle his arm through the first loop, repeating this with the second until the bag rested against the young man's back.

Finally, the former soldier turned to face Sophie, flashing her a gentle smile as he extended his arm to her. As soon as she reached for his hand, the man stepped back in order to pull her up to her two feet, quickly rushing to her side to help steady her. "I'm just going to...", hesitantly, as if to test the waters first, Diego wrapped his right arm around her torso, holding onto her. With his free hand, he guided her left arm to rest around his neck. "Hold on. You have to put your weight on me so you don't put any on your ankle." It wasn't the most comfortable position, especially considering that the man was taller than the woman, which meant he had to hold his torso in a strange manner. It was alright, though, as he didn't really seem to mind. All Diego wanted, was to help this kind stranger.

"Ready?" Slowly, Diego moved forward, making sure that Sophie was taking her time and not straining herself too much. "You tell me if it hurts and we stop to take a break, alright?" The man guided her towards the path, nodding to himself once they set foot on the cracked concrete. This was good. It would make it less likely for the blonde to trip and potentially hurt herself more. Glancing towards the left, and once to the right, the brunet furrowed his eyebrows. "My gut tells me to go left." Away from the city, into the unknown. It was incredibly dangerous, what they were doing. They both seemed to be completely unprepared as they set out on their journey, now relying on this complete stranger to help them reach their destination. "Let's go."

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

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Celebratory

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

hope is found even in the darkest of places.

It wasn’t new information that they would move slower together, especially with Sophia injured. It fascinated her why this stranger would help her get to help. Especially if he was exiled from the city, like most were. His clothes looked clean, his face unworn by what she presumed to be a harsh and unforgiving environment. And Sophia was pretty sure they didn’t do laundry outside the wall. At least, that’s what they told them in classes. But they also told them exiles were bloodthirsty, devious, criminals. And Diego didn’t seem bloodthirsty at all. Shaking her head, she pulled herself from her thoughts, looking forward and out to the road they were just about to take. She wondered just how much of a detour this would be? Had she ruined her plans by running from a harmless person?

Sighing softly, she adjusted her weight onto him, comfortably clinging to the man. They were about the same height, making it easy to use him as a crutch and easy for him to support her. “Thank you. For helping me…” Sophia offered with a soft smile as the two began moving, Sophia limping as they began down their path. “I thought you were an Infected.” She admitted with a half smile. The cracked pavement beneath her feet was much easier terrain to move on than the textured forest floor. Maybe they wouldn’t take so long to find a reminder of civilization out there after all.

Weeds sprouted up from the cracks in the pavement and vegetation as tall as them grew towards the sky, a reminder that even with human beings withered, the Earth still flourished and grew. Sophia’s perception of everything seemed so altered, even after a mere few hours of traversing the unknown terrain outside the wall. The things they were taught in school were necessary, good information, she thought. The teachers had their best interest in mind. After all, they were cultivating the next generations scientists, political leaders, teachers, and more.

She wanted to be a scientist. From the minute she started her school, there was something that ignited her mind about science. Biology. Chemistry… Even medicine. Daughters and sons that went to her academy didn’t become doctors, but they revolutionized the limited medical industry that existed inside the city. When she was younger, her older sister got sick. Shedidn’t remember much about it… but there was nothing much to be done. No medicine. No cure. No way to save her from death or execution or from becoming an Infected. It’s why she was so desperately trying to reach people that could bring that cure into the states. To save others like her sister.

Sophia lingered in quiet for a while, thinking to herself the logistics of correcting her path to Toronto. Once she settled, or maybe once she got away from Diego, she would pull her map up and revise things. But looking up, the thicket of forest that now came to view told her maybe she was going off course more than she anticipated. “I guess we have to get through this forest…” She murmured. It had to be done, but this forest seemed different. Darker. More dense. What Sophia found strange, however, was how the road looked. It appeared worn from tracks of something, like a road inside the city, or even in her neighborhood. She kept this observation to herself, eyebrows furrowing only slightly as she hummed softly. “We should go this way.” Sophia said surely, gesturing her head forward.

The two continued on the worn road, the only thing they could hear was the occasional rustle of leaves from the wind, but the serenity of the forest was almost eerie, as if they’d entered a portal to a different dimension. How many Infected could be hiding? And she couldn’t even run… Would Diego abandon her if he needed to? Sophia wouldn’t fault him if he did.

Squinting, Sophia’s heart almost leapt with joy, poking a finger at the outline of a house in the distance. “Diego! Diego look!” She cheered, grinning at the man. “A house… We found one!” She exclaimed, feeling her chest swell with joy and hope. Surely the house would have something in it that could get her ankle back to normal and send them on their way. “Let’s go!”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
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Curious

CA, The Forest

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

Sophia peered up to flash Diego a gentle smile, thanking him for his help. "Oh, you don't need to thank me." The brunet would always help someone who was in need of it. It didn't matter who they were, either. Diego would jump at the rescue of anyone. "I like helping people." This; however, had never been appreciated inside of the walls. The military government didn't want their soldiers handing out food to people who weren't able to buy any. The government needed that great divide between the rich and those barely getting by. It made it a whole lot easier to control them all. Diego had often gotten into trouble for stealing food off the soldiers' grand buffet, pocketing some so he could occasionally hand it out to children and people he saw during his patrols of the city. The young man seemed to have been the only soldier the poorer population wasn't afraid of. He wondered what would happen to them now that he wasn't around anymore.

Managing to chuckle lightly at the blonde's comment about fearing he was an Infected, the man flashed her a soft grin. "Ah, that's a mistake anyone could have made.", he teased, "I know that I totally look like an almost dead person covered in black and bloody blisters." Diego had never actually seen an Infected. All that he knew about them, he had been taught at school. The symptoms of the virus kicked in quick. It started with a runny, bloody nose. Then, blood would run out of an infected person's ears, and mouth. They would start coughing violently. They'd have a high fever. And then, slowly but surely, the blisters would start to appear all over their body. Apparently, these supposedly looked like large gashes, though the only difference was that it seemed like a parasite was eating away at their skin. Muscles and tendons were exposed, the skin blackening and dying off around it. If one was lucky enough, one would die within 48 hours of contracting the virus.

If one was unlucky, an infected person would slowly start losing their mind. Vivid hallucinations would plague them, the mutated version of the virus slowly settling in their brain until it zombified them. Soon enough, the person underneath would disappear entirely, and all that would be left was an Infected, their sole purpose being to find others, grouping together to then gang up on non-infected. Spreading their virus was all these... creatures, were then good for. It was absolutely terrifying to think of. "You know...", Diego spoke up, anxiously glancing around himself. The paved road gave him some feeling of safety, though the forest around the pair loomed eerily nearby. He felt as though they were being watched, and it was perhaps the most uncomfortable feeling he had ever experienced. "I hope I never actually run into an Infected." God knew that the brunet wouldn't live to see another day if he did, especially without carrying anything to defend himself with.

The two continued on the road, both keeping to themselves for a while. Both individuals seemed lost in their own little world, only focused on walking without tripping again. The sunlight faded behind the clouds hovering in the sky, the forest turning into a strange and quiet place. The sounds had all but vanished. It was eerie. The trees seemed to close in, choking out even more of what was left of the sunlight. Diego swore he thought he had seen a shadow move in the corner of his eye, though blamed it on his growing anxiety. The man feared that they would, at one point, run into something - or someone - they would not be able to fight off. Diego didn't want Sophie to get even more hurt, nor did he want to get injured himself. If both got hurt, they would definitely not make it another day out there.

Suddenly, the woman's voice pulled Diego back to reality, the young man blinking owlishly as she gestured towards a building in the difference. "Oh my God-", the brunet breathed, "It's a house!" The former soldier sped up, making sure that the blonde could still keep up with him as he walked.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

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Fight or Flight

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

hope is found even in the darkest of places.

The more Diego spoke, the more comfortable Sophia felt. She could tell by the way he talked Diego wouldn’t harm a fly. He had a kind soul, anyone with eyes could tell that. But it also begged the question… How long had Diego been outside the wall for? Sophia presumed most people existing outside the wall dealt with Infected on a daily basis, as it was one of the core reasons going outside of the wall was so dangerous and divisive. They trained special students in the Academy to prepare them for excursions outside the wall. While Sophia wanted to expound on that question, the sight of a house was far more exciting than questioning Diego’s experience outside the wall.

The woman practically pulled Diego forward with her limp, eagerly galloping towards the house. It didn’t look decayed, and it seemed to have been barely overtaken by plants, only a few creeping vines growing up the sides. Which was strange for a house in the middle of the forest. But Sophia’s optimism for shelter and hopefully medicine or supplies of some kind blinded her to any kind of danger a seemingly unabandoned house posed. “I can’t believe we found one so quickly!” She explained, as she looked for the entrance, eyes set on the goal. “Going left was definitely the right idea, Diego.”

One foot after the other, the pair neared the home, the leaf covered ground hid secrets and traps they could’ve never anticipated. Sophia’s booted foot pressed down on a thin trip wire and in an instant a pressurized arrow was being shot in their direction. It happened all so quickly, but Sophia’s instincts acted before her logical mind could. Tackling Diego to the ground, she landed atop the man, looking behind with wide eyes and a pounding heart. “What the hell was that?!” She exclaimed quietly, looking down at Diego with concerned eyes. This was like something she would read in books from Before. Flying arrows. Old houses. Maybe they were in a horror story or something…

Upon closer observation, however, it was clear to see the house wasn’t just covered in old leaves and decaying foliages from seasons before. Green grass peaked around the back. What the brown leaves covered were a plethora of dangerous looking items. Directly behind Diego’s head, the mouth of a spiked trap of some kind laid open. To Sophia’s right, the trip wire which activated some sort of flying arrows of some kind. She shifted, not moving from Diego, as she continued to scan the area. It looked like they were going to have to leave. Or lose their life. Someone obviously lived there and did not want company.

“Diego,” Sophia began in a whisper, suddenly horrified any word above a whisper would trigger another trap. “I think we need to get out of here…” Her eyebrows pinched together as she glanced at the door, it didn’t seem anyone was coming down to end their lives or boil their bones. Looking down at Diego, her eyes widened. “Your cheek…” She reached down, brushing the blood away from the small cut on his face. Shaking her head, she’d decided. “Let’s go… Now…”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sameera astor

the medic

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Threatened/Shooty

CA | Sameera's House

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

Years spent alone could take a toll on a person but even eighteen after her banishment from the City, Sameera Astor stayed in good health. Both physically and mentally. Her home brought her the most joy, built and designed over the years to protect her, feed her, and keep her mind occupied. Thankfully, the previous occupants left the home in pretty good shape. Stocked with rainwater, seeds a plenty, and an electric system that ran on solar energy, it was as though the homeowners prior to Sammy were prepping for the end times.

Oh yeah, because they were.

The safehaven Sammy called home, while on first inspection, seemed like an ordinary family home, taking a closer look, one would find a bunker, equipped with more guns than she’d seen in her life. Of course, it wasn’t until she was a teenager did she find it… But something about the house suited itself to a person living by themselves. All that she needed was barbed wire and an electric fence and everything would be perfect. But she couldn’t justify the energy depletion for an electric fence, and there wasn’t anywhere to get barbed wire. Plus, gas was hard to come by, especially out there. She had to conserve it for medical trips only. Plus, the piece of shit truck the previous owners had wasn’t worth a damn. Her work to try and get the battery back and running had failed time and time again. But it wasn’t like she could be a mechanic, electrician and a doctor.

So, for the past month, Sameera sat at home, listening to the radio as calls came in from miles away. Calls she couldn’t take. While she initially busied herself with attempting to fix the battery, too many times she feared she would bust it. A trip to a town to look for supplies was necessary. But unnecessary trips weren’t good this time of year. Any one knew the summer months blending into fall were prime time for Infected and looters to lurk about. Anyone looking to get their hands on good shit like guns, food, or a piece of shit truck. So Sammy kept her ass planted in her house, patiently waiting from winter to set in, letting the guilt of too many going without medical attention eat her up. Of course, any calls she could take, she did. But oftentimes the distances were tolling on foot and took days.

Leaning back at her desk, Sammy flipped through a book she’d traded months ago. Fiction. She liked fiction. They were entertaining enough, though she often wondered how outlandish writers from the Before were. There were plenty of books of all different genres, but fantasy and science-fiction were her favorite. Still, she skeptically read each of them, a raised eyebrow as her eyes quickly scanned the strings of words. Clicking her tongue, she sighed. “Why in the fuck would she beleive him so quickly?” The woman grumbled, flipping the page as she flipped. “They’re utter strangers… And he’s definitely gonna betray her…” Did she have a bookclub with herself? Well, if you considered talking to yourself about shitty Before books… then yes. Yes Sammy had a bookclub.

Unfortunately, the frightening beeping alarmed her, pulling her from the book. Shoving herself up straight, she groaned, looking at the system of monitors laid out in front of her, four showing different angles of her home and the property. And the two pointed in the side yard showing two dipshits that managed not to get killed or scared off by her safety measures. “What the hell…?” Pushing herself up, she grabbed her pistol from the table, making her way up the first set of steps.

The insane family before her had really decked the place out. Doomsday preppers, Sammy thought they were called. Not that they were wrong. But from what she’d heard… They weren’t exactly right in the head. Still, the mass amount of ammos, guns, and dehydrated food sure made her grateful.

Sucking in a deep breath, she made her way up the final set of stairs to the ground floor, narrow eyes cautiously looking forward. Sunlight filtered through the large windows of the kitchen and living room area. She liked the natural light, but always found it a bit dangerous when it came to unwanted company. Peering out, there was no sight of the intruders. Side door, she thought to herself. One step after the other, she made her way to the side, cautiously turning the door knob and emerging, gun trained on the two…

“Move and you’re dead.” Sameera said loud enough for them to hear. It was obvious the woman wasn’t threatening. It was a warning. “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck are you doing here?”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
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Terrified

CA, unfamiliar house

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

Diego was pulled forward by Sophia, the woman even more elated at spotting the building than he was. The house appeared to be in amazing shape. It didn't look abandoned, nor decayed after decades of standing in the midst of the forest. A few vines grew up the sides, though contrary to what Diego had always believed, there were no other plants growing in and around the home. The building actually looked like it had been taken well care of. It was a little strange, though neither the young woman nor the young man seemed to care much about this. For a second, Diego even believed that someone might still be living inside of that house. Although as unlikely as it could be, maybe the pair was lucky, and said person had a kind and gentle soul that would like to help them out.

His attention focused on approaching the building, the brunet's mind hadn't even grasped the possibility of traps. The pair approached the home, unbeknownst to what lay hidden under the leaf-covered ground beneath their boots. All it took was one wrong move-

The blonde's foot gently touched a thin trip wire, activating the deadly trap. Within an instant, an arrow was shot in their direction. Diego didn't even have time to think. Before he knew it, the arrow thinly raced past his face, Sophia tackling the man to the ground without him even still knowing what was happening. His heart was racing, eyes wide as he stared up at the blonde atop of him. "What the fuck just happened?!", the brunet muttered under his breath, glancing down at his body as if to check that he hadn't lost any limbs. Exhaling shakily, the man attempted to glance around, noting the mouth of a spiked trap of some kind laid open behind his head. "What crazy person lives here?!", the man whispered angrily, gulping nervously.

Sophia didn't shift from the man, still lying on top of him as she looked around. Her whisper sent shivers down the man's spine. "Yes- we do.", he agreed, inhaling sharply as he tried to calm down. Suddenly, the blonde's eyes widened, mentioning the brunet's cheek. Diego hadn't even noticed himself. The slight stinging sensation made sense now. Slowly, Sophie's hand reached down, her finger gently brushing against the former soldier's skin to wipe away the blood. Once again, Diego nodded in agreement, "Let's go before we get hurt again-"

"Move and you're dead."

An unfamiliar voice startled the brunet to the point where he almost slapped Sophia in response. Anxiously, he attempted to figure out where the voice was coming from. It was direct, harsh, even. This woman wasn't playing around. It was then that the young man spotted the familiar sight of a gun trained in his direction. "Do what she says.", the brunet warned Sophia, gulping nervously. "Please don't shoot!", Diego finally called out, hoping to fend off the woman's potential happy trigger finger. "We mean no harm!" The former soldier was too terrified to even lift his arms up in the air to signal that he was unarmed, too afraid the woman might shoot after all.

"I'm Diego! This is Sophia!", the man continued, his breath still shaky as he spoke, "We were just looking for some-" Once again, Diego had to take a deep breath. "We were just looking for some medical supplies! Some bandage and- and a splint, maybe!" Telling this unfamiliar woman that the blonde was hurt might have been a bad move, as she could have easily then decided to go for the kill. Perhaps; however, the woman would realize that these two were no threat to her. Maybe she even knew where one could find supplies. "We didn't know this house belonged to someone!" Diego's eyes met Sophia's gaze, both equally as terrified as the other. "Please- we are unarmed. Just let us go and we'll go on our way!"

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

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Terrified

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

hope is found even in the darkest of places.

Sophia’s body stiffened, fear running through every fiber of her being as the voice threatened them. God, how could they be so stupid as to think a house untouched and unreclaimed by the Earth was uninhabited? How could she be so stupid? But that wasn’t the kind of thing they needed to worry about inside the Walls. She had a home, as did her neighbors and everyone in the community. Sophia assumed that those that lived in the City lived the same. They all had houses that all looked about the same, she thought.

She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking breaths coming out quickly. Her arms shook as she hovered above Diego, trying to make sure she didn’t move. After all, Sophia didn’t want to be dead, if she was being completely honest. But holding herself up like this prompted her arms to quiver from fear and effort.

“I-I injured my leg a few miles back! We're not sick, I promise.” Sophia called after Diego finished. It was difficult to speak. It felt like she was attempting to talk over her beating heart, which was in her throat. If this was the end of their journey, and there was some sort of afterlife or heaven, Sophia would never forgive herself for getting them killed like this. All because she tripped over the root of a twisted tree and hurt herself… If she couldn’t get to Toronto… If she couldn’t bring the cure back to California… And all without ever saying goodbye to her parents. And her friends. Her community.

Sophia could feel tears welling in her eyes as her brain went over all the possible scenarios where she died without doing anything significant with her life. Despite this momentary lapse of pessimism, the fact that the woman aiming a gun at them hadn’t shot was a good sign. Sophia still had breath in her lungs and the shake of her arms and burn of her muscles reminded her she was still alive. And as long as she was alive, her mission could still be completed. “J-just let us leave and we won’t be a bother…!”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sameera astor

the medic

• 11111111111
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Threatened/Shooty

CA | Sameera's House

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

They sounded young. They didn’t look ill. Or Infected. But Sammy knew better than to trust unassuming individuals freely. She took a step forward and down the stairs, the old wood groaning underneath her wait, clearly worn from years of weather damage. The girl’s body shifted to one side, it was obvious it was too painful to put weight on her ankle. She was injured. They weren’t lying. Or perhaps they were stupendous actors. Sameera wouldn’t put it past these strangers.

“Medical supplies aren’t exactly easy to find.” Sammy began, keeping her gun trained on the pair. Of course, the woman knew her house was stocked with a hospital’s worth of supplies. But it had taken years to build up such a stockpile. Too many weeks spent rummaging through abandoned hospitals and doctors offices… Did these people know something about it? And if they did, how did they find out? If they went telling everyone and their sister about Sammy’s stash she’d be overrun with raiders in a week's time.

Unless she killed them. If they were dead, they wouldn’t be able to tell anyone.

She took another step, her finger moving slowly to the trigger as she took a deep breath. There were people relying on her. Pregnant mother’s, sick children, injured families. Tens of lives that were relying on her supplies and her safety. Killing two people for the sake of twenty? It seemed reasonable. But they looked so… earnest. Her lips pursed together.

She expertly weaved through the minefield of traps she’d set and reset hundreds of times, hovering over the two bodies as she observed them. “If I help you,” She began. “You’ll go out and tell all your buddies about it. And in a week's time I’ll have idiots runnin’ out my ears asking for help. And if I let you go, you’ll do the same. I could just kill you. Or let you kill yourself on the way leaving.” Sammy said simply, her piercing eyes looking down at Diego. “Why should I help you?”

It was a genuine question. In this world, in the After, no one got kindness for free. Necessity called for trades, eye for an eye, whatever it was. And Sammy wasn’t exempt to the rules of the After. Naive kids couldn’t pull one over on her just because they thought they could outsmart her, she’d dealt with far too many people like that. After a moment more of their silence, she grabbed the girl's arm, yanking her up and keeping her gun trained on Diego.

“Give me your backpack and coat. Now.” She hated her soft heart. She hated how she couldn’t just make the tough decisions she needed to to protect herself. But as the girl slumped and struggled on her leg, she couldn’t help but feel pity for the girl. Still, she needed to make precautions to prevent her demise. The girl tossed the jacket and backpack on the ground and Sammy went to pat her down. No weapon. That was a good sign. They hadn’t lied to her. Yet.

“You. Get up.” She gestured at Diego with the gun. “Same thing. Backpack and jacket. Now.”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
• 2222222222

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Terrified

CA, unfamiliar house

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

Diego trembled as he watched the unfamiliar woman descend the staircase, weaving through her minefield of traps until she finally came to a halt next to the duo, observing them quietly. The young man's eyes trained to Sophia's face, noting the sheer terror. Her arms were shaking, barely able to keep her body afloat anymore. The brunet would help her - but alas, if he moved, the other woman would kill him without hesitation. Finally, his eyes returned to the brunette as she spoke up, the former soldier gulping nervously at her words. It would be a bad idea to tell her that he didn't have any so-called buddies out here. Not inside of the city, either. Diego doubted Sophie had some herself.

"Why should I help you?"

The question made sense to the man. Why would this woman help these two strangers? She didn't know if they were telling the truth, or if they had some evil plan in mind to overthrow her somehow. The brunet didn't even know what he should say to her to answer her query. There was no answer he could provide that would convince the woman entirely. The only thing Diego could do was stare at the brunette's face, his own eyes large and filled with fear. It had been a grave mistake coming here. What if his and Sophia's futures were doomed now? The two youngsters' biggest fear had been to run into an Infected. Neither one of them had feared getting killed by another human.

Suddenly, the woman reached forward, grabbing Sophia's arm to yank her up to her two feet. Diego gasped in shock, immediately attempting to reach for the blonde's arm to pull her back - only to realize that the home owner's gun was sill trained on him. Slowly, the brunet lifted his arms above his head once more, watching helplessly as his friend struggled to even remain standing on her own. Sophia finally tossed her jacket and backpack on the ground, Diego narrowing his eyes as the brunette stepped forward to pat her down. Okay. This wasn't all too bad. Maybe the woman just needed to make sure that the blonde wasn't armed. Diego inhaled sharply as if to catch his breath, attempting to calm his nerves. He was a military man, after all. Why was he so anxious in this situation?

“You. Get up. Same thing. Backpack and jacket. Now.”

Frantically, Diego nodded, slowly stumbling up onto his two feet. Moving slow, the man swung his backpack over his shoulder to gently toss it towards the brunette. He kept his eyes focused on her, his one hand still held innocently in front of his body to display the fact that he was unarmed, once again. "Please don't shoot.", the former soldier pleaded, carefully wriggling his arm out of his jacket's sleeve before finally tossing the piece of fabric onto the floor as well. The home owner could definitely take a look at his backpack, though she wouldn't find anything of interest. Some rations, a flashlight, and a bottle of water. No gun, no knife, no map - no nothing.

Without even being asked to do so, Diego shifted, spreading his arms and legs wide so the brunette could easily pat him down as well. Finally, his eyes trained back to Sophie once more, anxious as he whispered, "Are you okay?", into her direction.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sameera astor

the medic

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Threatened/Shooty

CA | Sameera's House

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

They were scared. Weak. Sammy was shocked to see they hadn’t been killed or infected by this point, but clearly, neither of them were showing signs. If the girl was any indication of their ability in the wild, they would last a few more hours before encountering bad news. Getting hurt out here? Outside the city? It was a death sentence, especially if they were traveling. And it seemed like they were. Did either of them have common sense? Sammy doubted it considering how neither of them thought about checking before tromping up to a clearly occupied building.

Thankfully, the boy, Diego, was compliant enough, despite his chattering. “I’m not going to shoot you if you don’t give me a reason to shoot, idiot…” Sammy grumbled as he rose. She picked the jacket up first, feeling around for any weapons. None. Tossing it back to the ground, the backpack was next. And rather than shuffling for what was inside, she dumped the cloth bag out, watching as the items from inside fell to the ground. Still, no weapon. Sammy wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or call them idiots again.

Diego wasn’t old enough to be from Before, he most certainly wasn’t in the army, he was too young, but his demeanor and quick compliance perhaps was a sign of his occupation. An Enforcer. Someone working for the government of the LA settlement… While she encountered very few of them, their posture and demeanor was distinct. “How long have you been outside the city?” Sammy asked firmly, eyes going from Sophia to Diego. It wasn’t a question of if they’d come from the city, but when… People like them didn’t survive long outside the walls of comfort.

Impatiently so, Sammy didn’t wait for an answer, helping Sophia up. “Watch your step. One wrong move and you’ll get a spear to the abdomen.” Allowing Sophia to use her as a crutch, she gestured Diego forward, where her footsteps were still imprinted in the ground. “If you try anything funny…” Sammy warned as they headed for the porch and inside. Trusting others… It wasn’t wise.. But they were unarmed, unaware, and incapable. She’d kill them in an instant if they tried to trick her.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

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Terrified

CA, unfamiliar house

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

The brunette picked Diego's jacket up from the ground, watching as she felt around for any weapons. The woman wasn't going to find any. The government never sent exiled people away with anything they could use to defend themselves with in the outside world. Holding in a breath, the home owner finally tossed the jacket back to the ground, moving on to the former soldier's backpack. Dumping its contents out, the trio watched as the items rained down, littering the leaf-covered floor. As expected, not a single weapon was to be found. The young man only looked up from his belongings when the brunette spoke up once again, this time asking the duo how long they had been outside of the city for. They shouldn't have been surprised that the woman seemed to know so easily.

Surely no seasoned outside-survivor walked around getting their ankle twisted. "Like... three hours.", Diego answered honestly. The man didn't lie. He never saw the need to do so. The brunette would have known that he wasn't telling the truth anyway. "Maybe four." It couldn't have been much longer. Then again, Diego also didn't have a watch to check the time anyway. The man glanced over at Sophia, gauging her reaction. The blonde was likely in a similar situation as him. He didn't think she had been outside of the city for a long time yet either.

The brunette suddenly shifted, moving back towards Sophia to help her up, even allowing the blonde to use her as a crutch. Gesturing for Diego to move, the brunet did so without saying much in return. He made sure to follow the woman's footsteps exactly, not exactly wishing to trigger another trap. "How long have you lived here for?", Diego asked, knowing it was stupid to try and attempt to converse with the homeowner. They weren't going to be friends. Only mere seconds ago, this woman had almost killed the duo. "Outside of the city?"

He had heard of people who were born outside of the city walls. It was rare, and even rarer so that they made it past the age of five anyway. Diego sighed softly as he followed Sophia and the brunette towards the porch, finally entering the closed-off home. The windows were hammered shut with wooden panels, likely to keep Infected out. Anxiously, Diego kept his eyes glued on the blonde, making sure the brunette wasn't accidentally hurting her more. "So... you can help us then?", the former soldier spoke up, keeping his voice soft and rather quiet, "We just need some bandage to wrap her foot and ankle and make a splint."

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

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Nervous

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

hope is found even in the darkest of places.

They didn’t have much of a choice. After all, they were looking for help via bandages and the only person who appeared to have any of that had held them at gunpoint not but a few seconds prior. Still, she wanted to hope that this woman, however scary she was, had a good, kind heart. A heart that wanted to help two people that were down on their luck, injured, and seemed to not have any idea how the world worked outside of the walls. It was becoming jarringly obvious that both she and Diego were helpless out there…

Sophia leaned her weight on the shorter woman, thankful for her help. Had Sophia been comfortable, perhaps friends with the woman, she could’ve teased or joked around, but Sophia kept her mouth shut, and her hands clutched to the woman, hoping they weren’t being dragged inside the house only to be killed.

Her eyes and attention quickly went to Diego, giving him a look as he spilled information freely. Was his job inside the walls telling the truth? There weren’t lawyers, like from Before… Unless Diego was a really good liar but something about his answer made her think not. Nodding her head in agreement, Sophia sighed, lips pursed together as they made their way up the stairs, glancing down at her wrist watch. “Five hours, three minutes, and thirty-six seconds... Not very long, huh?” Sophia said, glancing at Diego, then the woman, then to the floor, wincing when she accidentally used her ankle to support herself. She felt pathetic, given her time. Not even half a day outside the wall and she was conversing with strangers, getting herself injured, and going completely off track.

What she really needed was a weapon… Or a vehicle… Or something to keep her protected and away from people. But that wasn’t happening soon, especially if this lady just shot them inside the house instead of out. But that’d be a whole lot of blood to clean up… She shuddered thinking about cleaning up blood, her blood. That was nightmare material. “Is this your house?” Sophia asked softly, making polite conversation similarly to Diego.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sameera astor

the medic

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Focused

CA | Sameera's House

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

Hours? These kids had been outside the walls for hours? It almost made her laugh.

It made sense, though, they were Freshie’s head to toe. And the boy, Diego, she’d determined was an Enforcer of some kind. But he was just a kid– She wondered how many civilians he killed? How many families he’d torn apart with the gallows just like hers? Banishing that thought from her head, and noticing Sophia struggling up the stairs, Sammy almost had half the mind to carry the girl. It seemed she was light, easy to pick up, but that didn’t bode well. Picking up a stranger and hauling ass inside… She shook her head at the thought.

“Long enough,” Sammy responded to Diego’s first question, opening the door and gesturing Diego in first, before letting Sophia go. Locking the plethora of locks behind her, her hand still clutched the hand gun in her waistband. “You ask too many questions. One more and I’m kicking you out, got it?”

This was far more talking than Sameera did in weeks. Even her patients didn’t chatter and prattle on as much as these two. They were babies, outside of the wall, freshly powered and wide eyes. A part of Sammy longed to have so much hope still in her, but the better part knew that they’d be killed with that attitude. “I’m equipped and prepared to take care of your friend's injury. But talking my ear off isn’t going to help. Stay put in here. Don’t move, don’t touch anything. Got it?” Sammy didn’t wait for a response. “Good.”

She and Sophia moved to a room adjacent to the living room, allowing the girl to sit down. Thankfully for Diego, it wasn’t out of sight. The open plan of the house was one that allowed someone to see through many rooms and from living room to dining room wasn’t much different. She disappeared down the hall, off to find a small medical kit. These kids were stupid, yes, but stupidity didn’t equal lack of brazenness. If she revealed her expanse of medical supplies now, they might jump her, or send others to do so. A simple first aid kit would do well.

Finally returning, Sammy kneeled down, lifting Sophia’s leg to rest on a chair and roll her pants back. “Swollen.” Touching around on the ankle with her fingers,searching for any sign of a broken bone. Thankfully for Sophia, she didn’t find one. “It’s just a rolled ankle. It’ll take a few days to heal, if that.” Removing her sock, Sammy went to work bracing and wrapping up the ankle, tight bandages moving around the girl's ankle to secure it in place. “No splint needed. But you’ll need rest. I don’t know where you’re going, but you need to find somewhere to sit still for a few days.”

“I can’t!” Sophia shouted, making Sammy draw back. “I just… I don’t have time to rest. I’m going somewhere… I can’t just stop.. It’s important… And… And if I stop… I might never get there.”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
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Terrified

CA, unfamiliar house

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

“Five hours, three minutes, and thirty-six seconds..."

Diego's gaze fell on Sophia, the brunet furrowing his brows softly. That really wasn't a long time the young woman had been in the outside world yet. It just made the man wonder who she was in reality. Why was she even outside at all? She didn't look like someone who would get exiled. Even if she were the type to break the law, the government would likely just marry her off to some of the rich politicians as a punishment. Diego had seen it happen often enough. Often enough his attempts to do anything against this had failed, ending up with him spending a night in a cell instead.

The former soldier glanced around the hallway as he continued following the brunette and Sophia. Upon entering what appeared to be the house's living room, the home owner told Diego to stay put. As if on command, the brunet remained standing in his spot. What if there were more traps hidden away somewhere, and the slightest of movements could trigger these? He watched, helpless once again, as the brunette moved Sophia to a room adjacent to the living room. The blonde sat down, Diego able to watch everything thanks to the open plan of the house. The young man hoped the blonde would be alright. Even if they had only met about an hour ago, he already felt a connection to her. He honestly felt like they were friends already.

Diego watched as the brunette returned with a small first aid, kneeling down in front of Sophia before lifting the blonde's leg to rest on a chair, rolling her pants back. The woman's ankle was obviously swollen. Diego hissed silently as he watched the brunette touch and prod, only imagining how much that would hurt. The home owner removed Sophia's sock, bracing and wrapping up the ankle as she wrapped a tight bandage around the blonde's ankle.

“No splint needed. But you’ll need rest. I don’t know where you’re going, but you need to find somewhere to sit still for a few days.”

That actually made sense. Diego was just happy she didn't need a splint. They only needed to find somewhere to rest now-

“I can’t! I just… I don’t have time to rest. I’m going somewhere… I can’t just stop.. It’s important… And… And if I stop… I might never get there.”

Diego flinched as Sophia raised her voice, the man anxiously waddling over to the room she was situated in - completely ignoring that the brunette had told him to stay put. "Calm down- are you okay?", he asked, placing his hand on the blonde's shoulder to offer her some type of comfort. "Where are you going that's so urgent you can't rest for a few days? If you keep using your ankle, you will only worsen the injury." Although a sprained ankle wasn't a severe injury, it still hurt like a bitch, and not giving it the rest it needed to heal was a bad idea. "I will stay with you. We rest for a bit, and then we can go wherever you want to go. You're hurt, you need to rest, Sophia."

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sophia adair

the rebel

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Determined

CA, Outside the Wall

[/tab]

hope is found even in the darkest of places.

Sophia shrugged Diego’s arm off, shaking her head. “Don’t tell me to calm down,” Sophia said firmly, her eyebrows furrowing. It was important that she got to Toronto. To the people she heard on the radio. To a cure. It wasn’t something she could just be calm down, especially when hundreds, thousands of lives in the LA settlement were resting on her returning safely, even if they didn’t know it. She shook her head, letting out a heavy sigh as she lowered her foot, obviously having the attention of both Diego and the woman.

“You don’t understand.” Neither of them would, but she couldn’t tell them who she was. Not just yet. That information was secret and to be honest, Sophia didn’t know what they would do to her if she told them she was the daughter of a Council Member. If the woman even knew what that was. Diego definitely knew… “I just don’t have the time, okay? And… What I’m doing is important. For everyone. Everyone in the LA settlement. And outside the wall… It’s just really, really important that I don’t stop.” She looked at Diego with wide eyes, begging him not to ask her to explain again. The woman was the one that looked truly skeptical.

“I’m going…” She hesitated, clearly wary of giving strangers any information but Diego and the woman both helped him… So that was good… “I’m going to Toronto.” Clutching her hands in her laps, she looked down, furrowed eyebrows. “They have scientists and doctors that can help the sick people.” While those that were infected were lost, the man on the radio said a vaccine– or a cure– or some kind of medicine was being developed in Canada. Something that could protect what little remains of humanity and civilization were left.

While Sophia didn’t know why they were giving that information to the LA settlement, she didn’t care. She needed to see for herself and bring back something that would make her life worth living again. “And I can’t wait out a few days, okay? I know I’m hurt, I know it’s a long distance to walk but–”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

sameera astor

the medic

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Swayed

CA | Sameera's House

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

“You’re walking?” Sammy couldn’t help but laugh. It was an inappropriate response, sure, but this girl, who had barely been outside the walls for six hours, was going to walk to Tornto. “That’s a month's journey on foot.” Sammy pushed herself up to stand, placing one hand on her hip. “And if you’re on foot with that ankle? You’ll die in a week or two. Do you even know what’s waiting for you out there? That’s thousands of miles of unknown territory.”

“I’m not afraid of Infected.” Sophia said strongly.

Sammy shook her head, the naivety of this girl was really impressive. She didn’t have the spirit of someone who lived in the walls. It was almost like a hero from a Before book, optimistic and brave and willing to do whatever it took to get there. “It’s not the Infected you should be afraid of. They’re easy to kill. It’s other people.” She explained. “But you don’t have a gun. Or anything, for a matter-of-fact. You have a two day supply ration, a flashlight, and some kid’s charms. The people that live out there… They’d eat you alive.”

It was a tough sentiment, but one she needed to make sure this girl understood. Diego and Sophia were lucky they ran into Sammy– At least she had a bit of humanity left but the people that lived further out were more monsters than the Infected. Heartless, wicked, evil people that wished nothing more than to torture others and protect themselves. There were places Sammy refused to go because of that. Places that reeked of blood, and were stained with the tears and blood of others. As much as Sammy wanted to help people past that… She couldn’t.

“You won’t make it far without a vehicle. And I’m betting you don’t even know how to drive.” She clicked her tongue. Folks from inside the city didn’t drive, they walked everywhere, which is likely how Sophia got the pipe dream that walking was even on the table. Idiots… Crossing her arms, Sammy hummed pensively. What was she thinking? She couldn’t help these kids. She didn’t have the time. And she didn’t owe them anything. And yet… Why was she considering it…?

Sophia could clearly tell that she wasn’t as determined to kick them out, for when she opened her mouth the next few words turned Sammy: “It’s for a cure. A vaccine. Medicine… Or something.”

A cure. It wasn’t impossible, but in the After, things were shite. There were rarely any scientists or doctors, all kept inside the walls and given to help Enforcers, or produce drugs… But Toronto… It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility… Especially after the things she’d heard on the radio.

The silence was palpable, thick with tension and apprehension as Sophia’s eyes bore into Sammy, waiting for the answer she wanted to hear… And Sammy couldn’t help but give it to them… “I have a truck.”

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[captain_bumblebee]

diego sainz

the soldier

• 11111111111
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Confused, Intrigued

CA, Sameera's house

[/tab]

run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

Sophia yanked Diego's arm off of her shoulder, a frown on her face as she spoke, sternly letting the man know not to tell her to calm down. Instinctively, the brunet stepped back, a pair of large, concerned eyes still glued to her form. The former soldier truly didn't understand much anymore. He had initially believed Sophia to be a runaway. Maybe she had a shitty husband, maybe a pair of shitty parents. Maybe she was an orphan who believed they could find a better world for them outside of the city walls. But what the blonde was talking about didn't sound like any of those possibilities. She had a concrete plan, one which apparently couldn't wait for much longer.

"I'm going to Toronto."

Diego blinked owlishly. Toronto? As a former soldier who had frequented the city's elite military academy, he had been taught all about the world and its geography. Toronto was up in Canada, not even in the US anymore.

"They have scientists and doctors that can help the sick people."

"Really?", Diego asked, not wanting to believe Sophia's words. If what she said was true, then perhaps humanity wasn't as lost as everyone thought it was. Maybe people could still be saved. Maybe these scientists were working on a vaccine. A single jab to keep someone from ever even attracting the virus and turning into an Infected. Or- even better: maybe they were working on a cure. A cure that would rid the world of Infected, that would bring them back somehow.

“And I can’t wait out a few days, okay? I know I’m hurt, I know it’s a long distance to walk but–”

Finally, the home owner chimed in - by laughing. Diego turned to face the woman, furrowing his eyebrows. Who did she think she was to laugh at Sophia like that? At least someone had the guts to go out into the world in order to try and save it. The same couldn't be said for more than half of the people still alive at the moment. And yes, Diego did agree with the brunette that a month's journey on foot wasn't a good idea, definitely not with the blonde's swollen ankle. Unknown territory could pose a problem, as well.

“I’m not afraid of Infected.”

Diego nodded in unison. The man was absolutely terrified of Infected, but for Sophia's sake - no, for humanity's sake, he would dare travel halfway across the States to get to that cure.

“It’s not the Infected you should be afraid of. They’re easy to kill. It’s other people. But you don’t have a gun. Or anything, for a matter-of-fact. You have a two day supply ration, a flashlight, and some kid’s charms. The people that live out there… They’d eat you alive.”

"Well, she won't be alone.", Diego finally spoke up again. His voice was determined, a strong sense of willpower in his posture as he rose to straighten his back. His eyes landed on the blonde, flashing her a confident smile. "I'm going with you." This was no longer a question of if Sophia wanted the company or not. Letting her go all by herself was completely out of the picture. Diego didn't have any purpose in the outside world anyway. Accompanying the blonde to her destination would at least give him some sort of purpose. And if he were to die on this journey, he at least would died with honor.

“You won’t make it far without a vehicle. And I’m betting you don’t even know how to drive.”

Okay, this woman was really pessimistic. So what if they didn't have a vehicle? Surely the duo would be able to find one someplace. "I'm sure driving isn't that difficult." Only a select few that went to the military academy were taught to drive. These were usually top-of-their-class-cadets, or higher-ups such as Captains, Majors and Generals. A mere on-foot soldier like Diego used to be had never even gotten into a vehicle before. "We will figure things out." Perhaps Diego was a little too optimistic, but the man couldn't help it. What was the use in giving up that easily? The brunet's gaze landed on the home owner once more, watching as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, humming pensively to herself. Was she thinking of helping them out even further?

Apparently, Sophia thought the same thing. The blonde opened her mouth once again, this time addressing the brunette directly as she spoke of a potential cure or vaccine. This only seemed to make the stranger think even harder. Diego felt himself hold his breath, unable to make a sound as his eyes kept jumping from the blonde to the brunette back to the blonde. He knew exactly what Sophia was doing. The question was whether this would work or not. This woman, after all, had almost killed the duo. What would make her want to help out this time?

“I have a truck.”

Diego's eyes shot towards the woman standing next to him. "For real?", he questioned, finally allowing himself to breathe again. His eyes grew wide, his pupils dilating in genuine surprise and euphoria. They had a truck, now. With that truck, they would be able to drive all the way to Toronto. How long would that take? A week, maybe? Diego had no idea. All he knew was that they actually had a chance now. Holding back a squeal, the young man turned to face the brunette, a grin on his lips. "I can't believe you want to help us! Thank you so much!" He almost seemed happier about this fact than Sophia. "What if we save the world?" If they returned to LA with a cure... surely they would all need to be allowed back into the city, right?

Diego exhaled, trying to shake off his excitement. "I really wish I could hug you, but I don't want you to shoot me.", the young man joked, laughing softly as he finally kneeled back down in front of Sophia. Lowering his voice, though his determination didn't fade one bit, "We'll go and make it to Toronto together, alright? I promise I'll make sure you get there, no matter the cost." Albeit a little dramatic perhaps, Diego was telling the truth.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[sollie]

sameera astor

the medic

• 11111111111
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Swayed

CA | Sameera's House

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

“Driving’ll get you killed if you think of it like that,” Sammy snapped, glaring at the Diego harshly. “You need to stop underestimating things outside the Walls. It’s not cushy and protected like in there. Things are fucking hard. And if you keep skipping around like a starry eyed dumbass you’ll get your ass handed to ya in two minutes flat. I’m glad you think the world is all rainbows and kittens, but if you want to survive, you need to start acting like everything out there wants to kill you.” Sameera said sternly, shaking her head in disdain at Diego’s gross optimism. That’s why they were here. It’s why they’d barely been outside the walls and were already injured.

The minute she opened her mouth about her truck, regret started sinking in. She should’ve assumed the overager and naive pair would be gushing at her even mentioning a vehicle. It made her scowl, eyebrows furrowing and face turning into a frown. Assuming: ‘makes an ass out of u and me.’ she’d heard once before. “I didn’t say I was going to help you.” Sammy said flatly, arms still crossed defensively on her chest. This boy needed to sober up before someone meaner came along and forced him to. “I said I have a truck. That’s all. I think you’re idiots for thinkin’ there’s a cure out there.” Shooting them down first was what Sammy needed to do. She couldn’t haul them to Toronto, but she could at least get them a few states over.

“But you two are clearly too dumb to get around on your own. If fools want to kill yourself trying to chase a fantasy, be my guest. I can only take you so far. And I ain’t helping you.” Sammy searched for some excuse, a lie she could tell to make sure they didn’t think she was doing this out of the goodness of her heart. “I’ve got supplies to pick up in Colorado. After that, y’all gotta figure it out on your own.” She sighed softly. There were good hospitals in Colorado, but that was so far out of her normal range that it made her wary. Of the folks they would run into along the way.

“I have one rule, if y’all come with me. Do what I say, when I say it. If we get into some shit out there and you’re foolin’ around not listenin’ to me, it’ll get all of us killed. Both of you gotta get your head out of the clouds if you’re gonna survive to Toronto after me.” Glancing up at the clock, she hummed. “We leave in an hour.” Since they didn’t carry anything with them, it was up to Sammy to pack for the journey. Sure, it would only be hours of driving, but giving them some stuff to live off of once they parted ways was the least she could do. “Make sure your girlfriends are all set to go. I’m going to pack supplies. Don’t mess with my shit.”

She went to leave, prepared to descend and grab at least half the guns in her basement, before stalling. “You can call me Sammy.” And like that, the woman was gone, off to pack and prepare for the longest journey she’d taken since being exiled from the walls. Honestly, Sammy didn’t know if the kids would survive… But hopefully, she’d get them half way there….

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