Realistic or Modern The Living Among The Dead

[l y s s a]

(Johnathon)





John was confused. Very confused. Even more so than the time one of his daughters tried to explain the action known as 'shipping', and why 'Sterek is the greatest couple ever and Malia is ruining it ALL'(Maia's words, not his). He was confused because one minute, he was quietly muttering to himself how stupid he was for not checking the gas tank, and the next? Well, he was staring bewildered at his rearview mirror because he could've swore he saw something that wasn't there before. In fact, he does swore- He means swear- that that car was not there a minute ago. And it sure as hell wasn't that damned close either.


A brief surge of panic filled him as the many, many possibilities that his paranoia was practically spoon-feeding him filled his head. Could it be that the hunters didn't fall for the ripped up sleeping bag? That they knew they were out of the forest? That they were on the their trail, and they were in that car? Was it something new? Like nice, non threatening, non psychotic and non murderous people with a good, not healthy but ever delicious bowl of Mac'N'Cheese? Did walkers gain some type of cognitive and coherent thought and learned how to drive?!


Okay, so maybe he needed to lay up on the night-reading.


Johnathon sighed, rolling his shoulders to relieve the building stress and tension from this moment. He was going to do something. Something stupid. Very stupid. So stupid, he would have to allow Shaye's newly formed yet entirely vulgar vocabulary to be thrown at him at the speed of light. He gulped nervously, looking at himself in the foldaway mirror, and did probably the riskiest thing he's done in months.


He stepped out the car, put on his friendliest smile, and yelled 'Hey there!'.


If these people weren't going to murder him, Shaye certainly was.


[ @planetic ]


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[The Mechanist]

Mikhail exhaled, he was done reminiscing and was feeling tired. Tiredly his feet marched towards the old cafe, he could finally feel fatigue consume his body. "Just for a couple of hours..." He told himself as he pushed the rotating door that was the cafes entrance. He went in, the aroma of cocoa beans was still present, albeit mixed with dirt, "just like old times..." The crunch of broken glass beneath his feet was all he could hear as he made his way to the cafe managers office, it would be the safest spot for him to rest up. The door was hidden behind some brewing machines but Mik was a frequent customer, he learned about it real quick. The door creaked open as he walked in, closing and locking the door behind him he looked around. The office surprisingly looked untouched, only a layer of dust over everything, the blinds to the window closed, only letting in a small amount light. Mik sighed and sat down on the big chair, moving it to a corner where both the window, which he made sure was also locked, as well as the door were in view. Soon darkness enveloped his vision as he drifted off to sleep.

 

[JokerValentine]

@Hollowed Kadaver


(Blake)


Blake continued to watch, his gaze never shifting from the man. He followed him with his scope. The way he looked, it seemed odd. He was all alone, and it was clearly in his own head. The way he slouched down, the distant look in his eyes, he wanted something, or someone. In this destitute city, filled with anything a survivalist wanted, he was more depleted than anything. He's on his own in the overgrown city of the dead. Where were they anyways? Then, he disappeaared, not to be seen. He was not in the view of the city anymore, as if he was gone. "I ought to meet him," Blake said, placing his gun to the side and getting up from his hiding spot. One day, he wouldn't be alone.

 

[Catharsis]

Nathan kept his eyes trained on the stranger in front of him, but now there was some guy behind him as well. "We're not going to use these unless we have to. Red, turn around. Who is that?" he said, speaking calmly to both his brother and the stranger. He put his knife down, still holding it by his side as he hooked on Nayla's leash. The dog wouldn't stop moving, and he could tell she was moments away from running to whomever it was behind him. Calm down Nayla.


(@planetic )


Red did as he was told for once and spun around in his heel, holding the gun up to the even-stranger-stranger. "Games over freak-bag. Shut the fuck up." he said, raising his voice to the man. He looked weird, and he was. Red could tell that just by the nonsense coming out of his mouth. Red looked to the car where his sister seemed to be ducked down for a moment and worried for them, this whole ordeal had already slid out of hand. He had to admit though, it was fun. "It's just some freak." Red replied to his brother, who he now stood back to back to. Red's eyes flashed back on the man. "Sit down. Now." he said, loosening Up on the trigger just a bit.


( @Opium )


Hailey slid down further and further into the floor as more people appeared. She did not like this. Didn't like it one bit. From her spot in the floor, she was still able to see and hear the interactions going on outside, and didn't like the way it was going. She had long since taken the keys out of the car and hid them in a place that would be quick for her to grab, but be hard for a stranger to find just in case something happened.


Maizy could hear the yelling outside, and it scared her. She didn't like swear words at all, and she had learned a knew on just in the past few minutes. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she rocked back and forth in the floor. She didn't dare to make a sound. She didn't want the people to know that she was there, and she wanted Nat to be okay. He's gonna be okay.. he's gonna be okay..

 

[The Mechanist]

Mikhail opened his eyes and looked around, "light levels are the same...I wasnt asleep for that long." Yawning he got off the chair and made his way to the window and peered outside. "Suns position, slight deviation from when i went to sleep, my guess 30-45 minute nap is what i took...Its adequate." Turning around he took in the offices appearance once more, it was homey, paintings of kittens on the wall, a filing cabinet and personal coffee machine was present. The desk was of a beautiful make, purple heart wood, polished though covered in dust now. "This would make a nice base for right now." Mik ran his hand over the desk disturbing the dust that had once lain there, his fingers tracing down to the drawer beneath the top area. It opened smoothly, within it were some pens and markers, a childs drawing. But what really caught his attention was a box of .357 rounds. "Oh, well what do we have here? Hmm, only 3 rounds...I'll take them anyways, may never know if I happen to actually find a .357 out here." The bullets jingled on eachother as they were dropped into his bag. Mik sighed and pulled out his nail gun, proceeding back to the chair he napped in earlier, now was a time for him to relax before he proceeded back out into the world.

 

[Annanas]

| Jeanne


She was frightened, like, really frightened, and this is why she was just staring at the car as if she hoped it would mysteriously burst into flames. But nothing like this happened, of course. She would not be able to turn the car around, because by the time, she had turned it halfway, the other person was able to put out their gun and target her calmly. Leaving the car, and running into the woods was also stupid, because all of her ownings were still in the trunk, and she couldn't just fetch it before running off. Jeanne was truly becoming desperate when something very weird happened. The door of the other car was opened, and a man got out. He had darker skin, and few black hair, and he looked ... nice. Well, he was smiling, and called something towards her. Jeanne swallowed. Okay, this could be a well played trap. Probably, he wanted to bail her up. Of course he wanted, why would he be nice to her? Then, she suddenly noticed two children on the backbench of the car, both of them sleeping, and the scales fell from her eyes. He was a father. Okay, calm down. Jeanne took a deep breath as lowered her window completely. She knew she was looking exhausted, her hair being still a mess, and the last time she had changed her top must have been a week ago. "Hello," she answered, still a bit distrustful. "I'm sorry, I was buried in thought, and didn't notice your car."


@\[color\=\#ffa64d\]MarenXDenominator12\[/color\]


| Heath


Shit, that man was smart enough to keep his eyes glued to him. They had the advantage of being two of them. "Alright," he said. "I won't attack you. I have neither a gun nor other weapons except from my knife and a bat." He rose his left hand into the air slowly while his other hand took the knife out of his right pocket, and left it on the floor. This was so stupid, and he felt helpless, but he was standing no chance. Then, he dropped his backpack, and withdrew his bat. He didn't say anything about the stapler in the left pocket, this one was for emergencies. Besides, he could easily whitewash it.


"And you'd be hella stupid if you were trying to bail me up, because I've got only canned soup and coke and uh notebooks."


@[COLOR=rgb(153,153,255)][FONT=Georgia]Lonelytaco[/COLOR][/FONT]

 

[opyim]

Instantaneously Kamar rejuvenate himself, deciphering the intervention of the situation. He promptly recuperate his firearm in obedience, though let it hang by his side as he glowered at the assembly.


"Put the fucking gun down hermano," he remained, situated at at respective distance though was intransigent of comprising the tensions, he considered stepping forward. They loured at one another, Kamar was resolute, there was no emotion in his physiognomy as they trialed one another. Kamar nearly succumb to the intent of treading forward, his head tilt slightly to one side as they made direct eye contact.


[fuck tht was short, not rly feeling it today]

 

[Catharsis]

Nathan had to smile a bit at the boy's advisory. "I don't plan to "bail you up". Trust me, that's nowhere near my intentions. It's just, you look like you need help. A kid as young as you shouldn't be out alone. That is, assuming you're as young as you look." he said, lowering his knife. The boy had to be close to Red's age if not younger, and the big brother within him couldn't resist at least trying to help him out. He had room in the truck, and the kid didn't look at all dangerous. "So here's the offer: You can come with me and my siblings, or you can just walk away. I'd like if you would come with us, though."


(@planetic )


Red clenched his jaw as he saw the man continue to stand and move. "I said hold still. If you take another step I WILL shoot." he yelled at the man. He wasn't scared, but he also wasn't about to play tag with this ugly fucker either. Red had seen people like this before, back when he was in a safe camp. Men that would come in without families, carrying nothing but the guilt and skin on their backs. They had nothing to lose, and weren't scared to kill anyone who got in their path of self detonation. Red's finger stayed solid on the trigger as he pointed it to the man's skull. The memory of the safe camp drunks was enough to wash away his remorse.


(@Opium )

 

[opyim]

"Oh really?" he sounded, raising his firearm though angling horizontal at an upward incline.


"You will shoot me if I take another step closer? What? Like this?" Kamar coldly stepped forward, remaining deathly still. He did not shake, nor show signs of anxiousness or fright.


He was cold. Almost welcoming the embracing warmth of death to satisfy his tormenting affliction of suffering.

 

[The Mechanist]

Mikhail stretched and got up from the chair that was also his bed. "I think its been long enough.." He examined his nail gun, it was modified with the safety being removed and firing at a trigger pull, he extended the barrel through the use of an aluminum pipe, only by a couple of inches, the sights themselves actually came from a telescope, the adjustment sight, not the actual scope itself. He checked the pressure guage he attached to the pneumatic tank, it showed about 3/4 full. "Hmm I should probably go find a bike pump soon." Mikhail opened the office door and closed it behind him, making his way back to the revolving door in the cafes entrance. "Time to go back out again.." He lowered his goggles down over his eyes and exited, off in the direction of the sports shop within the area.

 

[Catharsis]

Sam rocked back and forth on her heels, unable to hold still as she waited for her husband, Christopher, to get out of the small store they had just started a fire inside of. They hadn't done it aimlessly though, they had their reasons. Reasons many people wouldn't understand. The two had raided the place, searching every nook and cranny for supplies. They took what they found before setting it on fire. This way, other survivors like them would not waste their time searching for supplies that were not there. She heard heavy footsteps behind her as Christopher ran out, she followed closely. The two had done this numerous times, and by now knew better than to stick around. They ensured that they were far far away from the old shop before resting. "Well that was enjoyable." Christopher said, pulling out a water bottle. Sam laughed and swiped the bottle from you, "You know, it's rude not to share with your lookout.". She took a big swig of it before handing it back to him.


"Well, of course. Now, that would make our...... what? 7th fire?" he asked, turning his head slightly. "I thought it was our 8th, but either way works." she responded. The two continued down the empty road, already yards away from the fire. In the distance, Christopher could just make out some kinda structure. He couldn't quite make it out, but he could tell it was rather large. "Say, what's that?" he asked, squinting. His wife shrugged and continued to walk on. "Well we gotta check it out." he suggested, elbowing her joyously. He was a curious man, and loved adventure. In fact, he lived most of his life curious as to what came next. Him and Sam shared that characteristic.


Red's finger immediately slipped on the trigger, and a gunshot rang in his ears, but he kept his eyes closed, scared to see what he had done.


(@Opium )

 

[JokerValentine]

@Hollowed Kadaver


This kid was sure active. Below in the streets, Blake saw the man exit out onto the street level. Perhaps it was time to introduce himself. Grabbing his supplies, the survivor exited the top of the building, heading down several flights of stairs. Blake didn't know what to expect. He thus drew his weapon, a bat, and placed his rifle on his shoulder. The blinding white light from the clouds was somewhat of an adjustment from the dark corridors of the building. The roads, once busy with the blare of car horns, was now silent. Then, he saw him, walking away down the sidewalk a block or so away. Perhaps he did not see him. Blake stay hidden in the shadows, for now at least.

 

[The Mechanist]

Mikhail looked around the empty city before him, his eyes darted from one location to the next. He sighed, "where was that sports shop again? This is what i get for not playing sports at school..." The memories of his time as a lab technician started coming back to him, the long hours, the fact that he always had to wear his lab coat. He loved it, always goig back and forth from one lab to another, whether it was biology or chemistry, ecology, he enjoyed it all. And now he missed it; with a loud sigh he shook the memories out and kept walking, finally coming up to the sports shop, "Pucking Awesome!!!" It sponsored the areas hockey team so the owners changed the name to fit it; a smile crept up on Mik's lips. It was so humorous to him, leaning forward he pushed the door open to go to the bike isle.

 

[General_warNpeace]

"So what supplies do we need?" Alec asked as they headed for the town. More to dispel the tense air that had fallen then anything. They tried to stay on the back road's where there were less zombies and people. Unfortunately they sometimes had to do so because of trees in the road or some other unexpected things. So far this was their third time going into a town for supplies instead of driving though it. Rarely doing so made them all weary when it happened.


"I want to try and find a portable solar panel ipod charger if I can. I think walmart was selling them. Other then that we should try to find more food, water, weapons, some clean clothes, and dog food. Along with vitamins and anything else we may need when we get there. Our food supply is low for both human and animal and we are getting pretty stinky. If we could find a place to take some baths I would kiss the ground and become religious. " Rudolph listed the supplies they needed before ending it with one of his normal comments. Alec nodded." Alright good," He met Trix's eyes in the review mirror. "Do you want anything Trix?"


Nodding Trix reached into the notebook tucked under seat and withdrawing a page handed it to him. He took it with a resignated sigh, obviously he had been trying to get her to speak. Reading it over he nodded before handing it to Rudolph. Trix may decide a lot of things but she tended to hand things like supplies run's to her brother. She may dictate a majority of what to get but he wields the gun."Alright we should reach the town in about twenty minutes if nothing comes between us. So get prepared for any zombies in ten."

 

[JokerValentine]

@Hollowed Kadaver


(Blake)


Blake hurried his pace, slowly making his way towards the other guy. He wanted to meet him, he wanted to do so so badly. It had been forever since he had seen another person. He thought he was the only one left. It is one thing to see someone through a scope, but another to actually talk to them. Soon enough, the male stopped at the end of the corner. Where had he gone? Perhaps he had gone inside? But Where? The wnswer was simple, and looking the man right in the face. Pucking Awesome.

 

[The Mechanist]

Bikes, bikes and even more bikes is all that Mikhail saw in the aisle. "A bike pump a bike pump, my kingdom for a bike pump...." He had searched the aisle twice now, "Maybe they'll be in bike maintenance area." He changed his direction and began walking to the bike maintenance area, that was till he heard the bell on the door ring. He glanced around frantically, oh shit, oh shit oh shit was all that crossed his mind. He raised his nail gun and jumped back hiding behind the aisles, training his eyes on the silhouette that stood in front of the door.


@JokerValentine

 

[JokerValentine]

@Hollowed Kadaver


(Blake)


Entering the store, the welcoming bell was not exactly the best way to make his presence known. He could hear something wrestling in the back of the store, maybe the man he had seen earlier. This was the apocalypse after all. Blake looked around the sports store, seeing how ransacked it was. Items were pushed over, the lightbulbs burned out. If it were dark out this would be a terrible place to be indeed. Yet, Blake said nothing, and began to search the store. He probably should've been more careful, perhaps more normal in his greeting.

 

[Catharsis]

Sam and Christopher finally reached the structure, which they finally figured out was a white gate. On either side of the gate, there was a white concrete fence. From her standing point, Sam couldn't tell if it went all the way around or not. Engraved in the right side of the fence were the words "West Point Avenue". Sam dropped her backpack on the ground and looked back to her Husband with a smile, "Give me a boost?". While the fence was tall, she could still make it over with Christopher's help. "Of course you get to go in first." Christopher responded, rolling his eyes. He came over and allowed Sam to use them for support as he boosted her up. She grabbed onto it and struggled momentarily before steadying herself. The fence was actually thicker than it looked, and if she wanted, she could actually stand up and walk on it. She looked over the inside, and realized she was looking at a large upper-class neighborhood. There were rows of houses lined up beside eachother. "Woah. Babe, you gotta see this." she said before jumping down. She located the fence and immediately found that it required a keypad to open from the outside. Luckily, she was on the inside, and this thing ran on battery. She pressed the small gray button that opened the fence and waited on her husband.


Christopher walked in, and watched as the fence closed behind him. "Nice." he said, taking in the scene. He could only imagine the type of loot they would find in this place. He tossed Sam her stuff, which he had grabbed for her before coming in. "I say we clear this place;without matches. ". He started walking forward to the first house near him, he observed the gray brick outside and new that the inside would not disappoint. He pulled out his gun as he walked inside and began the clearing process. Upon entering the first bedroom, he noticed two figure laying side by side in a large bed. Their skin had already rotted away for the most part, and he could just barely make out the holes in each of their skulls. "Gross.", he covered his nose and shut the door to the bedroom.

 

[BloodThunder27]

Inside the mall, Waverly woke up, having blacked out several weeks prior and god knows how long she has been out. But the Mall was quiet, eerily quiet. As she stood up, she started looking around. The store she was in, empty and she couldn't hear anything or anyone. Waverly also did not remember a thing. What happened? Where is everyone? What's going on? She had a lot of unanswered questions, but with no around, something bad surely happened. She decided to go ahead and enter the store's backroom, which was filled with empty boxes and on the other side of the room, a small backpack. Was it hers? Possibly. No one took it.


Quietly, she walked up to the bag and opened it. Inside, she found a smartphone. When she turned it on, she was surprised that it had power, albeit only 75% battery life. She scrolled some pictures. It was her bag for sure as the Pictures on the phone were of her and another girl who resembled her a bit. Her sister maybe? Looking through the rest of the backpack, she found a wallet and a lighter. She looked at her Driver's License. Reading her name, she slowly started remembering, even finding a family photo. The girl from the phone was also in the photo. Interesting. She decided to go ahead and investigate the apartment address on her License. Perhaps she could discover her identity there. She ended up finding a few more things in the backpack. A gun in particular, and its holster too. Slowly, she strapped it to her leg and the magazine holder to her belt. Each magazine had only 8 rounds, totaling to about 24, which wasn't all that bad.


Since things were a bit strange at the moment, Waverly thought she would have to defend herself. Hearing a loud noise, she made a quick 180 turn. Nothing there. Slinging the Backpack over her shoulder, she walked towards the open doorway and saw that shutters to the store had closed, sighing, she began trying to figure out how to open the shutters. Holstering her gun, she walked towards the shutter, attempting to lift it open. It wouldn't budge and she put in a bit more effort before giving up after a couple of minutes. While resting to catch her breath, she decided to wait and see if anyone would come for her.

 

[JustJazzy]

Leo "Burns" Burns

​

Sometimes, if he kept his eyes shut long enough he could pretend that the world hadn't changed a bit. But then he'd hear the growls of the undead, or perhaps even feel the sweat that came with sitting in a car that lacked air-conditioning, and be once again reminded of the present situation. For now Leo kept his gaze fixed on the outside rather then attempting at sleep again, taking in the desolate expanse of land and waiting for Janelle to awaken so the two could begin moving the car again.


They had no shortage of gas at this time, given they'd stopped perhaps an hour ago to refill the tank and the Jerry cans they kept in the back for convenience issues. There food supplies and perhaps even weapons arsenal was there only shortage; they'd need to stop at a town soon for refills on those. Motion beside Leo alerted the boy to his partners stirring. Briefly his eyes flitted over her, taking in the exhaustion that painted her features, emotions that most likely mirrored his own expression.


"Ready to start moving again?"


Leo forced the smile to his lips, ignoring the way the expression painfully touched his lips. The fact that it had begin to hurt to even smile now was one that filled him with a deep resounding sadness.

The mornings were always too quiet now. Gone was the usual chirping of the bird's outside, accompanied by the steady ring of Janelle's impatient alarm. The loss of electricity and the death for all living things made both an impossibility. Quiet, steady and constant in it's suppression of the past actions now raged on. This morning it was especially quiet, and the pain of it made Janelle's head ache. Rubbing her eyes, the previously college student turned warrior stole a glance at her reflection in the mirror, cringing at the dirt-stained face that met her own.


She'd never considered herself to be pretty, a few touches of make-up here and there had always been enough to help her to pretend, but even this right had been deprived of her, given the circumstances. Averting her eyes from the anxious eyes that had met hers in the rear-view mirror of the car she'd had the luck of gaining access to, Janelle started at the growl that was uttered from outside of the vehicle.


Hastily glancing in the direction of the noise, Janelle caught sight of a single walker, lurking near the cars trunk. It was no threat, given the vans being locked, but still it's gruesome face was enough to shake her into full wakefulness. It was with shaking hands that Janelle checked the placement of the revolver on her hip, verifying it's easy access.


Stealing a glance in Leo's direction, Janelle noticed he was awake as well, though his attention was focused on the window more so then herself. She had no particular desire to start any sort of conversation with the boy - what could be possibly talk on? It wasn't as if they'd been friends before the apocalypse's start, despite there attending the same college. He had his crowd, she had hers, and neither ever made the action of approaching the other.


But the apocalypse had thrown them together, after all she couldn't have just left him shivering on the road when she had a perfectly good van with five seats, one of which he could take. Her stomachs growling alerted Janelle to her current condition of hunger, stress briefly twisting her features. They'd settled into the routine of eating two meals every day, if only to keep there supplies going for another month or so until they could find another safe town to stop.


"Ready to start moving again?"


Leo's words grabbed at Janelle's attention, the girl nodding as she turned the keys in the ignition, pushing her seat-belt in with a sigh. And once again the car begin to move.

Janelle "Jane" Moore

​

 

[Catharsis]

The couple had now been through a whole row of houses totaling 12. About half of them had biters, the other half were surprisingly empty. Meaning the owners had probably fled. The two had killed each biter they encountered, and were now dragging each of their bodies out unto the street and into a large pile, which they planned to burn later on. "Maybe we should move all the goods to one house, I mean, my bag is getting to heavy and we still have 2 more rows to clear." Sam suggested. "Sounds like a plan, Sam." Christopher wiped his bloody hands off on his jeans and looked around. He spotted a house with a two car garage and pointed to it, "That one looks fitting.". Sam nodded her head in agreement and picked up her full backpack. They took their bags to the house and emptied their good into the garage area. There seemed to be enough food to last a couple like Sam and Christopher for years.

 

[BloodThunder27]

After catching her breath for a couple of minutes, she tried again to attempt and open the shutter. To no avail either way. So now she had to be resourceful about getting out. Hopefully that glass was not super durable, otherwise she was going to be a sitting duck and who knows when someone will come by and help her. She took her handgun and just pistol-whipped the window, causing cracks to riddle it. She hit the window again and it shattered into a million pieces. The sound of the glass hitting the floor echoed across the mall. It was just too quiet. So quiet that it was disturbing. Since the Mall was super empty. She decided to go around and find her way out. Without anyone or anything getting in her way, she figured that she'd be fine.


She ended up making her way out the East Entrance. The Parking Lot was riddled with abandoned cars, but it was hard to tell which car was drive-able. The ones that looked barely untouched were a risk, because what if their alarms were still functional? Instead she looked around for an older looking car, that was still drive-able. Nothing. Looks like it would be a long walk to that apartment. While leaving, she spotted a Police Cruiser. When she tried the door, it was locked. Wow, this cop was stupid, he had locked his keys in the car. Hopefully there was no alarm...


Waverly took her chances and used her elbow to break the window, gaining entrance into the car. Grabbing the key, which was in the cup holder, she started the car. As it roared to life, she smirked before navigating out of the massive parking lot and towards the address that was on her ID.

 

[The Mechanist]

Mikhail crept around the aisles with his nail gun poiinted forward, he had no idea who had entered the shop, if it even was a living person. His breathing was slow and light, his eyes were scanning everything around him. His breathing was paused just for a second, he heard only his own heart beat. I must focus, he froze and listened; after a moment he could hear the mans steps, his feet were crunching on the broken glass. Mik took advantage and went around the aisles behind the silhouette . The nail gun was raised, but nothing was said, Mik had never pointed his weapon at a live person before.


@JokerValentine

 

[Annanas]

| Heath


The boy was still not moving like he had been frozen on the spot. Yet, he was thinking. Whatever the young man said, it sounded everything but like he was lying. No, Heath was quite sure he was telling him the truth. But still, he wasn't sure wether he should listen to him and come with them. The man was still a stranger, and so was the other teeanger. Heath sighed, lifted his backpack - not without packing in the knife and the bat again - and stepped forward when he suddenly heard a shot. The boy had fired a bullet, both of his eyes closed. Heath stopped breathing, and stood still.

 

[arizzle]

(just joined! what's going on?)