We were doomed from the Start.(CLOSED)

[CharlieBoyyy]

Darius fell asleep too.


We were woken by a zombie approaching us. Which I shot


"I fell asleep!" Darius shouted jumping up and dusting himself down.


"We should go inside". I mumur looking at the body of the Z


We head inside to Nigel who was still asleep. Fast asleep


We can explore again in the morning

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I stop as soon as the night falls. The barren road is not safe enough... and no matter how much anger and fear boils inside me, I'm still sober enough to recognize the danger. I am not insane, after all. Just determined. My steed slowly grows tired and thirsty, anyway.


I choose a spot with trees and bushes, and check it thoroughly. I set up my alarm field, with the iron cups and some twine. Any of those monsters approach this, I’ll hear it…


I set my helmet aside, dressing down from my armour. I do feel tired now… I light a torch, then a small fire, to make myself dinner and breakfast. While I searched my campsite, I’ve found a few small eggs, and now I happily use the flour and the water to make a dough. The rest of the meat, an egg, and some vegetables and herbs make for a good filling, and I use a few pieces of iron bowls to shape and bake my meat pies. I smile.


My liege always loved my pastries and pies. I’ll make him some, when I find him. I’ll find him, I’m sure… I’ll crush that “soldier boy”, if he tries to hurt him any more…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I couldn't fall back to sleep.


Darius could. He was sprawled on the floor fast asleep.


He was dribbling like a child... Poor bugger. Is have to wait until morning to wake him up.


He was always the same.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie was smiling, looking through the window. Down below the walls of the castle, the fair was still burning with life, music sifting through the night air.


The mayor was proud. In his arms, his daughter fell asleep. He should have put her into bed, but he just sat in the armchair, enjoying the mood. He could hear his friends’ voices, laughing and singing with all their might.


He still felt pain, to be honest, but the act was a success, and the thunderous applause made him feel it worth it. And tossing around Azucena – Ma Baker – in her armour was, while a real effort, ended up being very satisfying. And his sons’ duel…


Nie smiled. Then… he screamed, as the cold blade stabbed into his back through the armchair, and impaled both him and his daughter…


I enjoy my dinner, drinking my tea in peace. Then, I make a berth for myself, and pull out a can from my steed’s back, making him drink. I need Duende’s power tomorrow.


It is time to sleep. I pull out the medallions from under my shirt, and look at them.


Him. Her. I miss them so much…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

After what felt like forever I fell asleep.


I think I had the best dream of my life. We were a family. I couldn't see the Mum, but Nigel was the father and Darius was there. He had a wife and kids too.


It was Christmas. We were hanging baubles on the tree... Like a postcard, you know?


Like a magical, Coca-cola advert, Christmas.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I was powerless to stop them.


I just watched as my son and my husband fell under the hail of bullets. They died before that, I suppose, both of them had too much blood on their uniform, but they still moved forward, without aim, without thought.


They were infected, too. And I couldn’t do anything but watch, as the planes rained hellfire on them…


I wake up to the fear. I want to scream… then, I bite into my shirt, and stare ahead, confused.


I’ve never had a husband. I’ve never had a son. I’ve never seen the fire-breathing metal dragons on the sky. Still…


…it was just a nightmare.

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I woke up to se Darius smiling at me


"Good sleep? " he asked smiling. "This bloke still isn't awake"


"Morning, I slept okay. Yeah. He won't be. "


I snap an antibiotic and other one of those weird tablets and put them in Nigel's mouth, tip water down his throat and massage his throat to induce a swallow in his sleep.


"There we go. He'll wake soon"


"Do you want to go look at the other side of town" Darius says with a cheeky grin.


"Sure" I smile and follow him

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I have to refill my supplies before I continue my journey. The knowledge that I’m close fills me with a bit of excitement, in spite of my disturbing dream. I leave my armour, and only take my crossbow and a sword with me. I have to hunt, after all, and I have to be light on my feet for it…


While I’m following a trail, I still have to wonder about that dream. I knew for sure that the two stumbling figures in front of me were my son and husband. I have never had a man in my life. I could only dream of someone, and even that was hopeless… still…


…maybe these are premonitions? Was I supposed to find love and marry happily? Who knows… only the Ebony Lady could tell it to me, and she is…


I set my doubts aside as I notice the rabbits. I smirk while kneeling down, aiming.


Maybe I can prepare a few treats beforehand…


…it was maddening.


None of them could find Lily. Somehow, the little girl woke up and wandered off without anyone noticing it. After all, everyone in the family was asleep.


The two boys were searching the castle park, Joy the playground. The knights volunteered to search the fair. After all, a small black girl in a princess outfit ought to stand out…


Nie was searching the castle itself, and as he found every room open, his heart started to grow cold. Since Lily was born, every member of the family and staff religiously locked the doors of the more dangerous rooms, only opening them when they were used, or at least one adult was accompanying the kids. And both Mitchell and Darius were so careful around their sister…


…the mayor found the great oak door open, half-way, and his heart skipped a beat as he noticed the ivory ribbon in the doorway. That was the dungeon’s gate, and Nie instinctively shuddered. He found the dungeon nightmarish, although he couldn’t name why, and now, as he threw the door open, calling for his daughter, he was filled with dread…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Mmmatteeee, look." Darius said tottering over to what looked like a supermarket


"It's been raided to shit though. Hang on I'm fucking freezing." I run back down the road into the hospital. Nie was still asleep. I grab the army soldier coat. The warmest. And run back again.


"What do you look like you Trollope" Darius laughed over it


"Fuck off it's warm. Let's go in here. Cans. We need cans... And Anti bacterial cleaning stuff.. That's alway missed but needed"


We entered the supermarket.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I collect the two rabbits I managed to shoot, contentedly. It’s a pity I don’t have time to use the skins, too… but the meat, with the salt and some herbs that I’ve picked while trotting through the woods with my prey, will do good. I’ll skin them tonight, and make a feast.


I feel so much better as I prepare for my morning. The usual small warm-up exercises with my sword, before suiting up, and then, another warm-up…


I am not even fully armoured when my first trebuchet rattles, making me scramble frantically for my weapons. I have my helmet and my chainmail on, and sword in hand…


…they are runners. Quite fresh, too. I smirk under the visor, then lilt my battle cry, and attack them, without any inhibitions.


Fresh meat. Ugly, smelling, fungus-stained meat. They are weak, compared to the clickers, or my knights in arms… I slay them effortlessly, cutting and stabbing, while they can move.


And in my head, I still see those two falling under the metal rain.


…Nie was trembling, and not only from the cold. He found one more of the toddler’s ribbons. Then one small shoe.


…the dragon toy…


…the torn dress, stained with something red. He couldn’t breathe. He just screamed now with anguish, looking around the cellar, filled with torture instruments.


They looked used…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I walked straight to the cleaning area. Nearly untouched.


"See, people forget you need to clean!" I say grabbing some passion fruit scented bleach from the shelf. "Jesus 6.90 for that. This was an expensive supermarket"


" omg Russell, look at the fish. Eeeeeewww"


I'd forgotten he called me Russell. My dress sense had always resembled that of a low rent Russell brand and he'd noticed.


"Oh my god that's gross". The dishevelled rotten fish open on the counter. Dripping with insects. The smell. "Tins and pasta. Let's go."


The aisle we needed had been raided. But there were still some things still going. And still in date. It was a miracle.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie shook, holding the dress in his arms. He followed the blood trail without a single thought.


To the inside chamber. He instinctively knew now while he hated it so much, as the smell of his own blood reeked from the doorway…. he was… he was tortured there…


As he stepped a few meters forwards, he had to scream. The wounds were opened up again, douzing everything with blood and yellow pus… As he moved, felt the “M”- on his skin, and inside…


“No!...”


The zombie sheriff laughed, tearing out a piece from Lily’s abdomen. The girl was limp, and glass-bead eyes showed she was dead, guts hanging out, limbs torn…


“I’ve lost my children… now it’s time you lose yours, false saviour…”


Nie fell to his knees. the stone hit hard, but he couldn’t care less. Emotional pain was too strong already…


…and then the sheriff revealed his two other children, his sons, on the rackets, and Nie started to scream beg out loud, moving around feverishly, without even regaining consciousless…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"This backpack is full, mate" Darius said. Turning it spring to show me the bulging bag


"Let's go back. I want to do some


Cleaning" I give Darius a small wink as we make our way back to the hospital.


I open the bag as soon as we're there and , not unlike a squirrel, I scurry everything away.


"When did you get so organised?" Smirked Darius.


"I. I don't know. It feels like home". My cheeks going red.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie was struggling to wake up, screams dying in his dry throat. He could only gasp, pained, and move and trash around, inducing even more pain.


Something hurt so much... he didn’t understand why, only the danger the fear stayed without any concrete…. he was reeling, and something was strange...

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Woah woah wayoh". I stand up from the chair quickly and put my arms over Nie


"I think he's trying to wake up, but he can't. We can't wake him he'll get confused."


Darius rolled his eyes quietly. He didn't know what we were doing sticking around with this dead weight.


I soothed Nigel. Shushing him quietly. Hoping he'd either wake or calmly sleep.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I lean on a tree, still having to catch my breath. I just tossed out the bodies, and I decide to get back to that stream. Clean myself.


I just do that, cleansing myself in the morning dew, erasing the signs of the battle, and dressing up again in the cold. My hair is short enough to dry easily, but until I don the armour, I still feel cold…


I eat my pie and drink my tea without much joy now, then make sure Duende had drunk enough. I need him to go a big distance today, on rough terrain.


I pack up everything, back to the saddle bags. Then, I pull out the magical sphere.


Time to rescue my liege now…


Nie woke up to his younger son soothing him, confused and dazzled in a hospital room. He hadn’t got the slightest idea of what is happening, why is he there… he somehow registered that both of his sons were in the room. But Joy and Lily…


Pain screamed in his body, hotly, maddeningly, and Nigel suddenly remembered the dungeon. Lily’s torn, bloodied princess dress. He tried to sit up somehow, but the pain in his back and abdomen quickly rendered his effort meaningless. He was too weak, too forpined to move.


“Lily… don’t let… your sister… wander off… she was… in the dungeon… she… she will… hurt her… please… boys… find Lily…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

Darius stayed in stunned silence. The poor guy wasn't used to these delusions yet. He figured he'd ask later when it was quiet.


"Dad. It was just a dream. A dream. That's all. Lily isn't missing in the dungeon, OK? Ok? You need to take some pills, OK? Here one of those erm " I take a look at the bottle to read the name "Avvbbfjjhvnmnn tablets. For everything. And here's an anti biotic. For the infections on your back. Ok"


I saw Darius's slightly worried look when I said "infections" so added "on your back " as clarification to him.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie hadn’t got the slightest idea what is his son talking about. The only part he managed to intake was the notion that Lily is safe. His family was safe.


It was… just a dream?


…just a nightmare… but… it felt… so real. Everything was still painful. He could barely move. And however his sons were there, something was not right. Just a little detail, slipped his mind, escaped him, when he tried to grab it, making him even dizzier than before.


The dentist obediently swallowed the tablets, which Mitchell gave him. It was painful, made him nauseous, but he tried to keep it down. He felt weak and feverish… the medicine should help.


“Still… kids… check on… your mother… please… and… on Lily… please… Mitchell… you… shouldn’t… go down… to the dungeon… she’s there… she… waits there… she… wants to… kill you… please…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Okay we'll do that... Thank you for taking your medicine. And.. We won't go down to the dungeon. We promise. Don't we Darius "


I dart my eyes at him and urge him to speak


"Yeah, we promise, mate" he said with an uncomfortable ‭shrug.


Nigel fell back to sleep again quickly but peacefully


I wondered who he thought was going to kill us.


"The wonders of these". I hold up the non-antibiotic pills "they cause you to go absolutely fucking insane for a bit.... Don't worry these have made him delusional."


I go into a low whisper


"They make him forget where he is. What's happened. As far as he's concerned his still in his medieval commune thing... With his unborn daughter "


"Heavy"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I ride my steed with growing worry. The magical sphere’s glow is weaker now, and I’m not sure what this means. I really hope it just shows my liege wasn’t bleeding any more…


…or that he died. I still see some tracks. The wein… it was here. I’m not sure I can follow it…


I see the sign that shows a drinking-through and inn, and I have a slight feeling that the soldier boy might had to stop there. The wein’s horses need to drink, too, just like Duende. And I haven’t seen any other place.


…I’ll have to lead my steed to the drinking place, too.


I jog on Duende, and turn its head towards that way.


It is overrun. Well, in a short time, it was only overrun. I can see that someone used a cart to ram into quite a few monsters, and I quickly finish off the rest. I use the magical sphere to scan over the remains. I only find some faint traces, but I can be sure… my lord was here. My lord was taken here, and then, taken away…


I am irked enough to not even try to sneak around. I am not even particularly surprised when I attract the rest of the monster horde… I just tie my steed out to the tank to drink, then pull out my sword.


It is high noon. The monsters still roam around freely, and as they see me, they turn towards me, and try to assault me. I am awaiting them.


The anger boils in my blood, clearing out any hesitation of my head. I smile behind the visor.


Let them come…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"We must be fuckiing crazy" laughs Darius


"I don't think normal is the same thing anymore" I reply


Darius shook his head and looked out of the window.


"I miss music. I miss life."


"The car has a cd In it. It's shit thoug"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The last of the monsters has a distorted head, opening up like a seed, the strange matter inside, lined with that fungus, swollen out of the crack like freshly baked bread. It is disgusting, and it is strong… I almost smile as I cross my sword with its arms.


It might have been a woman before. I’m not sure. It is rotten now, flesh almost black, sagging, and I attack it viciously. it is strong, but not strong enough… and I am mighty. I always was, and that’s why it hurts so much inside. Every ounce of strength and speed, and I couldn’t do what I promised.


The anger gives me power now, filling up my muscles with the urge to fight. The one what killed my lady was a thing just like this, and now I tear this one apart just like that one, limb by limb, enjoying the cutting like it is no tomorrow.


I almost hate myself when it finally falls apart, and not moving anymore. I still just clean my sword, then go inside the abandoned inn, wandering around until I find some clean liquid in cans. Looks and smells like water… I douse my armour with it, washing down any kind of possibility of infection, and I grab some cans. I will need to take care of my steed’s needs, too, so filling them up it is… there is still some place in the saddle bags…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Sounds more like torture. No music is better than that." Darius laughed


"Worse that the studded whip?" I teased


"Oh god yes." He keeled over laughing.


"Want some... Mystery meat.. It's delicious." I grab some and toss it to Darius "ignore the smell"


He opened to can and bawked when he smelt it. But began to eat it.


"Nice actually " he said


"What really? It's vile!!"


"It's alright!"


"You're fuckiing weird"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

It’s easier to follow the wein’s trail now. It has old blood and gore smeared all over it, I guess from the monsters. I just hope that the fact the magical sphere doesn’t glow only shows there is no blood of my liege here…


…the wein had to stop twice. I found some footprints on the side of the road there, and another few monsters. I start to get tired hacking them up. It is not even enjoyable anymore. Just a chore, nothing else.


The anger starts to build up within me, gathering into a knot in my throat, as I start to approach a town, filling me up with impatience. I need to find my lord, fast… somehow I’m more and more worried about him.


…there was too much blood…


…I can only hope the feeling of dread is just that – a feeling. Not a premonition.


I follow the tracks, and finally, before the sun starts to sets down, I arrive at the town. It is dead and haunted, just like every other one. Still, this particular town makes me feel strange.


It is not like my home. It is nothing like my home. But it is small, too, and I hope that I was fast enough, that I will actually find my lord here…


…I have to. I might already be too late.

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

Darius finished the can rather quickly.


"Honestly. Food is food " he smiled "I ate shit once"


"Awwww nooooooo" I yelled with a laugh but cover my mouth with my hand. Anyone could have heard my yell.


"Shhhh" Darius laughed "you'll wake Daddy-O"


And we laughed.


I walked over to my dad.


"Better check his dressings "


I hoist him onto the side and begin peeling back the dressings and putting them all back again. One by one.