Not Your Average Apocalypse

[Taiylor Wallace]

It’d only been a week since civilization well and truly crumbled, since the last store was raided by mobs for valuables, since cars had driven freely down the streets, since the last police officer had tried to keep the peace. It was all over for modern humanity. Only the very careful, very strong, and very lucky were going to make it from here on out without being eaten. But this wasn’t like the apocalypses in the movies. The zombies (or the Zed, as people had called them in the end) didn’t wander out in the open during the day. No, they couldn’t stand sunlight, in burned them alive. They were pale, hairless monsters draped with shreds of their former clothing. A few not-so-pale zombies could wander in the say, but they didn’t like it because their prey could see them.

But the Zed were to be worried about at night. During the day, things much more insane and deadly roamed. Occasionally, the streets would darken with the overhead shadows cast by the flying reptiles that people had come to realize were dragons. The wide streets were patrolled by a wingless cousin of the dragons, Clydesdale-sized drakes with thick necks and long tails able to reach the former speed limits of the streets and able to climb straight up the sides of buildings with amazing agility. They weren’t hostile until they were hungry, so a sated drake might even wander right up to a human and sniff them out of curiosity before walking away. That was, if the human didn’t scream or run.

Drakes rarely roamed late in the night, but there were still more creatures that roamed any time they pleased. Werecreatures. Half-beast people with human intelligence. They were half wolf, lion, drake, and tiger, and many other races, all banded together in tribes around the world. A several tribes existed in Michigan, similar in culture and technology to Native Americans back when the Americas were first founded. Humans believed they were killers and cannibals… which was true of a few, but the humans labeled the entire races as killers.

It was hardly noon this day, and the wide streets were being patrolled by drakes and the two dragons in the Marquette area flew over the wide-open spaces of the Northern Michigan University campus (which was full of Zed hiding from the sun) and any treeless countryside. It was mid-summer and horribly hot, but that didn’t effect the reptiles at all. Only extreme cold ever hurt them, which was lucky because Northern Michigan was below sixty degrees from fall to spring, and kept relatively cool thanks to the winds from Lake Superior anyway. Winter was hell, but it kept the monsters at bay until they were too hungry to hide anymore.

The city seemed empty, and the only sure thing was that the Zed hid in large buildings with lots of dark spaces, so the buildings on the main streets were mostly safe thanks to wide windows and lots of light. If there were any survivors, they were hidden.

[XxSkittlezxX]

[OOC: Merrrr... I have no idea what I'm doing.... I'lll just throw in a random character and if you want, I'll add more later.]

Rebeca held her rifle close to her as she continually scanned her surroundings. She had learned to treat the world with a certain distrust that made surviving much easier. Toast, her only companion, walked next to her calmly. In fact, he looked to be smiling as his tongue lolled out between sharp canines and he kept his eyes straight ahead. They were on a country road somewhere in Michigan. They had been travelling from Louisiana by means of her mother's camry until early this morning when the tank emptied and with nothing to refill it, she simply abandoned it in the middle of the road. She wasn't sure where she was going, but felt the need to move. She wished there were others out there to help, but the only others she met did only harm.

She was interrupted from her ponderings by the sound of footsteps. She watched as the hair on the pit bull's back raised and he barred his teeth. "Toast!" she hissed. His attention snapped towards her and she motioned for him to follow her into the brush and trees not far off. They concealed themselves as well as possible. She bit her lower lip hoping Toast would comply and they wouldn't be attacked. She focused on the road as they waited, watching.

[XxSkittlezxX]

[OOC: Merrrr... I have no idea what I'm doing.... I'lll just throw in a random character and if you want, I'll add more later.]

Rebeca held her rifle close to her as she continually scanned her surroundings. She had learned to treat the world with a certain distrust that made surviving much easier. Toast, her only companion, walked next to her calmly. In fact, he looked to be smiling as his tongue lolled out between sharp canines and he kept his eyes straight ahead. They were on a country road somewhere in Michigan. They had been travelling from Louisiana by means of her mother's camry until early this morning when the tank emptied and with nothing to refill it, she simply abandoned it in the middle of the road. She wasn't sure where she was going, but felt the need to move. She wished there were others out there to help, but the only others she met did only harm.

She was interrupted from her ponderings by the sound of footsteps. She watched as the hair on the pit bull's back raised and he barred his teeth. "Toast!" she hissed. His attention snapped towards her and she motioned for him to follow her into the brush and trees not far off. They concealed themselves as well as possible. She bit her lower lip hoping Toast would comply and they wouldn't be attacked. She focused on the road as they waited, watching.

[Taiylor Wallace]

(It's alright, the first was meant to just introduce the setting and bring out your character and flesh her out just a little)

Those footsteps wouldn't belong to the Zed, they didn't like the sun and the sun didn't like them. At least, most of them. Those footsteps instead belonged to a great big reptile, padding along lazily after a good meal. His thick and long tongue licked at his mouth and chin as if finding the last taste of meat and blood. He paused, his emerald scales glinting in the sunlight and his amber eyes bright with curiosity. He grunted and snorted, sniffing the air and catching the scent of the creatures nearby. He grunted again, as if letting them know he knew that they were there.

[XxSkittlezxX]

Toast seemed content and, sensing the creature wsn't planning to attack, emerged from the brush. Beca sighed and followed protectively. She kept her hands posistioned on the lowered rifle, prepared for the worst. It gave a low grumble. Toast, seeming to understand, layed on his stomach and lowered his head submissively. Observing this, the full reptile seemed satisfied with this and padded off.

Rebeca waited until it was out of sight to continue on their way into town. She finally reached it and scanned for any sign of movement. Nothing. She clicked her tongue and the two proceeded cautiously. She approached a gas station entrance when she saw something move in her peripheral. Quickly she spun around only to find herself. The mirror belonged to a stand holding sunglasses that was to the left of the door and practically against the glass. She realized she hadn't looked at herself since leaving Lousiana. Her olive skin was now oily and her wavy black and brown hair knotting at the ends. While she hadn't seemed to lost weight from her average frame, but she had lost something else. The cherful gleam had been stolen from her browm eyes and had been replaced with a glaring fear. "Don't look in the mirror next time," she noted.

After finding the gas station to be empty, she found some food and bottled water and tossed them into a cheap looking purse and sat on the foor with Toast as they shared a bag of jerky. "Did you happen to catch whathis place is called?" she asked, scratching his tan head.

[Taiylor Wallace]

"Marquette, Michigan." A voice spoke up. Out of the back of the store with a shotgun in hand stepped a thin and crazed-looking man with a Greek look about him with dark skin, black hair, and dark eyes. "Paradise for the end of the world, don'tcha think?" He chuckled. "Hate to sneak up on you like this." He smiled crazily, "The name's Markos, I'm the local trigger-happy idiot. And you are?" He seemed nice enough, but the air of insanity might've been something to worry about.

[XxSkittlezxX]

Upon actually recieving a reply, Rebeca jumped and quickly grabbed her step-father's hunting rifle, turing it on him. As he continued, she faltered, unsure of whether he were harmful or not. Toast, who had finished his jerky and was no longer distracted, finally noticed the stranger. He barked before cossing the distance beteen them and sniffing Markos. Toast seemed to find nothing wrong, and yipped happily before attempting to tackle the newcomer. Rebeca leapt to her feet and pulled him down before Markos was either hurt or covered in saliva from a good, facial licking.

"Bad!" she scolded. "I'm really sorry," she apologized as she straightened. She extended her right hand. "I'm Rebeca Morales. But you can call me Beca, if you want," she answered. She looked down at the pit bull who was smiling and calm. "That killer is Toast," she added

[Taiylor Wallace]

"Cute dog, kinda reminds me of Eddie..." Markos took her hand to shake. "Markos Pharsalos. Listen, sweetheart, are you alone? I hate to see a lady left by herself. I've got a bunch of friends around here, we've got a good hideout if you need a place." He leaned on the doorframe. "I've got a car 'round the corner if you need a ride too."

Just then, something crackled to life and a voice came: "Markos. Markos, pick up."

Markos pulled a walkie-talkie off his belt. "Yeah, Grid?"

"How much longer are you takin', bro?"

"Just found a girl by herself and I'm talking to her, I'll be back ASAP once I'm done."

"Oh, cool. Invite her for dinner, Duke caught a ton of whitefish from the lake and we've got more than enough."

"Sweet. How about the farm?"

"Plenty of veggies."

"Great. See you soon." Markos put the walkie-talkie back and looked at Rebeca. "Feel like fresh food?"

[XxSkittlezxX]

Rebeca laughed in disbeleif. She had come to believe that she was the only good-natured person left in the world. Now, not only had she met another, but there were others! "Wow," she began, "I'd love to. Thank you so much." She was taken back by his kindness. It could be some sort of trap, but Toast seemed to trust him entirely. She wasn't sure she understood but she was grateful for the encounter.

Toast wagged a docked tail, barked excitedly and circled around Markos before sitting at his side. "Traitor," she accused jokingly. She bent down and swooped up their things, throwing the bag over her shoulder. As she approached the two, she looked to Markos. "I really appreciate the offer," she admitted.

[Taiylor Wallace]

"Hey, the more the merrier." Markos grinned. "Come on, we'll go through the back."

The Greek led her into the back store room, which had a backdoor into an alleyway. He slipped out, gun ready, and glanced around. "Alright it's clear. Come on." He headed down to the end of the alley where a red pickup truck with a gun rack and a tool box in the back under a cab sat. Markos put down the tailgate and opened the cab door, sliding his own bag inside with his shotgun before pulling out a handgun. It'd be much easier to use while driving if need be.

"Toast, come here, buddy." Markos patted the tailgate for the dog to jump up. Once the dog was in and the tailgate and cab were closed, Markos walked to the driver's side and got in, starting up the truck. It rumbled to life, and soon, they were off. He headed north toward Presque Isle Park, a small outcropping from the mainland that was revered as one of the most beautiful places in Marquette for its view of Lake Superior, the lighthouse, and its forested trails.

They approached the ore docks where a massive iron refinery stood, and Markos drove into a half-hidden garage before jumping out and closing the door. He shut off the engine, opened up the tailgate, and jumped in the back. He grabbed his shotgun and bag, but also opened the steel toolbox to pull out a few sacks full of what, by the sound, seemed to be cans and bottles full of one thing or another.

"Come on, Kate should be upstairs." But then Markos paused. "Um, listen, this is gonna sound crazy, but, uh... we have something upstairs that you're gonna freak out about, so... unload your gun, please. You might want to shoot them at first."