[color=00a651][i][b][center]Andrew Lee[/center][/b][/i][/color]

Sitting on the top of an overturned Semi-truck, Andrew always wondered just how intelligent zombies were. How much of "Them" was still left. Themselves, their minds, and spiritually speaking, their souls. There was just so many questions and no answers. Andrew knew what a zombie was: he's seen the movies, the shows, the articles. The idea of a zombie apocalypse had been so ingrained in his mind that he could hardly believe that the world would fall to the undead. Hell, disease was incorporeal and humanity has beaten it back before. But this. This was different. Andrew simply had no idea how to explain how this all happened. Maybe it wasn't his place to do that. But that didn't make him any more at ease.

Andrew waited until the undead horde shambled out of sight. They never bothered to look for him, and as long as he kept quiet they wouldn't. The ones who scream, who shout, who cry, they're the ones that get taken down first. Andrew has learned to value the silence. It was his best defense even with his armor. Once the horde was well away Andrew got off the truck and back onto his bike. It was a good thing zombies had no material value because this bike was certainly top notch: the best he could have looted from a bike store. He was surprised to see the place relatively intact. [b]"Guess people don't know how to ride bikes."[/b]

It was much easier to out run the undead on a bike then one foot or using a car. While not exactly as protective, a bike was quiet, and moved him quickly. He's been traveling for only three days since he got the thing, but he's already crossed about thirty miles. And the only time he had to fight a zombie was when one of them literally fell from the roof and onto him. Good thing it had broken it's arms falling down or Andrew would have had to grapple the damn thing. Anyways, Andrew was riding his bike through the ruins of America. Aside from the undead and the traffic, this place looked fairly unchanged. Sometimes he could even see lights. Looters either haven't touched this part of the city or simply know better then to cause too much of a mess. 

Sure gangs and such would tag up buildings, break windows, and be a menace, but back then they only had to worry about cops who couldn't just gun them down due to reputation. Zombies had no such limitations. Those gangs that everyone tried to run with tried to fight the zombies. Sure they had guns, but what they lacked was a plan. "Shooting them" was hardly a good long term goal and was was a horrible short-term one. If only they hadn't attracted so many zombies Andrew would have looted them for their weapons. Bullets were about the only valuable thing left now that money was only good for tinder. And Andrew would need something to trade: He just found a settlement.

In the distance about a mile away was a small town. Andrew would have dismissed as a ghost town if he didn't see people milling about from a distance. But he had to be wary: not all small towns were innocent. Looters have also taken up residence in humble homes and despite what video games and movies would have taught him, sometimes the worse type of people look no different from him. The gang he saw didn't wear gang colors or makeshift body armor like he did. They were just a couple of casually dressed guys and girls with guns, trying to fight for their lives. Andrew was certain that they wouldn't look out of place in this little town either. Still it's not as though Andrew had any other options. It was either here or elsewhere, and at least if this place turns out to be a hellhole he could book it later that night. Assuming no one trashes his bike anyways. Taking a deep breath and checking his surroundings, Andrew kicked off his bike and headed towards Haven.

Andrew rode to the gates of Haven. Or some sort of fence door. Honestly, this place just looked like a cheap farming town. The fence was basic, the grass needed to be cut, and the roads could use some work. He supposed that it's not as if they could have done a whole lot within the two-months, but still. One would at least expect a guard or something. Just about anyone could waltz in here. Andrew certainly intended to. Dismounting from his bike Andrew walked passed the gate and headed towards Haven. He looked a bit odd from his armor, so he took off his helmet. He hoped people wouldn't shoot him on the spot. He came in peace after all.

[color=fdc68a][i][b][center]Janette Allen[/center][/b][/i][/color]

Janette was up early, as she's wont to do. One of the town "Elders" if only because she really is one of the oldest among them, and one of the few who was still lucid. Janette took care of everyone the best she could, either to help alleviate their ills, or end their pain. She's also taken it upon herself to manage the stock of Haven. Not everyone enjoys rationing their meals, but the reality of the fact was that there was only enough for everyone to get one meal a day. And hardly much either; just a bowl of stew using whatever they could spare. 

Haven already had a bit of produce farming going, but that would only last for so long. They mainly grew soybeans and corn here, which at least gave them a supply of grains and protein. But it wouldn't be enough. The harvest wasn't perfect; some corn was diseased and not all the plots yielded anything sustainable. Before the end came this might have not been such a big deal; the owner of the farm would simply sell what he had and still rake in enough money to start over next season. But now the people of Haven needed to live off this stuff. Even if they stuck to rationing with only one meal a day, Janette guessed they would have about a month, maybe 40 days, before they would run out of supplies. Not enough to last through winter. And not enough to sustain the town if more joined them.

Hunting was a risky venture as well. Janette refused to allow anyone to hunt alone: She doesn't care how good of a hunter they think they are. They need a buddy to watch their back and bring back their catch. Not only that but there was also the matter of competition: while deer may be in season there are still plenty of wild animals out there that outnumber the people of Haven 10 to 1, and that's not even including the zombies who'd no doubt be attracted to the sounds of gunfire or the smell of blood. Or other hunters from other settlements looking to bag the same prey. And there was the simply fact that hunting wasn't efficient on it's own. Hunt too many bucks in the forest and they leave, coming back who knows when. Janette had to to limit the trips to once or twice a week, and only within a certain area, to ensure that they had a stable population near by. And then there were the few who thought they could hunt deer with only a knife or other melee weapon. Then they'd get a broken rib because a deer kicked them in the chest, or gored them with their antlers. 

Sighing, Janette weighed their options. At a time like this farming was simply the best long term option. But that would take a few months before that yielded anything, and they'd have to get through winter first. Janette couldn't ensure the supply would last that long, and they'd certainly wouldn't be getting any more during the meantime. They needed to stock up while they can, and prep their supplies for the long winter. Janette thought long and hard about what they needed. They needed more then just food: They needed jars, preservatives, wood for fire and blankets to ward off heat. They needed cold weather clothing, shovels to deal with the snow, and many other things. There was just so much to do.

Janette walked out of one of the big houses and headed towards the church. It was usually during the mornings that everyone gathered for their task and a bit of preaching. Most have abandoned god, but Janette was still faithful. Even if he did not exist, even if he really did leave them, what good would it be to make him an enemy? Janette knew her death was near. If not because of the zombies, because her disease. If god was listening, all she wanted from him was for her to be able to pass along what little she knows so that the others could survive.

At the Church's steps Janette started to fill out two separate lists of things which need to be done. She'll need two groups: A hunting group and a foraging group. She'd also need some people to stay to help her harvest what they could from the fields. And lastly, someone to watch over Haven itself. It wouldn't be hard to steal from them if everyone was off trying to make ends meet. So four groups in all. She may have to cut it down to two in fact; there simply wasn't enough people right now that she'd rely on going in separate groups. Still, she'd need to wait here and see who would even get up. If not then she'd have to go knock on some doors and figure out who's still alive and kicking, and who needs to be given their last rites.