[IC] The Walking Dead - Hell on Earth

[Belle]

@datadogie

Jessalyn - bus - Jasper

She never expected him to not have a group. How did a kid survive on his own without a group? Maybe it was a recent thing? He was part of a group and ran away? Or maybe they got killed by walkers? Or raiders?

“Shit kid. That’s... shit,” Jessalyn rubbed the back of her neck and turned away. She took a deep breath and blew it out, looking at the ceiling of the bus as if it had the answers.

She felt a pull at her heart. Just a kid. This world sucked royally.
If the raiders found him he’d have no chance. He’d be their little slave while they trained him to be like them : a monster worse than the walking dead.
What the hell was she thinking? She wasn’t a babysitter. She was on her own and she liked it that way.

She liked it that way damn it.

Decision made, she turned back to the kid. “What’s your name short stuff?”

[wolverbells]

Nathalie Soltero | Wooded Area | Finn & Nicole

Nathalie kept close to Nicole, listening to her hushed whispers as they made their way out of the mall. She was almost ecstatic at the idea of not only being with trustful people but being able to just get some sleep and something other than chili inside of her growling stomach. Her pale blue eyes scanned their surroundings as she kept close, listening all while keeping an eye out for danger. Finn was truly amazing, leading them through the dead, taking any out that they would come across with.

Once the trio was out of the mall and past the parking lot, Nat’s stomach beginning to fill with butterflies as she saw a truck hidden in the brush. She wanted them to be butterflies, rather than knots of anxiety. She kept close to her companions, only halting to a stop when Finn stopped abruptly right in front of her, causing her to run into his back. Alarm and fear began to fill her body before Nathalie even knew what was going on; the dead. Before Nathalie had time to react, Finn was already in action. He tossed her his truck keys and exclaimed for both of them to run for it while he distracted them. “No…” her voice came out as a whisper as she looked around frantically. There were too many for just him. As strong of a man as he might have been once, he was undernourished and exhausted. There was no way. “Finn!” Nathalie ran over, hopping up a bit and holding on to his backpack as the dead seemed to create out of thin air. “Finn, give it to me! It’s weighing you down!” She tugged as hard as she could, forcing him to get out of the restraints before returning a glare to him. She knew he would be mad but she didn’t care, he would realize that she was doing him a favor. “I’m not asking.”

The backpack was heavier than she expected, but it didn’t stop her from putting it backwards so it would hang from her front side. “Nicole!” The woman spun around, stopping only when she saw the girl’s frozen, deer in headlights look. “Come on!” Without saying another word, Nat grabbed the teenager’s hand and began pulling her in the direction that they had initially been walking towards. The truck wasn’t far off, but it was far enough to be covered by more brush so the dead couldn’t sense where they had gone.

“Nicole, I need you to hide in the truck… Do. Not. Argue. I am not taking no for an answer.” The words left Nathalie’s mouth without looking at her partners face. She unlocked the back seat and swung both backpacks in before urging and pushing Nicole inside. “Lock the doors, stay low. I am going to go get you brother. I promise nothing will happen to him.” As she spoke, Nathalie shrugged on her jean jacket that she grew to hate and love at the same time. It was what stopped so many bites and scratches from possibly happening. “Nicole, please stay low and try to cover your face with the backpacks. I’ll be back with Finn. Lock. The. Truck.” Her final words came out in a tone as if a mother was scolding her child, firm and full of authority.

Nathalie made sure to close the door quietly as she could, leaving it to Nicole to lock it from the inside as she had given her the keys just in case. She made sure to leave only after Nicole had covered herself up, keeping herself hidden from prying dead eyes. Turning on her heel, she began to make her trek back over to where Finn had remained, the sounds of the struggle evident even through the shrubbery. Her eyes widened as she saw at least fifteen dead making their way over to Finn, who already seemed to be struggling with the few he had surrounding him. Taking advantage of the fact that all of the dead were looking away from Nathalie and towards the man, Nat began to quietly make her way to the nearest straggler, only standing up straight when she was pulling back to get enough force to get her hooked machete deep into its skull. One down, several more to go. She followed those same steps to the following two. Pull back, release, blade in skull. Her luck ran out when the others started noticing the movement in what must have been their peripheral vision, if the dead even had it. “Finn! We need to clear a path and go!” The time for being quiet was over, she needed the attention of the dead focused on her as well in order for him to be able to get more. “I can’t. My arms. They’re too tired.” Her statements came out in exasperated pants, trying to catch her breath. Her exhaustion was at it’s peak and she didn’t want to waste more time and energy. She hated using her gun, but it was clear that they were both out of their league with trying to take on the remaining eight dead with how tired they were. It was a call she would have to take and would hate herself for it.

Without giving it more of a thought, with a quick swing of her machete, she let the blade crush into the skull and left it there as the corpse fell to the ground. As fast as she could, while being safe, Nathalie pulled out her 9mm Berretta and immediately checked to see if there was one in the barrel. “Check,” she breathed out before taking the safety off and pointing at her first target. “Just like abuelo showed you, front sight, front sight, slack, pause, squeeze.” Her eyes concentrated on the the front sight, making sure they were aligned before pulling the trigger. The first bullet was always the hardest, having the loud bang ring through her uncovered ears and the recoil startle her. Her Abuelo pulled through though, watching as the corpse dropped to its knees and then directly to the floor. With another deep breath, Nat followed through with another three bullets to three skulls. Four lucky headshots in her time of need. Before she knew it, Finn had done away with the remaining dead and all that was left was for them to get the hell out of there before more showed up due to the sounds of the bullets and the struggle. Breathing deeply, Nat immediately turned the safety back on and pulled the machete out, not bothering to clean it. She ran over to Finn, doing a quick once over on him, running her hands down from his face to his arms, and finally his hands. No visible bites thankfully.

Taking one of his hands with one of hers, she grabbed it firmly and started tugging him along so they could run towards the truck. As she had already guessed, not only did he catch up to her pace but he surpassed her and began to pull her. Once they reached the truck, Nat frantically knocked on the window of the backdoor, smiling widely when Nicole surfaced. “Open!” Nicole nodded and began to quietly pull the locks out so they could all get in. Finn in the driver’s seat and Nathalie sliding into the back with Nicole. As they all settled in and began to move, Nathalie turned over and smiled tiredly at Nicole, grabbing her hand in a reassuring manner. “Told ya I’d get him back. I never break promises.” A yawn broke the finishing word to her sentence and she immediately began to feel the adrenaline leaving her body and exhaustion crashing into her like waves. Her eyelids fluttered for a bit, fighting to stay open, but they finally gave out as she began to succumb to the waves that were crashing into her.

@Juniper

[datadogie]

Jasper - School Bus - Jessalyn

@Belle

Jasper tucked his knees to his chest, staring at the woman and waiting to see what would happen. He could tell what he had said to her had some kind of effect from the way she had spoken afterwards, with her curse words and movements. After a few moments of watching her, his eyes cast to the ground. He was just unsure of what was going to happen, what she was going to say or what she was going to do. When she turned back around, his worries only grew from the anticipation. He hesitated once he heard the question that she asked, a little worried. It took him a couple of moments to tilt his head back up, to face her directly and answer her question.

"Jasper," the boy says, a little gingerly. "Jasper North."

[QT]

Casey Guidry - Road - Molly @Weeping Raven

- Before -

Chaired in the visitation room, Casey examined his facial bruises and lacerations on the bulletproof glass. His face and body physically damaged after being attacked by numerous inmates three days prior. He was found by a guards over a puddle of his own blood with broken ribs and difficulty breathing. It was the fourth or fifth time he'd been attacked while inside, but the first time he felt completely defenseless. The attack was retaliation for his refusal to join a boisterous group - trying to remain independent. The beatdown a way to show him that he did need protection - but if attackers were defenders, then an altercation like this proved them untrustworthy. Next time he'd kill them.

On the other side of the glass the twin doors flew open into the visitors room. Through them walked a figure posthaste and stopped before Casey's window, eyeing him with despair. Casey titled his chin, eyes connecting with the one person he never thought he would see again - Elizabeth. She placed a hand on the glass as worry clouded her facial features, body dropping to the seat across him as she reached for the phone.

Casey brought his own phone to his ear, looking down at the counter as he took a deep breath of realization. "Are you okay?" he heard through the phone, Elizabeth's voice as soft as he remembered. It had been years since his sentence, since he last saw her on that courtroom stand. Never did he blame her for speaking her truth and never did he stop loving her. When his father told him he'd never see her again, he believed it but kept her at heart. "How's John?" he mustered, holding back the desire to show emotions by closing his eyes and turning away from her.

"He's fine...are you?" Elizabeth asked, holding back the tears she would years ago be unable to control. It was clear how much his imprisonment affected her, but she was showing how much she'd grown in their time apart. Nevertheless she still had every intention of reconciling with Casey and forgive him for what he'd done. "I miss you," she whispered, head tilting slightly as she gulped away her fears of rejection.

"I love you so much..." Casey whispered back, his eyes watering with guilt. "I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. All I've ever wanted was to keep you safe. I failed."

- Now -

As to say it was ready to go, the Taurus rumbled as Casey helped Molly to her seat. He noticed the dirt on some of her clothes and her overall condition. It was clear she had been stripped of a normal teenage life - one of newly-found adult freedoms like getting her drivers license, going to college and finding a new meaning in life. However, being deprived of such liberties made her tougher, more understanding of this new reality. Just by the way he eyed him, Casey was able to tell there was more to her than met the eye.

In hopes of getting on his way, Casey moved around the vehicle - gathering his pistol before mounting the driver's seat. "Nice to meet you, Molly," he replied while shutting the door and rolling the window down. "At least we don't smell as bad those things" he joked, looking at the walker reflecting off his rear view mirror. He was trying to lighten the mood after hearing about her family. Her story hit close to home as Casey himself was trying to find his parents. He decided not to comment on the matter however and moved on mentally.

Switching gears and hitting the gas the survivors started down the road, the walker disappearing from view. There was no music, there was no air conditioning, only the silence filling the space between them and the wind that traveled through the open windows. Casey would glance over at Molly from time to time to ensure her comfort and his own security. He didn't necessarily see her as a threat or feel any ill-intent from the kid, but one could never be too careful - too careful wasn't a thing in the apocalypse. Clearing his throat he decided to initiate some conversation. "Ahem...so, Molly, where exactly were you headed? Where does this road lead for you?" he asked her, side-eyeing her when he could.

Casey wondered if she was also looking for her family. but earlier revelation sounded like she had already gave up on that quest. He didn't want to probe into her private life for two reasons; one, it wasn't his business to begin with and two, bringing history to light could put him at odds with her. As trivial as it sounded, Casey didn't want to hurt her feelings. He didn't necessarily care for her personally, but had reached a state of mind that pushed him to do better for himself. Maybe it was a brewing belief that there was something after. Maybe it was simply a way to pay for his wrongdoings in the life before. Either way, he was here now with Molly and would do what he could to do right by her. He's the one that extended his hand after all, he didn't have to stop.

-

Roughly twenty minutes later the two of them had entered central Florida - Taurus rolling through the broken city that once housed the most spring-breakers in the world. They were in the suburbs where houses of similar build and color surrounded them in every direction. All of them however torn to shreds, ransacked by whatever had washed over the neighborhood. Every door appeared kicked-in and every window shattered - difficult to tell if the damage was manmade or manmade. Casey let off the accelerator as he maneuvered around the stalled vehicles - all empty. "Roll up your window, keep your eyes open," he instructed Molly, his own eyes focused on their surroundings.

He was becoming anxious, worried at what he would find when they turned the corner. His parent's house lay walking distance at this point and by the looks of it, will be found in the same condition as the rest of the homes. Removing the pistol from his belt, he turned the corner cautiously, stopping as soon as he entered the cul-de-sac. Pulling the emergency brake, shifting to park and turning the vehicle off, Casey twisted and pulled Molly's rifle from the back. "Here..." he started, handing her her rifle. "Stay here, I have to check the house over there. If anything happens here's the key..." he said, giving up his only mode of transportation. "Try not to leave without me." With that Casey rolled up his window and exited the car, motioning her to lock the doors before heading towards the house. He hoped his parents were still there...alive.

[Weeping Raven]

Molly Bauer - Car - Casey@QT

Molly leaned back into her car seat, exhaling and resting an arm on the door. Feeling the air wash over her was bliss, even if the air was still hot and cloying. It was just nice not to be walking anymore, she must've done 50+ miles in the past few days and her legs knew about it.
As the Taurus pulled away from where they'd been stopped, Molly looked at the lone walker growing smaller in the distance, in an odd sort of way she almost missed it. The thing had been after her awhile now and snap, just like that she was gone from under it's nose.

Caseys question brought her back to reality, it was a good question. After all, where was she going? In her head there was a sketchy plan of getting back to Tennessee, to try and see if her grandparents were still alive. But whether to trust Casey or not by telling him the truth? Molly decided to, he had been true to his word so far.
"I'm heading up to Tennessee, my grandparents live there" while she didn't say the words 'I hope' after that, it was clear what she meant "But.. to be honest I'm not so sure anymore, here and now I'm just trying to find some supplies".

-20 minutes later-

The suburbs looked like a hurricane had been through, shattered houses and broken down vehicles everywhere. Molly rolled up the car window at Casey's order, scanning their surroundings with practiced albeit nervous eyes. Everything looked deserted and empty, not even a Walker in sight.

-

Now here she was alone in the car, Casey having left her with the keys. Watching him as he ran cautiously over to his parents house, Molly turned her attention back to the street, while making sure that her rifle was loaded, safety on. Seems he trusted me, enough to leave me with the car keys. That or he figures I can't drive, "Well, you can't drive" she said aloud, smirking slightly. Though even if I could I wouldn't leave the guy behind. He stopped for me when he really didn't have to and like me, Casey wants to find his parents.

A brief flash of movement out the corner of her eye made Molly tense up, breaking her train of thought. Something had definitely moved, where was it now... There! Again a dark shape passing past a broken window but what the hell was it, Molly wound the window down and rested her rifle on the door. Casting a glance over her shoulder at Casey's parents house. "Hurry up, please..."

[Juniper]

Finn Loughty // Nicole Brenn - Mall Parking Lot / Truck / Finn’s Shelter - Nathalie Soltero @wolverbells

Finn Loughty’s intense eyes followed Nat as her hands gingerly ran over his face, arms and finally his hands in order to make sure he wasn’t bitten. Her touch brought a sort of calmness over him, somehow telling him that everything was going to be alright. It brought back old feelings, feelings that he never thought he would have again. They had made it. He couldn’t understand it. He thought he was a goner and she had freely risked her life and used her bullets to save him. His heart was still racing from all the adrenaline and his poor chest heaved as he attempted to catch his breath. You’re not out of the woods, yet, Finn. He heard a voice. Hold on a bit longer. Next thing he knew, Nat had grasped his hand and began leading him back to the truck. Like a runner on his final lap, a shot of renewed energy burst through his veins and he began to surpass her and guide her back to the truck. After Nicole unlocked the door for them, he promptly slid the key into the ignition. The Ford fired up, roaring back to life. Boy, he has never been so glad to see his old truck.

“Told ya I’d get him back. I never break promises,” was the last words that escaped from her lips before Nat fell asleep. Finn looked at her with compassion. She was utterly exhausted - probably even more so than him. “Nicole, take my coat and put it over her,” he told her, grabbing his extra winter coat that always left in his passenger seat if he ever needed it. Nicole nodded, immediately obeying him. “You should’ve seen her, Finn. She was amazing. I don’t know what I would have done. She risked her life for you,” Nicole murmured as she gently pulled back strands of hair that dropped across on Nat’s features as she slept. Nicole heard her brother answer in such a quiet voice, that she almost thought she didn’t hear him.

“I know she did,” he said almost in a whisper. She was right. She had saved his life. He stared out at the parking lot at the walkers dead on the ground, unable to deal with the whirlwind of emotions he was feeling at the moment. He set gear on drive and reversed the truck to get back on the road. “Let’s go home,” he announced, more to himself than to anyone else.
Ten more minutes and we all can sleep. Finn thought to himself, as his truck’s mud-filled tires rolled against the asphalt. There were no other cars on the road. The pine car freshener swung back and forth from the rear view mirror. Nicole had also gone out like a light. Debris and potholes covered the roads now, making him miss the old days when he would take spontaneous midnight drives over smooth and carefully laid concrete. Over the horizon, the sun was beginning to set, streaking the Floridian sky with plum and burnt orange colors.
The ride began to get a bit more bumpy as he turned into a dead end road which led into the forest. At the end of the long road, he stopped the truck and stepped out, leaving Nicole and Nat sleeping inside. To the left side of the entrance of the forest, there were big branches and leaves that he used to smokescreen his truck. He transported the branches and leaves to the side and veerd back to the truck to reverse it into the concealed parking spot he had made. After doing so, he put everything back in its place. If a mere stranger was driving on the same dirt road, they never would have noticed there was a truck camouflaged nearby. He slid the key out of the ignition and put the parking brake back on. He unlatched the truck door. The monotonous beeping sound came on, indicating that a door was open, filling the surrounding quietness. He softly nudged Nicole awake to tell her that they arrived. He was about to wake Nat up; but one look at her, he did not have the heart to do it. Without a word from him, Nicole knew exactly what to do. She grabbed her pack and dashed off into the forest. They were about thirty feet away from where their shelter was.

It was as an old hunting cabin that some men had built a long time ago in the trees. Finn had discovered it a few months back and was determined to fix it up. He even added a loft and extended the roof. He managed to add a fire pit made out of rusty metal which he had found on one of his expeditions and refurbished. He put it out on the small deck that extended out in the back of the cabin, so that it didn’t pose a huge risk to burn the place down. Nicole, who discovered she had a knack for cooking, enjoyed to cook over the pit. At the entrance of the cabin, there were a few stairs which led down to the ground, but he added a ladder at the end so that it can be pulled up with a rope just in case walkers or people attempted to make their way up. It was a good home for the state of the world at the moment and Finn couldn’t help but feel proud of it. That’s why he did everything he could to keep it hidden for as long as he could.

Finn creaked open the back door and slid his arms under Nat and lifted her up in his arms, his coat wrapped around her warmly. She was petite, which made it easier for him to carry her to the shelter. He tried to be as respectful and gentle as he could so she didn’t wake up, the leaves crackled under his worn boots. Nicole had lowered the ladder for him, and he shifted Nat’s position in his arms so that he was able to climb it while carrying her. It wasn’t as complicated as he thought and before long he had already passed the ladders and had made it to the top of the stairs. Nicole had taken her cot down from the loft and brought it down to the main floor for her friend. Finn lowered her down with softness and delicacy. After making sure she was alright, he went back to the truck to gather the rest of the things left behind. He put his pack, Nat’s pack and her wine bottle in the corner of the room and went to grab the rope to pull the ladder back up. Nicole, who was more starving than tired, was already cooking up something for her to eat and then for Finn and Nat, whenever they would wake up. Bent over the fire, she stirred the beans in the pot, grateful for the food they had found today.
Finn’s cot laid there, welcoming him with open arms. Usually he would wash himself in the creek nearby before laying down but this time he was too fatigued and depleted to even think about that. As soon as he laid his head on the berth and closed his eyes, he went out like a light.

[Red7VII]

Location: Mall Parking Lot | Interactions: @Belle

Rex traded a glare between the girl and the disarmed man. The man's story was a tough pill to swallow. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe he wasn't... but if his version of things was that he got bested and outsmarted by a little girl then he probably deserves to be a victim, Rex decided. At the girl's beckoning, Rex gave King a nod and the two moved in unison, letting the girl take a slight lead.

Another woman, Rex thought, recalling the little girl's mention of a mother. Another potential mouth to feed. This new world they found themselves living in had brought out the pessimist in him. He tried to skew his outlook, look at the brighter side. Maybe they already had supplies. Maybe they've got a system for sustainability. It was worth checking out.

The dog slowed his pace and allowed a rumbled growl to escape his teeth. Rex looked to the little girl and made a quiet, but stern command: "Stop." The biters were closing in on the sound of the gunshots from before. Rex knew their approach was inevitable, but he was hoping it would be slower... that they'd have more time to get where they were headed. With the bow still in hand, Rex readied a new bolt and pointed it toward the ever growing sound of the undead, anticipating their gross, decaying faces to come around the corner at any moment.

"Little Bit, y'know a diff'rent way to get to your mama?" Before she could answer, Rex looked back at the crippled bearded man and tried to decide if he cared enough to offer the man aid. Surely he wouldn't be able to walk right and his shoulder was already significantly damaged by the bolt from before. Truthfully, the most merciful thing Rex could do at this point was to finish what he started before the ghouls found their feast. Rex's stare was cold, his eyes unblinking before he ultimately came to his decision. Not worth the ammo.

[wolverbells]

Nathalie Soltero | Finn’s Shelter/The creek | Finn & Nicole

The aroma of something warm tempted Nathalie to wake up by appealing to her stomach. She turned over to find a comfortable position in her bed, sighing silently before feeling herself go deeper into her sleep.

“Nati wake up!”

The voice seemed familiar. Too familiar. Nathalie groaned in her sleep, shifting a bit as she reached for the covers.

”Yeah Nati, wake up!”

A softer voice from nearby giggle almost immediately after the first. Suddenly, Nathalie found herself sinking into her bed as she felt two people crawl on and jumped around, laughing and ripping the covers off of her. Nathalie’s lashes fluttered several times before her pale blue eyes could focus on the two girls hovering above her, waiting for her to wake up. They were her sisters, Alissa and Rose. Confusion clouded her mind as she saw her beautiful girls giggling and helping her sit up in bed, their hands already moving to Nat’s hair to braid it. ”Mom’s making my fave, meatloaf with mashed potatoes and sweet corn!” Rose nearly sang as she told Nathalie what their mother was making for dinner, smiling widely as she braided her older sisters hair. Rose was only 14, but she was a fountain of talent and could do anything she put her mind to. Alissa was the same as well, but way less outspoken. She was of few words but showed everyone she was a badass through her actions. ”Nati, why didn’t you tell us your boyfriend was coming over?” Rose’s giggles soon turned into high pitches laughter, Alissa finally breaking and joining in on the laughing. Although Nathalie was beyond confused, what Rose said ripped her out of the initial shock and sent her into a near panic hearing that word. “Boyfriend?!” Her voice rang clear in her room, the faint echo catching her attention. She looked around and saw in awe as she recalled her old room, just the way she had left it. “Who told y’all... Now when have y’all ever seen me date someone? What is going on here?” The only response the young woman received were delighted giggles as the girls finished her braid and made off downstairs, their feet sounding like gallops as they raced down each stair.

“What the hell?” Nathalie stood in front of her old mirror, looking at herself. She was dirty. No, she was beyond dirty. Clearly she had gone through hell and then some, yet she wore a simple tank top and shorts. As she looked down to her clean clothes, the clear clash of her dirty and mud splattered skin made her feel as if something was truly wrong, but she couldn’t put a finger on it. She kept staring at her reflection, noticing that she wasn’t as thin as she had just seen herself a few days ago. Her flattering curves were back, her hair was shiny, and her nails were manicured. “But why am I so fucking dirty?” She tried rubbing off some dirt from her arms but her mother’s voice rang clear through the halls as she called out for Nathalie to go downstairs for dinner. “M...mom?” Without thinking twice, Nathalie sprinted through the halls, nearly jumping down the entire staircase in order to get to the kitchen. She passed the dining table where her sisters sat, both smiling widely and whispering little secrets to each other. Nat shot them a look but continued past a door into the kitchen, her jaw dropping as she saw her mother getting together plates as a man behind her filled some cups with soda, his back turned to the women. “Mom?”

”There you are! Oh I love it when your sisters braid your hair Mija! Andale, go sit down before your dad gets home, he’s going to be starving. Oh, I also invited your boyfriend over, you didn’t tell me he was so handsome! Que guapo!”

“What? Mom I’m not - who is this?” She pointed to the man who had his back to them, only to take a few steps back when she realized who it was. “Finn?” Her voice cracked a bit but the man turned in response, grinning widely at her. ’Why the hell is Finn here? Where the hell is his sister?’

“Finn, where’s Nicole?”

Nothing. The blonde man’s face didn’t even flinch. His green eyes didn’t blink. It was as if she had never said anything. “Finn! Where is Nicole?!” Nothing once more. Nathalie turned to look at her mom but she simply stood there looking confused, as if replicated Nat’s own confusion. The sound of a door opening and closing caused the petite woman to jump, her head turning quickly towards the door she had just came in through. “Dad?” Curiosity got the best of her and she left the two in the kitchen to go see who had just came in to her fucked up house. Indeed it was her dad, although, something was wrong. He seemed off, his limbs didn’t move the way a normal human should be moving. His clothes were torn and the look in his eyes, well there was no look. A blank stare straight into nothing. “Dad, what’s wrong?” The only response that she could elicit was a gargling groan from the man, which caused two more groans to echo from behind Nathalie where the dining table was. She turned to see what had responded in the same manner as her dad, and it was her sisters. Their smiles were gone, everything that was so animated about them was gone, and they seemed to also stare into nothing like their father. “Mom? Something’s wrong with the girls and dad.” Her voice was in no way loud, but it could have been clearly heard in the kitchen, as her mother also made her way towards the dining room. All four of them mirrored each other in the most disturbing way; they were all dead. Dead, but moving, and they were making their way towards Nathalie with their arms extended in any way but welcoming.

“Mom? Dad?! Stop!” Her voice grew more shrill with each word that escaped her lips as she moved further back. She began to realize what was happening, and what would soon happen to her if she didn’t run. “Finn! Finn please! Nicole, help!” Tears began to stream down Nathalie’s face as she began to climb into furniture to escape the grips of death that her family seemed to promise her.

~

In Nicole’s cot, Nathalie practically thrashed around, covered in sweat. Her screams in her dreams came out as murmurs and mumbles as she tried to cry for help. In a fraction of a second, the woman woke up gasping for air, her eyes wide open as if she had just been brought back to life. She had sat up at the same time as she had woken up, seeming almost cartoon like in her action. Sweat rolled down her face and tears dropped from her eyes. It took her a second to realize that she was not in any danger, and that she was safe with Finn and Nicole inside of their shelter. “God damn it!” Nathalie hissed as she pushed off as much clothing as possible. She set down what must have been Finn’s jacket on the cot before setting down her own, then continuing by taking off her long sleeve black shirt. She remained in her sports bra and her jeans with boots although that still seemed to be too hot. “Nic?” Nathalie walked over to Nicole, smiling as she saw the young girl cooking. “So grown up,” she grinned a bit as she ruffled Nicole’s hair. “Hey, is there a place I can freshen up? It’s so hot and I just need to splash myself with cold water.”

Nicole had explained to Nathalie that there was a creek nearby, just a few feet away from the shelter and secluded by greenery. It was the perfect place to have a picnic if there wasn’t the impending danger of being killed my living or dead. Nathalie had begged her to let her go for a few minutes to clear her mind and get some cold water on her skin. It was clear that the young girl didn’t feel comfortable due to her older brother being asleep. She mentioned waiting for him to be awake so he could accompany her, but Nathalie insisted that she would be gone just a few minutes and that she would only take her machete to show that she wouldn’t run off. “Plus, my clothes will still be here. I will not run off without a shirt. I’ll be fine, I promise. Remember, I always keep my promises.” Nathalie smiled sweetly at Nicole, finally getting the girl to agree. Before letting her out, the two double checked to make sure that there were no dead walking below and that there were no living in sight. Once they were in the clear, Nicole helped Nathalie down and told her to return in five minutes or she’d wake up Finn to get her.

“Just five minutes,” Nathalie whispered before making her way towards the directions she was given. Just about a hundred feet or so, possibly more, and Nathalie could hear the sound of running water. It was ever so soft, but just enough to already wash some relief over her. They were right about it being completely hidden from sight. It was like a hidden gem in the middle of so much chaos. Pushing past the greenery, Nathalie’s eyes opened wide with excitement as she saw the crystal blue water flow slowly. It must have been a natural spring since it didn’t really seem to be coming from any where. She immediately started looking out for wildlife. While the place might’ve been secured of dead by Finn’s traps, gators and snakes respected no rules. Fortunately for her, it was clear. ’It’s mine. It’s all mine for now! I get a piece of heaven all to myself!’ Nathalie’s eyes brimmed with tears as she crouched down to touch the water, it was unbelievable refreshing and just the right temperature to cool herself down. She began with splashing her face, then the back of her neck, then her arms and in top of her chest above the sport bra line; it wasn’t enough though. She needed more of it. She wanted to feel clean and refreshed like she hadn’t in almost eight or nine months. Hell it might have been a year for all she knew, since the outbreak had felt like it happened centuries ago. Biting her lip, Nathalie’s eyes shot up to look around to make sure no one was there. ’Just for a minute’, she convinced herself as she quickly took off every piece of clothing she had on her body, including the shoes. Her eyes scanned the water until she found the perfect spot to walk into and sink herself in. It was possible the deepest part of the creek, only about four feet deep, but it was enough for someone of Nat’s stature to be able to go right in and keep herself semi hidden. It was paradise, even if it was for a short moment.

@Juniper

[QT]

Casey Guidry - Home - Molly @Weeping Raven

- Before -

Lawyer Harold Knowles sat on a black foldable chair in complete silence, eyes shifting between his client and his client's father. He fiddled with his paperwork, questioning Casey's current state of mind as he started to pack up. "Umm...do you understand Mr. Guidry? Or do you need me to explain it to you again?" he asked, having explained the sentencing imposed by the court twice at this point. "Due to your...current involvement in the altercation, the court has ordered to remove your visitation privileges, implement penal labor and increase your sentence to eight years. I know this sounds like the worse case scenario, but we are going to dig into your mistreatment and hope to reduce your sentence again."

Yet Casey didn't utter a response. He stared blankly at the center table with is hand clasped together in his lap, wrist handcuffed and chaining together. He felt himself uncomfortably heavy, one eye nearly shut from how bruised it was. He felt the number on his chest burn through his shirt as though it was being engraved to his skin. The cause of his imprisonment playing on loop in his head like an endless nightmare. He could still see the bruising on his knuckles from that night years ago, feeling how difficult it was to use his hands. "Son!"

He snapped out of it, looking up at both men sitting around him. "It's fine, I understand. Thank you Harold," he finally responded, eyes shifting back down. Harold swallowed and stood, pushing his chair closer to the table as he moved in the direction of the exit. "If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call," he suggested, leaving his business card with Casey's father.

"It's alright son, we are going to get through this."

The word we caught Casey's attention, leaving an awful taste in his mouth as though he had said it. He felt disrespected, targeted by his own father's ignorance and inability to understand the situation. "We? WE?!" Casey started, jumping off his chair and slamming the table with his hands as he shouted at this father. "YOU'RE NOT THE ONE IN THERE! I AM! I AM IN THERE ALONE! I'VE BEEN IN THERE FOR FIVE YEARS! FIVE YEARS WHERE NOTHING GOOD HAPPENED! You have no idea..."

- Now -

Reaching the front door of his childhood home, Casey quickly drew his weapon from this belt. Noticing the cracked windows and busted door, he lead with the muzzle - finger on the trigger and eyes forward. Using his foot he pushed the door open ever so slightly, the creak making him cringe as he peeked down the hall with one eye. There was no one or anything in sight, the hallway simply muddled with clutter. Slowly he moved in, keeping his back against the wall as he slid his way deeper into the house. The furniture was ripped to shreds, big ticket items like their television tossed aside and their kitchen completely ransacked. It smelled awful.

Casey started moving a bit faster through the home now, cruising swiftly through the corridors as he checked every room for signs of life. He didn't mutter a word, keeping silent until he knew the entire house was cleared. Upon securing the first floor he moved towards the staircase, walking up each step with caution. The situation at hand demanded all of his attention and concentration, not granting him the second to recollect on his childhood adventures. He was overly concerned with finding a sign of his parents whereabouts - wether inside the home or not.

Reaching the second floor he navigated through each room, making sure to check every possible hiding space he could. Making his way into his parents bedroom he paused for a second before entering - as if preparing himself for the worst possible outcome. He pushed the door open, eyes wide as he charged forward with his pistol. He came to find an empty room, it's condition the same as all the others - destroyed. He sighed in relief, taking a seat on his parents bed as he stared blankly into the restroom. Not finding them was disheartening, but not dreadful. The fact that they weren't there meant that they may have escaped somewhere safer. It was clear their neighborhood had gone through something catastrophic, but its emptiness gave Casey a sliver of hope. There was no signs of trauma, no blood, no seeming conflict or shells anywhere. The house was more than likely targeted after his parents had left.

Nevertheless it was hurting Casey to have come all this way to find an empty house. He put his gun down next to him and rubbed his hands up his face and through his hair - inhaling deeply and exhaling with slight frustration. Then suddenly, out of thin air he heard glass cracking downstairs. Blood rushed through him like a speeding bullet, urging him back to his feet. He took his gun, leading himself back into the second floor hallway. The silence returned as he walked over the wooden floors, feeling his boots press gently against the hickory hardwood. He glanced over the rails that connected to the stairs and saw a shadow pass by. He started to hear whispers and the stairs groaning under heavy footsteps. "I know I saw him come in this house man," a voice murmured.

Casey turned quickly, darting back into his parents room. He kneeled and shut the door as quietly as humanly possible before sneaking to the nearest window. He pulled the curtains apart, listening to two different voices in the room next door. "It's clear," he made out to be said by one of the individuals. Desperately, Casey attempted to open the window but to no avail. His father had nailed the windows down a long time ago after Casey was discovered to have snuck out in the middle of the night when he was young. "Shit..." he cursed under his breath, moving back towards the door and leaning on the wall behind it. The voices were now right outside of the bedroom and the knob started to turn...

-

Grant Coleman - The Creek - Nathalie @wolverbells

The forest crept with darkness at night, an almost pure hue if it wasn't for the figures that lingered in the shadows. Surrounding the creek they gathered, their skin obscuring them from view. They camouflaged like animals, but held the silhouette of human beings. "A beautiful night for a swim..." a voice came from the trees ahead, coarse and full of life. Leaves shifted around the creek as bodies started to appear anomalously - surrounding Nathalie. The speaker crouched before the unclothed girl, a silver gat in his left hand and big smile on his face - the only features she could see before he got closer.

Once he neared the brim of the creek, the clear water reflected enough moonlight to give life to the outline. His features started forming, showcasing a light stubble, a short fro and skin color she had probably yet to come across. He gestured her to be quiet by brining his index finger over his lips, shushing her at will. "Look around you, you're surrounded," he revealed, other bodies closing in and around the creek - all armed to the teeth and all of the same kind. "We were going to wait until the morning, but you gave us quite the opportunity. We followed you guys all the way from the mall into the forest. We lost you at one point, but then we heard your car beeping. Sound sure does travel through these woods now doesn't it?" he asked rhetorically, giving Nathalie the rundown as he knelt to close the distance between them.

"How about you get dressed and we go have a couple of words with your friends? We'd like very much to meet them," he proposed menacingly, playing with the gun on his hand as he looked around at all of his colleagues. The six men around watched the girl with grins on their faces, most lusting over her exposed physique. "C'mon G, let me get a piece of that fine ass first though!" one of the henchmen uttered disruptively.

The charisma faded from the Grant's face immediately, not taking a liking to the vulgar request. He raised from being crouched, eyebrows narrowing as his smile retired. "Shut your goddam mouth nigga!" he ordered intimidatingly, lifting his desert eagle in the man's proximal direction. "Say some stupid shit again and it'll be the last thing you say. Understood?" the rhetorics continued. The henchman gulped in fear despite having the bigger gun. It was obvious at this point - if it wasn't before - who was in charge and who was to be feared.

Dusting off the dirt from his knees, Grant turned back to Nathalie. "Where are my manners. My name is Grant Coleman, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please, get dressed and let's wake your friends up. We've got business to discuss."

[Weeping Raven]

Molly - cul-de-sac - Casey@QT

A small flock of birds flew out from behind a building, Molly breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her rifle. "Just some stupid birds" she murmured quietly, glancing around again. Something still didn't feel right and it wasn't clear what was wrong. Casey had been about 5-10 minutes now, if the worst had happened then he might be longer.

Molly looked down at her a gun, checking the safety nervously. It had been a present on her 16th birthday, a Remington 597. Da had said it makes real woman out of her, Molly had just rolled her eyes at the time. 'Only' a .22lr, it still packed enough force to bring down walkers and the occasional rabbit if she was lucky.

Some movement caught her eye, Casey was at the window of one of the rooms, then gone again. What was he doing? Well she knew he was ok now at least, going back to scanning the surroundings. A couple walkers stumbled onto the very end of the cul-de-sac, standing in the road and blocking the way out. We can deal with 2 walkers Molly thought to herself, They are probably just being attracted by a dead animal or something. A third joined them and they began hunching over something in the road, only the occasional entrail or spurt of blood giving it away.

Taking a look up at the house, the young girl was beginning to get worried, why wasn't he back yet? She popped the car door and stepped out into the heat of the slowly descending sun, it was about 1730hrs now according to the cars clock. Closing the Taurus door as quietly as possible, locking it and slipping the keys into her back pocket. Molly then made her way up the path to the house where Casey was, rifle at the ready...

[Juniper]

Finn Loughty - Finn's Shelter - Nicole Brenn

Finn jolted awake at the sharp sound of something metal crashing on the wooden floor, followed by a frustrated and unintentionally loud, “damn it!” Shuffling and hurried movements followed as Nicole pressed her fingers to her temples in her usual way of overreacting to small incidents. She had a lousy habit of dropping things. Her dark gaze traveled over to Finn. From previous experience, she remembered that she needed to tell him that it was just an accident and not a horde of walkers coming towards them, which was usually his first assumption. “Everything’s fine, Finn. Just dropped some pots and pans,” Nicole sighed, bending over to pick them up.

“You’ll wake up Nat as well with all that damn racket you’re making," he remarked, his heavy lids fluttering as he began to doze off again.

Ignoring his comment, she continued to put away the pots. “Nat? She's already woke up a few minutes ago,” Nicole informed him, her voice chirpy as ever. His tired eyes blinked as he rolled over, seeing Nicole’s cot empty except for his jacket and Nat’s dark shirt laid over it. That was when Finn realized he had slept too long. He forced himself to sit up and rested his back rested up against the cabin wall. His muscles ached terribly and his head hurt. Dried blood was plastered across his old clothes and his bronzed skin was mixed with dirt and sweat. His fingers ran through his hair. It sure needed a good washing. "Well, where is she?” he raised an eyebrow, concerned. His head tilted to the side in confusion. Where could she have gone?

“Nat needed some time to herself, to clear her head and splash some cold water on her face. So I told her about the creek nearby. She promised she would only be five minutes. And I made sure she had her machete with her,” Nicole put her hands on her hips, trying to muster up enough confidence to show that she was proud of her decision she made while her brother was sleeping. “Speaking of the creek, you desperately need to take a trip there yourself,” she said, her features scrunching up in disgust.
Her last remark made him let out a slight chuckle. Finn knew Nathalie was more than capable of taking herself so he wasn’t a whole lot worried. After all, she had made it this far alone. He had wanted to be the one to show her the creek but was amused she had beat him to it.

“How long ago did she leave?” He inquired, now standing on his two feet. The zesty aroma that carried over the fire pit to his nostrils, almost made his mouth water. He had to resist for a little while longer, at least until he was washed up. “I dunno, maybe almost ten minutes?” she replied, preoccupied with getting a bowl for her to eat the rice and beans.

“She’s probably headed back by now then,” he assumed, grabbing his machete and his only extra shirt. “I’m gonna go clean myself up and then come back to eat. Which, by the way, thank you for making,” he announced with a smile, his voice still hoarse from just waking up. He didn’t know how but Nicole almost always found a way to make bland canned food into something far more tastier and enjoyable. Finn lowered the ladder after making his way down the stairs. His leather boots dropped to the forest floor with a soft thud as he took in a moment to inhale the crisp night air, blissfilly unaware of the nightmare coming his way at that very moment.

[wolverbells]

Scarlett Watson – Mall Parking Lot – Ashley

Although the days were almost suffocating, the wind that blew in Scarlett’s face while riding her motorcycle was a welcomed feeling of freedom. She felt as if she had wings, but she could not fly for too long. The sound of her softail slim would soon draw out the walkers, and she needed to make sure they would not show up at her desired destination. She reluctantly slowed down to a halt, making sure she went off road and came to a stop behind a hefty bush in order to hide her bike. She had ridden for several miles now in order to get away from her problems and to check on a certain storage that she had been keeping fully stocked for several weeks now.

As she made sure that she couldn’t see the bike from any angle, Scarlett assessed the items that she had in her possession; her gun, machete, backpack with a water bottle, and a box of cigarettes with a lighter. “Not much to go on. Time to grab some food.” The blonde slung her backpack over her shoulders and slid her arms in, in one swift movement. Her destination in mind was the mall, but she had to go down a block at least before getting there, and that was where her biggest problem lay. The walkers usually stuck around to this area, mainly because there were so many people coming and going at all hours of the day. Not to mention that dogs usually made their shelter in shops at the mall since people had broken several glass doors, and those fuckers barked too damn much.

As she made her way down the block, she made sure her footsteps made little to no sound. The street was awfully quiet and empty, it was almost too weird. Usually it took Scarlett longer to make her way down the block due to the walkers obstructing her path, but today – even with her bike’s roaring – there were none. “Where the hell are they?” She muttered as she began to near the mall’s parking lot. That’s when she heard it. The moans and groans of the dead that were either near the mall or inside. There must have been some commotion to get them all to move this way. As she turned the corner she, her brows furrowed in a mixture of frustration and confusion. Many of the walkers were actually crawlers. It looked like their legs had been run over and they stuck to the ground with only their arms reaching out for their next victim.

Sighing, Scarlett unsheathed her machete and began to dig it straight into the skulls of the dead. She only killed the ones she needed to in order to get to the mall. She hated killing in general, whether the victim was alive or already dead. As she made her way closer, clearing a path, the woman noticed a blonde girl walking. She seemed young, younger than Scarlett by several years at least. Was she a teenager? What if she needed help? Scarlett’s humane urges come through first, causing her to reach up and wave towards the girl before she could even realize what she had done. She was on the run; she shouldn’t have done that.


@datadogie

~

Nathalie Soltero | The Creek/Finn’s Shelter | Grant Coleman

The sun had set faster than Nathalie had anticipated. How long had she spent out in the water? She raised her hand up above the water and noticed her fingers hadn’t gotten wrinkly yet. It couldn’t have been that long. Shrugging, she returned to washing the dirt out of her hair, setting the machete in a small nook right above the water but below the ground level.

As she ran her hands through her hair, something started to seem off. A chill ran through her spine and she looked up immediately to see if she could find anything out of the ordinary. She could sense if in the back of her head; eyes piercing her skin. She was already naked, but she felt as if the stares were going to undress furthermore. She slowly reached for her machete in her hidden nook, slowly dragging it underwater to not bring any attention towards her movements. The leaves began to shift and move around her, twigs cracking underneath the heavy feet of her ambushers. Nat turned every which way but could not see where the source was coming from. She could tell it was all around, but there was no point or head of the attack. Furrowing her brows, she sank herself into the water, keeping only her nose and eyes above the surface so there could be something between the assailants and her body.

After a clear minute of pure anxiety and disorientation, her eyes finally stopped as she saw a figure emerge. The first thing that caught her eye was the glistening of a weapon in the person’s hand. She looked up to see a smiling man appear from the darkness, the image itself made her skin crawl as she treaded backwards in the water.

”Look around you, you’re surrounded.”

Nathalie took that time to take quick glances either way; he was right. There were men lining either side of the creek and one by where were clothes lay. There was no way she could get out and make a run for it even if she wanted to, and she didn’t have her gun. She listened to the man speak about how they were planning to wait until the morning but decided to take advantage of the situation in which she was out for a swim. “What the fuck do y’all want.” The woman spat at him, venom in each word as she glared at him. She was not new to these situations, but what was new was that she was already fully naked and no one had even laid a finger on her yet. She was taken a bit by surprise when the man encouraged her to get dressed. ’What?’ Even the voice inside her head was confused. He wanted her to cover up before what, robbing her? Raping her? Killing her and her companions?

”Let me get a piece of that fine ass first though!”

Nathalie’s eyes widened as she heard another man speak out, her face going red with rage as she turned around. If looks could kill, she would have killed that man ten times over. She heard their leader threaten him to shut up and threatened the rest with the same punishment if they tried the same. At least he had some type of respect for women. “Try that shit with me and you won’t even get the chance to come back as a walker you piece of shit.” Her glare continued to bore into his soul as she spat towards him before turning back to the initial mad who spoke to her. He introduced himself to her, as if that changed the fact that they were here to commit crimes. “I wish I could say the same. You seem like a fine man, although your actions clearly show different.” Nathalie tilted her head slightly before lifting her hand to push her hair out of her face. “I’ll get dressed, only after your punk ass men look away. I won’t give them the privilege and pleasure of seeing me undressed.” Her hand tightened its grip around the hilt of her machete underwater, she had yet to pull it out of the water in case anyone tried to get in the water with her. She would rather die after killing a man that tried to touch her than to let herself be manhandled. “I will take my clothes and change behind that three right there. I will not be changing in front of any of you.” Nathalie held her chin up to show that she would not back down, gun in her face or not. If this man was willing to kill one of his own for even thinking about violating her, he must have some kind of decency and respect for her wanting to change out of view.

@QT@Juniper

[josephb]

Ethan - The mall - Ayla @Norschtalen

It didn't take them long to actually get inside of the mall and they hadn't really seen much that caught their attention on the short walk to the door, nevertheless they still kept their heads down and tried to be as quiet as possible. When they actually got to the door and crept inside the smell hit Ethan straight away, he'd never smelt anything quite as bad before, he threw up almost immediately. Hunched over, Ethan took a second to compose himself, he wiped his mouth was the back of his hand then covered his mouth and nose with his other clean hand to try and hide some of the smell. Ethan had worked very close to sewers which were awful and had to deal with the smells there, but this was a hundred times worse. "That's the worst things I've... ever smelled." Ethan whispered in an out of breath voice, despite the smell, they had no other choice but to continue with whatever Ayla had planned. So far hadn't seen any signs of people living there or close by.

This part of the mall looked like it hadn't been touched in quite some time. There was the odd decomposed body scattered around the floor, obviously this was where the smell was coming from. After a few minutes Ethan moved his hand away from his mouth after getting used to the smell, well as used to it as you could get with it anyway. Ethan had always been a little sensitive when it came to smells. He could see something that was horrible to look at but would be fine, but with smells he would never do well with them.

Ethan stayed behind Ayla whilst she had the map and some kind of a knowledge about the mall from being here before. As they continued through the mall, Ethan had pulled out his hatchet and was killing a few Walkers that were so decomposed that they couldn't even walk anymore. [i]Find some peace.[/] Ethan thought to himself after he'd pulled the hatchet from their heads. He had no clue whether there was anything left of the person it once was but he disliked the thought of him wondering aimlessly around as a walker.

Ayla pointed to where they needed to go and gestured for him to go in front. It was a women's clothing store that they was entering so there wouldn't be much there for him. He was hoping to find maybe a walking store, that had some boots, he currently was wearing some trainers that were looking a bit worse for wear and some coats that were made for colder weather in case he ever headed north. All of he had left were the clothes he was wearing and a thin hoodie that was in his car. Ethan moved through the store quickly but stayed low. There was a few Walkers dotted about the place standing motionless. It was nothing the two couldn't handle.

They moved through the store silently killing any walkers that were in their way. The escalators finally came into view when suddenly a hand lurched out and grabbed Ethan's leg. By instinct Ethan wrenched his leg away but the hand still had a hold of him. Ethan tripped backwards trying to get away from whatever had hold of him from underneath the clothes rack. He pushed himself away from where the hand was coming from with the hand still clinging on to him. As he moved back even more a walker came out with its bottom half missing. Ethan kicked it in it's face trying to not let it get close to biting his leg. Without realising Ethan had backed up too much and knocked over a mannequin that crashed into the floor making a massive bang. Ethan finally managed to grab his hatchet and chopped off the hand that was holding on to him. He jumped up straight away and stamped on the walkers head crushing it. The hand was still holding on to his leg which Ethan quickly yanked off him making a disgusted face as he did it. Straight away he realised what he'd done and looked around and saw walkers moving to them. "Up the stairs, quick." Was all that Ethan bothered to say as he headed to them trying to get as far away as possible from where the noise was made.

[datadogie]

Ashley - Mall Parking Lot - Scarlett

@wolverbells

After observing the pair for a moment, Ashley decided to move on. It did drag at her a little, for she did want to ensure the safety of both, however she knew that she couldn't just watch some survivors forever. She did need to continue on with her search, so she at least had found something that she could use, eat or drink. She took a few more moments to peek at the pair, before ducking her head back down. The walkers were ever closer, but Ashley was able to crawl her way between the abandoned vehicles, moving quickly as to not be seen. She didn't mind a bit of dirt on her cargo pants from crawling, she had enough of that in the past tackling felons to the ground. She was only worried about her police belt snagging on something, though it wasn't that huge of a worry. It wasn't bound to happen. Perhaps her nerves were just getting to her.

Once she was a safe distance away, Ashley climbed to her feet, dusting herself off a little. The parking lot of the mall was still quite large, so she wasn't out of it yet. She moved her hands to her belt, rotating it a bit so that it sat more comfortably, and double checked her holster to make sure her gun was not missing - which it wasn't, obviously. She wasn't sure why she was feeling so anxious, but she knew it would pass soon. She could dwell on it whenever she next laid down to rest or sleep. Ashley was worried that thinking about it now would just distract her in a place that was potentially quite dangerous. She made her way to the edge of the parking lot, figuring it would be better to walk there in case she needed to make a quick getaway, or had to hide behind any of the closer cars. She did notice that there seemed to be more walkers around, but they wouldn't bother her, they weren't too close to her and had better things to do. Like staring at the sky, the walls or the ground. Stupid walkers.

Ashley watched her surroundings, from the buildings to the walkers. For all she knew, she could spot a building that didn't look like it had a broken window, and so that would be a good place to search or remember for resting later. Her eyes caught view of a walker swatting in a strange way above it's head, and a touch of a smile appeared on her face before she realised it wasn't a walker at all. The 'swatting' she had spotted was actually a woman waving at her. Ashley debated moving her hand down to her holster, to prepare for anything - for all she knew this could be a trap.

She couldn't do that, however. She never could. To run into every situation like it's a bad one creates trouble where trouble may not be, that's what she had been told years ago. Still, Ashley took a moment to think about what she was seeing, before waving back at the woman and starting to make her way over carefully. "You know doing that is not the best of ideas, right?" Ashley says, as she grew closer. She stops, resting her hands on her belt naturally. "You'll end up shot if you wave at random people in these times."

[Belle]

@datadogie
Jessalyn - Bus - Jasper

The kid looked like a puppy afraid he was going to be kicked. Jessalyn swore ripely under her breath repeatedly.
"Relax short-stuff I'm not in the habit of shooting kids," she said, rubbing the back of her neck.
Turning, she reached into a box and pulled out two cans. They had pull tabs so easy open. Popping them both she realized she had grabbed two cans of spaghettios with cut up pieces of hot dog. It wasn't the best cold but it wasn't the worst either. Jessalyn stuck a plastic spoon in each can and handed one to Jasper.

"Here kid. You and I are going to have a chat."
She sat down next to him and started eating. "Okay short-stuff. I'm not going to send you off on your own. So here's the deal. I'm not going to make you stay but I'm not going to make you go. Your choice. You can stay here but you are going to pull your weight. I give you a roof and food and you help me scavenge. What do you say?"

-----------------------------
Katie - mall parking lot - Rex

Katie heard the sound of the monsters. She had no qualms about leaving the other man behind. He was too hurt. He would die soon and become a monster as well.
She looked confused for a moment when the man who helped her asked about her mom. Then she remembered. "Mama? Oh! Uh..." she looked around rapidly. "Maybe one of the other store entrances?" she suggested, tugging on the man's arm.

She needed to find a way to slip away from this man and head back to the soon-to-be-dead-man's camp and take what she could carry before someone else found it. Maybe she could lose him in the mall.
She no longer wanted to steal from this man. She didn't have to now that the bearded man's stuff was easy pickings.

When the dog growled she backed away, this time genuinely scared. Katie had run into wild dogs before. They were mean and scary. She had seen then rip other animals apart. She was almost as afraid of dogs as she was of the monsters.

[QT]

Grant Coleman - Cabin/Finn's Shelter - Nathalie @wolverbells and Finn @Juniper

Despite being without advantage, the naked girl deterred from harassment by discharging numerous threats of her own. Her spunk made Grant smile from ear to ear, seeing as his men took her attacks to heart - their hands gripping their weapons ever so tightly. She was smart, trying to play to his kind heart and inability to hurt a woman. He truly did have gentleman intentions coming in, but it appeared the girl wasn't someone to trifle with. Her overall judgment however was flawed, she had no real idea what he was capable of but wasn't about to reveal his winning hand just yet. So he played her game, ordering his men to turn around and look away as she made her way out of the creek - his eyes still drawn to her and her curved physique.

All of a sudden a voice broke through the walkie strapped to his belt. "We got em," the voice exclaimed, the grin on Grant's face growing wider with delight. His men chuckled at their current achievement - the mission was a success. He looked over to Nathalie, "Looks like my friends found your friends..." he said menacingly. He hoped she didn't expect to run away at this point, that was never going to be an option for her. He played the game and he won, like always.

"How about we go say hello?"

-

Leaves fell from the trees surrounding the cabin as a light warm breeze flowed through the bushes. The sound of footsteps brushed the dirt and lingered in the silence - as though the woods closed in on itself. The moon reflected off the eyes of predators in the area. They slithered around their prey, sealing off all possible exit routes. The singular bronze man had just made his entrance into the arena and was faced with imminent danger. Like the animals they were they growled a chuckle as they descended upon Finn the defenseless. A braided African woman crawled forward on all fours, tongue exposed as saliva drooled from its tip. Her head snaking left and right as she hissed at Finn. "You look yummy boy!" she hooted as others started to reveal themselves from their hiding spots.

Five more individuals joined the fray, muzzles pointed at the lone wolf standing in center stage. The braided woman stood to her feet, sharp teeth exposed through her smile. She reached for her pocket and pulled out a two-way radio, pressing the button to speak to the other side. "We got em..." she stated in her African tone, golden eyes peering into Finn's soul - trying to decipher everything she could about him through a mere glance. Out of everyone, she bore the darkest skin and took pride in it. He African blood a sign of her upbringing and heritage - two of the things that helped her adapt quicker to this new profound world. Her ears were pierced by three or four different pieces of jewelry, all different and all handmade. Her clothes were tattered for someone that cared so much about her outward appearance, but the apocalypse wasn't kind to anyone these days.

"My boss is coming big-boy. Step up, prep up! I say you get on your knees before he come yah?" she uttered wildly, hand gesturing utter nonsense as her body moved franticly in segments. She was strange one for sure.

-

It didn't take long for Grant and the rest of the boys to join the cabin detail crew. They gathered around the campground, their numbers multiplying like ants. If the survivors thought they were outnumbered before, they now understood they were way out of their league. Still not truly understanding the intentions of their assailants, they were forced to play the guessing game for a while - just like Grant wanted it. He was well known in his previous life as a chess player turned gangster - an unlikely connection brewed by his environment. He was a very smart man, a child prodigy in elementary school who grew to become a top dog in the drug scene around southern Florida.

Making his grand entrance, Grant formed into view with Nathalie by his side - hands tied behind her back and a gun placed uncomfortably on her neck. "Well well, what do we have here? What's your name big man?" the rhetoric continued like clockwork as he asked for introductions. He looked Finn from head to toe, not impressed by his dress style or big muscles. He turned to Abeni (the African woman from earlier) and signaled her and another crew member to go up into the cabin. He was there for supplies and he would make sure to leave with them.

"Oh man, I really do apologize for ruining your night. For both of you of course..." he started, walking around Finn as Trevor took his place to secure Nathalie's obedience. "I'm sure you two planned to have some fun by the lake before we got here. It truly was not my intention to mess up your special night, but were on a business trip and things must be done before sunrise. We followed you all the way from the mall you know? I saw your...competency together while taking out all of those ramblers. Very impressed. We could use guys like you out there in the front lines taking care of business. You see, people are stepping in our turf and well...we can't have that." Grant paused a moment to look at the cabin above, impressed by how well hidden it was. He turned back to Finn with a puffed bottom lip. "You did that?" he asked sarcastically, dazzled by the survivors creativity.

"Anyway, we've also come for what's rightfully ours. You both unfortunately stole from us. I know, I know, you didn't know it was ours, you're probably new around here, but this is all ours," he expressed, hands gesturing the entire world. "I'm a business man at the end of the day and as you know I've got quite the demand for supplies right now. So I supply the supplies, that's how it works, that's how I keep all of these people here fed. Now, you two have options. You owe us, so you can help repay that debt by joining our little organization, play well with the others and we'll fill your stomachs too until your debts are fully paid. You can go your own way when it's done, no repercussions. Or don't...and well..." he paused, walking back over to Nathalie and pressing his gun onto the side of her temple. "...pay with your lives..."

[Juniper]

Finn Loughty & Nicole Brenn - Finn's Shelter - Grant Coleman @QT & Nathalie Soltero @wolverbells

Darkness covered the sky like a velvet carpet. The moon and the stars hid behind the clouds, as if they had some secret knowledge of what was about to happen. The grass bristled nervously against the towering man's boots as the his uneasy gaze searched the area. The forest wasn't lively this night. The crickets's chirping was no longer detected. The familiar chitter of the raccoons was missing. The rustling of the leaves became still and the whole forest seemed to shut down as a woman emerged from darkness towards him, crawling on all fours and eyes wild. Finn staggered back a few steps, his intense gaze fixated on the strange creature. His knuckles wrapped around his bloody machete even tighter.
"You look yummy boy!" The venomous chuckles echoed one after the other as five others finally exposed themselves. Finn puffed out his chest and planted both feet on the ground. His Lincoln green eyes bore into the African woman's in return, showing no fear, only rage. His jaw clenched in place as he stared at everyone of them. The foreign jewelry and trinkets dangled from her ears. The eccentric woman stuck out like a sore thumb. She definitely wasn't from around these parts.
"My boss is coming big-boy. Step up, prep up! I say you get on your knees before he come, yah?"
His head cocked to the side as he stared at her incredulously. A sardonic smile formed across his lips as he growled back, "And, who... pray tell, made your boss god?"

The so-called boss marched in, marking his grand entrance with a frightened Nathalie at his side. Ignoring the man's request for his name, Finn's focus shifted to the nape of her neck, where the muzzle of the gun was cozied up against by a firm hand. Her silky hair, now flattened and stringy, dripped down and created a pool of water below her. The girl stared up at Finn, her ocean eyes wide with fear. Hanging sorrowfully from her body was a drenched sports bra and jeans. It took everything in him to restrain himself from launching at these men like a rabid dog. She had been naked when they found her. The realization had hit him like a ton of bricks. His mind couldn't help but imagine what could have went down at the creek. Vengeance surged up inside of him.
His head shook in compassion she tried to apologize. There's nothing to apologize for. I should be apologizing to you. His expression transformed into rage as the tyrant strode towards him with ease. Like honey from a jar, confidence oozed out from his words.
"Oh man, I really do apologize for ruining your night. For both of you of course..." the man paused. "I'm sure you two planned to have some fun by the lake before we got here. It truly was not my intention to mess up your special night-"
"Get to the fucking point," he barked. With every word that came out of that despot's mouth, his self-control slipped away.

Meanwhile, Nicole's ear pressed up against the old wood from up in the cabin. Dominating footsteps coming up the ladder made her ears prick in alarm. Her face whipped towards the sounds. They were coming. Her heart was pounding so hard, she thought it would burst out of her chest. She dashed to grab her pack. Her mind recalled what Finn had instructed and warned her to do if something like this happened. She stuffed her half-eaten bowl of food in the bag which already contained some cans inside. The girl paused in mid-movement, her eyes catching a glimpse of the shimmering bottle in the corner. It wasn't necessary. But... if they all somehow made it through this horrid ordeal, they were all going to be asking for a drink afterwards. Ah, what the heck? She tip-toed over and grabbed it.

Silent as a mouse, she climbed up the ladder to the loft. Hidden in a little corner of the roof, almost undetected to the naked eye was an opening that could only be discovered if one pushed it up into the air. This opening had a small sort of door which could only be unlatched from the other side. They had left it unlocked for a moment like this. The top of the cabin stood nestled comfortably behind large oak branches and open, flourishing leaves, creating perfect shield against prying eyes. Especially at night, no one could see past a third of the cabin due to the thickness of the greenery.

For the first time in a long time, darkness was her friend. Not much of a fighter, she recompensed for it by her nimble movements and quick thinking. The shotgun - which had run out of bullets just days earlier, swung across her back as she crawled her way up to the roof from the loft. It was Finn's father's old gun and she knew Finn wouldn't be too happy if those shitheads took it. She made sure to lock the opening from the top. Her nervous hands wrapped around a thick branch and hoisted herself until she was sitting on it. Nicole then slithered her way up the tree with her bare feet. She found a spot so high up and secluded, the ground couldn't even be seen from her position anymore. The gun strap adjusted itself across chest. She remained there, too petrified to even breathe.

Back on the ground, Finn imagined himself knocking the man's teeth out. He would knock it down so far down his throat, the man would have to spit 'em back out single file. "You did that?" Finn caught the sarcasm embedded in his tone and paid it no heed. His eyes traveled up to the cabin for a small second, praying Nicole did what he instructed her to do.

"...Now you have two options," the business man said after he explained why they made their presence known to them in the middle of the night. "You owe us, so can help repay the debt by joining our little organization, play well with the others and we'll your stomachs too until your debts are fully paid." Join his little organization? If they were to be yoked under his dictatorship, they were to be his slaves until the end of time.

"You can go your own way then, no repercussions. Or don't... well..." he paused, walking over to Nathalie and pressing his gun onto the side of her temple, "...pay with your lives."
The man stood there, his finger on the trigger, signaling her death sentence if Finn didn't act. Under no circumstances, he would ever succumb to slavery to a monster like this man. If Nicole had followed his warnings and instructions, she was fine. But Nat.. No, he wasn't going to allow her to pay for him not being vigilant enough and leading these thieves here - not after all she's done for him.
All that was heard next was the dull thud of his machete dropping to the ground. He lifted his hands in surrender. With bitterness and reluctance thick in his voice, the young man relented. "Have it your way. We'll play into your little game and join your little organization. Now let her go."

[wolverbells]

Nathalie Soltero | Finn’s Shelter | Grant and Finn

Fear began to set deep within Nathalie’s persona. She began to fill it when the pit of her stomach began to feel hollow, as if there was nothing there but pure cold. The cold traveled up, towards her heart, then outwards to her limbs. Even though the night was hot and humid, she couldn’t help the shivers that began to form even though she stood her ground with her hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of her machete. Her eyes only broke from Grant’s when she would turn to glare at the men around her. They eyed her as if they were hungry dogs, begging for their master to throw a peace of meat at them. ’Disgusting’, she thought as her eyes went back to Grant. Once he finally motioned for the pigs to look away, she planted her feet down steadily in the creek’s bed and pushed her body out of the water, not once breaking eye contact as she exposed herself and her blade to him. “Thank,” she spat, before she turned around and made her way out of the water entirely. As she neared her clothes, her brows instantly furrowed as she grimaced at the male standing next to them. He was itching to turn around and look, but she wouldn’t have it. “Move.” Her voice was as if it was made out of ice and steel, as she bent down and snagged her clothes off of the ground. She quickly made her way behind a large tree and let herself crouch down for a second as she felt the panic begin to set it. It was as if there was a vice grip clenching her heart and lungs all in one, stopping her from breathing and sending waves of pain throughout her body. What had she done? Would they have left if she had not gone out to the creek? Finn and Nicole would truly hate her after this, and the safety she had so desperately desired would vanish in an instant. Nathalie’s breath came out shaky as she stood up once more and looked at the clothes she had in her arms. Her hair and body were completely drenched, which mean that soon her clothes would be too since they were giving her little to no time to dry off. “God damn it!” She hissed before struggling to put on her clothes.

Once she had reappeared in her wet sports bra and jeans, the men jumped on her and tied her hands to her back. They were clearly waiting for her to be done changing, taking little to no time to go behind the tree and grab her blade, all while leading her out back to the shelter. Her eyes began to fill to the brim with tears as she was pulled along like an animal, but the tears truly began to leak once her eyes locked with the familiar green eyes of the one person she trusted and failed. “Finn, I’m so sorry.” Her voice was quiet and broken, but enough for her friend to understand. The gun in her neck seemed to dig deeper as Grant heard and saw her pleading, trying to get her to shut up. Whoever had been holding her tied hands had been doing too well of a job, as the rope began to cut into her skin, causing her to feel a stinging sensation.

She listened closely to Grant speak, as if he was giving some sort of presentation to the two of them. The people around them simply smiled or smirked, nodding at their leader’s words as if it was prophecy. Her hair began to stick to her skin as the water from the creek began to mix with the sweat of the heat and anticipation. Nathalie’s petite body began to shiver more as she began to feel cold with anxiety and fear once more, her eyes never leaving Finn’s. ’Please god, if you’re up there, please don’t let them find Nicole. Please.’ She pleaded feverishly with her maker, hoping that at least one of them made it out alive and unscathed. She had long forgotten about her religion, but in times of need she could not help but to pray, because everything was out of her control.

As Grant started coming to his conclusion, Nathalie finally returned to paying attention, her eyes once again widening and a small yelp escaping her as the barrel of the gun came in contact with her temple. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to cry and sob and plead for her freedom, as well as Finn’s. Her pride did the opposite though, it told her to stand up straight and take her death sentence with dignity; to not let the scum around her see her cower in fear. After a minute of Finn not responding, all Nat could do was close her eyes as tight as she could to pass her final moments.

” "Have it your way. We'll play into your little game and join your little organization. Now let her go."

Her mouth fell open as Nathalie heard Finn’s words, her eyes fluttering open in time to see Grant’s malicious grin as he nodded to the man behind her. The gun quickly lifted from her temple and the sudden feeling of her wrists being cut free caused her to jump a bit before noticing how weak her knees felt. ’Shit’, she thought, knowing that she would fall sooner than later due to the amount of stress and anxiety she was feeling. Without waiting another moment, the young woman ran towards Finn, crashing into him and wrapping her arms around his waist, her face burrowed into his chest as she held on for dear life and not caring if she got him wet. If it wasn’t for him sustaining her, she would probably collapse or faint. She too this time to slow her own breathing, focusing on his heartbeat and breathing pattern even though it was a bit elevated. “Finn, I’m so sorry.” Her words were barely a whisper as she calmed herself. Her arms refused to let go as she stood there, hearing the two men speak; once she had control over her body and knew she could speak in a firm tone, Nathalie finally let go and turned to face Grant once more. “Tell us how you’re going to want for us to work with you right now. We don’t have all night.”

@Juniper@QT

~

Scarlett Watson | Mall Parking Lot | Ashley

The woman watched intently to see if there was any sign of friendliness from the other woman she was seeing. After a few moments of hesitation, their hand also went up in a welcoming manner and Scarlett smiled a bit, following their lead and walking over to meet them half way.

“I’m afraid a lot of people here know not to shoot at me. It’s not a wise decision.” She smiled brightly as she neared the girl, looking at her closely and taking in her features. “Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but you look pretty young. Is everything okay? Are you okay?” Scarlett’s head tilted slightly as she waited for the girl to return her answer. Even though she was listening closely to her, Scarlett’s olive colored eyes roamed around the lot, watching as the sun began to create dark shadows. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be rude, I’m Scarlett. I actually don’t stay in this area too much, but I do frequent it because this mall still has clothes and even pads and tampons if you look in the right spots.” She smiled a bit at the woman, turning to look down the street. Although she kept a calm demeanor, inside she was filled with dread. “I’d hate to bring this out of no where, but do you want to go to the mall with me? I think there are too many visitors in there and there’s safety in numbers.” She guessed that she possibly seemed to friendly for the girl. Everyone was now aggressive and too defensive. This was something that never changed within Scarlett; her want to help others. She just wanted the people around her to feel safe and comfortable, even in the hell that they lived in.

@datadogie

[QT]

Casey Guidry - The House - Molly @Weeping Raven

- NOW -

As Molly approached the house, the chaos commenced - gunshots storming Casey's childhood home, the blasts echoing through the empty neighborhood. Abruptly, a body flew through the second story window and plunged to the concrete path that led to the front door. The woolly man landed on his neck, meeting his end instantaneously. Blood leaked from his nose and lesions he suffered from gunshot wounds prior to his death fall. His body completely still and soundless, laying face down as if self tanning under the sun-filled afternoon. Yet the clattering continued in the home, the sound more prominent as it beamed through the shattered window - calling the two walkers Molly thought she could handle.

Inside, Casey was at war against a single aggressor. With both their weapons knocked from their grasp, the men battled with brawn. His opponent a six foot two giant with legs for arms and an already broken nose. He appeared increasingly provoked after Casey launched his comrade through the window. The man was like a beast, arms swinging wildly without any care for form or technique - it was like the street fights one watched when Youtube still existed. For a man his stature however, he moved rather quickly - stomping through the room like crazy rhinoceros. Casey used that to his advantage, ducking the punches as they came and counter-striking when the opportunity presented itself.

- BEFORE -

The whiskey splashed against the rim of the glass, filling the space about a fourth of the way. The liquid bubbled slightly as it smoothed itself out. The smell of its fragrance bled through the kitchen, putting shame to the canned bean odor. Ray handed Casey one of the glasses as the two men shared a drink in solitary. His wife Beth was reading upstairs in bed before calling it a night - she had already dismissed herself.

Taking a sip, Casey leaned forward on the granite island enjoying the drink's texture and taste. "So what did you before all of this Ray?" he asked his host, looking around at all the classy decorations around the house. Ray noticed Casey's eyes skimming the furnishing which made him chuckle. "No, we're not rich..." he responded, knowing exactly what was going through the young man's mind. "Beth worked with the airports. She's the one that brought in all the money. She did that so I could follow my dreams," he stated with a smile, eyes looking into space as he reminisced on their life before.

"Dreams?" Casey wondered.

"Yeah, sooo.....I wanted to be a fighter," he admitted, nodding left and right with a grin on his face. "I got signed too, can you believe it?!" he said excitingly as he went on to finish his whiskey, putting the glass facedown on the counter.

"You were a fighter?"

"I still am Casey, I just don't fight in an octagon anymore. My old man was a fighter. UFC, you may have heard of him. Don Turner? Heavyweight? Bald guy?" he explained, forgetting that Casey had been locked up for years and had no access to television, especially anything that involved fighting. "Well yea, I always dreamed of making it to the UFC myself. Before this I actually got signed to Bellator. Unfortunately the venues started to close down when the world turned to shit, but I'm not mad. I'm alive and so is Beth, so that's all that matters to me. Why? Were you a fighter?"

Casey put his glass down and smiled. "No."

"Well, I can teach you a couple things if you'd like. We've got all the time int he world now my friend and it'll be good for both of us. Sooner or later we'll have to defend ourselves. So we might as well get ready..."

- NOW -

With a clenched fist, Casey made contact against the giant's left eye socket. His knuckle immediately turned red from how hard the impact was - similar to punching a refrigerator with all his might. The giant was not even phased by the attack, swinging at Casey with his forearm without flinching. Casey blocked the hit and returned with another fist to the left eye. That attack however stunned the giant back a step, forcing him to blink chaotically as he shook his brain back in place. He grinned his teeth, rushing forward with his arms extended in hopes of catching Casey.

Casey took a step back, but did not realize he was up against the wall. His escape route quickly faded away as the giant cut the distance between them in half with a single step. His leg-arms came crashing together around Casey's waist, lifting him up off the ground and squeezing as tightly as possible. Casey tried to fight off the grip, but wasn't able to battle against he man's superior strength. He was beginning to lose oxygen, finding it difficult to breathe as the man crushed his insides. "Damn-" he cursed, trying to think quickly about what to do.

Without hesitation he grabbed the man by the hair with one hand. He pulled his head forward and battered his face against his elbow. He busted him repeatedly until the let go, blood spurting from an open wound in his forehead. The giant couldn't see, backpedaling against a wall as he tired to wipe the blood from his eyes. Breathing heavily, Casey walked over and picked up his gun. Calmly he pointed it at his opponent who held up his in defense and mercy.

-

Another gunshot rung and echoed out of the house. Walkers slowly dragging themselves towards the sound - their clouded eyes drawn to the appetizing young girl. It had only been a couple of minutes since his downfall, but the window-jumper was beginning to animate himself back to life. His shoulders started to rotate as though he was putting his bones back into place. His jaw opening and closing violently as saliva drooled from his lips. He started to crawl, neck twisting as his eyes pinpointed its target. He knees scratched the pavement, leaving blood trails as he moved towards Molly.

At her back, the walker couple were now closing the distance. They moaned in harmony, mirroring the twins from the Shining as they continued down the street towards their dinner. Casey was still inside the house, not aware of the events that unfolded in his proximity.

[Juniper]

Finn Loughty - Finn's Shelter - Nathalie Soltero @wolverbells

It was as if someone had released a tight grip off his chest the moment as they raised the gun away from her skull and slit off the stinging rope off her wrists. The man kept his word and let her go. The pure relief and rapture on her features was enough to make his heart throb with joy. "Nat," Her name came out as a hoarse whisper out of his mouth, thick with unexpected emotion. Immediately, her beautiful, tear-stricken face sprinted straight at him, her body crashing into his as her arms wrapped around his waist. A slight breath escaped his lips because of the impact. His arms slowly begun to rise to embrace her as if he was almost embarrassed. His mind rung alarm bells as a dangerous voice pushed it's way inside his thoughts. Don't get too close, Finn. You almost lost her once. What will happen if you actually lose her the next time? Pushing those thoughts to the side, he enveloped her, his right hand cupping the back of her head as she apologized once more. "I'm so sorry, Finn."
Finns' shook his head once more and whispered, "This isn't your fault, okay? If anyone should be blamed, it should be me. I led them here. I should've been more careful." The young man frowned, trying to cope with terrible amount of guilt and frustration that was lodged in his throat. He blamed himself for this. How could he have let this happen? He thought, wracking his brain for any warning he had missed when they had driven here from the mall.

The man's crew went forward with their plan to ransack his cabin and and steal everything he owned, Finn kept an ear out for Nicole. So far, no commotion or screams rose up from above. He exhaled a sigh of relief. Nicole was safe. Assuming that him and Nat were going to be dragged to wherever the man's base was at, he prayed that Nicole would be able to survive on her own until he found a way back to her. The crew, distracted from removing their things from the shelter, left him and Nat a few moments together. Finn pulled her to the side so that he could take a good look at her. Almost afraid to ask, he gulped, needing to know if anything happened at the creek. "Are you alright?" he whispered, his eyes searching her body for any bruises or cuts.. "Did they do ....anything?"Her wrists were scratched from the rope and she was trembling from the amount of stress she was just put through. She was soaking wet and tired. Finn frowned, desiring to do more to help her but it was impossible. Remembering his extra shirt that he brought with him to go to the creek, he hand. It was would probably fit more as a dress on her than a shirt but it was clean, dry and warm. "Here, take it. I wish I had something better. If you don't want it right now, you can use it later."

"We're going to find a way out of this mess. I promise," Finn attempted to assure her with his words, but it didn't even seem like he believed it himself. He glared at the men going down his ladder, taking their cans of food. His hand went up and pushed back a few loose strands in front of his face. Shit. Could he not have one moment of peace? It seemed like this nightmare would never end.