Qirin

Spiderweb city

Thomas

It was always good to feel people listened to my ideas. Makes me feel accomplished. I was more than happy when I saw people passing around a book in which to write our names and whatever we were good at. While the list was going around, other people started to speak up as well. A young woman, not much more than a teen in my eyes started speaking about tribes and midwives. Talking about creating children. Dear goodness, I thought to myself , if things had gone any other way, I might be teaching a girl like her at school now... Hearing a woman her age talk about that... It made me feel quite uneasy. For the first time, it hit me how far this entire situation had crossed the boundaries of my comfort zone. Of anyone's comfort zone. This was an actual post-apocalypse. These were people banding together in order to survive, just like all those movies I'd seen. Luckily, there aren't any intelligent monkeys around, I thought to myself.

When the book reached me, I filled in the information it required:

Name: Thomas
Skills:
plumbing (installing boilers, heaters, waterways)
basic metalwork: (welding, soldering)
knowledgeable in exercise and physiology
shooting
patrolling
camouflaging and hiding
planning and organizing

Wasn't too big a list, but then again, I wanted to be sure I really could do the things I wrote down well enough. I might had added some more, but I wasn't too comfortable about those. It was the same reason why I removed some of the things I wrote down again. I wasn't too bad at planning stuff out, creating lists, coming up with schedules, but then again, anyone could do that and, well, I was horrible at keeping to those things. While adding to the list, it really struck me how little of all the things I had learned were useful at this moment. Some part of me felt like I had wasted my whole life, spending on theoretical studies. All those hours reading philosophical treatises and learning history books by heart. It all seemed so useless.

I passed the book on to the next person and decided to start talking to someone. I needed to talk to someone, in order to get rid of my own thoughts. I saw Brownbeard and noticed that he had two dogs at his side. Dogs were a good topic to start a conversation about. I walked up to him and greeted his dogs by holding my hand in front of their noses. I knew that animals appreciated polite greetings, just like humans did and had been doing that same routine for many years. "Nice dogs you have," I said, looking up at the man, "my name is Thomas." I offered him my hand as well.

Spiderweb city

Quick heads-up for Angelnoire: I've written down my natural rl reaction, no hate intended ;)

Spiderweb city

Several people began to speak up. The two most noticeable were the blond parcours-guy and the brownbearded vet. I didn't quite know what to think of the parcours-guy. One side of me, admired his ability to climb that high, the other part was really annoyed by his attention seeking behavior. Climbing up to the ceiling and then shouting downwards? I decided not to pay any attention to him, not at the moment. The vet on the other hand posed some interesting questions. Well, interesting in the long run at least. Having the right tools is essential in any situation. Now, however, I was most interested in how we would provide food and shelter... I was getting hungry, and I had enough of sleeping in bushes.

Some more people started talking and shouting, but very few of them asked the correct questions. At least, to my opinion. They were all concerned about what if this happens, what if that happens. But then again, maybe the important questions were lost to me because I couldn't hear them over the ruckus.

"If I may," I tried, but no-one really payed any attention to it. Dear cockamamies, I'd probably had to shout for the crowds to hear me. As much as I hated it, it was time for some drastic measures. I climbed on a table and hit it a few times with my walking stick. Now who's attention seeking now, Gandalf a small voice said to me. I decided to ignore it.

"If I may," I tried again, louder this time. The sound of my voice combined with the butting on the table seemed to be able to silence most of the people this time.
"Ahem, yes. Well, as my dear brownbeard fellow -terribly sorry for the bad nickname, but I don't know your real one- has already stated, we should be making some plans first. Perhaps if we could start by deciding who would actually be interested in joining this endeavor and gathering them, that would be a good beginning. We should probably also make a list of skills these people have, and the equipment they brought with them. I'm quite sure we could use one of the buildings in town as a temporary shelter, until we've established who's who and what's what."
As I finished, an odd silence fell over the group, as if expecting more.
"Anyway, ehm, that's my two cents. Please continue."
I stepped down and went back to my place near the door, watching as the rest of the debate unfolded.

Spiderweb city

Balthazar said
Oh, thanks for noticing and pointing out!

Thy art welcome ;)

And I'm not much of a martial artist. Used to spar with an army mate often and I only won one out of ten fights or so xD (though truth be told, he's now a paratrooper and is obsessed by martial arts...)

Spiderweb city

Diary of Thomas, excerpts

23rd of March 2015

This is an introductory message to whomever might be reading this diary. I've started writing in it so you might know what happened to the world in 2015, the year of what probably might be the greatest plague humankind has ever faced. I'm no historian like Plutarch or Thucydides, but I'll try to write down my experiences as accurately as possible.

To give you a sketch of what happened: in September of 2014, Gregorian calendar, a meteor crashed down on earth in India, killing thousands of people. In December of that same year, a disease broke out, nicknamed Goldilocks. In a few months, millions of people died in China and India. At the moment, over 70 million people have died since it's outbreak. An enormous number. Even the bubonic plague wasn't that aggressive. Or Ebola for that matter.
If anything, this disease shows that there is life outside of earth... Interesting facts for future scientists if there are any.

7th of May 2015

Goldilocks has made major casualties in Europe, though for the moment, Belgium has been spared so far. Years of immigration couldn't get the government to close the borders, but apparently, a pandemic could. This on his own has been a historical fact already: the ever-squabbling Belgian politicians could set aside their linguistical problems and agree on a nation-wide policy.
On a personal note, my best friend Liz invited me for her birthday today. She seemed happy with the present I bought her. It was a simple statuette of a cat, covering his eyes, part of a set of three. She pulled me close to her and kissed my cheek. Always my cheek. She then looked me deep in the eyes. I thought about kissing her, but I couldn't. Even after three years, I still couldn't.

21st of May 2015

Happy birthday...
Always hated it, now I have even more reason to. My parents and brother have both been contaminated by Goldilocks. It has spread to Belgium about a week ago and has made over a million casualties so far, with about four million people being ill. More or less. I'm left alone to take care of Hendrik, my youngest brother. Mother asked me to look after him and Luna, while they left the house to go to the beach apartment. She thinks it might help. Maybe it will. Don't know if I want that. He won't understand. He's like a three-year-old, always asking when mother is coming home and saying that he misses her. Try to keep his mind of her by walking the dog as often as I can. Had to resort to stealing food from supermarkets, in order to keep us fed. I can't do a job while watching over him.

3rd of June 2015

Liz died.
Didn't cry over my grandparents' death, didn't cry over my parents' death. Cried over hers.
Tried to write her a poem. They all sucked elephant balls, one by one. Don't know what else to do. Should have kissed her. I really should have. I still don't understand why I didn't. I've had so many opportunities. All those evenings I spent with her. Why, why, why? Why you, Liz?

I love you

13th of August 2015

More than half of the human world population has died. It's just me and Hendrik now. Even Luna has died. I said I would never get another dog after her, but I do miss the companionship.
I decided to travel to Italy with him. They say it's moderately safe over there. Plus, if I'm about to die, I just might visit Rome one last time. Maybe Hendrik would like it. He probably wouldn't care. I've been saving up tanks of gas for the journey, might be able to steal another car if we don't get there. Maybe there would be trains riding in southern France. Let's hope so. Packed my most essential things with me: some warm blankets, first-aid-kit, some fire-starting gear, multi-tool and pocket-knife and my father's old toolbox. And all the food I could find.

I can't imagine how hard this must be for Hendrik. Hell, it's enormously hard for me. He still doesn't understand. Keeps asking for mother. Keeps asking for Luna. I just wished he would forget about them, about them all. It would help me forget. Sometimes I wonder why he should be the one to survive. I love him, but... he's such a burden. I miss Kristof. At least him, I could talk to. He was a royal pain in the ass at times, but he was... normal.

And I miss Liz.
I love you

23rd of October 2015

I'm sorry mother! I'm so, so, sorry. I lost him. I told him to stay put but he didn't. I've been searching for him for over a week now. I just can't find him.
I didn't mean to abandon him, I just had to get us some food. I'm so, so sorry... Why couldn't he just for once not wander of?

2nd of November 2015

It's Kristof's birthday today. Sang him a birthday song. Never thought I'd get so soft over him.
It's been over three weeks since I lost Hendrik. I ju I had to give him up. I didn't mean to. He's probably dead. God, I sure hope he's dead. He shouldn't be wandering alone. I sometimes pray that he died easy, that he didn't have to suffer. Can't stand the thought. I should have watched over him. I failed him. I'm sorry, Hendrik.

Sometimes I hear him, an echo on the road, in the woods. Now, I not only have that fucking tone, I'm also hearing voices now... Maybe I am going insane. Maybe I have been a while ago and only realizing it now.
I'm hearing Liz' voice as well, though I can't quite remember what it sounded like.

I miss you, Liz
I lo

I love you

30th of November

Arrived in Bari, apparently, there'll be some kind of meeting here tomorrow. People have been gathering. More people than I've seen in weeks. Maybe I should join them.

1st of december 2015

Most of the people had already entered the town hall when I arrived there. It was actually quite crowded, considering the circumstances. Although it might just be the large amount of dogs, barking and whining making the place look busy. A man standing at the front of the hall with some farmer's tools in his hands was speaking to the people. Guess I was a little late. Couldn't care too much though. I stopped caring about time a long while ago. I leaned against the wall at the back of the hall, holding my self-made walking stick firmly in one hand, checking all the pockets of my camouflage trousers with the other.This seemed like a place for pickpockets and I wasn't about to place my stuff on that table. Don't think anyone would notice anyways.

The farmtool man spoke surprisingly passionately. If anything, he was a good speaker, in another time, he might have become a politician. And he seemed sincere. He had even cried during his speech. People were nodding and quietly seemed to endorse his words. "Will you help me?" he asked the crowd.

Maybe I should, it's been a while since I had some real people to talk with.

Spiderweb city

Reading up on the ic and the characters. I think btw that I've found megadraco's lost cs: it is placed inside angelnoire's hider

Spiderweb city

I hereby would like to add my post-apocalyptic character sheet. I'll be reading the IC and when I get a go, start writing my first post

Thomas by Qirin

CS: Thomas
Nickname: Burnie, Beir (pronounced bear with a rolling r), after my surname (which I like to translate to English as Bearheart)
Age: 23
Gender: male

Description:
Belgian apprentice plumber with a bachelor degree as middle-school teacher in history and Dutch. He has over the years made some drastic career changes from a soldier in the Belgian army to teacher to plumber. He speaks Dutch (his native language) and English fluently and knows his way around in French and German.

Personality: Thomas is mostly calm and friendly, with high amount of teddy-bear-cuteness (though he resents people saying that, apparently making him even more cute...) Because of that cuteness and his openness, people often go talk to him and tell him about their problems. Thomas has however great difficulty opening a conversation, especially with people he isn't quite acquainted to, unless he has a real subject of conversation - which is why he tells of himself he's socially awkward.
He lives according to a few principles he has gathered over the years, mostly trying to be (viewed as) a wise and trustworthy person, yet sometimes does things people might find strange or awkward, mostly out of boredom. He doesn't quite like loudmouths and in return, doesn't try to be the center of attention. When he is bothered by them, he grows silent and brooding, actively ignoring the people who annoy him, even when they're talking to him at close distance. He also hates it when people call him smart because he's not quite as smart as he would want to, or when they try to add him in any type of "elitist" group.

Appearance: 190 cm (approximately 6 ft 2"), 82 kg (180 pounds), blond, blue eyes, between slender and athletically built. (I'll add a picture soon)

Physical capacity: Rather strong, being able to lift and handle heavy objects (ranging to about 70 to 100 kg, depending on the form of the object and what needs to be done with it), good runner, especially at short distance. Capable of jumping rather high and reaching high objects.

Backstory: Thomas was the first of three sons to a young middle-class couple. His mother worked for the Flemish government, his father in a nuclear power-plant. When he was four, his youngest brother was born with a severe mental and physical handicap, which will have quite an effect on the man's life.
He studied Latin during four years in middle school and economics in his high-school years. He succeeded those studies with a narrow margin, mostly due to his disinterest in school life. After that, he joined the royal military academy trying to become an officer. After two years (at the age of twenty), he quit the army at the rank of sergeant, because he was greatly annoyed by the linguistical policy. After that he applied for a bachelor degree which he succeeded cum laude, despite encountering some major difficulties. However, as a twenty-three year old he didn't feel qualified to teach children and wanted to wait a few years, doing some more physical labor in the meantime, which has led him to follow the noble path of plumber.

Weapon of choice: knives, heavy blunt objects or (if any available) an assault rifle
Fears and weaknesses: mild fear of (or resentment towards) invertebrate animals, especially the "squishy" ones like jellyfish and slugs. Also a mild fear of chit-chatting to unknown women (call it social awkwardness). Can get depressed when lonely (much like a beagle). His worst physical weakness is a tinitus (eternal high-pinched sound) in his left ear, causing him to have a hearing loss and the possibility to go stark-raving mad (should the story ask for it). As a mental weakness he has sometimes the tendency to overexert his body, leaving him in poor condition afterwards. This has led him to some injuries in the past (including a back injury which he seems to have recovered from but for story-sake might pop-up again).

Interests: physiology, languages (at the moment Latin and Swedish), history (especially about the Roman Empire), philosophy and animals in general
Other: hobbies have been martial arts (Tai-jutsu and Krav-maga), weight-lifting, badminton, soccer, reading pretty much any syllable that catches my eye and since recently writing (amateurish) poetry.