Shu

COLD PLAGUE

The passenger door of Mira’s car flew open as the Corporal stepped out, even in the darkness and rain her shocked, wide eyes visible. “Jesus!” Mira slammed the door and rounded the car as Omar stepped backwards away from Bromley. Bromley started forward and Mira reached for her pistol when she saw movement out of the corner of her right eye. She turned to see three more shapes lumbering down the sidewalk towards herself and Omar, shuffling their feet along as the rain coated them in liquid sheeting. A fellow deputy and it looked like two civilians, all three with that same dead look in their eyes, their faces a bluish-gray hue like Bromley and those two suspects back at the station. Mira started to step back to her left when she saw more movement off to the left, two more civilians just like the others.

What the hell is this!?

Mira felt it, that same freezing fear that gripped her heart like a cold, clawed hand. Her throat tightened, her hands or feet neither would seem to move. This could not be real and yet it was, if this were a nightmare Mira would have long woken up by now. What was happening? Why was it happening?

Bromley made a loud, mindless half shout, half growl, and it spurred Mira to action. She raised her pistol and trained the sights on Bromley’s face, her nerves overcome by the pump of adrenaline she was feeling across her body. Mira pulled the trigger, the resulting bang and muzzle flash cutting through the rainy darkness. There was a spray of red and Bromley crumpled back onto the asphalt. “Move, inside Omar!” Mira dashed forward slapping Omar across the arm. She was about to make a break through the gate when her feet slid to a stop, the Corporal looking back towards the patrol car. The suspect was still inside, the shadow of his head darting around in the backseat.

We can’t just leave him out here, criminal or not - not to the devices of these… freaks.

“Omar,” Mira said his name for the second time, “get… get the perp. I’ll keep them back!”

Mira gave Omar a hard push for the second or maybe third time this very early morning as she turned to face the coming three. She raised her pistol and took aim at the deputy, Mira recognized him as a new guy on the force. Terrell? Terrell and the two civilians at his side moved forward shoulder to shoulder, shoes scrubbing against the concrete as they looked their would-be prey in the eyes. That’s what she was - prey.

“Stay back!” Mira shouted, already knowing it was pointless. The three were less than twenty feet away and Mira felt her hands shaking now. She heard another “growl” nearby and knew there were more of these forsaken things around. Mira tightened the her muscles in her hands and fingers as she aimed for Terrell. Sorry… Mira fired a second time, the bullet hitting Terrell just below the right eye, shattering bone and leasing blood across his face. The deputy fell backward, knocking down the freak on his right as he collapsed leaving only one standing to continue towards Mira. Mira swiveled her pistol and fired again, hitting the next target directly in the forehead - its’ head snapping back as it fell face first onto the ground.

Mira glanced towards the car and then back to the three fallen bodies, the one scrambling to stand back up again. Mira could see shadows moving across the street and down the opposite sidewalk. There must be more than a dozen of them…

COLD PLAGUE

It took Mira a solid minute to process everything what was happening. What in the flying fuck is going on… This was impossible. That was the only word to describe what had just transpired - “impossible”. No disease could cause this, any of what had just happened. Shrugging off multiple gunshots? Staying alive and flailing around when half of your entrails had been torn out? This was just inhuman. Inhuman…

”Carl just called us. Apparently, there’s 10-34’s at Lambour General. Says he needs back-up. Do you think we should respond or get the perp back to the station?”

Mira appeared to be snapped fresh from a trance as she looked at Omar, eyes glossy and face frozen in an expression of dumbfound, mouth half open. “Uh… ten thirty-fours?” Mira blinked as she registered what that meant, her whole brain feeling empty, her throat tightening and heart racing from the bizarre shock of what had just transpired. “I… we should get the suspect we have in custody back to the… uhm, station. We need to call in… EMT’s for the bodies.”

Mira shook her head, trying to dispel the fog of dread and disbelief that was clouding her mind. Her hands felt cold and numb and her toes writhed involuntarily in her boots from the angst that was overwhelming the deputy. Come on, focus. They’re both dead now. It must be from this outbreak. The attacks near the hospital, what just happened here, there is a medical explanation!

“Mister Francocci,” Mira blurted out, “shut yourself in your office. Lock the door but keep your eyes open, we’ll… call for EMT’s in the car. Omar and I may have to swing back by for our report in a few hours. Will you… still be here?”
The paunchy store owner nodded quickly, obviously shaken himself at what had just happened, his distress furthered by the visible unsettlement of the two law enforcement officers before him. Mira nodded in understanding, sucking in a deep inhale as she brushed some loose strands of hair back from her forehead.

“Okay, Omar, let’s get this guy back to the station. I want you to call for an ambulance to swing by here. Try and follow this order, huh?” Mira ended with a sharply raised eyebrow as she brushed past Francocci and headed for the door. Mira stopped to grab the shotgun from the counter, still contained in its evidence bag. She shook her head in disappointment in herself for just leaving it laying there earlier, not looking back she headed for the door. Mira and Omar needed to hurry to get the man in their custody to the station and then barrel ass on towards the hospital. It may have been cowardly to think so but the idea of trying to contain a whole crazed, frothing at the mouth mob of people like she and Omar had just killed was enough to make Mira hope someone else would handle it. Put on your big girl undies, that’s all part of it - having to do shit you would rather not so other people wouldn’t have to. Maybe the illness had nothing to do with it. Maybe these two were strung out on some new dope. Or maybe they just had some bizarre mutated strain of the virus that had hit the town. Mira was entertaining possibilities all the way into the car as she backed it out into the street, her partner and the seething prisoner behind them her solemn company.

Boiled Mountain Dew Electric Shitpost Boogaloo Two

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Boiled Mountain Dew Electric Shitpost Boogaloo Two

87, I win.

COLD PLAGUE

Mira shuffled back against a nearby shelf, heart pounding and sweat covering her whole face now. What the fuck was that? How? How was she just shrugging off bullets like that? This is literally impossible! At least a shot to the head had put her down. Mira ran her right hand across her face, it was so soaked you could hear the gentle squelch of moisture against flesh as she wiped sideways.

It dawned on her after a moment that Omar had asked her a question, Mira facing him with unsteady eyes and a half open mouth, “Uh… yeah… we definitely need EMT’s here. Maybe… maybe backup too, I think. We need to secure the scene.”

Mira wiped her sweat covered hand on her sheriff’s jacket and stepped by Omar, looking into the freezer room for herself. The eviscerated body of the third suspect was in plain view and the Corporal felt her stomach spin one good time at the site of the mangled blue-skinned corpse. Mira took a deep swallow, trying to suppress the rising lump in her throat. She had seen no shortage of bodies in her years with the department - but this? People shrugging off bullets without even a cry and cannibalism? Never, not even close. This was like something from a horror film. She took slow deep breaths through her nose while trying not to overload on oxygen. She already felt lightheaded and sick enough, no good in making herself faint.

Mira laid a hand on Omar’s shoulder, “You go call this in and check on the other guy. I… need to have a look at this body in here. Then I’ll need a full report from you, Mister Francocci.” Mira looked to the store owner.

The store owner nodded wearily, Mira could hear nervous breaths slipping through his parted lips as his forehead glistened with moisture. Between the holdup, the shooting, and then this it was any wonder the husky store owner hadn’t had a heart attack. That was definitely all they needed now. Mira gave Omar a slight push to try and force him into motion, looking back at the corpse before them herself half afraid that any moment the deranged woman would rise yet again to attack. If she did Mira would just blast her whole skull apart, ’Bet she wouldn’t get up from that.

“Go on.” Mira pushed Omar a little harder.

A cultured [INSERT TOPIC HERE] discussion thread

This thread is officially mine now.

COLD PLAGUE

“What the hell, Omar, I s-!” Mira’s voice cutoff as she rounded the aisle, gun in hand. She had the first perp locked in her car and was just coming back through the door when she heard the pow of Omar’s Glock. The Corporal looked in shocked awe at the woman before her, her deathly gray-white flesh and bloody appearance like something straight from a horror film. Were the woman staying still Mira would take her for a corpse, but that she was very much not.

“Back up and raise your hands!” Mira snapped out of her trance, pistol raised. The grody-looking woman did not comply, instead continuing to grasp and lunge at Omar. Fuck, she’s crazy! Mira dashed towards Omar and the woman, dropping her shoulder as she drew close and slamming into the assailant sending her tumbling across the floor and into the wall with a crash. Mira glanced at Omar to make sure he was okay, she didn’t see any blood or scratches or bite marks. That was good. The last thing the Corporal wanted was her new partner getting maimed by some drug-head on her watch. Mira then took a bold stride forward and pointed her gun down at the fallen woman, “Face down, hands behind your head!”

The woman only grunted in response, shoes scraping against the floor as she raised up and twisted to face the two deputies. Mira then saw the wound in her face, the gaping hole and all the blood - it made her stomach churn fiercely. What was more rattling was the female perp seemed not in the least phased by it, standing up to full height and continuing with the short throaty groans Mira and Omar had been hearing as she looked at them with glossy but intent eyes.

“I’ll shoot you if don’t comply!” Sweat was beading across Mira’s forehead, her fingers felt numb from the tight grip she had on her firearm. The woman lunged and Mira with no other choice squeezed the trigger. The gun was loud in the tight quarters, the bullet striking into the center of the woman’s’ chest sending her falling back against the wall. A cold, fearful wave surged across Mira as the woman stood back up straight and shuffled forward again.

“Fuck!” Mira screamed, her trigger fingering snapping three times firing off three more shots into the suspects’ chest, hot bullet casings clinking across the floor at her feet. The woman still did not fall, merely staggering back before lurching forward with savage eyes and a raging growl. Mira stepped back, heart pounding at what she was witnessing. This is fucking impossible! Mira’s feet got tangled up and the Corporal overbalanced and fell back in a sprawl across the floor, eyes wide with fear as the woman reached down for her - blood pouring from the four bullet holes in her torso.

“Omar!” Mira yelled.

What Are You Listening To?

-

What Are You Listening To?

COLD PLAGUE

Mira stood the gunman up keeping a tight hold on his wrists as she looked toward the freezer room door. A wax of worry seemed to be encased upon her visage as she considered the options. They needed to remove the other two perpetrators and arrest them immediately, if both of the deputies went outside to deal with the man at hand the other two could break for it and be gone in minutes. They couldn’t just leave the handcuffed gunman crammed into a corner to run the minute they turned their backs. But Mira hated the idea of leaving Omar to face two people alone, even if one was allegedly ill. They could both be armed and likely were and Omar would be in a perilous situation.

But what other option is there? Mira gritted her teeth.

Mira looked to the store owner, Francocci, “Get inside your office and lock the door, one of us come get you when things are all clear.”

Francocci nodded nervously and stepped back behind the counter and through the rickety wooden door into his personal office. Mira took a deep breath and then looked to Omar, “Go cover the door, I’ll get this one out to the car, wait up for me.”

What was that growling?

Mira backed towards the front door while Omar followed her order. She twisted around and went from pulling to pushing as she walked the cuffed man outside and towards the patrol car. The freezing rain had picked up, coming down harder and colder than earlier, Mira feeling bits of ice in it as well. She imagined as the temperature dipped a bit more it would be hail and soon enough snow. It took her no time to get the door open and push the perp inside with some final protests from him. Making sure he was secure Mira then turned and made a rush back towards the front of the store, hand slipping around her holstered pistol as she reached the front door.