Survival means compromise | Closed

(Sorry I never saw your message! this is great I'll start it off)

Casey crouched low behind a deteriorating wall, holding her breath trying to make herself aware of any surrounding noises. She had taken a huge risk coming in to the city, but her supplies were limited and the weather was starting to worsen. The cabin she had been staying in wasn't too far from the city, but it was high up in the mountains and well out of the way. It had previously been her Uncles hunting cabin and Casey had fled there when her younger brother became infected. When she first arrived, her uncles Ration packs had all still been intact, and she had done a good job of rationing them for nearly 3 months.However she was close to being out of water and realistically her food intake had been unsustainable for several weeks now. She ahd been afraid to drink the water or eat any of animals close to the cabin, as she understood nothing about the disease or what carried it.

hearing nothing around her, Casey made a dash toward the supermarket. She knew this was the biggest risk, but she had to start there, and after that she planned to try raiding some of the nearby houses. With not much left on the shelves, Casey simply threw anything she could find into her large duffell bag, she was far from being picky in what she ate at this stage. Upon hearing a crashing noise Casey's back straightened, her hand moving to the knife on her waist. she wasn't sure if teh noise had come from her or something nearby. She wasnt willing to take the risk. PLacing her back against the corrogated shelving, Case continued to survey her surroundings slowly moving toward the end of the aisle her heart racing.
(I can make this longer or shorter moving forward I just wasn't too sure how to start out!)

@ A Drop On the Window

Jonathan had never been very popular, he was the weird silent kid at the back of class the few times he would even go. When all the craziness began, he was already prepared. He used to play video games all the time, as well as shoot guns and other weapons. They were just activities that relaxed him, and helped him forget his mistreatment. It was probably a factor as to why the other kids at school treated him so badly, or simply ignored him.

After the town went crazy, Jonathan packed his few possessions and slipped into his element. He'd been moving from building to building trying to clear them out of the walkers, make the town a little safer for the few people he knew were still surviving. He hadn't tried to make contact with anyone, but had from a distance taken out some walkers for people.

Jonathan had managed to get his hand on a number of weapons, his own hunting rifle with a scope, a hunting knife, a hunting sling shot, and a long gun with a silencer from the police station. He also had built a stockpile of plenty of Ammunition for all of the weapons.

Today he had decided to clear out the supermarket again, the place was obviously a popular place for survivors to look for supplies, not that it had much left anymore. He had silently made his way inside through the loading dock, as it provided more cover, and was sweeping the back area, he heard the crash from the front and pulled out his sling shot loading it with a ball bearing, he headed into the main area.

@ KhaleesE16
It's okay, the length is good

Casey held the knife closely at her side, her hand shaking. She had yet to encounter one of the walkers. At the beginning she had stuck to her large group, having been popular in school it hadn't been hard to find a group to fight the walkers off. As rations had grown shorter and time longer more and more tension grew within the group. After her brother had gone, Case had found herself feeling increasingly less safe within the group and peeled away to the cabin.

There, she had been left more or less alone, there were several Gina there but she never felt comfortable with them. So instead she took a hunting knife, not knowing if it would be any good. She moved closer and closer to where the noise had come from- and froze.

A figure lurked toward the front of the shop, moving slowly its akin clearly rotten. It was the most horrific thing she had ever seen- and her brother was one of them. "You have to do something case!" She urged herself on her head, trying her hardest to spring forward. Nothing would happen. The hand with her uncles knife shook so badly she could hardly control it. Eventually, the knife dropped. Falling to the floor with a loud clatter. "Well now your fucked." She thought and shut her eyes tightly, embracing what was to come.

@ A Drop On the Window

Jonathan moved silently, he climbed up onto a low shelf carefully trying to get a vantage point. He heard another clatter of something hitting the floor. The noise pulled his attention, he spotted a walker stumbling slowly toward the noise.

He figured that the first clatter had been the walker bumping into something, and the second was something else reacting to the first noise. He still hadn't figured out whether there were multiple threats yets. He climbed off the shelf and crouched moving through the aisle to come out behind the walker, hoping to get view,

Jonathan moved silently, but quickly, he spotted the walker and was in range, he pulled back his sling shot and sent the ball bearing flying through the walkers head. With a thud, the walker dropped. Jon moved back to cover, listening for any movement.

@ KhaleesE16

*ignore*

Casey heard something fly through the air, and next think he walker feel to the ground at her feet. She began to scream her body crumpling to the ground. "WHAT THE FUCK. What the actual FUCKING FUCK" she shrieked without thinking and began to aimlessly thrash around for her knife. There was something else in here with her, and whether human or not it had just killed that thing without Casey even seeing it... if it was coming for her next she didn't stand a chance.

Finally feeling the jolt of her knife she wrapped her hand around it and began to crawl along the floor. She knew coming here had been a mistake, and sincerely just hope she could get out alive. Trying her best to keep an eye on her surroundings, she moved towards where she remembered the door to be.

As she crawled she spotted two eyes gleaming down at her through the dimness of the shop. She couldn't get a great view, but it seemed to be human. "I..I'm alive.. I'm not one of them" she whispered into the darkness l, trying to pull herself to her feet in case she needed to run.

@ A Drop On the Window

Jonathan remained in the shadows, "Yeah I got that when you just screamed profanities," he called. He was trying to place the voice, it seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't be sure. He pulled his silent rifle off his shoulder.

"You realise making that much noise when someone helps you, you won't stay alive very long," he said calmly. He paused debating what his next move should be. He had identified that she seemed to only have a knife. He paused, and stepped out from the shadows. He was dressed in his usual black jeans and ironic tee he used to wear when he did both to go to school.

Jonathan kept scanning the aisles for movement, and listening for anything out of the ordinary, hoping to get out of here safe, cognizant of the potential that she'd been sent in alone as a trap.

@ KhaleesE16

"I'm sorry.. I've just not gotten used to.. well all of this yet" she apologised and shook her head. She shoved the knife back in to the side of her jeans and held her hands up to him to signal she didn't want to hurt him. "You're not going to kill me are you going to kill me are you..? I have some food.. I'll give you all of it I swear just please.." she dropped the bag to the floor and took a step back. From here she couldn't tell what age or height this guy was. He sounded young, somewhat familiar even, but Casey didn't want to make any assumptions.

She took another step back as he stepped out of the shadows toward her, she definitely recognised him... had he been part of her group before? She didn't think so. "Oh my god.. jihadi Jo-" Cas stopped herself short and cleared her throat. "Sorry... are you Jonathan?" She asked, a sheepish smile on her face. She remembered him from school, he was a loser. They all used to call him jihadi Jon, certain that he was going to shoot up the school someday since he spent so much time talking to weirdos in his video games.

"I don't think there's anyone else here.. I've been here a while and heard nothing else". She looked down at herself, crossing her arms over her chest to preserve some bit of modesty. Having been out on her own for a while, her clothes had become rather dishevelled. Several large rips tore across her rank top, leaving her torso largely exposed. "Have you been out on your own all this time?"

@ A Drop On the Window

Jonathan sighed watching her step back. He didn't need her food, he had plenty of his own supplies. He didn't move any closer. He didn't recognise her until she used that stupid nickname. He frowned, "I always hated that nickname," he began.

He had never understood them, did they not realise that if he was inclined to shoot up the school, calling him names and making him an outcast would only make him want to do it more. He looked up at her, "I don't want your food, I'm just doing a sweep of town," he stated. He put his gun back on his shoulder, preparing to leave.

He didn't stare at her in the least, he was still trying to work out who she was, "Yeah it's just been me, I've been trying to keep the main shopping part of town clear of walkers," he stated. He began walking towards the entrance past her.

@ KhaleesE16

"I'm really sorry Jonathan.. everyone else did it, I just joined in.." she said softly, taking a step closer to him this time. It was a lie, she had started it, along with her ex Ryan, but somehow she felt standing belpw him holding nothing more than a knife wasn't the time to be confessing her sins. ahe picked her backpack back off the ground and slung It over her shoulder, noticin he was getting ready to walk away.

"I'm Casey by the way.. I don't think we ever actually spoke" she said gently, and held her hand out to him to shake. All she could think about was getting back to her cabin. It was a long walk but she felt safe there- as long as she didn't encounter another of those monsters.

As he moved past her she took a deep breath, swallowing her pride she called out "I have guns you know". Cas kept her eyes steadied ahead of her, never did she think she would be reaching out to the weird kid for help, but after what she just witnessed she knew she couldn't survive alone. "I have a safe shelter too, for now. If you would be willing to help me?" She turned to face him. "Look Jonathan, if you're going to kill me.. please just do it quick. I don't know anything about this-whatever is going on. I've lost my brother, I assume he's one of them now." She looked down at the floor nervously shifting her weight. "I know I was a merciless bitch In school.. I feared nothing, though I was hot shit... I'm scared, absolutely fucking terrified. And I'd much prefer a bullet on my brain than being left to these things"

@ A Drop On the Window

Jonathan paused for a moment, he turned back to her. "Yeah we never spoke, which is what annoyed me most about being called names," he said. He stood thinking for a second, listening to her. He was trying to think whether it would be worth teaming up with some for a bit, he realised that whatever happened before didn't matter much now.

He frowned when she mentioned her brother, "was your brother a redhead too? jeans and school jacket?" he asked her. He was hoping he was wrong, but was pretty sure he wasn't. He found it funny that she still thought he'd kill her, after he saved her.

"Casey I have no plans to kill any humans, and you're welcome to stick around for awhile if you want though,' he explained. He turned and continued to slowly walk out of the building.

@ KhaleesE16

Casey's head perked up "Yeah, he's 15, just started his freshman year. He never took the damn jacket off" she gave a sad laugh and tilted her head back refusing to let the tears fall. "I'm assuming I don't want to know the answer to where you seen him?" She asked, the tiniest glimmer of hope in her voice.

She let out a sigh of relief and followed him out of the store. "Are there many of us?" She asked him fixing her bag tighter on her back. His strides were much longer than hers, she had to jog slightly to keep up. Apart from his clothing being slightly firstly, Jonathan didn't look much more disheveled looking than she remembered him in school, perhaps his hair was a little longer. As they walked she allowed herself to look around they're little town, now in ruin. It looked much different to how it had when she left it 4 months ago.

"Have you been anywhere else? Is it everywhere?" She asked agin, as if he had all the answers. "I only briefly saw Jacksonville over the hill, it was in darkness so I assumed the worst." She studied him as the walked the streets, trying to read his face. Was she annoying him with all of her questions? Did he even want her with him. "I have guns.. I said it already but I did mean it. I might be more help if you could show me how to use them?"

Jonathan kept walking slowly, when she confirmed that the kid he saw probably was her brother, he began thinking about whether he should tell her. He kept walking listening to her ramble on with questions. He knew she was probably just nervous, so he put up with it for now.

He paused as they approached another building, he crouched down. "I've been on my own, I'm guessing so have you," he began, "I think there's at least one other group around town somewhere but I don't know who."

"I have stuck to town, but before we lost power here, I heard from a friend overseas that something mental was going on, so I'm guessing it's everywhere," he explained.

He looked at her trying to read her to see if she could handle the next thing, "I saw your brother, I re-killed him," he admitted. He paused for a second, "I can take you to him help you bury him if you want," he offered.

@ KhaleesE16

@ A Drop On the Window

She nodded her head silently as they walked, noticing the front outline of a body on the ground in the distance. The more she focused the more fleshy piles she could make out so she just stared at the back of Jonathan's head instead.

"Yeah, I went up the mountains, it felt like a good idea at the time. I had been with another group, but things had started to turn sour when I left" she informed him, copying everything he did, her hand resting gently on his shoulder to steady herself as she crouched. The bag was heavy on her back and her knife was digging in to her hip, but she knew the centre of town wasn't the greatest place to stop for a break and a chat.

"I think the first breakout was in New York, my dad works for the CDC and he had gotten a call to go out there a few days before things got crazy here. Without power, I haven't heard any more from him". While she watched Jon digest this information she could see he had something on the tip of his tongue. On hearing it, she swallowed hard- while she had expected it it was hard to hear. She closed her eyes and counted to 5. "Thanks for telling me. I thought as much, I searched for him for days but he wasn't in any of our safe spots". She shifted her weight on to her other leg, turning her head from him. "If it's safe I'd really like that... have you lost anyone?"

Jonathan looked around the area for threats. He paused listening to her, he felt bad for her that she'd lost people and couldn't get in touch with her dad. He made a move into the next building, a small convenience store. He quickly swept it to check it was safe.

He stood up and took his gun off his shoulder, turning to her, "It should be fairly safe, where did you want him buried?" he asked her lightly. He rested against the counter, he hadn't really lost anyone, just his father who wasn't that good to him anyway.

"I never really had anyone except dad, who was a violent bastard anyway," he explained. He turned and began searching around the store for supplies.

@ KhaleesE16

Casey began to move around the store, carefully piling anything. She could see in to the black bag. The shelves had been mostly wiped, but there were still some salvageable items remaining. She looked at him over the shelves as they stocked up, a niggling worry st the back of her mind that this could be a ruse and he was trying to play her,

"Maybe the football field? It was the only place he ever wanted to be anyway.." she tried to shake ff her sadness, trying to look at the bright side that he wasn't just strolling around half dead. "I'm sorry.. I didn't reLise you had that going on at home." There was genuine sympathy in her voice as she spoke to him.

She desperately hope she would find a sweatshirt or jacket somewhere among the shelves, she would prefer to not have to raid any bodies house. "So what did you do after graduation? You go to college?".

(Sorry they're getting shorter, I'm on my phone and it's late!)

Casey began to move around the store, carefully piling anything. She could see in to the black bag. The shelves had been mostly wiped, but there were still some salvageable items remaining. She looked at him over the shelves as they stocked up, a niggling worry st the back of her mind that this could be a ruse and he was trying to play her,

"Maybe the football field? It was the only place he ever wanted to be anyway.." she tried to shake ff her sadness, trying to look at the bright side that he wasn't just strolling around half dead. "I'm sorry.. I didn't reLise you had that going on at home." There was genuine sympathy in her voice as she spoke to him.

She desperately hope she would find a sweatshirt or jacket somewhere among the shelves, she would prefer to not have to raid any bodies house. "So what did you do after graduation? You go to college?".

(Sorry they're getting shorter, I'm on my phone and it's late!)

@ A Drop On the Window

Jonathan walked around looking for stuff he needed, but didn't find anything. He paused for a moment listening to see if he could hear anything. "Yeah the football field would work," he said lightly. He knew he'd have to make a stop somewhere to get a shovel, and find a way to move the body to the school.

Jon sighed softly, "I didn't trust anyone enough to tell them, but can you blame me no one at school liked me," he said honestly. He hadn't done anything after graduating, he didn't get the grades for a scholarship and didn't have the money for college.

He picked up his things, and found a plastic sheet, that would work for wrapping her brother's body to move it.

@ KhaleesE16
(it's fine)