(no subject)

[melocoton]

THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE MEME


No one knows quite how it started. All we know is that it's probably going to end. In one fell swoop, zombies have taken over most of the free world, looking for tasty humans to snack on. Or who knows?( Maybe there's a misunderstood zombie in there looking for ~love~ but I wouldn't trust it.) Follow the rules. (but keep in mind they had to be numbered strangely because of RNG.)

All you need to do is survive.

RULE NUMBER ONE: CARDIO
♦ Chasing zombies are not fun zombies. You're doing your best to outrun the horde, but they're hungry and you look like a five star buffet. You better hope you have a weapon handy (and some backup?) because shit is going down.

RULE NUMBER TWO: THE DOUBLE TAP.
♦ By the time you're embroiled in the action, it's important to not only have a weapon, but to use it, and use it right. Whether it's being taught how to shoot a gun, or to swing a bat, or to shoot an arrow if you're feeling like Robin Hood, or even taking all those lessons and putting them to good use for the first time, you're going down swinging. Just remember to make absolutely sure it's down for the count--the zombies tend to be kind of good at being, well, undead.

RULE NUMBER THREE: AVOID BATHROOMS.
♦ Time to hide. Build up a barricade or find a building that might be safe. Hopefully in this shelter you'll find some reprieve from the attack--time to recover from wounds (hope they aren't infectious...),stock up on supplies, or just take a break. In the shelter is where you can find camaraderie with your fellow survivors--maybe get to know them beyond "HEY, WATCH OUT."

RULE NUMBER FOUR: SEATBELTS
♦ You've made a careless mistake. Didn't bring enough bullets. Threw yourself in front of a loved one to let them survive. Either way, whatever you just did was probably dumb, no matter how noble you think it was. You're probably zombie chow, or about to become a member of the undead club--unless of course, someone in your group figured out the cure. (This is code for if you really don't want the bad end, don't do it.)

RULE NUMBER FIVE: ATTACHMENTS.
♦ The bad thing about falling in love in the zombie apocalypse is that you. Fell in love during the zombie apocalypse. And although this can lead to moments of joy in a world of nightmares, it can lead to the exact opposite, too--you would do anything to save your loved one, and certainly balk at the idea of killing them. Things get messy when you're attached.

RULE NUMBER SIX: BE RUTHLESS.
♦ Did your friend/loved one/soulmate/child get bitten by a zombie? Oops too bad. You better send them off to a better place because they will not hesitate to do the same thing to you. Think of it as a mercy kill.

RULE NUMBER SEVEN: ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS.
♦ Dude. It's the end of the world. If you find a Twinkies factory? You go in there and eat some goddamn twinkies. If you stumble across the Hollywood Sign and want to stand in front of it, go for it. Always wanted to be a star? The theaters are pretty dead right now. (Pun kind of intended.) If you have something you want to do before you die, now is the chance to do it. It's hard enough to find happiness in the post-zombie-apocalypse world, so if you find something that might make you happy, cling onto it.

RULE NUMBER EIGHT: WILD CARD.
♦ There are a whole buttload of other rules you should be following. Pick one or make up your own--either way, the zombie apocalypse waits for no man!

Comments

Jesse Finch ♦ original character

[rigging]

6

[tooghoulforschool]

[They came outta nowhere. Got the jump on them. He wouldn't have even noticed they'd gotten in if one of those undead fucks hadn't knocked over a display rack full of douchey sunglasses. So much for that quick rest.

So much for Ghoul's arm.

Three swarmed him before he could reload, and out of those three, one got close enough to take a chunk right out of his wrist. He shook it off, kicked the fucker away, and shot all three in the fucking head. One by one. Done. Over. Check on Jesse. Make sure he's good. Don't think about it, just focus. Too late for you, take care of Jesse.]

Finch? Where you at? [Can't see him, but don't panic. Don't fucking panic.]

[rigging]

[ He'd been out. He'd been checking the vending machines, while Ghoul was asleep. Bad idea. Jesse is already running in the direction he can hear gunshots. Never good. Never a good sign. His heart is in his throat and he's panicking, even though he knows he shouldn't, and - and, christ. Just find Ghoul, take a deep breath, don't let your rhythm get out of control, because that's all you need, an asthma attack in the middle of a horde of zombies.

He drops down into the store through the hole in the roof, pulling out his bat, swallowing hard. Hisses: ] Ghoul? Ghoul, m'right here.

[tooghoulforschool]

[Ghoul doesn't believe in a higher power, but if he did? He'd be thanking that son of a bitch right about now. And then he'd punch him in the face.

He stares at Jesse, mouth pressed in a hard line, before taking another quick look around to make sure the stiffs didn't have friends.]

Thought we checked. Thought we checked everything, fuck. [He turns his head and spits on the ground, keeping his arm angled away.] You gotta be more careful. When you go, you gotta be careful. Double check. Triple-- fuckin'...

[rigging]

Fuck - fuck. They got in? How? [ Jesse sounds worried, looks worried, puts his bat away for a second so that he can examine the doors, the holes, all the shit they'd pulled into place to keep themselves safe. He shouldn't have left. He just thought, for a second, it'd be okay, but Jesse's stupid, because that's not how it works. You let your guard down for a second and everything falls to pieces.

Jesse looks over his shoulder at Ghoul when he trails off. ] When we go. Ghoul.

[tooghoulforschool]

[Shit. No. No, Jesse, don't-- Ghoul stares down at his feet, shaking his head. When he lifts it back up, his gaze is cold and hard. Gotta be strong. If you're not strong, he's gonna fall to pieces. Jesse needs to be stronger.] When you go.

[Ghoul closes the distance between them, grabs Jesse's wrist, and pushes his gun into Jesse's hand. Look. Look down. The hand grasping your wrist. The angry, red, bloody bite.]

Gotta be you. Get out. Keep goin'. But don't let me turn into one of them. S'just gotta be you, Finch.

[rigging]

[ No.

No. No no no no. Jesse stares at the bite, expression blank for a long moment. No, this isn't happening, and he doesn't have to do this. Gotta keep going. You have to keep going. ]

No. [ Jesse says calmly, finally, looking up at Ghoul. He swallows hard, and tries to push the gun back at Ghoul. He doesn't even know how to use it right, he can't. It's Ghoul's. ] We're gonna fix it. I ain't going alone, we'll fix it.

[ His chest hurts. It hurts bad. He can't breathe, already, short on air, and it's audible, despite his calm expression. ]

[tooghoulforschool]

[Hey, no, don't you dare. Ghoul frowns, firmly gripping Jesse's hand, placing the gun against his open palm, and closing his fingers around it.] Can't fix this. You know we can't. There isn't a fix for this and you gotta keep going. North, yeah? Survivors. You gotta go.

[But not yet. Right now, he's gotta sit. Ghoul brings a crate over, sets Jesse down on it. Sit.] Breathe. [He's just gonna crouch down right here, right next to him.]

S'fine, J. [He smiles.] We both know you're the prettier bastard, anyway.

[rigging]

[ His fingers close around the gun and it makes it worse, makes his breathing stutter and shake, makes his mostly empty stomach roll. The constant stream of no hasn't stopped in his head, it's a mantra, and Ghoul sits him down and crouches and smiles at him and Jesse's expression breaks, collapses into a mess of pain and fear and devastation.

He doesn't care if he's the prettier one. That was for a time when Ghoul's skin was clear of that angry red bite, that was for joking when times were rougher, that was before Jesse knew he was going to be alone.

Survivors up north. It doesn't matter. The only person he'd wanted to be alive is dead. Has been for a while. Jesse's lungs constrict. He shakes his head, drops the gun to the side like it's burning him. It's not fine, it's not, it's - there's a fix and there has to be a way and Jesse watches Ghoul with a hopeless, broken face as he tries to breathe, but he can't.

Instead, he wheezes, and covers his mouth with his hand, trying to muffle himself. ]

[tooghoulforschool]

[Goddammit. Of all the times to-- okay, actually, now is a pretty good time for this. Ghoul pulls his bandanna off his neck and quickly wraps it around the bite, tying it off with his good hand and his teeth, before turning his attention back to Jesse. Won't be so bad if he can't see it. One less thing to trigger him.]

Hey, lookit me. Look. We got some time, okay? You are one strong motherfucker, all the shit you been through. Don't let this be what gets your sorry ass. Breathe. M'nothing to get worked up over, just breathe. You ain't a fuckin' quitter, don't quit on me now.

[Forget the gun. Forget where they are. Just look. He gently pulls Jesse's hand away from his mouth and firmly grasps both of his shoulders. Look. He's right here.]

[rigging]

[ It - sort of helps. Out of sight, out of mind. Sure, they've got some time, but not enough, and Jesse knows, he knows how selfish he's being, because Ghoul is the one who got bit and Ghoul is the one that's going to die. Ghoul is going to die. Jesse should be taking care of him.

But it gets stuck in his throat, in his lungs and chest, and he doesn't want to be alone.

Ghoul takes his shoulders, and Jesse finally sobs out a breath, pressing his hand more tightly to his mouth at first, but letting Ghoul pull it away when he tries. Don't cry. There's no room for crying out here, not when he's had to beat in the skulls of people who used to be people. The thing is, you get used to that. They're monsters, it's survival.

But you never get used to the idea that someday, something like this might happen.

Jesse gasps in another breath and reaches to grip at Ghoul's arm tightly, eyes just barely wet. ] I can't. [ Desperate. ] I can't, I can't be alone. [ So fucking selfish. ]

[tooghoulforschool]

[It's not selfish if Ghoul is choosing to completely ignore what just happened to him to focus on Jesse anyway. Anytime they lost someone, anytime a member of their crew fell, he was the one that told them to move, told them they had to keep going. He brushed it off. Had to worry about the ones still living, no time to wallow in that shit. No time to mourn his family, no time to mourn Galen. He felt that loss burning a hole through his heart every day until he wasn't sure he had a heart left, but he had to keep going. Had to think of the ones still living.

Only, the amount of still-living kept getting smaller. Eventually, it was just the two of them. Ghoul knew it would end like this, he knew he'd sacrifice himself to give Jesse a chance, but he didn't think it would be because of something so fucking careless and stupid. They were so close. They were almost there. And then this. It's either blame himself and spend his last minutes knowing they could have made it, or he could focus on Jesse. Get him ready. Make sure he's gonna make it.

Make sure he's not gonna do something stupid.]

You can. If anyone can, it's you. S'gotta be you, I toldya. You're smart, you're fast, you're a survivor. Jesse, you gotta make it. Find the others. Gotta keep runnin', Jess. you gotta live for all of us. [Don't-- don't cry. Don't-- He reaches a hand up to cup the side of Jesse's face.] Not leavin' you. We're still with you.

[rigging]

[ He's lost so many people.

Galen's gone. They hadn't had time. They'd - Jesse had - they had to make sure he wouldn't come back as one of them. Jesse couldn't let it happen that way. There wasn't anything left. It wouldn't have been him. Jesse tried to arrange him like he was just sleeping, took the ring on his finger. Kept his own, and kept running, only because Ghoul dragged him off. Can't stay, Finch, they won't get Galen, not when we raze the place with fire, but they will get you.

It got smaller and smaller. Just the two of them, but they were there. It's not even that far. That's the most unfair part, they're right there, it's so close and Jesse doesn't want it anymore. What's the point? What's the point of being alive and okay if he doesn't have anybody with him? What's the point if the man he wanted to marry is a pile of ashes he couldn't even take with him, if his last remaining friend needs him to shoot him in the fucking face so he doesn't get back up again after he dies?

We're still with you. Jesse chokes again, shakes his head even under Ghoul's grip. ] S'not enough. [ He holds Ghoul's hand in his own, the sobs bubbling up. ] What's the point, Ghoul, there's none. There's nobody fucking left.

[ His grip tightens. ] I miss Galen. [ He gasps it out. ] Ghoul, s'not fair, s'not fair, you're gonna fuckin' -- you get t'see them again and I don't? How the fuck is that fair?

idefk wildcard or maybe 7

[onteamdyson]

[At first, she thought it was a very persistent, lone zombie. No big deal. Wouldn't get past the epicly epic defense system she'd set up outside her wicked-ass home-sweet-home. She'd always said she could live at the mall. Now she lived in a mall. Not only did it have everything she could possibly need, except ... you know, people, it had a pretty sweet security system with cameras and everything!

Kenzi and her loyal, furry companion were just enjoying a simple lunch of whatever-the-fuck-is-in-this-can while watching the monitors when something in the parking lot caught her eye. Seriously, no reason to pay attention to the singular figure on the screen-- until it slipped past the first trap. And the second. And got into the fucking mall--] Holy crap balls, I don't even think so.

[Lunch has been put on hold. There is some zombie-butt to kick and a fort to defend! No, seriously, she built a pillow fort in the home furnishings store.

Crossbow in hand, she made her way down to the ground floor so she could greet the brave, undead soul with a bolt to the head when it emerged from the blocked off, underground parking entrance. If it emerged.

... Except Dyson wasn't freaking out. Hell, he barely even looked concerned. Usually as soon as he smelled those guys he had his teeth bared and growled up a storm. Right now his tail... is ... wagging?]

Dude, what the fuck? We are totes going crazy from isolation if you are looking forward to playtime with zombie-face. No. Bad dog! You do not need a gross, decaying squeaky toy.

[rigging]

[ Jesse isn't thinking clearly enough. It's nothing different than usual, though. Since - since Then. Since Then, he's been alone. Nobody is left alive. He doubts there's even survivors left. Everybody left him here, and he promised he wouldn't try to follow. So he's stuck.

Stuck and hungry.

Today, his chest hurts worse than usual. He's exhausted and bloody and he hasn't slept for - two... two days? Three? Jesse loses count so easily. Nobody is around to watch his back, so he has to find somewhere he knows he's going to be safe in before he can sleep, and that's rare. But he knows how far he can push himself, and today is getting to the limit. If he's not careful, he'll pass out in the middle of the street, and never wake up again. Or - he will, just in a different way.

The mall seems like a good place to try and find shelter. Jesse notices the traps, but he doesn't care. They're probably old. Nobody is around anymore. The person who set them probably moved on.

He looks a mess, dirty, covered in bloodstains, face drawn - sounds a mess, breathing stuttering. Just get through the parking entrance. It's a damn struggle to pull himself through, and he's weak enough that he has to rest for a long moment, just to avoid passing out.

Is that a voice? Great. Officially lost his sanity. Jesse holds onto the necklace around his neck, digging the edges of the pendant into his palm, keeping his eyes on the rings on his finger. Wake up. Wake up. ]

[onteamdyson]

[The dirty, bloody, tired-as-hell look isn't doing him any favours. Kenzi is fully prepared to shoot him when he emerges and stops to take that rest--

Except the dog just takes off, running straight for Jesse and barking. She drops the crossbow and tries to reach out and grab for the bandana tied around his neck, but he's too damn fast. Curse his sled-dog breeding!]

Dyson, NO! Fuck--

[Kenzi goes for the crossbow again, hoping to shoot before the thing takes a bite out of her dog-- who is ... happily sitting in front of him with his head against his leg and that tail wagging wildly. That... is not a zombie. That is a person! No freakin' way.

She approaches cautiously, grabbing her sword from behind her back and keeping her eyes on the apparently not-flesh-eating dude. Just a little closer...]

Hey. Hey! If you had a choice between a delicious, juicy hamburger or somebody's brain, which one would you pick? [Can't be too careful.]

[rigging]

[ If he wasn't so tired, he'd yelp at the dog that practically sprints at him. Instead, he sort of just lifts his arms pathetically, like he's going to protect himself - and then there's just a dog, wagging it's tail at him. Jesse slowly drops his hands, staring down at the dog with a dazed sort of look.

Oop, dizzy. Jesse stumbles slightly, and - mmghph, he can't be bothered to keep standing, so he lets himself fall, pretty much on his face. It registers that the girl is asking him a question - there's a girl, she's here and talking, and Jesse laughs when the question makes itself into words he can understand. It's one of those rusty, desperate, not-really-a-laugh types, the kind you'd expect out here.

Jesse closes his eyes and sighs. ] Yer not real. [ He mutters. ] Y'can't be. Answer don't matter cause - cause. You ain't actually here.

[onteamdyson]

[Okay, so he's got the zombie walk down, but those bastards don't talk half as good as this delirious guy. She hesitates a moment before putting the sword away and crouching down to help him up while the dog tries to enthusiastically lick his face.] Some loyal guard dog you are. Dude, you're fired.

And as for you, pretty sure I'm real. But then again, this could totally be the Matrix and I'm just some really, really, really intricate AI that doesn't even realise it's an AI and I've convinced myself that I'm real so I can live this fucked up, horror movie life for the rest of ever-- god, that's depressing. Thanks a lot.

[Sorry about the word vomit. It's been a long time since she's had a conversation with anyone other than the dog, and he doesn't talk back so she's gotta do all the work.]

If I wasn't actually here, would I be supporting your weight right now? Wow. You weigh nothing. This is actually kind of sad. What's the opposite of weight watchers? You need to call them ASAP. Come on, buddy. You need a softer place to faceplant.

[rigging]

[ The dog - licks him, and Jesse's heart twists in his chest. It twists further when Kenzi touches him and helps him up. Near immediately he freezes up, stiffens, because maybe he's tired but the touch is unfamiliar and terrifying, and he wants to instinctively get away. His breathing stutters even worse than it did before, and he attempts to dislodge himself, but any successful attempt will probably be met with his knees collapsing out from under him.

She - talks a lot, he thinks distantly, even as he's jerking away, trying to pull his gun from it's case, but his hands shake so badly he can't.

The girl is real, though. He's. Not hallucinating?

Jesse staggers to the side and collapses against the nearest wall, wrapping his arms around himself and staring at her. ] Wh - what? [ Oh god, he's such a mess. ] Why - wh...

[onteamdyson]

[Woah, WOAH, okay. She lets him go, looking concerned, and holds her hands up in the most non-threatening way she can manage. See? Not a threat. Just a girl with a sword on her back, a dropped crossbow, some really cute goggles on her head that make her feel more at home with the whole post-apocalyptic theme but don't actually serve any real purpose, and a stupid dog that's sitting next to her, looking all stupid and happy but mostly stupid. Aren't Malamutes supposed to be smart or something?]

N...othing? You might want to narrow down your question field a bit. That's kind of an all-encompassing 'what'. Why isn't really helping either. Would you feel less wall-smashy if we did some introductions? Hi. I'm Kenzi, this is Dyson, and you are... ?

[rigging]

[ His people skills are rusty, Kenzi, don't mind him. Jesse sort of just slides down the wall. Not entirely, just slumping. Not a threat. She's not dead, and Jesse draws in another unsteady breath, holding himself even tighter. She's talking to him and it's just - he hasn't heard anybody speak out loud for months. Months? He doesn't even know.

Wait, she's asking him something. ]

J -- Jesse. [ His name. She's Kenzi, the dog is Dyson. He's still twitching, pale and scared. ] You're alive.

[onteamdyson]

Great! Awesome. Jesse, cool, nice to meet you. [He understands words! He can answer simple questions, okay, this is a start. She crouches down again, getting to his level but not moving forward.

Dyson almost knocks her over before going back to Jesse, nosing at his hands and trying to sit as close to him as possible. He smells different. It's new!]

Yep. Your observation skills are seriously top notch. I am indeed alive. Gold star. Oh-- are you asking why I'm alive? [Because Bo was always there to save her--] Because I am a survivor! Like Destiny's Child, but just Beyonce. I don't think the other ones survived...

[rigging]

[ Jesse startles badly at Dyson getting in his space, but after a second, his tense and afraid expression melts a little. Dogs. Jesse loved dogs, still loves dogs, but all the ones he's seen have been bitten, or so afraid of humans that they attack when someone gets too close. This one is healthy and nosing at him and Jesse swallows, reaching to pet Dyson hesitantly.

He's real too. Jesse offers his hand for Dyson to sniff, trembling visibly, eyes already starting to get wet without his permission. His answer is sluggish, slurred with lack of sleep. ] Nobody did. Everybody died.

[ Way to be a downer. ] I just - I gotta. [ Gotta go north. He promised. He promised, and his eyes close, hand slips from Dyson's fur. ] Gotta... north. Gotta go.

[onteamdyson]

Not everybody.

[She says it quietly. Still watching him, less afraid for her life and more worried about his physical and mental state. North? What's North? She came down from up North. Everyone said to go South. Clearly, everyone was wrong. Dead wrong! Hahaha-- ... fuck. That's not hilarious at all.

This guy's not gonna make it to the fort or to her 'cool-partment' or any of the other places he could sleep safely. She gives Dyson a look, points a finger at him,] Stay.

[He stays. She stands up and disappears for a few minutes, only to come back with a few pillows and a blanket and what's left of lunch. She sets the food down and carefully tries to ease Jesse sideways onto a pillow, hoping he's too exhausted to realise what's happening. When she drapes the blanket over him, Dyson lies down right next to him with his head on his paws.

Kenzi keeps watch. She'll stay there as long as she needs to. No way is she letting the first actual person she's seen in forever out of her sight.]

[rigging]

[ He's entirely too exhausted to realize what's going on when she comes back. At that point, when she moves him, he just makes a soft noise, mumbling something - sounds like a name - and curls into a ball. He shouldn't. God, Jesse shouldn't dare sleep, he doesn't trust this girl. But he doesn't have anything except for his pendant, for his rings, and those he holds onto tightly, even in sleep.

His nap is restless and full of nightmares. If Kenzi listens, she'll hear him mutter. Disjointed, fragmented clips, Galen and Ghoul, things like n-no, don't, or come back.

But it's sleep, at least, and it's made a little better by Dyson settled next to him, like a guardian. Sleep, until a particularly bad nightmare jolts him out of it, and Jesse makes this sharp, terrified noise as he sits up, panicked and wide-eyed, voice breaking as he frantically tries to find his gun, get his bearings: ] N-no, no, I -- I made sure, I --