Desolé

[Matthias3690]

'She was here to kill a vampire...that's not silver. Kill her now!' He was getting angrier by the second at me for simply not destroying this being that now stood in my way. "I can't." I spoke out loud. "Their coming anyway...and she's no help." Trying to rationalize with him at times was...interesting to say the least. But more times than not, he agreed with me and moved on. Growling 'They followed that bastard we had for a meal on the way here...his clothes must've been bloody.' Nodding my head to the woman, I must say I had to agree. She had a compelling argument. A gun pointed at my head with those creatures barreling towards the door wasn't something I'd directly go against very quickly. "Come on." I spoke to him. "Time to go. I'm grabbing Ted for ba..." He interrupted 'Bull. We both know he's going to be tasty...even if it's only the twin of that rotten thing we're after. It'll be a sweet step towards vengence.'

Grinning from ear to ear, I turned and leapt to Ted's body. Slinging him over my shoulder I spun back around. My ears twitched, my nose following suit. 'Their all coming the way you did. The other way's clear...for now.' He reminded me. "I have the same senses as you." I said as I jogged towards her entrance, kicking the door open and leaping out. I landed on a fire escape of the next building over. Climbing up to the roof didn't take long, but when I got there I'd wished I'd stuck to the ground. 'This is going to be fun.' He growled as I glared at the group of..."10...13...16..18. Time to let go of some anger."

I dropped Ted to the ground. 'You can't feel that anyway' I thought as I picked up the ladder next to me. Someone apparently was trying to escape...notice how that worked out for them. I swung it like a club, sending 4 of them sailing like home run balls over the edge. Changing my grip quickly to the middle I threw it hard overhead at the rest of them, only hitting 5 of them to a similar fate. They didn't take too kindly to that I guess...this is about the time they decided to try to eat me. Damn near got me too I'd say. 2 leapt at me, 3 sprinted straight ahead and the other 4 tryed to flank me. 'What the...' He growled, I spoke it response "Whose been teaching you dirty little..." I was cut off again. Damn. Think someone around here would let me finish a sentence. The 2 that leapt reached me, unfortunately for them I caught them by the throat. They were good sized ones...nice clubs. Swinging them around, I hit the 3 chargers off the roof. 'Huh.' I thought 'This roof's pretty small now I notice it.' Throwing the 2 in my hands at the others, I knocked 2 more off. Only 2 left. One decided to leap at me, I decided to return the favor. I leapt at it, sinking my claws into it's chest and raking the skin it had away from bone, organs out and all. Completely shredding this one before spinning around to grab the last one by the head. Seperating it from it's neck, I grabbed both pieces and threw them off the roof. "Maybe they'll eat their own." I spoke, picking up Ted and glancing across to the next rooftop.

It wasn't too long afterwards that I was leaping from roof to roof, gradually getting closer to the ground before landing on solid earth again. I had no sense of direction at this point in time...I just knew I needed to get out of that town and fast. I sprinted away...with no intention of stopping before daylight.

[LordKain]

It took me almost two days to reach the Virginia border. I had intended on making the trip in less than a day, driving straight through. That's why I had started that same afternoon. I figured driving or holing up I was safe either way, and that the open roads would be less prone to hiding those lovely beasties. I was right, for the most part. After all, when there's a Humvee barreling down the highway at over seventy, there's little a near-dead can do other than look and growl a few times in hungry longing. Going past several sparsely populated areas I had the pleasure of seeing a few on the road itself. That was a blessing, of sorts, as I had the extreme pleasure of adding to the count of Tennessee roadkill.

I have to admit that was fun, albeit a little messy. The collision of flesh and bone with metal. The spray of blood and gore hitting the windshield as my wipers fought to wash away the blood. I watched in morbid fascination as bits and parts flew past the windows. I had never shied from blood, it never sickened me like most people. That wasn't to say I was on the same level as some psychotic killer. I didn't enjoy it, per se, I was simply immune to it. But the sight did remind me of how hungry I was, and I suppose if I were capable my stomach would have growled. The near-dead were not the best snack to eat, lower than the animals I usually devoured, but they would suffice for the time being. Besides, I needed to clean up my car.

There was just enough of the window cleared to see where I was going, and I pulled off at a nice little stop that was probably very quaint before the virus hit. A few near-dead were starting to group in the area, I could hear more in the not so far distance. Emerging slowly from the car I took note of my surroundings. I was pleased to note that not only did they sell diesel, but there was a hand pump for water on the side of the station; I doubted there'd be running water still. Looking back to the near-dead I smiled. "I'd like to thank you all for coming to this little get-together." I said to them, grinning like some over dramatic nut, "Please, be patient. The feast will begin shortly." They gave no indication of understanding my words, not that I had any misgivings about that matter. Those bodies just kept pushing forward, intent on having a late-night snack. There were about ten now, forming a semi-circle of shambling, growling death; more were on their way still. It seemed it would be a good night.

With a hiss of sudden rage I flung myself at them, directly at the middle of the group. I latched onto the middle figure, crashing my forehead into it's jaw and then nose. The two on my sides were trying to claw up my arms as I dropped the body, and I inverted my grip, grabbing their forearms instead. Growling as my arms surged with strength I jerked them from their feet, smashing their bodies together in front of me so that they fell into a tangled heap with my first victim. The others had fallen upon me by this time. I could feel their dirty, gnarled nails ripping through my clothing and into my skin. The feeling was incredible as I let them have their way with me for the moment, teasing them before pulling from their grasp.

My mind imagined the virus infecting my blood, running through my veins. And then, as it sought to take control of this new host, it encountered something unexpected. Suddenly it was fearful, locked into terrible combat with something far stronger than itself. Something which was not man made, which had existed for hundreds upon hundreds of years. This is my gift to you, I thought, willing my mental voice to be heard by the fiend in my veins, Fear me, for you cannot tame me! I howled, eyes blazing with an inner fire as my body consumed the virus, and so I shrugged off the near-dead around me. Blood flew from my cuts and wounds as I kicked and punched, sending the animated corpses flying in every direction. The last two I left alive, breaking their limbs so that they posed no threat of attacking. I smiled at them, looking over their mangled, snarling features. I could tell they had been very good looking in life, and I noticed the matching rings on their fingers.

I nodded slowly as I realized that even in this state of undeath they were together. Well, they would be together in death as well. Fitting. In an instant I crouched and sank my fangs into the girl's neck, bleeding her body. The virus was remarkably adept at healing cuts, so on these pitiful near-dead I must always rend the flesh. So untidy what one must do to survive sometimes. I drained him next as well, delighting in the taste of the blood flowing down my throat, unclean even as it was. Though I had lost a good deal of blood just a moment before, I had replenished myself. My wounds were speedily healing the more I drank. Prying myself away, I made way to the pump, filling the bucket nearby and drenching myself thrice. Once sufficiently clean I did the same for my vehicle, stopping once the most of it was clean.

I left not long after that, staying just long enough to clean up the next group. It had been weeks since I last engaged them in close combat, preferring to kill form a distance. I had no fear of death or the virus, of course, they were simply not worth my personal attention. It felt good to dispatch some of the scourge with my own hands and feet. To be like Death himself, to unleash myself fully upon them, was almost intoxicating. I hadn't plotted my course well however. Or, perhaps, I had subconsciously done this to myself. A few hours later, I was back in Nashville.

[Arkady]

OOC: Sorry, Wildfire, for the delay. Somehow, I missed seeing your new post until last night.

- Alice

When Jessica raised her hand, a moment of fleeting happiness awoke in me. It crawled through my frozen veins before carving a little space in my heart to rest its weary, transient soul. Partly, I was glad for the company. I was glad that whatever dwindling remains of people that I would leave behind would be spared of her magic. I was glad that she reminded me a little of Stella.

My little fling with Stella was just that: a fling, a moment of temporary insanity, driven by pure and simple lust. Stella was marvelously beautiful and all her radiant, narrow features were only exaggerated in her un-death. Her long dark locks could strangle any man as well as Medusa’s snakes might petrify any brave soul. Her eyes, ever-lasting grey, darker than mine slipped silent poison with a gaze. I was in-love the moment I met her at the debutante ball and when she called, every part of my body responded with yes.

I was human then.

I wondered where Stella was now. I wondered if she had survived. Certainly, I didn’t expect to see her again.

Embrey raised his hand as well; his gesture was tentative as he looked between me and Stella as if our focused divide might dignify and explain his own actions. I was proud of Embrey as well. I would’ve thought that my call for this expedition had absolved him of his previously designated obligation to Jessica, but instead, he had forged ahead some new desperate loyalty to the girl.

I suspected that he feared her. Or that he was greatly attracted to her. I had always confused the two.

For a moment longer, I stood up there as people avoided my gaze. The silence was palpable, disgusting with the sense of fear, of shame. People were scared of a long, terrible journey that included me, a creature they felt obligated towards, yet feared in the same instant. Furthermore, I believed that they were frightened of Jessica, of the things they didn’t know. They had grown to comfortable here, in this little hell-hole mockery of society.

I remembered dancing with Stella, my expensive tux pressed against her even more expensive white gown. I remembered dancing with Stella, her short miniskirt barely past her ass as she rode along the length of my jeans.

I thought: we will never dance again. None of us.

Finally one more woman raised her hand. She was short, with fierce dyed dirty blond hair that hung above her eyes. She was of middle-eastern descent, and her glittering brown eyes failed to resemble those around her. Just a little bit of hope hung in them like tears. I couldn’t remember her name, but she pointed at herself, “Na’ila.”

I nodded, stepping off of my podium, motioning to my new entourage.

They filed in besides me as the crowd dispersed, the sullen solemnity of the night air followed after them. Some returned to the stations with their rifles, others retired to bed, hoping that our nightmare was over for now.

As I stood there ready to iterate instructions, a man who had not raised his hand stepped into the circle. He was broad and tall, of enormous height. His head was shaved, making his long, ridged brow look like a heavy helmet over beady black eyes. He addressed me deferentially, and I spoke his own name softly, “Calvin.”

“Sir,” He said in a way that seemed to speak of some military background, “With you gone, we have no one to lead us.” His voice was as heavy as his stature and seemed to envelop our little group, compressing the space between our figures as a giant vise.

For a moment, I looked into the lost faces of my meager group of travelers. I supposed that I was looking for suggestions, or maybe for empathy. I turned to Calvin and told him what I knew. “I don’t think we will be attacked again, but maintain vigilance at every cost. Watch for infection.” He nodded, but I repeated myself, “Watch for infection.”

“Yessir.”

I considered giving him more direction. I had a vision that we might expand this little hell-hole into a decent home instead of crusty bunk-beds and sending constant, dangerous forays into the surrounding areas. Humanity had been reduced into not only monsters, but a desperate bunch of foolish and selfish people, terrified of their neighbors and the monstrosities they might become. Still, who was I to tell him the way in they might progress. I wasn’t even human. My objectives premised themselves on being able to feed myself. If anything, I was more selfish than the rest of them.

I eyed my team again, realizing they would be secret meals from day to day. Turning back to Calvin the Giant, I instead gestured vaguely. “Good luck,” I said with little emphasis. He looked at me a little while longer as if expecting more. When I said nothing else, he turned and stomped off. I was certain the ground trembled as he did so.

My team had been quiet, talking softly amongst themselves and when I turned my attention back to them, they stilled themselves as if trained to rely upon my direction. Already, I was worn out from giving it.

“We leave in the morning.” I said. I looked away in the direction of my own bed. I, too, needed the sleep.

[Vagrant]

I finished my cigarette and stubbed it out beneath my foot, watching closely as people scattered left, right and centre in the process of converting the hotel into something approaching a defensible fort. I was happy to stand back from the process, observing and noting names and faces as people called out to each other.

The real object of my focused attention was, as always, Ishamel. How could it have been anything else? His very presence was like a very localized migraine in the back of my skull. I noted the group forming for an expedition and for one brief moment of madness was tempted to step forward and join in. I refrained though at the last minute. Time spent near Ishmael was dangerous enough without walking right by his side.

So why don't you just leave? Came the wry thought from the back of my mind. I couldn't help but grin. I really was a sucker for punishment. The pressure in the back of my head lessened as Ishmael left with a few others that I recognized - the driver, that young lapdog girl of his, that rather gorgeous looking woman our ragtag convoy had picked up earlier...

My rather blatant admiring of her legs was cut short by an Australian accent lancing across my ear. "Oi, newbie, give us a hand with this, will ya?" I turned to look behind me to find a rather heavy set man struggling with a goods crate of some description. It didn't take long for both of us to get a decent grip on the think and haul it back into the hotel lobby proper. The man held out his hand and I shook it firmly. He introduced himself as Greg Cooper, asked my name. Lucem, I replied. Lucem Ferre. Lu, to my friends.

He expressed some interest over my unusual name. Hippie parents, I explained, with the requisite eye roll. This drew a laugh from Greg and as we continued about the hotel performing odd jobs we were soon bantering away like old friends rather then men who had met ten minutes ago. What can I say? I'm a people person.

We were up on the third floor performing a sweep to see if anything was salvagable from the vending machines when it hit me like a hammer blow to the back of the head, a searing white pain that dropped me to my knees. Greg's cry of alarm was lost in a whirl of memories and feelings swirling through my head.

Uriel's presence - that continued pressure at the back of my head - was low-key compared to what had just erupted full force in my mind. I couldn't guard against it like this, wasn't ready for it, wasn't it expecting it. Or him. Raphael. And then in an instant the presence was gone again. The fire racing through my brain extinguished.

I hauled myself to my feet, took a step and then stood dead still in my tracks as I heard the unpleasant click of a gun being cocked. I turned to find Greg standing, braced in a firing position, gun levelled right at my head. "When did you get bitten, Lu?" he asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"Ah..Greg...that was nothing. Just a..migraine. Not an infection." I chose my words carefully, placatingly, hands raised. Greg narrowed his eyes, shook his head slightly. "Bull****, man, you were ****ing glowing when you hit the floor. I'm sorry, Lu, I really am..."

Not as sorry as I was. I sighed and mentally crossed my fingers that Uriel wasn't close enough to pick this up.

DROP THE GUN, GREG

My voice reverberated through the air in a tone and pitch that a human voice would have no hope of matching. When I spoke normally I used a tiny version of this full effect. It made me likeable, trustworthy, persuasive. When I used it completely, well...

Greg's eyes glazed over, his gun dropped from his now entirely limp hand.

YOU WILL FORGET WHAT YOU JUST SAW

He blinked once or twice, shook his head as his brain struggled to fight against and overwhelming presence, then did the only thing he could - he submitted. When he looked at me again it was like a man coming out of a deep sleep. "Ugh...****, sorry, I zoned out...what did you say, Lu?"

I laughed, all smiles and friendship again, pointed out that he had dropped his gun ("I don't even remember drawing it...Christ, maybe I need a nap...") and we set to work about our assigned task. I don't remember the sun setting - it must have happened fast - but I do remember sprinting with Greg and the man who had come to get us, down into the entrance courtyard of the hotel, the expedition returning with a mob of the dead behind them...

My eye caught Ishmael's for a moment and I had to fight hard not to flinch. Uriel was known in some scriptures as The Fire of God. It was easy to see why. I stepped forward, making a decision at that moment that I desperately hoped I would not regret.My voice was pitched low, aimed directly at Ishmael, carrying hopefully to only him and him alone. "Uriel... how can I help?" I could already feel the glow welling up inside of me. How radiant I must have seemed to a creature like him.

[LordKain]

My God, it was worse than I thought. The heartache, I mean. The almost mind-numbing grief. I had arrived close to dawn, and I pulled off the highway onto the Memphis-Bristol. I was driving slow now as I gazed out the car at the ghost town that was once my home. A few birds were rustling in the trees, mockingbirds in fact. Rose used to love watching them. "They're so small, but look how they protect each other." she used to say, "They are so beautiful. Just look at that little family there." There were several trees around our house, and surprisingly each of them had their own nest. Rose would gaze at them for hours if I would let her... "I'd let you now if only I could..." I whispered aloud without even noticing. The Humvee passed by the Bellevue Center. We used to shop there often, they had all the best stores. I remembered the last time we went, it was not long before the.... the last time....

I became aware that the car had stopped. I did not remember stopping. Did I stop the car? No, Rose did, she was driving. She did so enjoy driving, it was one of mankind's inventions that intrigued her. We would drive for miles and miles some days, just to get away. Or to have our own private retreats in the mountains. I looked at the street sign. Hicks Rd X Deer Lake Dr. I groaned softly, I could feel my heart beginning to race. No, not here. "Why have you brought me here Rose!!" I screamed to the steering wheel. I just sat there for a few moments, pressing my hands into my face. Get a grip, get a grip, get a grip, blazed through my mind like a calming mantra. I don't know how long I sat there, rocking in the seat like some lunatic. Well, maybe I was. I didn't know anymore, nor did I care. I could argue that because I can rationally examine if I was or was not truly going crazy, that that proved I was, in fact, sane. I could, if I was inclined to argue with myself. I seriously doubted any sane being would do so.

So instead I crossed myself and said a silent prayer for strength. As I got out the the vehicle, I wondered if all my praying would do any good, not that I spent countless hours doing so. God existed, that much I knew. My cynical views on such matters stemmed from my skepticism on if God really cared about this world. That was the real question, wasn't it? I have seen plenty of human suffering in my life, and I can accept that it was all part of His plan. Free will and all. But the virus? No, I cannot accept that God, who is supposed to be all powerful and all caring, would allow the human race to be pushed to extinction, even by their own hands. I do not believe that any being who was guarding over this Earth would allow all this to befall their creations.

I chuckled as I passed the house on the corner. The McArthy's used to live there. Hell, they might still be crowded in their basement, emerging at night to find food. But I laughed because of my own thoughts. It was like a rich joke: A vampire, a soulless and infinitely evil being, theorizing about God? Thinking on his own piety? Ha. I must be in some ridiculous movie. Where's the ending credits? Why won't this nightmare end? My breathing quickened as I moved down the street. It was funny how peaceful everything looked at the end of the world. Wasn't the Apocalypse supposed to be all fire and brimstone? I was an enigma in this world. I, an aged vampire, though by no means the oldest alive, who believed in God, even prayed to him. The idea was ludicrous and yet it was true.

The sound of my footsteps stopped as I reached the place. The place. The Place. As if it were some holy pilgrimage that brought me here. Well there I was, standing before the house we had lived in, wondering what the heck I was going to do. So I walked in. At least there was no smell. But, then, memories don't have a smell. The place had been looted, it seemed, though we had not had anything of real value there. I moved through the entryway and passed into the living room. Rose and I used to sit right there, right on that sofa, and watch television. Television. Now there's a human contraption that captivated me. What was it we used to watch? Oh yes. I laughed aloud, softly, in remembrance. M*A*S*H it was, I think I liked it because I remembered the Korean War. I remembered many wars, of course, I was a part of a lot of them.

Next I walked to the kitchen. I could see Rose cooking breakfast. God it was like some infinitely perfect dream. I was waiting at the table, admiring her form outlined by her silky robe, as I always did. We didn't eat it, of course, we just went through the motions for the sake of our neighbors. They liked to pop in on us, we all did around here. It didn't bother Rose and I, however, we liked them. They were a decent sort, for humans. Upstanding citizens and such. I would have liked to been friends with them for much longer. Now they would likely be more prone to try to eat me than have a chat. If they're not dead already. I sighed, the sound heavy and weary. It had only been a few weeks, and I had already traveled so far. That was how it felt to me. I suddenly felt so tired, so weighted down by the world. Somehow, I was now in what used to be our bedroom. These blackouts have really got to go.

(Hooray for backstory and crazy ramblings! This segment of Marcus' journey is gonna be wrapped up in the next post, I think. I hope this isn't too long-winded har. I think it's fine, so deal with it XD In any case, if anyone likes, or doesn't like, some things my my posts [ie constructive criticism], feel free to PM me. I'm always looking for help improving my writing styles and depth of my characters. This concludes today's Public Service Announcement. Stay tuned to for more! Same Desolé-time, same Desolé-channel :haw:)

[Wildfire]

spot awaiting post. Sorry got busy. I will post soon.
sorry classes just started, and I would like to get ahead. Plus I need to talk to you Arkady. I will email you soon.



>>>>> ok so I email Arkady awhile ago to set something up with our characters but has not emailed me back.... I guess I can post but I am not sure where to go with it. I will wait one more day.

[Jolly Rensha]

OOC: Excuse the post if it makes little sense, I'm on a heavy painkiller dosage tonight. :( at least I have time to post.

IC:

Did God have a plan in place? I'm assured that the answer is a succinct and simple "no". Rather, He has a purpose. In my time on earth, as limited as some species I've since come to realize exist, I've found that plans have a way of changing, but that if you have a purpose, no matter what comes at you, and you really wanted to get it done, you would. I'm sure God had that in mind with humanity. I say "had," but... what do I know? For all I know, he still HAS a purpose in mind. But I know he exists! I do. Not from some stupid afterlife. The evidence is all around. It took men decades, in various forms, to manufacture what hit New York. One could argue eons if you count those who lust for immortality that did, in actuality, become attained in one individual in particular in modern times. Myself? Not really. Mine is a sort of different entity all together. However, all in all, I think God's purpose includes us all. Not that he knows ahead of time everything that is to happen. If predetermination is true, then we wouldn't have the chance to live our lives. It would already have happened. Sort of a paradox. But like any informed intelligencia, he's really good at prediction. The best. Anyone who invented mathematics has to be good at it. But then, history is full of companies who invented things who got passed by by others that grasped it more fully and were more naturally structured to take it over?

Is that what happened with Satan? I'm not sure yet. What I am sure about is what happened next... I think:

"So..." it had been a while since we had spoken. I had one bullet left, but didn't tell them. No use to scare them. "Lilly what did you do as a living?"

It sort of purplexed her for a minute, "It's been so long that I forgot I used to work. Heh..." Her eyes started to tear a little and Derek squeezed her hand. "I used to work at a Greenwise Publix."

"Ah," I said and nodded. I didn't know what else to say or do. I frankly don't even know why I asked. I didn't care. We walked for a few hours after that. The pawn shops were nearly devoid of everything useful. Most especially, ammo and guns. We finally had made it to where she lived and had a sandwich. The bread was a little stale, and the turkey had a little mold, but I ate it. I told her I would be fine, I had a strong constitution. So far, I wished I'd die and be asleep for a while. What a horrible stomach ache. At least they couldn't smell my horribly putrid farts while we walked... At least I hope they weren't able to. They never did say.

I found out that the kid wasn't hers. She picked him up later since she's been running around. I also found out that cop cars are hard to break into, and worth very little other than driving time. We were able to go to my place though. We stayed there the rest of the night with no problems. The zombie hordes were alright in the suburbs. They found more food elsewhere. What was a problem were what seemed at first to be rabid racoons. A hideous screeching on the doors. I finally had to spend my last bullet on one the things. A few minutes later they came back.

I searched frantically for my glock, but it was nowhere to be found. Made me think that maybe she was alive. I could find out in time. But in a country this big...? I'm still looking. Let's put it that way.

Some hours later, we finally continued on the former conversation. Didn't seem like either of us were much talkers. Especially now. "What did you used to do? Before," she asked. She had a glass of wine and was curled up on my couch. Derek was asleep in my bed. I wasn't tired much since my first death.

"I used to work in annuities downtown. There was a small brokerage firm that did things with Claunch & Associates," I said idly. I just didn't care about my old life at this point. I poked the fire in the fireplace nonchalantly afterward. "Wanna know the totally pointless cost to benefit ratio of a 20-year annuity?" I asked. It was the closest thing I had come to a joke. Most of the words I'd spoken to her at all, in fact.

She grinned, "No."

"Why do you ask," I really was curious why she cared.

"I don't know. Just wondered where someone worked to have such nice wine," Lilly said and smiled. She motioned to a picture over the mantle. "Nice looking girl you had."

"She bought the wine," I said. Not really wanting to go down that more. "How'd you get to appreciate wine?" I inquired, somewhat interested.


"Mmm... One of my old boyfriends. He was older," Lilly smiled like a schoolgirl. I had to remind myself that she WAS a school girl before all this. She had gone to college and then got the bug to run from zombies for some odd reason.

"Aha, I see!" I exclaimed. "Well... He'd have to be older. Seems like everyone is, around girls your age. You look pretty young."

"Twenty," she said, blankly, and I nodded.

"I see. Sorry. I just feel like an old man. Most of my friends had little kids by the time everything went haywire. Probably like little killer monkeys now, eh?" I said. morbidly.

"Mmm, I see." Lilly drank the end of her glass and put it on the counter.

"Get some sleep Lilly. We go in the afternoon tomorrow. I don't see my girl anywhere. She probably left a week ago. I'll try and break into a car or something tomorrow."

She nodded.

[Arkady]

OOC: Busy does not begin to reconcile all the time that I have not had. But here is a post. My posts will certainly become less regular, but I will continue posting. I promise this.

- Ishmael/Uriel

I was guilty of a sin: wrath. It wasn’t atypical of us to experience human emotions, and generally we lacked the consequences, with the exception of Lucifer who set certain, very real precedence in these matters. Nevertheless, my anger came at the cost of shame, that burned my brow just as fiercely.

I was furious with Gabriel and his games. I was angry that for all my might and piety, I had become relegated to the role of a pawn. I was furious that I had been deterred from my duty.

I felt lost, confused and all this transformed me into something I did not want to be.

In the safe rain of gunfire, I confronted Dora first, adamantly telling him that if he mentioned what he saw in there, he would be damned to hell. Those weren’t quite the words with which I fused my frustration, but he meekly grinned and asked for a light, at which point, I nearly smote him. He apologized, and grumbled off with promises.

Then I stalked after Delrana. I spoke less. I growled practically, in instinctive mockery of my partner. I told her that we both had things to hide, things to lose, things that we were not ready to reveal. She nodded readily. She was not unaware of our situation. Nothing had changed, I think she and I both hoped to believe.

And then I saw him (L.) and I burned the whole damned thing down.

I could not but feel that I had been caught in some game, and all the fury of God within me sprung like a beast towards the nest of those vile creatures. For a few moments, I was lost in my sin, lost in my faith, lost in my everlasting feeling of overwhelming exhilaration, of senseless catharsis, the breathless holy hallelujah.

I burned it all down, the fury of God raged in me so fearsomely that I worried that in the process I would not be able to keep from obliterating the entirety of poor condemned Jonesboro, Arkansas. It was only the soft touch of Angela, the poor unkempt doll of Gabriel that I managed to cease the burning that did not end at my hands, but had spread up the length of my arms, leaving me with ashes for sleeves.

I looked back upon my audience, exposed to my reality. Knew I had thrown it all away from my conversation, just moments ago, to my weeks of hiding my abilities. Certainly they knew nothing of my absolute role, but neither did I. For now to them as well as to myself, I was naught but a firestarter, albeit one of immense power. I looked at him, dared him to speak to me again, dared him to prove he was what he claimed. I cared not that all my senses already knew the truth. I only now raged at myself, for having been fooled.

Still, fool though I was, I would not be an easy adversary if even he, the forsaken one, should challenge my might. Even a pawn such as I might stand up to this Black God. The damned things I have seen him do. The foul malignancy that I have been witness to.

Angela now grabbed me and Owen presented to me a new coat, not unlike what I had had before. Neither spoke to me, whether in fear, or gratitude. I followed them almost timidly, in shame for lack of self-control, in repent for my sin.

[LordKain]

(sheesh, took me way to long to write this -.- I need to get remotivated and such)

The night passed without further incident, to which I was thankful. Course I blew threw a whole pack in those lonely hours. Whatever it took to keep myself going, I told myself as I had countless times before. As dawn broke I finally moved the Hummer, parking it under roof that covered the pumps, and settled in. I awoke sometime around three, my slumber broken only a few times by the sounds of animals outside the vehicle, and cursed myself for sleeping so late. I felt considerably better not that I had had a decent morning's sleep. Getting out of the Hummer, I looked around. Sure enough, I was still in the middle of practically no where. Not a human in sight. Figures nothing would change after just a few hours. I shrugged and climbed back into the driver seat, going back on my merry way to Springfield.

On this leg of my journey, however, I decided it would be prudent to be more careful. I took the road at a slower pace, I actually even stopped when I felt the need to look for something. It wasn't that I was shaken from the last, well, accident, just that I knew the risks. I was lucky that I had not given myself a concussion, or hit hard enough that I bled. I had learned to take the signs as I see them. Mind you, I'm not saying it was a sign from God, just Fate giving me a heads up that I need to keep my wits about me.

The radio was worthless but I had picked up some decent CDs back at the station. A little background noise didn't hurt. I hadn't thought of that when I was in Bone Gap, but I realized now how much the music seemed to fill a void. The void of course had a leak, as if the sound of music around me would never keep the emptiness at bay. I didn't listen for comfort or some semblance of companionship. I played them because I needed something to break the monotony of the sound of the engine, the all but barren world around me.

I had some thinking to do as well. Perhaps it was more of reflecting on the past. Bah, no matter. Thoughts are thoughts, right? My mind journeyed, as oft it did lately, to my former life. Demon hunting was a dangerous business, but when one was chosen you had no escape from it, really. Chosen, I thought, making a scoffing sound. How can you call being born with this curse being 'chosen'? Answer me that, O Heavenly Father. I didn't expect a reply, which was good considering I never got one. I, and the other unfortunate people like me, could see things the normal human could not. Demons. Spirits. Darkness. Things that should not belong here. When I was sixteen I finally was 'let in' and the little secret surrounding my affliction. It seemed that, looking back, God had a flair for the dramatic still.

Michael, an honest-to-god archangel, was sent down to me. And I don't mean in that crazy 'he came to me in a dream' kind of way. That **** doesn't happen in real life. If they come, they come to you openly. At least they always had with me. He wasn't all that bad, I must regrettably admit, just a hint of superiority that all being, supernatural or otherwise, seem to posses when encountering those below them in the order of things. I suppose I was luckier than some in this respect. After all, it could have been Gabriel that came down to me. So he explained it all to me, cluing me in on why everything had been happening to me. Of course I denied it at first, thinking this some sort of prank, even given the intimate detail Michael told me of my life and experiences. In the end I accepted it, albeit skeptically. Heh. And then came the catch. There's always a catch. Now that I knew all of this, now that I knew the 'power' I had, I must fight. No maybe, no backing out.

'They will come for you now.' he told me, 'Now that you know, now that you accept it, you are no longer safe." He meant the demons, of course. When I asked him why he didn't bother to tell me that before I agreed, he just smiled a bit. Great. I met with Michael on a mostly regular schedule. He taught me, trained me in what I needed to know and do. My family was Irish and Roman Catholic, and I had a decent upbringing in Catholicism, but what Michael had to teach me went way beyond Sunday school classes. There was so much to know, and the training was almost as bad as the actual job.

I brought myself back to the present as I arched the vehicle around an overturned semi. Wonder how that happened? I guess you could say I still was not done with my job. I knew there were demons left in the world, I could feel it. They would delight in causing havoc amongst the plague's survivors. Then there were the ravenous monsters that had replaced, or eaten, much of the world's population. They were not demonic in nature, and I doubted even a low level half demon would occupy on of those bodies, but at least they went out the same way. Easier even, as long as I played it smart.

There was only an hour, two tops, before sundown when I reached Springfield. I set up 'camp' outside the limits, staying well away from the city itself. I wasn't foolish enough to try and take up residence, not even for a day, by myself in the middle of a city, even if a hotel room did sound nice right now. Springfield wasn't a large city, mind you, but I was certain it had had enough of a population to sustain a decent horde presence. So my happy ass plunked down in the driver seat again, lit a cig, and settled in for the long wait.

I jerked awake as it fell from my mouth, though mostly ash the still burning filter hit my hand. "****!" I exclaimed, shaking my hand in anger as I let the cigarette fall and crushed it on the floor. Oops. So much for the mint interior. I made to stretch as I yawned, and I froze. Across the parking lot that I had stopped in, I saw a group of maybe thirty figures slowly sweeping into the moonlight. Making a quick check of my mirrors, I saw another, though slightly smaller, group approaching from the other direction. What the? Are they trying to trap me? No, can't be that.... My thoughts trailed off as I considered my options. Charging headlong into either group would be suicide. On the other hand, driving right into them isn't so bad. I wasn't driving a freaking Hummer for nothing. With a grim smile I started my mini-tank. Well-built as it was, I was doubting it would survive what I had planned for it.

The former humans jerked as the sound of the engine roared over the pavement. I had a moment to make a decision as they started moving faster towards me. The big group or the smaller one? I could possibly take out at least half of either with the Hummer alone.... but that would still leave me with bad odds either way. Not like my life's been one big batch of good odds. I thought with a grunt. I shifted into reverse and floor the pedal, hearing the tires squelch in protest as I lurched backwards. On the bright side I didn't have to do much steering at first, they were dead on behind me. The car shuddered as I hit the lead figure, then bucked violently as I plowed through them. Most of them had had the common sense to get out of the way, and I hit my head on the roof as I went over a curb. "Christ!" I grunted in pain as I came to a stop. My fault for not wearing a seat belt before my little stunt. I guess those driver's ed classes were right. Shifting again I hit the pedal, this time taking careful aim as they snarled and growled after me. My next pass cut a swath through the five or six on the right that were clustered far tighter than anyone should.

I heard the sicken crunch of bodies as I cranked the wheel, narrowly avoiding the curb. That move, however, sent the side of the Hummer into a light pole. My shoulder hit the window as I was throw to the side, but wasting no time I threw open the door. Dropping to a crouch I took aim on the nearest monstrosity, plugging it once in both eyes. As it dropped I stood, eyes checking around me, and I dumped another few rounds into the next. Two more came at me, forcing me to shuffle away from the door. Luckily for me they were getting in each other's way, and I was able to shoot them in their kneecaps, which dropped them for the moment. I hurried to the back door, which luckily still worked, and gritted my teeth as my bruised shoulder lanced with pain as I hastily jerked it open. The handgun got tucked behind me as I withdrew my shotgun again, as well as a fireaxe I had picked up somewhere. Returning to the two I dropped, who where valiantly trying to stand back up, I swiftly decapitated them.

I was panting by then, the immediate threat dispatched. However the other, and of course larger, group was still headed my way, and they were three quarters of the way across the lot now. I closed my eyes for a moment, gathering myself as I moved back to the driver's door. I didn't dare try plowing into that group. Either I'd wreck the Hummer worse that it was now, or I'd end up in the midst of them. Not a good end either way. After looking around again, I reached in and grabbed the pack I wouldn't dream of leaving behind. It possessed the most important, and potentially most destructive, things I needed. I made a quick check of them, muttering a curse as I saw that a vial of holy water had burst at some point, and left it on the driver seat. Well, I had more in there and it wasn't as if it would help right now anyways.

That was when I felt it. It wasn't a physical manifestation of feeling, but something much, much deeper. Whether it be intuition or just a byproduct of my so-called 'blessing', my mind tingled with the sensation of power. "What in God's name...?" I breathed, my mouth open in surprise as I turned. Something off to the southeast, not more than a few hundred miles away, was glowing. Not glowing in a visual sense, but in the sense only your soul can really see. I hadn't felt something that powerful since... No. No it couldn't be... Michael? Could it? Time seemed to stop in that instant of fiery remembrance. Nothing seemed to move around me, not even the ravenous horde made a sound. I knew instantly that it was not him, but something much like him. An archangel? What the hell is one of them doing all alone like that? I wondered.

But the moment passed, the power completely vanished, and I snapped out of it, time speeding back up into the present as I spun back to my present adversaries. I had no time to dwell on what I had discovered, that would be suicidal. My mind ran over a dozen things before I made my decision to get the hell out of there. One man against thirty or so of those things, to most that would be lunacy. Sure, it was very likely I could take them all out, but there was no point. There would just be more, and it wasn't as if I needed to kill them when I could escape instead. Besides, I hated having to resort to that little bit of my arsenal. I quickly climbed back into the still running vehicle and sped off.

After going a few miles I stopped, checking for movement around me, and refueled. I had been lucky I secured them tightly, none of that precious, and volatile, fuel had spilled and the two cans I had pushed me over a half tank again. Plenty to get me till dawn. I had a new mission, one which I didn't even bother to question. I suddenly felt another surge of power, equally bright though distinctly different. This one actually sent a tremor down my spine. I had the very vivid impression that God Himself was reigning His fire down upon the Earth. That settled it for sure. I was headed to the southeast. Where was I again? Ah, yes, that'd be Arkansas. ****, hopefully it's not as hickish as people make it to be. I'd drive until I found something, anything.

I may not like the archangels much. I may not praise them and offer to wipe their asses like most people would. But I damned sure would take all the help I could get. Assuming they'd want to, or have the ability to, help me in the first place.

(So I created a google map to help with knowing where people are at. I can share it with you folks as we can updated locations and such. Not a big deal, but it can come in handy, rather than having to remember or search the thread. If interested, PM me or email southwestninja@gmail.com and I can link ya to it.)

[SoHee]

OOC: Long overdue, but I've been working weeks + weekends now so I've been a bit tired.

IC: As the Lycan kicked up the door and left I headed in the opposite direction from him and the walking dead. Not from fear but rather practicality. Why use up your strength on them when you could avoid them. I could hear bones crushing before I exited the warehouse from the other end. I ended up on a crossing street of the main street and eventhough I couldn't quite pin point the source of it I felt like someone was following me. A Hunter being hunted. How ironic, I thought.

I sped up a bit, zig zagging my way deeper into the city. It wasn't a vampire, of that I was sure, so I hoped I would be able to shake them off. The streets looked empty so far, even behind me as I threw a quick glance. The only sound was from a single undead that was dragging its feet behind it a coupld of hundred meters down. I took another right turn after crossing Walnut Street. After another 100 meters I stopped in the middle of a four way crossing. The streets were empty and silent. Perhaps I had imagined it all. Perhaps I was truly alone in this hell hole on earth.

That's when I heard them. Footsteps all around. I sprinted away as I heard the familiar sound of guns being loaded.

"Target in sight."

The first one came into my sight and I leapt at him slashing his neck before he had a chance to defend himself. I could hear them all moving closer and I threw myself at the next in line. He tried to fend me off but I was faster than he was. He too, fell dead to the ground. And closer they came. 4, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 23 I counted before I lost track.

"Freeze!" a man shouted at me. Freezing where I stood I cursed my bad luck once again as I realised that they had me surrounded. I could try and break a whole into the circle, but looking at their arsenal I doubted I would get very far. It might not kill me, but I wasn't invincible. It would definetly hurt me. They had me surrounded and yet no one tried to get closer. Clever. Even with inhuman speed they would see me coming if I tried anything. This was not their first time hunting a vampire.

"What do you want?" I asked, lowering my hands, adressing the only one that had spoken so far. To my surprise it was another man that answered. With more authority than the first one. He took a few steps forward. Authority did not equal a larger brain activity, I smirked.

"Where is it?" the question came in return.

This time it was not Luck that I cursed but Ted Dokes.

OOC: Ark, if you want to feel free to use the NPCs in your plot advancements... if not I'll just continue on my own later on. :)

[LordKain]

My eyes swept about the room as if in search of something. I don't remember how long I stood there just looking, certainly no longer than an hour or two. My legs seemed to lack the will to go any further. Not that I blamed my sudden lack of enthusiasm. Walking slowly through the room I remembered bits of memories we had shared. I stood at the nightstand on my side of the bed. Looking up at me from the top of it was a picture of Rose, smiling on a bright autumn day. The picture shook in its frame as I lifted it, my hand was trembling beyond my control. I suppose I would have cried if not for my lacking of that ability. My mind imagined them slowly raining down onto the glass covering the visage of my beautiful Rose. Rebounding lightly off the glass, filling the quiet air around me with the patter of their splashing drops. The salty water streaking down the smooth surface to pool against the frame. For a moment, I wished I was human. I couldn't dispel the all-consuming ice of my grief and pain, but at least the tears could try to wash it away, erode at the foundation of my suffering.

In an almost feeble action I clutched the picture to my chest. "Rose..." I whispered, my voice catching despite the lack of sobbing, "I'm sorry, my love..." The picture was pulled from it's frame, folded very carefully in half once, and tucked into the breast pocket of the jacket I had no real use for, but had donned anyways out of old habit. As I sighed my eyes glazed over the bed we had shared for countless years. It was old, very old, Victorian bed that had belonged to Rose. I smiled. We used to tell people it was a family heirloom. Didn't think they'd take kindly to knowing Rose had been the original owner. I moved away from the bed which could no longer offer me comfort and went into the adjoined closet and bathroom area. I returned a few minutes later after dressing into something more comfortable. A pair of cargoes and a plain black tee. Simple, effective. I pulled on the belt I still had from my five-year stint as a police officer. They loved having ex-military in their civilian ranks. Almost as entertaining as being in the military. I slipped on the belt which still carried the holster, pouch for a couple extra clips, flashlight, and baton. The gun was gone, likely looted by one of those few that knew I had it, and the same with the clips. I did not fault them for that, rather I hoped that it served them well. The handcuffs I spotted on the far dresser, flung haphazardly atop it in a fit of passion. My lips quirked at the thought. I never did like the thought of being restrained, but for Rose... well, you know. The smile was yanked from my lips as quickly as it came, for a sound caught my ear. "Rose?" I looked up, hopeful, and then silently admonished myself for the moment of stupidity. She's gone you old fool, a most unwelcome voice pipped up in my head. "I know." I breathed in near-silent reply. Rose is dead and you're all that's left. I gritted my teeth as I grabbed the handcuffs, whether because of their memories or because they would be of possible use I do not know. All alone, all alone! There's no-body left for you! it had turned into a twisted parody of a sing-song-like voice. "Shut up!" I snarled in anger. The voice vanished.

I next opened the jewelry box. I forced myself to ignore the various items of beauty Rose always kept within, gathered over more lifetimes than I could care to count. There were only two pieces I sought. I would tear this house apart looking for them. I was pleased to find I would not have to do, I had found what I was seeking: our two necklaces. Hers I had given to her upon our first anniversary together. It was a locket, hand crafted to my exact instructions. One side bore a rose, beautifully wrought from silver, it's pedals tipped with gold. The other half of the locket was carved into the face of an angel. It was simple, though skilled, metalwork and the designer had managed to capture the beauty of what I had explained to him. I idly traced my fingers over the locket from which dangled a silver chain. The other piece hung from my wrist, it too from a silver chain. This one my dearest Rose had given unto me on the same occasion I had given her the locket. A gift exchange, of sorts. I smiled at the fleeting memory. Mine was a silver Celtic cross, a gesture from Rose toward my Irish descendancy. A single ruby, as deep as blood, was set in the center, perfectly placed within the Celtic knot which danced through the cross. I clasped both to my chest, my knuckles whitening with the intensity of my grip. After a moment of silent thought I affixed the two about my neck, the cross dropping below the locket. To some it may look silly, but forever would I proclaim to the world my love for the only part of my life which had mattered. And God help the man who sought to claim them from me.

I left that barren bedroom with a heavy heart, sighing with the weight of my situation. If Rose were still here, it would not be so bad. Ah but to have the company of the woman I would always love, the woman whom nothing else could replace... I stopped just feet from the doorway and turned, rushing back into the room. I do not know why I didn't see it before! The bed was recently slept in, I remember vividly that Rose had made our bed when last we awoke in it. And... My breath caught as i realized it was her side fo the bed which had been disturbed. My sense of reason left me as my mind whirred, coming to the only conclusion a lonely and weary mind could come to. At once I searched the house, my voice lost from me in my fervor to find Rose alive. And then I heard that noise again, only know I heard it more clearly. I whirled on the spot, eyes darting to the basement door. It had come from down there, the sound of someone moving about! Though the still rational part of my mind doubted the presence of any near-dead, for there were no signs and it did not sound like them, the rest of me cared not for such trivial concerns. My Rose was alive! I all but flew, I would have had I had the power!, down the steps and landed in a crouch at the bottom, my eyes quickly adjusting to the partial darkness. I heard the sound of slow, but steady, footsteps which moved deeper into the basement. I followed, though in a rush I made no sound. My heart leapt as I caught a glimpse of red hair vanish behind a row of shelves. I sped up, approaching fast on Rose, and finally I caught up to her.

"Rose!" I cried out as I grabbed her arm, turning her even as she jumped in surprise. "Rose! My love! I thought you lost!" My voice carried through the air as my widened eyes bore down upon her face. I became faintly aware that she was screaming, screaming for her life as I held her arms. Before I could seek to calm her, she jerked herself free, and tripping she fell back against the wall. I advanced upon her, confused now but still elated, and she tried to move backwards. "St-stay where you are!!" she shouted, and something about her voice did give me pause. It was too high-pitched, too... to young sounding. My eyes blinked as, in her movements, a beam of light flashed over her features. I nearly fell to the ground in shock as I realized, in utter horror, the mistake I made. It was not my Rose, but a young girl with hair as red as my love's had been. She could have been a twin if not for her younger age.

We stared at each other in numb shock, speechless after our initial encounter. I gazed upon her features with rapt attention, so did she resemble my Rose, though a younger Rose I had never seen, that I could not look away. She found herself able to, however, her mind not struggling with emotions as deep as my own, and it was this that broke my trace. "Why are you in my house?" I asked of her, and she looked back at me with surprise in her eyes and face. Her lips moved as if to speak, but they closed once more. Fear, perhaps, stilled her voice and actions. I realized she was breathing on the heavier side of normal. I could hear her heat pounding in her chest, it filled the air around me with it's vibrations. I was suddenly very much aware that it had been awhile since I last fed, a realization that made my mind's image of this girl so much clearer. But I would not, could not, feed on this girl. This girl who reminded me so of Rose. This girl in my house, taking shelter within like we had once done. And so I pushed back my hunger, doing as I had learned to do long ago. Vampire I may be, but I would be damned if I was to be a monster as well. "I am... sorry for frightening you." I managed to say, speaking carefully. This seemed to strike a chord with her. "I-I wasn't scared!" she replied quickly, summoning up some shadow of bravado. I grunted in response, I didn't feel like arguing with her. Not knowing what to say, I instead rose slowly to my feet. She quickly stood, keeping her distance still. I felt it strange, her reactions. Though I knew I had initially shocked her, I would have thought a woman of her age to be elated at seeing another living being that wasn't trying to kill and eat her. Another moment of silence and I had had enough. Narrowing my eyes I turned to leave, not bothering to respect her space as I brushed past, causing her to flinch away.

"Wait!" she called weakly from behind me as I neared the stairs leading back up. Surprised by this, I turned and regarded her as she moved closer. "I, um, I saw you in the photos upstairs." she said, obviously trying to at least be civil. I answered her with a single slow nod of my head. Another moment later I made to continue, stepping onto the bottom step. "I, um..." she trailed off as I regarded her again, "I'm Rachael. What's your name?" The surprise must have shown in my face, for a light blush crept onto her cheeks as she added, "I, um, didn't look through any of your important stuff." Her frank honesty and innocent embarrassment brought a small smile from me, gracing my lips momentarily. "Marcus." I replied, gesturing vaguely to myself as I bobbed my head toward her. "Come." I started up the stairs, pausing halfway up as I noticed she had not stepped forward, and turning to her I added, "I'm not going to harm you." Leaving her to her own thoughts I arose back into the sunny interior of the house. Several minutes later, she found me sitting in the living room. I had been thinking, reflecting upon the last bit of my life. And, of course, cursing the world that had torn my love from me. "I'm sorry for staying here, but no one was here and I needed to hide, and..." her words came out hurried, rushed like a child that was trying to explain their wrongdoing and avoid punishment. My gaze held her evenly as she fell silent. "It is fine." I told her calmly. "I-I didn't take much, only ate a..." she continued thought I interrupted her, "It is fine." She bit her lip, she seemed hell-bent, whatever her reason, on baring the truths of her stay her to me. "I didn't touch your stuff much, you can lo-" she started up again, and again I cut her off, though I must admit more firmly than I intended, "It is fine, Rachael."

Though she looked slightly admonished, the use of her name seemed to make her feel better. A slightly uncomfortable silence settled around us as she took a seat in the rocking chair. I closed my eyes, my head leaned back against the back of the couch. Vague thoughts ran through my mind. Thoughts of this girl, the situation we had been placed in, the unlikely event of finding her at all, even my hunger started to creep back into my mind; but above all else surfaced my thoughts of Rose. I pressed them away for the moment, not wanting to revisit my grief so soon, and stood. I must have done so abruptly, Rachael jumped up. I didn't know what I was going to do, not really. I knew I was still heading for the sea, again for no good reason other than the inane delusions of a forsaken mind. But what of the girl? I thought first of leaving her, but the sight of her beautiful red hair forced that thought from my mind. Could I take her? What reason did I have to protect her? Surely she would only get in the way. And then there was the problem of my own nature. What would she think when she finally found out? Well, perhaps there was only one way to know the answer to all this. I had been watching her through all this, she must have been wondering what I was stating at, she was fidgeting slightly. "I will be leaving shortly. If you wish to come with me, that will be fine." She was smart to have survived this long on her own, however long that had been, so I trusted her to be smart enough to weight the consequences on her own. I returned to the bedroom where I had left the backpack I had brought inside, stuffing a few remaining items into it as well as some spare clothing. Never hurts to be on the safe side. When I next entered the living room, I was both surprised and pleased to see Rachael carrying a travel bag, which seemed full. "I never unpacked," she said, smiling slightly as she shrugged.

******************************************

I squinted my eyes against the sun before looking at the passenger seat where Rachael slept. I could tell she had been relieved, immensely, that I had found her. In no time the lull of the car speeding down the highway had eased her to sleep. I suppose my time in Nashville was not all that terrible. Yes, it had cost me much to step back into the cruel monument that was our house. But in it I found someone else, if not who I dreamed of. And with her came companionship, of a sort. I doubted she could be a friend, not truly, for what friendship could I give to a sixteen year old girl? But we were here, thrust together by this travesty of a world that either God or Man had made. We would make the best of it. In the end, that is all we could do.

[Shari Tana]

The gunfire from the fortified hotel ushered us into saftey, and not a moment too soon. I was moments away from unleashing myself against the mindless walking corpses. Thankfully, that was unnecessary, a point made all to clear to me by Ishmael. I wouldn't have told even if he hadn't asked me not to. It wasn't the first time I'd seen that fire from his hands. Indeed, the very same flames threatened my own life earlier this very day. Little did I know just now threatening it truely was.

As I made for one of the vehicles in search of a new weapon to combat the hordes, a wave of heat passed over the entire hotel and a blinding light errupted from behind me. I turned, reactivly shielding my eyes, to see a wall of flame consume the undead and utterly destroy the supermarket, and Ishmael was the source. As the fire burned away, I swore under my breath. The chances of finding supplies in that building were still very good. With that many of those things taking it as thier shelter, there wasn't much of a chance that anyone else would have gotten out alive and with something to show for it. Now, however, it was a smoldering pile of rubble with the steel frames still barely standing.

Ishmael was led away with Owen and Angela to one of the rooms where they left him to his privacy. He looked almost ashamed, but I got the feeling it had to with something more than simply destroying our only real chance of surviving the next few weeks.

I also got the feeling that I was the only one actually put off by Ishmael's actions, as everyone else was staring awestruck at what they just saw. Live long as I have and very little will manage to suprise you. Seeing the atomic bomb hit Nagasaki was the last time I'd felt anything so close to awe and terror. Those were simpler days. The world was much less complicated without advanced technology and cultural reform. No century, however long ago it may have been, has ever been safe, though. Mankind seemed destined to destroy itself, and those of us unlucky to be caught in the middle have the unfortunate role of "collateral."

It's not hard to lose faith in humanity when you're not counted among their number. In those decades before the second World War, the japanese countryside was home to a small but prosperous village. The village didn't have a name, and although the residents were of varying nationalities, everyone in it had the same rather special gift that was with me. Lycans are survivalists by nature. It's in our blood to do anything to ensure the survival of our species. The mere thought of harming myself or commiting suicide makes me sick. It was due to this instinct that the village decided to disperse and reunite once every fifty years to reproduce (if we so chose) and reassure each other that we were not alone. The last meeting was set to take place in New York. With the news of the infection, I'm not sure how many were in the city and were able to get out before the bombing, despite being immune.

I suppose that is why I truely joined this caravan. The Lycan in me would rather be alone, or with other Lycans. It felt comforting to know that I still retained my humanity, even after nearly a millinea of being inhuman. Humans are social creatures and somewhere in my subconcious that desire needed to be filled. My musings led me to Ishmael's room. I knocked twice and waited.

"It's Delrana," I spoke through the door. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to say, but if I could talk to anyone, surely it was him. Perhaps I just wanted some familiar, however recent, company.

[Jolly Rensha]

It wasn't hard to find keys in people's houses when there were cars in front of them. What was hard was finding a suitable tube and gas cans to siphon gas from tanks of unsuitable cars. We finally got enough gas to do what we hoped: leave Richmond, VA, and go anywhere but there. Anywhere. Florida was nice, I heard, so we decided to take I-95 down. It was the easiest way. Who knows, maybe we would find guns along the way. There's redneck-a-plenty on the way. I would just have to get an excuse to go into places myself and test it out first. I never knew how long it would take to reanimate though. That's beside the point though. I left a note at the house, in case anyone who was still truly human picked it up. I refused to believe that anyone was normal if they hadn't turned. I just figured they hid things like I do. I was right.

The little boy was her boyfriend. Not the one that got her into wine, but he worked at Greenwise too. I figured out something was wrong when he started to look like he was shrinking instead of getting bigger or even staying the same size. He was also way too quiet and well mannered. I shrugged and told him I was sorry that there was nothing I could do but try and protect him until... And that's as far as I got in that sentence back then too. I'd rather not talk about it... Except that it was sort of a self epiphany.

I take death for granted now. Even after that short time. It was just another thing I did. Some people talk, some people run, some shoot guns. I die. If you think about it. It's sort of a sucky super-power for a hero. Doesn't help much. But it's what I do and I'm proud of... No, I'm not really proud of it, Heh. But it does come in handy.

Anyway. I met up with someone along the way who said that he heard Miami was a crater like New York. I heard about New York from Lilly and Derek. "I've been to Miami once," Derek told me once. "It was a really crowded place and too much of a party town for me," he said. It was creepy to see and hear a kid talk about stuff like that from experience. I had to remember he was twenty-four, which was even more disturbing. Even crazier was his reminiscing on drug use and his sex-capades in his late teens. Just bizarre... Although it looked like he accepted his fate and was just looking back on what he considered to be a full life, regardless.

Eventually, when we got to Savannah, he laid him to rest. He just accelerated in his de-aging and we couldn't take care of him adequately. We didn't have the patience for feeding a baby, let alone the supplies to do so. He starved to death, I think. Must take a lot of energy to de-age. And he did say sometimes it hurt. I've still seen nothing as nightmarish as a talking baby with no teeth. So three weeks after I met Lilly and Derek, it was just me and Lilly. I've come to the conclusion that his body decided to try something different to combat the zombie virus, and it worked. And it cured aging. But it was over compensation and it eventually killed him. Interesting how the virus works in different ways on people. His cells just hit rewind and couldn't find the pause button. Too bad too, cause he was a good guy.

"I'm going to miss Derek," Lilly told me while she cried on my chest. I'm not a good story teller. I just tell the facts, you know? No frilly, flowery lace. Just what needs to be said to tell my story. Anyway, "I'm going to miss Derek. He was so good to me. We were going to get married, I know it!" It was when I realized that in my years on this earth, even though I always told myself I was going to get married and planned on it. I don't think I was ever going to go through with it. I was such a chicken.

[Arkady]

OOC: I’m mostly waiting on Vagrant to add a little to the scene, but I suppose I’ll have to make do.

SoHee, I’m not exactly sure what you’re planning with said NPCs. I would like to see you carry on a least a little while longer before I take up that mantle.

- Uriel

It would be the quietest night we ever had. Whatever remnants of monsters that were left in Jonesborough was kept away by the blaze that roared for hours afterwards, but did not spread from the parking lot.

I sat quiet, Angela on the bed next to me, breathing softly as she slept. Owen had slipped out a short moment ago, ever vigilant in his duties. He had looked much older as he breathed warm smoke into the unheated room. His fingers danced wearily as he straightened his coat.

I could tell that he didn’t know what to say to me and I was too weary to explain myself. Dora, however, came knocking with food. He seemed almost giddy, as he cautious edged towards me, asking if I actually needed to eat, considering I was magical and all. I considered roasting him for a moment, but I think he caught the look in my eye and held up his hands, muttering that he was just kidding.

I ignored him and turned my attention to the crackers and soup which Angela, still awake at this moment, rapidly devoured. Dora then told us stories, but most of them made both me and Angela blush even as he cackled wildly. Still, I appreciated his effort to take our minds off of what had happened tonight. Finally, he said his goodbyes as we both caught Angela nodding off.

I felt tired as well. I felt expended. So I laid my head down besides Angela for just a moment when another knock came.

I let Delrana in, but I felt disinclined to talk due to my exhaustion, but I could tell that Delrana wanted to. Still, for the moment, I think even I just enjoyed sitting on the bed, looking at nothing at all as we both stared at the carpet, unsure if we were even friends.

---

- Alice

We traveled for a long time without talking. Or rather, three of us traveled for a long time without talking while Embrey made consistent, noisy small-talk about anything and everything.

So far, we’d learned about every bird we saw (and many that we didn’t), several childhood stories (all of which were relatively boring), and about his residency in Madison (which was definitely boring. I was pretty sure that I spoke for the entire group that we had no idea what would be next, simply because we were certain that we had covered nearly every mind-numbing subject in his life.

It was only when he had begun talking about his extended family that I hit the brakes on the car, the dead of night falling upon us.

It was usual for us. We slept during the day, and drove like hell during the night. It was difficult, tyrannically dangerous in terms of maneuvering in the dark, and cold all throughout. While we vampires have heightened senses, we’re generally impervious to the cold, but just looking at the snowfall made my blood freeze and I had bundled up in a ski-jacket. Only Na’ila seemed unperturbed in her thin jacket and t-shirt. The whole ride, she had said fewer than three words as she spent her time silently gazing out the window in the back, likely trying to tune out Embrey.

We were in somewhere in Kansas, the last time I had checked my map, heading southwest for Arizona. In the middle of the road, there was a dead cow, completely shredded by monsters, I assumed, or at least until we all saw the sign. Jessica, in the passenger seat, read it aloud.

“Junction City, Kansas. Survivors. Look for the light.”

I turned to look at our group, my eyes catching each of them individually. Jessica avoided my gaze, but Embrey stared back, whole-heartedly with a focus that surprised me. His silence was palpable and made me a little claustrophobic. Na’ila only nodded when I turned my attention to her, her dyed blond hair catching the moonlight through the windows.

“Why the hell not?” Embrey finally squeaked in the backseat. Something in my stomach fell out.

Sure. Why the hell not.

[Shari Tana]

I sat quietly for a while with Ishmael. Both of our minds were obviously on other matters. My head was lowered, passively gazing into my left palm where I lightly circled my right index finger. It was a compulsion I'd picked up from back when I was mortal. Old habits, right?

I still wasn't sure what I wanted to say, only that I had something to say. Angela's soft breathing was the only ambient sound and I finally spoke, my own voice soft, barely higher than a whisper, "Why did you spare me back in that forest, Ishmael?"

My mind drifted back to when I first came upon the caravan only half a day ago, and that fateful moment afterwards in the forest where the very same fire that burned outside licked my face with its heat before sliding away. Ishmael had shown his power to the people he protected. I didn't know why he felt the need to hide it, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I was in his position.

I looked up into his eyes and sighed, "I'm more than 850 years old, and as far as I know, it may be another 850 years before I see another of my kind. What happed today with Angela..." I drifted off, casting a glance behind me at the sleeping woman, "That wasn't her, was it? I head you two talking, though, through all the gunfire I couldn't make out the words."

I slid my fingers across my brow, pushing my hair behind my ear. "What are you, really?" I asked again.

OOC: Short post, but first-person does tend to limit my omnicience... to zero :P