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Post by Winters on Mar 14, 2011 1:04:32 GMT -5
"Yeah, so what are you going to do about it, Doc? Think I might be wasting my f*cking time here..." Arc spoke out to the man. The only reason that he came were was to get answers, not to make friends, not to joke around, for answers. He wasnt in the mood for somebody like this. But then Dodge spoke back in a very piculier tone, grabbing onto Arcs arm and examining the wound up close. "...Wasting your time? Maybe. But your certainly not wasting my time. The wound seems to be healing on its on, to put it in simple terms. Theres no real large term to put it, tricky to explain exactly, ive never seen it up close like this myself."
Dodge wiped his finger across the cut, and feeling the pasty mess in between his forefingers. Smelling it several time, and then putting it on his own arm, he examined it further. There was no open wounds, so he wasnt afraid about cross contamination. It seemed to be reacting a little bit, which answered the question even more now. "The T-Cells seem to be active, whether or not theyre inside the host, or your wound. Still cant explain why your not dead yet, or even if your actually alive right now. Clinically, yes, but youve seen some pretty bad things out there. Whats your judgement on whats living and whats dead anymore? It doesnt matter. Now for what you came here for, a cure, maybe? Medication? I dont know what I can give you, but youve been taking painkillers, right?"
Arc nodded, pulled out the single bottle he had left, showing the doctor what he was taking. But he still wanted one more question answered, whether or not the doctor could answer it was another story. "If I rest, go to sleep, would that interfere with my immune system? I mean, maybe the T-Cells-" But Dodge interrupted him, coming up with a conclusion that matched perfectly. "-The T-Cells are living off your natural steroids, your own activity is feeding it. I could prescribe you artificial steroids, drugs are good. But who knows how your bodys state will be affected by them. Only one way to find out." Searching through a little cabinate, Dodge pulled out a line of needles, Steroids, bull tesostraone to be exact. "Ten bucks says itll act as a replacement, you would have about 12 hours of sleep before they wear off through your bodily functions. Take it, have somebody monitor you, though..."
Opening up the door to the trailer now, Dodge motioned for Arc to get out, just so that he could do some of his own research. And by that he meant get some sleep and wait to see how the little science experiment works out. "Tens bucks... Go!" Arc stepped out, not sure whether or not he could be thanking the guy. He was rude, bit of an ass, but gave him answers. Anna and Richard had been waiting outside of the trailer, seemingly into a conversation. But as Arc approached them, Anna looked at him with a questionable face, wondering what the deal was. "Steroids, to counter the T-Cells, long enough for me to sleep. Least, I hope so..."
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 15, 2011 16:25:45 GMT -5
Anna folded her arms and looked down momentarily as if in thought. Steroids were dangerous in any other human being, what's to say they won't be dangerous for him? They could cause brain and muscle tissue damage, irritability, which means that matched with his infectious rage outs were bad. After a minute or so, she'd made up her mind on what the safest bet was going to be.
"Alright, then get some sleep. I'll stand watch tonight. I had plenty of sleep this morning and last night," she told him. Shouldn't be too hard, just take a fold up chair, a blanket and a weapon, spare ammo, she'd set up camp outside his tent or wherever he slept.
Not before long, Richard butted in next. "I'll come with you. Just incase" he said, weary of leaving her alone with the infected.
"Right then, wait, what about your kid?"
"James can sit with her. I'll tuck her in and we'll meet up in a bit."
Anna nodded again and smiled. "Alright. So...is that good with you, Arc?"
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Post by Winters on Mar 15, 2011 20:36:05 GMT -5
Arc hadnt even taken the time to think about it, there wasnt any other choice. Opening up the first needle, he flicked off the end, and then drove it into his arm. "Whatever, it doesnt matter to me. Just make sure if you have to shoot me, dont miss." Injecting the whole 240ML of drug into his arm, he felt a rush of adrenalin, but it was soothed once he started making his way back for the treeline. If he was sleeping anywhere, it was away from these people. He wasnt worried about the cold with his jacket, nor did he question where his stuff was. If he did go crazy, it would be the first things he would go for. Without any weapons, than Anna would actually stand a chance against him if anything sketchy did go down.
Arriving on the outskirts of the lake, Arc sat down against a tree, and then turned to face Anna. He was sure this was the best place, it was far away from the others, and quiet. "Right here is where ill sit. If you need me, hope I can still fight with the drugs in my body..." Arc had be relying on his strength for the last month or so, it almost put his original survival skills to rest, he hadnt ever needed to worry about firing his gun when he could kill anything with just his knife. "Just keep an eye on the camp, too. If something prevents me from changing for worse, than itll also prevent me from changing for the better..."
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 16, 2011 21:45:42 GMT -5
Anna had taken in a deep breath before nodding. She gestured toward Rich, urging him to follow her as they made their way back toward camp for now. They'd come check back on him in awhile, until then, she was going to go eat and catch up with her dear friend.
As they walked away, Richard had glanced down at Anna, his arms folded. She seemed like there was something on her mind and he was curious to know exactly what it was since she was being so quiet, which was unusual for her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Anna looked at him with tired eyes and smiled, wearily. "Nothing, why?" she asked. Richard cocked his head to the side and squinted an eye at her.
"You looked like you were lost in thought for a second. Something on your mind?" he asked. Anna removed her eyes from his and looked onward as the people came into view. There were alot of things on her mind. She was sick, her friend was infected,there was a 80% chance she'd end up having to kill him and she was beginning to feel anxious and overwelmed by all these past events that it had her nerves rattled.
"I'm just stressed out," she replied, placing the palm of her hand onto her forehead and then sliding her fingers down to the bridge of her nose to squeeze. She'd forgotten her nose was healing and before long, she yelped, her nose now bleeding.
"Ah f**k! Ow!" she growled.
Rich had grasped onto her shoulders, now standing infront of her, looking down at her. "Relax, let go of your nose and let me see it," he said. She did as she was told and tilted her head back to show him.
He grimaced and grasped her chin gently, turning her face side to side and getting a good look at it.
"Well, it's all bruised. Doesn't look bad though, but damn that must've hurt, just keep your head back, it'll stop on it's own," he told her.
Anna felt her face flush a little when he was touching her face. Laughing sheepishly, she scratched the side of her cheek.
"Heh, yeah...heh heh.."
Letting go of her, he returned to her side and they entered further into camp, together. "So how did that happen anyway?" he asked.
She sighed. "Fight Club, basically."
"A what? That's stupid..."
"Yeah...but hey, it was gonna win us supplies. And it was fun...until the military showed up and butted me in the face with a gun..." she said, distastefully. Richard shook his head and grumbled a few things under his breath.
"Bastards..." he griped.
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Post by Winters on Mar 16, 2011 23:41:02 GMT -5
"-I dont know whats up with that guy. I offered him the bed in my truck, but he didnt take it. Something wrong with him, he looks sick or something. Hate to jump to conclusions or anything, but maybe hes infected. Well know soon enough if he happen to hear a gunshot throughout the night, huh?" Katie listened to the trucker speak, but she wasnt really paying total attention. She had been watching the newcomer, curious as to what was wrong with him. Wanting to get to the bottom of it, she slung her camera around her neck, and wandered across the camp over toward the location of the three.
It didnt dawn on her exactly who the new female was, but judging by how things were, she seemed to be a friend of Ricks. Katie had snuck in behind the two regardless, and crouched down in front of the newcomer in the torn black hoody. He didnt seem to show any signs of infection that she could tell, but then again, sometimes it happens different depending on the person infected. Pointing her camera toward him, Katie clicked a picture of his face, sleeping against the tree. Without a flash, the camera shot wasnt acknowledgeable what so ever. It wasnt until she spoke up that would give herself away. "How long ago did it happen?" Katie spoke out to the woman with Rick, taking another picture very rudely.
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 17, 2011 0:44:45 GMT -5
Anna looked back at the young woman and snatched the camera out of her grasp. Her eyes narrowed as she handed it to Richard and grasped onto Katie's collar, pulling her upto her feet and slamming her back against a nearby tree. The nerve of this chick! What's she trying to do?! Get them all killed?!
"Are you f**king serious, kid?!" she whisper-yelled.
Richard had quickly grasped onto Anna's shoulder again. "Calm down, I don't think she meant any harm, Anna," he told her.
Anna shrugged his hand off of her before letting go, the girl seemed a bit miffed about the whole physical treatment she'd gotten and as so, she took her camera back.
"She could **** him off and then what? Someone's gonna die and it ain't gonna be me or you," she told him, sternly before looking at her.
"I don't know what you're going on about, but he's got some pretty f**ked up rage issues, alright? He's schitzophrenic and he's f**kin' sensitive about it. So stop taking pictures and learn some respect."
Richard sighed and looked over at the woman, whom he knew to be Katie. A photo journalist that arrives some time ago. He knew she didn't mean any harm and was only being typical, annoying, paparazzi, but still, Anna was too rough.
"She's on edge right now. No food, sleep and her daughter just passed recently...forgive her," he told her.
Anna glared up at the man. "Sure, broadcast my personal problems to f**king everyone..." she grouched. It was true, she didn't mean to be such a raging beast, but in Arc's condition, he's likely to get suprised and ****y and rage out on everything in his path. OR someone will find out because of her and they'll be shot to death by the marines.
Becoming rapidly irritated, Anna raked both hands through her hair. She felt an eye twitch coming on so that ****ed her off as well.
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Post by Winters on Mar 17, 2011 2:04:21 GMT -5
Upon be slammed up against the tree and yelled at my this woman, Katies glasses had fell onto the ground. When she was finished ranting, she stormed away from her, giving Katie enough time to quickly snatch up her glasses and put them back onto her face. Just staring at the woman now, looking back at Rick several times to make sure that everything was okay, Katie spoke out in a low tone like she always did. "It wasnt helping much raising your voice, clearly hes sick, and needs some rest..."
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 17, 2011 2:15:06 GMT -5
Anna threw another glare her way but before she could react, a voice had chimed in, forcing the three to turn around.
"What's going on here? Who're you?" the man asked, looking at Anna confused. He looked around them to see the sleeping form behind them, apparently the one that was causing the ruckus to begin with.
"And who is he?"
Katie smiled when she'd seen the familiar face and Richard only shrugged a bit, putting his hand on Anna's back slightly to calm her down. She immediately looked up at him, then over at Katie and the marine before her.
"Sorry, lady, high strung...anyway, I'm Anna," she said.
"Yeah, this is Anna, that guy over there is Arc, he's a friend of ours, he's sick and so we're just checking up on him...You've been gone for almost a month, where've ya been, Jake?" Richard responded and asked all at the same time.
The man, Jake, crossed his arms and grunted a little at his second in command. "I was helping some people out in a few cities over. I stopped by to come check on things before heading off again. I got another S.O.S. on the radio a day or two ago. You're gonna be left incharge again, Rich. That alright with you?" he wondered.
Richard nodded. "Yeah, I guess."
Jake glanced down at Anna and noticed her beat up face before quirking an eyebrow. "You should see Dr.Dodge about that nose. And that cut under your eye. It looks infected and prolly gonna scar."
Anna touched at it a bit. "He's busy right now. I'll see to that later..."
Jake nodded and returned a look at Katie, his old friend. Grinning, he tapped at her camera and chuckled. "Still stalkin people with your camera, eh, Katie?"
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Post by Winters on Mar 17, 2011 17:05:18 GMT -5
Hello my name is Ishmael, forget the one about the whale, I'll tell you of a broken hearted sailor. Maggie took my loyalty, I treated her like royalty. What starts out with such promise ends in failure. Oh my love I can't stand to be alone, and I been drinkin too much I better go home. And I think here we all stand alone. But I been thinkin too much I better go home. All hail the queen of cruelty she has duly been annointed. These final words her majesty had to say. He who expects nothing never will be disappointed. Nothings what she left me so i guess im ok. Oh my love I can't stand to be alone, and I been drinkin too much I better go home. And I think here we all stand alone. But I been thinkin too much I better go home. A promise made to a tab unpaid, is home my way to a bed unmade. A fool to think that I could ever change her. A king upon my bar stool throne, a vow to never drink alone, I only drink with friends or total strangers. We're all broken hearted here. We're all broken hearted here. We're all broken hearted here. We're all broken. Oh my love I can't stand to be alone, and I been drinkin too much I better go home. And I think here we all stand alone. But I been thinkin too much I better go home.Walking around the camp, music blaring through his large headphones, Steven lightly sang to himself. But it wasnt until he neared the treeline that he quickly taken off his headphones after hearing a faint thumping on the ground not far into the trees. If he didnt know any better, he wouldve thought it was a horse, or something. Looking up at the sniper in the trees, he already had a clear shot, seemingly knew something was there as well. Just than, the monster had showed itself out of the three line, and Steven had been nearly too shocked to even know what to do. "Yo, everyone! Come here, quick!"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I gotta find something to keep my occupied, and to show the world that the news is still a high priority. Figure once this outbreak blows down a little more, im going to Vegas to start up a TV series of my own, or something. Ya know, about all of these zombies, and monsters..." But before she could finish, Katie heard the quiet man, Steven, yell out for everybody to come to him. It sounded urgent, and coming from that guy, something was up. As quickly as she looked in his direction though, her camera was already up and taking pictures of a man stepping through the camp, horseback. "Holy cow, Jake, what now? Go talk to him, go, go talk to him."
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 17, 2011 17:16:42 GMT -5
Anna and Richard looked back at where the man's voice came from and ran up behind Jake as he sprinted through the crowds, pushing passed people to get to Steven. When he had, he's put a hand on the man's shoulder and looked at him.
"What, what is it? What's going on?" he asked.
Anna and Richard caught up, Katie behind them as well. Anna looked at where the man stood and then straight at where his eyes were darting before seeing the man on the horse.
Richard sighed and shook his head, massaging his temples before looking at Anna. "It's nothing big, just some guy on a horse, let's get back to Arc," he told her, walking back. Anna shrugged and followed, leaving Jake and Katie with Steven.
A man riding a horse. A living, breathing, horse, in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Jake had definitely seen everything now. He'd approached the man, getting in the way of Katie's picture taking and stopped beside the horse.
"You're a little late. The apocalypse is already here," he joked.
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Post by Winters on Mar 17, 2011 17:32:48 GMT -5
Not paying much attention to the camera, the lone rider walked through the camp slowly, until the man spoke out to him. With that, the joke, he jumped off of the horse, and than stretched himself out a little bit, still looking at the man that approached him. The other people had been coming, but were a little shocked, and didnt get too close to his horse, which was a little respectful. Judging by the amount of places to stay in this camp, at first glance, there could be anywhere from five to twenty five people staying here. The only one that worked up the courage to talk to him, however, was this one man. Opening with a joke was interesting to him, but it meant he was friendly enough to trust. "Kid... Farrow..." Kid spoke out in a very low, and light tone, to the man, sticking out his hand.
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 19, 2011 23:21:14 GMT -5
Jake nodded, shaking his hand firmly and gesturing toward the camp.
"Good to meet you, Kidd. Well, uh, I'm assuming you're not infected seeing as you look pretty vibrant to me and your horse is in excellent condition as far as I can tell, so welcome to the Checkpoint. I'm Jake," he said, introducing himself.
A young girl, perhaps around the age of sixteen at most, appeared from behind him, to his side, grinning widely.
"He's our leader! And part of the B.S.A.A.! Oh, and I'm Clarissa!" she exclaimed, shaking his hand next. She pointed at Katie next, "This is Katie, she's a photo journalist. She's cool."
Jake chuckled and ruffled the anxious teen's red hair. "Yeah, this little trouble maker is my right hand man."
"More like a kid sister, the best damn sister you'd ever have. Like, forreal," she told Kidd. They both could sense that Kidd felt comfortable with them a bit since he managed a small smile and a warm chuckle.
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Post by Winters on Mar 21, 2011 22:21:30 GMT -5
Standing perfectly still after stretching his legs, Kid listened to the little girl speaking, looking around the camp to find the photojournalist she spoke of. Nodding in her direction, he then looked at the leader of the camp, Jake. He seemed definitely like leader quality, looked like he could manage a camp full of survivors. Without responding though, Kid smiled, and than let out a friendly chuckle to show that he was pleasured to meet them. Nina, the large horse, walked toward the young girl with red hair, and brushed herself up against her with friendliness in her neigh. It was evident that she took a liking to her, and didnt get an sort of negative vibe from anybody in the area. A place where Nina felt safe, Kid would be able to feel safe too. Walking over to Nina, Kid took off a medium sized sachel from the side of her, and then rooted through it a little bit. Pulling out a lantern, he placed it onto the end of a stick that was strapped onto the other side of the bag, and then placed it on the reigns of the animal. After light it up with the small kerosine left inside, he could see the rest of the bags lit up on the horses side. Nina could carry a large amount of supplies, and if they were going to be staying here for any period of time, Kid figured it would be a good time to bargain. Reaching inside sachel again, this time he pulled out a rolled up map, unraveling it and then holding it up to the right and pointed out several locations that were already marked off with red felt market.
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 21, 2011 22:27:43 GMT -5
Clarissa giggled as the mare had nuzzled her face with her warm nose. Smiling, she patted and gentley rubbed her muzzle before looking over Jake then Katie.
"Katie, take a picture! I've never seen a real horse before!" she requested. Katie had done so where as Jake looked over at all the supplies Kidd had with him.
His eyes flickered with intrigue as he looked over at the map with red marker. Pointing at it slightly, he asked, "What's all that?"
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Post by Winters on Mar 21, 2011 22:40:45 GMT -5
Katie snapped the picture. This had been the first time in a long, long time that she had seen a living horse. She always lived in the city, but the outbreak hit so fast, she never had time for any of the country horseback riding, though it always interested her. After taking the pictures, she noticed the map being held up, and stepped in front of Jake to look at it closer. "Its a map of Canada, although the color is very, very faded away. These markings, theyre safezones, arent they? Am I right? And the ones that are crossed off are the ones youve been too, the ones you know arent safe anymore. The passage near the border, that represents the safest place to get across into Canada, the highway still connects there. A checkpoint, like ours, only bigger. Right? Right?"
Kidd nodded at the woman, then nodded to the man Jake. It was indeed a map of where he thought was infection free, but turned out no safe at all. The two circles that are connected by the arrow is what he pointed to next, it was the only thing that the woman didnt catch onto. Moving his finger to the left of the page, tracing the red line to the right of the page, Kidd spoke out. "Vancouver... Toronto... Safe..." Handing the map to Jake, he knew a leader like him would benifiet more from it than anybody else, maybe even teach his people about the infection free areas. But going a little closer, Kidd pointed lower into the United States, and than put on a puzzled look. He wasnt sure if there had been anywheres there that was safe or not, so handing him over the felt marker, he insisted that he share his knowledge with the map.
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