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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 21, 2011 22:49:38 GMT -5
Katie had apparently hit the nail right on the head and when she did, Kidd made it apparent that Toronto and Vancouver was a large, safe zone. A massive safezone actually. It seemed like a great place to move the checkpoint. But that would be quite the trip for everyone but he was pretty sure a mass majority of his people were up for the trip, they were all crafty and skillful in their own ways.
As Kidd handed him the map, he made sure to put it away safely, but before he could speak, Kidd had given him a map of the United States along with the marker. He knew what he expected, so Jake smiled and dug through his own belongings. He had a notepad with crude scribbling down on it. He had done a bit of research himself throughout his time alone and during the chekpoints existence.
"I know of alot of safe places, I'll just take care of that for you," he told him.
Clarissa looked up at Kidd and cocked her head to the side. "So you're from Canada? That's interesting. I have yet to meet a Canadian, I mean, I meet alot of people from all over the U.S. and I even met an Irishman and a Brit before! But never a Canadian. Is it true what they say? You guys dig Hockey?"
"Clarissa, don't be rude, ya little pest," Jake told her.
"What? I'm not! I'm being genuinely curious!"
"Right, right...so Kidd, before I finish this off, have ya eaten? Mike's handling the food over there, if you're hungry," he told him.
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Post by Winters on Mar 21, 2011 23:01:12 GMT -5
Hockey? That was a first. Yeah, Canada had always been famous for Hockey, but where Kidd grew up, it was nothing like that. He lived a very sheltered farm life, just living off the land before this infection even started. He was busy hunting for food, tending to cows, everything that came with survival. With what little entertainment he got, he spent in the woods, and on the rare occasion, in town with the other children. But Kidd didnt let his old imagination get the better of him, he had been living a life of fantasy, something you only heard stories of. All was very much real now, and nothing of the old world remained inside of him, unfortunately.
Grinning to the little girl, Clarissa was the name popped up, Kidd reached inside of another bag and pulled out his old slingshot. It had been in good condition, would still work for some more years to come so long as she could take care of it. Pulling out a small little bag of pebbles he had collected specifically for it, Kidd crouched down, and handed it over to the little girl. And for Jake, he nodded his head, telling him that he wasnt hungry tonight. However, Kidd did pull out a bundle of newpaper, and after unraveling it, eight smoked trout had been nearly filleted out inside, ready to eat whenever, over the next two months at most. Kidd had everything he needed already, and would feel even more welcome at the camp if he could contribute whatever he had left.
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 21, 2011 23:12:40 GMT -5
Clarissa took the old slingshot into her grasp and examined it carefully. It was definitely aged, it had a few carved designs at the rims and it was still in pretty good condition. When he'd given her the pebbles, she'd grinned widely and deviously at Jake who glared at her momentarily.
"You leave Mr. Gahn alone with those things. He's gonna smack you one and I'm gonna let him," he lied. He knew Mr.Gahn wouldn't do that, but maybe him saying that would keep her at bay.
When Kidd had handed over the smoked trout, Jake shook his, smirking. "You keep that. But if you want to contribute, why don't you try trading with some of the civilians out here. They're always looking for new things to trade. That'd keep up the morale, make people happy," he explained before glancing down at the fish and then taking one.
"Actually, I'll take one of those, they look good," he finished.
Clarissa had taken a liking to her new toy and without any hesitance, she pulled a pebble out and took aim with the slingshot toward Mike's beer can where he sat.
"Heh heh heh..." she chuckled, pulling the band back and letting the pebble dart at the can, missing it by inches and striking Mitch instead.
"AH f**k!" he yelled, grasping onto his hand and grimacing.
"Uh oh."
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Post by Winters on Mar 22, 2011 0:55:37 GMT -5
As safe and secure as he felt in here, Kidd had taken his sheath from the horse and strapped it onto his back. The large claymore weighed him down just a little bit, but being away from Nina, it made him feel more safe. He nodded to Jake, after grinning at Clarissa who had already been getting into trouble with the new toy. At least it was better than shooting around a real firearm, not that he would ever want to see she holding one. Kidd didnt really beleive in using them, they were too loud once ammunition was gone you had to rely on whatever was backup. For most people, they only had a knife, not expecting a gun to fail them. But the swordsman training he learned at a young age made his claymore his most trusty weapon.
Grabbing a bag from Ninas side before heading off into the came to see the people that were still alive, Kidd slung it over his shoulder, and moved toward the first man that hadnt paid much attention to him. "Names Mike. Dont normally talk much, but maybe im not the only one..." Kidd nodded, not opening his mouth, but showing a friendly face as she shook Mikes hand. He looked to be a trucker, or at least was a trucker. Seeing the cigarette behind his ear, Kidd fished around the bag of his and pulled out a fresh back of Canadian Classics, berry flavored. Tossing them over to him, Mike caught them, and then looked down. "Ill be damned... Thanks a bunch, your welcome to my gas supply, if you need anything refuled."
The camp had been pretty empty as of now, it was getting late at night, most of the people had all been sleeping. Perhaps it was a good idea that Kidd slept, it was two days since he made camp. Now, he didnt even have to do that, or at least not one thats protected. After walking back to Jake, and Nina, Kidd spoke out, finally opening up with some words. It was by far the longest thing he had ever spoke in years, and he studdered a bit. "Was good when I found this place after all this traveling time. Pardon the English, I speak not often enough to converse when unnessicary. Thank you for a place here at camp, please take what you need, and dont question its value. Thats mine yours is too. Everyone whos in need, take what they need."
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 22, 2011 1:06:25 GMT -5
Jake had looked at Kidd, quite astonished when he spoke. He really was a good kid, that he knew from the get go but now it amazed Jake to know that such innocence, besides Clarissa or that Holden brat, Aryn, could exist still. It was rare since Kid was probably an adult.
"Well," he began, gesturing for Clarissa to come near. "I brought back some more tenting supplies from a sporting goods store up west. I have some people putting them up now, Clarissa, show Kidd to his tent with the others," he told the girl.
The young girl nodded and waved her hand at Kidd. "Alrighty, c'mon, I'll show ya where you're gonna sleep."
As they wandered away from Jake, he raised the map up again and pointed it at it, calling out to Kidd, "I'll have this map finished for ya by morning!"
When they were away from him, Clarissa looked over at Kidd and his sword. Poking at it a bit, she frowned. "Ain't that thing heavy? It must be...I mean, hell, my gun is heavy and it's a handgun," she told him.
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Post by Winters on Mar 22, 2011 4:00:18 GMT -5
Hmmm, a tent, Kidd was going to have a nice place to sleep without even unpacking his things. The hospitality of the group had made him happy. It wasnt everyday he came across a camp, little lone one with friendly people living inside. Sometimes, when he found a camp, he could smell the trouble from a mile away. In that case, he sneaks in, and takes whatever is left unattended to. May the fittest survive, and the weakest feed on the scraps. Nodding when Jake said the map would be finished by morning, Kidd was happy that he would have more places to explore. It was exausting for both himself and Nina physically to be traviling across the USA, not even knowing where to go because they had been hit so hard. But tomorrow would change, he was certain of it.
After arriving at the small tent, Kidd felt the smaller girl Clarissa messing around with the hilt of his sword. Making a comment on how heavy it mustve been, he quickly spun around and pulled it out, holding it forward beside the girl. It had been nearly three feet from her, for safetys sake, but had he been just a fraction of a draw sooner, it would have dismembered the girl in a second. Spinning it back around several times, Kidd drove it back into the hilt, and then handed it over to the girl. He knew that she was still very young, and might be somewhat of a troublemaker, be curiousity never hurt anybody, it only taught them to learn from their mistakes. If she could even lift it, Kidd would be surprised, and a little glad that she had a strong frame. Any child growing up in a rough world like today would have to be strong, its the only way to survive.
Moving back to the tent, Kidd had lifted off his dark green overcoat, and then through it onto the ground. Undernieth, one could see that he was actually a fairly younger man, only in his mid twenties. Feeling comfortable with speaking, and hoping that the little girl could understand him, Kidd spoke out. "So young during the outbreak, you. I was eleven years aged at this all starting. Its not easy, its not, yeah? I used to be fourteen holding the sword, first my kill of the demons, but it was all too late for everyone at center town..." By this time, the beautiful horse had made its way over to the tent side, standing next to Kidd, as he introduced the two of them officially. "...By the way, its Nina, the horse. She is family, only one ive left. Nina likes you, children."
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 22, 2011 4:14:17 GMT -5
When Kidd had did the skillful twirl of his sword and then handed it to her, Clarissa looked at questioningly before smiling adn wrapping both hands around the hilt of it and pulling it from his grip. Her shoulders trembled slight from the weight of the sword before she'd gottena grasp of it and carefully swung it upward. She was used to having to haul heavy things when moving around with Jake and her father before he died.
When they arrived at the tent, she'd given him the sword back and smiled. "That sword is awesome, oh, here's the tent you'll be sleeping in. Looks like James had put it up for ya," she told him upon seeing him remove his large overcoat. She tilted her head when she'd realized just how young he was. About James' age too!
Before she could even comment on that, Kidd spoke out about how young she was and how young he was when the outbreak had started in 1998. She listened as he tried his hardest to explain his story outloud. When he finished, his horse, whom he told her was named, "Nina", had trotted up next to them. She was properly introduced to her.
Stroking Nina's nose, Clarissa looked up at Kidd.
"Well, that's too bad, I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that crap. I was only seven when the zombies first appeared and then I was practically raised in it with my dad....but he died a few months ago..." she began, her voice cracked and sad.
"Jake takes care of me now. I'm not that young though, I just turned sixteen I just look young for my age, I guess. Atleast, I think I'm sixteen...I can't remember anything before 1998. It's all a blur and supposedly my dad wasn't my real dad, he just found me. So I have no clue who my real parents are. But that's a long story. I don't wanna bore ya with that," she finished.
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Post by Winters on Mar 22, 2011 14:10:06 GMT -5
With the story being told and finished, Kidd smiled the best he could, and the last bit of words he spoke out before retiring for the night. "I am here to listen if you wish to speak..." Nodding to her, thanking her for walking him to the tent, Kidd lay the rest of his things outside and than unpacked nearly everything from Ninas back as well. She had been walking around for the last two days with everything resting on her back, including himself.
After that was all done, Kidd exausted the lantern from Ninas back, and then stroked her side before retiring for the night. Getting inside the small tent, he felt around for a small sleeping bag, which was more than he expected. He could use the overcoat as a blanket, always used to, its always worked for him in the past. Just a good nights sleep would be enough for him, enough for anybody, to have a fresh start for tomorrow.
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 22, 2011 14:26:16 GMT -5
Clarissa exchanged his smile with her own before walking towards the flaps of the tent, stopping halfway to turn around and wave. "Alright, thanks, I'll see ya tomorrow. I'm sure Jake's gonna send me back to show you around some more before he leaves again..." she trailed off. With that said, she bid him goodnight and walked out of the tent.
Wandering off into the sleeping checkpoint, there were only, maybe two or three, people awake still. One of those people were Rich and his girl friend. This left her wondering who the new guy was, so she wandered on over toward them again. She didn't really want to sleep, but Jake was busy, Katie was prolly getting ready for bed and James was already sleeping.
There was no one else to talk to. She hated being alone to begin with. As she walked after them, she paused immediately behind them when they'd stopped infront of a familiar sleeping figure around some trees. She knew that man!
"Arc..?" she asked aloud. No, there was something different about him. Something strange.
Anna had looked over at the young girl, suprised. "You know him?"
"Yeah, he only went and ventured with my dad a coupla months ago to find me. Then we stuck together for awhile until we got separated and then my dad kicked it," she explained walking up closer. Richard put his arm out to stop her.
"He's sick, Clarissa. Don't get too close, don't want to startle him," he whispered. Clarissa nodded and frowned a little. "He's infected?" she whispered back.
Both nodded. Clarissa raised both brows up for a moment. "Well, why isn't he a zombie?"
"Uh...we don't...really know...we're waiting for y'all's doctor to relay that answer down to us," Anna told her in a low voice.
"Ahhh..." Clarissa nodded, understanding. Still, it made her feel pretty bad since, well, Arc was a friend of hers as well.
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Post by Winters on Mar 22, 2011 19:43:30 GMT -5
Kicking out the fire, Mike looked up at the full moon, and figured it was the best time for people to be quiet now. Mostly everybody at the came had already been sleeping, save for a few others, and surprisingly the younger girl Clarissa. She seemed to have settled down with the slingshot, which was good, because people were trying to get some rest now. Moving over the Anna, Rick, and the newcomer sleeping against the tree, Mike spoke out in a lower tone. "Camps all shut down now, Rick. Only ones awake are just us four now, aside from Mr. Gahn in the treetop and Aaron on the RV. Fires out, so make sure to go easy on any lights, out position is solid for tonight, already... Dont want to draw anymore attention our way. Least not until morning when everybody is up."
With that, Mike nodded to the small handful of people, and walked away from the camp toward his Semi trailer not too far away. Opening up the back, he peered inside the darkness, and felt around for a cable, and after tracing it, he lit up a lamp in the corner. The place was a little messy, but in the back of semi truck, what could you expect. Looking back outside toward the camp, which had been completely light free now aside from the moon and the small embers still on the fire, the place was dead silent. Closing over the shutter, it made a bit of a loud screech, but only lasted for a half a second before sleep came not five minutes later.
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 22, 2011 20:01:09 GMT -5
Richard nodded toward Mike. "Alright, thanks, Mike. Get some well deserved sleep," he told the trucker as he seated himself near Anna, his shotgun in his lap. Anna had her arms folded and was already nodding off. He nudged her a bit and smiled a little.
"I'm awake...just...reasting..." she said groggily.
"Go get some sleep. I'll keep watch. Same for you, Clarissa. You better get back to your tent before Jake notices you're not in bed, kid."
The teen groaned and reeled her head back. "Alright, alright...c'mon Miss. Anna. I'll take ya to Aryn's tent. You can bunk with her since I don't have to now. She kicks in her sleep, little punk," she joked.
Anna chuckled before getting up from her seat and placing a hand on Richard's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I'll set an alarm on my watch to wake me in three hours. I'll take over from there, alright? Becareful..." she said.
"I always am," he reassure her.
As they walked away, Clarissa glanced upward at Mr. Gahn, waving a bit. "Night, Mr. Gahn! Night, Miss. Grace! Night, Richy!" she said somberly before going to join Jake's side with his mapping duty.
"There's the tent, I'm gonna crash in with Jake. He never sleeps anyway. I'll use his sleeping bag. Seeya in the morning."
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Post by Winters on Mar 23, 2011 19:53:54 GMT -5
Aiming through the treeline with his brothers sniper rifle, Aaron scanned the surroundings several times over. At night when it was this quiet, he normally didnt need to even look around, the sounds were all he needed. Mr Gahn had been high up in a vantage point, but if anything was coming close as appose to in the woods fifty meters away, Aaron could pick it off pretty easily. It had just came on his shift at midnight, so he was wide awake, never got the chance to really meet anybody. But something, or someone rather, caught his eye. A newcomer, laying against the tree, asleep. Rick had told Aaron to keep his eye on him, and the man was moving around a little bit. Not sure if he should notify anybody, or just keep looking, the latter is what he decided was best. If he turned, a bullet in the head would come in seconds.
For another hour, Aaron kept his eye on the man, it wasnt until he heard a noise coming from Mikes trailer that he looked away. Aiming through the scope, he tried to see what it was, but without anything visible, he deemed it to be just Mike on the inside doing whatever he does in there. It wasnt loud enough to wake anybody up, but loud enough to be heard if you were paying attention to all the little noises around the camp. Aaron looked back toward the man sitting against the tree, and to his horror, he was gone. Looking to the ones around it, to be sure he was looking at the right tree, the man was nowhere in sight. But there was no noise, did he maybe just get up to use the bathroom? For the next few hours, Aaron would scan the camp, waiting for him to come back. But he never did...
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 24, 2011 2:01:45 GMT -5
Between that time, Richard had barely went on to take a leak somewhere behind one of the trees, when he'd come back, Arc was missing completely. Growling and shaking his head, he gripped onto his shotgun tightly.
"Should've planted a bullet in his head the moment Anna walked in with him, f**k!" he snarled, before running toward the tent Anna and his kid occupied. He crept in, glancing at his daughter's, small, sleeping form before looking down at Anna who slept next to her, scrunched up in the endge of the tent while Aryn sprawled on most of the sleeping bag.
He grasped on her shoulder, shaking her awake before looking back to ensure the infected f**k wouldn't get the jump on him.
Moaning in her sleep, Anna opened her eyes a bit and peered int Richard's face. "I'll scoot over...if you want..." she grogged on, scooching over as far as she could.
"Anna, get up. Arc's missing."
Her eyes suddenly snapped open and before long, she was about to bark out questions but Richard pushed his hand against her mouth, shushing her and gesturing toward Aryn. Both crawled out of the tent and while Richard explained the matter, Anna had been loading her shotgun. She cocked it and slung it over her shoulder, picking her holsters up and shrugging them on.
As she equipped herself, Clarissa had lingered on by, still awake. "Arc's gone, guys. I was gonna tell Jake, but he's gone already. He had to meet up with the B.S.A.A. HQ, or so he told me. What do we do?" she asked.
"YOU do nothing. YOU sit in this tent with Aryn and wait for us to come back," Richard told her.
Frowning, Anna spoke next. "Alright, before we jump to anymore conclusions, let's go check around to make sure things are alright," she informed him.
"Aaron said he heard noises coming from Mike's. Let's start there," Richard replied.
"Right."
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Post by Winters on Mar 25, 2011 2:41:59 GMT -5
The whole sleep had been like a drug to Arc. When we woke up, his senses had been acute, and he had more energy than he did in a long time. He felt strong, rejuvinated, and ready to keep moving. But when he opened his eyes, he was somewhere he hadnt been before, or not that he remembered. Turning around inside the apparently small apartment looking area, Arc seen a light in the corner, with a man sitting there. He remembered the guy from before, Mike. He was just sitting there, watching him. "You started knocking on my door, and when I let you in, you looked like you were ready to collapse from malnutrician or something. Ive seen some pretty messed up things in my past, but this, I couldnt shoot you. You werent here to kill me, you just wanted to eat. So, I gave you a few of my steaks, ate all of them in minutes before passing out on the floor. Now you here in the back of my semi, seemingly not being able to remember whats happened."
Listening to Mike speak about the recent events, Arc didnt really know what to make of it. Was he turning into some kind of monster now when he slept? It was possible. Why it happened was a mystery, but so long as he didnt feed on anybody at the camp, things here fine. "Dont tell anybody I was here, or what happened. Ill go into the woods, hunt for you, bring back the food I ate. Sorry you had to b-" But Mike spoke out, interruping him. "Dont apologize for something you cant control, its just something others have to live with. Besides, its not that bad, is it? You seem to be doing a better job at controlling it than you think..."
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Post by NotAvailable on Mar 25, 2011 3:29:46 GMT -5
As Mike finished that, there was a knock on the back, sliding, door of his truck. Both men were silent until Mike had spoke up, asking who it was. Richard was going to say something, but Anna put her hand on his arm and shook her head, giving him a look that explained, 'Let me talk".
"It's me, Anna....is Arc in there by chance? He's...uhh...not where I left him. I'm pretty worried," she said. It wasn't a lie in the slightest. He was gone and she was worried. Of course her worries were more of Mike's wellbeing if Arc was in there.
When there was a hesitant answer, Anna had sorta known that there was something a bit suspicious in the pause between her and Mike.
She was going to call him on it, when wild gunshots had quickly dissipated the sleepy camp. Richard looked upward to where Mr.Gahn was and then at Aaron. They were shooting at something and fast.
Mr.Gahn waved down at them and Aaron kept sending shots into what looked like four or five, large, trucks coming across the bridge, swirving and shooting off rounds, blaring loud music. The a**holes were heading straight for the camp too. There were tons of them packed in the back of the trucks, taking cover and returning fire.
Mr. Gahn, glanced down at Grace, whom immediately burst through her tent with her own firearm out. "what's going on!?"
Richard and Anna had taken cover behind the truck and kept watch. When people began screaming and taking sticking their heads out to see what was going on, Richard screamed at them to get back in their tents. He wasn't too worried, this entire camp was heavily guarded and protected not just by marines and himself, but the survivors that inhabited it as well. Everyone here was ready for a fight.
When he looked back to form a plan with Anna, she'd already been crouched down and moving alongside the truck to get a better view. He cursed a bit and followed suit. Aryn and Clarissa were across the camp, he had to make it there before these a**holes did.
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