|
Post by .Merios on Nov 20, 2008 0:47:34 GMT -5
The RCU technology department is a two-floor building. Outside the lobby is the IT Room, where the workers' cubicles are situated. Down the hall there are highly sophisticated computer labs with smartboards, projection systems, and hundreds of high-power computers. Also on the first floor is the print station, where the printers are located and students normally submit their work for printing. The true technology that kept RCU running is on the second floor. This floor is filled with rooms and rooms of servers and routers, with cable all over the place. It is tightly packed up here. The entire building is in a state of disarray, with monitors broken and cables strewn all over the place.
|
|
|
Post by Lord Sephleon Ghaliroth on Jul 19, 2011 3:46:56 GMT -5
Jennifer Elizabeth Waverly groans with the exertion of moving a cabinet-sized server just enough to clear the door she had barricaded. When it is clear, she then starts grabbing the various monitors, computer towers, and other items and moving them to the opposite side, not wanting to have to run across the room if she has to barricade the place in a hurry. She then cracks open the door just enough to peer out into the darkness.
Nothing stirs except for the hum of the air conditioning units.
Closing the door, she returns to her charging smartphone. Seeing as how she doesn't have any other light source, she unplugs it and sets the screen's lights to shut off after one second of inactivity. She then locks the phone and places it on the table as she takes out a small wad of one dollar bills, estimated about fifteen to twenty dollars. She shoves her purse behind some wiring so that it wouldn't be obvious and moves the charger wire so that it blended in with the thicker ones. She picks up her phone, grabs the recently-acquired heavy wrench, and takes a long, deep breath as she turns. Opening the door cautiously, she steps out, the wrench poised to strike.
Tapping the phone screen with her left thumb occasionally to light the way and to quickly scan for motion, she carefully weaves through the mess of wires and broken computer equipment. In her panicked flight, she realizes that she had actually managed to run up to the second floor, where she found the tiny closet-like room. Hoping that she wouldn't have to go down to the first floor just to find some food and water, she wanders around the maze of technology, a vending machine her priority.
Although wide open, each room has more than enough computer hardware to provide cover for anything that cares to try for it. The tables lining the walls can barely be seen underneath the chaotic mass in normal circumstances, much less after panicked individuals rush out of the building, taking the shortest path possible.
This made Jennifer uneasy. As of yet, the only moans she could hear came from outside the building, but there are far too many hiding places for anything to hide in here. In fact, she can't even remember if she had closed the entrance into the building on her way in. Her memories were so fractured from the panicked flight out of her room...
Katey...
No! She cannot allow her mind to drift. Focus on food and water first. She can hide in the tiny room for a little while longer, preferably when the sun is up. That way, she can try to find help. There has to be someone out there who can help her.
After what had to be the longest fifteen minutes of her life, she finally finishes searching the second floor. No vending machines whatsoever, which leaves the first floor. It may or may not be crawling with zombies by now, depending on if she left the front door wide open or not. At least she did managed to find a bathroom up here. As a last resort, she knows she'll end up having to drink water from the sink. She'd really rather have her Smart Water, but the zombies outside won't just let her strut back to her dorm room to grab one of her bottles. Even if they did, she'd have to deal with Ka- the thing in her room.
From what she remembers, however, the running water throughout school grounds should be separate from the main supply. Although she's not sure if it's been compromised yet, the only other choice she has is to boil all the non-bottled water she finds, and she doesn't exactly have the necessary items for that.
During her search, she discovered that there are two staircases connecting the two floors. Her little hideaway was more or less close to the center of the level, so if she had to run back, she would have to be sure to beat both the zombies chasing her and the ones heading up the other staircase.
But in that case, then what? Sit tight with a giant server as the only thing keeping her away from a horrible death?
Suddenly, her situation seems more desperate than she originally thought. She heads back toward the bathroom, picking up a few covered fast food drink containers and even someone's abandoned insulated drink container. She nearly squeals in relief when the faucet spews out clear water. She takes some time cleaning out the containers, pouring out the old Mountain Dew and Coke and coffee and various other liquids into the sink. Using the handsoap nearby, she makes sure to try and eradicate any and all evidence of germs from the previous owners; she couldn't be too careful at all in this situation. She fills each container and takes them back - two at a time - to her hideaway, making sure that the lids remained firmly on them. It takes her a little time, but she eventually gets a supply of water in there.
She returns to the bathroom and, after making sure nothing disgusting or potentially deadly happened to be hiding away, relieves herself in one of the stalls. If things go badly and her "safe room" is compromised, she may not have a chance to do so later.
On her way back to the safe room, she nearly trips over something she doesn't remember stepping over. Silently cursing under her breath, she shines her phone light down and sees a coffee maker, the pot having rolled a couple of feet away at some point. With everything still intact, she could definitely boil all the water as a precaution. Carefully balancing the coffee maker, the phone, and her wrench, she slowly makes her way back to the room. She pulls another random wire out from a socket and jams in the coffee maker's plug.
No sparks. So far, so good. She then checks the filter for leftover coffee beans - which she immediately discards into a tiny garbage can - and starts heating up the water in the tank. She grabs the pot and rushes back to the bathroom, checks it for cracks, cleans it out, then rushes back to the coffee maker in time to place the pot in the machine.
Well, now she has water, but she still needs food. It looks like a foray into the first floor is going to have to happen. Well, better to wait a bit and have a drink.
|
|
|
Post by Lord Sephleon Ghaliroth on Jul 19, 2011 12:36:41 GMT -5
"Ahh..." Jennifer risks voicing aloud, the still-warm water absolutely delicious as it flows into her dried mouth. She pours the third container of water - this one from the insulated bottle she found - into the tank to boil for the second time as she sets aside the first and second cups to cool. As thirsty as she is, she'd rather have it be a little more room temperature before she gulps down more than a few sips.
Seated facing the door with the wrench next to her right leg, she smiles grimly, her situation a little less bleak than it was thirty minutes ago. Her stomach rumbles uncomfortably, reminding her that she still needs to find food.
Right after a decent cup of water. Not too much to fill up, but just enough to relieve the thirst.
The moans of the dead outside the building still continue incessantly, something she takes as a bad sign. No uninfected people nearby at all. She shivers as she considers the very real possibility that help may be beyond the borders of the University campus. She doesn't look forward to running through a maze of zombies just to have the entire horde chasing her to... wherever she ends up running to.
Then again, staying here locked up - waiting for help that may never arrive - isn't such a grand idea either. Even if she finds a steady supply of food to supplement her little water-boiling machine, it is only a matter of time before the zombies notice her presence.
And then, there are the things she remembers reading about back during the '98 Outbreak. Monsters that were once humans, animals, even plants that have mutated from extended contact with the T-virus. Things that could rip steel or bust through a concrete wall as if it were made of cardboard... she would stand no chance against them alone.
The water pouring into the now-perpetually heated pot snaps her back into reality. She waits for the machine to finish pouring the last of the water, then she gingerly grabs the pot and empties it into the insulated bottle. She twists the cap on tight and, knowing it will take a while for this one to cool, places it by her purse. If anything, it will have to be the only container that she will carry with her outside of the building. For now, she will only drink from the disposable fast food containers as they are too fragile to survive repeated refills of cold and hot water.
She takes a sip from the first cup and, satisfied with the temperature, takes a few copious sips, swishing the water around in her mouth to help hydrate it. After drinking enough to feel nourished, she replaces the top on the cup and sets it aside. She then crawls over to the socket and unplugs the coffee maker and her charger, hoping to avoid a potential accident with so many containers of water laying about.
Grabbing her wrench and phone, she sighs as she tiptoes over to the door and opens it carefully. Listening intently, she moves into the darkness once again, this time heading straight for one of the staircases leading back down into the first floor.
I really hope I closed that front door. Things could get really bad really quickly otherwise...
The door leading to the staircase opens with a jarring screech, the hinges obviously in need of oil. Jennifer winces at the sound, afraid that she has already given away her position. She takes a step in and briefly lights up the staircase, expecting to see a horde of zombies ready to devour her flesh.
Empty.
With a sigh, the young woman moves over to the top step and peers down between the banisters, once again lighting the way as much as her phone allows.
Still empty.
This is good so far. Just take it slow, Jennifer. No need to rush. Her stomach rumbles, seemingly in protest of her thought. She holds her abdomen with her left hand for a brief moment, hoping the hunger pains will subside at least long enough for her to check the first floor.
She takes the first step downward, her running sneaker barely making a sound. She takes another, then another, and continues downward to the middle platform where she stops to light the way again.
Clear all the way to the door.
Taking a moment to wipe the sweat from her hands onto her white jeans, she inches her way down to the door and tries to listen through it. Unfortunately, these doors are built to prevent fires from passing through when closed completely, so the only sound she hears is her own rapid breathing.
Jennifer opens the door ever so slightly and, seeing colored light beginning to spill dimly into the stairwell, she slowly glances through the crack.
A snack machine, the glass surprisingly unbroken, stands against a part of the wall that juts out from the side, beckoning her with its flickering light.
She very nearly squeals in delight, though she stops herself just before it escapes her lips. She still has to be careful as she has no idea if zombies wander around here. She opens the door a little more, just enough to stick her head and the phone through.
Two human-sized forms shamble in place on the other side of the level. They appear to be facing away from her, but she can't be too sure in the darkness.
Thinking quickly, she realizes that trying to buy the snacks will not only slow her down, but the machine might generate enough noise as to attract their attention.
She glances at the wrench in her hand, then nods to no one in particular as she decides on her course of action. Slipping between the door and the frame as quietly as she can, she moves up to the vending machine and steps as far to the left as possible, obscuring as much of herself from the zombies as possible. Holding the wrench tightly, she glances back at the closed stairwell door, noting the handle's exact location in case she has to move in darkness. She puts her phone into her back pocket. Then she pulls her arm back and, with head turned and eyes closed, smacks the glass... too softly.
Thump.
Moans suddenly emit from past the wall.
Crap! Break it now, break it now! Jennifer reaches back again, this time using both hands and as much force as she can muster. The glass shatters easily, exploding in dangerous shards all over the place. She quickly starts snatching snacks, starting with the top shelf and working her way down. She could hear shuffling feet start to slowly approach her position. A bag of Doritos gets caught in the metal ring and pops open, spraying the contents all around. Not wanting to risk any more time, she skips over to the honey buns and various other pastries, using her shirt to hold as much as possible.
Satisfied with her haul, she turns and bolts to the door, pushing down on the door handle with her knee as she uses her body weight to shove open the door. She darts up the steps as fast as possible without dropping any snacks, not wanting to have to lose time by picking them up. She struggles with the door upstairs as she has to pull it open, then she darts across the level back into her safe room. She tosses her catch over to one side of the room and starts to shove the server back into place, barricading the door once again.
Sliding down to the ground, she can't help but chuckle a little, so glad she is that she has food. Even if it's the type of food she knows isn't exactly the best for her, it's still enough to stem the hunger until she can find something more fulfilling.
Without hesitation, she crawls over to the socket, plugs in the coffee machine and her phone charger, then sets the phone to remain lit. Checking to make sure it begins to charge, she scoots over to scattered junk food and begins her well-earned feast.
|
|
|
Post by Lord Sephleon Ghaliroth on Jul 24, 2011 23:39:47 GMT -5
Jennifer sits back against the wall after she struggles to swallow the piece of coffee cake. Didn't used to like junk food before, and now it's all I have to eat? I feel so bloated... A tiny burp manages to escape her lips as she quickly brings her hand up to cover her mouth not so much out of etiquette as out of the need for stealth. Even with three doors, a staircase, and tons of computer equipment between her and the two zombies she saw, it's become common fact that since they never tire nor have the need for sleep, they could conceivably bust down the doors given enough time.
A fact that sends chills down her spine, even as her stomach complains against the unhealthy meal she just forced down.
Believing that she would be better off on the move, she checks her phone's battery life: a little over three-quarters full. She also discovers that it is 12:35am. Satisfied that she can definitely get moving soon, she packs what remains of her snacks and the insulated bottle of water. She drinks a little more water from one of the disposable containers, then she places all the containers into a box nearby, no doubt one that once held a portion of the mess of wires. She shoves the box beneath the table along with the coffee maker and paces around the room a little, hoping to get her digestive processes started. She knows she won't be able to leave just yet as she may just end up vomiting everything she just ate.
Not wanting to sleep on a full stomach, Jennifer picks up her phone and begins texting, her uncle's name and cell number lighting up the room.
Hey Uncle Rod. Wanted to know if you've heard from Daddy. Raccoon University has fallen to zombies, but so far I'm okay. Called Daddy and left a message about Katey. Hoping to find help soon. Will text or call soon. Love you.
Pushing the SEND key, she rests the phone on the floor, once again allowing it to recharge. She then begins pacing a little more, this time slower than she had minutes before.
After a few minutes, she stops pacing and sits on the corner of the table, not really wanting to sit on the floor for fear that she might fall asleep. She starts softly humming "Christmas Day" by the progressive metal band Shadow Gallery (one of her hidden gems) and just stares into the darkness.
---------------
Jennifer awakens with a start. Crap! I fell asleep! Rushing over to her phone, she unlocks it and looks at the time.
3:12am.
Not good, Jenny. She moves over to the box under the table and grabs the container she drank from a few hours before. Draining it dry, she grabs another one and sips a little from it, wanting to get the dryness out of her mouth but not wanting a stomach full of water. When she feels satisfied, she hangs her purse on her left shoulder, unplugs the cell charger, and carefully packs both away, noting with disappointment that her uncle hadn't yet responded. Making sure her purse is closed and secured as much as all the new items allowed for it, she takes the wrench and begins moving the barricade of computer equipment.
Once again stepping into the darkness of the IT building's second floor, she weaves through the somewhat-familiar terrain, relying mostly on her memory as she didn't want to use the phone's light more than she has to. She heads to the second staircase this time, believing that the two zombies may have remained where they last noticed her. She opens the door to the staircase-
-and is greeted with the all-too familiar stench of the dead. At first terrified that this staircase is full of zombies, she realizes immediately after that there are no noises coming from within the corridor whatsoever. Granted, they don't generally make noises until they notice the living, but not even shuffling can be heard. Worried about what she may find, she digs out her phone and begins heading down the steps, one at a time.
Sure enough, the origin of the stench seems to come from the corpse of a young man no older than Jenn herself at the bottom. Judging from the sickeningly odd angle his neck had taken, it is quite possible that he fell to his death. There is a black tube gripped by the corpse's right hand, death not being enough to force the man to let go of the object.
Pulling her shirt up to her nose and wincing even as the thought to search the body crosses her mind, she takes a closer look at the object.
A flashlight!
Putting her purse down onto the ground, she tries to pull the flashlight out of the corpse's hand with her left hand as she keeps her wrench ready to strike in case the body suddenly came to life. Realizing that one hand isn't going to cut it, she puts the wrench down gently and starts tugging at the flashlight, struggling desparately not to touch the hand or to lose everything she ate a few hours back.
With an audible grunt, she finally frees the light, though she very clearly heard a fingerbone crack from the exertion. Feeling the contents of her stomach rising quickly into her throat, she swallows back the bile, picks up her purse and wrench, and moves back up the stairs as quietly - yet as quickly - as she could.
As soon as she is through the door, she rushes to the bathroom and vomits, glad that the doors swing closed on their own.
Wiping her mouth with a paper towel, she flushes the toilet and moves back to the safe room. She takes one of the water containers, then walks back to the bathroom. She swishes water in her mouth, gargling every so often in an attempt to get the disgusting taste out of her mouth, and spits the water into the toilet. Afterward, she pops a breath mint in her mouth and starts to let the strong mint flavor overpower her tongue. After a minute or so, she bites down on it and washes the pieces down to replenish whatever water she lost, then takes the cup back to the box.
The smell of decay isn't so bad the second time one encounters it, especially if there isn't anything left in one's stomach left to regurgitate. She clicks the power button on the flashlight, glad to see the powerful beam of light illuminating far more than her phone did, then she heads down the steps again. Making an effort not to look at the body, she moves straight to the ground floor door and cracks it open. She peers through, letting her newfound source of light brighten part of the room. She quickly spots a path through the mess of tangled wires to the front door, a lump rising in her throat as she notices the front door was, in fact, left open. Dark silhouettes shamble far beyond the reach of her light, though she was certain that they have noticed her presence by now.
Well, it's now or never Jenny... The twenty-three year old grips both flashlight and wrench tightly and darts for the open door, moans from the opposite side of the level causing her to subconsciously increase her speed. Her heavy purse slaps against her as she moves, glad now that she no longer had anything in her stomach but butterflies and knots. She heads toward the bus and railroad station in the hopes that she can find a way out of here.
[Jennifer leaves IT Building. Heading to Raccoon City University > Transportation and Sewer System]
Inventory: + Flashlight (battery charge unknown) + Insulated Bottle (purified water) + 4 snack cakes, 3 bags of chips - 1 breath mint
|
|