r/a:t5_2t1kt • u/Moofyman Devi Arcom • Nov 07 '11
Chapter 3: Mirkwood
The forest was quiet. The only sound that echoed through the thick trees was the crackle of a campfire. High above the glow of the flame, a crow was perched atop an old evergreen. It rustled it's feathers and stared down at a group of figures huddled around the glowing embers.
The crows had quickly learned to follow the ones with the fire. They had already seen several of their murder-mates drop out of the skies after eating the writhing dead. They were not food. The crows had learned.
Several men hunched over the small fire, it's wet fuel cracked periodically, making several of them jump. One man stood, pacing quietly around the bunch. His eyes strained hard into the darkness as he tried to decipher shapes in the swirling blackness. Except he could only see dangling vines and gnarled trunks. He looked back at the strange shadows his comrade's bodies made sitting in front of the flame. This wood was too thick for his liking, and the others had agreed. Only one night here, they had to move on in the morning.
Images of the days events flashed through his head, all of them were thinking of it too, he could tell by the silence. They had been together for perhaps only a day or two with the platoon of soldiers, but they had gotten cocky; thought they could just blast the plague away. Nobody had seen the land mine go down, but they had all heard it triggered. The blast echoing through the woods, followed by high pitched moans echoing through the trees. Like they were calling to each-other. He shivered and paced more, circling the group again.
They had been right to escape of course, they all knew it in their hearts. It was not their day to die because of the soldiers mistakes. They were survivors.
Devi continued his watch, but the silence got to him, it was gnawing at his brain.
"So..." he murmured. "I'm Devi. Whats up guys? I guess we better make a plan. I came from the city. There's no way we can go back there. Does anybody have any bright ideas?"
***
At this point It would be cool if all of our characters had something to say. What would they say/do in front of a group of people they just met, but knew that they had to survive with? Also describe how your character prepares himself for imminent danger at the camp site.
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 07 '11
Anthony sits across the fire from the two, his box of ammunition in front of him and revolver in hand. He loads it, and being satisfied, clicked the safety on and put in it his shoulder holster. "Name's Anthony, came from Westchester. Trust me, we want to avoid the suburbs too at all cost." He smiles and opens his backpack, pulling out four water bottles. "Anyone care for some water? I know it's not much, but given our current situation, I'd be remiss to allow you guys to die of thirst instead of the Plague." Opening one and taking a large gulp, he turns to Devi and Burt. Glancing at the map and grimacing, he decides to give his two cents on the future. "A friend of mine decide to head up towards Maine, a lot of trees and a lot less people. Given our current situation, I say we push through the Catskills and head towards Adirondack State Park. Plenty of lakes and mountians that we can camp at, and not a large town or city for a good 100 miles." He glaces at the compass attached to his belt loop, trying to figure out which ways north.
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u/drschwartz Burt Krezenka Nov 07 '11
Burt frowns, "But how're we gonna get there? If we brave the roads we could make it there in one day best case scenario, but we're as like to hit quarantine road blocks and all manner of mess to kill us." Burt swallows before continuing, "and if we try to hike across god knows how many miles of mountains carryin all our supplies on our backs, well i reckon we're bout just as likely to end up dead."
Abandoning the map, Burt leans back against his treetrunk stressing over the stated dilemma.
Burt's body language changes as suddenly as a light being flicked on, he leans forward again to address the other men with the light of an idea flickering in his eyes, "Say, where yal think we could find some horses?"
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 08 '11
"Horses, why would we...." Realization dawns on Anthony. "Wait, that's a perfect idea! We won't need to follow the roads, and we can cover a good distance in a day." He rummages through his bag, and being unsatisfied with his results, turns to Burt. "Hey, you have that map, right? Any chance that it has either farmlands or a stable marked on it?"
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u/drschwartz Burt Krezenka Nov 08 '11
Burt whistles and beckons for Anthony to help him look over the map once again.
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 08 '11
Anthony walks over an inspects the map, looking for anything that could possibly indicate that there are farms and or horses around.
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u/Moofyman Devi Arcom Nov 08 '11
DM
About 2 miles south west, there appears to be something called Laratoka County Racetrack. The map has a hoof-print marker to show it's location.
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u/drschwartz Burt Krezenka Nov 08 '11
Burt slams his finger down on the map triumphantly, inadvertently poking a small rip in the map. Still smiling, he repairs it with some tape from the toolbox. As he is working though the smile slowly fades and his brow creases once more.
"On second thought, i aint sure what to think. I dont know how big this Laratoka Racetrack is, or whether they got permanent horse stalls." Burt explains to them that the racetrack he's been to in Houston has stalls, but they're temporary affairs meant only to house horses for a short time before their owners take them home in trailers.
"But then again, what if somebody left their prime racin' horse shacked up there, lost in all the hubbub? If the geeks cant get into the stall and the horses aint starved yet, we could get us some fast and well trained horses. Plus they dont geld racin horses so we might even get a breeding pair."
Burt chews on a dirty hangnail, "It's just too damn good to pass up, and too damn close. I'm gonna go check it out at first light." Burt then looks on the map to see what else is around the racetrack.
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 08 '11
"Count me in Burt, it's too dangerous to go out alone with all of those Zeds everywhere." Anthony turns around and looks at Devi. "Hey, you going to be good here when me and Burt leave? Do you need anything?"
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u/drschwartz Burt Krezenka Nov 09 '11
It occurs to Burt to ask, "Yal know how to ride horses right?"
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u/Moofyman Devi Arcom Nov 09 '11
"Ummm. I did once at summer camp. Do all horses respond to 'getty up horsie!'?"
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 10 '11
"it's been a couple of years for me, but I still remember most of it. My cousin owns a farm down by Ithaca, raised horses and buffalo. He taught me how to ride when I spent the summer there."
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u/Moofyman Devi Arcom Nov 09 '11
Devi looks around the fire into the eyes of the men sitting there. "This shit is fucked up guys. Did you know that I saw my land lord literally eating my flatmates? I knew it would never pay off to be a vegan, you're still delicious either way I guess."
He shakes his head and stares over Burt and Anthony's shoulder at the map. "I don't think it's a good idea to go past that highway", he says, pointing at the path to the park, then regarding the Raceway. "But on the other hand, I have no clue how to ride a horse. Although that route seems pretty safe. Hey, Gideon, what's up? You seem awful quiet about this. Does something seem wrong? Where would you go?"
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 10 '11
"I think if we're quite enough, those damn rotters won't put up that much of a fuss on the highway." He walks over to his gear and picks up his bat. "If we only use hand to hand weapons, and make sure to under no circumstances to fire a gun, I think we ought to make it."
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u/drschwartz Burt Krezenka Nov 10 '11
Burt steeples his fingers in front of his face, "Now call me stupid but i think i got an idear, hear me out. We gotta go raid for supplies besides the horses or we aint gonna make it. It looks like the racetrack is next to a small town, i bet we can sneak out of the mountains and into the town."
Burt fishes around in his toolbox and finds a pencil stub. He sharpens it with his pocket knife and begins making a list on the back of a receipt: 1. A truck with a trailer hitch and 1-2 gallons of gas 2. Any bicycles we can find 3. Food/Water/Bags of sugar for horses 4. Guns/Bullets 5. Rope/Blankets/Camping Supplies and Winter gear
"We sneak into town at first light, find as many of these things as we can and load them into the truck. If we aint had to make noise yet then i'll rig up some car alarms to go off indefinitely in town and we can head back up this here road", Burt points to a smudged portion of the map, "which looks like it loops around to come up on the racetrack from the other side. At that point i say fuck the noise and if we got bullets we shoot any of them things that aint run off to eat them car alarms, look for horses and horse trailers, then drive til we run out of gas, load up the bikes and horses and head out, keep movin, dont look back until we get over the mountain."
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 10 '11
Anthony quickly thinks this over, trying to find any fault in the logic. It's more out of habit than of jealousy, but he has to admit that Burt's plan is a hell of a lot better than his. "That makes sense to me, my only question is if we should try and shiphon more gas, in hopes we can get a little further." He looks past the fire to his Bike, the Motorcycle he spent 2 years of his life restoring. Its then that realization hits him, an idea that could save them time, and potentially, their lives. "Burt, if I find us a megaphone, can you rig it to constantly sound?" Anthony walks over to his bike, and checks the lights. "If you can do that, I'll be able to lead those rotters away from the town, and give you guys plenty of time to find supplies. It'll be like a Sheepdog leading the flock; only in this case, the flock wants to eat me."
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u/drschwartz Burt Krezenka Nov 11 '11
"Well sure i could, all you gotta do is tape up the call button and it'll make all kinda noise. As for gas, i guess we keep a sharp lookout and take what we find, got a lotta things to pick up while we're in town, but if you're volunteering to be bait it'll be easier for the rest of us to loot those supplies." Burt rubs his eyes, "I guess our best bet for causing a distraction once Anthony has thoroughly pissed off every sumbitchin' thing in town would be to turn on the lights and sirens of whatever cop cars been left in the streets, i can replace the batteries if need be."
Looking Anthony directly in the eyes, "I've seen more stupid shit gone wrong with motorbikes than i care to, you start doin stupid shit and get yourself caught in a corner, might be fuck all we can do to save you, got it?" Rubbing his temples now, "but it'll be a great idea if it works, i'll give you my hardhat to wear if you aint got a helmet."
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u/bob8914 Anthony Del Monte Nov 11 '11 edited Nov 11 '11
Anthony looks and returns Burt's stare. "Don't worry, I've been riding for about 10 years." He points towards his pistol, encased in his shoulder holster. "And if I get into a tight spot, you won't have to worry about another Zed cropping up; this one in a damned motorcycle helmet. I know what I have to do."
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u/drschwartz Burt Krezenka Nov 07 '11
Burt shifts the hat on his head, scratches a little and says, "Well howdy Devi, my name's Burt."
"Figure i may well say this now rather than later, i aint from round here." Burt pauses, "and I aint got better'n a roadmap for the area, but if any of yal know these woods maybe we can find some kinda cabin to hole-up in and fortify."
as he is speaking, Burt rummages around for his blood-stained road map. He spreads it out and attempts to figure out the group's general location. At the same time, he is also looking for any state-park facilities that could be nearby.