The Open Road(Amy Beth and Rivine)

[AmyBeth]

The summer was on its last leg as cold night and windy days moved in. The sun was shining reflecting off of the hundreds of deserted cars creating crooked shadows through the shipping center parking lots, as storage containers were left piled, tipped and leaning. Hazel had spent most of her summer living in a storage container staked three high. She had to find somewhere else before winter set in, where the metal shell would certainly mean death when the snow and below zero nights came. The shipping center offered fuel for the stationary tractor trailers, to help run generators and automobiles. But within the abandoned storage containers she had found, food clothing, and even some weapons. But it was dangerous, ever few days or weeks an individual or worse a group would move through, raid and move on. She would leave if possible as they explored her ‘home; and if not possible lock herself in, kept two stories above the danger.

Hazel was the only member of her family to survive losing to younger siblings and her parents. She was alone, and had managed well for herself, I mean she was alive right? She tugged on her boots tucking her worn jeans that sported rips over her thighs into the top of them. She put on a dark colored long sleeve shirt that stretched over her extraordinarily large breasts and pulling a cargo vest that held two knives a flash light and some other useful gadgets. Her storage unit was almost completely dark other than a small windup rechargeable lantern.

She cracked the iron door to the unit, and scanned the ground and surrounding area. Then she dropped the the top of the unit below. Making a dull but louder thump than she would have wished. She froze again scanning once more. Before following the same procedure. Once her dull black boots hit the ground she quickly moved to the shadows moving through the familiar paths.

A crash of metal to the ground caused he to freeze. She pressed her back against the metal wall of the container. Her large round bottom pressed firmly, her face turned in the direction of the noise. She held her breathe. But after minutes of no noise to follow she moved further out wanting to be out of the yard, and away from anything that moved. She quickly turned a corner when a strong arm wrapped around her waist pulling her into an ally of sorts made by rows of containers. “Well look at this pretty lady!” One of the men sporting tattoos and leather hollered to his two companions. One moved behind her, “Boss you should see the ass on this one” The first man laughed at the moment more intrigued by her clearly stretching fabric over her bust. The third man thinner and greasy looking slithered up to her and whispered in her ear “silly girl, its not safe to be alone, the world being what it is, what if some men with no morals were to stumble upon you.” She looked around quickly. She departed screaming, even if someone did hear she wasn’t sure she wanted to meet the person who came running. She pulled out a hunting knife slashing at the first big man and ran.

She made it to the road the men following close behind cursing her and telling her she would pay and wish she wasn’t born, and she did take them as liars at the moments. But Hazel was shorter and her curves slowing her down. At least her legs were thick and muscular from climbing shipping compartments. But she knew she was fading and they were catching up. She turned down a side street but tripped. And they ascended upon her like wolves to a lamb.

 

[Rivine]

RE: The Open Road

The hum of an engine was an odd thing to hear on the roads these days, but it practically surrounded Gabriel as he headed north along the road. He'd been out on the roads for a long, long while, and both he and his ATV had the scars to show it. It had been over a year since he'd set off on his own, fleeing a small settlement in the face of an assault by a group of raiders. It had not been the proudest of moments in his life, but he hadn't been part of the settlement really, not in his own mind. He was the only one there that didn't have someone to care about, did not have a family. He was the lone bachelor and, well, he'd been afraid. Gabe had been in the Army, which everyone knew, so they thought he'd be some great bolster to the defense. But he'd been a mechanic! How could they have expected him to become Rambo?!

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he shook his head. He knew that he should not dwell on the past so much. It had been a long while and, for as far as he knew, the people had come through things fine. But lately it had been coming up more and more. He'd found himself thinking about it night after night, causing him to stay awake even longer. But why was he thinking about it so much? Well if he knew the answer to that the he could solve the issue of course, but frankly he lacked any idea at the moment.

His mind was pulled back to reality as the sound of the engine changed. He glanced down, looking to the fuel gauge, then growled, "Great." He glanced around on the road, looking for a place to park the ATV so it wouldn't be as noticeable. He caught sight of a jackknifed semi, so he pulled the ATV up in the angle between the trailer and the truck. It wasn't the best of places, but it would certainly do for the time being. After the vehicle was parked he hopped off, pulling the key out of the ignition and clipping the carabiner it was on onto his belt. Gabe's clothes were a bit worse for wear; his pants were grease stained, Carhartt jacket torn, t-shirt nearly worn though. It was hard these days to find clothes that had not been ruined by the elements, which was clear enough by what he wore. So clothing was certainly something he was looking for, but first things first, he needed fuel.

With that in mind he moved around to the front of the ATV and opened the metal storage box that was there. Inside of it were a myriad of things, ranging from tools, to lubricants, oil, and, perhaps most important, a hand pump for gas as well as a small bladder. Taking the two out of the box he closed it up again and locked it, then moved to the back of the vehicle. There, from under a tarp he had tied tightly to the metal wrack, he removed his daypack, putting the bladder and pump into the main pocket. Already the other pockets were filled with a bit of food, an emergency blanket, first aid kit, water filter and a few other bits of supplies. Slinging the backpack onto his shoulders he tightened it down, then check the items he carried on his belt. "Knife," he murmured as his fingers drifted over the handle, then said, "Pistol," he finished, touching the grip of the SIG at his side.

Having checked everything he moved off, but paused a few feet from the ATV. He glanced back at it, then reached back to the small of his back, pulling a pair of work gloves out of his belt, slipping them on. He move off then to a few of the cars and began to pull out seats and other detritus, throwing it on the ATV and around it camouflaging it as best he could. That done he headed out, leaving the gloves on for the time being. He began to walk along the road, checking a few cars as he went, but he was not at all surprised when all of them had already been drained dry. So he walked on, his eyes constantly scanning the area around himself.

It was that attentiveness that allowed him to notice the motion in a parking lot off to the left of the freeway. He paused, moving behind a car and watched. It took him a moment to figure out what was happening, but soon enough he realized that a woman was being chased by three others, three men to be precise, who looked to have ill intentions. He dropped lower behind the car, watching as he murmured to himself, "It's not your business." He repeated that in his mind over and over. But there it was, the memory of how he had abandoned the settlement. He remained there, watching, observing as she was chased down. No, he could not do it, he could no turn away.

So, Gabe found himself slipping his pack from his back, stowing it in the trunk of a red vehicle. It would be safe enough there for now... and if he didn't come back for it it did not matter too much. He took a moment to raw his pistol and ejected the magazine, glancing at it and counting the bullets he had. "Seven... well there better be no more then three, " he muttered to himself. As he slid the magazine back into the pistol and made his way down the embankment, towards the parking lot... but he had the small issue of a chain link fence to get by first. Moving quickly he went to the ground, pushing the fence up as he crawled underneath it.

By the time he was on the other side the three men had her and were ripping at her clothes. Having a few cars between himself and them he stood, moving slowly. He worked his way around the cars, holding the pistol low, until he had a clear line of sight. He paused, then raised the gun and gently squeeze the trigger. Crack! The sound of a gunshot echoed as one of the men dropped, blood spurting from a wound in his neck. "Alright! You others, back away! Touch the lady again and I'll end you both..."

 

[AmyBeth]

RE: The Open Road

Hazel hit the ground with a thud scuffing her knees and ripping open her palms. But these were the least of her worries. Within 5 seconds hand we pulling her onto her back, as a fist connected with her cheek hard enough to bruise the bone but thankfully there was not cracking of bones. The tattooed man in leather knelt between her legs, forcing them open with his open as he roughly tugged at her worn jeans. The greasy man and smaller one worked on ripping her shirt free of her breast. One of them pulled out a switchblade, and cut the connecting fabric between her worn bra her chest breaking free with a bounce. There hands ascending upon her skin.

Crack.

She felt the heat of the blood splash onto her face dots trailing over her newly exposed chest. The man thankfully fell backwards and forward onto her body. She froze along with the other two men. 'Who the heck?" she thought to herself, what reason would this stranger have for putting his neck out on the line for her. All she could think of was that he had equally moral-lacking motives. But at the moment she didn't care, she just wanted bullets in the other two men. The smaller weaker man did not hesitate and began to run. But the greasy one grabbed her under the chest pulling her towards him and placing the cold metal of his switchblade to her neck pressing just enough to bring a single stream of blood from her pale neck. "I was hoping to have fun with her before I killed her, but if you don't put down that weapon I am going to have to jump the gun, literally."

Hazel didn't have time to be embarrassed about her torn clothing, she thought quickly. She pretended to pass out from fear. Which She thought took both of them from surprise as her dead weight fell against the grease ball. His arm pulled away and loosened, she quickly rolled away and was able to land her foot deep in his crotch as he tried to sing towards her.

She rolled to her feet, standing tall as she pulled her cargo vest around her naked top half. She stood a side as the men were locked together. And before waiting to find out what the gun-toting stranger she ran, unknowingly in the direction of his hidden ATV. She limped from a twisted ankle and her very openly scrapped knee caps. AS she ran so did the sleaze in the other direction thankfully, because at the speed she was moving it would take much to over run her.

 

[Rivine]

RE: The Open Road

Things happened quickly after he had shot. The body fell, of course, but it was what occurred after that seemed to go so quick. One of the men went and ran, causing Gabriel to quickly pop a shot off in his direction. Five shots left. The thought was a quick one, for before he could shoot again to be sure that the man had been hit, the other fellow had grabbed the girl. The gun shifted to the greasy bastard, steady, the sights lined up on his head. But as the man spoke, threatening the woman's life, Gabe hesitated. "Alright," he said after a moment and began to lower his weapon. He did not want to toss it away, but he was still thinking, trying to figure out what to do. The woman decided for him.

As she collapsed he blinked. She feinted? He was pulled into the rouse, just as the greasy bastard had been. He watched as the woman tumbled and tried to disentangle from the man. The gun came up again, leveled on the fellow, waiting for her to get away. Once she had, it was quick.

Crack! Crack!

Two gunshots sounded out and he watched as his bullets slammed into the man's chest, ending him. Down to three bullets he took a moment glancing around, looking for other people coming at him, but there were none. It was then that he realized something; the girl was running. "Hey! Hey! I'm not going to hurt you!" he called out after her. But how many times had a woman like her heard that? He watched as she hightailed it, limping visibly. "Damn it," Gabe muttered to himself, then turned to the bodies. He knelt down and went about searching them and was surprised to find a few rounds on one of the men, which he pocketed.

That done he stood and sighed, then began to walk again, heading up the embankment and back to the car where he'd hidden his pack. After he recovered it he slug it on his back, then set out after her, wanting to find her.

 

[AmyBeth]

She ducked inside the corner of a jack-knifed 16 wheeler unaware that her rescuers transportation was on the other side. She placed her rear against the dirty metal as she leaned over hands on her knees as she fought to catch her breath. Her hair had come loose in strands and clung to her face as the day had warmed and the run had caused her neck to become slick with sweat. She slid down to the ground back against the tire, feeling particularly well hidden from the sharp acute angle of the truck. She inspected her knees, scrapping out a few small rocks that were still embedded. Though the wound was superficial it still damn well hurt, and little wounds could kill you know a days; infection, blood loss, it slows you down and makes you easy prey. Hazel was sure she had heard at least two more shots, she jumped slightly as her flight instinct told her they were aimed at her. She had heard his voice call after her, but it only made her hobble away faster, she had quite enough testosterone for her liking today.

She ditched the shredded bra and used her ruined shirt to wrap her knees and her palm that bleed. She then zipped her cargo vest up as far as it would go, but the zipper protested as it reached half way over her chest and she was forced to leave it there. She used to love her body, she took pride in her distance from the silicon barbie dolls which had been favored before the war. But now all it did was get her in trouble. It could have been from the lack of women around anymore, or that natural animal instinct had men looking for women more likely to survive the new, more wild world. Either way, she didn't care, she just wanted to be left alone. She was lost in thought and did not hear the approaching foot steps until they were almost upon her. She slowly rose to her feet, curing her sore body that wanted to refuse. She pressed her self up against the tuck and peeked through the opening between the truck and the trailer and saw her 'rescuer". She silently cursed her self again, she thought she had gotten far enough away, but he seemed to walk up right to where she stood. She froze for a few minutes, before slowly making her way to the end of the truck, waiting for her time to break for it, hoping he would just go off in the other direction.

 

[Rivine]

As he walked up the embankment he wondered about the woman. What had possessed her to run? Was it not obvious that he had bee trying to help her? Who knew. He had been under moments of stress before, been shocked out of them. Perhaps that was why she had reacted as she did? He had of way of chowing. As he walked up the embankment he ejected the magazine from his pistol ad took a moment to put the two rounds he found into it. Well, that was a waste of a valuable outsource for nothing...

Gabe arrived back at the car where he had stowed his pack. He slipped the pistol back into it's holster, then opened the door of the car, snatching his pack out. As he slipped it onto his back he looked around, making sure that the gun shots had not attracted any added attention. Having not seen anyone he considered his options. Well, he needed gas for his 4x4, but he had already wasted a good portion of the day looking for gas and the trying to help her. He could have looked for somewhere to stay nearby, but that felt like a bad option. After all, he had just killed two me ad the third had run off. Who said they did not have friends somewhere close?

So, after considering everything, he started to trudge back the way he had come. His steps were steady as he headed back towards the jack-knifed truck, wondering what the next day might hold for him. Would there be more raiders? Would he find the woman? He did not know. His mind was so busy as he though over all of these things that he did not notice the woman looking at him as he approached the truck. Sighing softly as he walked around to the open side...then froze. There, standing at the end of the truck, was the woman. "Well, fancy meeting you here, " he said to her softly. Gabriel held his hands out to the side then, showing her that they were empty and holding nothing. "I am not going to do anything to you..."

 

[AmyBeth]

She held her breath but of course her luck the young man walked around the side of the truck bringing him face to face with him. She watched him closely as his hands went to the side and were empty of both gun or other weapon. She didn't have it her to out run him and met his gaze steadily. "Not like I haven't heard that one before..." She said but then again he had wasted valuable rounds in assuring she was not harmed, she had just assumed he wanted her from himself. She sighed stepping away from the trailer slightly so she felt less cornered but it also brought her slightly closer to him. "Look, thank you." She said as the word got caught in her throat, as she had forgotten a lot the formalities of the old world. She had rarely had interactions with others, having never joined the refugee camps or compounds.

She dug her hands in her pockets feeling awkward and overly exposed with a stranger. "I just wanted no more men, I have had enough of an experience at the moment...Look is there anything I could do...to ya know...return the favor, I know a couple good scavenging spots if that helps." Sh hoped he wouldn't see this as an invitation to payment in other ways as many men would have. She just wanted to help him to move him along as quick as possible. The sooner he got what he needed the sooner he was on his way.

 

[Rivine]

He waited, standing stock still, hoping beyond hope that she would not run. It had bee a long, long while since he had anyone to just talk too. Having someone, anyone, to talk to would have been a great improvement. So, when she did not dash off, he let out a soft sigh. Gabriel nodded a little bit when she said that she had heard the line before, that a lot of me had told her that they did not want to hurt her. "I know... but what else am I supposed to say?" he asked her, curious. "I mean it though." What else was he supposed to say to her? How else would he reinforce it? Through actions of course. Gabe's eyes focused on her when she thanked him. A small smile formed on his lips then, for he could not help but feel buoyed by that. He nodded a little bit before he said to her softly, "You are welcome." How log had it been since he had heard those phrases. But, like anything involving interacting with people, it had been eons since he ha had anything like that occur.

But he did his best to brush off the novelty of all of this. Noticing that the had still been holding his hands up, Gabe blushed slightly and lowered them. When she spoke again he listened intently nodding a bit. He was about to tell her that she need not repay him, but when she mentioned knowing some places for salvage, he seemed to perk up. "Salvage huh?" he asked her softly, then grunted a bit. He moved past her then, moving towards the crook of the jack knifed vehicle. As he passed her he did something few people did these days; turned his back on a stranger. He moved over to his 4x4 ad put his pack on the back of it, then patted it, "As it so happens, you came to where I'd parked my ride. Do you have any idea where some gas might be?"

Just the there was a rumble of thunder and he glanced up. "Well, that sucks," he muttered, then moved over to the tractor trailer. He stepped up onto it, looking inside, the opened the door. He peeked around inside the cab and then into the back before he glanced out at her, "Things look alright in here for the most part." He hopped out of the cab and then said to her, "You are welcome to sleep in there. I'll be alright out here..."

 

[AmyBeth]

As he hopped down the first fat rain drops began to fall slowly but with warning of soon intensifying. She walked up to the cab and pulled herself onto the running board her backside now to him before she looked up at the darkening sky and sighed. She would have rathered be in the comoft of her little hidaway but did not want to lead him there or get caught in the storm. She peeked in the disheveled cab and falred her nostrils over the smell of stall cigarette smoke even years later. But it was a large cab, on of those with full seats and a small cot behind. She sighed once more mentally kicking her self in the ass before turning around still on the step making eye contact with her new acquaintance. The rain was starting to fall heavier as she offered "come on stranger, there is room in here for the two of us." She did not wait for a reply before hopping in the cab and getting on her hands and knees as she crawled over the center console and curled up in the passenger seat.

She sat up a little bit but her hands still hugged around her knees. She peered out at him and almost barked an order to "Get in, you are letting all the cold air in." She was extraordinarily cold now that she was missing a shirt and only had a cargo vest that was now rather soggy from the soon coming downpour. Just after she called out a crake of thunder broke through the air this time louder and closer. She faced him her back to the passanger window, arms around her knees and head leaning to the side against the headrest, she suddenly became aware of how sore her body was from the days adventures and how much it was nice to rest on a cushioned seat.

 

[Rivine]

Once he had hopped back down onto the road she moved to climb into the cab. Gabe could not help but notice her backside as she looked inside, but turned away, deciding to have some tact. Considering everything she had been through that day he figured that the last thing she would want was another man ogling her. He moved back over to his 4x4, going through things and getting ready to set up for the night. To that point, he took out a tarp and, rather quickly, tied it down over the off road vehicle. He'd learned to do such minor things some time ago in order for make things last longer. But, before he could get out his other gear to make a camp of some sort for himself she spoke again, offering him a place in the cab of the truck. Gabe glanced up at her then nodded a bit, "Alright, thanks."

He took a moment to grab his pack as well as a few of his blankets. That done he moved over to the truck, climbing up into it as she told him to close the door. Gabriel could not help but smile a little bit as he closed the door behind him, "Do not worry. It will be warmer in here soon enough, what with two bodies in here," he told her. He paused then, realizing how that could be taken, then blushed a bit, "Not that we... I... well body heat... it warms and..." The man fell silent then, cutting himself off and coughing a bit to try and use that as a cover. Way to go Gabe. Save the girl, then make her think you are some kind of jackass. So he concentrate on his pack, pulling out a long sleeved shirt, putting that on a blanket and the offering it to her. "Those might help you stay warm," he said to her, trying to be polite.

 

[AmyBeth]

She didn't want to but she couldn't help a smile from cracking across her lips as she watched his cheeks darken with a blush. As she took his gift she paused for a moment amused by his seemingly tender shy and nice guy attitude, which was extraordinarily rare in this day in age. "So how does a 'nice guy' like you survive such a not very nice world?" She asked. Settling the bundle in her lap. "I knew what you meant, but I am glad you tried to explain it was entertaining." She said smiling fully. Then it dropped from her face suddenly, she relived it had been the first real smile with out spite stress or malice in it. And bit her lip and focused on the gift he had handed her. She sat forward in her seat and looked to her left making eye contact. "If I tell you not too look is it actually going to matter?" She asked. It bothered her but she did know he had probably not seen a woman in months and breasts in longer. She sighed and decided to look forward and not check and see if he watched her or not. She slowly unzipped her vest as her chest sprang free from its containment. She shrugged out of it and tried to pull his offered shirt on as quickly as she could. But because of her build it was very loose around her arm and waist and shoulders but pulled slightly across her chest not doing much to hide her chest simply cover the skin. She pulled the vest back over her shoulder and placed the blanket over her lap.

After she was completely dressed she returned her attention back to him a slight blush upon her cheek at what he might have seen. She sighed at the rain that now clicked upon the metal roof with a surprising force. "How long do you think we will be stuck in here?" She asked just as lightning visibly struck a few miles in front of them matched with almost an immediate crack.

 

[Rivine]

Gabe had noticed her smile when he'd stumbled over himself, which caused him to blush even more. It was evident that she had found it amusing and he could not really blame her, but that did not make it any less embarrassing to him. But he was surprised when she asked him how a nice guy had survived. He blinked a bit, trying to think of an answer. How was he a nice guy? He'd just killed two men after all... Perhaps he was over thinking it. Gabe shrugged a bit, then murmured, "I am nice when I can be. But... well I can't be nice all of the time." When she mentioned that she'd found his slip enjoyable he smiled slightly, then said softly, "I am glad." Her smile had been quite lovely, but it was gone rather quickly, which caused him to furrow his eyebrows. Was something wrong? Well he decided it was best not to press his luck by asking her. He didn't want to slip up and make her mad at the moment.

But when she spoke next, asking him if it mattered if she asked him not to look, he replied quickly, "Yes, I'll look away." But she started to undress quickly, so he had to jerk his head to the side. Gabriel knew well that the rules of the world had changed, but what was wrong with holding on to some of the traditions in order to make her comfortable? So he looked out the window... though he saw a bit of a reflection in the window, seeing a bit of her form, though it was blurred of course. She really was quite... voluptuous. He felt a bit of a stirring in his pants, but he swallowed and tried to push it away for then. Now would not be an opportune time for such advances, considering all she ad been though.

He did not turn back to face her until she spoke once more, asking him how long they'd be there. Gabriel shrugged a bit, then said to her, "In this truck? Well I need gas for my quad. Once I find that then I'll be able to move..." He let that drift off, then he looked at her and said, "As to you coming with me, well that is up to you." His eyes were focused on hers as he went on, "I'm not going to hurt you. I know I have said that before, but I'm going to say it as often as I need too. I do know that having another pair of eyes would be nice, having help with... well living." Gabe looked at her and asked her, "What do you think of all of this?" It was raining quite severely outside by that time, but that was nothing uncommon these days. He glanced out at then, looking at the storm as he said, "But I am glad to have a roof over my head tonight."

 

[AmyBeth]

She wasn't at all surprised by the flustered look upon her new companions face, especially if she had seen any of her changing, she did realize the strand effect large breasts seemed to have one people. She was atleast thankful for the coverage the change had allowed her. "Um..Thanks, for the shirt." But she still lacked a bra, so the shirt did little to hid her nipples which had hardened from the cold wet rain. She was surprised that he had looked away, she was not expecting that and was thankful of it.

"going with you?" she had not really thought about ti, she had imagined helping him full his tank sending him on his way and getting back to her daily life as normal. She pursed her lips and thought for a moment. Extra eyes is always nice but that is someone you also have to worry about, and she didn't want to be weakened that was why she had stayed far away from the refugee groups that had formed. She gave him a weak sad smile she atleast believed him that he would not physically.

"I think we are going to be here for at least a few hours, Im just hoping the wind calms down soon or we don't get struck." She said thankful of being in an automobile were there was at least some protection from the lightning. She looked behind her at the small bunker that some of the nicer truck cabs had. "Well if the storm doesn't lightened soon, we can take turns resting." She said at least it will be nice to sleep knowing she had someone watching over.