Not Dead Yet - In Character Role Play

[Traveler]

2020, August​

The summer had been a blast, literally. Gorged, rotting bodies had swelled up and spilled putrid guts onto the ground, fouling the air in the cities with the stink of decay and disease. Dogs and scavenger birds were growing stronger in the cities and the countryside, learning to discern the difference between a walker and dinner.

Outside the city of Lexington, Kentucky a small hoard of Walkers had begun to move westward, flushing out everything in front of them. There were perhaps a thousand bodies moving in a mindless flock. Nonetheless the hoard moved together, as if driven by some invisible herder. This was forcing any people who were still alive and could move to migrate fast and hard as they tried to predict which way the hoard was drifting. Small groups of people banded together and then broke apart. Sometimes they found that traveling together was mutually beneficial, but oftentimes the company of other survivors was more dangerous than the Walkers.

Somewhere between Lexington and Danville a small group of Walkers herded several humans to a shore along Herrington Lake, and they were faced with the choice of either fighting off the twenty or so Walkers together to survive or to jump into the swift water and take their chances on the current.

It wasn't a bad choice, overall, but they didn't know each other and they were trapped. Out in the water about a quarter mile from the shore was a small boat that was half submerged, but it could offer them a refuge if they could swim that far.

The only question left for them was what to do. The water or the Walkers?

 

[purplehaze]

Naomi didn't remember when it happened and how things got this bad but she was way past remembering. Blood was surging through her body and to her head, she could hear her heartbeat thumping unnervingly in her ear. She had managed to stab her knife into a couple of walkers' head that had gone stray from the group, circling and flanking the survivors. Blood was smeared to her fully zipped track jacket now, blots of dark red against light grey surface. Her light and flimsy sport shorts allowed her to move fast, running ahead of the other survivors towards the opposite direction. Her sneakers adding another ease.

As she neared the edge of the river, she quickly scanned possible ways for escape but found none. To the sides, walkers were enclosing in on the area. Shambling towards whatever patch of land that stand between them and death. She could run, finding gaps between the walkers to squirm her way in but her legs were already giving up. She took a moment to catch her breath, it was then when she noticed two men had caught up on her, one older and one younger around her age. The middle aged man had a gruff and rugged face, indicating a man with experience. Experience on how to survive and hold one's own in this god forsaken world. Experience much more than her if compared. The type of man that could increase her lifespan drastically.

Much similar to the first, the second man also carried a gun. He wore a bulletproof vest and has an eye-patch covering one of his eye. She liked the chances less with this guy if compared to the older one. That bulletproof vest only meant protection against other survivors and is much less use against walkers. It would only slow him down and ultimately, her. Though he seemed he knew a thing or two to use that gun of his. Nevertheless, they weren't out of the clear and the walkers were already close enough for her comfort. Time was short and starting a discussion with both men would only meant their death. Her eyes darted towards the river and to the half-submerged ship not far from the edge of the river. That would be her way out, if the zombies can't swim of course but now's no time to brainstorm whether the zombies can swim. She quickly unzipped her light grey track jacket, revealing a white sports bra inside. Not a moment too long, she tossed her jacket aside and slushed into the river and swam towards the ship. Her backpack felt heavy wading through the water.

 

[David Merlyn]

To Logan it seemed only yesterday since he had been training in BUDS to become a Seal. He made it near the end of the course but then everyone was called to active duty. The military had no clue what they were facing until it was too late. After the chain of command had fallen, some soldiers tried to band together, Logan was one of the few that knew to break off. He learned long ago that sound attracted them as much as smell.

Reaching a clearing with knife in hand, he brushed his sweat soaked hair from his eyes. His boots found easy footing here in the damp soil, but his duster coat however had a few tears and blood stains against the black cloth. There were a few other men here and a woman, young. And attractive. He shook his head. "Really now is not the time" he thought. A few walkers stumbled forward and he actually smiled. This was the only time he felt calm without the scotch.

Circling to the left of the Walker he reversed his grip to a back hand on the knife and buried it in the skull of the dead. There was a sort of grunt as it fell. His foot caught the chest of the walker. He made sure to kick heel first. A few walkers were so rotten that your leg would actually go through them. Not a good spot to be in. This one still had a little meat and it stumbled back far enough for him to remove his knife and thrust it forward into the others skull between the eyes. Still too many.

Catching his breath as he retreated a bit he spotted a boat in the walker. Logan knew he could make it, his training prepared him for many water excursions and learning to swim with a current was one of them. The issue wasn't getting to the boat, but what to do after. If there were any rations on it they'd be old or slim at best. Then there was getting back to land. If they didn't finish the walkers, would they leave or wait them out?

 

[Traveler]

The undead threat swelled, cutting Naomi and Logan off visually from the man with the eye patch. Logan's fighting skills pushed back some of the immediate threat, giving him a chance to catch his breath as the sound of the woman entering the water reached him. She seemed to have chosen to flee rather than fight; perhaps a good idea considering she didn't look like she had any weapons.

The sound of someone's voice coming through the shrubs and trees about fifteen feet away from Logan could be heard. At first it was undecipherable, but soon the words became more distinct.

"Oh God oh God... Daddy come on, please! You can do this!"

The voice wasn't a child's, nor did it sound overly mature, but the accompanying sound of a man panting and struggling as they broke through brush and branch were full of desperation. A moment later two people came into sight, one a man who seemed in decent shape and was maybe in his middle fifties, and a woman, perhaps in her late twenties, who seemed focused on keeping her father alive. His scruff beard had snagged some leaves in their frantic flight away from the threat, and his hat barely stayed on his sunburned head. His daughter caught a glimpse of Logan and for a moment her breath caught, thinking that he was a Walker too close to them, but she was audibly relieved when she saw he still breathed.

Her eyes went from Logan to the Walkers, to the river where Naomi was swimming towards the downed ship, and then back to Logan. "There are more. A lot more," she panted, then looked at her father. "We gotta swim Daddy. We can make it."

Her father was having a hard time with his exhaustion but he began to peel off his pack and nod his head. His daughter did the same, her left arm strung through the pack and her bow, the other helping her father as they slushed through the water, desperately putting distance between themselves and the things that wanted to eat them.

"Damn zombies," the father muttered, his glasses getting splashed by the water. "If I never see another brain-sucker again in my life it'll be too soon."

"Just swim, Daddy." Soon they were out in the current, halfway between the ship and the shore. Ahead of them Naomi had safely reached the ship and for the moment it was quiet and appeared empty. The slant of the deck made an easy place for anyone to climb up on the vessel. Behind them on the shore most of the newly arrived Walkers were stopped by the water, pacing back and forth as if it was a barrier, but a few of them did venture in and walked, despite the rising water, until their heads disappeared beneath the current.

 

[purplehaze]

It shouldn't have been an easy swim but Naomi was glad she only packed necessities in her backpack that were light enough for quick travel. She also didn't count on her athleticism to be of much help in a time like this. It seemed all the cardio training she had on the muay thai gym paid off. They allowed her to swim with ease even with the extra weight of her water-clogged backpack dragging her back. Halfway to the ship, she turned and assess the situation behind her, water speckled her eyes limiting her vision. She could made out three figures near the edge of the river and was quite surprised nobody had followed after her. Swimming across seemed to be the only option to do. She shouted on top of her lungs, "Hey! Over here!" People could be the most dangerous element in this outbreak but having a few bodies by your side could drastically improve chances of survival.

She had managed to climb up the ship, her limbs felt heavy and her entire body soaked through. She cursed as she opened her red backpack and saw her linens soaked through, bandages, a couple towels and spare clothing. Luckily all the food she had packed were canned foods and she hoped earnestly that the water didn't do nothing to spoil them. She turned to her surroundings and fumbled through her right pocket. "Ah! Fuck!" Her butterfly knife was gone. Probably lost on the way as she swam across. Nevertheless, she readied her awareness in case she was not alone in the ship, occasionally throwing a glance towards the party who was on the edge of the river.

 

[David Merlyn]

His boot sunk into the water as he retreated. The dead were still a little ways away. Enough time to continue breathing. Casting a glance over his shoulder, he wondered if following was the right choice. This wouldn't be his first group. In fact it would be his third. The first group hadn't made it. The second had tried to kill him. Why should he trust a third?

Turning, something shimmered in his eye and he reached down to pick it up. A knife, butterfly by the style. Not the best for fighting but whatever worked. He pocketed it. Sighing he figured it would be about the same among other survivors, but at least he would get some rest. He sheathed his knife.

Turning his back to the approaching hoard he dove into the fresh water. The water washed off days of grit and dirt. Probably helped with the smell too. Fighting the current he relaxed and actually enjoyed the swim. Soon his hand touched the cool metal of the wreckage and he was able to climb up. Tossing his hair back he surveyed who was on board. Taking out the knife he found he rested it on a small barrel.

"Someone left this behind, it won't do me much good." with that he walked into what was left of the interior and stood in the dark alone gathering his breath and his thoughts.

 

[purplehaze]

The rugged middle-aged man was the first to climb on top of the ship's deck. River water had washed the dirt and grime off the man's face as if making him anew. The rapid beating and surge of blood had subsided leaving her more aware to her current situation. It was when the man had clambered up had Naomi realized she had left a quite bit of the good flesh of her body exposed to naked eyes. Her entire body was soaked through, trails of river water specked her upper body covered only by a white sports bra, leaving quite little to the imagination. It trailed down her waist and limbs, etched beautifully by the hours she had spent in the gym. Her frame soft-looking but curvy like an hour glass, cyan-colored sport shorts showed much of her tight and good-looking legs.

If one had hawk eyes, one could even grab a glimpse of her proud nipples jutting against the cold stiff air. Naomi had covered her breasts instinctively as if she realized that. She admitted she wasn't dressed for the occasion. Picking up the right fashion for the apocalypse was not in anyone's forefront priority. For what it's worth, what little clothing she had on allowed her to be more nimble and faster. "Thanks.. it was mine." She said that as she took her knife on the barrel, one arm still covering her breasts. She wished for a spare clothing right now but they had all been soaked by the excursion through the river, at least some kind of coat or jacket would do. Up close, the man's face was grim. A face that had went through hard trials and survived to tell the tale. Aside from his rough outlook, he looked like a good man. At least she hoped he was.

 

[Tasinga Nightwolf]

Run! Don't stop running! was all Sai could think as she ran on and on. What had happened? Why had it happen? Not like life was a basket of roses lately though. All Sai knew was she was alone and that she was in danger if any of those dead things got to near her. Pausing after another five minutes of running she looked around to try and get hear bearings. Judging by the houses she has to be towards the edge of the city now, she also could tell she was down wind of anything with a sense of smell. Sai knew she had to find water soon and maybe another store to rob. Her hand clench the kitchen knife she has stolen from someone's empty house. Lucky for her she had gone some time without having to fight or run from any of those things.

Deciding to head for the water front Sai went on. She has seen a map in town on an old billboard that showed water. Only problem was finding it. That was why she was trying to find the end of town or at least the outskirts. From there she would have better luck finding it. Using her size to her advantage she stayed to more narrow paths so a large group of the dead could not get the jump on her. Remembering some of the tricks her brothers had taught her Sai tried to remain as quiet as she could and keep the wind cross ways. She had a winter coat tied around her waist which was keeping her back pack from making too much noise luckily.

After about ten minutes she came to a fork in the road and head to guess where to go. Water was on lower ground right? Going left which looked to be down hill she hoped and prayed to get to water soon.

 

[Traveler]

Eliza and her father struggled in the current, the large packs she stubbornly clung to nearly dragging her down several times. Finally they made it to the ship, though, and she pushed her father up until he could climb onto the deck, his lungs straining for air after the fright and the exertion. She was able to struggle to get her bag up, and if anyone offered to help her she would gratefully accept. Once her father and their gear was safely on board she climbed up as well before laying on her back and closing her eyes, the weariness forcing her to take a short break.

Dr. Beauman turned where he was sitting and squinted at the two who were already on board. "I hope you don't mind that we crashed your party," he said, his smile somewhat out of place after what they had just been through. "I forgot to bring the wine, though." He chuckled and then looked back towards the shore. "Forgot the wine..."

His companion turned over and got to her knees to look at the others. "I... I'm Eliza. This is my dad, Anthony."

"Doctor Beauman, thank you very much," he said, turning to give her a squinty look of disapproval. "I worked hard for that title." As he spoke he waved his hands as if trying to ward off flies.

She sighed. "I'm sorry about my dad," she began, "he's still not completely ready to give up some of the luxuries of the past, including that title. We just need to rest here for a bit. Then we'll try to get to the other side and leave you guys alone. I know that a lot of people don't like to travel together?" The last part was a question. Almost a plea.

_ _ _ _ _


Sai's fork in the road turned out to be both a good and a bad choice. Good, because it did indeed lead her to the river, but bad, because there were a couple of Walkers between her and the water. The two walking bodies must have been together for quite a while.

The one that had once been a man was in a tattered tuxedo, which looked like it had been styled for a younger man, and the Walker that had once been a girl was in a prom dress, the tiara still fastened somehow to her frizzy, leaf and blood infested hair.

They turned almost at the same time and began to lumber towards the tiny blond. Between her and the river was about a hundred feet, and the prom zombies were blocking her path and would soon be at her side.

 

[Tasinga Nightwolf]

Sai on seeing the water felt hope and a bit of joy. Only to then notice the two walking corpses. They must have been at prom when bitten she figured by their dress even though she could not really tell the ages of the two. She felt her heart clench in sadness for the two. Then she quickly realized they were coming at her, looking around for an escape route she then went down the street towards were the sun would set which was West. Hoping these things could not run she moved as fast as she could, checking over her shoulder every few minutes.

Reaching into her belt age grabbed the gun and made sure was loaded. Sai's aim was poor at best and a gun's bang was dangerous, because more of those things could be attracted to the sound. Looking around she did not see a way to hide yet. Damn it... come on Sai you can make it. She told herself as she ran and forced herself not to have a panic attack. There were two reasons why she refused to die. One she did not want to become one of those things and two she was going to make it for her family.

Turning around fast and taking aim she held the gun with both hands and did her best to sight in on the corpse's heads. The male one was closer do she took aim on him first figuring he was more dangerous at the current moment. Holding her breath she fired hoping for a head shot. If she did not land she had no choice but to bolt for it or try to get a crossed the water.

 

[David Merlyn]

Logan nodded and realized he had been staring a bit. Smiling sheepishly he removed his duster, It was still a little damp but it would help cover her up. He didn't mind her...more revealing, it was the gentlemen thing to do. "Here." He handed it to her trying to avert his eyes.

He stared across the river, there were still a few people making there way, and some even coming across the clearing. They were too far to reach though, and this ship...What was left of available refuge would be swallowed up fast by newcomers. He turned away knowing he would not be able to help them. He'd seen this before. He'd seen people extend help only to need help themselves for being kind. What was the saying no good action?

Two more climbed on the boat. A younger girl and a man claiming to be a doctor. He nodded at the man. "Good thing your here, if anyone catches symptoms of hypothermia you let us know." He reached over and squeezed Naomi's shoulder. He started to walk into what was left of the main deck but turned.

"I'm Logan by the way."

 

[purplehaze]

As if reading her mind, the man offered the duster he had been wearing but not before Naomi caught him stealing a few looks on her body. "Thank you." She said as she quickly took almost snatched the duster and wore it; the duster felt damp but warm enough to be comfortable. She didn't want him to steal any more looks, giving him inappropriate thoughts but she understood why he did it. She had not ran out of supply of men who tried to romance her before all this happened but all of them had not been able to strike it home.

Naomi went out of her way to help the pair clambered their way up the ship's deck. Her clothing awkward, a duster paired with sport shorts but she shouldn't complain. The younger woman had immediately lay on her back, no doubt exhausted from the swim across. Even Naomi had felt the burning in her legs, especially in her calves. When the older man had proceeded with a joke, she stole a glimpse towards the rugged man; it wasn't much of a party. The older man seemed out of place, the shock and fear still lingered in him undoubtedly.

"I'm Naomi." She introduced herself after the woman had. They were actually a father and daughter pair, they certainly looked the part. When Eliza's father commented about his title, she continued, "A doctor? Medical?" Unexpectedly, the man who gave her his duster had squeezed her shoulder, causing her body to tense slightly. It was pretty much uncalled for and Naomi hadn't the slightest idea why he did it. Seems like the man had some problems of his own. A bad history with women perhaps?

She smiled slightly to Eliza when she tried to apologize, "No worries.. it's understandable." She was quite surprised when Eliza suggested about the separation but it was clear to Naomi that this was not a statement rather than a question. It was true that travelling together would pose higher risk but somehow she didn't feel like travelling alone. "From my perspective, I think it's best if we stay together. At least until we find a more stable and safer place than this." She tilted her head at where they were standing. "Maybe we could help each other, who knows?" She shivered uncomfortably when the air blew in, leaving goosebumps on her water-soaked thighs.

 

[Traveler]

Eliza nodded, her appreciation of Naomi's generous offer to stay together at least for a while, obvious in the relief that lit her eyes. She looked from the shivering, trench coat-wearing woman to the man whose coat she undoubtedly was wearing and assumed that they were together. If not romantically then at least as traveling companions.

"Dad's not that kind of a doctor. He's an anthropologist." She was beginning to catch her breath and as she did so she scanned the bank they had just left. About a dozen Walkers could be seen along the shore, some walking to and fro, others walking right into the water as if it didn't exist. There was no distinguishing trait that indicated why some did one thing and some did another. It seemed random.

Her father was using his hands to squeegee the water off his clothing. "I study people. She fixes them," he pointed towards his daughter. "Shoulda been a real doctor but she likes the excitement, the 'whoo whoo' of the lights and sirens," he made flashy movements with his hands to match the sound effects. "Should have gotten married to that nice young man, Jacovich, back before you got old."

"Daddy!" As the two talked it was apparent that she was dedicated to him but despite his obvious education and intelligence something was beginning to go in his mind. Almost as if he didn't quite accept the predicament they were all in. Eliza flushed red and stood up, frustrated and embarrassed. How could he embarrass her even now, when the world had fallen apart and all those things that used to mean so much didn't matter any longer? She quickly swiped her hands through her hair, brushing the collar-length locks back as she squinted to the far side of the river.

"That's a long swim," she muttered as she ignored her father's ongoing prattle about Jacovich being a lawyer and buying a nice home in the Hamptons. He was pulling out his journal to log more entries into it, and when he saw that the book was soaked he began to curse in Yiddish.

_ _ _ _ _

"Pe-ew!" The sound of a gunshot rang in the air, audible across both banks of the river. In truth Herrington Lake was a long, skinny 'river' that was only about a fifth of a mile wide, but it was deep in many areas and stretched thirty-five miles from end to winding end. Were our heroes to travel south they would find that the lake was created by a dam across Dix River, a narrow tributary off the Kentucky River. But they were busy surviving and such things were probably not on the top of their list of curiosities.

Sai's shaking hands failed her; the bullet hit the male Walker in the right shoulder, sending it back a step before it staggered forward once again. Thankfully for her they were not in the best of shape and moved slowly, but they moved without needing rest and would pursue her relentlessly until they could feed.

In her fearful state she didn't realize her finger had tried to pull the trigger a second time, but the soft grip she had on the stock resulted in the shell being caught in the chamber instead of fully ejected. For the moment her gun was as useful as a small rock in her hands.

Out from her right a quick movement streaked by, a tall human in dull colored clothing and swinging something at the Walker. The top of the rotted head came off with a sick squishing sound and the release of foul odors. The second Walker, the one in the prom dress, went down quickly once Sai's unexpected helper swung his weapon around and used the spike end of the tomahawk to pierce it's skull.

He turned to look at her. His eyes were dark and his skin covered in brown grey mud, as if to camouflage him from seeking eyes. Under the mud his skin was a rich dark brown that matched his eyes. He put an index finger to his lips as if to shush her and then pointed towards the bank, where a few deer paths led to the left and the right. About two thirds of the way across the river she could see a half-sunken small ship or large boat, and on the boat, if she looked, were a few moving bodies. They didn't move with the halting stagger of the undead, though; they were people. Live people.

And live people were either a terrible danger or a source of safety.

 

[Tasinga Nightwolf]

Sai had to think and thinking meant being calm. Taking a deep breath she then noticed the ship. She could make the swim with one go and that meant some safety. Hopefully the people were not a danger. It was better to risk them than stay here and die for sure. Putting the gun in her pants on safety just in case. She took the jacket and put it on to protect her from the cold water.

With that she bolted to the water. She knew the other guy might think her a bitch, but it was run now or most likely be food. Getting to the water she made sure to keep the boat in sight as she waded into her waist. She could see some of the,dead going in as well. Sai then started swimming lucky for her she loved the water abd thus was a decent swimmer.

She made sure to keep her head above water and the boat in-front of her at all times. The jacket offered some protection against the water'a cold bite. Her face though and hands were exposed and starting to go numb from it.

 

[purplehaze]

Naomi was glad that Eliza and her saw eye to eye. She wasn't sure how it had turned out this way. Under normal circumstances, she would be the last person to spend her next days in this apocalypse together with a bunch of people she had just met. Probably it was just her loneliness speaking or perhaps, the fear. She settled not to think much about it and instead cherish the company she currently has, however incompatible they may be. On the bright side, she got Eliza to spend her next days with. It might be a minor thing but Naomi considered it a huge boon to be able to talk and relate to another fellow woman.

She pretended to look around not hearing as she stood there awkwardly and quiet when the father and daughter went at it again. It was more than clear that Dr. Beauman had trouble on giving up his previous lifestyle. Naomi had thought he was being delusional and not having the adaptability to see the situation at hand but it was not her place to say. She had at least learned that Eliza probably worked as an EMT back in the day from her father's endless prattling. When the argument had ended somewhat prematurely and inconclusively, she moved next to Eliza, bringing her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun; looking at the far side of the river whence they had came. The walkers seemed to had forgotten about them, shambling awkwardly to nowhere. The ones that had gone under the water concerned her though.

Naomi narrowed her eyes once more when she looked at her body clad in the unfitting duster she's currently wearing, her body a few margins smaller and shorter. "Hey Eliza.. Do you have any clothes you could spare? Mine is pretty much drenched up in my bag." She asked, the bright sun lit the half of the girl's oriental face.

 

[David Merlyn]

Logan decided not to get too involved with the people outside. After all it only led to hurt feelings and vulnerability later down the road. Instead he went as deep as he could into the ship, trying to salvage what he could. It also gave him a better understanding of how much ground they had to work with so to speak.

"Two partial decks, before it floods out." he said to himself. His voice echoed off the wet metal inside. At least there were no bodies floating in the water. Leaning against the hull he let out a sigh. Here in the dark against the steel with the smell of the water he relaxed. The girl up top was nice. Naomi was her name, yet part of him knew better. A pretty smile could get you killed quicker then the dead. These others didn't look combat experienced. More like they survived off the death and kindness of others then people who actually pitched in. The question Logan was trying to answer was, go solo or be that helping hand at the risk of his own life. He had done both before.

"A life time ago. And now I'm talking to ghosts." He stared into his own reflection hoping his image would answer for him. Was he a good man still?

 

[Traveler]

Inside the ship was mostly empty. There were two unbroken bottles of wine, not that it would serve Logan much good at the moment, and a few floating pieces of clothing and plastic coffee mugs, and other kitchen ware that had escaped being swept away in the sinking of the ship. A few bullet holes that were visible under the water testified to the reason the boat had sunk, and in the right light Logan might be able to see the decayed and very dead body of someone who might have been a Walker, back before another person had blown half his head away. Shrimp and small fish had picked off most of the flesh, though, and only bone and tattered clothing was left on most of the body. The water in the boat definitely wasn't safe to drink.

As the the unanswered question of whether or not Logan was a good man still echoed in the inner room of the ship, a portable ham radio that had not been touched by the water gave off a little static sound. The battery was still working, somehow, and the radio was operative. Someone had been going from channel to channel, and a distant 'Can any-squelch -ead me? Over? Any one? crackle'. Then the channel went blank as the radio operator moved on to other channels.

Somewhere out there were others. Others... searching for survivors.

Up on the deck the old doctor had sat back down and had taken off his boots and socks. He was wringing out his socks, muttering to himself that this whole thing would be different if 'somebody's disobedient daughter' would have married Jakovich like she was supposed to. His daughter tried to ignore him and instead turned her attention to Naomi.

"Oh! Clothes, yeah. I guess I do." She unslung her pack and unzipped it, then unloaded a few bundles that looked like they were specialized; first aid in one, cooking things in another. She pulled out a few heavy duty Ziplock bags and passed one to Naomi. "It's just sweats, socks, and a t-shirt, but it's emergency clothing. It should fit." She began to stuff her things back in her pack. "I think it might be a good idea to head across though," she turned to look out at the other side of the river. "I'd hate to go to sleep on board and then find one of those things climbing on board in the middle of the night."

As she scanned the water she saw what looked like another person. At first she thought that it was a swimming Walker and her blood ran cold, but as the other person's strokes became more smooth she realized it had to be a live one. "Oh my God, what is she doing? She's leaving the side that's safest," Eliza presumed. "At least..." she looked behind them at the nearer shore and then at Naomi. "Maybe we should let your friend know what's going on. He seems like he might know what to do." She was worried; what if this other person was a danger? Or worse, what if they found out that the other side was as dangerous as the side they just left? Where would they go?

 

[purplehaze]

The girl was better prepared than her, Naomi thought to herself as she handed her her spare clothing inside what looked like a heavy duty ziplock bag. "Thanks a bunch, really appreciate it." She followed her as she turned to look at the other side of the river, agreeing with her, "I agree, we should go while we still have daylight. What about your father? Would he make for another swim across?" Naomi asked, throwing a subtle glance towards Anthony.

As they were talking by the side of the deck, Naomi caught the shock in Eliza's face. She followed her gaze and found a jacketed woman swimming across towards their tumble-down ship. Eliza warned that she might present danger and it was hardly needed to tell Naomi, she had thought the exact same thing. There's no such thing as being too careful nowadays. "He's not my friend. I'll go get him, sit tight. Shout if there's anything!" She somewhat commanded as she darted towards the interior of the ship, bringing the ziplock bag with her.

When she finally came across the loner down in the ship, she sounded almost desperate, "Hey! You're Logan, right? Look, we need your help right now, there's someone currently swimming towards us and we figure you might know best how to handle it." Her fear and uncertainty obvious for never having to deal with this kind of situation before. "Oh, here's your duster. Eliza had lent me some of her clothes, so I won't need this anymore. Thanks again nevertheless." She added as she slid her body out of the duster, her graceful and well-etched body came exposed again. With that, she quickly searched for a secluded place to change.

 

[David Merlyn]

Still lost in his own thoughts Logan almost didn't hear her approach. He wasn't startled though he wondered what she wanted. After listening to her he nodded and thought a moment. His eyes drifted across her frame but he bit his lip and turned away. He would be a gentlemen after all if she decided to change on the spot. Stranger things had happened. He reached for the duster and placed it back on. It was warm from her body.

"Something coming towards the boat? One of the dead? Or another person, cause if it is I'm wondering how much more weight what's left of this ship can take. Who knows how rotten the metal is down below." He smiled to others these were times to fear. He had no friends, no family, nothing left. For him they were times to cut loose. He didn't ask to be in a group, but at the same time he knew he couldn't sit back and let them come to harm. Especially her. Damn his weakness to women.

 

[Tasinga Nightwolf]

Sai got to the boat after about ten minutes. She got up and seeing others paused. The young woman looked like a drowned rat. Taking the soaked jacket off she started to shiver as she rubbed her small chest and torso to try and keep warm. Her hands were pail and her face almost white. Stripping out if her jeans she did not care if they saw her panties just trying to get warm. Keeping the wet shirt on though to keep her chest covered she sat down still shivering.

She stayed quiet in her corner and just pulled her knees to her chest. She opened her back pack checking her things. The bottled water was alright, as we're the canned goods but the boxed items were useless. The lichen knife was okay and intacted, but she had no clue how to take the gun apart to clean." Some help this was." Was all she said. She kept her space from the others not knowing how to introduce herself.

 

[Traveler]

The stranger climbed up on the ship as Eliza and Dr. Beuman watched, incredulous at the soaking wet rat who just joined them. She seemed mute, or maybe in shock. Anthony nibbled at his fingernails and crossed his arms, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as the girl began to undress. "Maybe she's a ghost," he surmised to his daughter. "She doesn't act like she sees us. Maybe we're seeing ghosts now."

"Daddy, please. Be reasonable. She's not a ghost." The thought made Naomi nervous though, and the glimpse of the gun outline in the girls pants didn't help the matter any. Raising her voice slightly she addressed the newcomer.

"Hey! You - girl. Are you okay?" She eased to another part of the boat deck where she could see the girl's profile and her bare legs. The pant were wadded up with the gun inside the pocket, but the stranger didn't seem to be thinking about her safety right then. "W-why did you leave that side? Were there hoards of Walkers there too? Hey, can you hear me?"

"She's a ghost," Anthony insisted. "She's not there, Eliza. Don't talk to her or she'll take you over to the other side."

 

[Tasinga Nightwolf]

Sai finally just snapped at the old man." No I'm human, but if I was a ghost I'd haunt you for being rude." She then blushed at her outburst and said quietly." Sorry, I'm just really cold." She looked at Naomi abd said to her." There's at least thirty or so over there and some of them quick. I can't shoot and my gun jammed so it was the water or be food. I'm okay just really cold. The jacket didn't offer as much protection as I thought it would against the cold water."

She made sure as much as her body was in the shirt as she could fit glad for once she was smaller than most other people." So you made it from the other bank? Is it bad there? I'm trying to get safe.... they're flooding the highway." Her teeth chattered as she spoke. Great she had a chill which meant she might get a cold. Rubbing her chest under her shirt she fell quiet again just trying to not think of the fact she was freezing.

 

[purplehaze]

Naomi had only just finished changing when she heard the new commotion upstairs. She was wearing white sweats and a dark green t-shirt over her still damp sports bra. It would be best for her to take it off but she didn't dare to do it, she had attracted enough attention already, being uncomfortable and slightly wet on her chest was a small price to pay.

She came up when Dr. Beauman was treating the new girl as if she was a ghost and advised her daughter to not interact with her. Naomi wondered what had happened before that. The new girl was sitting on the deck's floor hugging her knees. She looked shocked and scared, mostly the latter. It was then when she snapped at the doctor, obviously not amused with his teasing. "She's probably just scared." Naomi reasoned, her eyes warily fixed on the gun beside her. The girl looked young, younger than her even. Even though both of them seemed to be of the same age.

On her accounts, the other side of the bank wasn't as safe as they first thought it would be. Naomi hoped that was not the actual case. That there was actually only a few walkers and she had probably exaggerated their numbers because of the shock and fear. "Somebody get a change of clothes for her. She's freezing." Naomi instructed before she walked towards her, squatting to meet her eye level. "Are you alone? Or is there anyone else? Are your parents with you?" She asked, assuming she was too young to be out here all by herself.

 

[Tasinga Nightwolf]

Sai blinked at the girl in-front of her abd shook her head." Nope I'm alone I promise. My parents got killed a week ago or more now out on the highway. Those things are all over out there. The other bank I came from there was almost twenty I think. The guns jammed. I suck at firing then can't even clean them." She returned to quiet trying to keep herself warm still. The shock has aided in the cooling making her body think it was colder than she was. Her lips were edged with a blueish purple color though. The lack of sleep and food making her most likely to become sick.

 

[Traveler]

Eliza opened her mouth to say something but then simply inhaled. She looked from Naomi to the new girl. In truth she didn't know them, and though she had one more spare outfit she was reluctant to give it away. But what was that verse? Something about give to those who ask?

"Yeah..." she said, pulling her pack off her back again. She pulled out the final ziplocked outfit and handed it to Sai. She spared Naomi a glance and felt like she had to explain. "It's my work pack; you never knew when a shift would turn into a double and you'd have to sleep at work, so I had these two extra outfits packed." She shrugged. "It made for a nice bug out bag. I just never thought I'd really have to use it."

She sighed then and sat nearer to the new girl on the other side from Naomi. "My name's Eliza," she said, "listen, you can travel with us if you want. We're all on the same boat."

That caused her to chuckle. "Can I see your gun?" Not waiting for an answer she pulled the discarded clothes over and dug out the weapon. It was a small pocket pistol, a .380 that had caught the ejected casing in the port. Eliza racked the slide and checked the magazine, then slid it back into the stock and put the safety on. "You probably limp wristed it," she said, glancing at the door where Logan had disappeared. "If we get someplace safe maybe our guy there can teach you how to shoot." She laid the pistol on top of the pants. "In any case I wouldn't try to shoot it until it dries out and you check it for rust. Those little cannons can be unpredictable."

She leaned back on her hands and gazed at the far side. "So... twenty or so over there," then she glanced back towards the bank she had just left, "and a hoard of a few hundred back there. I think we're better off going against the twenty."

Her father had backed away from the trio and was now lingering near the doorway where Logan had descended. He took out his notebook and unwrapped it from the bag it was in, then began to take notes, muttering "crisis makes for quick companions, people tend to distrust or trust based on past experiences, sometimes to their detriment," he was putting the situation into chunks that he could process. His entire world had been shattered and for now this was the only way he could deal with what was around him.

On the far side where Sai had come from there was relative quiet. A deer came to the shore and drank, it's tail flicking to and fro until it was satiated. On the side where Logan, Naomi, Eliza and Anthony had come from there was still signs of the walkers congregating along the edge. It was beginning to look like a concert crowd, or possibly what the banks of Sea of Galilee looked like when Jesus left the crowds behind. Only these weren't the faithful; these were the living dead.