forum 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗. // 6/6 // CLOSED

Started August 25, 2022 by @EtherealDreamer

tune

(im going to not @ people because it's kind for confusing for me—)

(that's fair. whatever helps you keep things straight in your head)

@EtherealDreamer @CaseyJ @yellowqueen

Lucky nodded and surveyed the area of the city they were waking into. It was mostly apartment buildings, and he figured they could scavenge a bit while they were here. He looked over his shoulder at Ariella, giving her hand another squeeze to reassure her, and pointed at the first apartment building off the interstate.
"You guys ok if we try there?" He glanced over at Devon and June.

@EtherealDreamer @Davadio @CaseyJ

Ariella didn't let go of Lucky's hand through the whole exchange, but she kept quiet. She wasn't interested in talking more than she had too. Instead, she watched the others, looking for any hostility or any sign they would draw their weapons. She wasn't sure how she'd come to begin to trust Lucky. Perhaps it's because this was the most affection she'd had in weeks, even before the apocalypse started.
Ariella turned her head towards the apartment building he was pointing at. Plenty of places to try. They should be able to find one without bodies in it, dead or alive. And there was a chance of running water.
She came to stand beside Lucky, nodding her head at the apartment building. She didn't see herself letting go of his hand anytime soon, despite her hand getting sweaty and clammy. She couldn't help the heat. But she didn't want to let go.

( @phantomflame @ProbablyOkThoghMaybeNot )
Ronni stayed right behind Liam, determined to go with him. I'm staying with the radio. Don't wanna lose it. If she wasn't running, she's be fine.

Liam walked over to the bottom ladder and looked back at Ronnie. "Are you sure you can clime? I'm not going to steal it. you can trust me, but it's your call."

( @phantomflame @ProbablyOkThoghMaybeNot )

Liam walked over to the bottom ladder and looked back at Ronnie. "Are you sure you can clime? I'm not going to steal it. you can trust me, but it's your call."

She glanced down at her ankle. The wrap was holding just perfectly. She gave a small nod in Alastor's direction, a thank you, and then walked to the ladder with Liam.
I'll be fine.
She gestured at the ladder, looking at him.
After you.

Liam shrugged and climbed the ladder. At the top, he messed with some dials but was only met with more stadic. He looked back at Ronnie, smiled, climbed some more, and wiggled some dials.

Ronni stayed with him. When they got closer to the top, something came through very clear.
"…reports of the flu having left the US and travelling to other places. Europe in particular has been affected, with some thinking a genetic component has added to their vulnerability. The 90% statistic in the US is made up of largely European-descended individuals, with many from other backgrounds having more success beating the disease. The nations of Europe have closed their borders, as the death tolls rise quickly. Folks, the world will not be coming to our aid. I'll keep broadcasting as long as I can, as much as I have news. My name is Eric Gonzalez, with WCBK news. Stay tuned to WCBK 103.7."
Ronni's eyes widened. They must have caught the tail end of a report, and… That's not good…

Alastor waited on the ground with Zeus, hoping that Ronni and Liam got the radio to work. Zeus nuzzled his hand with his wet snout, sensing his companion's worry.

Ronni motioned back down to the ground, before snagging the radio from Liam and stowing it back in her bag. The look on her face was neutral, but her brain was racing with the implications of what they'd heard.

Alastor saw Ronni start to come down and went to the base of the ladder to greet her.
"What did you hear?" He asked eagerly, not realizing how desperate he was to hear about the extent of the flu until now.

Ronni swallowed hard, working up her nerve, and managed to summarize for him.
"Europe is dying." She said softly, her voice raspy from disuse.
It wasn't the news she'd been hoping for. She'd been listening for any news of relief from the world, help from the WHO or something, and now… the apocalypse was well and truly underway.

Liam looked at Ronnie in surprise, her voice was raspy but beautiful. "Um, ya, it uh." He looked at Alistor. "Nevermind, she summed it up pretty good." he was still a bit shocked over her voice.

"Europe?" Alastor asked, shocked. "I didn't realize it's already spread so fast…"
He stared at the ground, trying very hard to keep his act together. His brother was in Europe when the apocalypse started. The plan was for him to fly back to America a couple days after Alastor got to New York as a surprise for their parents, but obviously that hadn't happened. God. He didn't even know if his parents were alive.
Zeus licked Alastor's hand comfortingly.
"Well, alright," Alastor said with a shakey laugh, running a hand through his red-brown hair. "What should we do now?"

"Don't ask me." Liam said defensively. "I am a literal child. Statistically I should be dead." His mind turned back to when he walked in on more than half his work/home filled with dead, and more dying by the day. He blinked and was back. "I was one of three of the only ones to leave my town alive."

We need to get away from civilization centers. They're bound to be infected.
Ronni gestured around them at the city, then made a walking motion with her fingers, before pointing way off in the distance out towards the more rural areas of the state.

Alastor gave Liam a sympathetic glance, gently squeezing the teen's shoulder as a sign of support before letting go.
"Rural areas could leave us vulnerable, not just to people but to animals and the elements as well," Alastor said to Ronni, feeling more like his old self when focusing on something other than his missing family. "We should probably at least look around here and other urban areas nearby a bit longer, pick up as many supplies as we can, and then set up a camp-like area somewhere farther away."

"That's a good idea." Liam said, still not entirely there. "Which direction should we head in?"

Ronni nodded and patted her bag.
That makes sense, I could use more supplies.
She noticed Liam seemed out of it and frowned a bit.
He's been through some garbage. Tanya said in her head. And he's young. Be gentle with him.
Ronni pointed at him, and flashed a thumbs up, making an inquisitive face. You ok?

Liam shrugged. "Never have been, never will be." he said smiling. He took a deep breath, he knew he wore his heart on his sleeve, and he was trying to fix that, especially around Al and Ronni, he's only known them for less then a day, and he'd already mentally trusted them with his life.

Well that's not healthy. Tanya said laconically. Ronni just glared at her in her head.
If he's not ok, he's not ok. And you're dead, so shut up.
She looked at Liam closely for a moment. He had the look of a kid who'd never particularly had it easy. And he'd gravitated to Alastor, who was clearly a giver.

"There's a road that leads out of the city near here, past some apartment buildings," Alastor said, zipping up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. "We could start heading in that direction."

Liam picked up his backpack from where he dropped it when he went up to get Ronni, and slid it onto his back. "Sweet." He looked to Ronni. "Do you have any objections?"

There might be more people there, and people are dangerous!
She started to object, but…
You've trusted these two this far. Tanya said. If nothing else, you can at least hide behind them if you must.
Ronni shook her head and tightened the strap on her bag.

"Perfect," Alastor said. He started walking back towards the warehouse since the road was somewhere behind it, Zeus trotting obediently besides him.

Eva sits down in the field of long grass and colorful flowers, a crocheted blanket laid down with a small wicker basket and a few pieces of food inside.
Her long blonde hair rests on the dark skin of her shoulders and her back.
Her golden eyes scan the horizon to see her two children. Liana dances around with her arms outstretched, beckoning for Cassie to come dance with her. He lets out a giggle before running up to her and grabbing her hand. Though as he does, Liana pulls him forward and pushes his forehead with the palm of her hand, causing him to fall down on his butt.
Eva furrows her blonde brows and stands, the bottom of her flowy, off-white dress falling down to just below her knees. “Liana!!” She scolds loudly, cupping her hands to either side of her mouth.
Liana turns around to see her mom “WHAT?” Liana yells back to her.
“Be nice to your brother!! Help him up!” She says with a heavy sigh, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand as she watches the two.
Cassie stays on the ground, crying silently on the ground. He wipes his tears messily as he sits on the ground, the palms of his hands now wet.
Liana rolls her eyes, grabbing his hand and pulling him up off of the ground “come on Cass. stop being such a baby” she says, letting go of him when he stands.
“Come here you two! Let’s get some food in those bellies” Eva says to them, sitting down on the blanket and straightening it out around her before she starts to pluck the food items from the basket.
The contents inside the basket consists of canned beans, old porcelain plates, metal silverware amongst other foods as well.
When the food is all set out, she looks up to see her kids running towards her, the golden sunlight beaming down on them as they do so.
They stop in front of her and sit on the blanket, grabbing at the food recklessly. She only sighs before letting them dig in.
Her eyes focus on the horizon once more, past the large field stretched far and wide, only to see the dark shapes of the city's buildings. The tall once reaching up higher and more visible than the smaller ones, though all could be seen.
She would have to go down soon, but for now Eva couldn’t bring herself to bring her children down there. Down where they could lose everything they’ve built.
Where they could lose each other.