𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙶𝙸𝙴'𝚂 𝚂𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙴 𝙵𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚂 into something distant, the truth in amelia's answer inspiring an ache in her own chest. " yeah ... " she says after a moment's pause, " that's probably the real answer, isn't it ? wherever the loved ones are. " maggie glances down at the rubble between their feet, blinking against a sudden sting in her eyes. she hadn't seen her own brother, her parents, her husband in … had it already been months ? " i was going to say new zealand, " she admits, hiking boot nudging a loose piece of debris, " we were supposed to go there for our honeymoon. but ... we kept putting it off because life gets in the way, y'know ? " she laughs, the irony of an apocalypse being the reason she missed out on such an experience is not lost on her. " i hope your brother's okay. for real, " she says, offers amelia a sad smile, words lacking in empty reassurance, only quiet sincerity. " i hope he's somewhere with canned food and somewhere comfortable to sleep. “ anything had to beat an old hospital bed or the forest floor, both of which had become locations assaulting maggie's sleep quality over the past couple months. “ hmm … those good picks. if we’re going to play pretend, we might as well do it right. ” she thinks a moment longer, curious, ” greece, i get — sunshine, ocean, fresh dinner right from the ocean. but why england ? ”
Amelia nodded at Maggie. New Zealand did sound like a beautiful place to visit. There were so many wonderful places in the world that they will never ever get to see now, not unless they fancied their chances at hijacking a boat to get there, or building a raft.. or swimming? All options that Amelia more than likely wouldn't come out on top of. "Honestly, that sounds like a beautiful place for a honeymoon. I always had places like Bora Bora and the Maldives on my pinterest boards for the day I ever got married. Not that I was even engaged or in a relationship. You know how it is though."
A small smile forced on her lips as she thought about her brother, she hoped he was okay too. She had to hope he was okay because she dreaded the day she may ever find out he was not. "He's going to be okay, I know my brother and he is a fighter." She nodded her head softly before laughing slightly at Maggie's question. "Obviously Greece is so I could live my best Mamma Mia life and then England is just interesting, right? The place birthed people like The Beatles, David Bowie, Queen and then obviously One Direction. I just think it seems like a really cool place and then the accents too."
Nathan gave a small nod of understanding. Keeping busy had become a kind of survival all its own. If his hands were occupied shelving books or straightening the little library, it was easier to keep his mind from wandering to places it couldn't go. Her mention of the sealed wings made his eyes instinctively flick toward the doorway before returning to her. "...Maybe keep your voice down," he murmured gently. "The soldiers don't seem to like people talking about those parts of the hospital." There wasn't any judgment in his tone, only concern. Truthfully, he'd wandered a little closer to those barricaded hallways than he'd ever admit aloud. When she asked if he thought about people he'd known, his expression softened. "Every day." His answer came almost immediately. "I worked at a library before all of this." A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before fading again. "There were people I'd see every week." He let out a slow breath. "Sometimes I catch myself wondering if Mrs. Alvarez ever finished the mystery novel she'd checked out... or if Mr. Jenkins is still telling terrible jokes to anyone who'll listen." His eyes drifted toward the shelves around them. "I hope they're somewhere safe. I hope they found people looking out for them." Silence settled between them for a moment. "I think..." Nathan began carefully, searching for words that didn't feel empty. "I think it's okay to wonder about them. It'd be stranger if we didn't." He offered her a small, reassuring smile. "But I'm glad you're here. Even if this isn't where either of us wanted to end up." His gaze lingered on the books for a moment before returning to Amelia. "I like to think... if the people we're worrying about are still out there, they'd probably hope we keep taking care of ourselves too."
Amelia nodded her head ever so slightly as he urged her to keep her voice down. He was right. There were a lot of people that didn't like to speak of the infected literally just behind the doors from them, not just the soldiers but a few of the community in general liked to act oblivious. "I just.. I don't know.." she whisper spoke to Nathan. "Sometimes I freak myself out thinking about you know.. what if.." she attempted to hint to the other before just coming out and saying it. "What if they get out?" She nervously raised her brow at him before looking over at one of the doors. "It was hard fighting Julia off of me.." she referenced her best friend, a name that hadn't left her lips in a while. "I don't think I could fight off more, especially if they're much bigger than me."
"I always wonder about my brother. I'm scared that he's hurt or maybe one of those behind the door. I couldn't get hold of him or find him the day everything happened." She shook her head trying to not spiral down this thought process once again. She had to think positively, he was okay. He had to be okay. "I don't know, sorry, I'm being a bit of a downer right now. I guess I'm just having one of those days."
OPEN STARTER | LOCATION 02: Children's Wing/Library
The past two months had worn Nathan down in ways he hadn't expected. Days blurred together beneath the constant hum of generators and fluorescent lights, each one ending exactly where it began. Inside Saint Marlowe. He'd asked more than once to join the scavenging teams, always receiving the same answer. Not yet. He couldn't entirely blame the soldiers. He caught the hesitant glances they exchanged before politely turning him away. He understood some. Nathan looked like he'd snap in a strong breeze, and he knew his nervous habit of wringing his hands probably didn't inspire much confidence either. They weren't trying to be cruel. If anything, they were trying to keep him alive. Still, it was hard not to feel like another patient trapped inside the hospital.
Saint Marlowe had its own rhythm now, one Nathan couldn't seem to escape. Boots echoed down hallways at all hours. Radios crackled somewhere in the distance. Sometimes, when the building settled for the night, something else echoed through the sealed floors the military insisted everyone avoid. He'd gone looking more than once despite the warnings, curiosity always getting the better of him, though he'd never ventured far enough to satisfy it. Eventually, he'd accepted that the best thing he could do was what he'd always done best... make himself useful. The children's playroom had slowly transformed into a makeshift library. The shelves filled with every anything he could rescue from abandoned waiting rooms and offices. It wasn't much compared to the library he'd left behind, but people came anyway. Sometimes for a book. Sometimes just for a quiet place to sit and pretend the world still made sense.
He was shelving another stack of books abandoned by a group of children who had been far more interested in playing tag than reading when someone appeared in the doorway. Nathan glanced up, offering the same warm smile he always tried to wear, even when it felt a little borrowed. "H-Hi," he greeted. "Looking for something to read?" His eyes drifted toward the shelves before a sheepish smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "My selection's... honestly limited. Turns out hospitals stock an alarming number of romance novels." A quiet laugh escaped him as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Not that I'm judging. Desperate times and all."
"Uh, honestly I'm just trying to keep myself busy." The more she looked for something to do in this place the less she seemed to find day by day. People were just far more useful than she could be, the more she tried to help the more she seemed to fuck up which just left her feeling exhausting and out of place. She had snuck out a few times to scavenge but she couldn't say she had found anything amazing, the adrenaline though was next to nothing and she wasn't too sure if she enjoyed that feeling yet.
"Do you ever stand outside one of the over ran wings? I do. I always wonder who is behind the doors and if I know any of them.. or, well, knew I suppose. There are just so many people that I knew in my life that I probably haven't thought about that are just out there somewhere, infected or not, and I'm shacked up here in this hospital."
◝ ⟢ ˖ it was a long shot to come all the way down to the abandoned supermarket to scavenge, and it was particularly dangerous to do it alone. but their brother had been asleep, tired out of his poor mind after his own scavenging adventures the night prior, and jack saw an opportunity they rarely had these days: spend some time alone, doing this at their rhythm, on their terms. so, here they were now, armed with their usual pocket knife, an empty bag, and a heart full of hope. because you had to have hope to search a supermarket two months into an apocalyptic outbreak — it was, easily, the first place people raided, the first place to run out of things, and the first one to get swamped by infected. however, jack persevered, and her determination ( or stubbornness—you’re welcome to call it what you want ) paid off when she entered the storage section and among several opened boxes, she found an unopened one.
“ bingo, bastards … ” she murmured with a smirk, her quiet steps taking her to her goal as she swiftly retrieved her pocket knife from her jeans. she sighed in anticipation, sliding the edge of the knife under one of the box’s borders, and then—thud. the noise froze jack’s blood in her veins, turned her paler than she was, and made her hold her breath until she got dizzy. her fist closed tighter around her knife, and her body moved on auto-pilot — defense mode, attack position. “ whoever you are—whatever you are, get out and fight me, bitch, i don’t have all day. ”
Amelia had been quietly roaming through the janitor's supply closet close by in the store. She was terrible at the scavenging stuff and never had any idea what would be useful for the community but she took what she could get as she stuffed the cleaning supplies and bleach into her backpack before zipping it up and slugging the straps back over her shoulders. In doing so she seemingly bumped her bag into the shelves, it was almost as though it was slow motion as she watched an empty bottle of surface cleanser fall from the shelf that she couldn't reach out ang grab quick enough.
Thud. Amelia paused for a moment as she felt her heart begin out of her chest. This is why she left the important stuff to the rest of the community, this is what she gets for wanting to be a little more useful back at the medical centre. She stood there for a moment holding her breath, listening out for any possible infected heading her way as she stood in this small supply closet. Instead, she heard a voice which turned out to be as equally as scary. Fight? Amelia couldn't fight! Hopefully ignoring the voice would be better for her as she stood there in silence still hoping that they moved on.
𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙶𝙸𝙴 𝙱𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙺𝚂 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙳, trying to clear the exhaustion that weighs heavy on her eyelids. this had become routine — with daily tasks wrapped up and the evening meal not quite ready, she finds herself outside. sometimes, if she was feeling creative enough that day, she could pretend she was free: surrounded by flowers on a mountain range, listening to the roar of the pacific ocean as it sent mighty waves crashing against the shore, feeling the warmth of a loved one's touch. these only existed in memories now, and on days like today her imagination isn't quite powerful enough, spirits not quite high enough to muster the effort pretending would require. she'd spent the night before tossing and turning, halfway between nightmarish slumber and even more nightmarish consciousness. at the very least, maggie remains grateful for the evening breeze, the warmth of sun of skin as it begins its descent over the mountain ranges. the military personnel usually leave her alone, both empathetic and otherwise occupied. can tell that she's lost in thought, unreachable. but that doesn't mean her fellow survivors do the same … and sure enough, maggie can feel a community member's presence nearby.
“ 𝙸𝙵 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 be anywhere right now, where would you want to be ? ” she asks them, not bothering to tear her gaze from their nightly scan of the surrounding streets. “ i always thought there would be more time to travel, to see the world. nope ! now i'm stuck daydreaming about it. forever, probably. tell me about somewhere else — anywhere but here. i need new material. ”
Amelia was becoming accustomed to the new world that they lived in and she hated that. She did not want this to be her new normal, it couldn't be. She missed her old life, she missed her best friend Julia and she often wondered if she was still alive.. well, you know. Alive in the way that the infected are alive. She worried about her brother and if he was okay, was he struggling? Had he found a group? Was he alive? Her mind racing constantly about the what ifs so much so that she truly could not remember the last time she had a decent nights sleep. She missed her bed. There was so much that she missed about her old life.
"That's easy." She turned to face maggie and gave her a smile with the corner of her lips. "Wherever my brother is." It was a simple answer and she was sure Maggie probably wanted to hear her say something like Mexico or a place in Europe. "But, if I had to pick a country then I would say.. maybe..hmm.." she took a moment to ponder the thought, it had been a while since she ever got to just think of something nice and simple like this, she was constantly in fight or flight. "You know, maybe England or even Greece."
✦ ( MADELYN CLINE, CIS FEMALE, SHE/HER ) ⸻ Is that AMELIA BARNETT? Before the outbreak, the 30-year-old worked as a DENTAL NURSE. Those who have crossed paths with them describe them as COMPASSIONATE, though pressure often reveals their ANXIOUS nature. They are often associated with HAIR TIED UP IN A MESSY BUN, BED MADE NEATLY EACH DAY, LATE NIGHTS STARING UP AT THE STARS . ( lemon, 30, she/her, bst, n/a. )
faceclaim madelyn cline
full name amelia sage barnett
dob & age may 4th +30
zodiac taurus
gender and pronouns she/her
occupation dental nurse
sorting community two
BEFORE THE OUTBREAK —
trigger warnings death, drugs alcohol
Amelia grew up in Mid-Wilsher, CA. She is the youngest child to Bonnie and Joseph. The family didn't have much as they were children.
TW DEATH When Amelia was just 8 years old her father passed away in a tragic hit and run. Their mother never really recovered from this and the person they once new slipped away that day.
Her mother worked at a hair salon part time until Amelia was old enough to get a job and bring in money herself. Once that happened her mother quit because she claimed she had done enough for the three of them and now it was Amelia and her brothers turn, she was 15. She worked at local stores, news rounds, she swept up hair at barbers and mowed lawns for extra cash.
In school she was popular, she got on well with almost everybody and never went out of her way to purposely upset anybody.. but when you did something to piss her off she made it known. Sure, she didn’t get a long with few but it was never anything major in her eyes. She got bad grades given she was tired from working all the time but her her focus was always on cheerleading. She loved to cheer, she loved practicing routines and doing stunts and it was just something that made her happy.
Growing up without her dad eventually got the better of Amelia She was very bitter about the fact she was having to keep a roof over her own head because her mother was too lazy to provide and was not herself anymore. Her attitude towards her mother was clear as day and she had no respect for her anymore.
TW DRUGS & ALCOHOL She became quite the party girl, she was 17 and her mother wasn't all that concerned and if anything she called her names such as a whore, slut, you name it she called it. She insisted her daughter would become a teen parent. She was drinking, taking drugs and would often wake up not in her own bed. Any bed was better than hers though.
When she was 19 she moved into her apartment with her best friend. She'd been saving since she first started working but moving in with her friend meant that she could move at sooner and so she did just that.
She and her friend, Julia, started a tiktok account as a joke, but they kept going viral and the money kept coming in. Despite the money never staying around long because the two girls couldn't stop spending it on their party lifestyle and expensive taste.
she studied on the side to be a dental nurse as well as doing social media on the side, she never trusted that the income would be consistent.
at 25 she saved up enough to move into an apartment of her own for some privacy and freedom, it was at the same complex of her friend on the same floor.
AFTER THE OUTBREAK —
for amelia it was a confusing start. she didn't really pay attention to the news, she always said watching it made her depressed because there was never anything good being told to everyone. she had heard here and there about people getting sick etc so she didn't know the signs or what was even happening.
some day mid may amelia went to her best friends apartment to show her some recent comments on their joint tik tok account, the door was unlocked which wasn't unusual. once walking in she called out for her friend but didn't get a response, that was the unusual part. she thought nothing of it so she headed towards her bedroom, she'd been feeling unwell the day before so she figured maybe she was still in bed sick.
the events that took place are still a bit of a blur for amelia, she was so confused, shocked and scared by it all that she isn't even sure she is remembering it properly. she entered her julia's room, spoke like she usually would and held out the phone to her, julia was stood by the window. julia turned to her slowly before lunging at amelia. she didn't know how to react, to her she was still her friend and genuinely who would assume their friend is some sort of zombie?
amelia took a step outside of the bedroom once she lunged at her, amelia stood there and called out to julia and said "what the fuck was that for?" and then the panic set in once she lunged at her again and followed her out of the room. at some point during this julia managed to get a hold of amelia and they both fell to the ground. it was a strange tussle between the two, a lot of confusion on amelia's part, eventually she managed to grab something off of one of the side tables close by and hit julia over the head with it. she got up and ran out of the apartment, closed the door behind her and ran straight to her own place and called her brother.
at some point she was split from her brother and found herself at the saint marlowe medical community.
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