#sabrdelta

[mk-williams]

Day 11 || April 25th During Breach || IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Well, the peace and quiet of the new camp didn't seem to last for too long. Morgan had gotten some time to rest, sharpen and clean her lucky knife that she still carried from when she'd been placed on the wall at the beginning of all of this. This knife had served her well through all of the madness, and she'd begun to gather that it was the entire reason she had survived. Every time she used it, it seemed as though she was able to get herself out of sticky situations. "I should name this awesome thing... Needle is taken by Arya... this isn't a needle, and I hate needles. Hmm, Sting is taken too... stupid Frodo and Bilbo." Pausing in her own conversation, "Slaymaggedon? Slaycalypto?" 

In the middle of her thought process she was interrupted by Bentley. A smile was forming on her face at the sight of him, until she noticed the seriousness of his expression. The smile that was about to form on her face dropped, and concern took it's place. The news that he gave was not at all what she wanted to hear. "Do you need me to fight? I'll go." She replied, already standing and preparing herself for what was ahead. 

Morgan stepped toward him, and held up a finger, "And before you decide to argue whether I should be out there, I will remind you that I have already been kidnapped, placed on a wall with The Slaymeister, here-" She waved her knife at him. "And made it through that, then I made it through a daring escape, and since then have made it through dozens of zombie attacks while being a nomad, but not the pansy, sparkly, vampires-on-a-moving-walkway kind of nomad." 

Their conversation couldn't last much longer than that. They had work to do to keep this place safe for everyone else. Morgan followed Bentley to fight the zombies, encountering Troy. The three of them did a chant, which caused Morgan to laugh hysterically. It was a mixture of hysteria from the fear of what was to come, mixed with the silliness of the chant in the midst of something that was so serious. She took a moment to take in the sight of a new friend, and someone that she considered as one of her dearest, and closest friends. 

Unable to dwell on any of the feelings that were going on, they turned away from each other to face the madness. Morgan went to work on zombie after zombie like a seasoned professional. She'd become so used to wielding her weapon, and how the zombies reacted, that it became no work at all. She was calling out the number of each kill, the number escalating quickly with the quickness of the zombies coming in. 

Jumping back to avoid a lunge one of the small group that was headed at her, she dodged the attack, and placed herself in a better position to kill, it also spread them out so that she didn't have to battle all three at the same time, but could take each one singly in quick succession. Each went down, and she spun around hearing the sounds of more coming at her to her side. Those went down. One by one, they were taking zombies down, and she couldn't afford to glance over to see how well the others were doing, she just needed to focus on her work. 

The number she was taking down kept increasing, it was an impressive sight to see all of the ones that she had killed on her own. The things that she had been through helped her kill with swift ease, making her appear like a skillful warrior. She showed no fear in her face, despite there being a slight fear inside that she fought down. There was no tremor in her movements, only steadfast, sureness. Clean, swift cuts and stabs were placed with incredible precision. It was looking as though she would be able to make it through the breach without any problems at all. 

However, it was at that moment, where she stabbed yet another zombie, that her knife got stuck on the clothing the zombie wore. "Dammit." She muttered. Now, she was stuck facing the other zombies without a weapon, and not enough time to call for another. Morgan was trying her best to think of a new course of action, some way to get herself out of this mess without dying. Every solution that passed through her head was shot down without another option. She was going to see the end. It was going to end here, with Bentley so close. 

In the short moments that she had, Morgan turned her head to glance over at Bentley. Even if he shot these zombies, he wouldn't be able to shoot fast enough to kill those in front of him, those in front of her, and get her a weapon. He seemed so focused, and she didn't want to chance him getting hurt, or worse, dying. 

While watching him in his fearless beauty she felt the grips of the zombies on her. The one who had taken her lucky knife lay on the ground, another finished corpse among many others she had taken down single-handedly. Despite her efforts, the excruciating pain that she felt in the assault from the zombies caused a cry to escape her. It didn't matter that she was being attacked, she elbowed, pushed, kicked, and did everything she could to prevent the zombies from biting her, but they were too much to take. Morgan kicked, and flailed as much as she could, taking rapid steps away from the zombies, leading them on a little chase. 

Morgan quickly glanced back at Bentley, and caught his eye. She could see the fear in his look, but she shook her head at him. Tears in her eyes, knowing there was no way out for her. There was too much of a gap between herself, and him, he wouldn't make it to her in time, and he had his own problem to deal with. 

Holding her hand out to him, "Don't! Don't try to be heroic, Bents..." She felt a tearing scratch at her arm that caused another cry of pain to sound out from her. "I'm sorry! Please know that I always lo-" There was no way for her to finish the words she wanted, it was in that fading in and out of consciousness that she slipped. I think I always knew... you were always the perfect one for me. Now, I just hope you can find the perfect one for you, Bentley. At least she went down with a fight. At least she'd seen him one last time. 

[jameson-cartwright]

Day 10 || April 24th || You Give Me A Reason To Keep Living.

When Jameson had arrived at the safe haven, he had come in to the terrible news of his brother's death. He had silently let tears fall as the awful pain tore through him at the loss of the person he considered his best friend being taken from this world. Part of him had been glad that Micah didn't have to see what the outcome of this apocalypse had come to so far, but at the same time, Jameson wasn't sure he wanted to know a world that didn't include his older brother. Despite all of the pain, exhaustion finally set in whether he wanted it to, or not. His heavy eyes closed, and he fell into such a deep sleep that he didn't dream of anything.

However, after a few hours of rest, he was woken up by a lot of commotion, as he rose from his spot, he realized another group had come in. Standing, Jameson made his way over to where the people from the new group were coming into the camp. He wanted to see if there was anything that he could do to help, and he did still have his medical bag just in case it was needed for any reason. 

It was a bit of mayhem. People were rushing around, and he was trying to differentiate the new from the old. However, something caught his eye. A woman carrying the most familiar face that he had seen in a long time. "Oh God..." He breathed out.

Without a care, Jameson began to shove people out of his way as he rushed towards her. The moment that her eyes landed on him, he heard the most elated sound of, "JAMMY!" The sound of Aubrianna's tiny voice helped to heal that little bit of a hole in his heart from the loss of his brother. 

Jameson wrapped her in his arms, a mixture of a laugh, and a cry sounded from him. "Hey there, Little Bit." As he pulled back, he took in her appearance. She appeared to be completely unscathed, which made him even happier. "I'm happy to see you... really happy to see you."

I'll take care of her for you, Micah. She's going to make it out of this alive, even if I don't. 

[troy-boden]

I look around at the people here, seeing the way the look and the sadness written on their faces. Loss of ones they cared about in their eyes and I wish there was something I could do make all the pain go away. Then there is part of me that just wants to continue killing biters. 

[mk-williams]

Day 10 || April 24th || Against All Odds We're Still Here || Bentley & Morgan

Morgan wasn't sure what they had come across when she and Lachlan arrived at the barrier, moving it aside so that they could get through. When she noticed that it was a refuge, a safe haven for many others who had managed to survive the hell that they had been through, she almost collapsed in relief. She had gone through a struggle to reach this point. She'd been kidnapped, thrown on the border with a poor weapon, which she still carried as good luck, and forced to constantly kill zombies. She'd managed to escape without an injury, miraculously, and at the cost of other's lives. Afterward, they had basically become a nomad group, trying to find somewhere safe. 

Now, after losing everyone in her group, and finding Lachlan, they had reached a spot where they could rest. She hadn't slept properly in so long that she was beginning to wonder if she had started hallucinating. That was exactly what her train of thought was when the sight of Bentley appeared in front of her. Morgan was trying to gather whether he was real, or whether she was in such a dire need of seeing someone she cared about that she was imagining him standing there.

Morgan stood frozen on the spot, reaching over with one hand to pinch her other arm. Ouuuuch! Not a hallucination. This had to be real... right? "Bents...?" His name came out in a sort of tone of disbelief, and question. She needed to hear that he was real, she needed it for herself, and her sanity.

[kailanimaris]

People Say Goodbye In Their Own Special Way || Day Seven || 4.21.14 || Kailani, Bentley, and Adele

Everyone had to pull their weight at Delta and Kailani liked the idea of helping to get her mind off of everyone and everything she'd lost. Alan told her to take it easy while her body went through the steps of the miscarriage, but she just wanted to move on, even if she didn't know what that meant. The first day there had been her first day of real food, medical care, and a proper shower. It was more than that, she had Jenner, Adele, and Bentley. She'd had her first familiar hugs and her first thankful 'I love you's'.

They'd told her what they'd been up to, someone had cleverly thought to cross some of the buildings with robs or ladders and hang flickering lights off buildings at night to draw the biters away from the safe zone. During the day they'd been sending the smaller girls to go down the water drains, sewage drains, or dow the narrow walkways they'd created for protection as they were extending the safe zone. They'd chuck bombs at the crowd of biters that had assembled under these lights and wipe out the hazard. They weren't military, it was just chemical bombs or whatever they found in the station that they could use. Some of the people in the group were smart, smarter than Kai and they told her about the traps they'd set called IEDs...They told her these things to explain to her that she was safe now. They told her these things and all she wanted to do was help more people be safe.

When she woke up with the sun, little Evie asleep next to her she kissed the top of the baby's head, not wanting to waste any more time letting the people she loved know that. Jenner was there, still asleep but she did the same to him before she left the room. Everyone had guns and knives, it looked like a game to her. There she was, wild haired and doe eyed in boots, denim shorts, and a thin cotton t-shirt, walking through a street filled with guns and running, orders and elbow pads. There wasn't a reason for why she'd lasted so long in this world, even before the chaos started, she just always seemed to slip through unnoticed and forgotten. Still, she found Bentley with Adele- who looked worse off than before and offered to help.

After some discussion he reluctantly agreed to let her go through the pipes and replace the timed bombs. They were narrow pipes and she'd spent her whole life in a box, sometimes quite literally, there wasn't a single fear going through her mind as he told her where to crawl , a simple straight line out and back. It couldn't be said that they'd been smart about it all, more lucky. The pipe wasn't one for the buildings people were staying in it was for the ones on the east side of the street, they learned this after a miss fire of a bomb a little ways down the road. They'd since moved a car over the hole and all she'd need to do was crawl through the pipe, chuck it out the hole, and crawl back quickly.

The girl didn't look at Adele or Bentley as she went down, fearful that she wouldn't have that beautiful brave face she'd seen on some of the others. The ladder down wasn't long, the tunnel wasn't bright, the warmth of LA didn't reach down there and her nerves truly kicked in. The girl's small hand shook with how tightly it clasped the little killer. With her boots squeaking behind her as she made her way to the gap her heart raced more and more, as if she realized how unfit she was to help in this way, how she should've stayed with Evie and savored the baby's sleeping face or just followed Adele or Bentley around until they shooed her off. Approaching the hole where she'd be chucking the thing she seemed to become hyper sensitive to the groans of the zombies, her mind in a panic over Axel, Jean, and Riley being the people she was about to hurt. Her eyes watered and she let the thing go.

You see, there are moments in life where you just need luck, like in tennis and the ball hits the net. There are little moments when something can go your way or it just doesn't...This was one of those moments where it wouldn't.

Rapidly crawling back in a frenzy, she was unaware of the fact that the bomb had hit a car tire and rolled back in, beeping as it stopped int he rubble at the opening. Beep. She was closer to the exit, shoes squeaking behind her, wet. Beep. Squeak. Beep. She could see the ladder, reach for it if she wanted to. Beep. Stuck. Pivoting her hips she yanked on her boot, and tried to undo the laces. She heard them, Adele and Bentley, "My boots stuck, I'm coming." That's when it happened, the thing went off and everyone could see it hadn't gone right.

The car blasted away from the opening and a fire hydrant blew water everywhere. Inside the tunnel there was now rubble and a steady stream of water. Maybe it was luck that the blast went up and out, it gave her more time...time to die that was. Kailani tried to cough away the dust in her mouth but it wouldn't go, she couldn't even hear herself cough at first reaching for the ladder she tried to pull herself toward the ladder but she felt more stuck now than before. As the smoke disipated she saw why, the collapse was large and the rubble was moving toward her, covering her more than it already was. Supporting herself with one hand behind her she started to unbury her legs to get to the boot whose laces were snagged. If she'd have looked at that hand she'd have seen the blood in the water, seen how fast the water was rising, but Kai was a simple person that never noticed things like that.

Her ears wouldn't stop ringing and then, in the darkness she felt hands behind her, Bentley was half down the hole, he didn't fit at all and she laughed, "You're like a giant in a mouse trap. I just need to get my shoe off I'm stuck. Be up in a second."

This was the problem with adrenaline, nothing prepared you less for amputations, blood loss, or zombie resurrections less than adrenaline when you were a naive dreamer like Kailani. The tunnel was half full, and a particularly large chuck of debris blocked her view from that was going on and her ability to get up. She felt the tug on the other side, assuming her boot was free and she held the debris dragging it along hoping it would break or from the movement. It didn't shift and her boot wasn't free. No, her leg was gone above the knee and even though she was going to bleed out in minutes that slab of debris was going to keep her pinned there as she drowned to death.

Resting her back against the ladder and looking up the hole she saw Bentley and Adele, her sweet smile spreading across her full lips. "I don't think I did it right. We should probably find something else for me to do." Her nose crinkled as she sighed, realizing that the water was now lapping at the slab of debris. "I'm a little stuck, but I'm tired. I'm just going to rest a minute and then try to squeeze around it."

Closing her eyes, she seemed to fall asleep and when she woke up she shivered, so cold and scared, she was wet and there were so many faces at the hole. The water was at her neck and splashing her face. There was no way to describe the abundance of things she felt. The adrenaline had worn away and she was in so much pain that she screamed and cried, "Bentley, it hurts!" Her large eyes seemed to go wider as she reached up to them like a child pleading to be picked up. "Help me! Please!" she tried to tug on the ladder or pivot her hips. She cried and pleaded and hurt and they knew because they tried, they'd tried to save her and they couldn't.

As the girl sobbed, tilting her head up for her last few breaths she reached out and took their hands in hers, squeezing them with every once of pathetic strength she had left. "Don't leave me here to hurt someone. I love you, okay? I love you, and I'm so sorr--"

The girl tried to hold her breath, she was good at that. Eventually it just hurt to much to try anymore and, like falling asleep, she felt her fingers slip from them and she was alone and it was cold and dark. Everything hurt, her legs and lungs, her head and ears, but mostly her heart. She'd grown up her whole life thinking she was a curse and her final thoughts weren't that she was loved but that she was finally being punished for loving people so much. There wasn't a restart button, it didn't matter how kind you were to people, it didn't matter that her whole life had been terrible except it the last year and that if anyone deserved a fast and painless death it was probably the people that lived a pain filled life. It didn't matter because no one deserved to die that died in the last seven days. There were no kisses or warm arms to hold her in the moment she was most afraid of, she just had to let go, accept the fate she'd been told she deserved. Letting out her last pocket of air, the bubbles tangling in the dark tendrils of her hair as they moved like dancers in the now thrashing water, and with that Kailani left them.

[mrgrant-sb]

Day 6 -- How strong is your will || Self para

Evan saw a mass of people of people approach their camp. The perimeter had been extended thanks to their work yesterday. Despite it all Evan was still alive. His wound while it hurt didn't seem to be moving at an alarming rate. Looking around while they had the space there would come a point when their supplies would start to run low. Each member of the group was given a choice of either a knife or a gun. While the new people were brought into the group he saw that many knew the someone else. Stepping to the side Evan was again reminded that he didn't have that. He had talked to a few people but he had always felt to awkward to keep talking to them. So he knew a lot of people but not well enough to call them good friends or even friends.

Having had to fake his way through most of his life Evan was used to smiling and acting happy on queue. There were many things on Evan's mind. He could stay here and do what he's been doing. Trying to help from a distance or he could leave. It would have to be now or never. If Evan left he could go and try to find some where to treat the wound. Maybe halt the process for a while. He didn't want to die. But he didn't know if there was a way to stop it. Walking away he found himself by their weapons supply. This was it. He had to make his decision and it had to be now. He grabbed two knifes along with a gun with a round of ammo. Stuffing them in to his pockets and his hoodie he left the room and headed towards their food supply. 

He took his bag from the corner of the room and managed to take a little bit of food, enough that he would normally get in one day. Taking out his pen and a sheet of paper. He scribbled a note down leaving it folded neatly in plain sight of anyone who'd walk into the room. 

Dear Delta,

I'm sorry for not saying anything before this but given the circumstances I think it better. What with the new people arriving and my own injury likely to lead to another event like the one which it stemmed from. I feel that it is time for me to bow out. You all are amazing people but there is too much that is at risk if something happens. Everyone has someone looking for them. Someone they're waiting for.  I've taken it upon myself to leave the encampment. The secured perimeter should last another day or two. I'm leaving his note as a thank you. To everyone here. I'm not sure I would have survived to this point other wise. While it is difficult to say if I will survive I feel like that it would be safer for everyone if left. I hope the best for all of you. Safety and that you find your loved ones. To the new members I wish you the same.

Evan.

With that Evan left through the back entrance. Slipping through the group's notice. Putting his hands into his pocket Evan felt an artefact from his old life. The key to The Writing Nook. Taking this as a chance he walked to the building unlocking it walking inside to talk a last look. To remember and relive his old life. Standing in the café. Remembering the people he worked with. The customers. The life. The smell. Smiling he turned around and headed below to the lower level his vision focusing on one point in particular.  The table where Alek had sat all the time. Where he used to wait if he was free for Evan to finish his shift. Where Evan would take his break and just rewind in the company of his lover. He walked closer and looked under the table. Seeing that their names were still there. The only difference was it didn't say Evan and Alek. It said Ionnes and Sasha.. Their real names. Their little secret. Something only the two of them knew. Evan's eyes began to swell with tears. He stood up smiling, with his tears he knew that the other was safe. He wasn't here anymore. He was back in Ireland with his father. He walked out of the building one last time knowing that he wasn't going to give up on life that easily. He walked out of the building a different man. He wasn't going to let this get the better of him. Not without a fight.

[kailanimaris]

Day Six | 4.20.14 | Del & Kailani

She'd immediately recognized the voice of the woman with the gun, even if she hadn't recognized her by appearance at first. "Adele?" The name was squealed or cried and as she stood there, somewhat relieved that they'd made it to another group exhaustion got the best of her and she started to cry- again, her group moving forward somewhat unbothered by their weeping girl as that had been all she'd done for days now.

Things started pull together, Adele looked sick and then she saw the wrapped wound. Kai's hands covered her mouth as she tried not to scream or cry harder because it was almost worse knowing when someone was going to die. Then another piece, Evie. Where was she? Kailani assumed the worst, especially since Adele would fight tooth and nail for that little girl and was now hurt....but that wasn't the only one- Lachlan...he'd never leave Adele's side...he was missing, she'd seen that, but maybe the missing really meant presumed dead...again, she broke a little more. So there she was, standing in front of Adele, sobbing and incapable of putting words together.

[kailanimaris]

Day Six | 4.20.14 | Kailani & Bennybeartley 

When Foxtrot arrived at Delta she hadn't heard the news about Sebastian. They'd been running all day and there was Adele at the border. Adele was sick but Kai was relieved she wasn't dead and then she saw him, that tall guy that never stopped smiling before looked like he'd grown up so much since the last time she saw him. Still, for the first time in nearly a week she felt relieved, and maybe even a tiny bit happy, and she pushed those short little legs to run forward and leap into his arms. She'd found her brother, and in her mind that meant she'd find Sebastian too and get Troy back...she just didn't know that wouldn't be happening yet so...let's let her hug him and have her ten seconds of peace. "BENNY! It's you!"