16TH ♫ | carbon my body a billion years of time

[torya]

THE POST-APOCALYPTIC MEME HOW TO PLAY - comment in the subject line with your character's name and canon. - state any preferences you might have. - choose a scenario or use the number generator. - have fun! SCENARIOS 1. Alien Invasion ▸ Aliens have taken over the earth. 2. Climate Change ▸ The climate of our planet has shifted suddenly. 3. Cybernetic Revolt ▸ Technology has turned against us. 4. Impact Event ▸ A meteor struck the Earth. 5. Nuclear Warfare ▸ They dropped the big one. Enjoy that fallout. 6. Pandemic ▸ A disease is threatening to wipe out human life on earth. 7. Resource Depletion ▸ There are no longer enough resources to support life. 8. Zombie Apocalypse ▸ A classic, zombies have invaded and destroyed everything. 9. Other ▸ Combine several scenarios or come up with your own! (x)

Comments

[serrata]

Yes, the school -- across the way, if you come with me, there's food and water, we've got barricades and electricity and--

[ she realizes that she's babbling and makes herself stop. Yuuri takes one long shaky breath in and holds it until her heart stops pounding. She can't just let him leave, not know that she knows there really are other people around here still alive and uninfected. ]

The... the school across the road. It doesn't look like much, but it's... it's where I'm staying. It's safe -- we'd have running water and electricity and there's barriers and barricades. They won't get in.

[ her hand is still holding a fistful of the boy's shirt and she finally makes herself let go. ]

It's... safe. Safer than travelling.

[garudynamic]

[She might be letting go of him... but in turn he grabs her- his eyes huge and shiny. He's cried out a long time ago, but it's clear if he still COULD he would be. There's a raspy sob in his voice]

You're... you're telling the truth? God, you're probably luring me over so your buddies can jump me, aren't you?

[He's accusing, but his tone is so heartbreakingly hopeful]

[serrata]

[ she jumps in fright when he grabs at her and she very nearly swings with the shovel. she's so on edge, so terrified that they'll be overheard and swarmed that her nerves feel like piano strings, drawn tight enough to pluck notes from. But he's no real threat. So she sucks in a breath to try and steady herself before slowly nodding her head. ]

There's... no one else left. But me.

[ Her throat constricts painfully tight as she says so and she has to force the words out. She still doesn't like saying or thinking it, but it's true. She's the only one left.

She lets go of the the shovel with one hand and sets it atop Yosuke's. ]

So come with me.

[garudynamic]

...

Heh, sure. What do I got to lose?

[His words are joking, but there's an echo of her own words there- nothing to lose because he too, is alone now.]</small.

[serrata]

[ she nods mutely, unsure of what else to say. she's... never had to save anyone else on her own before. she'd always had the others to help. and now she has to get both of them -- and some food -- back to the school unscathed.

easy. she almost wants to laugh.

instead, she swallows and when she speaks, she sounds a little detached. almost businesslike. it's the tone of someone who's gotten this far by making their own status quo and sticking to it. ]

Do you have anything with you for carrying -- like a bag? A backpack would be best.

[garudynamic]

Huh? Oh, yeah.

[He reaches over and- yep there's a backpack. Battered all to hell and frayed, but functional. And already half full. Looks like he was busy before she caught him]

[serrata]

[ She nods. Good. With any luck, they won't have to dawdle here long. ]

What were you gathering? The school's running low on canned goods -- the more cans we can take back to stockpile, the better.

[garudynamic]

Cans, yeah. I have... you know, an opener.

[I's a silly thing, but it was better then using a knife]

Not a lot left, it's been picked over at least once.

[serrata]

I'm not surprised... we're on a main road, after all. This was probably one of the first stores people ran to when they were evacuating...

[ she runs her eyes over the shelves, brow furrowed in consideration. ]

See how many cans you can find that are still good for stockpiling. I'll see what else I can find... we're running out of sauces and pastas and...

[ she trails off, aware that she's talking to herself more than Yosuke and makes herself stop. but then she gives him a shaky smile. ]

Is there anything you're allergic to? Anything that isn't worth taking back to school?

[garudynamic]

Uh... tofu. But I can eat it in a pinch, I won't die or anything.

[He starts going through cans again, feeling... strange. Everything is happening so fast, he feels like he's in a dream]

....what's your name?

[Maybe that will help her feel real, and not just his lonely mind providing for him again]

[serrata]

[ she's pulling boxes of bag-boil curry and meat sauce from the shelf by the handful and it's only when he speaks up that she's stopped by the realization that they haven't even introduced themselves. She laughs, but it's a shaky broken little noise with no mirth.

When she turns back to face him though, her smile is warm. ]

Yuuri. Yuuri Wakasa.

[ It doesn't sound right yet. Yuuri instead of 'Rii-san'. It might never sound right again. But she'd like it to. ]

[garudynamic]

Yosuke Hanamura.

[His voice sounds like a frog... god, when had he last used his name? It didn't seem THAT long ago but... months seem longer with no one else there.

Her name makes something shift inside him, a painful bile in his belly that he thought he had locked down awhile back. He puts his boot down on it and presses, hard. Not now, he can't do this right now]

[serrata]

Yosuke-kun, then.

[ the familiarity comes as easily as anything -- maybe a little bit too easily. in the absence of anyone else, she knows it's easy to get attached quickly. maybe too attached, considering what's lurking outside. ]

Take what you can carry and tell me when you're done. I'll get us both back to the school safe -- I promise.

[garudynamic]

[it doesn't take long before he's packed down, the bag on one shoulder even though that has to hurt under all the weight- so he could easily dump it and run if he has to]

...alright, I'm in your care.

[He was going to have to follow her blindly, with no time to ask anything.]

[serrata]

[ She tightens the braided buns in her hair until they're almost painful and hitches her own bag up onto one shoulder. It's packed so full it's almost a wonder it doesn't burst at the seams, but with two people, she doesn't dare skimp on food.

With the shovel in one hand, she inches towards the closed door and peers out through the glass. ]

... it doesn't look like there's any in the street yet. When I open the door, we're going to make a break for it and go to the school gates as fast as we can.

From there we'll have to see what the activity in the school grounds is like. Are you a good sprinter, Yosuke-kun?

[ his name feels like honey on her tongue each time she says it. it's like a physical reminder that he's here. she isn't alone. ]

[garudynamic]

[He chuckles- the sound sounding strange to his ears- familiar, but like he's hearing a recording of himself. That can't be what he sounds like, right?]

Oh yeah, don't worry about me keeping up. I got this.

[serrata]

[ She smiles. Good. He's still got some morale in him.

Reaching across, Yuuri slowly eases the door open, fully prepared to slam it shut again at the first sign of trouble. Nothing rears its head and eventually she has the door open just wide enough for them both to slip out together. ]

On my count. [ she mutters, just loud enough for him to hear. ] One, two and three--

[ and she takes off sprinting, leading the way to the school gate. ]

[garudynamic]

[He dashes after her, head low and back bowed to keep his bag on his shoulder- he's unarmed (his last weapon ending up stuck in some corpses head or another) and has no idea where they are going. So instead he follows on Yuuri with pinpoint focus, not daring to even look around for enemies in case he lose sight of her. Instead listening for moans]

[serrata]

[ Every step leaves her expecting one of Them to appear out of nowhere and tear them both to shreds. She's made this run before but this time it seems twice as long, the school practically miles away. It can't really be any longer than about half a minute by the time but reach the gate, but it feels like an hour to Yuuri.

She shifts the weight of the shovel in her hands, ready to lash out as she peeks out at the school grounds and sees...

Well. Not nothing. There's always a few of them milling around. But it's late enough at the day that maybe... just maybe most of them have gone home.

She's speaking in a whisper now. ]

Yosuke-kun. Come and look. Can you see the entrance? Do you think you'll make that run while carrying the cans?

[ it's a long sprint -- maybe about thirty feet. it's a tough but not impossible run. for Yuuri, anyway -- she's still a little nervous of putting too much faith in getting him back unscathed. ]

[garudynamic]

I... I think. It's safe past the doors? If so I think I can make it at a straight run, yeah.

[He's run farther, but usually not encumbered.]

They'll hear the cans clacking though.

[serrata]

As safe as it can be outside the barricades. The door's boarded up, but there's still a gap we can get in and out from. If you make it to there and get inside, it should be easier going from there.

[ she starts slowly easing her bag off her shoulder. ]

Now... do you think you could make it with both? If I take the shovel and cover your back.

[garudynamic]

I'll be slower, but I think so.

[He's not a big guy- clearly all limbs and not much meat. But the run hadn't really winded him much so far- in decent shape, but no lifter.]

Can't afford to stumble even a little though.

[serrata]

[ with a grim smile: ] Isn't that always the case?

[ she hands her bag over to him, then hefts the shovel in her hands. ]

But you don't have to be afraid of them. Just keep your eyes on the door and keep running. I'll protect you -- I promise. They won't hurt a hair on your head.

Let me know when you're geared up for it, Yosuke-kun. I'll count us down.

[garudynamic]

...worry about yourself, too.

[Part of him wants to tell her to not worry about him- her words make him feel small, her tone make him think she's lost people this way before.]

Okay, ready.

[serrata]

[ Yuuri just nods. It’s hard to tell what it’s in response to, but she takes a quick breath in and holds it in an attempt to still her racing heart. ]

Okay. On my count again. Three, two—

[ the last word sticks in her throat and for a moment, she can’t get it out. She doesn’t want to make this run – she’s terrified that the instant Yosuke steps onto the school grounds he’ll be torn apart. She’s sick and tired of having to hope and bet on surviving when everyone else is long dead.

Yuuri makes herself take in another of those big shaky breaths and swallows hard. ]

One.

[ time to go. ]