Dead Inside (Zombie/Survival Horror)

[SoleStride]

Adalynn Sharpe


Apparently, she had not been moving fast enough. She was physically slow in general, though her long-distance running couldn't be beat. When you take into account crazy dead cannibals, maybe speed was more necessary. Kano pushed the small girl along and Adalynn picked up her pace so she could keep up with them as they ran to the restaurant. God, Kano had been right. It was all she could think about right now. Kano had been right about Jeremy changing and attacking them, she was right about the other bodies getting back up. What a nightmare. She ran across the street with the other girls, hot on Kano's heels since near her seemed to be the safest place to be.

But Adalynn was startled back a few paces when the other girl started yelling at the restaurant door. Wait… There were people inside but they weren't willing to let in four high school girls? They just planned to leave them out there to die? How could someone do something so heinous? Addie turned to look behind them, watching a growing horde of dead start to push themselves back to their feet and shuffle onward. "Guys…!" She tugged on Kano's shirt gently, but her voice held a bit more urgency, even in its subtlety.

Kano made a decent argument to let them in – specifically because she was going to make sure that no one was safe if the people didn't help shelter them. Addie truly believed she would do it to. A small part of her felt that people who wouldn't help other people in such an easy way may actually deserve that fate. Adalynn peered through the glass, watching the people as they argued. Oh god… were they really going to just leave them out there? Finally, the people caved and unlocked the door to let them in. Addie was kind of pulled in with the rush of other girls and just let herself get shoved along until she was inside.

Once they were in, the people began talking to them normally, as if they hadn't just barely decided a more survivable fate for four teenagers. They just talked and talked about how everything would be okay and how their parents were probably just fine. The cops would take care of it, sure. Sure. From somewhere deep inside, Addie's rage began to build. Her anger boiled up and spilled over in the least expected way.

"You were going to leave us out there… to die at the hands of those monsters…" Her voice was quiet and monotone almost like a small child who didn't quite understand what had happened. But she definitely understood. "All of you made a conscious agreement to let four young girls fend for themselves in that travesty out there. And then only agreed to help when you were threatened. Then you talk to us as if you weren't seconds away from signing our death sentence. Are you even human? If the situation had been reversed, wouldn't you have pleaded for us to let you in? You're all as monstrous as those things outside." Her little speech ended on the tone of a disapproving parent. She still couldn't believe they'd been so self-serving.

Still clutching the broken unicorn horn in her hand, Addie simply walked away toward the back of the restaurant as if she hadn't just called everyone, except her classmates, terribly vile people to their faces. The white-haired girl made her way to the kitchen, peering around to make sure she didn't see anyone. Once there, she scoured the kitchen for any weapons. In all honesty, the girl wasn't even sure if she could use one when the time came, but the time might come where there was no other choice. When she finally spotted her targets, the girl found a thermal delivery bag and started to fill it with all the sharp utensils she could find. She may have been useless up until now, but she sure could prepare. Even a few oven mitts went into the bag – just in case for protection, and a frying pan or two. Along with the weapons, was also the buildings small, but possibly useful, First Aid Kit.

When that was done, the girl wandered around until she found the broom sticks, looking them over for a moment. Snap the head off and they could make a decent long range weapon or just something to keep those things away from you, or at a distance. With a nod, she hooked the bag over her shoulder and picked up the two brooms she'd found and moved back out onto the floor of the restaurant where she wordlessly presented the two broom sticks to Kano – the only one of the four girls she assumed could best break them for use.

​

 

[Saber]

Kano Ishikawa
Restaurant
​

Kano stayed back from the group a bit. Even though she wasn't worried about her parents, she couldn't help but worry about her younger brother. Though he was several hours away, Kano hoped that he'd at least know how to take care of himself. If there was anything her parents had ingrained in all of their children, it was to be independent and figure things out on their own. That came in handy when the world seemed to be ending. While she was thinking, she watched as Cassandra was speaking with another one of their classmates and shortly after, Adalynn lost it.

It wasn't a surprise that one of them finally cracked, but she made some good points. Kano couldn't blame the people though, self preservation was important in situations like this. Keep yourself safe, don't worry about others. That's how you survived in almost any aspect of life. The less people to care about, the better and easier things were. Of course, Kano also knew that staying in a group would help extend her survival. Traveling as a group gave her a better chance in case there was a skill she didn't have, which was unlikely.

After Adalynn ranted her little lungs out, she stormed back towards kitchen area and clamored around. Kano turned her eyes to the others who seemed not even the slightest bit phased by the white haired girl's speech. They didn't know them, and why would a group of adults be bothered by a teenage girl's dramatic outburst. When Adalynn returned, she was holding a delivery bag full of supplies, Kano assumed. She was also holding two brooms and Kano raised an eyebrow at Adalynn as she approached, offering the brooms to her. Grey eyes glanced at the brooms and then back at Adalynn before taking them, retracting the baton and shoving it in her bag.

"Thanks." She offered before taking the brooms and then noticed a blade peeking from the bag. She grabbed it wordlessly before moving to an empty booth along the wall. Kano unscrewed the broom heads before taking the knife and began sharpening the ends wooden sticks. "Maybe you all should be concerned about where you're going to move next." Kano stated as she concentrated on carving the broom sticks. "All of us won't be able to stay here for long before this place won't be safe. Those large glass windows won't hold forever."

When the sticks were sharpened to a very fine point, Kano blew on them before standing again, holding the sticks next to each other and measured them. One was a little shorter than the other and she walked over, offering the longer one to Zinnia. "You will need this at some point." Kano glanced out the window to see hordes of creatures streaming out into the streets and even though they seemed to be staying away from the restaurant, the people were not.

Bloodied strangers were heading towards the establishment and Kano gripped the newly made short spear in her hand as she backed away from the windows. "We need to go."

"What do you mean go?" One of the men asked as he glared at Kano, the one that was the most reluctant to open the door. "This place is safe, we aren't going to open the door to those people. They can fend for themselves."

"You must have a lot of friends." Kano muttered to herself as she watched a man with a large chunk of flesh missing from his arm run up to the window and begin banging on it. She grimaced and backed up. More people seemed to be storming towards the building and started screaming to let them in. The monsters caught up to them and soon the glass was splattered with blood from people getting bit. "We have to go!" She called again as moved forward and grabbed Zinnia, pulling her from the booth. "Cassandra, Adalynn, to the back, we have to leave."

As she said that, one of the windows shattered and Kano began back pedaling towards the kitchen. As she ushered the other girls to the kitchen, the man who had the rotten attitude grabbed her. "Stop!" He shouted as he gripped onto the collar of her shirt. "Help me block off that window! We let you in, you gotta help now!" Kano glanced at the window to see creatures already trying to climb in. Kano bared her teeth before pushing him back and tossing him the knife she had used to carve her spear.

"You're on your own." Kano replied before jogging off after the others. She caught a glimpse of the other adults there picking up a table to try and push the monsters back out. "I'm sure you'll be fine without my help." When she reached the back door, Kano opened it slowly, checking to make sure no one was out there. Thankfully the commotion from the window breaking must've drawn a lot of attention as all the creatures were heading towards the front.

Screams began to fill the air as Kano opened the door and moved towards the nearest vehicle, checking to see if there were keys inside or unlocked. Of course there weren't. Kano cursed before moving to another car with the same result. "Just give me a break, universe." She hissed as she picked a large truck that was unlocked. Kano opened the door, but there were no keys. There were, however, a bundle of wires hanging underneath the steering wheel. She pushed the unlock button on the door and turned towards the others. "Get in."

Kano climbed in the driver's seat and slammed the door shut before leaning down, examining the wires. She had read extensively on auto mechanics and found the wires she needed. She yanked them down and stripped the protective covering away before brushing them together. The engine revved, but didn't start until she tapped the wires together two more times and the truck roared to life. Kano didn't waste time turning onto the street and taking off. She glanced back at her classmates and then back to the street. "So where should we go?"