Dead Silence

[TragicTrees]

Marie had never been quite sure how a city could fall into disrepair so quickly. Now, she didn't actually remember how long it had been since the beginning, but it didn't feel like long; rather, it felt like a few months. And yet, everything looked like a dump. The city wasn't completely trashed yet, but the streets were cracking, wires were down, and windows were smashed.

The later was more from raids than time, though. That was simple to grasp. If you wanted to get in somewhere quickly, and it had automatic doors that wouldn't work without electricity, just throw something at the window, and suddenly you have a entrance. Of course, a downside to that was the noise. It would attract unwanted attention, whether it be raiders, or zombies. Marie never did that. She went more for apartments than large stores. She valued staying out of sight more than a easy meal. As she saw it, large stores would have more people checking them out. Small places were less likely to have anyone.

She was fairly sure that contributed to her being alive right now. Walking the streets, pole at hand- not many people were there to do such a simple thing. She let out a small puff of air, readjusting her messenger bag so it was more comfortable. She had the privilege of walking these streets, and while that was good, it was also sort of lonely. The dead silence got to her at points. She didn't even know where any zombies WERE at the moment. Sure, she saw the dead bodies laying on the ground of ones that had been taken care of, but other than that, nothing.

It got her nervous. Seeing a few zombies, surprisingly, would ease her nerves. But nothing, at all? It was suspicious, that's what it was. She hit a can lightly with her pole, wondering briefly if the small noise would attract anything. She guessed not, but she was still on guard as she approached a abandoned vehicle, aiming to see if there was anything useful inside.

 

[tipsytotodile]

If there was anything that could describe Jessica in these past months it would be... Bored. Or maybe isolated. She hated it. A few months ago she was the girl who went to every party, talked to every person, and loved the company. At this point, she was lucky if she could find some sort of animal let alone a human. And the humans she were likely to see were crazy savages, and whatever amount of humanity they had once is long gone. Those raiders were bad news. She's seen their crimes first hand.

Thinking back on it now, Jessica is nothing short of ashamed to admit she was a part of one of those heinous groups. She thought it was the easiest way to survive, but she realized she was in more danger than ever. That is a past part of her life, though, and she didn't like to think about it. Now she was on her own again, wandering the city in search for the supplies to continue living. If there was anything she missed from being with the raiders it was the (semi)safe place to sleep and plentiful supplies. But their means of obtaining those things made her sick.

She wasn't exactly sure where in the city she'd found herself in, none of it looked familiar. But regardless of this, the day was coming to an end and she needed a place to stay. Grabbing the strap of her backpack, she kept her eyes open for any safe, quiet, unoccupied building.

 

[TragicTrees]

Marie tried opening the door, hoping that it was unlocked. She had no such luck, though. There also didn't appear to be keys nearby. Breaking the window would more likely than not cause the car alarm to go off, and at this point, it just wasn't worth it to try and get it open. So, she gave up on it, simply because she had enough to last her the next few days, and this would do her no good. The last thing she needed was attention.

She stepped away from the car, a bit disappointed in the lack of supplies, but not entirely devastated by it. She would just move on. She ducked away from the car, heading down the street once more. She paused, though, once she noticed a figure nearby. It looked like a normal person, stature taken into consideration. She paused, assessing the situation. They looked to be alone. That was a good sign. She took a deep breath, before beginning to approach them. To get their attention without a excess amount of noise, she raised a hand and waved, smiling a bit. Potential social interaction, after a long time of being lonely, was a bit exciting. Even in the Appocolypse.

 

[tipsytotodile]

Jessica could've sworn she was seeing things as she turned her head and saw not a zombie, not a raider, but an actual, normal looking person. She stood there for a moment, frozen as the figure waved her arms at her. She was stunned. When was the last time she saw an actual human being? A few weeks? A month? It was actually exciting. Humans were meant to socialize, not stay isolated by themselves for week and months and years.

She quickly snapped out of her shocked state and smiled softly, waving back at the figure before she walked towards her. She kept her crowbar held tightly in her hand, just in case she'd need it. You can never be too careful. But this person seemed nice enough, though, and she didn't expect she'd need it.

 

[TragicTrees]

Marie made her way over fairly quickly after being acknowledged, obviously pleased that this person was a bit friendly. After all, the last group she had met was down-right awful. This was a relief, and she intended to enjoy the moment while she was able. And that meant talking. It wasn't her fault if she talked a lot, she figured. She was ecstatic, after all, and this was a good excuse to be. She was sure the other person would deal.

"Gosh, I haven't seen anyone in ages!" she began in a hushed voice, when she got close enough "I was afraid I was literally the last person on earth. Well, except for those creepy fellows with tendencies to raid- as far as I'm concerned, though, I wouldn't consider people who do that and think nothing of it people." She smiled widely "Sorry, sorry. It's just....this is fantastic. Really fantastic. I hope I'm not freaking you out or anything."

 

[tipsytotodile]

Jessica kept her subtle smile as the other girl approached her. She could tell how excited she was about this, just about as excited as she herself felt, even if she couldn't show it. The first thing she observed about this woman, other than her excitability, was how much she talked. They'd only just come face to face and she was running her mouth. She refused to let herself mind, though. This was a pretty big moment.

She cringed at the comment she made about the raiders. Not only did it bring back bad memories, it made her feel bad about herself. She once was one of those people, after all. But at least their views on the raiders were similar.

"No, I understand." She said with a small laugh, the grip on her weapon loosening as she became relaxed. "This is... pretty big. I haven't seen anyone in... well, it seems like so long."

 

[TragicTrees]

Big didn't exactly cover it for Marie. This was fantastic. She basically needed social interaction for survival. Having thoughts in your head and no one to tell them to? It was like a personal hell, really. She had been accustomed to talking to people so often that it really stung when it was gone. And, this woman seemed nice enough. She seemed to understand Marie's current problem concerning the lack of being social.

"I know! And I've been traveling down to the south. I've seen no one, really, and it's really creepy." she said, smiling "I expected....well, I don't know what I expected, but not this, you know?" She then held out a hand to the other "My name is Marie, and it's lovely to meet you, no matter how short our interaction is."

 

[tipsytotodile]

Jessica glanced down at the other girls hand before taking it in her own and shaking it "Jessica." She introduced, "Nice to meet you too."

She wasn't exactly sure what to make of this. Should she suggest they team up? Maria clearly enjoys being in someone else's company, and it would be a good strategical move. Two is better than one. At least, that's what they used to say.

Maybe she was getting ahead of herself. She really was a little too excited about this. Already she wanted to talk alliance and they hadn't known each other but thirty seconds. Maybe even less. She quickly pushed those silly thoughts aside and instead decided that she should wait and see what happens. Get to know her a little bit longer and maybe wait until the other mentions something on the matter.

 

[TragicTrees]

"So! You heading anywhere? Or just staying here?" Marie inquired, putting her pole through a loop in her belt.

This didn't seem like a time for it. The woman she was talking to wasn't aggressive, and Marie didn't want to seem so herself. That would cause trouble, and she didn't exactly want that. Ruining the one social interaction she'd had in months wasn't on her list of things to do.

And the possibility of someone traveling with her would increase if she didn't mess this up. After all, safety in numbers, the more the merrier. Marie was never good with being on her own. It seemed a little desperate to hope to travel with someone you just met, but in all honesty, it made sense to be in this situation. It was a good tactical action, and it was good to keep herself sane and social. She might not have this chance again for a while

 

[tipsytotodile]

"I was just looking for some place to stay, actually." She said, her eyes leaving the girl in front of her to scan the surrounding area.

It was quiet. Out of all the terrible things going on, that was what unsettled her the most. All her life she was used to noise. Loud music, people chatting. She'd never stayed in complete silence in her life. It was so unnatural to her.

 

[TragicTrees]

Marie dipped her head in a nod "I know a good place to check nearby, if you like. It's not really a place people would head to to raid, you know? Makes it a bit safer. Though, I'd still have a weapon handy and at the ready, of course!" She replied, smiling a little.

She really hoped the other woman would accept. It would make things a lot easier, and not just for socializing. Shifts to make sure nothing bad happened during the night would be useful, as well as having someone else to fight with if something DID happen. It was what made traveling in groups so useful; though the food and water went quicker, in the end, it was safer. It wasn't just for having a friend, though that was also good to have. It was more for having a partner with a common goal: Staying alive.

 

[tipsytotodile]

Her gaze finally returned to the girl in front of her as she finished speaking. Was it really a good idea to go with her? This could be a trap. She could be a raider, ready to mug her--or worse.

But she didn't seem like the sort. It could be an act, but Jessica always liked to trust her gut. Right now her gut told her maybe this wasn't so bad. Besides, it was a worthwhile risk. This girl promised a safe place and If she didn't find a place to stay now then the risk of death would be the same as it is going somewhere with a stranger. She might as well take the offer.

With a small smile, she nodded. "That would be nice, thanks."

 

[TragicTrees]

Marie clapped her hands together, smiling "Great! Gosh, it's good to have company. Anyway, we have to walk a bit, but it should only be five minutes or less, if the map I've been going by is right!" She replied cheerily, readjusting her bag on her shoulder.

Then, she began to walk, navigating through the random rubbish on the streets. Mostly, it was just smashed glass and pieces of cars; it wasn't anything major she could actually trip over. It was good to be careful anyway, though. You really never did know what could happen, in these times. You could cut yourself, and get sick! Or, you could fall, injure your leg, and not be able to run. Now, Marie didn't want to risk any of that, so she made sure she walked quite gingerly while traveling, if she could.