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Just as Kevin asked where Roman went, he walked back into the room and waved. “There he is, everything alright?” Kevin asked. Mere seconds later Stephanie also welcomed him back. Shortly after that Tori asked what the plan was for today, she wanted to know what they were going to do.
“I think Michael can best decide on what to do, he knows his way around here.” Kevin said. Just then Roman started to sing. Kevin immediately recognized the song and sand with him. He smiled as they finished the chorus. “Nice song.” He said with a smile.
Post by Roman Hughes on May 16, 2015 18:13:20 GMT -5
Roman listened as the others talked, they too are wondering what their next move is. But as he began to sing put on a big grin on his face once Kevin joined in on the song. It wasn't often that anyone would join him in song, so this made feel happy. When they finished the song he told Kevin.
"Thanks, I'm glad to know there's some of us out there that still likes music, other than those bonies that like dinner and a song. By the way you got nice pitch too, you're starting to remind me of a James Bond with better hair."
Post by Stephanie Harrington on May 16, 2015 21:22:21 GMT -5
A soft click from Stephanie cleaning her shotgun and Tory reigned her thoughts back in. "So what comes next?" the young girl asked breaking her short silence before pausing to fix a loose strand of her hair, "Like, what are we going to do today?" Tory's parents had made such decisions for her since the outbreak, but now she didn't have them to guide her.
Pausing to think about the question, Stephanie was lost for words for a moment as she looked over at Tory. Oh, the beauty of youth, she mused for a moment, seeing the earnest young girl waiting for an answer. Setting down her kit, she thought about the question. "That's a good question; at the very least, we need to see if we can a surplus store or something, see if we can find some extra clothes, extra gear, maybe another vehicle...," letting her voice trail off as Kevin mentioned waiting until Michael had said something before they made a decision one way or the other.
Before she could add anything, Roman commented on Kevin's looks; leaning back in her seat, Stephanie thought about it for a second and said, "You know, Kevin, you do look like a handsome Daniel Craig, now that I think of it," adding right after that, "then again, Rachel always thought I reminded her of Vesper Lynd, so I could be wrong about the former, alright?" giving Kevin a quick wink and chuckling for a moment, feeling both a bit happy and sad....happy that they could share a moment of humor in a dark world, sad that Rachel couldn't be alongside Stephanie to share it.
Post by Tory Bournell on May 17, 2015 0:47:11 GMT -5
"That's a good question; at the very least, we need to see if we can a surplus store or something, see if we can find some extra clothes, extra gear, maybe another vehicle...,"
Hearing from Steph that they might be going back outside didn't seem too appealing to Tory, but at least in her mind it would have beat the anxiety of not knowing. What is Michael even doing? Rather than working herself up, Tory shoved the worry to the back of her thoughts. She'd find out soon enough what was to happen.
The task was made easier by Roman and Kevin singing Eminem. It was impossible not to smile, Tory loved music before the outbreak, only now did she fully realize just how rare it had become. Listening intently she laughed when Roman compared Kevin to "James Bond with better hair". She hadn't seen any of the movies herself, but she could kind of see the resemblance though she thought Daniel Craig was alot more old looking. "Emphasis on the better hair!" Tory added with a laugh, she was glad to be surrounded by such nice people.
"You know, Kevin, you do look like a handsome Daniel Craig, now that I think of it," adding right after that, "then again, Rachel always thought I reminded her of Vesper Lynd, so I could be wrong about the former, alright?"
"Wait...who is Rachel and who is Vesper Lynd?" Tory asked inquisitevely before adding, "If it's alright for me to ask." Steph had talked a little about her past earlier, but she hadn't mentioned any names as far as Tory heard. She assumed Vesper Lynd was an actress, but perhaps the other girl could still be alive somewhere. The thought of more people gave Tory greater hope for humanity, but she just hoped it wasn't misplaced. Memories could be painful just as they could be happy and if this Rachel was...Tory could only imagine how teary she'd get if someone mentioned her parents; she didn't want to reopen any wounds for Stephanie...or for herself for that matter.
Kevin was glad he could make Roman smile. He chuckled as Roman gave him compliments about his pitch and his hair. “Well I use a very good shampoo, the base ingredients are walker blood, dirt and some other things.” Kevin joked. “But thanks for the compliments really appreciate them.” Kevin said with a wink.
Shortly after Stephanie came up with a bunch of things to do. “Pretty good ideas Steph.” Kevin said with a smile. But just then Stephanie leaned back in her seat and also complimented him followed by Tori.
“Wow you guys are going to make me blush.” Kevin said in a shy tone. “But thanks.” He added with a smile. Then he ran his hand through his hair and tried to put a sexy look on his face. “Because I’m worth it.” He joked referring to a commercial. Then he just laughed out loud.
Then his attention went back to Tori as she asked Stephanie about Vesper Lynd and Rachel.
“Well I think you look better then Vesper Lynd and no clue how to explain who she is Tori.” Kevin said with a smile. “But indeed I’m wondering who Rachel is too, but you don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to.” He added.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on May 18, 2015 22:40:40 GMT -5
"Wait...who is Rachel and who is Vesper Lynd?" Tory asked inquisitevely before adding, "If it's alright for me to ask." “Well I think you look better then Vesper Lynd and no clue how to explain who she is Tori.” Kevin said with a smile. “But indeed I’m wondering who Rachel is too, but you don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to.” He added.
Running a hand through her hair as she leaned back in her chair, Stephanie looked over at both Tory and Kevin and spoke, a quiet tone to her voice. "Vesper Lynd was a character in one of the James Bond films; for what its' worth, everyone back in South Baltimore used to joke that I looked a lot more like Lena Headey than Eva Green but, hey, I'll take that kind of compliment any day of the week."
Reaching inside her black jean jacket, she pulled out an old, wrinkled photo; in it, her and a blonde about her height were smiling into the camera, the picture a window into a now-devastated world. "That's a picture of me and my girlfriend Rachel, taken at Pimlico the year before the world fell apart," Stephanie said, pausing to brush a stray hair from in front of her eyes. "Rachel was...she was a very special woman; like me, she was a Bawlmer girl through and through. I remember...," pausing to wipe a tear from her eye, "I remember all the good times we had - every touch, every caress, everything about her..."
Leaning forward, she propped her head in her hands and continued. "I still remember as vividly as one could that day when the world fell apart; we were living in a South Baltimore rowhouse and it was Rachel's birthday, of all days," quietly chuckling at the pleasant memory. "I'd just stepped out of the house to pick up a couple of things when things well...you know. Dodging all the chaos and everything, I managed to get back to the rowhouse, only to find that Rachel had been attacked by a walker while I was out." Looking at the photo for solace, she went on. "She'd fought off the walker as best she could, but it hadn't been enough...I had just turned my back to what I'd seen when all of a sudden, I heard this ungodly roar from behind; somehow, Rachel had gotten back on her feet and was now coming after me. So I grabbed a nearby baseball bat....and I swung it at her like I was Babe Ruth. Pausing to wipe away another tear, she continued on. "I must've connected 'cause the next thing I heard was a sickening crunch, the kind that only comes from a bone being broken or a skull being flattened...
"Next thing I remember, I'm sitting on my floor, my back to the wall so that I can see anything coming...and there, on the floor in front of me, is my girlfriend, minus a good chunk of her skull, but what was I supposed to do? I mean, what would any of you do? I must've cried like a baby for who knows how long, but it was either kill or be killed; after some time, I gathered a few belongings into a backpack, grabbed my weapons and hit the road."
Sitting back in her chair once more, she added, "I must look like a wreck, don't I? I still have nightmares about it to this day; I don't think I'll ever shake those away...then again, every day you stay alive is another day to the good. Anyway, if its' possible, I'd like to not relive those memories, okay?"
Post by Roman Hughes on May 19, 2015 14:03:44 GMT -5
Roman was silent during Stephanie's story, it reminded him a lot of what happened to him. She was stirred up about the past too. He walked over to her chair and softly put a hand on her shoulder.
"We all got those memories, the ones we don't want to remember anymore. No matter who we left behind in them.....we got to move on for their sake. That's why we're here today, right?"
Post by Tory Bournell on May 20, 2015 1:13:06 GMT -5
"I must look like a wreck, don't I? I still have nightmares about it to this day; I don't think I'll ever shake those away...then again, every day you stay alive is another day to the good. Anyway, if its' possible, I'd like to not relive those memories, okay?"
"That's alright, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." answered Tory quietly. She glanced at her lap where her hands rested gently folded together. Steph had to kill her love. Tory felt bad for bringing it up, they had all been smiling just moments before. Steph has had to live with that since the beginning? She couldn't imagine what she'd have done had her parents turned before she made her escape. She knew she wouldn't have been able to...It was an idea that brought tears to her eyes, but she wasn't gonna let them fall, she had to stay strong. Tory wiped her eyelids as Roman place his hand on Steph's shoulder.
"We all got those memories, the ones we don't want to remember anymore. No matter who we left behind in them.....we got to move on for their sake. That's why we're here today, right?"
He was right. Tory knew he was right, but she didn't want to believe it. Things just weren't that simple. "Yeah, but how do we move on though? We ca...I..," she was at a loss for words. "I don't know...don't listen to me." She didn't want to wreck the mood anymore than she already did.
Post by Roman Hughes on May 20, 2015 23:49:02 GMT -5
Roman scratched his head thinking of an answer to Tori's question. He knew his reason to keep going but not everyone's story was like his. He actually shrugged in his response.
"Not everybody's reasons for living are the same, so they might be different. It could be looking for loved ones, living for the sake of those who past, or some other third thing. But ultimately it think it's up to you. A quote from one of the greatest people I know was.....what was it? Oh yeah, "Life is just too uncertain to have any regrets. So live up everyday like its your last."
He looked around the room and gave a smile, he wasn't much of the inspirational type. He almost failed speech class because he couldn't talk to his own classmates that he was stuck with for four years but today with some random strangers he could give a speech.
"Sorry, that probably didn't make much sense to answer your question though."
Post by Stephanie Harrington on May 21, 2015 1:37:32 GMT -5
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Stephanie looked over and smiled at Roman's gesture. "Thanks," she quietly said, trying to compose herself. Hearing Tory's words, she added, "Nothing to apologize for, Tory," pausing before she could add something more as Roman said a few words as well.
"Not everybody's reasons for living are the same, so they might be different. It could be looking for loved ones, living for the sake of those who past, or some other third thing. But ultimately it think it's up to you. A quote from one of the greatest people I know was.....what was it? Oh yeah, "Life is just too uncertain to have any regrets. So live up everyday like its your last."
"He's right," Stephanie said. "Reminds me of something Rachel used to always say. There was a story she told me once, back when we were first dating...her grandfather was a champion poker player who won the 1982 Main Event of the World Series of Poker. The story goes that early on, he was down to his last chip, a $25 chip...figuring he had nothing to lose, he put the chip down, went all-in...and ended up winning the whole thing a few days later. Whenever Rachel'd tell the story, she say that, 'as long as you have a chip and a chair, you still got a chance in this world.
"I think if she were here right now, she'd see all of us and tell us that same thing, that as long as we're still alive, there ain't nothing we can't do," smiling and feeling better than she had earlier.
Kevin listened to Stephanie as she told her story. She showed the group of her and a blonde woman and they learned that she was her girlfriend. It was clear that it was hard for Stephanie to talk about it, since tears where running down her face. As Kevin heard that she had to kill her own girlfriend he got emotional too and slowly tears came out of his eyes and made their way down by sliding of his cheek. He couldn’t imagine what she had been through and he prayed that Vince would be ok, cause going through something like that is horrible.
After the story Roman and Tori replied to it, but Kevin waited until everyone was done speaking. “Well that is a very sad story.” He said as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “But you must be a very strong person and Rachel would have been proud that you found the courage to go on.” He added as he got up. “You even offered to help me find my love, while you lost yours and to me that proves that you are an amazing person.” Kevin said as he opened his arms. “Now get up so I can give you a hug.” He said with a smile. Stephanie was good for him when he told his story, the least he could do is try to make her feel she wasn’t alone in this shitty world.
Post by Tory Bournell on May 26, 2015 23:21:30 GMT -5
As Kevin gave Steph a hug, Tory shed a tear for both her loss and the loss of the others. At least they had all found each other, but the young girl remained lost in how to go about the day, how to go about life. Steph and Roman's words were inspiring, but they didn't instill any new motivations. She had a lot to think about but suddenly the table felt slightly cramped.
"Bye guys, I'll be outside, I think I need a little fresh air," Tory politely excused herself from the table before quietly retrieving her picture of her parents from her stuff and heading up the stairs. She didn't have a key to the gate but she had no plans of reentering that world. She'd find a spot near the door to watch the scenery and take things in. She wanted to be done grieving, to move on as easily as the words in Roman's speech, but she was afraid of what that might mean. As it was, she felt like she was caught in her emotions in-between stages. One moment she was laughing, the next she felt like crying.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on May 27, 2015 2:17:17 GMT -5
"Hey, hey, hey," Stephanie said as Kevin hugged her, "don't you start going all mushy on us, alright?" taking a moment to give him a friendly pat on the face as they stood there. Sitting back down, she got out a map of Manhattan she'd found the day before and opened it up; looking at it, she thought about where they were. "Kevin," she asked, "where are we precisely on this map?" Sliding the map to the center of the table, she added, "I ask 'cause the sooner we can figure out where we're at, the sooner we can figure out how to get off the island. I still keep thinking about those walker hordes' Tory and I saw yesterday and I don't know 'bout y'all, but I really don't want to get trapped in Manhattan with hordes roaming around....which means we need to figure out where we are, where we need to go and how do we get there." As much as she wanted to continue reminiscing, she wanted to get on with the day and to her, time was a-wasting.
Post by Roman Hughes on May 27, 2015 17:45:08 GMT -5
Roman was silent and watched as Tory went upstairs while the others were focusing on our next move. Although Stephanie and Kevin seem alright, Tory looked like the one that was shaken up the most. He wasn't sure if he wasn't sure if he was any use here so he decided to go upstairs. He saw where Tory was and softly asked her,
"Um, im sorry to bother you but, is it alright if I sit here with you? I don't think I'm much use downstairs and....I was making sure you were alright."
Post by Tory Bournell on May 28, 2015 21:49:54 GMT -5
As Tory opened the door outside after climbing the stairs, she was met by the sun. There was a slight breeze, but it was still warm. Taking a seat on the cool concrete cross-legged, she watched the street through the gate. She couldn't get over how spooky the city looked as it rose into the sky, silent, non-moving, a desolate jungle of concrete. Lifeless. She missed home. She missed her parents. These people were nice, but she barely knew them, and yet, she felt she knew so much. They had all lost something. Has anyone in this world been left untouched? She twirled her photograph in fingers solemnly.
"Um, im sorry to bother you but, is it alright if I sit here with you? I don't think I'm much use downstairs and....I was making sure you were alright."
Tory jumped a little at the sound of Roman's voice. She didn't hear him follow her up the stairs. Turning her head and looking up at him while forcing a half smile, she replied both softly and uncertainly,"Uh ya, sure." Motioning him over by gently patting the ground next to her, she then returned her gaze to the street after wiping a stray tear. Lifeless. She figured that word could describe alot in this world. When did I become so lifeless? Tory knew the answer but that didn't stop her from asking herself. I used to be so happy... Happiness. That's what she was missing. She had gotten a taste at the table, but it wasn't enough.
"So, umm," the girl wondered, pausing to face Roman, "do you remember the last time when you were happy? As in...truly happy?" She thought it was sweet of him to come after her; they had met only a day before and already he was acting like a true friend.
Post by Roman Hughes on May 29, 2015 10:46:21 GMT -5
Roman sat down next to her and was silent for a second thinking over her question. He placed his hand on his chin and softly squinted his eyes trying his best to mimic those old sages in them Kung fu movies, and tried his best to sound old and wise.
"Ah young grasshopper, you cannot simply leave a bee to a flower and it will just take pollen. It must find its own flower."
He chuckled stopping the act and started scratching his head smiling.
"I guess it depends what you mean by being happy. If you mean being happy like before all this,"
He outstretched his hands and looked around to the apocalyptic setting.
"Then there's one memory, the last night with my girlfriend."
He hadn't really talked about his past, so actually among the all Tory would be the first to really know something about him.
"It was the last trimester of school and we were counting the days till we graduated. But I was going to move away for college. So one night I took her down to Chicago and i paid for a horse carriage ride to take us on all the romantic spots. He went to dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and ate to good music and decent food. We then moved to the Navy Pier and just held each other in our arms and watched the sunset. I was never so happy before in my life."
His hands were slightly shaken as he talked but he took a deep breath and calmed himself down. He looked back at Tory, he could tell how much she's been through, and he didn't want to make her feel worse.
"But...that doesn't mean I haven't had happy moments now. I've learned in this world the best way to be happy is to enjoy the little things, for example."
He reached into his bag, shuffled around a bit and pulled out a packet of Twinkies. He only saved them for special occasions but he thought today was worth it. He handed it over to her.
Al had been having a string of bad luck. He'd given up on Syracuse, most of it was over run, including the campuses and malls, and there was clearly no hope for sustaining himself. From there he made his way east. It was a struggle to get his truck down some of the roads, but he eventually made it to Albany. Much like Syracuse, there wasn't much there. He scrounged up a few things before he made up his mind, he would head for the city. He'd only been there a few times before things went to hell and he hated it. So now that it was over run with hordes of the undead and a few straggling looters, he planned to hate it even more. However, it was a big city that would hopefully have more supplies and maybe, if he was lucky, a friendly face. He filled up his gas cans and started to head south. After another few days of travel with the occasional salvage stop, he reached one of the bridges that went out to the island. Getting his truck across the bridge however proved to be too daunting a task given the backed up traffic. Cursing and hitting the wheel he pulled his truck as far across the bridge as he could and stopped it. He packed up as much as he could logically carry while remaining mobile and hid the things he couldn't carry in some of the nearby cars in such a way that they wouldn't be noticed unless someone knew where to look. From there, he continued on foot.
It was a tedious process, working his way through the city streets. He had to avoid walkers and sometimes maneuver around several blocks to avoid something or other. In all of the times he'd been to the city he never realized just how large it was, and it was apparent that for a city of that size, it had a lot of people. There were bodies and walkers every where, it was rather haunting. Al began to doubt he'd find life anywhere in this city at all, then he heard, something, the faint sounds of a conversation.
"Trust me, it will taste amazing."
Maybe this was the break Al was looking for, someone else in this city. It sounded like the voice had come from one of the nearby buildings, only above him. He snapped the latch on his knife and pulled it out and started to look around. One of the roof tops near him looked like it would have a person on the top of it, maybe more. Reaching down he grabbed a loose piece of concrete, checking both ways to see if there were any workers about to jump him, he saw he was safe for now. He then tossed the concrete up at the roof, hoping he wouldn't hit anyone and just get their attention.
Post by Tory Bournell on May 30, 2015 12:00:36 GMT -5
Tory listened intently as Roman spoke about his last date with his girlfriend. A horse carriage, dinner, and a sunset...she couldn't help but give him an 'aww' despite her mood. It was an adorable story. "I'm sure she must of loved it." She responded with a small smile, letting it fade as she realized Roman was talking in past tense. Then suddenly, he handed her a Twinkie.
"Trust me, it will taste amazing."
Before the apocalypse, she had usually avoided processed sweets so she could stay fit, but now there was little need to worry about that. "Wow, thanks, I've never actually had one of these before," Tory replied with a renewed smile. She split it in two and after giving half back to Roman, she slowly began eating it while continuing to watch through the gate, musing at her thoughts.
"I remember a fun night not to long before all of this, during my sophomore year. Me and a group of friends wanted to celebrate the end of the school so after class one day we visited another nearby town where we ate out before going hiking along a network of trails. At the end was the prettiest lake I've ever seen. We swam and skipped rocks until near sunset. When we were done, the six of us- two guys and four girls, went home and changed before going back up to the school for an end of the year dance where we stayed until the music stopped. It was amazing. This picture was actually taken at home right before it."
Tory showed Roman the picture in her hands. Seeing her parents, she got a bit more serious again. She thought for a moment about her journey before speaking again.
"Ya know, for me, I was never really alone that much...or ever actually. The world falling apart was kinda like a really boring, really scary road trip... I guess I kind of figured it would all blow over, that maybe we'd all be back home in Minnesota if I hoped and smiled hard enough. I mean I was never really in any danger until...everything just fell apart."
Tears started to roll down her cheek as she opened up. She had already told Steph about the attack, but it didn't make it any easier to get it off her chest.
"We were going down the road about two weeks ago when the vehicle in front stopped. Then at least a hundred walkers or more came out of the woods and...gosh...everyone...I don't want to say the word. I'm the only one left."
Wiping her face with her hands and doing her best to recompose herself, she looked at Roman with a friendly smile.
"I was all alone until I found you guys. Thanks for being..."
Tory was promptly cut off by a loud thud as a rock hit the roof of the restaurant and rolled down landing in the small gated alleyway they were sitting in. Tory flinched and released a small scream as it hit the pavement behind them. Where did that come from? Standing up, and getting ready to run for the basement stairs to find the others, she looked to Roman to see what he would do first.
Last Edit: May 30, 2015 12:01:32 GMT -5 by Tory Bournell
Post by Roman Hughes on May 30, 2015 18:37:02 GMT -5
Roman had his jaw dropped when Tory said she never had a Twinkie before. Out of all the sweet things in his life nothing came close to the taste of a Twinkie.
"Well that ends today."
He accepted the other half and eat it while she told her story. He smiled as she talked, it reminded how he and his friends would chill out at a pizza joint right next to an old fashioned arcade and would forget how time flew as they played games and would bet on each other to see who would win. When she mentioned the dance and showed him the picture of her parents he said,
"They look really happy."
But he noticed how her attitude changed when she looked back at the picture, it must have brought some great memories but seems tragic now wakin up everyday to all this. The good thing was with her was she at least had some time with her familiar in this hell, unlike him who was mostly on his own. But as she kept going about how she got seperated from her family he couldn't help but to feel bad, losing those important to you and still fighting to survive in this world.
Roman didn't know if it would help but he put his arm over her right shoulder and gave her a small hug. There wasn't much he could think of doing but just letting her know she got people by her side now. He smiled as she started to thank them until they both heard a loud thud followed by some debris falling down.
"What the hell was that?!"
Roman used his arms to cover Tory's head in case anything started falling, as he tried to rack his brain on what just happened. His first thought was walkers, but he questioned how the hell did they get on the roof and when did they learn to start throwing stuff. But his second thought was getting Tory out of there.
"Tory get downstairs now, go on Ill be right behind you."
Post by Stephanie Harrington on May 31, 2015 0:44:49 GMT -5
Before Kevin could say anything, something caught Stephanie's ear; even as comfortable as she felt at the moment, some things didn't go away and keeping a keen eye or ear for your surroundings was one of them. "Did you hear something?" she said, quickly folding the map back up and placing it back in her jacket pocket before reaching for her pistol. Quietly drawing the slide on her Smith & Wesson, she held it down at her side and got up, walking over to the exit. "Hey, what's going on outside, y'all?" she called out to the others. She'd seen both Roman and Tory head outside for a bit and knew they'd be the first to encounter anything. "Kevin," she said, looking back at him, "grab my shottie, the pump-action, and have it ready in case we need it," turning back around and wondering what she'd heard earlier. I hope I ain't hearing things, she thought, but I know I heard something...I know it.
Shauna Kelly: That helped, thank you
Oct 4, 2021 14:40:44 GMT -5
Ayita Hunt: dang, January was my last post.. Jeez it's been a hot minute. o7 guys, sorry for the complete disappearance, life got.. a little interesting this year.
Oct 18, 2021 22:34:19 GMT -5