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1. Gun them down.

4 (66.7%)

2. Make a break for it.

2 (33.3%)

3. ssssssssssssss

0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 6

Voting closed: December 04, 2009, 08:17:53 AM

[Friday]

Very close.

2. "Why don't you come with me to Limestone? It's a lot safer for us to stick together. I promise, I don't bite."

Jesse regards you. Her expression is unreadable.

She shakes her head.

Your mouth twists in a frown. "Listen, you don't have to be alone anymore. Come on. There's nothing left for you here."

Still watching you. A gentle breeze blows through the open cabin door, lifting small strands of her hair like invisible fingers. She smooths back the loose strands with a hand. "I'm... sorry. But... I'm not ready. I can't..."

You stand, and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's time to move on, Jessica."

"That's easy for you to say," she replies.

"We've all lost loved ones. You have to put it behind you, if you want to survive."

"I don't see how traveling to an infested city is going to help me survive. It's peaceful here."

"For now," you say, sighing. "But you can't stay out here forever. And alone? Who will guard you when you sleep? What about your supplies? Eventually the market will run out, spoil. The beer supply will dry up. We've got to make it to a safer place."

"And where would that be?" she says, her eye flashing. "It's not like you have any plans beyond 'wander into an infested area, looking for someone who in all probability doesn't want to be found', is it?"

You drop your hand.

Jesse's face falls a bit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that," she says. "It's just... I'm sorry. This isn't easy for me."

You nod.

The silence stretches, broken only by birdsong, now distant.

Finally Jesse sighs, and looks up at you. "Alright. I'll think about it, on the way to the market."

"Alright," you say.

She turns away from you, heading to the door. "Let me... just give me a minute. I'm going to go say goodbye."

She leaves out the open door, turning around the corner, presumably heading toward the back.

You turn away, looking around the cabin. You don't see anything of any real interest. You walk over to a small bed and sit down on it, noticing a small, worn teddy bear peeking out from under the blanket.

"Awww, isn't that cute," says a familiar voice from behind you.

Without turning, you reply, "Christ. Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Not really," Benny says, flopping down on the bed beside you. He plucks the teddy from out of the sheets and holds it above him, making cooing noises and smacking his lips.

You grimace in disgust. "Put that down."

Benny grins at you. "You really think I'm the person holding it?" His good eye is bloodshot, and thick purple veins have appeared on his neck, crawling up his face like vines.

You don't reply, instead moving to the couch, staring at this vision, or whatever it is, of an annoying dead street punk that simply won't go away. Seems like every time you see him, he's a little bit more disgusting looking.

"Now, that girl out back," he says, absently tossing the teddy back on the bed and standing, "is one tasty bitch, don't you agree? Especially with the missing eyeball. I bet she fucks like a tiger, and plus, hey, it's never a bad thing to have more options when it comes to holes, right?"

"Fuck you," you reply.

"Oh, come on. I'm inside your head, remember? I can't say anything you haven't been thinking yourself. Admit it. You like her."

"Sure. She's strong. She survived out here, alone. She's tough, she's smart, she's a survivor. Basically, everything you're not," you say, glaring at him.

"Bullshit, my friend. You like her ass. I saw you staring at it when she walked out the door. And I admit, it's a nice ass. Hard to find premium meat like that, especially nowadays. You wouldn't believe how much perfectly good tasty that's been all tore up by our mutual wormy friends. A tragedy, a real tragedy."

"Why do I even talk to you?" you ask out loud.

"Because, bro. Let's face it. I'm the only guy you've got," Benny says, his face showing just a hint of amusement.

"Lucky me," you say.

**************************************

1. Stay inside, talk with Benny further. See if you can get any useful information out of him.

2. Leave, go around back to find Jesse. Just the fact that you're talking to Benny or even seeing him probably means your infection is getting worse, and you want to avoid that.

**************************************

[Guild]

It's clear that mental activity has an effect on or is affected by the infection. Given that, no more talking to Benny unless he's being actively helpful. I say pretend he doesn't exist (lol) until he gets a hell of a lot more informative on the issue of the infection. If he can't, he's useless anyway.

Is there any evidence anywhere in this story of Benny seeing something we didn't - or knowing something we didn't - that would prove he's real or not?

2

[Lady Duke]

2

[Romosome]

Jesse needs to be alone.  Might as well see where the hell talking to Benny will take us.

1.  Maybe we can crack open a beer with him, have a real bonding experience there.

[Kayma]

Hmm... On the one hand, speaking with Benny and having our pretty friend walk in on our visit to crazy town might be bad. On the other hand, I've always been kinda curious what Benny has to say; most of the time, we drink a beer and walk away.

All things considered, I guess this time we really oughtta just up and walk away, too.

2.

[Lady Duke]

The less talking to Benny we do where Jessica could walk into that, the better.  Even if she's quite possibly experiencing something similar, we don't want her to see us in crazy la-la land.

[Angry Beaver]

2
Not talking to the hallucination/infection. Talking to Benny probably makes things worse.

[Friday]

2. Leave, go around back to find Jesse. Just the fact that you're talking to Benny or even seeing him probably means your infection is getting worse, and you want to avoid that.

You stand swiftly, having made up your mind to ignore him.

As you walk to the door, Benny's voice comes from behind. "Going to go see her, ain'tcha? Told ya  you got a thing for her. Hell, she's hardly been gone a minute."

You push open the door and exit. As you walk around the corner, you hear Benny one last time.

"I bet she's a nasty girl. Ask her about her Dad! Ask her how he died!" his voice floats, and then trails off in a cacophony of giggles.

Behind the cabin is a long strip of grass going back into the woods. A swing sits empty under a large oak. Butterflies flit about, dancing in the air like bubbles in a champagne glass. The grass is long against your legs, the air sweet in your nostrils, the breeze cool on your face. A picnic table, engraved with what seems to be hundreds of words and drawings sits off to one side. The sun is warm and pleasant against your head and shoulders, falling like a light blanket in a chilly room.

Up ahead are three markers, all lined up in a row under a large sycamore. The mounds look fairly fresh. Jesse is sitting on her knees in front of them, her head down. You walk quietly to within ten feet, not wanting to break the mood.

A few minutes pass. Jesse either has not noticed you or is choosing not to acknowledge your presence. She reaches down with one hand and breaks off a blade of grass, placing it in the corner of her mouth. She nibbles at it for a few seconds, then removes it and runs it against her face.

"I guess I thought I might hear them, or something," she says, suddenly, and you realize she knew you were there all along. "I haven't been back here since I buried them. I kept avoiding it. Not sure why."

You remain silent.

"Maybe it's because I thought that if I stayed away, didn't actually come to look at it, they weren't really dead. You know. Schroedinger's dead people, or something. As long as I stayed away, they could all come back one day, just, walk right in the front door," she continues, getting to her feet and dusting off her pants. The blade of grass drifts to the ground from her open fingers.

"No," she says quietly after a moment. "That's not it. I ... I knew they were dead. I knew they weren't coming back."

You take a step forward.

"I didn't come back here, because I knew that once I did, I wouldn't feel anything, wouldn't hear anything, wouldn't see anything. And that that would be the most terrible thing of all."

You put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're right," she says, still facing away. Despite her words, you can detect a small quaver in her voice. "There's nothing left for me here."

She breaks away from you and walks to the marker in the middle. Hanging around the crude cross put together with two sticks is a small crucifix on a chain. Jesse reaches down and removes it before placing it around her neck.

As she turns, your eyes fix on the tiny cross hanging just below the hollow of her throat.

********************************

1. "How did your dad die?"

2. Say nothing. Go back with her to the cabin.

********************************

[Lady Duke]

I assume she killed him with the gun, but even if that's wrong, this is probably not the most opportune time to ask.  We should ask that once we're already on the road again or something...but then again.......hmmm.

[Romosome]

Fuck you, Benny.

2.

[Kayma]

2. I'm sure the nature of her dad's death is important to her character and our general safety, but it can wait for now.

[Cthulhu-chan]

Fuck you, Benny.

2.

[McFrugal]

I can't think of any positive result from asking her that question.  Worst case scenario for how he died: she went crazy first, and her father died forcing her to drink alcohol.

I don't think it matters.

2

[Guild]

Since this is an opportunity to prove whether Benny's real or not; fuck this chick. Who is she? Nobody special to me. 1 Benny's a problem we CAN'T ignore, because he keeps coming back.

[Friday]

2. Say nothing. Go back with her to the cabin.

The two of you head back inside, and gather up what supplies you can.

"Your car or mine?" you ask.

"The pickup is a piece of shit, and worse, it's almost on empty," Jesse replies, hefting a duffel full of canned goods over her shoulder. "Let's take yours."

"Alright," you say.

About a half hour later, you're packed and ready to go. As you drive out back onto the canyon road, Jesse glances over her shoulder one last time.

"Goodbye," she says simply, and then turns to face ahead.

It's probably nearing noon as you pull out of the wooded area of the ravine and into the gentle slopes near where the road re-connects with the highway. Up ahead, you can see the little market Jesse told you about. There's a single gas pump outside.

"Locked," Jesse says, preempting your question. "Spent about two hours looking for the keys. Owner must have had them on his keyring, took em with him when he split."

You nod, and pull into the gravel parking lot. As the car rolls to a stop, Jesse opens the door and steps out, rifle hanging at her side.

"Does that thing shoot anything but tranqs?" you ask.

"No," she says.

"Uh. Do you know if..."

"No. Doesn't even slow them," she says, deadpan. "I've got three shots left, before you ask."

You look up at the dusty sign. A sickly looking oak tree grows nearby, casting a pale shadow over the front of the store.

Earl's Country Market

Gas, Food and Beverage

"Anything look different since you were last here?" you ask.

"Nope," Jesse says, and heads inside. You follow.

The interior is mostly intact. Shelves of snack foods, canned goods. A few coolers in the back, lined with six packs, soda, and water. Jesse begins to shove things into a sack from the shelves. "Get the booze, would you?" she asks.

You begin to carry cans out to the car, putting them mostly in the trunk, with a few in the backseat.

You pick up a few books of matches, a few lighters, and some new shades. Looking behind the counter reveals nothing.

"Checked that already," Jesse says. She nods at her rifle.

"Earl had a tranq rifle under the counter?" you ask.

Jesse shrugs. "I guess," she says, leaving with another load of food.

You shake your head. Damn.

"We're going to need some firearms," you say to Jesse, following her to the car. "If the tranqs don't work on Faceless, the flaregun isn't going to hold up for long."

"Faceless?" she asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Er, you know. Infected."

"Oh. You make that up?"

"I guess," you say.

"Do those dogs who killed your one friend have a name?"

You wince a bit internally at the memory, both of Jacob's screams and your own "death."

"Yeah. Cavines."

Jesse smirks. "Clever. I was predicting 'Cerberus' or maybe 'Dire Wolves' or something."

"Window smashers?" you suggest.

Jesse cocks her head at you and gives you a long look. "Was that a Resident Evil joke?"

Your mouth falls open a bit. "Great, I finally find a chick who can appreciate video game jokes. After the world has ended."

Jesse smiles, and some interior part of you lights up to see it.

Told ya you liked her.

Go away, you think fiercely.

"How old are you?" Jesse asks.

"Twenty-five," you reply. She nods, and heads back inside.

You follow. "What was that? Checking to see if I was in your age group?"

Jesus, you think. I'm flirting with her. I really must like her. Christ.

Jesse doesn't turn around from her next load. "Just curious," she says, her voice even.

You chide yourself internally. This is not the time or place to be doing this kind of shit. Her family just died, the world is full of quasi-zombies, she's probably no older than seventeen, and you hardly know her.

On the other hand, that sure is a nice ass, you admire, watching her bend over.

You break your gaze as you realize that the voice you just heard inside you was not your own. Didn't you hear me, asshole? Get lost!

Faint giggling in your head. You sigh, and head to the back for a beer. Maybe if you get drunk enough, Benny will die for good.

Speaking of which, maybe getting piss drunk actually might be a good idea. You could hole up here for the night, make sure you put this infection into remission. You can't really take any more alcohol with you, but there's still enough here to get wasted.

*************************************

1. Sounds good. Tell your plan to Jesse.

2. No, you need to keep moving.

*************************************

Location: Earl's Country Market
Health: Leg wounded, bandaged and cleaned
Infection: Low
Weapons: Flaregun, 2 flares
Assets: Flashlight, about two weeks food/water, car (fourth of a tank), First aid Kit w/rubbing alcohol, bandages, scissors, peroxide, q-tips, aspirin, a sling, some stitching wire + needle; two sleeping bags, extra can of gasoline, tent, 15 six packs of beer, matches, lighters, shades.
Skills: None

Party Members: Jesse
Health: Normal
Infection: Low
Weapons: Tranq Rifle, 3 tranq darts
Skills: Unknown

"They" encountered:

"Faceless"

Form: Humanoid
Attacks: Vines
Resilience: Medium, can be killed by massive damage to torso
Speed: Low
Special/Notes: Central nervous system does not seem to be present in the head

"Flesh Worm"

Form: Worm
Attacks: Mouth, Unknown
Resilience: Unknown
Speed: Unknown
Special/Notes: Unknown

"No-Face"

Form: Humanoid
Attacks: Unknown, seemed to summon other faceless. Changed a bird into a Crawler. Killed "Jacob".
Resilience: Unknown
Speed: Unknown
Special/Notes: Can suddenly vanish, or turn invisible. May be all in your head.

"Crawler"

Form: Vermin
Attacks: Long Vines
Resilience: Low
Speed: High
Special/Notes: Can climb and stick to walls, ceilings.

"Cavine"

Form: Canine
Attacks: Vines
Resilience: Medium
Speed: High
Special/Notes: Unknown

"Halfhead"

Form: Humanoid
Attacks: Vines
Resilience: Unknown
Speed: Medium
Special/Notes: Can speak. Seems somewhat stronger than a normal Faceless. Infecting thorns on vines.

****************************************

[Lady Duke]

2

[Zaratustra]

option 1 will almost assuredly lead to sexy times.

[Transportation]

2. I do not trust large, formerly populated areas after that whole gated community affair.

[Kayma]

Comon guys, It's the frakking apocalypse! Statuatory laws are not only the LEAST of our concerns, but we should be finding comfort wherever we can find it! Do you think a pairing like this happens every day?


....

Fine. 2.

[Guild]

1 because my sperm are probably all Carriers and sloppy drunks are unsexy