((OOC: This got longer than planned…which is always what happens to my bios. Oops. I play him on another site as well, and needed to change his backstory to fit in here and so of course I had to write that all out lol let me know if I need to change anything!))
BASIC INFORMATION
CHARACTERS BIRTH NAME: Vernon Starkey
PREFERED NAME: Vern
DATE OF BIRTH: January 25th 2002
AGE: 16
FAMILY (any siblings, cousins etc): A younger sister who went missing before the virus (I might bring her in myself at some point, maybe as a non-verbal character, but if anyone is interested in playing her, come talk to me!)
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: dark brown
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single. Never been in a relationship either, but is probably bisexual so there’s lots of possibilities to explore
PLAY-BY (your username here): JacksAnnie
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
PERSONAL FAVOURITES: hard work, quiet spaces, reading.
TALENTS: Doesn’t think he has any. But he’s strong and crafty and practical, could probably build a solid house by himself with enough time and all the necessary materials. He has been doing odd jobs after school and summer jobs since a young age, and has learned a lot of practical skills through that. Also a good listener. Mostly cause he doesn’t talk much and doesn’t know how to get out of the conversation if someone was to open up to him. But also because he cares more than you can tell at first.
HABITS: Responding non-verbally or in very short sentences.
SECRET(S): Doesn’t really have any secrets in that sense, though he is very reserved and keeps his guard up, so few people know much about him.
DISLIKES: Kidnappers. The virus. Death. Sometimes people, especially in crowds.
FEARS: Crowds. Losing those he cares about, although he doesn’t really have anyone left. So maybe what he actually fears now is caring about people.
STRENGTHS: Physically he’s always been strong, but mentally he is a lot stronger than he thinks he is.
WEAKNESSES: Reserved, has pushed a lot of people away out of fear of getting hurt. Lack of confidence in himself also holds him back at times.
PERSONALITY: Reserved and quiet, tends to come off a bit grumpy but it’s mainly his lack of social skills and him preferring solitude. Also, he actually is a bit grumpy at times. But he also has a very dry sense of humour that comes out if you get to know him better. He’s also very kind and caring at heart. Doesn’t let people in easily, but once he does he’s very loyal and protective, and would do anything for those he cares about.
BACKGROUND:
Vern’s family had always been small. He was born in the city, his dad disappearing while he was still in his mother’s stomach, and he only heard from him a few times in his life. So at first it was just him and his mother, which was a good time, although Vern doesn’t really remember that. He was only three when his mother met his stepdad and became pregnant again. Though their relationship was often rocky, he was good to Vern, and he loved his little daughter.
Vern loved her to, quickly becoming a doting big brother. Sure, she annoyed him at times, especially as they got older and she always wanted to hang out with him and his friends. But for the most part, he loved having her following him around and looking up to him, and he always looked out for her and protected her. They moved to the countryside when Vern was close to ten, and although he was a bit sad about it at first, he quickly grew to love this small town they had found. He especially liked that moving to the countryside meant they could afford a house with his own bedroom, rather than the small apartment where he had to share with his sister. He was a lot more social and open back then, quickly making friends and being doted on by the little old lady next door. As he got older he would always help her out, as well as other neighbours, earning his pocket money that way. Later he would also get more official jobs after school and during the holidays.
Their little family was thriving. At least up until Vern was 14, about a year and a half before the virus, that’s when everything changed. They had been on a holiday. Nothing fancy or far away, they couldn’t afford that, so they had just gone into the city for a long weekend. Vern had been left to watch his sister outside a store, and got distracted by a window display of something. He couldn’t even remember what anymore. When he turned around, she wasn’t there. Vern had started calling out for her, his mother and stepfather coming back out as he was calling her name, wandering back and forth, looking down side streets. They never found her.
His mum and stepdad blamed themselves mostly, but sometimes, in their weakest moments, they blamed him. Vern also blamed himself. His stepdad never really came back home either. His mother took Vern back home after a few days of dealing with police and searches and making posters. His stepdad couldn’t bring himself to go back until the money ran out and they couldn’t afford him living in a hotel in the city anymore. But even then he only came back to work to earn money so he could go back and keep looking. Interest from the police died down, the few leads having gone cold. Vern started working harder and started up a website to help the search, barely having time for anything else. His mother started drinking, and whenever his stepdad was home there was always fighting. Eventually his stepdad found work in the city and stopped coming home, never even calling for Vern anymore. Though they never filed for divorce, it was pretty much back to being just Vern and his mum again.
Vern withdrew from all his friends more and more as time went on, refusing help or support or any offers to just hang out. Somehow he and his mum managed to find a bearable life to live, starting to put the pieces back together and be a family, when the virus came and tore all that apart again. Now Vern was by himself, having barely left the house since his mother was quarantined, except to care for the land and the house. He hadn’t gone to the meeting at the school, having the neighbours’ kids around still to update him on what was happening. Vern still wasn’t good with crowds. But knowing they were meeting again and people grouping up, Vern knew he had to next time. Despite his love of solitude and quiet, he knew survival was easier in a group. If he could find one willing to take him.
so far as I’m concerned.))
welcome
