((Meanwhile back at the building: sorry having a hard time remembering who is where.))
“Obviously people left in a hurry.” I scoff. “This place probably hasn’t been touched since the virus.”
I’m moving the torch in all directions looking at everything. The place is huge and hollow. “Reckon they made bombs here or something?”
I look at Ellie and laugh a little “Y’know I think I have” I say as I step towards her and give her a quick excited hug “Thirsty? I know I am. Do you want to help me get some things from the boat to make a filter or should we have a walk about and look for a well?” I ask excitedly. I’m glad we’re here and that we’ve still got each other. We’ve been through so much but there was moments stuck on that boat where I wasn’t sure we’d make it as a couple never mind a group. Cabin fever had set in on many occasions and it wasn’t fun.
As I hear Lex scoff, my brow arches slightly, but I decide to hold my tongue, now was not the time for us to bicker amongst ourselves, we needed to know if this place was safe - if it would be a suitable place to set up ‘home’ for at least a few days while we began exploring further afield.
“Well it certainly appears to be an old government building. As far as what was made here? I suppose the only way we’d know for sure is if we got into the filing system and have a read, that’s not of great importance right now though. Lets carry on checking.” I comment as I peer into some of the rooms, trying some of the closed doors as we pass by them, most were locked, others seemed to be conference rooms and there appeared to be a lab; which was also locked. Perhaps this had been one of the testing facilities or maybe Lex actually was correct and nuclear items had been built here.
As we reach the end of the corridor I glance around, we only had one torch so splitting up would be a rather irresponsible option, although it would make this a lot faster. Trying the door to the right I push it open as it clicks and peer into the room, the entire wall facing the door was covered with a map, stepping into the room I glance around for a moment before my eyes return to the wall, at first I’d thought it was just a layout of the building we were currently inside, at a closer glance though it seemed to be a map of the Island, with buildings marked clearly, along with other key features - such as storage warehouses, food sheds and even portable toilets; whatever this place had been used for before the virus it had clearly been something big.
Turning my head I look at Lex and Trudy, then watch Gel for a moment “If these buildings haven’t been looted, we may have got lucky finding this.” I say motioning my head towards the map, but I had a feeling we wouldn’t be quite as lucky as I hoped we might.
Jack hugs me and I cant help being a little relieved because cabin fever put everyone under strain let alone all the couples.
“Yeah, I had to walk along the water line to make it this far…” I say with a laugh, taking his hand. “I don’t mind either option,” I say, although I’ll willingly admit that a little exploration and time to ourselves would be quite nice rather than feeling like there are eyes on my back. “Exploring does sound like the more fun option though… In the absence of a well we might find a stream we can follow,” ideally we’d filter that too but after two weeks of limited supplies I am not going to complain about spring water.
I look at the map next to Amber, my lip trembling as a notice a symbol on the edge of it.
I’ve seen maps like this one before, same markings on the edge.
‘We can’t stay here… we have to go… now!’ Alarmed by what I just saw I pull Brady close to me.
My eyes dart away from the map and towards Trudy when I hear the tone of her voice, “What is it Trudy?” I ask my brow furrowing slightly in concern for the obvious panic that’s spread across her face, her body language as she pulls her daughter against her, tells me there is more to this than just her wanting to go, clearly she had seen something the rest of us hadn’t - I knew Trudy, knew that expression. “It’s probably a good idea to get back to the others anyway.” I say glancing at Lex, a questioning expression on my face as if silently asking if he’s got any idea what has put Trudy in such a state.
“Lets head back, we know this place is empty and we know the map is here if we need it.” I say and place my hand against Trudy’s arm, “Come on.” I say gently, I wanted answers, but I had a feeling answers weren’t going to happen until we were out of this building. Turning and walking out of the room I glance around before starting back the way we’d come.
OOC: Will update when I have more information…
EXTENDED PROFILE post:
BASIC INFORMATION
BIRTH NAME: Zachary (Zak)
DATE OF BIRTH: 24th March 1999
AGE: 18
AGE AT THE TIME OF VIRUS: 14
FAMILY (any siblings, cousins etc): Only child
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Blue
TRIBE: None
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single
PAST RELATIONSHIPS: May
CHILDREN: None
PLAY-BY (your username here): Ashly
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
TALENTS: Fishing, Mecanical,
HABITS:
SECRET(S):
DISLIKES:
FEARS:
STRENGTHS: Good with engines.
WEAKNESSES:
PERSONALITY:
BACKGROUND:
BIC:-
Watching as everyone walks off, enjoying being on solid ground, glad to have my space back… I pull the boat closer to the shore and tie it off on a small pier, I look at the boat and moan
“I never agreed to that many people” I mutter grumpily under my breath
I watch May and the others walk off and look around the island, I climb back on board and sit down looking out at sea…
Surely Zandra and Danni must have been a dream I think to myself as I hug my feet close. I feel so lost, if I cant trust my eyes, what can I trust? There is one thing I do know, someone gave me water, so it can’t have been a dream. The feeling that had gone through me when I had that sip of water had been amazing, so someone must have done that.
I glance over to somoene else in the cage before i try to push myself up on my feet
Was I hearing things…Patsy? I watch as Zandra walks away and I want to shout after her, to find out more information but I knew that would attract the attention of the other guards.
I turn to Alice, completely overwhelmed by what had just happened…“Patsy?..do you think there are more Mallrats here?”
I turn back to watch Zandra disappear between the cages becoming a distance memory.
"Patsy?..do you think there are more Mallrats here?"
Torn between anger, disbelief and pure confusion I can only stare at KC, unable to speak. What if this wasn’t a trick? What if this was real? I try to make my brain contemplate that possibility. Zandra, Patsy … rumours of Bray … there could be far more Mall Rats here than we ever knew. But who were prisoners and who weren’t? Why was Zandra a Techno? Why was she helping these monsters?
“I don’t know what is going on,” I whisper to KC. “Or who we can really trust. But if we find an opening to escape … we have to take it.”
I nod in agreement to what Alice said, even if Zandra didn’t come with us or if it wasn’t really Patsy we had to get out of her anyway we can and we would be stupid to say no to any help we could get.
“Let’s get some water…and maybe take a walk through our cage to see if we can see any other faces we know” I suggest.
I had see Jet, leader of the Gulls a couple of days ago but her mind had been destroyed by the VR, a dazed expression clouded her face. As sad as it was to say she was a lost cause.
Sitting in my corner of the cage my back to everyone, gently rocking for comfort, wishing i was anywhere from here, I put my elbows on my knees and my arms across the back of my head, my heads down, mumbling incoherantly…
“Its a dream, I am not here, I am home…”
My mumblings trail off, I close my eyes tight wanting to block out the sounds around me, again I hear familiar voices talking and someone saying theres water, I squeeze my eyes tighter, unable to distingush between real life and virtual reality, the smell of the mines still up my nose, we had been put through so much since the choosen had taken over…
“I’ll kill him” I mumble “he will die”
My voice trailing off as anger again fills my head… Anger that the Guardian had taken everything away I cared for or needed…
I shrug at Ellie “Sure we could explore maybe catch up with Trudy etc and see if they’ve found anything worth looking at.” I say thoughtful “I have a little water in my water bottle” I say holding it up and shaking it at her. I sit down to put my shoes back on and when I’m done I get up and dust myself of a little “lead the way m’lady” I say bowing jokingly.
I sit down next to Jack to put my own shoes back on. As much as I’d like to keep them off our exploration could very quickly lead us away from the beach and the seemingly clean sand. Once I’m done I get up too and take Jack’s hand once he straightens up.
"As you wish good Sir," I reply with a light chuckle. It feels good to laugh and joke with Jack without anyone listening in. We can be as goofy and immature as we like without feeling bad for laughing too loud and waking someone up. It’s more than a little refreshing. I’ve missed those moments that are just us, in our own space, doing our own thing. We head off down the beach, and I can’t keep the smile off my face. Part of me doesn’t care if we find a source of fresh water or not, I’m just glad to spend time with him away from prying eyes.
Once all the cages have some water I head back towards the cabin. I cant believe it, Patsy and Kc are stuck here!
I cant help but think back to Eagal Mountain, its been a really long time before since I last thought about the place , I remember the last time we were together, me, Lex and Kc were going to head in a different direction away… We were going to start a new life.
I shake my head of the thoughts, I was going to get them out of those cages, no matter what I am going to find a way. I cant stand the idea of them being in there.
I started looking through the paperwork sat on the desk. It looks as though there hasnt been an updated rota in a few days… That is odd. There are still Techno’s here… We’ve seen them… Though while I think about it, have we met anyone in charge yet? It was other Techno’s our level who told us about the cages and walked us down here.
I decided to keep looking through everything in the cabin, there might be more answers here.
Getting up I look out across the beach, I see Jack and Ellie walking off together, salene is busy with the baby, Slade and Ram are off fishing, I can’t see any of the others so I strip off down to my shorts and walk to the end of the boat, looking around again, I smile and jump off the end and into the cool water… It’s so nice to be alone and do my own thing without arguments and other people, I am used to my own company, being stuck on a boat with loads of others can drive you crazy…
The water feels warm but it’s also cool, it feels nice as the waves hit my body, it’s refreshing after so long being sweaty and smelly…
I catch Trudy’s unease, but I don’t know what caused it, and suddenly Amber is suggesting we go back. “No way,” I protest, “The place is perfectly good it would be a waste. Let’s go back, and get the others.”
I can’t help but smile when Ellie takes my hand. “Let’s go!” I say letting Ellie lead me wherever she wishes. It’s so exciting being on this island but something leaves me feeling anxious at the same time.
I pause just outside the doorway when I hear Lex protest about leaving, “I don’t want to leave either Lex, I feel like this place would make a good base for us, at least for a few days, but we need to get the others.” I say my eyes locking with his I motion towards Trudy in the most subtle manner I can, hoping he will pick up on my reason for wanting to get her out of here. It wasn’t that I wanted to leave, I just wanted answers and I got the impression I wasn’t going to get them until we could calm Trudy down a little bit - something was clearly making her feel uneasy and I wanted to find out what it was.
“We can come back here with everyone else and continue searching.” I say as I motion to the map “Maybe a small group of us can head to one of those food sheds marked on the map and check it out? First though I think we all need to get back here and maybe everyone will begin relaxing.” I glance at Gel and then Trudy, “Come on, lets go get the others shall we?”