TheZombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse, Group 5, Scene 4a
The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse
Group 5, Scene 4a
copyright 2010 comidacomida
The group descended the ladder one at a time. Everyone took a moment to gain their bearings as Aldo led them to the shop he had found. It remained as undisturbed as they had found it, and the orca dug around in his pocket, "I have the keys... we can just--" but he didn't get a chance to finish his introduction as the group's attention was drawn to the left by a howling growl.
"There!" Jake pointed out. Not far from the party was a large collection of zombies. They had been milling about across the way, but, as one took notice, so did they all... and the mob began shuffling in their direction.
"Hmm... they must have come up to inspect the commotion." Finley offered, "Aldo... gate please?" although the request was matter-of-fact, a tense urgency was blatant in it.
"I'm trying... I'm trying!" the orca answered back, fumbling with the keys.
"If you could get that done now, that'd be magic!" Ty suggested, backpedaling toward the store as the onslaught of zombies stalked toward them.
"Damn it... damn it..." Finley grumbled checking all of his pockets, "what a time to run out of acid... I don't have the chemicals I need!" he declared
"It's a little late to mix anything, Doctor Weatherburton." Cadence spoke up, "I think now would be a prudent time to get back."
"Oh god! Just get to the ladder!" Jake shouted, running for the door leading to the hallway they had emerged from. The fox skidded to a halt, however, as a red squirrel bounded toward him. It was all the fox could do to fall back, grabbing hold of a display case and knocking it into the zombie's path. The squirrel stumbled over it and slid to the ground, but it quickly picked itself back up and came at him again.
"HELP!" Jeff shouted, the surreal speed of the squirrel taking him by surprise.
"Get DOWN!" Ty shouted, leaping at the fox and knocking him to the floor, right in time for the zombified rodent to fly straight over their head.
"THERE!" Aldo shouted, yanking the security gate upward and opening the store. He turned to regard the group, right in time to see the undead squirrel launch over the two prone survivors and head straight for cadence, "DOCTOR VAN--" was all the time he had to get out of his mouth as the monkey casually sidestepped the flying squirrel. It impacted into the wall with a muffled *thump* and, without even giving the old doctor a second-thought, turned, and shot out from against the wall right at Aldo, teeth bared.
The orca stumbled back, throwing his arms up defensively, but there was no way he'd possibly be able to evade it. "ALDO!" Finley shouted, leaping toward him. The mouse slammed into the squirrel mid-air and both went tumbling to the ground. Finley screamed as the squirrel's razor-sharp front teeth bit into his shoulder, its skeletal claws tearing into his torso.
"Get it off him! Get it off him!" Jake shouted, quickly getting back to his feet.
"Damn it! Somebody DO something!" Ty shouted, grabbing a shoe. He hurled it at the squirrel, but it ignored the footwear, continuing to tear into the prone mouse.
Aldo reached forward and tried to grab at the zombie, but it launched a hind leg out and kicked him square in the chest, causing him to double over from the force of the strike. Jake grabbed a sign post from the knocked-over display and ran at the squirrel, swinging the wooden bar with an overhand chop. The resulting blow knocked the squirrel off of Dr Finley, but did not appear to have any lasting effect as it quickly righted itself and hissed, blood dripping from its jaws and claws. "Ohhhh boy..." Jake noted, hesitantly stepping back.
The squirrel crouched, focused on Jake, "Help!" Jake whimpered, and continued backpedaling. The zombie made ready to jump, but suddenly paused-- a light illuminated its eyes. It gazed past the cowering fox, slowly stepping off of the unmoving mouse as it looked past Jake toward Cadence.
"Yes... this is a lot more interesting than some scrawny little fox, isn't it?" Cadence inquired, moving away from the wall with a small torch in her hand. She shook it back and forth, focusing it on the zombie's face. The squirrel tracked its movement with its eyes,
"Pretty? Bright? Luminescent?" she spoke to the squirrel. Approaching closer, she pulled another torch out of her lab coat and turned it on, shining it similarly at the rest of the zombies, "Can't keep your eyes off of these, can you?"
"Cadence... what in the hell?" Ty demanded, but quickly shut his muzzle as several zombies turned to regard him.
"You really need to learn when to stop talking... you'll never make it through university if you use your muzzle more than your ears." Cadence answered casually, returning to shaking the torches. She raised her voice to address the zombies again as she added the second torch to her first hand, and pulled out a third, "You like these, don't you?" she called to the zombies, waving all three around. She reached her off-hand into her pocked and pulled out a forth, somehow managing to turn it on as well, "Too good to pass up, aren't they?" she questioned.
The monkey slowly began moving to the guard rail at the edge of the floor, "The faster they move the more you want them, isn't that right?" she said, starting to swing both arms wildly, "You might even want to... GO GET THEM!" she shouted, throwing all four out into the empty space beyond the guard rail. In unison, the slobbering, ravening zombies all leapt after the torches as they spiraled out into the void.
"Go! Go! Go!" Ty demanded, ushering everyone into the store. "Cadence! Come HERE!" he shouted to the monkey, who stood at the guard rail looking after the zombies as they fell.
"Fast!" Jake shouted, "More are coming!" he pointed to the right along another set of shops, where more zombies were emerging, eying the group, and then charging. Cadence turned to regard the group as Ty, Aldo, and finally Jake got inside. "Cadence!" Jake shouted.
The monkey turned to look at the group, then gazed off toward the rapidly approaching zombies, "Oh dear." she offered in casual tone.
"DR VANHOUSEN! COME ON!!!" Aldo shouted, but she remained staring at the onrush of zombies.
"Damn it!" Ty cursed, slamming the close mechanism on the security gate as Cadence turned to stare at the group.
"Cadence is still outside, Ty! She's still outside!" Jake pulled at his arm.
"I can SEE that, Jake!" Ty grunted, pushing the fox away, "And so are the zombies!" The gate locked into place right as the first set of zombies arrived.
"Where's Finley? I can't see him!" Aldo ranted, trying to gaze past the zombies, which were rapidly filling up all visible space beyond the shop.
"Dr Cadence is still out there!" Jake pushed the issue.
"Not much we can do about it now. Calm down." Ty answered, letting out a sigh as he slunk to the ground, back against a wall.
The mob of zombies pressed further against the security gate, but it held. Aldo quickly backpedaled away from the reaching and grasping claws... right until he heard something distinctively different from the normal moans, groans, rasps, and growls. With a powerful huff and an exerting grunt a mouse managed to push its way to the front of the horde.
The mouse wore a lab coat, completely covered in blood. His glasses were askew, one of the lenses broken. Numerous lacerations covered his body and a huge gaping hole was prominently displayed in the middle of his torso. There was no way Finley could have survived it, and yet, there he stood. "Everyone's safe... good." Finley spoke to them through the gate. Aldo's eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell face-first onto the carpet.
"Oh shit... come on, Aldo... not now... don't tell me you fucking fainted..." Ty knelt down and rolled the orca over. Taking a moment to look him over, Ty sighed, propping him up against a wall, "Son of a bitch... he's in shock."
"I should be too." the mouse mumbled, gazing in at the party from beyond the gate, "but I don't think that's how this works anymore." he looked down at his own paws, turning them one way, then the other.
"What? How what works?" Jake questioned, a faint whine to his voice, "Dr... Dr Weatherburton... how can you still be alive?"
"I'm not." Finley answered, resting a paw against his chest, "No heart beat... no pulse..."
"But you're--"
"Listen..." Finley rasped, "I'm not going to get better and I don't have much time..."
"We can help! We can help!" Jake shouted, "Just don't give up!"
"It's too late to help me..." the mouse noted with a tone that allowed no argument, "right now you have to worry about yourselves." Finley stated, shoved around amidst the press of zombies, "I'm dead... and my brain isn't going to keep working for much longer..."
"Brain death occurs a few minutes after the heart stops." Ty stated, looking up from Aldo.
"and once my mind goes..." Finley glanced to the zombie beside him, a beagle, chewing on the security gate. The mouse simply sighed; it came out as a burbling, raspy, fluid-filled sound.
"What are you gonna do, doc?" Ty demanded, "You said you didn't have enough chemicals to make any more explosives."
Finley nodded, his head lolling from one odd angle to the next, "True... true. I was missing acid."
"Was?" Jake questioned.
The mouse's lips pulled back into a horrific, almost otherworldly grin and he stuck his paw into the gaping wound in his gut, pulling out--
"Oh my GOD, Finley... is that your STOMACH?!?!" Ty demanded.
"Yes... yes it is." the mouse answered, barely managing to stay on his feet as he was jostled by another zombie, holding onto the security gate with his spare paw so he could maintain his position against it, "It's strange... I thought being dead would hurt more... but I don't feel anything... nothing at all..."
Jake took a step away from the shop's security gate, "D-d-doctor Finley... you--"
"I need acid..." he explained, "There isn't any time left for talking." the mouse interrupted, "Everything is starting to go dark...it's like everything... is shutting down." he rasped, grabbing hold of a zombie next to him for support; the zombie didn't seem to notice, "I'll be... one of them... soon..."
"Fight it! You can fight it, can't you?" Jake pressed.
"You're all so... loud." the mouse mumbled, his voice starting to grow indistinct.
Ty grabbed hold of the fox by the wrist, "Jake... he has acid."
"What's that supposed to--" the fox paused, watching as Dr. Finley pulled a cocktail of chemicals out of his lab coat. With his other paw, the mouse opened up his stomach, stretching open the tear in his viscera.
"Everything is... so loud..." the mouse moaned, "heartbeats... breaths... you're all... so... loud." Finley finished in a whisper, "but I know... what will make it... quiet."
"RUN!" Ty shouted. He and Jake sprinted toward the back of the store, each diving behind the counter where the cash register sat. They threw their arms around one another and pressed themselves to the wall.
All was silent for one second... two seconds... three seconds... "There... that should... do it." Finley's voice said calmly from outside the shop, "Hey... you... come meet... your... newest friend. Gimme... a hug." and the world dissolved into one big explosion.
"Shit... shit... shit..." Ty screamed, holding his ears. Jake rolled around on the floor, likewise writhing in pain that the shock wave had caused to his senses. It was nearly a minute minutes before either could stand... two before the ringing in their ears started to go away but both had the same thought the moment they could, "ALDO!" they shouted in unison.
The two rushed over to the prone orca; he had been thrown several meters from where he had been propped against the wall. Ty ran to his side immediately and began unpacking items from his kit. The wolf took a moment to inspect the orca, choosing to focus on a huge puncture wound in the sea mammal's abdomen first, "Put your paws here and do NOT move them until I tell you." the Ty ordered Jake; the fox complied without questioning.
"There's a lot of bleeding... shrapnel... god damn it..." Ty mumbled to himself, pulling out bandages, thread, a needle, two phials of medicine, and numerous other items, "Hold him still.. we have to work fast."
"You should probably work VERY fast." Cadence said, peeking her head into view.
"You're still ALIVE?!?!" Ty demanded incredulously, but he had no further time to give her any attention, instead focusing it on his patient, "Come on, Aldo... you DON'T want to die in a shoe store."
"All the zombies around the gate are gone, but that little parting gift from the good Doctor drew a lot of attention." Cadence offered, gazing off to the store's right. As if to accentuate her comment, the group could clearly hear the unearthly howling, wailing, snarling battle cry of dozens upon dozens of zombies.
"We gotta get back to the roof, Ty... we gotta get back to the roof!" Jake whimpered, but he kept his paws where he had been ordered.
"I know... I know!" Ty growled, "Just one more minute-- if we try to move him right now then he's as good as dead."
"They're by the McDonalds." Cadence observed, sounding completely unconcerned with the situation.
"Could you stop fucking talking and give us a hand?" Ty demanded, leaning forward to gnaw through a thread, "There." he announced, then paused a second, glancing to Jake, "Alright... move." he stated, and the fox leapt up.
Cadence reached out and gave the store gate a little shove; the whole thing came crashing down, "There... door's open. We may want to head for the ladder." she offered.
"You go..." Ty directed to Cadence, "Jake... help me with Aldo." The fox obediently took one of the dazed orca's arms. The two moved after Cadence as quickly as they could, neither willing or able to glance behind themselves at what they realized must have been an army of ravenous, drooling, blood-crazed undead.
<END SCENE>
I warned everyone that it was possible, and now here's the proof: a second Harrowing Event for poor Group 5. Our lucky party here is the first to get a second one. Yet another member of Group 5 is now at 0 Plot Points; So Furry readers will really have to intervene to help the party survive.
Thanks to Aldo's keen eyes, the group has found what they think will be a safe place to rest for a few hours. Indeed, it MIGHT have been, if not for the story being pushed along by a lack of Plot Points... damn those Plot Points anyway. ;)
What follows is a behind-the-scenes look at when and how everything went to hell in this scene, and a chance to save your favorite characters.
Exactly how bad is the Harrowing Event this time?
**Roll 3d10 to determine the number of zombies the group must face in the mall.
Roll of 4 + 1 + 8. _ A group of 13 zombies comes to attack the party.**_
13 zombies is not enough for a Harrowing Event. We're throwing in a special zombie too.
**A roll on the 'special' zombie encounter index is made.
Result of 1d10 = 4.**
The party encounters an AGILITY zombie in addition to the 13 standard zombies.
Who does the AGILITY zombie attack?
**Luck roll. Character with the lowest result is attacked.
Cadence 3 + trait of 7 = 10
Jake 8 + trait of 8 = 16
Ty 6 + trait of 4 = 10
Finley 5 + trait of 8 = 13
Aldo 7 + trait of 2 = 9**
Aldo is attacked by the AGILITY zombie!
How much damage is the AGILITY zombie capable of doing?
**Roll 2d10 to determine damage caused by the AGILITY zombie.
Roll is 8+6.**
_ The AGILITY zombie deals 14 points of damage. _
Aldo will have to endure the attack.
**Vitality (14) to avoid dmg. -1 Vitality per point by which the roll is missed.
Aldo 4 + trait of 6 = 10.**
The AGILITY zombie will deal 4 points of damage to Aldo.
Can Finley save Aldo?
**Agility (12) for Finley to intercept the AGILITY zombie.
Finley 9 + trait of 4 = 13 _ SUCCESS**
Finley manages to push Aldo out of the way and takes the blow instead. Finley dies._
The group has a chance to disable as many zombies as possible before they're overcome.
Agility (12) to hit with a melee attack, (13) to hit if unarmed. Roll must be +1 over difficulty to kill. Each character may continue their attack until they fail to hit or kill a zombie. Cadence may roll Ingenuity (11) one time but she gets a phenominal success with a 16 or higher.
**Cadence 8 + trait of 9 = 17 PHENOMINAL SUCCESS
Jake 2 + trait of 5 = 7 FAILURE
Ty 3 + trait of 4 = 7 FAILURE
Aldo 4 + trait of 7 = 11 _ FAILURE**
Cadence is able to distract a portion of the zombies._
How many zombies does Cadence manage to distract?
**Ingenuity roll equals the number of zombies that fall for her ruse.
Cadence 7 + trait of 9 = 16**
All of the zombies fall for it.
Can everyone manage to get into the store?
**Agility or Awareness (10). Anyone with a roll of 15 or higher will be able to close the gate.
Cadence 5 + trait of 4 = 9 FAILURE
Jake 6 + trait of 5 = 11 SUCCESS
Ty 8 + trait of 7 = 15 GREAT SUCCESS
Aldo 6 + trait of 7 = 13 _ SUCCESS**
Cadence is left outside the store, but everyone else gets inside._
Will Ty still close the door even with Cadence outside?
**Tenacity (11) to close the gate anyway.
Ty 7 + trait of 8 = 15 _ SUCCESS**
Ty closes the door anyway._
How does the group respond when they see Finley rise?
**Endurance (12) to maintain their wits.
Cadence 5 + trait of 9 = 14 SUCCESS
Jake 8 + trait of 4 = 12 SUCCESS
Ty 7 + trait of 5 = 12 SUCCESS
Aldo 2 + trait of 4 = 6 _ FAILURE**
Aldo goes into shock._
Does Jake or Ty notice something rather... interesting?
**Awareness (12) to catch sight of an incredibly pertinent fact.
Jake 5 + trait of 5 = 10 FAILURE
Ty 4 + trait of 7 = 11 _ FAILURE**
Everyone is too preoccupied to notice <insert very important thing to notice here>._
**Jake and Ty must try to calm Aldo.
Influence (16) to help Aldo snap out of it.**
Neither can roll high enough. Aldo is catatonic.
**Aldo loses 6 Endurance.
Aldo must spend a plot point to reduce the Endurance loss to only 3 or he would be negative.
Aldo loses 3 Endurance.**
Can everyone get to cover before Finley goes boom?
**Agility (10) to get behind cover. Someone will need to roll 15+ to also get Aldo under cover.
Cadence 8 + trait of 2 = 10 SUCCESS
Jake 6 + trait of 5 = 11 SUCCESS
Ty 7 + trait of 4 = 11 _ SUCCESS**
Everyone gets behind cover... except for Aldo, who gets no roll_ .
How much damage is Finley's charge capable of dealing?
**Ingenuity roll (+2 because it's Finley's area of expertise) will determine the difficulty to avoid taking any damage.
Finley 8 + trait of 7 = 15+2**
The explosion will deal 17 points of damage.
Aldo is hopefully very resilient.
**Vitality (17) to avoid taking any damage. 1 dmg per point by which the roll is missed.
Aldo 6 + trait of 6 = 12**
Aldo loses 5 vitality points.
Does Aldo snap out of it?
**Endurance (10) to get the orca on his feet again.
Aldo 4 + trait of 1 = 5 _ FAILURE**
Aldo is still in shock._
Aldo needs medical attention, NOW!
**Ingenuity (15) to administer aid. Each point over what is needed will remove 1 vitality loss. Ty gets a +2 because it is his field of expertise.
Jake 6 + trait of 2 = 8 FAILURE
Ty 7 + trait of 7 = 14+2 _ SUCCESS**
Ty reduces the damage Aldo took to 4 Vitality._
No one in this chapter loses a Plot Point because there is a Harrowing Event taking place. Sadly, Finley has died, but keep in mind that there are still at least 2 characters who are on the proverbial chopping block and possibly in danger. Here is a chance for all readers (contributing and non-contributing alike) to help try and save their favorite character(s).
During this Harrowing Event, rolls will help a character survive but what it really comes down to are Plot Points. The more Plot Points a character has the better chance they will have to survive. Since no plot points are lost this story, everyone has at least 0... but they will probably want more than that. This is where readers come in.
Non-contributing readers may still provide a single vote for the character of their choice they would like to survive; the character with the most votes will automatically gain 1 plot point. But wait-- there's more! Characters now have the capacity to recharge Plot Points. Contributing and Non-contributing readers may provide bonus plot points for any character by providing fan art (with a cap of up to 5 bonus Plot Points).
You heard me: FAN ART! Post a link to your fan art on this story page. You could have done it yourself or it could be commissioned. Fan art may be of any character or might be a snapshot from one of the scenes thus far... it maybe it could be a fake movie poster for the Apoc-Fur-Lypse, a la something from Left 4 Dead. Make it creative, make it fun, make it meaningful-- just make it! And you may want to make it quickly because the results of the Harrowing Event will be up next week! You have one week from the date this story posts.
Contributing readers also have an opportunity to earn 1 bonus Plot Point for their character either by submitting their own art, or do a write-up of events from the character's point of view (2-5 pages), either in the form of a journal entry, train-of-thought, or personal narrative. Providing a link in a comment to this post is the way to go! Heck... you may want to advertise it on your page to encourage others to come vote for you too!
Once all Plot Points are tabulated we'll be able to see if another character dies. Among the remaining characters, bad rolls and low Plot Point scores may result in even more deaths so snap to it folks... you don't have much time!
There are still characters in jeopardy... let's help as many members of Group 5 survive as possible. Good luck!