Todd Wants Key's Face

Todd: *lets out a Hunter's cry whilst leaping at the loud one - the one who taunted him. He won't be so smug after this!* RYYYEEE!!

Loud guy: whoa, shoot!! *is knocked to the ground*

Big guy: *wastes no time getting into the fight, pulling Todd off the loud guy and throwing him into the wall of the shop*

Skinny guy: !! *pulls out a knife*

Todd: *grunts in pain when he hits the shop wall - luckily for them, it wasn't enough pain to trigger his "instinct mode" - and immediately leaps at, and latches onto the big guy, snarling. He claws at his face*

Big: *cries out in pain, attempting to pull Todd off of him*

Loud: *gets up off the ground* the bastard's a Hunter!

Skinny: You think?!

Big: *manages to punch Todd in the face*

Todd: *dazed from the punch, he lets go of the big guy, and stumbles a bit* oy...

Big: *wipes the blood off his face with the back of his hand, clearly not amused* goddamned jumping freak.

Loud: heh. *punches Todd in the gut*

Todd: *still dazed, he is unable to avoid the punch* Oof! *he stumbles back into the wall, holding his stomach* ghh...

Loud: *grins* not so tough now, are ya?

Skinny: we should just be rid of 'im, no one'd ever know.

Big: *not amused*

Loud: 's not a bad ide--

Big: *interrupts him with a loud UNGH, and staggers forward, clutching the back of his head*

Loud: the frack?! *turns around to see the attacker* Well, lookie here. If it isn't Little Red, come to save the hero. or is he the big bad wolf?

Key: *is standing defiantly, holding a frying pan defiantly. she looks like she had just jumped out of the shower and put clothes on--her hair was still dripping wet. she looked angry, but terrified at the same time, but she spoke defiantly* Leave. Him. Alone.

Loud: *simply bursts out laughing*

Todd: *regains some composure, and is quite shocked by Key's sudden appearance. He was also quite worried* Key...! get out of here...!

Key: *shakes her head--water goes flying everywhere* No, Todd. You told me you wouldn't get yourself into trouble.

Skinny: Heheh. She's a smart one. Maybe you should take her advice and get the hell outta here.

Loud: Cute AND smart. *grins* Why don'tcha scurry on home like Lil' Red said?

Key: *is not amused at ALL, she practically growls at the guy*

Loud: Feisty too. I likethat. *to Skinny* Hold 'er down while I deal with the jumper over here, will ya?

Skinner: *grins widely* you got it. *advances towards Key*

Loud and Big: *stand between Todd and Key*

Todd: >:( *suddenly uppercuts the big guy in the jaw, fueled by the superhuman strength he gained from infection*

Skinny: What happened to your ears, kitty-cat?

Key: They were a phase.

Skinny: heh. *stabs at Key with his knife*

Key: *deflects him with the frying pan, and elbows him th the face*

Skinny: !!!

Big guy: !!!! *is sent reeling, and staggers back*

Loud: D:< *attacks Todd while he's distracted with the big guy, and knees him in the gut*

Todd: *jumps backwards to dodge the attack, and uses the loud one's forward motion to grab onto his shirt, pull him forward, and punch him repeatedly in the gut with the same maximum level of strength* RARGH! D8<

Loud: ?!!! *grabs Todd's head, and smashes it against his, intending to disorient Todd*

Big: *is down and out*

Key: *dodges another slash from Skinny and takes a swing at him*

Skinny: !! *is hit in the head, and is knocked out*

Key: >:D

Todd: *though the hit did daze Todd a bit, it also triggered his natural zombie instinct, and he raised his lowered head at the loud one, revealing his empty eye sockets, and hissing through bared, blood-strained teeth. His face was twisted with that familiar inhuman rage*

Key: Right... *tries to change the subject* By the way, Todd, we brought you some clothes too, they're... wherever Harry put them. *quickly grabs her clothes and goes to her room to put them away*

Todd: Oh, ok! :D Harry, where did you put them?

Harry: In your dresser.

Todd: Oh, ok! :D I'll go change in our room - DON'T GO IN THERE. *goes to do so*

Harry: ...

Key: *is purposedly taking a while*

Harry: *taps his foot impatiently* ... *yelling through Key's door* AREN'T YOU DONE YET?

Todd: *changing*

Key: *yelling back* DOES IT REALLY MATTER? YOU HAVE TO SHOWER FIRST ANYWAY!

Harry: *snorts, and goes into the bathroom to shower*

Todd: *exits the room right as Harry goes into the bathroom* aww. D: Am I seriously going to be stuck out here alone?

Key: *is almost done putting her things away* ... *she is still rather distracted by the almost-incident, if you could call it that. it brought back bad memories*

Harry: *showering*

Todd: Key, you're gonna have to come out at SOME point. D:

Key: I know, I know.... *comes out of the room* Here I am. :D *tries to smile, but it comes out looking fake. she's still a bit distracted*

Todd: *frowns* Key... can you tell me the truth about what happened outside?

Key: ... *sighs* Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt... *plops down on the couch* Those guys that were following me... I knew them.

Todd: You KNEW them? From where, before the epidemic?

Key: *shakes her head* no... You probably don't remember this, but when Harry found me, I was hiding in an alleyway at night. Not the safest place to be, right? ....I had found a safehouse a while earlier and had tried to sleep, but these three guys were banging on the door, asking for me to let them in. they didn't look infected, so I let them inside... I wasn't gonna leave them to the Infected, you know... at first it all seemed pretty okay, but they kept looking at me, and talking...

Todd: *he thinks he has a clue as to what happened next, and it affects his own appearance. In slight anger, his muscles were tense, and his brow was furrowed. His voice too, was somewhat more rough* ... so... what then?

Key: *sees the change in his appearance and starts to regret telling him... but she already started, and she was going to have to finish* ...I was trying not to fall asleep, but i was too tired and started dozing off... before I knew it, they had me against the wall. *bites her lip, obviously not enjoying the memory* One of them pulled a knife on me and told me not to move, or they would hurt me. Th-they got close... b-but I managed to grab the knife and use it to get away... *looks at the floor, very much distraught* I-I guess the rest is history...

Todd: *he had gotten angrier upon hearing this* ... I see. *that small "I see" was the quietest he'd gone. It was said through bared teeth, and so very full of spite* ... and they're still here?

Key: *looks up upon hearing his tone of voice* I-I think they just got here... they WERE behind us, after all... *wipes her face with her sleeve--she was crying*

Todd: ... *he wipes some of her tears away with a finger* Do you know what they looked like?

Key: ! *looks up* ...please don't tell me you want to go after them...!

Todd: No, no... I'll just... talk to them. They can't get away with doing that to you.

Key: *looks at him, trying to tell whether he's being honest with him* .... *looks down* ...there are three of them. They're all around the same height... though one of them's skinnier than the others, I think... they all have dark hair. I can't really tell you much else... *looks up again* ...don't... don't get yourself into trouble, Todd... I don't want you to get hurt because of me.

Todd: I promise I'm not gonna get hurt, alright? Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be back. *he exits the apartment room, and searches for the three men Key had describes, determined*

Harry: *had finished showering, and was now drying himself off, and getting dressed*

Key: .... *has a very bad feeling about this. she now completely regrets telling him anything at all* nnn.... *realizes that the shower had turned off... she gets up and goes to her room to grab her clothes*

Todd: *still searches for the three men, wondering if they had gone straight to their apartment room* ...

meanwhile

Harry: *now fully clothed, he exits the bathroom. He hated the feeling of wearing wet clothes, but at least he was clean. He looked around to find that Key was still not out of her room* ... *he sits down on the couch and relaxes*

Key: *comes out of her room, clothes in hand, and sees Harry on thecouch* ...hey. I'm gonna take a while, okay? *goes to enter the bathroom, but pauses* ...Todd went out. He'll ba back... soon... *bites her lip, and goes into the bathroom*

Harry: uh... oh. *he wonders where Todd could have gone off to*

meanwhile

Todd: *he finds the soldier at the front desk* Hey, did three guys walk through here? Dark hair? Same height?

Guy at Front Desk: *notices Todd's appearace* Uh, um... yeah. They came in and went back out just a little while ago.

Todd: ... oh. Ok. Thank you very much. *he walks out of the building, now dead set on teaching those crass apes how to act like human beings. Oh yes. Teach them, indeed*

*three men are standing in front of a closed shop down the street, one making arm motions as if telling a story, the other two leaning against the wall and laughing. these are the men Key described*

Todd: *he makes a low growling noise when he spots them. He approaches them, head low, hood shadowing most of his face. Finally gets into their proximity, and speaks* So... that girl that you were bugging earlier...

Loud guy: *hears him, and stops talking to turn and look at him* eh?

Big guy: *notices Todd, and elbows the guy next to him* Check this guy out.

Skinny guy: ? *looks* pffeh. Who the hell are you?

*all three men look like they're at least in their mid-twenties, maybe a bit older*

Todd: I'm just a friend of that one girl you decided to bother. I don't exactly appreciate that.

Loud guy: *grins* ah, little Red. she's a cute one, eh?

Skinny guy: *snickers* i told you it was the same girl.

Big Guy: *merely snorts*

Todd: *in a menacing voice* I can't let you get away with that...

Loud guy: *scoffs* Get away with what? the dog nearly cut off my goddamned arm with my own knife. *is pointing at a rather noticable scar on his arm* She fracking owes me.

Skinny guy: I think Mr Hero here has a thing for Little Red...

Big guy: ....

Todd: *takes a step forward, his growling getting louder* she was DEFENDING HERSELF, idiots! YOU DON'T GET AWAY WITH THAT shoot!

Skinny guy: Can't blame a guy for tryin'.

Loud guy: No kiddin'. *grins smugly at Todd* So we almost had our way with your little friend. *holds his arms out to his sides tauntingly* What're you gonna do about it?

Big guy: *grins, awaiting a fight eagerly*

up

Key: *joins Todd* Hey there. ^^; We're, uh... new. *is somewhat socially awkward due to her previous self-inflicted isolation*

Guy: Uh... how did you get in?

Harry: ...s'military'l'usin...

Guy: ?

Todd: He mumbles when he's around new people, sorry. ^^; He said the military let us in.

Woman: Why? D:

Todd: Why not? We're not infected. D:

Guy: But you... you LOOK infected...

Key: but they're not D: I can vouch for them, i traveled with them most of the way here. They're not infected anymore :/

Guy: *sputters* ANYMORE??

Harry: nutherway'dweelook like'dis...

Todd: Well, we can just leave it at "a cure is possible"

Key: ...they're working on it...

Woman: Oh god... so the world could return to normal...

Guy: Wouldn't THAT be something?

Todd: *smiles inwardly*

Harry: ...

Key: it sure would, wouldn't it...?

Harry: Well, we should... go or something.

Todd: Should we? :/

Harry: Yes. Right now.

Todd: Key? :/

Key: ...okay.

*they walk away from the group of people*

Harry: That felt odd...

Todd: Well, you're an odd person. :P

Harry: ... I'm not ready to embrace society again just yet... I dunno. I'm just used to zombies.

Key: ....I'm not doing so well either, to be honest... It's not like i talked to that many people before the Infection anyway...

Todd: Aw, you guys! D: It's better to start connecting with other people here, then to keep quiet, with your head down! You'll never be ready for society again if you don't keep trying. D:

Harry: Ugh... whatever. Can we go back to the apartment?

Todd: Pssh...

Key: .....now that i think of it.... I could really use a shower.... *realizes* Oh god, I haven't showered in almost a MONTH. D8 Okay, we're going back. No arguing.

Todd: Whatever you say. XD

Harry: ...

*they walk back to the apartment building, and enter their room*

Todd: You're lucky there's working CLEAN water in the Safe Zone, Key. I'll shower after you're done.

Harry: *snorts* fine then. I'll shower last.

Key: Oh, no, no, no. You guys have to go first. You see this? *points at the bedraggled curly mess that is her hair* This will take me at least a good HOUR. *motions towards the bathroom* you guys go first. D:

Todd: Uhhh... alright. :D *runs to the bathroom*

Harry: B( Fine then.

Key: *sighs loudly, then pauses* ....Do we have extra clothes...? *runs to her room, and checks the closet--it was empty* of COURSE. *comes back outside* Harry, we're gonna have to go shopping.

Harry: *sigh* ... Well alright then, if we really don't have ANY clothes. Todd won't mind missing out, anyway - he's not fond of shopping.

Todd: *showering*

Key: Let's go, then. *knocks on the bathroom door* DON'T OPEN THE DOOR. We're going out to get clothes, we'll be back in a bit, okay? *to Harry* come on. *leaves the apartment, headed back outside*

Todd: *shouting through the door and shower's water spray* OK!

Harry: *leaves with Key*

*There's an old clothing store a few blocks from the apartment*

Key: *spots it* Over there. come on. *steps into the store with Harry* Okay. I'll go over there and get myself some stuff... Can you get stuff for Todd as well as for yourself?

Harry: *nods* Alright. Luckily, Todd's not hard to shop for. Not to say this is shopping anyway, since things are donated.

Key: Whatever you wanna call it, then. :P *goes off towards the women's section*

Harry: *browses the men's section, and finds a few shirts for both him, and Todd... but finding some pants would be nice. He had been wearing the same jeans for a month, now. That was disgusting. And poor Todd, who had been infected, was wearing the same disgusting sweatpants from when he was first infected. Harry found some new sweatpants for his friend. He grabbed two, then took a few pairs of jeans for them both. That should be good enough for now.*

Key: *had found a few shirts and another hoodie, plus a pair of sweatpants, but was having difficulty finding jeans that fit...* mmmh....

Harry: ... *carrying the clothes, he calls over to Key, who wasn't very far away* Hey, I'm gonna head back to the apartment - will you be ok on your own?

Key: *calls back* Go ahead, I know my way back!

Harry: Alright. *he walks out with the clothes, and accidentally bumps into someone* HOH-CRAP! Sorry!

Woman: *drops what she was carrying--a binder with a small stack of papers on it* shoot. No--It's okay. *starts picking up the paper*

Harry: ... uh... right. Right then. Sorry again. I'll just... get these back to the room... then. *walks off quickly, embarrassed*

Woman: *finishes picking up the papers and stands back up, readjusting her glasses. she frowns at the fact that he didn't even bother to help her, then continues on her way...*

Me: Harry's too dysfunctional in society to be helpful. XD

Harry: *walks all the way back to the apartment, and places the clothing in the two drawers he and Todd had*

Key: *shows up surprisingly quickly, almost slamming the apartment
door behind her. She was slightly wide-eyed and looked like she was trying to catch her breath a bit*

Harry: *hears the slam from his and Todd's room, and walks out to find Key* uh... did something happen?

Todd: *had finished showering, and was putting his clothes back on in the bathroom* WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT HAPPENED?

Key: n-nothing! I just wanted to.. see how fast i got up here. >.>

Harry: That's a shoot excuse, and you know it.

Todd: Gaahh! *hurriedly gets his clothes back on and bursts out of the bathroom* D: ...

Key: *huffs exasperatedly, unable to come up with another excuse, and puts her stack of clothes on the counter* ...These guys were following me, okay? I had to run to shake them off. :/

Todd: GUYS? FOLLOWING YOU? HERE? Not on MY watch! D8<

Harry: Yeah, well, it's over and done with. If you run into them again, you'll probably be with us. They won't bother you then.

Todd: ^^ There's a group over there - let's join in, and say a friendly "hello"!

Harry: ...

Todd: Be friendly, Harry.

Harry: I AM friendly.

Todd: Hah. Haha. *walks over to to the group of people* Uh... hey there! ^^; *waves*

Harry: ... *follows him*

People: *stare at Todd*

One Guy: Uh... hi.

Todd: Well, at least there's that. :D *he puts the bottle of pills (peelz lol) on the kitchen counter* I'm gonna go check out the situation with the bedrooms. *looks into the first room, then the next one*

Harry: *waits*

Todd: *comes back* Ok, this apartment was furnished for a family, or something. Nice of the military to think like that. The first room has two single-person beds, and the second one has a king-sized one. Key would be perfect in the second room.

Harry: Well alright then. Let's hope for better days, huh?

Todd: To better days! :D

Key: *finally relaxes. they're safe now* To better days. :) *looks around* .....* jokingly* we need some drinks. XD

Harry: Oh well. We'll find something to make up for it later. :) for now, though, we should go to bed. It's been a long day - longer than the rest. Tomorrow we should explore the Safe Zone, or something. See what they have to offer us.

Todd: Holy crap, I'll be able to sleep, tonight! :D

Harry: Yes, won't that be refreshing. :P

Todd: you have NO idea. *opens the nearby fridge, and finds a bottle of water to down the pill with*

Harry: *goes to his and Todd's room*

Todd: here goes... *swallows the pill with some water* ugh, that was a big pill... but hey, maybe it'll work. :D ... really fast... kay, I'm gonna go to bed before I pass out. G'night, Key. :)

Key: g'night. :) *watches him go to his room, then looks around the apartment. they really could just start over. she goes to her own room, and puts her bag down on the floor next to the door. she then decides to take a running leap into the bed, and almost bounces off. she flips onto her back and stares at the ceiling, wondering what they could possibly now that they're finally in the safe zone*

Todd: *stumbles into the room*

Harry: *was already asleep*

Todd: *he crawls into the bed - the first bed he's actually slept in for what appeared to be a month and a half. He savors the warmth and comfort it gives him, and never realizes how quickly he falls asleep that night*

*when they are all asleep*

Creepy Soldier: *uses a spare key to quietly sneak into the apartment. He slowly opens the door to Harry and Todd's room just an inch, and peeks in. Yes. The jumping thing - Todd - was very much asleep. The tranqs worked. Now they could set the plan into motion. He quietly leaves the apartment to report the results*

Key: *sits up. she could've sworn she heard something outside.... she got out of bed and opened the door to look, but nothing seemed different* .... *goes back into the room and pulls off her hoodie, deciding that it was warm enough in the apartment that she didn't need it

*the next morning*

Harry: *wakes up to find - much to his surprise - that Todd was still asleep. He could tell that his friend was still knocked out from the slowed breathing, and the complete lack of movement* *quietly* wow... I guess those things really work...

Todd: *...*

Me: goddamnit, my post got cut off somehow. uff. >.<

Noise: *is present outside Harry's room. it sounds like someone's rummaging through things*

Harry: ? *curious about the noise, he opens the room door*

Todd: *...*

Key: *is digging through the box of food. she's putting stuff in the fridge, leaving out the nonperishable stuff. she still hasn't put her hoodie back on. she hears the sound of the door opening, and turns to look* oh! g'morning. *notices Todd's abscence, and is surprised* *lowers her voice* Todd's still asleep?

Harry: *speaks quietly* Oh, yeah. Those pills must be pretty powerful. I'm sure he's enjoying every minute of it, though.

Todd: *...*

Key: *as she sticks some more stuff in the fridge* I honestly would too, if I was him. XD

Harry: But of course. :P *glances at the box of food* Do you need any help with that?

Todd: *...*

Key: umm... *looks in the box* I'm almost done... but it'd be great if you could help me start putting the canned stuff in the pantry....

Harry: *nods* alright. *starts doing so*

Todd: *... - drowsily wakes up* Wow... morning came pretty fast this time.

Harry: *had heard this. He calls into the bedroom* Good morning, Todd! How was the first sleep you've gotten in ages?

Todd: Amazing in every way.

Key: *finishes putting stuff in the fridge and starts helping Harry stock the pantry* That's good to hear! :P *jokingly* Dream anything?

Todd: Nah... but maybe that's a good thing. Gotta keep it simple after all this time without sleep. :P

Harry: That made no sense.

Todd: YOU MAKE NO SENSE!

Harry: ...

Key: *snickers* Now, now, kids, no fighting. XP *finishes putting the stuff away*

Todd: We're not kids... *pouts*

Harry: So today's the day we look around the Safe Zone.

Todd: People will stare, though...

Key: Then let them. You two have just as much right to be here as they do.

Harry: Their actions are understandable, though... they don't understand us, and human nature is to fear what we don't understand. To hate it because we don't like "different".

Todd: UGH. Can we go? Before Harry says anything any more crappy? D:

Key: Yes, please. *runs to her room to grab her hoodie, and comes back out as she pulls it on* Okay, let's go.

Todd: :D

Harry: |:(

*they leave the apartment building*

*The Safe Zone has a few shops that were owned by the people who were lucky enough to live in Kingston, where the Safe Zone was built. Because money was now worthless, they did there jobs as volunteers, no longer tied to the need to pay bills and such. All were happy to help fellow survivors. Snow had started to fall once more, and the streets were slick and dangerous from a few ice patches. On the corner of a street, a man played the guitar for the public. More than anything, this was a village, where everyone knew each other, and friends were quickly made*

Todd: Huh...

Harry: Surprisingly cheery for what they had all walked away from.

Key: Well... since we're safe now, I guess there isn't much else to do except move on....

Todd: That's a good way to live life, I think.

Some people: *glance at Todd and Harry nervously, then start whispering amongst themselves*

Harry: Well, we're a huge reminder of what's outside these walls. Not the best life now, I guess.

Key: *frowns* .... They'll get used to us... i think... we're just new... *is trying to be optimistic-- she just wants to get her life back as close to normal as she can...*

Todd: I agree! I mean, if I were them, I'd be a little scared too - but that's what friendliness is for!

Harry: mm.

Todd: Y'know Key, there's an art supplies store over on the other side of the street, if you want something to draw in. :D

Key: *this catches her interest, and she looks in that direction* Huh. I could do with a sketchbook... :D .... I'll be right back. *crosses the street to the store*

Todd: Don't leave me with the grump! D: *runs after Key*

Harry: *snorts and waits for them to obtain the sketchbook*

Key: Okaaaaay. *grins and waits for him, then enters the store*

*the store is small. There's a section for sketchbooks, obviously*

Todd: I found them! :D

Key: :D *goes over to him* hmm... ah! found one. *grabs a generic green spiral sketchbook* I used these all the time before this whole thing. *looks around* I need pencils... These look okay. *grabs a pack of regular yellow pencils* ... I think I'm good.

Todd: Awesome. *calls to the shopkeeper* Hey, what's the currency used for your supplies?

Shopkeep: Oh, just take them. Money's worthless now, anyway.

Todd: Oh. :D *turns to Key* :D

Key: *laughs at his expression, then just smiles* come on, let's not leave Harry waiting. *turns to leave*

Todd: *follows Key happily out of the store* ^^

Harry: Welcome back. I see that you were successful.

Key: Yup. :) *puts the pack of pencils in her hoodie pocket* So, where to next?

Todd: Maybe we can try talking to the people out here? :D

Harry: If they're willing to talk to US...

Key: It's worth a shot, I guess....

up

Todd: Well then, there we go. :D

Harry: Still... I wonder how we'd be able to help with something like recreating the cure...

Me: foreshadowing.

Key: maybe they could take blood samples or something.

Me: of course.

Todd: How'd THAT work? Wouldn't the blood get all mixed with the cure?

Harry: Eh. They'd know more about that than we do.

Key: there's some process used to separate chemicals from the blood... but i don't know what it is, so... *shrugs*

Harry: They might not even have the right tools...

Todd: What if they get desperate? DB

Me: More foreshadowing.

Key: well... i doubt that they WON'T have the tools, since... well, if two people in an abandoned subway had these kinds of materials, i'm pretty sure they'll have it in the safe zone somewhere.

Harry: Though, you have to consider that they worked at CEDA, and probably grabbed all they could before they fled the building. They were actually working on a cure beforehand. The military was simply waiting for the right moment to start shooting the infected. Hell, the military recently started tracking down CARRIERS, and either killed them by firing squad, or bombing the entire city they were in.

Todd: That's... nice to know. ._.;

Key: ...okay, THAT, I didn't know. When did that start? D:

Harry: *shrugs* about three weeks before we met you, Key.

Todd: D: um... are the carriers smart? And not all animal-y?

Harry: Yes. They're normal people. Normal people that wanted to shoot you.

Todd: *looks down, unnerved by Harry's words, knowing Harry had killed some of them without mercy* ... I see...

Me: I need to go shower! BRB!

Key: *glances worriedly at Todd, then turns her attention back to the road* well... in any case, as soon as they find the cure, they can stop attacking the carriers and infected and start curing them.

Harry: That would take forever.

Todd: What if they bombed the entire U.S. with the cure?

Harry: Bombed...?

Todd: Like, they got all the components, and loaded it into a missle? :D

Harry: Were the hell would they have the components to create a missle?

Todd: If they can bomb carriers, they can bomb them all with a cure. They're the army, after all. They SHOULD have the materials for some kind of cure-bomb.

Key: hmmm... sounds crazy, but it could work...

Harry: If it's even possible...

Todd: Of course it is! >:D

*they continue driving for a few hours*

Harry: ! *he notices the "Welcome to Canada" sign, and grins*

Key: *grins as well* Almost there!

Todd: WOOOOOO!

Harry: Don't be so loud. >:/

Todd: But I'm so HAPPY! Can't I be HAPPY ~? :D

Harry: >8C ...

Todd: :(

Key: *smiles* let him be, Harry, he has every right to celebrate.

Todd: *grins*

Harry: ... *smiles a little*

*the Safe Zone soon comes into view. Large, tall, thick walls surrounded an entire portion - about a third - of the city of Kingston. The only point of entry was an equally thick steel gate, guarded by a squad of soldiers. When the car drove close, the leader of the group help up a hand to them, silently telling them to stop. All of the soldiers wore armor and gas masks*

Harry: They might be checking us, making sure we aren't smuggling an infected person into the safe zone... *glances at Todd*

Todd: *nervously stares at the weapon the squad leader was holding - that was a shotgun. A very nasty looking shotgun*

Key: *slows to a stop when she is ordered to do so, and takes a deep breath* okay, here we go...

Harry: ... *gets out of the car first* Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I look infected, but I can assure you I'm not!

Leader: *looks him up and down* How are you NOT infected?

Harry: Uh...

Todd: *gets out of the car* ._.

Leader: *immediately spots Todd, and points his gun at him* HOLY shoot! We've got a jumping Whiskey Delta here!

Todd: D: !!

Leader: *shoots at Todd*

Todd: *nearly dodges the bullet, but it gets him in his right shoulder* AAHGH!!

Harry: frack! *dives on Todd and holds him down before he goes nuts on the squad leader's intestines*

Todd: *struggles and snarls angrily*

Harry: frack!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO SHOOT!! WE'VE BEEN CURED!!

Leader: ... cured...?

Key: !! *stumbles as she frantically tries to get out of the car, and goes around to the other side where Harry was holding down Todd. she is not amused* Why did you shoot him, he wasn't doing anything!!! D:< Of COURSE they've been cured, how the hell else would they be talking to you?! *kneels down next to Harry, trying to help him get Todd to calm down. she speaks through her teeth* talk about shooting first and asking questions later...

Leader: Well pardon us for not wanting to risk the lives of the civilians who made it here. He didn't speak yet, anyway. We thought you guys were trying to smuggle one of those jumping Whiskey Deltas into here.

Harry: Whiskey Deltas...?

Leader: Er... the "walking dead".

Todd: RYYYEE!! *fighting against Harry*

Harry: *turns to Todd* ... he should stop, soon...

Key: Why would we want to bring an infected into the safe zone!? D: *turns her attention back to Todd* Calm down, Todd, we're almost there... <:(

Leader: SOME people couldn't bare to leave their loved ones behind. *looks at Harry*

Harry: ...

Leader: We're here to make sure that the Safe Zone stays clear of mistakes like that. Now if you'll excuse us, one of us will escort you to the CEDA Health Center and Lab, where you will have your guns confiscated, and yourselves tested for any signs of being a carrier.

One Of The Soldiers: *stares at Todd in a creepy manner as he thrashes violently* ...

Harry: *doesn't like this* ...

Todd: *finally, his episode ends, and he lays on the ground* ... thanks for holding me down, Harry.

Harry: No problem. *lets him up*

Key: *stays near Todd, now extremely worried about whether they will be let through or not* ....

Creepy Soldier: Follow me, please.

*the big steel doors open behind him. He walks, and they are forced to follow. As they walk, they pass by a firing squad, killing another batch of carriers. More were lined up, quaking with fear*

Harry: ...

Todd: *doesn't like what he sees* D8>

Key: *is rather unnerved by what she sees as well... she looks at Todd and notices how worried he is, and takes his hand, squeezing it reassuringly* ....

Todd: *looks back and gives Key a nervous grin. What if they didn't deem them worthy? Would they all end up like the carriers? Did they kill CHILDREN who were carriers, too? Hey looks back at the firing squad. His question is answered. He looks back forward, throughly disturbed.* ...

Harry: *is stoic*

*they enter the CEDA facility. There are no actual CEDA workers there, only doctors who worked for the military*

Creepy Soldier: Right now, as I speak, our scientists and doctors are collaborating in order to achieve this nation's greatest accomplishment in medical and scientific history - a cure for the Green Flu infection. *he glances at Todd* If it's even possible.

Todd: Well, of course it's possible! I was given some, and so was Harry! Wait. *facepalms* You aren't gonna yell at us or anything, right?

Creepy Soldier: You have the cure inside you? Right now?

Todd: I guess. :/

Creepy Soldier: How very interesting.

Harry: *doesn't like this guy*

Key: *doesn't really like this guy either. The longer they were there, the more she SAW, the more worried she got. She had begun to fear the worst-- that Harry and Todd, ESPECIALLY Todd, due to his appearance, would be killed, even though they don't carry the infection anymore. she squeezes Todd's hand a bit more tightly, as if to try convince herself he wasn't going anywhere. She knew she would be fine, she had proved to be completely immune, but...*

*they enter a room marked "B19". It had a bench, a supply cabinet, and a table covered in paper - the same one people would sit on during "check-ups". A doctor is already waiting for them. He had blonde, combed back hair, and light grey eyes. He is about to do his routine, nodding a "hello" at the group, but he freezes up when he sees Todd and Harry*

Creepy Soldier: They all claim to not be infected.

Doctor: we'll see. *he goes into the cabinet, and takes out three plastic cups. He hands them to the trio* Spit into these cups, please.

Creepy Soldier: ... *leaves*

Todd: Uh... ok? *does so*

Harry: ... *same*

Key: *also does so* .....

Doctor: *takes the cups from them, and sucks up the saliva from one of them with an eyedropper. He then releases it into a small machine, and waits a few minutes. The results appear on the tiny screen, which the doctor squints to see* Miss, you aren't a carrier, or infected. *does the same with Harry's sample* ... huh. Not infected, nor a carrier. I'm surprised - SHOCKED really. That can't be your natural GREEN skin, can it?

Harry: *quietly* No, sir...

Doctor: *does the same with Todd* ... and the same for you. *he pauses, then -* The exit is down the hall, to the left. Before that, you will have your weapons taken. Welcome to the Safe Zone. Enjoy your stay with us.

Todd: *shudders a little*

Harry: *gets up and opens the door for the two* ... come on.

Todd: D: ! *gets up, and pulls Key out*

*they walk down the hall*

Todd: Somehow, I felt violated in all that. D:

Harry: It will get better.

Todd: Are you sure?

Harry: ... ... ...yes.

Key: I really do hope so... *is worried about people's reactions to Todd and Harry. returning to a relatively normal life will not be easy... she keeps a firm hold on Todd's hand while they walk* ....

Harry: *gives the gun bag to the soldier standing at door* Key, give him your pistols.

Todd: *waits*

Soldier: *stares at Todd and Harry* ...

Key: *pulls out her pistols and hands them over, shooting the soldier an angry glare when she notices him staring*

Soldier: *takes the pistols without a word, and puts them in a cardboard box, with other guns. The same goes for the gun bag. The boxes are marked "TO SAFEHOUSES", and there are other boxes filled with ammo and food, marked with the exact same thing* Alright then. You may enter the Safe Zone. *he opens the door for them*

Harry: Wait.

Soldier: What is it?

Harry: I have a baseball bat in that gun bag. May I please have it?

Soldier: ... fine. Then you may leave. *searches through the gun back, and pulls out the metal bat. He hands it over to Harry*

Harry: Thank you. *pushes the door to the Safe Zone open, himself, and walks through, bat it hand*

Todd: :/ *follows him, pulling Key*

*They are now outside. Some people who are walking around stare at Harry and Todd, but mostly Todd, who looked exactly like a Hunter. A child began to cry*

Todd: Uh...

Harry: There's an apartment building over there. *points* Maybe we should get a room, or something.

Key: *is not liking all the looks they're getting* I think that'd be a good idea. Come on. *walks towards the building, pulling Todd along with her, trying very hard not to react to the stares...it wasn't like he was going to attack them or anything...she then remembers his injury* Todd, is your shoulder okay?

Todd: Uh... it kinda throbs, but other than that, it's fine. I should get those bullets removed, or something.

Harry: Good plan.

*they walk to the apartment building, and enter it*

Soldier: *he's at the front desk. There is a box behind him with little square shelves. Each one holds a key* Three of you?

Harry: Yes.

Soldier: Room seven is open. *hands them the key*

Key: *takes the key (lol)* Thank you. *tugs Todd along as they look for the room* Hope we've all got room in there....

Harry: We should. I'm sure that not a whole lot of survivors make it to the Safe Zone, so it's not like they've got a shortage on space.

Todd: That's sad. D:>

Harry: That's lucky. For us, anyway.

*they find the room, and enter it*

Room: *Has two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room. The electricity is working. They have basic furniture, and a box of food from the military*

Todd: Yay! :D

*as soon as they had entered the apartment, there is a knock at the door*

Harry: ? *opens the door again*

Soldier: *he's carrying a bottle of pills labeled "tranquilizers"* These are for the Whiskey Delta without the eyes. A gift from one of the doctors. He told me to tell you that he figured you couldn't sleep because of the infection. These will help you. Take one each night, and only one. He says they're strong enough to knock out an elephant. Careful. *hands them to Todd*

Todd: uh... thanks?

Soldier: *nods and leaves*

Harry: ... huh.

Key: that's... oddly complimentary. >.> heheh. at least you don't have to stay awake all night anymore.

uuup

Todd: Well, he might yell... are you sure? D:

meanwhile

Harry: *asleep*

Key: *hesitates* ......

Todd: You wanna do it together?

Me: THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID

meanwhile

Harry: *sleeeeeps*

Key: ...yeah. *releases Todd and gets up, extending a hand to help him up as well*

Todd: *lets Key help him up* alrighty. Let's do this!

meanwhile

Harry: *asleep*

Todd: *lightly knocks on the door*

Harry: *is woken up easily from the slight knock* ! *gets up and stumbles over to the door. He opens it to find Todd and Key* ...

Key: *meets Harry's eyes for a brief moment, then looks away* ....

Harry: *that small moment of eye contact with Key disturbs him. Then he remembers that they might not even be real. This disturbs him more* ...

Todd: ... Harry?

Key: *looks back up, but avoids meeting his gaze* we need to go, Harry, or we won't reach the next safehouse...

Harry: *quietly* I need to... test something...

Todd: ?

Harry: So... so ok. Ok, I'm crazy. I know I'm crazy.

Todd: uh...

Harry: How do you know if you're schizophrenic...?

Key: *is rather confused by the question, and wonders if Harry thinks he has the disorder* well.... you see things other peopled on' see... and they're usually things that seem like they should belong there. that's the major symptom...

Harry: ... *now worried* ... uh... anything else?

Todd: *shrugs* I flunked psychology. ._.

Key: I was in this class when this whole thing started... *tries to think* umm... oh, they have trouble communicating with people, and their thoughts tend to jump around randomly.... Harry, you're not thinking you actually have this, do you?

Harry: Well... I actually believe that I was kidnapped into another world and forced to fight cartoon characters... so... y'know...

Todd: D: ... um. Well... now that you say it like THAT...

Key: but... no, i don't think it works that way... if it WAS schizophrenia, you wouldn't have "gone into another world," you would've stayed right here...

Harry: I dunno, I've SEEN A Beautiful Mind...

Todd: Oh PSH... Hollywood.

Harry: I was kidding. But now I'm not even sure if YOU GUYS exist...

Key: well... your d-dad saw us and reacted to us, right?

Harry: ... no, he might not've been real, either...

Todd: ... I'm pretty sure we're real.

Harry: but how can I be SURE?

Key: if we go outside and get moving, then maybe you'll notice when we start killing infected too. *looks outside* Snow's starting to melt.. they'll be coming out soon. We have to go.

Harry: *is silenced by Key's slightly callous reply* ...

Todd: uh... ok then! Get the guns and stuff, Harry!

Key: *it's still rather cold out... Key puts up her hood and waits for Harry to get her guns. she spots the pocket knife on the ground...and promptly ignores it* ...

Harry: *comes back with the guns and gives Key hers* ... here...

Todd: Okay then. The break from the infected is over. Let's take 'em down! >:D

Key: *takes the guns, and opens up the safehouse door, holding it open for the other two* ...

Other Two: *walk out of it*

*An infected spots them and starts sprinting at them, screaming and howling*

Harry: *immediately punches it down and shoots it* ...

Todd: <_<;

Key: ... *closes the safehouse door, and keeps her guns at the ready* ....

Harry: ... c'mon...

Todd: *strains his ears for any infected* ...

*they walk*

*they walk*

Key: *is looking around for infected when... she spots a car. a very not-broken car* ....hey guys... *points at the car* do you think we could hot-wire that?

Todd: huh... who knows? Wanna check it out, Harry?

Harry: ...

Todd: That's a yes. *he walks over to the car* ... the keys are still in the ignition. :D

Key: wow. that's the best luck we've had so far. :D *opens the driver's door, hops in, and turns the key. the engine sputters, and turns on* oh, yes. *checks the gas meter* and whoever left it here decided to fill up first. :D

Todd: Woo! I call shotgun! *gets in*

Harry: ... *enters the back*

Key: *closes the driver door and wheels the car around and back onto the road* Safe Zone, here we come... *drives off in that direction*

Todd: Holy shoot! Holy shoot, we could actually get there TODAY! :D

Harry: *can't help but smile a little at that thought*

Infected: *notice them and scream in anger, charging directly at the speeding car, only to be hit and instantly killed*

Key: *driving* thank god for no red lights.

Todd: FFFFF I'M SO HAPPY!!

Harry: Dude... calm down. |:P

Key: *laughs* yeah, save the celebrating for when we get in! *suddenly remembers her previous concern--how will she explain Todd and Harry to the military when they get there? Will they even let them in?

Todd: *he finds her silence odd* ... what's wrong?

Harry: ...

Key: *briefly glances at him, and decides not to keep this from them* Well... ever since we stopped Harry from getting infected, I've been wondering... how are we going to explain you two to the military? We don't have the cure, and we can't prove that we ever had it at all...

Todd: Well... we can't exactly LIE to them... I mean, they're the MILITARY...

Harry: They'll figure something out for the missing cure, too. I'm sure they've already got researchers in the Safe Zone, and... I dunno, maybe they can recreate it.

Key: maybe.... i don't think they'll be too happy when they hear we used it all up...

Todd: We're only poor, stupid civilians with no combat experience. :D ... I'm sure they won't, uh, yell at us.

Harry: True. We can't be blamed for our situation. Of course... the military WERE the people who told us to start SHOOTING the infected, and were the ones who set up the safe houses, and gave us the ammo piles... they don't seem to care anymore about the infected people.

Todd: They'll care about a cure, or I can call them nuts.

Key: i can agree with that... i doubt the military'll say no to a proven cure.

up

Todd: I honestly don't think Harry's gonna let us move on... I don't even think Harry's SANE. After this? All that doubt? GONE.

Harry: *still searching* ffff >8C

Key: *leans back against the wall, and slides down it into a sitting position* I-I don't know if i can do this anymore, Todd! I can't take this... *sounds like she's on the verge of tears* It's like we're living in hell!

Todd: Don't say that, Key... this can't be Hell if we're all together... I mean, Harry's still the same Harry that took on a horde ALONE for us, right? He hasn't changed he just... it was a strange situation, is all... a-at least there's at... he wouldn't... turn on us, too...

Harry: *bags ffffff*

Key: But you said so yourself... he's not SANE anymore, Todd, especially not after this...! Wh-Who knows what he would do...?

Todd: ... we're his friends, Key - we're the only friends he's ever had... he wouldn't... *is sure of himself this time. It shows in his serious expression* he's crazy... but he's still Harry... and... and I trust him.

Harry: *comes back with the gun bag and hand guns* ... found them.

Todd: ... hi, Harry...

Harry: ... hi...

Key: *looks away, making sure not to look at the BODY lying on the ground* ....

Harry: ... *glances at the body* ... *he drops the gun bag, and picks up the body (barely with both hands* Todd. Key. Someone. Open the safehouse door, please.

Todd: ! *knocks the bar off the door, and pulls it open for Harry*

Harry: *throws the body outside* ... *closes the saferoom door again, and bars it* ...

Todd: ...

Harry: ... sorry you had to see that...

Todd: Oh... oh, it's... *no. It really wasn't ok. But the fact that Harry recognized how wrong it was was a step in the right direction* it's over now, Harry. It's done with.

Key: ......

Me: YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF FOR THAT POST. loljk

Harry: ... *goes back into the office area, closing the door behind him*

Todd: ... uh... at least he cleaned up the mess?

Key: *makes a frustrated noise and speaks through her teeth* That was murder Todd! MURDER.

Todd: His dad... h-he threatened us with a rifle, anyway... it was self defense... *he's now trying desperately to justify Harry's actions somehow*

Key: Todd. You saw the opportunity he had. He could've easily knocked the guy out, and we could've grabbed our stuff and been at the next safehouse before they guy even woke up!

Todd: Well... well... *can't think of anything to say* ...

Key: ... *was about to say something along the lines of "now you know how I felt," but deemed inappropriate and kept it to herself* ....exactly....

Todd: ... Harry's a good person... he... he's always been a good person...

Key: *looks up at Todd* I really hope you're right... for all our sakes...

Todd: ... *he looks out the window*

Snow: *was melting slightly*

Todd: ... will you be able to sleep after today?

Key: *looks back down* ...i doubt it. *brings her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them* not for a while.

Todd: *hugs her* ... can you try? It's important...

Key: *the hug almost gets a smile out of her-it comes out as a half-smile. she sighs* i can try... *rests her head on his shoulder* might be a bit easier if you stick around...

Todd: After today? You're gonna need me to be your teddy bear... *continues hugging*

meanwhile

Harry: ... *is sitting in a corner of the office, head in his knees, desperately trying to sleep, but completely unable to. He had murdered his own father. But dear old daddy deserved it, so it couldn't have been guilt. Was it his words? "now you're just like me" he had said... just like him...*

Key: *laughs a little at this* yeah, no kidding... *reaches up and pulls her hood back, then looks up at Todd* thanks. *hugs him back as best as she can, since it's somewhat difficult to do when they're sitting next to each other*

Todd: Hey, no problem... s'what friends are for, y'know? *huuuug*

meanwhile

Harry: aw frack... *he knows he can't show himself now, after what he's done in front of them. He doesn't know what to do. What if he really was crazy? What if he'd been crazy his whole life, and only now had it started showing itself? What if he had only imagined the Between World...? What if he was only imagining this apocalypse...?* *outside of Harry's mind, Harry looked dazed - almost in a trance, just staring into space*

Key: right... *huuuuuuuug*

Todd: ... *he nuzzles her affectionately*

meanwhile

Harry: *... what if Todd and Key weren't real...?*

Key: *lets him, closing her eyes and smiling and sighing contentedly*

Todd: *he stays in that position* ...

meanwhile

Harry: *now completely unsure of himself, he is terrified, and wonders if he really WAS schizophrenic, or something, and this was how those crazy people really saw things... how they thought they had these lives... lives that never really existed* frack... frack, frack, frack... *his whole life could be one big lie, and he can never be sure*

Key: *also stays there, half-opening her eyes to look at him* .....

Todd: *then he leans in ever-so-slowly and kisses Key*

meanwhile

Harry: *wide awake, and now extremely paranoid*

Me: WHAM. At the Key and Todd part.

Key: *welcomes it, and kisses him back*

Me: at least we finally got rid of all that UST, right? XD

Me: lol srsly. XD

Todd: *it seemed like an eternity before they finally broke the kiss. Todd only stared into Key's eyes after that, feeling almost like he was in a dream* ...

meanwhile

Harry: *it gets to him. He is completely terrified by a horrible possibility. He weeps until he falls asleep*

Key: *stared right back, even though there was nothing there to see--no, that was a lie. his face was just as expressive as anyone else's, even without the eyes. she barely even noticed anymore*

Todd: *smiles at her lightly, then immediately leans forward again to snuggle up against her, almost like a dog*

Key: *finds herself grinning like an idiot and hugs him to her, slowly running a hand through his hair*

*it starts getting quite late*

Todd: *in a whisper, still snuggling against Key* you think you can get some sleep now?

Key: *nods* mhmm.... thank you.

Todd: glad to hear it... now sleep.

Key: *with a bit of a laugh* mmkay... *closes her eyes, resting her head on Todd* 'night...

Todd: 'night...

*the next morning*

Harry: *still asleep, but even so, looks exhausted and scared*

Todd: *had been waiting for Key to wake up* ._.

Key: *stirs* mmmh. *looks down, and is somewhat surprised to find herself waking up hugging Todd, but at the same time isn't* mmmmmmmmorning....

Todd: Good morning. :) So... who's gonna wake Harry up? *he jabs a thumb at the closed office door*

meanwhile

Harry: *still asleep*

Key: *smile vanishes* .... *sigs* I'll go, i guess.

replied up top

Key: *opens up a med-pack and sighs in relief when she finds an instant cold pack. she squeezes it and shakes it up until it starts getting cold, then holds it against Harry's eye* H-Hold this here, okay?

Harry: *takes the cold pack, and does so* ...

Todd: God... this safehouse is an unlucky find... I can't believe anyone could be so... so evil...

Key: *cringes a bit at the mention of an "unlucky find," and curses herself for having pointed it out in the first place. she digs around in the med back and finds some alcohol wipes, and uses those to start cleaning the blood off Harry's face* ...

Todd: *notices Key's reaction to his words* ... y'know... the worst part about it is that this was the only safehouse in the area anyway, I bet. We had no other choice but to stay here...

Harry: ... *he finally speaks again, whispering* ... I'll kill him...

Key: *is caught off-guard by Harry's words* H-Harry... d-don't start thinking that way... w-we just need to get out of here...

Todd: Key's right, Harry, it's better to just escape while we can! D:

Harry: ... a monster like that shouldn't be allowed to live... if I killed him, I'd be doing the world a favor...

Key: *finished cleaning up Harry's face* ...we should leave when he falls asleep...

Todd: ... we wouldn't survive long without the guns... and Harry's dad took them... D:

Harry: Key... you have that pocket knife of yours...

Todd: If you kill him, Harry, you'll be sinking to his level.

Harry: No... that man has made me WISH I was dead... he's done far worse than kill me...

Me: And I must scream.

Key: Harry, it's... just not right... revenge only makes it worse... *puts the med pack away*

Todd: ...

Harry: *gives her a particularly nasty glare, not unlike the one his own father was giving them a few minutes ago* Key... give me that fracking knife...

Key: *snaps her head up to look at him and is very unsettled by what she sees. She starts moving toward Todd* H-Harry....

Todd: *puts an arm around Key in a protective manner, appalled at Harry's behavior* >:(

Harry: *his voice shows desperation and anger* I need to kill him, Key - I NEED TO KILL HIM - don't you DARE stop me from this - DON'T. YOU. DARE. *near the end of the sentence his voice had turned into a snarl*

Key: !! *moves her bag so it's behind her and Todd, out of Harry's reach... having todd on her side boosts her confidence a bit* Harry, this isn't right...!

Harry: *completely snaps* DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG!! YOU WOULDN'T LAST A WEEK WITH HIM CONSTANTLY RAPING YOUR MIND RIGHT OUT OF YOUR frackING SKULL!! HE DESERVES TO DIE!! HELL, HE DESERVES WORSE!!

Todd: !! D8 *Harry's burst of anger takes him fully by surprise*

Key: !!!! *is scared completely out of her wits, and quickly pulls out the knife and clumsily drops it in front of Harry* D8>!!!!!

Harry: *takes the knife, silently glaring at Key. Then, he stands up* ... you'll see. I'll get him when he walks into this room. You'll see. You'll see...

Todd: *really doesn't appreciate him taking advantage of Key like that, nor how he was acting now* ... I guess the whole "crazy" thing just runs in the blood...

Harry: ... I am nothing like him...

Todd: You just proved to us otherwise. >:(

Key: *after her fear subsides, she glares angrily at Harry. how dare he take advantage of her like that? Key is not happy with this, not happy at all. her next words are slightly tinged with disgust* Todd's right. you're not that different at all...

Harry: *is now glaring at them both*

Todd: You better find a quick way to redeem yourself, Harry.

Harry: I don't need to "redeem myself".

Todd: Your blind.

Harry: And you don't understand what's necessary when your lives are in danger.

Todd: This isn't about saving our lives to you, Harry, this is about you getting revenge on your dad! D:<

Key: *has nothing to add, so she continues to glare. as if to add to her point, she reaches back and yanks her hood up* ....

Harry: ...

Todd: *also glares at Harry with his eye sockets*

Old Man: *crashes back out into the store area* HEY!! YOU KIDS!! KNOCK THAT shoot OFF!!

Todd: !! *immediately gets back up against the wall*

Harry: ... *also does*

Key: *joins them, some of her fear returning, but her anger at Harry causes it to subside a bit, and only partly manages to erase the glare. she averts her gaze to the floor* ....

Old Man: *spots Harry's hidden hand* ... Boy... are you hiding something from me...?

Harry: ...

Old Man: SILENT. SILENT LITTLE HARRY. *takes a step forward*

Todd: *looks at Key* >_>

Key: *bites her lip. she know Harry's going to kill him. with her knife. she looks at Todd, looking almost ashamed to be there, in that situation* ....

Old Man: *points his rifle at Harry's throat* SAY SOMETHING, BOY.

Harry: ... why not point that thing at my head?

Old Man: *he grins - a mask* What bullshoot are you trying to pull?

Harry: At least let me die quickly if you're going to kill me.

Old Man: ... *he moves the barrel of the gun from Harry's throat, to his forehead*

Harry: *doesn't even flinch*

Todd: *now to Key, he gives her a look of horror* D8 !

Key: *is rather surprised as well, and looks back at Todd with similar terror in her own expression*

Old Man: Is this what you want, Boy?

Harry: ... *suddenly uses his free hand to shove the gun's barrel upwards*

Old Man: *surprised, he shoots, and the bullet hits the ceiling, letting dust fall onto the two tall beings. Harry's father, being old, and not particularly in the best state of health, it blinded by the dust, and forced to cough loudly, unable to act*

Harry: *uses the opportunity to take Key's knife, and ram it as hard as he can into his own father's eye*

Old Man: *starts screaming in pain. He falls backwards*

Harry: *immediately on him* Look at me now, Dad! Look HOW MUCH I'VE GROWN. YOU DON'T SCARE ME NOW - YOU DON'T SCARE ME!

Todd: D8 !!!!!

Key: !!!!! *stumbles back in shock. she really doesn't want to be here right now*

Harry: *stabs him in the other eye, blinding him* I WANT TO HEAR YOU CRY! I WANT TO HEAR YOU BEG FOR MERCY!! JUST LIKE YOU MADE ME DO!! YOU WILL SCREAM LIKE I HAVE!!

Old Man: NUUOOOGHHGHH!!

Harry: *Starts cutting out his cheeks* I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU FEEL AS MUCH PAIN AS YOU CAN BEFORE I KILL YOU!!

Old Man: *cries out in terror and pain*

Todd: *can't believe how monstrous Harry was acting - sure, the old @$$ deserved to be punished - but like THIS?*

Key: *is horrified, but she can't look away*

Harry: *moves on to the guy's stomach, splitting it open* YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW SATISFYING THIS IS TO ME... OR MAYBE YOU DO... MAYBE THIS IS WHAT YOU FELT EVERY TIME YOU HIT ME!!

Todd: *now officially terrified of Harry* D8 ...

Key: *her hand goes to her stomach as she vicariously feels the man's pain... she can't bear to look anymore, so she closes her eyes and puts her hands over her ears, just wanting everything to be blocked out. this can't be happening. this CAN'T be happening...!*

Old Man: *his struggling is all in vain. He tries screaming again --*

Harry: *covers his father's mouth with his free hand, and whispers in a menacing voice* That's right... that's right... it hurts, doesn't it...?

Todd: *has no eyes to close, and his hearing is too good to be blocked. He is forced to watch the whole thing* DB> ...

Harry: *moves the knife under his parent's skin, and starts cutting the skin off from the inside*

Key: *can still hear it, much to her horror. she just wants him to stop, just kill him already, why, why, why keep torturing him?!*

Me: for the evulz. Also, playing the music "Asphyxiation" while typing this. Tee hee <3

Harry: *finally, he shoves the knife right back into the man's stomach, twisting it painfully, a satisfied grin on his face*

Old Man: *finally stops struggling, but only because he know's he will die soon* ...

Harry: *he gets up. His father's blood had stained parts of his armor* ...

Old Man: *still dying. When he speaks, he sounds quite in pain* ... this was... all for you, y'know...

Harry: Yes, and look what you've made me because of it.

Old Man: No... no, you've only... made this old man proud of you...

Harry: ... what?

Old Man: Don't you see...? I didn't want my boy growing up to be... weak... and you didn't...

Todd: ??

Old Man: You grew up strong enough to... use your rage... to kill me... if I hadn't... you would never have survived life... or this apocalypse... and now...

Harry: No...

Old Man: *gives Harry a nasty grin* Now you're just like me... *he dies, eyes open, face frozen with that expression*

Harry: ... *stands there with the knife* ...

Key: *stands there until she realizes all the sound has stopped, and she hesitantly turns to look--it was as terrifying as she had expected...did she look like the when Todd attacked her? no, probably not.. she wasn't DEAD! she quickly looks away, instead opting to look at Todd*

Todd: *he, himself, is shivering from Harry's display of suddenly-crazy. Yes. It ran in the family* D8 ...

Harry: *he wipes off the blood on the knife with his father's shirt, then places the knife in front of Key. He then looks at the door at the other room* ... I'm going to go get our guns... *leaves the store into the office, looking for the gun bag and two hand guns*

Todd: ... g... god...

Key: *stares at the knife as it could randomly explode. she refused to touch it, she didn't even want to look at it any more. not when it had been used for murder* W-We need to go...

Todd: ... Harry wouldn't want to... we've already spent an entire day getting to here... he'll want us to stay in the gun shop, like we do for every safehouse... no matter what...

Harry: *still not back*

Key: I-I'm not staying in here, Todd...!! Not after th-THIS! *motions to the whole area*

Old Man: Good, good... now drops your guns. All of them. Give them to me.

Harry: What?? D:<

Old Man: *immediately points the barrel of the rifle at Harry's throat* DON'T PUSH ME, BOY!! D8<

Todd: !! *he really wants to do something, but is afraid of Harry getting shot*

Key: *reaching for her own weapons* J-Just give him the guns, Harry....

Harry: *he slowly bends down and gives the old man the gun bag*

Old Man: ... *takes the bag* y'know, I once had a good-fer-nothing son named Harry. *to Harry* tell me, boy, where d'you come from?

Harry: M-me?

Todd: *notices the stutter. Harry was scared*

Harry: I... I came from Pennsylvania... Ph-Philadelphia...

Old Man: And that's where you grew up?

Harry: Y-yeah...?

Old Man: I thought I recognized you, boy...

Key: *had put both her pistols on the ground at this point. She looks back and forth between the old man, and Harry, and suddenly makes the connection* ...!

Todd: *doesn't* 8C

Harry: What do you mean?

Old Man: YER that good-for-nothing son of mine named Harry! D8<

Harry: ... what...?

Old Man: I kept you in the basement kid... kept you there where no one could see you... remember those nice friday nights, Boy? The ones where I'd come home and smack you around with the belt? Back when things were NORMAL?? HAH!

Harry: *it suddenly hits him, and he shivers, the memories rushing back - horrible memories* ... *he is completely silent, shaking, staring at his father. That drunkard-monster-sonovadog*

Old Man: *he glances over at the others* And who are these? Yer little friends? *he suddenly points the gun at Todd*

Todd: D8> !!

Old Man: WHAT THE frack ARE YOU DOING WITH WUNNA DEM HOODIE BASTARDS, HUH??

Key: ! *trying to take the man's attention away from Todd* H-Hey! He's not an infected!

Old Man: Certainly LOOKS infected LITTLE GIRL. CERTAINLY LOOKS. *he wheezes in anger*

Harry: *still frozen. Still terrified* ...

Todd: L-look! I-I-I mean listen! I can talk, see? See?? Hunters can't talk! D8

Old Man: *in a sudden, thunderous roar* DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO, TODD HUNTINGS!!

Todd: Eep! D8> H-he knows about me? How does he know about me??

Key: *is terrified. They're trapped in a safehouse, weaponless, with a crazy old man who wouldn't hesitate to blow all their brains out. terrified was an understatement. she would rather face a horde right about now.* .....

Harry: *still frozen*

Todd: Harry...! D8>

Old Man: GET IN THE CORNER OVER THERE! STAY WHERE I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON YOU. GIT!!

Todd: !! *runs over to the corner, dragging Key with him. The old man - Harry's FATHER of all people - was worse than the zombies. This was... this was Harry's childhood*

Harry: *immediately goes to the corner as well, knowing all too well his father's wrath*

Key: *has a death grip on Todd's arm. She has only known him for approximately three minutes and she can't even begin to fathom how terrible it must have been for Harry to have to live with this man for most of his life...*

Old Man: *suddenly calm, a sinister manipulative voice. A ticking time-bomb of anger* Now... now that we're all nice and cozy... tell me how you three managed to survive these last couple of weeks all by your lonesome selves...

Harry: *full-on SILENT*

Todd: U-uh...

Old Man: SPEAK UP BOY, THIS OLD MAN CAN'T HEAR SO WELL!!

Todd: D8 w-w-wejuststucktogetherandsurvivedisall aaaah!! D8>

Key: *buries her face in todd's arm, even more terrified*

Old Man: YOU, GIRLIE!! YOU TALK WHEN I TELL YOU TO TALK!! TALK, DAMN YOU!! TALK!! D8<

Harry: *still frozen*

Todd: D8 ...

Key: !!! h-he already said it! w-w-we just stuck together...!! D8>

Old Man: Muuhh... hearings'not so good... >8C you go chit-chat among yourselves little boys and girl... I'mma go scrounge around for some remaining beer in this here shop... lucky me, the owner fancied himself some GOOD shoot... *wanders off*

Harry: *still frozen, staring into nothingness, shaking* ...

Todd: *in a terrified whisper* Oh my god... oh my god, I DO NOT like this safehouse! D8>

Key: *buries her face in Todd's arm again* I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry, I didn't know he'd be in here I'm so so sorry....!!

Todd: n-no, you didn't know he would... I mean... it SEEMED empty...

Harry: *frozen* ...

Todd: Harry? Hey, Harry? D:>

Harry: *not responding, just staring into space* ...

Key: *looks over at Harry* Harry? *nudges him* Harry....?

Harry: *very unresponsive* ...

Todd: Is he in shock, or something...? D8

Key: l-looks like it... D:> It must have been terrible...

Todd: He used to come over to my house all the time when we were kids... now I know why...

Harry: ...

Key: and he still had to go back to that every day.... wait-- he never told you?

Todd: Not really... he mentioned having a not-so-cool childhood, and all that, but I never knew it was THAT...

Harry: ...

Key: ...that can't have been easy to hide...

Todd: ... I'm sure it wasn't... *looks over at Harry*

Harry: ...

Todd: We need to get out of here...

Key: I know, but... how are we gonna get Harry to move? D:

Todd: I have no idea... D:

Harry: ...

Old Man: *comes back. His steps are heavy, and uneven.* NOW THEN!!

Todd: D8 !!! *immediately puts a protective arm around Key*

Old Man: *suddenly grabs Harry by the shirt* Now then, now then, NOW THEN... I've been waiting a LOOOONG time for THIS, Harry, m'boy... LONG. TIME. *suddenly throws Harry into the opposite wall*

Harry: *stumbles and crashes against it with, terror in his eyes once more*

Todd: HARRY!! D8>

Old Man: *snaps at Todd* SHADDUP! *fires a warning shot right above Todd's head*

Todd: DDD8 !!!! *immediately shuts the hell up*

Old Man: *turns back to Harry and gives him a strong punch in the face* YOUR POOR MOTHER! YOUR POOR, POOR MOTHER!! DEAD NOW - DEAD, HARRY, BECAUSE YOU DONE GONE AND LEFT US FOR YOUR FANCY EDUCATION! COULDN'T GET A JOB RIGHT AWAY AND HELP US OUT, HUH? HUH?? *punches him again. The man was sick in the head, no doubt about it*

Key: *knows that doing something may result in one or all of them being shot, so she can do nothing but cling to Todd in fear and look on as Harry is beaten* D8>

Harry: ... *he stands there and takes the beating his father gives him, having now developed a black eye from the first punch*

Old Man: *smacks him around some more* YES THAT'S RIGHT! GOING TO COLLEGE AND MAKING SOME NEW FRIENDS, RIGHT?? FRIENDS WHO CAN HELP YOU?? RIGHT?? NO ONE ESCAPES ME, BOY!! NO ONE!!

Harry: *quietly* p-please... p-p-please, n-no more...

Old Man: YOU DESERVE EVERY BIT OF THIS!! *more punch and smack!*

Todd: *he sits and whimpers*

Key: *is left completely speechless, and forces herself to look away, still clinging to Todd*

Old Man: *he then takes Harry and throws him again, this time to the ground*

Harry: *stumbles and lands face-first. He doesn't want to get up again*

Old Man: *steps on Harry with his heavy boot* Be a good boy, Harry... be a good boy...

Harry: *he is audibly sobbing from where he was on the ground, but his body was curled up, face hidden away. The emotional and mental traumatic experiences he had received from his father fully took him over. His voice was muffled from the floor, and the sobs* p-please... d-don't hit me anymore, Daddy... p-please...

Todd: *REALLY wants to do something* D8> ...

Old Man: Alright then, Boy... you've gotten pathetic enough. Just remember who's boss. *he steps off Harry, and walks into the other room in the store - the owner's office*

Todd: Oh my god... oh my god, Harry... D8>

Harry: *still in that balled up position, shivering and sobbing*

Key: *finds that listening to the ordeal was just as disturbing as watching.... she looks up and gasps quietly at Harry's sobbing form, very tempted to start crying herself. she slowly starts crawling towards Harry on her hands and knees, trying to tug Todd along* C-Come on... we have to h-h-help him...!

Todd: D8> *nods quickly, and moves quickly to Harry* Harry...?

Harry: *doesn't move, still shivering and sobbing*

Todd: Harry, please... please get up... we gotta... we gotta think of a way to escape... or something... and it hurts to see you like this... D:>

Harry: *finally looks up at them. There was a kind of fright practically plastered in his eyes that made him look so very different form the Harry they knew earlier that morning... all his confidence was gone. Raising his head further up to fully face them, one could clearly see that his twisted father had not only given him a black eye, but with the addition of the floor attack, a bloody nose that dripped like a leaky faucet* ...

Todd: Awgawd, Harry... D8>

Key: *Harry's appearance shocks her more than any injury from any Infected. the fact that a world overrun with mindless zombies didn't cause as much psychological damage as a man beating his own son only shocks her even more--she reaches into her bag and pulls out a med-pack, if only to clean Harry up... it would at least distract her mind from the terrifying man only a room away* ....

Harry: *he silently looks at the floor in shame* ...

Todd: ... *he gets up and helps sit Harry up* ... you'll be ok, Harry... Key'll help with that nose and eye of yours, and we... we'll think of some way to deal with that ASSHOLE who did this to you... *pats his friend on the back*