Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Yeah, that's it." Josh grimaced and sighed in relief, following the little dirt road down toward the church. The zombies had thinned out almost completely now, and it was a straight forward shot to the main gates. He had expected them to be closed, or something, but the twisted mass of iron wasn't too much of a surprise.

Nothing was safe any longer. He chugged his jeep through the gates, not daring to give a beep of the horn, instead he half stood from his seat as he parked. "OI!"

There was a rustle and a soft hiss from the side. Josh had his gun only half way up when he heard another voice calling out, spotting a woman jogging toward them.

"Supplies?" She looked hopefully toward Josh, giving him a salute. He returned it properly, wondering why the hell she was saluting him - maybe she thought he was of higher rank, since he was driving an STV.

"Yeah.. we had a bit of a nasty crash though." He looked her up and down once. The army chicks didn't really do it for him, they were all so serious and hard-core. He liked them a bit more.. girly. The woman soldier walked around to the side of the jeep.

"I'm Jess, Private. What happened here?" She looked up toward Sasha, not really speaking to him, more of, noticing his presence.

"Yeah... that." Josh eased out of the jeep, stiffly holding his arm against his side and minimizing movement as best he could. "We got in a bit of trouble, jeep tipped... the water supplies were damaged but the ammunition should be alright."

How long had it been since he had been separated from the others? He wasn't exactly sure the last few days were a blur really. He didn't really think to much on that though, didn't want to waste to much of his time on what had happened and think about what was happening now. He was getting closer to his destination, a safehouse that he had caught wind of before he lost track of the rest of his group. It had been during the night, they hadn't expected such a fierce attack and they ended up fleeing from the surge of crazed... he didn't think they could really be called men and women anymore could they? They weren't really alive so they weren't really human. No matter, whatever it was that they were he felt little if any remorse when one of his bullets cut them down. It wasn't cruelty, it was mercy. He doubted that any one of them, given the choice in the matter that was, would want to spend their life as a mindless killer. Thusly people like him were charged with such a duty as to relieve them of the burden placed on them.

He stretched out popping his back, then his neck, then clentched and unclentched his fists, he should be going now after all one didn't want to spend to much time in one place or that would only end up with you drawing unwanted attentions to yourself. Not what he was wanting to do currently since he was along. He'd spent the night resting, well half resting anyway as even up in the branches of a tree he didn't really feel all that safe. Not good on ones back really but after two days without rest he was willing to try it out. He looked around, put a hand on 'Mandy' as he hopped down out of the tree and looked around, dual colored eyes flicking back and forth, ears listening for any sound that could be linked with anything coming at him...

When there was no sign of footfall he relaxed his guard long enough to reach up to get his bag out of the tree setting it at his feet, then his belt which held all of his mag pouches, he quickly put around his waisted and tightened it making sure there was no chance of it coming loose. Nathanael checked his supplies, not doing that bad considering. Next was his coat which was pulled on quickly, checking his pockets. He had a candybar left which he would selfishly horde for now, lets see a pack of chewing gum with one piece missing, a lighter, half a pack of smokes... 'Come on Gnat you can do it. Resist.', He told himself, he wasn't going to give into temptation as smoke would only draw attention to him so he took out a piece of gum and stuffed it in his mouth.

That had to be the best way to quit smoking he'd come to realize, throw yourself into a situation where its 'if you light up you could be killed' and you would be smoke free in days.His bag which held an extra pair of cloths and a good amount of small various items give to him before he left base was put on over both shoulders, he retreived 'Brady' from the tree which was slung over his shoulder.

He checked everything to make sure that he was completely ready then was soon heading on again, 'Be all that I can be my a**.' He thought as he walked along, had he known this was where he would end up by falling for that slogan and them offering him money for schooling he'd have stayed with flipping burgers. All of his favorite things were it seemed a million miles away and he was plopped down in the middle of Hell. Was this what he got for the way he acted in Highschool? Maybe this was punishment for letting his best friend die? Or was it something else? A test of sorts? If you can live through this then: 'Fill in the blank' what prize he would get? Wouldn't that be nice. He reached up to catch hold of his hood pulling it on over his head to help muffle the sound of his breathing and his chewing on of gum.

Each step, each block that he made heading towards the safehouse felt like an eternity. Step, step, step, pause, looking around to make sure everything was secure, repeat those steps. He wasn't about to let anything catch him unprepared. No way in Hell. He would get to this safehouse place, would get to finally get some real sleep, see some real people that were alive and breathing and not wanting to tear him to shreds. Sounded like Paradise really, ironic that it was a Church that sounded like Paridise. It almost made him rethink that whole 'God' thing.

He could see it now, Chruches had a distinct look to them and the sound of voices though he had no idea what they were saying being a bit far off was a welcome sound.

'People, alive people. I don't think I have ever been so happy to see them in all of my life!' He thought to himself, picking up the pace a bit though being no less careful. He didn't want to have his eyes on the prize only to have it snatched away from him.

(( Sorry if its a little long. I started writing and couldn't stop LOL.

Mandy, Brady, and the other girl names that will be referred to are the names given to Gnat's guns. ))

The bustle outside had gained the attention of the guards by the main entrance from their newest distraction - poker. One of them had managed to snag the deck from one of the civilians and were now spreading the cards across the board set between them at their feet. Marco was sat casually, gun leaning against the wall of the church and eyes tracing the cards in his hand. A good deal this time it seemed.

Maintaining a serious expression he gazed up at his companion and gave him a serious look. Yes, this time he was going to win.

It was at this point when everything looked like it was going his way when the bustle started.

The two guards leapt to their feet, scrabbling almost blindly for their weapons as they made a scout with their eyes for danger. They had been expecting an attack any day now but the prospect of it occuring made both of them feel uptight. Fighting other humans who could die was one thing...but these beasts were practically unbeatable. It didn't matter how many bullets you filled them with, they kept on getting back up on their feet. It was both disgusting and horrific to look into the face of a walking corpse, hanging between life and death.

What they saw however was a jeep and in the next moment both guys were shoved sideways as Jess pushed past them.

"What do yah think's going on, eh?" Marco questioned, brow kinking up in question.

"We're being left out of the fray that's what."

"Forget it, Jess'll sort 'em out that's for sure. We're to guard the door and make sure no scoundrels get in, that's it."

The two straightened their postures and watched the others with stony gazes, torn between the need to be professional and their curiosity to the people who were starting to arrive. They'd be sad when they realised supplies were dwindling and that the church was crowded beyond belief. It wouldn't be long before people would have to be turned away.

Josh grit his teeth slightly as Saw took Morgan away toward the safehouse. 'Great, leaving me alone to do the dirty work.' And nary a pretty girl to look at. He sucked it up and continued what was required of him, or was about to when another dust-covered soldier made his way up to them and introduced himself.

He saluted back half heartedly. "Josh Kingsbury of the STV unit." And then he ignored Gnat completely, turning back to Jess.

"Yah, anyway. I was sent out to tide you over until the Big Mother can make her way up here. I have no friggin' clue when she was dispatched to come up here after me, so it could still be a while." He leaned awkwardly to the side, once more reaching up to grasp his arm. "There anyone else you know... higher up and in charge here? I'll give my report to him."

He let his gaze flicker toward Saw and Morgan as they headed inside. For all he knew this would be the last he saw of Morgan, maybe even Saw. Although in all honesty he'd be sad to have Saw go.. the guy was useful, and Josh had already started considering him his wingman. With Josh at the wheel and Saw with his handy shovel they could get by with using barely any ammunition. Very efficiant.

Either that or Josh would be issued a new look-out, a soldier trained in the use of weapons. ********, he'd rather have no one if it wasn't going to be someone he'd learnt to trust.

Jess sighed as she looked at the broken water supplies. "Corporal Tad. Inside, he's at the storage room."

Josh nodded, impressed that there was a Corporal here. That was pretty high up. He awkwardly got out of his car, took a moment to give Gnat a glance before following in Saw and Morgan's path inside. He had to make his report before anything else, that was top priority.

Jess turned her focus to Gnat. "Just to rest up? We can make room enough for you then, but you can't stay, it's getting difficult as it is to house who we have here now."

((Rayne, you can take over Jess now if you want to, and Kimera, I don't know who's actually in charge, I just went with the more important title, and that's the Corporal. If you'd rather me go to the Lieutenant you control, just let me know.))

Raising one hand without looking back, Saw waved idly to the lad he left behind. "See you inside." He simply assumed Josh would come in for a meal and a night of sleep...it would be a sore surprise to turn around and find him driving away without a word.

As they walked toward the double doors, Sasha let one massive hand settle on Morgan's head...making sure not to harm her glasses. Giving her hair a muss, in the way he knew all girls hated, he grinned sidelong down at her. "Time for a bite, yah?" Oh, bad pun. Hopefully she had a sense of humor. Simply being near 'safety' was enough to make the horrible knot in his stomach relax...soon, they'd be lounging and scooping beans from a can. With any kind of luck.

Giving a chin up to those stationed by the door, Sasha ambled to a stop to see if they needed any information...or had a problem with the five foot shovel with a dark and splattered blade that he was carrying. "You got room for two more." Soldiers, cops, Saw didn't care.

It wasn't phrased as a question.

As time passed, the corpse of the green eyed tom slowly began to reorient. The cacophony of noises had faded, leaving only the swell of distant voices and the occasional crunch of footsteps. Slinking out from between the stones, Schrodinger kept low...moving silently over the cobbled stones of the path between the graves.

He didn't think on any step...in fact, he didn't think much at all. It was instinct that carried him forward, toward the church looming against the darkening sky. He had forgotten about the beast that chased him here, only the distant scent of warm blood called to him.

Something else tugged at him as well. Was it the memory of being fed, in buildings like this? All buildings were more or less the same...it was only the meal that had changed. Laying his ears back, third eye splitting open, Schrod hunched behind a tilted headstone and paused to listen.

None of the shambling dead were close, his territory was unchallenged. He stayed silent, moving forward once again...dragging his left haunch which had stiffened in the chill of evening. The place was boarded up tight, but he only needed a few square inches to make it inside. Inside...where the food was. He'd find it, soon enough.

Some where above the church an oddity could be seen, a lone raven circled above them before swooping down to land just above the main door to the church. The golden eyes of the Raven took in each and every person one at a time.

Why did they gather? Where they a flock? Perhapse they too ploted to move else where for the cold days? Or perhapse they where all doomed. The raven continued to stare before giveing out one long screech before going silent again.

Once more the raven gave a tiny hop fluttering down to land on Marco's shoulder turning to stare at him ruffleing his feathers. Before giveing another screech at the man. As this was done the Raven leaped off takeing flight again above the church. Strange creatures. Shelter not there own but make strange loud noises in a time of darkness. Strange, strange, creatures.