( OPEN ) GAME START.

[monstermasher]

▶ WHO: Everyone.
▶ DATE: July 9th, 2015 (Day 1)
▶ WARNINGS: Blood, violence, general zombie horror.
▶ SUMMARY: You've met with a bad... however that line goes. Welcome to Earth.

GOOD MORNING!

---

Please try and ignore whatever it is that you just heard. It should only last for up to a minute... maybe.

It... it is morning, right?

There are no windows.

There's a light, but it's barely considered one. The compound runs on a solar generator, but that doesn't mean it has a lot of power. The light seems to be hanging from the ceiling, swinging precariously. That's when you might actually start to wake up, sit up, find the things that are familiar to you... and then some of the things that aren't. It'd be wise to explore the small room you're in before leaving through the steel door, but there's nobody around to tell you that.

Outside is a tightly knit compound, just as dark and metallic as the room. The hallway you're in houses dozens more doors identical to yours, and if you're unlucky there may be more people poking their heads out through them, just like you. There's a dull glowing sign that reads MEDICAL BAY but not all of you remember being hurt. Some of you may be just fine, apart from the memory of the sound you heard when waking up.

The Medical Bay is stocked with enough medicine to last a couple of months. There's almost everything that can be found in a hospital. Somebody was thinking ahead.

Outside of the Medical Bay are more doors, some are even locked—many aren't. There are living quarters, a food storage, a kitchen, some laboratories; even a room full of computers and nothing else, all with a screen asking for a password. There's only two doors out of the compound, a vehicle bay with what appear to be a few military jeeps and trucks, and the front doors. It's on the inside of the front doors that something is painted in bright red, flecked with what smell like blood:

DO NOT GO OUTSIDE WITHOUT A GUN AND WATER.
GUNSHOTS ATTRACT THEM.
HOLLOWS IS 1.3 MILES NORTH OF HERE.
GOOD LUCK.

And on the outside of the doors, if you choose to open them:

THE WORLD ENDED JULY 3RD, 2015.

Now... how long ago was that? And where is this place? Luckily for you, Hollows is a small town that can be raided. It hasn't been too long since the apocalypse—surely you'll be able to find something there. Batteries, food, weapons, maybe some people—and what you're guaranteed to find. Them, whatever that means.

Outside of the compound there's a fence with a single gate. Nothing can get past this unless you let them in for tea, so be careful. There's a shooting range and a large shed full of weapons and ammo, enough to last two months if you're careful. Guns, knives, anything that would be used by the military and police is hidden away in the shed. There are even a few hunting bows with arrows.

If you climb up the ladder to the top of the wall, there's enough room to walk along the top. There's definitely something moving in the distance, something you should definitely be worrying about. Maybe it's time to get a good look with a sniper rifle...?

Oh.

It's gone.

Maybe it was just a trick of the light. Regardless, it's impossible for everyone to stay in the compound forever. There are nefarious things at work! The choices are to go to Hollows, stick around, or go somewhere else. Really, the world is almost a blank slate. Maybe more of a used slate, but still yours to explore.

When the night comes, you should be hiding. The screamers, the ragers, whatever the hell they are, are running full tilt through the streets and across the landscape, running through anything in their way, ripping apart anything alive. If you don't make any noise, they won't notice you. Especially since they're stuck listening to each other. But if you get noticed by one, it won't be long until a horde forms... you might be able to outrun one for awhile, but they don't seem to let up on their breakneck pace. Maybe someone should have told you how to kill them.

OOC NOTES.

---

There will be zombies in Hollows. Whether you meet them on the way there is up to you. Apart from the undead and the animals (maybe somebody should let those poor creatures out of their houses) the town is completely deserted. In fact, the closest thing you can find to a human are the bodies of those who died without being bitten, and there's even few of those. You can find anything you'd find in a normal town here, and are free to loot and raid the houses and stores—the cops won't be coming, after all. The power is OFF apart from what you can find that is solar powered or still has a charge. If you're lucky and find another town while exploring the first few weeks, you might find an area that still has power—thank hydroelectricity.

Just keep in mind travel time... and travel expenses.

You have creative freedom over everything else. The world is open. The only stationary places are landmarks and cities—if you want to go to Texas and talk to the poor astronauts stranded up in space, it's there. (Might be a long trip, though...)

If your character can figure it out by geography before getting to Hollows, the compound is located a few hours from the west coast, in California.

The way to kill a zombie is blunt force to the head. The head doesn't need to be removed, but significant damage needs to be done to it. This does not include the throat—it needs to be a headshot.

There's also a glaring hint. The computers in the compound, asking for a password. It is impossible to hack at this time. There will be more on this later!

Finally, if your character is exploring outside of the compound (or extensively inside of it) there's a comment here for linking me the thread. You can also PM me! I'll be ducking in with what your character may or may not have found, via a response to the actual RP thread.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS please direct them here!

Comments

iris west | the flash | ota

[bloggings]

[Don't open the door, they'll get in!

That's all she remembers about how she got here. A voice shouting at her to keep the door closed. She can't place it, can't even begin to imagine who they are. Or even where she is. For a moment, she thinks that Wells must be behind it, he must have grabbed her before she got inside her dad's house and dumped her here for who knows what reason. To punish Barry, to lure him out, just because he's a psychopath.

But then she's not bound or injured as far as she can tell, there's a box of cookies in the bed and the door isn't locked.

First thing Iris does is check her phone but the battery's dead. So is the tablet she finds in the room with her. Both get tossed back into her purse with a slightly annoyed click of her tongue, along with the box of cookies because Iris West is not a girl to leave behind sweets. And there's really not much else to do here that doesn't involve opening that door and facing whatever they are.

There's nothing on the other side except a hallway and Iris lets out a small breath of relief, relaxes the fist she made at her side. It's either punch someone or throw her shoe at them, that's the best weapon she's got right now. Four inch heels.

Well-- not going to get home if she just stands around in this hallway. So yeah, she moves to explore exactly where the hell she is. From here, she can be found in the medical wing not looking for anything specific but maybe slipping a few things into her purse. Or she's in that computer room fiddling with the row of computers and trying to get one of them to log on and work. She's not really a master hacker, by any means but it's worth a shot. Or even standing in front of the front doors almost shell shocked at the message written there.]

med bay...!

[usavatar]

You know, if people keep doing that, we won't have anything left when we get hit by a real emergency.

[ he shouldn't snap. it's not as though anything that's happened today is her fault. none of it is anyone's fault except for his.

he finally shed his dress greens entirely, leaving tunic and tie in the room where he woke up, folded next to the flag. he's left in sepia-toned slacks and shirt, shirt filthy from time spent outside, hair mussed, face smudged with dirt. he'll deal with it later. it's not important right now.

he still has the unpainted shield on one arm. he tells himself it's for security, so no one takes it, but the truth is it make him feel more secure. like there's still something solid and reliable left in the world.

steve clears his throat. ]

Sorry. But there are a lot of us here.

[bloggings]

[Iris reacts like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Only she's a grown woman with her hand caught with a handeful of bandaids that she's stashing in her purse. But the look on her face is the same, a little guilty and a little on edge because she has no idea who the hell this guy is and snapping at people isn't the way to make friends.

The shield isn't very welcoming either. Iris eyes it for a moment and then her eyes land on his face again.]

You're the first person I've seen. [She pauses for a moment.]

Where exactly are we?

[usavatar]

[ he winces and drags a hand through his hair. great first impression, steve. ]

Sorry. We're in California, I guess. It's July, 2015.

[ that last part seems more and more relevant. ]

Nobody seems to know how we got here. I'm Steve. Steve Rogers.

[bloggings]

Iris West.

[If she's really surprised to be in California when the last thing she remembers is Central City, it shows on her face for a few seconds before she just nods. Nods like she's filing away information. Not sure what she's going to do with it yet but it's there.

Kidnapped in California. It's July. She's not the only one here. Steve Rogers has really nice arms.]

Nice shield. Where'd you get it?

[Because she'd feel a lot better with a weapon or something of her own, thanks.]

[usavatar]

A friend in 1943. [ There's only a little bit of irony in his tone. He thinks, all things considered, that's an achievement.

Deep breath. Be more helpful, Steve. ]

Nice to meet you. There's a weapons locker outside, next to a shooting range. Whoever abandoned this place left it well-supplied.

[bloggings]

Wait, really--?

[He says it with just enough sarcasm in his voice that it pings the 'this is someone different' part of her brain. The part that's been focusing on metahumans and anything like that for the past year. Before Barry's coma, she would have laughed at the idea of someone time traveling but then they've just proved it's a thing, didn't they?

Is this guy...?]

Are you really from 1943?

[She'll go get the gun in a sec.]

[usavatar]

[ He shrugs. At least this part is a little easier to say. ] I'm not the only one. Margaret Carter - I work with her. She's here too, but she's from a bit ahead of me.

[A bit. As though nothing significant enough to be devastating happens in that time. He's not sure giving out Peggy's title is the best idea. He'll leave that up to her.]

im here and my body is ready

[metaspeed]

[ After waking, Barry's made good use of time, running around the compound trying to piece together any clues about where he is and what he's doing here. Tries to put that forensic scientist background to work by collecting bits of evidence, wishing he had a camera or plastic bags or test-tubes or swabs - you know, the very, very basic stuff - to record some of this stuff for comparison. Not that he's got a lab or anything to study it all, but it's hard to kick off the scientist instinct.

It's when he reaches the front doors for the fifth or sixth time that he spots a familiar figure standing there, examining the sign he's seen and read (and re-read) a few times now. There's a bag of shoes dropped with a broken up thump at his feet when he lets go, heart pounding with relief. He has no idea what's happening here or why or how, but seeing Iris here, god, it's a relief.

It's a terrifying, complicated relief, but it's a relief.

She's okay.

Whatever brought him here made sure she was with him too. If anything, they can figure some of this out together; he's learned his lesson now, he's not going to keep her in the dark if he can help it. (And now all he has to do is worry about whether Cisco and Caitlin and Joe are okay too.)

Softly, softly: ]

Hey. Iris?

[bloggings]

[THE WORLD ENDED JULY 3RD, 2015.

She's read that sentence at least a dozen times and each time it doesn't make any sense to her. Her brain short circuits and the only thing she can do is stare at it, like she stared at nothing on a bridge by herself after she realized Barry was the Flash. It's the same kind of feeling. She's not mad, she's not scared, she's not upset (not yet), she's just stunned.

And startled when something drops behind her and she turns to see who's there and now the emotions are flooding to the surface.]

Barry.

[Maybe their friendship is a little broken right now, along with her heart and her plans for the future, and she still doesn't trust him like she used to. She doesn't see Barry like she did a month ago and that's just going to take time to get used to. He loves her. He's the Flash. She loves him. He's her best friend. He's here and that's all that really matters now. He's here and he's alright and Iris is rushing forward to hug him just to prove it to herself.]

You're here.

[They aren't the same people they were a month ago but at the bottom of it, they are still Barry and Iris. She can work with that. Iris squeezes him tighter for a second or two longer and then turns to point at the sign.]

Did you see this?

[metaspeed]

[ Honestly, Barry is a little surprised that Iris moved in for a hug, that her arms are wrapped tight around him and she hasn't let go immediately after.

Things between them are so complicated now and he gets that, they're probably even worse now with Eddie back in the picture, but it's not exactly something he should be mulling over when they've got way more important things to think about.

But if he moves to put his arms around her too, it's in joy and relief and gratitude and he isn't going to take this moment for granted. No, he's going to treasure it; maybe maybe it's a sign of hope that they can get past all this.

(Maybe he can start to see some of that future becoming a reality. Except -- )

What if the world really did end?

He pulls back a moment later, glancing at the sign again and gives a small solemn nod. ]

Yeah, I did. A few times. I don't know what any of it means.

[ He frowns. ]

What's the last thing you remember, Iris?

[bloggings]

[Eddie's not in the picture, but that doesn't mean she's about to run into Barry's arms either. Even if she kind of just literally did that. That was purely platonic. That is a platonic hug because she's really fucking relieved that she's not alone.]

I was going to my dad's after Eddie--

[Iris stops and it should be so easy to say ended our relationship but it's not, especially not to Barry. She doesn't think that he'd rub it in or be a jerk about it. He's too... Barry to do anything like that. But she kind of needs to make sense of it herself. There's no more Eddie but she still doesn't know what she wants exactly from Barry and it's too much to think about right now. So she swallows hard and just abandons the train of thought.]

I barely got out of my car and then I woke up here. Is this Wells? Did Doctor Wells do this to us?

[metaspeed]

[ Barry is about to blurt, 'after Eddie what?' but he isn't sure he wants to hear the answer right now, especially not on top of everything going on right now, so he'll shelve that thought. He'll set it aside, or ignore it, or think about something else, and hell, there's a lot of other stuff to think about, so. ]

I don't know; it doesn't really feel like a Dr Wells kind of thing. It's too big. And what's the point? What would it accomplish?

We know who he is now, we know what he's trying to do. What he's tried to do.

[ Barry had considered that too, he really wanted to believe that Dr Wells, AKA The Man in the Yellow Suit AKA Eobard Thawne was responsible for all of this, but a lot of things don't add up. ]

I guess you haven't seen Cisco around? Or Caitlin? Your dad?

[bloggings]

[Iris wants to ask what the point of Wells killing Barry's mom was. Or why he had to take Eddie and fill his head full of things from the future and help bring an end to her relationship with him. Or why he would go through all of that trouble to help Barry and protect him and keep him safe if he was just planning on killing him all along.

It's sick, is what it is.

She shakes her head and finally drops her arms from around his middle. She doesn't move too far, keeps close to his side where she plans on being for the foreseeable future. It's the best chance either of them have, to stick together.]

That means they're fine, right? At home and safe and okay.

[There's a little bit of pleading there. Reassure her that her dad isn't dead, that their friends are alright. Whatever the end of the world looks like, it doesn't mean they're the only ones left standing, right?]

[metaspeed]

I don't know what anything means right now, Iris. I don't know.

[ His voice gets a little quiet near the end.

If Iris is expecting to hear optimistic platitudes and empty hopeful promises, Barry's fresh out of those right now. Waking up to the sound of someone running towards you, finding a child's bloody fingerprints dragging itself along a wall, finding things you really wish you didn't have to question and draw terrifying conclusions to ... yeah, Barry isn't feeling too hopeful right now.

He's silent for a moment before he glances down at her face, recognizing fear and confusion in her expression and remembering that sometimes, empty or not, you just need to hear something good to keep the bad at bay. And that's what a best friend and superhero does no matter how bleak the circumstances.

Barry nods. ]

But if they're here, we're going to find them. We're going to find them and make sure they're okay.

front doors for 500, alex.

[eyescope]

Stand there all day, that message ain't goin' anywhere.

[ he's got one elbow on the mouth of the rifle, leaning into it as he stands casually behind her. with a crooked eyebrow, he continues: ] Wait til' you see the one on the other side.

[ a beat, before — ] It's gettin' back in after that's the real trick.

[ this is him being positive. really.

after acquainting himself with the facility, the compound, whatever the scooby gang intends to call it — he's settled on two things: one, at least it isn't the usual four walls and cafeteria food, and two, this might actually be one of his better days.

the possibility that this could be waller might have been shot down, but that doesn't make him any less paranoid of the group of people growing here. do they all just show up like this? if so, good luck keeping 'em all in one place. if there's something out there that wants them dead, he'll take his chances elsewhere after he's a little more prepared, and a good deal more knowledgeable about the situation.

he shrugs a shoulder. ] You in or out?

[bloggings]

[He's a real shining beacon of positivity that's for damn sure.

Iris turns to find a man with a rifle and an eyepatch behind her (there's a punchline to a joke in that sentence somewhere) who seems like he's daring her into something and she's not sure what it is. And not sure why she's not immediately dismissing him.

Because he seems to have some answers. Because he might have his shit together. Because she feels personally challenged to be in and not out.]

Out. And you can show me what's out there yourself.

computer room

[picksthenames]

[ Because of course Cisco's in the computer room. In the corner, crouched down around back of the last machine in the row, trying to take it apart. He hears someone else typing and peeks his head up. ]

Iris?

[bloggings]

[Good timing because she's about to get frustrated with this computer system. Iris isn't going to make her name by being a hacker but if she can get into the CCPD database, she has to be able to get into this.

Right?

Wrong.

She straightens and is smiling the second she sees him. It's not good that he's here because it's not good for any of them. But at least she knows he's safe and okay and that's the best she can ask. It's more information than she's gotten about her dad and Iris is trying so hard not to let the worry over Joe eat her alive.]

Cisco! You're okay. I mean, you are, right? You're okay?

[picksthenames]

Yeah, I mean, as okay as can be expected, waking up in World of the Living Dead.

[ He returns his focus to the computer he was working on. On the one hand they have all the time in the world, but on the other hand, not rushing to some sort of solution feels like accepting defeat. ]

Don't bother trying to break the password lock. If I couldn't get in, no one can.

[ Or at least, no Iris can. ]

[bloggings]

[It's not Cisco's fault that she takes that more personally than she normally would. But then Iris is just extra sensitive to being told 'not to bother' or 'don't worry about it' right now because of certain secret keeping parties in her life that shall remain nameless because there's no point in naming them since the whole world knew their secrets before her.

Iris pushes a few more buttons on the keyboard, more forcibly than is necessary and definitely just to prove the point that maybe he couldn't get it but that doesn't exclude her from trying.

Which is stupid because this kind of thing is Cisco's job. He's obviously good at it.]

So what are you doing in here now?

FRONT DOOR AS WELL

[villainously]

Why didn't they say what 'they' are?

( oh, did you not want to chat, Iris? too bad I guess, because the pirate is confused about that in particular. the message seems to be guidance, possibly to help but he can't say for sure, because in one line it commands the use of a gun and then the very next says it draws something — an unnamed something, but it's easy to garner it probably isn't a good something.

the hollows catches his attention, but he's not sure how to measure a mile. the pirate works in knots and leagues and other stupid old fashioned manners of measurement. )

apparently that is where iris picks up all the boys

[bloggings]

[Maybe it's a little less about wanting to chat and more about whether or not she has anything to chat about since she seems to know just about as much if not less as him.

What are they? That is a very good question.

Maybe it's all one big warning. Gunshots attract them but whatever they are, only a shot to the head can kill.]

Let me guess. You woke up here with no memory of how that happened either?

nah iris brings all the boys to the yard don't matter where she is

[villainously]

I think you'd be hardpressed to find anyone that hasn't woken up confused and annoyed, love, seems whoever ran this place left it in a hurry.

( as far as he can tell, anyway. everyone he's spoken to has been forced here, left in a wake of confusion. Hook is no different, he's just used to this sort of thing...

but being separated from Emma keeps him in a constant state of unhappy paranoia, which means he won't be very easy going. then again, when is he. )

unf unf unf

[bloggings]

[He has a point there, that Iris can't do anything but nod and agree with. No one here seems to have any answers, which makes her even more on edge. Something is obviously not right, but the lack of any knowledge isn't right. Someone, somewhere has to have answers. Know something. All she has to do is dig.]

I'm Iris West. Nice to meet you. By the way.