Flesh Into Gear (OPEN)

[NPC]

Candice Levin
Darnell Yates
Deborah Sanford

They’d been running for what seemed like forever. To be outside wasn’t a choice of theirs, but they were low on supplies and needed to stock up. Ideally two of them should have gone; it should have always been two of you because you needed a look out and someone to cover your ass. However, it ended up being all three of them on the hunt for supplies as Candice refused to stay behind by herself. Sadly this couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the young blonde, who was left wearing a matching silver hot pants and bra, with a white fur jackets and a pair of 6 inch white stilettos. Crazy right? yes, but she was all about the glamour it was what he work called for and this had all occurred whilst she’d been at work. Candice was a stripper, she’d come to New York in the hopes of being a supermodel only...it appeared taking her clothes off for money worked just as easy so she settled for second best.

With her were her two work friends, bar staff Deborah Sanford and doorman, Darnell Yates. Deborah had taken the bar job to pay for bills after an ugly split from her fiancée and Darnell had been working here for a good long while now. He’d served a few years in and out of jail and was deemed ‘unemployable’ he’d made a friend out of the owner and took things from there. But now they were without jobs, without hope as they ran through the streets of Brooklyn in a bid to save their own lives.

Deborah was leading the trio who were en route back toward the bar they’d come from. She had a shotgun in her grasp and a bag strapped to her back with supplies inside, you know food and other necessities. Behind her was Candice, struggling to keep up whilst running in those ridiculous sized heels. The smart idea would be to have taken them off, but she was far too concerned about the broken bottles and glass on the ground to do such a thing. The blonde was a wreck, fearing her life, in floods of tears as she tried her best to follow swiftly behind Deb and Darnell took the back of the line.

The man ran behind the girls, turning every so often keeping a close eye on the small group of infected who were following behind them. Luckily they weren’t that fast, so it was easier to get away from them. “Oh my god, we’re gonna die here. I don’t wanna die” Candice sobbed. Deb kept her gun raised ready to shoot anything that came ahead of them; hazel eyes narrowed watching ahead of her “We are not going to die. We are going to be fine, just stay calm okay? I need you to be calm and to stay quiet.” She told the blonde, her excessive crying was far too much for her to deal with right now but she managed to keep her cool.

Turning the corner onto the next street, the trio stopped beside one another. The club was up ahead, the only problem was..there was a whole bunch of infected about. There were still corpses in the street, bodies that had flesh on them which enabled the infected to chow down on them. Everything was a mess, cars parked and abandoned in the middle of the street, vehicles on fire, bodies laying about in the street, people still running away trying to stay alive. You could hear the screams in the distance of those who were unfortunate enough to get caught. Deb took a deep breath; she was getting tired of running now. Candice continued to sob as her teary blue eyes scanned the street and Darnell exhaled deeply.

He stepped forward urging the girls to follow “Come on..” he ushered quietly, they’d have to tread carefully. Deb watched him, nodded so before letting her eyes linger on the infected who’d not noticed them yet. She followed in tow, and Candice just stood there like a moron. Deb and Darnell walked slowly across the street before stopping. A blood curdling scream from behind piqued their attention, the duo turned snapping their eyes behind them. It was Candice. The blonde bounded across the street, the heels clunking against the pavement as she wobbled trying to keep on her feet as the previous horde of infected came following behind her. That was why Darnell and Deb had moved, get out of sight before they caught up and now Candice had led them straight to them. Not to mention, by screaming like a fucking banshee had gotten the attention of the others. Shit!

Candice fell down and Darnell had half a mind to leave the stupid bitch there. Deborah was too nice sometimes; she couldn’t leave her and ran toward the blonde. Darnell rolled his eyes and followed. Whilst Deb helped the blonde up, Darnell began shooting anything that got close, until the trio were able to back their way into the bar. Slamming the door shut behind them, Darnell leant against it keeping it closed before locking it. Deb helped Candice to a seat; she’d sprained her ankle now. The first thing Deb did was pull the shoes off her feet and fling them away, seriously shoes like that...whose fucking idea was it to make shoes so god damn ridiculous.


“Candy you have got to calm the fuck down! You’re going to get us killed.” Darnell snapped, turning to face the blonde as she continued to sob. Deb shot him a look as if to tell him to cool off, there was no point in sitting around screaming at one another. She helped Candice to a stool and walked around the bar, to the freezer to get some ice. She stopped hearing a sound coming from the back room. Her eyes widened so, as did Candice’s who suddenly muted her crying and Darnell gazed in the same direction. They’d closed the door prior to leaving but hadn’t locked it...the infected from what they were aware couldn’t open doors...but someone had gotten inside.

Deb turned her eyes toward Darnell as if silently urging him to go check it out. He sighed and begun to take slow steps toward the back room door, he had his gun up at the read, his eyes fixed as he neared closer. Stopping outside, he took a deep breath, his shaky hand moved toward the door handle and he turned it. In one quick move he shoved the door open, took a step back and held his gun ready waiting for whatever it was to jump out from the darkness.

[King Daemon]

Shriek the lips across ragged tongue,
Convulsing together,
Sing violently, move the jaw,
Cry aloud, bound up the dead triumphantly.

Damon had a handful of flyers, and he was tacking them all over the Five Burroughs. He wanted people to come and see his show. He had since the outbreak moved his operation from the original campus in Brooklyn to Central Park. He would have gone there in the first place, but the booking was hard before the whole outbreak thing happened. Now it was a free for all. As he gleefully walked the darkness tacking up the flyers, he was followed by a posse of infected clowns, about a half dozen, all thirsty for blood, and hungry for human flesh.

"Oh my god, we’re gonna die here. I don’t wanna die”

A voice, a frightened one. People wandering Brooklyn...he thought there weren't any here. Well, all the same, he had made his decision to leave. At least they would know where to go, and he would even get a chance to know what they liked in a performance. What they wanted out of a circus/carnival experience. He could get a taste of things to come. He smiled, rotted flesh and blackened teeth showing. He was wearing a top hat, and his striped ringmaster suit.

"We are not going to die. We are going to be fine, just stay calm okay? I need you to be calm and to stay quiet.”

Too late for that, he had heard them, and he would play with them. Just a sample of the entertainment that was in store for them at the Cirque du Carnage. He slunk through the night toward the voices. Stalking them, his retinue of zombie clowns in close proximity.

"Come on..”

Closer he crept, in the shadows, a phantom stranger.... they were about to enter a building. Damon snuck around to the other side, and slipped into the bar quietly. His clowns followed, for some reason they liked to go where he did...maybe they thought he was taking them to kill someone...

“Candy you have got to calm the fuck down! You’re going to get us killed.”

"No need to worry about that! I need my audience to live...but only if you can show yourselves to be good potential audience members."

He flashed his rotten blacktoothed smile, and bowed. Turning on the lights, He waved his hand to the clowns behind him.

"Everybody loves clowns, and so it seems that a good audience member would enjoy a little romp with my clown friends here," He said with a crooked grin, "Without further adieu, send in the clowns!"

The clowns rushed toward the group of lost survivors, hunger in their eyes.

[NPC]

Candice Levin
Darnell Yates
Deborah Sanford

Deb could hear her heart pounding as her hazel eyes narrowed on the backroom door. Candy stared at the door as Darnell inched closer and closer, gun raised and ready to fire at whatever or whoever jumped out at them. Darnell shoved the door open and waited for a moment, then suddenly out of the shadows stepped a man. Darnell retreated, Candy got to her feet and rushed to the side of the bar where Deb was, looking for protection as she stared fearfully at the man.

"No need to worry about that! I need my audience to live...but only if you can show yourselves to be good potential audience members." He spoke,smiling, showing his crooked black out grin. Darnell raised a brow, never lowering his gun "Say what?" What the fuck was this guys problem. Darnell glanced at Deb who had her own firearm gripped tightly, she looked at the new face "Sir...i don't think that's important right now. Everyone is dead." Deb informed him, did he honestly not know that everything had gone to shit right now?

The trio kept there eyes locked on the stranger as he stepped into the room, when he flicked the lights on Candy screamed. Behind him were...clowns? but fucked up beyond all recognition. Zombie clowns? what the fuck. Darnell stepped back,keeping his gun raised as did Deb whilst Candy huddled up behind them staring fearfully at the man and his fucked up freaks.

"Everybody loves clowns, and so it seems that a good audience member would enjoy a little romp with my clown friends here," Oh fuck no. Deb looked at there faces, they weren't clowns...they were infected, just like those other fuckers out there..which spelt trouble. She backed up slightly, urging Candice who was behind her, edging her toward the door with Darnell "...Fuck you.." Darnell spat, keeping his gun pointed at the man.

Then just like that, the freak sent his little cannibal clowns toward them. Darnell didn't hesitate in firing at them, the head..it always had to be the head and Deb did the same as the trio backed toward the door. Deb spun, urging Candice out of the door which was now a target for infected who'd heard the gun fire. Candice screamed again as she opened the door seeing a few off them. With her stilletos in her hand she swung them at the one to her left knocking him backward, so that she could run through the gap with Deb and Darnell following quickly behind.

"I fucking hate clowns!" Candice cried as she ran ahead of the trio, Darnell and Deb clearing the way as they hurried off up the street.

[King Daemon]

The ragged they come
And the ragged they kill!
You pray so hard on bloody knees...

"Say what?"

"Audience," He smiled, " I run a traveling show, if you hadn't heard of it..."

"Sir...i don't think that's important right now. Everyone is dead."

"I know! Isn't it great!"

By now, they probably figured he was among the dead. He had sent the clowns out to play with them, and they were ready to play. Good. These people would not be easy to kill. They would put up a fight. Just perfect. He listened to the girl's screaming with joy.

"...Fuck you.."

"Now, there is no call for such foul language, my show is a family affair, fit for kids of all ages." He eyed the gun, thinking that the man was intending to kill...well that would be no fun for the undead showman. Talk about a bad review...


The chase was on! The clowns took shots to the head, and some managed to pursue the group. Damon was in close pursuit, wanting to see what would happen. Apparently the group was resourceful indeed. He decided to duck out of sight and follow them through the streets, stealthy, and giving them impression he had fallen behind. When they thought they had lost him...he would reappear to offer them a formal invite. These people would make a great audience!

"I fucking hate clowns!"

As she screamed this, two of the remaining clowns managed to catch up and were rushing directly at the one called Candy.

"Clowns love Candy though!" He shouted from the darkness, cackling.

[NPC]

Candice Levin
Darnell Yates
Deborah Sanford

Candy couldn't fucking believe this. She was sure that she was going to fucking die. The young woman was going out of her mind. She felt like all she ever did was run anymore. All day long, a never ending cycle of running. Even though she was a stripper... Candice knew how to take care of herself and she knew how to survive. The young woman wasn't going to give up and give in just because the going had gotten tough. You hit the ground running when things like that happend, Candice knew that first hand. The only thing she was wary of was their impending doom. The apocalypse had hit New York City like a hurricane on steroids. The young woman was sure that things couldn't have gotten any worse... But then of course... Life always seemed to have a way of proving her wrong. This was just fucking unbelievable. It was tiring really. You never really got to catch your breathe. It was always something. You were always looking over your shoulder. Candice couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten an honest, good nights sleep.

Candice, Deborah and Darnell ran for their lives out of the building once they'd been greeted by one of the infected... Though, it was most certainly far worse than any of them could have imagined. The young group of people had never encountered an infected person who still was able to speak. This guy seemed perfectly cognizant which was scary as all hell. Darnell didn't have time for this bullshit and was not interested in sticking around to die. The three of them stuck together and moved as one as they attempted to flee the scene. Their gunfire had begun to attract more of the zombies, to which Deborah cursed under her breathe. "Shit, shit shit..." For a moment, Darnell looked back as he eyed the infected clowns coming after them. Candy had made it clear that she didn't like clowns... And well, Darnell didn't really like them either... Especially the kind that tried to eat you for dinner... Darnell turned as he ran, ever so slightly and began to fire his weapon towards the zombie clowns as they ran after the trio. "Die fucker!" It was dark and the three young people were just concerned with surviving the night as best as possible.

[Michael Hughes]

On his own for… How many days? Weeks maybe? Months? No, it hadn’t been months. Mikey didn’t know. Any form of keeping time had died a while ago. He took his sleep when he could, so he couldn’t even keep track of sunrises and sunsets. He was barely able to keep track of which direction he was going. But he managed that well enough.

He’d been hiding out for some time, scavenging everything he could, when he could. He’d gotten his supplies from hunting shops, dead people. He even got lucky and found a nice haul from those black ops pricks who were out to kill everyone. They hadn’t made it passed a big group of zombies, and Mikey had managed to sneak in and pick through the leftovers. Their uniforms, that was a no go. But he had managed to get a new pair of boots and a gas mask. The filter was gone, but they didn’t need that. The virus wasn’t airborne. It was just to keep splattering blood out of his face. He was covered a hundred percent, had a hunting vest on that held his shotgun shells. He’d managed to find a Glock from a dead cop, his own shotgun and revolver, ammo for them all. And that’s just what he had on him. He had a nice little spot in a nearby apartment building. He was stocked up there nicely, with anything that he would need for up to a week packed in a duffle bag, ready to take with him if he had to get out quick. He was just getting ready to get back there after a day of pillaging, when he heard the gunshots and screams.

Fighting with himself over what to do, most of him wanting to go and help, some of him wanting to go back and leave them. But, Mikey knew what he was going to do even as he argued back and forth in his mind. He hated the mentality that a lot of people had adapted. Looking out for themselves only. He hated it with a passion. And he was going to do what he could to help whoever was in trouble. And if he died… Well, he had made peace with that. At least he could stand to look himself in the mirror before he went out. So to speak.

Cutting through an alleyway, he found himself ahead of the sounds. Peeking out and seeing the people running for their lives from a bunch of zombies in… Clown gear, he reached to his side and pulled up a grocery bag. Tearing it open and hoping that he wouldn’t have to throw away his gloves when he was done, he waited for the people to run by and tossed the bundle of cloth. It started crying.

A babies cries…

“Here!” He hissed, waving them to his alleyway as he aimed his shotgun and stuck to the shadows. If he was lucky, they’d be enticed by the bait. And they were. The blood from a dead body that hadn’t turned was enough to make them stop and check it out. When they were convinced it was food, something that didn’t take much persuasion, they started chowing down. Only to find that it was made of plastic.

The toy baby that crawled and cried was keeping their attention, and Mikey reached into his pocket. Pulling out a small block with a lever and an antenna, he waited for everyone to get clear before he pressed the lever. The half pound of C4 attached to the baby doll exploded, taking the zombies with it. A trick he’d seen in a video game once. And damn, did it work.

”Hurry up!” He hissed again.

[King Daemon]

The ragged they come and
The ragged they kill!
Down in the cool air I can see.

"Die fucker!"

Damon was a little miffed that his prospective audience didn't appreciate his clowns as mush as they should. But they were good sport for the infected harlequins. Damon laughed as they fled from the ravenous jokers and fired shots into the darkness. He followed closely, observing the mad dash.

“Here!”

A baby had been tossed toward the hungry zombie clowns. That was an interesting development to the mad ringmaster. He wouldn't expect any sort of man to toss an innocent little infant into a crowd of murderous ghouls like that...this man must be a true genius!

Then something unexpected happened. The baby was simply a lure to the demise of his comedic revenants. They blew up into chunks of dead flesh, caked in makeup as they were. He lamented that they didn't burst into confetti...but Damon refocused his attentions on the group.

”Hurry up!”

"No, please wait!" Damon said approaching the group from the darkness, " You have shown yourselves to be perfect audience members. How are you supposed to attend, without knowing where to go?" He was shouting wildly as he chased the group. He was going to have to advertise on the run.

"Just go to Central Park...I'll be waiting!"

[NPC]

Candice Levin
Darnell Yates
Deborah Sanford

"Oh my god, I seriously can't handle this right now..." Candy cried as she continued to run as fast as her boney little ass could carry her. What a day to be wearing hot pants, a bikini bra and stilletos hm? They were now on the run from the bar, having been ambushed by would you believe...a fucking bunch of clowns? Darnell took the lead, armed with his gun and happily blasted rounds into those fuckers whilst Deb covered him with a pistol. The gunfire bought unwanted attention from other un-dead lurking.

Deb caught sight of a pack coming from the left and immediately grabbed Candy's arm, pulling her closer. She glanced around seeing an alleyway, eyes narrowed toward the young man who stood within it. He threw something out and at first glance one would think it was a real baby, until she looked at it. Deb ushered Candy down the alleyway toward the man "Go..quick, get out of here.." She called after Candy who hobbled over toward the new face.

She placed a hand on Darnell's shoulder, urging him backward. He fleeted a glance at the bundle, lowering his gun. Eyes narrowed toward the alleyway as the young man shouted again. The two turned and ran toward the alley, hearing the explosive go off just as they made it inside. Entering the mouth, Deb covered her ears, ducking down slightly, as Darnell did the same. Seemed like the man had a good plan up his sleeve. After a moment, Deb pushed herself back on her feet and headed toward Mikey and Candy, with Darnell following quickly behind.

"Thanks man..we owe ya.." Darnell spoke gratefully. Deb wrapped her arm around Candy, in a bid to support the woman whose feet were absolutely killing her in her seven inch heels. They waited for direction from Mikey, it seemed he knew these parts better then they did.

[Michael Hughes]

”Thank me later, come on.” Mikey urged. He had them, that was a good start. The crowd of zombies was thinning, but it was nowhere near the end. They were just getting started.

”Across the street, alleyway. Up the fire escape, go!” He said quickly, backing away as he watched the zombies coming toward them. He urged them to go with his left hand, the right one pulling out the Glock from his side holster. He racked the chamber with a sense of experience that someone so young probably shouldn’t have had, and took up a two handed grip. He lined up his sights, taking a breath and exhaling slowly, squeezing the trigger as he did. A zombies head snapped back as a nine millimeter round entered its forehead. He snapped his aim to the side, taking out the next in line. Again and again, he fired four more times. Six down, but they were getting too close. Tucking tail and running, not firing off rounds behind him for fear of wasting them, he crossed the street and made a small jump onto the curb as he eyed the metal stairs.

Reaching out his left hand to grab them and help him into a quick spin, his boots hammered the metal as he took them two at a time. Collapsing onto the first landing and pulling them up, he locked them in place with a metal bar and laid back taking a few deep breaths.

He was too fat for this shit…

”F… Fif… Fifth floor. He said through wheezing, coughing once or twice. ”Middle window.” He said, hauling himself to his feet with the help of the bar and gingerly making his way up the steps. His ankle was killing him…

[NPC]

Candice Levin
Darnell Yates
Deborah Sanford

”Thank me later, come on.” The newbie urged. Darnell didn't need to be told twice, he was on the up and up out of there. This whole situation had gone from one level of extreme to another in a split second. Seriously, it was insane how quick things spun out of control. Darnell quickened his pace, half carrying Candice as she struggled to keep up in those ridiculous shoes "Just take em off!" He snapped at her. It probably wasn't the best idea considering she was already grizzling like a baby, but if they had any hopes of getting out of this together..the shoes had to go.

”Across the street, alleyway. Up the fire escape, go!” Mikey ordered. Darnell was aiding Candice right now, who had finally decided to ditch the shoes but insisted on carrying them. Whilst doing so, Deb took stance next to Mikey as he popped rounds into the oncoming infected. Once the numbers decreased she took his instructions and took to the ladders behind Darnell and Candice.

Once they reached the top, the brunette made a concious effort to help Mikey up. He'd saved their skin, it was the least she could do. It didn't take a genius to see that he was injured. Candice fell into a heap on the ground balling her eyes out, whilst Darnell just looked on in disbelief. Deborah turned to Mikey "You're injured. Lemme take a look?" she enquired.

Darnell paced, hands on his head "What the fuck!..what the fuck were they!?" He bellowed looking at the others for answers, specifically Mikey "He didn't seem sick, not like the others, he seemed...." He struggled to find the words "Crazy?" Candice added, sniffling.

Deb sighed looking at the two "Does it matter what he was or wasn't? He's gone, that's all that matters right now. We need to make a plan, we can't stay here." She pointed the obvious before looking back at Mikey "Right?" She looked at him for backup, after all, he seemed to have more clue as to what he was doing then what they did.

[Michael Hughes]

Mikey stood up with some help from the darker haired woman, limping up the stairs and cursing his decision to hole up on the fifth floor. Sure, he knew it would be a good idea to stay isolated from the ground and all the zombies, but fuck… It was a long way up…

They finally got inside the chosen apartment, Mikey closing and locking the window they used to get in as he collapsed onto the couch with a hiss.

“You're injured. Lemme take a look?" The one who had helped him said, and he waved her off. Realizing how rude that might seem, he pulled out a small bottle of pills and opened it up. He shook four out into his hand and popped them into his mouth.

”Nothing you can do. Long standing problem.” He said simply. The pills would be working in about a half out, so he would be well enough to travel by then.

"What the fuck!..what the fuck were they!? He didn't seem sick, not like the others, he seemed...." The man said, starting to freak out. Mikey was about to try to calm him down when the other woman on the floor piped up.

"Crazy?" She said. Mikey looked at the pair for the moment and shrugged.

”Your guess is as good as mine. I can’t imagine the more unstable people in our population would hold up well here.” He said. Made sense. If people were nutty before, this would probably send them right over the edge. But…

”Something that didn’t make sense was why the crowd didn’t stop to chow down on him. He was right there, but they ignored him.” He said.

"Does it matter what he was or wasn't? He's gone, that's all that matters right now. We need to make a plan, we can't stay here. Right?" The brunette said, and Mikey looked around.

”This place has kept me safe for a while now. Your welcome to stay here for as long as you want, but I never met any of those things who could talk.” He said, convinced that that guy hadn’t been human. He’d never seen zombies pass up a meal. What made him so unappetizing?

”Take a look around. Grab what you can use. If he knows where this place is, he might be back.”