The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse, Group 5, Scene 5b
The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse
Group 5, Scene 5b
copyright 2010 comidacomida
"Just two of us left..." Ty said quietly, following Cadence.
"Soon to be one less if you continue talking needlessly. They ARE capable of hearing, as you
well know." the macaque pointed out.
"Trying to establish a dialogue isn't 'needless', Caden-- Dr VanHousen." Ty explained.
"It isn't worth the risk at a time like this." she countered.
Ty remained quiet for several seconds before adding, "You've never had many friends, have you?"
the comment came out in an blatant judgemental tone.
The monkey stopped and turned to regard Ty for a moment, "Including you: zero." she turned, and
continued walking.
Ty huffed at that, and jogged to catch up to the shuffling monkey, "Dr VanHousen, Aldo said you
were one of those work-absorbed recluses, but I don't care how busy someone is-- you can't get
through life without some kind of interpersonal connection... that's no way to live."
Cadence stopped once again, though not as abruptly. Instead of turning to regard him, she
turned further away, "Some people find value in their life by finding those who complete them...
others find value in life by finding something... a cause... a project... an idea. The former
usually don't have the energy to seek what the latter is trying to find, and the latter can't
spare the time to seek out what the former is after."
"That's shite, and you know it." Ty countered, taking a step closer, "Even with all the insanity
going on right now: zombies roaming the street... people dying... everything going to hell...
me getting stuck with the most impossible monkey in the world... at least I took a chance to get
to know the people I was trying to help."
"And that did how much good, exactly?" Cadence questioned, turning to regard him.
Ty opened his muzzle to respond, but the sheer bluntness of the inquiry struck him dumb. He
tried to get his mouth to work, but the pure implication of the disconnection the monkey made
with the emotional significance of camaraderie left him speechless.
"About now you're probably thinking I'm a monster." she spoke.
"Between this, and using a motorcycle like a meat tenderizer, that's a fair bet." Ty answered,
the humor of his response completely lost to him in the honesty with which he spoke it.
"Perhaps that's because I am." she said, turning, and continuing to shuffle down the street.
Ty stood where he was for several seconds, mind trying to fathom just what the monkey was
getting at. In the end, he jogged back to walk beside her, "What are you getting at?" he
questioned.
"A monster: any animal or person grotesquely deviating from a standard shape, behavior, or
character." she explained, "Wouldn't you say that's a fine description of me?" she stopped
again, turning to regard Ty. He froze in place when he saw that she had a lazy eye; he'd never
noticed it before... and, for some reason, it caused him to shirk away, making him far more
squeamish than he knew it should have.
"I figured that was by choice." he noted hesitantly.
Cadence chuckled, coughing as she did so. She pulled a small pocket watch out of her lab coat
and flipped it open, "Hmmm... we're running out of time." she noted, quite obviously changing
the subject.
"What are you trying to hide?" Ty asked.
"There is no 'trying' about it, my boy. The correct question is 'What are you hiding, Dr
VanHousen?'." she didn't bother looking at him as she spoke, continuing her shuffling down the
street.
Ty grit his teeth, "What are you hiding, Dr VanHousen?" he parroted the question.
"Do you know how the brain works, Tyler?" she asked, again evading it.
"Yes, Dr Vanhousen." he responded flatly, "I do."
"How well do you know how the brain works?" she inquired.
"Well enough to be a nurse... but, I'm sure you'd say, not well enough to be a doctor." he
answered, quickly adding, "Probably better than a doctor of physics, though."
Cadence laughed hoarsely at the verbal jab, "And we were getting along so very well until you
assumed what I do or do not know."
"If we're getting along so well I'd hate to see what you'd consider fighting." the wolf snorted.
"Despite your opinion of me, young man, I am far more knowledgeable than you might suspect." she
attested.
"So biology is a past time for you, is that it?" he questioned.
"Something like that." she explained, "Perhaps you don't understand just how much physics plays
a part in biology." she continued walking.
"Apparently not... I figured they were different schools of science for a reason." he answered
caustically.
"Well, thankfully we are almost at our destination," she spoke up, "So you may be getting some
answers far sooner than you would like."
"I wanted answers three days ago." the wolf countered.
"Perhaps you wanted some answers... but not the ones you're likely to find here." and she turned
down a side street. Ty followed her, gazing down the boulevard to a large corporate building at
the very end of the road. A large sign posted on the walkway leading up to the double doors
glowed with fierce blue neon, proudly proclaiming the structure AZURE DYNAMICS.
"What's the plan?" he asked, a half-step behind Cadence. She continued walking straight for the
building.
"We go in the front doors." she explained, reaching into her lab coat to pull out a key card on
a chain.
"Won't that attract some attention?" Ty questioned.
"Probably." she responded, "but if there's anyone left alive inside, getting their attention
won't be all that bad of a thing."
"If this place is as top secret as you say it is, what makes you so sure they'll be happy to see
us, especially with everything that's going on?" he asked.
"I work for them... remember? They'll be VERY glad to see me." she pointed out.
"Oh... right." Ty paused, "and what about me?" he asked.
"Probably not so much." she acknowledged with a shrug, then added, "but I'll tell them you're
with me."
Ty shook his head, "That really doesn't sound so great to me... what about one of those side
windows? We could force one. Or even the fire escape... if we work together we could get up
one and--"
"The front door, Ty. You said you wanted to come along, and I told you that if you did you
would have to listen to me... so start lis--" Cadence stopped suddenly and grabbed hold of Ty
by his shirt, hauling him into an alley, "Be quiet, or you're going to die-- there are several
coming."
"Several wha--?" Ty didn't get a chance to ask the question, as his ears perked up, recognizing
the tell-tale rasping-moan of the zombies. He went silent, pressing himself as far up against
the building as he could. Cadence quickly slid around him to stand between him and the zombies,
who slowed as they passed in front of the alley's opening.
Ty inched his way back down the alley, moving slowly so that he wouldn't make a noise. The
zombies turned to regard them, sniffing and huffing hesitantly. One was a mongoose, another a
jaguar, and the third an antelope, an impala, or a deer of some kind. Cadence moved slowly
toward them, "Well... aren't you quite the set." she said, standing with her arms at her side.
The three took turns moaning, hissing, and or snorting. Ty silently slid his paw into his bag,
searching around for anything usable as a weapon... but his every action stopped as he watched
the zombies turn, and begin walking off down the street. Cadence turned back to regard Ty, "Do
not do anything." she stated, "Stay right there." Ty was unable to even start a protest as the
monkey turned, and walked down the street after the three zombies.
His heart beating a mile a minute, the wolf glanced all around the alley, then down at his paw,
which was still in his bag. His fingers closed around a pair of medical shears and he let out a
shaky breath. Ty slowly pulled them out of the bag, and twisted them around in his paw,
gripping them as if he were going to use them in a stabbing motion. Swallowing his fear, the
wolf inched closer and closer to the alley's opening. He took an involuntary step back,
striking out with the scissors in an overhanded stab... but a cold, dead paw caught his wrist in
an iron-fast grip.
"I thought I told you to stay put." Cadence stated with a hint of ire in her voice. She let go
of Ty's arm with her right hand, but he barely even noticed her words.
"You..." he gasped, quickly pulling his paw back and rubbing his wrist, "is... what..."
"Consider your words before speaking, Tyler... this is continuing to be a problem with you,
isn't it?" she stated rhetorically, and she turned, continuing down the street. Ty watched her
go, noticing that her left arm was covered in blood up to the elbow. He glanced back down the
street and saw three zombie corpses laying flat, holes in the backs of their heads.
The wolf moved spryly after the monkey, drawing close to her and then, before she could react,
he reached out and held his paw against her neck. "Where's your pulse?" he questioned as she
pulled away, "That's where your carotid is... where in the hell is your pulse?"
"At first I thought you were ill-mannered... but now, invading my personal space, I can tell you
are downright rude." the monkey responded.
"Cadence... I'm not going ano--"
"We've already been over this, Tyler... you're going to continue following me, because 'not
going anywhere' means staying right here and, to be honest, my boy, 'here' is the last place you
want to be." she continued walking.
"Tell me what the fuck is going on!" he demanded, his scream echoing off of the buildings in the
street. His ears lowered flat against his head as he realized the stupidity of his outburst.
Cadence slowly turned around to face him, "Apologize... right now... or I let them get you." she
stated, her leveled gaze boring into him with a fierceness that brooked no disobedience. There
was little doubt that she would do just as she said.
"Tell me what's going on... please." Ty murmured, fighting to keep a faint whine from his voice,
"Are... are you dead?"
"If I was dead, I wouldn't be moving around, now would I?" she questioned.
"You're a zombie?" he pressed.
"That doesn't sound like an apology." she stated, and turned, continuing her walk.
"Cadence... please... wait..." he moved after her.
"Dr VanHousen." she spoke, not bothering to turn around.
"Dr VanHousen... listen... I'm... I'm sorry... listen... wait... please?" the wolf continued in
her wake.
"The brain works with a combination of two components: chemical and electrical." she said, not
slowing, but making no move to escape Ty.
"Right." Ty acknowledged, "Brains are wired to receive a combi--"
"Don't talk... just listen." she interrupted, "It requires both to operate normally, but each
works in a different capacity and quantity depending on the type of brain function required."
"Motor functions are gener--" the wolf started, but was again spoken over.
"Some brain functions require less electricity and more chemical, like cognitive thought and
sentience, while others require more electricity and less chemical like motor function and basic
response to stimuli."
"But what does that have to--?"
"I'm getting to it... if you would muffle your jowls for a moment, foolish boy." she hissed.
Ty silenced himself.
"At its base level, the body is made up of biological chemicals... they are present in different
amounts. Some are made by the body and some have to be absorbed. They are combined to create
the different compounds that make up a living being. Things like oxygen are inhaled..." she
took a short, shaky breath before exhaling, "and some are metabolized when we eat or drink."
She paused when Ty opened his muzzle; he obediently shut it.
"Have you noticed that the 'walking dead' rasp?" she inquired. Ty nodded his head, "Did you
ever stop to think that if they were truly dead that they wouldn't bother breathing?"
"I--" the wolf paused.
"Of course you didn't." she answered, "Now..." she thrust her hand at him, baring her wrist
"Feel this."
Ty hesitantly reached out and placed two fingers on her wrist. He watched her unreadable
expression, looking down where his fingers lay against the cold, unresponsive skin. "No
pulse..." he murmured quietly.
"No pulse." she confirmed.
"Then... how does the oxygen circulate through your body?" he asked quietly.
"Very poorly." she answered, "When the brain's higher sentience isn't functioning, it is able to
make due with less oxygen... but problems arise when someone is in that state and they're still
something other than a mindless sack of mobile flesh.
"But... that means you're suffocating." he responded.
"Slowly." she confirmed, "The blood still oxygenates through absorption in the lungs and muscle
contractions force blood to flow even without the heart beating, but it's hardly effective. It
won't make a difference once brain death starts to set in though... who I am will turn off and
my body will be able to function so much more efficiently.
"So... you'll become one of them..." Ty murmured.
Cadence nodded.
"because you're suffocating." Ty said after a pause.
A broad, almost masochistic grin spread across Cadence's thin lips, "I told you I was short on
time."
<END SCENE>
It's that time again, Apoc-Fur-Lypse fans! Group 5 has been whittled down to a mere two characters and they are putting it all on the line to get into Azure Dynamics, the apparent epicenter of this event. Will they make it? Let's find out: Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the breakdown of the action for this scene.
Does the group encounter any zombie issues during their trip?
Luck roll to avoid attracting attention. Average must be 12 or higher.
Cadence 9 + trait of 7 = 16
Ty 6 + trait of 4 = 10
Group averages 13. SUCCESS.
The group is not attacked.
What information can Ty get out of Cadence?
Ty rolls Influence against Cadence's roll of Tenacity.
Cadence 6 + trait of 6 = 12
Ty 7 + trait of 2 = 9
Ty gets nothing out of Cadence.
Will Cadence reveal any information on her own?
Tenacity (10) to avoid speaking on the subject.
Cadence 1 + trait of 6 = 7 FAILURE
Cadence reveals a little more to Ty about Azure Dynamics.
As they draw closer to Azure Dynamics, do they encounter zombies?
Zombies appear on a roll of 5 or less.
Roll is 7.
No zombies... yet.
Did anyone bother turning the radio off?
Awareness (10) to remember that the radio is STILL ON.
Cadence 2 + trait of 4 = 6 FAILURE
Ty 9 + trait of 7 = 16 SUCCESS
Ty turned the radio off.
Can anyone figure out a safe way into Azure Dynamics?
Awareness or Ingenuity (16). Cadence gets +3 because she's familiar with the place.
Cadence 3 + trait of 9 = 12+3 FAILURE
Ty 4 + trait of 7 = 11 FAILURE
They are going to have to take a direct route.
Determine the group's next unofficial leader.
Influence roll, highest wins.
Cadence 5 + trait of 5 = 10
Ty 3 + trait of 2 = 5
Cadence has control of the group.
Due to the heightened threat of this chosen path, both survivors lose TWO Plot Points for successfully surviving without a Harrowing Event taking place. Things are about to get a LOT more interesting-- prepare for the climax because it isn't far off.
With only two characters left, no plot points may be given. They'll have to be able to make due on their own. It's scary to think that one more Harrowing Event might mean the end of this Group... if it even takes THAT much.
Since Cadence is the 'leader', Ty has no choice but to follow her directions, unless he would like to spend a Plot Point to suggest an alternative. If Ty does not use a Plot Point, then Cadence is going to walk straight through the front doors with him in tow. Using a Plot Point lets Ty's contributing reader dictate just what the group does.
Plot Point Opportuntity:
As noted above, Ty may spend a Plot Point to choose a different method of entry.
Ty may also spend a Plot Point to GUARANTEE that Cadence divulges more information next chapter.
Group 5 is hanging on by a thread, but at least they've reached what is apparently 'ground zero'. Now the important question is: how long can they survive? Can they complete the task that Cadence has set before them? Will they live to see another day? Only time will tell.