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Post by James Furnell on Apr 13, 2009 20:11:00 GMT
Food and clothing. That's all they needed. James figured that the Mall had been hit already by looters, but Blake argued otherwise. Ironically, Blake opted out of the raid and stayed with the bar instead.
The duo arrived at the street safely, there was definately something about daylight that kept most of the monsters at bay. The mall stood like a beacon in the half-shrouded sunlight, with it's completely glass structure refracting light like a million crystals. There was little damage to the building, with a few shattered paynes of glass, but nothing substantial. It looked like a current hideout for someone, with the doors barricaded and the floors generally clear of rubble. For some distant reason, this made James uneasy and he fingered at the revolver nervously. Although it reminded him to visit the gun store while he was here, pick up some ammo...
As it was, Eddie stood at the Mall's barricaded doors. "Yeah, they've been blocked from inside." James commented quietly, his breath steamed up on the glass. "Do you think there's anyone inside?..."
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Post by Eddie "The Mutt" Sillian on Apr 13, 2009 20:25:34 GMT
Eddie had been hanging back a little, not too keen on getting too close to the window in case someone decided to shoot, taking them for zombies. When no obvious change occurred, he closed in and peered through the window, wiping it with his grimy coat when it steamed up.
“Pretty empty lookin’.” He said, glowering from side to side through the window, nervous eyes twitching from object to object rapidly. “Someone ‘as been in there...Think they’re still alive?” He could feel the dampener on his mood instantly. If they were they weren’t gonna let a couple of rogues empty their stock. If they were dead it could be even worse.
There were bound to be other ways in, even on a normal day Eddie blankly refused the front door, open target the front door. Only guest and corpses went in that way these days. “Tryin’ this was or goin’ for an emergency exit..?” He glanced back at the dogs. It wasn’t going to be a ladder in somewhere as big as this, it would be a decent staircase which they could handle. He wasn’t going anywhere without them. Besides, any food lying around and they would be on it like a flash. He could just scare them off it to take it.
He ran a hand through his thick hair making it spike out even more than normal, bringing it down to his temple to rub it rather frantically. He had been on a binge not too long ago and was still suffering the come down. He had thought a bit of fresh air would do him good... be an opportunity to get more ‘clothes and food’. Not that he didn’t want those things as well but you never knew when you got lucky. Might even find some whiskey. That would be a good day.
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Post by James Furnell on Apr 14, 2009 18:51:54 GMT
His companion mentioned a separate entrance - it was exactly what James was thinking. Besides, any damage to the mall's main one would allow hundreds of the vile monsters in, stopping any further raids. "Good idea." Came his reply, finally and began the walk around to the parking lot. The street was still empty, except for a lone ambler that stood over on the otherside lost in a world seemingly existing on the floor. A cold wind shook the monster slightly, but then he was statuesque.
James held his revolver out for Eddie; "Know what bullets this takes? he asked. The dogs were already trotting up ahead. It was a good idea, having animals. They were always more acute than humans at just about anything.
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Post by Eddie "The Mutt" Sillian on Apr 15, 2009 8:08:17 GMT
Eddie observed the shamble, aged and damaged to the point that a good breeze would probably knock it over and it wouldn’t get up. It made him smile, it was a reassuring sight that eventually, if they could hide for long enough, then this would finish. Even if he was the only person left in the world, it would all end eventually. He kept a tight eye on the dogs, knowing they would be all too tempted to either attack it or growl. Jones had started a warning growl but was cut short by one of Eddie’s sharp noises that was quiet enough to barely be heard. It was easier to control the dogs in a language they could understand.
He kept his eye on them, right until James handed him a revolver and asked about ammunition. He thought for a few moments about blagging it, but decided against it, the fact was it was better laoded with the right stuff then something he just made up... they might need it. “To be ‘onest mate, no fuckin’ clue. Only got basic trainin’ in guns. I can’t shoot for shit.” He wafted the pistol in one hand. “Still, quickest learn as needs to.”
They had always assumed he had just been a poor shot but the fact was he had had minor tunnel vision in one eye and with stress, alcohol, cigarettes and whatever drugs he could get his mucky paws on, it had gotten slowly worse. Not bad enough to not be able to see properly, but to aim he needed to close one eye. He wasn’t about to mention this though. Stupid to bring something like that up.
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Post by James Furnell on Apr 15, 2009 10:34:08 GMT
Around the corner and into the carpark they went - it was full of amblers. Between each car, shuffling around waiting for prey. James had seen a horde like this before - it only needed one 'runner' and they'd all be heading this way. Eddie didn't seem too phazed. He stopped for a moment, grunted at the dogs and looked back at James, who needed a deep breath before venturing further.
There was a silence over the lot, but luckily the security door was only up ahead. It was a dual glass panel door, with the bottom payne smashed out, just about the right size for a full grown man to crawl through.
"You go first." James said quietly, he kept his eyes on the lot. There was an orchestra of moaning, groaning and stark cries coming from the undead. It wasn't too loud, but filled the air like a softbreeze over trees.
The idea was too tranquil to comprehend...
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Post by Eddie "The Mutt" Sillian on Apr 15, 2009 14:21:11 GMT
Eddie bit his tongue when looking at the large group of shamblers but managed to look rather blasé about the whole thing and continued without looking at them. The noises were disturbing, the remnant of human vocal chords making him cringe. But they weren’t human anymore. He had to believe that... made this whole thing easier.
“Me first, thanks... bloody kind of ya.” He muttered and grumbled, crouching down and sticking his head through the bottom pane of the door, looking around before crawling through carefully, making sure not to get his clothing caught. The two dogs followed after him, stooping carefully out of the way as they wandered through. Jones perked his ears up as soon as he was inside and began to sniff around cautiously. Mal kept close to Eddie’s side, as always.
“Can’t see anythin’ yet.” He muttered back through the door, keeping his voice as low as possible. He didn’t plan on wandering very far ahead without any cover. That would be rather stupid since it would mean he was the only real target. “Come on.”
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Post by James Furnell on Apr 16, 2009 11:16:18 GMT
James frowned as the Brit complained. Eddie had the dogs - he went first, that was like an unwritten rule. Besides, James had as much combat skill as a snail - he'd be useless going first.
He was told it was safe, so James quickly crouched down. About midway in, something shuffled behind him and he frantically pulled himself in out of cowardice. Luckily, Eddie was facing the otherway, down into the dark corridor. At the end, was an open doorway, lit by daylight on the otherside. Atop the door, was a dim, red light. Strange, considering that there wasn't any power. Maybe there was an emergency cell here - for fires or something...
"Where do you want to go first?" James asked quietly.
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Post by Eddie "The Mutt" Sillian on Apr 16, 2009 16:33:59 GMT
Eddie wandered toward the exit and glanced around, avoiding making any noise his steps were unusually light and despite the heavy boots barely tapped along the corridor. It didn’t take long to reach the open door and peer around into the mall, the clean and white space barely damaged by the raids and zombies.
“I guess we oughta ‘ead for the gun shop.” He muttered back toward James as he slunk forward, signalling the dogs to go through the open door. They didn’t run off, instead twitching their ears up and sniffing at the air. They could smell something but right now it wasn’t close enough to pose a threat, or be easily distinguishable between the new dead or something older. It wasn’t alive but it could be the traces of decay from outside. The smell of death was over the whole city.
Eddie hadn’t really been paying attention to the corridor once he found out that there was nothing there to kill them and nothing he could steal. He hadn’t noticed the light at all but even if he had, it would have been doubtful for him to make anything of it. He wasn’t the kind of person to worry about something unless it would hurt him.
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Post by James Furnell on Apr 16, 2009 22:46:47 GMT
James nodded and followed Eddie to the security door. It led out into the lobby at the back of the mall, which was far less consumer directed, but clean and airy, nevertheless. There was a smear of blood on the far side of the lobby, leading to another security door, but other than that, the walls were as white as the day they were on quarantine.
It was strange, seeing the mall empty, he could almost hear the outdated music. The mall was always a safe atmosphere, day or night, but now it was a ghostly remnant of a different time.
Cascades of light kept the building well lit and fresh. James walked freely out into the wide space, looking up at the shops on the second level. He'd never been to the gun store, before, and the only useful shop in this quarter was 'Rent-O-Tool'.
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Post by Eddie "The Mutt" Sillian on Apr 21, 2009 17:59:31 GMT
Eddie stood in the centre of the rooms and looked around, the white nearly blinding to his dark and squinting eyes, the whites more yellow than anything else, spiked with the red of veins bright from too much rubbing and a lot of alcohol the night before. His breath came out in a rush as he looked up around the shops, sighting as best he could the area in which the tool shop lay.
“Know the easiest way there?” Eddie murmured, whispering in the huge and open area, feeling exposed and a little panicky. Something about the place seemed to turn even the slightest whisper into a roar and made it feel like sacrilege to do so, like an empty cathedral. His sore eyes turned about the place in a cursory glance that he had mastered when in the army.
It was a glance that took everything in in one go but then left him to process it gradually, it was one that recognised only the things it needed to. Any danger, anything to eat or anything to steal. All he took note of these days, decorations merged into one, people, anything if it wasn’t useful or dangerous was worthless and didn’t get noticed.
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