P Chorus of Decay: New Necessities

[Glein]

Day 70 of Collapse

Douglas sighed, looking at their reflection in the pool of water. That weird, almost chocolate coloration had spread over a lot more of his body, and now there was the fact that his ears had grown into points that were beginning to pull away, and then there was the thinning of his waist. Oh, and let's not forget the bulges on his chest that looked an awful lot like the growth of breasts.

Even his sigh sounded wrong to his ears. Too high, too soft... Practically a woman's voice. Though, if anything, at least the injuries he'd suffered a couple of weeks ago were healed. Not even scar tissue on the bite points of his arm or shin... And the hole where he'd been shot in the shoulder was gone. But the injuries had healed with the same smooth chocolate skin that was slowly taking over his body.

"Fuck..." He muttered, pulling the hood back over his head, and closing his three layers of coats after pushing his shirt back down. They fucking bounced too. So much so that it was growing distracting. He knew of a thing he'd heard some women do, use a strip of fabric to, what was it, 'bind' right? Bind them down. Wiggling his toes a touch, he grumbled about how loose his boots were getting to be.

Still, he walked back up the hill to the campsite. It'd grown from the original small thing for himself and Henry, and now there was room for others, as they'd begun to gather additional persons to survive alongside. Reaching the camp, he looked over it, and there was a touch of pride in his chest at how it'd held up these two weeks. Henry had been teaching him plenty of survival techniques, even showed him how to use a pistol, since the rifle was too valuable, with it's ammo, that Henry was the sole user, at least as far as Douglas was aware of anyways.

Henry had been in and out of the camp on runs more and more the last two weeks, seeking out supplies and tools. Thankfully with the last couple, they were set for roughly a month and a half, and it was easier with more hands on deck. The changes taking place to Douglas had largely gone unseen, or unnoticed, only having remembered seeing the small splotches before. A part of him wanted to ask Dug about it, but at the same time, malledy tended to be a touchy subject for some.

As far as the man could tell, he didn’t seem like he was any worse, but that was hard to tell with just a glance alone. One of the worst parts of the collapse as it were, was the loss of appropriate medical facilities and power to run the equipment. Maybe some had figured how to do it roughly via jury rigging, but they were as of now, not encountered yet. That also means they would have stripped the equipment from somewhere, and therefore left less for people like this little group to find.

At least they got the cooler done, having immediately made sure to do so after his trip that he brought Olivia back on. The small coolers of saline and plasma were invaluable, as well as some of the salted game they had stored in there as well. Things were looking up, so why did Henry feel so annoyed, and bothered lately. Surely it couldn’t be what Olivia had said to him that night, or maybe it was the sheer fact they had a woman traipsing about their camp now, much less the fact that the woman was a vampire. …...Or maybe just that he kept getting all the bizarre people to run in.

The thoughts paused as Douglas came back into the camp, turning to the man from his place by the tent where he had been cleaning the rifle. At least until he had been lost in thought that was. “Hey Dug, I don’t suppose we still have any projects in progress do we, or anything we’re missing?”, Henry asked him as he shuffled back in.

Douglas nodded. "Yeah. We could use some more fabric. I know you found some gauze on that trip to the hospital, wasn't it? But some basic linen fabric, some in long strips, would be a good idea I think." he said, settling in next to the campfire that'd grown a little bit and was now nearly able to handle a bonfire, should they wish, though they kept it to small fires currently.

"Otherwise? I think we're good. The storage shed you suggested is helping organize our non-perishables, the coolers were a godsend, especially since we don't need power, and that tent Olivia brought with her helped some. You were talking about other ideas though to help things, right? I think having someplace to clean ourselves without going to the river or pump would be a good idea. Maybe a water catcher? Wait, no, we'd need a filter... damn it." He mused aloud, trying to think on what all they had, and what they might need. "A better sleeping space maybe... No, that'd stick out too much as it is, especially since we'd have to cut trees down."

He looked at Henry. "Oh, have you seen or heard any aircraft? Not much in the air around here but birds. Just wondering if we should be as worried about overhead coverage or not."

Henry had pulled out a pocket journal he’d found recently, before jotting a few notes inside with the old pencil he kept for it. “Linen, filters, plastic drums, more tarp, hose and washers for the hook ups. Maybe some PVC piping, wood boards, and a shower head. Think it might be good to get some charcoal, or propane canisters for the stoves if possible. We really need to get a cart or wagon for some of this, wish we had a vehicle.” It was obvious that the man didn’t think much about the request for linen, but felt like this was becoming more like an actual get away camp with some of these ideas.

Putting the pocket journal away, the list safely among his notes he had started taking on the region, and places he’d gone. Henry thought of the other question Douglas had asked him, and tapped his fingers against his bearded chin in rythme of thought. “Now that you mention it, I haven’t heard any in two weeks, not a single bird in the clouds in fact. Likely most are out of fuel, or it’s being hoarded for a rare few craft still in working order.”

Douglas nodded. "That was what I thought myself. It's been weird only hearing birdsong above. So used to the sound of some engine overhead at least once in a day." He said. "And yeah, something to help haul stuff is gonna be needed soon I think... We're certainly getting past the point of 'camp' and more into the notion of a 'base'." He said, looking around what they'd made.

"Oh, speaking of..." He said, pausing a moment and fishing into his pockets, pulling out the bandages he cleaned, the ones that'd been helped with his injuries. "Not much use to me now since I've seemed to have healed up now." He said, giving a nod of his head to kind of serve as a smile. "That said, maybe I should come along? There's not a lot for me to do around camp now that we've gotten most of this set up, and hey, I might be able to find some paper of my own to try and start preparing plans for any more expansions we come up with here."

“Well considering that even without a cart, it’s going to be hard bringing any decent amount of this list back. Yeah I'd appreciate the help Dug, and it will give me a chance to see how your learning is coming along. Best way to judge is practical application after all.” With that and a small friendly smile, Henry finished putting the rifle back together before setting it aside, and heading into the tent for his pack. “Hurry and grab what you need, we’re back to hoofing it like old times.”, the man said jokingly from inside the tent.

Douglas nodded, grabbing his framed pack as Henry did, as well as the pistol and the spare magazine for it Henry had. "Hopefully I don't have to put all of it to practice for this run, but who knows, right?" He said, a wry grin in his voice as he settled his pack onto his shoulders and the gun into the holster on the belt that came with it. Once he was ready, he shook himself to make sure it all fit, and grumbled as he adjusted the straps. Including the waist one. It sadly caused his coats to bunch up and highlight his changing figure. Something that Henry would easily notice was different. After all, he'd helped Douglas set up the pack after the first day of them travelling together.

Henry returned from inside, before picking up the rifle and slinging over his shoulder. He gave a cursory glance over Douglas, and paused, before just wiggling the belt a little. “Hmmm, maybe we should get you some more food. You aren’t skipping meals, or forgetting to eat right? Gods, you’re getting skinny dude, need to keep an eye on that.”, he said after letting the belt go, a concerned frown on his features. “Need to keep your caloric intake adjusted so you have proper stamina. Don’t want you passing out and flopping to the ground on me during a run.”

Douglas snorted. "I've been eating as much as I used to, before the Collapse. I've been worried you've been giving me extra food compared to the rest of the group." Douglas replied, finishing getting the belts settled. "Anyways, since you've been doing all our exploring, where to oh expedition leader?"

A map was pulled from his back pocket before opening it up, and spreading it out to show Douglas the region. Much like his pocket journal, there were notes and such that had been marked here, and there around it. “Well two places actually, one area that might have a cart, or something we can use to haul. A small grouping of farms to the west of us. Roughly 5 kilometers away, but then from there, I plan to hit up the flooded city perhaps. Lots of untouched supplies and such, and that will be roughly a day's journey.”

As Henry explained, he pointed a finger to where he spoke of on the map, notes corresponding with what he said as he did. Then traced a rough path to each of the destinations, and even then pointing to the rough location of where he had stashed the row boat from the last trip to the sunken city. “Last time I went there, I came back with Olivia. So expect potentially weird characters around there, not that the weather there isn’t weird already.”

"You say that like we're supposed to expect 'normal' anymore." Douglas remarked with a chuckle, as he examined the map Henry produced and guided him through on a route. "Seems pretty solid and reasonable. Are we avoiding roads again, or following them?" He asked, tracing a road connecting the town they were by, and the two locales in question.

“Always follow the road from the trees. Best way of navigation until those roads have sunk into the dirt. Less likely to have to climb hills and mountains that way too.”, Henry chuckled, throwing some of his own humor in after the normal comment. Folding the map back up, he slipped it back into its pocket before starting onto their journey. As boots rustled grass and twigs, they got on their way, Henry in high spirits, starting to hum a song of some sort. “On the road again, with my dog and best friend. Give the map and a county line, be a gods send around each old bend. When the heart needs a mend, I’ll even drive down each and every country road’s dead end.”, he sang to himself for a bit, somewhat quietly.

Douglas whistled a song quietly, though he did stop as he listened to Henry sing. "Nice song. And voice. You used to sing before the Collapse? I mean professionally." Douglas asked, having tried to avoid speaking too much about the days before all this. Seemed kind of, well, not appropriate most of the time, considering the focus and goals they had these days.

Douglas... worked fast food. He'd just done the bare minimum to get by, to keep the lights on at home and have enough money to get new games, as well as play online. Made him kind of regret that state of affairs. But, at least it helped him to keep his cool most of the time, and think of things in steps, instead of trying to do everything at once.

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry."

“It’s fine, not like I have anything to hide. But to answer your question, no I didn’t, just used to sing stuff like that with my daughter on car trips. She always was a bit of a daddy’s girl, singing old folk and actually good country songs when they played on the radio.” It was definitely one of those memories that still made his heart ache, reminding him of all he had lost in the collapse. But it was never going to help him move on if he just never spoke of them ever again, and instead tried to just let the topics flow as they did.

Henry didn’t fault him for the question, at least finding some comfort in knowing someone actually gave a shit to ask. It was going to be say some time, or another, so might as well get it out of the way now. “Her name was Kana, and actually was a bit like you, always into her games. Two of you probably would have gotten along pretty well.”

Douglas nodded. "That's nice. I basically lived alone and kept to myself. Honestly, you've been the one person I've said more than maybe a 'hello' and 'goodbye' that wasn't related to good customer support BS involved with working in fast food." He said, shrugging. "And I'm guessing you've lost touch with her in the Collapse, or was it before?" He asked, figuring since they were talking while they walked, it helped to pass the time as they walked. Besides, his luck wouldn't be so bad that they'd run into some kind of trouble on the way, right? Right?

“Last I heard, the town she was just moving to, was suffering widespread disease and riots. In all likelihood, she’s dead, not a whole lot of hope for that situation. Maybe a small part of me still does, but I'm prepared for when I might learn she is.” Henry gave a shrug as they walked, letting the quiet of his somber words soak in, and his own lack of optimism for his daughter’s situation. Part of himself hated that he had given up, but the realist part of him screamed that she couldn’t be saved.

Perhaps one of them would have said something to break the ice, but something, or someone else decided to do so for them at least. A shot rang out some distance away, a smaller caliber gun from the pop, likely a pistol. However it wasn’t for them at least, as it was only silence afterwards, a small flock of birds scattering from wherever the scene of it happened. Henry paused to look at Douglas curiously, before walking towards the location of the sound’s origin.

Douglas had been crouched, hiding behind a tree, gun pressed against the trunk pointed upwards in a grip that basically made it unlikely he'd be able to fire it quickly in the right fashion. But the silence lingered after the gunshot enough that he calmed down and realized the mistake he'd made.

With the rifle raised, and held relaxed for if he needed to bring it up quickly, marched slowly and cautiously through the woods. They hit a small dirt road, which led to a cabin some ways up the dirt road, half obscured by trees. Lowering his stance as he gestured for Douglas to also do, kept some distance from the road as they moved closer and closer to the cabin. Coming up to the front at an angle, the door was somewhat ajar, having been forced open from how it was splintered around the handle. Henry didn’t like this one bit, or for the fact of who of them had which weapon in this situation, but he would have to trust Dug to have his head together for this.

Looking over as they reached the door, Douglas gave a nervous nod, and stepped forward, not at all in a tactical sense as he opened the door and looked around, being an idiot and blocking Henry's view for several moments before jerking as he realized what he had done and quickly stepping in. "Looks clear in here." He said, looking around the cabin main room, and noting the ransacked look of the house. He held the pistol more tightly, now using both hands as he looked around.

"Uhh, looks like the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom are separate rooms." He said, waiting on Henry to step in. The other man had shown his military training, and Douglas felt like the amature who was trying to follow along and 'play' at army with him. As Henry entered, Douglas walked towards the bedroom, since it seemed the next logical place, to him at least, for someone to hide.

As Douglas began to tip-toe to the bedroom, Henry instead looked towards the slightly open door of the bathroom connected to the same hallway. Giving a whiff of his nose, there was sickenly iron rich smell coming from it. With the barrel of the rifle, he poked the door, causing it to creak open on it’s squeaky hinge, after the slight audible tap of the barrel against the door itself. What was slowly revealed, gave all the answer he needed to the mystery, waving Douglas over to the sight in the bathroom.

A man in rough clothes, open pill bottles of every sort spilled or laid out around his body on the floor. A gun sat in his still relaxing hand on his lap where it fell, a hole under his chin where the bullet entered, giving cause to the organic material now sprayed across the wall. The odor of the man himself, dirty and sickly of abuse, now wafted out enough to almost overpower the smell of the gore on display. “Found our shooter, and his target… Himself.”, was all Henry would say before handing the rifle to Douglas and stepping into the horror scene.

Carefully examining what lay around, and even patting the corpse’s pockets with visible disgust as the horrid smells made his eyes water. Finding nothing, he pried the gun from the dead man’s hand, and grabbed the unopened bottle of pills resting in the cradle of his legs. Seems the stranger had been contemplating the use of the last bottle of drugs, when he decided on just ending his own life here, something that Henry could unfortunately understand thoroughly.

Stepping out with their macabre gains, he waved Douglas out with him, not wanting to stay in the house a minute longer then they had. “Well that was an unfortunate sight, and probably the best in his case. Given how trying to live in an apocalypse with severe withdrawal, would have been its own kind of hell.”, would be all Henry said as they came outside again, handing the pills to Dug before checking the gun. It had a fresh round in the chamber which was a good sign, and found two more after dropping the mag out into his awaiting hand, then slotting it back in before he offered it to his companion. “Congratulations, your first very own gun.”

Douglas grimaced as he was handed the pistol, the bloody barrel reminding him of just what it's last owner had used it for. Handing Henry back the man's own pistol, he pulled off the framed rucksack, and pried out the spare few rounds that weren't in the pistol mags, which he handed back to Henry, and used the last few to give him a total of 5 spare rounds in the pistol. "Yeah. Gods, I hope he at least wasn't in pain as he did it." He muttered, putting the pistol in the holster at his waist.

He paused, and realized he should probably give Henry his pistol belt back as well, since, well, the new gun didn't quite fit in it, but he was pretty sure that was because Henry had it made for his. Thank god the weapon looked to use similar brand 9mm ammo as Henry got, so there was that at least. Pulling the pistol out again, he stuffed it into a pocket on his coat, and undid the belt, to hand over to Henry. "That was... Not what I expected us to find on this hike. But, I mean, at least he chose this... unlike too many back home." He said, unable to stop the shudder that crawled across him at the recollection of all those people starting to act like slavering wild animals, and yet still retained full use of their minds and bodies. It was like they were being driven mad. And Douglas was sure he'd caught whatever they had.

And yet was having a very different effect. He just wasn't sure what it meant.

“Wouldn’t worry about it too much. Bullet to the brain is pretty instant. Also thanks for the belt back, but let's get your mag topped off.”, Henry answered as he quickly swapped belts, handing the other to Douglas. Once the belt was on, and his pistol holstered, he felt a hell of a lot less naked now. Taking the box of rounds, he pointed at the release on the new gun, then quickly began to load as many rounds as the magazine would hold. Dropping the partial box into his bag, they needed to get moving, in case anyone else heard the shot.

“Choosing how you go out, is probably one of the greatest freedoms we have, and one of the few things about our lives most in our control”. Heading back to the other side of the main road, they crossed back into the trees, before hustling on their way as they had been before. This time it was only done quicker, as to not linger too long in the area, and wanting to get to their first destination rather quickly.

After a while, both quiet from what they saw, Henry spoke up as he gave Douglas a pat on the shoulder. “How are you holding up? Not sure how many dead bodies you’ve seen, or suicides, much less actual blood not your own. Shit like that is always the hardest to forget, and can be scarring if not prepared for it, so… You know.. I’m here if you want to talk about it”. Damnit, he wasn’t a shrink, or any sort of mental health professional. He still wanted to help if he could, help Dug adjust to this kind of life as much as he could, knowing full well they would only see more of the same if not worse in the coming days.

Douglas shuddered. No, not the first time. Just the first time he'd been so close to the corpse though. Especially one that took their own life. "I'm, not sure. I, I've seen bodies. Seen people killed by others... But never this close. Or by someone killing themselves." He admitted, trying to keep from losing his cool entirely. "When I, well, ran from the town I'd been living in, people were going mad. Attacking each other, using whatever tools or things nearby they could. And with strength I'd never thought people could have before. It was like they just... got angry and stayed there." He said.

"There were one or two like myself, who didn't go mad, but... yeah..." Douglas said, trying to get out of his mind of the woman grabbing ahold of some kid who was stabbing her repeatedly and tearing him in two with just her hands. "Sorry, just... It scared me to the point of wondering if everyone was like that... And why I hadn't gone mad myself."

“Why am I the only one having a normal apocalypse, jedaus christ. I guess it’s transmittable at least, otherwise I would have gone through that too. Must have been something in one of the damn bombs I tell ya.” It was always some new surprise that came out of the unholy mix of ordinance, packed with gods knew what, that had been dropped everywhere. It angered Henry, wondering why their leaders would do this in their own right minds, unless they had been hit with their own weaponized madness.

Henry threw an arm around his friend, giving the man a tight half hug, trying to comfort him of his living nightmares. “Don’t worry, with me here, I’ll make sure we’re the last ones who fall to such vile side effects. With aggressive attitudes, they’ll likely die off too from pissing off all the wrong shit too. So I'm sure things will get better.” He was confident as he tried to reassure the man, knowing that seeing all of that, must have seemed like hell on earth. Something he never wanted to see himself, for fear of giving in right then and there at the sight.

With another pat on the back, as they had stopped a few minutes to talk, they finally continued on. “We’re alive, and we’re lucky for that, so let's make the days count yeah.”, he added as they got going, a small smile in hopeful comfort.

"Yeah. Just... Yeah." Douglas said, trying to shake himself out of his own stupor, and barely managing it. They were walking again. Douglas needed to get his focus back on the world around them, as it is right here, right now. They needed more supplies, and the farm and flooded city Henry knew of was this way. Hopefully they'd find plenty of what they needed there, at least in an easily grabable fashion. Heck, maybe even a means to transport it.

"Tell me, uhhh, tell me about your daughter some more huh? Or maybe, something else. Just.... The silence is suffocating right now." Douglas asked some time later, as they'd walked in quiet reflections of their own pasts and the horrors they'd managed to survive thus far in their own paths before meeting up.

“She’s a little shorter then I am, takes after me in looks. Loved just living life, and being an energetic, bubbly, symbol of optimism. Sweet, but a tad bit of a tomboy, which I swear she gets from her mother.” Henry went on with a chuckle, remembering all the family jokes, and memories of the three of them back then. It was a good train of memory to get lost in, and that made the situation just a bit better, at least in his own case.

As they went on, and he said more, there were a few signs that had begun to fall apart near the road. At first he didn’t pay much attention, but saw the pictures of fruit, figuring they were actually getting decently close to the first destination. “One thing I remember her doing quite often was helping my wife tend her garden. Such a smiling girl when she got to work around plants, especially flowers. I swear, if given more time, she likely would have become a florist, or even a botanist.”

Douglas nodded, and saw the sign as well. Looking around, he hoped they were close. "This look about right for us turning off this road to reach the farm? I think I remember the map saying it was off a little sideroad from the main." He asked, rather grateful for the talk, and hearing the stories of Kana had helped calm his own nerves, like it seemed to do for Henry as well, or at least make him less tense at least.

“Yeah, sounds about right..”, was all he would say to Douglas, looking into the woods further for signs of the road they were looking forward to. Squinting just a tad, Henry noticed a sort of lesser volume in trees some ways in, where there was a constant gap despite not being able to see the road itself. “Pretty sure I see it a ways in over there, see where the trees are fewer?”, Henry asked as he pointed out where he was eyeballing. Walking in that way, he could start to see it as they got closer, but only getting close enough to confirm it.

Despite being a dirt road, it was never safe to walk on any path unless a trail, and even then should be avoided if reasonable enough to. Henry wanted to take as few chances as possible, and he was starting to see Douglas edge that into himself more and more, as his cautious nature was somewhat being honed. Being hesitant from danger was never terrible, but should always be focused to be more efficient, to know how and when to best avoid a potential situation in the best manner available to.

“Seems we have our place, and the way to follow. Not expecting any crops, but who knows what tools and such we might find sitting around still if we’re lucky.”, Henry said a bit hopefully, and even somewhat mildly excited, as that kind of outcome would certainly lift the duo’s spirits a good deal.

Douglas followed behind Henry, trying his best to emulate the man at this point. The last two weeks had seen him getting better, but this was legitimately the first time he was putting any of this into real practice. And while he was making mistakes, rookie ones, those could be ironed out if they survived. Which was key right now. If they survived.

Still, Douglas was getting used to the unfamiliar grip of the pistol he now carried in his hand. It was a simple tannish thing, with a square 'slide' as Henry referred to the top that moved, though the muzzle of it was still coated in red as Douglas hadn't yet found himself able to clean it. As well as not thinking about that, since it was a gun. It'd fire when he pulled the trigger, right?

As the duo progress through the trees, they would see dead fields beyond, much like those from their previous bout with a hunter. The plants were wilted and slumping, impeding view of the farm buildings beyond for the most part. It would be a little bit of a nervous trip honestly, with all that open ground, and that meant almost no cover. Henry raised the rifle, and adjusted the scope as he tracked it’s view across the structures, then the treelines. Pausing, he handed Douglas his binos, hoping to have more then one set of eyes scrutinizing the area.

Taking the binos, Douglas found a tree to climb. Just one in a line, but it had some branches he could reach to pull himself up on. Climbing up a short bit, he figured the height would help him see further. Lifting the binoculars to his eyes, he slowly swept his gaze over the whole area. One advantage, he could see a lot. There was a barn though it looked to be starting to cave in, a farmhouse, meaning this was a lived on farm, not one of those industrial affairs he heard about, a garage maybe? That was harder to say, since he couldn't tell with the doors on it down. But he also saw what looked like dark spots near the base of the farmhouse porch. Then he noticed what looked like one of those military tents he recalled seeing back home.

Taking all that in, he scrambled down. Since the biggest disadvantage of climbing a tree like this was how obvious he was going to be to anyone out there. Once he dropped to the ground with a 'oof', he handed the binos back. "So, farmhouse, barn, possible garage, and a big ol' military green tent. I think something was burned or had some kind of big splash of dark color, since there was a pair of dark splotches near it's porch. Otherwise? Whole thing looked deserted." Douglas said, doing a rough layout on the ground next to them. If there was one thing he had shown good skill with, was maps.

“Anything more distinct about the splotches you can tell me? Color perhaps, or pattern of a spray, perhaps as a puddle? Those kinds of things.”, Henry asked, taking interest in that fact. The layout sounded like this place had seen some sort of disturbance, which made things interesting. The military tent was definitely an item of interest depending on it’s condition.

"Hard to say. Looked, if I had to guess, like something got torched? Or maybe exploded? I couldn't exactly be sure. Just, it was dark and tinted a touch on the red side." He replied. "But otherwise, I didn't spot anything moving around. Which seems kind of weird if there was a military tent there... wouldn't they be swarming the place in that case?" Douglas asked, pulling the pistol back out of his jacket and fidgeting with it some. But at least he kept his finger out of the trigger well.

“Not to alarm you, but dark reddish splotches tend to mean blood, long dried probably. If fire, it tends to just burn black. Expect trouble of some sort maybe, I don’t like how quiet it is”. With some semblance of a scene in mind, at least he knew they needed to go in cautiously. He grumbled to himself a little, unsure of what they might be looking at, and hoping that whatever happened here had moved off. The conversation of people gone mad with rage, also re-entered his mind, and grimaced that it may be related.

Giving a shiver, Henry wasn’t about to let that kind of creepy thought stop him from doing what needed to be done. “Alright, the farm is surrounded by the fields, so there’s no skirting it. We’re going to quickly cross it, low and alert, and get to the buildings as soon as possible. It may sound rash, but we are more of a couple of sitting ducks there then near the buildings.”, he began to tell Douglas, not even really liking his own plan much honestly. He continued however, as it was all they really had, “Let’s just hope it isn’t a repeat of our last altercation.”

Douglas nodded, and tightening his grip on the pistol. Once Henry gave the signal, Douglas began sprinting in the direction of the nearest building. He kept expecting to get shot, or to be tackled, or jumped by a canine or something, but he got to the building and slammed into it, and not a single thing happened. Though he did hear what sounded like, grunting of some kind. Douglas wasn't exactly familiar with farms, but those grunts and snorts sounded an awful lot like pigs to him.

The sound of a wild squeal, somewhat more deep then a normal pig, would yowl from the corner of the yard. A large pig that now looked slightly more like it’s wild counterparts of the forests, began to charge at Douglas, kicking dirt in it’s territorial rage. As it drew close and closed the distance quickly, there was a crack from the treeline before the pig stumbled into the dirt. The head of the pig now had a decent size hole in it, and poor dug would find himself now sprayed in more grey matter, then had on him to begin with.

Even though he couldn’t see Henry, the man was giving him a raised thumbs up from the treeline, before working the bolt and chambering a new round. As if on cue however, another pig was ambling out towards the yard, unaware of Douglas yet, but curious by all the commotion.

Douglas was left standing there, stunned into inaction, at seeing another thing die that close to him. And realize just how close he'd come to getting gutted here and now. So when he saw the second pig, he barely hesitated, gripping the pistol carefully, and pointing it at the pig, before pulling the trigger once. Twice. Thrice. Four. Five times... And of those, only the fifth hit. He had drawn it's attention with his firing, and the pig had turned and began to bear down on him, only to get a bullet in it's eye.

No longer able to see Douglas clearly, it squealed in anger and pain, and twisted it's angle to find him again, even as Douglas was diving to the side. Sadly, it wouldn't be fast enough. It had managed to twist itself just right, and Douglas had jumped the wrong way, that instead of diving out of it's way, he'd instead dived into it, and found himself experiencing being slammed into by a very angry boar that'd begun to get it's tusks back. That was his only saving grace from being more badly injured then he was. As it was, he wasn't sure how much walking he was gonna do as he felt the bone pop. A break, or dislocation, either one was not good, and Douglas was untrained to tell the difference.

Henry cursed to himself as he lost the shot, and started to make a break from the treeline and through the field. They were already given away if anyone had been here, but then the pigs wouldn’t have been if there were. Beating feet through ankle high dead corn, he half ran and half trodden through it, before raising the rifle along the way and sending a shot over the pig’s head. “Hey you ugly pink fucker, you look like your mom’s ugly shit pucker given life!!”, he called at the animal who his bullet startled, and turned it’s halved attention to.

The bolt was hastily worked to slot yet another home in the chamber, the 308 hopefully finding it’s target as the pig closed in. Now all Henry needed was for the damned beast to actually start approaching, as he widened his path in hopes of turning it away from Douglas.

Douglas was trying to pull himself away from the pig, biting his teeth down hard to avoid crying out in pain as he did so, putting pressure on the leg with each one. He kept his grip on the pistol though, since he wasn't stupid. Now that he was on it's blind side, he lifted the pistol once his back was pressed against something firm and most certainly not moving. And fired a shaky shot into the pig. And putting a bullet through its neck, such that it stumbled at the sudden impact as it tried to bear itself upon Henry.

The pig continued its charge, but soon slowed to a pitiful flop on the dirt, the large spill of blood from the neck hurd gurgling in its throat. As it proved to not be a concern anymore, the third was sighted as it came trodding around the side of the building. Henry let off another shot, plugging it into the broadside of the new target, causing the pig to squeal and instead try to flee. He racked the blot up and back before doing the reverse, slotting his fourth round that soon found its mark.

As the fifth and final was worked into the chamber, the empty magazine was ejected and replaced with a full. The man, still running on adrenaline, shifted his cautious gaze around for more as he did, returning it to Douglas before picking up the empty magazine. Slinging the rifle and getting back into the run he had before, slowed to a jog as he approached, before starting to look Douglas over. “Dug you good, I don’t see blood, but is anything broken?”, Henry asked as he started searching his friend for anything obvious.

Once it sounded like there wasn't any more, Douglas finally let out the long held groan of pain. "Oh my fucking god!" He cried out, tenderly feeling his leg. "I heard something pop. But I don't know if it's broken or what... it hurts a lot, and crawling to here was just... complete agony." He explained between panted breaths as his own adrenaline ebbed.

Henry took a knee and started to firmly examine the leg, despite pained protests as he felt around the joints. “Not broken, but it is dislocated pretty badly, which means more then definitely fractured too….. You’re going to want to sit down for this next part.”, he said seriously, not going to enjoy what he had to do next. Especially knowing how much of a bitch it was going to be, and giving it some thought, grabbed a nearby thick section of stick that could have passed as a branch. “Bite down on this. Firmly.”

Douglas gave Henry a look of 'Really?' as he sat there in pain, but did accept the branch to bite down on, reaching up and moving the fabric hiding his face enough to bring the branch to his mouth. Henry would notice there were more of those 'chocolate' patches on his body, a few on his lower jaw as Douglas clamped his teeth down onto the branch in anticipation of what was to come.

Once he was sure Dug was firmly jaw locked on the offered wood, he gave him an apologetic look, before roughly pressing around the bone. Once he felt it lined up correctly, gave a rather stiff push as he jammed it back into place. There was a sickening pop as it reset, bracing him for the muffled screech of pain that would immediately assail his ears. “Grab onto me if you need to, the pain will die down a bit at least in a moment. Don’t worry about hurting me if you need to squeeze, just do it.”, was all Henry would say right as he was doing all this.

Oh Henry hadn't even finished saying that before Douglas was doing just that, giving a long pained howl of agony as the leg was put back into place, feeling his hip most certainly disagree with the whole action. His grip was certainly much stronger than it had been before, but that could have just as easily been attributed to the work Henry had been putting Douglas through around the camp. After a few moments, he let go of Henry's shoulder, and slumped against the wall panting around the branch before reaching up and tiredly pulling it out and letting it hit the ground. "Fuck..."

“Chill here for a few, gonna find you a chair.”, Henry said before jogging off for as he stated, all of a few minutes. Looking around, there was an old rocking chair that sat on the back porch, more of the dark splotches nearby. Dipping inside the backroom of the house, it was a laundry room, shelves with a few things like blankets and such still sitting, but mostly empty. Grabbing a couple of medium blankets, he layered them over the seat and back of the chair before carrying the whole thing with him.

Taking the chair around to the front with him, he set it on the front porch, before coming over and scooping up Douglas. Ignoring any protests, he gently set the other man in the chair, “Alright, now you are going to rest here, because we need you off that leg right now while I find something to make a splint. Take these first though”. Henry setting his pack down, rummaged before pulling out a bottle of pills, and depositing two into Dug’s hand along with his canteen.

Douglas cried out in pain as his leg was shifted, before finally getting settled on the chair. It seemed like Henry didn't need to exert nearly as much effort to pick him up either... Shit, was he losing weight? "Right..." He said, swallowing the pills dry, making a small bleck of a face before washing out the taste with the water in his canteen. "I'll just... Stick here and watch the front for ya while you look for what ya need." He said, lowering the canteen and checking the pistol again.

“You hold onto the canteen, ought to be a pump and well here anyway to refill at. Sure that was all the pigs too, otherwise we would have heard more, but be careful all the same.”, Henry said firmly as he packed the pills back in, letting his dad voice come out a little as he spoke. Knowing the rifle wasn’t going to do him any good, left it by Dug where he could reach it easily along with the other full mag in his lap. Having done what he could for now, he began his search with the farm house first, entering into the living room this time.

There were signs of having been lived in, to a larger degree then normal, even so far as to showing signs of once being crowded. In a way, it was more unnerving then walking through any normal abandoned house. Where did everyone go, why did they leave with little sign of any obvious reason, and what could have caused them to? These were all questions that stuck to the back of his mind as he walked the house, his own pistol in hand and ready as cleared room to room. There really wasn’t much to be found, nothing more then dust and debris in most cases.

Going upstairs, it was more of the same, until he opened the bedroom door. The sound of flies buzzing, had already faintly heard which drew his attention to begin with. But opening the door, it was like a repeat of earlier that day, save this time, it was two bodies. Both were wearing ragged uniforms of the local military, having seen some combat from other evident wounds. The windows were shot out, completely missed with them being the second story ones, the glass having shattered mostly inwards. They had taken a few shots, and in the overwhelming odds against them, had taken their own lives. The smell was gods awful, the bodies having been a while, having released their less then pleasant contents.

Henry gagged as he kept his bile down from it, before peeking in further as a spare hand was kept tightly over the nose. There wasn’t much here, and both guns had every round spent, even to their fatal final discharge. Both carried radios though, one having taken a hit to make it non-functional, the other still intact. Gathering them both up, Henry made a quick exit, closing the door behind him to allow himself to breath and cough out the stale air of death.

The rest of the house was as he had already seen, before passing by what he realized was a door under the stairs. At first he thought it had been a closet, but as he passed it now, there was a faint metallic creak of something further down, like old piping. Opening the door, pulling a flashlight from his belt, the light shone down a wall and stairs, a room opening out to the right at the bottom of the flight of steps. Taking the old creaky steps slow, the light and pistol were kept aimed towards where the opening was, but paused as a familiar sound was heard yet again.

That same buzz, the drone of insects eating their fill of the dead. Henry, expecting it this time, holstered the pistol, the now free hand donning his gas mask before tightening the straps. Leaving the gun holstered, but the light held normally, made the last steps down before taking in the sight. A sense of unease and disgust washed over at the scene before him. It was a family, all wearing normal attire you would see of a farming family out in the country, dead for far longer then the two soldiers upstairs. Seeing the casings of 5.56 on the floor, he knew all of the story he needed to, and he hated every chapter of it.

The father hung on a rope, his hands bound, dangling in the corner as his dead decaying face looked towards the other bodies. The others for the most part sat against the brick, each having at least a single gunshot wound save for the last one. Their position suggested a last moment of defiance, which rewarded the poor soul with two to the chest, and one to the head. Three adults, a teen, and a child. Likely the parents, their eldest, and the two younger, all murdered in their own home as prisoners.

An anger rose up inside, no longer finding himself able to mourn the soldiers anymore, and more cursing them to the worst part of the hells as possible. The father was cut down from his rope, the body dragged and left with his family. It was the only thing he could do for them, too late to do anything else that would matter, as burial would be a waste of time at this point. Heading back up, he grabbed some linens from the back room, planning to take them and those on Douglas’s chair as he brought them out to leave with the man.

“House is clear.”, was all Henry would say as he returned, a somber look visible even behind the glass of his mask. Gently setting the linens over the railing over the porch, before the mask was remembered, and carefully undone.

Douglas quirked an eyebrow at seeing Henry return with the mask on, but figured there had to be a reason. "Was it bad in there?" He asked, voice a little quiet as he did, figuring that it must have been. The whole farm house area just had that feel of death and desolation, and that's before you accounted for the trio of newly slain pigs.

"So far, been quiet here. I think you were right, and that was all the pigs. 'Bout the only thing I've seen has been a few crows flying overhead to check out what's happened." Douglas remarked, pointing to the couple of birds that'd already arrived and were poking around the dead pigs.

“Let’s just say read into a story with a dark ending, and I wish I could unread it. Terrible things happened here.”, was his reply as the mask was rehooked to his belt. “Think I might set the house alight before we leave. Not much of use, other then what we’ve already gathered, and it will dissuade anyone from living in it, as it is fairly close to the woodlands of our camp. The bodies deserve a proper rest too, most of them anyway.”

Looking off to the tent and the barn, Henry figured those were the best places to check next. As he stepped off the porch to go look, he only tossed back the comment of, “Off to search those now.”

Douglas nodded, having hefted the rifle and had it cradled in his arms, hoping he'd be able to spot anyone coming while Henry did the searching, and hopefully finding the materials needed to put together a splint. If only so that it didn't hurt so much when he moved his leg.

First stop was going to be the barn, which seemed unlikely to hold anything, given it’s already burned state. Given what he knew now, he figured that part of that was likely smoking some of the soldiers out, or burning something they were storing in the barn. The answer turned out to be both, as the insides were completely charred, and crumbling. Even among the ashe, a set of remains laid out in them, along with bits of what looked like supply crates. Drag marks and paths through the gray, dusty powder, noted that whoever had attacked had dragged what was salvageable off somewhere.

Stepping through it, the ash kicked up in puffs as he did, leaving a trail of Henry’s boot prints as his eyes scanned the interior. At least what little of a frame of it remained, even as large portions of the upper loft had collapsed, covering over corners of the barn. One corner towards the back was piled high with such debris, as well as other charred junk, but the shape was off. It was as if something much larger sat buried under it, untouched due to what he assumed was the fire’s still burning flames at the time. Walking over and giving it a few kicks, the charcoaled planks easily gave, large swaths of the pile crumbling to bits and chunks.

What was revealed underneath, was a section of a modified cargo container for trains. It must have been greatly cut down though, as it was so short given their normal size. If there was anything he could credit the soldiers with, it was being intuitive at least. Shoving more away, trying to be careful of what was above this, cleared all he could from around the door. He had to take a quick evasion back though, as the rest on top of the box came tumbling over, causing a massive racket. He probably just caused Douglas a heart attack with it, but it did clear most of the debris away for him.

Clearing some more of the pile away, there was thankfully no lock on the twin steel doors, despite being burned black and a bit rusted slightly. With a groan and grunt, and the whine of potesting mechanisms, he managed to force the handle open and start shoving the doors open. They shoved most of the crumbling wood out of the way, clearing the way before he looked at the contents, a small hitch in his throat in surprise. Flicking on his flashlight again, and sweeping over the inside, gave a whistle of appreciation. “Jackpot.”

Inside were a workbench with a few things like gun parts and other helpful materials, and what he had only seen the front wheel of at first, a motorcycle. There were even four jerry cans of fuel lined next to the bench. “Douglas you lucky son of a bitch!”, Henry shouted from deep within the barn, having started shoving the parts into his bag, before using one of the jerries to top off the tank. Turning back to the bench though, there was something else that caught his attention, a set of documents in a stamped folder with an emblem he wasn’t familiar with.

There had been leakage from the top corner above the bench, evidence that the container had not gone unscathed from the flames. It had soaked a good portion of the files, but some still looked eligible, so it was put in the bag too. Deciding to the jerries later once they had a means to, he climbed onto the bike after finding the keys on the bench as well. With an excited chuckle as he slotted the key in and turned, gave the engine the kickstart with the gas pedal, causing the motor to rev alive. With giddy chuckles, threw on the gas more as he tore out of the contained, and the barn. Before the wheels began tearing into dirt, he drove it out into the yard, before slowing to a park in front of the porch.

“Yet get to ride today my friend.”, henry declared excitedly.

Douglas had lifted the rifle and was pointing it at the barn, nowhere near as steady or stable as Henry usually was, when Henry tore out of the barn and into the yard. Taking several deep, calming breaths, Douglas glared at Henry, not that the other man could see it clearly. "Damn near gave me a heart attack you fucker!" Douglas snapped, before calming themselves. "So, we got a means to travel now, that is faster than walking, especially with my leg fucked up."

“Sorry but this is a golden find, and I blame your unbelievably good luck. Now I’m gonna search that tent and see if there’s a trailer for this. They modified it to have a hitch, so gotta likely have one around.” Turning the motor off, and stepping off, Henry stepped over and handed Douglas the files after pulling them out of the bag. “Also since you’re resting, take a look through these will ya. Found them on a workbench with the bike, among other stuff, but even having been military. I don’t recognize the emblem on that. No idea if they’re orders, or files they stole before going awol from their post. Only a third of it roughly is still readable, not that I have read anything beyond flipping through.”

Douglas nodded, and took the files, some in folders, others just haphazardly held together. "Right." He said, looking over what he could. Henry was right, about a third of anything useful was left, the rest in poor shape. While he also didn't recognize the emblem, since he could do more than just skim them, he might be able to parse something out. "Let's see... standing orders... mission report... operational zone? The fuck's that?" Douglas muttered, reading a bit deeper. "Oh, where they were supposed to be. Got it." He said. Seems this had been a recon team for some unit called the 83rd Infantry Regiment, but they were nicknamed the 'Iron Legion' due to their refusal to surrender and manage to pull through anyways, is what Douglas guessed, since there was reference to their old group and the new one, with one of the files being someone complaining about using the unit nickname as the new group's official one.

The soldiers here had in fact gone AWOL, since if what Douglas was reading was right, they were some three towns away from where they were supposed to be. Mostly cause Douglas remembered roughly where it was from the few times he took a trip out there to visit family.

The searching was quickly finished, the tent not having a whole lot, only a bottle of pills and a geiger counter. But he found why, as out back was the trailer he had been looking for, loaded up as if someone had originally intended to take it, or come back for it. A streak of more dark reddish brown, that led to a larger splotch, answered why not though. The hoof marks in the dirt of pigs’ feet, saying all he needed to know, of what fate befell the last looter. Loading his bag and a few gains of the tent onto the trailer, he pulled it back to the front, struggling a bit with what had already been placed inside.

Setting it down behind the bike with a sweat, and a huff of exertion, walking back up to the porch to rest on the steps. “Think we’re good to leave whenever, once I’ve splinted your leg. Find anything in those?”, Henry said with a slight pant.

"Yeah. Apparently the soldiers who set up here broke off from some group calling itself the Iron Legion. Former military unit. Not sure what their MO or goals are, the files didn't cover that, but these soldiers here? They were supposed to be in Shavichi. I know that's about three towns...." He paused, looking around, and pointed northwesterly, "that way. So yeah, probably wanted to go bandit and use their training to do so." Douglas said, shrugging. "Beyond that? Gibberish to me. Maybe you'll understand some of it better since you mentioned being military. Cause this sure as hell is filled with jargon I haven't the foggiest about."

“Unit sounds familiar, not so much this group, must be pretty recent. Sounds like they’re trying to make moves though, not that these guys were all that down with it.” Stepping around some of the windows, Henry noticed they had begun to be boarded at one point, a few loose 4x4s having been cut short were lying about. They were thin enough for what he would use them for, as he went about putting one on either side of the leg, and tying them on snuggly with cord.

Taking the offered files, he slipped them into the bag, before helping Douglas up. “I might yeah, but I’ll have to look later. About time we hit the road, especially with all the noise, and what I’m about to do.”

Douglas winced as Henry splinted his leg, trying hard to keep his pain out of his voice as he did so. "No worries. At least we'll be able to travel pretty quickly now with the motorcycle. But keeping moving might be a good idea since I'm sure as soon as the engine kicks over, everyone and their brother's gonna want our heads." He said, pushing himself to his feet, hissing as he applied pressure to the splinted leg. He could 'waddle' at least now. Which was better than limping.

Heading over to the trailer, since he wasn't gonna try and hold onto Henry on the motorcycle itself, between the changes he was experiencing, and his own uncertainty in holding on with the splint leg, he worked himself as comfortably as he could amongst the things they'd found and put on the trailer, and settled in for the ride.

“You sure you want to sit back there? Gonna be bumpy, so don’t fall out.”, Henry offered in caution, a bit concerned that he had chosen there then the saddle. But he also partially wrote it off as just not wanting to hug another dude, even if necessary. Whatever reason Dug decided to give him in the end, he wouldn’t argue with it.

Instead, the prepper swung his leg back over the saddle, and revved the engine to life once again. Starting slow, he cruised them down the dirt path just a bit before dismounting again. Taking a small canister of kerosine, and the mostly empty jerry of fuel, walked back towards the house. “Will only be a minute, just taking care of some brief business.”

Douglas nodded, getting as settled as he could, and held on as they drove slightly, and while he wondered what Henry was going to do, but considering what he had looked like as he stepped out of the house, Douglas had a rough idea. So suffice to say, while he waited, he watched the horizon, both for anyone approaching due to the noise the pair had generated, but also just in case he saw a column of smoke start to rise from the house.

The kerosine was taken downstairs, and poured over the bodies, before the jerry was drizzled up the steps. The majority of the partial container was poured across the floor of the first floor of the older wood house. Anything else that was a flammable liquid, was also added, a small trail led out the door. Henry took the lantern hanging from the front porch, and checked to make sure the wick would still light, a small flame alighting the tip inside the glass.

Stepping off the porch with the lantern in hand, got some distance, before giving a pause in thought. It was days like these why he hated this world, despite all the freedom it gave, and the new struggles it brought. Such things could never be undone, or those who didn’t make it brought back, and despite knowing that. This felt all too real to him, a severe case of deja vu coming over him, as he had the memory of doing the same at his own front door still fresh in his mind.

He had done much the same for Isabella, with no time to bury, and not the proper place to do it anyhow. He had taken her favorite lighter in hand, much as he now did with this lantern, and had cast it into the front door. Watching as their home went up in a pyrrhic flame, much as what followed as he chucked the lantern onto the porch and trail of fuel. Henry stood and watched as the flames began to spread down the trail of fluid, and as the flames slowly spread across the porch, licking at the rest of the house as the glow inside the darkened interior grew. When he was satisfied the burn would be thorough, and carry on it’s work as intended, he walked back to the bike and left the now empty jerry in the cart with Dug.

Douglas watched as the cloud of black acrid smoke began to rise, and gave a grim nod. It was a damned sight better than just leaving them there to rot... But damn it if he didn't think much like Henry, without realizing it. He hated this new world they lived in. Hated what it was doing to them. Not only as a whole, but to them as individual human beings. How people were turning barbaric and heartless just to survive... Which made Henry's saving of himself, and Olivia it seemed, all the more important. To have that one piece of humanity, that soul to actually care about others...

That was too important to throw away, and Douglas, internally realized he had forgotten that himself. Had begun to drift down the same path so many others were taking, merely because it was easier, less costly... There'd been times he could have helped others before meeting Henry, and he hadn't. And now he felt guilty about every single one of them. About how he focused on himself first and foremost, and not trying to just be a human being.

As the saddle creaked with the return of its rider, Henry didn’t say much as he had them rolling along once more. Leaving the growing pyre behind them, and the sights that no one else would now be forced to see. Henry wrote it off to himself as just getting rid of a possible foothold for strangers too close to the camp, but deep down, he knew he was only offering what little respects to the dead that he could. Gods only knew, they deserved far better, but there was simply no such thing anymore.

As the pair left the farm, the road was the only thing they would see for the next few hours. Both likely too deep in introspection to really even recognize the pass of time, as they let the bike do the work. It was only after they pulled off the road and down a lesser dirt path, that dialogue began again between them. “We’re almost at the boat, about three minutes down this way. Used to be a nature trail leading along the tall hills, and slight cliffs around the small valley the city sat in. Now they’re more like shores, and lakeside cliffs.”, Henry said as the dirt rattled softly under the tires.

Douglas nodded, having rigged a sort of 'seatbelt' of sorts with some of the material they'd found, using a few of the knots Henry had taught him. Remembering he was behind Henry, he mentally kicked himself. "Alright. How bad is the flooding? I mean, when you were here last, only part of the first floors were flooded, right?" Douglas asked, turning to better yell forward to Henry.

“Well I was referring to depth when I said part heh. I couldn’t tell how much of a rate of rise the water had while there, but there must have been some in over two weeks. Might be a tight squeeze into entrances, or we may have to try and find a loading dock instead. Either way, one other thing to note, is a perpetual downpour in the city, and almost exclusively too it for some reason. It’s absolutely bizarre.” The trip was almost as over as it began, as they called back and forth over the sounds of tires on dirt. Pulling up to what looked like a small bank a bit further, but stopping so the bike wouldn’t be seen in the clearing of the treeline.

Turning the engine off, and climbing off the bike, there was something that he wanted to do before the made the sail in. “Not far from here, is a checkpoint leading onto the highway, I want to give it a once over if okay with you. Driving up seemed like a bad idea, just in case ya know.”

Douglas nodded. "That's, probably a pretty reasonable thought. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if folks were tracking us just by the noise for a while." He joked, trying to liven the mood for a moment. Undoing the strap, he lifted himself gingerly, feeling every ache and pain from bouncing around in the trailer. At least his leg wasn't the only thing hurting. Heck, he hardly felt any significant pain as he put pressure on it as he gave a slight stretch to get some sensation back in his body.

"I imagine the checkpoint would have some things we could use in the camp too. Last few of them I saw were basically camps centered around a spot of road anyways." Douglas mused, doing that minorly goofy walk one does when moving with a splint, due to the wood forming it not bending quite like the limb normally does. Nevermind that his pants were slightly more bunched up then they should have been for his size. Nonetheless, Douglas wasn't going to leave Henry to check it out alone. He could at least do overwatch this time, right?

Henry looked back at their bags in the trailer, then at Dug moving around fairly well despite the splint. It was more of a precaution then a mend, his leg would do the mending on it’s own, the splint just made sure it didn’t snap. “We’ll leave the bags here, just so we can travel light, and get in and out as fast as possible. That being said, your leg is going to slow you, so you can come. However, you’ll be the one hanging back with the rifle.”

The rifle and spare mag were handed to Dug once more, the third pulled from the bag along with five of their spare rounds. As Henry had spoken of their rough little plan, he began to load them into the empty magazine. “These are hotspots for looting anything good, but with the weather hitting that area, we might get lucky. Stories of such spots tend to not be pretty either, so fair warning. There is a chance we’ll be seeing a number of bodies.”, he added before finishing and handing it over as well.

Looking up, the sun wasn’t quite getting into the evening yet. They had time, which was good, but it also meant that coming back was likely going to be during the darker hours. If avoidable, Henry wanted to avoid coming back at night, if at all possible. “Come on, this way.”, he said before walking through the trees.

 

[Glein]

Douglas nodded, and followed along, finding pockets to stuff the spare magazines into that way he didn't lose them. Especially since the pockets he put them in had flaps that could close and thus better keep the items in them, well, in them. "I figured. One checkpoint I'd passed looked like the soldiers got overrun by something, but I didn't get close enough to check beyond seeing the smoke and small craters from their bombs." He said, holding the rifle carefully so as to not shoot himself, or drop it.

"I guess a lot of folks go after military camps and such for the gear?" He asked, figuring that'd be the main reason he'd do it... From what he'd seen of military kit, it was so much better designed for the apocalypse than anything he'd seen in most civilian stores. But he could have also missed all the useful stuff due to others reaching those places and looting them first.

“Or the much darker reason, like keeping people out of certain cities, or people in. The province capital was like that I heard, soldiers ordered to shoot anyone coming or going that tried running through in their panic.” Henry let that hang in the air as they walked, knowing that it wasn’t a widespread thing, but still knowing it was something that had gone on at the collapse of the world. He wasn’t sure if this would be one of those, but it was better he had Dug prepared for seeing that, then not.

They walked for a while more, 10 minutes roughly, as they trekked through the trees as the water of this city was still seen beyond to their right. One would think it a lake, if not aware of the numerous buildings sitting in the water. But soon enough, their destination came very steadily into view between the trees. Henry motioned to go low, as they slowed, only stopping once they had a good view of the checkpoint from where they were in the treeline now.

Douglas followed the motion, and looked out at the camp ahead of them. Looked like the ones he'd seen previously. Those big sandbag things with metal framing, a tower, a prefab thingy on stilts, and like, 4 tents. And looked like a husk of a vehicle. Oh, and then there were a whole lot of bodies. "Uhhh, wow... Those look like people that were from the city." He whispered. He would be surprised if there wasn’t much there considering things, but... It was hard to gauge from here, at least to his eye.

Henry gestured that he was going in, and began to make his short journey up, and keeping at a low crouch as he did. As he got closer, Henry could see the bodies more easily, the number a bit shocking to be honest. Looking at them a bit longer from where he was, some were definitely newer, the inclusion of a few animals including deer a bit odd though. Maybe the guards used them for target practice?

Hitting the corner of the perimeter dividers, Henry slowly inched around the front, keeping tightly to the barriers’ sides. There was no sound coming from inside the camp, at least not of walking, or live people. There was a strange electronic hum, very low, so nothing big in nature. However, it was very close, like not something inside the tent, but just on the other side of the barrier. Slowly he peeked up, then over, and was greeted by a beep.

The barrel of an automated sentry, swung towards his face as it had made the sound, the end mere inches from his nose. His eyes widened as he surely thought this was the end, but as the barrel suddenly recoiled with a click. It was clear that it was empty, the action still making him lurch with a frightened surprise, as his heart sped into overdrive. Then he heard a second beep to his left, and saw the sentry on the other side of the gate, which also swung his way.

Grunting in surprise as it jerked his direction, then also shuttered with a click of an empty ammo belt. Henry fell backwards in shock of having just been jump scared by not one gun, but two automated sentries. He weakly raised a hand with a thumbs up that it was safe, before getting up to his feet wobbly, still a bit shaken from the jump.

Douglas had watched as Henry approached the barriers, rifle against his shoulder and eye settled into the sight of the scope. He watched him ease up and over, only to suddenly drop down, seemingly in a surprised or injured fashion. Douglas focused his aim on the area where Henry had been, expecting whatever had acted upon the man to jump over the barrier. But as Henry stood up and gave a thumbs up, Douglas let out a breath and relaxed somewhat.

Fuck that scared the shit out of him. but what the hell had spooked Henry of all people? Guy seemed like a frigging rock when it came to shocks and surprises, just getting grim depending on what it was.

Henry clambered up to his feet before leaning on the barrier that he initially peeked over. Looking at the sentry that still watched and followed him with its cold electronic lens, much as the other one still did in fact, gave a prayer for once that the gun clicked dry. The man waved for Douglas to come over and join him now that it had been signaled as safe. Looking beyond, there were signs here and there that there had been a struggle, such as a smattering of scattered blood stains along with a few holes.

Most likely, there had been staunch resistance at one point while the checkpoint had been still held and protected. But even looking back to the overly body saturated road leading up to the checkpoint, it was clear which side won the most. If this were some movie, half of it to Henry's mind, would have had quarantine signs and covers hanging about. Somehow, the natural reality was far more eerie.

Once given the signal to approach, Douglas carefully picked his way through the windrows of bodies to reach the h-barrier next to Henry. Hearing the electronic whirring, Douglas tilted his head curiously. "What is that?" He asked, before peeking around, eyes widening in surprise as the turret beeped at detecting another target, the systems splitting focus between the two. "Oh..." He says, understanding now just what had spooked Henry.

"Uhhhh, good thing they're dry?" He weakly joked, even his laugh sounding forced.

“Tell me about it. Otherwise you would have had to watch me get half my skull painted across this mass grave of a street.” Henry said as he simply leaned over and reached behind the unit to flip a power switch. Walking around the barrier and into the checkpoint, eyeing everything carefully for any other traps that might have also might have been left behind. “Also lucky that this place seemed to be left in a hurry, and that we seem to be the first looters to make it past the two watch dogs.”, he added as he flipped the other sentry offline.

“Not seeing any signs of other defenses or traps, but be mindful of what you touch okay.” The sentries now out of the way, the rest of the checkpoint was theirs to search.

Douglas nodded, offering the rifle back to Henry. Since it seemed they were safe, for now at least, better give the better shot the better means of shooting at whoever might try something. As it was, he figured he'd start looking around. Sure, he wasn't nearly as good at this as Henry, mostly because he wasn't sure what was and wasn't useful. But seeing what looked like cots, if in poor shape, in one of the tents, Douglas figured something of use might be in there.

Stepping in, he looked around, and noticed that it was in worse shape than the shadows hiding it implied. "Damn, things look like they just grabbed anything they could in a hurry and bolted." He muttered, looking around further, he began to move some things around. He was sure some of them had been magazines or books at one point, but weather had done it's thing against them, as even here they were dealing with what felt like an unending drizzle of rain.

Opening one of the unlocked footlockers, he whistled. Inside was a package of rock candy, two still intact soda bottles, and a full magazine for what looked like one of those assault rifles he remembered seeing on the news of the military using. Grabbing the candy, he stuffed it into a pocket, with the magazine in another pocket. And then picking up the bottles, he looked at the label. Okay, not his favorite brand, but it was still fully sealed. Meaning it should still be tasty compared to boiled water.

Stepping out, he glanced for Henry, and smiled. "Hey, Henry! Catch!" He called out, underhand throwing the second bottle towards him, gently enough that if it hit the ground it wouldn't shatter at least. Opening his own TK Cola, thankful for the twist cap instead of pop cap, he took a swig.

Henry had been searching one of the other tents, but had made a find, and waited with the gains he made outside. Granted said gains were from right in the opening of the tent, the inside ransacked by whoever left in a hurry, or even somehow prior. He hadn’t cared much to look at the other bodies within, other then noting they weren’t geared like the one at the opening. Catching the bottle, he sat it on the edge of an empty hardened crate, before picking up a military assault rifle and lifting it in offering to Douglas.

“Seems to be a tradition at this point, but I got a gift for you here from a friend I named steve. There are no brains with the blood this time, so there is that, and it has a half full magazine still loaded in it.” As if in demonstration, took out the mag to check it, then checked the ejection port as he pulled the top charging handle under the carry handle sight. Satisfied with no round ejected, reloaded before racking again, then handing the rifle over on safe.

“As much as I would love a military grade rifle, its not quite my style, or ideal setup.”, Henry said as he offered a small grin with the weapon to Dug.

Douglas blinked and handled the rifle carefully. "Huh, I think I found a spare magazine for it in the tent I found the soda in. Also a package of rock candy." Douglas said, noting that the rifle was not exactly in great shape, at least to his untrained eye. Probably abused by the old owner, or just heavily used until 'Steve's' death. He did some of the basics, though it took him a couple tries to get the bolt cycled to check that it was empty.

Still, it at least had a sling, so he slung the rifle over his shoulder, letting the strap hang across his chest. Which had the unexpected factor of causing the sling to press his jacket in and highlight that he was... well, developing some noticeable 'pecs' that seemed like they were softer than proper pecs should be.

Leaving Douglas with his new tool, the other went back to looking around, seeing if he could find more for it. There were a few bodies around, but not enough in uniforms to be the entire checkpoint guard. Most seemed for the most part, stripped, their pals likely taking what they could to fill their vests before exfilling. Henry took a knee next to one such body, who seemed to be one of those picked over as they mixed most of their supplies and weapons. But there were still a few things that brought a small smile to the prepper.’

A single smoke grenade hung from the vest on it’s clip, as well as a solitary magazine that contained a full load of ammo. Checking the other small pouches, he found very little, save for a folded piece of linen and four loose rounds of 9mm. “Found some more ammo for your prize, hope you don’t mind if i keep the rest though.”, Henry said coming back before offering the additional spare magazine.

Douglas nodded, taking the offered magazine, and stuffing it in the same pocket as the first. Of course, he was also pulling off a mostly empty harness rig off one of the dead soldiers. It was mostly serviceable, since it still had several pouches still on it. Taking the magazines out of his pocket, he put them into one of the pouches.

"No worries. Did I put this on right?" He asked, not realizing he'd gotten the shoulder straps twisted, though at least the belt was on right, hence why he was able to get the magazines in correctly.

Henry gave a snicker before telling Dug to turn around, and helping fasten the vest correctly. “I swear your frame seems like it’s getting skinnier. Starting to worry you’re wasting away out here in the shit, or maybe all this hoofing is building some runner’s bod on you.”, he chuckled as his hands worked on the fitting. He had noticed the change in shape, but tried to write it off as the guy leaning up and getting the athletic body build of a survival finally.

"If I'm wasting away, it's something going on, because it sure ain't the meals. Olivia's hunting's helped there." Douglas said, blinking in surprise at the way Henry's hands felt, even through the layers of clothing, as they adjusted the straps. "Right. Here's hoping it's just getting into a proper physical shape to survive." He says, trying to mentally brush away how odd it'd felt.

"Anyways, I think we've got what, another two, three tents plus the watch tower? And sun seems to be getting lower, so we should probably hurry up." He said, once the harness was settled properly. Stepping away, he went to the next tent he could quickly reach. It looked like it had been storage. There were empty boxes all over, packing materials scattered all over the floor. Inside one box was a big ol' roll of what looked like barbed wire.

It wasn't full, that much he could tell, but it was something. As well, there was another backpack. Much more modern than the one he himself was currently using, so there was that. Plus it looked barely used. Grabbing both, he grunted in surprise at the weight of the roll, but remembered that it was mostly metal.

"Right. Heavy metal." He muttered, walking, more like thudding, back towards the central part of the camp, settling the two items he'd found down, bag on top of the side of the roll.

The next tent that Henry began to search after being hastily left alone, looked to be the communications tent. Several sets of radios from ham, to full military satellite comms, were present. At least what was left of their smashed hardware anyways, as it looked like someone had given them a thorough smashing. With what, Henry had no idea much less why, but that barely mattered.

Searching through all the bits. He found a few internal components still intact that they could possibly use. Collecting what he could, took them outside to find the beginning of their “small” loot pile, placing the parts in the backpack for easier carrying, which he put his soda and smoke grenade in as well.

Douglas gave Henry a brief nod, helping with the backpack while he put the items into the ruck. That done, he walked towards the last tent, which bore the emblem of a medical station. This checkpoint had been pretty well built up, which didn't really twinge anything in Douglas, who figured they were just being thorough in making sure this place was as able to do whatever it was intended to do as possible.

Opening the flap, he couldn't help himself. He had to gag, twisting even to lean over and pull the front of his hood down and hurl what few bits of meal he had in his stomach still out onto the ground. He kind of wished he had a mask like Henry now, because the smell was, it was appalling in the tent. And the short glance he got of the some dozen fly coated bodies didn't help either. All of them in tattered uniforms, and each looking like scavengers had already begun to tear away at them, making telling what killed them all that much harder.

Completely oblivious to what Dug was wrestling with, Henry went about searching the other of the last two tents. It was what appeared to be a command post, a long table with a map, and an overturned desk at the far end. Walking in, it was pretty lacking all things considered, even the coffee machine having been stolen. Ut gave him a small chuckle to think about before looking over the map, which had nothing useful written on it to him.
However, further back still, was another story. A smattering of red stained the back flap wall of the tent. Peeking over the edge of the overturned desk, was the body of some officer by the uniform, clutching a sealed bucket of freeze dried food. Henry grinned at the nice find for their loot, before pausing as he lifted the bucket. “Now that is not a standard issue at all.”, he murmured to himself as he lifted the tie off the body. It was finely tailored, black with what looked like gold threaded in slightly, and a strange emblem on a pin worked into the center of the pattern.

Henry thought it very odd, and somehow intriguing all the same, much more that it was very nice. Maybe he wouldn’ wear it, or at least now, but with the small comforts each had been grabbing. Well maybe it was time he kept something for himself, as just a nice little gift for moral sake. He’d still share it with his buddy Douglas though, might need the help landing some survivor lady someday after all when things are more calm. Gotta repopulate somehow.

After trying to steel himself in preparation of stepping back in, he took a deep breath, and stepped into the tent, eyes scrunching as the flap opened again and he was struck with the wave of death and decay striking him once more. He could feel them beginning to water, but he blinked them rapidly to clear them as best he could.

Finding a cabinet that wasn't hanging open, he checked and saw a jar of something and a small bottle. Opening the cabinet, he grabbed both, and stepped out, gasping and taking deep breaths in the cleaner air. Once he could breath normally again, he looked. It was a tin jar, about the size of a small saucer. It had a label that was mostly faded, but he could read enough of it to gather this was some kind of healing ointment. Looking at the small bottle, it was revealed to be anti-venom. He couldn't read for what it was meant to counter, but who knows, maybe it'd help at some point.

Walking back to the loot pile, Douglas put them down and just, took a few moments to lean against the wooden roll, and get the shaking his arms were beginning to do back under control.

Dropping off his find, Douglas would see Henry walk up and step in front of him. The man simply with a chuckle, dropped the loop of the tie around his head, and gently tightened to a comfortable fit with a chuckle. “There, not half bad. Looking sharp like a man in the CEO of surviving inc.”, Henry said with a further chuckle, even as he stepped back to the loot and began packing it as he could.

Douglas noticed the tie, and gave a weak chuckle. He wasn't shaking anymore, so there was that. "Not much in the medical tent... well, not much beyond a lot of bodies anyways. It was... I really wished I had a mask like you did that I could throw on." He says, loosening the tie and stuffing it into the now spare backpack they had. "Not sure how much more we can find here, if anything. Not without tearing some of this place apart I think." He says, looking around. If not for how visible the checkpoint was, not to mention open to pretty much anyone wanting to mess with them, it could have been a good place to move camp to.

It had solid defenses against anyone shooting them directly, it had a diesel generator he noticed, and a lot of storage. But whoever left had done so with most of the usable supplies by Douglas's guess. Considering how little they'd found in the ruck and atop the roll of barbed wire. Looking up, Douglas considered the time, and shrugged. "Guess we head back to the motorcycle and camp for the night? Not sure we got much more daylight left."

“Well, we’re not getting into the city tonight. So we might as well search some of the still intact vics on the road here.” Henry left it unsaid, but boat trips in pitch stormy dark, was also impossible to be frank. No way to see, and sitting ducks for anyone that came along, the checkpoint only adding uncertainty. What if there had been NVGs here, or a longer range rifle with a IR scope. Such military posts were dangerous jackpots, especially in the wrong hands, and those were risks he would not take at a time when they had a fatal disadvantage.

Trying to brush such thoughts off, Henry began walking among the shot out vehicular carcases. Really, only two looked as if there was possibly anything salvageable within their broken and bullet hole pocked chassis. Coming up to the first of the two, a quick skim of the interior saw nothing worth the rummage, but maybe the trunk would be a different story. With three forceful kicks of his boot, the area of the lock finally warped and dented in enough to cause the lid to pop ajar.

Inside was not the most thrilling of finds, but it was a lot more then the inside of the interiors for sure. Digging around inside, he retrieved two tree saplings, a deck of playing cards, a can of hair gel, a walking cane in excellent condition, and even a pristine guitar. The last he was kind of fond of, almost as much as the old owner must have been, but not so much for the cane. “Not sure what we would need this for, can always make one the old fashion way if really needed at some point.”, he said, setting the cane aside.

Douglas, watching what Henry did, walked over to one of the other vehicles present. It was slightly fancier than most, at least, by Doug's eye. The sedan looked like the sort of ride some rich pompous asshole would drive. Looking over the interior was hard as it had pretty heavily shaded windows, so he circled around to it's trunk. "Let's give this a try..." He muttered, lifting his booted foot, he slammed it into the latch point a few times, stumbling in the process as he sought to better his footing. But he managed after a shy dozen hits, the trunk finally released.

Inside was an opened medical kit, most of its supplies gone but for a needle. As well there was a blade of some kind and a tea kettle. "Well, that wasn't as impressive as I thought it'd be..." He muttered, but figured, since he effectively had access to the vehicle now, he went ahead and worked at the back of the trunk, lowering the back seat to let him crawl in.

Once inside, he unlocked and opened one of the doors, that way he could get in and out more easily. And open the rest of the car more easily. Inside the main area, he found a manilla folder that felt pretty heft. It had [TOP SECRET] stamped on the front of it, and was tightly wound with some twine. "Hey Henry! I think I found something." He called over.

Walking over, Henry wasn’t particularly impressed with anything, but the manilla envelope. Looking at it, it was rather official and important looking. The symbol stamped to the center of the front, the red ominous letters of top secret misaligned over it. Looking at Dug, Henry lifted the tie slightly, and realized why. The one buttoned to the fabric’s pattern in the center, was the exact same, raising his interest given who it was pulled off the body of.

“Seems we have an interesting mystery on our hands, like some illuminati bullshit. Look, these two are the same, and I pulled that tie off a dead officer in the checkpoint.” Henry pointed out what he was referring to, then gestured to the car. “Guess that answers whose car this was.”

Douglas nodded. "Seems so. Wonder who the fuck this guy was? Much less why he was killed. I mean, this symbol doesn't look like anything I've seen before. I mean, hell, it doesn't even look like a unit logo." He said. "I think we should hold off reading this till we camp though. No point burning daylight here I think, since we're just gonna be lighting a small fire when we settle in." He suggested putting the folder into his rucksack. "Not sure if there's anything else we can find in a hurry though." He said, looking at the bodies and vehicles littering this little stretch of road, especially as dusk began to creep over it all, giving it a grim, eerie light. Making it seem like the sight of some horror film's climax as opposed to just as grim reminder of what the world had fallen into.

The walk back felt nearly twice as long, but that was more then likely just due to the haul they were carrying with them. It was still irksome how they had such a load, even before hitting their major destination. Something that Henry hoped would not be a problem later, or at the very least, on the trip back to camp. The trailer wasn’t exactly big, so it still had it’s limits, and they were going to be pushing them.

As Henry did the survivor ritual at this point, of setting camp, then cooking dinner, he waited with interest for Dug to pull out the documents. “So what do you think they say? Personally, the tie just gives the whole thing an air of being some z-files kind of conspiracy bullshit.”, he chuckled as he stirred tonight's soup. To be honest, in his excitement with bated breath, he actually kinda forgot what was in it. Oh well, still looked and smelled edible at least, and they did have to eat.

Douglas shrugged. "If this is some z-files bullshit, I'm worried that it's gonna be an absolute nightmare with everything else." He says, but was pulling out the files. They'd managed to set up under some cover, so at least they weren't bound to be water-logged messes when pulled out. Undoing the twine closing the folder, he opened the waterproofing lip, and pulled them out.

"Let's see... Effective immediately... blah blah blah... report to alpha site... blah blah blah... first strike alerts likely... blah blah blah.... More blah blah blah... Task Force Alpha-Omega? Oh sure, that's totally helpful..." Douglas says, skimming the paperwork. This covered the first three sheets.

"Oh hey, this might be worthwhile... 'Due to increased risk of mutagenic biological and chemical armaments in Opposing Nations Alpha and Delta, be aware that your region may experience risk of mutagenic weapons deployment, resulting in mutations in local populace and/or wildlife. Secure local military garrison forces if needed to perform full containment of region. Air drops will occur for a period of three months after containment is enacted. If evidence of mutation is detected in region, use standing forces to secure region and remove threats to the nation. Airdrops will immediately cease. Reports to Command to occur on a weekly basis.' What the ever loving fuck?" Douglas said, after reading the sheet labeled 'standing orders'.

“Something about how that reads, doesn’t sit well with me, even more so since I can't tell why. Let me have a skim of it.”, was Henry’s only reply. Alpha omega? He’d never heard of such a unit, his first thought being a special forces task force, but the smell of clandestine on it all bothered him. Only the PIA had this usual style of secretiveness, or even anything this close to dealing with anything on the level of blacksites.

He was a colonial guard, but even he heard the stories, or noticed when they got the odd orders. But never something to this extent. “Time tables, projections, intel, and even the standing orders you read off. Given the evidence we just sorted through, this sounds like a quarantine in the worst definition possible. It’s a cleansing.” The look on his face was somewhat grim, wondering just what had they come across, and why couldn’t the godsdamn apocalypse be normal for fuck sake.

"And you said you found the guy wearing that tie dead in the command tent? I think the soldiers he took control of didn't agree with his orders in the end." Douglas mused, taking hold of the spoon to stir the stew while Henry read over the stuff and got more out of it than Douglas did. "Still, what good comes from wiping out an entire population? I mean, okay, considering my own history with weird shit, I can kind of see it... But wouldn't they just try to protect those not afflicted first and foremost?" He asked, since Henry might know the answer.

Then again, if whatever hit this area was akin to what hit his own town... He had a bad feeling about what kind of things they might find in the city now. If the changes happening to him were just a side-effect... what other kinds of changes could such a weapon do?

“Did any of those people perforated in the street look mutated to you? Dug you have more evident changes from whatever was dropped on the town you told me about. These people sound like they’re setting up strongholds, killing anyone not in them, then sorting out after they’re secure. Meaning any of them see you, you’re going to be like those people in the street.” Henry said it sternly, looking the other man dead in the eyes with a look more serious then the plague.

Something was odd while he did so, but the topic at hand was more important. “Dug we need to avoid these people at all cost, safety and security be damned. They’re organized, and on the move, but these methods are faschist at best.”, he added as he rested a hand on Douglas’s shoulder.

Douglas thought about it. "I mean, one or two. They looked like they might have started growing, well, I think a good description would be fish scales? I wasn't exactly looking too hard. And... I know. I know okay? I know somethings wrong with me, alright? I'm not even sure there's a cure. Hell, I haven't been coughing as much lately, as you might have noticed." He pointed out, sighing. Closing his eyes, he tried not to think about what it all meant.

"Hell, I don't want you to throw me out. Sure, I can survive better than when you found me that first day, but... I'm still a bloody idiot on most of this shit." Douglas said. "I know, I know. I'm a fucking coward. I know it. You know it. Fuck, I think even Olivia knows it. But, I'm trying, okay?" Douglas pleaded, legitimately worried about that very idea of being thrown out on his ass to survive alone again.

“Then we say fuck em. We survive on our own. We are all we need, and if we find more, we won’t be like those assholes. Nobody is putting a bullet in you on my watch, and I’m not leaving you. So get that idiotic idea out of your head.” Henry surprised even himself in how angry he sounded, but the idea of what these people were doing. Well it was much the same as why the scene at the farm pissed him off so deeply, but on an even larger scale this time.

Maybe it wasn’t the best behavior to let it get to him this bad, but it was still pissing him off. “These people disgrace me as a soldier. Even if they offered safe living on a golden platter, I’d just beat them with it. I could never even stomach being around them.”

Douglas nodded after thinking about what Henry had said for a few moments. "Thanks. Thanks for that." He said. "I suppose... I suppose I shouldn't keep hiding it..." He said, undoing the clasp on the front of his hood, and pulling it back, letting Henry see Douglas's face in full for the first time since they'd met.

"I, I don't know what I'm changing into, but honestly... It's a touch worrisome." He admitted, the androgynus face not quite matching the voice, but then again, the more feminine aspects of his face were definitely those with more strong dark splotches, almost chocolate date. Add the slight pointing of his ears, not like Olivia's but 'more'...

"But, I haven't felt weaker, or less capable since they really started. Just the same really, and it seems like I'm not losing any actual strength." He pointed out, before Henry asked, if he planned to.

“Oh my gods, you’re being twinkified. That would explain what I thought was weight loss-.... Dug, you’re not becoming a Dugina right?” Henry was completely thrown off, not expecting this to be possible. He remembered those hints of a more masculine figure when they met, he was sure of it, but even seeing his face, and the hints recently. Well it was startling, along with a growing feeling in his gut that he wasn’t sure he liked.

"I don't think 'twinkified' is apt here." Douglas said with an unamused glare. "But you're not wrong about the apparent 'weight loss'. It's like everything's getting rearranged. Muscle mass, fat." He said, shrugging. He sighed, and reached up to pull his hood up. He expected this kind of reaction... Probably even worse. But it still stung to have Henry act like he was becoming some frail thing... It wasn't like he was actually becoming weaker or anything!

“You got things changing, how and why are the biggest questions. We’ll keep an eye on it for now….. Does Olivia know?” He wasn’t particularly worried if she did, she had proven to be an okay person so far. Also if his hunch on this was proven right, she’d be more then helpful with Dug’s adjustment to these changes. It was still bizarre though, and it was baffling to think what he had described before, had caused such a reverse reaction in his body then everyone else exposed.

"No. I've done what I can till now to keep both you and her as... well, unaware of them as I could." Douglas replied, settling the hood back on and into place. "Also, I think the food's about done." He pointed out, picking up the spoon again and stirring it, since there was beginning to be a bit of a burnt smell to the cooking food, one lingering around the little pot they had hanging over the fire.

“No idea how she would react, and probably for the best for now. Let's eat and turn in, we have a long trip tomorrow.”, was all Henry would say before starting to fill their mess tins. Likely, they would talk more on the day’s events, having been many indeed afterall. Henry didn’t really let Douglas’s reveal rattle him too much, more so ignoring it for now to reflect on later. Once the meal was done, the pair turned in, sleeping how best they could under the trees. All through the night, the sound of the water not too far off, was ever present.

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Day 71

The morning probably would have been sunny, if not for the odd permanent overcast of unnatural cloud formations high overhead. It was one thing that made the sunken city feel off, almost eerily so. Henry had his own hood up as a light rain set in on the outskirts like where they were currently, a side effect of being on the outer shore. It gave a taste of what happened all day almost, city wide, and only over the city.

Pulling the boat from somewhere in the trees and bushes where he kept it hidden. Henry began pushing the boat off the shore, and into the water with Douglas’s help, making the task much easier. “Alright, I want to do this as quickly as possible. To the hardware store, in and out, a twenty minute mission. Place makes me feel weird, even this far from the storm.” The conversation, even though started by his own lips, helped him calm for going into the sunken city.

After reading the report yesterday, he liked the place even less then he did before, completely unaware that other things might be lurking here. It would explain why so little was picked over, but it was too late to turn back now, and they needed what they were after. But after this, he was going to make it a point to avoid this place unless absolutely necessary. Then again, it is where he met Olivia, so maybe some still jaded part of him could reason it away as not all bad. But that kind of thinking might get them killed, if this place and it’s risks weren’t respected properly.

Douglas nodded, climbing into the boat once they had it properly in the water. He had given the rifle a proper look over after they ate, and even he was worried about it not working properly. The whole thing was more abused than he expected. At least they might have some parts back at the camp to make it less crap. "Hopefully we don't have to use the boat the whole time in. Not sure how easily this'll flip on us, and if the people where are mutating into fish-like creatures... I'm not sure I want to be in the water any longer than I have to." He said, remembering the sight of some of the people at the checkpoint.

Still, he was sweeping the area around them with his eyes, and hand firmly resting on his pistol, ready to try and draw it if needed.

“Don’t remind me about it. I came here last time oblivious, and saw no signs of anything being here, so let’s hope that keeps up. But keep your eyes watching everywhere. Windows, roofs, and the water.” He himself would be doing the same as he rowed the small boat along, just a simple row boat for fishing on a lake. It was a bitch to get there the first time, almost an extra day even, but it was absolutely necessary. But even still, Henry was deeply wishing they had a larger and stable boat.

Sure this wouldn’t be flipped so easily with them both in it, but they were still in arm’s reach of the water at all times. That meant the reverse was also true, and for once, that was something that scared Henry deeply. “Why can’t this be a normal fucking apocalypse.”, he muttered to himself as they rowed along under the downpour. Buildings sticking up from the water were solitary and silent, showing the way with the roads they lined. In a way they were like the walls of a labyrinth, the same form of navigation as driving, no longer applicable in a place like this.

"Because if it was a normal fucking apocalypse, I think we wouldn't even have a world left." Douglas replied, grinning ever so slightly as he did, eyes tracking over the various things around them. It seemed the water was calm, and the buildings desolate. But after the little town where they found Henry's rifle... Yeah, even that can be deceiving. So Douglas kept as alert as he could. The pounding rain made listening difficult, but all he could hear so far was the rain pounding into them, the buildings and the water, and the more quiet splash of the oars as Henry rowed.

"I think I see it. Joe's Home Improvement Store, right?" Douglas asked, not bothering to point since Henry was facing the wrong way so he could row them the correct way.

Henry gave a nod, now wondering how they were getting in, as the front door didn’t seem like an option given how the hospital had been. “See if you can spot a place where we can climb up to the roof, gonna have to go through there given how much the water has risen since last.”, Henry groaned as they went along. Other then the sound of heavy rain, the oars dipping in and pushing water, was almost maddening to listen to. Too much in some morbidly ironic way, made him think of the riverboat crossing the river styx.

Douglas nodded. "You've got some rope for climbing down? I don't remember any hardware store I've been to having any kind of ladders or the like with their roofs." He asked, focusing on the building now. "A little to the right. I think I see a ladder leading to a landing. Guess this place is big enough to have a second floor of sorts to it. Looks like an emergency fire escape maybe?" He said, tapping Henry's left arm, since Douglas figured it'd help clarify which direction since 'right' could mean his right or Henry's right.

Stopping just long enough to pull a bundle of cord from his pack, Henry handed it over to Douglas before returning to rowing the boat. “The ladder is great, but gonna need that to moar us to it. We’ll tie it off to either side of the ladder.”, he explained as they got nearer to it. Once they were beside it, they started to loop it through the sides and middle before handing the other end to Dug. They would then tie either end to a bench seat at either end of the boat tightly, giving jostle room, but keeping it securely anchored to the ladder.

“Come on, you’re going up first.”, Henry said as he checked his tie off once again to be sure. Then following him after he had gone up a ways. Henry was glad to be off the boat, and out of the water, but he was still apprehensive of what might be inside the building itself.

Douglas nodded, helping Henry tie the boat down. Once that was done, he reached up and grabbed the ladder, and was quite grateful for his gloves helping his grip, since he could feel how slick the metal was from all the rain. With a touch of effort, he pulled himself fully up and began to climb up, soon reaching the landing. "I got a latch here!" He called down, noting the means to drop the ladder to a more 'safe' height above the ground for leaving in a hurry. "Want me to lower the ladder or leave it as is?" He asked, looking over the railing only to notice that Henry was already climbing.

"Right. Nevermind then." He muttered, before looking over at the door. It was marked with all sorts of warnings and the like, but seemed firmly shut most importantly. Plus, no way to open it with a latch or such on this side. Fire door. At least the staircase for the fire escape went to the roof. So, rather than trying to be an idiot, he just began to work his way up the fire escape step by slick step.

Climbing up the fire ex\scape was tough work, and a bit concerning as it groaned lightly as they worked their way up. Henry was sure it would hold, but as if there weren’t enough things to be mildly concerned about already, Who was he kidding, mildly was completely underselling it all. Getting to the top though, another was added to the list, as he expected the slosh of shallow water on the roof as they climbed up. Instead there was only a wet roof liner.

“Oh well that’s not good.”, Henry said out loud at this turn of events. Looking around, it was quickly shown why, as a skylight sat propped open. A wide and smeared drag trail of blood led into the opening. “Scratch that, it only gets worse. Fucking wonderful.”, he grumbled as he looked at Douglas, seeing how he interpreted this.

Douglas gulped, and drew his pistol. "You, uhh, you bring that flashlight we found? I don't think we'll be able to get a fire of any kind to see with in there right now." He asked, glancing over at Henry. Considering the downpour, the blood trail had to be fresh if it was still easily noticeable even in these conditions. Meaning whoever killed whoever it was, could very likely still be here. Nonetheless, he slowly worked his way forward, pistol at the ready, and looked at the skylight, and then in.

"I'm starting to get a sinking feeling Henry..." Douglas called out, looking at the strange... 'growth' that seemed to have been formed, working almost like a ramp or a funnel down into the depth of the hardware store. Rainwater was pouring down it in a pretty steady stream, but the stuff looked like it had enough texture that the two wouldn't slip out of hand on it.

“The blood is old and discolored already. Whoever it was, was left laying long enough to let it congeal underneath their body. Fresh blood would have been washed away in this downpour.” Hopefully that would help calm his nerves even a little, at least hopefully, as he handed the spare flashlight to Douglas. A better question was whether it was more for Dug’s benefit, or meant for Henry’s as they looked in.

Putting a foot on the formation testingly, it indeed felt sturdy enough with just enough grip, Stepping in, he started working his way down, waving for Dug to follow. Pulling his own light, he readied it with his pistol too, the high lumen light piercing the deep dark. What they saw was something out of an alien movie, the formations having been strung about between shelves as their supports. Henry’s mouth must have been a bit ajar in awe and morbid shock of it all, the stuff looking quite otherworldly.

Douglas looked around as he followed Henry down, his own flashlight following what he was looking at. "Are we sure this isn't some kind of fucking alien movie we're walking into, instead of the fucking apocolypse?" Douglas asked, before coughing as he caught a taste of the air. "Fuck, it's like being at a fish market." He grumbled, seriously wishing he had one of those fas masks right now. Maybe it'd help with the smell.

Still, they soon found themselves on the ground floor, the whole place feeling like some kind of nest instead of a store. Seems whatever had settled in did some work... Sure, it was damp and the water was still about ankle deep, but there was apparently an ongoing stream happening pulling the water out. "Freaky shit and putting in drainage means? The fuck?" Douglas muttered, noting that a fair amount of the stuff the store was selling before things went to hell were coated in this membrane stuff coating so much around here. But not all of it.

Whatever settled in must like humid as opposed to completely flooded environs... And since there'd been no windows beyond the skylights, and the doors which were most assuredly under the water level... It must have been easy enough to seal this place up. Which honestly, worried and frightened Douglas more than anything else could have with this trip. Well, everything but the turrets at that checkpoint.

“Yeah I know what ya mean, shit is bizarre…. Maybe I jinxed us with the Z-files earlier…”, Henry groaned as he kept his pistol on a swivel, flashlight in the other hand still. Place was downright unsettling, unnerving, and even just downright scary. He did not want to meet what lived here now, but they needed what was most likely here. If they were lucky, they would never need to come here again, and likely wouldn’t want to anyways after this, as disturbing the hive would likely piss whatever made it off.

“Let’s just find the stuff and fucking go.”, he added before scanning the light around for signs to note the department, or what was in each section. If he was as lucky as he prayed they were, they were already in the plumbing section at least.

Douglas nodded, sweeping his flashlight around as well. "This looks like it's... Electrical maybe?" Douglas mused, noting boxes of lightbulbs and lamps as well as light fixtures around them. Swinging his light up, he noted they were in aisle 10. "If this is set up like the usual places... Most of what we're looking for should be 5 aisles up?" He mused, having been in one of the branch stores of this particular brand of hardware stores.

“Then let’s hope they were kind enough to build bridges alongside their infrastructure here.” It may have seemed treacherous with how wet it was in the building, but the stuff was excellent sure footing. Almost to the point of being able to walk normally across it’s gunky construction. But Henry still took plenty of precautions when traversing the stuff, mantling and grappling as they needed, but thankfully there were masses of the stuff to cross gaps. The lattice of organic structure only went further down the shelves to the ground floor from what could be seen in the shallower water below.

The work seemed recent given how much flood water still remained, but it also begged the question of just how many buildings were now being nested like this. Was the hospital where he met Olivia now a strange work of eerie gunk, or were the number of hived buildings still rare and few?

Douglas nodded, and followed along carefully, keeping each foot slow and steady behind Henry's own as they began to move through the store towards their target. He couldn't help but get the feeling that they were being watched by the 'natives' of this newly forged environment. For all they knew, whatever was making this stuff could easily blend into the gunk and thusly be completely invisible to the pair now making their way through.

Still, they very soon reached the section they were looking for, finding it surprisingly ungunked. Not that there wasn't growth coming this way, but there just wasn't as much as in the rest of the parts of the store they'd walked through. "I think being quick to grab what we need is the order of the day, yeah?" Douglas asked, quickly spotting a trio of big plastic drums they could use. At least, a trio that were in reasonable shape. Plenty of drums here, but some looked like they were liable to leak with a light drizzle.

Henry looked around, sweeping his light about in the lightly disturbed part of the store. Seeing some hydraulic pulleys, he tapped Doug’s shoulder before pointing them out. “We’ll use those to lift them up that slope. Like to take them too actually, but that might be a second trip. Probably can get it done in an hour if you’re up for it, then we can book it home.”

Douglas nodded. "Sounds good. I really don't want to meet the locals, whatever they might be turning into." He said, as the pair of them began to work on assembling the assorted items they wanted to take. Using the drums as storage mediums, they searched the rest of the store, gathering odds and ends as they could find them, not spending overly long in any one part of the store to really 'clear' it out.

Once they had their precious cargo filling the trio of drums, the pair of them got to work wrenching the drums up, getting the drums onto the slope and pulled up a fair ways up with the aid of the hydraulics present. Now that they were once more upon the roof, the real challenge began. Getting the drums down without damaging them. Thankfully, they'd found enough usable rope to help there, but it meant they had to leave the pulleys in place, at least for now.

Settling into the boat, Douglas kept a hand on the top of the drums to keep them steady while Henry climbed aboard. It'd taken them almost 2 hours to get the filled drums into the boat, with maybe an hour to fill the drums in the first place. But already the lighting was not as helpful as it used to be. "I think we should probably get going now." He said, looking around them as best he could through the unending downpour.

Once the barrels were down, he had begun to lower one pulley collapsed, using its counterpart. “Yep, almost done, just unhook that and i’ll tie this one across my back.”, came Henry’s voice as it reached the boat. He didn’t really want to make that second trip, so he was going to do some creative loading so they could just go.

Nodding, Douglas reached up and grabbed the lowered pulley, putting it into one of the open drums. "Got it!" He called up, curious to see how Henry planned to get the second one down.

In probably one of the man’s most foolish moves to date, took a remaining rope, and tied it around the now collapsed pulley. Henry tied them around himself across his back, something that was going to make the climb down a lot less enjoyable. It was the best idea he had to save time though as he started the descent, the weight already pulling on him as he hung onto the ladder rungs. “This is probably only one of the few times you will see me do something this asinine Dug. Don’t do this at home.”, came the man’s voice, already a bit strained as he came down.

"You say that like either of us have a proper home to go back to. And that neither of us aren't going to be doing worse going forward." Douglas pointed out, trying to keep the boat as steady as he could so that Henry could more safely get in, though it wasn't like the boat was rocking all over the place. Sure it was, water moved after all, but it wasn't massively swaying around.

"Just don't hurt yourself in the process and we should be good." He said, figuring that Henry would either scoff or laugh. He would, even if he didn't fully feel up to it like he was right now.

“If I make this a habit, don’t follow my example.”, he chuckled as he dangled a boot to find the purchase of the boat under him. Henry was just being a tad more careful with a large weight on his back like this. Finding it and dropping down, Henry waivered, unsteady as the combined weight rocked them. Thankfully he steadied as he leaned forward, before having douglas help him undo the pulley so they could get the hell out of here.

Once they were both in and settled, Douglas watched as the building began to recede behind them. "If we ever have to come back here again, I have to wonder what we'll find next time. Because I don't think the hospital you found Olivia in was anywhere near that bad. And it sure as hell hasn't been more than three weeks since then..." Douglas mused aloud, glad they were on their way out of the city. "A good idea, I think, would be not trusting anything consumable unless it's still sealed when we find it. Since I doubt the rain itself is the source of whatever's happening. I mean, you haven't been feeling a urge to gunk up our place have ya?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.

“Only when I’ve had too many canned tamales. Don’t worry, you’re safe, those disappeared from the shelves first.” Henry was breathing a little elevated, feeling the aftermath of his risky efforts. He was going to be a happy camper to get back to theirs and crash. The trip back to shore felt tense and agonizing already, knowing full well the the city was not as much of a ghost town as they had thought. It certainly made Henry’s skin crawl, his eyes darting to every shadow, and wondering which of them meeped more at every disturbance.

As the boat finally graced the bit of beach they used as their 'dock', Douglas was more than happy to get out of the thing and have solid ground under him. And the submerged city behind. "Now we load the bike and get home. I could do with a nice warm campfire right about now, you?" He said, giving a wane chuckle in reflecting how the both of them were soaked. It was only because of Douglas's layers that it wasn't more obvious his changes, not that Henry was oblivious to them now.

“I just want to get the fuck out of here, and as far from this place as possible. From now on, we only come here if there is no other option.” Being rather adamant about it, Henry was already in motion to start transferring the haul to the bike trailer. He could care less about holding onto the boat at this point either. If they needed to indeed come back. He was sure as hell bringing the biggest boat he could find, preferably weapon mounted.

“Let’s load up and make tracks, we can try and find some place to lay up for the night. Agreed?”, he said as he was working a barrel over.

"Completely." Douglas replied, helping. "This place giving me bad vibes. I don't even want to think about what my old home is like now." He said, shaking his head. "So yeah, load up, and get someplace nicer than this." He said, climbing onto the trailer and beginning to lash down the first of the barrels at Henry's directions.

The pair worked quickly, getting the packed barrels onboard and locked. Before Henry offered, but also asked, if Douglas wanted to drive. Henry had given his back little rest, and was feeling the wear starting to set in a bit with a groan. “Just need a chance to ride, and give my body a rest. Been a high strung day so far, but hopefully it should be a cruise back.”

Douglas nodded. "Sure. should be easy enough to do. And not like I'll be making crazy turns or the like." He said, walking over to the bike and settling into the saddle, before turning on the engine. "Just be careful in the trailer. Not the most comfortable ride on it's own." He warned, remembering his experience with it the day before.

Heny blinked as if confused, at first having just planned to ride on the back of the saddle. But he figured that would be better now that Douglas mentioned it. Making some room for himself, used the barrels as a backrest as he took a seat. The rifle was laid across his lap, in the event it was needed, one of the fastening ropes acting as makeshift seatbelt. The prepper felt what he meant after they got going, how the trailer rattled and jostled. Granted not as bad as it likely was before, now that more weight kept it grounded.

Douglas's reasoning had mostly been to avoid having Henry unwittingly further remind Douglas just how much he'd changed. Which he figured would happen if Henry wrapped an arm around his waist to help hang on. Still, the drive on the bike from the temporary camp site towards their home camp wasn't too bad. Probably not nearly as long as the trip would have been had they been on foot, especially lugging around even half of their loot thus far.

At one of the stops they make, the plume of smoke from the burning farmhouse still curling up into the sky behind them, Douglas stretches a bit, glad to take a moment to loosen his muscles after driving for so long. Plus having a chance to relieve his bladder was nice.

“Are we switching for the last leg? ‘Bout to fall asleep just riding like this. Rather do it in my bedroll, then here, otherwise I’ll wish it was just back strain. I was still feelin’” Henry was casually sitting on the trailer, one leg out, ready to bolt up from his seat if need be. The trip had been decently quiet, and adrenaline leaving his body from their earlier paranoia left him feeling winded.

It was almost tempting to suggest just camping out here, but they were so close, he could almost hear Olivia saying something weird as usual. Speaking of, he was hoping that woman hadn’t tried to play decorator while they were away. Or worse, wandered off, making it to where he had to spend longer from just diving into bed. Though… now that he thought about it, he really hoped the sound of the bike didn’t startle her. Last thing he wanted, was getting capped five steps from home.
“Actually on the topic of last leg, let me step away to radio Olivia. Don’t want the bike spooking her.”, Henry added with a grunt as he got up and off the trailer. Stepping a few paces away as he unclipped his individual radio.

Douglas nodded, letting Henry do the radio thing. The quiet while driving had been nice, especially as they passed the few major landmarks along their way that just left memories of how sad and broken this world had gotten. "Probably a good idea. Pretty sure I'd have a hard time with yet another bullet hole in me, especially if she's a much better shot than that, would be huntress had been." Douglas mused aloud. He wasn't sure about settling into the trailer, but at the same time, he was conflicted about riding the back of the saddle.

It was a brief exchange, Henry getting to the point and saying they would be there in roughly an hour on a bike. “If she knew how to handle it better, and was trained. We would have been dropped at the right time, and on the first couple shots. Though… I worry more about Olivia’s literal bite, then her bark.” He chuckled as he rejoined Douglas by the bike, thinking of the first time he’d seen those teeth. Probably one of the few things to surprise or shock enough to stick in his memory anymore. “Anything left to handle, or we ready to roll?”

Douglas shook his head. "Nah, I'm good to go." He said, figuring, fuck it. He wasn't gonna ride in the trailer again. Once Henry was on the bike, Douglas climbed on behind him. And figured maybe he should have rode in the trailer as he realized that even through the coats... yeah. Fuck. "Not a word to Olivia please." He grumbled, not bothering to deny what Henry was probably feeling on his back.

“Huh, tell her wh- Oh right. Honestly it hadn’t crossed my mind.”, he said after feeling Douglas settle in. Yeah it seemed that doug was changing, but he was so damn flat still, that it was easy to forget. Henry wasn’t really caring to tell her anyways as it was none of his business. “Besides, I shudder at what lewd whims she might try to subject you to.”

"That's exactly why I don't want her to find out. At least not yet." Douglas muttered, getting fully settled in on the back of the bike saddle. "Let's get home, and get this stuff sorted out and settled for improving the camp, yeah?" He suggested, ready to get back to his particular forte: Improving their living conditions with the facilities and systems they need.