Bay 12 Games Forum

((Studying and testing has begun; expect turns to be irregular until next Tuesday.))

"Welp, you can't say that I didn't give it a shot. Let's go Julie. There's bound to be some lootable place nearby without a blunderbuss-wielding asshole in it."
"Sounds good to me."

Leaving Will to wave his antique gun around triumphantly, you and Julie make your way to the main road, where the nature of the current apocalypse is quite apparent. While the road is mostly empty, as small town roads tend to be, the few cars that are on it are all in various states of wrecking, and several hunks of meat which may once have been people lie strewn about haphazardly.
"I... What is... I think I'm going to be sick."

Suddenly, a nearby car shifts, and two creatures looking like grey praying mantises skitter out from behind it. While no larger than children, the things move with surprising speed, sprinting straight towards you and Julie while waving their machete-sized forearms around like swords. 

"Wait a second, wouldn't being alone make you even less safe. I mean, if there's nobody around to keep watch while you sleep, one of those things could just break in and eat you. Plus, how does us being here risk attracting them any more than you alone does?"
"The way I see it, one of two things could happen. Either law and order are restored within a short period of time, in which case I won't have to worry about sleep, or they aren't, in which case being locked in the same building as you is a death sentence. Don't think I've forgotten about what happened with that cat. And as for attracting the creatures, I'm going to be inside where they can't see me. You two are not, and I'd rather not have you be spotted by the things so close to my house."
"Alright then, so how exactly are you going to chase us off?"

Will smiles a bit at this, and raises a dusty, antique-looking blunderbuss up to the window.
"This right here is more or less guaranteed to blow your head clean off if I hit you with it. And my aim's not half bad, so I suggest that you leave before I see if I can better it any."

((Sorry for the delay, I had to neaten up the house for an Easter party I was hosting.))

"Alright, I've counted up our supplies, and it looks like we might be able to last for a day in here. After that, we'll have to go somewhere else, but first thing's first, I think that Will down the street has a computer that we can use. If we're lucky, he might even have some supplies to spare as well."
"That sounds good, but do you really think that a steak knife is going to do much good against bugs from hell? I mean, if they have exoskeletons or shells, they-"
"If a knife won't stop it, then the windows here definitely won't, so there's really no reason to stay here. Plus, I'm going outside whether you're following me or not, so your chances are probably better if you come with."
"God damn it."

Begrudgingly, Julie follows you outside. Despite the reports of a fissure opening up, your neighborhood (although it's really more of a patch of woods with three houses in it than a proper neighborhood) seems to be quite intact, although a few tree limbs are lying on the ground here and there. It's a short walk down the driveway to Will's house, which is at the midway point between you home and the main road. It's a big building made from worn red bricks, and as you approach the front door, you see Will on the second floor, glaring down at you from a window.
"Well well, if it isn't Navi Alkerman. Oh, and you've brought a friend along. How... splendid. I suppose that with you having come all the way here, it would only be polite for me to invite you in."

You can't tell whether that 'splendid' was a creepy remark towards Julie or pompous passive aggressive bullshittery, but knowing Will, it could be either one or maybe even both. Well, whatever the case may be, at least he's letting you -
" - However, as you may know, there is an apocalypse of sorts going on, meaning that as polite as it may be, granting you refuge could compromise my well-being in the long run. Therefore, it is with the deepest regret that I inform you that I will not be inviting you in. In fact, since your very presence in the vicinity risks attracting some of the creatures which have appeared, I fear that I will have to evict you from the property as well."

"Noooo.. No I'm pretty sure it's real hun. C'mon."
"C'mon where? There's bug monsters out there killing people! If we go out there we're going to be eaten, or infested, or killed in whatever horrible way!"
"And if we stay in this house without learning what we're up against, I can guarantee you that the exact same thing will happen. Our best bet will be to find a working computer and see what information we can get about these things, and then decide what to do from there."
"And if we're attacked when we're out there?"
"I've got a little something for that. Just follow me."

You lead Julie up to the kitchen and give her a large steak knife from the sink. You also take a second scalpel from your silverware drawer (You've taken to using them instead of regular knives as of late) and slip it into your sleeve.
"Alright, I'm going to take stock of what sorts of food and weapons we have lying around. Can you go and look out the window and warn me if anything comes along?"
"Okay."

Julie heads over to the window, and you begin cataloging what items you have stored. As it turns out, there's not all that much, due to today being a Wednesday and Thursday being the day that you usually head out for groceries, but there's enough food and water to keep you and Julie supplied for at least a day though, and plenty of cutlery (and scalpels) to arm yourselves with. No computer though, although your neighbor Will probably has one that you could borrow... or steal. You and he aren't exactly on the best of terms after an incident involving several bottles of turpentine and an angry stray cat, but in a time of crisis like this, he's probably the best shot that you have at getting your hands on a computer.

((With this luck, soon I'll be the man with TWO missing hands.))

"Welp, it was worth a shot. Or two, or three... I'll be sure to count just how many when I'm picking the bullets out of my skin, but I think I've soaked up enough lead for one day."

Run like hell.

Oh, come on. Well, if being friendly's not gonna work...

"Alright then, you got me, just stop shooting, I don't want you to set off the rest of my gunpowder and blow this place to... HEY! I still have half a sack of gunpowder left! Oh boy, this changes everything. Now, if I want to get back to living a normal life, I've gotta kill or concuss every last one of you witnesses with one big bang, so here goes nothing!"

Hurl the bag at the guards and fire a shell into it. Then get the hell out of there.

"Murmph... Sure thing. Come in."

You rub the last bit of sand out of your eyes and open the door, stepping aside and pointing Julie towards the... Wait a second.
"Oh cool, a radio! I hope you don't mind if I use this instead. I'm not really any good at working televisions..."

That's right. Ever since you cut the cable plan, you've had to use that old radio by the top of the stairs to stay informed about things. Fortunately, Julie seems to know how to use it, and after a minute of fiddling with knobs and switches, you're both listening to a female reporter on the morning news.
"And here we are near Bolivar, New York, where an unbelievably large amount of seismic activity has been detected. I'm currently standing at the edge of a gigantic fissure which has opened up along interstate 86, completely cutting off traffic in the area. The traffic jam goes on for miles, and - Wait a second! There's something coming out of the fissure. Many things! They look kind of like grey insects, and -are you getting this?- they seem to be communicating with some sort of body language. By god, this is incredible! To think that something like this could have been underground this whole time without anyone knowing, it's... Oh no. Oh no no no no no fuck no dear god no help me! Whatever they are, they're not friendly! Anybody, if you can hear this, evacuate the area! I repeat, they're not no no no no oh god no GET AWAY FROM ME NO NOT *Shink*"

Static plays from the radio once again, as Julie's jaw drops.
"Please let that be some kind of sick joke... Please not let that be actual bug monsters from underground attacking New York."

As if in response, the ground rumbles again, this time knocking the radio over and putting an end to the static, leaving an unnerving silence hanging in the air.

Leaving the radio turned to that bizarre static that exists between country and classic rock, you pull out your scalpel and approach the door. Peering through the peephole, you breathe a small sigh of relief when you see that the knocking is not coming from a demon, but instead from a girl looking to be about your age wearing a blue tie-dyed T-shirt and pink short shorts. Interestingly, although you have a great memory for faces, you don't remember seeing her anywhere before, and she doesn't look young enough to be a freshman. As you ponder whether or not to let her in, she knocks again before peering in through a window and spotting you, knocking this time on the glass while waving excitedly and gesturing towards the door.