Here's my report for last night's End Of The World RPG session. It's a long read, it's actually a short story now. Some scenes I had to embellish a bit for them to make sence to everyone but me. >_<;
I am writing this since... I guess it serves as a distraction to pass the nights where anyone can't sleep because of all the screaming. And those. Those are the good nights.
I don't know if we should have seen it coming. Because of the SAF 44 debacle and how it was mishandled further, there was a lot of clamor for the President's resignation. Hell, even the police went through with their mass leave as a show of protest. Around the time, petty crime has been on the rise and we've heard of riots and fires on heavily populated squatters'sareas on the fringes of the metropolis.
It started on a Thursday night, February 5, 2015. I'll never forget that day. It should have been any other Thursday except with traffic literally at a stand-still.There seemed to be a lot of road accidents lately. The MMDA might have taken a mass leave too for all I know. So that left me, Jose, Wilbert and JM closing shop at BnB since we're hungry and we've heard the malls are still open.We walked over to Glorietta since I was hankering for some Manam Express meals. As we're walking to the G4 foodcourt, we heard an announcement over the PA system:
"To our patrons, we are pleased to announce that Ayala Malls will not close for tonight until the grid-lock traffic affecting the metro has been resolved. We've talked with our vendors and they have agreed to keep their establishments open in the mean time to serve you're shopping needs. Ayala Malls, because you deserve more!"
"Wow, that's new." said Jose, " I don't think they've ever done that before.". Wilbert nods and just looks away. The traffic has been pretty bad on the way so he was still fuming over it.
As we near ascend the elevator near Jollibee in the 2nd floor, we heard a new announcement:
"The Ayala Malls management is pleased to announce that we've coordinated with our fastfood partners and everyone is now entitled to a free meal on us! We're going to setup a distribution centers at various parts of the mall. Kindly follow our security personnel as they organize the food lines. Thank you and have a great night!"
"Look, the guards are setting up in front of Itallianis!" shouted JM. "Screw Manam then, nothing beats free food." I quickly blurted out. And so the four of us quickly ran to the other escalator to go down and be one of the first persons in line to get the free grub. Afterwards, we started walking around the mall and noticed that the cinema is doing re-runs tonight. Everyone agreed that World War Z deserved a second viewing. As we're watching the film, I noticed that the sound effects are crisper than I remembered. I mentioned this outload and JR remarks "Damn, must be Dolby Digital!". And so the movie ended after a couple of hours. We left cinema with the other movie goers and as we went our the Cinema 7 doors, we noticed that the whole floor was eerily silent. It looked like the place was looted but there hardly seemed to be anyone else but those who watched the movie.
"I've seen enough B-rated movies to know where this is going." mutters JM as he hefts one the velvet rope stands nearby. Wilbert and I took out our respective Swiss Army knifes while Jose tenses his body for anything that could happen. As we passed by Wendy's, Jose suggested that we could use some of the knives in the kitchen as additional weapons. As we go near the counter where food was everywhere. We see a dak silhoutte slowly stand up at the farthest corner.
Deciding that discretion is needed for now, the group slowly backs away from the counter.
"We should go to the 4th floor of Rustan's through Debenham's. That their kitchen section." opined Jose. I replied with "Damn man, you sure know this place a lot.". So we walked over to the escalator near Debenham's and through the rotating door leading into Rustan's. Their seems to be an aweful lot of blood on those door handles.Inside Rustan's, there are signs of looting as well. Some of the lights are destroyed while others are flickering. Things are definitely not looking good.
We ambled over to the kitchen area and started looting for weapons. Wilbert went to the nearby Curtain section to get some curtain poles. Using the nearby stash of electric tapes, the knives were tied to the poles to create make-shift spears for the three of them. The knife boards got taped to our left arms as impromptu shields like the magazine vambrace that Brad Pitt used in World War Z. I opted for a cleaver instead. There's something comforting about the solid weight of it in my hand.
Everyone takes spare knives just in case and puts it in their backpacks.
With all that hustle and bustle, we didn't notice one of the store clerks approach us. He seems to be part of a larger group that's hanging back for now. "What's happening here?" he asks wearily? "Don't mind us." says Wilbert as he's strapping the board to his arm. "I'm sorry sir but that'shop lifting. We don't want any trouble from Management.". "Look around!" Jose shouts "It's all going to hell man. What's a few more missing items? Here, you can have my credit card if that makes you feel any better. The clerk seemed not so sure but he takes Jose for his work and goes back to his fellows to talk about the card in his hands.
While they're distracted, the group hurriedly goes down the escalator to the third floor.
Down at the third floor we can see the devestation outside through the open windows near the escalator. There seems to be more fires nearby and people are running everywhere. You can hear the sound of several helicopters as they pass by. "Shit, I'm gonna need a yellow short" said Jose. I asked why. "This could be a freaking coup for all we know!". "But what if we encounter the rebels?" says JM. "Then we can rip the shirts in front of them." Jose counters.
And so the group decided to roam the 3rd floor which happens to be the clothing section of the store. As we're moving, something grabs Wilbert's right leg with both hands. Wil panics and lashes out kicks it in the head. As we back away quickly, we hear the sound of a kid crying.
Jose quickly rushes forward to comfort the kid who has now suffered a broken nose. He was able to quiet the kid down eventually just as we hear this peculiar sound seems to be getting louder. It's the droning sound that you would hear in the background if there we're a lot of people around you.
Everyone notices this and keeps quite for a while. Waiting for what happens next. For what seemed like an eternity, the sound slowlyrecedes as if it was moving further and further away.
"So, what do we do now?" I whispered. "There should be a security office at the basement of the store and a small armory over at the Hotel Intercon" Jose said calmly. "And just how the hell would you know all that??" Wilbert hurriedly replied. Jose gives a cocky smile and utters "You don't wanna know man.". I roll my eyes behind everyones backs as we started descending to the basement from the third floor.
As we're stepping away from the basement escalator, we hear three shots fired coming from the security office. Jose quickly decides to put the yellow shirt he found earlier on top of his spear as a
parley flag and shouts "Don't shoot! We're not hostile".
"Then who the hell are you?" shouted the armed man.
"We're just trying to get to the security office."
"Yeah, like every looter I've had to shoot the whole goddamn night."
"We're not looters, we're just trying to find a safe haven sir."
"Yeah, well that ain't gonna happen son."
"How about my car for safe passage?"
"You shittin me boy?"
"No sir." (Shows him arm and dangles his keychain)
"Hand it over to me slowly..."
"I'm coming out. Don't shoot." (Jose removes the actual car key and hides it in his pocket)
"w\Which one is you're car?"
"It's on the other side, which is why we wanted safe passage. Here's the remote for it since it's automatic."
"This sounds too good to be true. You pulling a fast one on me son??"
"No sir, we'd rather just take our chances elsewhere than get shot here."
"Hmp. Okay. Tell your companions to get out and we'll go together to the car."
"Okay guys, let's go. It's cool."
"You pretty boy. (point at Wilbert) You got the flashlight. You start. (points the gun at Wilbert)
"Don't you want to come with us? There's strength in numbers." says Wilbert.
"Mind your own business."
"..."
And so the group walked toward where Jose's "car" would be parked, which just happened to be at the other end near the escalator to Hotel Intercon, alleged by Jose. As the group passes by one of the support pillars, an attacker lunges for Wilbert. He instinctively strikes his right elbow backward and the attacker gets entangled with the armed guard (whom we always referred to as Manong afterwards), and a wresting match ensued. In the heat of the moment, Wilbert uses his spear to stab the attacker in the leg, figuring that it was a big and safe target for disabling him. He manages to stab the attacker who was startled that he had to back away immediately. But not before the was able to bite Manong in the neck.
"The fuck man?" said the attacker, whom we'll now call Ben, over his bloody mouth.
"The fuck's wrong with you asshole??" shouted Wilbert.
"Just wanted the goddamn gun. Jeesuz I'm bleedin..." (puts his hands over his leg)
"I'll help you cover it up, but you gotta help us man." said Jose.
"You crazy? That guy bit Manong!" shouted JM.
"we need all the help we can get guys..." pleaded Jose.
A loud bang silences everyone mid-sentence.
Everyone looked at the source of the sound. Manong could be seen with his smoking pistol pointed over at Ben who now had a bullet hole in his forehead. "That's for my partner you bastards." he muttered. This was the first time we've seen cold blooded murder done first hand. It's one thing to hurt someone and a whole 'nother universe to watch the light go out of their eyes.
"Damn, he's bleeding" muttered Jose, after a long silence, as he tears a piece of his shirt to bandage for the wound in Manong's neck. He ties the bandage around the neck. He knots t for good measure which surprised Manong. He accidentally discharges his pistol once again.
"You have no idea what you're doing eh?" I said to which Jose replied "At least I'm doing something!".
"He won't survive long with a wound like that..."
"I know, we gotta find a first aid kit. Or better yet, a hospital."
"There's... there's a kit in the.. office." mumbled Manong.
"We need the keys to the security office then. You gotta trust us on this one."
"Like, I gotta choice. Here.... take it."
"Who's going back with me?" said Jose.
"I will, volunteered Wilbert".
"Ok, we'll stay here and guard Manong and the kid (whom we later found out was called Jae)." said JM. I nodded.
While Jose and Wilbert we're going back, JM and I decided to move Manong to the nearest support pillar for cover. As we're moving Manong, he started aiming his gun behind us to which I muttered "wha?" before 3 louds bangs explode in my only working ear. Tenitis here we go. I back away and looked at what he was firing at.
It was the first walkers we've met and there's three of them. They seem to have been attracted by the all the noise. They we're not pretty look at. Ghastly wounds and pale skin,d that ghastly smell of rotting meat and sulfur.They just wouldn't stop coming despite Manong unloading his clip into them. I was too stunned to tell him to aim for the head. He could have been aiming for all I know but the blood loss isn't really helping. I panic and started running backwards til I saw Jay, I crawled over to him to try and steady myself.
It looked like I was defending him but it took everything I had just to stand up straight. JM goes on the offensive and he seems remarkably comfortable with the weapon. Stabbing the first
two zombies through the eyes to damage the brain. Hell he even manages to swirl the damn thing around while pierced just to ensure that nothing would be left intact. He later remarked that training in fencing and arnis seemed to have come in handy after all this time.
Cut into Jose and Wilbert as they approach the security office.
They we're able to open the door without any fuzz. The office has already been ransacked but they found a first aid kit in one of the debris, 4 flashlights, 4 nightsticks and a hand-held radio with no batteries. As they go around, two zombies suddenly blocked their way. They seem to be ones Manong shot earlier.
Jose immediately closes the door but leaves it ajar intentionally so Wilbert could thrust his spear through the gap. Jose grunts as a pushing match with the two zombies ensue. Not knowing how long before Jose can hold, Wilbert tries his best to stab a head which he does just in time before Jose gives out. Jose intentionally backs away and the last zombies stumbles forward. Will steps on the zombie's back to steady it while jose uses his knife to stab the zombie at the back of the head. Bodies pumping full of adrenaline, they take a few minutes to recover and run back towards the others.
Back into our little drama.
JM manages to stab the last zombie through the ear but not before Manong got several more bites. JM and Wilbert return with the medical kit but it's too late. There's no way could survive with that many bite wounds. I turn Jae around as Jose covers Manong's face with a hankerchief. He takes Manong's service pistol, point it beside his head, utters a silent prayer and pulls the trigger. At this point, we we're all just standing silent.
Until.Until we heard the sound of wet meat hitting the pavement. It was bodies. Dozens of them. Falling from the first floor railing and sliding down the escalator. The horde is coming.
It's 500 meters to the Hotel Intercon escalator. Rule number one: Cardio. Shit.
We haul ass out of there, I even had to drag Jae to urge him forward. The poor kid's catatonic. His young mind can't handle that much shit in such a short amount of time. The hoard's 50 meters behind us.
My legs get entangled with the kid's. Jose trips. JM almost got grabbed but he loses balance. Wilbert had to run back and help us. 35 meters.
The combined moaning of the hoard wakes the other lurkers in the parking lot. The flickering lights start playing with our minds. They seem to be multiplying everytime the lights go back on. We reach the escalator but there's three zombies there. Jose runs forward and lures them out while the rest edge around and run across the glass doors.
20 meters.
Jose barely makes it back as Wilbert and JM close the metal railings shut with a loud clang. That should hold them for a while.
We silently ascend the escalator. Lo and behold, the gorgeous Hotel Intercon lobby. Fully furnished but slightly damaged, zombies included. There was 10 of them just roaming around. We sneaked past them one by one until we reached the back offices behind the front desk. We open the closest door, its pitch dark. Jose opens his flashlight but covers the top part with his hand to focus the light. Clever. It seems to be a cubicle farm. Could be for Sales or Reservations. As we slowly check each cubicle.
We hear sounds of crying. Shit. Don't tell me there's a Witch?
Wilbert throws one of the D20s from his bag. Little buggers always seem to make a lot of racket somehow.
The crying stops. "Who's there?" said a lovely voice.
"It's ok miss, we won't hurt you." said Jose.
"She sounds hot." I mmuttered.
"Did someone say rape?" someone else whispered.
"Wha-- No!"
"DID SOMEONE SAY RAPE?!" shouted the lovely voice.
"No one's raping anyone." said Wilbert sternly. He approaches the the lady and upon seeing his face, he seemed to have calmed down.
"What's you're name miss?"
"... Maja"
"The actress??"
"... No."
Introductions we're made. She seemed to have hidden in different spots during riot and miraculously got away unscathed. She told us she fell asleep a couple of times while hiding so she doesn't know everything. We could tell she was being real cagey about her story. Frankly, she was too pretty and we were all just a bunch of nerds so let it slide.
For now. We cut the chit-chat and ask her about the hotel's security office. She remembers that there we're a lot of people there around the time of the riots. We figured that the place got looted again like the last one. We ask what else is out there. She mentions the women's locker room and the kitchen.
Jose suggests that someone that pretty could be a liability later on and a quick visit to the locker room is in order. We agree. That short skirt isn't helping us focus on where we need to. We go back out and stop near the locker room door. JM and Wilbert volunteered to check it out while the rest wait outside in the corridor.
Room's pitch black. Again. Will throws his D20. Makes a hell of a racket. Again. No further sound. They open their flash lights and see that it's a small square room with lockers on the walls. There a body but it's slowly breathing. Real slow. They decide to take it in stride and look for untouched lockers. They found one but they have nothing to open it with. Maja's hairpin pins could have come in handy but she was outside so tough luck. The body in the corner starts convulsing and they haul ass.
"Anything good?" I asked. "Zilch" replied JM. as they hurriedly locked the door. Odd. We hear a moaning sound and Maja recognizes it.
"Carla is that you?"
Moan.
"Are you alright?" More moaning.
"We gotta go Maja." said Jose.
"But my friend is in there!"
"Are you kid... Look it's too late. She's a goner".
"What do you mean?"
"Zombie." said Wilbert as he pushes forward.
"You guys are kidding right?"
"Darling, How I wish we were."
Carla seems to be making quite the racket inside. The lobby zombies seem to want in on the action. The basement horde doesn't want to be left out either, after going to the trouble with the door below. We see them slowly creeping towards us.
Jose takes out tablet. Cocks it with "You only live once" in the music player before throwing it into the middle of the horde. The horde faces inward as it follows the streaming sound and strobing sound of Joses's tablet. One of the buggers steps on it by accident. The crowd starts facing towards us again. But the tablet did it's job. We started barricading the only door into the kitchen with whatever we could find.
But it's not enough to hold the combined strength of that many moving bodies. The onyl safe spot is the freezer room. A giant safe full of thawing meat inside.
With no time to think, we go inside the freezer and lock ourselves in. In the middle of all that meat. Some of which are starting to smell funky. Not the most comforting of omens.
Shit.
End of The World: Zombie Apocalypse
Survivor's Diary Day 1:
I am writing this since... I guess it serves as a distraction to pass the nights where anyone can't sleep because of all the screaming. And those. Those are the good nights.
I don't know if we should have seen it coming. Because of the SAF 44 debacle and how it was mishandled further, there was a lot of clamor for the President's resignation. Hell, even the police went through with their mass leave as a show of protest. Around the time, petty crime has been on the rise and we've heard of riots and fires on heavily populated squatters'sareas on the fringes of the metropolis.
It started on a Thursday night, February 5, 2015. I'll never forget that day. It should have been any other Thursday except with traffic literally at a stand-still.There seemed to be a lot of road accidents lately. The MMDA might have taken a mass leave too for all I know. So that left me, Jose, Wilbert and JM closing shop at BnB since we're hungry and we've heard the malls are still open.We walked over to Glorietta since I was hankering for some Manam Express meals. As we're walking to the G4 foodcourt, we heard an announcement over the PA system:
"To our patrons, we are pleased to announce that Ayala Malls will not close for tonight until the grid-lock traffic affecting the metro has been resolved. We've talked with our vendors and they have agreed to keep their establishments open in the mean time to serve you're shopping needs. Ayala Malls, because you deserve more!"
"Wow, that's new." said Jose, " I don't think they've ever done that before.". Wilbert nods and just looks away. The traffic has been pretty bad on the way so he was still fuming over it.
As we near ascend the elevator near Jollibee in the 2nd floor, we heard a new announcement:
"The Ayala Malls management is pleased to announce that we've coordinated with our fastfood partners and everyone is now entitled to a free meal on us! We're going to setup a distribution centers at various parts of the mall. Kindly follow our security personnel as they organize the food lines. Thank you and have a great night!"
"Look, the guards are setting up in front of Itallianis!" shouted JM. "Screw Manam then, nothing beats free food." I quickly blurted out. And so the four of us quickly ran to the other escalator to go down and be one of the first persons in line to get the free grub. Afterwards, we started walking around the mall and noticed that the cinema is doing re-runs tonight. Everyone agreed that World War Z deserved a second viewing. As we're watching the film, I noticed that the sound effects are crisper than I remembered. I mentioned this outload and JR remarks "Damn, must be Dolby Digital!". And so the movie ended after a couple of hours. We left cinema with the other movie goers and as we went our the Cinema 7 doors, we noticed that the whole floor was eerily silent. It looked like the place was looted but there hardly seemed to be anyone else but those who watched the movie.
"I've seen enough B-rated movies to know where this is going." mutters JM as he hefts one the velvet rope stands nearby. Wilbert and I took out our respective Swiss Army knifes while Jose tenses his body for anything that could happen. As we passed by Wendy's, Jose suggested that we could use some of the knives in the kitchen as additional weapons. As we go near the counter where food was everywhere. We see a dak silhoutte slowly stand up at the farthest corner.
Deciding that discretion is needed for now, the group slowly backs away from the counter.
"We should go to the 4th floor of Rustan's through Debenham's. That their kitchen section." opined Jose. I replied with "Damn man, you sure know this place a lot.". So we walked over to the escalator near Debenham's and through the rotating door leading into Rustan's. Their seems to be an aweful lot of blood on those door handles.Inside Rustan's, there are signs of looting as well. Some of the lights are destroyed while others are flickering. Things are definitely not looking good.
We ambled over to the kitchen area and started looting for weapons. Wilbert went to the nearby Curtain section to get some curtain poles. Using the nearby stash of electric tapes, the knives were tied to the poles to create make-shift spears for the three of them. The knife boards got taped to our left arms as impromptu shields like the magazine vambrace that Brad Pitt used in World War Z. I opted for a cleaver instead. There's something comforting about the solid weight of it in my hand.
Everyone takes spare knives just in case and puts it in their backpacks.
With all that hustle and bustle, we didn't notice one of the store clerks approach us. He seems to be part of a larger group that's hanging back for now. "What's happening here?" he asks wearily? "Don't mind us." says Wilbert as he's strapping the board to his arm. "I'm sorry sir but that'shop lifting. We don't want any trouble from Management.". "Look around!" Jose shouts "It's all going to hell man. What's a few more missing items? Here, you can have my credit card if that makes you feel any better. The clerk seemed not so sure but he takes Jose for his work and goes back to his fellows to talk about the card in his hands.
While they're distracted, the group hurriedly goes down the escalator to the third floor.
Down at the third floor we can see the devestation outside through the open windows near the escalator. There seems to be more fires nearby and people are running everywhere. You can hear the sound of several helicopters as they pass by. "Shit, I'm gonna need a yellow short" said Jose. I asked why. "This could be a freaking coup for all we know!". "But what if we encounter the rebels?" says JM. "Then we can rip the shirts in front of them." Jose counters.
And so the group decided to roam the 3rd floor which happens to be the clothing section of the store. As we're moving, something grabs Wilbert's right leg with both hands. Wil panics and lashes out kicks it in the head. As we back away quickly, we hear the sound of a kid crying.
Jose quickly rushes forward to comfort the kid who has now suffered a broken nose. He was able to quiet the kid down eventually just as we hear this peculiar sound seems to be getting louder. It's the droning sound that you would hear in the background if there we're a lot of people around you.
Everyone notices this and keeps quite for a while. Waiting for what happens next. For what seemed like an eternity, the sound slowlyrecedes as if it was moving further and further away.
"So, what do we do now?" I whispered. "There should be a security office at the basement of the store and a small armory over at the Hotel Intercon" Jose said calmly. "And just how the hell would you know all that??" Wilbert hurriedly replied. Jose gives a cocky smile and utters "You don't wanna know man.". I roll my eyes behind everyones backs as we started descending to the basement from the third floor.
As we're stepping away from the basement escalator, we hear three shots fired coming from the security office. Jose quickly decides to put the yellow shirt he found earlier on top of his spear as a
parley flag and shouts "Don't shoot! We're not hostile".
"Then who the hell are you?" shouted the armed man.
"We're just trying to get to the security office."
"Yeah, like every looter I've had to shoot the whole goddamn night."
"We're not looters, we're just trying to find a safe haven sir."
"Yeah, well that ain't gonna happen son."
"How about my car for safe passage?"
"You shittin me boy?"
"No sir." (Shows him arm and dangles his keychain)
"Hand it over to me slowly..."
"I'm coming out. Don't shoot." (Jose removes the actual car key and hides it in his pocket)
"w\Which one is you're car?"
"It's on the other side, which is why we wanted safe passage. Here's the remote for it since it's automatic."
"This sounds too good to be true. You pulling a fast one on me son??"
"No sir, we'd rather just take our chances elsewhere than get shot here."
"Hmp. Okay. Tell your companions to get out and we'll go together to the car."
"Okay guys, let's go. It's cool."
"You pretty boy. (point at Wilbert) You got the flashlight. You start. (points the gun at Wilbert)
"Don't you want to come with us? There's strength in numbers." says Wilbert.
"Mind your own business."
"..."
And so the group walked toward where Jose's "car" would be parked, which just happened to be at the other end near the escalator to Hotel Intercon, alleged by Jose. As the group passes by one of the support pillars, an attacker lunges for Wilbert. He instinctively strikes his right elbow backward and the attacker gets entangled with the armed guard (whom we always referred to as Manong afterwards), and a wresting match ensued. In the heat of the moment, Wilbert uses his spear to stab the attacker in the leg, figuring that it was a big and safe target for disabling him. He manages to stab the attacker who was startled that he had to back away immediately. But not before the was able to bite Manong in the neck.
"The fuck man?" said the attacker, whom we'll now call Ben, over his bloody mouth.
"The fuck's wrong with you asshole??" shouted Wilbert.
"Just wanted the goddamn gun. Jeesuz I'm bleedin..." (puts his hands over his leg)
"I'll help you cover it up, but you gotta help us man." said Jose.
"You crazy? That guy bit Manong!" shouted JM.
"we need all the help we can get guys..." pleaded Jose.
A loud bang silences everyone mid-sentence.
Everyone looked at the source of the sound. Manong could be seen with his smoking pistol pointed over at Ben who now had a bullet hole in his forehead. "That's for my partner you bastards." he muttered. This was the first time we've seen cold blooded murder done first hand. It's one thing to hurt someone and a whole 'nother universe to watch the light go out of their eyes.
"Damn, he's bleeding" muttered Jose, after a long silence, as he tears a piece of his shirt to bandage for the wound in Manong's neck. He ties the bandage around the neck. He knots t for good measure which surprised Manong. He accidentally discharges his pistol once again.
"You have no idea what you're doing eh?" I said to which Jose replied "At least I'm doing something!".
"He won't survive long with a wound like that..."
"I know, we gotta find a first aid kit. Or better yet, a hospital."
"There's... there's a kit in the.. office." mumbled Manong.
"We need the keys to the security office then. You gotta trust us on this one."
"Like, I gotta choice. Here.... take it."
"Who's going back with me?" said Jose.
"I will, volunteered Wilbert".
"Ok, we'll stay here and guard Manong and the kid (whom we later found out was called Jae)." said JM. I nodded.
While Jose and Wilbert we're going back, JM and I decided to move Manong to the nearest support pillar for cover. As we're moving Manong, he started aiming his gun behind us to which I muttered "wha?" before 3 louds bangs explode in my only working ear. Tenitis here we go. I back away and looked at what he was firing at.
It was the first walkers we've met and there's three of them. They seem to have been attracted by the all the noise. They we're not pretty look at. Ghastly wounds and pale skin,d that ghastly smell of rotting meat and sulfur.They just wouldn't stop coming despite Manong unloading his clip into them. I was too stunned to tell him to aim for the head. He could have been aiming for all I know but the blood loss isn't really helping. I panic and started running backwards til I saw Jay, I crawled over to him to try and steady myself.
It looked like I was defending him but it took everything I had just to stand up straight. JM goes on the offensive and he seems remarkably comfortable with the weapon. Stabbing the first
two zombies through the eyes to damage the brain. Hell he even manages to swirl the damn thing around while pierced just to ensure that nothing would be left intact. He later remarked that training in fencing and arnis seemed to have come in handy after all this time.
Cut into Jose and Wilbert as they approach the security office.
They we're able to open the door without any fuzz. The office has already been ransacked but they found a first aid kit in one of the debris, 4 flashlights, 4 nightsticks and a hand-held radio with no batteries. As they go around, two zombies suddenly blocked their way. They seem to be ones Manong shot earlier.
Jose immediately closes the door but leaves it ajar intentionally so Wilbert could thrust his spear through the gap. Jose grunts as a pushing match with the two zombies ensue. Not knowing how long before Jose can hold, Wilbert tries his best to stab a head which he does just in time before Jose gives out. Jose intentionally backs away and the last zombies stumbles forward. Will steps on the zombie's back to steady it while jose uses his knife to stab the zombie at the back of the head. Bodies pumping full of adrenaline, they take a few minutes to recover and run back towards the others.
Back into our little drama.
JM manages to stab the last zombie through the ear but not before Manong got several more bites. JM and Wilbert return with the medical kit but it's too late. There's no way could survive with that many bite wounds. I turn Jae around as Jose covers Manong's face with a hankerchief. He takes Manong's service pistol, point it beside his head, utters a silent prayer and pulls the trigger. At this point, we we're all just standing silent.
Until.Until we heard the sound of wet meat hitting the pavement. It was bodies. Dozens of them. Falling from the first floor railing and sliding down the escalator. The horde is coming.
It's 500 meters to the Hotel Intercon escalator. Rule number one: Cardio. Shit.
We haul ass out of there, I even had to drag Jae to urge him forward. The poor kid's catatonic. His young mind can't handle that much shit in such a short amount of time. The hoard's 50 meters behind us.
My legs get entangled with the kid's. Jose trips. JM almost got grabbed but he loses balance. Wilbert had to run back and help us. 35 meters.
The combined moaning of the hoard wakes the other lurkers in the parking lot. The flickering lights start playing with our minds. They seem to be multiplying everytime the lights go back on. We reach the escalator but there's three zombies there. Jose runs forward and lures them out while the rest edge around and run across the glass doors.
20 meters.
Jose barely makes it back as Wilbert and JM close the metal railings shut with a loud clang. That should hold them for a while.
We silently ascend the escalator. Lo and behold, the gorgeous Hotel Intercon lobby. Fully furnished but slightly damaged, zombies included. There was 10 of them just roaming around. We sneaked past them one by one until we reached the back offices behind the front desk. We open the closest door, its pitch dark. Jose opens his flashlight but covers the top part with his hand to focus the light. Clever. It seems to be a cubicle farm. Could be for Sales or Reservations. As we slowly check each cubicle.
We hear sounds of crying. Shit. Don't tell me there's a Witch?
Wilbert throws one of the D20s from his bag. Little buggers always seem to make a lot of racket somehow.
The crying stops. "Who's there?" said a lovely voice.
"It's ok miss, we won't hurt you." said Jose.
"She sounds hot." I mmuttered.
"Did someone say rape?" someone else whispered.
"Wha-- No!"
"DID SOMEONE SAY RAPE?!" shouted the lovely voice.
"No one's raping anyone." said Wilbert sternly. He approaches the the lady and upon seeing his face, he seemed to have calmed down.
"What's you're name miss?"
"... Maja"
"The actress??"
"... No."
Introductions we're made. She seemed to have hidden in different spots during riot and miraculously got away unscathed. She told us she fell asleep a couple of times while hiding so she doesn't know everything. We could tell she was being real cagey about her story. Frankly, she was too pretty and we were all just a bunch of nerds so let it slide.
For now. We cut the chit-chat and ask her about the hotel's security office. She remembers that there we're a lot of people there around the time of the riots. We figured that the place got looted again like the last one. We ask what else is out there. She mentions the women's locker room and the kitchen.
Jose suggests that someone that pretty could be a liability later on and a quick visit to the locker room is in order. We agree. That short skirt isn't helping us focus on where we need to. We go back out and stop near the locker room door. JM and Wilbert volunteered to check it out while the rest wait outside in the corridor.
Room's pitch black. Again. Will throws his D20. Makes a hell of a racket. Again. No further sound. They open their flash lights and see that it's a small square room with lockers on the walls. There a body but it's slowly breathing. Real slow. They decide to take it in stride and look for untouched lockers. They found one but they have nothing to open it with. Maja's hairpin pins could have come in handy but she was outside so tough luck. The body in the corner starts convulsing and they haul ass.
"Anything good?" I asked. "Zilch" replied JM. as they hurriedly locked the door. Odd. We hear a moaning sound and Maja recognizes it.
"Carla is that you?"
Moan.
"Are you alright?" More moaning.
"We gotta go Maja." said Jose.
"But my friend is in there!"
"Are you kid... Look it's too late. She's a goner".
"What do you mean?"
"Zombie." said Wilbert as he pushes forward.
"You guys are kidding right?"
"Darling, How I wish we were."
Carla seems to be making quite the racket inside. The lobby zombies seem to want in on the action. The basement horde doesn't want to be left out either, after going to the trouble with the door below. We see them slowly creeping towards us.
Jose takes out tablet. Cocks it with "You only live once" in the music player before throwing it into the middle of the horde. The horde faces inward as it follows the streaming sound and strobing sound of Joses's tablet. One of the buggers steps on it by accident. The crowd starts facing towards us again. But the tablet did it's job. We started barricading the only door into the kitchen with whatever we could find.
But it's not enough to hold the combined strength of that many moving bodies. The onyl safe spot is the freezer room. A giant safe full of thawing meat inside.
With no time to think, we go inside the freezer and lock ourselves in. In the middle of all that meat. Some of which are starting to smell funky. Not the most comforting of omens.
Shit.
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