Day 9c

(*Static. Running footsteps, more static. Footsteps crunching on dirt and then on something solid, more static. Gun cocking loudly, two shotgun blasts, heavy breathing.*)

Okay, this isn't working. Even with the handpiece just in my shirt pocket, I can hear it cutting out, or getting this weird feedback. I think it may be affected by my combat rush, adrenaline, heartbeat...or maybe the damned thing's just on the fritz. I'll just have to fiddle with it.

So, I'm just inside that door I saw earlier. It hasn't been all that difficult getting here, which is rather surprising. I had to kill two more Fallen as I came in the door. I'd pulled out the shotgun, just in case something happened. I started down the stairs, they were coming up and out. One barrel into one, other barrel into the second one, and they both went tumbling down the stairs. I think I spotted another one or two as I ran to find someplace to hide and reload, regroup. Either this is the nest, or they've just found something tasty that brings 'em back. If this isn't the nest, I don't know if I brought enough ammo. That's what, ten I've brought down so far?

Damn.

Okay. Going to just let this keep running, static and all. It's either going to end on me being victorious, or me being ripped apart and probably screaming a lot.

(*Shotgun cocking, slow footsteps. Pause, silence. Footsteps.*)

Hmm. This place is actually pretty big. Like it might've been meant to connect the houses at some point. It's not all well done, so it might've been done after the Cataclysm. Got two doors here, one left, one right. Let's try....THIS ONE!

(*Hard, solid thump.*)

Ah, fuck! My foooot...! Locked, barricaded, something...! Dammit!

(*Thud of body falling to ground. Static. Muffled snarls, hisses. Recording cuts off.*)

Day 9b

(*Hushed, quiet voice, sounds of movement*)

So, I decided to try to record some as I go through this. If I die, and you're listening to this, you'll know where the nest is, how many's in there, so forth.

Hopefully.

Been going through here for about an hour now. Not counting the time it took me to creep from town to these houses. Sky's been pretty clear, only a couple of clouds. Means more light for me to see by, but also more light for them to see me. Found the houses, there's about five or six of them in any worthwhile condition, all in a line. So far, killed seven of the Fallen. If that's all that's here, great. On the other hand, if that's just what's out hunting while the rest of the nest is resting...not so great. I've managed to keep them from realizing I'm here, I think. Got three of them with a bullet through the head while crouched behind walls, the others I snuck up on and used Disc. Wasn't easy, but I don't want them all to hear tasty snack out here and come rushing at once.

Brain's going a mile a minute, trying to focus on everything at once and make new battle plans with each step. Luckily, I'm kinda used to it, so I'm not shaking too much, breathing's still quiet and controlled. I think I spotted the nest. Saw two of 'em shambling through a door, one of the ones I killed came out of the same one. I'm about fifty feet away, now, watching it.

Right now, the plan is: Sneak to the door, hope another one doesn't come out while I'm exposed. Once there, hug the walls while I make my way in. Disc in my good right hand, so I can kill quick and quiet, shotgun held by the barrel in my left hand so I can quickly grab in on the trigger and fire if it all goes to shit. If I find them all gathered in close, I toss in a couple grenades, and then I back away a bit with the shotgun in case any survive the blast. If I don't find any in there, I wonder where the hell they went, and I keep looking.

(*sound of deep breath, drawn in and held*)

Okay, here goes...

Day 9

Well, technically anyway. Its just an hour or so past midnight, and I'm getting ready to head out to that Fallen nest. Fallen don't really have any kind of sleep pattern, for me to try to catch them napping. No, I'm sneaking there at night in the hopes that I can take out as many as possible before they can see me in the dark. Ideally, I can either get to a doorway unspotted and just chuck in a grenade or two, or they'll be spread out enough in the dark to take one at a time.

Bad part is...there's several houses out there. A few still have at least a partial second story intact, and chances are pretty good that every damned one has a basement. All I know is that the nest is in there, somewhere. So, not only do I have to kill the Fallen, I have to find them. I also have to be careful that none of them stumble across me unawares while I'm scouting. And I have to be thorough, make sure I get all of them. Otherwise, I tell folks that job's done, area's safe and clear, and someone gets killed by a straggler. 

Which is less than ideal.

Traded Max one of my guns, plus ammo for it. Got a few grenades, and he talked their blacksmith into cutting off a length of the shotgun's barrels. I'm leaving the rest of my stuff inside the house they're letting me use. Max assured me that he and the Guard will keep my stuff safe. I also rigged a couple surprises of my own, nothing personal against the guy. Nothing lethal, just a snare and a little something that'd be a little more humiliating than anything else.

So, I am heading out to try to find and then cleanse a whole nest of Fallen, full number undetermined, exact location unknown. I have my trusty rifle for long-distance work, grenades if I can catch them in a group, shotgun for close-up, and pistol as backup. And of course, if all else fails, I have Disc. If things get that bad, though, I might have to just cut and run, try again tomorrow night.

Day 8

Definitely some work available to me, here. More than one person needs something done, and my special skills to do it. They're not rich here, or anything, but they can keep me fed and housed while I work, and I can get a few other things to help me out during my travels.

There's a small security force here, just called the Guard. Just three guys, two women. It's led by a Captain, a guy named Max Thorpe, bringing the total to a whopping six people keeping an eye out and protecting the town. But Max is the main one pushing me to help out, and he's the one that said as long as I'm helping out, I get a small place to myself, and they'll keep me fed. He took me on a tour of the town yesterday afternoon. Made sure to point out a few people that have things that need doing, easy access in and out of town besides the main gate, and so on. Also made sure every Guard knows me by sight. That way, they know I'm safe to let in, and they know who to hunt down if I stab 'em in the back. Can't fault him for that.

He himself has a job he wants taken care of ASAP. About a hundred yards or so away from the main gate is an old, paved road. Pre-Cataclysm. Just on the other side of that are the ruins of several old houses. Remember when I talked about how some Dyers eventually just lose the parts of their mind that makes them human, and just become predatory. Well, we refer to those poor souls as Fallen, and it seems there's a big nest of them moved into those houses. The Guard can drive them off if they try to come into the town, but they're not really hunters or trained like I am. The nest is a danger to anyone traveling to or from town, just passing by, out gathering, or whatever. And if there's enough in the nest to rush the town, they might manage to get past the Guard.

Usually, I've got nothing against Dyers. I even count a few as good friends. But Fallen stopped being human, except barely in appearance. Max wants the nest cleared out, and I have to agree. Killing all of them'll make the area safer, and its a mercy to those poor Fallen.

Day 7

Oh, I feel much better now. Got to town yesterday afternoon. Completely exhausted and worn out, hadn't stopped moving all day, ate while walking when I got hungry. Not really good for me, but...well, I'm stubborn that way. Place is Fest Town. Used to be the site of some big festival before the Cataclysm. Lots of signs still around, but nothing intact enough to read the whole thing. A “Ren” here, “ance Fest” there. Pictures of some guys on horseback, or jugglers. Lots of colors, though they're faded by this point. Place looks like it might've had a forest around it once; there's a scraggly collection of what passes for trees now, spread all around. Enough so that it's hard to approach in a straight line, any big group trying to attack would get all bunched up and diverted. Even had a set of walls, though they had to repair some parts, replace or reinforce others. All in all, a good defensive spot.

Weirdest part is, place looks like a castle in parts. Like, from an old children's book, gates with giant, wooden doors in front, shields hanging from the walls. A castle. I don't know what, or why. I shrugged when I saw it...well, after I spent a few minutes being confused. But, they opened the doors and let me in. Lights aren't a problem for them, they found thousands of candles in one of the little buildings, food in another. There was even armor and weapons in a couple of the others, mostly knives and swords, couple of bows and crossbows. They loved the weapons I brought, and the food and tools. I got some ammo, and some old meds they could spare. Got a hot meal, a shave.

Best of all, I got a hot bath, and someone to share my bed with afterward. Turns out there's a stream running right through the center of town. They can get some firewood from the trees nearby, easy to heat the water. It was wonderful. And the girl's name was Jennifer. Very pretty, brunette, no bald patches, only one scar. Great cleavage, and she loved showing it off.

I might see about staying here a few days, rest up, see if there's any work for me. Plus, I just want to get a look at this place. I've spoken to a couple of people, including at length with Jennifer while we laid in bed together after. Looks like this place got cobbled together about six or seven years ago. Couple of people wandering just kind of stumbled across it after seeing one of the towers sticking up just on the horizon. So they wandered in, did what they could to clear it out. They started to rebuild it, starting with the walls, while going out and trading with others. Trade brought more people looking to live here. Its not a bastion of the civilization that was, but its a nice town, somewhere other people could look forward to finding.