.:`When the Flame Goes Out`:. {{The New Age of Earth Begins...}} LSU's Accepted!

[Asilynne]

A Crystal Asi Production

What is time but a man-made condition?
What is life but a spent munition?
What is the world but a candle flame?
When it goes out who is to blame?

The Sacred Tree of the Mayans signifies creation. It is said that when it appeared in the sky the Creator made the human race, beginning the First Age of Man. The Sacred Tree is also the entrance to the underworld, however. A person's entrance into life, as well as death, for the two are two sides of the same coin.

They say when it appears in the sky it will bring about a new Age. Some say this Age will be the end of all life as we know it, and also, the end of the world. Others say this Age will be the awakening of a new form of human consciousness, that in our current state we are still just "proto-humans", and when the Sacred Tree comes around again we as a people will finally emerge into our "true selves".

But much is still unknown about what, if anything will happen on this day. The last emergence of the Sacred Tree in the heavens was nearly 26,000 years ago, and any records of the occurrences, if any, have been lost to time. But according to the Mayans, the race of people who studied the stars and discovered the "Sacred Tree", it will return to the sky on the Long Count day of 13.0.0.0.0.

That date in the modern calendar is Dec 21, 2012.


You live in a small, typical American suburban neighborhood. There is nothing too special about it, you have your neighbors, their pets, some you like while some you barely tolerate. But all in all, you get along well. Everything is quite peaceful. Maybe your biggest problem is the teenagers next door leaving their cans in your yard, or the neighbor’s dog keeping you up at night.

You may have heard about a couple of your neighbors having a party, or you might not know them well enough to care, but either way, the news is all abuzz about what date is coming up. Every 26,000 years, the Sun will align with the Center of the Milky Way Galaxy, blocking it from our view. Not only from our view though, but also blocking the radiation and radio waves that bombarded Earth from this center.

This extremely rare event happens to occur in our lifetimes, and knowing some of the people in your town it doesn’t really surprise you that they would find any reason to have a party. Maybe you attend, maybe not. Maybe you are over someone else’s house in a different neighborhood, or maybe you were still at work. Maybe you’re the skeptical kind of person that has heard it all and doesn’t believe in prophecies, maybe you are the type to be fanatical about it and are prepared with a cupboard of canned food and a tinfoil hat. Or maybe you are somewhere in between, but no matter what, whether against your will or not, you can’t help but think about it.

And soon it came to the time that the alignment would occur. The clock moved closer to 6:15PM EST, and all the TV and radio channels were talking about it, showing scientist images and facts about what was occurring. Some people were still speculating about the "End of the World" myths, but whether you believed in that or not, you couldn’t help but be a little excited. It felt almost like New Years, the moment of a new beginning. That would prove to be very accurate.

Suddenly in the space of a moment, everything changed. The world seemed to shift---
....a sound roared from overhead, a mechanical screaming...

the sky screams

when steel birds shred it

with their wings

....and as the horrible screeching sound grew louder the world grew dark for you, consciousness slipping from you like a stone into the depths of the ocean. There wasn’t time for thought or speculation, one moment the world was as it should be, and the next…


You were waking up to a world eerily quiet. It was dark, save for a slight glow outside. You don’t know how long you were unconscious, but you feel as though you had a lingering nightmare, one that you can’t quite grasp but yet has left you vaguely unsettled, clinging to you like a film long after waking. You go to your window, or walk outside, or maybe you just sit there for a moment, taking in what could have happened. Maybe it was a bad dream. Maybe that plane which crashed not far from your house was a fluke, a freak accident.

Or maybe the 'crazies' had been right.

~*~*~*~

You aren't quite sure what happened to the world, the only thing you know at this point in time is mostly everyone is gone. You remember falling asleep or being asleep, but however it happened, when you wake up the world feels different. When you go outside to explore, the snow has melted, cars and homes and everything in the neighborhood is abandoned, and while it isn't apparent right away, all the pets are also missing. Depending on the kind of person you are, you may want to take an account of the neighborhood to find out who is still here and who has vanished. But the choice is yours, and it looks like there is no law to stop you from doing just about anything...

. . .The Cast. . .

Brandy Kerr/Asilynne

Ben Kerr/Mystic clown

Sarah Randalph/Kuro Espeon

Dave Blade/Blademaster

Louis Ortiz/Shadow Wolf

Will Thomas/Darkestlight

Robert McCoy/Chobichibi

Jeff Wentz/Jeff

If you didn't list a last name I gave you one, ask me if you want it changed No need to post your char profile in here, since it's linked up there!

~Brandy Kerr~
Life-changing events are not always joyous...
:::6:00PM, Dec 21, 2012:::

I smiled happily as I sat on the couch, sipping my juice like a good girl instead of the alcohol being served to everyone else at the party. I didn't mind, I wasn't a big drinker anyway, and I have a very good reason from abstaining. One hand rested on my baby belly while I talked to family and friends I haven't seen in awhile, laughed at my sister's jokes and commented on her own recent engagement. The lights from the Christmas tree and the light joyous music which drifted around the room helped the already warm and loving atmosphere of the party.

But it wasn't just an early Christmas party, oh no, this was the party of the century. Rather, 260 centuries to be more accurate, since the event this party was celebrating only happened once every 26,000 years. And since I was a giant nerd this meant something to me! We had the news on low so we could see all the speculation about the Mayan thing. I didn't particularly think it was going to be the end of the world or anything, and the fear hype some people gave it was vaguely annoying, but all in all it was amazing we would see this sort of thing in our lifetime.

It became apparent though that my pregnancy was taking its toll on me, I wasn't quite to the point where it could come at any time, but it wasn't too far from that either. Standing up with my sister's help I hugged my husband and told him to come wake me just before 6:15pm, and then I went into our room to take a quick lie down, and maybe a nap. But as I read my book, Mischa purring on my pillow and Miles curled up on the bed next to me, my eyes began to grow heavy, and I drifted off......

:::3:00AM, Dec 22, 2012:::

Suddenly I woke up to a strange silence in the house. It was dark outside save for an odd flickering orange glow. The party seemed to have ended quite awhile ago, and as I reached for my cellphone to look at the time, it didn't register and it showed No Service. That was strange too. "Honey...?" I called out, a rising uncomfortable feeling of wrongness within me. I heard stumbling and a bang which made my heart leap into my chest and caused me to look around for something to defend myself with, before Ben burst into the room. "Brandy!" he called out and hugged me as tight as he could without hurting me.

"Ben what's happened?" I felt scared but I didn't know why. Everything felt so different even if it didn't look that way.

He stroked my hair as he calmed down, having mainly been afraid for my safety. "I'm not sure, everyone's gone in the house except for Lou and Sarah. We aren't sure where the others have gone. Also...." His eyes went to the window as I heard the two others in the house enter the room. "A plane crashed outside. We're lucky it missed the houses but..." Looking into his eyes and the eyes of my friends I knew what he wanted to say. We all seemed to share that feeling.

The world had changed somehow...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First post! Everyone can post their reactions now, and please use the timestamps, even if your character doesn't know what time it is we can keep track of it for timing purposes If anyone else was at the party at our house let me know and I'll add you in, I'm pretty sure Louis and Sarah said they would be coming. Have at it guys

[Mystic_clown]

Benjamin Kerr
---------------------
:::6:10pm, Dec 21, 2012:::

It had been one heck of a party. Though despite all the fun this gathering of friends and family brought, every so often Ben would glance at the clock, wanting to be sure he awoke Brandy on time. He wished that Brandy was still awake so she could enjoy this. He then chuckled, remembering long ago when he would make sure Brandy got enough sleep, whether she liked it or not. Still, a couple more minutes and then he could wake her up. The big event. The end of the world, supposedly.

Finishing his cocktail, which his friends and sister in law effectively forced him to drink (really, you need to force him to drink, but at least they weren't cramming it down his throat), he headed for the bathroom. Man, all those drinks and party food really sneaks up on you. He slipped into the bathroom listening to the sounds of the part going on outside. Once he was done, he'd go wake Brandy up. Wouldn't want her to miss this.

Suddenly, there was a flicker, before the bathroom light suddenly burnt out. And everything went silent.

:::3:00am, Dec 22, 2012:::

Ben wasn't sure how long he had been out for, or what happened, because for some reason, when he came to his senses, he couldn't hear a thing outside. Did everyone go home after he went unconcious? And why would he be unconcious? He wasn't drunk or anything. He was perfectly fine.

He stepped out of the bathroom, finding everything completely deserted. There were glasses and bottles smashed and broken on the floor, like they were suddenly dropped, and every light in the house was out. He glanced up at the clock. it was 3:00am. Man, he had been out for a while. Still, why the hell did everyone leave the place a mess?

"Anyone here?" he called out.

"Right here," came a voice. Ben turned to see Lou pull himself up from behind the couch, rubbing his head and looking quite groggy, like he had just woken up. Sarah then stumbled in from the kitchen, looking equally groggy.

"What's going on?" she murmured, "Where did everyone go?"?

"No idea, but no doubt head's are going to roll when I found out who trashed this place!" Ben growled, looking around. Sarah looked around the place, just as surprised by the mess. Meanwhile, Lou had made his way over to the window. His eyes widened at what he saw.

"Um, guys? You may want to see this."

Ben and Sarah moved over to the window and their jaws dropped. Just outside of the house, was the gigantic wreckage of a plane crash. Right outside! There were even still a little bit of the flames on it, but by the looks of it (and the fact that they didn't hear the crash), it had been there for a while. What happened? When did this happen?

"Honey...?" a voice called out, causing Ben's eyes to widen in horror. Brandy! How the hell could he forget about his wife!? He spun around to dash for the room, stumbling and falling to the floor, before scrambling to his feet once again and charging to the room.

Ben dashed to the bedroom, bursting through the door to find his wife awake and frightened. Before either of them could say anything, he quickly wrapped his arms around her protectively. Thank God she was safe.

"Ben what's happened?" Brandy asked, clearly frightened. Ben stroked her hair, trying to put her at ease. At the moment he was just relieved that his darling wife was alright.

"I'm not sure, everyone's gone in the house except for Lou and Sarah. We aren't sure where the others have gone. Also...." he turned and looked out the window, the twisted wreckage outside clearly visible, "A plane crashed outside. We're lucky it missed the houses but..." All was quiet for a moment, as the two of them glanced over at their friends, who had entered the room. After a few minutes, Ben quietly pulled away, looking his wife straight in the eyes.

"Stay here. Me and Lou will check the wreckage. See if there are any survivors," he said, looking into his wife's eyes, as if to assure her that he would be coming back.
--------------------------------------

Time to scrounge through some plane wreckage. Who's with me?

[Shadow Wolf]

OK, let's see how this goes... *takes a deep breath as he gets ready to post*

Louis Ortiz

::: Dec 21st, 2012, 6:00pm :::

Lou had to admit that Ben and Brandy have made a good party. Not only did they have organization, but they also made him feel comfortable around the party. They offered him alcohol, but with a kind explanation, he denied the offer. They understood his point, since Brandy also had a strong reason to reject alcohol; so they gave him a glass of juice and introduced him to the people at the party. Sure, he would not remember all of their names, but it was good that at least he established a social interaction of sorts with a few of them.

While thinking of this, he finished using the bathroom. As he gets out, he greets Ben and proceeds to watch the news. For some reason, he wanted to know what was going to happen on this day. Almost every person in the world might be wondering what would happen today, so he decided to watch the events being followed on the TV. But as he proceeded to reach the couch, he began to feel a bit dizzy.

He asked himself if he was having hemoglobin problems again, or if he played too much with the computer on this week. But as this words passed through his mind, he felt a commotion between the people at the party. His knees began to weaken, and as the light if his eyes began to disappear, he fell face first into the floor.

::: Dec 22nd, 2012, 3:00am :::

Lou opened his eyes in disorientation. The last thing he remembers is that he felt a bit dizzy. His head was in a bit of pain, and as his eyes were searching for a dim of light, he heard someone…

"Anyone here?" Ben called out.

"Right here!”. Lou pulled himself up from behind the couch, rubbing his head and looking quite groggy, like he had just woken up. Sarah then stumbled in from the kitchen, looking equally groggy.

"What's going on?" she murmured, "Where did everyone go?"

“That’s right! Where is everyone else?” Lou thought while noticing some light through the window. As Ben growled at the mess left in his house, Lou proceeded to look for the source of light. He approached the window and, as he finally found out where the light was coming from, his pupils grew a bit smaller but his eyes widened as he saw what awaited right in front of the Kerr’s house.

"Um, guys? You may want to see this."

Ben and Sarah moved over to the window and their jaws dropped. Just outside of the house, was the gigantic wreckage of a plane crash. Right outside! There were even still a little bit of the flames on it, but by the looks of it (and the fact that they didn't hear the crash), it had been there for a while. What happened? When did this happen? But as their minds worked on these questions, a sudden whisper caught everyone by surprise, especially the man of the house.

"Honey...?" a voice called out, causing Ben's eyes to widen in horror. Brandy!

Even before Lou could say “Go”, Ben was already rushing to her. Lou remained with Sarah while still trying to recollect everything that has happened so far: almost everyone inside the house has disappeared, a plane crashed right in front of the house and there’s an ill silence surrounding the neighborhood.

“What a mess!” Lou said while thinking loudly. Sarah agreed while nodding with her head as they both stood in the window, still shocked to see the colossal plane right in front of the house. Lou planned to check if there was electricity, but he quickly noticed the there wasn’t, since the lights were on before he passed out and there were no streetlights on. He thinks that the best to do now is to check the surroundings and try to find other survivors.

He wonders how Ben is going to proceed…
____________________

There we go! I’m up for the exploration.

[DarkestLight]

OOC: omg I'm so giddy XD

(Last name Thomas, btw, wtf Light XD Sounds like Woolite, LOL)

Will Thomas: Stardate 12/21/2012 - 6:00P

The dim lights. They were always so dim. Never really made for a great atmosphere when the sun just set. Just gave you a downright chill. Why do they always set their lights so low? Never understood it. At least it kind of made the drinks in the cup look the same.

"Hey Mac! How come all the lights so low, you religious all of a sudden?" My outburst garnished a few laughs form the standard barflies, as a husky man plodded over. A bottle of golden love in one hand and a rock glass in the other, he silently smirked and poured me another glass.

"I gotta say man, you can put them away. But you keep the lights slow so beer goggles can work. Not that it matters to you, tequila boy."

Gotta give it to him. He was good at retorts. I shrugged, and snaked the glass away, all while setting down a 50 dollar bill from my pocket. ...and then realizing I dropped the other crumpled bills in my pocket all on the floor. Before any damn vultures came to snag my cash, I quickly hopped off the stool and set about fishing up my cash. I ought to by a damn wallet sometime.

"Hey, can you turn up the news Mac. I want to see the end of the world!"

Mac and I turned to see who shouted that. I will admit, in my bleary state, I could only make out red hair, pretty legs and a red dress. I knew shoe couldn't be Jessica Rabbit, and I knew my girlfriend wouldn't run up in a bar like this, so she was a completely unknown person to me. But she said the magic words!

"Alright boys, 1-2--"

Mac turned and pressed a button on the reciever sitting perpendicular to the bottle, in a recess behind the bar. As the volume on the TV went up-some newscaster spouting off nonsense about the end of the world and the Mayan Calender ending on an OBVIOUSLY broken piece on the corner of the rock they chiseled it on-the regular bar flies that knew the joke began to sing.

"ITS THE END OF THE WORLD...AND WE KNOW IT...ITS THE END OF THE WORLD AND WE KNOW IT...AND IIII FEEELLL FIIIINE!!!"

You gotta love small town gimmics. Whenever anyone said "End of the world" today, we all sang the song. It was a shame though, only I seemed to know all the words. As soon as the chorus ended, I had to start signing. Glad I was drunk-otherwise I'da been all shy.

"Ya'll are amaeteurs! I'ma show you how we did this in the STREETS! What part we up to...oh ok.

Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign towers.
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn.
Locking in, uniforming, book burning, blood letting.
Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate....


Stardate 12/22/2012 - 2:45a

"...Guh?"

I hopped up off the bar stool and looked around. Nothing. Glasses lied around in a nondescript manner. Spilled drinks lazily dripped off the counter. The dim lights still shone -their amber florescence preventing the harsh glare that once gets when they wake up from a heavy night of drinking.

"Oh. That's why they're dim. Ha. Figured it out. Now who let me pass....."

All at once, I took in the scene. There wasn't a single person around. No dead bodies, that's good, but no Mac. Mac NEVER left his bar. I grabbed my fleece and quickly bundled up, before heading out into the snow ridden streets.

Only....the snow was gone. As were the clouds. I gazed quickly at the sky, and noticed there was not a cloud in the sky. The stars were out, but oddly enough..something about the sky was off. I couldn't place it.

"Shit. Ok Will, Sober up. You've been out for what? ..Damn where's my cellphone?" I ran back inside the bar, tripping over a barstool in the process. Hissing at the apparent robbery that seemed to have taken place, I scanned the ground. Nothing. No metal object that could tell me the silly time!

"Jacked my cellphone too? Oh heads are rolling!" I walked back outside, realizing I had no way of calling Tara to pick me up. Might be a good thing, she prolly would not have picked up. Mac's bar was a small place, situated perfectly along the main road that led into my little slice of surburbia. I lived a quarter mile away, so walking was perfectly acceptable.

Except today. My blurred vision forfeited itself to clarity as I gazed at my familiar surroundings, and all at once the realization that truth may have been behind those Mayan predictions after all was apparent. Glass littered the streets, along with abandoned cars. While there were no signs of meteors slammed into the ground, there was a very apparent lack of bodies, dead or otherwise.

"..and all the snow. All the effing snow is gone! Awesome! ITS THE END OF THE WORLD!"

That's when I realized it wasn't cool at all to be alone. Because you never really know if you are. I thought it better if I got home as fast as I could; I had no way of knowing if this was an isolated event, or if it was global. Taking to the street, I silently began jogging back, looking left and right as I sidestepped oil puddles and large shards of glass. I tore open my fleece, it wasn't even cold outside anymore...

"If this is an awesome dream-I want a CASE of whatever I drank last!"

[Kuro Espeon]

Name: Sarah C. Randolph

Age: 25

Gender: Female

Appearance: Somewhere between 5’6” and 5’7” with a curvy figure (and maybe a little on the “fluffy” side). Medium brown hair cut in a bob that frames her face and bright hazel eyes behind oval-shaped glasses. Generally has a very friendly expression. Generally likes to wear jeans and a nice top with black ankle boots.

Personality: Sarah has a very relaxed and even temperament and loves to make people laugh. She is the definition of non-confrontational and avoids arguing or fighting if at all possible. She believes in the power of compromise and viewing things from both sides so she is often put in the roll of mediating between her friends. However, she also has a tendency to keep things to herself in order to avoid confrontation and it is sometimes hard to tell what she's really thinking. She will do anything she can to help her friends and family (often to her own detriment) and will never betray a trust that is placed in her. However, she has a tendency to second guess herself and hesitates out of fear of failure, and it sometimes takes a lot of pushing from family and friends to get her to make a move.

Place of Origin in RPG: Her apartment, but travels over to the Kerr's house that night for a party.

Skills: She is really good at cheering people up and creating optimism and humor out of the darkest situations (often focusing on encouraging others more than herself). She has a great memory for trivia and quotes, often throwing them randomly into conversation. She also has the ability to stay calm in most situations where others might panic.

Relationships: She has been really close friends with Brandy since they were teens and has also quickly become friends with Ben as a result. She often spends time with them and considers them as close as family. Other relationships are open to anyone who wants to suggest one.

History: Living most of her life in the same area of rural suburbia, Sarah has remained close to her family and close circle of friends. She left home briefly to attend college but returned home in order to find work. She has had a hard time finding a job that she would consider a "career", but has settled into a routine of adult life living on her own and working at a bank. She has done a fair amount of traveling in her past to countries around the world, for study and for pleasure, and plans to continue in the future when she has the opportunity and funds to do so. Currently though, she lives each day as best she can and spends as much time with friends and family as possible.

***********
Sarah Randolph
Dec. 22, 2012
6:00PM
***********

I had never been one to believe in superstitions or ghost stories, and even less in doomsday prophecies and other End-of-the-world hypes. I enjoyed discovered interesting facts and theories from the past as much as the next person, but I thought that some people tended to blow these things way out of proportion. Often just to get attention or cause unnecessary panic.

Because of this, when my friends Brandy and Benjamin Kerr had invited me to there house for an "End of the World" party, I only went out of sheer desire for social interaction. I knew that it was Brandy's idea (she loved this kind of thing) and she was just having fun, so it didn't bother me. It gave me a chance to unwind a bit after a long few weeks at work, have a couple of drinks, and catch up with friends. I didn't realize when I showed up that night that everything I thought I knew was about the change...

At 6:00PM the party was in full swing. Brandy had excused herself to lie down for a few minutes before the "big event", and a few others were milling about with drinks in their hands, engaging in friendly conversation. I had wandered into the living room where a bunch of people were crowded around the TV, watching the seemingly endless news reports and interviews with fanatics and conspiracy theorist, all of whom seemed convinced that we were all going to die. I shook my head slightly and rolled my eyes, laughing quietly to myself at the hype of it all, knowing that they would all be back on TV the next morning, retracting or refreshing their theories.

I glanced down at my watch. 6:13. Almost time. In the process of looking down I noticed that my drink was empty and excused myself briefly, making my way to the kitchen for a refill. I had just added fresh ice cubes to my cup wen a strange sort of dizziness washed over me. I set the cup down and grabbed the edge of the counter with both hands, trying to steady myself. I only had a moment to wonder what had come over me when my vision blurred and then went dark.

********
Dec 22nd, 2012,
3:00am
********

When I finally came to, I was on the floor of the kitchen, my face pressed painfully against the floor. I groaned and sat up, rubbing my head. I wondered at first why everything was suddenly so quiet and thought that I must have been out for quite a while. I also wondered why my eyes were still blurry, then realized that my glasses had fallen off. As I groped around on the floor around me in search of my rogue spectacles, I heard a voice call out from the other room.

"Anyone here?" It was Ben. I heard another voice reply: "Right here." Louis. There were at least two people still here. At this point I had managed to get to my feet and I stumbled a bit unsteadily out into the living room. The first thing I noticed was that it was a complete mess: bottles and glasses were on the floor, their contents spilled out all over the carpet, as if people had just dropped them where they stood and left.

"What's going on?" I muttered, "Where did everyone go?"

“That’s right! Where is everyone else?” Lou replied. He moved around the apartment slowly, as if searching for something and stopped short at the window, a look of horror frozen on his face. "Um, guys? You may want to see this."

I didn't quite know how to react when I saw the giant plane that was now imbedded into the Kerr's front lawn. It was a mixture of surprise, horror and disbelief. 'What the bloody hell?!' My thoughts were interrupted when we all heard Brandy calling from the bedroom, and Ben rushed in to check on her.

"What a mess!" said Lou. I nodded in reply, not sure what to say. After a moment we quietly followed after Ben and found him consoling a visibly frightened Brandy.

"Stay here," he was saying to her, "Me and Lou will check the wreckage. See if there are any survivors." Brandy shot him a sharp look that I had seen her give to him (and others) many times before when she didn't like the sound of something.

"What? Are you crazy?" She said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, "I'm not staying here, I'm coming with you!" She started to get to her feet when Ben placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her gently back down.

"No, Honey. You need to stay in here. We don't know what's going on and it could be dangerous out there. I want you and the baby to be safe."

At the mention of her unborn child Brandy placed a hand on the curve of her belly, as if shielding the innocent life inside. I could see the internal struggle going on her mind, knowing that she needed to protect her child but also not wanting to leave Ben. I moved forward and sat down on the bed next to her.

"Don't worry, Brandy. Lou will be going with Ben, they'll be careful. I'll stay here with you, OK?" I glanced at Ben and Lou, giving them a quick nod to go ahead and go.

Despite my own words, I swallowed a hard lump that had formed in the back of my throat. The cold wave of fear and uncertainty had grabbed me and I fought hard to keep myself calm, for the others as well as myself. A single thought ran through my head over and over again...

I guess I was wrong....

[Jeff]

*cracks fingers* OOOOOKAY

Here goes nothing. (It should be pointed out I've never done this before)

Jeff Wentz

.: December 21, 2012 - 5:50pm :.

The mall isn't the best place to be the Friday before Christmas, but there I was. Like always, I had put off my shopping until the last minute and it was crunch time. I knew things would be even worse over the weekend, and Monday, well that's Christmas Eve. Luckily, I had just finished. All that shopping had really taken it out of me. Even after all that, I still had to make it to a party I had been invited to at the house of my old friends, Ben and Brandy. I looked at my watch.

"Almost 6 o' clock, I'll miss the big event, but at least I'll be there" I thought to myself.

Just then my stomach growled. I looked down and thought "well, I guess you're right, time to grab some dinner. Can't be hitting the road on an empty stomach."

As I walked to the food court with one thing on my mind, I bumped into a rather large man dressed in red with a snowy white beard. Being in such a festive mood, I played along.

"Oops" I said to him, "umm, sorry Mr. Claus."

With children standing in line, waiting patiently for the man to return to his big chair, he didn't miss a beat.

"That's OK young man! You've obviously been very nice this year, so you can expect a big surprise this Christmas! HHHO HO HO HOOO!"

I smiled as I continued to the food court.

As I stood in line, I overheard a couple of guys talking about how the world was supposed to end that day because it's the end of the Mayan calendar. I shook my head. I had spent the last few years telling people that December 21, 2012 didn't correspond with the end of the Mayan calendar, but rather the start of a new cycle. I thought to myself about how 400 years ago when the last cycle ended, nothing happened, well, except for European colonization, which changed the face of the entire New World. And that's really all that date represents, a new beginning, a great change.

Instead of explaining all of that, I just said out loud "well, the last four times the world ended, I came out just fine."

The guys laughed and one of them said "yeah, there was like, what, Y2K, 6/6/06" and the other one chimed in "yeah, and that one nutjob thought the world was going to end twice last year!"

I finally sat down with my dinner after a long day of running from store to store trying to find one that wasn't out of the gifts I needed. I was exhausted. After only a few bites out of my burger, and a few fries, I was about ready to collapse. I couldn't help but put my arm up on the table and lay my head down, for just a bit.

.: December 22, 2012 - 3:00am :.

The next thing I knew, I was all alone. Just a minute ago it seemed, the food court, and entire mall for that matter, was packed wall to wall with people. I looked at my watch.

"THREE AM!" I shouted, "Good God, how the heck was I out that long?! And why didn't anyone wake me when the mall was closing?"

I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket. A "No service" message was displayed on the screen. "Fan-freaking-tastic" I said. I looked around at what I could only suspect was going to be my home until morning. As my eyes fell on Santa's Village, I laughed to myself.

"Guess that guy in the Santa suit was right" I said, "I did get a surprise. But I didn't have wait 'til Christmas."

As I started to collect my thoughts I soon realized something was very wrong. Not only was I still in the mall after close, but the lights were still on. They were dim, but on. All the stores and food places were still open, they just didn't have anyone staffing them. I looked at my watch again and shook my head.

"OK, so maybe the mall is having some midnight madness sale ... and ... everyone, took a break at the same time? That doesn't make any sense! Of course, if everything is still open, then the main doors must not be locked after all!"

I gathered my things and started towards the nearby doorway and soon thought that maybe everyone left because there was something crazy going on outside. As I opened the door, my suspicions were confirmed, there was something crazy going on, something beyond my wildest dreams.

The mall was empty, but the parking lot was still packed, only with cars and not a soul in sight. Not all of the cars were parked, some were just left in the middle of the road, some still idling. To top it all off, there was no snow on the ground. I distinctly remember it snowing pretty good the day before. Heck, I even remember worrying about having to deal with that on my way to the party.

"Great, the party" I thought. "I'll have to call them and apol- Oh wait, that's right, no cell service" I said rolling my eyes.

I got into my car, crossed my fingers, and turned the key. I was happy to hear the familiar sound of my engine starting up. I turned on the radio, only to get static, which at this point didn't really surprise me. I figured the only thing left to do at this point was to head back home.

I looked around the parking lot again and thought "could it really be?"

I guess I had survived yet another end of the world. Only this time I can't say for sure if I came out just fine.

[Asilynne]

~Brandy Kerr~
You can't protect everyone...
:::3:14AM, Dec 22, 2012:::

I was scared.

Not for myself, even though because of the uncertainty of the situation no one could really blame me if I was. Even the sense of rising dread I felt didn't come from the fear for my own safety. This was a nightmare, true, but not for the reasons it would be for most people.

It was something I feared deeply. So many people were missing from the party, like they just vanished into thin air. We don't know where they went, or how, they were just gone. I had no guarantees that the people who were still here wouldn't vanish too, and though it made no sense I felt that if I could see them, if I was near them, somehow I could keep any harm from coming to them. I knew that was ridiculous, but I also couldn't forgive myself if there was even the possibility I could save someone if something happened and I wasn't there. Even if it meant me dying to save them. I was selfish like that, I didn't want to lose anyone, I would rather it be me.

But I didn't have the luxury of such selfishness anymore, because I wasn't carrying around just my life. I had to keep this little one safe, this unique person that was half me and half Ben. So as much as I wanted to argue, weedle or cry for Ben to not go out into that unknown, I knew I had to let him. And I HATED that.

I moved closer to him, trying to fight back the tears as I gave him a hug, cradling his face in my hands. "Honey remember that you are going to be a father, so don't let this baby grow up without you." I looked into his eyes and I knew he saw what I was really trying to say: I love you, take care of yourself...and don't leave me alone. After the fight we went through to be together, we can't lose each other now in what is supposed to be the happiest times of our lives.

He nodded and gave me a kiss on the forehead before looking back into my eyes. "I'll be careful, I love you..." I whispered "I love you too," before he turned away and beckoned to Lou to follow. Sarah and I followed them to the door, and watched from the safety (though safety was a very relative term) of the doorway as they strode carefully towards the downed plane.

As I watched them go, to keep the fear for their safety from overwhelming me I tried to think of all the things I could be thankful for, even though so much was wrong. Ben had not disappeared, neither had Sarah or Lou, that's three people I know are still here. I'm not totally alone, pregnant and helpless. I have a wonderful baby on the way. The love of my life has not been taken. My animals were....wait.

"Hey Sarah..." I whispered, as I watched the men stride off into the unknown, that feeling of dread not going away in the slightest. "Have you seen Miles?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tag the three people I'm with, as well as anyone else that wants to run into the men, or check on us girls in the house

[Mystic_clown]

Benjamin Kerr
----------------------
:::3:15am, Dec 22, 2012:::

Leaving his wife in the safety of their home, and with Sarah to keep her company, Ben and Lou stepped out of the house, facing the twisted wreckage of the plane. The rst of the neighbourhood seemed empty. You'd think more people would come out afte4r an airplane crash.

"You'd never think you'd see one of these," Ben murmured to Lou, who nodded in agreement, "Well, let's go see if there are any survivors." A bit doubtful though, considering the severity of the wreckage.

The two approached, climbing up a broken wing and peering through a hole torn in the side of the body. Fortunately, there wasn't a bloody massacre of twisted bodies, like he had originally dreaded. Instead, the plane was completely empty, like its passangers had vanished from the face of the planet. Their stuff was still there though, scattered about the destroyed cabin. Well, if this was some great calamity, at least they would have plenty of supplies.

The two climbed into the cabin, walking over the overturned seats and bits of twisted metal. There was all sorts around the place. Clothes, electronics, etc. A hole torn in the floor revealed the cargo hold as well. Even more suitcases of stuff. Man, Ben felt almost like a looter going through this place.

As Ben and Lou were about to climb down into the cargo hold, Lou paused.

"Do you hear that?"

Ben paused and listened. Surely enough, he could hear something. Something from the back of the cabin. It sounded like...sobbing?

"There's someone still here?" Ben murmured, as the two immediately headed for the back of the plane. As they approached, they noticed a small form, curled up and trembling in one of the seats. They quietly approached, Ben reaching out to place a hand on it. The form immediately winced and uncurled slightly, the person turnings his face to them.

It was a small boy, terrified out of his mind, and bleeding from the head, possibly from hitting his head in the crash.

"Are you ok?" Ben asked softly, concern and worry in his eyes. The boy sobbed quietly.

"W-where's my mom? Where's my dad?" he whimpered.

-----------------------------------------
And now we has a survivor. Poor little guy.

[Jeff]

Jeff Wentz

.: December 22, 2012 - 3:30am :.

Driving down the highway, weaving between empty cars, I was torn between denial and acceptance. There had to be a logical explanation of what was going on, I just couldn't come up with one. All I knew is that everyone was gone, as if they just up and vanished. I wasn't sure how widespread this was at first, but when I had gotten in my car, it hit me. There was a reason there was no cell service both inside and outside of the mall. The lack of radio signal confirmed it: this went well beyond the mall. But still, if I was still around, maybe there are others, and hopefully, that would include my family and friends. I had to get home to see for myself.

I wondered if I would even make it home. If the bridge had been backed up when "it" happened, there would be no way I'd be able to get across, and with no cell service, I wouldn't be able to call any family members. "Well, I could always cross the bridge on foot if need be" I reassured myself.

As I passed through the empty toll plaza and came up to the bridge, my headlights illuminated a horrific sight. The bridge was broken right near the shore, and a large metal object was sticking out of the water at about the point where the section had been torn off. It was an airplane. I was part terrified and part relieved.

"Of course, terrorists!" I shouted. "It's 9/11 all over again! Everyone just evacuated ... and left me at the mall ... and there's no military around here, who definitely wouldn't have even let me come near here ... and where's all the snow?"

Despite the holes in my theory, it made more sense than the world ending because a new Mayan baktun just happened to be starting that day. At the very least, it was a convenient lie, a way of reassuring myself that nothing was wrong. Deep down though, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe the Mayans were on to something.

Although the Mayans believed that the start of a new baktun was nothing more than a reason to celebrate (no different really than our own celebrations of the year 2000), there was a darker aspect to this particular new baktun. According to them, there were worlds before this one. The previous world ended at the start of its 14th baktun and this world's 14th baktun started on December 21, 2012. The 21st also happened to be the day the sun aligned with the center of the galaxy, an event that held significance for the Mayans. If there was any reason to believe that a new world was beginning, that would be the day when it would happen.

"But that's all mythology" I thought to myself. "It isn't true, is it?"

Regardless of what was going on, I was separated from my family and friends back home. I had no way of getting back there or even contacting them to see if they were all right. But at least I had another home, one on this side of the bridge, that I could return to.

"But if this thing really is that widespread, what are the odds that my old roomates are still around? But if not them, maybe Brandy, Ben, anyone in that neighborhood who I know. If I'm here, odds are, there have got to be others, somewhere. Well, I have the gas. The highways are full of cars, but if I take the back roads I should be able to make it within an hour."

I left the bridge and set out towards my former neighborhood. Along the way I kept telling myself "I'm not alone ... I'm not alone ... I'm not alone".

::::::::::

OK, so pretty obvious I intend to meet up with the party people. Excuse my noobishness, but let me know if there's anything else I need to tell you.

[DarkestLight]

OOC: no sir, you are doing just fine. Really well as a matter of fact, keep it up In fact, teeheehee (Brandy knows those 9 letters mean trouble)

Will Thomas - Stardate 12/22/2012 3:59a

Being drunk while being a survivor of what seemed to be the most idealistic attack on 'MERICAN soil in the history of 'MERICA was a twisty fit! Feigning sobriety was harder for some reason, as I listened only to the pavement as I hit it rapidly with his feet. Maybe it was because my body was rushing to release that toxic fluid out of every pore on his body. Maybe it was because it was still dark and cold. Maybe it was because I hated running in the cold because the chilled oxygen made my lungs seize up.

It didn't matter the reason. I didn't make it very far before I had to stop. Kneeling to catch my breath, I took these moments to truly evaluate my condition.

"Ok.*pant* I'm almost home. Prolly another quarter mile...and I'll reach the..." I looked up, to see buildings that I never seen before. Well not exactly. They looked sorta like my place...but I was positive that they weren't, because my place was painted a nice shade of forest green-and these were all that strange suburbia color that's not quite white but not quite tan. The Homeowners coalition hated me solely for that-but to hell with them, I paid for it.

No..these homes were completely different. I stood back up, leaning against the Honda Civic I took the time to kneel behind. Cars were still deserted, and the streetlights barely flickered on as I walked down the hallowed street.

"Man, I must've blacked out while I was running, and clear ran a different path. I shoulda stayed unfocused, I would have made it back home eventually." Damn my luck. Running up to the nearest house, I repeatedly rang the doorbell. Nothing. Of course. Who'd answer the door for a drunk at this time of night? Morning? I still didn't even know!

"Ok ok ok. Just look around, and see what you can." Fixing my glasses so they stopped hanging on by a thread, I looked around. There was fire on a few lawns from rogue pieces of metal, and smoke not too far away. Aside from that, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Guess I'll head toward the smoke." Burping audibly, I shook off the feeling in my chest, and reached for my handy dandy pocket knife. It was then that I got a bad feeling. I quickly dove behind these folks perfectly manicured bushes. Looking through the bushes, I noted two perfect beams of light shooting down the street. A car. A moving car. I waited to see if someone would stop. But no. The fellow drove slowly, avoiding the abandoned vehicles.

"! Someone's alive. HEY! HEYYAAAARRR!!" I probably should have rethought that call for help, as I sprang from the bushes and hightailed it after the vehicle, knife in right hand. I think I may have startled the poor fellow, as I sprinted across the lawn behind the car, eager to catch up to whomever was prowling the streets.

I say this because not 5 meters from the back of the bumper, the fellow visibly saw me and sped up-urging me to run faster. I was down for the race-what can I say? Besides it was someone ELSE! PEOPLE! Well...a person.

Wait, before I go on-did I mention I was drunk? When you are drunk running, you tend to use up energy alot faster because you are doing stupid things with your arms. Me? I'm flailing them around as I cut across lawns to try and keep up. I lunge over a few bushes and slide across a parked car as this fellow winds through the littered streets!

"HEYYA! GETBACKHEREWHATTHEHELLMAN!" is all I manage to say, but I have a feeling that's not what he heard. After about 5 good minutes of running, I have to quit, because my lungs are on fire-and my head is spinning. Just my luck too, as we reach a clear straightaway. He visibly speeds up and I push myself to the absolute limit. That was 30 seconds of ridiculousness. I slow down, as the red lights continue to shrink, and then vanish as he rounds a corner a good distance down.

"That's what I call a mindfuck." I snicker to myself as I pant in the street. But I can smell fire. and its really close. I look up, to see a hefty plume of the smoke billow skyward.

"That's coming...down the street where that person turned." But, I was too tired to get up just then. Chasing cars is best left for parkour professionals-or for red lights. After a few minutes, I get up, and shift gears.

"Whoever was in that car might come back. I better take the side streets." I quickly push off the ground, and walk towards the nearest home, walking along its side and heading through the backyards toward where that smoke seems to originate from.

(XD Sorry Jeff.)

[Jeff]

Lol, OK. At first I was confused after I said it would take me "within a couple hours" and then you started at 3:59 and said you saw me. Nobody says "within a couple hours" and gets there in 29 minutes. Then I remembered the part where you said you blacked out. Now it makes sense.

Edit: Nevermind, it works either way. Probably better that I get there sooner rather than later anyway. I also realized I made a goof. I said a couple hours because Brandy lives two hours from me IRL, but in my character description I said it was an hour. Changed that to "within an hour" so it makes more sense.

[Shadow Wolf]

Louis Ortiz

::: Dec 22nd, 2012, 3:22am :::

They found a survivor. Hope was not in vain!

“Ben, I think you should take him back to the house.” Lou said, feeling a bit concerned, as he didn’t know what to say to the child. “I’ll look for supplies to take back, and then we can proceed to look for more survivors.”

“Lou, this is not the time to split” Ben whispered, knowing that anything could happen if they weren’t there to cover each other’s back.

“I know, but the kid needs attention, and from the looks of it, we may possibly do nothing by going to a hospital” He said this while pointing at the empty seats of the plane, letting Ben know that the world was “empty” right now.

Ben closed his eyes for a moment, pondering the situation. He then decided to take the next course of action. “OK Lou, I’ll do it, but I’ll be back as soon as I’m sure that that our buddy here is OK. Be careful, OK” Ben replied while carrying the kid on his back. “I will…” Lou answered

Now, being alone in the plane, is wasn’t easy for Lou to be over-sensitive, so by slapping both his cheeks at the same time, he cleared his mind and proceeded to find a bag that helps him to carry some stuff. He needed a bag or a backpack first, and he also needed some something to use as a flashlight. Luckily, he managed to find some cell phones scattered through the seats. He picked one of those modern touch cell phones and checked the battery. “Hmm, no signal… I should’ve known… three out of five lines for battery. This should be enough to help me a bit”

While constantly pressing the touch screen he used the cell phone as a flashlight he carefully went through the hole into the cargo lot. There were suitcases, backpacks, bags… he even found some empty animal cages. “That’s odd… even the animals are gone” he thought.

He didn’t have time to waste, so he looked for a backpack, emptied its contents and made his way back to the second class cabin. There was a lot he could take, but there were a few important things to look first. He proceeded to the kitchen to pick some stuff, including portable food, water bottles (having one in his hands to drink would also help), and a first aid kit he picked up while thinking of the kid.

After this, he became concerned for safety, so he thought that he will probably need something to protect himself. Could he find a gun in a plane? Since terrorists attacks happened, he knew that at least someone in the plane would carry a gun. He was right, since he found one in a compartment of the cockpit.

He could keep looking for supplies, but he was away long enough. There was no need to rush, as daylight would help search for more loot later, plus what good will he gain if he is slowed down by a heavy luggage? Of course, he could not stop either, as the situation right now is a bit worrisome, and Ben had not returned yet, so the kid would probably need attention. It was time to return to the house, so he swept the gun in his pants, hid the touch cell phone in his pocket. And with the water bottle in hand, he prepared himself to return.

He was almost ready to take a step ahead when he heard something… footsteps. It could not be Ben, since he knew that he would call for him as he returned. Putting the bottle in the backpack, he silently took out the gun and proceeded forward. His heartbeat was increasing with every step he took forward, so his hand began to shake in fear.
Suddenly, he noticed a figure and he was startled. “Hey, who are you!?” he nervously asked.

"A friendly neighbour staggering through a friend's garden. And who might you be?" The stranger replied.

"Name's Louis. You?" Lou asked while still pointing his gun nervously at the strange person in front of him.

"Robert... I'd appreciate it if you put that gun down, Louis..."

____________

Well, sorry for lateness in the first place. Had to redo some stuff and think carefully of the next moves. In any case, here's a tag for Becki, and an open tag for whoever wants to see a conversation between a midget with a huge backpack and a six-feet-tall man with a knack for analytical skills.

[Jeff]

Jeff Wentz

.: December 22, 2012 - 4:08am :.

As I approached my old neighborhood, I could see smoke coming from the houses in the distance. I drove cautiously as I started down the streets. As I passed one house, I could see the bushes in front it rustling.

"Could it be? An actual person?" I thought. "Or maybe just an animal? Probably an animal."

I was soon proven wrong as I heard a loud incomprehensible shout and a man jumped from the bushes, then ran towards me like a bat out of heck. As he came into the red glow of my taillights, I could tell he was wielding a pocketknife.

"Great, not the kind of company I wanted."

I punched the gas, but the man kept chasing me. Fortunately, he seemed to tire quickly and couldn't keep up and I soon lost him. After that, I turned the corner, curiosity drawing me towards the smoke. It was coming from the direction of Ben and Brandy's.

As I drove down the street, I saw what was producing it, a plane had crashed.

"Another one?" I thought. "I can understand taking out a bridge, but a suburban neighborhood? It was possible that this plane was downed by passengers trying to thwart the terrorists, but why would they allow it to go down in a neighborhood? After all, the people on Flight 93 knew to take that one down in the middle of nowhere so nobody would get hurt. This doesn't make sense for either a terrorist or the people trying to stop them."

It was worrying that my theory about a terrorist attack was falling apart, and the alternative was looking more and more likely.

I shut off my car, stepped out, and started towards the plane. With my headlights off, everything was pitch dark except for the flicker of the fire from the crash ... and ... and a dim light coming from inside Ben and Brandy's house! Someone must have lit some candles. I was tempted to go inside, but thinking about that man who had tried to attack me (or at least I thought he was trying to attack me) gave me an uneasy feeling. What if there were others that had ended up like him? As I nervously approached the door, it began to open on its own.

As the door opened, a figure stepped out and I was blinded by the light of a flashlight. Then I heard a familiar voice.

"Jeff?" the voice said.

"Ben!" I replied squinting. "You're still here!"

Finally! It was exactly what I had been looking for, someone who I knew! Ben lowered the flashlight and invited me in. As I entered, I realized that he wasn't the only one there. There were others inside, as I could see by the dim light of the candles.

I had finally arrived at the party, nearly ten hours after the alignment, the event that the party had been held to honor. The very same event, as I suspected, that ultimately brought me here.

::::::::::

So, I've made it to the party. Yeah, I realize I'm a good bit ahead of the party storyline, so like I said in the lounge thread, I'll just kick back and wait for that to catch up.

[Mystic_clown]

Benjamin Kerr
-----------------------------
:::3:21am, Dec 22, 2012:::

Ben was a bit hesitant to leave Lou alone in the plane wreck. But he was right. This boy needed help, and things would get by a lot quicker if he stayed to scrounge for supplies, while he brought the child back to look after him. Nodding, he gently unbuckled the boy and lifted him into his arms. "It'll be ok kid. Don't worry," he said softly to the boy to calm his nerves, as he carried him out of the plane. The boy held onto him, seeing Ben as the only person that could protect him.

Getting out of the wreck while carrying him was the easy part. He quickly strode towards their home. Juggling the boy carefully, he reached to open the door, letting it swing open as he back inside. Brandy and Sarah were instantly in the room to meet him, having seen him approaching through the window. Brandy's eyes instantly fell on the young boy in his arms.

"Ben! What happened...?" She asked.

"We found him in the wreckage. He seemed to be the only one in there. Quickly, we've got to get him to a bed. He doesn't look all that bad, but I'm not doctor." The two women nodded, allowing him to pass and quickly into their bedroom. He gently set the boy down as Sarah quickly went into the bathroom, coming back with some cotton buds and some anticeptic.

"Don't worry kid, this will only sting a little," she said, gently putting some on the bud and dabbing it against the wound on his head. The boy winced, letting out a small whimper as Brandy sat on the other side to comfort him. Her maternal instinct was surfacing already.

"What's your name?" Ben asked softly, wanting the child to be comfortable after what was no doubt a traumatic experience. The boy was quiet for a moment, still frightened before answering. "B-Brenden," he replied, still a bit wary of these strangers, but the two women doting over him at the moment were easing his nerves. "D-do you know where my parents are?"

He shook his head in response. "I'm afraid you're the only one we found. Tell me, do you know what happened?" The boy shook his head. "I-I just remember everything going black. And then, when I woke up, the plane was crashed and everyone was gone." Ben stepped back and pondered. So they weren't the only ones to black out. Still, this left them no closer to solving the mystery.

At that point, the door opened. Guess Lou was back. He voice calling from the entrance confirmed it. "I'm back guys. I found another." Another? Another survivor? Or another person who had remained here? He glanced back at the child and the two women before leaving the room. Surely enough, there was Lou, with another familiar face.

"Hello Robert. Man, you look like hell..."

[Asilynne]

~Brandy Kerr~
A Glimmer of Hope
:::3:45AM, Dec 22, 2012:::

My heart had skipped a beat when I heard the sound of the door opened. I had watched so many movies that had post apocalyptic things happen, and it gave me this sense of paranoia that would have annoyed me had it not been possibly warranted. Fortunately it turned out to be Lou and one of our other neighbors, Robert. It was so relieving to see that we weren't the only ones who survived. But survived what?

My reaction to the door also served to make me come to a realisation. I was very vunerable. I was pregnant, and this made it very hard to move quickly or defend myself, let alone anyone else. And while most of the others were able to at least somewhat defend themselves, the little boy that Ben found was just a child. What if it came down to us having to fight something off? What was I going to do, sit there and be the damsel in distress?? That was so not me.

It figured something like this would happen when I was 'helpless'. Steph and I always said that if we were in a situation like this we would kick ass together and make it out alive. Steph....I had to fight back the tears as I remembered she was at the party and yet was not to be seen. She's too tough to be gone... I thought to myself. She probably has gone off to find weapons and the rest of our family...she probably knew Ben and I can take care of things here... It was a form of denial, but until I knew for sure otherwise I would hold out hope that her and the rest of my family was out there somewhere. Today is Dad's birthday....

A sense of determination mixed with traces of fear and anger rose within me, as I stood up, holding my stomach and ignoring the fatigue that often gripped me. Ben and a few of the others looked up sharply, and my husband looked ready to tell me to sit down and rest. So I cut him off. "I need a weapon."

"What you need is rest and not to stress yourself," Ben scolded me kindly but firmly. He was used to me not always thinking about whats best for me and trying to do everything. "Have some water, just stay calm..." I knew thats what I should do but I couldn't get this rising feeling of dread out of my system and the only thing that could make it better is if I was doing something to help the situation, as helpless as it seemed.

"No Ben, you don't understand!!" My face was drawn with stress and an anger that thinly veiled the panic within as he came forward to hold me by my shoulders. "I can't just sit around and wait for something to come get us all, what if it makes you disappear next?! I have to be able to fight if I have to, I need something---" The tears started to fall, as I angrily wiped them away. Damn these female pregnancy hormonal emotions! "I need a weapon..." I repeated firmly. "Everyone here does, we need to be able to hold our own...in case---"

At that moment a knock sounded at the door, causing all of us to jump. Everyone scattered, with the men creeping around to the windows and the door carefully. I grabbed my celtic sword off the wall and flung off the hilt, holding it in front of me. I knew I was maybe overreacting but that was how I dealt with things so obviously beyond my control, I was unwilling to believe there was nothing I could do. The kid cried out and I hugged him to me with my left arm as my shaking right arm held the sword pointed in the direction of the door.

Ben slowly opening it, peeping around to see who it was, only to let the door fall open to reveal a very stunned Jeff.

"Jeff?" Ben asked, seeming to not believe his eyes.

"Ben! You're still here!!" Jeff seemed relieved to have found others besides himself. And while I was glad to see him I didn't immediately lower the sword. I still didn't know what was going on and in all those movies things weren't always as they seemed. They WERE just movies, but then I never thought anything like this would actually happen either.

After a few heartbeats I realised I couldn't just go around mistrusting my friends, if we wanted to survive we had to count on each other. I lowered the sword and breathed for a moment, but I still wasn't going to let my guard down completely, even if I was convinced after a few minutes that this really was Jeff. I would have to keep my eyes open for any strange things, just in case.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trust issuessss~ lol Tag everyone~

[DarkestLight]

Will Thomas - Stardate 12/22/2012 4:15am

[Note: Italics is all in my character's head...as this would be the better way to post this..]

Shuut. Getting slow. Going to have to start playing Ultimate. But it's too damn cold to run. Running hurts when its cold. I hate cold. Why did I move here again? Oh yeah, job. Cash money. More like cashgetrobbed...oh ok ok ok Will focus. The car's gone....you chased it...you cut across a lawn..and then...

..SHIT! WE BLACKED OUT.

I DID IT AGAIN DAMNIT! I'm actually lying here in the middle of someone's lawn for who knows how long because I passed the hell out. We're still drunk, but that's ok. but now were sweating like a pig. Which makes absolutely no sense, becasue pigs don't sweat. In fact, that saying needs to be changed. I'm gonna shift it around and say...sweating like a ballsac. Yeah. Because THOSE--hoo man those get sweaty. Good one, heheh...OK!

We have to get up. So damn drunk. It was the tequila. Haaaate Cabo WABO. Uuurgh,

The lawn I pushed up off now had a human sized dent in its contour. Not that the neighboring folk would mind-there was NON ONE AROUND to see it. I shrugged off the immediate affect of my actions and looked ahead, my gaze fading in and out due to a need for sleep that slowly began to creep in. My mind felt as if it was going on autopilot, but that was dispelled by a few jumpin' jacks. I know that wouldn't work for long, so I decided on a different method.

"Always kinda wanted to do this....."

I took a deep breath....and howled as loud as I could, while moving forward through a backyard. Finished with my primordial call, I listened. There wasn't a sound to be heard. It really seemed as if it was just me. Not even that cool kind of alone, but the "Whoa shit. No one calls me anymore" alone. Shunned. Exiled. Disowned...

"Ugh ok the world didn't disown me. I just gotta find where that car went...!"

My path finally turned toward something promising. As the sky seemed to ever so slightly turn from pitch black and foreboding to near pitch black and foreboding-I could see-about 3 to 5 blocks away, a car.

The same car I chased. Parked very closed to a crashed plane!

"Whoa. When you gotta land, you gotta land..I guess." I wiped my brow and sniffed my hand, reeling back from my own scent. Not because it stunk, no no. But because it smelled like hot sauce and smelling hot sauce up close from your own body is alarming. Before I moved any closer, I took the moment to actually listen.

It was faint at first, hardly audible over the crackling of the plane's carcass strewn over the lawn a few blocks away. Without hesitation, I did the only thing I could think of.

Run. But this time, I ran for the nearest house, and slammed myself into the doorway. Luckily for me, whomever was living here left the door unlocked. I went barreling through the frame and crashed on the floor. Fearing for my own safety, I shut the door and locked it.

These homes were all built the same. So that meant the light switch for the entrance area was riiight

*Flick*

"Booya." I muttered, as the light stayed off. No power, that's right. I slowly reached back up and opened the door, hoping the night might toss me a bone.

Nope. No light anywhere. Damnit. And me with no....?!

"This isn't Metal Gear?! Where the heck is my phone! Oh, where are you!!!" In a flash, I whipped out my phone and quickly pressed it on. In a flash of all giving light, it shone on me and I held it up with joy and triforce glee! "Its dangerous out there, but I have this!!!!" Even though I knew on one could hear me, it still was fun to say.

But now, with my new light, I could explore the contents of this home....


====

(K. I'm a bit ahead of you all and I'm a few houses down, but my next post will ...enlighten everyone to my presence in said household.)

[Mystic_clown]

Benjamin Kerr
---------------------------
:::4:15am, Dec 22, 2012:::

After Jeff's arrival, things had settled, or at least, as settled as one could get after almost everyone you know and love has vanished off of the face of the earth. With the knowledge that Jeff wasn't some psychotic looter plotting to kill them, their attention turned back to the young, frightened boy that Lou and Ben had found in the plane wreckage. It was a miracle that the boy was alive, let alone in his condition.

Now one of the main questions was what to do now. They had no idea what was going on, or what was even out there. They couldn't stay in the house forever, especially once the food ran out. Although from Ben and Lou's experience, also from what Jeff and Robert had told them, there wasn't any sort of monsters running around devouring humanity. At least, none that they knew of. Still, Ben was worried, not for his own safety, but for that of his wife and unborn child. If something was out there, he didn't want to expose them to the danger of it.

So, at the moment, they were sitting around discussing what to do now. Problem was, was hard to decide what to do. Where could they go? Who else was out there? What else was out there?

"We could try finding the nearest gun store and grab some weaponry. That way, if we do run into something, we'd be protected." Jeff suggested. A general nod went about the room. Making sure they were safe was one thing they all agreed on.

"But where next? We have no idea if anybody else is out there. Where could we go?" Lou murmured.

"Well, why don't we try a place where normally lots of people gather? Like, maybe a train station, or a hospital, or maybe even the mall." Sarah suggested.

"Hmm, the mall sounds like a good idea," Ben murmured, "Even if there's nobody there, there should be plenty of food and supplies for us. We should be ok."

"Just as long as there's no zombies," Robert pipped up. Considering the current situation, the Dawn of the Dead joke did NOT go over to well, resulting in many glares from the people.

At that point, the small boy piped up, who was sitting by the window. "There's someone in that house there!"

Everyone made their way over to the window, and sure enough, a couple of houses down, the lights were on. Ben distinctly remembered the lights being off.

"Someone is in there," he murmured, reaching for the baseball bat just in case.

"You're not planning on going in there are you?" Brandy asked, worried about him.

"If it's another person, he could be of some help. If it's...well...something else. Well, we might just know what we're dealing with."

"Then I'm going with you," she replied, with a stern look. Ben shook his head.

"We've been over this darling. I'm not putting you in any danger. Just wait here, ok?"

---------------------

Ben really had to stop being a pushover, he as glanced over to his wife, who was walking beside him, an iron bar in her hands. In a small comprimise, she was allowed to come to, but Ben had also brought Jeff and Lou with them as well, for added protection (her protection mind you).

"Just remember, if anything bad happens, I want you to run, ok?" Ben spoke.

"I'll only run if this doesn't work," she held up the iron bar menacingly. Ben sighed. There was no use arguing with her. Never argue with a pregnant woman. As they approached the front door, they were sure whoever was in there, was still in there. The got ready, just in case whatever it was was hostile. Slowly, Jeff opened the door and they slipped in, weapons at the ready, just in case.

--------------------------------------

TAG to either Asi, Wolf, Jeff or Dark.

[Jeff]

Jeff Wentz

.: December 22, 2012 - 4:12am :.

I arrived to see a sword pointed at my face, not the friendliest of greetings, but Brandy had every right to be nervous. As she lowered it, and Ben closed the door, I decided to speak up to lighten the mood a bit.

"Sorry I'm late to the party, traffic was stop and ... stop."

Everyone seemed convinced I was the same person who had moved away back in October, but there was still a dead silence. As I stood there, I was still shaking a bit from my earlier encounter, and it didn't go unnoticed.

"What's out there?" Sarah asked.

"Exactly what you see out the window." I replied. "Nothing."

I continued.

"No alien invasion, no zombie apocalypse, none of that sci-fi stuff. Well, if there were aliens they're gone now, and left us on this dead world as some cruel joke. Whatever it is, it's like everything just stopped, and the world we knew is gone. I've only seen one other person on the way here, and not someone I'd be able to stop and chat with if you get what I'm saying."

At that point I noticed something I didn't expect. A small child, closing his eyes and covering his ears as if he didn't like what I was saying.

"So, what are we going to do now?" asked Lou. "We have to go out for food at some point."

The boy spoke quitely. "We need to stay safe from the bad people."

"We could try finding the nearest gun store and grab some weaponry." I responded. "That way, if we do run into something, we'd be protected."

Everyone seemed to agree and as the conversation went on, the suggestion that we go to the mall for supplies came up. I thought about how I had just come from there, well after taking that detour to the bridge. It would be interesting to go back.

Suddenly, the boy, still fixated on looking for "bad people" noticed something out the window. A light was on a few houses away.

Ben grabbed a baseball bat and decided to investigate. Naturally, there was someone who wanted to go with him as backup. This is typically something a man would do, but of all people, it was the very pregnant Brandy who insisted on tagging along.

"We've been over this darling." Ben replied shaking his head. "I'm not putting you in any danger. Just wait here, ok?"

Naturally, there's no telling a pregnant woman what she can and can't do, especially if she's holding a metal bar as Brandy was. She had gotten her way, as any good wife would, and Lou and I agreed to go along as additional backup.

We walked down the street, and as we passed my car, I looked over at it thinking if any of the Christmas presents I had bought might come in handy. I kept going; that could wait until we were done with whatever was in that house.

As we approached the house, I had once again made it to a door unsure of what lies beyond it. I slowly opened it, and we all walked in. You can imagine my surprise when we found out what, or rather who was there. It was none other than the man who had tried to chase me with the pocketknife!

[DarkestLight]

(omg i never saw that post. hoo boy this will be epic.)

Will Thomas: Stardate 12-22-12 4:30 am

Being in that stage from drunk to soberness really sucks. You start to get some of your train of thought back, and you instantly try really hard to mimic your everyday caricature. But, when the world has gone dead, its hard to remember what you were like. So you go back to what you want to be. At least, that's what I do.

I stayed close to the walls, just in case some nutjob was in here trying to take a swing at me. My knife...oh jeez what did I do with the knife? Swiftly, I whirl around in circles with the phone, making a ribbon trail of light behind me. No dice. Did I leave it on the lawn. Maybe, I'll check tomorrow when I can see better.

I make it to the living room, still in full view of the doorway to make sure no one entered. Didn't see anyone. Turning around, I spied some clothes lying about...and dinner on the table. Over across the room was a stairwell that led upstairs...

Oooh romance. Demure. Brother's gotta eat.

No more than a minute after I sit down and begin eating the turkey that is legitimately right in front of me, so I hear a truffle shuffle. I lean back in the chair and notice the doorway was no longer the same shade of darkness.

Fuck! I'm Bruce Willis in Signs right fucking now! Where's my damn water!"

I reach over and grab another knife, and the closest object my left hand can grab that wasn't food. The footsteps came closer and I could make out three bodies. Three able bodied fellows with weapons all their own. And what do I grab? A damn candle.

Wait? A CANDLE? That's still burning? That gave me cause for concern, but I dare not share that with these fellows who seemed puzzeled at my well..well being.

Think faster Will, what do you say?

"OH WOW YOU GUYS CAME AND YOU BROUGHT ENTERTAINMENT! SIT DOWN SIT DOWN! I MUST CHANGE INTO EVENING WEAR!" I hopped up and out of my chair and did the smart thing! Ran the HELL upstairs and beelined it for the bathroom. I didn't even turn around to see if they followed. quickly locked the door, wiping t3he sweat off my body. "GAWD stop detoxing body, I need this!"

Looking around, all bathrooms have this problem of always being too damn clean. You feel weird for touching anything and yet, even in this situation, I didn't want to use the his and her towels hanging on the bathroom rack by the door. Instead of hiding in the shower like all stupid people do, I opted for the window. Opening it, I quickly throw my feet outside of it, and hold on so I can attain a good balance on this portion of the roof. And there I wait-as I think I heard them fiddling with the door....