carracosta | beez in the trap

beez in the trap

[time is ruthless when unchecked, gnawing at sore ankles and palms tough as leather, drawing blood that draws walkers in turn. Murasa stopped keeping track after the day she watched her group get torn apart amidst gunfire and screams. only day and night exist now, monday and tuesday and everything after that gone. all gone, just like the world and society and everything she misses and wishes she could forget about.

finding Madoka shocked her out of her numb stupor (and in a sense, brought her back from the dead). they're not alone anymore- alone, in this world of death even after death, but not on their own. they've had too many close calls but somehow, by some random miracle, they're alive and unharmed.

they can't stay in one place too long. the walkers might move slower than the living, but they still move nonetheless. they made it out of the city and out into the countryside where they're less likely to be ambushed by a mob around any corner. there's a farmhouse visible just about half a mile away. the barn beside it could provide extra cover until they rest and gather more supplies as well.

or it could hold a crowd of walkers inside.

Murasa glances at Madoka. they've been walking for hours in the blistering sun and their water supply is nearly depleted. talking would only dry their throats so they haven't exchanged any words for a while now.]

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... Mhm. I'll be careful.

[ something that probably didn't need to be said, either. one of them had to be the careful one here.

not that she had much self-preservation at all either. she slips out after Murasa, squints against the dying sunlight as dusk falls around them. ]

Remember what I said that one time? If we're surrounded, you run, even if I get caught.

[to the barn!! Murasa kicks the door, waiting for anything that might be inside to respond. the only thing keeping it closed is a plank of wood crossing the doors- no padlocks, so maybe it's safe?]

... That's not going to happen. You getting caught.

[ and possibly not her running, either. she sucks in a breath as Murasa's kick lands--tries to strain to listen through the wind and birds at dusk. she could've sworn that she caught something like a groan inside.

maybe it was just old wood. she readies her gun regardless. ]

[she hesitates for a moment before answering.] Yeah, you're right. I'm too fast for those slowpokes.

[and somehow, she manages to laugh before a rotting hand breaks through weak wood, grabbing Murasa's arm.

whoops!!!]

Shit-

[pro: it can't bite her when the rest of its body is on the other side of the wall. con: it's pulling pretty hard and Murasa can't stab it from her position either.]

Wh--

[ it happens too quickly, but it's amazing how fast a person could react to danger in just a split second. she couldn't shoot--she might hit Murasa. the gun falls from shaking hands as she grabs Murasa's arm, tries to pull the walker's limb off with strength born of terror. but the zombie's grip was as strong as rigor mortis. ]

The knife! The knife! [she's scrambling for her own knife at her belt with her free hand, but it falls to the ground in her hasty panic.]

Cut its arm off!

R-right! The knife--where is--

[ almost forgetting where the hell she'd strapped her own blade, but she rips it from her own belt, equally frantic.

... it flies right out of her hand when the arm suddenly slams Murasa against the wall. both knives out of reach. ]

[DAMMIT MEDUKA

ok, ok, time to panic some more. and by that i mean improvise. kinda hard to when she's a bit disoriented from being slammed against the wall, but Murasa jerks away, trying to break the zombie's arm.

... it's not working. whoops.]

Wha... what do we do?!

[ panicking as the zombie starts to drag Murasa towards the shattered hole--it'd be difficult for it to bite her, but not impossible. she fumbles with her pistol, tries to press it towards the zombie's forearm. shooting off a limb wasn't impossible either, was it?? ]

Knife! Pick up the damn knife!

[she doesn't mean to sound angry but ZOMBIE AUUUGHHHHHHHH] Don't shoot!!

It's out of reach! It's... hang on--

[ AGH trying to pull Murasa over so she could reach the closest blade, a little like a twisted tug of war. just a little bit farther, but she wasn't sure if she could out-tug an adult zombie, even if he was trapped on the other side of a wall. ]

You need to let go of me!

[her jacket sleeve is thick enough that it'll take more effort from the zombie to rip, but. her shoulder will be dislocated at this rate.]

Just for a second! Then hand me the knife!

If the zombie gets even a little of your arm in, he'll be able to bite you! That's all it would be take...!

[ straining towards the knife, inch by panicked inch--dislocation would be preferable over being undead, if she had time to reason over this. ]

[it's snarling pretty loudly, a glimpse of stained teeth flashing through the hole. Murasa suddenly yells and pulls, the zombie's arm snapping clean off as she falls against Madoka.

well that worked?!??!]

[ the sound of tearing flesh doesn't quite seem to reach her--way too focused on getting the weapon--but she almost slams down to the ground as the arm comes off.

quickly snatching up the knife!! ]

G-g-got it!

[ NOT DELAYED AT ALL. ]

You...! [the Madoka or zombie??

oh well. Murasa tears the arm off, throwing it aside.]

I'm gonna kill that bastard! [she scrambles up, heading for the door. the zombie follows, scraping against the wall inside.]

What are you--

[ she almost fumbles the knife and cuts her own palm when the arm hits the ground next to her--oh. so that's what happened.

it shouldn't be so surprising, but she can't help but just stare at it in an entranced daze, almost missing Murasa heading for the door entirely. ]

[the door flings open, zombie (now missing one arm) stumbling out towards Murasa. she shoves it back with one hand, her other hand swinging her knife at its face.

the raspy groaning stops. Murasa kicks it away, panting.]

[ staggering up to her feet--there's no time to be worrying about limbs as long as theirs were all attached. but she didn't even have time to raise her gun or the knife before Murasa had taken care of it and she stares blankly at the body lying next to its arm. ]

T... that. That was way too close.

[Murasa's head snaps up. there's a quieter groaning coming from within the barn, but it isn't drawing near.]

Get back. I think there's one more in there.

Another one...

You should hang back. We can't let that--an attack like that happen again.

[ she knew Murasa wouldn't listen to her, though. stumbling forward on unsteady legs to try to take the lead, in slight panic. ]

It's not coming closer.

[flashlight, flashlight? no flashlight. she pushes the doors open wider, letting sunlight into the barn. oh, it's there near the back. the zombie there is missing the lower half of its body, pitifully trying to drag itself over.]

... Look. It's completely helpless.

[ oh god that's. pretty gruesome. taking a shaky step back--they've seen some shit, but she's still only 14, a severed arm and torso is still a bit much. ]

... Do you think the other one did this to it?

[maybe the other one did this to it while it was alive. while it was a person, maybe someone who watched a friend or family member or loved one turn, and couldn't bear to put them down, instead barricading the both of them in the barn. or maybe someone had pushed them inside and locked the doors from the outside. whatever the case was, it doesn't matter now, so Murasa doesn't respond.

she wonders if her friends became things like this too, if their heads hadn't been torn off or cracked open by the walkers.]

You don't have to look. I'll take care of it. [grabbing a nearby pitchfork.]

[ a pitchfork. even if the walker was incapacitated, getting that close up to finish it hands-on was...

she shakes her head, readies her handgun and trying to will her hands into stopping shaking. maybe Murasa would say that it'd be a waste of a bullet. but on the other hand, she could guarantee a fatal shot. ]

... You already got attacked. I can finish it.

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