surviving

This is an archived version of FeralFront. While you can surf through all the content that was ever created on FeralFront, no new content can be created.
If you'd like some free FeralFront memorabilia to look back on fondly, see this thread from Dynamo (if this message is still here, we still have memorabilia): https://feralfront.com/thread/2669184-free-feralfront-memorabilia/.

    brooke finished smoking her cigarette and tossed the butt, turning to walk inside.

    "So... are you here to stay then?" Brooke asked olive as she made her way to the kitchen. "Ive got no problem with a cute girl staying. But i guess that means well need to make another trip to get food" she shuddered at the thought of making a trip to other houses and other places to scavenge.

    "You much of a scavenger house wife?" Brooke jokes to the girl but groans as a wave of pain crashes over her body.

    But she forced the pain back and swallowed.



    Was.

    Was that his fault?


    Jeremy was startled when Asher had greeted him, only to disappear a moment later into the bathroom with the accompanying sound of a lurching gut. Jeremy was tempted to follow him and check up on the guy, but decided against it. Mostly because that was too much walking and his chest still ached. So instead, he turned towards the kitchen, where Brooke and...who was that?

    He had missed a lot, hand't he?

    The young man rubbed the back of his head as he approached, flitting his eyes over his house with a small sigh. Blood and mess and piled dishware and vomit - everywhere. Too much of a mess, he did not like it. His dad would be rolling in his grave if he saw this. "Hey Brooke, missus," he greeted, his voice a bit hoarse from screaming, coughing and just soreness. He blinked when he arrived in time to hear Brooke asked if the unfamiliar woman was to stay, but he frowned only when she talked about food. He glanced towards the cupboards, which used to be stacked with cans, now almost barren. That was not good.



    (c)trexgirl

    "hey, have a nice nap?" brooke joked before realizing that he hafnt actually met the doctor.

    "This is olive" she said looking to her friend next to her. "She fixed you up" she groaned as she stiffled a hiccup that had potential to be much more then that. She didnt wanna find out.

    She swallowed the vomit that tried crawling up her throat and then cleared her throat.

    Olive nodded to Jeremy. "You don't have the zombie infection, just a regular one. I have antibiotics. Don't stop taking them even if you feel better. Finish the whole regimen." She glanced over towards Brooke, offering a small smile. She was rather exasperated with her, but she was helpful. And she was trying, at least, which was more than Olive could say about many people. She glanced back at Jeremy, looked him up and down. He was up, which was excellent considering what was happening to him. "You should sit," she said firmly, before turning to make breakfast.


    Asher finished up in the bathroom, feeling still pretty bad and headachey. But it was okay. He would make it. He pressed his forehead to the cool glass mirror for a second, taking deep breaths. It would be okay. He straightened right up, glancing in the mirror, noting that he also looked like shit. He was also just wearing a t-shirt, which made him kinda self-conscious. Whatever. He stepped out of the bathroom, saw Jeremy, and walked towards him before, impulsively, wrapping his arms around him in a big hug. "'M glad you're feeling better," he said, softly, ignoring for the moment the nausea. Then, realizing Jeremy was probably hurting, he loosened his grip a little. But he held on. He was even a little scared to let go.

    brooke grinned at jeremy with a devilish expression

    ''I may have gotten him a tad drunk last night" she gigured shrd joke about it as jeremy would smell the alcohol raging from him anyway.

    She felt the need to apologize for some reason but she holds it back. She has no reason to.

    "You missed in on the fun, hopefully nrxt time your passed out drunk rather sick" she smirked at him hoping hed br his old self and laugh at the jokes coming from her.



    Though he could already assume he was clean of the virus, he still let out a relieved sigh at hearing the confirmation. He was about to thank the woman, and ask about her name, when Asher returned. Jeremy was surprised when the boy hugged him, and though that immediately sent a burst of pain through his abdomen, he couldn't help but smile nontheless. Even if Asher did smell like booze and vomit. He patted his back gently, "You need a shower," he informed the other, only half teasing.


    He rolled his eyes at everyone, "how have any of us managed to survive so long?" he said, amazed.


    (c)trexgirl

    *time skip to christmas eve*




    Brooke walked into the house with two rabbits and a goose that shed plucked gutted and skinned, shed managed to catch them in the traps shed set and figured she could at the very least make dinner for christmas, even if there wasnt alot.


    She went to the kitchen and set the meat down.

    "Hensan come help me cook, it is your house after all" she joked but knew that this food was a god sent, and shed enjoy company while preparing the food.

    "I think im goimg to make rabbit stew and cook the goose as is, maybe stuff him like a turkey" she laughed as she said the words, not even checkingto see if anyone had been there to hear her.


    She pulled out the things she needed, sighing at the food that there was very little off.

    There was some carrots and potatoes but not much else for the stew.

    She decided to continue anyway, pouring water into the container as it sat iver the heat.

    Christmas was the next day and she hated it. She wanted to just distract herself from everything that it was. Only asher knew what the day really ment to her, so she didnt expectthe others to understand, but shedrather distract herself and do the most for her friends that she could.

    Asher woke himself up way ass early in the morning in order to set out. Like, the sun wasn't up yet, which was insane for him considering occasionally he woke up around the time the sun was going down. He got into gear, trying to pick stuff out that would camouflage because he wasn't just hiding from the animals, early in the morning when everything was eerily quiet, and grabbed the rifle and made his way out into the woods.


    It was cold, and his gloves were thick but not thick enough because he quickly lost feeling in his fingers. On his back, his gun, some water, some provisions, a sled. He had never done this alone. Last time... last time he was with his dad, and it had felt so... friendly. It was a gesture, a weird one, recognizing Asher as "one of the guys". And Asher had paid such close attention to his lessons on gear and tracking and cooking that he still remembered how. He remembered his dad complimented his aim. Told him he was proud.


    He found hooftracks, fresh, in the mud, starting to be dusted with snow. He followed them, quietly, until he could see the creatures himself. They were in a crowd, nibbling at the last bit of grass, a few looking around, but not at him. He crawled closer. Felt a little bad. He crawled closer and aimed his gun and shot.


    He had to drag the bloody corpse up into the tree for a bit, just in case the shots were heard. But nothing came. So he set it up on the sled and made his way back home, nearly lost. And when he made it back to the house, he smelled something really good. Tired and shivering, he dragged the poor thing back towards the door, reached up, and opened it. He saw Brooke in the kitchen. "Fuck," he said, his voice raspy and shaky. "You beat me to it." He grinned to her, and then glanced back at the deer. Its eyes were staring at him. He closed them. "I got a... fucking deer."

    brooke jumped as ashers voice startled her,

    "A deer???" Her eyes were wide with excitement "go gut and clean it! Lets cook this bitch!" She was excited, her food wasnt enough for everyone, and now with a deer she coukd make so much more.

    Curiously she looked at asher "you didnt find any wild fruits ir veggies or know where to find any by any chance di you? I made tabbit stew, had plenty if potatoes and some carrots but not much else... i need something else to make" she paused and thought about the frenchtoast casserole that her mother made. That would be perfect but they have no milk.

    "We need a cow" she blurted out not thinking

    "For milk" she looked up expecting odd glances from the boy but decided shed not wait for a response, instead she walked out to go have a look at the deer for herself.

    "Good thinking" she stammeredas she saw the large body. It was actually in good shape, despite the scarce food, but maybe they have more room to flourish with less people to kill them off.

    She inspected the body for bites and scratches but saw none. "It seems healthy, im suprised... whered you find it? Ive gota few traps you can set up. The ones i found with the bus" she pointed to her vw bus that shed found, she was proud of it and called it her own bus even tho it was technically just the groups bus


    Jeremy was subdued.

    He had long since healed and recovered from the wounds. Though it occasionally stung when he moved a certain way, he didn't let it bother him. He had begun to enjoy the company of the new girls that resided in his house, and had even gone out of his way to be a bit more social. The previous day, he had been his normal stern, but friendly self - complaining, teasing, quipping and working as usual.

    Today though, it was like someone had reached into his soul and yanked out his personality - which he didn't really have much of to begin with, so how rude. Still though, Jeremy wasn't himself this supposedly happy christmas day. His blue eyes were grey and distant, constantly drifting to look out the window into the distant land outside his farm - if you studied his line of sight closely, it could be noted that he was staring at the shed.

    Jeremy was so out of it, he hadn't even noticed Asher had left early - the fact should have made him anxious and fretful, or angry that his friend had left on his own without more protection. When there are zombies amuk, you go in bloody pairs!

    But he was too distracted with his thoughts to think too hard about others.

    He trailed about the house, mostly just staying near the window but occasionally moving to do something someone asked of him. When Brooke called out, he made his way over, barely awknowledging her jokes and catches as he focused on the vegetables. He began to chop the carrots listlessly when he heard the door open.


    For a split second, there was life in his eyes. Jerking his head over to the door, there was an almost desperate exitement in his eyes...before it bitterly faded when it was just Asher. Not that he wasn't happy it was Asher...but...His gaze flickered towards the window before he focused back on slicing the veggies.

    "Make sure to cover any spilled blood with snow. Dont want to attract zombies," he sighed.




    (c)trexgirl

    Asher began preparing to clean the deer, trying to recall what his dad used to do when he had to gut the thing. He had blood all over his gloves, so he stripped them off. That wasn't really that helpful, though, because his hands were fucking cold and at least in the gloves they weren't totally frozen. "I can't feel my entire ass," he muttered, rubbing his hands together to try and get some feeling in them. He glanced up as he noticed Jeremy, and opened his mouth to greet him cheerfully, but then realized he looked... well, depressed. Like, he wasn't expecting a parade to be held when he got back, but he was used to Jeremy scolding him. Maybe Asher was just an attention whore, but he was bothered by it.


    He took a second to warm himself up, straightening up and glancing over towards Jeremy. In a low voice, like it was kind of a secret or whatever, because he knew he himself would hate it if someone tried to be all gentle and pitying towards him out loud in the open. He'd totally kick their ass. He put a hand on his shoulder, and in a low voice, said, "Hey, you alright?" He noticed Brooke didn't seem alright either, but he knew why. He didn't want to bother her, unless she seemed like she wanted to be bothered, which he didn't know what the situation would be. Besides, she seemed like the kinda person who preferred to be distracted over comforted.

    Somewhere a distance off the trees ruffled against each other inthe harsh wind thst had began to let down little white flurries against the pale blue thst was the sky.

    "Its getting colder, well need a better place soon, withit snowing were not going to have much comfort" the man who the sour toned flat voice belonged to looked up at the tents that lined a tree hidden spot, fences surrounding them to keep the zombies out.


    He walked off into one tent and grunted in displeasure at the deindling supplies. "What the fuck have you been doing?? Certainly not gathering more supplies!" He slapped the girl in the tent across the face which made her stumble and fall back to her butt.

    Before waiting for a reply he turned and shouldered his way out and into the food tent. But it was the same scene, there wasnt much left, and his blood began to boil. This isnt enough to last them, they needed more.

    "Listen up!" He yelled the words loud in the clearing

    "If anyone finds a camp or people, report it to me. We arnt having luck finding supplies, so were going to have to take them" without mention of the announcment being over he turned and walked off, climbing into a tent big enough to only hold him.





    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




    Ian yawned as he woke up from his nap, he climbed to his feet to let diego outside then turned to the kitchen.

    He opened the fridge lazily, pulling out a bottle of sprite, hed managed to stay well stocked in his cozy little house, he had fresh eggs laid by his chickens daily, his wolf hunted for him and provided fresh meat, and hed looted a store that had been deep in the heart of bumfuck no where. He only had 4. Neighbors and theyd left or died, so he kept the treasures hed found from the places.

    But he was lonely, he didnt have anyone besides his dog and chickens.

    He prayed that someone would join him in his lonesome soon.



    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





    Brooke watched as asher and jeremy did their things before she turned to go finish cooking.

    She placed all the cut vegtables into the pot and began to add the slightly cooked meat to it. Letting it boil together. Adding salt and other herbs they were lucky enough to have.

    She began to work on the bird, placing sticks of butter and herbs and things into and on it, before she stuck it into the oven.

    She walked to the couch and plopped down, waiting for asher to finish cleaningthe deer.

    She decided shed steal a cig and grab a bottle of whisky and made her way to the porch, wrapped in a blanket.

    She lit the cig then took a gulp of the whisky, but she didnt down it all at once like usual, she let it burn her throat and stomach. She wanted to feel something but nothing at once and she sighed as she took another puff off her cig.


    He realized he'd cut himself by seeing it happen rather than feeling it. It was just a small nick - paper-cut thin. He barely had a moment to really admire the bead of red forming when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced sideways, remembering Asher, and blinked at his question. It took him a moment to decide on a response. He placed the knife down, glanced at the cut, then said truthfully, "No, im not." Sticking his finger into his mouth to lick away the blood, he glanced toward's the window, the shed, and said through the wound, "Its my first christmas..." he didn't need to elaborate further. Turning away, he slid the veggies into the proper bowl, before he went over to the living room. "You're helping cook," he said, snatching the alcohol out of Brooke's hands

    (c)trexgirl





    Amy woke up the cold tingling her feet. She stared for a moment, eyes blurred since she hadn't put on her glasses, at the ceiling. It was christmas. She had never really celebrated it as a kid. Though her parents did put up decorations and had parties, there was no celebration. No joy of love and togetherness. Christmas was yet another mask to make her parents look better than they actually were.

    But she had loved it, at least when she had been a kid. When ian would come over and they would exchange their own poor-ly wrapped, poorly-made gifts. They'd giggle by the fire, burn their tongues on hot cocoa. Sometimes, if he stayed so late he had to sleep over, she'd sneak into the guest room and crawl into bed with him. When the clock struck twelve and Santa had passed over her house, she would thank her lucky stars he gave her Ian.

    But that had been a long time ago.

    She wondered if he was dead.


    "Are we making Christmas dinner? Should we exchange gifts?" Amy asked exitedly, bouncing into the living room with glowing green eyes. She noted everyone's unhappy faces and chuckled - here she ahd thought Doc was the only moody one! "C'mon guys! Its Christmas! Lighten up!" she purred, wrapping her arms around Brooke and squeezing her warmly, "We're alive another day! Yay us! "


    (c)trexgirl


    "yay" brooke huffed enthusiastically before she lept up and snatched the bottle back "no shit im cooking. i can still cook and drink" she pulled the bottle back and spilled some on herself. without caring she took another couple of sips, knowing jeremy would snatch it right back out of her hands in a moments notice.

    she laughed look at them fighting over a bottle like a toddler.

    turning back to amy she looked at her "hey miss cheerful, dinners cooking and being cleaned. hope your not a vegatarian" she took a hit off her cig and another gulp from the bottle.

    "christmas sucks" she tried to ignore the images of her son that were burned into her brain.

    Asher gave Jeremy a quick shoulder squeeze, trying to be comforting or something, and considered saying something optimistic, or something that would hopefully make him smile, but he felt that maybe he just needed to do his own thing for a while. He just needed to let Jeremy be sad. He leaned closer, and muttered, "If you need anything..." but now Brooke was back and getting into trouble, and Jeremy was going off to scold her, and Asher hoped he'd heard him. He looked at the back of his head, chewing his lower lip. It really bothered him. It bothered him that he had a sense of what Jeremy was feeling, a knowledge of how horrible it was, but he couldn't take it away, steal the bad feelings and shove them into himself because he could take it. He could take the emotional asskicking. He'd take it for his friend.


    He went to start cleaning the deer again. He thought about how they could use as much of it as possible. They could only cook so much of it now, but if they took it and... preserved it, somehow, it would be really useful to have. Like, they could make venison jerky. Some good apocalypse food. As he did it, he glanced up as he heard Brooke. "Oh, yeah," he said, "I fuckin' hate Christmas. Always had to see the shitty conservative side of the family and try to explain to them that gay marriage doesn't actually affect them at all." He shrugged. "This is actually gonna be one of my better Christmases. Most of that fucking family is dead." The dark humor was tinged with a little pain, a little strain in his voice. But it was true. He wasn't going to have people call him [REDACTED] this year, no one was going to scream at him for going through with the surgery, he wasn't going to feel like a little kid that got in trouble. Not this year.

    when asher joked about his family being dead she gulped another sip down and looked away.

    "Yea mine too" she said the words flatly and in a painful tone before getting up and putting the cig out.

    Without waiting for a response she got up and walked off to go check on the food.

    The stew was cooking quickly so she turned the heat down, they wouldnt need it to be done for atleast a few more hours.

    After that she checked on the butter soaked bird in the oven, cooking nicely but still needed another hour or two.


    Jeremy glanced at Asher, studying the boy. It was interesting how such a mild squeeze of a shoulder made him relax so quickly. He was about to express his gratitude to the other teenager, when Brooke snatched the alcohol from him. He glared at Brooke, once more grabbing her drink and lifting his arm high, out of her reach, "Im not letting you anywhere near the stove while intoxicated," he snapped, not in the mood for her addictions.

    He said nothing as his friends jokes about dead families. He wasn't sure if he wanted to try his hand at chuckling darkling along with them, but didn't really have the heart. A part of him was rather irritated, hearing how they claimed to be happy without their folks. He'd do anything to deal with his dad drunkenly yelling at the tv screen sporting games on christmas...

    Pouring the alcohol down the drain, the teenager sat back and watched the two get to their work. He felt rather useless, without a task, and decided to make himself useful and went out to set the table. It was at that moment he suddenly blurted out, "Y'know, technically not all of our family is dead," and before he could realize how corny his next words were, he said, "I mean, aren't we kinda family now?"



    (c)trexgirl

    "yea.. i guess that is true.." she did have to admit, they WERE her family now.

    "i mean it needs to cook for awhile, like 4 hours. so i wont necessarily be drunk near the stove" brooke reached for the alcohol again

    brooke wondered off before anyone could say anything about dead family members again, the thought just didnt feel right.

    She glanced at the timer on the stove around the corner of the door,

    "3 hours 49 minutes to spare"

    She turned to walk outside and dipped down the stairs in the front.

    "Guess i could find us some more stuff" she muttered to herself as she stepped off into a random direction, "ill be back in a bit" she yelled behind her before she took another swig of the bottle and disapeared into the woods.


    She decided she was going to go threw cars for cigs and matches or lighters, and to her luck she found a string of parked cars maybe 15 minutes away.

    Going threw them she found 5 packs of cigs and a couple dozen packs of matches. As well as a few candles that she decided to snag, theyd look good with the thanksgiving(christmas?? I forget) dinner theyd gotten.

    Carrying more than enough she strolled back home, just trying to pass the time til she could eat