in complete silence - open

[jordan jacob skipp]

‘Who could have possibly ever lived here?’ The twenty year old thought to himself as he gazed at the Archstone West apartments. Well, the remains of what once he had to assume was apartments. He kicked a metal trash can lid with his black tennis shoes. His facial features showing the distaste he felt for this scene before him. The once black pavement was covered in mostly dirt and it was covered in dirt that had blown in from over next to the sidewalk. There were large cracks showing in both the black asphalt and the sidewalk, grass sprouted up in almost every single one of the cracks. If the state of the road and the side walk weren’t clue enough to the state of the actual apartment complex then this should be, there were large chunks where the building had been weathered away.

It wasn’t like just a virus had come through here, it looked more like a different country had dropped a bomb in this part of town. Jordan, however, wasn’t one to take the obvious stay away hints. He was hardheaded and stubborn, he most definitely wasn’t going to stand here. He thought only of the possibilities that the apartment could hold. He really hoped he might find some canned food, it was a slim possibility but he figured with its wrecked looks that people might have assumed it was useless. He pushed his brown hair out of his eyes and stepped around the metal trash can lid. He slipped his hand to the pocket with the gun in it, he knew the safety was on so he was safe but still he wanted to be ready for anything that might pop out at him while he was in there.

He looked around, gazing at his surroundings with his hazel-brown eyes. Studying the area for any sign’s of could be danger. Then when he decided that it seemed okay, it wouldn’t be safe of course, he pushed onward. His shoes tapped lightly on the asphalt, then on the concrete sidewalk. He walked up the sidewalk to the front door where the broken glass doors hung on hinges. One was still intact and held up right without the leaning to one side. The glass was shattered all over the inside floor, so he stepped inside that one. The glass crunched softly under all 155 lbs of his weight. He then pulled the gun out of his pocket, he didn’t want to take any chances so he flicked the safety off and held it with both hands. He stayed close to the right wall and looked out at the check in/out counter, staring around and looking for any possible sign’s of civilization.

When he was certain that nobody was there he looked down the left hallway, then he peeked out and looked down the right one. He didn’t see anyone and he didn’t want to stay out in the open where people outside of the apartment could see him for much longer. He moved quickly and stealthily to the counter. Then he lifted himself up onto it and over it, moving back to behind it and looking for the keys. Thankfully this was a hotel that still used the traditional key styling hotel. He saw a map on the desk, it had been taped down with clear duck tape like tape, but time had worn the tape out and the outer edges of it stuck up and out at him, he pulled on it and pulled it up off easily. He then crouched down hiding himself from view and using the sunlight that shined in through the crack as a light, studied the map looking for the best possible apartments to look through.

[romain zadok fontenot]

I'm still crashing all the funerals of these people that I never knew.

Even after having seen the city since the outbreak, Zadok was struck by how utterly…dead…everything was. It was still and quiet and completely unnerving. But the truth of the matter was, he needed supplies. And the only way he could get them was to go looting. He didn’t much like doing it, but it needed to be done. Otherwise he might as well just lay down and die, and that was entirely out of the question. Shaking his head, he pulled his car to a stop in front of an old apartment building in West Leeds. He figured that he’d try the residences first, and then make his way to the stores. It was easier that way; the residences were closer to Harewood House than the stores, so he wouldn’t have to make too long a trip, if he could find the supplies in the apartments.

With a slight sigh, Zadok stepped out of his car, locked it, and then dropped his keys into his pocket. Keeping his shotgun handy, lest he run into any raiders, he headed straight for the building. No lollygagging allowed, these days. That was one sure way to get one’s ass robbed, and then very likely killed. Stepping through the broken glass door, he glanced around himself, and then, finding no one in sight, he kept moving.

Finding himself in a lobby of sorts, he squinted a bit in the failing light, studying his surroundings. Not for the first time, he cursed the lack of electricity. It made life infinitely more difficult for him. But even with the lack of light, he spotted the man standing at the counter. It was sort of hard to miss people-shaped things, even when you’re not used to seeing them. Zadok studied the man in silence for a moment before he decided that the other wasn’t a raider. There was no one else around, for one, and for another, he wasn’t actively trying to destroy anything. Besides, he didn’t look much like what raiders usually look like.

Lowering his gun a bit, but still keeping it handy, Zadok announced his presence. “Allo, mon ami. I trust you’re not a raider, oui? Naw, you don’ look like a raider.” He grinned, then, but made no move otherwise. “Romain Fontenot, at your service. But I prefer the name Zadok. And you are?”

[jordan jacob skipp]

The one part of this new world that he could not get over was the new silence. Before the streets and houses and buildings would be buzzing with activity at this time of day, noon, but now it was silent. The loudest it ever got was a small tussle between raiders. Other than that the place never changed and the silence in its own way was deafening. To Jordan the silence seemed to tell him he was all alone. This thought sent shivers up through his toes to his spine. His secret fear, one he wouldn’t admit even to himself, he was afraid of being alone.

A small noise made him pause. Through the silence everything seemed to echo and he didn’t move for a moment. Debating on what his choice of action would be. Finally after what seemed like several year’s he stood up. Then he made the outline of a person. Soon the outline of a person became the outline of a man. He had his gun in his hand, which he held it out visible to the man, who also held a gun. At first no one said anything, then he finally spoke up. It wasn’t like he had never encountered anyone before, but for Jordan who hadn’t been around people in a long while, any person seemed odd to be around for him.

“Allo, mon ami. I trust you’re not a raider, oui? Naw, you don’ look like a raider.” He said, he looked at him warily, the man seemed trusting enough. The man acted like he had encountered others before him, which wouldn’t be unlikely, after all there were men like that. “Romain Fontenot, at your service. But I prefer the name Zadok. And you are?” Jordan looked at him suspiciously, but then decided that he would trust him, for now. “Jordan” He answered shortly, still peering at him cautiously. “Jordan Skipp.” He added finally, looking away from the man and around then back at him.

[romain zadok fontenot]

I'm still crashing all the funerals of these people that I never knew.

Zadok grinned even more broadly when the man answered him, and then decided to close the distance a bit. “Well, it's nice to meet you, Jordan Skipp,” he said amicably. He had no reason not to treat Jordan as such. He hadn’t threatened him or tried to steal his stuff or insulted him or anything else distasteful. So, Zadok figured that he’d keep things friendly until he had reason not to do so. He just hoped that there would be no such reason. It was far too rare a thing to come across another, non-raider human these days, and it was always an added bonus if they weren’t hostile.

Shaking his head a bit, Zadok stared around the lobby. “Hell of a place, isn’t it? I don’ see how anyone could’ve lived here.” Tucking the fingers of his free hand into the pocket of his jeans, he frowned at the walls as if that would make them more cheerful. “Naw, much too…what’s de word? Dismal. Yeah, much too dismal for my tastes. An’ I grew up on a swamp, so you know dat’s sayin’ a lot.” He studied the contents of the dim room. “Maybe it wouldn’t look so bad if dere were some lights, huh?”

Turning back to his present company, he glancing at the map that Jordan currently held in his hands. Zadok shrugged, taking in the layout for a very brief moment. “Den again, who knows? Maybe it was a nice, ritzy place to live before all hell broke loose.” He smirked a bit, picturing it. “Right now, though, looks a bit too much like Silent Hill for my comfort. Any minute now, monsters are probably gonna start poppin’ outta de floors.” He glanced down at the dust covering the floor of the lobby, half-expecting his prediction to come true. Of course, nothing so momentous happened. Not much ever did anymore, apart from the occasional raider encounter. There weren’t enough people around for such things.

[jordan jacob skipp]

This man, Zadok, caused Jordan to be more on edge and alert, worried that he was faking this Zadok persona and was ready to start shooting. Jordan of course wouldn’t act on this fear; he would behave and stay peaceful until Zadok gave him a reason to become hostile, which he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Jordan studied the appearance of the other man, he was clean enough, well as clean as could be expected in this hell hole. He had black hair and blue eyes. The image was commited to memory so he could use it for later reference if needed. Jordan’s own appearance was similar in the sense of cleanliness, it wasn’t perfectly cleanly cut but it was clean enough. He nodded to himself in acceptance, deciding that the man didn’t appear mistrustful.

“Well, it's nice to meet you, Jordan Skipp,” Zadok said, he nodded his head, not daring to speak yet. He could tell that Zadok had more to say. Just off of first impressions he got that Zadok was a social butterfly, something Jordan lacked in his skills. He wasn’t very social. So with luck Zadok could talk enough for them both and his responses wouldn’t have to be very often. “Hell of a place, isn’t it? I don’ see how anyone could’ve lived here.” Jordan got that he didn’t expect a reply so he wasn’t to eager to go and give one, but in response he looked up and around the building. He went on saying some more about how dismal the place was, then asking a rhetorical question of maybe it would look better with some light.

Jordan said nothing more so, how was he to reply to that, ‘Yea of course it would.’, wasn’t exactly a response he would give. Then he went on, saying that maybe it was a good place.. Jordan chuckled lightly at the last comment of monster’s popping out of the floor. He had to agree, he gave the dusty floor a disdainful look. ”It might have been something when it wasn’t so ruined.” He commented on it cautiously. ”What brings you out this way?” He asked hesitantly, setting the map on the counter where Zadok could reach it knowing that he too might want to study it and the best places to look for food or other supplies.

[romain zadok fontenot]

I'm still crashing all the funerals of these people that I never knew.

Zadok was still a bit wary of Jordan, but he chose not to show it. That wouldn’t be very polite of him, would it? And, if anything, his mamma raised him to be polite. There was no way in hell that he’d insult her memory by being anything but that. Besides, Jordan seemed like a good enough guy. There really was no reason for him not to trust him. So, for now, he just decided to take the guy on face value.

He shrugged one shoulder at Jordan’s question, moving a bit to look at the map that the other man had set down on the counter. “Oh, y’know. Supplies. Medicine, mostly, but maybe some food or toiletries.” Then, glancing up, Zadok grinned crookedly. “Don’ worry, I promise I’ll leave plenty for you, as long as you leave some for me.” Turning back to the map, he picked one of the rooms that probably hadn’t been raided yet, and then moved to the keys behind the counter, selecting the corresponding one. “No reason we can’ be civil about all of dis, eh?”

Then, he started off down the hall toward the room. But, before he could get very far, his conscience started acting up, and he drew to a halt. Well, his conscience and the fact that he really, really didn’t want to find himself in the same room with a bunch of hostiles. Especially not without any backup. “Hey, you wanna look around with me? I mean, there’s safety in numbers and all dat. I’m not too fond of the idea of runnin’ into a raider somewhere around here.” While Zadok waited for Jordan’s answer, he checked the sheath on his belt to make sure his knife was easily accessible, just in case he couldn’t use his gun for whatever reason. Better to be safe than sorry.

[jordan jacob skipp]

Jordan knew he wasn’t being very friendly, he understood that, he wasn’t exactly the social butterfly and he was coming off as untrustworthy which wasn’t his intention. He knew the chances of running into a seemingly trustworthy guy such as Zadok was very rare, so he needed to take advantage of this opportunity he was granted with and become friends. Zadok picked up the sheet and talked about looking for the usual supplies, which Jordan had to agree with, supplies were very needed at this point. The man mentioned being civil and Jordan nodded in agreement, not feeling that the man expected a verbal response. Then the man went on with looking at the map, he analyzed it for a moment, then set it down having made up his mind and picked the key up to it. Jordan thought absentmindedly about following, but felt that wouldn’t be a great idea since the man hadn’t invited him.

Skipp picked up the map and began studying it and looking for a room that would be a good one, at least in his opinion, or hopes. His efforts were turning up futile for a moment until Zadok’s fading footsteps came to a stop. The man turned back to him, Jordan looked up. “Hey, you wanna look around with me? I mean, there’s safety in numbers and all dat. I’m not too fond of the idea of runnin’ into a raider somewhere around here.” Zadok said, Jordan slightly smiled. He thought about a response, but he knew the moment Zadok had opened his mouth and questioned him his mind was made up. He was going with the stranger whether he really wanted to or not. That was a given, especially since Jordan had been contemplating going with him just moments ago.

”Yea, im not too keen on the idea of running into a raider neither, it wouldn’t be exactly the greatest thing in the world.” He said with a slight chuckle, he felt more at ease now. He figured that this calmer, rather peaceful, mood came from the fact that he had realized he could come off as untrustworthy. He felt that he needed to right this wrong and he was acting on that feeling. In the past he had learned that acting on feelings was not exactly the smartest thing to do, so this was a rather internal conflict. Instead of focusing all his thoughts on this mental fight he pushed the matter away and returned to the situation at hand. He stepped around the counter and walked to Zadok, his gun still out, not aimed at him, but rather watching behind the two men. ”You lead?” He asked hesitantly.

[romain zadok fontenot]

I'm still crashing all the funerals of these people that I never knew.

Zadok was a bit relieved when Jordan decided to tag along. It was always nice to have someone to watch his back, even if he’d only just met that someone minutes ago. “Sho, I’ll take point. Jus’ don’ let nothin’ shank me in the back, alright? I sorta like my back, and I don’ want it all ruined by a scar.” he said with a grin, then continued walking, not waiting for an answer. He wasn’t really expecting one, and to be completely honest, he wanted to finish his business here and get out of the building and back to his base as soon as he could. There was no way that he was going to be sticking his neck out for too long in a place that could very well be the proverbial axe.

Keeping his gun raised, just in case, Zadok started making his way carefully down the hall, wishing for a moment that he’d thought to bring a flashlight. Then again, that would, most likely, destroy any chance of stealth they had. No, it was probably for the best. Feeling a bit paranoid, to be perfectly honest, his eyes moved constantly, making sure that there wasn’t anything lurking in the shadows. He half-expected there to be someone waiting around to bring their lives to a bloody end. But there wasn’t. Not that he was complaining, of course; even with all that had happened, he liked his life far too much to be upset about living it for a while longer.

Finally, the hallway came to a stop, intersected by another, and Zadok made a right turn. The room he was looking for was about halfway to the end of this hall, and after a bit more careful, stealthy walking, he found himself standing in front of it. Lowering his gun for just a moment, he fished the key back out of his pocket, then slid it into the hole. He turned it, heard the lock click open, and then turned his head to look at Jordan over his shoulder. “You ready, mon ami?” He said softly, then, again without waiting for an answer, he turned the doorknob and shoved open the door. From the hall, he made a quick check of the first room, finding nothing, and then simply stepped inside, nodding to Jordan that the coast was clear. At least, it was for the time being. There was no telling what they’d find in the rest of the apartment.

[jordan jacob skipp]

There seemed a pact had been formed between the men, despite the fact they had known each other only a few moments, obviously they were trusting each other to watch each other’s back. Jordan held his gun at length and watched behind them, staying close and his eyes shifting nervously, he was a bit more than nervous but he kept his feelings in check. He needed to stay calm, which was hard when the ever lurking presence of danger seemed to be waiting around every corner, in every nook and cranny they passed or turned to. Zadok said something, but Jordan was only half listening, he knew Zadok didn’t expect nor desire a response from him, if anything he figured the man was like Jordan and wanted nothing more than to be in and out, back to the safety of wherever it was he stayed. Jordan remembered the path he was taking, which halls he was turning down, he wanted to know the way out if he needed a quick escape. He also took note of the doors and whether they wee open or not, he wanted to be semi-safe at the very least, in a time like this there was no such thing as completely safe.

They moved as stealthily as they could through the quiet dark halls, Jordan strained to see through ever shadowy looking place. Then they had arrived at the room that Zadok had picked out. He stopped glancing around gun still held at length, he looked over his shoulder at Zadok when he asked if he was ready and nodded giving that. Then Zadok went in, Jordan kept his back to Zadok’s and waited until Zadok nodded before going in with him. He slipped in and eased the door closed, he didn’t want a raider to walk by and think, ‘Oh that door’s open, there must be someone in there.’. Perhap’s Jordan was being a little bit ridiculous but it wasn’t his fault he was overly cautious when it came to his life and being alive or dead. He refused to play around with something like that. He nodded towards what he figured was the bathroom, as it was one of the doors that led off the main room they had entered into. So he moved around the couch and gently stepping over the debris he stepped to the side of the bathroom, looked to Zadok for confirmation and then holding his gun out moved his body to where he was looking around the wall and into the small bathroom. There was nothing there, and whoever had lived here had left in a hurry because different medicines and soaps and things were left in there spots that they had apparently been in way back when.

The most apparent thing was the dust, there was dust everywhere, the dust was unstirred so he had to assume that was a good sign that there wasn’t anyone here, but he wasn’t going to go on what his gut instinct told him. He slipped out of the bathroom and nodded to Zadok looking for him to lead them into the next room, the two of them could split up and probably get through the house a lot faster, but he didn’t exactly want to run off by himself. They had gone together for a reason, he wasn’t about to just throw that reason out of the way. ”Im ready when you are.” He whispered softly to the man, ready to finish the search through the house. The room they were in was pretty well lit because of the two windows that let light shine through them from the sun. There was a light yellowish type of drape over them but it was very thin and didn’t provide much of a shield to any light. Once upon a time that might have looked good but now it looked rather wretched.