Fallen Pine: A zombie tale

[FistsFullofDice]

The town of Fallen Pine, Oregon for almost its entire history has been a sleepy little town. About 60 miles east of Eugene, it enjoys its independence from the cities. Residents in the area are a rich cultural patchwork, many of whom are able to trace their families long into the history pages of the town.

On August 29th, a death occurred in Fallen Pine. The elderly widow Mrs. Mathers, died a sudden death in the local diner. She seemed to pass in a quiet manner, simply leaning over her soup, only being discovered by the waitress asking if she would like a refill. The people in the diner had all stepped out side, many of them had never seen a death first hand. When the paramedics arrived however, she was gone. The incident had shaken the town, the investigation that resulted had discovered a empty shell of a home. If she had left town there was no evidence. No money had been pulled out, no belongings removed, even the car still stood at the diner. Calls for help to the outside were met with silence, other agencies preferring to explain the event away rather than believe a dead body had slipped away.

On September 1st, the first wave of disappearances happened. Five people, young and old, male and female. No word to anyone, or any source to where they went. On September 2nd, as the police investigated the different cases, a second wave of disappearances occurred. This time, twelve people. The public was outraged, scarred, and confused. A public meeting was held at city hall. After a long day of yelling and pleading for action, a decision was made. The town would split up into several groups, and search for the missing people. One of the groups assembled inside recreational room. In the soft glow of the vending machines and florescent lights, they discussed their different talents and equipment that could assist with the task at hand.

Table {table]Player|Character|Backstory
Vesth|Mr. J (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=438892)|Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13790241&postcount=19)
Hawker|Kelsey Ward (http://sheetgen.dalines.net/sheet/20236)|Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13791964&postcount=22)
Hazuki|Jennifer "Jenny" Moon (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=429174)|Link (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=429174)
Karnius|Randolph Bridges (http://sheetgen.dalines.net/sheet/20398?message=true)|Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13822234&postcount=60)
[/TABLE]

[Karnius]

Randolph looks around at the other members of his team. Jenny Moon was a familiar sight from the church as a frequent audience member of his sermons. Randolph liked Jenny - she seemed actively interested in religion - but she mostly kept to herself. He had seen the Ward girl - Kelsey? - around the town before, but he didn't know much about her beyond that she works at the local vet. As for the last member of the team, Randolph had barely seen him before in his life. He certainly didn't seem to be local, and Randolph had no idea what he was doing in Fallen Pine.

Leaning forward in his chair and looking around at the others, Randolph speaks hesitantly.

"I'm not entirely sure where we should start, to be honest. Maybe if we start on the north-east and work our way across, that could work. I've brought a torch but I don't have much else of use.

[Hawker]

"That sounds as good a plan as any," Kelsey blurted with a slight Texan drawl as she pushed her plastic-framed glasses up her nose. In truth, she didn't really know any of the folks she was assigned with; she was not religious, she didn't own a car, and... well, the third man she had never even heard of, a rarity in Fallen Pine. Having met the first victim, Mrs. Mathers, a few times when she had checked in with her more aged friends at the home for the disabled, Kelsey was eager to begin the search. Also, she needed to get out of the town hall as quickly as possible. The constant panicked arguing had given her quite the headache, and no small part of that was the jittery pang of nicotine withdrawal. She was used to it, certainly, but that didn't ease the feeling at all. No smoking in the vet's, no smoking in her live-in apartment at the home, no smoking in the town hall...

"We'll find these people," she continued as she inched up to the vending machines and purchased a root beer. "A town this small, how far could they have gotten? They're probably all in the same place, too." She shoveled some trail mix into her mouth and, while still munching, cracked open the can of soda with her teeth and took a sip. After licking the bits of nut off the top of the can, she swallowed and grinned, not realizing that she had a bit of raisin still stuck in her teeth. "I say, why waste any more time in this place than we already have."

[Vesth]

The tall, rather well-dressed man, sighed inwardly, though his outer complexion showed no change. He wasn't even of this town, so why was he helping the townsfolk? It would attract unnecessary attention to him, especially events like this, which would bring people he'll rather not meet here.

But then again, he could just the opportunity to secure a rapport with some of the folk here. Find some contacts, some allies willing to help his cause. He just had to be ready to flee at the earliest hint of trouble.

"Perhaps...perhaps we should try one of the scenes of the crime, and work our way from there? There might be a clue, or something we missed." Mr J said warmly, revealing nothing about his inner trepidation of the current turn of events.

"Oh, excuse me! I must have forgotten to introduce myself!" Mr J said with a laugh, "I was just enjoying what this town has to offer, when this tragedy struck. I am Mr J, and I'll help as much as I can in these...circumstances."

[Hazuki]

Jenny's nose wrinkled slightly at the sight of Kelsey slavering over her trail mix and getting chewed food on the can and in her teeth, but pushes past the disgust as she hefts the fireaxe held in her left arm. It wasn't much of anything, but if wolves or...whatever was taking people came about, she didn't want to be defenseless.

"I have a flashlight and tools in my pack." Jenny adds to the conversation, hefting the bag on her other shoulder with a jangling. "Maybe we could get a map of the area and look for any caves, or something."

She smiles at Mr J, and offers him her gloved hand to shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jenny."

[FistsFullofDice]

As the group pondered their next move a confused little man stepped through the door. His uniform showed he was one of the local deputies however he carried himself without the force and dominance one would expect from an officer. He looked around at the group. "Is this that group Marshall Edwards told to go north? I've been told to bring you to where ya'll be looking."

Assuming no one had any issues going with the deputy, I'll move the group towards their location. His name tag says Williams.
The group shuffled out behind him. As they walked outside the sound of different groups chatting or calling names could be heard in the cold night. The beams of flashlights darted left and right from behind buildings as silhouetted groups started their grid patterns. The whole town was out wandering aimlessly around.

The group walked up the main road going through town and then turned northeast into some houses at the edge of town. The noise of their neighbors shuffling around was much softer here. The deputy stopped and looked around. "Alright then folks, we need ya'll to loop over that way and um..." The deputy stopped short of his instructions as he started focusing through the darkness at a house. Those who fallowed his gaze could see the figure as well. Someone standing behind a window of a house, guarded by the curtains and betrayed by the light from the flickering television. The figure stood there for a minute, but as the deputy stepped towards the house it slipped away into the darkness of the house. "I bet that's one of those damn Johnson kids breaking in that house that is." His voice was unsure, probably just explained it that way for his own sanity. As the group approached the house the deputy looked back at the group. "I need one of ya'll to go around the back so we can get that little thief. Father Bridges, could you and Ms. Ward do that and we will knock on the front."

The deputy walked up to the door, and after a first hesitation knocked on the door. "This is deputy Williams, is anyone there? We are checking in on everyone , are ya'll okay." His constant knocking started to jar open the door. He paused as he noticed it and then pushed open the door all the way. "Hello?", Williams said as he stepped inside. He looked at the wall and with force flicked on the light switch. A terrible noise was heard and then the absence of the lights as a fuse went out. 'Of all the times' Williams thought. He pulled out his side arm and then started into the house...

Here is the house layout. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.palmharbor.com/resource/palmharbor/SiteObjects/published/02945FCE00170CBB01099DC31D90BD9F/7D2E8048B142B6146A923E4930F961A5/IMGELG_THUMB_/FP_06_SE_Bimini.gif&imgrefurl=http://kidsstuffworld.wordpress.com/category/world/ksws-green-living-home/&h=538&w=560&sz=33&tbnid=uae2RD9qDfs8cM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=94&prev=/search%3Fq%3D2%2Bstory%2Bfloor%2Bplans%26tbm%3Disc h%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=2+story+floor+plans&usg=__10crDgyOuVygO3L1ASw_x5VT7GQ=&hl=en&sa=X&ei=5SVHUMaLEceW2gW3hIGoAg&sqi=2&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAQ&dur=3357 Lights are out and the deputy is going on a hunt. He will enter the kitchen door and then turn left into the master bedroom. What would your character do, even if they would stay out of the house. As for Father Bridges, if he were to try the back door it is locked, but directly after he tries it he hears it unlock. If you open it there is no sign of anyone in the kitchen.

[Karnius]

Randolph obediently heads around to the back of the house, gesturing to Kelsey to follow him. He does his best to keep quiet but isn't used to sneaking around in the dark. Randolph keeps thinking back to the gun hidden back at his house and only just catches himself before he wishes that he had brought it with him.

There's no need for that. It's just a child. Officer Williams will go in and arrest him and this will all be sorted. I just need to wait here: it's just a kid anyway, nothing to worry about.

Despite telling himself this Randolph continues to wince at every noisy scuff of his shoes against the ground, looking up at the house to see if he has been seen. On reaching the back of the house the Father walks carefully up onto the porch and searches the windows for anyone moving about, but the curtains prevent him from seeing anything. Randolph steps carefully towards the back door, standing a few feet away from the door and against the wall, ready to catch any thieves trying to escape. He whispers Latin words of prayer to himself as he waits nervously, gripping his unlit torch in one hand.

[Hawker]

Kelsey had fumbled her pack and lit one of her Lucky Strikes with a zippo once outside the building. The smooth smoke cleared her head, and silently complying with Williams' and Randolph's orders, she stubbed out the filter on the house's back porch. "Well," she whispered to the priest, exhaling the last bits of smoke as she spoke. "This is an odd manhunt. So much for missing persons..." Outwardly, Kelsey didn't show any signs of nervousness. She strode right up to the door and tried it first, but after hearing it click, she turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open.

She considered flicking her zippo on, but then she remembered Randolph's torch. "Looks like we're alone, but how about that light? I can't see a thing in here."

[Vesth]

Mr J. digs out his flashlight, and flicks it on, and secretly checks his Wi-Fi Sniffer at the same time. It could never hurt to be too cautious.

"Here you go," he said, lighting the interior of the room, his eyes and ears trying to take in anything and everything. He would be as helpful as he could, but he'll rather not be a hero. Heroes stand out and get killed.

[Hazuki]

Jenny follows the other members of her group as they make their decision.

[FistsFullofDice]

As the group steps into the house, they can see each other on the opposite sides of the house. They peak around corners and look under tables; nothing makes a sound. "Hear anyone?", the deputy said in a soft voice. Suddenly a loud slam on a door. The lights twist around and all the group stares in the direction of a small laundry room right off of the kitchen. Another slam on the door from the inside. The deputy swayed back, stopped himself, and then started for the door. Another slam. With his pistol drawn at the door he said loudly, "This is the police. Come out of there now...". The answer was a long pause with no reply. "Come out of there now!", Williams said aggressively.

The door knob was slowly turned, and the door began to slowly move open... on its own power. As the deputy looked into the room he stopped and slowly lowered his pistol. "Mrs. Mathers?" As he said this the old woman let out a scream and charged from the room. Knocking over the deputy and falling onto him she started to bite and claw into him with vicious ability.

[Hawker]

Kelsey was shocked. Yes, that was definitely Mrs. Mathers. And she was violent, something that she had never been before. Kelsey darted forward, but hesitated slightly. She wasn't sure how to handle a rabid old woman as easily as how to handle a rabid dog. As for the dog, there wouldn't really be anything she could do at this point other than to put it down. So she kicked hard at Mrs. Mathers' ribs.

[Vesth]

Mr J just stood there, seemingly shocked. Though, if others looked at him more closely, the hand holding the lantern is still steady; he would rather not involve himself until it became absolutely necessary...just as blending in with the crowd that didn't seem to be inclined to offense as well.

But, at the very least, he could protect his source of light.

[Karnius]

Randolph gasps, horrified by the sudden and violent appearance of Mrs Mathers. She had always been a gentle woman, and yet now she was acting like a rabid beast. Randolph hesitates, unsure what to do: not being a violent man he hangs back and clutches his flashlight with both hands, an anxious expression on his face.

"Mrs Mathers! We're here to help! Please, stop!"