The Living Dead Chapter 5: Safe Haven

May 27th, 2012, 7:34 AM

James and co. drive into a large, empty fort after a long 4 and a half hour drive. James departs his vehicle as armed military soldiers carefully watch the others, arms drawn.

James: Stand down, men!

The soldiers lower their arms, and return to the top of the fort. Joel, Patrick, and the Police Officers step out.

James: Gentlemen, welcome to Castillo de San Marcos!

Patrick: Joel, meet Gunnery Sergeant James Curcillo. A good friend of mine, we used to work together in the Corps.

James: That's right. Patrick was discharged when he got too curious, but said curiousity saved your life. And mine.

Joel: Who else is here? *Joel starts looking around the fort as the slide gates are closed*

James: A couple of my men, my right hand men Cpl. Jason and Sgt. Markus, my son, and my daughter and her boyfriend, Sgt. Dan. We all left the military shortly before this mess started and stocked this place full of supplies. How's your truck, Patrick?

Patrick: Still holding up, those cops took a few of my guns, though.

Officer 1: Yeah, sorry bout that. I'm Officer Donny, my partner here is Officer Ted.

Officer Ted: Yeah, and Officer Ted would like to know what the f--- is going on here!?!

Patrick: I think what you saw back at that Station sums it up well.

Officer Ted: No it f---ing doesn't! What the h--- were those creatures!

Joel: Zombies, what else would you think they were?

Officer Ted: I don't know, SOMETHING SANE!?

Markus comes down from the lookout post to defuse the situation.

Markus: Alright, alright, calm down now. There's a child here.

James' son pokes his head out from a fort room, but his daughter pulls him back in.

Patrick: I found it hard to believe at first but a few months ago I-

Ted: Wait, you knew something like this was brewing for MONTHS and you didn't warn ANYBODY?

Patrick: The news wouldn't believe me anyway and if I told the media the government would kill me.

Ted: But you had to warn someone, ANYONE, befor-

Donny: Ted, let it go. C'mon, lets sit down, yo James, you got water?

James: Yeah, there's a fountain in the courtyard.

James daughter comes out of the room and introduces herself to Joel and the others.

The Daughter: Hi, I'm Jane. *Reaches out to shake Joel's hand* You?

Joel: Uh...

Stricken by Janet's beauty, Joel takes a second of stuttering before Patrick slaps him on the back.

Joel: I-I'm, uh, Joel.

Jane smiles, her perfectly white teeth matched with her flawless complexition nearly blinded Joel.

Jane: Nice to meet you, Joe-

Jane is cut off by a blond man with a large build. He swiftly grabbed her and kissed her in front of Joel, as if he was a primal dog asserting his dominance.

That must be Dan, Joel thought. Why can I say I expected this?

"Hello there, Joooeel," Dan said mockingly. "Excuse us, but we have a little brother to check on."

Joel: *Under his breath* What is he, 12?

James: Precisely. I tried to stop her but, she's an independent woman. Sometimes I wonder...

Patrick: So, whats the plan?

James: Stay here as long as we can, try to restock frequetly and hold out here as long as it can hold us.

James: We got a months worth of food, years worth of water, and century's worth of guns, so we should last, for now.

Joel walked away to explore the fort. "How long is for now?" he mumbled.