Game Post: World War Z.

[mm_lettie]

It is the time of the Great Panic. Even the United States can no longer build up the plague as simply another epidemic - SARS, ebola - and they cannot not deny that Phalanx, the supposed 'rabies' vaccine, is useless against the Solanum virus. The plague has already spread through India and China like wildfire, and the whole of Africa is about to

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Outside New York - Reclamation

[nita_callahan]

Nita Callahan misses the time when she thought the Powers That Be had a handle on things.

The wizardly response to the zombie threat began shortly before most of the world's governments, but not enough earlier that they were able to turn the tide. Earth's Planetary wizard put in place a planetary quarantine the second the extent of the plague became clear, which means that Earth's wizards have been on their own. And their numbers, just like everyone else's have dwindled.

Nita mostly does small-scale clean-up these days, working her way through neighborhoods and towns that were abandoned and overrun by the zombie hordes. Her talent for working with living things turned out to apply just as well to disposing of undead ones. It's lonely sometimes, but at least she's helping.

It's past time to restock her supplies, so she's headed for the nearest still-populated town.

[born_of_swords]

Calling Greenville a town is a little bit generous, but they're the closest thing for thirty miles. There's a blonde sitting on the curb in front of the 7-11, sipping a bottle of lukewarm water. A swords rests on either side of her.

(Aife didn't plan on getting involved, but she was here when things got rolling and she's not about to back out now.)

[nita_callahan]

Nita pauses when she spots the figure down the road -- but zombies don't drink water, so it ought to be safe on that front. She readies a shield wizardry in her head nevertheless. People get territorial sometimes.

When she gets a little closer, she calls, "Hey!"

[born_of_swords]

Aife waves.

"Hey yourself!"

[nita_callahan]

Good start. She waves back, showing her hands empty, and calls as she comes closer, "Everything okay?"

[born_of_swords]

Aife tilts her head, considering, then shrugs a shoulder.

"About as okay as things get around here. Quiet day."

Quiet day = less than ten kills since she got up this morning.

[nita_callahan]

"Always good to hear."

She's close enough now to get a closer look at Aife -- and raise her eyebrows.

"Nice swords."

[born_of_swords]

She beams.

"Birthday present. Nice..."

Aife squints, drawing a spiral in the air with one finger. "...whatever the shiny business is."

[nita_callahan]

--Whoops.

Nita blinks and cancels the spell in her head, eying Aife.

"Shiny business?"

No shiny business here, nope.

[born_of_swords]

Aife squints again.

"Sun's in my eyes," she says, waving it off.

"I'm Aife, by the way."

[nita_callahan]

She holds out a hand. "Nita. Nice to meet you."

[born_of_swords]

Aife shakes her hand. "Charmed. What brings you to scenic Greenville, Nita?"

[nita_callahan]

"Supplies, I'm hoping. Is there anywhere around here I can barter or buy food and water?"

[born_of_swords]

"Well, I can solve half your problem."

She jerks her thumb at the convenience store behind her. The doors are propped open and the lights are out.

"We've got water inside. Scrounged up a generator for the coolers, so some of it's even almost cold. As for food, the perishables are wiped out, but if you're alright with a whole lot of Cup Noodle..."

[nita_callahan]

She brightens up.

"I am so all right with Cup Noodle. Anything that's not moldy, you know?"

[born_of_swords]

"Amen to that. C'mon, I'll point you in the right direction."

She leaves the water bottle on the curb when she stands up, but brings the swords with her. (You can never be too careful anymore.)

"It's not a very big generator," she adds, heading into the store. "So no lights and no AC. But there's some almost, maybe, could-be-cold drinks and a little ice that's trying to stay frozen. And--" She gestures to a row about halfway inside. "--the promised Cup Noodle."