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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 18, 2014 3:19:07 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy...
She knew damn well there was nothing in there. 'You search this place every other week and there's never anything in there! Why do you keep going back?' Even though she questioned herself, she knew why she kept coming back to this same Walgreen's on this same corner. She couldn't count the number of memories this store held for her. She sighed, leaning up against a near by tree and letting her guard down for just a minute to remember.
Her mother worked here part time for many years before she got a better job. As a child, she had spent many days in the employee lounge. She remembered being perfectly content back there with her old coloring books. It was so terribly long ago, she almost couldn't remember what it felt like to be normal. Hell, she couldn't remember what if felt like to even be safe. She missed her mother's arms, and her smell. Now all she could feel was the chill hugging to her skin through her clothes and the smell of the dead.
She scoffed and headed into the old pharmacy, anyway. Mandy ran a shaky hand through her thick brown hair and quickly scanned the place. In all the times she had been here, she had never come into contact with anyone else or anything else for that matter. It always seemed to be a surprise to her though. Logically, she knew that if there were no people in here, the walkers wouldn't come anywhere near here. She also knew that because this place looked like a hell hole, had no supplies in it, and was virtually useless as a camp due to the large hole in the wall from a car during the pandemic, there would be no people either.
Mandy sighed again and meandered around. It had been a very small Walgreen's, just 7 rows of shelves, making roughly 14 isles, not including the walls. The young woman laid her hand on the counter for a minute before jumping the counter. She could almost hear her mother's voice yelling her name. "MANDY LANE!!!!!" When she looked back and thought of all the shit she pulled as a child, she was amazed that her mother didn't get fired from this place.
It's just a cat and mouse game....
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Post by Victoria on Oct 18, 2014 4:02:40 GMT
It was another one of those days that the Brothers left their safe haven to roam through a neighborhood to see what supplies or suvivours could be found. Victoria thought that it was almost a waste, but sometimes they managed to get some useful supplies out of it. Today she was supposed to check the Walgreens. It was a menial job with a very rare chance of gain. No one ever seemed to go there and it had been emptied out of supplies, but she could not argue much with the Brothers. Besides, she did not mind an easy job from time to time.
The last thing she expected on an easy job was to see a survivour, but the woman's behaviour made it clear that she was she was at ease within the store. There was a softness in her posture that made her think of that maybe the woman had some fond memories within the building.
Victoria approached the woman, feeling the comforting weight of her pistol at her back and the hilt of her o-wakizashi in her hand. "There's nothing to gain from being here, girlie."
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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 18, 2014 12:20:24 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy...
No sooner did her feet hit the ground on the other side of the counter did Mandy hear a voice. "There's nothing to gain from being here, girlie." She felt her heart jump into her throat and she almost gasped as she whirled around to put a face to the voice. The voice belonged to another woman who stood just a few inches shorter than her, with long dark hair, and a cold look about her. 'Rule number one in the new world,' she reminded herself 'is don't trust anybody.' Mandy frowned at the woman and studied her for a bit while she answered. "Who said I was here to gain anything?" It was probably a stupid answer, but a true question none the less. As she noted the sword in the other woman's hand, Mandy was quick to not put her hand on her gun. The last thing she wanted was this other survivor getting spooked and trying to attack her.
But, it did bring her comfort to feel the weight of it on her hip, which was now hidden from the other woman by the counter. "If you know there's nothing to be gained, why are you here?" Mandy asked, her slight Tennessee drawl coming out. She kept her guard up, but managed to keep the suspicion out of her voice. The question was almost a speculation, and she knew that hitting the other woman with a barrage of questions would most likely NOT send her away and instead make her angry.
Mandy ran a hand through her hair again and continued to eye the woman. She knew every way in and out of this store and she could run faster than she could fight if that's what it came down to. 'You're a decent shot. Let's just hope that if she has a gun, she's not.' Mandy let her posture relax as she put one hand on the counter and leaned against it. She wondered what her Momma would say in a situation like this.
It's just a cat and mouse game...
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Post by Victoria on Oct 18, 2014 17:11:11 GMT
"Funny thing about this new world of ours... Is that no one does nothing for no reason." In a false casualness that was only believable because of her training as a dancer, Victoria wandered over to the side to nudge some of the debris and trash with the tip of her unsheathed blade. All the while she kept an eye on the stranger out of the corner of her eye, likely trusting her less than she was trusted.
Meanwhile she debated about what her excuse for being there. Nostalgia would not fly with someone so clearly suspicious. She could possibly play on the woman's heartstrings by acting the scared girl, but that was iffy. Or she could edge around the truth and see where that took her. It was not certain, but it was an idea.
"Got shit detail with the group." It was the truth, after all, so no insincerity could be detected in her cold voice. "Lucky for you. If any of the others were here, you might actually be in real danger."
Again, truth, but in a looser sense. Victoria was just as dangerous as the group that she was a part of. More so, since she was prone to using her wit against her victims.
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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 18, 2014 19:59:19 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy...
The other woman's response was not entirely false. In fact it was probably the most reasonable response she could have come up with. On the inside, Mandy's suspicion bloomed further, and her courage faltered. Undoubtedly, this woman was stronger than her, but Mandy had always been a quick thinker. Surely, she would be able to get out of this without fighting. She had killed probably a hundred walkers in the past six months, but never once has she had to kill a human.
The very thought of putting a bullet into this woman's head, no matter what her intuition was telling her, made her stomach curl. Her intuition was screaming at her to make a run for it, but her body was at a stand still. She knew that if she ran, this woman was likely to chase her down thinking that maybe she had something valuable. 'Or maybe she'll just think your a coward.' She wasn't a coward, but she knew that the woman before her was trouble. Her every step and movement made Mandy very aware that trouble was the image she was trying to promote.
After a few beats of silence, she answered "No one's too lucky anymore... So I guess I'll take what I can get." She didn't smile at her own lame joke. She just watched as the other woman ran the tip of her sword along the shelf. Out of curiosity she asked "How many are in your group?" Usually, when people she came into contact with had a group, it was either two or three. Traveling in large groups aroused more awareness with the dead and often resulted in devastating events. She had been alone since it started and had only determined she would join a "group" if it would benefit her survival. She was hoping to find someone much stronger that could do more of the up close killings.
She only used her machete when she was close to her safe house and there was only one or two that needed to be killed. She always had a hard time getting enough force to do a clean cut or even a good gash in the head. So, she had been practicing, hoping to build up strength. It wasn't going too well. But, on the other hand, she was a fantastic shot. Ammo wasn't easy to come by these days so she had to pick and chose when she needed to use her gun. Every time she had, however, she had never, ever missed putting the bullet in their skulls.
It's a cat and mouse game...
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Post by Victoria on Oct 18, 2014 20:35:40 GMT
Victoria did not see the girls gun, but did not assume that she might not have one on her. Some, like her, preferred to use melee weapons rather than risk gunshots luring in a horde. There was also the chance that even if the woman had a gun of some sort, she might not be a great shot.
No matter the case, she doubted that the stranger had the guts to kill someone.
"Enough to have supplies and a fantastic shelter." A slow smile spread across her face a she tilted her head to look at the other woman. Naturally the warm expression did not reach her glacial eyes. "They're outside doing their rounds."
An unspoken threat in her tone. If the stranger ran, she would risk running into Victoria's group. If she stuck around then she would have to deal with the cold woman.
It was hard to say which was the better of two evils.
"So, find anything worthwhile recently? Jerky? MREs? Medicine or whatever?"
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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 18, 2014 21:12:13 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy...
The twenty-five year old listened to the other woman's response and lifted her chin slightly. She caught on immediately to the threat she was trying to impose. She didn't move her hand to her gun quickly, but instead rested her hand on the hip that held the gun. Mandy's pose didn't seem too defensive, but it certainly wasn't casual. "Must be nice to have friends to back you up when you need it." It was all she could think to say, but as soon as she said it she realized she had made a mistake in admitting she didn't have backup. So, she casually added "My cousin and I are pretty well off where we're at." Mandy prayed to God that the woman didn't try to call her bluff.
Instead of changing the subject instantly, she kept an eye on the woman's weapon, and answered her question about supplies. "No. I haven't found much of anything in here. It just seemed like a good place to rest for a moment." Her typical southern drawl came out a little bit in that sentence. She tried to ignore the feeling of unease that grew in her gut as she avoided the truth as to why she was here. "How'd you find something like that?" Her question was in reference to the other woman's weapon. 'Just keep her mind of robbing you and you should be fine...' Of course, she didn't really have anything to take. All of her supplies were back at the cabin. She just had a small drawstring backpack with a small Bible in it that she always kept on her person. She wasn't sure if God was listening anymore, but she always found comfort in the old book regardless.
She also had a flask full of water that she kept on her person. But otherwise, she had nothing worth taking.. Other than old Molly. Molly was her glock. She had it before all this shit happened and it had saved her life more than once. East Nashville used to be the ghetto and it had always been handy to know how to defend yourself back then. Now, it was the only way you were going to survive. 'It's a shame I still have to think about defending myself from other human beings with all the shit going on in the world.' Her face fell a bit at the realization, but at the same time, she realized there was nothing she could do.
It's just a cat and mouse game...
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Post by Victoria on Oct 18, 2014 21:43:21 GMT
Victoria noted the slip. Even if she mentioned a cousin, it still meant that she was fairly alone or in a small group. If the girl had backup at all, she could not depend on them or they were too far away to do much good. Useful information to have, especially since it meant that now she knew the other woman was fairly easy pickings. "Where's your cousin? Did you two get separated?"
Her eyes shifted to the backpack that the woman carried. It did seem rather light - aside from the telltale bulge of what might be a book. At any rate it indicated that either the woman was just that low on supplies or had a camp within a reasonable distance. The former would do little good for Victoria or the Brothers, but the latter could prove fruitful.
Her expression shifted as she skillfully softened it into one of concern. She even relaxed her posture and let her o-wakizashi drag on the ground. "Will you get back to your cousin okay? Do you need some help? There are some dead milling about outside..."
The question about her blade was not unfamiliar to her. She had been asked the same by survivors before. Some never got to learn while some just got to taste its sharpness. It was not a weapon most would expect, but it served Victoria well and she never went anywhere without it. "Found it after my parents died. It was one of the few things left in this headshop I holed up in for the night. It reminded me of the sword my dad used to have in his study above his desk..."
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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 18, 2014 22:08:29 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy...
As the question left the stranger's lips, Mandy felt her courage falter again. She was smart, and a decent liar. But, the woman caught it. She shouldn't have said anything. "He's gone to siphon gas for our car." And that's all she said. As far as the other woman knew, he took the car with him to go get more gas and supplies for it. The cabin was a good distance from here, so she knew the it wasn't in any immediate danger of being raided by this woman and her band. Mandy raised her chin some more and cut her eyes at the other woman, very confidently she said "I don't think I'll need any help, darlin'. I'm a damn good shot." This woman was trying to ruse her. She wasn't stupid, and she knew that this woman was far from stupid as well. She let her old southern accent hide the fact that she was mildly intimidated, but the tone of her voice was charming and sweet.
Back in the day she used to always get her way. She could argue and argue and argue with someone, but the minute she let her drawl drag a little longer and called someone darlin' or sweetheart, they were putty in her hands. She knew logically that it wouldn't be likely this cold woman, but as the saying goes, old habits die hard.
As the woman recanted her tale of how she acquired her sword, Mandy felt her fear dissolve slightly. 'She's probably just as lost and scared as I am. Hell, everyone has a back story. Everyone lost someone when this shit went down.' She wasn't going to be honest about the fact her "cousin" was just a figment of her imagination, but she could give some of her own story, maybe it would shy this woman away from the idea of robbing her. 'Yeah, or it'll more likely make her want to take advantage of you more.' She debated internally for a minute, eyes wandering up the blade and to the woman's face.
"I like to stop in here to rest often. My mom used to work here when I was child. It's hard not to remember how things used to be when I'm in here. Despite the hole in the wall." Mandy chuckled slightly and patted the counter. "I used to hop over this counter all the time when they weren't busy and she would get so mad at me. But her manager loved me, so she never got into any trouble." As she spoke of the memory, her heart tightened in pain. It hurt to think about her mother. But she couldn't think about that now. Danger wasn't here just yet, but it could be if she let her guard down too low...
It's just a cat and mouse game...
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Post by Victoria on Oct 18, 2014 22:38:38 GMT
"A car, huh? I haven't seen one of those in a while. Not moving, at any rate." And no scouting had reported any sight of moving vehicles in a long time. Then again, it is possible that greed left their mouths shut. Bribery or the desire to be the one to bring in a good haul sometimes proved more tempting than loyalty. "I used to have one, a van. But it broke down and I couldn't get it running again."
"If you're sure." Well, that was a good indication that the woman had a gun and the possibility of ammo. She was not really a target before, but she was now. Functioning guns and ammo were a scarcity in their brutal world. "Sure you don't want some backup? Guns are useful and all, but the noise does bring danger. Other zombies and possibly some people meaner than I am."
"I take it you lost your mother too." She did not want to think about her parents. Their deaths haunted her. Their memories whispered to her. It was a good thing they were dead, she told herself. Their kindness was a weakness that would have gotten them killed eventually. Just like the woman's love for her mother could one day be her undoing. "I don't know if I could bear going back to a place with this many memories... Though last I heard, my home was a wasteland overpopulated by the dead."
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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 19, 2014 21:25:27 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy....
Mandy hadn't seen another car in awhile either. But it wasn't impossible. "My cousin is a mechanic. He's always been pretty good with that kind of stuff." The lies were rolling off of her tongue as easily as she could manage. This woman's intentions were becoming more clear by the second. She's not friendly, she would probably kill her if it came down to it. Mandy tried her best not to hate this woman. 'She's just trying to survive, like me... But it doesn't mean I need to just lie down and let her take what she wants.' She chose in that one moment, not to draw unless necessary. It was likely that this woman would shoot just as quickly as Mandy would pull her gun out to take aim.
She brought up the fact that guns made a lot of noise and would draw walkers or members of her group. "I'm not worried about walkers. I'm not worried about members of your group. I don't have anything worth taking. That's why I'm out and about." All of that statement was true. On her, all she had was her gun and the ammunition in the clip. She had honestly just come to visit the old store. She knew that the walk over was usually a fairly empty one. On a bad day, Mandy had run into three walkers but managed to take them all out fairly quickly with the help fast legs and trees to hide in. She may not be strong, but she knew damn well how to run and hide. The young woman's gut told her that she was getting ready to need to use those skills.
"We've all lost someone. It's an inescapable fact these days. And, if you haven't noticed, most of the world belongs to the dead." Her tone was solemn as she glanced around the room. From where she was the quickest escape route would probably be the hole in the wall. It was huge and easy to jump through, and only about three long strides away. To also top it off, there would be a few shelves and a counter that could possibly block the woman's aim. Beyond the hole, she could see mostly other small buildings. But she knew for a fact beyond that were trees. She was a quick climber and could snipe the woman from up there if she was fast enough. It was survival of the fastest at this point.
Instead of allowing her eyes to linger on the hole in the wall for too long, she looked back at the woman. She was sharp and would probably pick up on the fact she was planning escape. Thank God she had been athletic in high school and throughout most of her life. It was about the only skill that mattered these days.
It's just a cat and mouse game...
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Post by Victoria on Oct 19, 2014 23:07:16 GMT
"Lucky him. Mechanics aren't easy to come by these days." Victoria was not sure if Mandy was telling the truth about her cousin. She doubted it, but it really did not matter. One mechanic was hardly important. Car were noisy and gas was a finite energy source. That and most roads were still congested after people panicked and tried to leave or get somewhere, only to die in the chaos or abandon their vehicles.
Victoria had a sense of time running out. The small talk was getting her no where and it seemed like the woman was starting to get flighty. Obviously Victoria needed to work on her acting skills. At this point, one wrong move could make the woman run.
So now she had to decide, make a move now and hope she could scare the woman into staying or risk chasing after her. She did not know how fast the woman was, but there was the chance that she could catch her or direct her towards one of the Brothers.
"You know, you could join me." She offered as she lifted her blade and wiped the dust from the tip, a casual motion to hide the fact that she was preparing herself for a possible tussle. "Your cousin too. We have room and food enough for two more."
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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 19, 2014 23:32:41 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy...
The other woman's comment about the mechanics made her narrow her eyes. "I wouldn't know how hard they are to come by." The air itself was becoming permeated by suspicions on both ends. She knew it wasn't outrageous for people to get around by car. It was pretty clogged getting into Nashville because this is where they said one of the safe havens was. But going out? Not at all. It was all open road. But she had made a comfortable home here and had no interest in trying to fire up a car and attracting a horde toward her safe house.
Mandy carefully placed her hand on the butt of her gun, careful to not let the woman see what she was doing. The counter was blocking the woman's vision to her waist. She had no intentions to shoot her until she had no other choice. "We don't have much here," she stated "That's why he's gone to find gas, so he can travel a bit further into a more rural area where there was less population density. He thinks we can do something better out there." Not a total lie. She had thought about it before. She didn't know shit about farming, but she could learn if that's what it came down to.
When the other woman extended an offer to join the group, Mandy halted all movement and looked her dead in the eye. "To be honest, sweetheart, I don't trust you as far as I could throw you." An old expression which rang one hundred percent true. Faster than she could have thought possible, she made that three long strides to the hole in the wall into two and was out into the open air. She took a deep breath and began running.
Past the old laundry mat, past the tailor and into the woods. She knew now that the woman's intentions weren't pure, and she would have probably killed her if she hadn't run. 'You knew there was evil in the world still...' she reminded herself. She also reminded herself that she had honestly thought she would never come into contact with the evil that still remained in people.
She shook her head and focused, pushing her dark hair out of her eyes. She spotted a tree that could be easily climbed, especially with her running start. Mandy didn't bother looking back over her shoulder as she made her way into the thicket of trees and jumped. She had always thought of herself as weak, but her body was stronger when she was in danger. It didn't seem to take as much effort as it normally would have to pull herself up into the tree. Once she was up, Mandy climbed up higher, onto a thicker branch, and withdrew her gun.
The likelihood of this other woman being able to see her was slim to none, but she had to take precautions in case she did.
It's just a cat and mouse game...
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Post by Victoria on Oct 20, 2014 1:00:28 GMT
I don't trust you as far as I could throw you. It was an old saying, one that Victoria herself lived by. Having it thrown at her now was no real surprise. It was not the first time someone had said such a thing nor would it be the last. It was also not the first time that someone ran away from her.
Mandy was quick, but so was Victoria. When the stranger took off, so did the predator. She raced after her, feeling the familiar thump of her backpack and the quickening pace of her heart.
The head start the other had proved to be useful. Victoria kept her in sight past the laundry mat and past what was once the tailors, but within the woods was where she lost her. She knew the urban setting, but her familiarity ended at the edge of the woods.
"Run run, little rabbit." She purred as she stalked through the forest, letting her blade trail along the trees to leave a thin gash in the bark for when she had to find her way out. "People like you don't live long. I really was gonna let you join, you know, but you made your choice."
The cold woman stopped, closing her eyes and listening for any sounds that might reveal where her prey had run off to.
"You can't hide forever, chickadee. Your luck will run out."
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Post by MANDY LANE on Oct 21, 2014 0:28:04 GMT
Now I'm gonna show ya, what's really crazy...
Mandy heard the other woman's voice. It almost seemed to be cooing at her, but the words were ice in Mandy's veins. 'I've lived thus far, and completely on my own. I don't need you, and I don't need your group.' Her thoughts were shying away from violence, but she kept her gun pointed in the direction that the voice was coming from. Mandy prayed and prayed and prayed that the woman would just leave. She didn't want to have to kill her. She didn't want to have to run. But Mandy knew, in her heart of hearts, she would do what she had to.
As the voice came closer, Mandy finally laid eyes on her and aimed her gun carefully. 'If I don't make a sound, then she'll just walk right by. If I wait until she gets far enough away, then I can make another run for it or wait it out.' She held back her scoff, knowing she didn't want to make any noise. 'I'm probably safer in the tree. I see her. If she even looks at me, I'll kill her. I can't risk doing anything else.'
Mandy waited with baited breath as she watched the woman's blade carve marks into the tree. 'Marking her path out, huh? Smart.' Mandy's bright eyes followed the woman as she continued through the woods, purring about how she wouldn't last long out here. Mandy Lane was smart. She would last as long as possible. She did realize, however, that by herself she wasn't much of a force to be reckoned with. Musing the idea of joining a group would have to wait until later. The danger was present now.
It's just a cat and mouse game...
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