Nyx
Wyrd Sister
Small Packages.
It's been over 150 years since the AVO virus swept across the continent's, reducing the inhabitants to cannibalistic hunters, mindless but driven by insatiable hunger and instinct. Zombies, Walkers, Tainted call them what you like, they are still lethal and there is no cure.
The military knew it was coming, they immunized their own, it was their baby after all. The scientists who created it, they too were able to save their own skins.
Now all that's left is us, the army brats and child protege's of the survivors.
Me, I'm an army brat, Papa was a Marine, Mama Spec. Ops. Raised in the camps, I could strip a pistol by the age of three. You get the picture.
My comms crackle to life, it's my eyes and ears, my spotter, my intel, and all round pain in my ass, J.
"Hey Echo,Echo."
I can hear the smirk, will he ever get tired of that joke?
" Hey, guess what, guess what?" His excitement evident.
I take a deep breath. "What?"
"Its christmas eve!!!" His voice pitches half an octave, barely containing his enthusiasm.
My eyes narrow , brows knitting together. "Its what now?"
"Christmas eve, it's a thing, they used to do, way back when..." His words tumble out of his mouth, in no particular order, so it sounds to me, I only half listen.
My watch is just starting and already it feels 6 hrs in. I climb up to my perch. The only sound, the 'hss thnk' of my cybernetic limbs on rungs of the ladder. At the top I am greeted by my sniper rifle seated neatly on her tripod.
It takes a few moments to get comfortable in the small space, but soon enough I am settled.
It's a clear night, stars abnormally bright, as I exhale my breath plumes as vapour in the cold crisp air.
A hiss and crackle precedes the call,
"Activity on the western perimeter, 3 as far as I can tell." J's instructions, thankfully waffle free.
I swing the sniper round, shoulder to the stock, eye to the scope. I see them, a small group, vacant eyed, waxy skinned...
'sssswhp, ssswhp, ssswhp' the suppressor, turning death into a whisper.
The squelching pop as bullets meet cranium. The hapless trio fold to the ground.
Hiss crackle..."nice job Echo,Echo"
I roll my eyes and say nothing. Scanning to the south a movement catches my eye. Something darts between the ruins, it's alone, a couple of moments later, it's followed by some ferals, I can't tell how many.
"J...You seeing this?" I ask.
"Mhm" comes the reply.
More movement, exiting one buIilding moving onto the next, moving closer to the perimeter.
I drop my eye to the scope, it's a girl! Well a young woman anyway. She isn't feral, not yet.
" Am going down." I swing my legs over the edge of my perch, feet either side of the ladder and slide down to th ground.
" sure that's a good idea?" Uncertainty obvious in my partners voice.
It's been months since an untainted came through this way. Ignoring his concerns I head to intercept the woman, she is obviously heading towards the encampment. In my ear J gives me the copy on her movements, and those of the ferals behind her.
I enter the building on the end of the street, I find myself in a wide hallway , the back door opens reluctantly, grinding on rusted hinges.
I raise my weapon.
It's the young woman, breathing hard.
She only see's me at the last minute her eyes go wide, first surprised then she expresses something like relief.
"Thank god , look we don't have time."
She swings a pack off her back and pushes it into my hands, forcing me to holster my sidearm.
"Please take this, it's very important, very valuable!"
I scowl try to push it back into her hands.
"Bring it yourself." My tone harsher than I intend.
She shakes her head, lifting her top she reveals a festering wound at her waist. Pack still in one hand I reach for my weapon.
"You don't have time, go, I will keep them here." Before she has time to finish the backdoor begins to groan.
"PLEASE, GO!" Looking around she finds and old lamp stand, grabbing it she turns toward the noise and gets ready to start swinging.
I walk backwards a few steps nodding, then turning on my heel I take off at a run. I am halfway back when I hear her screaming, my skin goes cold and slick with sweat but I keep on going.
A small group has gathered at the gate by the time I get back. Amongst them a grim looking J, his young features look tired in the cold bright starlight.
"What the hell happened in there, where is she." His voice accusatory.
I ignore his tone. "She was infected, she gave us this." I pull the pack off my back, about to hand it over when a muffled sound comes from within, the bag jerking in my hand. Guns are drawn in seconds, including mine. It's J who steps in the way.
"Whoa! Whoa!" His arms spread wide around the pack.
He begins to open it, and peers inside, a grin splits his face from ear to ear, his hands disappear inside, with some effort he reveals the contents.
"A baby!" A chorus of disbelieving mutterings. It frowns and blinks it's displeasure, as gawking faces stand open mouth, guns slowly drifting downward.
"Look at it..." J turns it towards him rummaging briefly amongst the bundle of blankets "Her!!, look at 'her' she is perfect!"
It's true enough, pink, bright wide eyes, and healthy, no sign of taint.
Voices start to bubble excitedly, J taking the lead, beginning the planning and fuss, of a celebration, that would be revisited this time every year amongst our misfit group.
It's been over 150 years since the AVO virus swept across the continent's, reducing the inhabitants to cannibalistic hunters, mindless but driven by insatiable hunger and instinct. Zombies, Walkers, Tainted call them what you like, they are still lethal and there is no cure.
The military knew it was coming, they immunized their own, it was their baby after all. The scientists who created it, they too were able to save their own skins.
Now all that's left is us, the army brats and child protege's of the survivors.
Me, I'm an army brat, Papa was a Marine, Mama Spec. Ops. Raised in the camps, I could strip a pistol by the age of three. You get the picture.
My comms crackle to life, it's my eyes and ears, my spotter, my intel, and all round pain in my ass, J.
"Hey Echo,Echo."
I can hear the smirk, will he ever get tired of that joke?
" Hey, guess what, guess what?" His excitement evident.
I take a deep breath. "What?"
"Its christmas eve!!!" His voice pitches half an octave, barely containing his enthusiasm.
My eyes narrow , brows knitting together. "Its what now?"
"Christmas eve, it's a thing, they used to do, way back when..." His words tumble out of his mouth, in no particular order, so it sounds to me, I only half listen.
My watch is just starting and already it feels 6 hrs in. I climb up to my perch. The only sound, the 'hss thnk' of my cybernetic limbs on rungs of the ladder. At the top I am greeted by my sniper rifle seated neatly on her tripod.
It takes a few moments to get comfortable in the small space, but soon enough I am settled.
It's a clear night, stars abnormally bright, as I exhale my breath plumes as vapour in the cold crisp air.
A hiss and crackle precedes the call,
"Activity on the western perimeter, 3 as far as I can tell." J's instructions, thankfully waffle free.
I swing the sniper round, shoulder to the stock, eye to the scope. I see them, a small group, vacant eyed, waxy skinned...
'sssswhp, ssswhp, ssswhp' the suppressor, turning death into a whisper.
The squelching pop as bullets meet cranium. The hapless trio fold to the ground.
Hiss crackle..."nice job Echo,Echo"
I roll my eyes and say nothing. Scanning to the south a movement catches my eye. Something darts between the ruins, it's alone, a couple of moments later, it's followed by some ferals, I can't tell how many.
"J...You seeing this?" I ask.
"Mhm" comes the reply.
More movement, exiting one buIilding moving onto the next, moving closer to the perimeter.
I drop my eye to the scope, it's a girl! Well a young woman anyway. She isn't feral, not yet.
" Am going down." I swing my legs over the edge of my perch, feet either side of the ladder and slide down to th ground.
" sure that's a good idea?" Uncertainty obvious in my partners voice.
It's been months since an untainted came through this way. Ignoring his concerns I head to intercept the woman, she is obviously heading towards the encampment. In my ear J gives me the copy on her movements, and those of the ferals behind her.
I enter the building on the end of the street, I find myself in a wide hallway , the back door opens reluctantly, grinding on rusted hinges.
I raise my weapon.
It's the young woman, breathing hard.
She only see's me at the last minute her eyes go wide, first surprised then she expresses something like relief.
"Thank god , look we don't have time."
She swings a pack off her back and pushes it into my hands, forcing me to holster my sidearm.
"Please take this, it's very important, very valuable!"
I scowl try to push it back into her hands.
"Bring it yourself." My tone harsher than I intend.
She shakes her head, lifting her top she reveals a festering wound at her waist. Pack still in one hand I reach for my weapon.
"You don't have time, go, I will keep them here." Before she has time to finish the backdoor begins to groan.
"PLEASE, GO!" Looking around she finds and old lamp stand, grabbing it she turns toward the noise and gets ready to start swinging.
I walk backwards a few steps nodding, then turning on my heel I take off at a run. I am halfway back when I hear her screaming, my skin goes cold and slick with sweat but I keep on going.
A small group has gathered at the gate by the time I get back. Amongst them a grim looking J, his young features look tired in the cold bright starlight.
"What the hell happened in there, where is she." His voice accusatory.
I ignore his tone. "She was infected, she gave us this." I pull the pack off my back, about to hand it over when a muffled sound comes from within, the bag jerking in my hand. Guns are drawn in seconds, including mine. It's J who steps in the way.
"Whoa! Whoa!" His arms spread wide around the pack.
He begins to open it, and peers inside, a grin splits his face from ear to ear, his hands disappear inside, with some effort he reveals the contents.
"A baby!" A chorus of disbelieving mutterings. It frowns and blinks it's displeasure, as gawking faces stand open mouth, guns slowly drifting downward.
"Look at it..." J turns it towards him rummaging briefly amongst the bundle of blankets "Her!!, look at 'her' she is perfect!"
It's true enough, pink, bright wide eyes, and healthy, no sign of taint.
Voices start to bubble excitedly, J taking the lead, beginning the planning and fuss, of a celebration, that would be revisited this time every year amongst our misfit group.
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