Suzy’s Strange Saga
Opening fire on anyone other than carnies probably isn’t a good idea, at least not on your own. Maybe if Mel gave the order it might be different, but again he surprises you and doesn’t do such a thing.
“Ray, you’re a goddamn idiot.” Mel shouts and just watches as Ray and the two others quicken their pace towards the tent.
All three of them get half way to the tent and then prepare to throw, which they do. Two of the grenades hit the tent, but one manages to roll inside it. Unfortunately for them one of the carnies steps in the tent entrance and throws it back!
“Holy fuck! Run!” is all Ray manages to shout which is then followed by a bit of gunfire from the carnie who threw the grenade. He’s hit the leg, but that’s not the worst of it since he’s not that far from the grenade when he falls to the ground.
Mel, you and everyone else take cover behind the trucks in preparation for the explosions soon to follow, all three of them.
When the smoke clears and everyone slowly looks out from behind their cover.
It’s a devastating mess. The big tent is partially gone, though surprisingly still standing. One can see inside most of it now though and there are a lot of bodies…
Speaking of bodies, Ray’s is in pieces since he failed to get away from the blast in time. A crater now exists where the grenade fell and Ray’s body parts aren’t too far from it. The ones who followed Ray faired better and managed to get away from the blast.
“I fuckin’ knew something like that was gonna happen. Come on spread out and head towards what’s left of that tent. Careful though, they might still have some fight left!” Mel shouts with nobody really mourning the loss of Ray.
You all cautiously proceed forward with weapons raised and taking cover as much as possible. While it’s always better to be safe than sorry, there isn’t much fight left in any of the survivors who are now a mixture of wounded, dying or just plain scared.
“Please! We surrender! Take whatever you want, just don’t kill us!” one of the midgets shouts from amongst the carnage.
“Goddamn right we will be! None of this woulda been necessary had you just given us whatever medical supplies or medicine you had! Now besides this fuckin’ big top, is there anyone else lurking around that we should know about?”
“Uh…um…”
“That’s not a fuckin’ answer!”
“I dunno! I mean yeah, maybe! There might be a few people hidin’ in the trailers, just don’t kill anyone else, please!”
“Some of you search the rest of this place, but keep an eye out for more carnies! If anyone gives ya too much trouble, you know what to do.” Mel shouts.
The remainder of your time is mostly spent looking through what remains of the tent which actually did hold some medical supplies though not many and some of them were obviously destroyed by the grenades.
As their belongings and supplies are looted and they are “herded” into group, the carnies, the carnies make no attempts at resistance and if there were any hiding in the trailers, they must’ve ran for the wilderness or were really good at hiding, because nobody finds anyone else.
Several make an attempt to beg you to leave something, but these are met with verbal commands to shut up before they suffer further. Another pleads to Mel to think about their own wounded, but this is met with smash to the gut with Mel’s rifle. It’s the only physical abuse that occurs before they realize they’re receiving the only mercy they’re currently experiencing.
Your own personal feelings on the current situation is that it’s certainly not “right” but what can you do?
After looting the carnival of what useful stuff they have, you leave the demoralized carnies and head back to the trailer park.
“Well that went better than expected, just lost Ray, I’m sure you’re really broken up by that.” Mel says.
“Crushed. Surprised you didn’t shoot him for directly challenging your authority though.” You say.
“I was more concerned with the carnies than Ray at that point. Any other time I might’ve given him a beat down, but I wouldn’t have fucking killed him. Sheesh blondie, haven’t you learned by now that just because I’m an asshole to everyone, doesn’t mean I’m some fuckin’ heartless killer? I mean the whole point of this fuckin’ endeavor was to get medicine for folks who are bitten. If I was that cold, I woulda just shot ‘em like some people wanted me to do. Shit, I didn’t even enjoy any of what I had to do to those carnies. I mean I know they had their people to look after, but so did we an’ I ain’t sorry for it.”
“Hm, well I suppose you’re right. Guess we’re all a little more complex than appearances would seem.”
“So, you see us all a little more than stupid trailer park trash now blondie?” Mel asks.
“Actually I’ve more or less discarded that view since I’ve been staying here besides I’m hardly in a position to talk seeing as I’m living with you all.”
“So K’ blondie, we needed someone to fill out the snobby tease role in the community anyway.”
You chuckle.
“I’m really not though. I’m just selective about my standards.” You say.
“Don’t need to justify anything to me. I got a woman.” Mel replies.
“The thing is despite it all, so far you lot have been at least been cordial with me as my own family was. Dunno if that’s funny or sad.”
“Well depends. Stick around long enough blondie an’ you might just become part of our family.”
You start to outright laugh.
“See, you should fuckin’ laugh more around the others. It makes you seem less snooty.” Mel replies.
“I guess anything’s possible. Doesn’t look like I’m going anywhere anytime soon.” You remark.
You and Mel continue to converse on the way back to the trailer park. It’s mostly about nothing of major importance, but eventually he goes on about how the next step on the agenda is to contact his cousin Clem who apparently owns a farm further past where the carnival was located.
“Figure we’re gonna have to do something about our food soon and instead of riskin’ killin’ ourselves going into the town for whatever scraps are left, it might be best to enlist my cousin’s help in that matter.” Mel says.
“So you really think order won’t be restored by the government?” you ask.
“Pftt, fuck no blondie. Considerin’ how the National Guard came in last time, I’d just as soon not want government assholes around anyway. But my guess is things are gonna be fucked up like this for a long time so self-sufficiency is gonna have to be a priority.
Pretty much the assessment you and most others have had. Still, it’s a good sign that Mel’s at least thinking ahead with the food situation.
Eventually you get back to the trailer park where things appear to be running smoothly. The bitten folks are finally seen to properly. The good news is the bites don’t seem to be infectious at least not in the “zombie bite” sense. The bad news is not all of them make it and Billy Ray dies of his wounds, depriving the trailer park of yet another member with “Ray” in their name.
As for other things of importance, mostly everyone who is able is pitching in to help in some way. Still realizing you’ve got to work with these people now, you volunteer to keep look out near the entrance for the remainder of the day and part of the night (Which is thankfully uneventful) until eventually some guy named Bob tells you that they’re taking over the graveyard shift.
Having been relieved of your duties, you return to your trailer, which is starting to feel more comfortable to you. It’s no basement, but it’s home.
“Ray, you’re a goddamn idiot.” Mel shouts and just watches as Ray and the two others quicken their pace towards the tent.
All three of them get half way to the tent and then prepare to throw, which they do. Two of the grenades hit the tent, but one manages to roll inside it. Unfortunately for them one of the carnies steps in the tent entrance and throws it back!
“Holy fuck! Run!” is all Ray manages to shout which is then followed by a bit of gunfire from the carnie who threw the grenade. He’s hit the leg, but that’s not the worst of it since he’s not that far from the grenade when he falls to the ground.
Mel, you and everyone else take cover behind the trucks in preparation for the explosions soon to follow, all three of them.
When the smoke clears and everyone slowly looks out from behind their cover.
It’s a devastating mess. The big tent is partially gone, though surprisingly still standing. One can see inside most of it now though and there are a lot of bodies…
Speaking of bodies, Ray’s is in pieces since he failed to get away from the blast in time. A crater now exists where the grenade fell and Ray’s body parts aren’t too far from it. The ones who followed Ray faired better and managed to get away from the blast.
“I fuckin’ knew something like that was gonna happen. Come on spread out and head towards what’s left of that tent. Careful though, they might still have some fight left!” Mel shouts with nobody really mourning the loss of Ray.
You all cautiously proceed forward with weapons raised and taking cover as much as possible. While it’s always better to be safe than sorry, there isn’t much fight left in any of the survivors who are now a mixture of wounded, dying or just plain scared.
“Please! We surrender! Take whatever you want, just don’t kill us!” one of the midgets shouts from amongst the carnage.
“Goddamn right we will be! None of this woulda been necessary had you just given us whatever medical supplies or medicine you had! Now besides this fuckin’ big top, is there anyone else lurking around that we should know about?”
“Uh…um…”
“That’s not a fuckin’ answer!”
“I dunno! I mean yeah, maybe! There might be a few people hidin’ in the trailers, just don’t kill anyone else, please!”
“Some of you search the rest of this place, but keep an eye out for more carnies! If anyone gives ya too much trouble, you know what to do.” Mel shouts.
The remainder of your time is mostly spent looking through what remains of the tent which actually did hold some medical supplies though not many and some of them were obviously destroyed by the grenades.
As their belongings and supplies are looted and they are “herded” into group, the carnies, the carnies make no attempts at resistance and if there were any hiding in the trailers, they must’ve ran for the wilderness or were really good at hiding, because nobody finds anyone else.
Several make an attempt to beg you to leave something, but these are met with verbal commands to shut up before they suffer further. Another pleads to Mel to think about their own wounded, but this is met with smash to the gut with Mel’s rifle. It’s the only physical abuse that occurs before they realize they’re receiving the only mercy they’re currently experiencing.
Your own personal feelings on the current situation is that it’s certainly not “right” but what can you do?
After looting the carnival of what useful stuff they have, you leave the demoralized carnies and head back to the trailer park.
“Well that went better than expected, just lost Ray, I’m sure you’re really broken up by that.” Mel says.
“Crushed. Surprised you didn’t shoot him for directly challenging your authority though.” You say.
“I was more concerned with the carnies than Ray at that point. Any other time I might’ve given him a beat down, but I wouldn’t have fucking killed him. Sheesh blondie, haven’t you learned by now that just because I’m an asshole to everyone, doesn’t mean I’m some fuckin’ heartless killer? I mean the whole point of this fuckin’ endeavor was to get medicine for folks who are bitten. If I was that cold, I woulda just shot ‘em like some people wanted me to do. Shit, I didn’t even enjoy any of what I had to do to those carnies. I mean I know they had their people to look after, but so did we an’ I ain’t sorry for it.”
“Hm, well I suppose you’re right. Guess we’re all a little more complex than appearances would seem.”
“So, you see us all a little more than stupid trailer park trash now blondie?” Mel asks.
“Actually I’ve more or less discarded that view since I’ve been staying here besides I’m hardly in a position to talk seeing as I’m living with you all.”
“So K’ blondie, we needed someone to fill out the snobby tease role in the community anyway.”
You chuckle.
“I’m really not though. I’m just selective about my standards.” You say.
“Don’t need to justify anything to me. I got a woman.” Mel replies.
“The thing is despite it all, so far you lot have been at least been cordial with me as my own family was. Dunno if that’s funny or sad.”
“Well depends. Stick around long enough blondie an’ you might just become part of our family.”
You start to outright laugh.
“See, you should fuckin’ laugh more around the others. It makes you seem less snooty.” Mel replies.
“I guess anything’s possible. Doesn’t look like I’m going anywhere anytime soon.” You remark.
You and Mel continue to converse on the way back to the trailer park. It’s mostly about nothing of major importance, but eventually he goes on about how the next step on the agenda is to contact his cousin Clem who apparently owns a farm further past where the carnival was located.
“Figure we’re gonna have to do something about our food soon and instead of riskin’ killin’ ourselves going into the town for whatever scraps are left, it might be best to enlist my cousin’s help in that matter.” Mel says.
“So you really think order won’t be restored by the government?” you ask.
“Pftt, fuck no blondie. Considerin’ how the National Guard came in last time, I’d just as soon not want government assholes around anyway. But my guess is things are gonna be fucked up like this for a long time so self-sufficiency is gonna have to be a priority.
Pretty much the assessment you and most others have had. Still, it’s a good sign that Mel’s at least thinking ahead with the food situation.
Eventually you get back to the trailer park where things appear to be running smoothly. The bitten folks are finally seen to properly. The good news is the bites don’t seem to be infectious at least not in the “zombie bite” sense. The bad news is not all of them make it and Billy Ray dies of his wounds, depriving the trailer park of yet another member with “Ray” in their name.
As for other things of importance, mostly everyone who is able is pitching in to help in some way. Still realizing you’ve got to work with these people now, you volunteer to keep look out near the entrance for the remainder of the day and part of the night (Which is thankfully uneventful) until eventually some guy named Bob tells you that they’re taking over the graveyard shift.
Having been relieved of your duties, you return to your trailer, which is starting to feel more comfortable to you. It’s no basement, but it’s home.