Dead in the Water

Richard bravely pulls open the door and the thing groans terribly in the evening quiet. Now wouldn’t be the best time to tangle with some walkers, given the low light, but it wasn’t like it would be much better any later in the day either!

Shining a light into the cabin, you notice disturbed dust flittering on the air. Dust is the only thing that moves inside the wooden structure! No walkers come bursting out like they had last night. No hidden survivors ready to put a blade in your ribs for a can of beans…

The place is small, functional and more than a little stale. Stale air, dust and wood smell billows out of the open door, making Richard’s nose tickle.

An artist’s imagining of day-time…

Whatever about that nasty business on the river, it was increasingly hard to deny that the group had been having a string of good luck since departing their summer spot on the river bank.

The supply store had been a hard fought thing, but the work of previous survivors had made it a matter of time before the walkers could no longer reach across the barricade.

The map, and the helicopter site had been further boons. The walkers in the forest might have spelt death for another group, but you found yourselves among hardy folk willing to wreak bloody havoc in the woods under a hot sun.

Your minds wander to the supply store now. There could be little doubt that the most capable of the group were here hiding out in this forest cabin. Not to mention the bounty you had carried from the wreckage, and more again ready to be retrieved in the late night or the following morning.

Once again, you reap the benefits of those that came before. The high ceiling’d cabin had been locked up tight by the man on the rope outside. While walkers, should they be so determined, could smash through the wood placed across the windows, they would surely meet stiff resistance.

A cupboard of stinking, stale shirts and jeans fills one corner. A bed fills the other. A small sink, and a place to prepare simple food is also taking up space within the cabin. A few cans of food were left neatly stacked on the table. The man had died from something other than hopelessness over his food situation. There’s a place to light a fire against one wall, and so make a meal of beans and canned meat.

Billie Faye slinks her way across the room, digging her knees into wood, and then a dusty rug that was dusty even before the end of days… She prowls towards the two cases you had been able to carry.

Having been stuck in the dirt and muck for god-knows-how-long, the first crate takes a little persuading before Billie Faye can finally find some purchase and pry the thing open!

It pops with a satisfying thunk, and whatever is inside tastes fresh air for the first time since it had been packed up in some military base in some far flung corner of the nation.

Did the place remain?… Were there any staff or soldiers still working on clawing back the world from the dead?…

Billie Faye lifts the lid, and unveils the contents of the box marked ‘Communications’. Inside, she finds six, identical but rather plain looking walkie talkies set securely into foam meant to keep them safe in cases such as the one you found them in.

One button is bright orange, and another is bright blue. On the side, theres a red button, but besides from that the things seem simple, dry and in good working order!

Enough to keep this group in contact with each other while out in the field, and also someone back at base! Lifting out the foam protection, you find enough replacement batteries held beneath to keep the things working for a good long while!

Having mastered the grip needed when she opened the first box, Billie Faye pops the second one like a pro. It unlatches easily, as the woman applies the correct pressure, and then lifts off the lid.

A gentle tinkle rings out from inside, as the contents are moved about. Glass on glass. Placing the lid on the ground nearby, Billie Faye opens the case up for everyone to peer inside. A whole medley of medical supplies are held within. Bandages, gauze, syringes and a disposal box for sharp objects. Glass vials of… something are packed four high.

It was enough to keep a small army marching for a while at least. Healthy and happy soldiers tended to do better out in the field.