OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
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ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
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FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
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outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
It was here, along the precipice of the borders within the districts, among the bushes where his frame was hidden beyond the branches and beneath the shadows. If the streets had been empty than his task would be near complete, but as it stood the bodies of several occupied the space between him and his destination. Bathed in shadow, Kayson eyed the streetlights ahead of him, the frames of law enforcement officers drawing a perfect pattern upon the pavement. They were meticulous in their motions, each step a direct and intended act while Kayson hunched below the surface of the trees. They were in direct contrast to the young boy who had neither an organized thought nor plan forming alongside the ridges of his brain. His camera, a faithful companion to all of his trips, rested at his side. It recorded nothing save for the back of the lens cap at the moment, weighing the boy down in his attempt at breaking the law.
Curfew had set a few hours ago and this district was on lockdown, Kayson knew this, as lamented by his presence in the shadows, his sheer lack of movement as he hid, avoiding the prying eyes of the soldiers ahead of him. There was a string of electricity that sparked along the insides of his chest, beckoning him forth from his hiding spot and into the street, igniting the moment he stepped from from the bushes and revealed himself to the light. Dressed in all black, with a beanie covering his stands of blonde hair, Kayson leapt from cover to cover, avoiding contact with those who wandered before him and keeping to the shadows to avoid detection. It was a delicate matter of which he prided every moment, feeling very much the common thief in a situation such as this. It was with this thought that he ran, treading carefully across the street and feeling the exhilaration spread throughout his breastbone.
Had this been a mere months prior, this trip would have been far less exciting. The lockdowns made for great content, the sneaking, the eyes that pried where eyes should not be, it was an untapped goldmine of followers and praise, something that Kayson thrived upon. It was this thought that pushed him further, allowing a sly smile to form upon his features as he dove beneath the broken fence of the East District.
Kayson eyed the area around him, allowing a moment to catch his breath before he turned the camera around in his hands and fingered the ‘on’ switch. He composed himself, sucked deeply in the air around him and filled his lungs.
“Hey all you Klippers. It’s me, Kayson, and I am here just beyond the locked down district.” Behind the camera is where Kayson felt the most alive, addressing an unknown array of voices that hid just beyond the lens. A plethora of opinions, comments and die-hard fans that hung off every word he spoke, every movement he made. If getting to this moment had been exhilarating, than opening the camera and recording had him feeling down right euphoric. It was a sensation that never got old, like a drag off a cigarette or that first shot of heroin. Nothing compared and it was why he came back, time and time again risking both life and limb to show the people what they wanted.
Kayson shone the camera just past the fence and through the bushes that hid him, assessing the street with his lens and showing the armed guards who walked the streets.
“I am making my way to the abandoned house in this district, but I have to get past all these officers.” The comment was spoke indirectly and yet Kayson knew exactly was he was doing. It was perhaps rule number one, egg the audience on, make them think you are in much more danger than you actually are...but how much danger was he in? At any moment he could be carted off to a jail cell, put into cuffs and fined for being out past curfew, even worse threatened by his Father who was an officer of the law himself. Kayson swallowed deeply, turned the camera back on him and formed his lips into a firm line.
“I will check back in with you when we get there.” Kayson winked at the camera. It was odd the sensations that washed across his frame as he addressed his audience. There was a certain sense of mirth that came with recording his life and risking death for strangers on the internet. It pushed him forth with renewed vigour.
The abandoned home along this street wasn’t exactly what he had been picturing. Where his mind had conjured up images of broken windows and an overgrown lawn, boarded entrances and moldy wood, there stood a regular home that passed as perhaps a bit rundown. Disappointment crawled all along his spine as he worked his way up to it, taking care to keep hidden. The rumours he had heard at school were simply here say, from the burn outs and yet the tid-bit was as delicious as they come. Exploring abandoned and creepy things were his forte, along with daring acts that caused his audience to leap from his seats. This house was an opportunity he could not miss.
The door creaked as soon as his fingertips touched the handle and the camera in his hand shook in effect.
“I made it. The house of Erebus.” Kayson zoomed in on the doorway, allowing a silent moment to pass between him and his followers.
A gentle push and the door slid open, the sounds that erupted from it were perhaps the loudest in the entire street and it took no time at all for Kayden to find his way in, to allow the draft from outside to push him forth into the dark, dank abode.
The flash of his camera illuminated the foyer first, followed by the living room immediately behind it. It had clearly been abandoned for a while as presented by the cobwebs along the corners of the roof and the layers of dust upon the floor. Beer cans and graffiti were laid out at random intervals between the rooms, most spelling out demonic forces and other silly idioms that held little substance. Kayson highlighted everyone, adding commentary where he saw fit. His heart was hammering against the inside of his chest, information of which he kept hidden from his audience watching his feed. Despite having done this before, despite the thrill from disobeying the law and not only breaking curfew but sneaking into a Quarantine area, there was a small part of his that was genuinely frightened. Not of what laid beyond the darkness of the area but of the consequences of his actions should be be caught toying with the rules. Again, this was not something he said, more something that lingered along the forefront’s of his brain. On camera he was cool and collected, surveying the darkness and reacting to the sounds that emanated from the house, both frightening the boy and exhilarating him all in the same.
“Alright Klippers....” Kayson drew out the name of his fans as she slid down the hallway.
Ryder finished the last of his protein bar. He had missed chow, but the base always had lots of filling snacks laying out and around. So he had grabbed a protein bar and a bottle of water before checking the rotation schedule for the night. He knew he was on duty. Last night he had a day off, his first since arriving to the city. He had spent the majority of it sleeping, to which he had no regrets. He enjoyed his little vacation from the living as long as it had lasted, but as he washed up and got dressed he found that he was actually looking forward to being back at it tonight.
When he was off he only had time to think. That wasn't a good thing when it came to him as of late. Normally he focused on the job, the next assignment, the next meal, the next girl. His thoughts didn't tend to be profound. Lately though, no matter what he tried focusing on, his mind always drifted to a certain annoying blonde. He couldn't figure her out or why in the hell they had clashed as hard as they did. He kept going over what had transpired but he couldn't figure out the mystery that was Anna. He was ready to have something to focus on.
He scanned his name and gave a curse word when he saw he was on patrol duty. If it had been a more interesting part of the fence he might have gotten excited. Unfortunately, it was one of the more boring ones. The only thing around was a few empty houses and people didn't tend to break into quarantined areas to go house hunting. He finished his snack and signed his name into the weapons room. He loaded up on the usual patrol gear, filling his belt with all the required equipment plus a few he tended to like having on him. He bitterly thought he might as well bring popcorn with how boring it was going to be. Alas, no popcorn could be stowed so he made his way outside into the night.
He walked with a small squad of five guys until they came to various parts of the fence. With how little action this side of the area tended to get, they each got about two miles of area to oversee for the night. He began walking along the fence line, quietly letting his mind drift, his hand on his weapon. He had made it to one of the old houses when a light coming from inside immediately caught his attention. Ryder paused, there seemed to be only one. He crouched down and quietly edged his way to get closer to the house without being seen. He radioed in that he was checking on suspicious activity and moved closer to the entrance of the old home.
He watched from the shadowed entrance way as a kid moved around the house, seemingly talking to himself. Ryder was a little concerned that maybe someone ill had broken out of containment, but the guy had turned and he spotted the phone that he was speaking to. On one hand he was grateful that the kid wasn't a literal crazy person. On the other, he wasn't thrilled about being videoed.
The kid spoke again, “What lays beyond door number one?” and Ryder stood up, walking into the house, "Oh I don't know, handcuffs?" He leaned against the doorway, his hand leisurely on the assault rifle slung across his chest. He kept eye contact with the kid as he radioed in to the walkie on his shoulder. "Section 3-5 code 718. Got a kid in here." He took his hand off the radio and addressed the boy, "You here alone?"
There was a shift in the pressure of the air, a string of inertia that caused Kayson to stop just before he opened the door. He was about to speak, to say something to his audience perhaps in an effort to quell his nerves but before he could another voice managed to slither across his eardrums. What registered next was akin to mystification, a juncture in which he knew not what to say nor do. His lips quivered as the stranger came into view, a large man with a gun strapped to his chest. The realization was immediate, he had been caught but the impulse to turn upon his heels and run was present along the forefront’s of his mind. He didn’t want to be in trouble but he supposed it was warranted for his lack of concern for both curfew and quarantine. These people were here to protect and Kayson had broken the law. The boy wavered, training his camera upon the man with nary a word.
“Shit.” It was the only sentiment that emanated from his mouth that expressed the surfeit of regret that snaked across his spine. It was a minute of recognition that what he had done was reprehensibile and it was time to sustain his comeuppance.
Kayson very slowly raised his hands above his head.
If he ran would the man shoot him? Surely there would be repercussions for shooting the son of a cop...right?
“Listen...I... I didn’t meant any harm.” The syllables were ineffcient, as if he hadn’t spoken them at all and it physically hurt him. His chest felt tight, his stomach tied into knots.
With his hands in the air he took a diffident step forward to quell the mans nerves, if he had any.
“I’ll come peacefully.” He stated but the rhythm of his heart told another story, produced a different scenario in which Kayson bolted through the back door and into the street. He bartered with his options, weighing them in each hand. His viewers watching would be disappointed if he gave himself up so easily but his father would be furious as his betrayal of the law. Kayson blinked and in that split second, he decided.
Kayson smiled, a wry movement of his lips.
“Sorry.” He respired and with that he took off, turned upon his heels and ran as fast and he could through the back door. On some equalizing front, he knew that he would not get far but that didn’t stop his legs from pumping and propelling his frame across the way. He didn’t want to be shot, he didn’t want to get into trouble but mostly he didn’t want to look cowardly in front of his followers.
His flash light bounced across the debris that he found in his departure and though he was agile, despite having run from the law before Kayson could feel the moment he had been defeated, saw it in slow motion before it even happened. His downfall would be a garbage bag, strewn in the middle of the stairs with little care and it came into view long before he had time to stop the rapid propulsion of his movement. Cuss words fell from his mouth but they did little to stop his downward motion toward the ground. His camera fell from his fingers, the sound of plastic upon the wood of the stairs was like grinding inside of his ears and the snap that followed the force of his travail was perhaps even less appealing. Kayson rolled down the steps, catching himself on nothing, his limbs useless devices in his descent. The terrain came into view swiftly, a jolting shock that reverberated inside of his skull. Kayson groaned. There was a pervasive amount of blood that spread across his face, a carving of flesh that originated just below his eye and the battery of blackened skin along his knees and sides. The snap he heard had been his middle most finger, the bone fractured and grotesque to look at but he considered himself fortuitous that it was neither an arm nor a leg.
“So much for an eloquent escape...” He murmured in the darkness at the foot of the steps. There would be no running now, not after this and it was perhaps in respite that he looked up toward the steps, awaiting the moment the soldier appeared to cart him off to a jail cell.
Ryder watched in amusement as the kid pointed the phone at him. He stood still, resisting the urge to wave. He wasn't undercover here. There weren't any penalties for anyone seeing who he was and what he looked like doing his job. He figured it was probably a good thing that the public saw the somewhat authoritative figure that the military imposed. Maybe if more people saw the kind of defenses that they were up against the less he'd have to deal with stupidity like this. He watched as the kid slowly raised his hands above his head. Ryder would be lying if he thought the kid posed any sort of threat to him.
Even if the guy had a gun, he doubted very much the slightly shaking arm from his boy could get off a good shot. Even if by some miracle it did, he was wearing enough kevlar to protect himself. The boy didn't answer his question and Ryder knew that to be a good sign. If he was hiding anyone, nine times out of ten they said something along the lines of it's just me! No one but me! Lines that tended to tell different stories. The kid couldn't seem to say a full sentence either and that was another soothing thought to him. It was good he was scared, healthy. He remained silent as the kid took a step, mentioning he'd come peacefully. A half-grin of a smirk came to his face. As if the kid had any other choice.
Ryder took a step forward as the kid froze. That pause lasted half a second, Ryder barely getting out "don't..." before he uttered an apology and bolted. "Section 3-5 runner. Wyatt meet at 5a fence line." He all but yelled into the walkie on his shoulder before bolting after the kid. The guy had a head start and was through the hallway and bounding for a back door before he had taken off.
He had just made it out the door as the figure of the kid laying haphazardly in the ground came into sight. He came to a sliding halt, angling his body down at the ground where the kid was. His body hit into the kid, Ryder's hands instinctively grasping for the kid's hands, shoving them behind his back and his face in the dirt. The cuffs were around him and Ryder sat back, the adrenaline making his heart race. "Do you know how stupid you are? I mean come on man, of all the places to break into, you pick a shitty dilapidated house in the quarantine zone?" He pressed the walkie on his shoulder again, "Kid down, apprehended. I'm taking him in. Call in Evans for replacement until I get back." He looked over again, his eyes catching the blood, "You hurt?"
Very little time was wasted in the apprehension of Kayson, whose body felt as if it had been hit by a freight train. An explosion of pain where the man wrenched his arms behind his back and slapped handcuffs on his wrists. This was not an ideal situation but honestly what had he expected from running from the law? It would have ended here, one way or another and so with little else to do but comply, Kayson did just that. His face was depressed into the dirt, his eyes resting upon the dilapidated form of the residence he had broken into. Had this been worth it?
Hell fucking yes.His followers would be absolutely vibrating with excitement at his attempt at escape and though his Father would be unreservedly furious at the boy for breaking the law, the pros outweighed the cons by a tonne. The handcuffs were taut upon his wrists but it was the camera that lay just beyond his field of view that caught his regard. Kayson’s eyes widened as he realized how monumental his mistake had been. The lens was shattered, a splintered perspective of his reflection peering back at him.
As if to add insult to injury the man chastised him, a level voice that managed to make Kayson feel even more obtuse than he already did. It was apparent that this enforcer of the law knew nothing of social medias and how important it was to keep up appearances. It did not matter about the house, nor the findings within, it was about the expedition, the breaking of the law and sneaking past a street full of cops that garnered the popularity he so desired. As it stood now however he was very literally back where he started, with his camera tossed upon its side and out of his grasp. Surely the man would have to gather his belongings...right?
Kayson slithered forward an iota and was rewarded with a springing pain along his side. His tumble had done a number on the boy, the misshapen bruises were perhaps already beginning to form and Kayson could feel it. He could focus on very little when the man asked if he was hurt, the blood that trickled along his face told the story that he was not okay but damned if he was going to admit it.
“I’m fine.” Kayson’s attempt to spit the words fell flat. It was difficult for the young man to be threatening, even when he wanted too and instead the sounds that fell from his lips were more grouse than anything else. He was in so much shit, his parents were going to have an unreserved melt down when they acquired the knowledge of his misgivings but what was worse than that was the vexatious realization of the camera on the ground where it fell. All of this would have been for absolutely nothing should it be left within the dirt.
Kayson sighed inwardly, a sound that racked against the insides of his chest and caused him to cough.
“Come on, man.” Kayson pleaded, tilting his head and placing his gaze upon the officer. Was his one eye beginning to swell already? It sure felt that way. He could sense the blood trailing down his cheek and resting along his mouth, the metallic taste fresh along his palette.
“At least grab my camera, eh?” It wasn’t an order but a mere suggestion, a hopeful, pleading, desperate suggestion that he yearned with every fibre of his being would convince the officer to, at the very least, show a modicum of decency toward him.
Ryder stood up and dusted himself off, a small grin on his face. If he was being honest, he had enjoyed that little bit of excitement. He wouldn't ever wish that more people broke in or that the compound was facing nights like this on the regular of course, but a little bit of fun here or there never hurt anyone. Plus it had appeared to just be a kid doing normal stupid kid shit, and not someone intent on breaking the law or causing harm. Ryder made sure the attachment that secured his rifle was still intact, moving the gun to his side so he could haul the kid up. When the guy said he was fine Ryder gave a chuckle, "Tell that to your bleeding face kid." He reached down and moved his hand under the guy's arm, bracing him to help haul his rear off the ground.
When the kid was up he could check him out a little more thoroughly. Ryder turned his flashlight on, moving the beam over the kid. His face was cut and his jeans were torn, but that appeared to be the worst of it that he could tell from the front. He wasn't a medic but he was pretty sure the cut would need stitches, "Cut your face pretty good." he murmured. Ryder pulled out gauze from one of the compartments on his jacket and dabbed the kid's head, looking to see how deep it was. He pulled the bloody gauze away and grabbed a bandage out of the same pocket. Opening the wrapper with his teeth and one free arm while holding the flashlight in the other. He stuck the band-aide on, not caring too much to be gentle. "There ya go. You might even get lucky and end up with a cool scar, hell of a chick magnet. Or...guy magnet. No judgement here." He grinned a second before moving to the kid's back, ensuring the cuffs were secured when his eyes fell on the bent and mangled looking finger.
Ryder whistled, "Ouch. That's not going to be fun to fix. The med team will look at it when we get to base." The kid had asked about his camera and Ryder shook his head, "Sorry man, that's the property of the US government now." His face was stern and serious, not a drip of humor in his words. He watched the kid a second before the smile returned to his face, "I'm kidding man." He walked over to where the camera lay and picked it up, ensuring it was off. He wasn't sure if the thing could work anymore, but he didn't want to take chances. He slipped the camera into an empty pocket and put his hand on the guy's cuffs, urging him forward. "Alright so what's your name, do you have ID and what are we going to find when we run your prints?"
Kayson could do little else but toss glare’s in the direction of this stranger, he was in enough trouble as it stood, the words that sat along his tongue would only do to dig this cavernous hole and as such he remained quiet. The officer thought himself a funny man, his dialogue proved as such but it amused Kayson none. Strong hands gripped his shoulders and pulled him to his feet. The movements caused undulations of suffering to spread along his insides but he said scant in the wake of it, he didn’t want to look weak in front of this man, for whatever reason. He was thankful to be out of the dirt though, grateful for the help in getting to his feet and being free from the rocks that scraped his skin and the mire that smudged against his cheeks.
Had the trash bag not been there, he would have been half way home by now, or at least he assumed he would be. Kayson steadied himself against the arm of the officer and watched him as he pulled out medical supplies from his pocket. If he was to be honest he didn’t want the help, he’d much rather enter where-ever the fuck he was going with blood streaming down his face but he had little say over the matter. The man cleaned the wound as best he could and shoved a bandaid over the cut along his eye. Kayson moved away from his touch, having enough of the contact and wrenching his head away.
“I said, I’m fine.” Kayson spat the words and met eyes with the man. It was impossible to feel intimidating when the officer towered over him, when their was a gun strapped to his chest and a Kevlar vest along his frame. He looked very much the part, of that, Kayson was sure.
It was the remark about the ladies that really ground his gears. With his hands behind his back, Kayson stood up straight and spit the blood from his mouth. A wry smiled touched his lips, a lamentation of his rebellion.
“Trust me, I get more than enough ladies, pal.” The statement was not all true, Kayson loved the female form, of course, but he wouldn’t label himself as a player either. Kayson was a gentleman, if you discounted his narcissistic tendencies that is. Kayson was done talking now though, he’d had enough of this back and forth and he was ready to be processed. He did well to ignore the man as he prattled on about his broken finger. Kayson was thankful he couldn’t look at it anymore, the sight alone nearly made him gag. He was right though, it was going to be super fun to fix. The thought brought forth a roll of his eyes and an exaggerated sigh, drama was his strong suit, after all.
The inquiries that followed were standard procedure honestly he had expected them sooner but the boy toyed with the idea to give a fake name. The suggestion was brought forth and then quickly dismissed however, this stranger and every other person he ran into would realize very quickly that his Father was a cop. In spite of this knowledge he was not looking forward to the moment when his Dad would come to collect him.
Kayson inhaled quickly.
“Kayson Kiernan, I don’t have any ID on me and I wouldn’t want to rob you of the fun of finding out for yourself.” The tone of his words were dry but nothing in comparison to the shit-eating grin that appeared across his face in the wake of them.
It was going to be a very long night, for the both of them.
Kayson was shoved forward as the man lead them to where they needed to go. He was at his mercy now, it seemed. There was little he could do while hand-cuffed and as such the boy complied, but his lips were primed to fire off sardonicisms, ever equipped as they were.
The kid was glaring at him and Ryder couldn't help the smirk that came to his face in return. He sent up a silent prayer that he had grown up the way he did. When he was a teenager he hadn't put one toe out of line. He was all yes sir, no sir. That had given him a sense of discipline. That stuffy, strangling life had taught him how to work hard, how to support a family, work until you couldn't see clearly, then do it all over again the next day. He couldn't have imagined the person he'd be if he didn't have that upbringing. He mused that he'd probably be a whole hell of a lot more of a hell raiser. He would have probably been more like the gangly kid in front of him.
The kid yelled at him about being fine, his words dripping with anger. Ryder tilted his head to the side, his hands resting on the rifle. "Oh yeah? Raise your hand if you think I care at all about your feelings on the matter." Knowing full well that the kid couldn't have raised his hands even if he wanted to. The cuffs were too secure for any movement at all, much less a hand raise. Ryder sarcastically looked around, "Well..look there. Not a single fuck given." He smirked at him a second more before putting the wrapper and bloody gauze away. He didn't mind blood, he had gloves on. Still, he had to put them in a special place on his jacket so that when he got back to base they would be disposed of properly.
He had shoved the guy along to walk and the kid had stopped, spitting blood out in front of him. Ryder didn't comment, ushering him along again, making sure to not go near his hand."Talk all you want kid, but when I was your age I sure as hell wasn't spending my evenings alone breaking into old houses." He was curious as to why of all things the kid had decided to sneak into an old house, but decided to wait to bring it up. The guy clearly wasn't in the mood to talk to him.
Ryder was surprised when the kid had given him a full name. Not that he actually believed that the one he gave was his real one of course. When the kid went on about not wanting to ruin the surprise, Ryder gave a humorless laugh, "Oh man, now my hopes are up." He kept his hand near the kid's upper arm in case he stumbled or tripped. There would be no way for the guy to stop the fall and he didn't want to have to do more paperwork on him accumulating more wounds than the ones he had already.
"Hmm. Let's see if I can guess. Jason Bourne? Secret agent. Or wait, I've got it. You're an anti-gun, anti-military rally leader. Here to bring the mission down." He grinned, his head turning to the kid. "I'm going to be real disappointed if you're not something heroic man." He continued walking on. He amusingly hoped the kid didn't mind the walk, they still had 2 miles to go before they got to the base. Sure he could call in an ATV to pick them up, but what would the fun in that be? "So, are you going to tell me what the hell you were doing out there, or am I going to have to give you to the interrogation team?"
There was a fire ignited beyond the eyes of the boy, an seething, writhing fury that brought goosebumps along his skin. It was this man, the sarcastic tones that slid from his mouth and the tongue that wrapped around the tones that brought forth such emotions and it took all the willpower within himself to contain the lashing his tongue could do in return. It would do him little good while in handcuffs, while in the arms of the law, to be a sarcastic bastard. To lament such, Kayson remained quiet, giving room between them in the way of silence to let the man run his mouth as much as he wanted. In any other case perhaps Kayson would have replied, would have taken this time to enlighten the man of the happenings within the house he had broken into but it didn’t feel right, not here, not now. Instead Kayson was pushed forward. He focused on the throbbing of his broken finger, the disconnected joints that propelled pain throughout his knuckles and wrist. He watched the movements of his steps, counting each one as dark tendrils of hair fell forward into his eyes.
Even though he didn’t like this man, for reasons entirely beyond his control, Kayson could imagine the type of reaction he would get from his Father. It would not be sarcastic comments like he was getting now but moreover a mental beating, a thrashing of disappointment and regretfulness over his one and only son. Kayson didn’t like dispiriting his father, he hated seeing the man mad but he had little choice in his pursuits. This was his career, as far as he was concerned and he was willing to do anything to make it work. Although the current situation was bad for a lot of people involved, traumatic in a way that a rich kid such as himself could not fathom, it also provided ample opportunities for him and he would be an idiot not to take them.
When life hands you lemons and all that.
Kayson was just doing what was expected of him from his fans point of view, creating the content he knew would garner him money and sponsors, such was life. Not that he thought neither the man holding his cuffs nor his overbearing father would understand that. At the end of the day, Kayson had to do what benefited him and if that got him into trouble here and there well...so be it. Granted, he wasn’t prepared to the question the officer asked next. He stumbled upon it, taking a moment to collect not only his steps but his thoughts as he pandered for words.
Kayson took a deep breath and decided to play civil. He saw no cop car in sight and no back up, he was under the impression it was going to be a long walk and thus he should at least play nice for the moment.
“It’s supposed to be haunted.” Kayson began, attempting to side-long the officer but failing.
“I’m pretty active on social media...I assume you know what that is. I have a decent following and they get their kicks from my content. I investigate haunted houses and shit and the followers go absolutely nuts over it.” Kayson took another breath, carefully taking his steps so as not to fall.
“It might seem like a stupid reason to break into quarantine but it gets hits like crazy, man.” Kayson smirked, imagining the influx of fans that would flock toward his pages when this went viral.
“The more followers, the more views, the more I get paid and I don’t know about you man but...” Kayson stopped so he could at least meet eyes with the officer.
Ryder was letting his mind wander to breakfast tomorrow. It was only a few handful of hours away. He never knew what they were having of course. Military bases weren't like elementary school lunchrooms where they distributed out the meal plan for the month. It was take it or leave it and normally he wasn't too picky. He could take the standard rotation of what they deemed food. On nights like tonight though where he had skipped dinner, his stomach rebelled at the idea of simple scrambled eggs and toast. He wanted something solid. He knew he didn't have anything on rotation tomorrow morning so planning a trip into town seemed like the best plan of action.
He and the kid moved along the terrain. The night wasn't too chilly, nor too warm. He mused that this place might actually not be so bad had it not been the epicenter of this modern-day plague. His thoughts of food were interrupted by the kid talking about something being haunted. Ryder looked over at him, "Oh yeah?" He looked back at the terrain while the kid began talking again. When he made a joke about social media Ryder chuckled, "Hey I'm not that old." In all honesty, he was terrible at social media, but he did know what they were. He just didn't like all the fake posts and smiles that they attracted. He liked being real with people and truthfully didn't see a point in making things seems better than they were. What did that benefit?
"I get it. Got to give the fans what they want." He didn't understand the appeal in the least, but he didn't care enough about it to criticize. To each his own and whatnot. "If I were you, I'd get some close shots of the house but go into one that's not actually in the quarantine zone. They won't know any better and you won't be facing federal charges. Wouldn't get to see my handsome face either, but you gotta weigh your options I guess." He looked back over at the kid, a grin tugging at his lips, "What do I know though?" He halfway felt bad for the kid. Kids did stupid shit all the time and this was just another rung in the ladder. This one though, breaking into a federal military base during quarantine, might follow him around for life. When he talked about money Ryder laughed lightly again, "Look man, I get it, but if you have charges against you the chance of getting a good job that makes good money drop like crazy. You've got to think more about what you want in the long run, not what you want right now." He thought it was weird telling a stranger that, Ryder never was one for giving people life advice, but he kind of liked the kid. "Followers will come and go but a good job can set you up for life."
Kayson was well past listening, focused more along the staggered movements of his feet rather than paying attention to the man who’s handcuffs dug into his skin. Though he made fair points, suggestions that slithered through his mind and sat there, regarded. It wasn’t like he thought he would understand anyways, not many did, least of all his family members. Kayson did his best to focus on the words spoken, dancing in and out of the dialogue untethered upon to him. He seemed nice enough, Kayson supposed. Maybe it was divine intervention that found him in the hands of this man verses any of the others that roamed the streets.
Even so, he wondered how much longer he would have to endure the advice given, how many more steps it would take for them to depart from the niceties.
Kayson shrugged his shoulders as best as his bruised body would allow at the bequeathal of the mans last sentence. He supposed in the grand scheme of things that he was right, eventually his followers would dwindle and he would be forced to sustain a real job, a nice and comfortable nine to five but that isn’t what he wanted. Kayson had never been one to follow paths already carved, he liked to walk amid the forests and tread his own trail.
“I’m not going to argue with you about what I think is right and wrong. It probably wasn’t my brightest idea sneaking in here but I am prepared to accept the consequences.” Kayson’s words were honest for the most part, he was ready to face the ramifications of his actions however he was not prepared to see his father and his reaction to his son’s oversight. Such would result in broken things and harsh words that would sit along the edges of his brain and fester forever. It wasn’t of if he was seeking his father’s approval, the two had never really saw eye to eye but he could not deny that seeing his father upset hurt his soul. Such a disappointment, he was.
Kayson sighed, a long, harsh sound that reverberated alone the edges of the empty streets.
“What’s your name?” Kayson asked, seemingly out of the blue. He figured they would be around one another long enough that he should at least get some information out of him. Maybe this man would set his on the right side of the law, start a new life in which he abided by the rules and did right by his family. It was unlikely but who knows right?
“I feel like I’ve been the focal point of our conversation. What’s your story, man?” There were no ill-intentions beyond the words he spoke, just sheer curiosity.
Ryder walked along in the night with the kid. He was a different one, and Ryder kinda liked that. If he was being completely honest he would have admitted that he appreciated the fun in getting to chase someone, of course, but it was more than that. The kid was willing to take his licks, which surprised him. Normally the kids who he had the unfortunate luck to deal with tended to be rich brats. The kids who asked him if they knew who their father was. They were the kind of kids who grew up to be the kind of men who thought the world revolved around them. The kind of people who tended to think they were above the law.
When the guy said he was prepared to face the consequences Ryder made an over-exaggerated, albeit impressed face. "Well good on you then. Although..." He sighed before speaking up again, "You know they're not going to let you out of this one easy. I'm no lawyer but you're probably looking at some federal charges. Might be a good idea to get your facts and reasons together on this one." Ryder was glad he wasn't a cop. He didn't have to read the Miranda rights or worry about charges. Nah. All he had to do was patrol the perimeter and haul in anyone stupid enough to break in. Check and check.
The kid then sighed and asked him his name and Ryder raised an eyebrow. That hadn't happened before. Granted, usually the people he came into contact with rarely even knew he was there before making his presence known, the rest rarely saw past the uniform. It was odd to have one of his charges ask who he was. Even more strange, the kid then asked him what his story was. "I'm Ryder. Born and raised in Wyoming, cattle farm of course. Enlisted, and that's about the end of that." There was a whole lot more to the story of course, but he thought his little cliff notes version was alright. "Nothing too exciting here man."
He watched as a set of lights in the distance moved from the base towards the gate. Guards doing patrols, everyone playing their part. It was oddly assuring to him, the precision and the unfaltering way that everyone behaved and did their job. It was something you could set your watch to, something you could depend on. "So, you gonna level with me about what's going to pop up on that screen when they search your name or you gonna keep me in suspense?"
