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.
Anita had been in the apartment for a few months now, and still Casey hadn’t come to visit. But shortly after she’d moved in, groceries started to be delivered to her home. So far, she hadn’t actually seen who was dropping them off - she assumed it was Casey, considering he was paying her rent to live here. Her brother was confusing to her - the nurses had told her he’d come to visit her very often while she was in her coma, but he’d yet to show his face since she woke up. They’d talked on the phone, for sure, but even then he’d sounded cold and distant. Not like he’d forgiven her at all.
She thought that if she caught him while he was delivering the groceries, she might be able to get him to stop and talk to her, in person. So she’d woken up early, quickly checking the front door to see if the groceries had arrived. She’d been patient, waiting and watching, to see when the groceries arrived. It had taken her a while, but she was starting to notice a pattern. So she sat, quietly, on her couch, waiting to hear any sound that might alert her to someone being out front.
It wasn’t too long of a wait - maybe Casey dropped them off before work? She didn’t even know what he did for work. Still, she heard a shuffling sound outside her door and quickly got up, moving quietly to her front door and - of course, without checking who was on the other side - pulled the door open wide. ”Casey-” The words died in her mouth as her gaze fell on a guy who was definitely not her brother. Anita blinked at him for a moment, looking surprised and confused all at the same time. ”Uh - I’m...sorry.” She stammered, trying to pull her thoughts together. ”Who are you?” About two seconds after speaking, she realized she might sound a little rude, her tone a little more disappointed than she meant to sound. ”I mean, obviously you work for...the grocery...delivery service? I’m sorry.” Jesus, was she apologizing enough? Why had she thought Casey was coming here himself, every morning, to give a sister he probably wished he didn’t have some groceries? Of course he was using a delivery service. She was so stupid.
[attr="class","CONTENT"] Lucas stood inside the small elevator going up the apartment building. The door slid open to a familiar view of the corridor. Stepping outside, clutching two heavily packed brown paper bags full of various groceries ranging from fresh produce to snacks and ice cream as well as hygiene products, blue eyes looked down to make sure he didn't forget anything. He went through a mental list of things he had wanted to buy for her as he walked down the hallway, passing one door after another.
Ever since he found out about Anita living alone with her brother still not caring a single bit about her or her well-being Lucas decided to continue taking at least somewhat care of her. Maybe it was the guilt that kept drawing him to her apartment building once a week on his day off, early in the morning thinking she would still be asleep, to drop of necessities. Today was different. The moment he wanted to put down the bags on the doormat the door swung open, the young blonde appearing right in front of him.
Busted.
But then she started saying something about a grocery delivery service. Maybe he wasn't busted after all. Maybe there was still a chance for a cover, because Lucas wasn't ready to tell her the truth yet - not even after 8 years. 8 painfully long years. He still remembered the crash so vividly as if it happened yesterday. It was burned into his memories. Everything seemed to have happened too fast back then but all the days, weeks, months, and years after that fatal day? Slow couldn't even describe the feeling of how stagnant time felt to be passing. It was crawling, dragging each minute in mud, each second so heavy on his heart.
"Yeah..." he said, raising eyebrows in soft confusion. "I'm with the... grocery delivery service." he carefully repeated after her, his head slowly nodding in agreement. Still having his arms wrapped around the paper bags filled with everything she would need he nodded towards the apartment door. "Do you want me to bring this inside? They are a little heavy today. Mangoes were on sale." Lucas spoke, revealing perhaps a bit too much info. Fortunately, he caught himself in the act and quickly brushed it off, adding something else. "You ordered a lot. Are they good? Maybe I should give them a try. Never had one actually."
"Do you want me to bring this inside? They are a little heavy today. Mangoes were on sale."
Anita had been staring at him, a bit expectant and still slightly confused, when he’d verified that he was, indeed, working on behalf of...whatever delivery service Casey was using. It was a little disappointing, but at least it explained why this stranger was bringing her groceries. She still had questions, but it wasn’t like this guy would be able to answer them. Why had she been told Casey had visited so often, if he hadn’t so much as come to see her once since she woke up? Looking a little deflated, but still smiling, she tried to focus on what he was saying. Her gaze did light up at the mention of mangoes. Did Casey remember that she’d always liked those? Mangoes were her go-to snack when she wanted something sweet. ”Yes, thank you.” She answered, pushing the door open and stepping aside so he had enough room to come inside. The idea that it might not be smart to let a stranger in didn’t even cross her mind. As she closed the door, she turned to look at him. ”Mangoes are my favorite.” Anita said, not sure why she felt the need to tell him this, but saying it nonetheless.
She gestured towards the kitchen, visible from the entry way - it was a fairly open communal area, a length of counter with bar seating the only thing separating the living room from the kitchen. ”Just set them on the counter.” She directed, leading him to the kitchen. ”If it’s not against some kind of rule, we can go ahead and cut one up right now.” She offered, stepping over to pull out a paring knife from the block on her counter. Anita turned back to Lucas, trying her best not to look threatening while holding it, a friendly smile on her face. ”I haven’t met someone who doesn’t like mango yet.” Her tone was confident, giving a small shrug.
[attr="class","CONTENT"] Lucas avoided her gaze as much as he could as she seemed to be thinking about something. He stared at the doormat, foot gnelty tapping on the floor and arms still tightly wrapped around the delivery. His head lifted at her agreeing to let him carry her groceries inside. Truth to be told Lucas didn’t feel too comfortable about the fact that she just let a complete stranger inside her apartment. Who knew what they would do. Who knew what he would do if he wasn’t working for the police.
Clearing his throat he pushed past her, walking into her apartment, making sure to brush his shoes off on the doormat before entering. He nodded at her ‘Mangoes are my favorite’ as if he didn’t know. Fake it till you make it, right? Adding a quiet fake gasp he looked at her with wide eyes. “Wow. That’s nice. Most people say apples or bananas as their favorite fruits but mangoes? That’s different.”
He walked over to the counter just like she told him to, placing the paper bags on top of it. When she offered to cut one up for him Lucas pressed lips together as he thought about it. Everything inside him was screaming to leave, to not spend more time with her, to leave her be… but a tiny part of him made him nod slowly, accepting the offer. “Sure, thank you. I don't think anyone will say anything if I just stay five minutes.” he said, smiling ever so slightly as he looked around her apartment.
All the questions he wanted to ask, all the things he wanted to say would all make him sound like a creep. He had to bite his tongue from time to time to not have a wrong word slip out. He didn't know why he found this situation so difficult to deal with. He had known worse, worked with worse… but this was different. His eyes caught sight of a broken lightbulb in one of her lamps. “Do you need that fixed?”
Ever oblivious, Anita didn’t pick up on the fake surprise. She just gave him a little shrug as she headed for her kitchen. ”Apples and bananas are great, no hate on them. But mango with a little bit of tajin? Perfect.” She smiled as she spoke, realizing that this guy probably didn’t want to sit and listen to her yammer on about mangos, but she couldn’t help herself. Making friends wasn’t easy when you were still learning everything about the new world you woke up in. She was, admittedly, pretty lonely.
Smile brightening as he agreed to the offered mango treat, she took one from the bag and squeezed it gently, just to make sure it was ripe. ”I’m Anita, by the way. My friends call me Anni.” She said, not including the fact that said friends no longer existed. Anyone she’d known before her coma - the second one, of course - had grown up. Most were married, or just gone. No one had reached out to her after she woke up. She tried not to think about why - just brushed it off. It’s not like anyone was the same as they were nearly a decade ago.
Anita had started to cut into the mango when she heard his question, and she paused, glancing over her shoulder at him and then to the lamp and back again, brows raising slightly. ”Uhm, yes. I called the maintenance guy but he’s not...very nice.” She said, trying to laugh it off. He’d actually gotten quite cross with her, for calling after five. She hadn’t bothered him since. There were quite a few things with the apartment that probably needed fixing, but she didn’t want to hear the guy’s rough smoker’s growl giving her another lecture ever again. Anita had meant to take a look at it and switch it out, but she’d forgotten.
[attr="class","CONTENT"] Lucas squinted softly at her. “Tajin?” he repeated after her questioningly. “What’s… that?” Lucas was a simple man whose taste palette consisted of the basics. He wasn’t really someone to venture out into the unknown to try new food, nor did he have the time to do that. Give him the good things he knew - creamy pasta, pizza, bacon, and so on - and he was a happy and satisfied man. Anything that sounded too exotic was just something he would avoid, mainly because he didn’t know about it. Same thing with the mango. Just something he would walk past at the grocery store.
“Oh, yeah I know.” he said, his lips forming a semi-awkward smile. “I mean it’s written on the address slip the delivery service receives.” the brunette added calmly, trying not to sound like a creep. It was a lie but it wasn’t like she would find out anytime soon - he hoped. “I’m Lucas.” he told her, quickly glancing at her before averting his gaze to the burned-out light bulb. Finally, she would know his name. He wasn’t too sure how he felt about it. It was making him a little nervous but there was also a sense of relief.
A chuckle that blended in with her laugh left his lips. “I can fix it for you if you want. As a thank you for the mango.” he offered, brushing his hands off on his pants as he looked over at the kitchen. “Do you mind if I wash my hands?” Lucas asked, moving over to the counter as he waited for her approval. He didn't want to be rude, especially if she preferred to keep appropriate distance between the two of them. He was already in her home, somewhere where he shouldn't be if he actually thought about it. “I just need the spare bulb and it’ll be done in no time.”
