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.
GENERAL INQUIRIES
CODING
GRAPHICS
ADVERTISING
CHARACTERS
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!
GENERAL INQUIRIES
APPLICATIONS
THREAD MODERATION
MEDIATOR
CHARACTERS
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!
GENERAL INQUIRIES
CLAIMS
DIRECTORY
CHARACTERS
STAFF NAME
OPEN MODERATOR POSITION
outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
Evening light spilled in through the windows, casting pale rays of light onto the floor. Riley had been awake for a while now and still she had lacked the mental capacity to ready herself for work, choosing instead to busy herself in her computer and updating herself on the pandemic that was spreading across the globe. After vigorously clicking link after link her eyes began to grow tired. The pale glow from the computer screen lit up the entirety of her apartment and as the anxiety grew inside her chest so did her desire to be away from any and all musings of the pandemic.
It took very little time for her to dress in her work uniform and tie her hair back into a high pony. The champagne coloured tresses were mostly contained, save for the random tendrils that curled alongside her cheeks. In the mirror her reflection peered back at her, lines of worry were etched upon her face, raw cracks in her facade. It was with haste she had done her makeup. Kohl liner adorned her lids, butterfly lashes perched above delicate baby blues. Despite the makeup on her face, she still appeared tired, as if the sleepless nights were beginning to wear her down, as if the looming threat of illness weighed upon her even in the wee hours of the morning.
Riley moved from the bathroom and grabbed her things, her purse and her cigarettes being the first of the items she needed before heading off to work. Her pony bobbed as she inserted her key into her apartment door, locked it and headed off for her nightly shift at work. The walk there wasn’t long, a few blocks at most but the emptiness of the street had her on edge the moment she stepped onto it, something about the vast silence that wrapped around her made her feel uneasy and vulnerable.
Her shoes clicked upon the concrete as she made her way along, each tap of her heels louder than the last. She wrapped her sweater tightly around herself, an attempt to quell the cold that pressed densely against her. The sheer quietness of the street did nothing to ease the nerves that slid over her bones, the paranoia of illness fresh on her mind and deep in her heart.
As she strode through the streets the fluorescent sign of Danielle’s Diner came flooding into view, bathing the streets in neon glow. The place remained empty of course, save for Danielle herself who holed up by the cash in case any customers were to appear. As Riley walked inside the woman lit up, excited to rid herself of the loneliness that adhered to the shop or perhaps awed that a new customer had arrived.
“Hey.” Riley offered as she walked inside, the bell attached to the door rung as she opened it, the noise jarring enough to nearly make her jump from her skin.
“I’m sorry to make you come in...” Danielle’s words were solemn, her voice abundant with the weight of the world. Riley shrugged her shoulders, allowing a moment to pass between them in which the silence stretched for miles.
“Any customers tonight?” The inquiry fell from her lips before she could realize the adiposity over them. The business had been failing even before the outbreak, what would make this moment any different? Riley offered a polite smile before retreating to the back room and stripping herself of her bag and sweater. The shop smelled of freshly baked goods, of greasy foods and soda and Riley would be lying if she said it didn’t inert some of the worry around her. This place had been like her second home for a while now. It wasn’t always pleasant but Danielle did the best she could to make this place a safe haven for Riley and despite their differences in opinion on the subject of remaining open, Riley respected her.
She tucked her phone into her pocket before she re-entered the diner’s main area. The diner was small, housing four booths and a few tables and chairs. The colours were exactly what you would expect from a small town eatery such as this, flashy and in your face for attention but it was quaint enough. The neon lights flashed outside of the place, casting shadows into the street and lending an eerie feeling to the outdoors. Riley wasted no time getting to work, wiping down the counters and door handles, taking care to set things up neatly and make it appealing for any customers willing to dare out during a pandemic. The diner would be open late, as it always was and today would be no different. Despite the happenings in the world, despite all the things going on around them, life has a tendency to continue. It would do her well anyways, getting her mind off the world and it’s crisis and instead focusing on her work. It was inelegant, grunt work she liked to call it but it made the time pass, it made the nights feel less lonely and the news less worrying for as long as they stayed open perhaps the things going on weren’t as bad as the news made it out to be...right?
Riley continued, cleaning the counters and setting out the condiments.
With any luck, at least one customer would appear for the night and it would make the world feel much less empty.
[attr="class","dilyrics3"]Your lips feel warm to the touch You can bring me back to life On the outside you're ablaze and alive But
[attr="class","dilyric3"]you're dead inside
[attr="class","dibody3"]
"You want something from the chinese restaurant?" he called over his shoulder to his roommate as he put on his jacket. "Nah. i’m good." Alex, his roommate, replied. "Are you sure? Like a 100% sure?" Raffe asked once again, knowing Alex would most certainly regret his decision later. "Egg Rolls and Honey Walnut Shrimp with some Chow Mein as side. Thank you very much Butler Mitchell." Raphael rolled his eyes knowing exactly that this was gonna happen. "Alright." he replied and closed the door behind him. He walked down the stairs, making his way downstairs from the 6th floor. He wondered if they will ever fix the elevator - or if there is anyone left to fix it. Once he got out of the building a message popped up on his phone:
"Don’t forget my fortune cookie."
Alex had texted him with a lot of grinning emoticons.
As the bright neon sign came into his view he glanced inside to check if it was busy or not - but just as other businesses in the city it was just empty. He pushed open the door and made his way to a table in the back of the diner. He put down his messenger bag which was slung over his shoulder next to him before taking out a lot of loose papers and documents. It took him a full minute to get a pen out of the mess. “Hey can I get a cheeseburger, some chili cheese fries, onion rings and a strawberry milkshake please?” he called over to the waitress behind the counter not wanting to have her come over to his table just to get his order. It could be considered rude but he was just trying to create less work. “Thank you”. he added real quick before proceeding to take out his laptop, scattering his papers all over the four people table.
"This makes no sense. This doesn’t add up." he mumbled furiously, tapping his pen against the notebook before scribbling over his notes. "Nope." Raffe said to himself before attempting another calculation. Spinning the pen in his hands his eyes almost glared at his notes as he tried to make sense of it all while waiting for his food.
Dark eyes looked over to the waitress and he couldn't help himself but to ask her "Hey, can I ask you something? If there was a chance of a conspiracy... which one would you pick? Like what would your ideas be?"
Riley tapped her fingers to the beat of the song that player over her head, despite the melody being something she wouldn’t normally listen too it was better than the sheer quiet that pressed against her when the radio was off. She was lost inside of the beat when the double wide doors opened and the little bell above them chimed, announcing a guests arrival. Riley blinked momentarily wondering if she had imagined the sound but when she looked up from where she was she saw someone. He walked straight to a seat, making no eye contact with the girl and barking orders at her.
Having been a waitress for many a year it didn’t phase her, honestly nothing much did nowadays and so when he addressed her so curtly she didn’t let it bother her and instead moved from her position behind the counter and went back into the kitchen. She faintly heard him yell a thank you in her direction and the girl rolled her eyes. There was something to be said about a person who thought of manners as an afterthought. Riley pulled her marigold hair back into a loose pony and began to work on the man’s order.
The grill made a sound of disagreement as she placed the meat patty down upon it. It had been a while since it had been used, as the customers were few and far between, but it cooked none the less. His milkshake was less work and she moved to make that too. After adding the fries into grease and readying everything she stopped at the cash and eyed the stranger.
He didn’t so much as look up from the notes that were scattered across the table, he twirled a pen in his fingertips, delicately moving the object back and forth. Lines of frustration or perhaps confusion were etched upon his face. Riley moved to gather the food he had ordered and put it atop a tray. She moved around the counter, taking slow steps to ensure she didn’t spill the food. She was nearly at his table, a foot away at most when his eyes found her and held her gaze. She blinked in the wake of his stare, baffled by the question that came forth from his mouth as she approached. She smiled politely as she put his food upon the table, taking care not to mess up the papers that were strewn about him.
“I’m not too sure what you mean...” Riley looked over at the man carefully, assessed him for a moment too long before looking away from him.
“Are you asking me if I believe in Bigfoot?” Riley fingered a stray strand of hair that had come undone from her ponytail.
“Because if that is the case then, yes, I absolutely would pick Bigfoot.” The smirk that appeared upon her lips was genuine, the light inside her blue eyes playful. The food in front of him was so hot that steam arose into the air, the smell of freshly cooked food all around them, pressing into her senses and making her realize that she herself was actually quite hungry. The girl gave a parting smile and returned to the counter where she counted the change in the till, which wasn’t much considering the lack of foot traffic lately.
“I do think Bigfoot is the best of the conspiracy theories, no?” Riley mused aloud while she counted.
“No solid proof accept blurry photographs and some random footprints that might be too big.” Riley shrugged her shoulders and managed to look up toward the man in his seat. On another occasion she might have just answered no to his question and went about her business but she was unusually talkative tonight and given the circumstances around them it made sense. She pondered on his inquiry, wondering exactly what he had meant but she dared not ask, instead she busied herself among the counter, counting change and cleaning up a mess that was not there.
[attr="class","dilyrics3"]Your lips feel warm to the touch You can bring me back to life On the outside you're ablaze and alive But
[attr="class","dilyric3"]you're dead inside
[attr="class","dibody3"]
"Oops, sorry." he mumbled as he pushed aside some of his stuff to make space for the food. Grabby and hungry hands picked up an onion ring as soon as she placed it on the table. He wiped off his greasy fingers on a napkin before trying to grab a paper with only his ring finger and pinky, dragging it halfway to his bag when it slipped out of his grasp and glided towards the floor. He continued listening to her talk to him as he duck under the table to get the paper back. "Got cha." he mumbled, now properly grabbing the slippery white sheet but just as he wanted to ascend back up his head collided with the table, his eyes catching a glimpse of old, grey gum stuck beneath the table. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, and slowly made his way back up. "That’s nasty.", he said under his breath to himself. Maybe he should tell her that they needed to seriously clean the tables… maybe he shouldn’t if he wanted to keep eating.
Raphael took the bright red bottle from the small basket at wall, the label reading ketchup, and squeezed some of it next to the fries and the onion rings. He definitely couldn’t understand people pouring it all over the fries. He had to admit he belonged to the rather messy eaters out there but he wasn’t the messiest. He made an effort not to be. At least he kept his fingers somewhat clean while eating fries.
Rubbing his head and making his hair even messier than it was he managed to look over to her. "Ah good old Bigfoot. Very basic knowledge but it’s a start." he nodded, "Same category as aliens, ufos, Area 51. But no..." Raphael said, picking up his milkshake. The glass felt cool to the touch as he navigated the straw towards his lips, taking a sip of the strawberry mix, hoping it would help with the pain. Of course it didn’t. He put down the glass, dark eyes hovering over the burger in front of him.
"What I was thinking about-" he started but decided to take a bite of his burger before continuing. A burger shouldn’t be eaten cold, let alone the fries. Cold fries were just terrible, awful, a picture of horror. The meat was tender, a little greasy but that’s just how he liked his burger patties, the bun was soft and fluffy - or maybe he just imagined it because he was hungry - and the amount of ketchup and mayonnaise was just perfect. The only thing bothering him was the slice of pickle he bit into. He forgot to mention to make it without pickles. Sometimes he wondered why he could be so smart but stupid at the same time. It’s a mystery. "Starts with a z." he added for a little suspense, while he removed the leftover pickle out of the burger and dropped it into a napkin trying not to grimace at it. "-zombies. The apocalypse. Quite fitting for our current situation, don’t you think? I mean what if there was a chance of this becoming our new reality." Definitely played too many video games.
He had picked up a fry from the plate and pointed it at her. "We have an unknown virus. No one knows where it came from, no one knows what exactly it will do and no one knows how to cure it. There could be a chance of it evolving and mutating and BAM zombies." he said, then ate the fry. "While they might be able to create a cure or vaccine for the virus itself there won’t be a cure for those already turned into the undead unless you…-" he said, dipping a fry into some ketchup and pretending to slice his throat with it before popping it into his mouth.
The lack of patrons in the diner had Riley’s eyes shifting between her duties and the only other soul that occupied the space. She could concentrate on little else but the way he moved about in the booth, touching his food and then the papers that were scattered about the table. Greasy fingers found their way all across the space, beneath the table and mouthing words she could not hear over the music that played above them. Her fingers scraped against the surface of the counter that she cleaned, wiping at spots that weren’t there, tidying a mess that had long been forgotten as she spied the man in his booth. Despite her initial reaction to him she found herself fascinated by the movements he made now, attempting to decipher the thoughts that were conquering his mind. From Riley’s perspective he seemed lost inside his own head, attempting to figure out a solution to a problem that was outside Riley’s field of view.
When he spoke again, she nearly jumped from her skin. It wasn’t often that Riley forgot herself, that the moments in between her and a stranger were forgotten, especially while she stood only meters away from him. It seemed however she had forgotten that he could speak at all when words forced themselves from his lips and reigned free across the air. She cocked her head to the side deciding to forgive him for his clear indication of inadequacy to the girls knowledge of conspiracies. Riley had been here before, albeit during easier times when the streets were filled with people and the diner brimming with chatter. The girl drew in a quick breath and held the cloth to her chest, gazing at the man with curious blue eyes.
Riley watched him bite at his burger, his face contorting to reveal emotions she could not decipher. The berth between them was welcomed, had she been any closer perhaps an inquiry of which she did not want the answer would have parted her lips. She was thankful when he continued his speech, cutting off the words that were ready upon her tongue.
She had to admit, the thought of the undead had crossed her mind already, as she was sure it had crossed many other mind across the globe as well. How could it not with the plethora of multi-media available? What she was not expecting however was he casual reminder that, should zombies become a thing they must contend with, the only solution would be to kill them. It caused her lungs to constrict, allowing little air forward. Riley coughed into the cloth she held in her hand and walked around the counter. She kept the distance between them but her eyes never left him. Curiosity got the better of her now and she was able to do nothing else while plagued with it.
“You don’t really think it will come to that, do you?” Riley crossed her arms over her chest.
“Zombies are simply a horror movie trope.” She waved a dismissive hand at the man but the features upon her face did not follow suit with the words she spoke. The figurative can of worms had been opened now and there was no getting those suckers back inside.
Another tentative step was taken forward, her hands trembling alongside the tips of her collarbone. Although the thoughts had crossed her mind on occasion she had never thought of how she would react should it become real. The man in front of her did not seem the most reliable source to be trusting and yet in the presence of his words she found her mind reeling with the possibility. He spoke so confidently, as if the sentences had been practised and rehearsed before a mirror, as if perhaps their lay a tendril of truth and perhaps...adumbration to his words. Riley frowned at she looked over at the man.
“I can’t say that the thought never crossed my mind but...” Riley hesitated only feet away from him, watching as greasy fingers tread over the papers spread about his spot. Perhaps there was a need to be comforted in these trying times, a desire for her ignorance to win out over all, blissfully unaware of the forthcoming the future would bring.
“I do think that the government is doing everything possible to keep us safe. Surely they are working on a cure as we speak and this mess will be over in no time.” The ramblings left her mouth before she even recognized what she was saying. The syllables were both topsy and turvy, a recognized emotion of perturbation from the girl who stood only a meter away. Decidedly, Riley was not ready to have such a conversation and yet her desire to know more won out over all else.
Riley turned from the man and rushed back behind the counter, her heeled shoes tapping at the tiled floor as she went. She pulled the pony from her hair and let the tendrils fall about her face as she grabbed two glasses and a bottle from beneath the counter, the items clanging together as she went. Should it be the end of the world than at the very least this night should be a good one and it was with that thought that she went back to his booth and took a seat across from him. She plopped the glasses down upon the table and poured whiskey into each. She did not care if he partook, or if she was encroaching upon his personal space. If he wanted to bring up conspiracy theories than damn it, she would let him speak but fuck it she wasn’t going to get some liquor in her system first.
Riley downed the first glass in a matter of seconds before pouring another and leaning against the table, her sapphire eyes finding him and holding his gaze.
“So...” She began, tapping the crystal with the tips of her finger.
[attr="class","dilyrics3"]Your lips feel warm to the touch You can bring me back to life On the outside you're ablaze and alive But
[attr="class","dilyric3"]you're dead inside
[attr="class","dibody3"]
“Zombies are simply a horror movie trope.”
A gasp escaped his in sauce covered lips. Not the most charming but hey, a man gotta enjoy his food. “N---no… I mean zombie zombies maybe. But there’s a wide variety of zombies. Movie trope yes, but a pandemic this big and awful would have been considered a movie trope as well right? Until it actually happened.” Raphael said, motioning towards the outside with his palms facing up. “And the government is probably doing their best bribing people with money to stay silent.” he added with a nonchalant shrug before stuffing his face with some more fries.
“Tell me more about these ‘zombies’.”
That’s exactly what he wanted to hear. Raphael would take every excuse to talk about anything nerdy. His roommate was already so sick of hearing it he would try to ignore him as much as he could. Of course that wouldn’t stop Raffe from talking or texting anyway. Even his class assignments usually have at least one mention of something ludicrous. Any chance, he would take to mention and prove his theories. Because he was so sure of it all, so sure of it being true, so sure of the conspiracies not just being odd thoughts a random person had. A brief look in her direction and he considered where to start. He was certain she wouldn’t be able to understand and process all of it but nevertheless he was going to tell her. Who knows? Maybe if everything was indeed like he said she might have an advantage later on - and maybe, maybe he would receive a little thank you. Or maybe it turns out to be all craziness in his head and instead he just receives a smack against said head and a ticket to the local asylum.
His eyes landed on the liquor she brought, a painful wince escaping his greasy lips. Raphael wasn’t much of a drinker at all. He was such a lightweight when it came to booze he would be tipsy after two bottles of beer but energy drinks? Those he could live off. His heart might not agree with him but he didn’t really care. How else was he supposed to stay up all night to play his favorite game Outbreak: Zero and watch livestreams? Which reminded him he needed to check out the electronic store a block away to get himself a new headset because his broke after a rage fit with his archenemy online.
He watched her in awe as she gulped down the first glass of liquor. He wrinkled his nose as soon as he lifted the glass to take a sniff. A shudder ran down his spine but he gave it a shot anyway. He didn’t have anything to lose except maybe his memories. A tiny little sip - was a sip too much. As soon as it touched his lips he regretted his decision so much. The liquor burned inside his mouth and he struggled to swallow it - poison, that’s what poison must taste like, he thought. He contemplated spitting it back into the glass but he was already being messy with his food, at least this time he could be more elegant. One could have seen the pain and torture in his face when he finally managed to swallow. “How do humans drink this?” he wondered, shoving the glass as far away from him as possible. “Thanks but no thank you.”
His attention shifted towards the entrance of the diner as yelling occurred just outside of it. A fight? The yelling intensified and seemed to be just outside the building. He couldn’t hear what it was about, not that he was interested in whoever had an argument, but people fighting at this hour was never a good sign. A loud bang followed by the terrible noise of glass shattering and crumbling to the ground made him jump out of his seat, dropping his burger. Wide eyes looked over to see one of the diner windows missing - its leftover scattered all around the floor, seats and tables nearby.
“Umm.. I think.. your window broke.” he said gabberflasted, confused at what just happened and glad that it wasn’t him doing it. Oh boy his parents wouldn’t be too happy having to pay for damages. However, his eyes landed on the burger on the floor and he tried to stifle a cry. “My burger…”
