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.
Maggie paused as she heard a voice call to what she assumed was her. She turned to find a woman traipsing through the snow towards her carrying an armful of treats...and coffee. She smiled at the unexpected guest. It was nice not to be alone. "Mine too," she said with an eye roll at her own car.
"Of course you can, I'd love the company. I'm Maggie. Here, let me help you," she reached for the bag of coffee under the girl's arm which looked like it would be the first to fall and if Elide didn't resist she'd carry it for her.
"Where are you headed?" she asked as she started walking again. Why she had decided on leggings today she would never know. They did nothing to keep back the chill and she was freezing.
Maggie was freezing. The heater in her car had stopped working a few ago and she hadn't had the change to get it fixed yet. As the snow fell heavily outside she was definitely regretting her procrastination habit. Oh, and she also hadn't got snow tires on her car before winter hit. She was driving as carefully as she could but, well, black ice is impossible to see...which, you know, is why they call it that. The car lurched to the side and Maggie struggled to regain control. The car bumped into a snow bank, and her wheels spun out for a minute before the car sputtered and officially died.
Maggie smacked her palms against the steering wheel before gripping it and shaking the car in frustration. With a few turns of the key she got nothing more than the sound of the engine turning over, refusing to catch. She groaned and rested her forehead against the steering wheel for a minute.
She knew she couldn't just stay here though, so after a minute she pulled her coat around her, tossed on her hood and forced herself out into the snow. The snow fell so heavily that she couldn't even see exactly where she was but she was fairly certain she was somewhere near the bridge. The snow crunched under her feet as she started to walk up the road.
Maggie's expression lit up at the most adorable sound and sight of the kitten mewling, held up against the man's chest. She thought her heart my burst and she let out the tiniest sound at how cute the little thing was, resisting the urge to reach out to touch the kitten by clasping her hands against her chest.
She watched as the man took notes and placed a Velcro collar around the kitten's neck before moving onto the next one. She glanced towards the cabinet he gestured to, happy to help in any way and to keep from feeling useless. "Of course I am," she assured him. She hadn't intended to just drop them off and leave them to be the vet's responsibility. She had brought them here and it was up to her to make sure they were taken care of. Even if it meant paying out of pocket for what would likely not be a cheap vet bill.
She moved over to the cabinet and found the bottles easily enough, bringing a few back over to him. "Oh, I'm Maggie," she introduced herself with a smile. "And you? Doctor...?"
A paramedic? She immediately thought of their father but the two jobs seemed quite a bit different. There was no rushing into flaming buildings as a paramedic. She had no idea that he worked out of the fire station so it didn't make her too worried. Once she found that out then she might feel a bit differently about it.
She smiled when he told her when the coffee would be ready. "Great," she replied with a little hop of her shoulders. "Oh, gosh, I barely even remember that. It changed so often over the years. I've never been great at being decisive," she said with a little chuckle. She moved to sit on the couch, choosing the middle of it rather than one of the sides, facing him. The couch sunk in a little and she decided it was kinda comfy. Or it would be if she wasn't feeling the tension between the two of them at their unexpected reunion. It had been so long. "I'm a performer, actually. An aerial dancer. Though I haven't been able to perform since the start of all this."
She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as he marveled that she was really there, "Yeah."
At his question she moved her legs, sitting with her knees together but her feet spread out a little and resisted the urge to bite her nails. "You sent me your address when you moved here. Not long after that I moved out and I guess mom just never...gave me your letters," she gave a little shrug. "That one was the last I received. Mom is...fine," she lied. "Well, last I heard she was living with another new boyfriend and was addicted to Vicodin and peppermint schnapps." She gave another shrug. "I haven't seen her in a while."
HEY, I KNOW WE HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER IN A DECADE
BUT CAN I MOVE IN WITH YOU?
There was the tension of being unsure of herself in her smile as he whispered to her in disbelief. She gave a little one shouldered shrug. "Ya...it's me," she said in a guilty, nervous tone. She was definitely struggling with saying anything more and was glad when he seemed to come out of the shock and stepped aside to let her in.
He hadn't moved to try to hug her so she didn't either. She wasn't sure if it had to do with the virus or just because he didn't want to but she refused to think too much about it...at the moment anyway. She was sure that by the time she was in bed tonight she'd be replaying every moment of this interaction in her mind over and over again.
She stepped inside, getting a good look at his cluttered house and found herself smiling at it rather than being disgusted by it. It reminded her of how he kept his room when they were growing up. "Oh, don't worry about it. It doesn't bother me," she replied. "What is it you do for work?" she asked.
She followed him as he moved towards the kitchen and smiled when he took back juice as an choice. "Coffee sounds great if you have some, or just water is fine too," she replied. With one hand hanging at her side, her other held onto the opposite elbow as she watched him. It was unreal to see him after so long and she found she couldn't help but just look at him.
At his question she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and gave him a smile, it wouldn't be hard to see that there was something else behind her eyes- worry, but she was trying, and failing, to hide that. "Can't a girl just come see her long lost brother? I missed you." That, at least, was the truth.
Maggie watched the man as he approached her and looked into the box. He was gorgeous. Anyone who denied that was crazy, she was convinced. Though she had no idea why someone would deny it. He was tall, taller than her 5'6" form for sure, and even under his clothes she could tell he wasn't exactly scrawny. His pretty blue eyes were the icing on the cake.
He didn't respond to her at all and she had no idea what he was thinking or who he was, but he took the box and motioned for her to follow him. She did so without a second thought, of course she wanted to see what happened with the little kitties and she wasn't one to say no to a person who had authority. They stepped into an exam room and the door was shut behind them. It was only as he picked up the kitten that she decided he must be the vet and not just an assistant or something.
He was so gentle with the little thing that looked extra tiny in his large hands that her heart swelled at the sight of it. If she was an emoji right now it would be the heart eyes without a doubt.
"A couple of blocks away in an alley," she replied to the question. "I'm sorry, I didn't know where else to take them. It didn't feel right just to leave them there and I was worried that a shelter would just...get rid of them if they looked sick."
HEY, I KNOW WE HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER IN A DECADE
BUT CAN I MOVE IN WITH YOU?
As Maggie waited for the door to be answered she bounced a little on her toes, chewing on her lip. It had been so long since she had seen her brother. She really couldn't even guess as to what his reaction might be to see her. Would he happy? Just surprised? Angry that she had left him, regardless of how young she'd been at the time? Would he even recognize her? Would he toss her out?
It felt like it took forever for him to answer the door, though it really could have only been a few seconds, she was just so anxious. Maybe he wasn't even home or maybe he had moved since he had sent her this address. Her mind was reeling and when she heard the handle finally turning she held her breath.
It was Mick. The familiarity of his face washed over her in a wave of emotion and joy. "Hi Mick," she said in a shaky breath. "Long time no see."
In search of Maggie's ex-boyfriend! I thought this plot could bring a lot of fun drama and most things are super open so it should be easy to toss in a variety of different personalities/face claims/histories/etc.
Name: Open Face claim: Open Age: 24-30
The story so far: They met in Chicago when Maggie was 21 (3 years ago) and the two clicked right away. They started dating almost immediately and within 4 months they were living together. Things were amazing at first but the honeymoon stage ended pretty quickly. Her boyfriend was very abusive towards her, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Maggie stayed with him anyway. She was convinced he could be better, that he loved her, that he was sorry when he hurt her, and that she could make it better. She just had to be better at not doing things that made him angry. It took years but after she ended up in the hospital she finally left him and put a restraining order against him. It didn't work, he stalked her all the time, following her to work and keeping an eye on her house. She knew she had to get out, she was afraid for her life.
One day after the virus had started, when she was sure he wasn't watching, she packed up her stuff and got in the car. She went to the only place she could think of, her brother Mick's place in Lethford.
What happens now: Somehow he finds out where she moved and he heads to Lethford to find her. This could be to get her back, to 'punish' her for leaving, to continue to stalk her. Motivation is up to you really though I'm happy to plot things out with you if you like to see how things could fit together, details and all that.
She would be very scared when he suddenly showed up and this could cause some great, fun drama! Maggie's brother is also in play so the plot could involve more than just me as we play this out. Everything else about this character is up in the air and totally up to you (job, personality, hometown, history, all the things).
Maggie had only been living in Lethford for a few months, around the time that the pandemic started. She had moved in with her older brother who she hadn't seen in ten years and had made herself at home. Or at least as home as she could given the current viral situation. It hadn't been an easy adjustment as the siblings had to navigate through their past and adjust to their living situation. Maggie hadn't been able to find a job either. She hadn't actually been trying very hard even though she was telling Mick that she was putting in job applications on a regular basis. She wasn't exactly being truthful.
It was a dreary sort of day, the clouds were looking pretty dark and threatening but Maggie had to get out of the house. She was being safe. She had on a black mask that had black lace fabric sewn onto the front of it so that it at least looked a little bit nicer than normal. She was staying away from people, making sure to step aside so they could maintain six feet apart or whatever. Things were getting worse though instead of better with the virus. Still, Maggie was sure it would get better soon. It couldn't last forever. Life would get back to normal soon.
Even though she was just taking a walk she had put herself together first. She wore black leggings, white Keds, and a light blue v-neck sweater which brought out the blue shades in her hazel eyes. Her hair, which had been blue upon arriving in Lethford, was now mostly a silver grey with a subtle tint of blue to it. Her make-up was relatively simple but done to perfection with a little sweeping cat eye and neutral lipstick.
As she walked by an alley way she heard the softest sound of mewling. Furrowing her brow she slowed down her steps to listen. She heard it again. She wasn't particularly eager to walk into a damp alley but it wasn't dark yet and she didn't see anyone lurking inside of it. When she heard the sound again she made up her mind to step inside. It wasn't long before she found the source of the noise. She found a litter of kittens, clearly malnourished. Even though she was no animal expert it didn't take a genius to realize that the poor things had been abandoned. There were six of them total. Caring nothing at all for how dirty or germy they might be, she found an empty box in a trash can and gathered up the little kittens one by one into the box. "I know, I know, it's okay. You poor little dears. It's okay, you're safe now," she spoke sweetly to them as they meowed up her in their tiny little kitten voices.
Once she was sure she had gathered them all up she pulled out some hand sanitizer from her purse and put some on before she pulled out her to phone to look up the nearest vet clinic. Luckily she found one only a couple of blocks away. Ryker Veterinary Clinic. She scooped up the box and immediately made her way there. She glanced up at the sky as she walked and increased her pace, worried they might get caught in the rain. Soon enough she rounded the corner and spotted the sign for the clinic. As she reached the sign she awkwardly tried to grab the handle while keeping a firm hold on the box and once it was cracked open she used her foot and her hip to open it wide enough to squeeze inside. By the time she was in she was a little out of breath.
She immediately saw a man standing there. He wasn't wearing a white coat like she figured the vet would be wearing so she assumed he was just someone who worked here. Her hazel eyes met his blue ones over her mask and she smiled, something only evident from the lift of her cheekbones and the crinkle of her skin by her eyes.
"Can you please help me?" she asked with a sweet hopefulness in her voice. "I found these sweet little kittens abandoned by their mommy kitty. They look like they need some medical attention." She stepped up to the man so he could look into the box she held in her arms.
HEY, I KNOW WE HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER IN A DECADE
BUT CAN I MOVE IN WITH YOU?
Ten years.
It had been ten long years since Maggie had seen her older brother. She had only been fourteen, a freshman in high school, when their dad had died. Then mom couldn't handle it, couldn't stand to look at Mick because he looked too much like his father. She took Maggie away and they moved to Chicago, leaving Mick to fend for himself. Maggie had hated leaving him, the guilt still ate away at her all these years later, but she had been too young to really have much of a say even though she had protested. They had stayed in touch for a while but it became harder and harder. The last time she had heard from Mick was when he moved to Lethford and had sent her his address.
Life moved on, the world kept turning.
And then it stopped.
Or at least it felt like it did. The virus hit and around that time Maggie was having relationship issues. In fear for her safety she had run. She left Chicago and headed for the only place she could think of, Lethford.
Her phone was on a mount in her car and she was looking between it and the road, following the GPS. The folded up letter with Mick's address sat on the passenger seat, the edges were worn and ragged, on the verge of falling apart as she had read the letter so many times since getting it. She was nervous to see him, would he even recognize her? She had been blonde when she was fourteen and now she was twenty-four with blue hair and a nose ring. What would she even say? She had been thinking about for the entire drive and still wasn't sure.
Finally she pulled up to his home and parked on the street. She put the car in park and picked up the letter, opening it again to check the address for the millionth time. Yep, this was the place. She bit her lip, took a deep breath, and forced herself to get out of the car. She wore a simple black fitted tee and blue jeans with her yellow purse slung over one shoulder and her blue hair in curls. She walked up to the door, wringing her hands together and rapped her knuckles against the door three times.
