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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APPLICATIONS
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MEDIATOR
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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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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.
[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"]
"What are you going to do?"
“I’m going to try and keep those guys outside if they come this way.” he said, slowly, just so he can make sure for himself what he was going to do because up until now he didn’t really have a clue. They didn’t have many options to choose from and barricading themselves in the room would do no good and there was too little time to move all the stuff around. He was hoping they would just pass by or don’t come near them at all but as he heard them approaching he knew they would surely find them.
After getting hit by the door he had stumbled to the corner, crashing against the floor. It took him a moment to get back to his senses but as soon as someone emerged from the doorway everything seemed to be clear again. Mick wasn’t much of a fighter but he was in the football team back in high school so the only thing he naturally knew was to tackle someone - and so he did. He threw himself at the closest one, not noticing the gun in his hands.
Either way, he was too late. He managed to throw the guy and himself to the floor, once again crashing down against it hard. A whistle erupted from the corridor and the masked man quickly scrambled back onto his feet, disappearing just as fast as he appeared. A quizzical expression found its way to Mick’s face and he turned around, dragging himself up by grasping a cabinet beside him.
He moved to the door, checking the hallway if there was anyone left. “Are you o-” he started saying, his words cut as soon as he turned around to look at where Sloan was standing just a moment ago. But she wasn’t standing there anymore. His eyes wandered down to the floor where she was lying instead. Mick immediately dropped to one knee, his hand searching for the wound on her bleeding shoulder. “Sloan? Hey, you gotta stay with me. Do you hear me? Stay with me.”
His hand reached for the wound as he pressed it on it, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. Glancing at the other guy unconscious under the desk Mick cursed inside his head at the handful he had now. Not only one injured person but two. And not just lightly injured no, one with severe burning and the other with a gunshot wound.
The paramedic looked to his side where he left the bag, grabbing it and moving it closer to him. “Everything is going to be okay. It’s going to be just fine. You are going to be just fine.” he told Sloan, words he said so often he lost count of the many times he had to. Mick struggled to open the zipper with just one hand but he couldn’t let go of the other. He tugged and pulled at it until it finally slid open. He took out a bunch of gauzes first, ripping open the sterile packages with his teeth and pressed them against the bleeding wound.
[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"]
Mick cleared his throat at her declaration of breaking another nose before going out. “It would be a miracle if we get to break any noses before they break ours and probably even more.” he replied, a light shudder crawling up his spine as he thought of broken bones. Mick could deal with getting shot, getting stabbed, getting beaten but getting his bones broken? No, thank you. He would rather not as it would also mean at least six weeks of not being able to work.
The banging on all sides of the vehicle continued without a pause and Mick could already spot dents being made as they turned inside. One of the windows had a crack and it would only be a matter of time until they managed to break through them all, ready to open the doors and come inside in full force. That was something he didn’t necessarily want to live through.
Although it would put him in a difficult position to let a civilian drive the ambulance without proper permission, training or EMT license, there really wasn’t much of a choice. “Reckon you would fit through the window?” he asked, walking over to slide it as far open as he could. He looked through but soon realized one side would be way too small. He turned his face away, shielding it from the glass, one arm covering his face before he started striking the other window side with his elbow to break it. It took a couple of attempts until it moved and ultimately scattered into tiny pieces.
Grabbing a towel from a rack he removed the remaining pieces sticking out of the frame before placing another towel over the bottom frame. “I will give you the keys. You will need to drive the ambulance. I will give you absolute control over it just don’t-” he paused, eyebrows drawn together as he bit his lower lip. “-just don’t crash it, please.” he said, grimacing at the thought of getting reprimanded for destroying or damaging the ambulance again. “And don’t... turn on the sirens.” he warned, for once being a little more serious instead of his usual laid back self.
His hand reached up to his radio once more as he pushed the button to send a call. “Medic 72, Ambulance 28. Disregard request for backup. We need to move now. Requesting clearance for a code 3 enroute to a safe location.” Waiting for a moment, hoping for a quick response from dispatch, he stood still. Mick didn’t realize he was holding his breath until a loud noise ripped through the ambulance.
In an instant, he turned around to see several arms reaching through the backdoor window which was now broken. They retreated shortly as they cut themselves on the remaining pieces stuck to the window. “We need to hurry.” he uttered, turning his attention back to getting Ezra through the window. He moved one of the cabinets on the floor towards the window so it would be right underneath, ready to be used as a platform. “I would offer you something for the pain but I’m not sure driving on pain meds would be such a good idea. You think you can hold it out until we get somewhere safe?” he asked, hoping she would be alright, feeling as bad as he felt asking her to do it. A part of him was hoping she would say no but that didn’t seem to be an option for her. Although he admired her braveness, the medic part of him shook his head.
He grabbed the car key out of his pocket and held them up in front of her. “Remember… don’t crash.” Mick told her one last time, before he squeezed his way through and to the back again, grabbing a fresh infusion set on his way. He ripped open the packaging and fished out the needle and jabbed it right into a hand reaching for the door handle.
[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"]
Mick rolled her eyes at the blonde, a rich laugh erupting from his throat. “Trust me if it was shattered I would know and you would be lying outside on the concrete howling in pain… or you would have been straight out knocked unconsciousness by the shock and trauma.” he replied, putting away all the supplies he had used or taken out of the cabinets and drawers to get together the things he needed for her.
He had his hands resting on the doors, in case they were somehow able to pry them open, although he was kind of sure they wouldn’t be able to do it so fast. “You did a good job as far as I saw.” he mused, giving Ezra a nod of approval and a quick thumbs up. However, he quickly turned his attention back to the seriousness of their situation. The moment they started banging on the ambulance with their weapons it startled him and he jumped a little.
Unfortunately, ambulances were not built to withstand anything but carrying a patient to the nearest hospital. The bullets might not go through the first time but once they create a bigger hole they might. The good thing was, the windows were mostly tinted so they couldn‘t actually look inside. Mick opened a drawer, taking out a can of spray-on band aid and started covering the clear parts of the window so it would be all covered and non see-through.
Resting one hand on his hip and nervously rubbing his neck with the other he paced through the small space, trying to come up with a plan or a solution, or just anything. Mick definitely needed a day off. “This is a first for me.” he said, admittedly, and chuckled lightly. “I guess I can check off trapped inside the ambulance with an angry mob outside of my to-do list.” he joked, hoping to ease his own nerves. He clapped his hands together, bringing them to his face and resting the sides on his mouth, thumbs tucked under his chin. Blue eyes slowly circled the interior of the ambulance.
“Ambulance 28, there are no available units near your location. We have alerted other units but it will take at least 20 minutes for them to reach you. Please stand by.” the voice transmitted over the radio. Of course, it would take that long with the tiny amount of staff available, be it police, the fire department, military, or medics. He knew, and he could already see it coming, but he had to request it either way. Mick let out a sigh, eyebrows perking up for a brief moment. “Well, I guess that’s that.” he said, a little disappointed, moving his head and body towards Ezra. “We might have to sit this one out but I’m pretty sure they-” he gestured in the direction of the ambulance doors where the guys where slamming their baseball bats and iron bars and whatever at the vehicle. “-probably won’t wait until our backup arrives.”
Mick inhaled and exhaled audibly, his chest rising and falling, before his head jerked towards the small window to the drivers' cabin. He looked at it for a moment, raising his hands to measure its size. It was way too small for him to fit through but… his eyes darted over to Ezra, pulling his eyebrows together. “Do you think you could-” he started but stopped himself from finishing the sentence, pursing his lips. No, he shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. He was going to suggest to have her try and crawl to but no. It wouldn’t be good with her injured waist. There had to be another option.
Maybe he could distract them somehow and leave through the side door. He turned around, his hand on the door latch prying it open just a little when he heard a scream and closed it as fast as possible, making sure to lock it as well. No, that wouldn’t work either. He turned his gaze back to Ezra, an apologetic look on his face. He really felt sorry for even thinking about offering, perhaps a stupid plan, but it could be the only way out available to the two of them. “You… have a drivers license right?”
[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"]
"Sloan. I would say nice to meet you, but it would have been nicer if it wasn't under these circumstances."
Mick smirked ever so slightly as he glanced over his shoulder. "Not the first time I hear that." he responded, chuckling in his head. He continued on his way, trying to support the man while keeping the emergency backpack from sliding down his shoulder. Heels definitely weren’t the best choice of footwear to sneak through a building probably now occupied by a bunch of rebels. He quietly hoped the sound wouldn’t attract anyone, but then again, the guys groaning and moans of pain would most likely be the reason they would get caught and not her shoes. Nevertheless, he appreciated it as she took them off, deciding to continue barefoot. As her request of letting her know about any glass on the floor was uttered Mick’s eyes dropped to the floor, giving it a quick examination. “Looks safe.” he replied, moving the man on his shoulders slightly up to get a better grip of him.
Mick carefully lowered the guy on to the floor, positioning him under one of the desks to shield him from view should anyone enter. “Stay with him.” he ordered, speaking softly, before slipping down his backpack and placing it on the floor next to the guy. The paramedic unzipped his jacket, moving the radio to the side as he wriggled out of it and covered the injured person with it. “Ssh.” he told him, though, knowing he was already past the point of being able to think and know what’s going on around him.
He got back up, straightening himself and putting the radio belt back into its place. It occurred to him that it might do no good if he kept it on transmission, just as a brief rustling noise escaped the black device. Mick walked to the door, one easy step after another, and very softly opened the blinds covering the small square window embedded in the wooden door. He squinted at the hallway, looking to the left and the right. Maybe they turned around. One hand found the lock and he pressed the button in. A faint click let him know it was working. Releasing the blinds as carefully as he could he turned back towards Sloan, his eyes wandering between her and the interior of the office.
Mick’s lips were a thin line, clamped together as a hundred thoughts raced through his mind. He removed the radio out of its small pocket holder, flipped it around, and handed it over to the brunette. “Here, take it. If you turn the little wheel on the left top it will turn on and automatically connect to the dispatch channel. Hold the button on the right side to send a message.” he explained, offering her a semi-calm smile, not able to hide all of his nervousness. Mick had been involved in a lot of dangerous and risky situations but this one was new to him.
His gaze shifted to the man hidden underneath the desk and Mick knew time was running out with every minute they had to stay inside the room. He moved back to the door, his fingers hovering over the doorknob when it suddenly swung open with full force, the blinds and glass of the window slamming in his face and sending him stumbling back, crashing against a shelf.
[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"]
“I’m flattered by you calling me smart. But to be honest… there’s just really a lot of people like you. Acting all tough and independent like they would never need help. I would probably act the same, but if someone kept pestering me about accepting the help I would do it.” Mick replied as he pursed his lips, pausing as he rummaged through the drawers. “Also, you’re telling me, a trained paramedic who went through school for three years to do this job and has quite some time of experience on hand, that you don’t think this needs much attention?” He snickered, shaking his head repeatedly as he looked around and down at him - at his uniform. “Maybe you should drive this instead of me?” he said, purely on a whim. He would never just hand over the car keys. To no one, even if they pointed a gun at him. Fun fact though, it happened already.
While Mick was always one easy to be around of he took his job very seriously. Even though it was very difficult and hard at the moment, with an ongoing pandemic, he still loved doing it. The pay definitely wasn’t worth it, but the gratitude he received was making up for it. He was probably one of the few good-hearted people around who accepted this instead of money.
Mick raised one fair eyebrow and looked at her hip. “Taking your stubbornness into consideration you're either 5 years old or 75.” he said with a serious face before letting out a brief laugh. “Please, keep your pants on. No need to strip.” he replied as response and returned her wink. “Well, you’re still able to walk. You’re experiencing pain but it’s not severe enough to make you drop to the ground. So I guess you might just strained your hip. Common if you’re involved in a car accident or hit hard by something.” he said, speaking over his shoulder as he opened the small fridge inside the ambulance. Taking out a cool pack and a towel, he turned back around. “You just need to lie down and apply this ice pack to your hip for 15 minutes while I drive you home.” he explained to her and put down the ice pack which was now wrapped inside the towel to prevent it from being put right on the skin.
Turning away he started to climb to the doors, ready to jump out to get to the drivers' cabin when his eyes spotted a group of men approaching the ambulance, swinging baseball bats and iron bars in their hands. “Uh… Ezra?” he said, slowly backing up and taking that one step back inside the car. “Did your top-secret work stuff involve a bunch of angry men who look like they are ready to kill someone?” he asked, though, he could have kind of guessed her answer by the look they were giving him.
Within seconds he grabbed both the door handles, pulling them towards him and slammed them shut by basically throwing himself back into the ambulance. He locked the doors, checking his pocket again for the car keys. They were still there. But they weren’t much of a use with the two of them stuck in the back of the vehicle. There was no way Mick would fit through the tiny window, but the good thing was those guys couldn’t do anything either. However, now they were stuck inside the ambulance.
“Did you steal someone’s roast beef sandwich?” the paramedic uttered, not really believing this absurd situation he had gotten himself into - again. What would he give for one, just one, quiet shift. Perhaps he should take a three days vacation after this night. The downside of it, it would get approved but for the following year. Mick shut his eyes, letting out a sigh. Why did he have a deja vu feeling? Pressing the button on his radio, he glanced outside, trying to see something through the tinted windows in the doors but he could only spot silhouettes. He ducked away from the doors, his back to the wall, eyes glancing back and forth between the blonde and the silhouettes of men outside. “Medic 72, Ambulance 28 surrounded by suspicious people on Parish Street 34-1. Requesting police support.”
[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"]
“Barely clipped?” he repeated after her, letting out a light huff of disapproval. He rubbed his chin, eyebrows drawn together as his gaze wandered over her. “I’m pretty sure I can show you a little dent your body left on the front of the ambulance.” he said, raising an eyebrow at her. “You don’t need to go to a hospital. Just let me take a quick look. I could give you a ride wherever you need to go too.” he offered, not planning on letting her leave just like that.
He understood that a lot of people strongly disliked going to a hospital, be it for insurance and cost reasons, phobias or just preferences. But it was a worry that came with the job. And if that wasn’t enough his worry-wart nature made it even worse. Mick always tried not to get attached to patients, he wasn’t supposed to after all, but he had an urge to annoy those into helping if they specifically asked for no help. He couldn’t accept getting turned down knowing exactly they needed the help. Stubbornness attracted him like blood attracted sharks.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got time until I get a call in. And for now, unless it’s a real emergency, I won’t receive any. What you should worry about are your injuries. I can clearly see the discomfort your struggling with. There’s no way to fool me. I’ve been doing this job for a long time. I’ve seen some top notch golden globe acting. However, your acting is not even valid for nomination.” the blonde snickered, his head bobbing as he laughed at her and his own joke.
"I'm Ezra. Littlejohn."
“Michael Jereau. Most people just call me Mick though. Kind of prefer Mick too.” he said with a soft smirk. “Nice to meet you Ezra. Please don’t sue me, unless you want the money for acting lessons.” Mick added, his soft smirk transforming into a wider grin. He whipped out a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer which was kept in one of his pockets for convenience. Squeezing some into his hands, he rubbed his palms together thoroughly before he offered her a hand to shake and the sanitizer as well. Another habit, but a very useful habit during these times. One could never be careful enough. While he didn’t care much about his own health, he cared about others. And chances were high that he might come into contact with an infected person. Unfortunately, the chances were way too high.
He moved over to the back of the ambulance, opening the doors. “Hop in.” he said, motioning inside with a hand. “If you don’t I might drag you inside.” he added and shrugged ever so slightly as if he was just joking around. Maybe he was. Maybe he wasn’t. Mick went ahead and climbed inside the ambulance, pushing a button to get the assisting ramp down so she could get inside more easily, especially with that hip of hers.
Picking up a pair of one time use gloves he moved aside one of the emergency bags to the other end of the vehicle. He slid open half of the small window to the front compartment and reached through, snatching the keys out of the key slot. He struggled slightly but he managed to get it out. His arm was just long enough. Before he turned back around he crammed them into the pocket the sanitizer was in.
The paramedic proceeded to wear the gloves, pulling them over his hands giving them a satisfying pull to make sure they fit right. “So, Ezra, let me guess… you were on your way home, past curfew, because you went outside for… a trip to Wendys?”
[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"]
“It could be worse if you didn’t put him out.” he said, trying to give her a positive and encouraging smile. “You did a great job.” The line felt misplaced, even though it’s something he always tells civilians whenever they got themselves involved - which unfortunately didn’t happen too often or as often as he would like it to happen. The sentence oftentimes just made him feel like an elementary school teacher or dog owner but in the end it works on a lot of people, to calm them down, to make them feel like they managed to achieve something. Sometimes he just wished civil courage wouldn’t be as rare as it was now - especially during these dreadful times where lots of emergency personnel were on the verge of surrendering.
Time. All he needed was time - time to think, time to treat the person’s wounds, time to make a plan on how to get out. The noises grew louder, he tore his gaze from the staircase and looked down the hallway. Maybe a secluded space could work. While his first priority was to get them out, the groaning of the man intensified with the passing minutes and Mick knew, from what he had seen, that he possibly had a third to fourth-degree burn and if he wasn’t treated soon it could have very bad and life-threatening consequences - although, right now the three of them were stuck in life-threatening situations.
He nodded as she told him about the second set of stairs. “Alright. Let’s try. We don’t have another choice.” he said and started making his way down the hallway. The groaning of the man tempted him to shove a sock into his mouth just to keep him quiet so they wouldn’t get caught, but of course, he knew he couldn’t do that… maybe. “I’m Mick, by the way.” he introduced himself as they passed one office after another.
There was a corner to turn but he stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of two masked figures. Crap, crap, crap, he thought. The only two choices they had were to back up and return to their starting point or lock themselves in one of the rooms. With only one door near him, it seemed to be the safest choice. Maybe they would just walk past it. He hoped. He motioned towards Sloan to follow him.
Mick opened the thankfully unlocked door and flung himself together with the man inside of the room hoping that she would follow quickly and before they would be spotted.
[attr="class","ditags3"]@sloan - I hope this works
[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"]
"Hello? Up here! We need help!"
Mick looked up towards the top of the staircase. He sprinted upstairs taking two steps at once, while he hastily spoke into the radio on his shoulder. “Noah. I need you upstairs.” Silence. “Noah. Upstairs. Do you copy?” Silence. Mick furrowed his eyebrows at his partner not responding. Well, he guessed it was just him then. It should be fine. No worries to have. All good. Or maybe not.
Once he reached the first floor he whipped his head around to look for the one calling for help. It didn’t take long for him to spot two people close by - a woman seemingly supporting an injured man. He rushed towards them and set his backpack down on the floor. “Got you.” he said, lifting the man from the woman’s arms to rid her of that weight. The man groaned in response, nothing Mick hadn’t experienced already, but he ignored the pleading of putting him down. “Are you alright?” he asked, looking over at the woman, one hand trying to get the emergency backpack back on his shoulder while supporting the injured man.
“We need to get out of the building. The ambulance is right in front-” he said, taking a step towards the staircase before the sound of two gunshots fired downstairs rung through the area. His body tensed and he stood still, trying to loosen the tightness in his chest as the memories of the recent gunman incident came flooding back. His partner didn’t answer and Mick suspected he was still downstairs… hopefully somewhere far away from the rebels. Keeping his voice low and eyes fixed on the stairs he asked, “How well do you know the building? Is there anywhere we could go? Any emergency exit leading downstairs or outside?”
CURRENT POSITION: somewhere inside the building, looking for people who possibly need medical attention
TAG: @open [ MULTIPLE OR SOLO ]
[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"]
Chaos. Chaos. Chaos.
Mick knew this was going to happen at some point but he didn't - and no one else probably did - expect it to happen so soon. The lockdown had started gnawing on people, suffocating them in their homes - especially the ones stuck in a one room apartment. But it didn't matter... humans weren't meant to be stuck inside their homes like animals in cages. And if that wasn't already bad enough the government decided to shorten the power supply leaving a lot of homes without power over night. Anything technical was rendered useless - televisions, computers, fridges, phones (if the battery had died).
The ambulance arrived at the City Hall shortly after they got the emergency call. Scene not secure, they repeated over and over again on the radio. It hadn't been deemed safe to enter but it would not matter anyway. They had a job to do and as they pulled over with sirens on and lights flashing blue and red in the bright daylight, Mick and his partner gave each other one last look before they got out of the car. He rushed over to the back, grabbed his emergency medic bag and slung it over his shoulder before the two of them jogged to the City Hall, entering cautiously.
There was an eerie silence inside the building as if nothing ever happened inside of it. Mick was nervous, the amount of craziness adding to his job ever since the pandemic didn't do him any good. But he tried to swallow down all negative feelings - feelings which might get into his way and cause more trouble than the rioters.
As they stepped further into the building Mick decided to take the stairs while his partner would continue to check the ground floor. "LCFD, anyone here who requires medical attention?" he shouted up the stairs as he made his way to the first floor.
[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"]
Well, this gas run wasn’t going to be a quick one.
Mick almost had a heart attack when someone talked to him - there really was someone in front of the ambulance. He lowered his flashlight, taking a closer look at whoever was lying on the ground. “Crap. I’m so so so sorry.” He angled his head towards the radio on his left shoulder and pressed the send button while he talked. “Medic 72, we have been involved in a non-injury collision at Parish Street 34-1. Requesting rest break.” he said before giving the woman in front of him a lookover, noticing her struggling to get up properly. “Well, technically I would have to request another ambulance for you. But as long as I’m not getting an emergency call in it’s fine.” He took a quick glance at his watch to check the time but he was already too late anyway so it wouldn’t make much of a difference now.
“Are you hurt?” he asked her, eyebrows furrowed in concern as he watched her move. Wondering if he had to correct his report to the base. A wave of guilt slammed into him once he realized it might have been his fault because it was his ambulance crashing into her by accident or not didn’t really matter. Hit was hit. Hurt was hurt. “I can do a quick check up if you would like. Or drive you to a nearby hospital.” he offered and motioned towards the backdoor of the ambulance.
His instincts told him to not take the situation lightly. Humans were unpredictable nowadays - especially with all the medication on board of the ambulance. With him outside of the car and alone it would be just the perfect opportunity to steal. He lifted his gaze from her and scanned the area around them. It was too dark to really see anything with the street lights all off. He turned his flashlight back on and moved it around him, a thin and short ray of light illuminating the space he pointed it at - but he still couldn’t really make out anything but the trees and street signs which reflected in the dark with the light on.
He moved it back towards her, careful not to point it right into her face and eyes. “Do you have a fever or did you run away from someone?” he said jokingly, laughing a little but in the end he couldn’t help himself and took a quick peek behind her. It was meant to be a joke. But was it really? Mick wasn't sure at what point of his life he had become so paranoid. Maybe after the gunman at the hospital or maybe ever since the outbreak started. Perhaps it was just the infinite amount of stress, work and exhaustion weighing down on him.
[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"]
"Nah don't worry. I got it." Mick said, the corners of his lips lifting into a grin. He closed the door of the ambulance,
Just a quick gas run.
When he arrived at the gas station nearby he was told they ran out of gas for the day. Bummer. So he had to go to a different place. The guy working there let him know about the ones where gas was available - and all of them were almost on the other side of the city. Well, all he could hope for was that the ambulance was going to make it there without running out of gas.
Humming to the song playing on the radio he thought of what to buy at the grocery store after his shift. Mick wasn’t much of a cooking person because most of the time he just didn’t have the time to buy ingredients or to actually cook them. On his days off he just slept the entire day to recharge because boy was he exhausted after each shift - especially these days. A simple 12 hour shift turned to a 24 hour, 32 hour, 48 shift. He never knew when he was actually able to get off work. Of course it wasn’t exactly morally right or even legal to have such long shifts as a paramedic because the longer they were the higher the chance of mistakes happening was. However, ever since the outbreak they didn’t have much of a choice. The fire department he was working at decreased in numbers so quickly he couldn’t even catch up. Some left as soon as the news broke out to make sure to be with their families and keep them safe. Some caught the infection and had to be hospitalized and/or quarantined… and some passed away.
Just as he was about to jam to the highlight of the song a random shadow ran in front of the ambulance.
“Oh SHIT!” he yelled, his foot stepping on the brake as hard as he could. The tires made a very unhealthy squeeling noise as they tried to make the car stop. The ambulance came to a halt, Mick hunched over the steering wheel. He couldn’t say if he heard something hitting the front or if not… he couldn’t tell if he had hit something. Mick kept his head resting on the hard surface of the steering wheel, hesitating to look up. But when he did look up and outside he couldn’t see anything.
He unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door and jumped out of the ambulance. His hand automatically went towards his neck to rub it. Fortunately, he didn't hurt himself. He proceeded to check if his radio was still working, turned on his flashlight and turned around the front of the car. "Hello?"
[attr="class","ditags3"]@open - did I hit you? did I hit someone or something else? did I ALMOST hit you? are you a rebel ready to rob him? are you just a hungry person ready to rob? DO YOU WANT TO STEAL THE AMBULANCE BECAUSE KEYS ARE STILL INSIDE?
[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"]
He faked a gasp. “How did you know?” he replied to her Hero 101 question. “No, seriously, I already checked off everything on my Hero 101 checklist. This is the Advanced Hero 101 checklist.” he added nonchalantly and shrugged, but regretted this decision as soon as he moved. He pressed his lips together to keep himself from wincing once more. Mick had always seen people get shot, grazed, cut or stabbed but he would have never thought that a little, tiny graze like this - maybe it wasn’t as tiny as he thought - would cause so much pain.
“I’m not even sure if I should say you’re welcome.” he said, looking straight forward to a pair of officers questioning a nurse while taking notes. “I don’t want to know how it might have ended if everything I did went wrong.” he added quietly, swallowing hard at the thought of it. But as quickly as the thought came into mind he dismissed it with a cheeky grin. "I'm sure this would have turned out fine either way. Maybe if we waited just a little longer the police could have solved it on their own."
Mick nodded along without saying something when Adelaide started listing off the usual doctor talk. “Yeah, clean wound, change bandaging, check for infection. I know.” he said after letting her finish. However, when she asked him about the pain meds he pondered for a moment before shaking his head slightly. “Nah. I should have some ibuprofen lying around at home. I’m not a big fan of medication anyway, even though I’m the one giving it to some of our patients.” he answered and let out a faint laugh. Ironic.
“Definitely the safest idea I’ve had yet. Can’t go wrong with pizza and a drink.” Mick repeated after her and simply smiled at the blonde before he spotted his partner walking up to them. “Same. I’m not sure I’m allowed to go back to work now though, so the paperwork might have to wait. Lucky me. Hey-” he said and raised his good lower arm to shoulder height, motioning a little wave at his partner who was followed by another team. He watched them silently take out the deceased body of the gunman's friend or accomplice or whatever he was. Sadly he never had a chance to make it through this mess. “Guess we’re heading back to the station?” Mick guessed and slowly got back onto his feet. His partner nodded and went ahead to start the ambulance.
“Well, see you around and thanks for taking care of this.” he told her and nodded towards the bandaged arm. “Maybe we can grab some coffee and actually enjoy it without being disturbed by some crazy dude with a gun.” he added and this time laughed like usually, closing the ambulance doors with one arm and walking over to the front.
[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"]
Mick tilted his head when Adelaide asked him if he was hurting somewhere. He actually wasn’t sure yet. He wasn’t really capable of associating and localizing any pain at the moment and if even he was feeling some he wasn’t really the type to have others worry about him. He glanced at the crowd forming next to them - a mix of officers, nurses, civilians and doctors. He wondered what this all looked like from the distance, what they were thinking of doing. Would they have done the same? Hm. Maybe. Maybe not. His mind drifted away for a moment as he continued watching a nurse supporting a woman who burst into tears. She tried to comfort her and make her move so she could be taken inside. The sound of police sirens turning on out of a sudden made him snap back to reality.
He looked back at Adelaide and smiled. “Nah, I’m good. Humans are very sturdy beings. Throwing yourself out of an ambulance is nothing.” If that was the truth he wasn’t really sure.
Once his heartbeat and pulse steadied and he was standing still for a moment his back and shoulder were aching but it wasn’t so bad. Mental note to put some ice packs on the area once he gets home. He looked at his shoulder and spotted the wet stain on the sleeve of his jacket. There was a slit as well… his chief won’t be happy once they returned to the station. Ambulance damaged inside and outside, uniform damaged and Mick would have to take some time off to go to the police station for a report. Oh great. He wasn’t looking forward to that moment later that day. “I think it’s mine.” he said with a little nervous laugh. He was feeling a lot of pain, now that the adrenaline completely wore off but he wasn’t feeling dizzy or like he was going to faint any second. He unzipped his jacket and slowly pulled his arm out of the sleeve. He couldn’t help but wince as the fabric slid over the wound. He looked at it once again now that it wasn’t hidden under his jacket.
His hand immediately covered it as it was still bleeding. Reflex. Put pressure on it. “Doesn’t look too bad. I might have gotten hit by the last bullet but it just grazed my arm.” he said with a smirk on his face. “Got that checked off my list.” he added jokingly and laughed a little but as he did so another wince escaped his lip. “Okay maybe not so great. You mind taking quick care of that?” he asked her, his feet dragging him to the ambulance and he sat down on the ramp. “Wow.” he exhaled, only now realizing that his whole body was shaking from the action. His free hand was balled into a fist to stop it from trembling so much. “I think... I need a party sized pizza and some beer later.” Later as in after his shift ended and he was done being lectured by his boss as well as finishing the reports for the day. If there wasn’t so much work left he would just pass it over to his partner but he doubted he would be able to take care of it all by himself.
[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"]
Mick honestly hesitated a mili second before shouting out the number three. Was this a good decision? Would it turn out alright? Would it be okay? Those seconds to count down were the longest he ever experienced. Should he rethink? Make another plan? But would there be time for it? No. There wasn’t any time left. Not even a second. If the gunman would find out about his friend he would go on a shooting rampage - even with his injured leg. The leg injury might take him down soon but he would still have enough time and bullet rounds for a handful of innocent people.
As soon as the he had counted down he elbowed the gunman in the face, hitting his cheek and the side of the nose. The gunman howled in pain and surprise. Mick proceeded to quickly push his arm with the gun towards the ceiling of the car. BANG. Maybe he should consider forcing him to release as many bullets as he could but no… that would be too dangerous. One could accidentally hit him. One could hit Adelaide. One could bounce off. He slammed his own body against him, still trying his best to make sure the gun was pointed anywhere but near them. The gunman managed to wrestle against him and Mick was pushed against the ambulance doors. He tried to push the gunman against the stretcher but he was stronger than expected. Mental note to himself: work out more.
Mick struggled to keep the gun pointed away from him. He glanced around to see if there was anything for him to use. Ambulances were stocked with medical equipment but nothing to use as weapon. The AED would take too long to charge. Adelaide wouldn’t know where to find the scalpels or scissors and he definitely didn’t want to put her into any more danger. He grasped the wrist of the gunman tight before he kicked him in the stomach with his knee. His free hand was searching for the handle to open the door. It took longer than he wanted it to but he finally managed to get a hold of the handle and he pushed it, grabbing the gunman with both hands now and thrusting himself backwards against the door. The ambulance shook and the doors swung open.
As the two of them tumbled out of the ambulance another shot was accidentally released. Mick could feel a slight sting in his left arm before it turned into a burning sensation but the adrenaline rushing through his veins kept the pain at bay. He managed to wrestle the gunman to the ground making him lose grip on the gun.
Click. Click. Click.
The sound of multiple guns being cocked pulled him out of the adrenaline rush induced trance. While making sure the gunman was pushed tight to the ground so he won’t be able to move Mick raised his head only to see the remarkable sight of a bunch of police officers standing around them in a crescent. "We got this." one of them said and Mick nodded, the heaviest sigh of relief leaving his lips. He let go of the gunman, letting himself roll sideways to lie on his back for a moment before an officer reached down with his hand to help him get up. "Thanks." Mick said, grabbed the hand and moved to stand up. His heart was still beating like crazy, he could barely catch his breath.
Mick turned around to face the ambulance and looked at Adelaide. "You okay?" he asked, hoping that nothing had happened because of his dumbass move.
