How about that, I already have the third chapter posted. By now, I have vaguely mapped out the total plot. If everything I do goes as planned, I think you will enjoy this. I only have a brief idea of the plot, so many things are still a work-in-progress. If you have got this far, I assume you will probably keep reading, or not, it's your decision, not mine.
Also, this chapter introduces POVs. I probably will spend the majority of the time in Austin's POV, because this is his story of revenge. However, I will skip around to other characters, especially to Misty and Marlton when Mistyton content begins.
Anyways, I won't keep you waiting any longer. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the third chapter.
Chapter 3: New Friends, Same Enemies
Hartford, Washington
July 19, 1964
Misty, Marlton, Russman, Stuhlinger, and Austin begin surviving on a transit system.
Marlton's POV
After we got our bearings, we realized how dark it was in the station. It was to the point that we could barely see the outlines of each other. Russman, in his usual annoying tone, said "I think I'm getting cataracts. . . This is a restaurant, right?" Nobody responded to him. I heard the sound of hammering, and to my suprise, the new guy had already set a mannequin on the workbench. What was his name again? Oh yeah, Austin Woodard.
"Guys, look for parts, maybe we can use this workbench to build something, like a wind-thingy!" Austin awkwardly stated.
"Turbine?" I asked.
"Yeah, sure, whatever," He calmly rolled his eyes. Misty grabbed a fan blade, powered by a small battery, and I grabbed some kind of model airplane tail, to help with the physics. Austin lended us the hammer and we added our parts. By this time, zombies had been pouring in, Stuhlinger and Russman took care of them. After we added the final part, we tested it on the nearby door because our point counters didn't tell us how much it cost. Sure enough, it opened that door and another door to get out. Everybody grabbed a turbine from one in some scientifically impossible way, but even I didn't complain. Before we left, Stuhlinger grabbed a ladder in the room, carrying it in both hands.
"Uh, what are you doing, Stupidger?" Misty asked. "This is dumb, even for you."
"Maybe we could use this for something, I don't know what, but something," We didn't bother arguing. Let Stuhlinger be Stuhlinger.
As we stepped outside, another, more heavily damaged bus pulled up. This bus was different though, it was driving itself, while the last bus was driven by Russman. As it got closer, we finally noticed it was a new Consolidating Coach Corporation automated bus, driven by a TEDD unit. Stuhlinger carried the ladder to the back and added it on, bragging about how he was right before climbing onto the roof.
"Welcome aboard, please secure all personal belongings and take your seats, now departing for the HARP research station."
"Oh, yeah," Austin nodded. "The government built these buses for top-secret agents. Some paranoid guy with a high rank thought that common bus drivers just couldn't be trusted. It's much more heavily armored, to the point of being explosion-proof."
I cocked my M1911 so that I would be prepared to shoot for the next round. . . Wait. . . My M1911? What happened to my AK74u, or Misty's Remington 870, or Austin's Galil, or Russman's RPD, or Stuhlinger's B23R? All were missing, and the others realized it too. We all groaned, some spiritual force stole our guns and gave us this undesirable pistol.
Anyway, after Round 3, Russman opened the main door with points, and Austin walked in to buy an M14 off of the wall. About that time, the decimated bus honked its horn to leave. Russman, Misty, and I piled into the interior, and Austin joined Stuhlinger on the roof of the bus. Shortly after, the bus began to roll away; the Round 4 zombies being abandoned.
"Austin! Did your government steal our guns!?" Stuhlinger accused.
"It wasn't me! It must have been-"
"Oh, what? A demon?! That's crazy-" Stuhlinger cut himself off, and remained quiet for about ten seconds, before he probably realized that there was no better reason for our guns missing.
We heard Stuhlinger freaking out about our weapons missing, it got so bad that he started rapidly breathing. We then heard a slap, presumably from Austin, followed by a quiet "Get ahold of yourself!" Misty chuckled a bit at this.
Everything continued to be fine until the bus passed under a hanging overhead sign. Suddenly, we heard the screams of both Stuhlinger and Austin. We looked back to see they had fallen off the bus and were now trying to catch up. Unfortunately, we were going faster, and despite Misty's attempt to tell the driver to stop, he just ignored her pleas.
We made it out of the tunnel down two men, a paranoiac and a CDC grunt. Misty assured us that they'll be fine, but even she knew they could already be dead, or worse. The bus finally stopped at a nearby diner, the sign short circuited and ominously read 'NOW DIE- ON 4 U'. I gulped, and Misty put her hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry Marlton, it's, uh, just a minor coincedence," she didn't sound so confident herself.
And that's when the horde came.
Austin's POV
Stuhlinger and I had been knocked off the bus by that sign before we even knew it was there. Now we were doing anything we could to catch up to our brothers, and sister, in arms. At least I was, as I lost Stuhlinger in the darkness. I managed to see the back of the bus before it got too far away and the jumpers came.
The jumpers are extremely annoying and literally clingy. These things chase after you and leap onto your head, clawing away at it until you knocked it off. They live in the fog and apparantly chase after stranded survivors. Luckily, my mask was able to keep them off of my face, but my suit was thin enough to cause some damage and pain to the rest of my head. It takes a few stabs to kill these things, and as soon as one dies, another rises.
I was able to keep calm and follow the route I saw the bus go. Once I finally made it back into the light, I called for Stuhlinger. "Sam! Can you hear me?" I called as loud as I could. No answer. I didn't try again, the jumpers still tried to attack me, and I had to hope Stuhlinger would somehow reunite with us. I continued down the dirt road until I found a safe haven from the fog, and the bus was there too. It was a diner, not much, but it will keep the jumpers away. I had to go to the back door of the bus and come out the front door in order to meet up with the others.
And that's when I saw the horde.
Stuhlinger's POV
Oh God, where am I?! I can't even see the pistol I held in my hand, let alone my way out of the tunnel. I lost Austin sometime ago in the darkness. Sometimes, I think they cospire against me. I mean, the bus was just high enough for us to be knocked off. Conspiracy! Anyway, Austin is gone, probably safe with the others, while they leave me to be eaten by the government officials pretending to be zombies. Yeah, that's right, I know all about the plot to reduce the American Population. That Austin guy is just pretending to be a survivor, but I know better.
After a confusing time navigating my way through the tunnel, I found out the center of the tunnel happened to be a safe haven from the fog. It even had an M16 buyable. You can guess what I bought for 1250 points. Unfortunately, it must have been stuck on 3-round burst, as I couldn't move the burst control in any way. I headed my left, straight down, until I finally saw light! I continued down the road. This place seemed familiar, and then the fog cleared.
"Damnation! I'm back at the Bus Station! Oh. . . That rhymed. Conspiracy!"
Austin's POV
For just Round 4, there were alot of zombies. I counted 28, seven for each of this. Some jogged, but most did a simple shamble. I looked at Russman first, who led his horde in the open area in front of the bus. He was doing a good job of shooting a B23R he bought off the bus and then running away. He was fine.
Next, I checked for Misty, and she was even better off than Russman. She was loading out on zombies in the diner with an MP5 that she bought off the Diner wall. Her horde didn't even get close. She gave me a friendly wave, shooting them with one hand, and I left her to her fun.
Marlton, however, desperately needed help. He was in the mechanic's garage next to the diner. He still only had his M1911, and the zombies backed him into a corner. We both shot clips, but only a few dropped before the got to Marlton and downed him. Instead of eating his flesh, though, they charged at me! I switched to my M14, dropping the rest with headshots, before grabbing Marlton's arm and helping him to his feet.
"Thanks, really," He gave me a friendly smile. "Now please step away, I have clausterphobia." I stepped away, but not before giving a weird glance.
About that time, Round 4 had ended. The four of us at the diner regrouped and reloaded in the diner.
"Where's Stuhlinger?" Misty asked.
"I wish I could tell you, but I don't know, we got seperated in the darkness. He might be dead, but I doubt he would die so early on," Everybody was silent for about five seconds.
"So, what do we do now?" Marlton asked. Just then, we heard the sound of more zombies rising. It seems we just couldn't catch a break here.
"Looks like we're about to find out, boys!" I heard Misty call.
