Voodoo - Valley Forge
Oct. 7th, 2014 01:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
A compass bearing that's inaccurate due to some unknown degree of progression of the magnetic poles is a nasty, nasty thing, and no use to anyone as a navigational aid. Roads, on the other hand, tend not to change that much over time. It was never a major highway, and it's mostly crumbled now, so it didn't attract much in the way of attention from raiders or other unsavory types, but the best map our band of heroes has of the region eventually pointed them towards a state road that ran straight towards the Schuykill River. Assuming the river was still there, of course, it would lead them straight to Philadelphia, and other navigational issues could be resolved there.
Well, if they were lucky, anyway.
There's some burnt out buildings up ahead, nothing really new on that front, and a bunch of trees that have seen much, much better days. Again, nothing new there. On the wind, there's a whiff of cow- not beef cooking over a fire, but the rather more pungent odor of living cattle.
Well, if they were lucky, anyway.
There's some burnt out buildings up ahead, nothing really new on that front, and a bunch of trees that have seen much, much better days. Again, nothing new there. On the wind, there's a whiff of cow- not beef cooking over a fire, but the rather more pungent odor of living cattle.
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Date: 2014-10-07 09:05 pm (UTC)"You heard her, guys," Voodoo says. "Hustle it up."
His cuts are quicker now, foregoing lesser parts and offal for the prime meat.
"Josepha? How close is it?"
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Date: 2014-10-07 09:09 pm (UTC)Of course whoever it is is armed. Don't be stupid.
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Date: 2014-10-07 09:24 pm (UTC)"Probably drawn by the gunfire," he mutters to himself, putting away another slab of meat. "Christ, but I wish I still had my suppressor."
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Date: 2014-10-07 10:28 pm (UTC)Kate, for her part, fumbles with the binos for a bit before finally answering, "I'm... not sure? I mean, he's... carrying some kind of a sign or something..."
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Date: 2014-10-07 11:05 pm (UTC)He takes another cut of meat from the flank.
"'cause I gotta tell you, my hands are kinda full for somethin' like that."
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Date: 2014-10-07 11:23 pm (UTC)"That'd be what I saw," says Josepha.
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Date: 2014-10-07 11:49 pm (UTC)He put the tomahawk where Al and Hector can get at it before moving over to Kate, taking the binoculars from her and centering them on the man. The submachine gun looks to be an M1A1 Thompson, and the sign has been filched from the remains of Interstate 76.
"The fuck's this idiot think he's doing?"
He shakes his head, stowing the binos on his pack again. "Hector, Al, cut what you can in the next minute then hide. Kate, guard the carcass, Josepha, you're with me. We're gonna go see what this retard wants."
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Date: 2014-10-07 11:54 pm (UTC)It's not like you can really say at least he looks safe or at least he doesn't look insane about fellow-travelers in this part of the world.
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Date: 2014-10-08 12:13 am (UTC)Patience (god, is he actually calling it that now?) is slung over his shoulder in favor of his carbine held at low-ready. The two of them don't march in lockstep, but stay close enough to cover each other as they move forward. The man is more cautious in his approach - his is a casual walk, but he makes an effort to keep bushes between himself and Voodoo and Josepha, as well as presenting the side with the shield rather than coming at them head-on.
"I don't fuckin' believe this. Hey! Star-Spangled Beavis! You can chill out, we just wanna talk!"
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Date: 2014-10-08 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-08 12:26 am (UTC)"PO1 Colson, United States Navy. Serial number one-one-four-zero-two-two-five-four-one. This's Josepha."
He makes a gesture to the effect of well? Good enough?
"You want me to sing 'Anchors Aweigh'? 'cause I can."
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Date: 2014-10-08 12:44 am (UTC)"Well, I'll be damned," the man finally says, and lowers his shield- even if only a little. "Aaron Adams. Last of the Eastern Commonwealth National Guardsmen. Were those your guns I heard?"
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Date: 2014-10-08 12:58 am (UTC)"They were. That a problem?"
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Date: 2014-10-08 01:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-08 01:12 am (UTC)He lets his carbine take up slack in its sling.
"You got other people here?"
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Date: 2014-10-08 01:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-09 09:33 pm (UTC)It's not like he pictured it, but then again he's never been.
"Where in the park are we right now?"
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Date: 2014-10-10 03:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-10 11:42 am (UTC)He crosses his arms over his chest.
"Lookin' to get to Philly, head down to D.C. from there. What do we need to know?"
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Date: 2014-10-10 01:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-10 09:34 pm (UTC)"-ice gangs."
His tone of voice says go on.
"This Blood Prince - he a local warlord or what?"
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Date: 2014-10-10 10:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-11 12:37 am (UTC)"-quite a reach he's got."
He looks to Josepha, then back to Adams.
"He gonna cause problems for us if we don't cause problems for him?"
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Date: 2014-10-11 12:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-11 01:31 am (UTC)"That'll do it."
The mystery of how Quakers survived in a post-nuclear world will be left for later.
"Speakin' of water, I wanna top off our canteens while we can. Any safe water here?"
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Date: 2014-10-11 01:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-11 01:41 am (UTC)He turns around, gesturing for Josepha to follow as he heads back towards the others. "Bull's at the top of this hill. Help yourself to whatever we didn't, if you want."
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Date: 2014-10-11 01:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-11 01:56 am (UTC)He waits until Adams is out of earshot - they did just meet him, after all.
"We'll head north, make camp on the riverbank," he says to Josepha. "Can't be more than a mile, maybe two. I'll set security, and we'll cook what meat we can, try and find some way to preserve the rest. If we're lucky, we'll find some salt. I want everyone hydrated and rested - everyone finishes off at least one canteen of riverwater 'fore fillin' it back up. That goes double for Hector. If he starts gettin' stubborn about it, I want you and Al to square him away. Clear?"
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Date: 2014-10-11 01:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-11 02:04 am (UTC)He jerks a thumb back towards Adams as discreetly as possible. "What do you make of him?"
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Date: 2014-10-11 02:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-11 10:32 am (UTC)It's a short walk to the rest of the group. "Pack it up," Voodoo orders. "We're heading to the river. Gonna make camp, cook this meat, fill our canteens, rest a little, then follow it into Philly. I want to be past the outskirts by late afternoon and downtown by nightfall. Kate, you're on point - the rest of you know the drill."
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Date: 2014-10-11 03:07 pm (UTC)"What was with that guy, anyway?" Kate says.
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Date: 2014-10-11 09:01 pm (UTC)As they pack up: "One other thing - local warlord of Philly's some mope called 'the Blood Prince'. Sends supply caravans through the park on occasion. Right now, he's an unknown, so we don't wanna go pissing him off 'less we have to. Fire when fired upon, got it?"
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Date: 2014-10-11 11:38 pm (UTC)"What? .. okay, fine."