|
FUBAR
Mar 22, 2014 4:21:39 GMT
Post by Rock114 on Mar 22, 2014 4:21:39 GMT
What this story is about: PFC Conner Bryant was called into action three days after the dead rose. Deployed with the rest of the Georgia National Guard to various areas around the state, his mission is the extraction of civilians from areas affected by the outbreak. After a mission goes wrong in Macon, Conner's squad is assigned to hold a position designated "Checkpoint Echo" which guards the last road out of the city that leads to Atlanta. Success seems far away as hordes of the undead converge on Echo, but failure here means doom for anyone still trapped in the city. But during this final battle for Macon, Conner learns that the undead are the least of his worries...
Sup folks! I've been working on this story for a few days now, and have most of it written out. At the time of this post I'm beginning Chapter 7, with Chapter 8 the final one barring any sort of Epilogue I may be inclined to include if you guys like it enough. As the description says, it takes place in Macon during the first week of the outbreak, specifically during the events of "A New Day". As usual, this story doesn't affect the game characters in any great way, though there is a familiar face early on. All I need to do is edit the Chapters, and I'll be releasing them daily once they're all done. And yes, I WILL be completing this one. It's already near completion.
EDIT: Conner Bryant in this story is the same Conner from my other story, Down by the River. I had an OC with a military background sitting around, and I realized I could use him to explore what happened to the military and get some backstory at the same time. This is all about what happened to Conner in the early days of the apocalypse, before he met his end at the hands of Carver's men in North Carolina at the beginning of Season 2.
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 22, 2014 16:23:33 GMT
Post by Autobot Sonic on Mar 22, 2014 16:23:33 GMT
Sounds like an awesome idea! Zombie stories never really focus on the military, so I would love to see what you have in store for this. Do you plan on having them be the soldiers that draw the zombies away from the drug store in Ep.1?
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 22, 2014 16:24:21 GMT
Post by Teacakes on Mar 22, 2014 16:24:21 GMT
Don't you mean motor inn?
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 22, 2014 16:30:37 GMT
Post by Autobot Sonic on Mar 22, 2014 16:30:37 GMT
No, I meant the drugstore, remember after Carley kills the walker attacking Lee?
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 22, 2014 17:01:00 GMT
Post by Rock114 on Mar 22, 2014 17:01:00 GMT
Sounds like an awesome idea! Zombie stories never really focus on the military, so I would love to see what you have in store for this. Do you plan on having them be the soldiers that draw the zombies away from the drug store in Ep.1? Yes.
I thought that it was kind of strange that we never hear anything about the military in The Walking Dead, and since they just disappeared with basically no explanation, that gives me plenty to work with. Plus, I had this OC just sitting around with a military background that I could use again, that being Conner, who is the same Conner from my other story "Down by the River" if you remember that at all.
[/p][/p]
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 22, 2014 19:22:41 GMT
Post by Rock114 on Mar 22, 2014 19:22:41 GMT
Note: Obviously if you guys feel I can improve this in any way, let me know in the comments. It won't get better if you don't say anything.
Chapter 1 SNAFU
Another thunder clap of gunfire echoed in the street. Private First Class Conner Bryant dropped to the ground as the bullets snapped over his head in his latest brush with death. “Christ, Williams, ever heard of a thing called friendly fire? You nearly took my goddamn head off!” Rising from the ground, the Georgia National Guardsman slid a new magazine into his assault rifle and took aim at the approaching corpses. Williams replied with a low gurgling noise, and Conner turned to see what had happened. One of the creatures had grasped Williams from behind, and the soldier’s throat was firmly clamped between the monster’s teeth. Blood was jetting out of the wound as Williams died, the creature tearing chunks of flesh from his face. Conner swung the rifle around and snapped a quick burst through the thing’s head, and its body fell limp. Williams was lying next to it, twitching, and extended a shaky hand to Conner as his life faded. Without a second thought, Conner set his weapon to semi-automatic, and ensured that his fellow soldier wouldn’t come back.
Sergeant Keenan’s gruff voice could be heard even above the background noise of what seemed to Conner to be the end of the world. “I told you get on that goddamn radio, and get us out of here! These ghouls have already breached the perimeter!” The squad’s radio specialist, Private Dorn, uttered a meek “Yes, Sergeant”, before bowing his head and trying the radio once more. The low, constant moaning of the dead was all around them as the squad picked them off as fast as they could aim and fire their weapons. Scattered and disorganized as the squad was, they were simply delaying the inevitable.
Crouching, Conner sighted in on one and pulled the trigger. Click. He froze. Is it jammed? I just loaded the damn thing. What’s happening? Overcoming his surprise, he was just in time to pull his combat knife from the sheath on leg as his target came within arm’s reach. It lunged at him, but he leaped back. Off balance, his assailant fell forward, but Conner charged back at him. Grabbing the beast’s neck with his left hand, he drove his knife up through its chin with all of his might, pushing the tip of the blade through and into the brain. His victim shuddered for a second as the last of its few brain functions ceased and Conner let go, the now truly dead corpse hitting the cement in the street with a wet thud. Sneering at it, he made a silent promise that if he died out here, he’d kill whoever had supplied his squad with these half-loaded magazines. It had started a week ago. At least that’s what he thought. Time moved differently now that his entire world had been turned upside down then dropped to the pavement on its head. His squad had been called into action on the third day of this outbreak. As a member of the Georgia National Guard, his company had been tasked with evacuating cities and towns on the way to Atlanta, where other units were attempting to set up a fortified safe zone. Casualties had been a common occurrence for the past four days, and Conner had lost count of the number of men he’d seen ripped apart, dismembered, disemboweled, or ones with throats torn out from corpses that had ambushed them from around corners or in dark rooms. His own squad had lost three men only yesterday, bringing their number down to seven. Well, six, taking Williams into account.
Now they were in Macon, Georgia. Their last stop before Atlanta. A reconnaissance unit the day before had reported survivors holding out in a drugstore in downtown Macon. Their orders were to get in, extract them, and escort them to the rally point at the Save Lots near the interstate, where they would stay until military operations in the area had ceased. Then Conner’s unit, along with others, would escort the survivors at the Save Lots to the permanent safe zone in Atlanta via the interstate, and wait for relief.
Suddenly, he detected a noise on the edge of his hearing. The faraway sound of rotors slicing through the air, something he'd grown familiar with in his time with the military. And it was getting closer. Keenan grabbed Conner by the collar of his uniform and screamed. “Damnit kid, if you don't get your ass to the LZ in the next two minutes, you will be left behind. Is that clear?! We’re going to EVAC out to the AFB for our new orders! This mission is scrubbed, so unless you want to get real friendly with these dead folks you should get your ass in gear!”
Normally Conner would hit someone for talking to him like that, but he didn’t care now. He was getting out of this hellhole. Across the street, at the top of an apartment building, he saw the helicopter touch down. His squad mates rushed into the building in a frenzied mob, each of them eager to be the first one to safety. There would be enough room for them all. The squad’s recent “downsizing” with help from the undead had ensured that.
As Conner and Keenan ran, they heard a scream from behind that stopped them in their tracks. It was Corporal Mathis, now lying face down on the pavement pleading to them with a scratched and bloodied face. One of the corpses had reached out from under a wrecked car and grabbed his foot as he ran past, tripping him. It dragged itself out from under the wreckage, bloody stumps in place of legs that left a dark trail behind it. Mathis reached out to them and groaned as dozens more of the undead converged on him from all around. Conner turned away just as they reached the young man and sprinted to the apartment building while Mathis screamed out the last seconds of life from under a mass of rotting, hungry corpses.
Goddamnit. Now it's five. Beside him, Keenan was breathing heavily. “Alright son,” he gasped, “Let’s get out of here.”
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 22, 2014 23:07:43 GMT
Post by Autobot Sonic on Mar 22, 2014 23:07:43 GMT
Nice job man!
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 2:38:28 GMT
Post by Michael7123 on Mar 23, 2014 2:38:28 GMT
Really great job so far. Keep it up.
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 17:14:06 GMT
Post by Rock114 on Mar 23, 2014 17:14:06 GMT
Note: Chapter 2, or as I call it, the "Exposition Chapter" is here. Not much action in this one, because the huge battle is still a few chapters off. This one isn't my favorite, but there is a familiar face here...
Chapter 2 Robins Air Force Base Conner stepped off of the helicopter, out of breath, tired, and into the relative safety of Robin’s Air Force Base on the outskirts of Macon. Keenan, Dorn, Farley, and Carter, the few others that remained, followed suit as the mechanics swarmed the vehicle and began their maintenance. Keenan pulled one of the mechanics aside, a man with short black hair and a pair of glasses. The mechanic saluted and stood rigid in a dirty jacket with the words “Fight or Flight” on the back. “Sir, Technician Mark-“
Keenan held up a hand before Mark could finish. “Son, I’m too tired for all of this formal bullshit, and these fancy, military regulation introductions. Just tell me where my boys and I can load up on ammo and gear, then where we can get some rest.”
The mechanic, Mark, dropped his salute and pointed across the base. “The armory is over by the administrative office. There’s an empty barracks building on the east side of the base where you could grab an hour or two of sleep.” Keenan thanked the man as the squad prepared to move.
Conner slung his rifle over his shoulder as Mark pulled him aside. Whispering, the mechanic extended his hand. “Name’s Mark. You would be…?”
Conner took his hand and gave it a firm shake. “Private First Class Conner Bryant, Company C of the Georgia National Guard.” He looked around at the bustling personnel attending their duties, ferrying ammunition to the perimeter guards locked in a struggle to hold the walls. Medics carried soldiers wounded by the undead, or in some cases even friendly fire, to the base infirmary. Above it all was the unmistakable thundering of heavy machine guns in the distance and officers shouting orders as they organized the defense of the base. “Is it always this busy here, or did we just arrive during tourist season?”
Mark chuckled for a brief second, but then cast Conner a glance of equal parts fear and despair. “There’s an entire horde of those things at the gates. You saw them when you flew in, right?” Conner hadn’t seen anything on the way in. The events of the previous seven days were beginning to get to him. Seven days since he’d first learned that the dead were walking. Most of that time was an incomprehensible blur, only revealed in still images or flashing sequences of traumatic events in his mind that assaulted him in whatever free time he had now. Even the small amount of sleep he'd been able to get was under assault from the undead. Mark continued.
“We’ve been under attack by them for hours. The guys at the gate have some Humvees with mounted machine guns on them, and have been firing nonstop since this afternoon. And you know what else? I heard that the unit holding I 75, Checkpoint Echo, is under attack too, but they don’t have as many guys as we do here. They’re going to fall.”
Fall? Shit. This whatever it is just keeps getting worse and worse. “Can you be sure?” Conner inquired.
“Yeah, I think so,” Mark answered. His voice still low, he glanced around before carrying on. “And we’re running out of ammo here, too. In a few hours, this place is going to be swarming with those things. The gates are already bending inward because so many are pushing up against them, and when we run out of ammo for the .50 cals-“
Conner finished his thought. “Then that’ll be the end of the line for anyone still in Macon, right?” Mark nodded. Conner felt a chill go up his spine as the hopelessness of the situation became apparent. “There’s nothing we can do, is there?”
Sadly, Mark confirmed his fears. “No, there isn’t. Checkpoint Echo is sitting on the last road out of Macon that leads to Atlanta. There aren’t enough helicopters left in the area to evacuate the poor bastards holding it, or even here. When that place falls, everyone in the area is going to be trapped. Including everyone here on base.”
“Jesus Christ…”
“Yeah. It’ll be every man for himself once that happens. And when it does, there’ll be hundreds, maybe thousands more of these things flooding into the city.”
Something grabbed Conner’s shoulder from behind. He tensed up as he spun around to face his attacker, only to be greeted with a familiar face. “Shit Farley, you scared me,” he sighed, relaxing.
Farley smirked as he motioned toward Keenan, Dorn, and the others. The rest of the squad was halfway to the armory without them. “We better get a move on, man. C’mon Conner, Sarge is gonna blow a gasket if he realizes you’re not with us.”
Turning back to Mark, Conner waved a farewell. “Stay safe, man. Stick with good people.”
Mark paced over to where the rest of the mechanics were working on the helicopter. “Worry about yourself, Conner. I’ll see you around.”
Not likely, Conner thought, as Farley led him toward the others. It’s only a matter of time until my number comes up.
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 17:15:48 GMT
Post by Teacakes on Mar 23, 2014 17:15:48 GMT
Holy shit, it's Mark!
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 17:32:44 GMT
Post by Autobot Sonic on Mar 23, 2014 17:32:44 GMT
Wait, I just had an awesome idea for this fanfic: instead of the last chapter being when Lee and Co. are saved by the army at the drugstore, maybe it can be Connor holding out with Mark and a few others at the military base and be a prequel to Ep. 2?
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 17:44:32 GMT
Post by Rock114 on Mar 23, 2014 17:44:32 GMT
Wait, I just had an awesome idea for this fanfic: instead of the last chapter being when Lee and Co. are saved by the army at the drugstore, maybe it can be Connor holding out with Mark and a few others at the military base and be a prequel to Ep. 2? I've got something else in mind.
Also, that already happened in Chapter 1. Conner's squad was in downtown Macon specifically to get to everyone at the drugstore, and the battle in the first chapter is what drew the walkers away. I couldn't figure out a way to make that obvious without actually switching perspectives to someone in Lee's group though, so it was never actually stated. In the time it took for Conner's squad to be evacuated to Robins AFB, the events of the latter half of "A New Day" are taking place where Lee and Carley go to the motel, and when they need to get pills for Larry.
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 17:46:01 GMT
Post by Autobot Sonic on Mar 23, 2014 17:46:01 GMT
Oh, didn't notice that.
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 17:50:00 GMT
Post by Rock114 on Mar 23, 2014 17:50:00 GMT
I can't blame you. There wasn't really a way I saw to make that apparent without switching viewpoints, and for the most part this story is about Conner and what happened to him in the beginning, way before he met up with Roman and Clive for Down by the River to take place.
|
|
|
FUBAR
Mar 23, 2014 17:53:13 GMT
Post by Autobot Sonic on Mar 23, 2014 17:53:13 GMT
I can't blame you. There wasn't really a way I saw to make that apparent without switching viewpoints, and for the most part this story is about Conner and what happened to him in the beginning, way before he met up with Roman and Clive for Down by the River to take place. Ohhh, okay.
|
|