Alright ladies and gentlecreatures welcome to what will be a short but hopefully fun CYOA for...
Screaming Days and Whispering Nights: A Western CYOA
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OP
Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
Alright ladies and gentlecreatures welcome to what will be a short but hopefully fun CYOA for you to enjoy and me to flex my writing muscles.
The objective of this little CYOA is for your PC Diana Davis to have a jolly good time 1899 Montana.
Rules are:
Now then let's begin.
It is night and I am awake.
As my consciousness begins to rouse itself I look out at the window and see that the sun has not yet even risen to drown the world in its warmth.
I want to groan and pull my sheets back over my head but I know if I don't get ready father will come barging and start heckling me to get off my keister. Getting up I stand on my tippy toes, raise my arms above my head and give myself a good stretch that makes me sigh in pleasure.
My morning stretch is interrupted as I hear the deep boom of my Pa's voice carry through the house.
"Diana, get up you bedbug! The day just started and you're already wasting it, and days wasted are the devil's wages, and I didn't raise my little girl for eighteen years to work for the devil did I?"
I giggle a little at my father's boisterous attitude in the morning.
"No daddy I'm a good christian girl!"
"Ain't that the truth now hurry your ma left some delicious looking breakfast on your plate and remember what I told you about good food left uneaten?"
"It becomes the devils!"
"Atta girl! Now hurry before that sonabitch Satan spoils breakfast!"
Truly there was never a boring day with him around.
With both my Pa's morning greeting and the mention of my Ma's delicious breakfast I move with a sense of purpose as I put on my work clothes. Once ready I step in front of the mirror to get a look at myself and make sure I'm squared away.
Happy with my appearance I make my way to the kitchen guided by my growling stomach and the smell of hot food.
I hear laughing and giggling as I get there, and once I walk in I see it's my father grabbing mother by her waist as he twirls her around while hugging her. She's protesting very loudly being spun around like a doll but the joy in her voice makes it clear it's all in good fun.
"Drop me you big oaf!"
"Not until you give me my good morning kiss!"
"I gave you one when you woke up!"
"That was my waking up kiss, this is my good morning kiss!"
"Same thing!"
"Nuh uh!"
I roll my eyes and almost decide against breaking their little game, but I'm hungry so I cough to get their attention. Like a shot duck they fall from their little dream world and notice that I'm there. Pa puts down Ma with a big ol' grin on his face while Ma looks down blushing at being caught being tossed around like a little doll.
Which to be fair she practically is, especially when compared to Pa.
"D-Diana I'm sorry you had to see me and your father making fools of our sel-"
"Nonsense my dear! It's good for a child to see their parents still love each other."
"Oh you bear of a man you!"
Ma gets angry at Pa interrupting her but the satisfied smirk on his face makes her nagging look less like the chastising of a wife to her husband and more a cute little mouse ranting at a cat that's playing with its food.
This time I roll my eyes and leave them to their games.
I seat myself at the small table we eat at and say grace for the things I've been given and then dig in while amusing myself observing my parents.
Ma is a beautiful delicate woman that barely stands at 5 feet with soft ivory skin, luscious light red hair, crystal blue eyes and a petite build that she never outgrew making people refer to her more often as Lu Lu rather than her name Laura.
She stands in contrast to Pa's large tall muscular build that makes him tower over most men and makes him comparable to a black bear in height and appearance, being covered in his wild brown hair and the large bushy beard that hides his soft green eyes helps with that, around town they call him Adam the Bear.
I'm a good mix of both:
Inheriting my mother's beautiful features but also getting a good portion of Pa's strength. I tower over most of the men in town at a good 5'8" and put most of them to shame with the strength that comes with my size. It also helped ensure that if my bear fighter of a Pa didnt scare away the less pleasant men in the town I could take care of myself fine enough.
As I ponder these things I begin carving into the wonderful meal of steak, eggs, toast and milk Ma had made.
Another advantage of my large size is that while most of the girls in town had to watch what they ate lest they lose their figures I could devour all the food I wanted and not gain a pound in fat.
Although I do feel bad for Ma having to slave away at stove all day to feed the bottomless pits that me and Pa are.
Once I was done eating my food I interrupted my parents one more time to tell them thank you for the food and that I would get the products we're gonna take to Mr. Matheson ready.
Going out back I grab the bags of grain, wool and salted meat that were ordered and mount them on our faithful steeds, Mathew and Jacob.
After a good fifteen minutes have passed Pa walks out of the house with our guns over his back and a big grin stretched across his face telling me he got that kiss he was demanding.
He then looks and sees the horses are all saddled up with all the products and, I don't know how, his grin gets even bigger.
"Went ahead and got everything ready without me helping you with anything now did ya?"
"I'm just young is all Pa"
I put my finger to my lips as if I'm thinking about something.
"But I do wonder if with how slow you are doing things lately it tells me I should take over the farm now, don't ya think so too Pa?"
He put on a look of mock shock and horror on his face clutching his chest as if his heart was just pierced.
"The pain! Oh the pain! My sweet little girl calling me old!" Looking at the sky he raises his arms towards it in supplication. "Oh Lord why hast thou abandoned me!"
I try and keep a stern face to try and play the straight woman in this little game but I can't help but crack and giggle at how silly he is!
Which makes him keep going more as he sees me try and fail to contain myself, leading him to continue his melodramatic monologue for a good five minutes, and he would've kept going if Ma hadn't stepped out to scream at him.
"Adam you stop with this tomfoolery and get moving right now! Daylight is burning and things need to get done around this farm before the sun sets, and if I have to slave over a stove to feed your belly you have to have to bring home the bacon!"
Not all that fazed Pa chuckles at Ma's demands and promptly agrees with her.
"Yes my bride! Your wish is my command!"
"Damn right it is, now get moving!"
"At once my Queen!"
Pa then begins walking with a deliberate slowness that just makes Ma's ivory skin burn crimson with rage at his impudence.
Oh Ma you should know by now that's what Pa wants.
Once he reaches me Pa hands me my weapon of choice, a repeating rifle chambered for .44, I already feel safer as I put on the sling that holds it alongside fourteen extra rounds of ammunition.
Pa brought along his trusty double barrelled shotgun, I always questioned why he picked something that only carried two rounds but, he told me the old boomstick doesn't need more than two rounds to kill anything.
We both then get on our horses, me on the young polka dotted Matthew, and Pa on the mean old dark as night Jacob. Once were on and everything we need is secured tight we turn back to our home, say goodbye to Ma and ride off west towards Mr. Matheson's ranch the sun shining bright behind us.
We ride on the trails that were made by the first settlers making their way to Montana fifty years ago for a what feels like a two good hours. As we begin to pass the signs that inform us we're nearing the town of Isula we decide that the horses can slow down to rest. Pa grabs his canteen and begins to drink some water, once he has fill he passes it to me, where I take a swig of it, once we had something to drink, we ride in a comfortable silence that is only interrupted by some rustling in the forest surrounding us that we see are squirrels and birds moving about, well it was until pa decides to talk to me.
"You know when I was your age I was a disappointment."
"Huh?"
"Don't 'huh' me, you heard right."
"But you're so strong and everyone in town admires you!" he snorts at my rebuke. "Strength isn't everything, especially when you use it to be a real bastard like I did."
He then looks forward lost in his thoughts.
"I did some pretty ungodly things when I was a boy, I ran from home and I joined this group. And we-I stole from those weaker than me simply because I could, I killed them in cold blood whenever they fought back, and I mocked them when they didn't. I don't know what I did right to deserve the life I have now.
You and your Ma are the best things to ever happen to me. You both are what made me change. When all the men in town ask how I run this operation with only a daughter and no sons I tell 'em that you're worth a million of their sons and everyday you prove me right. When they ask how I can stand to live with a spitfire like Laura I tell them her fire is what warms my heart in the coldest of nights, and what made me forge myself into a new man."
He then looks at me with a look of absolute seriousness in his eyes, its a look that scares me, as I've never seen it once on his face before.
"I love you Diana, you're the best daughter a man can ask for."
And then like a cold dagger plunging into my back a fear that makes me quake in my seat begins to go through me.
"P-Pa what's going on?"
I see him raise his shotgun with one hand as his cold eyes look around the forest,
"Get your gun Diana there-"
Like lightning it strikes.
From the shadows of the forest a creature jumps at Pa knocking him clean off Jacob, its currently leaning over Pa trying to eat his face off, the only thing holding it back is Pa's shotgun held between them.
But as Pa fights for his life I'm frozen in place unable to so much as breath as I take in its appearance.
It's a hideous thing, shaped like a man, but just wrong, it's limbs are too long to be natural tapering off into long razor sharp nails, Its skin is like old rotting leather grey and mold while being covered in shards of sharp bone, its torso is long and narrow with its ribs perfectly visible like it hasn't ate in weeks, but the worst is it's head an eyeless, faceless mass of meat that opens into a gigantic maw that is filled with razor sharp teeth.
As its teeth get closer to Pa I finally react and pull my Repeater out of its holster and raise it to fire, but Jacob is faster to act than I am as he turns around and kicks the creature in its ribs with all its might sending it flying a good two feet away from Pa giving him room to raise his shotgun and blast it in half.
"You go Pa!" I can't help but be elated and cheer, but it left me unguarded to my surroundings as I feel something knock me off Mathew and throw me into the dirt. Looking up I see it's another monster its drooling maw raised up high ready to plunge down and chew my face off.
This time I react hastily raising my rifle with one hand to shoot it, but the creature sees my move coming and grabs the barrel as it yanks it out of my loose grip and throws it to the side. At that moment a panic goes through me at being left defenseless and although the thing above has no face I can tell its savoring my fear.
But it doesn't last long as its head disappears in an explosion of viscera that is the boom of Pa's shotgun.
"Diana get up and move there's more of them!"
Rolling on my front I see that more are crawling and walking out of the woods, their large mouths dripping drool all over as they see their prey.
I hear a whine and twist my head to my right and see them surrounding Pa and Jacob as they fight them off, Jacob kicks as many as he can away from them while Pa blasts them with his shotgun and breaks their bodies with his strongman punches and kicks, but it isn't enough and they will get overwhelmed.
I look then to my left and see the repeater in the middle of the trail ready to be grabbed, and I also see Mathew scared and whining looking at the open path back home that the creatures haven't yet cut me off from.
I look back down at the dirt as my mind rushes asking myself what do I do?
For it is day and I'm in a nightmare.
[] I need a gun goddamnit! Go for the Repeater and help Pa.
[] I need to get the hell out of here! Go for Matthew and ride off leaving Pa and Jacob to their fates.
[] Stay away from my Pa you bastards! Go full Amazon and charge the creatures attacking Jacob and Pa with your bare hands.
The objective of this little CYOA is for your PC Diana Davis to have a jolly good time 1899 Montana.
Rules are:
- Be Polite.
- Don't be salty, if you all die you will return to the previous chapter and continue from there so don't be to angry if you mess up and die.
- Don't browbeat people into voting your way.
- Ask plenty of questions but ensure they are things that you would ask for using IC knowledge.
Now then let's begin.
It is night and I am awake.
As my consciousness begins to rouse itself I look out at the window and see that the sun has not yet even risen to drown the world in its warmth.
I want to groan and pull my sheets back over my head but I know if I don't get ready father will come barging and start heckling me to get off my keister. Getting up I stand on my tippy toes, raise my arms above my head and give myself a good stretch that makes me sigh in pleasure.
My morning stretch is interrupted as I hear the deep boom of my Pa's voice carry through the house.
"Diana, get up you bedbug! The day just started and you're already wasting it, and days wasted are the devil's wages, and I didn't raise my little girl for eighteen years to work for the devil did I?"
I giggle a little at my father's boisterous attitude in the morning.
"No daddy I'm a good christian girl!"
"Ain't that the truth now hurry your ma left some delicious looking breakfast on your plate and remember what I told you about good food left uneaten?"
"It becomes the devils!"
"Atta girl! Now hurry before that sonabitch Satan spoils breakfast!"
Truly there was never a boring day with him around.
With both my Pa's morning greeting and the mention of my Ma's delicious breakfast I move with a sense of purpose as I put on my work clothes. Once ready I step in front of the mirror to get a look at myself and make sure I'm squared away.
Happy with my appearance I make my way to the kitchen guided by my growling stomach and the smell of hot food.
I hear laughing and giggling as I get there, and once I walk in I see it's my father grabbing mother by her waist as he twirls her around while hugging her. She's protesting very loudly being spun around like a doll but the joy in her voice makes it clear it's all in good fun.
"Drop me you big oaf!"
"Not until you give me my good morning kiss!"
"I gave you one when you woke up!"
"That was my waking up kiss, this is my good morning kiss!"
"Same thing!"
"Nuh uh!"
I roll my eyes and almost decide against breaking their little game, but I'm hungry so I cough to get their attention. Like a shot duck they fall from their little dream world and notice that I'm there. Pa puts down Ma with a big ol' grin on his face while Ma looks down blushing at being caught being tossed around like a little doll.
Which to be fair she practically is, especially when compared to Pa.
"D-Diana I'm sorry you had to see me and your father making fools of our sel-"
"Nonsense my dear! It's good for a child to see their parents still love each other."
"Oh you bear of a man you!"
Ma gets angry at Pa interrupting her but the satisfied smirk on his face makes her nagging look less like the chastising of a wife to her husband and more a cute little mouse ranting at a cat that's playing with its food.
This time I roll my eyes and leave them to their games.
I seat myself at the small table we eat at and say grace for the things I've been given and then dig in while amusing myself observing my parents.
Ma is a beautiful delicate woman that barely stands at 5 feet with soft ivory skin, luscious light red hair, crystal blue eyes and a petite build that she never outgrew making people refer to her more often as Lu Lu rather than her name Laura.
She stands in contrast to Pa's large tall muscular build that makes him tower over most men and makes him comparable to a black bear in height and appearance, being covered in his wild brown hair and the large bushy beard that hides his soft green eyes helps with that, around town they call him Adam the Bear.
I'm a good mix of both:
As I ponder these things I begin carving into the wonderful meal of steak, eggs, toast and milk Ma had made.
Another advantage of my large size is that while most of the girls in town had to watch what they ate lest they lose their figures I could devour all the food I wanted and not gain a pound in fat.
Although I do feel bad for Ma having to slave away at stove all day to feed the bottomless pits that me and Pa are.
Once I was done eating my food I interrupted my parents one more time to tell them thank you for the food and that I would get the products we're gonna take to Mr. Matheson ready.
Going out back I grab the bags of grain, wool and salted meat that were ordered and mount them on our faithful steeds, Mathew and Jacob.
After a good fifteen minutes have passed Pa walks out of the house with our guns over his back and a big grin stretched across his face telling me he got that kiss he was demanding.
He then looks and sees the horses are all saddled up with all the products and, I don't know how, his grin gets even bigger.
"Went ahead and got everything ready without me helping you with anything now did ya?"
"I'm just young is all Pa"
I put my finger to my lips as if I'm thinking about something.
"But I do wonder if with how slow you are doing things lately it tells me I should take over the farm now, don't ya think so too Pa?"
He put on a look of mock shock and horror on his face clutching his chest as if his heart was just pierced.
"The pain! Oh the pain! My sweet little girl calling me old!" Looking at the sky he raises his arms towards it in supplication. "Oh Lord why hast thou abandoned me!"
I try and keep a stern face to try and play the straight woman in this little game but I can't help but crack and giggle at how silly he is!
Which makes him keep going more as he sees me try and fail to contain myself, leading him to continue his melodramatic monologue for a good five minutes, and he would've kept going if Ma hadn't stepped out to scream at him.
"Adam you stop with this tomfoolery and get moving right now! Daylight is burning and things need to get done around this farm before the sun sets, and if I have to slave over a stove to feed your belly you have to have to bring home the bacon!"
Not all that fazed Pa chuckles at Ma's demands and promptly agrees with her.
"Yes my bride! Your wish is my command!"
"Damn right it is, now get moving!"
"At once my Queen!"
Pa then begins walking with a deliberate slowness that just makes Ma's ivory skin burn crimson with rage at his impudence.
Oh Ma you should know by now that's what Pa wants.
Once he reaches me Pa hands me my weapon of choice, a repeating rifle chambered for .44, I already feel safer as I put on the sling that holds it alongside fourteen extra rounds of ammunition.
Pa brought along his trusty double barrelled shotgun, I always questioned why he picked something that only carried two rounds but, he told me the old boomstick doesn't need more than two rounds to kill anything.
We both then get on our horses, me on the young polka dotted Matthew, and Pa on the mean old dark as night Jacob. Once were on and everything we need is secured tight we turn back to our home, say goodbye to Ma and ride off west towards Mr. Matheson's ranch the sun shining bright behind us.
We ride on the trails that were made by the first settlers making their way to Montana fifty years ago for a what feels like a two good hours. As we begin to pass the signs that inform us we're nearing the town of Isula we decide that the horses can slow down to rest. Pa grabs his canteen and begins to drink some water, once he has fill he passes it to me, where I take a swig of it, once we had something to drink, we ride in a comfortable silence that is only interrupted by some rustling in the forest surrounding us that we see are squirrels and birds moving about, well it was until pa decides to talk to me.
"You know when I was your age I was a disappointment."
"Huh?"
"Don't 'huh' me, you heard right."
"But you're so strong and everyone in town admires you!" he snorts at my rebuke. "Strength isn't everything, especially when you use it to be a real bastard like I did."
He then looks forward lost in his thoughts.
"I did some pretty ungodly things when I was a boy, I ran from home and I joined this group. And we-I stole from those weaker than me simply because I could, I killed them in cold blood whenever they fought back, and I mocked them when they didn't. I don't know what I did right to deserve the life I have now.
You and your Ma are the best things to ever happen to me. You both are what made me change. When all the men in town ask how I run this operation with only a daughter and no sons I tell 'em that you're worth a million of their sons and everyday you prove me right. When they ask how I can stand to live with a spitfire like Laura I tell them her fire is what warms my heart in the coldest of nights, and what made me forge myself into a new man."
He then looks at me with a look of absolute seriousness in his eyes, its a look that scares me, as I've never seen it once on his face before.
"I love you Diana, you're the best daughter a man can ask for."
And then like a cold dagger plunging into my back a fear that makes me quake in my seat begins to go through me.
"P-Pa what's going on?"
I see him raise his shotgun with one hand as his cold eyes look around the forest,
"Get your gun Diana there-"
Like lightning it strikes.
From the shadows of the forest a creature jumps at Pa knocking him clean off Jacob, its currently leaning over Pa trying to eat his face off, the only thing holding it back is Pa's shotgun held between them.
But as Pa fights for his life I'm frozen in place unable to so much as breath as I take in its appearance.
It's a hideous thing, shaped like a man, but just wrong, it's limbs are too long to be natural tapering off into long razor sharp nails, Its skin is like old rotting leather grey and mold while being covered in shards of sharp bone, its torso is long and narrow with its ribs perfectly visible like it hasn't ate in weeks, but the worst is it's head an eyeless, faceless mass of meat that opens into a gigantic maw that is filled with razor sharp teeth.
As its teeth get closer to Pa I finally react and pull my Repeater out of its holster and raise it to fire, but Jacob is faster to act than I am as he turns around and kicks the creature in its ribs with all its might sending it flying a good two feet away from Pa giving him room to raise his shotgun and blast it in half.
"You go Pa!" I can't help but be elated and cheer, but it left me unguarded to my surroundings as I feel something knock me off Mathew and throw me into the dirt. Looking up I see it's another monster its drooling maw raised up high ready to plunge down and chew my face off.
This time I react hastily raising my rifle with one hand to shoot it, but the creature sees my move coming and grabs the barrel as it yanks it out of my loose grip and throws it to the side. At that moment a panic goes through me at being left defenseless and although the thing above has no face I can tell its savoring my fear.
But it doesn't last long as its head disappears in an explosion of viscera that is the boom of Pa's shotgun.
"Diana get up and move there's more of them!"
Rolling on my front I see that more are crawling and walking out of the woods, their large mouths dripping drool all over as they see their prey.
I hear a whine and twist my head to my right and see them surrounding Pa and Jacob as they fight them off, Jacob kicks as many as he can away from them while Pa blasts them with his shotgun and breaks their bodies with his strongman punches and kicks, but it isn't enough and they will get overwhelmed.
I look then to my left and see the repeater in the middle of the trail ready to be grabbed, and I also see Mathew scared and whining looking at the open path back home that the creatures haven't yet cut me off from.
I look back down at the dirt as my mind rushes asking myself what do I do?
For it is day and I'm in a nightmare.
[] I need a gun goddamnit! Go for the Repeater and help Pa.
[] I need to get the hell out of here! Go for Matthew and ride off leaving Pa and Jacob to their fates.
[] Stay away from my Pa you bastards! Go full Amazon and charge the creatures attacking Jacob and Pa with your bare hands.
Last edited:
- Location
- St. Petersburg
She towers over most men at 172cm? Must be a town full of really short guys.
[x] Stay away from my Pa you bastards! Go full Amazon and charge the creatures attacking Jacob and Pa with your bare hands.
Let's put our strength to the test. The obvious and the smartest choice would be to pick up the gun (or run away, though
Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
They actually are pretty short, Men a hundred years ago averaged a height of 5'4" she also spends all her time working on the farm so she's built like an actual Amazon making her look and feel even bigger, this makes a lot of the men feel emasculated especially when they see her handle bulls and carry tree logs by herself, just like her daddy.She towers over most men at 172cm? Must be a town full of really short guys.
Also how did you guys like the opening chapter I'm getting a feel for my writing and I want to see what does and does not work.
Last edited:
- Location
- St. Petersburg
The introduction to the family - the entire first part, - was solid. Dad's confession felt a bit out of place - rushed (what prompted this?), and overly dramatic, - exacerbated by an interruption by a third party in the exactly Dramatically Appropriate Moment. I was really tempted to comment 'well, all the death flags are raised, and he isn't topping that farewell speech... might as well part on a high note', and run away.
Normally one would expect to say 'grab your gun, there is something in the bushes' before they confess their undying love. Just in case they don't get to the punchline in time.
Normally one would expect to say 'grab your gun, there is something in the bushes' before they confess their undying love. Just in case they don't get to the punchline in time.
Last edited:
Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
The speech was supposed to be rushed and dramatic since he knew there was something lurking in the forests (he didn't know what exactly but his instincts told him it wasn't friendly) hence why he tells Diana he loves her and to grab her gun at the end as he fears this might be the last chance he gets to talk to her.The introduction to the family - the entire first part, - was solid. Dad's confession felt a bit out of place - rushed (what prompted this?), and overly dramatic, - exacerbated by an interruption by a third party in the exactly Dramatically Appropriate Moment. I was really tempted to comment 'well, all the death flags are raised, and he isn't topping that fairwell speech... might as well part on a high note', and run away.
I was also kinda going for a whiplash kinda thing where it's all fun and games in the beginning and then boom abominations.
Hawkeye
Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
[X] I need a gun goddamnit! Go for the repeater and help Pa.
Pa and Jacob won't make it without my help I have to move now!
Pushing myself off the floor I make a panicked run towards the repeater almost tripping due to my unsteady legs. Once I get to it, I bend over to grab it but my hands are so shaky I can't get a solid grip on it.
I don't want to be here, I just want to close my eyes and act like I'm asleep and then I'll hopefully wake up at home with a hug from Ma and Pa telling me it was all a nightmare.
'I tell 'em that you're worth a million of their sons and every day you prove me right.'
But I can't, I can't give up, not when Pa is counting on me.
Mustering all my courage and will power I overcome my fear and grab the repeater. Sliding into the sling I turn towards the group surrounding Pa and Jacob and I raise the stock unto my shoulder, looking down the sights I focus on calculating how to best gun the monsters down to give Pa the biggest opening to get away.
I see that I need to kill at least 14 of them to give them ample room to move, with 3 of those 14 that need to be taken out right now immediately: Two getting close to Jacob while he's focusing on stomping down a monster that tried to take a bite out of him, and another one crouching down on its knees like a frog about to leap on Pa's back while he's busy reloading.
Resting my cheek on the stock I let the familiar weight and power that comes from holding a gun give me comfort as I concentrate.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Come on Diana this is exactly why Pa taught you how to shoot.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Now!
I open my eyes and lean into the gun putting the bastard about to leap right in my sights and I shoot it.
I feel the explosion of the bullet's ignited gunpowder push the repeater into my shoulder as a portion of Its head is blasted into bloody chunks of meat and teeth that fly away as its body falls backwards.
Push and pull the lever, seeing the brass being ejected from my peripheral, and move on to the two almost touching Jacob with a precision that would have won me a championship and blast them.
The first is hit in its mouth destroying its teeth as the bullet goes out the other side of its head leaving a large exit hole, the second I hit right in the meaty neck sending it to the floor as where it made a repugnant squishy sucking noise as it tried to breathe.
I don't waste any time gunning more of them down, two to the front of Pa go down quickly from shots to their hearts, one to his left gets one to its head and the final round in the gun puts down one that was charging at them.
Seven targets, seven rounds, I need to reload.
Digging the stock into my shoulder, I make my left hand grab the barrel as I roll the rifle to the side letting me see the ejection port as my right hand goes for the rounds in the sling, moving as fast as I can I load them in, push and pull the lover and get back into the proper firing stance.
Just in time to see that a group of ten that were at the front had broken off and were now running towards me. Trying to overwhelm a young lass with numbers, the cowards.
If I were Pa I'd have to run he brought a gun that only shoots two bullets, I didn't.
Shoot, push, pull, and move.
Shoot, push, pull, and move.
Shoot, push, pull, and move.
Those were the only thoughts in my head as I thinned out the herd one by one until only three remained.
I duck a swipe of the long sharp claws aimed at my head by the first to reach me, once underneath I bend my knees and launch myself at him tackling it down on its back.
Standing to my full height I raise my right foot up high and stomp it down as hard as I can heel first into the center of its chest. I hear something crunch and break as the creature starts wheezing and shacking. Looking down I almost spit at it in contempt, but my adrenaline-fueled instincts tell me to move.
Rolling to the side I feel one of them leap over me, landing on my knees I see one of the creatures hunched over its nails digging deep into the dirt of my former position. It then looks back at me, and although it has no eyes, I can feel it give me a glare full of nothing but the most malevolent of hatreds.
It pisses me off.
Right then a screech grates into the air and I remember where I am and I look around fanatically for the final one that attacked me. But I see it on the floor covered in its own blood, spine bent at an odd angle and my father running towards me with Jacob at his side his legs covered in blood up to his knees.
"Diana, you alright?!"
"You were just surrounded by monsters and you're asking about me?"
"If you can sass me that means you're perfectly fine! Quick, where's Mathew?"
I look behind us and see that Mathew has started run off specifically galloping into the forest.
Where all the monsters came from.
Ah hell.
Without him we'll both have to ride Jacob and I doubt the old war horse can carry both me, Pa without hurting himself.
Think Diana, think what do you do?
[] Goddamnit Mathew you just had to go chicken heart on us now of all times! Go after Mathew in the woods.
[] To hell with you Mathew! We don't need you, Jacob will do like he always does and carry us through! *Guaranteed success, but you'll be left with only one old horse that will have to carry you both.*
AN:
I don't want to make this a pure CYOA where you guys don't have any input other than choosing an option, because that might just discourage discussions and lead to only bandwagon votes, so I'm testing something new where occasionally I'll put out options that have a risky chance of succeeding but that you can make better by thinking through and writing a stunt for, it's alright to ask questions especially about IC information.
But do be aware that if you guys really don't like this I'll scrap it entirely and stick to a traditional format so please say what you do and don't like, since your ideas and options will in the long run make things more dynamic for both me as a writer and you as the player.
Pa and Jacob won't make it without my help I have to move now!
Pushing myself off the floor I make a panicked run towards the repeater almost tripping due to my unsteady legs. Once I get to it, I bend over to grab it but my hands are so shaky I can't get a solid grip on it.
I don't want to be here, I just want to close my eyes and act like I'm asleep and then I'll hopefully wake up at home with a hug from Ma and Pa telling me it was all a nightmare.
'I tell 'em that you're worth a million of their sons and every day you prove me right.'
But I can't, I can't give up, not when Pa is counting on me.
Mustering all my courage and will power I overcome my fear and grab the repeater. Sliding into the sling I turn towards the group surrounding Pa and Jacob and I raise the stock unto my shoulder, looking down the sights I focus on calculating how to best gun the monsters down to give Pa the biggest opening to get away.
I see that I need to kill at least 14 of them to give them ample room to move, with 3 of those 14 that need to be taken out right now immediately: Two getting close to Jacob while he's focusing on stomping down a monster that tried to take a bite out of him, and another one crouching down on its knees like a frog about to leap on Pa's back while he's busy reloading.
Resting my cheek on the stock I let the familiar weight and power that comes from holding a gun give me comfort as I concentrate.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Come on Diana this is exactly why Pa taught you how to shoot.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Now!
I open my eyes and lean into the gun putting the bastard about to leap right in my sights and I shoot it.
I feel the explosion of the bullet's ignited gunpowder push the repeater into my shoulder as a portion of Its head is blasted into bloody chunks of meat and teeth that fly away as its body falls backwards.
Push and pull the lever, seeing the brass being ejected from my peripheral, and move on to the two almost touching Jacob with a precision that would have won me a championship and blast them.
The first is hit in its mouth destroying its teeth as the bullet goes out the other side of its head leaving a large exit hole, the second I hit right in the meaty neck sending it to the floor as where it made a repugnant squishy sucking noise as it tried to breathe.
I don't waste any time gunning more of them down, two to the front of Pa go down quickly from shots to their hearts, one to his left gets one to its head and the final round in the gun puts down one that was charging at them.
Seven targets, seven rounds, I need to reload.
Digging the stock into my shoulder, I make my left hand grab the barrel as I roll the rifle to the side letting me see the ejection port as my right hand goes for the rounds in the sling, moving as fast as I can I load them in, push and pull the lover and get back into the proper firing stance.
Just in time to see that a group of ten that were at the front had broken off and were now running towards me. Trying to overwhelm a young lass with numbers, the cowards.
If I were Pa I'd have to run he brought a gun that only shoots two bullets, I didn't.
Shoot, push, pull, and move.
Shoot, push, pull, and move.
Shoot, push, pull, and move.
Those were the only thoughts in my head as I thinned out the herd one by one until only three remained.
I duck a swipe of the long sharp claws aimed at my head by the first to reach me, once underneath I bend my knees and launch myself at him tackling it down on its back.
Standing to my full height I raise my right foot up high and stomp it down as hard as I can heel first into the center of its chest. I hear something crunch and break as the creature starts wheezing and shacking. Looking down I almost spit at it in contempt, but my adrenaline-fueled instincts tell me to move.
Rolling to the side I feel one of them leap over me, landing on my knees I see one of the creatures hunched over its nails digging deep into the dirt of my former position. It then looks back at me, and although it has no eyes, I can feel it give me a glare full of nothing but the most malevolent of hatreds.
It pisses me off.
Right then a screech grates into the air and I remember where I am and I look around fanatically for the final one that attacked me. But I see it on the floor covered in its own blood, spine bent at an odd angle and my father running towards me with Jacob at his side his legs covered in blood up to his knees.
"Diana, you alright?!"
"You were just surrounded by monsters and you're asking about me?"
"If you can sass me that means you're perfectly fine! Quick, where's Mathew?"
I look behind us and see that Mathew has started run off specifically galloping into the forest.
Where all the monsters came from.
Ah hell.
Without him we'll both have to ride Jacob and I doubt the old war horse can carry both me, Pa without hurting himself.
Think Diana, think what do you do?
[] Goddamnit Mathew you just had to go chicken heart on us now of all times! Go after Mathew in the woods.
-How do you do so?
[] Charge in you got seven more bullets and Pa has 16 shells total left on his person. *Guaranteed success but will be left without ammo.*
[] You have your products (the wool, the grains and the meat) that you were going to sell, maybe something there will distract them? *Roll a d2 to determine if this works if it fails you'll be short a horse and ammo.*
[Stunt: Diana and Adam are scared and doped up on adrenaline and they might not make the best choices, you as the reader are much more level-headed think of a way to make this plan succeed, a good answer will make this an automatic success.]
[] You have your products (the wool, the grains and the meat) that you were going to sell, maybe something there will distract them? *Roll a d2 to determine if this works if it fails you'll be short a horse and ammo.*
[Stunt: Diana and Adam are scared and doped up on adrenaline and they might not make the best choices, you as the reader are much more level-headed think of a way to make this plan succeed, a good answer will make this an automatic success.]
[] To hell with you Mathew! We don't need you, Jacob will do like he always does and carry us through! *Guaranteed success, but you'll be left with only one old horse that will have to carry you both.*
AN:
I don't want to make this a pure CYOA where you guys don't have any input other than choosing an option, because that might just discourage discussions and lead to only bandwagon votes, so I'm testing something new where occasionally I'll put out options that have a risky chance of succeeding but that you can make better by thinking through and writing a stunt for, it's alright to ask questions especially about IC information.
But do be aware that if you guys really don't like this I'll scrap it entirely and stick to a traditional format so please say what you do and don't like, since your ideas and options will in the long run make things more dynamic for both me as a writer and you as the player.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
[x] To hell with you Mathew! We don't need you, Jacob will do like he always does and carry us through! *Guaranteed success, but you'll be left with only one old horse that will have to carry you both.*
Nope. I was already thinking about dropping Jacob to distract the monsters while we get our father out of the encirclement and run. Now that it's Mathew, that works just as well. I am not going to risk our necks for the horse.
Nope. I was already thinking about dropping Jacob to distract the monsters while we get our father out of the encirclement and run. Now that it's Mathew, that works just as well. I am not going to risk our necks for the horse.
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Flight
Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
[X] To hell with you Mathew! We don't need you, Jacob will do like he always does and carry us through! *Guaranteed success, but you'll be left with only one old horse that will have to carry you both. *
Seeing Mathew run into the woods I can only think of one thing to do.
Scream.
"To hell with you Mathew you ungrateful horse! We raised you since you were a calf and this is how you repay us!'
I'm an idiot, screaming at a dumb animal that doesn't understand what I'm saying. But I don't care it hurts as I think back to all the adventures we had when we grew up together and I feel tears stream down my face.
He just left us behind when we needed him the most, didn't even think twice about it.
"Go on you yellowbelly run ya hear!"
I want to scream more but I feel Pa's hand grab my shoulder as he spins me around to look at him.
"Diana, I know it hurts but don't begrudge him, he's an animal he's scared and he hasn't been through a tenth of the stuff Jacob's gone through." At that moment Jacob neighs in agreement. "So, stop screaming at him, he's run and we have to do the same right now."
He looks back down the road as more monsters are coming out of the woods, starting to collect into one large mob of gnashing teeth and swinging claws, what's strange is that they aren't moving forward yet they're just standing there, waiting.
It's eerie after how aggressive they were in the beginning.
"What are they doing Pa?"
"Seems to me they've figured out coming at us in small groups won't work so now they're going to trample in one big herd."
"Shit."
"Indeed, that's why we better be on our way before they finish getting their little party together."
He looks at me with that same somber focus in his once warm eyes. "Diana, I need you to be make like steel and harden up for just a bit longer, so no more of this feelings business not until we get outta here, understand?"
I'm beginning to feel insulted.
Hardening up?
Feelings?
Did he just not see me pull his ass out of the fire?
"I just saved you old man I'm already hardened as I need to be! Unless you don't think I got the stones to fight and defend myself!"
As I say this, Pa reaches into his pocket and pull out a set of well-worn brass knuckles, the thing is the color of old bronze with rusty red stains on it that I can only assume to be blood and its huge being able to accommodate Pa's larger than average hands.
He then looks at me with a look of hatred and says one word with more authority in that one moment than anything else I've heard him say throughout my life.
"Duck."
Without thinking twice, I bend my knees and crouch low to the ground.
Then like a bullet his fist flies over my head as he throws a straight that smashes into the chest of a monster that was sneaking up on me. I hear a meaty sound and see blood pour from it as its sent flying a good foot by the iron enhanced might of an angry father.
I don't even need to look back to know it's dead.
As I stand up Pa walks over to Jacob, he reaches into a pouch he has on his side and pulls out a simple and practical tomahawk. It's on a short brown wooden shaft and the axe-head itself was a sharp gleaming steel that reflects an almost blinding light from the sun, that tells me time was spent making sure it was in top condition.
As he grabs it he walks over to me and with shaking hands gives it to me.
"That's why you got to keep your head in the game, if I wasn't watching your back it woulda gotten you." His hands tighten around mine and I feel the rampant fear that courses through him as his body shakes at me nearly dying. "Be more careful Diana please I know you're strong but you've never dealt with somebody or something trying to kill you."
I feel lower than a cockroach for being angry now, he wasn't insulting me, he was trying to advise me.
"I understand Pa."
"Good."
No more needs to be said between us the only thing left to do is leave. We both saddle up on Jacob quick as we can while dropping all the merchandise we had on him. Pa sat on the front shotgun in one hand reigns in the other, I rode on the back grabbing unto him as a with safety and with the tomahawk out and ready to use.
At that moment we hear Mathew start to neigh loudly in what's probably horrible agony.
At hearing him I almost let more tears break out for my best friend but I resolved to stop crying, Pa just stays silent as a grave but Jacob snorts in what feels like the equine equivalent of contempt as if saying 'he got what he deserved'.
Time to go,
But where to?
[] Let's finish this trip, the town is already close by and we can get help! Head towards Isula.
[] Forget the town and to hell with the monsters lets go home! Take the road back.
Seeing Mathew run into the woods I can only think of one thing to do.
Scream.
"To hell with you Mathew you ungrateful horse! We raised you since you were a calf and this is how you repay us!'
I'm an idiot, screaming at a dumb animal that doesn't understand what I'm saying. But I don't care it hurts as I think back to all the adventures we had when we grew up together and I feel tears stream down my face.
He just left us behind when we needed him the most, didn't even think twice about it.
"Go on you yellowbelly run ya hear!"
I want to scream more but I feel Pa's hand grab my shoulder as he spins me around to look at him.
"Diana, I know it hurts but don't begrudge him, he's an animal he's scared and he hasn't been through a tenth of the stuff Jacob's gone through." At that moment Jacob neighs in agreement. "So, stop screaming at him, he's run and we have to do the same right now."
He looks back down the road as more monsters are coming out of the woods, starting to collect into one large mob of gnashing teeth and swinging claws, what's strange is that they aren't moving forward yet they're just standing there, waiting.
It's eerie after how aggressive they were in the beginning.
"What are they doing Pa?"
"Seems to me they've figured out coming at us in small groups won't work so now they're going to trample in one big herd."
"Shit."
"Indeed, that's why we better be on our way before they finish getting their little party together."
He looks at me with that same somber focus in his once warm eyes. "Diana, I need you to be make like steel and harden up for just a bit longer, so no more of this feelings business not until we get outta here, understand?"
I'm beginning to feel insulted.
Hardening up?
Feelings?
Did he just not see me pull his ass out of the fire?
"I just saved you old man I'm already hardened as I need to be! Unless you don't think I got the stones to fight and defend myself!"
As I say this, Pa reaches into his pocket and pull out a set of well-worn brass knuckles, the thing is the color of old bronze with rusty red stains on it that I can only assume to be blood and its huge being able to accommodate Pa's larger than average hands.
He then looks at me with a look of hatred and says one word with more authority in that one moment than anything else I've heard him say throughout my life.
"Duck."
Without thinking twice, I bend my knees and crouch low to the ground.
Then like a bullet his fist flies over my head as he throws a straight that smashes into the chest of a monster that was sneaking up on me. I hear a meaty sound and see blood pour from it as its sent flying a good foot by the iron enhanced might of an angry father.
I don't even need to look back to know it's dead.
As I stand up Pa walks over to Jacob, he reaches into a pouch he has on his side and pulls out a simple and practical tomahawk. It's on a short brown wooden shaft and the axe-head itself was a sharp gleaming steel that reflects an almost blinding light from the sun, that tells me time was spent making sure it was in top condition.
As he grabs it he walks over to me and with shaking hands gives it to me.
"That's why you got to keep your head in the game, if I wasn't watching your back it woulda gotten you." His hands tighten around mine and I feel the rampant fear that courses through him as his body shakes at me nearly dying. "Be more careful Diana please I know you're strong but you've never dealt with somebody or something trying to kill you."
I feel lower than a cockroach for being angry now, he wasn't insulting me, he was trying to advise me.
"I understand Pa."
"Good."
No more needs to be said between us the only thing left to do is leave. We both saddle up on Jacob quick as we can while dropping all the merchandise we had on him. Pa sat on the front shotgun in one hand reigns in the other, I rode on the back grabbing unto him as a with safety and with the tomahawk out and ready to use.
At that moment we hear Mathew start to neigh loudly in what's probably horrible agony.
At hearing him I almost let more tears break out for my best friend but I resolved to stop crying, Pa just stays silent as a grave but Jacob snorts in what feels like the equine equivalent of contempt as if saying 'he got what he deserved'.
Time to go,
But where to?
[] Let's finish this trip, the town is already close by and we can get help! Head towards Isula.
[] Forget the town and to hell with the monsters lets go home! Take the road back.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
[x] Let's finish this trip, the town is already close by and we can get help! Head towards Isula.
At a minimum we might be able to buy the 2nd horse if the town is still standing.
I'd rather try to inform them if they don't know already and organize a response of some kind. Failing that, I'd ride all the way back home and try to get our mom somewhere safe/warn off the locals.
At a minimum we might be able to buy the 2nd horse if the town is still standing.
I'd rather try to inform them if they don't know already and organize a response of some kind. Failing that, I'd ride all the way back home and try to get our mom somewhere safe/warn off the locals.
Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
Do be aware that the monsters are forming up in the middle of the road in the direction of Isula, while the path back home is clean but it's long, desolate and Jacob is old and under a lot of pressure literally. So weigh your risks and benefits.
Also how was this update was it to short to long, or to boring? I don't want to keep them too simple or make them dull.
Flight 2
Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
[x] Let's finish this trip, the town is already close by and we can get help! Head towards Isula.
The monsters are still coming from the woods in droves climbing, leaping, and stumbling to the mass in the center of the road towards Isula, their eyeless faces looking forward as the big suckers they have for mouths start to clamp their teeth against each other recreating the sound of snapping tree bark, all while their long sharp claws twitch as if wanting to reach out and dig into flesh.
I want to turn and go back home to Ma where she'll brew us up some hot chocolate, while me and Pa hug her to keep the monsters away but I know we can't. Jacob won't be able to carry both of us all the way back and if the monsters follow... we'll be dead long before we ever reach home.
We must go through them, no buts or ifs about it.
I grip the tomahawk tight as Pa begins to rally Jacob petting and telling him that he needs his strength now more than ever. His response is to start digging his hooves into the ground and snort loudly.
Pa turned his head to look at me. "Get your swinging arm ready Diana we'll need it in a few." I nod. "I'll cut them down Pa."
As we get ready Jacob begins backing up to get run room.
I grip the tomahawk tight and try to calm down thinking back to the fact this isn't the first time I've had to kill something by swinging an axe. I've butchered cows, pigs and chickens many times in my life, this should be more of the same.
Or at least I would like to think it'd be more of the same… But I can't fool myself.
What I did before was farm work in the safety of my own home.
This, this is different.
This is a fight for survival.
And I'm afraid of dying.
Jacob stops stepping back. "Alright old friend charge on my signal." Pa's voice is low like a whisper as he raises his shotgun forward at the mass of monsters. For a few moments I wait for it us to charge.
The I try and relax for when Pa gives the signal but the tension so great my stomach feels queasy; my hands shake and I can feel my heartbeat pounding in my ears drowning everything.
"Now!" With the suddenness of a lightning bolt that one word is shouted as one with the bark of the shotgun blast. Jacob kicks into gear as the front row of monsters gets knocked down by the fire and fury of the shotgun taking some in the back off balance with the fall of their bodies.
I always knew Jacob was fast but in the names of sweet Mary and Joseph I didn't know he was fast.
We zoom by the landscape so quickly it all looks like a blur, while the wind buffets us so hard it nearly takes my hat off and makes my hair flow out of it like a vermillion cape, it forces me to tighten my already iron grip on Pa as his powerful motions nearly throw me off.
Normally I would be enjoying myself going at speeds like this but this gallop is absolute murder on my thighs, but we can't slow down so I grit my teeth and tough it out.
As we reach the monsters Jacob goes even faster at the last second going for one last speed rush as he leaps over the line of fallen monsters. I feel myself and Pa lift off our seats a little bit as we go arch up high and then come down like a thrown javelin.
When we land it's a painful affair.
Pa and I grunt in as we're slammed back into our seats by gravity, Jacob neighs low as he feels our weight slam into his back, and a monster squeals high to the heavens as it's turned into ground beef by taking our combined weight as an impromptu landing cushion.
Incredibly the creature still lives squealing out its agony to the high heavens.
Ouch.
Jacob puts the creature out of its misery as he slams his forward hoof down on its neck silencing it, then using the momentum of his step to carry us forward, shooting straight ahead with the released force of an arrow right into the center of the horde's center mass.
We're barely slowed down as Jacob's charge is more bull than horse with him knocking down monsters left and right using weight, strength and force of his charging body, while trampling without mercy or hesitation the ones caught underneath his charging body.
But even with all his strength and rage Jacob alone can't completely push through the tide and the monsters begin to close ranks and surround us, their long sharp claws thrusted out ready to impale and snip pieces of our flesh.
Thankfully he's not alone.
While Pa twirls the shotgun to grab it barrel first, I quickly raise the tomahawk up high behind me and slam it down with all my strength unto head of the nearest monster.
The tomahawk's blade cuts through its body like fresh butter with its bones snapping like thin twigs, veins are sliced and release great splashes of blood that soak my axe and arm in scarlet. The blade's momentum dies halfway down the monster's torso, leaving it stuck, leaving me to drag it along the floor with Jacob's run.
Ignoring how the blood starts to seep into my skin, I jerk my arm hard pulling out the tomahawk from the nearly bisected carcass. I see another one gets close reaching for Pa's flank while he's distracted beating back the monsters with his gun's sturdy stock.
Like flowing water, I smoothly twist my body and swing my axe at its arm. The only the resistance I feel to tell me that I cut more than air is the snap of crunching bone as I sever the monster's arm.
I don't let myself get distracted and immediately attack my next target. Aiming right at its neck I throw my swing sideways letting Jacob's momentum help boost it to the point that as it cuts through the air it releases a low whistle that's only interrupted by the sound of flesh meeting steel.
And another monster drops dead, a stump where it's head was.
But there's no time to rest.
From the corner of my eye I see one coming from my right side, I make sure he doesn't get to come any closer. With the speed of a viper I bare my weapon and snap its fang of steel into its body sending it flying away in a shower of gore.
But there's another taking his place, and another, and another and another.
With a scream on my lips, with my father's strength and my mother's old Irish fury coursing through my blood I swing, swing, swing and swing.
I sever limbs and heads, destroy bodies and break bones and I chop, chop, chop them like flesh firewood.
But there's more, more, and more of them.
Always another taking their place, and another, and another and another.
My ears are constantly assaulted by the large pulsing orchestra of intestines being popped of bones breaking and the creatures screaming as one. The blood and viscera of the carnage soaking Pa, Jacob and Me soaking us down to the bone like a bath from Satan himself.
It drives me mad.
I stop seeing things as my vision goes red.
I stop hearing things as my screams and the pulse of my heartbeat drown it all out.
I stop thinking because all I can think is Cut. Them. Down.
Slicing through them I make sure none reach Jacob, Pa or Me. Not once do I feel tired or fatigued or even distracted. It's like watching somebody else move my body for me. I move, I attack, I kill but I don't feel like the one doing it. All I do, all I focus on is swinging the tomahawk with all the speed and power I have.
Because there's always another taking their place, and another, and another and another.
Until it all breaks.
Pa and I shoot through the air as Jacob drops down to the floor neighing in agony. Pa grunts in pain as he lands flat on his back and I hiss as I fall hard on my right shoulder. But I get up quick with my tomahawk in hand.
I do a quick scan around me making to see if we were surrounded. There are no monsters with Pa and Me.
But that's because they aren't focused on us.
Jacob is down at the edge of the herd a severed clawed arm through one of his legs, that was the most likely cause for the fall, not able to stand anymore.
The monsters surround him ready to rip apart his body piece by bloody piece, their claws are twitching and their maws drool at the succulent flesh before them.
The old warhorse sounds defiant as he is attacked but it changes nothing.
Jacob is dead, his heart may still beat and his spirit may be strong but he is a goner.
Tears stream down my face as I can only do one thing.
I raise my repeating rifle, I breath deep and I pull the tri- "No." Like a vice Pa's words stop me. "Jacob is my steed." I look to the side and see Pa aiming his shotgun right at Jacob, his eye is focused looking down the sights and glistening with his own unshed tears. "Thank you, old friend." Pa's final words to Jacob are punctuated with the boom of gunpowder and the silencing of Jacob's defiance.
"You were the best damn horse a man could ask for." A few tears begin to run down Pa's face as the he begins to slightly tremble. Pa flinches away from looking forward, as he straps the shotgun on his back and grabs his brass knuckles in the most somber mood I've ever seen him in. We then hear flesh ripping and suckling as the monsters devour Jacob's corpse.
My vision starts to go red again. How dare they! Jacob deserves better than dying as food for monsters! He should've lived his days out at the farm, running in the planes and making a couple foals for us to raise! He should've been home! We should've taken care of him!
I'll kill them all! I'll gun the basta- Pa's hand pushes my rifle barrel up, breaking my aim "Don't Diana." His teary eyes looked into my own as he shakes his head gently. "If you start shooting now you'll interrupt their feeding and Jacob's death will have been all for nothing." Even with a broken heart and tears of sorrow I can't disagree. My mouth feels so dry and my voice feels so low as I speak. "Yes Pa."
With some newfound difficulty as my shoulder hits me with a dull ache that pulses with my heartbeat, I holster my rifle and tomahawk.
Moving as fast as we can Pa and I get away from the monsters in hopes of finishing the homestretch towards Isula before the monsters finished their meal.
But as we ran it starts to feel like a veil is coming off my perception. My muscles ache, the throbbing in my shoulder is nearly unbearable and I'm starting to feel lightheaded.
I feel dead on my feet.
I look at Pa and I's bodies closely and take notice of the fact that not all the blood on our clothes belongs to the monsters.
There's dozens and dozens of small cuts on both of us, not at all life threatening on their own, but with them being dirty, unbandaged and us running as hard as we're at a real risk of not making it.
Goddamnit!
I'm sorry Ma. We might die anyway and I took the Lord's name in vain.
"Pa is there a doctor in Isula? We could use some patching up." "Yes, there shou-"
Pa doesn't get to finish his sentence as the great sulfur and gunpowder roar of an explosion washes over us making us stop. Looking up at the horizon we see black smoke, and our proximity lets us hear the staccato of gunfire.
All coming from the town's general direction.
Goddamnit!
[] Well there's plenty of gunfire, so that means plenty of people with guns to fight the monsters and maybe a doc! Go straight through the town's main entrance and make your presence known to whoever is there.
[] Ma always told me and Pa that fools always rush along head first right into trouble. Ma's a smart woman. Go up the hike trails nearby to the mountainside and get a look at the town.
[] Well the town isn't safe, me and Pa are about to bleed out or get an infection, guess Mother Nature is our best option. Go into the forests and see if you can find herbs to try and clean your wounds.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
AN:
Fuck Work.
The monsters are still coming from the woods in droves climbing, leaping, and stumbling to the mass in the center of the road towards Isula, their eyeless faces looking forward as the big suckers they have for mouths start to clamp their teeth against each other recreating the sound of snapping tree bark, all while their long sharp claws twitch as if wanting to reach out and dig into flesh.
I want to turn and go back home to Ma where she'll brew us up some hot chocolate, while me and Pa hug her to keep the monsters away but I know we can't. Jacob won't be able to carry both of us all the way back and if the monsters follow... we'll be dead long before we ever reach home.
We must go through them, no buts or ifs about it.
I grip the tomahawk tight as Pa begins to rally Jacob petting and telling him that he needs his strength now more than ever. His response is to start digging his hooves into the ground and snort loudly.
Pa turned his head to look at me. "Get your swinging arm ready Diana we'll need it in a few." I nod. "I'll cut them down Pa."
As we get ready Jacob begins backing up to get run room.
I grip the tomahawk tight and try to calm down thinking back to the fact this isn't the first time I've had to kill something by swinging an axe. I've butchered cows, pigs and chickens many times in my life, this should be more of the same.
Or at least I would like to think it'd be more of the same… But I can't fool myself.
What I did before was farm work in the safety of my own home.
This, this is different.
This is a fight for survival.
And I'm afraid of dying.
Jacob stops stepping back. "Alright old friend charge on my signal." Pa's voice is low like a whisper as he raises his shotgun forward at the mass of monsters. For a few moments I wait for it us to charge.
The I try and relax for when Pa gives the signal but the tension so great my stomach feels queasy; my hands shake and I can feel my heartbeat pounding in my ears drowning everything.
"Now!" With the suddenness of a lightning bolt that one word is shouted as one with the bark of the shotgun blast. Jacob kicks into gear as the front row of monsters gets knocked down by the fire and fury of the shotgun taking some in the back off balance with the fall of their bodies.
I always knew Jacob was fast but in the names of sweet Mary and Joseph I didn't know he was fast.
We zoom by the landscape so quickly it all looks like a blur, while the wind buffets us so hard it nearly takes my hat off and makes my hair flow out of it like a vermillion cape, it forces me to tighten my already iron grip on Pa as his powerful motions nearly throw me off.
Normally I would be enjoying myself going at speeds like this but this gallop is absolute murder on my thighs, but we can't slow down so I grit my teeth and tough it out.
As we reach the monsters Jacob goes even faster at the last second going for one last speed rush as he leaps over the line of fallen monsters. I feel myself and Pa lift off our seats a little bit as we go arch up high and then come down like a thrown javelin.
When we land it's a painful affair.
Pa and I grunt in as we're slammed back into our seats by gravity, Jacob neighs low as he feels our weight slam into his back, and a monster squeals high to the heavens as it's turned into ground beef by taking our combined weight as an impromptu landing cushion.
Incredibly the creature still lives squealing out its agony to the high heavens.
Ouch.
Jacob puts the creature out of its misery as he slams his forward hoof down on its neck silencing it, then using the momentum of his step to carry us forward, shooting straight ahead with the released force of an arrow right into the center of the horde's center mass.
We're barely slowed down as Jacob's charge is more bull than horse with him knocking down monsters left and right using weight, strength and force of his charging body, while trampling without mercy or hesitation the ones caught underneath his charging body.
But even with all his strength and rage Jacob alone can't completely push through the tide and the monsters begin to close ranks and surround us, their long sharp claws thrusted out ready to impale and snip pieces of our flesh.
Thankfully he's not alone.
While Pa twirls the shotgun to grab it barrel first, I quickly raise the tomahawk up high behind me and slam it down with all my strength unto head of the nearest monster.
The tomahawk's blade cuts through its body like fresh butter with its bones snapping like thin twigs, veins are sliced and release great splashes of blood that soak my axe and arm in scarlet. The blade's momentum dies halfway down the monster's torso, leaving it stuck, leaving me to drag it along the floor with Jacob's run.
Ignoring how the blood starts to seep into my skin, I jerk my arm hard pulling out the tomahawk from the nearly bisected carcass. I see another one gets close reaching for Pa's flank while he's distracted beating back the monsters with his gun's sturdy stock.
Like flowing water, I smoothly twist my body and swing my axe at its arm. The only the resistance I feel to tell me that I cut more than air is the snap of crunching bone as I sever the monster's arm.
I don't let myself get distracted and immediately attack my next target. Aiming right at its neck I throw my swing sideways letting Jacob's momentum help boost it to the point that as it cuts through the air it releases a low whistle that's only interrupted by the sound of flesh meeting steel.
And another monster drops dead, a stump where it's head was.
But there's no time to rest.
From the corner of my eye I see one coming from my right side, I make sure he doesn't get to come any closer. With the speed of a viper I bare my weapon and snap its fang of steel into its body sending it flying away in a shower of gore.
But there's another taking his place, and another, and another and another.
With a scream on my lips, with my father's strength and my mother's old Irish fury coursing through my blood I swing, swing, swing and swing.
I sever limbs and heads, destroy bodies and break bones and I chop, chop, chop them like flesh firewood.
But there's more, more, and more of them.
Always another taking their place, and another, and another and another.
My ears are constantly assaulted by the large pulsing orchestra of intestines being popped of bones breaking and the creatures screaming as one. The blood and viscera of the carnage soaking Pa, Jacob and Me soaking us down to the bone like a bath from Satan himself.
It drives me mad.
I stop seeing things as my vision goes red.
I stop hearing things as my screams and the pulse of my heartbeat drown it all out.
I stop thinking because all I can think is Cut. Them. Down.
Slicing through them I make sure none reach Jacob, Pa or Me. Not once do I feel tired or fatigued or even distracted. It's like watching somebody else move my body for me. I move, I attack, I kill but I don't feel like the one doing it. All I do, all I focus on is swinging the tomahawk with all the speed and power I have.
Because there's always another taking their place, and another, and another and another.
Until it all breaks.
Pa and I shoot through the air as Jacob drops down to the floor neighing in agony. Pa grunts in pain as he lands flat on his back and I hiss as I fall hard on my right shoulder. But I get up quick with my tomahawk in hand.
I do a quick scan around me making to see if we were surrounded. There are no monsters with Pa and Me.
But that's because they aren't focused on us.
Jacob is down at the edge of the herd a severed clawed arm through one of his legs, that was the most likely cause for the fall, not able to stand anymore.
The monsters surround him ready to rip apart his body piece by bloody piece, their claws are twitching and their maws drool at the succulent flesh before them.
The old warhorse sounds defiant as he is attacked but it changes nothing.
Jacob is dead, his heart may still beat and his spirit may be strong but he is a goner.
Tears stream down my face as I can only do one thing.
I raise my repeating rifle, I breath deep and I pull the tri- "No." Like a vice Pa's words stop me. "Jacob is my steed." I look to the side and see Pa aiming his shotgun right at Jacob, his eye is focused looking down the sights and glistening with his own unshed tears. "Thank you, old friend." Pa's final words to Jacob are punctuated with the boom of gunpowder and the silencing of Jacob's defiance.
"You were the best damn horse a man could ask for." A few tears begin to run down Pa's face as the he begins to slightly tremble. Pa flinches away from looking forward, as he straps the shotgun on his back and grabs his brass knuckles in the most somber mood I've ever seen him in. We then hear flesh ripping and suckling as the monsters devour Jacob's corpse.
My vision starts to go red again. How dare they! Jacob deserves better than dying as food for monsters! He should've lived his days out at the farm, running in the planes and making a couple foals for us to raise! He should've been home! We should've taken care of him!
I'll kill them all! I'll gun the basta- Pa's hand pushes my rifle barrel up, breaking my aim "Don't Diana." His teary eyes looked into my own as he shakes his head gently. "If you start shooting now you'll interrupt their feeding and Jacob's death will have been all for nothing." Even with a broken heart and tears of sorrow I can't disagree. My mouth feels so dry and my voice feels so low as I speak. "Yes Pa."
With some newfound difficulty as my shoulder hits me with a dull ache that pulses with my heartbeat, I holster my rifle and tomahawk.
Moving as fast as we can Pa and I get away from the monsters in hopes of finishing the homestretch towards Isula before the monsters finished their meal.
But as we ran it starts to feel like a veil is coming off my perception. My muscles ache, the throbbing in my shoulder is nearly unbearable and I'm starting to feel lightheaded.
I feel dead on my feet.
I look at Pa and I's bodies closely and take notice of the fact that not all the blood on our clothes belongs to the monsters.
There's dozens and dozens of small cuts on both of us, not at all life threatening on their own, but with them being dirty, unbandaged and us running as hard as we're at a real risk of not making it.
Goddamnit!
I'm sorry Ma. We might die anyway and I took the Lord's name in vain.
"Pa is there a doctor in Isula? We could use some patching up." "Yes, there shou-"
Pa doesn't get to finish his sentence as the great sulfur and gunpowder roar of an explosion washes over us making us stop. Looking up at the horizon we see black smoke, and our proximity lets us hear the staccato of gunfire.
All coming from the town's general direction.
Goddamnit!
[] Well there's plenty of gunfire, so that means plenty of people with guns to fight the monsters and maybe a doc! Go straight through the town's main entrance and make your presence known to whoever is there.
[] Ma always told me and Pa that fools always rush along head first right into trouble. Ma's a smart woman. Go up the hike trails nearby to the mountainside and get a look at the town.
[] Well the town isn't safe, me and Pa are about to bleed out or get an infection, guess Mother Nature is our best option. Go into the forests and see if you can find herbs to try and clean your wounds.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
AN:
Fuck Work.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
This scene struck out to me. A galloping horse landing on a creature with its hind legs wouldn't have the room to step on its skull. Probably? If it landed on its skull, the creature wouldn't have time to cry out. Working that mechanics out in my head pulled me out of the scene for a couple of seconds.
Not sure what to say. I care much less about combat, and more about where the story is going. Nothing seemed out of place, and the simultaneously freneric and motonously mechanical nature of the fight made for an interesting contrast, but this encounter probably isn't consequental enough to last for four updates straight...
[x] Ma always told me and Pa that fools always rush along head first right into trouble. Ma's a smart woman. Go up the hike trails nearby to the mountainside and get a look at the town.
Who knows what's happening there? Maybe they have their own zombie apocalypse, and it'd be safer to sneak in for whatever we may need inside?
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Heresy
My Brother’s Keeper
- Location
- nowhere everywhere
Actually these scenes were important if only because they determined how wounded you would get how many resources like ammo and the horses you would have to continue onwards.
I'll say it straight up that you guys have been decent so far in that you haven't chosen anything that would get you straight up killed but you could've actually saved ammo and kept both of the horses.
If you had kept both horses you could've ridden through the herd injury and going home would've been a viable action.
Also if you don't mind me asking what do you find interesting about the fight scene's writing and if there was anything you liked/disliked.
Edit:
In retrospect I shouldn't have removed the part mentioning that the creature's chest is what takes the landing, front hoof first. Interrupted flow or not.
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