Lonesome Roads

Long ago the countries of the world argued and argued for years until finally the world was torn apart by a vicious war. In the end, the earth was consumed in the fire of nuclear Armageddon. Nearly wiped out, humanity survived in small amounts only thanks to special bunkers beneath the earths surface designed to protect from nuclear threats and allow them to continue life until it was safe to return to the surface.

Now 200 years after the war humanity has been back on top for nearly 120 years. The cities of old have been left in ruin and the nature of the world scorched into an unrecognizable blackness. Many communities have formed together to try and recreate the old world, but things are no longer the same. Even 200 years vegetation is difficult to grow, and clean water is scarce. Not to mention the dangers outside the metal gates of their makeshift cities.

The nuclear fallout left behind after the blasts horribly mutated all who survived outside the bunkers, and the surface is plagued by new species of deformed monsters that bare eerie resemblance to humans and animals. Also many humans have fallen to their dark instincts and become vicious tribal raiders and slavers, who hunt down the innocent, stealing, killing and raping all in their path in their quest to survive at all costs. Yes the world remains a dangerous place even now, and few dare roam the lonesome roads of the forgotten world. And those who do were rarely seen again:
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Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Personality:
Main weapon:
Background:
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Name: Martin Randalls
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Appearance: Mid length black hair, dark brown eyes, scruffy beard and mustache, old weathered face with a scar beneath his right eye. Wears a long black leather jacket and a dark beaten cowboy hat.
Personality: Distant, cold, depressive.
Main weapon: Hunting Rifle
Background: Grew up in the small town of Antalus where he worked as a gurad. Seven years ago the town was attacked by raiders and the only survivors were himself and a young girl named Trucy. He now suffers from survivors guilt and continues living only for Trucy whom he vows to protect to atone for his failures. The two travel across the country together toward the West Coast where tales claim it is safe from mutants and raiders under the control of a new government.

Name: Trucy
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Appearance: Short brown hair that frames her face, light blue eyes. Wears a faded blue cloak and a hat.
Personality: Upbeat, quick thinking, naive.
Main weapon: Switchblade
Background: A young girl from Antalus whose parents were killed when she was eight. She survived by hiding under the body of her dead father and the next day was found by Martin. Despite his cold nature she is very fond of him and refers to him as her papa.

Yes I have two characters this time what are you gonna do about it >_>
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Trucy kicked at the head of the man lying on the floor before her. When he didn't react and she was sure he was dead she bent down and began to go through his pockets. There wasn't much, the lone psychos didn't tend to have much, a few usable bullets (Martin had taught her to identify the good ones from the ones that were likely to fail) and some packets of cigarettes that could probably used to barter with when they reached the next city.

From behind her she heard a creaking sound on the floorboards. She spun around waving her switchblade into the air. It was just Martin. "You alright kiddo?"
"It's okay Papa, this guy was a rookie." she giggled. He moved to the nearby window and looked out into the streets below.
"It's clear. We outta get moving before the mutants get a smell of this guy and come to feed."
She nodded and followed him out onto the remains of the fire escape and lowered herself into his arms. This is how life had been for her for the last few years, travelling through the old cities, fighting for survival, never staying in one place for too long. It was tough, but Martin told her one day they'd find a safe place to call home. He took one more look into the street ahead and they dashed out into the open. The journey continued, and the battle raged on.

Name: Beatrice (She is back!)
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Appearance: (Pfft already forgot her?) Black hair in twin ponytails,dark green eyes,a red and black stripped dress with brown boots.
Personality: Nice,way too innocent,has a bi polar disorder,caring.
Main weapon: Axe
Background: Her grandparents which raisd her die which left her all alone.Soon after words she found the two twin boys who she started to take care off as her little perverted brothers.

Name: Aiden
Age: 12
Gender: Male
Appearance: Dark blond hair,light blue eyes,wears a white shirt with black pants,black jaket and a red cap.
Personality: Pervy,hot head,likes to joke around but can be very serious,flirty
Main weapon: handgun
Background: He and his brother Ethan are very close and after the explosion lost half of there memory,after getting found by Beatrice they started to travel together sometimes hitting on the innocent girl and making sexual remarks.Which caused the girl to blush.

Name: Ethan
Age: 12
Gender: Male
Appearance: Dark blond hair,light blue eyes,wears a white shirt with black pants,black jaket and a dark blue cap.
Personality: Perverted,like his brother loves to make jokes,a lot calmer then his brother and has a secret love for cute things.
Main weapon: a sword he found in a museum O_O
Background: Same story but with diferent names.

I have three *lick lolipop*
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"Boys,I understand you are small...but can we please go.."The girl was trying to make the two wild twins get out of the womens laundry shop "Don't be like that"Ethan said with a smirk"We might find some very usefull stuff here" Aiden added as he kept looking through diferent sizes of women bras.Beatrice just blush more "B-But..this is a girl shop" This caused the boys to laugh.

As the sun set on the ruins of the city Martin heard voices whispering nearby. He crouched down and focused all his energy into hearing them. There was two, maybe three voices (Two sounded similar but with a couple of odd distinctions that he couldn't be sure of) and they were young. That didn't necessarily mean it was safe though. Slavers were notorious for using children in traps. "Trucy, take my rifle and cover me I'm going to check this out." She nodded silently and took the gun. The two split and Martin walked crouching along the street until he reached what looked like an old laundry shop. He looked over the edge of the window and identified a pair of young boys and a young girl. He breathed in heavily. He looked across the street and saw Trucy had taken position in the window of the second floor. All three children were facing away from the window, they could easily slip past if they wanted but Martin had to be sure. He couldn't just walk away knowing these kids could be slaves.

He stood up and walked into the laundry shop with his arms raised and palms out forward. A universal gesture of peace. He spoke out in his deep booming voice "I mean you no harm. I only want to talk."

Beatrice turnd around and grabd Aiden hand gun and pointed at the man "Why should we belive you?" "THAT'S MINE!"Aiden shouted with Ethan covering his motuh "shh...Beatrice don't shoot him.Who are you old man?"Ethan asked with a curious angry face.

"My name is Martin Randalls. And I'm a traveler... just like you." The moment the girl had pointed the gun at him he was sure they weren't slave kids being used as bait. The slavers wouldn't dare give a slave a gun, even an unloaded one just incase they found some bullets. He waved his hand in a gesture of greeting. He saw sure these kids were okay now but he couldn't just leave now and so kept up the conversation. "Look at me, I have no weapon drawn and my hands are high in the sky. Even if I had a concealed weapon I wouldn't have time to grab it before you shot me. So let's just keep things civil okay?"

As soon as he had waved Trucy knew it was all clear. She had quickly sprung from her position and made her way back down the building and into the street. She kept the gun slung across her back to be sure they didn't see her as a threat. Holding her hands up as Martin had taught her to do when approaching people who were safe she crept in behind him. She quickly spoke up and chirped "Hello my name is Trucy, lovely to meet you!" when she saw the girl she smiled a big smile. She hadn't seen another girl in over a month, not since they left the village of Shoyo.

Beatrice was on guard he wanted to trust him but they could be lying."Wel...we.."Ethand seemd more curious than angry "Well,they seem the people who can be trusted.""Until they backstab you."Aiden added he didn't like the guy the girl thought nice ass.Beatrice thought for a secound then putted down her wepong."M...My name is Beatrice and this are..my brothers Ethan and Aiden.."she seemd a little shy.Aiden still had his 'I don't trust them look'which he stared at Martin.

Martin lowered his hands to his sides but kept them visible. Having spent most of his life as a guard he knew the procedures for keeping strangers calm and showing he meant no hostility. Though he preferred to avoid people in general it was against his nature to simply leave these kids alone now. Kids had died in Antalus because he hadn't been able to defend them. Was this common courtesy or guilt? He didn't even know any more. Trucy reached into her "hand bag" (It was really just a satchel but she insisted on calling it after seeing one on an old billboard) and took out some bars of chocolate and spoke up in her upbeat voice "Hey are you guys hungry we got plenty of snacks!"

"T-Thank you but we already ate.."Beatrice didn't seem to be very comfortable"I want a snack."Ethan said making his voice look innocent.Aiden still didn't want to talk to those two.

Trucy walked slowly (Papa always told her not to excite things in situations like this) toward the boy and handed him a candy bar. She smiled and touched his hand as she gave it to him to appear nice. She thought the boy looked kinda cute. Papa warned her that most men out in the wastes would hurt her and do bad things to her but he was so young he couldn't be like that could he? She looked into his eyes for a moment and then walked back behind Martin.

"Like I said, I don't want any trouble. There's enough to worry about with raiders, slavers and mutants no use for good folks like ourselves to be tearing each other apart too." Martin said in a very neutral tone. Acting nice might work for Trucy but for him it might come off as suspicious. "Now me and my daughter Trucy are making our way to Mesa City to stay there for a little while and we just wanted to know if you'd be heading in the same direction."

Beatrice noded.Ethan just ate the chocolat bar "B." "No,C"Aiden added . Beatrice clearly understood what they ment "Please you two,not now."Ethan just kept eating "Fine still a B" Aiden grabd the remaining piece of the chocolat "You mentC" he bited the chocolat.Poor Beatrice was holding from crying as those two according to her were emberacing.

Trucy cocked her head to the side in curiosity over the boys discussion. Martin ignored it and continued on "Well if we're all going that way then it would probably be best we go together. Safety in numbers right?" He turned his head out the window as he heard a strange scratching noise in the distance. Probably "Scavengers". Scavengers were the nickname for a breed of mutants that seemed like skinny grey humans with elongated limbs. They were fast creatures that hunted in packs and were capable of scaling walls with their claw like nails.
"So if you'd like to come with us to Mesa then we'd be glad to have the company." Trucy wandered over to an old cart of laundry and started to pick through it. "Hey look bras just like in that old magazine I found! I wonder what size I am?" Martin just sighed at this.

Beatrice giggled.Ethan and Aiden just spoke up "We can help!We just need to touch them to confront your size." strange things those twins speaking in one voice..

Martin sighed again. Trucy was a clever kid but she got distracted too easily. He could teach her how to kill and protect herself but he doubted his abilities as a father. He heard those scratching sounds again closer now. The Scavengers were coming out to play. He snapped his fingers and Trucy looked back to him again "We're not safe here. The suns gonna go down in a few hours so we should probably get moving if we want to get out of this place before it gets too late." Trucy gave a little mock salute of understanding and quickly shoved the bras into her bag for later. "You three kids are free to come with us if you want. I'd prefer you did but I can understand if you don't want to trust us."

"Alright."Beatrice grabbed her bag which she found not to long ago.Aiden and Ethan followd them.Even though Aiden kept mumbling something under his mouth.

Trucy exclaimed "Yay! I hardly ever get to meet other kids while we're travelling!" unable to keep down her enthusiasm she ran up and hugged Beatrice. Martin pulled a small electronic box from his pocket which had the words "Navtech" painted on the bottom in faded white paint. It was a gift he'd been given as a child by a man he remembered only by the name of "The Missionary". He had come to Antalus telling tales of the West Coast where civilisation bloomed and freedom reigned. Many disregarded him as a madman but Martin has been mystified by the stories. And now all these years later he was going to make sure Trucy got there. Even if it meant his own life.

He clicked a button on the Navtech and the map screen flickered into life. He didn't quite understand how it worked (The Missionary had told him it operated using something called statellites) and it wasn't completely accurate after the destruction of the war but he could use it well enough to get around. "By the sound of things the scavengers are somewhere north of here. That's right in the direction we need to get going so we'll have to make a detour." He consulted the map and found a marker nearby that looked useful. "You kids ever been through the metro tunnels before?"

Ethan said "Those tunnels are filled with slave trades,so since were not slaves what do you think?" Aiden just put a thumbs up."L-Let's not fight.We need to go...right?"

"There's alot of potentially dangerous things down in those tunnels but I'd take almost any of them over Scavengers. At least a slaver will tell you to freeze and show him your hands. Scavs'll just jump on your back and tear your neck open with their teeth. " Martin sprinted toward the end of the street where he found the staircase headed down into the tunnel system. It was partially blocked by rubble but with a little leverage he managed to kick through and knock out a space large enough to be climbed through. He went through first having to shift himself slightly at the end to get his torso through.

Trucy passed his gun through and then turned back to the others and said "Hey, don't look so worried. Papa would never let any harm come to me and I'm sure he'll look after you too." She gave the best reassuring smile she could and then crawled through.

Beatrice blinkd.Aiden said "How long do I have to wait?" "I'm sorry Aiden just one moment.Ethan will go first."Ethan went down."Now you can go." next went Ethan folowd by Beatrice."It sure is dark in here..Ethan you might want to" before she could finish the sentence the boy was allready shivering while hugging her leg "close.."Aiden just rolled his eyes.

Martin sighed. One kid was hard enough, four might tear him apart. But he couldn't just leave them here. He tapped on the torch he had attached to the end of the rifle. It flickered a little but then held. He'd have to try and trade for some new batteries in Mesa. "These tunnels are in most of the old cities. They used to be part of some kind of transport system but obviously nothing runs down here anymore." They walked slowly checking every corner as they went through the abandonded station until they reached the tracks. "This line should take us in the direction we want. The exit should come out right near the city borders."

Ethan was still scared."It will be ok Ethan..ummm Aiden don't go infront.."Aiden ignord the girl and went infront off the old man"Pshh...I'm not letting an old geezer take the way."the boy was very determend to be the leader but his hate towards adults was also shown.

"Hey watch it kid you're blocking my line of fire!" Martin yelled as he lowered his rifle just in case. Trucy spoke up and said "Hey hey let's keep calm everyone we only just met lets not get into a fight!" Martin wished he could share her enthusiasm but this was already looking like it wouldn't end well. He decided to try his best and get on the kids good side. "Fine you can lead the way but try not to rush into any danger alright?" The tracks only went one direction except for the small maintenance entrances so no harm should come of letting the kid play leader for awhile.

Aiden with his chin up started to walk forward like a soldier."I'm so sorry about Aiden.He is really nice."Beatrice said in a quiet voice.Ethan was stil lscared of the dark so she kept holding his shoulder so he woden't be too scard that he would pee his pants.

"Awww poor little boy!" Trucy said as she grabbed Ethan and hugged him holding her head in her chest. Martin raised his rifle higher try and get a better view with the flashlight and found he couldn't see Aiden any more. He yelled out "Hey kid where are you slow down!"

"You better fasten up old man!"Aiden yelled"AIDEN WAIT!!" Ethan shouted still scared."I'm n-"the boy stopped talking when he saw some figurs ahead of him."Aiden!Get back here!"Beatrice yelling got Aiden back to reality and he came back "Keep your voice down.Someone is ahed of us."

"Dammit. That's the station up ahead they must be camped out there whoever they are." Martin whispered. "We don't stand a chance against that many men..." Ever resourceful Trucy looked around and spotted a nearby entrance to the maintenance tunnels. "Papa maybe we can go through there safely?"
"...it'll take us back up on the surface with the scavs.... but looks like we don't have much of a choice. Aiden you wanna be leader here's your shot, lead the others up to the surface I'll take up the rear position."