CHAPTER ONE: Jack's Journey: Opening Hours

[Seon]

"If I had a cent for anything alive and not monstrous that I heard today, I would have exactly 4 cents," Jack muttered. "Hell if I know, lady. Things just went to hell suddenly."

[Laraqua]

"What's it like out there?" she asked, flapping one of her hands in that oh so feminine manner. "Is there a lot of blood? Or ... what?"

[Seon]

"There are lots of dogs, dead bodies, bloodtrails, monsters, and monster dogs, if that's what you are asking," Jack said.

[Laraqua]

Ash's eyes widen. "So it's true? Everyone's dead? We're all alone?" She hugs herself, eyes glancing down and to the side. "That's... Oh shit! Oh shit! Shit, shit, shit!" She rises to her feet and glances around nervously. "So we've just got to leave? Just get in a car and drive out of here?"

[Seon]

"If we can find a damn working car around here, that is," Jack muttered. "None of the cars that I tried to...err...reappropriate... so far seemed to be working. Not even a cop car. And then there's the matter of bottomless craters that suddenly appeared all around the town, breaking apart the roads and making some places inaccessible for some reason."

[Laraqua]

"Craters? What? So, we're cut off? We're all alone? There's no one else?" She clutches at her hair. "Oh shit, shit, shit! How the fuck could this have happened?" She starts pacing the cell. "Look, I-I think we need a plan. We can't just wander throughout this town by random. Maybe we should take a boat from the lake? Can we get to the lake?"

[Seon]

"It's possible..." Jack said. "There is a dock close to the bar... there should be boats around there that we could take... Cecilia is waiting at the bar too, so we should pick her up. I don't think she'll leave though."

[Laraqua]

"No? Why? Why not?" Ash eyes widen. "Oh. Oh, I see."

[Seon]

Jack sighed. "By the way, if we want to go back to Annie's bar, the only way I know is infested with monster dogs," he pointed at his bandaged arm. "How good are you with running?"

As he did so, he glanced nervously at the wound on his stomach.

[Laraqua]

"I don't know. Good enough." Ash groaned and fell back against the wall. "I don't know. Do you have a weapon you can give me or something or..." She steps toward him, kicking off her heels. "I'll run better without these ... so long as the roads aren't covered in glass."

[Seon]

Jack dug through the coat until he found his baton, then handed it to her.

[Laraqua]

Ash accepted it nervously, then throws her arms around him. "Thank you, I..."

[Seon]

"There there," Jack said, returning her hug. "I'm sure you'll do alright."

[Laraqua]

When Ash pulls away from him, there are tears in her eyes. "I- Look, I-" She bites her lip. "Never mind. Let's just hurry back. It's not far to the bar... I don't think we should delay any more." She clutches the baton in one hand and heads for the cell room door. "Do you have a spare flashlight? In case it's dark out there?"

[Seon]

"Hmm...if I remember, I dropped one in the Storage when I picked up this clip-on flashlight," Jack said, hurriedly dressing himself. "It's just outside, so we could pick it up on our way out."

Jack pulled out the shotgun from the trenchcoat's pocket. "Alright, let's go."

[Laraqua]

Ash nodded and follows him out into the hallway, baton in hand. The storage room is just as Jack had left it - complete with the flashlight now sitting on the shelf. Ash snatches up the flashlight and looks over to him. "Okay, let's go..."

[Seon]

Jack glided through the hallway along with Ash to the Lobby.

"Last time I came into here, I heard something bad bump into the door," Jack mumbled. "Speaking of which, here," Jack dug through his pockets of the trenchcoat, produced a small map, and handed it to Ash. "It's the map of this town. If you ever get separated, use it to find the Bar. I'll be waiting there for you."

[Laraqua]

Ash looks like she's about to cry. "Oh, okay, sounds good." She shrugs a little and wipes her eyes dry on her forearm. "Let's go."

[Seon]

Jack nodded and moved to the door of the Police Station to see if he could see anything outside...

[Laraqua]

Cracking open the doorway reveals about a dozen feet of foggy sidewalk and the blurred outline of the police car. Jack's radio is still providing that low hum of static that suddenly flares into life as a door behind him, further in the police station, opens and closes. Ash screams.