As Chad took in the scene around him, breathing heavily, he heard wingbeats sound next to his ear. With a buffeting of feathers and wind, Squawkers landed on his shoulder.
"Geez..." The bird panted alongside him. "Tell you what, let's not do that again."
"Welcome back, buddy." Chad gave him a tired grin and a chin scratch. "You survive ok?"
"Somehow..." He shivered sl...
2024-01-06 06:04:18 +0000 UTC View Post"The beach!"
Serena plastered her face against the car window, her eyes sparkling. Before them lay a long stretch of white sand, sparsely populated with firepits, colorful towels, and umbrellas. Crystalline blue waves tipped with foam lapped against the beach's edge, then receded into the vast ocean stretching into the distance.
Looking at the scene herself, Kaitlyn couldn'...
2024-01-05 17:00:15 +0000 UTC View PostChad wasn't the brightest bulb. He knew that as well as anyone. However, even he could tell that there was something a little wrong with the current situation.
I don't think this is how this skill's supposed to work.
As he directed the truck to continue ramming swaths through the incoming enemy forces amid the rapid gunfire, he briefly pondered whether he was the first huma...
2024-01-05 16:28:21 +0000 UTC View PostSomething whistled through the sky, streaking down towards the defending group of humans.
"Take cover!"
The group on the ground ducked behind the line of vehicles. An instant later, one of the projectiles fired from the ship slammed into the earth ahead of them, shattering into a million pieces and sending up a column of green flame. More followed, peppering the area in a rainbow of...
2024-01-05 16:27:41 +0000 UTC View PostWhen Kaitlyn sent her suggestions along to Philip, she had almost expected him to back out of the whole thing and shut her down. What she hadn't expected was to be invited along for the ride.
She sat in the passenger seat of the dingy blue-grey sedan as it rumbled along. Her eyes felt puffy and thick with sleep as she stifled a yawn unsuccessfully. "Do you always get up this early?"
"How far out are they?"
Squawkers straightened, having mostly recovered from his panicked dive. "I don't know. I don't know how fast they're moving, either. But if they came straight from the city... maybe a few hours?"
Annie took the scope back from Chad to peer at the faraway form. "It's hard to tell... probably as good a guess as any, though."
"What do we do?" Squawkers pre...
2024-01-03 04:07:21 +0000 UTC View PostKaitlyn plopped her backpack onto the common room table, settling into the chair with a sigh.
Dang. Cooking really tired me out last night.
She'd taken to preparing a lot of ingredients in advance for Kate's Kitchen – chopping vegetables, simmering sauces, pre-measuring spice mixes and the like. It meant that her Wednesdays weren't entirely spent getting ready fo...
2024-01-01 17:12:40 +0000 UTC View PostChad's boots kicked up small clouds of dirt as he stepped inside the barn. The space smelled like old hay, musty and slightly sweet, but with an underlying scent of motor oil. The silhouettes of various shapes near the doorway were outlined by sunlight streaming through the door. Without windows to allow light in though, Chad had to squint to make out additional details.
Annie coughed. "I...
2024-01-01 17:11:45 +0000 UTC View PostAfter a quick summary of what Chad knew, the pair parted ways to go about their own business. Evidently, their encounter at the office was a lucky one -- the sheriff had been bouncing all over town to deal with problem after problem nonstop. He'd only been back to enjoy a sorely-needed break and cup of coffee when Chad had interrupted.
With that out of the way, the arm wrestler was free t...
2023-12-31 03:04:33 +0000 UTC View PostDespite the broadcast's ill omen, the night passed without issue. Annie, Chad, Squawkers, and even Jerry switched off, staying awake to keep watch for any trouble. However, nothing of note happened. Chad only heard a few distant howls and squeals during his watch. Excluding the more persistent sounds of yowls and meows from cats both inside and outside the house, of course.
I guess Gr...
2023-12-30 06:30:57 +0000 UTC View PostThe broadcast had made one thing certain -- the situation would get worse before it got better. A lot worse.
The issue of how to protect themselves suddenly became more pressing than anyone had expected. It also made the fast-approaching darkness loom ever more ominously. A number of families decided to spend the night together for protection, especially the ones on the outer edg...
2023-12-29 22:19:41 +0000 UTC View PostThey made their way around the edge of the Bara Ballroom, past a second manned entrance and into the attached hall next to it. There, Kaitlyn found what she was looking for. A rear entrance.
"Here we go." With a smile, she gestured toward the door from across the hall. "See? No one's checking ID's here."
Philip looked at the entrance dubiously. "For good reason. This does not seem t...
2023-12-29 17:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostAfter cleaning up the front yard and getting hosed off yet again -- which still didn't earn Chad a cleaning proficiency somehow -- he and the others headed inside for dinner. Gram Gram had prepared a couple of oversized crockpots of chili for the crowd, complete with freshly baked rolls.
With how many people were crammed in the small house, they had to improvise a bit. People spread out a...
2023-12-29 03:50:45 +0000 UTC View PostEmpty couches circled around a low coffee table to one side of the common room, the last streaks of daylight reflecting off of their shiny vinyl surfaces. At the other side of the room, long tables sat abandoned, their chairs neatly pushed in.
Compared to the common room at Kaitlyn's old college, the one she knew before coming to Hartland, this one was practically a wasteland. The m...
2023-12-27 17:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostThe sound sent Chad bolting outside. "Squawk! Annie!"
"Right!" The pair chorused. Squawkers sped toward the door alongside Chad -- avoiding a lunge from an opportunistic cat along the way -- while Annie darted to the table to retrieve a rifle.
Chad threw the door open, already braced for combat. There, just past the porch steps, he spotted the source of the sound. Nick ran in circle...
2023-12-26 17:49:53 +0000 UTC View Post/// HAPPY NEW YEARRRRRRR!!!!
Also, you may notice some slight differences to the detailed stat breakdown in this chapter! I'll go back and retcon the others when I have a chance, but I think this might help give the numbers a bit more meaning going forward.
///
The sun began its long descent toward the horizon, tracing a long arc through the sky. Its light cast halos of bright...
2023-12-26 03:54:04 +0000 UTC View Post/// HAPPPPYYYYYY NEW YEAR YALLLLLLLLLLL ///
Silence followed Philip's admission. He stood there, still and severe, the glow of the lamps reflecting off of his raven hair. The soft autumn breeze carried a few leaves across the pavement in a swirling dance, their scraping the only sound in the night.
Kaitlyn couldn't help but stare. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said." Phi...
2023-12-25 17:00:59 +0000 UTC View PostAfter heading out to the front porch with Squawkers, on account of it being "better than this damn deathtrap of a house," Chad finally had time to take a look at his level rewards. It was something he'd been meaning to tackle for a while, but hadn't quite gotten the chance to. He still had two skills to select, as well as a trait upgrade and skill upgrade.
As he pulled up his skill select...
2023-12-24 22:20:24 +0000 UTC View PostAnnie sighed and hung her head. "Right. I knew you'd notice that."
"Of course I would, Annie." Chad gritted his teeth in tightly restrained anger. "You were supposed to tell me if anything happened."
"I know! And I swear, nothing did." The masseuse held up her hands in a placating gesture. "The truth is, I have no idea how she got that level. I really don't. We've been together duri...
2023-12-24 22:19:07 +0000 UTC View PostLuckily, they had no issue securing a ride. One of the evacuations was headed up north anyway, so Chad, Jerry, and Squawkers hitched a ride with them. After stowing Ol' Bessie in the back of a truck, of course.
They disembarked at the very edge of the city. Rick helped them unload the bike and their other belongings before offering Chad one more handshake with his left.
"Thank you, ...
2023-12-23 02:00:24 +0000 UTC View Post/// Ack, forgot to give you your chapter yesterday! Thanks for waiting! Enjoy the double post.
(If that ever happens, feel free to nudge me on Discord!) ///
After a bit of trial and error, they managed to get Chad's arm into a rough sling. Despite the constitution he'd put into the appendage, he was still an absolute mess. Each motion felt like it threatened to pull his entire spine...
2023-12-23 01:58:52 +0000 UTC View PostKaitlyn hunched over her laptop, frowning at her laptop screen. Behind her, the familiar backdrop of clicking buttons, tinny sound effects, and the occasional cry of victory or defeat wrapped around her like a comforting blanket. One she definitely didn't mind, given her current predicament.
Why isn't this working?
She peered at her code once again. Everything seemed to be ...
2023-12-22 17:00:11 +0000 UTC View PostBright spotlights shone down from above as Chad stepped onto the stage. The stadium's audience roared, cheering in rabid anticipation for the next match.
He heard the well-dressed announcer call out his name, though it sounded more distant than usual. As though he were calling it out from a few blocks over rather than into the microphone in his hand. Shrugging the strangeness off, Chad ap...
2023-12-20 18:55:33 +0000 UTC View PostThe group stared as a wall of midnight feathers filled the hole. The sound of massive beating wings filled their ears as it soared upward. Chad caught a glimpse of talons the size of scythes as the shape passed. A moment later, it circled back around and gave the group a more complete view of their foe.
It was a Ghoulture, all right. But far bigger than they'd bargained for. Where the oth...
2023-12-20 18:53:40 +0000 UTC View PostChad stood at one end of the long hallway, his posture tense. To his left, Rick and three other men wielding firearms – rifles and Chad's spare shotgun – mirrored his bearing. Behind them, Johnny the Repairman trembled, his gaze flicking to the roof above their heads as though it might crumble at any moment. To be fair, he had good reason to be afraid. The top floor of the ...
2023-12-20 18:53:06 +0000 UTC View PostAfter finishing up in the gym, the pair headed back toward the lobby to find Jerry waiting. He'd settled himself near the corner of the room along with a medium-sized suitcase, a pillow, and what appeared to be a violin case.
Ah. That explains the musician tag.
The well-dressed guy perked up at their approach. "Ah! You're back. I'm glad to see you've found a fresh pair of c...
2023-12-20 18:51:24 +0000 UTC View PostAfter taking a particularly hot shower and bit of asking around, Chad managed to secure himself a hotel keycard. He didn't know what room it was for, but that didn't matter. What did matter were the amenities it unlocked.
Chad headed down the hallway toward the gym with no small amount of anticipation. He had a goal. He needed to know just how strong he was. Between throwing that...
2023-12-20 18:50:37 +0000 UTC View PostAs the woman – Donna, if he'd heard right – stepped forward with arms crossed, Chad took a moment to take a better look at her. She was fairly short, though still managed to somehow look down her nose at him despite craning her neck upward to do it. A forest green blazer and business skirt intensified her already severe features. Thinly penciled eyebrows arched over narrowed eyes as she sca...
2023-12-20 18:49:02 +0000 UTC View PostChad sprinted across the clearing, shooting furtive glances toward the Ghoultures along the way. His distraction had certainly caught their attention. As soon as the rock impacted, all of their heads instantly whipped toward the sound. They took to the skies and swept toward the impact site with alarming speed as a single sheet of inky black.
As he ran, he pulled the rifle from his back a...
2023-12-20 18:43:21 +0000 UTC View PostAs it turned out, they didn't have to worry about drawing attention. After the initial Lobhobber encounter, most of the monsters in this area seemed strangely content to do their own things. That, or they were far less perceptive than Chad gave them credit for.
With Adrenaline Surge on cooldown, Chad felt a bit more exposed as he navigated through the gridlike streets. Luckily, they didn'...
2023-12-20 18:20:16 +0000 UTC View Post