Using the strength he has left to push himself up, Brunskill winces at every move, feeling the sharp, jagged pains increase the harder he fights. Finally able to rest upon his chair, the man takes the moment to catch his breath, glancing out at the sights before the boat as he struggles to take in air. Multiple ribs broken, the pain skyrockets as Brunskill leans in, looking out ahead of the ship to the landmass appearing over the horizon.
“Shit” the man mutters to himself, spinning his chair around and beginning the long journey to the door. Collapsing to his knees, Brunskill drags himself to the paneled divider, using the handle to get himself stood up before using his broken body to rip the exit open, collapsing backwards as he does. Suddenly, the cool summer air begins wafting over his face, the sensation of the sweat dripping from his brow disappearing in one, cold moment. A new rush of adrenaline, Brunskill rolls himself back onto his knees and stumbles out of the cabin, his arms draped over the bannister as he collides with the railing just beyond the doorway. Glancing below, Brunskill watches the ship operate as normal, the events of the past number of days making such a thing feel like an abnormality. With a grunt, Brunskill pulls himself to the stairs, the man throwing himself down the flight almost as soon as he reaches them. Some catching onto the sight and knowing who the man is, a small crowd hurries over to the captain, the man refusing assistance, and instead, offering advice. “Get everyone... you know off this... ship... right now” Brunskill explains, taking one woman by the shoulder and telling her to get her family to safety before the time comes. Brushed away, the crowd leaves Brunskill to his quest, hurrying off to prepare for the worst as the man hurries into the depths of the ship. Continuing deeper into the vessel, Brunskill overhears the sound of fumbling footsteps, forcing himself into cover to avoid detection. Head tilted up in preparation for his final breaths, Brunskill closes his eyes, wincing in pain more while the footsteps grow closer. “We’re gonna find her!” a voice calls out, forcing the captain’s eyes open, the familiar tone easing his tension for the moment. “Lou?” Brunskill calls out, the footsteps coming to a quick stop before hurrying in the man’s direction, his body keeping him from saying much else. Within seconds, Lou races to Brunskill’s side, Lee and Jenn asking how any of this happened. “You need to stop, Matt” Brunskill exclaims, Lou smiling towards the man as he assures him that such business has already been taken care of. Disappointed at what it had to come to, Brunskill lets out a smile of relief, the pain subsiding in the moment he comes to realize that the trauma has come to an end. “Was it quick?” Brunskill asks, the question resonating like rash breaths through worry and suffering. Lifting the man’s blood-soaked white t-shirt, Lou admits that it was anything but. “We locked him in the pit he made” Lou exclaims, “may not have been quick, but it was ironic to say the least.” Sucking in another breath as best as he can, Brunskill looks towards the sky, apologizing to Matt’s spirit for having let it come this far. “You couldn’t have known, Captain” Lou explains, “Matt wasn’t all there… He took things too far, that wasn’t on you.” Letting the breath he took in escape his lungs, Brunskill admits that things don’t get better despite that fact. “I still let it happen… by holing myself up… and letting him run it all… on his own” Brunskill explains, looking Lou in the eyes and making it clear that the truth is that he failed as a captain. His head shaking, Lou informs Brunskill that he refuses to believe such a thing, the look on his face no longer showing attention to the conversation, but rather to the extent of Brunskill’s injuries. “I’m not a doctor by any means, but none of this looks good” Lou admits, eyes travelling down the length of the man’s abdomen, ribcage a dark purple and breaths hard to come by. “Captain, I don’t think this is going to end well” Lou exclaims, his hand letting go of the man’s shirt, moving its way to his side until Brunskill suddenly catches his arm mid-descent. “You can’t put me out just yet” Brunskill explains, desperately keeping Lou from thinking about such a thing, “I still need to hold up my end of the bargain.” Confused, Lou looks at the captain with curious eyes, Brunskill admitting that he told Ally he wanted something done, and he now needed to do it. “There’s only one way to put an end to everything on this ship” Brunskill explains, “and if I’m not gonna make it off this thing, I’ll volunteer to take it down.” Mouth agape, Lou looks towards the captain with confusion, asking the man to explain in more specific detail what he means by such statements. “This boat cannot be allowed to port in Vancouver with all that’s happened” Brunskill explains, forcing himself up by dragging his back along the cold, remorseless metal walls. “You need to get your people off this ship” Brunskill explains, folding Lou’s hand over a key to the lifeboats, “I’ll take care of the guards.” In an act of reverence for the group having delivered such truth to him, Brunskill forces his weight further towards the darkest depths of the ship. “You all need to go now” Brunskill exclaims, nearly vanishing down a staircase as Lou calls back out for him. “Where is everyone else?” Lou asks, Brunskill explaining how to get to the holding cells from their position. “I’ve given them... a leg up, so they might... already be out by now” Brunskill explains, “if so… Well, they’re your people… They’d have some sort of… tricks up their sleeves.” With a blood-covered, missing-teeth smile, Brunskill descends from the view of the trio for the final time, preparing his own grave for the best interest of the ship. “To holding?” Jenn asks, Lou watching the man walk off before turning around and refusing. “Not you… Just me” Lou replies, Jenn and Lee left watching the man as he tells them to get everything else situated for departure. Tossing Lee the key, Lou tells the pair to look out for anyone in the event they had escaped. “I have to do this on my own” Lou explains, “I’m going right from holding to the captain’s nest, meet me there before we line up with Vancouver.” With a deep breath, Lou takes the hallway towards the holding cells before Jenn calls back out, prompting the man to turn around without a second thought. Without the words to adequately describe what she wants to say, Jenn walks up to Lou and pulls him in for a hug, the man responding in kind as Jenn voices her wishes that they will meet again. “I have a hard time thinking this is the last we’ll see of each other” Lou explains, shaking Lee’s hand before going on his way. As the man vanishes around the corner, Jenn and Lee are left in the corridor, the pair glancing towards each other as the focus becomes returning to the main deck. Now on his own, Lou marches onwards with his rebar pipe in tow, eyes narrow as tunnel vision takes over, only one destination in mind, and prepared to make anyone that happens to step in his way a non-issue. = RISE and REVOLT is created by Zachary Serra, all rights to the series from Season 1 onwards belong to Zachary Serra and the entity of Pacer1 Media = “Word is starting to spread about something” Theo exclaims, he and Halston unable to avoid talking about the quickened frenzy of residents suddenly becoming paranoid survivalists. “Whatever’s got them spooked, at least it’s another thing to keep the guards off our backs” Halston explains, taking the course pointed out to her by Theo as more residents continue to scramble out from their rooms with large suitcases in hand. Checking down each hallway as if they were children looking both ways before walking into traffic, Halston and Theo swarm their way into the crowded center of the ship. Suddenly, the few families hurrying by their sides turns into a mob of people all demanding they be allowed to deboard at the next exit. Forced to deal with the mass populous, the guards begin to realize how big the meal on their plates have become, Halston and Theo slipping between the crowd unnoticed as a result. “Why are you doing this?” Halston asks, Theo left confused by the question, the pair continuing to sneak their way through the sea as a few eyes take interest in their adjusted course. “Check those two out, Harris” one of the men stationed at the head of the mob calls out, pointing to the pair of residents sneaking through the center in a casual line. “I think we’ve got eyes on the convicts, Drew” Harris exclaims, his words shooting the eyes of the man on the other end of the radio wide open. “Don’t let them out of your sights!” Drew orders, continuing to look around every corner of the ship in search of Matt. “Matt, we’ve got a horde at the front gates!” Harris responds, “we move an inch and we’ll be taken over by the mob.” Refusing to acknowledge the severity of the situation, Drew downplays the issue, demanding Harris do as ordered or face charges for his inaction. His eyes rolling, Harris severs communication by powering off the radio, hurrying off of his platform and beginning to fight through the angered public in search of the criminal pair. “I think we’ve got one on our tail” Halston calls out, the change in the mob’s attitude suggesting a shift in the guards’ focus. “If we’re on limited time, let’s stir it all up while we can!” Theo exclaims, reaching across the woman and pulling the fire alarm, sending a beacon shooting through the air waves. “I fail to see what that was for” Halston replies, Theo laughing before telling Halston to start practicing situational awareness while she can. “Create a disruption loud enough for the guards not to hear orders on the first command” Theo explains, “it may be a few seconds, but we buy our time making the guards repeat themselves.” With a nod, Halston ducks behind cover upon their destination, Theo taking the crowbar to the floorboards and ripping up the already splintered wood. Glancing in each direction, Halston keeps an eye out on the pair’s behalf, looking out for imminent danger until a different sight captures their eyes. Calling for the man, Halston tells him to hurry his efforts as he finally retrieves the hidden sack of wagers, running after Halston as she takes her chance to march on. “Halston, what are you-” Theo exclaims, chasing after the woman before finally stumbling upon the same sight, calling out those before them. In surprise, Jenn and Lee turn around to find the familiar faces awaiting them, the blonde rushing off from Lee’s side and into Halston’s arms, the tensions of the crowd blocked out in the moment it takes for them to reunite. “What the hell happened after I left?” Jenn asks, Theo cutting the celebration short by reminding the foursome of the limited time they have to work with. Keeping the warm welcomes for another time, the new group rush off into the ship, Harris chasing after the pair from a distance. Before he can uncover the identities of the new pair joining them, Harris eyes the white sack in Theo’s hand, immediately turning his radio back on to announce his findings. “We’ve got the wagers in sight!” Harris exclaims, Drew left on the other end with wide eyes, demanding the entire fleet of guards switch their focus. “Let them all jump off the side of the boat for all I care!” Drew exclaims when reminded of the public, “get that bag even if you have to die for it!” His own intentions changed, Drew hurries away from the pit, a sea of the undead aimlessly roaming on, nowhere to go and no one to attack, the bannister along the viewing platform broken on the east wing. | Head resting against the cold metal bars, Ally awaits her fate to arrive as Terry’s first victim reanimates before her eyes. The figure, metal hinge still protruding from its neck, begins growling as it sits up, noticing Ally’s sickly demeanor and moving after it. It’s teeth clattering together, the undead drags itself to Ally’s cell, the woman staring the monster in the eyes as it presses its jaw between the bars, trying to get its teeth within the closest inch of her. Woozy and partially unaware of where she is anymore, Ally remains slumped against the cell, staring into the eyes of the reanimated corpse, blank lifelessness the only thing hidden behind pearly white pupils. “You’re not so scary” Ally responds to the undead’s efforts, her words slurred like a woman just waking from a drunken stooper as she propels herself forward. “You’re just a big, dumb corpse” Ally says to the monster, still knawing away at the air in hopes of the woman coming closer. “We all die eventually, little guy” Ally exclaims, taking a seat on her knees beside the cell door, staring the corpse in the eyes, “the only difference between you and I is that you died first.” Hands on her knees, Ally continues staring into the undead’s eyes, repeating the last line over and over again as the undead growls louder, the woman holding her face closer and closer to its eyes. “What are you thinking up there, dude?” Ally asks the corpse, her fingers wrapping around the bridge of its nose and holding it closer, “what am I in for?” Leaning in, Ally’s nose comes within an inch of the undead’s teeth, her eyes staring into those of the corpse’s as she begins to flutter in and out of consciousness. “What am I in for?” Ally asks herself, the words aimed at the undead, but the question truly left for the fate she faces to determine. Feet shuffling, Ally refuses to mind the noise, repeating her question as she finally loses her ability to stay awake, falling forward just as the undead’s head welcomes a rebar pipe in its skull. Pulling the corpse away, Lou watches Ally’s head fall into the cell bars, the woman completely unconscious and awaiting her fate to determine what comes next. “Where are the keys?” Lou asks the woman, her eyes flickering open for a moment as she musters the strength to point towards the window behind the man. Desperate, Lou holds his head out of the window, seeing nothing but the cold, Pacific waves awaiting him below. With a sigh, Lou walks back to the undead corpse and rips the metal latch from his neck, slamming the flimsy weapon against the porthole rim and snapping the piece in two. Pulling a few small metal rods from the one deadly weapon, Lou begins inserting them into the lock, one at a time to no avail. “I’m gonna die here” Ally mutters to herself, Lou holding back tears as he rests his hand upon her face. “You’re not gonna die here, honey” Lou explains, Ally’s eyes allowing tears to fall without issue, the droplets hitting the ground whilst the woman smiles. “I found you” Ally whispers, her hands resting on the man’s cheek as he responds in the same, Lou confirming her statements, managing a whimper of “yes, you did” to the woman he is helpless to free. “I did” Ally whimpers back, the pair pressing their foreheads together as they come to accept the truth that stares them in the face, no longer able to deny the unavoidable truth. | Descending further into the madness of the doomed vessel, Elsie, Josie and Terry rush against time, passing the holding cells to see Lou and Ally left sat, patiently awaiting the end. “Holy shit!” Terry exclaims, Lou staring at the man in complete surprise, his friend running into the room and pulling Lou into a bear hug. “bro, how the fuck did you live!?” Terry exclaims, “I thought you were gonna bleed out!” “I have no idea, I just woke up and didn’t ask questions” Lou exclaims, his sadness finally allowed to co-exist with something resembling happiness, finally reunited with those he knows are alright. “What are you guys doing down here, aren’t you getting off the ship?” Lou asks, Terry explaining that while everyone else made it out, they knew they needed to do something drastic. “There’s no way they let us off this boat, and there’s no way we live a few hours in the water” Terry explains, “if we can make a frenzy, our best chance is to blend in with the crowd at the lifeboats.” Glancing between Terry and the two women behind him, Lou begins to notice the device in the pairs hands, glancing back to Terry, who is left nodding, confirming the man’s suspicions. “We’re gonna rip this thing open and bury it out at sea” Terry explains, “there’s no other way off this thing otherwise.” With a deep breath, Lou explains that Brunskill’s preparing something drastic, ultimately supporting the decision to sink the ship. An anxious silence falling over the group, Lou cuts the tension with his version of a hot knife, explaining that the crowd should be used as a distraction. “Jenn and Lee are out looking for the rest of you right now” Lou explains, “they’ve got a key to the captain’s lifeboat… Fully automotive, it’ll take you right to the coast.” Hurrying up to Ally’s cell, Josie tries her hand at picking the lock, Lou admitting that a miracle wouldn’t have been performed regardless of how many hands he had. “Fuck!” Terry exclaims, “I lost the filling we used to pick it up on the main deck!’ Pressing his hand against his head, Terry tells Lou that they may have a chance to force the doors open. “If we get enough force close to the lock, we may be able to force the doors open” Terry exclaims, “go a few floors down, line it up properly and the rest is history.” With a smile, Lou pats the man on the shoulder, telling him that such longshots don’t just happen in the world anymore. “Miracles aren’t gonna save us this time” Lou explains, Terry looking at the man with grief, Lou left to admit to what comes next. “I’m not gonna get Ally out of this one” Lou explains, Terry looking the man in the eyes, “and I’m not letting her go out alone.” Lip quivering, Terry tells the man that something else can be done, ultimately for his suggestion to be shot down, Lou refusing to hold him back any longer. “You get our people off this boat and you get them to safety, okay?” Lou asks, Terry pleading with the man to rethink his decision, Lou refusing to do such a thing. “This is it for me” Lou explains, Elsie and Josie left with little understanding of Lou like Terry does, but ultimately feeling the pain of a man they know to mean so much to many others. “I need you and everyone else to keep fighting” Lou explains, holding Terry’s head up to him, “keep going forward.” Continuing to shake his head, Terry refuses to give up, reminding the man of everything they’ve fought through just to make it here. “Survived two outbreaks at the school, your arm being ripped off, a gang of dipshits and now all of this!” Terry exclaims, “you can’t stand there and tell me that, after all of that, this is how it ends.” With a smile, Lou takes a step back, one step turning into multiple as he backs against the cell door, Ally’s hand taking his into her own. “I’m gonna die today, Terry” Lou explains, “and that’s alright as long as all of you make it out.” His head shaking, Terry is left without words, Lou telling him go on and keep moving forward, Elsie and Josie left hanging their heads, nothing to do other than what they’re told, a hesitant Terry walking towards the door with his head hung. Glancing back, Terry watches Lou slides down against the cell doors to sit beside Ally, the couple, from opposite sides of the cell, giving Terry a smile as the man looks back. With a nod, Terry drops his head again, leaving the pair behind with a broken heart, Lou resting his head against the cell as Ally rests her chin on his shoulder, the pair staring out at the window to enjoy what is to be their final moments. | “Stop right there!” Harris shouts, the crowd he aims his gun at including Jenn, Lee, Halston and a runaway Theo. “Give me the bag and we wont have problems here” Harris shouts, Theo the first of his group to turn around, his eyes staring into the face of the man incredibly interested in the property he holds. “If we’re gonna have problems, you should probably make sure you don’t shoot the wrong person” Theo exclaims, Jenn, Halston and Lee all presenting bags of their own. “From my perspective, if you shoot one of us, you’re left with three more” Theo explains, slowly taking a few steps back, “and if we split into three directions, you’ll have to make the kind of gamble that made these things possible.” Hands shaking as the crowd around the area grows silent, Harris demands the person with the correct bag in their possession suggest so now, events unfolding as suspected with none of the four presenting their hands. “I’m not fucking around right now” Harris explains, pulling the hammer on his weapon back before taking aim at Jenn. “One of you fess up or I’m gonna-” Harris shouts, immediately collapsing before his statement can be finalized as Jules bludgeons him in the top of the skull with a table leg. Ears ringing, Harris’ jaw drops completely, the crowd beginning to yell in horror as the man slinks around, watching Jules reign down the final, fatal blow. Stepping over the man’s corpse, Jules suggests company to be appearing soon, a fleet of guards demanding the group stop almost immediately after the statement is made. “Go!” Jules shouts, the group ducking behind whatever cover they can manage as bullets begin flying, Theo leading the way with the bag in his hand, held high and in sight. Before long, the group reaches the captain’s nest, cornered by the guards as they finally catch up. “You’ve got nowhere to go!” Drew shouts, ready to fire upon the entire group if that’s what it takes, Jenn, Lee and Halston joining Theo at the back of the group, hidden behind a wall of their fellow survivors until Theo talks them down. “If you’re looking for your little bag of bets, they’re in my hand” Theo exclaims, Drew taking one hand off of his weapon and stretching it out, telling Theo to deliver them back to their rightful owner. “Brave of you to take such a stand” Drew exclaims, “now give us back what doesn’t belong to you.” With a smile, Theo corrects the man, explaining that none of this is intended to be an act of bravery. “All of you are deprived and sick, I’m just making sure you don’t target my friends” Theo exclaims, raising his foot up to the bulkhead and lifting himself higher than the rest. “Get down from there, kid! Don’t make shoot you!” Drew shouts, second hand placed back upon the gun as it wavers in the air, one eye closed as the second holds an aim at Theo. “You won’t do that, because then what you want falls overboard with me” Theo exclaims, his second hand holding onto the line as he guides himself upon the bowsprit. “You see, what we’re doing here is taking part in a stalemate” Theo exclaims, “there are only two ways out of this… I think you’re gonna have to figure out which you’d rather take.” Taking it upon himself to play the hero, Theo takes charge the way he had prior to meeting with Lou’s group, using his environment to his advantage and pulling all others into his territory. “You’re either gonna shoot me, kill me and lose everything” Theo explains, “or you’re gonna do as I say and hope that I keep my word when I say I’ll give you all of these back.” Biting into his lip, Drew tells Theo to stop playing games and start treating this with the severity that it requires. “Oh, trust me… I’m doing everything that I need to!” Theo exclaims, stepping farther out on the bowsprit before declaring his first order of business. “First thing you’re gonna do is order your men to stand down and leave” Theo explains, a smile coming over Drew’s face as the man becomes helpless to do anything other than laugh. “How is that going to help you in any way?” Drew asks, Theo’s smile fading as his head begins to shake, hair flowing with the wind as he responds. “It’s not” Theo explains, looking over to the group he left aboard the ship, “it’s gonna help them.” Eyes narrowed, Jenn begins to realize with the group what has begun unfolding before them, Theo left on a ledge with nowhere to go but overboard, all in order to give them a chance to live. Hesitant, Drew makes the decision Matt demanded he make, ordering his men down and suggesting they return to the crowd. Unmoved at first, the guards stand with their guns drawn until Drew repeats the command, the loss of Matt becoming more public turning Drew into their leader figure. As told, the men stand down, returning their guns to their hips and slowly walking off, leaving Drew with his gun pointed at a helpless Theo, and an entire group of capable survivors eyeing him down. “I don’t see this ending well for you, so quit while you’re ahead and stop making me mad” Drew exclaims, “I want that bag in my hands right now or I’ll shoot.” His head hung, Theo gives in, slowly walking forward with the bag held out, telling Drew to step onto the bulkhead with his gun by his side. “I’m real glad things could work out this way, Drew” Theo explains, the man before him silently reaching out for the bag as quickly as possible, “I almost thought they were gonna be longer.” “Who?” Drew asks, his question more or less for show, not paying much attention to the man’s words until he pulls the bag back into his chest. “Did you think this was the whole plan?” Theo asks, Drew looking up at him in confusion. Glancing back at the group, Theo signals for the man to do the same, raising the question that never crossed Drew’s mind to ask. “Don’t you remember there being more of us?” Theo asks, Drew glancing back towards Theo in shock. “What are you doing?” Drew asks, Theo tossing the bag to the man without care before staring out at the sea. Suddenly, Theo looks down at Drew, who wraps his hands around the bag in relief whilst staring up at Theo in paranoia. “I bought us time” Theo replies, “I got us a way out.” Within seconds, the ship shakes, a sudden explosion bursting a hole into the ships starboard, the explosion rocking the ship to the side, forcing Theo to hold onto the cables for dear life. “The bag didn’t matter, Drew” Theo explains, Drew looking back at the man in awe and drawing his gun before Theo makes his dying statement, “it was never going to.” Despite a desperation shout to call the man off, Drew fires his weapon at Theo, the man toppling over the cables and falling from the ship, crashing into the cold water with a vicious splash, leaving behind the aftermath. In a frenzy, Drew turns towards the group with his gun raised, demanding they not move as he calls out for the guards. As if he were a beacon in the night, the guards rush to Drew’s aid until a hatch from the stairwell bursts open, revealing the innards of the ship to the surface. Stunned by the sound, Drew leaps back, falling into the awaiting arms of Lee, who holds Drew in a choke hold as the figure having opened said hatch walks onto the deck. A lack of air turning his face purple, Brunskill emerges from the tunnel, Lee looking on in shock until another sound overtakes the surprise. Following after the man, the horde once locked away now ascends to the deck after him, Brunskill firing a gun at the guards as they hurry to close the hatch. Staggering forward in a manner similar to that of the undead behind him, Brunskill stares down Drew, a horrified group of guards left shooting at the horde as it spills into the ship. “Give ‘em to me!” Brunskill shouts with his dying breath, Lee unravelling his arms as Jenn removes the firearm from Drew’s hand, the guard kicked by Lee into the embrace of Brunskill. Nothing more to do other than watch, Lee sees Drew stare at him from within Brunskill’s arms, eyes widened as if to tell Lee that he was responsible for what comes next. Ready for what comes next, Brunskill pulls Drew back in the sleeperhold, yanking the man into the horde and allowing it to tear them both to pieces in a poetic act of murder-suicide. “We’ve gotta go!” Jenn shouts, Halston reminding her that they still have people aboard the ship they have to wait for. All eyes on her, Jenn is presented with the decision of her own, Halston looking at her as if to ask they leave no one else behind. “Then we go after them ourselves!” Jenn shouts, the only key to the captain’s lifeboat in their possession, their ride able to wait for them until matters have been taken care of. As they have become accustomed to, the group rushes into the hostile ship, crowds screaming in horror as the undead are unleashed upon them. In the matter of moments, the halls of the S.S Euronam go from the control of the corrupt to the control of the undead, its current voyage set to be its last. == RISE and REVOLT ==
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