pocalypz

[pocalypz]

a   lone   wolf   howls   to   the   moon   every   night   in   hopes   of   finding   home   in   a   pack   .   blonde   reflects   on   a   time   where   she’d   be   laying   in   some   rundown   gas   station   ,   staring   at   the   moon   with   an   arm   behind   her   head   and   no   end   in   sight   when   it   came   to   a   final   destination   .   she   remembered   the   loneliness   of   it   all   before   novac   ,   how   suffocating   that   silence   could   be   .   here   ,   at   work   ,   the   night   was   rather   quiet   but   there   were   signs   of   life   everywhere   in   the   desolation   that   once   was   .   to   say   she   was   grateful   for   laz’s   company   would   be   a   severe   understatement   ,   and   one   she’d   never   vocalize   to   anyone   .   ❛   yeah   ,   i   was   getting   worried   that   your   life   became   too   busy   for   us   little   people   over   here   .   ❜   tayla’s   jest   comes   naturally   as   she   finds   herself   in   sync   beside   laz   ,   smile   barely   even   noticeable   in   the   dim   lights   novac   had   so   graciously   provided   .   it   was   a   miracle   they   even   had   electricity   .   ❛   well   ,   you   see   all   the   gross   stuff   before   we   have   to   ,   so   i   can’t   really   blame   you   .   i   can’t   remember   the   last   time   i   was   excited   for   a   meal   around   here   .   ❜   with   her   schedule   ,   it   was   rare   for   tayla   to   even   join   the   others   when   people   ate   .   instead   ,   she   saved   her   food   for   her   shift   and   picked   at   it   over   the   course   of   eight   hours   before   it   ran   cold   .   she   never   wasted   it   ,   but   she   was   bad   at   timing   and   incredible   at   distractions   .   ❛   any   updates   ,   though   ?   my   life   is   lacking   drama   ,   laz   ,   so   you   have   to   be   that   entertainment   for   me   .   ❜

tayla was a face he felt like he hadn't seen since last week. he had been caught up in his own life to catch up on the people that he usually likes seeing "sure thing," he says before instinctively putting his hands in his pockets that were all calloused and overworked from the day before and leading his way down the hallway. he had started to enjoy his late evening walks with tayla if he was going to be quite honest. he knew that something was thrown out of whack when he hadn't seen her. "sorry 'bout last week, by the way, i didn't think it's been that long not seein' ya until today." he says smiling sheepishly at her. tayla was always one of those rare people who got to see laz with other than just anger; he also wasn't quite sure how they had gotten to that point by now but she had been around long enough that laz had shockingly enough gotten used to her. "i feel like if that happens, we should catch up with a meal, but half the time i don't even want to eat the food after preparing it. it's weird ever since I've been here i feel like i've been more vegetarian." he says in a spooky voice again; never really thinking that he would get to that point by now after growing up his father was adamant about having a piece of meat with every meal. oh how times have changed since then.

[pocalypz]

all   nights   seemed   rough   nowadays   .   not   only   did   tayla   find   every   night   becoming   longer   and   longer   ,   but   the   days   seemed   no   better   .   heat   was   hard   to   avoid   in   their   current   state   ,   which   made   sleeping   even   harder   to   do   with   the   sun   out   .   graveyard   shift   was   her   own   choice   ,   that   much   was   true   ,   but   it   didn’t   mean   it   was   the   best   .   ❛   see   ,   i   always   look   my   best   .   ❜   blonde   comments   absently   ,   head   tilting   a   bit   as   he   approached   .   laz   was   one   of   the   few   people   tayla   actually   liked   hanging   out   with   ,   not   that   she’d   ever   really   admit   it   .   the   offer   hangs   in   the   air   for   a   second   longer   as   tayla’s   gaze   shifts   from   him   to   the   door   .   these   were   vacant   hours   ,   with   little   activity   expected   ,   if   any   at   all   .   ❛   yeah   ,   please   .   if   i   don’t   ,   i   might   knock   out   soon   .   ❜   standing   up   ,   the   femme   pushed   her   book   forward   onto   the   desk   before   using   her   heel   to   kick   the   chair   in   a   bit   .   ❛   lead   the   way   ?   ❜

laz found himself walking back to his room rather later than usual. he was tired and it showed in the rims of his eyes. perhaps he hasn't been sleeping well and with the darkness surrounding them from the night it seemed ever more evident that there was something going on with laz. "you could say that." he says to the familiar voice. tayla. he's seen her a lot quite frequently these days as he sits down on the desk slouching against the wall. he wasn't ready to be isolated to his room yet. sometimes he wondered if it would be better if he had roommates, but laz did really like his alone time after work. "you don't look any better either, by the way." he adds with a teasing smirk on his lips. "you need to do a round around the building, or whatever? i can join you."

[pocalypz]

if   there’s   one   certainty   left   in   this   life   ,   it   was   that   tayla   would   be   damned   if   she   lost   the   last   remaining   person   that   she’d   channeled   all   of   her   care   into   .   brought   together   by   unusual   circumstances   ,   the   two   were   mirror   images   of   each   other   .   for   that   ,   tayla   was   still   grateful   .   a   night   off   meant   boredom   was   inevitable   ,   which   was   something   to   be   avoided   in   order   to   keep   her   sanity   in   check   ,   and   so   she   seeks   out   alex   .   it’s   not   hard   to   find   her   ,   tayla’s   approach   nothing   short   of   cautious   with   a   hint   of   a   smile   tugging   at   her   lips   .   ❛   oh   ,   never   .   ❜   reply   comes   lightly   as   she   sits   beside   alex   ,   arms   extending   to   wrap   around   her   own   legs   as   tayla’s   gaze   wandered   for   a   few   moments   .   ❛   i   think   we   could   all   use   an   upgrade   .   i’m   pretty   sure   those   springs   are   leaving   knots   in   my   back   .   ❜

𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓    ⸻   just outside their room with tayla quinney ( @pocalypz )

nights are the worst for alex ( she knows she is not alone in that reality ) and she's long past fighting her inability to sleep for long. at first, she tossed and turned, negotiating with her own mind for some semblance of rest. now, she just give up when it's obvious she's going to lose the fight. she doesn't really know how long she's been out, legs crossed and just looking at the calm surroundings ( if she didn't know any better, she'd say the world has finally known peace ). "can't sleep either?" words spoken after hearing the familiar footsteps of her older sister and looking up to meet her. "i guess i'm past blaming the mattresses when it's been this long, huh." it's an attempt at a joke, trying not to ask her sister if she's just here to check on her as the first thing out of her mouth.

[pocalypz]

daybreak   is   her   favorite   .   she   yearns   to   be   awake   when   the   sun   yawns   ,   stretches   over   novac   with   a   warmth   not   offered   elsewhere   across   the   country   .   ana   can’t   pinpoint   the   moment   she   began   dreading   the   night   ,   a   time   often   spent   alone   in   a   bed   that   would   never   be   shared   again   if   she   could   help   it   .   even   ten   years   later   ,   she   still   spoke   to   ghosts   .   they   brought   comfort   to   her   ,   allowed   her   to   live   in   delusion   for   just   a   few   moments   a   day   .   it’s   this   kind   of   dissociation   that’s   broken   when   fletcher   breaks   the   silence   .   trained   gaze   moves   ,   doesn’t   allow   such   a   falter   in   features   ,   and   rests   on   him   momentarily   before   they   return   to   the   darkness   .   always   ready   ,   always   waiting   .   was   she   searching   for   infected   or   the   return   of   people   that   died   long   ago   ?   hope   was   a   fickle   thing   .   ❛   i   think   you   would   have   made   it   big   as   a   comedian   if   the   world   didn’t   fall   apart   ,   fletch   .   ❜   though   her   tone   lacked   any   true   entertainment   to   it   ,   ana’s   smile   is   flashed   only   briefly   .   ❛   or   they   thought   you   needed   more   help   .   ❜

── the barracks , fletcher & ana !

fletcher was incapable of showing affection or, at least, that was what he told himself. there certainly wasn't a soft spot, buried beneath layers of ice, a near parental protection towards the other guard that seemed destined to end up on his patrols. each evening, sidling up to the chainlink fences, he would search for her, check the boards and the darkness ahead. the rookie. "they're putting you on the late shifts now, hm? god, what became of this town's defences." an almost imperceptible twitch of the corner of his lip told ana that he was joking. just. "they must be desperate." @pocalypz

[pocalypz]

& . closed for @memoryaway ( dealer's choice )

heat   is   not   remorseful   .   ana   found   this   out   the   hard   way   –   through   fatigue   and   staggered   steps   upon   leaving   her   post   .   the   sun   had   been   brutal   that   day   ,   drawing   sweat   from   the   femme’s   pores   during   every   second   and   becoming   even   more   sweltering   upon   reaching   midday   .   maybe   she   hadn’t   even   realized   she’d   been   dehydrated   until   halfway   back   to   her   room   .   the   shade   beneath   a   dying   tree   entices   her   ,   beckons   her   forward   until   she’s   sitting   with   her   head   back   against   the   bark   .   darkness   is   cooler   ,   more   forgiving   .   deep   breath   in   ,   deep   breath   out   .   then   she’s   met   with   a   visitor   and   ana   doesn’t   bother   opening   her   eyes   to   see   who   it   is   .   ❛   seat’s   taken   .   ❜   through   chapped   lips   ,   this   falls   ,   and   one   hand   lifts   to   allow   the   back   of   it   a   quick   swipe   across   her   forehead   .

[pocalypz]

& . closed for @cfdebris ( laz )

the   dead   of   night   was   always   her   favorite   .   most   people   found   silence   to   be   unsettling   in   a   world   like   theirs   ,   afraid   moaning   and   groaning   would   pierce   through   the   air   with   an   inevitable   clicking   to   follow   .   not   tayla   .   novac   eased   her   mind   ,   gave   her   a   sense   of   peace   she   hadn’t   found   in   the   years   prior   ,   and   maybe   she   was   getting   too   comfortable   now   .   the   blonde   leaned   back   in   her   chair   each   night   ,   head   against   ripped   cushion   as   her   eyes   scanned   the   words   of   authors   she   now   knew   by   heart   .   this   entertainment   was   minimal   ,   but   it   was   enough   .   upon   hearing   someone   approach   ,   eyes   lift   from   the   page   and   she   has   to   lift   her   body   ever   so   slightly   to   peer   over   the   desk   .   familiar   faces   weren’t   uncommon   ,   but   there   were   some   she’d   play   favorites   towards   .   ❛   rough   night   ?   ❜   well   ,   this   would   hold   her   over   for   at   least   an   hour   .

[pocalypz]

& . closed for @hurtstobecome ( dealer's choice )

the   shade   ,   in   any   shape   or   form   ,   feels   GODLIKE   when   it’s   a   scorcher   .   tayla   was   fortunate   enough   to   be   able   to   spend   most   of   her   days   indoors   ,   sleeping   away   whatever   threat   nature   held   against   them   during   the   day   while   only   coming   out   to   do   whatever   she   needed   to   at   night   .   this   was   a   rare   day   off   ,   by   choice   ,   and   the   blonde   could   only   curse   herself   every   other   minute   for   allowing   herself   to   go   outside   for   more   than   five   seconds   .   shoulders   roll   a   bit   as   she   finds   a   seat   beneath   a   makeshift   roof   ,   palms   rubbing   together   to   rid   them   of   any   excess   dirt   .   she   was   not   built   for   this   life   ,   but   she’d   make   do   with   what   she   was   given   .   ❛   god   ,   it   feels   like   hell   out   here   .   ❜   femme   murmurs   ,   suddenly   regretful   of   the   fact   that   she   never   paid   sunscreen   any   further   attention   after   the   world   broke   down   .   it   was   the   little   things   ,   wasn’t   it   ?

[pocalypz]

& . closed for @bludhound !

novac   seemed   to   be   a   graveyard   of   her   past   lives   .   many   people   she’d   run   into   over   the   years   had   appeared   out   of   nowhere   ,   making   tayla   believe   this   might   have   been   her   own   personal   hell   .   maybe   she   died   years   ago   ,   to   the   infected   like   she   should   have   from   the   start   .   maybe   this   was   her   punishment   for   all   the   lies   that   slid   through   her   lips   .   either   way   ,   tayla   wasn’t   a   fan   of   having   to   face   the   consequences   of   her   actions   .   she   sits   ,   still   as   a   statue   with   a   book   in   her   lap   while   she   remained   lazed   back   in   her   chair   .   it’s   when   mina’s   figure   wanders   in   that   the   blonde   tears   her   gaze   from   the   words   on   the   page   to   the   only   other   person   she’d   seen   in   the   last   hour   .   expression   doesn’t   change   ,   stoic   nature   failing   to   falter   now   as   chin   lifts   in   acknowledgment   of   her   company   .      ❛   have   a   good   night   .   ❜   tone   rests   nothing   short   of   sour   ,   unsure   if   mina   was   headed   towards   a   room   or   away   from   the   desk   .   tayla   didn’t   care   all   too   much   either   way   .

[pocalypz]

shift   starts   in   a   few   hours   ,   leaves   the   blonde   bored   upon   waking   up   .   no   ,   it’s   not   morning   ,   but   that’s   what   working   the   graveyard   shift   would   do   to   a   person   .   there’s   a   sense   of   normalcy   that   comes   with   sitting   by   the   pool   ,   even   with   it   empty   and   lacking   a   reflection   to   gaze   dreamily   into   ,   and   it’s   something   tayla   craves   more   than   anything   else   .   quick   glance   to   the   side   enables   the   grasp   of   the   other’s   gaze   for   a   brief   moment   .   smile   remains   hidden   as   she   sits   a   good   distance   away   ,   legs   kicked   over   the   edge   of   the   pool   as   heels   kicked   dry   concrete   quietly   .   ❛   must   have   been   a   bad   song   to   have   you   reacting   that   way   .   ❜   tayla’s   jest   comes   with   good   intentions   ,   palms   scraping   the   ground   a   bit   as   her   shoulders   rose   .   ❛   i   didn’t   mean   to   scare   you   .   ❜

location: behind the motel

⸻⸻ 𝙠𝙖𝙞𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙣 the edge of the empty pool, mashing the buttons on their ipod shuffle, brows knitted and face slowly morphing with increased frustation. ‘ for fuck's sake! ’ she exclaims, yanking out her earphones and tossing the offending device to the side. it's only then that she realizes she's not alone, and whips her head around in surprise. ‘ sorry — i didn't — i ... sorry, ’ they mumble, because all they do these days is apologize.

[pocalypz]

⟨     # p̲o̲c̲a̲l̲y̲p̲z̲     ⟩      a  dependent  multimuse  associated  with  @𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚃𝙷𝚀  .   infected  by  𝒉𝒂𝒛𝒚  ,  she / her  ,  est  .

›      tayla  quinney  ,  twenty6  ,  she / her      *     intro  . ›      ana  souza  ,  thirty6  ,  she / her      *     intro  .

[pocalypz]

𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗔   𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗔   +   she  /  her   ,   cis   woman   .   ⸻   i   saw   𝒂𝒏𝒂   𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒛𝒂   coming   through   the   trees   .   the   𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢 - 𝚜𝚒𝚡   ( 𝟹𝟼 )   𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛   𝚘𝚕𝚍   was   fleeing   from   𝙒𝙃𝙀𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙉𝙂   ,   𝙒𝙀𝙎𝙏   𝙑𝙄𝙍𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙄𝘼   when   they   came   across   n̲o̲v̲a̲c̲   ,   and   have  sought   salvation   within   the   motel   of   purgatory   .   tayla   has   been   in   town   for   𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞   𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬   and   has   been   assigned   as   a   𝙶𝚄𝙰𝚁𝙳   to   keep   society   running   smoothly   .  no   matter   what   ,   they   will   find   something   to   fight   for   .

STATS .

full   name      ana   souza   . nickname(s)      n / a   . age      thirty - six   (   36   ) gender   identity      cis   woman   ,   she   /   her   . orientation      bisexual   biromantic   . place   of   birth      wheeling   ,   west   virginia   . date   of   birth      06   /   07   . current   occupation      guard     (   sniper   specialty   )  . faceclaim      melissa   barrera   .

BACKGROUND .

ana   was   born   and   raised   in   wheeling   ,   west   virginia   .   her   family   was   quite   large   –   two   older   brothers   with   two   younger   sisters   and   a   set   of   parents   that   did   everything   they   could   to   keep   food   on   the   table   .   they   weren’t   rich   ,   by   any   means   ,   but   they   had   enough   to   get   by   on   a   daily   basis   .   they   were   also   a   very   outdoorsy   family   and   loved   to   go   camping   about   three   times   a   year   .   

ana   was   ever   the   reckless   child   ,   often   times   able   to   get   away   with   anything   by   being   the   oldest   daughter   yet   also   the   middle   sibling   at   the   same   time   .   she   never   felt   the   need   to   take   care   of   her   siblings   ,   mostly   because   that   was   her   eldest   brother’s   job   ,   and   she   was   quite   close   with   her   two   sisters   .   they   did   everything   as   a   family   ,   from   vacations   to   outings   ,   and   you   never   saw   any   of   them   on   their   own   .   

she   was   also   never   the   smartest   in   school   ,   but   ana   took   a   liking   to   soccer   quite   early   on   in   her   childhood   .   she   was   athletic   by   nature   and   worked   hard   to   eventually   become   the   captain   of   her   high   school’s   team   as   a   sophomore   .   she   was   an   attacker   with   potential   to   be   scouted   into   some   of   the   most   prestige   schools   outside   of   west   virginia   .   she   never   wanted   to   leave   home   ,   though   ,   and   turned   down   any   scholarships   because   she   thought   she’d   find   a   local   job   one   day   .   she   figured   she’d   be   in   wheeling   forever   ,   never   allowed   herself   the   chance   to   really   leave   because   it   meant   leaving   her   family   .   

upon   reaching   the   end   of   high   school   ,   ana   was   immediately   offered   a   job   as   a   soccer   coach   .   she   took   it   because   it   meant   she   didn’t   have   to   leave   ,   and   they   were   willing   to   provide   a   good   pay   from   the   start   .   she   moved   out   on   her   own   within   a   year   ,   only   two   minutes   away   from   her   childhood   home   ,   and   still   saw   her   family   every   week   .   

eventually   ,   ana   fell   in   love   with   a   man   named   dale   and   they   moved   pretty   quickly   in   their   relationship   .   he   proposed   when   she   was   twenty   -   five   and   they   planned   to   marry   a   year   later   in   december   .   the   year   of   the   outbreak   ,   they   were   on   a   trip   to   dolly   sods   ,   in   the   very   backwoods   of   west   virginia   ,   when   everything   went   downhill   .   she   was   on   a   trip   with   dale   ,   her   siblings   ,   and   a   few   close   friends   .   they   planned   to   camp   out   for   a   week   or   so   before   returning   home   to   prepare   fully   for   the   wedding   .   

what   happened   next   was   truly   something   horrific   .   in   the   middle   of   the   night   ,   one   of   ana’s   siblings   began   attacking   the   others   .   everything   happened   quickly   ,   almost   too   much   so   ,   and   ana   didn’t   have   time   to   process   what   was   happening   until   dale   attacked   her   .   it   was   ana’s   first   real   encounter   with   the   infected   ,   and   she   begged   him   to   leave   her   alone   ,   but   he   wasn’t   the   dale   she   knew   anymore   .   she   ran   off   with   one   of   her   older   brothers   ,   the   last   remaining   sibling   of   hers   from   the   violent   attack   that   night   ,   and   they   hid   in   the   woods   for   ages   .   other   campers   showed   up   ,   presumably   already   infected   and   freaking   out   ,   and   they   weren’t   able   to   leave   for   another   day   or   so   .   upon   finding   their   way   back   to   society   ,   ana   realized   that   this   was   a   full   -   on   outbreak   .   she   realized   that   this   wasn’t   just   some   freak   accident   in   the   woods   ,   and   she   realized   she   needed   to   protect   her   older   brother   because   she   had   no   one   else   left   .   her   friends   and   other   siblings   ?   dead   back   in   the   woods   .   dale   ?   dead   back   in   the   woods   .   there   was   no   undoing   that   .

they   retreated   to   a   cabin   they   owned   in   the   appalachian   mountains   .   it   was   used   exclusively   for   camping   trips   and   served   as   a   “   trail   angel   ”   type   of   home   for   hikers   .   it   housed   an   array   of   weapons   ,   just   in   case   of   emergencies   ,   and   their   cellar   was   full   of   canned   food   .   they   weren’t   doomsday   preppers   by   any   means   ,   but   it   was   just   in   case   .   and   they   thanked   god   for   it   to   have   remained   untouched   by   the   time   they   got   there   .   ana   then   spent   the   next   five   years   there   ,   avoiding   being   drawn   to   quarantine   zones   controlled   by   people   she   didn’t   know   or   trust   .   she   trained   every   day   ,   ran   and   kept   her   athleticism   in   check   because   she’d   be   damned   if   one   of   the   infected   ever   caught   her   off   guard   .   

she   only   left   the   mountains   when   her   brother   went   out   on   a   run   and   never   returned   .   they’d   been   running   low   on   food   and   other   resources   for   a   while   ,   and   her   survivability   wasn’t   great   on   her   own   .   so   she   left   .   she   gave   him   a   month   to   return   and   then   left   on   her   own   .   she   crossed   the   country   ,   trying   to   find   somewhere   to   stay   and   failing   miserably   due   to   her   insane   amount   of   trust   issues   that   had   developed   over   the   years   .   she   became   stone   cold   ,   a   fighter   at   heart   ,   and   was   one   of   the   many   who’d   learned   how   to   successfully   fight   off   the   infected   .   

she   stumbled   upon   novac   when   it   was   first   created   .   it   was   a   small   community   at   that   time   ,   and   still   is   ,   but   she   figured   it   was   a   good   enough   place   to   settle   down   .   she   planned   on   staying   alive   for   a   while   and   she’d   need   the   people   there   if   she   wanted   to   do   so   .   she   offered   her   protection   in   return   .   she   was   one   of   the   most   skilled   long   -   range   shooters   that’d   turned   up   ,   and   she   does   everything   she   can   to   keep   the   people   safe   by   working   as   a   guard  .

[pocalypz]

you haven’t done nothin’ || 1-800-799-7233 (requested by @junkieshepherd)

[pocalypz]

beverlyhillslingerie via Instagram

[pocalypz]

𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗡   𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘   +   she  /  her , cis woman   .   ⸻   i   saw   𝒕𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒂   𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒚   coming   through   the   trees   .   the   𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 - 𝚜𝚒𝚡   ( 𝟸𝟼 )   𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛   𝚘𝚕𝚍   was   fleeing   from   𝙋𝙊𝙍𝙏𝙇𝘼𝙉𝘿   ,   𝙈𝘼𝙄𝙉𝙀   when   they   came   across   n̲o̲v̲a̲c̲   ,   and   have  sought   salvation   within   the   motel   of   purgatory   .   tayla   has   been   in   town   for   𝐭𝐰𝐨   𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬   and   has   been   assigned   as   𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙴𝙻    𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙵𝙵   to   keep   society   running   smoothly   .  no   matter   what   ,   they   will   find   something   to   fight   for   .

STATS .

full   name      tayla   quinney   . nickname(s)      tay   ,   quinn   ,   q   . age      twenty - six   ( 26 ) gender   identity      cis   woman   ,   she   /   her   . orientation      bisexual   biromantic   . place   of   birth      portland   ,   maine   . date   of   birth      09   /   10   . current   occupation      motel    staff     (   graveyard   shift   )  . faceclaim      madelyn   cline   .

BACKGROUND .

from   a   young   age   ,   tayla   was   always   known   as   somewhat   of   a   golden   child   .   she   was   an   only   child   ,   the   daughter   of   two   amazing   parents   who   gave   her   the   world   ever   since   she   entered   it   for   herself   .   they   gave   her   a   house   to   live   in   ,   food   on   the   table   every   night   ,   and   all   a   girl   could   ever   dream   of   as   a   kid   .   money   was   never   an   issue   ,   nor   was   fighting   .   everything   was   perfect   …   until   it   wasn’t   .   

her   parents   divorced   when   tayla   was   thirteen   .   her   mother   had   been   cheating   on   her   father   for   years   up   until   that   point   and   it’d   hit   a   place   of   no   return   .   her   mother   ultimately   chose   to   go   live   life   with   her   other   partner   ,   leaving   tayla   with   her   father   and   a   broken   heart   .   they   picked   up   the   pieces   together   ,   though   ,   and   tayla   pulled   her   weight   around   the   house   to   help   with   whatever   her   dad   needed   her   to   .   it   was   rough   ,   but   it   wasn’t   impossible   to   deal   with   .   

when   she   started   high   school   ,   things   started   to   look   up   again   .   her   freshman   and   sophomore   years   were   relatively   normal   .   she   dated   a   football   player   ,   found   out   she   liked   girls   as   well   after   sleeping   with   a   cheerleader   ,   and   climbed   her   way   through   the   ranks   of   her   classmates   through   popularity   alone   .   she   was   treated   as   a   goddess   among   teens   ,   held   up   on   a   pedestal   because   she   was   social   and   sweet   .   her   grades   were   average   ,   but   her   teachers   loved   her   .   her   sweet   sixteen   was   the   peak   of   her   girlhood   .   she   invited   the   whole   class   to   a   party   down   on   the   rocky   coast   of   maine   .   there   were   boats   ,   laughs   ,   music   ,   and   memories   she’d   never   dare   to   forget   .   she   thought   that   life   couldn’t   get   better   than   that   ,   and   maybe   she   was   right   because   it’d   be   the   last   remnants   of   normalcy   she’d   hold   onto   .   

later   that   month   ,   all   hell   broke   loose   .   she   was   fast   asleep   in   her   room   when   her   dad   came   bursting   through   the   door   .   his   hands   were   covered   in   blood   and   a   shotgun   was   hanging   from   his   shoulder   .   he   shook   tayla   until   she   woke   up   ,   told   her   to   grab   a   few   important   things   ,   and   nearly   dragged   her   outside   to   the   jeep   in   the   driveway   .   tayla   couldn’t   process   the   next   few   moments   ,   to   be   quite   honest   ,   and   she   can’t   recall   vivid   details   or   a   specific   timeline   of   events   .   what   she   does   remember   ,   though   ,   is   gripping   the   door   so   tight   that   her   knuckles   turned   white   ,   crying   more   than   she   did   the   night   her   mother �� chose   another   family   ,   and   the   screams   that   echoed   through   her   hometown   as   they   drove   through   it   .   she   knows   they   left   home   and   ,   somehow   ,   made   it   all   the   way   to   a   lake   house   in   nebraska   that   was   left   to   them   years   prior   in   her   grandmother’s   will   .   they   camped   out   there   for   a   while   ,   stayed   away   from   the   rest   of   society   ,   and   tried   to   keep   their   sanity   as   long   as   humanly   possible   .   

they   survived   for   about   a   year   on   their   own   there   .   they   fished   in   the   lake   ,   kept   the   radio   turned   up   ,   and   generated   their   own   electricity   .   but   this   safe   haven   could   only   last   so   long   before   the   infected   started   showing   up   at   their   doorstep   .   quite   literally   .   her   mother   ,   of   all   people   ,   showed   up   in   a   panic   one   night   and   begged   them   to   let   her   in   .   tayla   and   her   father   were   hesitant   ,   but   ultimately   allowed   her   to   stay   for   just   one   night   .   they   didn’t   know   she’d   just   been   bit   .   by   morning   ,   her   mother   had   attacked   her   father   and   it   forced   tayla   to   flee   yet   again   .   the   only   place   she   knew   how   to   get   back   to   ,   though   ,   was   so   far   up   north   .   so   she   left   again   ,   at   seventeen   ,   and   took   the   jeep   all   the   way   back   up   to   maine   to   return   home   .   the   city   had   been   deserted   ,   stores   broken   into   and   houses   now   vacant   as   she   drove   through   .   people   had   knocked   on   doors   ,   forced   others   out   of   their   homes   ,   and   ransacked   the   entire   city   .   there   was   a   quarantine   zone   that   had   been   (   lazily   )   set   up   ,   but   nobody   seemed   to   be   there   .   tayla   found   her   old   home   ,   a   place   frozen   in   time   after   others   had   stripped   it   clean   of   all   resources   ,   and   she   remained   there   for   as   long   as   she   could   ,   which   was   really   only   a   week   or   so   .

she   moved   between   homes   for   months   after   that   ,   until   she   turned   eighteen   and   figured   it   was   time   to   hit   the   road   .   the   opportunity   to   do   so   came   when   a   boy   her   age   and   his   father   passed   through   the   city   .   tayla   played   them   like   a   violin   ,   pulling   the   innocent   card   and   pitching   a   sob   story   about   how   she   had   no   family   left   .   there   was   truth   to   her   words   ,   but   her   dramatics   came   in   excess   .   they   bought   the   story   ,   though   ,   and   allowed   her   to   travel   with   them   for   a   bit   .   it   lasted   about   a   month   before   she   gained   enough   trust   ,   stole   a   few   cartons   of   gas   ,   pocketed   some   knives   and   other   weapons   ,   and   went   on   her   way   .   she   ditched   them   in   the   middle   of   the   night   and   went   back   home   ,   to   her   jeep   ,   and   left   once   more   .

for   six   years   ,   tayla’s   done   that   exact   same   thing   to   multiple   different   groups   .   some   were   people   on   their   own   ,   some   were   bigger   groups   that   didn’t   see   the   harm   she   could   do   .   she   never   stayed   in   one   place   for   more   than   a   few   months   ,   never   used   her   real   name   .   every   person   knew   a   different   alias   ,   every   city   knew   a   different   story   she   told   ,   and   tayla   was   fine   with   that   being   her   only   way   of   survival   in   such   a   world   .

but   two   years   ago   ,   she   stumbled   across   novac   .   she   intended   on   staying   for   just   a   few   months   ,   just   to   get   her   feet   back   on   the   ground   after   running   low   on   resources   ,   but   then   she   found   a   job   and   actually   settled   in   .   she   doesn’t   like   staying   in   one   place   ,   but   it’s   been   safe   and   that’s   all   tayla   really   needs   at   the   moment   .   her   bags   are   never   unpacked   in   her   room   ,   though   ,   and   she’s   always   got   running   on   her   mind .

[pocalypz]

SARAH CAMERON OUTER BANKS | 3.07 “Happy Anniversary”