Black Thursday [Group 9]

[Katie Mae (DELETED 3987)]

The emergency tone sounded on the television bringing Katie running out of the bathroom where she had been brushing her teeth getting ready to leave for her appointment.

‘The severe thunderstorms will be in the area within the hour. Please take shelter as the storms move into the city. High winds, hail, severe lightning and heavy rains will be seen as the storms move through the area. Areas of the city will most likely see some flash flooding. Take shelter as temperatures drop once the storms move out.’

Katie went to the window, looking out at the grey-blue clouds off in the distance making the sky look angry, wanting to unleash it’s fury on the residents of Harper Rock. The wind began to pick up, strong enough to blow anything loose around on the ground. Looking at her watch, she debated cancelling her appointment to see the apartment at Ivy Bluffs but it had been hard enough to get an appointment in the first place. She needed to be out of this place in two weeks or she would have to sign another lease and she wanted in a better area of the city.

She shut the light off in the bathroom and grabbed her backpack, sliding a few snacks and a couple bottles of water inside and as always her gun just in case she was caught out in the storm or was attacked by a one of those bloody fangers. Going to the window Katie looked out at the sky as lightening streaked across it and groaned. Katie had always been afraid of storms and this night was no different. Winter thunderstorms were the worst once again rethinking her plans. It had already been dark for an hour. Something in the pit of her stomach told her to stay home, that this day would end very badly for her.

Usually one to listen to those internal warnings, she ignored it this time reasoning she could wait the storm out at the apartments or a nearby café and all would be well. She grabbed her rain slicker and umbrella and headed out the door. The sound of thunder as it approached seemed to be an ominous harbinger of bad news.

The urgency of the weather seemed to be on everyone’s lips as she walked past people waiting for a bus, or coming from a shop. The thunder was getting louder as the storm got closer. Flashes of lightning seen more often as the wind picked up, whipping trees and street signs around. Another block and she would be at her destination, praying the storm would give her that last block before it unleashed it’s furry on them all.

No sooner than the prayer had been uttered, the sky unleashed it’s full force upon the helpless city of Harper Rock. The rain came down in torrents, her umbrella useless as the wind kept turning it inside out and finally ripping it from her hands as she watched it blow away down the street. “Damn it” she hissed as her pants were already soaked, her hood blowing off to soak her hair.

Katie entered the apartment building looking like a drowned rat. She tried to shake off the excess water the best she could, sighing as she saw the giant puddle that had formed beneath her. Going into the office she smiled at the receptionist, “Hi, I’m Katie Mae and here to look an apartment but I tried to create a lake in the entrance. If you have a rag or something I’d be happy to clean it up so no one slips and falls.”

The woman laughed coming around the counter, “Oh honey, you look like you’ve had a time of getting here. Don’t worry about it, I’ll call maintenance to come mop it up. My guess is more people will congregate there until the weather passes.”

As she spoke sure enough, more and more people had poured into the building laughing and commenting about cats and dogs falling from the sky. Katie smiled at the woman, “I can come back another time to tour the apartment; it looks like you have your hands full this evening.”

“Nonsense,” she replied, “Just let me get the key and I’ll get Jeff to take you right up.”

Katie nodded moving to the door as she waited for Jeff. Soon a very large man who had trouble walking due to his size came out of one of the office. His voice boomed over the din in the foyer as he greeted her. Extending her hand to the man only to have it swallowed in his overly large hand with fingers the size of sausages. “I’m Katie Mae, Katie for short, and I’d be glad to come back if you’d like.”

“Nonsense, the weather isn’t fit for man or beast so we might as well take advantage.” He pressed the button on the elevator. They stepped into it and went to the floor. The area was quiet as they stepped off which she liked and followed him as he let them into the apartment.

“Please look around and lock the door behind you. Take your time and just meet me downstairs when you’re done. It’s ready for immediate occupancy and comes fully decorated. The previous owner left the city, left everything, and said he didn’t want it. It was all still practically brand new so I left it. If you don’t want any of it or some of it just tell me and I’ll use it elsewhere.”

Katie thanked him as he left and began to walk room to room. She looked out the window seeing the full fury of the storm being unleashed. She looked it over well and decided it would do but wanted to ask some of the other Paladin’s their thoughts on this location. She didn’t want to be stuck in a bed of fangers on accident.

The lights began to flicker as she locked the door. Finding the staircase, she began to descend not wanting to be stuck on an elevator incase the power went out. She finally made it to the ground floor walking out into the foyer. There were more people in the lobby than before and more were filing in as she headed for the office, only to be stopped dead in her tracks as the power went off. Children began to cry, women screamed as others began to laugh preparing for an impromptu party.

Katie stood still waiting for the dim emergency lights to kick on. A flash light could be seen working it’s way from the office as Jeff came to the door to calm everyone as the door of hell seemed to open up outside.

“If everyone will please calm down, I’m going to go start the generator and we’ll have a little light.” He headed through a door to the back of the building.

Katie pulled up a radar on her phone seeing the storm had only grown since she left. She prayed he got those lights on, she sensed there vampires in here and she wasn’t about to be their next meal.

[CharlotteC]

It had been a while since she had spent any time outside of places that weren't well known and safe places to her. Be that the Den, her home, or Lancaster's. Tonight though, she had spent a lot of time outside, in the freezing cold. The polar vortex was kicking their asses and she had to wonder for a moment just what her parents and everyone else down in Maine was going through. However, she stopped that thought quickly, thinking of her parents only made her heart hurt, and she had hear through the news that her parents still haven't given up hope and were now starting to search Canada. Again, shaking herself out of her thoughts, she paid attention to the task of hand. Beating the high score of this blasted game.

Charlie had come close numerous times, but never got to a spot that she liked. This was the best way to make an alibi as well, she had been spending quite a bit of time in the warehouses near by, looking for gun parts and the like that she could use to continue to make guns. However, she had accidentally triggered an alarm but was able to get out before being seen. That of course didn't mean that the cops wouldn't look into things, but she was glad for the fact that the heavy snow had already begun to cover her tracks, the rain, the sleet, the thunder and lightning. The lights started to flicker and Charlie knew it was time to call it quits. If lightning hit this place, it would sting like a ***** if the lightning came through the game and through her.

She turned and was heading out of the bar when the lights flickered again and then went completely out. Perfect. She thought to herself. Of course this time, she meant it. She was one that liked to move around in the dark. She stared to make her way through the storm, but the wind was getting insane. The lightning going off over head lighting her up for a moment. She sighed and knew that she wasn't going to make it home. Looking at her mental clock thanks to being able to hack into anywhere, be on any computer, she knew that she had to get inside soon. Charlie glanced around and spotted Ivy Bluffs. It wasn't the best place to hide, but it was better than no where.

Just as she was starting to make her way inside, pulling the door open, the floor jerked hard under her. Thankfully she didn't fall on her face because of the grip she had on the door handle. The jerk then because to turn into a rumble, slow to start but then getting stronger, growing in intensity, stronger, stronger, the walls rattling. It sounded like a freight train was passing, especially with the wind outside howling at the same time. It was insane the strength of the shaking, bits of the wall started to crack, she could see it, even in the dark of the building. She wondered, even as the shaking continued, getting stronger still, if the building would survive the shaking.

Her chocolate gaze landed on each of the humans she could see and find, wondering if they would survive. She was pretty sure she would, but them... no... they wouldn't if this building decided to pancake. Finally though, the building, the ground stopped shaking, things hanging over head still swayed back and forth, but everything else had calmed... everything but the humans that she could see who were all running around as if they were chickens with their heads cut off.