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<div style="margin:auto; max-width: 450px; height: 50px; margin-top: 20px;border-top: 15px solid #980202; font-family: abril fatface; font-size: 45px; color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke: 1px #980202; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 3px;">THOMAS KEPLER</div><div style="margin:auto; max-width: 450px; height: 450px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; overflow-y: auto; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 13px; color: #ccc; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"><br/>
<div style="margin: auto; margin-left: 20px; height: 160px; width: 160px; float: right; border-radius: 0%; background: url(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f2/35/ea/f235ea0221ea0c004e80c1720700831a.jpg); background-size: cover; background-position: center center; filter:contrast(100%); filter:grayscale(0%);font-size: 0px;border: 1px double #980202;">image</div>He'd been walking the trail for what felt like hours, though by the slow decline the sun had made in the sky, he knew it was about mid-noon. That meant Thomas had only been walking the trail he was on for an hour, but the fatigue and hunger was getting to him. If he was going to make it to wherever the hell he was going, he'd need to stop for food at the very least. Dropping his military issue duffel to the ground with a solid thump, the man crouched over it as he ran a hand through his thick hair. He needed a cut and even more so a shave, for his beard had gotten thicker over the weeks. He'd unfortunately left his razors back home, but once he got to a secure location his hunting knife would do the job. <br/>
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Drawing a nearly empty bottle of water and a mac and cheese MRE out of his pack, Thomas was discouraged to find he only had one MRE left. If he didn't find Idris soon, he'd need to scavenge or even hunt for food. Pouring the water remaining into the now torn open MRE, it took little work to mix the contents together and scarf them down. Though in the midst of finishing his food, still crouched over his bag, the sound of a twig being broken had Thomas Kepler stiffening, suddenly freezing as he carefully lowered the MRE and drew his hunting knife from the sheath he'd hand made and attached to his thigh.The Walkers he called Lurkers were the ones that barely moaned, barely hissed. They were quiet, staggering onward in search of prey as they kept their haunting groans to themselves... Though when they locked on to a target, they made the same disgusting noises as the normal ones did. <br/>
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Another twig broke. <br/>
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Thomas remained still, silent... <br/>
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And from behind him, the groans and hisses began. Much too close. Whirling just in time, Thomas realized he'd been so caught up in eating that he'd managed to allow one to sneak up on him. Fucking idiot. In a swift movement, Thomas surged upwards to drive his hunting knife into the center of the Walker's forehead, a female with stringy hair and half of the skin on her face missing. Her jaw fell slack and her groans came to a gurgling halt before he jerked the knife free, splattering the ground with old, thick blood. As her body hit the ground, he was shocked to see four more right behind her. <br/>
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"<i>Shit</i>." Thomas hissed, whirling to grab his duffel off the ground. Throwing it over his shoulder, Thomas knew better than to allow himself get caught up in thick foliage with the Walkers. One or two was easy to handle in close quarters, but he was outnumbered, tired, and weak. As he began moving, his footsteps suddenly loud in his haste to get away, he noticed a good five more to his right. Fuck, he'd stumbled upon a herd... And he had no choice but to take off running, the sound of the Walker's quickening footsteps following behind him. <br/>
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He moved through the brush quickly, jumping over some logs here, ducking under branches there. As he bounded through the forest however, he could see through the leaves and trees ahead that the forest was opening up. Was that... logs he saw up ahead? As he moved closer and closer to where the forest opened up, he realized he was looking at a wall... A wall and a gate, with a Landrover parked out front, a woman with a katana next to a rather oversized alabaster dog... and Idris motherfucking Bellucci ushering the vehicle inside. <br/>
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"Idris! Idris, Walkers!" Thomas Kepler called out, his deep and smooth voice booming. He knew it was stupid to yell, but then again the now group of nine Walkers were steadily coming behind him, albeit a bit slower due to their broken movements. And just as he called out, he saw Idris's head whip upwards. <br/>
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"Kepler?!" Her startled and confused voice called out, just as her eyes landed on him running down a hill, breaking out of the tree line... with a herd of Walkers behind him. <br/>
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"Shit... Get inside! <i>Now</i>!" Idris called out to Elias and Arielle, moving to the gate to be the one to hold it open for Elias and Thomas, in hopes of getting it shut before any of the Walkers got inside.<br/>
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