<div style="text-align: center"><div class="bbImageWrapper lazyload js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/index.php?attachments/harold_frame-jpg.25814/" title="index.php">
<img alt="index.php" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/index.php?attachments/harold_frame-jpg.25814/" data-url="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/index.php?attachments/harold_frame-jpg.25814/" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" style="" title="" width=""/>
<noscript><img alt="index.php" class="bbImage" data-url="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/index.php?attachments/harold_frame-jpg.25814/" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/index.php?attachments/harold_frame-jpg.25814/" style="" title="" width=""/></noscript>
</div>
<br/>
<span style="font-family:Amaranth">July 30th | Noon | Fresno Suburbs - North Central</span>​</div><br/>Boomer and Floyd stood guard at the front lawn near the sidewalk while Harold peered in through the window of a small suburban home. He was trying to see through the cracks in the blinds and get a glimpse inside, but it wasn't much use. The house interior was dark and the overhead sun was causing reflections on the window. "Can't see in," Harold said, stepping to the side of the window. He turned to Darlene who was standing beside the front door. "Give it a knock."<br/><br/>Darlene moved away from the wall and in front of the door. She pounded with her fist three times before calling through the door. "Open up! National Guard!"<br/><br/>A bump was heard inside the house, then, the soldiers heard a glass shatter on tile. Fast footsteps approached and suddenly a shape slammed into the frosted glass. The creature moaned through the front door and threw it's body once against the frame. Darlene didn't flinch. "Get a load of this one," she said, turning to Floyd and Boomer on the lawn and pointing at the door with her thumb. "He looks eager to meet us. Anyone want the honor of an introduction?"<br/><br/>Boomer turned to look, spitting brown liquid onto the grass beside him. It was his second lip of chew. Floyd had spit his out an hour ago. "Not me, I say ladies first," Boomer responded, walking slowly towards the porch.<br/><br/>"Yeah, you're probably right. I'm the only one here with the<i>balls </i>to do-"<b><i>SMASH.</i></b>The glass behind Darlene suddenly shattered and a hand reached through. She ducked and tried pulled a pistol from her holster, turning and attempting to step away while swinging her gun around at the assailant. However, the thing's arm flailed and it's fingers latched onto her uniform at the wrist, knocking her gun onto the ground and gripping her arm tightly. Darlene took a step backwards and tried to yank her arm free without success. In the split second this all happened, Boomer rushed forwards. He had seen it coming when Darlene hadn't. The large man pulled his pistol own pistol out and pushed her to the side, bringing the hand gun up to the face pressing through the small, broken glass window. He squeezed the trigger, and yellow-red brain matter exploded out from the back of the creature's skull. It's grip instantly went limp and the figure fell out of view behind the door. Darlene hit the patio as well, thrown off balance by both Boomer and the sudden release of the infected.<br/><br/>Harold lowered his rifle. He would have shot if he had a clean angle, but he didn't get the chance before Boomer rushed in. He watched as Boomer grabbed her wrist Indian style and hoisted the short haired girl to her feet. Floyd, behind the man, bent down to pick up Darlene's handgun, and moved past Boomer as he backed away. Floyd made a beeline for Darlene, stopping only inches in front of her face. "What in the<b>fuck</b>was that?! You think this is a joke? A game?"<br/><br/>"What- No!" Darlene said, caught off guard.<br/><br/>"Well I'm surprised considering the<b>shit </b>you just pulled." Darlene opened her mouth, but Floyd cut her off. "You had better straighten the fuck up and take this seriously," he jabbed Darlene in the collarbone with his finger, and she responded by lifting her chin and glaring Floyd in the eyes. "Quit the nonsense and screw your head on Darlene! You have been out of line for the past three days and are acting like a god damn child! Do you want to be child? Or do you want to be a soldier?"<br/><br/>"I'm not a child," she growled.<br/><br/>"Then you better make sure as fuck that you don't act like one!" Floyd yelled, "I swear to god, you pull another careless stunt again and I will lock you in a bedroom and sic a babysitter on your ass! You will<b>wise up</b>, or you will<b>sit out</b>. That is an order and a promise.<b>Do you understand?</b>"<br/><br/>"I understand," Darlene said through gritted teeth.<br/><br/>"What was that?"<br/><br/>"I understand, Sir!" she said more clearly.<br/><br/>"Good." Floyd extended his arm, handing Darlene her pistol back, and she swiped it from his grip. The female soldier brushed past him, and marched towards the next house on the street. Boomer gave Floyd a silent look, then spit and followed Darlene towards. Harold and Floyd walked over together. "It's always the young ones who are stupidly naive," Floyd spoke at a more normal volume to Harold. The officer shook his head.<br/><br/>"You think you're old?" Harold replied with a straight face.<br/><br/>"Not next to you," Floyd chuckled, "But I look like a fucking veteran next to her."<br/><br/>"She's a private straight out of training. She'll learn how this works in time," Harold assured him.<br/><br/>"Yeah, well I'm worried we ain't got much of that." Floyd spoke grimly. Harold didn't argue.<br/><br/>The four soldiers approached the next house over. This time Harold and Boomer took point near the street while Floyd followed Darlene up to the porch. Slumped over beside a rocking chair was a body. Dark red blood was smeared over the siding of the house and pooled on the concrete. Darlene nudged the corpse with her rifle causing it to fall over. "Check it out, this poor chap got his throat ripped out before he could turn." She squatted beside the body, "Goddamn savages," she muttered under her breath.<br/><br/>"Knock it off and stand up," Floyd told her, "Final warning." Darlene gave an audible sigh and stood. Her attention was drawn away from Floyd though, when Boomer gave a whistle. He and Harold were keeping watch down either side of the street, and something had caught Boomer's eye.<br/><br/>"Hey! We got a runner!" he called, readying his weapon. Down the street, and figure had turned the corner and emerged from behind a house. The individual was running full sprint at the group, in an erratic fashion. Floyd and Darlene moved quickly, running up to where Boomer and Harold were standing with guns at the ready. Boomer raised his weapon and closed one eye, peering down the sight at the runner and preparing to pull the trigger. However, as he was aiming, Boomer opened both eyes again, wide in shock. Behind this runner, another had appeared. It rounded the corner full sprint, and was followed by others. One after another infected were sprinting into view, and it seemed the entire mob was gunning for them. Six houses down, a swarm of 20 to 30 were now charging them. "Mother fuck-"<br/><br/>"GET TO THE TRUCK!" Floyd yelled. He raised his M4 and fired off a few rounds into the approaching crowd as the others turned to run. The bullets seemed to whizz by all of them; if any did hit there was no noticeable effect. The individuals were too spread out and were running unpredictably, making them hard to hit from a distance. "MOVE MOVE MOVE!" The armored truck was parked at the end of the subdivision. It made more sense to walk door to door than to waste gas running a loud engine, slowly creeping down the street.<br/><br/>The four soldiers bolted towards the vehicle. Boomer spat out his lip onto the roadway and Darlene took point; she slowly gained distance between her and the three men thanks to her faster footwork. Boomer on the other hand, was starting to fall behind. His large frame and muscular build were made for power and heavy lifting, not speed. The infected were drawing closer. Harold looked over his shoulder, and couldn't believe how fast some of them were. It was like they didn't feel pain or exhaustion. The older man pivoted, turning and sending a number of rounds down range to cover Boomer as he passed. Two fell, but one stumbled back to her feet. Harold turned and ran again.<br/><br/>"Darlene!" Floyd called out. She turned her head to look back, and saw that the officer was pulling a key from a pouch on his pants. He chucked the object through the air to Darlene in front of him. The key flew over her fingertips, and clattered to the ground past her. It was sitting a few feet from the Humvee. They were almost there.<br/><br/>As Darlene ran to scoop the key off the concrete, one of the infected appeared. This one was short, and looked to be a teenager. It had approached from the houses behind the armored vehicle, which just so happened to give it cover as it approached. Now it was on them. The thing curved around the front of the vehicle and Floyd shouted. He raised his rifle to fire, but he was too slow. A short burst of gunfire was heard, and Harold mowed it down. Bullets tore through the infected and slammed into the vehicle behind, splattering blood and pounding dents into the humvee. The bullet proof windshield cracked, but Darlene was saved. The lifeless body collapsed beside her, and she ran past it.<br/><br/>"Boomer lets<b>GO!!</b>" Darlene yelled as she fumbled with the padlock on the driver side door. He was the furthest one away and the mob was hot on his heels. Floyd reached the vehicle, followed shortly after by Harold, and the two set point and fired. As dangerous as it was to fire with a friendly down range, it was the only choice they had. He was only a couple of yards from them, but that distance was too far for him to escape without assistance. Two more infected fell at Boomer's heels. A third was knocked on its ass but scrambled to its feet. The rifles kicked into Harold and Floyd's shoulders as automatic fire streaked through the air.<br/><br/><i><b>Bang! Bang! </b><i><b>Bang! Bang! </b><i><b>Bang! Bang! </b><i><b>Bang! Bang!</b> Click.</i></i></i></i><br/><br/>Harold hit the end of his 30 round mag.<br/><br/>"GET IN!" Darlene screamed behind them. She'd unlocked the door, and flipped the ignition switch in the humvee. Boomer was feet away, and so were the infected. With the doors unlocked Floyd turned and sprinted around to the passenger side. Harold threw open the back door and climbed in, leaving it open for Boomer. The large man reached the door and grabbed the frame to hoist himself in, but something else grabbed<i>him</i>. Two sets of hands grasped his shoulders and yanked him backwards from the vehicle. His left arm slipped from the door handle but his right held fast to the frame. Using his strength, Boomer was able to push forward a step and reach his right arm out. Floyd latched onto it, and Harold backed up against the opposite door. His rifle was raised with a fresh magazine, but he couldn't shoot. Not without hitting Boomer. A moment later, it was too late.<br/><br/>Boomer cried out as teeth sunk into his leg, then his arm and then his shoulder. The infected were all over him. Floyd held Boomer's wrist with both hand, trying to pull the man into the car, but the infected were dragging him backwards with greater strength. Harold watched as the beasts sunk their teeth into his comrade right outside the door. Yellow tinted eyes gazed absently as their fungus infested mouths dug into Boomer's skin. Red blood flowed, splattering onto the assailants who didn't seem to mind. Some of their bodies were torn up with scrapes and cuts which seemed to have been clogged by the fungus which ran through their veins. Some had fresh bullet holes, and one had a broken arm; none of these injuries were paid any attention. Their skin had a yellowish tint, but the monsters didn't look ill, or dead. They looked very much alive. They looked like savage, bloodthirsty beasts, and they tore into Boomer's body like savage, bloodthirsty beasts.<br/><br/>Boomer's throat was crushed by the vice grip of an infected's jaws. His eyes were wide, and his hand was slipping from Floyd's who just simply wouldn't let go. Harold made eye contact with the dying man, and the veteran raised his rifle and fired. The bullet tore through Boomer's skull, and the man went limp.<br/><br/>"DRIVE!" Harold yelled, and Floyd let go as Darlene slammed her foot onto the gas. The door was still open as they peeled away, and one of the infected attempted to jump in. It flung itself at the opening but missed, hitting the side and getting sucked under the large, back left tire. The door slammed shut as Darlene practically drifted around the corner, and the three of them were safe. Turning to look behind them, Harold saw about half of the infected chasing after them, and the other half tearing into Boomer's corpse and fighting each other over the meal.