Kenny (
enervated) wrote in
derogation2014-08-06 01:43 pm
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STEALING A PAGE FROM SCRIBBLES' BOOK AND OFFERING OPTIONS
[OPTION A: LONG DEAD WINTER]
[Walking Dead universe, here. Virginia in winter. And up near the mountains, to boot. Not the best place to be, but sometimes you're forced to play the hand you're dealt. And the cold slows down the dead, so there are worse places one could be.
It's just about the only 'good' thing that has happened to Kenny in the past week, and even then, the 'good' it is is highly up for debate. Though honestly, the bad is still stacked high, especially now. A herd separated the group and he's just trudging on through the cold streets trying to locate even ONE of the group. He'd prefer Clementine, if he had to think about it, but he wouldn't turn down Mike. Or even Bonnie. Luke... Luke, well, Luke- he doesn't want to encounter Luke, the fucking turd. Kenny's already chalked this fuckup to Luke, the boy's as bad as fucking BEN, and that takes some real talent. Some real, real talent.
He just keeps moving; a true figure of depressed, PTSD determination stalking his way through the cold, mostly empty streets. One hand on his firearm, the other on a knife. Firearm for survivors. Knife for the dead. To say he's prepared to stop anything that might slow him down from getting back with the group is an understatement.
Man, fuck this town though, how the hell is he supposed to find anybody here?]
[OPTION B: AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE]
[Your character's universe.
The last thing he remembered was the showdown against the fucking Russians. Russians. In Virginia. Of all the things. The kid in the leg brace pointed the finger at them for something they hadn't done, ambushed the lot of them. And then when Kenny fired his gun - Clementine called for help and he had given it without hesitation - they assumed he was firing at them instead of putting down someone who deserved a better life than what had unfolded. The Russians began firing at all of them, and in turn they (Mike, Bonnie, Luke, Kenny) began shooting as well.
He had one of the sons of bitches right in his sights.
And now he was here. On the ground. It didn't feel cold, and he didn't feel DEAD. Slowly, he opened his one working eye.
This... was not a cold, snowy road outside of some town in Virginia.]
Oh shit...
[OPTION C: BLIND LEADING BLIND]
[Wildcard. You get to make up the shit here, it could totally be anything.]
[Walking Dead universe, here. Virginia in winter. And up near the mountains, to boot. Not the best place to be, but sometimes you're forced to play the hand you're dealt. And the cold slows down the dead, so there are worse places one could be.
It's just about the only 'good' thing that has happened to Kenny in the past week, and even then, the 'good' it is is highly up for debate. Though honestly, the bad is still stacked high, especially now. A herd separated the group and he's just trudging on through the cold streets trying to locate even ONE of the group. He'd prefer Clementine, if he had to think about it, but he wouldn't turn down Mike. Or even Bonnie. Luke... Luke, well, Luke- he doesn't want to encounter Luke, the fucking turd. Kenny's already chalked this fuckup to Luke, the boy's as bad as fucking BEN, and that takes some real talent. Some real, real talent.
He just keeps moving; a true figure of depressed, PTSD determination stalking his way through the cold, mostly empty streets. One hand on his firearm, the other on a knife. Firearm for survivors. Knife for the dead. To say he's prepared to stop anything that might slow him down from getting back with the group is an understatement.
Man, fuck this town though, how the hell is he supposed to find anybody here?]
[OPTION B: AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE]
[Your character's universe.
The last thing he remembered was the showdown against the fucking Russians. Russians. In Virginia. Of all the things. The kid in the leg brace pointed the finger at them for something they hadn't done, ambushed the lot of them. And then when Kenny fired his gun - Clementine called for help and he had given it without hesitation - they assumed he was firing at them instead of putting down someone who deserved a better life than what had unfolded. The Russians began firing at all of them, and in turn they (Mike, Bonnie, Luke, Kenny) began shooting as well.
He had one of the sons of bitches right in his sights.
And now he was here. On the ground. It didn't feel cold, and he didn't feel DEAD. Slowly, he opened his one working eye.
This... was not a cold, snowy road outside of some town in Virginia.]
Oh shit...
[OPTION C: BLIND LEADING BLIND]
[Wildcard. You get to make up the shit here, it could totally be anything.]
no subject
Though Lee is feeling like his loyalty is being damn tested right now. He stares at Kenny flatly as they stand in front of the back door.]
You want to what? Jesus Christ, Ken, you're-- you're fucking serious. [He can hear the groaning too, and he makes an effort to keep his voice down to a harsh whisper.] I'm trying to keep Clem out of danger, not bring the entire fucking neighborhood down on us!
[Fuck. Fuuuuck. He has a really bad feeling about this. Lee hisses through his teeth, looking like he's in physical pain from how fucking crazy this all is. But in the end, he hands Kenny his knife.]
I'm so gonna regret this.
no subject
Reassurance, again. Not the cocky, false bravado of the white trash leader, no, but the quiet, soft, almost rueful tone of someone who just wants to take care of his loved ones.]
Lee. You know that I would do anything to keep you and Clem safe. I'd do anything to keep my family safe.
[He squeezes the man's shoulder lightly.]
I lost just about everythin' I damn near loved, but... I got you and Clementine back. I ain't gonna let anythin' fuck this up. [A brief pause, as he tries to joke a little.] You know me, pal. I'm an ornery, paranoid sumbitch and I'll be any kinda monster for the people I care about.
[Kenny smiles a bit.]
I'll bring it back dead, alright? Then you ain't gotta worry that I'm bringin' live walkers into the yard just for kicks. I promise, this'll make sense when I show you what the plan is. And if it doesn't, hell, you can give me a few good smacks around the head for bein' a fuckin' idiot. Deal?
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Complete loss does this to people. It breaks them. Sometimes the pieces form something new, and sometimes they just lay there and do nothing at all. But Ken isn't like that. He could be-- but he's not.
And neither is Lee. When Ken says that he's family, Lee believes him.]
I know. If you're a monster for protecting your own, then we're monsters together.
[He raises his eyebrows.] ... Are you really gonna be okay out there by yourself? [Seriously, Ken. You look like shit.]
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What matters is having someone there who knows that you're still who you are, even if they've been utterly ruined. Lee and Clem are the only ones who understand him anymore. (Or in Clem's case, she will understand him, when she's older.) But for now, the kinship of Lee, that's his backbone. It's hard to be you without someone else there who understands.
Kenny meant it, when he called himself a monster. He knows he has to explain to Lee later just what it means: that he bashed a man's head in and he enjoyed it, that he's a man who ENJOYED killing another person. Not just killing out of necessity. But hearing Lee call himself a monster as well soothes his thoughts out. Lee'll understand. To think, two years ago, he was angry when Lee hadn't told him he was a murderer.
Now it's just something that makes him feel closer to the man. For now though, he finally drops his hand from Lee's shoulder, after letting it linger there for maybe a moment too long.]
I'll be fine. To be honest, I'm half startin' to think I'm invincible.
[He chuckles to himself.]
Been shot, escaped a boxed in alley, almost starved to death, had my head caved in, walked through a herd while another 'group' was firing assault rifles into it... and hey, I'm still here.
[Kenny slips out the door and calls behind him.]
I'll be about five minutes. Wait at the gate for me. I'm gonna bring one dead, but I can't promise one or two won't be tailin' me, and I don't wanna fuckin' struggle with the damn gate while haulin' a body in.
[A pause.]
And don't follow me if I ain't back in those five minutes.
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[He nods to the order, and moves to follow Ken outside. He'll wait at the gate-- but no promises if Kenny doesn't come back. He's not one to sit around and be protected.]
Then do me a favor and make sure you get your ass back here in five minutes. [In the meantime he'll find something else to arm himself with. He grabs the nearby shovel, holding it with a tight grip. He's a little apprehensive-- and who can blame him? His best friend just came back completely delusional.
He's scared, but... like hell he'll admit it. Not right now.
Right now, he has to be backup.]
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But he hunches his shoulders together against that thought and quickly stalks out into the open and out of view. Yeah. He can already see the front of the herd, slowly and aimlessly shambling towards the house. As long as he doesn't do anything too suspicious to make the few with good eyes peg him as alive, he should be able to pull this off...
And there's a good target. A slightly removed walker, not bunched up with a few others, staring vacantly up at the sky. For a moment he's glad he didn't tell Lee that he hasn't... exactly done THIS part before. The whole 'pick one target off' nonsense. Lee probably wouldn't have let his fool ass out if he had said that.
So Kenny quickly tries to figure out what to do to just get the one's attention and- there we go. He grabs up a small rock in the road, thank god for things being in fucking shambles, and lobs it right at the fucker.
And the rock smacks it in the back of the head, breaking it out of the WOWEE WHAT A PRETTY SKY trance it was in.]
Hey, motherfucker! Right here. Come on.
[He doesn't quite yell- his voice is just barely above speaking volume to try to keep the few nearby from swarming right on him. It does the trick, as the one begins lurching right over. Kenny's fingers fidget around the handle of the knife before locking down; he swings and embeds the blade right in the walker's forehead as soon as it gets in range.
Pretty good for a first try. Now he can lie and say he's an expert at this if pressed. Killing one walker without a hitch makes you an expert, right?
He grabs the body as quick as he can and begins hauling it towards the gate. THAT gets the attention of one other walker, but Kenny's got enough distance that he isn't going to stop what he's doing now. So he rounds the corner into the path to the gate, dragging the walker with the knife still embedded in its forehead.]
Lee. LEE. Open the gate!
[He's not looking behind him to see if the gate is open but please Lee open the gate so Kenny can get this thing in ASAP and then y'all can shut that thing or take out the other asshole walker that thinks Kenny is just. So neat. So neat.]
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Anyway, he spots Kenny and his victim struggling and opens the gate quickly.]
It's open! I got you covered!
[He grabs the shovel he's chosen for his temporary weapon. Although the walker tailing Kenny is pretty slow, Lee isn't about to let his best friend become zombie chow. He darts past Kenny and his new friend. If something jumps out of the alley or something, Ken's vulnerable; Lee won't stand by and let an ambush happen again.
There's no hesitation here. Without even needing to get within grabbing ranch, he destroys the walker's head with a wet crunch. Ew. That... probably won't wash out.
That done, he wastes no time getting back to Ken and shutting the gate behind them.]
You all right?
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[He says quickly as he drags the body in while Lee makes short work of the walker behind him. He doesn't even look back because he knows Lee can handle this, can keep them safe. So Kenny crouches down and begins to yank the knife out of the walker's skull. Damn, he got it in there good.
And then Lee is back, a little splattered with brains and gore. Kenny grins up at him as he finally gets the stupid thing out of the walker's skull.]
Well... I'm blind in one eye and I might have brain damage.
[The grin combined with the tone - light, and almost a little derangedly playful - makes it clear he's fucking joking. The fuck, Ken.]
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Jesus Christ. If we didn't have the herd right there? I'd whoop your ass. No question.
[He drops to a crouch near the walker. A safe distance, though.]
So. What's the plan?
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Sorry. I'll try to keep the bad jokes to myself.
[But with that he repositions Lee's knife in his hands. Then he brings it down right on the dead walker's chest, hacking into the center of the decaying flesh and the weaker ribcage.]
We're- [He grunts, trying to work at this as quickly and cleanly as possible.] -going to walk out.
[Kenny doesn't look up as he gets through the chest, then slides the blade down to cut an opening in the stomach. He doesn't look up either as he gently tosses the knife next to Lee. Doesn't look up as he thrusts one hand into the open cavity of the walker's stomach and grabs a chunk of rotten organs.]
Lee. Walkers are dumb as hell. They can't fucking tell the difference between us and them when we smell like they do.
[And with that, he looks up, and smears the rotting flesh on his own left shoulder without so much as flinching.]
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[And then he does it. Kenny rips the walker open and all but shoves his fucking face in it. Lee stares in shock for a good five or ten seconds, and then it dawns on him. It makes so much sense. It's disgusting, but it makes sense.]
Holy shit.
We walk out of here-- smelling like them, maybe walking kinda slow and quiet, and they can't tell the fucking difference?
[Holy shit. But-- but Clem.]
The girl isn't gonna like this. But... I'll go get her and the others.
[He takes a moment to settle himself. Just the thought of smearing that shit on himself makes him want to puke, but he's seen worse at this point. He lets out a breath.]
We're walking out of here no matter what it takes.
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We don't even have to be quiet. As long as we aren't yelling, they think the talking is the same as their groaning.
[He doesn't gag or groan, just working methodically and with detachment. However he pointedly avoids his face, because hell if he's going to get any of that smeared in his open scratches. Then he'll be dead. Yep.
He exhales as he looks at Lee.]
Don't worry about Clem. She can do this. She's a tough little thing. [Kenny wipes his hands on his pants. Aside from his back, he's covered.] Ben's gonna be the problem though. Little shit passes out at the sight of blood. This'll probably knock him out.
[The thing is there, while he's calling Ben a little shit, there's a different tone to it- it's not angry or annoyed. It is, in fact, some rueful fatherly regret.]
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We can gag and carry him if we need to. It's not like the walkers will notice.
[Lee sure as hell isn't leaving anyone behind. But, still...]
All right, I'm gonna round up the house. I'll be right back. [He hesitates, not wanting to leave Ken alone out here, but he'll only be gone a moment. He jogs into the house.]
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Kenny grabs the body and hefts it up, quietly dragging it into the yard, hopefully before Lee returns with everyone. He doesn't want them to stare at him, covered in walker guts and gore, dragging around a corpse. He's had enough people staring at him disparagingly for the things he's done already. He won't have it again, not while he's trying to save them.]
I bet.
[Kenny talks to himself while he's alone, as tosses the second walker down next to the first one.]
Ben's gonna come out here, see me, and fuckin' piss his pants.
[Fuckin' Ben.]
no subject
When they're done applying the gore to themselves, the horde is nearly upon them and they are not beautifully-voiced, dark-skinned creatures of barbaric nature. They're soulless monsters, pressing and running dumbly into whatever the fuck is in their way, and they're starting to clog the end of the street.
Lee turns to the others.]
All right, listen up. We're gonna walk out of here. Briskly. We can do that. We move a little fast, it's fine. We can even talk to each other, as long as you keep calm and don't freak out.
[He looks at Ben. Ben is fidgeting.]
We'll take it nice and easy. They can't tell we're not them-- we smell just like 'em. This will work. We follow Kenny, keep our heads down and our weapons close.
If something happens and we get separated, keep heading north. There's a river that'll take you to O'Leary Road. Black Creek. That's northeast of the old university.
no subject
[Kenny heads to the gate in the back yard and opens it.]
There's gonna be a lot of walkers out there, so, uh, heads up on that. Ten to one, you're gonna be rubbin' shoulders. Just give 'em a little shove if you need to, they don't give a shit as long as you aren't full on knockin' 'em to the ground. That gets their fuckin' attention.
[He leads the way through the small little alley/path between the house and the wall, and he doesn't really stop to pause at the opening at the front of the house. The amount of walkers out there is fucking stupid, and the sad fact is it's their own damn fault, riding that train. IT LITERALLY PULLED EVERY FUCKING WALKER IN GEORGIA PRETTY MUCH. CHRIST.
Kenny looks back over his shoulder and nods to the group- if any of them have misgivings or fears about this now, he's intent on dispelling it in the only way possible. Kenny calmly, coldly, steps out into the herd. And none of them react to his presence. Notably, though, he slumps his shoulders, and tries to make himself seem as similar to the walkers as he can in body posture and body language. Loose and limp. He's a good five to ten feet in the herd, and he turns and faces towards the group.]
Come on. Let's get the hell outta dodge.
[The walkers don't even react to him talking. This plan isn't just brain damaged insane bullshit. In fact, while he's facing towards the group in general, he's looking right at Lee. Not a challenging look or anything of the sort so much as a very tired 'thanks for believing me, pal, i know i sound fucking crazy' one.]
no subject
C'mon, sweet pea.
[Since no one else is going to fucking do it second, Lee and his charge join Kenny in the crowd. Now the others have no excuse... and so, slightly hunched, terrified, and nasty as hell, the group begins the long shuffle toward freedom.
Between Lee and Kenny, they can shoulder-bump most of the dumb fucks away from the rest of the group. Not that it matters-- but he doesn't want some walker sinking his teeth into Clem if she whimpers. Lee uses his arm and shoulder as a bumper so that nothing gets close.]
no subject
Kenny turns away from the group and begins leading them through the mass of the dead. Most of them he sort of gruffly directs away, no real shoves or pushes so much as just using his body as a means to part the rotting tide and give the group behind him some additional room. Better than spreading out, he thinks. Why Jane recommended they spread out, he doesn't know, but fuck, it was the wrong idea. This way is better. Everyone in sight. Everyone together.
He's only headed vaguely north. Out of town, but near to the direction of the river and road Lee mentioned, just in the off chance someone gets separated. So they can go back and grab whoever it is and then get the hell out for real.]
Everybody doin' all right back there?
[He doesn't bother to look behind him: he needs to keep his one eye forward to make sure they don't accidentally get turned around, or so he doesn't trip over something and get the attention of the walkers all round them.]
no subject
Yeah. We're almost through. Keep it together.
[Clem shivers and whines quietly. Lee strokes her hair with his dirty fingers, but since they're all dirty, it still kinda comes out comforting.
And they walk. They walk, and they keep going, and eventually-- thank god-- they make it through the horde of walkers. O'Leary greets them like any other road, desolate despite the touches of suburban. The old university looms behind them, its proud blue windows long since shattered from the chaos of the apocalypse.
There's a few inns and such clustered near the interstate. Lee scratches his chin as he looks at the broken Holiday Inn sign, then back the way they came. So many walkers ambling senselessly in the same general direction...]
Well, we made it.
no subject
And another thing, too. Everyone is alive. Lee, behind him, saying they made it. Ben, scuffing his feet. Christa and Omid supporting each other. Clementine, still young and unsure but- strong. All of them, together.
He turns to face the group and he's smiling. For once in a long time, he feels some hope.]
Nice fuckin' job.
[He means it sincerely. There's no sarcastic bite or sassy wit. Just pride. They followed him blindly and here they all are, together. Family.]
Lee. You know the area, right? [He assumes, because Lee's from Georgia. Lee knows the area.] We got some time to camp out here for the day with the herd trapped in Savannah. I'd like to put some miles between us and the city, but I ain't gonna take us out only to find there isn't shit.
no subject
And Kenny's always right.]
Yeah, I do. Went to a couple meetings at the college. [Back when he was still a teacher. Georgia Tech is a pretty nice campus. Er... was.] We take I-95 northeast, we'll be goin' through the wildlife refuge. After that it's Hardeeville and the rest of South Carolina.
If we follow the highway north, we stay in the city. It kinda curves west when it hits Rincon, but that might be dangerous too.
no subject
Alright. We're bunkering down for the rest of the day and the night. First thing in the morning, we're heading up I-95. I'd rather stomp through a wildlife refuge than a city right about now, and I think that goes for all of us.
[At least however messed up and somewhat unhinged Kenny seems, he still has no qualms speaking for the group, throwing out commands, acting the leader. Of course, if Lee spoke up, he'd back down. He admits is better than he is, now. He's still a decent leader, but if the chips are down... everyone will follow Lee. Thank god for that.]
Christa, Omid, Ben. The three of you check any nearby gas stations and any trucks or vans. Scrounge up supplies, see if anything is operable or near operable.
Lee, Clementine. You two are with me. We're going to find the least shitty place for us to camp down in. I don't want us settling down in some shithole only to have it collapse on us.
no subject
Sounds good to me. As long as we have supplies and stick near the road, we'll be all right.
[He hopes. It's not as if the wildlife refuge is ridiculously big, but it's definitely not something he wants to get lost in.]
Don't get pinned down.
[And with that, the group is split. Clem stares after them, then looks up at her caretaker.]
Lee... I feel r-really gross.
[Lee smiles down at her. She's been strong so far, even though she didn't get to see her parents. He can tell that's worrying her.] I know, sweet pea. We'll get you cleaned up soon.
[His dark eyes shift to Kenny.] Wanna head around back?
no subject
Not having both eyes is dangerous these days. You need your sight most of all. Walkers are walkers, sure, but there's the type that roam, and then the type that just lurk. Quiet and still until something is close and then they lurch and grab and by then its usually too late to react.
He's aware of it. And so he does what he can. As he leads them around back, he finds a bit of rusted, broken off pipe and he scoops it up in his hand to give him a weapon. They may still stink like walkers, but if this place is decent, they'll need to clear it out.]
Don't worry, Clem. Soon as we get settled down, me and Lee'll make sure you look nice and pretty again. Not a spot on you.
[His voice is quiet, low, comforting. He wants to make sure she's okay, too. He leads them up to a back door in the hotel: the Holiday Inn that was mentioned before, it was closest. It's locked, of course, but he gives it a tug for good measure.]
Goddamnit- Lee, you got anything I could use to get this fucker open?
[He's already crouched down in front of it, checking out the lock. Muttering obscenities. He could just smash at it with his pipe but that'll be loud and draw down any walker that might be nearby.]
no subject
Lee is focused on finding shelter. Nighttime isn't great for visibility. They'll want to lay low and quiet.]
Don't start with that urban shit again. We can unjam it with my knife. Probably.
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