Thread: Top of the Foodchain (kaigen and Darkangel)

Head north. That was about all Taryn kept telling herself since she'd been ousted from her tiny apartment located in Miami, the place overridden by sick tenants as people came down with some bizarre illness and started dropping like flies. It had been a day just like any other. She'd gotten up before the sun, grabbed her tea on the go and headed to the ballet studio so that she could get in some practice time. A performance was coming upSleeping Beautyand though she was just part of the chorus this time, she wanted to be the best damned chorus dancer on that stage. And that meant giving it her all if she was going to be noticed and finally score prima ballerina. It was a dream, a wish, probably the stuff of silly girl's whimsy. But it was hers and she held onto it. All that work, those hopes and wishes...now, they were for nothing as Taryn drove along the interstate at break neck speeds. Her directionnorth. She had family up there supposedly, an uncle she'd never met but her father had always said she'd like if she'd ever gotten the chance to really meet him. She thought she might remember him from back when she'd been little. But it was too difficult to recall. That had been years ago. Now she was twenty-two, living her life in south Florida and trying to make it as a dancer. She'd attempted New York, given the place a worthy shot, but...it was far from home, her family. And everyone said she needed more experience. Taryn was hoping to get just that. Fat lot of good that did now that everyone was dying. Everyone! She'd lost her parents, her older brother, Mike. And now she was taking a chance that her uncle was still alive and kicking up in Ohio. As she whizzed along the roads, her window down, she couldn't help but notice how many cars seemed to just litter the road way. It was appalling. Why would people abandon their cars? Were they that afraid, that panicked? A few times, she thought about stopping, seeing if any of them might be unlocked. But she was alone and didn't have overly much in the way of defending herself. Besides, Ohio was far enough of a trek that she didn't want to waste her time stopping. She had a mission. She could check things out once in Ohio. The air slowly got cooler, less humid the longer Taryn drove. After a while, she closed her window, the wind no longer whipping her long dark hair. Ugh. She'd been driving for hours and she needed to get gas for the car. As much as she didn't want to stop, the thought of stretching her legs seemed like a nice idea and maybe she could stock up a bit more on some food. She'd managed to bring a lot of snacks with her from Florida, but anything extra certainly wouldn't hurt. Pulling off at a nearby exit, Taryn went to the gas station. She ran her credit card and held her breath. She let it out and giggled softly when the thing actually worked and the gas started flowing into her tiny Volkswagen Jetta. The thing was small, but it was gas efficient and had more room than she expected as she popped open the trunk to do a once over on the things she'd managed to bring along. Her suitcase was in there, stuffed to overflowing. There were some extras thrown in as wellshoes, blankets, even a first aid kit. But her clothes and toiletries were all in the big suitcase along with a few memories of her family. The food was still there and it made her tummy rumble just looking at it. Biting down on her lower lip, she grabbed a granola bar and bottle of water. She then shut the trunk, walked around to the front and threw the food items on the front seat. When the gas finished pumping, she put the pump back and glanced about. The place seemed deserted. Taryn tilted her head, long dark waves spilling over her shoulders as she tried to see if anyone might be nearby. She heaved a sad sigh. Fixing her blue eyes upon the adjacent store, she wondered if she should take a peek. Deciding to check, she locked her car and held tightly to her keys. Carefully, cautiously, she moved toward the store. She peered into the window, the place dark and empty. The owner must not be around...or maybe they're dead. She hated to think it, but she knew it was most likely the case. People were moving to bigger cities, leaving the smaller towns, heading to where they had a chance for vaccination. Vaccination. Taryn wasn't sure she believed the things worked. Her entire family had managed to get them, but she was the only one still standing. What were the odds of that? It made her wonder...and she didn't like wondering at all. Rubbing her hands nervously on her jean-clad legs, Taryn dared to push on the door to the store. It creaked open, the sound of tiny bells tinkling as she slowly entered inside. The floor was covered in dust, like no one had been around for ages. She frowned, but decided it was a good time to get any supplies that might be hard to come by. She began to move quickly along the aisles, still neatly stocked with items. Her slender fingers touched everything, searching until she picked through everything she decided would be useful. In the end, she took more water and some Gatorade along with more snacks. She'd found over-the-counter medicines, batteries, a flashlight and some large scissors that could come in handy for many things. She also found a small pot and a few other camping items. It took her a couple of trips, but she got what she wanted and no one stopped her. Full of smiles, she then got back in her gassed up car and continued heading... North.