Benjamin and the others reach the edge of the property, wheezing, filthy, and half-dragging the radio gear with them. Jenny and Louis hurry out from the house, relief flashing across their faces as they see the group has made it back.
The survivor from the truck folds in on themselves near the path, one hand clamped tight over their side. Their breathing turns sharp and thin, more panic than air.
Jenny
Hey, hey, sit down. Don’t try to stand for me.
Louis
Benjamin, bring the radio inside when you can. I’ve got the injured one.
Louis drops to a knee beside the survivor, already reaching for a look at the wound. Jenny shifts to make room, then glances toward the radio in Benjamin’s hands, waiting on his call.
Julian
I can’t keep this pace. Just... don’t let me be useless.
For a beat, the whole group settles into the same quiet choice, help the wounded first, or get the equipment secured and dealt with after. The house sits open and waiting behind them, warm light spilling into the yard.
“Is the survivor infected?”
YES (Likely, rolled 16)
Julian
My name is Julian. Please, just look at the bite on my side, I know what it is.
Louis pulls back the survivor's blood-soaked shirt, revealing a jagged, necrotic wound that pulses with a sickly, dark hue. The unmistakable mark of a bite confirms the infection has already taken hold.
Benjamin
The infection is already deep, and there is no way to stop it.
✓ Quest Accepted
Get Julian comfortable before he turns
“Does Julian have some time before he turns at least?”
YES (Likely, rolled 62)
Julian
I have a few hours, maybe until the sun fully sets. I just wanted to see the sky one last time without a truck roof over my head.
Louis
We can make you comfortable, Julian. You do not have to spend those hours alone.
Benjamin
He is calm, almost as if he has already made peace with the end.
“Take Julian inside the house and begin fortifying it”
SUCCESS (Good Strength, rolled -1)
Benjamin gets an arm under Julian’s shoulders and guides him toward the porch. Louis rises with him, eyes flicking from the yard to the windows.
Inside, the front door shuts hard behind them. The sound thumps through the house, and the quiet outside feels farther away for a second.
Louis
I can carry some of the weight. We just need this place tighter than before.
Benjamin steers Julian to a chair near the foyer, within sight of the entry and the hall. Jenny is already moving, checking the lock, then dragging furniture closer to brace the door.
Jenny
Door’s getting blocked now. Tell me if you want the windows watched too.
Julian settles into the chair, shoulders sagging. The pulled shirt hangs loose again, and his breathing stays shallow but steady.
Julian
At least I am not out there alone.
Louis kneels by the wounded survivor, tearing open supplies from the kit while Benjamin’s eyes sweep the darkening yard through the front glass. Something shifts beyond the fence, but nothing comes near.
Quest Complete
Get Julian comfortable before he turns