C The Plague (With SecretSparrow)

[tjopj44]

The Earth, 2032. A terrible plague has spread throughout the world, decimating half of its population. The plague was soon called "the sleeping death", because the victms would soon lose all the color on their bodies, becoming pale as death itself, and fall into a deep sleep from which they would never wake up again. The plague would take over the victm's body so quickly, that by the time the symptoms (sudden dizzyness, sharp pains, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of hunger and excessive sleep) would show up, it would be already too late. In only a few years, 60% of the population was already dead, and the only 40% were struggling to survive. There were also a few group of persons that, for some unknown reason, were immune to the plague, and never got sick, even with the terrible disease raging on.

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Name: Arthur Coldwater
Age: 19 years
Appearance: Tall and tonned body from years working on a farm, Arthur has brown skin, brown eyes and short, curly chocolate-brown hair. He also has a big belly, due to being pregnant
Personality: Arthur is a young man who can barely remember how things used to be before the plague. He is smart and very family oriented, he used to do whatever he could to make sure his family was happy.
Pregnant?: Yes, with triplets.

History: Arthur had a big family, a father, a mother, four older brothers and two younger sisters. Even though they were all making an effort, Arthur knew his family wouldn't make it. His family's farm had died, nothing was growing up there. In despair as he saw his younger sisters getting more and more skinned, he decided that he would have to do something to help his family, and thus he started to get paid to get laid with whoever was willing to pay him to. A few months later, he discovered he was immune to the plague in the worst way possible: When his whole family got sick and he was the only one that was left untouched, having to watch them slowly drift away into the arms of inescapable death. And, to make things even worse, he found out, a few days later, that he was pregnant, the result of a night he couldn't even remember. Soon after burying the last member of his family, Arthur packed his stuff and, even though it was so hard for him to leave the only place he had ever known, he decided he couldn't live on that land anymore. 

Five months later, the boy was already 7 months pregnant, in New York City, wandering through the dark streets in a cold winter night. Due to being alone and with almost no money, he hadn't been eating well, so he is below the weigh he was supposed to be. He was looking for somewhere to spend the night, or at least to have a glass of water, but people weren't being very kind to him, some of them had family members that died due to the plague and are not very kind to immune people. Suddenly, Arthur saw a house which lights were on, and he thought about asking a glass of water. He walked shily to the door and knocked it three times. As he waited, he rubbed his belly to soothe the babies, who were kicking him a lot. The night was cold and his body was shaking a lot.

(is this too dark? If there's something you would like me to change, just let me know)

[secretsparrow]

(It's perfect. I don't mind dark. )

Over the last little bit the world had kind of lost it, everything had gone crazy and it was hard to trust anything anymore. Still, he wanted to believe that it could get better that there was the faintest possibility that even with the ever drooping population and the resources that only continued to be less every day that maybe somehow things could get better. That was the way Gear had come to think, or at least tried to for the sake of his children because this was not the kind of world he wanted them to be born into. Yet he knew that they would be and there was nothing he could do about it.

It was that thought that kept him up so late, that and the fact that the twins refused to stop kicking long enough for Gear to fall asleep. He sighed in frustration but really there wasn't anything he could do about it. At the moment he had a small fire going in the fire place and he was sitting back with a book in the arm chair trying to relax. He was alone here but by now Gear had become used to it and he shied away from people. He didn't trust them. To many were desperate and that made them both dangerous and a risk to him and the babies. The only time he left his house was when he needed supplies, wich in all honesty was becoming more often because supplies was getting harder and harder to find and he was running out quickly.

Gear had just turned the page on the book he was reading when he heard someone at the door, for a moment his whole body froze and he truned his head to look at it. Someone was there, Gear stood to his feet with a bit of effort he made his way over tilting his head. He stood silently on the other side for a long few moments. "Whos there?" He growled his voice ruff and almost threatening. He could not yet see the other male but he was not about to just open the door to look.

[tjopj44]

Arthur shivered again, although he didn't know if it was because of the freezing cold or out of nervous for hearing another human voice after a few months travelling alone. "H-Helo" he said, wondering if his voice was sounding too weird or if it was just because he wasn't used to speak a lot anymore "My name is Arthur, i've been travelling alone for a few months and I need some help" he said. He knew they were facing dangerous times, so he would get it if the person wouldn't open the door for him, but he hoped he could have at least a glass of water or some information from the place, for example the name of the town he was.

[secretsparrow]

"Help with what?" The male pressed he didn't have a peep whole in the door nore a decent window to look out of he really was just going off of what he could guess at the moment. Gear grabbed his gun from beside the door where he normally kept it. If this somehow went badly it would be better to be safe then sorry. The door clicked and besides the fact he hadn't given the male much time to answer he opened the door. he held the gun in sight but it wasn't pointed at Arthur it was more of a warning really.

[tjopj44]

"Well, I..." Arthur stopped what he was about to say when he saw the gun in the man's hand. For a moment, he froze, afraid of what might happen to him or to his babies. Then he noticed the guy's belly and thought that perhaps he was just trying to protect himself and his babies. Still, he was feeling uneasy, so he tried to relax and said "Look, I don't mean to do any harm to you or to your babies. I am alone and unarmed, you can check me" he said, slowly raising his both hands so that the man could see he wasn't carrying any weapon, silently praying that the man wouldn't harm him either "i just want a glass of water and some information."

[secretsparrow]

Gear was surprised to see to see that the man infront of him was also pregnant he paused for a moment and put the gun away. "It's fine." Gear took a look behind the man glancing outside and shutting the door locking it just as it had been before. "Forgive me it's just you can't be to careful now days I had to be sure, come in sit down." Gear's voice was still ruff but he seemd a bit more friendly then he had a moment ago at the vary least.

Gear stood about 6'5 so he was rather tall and had broad shoulders, he looked like the type of person who at one time could had played football. He was muscular though perhaps not as much as he might have once been likely due to the baby and the fact that he had to be careful about saving food sense he had so little of it left. He had black hair and bright green eyes. "So you're alone then?" Gear asked moving into the kitchen and getting him a glass of water. "May I ask why?"

[tjopj44]

"Thank you" Arthur said as the man invited him in. He took a seat with some difficult due to the pregnancy, which was something he was getting used to. "And it's okay, i totally understand" he said as Gear explained the gun "I would do anything to protect my babies too" he said. Arthur bite his lips as Gear asked him why he was travelling alone, for it was a hard subject for him "I'm travelling alone because... Because of the Sleeping Death. My whole family got sick with it, and one by one, they died, leaving me alone to mourn them all. For some reason i can't explain, i am one of the few immune people. When my little sister, the last one to die, passed away, i realized i couldn't stay on that land anymore. Nothing would grow for me there, but sadness. So i left" he said

[secretsparrow]

He didn't say anything for a moment. "I didn't get it either." Was his only response, but how much more explanation did it need relay? Wasn't it obvious something like that had happened to him. as well. "I'm sorry though, about your family." He felt a little bad about asking now. Letting out a sigh he pushed a glass over to him and then tossed him an apple from out of a bag. "I don't have much more then that to offer you I'm sorry, but most of this city's been picked clean now..

[tjopj44]

Arthur could tell the man was feeling guilty for touching in that subject, so he gave him a sad smile and said "It's okay, really. It's been some time now, and talking about it helps, somehow" he said. He also grabbed the apple the man had tossed to him and thanked him before biting the fruit with hunger. "Thanks, man, i was needing this" he said, wondering when he had eaten something for the last time. Perhaps a few fruits on the forest nearby? Or rests of foods in a trashcan on the town before. He couldn't remember. "Oh, what is your name, by the way?" he asked

[secretsparrow]

"Oh right, My name is Gear it's nice to meet you." Getting himself a glass of water he took a seat beside the man Gear wasn't his real name of course but he had been called it for so long now it felt weird that he would be called anything else. When all of this happened it changed him somehow he became someone else in a way he could never quiet explain but it didn't really matter in the long run did it? "So Arthur right? Where are you coming from?"

[tjopj44]

"It's nice to meet you too, Gear" Arthur said with a hint of a smile on his lips. "I came from Kansas. I've been travelling without a map for so long that I have no idea where I am now, so I'll ask you: which town is this?" He asked.

[secretsparrow]

"Really? you don't know this place? It's just out side of New York." Gear said quietly looking at the man as if he had grown a second head for a moment then shook his head. Yea, you really arn't from around here are you? Sorry, it's just I don't see strangers often anymore."

[tjopj44]

"It's okay" Arthur said with a pensative look on his face "I guess i'm not very used to meeting new people too. I've been wandering alone for so much time..." he uncounsciously rubbed his belly as the babies inside him started to kick him "Wow, New York... I thought it would be so full of people, and noisy and clear. Things must have really changed after the plague, right?" he asked more to himself than to the man in front of him. He sighed as he finished eating the apple and looked at Gear "Well, anyway, thanks for everything. I shouldn't take more of your night time, after all you are pregnant too" he said as he stood up "But can i ask you one more thing before i get going?"

(I'm so sorry for the delay, i've been really busy lately)

[secretsparrow]

"Sure." Gear said softly. A part of gear wanted to ask this man to stay, there was no reason to kick him out after all he didn't seem to pose any sort of real risk, but then again he was wary because he had only known this man a few minutes. He would have to decide what to do quickly though. "What is the question?" Gear asked crossing the room and sitting on the arm of the couch.

[tjopj44]

"Well, i don't know exactly how to ask this, but... Well, as you see, i'm already seven months pregnand, and i don't think i'll be able to reach full term, since i'm carrying triplets" he said, a bit shy "So i would like to ask if you know a doctor or a nurse, or someone that knows how to deliver a baby, or somewhere safe i could do it by myself" he said, feeling a bit weird for asking advice on that subject.

[secretsparrow]

Gear seemed to consider that for a moment and then he shook his head, "No.. but.. you could stay here." He tried to make the words sound very sure even if he was not. Not 100% at least but the company would be good for him and it wouldn't be so bad having someone else around. "It's alright really, I wouldn't mind it's lonely on your own isn't it?" He was offering this man help. why? wasn't he supposed to be much more cold hearted then this? but he didn't have it in him to turn him away.. in some ways their stories were a lot alike.

[tjopj44]

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked. "I mean, i would love to have some company, it's indeed very lonely to travel on your own. But i wouldn't want to be a bother or another weight for you" he said. "After all, i guess it won't be easy to live with someone you just met". Arthur was secretely wishing the man would say that it didn't matter, that he could stay with him (after all, he was very tired of travelling alone), but he wanted Gear to be sure if he was comfortable with it first, after all they were total strangers to each other. He was hoping for the best, though.

[secretsparrow]

Gear nodded "I'm sure." he had hesitated a bit but this was safer then being alone and he honestly didn't think this man would do any harm to him or his home. "You're welcome here as long as you want to stay." He smiled slightly. Besides, it wasn't as if he could kick the boy out the streets were a harsh place and no place for a child, let alone a place to deliver one.

[tjopj44]

"Oh, thank you" Arthur said with relief "I'm so glad i won't have to have my babies on the streets anymore" he smiled as he rubbed his belly and felt his triplets moving. He guessed he wouldn't be smelling good after so many months on the streets without taking a shower, but he was glad Gear didn't minded it. He was feeling his muscles very tight too, specially on his shoulders and on his back, he was hoping a good warm shower could repair it. "By the way, can i ask how far along are you?" he asked.

[secretsparrow]

Gear thought for a moment "about 8 months, 32 weeks give or take a few days. What about you?" He asked gesturing to a seat across from him. If the boy was staying he might as well sit and make him self comfortable Gear thought to himself. He could come off a bit rude, or even cold at first to some people but Gear really wasn't a bad guy once he warmed up to people. Or perhaps, people simply got used to him.