The day was February 19th, 2012, also known as the beginning of the end of the world. A scientific experiment in cell regeneration gone horribly wrong led to the very true reality of the walking dead. Days, weeks, and even months of chaos and confusion followed. People fought for their lives, collecting as much as they could to stay alive. Casualties piled up in the process, but eventually some were able to calm down and create a safe zone for survivors.
Abel Township is just one of the communities that has survived the beginning of the zombie apocalypse and doing everything they can to make it just one more day. People are looking for answers. What went wrong? Should we give up hope? Will this nightmare ever end?
OPENING DATE: April 21st, 2013
Lara Stapleton | 21 | Heterosexual | Supply Manager | FC: Emma Watson | OPEN
Before the Outbreak:
The typical perfectionist, Lara felt the need to make sure everything was in order and everyone followed the rules. Growing up, she had always been true to herself, despite pressure from others to break free from her system. She lived by rules, regardless of the friends who tried to make her wild and free, and the way her parents hinted that she should get a bigger social life. But she didn’t care much about that, and her parents slowly stopped trying to pressure their so-claimed “perfect” daughter. She just loved the idea of perfection at such a young age, which alarmed her family to a new degree, pushing her to a therapist who claimed Miss Lara Stapleton had OCD. However, it wasn’t something that many people noted. She grew up with the disorder and had the willpower to easily control it. She wasn’t the type who needed to clean something 34 times before she would actually touch it and she wasn’t the kind to turn a light on and off until she was finally able to stop. No, she was lucky that it wasn’t that severe. Instead she had to keep track of everything. During school, she liked to keep a list of everything she carried with her. One phone, one wallet, seven one dollar bills, one ten dollar bill, five number 2 pencils; lists like that. It wasn’t a sickness to her; it was control and control meant power. She was pretty, and easily liked. She had a good amount of friends who supported her and loved her for who she was - so she wasn’t living that bad of a life. Most people actually went to her because she kept such detailed lists of things in her life. It was easier that way for them, and for her. Lara never had to worry about losing something, not having enough of something, or not being prepared because she had her lists yet - nothing could have prepared her for the outbreak.
After the Outbreak:
With her family separated, she took a chance and bolted out of her house. Lara ran for a while until she found herself in an near-by orphanage. It was safe to stay there as long as they were quiet. Lara wasn’t alone there; she had about 20 other people hiding there and they all immediately turned to her for some sort of leadership. She was the only one capable of keeping herself together, even in the madness. She quickly started to ration out food and supplies, making sure everyone got an equal share and enough for them to survive. As much as she hated it, she even made survival packs for the people that were brave enough to challenge their new world and find everyone else more supplies. They risked their lives for the simple necessities, and Lara made sure to keep track of everything they brought back. They trusted her to keep them safe; they were just aiding her. She might be young, but she knew they depended on her - so when she heard word of a bigger outpost that would be able to accommodate them, she immediately started packing for all of them. The journey wasn’t going to be easy and once they left the confines of the orphanage, they would no longer be able to replenish supplies, but Lara wasn’t stupid. She was able to map out where the haven should be and packed around how long it would take on foot. It took her team two weeks, but they found Abel Township. What had started as a group of twenty quickly died down to only three of them by the time they had reached their safety. Lara kept something with her from that experience, and that was the knowledge that people were going to die. Being in the township, quickly falling into place as a supply manager, she tried to go above and beyond her post and do what she could to make sure whoever was going to get her supplies would actually make it back alive.
Relationships in Abel:
Reports to Janine De Luca on the amount of their supplies. If Lara needs to cut down on the amount she gives out to people, Janine is the one to tell her.
Is friendly with Palmer Langley. She wouldn’t call them friends, but they could be if they spent more time together.
Gage Conning | 21 | Homosexual | Lookout | FC: Alex Pettyfer | TAKEN
Before the Outbreak:
Gage Conning was the beautiful guy everyone desired and adored and he loved it. Why wouldn’t he? Gage lived in the moment and if that moment revolved around him the more the better. Simply put, the blonde liked drawing attention no matter if it was bad or good. He was no different when it came to sex. He would find someone to sleep with pretty much anywhere and any time he could. It was just one of the many ways he could get joy out of life, so of course he enjoyed it. His sexuality was never a problem for him; it was just another thing that made him exceptional and better than everyone else. At least in his mind, that’s how he viewed it. Every time he laid a guy, the more is self-confidence and arrogant nature elevated. Sure, he sounds vain and materialistic and only in it for himself but that wasn’t always true. When he was younger, his last years of high school, he still believed in love and the life that you spend with that person. That’s what he did. Gage fell for the bad boy, the one the cops were all after because he was a petty thief. And Gage used his charm to help him get away. They were the perfect team really, and the blonde thought it was going to be them against the world. That was all until the day he woke up alone to an empty closet. From that day on, Gage hardened his personality and donned this new arrogant front that ultimately made him the bad boy he had grown to hate. He relishes the attention and loves being able to use people for his own pleasure, and as long as he doesn’t get hurt he doesn’t care what happens to you. But life gets funny when there is a Zombie outbreak. Then it really is every man for himself.
After the Outbreak:
Gage created a survival plan quickly. He wasn’t about to die and come back a zombie. He didn’t need his good looks to be ruined. So, he used his apparent charm and smooth talk to lure others to him, if only for a night. He would trick the women into thinking he would keep them safe, rob them and then be gone by morning. He would give men a place to stay, and use them for whatever he could before he left them on their own, usually helpless in the wilderness. The blonde was surviving solely off of letting people die. It wasn’t right, but it was easy. But the life of a wanderer would get tough once Zombies were more in population than living humans and scavenging became tough when you were against anyone else that was left. So Gage went in search of a permanet home, knowing that a few settlements had popped up near the base of the mountains. He found Abel Township and proved his worth by flashing the amount of supplies and ammunition he had collected. In this new home, Gage became one of the people allowed on the walls—his eyes constantly on their surroundings. He would warn the people of Zombies before they noticed him. Not only would he protect the people, but he usually would blow anyone’s head off that tried to steal or attack Abel. Gage is still an asshole, vain, cocky, and still not very well-liked, but it seems that once humanity went to hell, he found some of his own.
Relationships in Abel:
Gage and Fostor Barrett are not on speaking terms. Gage refuses to heed any of Fostor’s medical warnings which really put Fostor on edge as he believes it will be Gage who gets bitten and brings the virus into the township.
Lyndsey Wardall, while not really liking Gage all that much, can put up with him better than most people. Their friendship, if it can even be called that, is usually made up of silence except for the few times Gage tries to get her to give him what he wants.
Anna Brook | 23 | Heterosexual | Lookout | FC: Rose Leslie | OPEN
Before the Outbreak:
Soft-spoken and patient, Anna’s the type of person who would never raise her voice in anger. She’s rational and whenever the rare times come along that get her into trouble or into an argument, she talks things out or calms herself down before speaking to the other person. It’s rather remarkable to see how controlled and poised she is in dramatic situations; but some may call it emotionless. While they’re not far from the truth, Anna can be a bit loud and wild if she wanted to. Growing up, she listened to her mother and father frequently, because she was afraid of her mother’s wrath. If it wasn’t for her, maybe Anna would be louder and more outgoing, rather than slightly reserved and socially awkward. Her mother enjoyed to tear her down emotionally, seeing her daughter as a failure. Her father was never able to stop her mother from taunting her because he was rarely home. He took to the office more than his family, which affected his wife a lot more than he realized. By taking out her frustrations on their daughter, Anna grew to be the woman she is today - and a bit of a wallflower. She feels that she’s unimportant to the world because of the way her mother treated her, which is quite unfair, because she was talented. Her parents were wealthy and enrolled her in the best private schools in their area, only for Anna to come out on top for each and every single one of them. Her father was elated - her mother? Uncaring. Desperate for her praise, Anna tried to outdo herself in college, using pills for ADHD to keep her up through the night so that she could study. Slowly, she became addicted, and two sides became of her. One side was her regular personality, the one that everyone saw; kind, collected, and thoughtful. The other side was a mess. When she took the pills she bought from kids in her school, she sometimes took more than she could handle and became hyperactive and overwhelming. This problem was soon solved after a long time in therapy, but she still sometimes thinks that the pills made her better.
After the Outbreak:
It was one of those peaceful days for Anna. She hadn’t been taking her pills for quite some time and had no urge to start, so she remained perfectly relaxed throughout most of the day. It was also one of her lazy days as well, for there were no classes the next day for her. Her internship at a business firm, which was set to be the next big company, was just starting, and she had gotten an afternoon shift, which benefitted her by letting her rest up before walking into work. Normally, she wasn’t stressed out there because of the atmosphere. It had an almost clubhouse-like space because of the young owners, which led to Anna becoming a bit more louder there, because she felt more free. The day of the outbreak, Anna and her coworkers were trapped in the office building as zombies slowly made their way up the levels, sniffing out almost anything that moved. Despite the fact that the men protected the women and hid them in the back corner, Anna felt like she would be unable to survive this without a little bit of help. For her nerves to calm down and her focus to increase, she snatched the old pills she had in her desk and swallowed them immediately. After they kicked in, she felt like she had a sharper, clearer focus without anything to distract her. Because of this, she was able to fight her way through the zombies, but avoid most of them and get some of her coworkers out safely. Finally, she was a hero - not that her mother saw it. Without wasting a second thinking about her parents, who could have been dead or alive, Anna rushed off on her own after her group of survivors dispersed. She felt lonely and afraid, but used the pride she got from saving those people to propel her to a safe house. She resided in a school, where aid was being doled out and policemen were guarding the people inside. But Anna grew tired of the environment, and with rumors flying around about Abel, she set off to find out and ended up in the safe zone where she was placed as a Lookout. Though not a Runner, she still takes her job seriously as one of the most important positions in the township.
Relationships in Abel:
Would consider Nolan Zimmerman her best friend in Abel. He makes her actually feel wanted and seen. Where as, even at the end of the world, people still seem to walk by her. But he sees her.
Addison Badley berates and attacks Anna on a daily basis, and Anna doesn’t have the courage to stand up for herself
Mark Erickson | 25 | Bisexual | Supply/Food Manager | FC: Sebastian Stan | TAKEN
Before the Outbreak:
There are people out there that just never feel satisfied with what they have; they’ll probably even tell you that the grass is always greener on the other side. Well, Mark grew up on the other side where that grass was oh so green. A socialite mother and an army hero for a father, he had everything he ever wanted; needed, not so much. His parents were never around when he was younger so he was raised by his sister, Leah. Being ten years his senior, people often thought she was his actual mother. Leah taught Mark everything, from basic schoolwork to street smarts. Most importantly, she taught him not to be what everyone assumed of people with money. He didn’t have the staff wait on him hand and foot like slaves, no instead he helped them and spent time with them like they were respective members of the family. He had friends, nobody close but still friends. Everyone thought he was the sweetest person they had met, but there was more there to him. Underneath that outward shell of a gentleman is where you will find the true Mark; the broken Mark. Throughout his childhood he always had this incessant nagging of a feeling that something wasn’t right about him. Everybody liked, but nobody loved him. They were too scared. Yes, he was kind and gentle to everyone but that didn’t last daily. Some days, he was a completely different Mark. He was capable of cutting you down with one word and making you regret ever talking to him; and he enjoyed it. The people in his life all recognized he was sick so they put up with it, but they never actually addressed it. Mark did not realize the extent of his demeanor until Leah had him committed, out of fear for their family’s lives and his own. That was the turning point in his break. The one person he trusted the most betrayed him, at least in his mind. He would never forgive her for that.
After the Outbreak:
He was still in the behavioral institution when the outbreak occurred. For weeks they were safe behind the locked fire doors from the zombies, but the patients weren’t safe from themselves. Mark had gotten help, he had learned to have a basic control and understanding of his split personality but now that the doctors had all abandoned their normal duties so they could fight and try and keep everyone alive he feared he would start regressing. He was content locked in that asylum until he heard a nurse speak of his home town being, which was nearby, finally falling which cut them off of their supplies. Mark swallowed his fear and ventured into the deadly world, not caring if he died. He just wanted to get home, to find his family and Leah and to escape this hell. He traveled with different groups as they all went further into the mess to find supplies, but he wasn’t much use to them. The only way he could convince them to keep him around since he couldn’t fight was a lie. He had convinced them all he had graduated college with double major in management, culinary skills. With a pedigree like that it was no surprise that the teams he moved with trusted him with their coveted supplies they collected. He would portion everything out properly, as if they were the pills so often portioned out for him, and keep everyone from fighting for more. His sweeter side was finally gaining all it’s control back. Somehow he had been side-tracked from finding his home, instead he found himself fleeing when his team was devoured by the zombies. He took what he could and ran. He ran for days, only stopping for food and water. By the time he reached the gates of Abel Township he looked like the beasts themselves. Even though he’s now safe inside the confines of Abel, continuing his job managing supplies, he regrets not going to find his sister. In the pit of his heart he knows she didn’t make it out, but he still keeps a picture of her hanging in his room to chase the nightmares away.
Relationships in Abel:
Gets quiet and usually avoids Leah Watson as she reminds him a lot of his own sister.
Gets into constant fights with Janine De Luca about how to manage the supplies at Abel. He tends to think the way Janine rations the supplies isn’t enough for people to consume knowing that they can spare some extra food every now and then.
Leah Watson | 21 | Bisexual | Comms Coordinator | FC: Dianna Agron | OPEN
Before the Outbreak:
Leah is beautiful, intelligent, and loyal - all the right ingredients for someone to ultimately get whatever they wanted and whenever they wanted it. While the female knew she held this kind of power, she never used what she had to her advantage. She worked for everything she got despite what others may have thought. Some of her peers often spread rumors about how she was doing so well in life and how she was able to accomplish the things she was trying to get to. Apparently, she has slept with every teacher in her high school to pass; graduating with a 4.0 GPA landing her to be the valedictorian of her class as well as achieving the title as a triple-season athlete in Cross-Country, Swimming, and Lacrosse. All of her hard work eventually paid off when she got into Columbia College to study science technology and, for once, she was finally surrounded by people who also worked just as hard as she does. But there is much more to Leah than her intelligence. On the outside, Leah was definitely what people would call a girly-girl. Make-up, decent clothing, and she even had that certain look to her. Even in her most comfortable clothing bought from the men’s section, she still managed to look her best. On the inside though, she was a huge nerd. She had a love for games that in the end placed her into the major she was going for. She created virtual reality games and could recreate radios and communication devices with a pile of scrap. She was everything every girl wished they were. With everything going for her, it led to a lot of jealousy and the only friends Leah could count on were the occasional gamers who were just like her. Never really having true friends, Leah grew to hate the world she lived in and with the outbreak that never really did change.
After the Outbreak:
In all honesty, Leah could never tell you how she managed to escape to Abel Township. She evaded anything that ran at her and lost her voice while screaming. She had hid out in an abandoned barn for a few weeks, hardly ever leaving and practically ended up starving for the time she spent there. Luckily, Sam Yao had worked with her at Columbia and when his runner, Joseph Blanscet, saw her in the woods on a rare outage to find food and water, Sam instructed Joseph to bring her back unharmed. Sam’s knowledge of how useful Leah could be is what saved her life and brought her to Abel in the first place. Since then, she’s been assigned as a Comms Coordinator to Palmer Langley and Harper Hendrix. When she is on her off time, she makes more and more radios for the township to use and communicate with one another. She also helps to set up cameras around the township and makes sure their signals work properly back at the Communications Building. Leah is essential to Abel, building and fixing things they need and what the runners find on their missions. If it weren’t for her there’s be quite a bit missing in their survival here. Old computers and cell phones that have been found are torn apart, giving her the ability to use the new scraps for completely different things. She throws herself into this much work as a distraction. When she isn’t busying herself, she finds that she gets lost in thought. Not knowing what happened to her family or where they may be, she tends to worry herself sick thinking of all the possibilities that could have occurred and that is a dark place Leah does not wish to go to. Especially in a situation like this where a decent distraction is a key source of her survival.
Relationships in Abel:
Joseph Blanscet was the runner who found her in the woods and brought her back safely to Abel at the demand of his Comms Coordinator, Sam.
Sam Yao knew Leah back at Columbia College and knew how smart she was and fought to have her in Abel.
Palmer Langleyis one of her runners. Their relationship is based on trust but doesn’t extend much past that.
Harper Hendrix is her other runner. There is something in Leah that always worries when Harper is out in the field.
Thinks Mark Erickson doesn’t like her.
Jeffery Springate | 26 | Heterosexual | Nurse | FC: Chris Hemsworth | OPEN
Before the Outbreak:
Jeffrey, or Jeff as most people called him, was always a sweet, shy boy. He was the kind of boy who helped his mother with the chores without her asking; the type who would rather read a book than go out and play with his friends. After all, his mother was the only family he had. He never knew his father. His mother told him he left to join the army before Jeff was ever born and he never came back. His mother had eloped with his father so she had no other family to help her. Jeff ended up helping his mother most of the time and he learned how to do things most other boys would never know. He was particularly good at gardening and it was something he enjoyed very much. While in school, Jeff’s abilities didn’t translate very well to making friends. He got picked on a lot for being quiet and not liking sports. The teasing got worse as he grew older and eventually he tried to kill himself by hanging but his mother found him in time. The shock of the event made his mother realize how depressed he was and she sent him to a special school for children with mental disorders. He didn’t do well there, he grew more and more introverted, and so finally his mother brought him home and taught him herself. To everyone’s surprise, as soon as he turned eighteen, he joined the army just like his father and went overseas. He saw terrible things over there, killed many people, and was almost blown up by a roadside bomb. He was finally allowed to come home when he got the news that his mother was killed in a car accident while he was away. Arriving home, he realizes that he’s completely and utterly alone and while he went to therapy every once in a while, he felt unable to deal with himself. He still suffers from depression, and even now suffers from PTSD, and has vowed never to pick up a weapon again.
After the Outbreak:
After the zombies started roaming around town, Jeff got scared. People were walking around with guns, he heard gunshots all the time, and with his PTSD, he always felt like he was back overseas and would sometimes go into terrible rages. One of his neighbors found him that way and almost shot him because they were afraid he was a zombie too. After that, he knew he had to get away and find somewhere safe before something bad happened to him. However, he met struggles along the way. Many people either got their own supplies and ran out on cars, or they traveled in packs to be better protected. Jeff couldn’t protect himself really, but he couldn’t travel with people, as he was too afraid of himself. But he had to get somewhere safe if he wanted to live, so he knew what he had to do. He soon became brave and continued on his way, despite the hardships. He stayed on the road, and after a long time of dodging zombies and never sleeping for fear that something would kill him, he found Abel Township. After learning he was a soldier, they let him in right away and wanted him to be a runner but he refused, afraid of what he might do out there. He settled on being a nurse, as he learned a lot from the army and from his mother. He’s still very depressed and afraid of himself and most loud noises. Many days he contemplates killing himself but he could never be that violent. He keeps getting asked to defend the town or be a runner but every time he refuses.
Relationships:
Jordan Cohen knows about Jeffrey’s condition and does her best to keep an eye on him.
Jeff feels that he and Joseph Blancset have the same outlook on their situation
It’s a possibility. We’ll keep it in mind.
I have a lot of bios to post over the next couple of days. And some will be coming out every day.
Madison Radcliffe | 20 | Heterosexual | Nurse | FC: Crystal Reed | OPEN
Before the Outbreak:
Arrogant and vain, Madison wasn’t the number one favorite girl around her small, prestigious town. Like most of the other kids who went to her school, she grew up with everything fed to her on a silver platter, with diamonds dangling from her silver cutlery. She always took care of her appearance and outfits, nearly never wearing the same thing twice. Her parents didn’t notice her racking up bills, and this led to some reckless behavior and also, a changed attitude. Her peers, while materialistic, were always kind to each other because it was a rather small high school. Word could travel quickly, and just as easily as they accepted you, they could isolate you. Madison was never able to be isolated, as she was extremely abrasive and intruding when she entered conversations with a smirk and her infamous sarcasm that hurt every time she snapped. Essentially, she was not exactly a girl at the top of the social ladder, but she thought was. On the other hand, her eyes were only for herself and whoever she would look good with. Back in high school and a little bit into college, she was a serial dater, picking up and dropping guys left and right, not caring what hearts lay broken behind her. Most would call her promiscuous or reckless, especially after a rumor in her old school got out about her and several older men, but Madison actually isn’t even close to throwing her body at boys. More or less, if she sees something she likes, she goes after it. As a child, her parents had a messy divorce, in which they spoiled Madison to a degree that was extraordinary. But because she had everything, she thought she had the one thing she really didn’t - love. Her dating in college and high school was half a cry for attention, but also her way of searching for the one. Call her a romantic, or a mushy girl, but she would do anything to get a committed relationship - and those chances are stolen by the outbreak.
After the Outbreak:
She knew she found the one; the guy she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Their relationship had lasted for at least six months, longer than any of her relationships, with Madison’s happiness glowing on her face throughout the entire time they were together. His name was Davie, and she was hopelessly in love. It was safe to say that he returned the sentiments, and the two were set on a quick path to the happy, albeit young, marriage. Looking into the future, they would have been the few couples that wouldn’t separate after a while into the marriage. They got along that well. When the outbreak started, Madison and Davie didn’t believe it and ignored all warnings. Madison, majoring in fashion, and Davie, majoring in the medical field, were both adamant realists and the thought of a zombie outbreak never occurred to them - until a mob of them broke into their apartment. As weapons, all they had were kitchen knives and pots. On top of that, Madison was scared out of her wits, screaming and hiding herself like a coward - as she believes. Davie stuck true to his feelings of true love for Madison and sacrificed himself by leading the zombies away from a quivering Madison on the floor, out onto the balcony. When she didn’t hear anything else, she rushed to the balcony and was forced to see the gruesome sight of Davie etched into the asphalt as a new group of zombies approached his body. From there on, she became a hardened, painless, and numb soul. She ran to the nearest car and just drove aimlessly for months, before reaching Abel by chance. Her now toughened exterior impressed Abel, because not only was he rough and sarcastic, but calm. No one ever saw her cry. And when someone coaxed her and Davie’s story out of her, it was found to be that Davie’s medical knowledge had passed to her, and she was given a position as a nurse. It’s a bittersweet role, making her cranky and grouchy at times, but no one can deny that she’ll be blunt and tell the truth, which sometimes, is what’s needed.
Relationships in Abel:
Lyndsey Wardall his her closest friend. Every other person just kind of gets on her nerve.
Spends most of her time with Fostor Barrett as he stays pretty quiet.
