In the sudden silence following the boats impact with the gift shop Riley, Jessy and Tommy quietly made their way to the movie theatre Jessy lighting his final water logged cigar in a vain attempt to curb his growing need for a good smoke. Upon their arrival they encounter a gore covered Jamie walking out of the exit, with Rachel and Heather close behind, Rachel offering up four brief words of insight. “Theater closed for renovations.” A more lengthy description of what happened came from Jamie, insisting she was fine despite the teeth marks in her arm and the trickle of blood still running from a gash in her forehead.

With darkness surrounding them, the group briefly discussed their next course of action, none of them eager to poke through the busted remains of the gift shop, Rachel and Heather eventually volunteering for the task while the rest worked on securing some sort of transportation out of the area. (After Jessy and Riley related how they saw the crew of the game warden boat killed by something from the lake none of them wished to spend the night at the resort disappointingly enough.)

Proceeding carefully into the gift shop by way of the front door, (which was oddly unlocked) Heather and Renee were greeted by a treacherous floor covered in several hundred gumballs from a shattered machine near the checkout counter, the mangled remains of the boat lodged three quarters through the far wall amidst a pile of wood and glass debris.

Choosing to walk by sliding their feet across the floor, they both proceeded closer to the boat with their handguns drawn, Renee pausing long enough to turn on the few working lights inside the devastated shop. As they got closer to the boat they could make out an unmoving shape near the seats dressed in a forest green jacket.

Meanwhile Riley and Jessy cautiously scouted the perimeter of the recreation area searching for any kind of running vehicle, weapons at the ready. Jamie and Tommy kept close behind, keeping a careful eye on their backs. Before long they came across a dark green bronco sporting the park ranger logo, partially covered with a tarp parked under a stand of pine trees near the rear entrance. Praising their good fortune Jessy and Riley secured the vehicle, peeling back the tarp and ensuring there was nothing lurking inside or underneath the truck, which was strangely unlocked.

Back inside the gift shop Heather and Renee climbed into the boats wreckage with some difficulty, their hesitant check on the sole occupant finding him to be an older man of Latino heritage, around his mid forties, with a cleanly shaven face and Marine Corps logo tattooed on the back of his right hand. He seemed to be alive but unconscious, a rapidly darkening bruise near his right temple leading Heather to suspect tit was likely a concussion. Seeing little other option they carefully extracted him from the wreckage and carried him outside toward the front gate where they had agreed to meet with Riley’s team in twenty minutes

Back at the bronco Riley succeeded on a challenging electronics roll and managed to hotwire the truck in record time, pleased to discover it contained a full half tank of gas and working CB. After securing their few supplies and canine companions inside, they drove out to meet Renee and Heather at the gate entrance, the unconscious man laying on a bench near by.

After consulting a map in the glove compartment the group decided to head for a small township called Ruthton about a 30 minute drive away form the recreation area, hoping to find food, shelter, and ammunition. As the vehicle pulled out in a spray of gravel dark clouds gathered over head and the peal of thunder echoed faintly in the distance, a sunken set of eyes belonging to a small child like form watching the vehicle progress from the shore line with interest.

* * * * *

Will Ruthton provide the salvation the group so desperately seeks? Will their new unconscious companion prove a useful addition to their group? Will Jessy secure more cigars or suffer the pangs of nicotine withdrawal? Find out in the next adventure synopsis #14!