Front Gate Plaza, Nothing without it

[Bern]

Behind the front gate of the Zoo, the Front Gate Plaza is a hub of activity. Two ponds surrounded with stone fencing are located to the left and right, with a path of either side of them and a large path leading ahead between them. Several gift shops, restaurants, cafes, arcades and other buildings for entertainment purpose lay around the edges of the ponds.

At the end of the large path, a large wooden gate leads to the Stage. Just left of this, a small hole is in one of the walls to the side, leading through to the path outside the observation deck, though there is currently a cart on this side blocking the way.

Between the two ponds, a statue of a lion sits beside each pond. The statue on the left is facing the front gate, whilst the one on the right is facing the gate to the Stage. Each one has a slot for some sort of emblem in the pedistal it sits upon...

[Arnie]

Max enters the front gate plaza from the wooden gate to the stage and looks around, he should probably use that hemostat hes been carrying around, besides he deserved a little reward.

Remembering the evacuation notice Max couldnt help but think there had been a lack of helicopters, or anything except mindless animals. This surely wasnt a safe place to evacuate, so he prepared himself to do things the old fashioned way.

Enter Area

[Bern]

Stepping out from the Stage, Max can that there are a few shambling "people" in the area, though not nearby to pose an immediate threat. Over to the right from where he is stood, Max can see a fence that looks much like the one that ran along the side of the path in front of the Observation Deck. There's no hole in sight, though in front of a part of this fence is a cart stall that was likely used to sell goods of some sort. If Max felt the need to, he could possibly try and push this out of the way.

Straight ahead, Max can see a long and wide path leading between the middle of two ponds surrounded by stone railings. On either side of the middle of this path, Max can see two large statues of a lion, the one on the left has red jewels for eyes while the one on the right has blue jewels for eyes. There is an indentation in the pedestal of each for something to be inserted. At the end of this path, Max can see what appears to be the way out to the front of the Zoo, though the metal shutters are currently locked down by the looks of it, preventing his escape from the Zoo!

Ahead of where Max is stood, but further to the left from the main path ahead, is another path that leads around the leftmost pond and to front gate area. It leads past several small cafes, gift shops and arcades. This is where the few shambling figures in the area can be seen.

Survivors
Max: 62/100 (Bleeding)

[Arnie]

Not as armed as he was before his fight with the lioness, Max's priority would be getting over to the lion statues and avoiding conflict. He'd go back for Jen once the area was safer- no point in dragging her out just to get attacked now...

Not really feeling up for the challenge, Max takes the old hemostat pill he had kept safe for a rainy day.

Use Item

[Bern]

Max swallows the hemostatic medicine, the heavy bleeding from his wounds lessening quite quickly.

Nothing much of note appears to occur while Max does so, though one of the shambling figures on the left path staggers a little closer in this direction. It doesn't appear to have noticed Max, though.

Max has lost: Hemostat

Survivors
Max: 62/100

[Arnie]

It didnt look like help would be arriving any time soon, and some of the people he couldnt quite make out looked in worse shape than the lioness he left behind. Regardless, he had enough people to take care of. Max began quickly running whilst keeping hunched low, as to not attract attention. The sooner he could put down these emblems, the better.

Run 3AP

[Bern]

Max moves as quickly as he is able down the stone path ahead, coming to a halt in between the two large statues to the sides. Though the indentations in the pedestals of the statues are both facing inwards towards one another, the statues themselves appear to be facing elsewhere. The red eyed lion on the left is facing off towards the front gate, while the blue eyed lion to the right is facing off towards the Stage that Max had come from.

Although he attempted as best he could to avoid detection, the sudden groaning from the figures on the other path seems to indicate they've sensed his presence. They didn't have a direct route to him however, having to move around either side of the pond to get to the path he was on, so he'd have a bit of time.

Survivors
Max: 62/100

[Arnie]

For now, Max placed the emblems in the corresponding colours- he didnt understand why they faced places he had already been-unless thats where the emblems could be obtained from, since the blue one was pointing in the direction he just came from.

Regardless, he could figure that out if it came to it.

[Bern]

As Max inserts the red emblem into the indentation on the left statue, it turns to face towards the right statue. Placing the blue emblem in the indentation of the right statue causes it to turn and face the left statue.

After finishing with this task, the metal shutters blocking off access to the ticket gates by the front gate are lifted up. They'd be able to escape to what was hoped to be the evacuation point!

There isn't much time to celebrate, however. The figures on the left path shamble ever closer, two from the direction of the front gate and one continuing on its way around the pond to try and intercept Max from the direction of the gate to the Stage.

Max has lost: Red Lion Emblem, Blue Lion Emblem

Max has solved a puzzle! +2 to Intelligence.

Survivors
Max: 62/100

[Arnie]

Max would take his chance with these crazies after he had secured Jen, he couldnt just leave her behind whilst he got evacuated. Max hoped his old frame would hold out just a little longer, because if these people were as problematic as the lion, he'd be in the shit real soon.

After noticing the cart on the way through, it may not only be a decent area to have a look around scavenging wise, but a shortcut to Jen, either way- he needed to get to the observatory fast... preferably whilst encountering the least amount of people

Run 3AP

[Bern]

Max turns about, running back from the path and then to the left, over towards the cart by the fence. It is a bulky thing, and although it seemed like it could be pushed aside, it'd likely take some effort to do so.

The Zombie which had been moving to intercept Max' route back the way fails to do so, though continues to stagger towards him regardless, around 20 yards away behind him.

Enemies
Zombie #1: 40/40

Survivors
Max: 62/100

[Arnie]

Max had seen pensioners move faster than these guys, which he thought would give him plenty of time to at least to push the cart, he'd have to save scavenging for another time.

[Bern]

Max musters the strength to push the cart aside by a few paces, revealing a small hole in the fence that it had been obscuring the sight of previously. Though the hole is small, it still looks big enough for a grown man or woman to crawl through.

Max doesn't get much of a break however, as the Zombie behind him groans loudly from just a few yards behind him!

Enemies
Zombie #1: 40/40

Survivors
Max: 62/100

[Arnie]

Max didnt want to be fighting in a small confined space, so he moved quickly to the guy and booted him, with the idea of creating some space in mind- hopefully it'd give him a little headstart as he crawled into the spot

Walk 1AP
Melee 3AP
Run 3AP
Crawl 3AP

[Bern]

Max moves over towards the Zombie, kicking at it to keep it at bay. (Zombie #1 -2). The Zombie doesn't pull any punches however, quickly pushing onwards and grabbing hold of Max' shoulders, biting into his neck afterwards. (Max -4).

Enemies
Zombie #1: 38/40

Survivors
Max: 58/100

[Arnie]

"Gah! Shit!" Max panicks as he struggles to stay on his feet, Max pushes the man back then whacks him with the pipe a couple of times. That should be enough for the crazy bastard!

Melee x3 9AP

[Bern]

Max manages to shove the Zombie off before reaching for his pipe, striking at the ghastly figure twice. (Zombie #1 -1, -4, -5).

As this Zombie staggers back from the blows, Max can glance the other two figures slowly shuffling along the main path towards him.

Enemies
Zombie #1: 28/40

Survivors
Max: 58/100

[Arnie]

Max gives the relentless man a good final whacking before retreating into the crawl space- there was no way he could fight 3 of them and he was practically unarmed! It made him question if he could actually protect Jen, but right now he needed to worry about saving his own ass.

Melee 3AP
Run 3AP
Crawl 3AP

[Bern]

Max' attack narrowly misses as the Zombie staggers off aside. Regardless, the old man turns about, heading for the hole in the fence and crawling through.

Max has left the Front Gate Plaza towards the Observation Deck Path

Enemies
Zombie #1: 28/40

Survivors
Max: 58/100

[Arnie]

Heading back out, Max waits by the entrance ready to help Jen.

"listen, we're almost out of this- I just need you to stay strong for me ok?"

Enter Area 10AP