A Chunk of Flesh - a GURPS RPG Diary

[Anders]

Most people would realize this isn't an appropriate discussion for this forum.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

As others have posted, Franklin can freely say and do things in the U.S. that might get him arrested in Germany. However, in poor neighborhoods in the south, he's probably surrounded by young black men and women who have no qualms about kicking the snot out of him, should they realize he's an Aryan Supremacist. He wouldn't need to worry about jail so much as hospitalization.

And antagonizing someone into a fight, especially he was just released from prison for a violent crime and has a known history of violent racism, is likely to get him on the block just as much as whoever threw the first punch.

Of course, possession of a firearm by a felon would likely put him back in prison if he was in any kind of altercation that got the cops involved.

[Dogma75]

Folks, don't forget that my story is fiction, pls! And don't go into a "discussion fight". ;-) I appreciate every opinion/post and we are all from around the world and I think all posts here are in their way extremly valuable (at least for me) and we can learn to see through each others eyes!!! ;-)

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Dogma75

Folks, don't forget that my story is fiction, pls! And don't go into a "discussion fight". ;-) I appreciate every opinion/post and we are all from around the world and I think all posts here are in their way extremly valuable (at least for me) and we can learn to see through each others eyes!!! ;-)

Yeah. People need to cool down. I look forward to reading the next installment of the campaign log, myself.

[Gollum]

Yes, this story is really interesting. Just take it as a Quentin Tarantino's movie, for instance. Inglorious Basterds is full of characters with very disputed morals. But this is still "fun" because it is only a story.

[Dogma75]

Diversion

April 25th 2013 - early morning

Joline stood up early as every day when she worked. First she showered, then she had breakfast. After that she went to her bus "Wild Bill". In the humidity of the dawning day she checked the pressure of the tires and the car lights.
After that she opened the bus, refilled the coolers and checked the seats for trash and forgotten objects.

At 7.30 she manned the driver seat and waited for her guests. They came short after that. One by one the travelers that didn't stay at Chattanooga filled the bus. Also some new guests entered the bus with tickets, or bought them directly from her.
She saw the Korean guy outside the bus, his cell phone on his ear and the white guy from Nashville stood before the entrance of the bus, smoking a cigarette.
10 minute before 8 o'clock the 2 young black boys came running. They looked like hell and were short of breath. Both were bleary-eyed and walked in the bus like ships out in the sea in heavy weather. As they came in Joline could smell the booze and the weed instantly.

"Are we late?", the smaller of the two asked. Meanwhile the second boys face look a little bit white and his eyes bloodshot. Joline looked at both, "you're drunk and he", she pointed at him, "looks like he is throwing up anytime now."
Both kids were surprised.

Joline continued, "If you want to drive with me, then you head back straight to the toilettes, stick your fingers in your throats and get rid of all the stuff that is in your bellies. Move it. You have 10 minutes."
They guy in front wanted to say something but she pointed out of the bus. Both of them turned and moved outside. Meanwhile Franklin moved to entrance of the bus. Joline's sight was barred by the smaller kid whilst the bigger black boy moved downstairs, out of the bus.

Payback time , Franklin thought. The black kid stepped outside the bus and Franklin tripped him. The boy stumbled over it, snag the other foot at the pedestal of the bus stop, flew over it and crashed with his face and his left arm onto one of the benches. There was a loud snapping noise, the left arm was moved 90 degree backwards and the boy started wailing in absurdly high tones. Blood drooped on the asphalt from the open crack where his forearm connected with his elbow. There was something white shimmering through the sleeve of the sweat shirt. Franklin grinned inside him. Got him, got him good...

Marc watched the white guy moving to the bus. He saw that he tripped the black boy. He did not believe what he saw there. Several thoughts ran through his head. Should he say something? This guy was dangerous! He opted to say nothing. He didn't want him as an enemy. He didn't want him to notice that he saw what Franklin did.
The black boy cried. Joline didn't trusted her eyes. The kid stumbled, flew over the bus isle, only to "connect" with the bench and then she heard that ugly snapping of bones. Nervously she fumbled her mobile phone out of her uniform and called an ambulance.
15 minutes later the ambulance arrived. Two young white guy paramedics ran to the black kid and started to examine him. One of them pointed a light in the eyes of the black kid. "Hell, he is drugged. George take a look", the other paramedic did also take a look. "Yeah his is filled up. I call the police."
The smaller black kid already looked totally scared.
The two paramedics patch the injured kid up and then two police cars arrived. They talk with the paramedics and Joline. She explained the situation. It was clear that both of the black kids were full of booze and god knows what else. They also checked their luggage and did find some weed in it. After some questions and writing down Joline's contact data, the cops gave her their cards and moved the uninjured kids in the back of one the police cars. The other one was driven off to the next hospital. One of the two police cars followed the ambulance.
About an hour late the bus started to roll. Nobody had much desire to talk. Marc delved into his laptop and Franklin, Franklin smiled...black music ain't in the house no more, he thought...

Joline breathed deeply and turned the ignition key. Wild Bill rumbled to life. They rolled out of the Greyhound station right into the traffic. She breathed deeply again and grabbed the transmitter.

"Dear passengers I am pleased to welcome you on the Greyhound bus line Atlanta via Little Rock - Memphis - Nashville - Chattanooga . My name is Joline and I will be your driver today. You can buy cooled soft drinks and sweets by me. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Planned arrival in Atlanta is 2 a.m.. This is the terminal stop! " Her speech was a bit colorless this time. She was not in the mood to tell jokes after what happened to the kid at the station. Also she had to catch up with the delay at the station. So, no music, she decided. She wasn't in the mood for it.
Some seats behind her Franklin thanked god, if there was any, that no music was played at the moment. He closed his eyes and tried to catch some sleep.

They moved on to the I-75. The traffic was smooth. Joline was sure that she could catch up with the delay. About ten miles outside of Chattanooga the traffic slowed down. The car rows on both lanes to Atlanta were long. Joline looked at the speed indicator. 40 mphs. Way to slow, she thought.

The traffic became stop and go short after Indian Springs. Walking was faster. The passengers became anxious. They and Joline knew that would be far too late in Atlanta. Then the bus stopped. The folks behind her started to talk and grumble over the delay and the traffic jam.
Marc was deep in his thoughts when he heard sirens coming from behind them. He and all the others in the bus looked to the right just to see a fast driving police cars which sped over the emergency lane. Most of them looked interestingly after the police car. They moved a few hundred meters forward.
Seconds later the siren sound swelled again behind them and two more police cars raced over the breakdown lane, followed by a swat transporter which also had his sirens on.
The talk grew louder in the bus. Marc started to google and tried to follow some twitter news from his friends and other folks he knew in Atlanta.
Meanwhile the catalyst of the traffic jam came into sight. The whole interstate was blocked by several police cars. Both sites. From and to Atlanta.
Some passengers used their cell phones to reach folks in Atlanta. Even Joline. The lines were busy....
Joline saw that Marc used a laptop in her rearview mirror.
Marc was shocked by the news he saw. There was a demonstration in Atlanta. Some city worker and union guys demonstrated for more payment and better working condition. It seemed that the demonstration was way out of control. The workers were aggressive and stones were thrown. The police used anti-demo cops and tear gas, which pushed the folks at the demonstration more. The twitter folks wrote that they were about 10.000 people demonstrating. The pictures showed scenes that were utterly brutal. On both sides.

The flap-flap-flap of a helicopter was heard. Everybody stretched their neck to see what was happening. Marc as all others on the right side saw a Black Hawk flying in the direction of Atlanta. He was followed by a second one. Both in the typical olive green of the military.

Everybody started to talk. Everybody wanted to reach their siblings, nobody knew what was going on.

Marc recognized that the internet connection slowed down. He thought about his colleagues in Atlanta. He was pulled out of his thoughts by Joline. "Hey, Asian boy", Marc looked up and saw the bus driver wave, their eyes met in the rearview mirror, "could you please come up front and don't forget your laptop."

Marc stood up and moved forward to Joline. Joline saw that he was a bit white in his face. "Did you see anything in the net boy?", she ask him very gentle.
Marc nodded. "Here," he held the computer in her direction." There is a demonstration in Atlanta. It seems that it is a violent one". The cars moved on and Wild Bill crawled a few meters more to the police cars that blocked the Interstate.
Marc showed her the pictures. He also noticed that the net was down now. So he showed her the pictures that were in his cache. There was no way to get new information at the moment. Marc saw that the bus driver was shocked.
"Stay here", she mentioned to him and grabbed the transmitter. "Folks, folks," the loud talk between the passengers stopped. "We don't know what is happening at the moment but it seems that there is a big demonstration in Atlanta. Does anybody have a line that works on their cell phones?" There were several no's and some passengers shacked their heads. "Okay then, nothing to be worried about. I will ask the police officers in front when we get there. Maybe there was another bomb threat and all they do is taking care of it.", she looked at Marc "If there is anything new boy, then you will let me know it first. Don't want to have a panic on this bus, understood?", Marc nodded and move to a free seat near Joline.

Franklin was worried. What if the police wanted to search the bus or worse him. If they would find the gun then his newly earned freedom would be history.

[Dogma75]

The bus reached the blockade of the police cars. A blond female officer walked over as Joline turn her side window down. "Morning mam," Joline said.
The police officer nodded. She was white, her blond hairs were pulled back to a pony and she wore black sunglasses. The name tag said G. Jones. Her hands rested on the utility belt.
"What happened? Why is the Interstate blocked", she was interrupted by sirens. Again a police car and a swat transporter sped over the emergency lane to Atlanta. Both, Joline and the officer followed the two vehicles with their gaze.
"Mam, you have to take this road," the police officer pointed to a small road on the other side of the Interstate. You will have to follow it and drive to Dalton. there you stand down and wait till further notice." Joline swalloed. "Officer Jones what happened. Please I have something to say to my passengers. Also I have to contact my bosses and ask what we should do!"
Joline saw that the officer thought about the reply. Officer Jones looked up again.
"There was or is a demonstration in Atlanta. Worker and state employees are demonstrating for better working conditions and more payment. The folks got violent. Two police officers died, several demonstrators were shot. We're pulling everything we have to Atlanta!" Joline did not believe was she just heard. Then she recognized the five police cars were from different counties. Two were from the APD, one from CPD and the other two were Georgia state troopers.
Officer Jones spoke again. "Please move on. You will get news in Dalton. There is no further driving from Dalton. You will stand down there!"
Joline swallowed the hard apple she was just given by officer Jones, nodded and drove on, over the Interstate, onto the small road...

I have to admit that this diary is more work then I could imagine...If it it would be in German then I would be long done by now... ;-)
So stay tuned, I will try to post the rest of the first sessions tomorrow...

April 25th noon

The bus followed the street for several hours. The long row of cars, trucks and buses moved slowly. The temperature and the humidity raised and the AC had to fight to keep the heat of the day out of the bus.
The first street they followed was wide enough for two lanes of traffic. Then Joline had to take another road. This one was more a tarmac country lane. One direction, stop and go.
The passengers were nervous. Cell phones had no connection and the internet didn't work.
Marc tried it several times but all he got was the "no connection" sign of his browser.
Joline started giving out sweets and drinks for free. She had to keep the passengers calm. There was no need for hysteria. She tried to connect to the logistics center down at her office but the only folks whom she got on her cb were some truckers which also did stuck in the traffics jams all around Atlanta.
Nobody had an explanation besides the one the police officers had given Joline back on the I-75.
Marc was worried he didn't connect with anybody of his friends in Atlanta or Little Rock. The lines were busy. He even tried to talk to his parents but the connections were down. Also the white guy several seats in front of him scared the **** out of him. He was sure that this guy had a problem with "non-white" people. And there was this young skinhead kid which was seated somewhere behind him.
Franklin wasn't shocked about the whole thing that went down. He was free for the first time in years. Okay, he was annoyed that he would be late in Atlanta and the his plan to visit a whore down there to let go some of his steam had to wait several more hours. He let his gaze wander through the bus. Most of the passengers were black. He sweared. Only three white folks, him included. There was the pseudo skinhead in the last row and the cute redhead female several benches before him. He stared at her. She looked back and he saw the disgust in her eyes.
Then there was this old Latino guy. Not as bad as the blacks but for sure no white people. And this Asian kid. Franklin could almost smell his fear.

At about 1 am Joline saw that there little road joined a big crossroad. Several hundred meters in front she could see the first houses of Cohutta. the road there was blogged by 4 or 5 police cars. The roads from the south and the north also were full of cars. The police officers tried to regulate the traffic but this seemed to be a hopeless endeavor. Their seemed to be an endless row of cars from the south and also from the north and then there was there row which also wanted to move on.
The cars moved only one or to two meters each time when there was place to move on. And then it happened. The fuel truck 5 cars in front moved on and the tarmac road broke on the right side. The truck slip in the moat on the right side. His big nose digged deep into the trench. That's it damn, Joline thought.
She turned the ignition key and the rumbling of the motor stopped. There was commotion from the passengers mixed with shrill noises of the signal-horns from the cars behind Wild Bill.
"Folks, no need for this commotion. Get out of the bus and sit down in the shade of the bus. Let's stay calm. I saw some police officers up front. Let's see what they have to say!" that calmed the passengers. They moved out of the bus and sat down in the shade of it.
Franklin got out of the bus and moved to the trench. There was water in it. He pulled of his shirt and used the water to wash himself. He wanted to get rid of all the sweat. The passengers looked at him astonished. His chest, back and the arms were full of tattoos. Swastikas, slogans, white power propaganda. The astonishment change to open disgust and some hefty words from the black folks on the bus.
Marc saw himself affirmed. This guy meant trouble. Joline was shocked, what an *******, she thought. But she had to stay calm on the outside. She gazed to Dave, one of her more regular passengers, he nodded understandingly and calmed the others down.
The young skinhead moved to Franklin. "Hey brother, we're on the same team". Franklin looked back. There was anger on his face. "You are not on my team. You're a joke. Bugger off!" The young skin was shocked and moved backwards. Joline saw that there were tears in his eyes and he was ashamed. The other passengers smiled and joked about him.
Hopefully this white supremacist guy wouldn't make any trouble, she thought.
"Mam," a voice up front called out. Joline turned and saw two Georgia state troopers. One of them white, the other black. "I'm officer Jackson," said the white guy, "and this is officer Miller". He pointed to the black officer. Both wore the typical state trooper heads and black sandglasses. "Mam", Miller noded.
"Do you've got any problems here, mam", Jackson asked. Joline shook her head.
"What's going on here officer?"
"Don't know for sure mam. It seems that there was a demonstration in Atlanta this morning. It got way out of hand. Several dead, hundreds wounded. Some say there was also a bomb threat, but that is hearsay. Now we've got all the traffic from and to Atlanta diverted here before Cohutta. All roads are jammed and we try all to sort it out. But it will take some time. We decided to stopped them from entering Cohutta because we haven't got the manpower to control the situation. You could come down to the road block. We are awaing some truck with bottled water. You are allowed to take some packs for your passengers."
"Will do!" Joline said. The officers bid farewell and moved back to the road block.