futurologists | WOODHURST LOCATIONS (Reply)

WOODHURST

Woodhurst is a sprawling suburban city with a population of roughly 200,000 people. Its appearance is relatively similar to that of a large New England suburb in 1993; very little is out of the ordinary, save for the media, which happens to be entirely knock-off brands, although some media has no Woodhurst counterpart. Regardless, none of the people in this universe exist in any other universe, but history has run in a remarkably similar course regardless.

Everything one would normally expect to find in an American suburb can be found here. Chain restaurants, cafes, boutiques, churches, a dollar store, etc. The people are mostly friendly unless you make yourself unpopular in some way, although of course, there's always a few grumpy neighbors. Speaking of neighbors, recruits are put up all around the city in hotels, apartments, rented homes, etc., the size of which are up to players. Try to make nice!

DOWNTOWN WOODHURST

Historic downtown Woodhurst popped up around the Woodhurst Train Station, which is normally still functioning, but has been indefinitely shut down to prevent people coming in and out of Woodhurst unsupervised. Although it's old, it's well-maintained, much like the rest of downtown Woodhurst.

The rest of this part of the town is filled with cute, old-timey buildings, very few of them in any amount of disrepair. There seem to be mostly local businesses set up here, with hardly any chains.

All That Glitters Pawn Shop: It's a pawn shop! There's a variety of a lot of random crap in there. Some of it useful like if you need a few cheap appliances, some of it more along the lines of "who needs a creepy doll and why are there 20 of them". The more potentially worthwhile items are kept under a lock and key. Despite all of the variety, it seems well kept inside, clean, and organized.

Benny's: A 24-hour diner, owned by the aging (and stubbornly refusing to retire) Benny and his family. Serves your typical artery-clogging diner fare -- burgers, chicken-fried steak, hearty breakfasts, and so on -- be sure to check in for senior and police specials every Tuesday and Thursday.

Brewed Awakening Cafe: It's an adorable little cafe with a lunch menu, various pastries, and of course coffee. A lot of coffee. The owner is a chubby old lady, Mrs. Middenhall, who's sweet as sugar to her customers and a lot more strict to her employees. It's a fairly popular place to go. At the beginning of the mission, she's not taking the infection too seriously. If you're coming by and a paying customer, the doors are open for their regular hours.

Buds 'N' Roses: A small, privately owned flower shop sandwiched between two larger buildings. Open every day from 11am to 9pm, the shop is owned by an elderly couple who shared fifty wild years together and now just want a quiet life sharing their favorite flowers with people.

Harold's Pharmacy: A cute little ol' timey drug store. It has a soda fountain stylized like those in the 1960's in the back, as well as a gift shop in the west corner of the store. Honestly, it doesn't do much in the pharmacy department these days, which is a shame considering current affairs. People still come back for a milkshake and the false hope that their handmade soaps can lift more than just their spirits.

Queen Leslie's Theater: A quaint little venue for showing off the latest student films, black-box plays, or roving indie bands trying to pay off their tour bus. It used to play actual films in its heyday, but that was before the owner, Leslie, suffered a stroke and had to pass the joint to her daughter, Emilia. It shows: where there once used to be a classy, retro drive-in vibe with cutesy popcorn makers and stylish uniforms has now been hastily painted over in bright colors and geometric shapes to appeal to a younger crowd. Don't forget to prepare your spoken word piece for open mic Sunday!

Razzle Dazzle Them Dance Studio: A dance studio. Offering classes in ballet, ballroom, contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, and latin. If you're itching to learn some dance moves, this is the place to do it.

Vinyl Resting Place: Stereotypical (HA!!!) record store in the 90's. Has all the classics, from the 70's onward, but maybe just a little different than what you remember (since it's not your Earth and all). Also starting to sell CD's, because that's the way of the future. Smells heavily of incense, to cover up... other scents, and the carpets were last washed a decade ago.

The Wooded Inn: A quaint little motel found on the outskirts of the city, the Wooded Inn is known for clean rooms with cable and a swimming pool and sauna. They primarily cater to those heading through town on to greener pastures elsewhere. Rumored to have the best vending machines in all of Woodhurst. (According to whom has never been determined.)

Woodhurst Public Library: A two-story building with children's area on the ground floor. Upstairs is where the adult books are located, including the latest encyclopedias and two state-of-the-art personal computers with the fastest 56k dial-up you'll ever experience. Other amenities include typewriters and word processing computers (no Internet access), study rooms, and VHS and LaserDisc players to rent. There is a small games area, where an elderly, retired man spends much of his time and will happily indulge you in a game of chess and a nice chat.

EAST WOODHURST

East Woodhurst is the residential area of the town as well as the most suburban. While it's mostly homes and schools, there are a few small businesses located in northeast Woodhurst.

DollarClub: DollarClub is a very prestigious membership-only bulk-item warehouse store. Good luck getting a membership! Once you have one, the world is your oyster. Did you need 36 packs of variety cereal? Yes. A giant bean bag chair? Yes. The latest bestseller novel? Um, of course you do. Whether you're here for a sweet deal on Giga Pet for the whole family or just to get a ridiculously large slice of pizza at the cafe, DollarClub is a great place to spend a day or the rest of your life stocking for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

East Woodhurst Elementary School: Your similarly standard elementary school housing grades K-5, located only a few blocks away from East Woodhurst Middle School. Features the usual elementary school things, including a playground with all ~~the too-small plastic slides you could ever want~~ associated facilities, a gymnasium building that doubles as an auditorium, and an on-campus library with books for the appropriate grade levels and a Scholastic Book Fair at certain times of the year. The fire alarms almost never go off unless it's drill day, but the lawn sprinklers tend to come on randomly at highly unexpected times of day (right as you're walking down the sidewalk in a particularly nice pair of pants, usually). Potential culprits haven't been found yet, though ghosts are insistently ruled out by staff. Their mascot is Betty the Bulldog.

East Woodhurst Middle School: Your standard middle school, complete with soccer field, endless rows of identical lockers, and a crappy cafeteria lunch menu*. The fire alarm goes off often enough that rumors of a ghost haunting have started to spread, but honestly it's probably just a bunch of dumb kids trying to avoid tests. They're known as the East Woodhurst Fightin' Ferrets.

*Walking tacos are served every Tuesday.

East Woodhurst High School: It's just a high school. Not the best high school in the Woodhurst-Wakefield area, but not the worst, either. Attendance is a little spotty since the outbreak, but so far staff and students are more or less holding it together. The school's mascot is the Bluejay.

Let The Good Times Roll: The hottest venue in town for kids' birthday parties, this roller rink features a laser tag arena, an arcade, and a pizza parlor serving up hot pizza made from REAL CHEESE*!!!! And other natural flavors. Contents of pepperonis still questionable.

McBurger Prince: A fast-food chain that sells a variety of "beef" hamburgers, french fries (so many french fries,) "chicken" nuggets and soft-serve sundaes. With multiple locations nationwide, McBurger Prince's Woodhurst location is open 24 hours a day and also includes a play zone (of questionable safety standards) with slides, ball pits a playpen for the kids.

Shirt Ranch: Like Dress Barn, but stupider sounding.

Woodhurst Methodist Church: Celebrating 50 years of serving the Woodhurst community, Woodhurst Methodist Church is a religious establishment located in the northeast section of the town. The church is state of the art and can host up to 250 people during sermons. What makes the grounds interesting is the smaller buildings that serve as a shelter for the homeless and soup kitchen.

NORTH WOODHURST

North Woodhurst is the business district, with mostly bigger businesses and chains. There are a few apartments scattered throughout as well. The buildings are taller and more modern here than in the rest of the city, and the overall feel is more urban.

Da Bomb: Nightclub that is open every night with different styles of music / eras. There's the classic pop night (90s general music), 80s night, rock, jazz, and whatever else the owners decide to run for special events. It attracts a wide range of ages, depending on the event you go to. (Only 21+ can actually drink alcohol though, please get your hand stamp at the door.)

Lye & Steel: Lye & Steel is a criminal defense law firm in the heart of Woodhurst, spearheaded by the most resilient couple in town. Specializing in the defense against myriad crimes ranging from DUI to stock fraud, this firm will take even the most unlikely cases -- but only if you’re willing to pay top dollar. Their attorneys are sharks, willing to risk anything for the right verdict, and their interns are no better. When your neck is on the line and you’re seeking reliability, it’s them you should be calling. However, there are rumors surfacing about their rather… loose definition of “justice” and how exactly to get it…

MCA Theaters: The mainstream chain of theaters currently showing box office hits like Day of Independence, Men in White, Jurassic Tours, etc.

North Woodhurst General Hospital: An average-sized hospital, Woodhurst General boasts a modest assortment of doctors and specialists. Most of the people seen are uninfected citizens who have been injured by one of the infected in a rage, but they also see residents suffering from severe panic and hypochondria as well as continue to work with regular patients. Due to the difficulties in bringing in infected persons, there are very few within the hospital. However, those that the police have managed to nonlethally detain are eventually transferred to Woodhurst General, where they are kept under observation and heavy sedation for their own and others' safety. Families are welcome to visit, but there isn't much to see.

Quicky Deliveries: An early 1990s version of Postmates: only it works somewhat in reverse. QD specializes in delivering groceries, food, and anything else that might be needed. It has a lot of contracts within the city so that when someone needs their groceries, tools, giant furniture, or whatever else delivered, they can call Quicky with the order to set up a time to get it to the customer. Groceries and food delivery are much faster than furniture delivery given the need for additional prep, but it's available to a wide number of businesses. Customers can also call a grocery store to make an order that is then sent over to Quicky to have it delivered. (Because it's overly complicated without the internet.)

Saved by the Dumbbell: Your quintessential 90s gym, complete with overly enthusiastic trainers and tacky, colorful decor. While this establishment is quite popular, it definitely seems to be suffering from a bit of an 80s hangover.

STAT Urgent Care: An urgent care facility taking care of your urgent medical needs when they don't require Emergency Room level care. Capable of X-rays and basic labwork, they have a five year long history of excellent service, and are fully staffed by former Emergency Room physicians. Conveniently located within six blocks of North Woodhurst General Hospital. For suspected cases of infection of the Bristol virus, patients are isolated in an exam room and then transported via ambulance (with police escort) to the nearby hospital. This is for any and all suspected cases, meaning even the uninfected will be referred onward as a safety precaution.

Woodhurst Police Department: Once again, it wouldn't be a zombie apocalypse without one of these. There's a small dispatch center in the basement, an even smaller armory, and an even smaller than that containment area for detaining. Obviously manned by men in blue!

Woodhurst Sports Center: State of the art training facility with an ice rink, basketball/raquetball courts, rock-climbing area, etc. The coaches there are surprisingly quite prestigious and the facility often attracts temporary visits from international athletes (COUGHS) for seasonal workshops and camps.

Woodhurst Watch: A local paper with city-focused news in an antiquated location downtown. Lots of desks, lots of paper, lots of busywork, and lots of annoyance if you come in screaming, "Stop the presses!" because the printing doesn't actually happen there, idiot.

UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

A small, up-and coming university for the youngsters in this city. It's not on the Ivy League, that's for sure, but its education is reputable enough to earn its graduates enough skills and (hopefully) aptitude for employment.

Enrollment will cost you, but being a public university, it's not quite as costly as a university in Wakefield. Financial aid and ALASTAIR's stipend will be able to help you if you're dying to go to class, and students can stay in the dorms if they wish.

There are classes for undergraduate, graduate, and continued education students in all fields, including the fine arts, sciences, humanities, and more.

While the facilities aren't state-of-the-art, a recent generous donation from a prestigious family has granted a brand new science building with cutting edge lab technology. Students are on the forefront of the latest in scientific research, from in vitro fertilization to assisting in mapping out the human genome.

Woodhurst University's football team is an important source of pride, and there are several other sports teams to try out for as well. Gooo, Cougars!

Basically your run-of-the-mill university with an associated library that is also open to the public. Browsing is allowed, and borrowing too if checked out by a registered member. There's a membership fee as well as a fine if books aren't returned on time. Be quiet, students are studying!

SHOPPING CENTER

This is where all the shops that aren't retro enough for Downtown or urban enough for North Woodhurst go. There's a wide variety of shops, from small, locally-owned, single-location boutiques to bigger coffee chains.

Sweet Servings: A local ice cream chain that specializes in soft served ice cream. It has a wide variety of flavors that often rotate according to the time of the year. Despite the fact that it can get quite cold in New England, the multiple locations are known for their ability to draw crowds because of their innovations regarding ice cream-based deserts. In addition, some of the newer locations cater to these winter crowds, offering comfortable indoor seating for people to converse while eating ice cream so they can avoid the chill outdoors.

Suncents: One of the fastest-growing local coffee shop chains. And unlike some parts of the universe, you're not paying five bucks a drink.

Showstoppers: Woodhurst's local video rental store! Catch up on the latest flicks, right when they come out to VHS. Has 3, 5, and 7-day rentals, to suit your needs. Just remember to be kind and rewind.

Electronics Town: A consumer electronics store where service is state-of-the-art! Stop by for the latest in electronics, such as personal computers, AM/FM radios, CRT color televisions, and home gaming consoles. They also sell components for your own home electronics projects (wires, circuitry, etc).

Pizza Cabana: A common pizzeria with numerous convenient locations.

Oakea: A huge, very popular furniture warehouse, complete with showrooms, a ball pit for the kids, and i mini-restaurant. There's a regular catalogue mailed out to everyone!

PawPaws Doggie Daycare and Pet Walker Service: Established thirty years ago in the heart of Woodhurst, this small, all-purpose pet center lives up to the example set by PawPaw. Offering grooming, pet-sitting, a whole range of patented PawPaw merch and dog walking services, these folks are all geared up to pamper your pooch.

Inkwood Hardware And Supplies: Part of a small chain of hardware stores, Inkwood Hardware and Supplies has everything you expect to find in a hardware store, including a decent lumberyard, a selection of paints, appliances, and even a gardening section. There's also a limited clothing section catering toward outdoor or heavy wear gear, and an extensive fishing section. Sports supplies and goods are found in limited array. The front logo is of an octopus with various powertools held in its tentacles. It also appears to be wearing a yellow hardhat.

Mountain Tim's Bike Shop: A small bike shop tucked away against a second-hand goods store, Mountain Tim's Bike Shop does sales of new and used bicycles, as well as bicycle repair. They have air available on premise (in the back) for anyone who needs to refill their tires. Offering bicycle maintenance classes every Thursday at 4:30pm and 6:00pm.

Reliant Rental: Biggest rent-a-car service on the planet*. Has a wide variety of used vehicles from sedans to pickup trucks to suit your needs. Also has a small line of motorcycles to go with that leather jacket they know is hanging in your closet. You won't find a better service or a better price anywhere, guaranteed**!

* Possible aggrandizement.
** Results may vary.

WAKEFIELD

Wakefield is a large city located right next to Woodhurst. Many citizens work and go to school in the city, and its restaurants and mall are very popular with the residents when they want a night out. Unfortunately, due to the Bristol virus quarantine, many citizens cannot make it to work, school, or anywhere else in Wakefield unless they want to risk getting in trouble with the law.

Wolfwoods Resort Casino: Wolfwoods Resort Casino is a hotel casino in the outskirts of Wakefield on an Native American Reservation (gambling laws, you know how it is.) A complex of five casinos, the resort covers a vast area with more than 300 gaming tables for blackjack, craps, roulette, and poker and have more than four thousand slot machines. There are several restaurants within the casinos, among them a Hard Stone Cafe. Wolfwoods has several thousand hotel rooms and a two-story arcade for children and teens. Since the breakout of the Bristol virus, security has tightened, but that just means their new deals are to die for!

WOODHURST LOCATIONS

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