Bored, I am, bored to say the least, letting out an extended sigh I put my newly maintained pistol back in its holster. Years and years of the same routine, and I stood guard, well sat guard like I did everyday. Day after day I looked at an empty horizon, having the same pungent air of the wastes blow in my face. It wasn't a healthy air, but toxic one. It was an air one naturally got used to growing up in the wastes. I really would've been watching for danger, but the field in front of me mostly stayed empty except the few Bloatflys and Eyebots that just seemed to float by. Every once in a while when I had the ammo, I would use them as target practice.
I decided to read a book I found the last week in one of the neighboring buildings. I liked to read, it was a good time waster and one of the few things that I could tolerate doing. The book was a tale of two children walking though a forest with a bunch of bread crumbs. I'm not sure how the story ends because the rest of the book was illegible. Most of the pages were missing. And a lot of words were missing along with pages due to time. Any book that I found in the wastes was either fully destroyed or only a few of the pages were legible, but I took what I could get.
It started to get late so my stomach started its usual song. I put the book in my bag and took out some canned Pork n' Beans. Food in the waste was never the best when it came to taste, but you need to eat to survive, and after eating all this prewar food you kind of get used to it. If I had my way I would have rather cooked up some Bloatfly meat, it wasn't healthy either but it was fresher then most other food. I heard of something called a food sanitizer I don't quite understate how it works but it seems like something that would be useful to have.
Pulling out a sharpened knife attached to cog and a steel wire and duck taped to a pair of pencils. It was a makeshift can opener, but it did its job. It was one of the only talents I have. With the right tools I could make just about anything. I was proud of my talent and it also came in handy.
I opened the can and let the familiar scent of beans hit my nose. I put the can down and searched my bag for a spoon. I didn't get a chance to find it, my dinner got snatched up by an all to familiar face.
"It's not nice to take a mans food you know? I could get violent." I gave her a glare that could melt steel. This however never had an effect on her.
"You wouldn't hurt a frail, beautiful girl like me over a small can of beans." She gave me a coy smile and giggled then started to drink the beans like water.
Sighing I picked up my bag searching for something else to eat. I ended up finding some canned meat called Cram, and began to fill my empty stomach. We sat in silence while both finishing our meals watching the setting sun. She was the only one who could get away with taking stuff from me and she knew it. We were a tight nit community but it was still a fend for yourself situation.
Her name was Starlet. She was younger than me by a few years and the only other person here who was even close to my age. Everyone else was above forty, while I was somewhere around twenty-two and her, well she told me she was fourteen when we met. It's been around five years since these people took me in so somewhere around nineteen was my guess. Being that she was the daughter of Stark, the leader of our little community she tended to get away with a lot. Meaning she was lazy and spent most of her time getting into trouble and being an overall distraction, not to mention a bit of a thief. Starlet was a small thing She was a thin with hair as dark as the night sky and eyes as white as Brahmin milk. She wasn't blind, at least that's what she told me. It was an accident. When she was little. She fell into a well that had radiated water in it. When she got saved all the color was gone from her eyes and I'm pretty sure she glows in the dark.
"So do you know what day it is today Arthur?" She moved in front of me with her hands behind her back, and had a smile that could melt even the toughest of men.
"Not sure, is it Tuesday, or it's the day all the rations get handed out, and you missed it so you came to me for some food like a lost puppy." She shot me a sour look. I couldn't help but to tease her. It was one of the few joy's I got in this building we called a home.
"No,you ass it's my birthday, and I know you made me something, you always do. So don't be a jerk and keep me waiting. I've been giddy with anticipation all day. The bracelet you made last year was so pretty I can't wait to see what you made this year. You know, they say you'll be visited by a demon in the night for disappointing a pretty girl?"
I covered my face to stifle a laugh. "Oh really, and who would "they" be? I'm also intrigued what type of demon is it? Is it a pretty one? With a nice rack and great ass things just might get a little kinky."
She jumped and straddled me where I sat. Placing both her hands on my face and looking at me with those white eyes of hers.
"So you would get it on with a demon if you got the chance?"
I chuckled "Not sure, never really seen one. So it's all up in the air, but you never know."
She started to flaunt and stroke my chest with her finger . "Well if you ever get seduced by a hot demon girl let me know and we can make it a three-way. Other than that I'm the only girl in your life that's worth it."
"Okay, okay if you say so."
I picked up my bag and rummaged around. After a little searching I found what I was looking for. It was a small box that I had made of broken creates and small metal diamonds around the border. Starlet jumped in excitement and snatched the box from my hands. She open the lid and let out a small wooden doll I carved from a stick. It spun to a small musical tune.
"Oh Arthur its beautiful, thank you." She leaned against the wall admiring what the detail I put into it.
"I'm glad you like it. Happy birthday Star. I'm going to head to my room now I will see you later." I grabbed by bag and turned to leave. I didn't get to far as I felt a slender hand on my shoulder.
"Wait Arthur, daddy wants to see you in his office." She had a worried look on her face.
Well those are words that I never liked to hear. If Stark wanted to see you it was either because you did something he didn't like or you were about to go out on what is most likely a dangerous job, but the area was mostly clear and I had already been to every building within the site of the complex. I let out a sigh, I seem to do that a lot lately. I looked straight into those milky white eyes of hers and said the most obvious question that came to mind.
"What does he want to see me for?"
She shrugged and put the box into her side pouch. "Not sure, he just told me to find you and tell you to see him." She started to run her finger up and down my chest "Nothing more nothing less so don't make him wait to long you know how daddy gets."
"Yeah I know. I'll make my way over soon enough. I will talk to you later. I need to do something first."
She gave me a small peck on the cheek thanked me again and waved good-bye. I didn't really want to go, but when then man calls, you go. She left me with a smile and a heavy heart as we went separate ways down the halls. Her smile makes my day I could live a happy life if that smile never faded. It lets me feel like there's still happiness in this cruel world we live in. I must have zoned out because I ran face first into a wall. Rubbing my nose I looked around, two older women giggled as they walked by. I'm pretty sure I heard them mutter something about a young man in love. I ignored it and continued on my way. I walked past a lot of closed doors and continued towards the bathroom, I really needed to take a leak.
The halls were a very dull gray. I always felt this building could have used more color. From what I knew it was a raider base until a local militia group took them out. It explained all the profanity's written on almost every surface. I tried to wash it off once, but the ones written in blood just refused, so the blood stain got to stay . I made it to the bathroom and did my business. Another benefit of living here is that the plumbing actually worked. Pretty sure the water was still radiated though. Washing my face I looked in the cracked mirror. My hair was getting long it and the color faded originally a dirty blond color but now it was just dirty, and my clothes are grungy. I should really wash them, but I have to go somewhere, so I'll get to that later. What I'm not dirty don't look down on me I'm just a busy man. What, I am and don't let anyone tell you otherwise because they would be liars.
I made my way to Stark's office. His door had a plaque with his name on it. I lifted my hand and gave the door a steady rhythmic knock. The clang of the door echoed throughout the halls. I disliked the sound it gave me a feeling of emptiness. I heard a very faint come in from the other side of the door. I put my hand on the knob and slowly entered the room. A very stern looking man with a head full of gray hair sat behind a professional looking desk filled with stacks of paper the room also filled left to right with books, but most of them were just for show, which sucked. He caught me in his office two years ago looking for something to read, doing that landed me with bathroom cleaning duty. I broke one of his main rules. Rules that you learned as you broke them, so I don't know how many he has and I never really wanted to find out. I just knew that if he wasn't in the office you weren't allowed in the office either.
He looked up and pointed to the seat opposite of his. I sat and folded my hands in my lap. It felt like a huge pressure got put on my shoulders. Stark had an air of professionalism about him that made me feel uncomfortable. I couldn't help but feel like a little child every time I was in his presence.
"Arthur, do you have any idea why I called you here?" I opened my mouth to answer but only got cut off.
"No of course you don't! Now listen here boy we are in a bit of a pickle and lets just say I need you to do something for me. Our resources are running low and our people are, well they are old and know nothing of combat. Now, we have avoided most attacks from the outside by nipping problems at the source, but that doesn't fix the food shortage. Do you get what I'm getting at boy?"
I gave him a blank stare and gave him the first answer that came to mind. "Y... you want me to scavenge the old buildings more?" I have to admit I might have shaken a little, and no I wasn't scared, I was getting excited. Just don't look to much into it okay?
Stark folded his hands in front of his face. "Sharp as always Arthur. That's why I like you boy you're not stupid, stupid people don't survive. You know what it takes to survive this hell hole we call a home" He stood up and stared blankly at the wall. "Arthur I don't like the situation we are in we are low on supplies and I'm not sure if you noticed but it seems that the merchants are not coming our way anymore. I'm on my last string and need to take some action, but I can't leave here. The people need me here they look to me for support. If I were to leave then there is a chance everything would fall apart and that's not a chance I'm willing to take." He let out a long sigh and took off his jacket. "Do you know what this is?"
I looked at the contraption on his arm. It had a few switches and knobs and a little meter where a needle was pointing to yellow there was a screen that let out a green glow there was a picture of a man in pain on it something was apparently wrong with his leg. I looked at Stark and shook my head. I had never saw something like it before, come to think about it this was the first time I've seen Stark's arm he always had on a long army jacket that he never took off.
"It's called a Pip-boy, it's a very handy tool, with many uses. I got it when I was very young. When it was giving to me it was useful, but to me now it is also a hindrance. I'm sure you've noticed the guy with the hurt leg, well that is me. This Pip-boy is a constant reminder of my failure." He lifted his pant leg to show a wooden peg. " Everyone here has something wrong with them except you, it's sad I know and that's why you're the perfect person for this task. Really you're the only person I can ask."
He took a long look at his Pip-boy and started fiddling with some of the dials. Coming around the desk he showed the screen to me. It had what looked like a map. It had most of the areas around us labeled with names. He pointed to a group of buildings that would be to the west.
"I need you to go here we have scavenged everything withing a day walk, so I need you to go a little further. Now there might be a chance that these buildings have already been cleared but we need to make sure, now I'll ask this once Arthur, will you do this for us? You don't need to answer me now, but if you could give me an answer soon I would be grateful."
I was at a lost for words, he was giving me a chance to see more of the world. I yearned for adventure and this was an opportunity I needed for. It was usually taboo to travel to far from the complex. The rule was if you could not be seen from the roof then you have gone to far. With this new news I was giddy with excitement. I looked Stark straight in the face and gave him the most serious look I could.
"I'll do it. I'll leave tomorrow morning. I'll pack tonight and leave when the sun rises."
I'm pretty sure I saw a grin on his face as he turned around. He took the picture off the wall behind his desk and opened the safe behind it. He then placed a combat shot-gun and a bunch of ammo on the desk along with a bottle of Buffout and some Med-x and a couple of Stimpaks.
"I know it's not much, but you are going to need these more than I do, take them and use them sparingly. I know you can do great things you just need the opportunity your still young and the world is your oyster. I thank you in place of everyone in the complex. One more thing."
He took a piece of paper out of his desk and wrote. "Read this when you get back to your room. Now leave my office and get ready to leave. Be prepared and stay strong."
I nodded my head and filled my bag with everything on the desk and stuck the note in my pants pocket. I was really tempted to read the note in his office. I could have probably gotten away with it but I opted against it.
Leaving the office I started to head straight to my room. It was getting late and the halls were quite, but that was nothing new. Most occupants never left their room though because they lived in fear of the outside. It was a sad way of living and I had no intention of following in their foot steps. I made it to my room and entered, clicking on the light showed all my little time-wasting projects. The project varied from weapons to tools for practical use. I have to admit I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to creating new things. I walked into my shower and cleaned off all the grime from the last couple of days. I wanted to be clean before I left, because who knows when I would get this chance again. I let the water run all over my body and scrubbed hard. I used to have a bar of soap but Starlet stole that a few weeks ago saying that a girl needed to smell better than a boy. So for now I was just rinsing off the dirt with plain irradiated water. She had that habit of taking stuff from my room. She never really got the chance to go exploring with me Stark wouldn't allow it. Yet he had no trouble letting me go out by myself. Not that I minded going out was more enjoyable than sitting on the roof keeping watch.
I finished my shower and took the clothes I was wearing and soaked them in the sink with a bit of scrubbing a lot of the dirt came off. One of the things I am hoping to find in the town was a cool set of clothes that fit me. I will keep my eye open and take what I can. In truth I had high hopes for this mission it was a chance for me to get out and see more of the world. Being excited I just couldn't stop shaking with anticipation. I hung my wet clothes over a chair and the side of the shower stall. Oh shit! I put my hand into the pants pocket and pulled out the note, it was wet but not soaked. Carefully unfolding it I put it down on the work bench, it read.
Arthur I have one more favor to ask you. Take my little girl with you she is old enough to see the world and I should not shield her from the outside world you are not going to far and I believe this would be a good starting point for her. P.s If you happen to run into a vault avoid it at all cost, no good can come of those places.
Well sufficed to say that was not what I expected to see in the letter. I had no problem taking star with me. In fact this would make my travel a little more entertaining and safe. Having another pair of eyes to scout for trouble is always a good thing in my book. Now I know what you're thinking. But Arthur are you gonna let a poor girl like Star run head first into trouble. Well yes and no. Running is always a practical solution, but as long as she was under my care I would be her shield. I will lay my life on the line to protect those I care about.
I left the letter on the desk and laid down on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I would talk to Star in the morning, and finish getting my gear ready. My eye lids got heavy and I fell asleep.