A/N: Cheers. Today, I've discovered that when inspiration strikes, it doesn't rest until you've (in my case) written it down, History class be damned. Anyway, I've never written in first person before, so please excuse any mistakes I might have made.
As always, reviews are much appreciated.
That sound…
A frantic beeping, nearly as frantic as the barking of the Pseudodogs chasing us.
My heart, already hammering against my ribcage from fear and adrenaline, skips a couple of beats when I realize the sound is coming from Anton.
That's his detector, completely ignored by its owner. Anton's heading straight towards an anomaly, and he doesn't even know it.
"Anton! STOP!" I shout, the rabid beasts still hot on my heels.
He heeds my warning – But, alas, it's too late.
In the instant before the end, our eyes meet, and I see surprise in his, which quickly turns into fear, and finally, as the anomaly triggers, becomes a grim, horrible acceptance.
For a moment, the Pseudodogs' howling is drowned by my own scream.
I show my haul to the Trader: a couple of artifacts, some weaponry, and an old Rolex.
He gives me a good price for the loot, and throws in a bottle of Vodka 'on the house'. Guess he must've heard the news.
I pocket the money, stick the bottle in my backpack, and say goodbye to the Trader. He tells me to take care.
The words sound a little hollow to me.
Tradition says that, before drinking, I should throw a little Vodka on Anton's grave, but he would've scolded me for wasting perfectly good alcohol, so to hell with tradition.
The night is cold and a strong draft's blowing, so I walk towards one of the many campfires in town. As I settle down on the grass, a coin slips from my pocket and lands near the embers. I lean to get it before the wind snatches it away, and see that it fell tails side up.
It strikes me as funny. That's life in the Zone, just a flip of a coin: Heads, you get rich, fast. Tails, you turn into a bloody stain on the ground.
Every Stalker knows that. So do I, so did Anton.
It doesn't help me sleep any better, though.