Tales from a Wastelander:
Chapter 1
Wanderer
'I very well might be fucked here.' I'm surrounded by bandits, I've got one gun with six bullets, and I can hear them coming for my hiding spot in this closet.
'Okay… Shit. What do I have in here.' I assess my surroundings, taking a closer look at what I've got to use to get out of this. First I need to know how many there are. So I take a quick peek out the window hole of the door.
"Shoot him!"
'Fuck! Nearly got shot.' I counted ten, maybe eleven. 'Okay. In here I've a dead body, some tools, including a bone saw, a bunch of useless junk, and one flashbang. Okay. That's not the greatest.'
'Is the bone saw at least sharp?... Not really. It'd need some force behind it. Fuck. Alright, it's now or never.' I pick up the body to use as a bit of a shield so my gear doesn't have to take every bullet, holster my gun, put the saw on my belt, put the flashbang in my pocket, and pick up a wrench. It's go time.
I burst out of the door and rush forward. With a quick assessment I throw the wrench at someone with a gun and hit them right in the head, making them reel back and drop their weapon. Lucky. I Then take out my gun and fire all six bullets left, all hit their targets, with 4 headshots, lucky again, and two shoulder shots. I toss the body at guy next to me and take out the bone saw, slashing the guys throat. Now I have to rely on my gear to protect from bullets. Hopefully they don't hit any weak points. Just gotta keep moving. I move to take out a guy with a melee weapon, kill him, then get shot in the chest. I move over to that guy and kill him, catching his gun with my off hand as he falls. Six down.
I release the rest of the clip of the pipe gun at the remaining bandits, killing two more. Three left now. And they all have guns. I have to take cover, and hide behind a pillar. They're going to have to come over here if they want to kill me now.
I hear something land beside me.
'Or they'll throw a grenade. Oh yeah, I have one of those.' As I roll out of the way of the grenade I pull the pin on my flashbang and toss it at the bandits once I've landed. It gets two of them, so I rush the third guy and hack at his neck, take his gun, and point blank shoot the other two in the face.
All clear now. And I only got shot six times. Gonna have to patch those.
…
I enter the inn I got the info on the bandits from, all bandaged and bloody.
"Holy shit. You look like you've been through hell." Said the barkeep. She was pretty little thing, in a rugged sort of way. She had the look like she's seen her fair share of shoot outs. She told me the bandits had been terrorizing the people in this little town. Stealing, raping, and such. Said the leader had a metal leg, and if I could bring it back to her I'd be well rewarded. Though this place being as small as it is, I don't know if they really have that many Caps.
I drop the leg on the counter.
"Wasn't that bad." I say.
"Well god damn," She says, "The rumors about you were true. You really are one badass motherfucker. I suppose you want that reward huh?"
I just nod. Not expecting much. I'll take what I can get, though. Maybe I can swing a free fixing from a doctor. I could use some more professional attention to my wounds. The barkeep reaches under the counter and pulls out a small bag.
"Here ya go, hun. 500 Caps. It's not much, I know, but it's all I can spare for yeah. If you'd like I can maybe get something else for ya. I mean, you did this town a real huge favour by killing those bandits."
"Actually, I was hoping maybe I could get a doctor to fix me up. Think you could swing me a free visit?"
"I'll see what I can do, hun." She says. "Be right back."
"Thanks, uh…" I never learned her name.
"Netta." She said.
"Thanks, Netta."
…
Netta had convinced the Doc to patch me up for no charge. I don't think it was hard, I mean, I killed a whole bandit camp for this settlement. His office was smaller than I expected. Just a bed, and a couple cabinets. Presumably filled with medical stuff.
"So, have a good time?" The doctor joked.
"The best." I replied.
"It certainly looks like you had a party."
"Yep."
"Not much of a talker I take it?"
"Nope."
"Fair enough. I suppose most people that do what you do would be quiet ones. I would never be able to to wander like you do. I like to talk to people too much!"
"I've gathered." I smirked. I like this man. He talks a lot, but I don't mind. As long as I don't have to talk as much. He was cleaning he tweezers now, and getting a tray of medical stuff to patch me up.
"Now this is going to hurt, son." He told me, removing my bandages to get to the bullet holes in my arm.
"Alright."
He stuck his tweezers in me, and he seemed a little surprised I didn't flinch. He didn't say anything about it though, and just started talking about some other patients he's taken care of. He told me about a guy that had a rad stag horn stuck in his abdomen. He died. He told me about someone that got their leg blown off. They also died. And a guy who had stupidly eaten radioactive sludge from a barel, who also died. I'm starting to think this doctor isn't the best. Or maybe he's only telling me about the ridiculous things he's seen to make conversation. I hope it's the latter.
"Do you not feel pain, sir? I just stabbed your leg." I looked, and sure enough, he had jabbed his tweezers into my leg.
"No. Radiation killed my nerves." I told him. "And please don't do that again."
"I see. No wonder you haven't been reacting. Makes it a little easier for me at least, not having to worry about you moving around." He said.
"Yep."
He continued to patch me. Still talking about things he's seen people come in with.
"Well, all done then!" He said. I got up and started putting my clothes back on. I'll have to visit a tailor to get my coat patched.
"Thanks, Doc."
"No problem sir. Happy to help."
"If there's ever anything you need help with, let me know. I might stay around here a while. Or at least be back."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, er, what's your name?" The doctor asked. I don't like that question. Why does everyone want to know my name?
"I don't have one." I said.
"Come on now, everybody has a name!"
"I don't." I said as I walked out. I need another drink.
Ann
'Nother day, 'nother duty. Today I gots to get food. I'm runnin' low rights now on accounts that I had some guests at my home last night. Good chats with them. I told them stories of my old adventurin' days and theys told me 'bout what theys been up to. They says they found a big 'ol bandit camp run by a guy with a robots leg. Says theys gonna get some people an go after the guy. I wished 'em good luck on that.
I needed to prepares ma rifle for the hunt. Gots ta make sure it don't jam up when I need it. Sometimes outs here ya gots ta shoot things that ain't for eatin, an its a goods idea to have a gun that works with ya at times likes those. I mades sure that the barrel was clean, an everything was moving how it's supposed to move. Was a good night I'd say. They even lefts me some ammo for ma guns! They said they didn't needs it no more, and I did, and they wanted to thanks me for givin' 'em food! Win win all around, I guess.
I'm gonna haves to prepare my pack before I goes out. An make sure Bowl is fed and ready to go. Bowl Is ma dog. I founds him when he was justs a pup, with a bowl stucks to his furs. That's why I named him Bowl. He's such a good dog. I beens with him for 'bout eight years nows. He's saveds me more thans once over the years. I love Bowl. More than anythings else in this worlds. I don'ts know whats I'd do if he died befores his natural time. He's a good trackers, too. If it wern'ts for him, I wouldn't gets nearly as much foods as I get from huntin'.
"Wakes up now, Bowl. We's gots to eat and goes huntin'." I saids to Bowl. He grunted and gots up. I put somes of the leftovers froms last night into his dish, and he started muchin' at it slowly. I had somes, too. Gots to get some energys before goin' out. Don'ts want to get sloppys on a hunt.
Bowl was all dones now, and bouncing arounds me. Probably eagers to get out goin'. He knows when I gets my huntin' rifle we's about to go out. He loves huntin', my old boy. He just loves to explore, and helps me get our food. Whens he was only a pup, he wasn't so good at it, but I thinks I taughts him well. I mades a good hunter outa my boy.
"Ya ready to go then, Bowl?" He barked at me excitedly ins reply. "Well then lt's go a huntin' boy!" Before heading out I nabbed my shotgun and pistol off the counter, justs in case, and headed out to finds a stag.
We started treckin' through the woods in search of signs thats an animal had been by. Bowl was runin' around, snifin' at everything. Occasionally he'd stops in look at something, ears pricked up and forward, and then would go backs ta sniffin'. Reminds me of old times, backs when he was still an exitables little pup. He'd be markin' all the trees, chasin' anything that moved. It was fun. He still does it sometimes, buts not when we's huntin'. Other wises he be tryin' to play with everything. Makes me smiles thinkin' 'bout it.
Whiles I was still lost in thoughts I heard Bowl gives a little 'boof', tellin' me hes found somethin'.
"What you find, Bowl?" I said. He started leadin' me father into the trees, I hopes he found a stag. I coulds use some big games today. Keeps me fed for a few weeks, one stag does. We get into a sort of clearing around ones of them big metal towers laids out in a line. Standin' underneaths it is an old lookin' stag. Bigs one, too. I crouches down to get a steady aim on it. I gots to fires fast, so I can hits both heads in quick succession. So I takes a deep breath in, and take two quick shots.
Both are hits! I gots the kill! This oughta be some good eatin' for a while here.
"Good find, Bowl. You did real good." I says, and Bowl barks back happily. I starts tying a rope 'round the stags body. It's gonna takes a while to drag this home. Maybe Mark and his boy, from the home nearby would be willings to helps me. I tells Bowl to stays here and protect the kill, and heads off to asks for help.
Whens I get to the house, I see the friendly couple there being talked to by some people. Maybe I could gets some more help from thems. It'd make the works easier, that's for sures. So I walks over and says to them,
"Hey, y'all! Might I be able to asks for somes assistance?" Immediately ones of the other folks turns arounds and points a gun at me.
"Turn around old woman. You have no business here." He says to me.
"Well if you don'ts put that gun down I'm gonna makes it my business. I don't likes being threatened, son." I says back.
"And what are you gonna do?" Sais another bandit. "There's five of us, and one of you. Do you really think you could take all of us at once?" I put my hand over my pistol. I'm gonna haves to quicks draw these idiots. I'll give 'em one more chance though.
"Now listens here boys, I'm gonna only says this once. Leave," I say, "Or die."
"Why don't you die instead?" Says the one with the gun pointed at me. He decided to take a shot at me, but I moved befores he got his shot off proper, an he missed. I then pulled out my own pistol and shots him in the head, alongs with the two other boys movin' to take some shots ats me. One of the boys left alive decideds to rush me, and I got him in the face, too.
"Now how abouts you?" I says to the last bandit. "Yous wanna try and kill me?" He just turned tail and ran. I mights have to worry about a bandit clan comin' for me now. Well, I guess they're welcomes to try and finish me offs.
"You alrights, friends?" I ask to the settlers.
"Yes, we are. Thank you Ann. Is… Is there anything I can give you, to thank you?" Says Mark.
"Oh, no. Don'ts be silly Mark. You don'ts need to give me anything." I tells him. "Although, I coulds use you and young Al's help. I killed a stag over by the tower, and need some helps draggin' it home. Woulds you mind?" I ask. I know he'll says yes, though. I've helped him and his family plenty of times over the years. Mark thinks he's in debt to me because of that. I try to tells him he ain't, but he's a prouds and kind man. And who am I to deny a little helps from time to times?
"Of course, Ann! We'd be happy to."
"Thank you, Mark. I'll leads the way." I says. He calls for Al, and I start on my way. I hears him tells his brother to take care of the bodies behinds me. I asks if he wants me to help with thats first, but Mark just shakes his head.
Bowl starts barkin' an runnin' towards me when he sees me. I give him some scratches on his head, and licks my arm.
"Good boy." I tells him
"Jesus, you got a big one this time, didn't you?" Says Al.
"Yes. It'll keep me fed for weeks. If yous ever need some foods just comes on down!" I says with a laugh. "I already roped it up, so all I needs help with is draggin' it home."
"Sure thing." Says mark. "And, thank you again, for saving my family. I owe you again for that."
"Oh, Mark. You don'ts owe me anything. I keeps tellin' ya that." I says. I don't even have to listen to his erply to know whats he said back. I've heard it plenty of times. So I just says 'Okay, Mark.' Back to him. An we drag my kill back to my home.