So, my bad. The first time I put this story up, I only put up half of the first chapter. A great way to join the community, for sure. In any case, this is the first chapter (hopefully, with more to come) of my first story here, and, strangely enough, I decided to go with a first-person approach, which is something I usually shy away from. Anyways, here it is.

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So, my first day out of the Vault. I thought all that shit the Overseer said about the outside was just a bunch of propaganda to keep us inside, but, now, I'm not so sure. I mean, I wasn't expecting to find a wasteland paradise, full of shiny, happy people and cute, little mutated bunnies or anything, but, Jesus. On a related note, I've noticed that the radiation out here does seem to make people glow ever-so-slightly. At least I got the 'shiny' part right.

The Vault spat me out on an outcropping overlooking what was left of Washington, D.C. In the distance, I could see the Washington Memorial. It looked exactly the same as the pictures in my textbook back in Mr. Brotch's class... well, almost. It was missing a chunk here and there, but, for the most part, it appeared to be intact, in all its phallic glory.

After finding my way down from the outcropping, I wandered around for a bit until I stumbled upon the ruins of some old town. I think the sign said Springvale. The place was dust, a pile of rubble and debris. By the time I got there, it was already nearing sundown, and I was getting tired. After everything that my father put me through back in the Vault, I was just about ready to collapse right then and there, on the cracked pavement of Maple Street. I looked through what-was-left of the houses, looking for something I could sleep on, but I came up empty. Not a bed to be found, not even a pillow. I was about ready to pitch a tent (not that I had one, of course) and spend my first night in the Capital Wasteland under the stars when I saw a house that, miraculously was still standing. I went inside and was greeted by an honest to God, living, breathing human being. You can imagine my suprise, considering the only other lifeform I'd encountered in the wastes was an overgrown cockroach.

The woman introduced herself as Silver. She seemed sort of paranoid, always looking over her shoulder as if expecting to find someone standing behind her with an axe. She asked me if I worked for someone named Moriarty. I didn't know a Moriarty, so I said no. A wave of relief washed over her face. She explained that some guy, this Moriarty, was looking for her because she had stolen some caps (what the hell is a cap?) from him, and asked me, if I ever ran into him, to tell him that she was dead. I didn't have a clue what was going on, so I just nodded my head like a good, little girl. She then offered me something called Psycho. She said it was some kind of medicine. I was a little banged-up after my numerous run-ins with the Overseer's goons, so I took it. As soon as I injected it, I... words can't describe it. All my pains just up and floated away. I felt like I could do anything. The sensation didn't last. I asked Silver for more, but she said that that was the only handout I'd be getting from her and not to expect another from anyone else. As a token of her gratitude, she let me stay with her that night. I slept on the floor, but it was better than risking it outside. Something in me says that irradiated cockroaches aren't the worst of what the wasteland has to offer.

The next morning, Silver pointed me in the direction of some place called Megaton and sent me on my way. Maybe that's where my father went? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.