It had been far too long. He left over a year ago and was still out there. She just couldn't take it anymore. One day she had enough. She spent every cap she had to outfit herself and went after him without hesitation, knowing what dangers might wait.
For days she searched. For days she worried. And for days she hoped, that soon she could feel his arms around her once again. On the brink of exhaustion she kept on looking, no matter how pointless it seemed.
Maybe he was dead. The odds were quite high. But he was a capable fighter and a hardened explorer, so it just didn't seem right that he would die on her now.
Maybe he had forgotten her and found another. No, that didn't seem possible either. She could remember the day he left so clear. He promised he'd come back. He gave his word with tears in his eyes, already missing her smile.
Maybe he was still out there. Waiting. Waiting to finish his work so he could return. Or possibly unable to leave.
After 2 months, which felt like an eternity, she had found his camp. His tent was neatly put up, his equipment installed in the corner of a ruined home and a meal lay ready for cooking on a pan.
But he was nowhere to be seen.
Maybe he had gone away for a minute to check on something.
Her eyes beamed with renewed hope of seeing him once again as soon as he returned from whatever he was doing. And they could even share a meal. So she waited.
And she waited, and she waited. Until.
A hoarse scream came from behind a collapsed wall, and from behind it emerged a creature with its skin practically glued to the bones, so skinny was it. Its eyes pure white and its face disfigured with rotten teeth. A ghoul.
She froze with her hand on the gun as the foul creature ran its gaze across her body, probably thinking which part it should dine on first.
Then, she noticed.
The ghoul was covered with tattered clothing, an armor that seemed far too familiar to her eyes. But she didn't worry about it. It was a fairly common protection in the wastes. However, around the ghoul's neck rested a chain with a lock of hair, cased in plastic, hanging from it. Her lock of hair.
No... No, she thought, trying to hold back her tears. The monster that stood before her was the one she had looked for. Hoped so much to see again. For so long she had waited. For so long she had searched. Now it was all meaningless. He was no longer himself, but a horrid monster.
The ghoul finally chose his first meal and leapt forward.
NO! She screamed with every strength she had left and raised her weapon with rage. She watched half-minded as she emptied clip after clip into the beasts hide, splattering its blood, intestines and body parts all across the ruined building. One arm over his important equipment, a leg over his tent. And when the bloodfest was over, the head rolled towards her feet, its face even less recognizable than before.
With trembling feet she stood, until she could stand no more, and fell on her knees. Rivers of sorrow running down her cheeks.
It was over. Her search was over. Her entire life was over.
The man she had looked for was gone for good, gone forever. He promised he'd come back. HE PROMISED! were her thoughts.
But for a moment, she could feel his arms around her. And it was if the wind whispered in her ear; Thank you.
She looked at her gun. There was one bullet left. Might as well end the pain.
The cold steel gently stroke the bottom of her chin. And then...
Darkness.
