Chapter 1: The Friend
Life in the vault, the Overseer says it's the best thing someone can have. We live in these metal-cased walls for all of our lives here, with no interaction with the outside world. Sure, the world went to hell after the bombs dropped, but that was 84 years ago. The outside world could be something again. I've tried my best to convince the Overseer that we should go outside, but he says no. He says that it's way too dangerous and we can't risk the vault's safety. I'm honestly not so sure about the outside world, but there are other inhabitants of the vault that push the idea. They use me as their spokesman, because I have a way with words. Still, the Overseer will never agree to open the vault.
I don't know if I would call it luck exactly, but it seems like the Overseer changed his mind today. He called twelve other men and myself to the control center to discuss something important. I examined the other men I was standing with there. They were all like me in their body build, and age it seemed. I didn't know any of them personally, but I could tell that we were all the healthiest men in the vault. The Overseer was obviously worried about something big by the way he was sweating so much. He got out of his chair and jumped down to the floor, something a man of his age shouldn't be doing. He addressed us quickly, speaking in a panic. "Alright you guys, we're in big trouble. Our water chip broke, and we don't have any spares. I'd say we have about 100 days before we run out of clean water for us all, assuming we ration it properly. We know the location of Vault 15 straight east of us. Someone has to go out there and get us another water chip, or we'll all die eventually. I picked the healthiest, youngest of you men that you'd have the best chances of survival out in the wasteland. I'm not going to pick which one of you goes, so you'll all draw straws." The Overseer held out thirteen straws for us to take. I reached for one first, for the best odds. After the next person pulled his, I saw that his was longer than mine. What luck. First draw and I get the shortest. Only two more men pulled straws before they all saw that I had the short one.
The Overseer looked over to me. "The rest of you are dismissed," he said in a very calm tone of voice. He spoke to me then in a sympathetic tone of voice. "I'm sorry Albert, looks like you're the one going out there. We need that water chip, you know that this is important. I've prepared everything you'll need at the vault door. I'll open it for you. God's speed, Albert. We're counting on you." I headed down to the vault's door, without saying a word back to the Overseer. Why's it have to be me? I guess I finally won my argument against the Overseer, but I didn't want it to be like this. I was scared, scared of what could be out there. There could be mutated insects the size of men or savages who would want nothing more than someone else to kill. Am I ready for this? I'm not exactly a fighter. How long will I survive before I die out there?
I looked at what the Overseer had for me at the vault door. There was a 10mm pistol, in mint condition, with less than 100 extra bullets and a holster. A combat knife in a holster laid next to it. There were three Vault 13 canteens filled with water. The other supplies were things like flares, a few tools, a Pip-boy 2000, and stimpaks should I get hurt out there. Well, assuming I'm not killed immediately. I mean, sure I'm one of the healthiest people of Vault 13, but radiation poisoning will kill anyone. It's time to stop worrying now though. I'm good with words, I'll convince myself there's nothing to fear. I attached the pistol holster to my right thigh, and the knife holster to my chest. The backpack with the other supplies was rather small, it went around my waist and rested on my lower back.
I stared at the great door of the vault. It was a giant cogwheel that looked like it would weigh more than 10,000 pounds. The Overseer must have known I was waiting for it to open. An alarm screeched into my ears and a red siren light turned on. I took a few steps back from the door. A device swooped down from the ceiling and landed on the door. The device turned something within the door, and the door let out a sound. The device then pulled the door back, giving out the loudest sound of metal scrapping I'd ever heard in my life. The great cogwheel was then rolled to the right on a track, opening Vault 13 for the first time in 84 years. I didn't hesitate to leave. I rushed straight out the door without looking back. I was not afraid.
As I walked through the cave outside the vault's door, I heard the metal giant close again. I saw a light coming from one of the tunnels in the cave, and figured that must be the way out. I heard this thing called the sun gives light 100 percent of the time in daylight, whatever that is. The light became greater and greater as I approached the entrance of the cave. I almost couldn't see if I was out of the cave or not now, my eyes were blinded that much. I felt that I was walking on something different than the rocky ground of the cave. This kind of ground moved as I stepped on it each time. I kneeled down with my hand above my eyes to block the light to look at this ground. The ground was apparently millions and millions of tiny particles with a tan color. It would be impossible to pick up a single piece of it, they were that small. I took a knee as I waited for my eyes to adjust to the light out here.
It must have been a good five minutes before my eyes could stay open for more than three seconds. I stood up straight and looked out at the landscape. It was a real shame. The entire land was dead, with an absence of anything green. "The power of man's destruction upon himself," I whispered to myself. Time to head over to Vault 15 now. I reached into my backpack and whipped out my Pip-boy 2000. I've never used one before. This personal information processor can show me where I'm going, which is good because I'd be lost without it. I saw on it's map that I was in front of Vault 13. Vault 15 was straight east, but it would take weeks to get there. It was December 5, 2162 according to my Pip-boy. Better start walking.
Days passed as I walked tirelessly to the east. Sleeping on this ground was the very definition of uncomfortable. At least none of the particles got into my jumpsuit. It was December 14th now, and I still haven't come across any living creature yet. It makes me wonder if anyone, or anything, is alive out here. I set myself against a rocky cliff that was only about ten feet tall for the night. As I was trying to fall asleep, I heard something above me on top of the rock. I was scared at first, and yanked my knife out of it's holster hard. I calmed myself, and slowly stood up facing the rock wall. I began to climb the rock, as quietly as I could. I peaked my eyes over the top of the ledge to really frighten myself afterwards. I spotted a creature of some kind. It was too dark to tell everything about it, but I saw it had a great, long tail with something on the end of it. It must have heard me, and turned it's body towards me.
I panicked and dropped down from the ledge, backing away from the cliff. The creature pursued me though, it jumped right down after me. It made a smooth landing on it's eight legs. It had it's hands out in front of it, chasing me with them. It's hands resembled scissors, and looked as if they could cut me in half. I should have pulled out my pistol, but instead froze in panic. It seemed like someone else was smarter than me, because four bullets found their way into the head of the creature. A man now stood at the top of the cliff, twirling his pistol casually. He called out to me, "I'd jump down there, but one of those bastards got a piece of my leg earlier. Why don't you come up here?" Well, it's the least I could do for the man that just saved me.
I climbed back up the cliff to greet the man that saved me. He had his hand ready to help pull me up as I got to the top. After he pulled me up, I saw the wound on his left leg he said he had. It wasn't too bad a cut, I'd probably be able to help him with it. "Thanks for saving me from whatever that was, friend. My name's Albert." I stopped speaking there. The man pushed his long, brown bangs out of the way of his face.
"I'm Ian, I was left behind by my caravan because I was walking to slow from my wound. Last time I work for them. I hope some radscorpions get them all. They probably did, after all, they're now missing their best guard." He grabbed his leg in pain. I helped him carefully to the ground.
"I could treat that wound for you. Stay still while I use a stimpak on it." I pulled a stimpak out from my backpack and inserted the needle into Ian's leg. "Alright, should be good as new by the morning." I thought that having Ian stick around would really help me in the long run. How could I persuade him to hang around with me? I could at least have him stay around until morning.
"Thanks, bud. I guess we're even now," Ian said. I sat down on the cliff side next to Ian now.
Ian looked at my back. He saw the big yellow '13' on the back of my jumpsuit. He asked me after looking at it, "Vault 13, eh? Where's that one? I don't remember ever hearing about that one. Only ones I know of around here are Vault 15 and what was Vault 12." The Overseer told me not to tell anyone where the vault was, for the vault's safety. Oh, but Ian's not going to go in and kill everybody or anything like that. He could never open the door anyway. I'll tell him, but I'll be vague about it.
"Oh, it's somewhere east of here. I've been walking out here for over a week." Ian must have been more curious about what I was doing out of the vault.
"So, why'd you leave? You finally realize the war's over?" I laughed with him before giving an answer.
"Ha, no. I was sent out to find us a new water chip to replace the one that broke. Do you know where any water chips are?" Ian shook his head.
"Sorry bud, never heard of one. I guess that's just Vault-Tec stuff. Only place to look would be another vault. Maybe you can ask someone in Shady Sands, they came from Vault 15." That picked up my attention. I turned my head.
"Shady Sands? What's that?"
"It's probably the most promising settlement in the wastes. It's very close by, it's where my caravan was heading. I can take you there in the morning if you'd like."
It seems like I can have Ian stick around for awhile now. I took him up on his offer, "Sure, that'd be great. Do they have food there? I'm already running low on food and water." Ian smiled and stood up from the cliff.
"Thanks for reminding me," he said as he walked away from the cliff. He took about ten steps before he stopped and picked something up. He returned with a bag in his hand. "I stole a good amount of food and water from the caravan I was guarding before they ditched me. To hell with Crimson Caravan. Help yourself to anything." Ian carefully went down the rock and sat where I was earlier, and I followed him. Well, the first person I found out here is a friendly person who saved my life. Not bad so far.
