SEQUENCE
Pre-Story Notes: This excerpt was written about two years ago and is based on the Lone Wanderer of Fallout 3. The original intention was to chronicle the events that my character went though during the course of the game, but life decided to take up my time. I'm thinking about picking it up again, but I'm not sure about it.
OUR STORY THUS FAR:
After surviving the events of Point Lookout and gathering as much merchandise as she possibly could carry, she embarked on a long journey back to Megaton JUST to put away all of the merchandise she had collected. After the month long journey on the river she made it back to the Capitol Wasteland to reunite a mother and daughter. Overencumbered, she slowly made her way to Rivet City where she sold some of the merchandise she didn't want to keep in exchange for some much needed ammunition. She walked past Officer Lepelletier and marched on home…
Penelope always hated being overencumbered, especially when she wanted to keep all of the items she discovered and collected throughout her journeys. It frustrated her when she had to get rid of some of the items to maintain a running speed without wearing herself out. She also hated the idea of domesticating a Brahmin and using it to carry all of her merchandise. It just wouldn't work for an adventurer such as herself. As she walked down the rusted-down ramp and past the Brahmin and Rivet City security, she peered into the horizon, staring at the Jefferson Memorial. The smell of burning Mirelurk filled the air, even from the distance she was from the ravine. The caravan behind her soon marched forward and passed her, delivering the pure water across the wasteland. Before they could make the turn they were attacked by a group of super mutants. Penelope snuck behind several bushes and loaded her Backwater Rifle and aimed in the direction of the super mutants. The Rivet City guards guarding the caravan were handling their own until he heard the sound of a Gatling Laser being used. The laser shots ripped through the guards and caused the Brahmin to run away. Two super mutants chased after it with their sledgehammers.
Penelope searched for the source of the attack from behind the bush, eventually finding the Super Mutant Overlord staring at the direction of the dead guards. With a well-aimed shot, she pulled the trigger and sent the bullet through the mutant's skull, instantly killing it. She remained crouched as she inched her way forward with her weapon at hand, waiting for the super mutants to return from their kill. As she made the turn she spotted them beating the dead Brahmin with their sledgehammers, the fresh water spilling out of the destroyed containers, mixing with the Brahmin blood. She aimed her weapon, and fired. The first super mutant's head exploded. She fired again. The second super mutant was completely torn apart by the bullet; its limbs flung in every direction. She smirked and holstered her weapon and standing up. She walked past the carnage, knowing that the only thing the super mutants carried was their sledgehammers, and sledgehammers didn't bring in much profit. She did, however, pick up the surprisingly well-cooked piece of radroach meat and ate it slowly. She wasn't terribly hungry, but eating now would maintain her strength for the long trek.
Time quickly passed her as she continued along the river's edge. She took a quick break by sitting on a bench on a pier overlooking the river. She rummaged through her backpack to make sure she still had all of the items she brought with her from her trip in Point Lookout. She was satisfied with the loot she hauled in. She placed the backpack on the bench and walked towards the edge of the pier and stared at the fresh water pouring from the processing plant. She then spotted a mirelurk trying its best to swim in the clean water. It was clearly near death, and being the merciful person she is, she threw a grenade directly at the mirelurk. As if it were a small show, the grenade pushed the surface water upwards, along with bits and pieces of the mirelurk. She loved the effects of an explosion on water and would tend to throw her grenades in water whenever she could. Unfortunately she couldn't collect some of its succulent meat. She returned to her backpack, holstered it on her back, and continued forward. In the distance she could see the tower crane on the other side of the river, and realized at this time that she had never explored that area but simply brushed past it during her other excursions. She pondered about the potential treasures that could be found and lost focus of time. She shook her head and smiled, realizing she just found her next adventure. At this point she heard the faint sounds of Centaurs.
She latched onto her rifle and crouched for a better look. She slowly inched her way towards the flight of stairs and spotted two centaurs. If there were centaurs in the area, then super mutants were nearby. She was spotted by one of the centaurs. she inched forward and aimed at the centaur that hasn't been alerted. She fired and instantly killed the centaur, but by the time it died the second centaur already climbed up the stairs. She slammed the butt of her rifle in its face and backed up slightly, lodging a bullet between its eyes. It surprised her that the gun shots didn't warn the surviving super mutants in the area. She paid no mind to it and continued to sneak her way towards home, and noticed a super mutant master near the window of the destroyed building. She would have shot at it, but was afraid she would have missed and hit only its back. She inched closer to the fallen debris of the building, holding onto her rifle. Then one of the super mutants screamed out, "Whose there? WHOSE THERE? STOP HIDING!" She heard the footsteps of the green beast moving towards her location. She remained still, pointing her gun towards where she thought the mutants head would appear. After what felt like an hour the super mutant was just on the edge of the destroyed wall when it turned around and claimed, "It must've been nothing." She hastily moved out to the open and fired at the beast's head, completely ripping the head from the body. The other two super mutants were alerted and started searching for her. She gasped out and ran back to the wall.
The super mutant brute stared at his fallen comrade's body and picked up his hunting rifle and turned back around, thinking the attacker might have gone to the other side of the building. Penelope took this opportunity to jump out once more and shoot it in the head. She missed and hit its shoulder. The super mutant turned around but before it could attack she was already in its face and released one more bullet from her rifle, killing it and sending it flying into a wall. The super mutant master from the window spotted her and started shooting at her, most of the bullets hitting debris. She slid next to the stairway and shot at him several times, one of the bullets lodging into its right hand, disarming it. She holstered her weapon and put on her Deathclaw Gauntlet and slowly crept towards it as it lunged at her with its fists. She dug her gauntlet into its arm and ripped it clean, then dug into its face, finishing it off. She took a deep breath and smiled at the carnage she left behind. I'm good… she thought to herself. She walked to the back of the building and spotted a Brahmin walking towards her. The Brahmin looked familiar. She stopped It in its tracks and checked the cargo it was carrying. The Brahmin was carrying nothing but weapons and ammunition. She rummaged through the inventory and found a dog tag with and immediately knew who it belonged to.
"Lucky Harith…" she whispered to herself. What had happened to you, Harith? You were always so careful when it came through travelling. She only assumed the worst for Harith and his bodyguard. She placed the dog rag around her neck and walked along with the Brahmin. She couldn't carry any more equipment, and neither could the Brahmin, but at least she would have the company of a familiar beast that doesn't want to tear her to shreds. They walked on the deserted street towards the bridge when she heard the voices of super mutants. She crouched down and grasped her rifle and signaled for the Brahmin to stay with her, but it ignored her and continued moving forward. As it walked under the bridge connecting the two parallel buildings, several bullets whistled towards it, a few landing on its hind leg. The Brahmin screeched in pain and began to run. Penelope decided to use this to her advantage. She inched forward enough to find their blind spot and aimed directly at their heads. With the squeeze of the trigger the bullet lodged into its cranium and the super mutant fell off the destroyed bridge to its death. The remaining Overlord spotted Penelope and pulled its Tri-Beam Laser Rifle and manically shot at her. As quickly as she could she moved out if its range and prepared herself. She moved back into firing range and blasted the laser weapon, causing it to fall out of its hands and onto the floor. Without a weapon the Overlord roared at Penelope in rage. She stood up, stared at it then continued on her walk. She knew the Overlord wasn't completely stupid and dared not to jump off the bridge.
The sunset light was bright, but left a breathtaking image of the horizon as the suns rays forced their way through the shadowed clouds. The buildings seemed like one; you couldn't tell where one building started and another one ended. Harith's Brahmin disappeared into the scenery, no longer able to be found. Penelope would have taken a picture if it weren't for the fact that the only one she's carrying is non-functional, and she doesn't know how to develop the images. It was eerily quiet on the bridge. She could no longer hear the cries of the Behemoth. It must have given up… she thought to herself. Halfway down the bridge she heard the sounds of metal clanging on to the pavement ahead of her. She knew that sound all too well. She crouched once again and moved forward, rifle at hand. The clanging only grew louder and louder. The Enclave soldier soon came into shooting range and aimed directly at the soldier's leg. With one bullet, his leg was ripped off from his knee and he flew backwards, banging his head on the floor. She stood up and walked up to him, hearing his blood-curling screams of pain. He stared at her walking up to her, fear taking control. He attempted to pull out his Plasma Pistol, but Penelope shot the weapon away from him. She walked up to him and aimed the barrel of the rifle directly at his face. He begged for mercy, the sounds of sobbing echoing form his mask. She simply stared at him with a monotonous look and fired, killing him. She looted his ammunition and continued on her way. The only thing she hated more than super mutants were the Enclave. If it weren't for them, her best friend would still be alive…