"What do I owe ya?"
"Nothin', just stay safe."
The amount of cracks in the dusty road equaled how many thoughts rushed through my head. Most thoughts couldn't get through the dam of amnesia that had recently been built. A recent injury to my head was blocking memories of mine, and frankly it was annoying. I squinted into the setting sun and sighed. Two days. It'd been two days since I left a kind-hearted man who saved my life. My offers of reimbursement were denied. Denied! The man spent his time and used his own supplies to save a strangers life, and in return wanted only for me to stay safe. Unbelievable.
I wasn't sure about what happened to me, and neither was the doc. All he could tell me was he found me limp but breathing by the entrance of his home in Goodsprings.
Goodsprings. A fine town with fine folk. It had been a stop during my travels farther south. The Brotherhood sent me south from the Capital Wasteland, and sadly that's all I can remember. The others could probably give me more information. Suddenly, I turned to statue in the middle of my traveling.
The others...
Where was the rest of my squad? Panic fluttered in my stomach like birds being scattered from where they sat. Had they died back in Goodsprings? Before that, even? Having them practically vanish from my life with no trace was terrifying. Along with the sadness and shock of not remembering their whereabouts, I worried about another possible problem: Had I forgotten more important information and scenes from my life? These people who I've known for a decent amount of time had blurry images in my mind, could I remember others from my life?
I began to continue my travel as people flashed through my mind: My mother, my father, and a boy who was so vivid in my mind that he must have been my brother. However, even after trying to make up simple, basic features of their faces, I couldn't picture them.
But there was someone else, someone very important I was missing and I had no idea who.
A town appeared in front of me, halting my thoughts. Approaching even closer, I couldn't not notice of the large T-Rex building that towered out front of the town. It was like a guardian. As I took in the sight, I heard bells gently ringing some distance away. They sounded as crisp as the cool air felt, and seemingly coaxed me to think about the person from my home who both heavily weighed in my mind yet wasn't there at all. As they rung, I entered the reception office, still thinking about people from my past. No friends particularly came to mind - there was never an unbelievably close friend I had. Simply people who I could hold a conversation with. However, as an old and tired looking old lady greeted me, I decided to shut out the thought and let it unravel itself.
Renting the room was cheap and quick. I didn't even bother changing into more comfortable clothes when I got in there - the leather armor was fine. I rented this dusty, dead room for simply one night. It was gross and stuffy, anyway. With my pack of supplies on the ground next to my bed and my weapons taken off from where they hung to my body, I finally allowed myself to sleep. It took a while for me to stop bugging my brain to remember people and just sleep, but eventually I did.
Now, I only planned to stay for maybe an hour after waking up in the morning simply so I could leave and figure out what the hell I'm even supposed to be doing. Just an hour. That way I could maybe take a shower if the water here worked and eat something from my bag, ya know, a chill morning. So I think how frustrated I was when I was waken up earlier than when my circadian rhythm wanted was a justifiable emotion.
The shrieking was so fake. Yes, some woman shouting bloody murder woke me up. I plopped my feet on the ground and slid my boots on. The sun shrunk my pupils when I ripped the door open, which only let more sound in and so the screaming louder. It was coming from in front of the big dyno building, where a small crowd gathered to observe. Only just a little bit curious I decided to see who or what I had to thank for being my alarm.
The old woman who handled my rent last night was on her knees, screaming over and over about how awful it was. I choked down a chuckle - her screaming sounded monotone and so obviously forced. Everyone around her seemed to know it, but I wondered if they were curious about why it was fake? Limp on the ground in front of her was a man with dark skin and practically no head. If a man in her town died, shouldn't she be genuinely horrified? Why was she fake screaming?
"Oh dear God..." Mumbled a resident approaching the dead body. The town collectively started talking to each other, asking about what could have happened. Eventually, they all decided to clean it up and bury him. Many residents returned to their dark rooms and shacks, leaving me in an awkward situation. Of course the town I chose to rest in has a murder the night I stay. In my room, I quickly gathered my stuff and headed out. Sure, leaving in a rush could be suspicious, but I didn't care. I had nothing to hide.
I gave my key back to the old lady - Jeannie May Crawford - while she sat in her office. Yeah, the screaming and crying had definitely been fake. She was perfectly fine and content only a while after the whole scene.
It was still decently early in the morning, and the sun was a happy yellow. The air was a bit cooler, so I was a bit more comfortable than usual. I decided to at least check out the dinosaur's insides. Just as I turned the knob and opened the door, I immediately regretted it. A man in a dirty duster was holding a red beret in one hand and a large, spiky combat knife in the other. The knife threatened to lodge itself into a man with sunglasses and shaved head's neck. Their yelling was about to start until I interrupted.
The miserable looking man ripped the red hat from the others hand, "I can't believe you fucked up so bad," he said.
"I fucking swear it was him, man, okay? No one else could have done it," retaliated the other. My eyes lingered on him for a moment. He had bright purple hair, which was obviously eye-catching. A black, hoop piercing on the side of his lower lip suited his smirk. He caught me staring.
"Look, if you need to buy somethin', don't bother. Just take what you want and leave." He turned and faced the man with the red beret now on top of his head, who was making his way up a fleet of stairs. "Yeah, go sulk some more, Boone. It's all you ever do."
I threw my bag on the counter and starting loading it with stuff I could use. I mean, free water, food, ammo, why not? While tucking some more water bottles in the bottom of my bag, I felt eyes on me. My light brown eyes met this man's dark ones. My eyebrow quirked and he smirked.
"You leavin' town?" He asked as he leaned against a wall, his legs crossing.
I zipped up my bag, "Yes. I was just seeing what this building was before I left. I didn't mean to interrupt whatever that was."
He laughed, "That was an insecure and ungrateful asshole is all. Listen, I'm heading towards Vegas and could use a companion, you up for some traveling?" His eyes glinted with something, and I know it wasn't just the light shifting.
"Vegas? Isn't that farther north?" I asked, both curious about his offer and yet uninterested. He nodded and licked his lips, checking a pipboy on his wrist. My eyes lit up at the sight of it. Oh, how I'd kill to own that.
"Yeah, pretty far, too. I just really need -"
"That's in the complete opposite direction from where I'm headed, actually -"
"I need some help, it'll only-"
I threw my pack on my shoulders when he interrupted me and he stopped his blather.
"I'm sorry, I really can't." I told him, sincerely. I could get lost in this mans black orbs and I can't afford to do that. That glint in his eyes, that malicious, driven, tactical glint was dangerous. Add that with his smirk and lip bites - He may be some eye candy but I know trouble when I see it. He sighed loudly, and I decided to get out before he talked his way around it.
"Hold up," He called for me just as I passed the gate to this no vacancy town. "What's your name?"
I squinted - half from the sun and half from trying to think straight. My eyes filled with water as the seconds waited for my reply. What was my name?
I nervously scratched my neck, my fingertips brushing against a black, lace choker wrapped around it.
"It's Lacey," I told him, only hoping he'd buy it for the sake of not wanting to talk about it. I didn't really care about what he thought in the end, but it'd surely save my time.
"Lacey," he tested it out in his mouth, seeming to like it. I wondered if he'd like the taste of my real name. I rubbed my eye, straining to not have a break down. How can a human forget what they're called? What if I forget what Earth is, or fire, or love, or stars?
"What's your name, silver tongue?" I asked him. He smiled and came a few steps closer.
"Funny you should say that," he stuck his tongue out and pointed to a silver ball ornamentation. Now I know of two piercings he has, certainly strange garments for people in the wastes. He scratched the back of his head and smiled.
"They call me Six."