Chapter One

So, I'm finally doing it. I'm traveling the USA, seeing all the wonders that it has to offer. After several days of thinking, I decided to start near the bottom of the states. My first stop would be the Grand Canyon. Everything was going great. I stayed there all day, just to see it when the sun sets. There was just a little bit of sun left, when things started to go….weird. In the distance I could see this long brown cloud coming at me. At first, I thought I had enough time to get away, but once I turned around. It was right on top of me. Closing my eyes, I make a sad attempt to cover both mouth and nose, as I walked straight for the car. It was all good in theory, but as I thought I was getting closer to the car, I trip on what I think is a rock, falling arms first to the ground. Biting my tongue, I do whatever it takes not to curse at the ground, but when I opened my eyes, I see that it's now dark. My hands are tied up, there are three unknown people pushing me to go somewhere, and I'm not the only one tied up. I can't hear anything over the sound of my heart pounding in my ears, as I try to asses the issue. Finally stopping, I see that we are on top of a hill, that looks very familiar. And if that wasn't bothering me, I see several new people and two digging graves. Unable to look away, I could feel the blood drain from my body. How could this be happening? I only snap out of it when someone suddenly smacks me across the face.

"Pay attention courier." The very tackie dressed man says to me, in this old movie kind of way.

Courier?

"I just want to say thank you for make this very easy to get. Sorry you two had to get involved in this mess, but the truth is. It was rigged from the start." He tells us, pointing this gun at us.

Well, at me first. Which caused my heart to skip several beats. And right before he pulled the trigger, I look over at the guy next to me. I can see this look on his face and then a quick flash of shock as everything goes dark. As I waited for whatever to come after death, I noticed it was taking just a little too long. Soon, I slowly started to feel something. It began with a slight tingling feeling all over my body, which soon was replaced with pain. Lots and lots of pain. Opening my eyes, I'm blinded by light.

"Whoa! Settle down. You might hurt yourself." A gentle voice tells me, as they stop me from getting up. At least too fast.

Looking around, I find myself in what could only be a makeshift hospital in someone's house, and someone else lying on a bed across from me. Closing my eyes, I try to remember what had happen and how I got here. But the only thing, I succussed in doing, was causing a headache.

"Alright, now that you have calmed down, I would like to ask you some questions, to see if you are alright." He waits for me to nod my head. "Good. Now can you tell me your name?"

Great. Out of all the questions in the world, he had to ask that. It was so easy. "My name is…." Holy shit. "Mandy?"

He looks at me weird. Not that I could blame him. I mean, who says their name in the form of a question? Aside from me.

"Good. I'm Doc Mitchell. Welcome to Goodsprings. Now I'm sorry to say, but I had to tinker inside your head. I got all the metal out, but I just wanted to talk with you to see how I did."

Tinker? Metal in my head? "Thank you. Will he be alright?" I look over just as he started to move.

"I was going to see right after I talked to you." He gives me a smile, before walking over.

As the two of them talk, I take this opportunity to look around. Or make several attempts to get to my feet. Moving slow, I check out all the things Doc Mitchell has. At first glance, it just looked like junk, but I had this faint feeling they meant something very important. Picking up this weird thing, I examine it.

"What the hell is this and where do I keep it?" I ask myself under my breath as I look at my clothes or lack of clothes.

Feeling my face go a nice shade of red, I quickly look for my clothes. That is, if I had come in with any. But when I look in the direction Doc Mitchell use to be, was now empty. Putting the thing down, I turn to the room behind me, where I see Doc Mitchell talking to that guy. I can't hear what they are saying, so I decided to look around. Everything had this old world oldness to it. It wasn't cluttered and I've never heard of any of these products. By the time I got back to Doc Mitchell he was done talking to the guy and they were on their way out.

"Here, these are yours. Was all you had on you when you guys were brought in." Doc Mitchell hands the guy a note, some bottle caps, a gun, and some bullets. "I hope you don't mind, but I gave the note a look. I thought it might help me find a next of kin. But it was just something about a platinum chip."

"Thank you." The guy takes a few other things from the Doc.

"Well, if you guys are heading back out there, you ought to have this." He hands us this very unusual device.

Unsure of what to do with it, I wait for the other guy to either put it on, or put it away. Attaching the device to his right arm, I do the same.

"They called it a Pit-Boy. I grew up in one of them vaults they made before the war. We all got one." He tells us as we both examine it. "Ain't much use to me now, but yow two might want such a thing after what you guys have been through. I know what it's like having something taken from you."

After playing with it, I soon remember that I wasn't wearing much and I think Doc Mitchell could see it on my face. Looking down he hands us two jumpsuits.

"And put this on, too, so the locals don't pick on you for lacking modesty. Never was much my style anyway."

"Thanks for patching us up, Doc." The guy says as he zips the suit up.

"Don't mention it. It's what I'm here for. You two should talk to Sunny Smile before you leave town. She can help you learn to fend for yourself in the desert. She'll likely be in the saloon. I reckon some of the other folks at the saloon might be able to help you guys out, too. And the metal fella, Victor, who pulled you two outta your gaves."

Metal fella? I wonder what will happen once we get out? Will he go on his own, or will he ask me to go wherever he's going? My head was starting to get overwhelmed with questions, I just couldn't answer at the moment.

"Anyway, you two ever get hurt out there, just come right back. I'll fix you up. But try not to get killed anymore." Doc says with a smile.

Turning to the door, I take a deep breathe in, before opening the door. Once out, the light blinds both of us. As it all clears, I'm taken back by what I see.