It didn't take long for me to catch up to the Military patrol, and from a thicket of trees I watched them. The sun was setting behind the silhouette of a destroyed Barn on a hilltop, and the patrol had made camp in a valley. The majority sat around a campfire, using bedrolls as chairs. Two of them stood guard, Their AK-74 Assault rifles slung over their soldiers. Through their masked military helmets they surveyed the surrounding lands. Stories told too well of the dangers lurking in the Zone. I sat cross-legged, my pack open in front of me. Inside I found three cans of food, two canteens of dirty tasting water. Bandages, a bright orange First Aid kit and a few magazines for my Pistol. In the breast pocket of my Flecktarn combat gear I found my compass, but my satellite phone was gone, along with my box of matches and some other gear. I had made it to the zone, but the dangers were just beginning. My gasmask was hanging from my neck, and I decided it was time to start using it. I lowered my hood and strapped the mask to my face, replacing my hood. The visor on the mask allowed me unobstructed view, but was slightly cracked in one corner from my fight with the guards. I sat in silence for a while, letting my eyes adjust to the newfound darkness before standing. I needed to find shelter for the night, or even some other Stalkers. I walked slowly through the trees, avoiding bushes and sticks, until I reached the edge of the treeline. Beyond I could see the road, which wound alongside a creek. Staying low I crept down the hill. When I hit the road I increased my speed. Along the road ahead I could see a group of houses. In the distance, just outside the town I could see what looked like a body. As I approached I could gradually make out the sound of a mechanical beeping. Slow and steady. I approached the body carefully and examined it. The man had succumbed to a bullet wound in the head, and I searched his body for the source of the beeping. On his belt sat a small yellow device, marked in black as a "Anomaly Detector."
I detached the detector from his belt and studied it as I walked towards the town. The beeping increased in speed until it beeped violently. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked around. Amongst some rubble behind me I found a steel bolt, attached to some wood. I picked it up and threw the whole lot in front of me. The Steel bolt hit something in front of me, and it set of a huge reaction. With a loud whir and bang the bolt flew up into the air in a vortex of blue energy. I stepped back and watched in awe.
"An anomaly" I said to myself, breathless at the beauty of its destructive abilities. I stepped away and backtracked to the corpse. Slowly I skirted the houses, listening carefully for the telltale beep of my Detector. Carefully I entered the group of houses through a gap in the houses. When my detector didn't beep, I approached a house. Something moved inside, and I stepped back in shock. I stood frozen to the spot, slowly reaching for my Makarov. Suddenly, a loud noise emanated from within, and something came sprinting for the door. I whipped my pistol out and I aimed it at the… rats. I swore loudly and I turned on my torch, which was attached to my belt. The light pointed wherever I faced, and it danced around as I walked slowly into the house, which consisted of four rooms. The main room was empty, bar from piles of rubble in the corners. In the bedrooms remained only rusty bedframes, and a rotten chest of drawers. The shutters on the windows were closed, keeping the wind which was picking up from getting in. With a sigh I set my pack down on the floor next to the door, and I sat against the wall opposite. I closed my eyes slowly and tried to sleep. I was in for a big day. The road led into an area known as "The Cordon," where I would try to find help, and most importantly Information. As sleep began to claim me, I heard a sound. The crunching of feet on gravel, and then the beeping of an Anomaly Detector. My eyes flicked open, and I reached for my pistol.