Chapter 10

Wasteland Survival 101

The super mutants were on top of us in no time. There were at least five of them. One in particular was charging toward us, and an annoying beeping sound was coming from his arm.

"Suicider! Get back!" Nick grabbed me by the shoulders and shoved me out of the way. The mutant suicider was running right toward him. He rolled out of the way just in time for the mutant to swerve past him. The mutant turned to look, confused at where Nick had went. Before he could pursue him again, the bomb went off, knocking Nick back about six feet.

All the while, super mutants were shooting at us with machine guns and hunting rifles. Nick crawled his way to the wall I was hiding behind. We leaned up against the building with our backs to it.

"At least they don't have missile launchers."

My eyes went wide. I didn't even think about such heavy artillery being out here in the wastes.

"Okay, here's what we do. It's a two-parter," he said.

I listened intently, waiting for a plan.

"Part one: we get the hell outta here. Fast."

I stared at him blankly. He grabbed me by my wrist with his skeletal metal hand and pulled me away from the wall. I wasn't going to complain. The first time I was able to run from a fight rather than make a stand. I was exhausted and low on ammo again.

Once we were out of harm's way, we stopped to catch our breath on the outskirts of the city. We bent over, hands on our knees, panting for air.

"Okay, second part: we get you prepared."

"What? Kellogg is right there in that building. Are we just going to walk away now? I can't do that! I need to find Shaun!"

"Nora, listen to me. Kellogg's not going anywhere. And if your son's in there with him, he's not going anywhere, either. They're holed up. Tight. Kellogg's keeping himself under lock and key." He lit another cigarette. "I gotta tell ya, you weren't much of a backup partner. I can tell you don't know your way around a gun like you should."

"I'm learning," I protested.

He shook his head. "How much ammo you got left? Enough to take on Kellogg? Keep in mind that we found the assaultron he demolished on his way here. Imagine what he'll do to you if you're not prepared."

I grumbled and looked away from him. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I was weak. I didn't know what I was doing.

"You knucklehead. You're going to get yourself killed. You're no good to Shaun dead."

"Suggestions?"

"Go train yourself. Get strong. Practice. Teach yourself how to scavenge. Hell, ask someone to show you the ropes."

"Why can't you?"

"Well . . ." he looked down at his coat. It was ripped at the seam below his armpit and there was a faint blotch of black oil.

"Oh! Nick, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. I just gotta rest up. Maybe see a mechanic." He started making his way down the road again, and I followed. "You need to get yourself back to Sanctuary and rest, too."

"Fine. I guess I should."

"Here's where we part ways, then."

The sun was just beginning to rise over the hills. Our surroundings were beginning to gain a blueish glow in appearance. In another hour or so, the sun would be high enough to turn the tops of the trees orange with sunlight, and the air would warm up. I had been running around so much, I didn't even notice how cold it had gotten.

"I'll see you around, Nora." Nick held out his hand to me.

I shook it. "Thanks for everything, Nick. I'll see you in Diamond City when I learn anything new."

"Sounds like a plan. Stay safe."

He turned to go. He straightened his hat, put his hands in his pants pockets, and conjured a trail of smoke from the cigarette between his lips.

I checked my pip-boy to figure out where I was going. I felt better traveling now that the sun was coming up. Although, I hadn't been by myself this far out in the wastes before. I talked myself into going on to Sanctuary, anyway. Nick said I had to learn. Traveling by myself was something else I had to learn. I didn't want to bother him anymore than I already had.

According to my pip-boy, Sanctuary was directly north from where I was. So I made my way there. The trip back home was not pleasant. The only places of note that I came across were either really boring or really dangerous. Fort Hagen Filling Station was the first place I came across. Next, I found a radio tower called "Relay Tower 0BB-915." I marked both on my map.

There was a tiny swamp that I passed on my way, as well. It was so irradiated that I nearly doubled over from it. The Geiger counter on the pip-boy was going crazy. It counted two rads a second, then four, then seven, then ten. I was feeling the full effects of radiation for the first time.

I searched my bag when I got away from the swamp for a bag of radaway. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with it. Was I supposed to drink it? Insert it into my veins somehow with a syringe? I just pulled the plastic tube open on the bag and decided to drink it. It had a bitter, nasty taste to it, but I was feeling better in no time. My Geiger counter was showing zero rads.

Already learning the hard way.

The area not far north from the tiny swamp was the Federal Ration Stockpile, which had been completely taken over by raiders. They almost saw me before I turned and ran towards the east. I went around, and found myself back on the main road. Maybe it was for the best.

Or so I thought.

To the left side of the main road I was walking, there was what seemed to be a circle of cars all stood up and built to look similar to Stone Hinge. Walking around in the center of it was a behemoth super mutant – a super mutant of the ugliest, meanest, strongest kind. I had only ever heard of them on the news of course, being used as weapons just like all the other super mutants. But these were so deadly and uncontrollable that the creation of such creatures was completely banned.

This behemoth spotted me and roared a low, deep, loud roar. It sent a chill through me. It started running toward me faster than I thought possible. It threw rocks at me bigger than my head. I took off in a dead sprint in the opposite direction.

Once he gave up on following me, I collapsed on the ground. I heaved for breath. Once I had caught up on my breathing and my legs were rested, I checked my pip-boy again. I had gotten completely turned around. I almost wound up back at the Stockpile.

I decided to head straight north, even if it meant walking uneven terrain and climbing a few rocks. Which I later found out was almost just as bad as following the main road. I was attacked by giant crabs that shot up out of the ground. Their eggs hatched upon just walking up close to them. The babies attacked my legs and feet, while the big ones ran toward me, claws outstretched.

Again, I found myself running for my life.

I finally came upon Gorski Cabin and started making my way toward Sanctuary again. This route took me straight through a farmstead, but I didn't care. I marked it on my map as "farmstead" and made a mental note to figure out the real name of it later. And then, there it was. Sanctuary was right across the river.

I had half a mind to just swim there. When my legs touched the water, though, I felt radiation nipping at my skin. I quickly jumped back out of the water and sighed.

Gotta take the long way.

I walked all the way around until I could get to the bridge. I was home free once my feet touched the wood of the bridge. I couldn't have felt more relieved. Sturges had built machine gun turrets next to the bridge to further protect Sanctuary.

Preston was fairly close to the bridge as I was coming up. He stood on a makeshift lookout post with his gun hoisted.

"General?"

I just laughed. It was one of those laughs that made you question your sanity.

Preston rushed off the lookout post and came running toward me. "Where were you? What happened? You look like you've been through Hell."

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I just passed out right there in the road. I faintly felt Preston catch me before my head hit the concrete. I could feel my body being moved moments later. I was lifted through the air. I couldn't move my limbs. I couldn't speak. I could only breathe and lay there with my eyes closed. Then, everything just faded out, as if I had fallen asleep.

When I came to, I was in my living room on my couch. It was dusk already. Preston sat in the armchair across from my couch in the living room and Codsworth was in the kitchen, hovering nearby, waiting for me to wake up.

Preston looked like he was about to fall asleep, too. I cleared my throat weakly and he stirred awake.

"Oh, General. You're awake. Jesus. You gave us a scare."

"What happened?" I asked. I sat up with one hand on my head, trying to steady myself. I noticed that my shoes were off, my bag was on the floor next to me, and I had been covered with Preston's jacket.

I suddenly felt uncomfortable knowing his jacket was draped over me. I took it off of me and handed it back to him. He looked funny without it on.

"You were out for hours," he explained. "You passed out in the street as soon as you set foot in town."

I remembered then. I remembered all the horrors I endured to get back to Sanctuary. Tears started to fill my eyes. "Preston, it was . . . just . . . awful."

"What happened?" He looked genuinely concerned. He laced his fingers together and waited for me to regain my composure. He was patient with me.

"I went to Diamond City like Mama Murphy said. I met Nick Valentine, a detective, and he and Dogmeat helped me find out where the man who took my son is. He's somewhere in Fort Hagen. And I was totally unprepared. I was almost out of ammo. I don't have anymore stimpaks. I . . . just felt so useless and weak."

Preston just nodded and listened as I spoke.

"Nick told me to go back home and rest. I spent all morning and some of the day trying to get back. I was chased by raiders and giant crabs and a behemoth."

"Damn . . ."

"I got radiation poisoning and scrapes and bruises, and now I've got a splitting headache."

Preston sighed. "I hate to say it, but the things you just described are things that happen on a day-to-day basis in the wasteland. We face those things every moment we aren't in the safety of our settlement."

I just stared at him, wanting to cry all over again. I had to endure these horrors every time I ventured out there? Everything just kept getting worse.

As I started to cry, Preston floundered. "I mean, not to say that what happened to you wasn't horrible, Nora. I assure you. You had it pretty bad. A behemoth? Those are rare. But . . . I just don't want you to get the wrong idea. With some practice and know-how, you'll be wasteland ready in no time. Me and Sturges could teach you a few things."

I groaned, rubbing my temples. It still hurt pretty bad on the side that hit the shelf, thanks to that thug. "I don't think I'm ready to learn anything tonight. I just want to rest . . ."

"Of course." He stood up and shrugged his coat back on. "Let me know if there's anything you need, General."

As he left, I rolled my eyes at him. "General" this. And "General" that. It was all he seemed to care for. His heart was in the right place, but he was setting the bar insanely high.

"Mum." Codsworth floated over toward me. "If I may, I would like to point out that it is a wonderful idea that you're willing to learn new things. That's the spirit of a survivor! And let me just express my worry when Sir Preston carried you in here. I immediately applied a cold compress, a stimpak, and some radaway for you, but that was all I could do. You don't know how happy I am that you finally came to, Mum!"

"Thanks, Codsworth. I was just having a rough go."

"What about Mister Valentine? Wasn't he with you?"

"I told him he could go back to Diamond City if he wanted to, and I made my way back home alone."

"If I had a brow, it would be most furrowed, Mum. Never travel alone."

"I know that now. I promise I won't do it again." I rubbed at my temples again.

"Shall I get a med-x for your pain, Mum?"

"Sure. I need some rest . . ."

Codsworth brought a med-x from one of the kitchen cabinets. I had noticed that he took it upon himself to get a medicine cabinet going. I smiled. He was always thinking about my well-being. He put the med-x in my hand. I raised my sleeve and stuck the needle in my arm. It made me queasy. I never did like needles. After pushing the plunger as far as it would go, I instantly started to feel better.

I put the syringe on the floor beside the couch and laid down again. Codsworth left the room, mentioning something about helping Sturges finish a project. Then, I remembered the holotape that Codsworth gave me after I left the vault. I stuck my hand in my bag and looked for it. There it was, on the bottom, covered in other junk that I had found.

I put it in the tape player on my pip-boy and waited for it to start up.

There was a screech from a microphone. Nate's voice. "Oops." He chuckled. In the background, I could hear our baby cooing happily. "No, no, no. Little fingers away . . . there we go . . . just a minute . . ." He cleared his throat.

My heart was already breaking.

"Hi, honey," he addressed the recorder. "Listen, I don't think Shaun and I need to tell you how great of a mother you are. But we're going to anyway. You are kind and loving and funny. And patient. So patient. The patience of a saint – as your mother used to say. Look, with Shaun, and with all of us being home together, it's been an amazing year. Even so, I know our best days are yet to come. There will be changes, sure, things we'll need to adjust to. I'll rejoin the civilian work force, you'll shake the dust off your law degree. But everything we do, no matter how hard, we do it for our family. Now, say goodbye, Shaun. 'Bye-bye.' Say, 'bye-bye!' Bye, honey. We love you."

It felt surreal. It was like receiving a message from the grave. Like they were telling me goodbye in their own way. Tears were flowing now, as they had been all along. My heart ached more than it ever has.

No, I thought, Shaun's still out there. He hasn't said goodbye yet.

I reached in my pocket for Nate's ring and examined it. I clutched it in my hands and curled up on the couch.

I love you, Nate. Goodbye.

The next morning, I awoke early. The sun was just starting to come up. I had slept most of the day yesterday, so I was feeling energetic, if not a little depressed as usual. I met up with Sturges and asked him a few questions about learning how to make blueprints of my own. He showed me the materials I'd need. Paper, pencil, ruler, things like that. He said that the two most important things I'd need were knowledge and practicality.

"You need to know what you're building and how to build it," he explained. "And you can't just make any ole' thing out of the blue; it has to be practical. Rational. Legit."

He showed me a few of his blueprints to start off. He made out a quick one from the top of his head for some indoor plumbing. I was thoroughly impressed. It only took him a few minutes to whip up the blueprint. He even explained to me how it works once it's built.

Next, he showed me a few things about scavenging and how to find what you need out there in the wastes. "Our two main resources are wood and steel, because they're everywhere. However, our most important resources, and the ones we never have enough of are copper and circuitry. They're what 'makes the world go round,' so to speak. Without those, we can't make anything electrical. That means no power, no light, and no major defenses."

He showed me parts of scrap in his shed that he loved finding. Hotplates, telephones, pieces of broken turrets, all were important. He also mentioned that we would use a lot of oil, depending on the blueprint, so I kept that in mind as well.

Later that evening, Preston said he was going to go out and hunt for tonight's meal. I offered to go with him. He was objective at first, insisting that I needed my rest, but I convinced him that I was fine. I wasn't too excited about hunting, but it was important enough to learn.

He took me to the outskirts of the town and into the woods up the hill. He showed me how to hold a gun, wrapping his arms around me and putting my hands in the right position on the 10mm pistol. I shrugged off the uncomfortable feelings and focused on my aim.

He pointed at a few molerats about fifteen feet away as we crouched in a bush. I gave him a look that plainly said "you can't be serious," but he urged me to take the shot anyway. I positioned my arms and hands the way he showed me, and sure enough, I hit one. The shot made it through its neck, but it was still a close head shot. We took on the other three together. He showed me how to skin them and then clean them once we got back to Sanctuary. Then, he showed me how to cook them. We were having molerat stew for dinner. He threw in a few vegetables from our little farm out back and stirred it with an old ladle.

It seemed almost disgusting at first. Then, I started smelling it. My stomach growled. I forgot how hungry I was. Sturges grabbed a few bottles of purified water and handed them out to each of us. Preston, Sturges, myself, Mama Murphy, Jun, and Marcy were all gathered around the fire once again for dinner. We thanked Preston for the meal. Preston reflected the praise back on me, saying that I hunted for dinner myself. Everyone but Marcy approved. I don't know why she disliked me so much.

That night, I slept on my old, dusty couch again, holding Nate's ring.

Every day went on like that for about a week or so. Preston and I went on some Minutemen missions, helping settlements and gaining their support. I was on edge, wondering when I'd learn enough to take on my worst enemy. Every day, I thought about that face I saw in the vault through the window of my cryo-pod. That sickening face.

At least we still have the backup . . .

I couldn't take it anymore. I marched up to Preston at his post and motioned him down.

"What's wrong, General?"

"I think I'm ready to head back out. I don't think there's anymore that any of you can teach me. I'm like a sitting duck here. Shaun's out there somewhere. I have to get back to Fort Hagen."

"I understand."

"I would like you to come with me to that settlement you said that needed our help. It would be a good warm up. And I've been promising you that I'd take care of it."

"Sure thing, General." He beamed.

We made our way to the Starlight Drive-In. It was interesting to me that there could be a settlement at the same drive-in that Lucy and I often went to before the bombs fell. I marked it on my pip-boy map as soon as we got there.

It was infested with molerats. They didn't even bother me anymore. They were just moving targets that sometimes bit you. We cleared them out in no time, but we soaked up some rads while we were there. There was a deep hole in the concrete there that contained a puddle. In the puddle were barrels of radioactive isotopes.

I picked the lock on the door at the shed to the side of the drive-in and gained access to a workbench there. That's when I realized there were no people here.

"Where's all the people?" I asked. "I thought we were helping a settlement."

Preston smiled. "No, we're making a settlement. Let's get this place cleaned up, then we can get a radio beacon up and get some settlers moved in."

Preston gave me a pill called "rad-x" to keep me from soaking up more rads, because my Geiger counter was going crazy near those barrels of radiation. We pulled all the barrels out of the little sinkhole and rolled them far away from the drive-in. Then, it was time for a radaway break. We spent the next hour cleaning up the inside a little and putting whatever we found to eat or drink on the shelves for the people who decided to settle there.

All except for a canister of potato crisps. I pocketed those, because, sweet Jesus, I missed my junk food.

I told Preston he could go on back to Sanctuary, because I felt confident enough to make the trip back to Diamond City on my own.