Of Course This Would Happen

Once the sun rose, the large encampment began to ready itself for departure. The other caravan crew saddled up, and not more than an hour into the early morning, our crew made its way south again. Sophia and I were fairly used to the hike during the end of that second week, so we both kept up peacefully with the rest of the caravan. The hike went on into the afternoon like usual when our group's luck finally ran out. At approximately 1:30PM, the strange figures in the rocks decided to make their move, but we were ready. Going through a narrow pass in the caravan trail, with tall rocks on both sides, we got swarmed.

I had seen mutant geckos, scorpion, ants, rats, and even those bizarre underground creatures called wanamingos; but I never seen the fabled "Deathclaw" that people across the wastes often spoke of. On that day, I saw more than any typical waster would believe. I just saw one of the figures dash between the rocks and held my gun at the ready when I heard gunshots in the front of the caravan. My eyes darted in the direction of the chaos and a tremendous roar echoed between the canyon walls. Three giant tan scaly lizard looking beasts with ten-inch teeth, devilish black horns, long muscular arms, and three-foot clawed hands stood at eleven feet tall and dashed through the caravan train slicing people in half.

Out of instinct and panic, I whipped out my pistol and joined the others in a hail of gunfire. Everyone in the crew, including the traders, fired at the rapid beasts again and again through the terrifying roars. I wasn't even sure where Sophia was in the chaos, but believed she was still holding onto my bag. One of the monsters tumbled to the ground just before a guard and gave a deafening shriek as more rounds pelted it. I heard gunshots behind me and whipped around to see another one attacking our rear guard. I watched the monster pick up a scaver with its giant arms, tear him in half, and stuff one of his legs down its throat.

I fumbled a new magazine into my gun and fired frantically at the beast until the slide locked back again. The beast roared again as more and more rounds penetrated it, until it limped forward into the continuing barrage of bullets. I quickly darted my attention back to the front of the caravan to see a blood splattered shitshow of mangled caravan hands. Just before I could throw up in terror, I saw the other beasts. One was limping its way to the eastern cliff while dragging the remains of a trader, and the other was charging straight at me. I knew this was my final moment and didn't even bother trying to put a new mag into my gun or consider where my wife was. Time slowed in a concentrated Jet high sort of fashion, I closed my eyes, and wondered how it feels to be ripped in half and devoured.

I wouldn't be writing this story if I was killed by a deathclaw, so you can assume that I was saved. Just as I closed my eyes embracing the prospect of a terrible death, I heard a loud *THUD* and felt a hurricane of dirt smash into me. I stood there in the carnage and raised my hands to wipe the dirt from my face. When I opened my eyes, the giant tan lizard beast laid sprawled out on the ground staring at me with pure white eyes and the most sinister smile of sharpened white fangs I ever seen. Everything was quiet. Unable to move from the penetrating gaze of the slain beast, I listened to the wind rushing between the canyon walls and heard a faint voice in the distance shout;

"All Clear!"

I broke my trance and looked around to take in the scene. 4 traders, 6 guards, 2 scavers, and 3 brahmin were scattered throughout the wreckage as mangled messes. Most were torn to pieces and I was only able to get a count by the number of heads or severed torsos lying motionless in the dirt. Everyone else who survived was kneeling to catch a breath or rocking themselves in shock.

I instantly shook myself back into sanity, realized I couldn't find my wife, and shouted, "SOPHIA!?"

I heard a whimpered voice from behind a toppled brahmin and ran over to her thanking whatever was listening for keeping her alive. She laid there on the ground covered in dirt and foot crushed by a disemboweled brahmin. Scared and painful tears fell from her eyes as I tried lifting the brahmin off her leg, and the surviving veteran guard took the moment to help me. Once the brahmin was off her leg, I immediately began to treat her, but my eyes landed on something interesting.

Standing around the wrecked caravan were seven soldier looking people in identical tan combat armor and wide brimmed "Mountie" hats with a bear and star insignia in the center. I paid no more mind after hearing the whimpers of my wife, and focused back on her. Still treating Sophia's leg, the veteran guard approached and conversed with the strange soldier folks.

I glanced over and heard one of the soldier guys say, "Got here just in the nick of time to help some of ya. You folks gonna be alright?"

The veteran guard said through winded breaths, "Coulda got here earlier. Lost a bunch of folks against them deathclaws. Who are you guys anyway?"

The soldier people began to tend other injured caravan hands while the assumed leader said, "Apologies wastelander, I'd say it's pure luck we happened by…"

My eyes went up again, and the soldier drew a cigarette, struck a match on his boot, took a drag, and held his hand out for a handshake. The veteran shook his hand and the soldier said, "Name's Lucas, NCR Rangers."

The veteran struck up his own cigarette with a shaking hand and said, "Good to meet ya. Fuck, we all woulda been goners. What brings you fellas out this way?…"

Then the guard stopped himself and asked with an exhausted tone, "How much further to Shady Sands?"

The "Ranger" said, "Sorry we couldn't have been here sooner. My team and I were trailing a group of super mutants through some of the lesser known mountain passes when we heard the first gunshots. Knew we were close to the caravan road, so we took the moment to ensure traveler safety…"

He took another long drag on his cigarette and discarded the butt adding, "You folks aint too far out, just another day or so to the clearing, and you'll see Shady Sands in the open desert."

The veteran gave a sigh of relief and said, "Thank God…"

My eavesdropping got interrupted when one of the other rangers took a knee beside Sophia and asked her, "What's the problem, ma'am? Deathclaw get ya?"

The ranger woman knelt beside her in that identical set of tan combat armor with her eyes concealed by a pair of dark sunglasses and low hanging hat brim. Sophia responded through her hysteria, "No, the thing took out that brahmin and it fell on me. Foot got crushed…"

The ranger looked at me through her shades, set her sniper rifle down, and said, "You're the guy I saved from that deathclaw right there! Haha!" pointing at the dead monster several yards from where I accepted my end.

I responded, heart still racing, "Thanks for that. I was outta ammo, and simply embraced the inevitable." Then I gave a nervous laugh.

The ranger gave a grin and pointed both thumbs at her chest saying, "Luckily you got your guardian angel right here! Haha!..."

She turned her attention to Sophia and asked, "So, how can I help?" while she opened a leather satchel marked with a red cross.

I knelt next to Sophia and helped the ranger patch her up better than I could've alone. My plan was to wrap the foot and give her some Jet to nullify the pain, but the ranger took a more "Medical" approach. Sophia's foot was broken, and I took some mental notes while I watched the ranger patch her up. Thirty minutes later, Sophia was given some more legitimate painkillers and told to ride one of the surviving brahmin for the rest of the journey.

After another hour, the carnage was getting cleaned up and all the survivors began to rally. The ranger team stuck around securing the area while the traders split the possessions of all those who perished. The whole party lost almost half of its members and though we felt defeated, there was thankful relief in the air. When all was split, and the surviving brahmin were loaded with the dead's belongings, we still had to leave much behind. That veteran guard took charge of the caravan and was offered an escort into town by the rangers. The prideful guard declined the offer, but the leftover valuables could be added to the NCR Ranger's headquarters. So, the rangers joined us in the remainder of our trek to NCR anyway.