Mother
"Vaas, Vaas you have to go back."
Light swallows him whole; Vaas sees his mother looking down at him, her eyes soft and worrisome.
"You have to go back. It's not your time yet. You have to go back."
"I don't want to. I want to stay right here with you. We have so much to talk about, Mama." His hand, clean and pure from his days living, touches her cheek.
"Honey." she closes her eyes, tears falling from them as she grabs his hand and places it in the sand.
"You have to go back."
Vaas…
Vaas…
"…Vaas!"
I want you to remember…
"…Wake up! You can't die on me, you asshole!"
That I love you very much…
"…Fuck me, I carried a corpse with me for 15 miles!"
And I forgive all that you have done in your past…
"…Not like this, Vaas. You can't go out like this, you fucking pussy!"
Promise me you'll change for the better…
His head is throbbing with an excruciating pain. His mouth tastes metallic and he feels hands pushing into his chest. Blood sprays out of his mouth and it's then he opens his eyes and sees none other than Dominique standing over him, her face red and shiny from tears.
Had she been…crying? Over him?
"You…you…"
"Shh…you need to rest. From now on, until your wounds heal, you're going to have to depend on me for survival. I'll take care of the food, shelter, and combat. You're going to have to trust me on this."
"No…no…"
"Vaas, you have no other choice. You're too weak to move. I have experience; I lived in the bayous of Louisiana when I was 6 for a couple of years. I know how to hunt and navigate watery terrain. These aren't swamps, but these are bodies of waters that hold crocodile. We can eat that."
His eyes widen in disbelief. She's full of shit; there's no way Dainty Little Island Bitch is some backwoods country girl who lived in the swamps. It's surreal.
"Why…did you…tell me…now?"
"Because it slipped my mind until this happened and I never thought my grandma's teachings will be placed in this scenario."
'Fuck. Me.' Vaas thinks to himself. Dominique seems to see his thoughts and she becomes more desperate with her plea.
"Let me prove myself to you! I'll show you; I'll bring you crocodile meat. Okay? Trust me, Vaas."
'I've trusted you enough and look where it got me. Fucked over, beaten, shot, nearly drowned, and most importantly stuck up Shit Creek without a paddle with a bitch who, at the last minute, decides to be useful. Some trust.'
"I'm sorry, Vaas. I know that won't do much, but I'm so fucking sorry. I thought if I save your life, it could prove how much…"
"You should've…let…me die."
Her face falters; it gives Vaas some satisfaction. Those brown eyes lock on to his and his mother's face haunts him. Dominique's face morphs into his mother's, her sad eyes ridding him with guilt.
"Trust me, Vaas. Let me prove myself to you. Let me make up for all the fuck up's I've done in the past." She says, her soft hands stroking his cheek. He nods his head.
"How can I ever say no to you, Mama? How can I ever say no?" he leans into the touch. His mother's expression of calm turns to concern and confusion.
"Oh…kay, Vaas. Let me place you somewhere safe so I could hunt. That meat should help you build your strength."
"Okay, Mom. I love you."
"…I love you…too, Vaas."