September 12th 2076
Anna
I land in a small heap hoping that I haven't just appeared in front of anyone. Fortunately I can tell I'm in DC it smells like concrete and people and the temperature is considerably higher. I leave the small alleyway I have appeared from and try to blend in with the crowd. I realise that yet again in this dress sense that I am an eye sore and at constant notice. At least Mrs Nales uniform is tailored and authoritative. I look as if I've stolen the uniform just for something to wear. Then the idea hits me. Steal.
There's a large clothing shop across the street so I quickly cross, avoiding cars. I hear someone shout about jaywalking but I have no idea what that even is. I enter the shop and thankfully it is to busy for someone to watch properly. I don't know what size I am or what layer goes where but I hold out a blue dress to my self and it seems to work. I was a small suit in the vault but these items work in numbers. I make my way to the hosiery section and become significantly confused. What colour is which and how is it held up ? I pick a pair of 'tan' stockings and a bra/stomach holding in thing that looks like it has the tabs to hold the stockings. Fortunately bra sizes are the same in the vault so I praise my efforts that ill at least be able to breathe when I put this on.
I walk into the unattended busy changing room, it's almost like their asking you not to pay. The items take a bit of work but eventually I sort myself out till I am looking presentable, the dress is suitable but a little bit big on the shoulders, I'm not fussed. I leave everything behind a changing room curtain and walk out barefoot out of the changing room. Nobody notices me.
Rows of shoes greet me in the far corner. I try to find a flat pair but to no avail all have deadly looking spikes at the end but as I watch the women around me they walk effortless. I pick up a pair of small looking blue ones so that I might as well match if I'm going to fall about. The shoes are far too big and have my feet sliding down each time I step. I look down a few sections and find the exact same pair simply smaller. Previously I had thought every clothing item was unique before the war.
Once they are on I simply keep walking past the other items and out of the shop. I concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other but feel as if my ankles and made of weak wood as they shake. I need to think of a plan to get to Charon.
Charon
I sit in the hotel lobby simply watching people go by until I am given an order. General Nale sits across from me filling paper work and sighing every few minutes. I notice as a receptionist points him out to a bell boy and I tense. The boy hurries over and coughs with unnecessary authority.
"Excuse me sir, you have a phone call, it's your wife."
General Nale frowns and puts down his work load with a snort.
"My wife is upstairs, she is getting to use to this luxury."
I watch as he holds the receiver. He smiles, frowns deeply and then another wide smile. I manage to hear "I'll send him over." He waves me over and I am relieved at finally being given something to do.
"Charon I need you to collect something at the Capitol building."
I move to turn away but I am quickly stopped.
"I believe I am in no danger here. Go upstairs change into something more casual and once the package is picked up. Take the day off."
"To do what sir ?"
"Whatever you please !"
General Nale smiles at me suspiciously and I am unnerved at his agenda. I make my way to my private room which holds 2 double beds and the biggest bathroom I have ever stepped foot in. I am aware that Mrs Nale expected Anna and I to share but I doubt I will see her again until the first time she meets me.
Charon
I leave the Metro station and make my way to the Capitol building I am unsure of what it is I am collecting but I am excited at the prospect of a free afternoon to do as I please. As I step closer a hint of blue catches my attention. A woman is sitting on the Capitol steps with her head in her hands. She is barefoot and heeled shoes sit beside her thrown off. She is presentable but her hair is a madness of thick blackness. It's only when a business man asks if she is okay that the woman lifts her head. It's Anna.
"Anna !" I find myself yelling for a reason unknown to me. She looks up quickly and with a wide grin begins to run towards me and throws herself in my arms. I am just ready to catch her and have to step back due to her speed. I laugh loudly amused at her excitability.
"I controlled it ! I was in Alaska. I don't even know if it was Anchorage but it was cold and it hurt a lot. But I thought of things that make me travel and I did it but I ended up a bit away. But I got to a phone and the operator was a bitch but I eventually got put through to your hotel and and"
She is talking so fast that I struggle to take it all in.
"Anna."
She breathes deeply and smiles "yeah ?"
"I'm glad you're here."
She lets out a breathless giggle "I'm just glad I managed to get here. How long was I away for ?"
"12 days."
"Really ! Oh my god. Sorry. It's only been a few hours."
I put her down and step forward. "Wait here I have something to pick up."
Anna laughs "you're an idiot. Ta-Da." She gestures to herself then it all clicks. She got to a phone, she was the person the General was talking to. Then his agenda falls into place. He hasn't just given me the day off. He's given me a day with Anna.
"Where are we going ?" Anna looks up at me expectantly. "Do you have any orders ?"
"No." I shake my head and excitement takes over. A normal day to have. "First we are going to pick up your shoes. Then we will go where ever you want."
"I don't want to wear them ! They hurt !"
"You can't walk around with no shoes... Where did you get that dress ? Did you mug someone ?!"
She straightens up and smirks "No. I "obtained" it."
I can't help but feel my lips twitch. "For how much ?"
"The funny thing was the shop person was just so lovely she was like you know what it looks amazing have it for free !"
I laugh "you stole it."
"Yes."
Anna gives me a cheeky grin as she slips her shoes back on and walks slowly forward. I hold out my arm an she takes it using me as more of a balance than an escort.
"Better ?"
"Yes actually so don't let go."
We walk forward merging into the crowd.
"Have you ever been to the Museum of Technology ?"
She nods with a small smirk "I have but I think it will have changed a lot."
We walk towards the busy building and walk past the reception to go straight to the exhibitions. First up is 'the vault experience' and I feel Anna go slightly rigid.
"What's wrong scared of a cave ?"
She draws me an evil look and walks slightly faster "no. I just don't like vaults."
"Why ?"
She shrugs. This is another story I won't be told.
"At least it's clean" she mutters. I don't even bother to ask what she means.
We take our time walking around the items. Anna takes particular interest in the Virgo moon lander and gives it a knowing smirk. I take her forward into the planetarium. She sits like a child as the show starts and gives me a wide smile. I hardly notice when the narrator starts talking about stars as I am fixated on Anna. Her face is full of awe absorbing every bit of information. The room is dark but her eyes are bright and I can sense she is in her own little world. She catches my attention.
"What ?" She sounds self consciousness and I notice a small blush on her cheeks.
I cough slightly and look towards the projection "nothing."
I sit back and feel her shuffle closer to me. She places her head on my shoulder so I comfortably put her arm around her.
"Thanks Charon."
"What for ?"
"Being here."
Anna
I almost laugh when Charon suggests the museum of history. It's almost as if we have come full circle. I finally get to see what was behind the resource war section. I get to see the Underworld exhibit intact with no beds. The Abraham Lincoln section really elevates my mood. There is no feral ghouls or burnt books. You would never know it was the same place. I love everything I see and I can't wait to take in more.
"Hungry ?" Charon asks and I realise that in all my excitement I am incredibly hungry.
"Very !"
He leads me to a very familiar stair case and then surprises me when he turns left.
"You really wanna go here ?"
Charon frowns "Why shouldn't I ?"
It's the area which will soon become the Ninth Circle. The cafe explains why Azrukhal was able to build a bar area. There is a small queue for the food and I stand nervously by Charon expecting him to act out at any second. This place isn't anything to him yet. I want to lead him away get him out. He will spend enough time here soon but he is oblivious to everything and orders our meals.
"I thought I'd get the food seeing as you have difficulty doing it. They don't have as many vegetables as you like so you're gonna have to put up with fries. It's like a potato but exciting."
He talks to me as if I am a child and I can't help but laugh at the grin he is trying to hide.
"Shut up."
"Shut up ? are you paying, are you ?"
I try my hardest to give him a sinister look but I can't fight my smirk.
"I'll obtain it" I laugh.
"Steal fries ? You're a disgrace to society. You'll be on death row for sure when the catch you."
"If they ever catch me. I'm too brilliant you see." I wink.
"Of course." Charon dutifully pays with the paper money that has ever only been useless to me till now.
We end up sitting in his corner but of course to him it's just a corner.
"We meet here" I tell him "this exact spot."
Charon nods thoughtfully and puts a fry in his mouth and I follow. It is warm and crisp.
"These are amazing."
"You've never had them before ?"
I shake my head.
"Deprived. So how did we meet ?"
"I needed some help and you were the only one who could."
"In what way ?"
"Guess."
"Combat."
"That's the one."
He looks serious "why would you ever need help with that ?"
"To survive" I give a small breath of a laugh and realise that Charon has picked up all too much in my words.
"It gets worse doesn't it ? The war ?"
I want to steer him off track, tell him it doesn't that the next 200 years of his life aren't gonna be hell. He'll die a normal age. Never become a ghoul but I can't.
"Yeah."
We eat in silence and Charon seems distant in thought. Once we are finished he looks up at me sadly.
"Lets get back."
We are staying at the Statesman Hotel and a part of me wants to paint DON'T YOU DARE RILEY behind the wall paper. It would have saved me a significant amount of trouble. It is just like Tenpenny Tower but more fresh.
Charon
Anna is quite taken by the hotel room she throws off her shoes once more and jumps towards a bed.
"Are we sharing ?" She questions.
"We can get another if you mind."
She sits up smiling "I don't."
Anna holds the controller and stares at it as if it has just fallen from the sky. The tv switches on and she visibly recoils. She slowly crawls on the bed and falls on her stomach watching the pictures on screen. There is a small smile on her face and I leave her to it.
I head for the shower and relish the hot water as it runs down my back. I hear Anna laughing at something on the television and I smile. I don't understand how someone can be so happy all of the time but I can't find myself complaining after a life time of serious faces and pain. Anna has become a nuisance to my contract I yearn to be nearer to her than I do to my contract holder. I am glad to know that I have at least a few more years of being around her even if they are in the wrong order. I take my time in the shower and dry myself off.
Anna has fallen asleep on the bed but she quickly wakes as I walk past her. I have noticed that she never falls into a deep sleep and is considerably jumpy when down.
"I might shower" she murmurs sleepily.
She stands slowly unbuttoning the front of her dress. I stand at the foot of the bed confused. She lets the dress fall and walks past me oblivious to any effect she is causing.
She is dressed like the girls in magazines. Stockings reach her thigh and are held up by a figure hugging basque. It is mesmerising to watch the pull of fabric and the shine over her legs. They are long and toned from apparent vigorous exercise. Her body dips and curves in a way which is unique to the female form. I swallow and the noise sounds incredibly loud in my ears.
"Anna ?"
She turns and gives me a smile that causes me to do another audible swallow.
"You're not decent."
She looks down confused then squeals.
"Sorry !"
She skips towards the bathroom door quickly shutting it and I hear a breathless laugh. "I forgot sorry I'm just used to being comfortable around you."
I don't give a reply as I hear the shower start. Instead I fall face first on the other bed with a groan. I cant help but wonder what my future self has gotten himself into while I wait for my very evident reaction of her state of undress to pass.
