11

Vodka burns as it travels down my throat. Gob wipes down the dirty counter with a rag. The saloon is empty and you could hear a bobby pin drop. Nova leans against her usually place, the wall by the washroom, which is all a curtain covering a corner with a bucket. It seems dreary in the saloon tonight, quiet with no one chatting up any good news. After all it is late in the night and everyone has either retired or strolling around in the cool night. No one is out for a drink.
The radio plays a classic song that rather goes with this scene; The Ink Spots playing I don't want to set the world on fire.
It echoes in the tin saloon. My gloomy presence doesn't help up the mood in the bar. Instead I think I make it worse, but what the hell do I care? I take another drink. This is my second bottle of alcohol. First it was wine to numb the senses, then this prized bottle of notorious liquor, vodka. I can feel my eyelids wanting to close more and more with every drink I take, but I keep them open. The longer I can stay awake the more I could consume. Maybe get alcohol poisoning.
As I get deeper in drunkenness the idea seems better than it did before. What is the point of living? What purpose do I have? Project Purity? Nah that bitch Li has the brotherhood to help her. I am not needed.
I wonder if I told Gob what happened with dad. If I did it had to have been tonight, probably drunk. Because when I try to think if I did, I can't remember. I am too far gone to even give the slightest fuck about anything at the moment.
The little bit of liquid that was in the bottle that Gob gave me vanished. I look up at him with weary eyes. Before I ask for more he shakes his head. I raise a brow.
"Come on, Gob. I can't stop now, I am… I am almost numb enough. I can… I can take more booze." I slur. When I mispronounce some of the words I hide a smile of amusement. I sound ridiculous. He continues to shake his head. I moan.
"Sorry, Smoothskin, but if I give you any more after your hangover, you will never forgive Me." he says. I sigh. I nod and get up. I almost fall by trusting my own footing. The room starts spinning. That's when I feel like I am about to pass out.
I pondered about what dad was like drunk. He would have had to gotten drunk with mom, there is nothing to deny it. Did he slur and laugh like me? Or did he pass out before any fun was to have been made?
I make it outside before I feel like falling over. But as I am about to fall someone catches me. I am startled that I stand back up on my own feet. I stumble when I turn to face the person.
"Whoa easy. You had a few." The man says. I drop my head to the side wondering who the hell this man was. His voice is not familiar and I am about to walk away… quickly.
He steps out into the stream of light. The man had a light beard and an eye patch. He did look like he could be handy with a gun, maybe even a rifle. I quickly place my hand on where my .375 magnum was supposed to be. But when I feel an empty holster I look down in panic. My facial expression became confused and then gave an 'Aha!' look. I remember giving the gun to Butch.I sigh.
God fucking damn it, Butch!
"Uh… name is Billy, Billy Creel. Need help finding your way uh home?" he asks. I shake my head too forcefully and I almost fall again, he catches me. I swear I hear a light chuckle come from his lips. I frown. Obviously I rather not have anyone see me this way. Next time, I drink alone in my house.
"Well, I am not going to take no for an answer. Which way is your house?" he asks. I groan but allow him to put my arm around his shoulder. Billy is strong. He almost lifts my feet off the ground. Stubbornly not admitting defeat, I keep my feet placed firmly on the ground.
"By that bitch named Jericho." I stammer. Jericho. I met him today when I got back from Vault 101. Called me jackass and wouldn't stop complaining about scavengers. And as if I am one, he began to insult me passively. Asshole.
Billy laughs while nodding his head in agreement. He doesn't reply but if he had it in him I think he would say a nastier thing about him than I did.
It isn't long until he brings me to my door. I get my key ring and struggle to find the key. Billy waits until I am in my house. When I find the key and open my door I nod for him to go. I slam my door and lock it. Dogmeat is curled up on a chair in the far corner of the room. He barks at me. I wave him away. With a few falls, I make it up the stairs in one piece. Wadsworth is hovering in an extra room.
"Good evening, Madam!" he beams. I moan loudly.
When I get to my bed, I waste no time and collapse on the mattress. It smells fresh and wonderful. Thank god I washed it in Abraxo Cleaner. Plus the bedding from Vault 101 makes it more comfortable. Maybe I will even be able to get wink of sleep. I feel the miserable ache in my stomach. When I open my eyes to look for something to vomit in, I feel my head go dizzy. Then I look down, I see the bucket that I put there for when I got home.
"Good job, Daenerys." I say to myself. Leaning over the bed, I could feel the alcohol make reappearance in my throat. I throw up. I can hear Wadsworth wince in the other room. I wipe my mouth on my sleeve and crawl under the covers. In some odd way I feel loads better, like I could drink more. But my head is tired and I shut my eyes instead.
But instead of sleeping, I start shaking. My head is fuzzy and the numbness from drinking is almost gone. I can feel the sudden emotions of my father's death return so quickly; the betrayal of Amata is still fresh in my mind. Curling up in a tight ball, I bite my lip and hope no tears will come. But the feelings are new and fresh in my mind that the idea of not crying is almost impossible. I let the tears come.
Burring my face in my pillow, I wanted to hide from the world. I shut my eyes and try stop sobbing. At first I had no luck but with time I quickly fell asleep.
The next day I would travel to Rivet City. I needed a different setting, even if it was in a smelly, dirty old ship.