The gates creaked and groaned behind us as they shut closed. Stepping out into the Wasteland, my excitement was at an all-time high, to the point that it was almost paralyzing. I stared straight ahead at the long street before us, which extend far beyond my vision into the nearby ruins picked clean by scavengers. "Nate?" Chum called to me, snapping my focus. "This way," he said motioning behind himself to a path that would take us not towards the city, but towards the river.
With a hint of disappointment I trotted over. While Chum turned to continue forward, Sarah waited for me to catch up, teasing me with a look as I approached. We walked behind Chum by a few paces as he led us to the edge of the hill, where its rocky slope was steep and at points a sheer drop. I stopped to observe from this position the river below and the George Washington bridge further away to our left. From here to the river, the hill descended in terraces made from the old roads. On the slopes between these terraces there remained a dense canopy of trees and brush that had not been cleared by the settlement. Chum led us to a manmade trail dug into the side of the slope. We gradually descended down the hill to the first road.
The trail spit us out into the road. Here Sarah and I stopped to admire the tunnel of trees that flanked the road on both sides. Their leaves an assortment of reds, yellows, browns and oranges which also littered the ground, covering much of the road. From here going south the road was also littered with rusted out cars left to slowly be consumed by fauna and deterioration. But the road heading north which sloped slightly downward was cleared intentionally with larger vehicles pushed to the side. We followed Chum that way for a bit until he took us to another path. Before entering this trail however, Chum brought our attention to a nearby street that splits from the road and heads towards a tunnel in the hill. There sat the bulk of cars that had been cleared from the road. "Ghouls like to stay in that tunnel over there," Chum said. Whenever you come through here, always check that direction for them." We nodded in understanding.
We continued into the next trail. This one was much shorter but meandered down the slope unlike the first one. Similarly to the last one, the next road had been cleared of vehicles. We spent much less time here though as we crossed the street to another trail. This trail was brief as it only cut through a thin thicket of trees on a very slight slope. Beyond here was a railroad track, and beyond that, were the docks. Shacks had been erected around the track and along the water. Based on its architecture it was obvious it had been erected by Wastelanders. Chum stopped us at the edge of the thicket where there stood a bell hanging from a pole. Chum rang the bell forcefully then turned back to the other side of the tracks. Everything was still, including us. Chum rang the bell again. Still things were quiet. But gradually we could hear the sounds of skittering and clicking coming from the water purifiers near the docks. Chum prepared his rifle, so we did the same.
Suddenly what at first appeared to be a boulder sized rock began to break open. Behind it emerged two other boulders from the water, caked with mud and algae. We raised our rifles. Just then, the rocks unfolded completely, revealing themselves to be large crab-like creatures. They clicked and snapped their claws at us. While we stood still with our rifles aimed back at them. "Wait until their face and underbelly are exposed," Chum said. They snapped at us again, but when we still did not budge they skittered towards us. The nearest one hunched over and held its claws out in front to shield itself. For a moment I caught a glimpse of exposed underbelly. I fired. But then the creature snapped its claws shut to block. The bullet smashed into the thick shell of the claw, ricocheting into the ground. Seeing this, Chum and Sarah trained their guns on it too. We waited patiently for it to expose itself again but it kept its guard tight. Finally, once it was halfway across the tracks a space opened up below its claw guard. Seeing this all at once, we fired. Two shots made it through, causing the crab to stumble and drop its guard entirely. Quickly, we blasted it again. Puncturing the center of its chest. It took a few more steps forward, oozing yellowish green blood, before it doubled over onto the ground.
By then, the other two had reached the tracks. Spurred on to scuttle towards us faster than their fallen comrade. I felt panic set in, only subdued by the calm composure of Chum next to me. They were moving towards us quickly and with guards up stoutly. I shifted my sights back and forth between them looking for an opening. Then one of them peaked their antenna-like eyes over their guard by only an inch. Immediately, Chum fired a perfect shot into the small window. The crab's face exploded behind its claws. The rest of its body was stunned, wobbling around for a few seconds before it crumpled to the ground. This left the other one, which raced towards us with all its might. Sarah and I fired rapidly at it in a panic to no avail. The bullets flew off or at best chipped its keratin armor. The creature had now crossed the tracks. It would have been on top of us soon enough but I thought fast. My Pip-Boy shuttered as I activated VATS. Holographs overlayed each part of its body. I saw then that the probability increased for its legs as it drew closer. It reached striking distance, but I struck first. Firing a round into one of the joints of its leg. The weaker keratin there burst open and the crab lost its footing. Dropping its guard low enough to expose its face. Sarah swung her rifle over within point blank range and fired. Its face exploded in green blood and gore. The crab tumbled backwards, flipping onto its broad back with such force that it completely rolled over until it was face down.
A sigh of relief escaped Sarah and me. We looked at each other incredulously that we had just done that, invigorated by the action and proud of our little victory. Meanwhile Chum made his way across the tracks nonchalantly. Sarah and I went to catch up to him but could not help stopping to study the creatures we had just killed. Sarah placed her foot on the back of the one whose face she had blown off. She tapped her foot on the shell curiously then pushed on it to see how heavy it was. "These things…" She spoke. "These must be mirelurks, right?"
"Yeah," Chum replied from the other side of the tracks. "You two handled them well. Good teamwork."
I couldn't resist smiling with satisfaction upon hearing that praise. I then went to study the mirelurk that Chum shot, the only one not laying face down. I knelt beside it to get a closer look at its underbelly with its much smaller pincers curled inward, and what remained of its little wide face. Then peered down at its large claws which were at least the size of my head. I understood then how one of these things could tear a person apart. Its claws were razor sharp. Looking at them I began to feel a little uneasy that somehow this thing would come back alive and grab me. At that thought, I stepped away to catch up to Chum.
Chum led us towards a boat house on the docks. "They're attracted by the activity here," he said. "Especially those purifiers. When they run, mirelurks can sense the hum from under the water so we have to clear them out often. It's good meat though. So congrats; your first hunt is a success."
I felt deflated at his last words. "So wait, are we done already?"
He smirked as we reached the boat house door. "No. Just let me get the boat ready," he said as he opened the door. Inside the house was spacious with storage shelves on the far wall. To our left was an open floor and wall allowing quick access to the water. Here there sat a couple of canoes and a rowboat. Along the wall to our right was an assortment of fishing equipment, and near the back shelves, an inactive generator connected to a group of wires that ran the length of the wall through a control panel. Chum pulled a long canoe closer to the edge of the floor before jumping into it. "I'll get this thing ready. Can you turn the purifiers on? Just start the generator and flip the switch on the control panel there.
While I went to the generator, Chum readied the canoe and Sarah stood in the doorway. She looked over at the bodies of the mirelurks. "We're just going to leave them here?" she asked.
"A team's coming down here to collect water," Chum replied. "They'll dress them down while they wait for the water and take what's good back up the hill."
While they had this conversation, I was getting the generator ready. After priming it, I yanked the choke pull a few times until the motor sputtered to life. Giving the generator a minute to warm up, I went to the control panel and flipped the switch labeled 'water.' "Alright, should be good to go," I shouted over the noise of the generator. Chum had by now gotten the canoe prepared. He crouched at the bow, holding it still while Sarah stepped into the middle part of the boat. Excitedly, I grabbed my rifle off the wall and hurried over to join them.
We set out across the river. Chum sat at the bow of the boat monitoring the opposite shore as he rowed. Sarah sat in the middle looking out across the water while I rowed at the stern, doing much the same as I went. The overcast clouds had begun to dissipate and the sun rose higher in the east. The blue hue of the early morning had given way to the warmer orange of the morning sunlight, though the steep hills we had come from still casted a long shadow over the river. As we reached the middle of the Hudson, I looked over at the George Washington bridge. Perhaps to the people of Hell's Gate it was insignificant, but as someone who had lived under ground their whole life, it was to me a marvelous wonder. A long, tall, steel behemoth that hung high above the water, standing stoically in the sun.
"The current here is the strongest," Chum said. At that, Sarah picked up an oar and began rowing on the port side. Chum and I did the same to avoid being carried further down river by the current.
"Do you guys ever go down river in these boats?" I asked.
"No. Too dangerous to go past the bridge," Chum answered. We rowed on until finally we reached the shore. "Bring her in here," Chum directed. Once we got close enough to the shore, he hopped out into the shallow water to pull the canoe onto the ground.
The canoe scraped the rocky soil. Sarah and I got out to help pull it completely out of the water. Grabbing my rifle from the boat, I peered up at the steep hillside in front of us. At its base was another road, which we went towards. Stepping onto the cracked asphalt, we surveyed both directions. Chum led us in the north direction away from the bridge. We moved cautiously on the right side of the road, scanning the hillside and the brush that obscured its base. Chum stopped us behind an old pick-up truck. Resting his rifle on the hood, he looked down his scope to survey far up the road. After this, he motioned for us to continue following. We went on about a hundred yards before we came to a rocky outcropping of the hill. Here Chum stopped us again because looking over we could see multiple holes dug deep into parts of the rock wall. We stood motionless for a minute, monitoring the holes. Chum listened carefully for any sounds. But when nothing happened, we continued on our way.
We walked on but did not have to go too far before we reached our next point of interest. Here the road bent slightly and the shore on our right widened enough for there to be a collection of buildings along the water. As we approached this stretch of the road, Chum stopped us abruptly and knelt down beside another rusted out car. Sarah and I followed his lead and readied our rifles. We held still there as minutes passed by. Getting anxious, I shifted up to be by Chum's side, giving him a quizzical look. In response, he merely put one finger up letting me know to stay patient. He looked on at the empty stretch of asphalt in front of us. When finally, the bushes on the left side of the road rustled, and a creature emerged. A deer; a tall muscular buck with many points on its antlers, a pelt of long hair, and an extra pair of small immobile hooves dangling from its chest.
We stayed completely still for fear of spooking it, as it was only twenty yards away. It stood confidently in the middle of the road with its chest puffed out, making a cursory glance at its surroundings. But somehow despite not being completely concealed by the car, it took no notice of us. Instead choosing to keep his vision focused farther up the road from where it came. After surveying the area, it dipped its head down to pick up grass growing up through cracks in the asphalt. At this point, I looked at Chum for direction. In response, he looked back at me gesturing at my rifle with his eyes. Realization dawned on me and I suddenly felt a pit growing in my stomach, much like the previous day with the ghoul. But recognizing that, I knew then that I had to be the one. This was the direction I chose. I must accept the reality of what that means.
So I looked back towards the stag still munching on grass. I lifted my rifle, placing it firmly into my shoulder and looking down the sights. Chum tapped me gently and whispered "above the leg. Behind the shoulder." I nodded, then returned to the sights. Line the post up with the sights. They should be even across the top. Your target should sit atop the post. Breathe a deep breath. Exhale slowly. Squeeze the trigger. Just then, the deer looked up from its feed, and in that moment finally recognized us. Its eyes stared deeply into mine. It remained still. Even as the rifle erupted in a loud bang and the bullet whizzed through the air. Only when it struck the stag did the animal finally move. It jerked its head to the sky and let out a whistling cry of pain, before lowering that head to the ground. Its legs gave out underneath it. It kneeled down on the asphalt, and with one convulsion collapsed onto its side. I let out a gasp of air from the breath I did not realize I was still holding.
"Great shot, Nate!" Sarah cheered.
"Nice job," Chum added.
"Holy shit," I cursed through an airy breath. "Thanks."
"Perfect placement," Chum complimented me again. "He didn't suffer long."
Seeing that Chum was trying to assure me, I nodded my head. "Yeah. That's good."
"Come on. Let's go check it out." Chum rose to his feet and offered me a hand up. I took it gratefully.
We made our way over to the kill. But were only halfway to it when the bushes from whence the deer came began to rustle again. Before we could even react, two dogs jumped out and ran to surround the corpse. Just as a third dog scrambled out from under the guard rail between the road and the nearby complex of buildings. That dog joined its pack in lording over the dead stag. All three growled and snarled at us viciously. Threatening us to leave them to their feast or suffer the bite of their wide sharp jaws. These were gnarly looking things: mangy, covered in sores, old battle scars and bald spots along their coat.
Chum put his hand out to halt us before doing the same to the dogs. Slowly, he began to step backwards. Sarah followed suit. But I did not. That was my kill and I would be damned if I let them take it from me. I held my ground. Chum gave me an incredulous look but knew he had to back me up. Though he still stepped back so that he was behind me. Sarah remained with me too though of course slightly behind to my left. They knelt down and readied their guns.
"Alright, Chum. What do I do here?" I asked.
"You cut your losses and step away."
"Fuck that. We took out those oversized crabs, we can take out these mutts too."
"They're a lot faster and their bite will give you an infection for sure." When that didn't faze me, he added "you wanna fight, you call the shot."
At that, I raised my rifle and prepared to fire on the one in the center. But just as I did so, another rustle came from the bushes. This time right beside us. A fourth dog jumped out, sprinting straight towards us. It lunged at Sarah. Unable to turn her gun fast enough she screamed in panic. That's when the other three decided to attack. My eyes were diverted to the fourth hound on the attack. "Sarah!" But before I could take aim at her attacker, I could hear the others bearing down on me. Instinctively I turned my gun back and fired blindly at the oncoming beasts. The shot blasted into the asphalt in front of them but halted only one. The other two continued their charge, approaching from my left and right. But once they were close enough to lunge at me, Chum stepped up and gave a powerful kick to the ribs of the one on the right. The dog yelped in pain as it jumped back. Leaving only one to attack me. It lunged up at me. I jumped backwards. Only to catch my heel on a crack in the road. I fell onto my back. The dog came for a follow up attack. But as it went to pounce on top of me, my rifle was already pointed at it. I fired, catching the dog in the chest. It fell to the ground beside me. Seeing that it was dead, I turned my rifle towards Sarah and her attacker. She struggled on the ground, only keeping the dog at bay by pushing her weapon against its throat. The dog snarled and spit slobber on her as it clawed and snapped at her face. I set my sights on the dog's head. But as I did so I heard Chum shout a warning to me. I pivoted back to him. He was forced to retreat to the other side of the guard rail while the other two dogs pursued him. One tried to jump over while the other tried to go under. Chum swiped the barrel of his rifle at the one above and brought the butt down on the snout of the one below. That dog retreated with a yelp, shaking its disoriented head. In doing so, it caught sight of me and the packmate I killed. With a vicious bark it turned its focus to me. Snarling as it bolted forward. I lifted my rifle to fire as the dog was nearly on top of me. It opened its jaws to take a bite of my leg but fortunately I quickly jammed the barrel into its mouth, keeping it from clamping down. Though it did take hold of the barrel. The dog thrashed its head around with the barrel still in its mouth. I took this opportunity to fire a shot that exploded one side of the dog's face. It stumbled away from me discombobulated as to what just happened. When its wound became obvious to the poor creature, it looked back at me submissively. I took pity on it and promptly shot it in the same place I shot the stag. At that same moment, Chum let off a round into his attacker. The hound collapsed over the railing, hanging there before its body slowly slipped off and onto the ground. I immediately pivoted back to Sarah, and with great surprise I found her attacker completely on top of her. But it no longer posed a threat. Sarah stabbed it repeatedly in the neck with her knife, letting out an exasperated cry with each thrust. When she finally stopped, the dog's open eyes were glazed over and its long tongue hung loosely out of its mouth. Blood from its neck spurted out onto Sarah's new jacket. She pushed it off her in disgust.
I ran to her. "Sarah, are you okay!?"
She sat up and wiped her face of slobber and blood. "I'm fine," she said trying to suppress a sob.
"Did it bite you? Did it hurt you?" I started checking her for bites and scratches.
"I'm fine. Just some scratches." She looked down at her soiled clothes, cringing in horror and disgust.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I pleaded as I helped her take off the jacket. Chum came over with his canteen, offering it to her. She took it gladly, taking a swig before pouring it on herself to wash off the mess. Especially the front of her vault suit which was stained with blood. Desperately she rubbed the water into the fabric. I took it upon myself to give her my jacket so she could rub out as much of the blood as she could and soak up the mess. As she did this she calmed down. I let out a sigh of relief. "Whoo, thank God you're okay."
"Yeah, thank God for that knife," Chum said as he placed his foot on my shoulder and shoved me to the ground. "Maybe next time you won't need God because you'll fucking listen to me." He looked down on me in anger, but when he saw the clear guilt and shame on my face, his softened. He sighed and reached out his hand. "Come on." I took it and he lifted me up. "You two took care of business though. I can't deny that." He went over to one of the dead dogs and shook his head. "Too bad these guys are infected. Meat's no good." While he inspected the corpse, I was helping Sarah to her feet. He turned back to us, then to the still motionless stag. "Come on, Nate. We'll grab this buck by the horns and drag him to the boat. Let's get the fuck out of here."
We left the site of our battle as swiftly as possible; Chum and I dragged the heavy corpse of the deer along behind us. But not long after our arms had already gotten tired. We only reached as far as the bend in the road from the outcropping of rocks when we both needed a break. We pulled the deer next to the guard rail before letting go. Chum and I fell against the railing sweaty and out of breath. He took out his canteen and after a big gulp handed it to me. Sarah watched us with amusement, then turned her attention down to the deer. She had been walking behind us the whole time studying its features pensively.
I took a gulp of water and let out a satisfied gasp, "damn thing is heavy." I handed the canteen back to Chum.
"Must be all that muscle," he said taking another drink. "This will be worth it when we get it butchered. Should be good venison."
While we talked, Sarah remained silent, squatting down next to the deer and running her hand along its furry pelt. She did this rhythmically for a while until something caught her attention. A noise coming form behind her in the wall of rocks. She stood up and looked over, catching the rest of our attention as well. Chum and I leaned off the railing and spread out alongside her. We all kept silent and listened. From within the holes in the rock there came the sound of churning earth. A feint scratching and rumbling from rock and dirt shifting. We readied our guns.
The churning grew louder from each opening in the rock as whatever was approaching came closer to the surface. Until finally, creatures emerged from the holes. Three of them, short stocky rodents the size of the dogs we had just fought. Their skin was light and pink, their eyes beady black. They jumped out of their holes flashing their large yellow buck teeth, squealing threats at us.
"Oh," Chum said, his composure relaxing. "It's just mole rats."
Seeing the lack of concern from him I pulled out my pistol to preserve the rifle ammo. The pink rodents squealed at us again. And then we shot them. With them plus the deer and mirelurks, we had brought in a great haul of meat which we spent most of the day hauling back. When the last of it arrived back in town, we strode through the gates tired but triumphant.
In the evening, Sarah and I drooped over our plates, quietly but voraciously shoveling food into our mouths. We were still tired from the day's labor with every muscle in our bodies feeling sore. But thanks to the refilled water tanks we were finally able to take a proper bath for the first time since we arrived and washed our clothes as well. The water was cold but we didn't care. After all the sweating we had done and the dirt that clung to us it was the most refreshing bath I ever had in my life. My body was soothed and my clothes felt lighter, allowing the cool evening air to flow through the fabric and further refresh my aching muscles. Meanwhile our surroundings were abuzz with conversation as they typically were at dinner. But to my right there was a conversation that pulled some of my attention from scarfing down food. Chief and Cherry spoke passionately to one another from each side of the table.
"My thoughts haven't changed, Cherry. I don't like it."
"Come on Chief, it would be a game changer!"
"You say that but you can't prove it."
"Really!? It's frickin' Columbia. What more do I have to say?"
"You don't even know what's in there."
She looked up and put her finger to her lips sarcastically, "hmm, well it was the medical school so I don't know. Perhaps there's medicine in there—or maybe medical supplies—ooh ooh or maybe even med-tec."
"It was the medical school 200 years ago, smart ass. Have you even considered that all that stuff isn't there anymore? The gangs have probably cleaned the place out a hundred times over by now."
"A single piece of tech could be worth a fortune upriver. And any supplies we do find would make a difference. Even if we find nothing, we could set up an outpost there! Then everything between there and the bridge could be ours for the taking!"
"We. Don't. Go. Past the bridge."
"Or else what? We haven't been attacked in almost a year."
"And we can keep it that way if we stay out of someone's turf."
"If it is anyone's turf anymore. Recon team hasn't heard a peep in months. They haven't seen a single raider in even longer."
Chief had lost steam by then to retort. He only clasped his hands in front of his face, his stewing eyes peeking over them. Finally he replied, "in my lifetime, silence from down south has always been a cause for concern. Not confidence. We don't need to expand south."
Cherry leaned back in her seat with her arms crossed, also taking a moment to collect her response. "You're not the one out there on the streets, old man. Things are changing and I can feel it."
He sighed. "Maybe things are changing, but I still know an over ambitious young scav when I see one. Look, it's your team. If they're behind it then so be it. I just want you to think about the community. If you stir up the hornet's nest down there you won't be the only one paying the price."
Cherry leaned forward and spoke in an unusually serious tone, "I am thinking of the community."
At this point I chose to speak up. "Excuse me. What's this all about?"
Cherry's demeanor softened at the question and she answered in a sweet matter of fact way. "Well Nathan, I have been planning an expedition with my team to the old Columbia medical school because I have reason to believe—"
"You have no reason, just a hunch," Chief interrupted.
Cherry continued through gritted teeth, "I have reason to believe that there may be valuable loot and technology that would be of great benefit to the community." She then turned her glaring gaze back to Chief. "But Chief here doesn't want to upset the raider neighbors so he's been trying to change my mind."
With that incendiary line, Cherry and Chief continued their argument. This time they were especially passionate and much less polite. Mammy, who had been sitting next to Chief chose to excuse herself. Sarah, who had mostly ignored the conversation until this point, looked up from her food to listen in. The arguing went on and on to the point that their constant interruption and talking over each other made it impossible to decipher what they were even saying. Once again, I spoke up. "How many people do you have for this expedition?"
They stopped abruptly, both their attentions refocusing on me. Cherry blinked curiously at me. "My team has seven people. Why?"
Silence spread across our end of the table as everyone listening looked at me. Especially Sarah, whose intense stare I could feel burning through the side of my head. "Well, maybe I'd like to join…"
"Your parents would kill us," Chief replied.
"My parents aren't here," I jabbed back.
"You just got here. Just learned how to use a gun. And just went outside the walls for the first time today. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is down south?"
"Well from what I heard its much safer nowadays."
Chief shook his head, "It only appears that way right now. But it's not." He set his hands down on the table gently. Looking down at them briefly before closing his eyes. "Look, I know your parents aren't here now. But I want you to think for a moment; their deaths were a tragedy that rocked this community like few deaths have before, and if you suffer the same fate as them…" A pained mournful expression overtook him.
His words touched me. To the point that I did take a moment to reconsider, but as I did, I recalled something carved in my memory. "The last time I saw my parents, my father said to me that from that day on, I would decide my own path in life. I appreciate your concern Chief, but I'm a man now, and for the first time since their deaths I finally feel like I have a path to choose."
Chief was still. Cherry took up the conversation. "Everybody on my team had to start sometime, whether they were green or not. Hey Chum?" Chum, who had been quiet this whole time emerged from behind her. "How did he do today?"
Chum chewed his food slowly while he thought about it. I waited anxiously. "He handled himself well. Bagged a nice buck with one shot. I think he'll do alright, just as long as he follows instructions," he said with a smirk.
"What about me?" Sarah spoke up.
"Sarah here's a crack shot. She was great."
With this, Cherry crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. She nodded in approval. "Alright then. You two want on the team, meet us later tonight."
Chief finally stirred from his silence with a grumble. "I don't understand young people anymore. Back in my day it was a luxury to live a safe life behind walls. Nowadays all you kids want to do is get yourselves killed." He got up from his seat and left.
Later that night, I was sitting on my bed going through my Pip-boy. Flipping the dial to all the the different screens. I checked my biometric readings, updated my inventory, and then got lost looking over the map of New York. The shades of green overlayed atop one another to show the land, streets and locations. I shifted the map around, zooming in and out to absorb all the information: from the location of Hell's Gate at the northern tip of Manhattan to the whole rest of the island. Then the neighboring boroughs: the Bronx close to the north and east of us, Queens to the southeast, Brooklyn and finally Staten Island far to the south. Until I finally reached the limits of the map which stopped once all of New York City had been fitted into the borders of the screen. Then I zoomed back into Manhattan, slowly scrolling up from the southern tip of the island. I read the names of the locations as I made my way up: Wall Street, Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building, Flat Iron Building, Times Square, Central Park, Columbia, Harlem, Washington Heights and finally Fort Tryon, the location of Hell's Gate. I scrolled back down to Columbia to see the outline of its campus, but before I got far past the George Washington bridge the same name caught my eye. There I saw the name: Columbia Medical Center.
Suddenly a sharp pain struck me on the back of my right ear. "Ow!" As I said it, I felt the weight of Sarah sitting down beside me. I looked at her for an explanation of why she flicked my ear. She only glared at me in response. "What the hell!?"
"You're an idiot."
"I'm just sitting here!"
"No not right now. In general."
"What did I do?" She responded by punching me hard in the shoulder. "Ow, fuck! Stop hitting me!"
"Oh my God shut up you baby."
I rubbed my shoulder, "Seriously, what is it."
"You just do things don't you. Just do them and think about it later. A thought just comes into your head and right out your mouth doesn't it."
I learned a long time ago that Sarah being upset like this was rare but when it did happen, she was serious about it. I softened my tone, "can you please tell me what this is about."
"You just signed us up for a mission without even knowing what we could get into, and you didn't even ask me what I thought about it."
"I didn't sign us up. I signed myself up." She punched my shoulder again. "Seriously I'm going to hit you back if you do that again!"
"What did we talk about this morning!? We're in this together; we're supposed to be a team. I told you I'm not just going to sit back and play homemaker while you go risk your life out there."
"Okay-okay I'm sorry. I should've talked to you about it first. I just assumed you would stay here…after this morning with the dogs."
She paused to take in that last part. "Nate… It's dangerous out here; I accept that. I knew we would face that, but that doesn't mean you have to make it more dangerous. Your decisions don't just impact you." All I do is cause trouble for her. The very thought filled me with shame. Sensing this, she pulled back. "I'll follow you anywhere, Nate. Because I trust you. Just remember that that's a two-way street. We're both responsible for each other."
I looked her deep in the eyes. "I promise you I won't forget that from here on." She smiled softly and nodded her head. I continued, "Now, there's a meeting soon with Cherry's team to discuss the expedition. Should we go?"
She thought hard about it. "I don't know. I don't know what to think about it. She says it's safe; she would know what it's like out there. But still, I keep thinking about what Chief said… This morning we did well but it got scary at points…"
I watched her countenance as she thought aloud. "How about this: we'll go to the meeting, learn more about it, then we'll decide. Fair?"
She broke her stream of thought, shifting her absent gaze to me. "Fair."
"Hey guys!" Cherry waved at us as we approached. She and her team stood scattered around a bonfire set on the bricks of the fort. A table stood nearby, lit by an electric lamp on one of its corners. The lamp illuminated items strewn across the surface: maps, papers, a radio, and beer. Standing next to Cherry was a man I had not seen before, tan with a bushy beard and semi-curly hair. His brown eyes watched us closely as though he was sizing us up. "Thanks for coming," Cherry said once we reached them. She turned to the man, "this is Lorenzo. Lorenzo, this is Nathan and Sarah."
He kept a stoic face as he reached his hand out to shake. I took his hand first. "How old are you?" he asked.
The question made me feel tense. My eyes locked with his and I had to fight through the intimidation to keep from blinking. I forced the answer through in my best nonchalant tone, "19."
His stare intensified for a moment before he moved onto Sarah. After shaking her hand, he stepped back and gave a look towards Cherry. "Hey, can we talk for a minute."
"Sure. We'll be right back; why don't you two go say hello to the others." With that, she and Lorenzo took a walk.
Sarah had sensed the tension too. As they walked away, we both looked at each other wondering silently what that was all about. But we quickly turned our attention to the others around the fire. Closest to us next to the table, was a young man. His already short stature was made lower as he hovered over the table looking down at the intel from behind his glasses. His dirty white shirt and tan pants accentuated his black skin and the top of his head which was capped by an inch of fluffy curly hair. When he heard us coming over, he straightened himself up and smiled politely.
"You two joining the team for this thing?" he asked us. We gave an uncertain reply. Then he reached his hand out. "Well good to meet you anyway. Welcome to the team, maybe?" he said shaking our hands. "I'm Darius."
"Nathan."
"Sarah."
"You're the vault dwellers."
"That's right," I replied.
At that moment he noticed the devices strapped to our forearms. "Whoa you really are from the vault. That's a Pip-Boy 3000 right there isn't it." He could barely contain his excitement.
"That's right."
He tilted his head to the side to get a better look at the device. "Wow, I've never seen one in person before." His hands and eyes gravitated towards it, only for him to catch himself and pull back. "Do you, um, do you think I could take a closer look at it?"
Give my Pip-Boy to someone else? We had been taught in the vault early in our childhood that such a thing was taboo. You never left your Pip-Boy with someone else. "Um, maybe later."
Sensing my discomfort, Darius pulled further back. "Yeah, of course. Sorry, I just get excited about things like that."
"I don't blame you. It is pretty neat."
He smiled again, "right." After that, he went back to looking over the papers on the table.
Sarah and I then noticed another two people further away from the bonfire by a stack of lumber. A young blonde sat on a barrel drum, chatting with a man beside her. Her hands were in the pockets of her dark green puffy felt jacket. She swung her bare legs back and forth, tapping the heels of her sneakers on the metal. As we approached, she directed her teammate to notice us. "You must be the new people Cherry told us about." Her voice was laden with feisty confidence. "Pretty bold move for someone who just came out of a vault."
The man stepped up to introduce himself in a strong accent like, "Hi how ahh ya." He was a thin, plain looking man with light skin and brown crew cut hair. All covered by a newsboy cap, jacket and jeans with various shades of blue. All of which noticeably had been torn and patched many times. "I'm Mikey."
"Nathan."
"Sarah."
We three all looked over at the girl. "Lisa," she said introducing herself. Now that we were closer, I could see that she looked very young, as if she were still a teenager. She even tied back her long hair into girly pig tails with hair ties accentuated by pink balls. She didn't stick around long to get acquainted. Cursing under her breath she wondered openly why the rest of the team wasn't there yet. "I'm getting another beer. You guys want one?" We declined. She shrugged her shoulders and hopped off the barrel. In doing so I realized just how short she was. As she walked past, she came up to around Sarah's chest. "Buh-bye."
I turned back to Mikey. "If you don't mind me asking, your accent—where's it from?"
"Is it that noticeable," he joked. "I'm from the Commonwealth."
"What is that?"
"Oh yeah, I guess you wouldn't know. Um, it's to the Northeast. Like Boston and stuff. Erm, you know Boston, right?"
"Oh yeah, of course." The image of old Boston, or at least what little images I had seen of it, flashed in my mind. Primarily images of the revolution, tri-corner hats, minutemen, the Tea Party, and such. "Wow, Boston. What brought you here?"
He hesitated to answer. "Wanted a change of scenery, I guess you could say."
"What's it like there?" Sarah asked.
"Not too good," he said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Not too different from here honestly."
"Change of scenery worth it?" I asked.
He chuckled. "Yeah, Empire Wasteland ain't much, but it suits me better. Hell's Gate's been really good to me. Can't say the same about back home."
"Respite from the Wasteland seems hard to come by," Sarah commented.
"That is very true."
Just then a large figure emerged from the shadows behind Mikey, taking Sarah and I by surprise so that we stepped backward for a moment. Mikey noticed this but turned around casually. "Geez, Shu. You piss like a horse! How long was that?" The figure merely shook with amusement but made no noise. Coming closer into the light of the bonfire we could make out their features more distinctly. They were a huge ogre of a man, hairless except for the fade atop their large conical head. Their sloped forehead ended in a large brow above narrow eyes and a thin mouth. I was struck by how foreign his features were to me. He stepped closer to us, bowing his head to be even with ours and reaching out a hand to shake. He spoke slowly and his head nodded with each syllable as though he were listening carefully to his pronunciation. "My name is Xuyun." He straightened up and pointed at himself, "Shu, you call me."
"Nice to meet you," Sarah and I spoke. He bowed his head again slightly. After this, he and Mikey looked past us so we turned around to see too.
Cherry and Lorenzo had returned from their walk. As they approached the fire, everyone else began to gather around. "Is this everyone?" Cherry asked. Everyone looked around to count heads.
"How's Pete?" Darius asked. "He coming?"
Cherry shook her head solemnly, "He's calling it quits. Said the radscorpion was a sign that he should retire."
"Damn shame," Darius muttered.
"Vincent's taking his spot now," Lorenzo said. At that, he looked around for the man whose name he had just mentioned. As if on cue, someone walked up from the direction of the town. Lorenzo turned to greet them. Another tan gentleman much like himself but with a broad nose and jet-black hair slicked back, save for two long strands on the side of his face. "Vincent. Glad you could make it." His reception to this person was much warmer than ours.
Vincent carried a stern demeanor and spoke quietly. "Thanks for having me."
"Alright," Cherry continued. "That should be… wait, where's Felix?" The name alone sent up giggles throughout the group. "He knows we're meeting, right?"
"Who knows what he knows," Lisa quipped. The rest laughed.
"Did you see him on the way over, Vincent?" Lorenzo asked. Vincent shook his head. So with a mix of giggles and impatient sighs, everyone made themselves comfortable. Talking in small groups, turning up the radio, grabbing a beer and taking a seat by the fire.
20 minutes later the last member of the team finally arrived. His silhouette was spotted crossing the bridge. As he neared closer, members of the team jeered. "There he is! Man of the hour! The prince is here!" He smiled and waved awkwardly back at the group. Once he passed into the light of the bonfire his silhouette gave way. He was an odd-looking man with the demeanor of what we in the vault would consider to be a 'slacker.' He had a dispassionate smile and hazy eyes like he had just woken up. His hair was lengthy and messy, curling out in wisps and strands haphazardly. His broad bulbous nose drooped down towards a very thick beard that covered much of his round cheeks and around his mouth. In fact he was very hairy on his arms and chest as well. The hair on his chest spilled out the top of his shirt, made tight by—surprisingly for an apparent slacker—his muscular body.
"Hey, what's up guys," he said so casually.
"You're late," Lorenzo scolded him.
"Oh yeah sorry I was doing something."
"Mmhm."
"Playing that Grognak game on the terminal I'm sure," Darius chided.
"It's actually a really good game," Felix responded excitedly.
"It's a bunch of moving dots on a screen. How good can it really be?"
"I don't know man I guess I'm just different. You just have to unlock your imagination."
"Alright alright," Cherry interrupted. "Enough about the game. Let's get down to business."
We gathered around the table. Each of us examined the maps and reports scattered across it. Many of these maps were hand drawn but some were adapted from older more accurate maps from before the war. Those were on the table too but the years of damage had rendered them useless and hard to read. The reports appeared to be logs of some kind, recording activity beyond the bridge and places of interest. While Cherry organized this collection of documents, I studied the maps in particular. Felix stood next to me, producing a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He took one, lit it, took a drag then offered it to me. I declined with a gesture so he passed it the other way. Sarah stood beside me as well, watching this interaction with a stifled grin.
"Okay team." Once again, Cherry had that serious tone I didn't know was in her. "Here's what we got." She pointed down at one of the larger maps. A grid line of streets and buildings. At one end of the map was a wide line extending from top to bottom but interrupted by different rectangular shapes overlayed on top of it. One rectangle in particular with four smaller rectangles inside of it spaced horizontally. Cherry took a red marker and outlined that location. "Here's the recon outpost. From up here they can see far to the south, especially this place here." She went to the opposite end of the map where there sat a large cluster of squares and rectangles. "This is paydirt, people. This is the Columbia school of medicine. We reach here and our objectives are two-fold. Grab anything of value: we're looking for medical supplies and tech primarily. Second, we scout the complex on the top floors and roof for a good spot to set up another outpost. Once we've done that, it's a simple walk back the way we came. We'll be bringing recon a little something Dave cooked up so they can provide overwatch from the tower, and we're bringing a ham radio so we can keep an open line with them while we're out there." She then took her marker and drew a line from the outpost to the college. "This is the route. A straight shot. Only ten blocks to paydirt."
With that, she looked up from her map for input from the rest of us. "That's gang turf we're headed into," Lorenzo commented. "What's recon been seeing?"
"Not a soul. Not a peep. Only thing they tell me to be wary of is this right here." She circled another polygon a few blocks from our path. "They think something is nesting in this park. Don't know what it is but they say steer clear just to be safe."
"Do we know for sure what kind of loot is there?" Darius asked. "I mean, that looks like a lot of ground to cover. We could be there for days if we wanted to just looking for what we need."
"All the more reason to set up an outpost," Mikey said. "But I don't know. Really think we can secure a place like that?"
"Doesn't hurt to go see and find out for ourselves," Lisa answered.
"But it can hurt," Lorenzo retorted. "Just because it looks quiet doesn't mean it is."
While this conversation went on, I went into my Pip-Boy to take a look at the map. "Hey guys, this might help," I spoke up. I took off the device and set it in the middle of the table for all to see. Using the dial, I zoomed in on the location of the college. As I did so, markers and labels began to populate the screen. Everybody leaned in closer, fascinated by what I was showing them. Especially Darius. I zoomed in to encompass the entire complex and immediately recognized something. "See that building across the street from the main center." It was labelled Institute of Medical Technology. Cherry was delighted at this. I then moved to the main building where even the wings were labelled. Chiefly, between the school itself and the hospital, which were divided by a long courtyard between them. "If we're looking for supplies, this wing right here is the place to go," I said pointing at the hospital.
Everybody took in this added information. "Nathan here just saved us a lot of time," Cherry said with a smile. "So, any more questions? Thoughts? Comments?" No response. "Alright, let's put it to a vote. Obviously, I say aye." She looked to Lorenzo on her right.
He thought carefully before responding. "I don't know about this one. All just seems too easy—too simple." He looked at Vincent.
He hesitated to respond. "I don't know if I should have a say. I just got here."
"You're a part of the team now, and the whole team gets a say," Lorenzo assured him.
"Alright then… I don't like it. It does seem too good to be true."
Then Darius. "It does seem too good to be true. But then again, I'd love to get my hands on some pre-war tech like that… I trust Cherry's judgment on this one. I'm in."
Cherry smiled at him in appreciation then looked to the next person, Lisa. She had her hands behind her head stretching her arms and torso. "Doesn't matter to me if there's something there or not. I've been getting bored with our usual patrols. Let's shake things up a bit."
Next was Shu. He merely looked at Cherry and nodded his head in approval.
Then Mikey. "Don't like this one. Sorry, but I gotta vote no."
Then Felix. "Sure, why not. Sounds fun."
Finally there was Sarah and me. We looked at the others and each other awkwardly as we felt the same uncertainty about voting as Vincent. But the rest looked at us expectantly. I supposed if Vincent got a say, then we had one too. But I could tell from his look that Lorenzo was uneasy about this. I knew my answer, but ultimately it would depend on Sarah. If she said no then I would have to say no and the vote would be a tie. But if she said yes, it was a go. We communicated with each other through our eyes and expressions. I tilted my head towards her to let her know it was her call. She turned away, scanning the table with its intel. After moments more of contemplation, she turned back to me, and nodded her head. "We're in," she told the rest. Silence held over the group as we all processed the decision. I could see everyone already beginning the mental process of preparing themselves for the mission ahead.
Cherry beamed with pride as she took stock of her team. "It's settled then. Ladies. Gentlemen." She took a bottle of beer and pried the cap off with the table. Raising the glass to the sky she proclaimed, "Tonight, we drink. Tomorrow, we prepare. And in two days, we scav." Bottles were opened and passed around for all to drink, even if we didn't want it. We all raised our glasses over the table, clinking them together in unison.
We spent much of the following day with the other members of the team. Planning out the fine details of the mission. Gathering our supplies and equipment; making sure that everything was in working order. Most of us gathered together at the dining tables chatting while we inspected the gear. There was an air of comfort around the team that quickly dissipated any nervousness that Sarah and I felt about entering a new social circle. Though some were less friendly than others, amongst all of them there was a clear sense of comradery, no doubt forged from the many adventures they must have had before Sarah and I came along. But even with us and the other new member, Vincent, they were welcoming. Hazing was unavoidable but not mean spirited. They joked and spoke with us like we had always been a part of the crew. We felt at ease around these people; like we could loosen up and be our unvarnished selves. An important thing considering the weight of the mission ahead of us; we all needed to know each other so we could trust each other. Our lives would depend on it.
At one point, everyone, save for Cherry and Lorenzo who were away, was inspecting and cleaning their weapons. Sarah and I looked around awkwardly at the rest. All she had was her knife, which she had thoroughly sharpened, while I had only my 10mm to clean part by part over and over. Everyone else was kitted out with much more impressive weapons. Darius sat next to me meticulously cleaning and tinkering with what I didn't even realize was the same gun as mine. He had so thoroughly modified his 10mm that it took the appearance of a submachine gun, complete with extended barrel and stock. He showed off to me how the receiver had been forged to fire rounds automatically and the makeshift red dot sight on top that he designed. Next to him was Mikey, smoothly racking his pump-action shotgun which he had just finished oiling. Across from him was Lisa with her incredibly old battle rifle which fascinated me greatly, as I recognized it immediately as the M1 Garand carried by soldiers in World War II. I marveled quietly at its antiqueness and wondered how it could have fallen into her hands. I also found it humorous how long the thing was relative to its owner. I would have thought that her weapon of choice would be smaller. Next to her was Vincent with his own rifle as well, an old combat rifle but nowhere near as old as Lisa's. The wear on its wood features and scratched up metal showed that the thing had been well used. Next to him was Felix putting the finishing touches on his automatic assault rifle, wiping down the barrel and gliding his hand over the smooth wood furniture of the handguard below it. And finally sitting next to him and across from us was Shu, who was reassembling a beast of a weapon that took up a lot of space with its bulky length and girth. Shu kept calling it an assault rifle too but it looked to me more like a light machine gun.
Lisa took notice of us observing everyone. "You two just going out there with that knife and pea shooter?"
"I hope not," I replied.
She grinned, "Well then why don't you go get a real weapon from Dave instead of ogling out ours." The table giggled.
"Can you guys help me with something?" Sarah replied. She pulled out a cloth bag, the same one that her father had given to her when we left the vault. As she pulled it out and put it on the table, the contents made a jingling noise that for these wastelanders was recognizable anywhere. That didn't stop Felix though from asking if they were bottle caps. Sarah nodded her head. "I counted them up. A little over 200. Is that a lot?"
Mikey answered first, "I don't know. How 'bout you lemme take em' to the store there and see how much I can buy," he said.
After a round of chuckles, Vincent answered seriously. "It's a decent amount. But don't expect to buy anything fancy."
"Good to know." With that, she grabbed the bag and got up. "Come on Nate, let's do a little shopping."
I got up and followed her over to the general store. Entering the space between it and the kitchen, we could hear the clamor of Anthony and his robots scrambling to have lunch prepared. "C'mon Lukas, put ya servos into it. I'm trying to make some fuckin' meatballs over here!"
A stilted robotic voice replied, "Yes sir. Sorry sir."
The store itself was busy too. Debra the barber stood over one of her female customers gossiping while she held a comb to lift up the woman's perm in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Mammy was in the corner diligently working over a sewing machine. Customers idled about between them examining the goods against the walls and on the tables in the center of the room. To our right were the kiosks where Mark and Dave sat. Mark was preoccupied haggling with a trader on the outside of the store while Dave sat and watched them negotiate. I followed Sarah over to them.
"What can I do for you," Dave said turning to face us.
"We need guns," Sarah said bluntly. "We're going outside the walls tomorrow."
"Say no more." He ducked below the counter and came out with two weapons in his hand. One, the same bolt action he had given Sarah for our hunting trip. As for me the second was another crudely made firearm but this time it was intolerably painful on the eyes. A short rifle made of scrap piping and splintery looking wood. The hand guard in particular looked like someone had glued two small blocks of wood to a rusty pipe. The receiver of the rifle looked like it would blow up if it were actually fired, the trigger was just a protruding bolt out the bottom of the receiver, and the stock was a strip of metal and a bent pipe bolted together and was sure to make the user's shoulder miserable.
"What the hell is this?" I asked.
"It's a gun."
"It's a piece of shit is what it is."
"Ohh, take it easy. I made that myself."
"I'm sorry but it looks like the only thing this will kill is me when I try to fire it."
Looking somewhere between amused and annoyed, Dave turned to Mark. "Hey, get a load of this guy." He turned back to me. "And just what do you know about guns?"
"I may not know much but what I do know is that I'm not going hunting this time. Where we're going, I know that I need something I can trust and depend on." I pointed over at Sarah who held her rifle contently in her arms. "Look at her and that rifle. Doesn't she look comfortable with it? Doesn't it look natural in her hands like they're meant to be together?" Paying attention to this, Sarah played along by posing with the rifle.
Dave crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at both of us but relented with a conceding sigh. "Alright, fine. So what strikes your fancy then?"
Immediately I eagerly browsed the weapons hanging from the kiosk fencing until my eyes rested on a particular rifle. An assault rifle just like the one Felix had. "How about that one."
"Nope. Pick another one."
"Aw come on."
"Not a chance. You're fortunate I'm even letting you pick. But a gun like that. No way, too valuable. You need to show me that you're not just gonna get yourself killed out there before I let you handle something as nice as that."
I grumbled, "fair enough." So I continued my search again, finally landing on another rifle. This one similar to Vincent's but less hefty. The barrel of this combat rifle was shorter than Vincent's to the point that it could be considered a carbine. The receiver was also not as large because this one was apparently chambered for a lower caliber. But the weapon was in good condition: clean blackened steel barrel, receiver and ten round magazine; the dark wood of the grooved handguard and stock was sleek looking. "How about that one then?"
Dave examined the weapon considering whether it was a good fit. Finally, he took it down and slid it past the opening in the fencing. "That's a standard combat rifle. Chambered in 5.56," he added. He reached down below the counter, producing boxes of ammo and extra magazines. "That will serve you well if you get into a fight on those streets." Excitedly I reached for the rifle but he placed his hand over it. Then looked me dead in the eye. "If you fuck up this rifle or leave it out there," you owe me its worth in caps.
"How many caps is it?" Sarah asked.
"800."
We both gulped. "I promise I'll take good care of it," I said. He let go and pushed the munitions towards me. "Thank you." But before we turned to leave, I paused to look back at the arms behind the counter. My gaze focused on a pocket-sized pistol lying in the corner of the fencing. "Tell me about that pistol there."
"That one? Decent 9mm I guess. Not much stopping power but good as any at close range. Easily concealable too."
"How much for it?"
"But you already have a pistol," Sarah interrupted.
I turned away from Dave to face her. "It's not for me. It's for you." She tilted her head and cocked her brow. "You're good with that rifle but if something gets close to you it's not so useful. I'd rather you have something like this than just that knife." She seemed touched by this as her cheeks turned red, but she couldn't muster a response. So I turned back to Dave. "How much?"
He looked at the both of us tenderly. "How much you got?"
"Little over 200."
"200 then. Deal?"
"Deal."
Sarah handed him the caps and he handed her the gun with a couple boxes of ammo. We gathered up our things and made for the exit but didn't get far before Mammy had called to us from her corner. "Just a moment. I have something for you two." She came over carrying two mounds of leather in each hand. When she offered them to us, we realized what they were. Two full sets of leather armor. Nothing too fancy but they were well hardened, stitched and layered: shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards and chest protectors. "You know, if I had it my way, I would never want to see you two go out there. But if you are, I hope you stay safe." We took these graciously.
With these weapons and this armor, I suddenly felt the weight of what we were about to embark on. The feeling was intense; scary yet exciting. I looked at these things; material support for the path we had chosen. Would it be the right one? Nobody could say, but they were going to stand by us regardless. These people really take care of their own, I thought to myself. I guess we were their own too. "Thank you, Mammy."
The night came, and with it the growing anxiety of what would come in the morning. That fear and that excitement which hummed equally inside of me now battled against each other for supremacy. The same was true for Sarah. And so to keep from letting either overwhelm us, we fell into deep contemplative silence. Meditating in our own ways to keep the balance. I sat on my bed against the wall, the old postcards I brought with me in my hands. Slowly my eyes tracked across them, taking in every little inch and detail of their content: The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building, Time Square, and many others. But eventually this started to make me nostalgic, and nostalgia brought memories of the vault. Memories I did not want to think about.
So I checked on Sarah. She sat on her bed nestled in the corner of the wall. On her knees rested one of my books and a piece of paper she was writing on. I craned my head curiously trying to figure out what she could be writing. But when she noticed this, she retreated nervously into the corner, covering up the paper. I laughed tenderly at her and she smiled sheepishly. Finally, I asked "what are you writing?"
"… It's a letter."
"To who?"
She looked down at what she had written with wistful eyes. "…My parents."
I stared blankly at her until my eyes felt heavy as well. Struggling to find anything to say. "… Are you scared?"
"Yes."
My face softened. "Me too." This admission made her giggle, which made me smile.
"But you're so gung-ho about it," she chided.
"Oh yeah well why are you scared?" I chided back.
She kept giggling but slowly recomposed herself, "I feel… like it's the night before a test. A big test like the GOAT. I know that life will never be the same again after this, but I don't know at all what it will be." I contemplated this; the analogy had not occurred to me until now. "To be honest, I'm very scared, and part of me wants to back out. But I know that this was a decision you and I made together. We have a duty now to the others on the team, and to these people, to see through our decisions and face the consequences." She gazed down at her letter. "If they ever come out from the vault and come here looking for me, and I'm not here, I want them to know why. I want them to know everything about what's happened since we left. How we got here. How we've done." She paused. "When we first got here, I didn't know what to do with myself. All I really knew was that I wanted to wait for them to come out of the vault. But it hasn't happened yet… I don't know if it ever will. I can't just wait forever." She took a long pause again, this time taking a deep breath. "I want them to know that despite everything, you and I chose to continue living our lives. Even if that means that I'm not here anymore. I guess, I also want them to know who their daughter was. Out here. In the Wasteland." Moisture built up around her eyes.
Sarah. My best friend since as far back as I can remember. The only family I had left in this cruel world. Kind, considerate, even tempered, secure in herself with quiet passion, and much wiser than I. The only one whom I could confide in truly. Her presence kept me from descending into madness and despair. But also, the heights of brashness and hubris. I knew that I could not survive without her. "Won't you say hello to them for me?" I said.
She smiled softly. "Of course."
The morning came. The true point of no return. On this day, our path in life was to be sealed; baptized in the crucible of the Empire Wasteland. The anticipation hung heavy in the air as the team silently ate their breakfast and geared up. Spectators had come to see us off with well wishes. Some no doubt came to catch one last glimpse before our possible end, making sure to say their parting words with their loved ones on the team. Among them, Chief and Mammy stood at a distance watching us prepare. They were not in favor of this, but they came to show their support for all of us. Cherry and Chief exchanged silent recognition of this. Sarah went to the old couple to hand them her letter. When they understood what it meant, they held it closely and nodded their heads solemnly. Chum was there as well, aloof as usual. But he came over to us and Cherry to wish us good luck. Cherry couldn't resist giving him a big hug. I also saw Ralph. He sat at the lunch counter watching us. Our eyes met; I wondered how many times he had seen young men such as myself embark in this same way. We exchanged friendly nods and he gave me a casual salute. Finally there was one man in particular. A stranger to Sarah and me but instantly recognized by the rest. He stepped towards us cautiously caressing his wounded abdomen. I could see lingering effects of an illness he must have fought through on his thin face. When he reached the team, they all got up to greet him, patting him on the shoulder and hugging him. Words were exchanged; he gave each a sincere look of respect and concern, before falling back in with the crowd of well-wishers.
The team was finally ready. Weapons were prepared, packs loaded and strapped to everyone's back, and armors dawned. For some, a collection of repurposed materials fashioned for protection like the metal armor of Shu and the leathers strapped to me under my clothes. For others, an assortment of makeshift armor that showed above and below the clothing like Cherry's sports gear or the padding beneath Mikey's shirt. While some wore little protection like Lisa with her knee pads. Or in the case of Felix, no protection whatsoever. Cherry and Lorenzo approached the team already gathered together. Cherry was of course dressed in the full protective outfit she had on when we first met her. Lorenzo was tactically dressed in knee and elbow pads, a homemade leg holster, a black plate carrier across his chest and a black helmet atop his head. In Cherry's hands was an interesting assault rifle recognizable to me as those used by the Chinese before the war but with full wood furnishings not used by their military. Lorenzo held over his shoulder a full-sized drum fed combat shotgun.
Cherry rallied the team around her. Checking on each person to make sure that they were ready and knew their role. Though she had been boisterously confident about the mission in the lead up, her demeanor had taken on a greater air of seriousness. The serious tone that I had heard from her in hints before now was consistent through all of her speech. She spoke authoritatively as she quickly briefed the team and confirmed one last time that we were all ready. When we all confirmed, she gave the order to form up at the gate. "Alright team, let's go to work."
I jumped up from my seat, as did my heart in my chest. Sarah got up beside me and we followed the rest of the team ahead of us to the gate. But on the way Lorenzo interrupted us. He walked next to us and without hesitation said: "Before we go out there, I want this to be known. I didn't want you two on this mission. I don't even understand why Cherry insists on letting you come. But you are, so let me make this clear. Out there is danger around every corner. People die, often. People on our team have died. It's no place for two kids just out of a vault. So if you don't want to get killed or get anyone else on this team killed, you follow our lead and our instructions to the letter. Understand?"
Sarah nodded her head meekly while I replied "Understood" through defiant gritted teeth.
Lorenzo did not take this kindly. "I know your deal kid. You got a chip on your shoulder. Looking to prove yourself. Looking for a little adventure. You spent your whole life underground and now the Empire Wasteland looks like a great big playground to you." I kept from making eye contact with him through all this, keeping my focus straight ahead on the approaching gate. He stepped in my way. "This isn't a game, kid."
I stared up defiantly at him. "I watched my neighbors turn on each other. Pummel, shoot and murder each other. Sarah and I were the only ones who managed to escape the bloodshed. But before we left, I killed a man. Shot him directly in the heart. Watched the blood soak his chest and the life leave his eyes." Lorenzo's intimidating composure relented for a moment. "So I don't need to be lectured, and I'm not a kid anymore. I'll follow orders. I'll follow your lead. But in exchange: Back. The Fuck. Off." He did just that but kept his intense composure as he did so. Watching him walk further ahead, a bolt of confidence ran through me. Whatever test he was just running, I knew I had passed.
Finally, we gathered at the gate. Cherry looked up at Vigo above us, giving him a signal with her eyes. With that, he motioned for the operator on the other side to get in position. Together they both pulled levers and the entrance began to shutter. Creaking and groaning as it slowly opened. Revealing the infinite stretch of ruins before us. New York City, the hell beyond the gates.
Dedicated to:
PartyPat22
Emerald Pineapple
Wallc594