"Promise you'll come back to visit, Mum," Codsworth remarks sadly as I hoist my bag over my shoulder.
"Of course, buddy," I respond and swiftly leave the house. We travel down the street towards the Red Rocket truck stop where I found Dogmeat. We take a detour past Concord to avoid the raiders. We can't take them all out on our own.
We approach the junkyard. There are broken-down cargo trucks out front, their rear doors hanging ajar. Scavvers have likely already picked this place bare.
I reach for the doorknob, finding it locked. Maybe this place does contain a cache after all.
"You got some bobby pins?" Gage asks me, eyeing my hair. It's still styled in the up-do I set it in 210 years ago.
I reach up, sliding a pin out of my bangs. He takes it from me, pulling a screwdriver out of his bag. He inserts the pin into the door and fiddles around with it. After a few twists, we hear a tick.
"Aha." He says, pulling them out and slipping them in his pocket. He reaches up, turning the doorknob. It rotates stiffly.
He slowly opens the door, the rusted hinges squeaking loudly in protest. I step into the doorway, hesitating when I see a decaying corpse lying on the landing in front of large metal storage containers. Gage grasps onto my shoulder, halting me midstep. I peer back at him and he presses his finger to his lips.
"Ghoul." He mutters through slightly parted lips.
I don't say anything, just let him go by me. I trail close behind.
He pulls out a baseball bat, holding out his hand in front of me. I pause, wrapping my fingers around my gun.
He steps cautiously up to the slumbering ghoul on the floor and raises the baseball bat. He swings it downward hard, slamming it against the ghoul's head. Its skull fragments under the wood, scattering grey bits all across the walls and floor. I reach up, covering my mouth.
"It's dead. We're safe." He says, his voice echoing through the small garage.
Suddenly the sound of hissing and raspy screams fills our ears. My eyes widen.
"Fuck, stand your ground. There's more."
Another ghoul emerges, shredded rags barely covering its rotting skin. I raise my gun, pointing it at the enraged monster. It abruptly launches itself at me, shrieking shrilly. I pull the trigger and its corpse lands hard at my feet, like a sack of potatoes.
Another ghoul pursues, creeping over the metal shipping crate at the back of the garage. It launches itself off the edge of the container and drops to the ground. It moves horrifically fast, climbing to its feet and lunging at Gage. He swings his baseball bat, smashing the ghoul in the ribs. It doubles over, spewing black liquid out of its mouth, before crashing to the ground. Gage stomps his boot on the ghoul's head, crushing its skull under his foot.
We stand in silence for a few moments, waiting for the cries of more ghouls, but we are met with silence.
"I think that's all of them," Gage says, scuffing his boot across a clean part of the pavement, leaving a slimy grey and black streak. "Let's start looking around. This place doesn't look touched."
I reload my gun, shoving it back into its holster on my waist. I cautiously step further into the dimly illuminated garage. Dust motes dance around quietly in the daylight flooding through the cracked, grimy windows.
"What exactly are we looking for?" I question, lifting the lid of a cardboard box, only to find it empty.
"Copper, steel, and plastic. We can scrap terminals, toys, cameras, toasters, you name it. Grab as much as you can carry." He explains. He swoops down, grabbing a cracked plastic doll head off the floor.
"Right," I mutter. I search the crates. I am disappointed to find all, but one, empty. All the final crate holds is a box. I pull it open, grinning at the stacks of prewar toasters. They are pristine and shiny.
"Whaddaya got there?" Gage questions curiously, noticing my pleased expression.
"A big box of new toasters. I bet we can get plenty of wires from these."
"And the outside is stainless steel." He adds. "Pack 'em up."
I begin to gather them, shoving as many as I can into my leather pack, but it doesn't hold many. Gage tosses a burlap sack my way, which I cram the remaining toasters into. We search around for any remaining resources and find plenty. Gage looks around contentedly.
"Should we head back now?" I question, lifting the sack and slinging it over my shoulder. It feels very heavy.
"I reckon that's a good idea, boss." He responds, gathering the rest of our day's findings.
We trek back to Sanctuary, carefully avoiding the roads. Raiders and super mutants like to set up ambushes and capture people on the busiest streets. Thankfully Gage knows the ways around the Commonwealth and how to stay safe.
It isn't long before we reach the house, dropping our spoils at our feet. Codsworth observes us curiously.
"Go search the houses for some tools. I didn't bring any of mine with me. I'm going to show you how to make a generator."
I nod, grasp my empty bag, and hop off the front step of the house. I trek carefully over the extensive crevices in the pavement, my eyes panning the rows of wrecked houses. Across the lane is the Donogue's house. Their open garage hosts a large toolbox on wheels and miscellaneous technician tools scattered across the workbench. That seems like a good place to start.
I jog over, lowering to a crouch in front of the toolbox. I use my Pipboy flashlight to illuminate the shaded area. I grasp onto the lid and pull on it, but after 210 years in the elements, it has disintegrated and the rust holds it shut. I furrow my brow, raising to my feet.
"Find anything?' Gage hollers from the stoop across the street.
"I found a toolbox," I answer. "But I can't get it open."
"Gimme a minute and I'll give ya a hand."
YOU ARE READING
Conquerors
Fanfiction"Do you think we could conquer the world?" "Nuka world? Of course, we can." "No," I say, my voice soft. "I mean, the earth." "Let's just stick to the Commonwealth and then move from there."
