No Escape From Tarkov

Chapter 1 - The Hunt Is On

The crackling of the fire was the only sound in the dead of night, the woods were so quiet you could hear the dead sing their melodies deep in the soil below. The trees were towering giants in the midst of the false peace, invulnerable to the deadly doses of lead even the smallest of guns could deliver to the living tissue.

Yeah, quite the situation I got myself in, huh?

The name's Mikhail, but you can call me Mike because it rolls of the tongue for the American operators in Tarkov. My life hasn't always consisted of sitting in creepy woods in the middle of the night, constantly watching for the slightest of disturbances.

However, it wasn't Paranoia that plagued my mind, it was fear. Fear of the unnamed dangers at every corner, waiting to take your precious life away.

Tarkov used to be a good place. Sure, there was the occasional crime here and there as with any place with people, but it was doable. The city lived and breathed, the many different people worked as they did and life went on as usual.

Until the fucking Terra bastards came. I don't know what they did, something with genetic experiments. What matters is that they're at fault for all of this, they are the reason this fucking county went to fuck all.

Within the first few months of their illegal activities, their little political mind game escalated into a civil war between Russia's military response, a private outside company hired by Terra and anyone who wanted to make a quick buck out of this.

Funny thing, hilarious even. Everyone thought this would be quick and short, like jerking off.

But no, ohohoh, no comrade. No one could've anticipated that the situation would end in a total quarantine of the region. No one goes in or out without the government knowing, that is... if  you manage to get out.

A part of me lost hope of escaping, deeming it an impossible task. The shoreline was poisoned with toxic chemicals that could melt your skin off, the air space was a deathwish for any aircrafts that attempted entry

 I've seen once a supply drop come down near the lighthouse, the cargo plane had to use around thirty flares just to pass through, so you can imagine how difficult it would be to land and take off.

So the only option is going on foot, as pretty much everyone does here. But then you have the... fucking cykas, is what you have.

Psychos, every last one of them. Scavs, Operators, Rogues, doesn't matter. I had no creed, no one, nothing.

Before the war, I was a student at a small university near the dorms. My grades were decent too! Not too high or low, enough to pass as an engineer. I still remember the day fresh in my mind...

Flashback Start

10:12 AM, Petrov University, Tarkov

I was sitting in the classroom, steam practically coming out of my ears as every braincell I had was focusing on the task at hand; figuring out the direction of the electrical current. It was no easy subject, but I liked electricity and understanding how things worked in general.

"Bro, can you help me?"  Pavel, a friend of mine whispered, also stuck on the same problem.

"I'm trying, but the I don't know whether it's supposed to go up or down since they combine,"  I whispered back, scratching the pencil against my forehead.

"I think-"

"I  think you should shut your mouths before I throw you our of my class," the teacher said, clearly he had taken notice of our not-so-private conversation.