Tent City

Chapter 7 - Andy

Around 3 hours later I found the other wanderer. He was asleep in the small tent that had been erected next to a stone boulder that provided a windbreak and shade as well as the trees. At least she knew what she was doing. I gently shook the boy awake, he was so small, around 4 years old and he was so fragile looking. It took me quite a few gentle shakes to rouse the boy. I don't know if he was just a heavy sleeper or if he was in a bad way as well.

When he woke up, he was lethargic and confused. I knew he was in a bad way and just like the female wanderer was in urgent need of medical attention. I asked the soldier who accompanied me to radio the location and request a couple of vehicles. I left my big gun, and some heavy equipment with him as well. I managed to get the boy onto my back, and I started to carry him toward headquarters. He was as light as a feather, but even though he didn't weigh that much, it was awkward carrying him on my back. I persisted and managed to carry him over quite a distance and finally met the two vehicles. I ordered one to continue toward the soldier's location and the other one drove us back to the bunker.

Once we were at the bunker I carried the boy into the sick bay. Dr Su was already working hard to save the red-haired, female wanderer. I called for help, we had no other Dr but we did have at least 3 nurses. Dr Su said that her focus was on the female wanderer, she was in critical condition. She requested Nurse Travis her main nurse and her trainee Doctor to call Nurse Jones and Dougherty to assist.

Nurse Travis radioed the other nurses, they arrived within 10 minutes of the call.

They approached the bed which almost looked as though it would swallow little Ben up. They took his vitals, while I waited anxiously by his side. They concluded that he was severely dehydrated, had what they guessed to be numerous vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and was malnourished.

They got permission from Dr Su to give him some IV fluids to help rehydrate him. He improved quite quickly after he was given them. However, the other wanderer remained in critical condition.

Once Ben had recovered, he started to talk to me. He told me that the red-haired girl was his sister Kelsie. He said their parents went away and were put in the ground with other people who had also gone away. He cried a lot at night because he missed his sister and was worried about her. He didn't understand why he was unable to visit her. I reassured him that his sister was sleeping and wasn't able to see him until she woke up and was feeling a bit better.

The reality of the situation was that Kelsie was in a coma. I hoped with all my might that Kelsie would wake up, I don't think Ben would survive without his sister. Their bond was strong, and they only had each other, no one else.

I would often go to the sick bay late at night when I knew Ben was asleep. I would sit by Kelsie's bed, talk to her, and beg her to survive so that Ben wouldn't be alone. I watched her sleep, hoping to see her eyes flutter open. There was no doubt that Kelsie was a fighter, I knew she would fight to live for Ben's sake.

I spent so much time with Kelsie, that the nurse on duty would demand I go to my room and get some sleep, even kick me out if I refused to leave.

They would often ask me why I spent so much time sitting by the bed of a person I barely knew. I couldn't give them a reason, because I didn't know why either. I put it down to caring about Ben, he was only 4 years old, he lost his parents and now his sister was very sick and could die too. I thought maybe by sitting beside Kelsie, my presence, and energy could help Kelsie fight and she'll wake up. Ben did not deserve to be left alone in this messed up, violent, and generally fucked up world.

Around 10 days later, I received word that Kelsie had awoken from her Coma. As she had just woken from the Coma, visitors were not permitted, until Dr Su said it was okay. I was sworn to secrecy, I was not to tell Ben that Kelsie was awake as at any time, she could take a turn for the worse and she needed alone time, peace, and rest so that she could adjust to her surroundings.

I asked Dr Su and nurse Travis to tell me as soon as Kelsie was deemed fit enough for visitors. I hoped by tomorrow Kelsie was stable enough to see Ben.

Later that night I walked passed her room and peered through the long, narrow window, in the door, and checked up on Kelsie. I was relieved to see that she was sitting up in her bed and reading a book. I watched her for a bit longer, as I struggled with whether I should sneak in and check up on her or wait until she could have visitors. I went with the most sensible option and left.

The following day I was told that Kelsie had survived the night and Ben and I were allowed to visit that afternoon. I told Ben and he was so excited, that he cried and hugged me.

"I'm glad Big Sis is okay and she isn't going away like Mummy and Daddy." I hugged him back tightly, he was a strong little boy and loved his sister dearly. He hugged me for a while, I let him, even though I wasn't much of a hugger let alone a person that would show affection in public.

Even when Marcie and I were dating, I never once hugged, kissed, or held her hand in public. However, behind closed doors, I was the opposite. I showered Marcie in affection. She understood me back then. She didn't try and force me to show her affection around others. My mind wandered back to the good times I had with Marcie, those memories stirred old feelings and I missed her and our old relationship, not the relationship we had now. I was brought back to reality by the very person my mind had wandered to.

"Ahh!, Andy, all it took was a child to bring out your soft side. It's so freaking adorable. You'd make such a great mum." She swooned, as she walked passed us. My face warmed, and I admit I was embarrassed.

Ben and I spent the rest of the day together until it was time to visit Kelsie. Ben dragged me towards the sick bay. Once we were outside the doors, Ben stopped and looked up at me.

"Is it okay to go and see Big Sis now?"  He asked,

"Yes, go on, go and see your big sis," I answered.

"Will you come?"

"I will visit Kelsie after you. Go - on, I bet she misses you. I'll wait here. Go." I reassured him gently, Ben nodded and opened the door. He rushed towards Kelsie and launched himself onto her bed. I waited and heard their conversation. From what I saw and heard, I knew their bond was strong, and they loved each other. I found myself wanting to share a bond with someone, just like the bond they shared. I was very fond of Kelsie and Ben, the way they talked to each other could soften even the hardest of hearts. As they talked, I realised how beautiful Kelsie was. I'll admit I think I was starting to crush on Kelsie and to add to my feelings, I'd do anything to protect Ben.

As I waited by the door, my mind wandered to my sister, Sierra. She was older than me, by 10 years. We were close like Ben and Kelsie.

When I was just 15 years old, I lost my sister. Our home was destroyed by bombs, our parents had died 2 years prior when I was 13 and my sister was 23.  It was just my sister and me left.

We were trying to travel to our grandmother's house, which was about a month's journey on foot. We were three weeks into our journey when we were ambushed by slavers. They killed my sister because she fought them, trying to protect me.

You see slavers, loved young people, I would earn them a lot of money because of my age. My sister was also young enough to earn a lot of money for them. But she was not one to yield and they shot her, I screamed and cried for her.

I remained as their captive for about 2 weeks, during which they cut my cheek, and hardly fed me or let me bathe. I was liberated by a small rebel group who had tracked the slavers for months before my liberation.

They ambushed my captors and set me free. The rebel group's purpose was to solely target slavers. They would track them for months then they'd ambush them and set their prisoners free. The prisoners had a choice to either join them or choose to move on. I chose to join them. I spent around 6 months with them, being trained before I moved on. I wanted more evil to be punished and killed, I wanted a world that was free of evil and rebuilt. I wanted the slavers, bunker dwellers, and raiders to be punished for their sins and the evilest to be put to death.

That was my goal, back then anyway. I've seen and experienced a lot since then, and my goal has become even bigger. I want all the bunker dwellers to live the lives of the surface dwellers. I want them to know what real suffering is, the suffering they and their ancestors have forced upon the surface dwellers, all this, for their own benefit, nothing more than greed.