Outstanding

Chapter 11

Twilight arrived by the time we reached the far back woods of the settlement. The forest was brushed with blue and purple hues from the approaching night sky. Only a thin line of reddish yellow tinged the horizon from the setting sun. It was cooler now, the humidity slowly dissipating.

I was growing interested in spite of my suspicion. "Piper, where the hell are you taking me?"

"You'll see so stop asking."

"You better not get us lost in the woods. You don't know those old pre-war horror stories about girls getting lost in the woods but I do! And they don't end well, trust me!"

She stopped for a moment, then withdrew a strip of fabric out of her jacket. "Oh no!" I said, taking a step back. "I am not walking blind folded in the middle of the woods!"

Piper gave me a side long look. "Come on Blue, trust me. No harm will come to you!" She said, holding it out to me. "Have I ever steered you wrong?"

I narrowed my eyes. "How 'bout the time you dragged me to spy on the mayor and break into his office? I had to lie my way outta that one!"

"That was one-"

"Or the time you found that Raider cult where they worshipped a Glowing One? We got thrown into it's pit when they caught us."

"It was our civil duty to warn the people of the Commonwealth about that cult!" She defended. "And anyway, you were the one shooting it from a distance! It chased me!"

"It chased me too when it saw me! I had to take two Radaways after it bit me! Two!"

"Blue!"

"Fine!" I said, taking the blindfold and tied it around my eyes. "But I swear, if you lead us into a deathclaw den or something equally as bad, there'll be a big fat 'I told you so' waiting for you!"

"Sure, but that's not gonna happen." She grumbled as she took my hand to guide me.

I shuffled my feet unsure as we walked, occasionally tripping over rocks or roots. "You know-" I tripped and caught myself. "You're a terrible guide."

"If you weren't shuffling your feet, you wouldn't trip." She threw back. "And it's not much further. I can see it."

"At least one of us can."

We came to a stop, with Piper holding my shoulders in place so I wouldn't go any further. The smell of burning wood hit my senses as a wave of heat warmed my face. My first thought was something was on fire and I briefly panicked. Then logic set in, why would Piper bring me to something that was on fire? "Alright, you can take off the blindfold."

Pulling down the cloth, I stared wide eyed, mouth agape. Words chased themselves in my mind as my heart skipped a beat. There was a fire burning in the middle of the clearing, with tattered blankets and chairs scattered around. Assortments of snacks lined a small table, from Nuka-Cola to whisky, Gum Drops to Fancy Lad Snacks.

Preston, Sturges, Nick, Hancock, MacCready and was that Danse in the background? They were all standing near the fire. They turned when they noticed us. My mind went completely blank as I stared. " What-how... what's going on?"

Hancock slid over and passed a Cola in my hand. "What's it look like sister?" He smirked and winked. "We're havin' ourselves a good ol' fashion bonfire!"