Toxic [C.H]

Chapter 2: Cooper

We walked for miles.

My mouth was as dry as the desert and I had the worst headache. I had no idea where he was taking me but I hoped we'd stop to rest soon.

The orange sky covered us as we continued. All you could hear is our footsteps and everything seemed like it was turning into a blur. My legs were feeling heavy.

I staggered on my own due to oncoming fatigue.

"Please... Sir, I need water."

The man didn't say anything. He just kept walking, ignoring my existence.

"Hey, I know you hear me..." I said annoyed.

Still no response.

"Don't you get tired?" I asked as I looked out into the distance. There were some big buildings ahead.

"Don't you shut up?" He spat, not looking at me.

"I will if we take a second to rest."

We were approaching what looked like a base. There were crates and some supplies. Right next to it was a big container filled with water and a trail of blood leading to what looked like a fresh body.

He dropped the rope that he was leading me with and pulled out a vial. The man let out a cough and wheeze. He also took out an inhaler from his leather bag and placed the vial in it.

"You want your rest sweetheart, here it is." He took a puff of the inhaler. "It'll be your last." Putting the inhaler back into his leather bag.

I walked over to the container full with water. It was so enticing but I knew it was going to be horrible for me. My pip boy wouldn't stop beeping.

I looked at my pip boy then back at the water.

I'm getting too dehydrated to not drink this.

Crouching down, I cupped my hands and reached into the water. I brought it to my mouth and began to drink. I was drinking so fast I couldn't even keep up with myself.

Water ran down my chin and I wiped it away with my sleeve.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Wouldn't want to worry that pretty little head of yours." He started to pull out a knife from under his coat. The blade shined under the sun. 

I huffed and stood up, wiping my hands on my one piece.

"What's the vials for?"

The man began to walk over to the dead body. Standing over it like a vulture.

The corpse had a strap of bullets laying across its body and ripped clothing. He took the strap and slung it over his shoulder, securing it across his chest.

"To keep me livin'." He crouched down and stabbed the corpse running his blade down the front of the body.

I watched in disgust.

"Vials, this here meat and some radiation water. That's all I need." He began to cut up some pieces of meat and eat it. My eyes grew wide and I moved back.

"That's disgusting."

"You'll be doing the same thing sweetheart, just give it time. You'll get hungry enough." The man stabbed the corpse again, dragging down his blade. Ripping the flesh so easily.

As he spoke he oddly seemed familiar. I really couldn't put a finger on it. There's just something about him.

He stood up and walked towards me. I didn't move. I felt frozen.

"Matter of fact, I shouldn't be doing all the work. I did enough of that on my own." He turned the blade over to face him and extended it towards me.

He motioned at me to take it.

"Go ahead..."

I looked down at the bloody knife then back at him. His eyes were dark under his cowboy hat as he looked at me with such intensity.

That look, I've seen it before in a movie. His mannerisms and voice was finally connected to a name in my head.

Cooper Howard.

The wind blew slightly, pushing a little bit of my hair in my face.

I took the knife and started to walk over to the body. The smell was so powerful I almost gagged. I closed my eyes and crouched down. Opening my eyes, I'm met with one of the worst sights I could've ever seen.

My back was slightly toward the man and I began to think. Maybe I can use this knife for my own benefit not his.

I've got to get out of these ropes.

I reluctantly stabbed the body to make it look like I was about to cut it up some more. I turned the blade towards myself and started to cut through the rope that was on my wrists.

Trying to not make it so obvious, I began to make my movements look like I was cutting the body.

"Atta girl. See you're getting it." I heard him say from behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw him standing there with his arms crossed.

The rope was almost free on my wrists. I heard his footsteps coming closer to me.

I started vigorously cutting away faster and finally my hands were free. Before he could get any closer I stood up quickly, turning to point the knife towards him.

The top of the blade was only centimeters from where his nose should've been.

He stopped in his tracks, eyes locking in on the blade.

"Would've got my nose." He smirked.

"Lucky you don't have one huh." My eyes never left his. "Now, it was so nice hanging out with you but I've got to find my father."

"Now I don't want to kill you yet so you might want to get that out my face." His voice was low and raspy.

"And I don't want to slit your throat." I put the knife close to his neck and stepped up to him. "You let me go free and you go back to whatever it was that you were doing before you took me."

"You get me caps and vials then I might consider it vaultie." He smirked, his skin pulling tightly due to his radiation exposure.

"I wouldn't help you even if my life depended on it Cooper." I seethed. I watched as his face turned to confusion in a matter of seconds.

"How the fuck did you-" He began but I quickly started to run.

"Hey! You little shit!" Cooper shouted behind me as I ran. I could hear him running after me as I changed my direction to run towards a building in the distance.

I made it to the building and burst through the doors. I ran down a long hallway and looked behind me too see if he was still there. I didn't see him so I snuck to a room that was to my left. There were vault tec looking papers on the floor, scattered all over the place.

I tried to catch my breath as I quietly moved through the building.

"Fuck!" I heard Cooper yell out from the other side but I continued to move. There was another hallway but this time there were two entrances to rooms.

I turned my back to one and began to walk through the other. Before I could take a few steps I felt hands grab me from the back and cover my mouth.

My eyes widened as I let out a muffled yell.

"Shhh, there's ghouls here. You need to be quiet." A man whispered aggressively in my ear. I struggled in his grip and tried to look and see who it was but it wasn't working.

My breathing was rapid and my eyes were still wide. I was freaking out as I heard someone from down the hall start shouting.

"My name's Lisa! Help, please! I'm Lisa!" The woman's voice sounded almost like a monster. She kept saying those phrases until I heard a gunshot.

The building was silent and I could hear a body drop.

I stopped struggling and was forced to be still due to the gunshot. I was scared and confused. I had no idea what was going on or what to do.