A search for Vicky

Part Six

They check themselves … minor bruising from hitting walls but no other new damage. They proceed from the building back to the highway, reloading their weapons and adjusting their chems. The distance to the corner with the graveyard was as it appeared from the roof. A few miles after the empty graveyard lorry they could see another had gone down a bank off the south of the highway and into a reservoir. Though the water was greatly receded they would be down in the edge of the mud plains. This could only mean mirelurks. These heavily armoured creatures are believed to have evolved from a form of mudcrab. Their thick shells could deflect small arms fire and their claws would easily dispatch a limb if pressed. Standing on average at 4 and half feet makes for a nasty enemy. They have one major chink in their armour though, the face. One shot here, even with a pipe pistol, would drop even the angriest of them.

As they approached the edge of the mud; they strategized. Vic would go first with the shotgun, in case of close combat, she would lure them out of the mire to reveal their face and Asra would take the ones further out with the scoped 44 revolver. The lorry was around ten meters into the sludge its route shown by mud ruts.

Vic was about three meters in when the first lurk raised out on her left. Before she could turn, to take aim, another heaved out of the mud practically beneath her right leg, it managed to clamp her thigh she pulled the trigger and the shot deflected off the top of the crustaceans shell. It twisted its arm and slung Vic backwards into the rancid mud. The creature approaching from the left took one step before its face imploded with the crack of the 44. Vic recoiled trying to push away from the creature closing in; she hoped Asra could get a decent shot. The shotgun landed a few feet behind her after the fall; she scrambled to grab it before the thing was on her. A second 44 crack hit the shoulder of the creature. No practical damage but it slowed a touch. Another to its chest, missing its face by inches. It began to lean forward its pincer open and reaching for her face. He aimed but the face couldn’t be seen.

Boom!

The shotgun shouted out. The overbearing creatures face disappeared through the back of its exoskeleton. It collapsed onto her legs and she finally felt the savage pain in her thigh. She was wrenched to her feet from behind by her pack, she soon saw why. Another was coming around the side of the lorry, faster than the rest; they both levelled their weapons and released three shots a piece. The whole front of the creature shredded. They were clear but did not want to hang around, Vic stuck herself with a stim as Asra searched the lorry; not the one. The pain returned to her once they made it back to the tracks, she applied a pressure bandage. Luckily the thickness of her trousers had saved her from being sliced open. The lorry had been destined for a manufacturing plant so they collected some parts for weapon maintenance and the driver had a large medical supply. Vic chucked back some codeine and oxycodone, within minutes the pain was dispersing and they headed onwards again. They covered another 10 miles before night fell, they stopped to make camp.