Pleasure and Pain

Chapter 6

Boone.

Little clouds of dust whirled upwards from the ground where he placed his boots. After coughing a few times from the fine sand surrounding his face, he lifted the bandana around his neck to his mouth. It somehow filtered the dusty air a bit, but he still had to squeeze his eyes to avoid getting it in on his pupils. Boone continued to walk further into the desert, eyes scanning the area where he was sure he'd seen a banana yucca plant not long ago when he was looking through his scope. 

Lucy had been feeling shitty, he knew. She didn't have to tell him; he felt it in her presence, as the once so mouthy tanned woman would come up with stories or ways to pester him about childish yet funny topics had suddenly gone quiet over the past 3 days. There was a reason, but he'd yet to find out why; he figured it was that Benny prick taking over her already busy thoughts. It was too much for her to handle, probably; waves of chaos that over overpowered her the moment she'd opened her eyes after being shot in the head by a treacherous snake. And now, she was even willingly risking her very own life for him, just so the fucker could be released from those legion dogs.

Yet the worst thing, was that he agreed to accompany her. Although it'd been for his own seek of revenge, not to protect Lucy. But boy, how those wheels had turned over the past few weeks. Heck, he couldn't leave her even if he tried. She managed to infiltrate his depressing thoughts by her uplifting spirit. She'd settled herself into his heart. No, not the romance type of feeling, but something else. Companionship. Family. Someone to spend his sorry days of survival with, since he didn't have anyone or anything else to breathe for. Now, it was his goal to get the lady to that bloody camp. And if that Benny asshole would as much as touch a hair on her face without her permission, he woud lynch the living, motherfucking shit out of him.

And he'd enjoy while doing it, knowing he was the one keeping Lucinda down. Worse, he was the reason Lucy was actually falling into the blackened pit of depression.

Boone finally found the damn yucca tree, and was pleased to see fresh Banana yucca's glowing in all their glory. He quickly started to harvest them and put them in his backpack. Afterwards, he turned around and lifted his sniper rifle to his face. He peered through the scope and was satisfied to see that Lucinda was still sleeping under the ravaged, half-open hut they'd settled in the night before. Boone made sure to check the area nearby the shelter to make sure it was clear, and then lowered his weapon.

He bent over his backpack and grabbed a bottle of purified water. The water was lukewarm, but you couldn't be picky in the wastes. 

After swallowing a small amount of the liquid, he put the bottle back in his backpack and made way towards the shelter.

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FLASHBACK - Lucinda

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The sun seemed to burn through her eyesockets. Her entire mouth was dry, and the only thing left to taste on was utter desperation. She could hardly make out her vision anymore; everything seemed the same, felt the same.

All this.

Emptiness. Self loathing. She could hear the dead ghostly voices of her parents mocking her.

Get the hell up, Lucinda. We died for your bittersweet salvation. Make it worth your while.

Suddenly, a shadow towered over her, blocking the light in her sight. She couldn't care less if it was a raider, or worse; she wanted to give up. She wanted to embrace the comforting darkness. It could finally swallow her whole, and she could finally rest in peace, knowing she made it atleast longer than most people had.