Vault

Kill or Be Killed

Before I can even open my eyes I feel the hunger pains in my stomach, it feels like my stomach is literally eating itself alive. I roll over and grip my vault suit above my stomach and nearly fall off of the couch. I have a pounding headache and my mouth feels as if it has been stuffed with cotton. I am definitely lacking nutrition and my outfit is caked with dried sweat and blood. I sit up and fix the sling holding my left arm wincing as I try to move my hand which has become stiff as I slept. Thankfully all my fingers still work, the swelling of my wrist has not subsided but the color has definitely deepened to a dark purple and blue. I sigh I feel absolutely disgusting and having one exposed calf makes me uncomfortable. 

I pull on my shoes and shuffle around the house, I need to use the bathroom. After searching I find one tucked into the corner of the first floor and let out a sigh of relief, the thought of climbing those stairs in my condition make my head hurt even more. When I finish using the washroom I go to flush the toilet, purely out of instinct and nearly jump out of my skin when the toilet actually flushes. Well... That is interesting. 

I rush over to the sink and turn the taps on full blast and my hopes fall when nothing comes out. I sigh and turn to walk away when the pipes begin to sputter and bang. I turn and brown mud begins to spit out all over the porcelain sink. I sigh and reach to turn the tap off when brown water begins to pour out. I hesitate my hand hovering over the tap and just watch as the dark liquid rushes down the drain. I lick my lips and take in a deep breath and hold it in. 

Can I drink that and not die? 

I wait longer and ever so slowly the water becomes lighter, and then almost clear. I smile and quickly take greedy gulps of water. It tastes horrible but my mouth finally doesn't feel so dry, I drink until my stomach is full and my thirst is quenched. I wash my hands and face and then stand there a moment debating if I should wash my vault suit as well. 

I decide against it because the thought of standing here naked makes me shudder. I leae the tap on, fearing if I turn it off for even a moment it will stop working, so I slow the stream and rush to the kitchen grabbing as many clean containers as possible to put water in. I grab milk bottles and old beer bottles and rinse them out before filling them with water and storing them in my pipboy. 

I run a hand through my hair and sigh. I really am unsure of where to go from here, if I stay I run the risk of being found by the raiders and would either be killed on the spot or turned into their next meal. Or both. I shudder and quickly grab my things off of the couch storing away the baseball bat in my pipboy and tucking the gun into the waistband of my jumpsuit. I open the door and peak my head out. I squint at the bright light and the shattered lens of my glasses causes it to reflect a wide array of weird colors directly into my cornea. I wince but I see nothing of imenent danger so I walk out. 

As I walk down the street I make a mental checklist, I am going to need food, water, ammo or just better weapons in general. I have no clue where to find any of those things, and I feel the weight of the world slowly closing in on me and I just want to curl in a ball and cry.

I snap myself out of it, if I can I will find the vault again, maybe I can live off of whatever the raiders left behind? I shake my head and walk briskly constantly checking over my shoulder to make sure I am not being followed by something. Yes just find the vault, and then I need to find Wentz. Or just find Wentz because he will know how the hell to survive in this bullsh-

I trip on a crack in the road and nearly tumble I regain my footing and kick a pebble and watch it bounce away and I let out a huff. This is probably just some hopeless effort, there is no way to find Wentz because I have no clue where I am, I stop and turn and look behind me maybe I could just stay in that house? I could gather up supplies and build a fortress and just hide out there. I mean eventually, Wentz is bound to come and save me right?

But what is Wentz isn't even looking for me?

I feel a pang of sadness hit my chest and I look down at the decaying rock flooring I stand upon. I turn back to my original path and continue through the abandoned city. I play with the grip of my gun with my good hand as I know anything could jump out at me at any moment. Soon the houses end an give way to a large open area, nothing but rocks and dirt. I pick up into a jog and follow the broken rock pathway. 

I continue on for what feels like hours, the back of my neck feels burned and tight, most of the water is gone and the sun is beginning to get low in the sky. That is when I see it. 

There is a giant structure in the distance, a large blemish on the wide open wasteland. I squint at it and look around all around there is nothing else but emptiness so I decide to proceed with caution. I just hope I haven't stumbled headfirst into another raider town. 

 I jog up and pause when I see a robot standing not too far away. My eyes widen when I see it is a electro 1300, one of the robot models that we used to have in the vault, that is before all their fission batteries ran out of power and they were used for scrap parts. This one, however, is moving, the lights still on and it is coming toward me. 

I used to have one of these as a caregiver as a small child when my parents were out in the vault performing their duties. I smile and walk up to it disregarding any danger. It waves a clawed arm in greeting and my smile widens. I shriek when all of a sudden it begins to shoot lazers I flinch and brace myself for the burning sensations of death. 

But they never come, I slowly peel open my eyes and the robot has stopped shooting, I turn and see not five feet away is a giant dead insect. I look at the robot in shock, for it just saved my life. 

"Hello and welcome to Metroville." It exclaims in a robotic tone gesturing back to the structure, which now that I look at it appear to be gates. 

"Um, thanks?" I question and walk past the robot toward the giant gates of the structure.

"Enjoy your stay." The robot says before waddling away, I tug on one side of the giant gate and it doesn't budge. I nearly jump out of my skin when the robot appears next to me. I can hear the gears inside of it whirring and I gulp unsure of exactly what this robot is planning to do here. It reaches out one of its fingerless claw hands and presses a button next to the gate. 

"Enjoy your stay." The robot exclaims again as the gates creak and begin to roll open. I take a step back and gaze up at the close to twenty-foot tall gates open. I rush through as soon as the space between them is big enough, and there is another set of much smaller gates. When I try the handle they easily open and I walk through. 

I gaze around in awe as behind the gates is a small city of buildings half stacked upon one another. I wonder who made it and where they all we-

"Stop right there or I'll blow your brains out." I freeze and put my one good hand up in the air dropping my gun down in the dirt.  Crap. I am dead so dead, goodbye cruel world.  I close my eyes tight and wait for the person to pull the trigger. But then a burst of laughter sounds from behind me. "I'm kidding, sorry to scare you so much man here's your gun back."

I turn and see the stranger holding out my gun and I take it slowly eyeing up the man. He has a red beard and strands of brown hair stick out from under his hat. He wears a long jacket and a buttoned shirt. A pretty well put together guy. I gulp when I notice the large sniper rifle strapped to his back.

"Sheriff Andrew Hurley at your service." He tips his hat and smiles at me putting his hands on his hips and looking me up and down, raising an eyebrow." What brings you here stranger? You don't look like your from around here."

"I.. Um.. I'm Patrick and I am not from here, I'm from a vault, vault 305 it got attacked a few days ago and I escaped the raiders but then I got lost in the wasteland and I haven't had food in days. I've almost died like seven times and it's really nice to meet someone friendly." I spill all of this getting more and more hysterical as my rant goes on. I take a deep breath when I finish and the sheriff doesn't even flinch.

"Well, that's quite a tale, let me get you some dinner friend, on me."

"Thank you so much," I sigh in relief and he gives me a sympathetic smile and gives me a quick pat on the back and leads me further down the path into the city made of metal.