A Nuclear TV Show - Season 1

Episode 2: Give and Receive

Episode Description: An unwanted visitor in Torrid Town proves to be trouble after asking for resources that are crucial to survival.

Chris had slept well. Two days without his pills had caused for two extremely rough nights of getting the constant chills and shivers and now that he had them again he would be fine for a period of time.
His addiction had started several years ago. Some sort of snake had bitten him while he was out venturing around for no reason in particular, not that were many places to venture around in a desert, but after he had been bitten he had been unable to move. The venom had paralyzed him. Fortunately Marlo had been coming back from a day trip on his horse, Lucy, and had rescued him. It had awkwardly started their subtle friendship.

He had found out that the snake bite wasn't lethal and that he'd gain movement back in a day or two. He was positive it had somehow been mutated by radiation, like most creatures. Mr. Pines had given him painkillers, one a night. Eventually he still felt the stinging pain even after he took one a day and so he began to sneak two a day and now he couldn't stop. The bite had happened years ago, but the addiction continued. Mr. Pines knew about it, he helped subtly sometimes, but knew better of it.

When Chris awoke his eyes were wide. Thankfully not blood shot. He sat up in bed and looked out the small window to his left. It was night and it was cold. He found himself shivering but this time for a different reason other than being deprived of his medicine.

Nights in The Barrens were usually like this. Hot days and then cold nights. No one stayed up over night either. It was so quiet that a wondering traveler could think the entire settlement was a ghost town. Chris yawned, but he didn't feel tired. He had been asleep for at least seven hours. A new record.
He swung his legs off the bed and buried his face in his hands. He ran his fingers through his thick hair and let his fair flop down over his face. It would be a long night.
He reached for his backpack. Maybe he'd forgotten he had a lighter and some cigarettes. His hand searched the bottom of his bag but found no such items. He sighed, frustrated with himself. He wished he had a horse or at least some alternate mode of transportation other than his legs. Then he thought:

I never saw Marlo ride back into town today. He never spends nights out in The Barrens. Not alone anyways.

He walked out of his small shack and looked out past the border of the town. The moonlight made the desert look like it was coated in a faint purple. It was pretty. Sand swirled far out in the distance. It was all flat though and there was nothing on the horizon. No Marlo and no Lucy. He was sure Marlo was fine, wherever he may be.
Chris spun around to go back into his house and he realized there was a note pinned to the side of the door frame on the outside. Scribbled in faint messy writing was;

'I know you have two glasses dear. Keep them, I don't have the need for them anyways.
Love Miss Dallow.'

Chris pulled the small paper off the wall and allowed himself a small smile. A smart lady she is he thought to himself as he slipped the paper into a pocket. He had forgotten about the glasses altogether and now felt shame about stealing them, but Miss Dallow was right. She didn't need them and he could get something more valuable with them.
A chill ripples down his back. The night wind was indeed chilly. He needed a jacket or something better than the ragged shirt he was currently in. Maybe that's what he would buy with the two glass cups.

He walked back into his house, but then for some reason the thought of Marlo tugged at his brain again. It was truly odd that he hadn't returned yet. Marlo was alone, Chris remembered seeing him leave that morning and he brought no man or women with him. He wouldn't stay out by himself. As strong and capable as he was there were dangers out there that could easily overcome him, Marlo knew that too. Maybe he was in trouble? Maybe he had gotten lost, unable to retrace where he had gone. No no. He had a compass and a map. That was unlikely, besides, he had also done this countless times before.