Wastelands.

chapter 3

Day 2

Dr.West's POV

Rough sleep. Rough life.

I dreamt nothing that I could remember when i woke up from my spot on the floor, ragged and thin blankets that were practically falling apart on me rustling. The first one, the feminine guy, threw them on me after he got in slight trouble from the armored one. Interesting. It's either they just met, and he automatically assumed the position of second in command, or they've been travelling for about a year since the incident. I just yawned, and tried to adjust my lab coat, which was bunched up slightly in the center of my back. Very uncomfortable. The man was lying in a cot, his mask off on a bedside table, but his face was under the cover of darkness, so I could only see the slight stubble of a goatee.

"Hey" I said at first, then, a bit louder "hey!" The guy just waved a hand in my direction, put on the helmet, and looked at me, the screen lighting up after a bit.

"What do you want, doctor?" He said tiredly, sitting up. I feel bad now...

"I want you to untie me. I could be of great help" I said, sounding more urgent than I wanted. The man just sighed.

"I want you to let me sleep." He replied. I sighed in anger.

I kind of deserved that. I quietly thought.

"I will if you untie me." I said, and the guy just waved me off. This is absurd! Absolutely absurd! "Hey."

"No" he said, so i decided to make annoying clicking noises, starting partly quiet, then slowly increasing. The guy groaned, and threw a coat at my face. Since my hands were tied, i really struggled to get the grubby clothes off my head.

"You insufferable person!" I growled. The guy chuckled roughly, and the kitten I didn't notice he had squeaked, and streatched out slightly. It was all brown with very faint tan stripes along its hind legs, with a long, poofy tail, and lynx - like ears. "What's the cat's name?"

"Floofles" The guy replied. I nodded slowly, and Floofles went over to me, chewing at the ropes around my wrists. I chuckled.

"And what do I call you?" I asked, and the guy turned his helmed head to face me.

"I'm not saying my real name, but call me Reaver for now." He said, and I nodded, very slowly. Floofles mewed, and went off to do something else, me feeling my wrist binds. They were substantially weaker, and I managed to rip my wrists free. Flexing my hands, I trailed a hand along the red sores along my left wrist, then the right wrist. Reaver looked over at me, and then looked as Floofles proudly looked at him once they came back with a small mutated rat in their mouth.

"Good job, Floolfes." Reaver said dryly. Floofles purred happily, and hopped onto his lap. "Is it just me, or are you bigger than yesterday?"

"It is peculiar for a cat of that size to still be a kitten." I said quietly, and untied my feet binds, standing up. The feminine guy walked in, automatically pulling out a baseball bat from defense and surprise when he saw me standing there, completely freed. Reaver madea motion for them to stop, and they slowly lowered it.

"Chill. I'm pretty sure Doc here won't be trying to kill us in our sleep." Reaver said. "And for now, He's callin' me Reaver. You do the same if you'd like"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you, masky?" The feminine guy said, a hint of humor in their voice. The masked guy shrugged, clearly not caring, and started to pack scavenged supplies into a small side bag.

"Anyways, why you out here with no bodyguards?" The feminine guy asked. I blinked my one good eye.

"I did have bodyguards, but they were killed by a roving band of thieves and bandits. I was lucky to live as long as I did, and only because I had information about the green land, or some crap, but don't think I don't believe it exists, because I've been there. It's amazing." I explained. The feminine guy gasped, hope lighting up like embers in a dark night, and they grabbed me in an awkward embrace. That's when I figured out they were female.

"Oh, my god Doc!" She said, and I felt the back of my shirt get a bit damp. I slowly pat their back, and gave a questioning look to Reaver, who shook his head, lost on words, and interrupted.

"We should probably start the trek to your fabled land, you two." He said, sounding like he didn't believe either of us, and quietly lugged the bag on, and motions. The girl let go, and nodded, all signs of tear - filled joy gone, buried under a calm facial expression.

"Got it, masky." She said, then turned to face me. "I'm Jackie, but everyone I have ever known calls me Jack."

"I guess I'll be known as Doc." I said, and Jack nodded. We all went out of the station, and began our very long, very boring walk. I was proven right for a bit, until I was drawn to a particular creature we constantly saw; It was very human, but had a rough coat, and skull - like face. I was certain it was the same one. And every time I saw it from the corner of my good eye, I was proven right, and at one point, I watched as it raised a human hand, with a blowdart gun in it, and pointed it at Jack. I moved on instinct, and tackled her to the ground, landing us both into the situation of rolling down a hill. Reaver followed, clearly upset, but worried. The thing faded away into the cover of some more destroyed trees.

"WHAT THE F-" Jack began, but I covered her mouth, looking around quite freaked out. I then sighed, relieved, and rolled off of her from the rather awkward position of being on top of her. She sat up, brushing off her shoulder, and slapped me rather hard.

"Ow!" I said, and glared at her. "Something, or someone just tried to kill you!" I snapped. Jack just looked at me like i was crazy, and then looked at me apologetically when she saw some sort of needle poking out of my shoulder. It didn't get through my makeshift armor, and I was glad for that small fact. It might of just saved my life. Another day to try and make do in.

"Are you guys okay?" Reaver asked, quite panicked. Jack nodded, and shot me a silent thank - you looks. I looked at Reaver.
"We're fine." I said, and explained how I saw someone following us, and how it tried to kill Jack, showing him the dart I pulled from my shoulder pad. He picked it up, and looked it over.

"Good call, Doc." He said, and threw it on the ground, smashing it to splinters with his metal tipped boot. I bowed my head, and smiled at them both, all of us continuing walking, finally stopping for the day at a cave, splitting some cans of preservatives between each other, and Floofles gnawed on another mutated rat it caught. I stayed up for a bit, as a self pointed lookout, but eventually succumbed to the clutches of sleep, so cozy and nice after a long day of walking.