Fallout: The Journey

Chapter 4: The Key

Bright lights and loud voices slowly came into focus. My eyes stuttered for a bit, but managed to open. I moved my head to observe the room I was in. People crowded me. It was probably my stepmom 'trying' to care for me, but she stayed back a bit. There was also the doctor's assistance, Nurse Jan, who was putting a small glass of water in my hand. "Thank you", I said to the nurse. The doctor, Dr Greenale walked into the room and looked at me with a grin. "Ah, you're finally awake, it seems". He then moved to the side of my body that had been damaged during my furious rage at Patrick. "You have damaged your hip pretty bad here, it seems, and quite a large bruise on your stomach, as well", he spouted out. I tried to sit up, but my body couldn't bear the pain, and I refrained from moving. "Now now, it's not a race". I was given a pair of crutches and a Stimpak. I stuck the Stimpak into my side and whimpered a bit of pain. "Feel better?", the doctor asked. "Yes I am now", I stuttered. I was then escorted out of the room and pass a room with a person lying in it. A state of paralysis. It was Patrick. I gulped the guilt and fear down my throat. I then departed from the infirmary and walked with my stepmom. "What in the hell is wrong with you?", she asked. All I said was "He started it, it's his fault", because I didn't feel like an argument right now. "Bullshit", she said. "We'll now you're grounded" Wow. I then suddenly realised I was walking past my Dad's old office. I stopped but my stepmom kept walking like I wasn't even there. I didn't care. I never did. I delved into the misty, cobweb filled room. Everything was old and ancient. No one had set foot in here since the time of my parent's departure or as everyone else calls it, 'demise'. I was about to leave when I remembered the vision. "My office is the key to freedom from this iron tomb", I repeated, just like in the vision. I turned back and started to search the room. There was nothing except a couple of baby Radroaches and a lot more spiders and cobwebs. The only thing that stood out was the picture in the corner. It looked like a portrait. I brushed the dust and cobwebs off of the sheets and stood it up straight. I took the sheet off and the picture before me was shocking. It...it looked like me, like my dad. "The key", I said. Then something clicked, and a holotape dropped out. "Hello..." I said with curiosity. "What's this?" I picked it up and slid it into my Pipboy 3000, which was pretty much my only friend in this prison. I slid the tape into the slot and started the tape.