I wake up, Groggy and feeling like a train wreck. I rub my eyes to try and get rid of the blurred vision, I sit up and look around. I notice I'm lay in a bed, In a stone building, I can hear voices but they're muffled. I cough and quickly cover my mouth with my right hand, Apparently I'm coughing up blood.
This can't be good, That's when i hear the door slam shut, I perk up and snap my head round to see the doc looking at me astounded, "You're actually alive, I was beginning to wonder". "What the hell is that meant to mean?" I demanded, He laughs patronisingly, "You have no idea do you?, You've got some serious radiation poisoning, And apparently you're already mutated". I shake my head and quickly find the nearest reflective surface and look at myself, "But i look fine! I feel like I've been hit by a truck but I'm okay?!". He chuckles "i never said it was seriously bad mutation. If you listened. I just said you've mutated".
I quickly check all my limbs, Hands, feet, arms, legs, Yup all there, fingers, yup all 10 fing...Wait " WHAT THE FUCK!??" "i...my...Doc?" Thud I pass out. I wake up again, a couple of minutes later, face on the floor and the doc keeled over laughing. "I'm glad this is all so amusing to you" I say sarcastically.
"Get up man, It's not everyday you find out you can regenerate lost limbs, well. Fingers, I dunno about limbs," I pull myself together, staring at my hand, Squeezing my finger, moving it, At one point i bite it, Just to make sure it's all working properly. "So..you're telling me that my finger is okay? It's all working as it should be, and that i can regenerate small parts of my body?"
"That's exactly what i'm telling you, Oh, and you heal pretty fast too. at least from small wounds, like animal bites, not so deep gashes, Oh and probably broken bones" The doc continues listing all these mundane wounds and i zone out. Almost in a trance about having my finger back, I can properly use my pistol again without worrying about the pain.
I'm brought back to attention by the door slamming again, I look up and see Jack, "Good to see you've finally returned to the land of the living" He says with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh you're funny, I haven't been out that long!" Jack raises his eyebrow and looks at the doc, "You haven't told him yet?" The doc shakes his head "i was hoping you would. I'm not good at sentimental"
My eyes dart to and from the doc and jack, "Tell me what?".....
"You've been out almost three weeks, We've been keeping you alive by feeding you liquid food by tube, Yes, We even had to change you're clothes and clean you up so nothing got infected, You took a fair few scratches in vault 15, You've healed up pretty good though"
"Wait, you mean, I've been out almost 21 days? Oh man, That practically cuts a quarter of the time i had left off, SHIT!" I say a little louder than I thought. By my calculations, The vault would have had about 70 days, 75 at a push, I spent 4 days up until now, plus the 21 I've been out, That leaves the vault with about 50 days, Give or take a couple. This isn't good. I have no idea where i need to go, No idea What I'm actually going to do.
I mean if vault 15 didn't have a water chip and the computer was too busted to get any information from..."There's a trader I know just south of here. He might be able to help you" Jack interrupts my thought process. "Why will a trader be able to help me?" I responded,
"He's a little more knowledgeable about the surrounding settlements, he might be able to tell you in which direction we need to travel"
"We?" I repeated sarcastically, "Yes, 'WE' need to travel. I'm going with you, whether you like it or not." I just nodded my head and began gathering my things. I guess Jack has become a companion in my crusade that for a reason currently unknown to me he has taken onto his own shoulders to share my burden. I haven't convinced myself if this is a good thing yet, I still technically know nothing about this man. However, after Vault 15, The man saved my life, I'm not sure there is a better kind of trust than the one you get knowing someone put their own safety at risk. Just to ensure yours.
