Those We Lose

...like glass, it will never...

One day turned to weeks. When it became evident that the girls were to be permanent residents, Danse dipped into their savings to buy a clean new sleeping bag. It wasn't as comfortable as the mattress, but it was better than sharing with Cutler.

They had both thought they'd be loathe to take on two extra mouths to feed, but the girls turned out to be useful and resourceful, doubling their income. Agatha was excellent at sales. They began getting regular customers after she started standing behind the counter with Danse. Most of them were young men, who stopped by daily and purchased the most worthless pieces of junk.

"It's crazy that retail hasn't changed." Agatha would note. "I used to work in a mall after school."

"A mall?"

She nodded. "The stuff we sold was a little more expensive and clean, but the concept was the same."

Astrid scavenged a large clay pot from some place and planted a muttfruit in it. This gave the girls the idea to start hunting. It would be dangerous work, but it brought profit.

Before long, their junk stand turned into a general trader, one of the best in Rivet City.

At night, Astrid would tell animated stories of pre-war America. Neighbors began sitting in, listening. As the crowds began growing larger, Cutler began charging a modest two caps for everyone who'd like to sit in for the story. A small stage of cinderblock was constructed and Agatha would roast bits of Radroach until they crunched and handed them out at extra cost. Sometimes she'd join in the story, too. Other times she'd turn the sound up on the radio they'd fixed and Astrid would lead the crowd in a dance.

Astrid and Agatha had something that no one in Rivet City or the Wasteland had: smiles and hope. It was infectious. The people of the city came in from all corners just to view it and feel their own lips curl over their teeth in that foreign way. To the sisters, pre-war America had existed only months ago, so they were still full of that life, and it turned out that people would pay any price for a chance to escape their reality.

After another successful night, they were practically rolling in caps.

"I wouldn't doubt it if we're the richest merchants in this city." Cutler grinned. "Pulling you two out of those fires was the best decision I ever made. You're caps brahmin."

"You mean, cash cows?" Astrid giggled.

"No. Caps and Brahmin."

"We should get a Brahmin!"

"If we do you're shoveling up its shit. We'll see if we can sell it in the stand, I'm sure Agatha could get someone to buy it."

"I'm not going to sell poop." She snapped at Cutler, then she glared to Astrid. "What was with that story you told tonight?"

"Your prom night? That was a big hit, wasn't it?"

"It was pornographic! That's not how any of it happened."

"I embellished a little, it's my right as a story-teller." Astrid laughed out loud. "Next time I'll talk about mine."

"You didn't get a prom, the world ended when you were in middle school."

"So what? No one here knows the difference."

"I do! And I won't be turned into a penny whore for the sake entertainment!"

Astrid laughed again and wiped a tear from her blue eye. "Calm down, Gatz. It's not a big deal."

Agatha twisted toward her with severity. "You didn't even tell me you were going to do that."