Mindblown: A Fallout Tale

Part 6: Farewells

(Some spoilers for the last few eps of Fallout 3 Tale if anyone is concerned)

 "So is that it for today? Alright, cool. Hear you tomorrow, I guess. Have a good sleep, if you do sleep. 'Kay, bye."

Cywren had just defeated a gang of raiders based up on top of a mountain... Or some kind of really steep hill.

Her friend in her head had just logged off for the day, so she wouldn't be hearing from him until he came back.

She needed a moment to think about what had happened over the course of the past two days or so.

She, Sarah and Copper had just gone on a strange adventure that, admittedly, was a little traumatizing. Cywren had been guided to a small neighborhood by her friend (that again, was in her head), who had been given directions by some people who she assumed was in HIS head.

The place was overly... Pre-War normal life-like. The inhabitants acted like what was once the average American family before the bombs dropped, all the way down to what they wore.

It was creepy.

There was an old man that lived inside who insisted that there was something wrong with the place and that whoever wandered into the community tended not to wander back out.

Eventually, Cywren and her head friend were convinced to check the basements of the houses, as well as a shed, to find that something horrific indeed was happening.

The people were cannibals! The travellers wandering in but never out were more than likely eaten by these out-of-place people.

Cywren was forced to defend herself as the inhabitants attacked her once she voiced her disapproval of cannibalism, due to the poor people who had their lives taken by others.

She, her Super-Mutant buddy and Brotherhood of Steel Paladin friend wiped out most of the population, leaving two orphans who were taken in by the old man from before who tried to warn them.

The whole ordeal REALLY stressed her out.

She felt like she could've handled the situation better and helped the families get over their dependence on cannibalism to survive.

Her head friend was pretty rattled by the whole thing too, so they really both needed rest.

Cywren found a place to sleep that night. There was a campfire made out of wood scraps.

She stared at the fire, trying to think of nice things.

Her friend, Sarah, put a hand on her shoulder. Cywren was a little startled but broke out of her daydream trance.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, of course."

"... That whole thing was rough, feel free to unload whatever you gotta."

"We all witnessed the same thing. I don't want to stress you out further."

"IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL ANY BETTER, THOSE CHILDREN WILL NOT HAVE TO BE RAISED ON HUMAN MEAT."

"Well, thanks, Copper, but I mean, their parents still loved them. I don't know..."

"VERY FAIR. A PARENT NATURALLY LOVES THEIR CHILD, EVEN IF THEIR SITUATION IS... LESS THAN ADEQUATE. THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY COULD."

"Yeah, that's part of why I'm upset, I guess."

"Understandable. But hey, you're tough. It'll be okay."

Cywren felt grateful that her friends were trying to comfort her, but she still couldn't help feeling like she'd robbed the children of loving parents.