A quick flash of how she would have handled this situation appeared in my mind. Jaunty smile, flirt and threat intermingling effortlessly in her words and expressions. I snorted at the thought of any one of us trying something like that. It'd never work, because we weren't her. But with or without her, we were in this situation, and we'd have to deal with it.
Apparently, the thug misinterpreted my snort, and his smarmy smile vanished, replaced with an ugly expression that honestly seemed more at home on his face. His goons closed in, barrels rising toward us. Amateurs. I felt a tight smile stretch my lips. Clustered up close like that, they'd go down like pins from the old pre-war game of bowling. But the lascannon on the wall was another matter, not to mention whatever rabble remained inside the wall. It was still time for words, not bullets.
"Don't rightly know how we might serve you," came the unexpectedly casual drawl from Doc, who was still a couple steps in front of me. It took me a moment to recognize the inflection; It was hers of course, Doc was mimicking her style of speech. He didn't have the presence to really pull it off, but I had to admire the guts it took to try. Besides, this was his town.
"Don't rightly know," he repeated, "because I don't know who you are."
"We're the stewards of Outertown," the lead thug blustered, trying to regain his composure. "The guardians of Nova Vi."
"Bullshit," replied Doc, his reserve cracking only slightly, more fire to the words than she would have put there. "I was born and raised in this town, and I know every single face. You three," he paused, and I could see his head move to look at each man individually, "don't belong here." The man looked taken aback for a moment, and I thought it was about to be bullets, but then he crossed his arms and laughed. He laughed like a goddamn villain from the old movies, out loud, with his head thrown back. His back-up glanced at each other, and laughed uneasily along with him.
"That's where you're wrong, my young buck," he replied, leaning forward, looming over Doc's slight form. "Outertown is ours now, unless you think you're going to do something about that?"
Showing posts with label Unchosen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unchosen. Show all posts
09 May 2017
04 May 2017
Unchosen 33
We rounded the bend, and Outertown hove into view. We could see that they'd been busy since the worm, since the walls were once more intact, and even more, reinforced with what appeared to be blocks of stone cut from the surrounding canyon rock. Doc had move into the fore, and his eyes scanned the walls avidly, a vague expression of approval on his young face. However, as I watched him look at the town of his birth, I saw his expression shift through puzzled into concerned. I turned my own eyes back toward the town, though it took me a moment to see what was wrong.
The gates stood open like they usually did when there was no imminent threat, and thin streamers of smoke rose from behind the walls; Cook fires, and probably Elwin's forge. That was all as expected, but the demeanor of the toughs at the gate was slouchy, and the slight buzz of voices and activity from inside seemed off, more raucous than expected. While the residents of Outertown had formerly been raiders and bandits, they'd acquired a veneer of civility and sophistication in the generation since they'd thrown their lot in with the Nova Vi vault-born. The few visible guardians held themselves like wild dogs; simultaneously wary of a kick and greedy for whatever they could snatch.
"Something's wrong," Doc said, and I nodded. Chasity had obviously noticed it too, as had Tex, since they'd both fanned out to either side of Doc and me. I stopped and dropped one hand to my holster; Doc didn't reach for his submachine gun, but I could easily see the tension in his shoulders as he took a couple more steps forward, eyes still intent on the town.
"Wall," Chasity said tightly.
Looking where she indicated, I saw one of the two pintle-mounted cannons was swinging around, and I could hear the hum as its reactor came online. From the gate, a party of men emerged, the leader not ostensibly armed, but the two flanking him with their weapons at the ready. The lead man had a cocky grin on his face as he approached.
"Welcome to Outertown," he said, his voice oozing with repressed humor, and his eyes dark and cruel. "How can you serve us today?"
The gates stood open like they usually did when there was no imminent threat, and thin streamers of smoke rose from behind the walls; Cook fires, and probably Elwin's forge. That was all as expected, but the demeanor of the toughs at the gate was slouchy, and the slight buzz of voices and activity from inside seemed off, more raucous than expected. While the residents of Outertown had formerly been raiders and bandits, they'd acquired a veneer of civility and sophistication in the generation since they'd thrown their lot in with the Nova Vi vault-born. The few visible guardians held themselves like wild dogs; simultaneously wary of a kick and greedy for whatever they could snatch.
"Something's wrong," Doc said, and I nodded. Chasity had obviously noticed it too, as had Tex, since they'd both fanned out to either side of Doc and me. I stopped and dropped one hand to my holster; Doc didn't reach for his submachine gun, but I could easily see the tension in his shoulders as he took a couple more steps forward, eyes still intent on the town.
"Wall," Chasity said tightly.
Looking where she indicated, I saw one of the two pintle-mounted cannons was swinging around, and I could hear the hum as its reactor came online. From the gate, a party of men emerged, the leader not ostensibly armed, but the two flanking him with their weapons at the ready. The lead man had a cocky grin on his face as he approached.
"Welcome to Outertown," he said, his voice oozing with repressed humor, and his eyes dark and cruel. "How can you serve us today?"
24 November 2014
Unchosen 32
Nova Vi was a soft town. Nestled deep in a blind canyon, it was naturally defensible, and the unsealed vault that was at its heart, full of books and knowledge, allowed the inhabitants to make a better life than could be found in most places in the wastes. A long while back they'd cut a deal with a few of the stronger raider groups, and eventually they'd managed to form a lasting symbiosis. The former raiders lived large in Outertown, benefiting from the knowledge they protected in Innertown, which is where the scientists, scholars and doctors, with their technology and advanced ways lived.
Doc was from Innertown, and he'd been talented even for someone raised to it. If it hadn't been for the worm, he'd probably still be there. I still hadn't quite figured why he'd come with us, and there'd been many times I thought the soft, idealistic kid would die in the wastes. In some ways though, I guess he did. He still walked, talked and cracked the same ironic grin, but that youth who'd followed her out into the unknown was dead and buried.
Doc didn't say much as we wended our way into the canyon, but I could see the mix of emotions on his face. One moment he almost looked eager, young again in his enthusiasm for his former home. At other times, almost afraid, and still others... contemptuous? It was definitely a complicated homecoming for the kid, that much was obvious.
Just one more bend of the canyon, and we'd be within sight of Outertown.
12 December 2013
Unchosen 31
It was a few days before we were completely free of the ruins, and weeks more before we were recovered enough to move on. We'd stopped back into Leah to let the townsfolk know that we'd failed. They took the news stolidly enough, and Chasity never said a word. I guess it was a hard life, even in the pretty little township, and loss wasn't something anyone was unfamiliar with. From there, we headed back out into the world again, heading north again, trying to regain the trail of the crew that had taken the object of Her quest.
The object of Her quest. We knew a little bit more about it, but not much. She'd told us some, but though trust ran between us like an electrical current, this was the one thing she'd always played very close to the chest. We discussed it between us in the evenings, what it was for, what we'd do with it if- when we managed to get it back. We didn't really even have a plan to do that, but getting it back, finishing Her quest, was the only thing we had.
So we wandered. We followed hints, rumors, any thread we could pick up, from junktown to village to ruined town. Weeks passed. A month. Then we rolled back into Doc's hometown, Nova Vi.
12 November 2013
Unchosen 30
I remember pain. Searing pain all over, but mostly in my back. That's what I came back to, after blackness.
After the pain, there were voices, urgent, nearly frantic at first, then calmer. Flickers of light, the sky, a fire. It was all muddled for a little while, but after a little while, it started to clear up. I tried to sit up, but the agony came back and I lost myself for a while.
The next I remember, it's dark, with a flickering fire, barely big enough to heat coffee. Except, we didn't have coffee, I remembered. It'd been a month since the last of it ran out. I didn't try to sit up this time, just turned my head. The pain flared again, but not enough to put me out this time. My eyes focused, and I found myself looking at the slack-jawed face of Tex, laid out on his bedroll next to me. His throat was still bandaged, and he was drooling, but even in the firelight I could tell that his color was much better. I turned my head again, bracing for the pain, and found Chasity and Doc, their murmured conversations stilled, staring at me across the tiny fire.
"Welcome back, you old geezer," Chasity said with a grin. I didn't answer at first, just looked her over, trying to recall what had happened. I saw the heavy bandages around her forearm, and it all came back to me. The beast in the ruins, with the acid spray. It'd gotten Chasity first, and then... Nothing. I couldn't dredge up the last bits, other than some vague recollection about the antenna.
"I got some bad news, gramps," said Doc, his voice grave. I let my eyes focus on him, searching his expression. He'd pulled something out of his pack, and held it in his lap. After a moment, he lifted it up, letting the faint light from the fire shine through it. "Your duster didn't make it. I figured you might want to say a few words before we bury it."
After the pain, there were voices, urgent, nearly frantic at first, then calmer. Flickers of light, the sky, a fire. It was all muddled for a little while, but after a little while, it started to clear up. I tried to sit up, but the agony came back and I lost myself for a while.
The next I remember, it's dark, with a flickering fire, barely big enough to heat coffee. Except, we didn't have coffee, I remembered. It'd been a month since the last of it ran out. I didn't try to sit up this time, just turned my head. The pain flared again, but not enough to put me out this time. My eyes focused, and I found myself looking at the slack-jawed face of Tex, laid out on his bedroll next to me. His throat was still bandaged, and he was drooling, but even in the firelight I could tell that his color was much better. I turned my head again, bracing for the pain, and found Chasity and Doc, their murmured conversations stilled, staring at me across the tiny fire.
"Welcome back, you old geezer," Chasity said with a grin. I didn't answer at first, just looked her over, trying to recall what had happened. I saw the heavy bandages around her forearm, and it all came back to me. The beast in the ruins, with the acid spray. It'd gotten Chasity first, and then... Nothing. I couldn't dredge up the last bits, other than some vague recollection about the antenna.
"I got some bad news, gramps," said Doc, his voice grave. I let my eyes focus on him, searching his expression. He'd pulled something out of his pack, and held it in his lap. After a moment, he lifted it up, letting the faint light from the fire shine through it. "Your duster didn't make it. I figured you might want to say a few words before we bury it."
15 October 2012
Unchosen 29
We had a chance, but the fight wasn't over yet. There was still no reasonable chance of fleeing and getting everyone out alive, and if we'd learned anything since coming together, it was that you don't leave your comrades. The centipede was tapping its way toward me, the spur dripping acid, as though it couldn't wait to blast me into a sizzling puddle. I lined up my revolver again, knowing we wouldn't be able to move Tex before it got to us. If I was lucky, another shot could cripple the other antenna, and maybe give us enough time to get away.
Once again, I ran my marksmanship drills through my head as it the head bobbed steadily closer to me, and the uninjured antenna flicked across the rocks and broken terrain trying to find me. When I squeezed the trigger, I knew the shot was true. The shot was true, but luck was against me. The monster jinked its massive head 6 inches to the right, and the bullet tore a hole into the carapace, but not close enough to injure the antenna. At that moment, the antenna lashed out and caught my arm, and I knew we were dead. It oriented the spur on me, and I raised my second gun to unleash hell before it got me.
Then Chasity screamed again, this time a sound of defiant fury, and as she did, she cut loose with the submachinegun in three buzzsaw bursts. The centipede screamed as the bullets tore into the carapace all around the uninjured antenna, and the final burst tore it completely off. The spur erupted with acid and I turned and threw myself atop Tex, hoping that Doc would find some sort of cover.
Once again, I ran my marksmanship drills through my head as it the head bobbed steadily closer to me, and the uninjured antenna flicked across the rocks and broken terrain trying to find me. When I squeezed the trigger, I knew the shot was true. The shot was true, but luck was against me. The monster jinked its massive head 6 inches to the right, and the bullet tore a hole into the carapace, but not close enough to injure the antenna. At that moment, the antenna lashed out and caught my arm, and I knew we were dead. It oriented the spur on me, and I raised my second gun to unleash hell before it got me.
Then Chasity screamed again, this time a sound of defiant fury, and as she did, she cut loose with the submachinegun in three buzzsaw bursts. The centipede screamed as the bullets tore into the carapace all around the uninjured antenna, and the final burst tore it completely off. The spur erupted with acid and I turned and threw myself atop Tex, hoping that Doc would find some sort of cover.
02 October 2012
Unchosen 28
Everything I'd ever learned about marksmanship flowed through my mind as I sighted down the length of the barrel. Breathing, steady and slow, wait for the natural pause. Trigger squeeze, tip of the finger, not the bend, smooth squeeze, don't pull. Sight picture, the base of the antenna squarely framed by the rear notch, bisected by the sight post. My hand had never seemed so steady, so sure. Everything slowed to a crawl, and as the breath left me, I paused for a split second and took up the slack on the trigger.
That old revolver roared in my ears, but my eyes never left the target. I knew the shot would go true, but I didn't know if it would be enough. As the bullet ripped through the chitin and into the joint, there was an explosion of clear, viscous liquid, and the monster screamed again, but the antenna didn't go flying off like I'd hoped. The centipede turned, orienting on me, and the antennae lashed out toward me.
It was only then, after beginning to think that I'd failed and doomed us all, that I saw how that antenna flailed wildly, no longer tapping with the same precision as the blind beast tried to find me. I hadn't taken the antenna off, but I had crippled it. We had a chance.
That old revolver roared in my ears, but my eyes never left the target. I knew the shot would go true, but I didn't know if it would be enough. As the bullet ripped through the chitin and into the joint, there was an explosion of clear, viscous liquid, and the monster screamed again, but the antenna didn't go flying off like I'd hoped. The centipede turned, orienting on me, and the antennae lashed out toward me.
It was only then, after beginning to think that I'd failed and doomed us all, that I saw how that antenna flailed wildly, no longer tapping with the same precision as the blind beast tried to find me. I hadn't taken the antenna off, but I had crippled it. We had a chance.
26 September 2012
Unchosen 27
Chasity's scream rent the air. The mortal agony in her voice made me clench my teeth. I shifted my grip on the litter, getting one hand free to raise one of my revolvers to aim at the monstrous bug. Only... where to shoot? Everwhere on the massive head was armored, and it didn't have eyes, or that would have been the obvious target. The acid spur seemed risky; Who knew what rupturing that might do? As I was considering my target, I felt a hand smack weakly into my leg. I looked down into Tex's nearly delirious eyes as he murmured something I couldn't hear over Chasity's scream, and another chatter of submachinegun fire. Damn, but that girl was tough.
"The antenna, you old fuck," Tex managed in the brief silence that followed. "Shoot the antenna."
I looked up to see Chasity hunched behind a rock weeping copiously while trying to slap another magazine into the gun one-handed. The centipede's antennae were whipping furiously, tip-tapping the ground, working their way closer to her hiding spot. It seemed to have forgotten the rest of us in Chasity's determinedly continued assault. It was obvious that she didn't expect to get out of there alive, and she was giving us the opportunity to get away.
To hell with that.
I thumbed back the hammer on my revolver, leveled it and squinted as I brought it to bear. Chances were, I'd only get one clean shot.
"The antenna, you old fuck," Tex managed in the brief silence that followed. "Shoot the antenna."
I looked up to see Chasity hunched behind a rock weeping copiously while trying to slap another magazine into the gun one-handed. The centipede's antennae were whipping furiously, tip-tapping the ground, working their way closer to her hiding spot. It seemed to have forgotten the rest of us in Chasity's determinedly continued assault. It was obvious that she didn't expect to get out of there alive, and she was giving us the opportunity to get away.
To hell with that.
I thumbed back the hammer on my revolver, leveled it and squinted as I brought it to bear. Chances were, I'd only get one clean shot.
13 September 2012
Unchosen 26
Then everything went to shit in a hurry.
Doc shifted his grip on the litter, and took a half step, preparing to run. Before he could even shift his weight from the other foot, one of the antennae lashed out like a whip, catching him in the chest and making him stagger. Still holding the other end of the litter, I tried to fumble for one of my guns, and the other one swished toward me and swiped across my forehead. It stung, but not like I'd expected; It was more like getting snapped with a rubberband than an attack. The creature instantly started zipping toward us, it's massive pincers levering wide open, and the myriad tendrils on each twitching spastically.
Then Chasity let rip a burst of fire, directly into the sextet of mandibles between the pincers, as Doc recovered. I twisted, getting ready to get out of there, letting Chasity cover our retreat again, as much as it galled me to do so. The centibeast reared up and let loose with a shrill warbling noise as the burst of bullets ripped into the soft tissue inside its mouth. Then both antennae lashed toward Chasity, tapping her a few times before withdrawing and drawing another burst of fire from her in response.
That was when we found out what the spur on its head was for. The pincers slammed shut, and the head came back down, orienting directly at Chasity. Before any of us could react, a stream of slime, exactly the same shade as the puddles all around, shot out at Chasity. In the instant before it hit here, I had time to think she was a dead woman, but she threw up her arm and lunged to the side, just in time for the stream to miss her. Almost.
Doc shifted his grip on the litter, and took a half step, preparing to run. Before he could even shift his weight from the other foot, one of the antennae lashed out like a whip, catching him in the chest and making him stagger. Still holding the other end of the litter, I tried to fumble for one of my guns, and the other one swished toward me and swiped across my forehead. It stung, but not like I'd expected; It was more like getting snapped with a rubberband than an attack. The creature instantly started zipping toward us, it's massive pincers levering wide open, and the myriad tendrils on each twitching spastically.
Then Chasity let rip a burst of fire, directly into the sextet of mandibles between the pincers, as Doc recovered. I twisted, getting ready to get out of there, letting Chasity cover our retreat again, as much as it galled me to do so. The centibeast reared up and let loose with a shrill warbling noise as the burst of bullets ripped into the soft tissue inside its mouth. Then both antennae lashed toward Chasity, tapping her a few times before withdrawing and drawing another burst of fire from her in response.
That was when we found out what the spur on its head was for. The pincers slammed shut, and the head came back down, orienting directly at Chasity. Before any of us could react, a stream of slime, exactly the same shade as the puddles all around, shot out at Chasity. In the instant before it hit here, I had time to think she was a dead woman, but she threw up her arm and lunged to the side, just in time for the stream to miss her. Almost.
11 September 2012
Unchosen 25
It took me a moment to realize what I was seeing. Dead ahead, in the remnants of an intersection where two buildings had collapsed into a heap, there was a vaguely round hole, the size of one of those old VW buses, burrowed into the wreckage.
It wasn't the hole that had caught Doc's attention, but the wasted landscape around it. Rock, concrete and steel was scorched and melted, and everywhere in the blackened landscape, there were hissing puddles of greenish goo. Before I could even open my mouth to recommend a quick withdrawal, there was the sound of grinding movement, and deep within the burrow, something stirred.
The monster emerged from the hole segment by segment, one chitinous section after the next, with a dozen legs each. The first part had two long barbed feelers that tapped at the ground and rocks as it emerged. There were no other features that might identify eyes or mouth, which was somehow more horrifying than massive pincers and glowing multi-faceted eyes would have been. At least, that's what I thought in that moment.
Then the far end emerged and whipped around, and our perceptions realigned; The monstrous centipede had exited its burrow backward, but now the business end was pointed at us, and the rear end no longer seemed quite so creepy as it had. Foremost were a pair of massive, articulated pincers, with thousands of waving, foot-long tendrils covering them. Behind them, we could barely make out a hexagon of smaller mandibles surrounding its mouth, each one literally dripping with venom. Topping the thorny shelled head were a pair of long antennae at least seven feet long, constantly twitching and tapping the landscape around it. Between the antennae and the pincers, where eyes might be on another creature, there was a single, blunt spur, no more than a hand in length.
We stared at the creature in fascinated terror for a moment, reflecting that this really was no longer the world of men.
It wasn't the hole that had caught Doc's attention, but the wasted landscape around it. Rock, concrete and steel was scorched and melted, and everywhere in the blackened landscape, there were hissing puddles of greenish goo. Before I could even open my mouth to recommend a quick withdrawal, there was the sound of grinding movement, and deep within the burrow, something stirred.
The monster emerged from the hole segment by segment, one chitinous section after the next, with a dozen legs each. The first part had two long barbed feelers that tapped at the ground and rocks as it emerged. There were no other features that might identify eyes or mouth, which was somehow more horrifying than massive pincers and glowing multi-faceted eyes would have been. At least, that's what I thought in that moment.
Then the far end emerged and whipped around, and our perceptions realigned; The monstrous centipede had exited its burrow backward, but now the business end was pointed at us, and the rear end no longer seemed quite so creepy as it had. Foremost were a pair of massive, articulated pincers, with thousands of waving, foot-long tendrils covering them. Behind them, we could barely make out a hexagon of smaller mandibles surrounding its mouth, each one literally dripping with venom. Topping the thorny shelled head were a pair of long antennae at least seven feet long, constantly twitching and tapping the landscape around it. Between the antennae and the pincers, where eyes might be on another creature, there was a single, blunt spur, no more than a hand in length.
We stared at the creature in fascinated terror for a moment, reflecting that this really was no longer the world of men.
19 July 2012
Unchosen 24
It started with proof that there's no such thing as being too cautious. The mutants attacked again, coming at us from all directions, howling in fury as they came. I was on the litter at that point, so Chasity snatched Doc's sub-machinegun from under his arm, and sprayed at the nearest group of muties. I started to set down my end of the litter, but Doc shoved it into my hand, and yelled at me.
"Run! There's too many to fight off out in the open!"
I glanced at Chasity as she let off another chattering burst of gunfire, dropping two of the yellow beasts, and scattering several more. Her teeth were bared in a snarl as she raised her rifle one-handed and shot another in the face at point blank range. Doc gave another shove, and I lurched into a jog, leaving it to Chasity to cover our retreat. I hated to do it, but I trusted Chasity's competence, and we were in too dire a situation to argue.
"Uh, guys?" she called after a couple minutes of running, punctuated by more more bursts of gunfire. "Something's wrong. I don't think they're really trying to catch us." I glanced back just in time to see the last of the mutants melting away back into the ruins.
"Oh, shit," murmured Doc, and the awed tone of his voice snapped my head back around to the front.
"Run! There's too many to fight off out in the open!"
I glanced at Chasity as she let off another chattering burst of gunfire, dropping two of the yellow beasts, and scattering several more. Her teeth were bared in a snarl as she raised her rifle one-handed and shot another in the face at point blank range. Doc gave another shove, and I lurched into a jog, leaving it to Chasity to cover our retreat. I hated to do it, but I trusted Chasity's competence, and we were in too dire a situation to argue.
"Uh, guys?" she called after a couple minutes of running, punctuated by more more bursts of gunfire. "Something's wrong. I don't think they're really trying to catch us." I glanced back just in time to see the last of the mutants melting away back into the ruins.
"Oh, shit," murmured Doc, and the awed tone of his voice snapped my head back around to the front.
26 June 2012
Unchosen 23
Despite Tex's half-hearted protests, we changed direction and started out of the ruins, but getting out was easier said than done. We'd managed to get a fair distance into the devastated city even before we'd met the first ambush, and moving Tex with us wasn't easy. He insisted on trying to walk at first, but every movement caused blood to seep through the patch job Doc had done on him, so he was finally overridden. The fact that Doc, wiry as he was, could have taken the much bigger Tex in a wrestling match without breaking a sweat may have helped decide the issue.
It was slow going. Chasity and I took turns carrying the makeshift litter with Doc and pulling security. Doc trooped along with the litter so he could monitor his patient, but even he kept his sidearm slung ready. Hopefully we'd given the yellow muties enough of a bad taste that they wouldn't come near us again, but with one of us wounded, there wasn't any guarantee that they stay away. Even if they did, there was always some nightmare beast nestled away in the ruins of these old cities.
As we soon found out.
It was slow going. Chasity and I took turns carrying the makeshift litter with Doc and pulling security. Doc trooped along with the litter so he could monitor his patient, but even he kept his sidearm slung ready. Hopefully we'd given the yellow muties enough of a bad taste that they wouldn't come near us again, but with one of us wounded, there wasn't any guarantee that they stay away. Even if they did, there was always some nightmare beast nestled away in the ruins of these old cities.
As we soon found out.
14 June 2012
Unchosen 22
"How ya doin' on ammo, Chas?" I asked as I counted out my remaining bullets. It wasn't a pleasing number.
"I'm not going to run out in the next five minutes," she said after a minute, but I could tell by her tone that she wasn't doing much better than I was. "How's Tex?"
I glanced over toward Doc and Tex again. Doc's hands were moving steadily, but there wasn't anymore tension to the set of his shoulders, so I knew Tex would live. Throatshot, and he'd live, I thought, shaking my head ruefully. Doc was a wonder kid, that was for sure. Still, we had to get him out of here, or else no amount of doctoring was going to help.
"Looks like we might have to put up with him a bit longer yet," I replied.
"Pity," she shot back. I glanced over at her, and noted her intense stillness. She had more to say, and was working up to it. I let the silence play out, staring forward intently. Finally, she rolled onto her side to shout at Doc. "Hey, Doc! Soon as you're done, we're out of here."
"The hell..!" Tex croaked, then coughed weakly before trying again. "The hell we are. We've got to find your kin."
"They're dead," she growled back. "You're not. We're leaving."
"I'm not going to run out in the next five minutes," she said after a minute, but I could tell by her tone that she wasn't doing much better than I was. "How's Tex?"
I glanced over toward Doc and Tex again. Doc's hands were moving steadily, but there wasn't anymore tension to the set of his shoulders, so I knew Tex would live. Throatshot, and he'd live, I thought, shaking my head ruefully. Doc was a wonder kid, that was for sure. Still, we had to get him out of here, or else no amount of doctoring was going to help.
"Looks like we might have to put up with him a bit longer yet," I replied.
"Pity," she shot back. I glanced over at her, and noted her intense stillness. She had more to say, and was working up to it. I let the silence play out, staring forward intently. Finally, she rolled onto her side to shout at Doc. "Hey, Doc! Soon as you're done, we're out of here."
"The hell..!" Tex croaked, then coughed weakly before trying again. "The hell we are. We've got to find your kin."
"They're dead," she growled back. "You're not. We're leaving."
31 May 2012
Unchosen 21
Somehow, a half-dead man with blood gushing from his throat blowing away two of their packmates took the fight out of the rest of them. Those that could still move tried to beat a swift retreat. Those that weren't fast enough never made it to cover, as Chasity and I took them down, fleeing or not. I even heard the shotgun roar a couple more times, despite Doc's protests.
"Knock it off, Tex!" he growled from behind me, as I emptied the last two chambers. "I've just barely got the bleeding stopped, you moron!"
I crouched down next to Chasity while I reloaded, and she glanced my way with a smirk before she turned back to scanning the perimeter for any less survival-minded muties.
"You got him stabilized, kid?" I called as I slapped the cylinders closed and half-stood, making my way over to them in a crouch.
"Almost, no thanks to this goon," Doc replied, never taking his eyes off his patient. I glanced down as I approached. Tex was a mess of blood, and pale as a corpse, but I could see his teeth were clenched in pain, and his eyes glared up at me, daring me to comment. I just nodded to him before dropping to my haunches on his other side, ready for another attack, if it ever came.
"Knock it off, Tex!" he growled from behind me, as I emptied the last two chambers. "I've just barely got the bleeding stopped, you moron!"
I crouched down next to Chasity while I reloaded, and she glanced my way with a smirk before she turned back to scanning the perimeter for any less survival-minded muties.
"You got him stabilized, kid?" I called as I slapped the cylinders closed and half-stood, making my way over to them in a crouch.
"Almost, no thanks to this goon," Doc replied, never taking his eyes off his patient. I glanced down as I approached. Tex was a mess of blood, and pale as a corpse, but I could see his teeth were clenched in pain, and his eyes glared up at me, daring me to comment. I just nodded to him before dropping to my haunches on his other side, ready for another attack, if it ever came.
25 May 2012
Unchosen 20
Chasity was still prone out in the open, but nothing else came at us just yet. I guess the ugly gleam in her eye and the ever-scanning barrel of her rifle dissuaded any heroics from our ambushers. Still, it couldn't go on forever; The longer it took to end this conflict, the worse it would be for us. I whistled a sharp, abrupt little signal, then stood up from behind the rubble I'd been using as cover, both revolvers up and ready. As soon as I showed myself, I caught a flash of movement ahead of us, and by the sudden swivel of Chasity barrel, I knew she had too. Still, it wasn't a clean shot, so she held off. I stepped around the rock, eyes roving around, anywhere but right ahead of us; Chasity would cover that direction more than adequately, and I knew that any creature cunning enough to stage an ambush wouldn't attack from only one direction.
I wasn't disappointed. From Chasity's left, a sudden disturbance turned into a rush of three of the yellowish mutants, charging right down on her position. She never even batted an eye as I lifted both revolvers and sent the beasties to meet their maker. A single crack told me that the creature to our front had thought to take advantage of the distraction, and paid the price.
A sudden stab of dread made me reverse course, leveling my revolver back toward Doc and Tex, but I knew I was too late even before I saw the pair of monsters bearing down Doc's back. Suddenly, a roar of fire shredded both of them, and Doc threw himself to the ground with a string of curses. Barely audible under his tirade, I heard a feeble voice.
"Fuckers only get the drop on me once."
I wasn't disappointed. From Chasity's left, a sudden disturbance turned into a rush of three of the yellowish mutants, charging right down on her position. She never even batted an eye as I lifted both revolvers and sent the beasties to meet their maker. A single crack told me that the creature to our front had thought to take advantage of the distraction, and paid the price.
A sudden stab of dread made me reverse course, leveling my revolver back toward Doc and Tex, but I knew I was too late even before I saw the pair of monsters bearing down Doc's back. Suddenly, a roar of fire shredded both of them, and Doc threw himself to the ground with a string of curses. Barely audible under his tirade, I heard a feeble voice.
"Fuckers only get the drop on me once."
17 May 2012
Unchosen 19
I lunged forward and caught Tex's shoulder, keeping him from falling forward onto his face. Just as he'd crumbled, I'd seen the shaft of some sort of dart or arrow protruding from his throat, and if it hadn't killed him already, I didn't want it getting jammed in any deeper to finish the job.
I quickly dragged him into some rubble and struggling foliage as Chasity and Doc winged off some shots to our front and found their own cover. Taking advantage of their cover fire, I examined Tex with a practiced eye. The dart protruded about 3 inches out of his throat, and blood was flowing copiously. At a guess, I'd have said that it was buried another inch or two inside, and from the gurgling sound as he gasped for breath, it'd sliced into his trachea pretty well. There wasn't much chance for him, especially in the middle of an ambush.
"Doc!" I bawled, laying Tex down as gently as I could behind a good sized rock. I turned with a hand already dipping down to draw my revolver when I saw the kid was already scurrying toward my hiding spot, while Chasity placed a few more measured shots into likely hiding places. Still, nothing showed, and no more projectiles came our way. Doc crouched down beside me, his face pale but resolute.
"He doesn't look good," he said grimly, swinging his pack off of his shoulder to get at the supplies inside.
"He's not going to make it, is he?" I asked as calmly as I could, not bothering to look back over my shoulder as I scanned our surroundings.
"The fuck he isn't!" Doc snarled. I just shook my head and drew my other revolver.
29 December 2011
Unchosen 18
Tex took the lead as we followed the trail of blood. It wasn't that hard to follow for the most part, but occasionally the flatness of streets were broken by rubble and places where the natural world, although much abused, was trying to reassert itself. Tex was simply untouchable when it came to tracking, so it was natural that he lead the way.
As we walked, I found myself drifting into thought, against my better instincts. I told myself to pay attention to my surroundings several times, but I kept fading back into reverie as I followed the others. As disparate a bunch as we were, we'd still reacted with the same precision as we always had. There was more arguing and bickering than there had been when she'd been able to quell it with a word or a glance, but we still worked well as a team. That shouldn't have been surprising, but it was.
It couldn't be denied that she'd been the one thing we'd had in common, the one who took four strangers from across the wastelands and bound us into one unbeatable team. With her gone, I'd expected us to fall apart, or simply implode from our differences. I don't think I was the only one. The others, as young as they were, had lived lives of privation and ugliness too. It was only natural that we'd fail and crumble, as the entire world had before us. Except, we weren't. Not yet, and maybe not ever. It was a disturbing thought, in a way. It was like hope had fled from us, but was now peeking at us from hiding, to see what we'd do.
As we walked, I found myself drifting into thought, against my better instincts. I told myself to pay attention to my surroundings several times, but I kept fading back into reverie as I followed the others. As disparate a bunch as we were, we'd still reacted with the same precision as we always had. There was more arguing and bickering than there had been when she'd been able to quell it with a word or a glance, but we still worked well as a team. That shouldn't have been surprising, but it was.
It couldn't be denied that she'd been the one thing we'd had in common, the one who took four strangers from across the wastelands and bound us into one unbeatable team. With her gone, I'd expected us to fall apart, or simply implode from our differences. I don't think I was the only one. The others, as young as they were, had lived lives of privation and ugliness too. It was only natural that we'd fail and crumble, as the entire world had before us. Except, we weren't. Not yet, and maybe not ever. It was a disturbing thought, in a way. It was like hope had fled from us, but was now peeking at us from hiding, to see what we'd do.
That line of thought was cut short as Tex suddenly let out a startled sound, then crumpled to the broken pavement.
23 December 2011
Unchosen 17
We took several minutes to catch our breaths as we examined the creatures. They were unfortunate looking beasts, mottled in glaring yellows and bruise-browns, with uneven tufts of greasy hair patchworking their bared bodies. One of them was still squirming and making small sounds. I felt the others drift closer as I went over to stand over it.
Small dark eyes peered out from under a heavy brow at me as it writhed in agony. It was gutshot, and likely the poisons and acids from its stomach and intestines would be causing new levels of pain before it finally bled to death. It's eyes met mine, and it bared formidable fangs at me in a snarl of defiance, and it whined an ugly sound of hate and fear. I stared back at it as I dropped the shells from my revolver, replacing them one by one with practiced ease. Then I lifted the gun, and splattered its head across the pavement.
Chasity, her voice tight with nerves spoke as I reloaded that expended bullet, and the other gun.
"I managed to wing one, as they were fleeing," she said. "We've got a trail to follow."
Small dark eyes peered out from under a heavy brow at me as it writhed in agony. It was gutshot, and likely the poisons and acids from its stomach and intestines would be causing new levels of pain before it finally bled to death. It's eyes met mine, and it bared formidable fangs at me in a snarl of defiance, and it whined an ugly sound of hate and fear. I stared back at it as I dropped the shells from my revolver, replacing them one by one with practiced ease. Then I lifted the gun, and splattered its head across the pavement.
Chasity, her voice tight with nerves spoke as I reloaded that expended bullet, and the other gun.
"I managed to wing one, as they were fleeing," she said. "We've got a trail to follow."
22 December 2011
Unchosen 16
There was a flicker of motion ahead of me, and I drew my revolvers, not yet lifting them from my hips. My guns weren't for the long shot, but when they hit something, typically it never got back up. There was another movement off to the left, and Chasity shifted her rifle toward it, before another came, slightly off to the right.
"What are they, gramps?" called Doc. Boy wasn't bad in a fight, but he had a tendency to get the nerves in the moments before the bullets were loosed. I ignored him, since I couldn't answer his question anyway. I felt more than I heard him and Tex edging in close behind me. With an unknown number of targets, and thus far no reason to believe they had guns, massing wasn't a bad tactic. It'd get ugly if we were wrong, though.
The howling noises came again, and again, from the left, right, and rear, a few here, and several there. From the sounds, I'd guess we had at least a dozen, but it was obvious they were trying to intimidate us and throw off the count. That was when I decided there wasn't any point in waiting for them to queue the music.
"Chasity, edge forward, slow, steady. Tex, Doc, keep up and cover the rear," I said quietly. I heard a snort from Tex, but when Chasity began half-stepping it forward, I heard them moving along behind us. It had the desired effect.
From the left, I caught a blur of motion, and leveled that revolver and fired, barely glancing to make sure of my aim. I heard a shotgun roar behind me, then the chatter of submachine gun fire, just as a mass of yellow, scabrous forms came hurtling out of the darkened doorway of a wrecked building, spreading out as they came. I didn't have time to look at them closely, so I just brought both of my guns together and let the hammers fall. Directly beneath me, steady as the beasts rushed us, Chasity aimed and fired in a smooth rhythm. Shift, aim, fire. Work the bolt, aim, fire.
All at once, we were the only things standing in that cratered court, as the survivors fled, screaming in rage and fear, leaving their fellows to bleed out their lives on the shattered stones.
"What are they, gramps?" called Doc. Boy wasn't bad in a fight, but he had a tendency to get the nerves in the moments before the bullets were loosed. I ignored him, since I couldn't answer his question anyway. I felt more than I heard him and Tex edging in close behind me. With an unknown number of targets, and thus far no reason to believe they had guns, massing wasn't a bad tactic. It'd get ugly if we were wrong, though.
The howling noises came again, and again, from the left, right, and rear, a few here, and several there. From the sounds, I'd guess we had at least a dozen, but it was obvious they were trying to intimidate us and throw off the count. That was when I decided there wasn't any point in waiting for them to queue the music.
"Chasity, edge forward, slow, steady. Tex, Doc, keep up and cover the rear," I said quietly. I heard a snort from Tex, but when Chasity began half-stepping it forward, I heard them moving along behind us. It had the desired effect.
From the left, I caught a blur of motion, and leveled that revolver and fired, barely glancing to make sure of my aim. I heard a shotgun roar behind me, then the chatter of submachine gun fire, just as a mass of yellow, scabrous forms came hurtling out of the darkened doorway of a wrecked building, spreading out as they came. I didn't have time to look at them closely, so I just brought both of my guns together and let the hammers fall. Directly beneath me, steady as the beasts rushed us, Chasity aimed and fired in a smooth rhythm. Shift, aim, fire. Work the bolt, aim, fire.
All at once, we were the only things standing in that cratered court, as the survivors fled, screaming in rage and fear, leaving their fellows to bleed out their lives on the shattered stones.
10 December 2011
Unchosen 15
We tried to get more information from the men, but beyond a boy's wild tales of 'monsters' taking the couple, there wasn't much to go on. Things didn't look good for Heida and Roy, but we weren't going to leave without at least trying to find out what happened to them. We headed into the ruins, looking for any signs of struggle that might help us out. I was actually a bit surprised when we started finding signs of occupation all throughout the inner edges of the devastated town. Rubble had been cleared, and crude signs had been painted on walls. It was obvious that whoever took Chasity's kin, they weren't simply mindless beasts, and from the signs, they didn't take particularly kindly to strangers. The signs were drawings of skulls of animals and humans, and appeared to have been painted with blood.
Chasity led the way into the ruins, every line of her body tight with anger and fear for her kinfolk. I walked along behind her, trying to look in every direction at once, feeling a queer dread crawling up the back of my neck. Behind me, Tex and Doc carried on a quiet conversation.
"Look," said Doc in a near whisper. "Right there, see it?"
"See what?"
"Right there!" I could hear the exasperation in the boy's voice. "I'm nearly touching it."
"It's just a smudge, man. It doesn't mean anything." Tex's voice was a mix of irritation and superiority.
"It's not just a smudge," insisted Doc. "It's the same marking as on all the others."
"It's a damned cave painting, kid. Some primitive just splashed it all over."
"It's a signature," argued Doc. "We're dealing with someone who takes some sort of pride in this grisly display."
"Whatev-" Tex's dismissal cut off as a crazed howl echoed through the concrete and rust all around us. I could hear the sounds of weapons raised behind me, and Chasity was already kneeling, scanning ahead of us with her rifle. Before I could say a word, the howl came again, this time from a dozen, a score of sources.
Whatever they were, they had us surrounded.
Chasity led the way into the ruins, every line of her body tight with anger and fear for her kinfolk. I walked along behind her, trying to look in every direction at once, feeling a queer dread crawling up the back of my neck. Behind me, Tex and Doc carried on a quiet conversation.
"Look," said Doc in a near whisper. "Right there, see it?"
"See what?"
"Right there!" I could hear the exasperation in the boy's voice. "I'm nearly touching it."
"It's just a smudge, man. It doesn't mean anything." Tex's voice was a mix of irritation and superiority.
"It's not just a smudge," insisted Doc. "It's the same marking as on all the others."
"It's a damned cave painting, kid. Some primitive just splashed it all over."
"It's a signature," argued Doc. "We're dealing with someone who takes some sort of pride in this grisly display."
"Whatev-" Tex's dismissal cut off as a crazed howl echoed through the concrete and rust all around us. I could hear the sounds of weapons raised behind me, and Chasity was already kneeling, scanning ahead of us with her rifle. Before I could say a word, the howl came again, this time from a dozen, a score of sources.
Whatever they were, they had us surrounded.
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