Voyages of the Chosen One (Prologue Chapter 12)

Written by: Scotty the Great

Prologue

The day started just like any other in Arroyo. It was a simple, tribal village that was founded some time ago. The sun was lowing itself and the moon was rising. Soon, it would be dark.

He knew that he couldn't be caught by the night. He was not a warrior, and he did not have the assistance of a warrior. He was one of the few intellects of the tribe; one of the few people that looked out for the well-being of the village by keeping an adequate supply of necessary good through bartering and always looking for ways to improve the ways of the tribe without too much outside influence. The village did not want to be too greatly influenced by the outside world for what they have done in the past. They were told by their founder about the evils that existed outside the great canyons that protected them.

The sun was setting faster than he had expected. He knew that he had to get home soon. He knew that his wife would be waiting for him to return. She always waited for him to return. Her conscience would not let her cease her worries. She used to attend the trips with him until their son was born. For the past four years, she stayed in the village to care for their son. It was not her wish, but she knew it could be no other way.

He began to walk faster. The sun was almost completely below the horizon. He was still about three miles away from his destination. He began to wish that he had parted with the man sooner. The man, whose name was irrelevant and not asked, was a trader from one of the nearby towns. Each week, they would meet and barter for whatever goods were needed by the tribe and the town. The town relied on crops from Arroyo to support their growing population. Since the information of the town's needs grew known to Arroyo, an agreement was reached that they would trade with each other. So, each week a member of the tribe and a member of the village would meet and exchange goods. The trip would start at sunrise. They would meet between the two locations at about noon to trade, and then part again until the next week. Being one of the few intellects in the tribe, he had always been selected to go. None of the other intellects wanted to risk venturing into the desert, regardless of whatever protection was offered. He always felt the guards were unnecessary, but it was insisted upon. The warrior was usually friendly, but because he didn't study much, was usually pretty dull and asked too many useless questions during the bartering. There were never any encounters of hostile creatures ever since the trips started, which was even more annoying to him. Finally, for the past few weeks, he was able to convince the tribe to let him voyage by himself.

The sun had now completely disappeared. He broke out into a mad sprint to his village. He knew that they must be worrying. He was never late when returning, but always early. After about ten minutes, he stopped running and began walking again. His lungs were heaving and his legs were burning. He looked ahead of himself and saw in the distance the lights of the village. He became motivated by this site, and began running again. Pain shot through his legs and his lungs; they were not used to working this hard. He kept running, though, and did not stop. He drew closer to the village, and closer yet. The lights grew brighter and brighter. He slowed down again and started to walk. He was so close that he thought the short walk to the village would be nothing now.

It was at that moment that he heard the rustling. At first, he thought he was hearing things. He stopped and waited, wondering if his ears were deceiving him. Soon, the rustling sound came again. He thought quickly, and decided that the sound was just a small creature. He continued walking, not thinking about the sound anymore. The lights of the village grew even brighter; he was so very close now that he could feel it. He could already feel the arms of his wife around him and the sigh of the tribe upon his delayed return.

He was now close enough to make out the figure of the distant bridge. That bridge, that familiar bridge, was the only way into and out of Arroyo. He rushed faster until he was finally to the bridge. He could feel the warm welcome already. He saw the guard on the other side, looking at him. He thought about shouting to the warrior, telling him of his return, but he decided to wait until he reached the other side. Overjoyed about returning, he charged onto the bridge, running across at full speed. His feet pounded the wooden bridge, making each board creak loudly. He looked ahead at the warrior again, and then froze in his tracks. The warrior, the elegant bridge guard, had his spear pulled back and was ready to release. He tried to shout out a warning, but it was too late. The word "Noooooooooo!" escaped his mouth only after the spear was in flight. He tried to duck, to back away, to avoid the spear. He quickly dodged to the left, but it was too late. The spear wound its way into his body. The cold, brisk stone spear head pierced into his sternum, and continued into his heart. He felt a sudden coldness inside him as the cold spearhead came to a rest. He reached up, grabbing at the spear. A chill ran down his spine as his blood spurted out of his chest. The warrior, he saw, was quickly approaching him. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words, blood gushed out in a furry. He knew he was done for. He took one step backward, and then fell onto his back. He laid motionless on the bridge, looking into the moon. He knew he was not dead yet, but he was unable to move. He blinked a few times to remind himself that he was still alive. He heard the footsteps of the warrior approach him, and then an uttered 'Oh shit!' escape the lips of the guard as he realized what he had done. Taking one last look at the moon, feeling sure of his eternal damnation, he closed his eyes.

He awoke around noon the next day. The doctor, his wife, and the warrior that speared him were all in the room.

The doctor approached him and spoke first. "You have lost a lot of blood. You may not live."

"I'm aware of that," he replied. "I am surprised I did not die already."

"I have removed the spear," the doctor informed him. "It was in pretty deep, and damaged a lot. I stitched you up the best I could. Other than that, there is nothing else I can do for you but keep you under close watch, and pray to the spirits for your life." With that, the doctor turned and walked across the room.

The warrior approached the table that he was laying on next. "I am sorry for my mistake. I thought you were already back, and when you came running up so fast I thought for sure it was a raider invasion." The bridge guard did not say any more, but instead waited for a response.

"I understand," came the low reply.

"I am sorry for what I have done to you and your family," the warrior said. There was a high level of sincerity in his voice. "If you die, I will take my life as well. Then we will be equal."

"No," he said. "You can't." Before he could finish, the warrior left the hut. He was astonished that a warrior had such feelings. He looked over at his wife, who had yet to say anything. "I love you. I'm sorry," was all he said to her.

"I love you, too," came the bleak response.

A moment of silence passed, until he finally spoke again. "Bring my son in to see me."

"No!" she yelled. "You can't expect me to do something like that! He's just a little boy, he can't be put through this!"

"Do it!" he shouted back. "I need to talk to him! Bring him to me as my last dieing wish!"

She stood there, looking at him in disbelieve. She thought he had gone completely mad. She was going to refuse again, but the stern look on his face made her change her mind. She quietly left the hut and returned a moment later with his son.

"Son," he beckoned, "come here."

The child looked at his father with a scared look in his eyes. He never had seen his father in this type of condition, and did not know what to make of it. His father had always been a healthy man, and the shock of seeing him so disabled and immobile shocked him.

"It's okay, son," he said. "Come here. Come to your father."

The child looked blankly at his father. He wanted to step forward and stand by the side of his father, but he couldn't find the nerve. His mother nudged him, encouraging him to step forward. The child, after another moment of hesitation, approached his father.

"That's a boy," he said. He then reached out and put his arm around his son's shoulder. The pain in the movement was almost unbearable, but he managed to complete the maneuver. "I have to tell you something. I was going to wait until you grew older to tell you this, but time is running out for me." He paused then, unsure of how to continue. After a few seconds of thinking, he continued. "My father passed this down to me, as his father before him passed to him, and so on. It is a tradition that each father upon his passing bestows upon his child. My ancestor, and your ancestor, was known as the Vault Dweller. He was the one who founded Arroyo. He started this tradition. Upon his passing, he told his son that he needed to protect the tribe. He told his son to watch over the tribe and to make sure that no harm would come to them. The Vault Dweller had strived hard to ensure the safety of the tribe, and did not want it to fall apart. This is why he asked his son to do this task. This is why I am asking you to do this task." He stopped to take a breath. He knew that he did not have much time left. He knew that he would be dead too soon. "Tell me, son, will you except this job?"

His son looked at him, thinking about what to say. He knew that his father was being completely sincere, but was too young to understand how to respond to the situation. All he could say was, "I will make you proud." With that, he turned and rushed out of the room. He was becoming emotional, and could not stop the tears from coming. His father wanted him to be the savior of the village, and all he could do now is cry. He did not want his father to see him in this feeble state. He didn't want his father to think anything less of him than what was envisioned.

As night approached, the man thought about his life. He reflected upon past moments that were utterly happy for him. He thought about his wife and his son, the tribe, and everything else. He was beginning to feel pretty good about himself. He was beginning to believe that he had a chance to live after all. He was starting to feel a lot better.

He began to think back to his wedding. He remembered his wife, dressed in her best garments, walking down the isle to meet him at the alter. He remembered how beautiful she looked, how smoothly she walked, how pretty her smile was. He smiled to himself at that thought. He could remember the words that the Elder spoke, those binding words that would place them together forever. At that moment, he felt immense pain that brought him back to reality. He began convulsing ferociously. His chest felt like it was about to explode. There was a great burning sensation where the spear wound was. The doctor was by his side instantly. He closed his eyes in pain. He felt the doctor's hands grasp his shoulders, trying to steady his shaking body. The pain was unreal. He never knew that pain like this was possible. He opened his mouth and yelled out in pain repeatedly. His organs in his chest felt as if they were being torn apart, as if they were being cut open from the inside. The pain from the previous night was felt once again. He continued yelling out until his shouts were choked out by the blood that started spurting from his mouth. He tried breathing, but the blood flow would not stop. It was like a never-ending fountain of blood. He tried inhaling, only to swallow a mouthful of his own blood. The taste of the substance was unbearable. It was fairly bland, but the mere thought of it made the taste seem horrible. He tried fiercely to breath, but to no avail. There was too much blood. He began to feel his brain beginning to ache from lack of oxygen. His chest felt like it was on fire, and his head was starting to feel like it was going to explode. He became dizzy and dreary. The pain began to slowly fade. He knew that he was about to be dead. He thought again about his wedding, about the kiss that ignited his marriage. He smiled to himself about the thought. His body stopped convulsing completely as he came to rest on the table. The blood flow out of his mouth slowed. The doctor looked down at him and checked his pulse. He did not have to search for long for he already knew what the conclusion would be. The doctor took a step back and looked at him for the last time.

It was at that moment the doctor noticed the smile on his face, and he could not help but to smile himself.

Chapter 1

I remembered that day all too well. It was always replaying over and over again in my mind. That day when my life changed, that day when my father died, that day everything changed. A lot of time had passed since then. I was now twenty years old, but the day never left my mind. I was always worried that I would have to do something heroic to save the tribe. I never felt heroic or confident of my skills. I was plain and average. Nothing distinct separated me from the other members of the tribe. There was that one thing, though, that made everyone look up to me. They thought I was their champion, and always called upon me in their times of needs. I never knew what to say, but I always managed to do the right thing in the end. It was times like that when the day replayed in my mind. The tribe was a constant reminder of the day, and it often drove me mad.

The day was on my mind now as I ran through the village as fast as I could. I was needed in the Elder's tent, and I was told it was urgent. This could be the moment that I had always feared, that I had always dreaded. Would I have to save the tribe? I had been called to see the Elder many times before, but it was never urgent business, so I knew that this must be important. When I arrived, I took a moment outside of the tent to compose myself. Then, before I was ready, she beckoned me to enter. What happened next changed my life, and it was what I feared.

There was no hesitating in what the Elder said. She was blunt in her point, and made it obvious that this was a very serious matter. The Elder told me that I was needed to save the tribe. The brahmin were dying, crops were withering, and the children were becoming ill. I had noticed this, but thought it was just due to a bad crop, the weather, and other causes that were out of my control. I never considered being called upon to save the tribe like this. I always had imagined that there would be an attack on our homeland by a superior force, and I would be needed to lead us to victory. I thought about battle strategies that I could possibly use, and how I could gain an advantage.

My thoughts were drawn back to the conversation at hand as the Elder raised her voice, making it evident that my daydreaming had been noticed. She told me that I was needed to find a Garden of Eden Creation Kit, or a G.E.C.K. The GECK was essential for the survival of the tribe in these futile times.

Before I could depart on my journey, however, I was told that I needed to survive the Temple of Trials. The Temple was to test me to see whether or not I was ready. I was reluctant at first to take this test, but decided that it was better not to argue with the Elder. Something about the old woman scared and worried me. She always seemed more like a ghostly apparition than an actual person.

I arrived at the Temple of Trails in a few minutes. I had no time to prepare for the challenge. It was demanded of me to do it, and to do it right now. I knew that there was no chance of turning back, so I just looked forward to the Temple entrance. It was a large, stone structure that seemed to continuously beckon me. I could not resist its calls. I took a deep breath, and entered the Temple.

Once inside, I felt a sudden chill. It was considerably cooler in the Temple than on the outside. There was moisture in the air and the musk of a cave floating about. There was little light, so I had to wait a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I realized then that this wasn't going to be easy. There were different chambers to choose from, different paths to take, and only one way out.

The first thing I noticed was that there were two Giant Ants in the first room. I took out my spear and went to attack. It wasn't easy because of my inexperience, but I was still managed to take them out. The next few rooms that I entered were not hard to conquer. There were some more Giant Ants, but nothing I couldn't struggle through. After a while, I came upon a door that I needed to lock pick to open. It was no problem, as picking locks was one of the few skills that I actually excelled at. A while after that, I found a door that I had to use a bomb to blow through. It took me a while to succeed at triggering the bomb. My inexperience was once again getting my hopes down.

I wandered some more until I came to the last room. In the last room was a challenge that I had not expected. Cameron, a warrior from the tribe, was waiting for me there. I approached him and spoke to him, only to find out that he was my last challenge. I had to be victorious against him in hand-to-hand combat. I was worried about failing, and about how the tribe would treat me if I did fail. I was never good at combat, especially hand-to-hand. He noticed my concern, and tried to reassure me by saying that it wouldn't be a fight to the finish. That just made me worry more about facing the ridicule of the fellow tribesmen when I failed.

The fight started as I expected. Cameron made the first move with a punch to the side of my head. As his fist connected with my temple, I felt an incredible pain. I had never felt such pain before. My head felt like it would collapse by the force. I became slightly dizzy and closed my eyes for a second. Just then, I felt a foot collide with my sternum, knocking the wind out of me. I flew off my feet and landed on my back on the ground. I groaned loudly, trying to catch my breath again. It wasn't until I heard Cameron laughing at me that I opened my eyes. He was standing over me, looking down.

"Looks like you failed. I can't believe everyone has been calling you the 'Chosen One' for all this time! What a laugh!" Cameron shouted. With that, he proceeded to spit down on my chest.

I had never been so insulted in my life. The blow to my ego turned to blind rage. I felt a sudden rush of power and jumped to my feet in one swift move. Cameron still had a smile on his face. I watched him quickly try another punch, but this time I blocked it with my left hand. I swung my right hand and managed to connect with a fist of my own to the side of his head. This caused his head to turn slightly, but he quickly recovered. Before he had a chance to make another move, my left hand was already in air. I continued pummeling him with punches until bruises became noticeable on his face and he began to stumble. The power and anger surge was not over yet. I wanted to finish him. Cameron had a far away look in his eyes. I was shocked that he was still standing after all of those punches.

I took a step back, preparing to finish the fight. Without hesitation, I raised my right foot and kicked him as hard as I could. I had originally planned to connect with his chin, but he saw the foot at the last second and leaned back. Instead of his chin, I connected with his nose. There was a sickening crack that echoed throughout the cave. I had never heard such a sound before. I froze where I was, with my foot still in the air. I stood and waited, looking at Cameron, beginning to worry that I had gone too far. Instantly, blood began to spurt out from his nose. It ran onto my foot and began to flow down my leg. The warmth of it was unreal, and the bright color of it made me feel like I was going to be sick. Cameron opened his eyes wide. His mouth gapped open in a shocked and appalled expression, as if he was going to yell out, but no sound escaped. Then, he fell backward onto the ground. I tried to move to his side, but I was paralyzed by fear. It seemed like an eternity before I could finally move. I lowered my foot to the floor and looked at Cameron. There was a puddle of blood around his head, and a small trickle of the red liquid still flowing out of his nose. His head was looking straight up. His face wore the same expression as it had when he fell. I moved slowly to his side, kneeling on the ground. I reached down with one hand and touched his chest, searching for a heart beat. After a few minutes, it became evident that he was dead.

The experience was completely shocking to me. I did not know what to do next. I stayed kneeling by his side for a long time. I finally realized that I had to go back to the tribe and face my punishment. I worried about what they would do to me. No one in the tribe had ever killed himself without losing his own life. I knew that I wouldn't be wanted to save the tribe when I had killed one of our own. I finally stood and decided to be a man and face my punishment. I looked over to the final door. I walked over to it. The blood had dried to my leg, making it a constant reminder of that fatal kick with each step. I reached the door and slowly opened it. The handles seemed unbelievably heavy. My arms felt like rubber as I struggled with the door. Finally, after a few minutes, it flew open.

I stumbled into the next room. My whole body was now shaking, though not from the excessive coldness in the room but because of my own fear.

In the middle of the room I saw a light that highlighted a suit. As I approached, I recognized the clothing. I had been told many legions about it, but was doubtful that I would ever see it. No one told me it was real. I began to wonder if anyone but the Elder and me knew it was real. I approached the clothing, the Vault 13 jumpsuit, and took it off the ropes that held it in place. I knew this was my reward for proving myself worthy, but I also knew that I didn't deserve it. I was a murderer, not a hero. I swung the suit over my shoulder. I don't know why I took it, but something beyond my control influenced my body to grab the suit.

I glanced around the room, and saw an oval of light at the end. I knew that this was my way out of the Temple and back into the village. I walked slowly to the exit, hesitating right before stepping into the light. I knew that there would be people waiting for me on the outside, people wondering if I survived, people wondering if I was their hero. I took the final step into the light. I was instantly basked in sunlight. I had to squint to see anything. My eyes struggled to focus. To my surprise, there was no audience waiting for my return. I sighed in relief at this and began walking to the Elder's tent. On my way there, I passed many of the other tribals. I could here their shocked and appalled gasps as they looked at the dried blood on my leg and the Vault suit over my shoulder. I did not turn to acknowledge them, and in turn they did not talk to me. I was relieved by this.

I arrived at the Elder's tent in no time at all. Without waiting to be invited in, I entered. I wanted to get this over with.

"Ah, Chose!" she exclaimed, rising to her feet. "You've survived the Temple! Congra-"

"Don't," I said, cutting her off. "Don't congratulate me. I don't deserve it."

She stared at me with a shocked and worried expression. "What happened, Chosen?"

"Stop calling me that," I said in a somewhat irritated voice. "I'm not the Chosen One. I never have been, and I never will be."

"What are you talking about?" she questioned.

I looked down at the floor. I could no longer look at the old woman. She had concern for me, and I had only dejection for myself. After a moment of silence, I spoke in a meager voice: "I killed him. I killed Cameron." I did not say any more than this. I did not attempt to explain my actions. There was no point for me to do so.

I could feel the Elder's eyes burning into my head, but I did not raise my head to meet her gaze. Instead, I waited for her to speak. "You have done an awful thing," she plainly said. "Cameron was one of our best warriors. He was not to die only for you to succeed. Please, Chosen, tell me that this was an accident."

A chill ran down my spine as she called me Chosen. Never before had I been called that name in such a cold voice. I thought back to the fight and decided that I would explain to her what happened. Had it been an accident? I couldn't tell. I was controlled by rage. Maybe the rage had the intention of killing him. "I reached the room where Cameron was in. He told me that he was my last challenge. I said I was ready, as I wanted to end it quickly. I did not think I would win. In fact, I was sure that I would fail. Cameron took the early advantage, as expected. He knocked me to the floor with ease. I expected and accepted this. Then, he started making a mockery of me and the meaning of the 'Chosen One' name. Rage and anger flowed into my body, making me feel powerful and invincible. I got to my feet and started throwing fists fast and hard. Each one connected with Cameron's skull, making him dizzy and disoriented. I could have punched him a few more times and finished it simply, but the rage wanted a big finish. I kicked him, aiming for the chin, thinking he would fly back and land hard on the ground. He saw the foot, though, and leaned back at the last second. I hit his nose, shoving the bone and cartilage up into his brain. That is how I killed him."

The Elder did not respond for what seemed like forever. She finally said, "Chosen, I am sorry that you had to experience this. However, I am still confident of your skills, as I am sure the rest of the tribe will be. You were able to conquer one of the best warriors in the tribe. You proved yourself worthy."

"But I killed a man!" I exclaimed. How could she still hold me in the highest regards after I did such a horrible thing?

"Chosen," she said, speaking slowly and smoothly, "do you not think you will have to kill many people in the outside world?"

I didn't know what to say to this. I knew that she was probably right, but that didn't make me feel any better. The people that I would kill out there would be my enemy, not one of my own. Finally, I responded. "Yes, Elder, I will have to kill others in the outside world."

"Exactly," she quickly said, cutting me off before I could explain the difference between the situations. "Now go, Chosen One, and dress yourself in the royal Vault 13 suit. I will explain to the rest of the tribe your actions. They will not think less of you, Chosen, but instead continue to hold you in the highest regards, as I have done."

I was thinking about responding to this, but decided that it would be better not to. The Elder was not a person that you could win an argument against. When she was convinced that she was right, she would argue until you agreed with her.

I don't know why, but I did as the Elder told me. I went to my tent and put on the Vault 13 suit. It felt strange at first, but it was pretty comfortable. After that, I gathered some possessions and went to bid farewell to the tribe.

Most of the tribe was happy that I remembered to see them before I left. Hakunin, the tribe healer, even provided me with some healing powders for my trip. Other members of the tribe taught me some useful skills. I still felt weird about accepting the task, but I knew better than to argue against the whole tribe.

Before I left, I went to see the Elder one last time. "Elder, I will find the GECK, I will save the tribe." I did not yet believe those words myself, but I knew that those were the words the Elder needed and wanted to hear.

"Good luck, Chosen," she said. "I will see you once you have the GECK. Now go, and begin your journey."

With that, I turned and left the tent and the tribe. As I walked over the bridge, I thought of my father and his horrible death. I suddenly had the urge to run back into the village and stay there. I knew that I could not do that, though. I would be letting down the tribe, the tribe that held me in the highest regards, the tribe that counted on me as their savior.

As I walked into the desert, I took one last look back. I saw that all of the tribe members were watching me. I waved goodbye, and yelled, "I'll see you soon!" The crowd erupted in cheers and applauds. I then turned back to the desert, and preceded to Klamath, where I would first start my search.

Chapter 2

Traveling in the desert was harsh. I had never been so far away from the tribe or the village. I didnt really miss the place or the people too much, but the fact that I was stepping out into the huge world made me feel uneasy. I did not know what to do when I arrived in Klamath, or how to act. I knew little about that town. I remembered that my father had died because of the trade negotiations with the small town. I was not bitter about this, though. I knew that it wasnt the fault of the town. As far as I was concerned, it wasnt anybodys fault.

The death of my father resulted in the end of the trade negotiations. After Klamath found out about his death, they wanted nothing to do with Arroyo. It was almost as if Arroyo was shunned from the town. I did not know why this was, but I was sure that I wanted to find out.

As I walked onward, I glanced behind me. Arroyo was no longer visible. I looked at my PipBoy to make sure that I was traveling in the right direction. The map on the thing was humongous. I stared in awe as I realized I hadnt traveled very far. My legs ached, the sun was high in the sky, and I had only traveled about three miles. I knew that it would take me a few days to get to Klamath, probably two or three. It amazed me that my father was able to make the trip half way to Klamath and back in one day. I did not think it was possible or feasible.

Night came much more quickly than I had imagined. The moon was high in the sky before I finally found a nice spot to rest. It was a little valley between two tall hills. One of the hills had a burrow in the side. I decided that would make a great spot to sleep. I threw down my luggage and stretched my arms and legs. I never thought I would make it to Klamath. It was only one day and I already felt like I was going to die from exhaustion. I thought about things to do, and the first thought that entered my mine was food. I had not eaten anything since I left the village. I was starving. I sat on the ground, pulling the backpack onto my lap. Quickly, I searched for some food. The first thing I found was some iguana meat, Iguana on a Stick. It wasnt my favorite, and it probably spoiled being in the desert the whole day, but I did not care. I looked at it, and decided that it would taste better if it were cooked.

I slowly looked around the clearing. The moonlight allowed me to see fairly well. I noticed that there were no trees around here, only dried grass. I knew that I needed to start a fire. Hakunin had shown me how to start a fire by rubbing sticks together and clashing rocks, but I wasnt paying much attention at the time. I tried to remember, but my thoughts were too hazy.

I pulled myself to my feet. I decided to dwell on the matter while I gathered a bunch of dried grass. After I had a tall pile of grass gathered, I decided to try the rock idea. I found two good rocks to use and searched my thoughts, trying to remember what Hakunin told me.

Hours must have passed while I tried igniting the dried grass. I finally managed to get a spark from the rocks, which ignited the grass. Quickly, I grabbed the Iguana on a Stick and cast it above the flames. Unfortunately, the fire did not last long enough for the meat to become fully cooked. The grass burned quickly, and I was left with a half-cooked iguana. I decided that I was too hungry to pass up this opportunity, and bit into the meat. It tasted worse than I remembered. It was warm and sour in some places, and cold and moist in other places. Each bite was a new, nauseating experience. I finally managed to finish the Iguana, though I felt incredibly sick afterwards.

I crawled into the burrow and, after a few minutes of tossing and turning, fell asleep.

The next morning I was awoken by the aching of my stomach. I knew that I was going to be sick. Quickly, I climbed to my feet. I took a few steps and then fell to my hands and knees. The Iguana from yesterday was now escaping from my mouth. The smell of rotting, decaying, partially digested flesh instantly filled my nostrils as the chunky projectile hit the desert floor. It was the worst thing I have ever smelt in my life. The taste in my mouth could be described the same way, and was absolutely horrible. I looked down to the ground and saw a puddle of vomit forming on the ground. The vomit was orange in color, and slightly green. Chunks of greenish meat could be seen amongst the liquid. I closed my eyes, wanting to free myself from the awful site. The whole experience made me even more sick than I already was, causing me to vomit some more. I heaved for about five minutes. The experience was unbearable. The after taste in my mouth was worse than anything I had tasted before. It was like sour, decaying meat. I grabbed a canteen from my backpack and eagerly opened it. I did not take a moment to consider my actions as I started to drink. The water was incredibly warm and bland. I had imagined a blast of cold ice water to drink. I pulled the canteen from my mouth and spit out the water. I couldnt stand the warmness of it.

I then thought of going back to Arroyo. The water from the well there was always cool. I wanted to return to the village, to my tribe, and to my home. I instantly began to realize how much I missed the tribe. It was almost unbearable.

Then, I began to think about what would happen if I would return. The tribe members would look down on me. I could already hear the ridicule. Those thoughts quickly left my mind, though. My situation made all of that seem like no problem to handle. I stood up and cast my eyes in the direction of Arroyo. My stomach ached, my mouth yearned for water, and my body was completely exhausted. I decided then I would head back. This experience was too overwhelming. My body could not take such a major change.

I slowly pulled my backpack to my shoulder and began to walk in the direction that I had come from. I looked at my PipBoy. It seemed like an incredible distance to the village. It seemed further away now than it did last night, as if I had moved further away while I slept. I knew that I was hallucinating. My body was sick and weak, and unable to comprehend much of anything. I slowed my stride, my muscles all aching and burning. My body felt like it was already dead.

I forced myself onward, not letting my body hold me back. My mind became foggy and dizzy, and my body became wobbly. I knew that I should stop to rest, but I wouldnt let myself do that. I wanted to be back home right away, and I wasnt about to stop for anything. The sun continued to beat down on me. Beads of sweat began running down my forehead. A cold shudder ran down my spine. I knew that I was becoming more ill with each step. I glanced at my PipBoy again. It seemed like I had hardly moved. I spun around, and realized that I indeed had only gone about one hundred yards. The spot where I slept could still be seen. I turned my head back to my destination.

My stomach and head ached even more than I thought was possible. I finally became dizzy to the point that I could no longer walk. I slumped down to my knees. I refused to give up, though. I began crawling towards Arroyo. I had to reach the village; I had to reach Hakunin so he could heal me. Onward I crawled, forcing my arms and legs to move as fast as they could. The hot sand began burning my hands. My strength dwindled even further. I doubted that I would even live at this point. I began dragging my hands and knees across the sand. I could feel the rough sand beginning to scrap my hands and legs with each move I made. My head spun further, the sun grew brighter and hotter. I slumped down completely, lying now on my stomach. I still refused to let the desert defeat me. I pulled with my hands and kicked with my legs, trying eagerly to inch myself forward. I was sure that I would never reach Arroyo now, I was sure that I was dead.

The last thing that I remembered before I passed out the feel of a hand wrapping itself around my leg.

My mind was racing. I turned my head for an instant and looked at the huge, towering creature that was following me. Its red eyes were trained on me. I ran faster and faster. I knew that he would soon be on me. I spun back around and continued to rush away from the monster. I was worried for my life. I thought about ways of escaping, ways that I could get away. I could not see anything, though. Everything was surrounded by darkness. It was a strange darkness, though. I could see my body and the predator that was following me, but I could see nothing else. I continued rushing through the darkness. My legs felt weightless, yet powerful. My feet felt like they were running on nothingness.

Suddenly, a strong breeze brushed my face. The wind was carrying sand particles with it. I closed my eyes and my mouth and raised my arms to my head. After a few minutes, the breeze died. I was still running when I opened my eyes. The moment I did open my eyes, I came to a screeching stop, though. I was suddenly back in the desert, with a cliff directly in front of me. I made every effort to stop, but it was too late. I stumbled forward, over the steep cliff. I saw the jagged rocks below, and knew the end was near.

As I fell, a scream of shock and fear escaped my mouth. I closed my eyes. I knew the end was near, but I could not stand to watch. I knew I was going to hit the rocks soon. Then, suddenly, two firm hands grabbed my shoulders.

I opened my eyes again and it was now night. A man was in front of me, looking me in the eyes. I was sitting upright, with my back against some rocks. Beyond the person in front of me was a glowing fire. I blinked a few times, trying to bring the picture into focus. I noticed two guys sitting by the fire. Slowly, I turned my head and groaned lightly.

Hes alive! the man that was standing over me shouted. He released my shoulders and waved for the others to approach. They were all huddled around me in no time.

I cant believe it! one of the men said. I thought he was a goner for sure!

Well, Smith, you better be glad he pulled through, the other man that had been by the fire replied. Otherwise, boss would really be mad at us.

Yeah, Smith said. The last thing we need is for Metzger to be breathing down our throats again.

I know, the man who was by me since I gained consciousness said. I remember what he told me: Jimbo, I dont know why Im giving you another chance, but you better find something this time. Im sick and tired of you always returning empty handed. Now I know there has to be more villages and tribes out there that we can exploit. So, go to it and find them! Oh, and if you fail, you will be replaced. It was almost as if he didnt like me!

The other two men laughed at that. They had received the same warning. The group of three havent had a successful run in about a month, and their boss wasnt going to stand for it.

I looked around as they bickered amongst themselves. I was able to catch the third mans name, Steve. I paid close attention to the conversation, trying to piece together what was going to happen to me, but to no avail. They continued talking about their boss and how happy he would be with their success. Finally, as I groaned again, they turned back to me.

How do you feel? asked Smith.

I stared at him, and then mumbled the simple word alive.

Ha! How about that! shouted Jimbo. I bet he wouldnt feel so alive if he knew what was in store for him!

Shut up! screamed Smith. You always go off running your mouth! He then lowered his voice, as if he didnt want me to hear him when he said, We dont want to startle the poor guy. We need to keep him calm until we get to the Den. Then hes Metzgers problem, not ours.

Yeah, sorry, came the reply. They then turned back to me. No one said anything.

Where are you taking me? I finally muttered.

See? Look what you did! Smith yelled at Jimbo again. Now hes askin too many questions!

An argument started again. I did not pay much attention to it; my head was starting to hurt again. I suddenly became tired again. I slowly closed my eyes, trying to clear my head. In no time, I was asleep.

The next day I awoke, it was morning. The three men looked as if they were just about to head out. I had no idea what was going on. I was feeling a lot better now, though. My headache was gone, but my stomach felt like it was tied in knots yet. I slowly pulled myself to my feet. The three men turned quickly and stared at me.

Where are we going? I asked again.

We are taking you to the Den, Smith said calmly. Youll enjoy it there. Now, are you well enough to travel?

I thought about the situation for a while. I knew that I shouldnt trust them, but I didnt have much of a choice. I felt good enough to travel, so I simply said, lets go.

Glad to hear! Smith exclaimed. Now, the desert wasteland isnt a friendly place. There are many hostile creatures and people out there. Now, we lost one man already on this trip, and a three-man party isnt too strong. So, what I need to know, is if you wish to fight on our side until we reach the Den.

I thought about the offer. I would feel a lot safer if I had a gun of my own, so I agreed. Smith handed me a 9mm Pistol along with a round of ammo. It wasnt much, but it was better than nothing.

We then set out for the Den. The trip was rough at first, as I hadnt walked for what seemed like days. I glanced at my PipBoy and realized that it had been two days precisely. I also realized that I had the location of the Den. We would be passing within a few miles of Klamath during the voyage. I was really beginning to worry about what would happen when we reached the Den. The men seemed friendly enough now, but I was almost sure that their attitudes would change when we entered the town.

The trip was easy going for the most part. We traveled until about noon before we ran into difficulties.

Get down! Jimbo suddenly shouted. Without thinking, we all fell to the ground. I hadnt been paying much attention where we were going, or much of anything else. My eyes were mainly trained on the ground, with an occasional glance at the landscape before me. I now looked around widely, and realized what the commotion was about. A pack of Raiders were up ahead. I hoped that they did not see us. They stood in their spots for a few minutes. Then, one of them pointed over in our direction. I knew that we had been spotted.

Instantly, everyone drew their guns. The Raiders began charging, shooting as they approached. I looked at my companions, who had their guns drawn and were returning fire as they climbed to their feet. I decided to do the same. I reached for my Pistol and then started ascending.

Bullets were still flying everywhere. I heard the sickening crack of a bullet making contact with bone, and turned to see Steve falling backwards. He looked fine at first. Then, he turned his head to look at me. The bullet had connected with his eye. It looked as if his eye simply exploded inside his head. There was a great gaping hole there, and blood spurting out in gushed. I cringed at the thought, and forcefully turned my head back to the fight.

I saw that two of the Raiders were already down on the ground. Both were on their backs. One had a hand firmly grasping his abdomen. His body was convulsing slightly. I knew that he was not yet dead. The other man was lying motionless on the ground, with his hands at his sides, and dark red hole in his chest.

It was down to a fair fight, three on three. I aimed my gun at the closest Raider. I froze in fear at that moment, wondering whether or not to shoot, wondering whether or not to kill another man.

Pull the trigger, boy! Smith shouted to me. That was all the encouragement I needed. I pulled the trigger. Everything seemed to suddenly move in slow motion. I saw the bullet traveling to the skull of the Raider. I knew that there were guns being fired all around me, but I couldnt hear the sounds of the shots. I saw the bullet fly straight to the Raider. Quickly, it lodged itself past the mans skull and into his brain. When it hit, the familiar sound of a skull breaking filled my ear. I was convinced that the sound of a cracking skull was the worst in the world. I saw the man suddenly freeze, and then slump down to the ground.

Suddenly, everything was moving all too fast. I stood there, frozen in fear. I stared at the Raider, lying lifeless on the ground, and began to regret my actions. I didnt want to kill him, nor did I want to kill anyone else. I began to regret being the Chosen One as well at that moment. Ever since I had been assigned the task of saving the tribe, I have been surrounded by death. I couldnt stand it.

Just then, I remembered my father. I was taken back to that day once again. It replayed in my head when I was called by my mother to go see him on his deathbed. I was reluctant to go. I did not want to visit my father while he was in such a feeble state. I was only four! How could I be asked to undergo such an experience?

As I entered the tent, he beckoned me forward. I looked at him. He was a weak and meager image of the father that I had once known, and at that moment he seemed like a complete stranger. He called me to his side again. I then realized that this was indeed my father. I tried to step next to him. I wanted the chance to tell him goodbye. My mother nudged me, encouraging me to step closer. I finally managed to work my legs and approached him.

I remember the speech that he told me. It replayed word for word in my mind at that moment. My father passed this down to me, as his father before him passed to him, and so on. It is a tradition that each father upon his passing bestows upon his child. My ancestor, and your ancestor, was known as the Vault Dweller. He was the one who founded Arroyo. He started this tradition. Upon his passing, he told his son that he needed to protect the tribe. He told his son to watch over the tribe and to make sure that no harm would come to them. The Vault Dweller had strived hard to ensure the safety of the tribe, and did not want it to fall apart. This is why he asked his son to do this task. This is why I am asking you to do this task.

I accepted the task reluctantly. I never imagined what I would be up against. I could never have envisioned something so horrible. I had never killed a man in my life, and in the past few days I had managed to kill two. I thought more about the task I was asked to do, to find the GECK, to save the tribe. I then made up my mind to continue onward with my mission. I wouldnt drudge forward for the sake of the tribe, but instead to fulfill my fathers dying wish of watching over the tribe and making sure that no harm came to them.

I was pulled back to reality at that moment by a hand that was placed on my shoulder. I still had not lowered my arm. I turned my head to see Smith standing behind me. I slowly lowered my gun.

You did good, son, he said to me, smiling. Unfortunately, Jimbo his legs pretty shot up. He wont be able to walk; well have to carry him with us.

I couldnt believe the arrogance of Smith. I was enraged; I wasnt his son. I did not care for him, or for what he had to say. I only knew that he had no clue who I was, and had no right to assign me nicknames, especially son. I spun around, raising my gun instantly.

Whoa! cried Smith. What are you doing?!

You dont know me, Smith, I shouted back. You dont know who I am, where I came from, or my past. And you never will know! With that, I pointed the gun at his chest and pulled the trigger. His hands flew to where the bullet had pierced his flesh. He did not fall, but instead stared back at me with a shocked look on his face. Blood began escaping from the new wound.

I shouldve known, Smith muttered, that I couldnt trust a tribal.

Theres a lot you shouldve known, Smith! I sneered. I didnt want to kill him, I wanted to humiliate him and make him suffer. He did not know me, and he took it for granted that he did! And now, he arrogantly stood there, making harsh stereotypical remarks at me. I aimed down at his left leg, and fired again. His hands then flew down. He hopped around on his right foot, shouting out curse words, and then fell to the ground. He spun around to his back and looked at me. With his right hand, he reached for his gun. His left hand was fastened firmly over his leg.

I wouldnt try it, Smith, I said blandly. Then, I shot at his hand. It was a direct hit. He then lifted his hand to his face. Blood was dripping off of it. It no longer looked like a hand, but instead had the shape of mangled flesh. Every inch of it was covered with dark red blood. His mouth dropped open at the sight.

You monster! he screamed.

You dont know me! I yelled back. I then aimed at his head, and pulled the trigger repeatedly. I heard shot after shot rip through his skull and embed itself into his brain. He slumped completely to the ground. I continued to fire until my gun was empty. I then walked over to Smith and looked down at him. His skull was completely blown apart. No distinct features on his face could be seen. His nose, his eyes, and his mouth were all mangled now and couldnt be recognized. It all looked like crushed, misshaped, red flesh. Then, without thinking twice, I spit down on Smith. I do not know why I did this, or what I expected to happen, but the irony made a chill run through my body.

I decided not to dwell on it right then and there. I suddenly had the urge of leaving that place in the desert forever. I looked around, and saw Jimbo laying a few feet behind me. His legs were shot up pretty bad. I knew that there was no way he would survive unless someone helped him. I almost felt sorry for him at that moment. I wasnt about to take a reminder of this horrible experience with me, and I was sure that he would die at the hands of wild predators.

I walked over to him. He did not make any attempts to back away. I then said plainly, Give me your gun, ammo, and armor. He looked at me in disbelief. Now! I shouted at him. That was all the motivation that he needed. He reached into his holster for his gun. At that moment, he must have had the brilliant idea of shooting me. He paused for only an instant while retrieving the weapon, which was his only mistake. I quickly reached down and grabbed the weapon. I was not about to let him take a shot at me. I had come too far now just to die here.

Jimbo slowly removed his armor and handed it to me. Next, he reached into his bag and pulled out all of the ammo he had. I quickly slipped on the Leather Armor and slid the ammo into my own backpack. I then swung it over my shoulder and began walking away.

Hey! Wait! Jimbo shouted to me. I paused for a moment, and then turned back. I saw Jimbo beginning to smile. Then, I pulled out my new gun and aimed it at him. The smile vanished off his face.

If you want to live, I said calmly, I would suggest that you not talk anymore.

With that, I turned my attention back to the desert. I began walking again, this time without interruption.

I looked down at my PipBoy, and set my course for Klamath..

Chapter 3:

I arrived in Klamath early the next day. I could have probably made it to the small town yesterday, but I decided to make camp and to think about the events that had occurred. However, this did nothing to ease my mind or to answer any of the questions that still persisted inside my mind. There were two types of questions. The first questions were the type that I could probably find out when I arrived in the Den. They were questions that I knew had answers. Who was Metzger? Why was I being taken to him? What was to happen with me? The other questions were ones that could only be answered by myself. Although it seems like a feasible task, I could not find any possible answers to any of them. Why did I kill Smith? Why did I feel that he had to die just for offending me? He couldnt have known my past. Also, why did I spit on him?

I decided that I wouldnt worry about those questions for now, but instead would concentrate on finding out what happened to the trading that occurred between Arroyo and Klamath.

The first thing that I decided to do in the small town was to familiarize myself with the area. I wandered quickly through the town. I knew that they must not have been used to seeing strangers, because everyone was staring at me. They didnt even try to hide it. When I looked around, everyone just stared. With each step I took, they stared. My every move was watched. I quickly became very uncomfortable with the situation, which caused me to increase my stride.

I walked until I found a somewhat secluded area of town that, from what I could tell by the sign, was known as Trapper Town. I was welcomed here with the same menacing stares.

I wandered around Trapper Town quickly, using my lockpick skill to bypass any locked doors. It was like a maze in that place. Everywhere I looked there was a dead end. I began to wonder if there even was a way through this place, or if every turn was just a dead end. After about ten or so minutes of searching bookcases and desks and looking for a way through the maze, I found myself next to a manhole. Without thinking twice, I moved the cover to the side and climbed down.

Once there, I had to wait a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the lack of light. There was the familiar dampness in the air, and a chill ran down my back as once again the scene of killing Cameron ran through my mind. I quickly became afraid of this place, afraid of everyone in this town, afraid of everyone I knew, and most of all afraid of myself. I had demonstrated repeatedly my ruthlessness and my will to do evil. I couldnt stand the feeling. I thought back again about Cameron, and could feel the warm blood gushing down my leg again, I could hear the loud crack of his nose breaking. Most of all, though, I could feel the anger and hatred that had boiled inside of me, that had possessed me to do such an evil act.

I was brought back to reality in an instant by something gnawing at my foot. It had started as an annoying tingling and grew to a painful sensation. I looked down and noticed that a cave rat had eaten through my shoe and was chewing on my big toe. The scene instantly sickened me. The rats teeth bit repeatedly into my warm flesh, eagerly making the best out of the free meal it had found. I couldnt stand it, and once again felt the anger boil inside of me. I grabbed my gun, the 14mm Pistol that I had taken from Jimbo, and fired at the rat. In one shot, it was reduced to an unmoving corpse. I kicked it away from me, and then looked down at my toe. It was engulfed with dark scarlet blood. It wasnt bleeding badly, so I did not worry much about it. However, with each step after that, pain shot through my entire foot and up my leg.

I decided to wander the caves to find out where they led. I encountered some more rats, which I made quick work of, and found another ladder that lead deeper underground. While on this floor, I encountered the most hideous creature that I have ever seen. It was the result of evolution, and the result of massive radiation and mutation. It was a gigantic rat.

I stared at it in shock and disbelief. I had never seen such a creature, and had not thought it was possible for one such as this to exist. My shock quickly turned to the desire to kill it. It was obviously not going to survive in such a surrounding, anyway. How could a rat that big possibly find enough food to live in such a small sewer?

The rat must have read my mind, because as I reached for my gun, it began running at me. Startled, I took a few hasty steps backwards. Then, I stumbled and fell. I raised my head and looked at the rat, which was running at full speed towards me. I quickly withdrew my pistol and aimed it at the beast. I aimed carefully. Time seemed to slow at that moment as the rat approached. His face became more detailed. I could see the fiery red glow that burned in his eyes, I could see his nostrils as they flared with fury for the one who trespassed on his territory. His mouth hung slightly open and saliva slowly spilt onto his lips. The whiteness of his fangs, which glistened in the dark light, was menacing. His whiskers were flying to his sides, carried back by the wind moving past him as he ran. The powerful muscles of his legs were bulging as he approached quickly to me. The claws on his feet were razor sharp, and could easily cut through flesh without a problem.

Everything else besides the rat became a blur. I studied his movement, his pace, and his speed. I calculated when he would be upon me. I steadily aimed my gun at his head. I was surprisingly calm; I did not have a worry about missing or anything else. I knew that I wouldnt have a problem killing this overgrown rat. It would be a service of humanity to remove of it. It did not worry or bother me, unlike the other murders that I had committed.

I waited for the rat to approach closer and closer. Then, I pulled the trigger. The first bullet was too low for his head, but instead lodged itself into the beasts neck. It made a startled squeal at the pain, but did not slow in its pace. I slowly lowered my gun. I was confident that it was over.

Blood began spurting from the rats neck. It gushed from the wound at an incredible rate, faster than I thought was possible. Blood covered everything as the beast shook its head in pain. It must have known that the end was near. It refused to slow its pace, though. It came closer, and closer still. The blood was now flying onto my legs. The warmth of it suddenly brought back the memories of Cameron and the blood he had spilt onto my legs. I quickly rejected this thought from my mind, and brought my attention back to the rat.

As the blood continued to flow out of his neck, he continued to approach. It was constantly squeaking in pain. The blood flow was no longer at my legs, but had worked its way all the way up to my chest. My armor and clothes were both covered in blood. I quickly became chilled at the feeling.

The rat was upon me now, just at my feet, raising its head and screaming out in pain. The rat no longer was running, but just stood there. It then suddenly became silent and looked down at me. It knew that I was the reason it was going to die. It then blinked slowly. When it opened its eyes again, the fire that had quickly become familiar to me was gone. It was replaced with a dull, empty, dark shade of red. Then, the huge beast fell to its side.

After the huge rat was dead, I continued to explore the sewers. I eventually came upon another part of Trapper Town that was inaccessible except through the sewers. The whole area was fenced off. While in this area, I only found a used car. I searched the trunk and the inside of the vehicle, but found nothing. I proceeded to open the hood, where I found an interesting piece of machinery. I grabbed it out of the car, and went back through the sewers.

When I arrived out of the maze and back into the populace of Trapper Town, I was greeted by warm smiles instead of cold stares. I assumed that word of the mutated rats death had traveled to the ears of the townspeople. I did not know how they could have possibly found out that I had killed the huge rat, seeing how no one was around when it happened. I decided not to dwell on it, seeing how I had plenty of unanswered questions already.

I began wandering around the town then, trying to become acquainted with everyone there and hopefully find out some answers. The first place that I stopped by was the local bar. I took a seat at the counter, and decided that it would help my reputation in the town if I ordered a round for the whole place. So, without hesitation, I placed the order, and ordered a drink for myself.

What is this? I asked the bartender, looking suspiciously at the bottle.

Why dont you drink it and find out? he responded. I did not know whether or not to trust him. The snicker on his face warned me not to, but he made a quick nod with his head to encourage me. So, I raised the bottle and took a sip. I was greeted with the dull taste of watered down alcohol.

Not bad, I lied. I sure could have used a strong drink to help ease my mind.

So, stranger, what brings you to Klamath? the man behind the counter asked as I took another sip. He was middle-aged with shaggy, brown hair and hazy blue eyes. He had a rugged look to him, almost as if he had lived his life on the lower end of society. However, this didnt seem to dim his spirits at all.

Im from a small village, I replied, just to the west of here. You maybe heard of it. Arroyo.

Hmmm, he said, scratching his head. His face showed an expression of deep thought, before he replied, It doesnt sound familiar. I, myself, just moved here from down south a few years ago and set up this fine establishment. Im not too familiar with the places around here. Plus, we dont get many visitors here, and the ones that do show up are usually merchants from New Reno or NCR. Other than that, its almost quiet around here as far as tourism goes. That explained the stares that I received on my arrival, but there was still a lot on my mind. The bartender then leaned forward, placing his hands on the counter. You never did tell me what brings you to Klamath.

Thats actually an interesting story, and a long one at that, I told him blankly. I finished my drink then in one swift chug. Can you get me another one?

Sure thing, he said in a warm, friendly voice. I was really starting to like him. His voice had a soothing, relaxing feel to it. He rummaged behind him and found another bottle. Drink up. This ones on the house if you share your story with me. I could tell that he must have wanted to know about the world. He seemed like a man that wanted the adventure, but hadnt the heart or true spirit to experience it himself.

Ok, deal, I replied. I guess it all started back when my father died. On his deathbed, a long time ago, he passed onto me a task that was handed down, generation to generation, in our family. My family had originally founded Arroyo. My ancestor, one that we call the Vault Dweller, founded the tribe. I continued to tell him about the tradition, taking sips of my beverage every now and then. I left out the cause of my fathers death, how young I was when it happened, Camerons death, and the encounter in the desert. I didnt think that information was needed in this conversation. After I finished, he looked back at me for a moment in utter awe.

That is one impressive story, he said at last. I hope that you find the G.E.C.K. I hope that you save your tribe. He smiled then, and handed me another watered down beer.

Thanks, I smiled back, and took the beer. I stayed there for a long time, talking with the bartender, finding out various interesting facts that overall bore no relevance. He had obviously taken a special shine to me. I knew he would hate to see me leave, and though I only knew him for a little while, I felt like I had known him my whole life. His smile was always warm, and when I talked about myself or my village, his face would light up, causing me to smile as I spoke.

After a while, I asked him to barter, which he quickly agreed to. I sold some useless stuff that I had been carrying since I left the village, and in turn asked only for money. I had fairly good armor and a good enough gun to survive for now.

I have to continue my voyage, I told him after the trade. I had a lot to explore yet in this place, and I knew that I couldnt spend too much time here. I needed to save my tribe, and I had just spent over three hours speaking with a bartender. I needed to move on.

I understand, he said, looking slightly dejected.

Ill be in town for a while, I told him, which seemed to brighten his spirits for a while.

Be sure to come back for a drink before you set off, he said.

I will, you can count on it, I responded. Then, I turned and walked over to the door.

Just as I was about to leave, he cried out to me and said, Hey stranger! You never did tell me your name!

I turned to him and smiled. Scotty.

Chapter 4

I continued exploring Klamath, talking to whoever would talk with me. One person that I came upon was a guy by the name of Sulik. He was a tribal himself, and reminded me of my home. He was paying off damages that he owed to Maida Buckner. I decided to help him out, seeing how I had plenty of money since my bartering at the bar. In return, he decided to join me.

The next person that I spoke to was a man of subnormal intelligence named Tarr. He spoke about some bugmen attacking the brahmin, and asked for my help. It seemed like an easy task, so I agreed.

Me and Sulik then followed Tarr to the brahmin grazing lands. The land was covered with rad scorpions, which we easily cleared out. After that, I noticed two other people had entered the clearing. They were far to the side, as if to remain out of sight. I looked at Sulik, who had seen them as well. He leaned over and whispered to me, They are the Duntan brothers.

The two brothers had no distinct traits that could be used to tell them apart. They looked identical, even in what they wore. I decided to investigate them and find out why they were here. I motioned for Sulik to follow me. We approached them in a regular pace, not wanted to startle them. They watched us approach, and did not move.

What are you guys doing here? I questioned.

It doesnt matter to you, one of them replied. Its not your business. There was a coldness that flew on his voice.

You better tell me, I said, not backing down, or Ill make it my business. They looked at each other, not saying anything. I think they were telepathically debating what to do. Then, the one who had spoken before nodded to the other brother. At that moment, I knew we were in trouble.

I pulled out my gun hastily, ready for a fight. The brothers did not hesitate, either. They each wore brass knuckles, and charged in for a fight. One of them attacked me; the other went for Sulik.

I did not hesitate to fire. I just raised the gun, quickly aimed it, and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit his left shoulder. I was expecting to see the flow of the familiar red substance from the wound, but for some reason the blood didnt gush forward. The Duntan brother looked at me, not paying any attention to his shoulder. Slowly, a streak of blood escaped the wound and ran down his shirt. He did not seem to mind the wound, and continued his approach.

I fired again, this time being more careful to aim. However, I waited too long. The next thing that I felt was the sharp pain of the brass knuckles colliding with my elbow. The pain was immense. I dropped my gun, and my arm fell to my side, limp. I couldnt believe the pain I was in. I looked at the brother, and saw him pull back his arm and prepare to connect with a punch to my face.

I raised my other hand as quickly as I could to my face, trying to shield myself. I prepared for the connection of fist to face, for the pain, and for the sound of the loud crack. However, the only one of these that I received was the loud crack. I waited for a few minutes, and then blinked. I lowed my hand, and noticed that the brother was no longer looking at me. I followed his gaze and realized he was looking at Sulik and his other brother. It only took me a moment to realize what the loud cracking sound was. The brother was on the ground with a huge indent in his head.

Sulik raised his sledgehammer again, and began running at the brother that still stood. However, the man saw what was going to happen, and quickly moved to the side. The sledgehammer pounded the ground, hard, not even coming close to the man. The brother then proceeded to punch Sulik in his sternum. The tribal did not flinch from the pain, though, but instead raised his sledge again.

The brother stared at Sulik, who had not shown the least bit of pain from his punch, and his face twisted into an expression of shock and fear. He knew that he wouldnt win, but he wouldnt give up, either. He wanted to continue the fight, and avenge the death of his brother.

Sulik swung his weapon again, and again missed. The Duntan brother again tried to attack with the knuckles, but this time Sulik was ready for it. He grabbed the brothers hand in mid-flight, stopping the punch. He did not let down the hand, but instead, with his muscles bulging, applied as much pressure as he could to the brother. He looked like a man possessed. He stared at the brother as he sank to his knees, and then fell to his back. He then reached with his other hand and grabbed his sledge.

The brother watched in awe as Sulik raised the weapon vertically above his body. Sulik had a low grip on the hammer, and prepared to send it down into the mans body. The brother looked at Sulik, unable to protect himself or struggle back. The pain from his hand was too immense. With one swift motion, Sulik brought the hammer down into the mans sternum. There was a sickening crack on impact.

The man blinked a few times, taking gasping breaths. A puddle of blood began to flow over his shirt, forming a puddle around the sledgehammer. The sledge had literally caused a crater in the mans chest. Sulik did not move the hammer, either. Instead, he left it in place until the man stopped breathing.

After we left the brahmin pasture, I asked Sulik about what possessed him to act so violently.

Simple, he replied. Those Duntan brothers were always causing trouble around Klamath. They especially made it a point to cause trouble with me, mainly because I am a tribal. I could never retaliate because otherwise I would be in jail. But this was the opportunity I needed. They were being involved in illegal activity that affected the food supply around here; so killing them would not be looked down upon. Instead, it would be seen as a good deed. It was a logical explanation, and I had no need to question it further.

I continued walking around the town, and stopped by Ardin Buckner. I found out that her husband, Smiley, was missing. I asked her some more questions, but she refused to answer. She noticed that I was particularly interested in the trading between Arroyo and Klamath, and offered to answer any questions about the trades if I would return Smiley for her. I agreed to her offer, and she gave me directions to what she called the Toxic Caves. So, I set off for the caves, eager to return the trapper to Klamath and eager to find out about the trades.

Me and Sulik arrived at the Toxic Caves in about two hours. They were very close, and my eagerness for answers possessed us to push onward at a fast pace.

The caves were, in short, strange. It was dark overall, and had the normal attributes that you would find in any other cave. However, there was green goo that covered the ground in places. It bubbled and sizzled, as if it was being heated from an unknown source. The substance also illuminated the area where it was found. It was the only light source in the cave. You could always tell when you were approaching a cavern that contained the goo; the glowing light of it could be seen from far away. The light of it also cast a strange glow upon the walls, which were slick with moisture. As the moisture leaked down the walls, the green glow made them seem alive.

I pointed that out to Sulik, who didnt seem to be amused. I figured he must have seen the substance before and was probably familiar with it.

As we continued through the cave, we encountered some other eerie things. For example, there was a man-made room in the place that contained bookcases and a desk. I began wondering what these caves had originally been used for. There was no longer any trace of human existence there, and no clues to indicate what had went on in these caves. I decided not to bother my mind with the mystery. It wasnt relevant, really, and I had enough on my mind already.

The only creatures that had found a home in these caves were, as expected, geckos. These geckos were especially hostile, attacking as soon as they caught site of you. However, my companion and I made quick and easy work of them.

We eventually came upon a ladder leading deeper underground. I looked down into the darkness below, and suddenly became worried. If Smiley had become trapped in these caves, how could I be sure that I would make it out alive? I looked back at Sulik and said, You want to go first?

He smiled at me, and responded with, Sure thing. I was glad he accepted as he descended the ladder. Wish me luck, he said as he continued down.

Dont worry, Im right behind you, I told him.

Sulik then disappeared into the darkness below. I stalled a moment at the ladder before beginning my descent. Then, I hurried down. I suddenly felt worried about being separated from the tribal in this place. He obviously was more skilled at combat than I was, and without him, a pack of golden geckos could make quick work of me.

When I arrived below, I found Sulik waiting for me. I nodded to him, and we continued our search. After a few minutes of smashing some geckos, we came to a stream of goo that seemed impassible. I looked over at the tribal that accompanied me and asked him, What now?

We cross! he said without thinking twice about it. He was obviously sure of himself.

What? Are you crazy! I cried. I couldnt believe he was serious! Who knows what kind of damage this substance could do.

No, I dont think so, he replied. He could tell I was still worried, and he said, Itll be okay, this stuff doesnt do much damage. Besides, you have a bunch of healing powders with you, dont you?

I quickly agreed with him, and then, without waiting another moment for fear of losing my nerve, I started running across the green substance. Each time I placed down one of my feet, it stuck to the goo, making it hard for me to raise it again. I turned back quick to see that Sulik was right behind me. We continued through the goo as fast as we could, until we finally arrived on the other side. We were both panting for breath by the end of the experience, but he had little time to rest. There were three geckos waiting for us when we arrived.

The battle against the geckos was easily won. I killed one of the creatures with my handy pistol, and Sulik took out the other two with his sledgehammer. It was always amazing to see Sulik fight with that weapon. He was very skilled with it, and could swing it with greater accuracy and force than I had ever thought possible.

We continued through the cave and quickly arrived at another man-made room. In this room was what we were looking for. Smiley stood there by himself, and as he saw us, he smiled.

Hello, are you Smiley? I questioned.

Yes, he said smoothly. Yes I am. He was an ordinary person with no real distinct features. He looked from me to Sulik, probably wondering who we were and why we were there.

We were sent by Ardin Buckner. She misses you, and awaits your return, Sulik explained.

This seemed to ease Smileys mind. Lets go then! he shouted.

When we arrived back in Klamath, night had fallen. However, Ardin was still awake. As we walked into the house, her face lit up and a huge smile covered her face.

Smiley! she screamed. Without hesitation, she ran to him and wrapped her arms around the trapper.

Me and Sulik stood by for a few minutes as the united couple talked quickly and excitedly. They finally turned to us, and then faced each other again. Ardin explained the agreement that she had with me. Smiley then left the room, saying he was tired and it was too long since he slept in his own bed. She said good night to him, and told him that they would talk more in the morning.

I looked over at Ardin. Ready to talk? I asked.

Yeah, she responded. She took a seat at a table that was in the middle of the room, and motioned for me and Sulik to sit on the other side, which we quickly did. Then, she said, Want anything to drink? This will probably take a while; the whole story about the trade agreement is quite long.

Sure, I said, and she disappeared into a different room and returned with a canister full of beer. She handed one to each of us, and then took one herself.

What would you exactly like to know? she asked.

For starters, when did the trading end? I questioned.

About sixteen years ago.

Who brought word of the end of the trade?

The representative from here, Klamath. He arrived back from a trade session, and told us about it.

Who was the trader?

A guy named Vic. Hes the only trader here in Klamath.

Where is he? Can I talk to him? I was quickly becoming exited. Someone in this town might have known my father!

No, she said bluntly. My hopes faded. I waited for her to continue and tell me why not, but it became evident that I would have to ask. She was not the type of person to divulge information that wasnt necessary or asked. I figured that was probably the main reason why she refused to speak with me earlier.

Well, why not? I asked.

Because he isnt here.

Well where is he?

Last I heard, he was on a trade run.

This was really beginning to make me mad. She was purposely not giving me decent answers. Well, where the hell did he go? I questioned. The growing anger in my voice was relevant.

Dont get mad, or I wont answer any more questions. My hopes began to fall. It seemed futile to receive any answers from her that would really help me.

I thought carefully, and then said, You dont have a choice. It was our agreement. If you want, I can eliminate Smiley. Then we would be even I let my voice trail off. The expression on her face was one that I will never forget. I had to fight my laughter. Her eyes became really wide, and her face twisted in fright and fear.

No! she gasped quietly. Ill answer, Ill answer! My hopes were renewed. He went to the Den last I heard.

Do you know who Metzger is? He lives in the Den.

What do you know of Metzger?

Ill ask the questions, and if you want Smiley alive, youll answer them! I was really beginning to enjoy this.

Okay, okay! she said. Hes the leader of the Slavers Guild.

Slavers Guild? Whats that?

Its an organization that captures and sells slaves.

A chill ran down my spine. I had just found out what those people who saved my life really were, where they were taking me, and what they wanted to do to me. I thought back to them, and remembered that Metzger was getting mad at them for returning empty handed. They were slavers, and they wanted me to be a slave! I assumed they would try finding out the location of my tribe, too, and attempt to bring them down to slavery as well.

I grabbed my beer and took a long drink. The thoughts in my head repeatedly sent chills down my spine. I finally realized that it had been silent for a long time, and Ardin must be waiting for my next question.

Tell me what happened to the trade between Klamath and Arroyo, I demanded. I could no longer think about Metzger. At least, I couldnt think about him more now. I needed to concentrate on finding out about the trade. This might be my only chance to uncover the mystery.

Im surprised you dont know yourself, she said. She paused for a moment, but decided to keep speaking before I made another threat towards Smiley. Anyways, Vic came back from a trade one day and said that Arroyo was going out of the trade agreement. He said that a group of raiders followed the representative from your tribe back the week before. Casualties were heavy, and the Arroyo representative was dead. Vic said he tried everything that he could to convince your tribe to keep the trade open, seeing how Klamath still was in need for crops from Arroyo to support much of the population. However, it was futile.

That wasnt what happened, I said flatly.

What do you mean? she asked.

That isnt what happened. We were never attacked by raiders.

Then what did happen?

My father was the representative from Arroyo. The week before we left the trade, he returned late. The guard at the gate thought he was a raider, and speared my father. It wasnt a thorough explanation, but it got the job done. I could understand why the truth wasnt revealed. Klamath might not believe the story, and might believe that Arroyo is a group of savages that sacrifice their own people.

Then why did the trade end? she asked. It doesnt make sense to me.

I know, it puzzles me as well, I told her. It just didnt make sense to end the trade because my father died. The trade benefited both Klamath and Arroyo, so why end it? I did not know where I would find that answer, but I was hoping that Vic would be able to better explain it to me. For the time being, I decided to continue the questioning. What happened when the trade ended?

She looked across the table. Her face expressed deep thought. Ah, I remember it as if it was yesterday. It was the worst thing that could happen to Klamath. It was unexpected, no one could have prepared for it. Even if we could, I dont know if it wouldve helped much. She paused for a moment and took a drink of her beer. When the trade ended, Klamath had no way to support its population. Food was scarce for most. There were a few who did store back-up preserves of food, but that didnt work either. They were killed in the night, and their food taken. It was never a single crime, but instead many people were involved. This was evident because there was too much food taken for only one person, or a few people, to eat. She sighed, remembering the hardship that had been caused by Arroyo. Depression struck this town. Merchants stopped coming here because the quality of our products was reduced. Many people left Klamath and tried to escape the problems of the town. However, most of them were caught by the men of Metzger. They either became slaves or slavers, depending on how strong and how experienced they were with a weapon. It was really quite sad to see such good people fall to such a great evil. She paused once again. I could tell that this was very hard for her to recall, but I felt I must know. The people who did make it out of here and didnt fall to the Slavers Guild were never heard from again. The only people that did leave and did return were the traders. However, the majority of them were taken out by raiders. The raiders, I remember, thought that Klamath was a new target. A fresh piece of territory that was ripe for the taking. In our weakened state, they thought it would be easy for a takeover. However, we were stronger than they planned. We were able to hold out, but barely. She looked at me, and I motioned for her to continue yet. Then there were the rats. The rats thought that we would be an easy target as well. They flooded here, as if possessed by some force. They probably outnumbered the people three to one. With these varmints came disease as well. Many people became ill, and many died. Our population was reduced further. The end was near for Klamath. She stopped talking and just sighed, thinking back to the ordeal.

How did Klamath pull through? I asked.

Well, simply put, we got lucky, she replied. One day, Vic left to the Den to trade. When he returned, he brought a herd of brahmin. It was the damndest thing youd ever see! One day a heard of brahmin came wondering into a town that was almost dead! Anyway, the brahmin brought life back to Klamath. We now had enough food to supply the town. It was a miracle. And Vic, who had got the brahmin, said he simply found them in the desert! What luck! I figured that was good luck to find a heard of brahmin in the desert. It didnt seem too true, but I decided it was better if I didnt argue it. Well, the brahmin managed to survive, and Klamath slowly was able to pull itself onto its feet again.

I thanked her for her time, but I could tell she didnt think I was sincere, considering the threats I had made to Smiley. I didnt care, though, because I had gained some very valuable information.

I was about to leave Klamath, when I remembered the bartender. I remembered my promise to stop by for a drink before I set off. So, dragging Sulik with me, we went to the bar.

The bar was full of people. I half expected this, seeing how it was such a late hour. As I approached the counter, the bartender greeted me with a warm smile and a hello. I returned the greeting, and informed him that I was about to head off.

Before you go, he said, I have something for you. Hold on while I find it.

I wondered what the man could possibly have for me. I had not expected a gift for my departure, but he had obviously taken a special shine to me. He rummaged through the bottles of liquor and other things that he had behind the desk. He took a moment to stop his search and hand both Me and Sulik a bottle of beer.

As I sipped the watered down beverage, I waited for the bartender to finish his search. After a few minutes, he handed me a fairly small book. Whats this? I asked him as I opened it slowly.

Its something that Ive been saving, he replied, for when I explored the world. I know that I will never be able to take such a trip now; my prime days have passed. So, I am giving it to you.

I flipped through the journal. It was obviously fairly old. I looked back at the bartender, and shut the book. Thanks. I wont forget this.

He smiled back at me. I know you wont. I just want you to stop back here someday. I want to know what the world is like.

Dont worry, I will stop back here after I have saved my tribe, I promised.

Where are you heading to from here? the bartender asked.

To the Den, I replied. I want to pay a visit to Metzger. The bitterness in my voice was evident when I spoke the name Metzger.

The man mustve heard about Metzger, or maybe even knew him, because he smiled at me and said, Good luck. Maybe you can improve the Den, and free it from the evil that ails it.

I tucked the journal into my bag. I wanted to leave then, but I decided against it. It was night, after all, and I was especially tired. You know where we can stay the night? I asked the bartender.

He smiled back at me and said, If you want, you can stay here. I have some spare rooms that I never use, anyway.

I was going to argue, but his smile and composure told me that he wouldnt let me refuse the offer. So, I reluctantly accepted.

I awoke early the next morning, and looked around, trying to remember where I was. Then, I remembered it all. I pulled myself to my feet and stretched. I wandered out to the bar, where Sulik was already waiting. I said farewell to the bartender, and began to head out of town.

On my way out of the place, I decided to stop by Smiley. I figured he might want to see me, maybe thank me one last time, before I left.

When I arrived to his house, he was glad to see me. I was slightly worried at first that Ardin had told him about the threats. However, he did not seem to have any idea about them, as he welcomed me with the greatest warmness.

Smiley thanked me again for rescuing him, as I expected he would, and then offered to teach me how to skin a gecko. He said it was the least he could do to repay me. I agreed to the offer, and he taught me the new skill.

After that, me and my tribal companion left Klamath and set off for the Den.

Chapter 5

I ran across the village, rushing to my hut. I had never been in such a hurry, but when I heard the rumor, I had to find out for myself. I had been too busy playing with my other friends to pay attention to such affairs. Plus, since he always arrived back on time, I never had reason to worry.

As I entered the hut, I looked around. My eyes were wide, but he was not there. On the far side of the hut, concealed by a hung large curtain, came the sound of one who was in misery. I slowly walked closer to the room, holding my breath with each step, wanting it not to be true. I reached the curtain that served as a door, and placed my hand slowly at the top. I prepared to pull it open, but paused briefly. I knew what was behind the curtain, I knew who was in misery, and I knew why.

With one swift motion of my hand, my fears became reality. On the bed in the room sat the woman with her hand buried into her face and tears streaming from her eyes. At the sound of the curtain opening, she jerked her head upward, wishing to see the person who had entered. I knew I wasnt what she had hoped, and her dejection was obvious with the exasperated sigh that escaped her mouth.

Where is Dad? I asked my mother.

I dont know, she managed to choke out between sobs. It could have been nothing, but she was already worried. He was never delayed in the past, but today was different. She had felt a certain wariness about the whole ordeal. She begged to let another person of the tribe take the voyage, or for him to at least take a guard. He waved the right, though, and insisted on doing the task as he had done in the past.

When will he be back? I questioned further.

I dont know that, either, she replied. There was a certain tone of irritation in her voice, but I didnt regard. I was young and ignorant; too ignorant to understand the tone yet.

However, I did not speak further, for I had nothing else to ask. It was what I had feared when I found out he was still gone. I didnt have to ask any more questions about the past, present, or future of the situation. It seemed like we both knew what the outcome would be, and I began wishing that he wouldnt come back at all. I was not trying to be mean or cruel, but to have to face the gore and faded shred of hope as he perished would be almost impossible to handle. We were a close family, and an emotional wound like that would not likely fully heal. It would be easier simply not to face it.

I approached the bed slowly, and placed my arm on her shoulder. I knew it wasnt much comfort to offer, but it was all I could think of doing. She looked up at me with stray tears falling from her eyes. Forcing a smile, she said, Itll be okay, dont worry. Although we both knew that wasnt true, for a brief moment, it made us both feel a little better.

Then, in the next instant, commotion was stirred outside. There was a disturbance; it was evident by the uttered shouts of shock and rush of feet, running to the bridge. We both exchanged glances, and then ran out of the hut. Our course was set directly to the bridge; we did not want to wait to find out. During that moment, hope surged through us. It was the hope that I had dreaded and feared. I did not want to face it, but for that moment, I believed that there was a future. I believed that he was back, completely well and uninjured. I knew that she had felt the same way. The feeling was the instant reaction. No one wants to envision the worst of a possibility, especially when it could be so great.

We ran as fast as we could. Torch light was emitting from the area around the bridge, and a crowd could be seen. It seemed as though everyone was there, as if the whole town had came to see what was going on. And there, approaching the crowd as fast as she could, was the Elder. She looked around with wide eyes, trying to make sense of the confusion. We reached the circle, but could not gain access to the middle. We could not gain view what everyone else was laying their eyes upon. We could not see what the torch light was illuminating or what the cause of the crowd had been.

The Elder let out a cry for order, and the crowd silenced to a muffled stutter. People moved to the side, making room for the woman. After what seemed like an eternity, she spoke from somewhere in the middle of the crowd. Get his body to the doctor, and keep the wife and child away. They shouldnt have to see this.

NOOOOOO!!!! I cried out. My fears were confirmed in the harshest of ways and in the cruelest of realities.

Sulik looked up at the night sky, gazing into the heavens and stars above. The vision never ceased to amaze him. It had been too long since he had been out underneath the stars. Looking at stars while in a city isnt the same. He craved the desolation of the experience. Despite his new companion, it was what he desired. It was an experience that was always thrilling to him, and always made him think about other places that might exist and the paths that they might have chosen. It caused his mind to become more open than otherwise possible. He always enjoyed traveling because of this experience, and he was thoroughly convinced that nothing on the planet could possibly duplicate it.

As he stared up at the lights shining from above, he began to think about a legend that his father had told him long ago. It was probably what had first intrigued him to gaze into the sky on remote nights. According to the legend, which had originated to the south, there was a crashed alien craft somewhere in the desert. Though there was no hard proof for this, word spread like wildfire about the intergalactic visitors. The word had never been confirmed. If anyone had stumbled upon the spacecraft, they never spoke of it, maybe because of fear of the ridicule that they would be introduced to. Whatever the reason might be, the only thing that was sure is that no one ever confirmed the incident, and proof was never recovered.

Sulik became lost deep in thought over the matter, making his best effort to come to a conclusion. He wondered where the craft could have originated, as well as the origins of the beings that were aboard it. His thoughts, however, were quickly interrupted and he was forced back to reality. It took him only seconds to realize what the sound was. It was the evident scream of his companion.

I awoke from the dream to find a hand on each of my shoulders. I was being shaken awake. I slowly opened my eyes and looked up to find Sulik looking over me. I thought back of the dream again, and realized what must have happened. It had occurred on random and rare occasions. I would have a dream of the day my father had returned and the day that he died. It always happened at times in which I felt the pain of the memory had left me. However, it was a reminder of what I had to endure, and it never failed to rekindle the feelings of sorrow within me. Trying not to cringe at the memory, I looked at Sulik.

What are you doing up? I inquired.

I was star gazing, he said in a calm whisper. Then, you started screaming from your sleep.

I nodded at the response, and after a moment of silence, said, Lets get some sleep, we have a long voyage ahead of us tomorrow.

He looked back at me, and I could tell that he was thinking about questioning the yell. However, he must have decided against it. Instead, he agreed with me, and returned to his resting spot.

The next day we awoke early and immediately set off for the Den. After a few hours of traveling, the nagging of Suliks conscious must have become unbearable because he finally brought up the subject of the previous nights events.

What happened last night? he questioned.

What do you mean? I replied. I wasnt eager to talk with him about my past, or to inform him of what exactly occurred last night.

You know what I mean, he replied in an irritated voice. Dont play dumb with me.

I dont want to talk about it, I simply replied. I thought that would be the end of the conversation, but Sulik still persisted.

Why not? he asked.

It doesnt concern you, I said, hoping that I could just blow him off without a problem. He was only with me one day, and he wishes to find out my every secret already? I couldnt believe his nerve.

Well, he stated, raising his voice slightly, if Im going to be traveling with you, exploring with you, and fighting on your side for the remainder of your voyage, then it is my business. He paused for a moment and stopped walking. I paused and turned back to him, locking my eyes on him. He spoke slowly now and with a determined voice. You cant expect me to help you on this adventure and not know anything about you. Youre bound to tell me eventually. It might as well be now.

I stared back at him, studying his eyes, trying to find out whether he was trustworthy or not. After a few minutes of contemplation, I decided I would tell him what he wanted to know. I was having a bad dream of a past memory last night. I knew that this wouldnt satisfy his hunger for information on me, but I was hoping it would suffice for now.

What memory? he persisted.

It was a memory of long ago, I replied. It is one that will never cease in my mind. It will always be with me, and if it crawls to the back of my mind for even an instant I will dream about it. The memories then come flooding back into my main perspective. They never cease and they never will leave me.

Sulik stared back it me, as if trying to decide whether or not I was for real. He looked hard into my eyes. His face showed distant signs of concern and slight remorse for continuing with the subject. I could tell he was thinking about accepting the answer, but I knew that it was not his style. If it was his style, he wouldnt have persisted so much already. He leaned forward on his front foot, as if preparing to continue the journey to the Den. However, he quickly leaned back and resumed his original stance. What was the memory? he questioned.

I did not want to respond to his inquiry. I was one who did not trust easily now, especially since I had only known people of my tribe. In the tribe, no one had any secrets. Now that I was out in the world, no one knew me, and I knew no one else. For once in my life, I finally had secrets. For once in my life I was finally unknown by the people who surrounded me. It was a new feeling, and I rather liked it. Plus, Sulik was not only asking about a minor secret, but instead was requesting the revelation of the secret that had shaped me and my life. As these thoughts raced through my mind, Sulik was studying my face. I could tell he was preparing for a response, and trying to guess at what the response would be. He was probably a little worried that he had persisted too far and had angered me. However, I reassured him with my reply. It was the memory of my fathers death.

Sulik looked back at me, as if wondering whether or not to ask another question. He knew now exactly how sensitive the matter was and could probably now guess just how much the memory has contributed to my life. He must have decided against continuing the conversation further for the time being because he said, Okay, lets continue our trip. We still have a lot of ground to cover until we reach the Den.

Ok, lets go, I agreed. We both then continued our stride through the desert, walking side by side in silence at the same pace. It was not an uncomfortable silence for me, but instead a welcomed one. I did not want to talk to him now after I had revealed part of my past to him. I still did not know if he could be trusted, and I was already telling him about my past. I had to figure out whether or not I had made the right decision, or if I should continue telling him about my past the next time he asked about it. I knew that he would ask about it, too. He was uncertain of asking now, seeing how I had hesitated for so long and how I had spoke with a distinct, slightly scornful tone. I knew that he would work up the courage to ask further questions. I was wondering already now as to what I would say, and already I could feel the chills of fear for that moment run down my spine.

As I dwelled on the impending confrontation, the scene of the day ran vividly through my mind again, causing a chill to consume my body and my heart to race.

Chapter 6

The man entered the town in the late morning. He walked with great posture and purpose. His stride could be summed up as methodical. He looked only straight ahead, and his eyes only aimed at what was in front of him.

The man walked down the center of the west side. That was all he had to do to cause silence to roll through the town. Wherever he ventured, people stared. There was something about him that made people wonder. Maybe it was the glow of his skin that labeled him as a tribal, or maybe it was his companion who was also a tribal. Whatever the cause, everyone in the town could not remove their eyes off of him. They were attracted to him, and as he walked toward his destination, people began to follow. Whether his aura was that of a glorious angel or that of a hideous demon, no one could resist.

Suddenly, there was a pause. With one swift movement, he turned towards the east and then continued his voyage. He did not look around himself to admire his surroundings, nor did he acknowledge the multitude of people following him. His companion, though, did look around.

The companion had a bone in his nose, which definitely drew some attention. He must have noticed this, as he raised one hand to his face, almost as if to shield it. Shortly, though, he decided against the precaution and let his hand join the other one, which was carrying an old sledgehammer.

The man who had caused the crowd to form walked onward. He walked almost to the end of town before he stopped in front of a building. He looked up at it, which was the first time that he had interrupted his forward stare. His eyes were cast upon the slave complex of the town. Not many people mingled at the place. If you showed up without any particularly beneficial business for the people who occupied the place, you were in for major trouble.

The man looked back down to the door of the place. Then, resuming the stride that he had used throughout the town, the man marched up to the door. As soon as he started walking, a hushed whisper flew through the crowd. The shock to the people was evident. They had never witnessed an outsider, especially a tribal, enter town and walk directly to the building.

I felt the eyes follow me as I marched through the town. I had talked to Sulik prior to arriving and found out where the slave complex was located in the Den. Sulik had ventured to the town in the past, and was quite familiar with it. I informed him of my intent of going there first and ignoring everything else. He was shocked that I would do such a thing, but I assured my companion that it would be fine.

We arrived in the Den in late morning. I led the way through the place, using Suliks directions and my instinct to guide me. As I pushed onward, I could hear mass footsteps behind me. I knew that I was being followed and that a crowd was gathering, but I refused to take my mind off of my intentions.

I finally came upon my destination. The complex was a fairly large building. I glanced up at it, trying to think of what to do next. I had planned to enter and kill the slavers, but I was suddenly wondering how good my chances of survival would be. I decided that it would be better not to dwell on it too long. If I did, I knew for sure that I would not be able to go through with the task. So, without further contemplation, I set my gaze to the door of the complex and continued my stride. As I did, the crowd reacted with a hushed whisper. I did not let this distract me, though. A guard, who had been standing to the side of the door, quickly moved in front of it to block my path. My intentions must have been realized, and apparently the guard was to stop them. However, I did not slow my pace or even react to his movement.

I reached the door and the guard quickly. I paused just in front of the man, and stared him hard in the eye. I had approached incredibly close. I could feel his breathe on my face, as I am sure he could as well feel mine on his. I did not back down, nor did he. We just stood, staring at each other, waiting for the other to react.

We faced each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, the man spoke. What is your business here? His voice was slow and very serious. I listened very carefully for the slightest tone of fear in his voice, but found none. I once again began to worry, but quickly pushed the thought out of my mind.

Im here to see Metzger, I replied. I kept my voice as sturdy and determined as possible. I did not want him to gain any sort of an advantage.

Metzger isnt seeing visitors now, the guard reported.

Well then, maybe I should come back later, I replied quickly. I watched the guard as he snickered at the comment. His countenance showed obvious relief. Apparently the site of two tribals such as me and Sulik startled and maybe even frightened him beyond what he was letting on. This was a good sign. I knew that I could use his fear against him, and with any luck I would be able to manipulate the man into stepping aside. However, I am not going to come back later, I continued. The guard looked further relieved. As a matter of fact, Im not even going to leave. The dejection on his face was obvious. A worried expression swarmed his face. I was surprised that he would lose his composure so quickly, but was careful not to do the same. I slyly let a smile appear on my face. I knew that I had an advantage. Ill give you a choice. You can either move aside and let me proceed, or I can move you aside and then proceed.

A smirk returned to the guards face. I felt a chill run down my spine and I began to worry that I had made a mistake. However, he just said, You can go. Its not my ass thats gonna get put in the cemetery, itll be yours. Metzger wont let you walk five feet if you interrupt him. With that, the guard laughed to himself and stepped to the side.

I suppressed a sigh of relief at that moment. Then, I continued my voyage. I pulled open the door and entered. Again, a hushed whisper traveled throughout the crowd outside. They were obviously shocked by my actions.

Once inside, I found the building to be just as I imagined. The first room that I entered had a door on the far side. There were numerous guards here. Once again, I began thinking about my chances, and once again I dismissed the fears.

I strode across the first room and pulled open the door on the far side. Eagerly, I marched through to the next room. This room was the one that I was searching for. Metzger was in this room. He was standing close to the center of the room. He looked at me instantly, and spoke. What the hell are you doing here? His voice was raspy and harsh. He spoke with determination and confidence. I could tell that he was used to being in charge of things, and did not take lightly to being interrupted. I did not care about this, though. I had more important things to take care of.

Im here to see you, I said flatly. I studied his face as I said this, trying to take in every detail of my enemy. His brown hair was matted firmly against his head, and it was evident that it had not been washed for days. His ears, even though they were tucked under his hair, were noticeably larger than normal. His nose was pushed against his face and red, as if it had been punched too many times. The man had distinct green eyes that were always opened wide. They were quick and lively. They reminded me of the eyes of a dog that had just heard an unfamiliar or dangerous sound.

I dont know you, he replied flatly. He looked at me as if waiting for a response. After not receiving one, he continued. I dont know you, and if I dont know you, then you dont belong here. Anger was becoming evident in his voice. Once again, I remained silent. Get out! he yelled at me.

I moved my arm and prepared to pull out my gun. Metzger, with his alert eyes, saw my movement. Im leaving, I informed the man, trying to turn his attention away from my actions. I stood for another moment, waiting for him to react. However, he just stared at me, waiting for me to make a wrong move. I turned to the door, as if I was going to leave the complex. The movement must have been convincing, because for a single moment Metzger allowed his eyes to move off of me. It was in this split second that I retrieved my 14mm Pistol. It was now or never, there was no longer a chance to turn back. I had come to do this, to kill Metzger, to end his hold on the Den and the slavery that existed there. I needed his death. It was what had possessed me and pushed me onward to this town. Now, the thought that this possession might lead to my death entered my mind. It caught me off guard, and I paused for the ever-slightest moment while I thought of it. This would prove to be my worst mistake.

Metzger had his eyes on me again at the moment I retrieved my gun. Whatever advantage of the draw that I had was gone when I paused. My enemy pulled out his weapon and quickly aimed. At that time, my thoughts turned back to the current situation. However, it was too late. Metzger pulled the trigger and sent a bullet flying across the room. I tried to move and to react, but it was worthless. When a bullet is speeding at you, it is impossible to react before you feel the kiss of metal.

The first thing I felt was a burning sensation on my lower torso. I slowly looked down and saw a hole in my armor. Curiosity entered my mind, and with my free hand I reached to the hole and felt it. There was a warm liquid that flowed from it and covered my fingers. I slowly pulled my hand away and admired it. The red liquid on it made me realize what had happened. I was shot! Suddenly, pain shot through my body. I suddenly felt weak and light-headed. My armor had not provided much protection. I slumped backwards. I knew that I was about to pass out, if not die completely. As I fell, I felt someone catch me and guide my body to the ground. There was not a doubt in my mind that it was Sulik. My thoughts turned suddenly to his safety. He accompanied me, and suddenly I was out of the fight against a group of slavers and he was on his own. I knew that he did not stand a chance.

The pain brought my thoughts back to the bullet hole that was now on my body. I looked down at it and saw a single streak of blood flow down my armor from the wound. The kiss of hot medal was still present. I could literally feel the embedded bullet inside my body.

I looked up from my wound and noticed that Metzger had crossed the room. My eyes locked with his. You should have left when you had the chance, he said plainly. I was beginning to wish that I had vacated the premises when I had the chance, but then remembered what my mission in the Den was.

I wont leave until I see you dead, I uttered between gasps of breath. It was becoming harder and harder to breath with each passing moment. The pain grew greater and greater. My vision began to blur slightly, and a red glow outlined everything I saw. I felt like I was going to die right then and there.

You dont have a prayer, Metzger replied. He slowly raised his gun and aimed it at my head. See you in hell! the man exclaimed. I knew the end was near. I heard the cry of NOOOOOO! escape Suliks mouth. The scream obviously startled Metzger for an instant. He glanced away from me and looked at Sulik.

Just then, the sound of multiple shots filled the room. Metzgers mouth dropped open. A series of holes in his chest began to spontaneously drip blood. A few drops landed on my body. Metzger then slowly turned. He slumped down to his knees. His hands rubbed over the bullet holes in his chest. Then, as I had done, he pulled his hands away from him and admired the blood that had accumulated on them. At that moment, he turned his head towards me. His mouth was opened wide. His eyes looked small and dull compared to what they were before.

Metzger slumped face first down to the floor. The sound of his body hitting the hard wood brought pleasure to my ears. I looked down at my gun. There was still smoke escaping the end of it. I was then glad that I had a weapon that was accompanied with burst firing. However, the hole in my chest did not let my mind travel far from the pain that I felt. I looked over at Metzger one more time. I knew he was dead, and felt like I was about to be the same.

A smile slowly crossed my face before I lost consciousness.

Chapter 7

The first thing I realized was my existence. I felt suddenly relieved that I was alive. I thought for sure I had been dead, especially with the fantastic dreams that I had. There were dreams of many vivid colors that did not seem to make any sense. They took my very existence and made it seem obsolete. The dreams twisted all of my memories, combining two instances into one day, when in actuality they occurred years apart. It was a re-living and retelling of my life as I knew it. During these dreams, I was able to seemingly glimpse the future and what it held. The future that I perceived was not only of myself but also of my friends, my tribe, and the whole world. The dreams were incredibly realistic. They convinced me that I was deceased, and what I was experiencing was the afterlife.

I slowly stretched. I could tell that I was laying on a hard surface, probably a table. I did not make much notice of this, though, as it seemed irrelevant. I was concentrating more on what had happened, trying to remember how I ended up here. My last memories were of me and Sulik striding into town. I tried hard to remember what we did once we arrived, but it was not possible. My memory blocked the thoughts from my head.

Suddenly, a intense pain ran through my body, causing me to gasp sharply. I could not remember any previous times in which pain this severe had been felt by my body. After a moment, the pain seemed to retreat to a spot on my chest. It left the rest off my body slowly, becoming dull at first and then disappearing. At that small location, though, the pain persisted. Slowly, I moved my hand over to the spot. Fearing that I would cause myself more pain, I was careful not to touch any part of my body when I moved my hand. Once I had it positioned above the spot in which I believed the pain had originated, I slowly lowered it. I was ever so careful at doing this. I did not know what to expect, or how my body would react to the touch. After what seemed like an eternity, my hand finally brushed against something that was fairly rough. Instantly, I felt pain flow through my body again. The feeling caused me to instantly pull back my hand, and place it back at my side. I decided at that moment it would not be wise to try that again.

Then, I realized that I had not yet opened my eyes. For some reason, the action which was usually instinctive did not occur until my thoughts turned to it. Warily, I opened my eyes. The first thing that I noticed after doing this was the bright sunlight that was shining into the room that I occupied. I blinked a few times, letting my eyes adjust to the light. The warm sun suddenly made my body begin to heat up. It was quite strange how I could not feel the suns heat until I saw it. However, this was the furthest of my concerns, so I did not dwell on it.

Feeling the need to free myself from the glowing rays of light, I slowly lifted my head. The pain in my body was still at full effect. I glanced down at my chest, and realized that my hand had brushed against a bandage before. Quickly, I thought again about what had happened to me. I felt the need to remember, but my mind would only fail me. After a few minutes of blank memories, I decided to dwell on the fact later.

During the process of searching my mind, my thoughts turned to my companion, Sulik. I had not thought of him much until now. I began to wonder quickly what might have happened to him, and even worry. I did not want to be responsible for his death. The urge to find out what had happened to him compelled me to sit up from the place where I rested. This turned out to be a big mistake, however. Instantly, I felt a sharp pain flow through my body. It was an immense pain, unlike any other I had known, even when compared to the pain I had just felt moments ago. I let out a yell of pain, and fell back onto the table that I was on. I clenched my eyes together, waiting for the pain to subside. However, it grew in strength. I opened my eyes, and began to gasp for breath. Slowly, redness began to blur my vision. It was subtle at first, but quickly advanced. It moved from the outside of my vision and progressed inward. I closed my eyes again, but the color of red did not leave. I continued to gasp for breath. Then, suddenly, everything went black.

When I finally regained consciousness, it was night. This time, the first thing I did was open my eyes. I glanced quickly around the room, and saw a silhouette of a man standing on the far side of the room. The moonlight that entered the place illuminated only the outline of him. I strained my eyes harder, trying to perceive the minutest of details about him. Then, I noticed the outline of a bone on his face, and knew instantly that it was Sulik.

Sulik, I slowly beckoned to him. My voice sounded incredibly light and weak, even though my body felt strong. So far, there was no sudden pain like I had felt before.

Quickly, my companion moved to my side. How do you feel? he instinctively asked.

I thought about the question for a short while. I focused carefully on my body, trying to decipher whether or not I was hurt. I came to the conclusion that I felt fine, and reported this to Sulik. He simply smiled, slightly chuckled, and then nodded at the response. I became more curious than ever before about what had happened. Once again, I quickly tried to piece together the information, but with no success. I finally decided to ask my companion.

You really dont remember? he asked, speaking with his usual tribal accent. For some reason, I had never paid any attention to it before. Now, however, the accent seemed more distinct about him than the fact that he had a bone wedged in his nose.

I smiled, and then said, I remember that we entered the Den. I took a breath, thinking hard about the events, trying to remember as much as I could. It seemed like years ago that we had walked into that town. After a few minutes, I decided that I could not remember any more at the time. That is all I remember, I reported.

Sulik looked down at me. His face showed a combination of shock and understanding. We entered the Den three days ago, Sulik said. You were eager to get your hands on Metzger for his evil deeds. You wanted to find him, and hopefully find Vic. I nodded at this, and then motioned with my hand for him to continue. When we walked across town, we accumulated quite a crowd. Finally, with probably the whole town following us, we arrived at the slave complex. You entered, and went straight for Metzger. He paused, and took a deep breath. I could tell that something bad had happened already. I was beginning to wish that I was able to remember, but my mind was still blank. I motioned again for him to continue. He sighed, and then did as asked. You were confident, perhaps too confident. Maybe it wouldve been different if you hadnt been, but who will ever know now? He paused again, and took a deep breath. You were shot. Metzger shot you. I grabbed you, and guided your body to the ground. Metzger moved in for the kill, but miraculously you had enough strength left to shoot him first. You managed to kill him. I smiled at this. I concentrated now at what Sulik had said. Then, rapidly the memories returned to me. I remembered everything that Sulik had said, and everything that had happened on that day. It was an incredibly good feeling to once again know what happened. However, there was still some questions left unanswered.

What happened after I lost consciousness? I asked Sulik.

The tribal smiled at my question, and then said, One of the guards instinctively shouted that Metzger was dead. This was a fatal mistake, though. The whole town was waiting outside yet, waiting to find out what was going to happen. Once word reached them, they got on their feet and stormed the building. It seemed like the only reason that they hadnt done anything against the slavers before was because Metzger had too much control. Apparently, when you killed Metzger, you motivated everyone else to remove the slavers from this town. I smiled to myself when I heard this. I was glad that Metzger and the slavers had been removed from the town. However, there were still some unanswered questions.

Did you find Vic? I questioned. This seemed to be the biggest worry of mine. I was eager to find out of he was here, and if he was here, whether or not he was still alive.

Sulik stared back at me for a moment. I tried to find the answer in his face, but was unable to. Finally, he said, Yes. He is here.

I let out a loud sigh of relief at this information, and wanted to see him at once. Where is he?

Right now, he is resting, as you should be doing as well, Sulik replied slowly. It is probably early morning by now. Get some rest, and Ill bring Vic to see you in the morning.

I wanted to argue with Sulik, but decided against it. He had been loyal to me so far, and seeing how I was shot I was in no mood to argue. I simply nodded, and closed my eyes. After a few minutes, I was sleeping soundly again.

The next morning I awoke late. When I did wake, the sun was shining brightly. I blinked a few times, allowing my eyes to adjust to the light. I then looked around the room. I noticed two men standing across the room with their backs to me. From what I could tell, one of them was Sulik. They talked to each other in a hushed whisper, as if not to wake me. I slowly pulled my head up, trying to be as silent as I could. I listened as closely as I could to the two men, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Finally, I deduced that they were talking about my health. I had not thought about my condition last night, but now as I looked down at the thick, white bandage that covered my lower torso, I began to worry. Suddenly, Sulik must have noticed that I was awake out of the corner of his eye, because he quickly turned to me.

Ah, youre up! he exclaimed, his voice revealing a combination of relief and excitement. I smiled back at him and nodded slowly in reply. The other man turned around to face me. He was an ordinary looking man with no real distinct attributes that I could detect. His face seemed calm and collective, and careful not to express too much emotion. Sulik must have noticed that my attention had turned to the other man, because he said, This is the local physician. He was the one who treated you.

I smiled again. When will I be able to travel again? I questioned the doctor. For some reason, leaving the town now seemed like the most important thing to me. I did not want to remain anywhere near the place where I was shot.

The doctor chuckled slightly at my comment. You wont be able to travel for at least a week. Your body needs to heal. Disappointment covered my face. The doctor then came to my side, and speaking gently as only a doctor could to a patient who has been injured to such an extent and made such a request, said, You were shot. You cant just start traveling again, even if you feel able to. Youre body still needs time to heal. Otherwise, you might hurt yourself even more than you are now.

I nodded at this, realizing that he was right. I then turned my concern to Sulik. Where is Vic? I asked him.

He has been wanting to see you, Sulik informed. Ill retrieve him now. He then left the room. After a few minutes, he returned with another man. I assumed that this was Vic. He looked nothing as I had envisioned. He was old, and only a resemblance of the man described that had Ardin Buckner had described to me. He no longer looked like the champion of the wastes that herded a group of Brahmin through the desert to Klamath which saved the town. Instead, he looked like a weak, gray man who had no ambitions left in him. His gray hair was receding over his head, his face was wrinkled, and his blue eyes were without any significant glow.

Vic smiled, looking at me, and slowly approached me. You resemble your father, he informed me bluntly.

I became overjoyed with emotion. This was truly the man that I had heard about. He was truly the one who had known my father, who had traded with him, and who might know why trading between Klamath and Arroyo had ceased. I extended my hand to him, and he did the same for me. We both smiled then as we shook hands gracefully. I then decided to question him about the trades. What happened about the trade between Klamath and Arroyo?

From what I know, he responded, the trades ended because your father died. No one else in Klamath was aware of this, and I did not tell them because I knew it would be futile. There was no way they would believe me. I knew what happened because on the last week, the week when the trade ended, when I met with the representative from Arroyo there was only one person there. It was not your father, but someone else that I did not recognize. He told me the story about the raider attack. On the way back to Klamath, I thought about the attack and realized that there were some flaws with it. First off, I did not know of any raider groups that traveled near Arroyo. I had never encountered any raiders during the trades. Secondly, if the raiders had attacked and causalities had been as high as they said, they wouldnt have gone to meet me in the desert. It didnt make sense for them to risk another person when they already lost so many. Lastly, if they were going to send someone to meet for the last week and inform Klamath of the end of the trading, they wouldnt have sent only one man. They would have sent as many guards as they could spare. They would have been worried about another raider attack if they ventured into the desert.

The points that Vic had made were quite valid. I found no flaw in them, but knew that even though Vic figured out the truth, he didnt know exactly what happened to my father. I decided that it would be at this time that I would tell him and Sulik about what really happened. I began the story about the Vault Dwellers legacy, and the tradition that was to be passed down in my family. I then told of what had happened on that fatal day. I told all the details, including the minutest ones. I did not want to leave anything out. When I finished, they both looked astonished and shocked by the events. After I finished, there was a moment of silence. Neither of them knew what to say.

Finally, Vic spoke, Im sorry for what happened. I had no idea that it would be something so traumatic; otherwise I would have insisted not to know. His voice was very sincere and had hints of slight regret.

You had no way of knowing what had happened, I assured them. Something told me that Sulik was feeling the same way that Vic was which caused me to address the statement to both of them.

Vic nodded and glanced away from me. Apparently, he was deep in thought. Finally, he looked back at me, staring me in the eyes. I would like to join you on your voyage. Sulik told me about what you were trying to do, and what you are looking for. I might be able to help, seeing as how I know the locations of many towns, and have experience with many traders from many places.

I thought carefully about the offer. It was very intriguing. I didnt know how much help he would be in combat, he was right about what he said. I decided that he could be a valuable asset, and agreed to let him join me.

During the next few days, I could not do much but lie around. I was not in much overall pain, but I could not walk yet. Finally, when the day came that I could finally walk again, I explored the Den. Everyone knew me as the one who killed Metzger. I was a town hero. Everywhere I went, I received praise from the townsfolk. It was an amazing feeling to be held in such high regard. After having everyone in Arroyo admire me, I never thought it was possible for me to enjoy the admiration of people in a different town. The experience, to say the least, was overwhelming.

I spent a few days exploring the town, getting to know the people, and doing some odd jobs whenever they arose. The jobs were usually just errands or retrieving something from someone or somewhere. It wasnt anything that I couldnt handle. One of the most interesting people that I met was a man named Smitty. He knew all about the part that I took off the car in Trapper Town. He told me that if I could find a fuel cell controller, he would install both of the parts into a car. Apparently, those were the only parts that the car was missing.

After eleven days in the Den, I felt that I was able enough to leave. The doctor, who had been checking on me at least once a day, agreed that it was safe for me to travel. I bode farewell to the citizens of the town. Then, me, Sulik, and Vic left the Den and set our course to a small town that Vic knew from his trading experience called Modoc.

Chapter 8

The trip to Modoc was a long and treacherous one. There seemed to be an abundance of wandering dogs along the voyage, which needed to be disposed of. Plus, the rocky terrain did not make the trip much better. However, the fact that I had two people with me did somewhat comfort me. I had never been away from people for more than a few days, if that. In Arroyo, everyone was expected to do their own share of work, and of course there was no way for me to duck out of it. So, every day I had to drudge into the tribe, be nice to the people, and finish whatever task I had been assigned as quickly as I could. I hated it at the time, but being in the desert made me realize how much I missed my home and even the people.

As we drudged onward towards our destination, Vic humored me and Sulik with stories of his various adventures. The first day went by fast, and without much trouble we managed to build a fire and arrange camp. However, after listening to the old man speak his wisdom, I became curious about something that I had almost completely forgotten.

Vic, I said as I took my eyes off of the fire to gaze at the elderly figure beside me, I have something to inquire about one of your adventures. When I was in Klamath-

Dont tell me, Vic interrupted. Ardin told you about how I saved Klamath, right? There was an evident hint of sarcasm in his voice, but he was correct, so I nodded in response. Well, then I suppose Ill fill ya in, seeing how well be traveling together for a while. With that, he motioned for Sulik to grab some beers.

This better be worth it, Sulik said. That seemed to be his favorite saying whenever Vic told a story; he pretended not to care or even be interested, but he always hung on every word that the raconteur spoke. He tossed a beer to me, one to Vic, and then returned to his seat on the other side of the fire with a beverage in his hand as well.

I looked over at Vic. As eager as I was to hear this, I did not want to be rude and rush him. Instead, I opened my beer and took a small drink.

Vic licked his lips, and glanced at Sulik and then me. Slowly, a smile formed on his face. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs and clasping his hands together in front of him. He was ready to begin.

Technically, it was more fate and incredibly good luck than any work on my part, Vic began. First off, you should both be aware that Klamath was going through a drastic depression. Times were incredibly rough, and everyone wanted it to end. Most fled the town, and those few that stayed often wanted to do the same. However, there were a few hopefuls that were confident that things would eventually turn around. I was one that fell into that category; I did not want to see Klamath die. I had spent too damned many good years in that town! He sighed reminiscently, and then opened his beer. After a long drink, he continued. Well, I wasnt going to let that town die no matter what. Nothing could change my mind about that..

I left for the Den early one morning in hopes of finding something that could change the situation for the better. What I found, though, could very well have saved the town. When I arrived at my destination, I proceeded to visit with Metzger. Believe it or not, we were actually getting along at the time! He knew the predicament that Klamath was in and that I would do anything to improve it. So, being the slime-ball that he is, he made me an offer.

'You do me a favor, and Ill help your town out,' Metzger said to me. The one thing about that man that did not ever change was that he was always looking for ways to further his organization. Of course, back then he was more tolerable about it; as the years progressed, he became more and more intense.

'What do you want from me? I questioned, almost fearing what the answer would be.

Metzger, instead of replying, pivoted on his right foot and proceeded to walk away. Quickly he motioned for me to follow. I complied with his instructions and surprisingly followed him right out of town. We walked for almost an hour before he finally stopped. During the trip, neither of us spoke. A few times he acted as if he was about to say something, but then decided against it. The silence was utterly eerie; there were none of the normal desert sounds. One of the things that I remember the most was that the sun was exceptionally hot. Ive traveled in the desert all of my life, but I never experienced heat like I did that day. It was, to say the least, surreal.

When we reached our destination, which was actually more or less when Metzger chose to stop walking, he turned to face me. You want to save your town, and it just so happens that I can get my hands on what you need.

I waited for him to continue, but when he didnt, I spoke up. What do you have that can help me? I asked flatly. I wasnt going to humor him with any small talk; Metzger was never worth it.

'I can get you a herd of brahmin for Klamath, he said quickly. He kept looking around, glancing in every direction, as if he was worried that someone may have ventured out under the sun just to eavesdrop on our conversation. However, each time he searched with his eyes, he found nothing.

'What are you talking about? I asked. I was hoping to get all of the details instead of having to beg for them like most have to do when dealing with Metzger. However, seeing how he was so worried of someone listening in on the conversation, the chances that he would lengthen it more than needed seemed unlikely.

'Its simple, really, he stated flatly. I thought he expected me to urge him onward at that point, but I was going to do no such thing. After a brief moment of unnerving silence, Metzger continued. In Modoc there is a slaughterhouse. The man in charge of the installation has a debt to the Slavers Guild. He paused briefly, and laughed to himself. Actually, I have something he wants back. You see, one of his good buddies accidentally wandered too far into Slaver territory. You can figure the rest out.

'I see, I said to the man who stood in front of me. However, I knew that I would not get off that easy. Metzger does not do anything to help anyone but himself. I sighed, and said, I suppose there is something that you want from me first, though.

A smile slowly crossed the face of the Slavers Guild leader, and he chuckled slightly to himself. You never change, Vic. You always think you got everyone figured out, you always think you know what to expect. Did it ever occur to you that you could be wrong?

Mockingly, I replied, No, never. When youre as good as me, youre never wrong.

The man laughed at that answer. Vic, whatever you do, never change. Ive seen some strange shit happen to some of the most seemingly sane people in my day. I wasnt sure if he was referring to actual people or those that he had captured and reduced down to the level of slave. In spite of this, I felt it would be better if I did not ask. You want to know what I want of you, so I will tell you. You see, I have this problem with a certain person in New Reno. It seems one of my acquaintances is a little slow on delivering a shipment of what I ordered. I need you to either dispose of him, or bring him to me.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, Vic rose from his seat at that moment. He said he would be right back, and ventured off into the desert. The reason was presumable.

I took a sip of my beer, and leaned over to Sulik. This has been interesting, I stated blandly.

The tribal laughed, then nodded in agreement. He swept up his beer and, taking a long sip, finished the bottle. He rose from his spot to grab another one. Want one? he questioned.

Sure, I replied. I still had some left in my other bottle, but who was I to refuse free service, and not to mention, beer was involved. He tossed me another beverage, which I sat on the ground next to my other one. I then grabbed another log that had been conveniently positioned behind me and tossed it onto the fire.

Just then, Vic returned. He looked at both of us, and then took his spot next to the fire. Me and Sulik looked at him with great anticipation. He smiled to himself, and then decided to continue.

I looked over at Metzger, trying to decide whether or not he was serious, Vic said. Of course, I knew that he was serious; Metzger is a business man, and is not to be taken lightly, especially in matters such as this. I paused for a moment to think of the offer. It wasnt that I had never killed anyone before, but this was different. Im a trader; I wander through the wasteland with a vast bounty of merchandise. Of course, this caused me to be a juicy target for raiders and others of that kind. I killed when I had to then to save my own ass, and protect whatever merchandise I could. Now, though, I was being asked to kill for someone else just because the person did not deliver a shipment of some merchandise. I never did find out what type of stuff the guy was to deliver, but it was apparently important to Metzger.

I knew that, although I had never been hired to kill before, it was probably the only opportunity like this that I would have to save Klamath. I did the only thing any man in my position could do.

'Ill do it, I informed Metzger slowly, thinking carefully and cautiously about each word, knowing that once they were spoken to a man of such power that they could not be taken back.

'Excellent! he exclaimed. The smile on his face was one that I will never forget. It showed a mix of both happiness and bloodlust, which, in a man like Metzger, would send a chill down the spine of any sane man. He is known as Squared Monkey. Bring him to me, or dispose of him. Once the job is done, youll have your brahmin. He stopped after that sentence and stared long and hard at me. I think he doubted that I was actually going to comply to his offer. However, I must have been able to convince him. Ill have the brahmin here and waiting when you get back. He pivoted to walk back to the Slavers headquarters, but after a few steps, he paused and turned back to me. Oh, and Vic, if you back out now, Ill be sure that your corpse will be buried in the cemetery. He smiled in the only diabolical and demonic way that he could, and then walked away.

I let out a slow sigh as I watched Metzger leave. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach already for agreeing to this. I had met Monkey before; he was a nice enough guy, but in the wrong business. He was smart as could be, but insisted on making his living working for the Mordino family. He claimed that it was one of the best paying jobs around, and I didnt really doubt him in that fact. However, he was still working for a major crime family, and all who get involved with such kind are bound to end up dead if they dont get out while they still can. Monkey would be no exception. I sighed again, and then turned to begin my trip to New Reno.

I arrived in the big city in a matter of days. Not a moment went by when I thought about what I was going to have to do, nor did a moment go by in which I didnt regret what I was obliged to carry out. Of course, I was stuck with the fate, and could do nothing to change it.

When I wandered into the town, I decided it would be best to do this as fast and quickly as possible. I would simply ask Squared Monkey to come with me to the desert to discuss business. Monkey would not refuse; it wasnt in his style to refuse anything that sounded remotely promising to him. However, when I arrived at Monkeys normal hangout spot, the Desperado, he was nowhere to be found. I glanced around the room and constantly searching for the man I had to find. After repeated failures, my eyes fell on Lil' Jesus Mordino. He was the son of Big Jesus, who was the head of the family. I knew that it would not be good for me to ask to see Big Jesus; no one just asked to see him. You had to have good connections, as well as a skill that was needed by the family. Otherwise, there was no way that you would even lay your eyes on Big Jesus.

With that in mind, I decided to take my chances with his son. I ordered a beer and began to sip it slowly. Once it was about one fourth of the way empty, I walked slowly across the room, trying to remain inconspicuous. I dont know how well it worked, but no one seemed to pay any attention to me. After what seemed like an eternity, I was finally standing next to Lil Jesus.

'I know you, he greeted me flatly. Youre Vic, the trader-man, right?

'Uh, yeah, that would be me, I informed him. I had been in the bar numerous times before, and was not surprised that he recognized me.

'Hot damn, Vic! he exclaimed. I heard a lot of shit about you! Dont worry, though, most of it was good. If youre anything like the man of the stories, then well get along just fine. He smiled and chuckled silently to himself. I was trying to guess which stories he could have possibly heard. Then again, despite its large size, the communication lines in New Reno were amazingly fast. Lil Jesus then continued his speech, but this time with a more serious tone. What can I do for you, Vic? You lookin to quite the tradin business and take a job for the Family Mordino? It just so happens were lookin for a replacement.

I almost laughed at his offer, but then remembered that I wasnt there to die. Instead, I decided to see what information I could get out of him. Replacement, eh? Why do you need a replacement?

'Simple. Someone died, he said flatly. He waited briefly for me to acknowledge the statement, but then decided to continue. Good ole Monkey finally got to the end of his leash. During one of his trips to our installation out of town, a band of raiders cut him off. He had some Jet on him. Everyone around here is crazy for Jet; they cant seem to get enough of that damned drug! A large smile crossed his face. It was common knowledge that Jet was an incredibly addictive drug that was produced and marketed by the Mordino family. It was one of the aspects that made them so incredibly powerful. Basically, the raiders were ready to do anything for the jet; even kill our good friend. After a few days when Monkey didnt return, we began to worry, thinking that he took some of our fine product and left without paying for it. We sent a few guys out to look for him, and in a few days his corpse was recovered. Its rotting in Golgotha right now

'Thats too bad about Monkey, I said. I knew that he did a lot for your family.

'Damn straight he did! Lil Jesus exclaimed. If he didnt do a lot of shit, we wouldnt have paid him as much as we did. Of course, his death could mean good news for you. You want a job with us or not? Honestly, we could use someone with your expertise on traveling and surviving in the wasteland on long journeys. Plus, Im damn sure that it would pay a lot better than the simple trading you do.

Once again, I was given an offer that I didnt want to accept, but this time I could actually refuse without getting myself murdered. Thanks for the offer, Lil Jesus, I replied, but the truth is that Im not quite ready to give up the trade business.

'Fine, suite yourself, he said. There will be someone else to take Monkeys spot; the key is just to find em! He smiled, and then reached out and patted me on the shoulder. I tell ya what. If you ever need a job, or if you ever get sick of the trading business, come and see me. Ill more than likely be able to hook ya up with something really nice.

I thanked Lil Jesus for the offer, and then decided it would be best for me to return to the Den and retrieve my Brahmin. I know that I didnt actually perform the deed that Metzger had set out for me, but it was done nonetheless. I figured that he wouldnt notice the difference, as long as Monkey was dead.

When I arrived back at the Slavers Guild, Metzger was waiting for me at the front door. It was as if he knew I would return at that exact moment. He smiled at me, and said, You dont even have to say it; I already heard from another source that you have been successful.

I smiled back at Metzger. He was clueless as to what really happened. Where are my brahmin? I questioned him.

'Of course, the man said. Follow me.

I was taken to the other side of town where my reward was waiting in a small pasture. I never thought I would be so happy to see a stupid brahmin, but the excitement was overwhelming. Klamath would be saved! However, my thoughts were interrupted when Metzger said, theyre all yours. Just get them the hell out of here; I cant stand that smell.

'No problem, I replied slyly.

The rest of the story is pretty much self-explanatory. I had to drive the brahmin across the desert to Klamath. Luckily the two towns were conveniently close, which made the trip fairly easy.

I smiled at Vic, and then looked over at Sulik. He seemed disappointed that the story was over already. Plus, even though it did explain a lot, there was one question that still eluded me. Hey Vic, I said, why did you tell everyone that you simply found the brahmin in the desert?

The old man laughed at the question, and then answered by saying, The people of Klamath are simple. If I had told them that I was actually hired to kill a man or bring him back to be killed by Metzger, they would have disowned me. Anyone that causes trouble or kills for no reason is not wanted in Klamath; its just the way things are. Also, even though I knew most doubted that I found the brahmin in the desert, none of them questioned it. I guess they were just too damned happy that I gave them what they needed to get Klamath back on its feet that they werent about to question it.

Ah, I see, I said slowly. The logic in that took me by surprise; I never expected to hear of an instance where morals ran so deep within a town that they would reject their only chance at survival just because the one who brought it to them did so on immoral grounds.

Well, thats enough stories for tonight, Vic said. I need to get some sleep. Sulik grunted in agreement. I stared silently into the fire for a while, sipping on my beer. Arent you going to sleep, boss? Vic questioned.

Eh, Im not that tired. Ill sleep later. I replied.

Okay, whatever works for you, I guess, came the response.

I stared into the fire, taking an occasional sip of my beer, while my companions began to sleep. I thought briefly of the stories that Vic had told throughout the day. Most were meaningless, but all told about life in the wasteland and, in general, about life in the world. It was strange how one man could gain so much knowledge and have it go unnoticed. However, I did not keep my mind on that thought for too long. Instead, I began thinking of Modoc. Vic said that we should arrive there sometime tomorrow afternoon. I was excited, yet something told me that what we would find there would not be expected.

Chapter 9

The first thing that I noticed as we strolled into Modoc was that the town seemed to be dead. There were a few people wandering freely around, but they all looked depressed and discouraged about life, as if they wished it would just end. This wasnt the town that Vic had described so eloquently during our journey.

I glanced over at my companions; they seemed to be in as much awe as I was over the situation. I stared into Vics eyes, and could tell that the town had changed greatly since his last stay. Instantly, my thoughts fluttered to my home, Arroyo. Modoc could be a precedent for the fate of my own tribe. I realized then more than ever the urgency of my quest to retrieve the G.E.C.K.

I dont know what happened here, Vic said, interrupting my thoughts, but I know someone who might be able to shine some light on the mystery. He paused and glanced around the town, as if trying to think about where the man he was referring to could be found. After a brief silence, he said, follow me.

Where are we going? I questioned as I followed Vic.

To see Sheriff Jo, came the response. That made perfect sense; the Sheriff would know what happened to Modoc. Without any further questions, I followed Vic as he led me and Sulik to the General Store. Jo runs this store as well, Vic informed me.

As we entered through the front door, we found the first room empty. I glanced back at Sulik, and then looked ahead at Vic. The old man just shrugged at the vacancy, and proceeded to walk to the next room.

Hey, what the hell! someone exclaimed as Vic entered the next room. A quick chill ran down my spine as I rushed to join my companion, fearing that a battle was about to break out. However, I was quickly relieved when the man continued talking. Ah, damn it, Vic! You almost gave me a heart attack!

When I entered the room, I saw a scrawny looking man ahead of me. He was old, and had probably seen more years than even Vic. His skin looked like leather, as if it had been exposed to a lot of desert heat. The mans face seemed friendly and kind, though, and I knew then that he posed no threat. He smiled at me, and then looked back at Vic.

Ha! Vic said. Im the last thing that will give you a heart attack! I wasnt sure what was meant by this, but I wasnt about to inquire. I just assumed it was an inside joke of some sort. Allow me to introduce my companions. This is Scotty; I met him back at the Den and decided to join up with him for one more adventure. Actually, he saved my ass from Metzger and I figured I owed him one, but thats a long story. The other one with the bone in his nose is Sulik. He was traveling with Scotty since Klamath.

Well, nice to meet you all, the man replied. Allow me to introduce myself; Im Sheriff Jo. Any friend of Vics is gladly welcomed to this town, he said, smiling. I began to wonder how a man of his stature could possibly uphold the law; he appeared harmless and an easy target for any raiders.

Vic laughed back at the Sheriff. Yeah, me and Jo, we go way back. Theres a lot of history there. Vic paused and his expression turned serious. Speaking of history and such, what happened to this place?

Ah, yes, yes, Jo began. His expression turned serious and his eyes looked sad. He seemed to be reminiscing about a time that was better, a time when the town thrived, a time when his life was happy. Modoc has been stricken with one of the worst droughts this area has ever seen. Now Ive seen a lot of droughts, but this one outdoes them all. Never before has this town been so crippled. Modoc has always relied on farming, growing our own goods, and then trading for them. Everyone was happy; everything was going fine. However, those times are gone, and wont return until we receive some rain.

Isnt there anything else you can do about it besides just sit and wait for some precipitation? Vic questioned. He seemed extremely concerned.

Well, there is one thing, the Sheriff began, but then his voice trailed off. After a moment of silence, he continued. I wouldnt want to put you all through that, though.

What is it? Vic pursued. I could tell that he would do almost anything to assist this town; he must really like it.

Jo sighed, as if trying to decide whether or not to share the alternative with us. Finally, he resolved to inform us. There is a farm that is out of town, but real close at any rate. The crops there are strangely always tended to, despite the fact that no one lives there. Whats even stranger is that it seemed to have sprung up over night. We send someone there to tend to it a while back, but he kept coming into town with stories of ghosts rising from the ground at night and tending to the crops. Everyone thought that he was just making it up, but then one day he simply disappeared. We fear that he is dead.

Did anyone look for him? Vic asked.

We tried, the Sheriff said. However, no one was willing to explore the farm after the disappearance. I went with a scouting party up there after a few days, but we discovered that lots of posts sticking in the ground, and on the end of each rested a body part. Blood seemed to be everywhere. We quickly left. No one knew what had happened there, but for that matter, no one wanted to find out. We were all too frightened that we would suffer a horrible fate of the ghosts that were described would find us. It was no longer a story to us; it was real. I began to wonder if he was serious or making some sort of prolonged joke. His facial features were quite solemn, though, so I decided it would be best just to listen up for the time being.

Wow, Vic said as he tried to digest the story that was just given to him. Thats an interesting predicament.

Yeah, I know, Jo replied. We know that if we can take over the farm, well be okay until the drought passes us over. However, that doesnt seem too realistic right now. No one, including myself, wants to get near the damned place.

I cant say that I blame you, Vic answered back.

Maybe we could scout the area for you, I said. I could tell how much it pained Vic to see Modoc in such trouble, and I didnt want to pass up the opportunity to investigate such a strange place.

Jo stared at me, as if trying to decide if I was being serious. Finally, he said, If you wish to go to the farm, I wont stop you. Of course, I would prefer if you didnt go. You dont know what awaits you there. You may come across many hostile people, or other things, for that matter. I really dont want you to see you three disappear as well.

Well, if things get too hot, well just get the hell away from there as fast as we can, I informed the Sheriff. Besides, you said that the ghosts only arose at night; if we go during the day, we should be in the clear.

Thats a good point, Jo agreed. As long as you are extremely careful, and as long as you dont get yourselves killed, I wont object.

You dont have to worry about a thing, Sheriff, I said.

After Vic and the Sheriff exchanged a few more words, we set off to our destination, the Ghost Farm. Nothing, not even the warnings of Jo, could prepare us for the mass horrors that awaited us there.

Chapter 10

We arrived at the Ghost Farm a lot later than I had expected. Jo had made it seem like the trip would not take this long. Maybe we should have waited until the next day until we set out on our trip and stayed in Modoc for the night, as the sun was rapidly disappearing from the sky. It was too late to think of that now, though, as we were almost there.

I could see the posts that were supposed to contain the various body parts that the Sheriff had talked about, but I was doubtful that he was accurate on that. I had heard a lot of stories about various raider groups that wander the wasteland, and none of them had rituals that involved placing body parts on posts.

We approached as rapidly as we could. We were all excited that we were about to reach our destination. As we approached, my focus on the posts became clearer. From what I could tell, there was definitely something entangled on the posts, but I could not tell what quite yet. I looked over at Vic, and then to Sulik. They too saw the objects that were hung on the tall polls, but neither of them commented on the bizarre site.

Closer we rushed, eager to find out exactly what the figures were. Soon enough, we were standing right next to one of the posts. As we had approached, my focus did not leave the object of my desire, and still I had no idea what it was. It did resemble a part of a body, perhaps a torso, but I could not tell for sure.

What do you think it is? I asked my companions.

Im not sure, Vic replied slowly. This response was followed by a brief moment of silence.

Holy shit, Sulik said under his breathe, as if realizing something that he hoped not to be true. I looked over at him, taking my eyes off of the disfigurement on the poll for the first time since we arrived. I watched in utter awe as my companion threw down his prized sledgehammer; I had never seen Sulik let that hammer out of his hand. Even when he slept, it was right by his side, in arms reach, in case there was an attack during the night. To see him simply drop it made this already surreal situation become even more fantastic. I watched continuously as Sulik moved forward to the post that we stood ever so close to. His arm extended to the poll as he approached his destination. Finally, Suliks hand came in contact with the omen in front of us, and shockingly I watched on as he ran his palm over the surface. Slowly, he retracted it, and revealed a dark shade of red on his hand. Slowly, a drip of red fell from his hand to the ground. Its blood!

Sulik was right; the post was covered with blood. Im unsure of how he managed to determine that the red texture was blood, as there was so much of it that the entire post was covered in the same color. My mind began to race as I wondered what was going on at this strange place. I looked once again at the object at the top of the post, and an idea formed in my mind. I was still slightly doubtful about what the figure was, but I had to be sure.

Lets bring down this post! I exclaimed. Both of my companions looked at me as if I were crazy or possessed. I want to know what the hell that thing is on the top. Plus, if that is blood, why is it still fresh? If these posts were up for as long as Sheriff Jo claims they were, the blood should be dry.

Thats a good point, Vic said slowly, thinking carefully about the point that I had just made. However, there is one flaw.

Whats that? I questioned.

Just how do you propose that we get this post out of the ground? With that said, Vic walked up to the poll and pushed on it with both hands. It did not budge an inch. Its obviously in the ground quite a ways; there is no way we can push it over. Plus, the sun is almost out of site, and the clouds overhead are going to keep any light from the stars and moon at a minimum. We wont be able to see anything, and Jo said we shouldnt be here at night.

I knew that Vic was right, and something told me that I really shouldnt be here after sunset. I felt it in my tribal blood that this was not the place for me at night, but my curiosity urged me to stay and find out what the figure was. Thinking as fast as I could, I reached a compromise. Okay, well dig up the post tonight, and once we find out what the object at the top is, well leave and set up camp in the desert. Well return in the morning again to explore the rest of this place.

Vic looked reluctant to agree, but then simply shrugged and walked towards the post. Sulik smiled at me, and then approached the post as well. I really wished we had a shovel right now, as the task ahead of us would be a long one.

I joined my companions at the post, and using our hands, we dug into the ground as fast as we could. Surprisingly, the ground was extremely soft, which made digging a much easier task. After a few moments of digging, I looked towards the horizon and noticed that the sun had already set. The only light that was left was those few rays of sunlight that were dispersed in the atmosphere.

I turned back to my task. After a few more minutes, we had dug quite a distance into the dirt. Lets see if we can push it over yet, I proposed. With that said, we all rose to our feet and walked to the post. Then, I began to push on the poll. Surprisingly, it fell to the ground easily.

I looked at my companions. Who has a flare? I questioned.

Vic stepped forward, and handed me the object of my desire. I then approached the top of the post, eager to examine the object and then get the hell out of there. I was really starting to get an uneasy feeling about the ghost farm.

Suddenly, I saw a motion out of the corner of my eye. I turned quickly, peering deep into the darkness, wondering what I had seen. However, my site was greeted with simple darkness. I took a deep breath, reassuring myself that my imagination had just been playing tricks on me, and that I had seen nothing.

Quickly, I rushed to the figure that had rested high above the ground on the post. I lit the flare when I reached my destination, and then knelt to the ground for a closer look. Vic and Sulik were both behind me, looking on, curious as well to what the weird figure was.

The first thing that I noticed now about the object was that it was wearing a leather jacket. The reason that I didnt recognize the jacket before was because it appeared to be covered with dried blood. I ran my hand over it, and confirmed my suspicion as some of the blood flaked off of the jacket and fell to the ground. My curiosity rose further at that point, and my suspicion that this was indeed a part of a corpse skyrocketed. I moved now to bottom of the object. I couldnt really tell what was the top or bottom of the object, so I decided to use the leather jacket as a reference. The last few inches of the bottom of the jacket fell on empty air, but I knew from the shape that there was certainly something inside of the cover.

Slowly, I grabbed the bottom of the jacket and began to lift it. One of my fingers brushed up against something slimy on the inside of the jacket, causing me to retract my hand. However, the object remained on my hand. I brought my hand towards the light of the flare, and realized that the slimy object that I grabbed was a worm. I tossed the creature to the ground and watched briefly as it squirmed away. Then, I returned to the jacket and lifted it once again. This time, I felt nothing out of the expected. I moved the flare, which I held in my other hand closer so that I could examine what was inside the jacket. Light fell on something that I did not recognize. After a few minutes, my eyes began to focus better on what I was looking at. The site almost caused me to become sick. From what I could tell, it was the bottom of a torso that was amputated from the naval down.

It appeared to be a fairly clean cut. The utensil that was used had to be very sharp in order to cut through the organs and bones so cleanly. Strangely, there didnt appear to be that much blood, if any, present anymore. This was definitely one of the worst sites I had seen in my life, and I would not soon forget it.

Ive seen enough, I said shakily. Lets get the fuck out of here.

Okay, lets go, Vic agreed. I rose to my feet, looking down at the apparent corpse that had been placed on the post as a warning to anyone who passed the area. Then, everything suddenly went black.

Chapter 11

I stood there, watching him as he tried quietly not to make a sound. He was rising in the early hours again while the rest of the village was in slumber for his weekly journey. I was not sleeping, though. Usually, I would wake before he left but pretend to still be sleeping until after he was gone. Today was different, though. On this day, I waited until after he left the hut to begin his voyage. I heard him rustling outside, attempting to straighten his luggage so it would be more comfortable for him on his long trip. I had anticipated this. Quickly I rose out of my cot and floated over to the entrance. Silently I then opened the door and stepped ever so softly outside. He had his back to me, and was about ten feet away.

Where are you going? I questioned him. He was obviously startled by my surprise presence as well as the question. He looked at me and seemed like he wanted to laugh and avoid the inquisition. Still, my countenance was serious, and in the end he decided it would be best to just provide a simple answer.

I need to go meet Vic, he replied.

Why? I had always been an inquisitive child, and there would be no change in that now as the first rays of sun appeared from the horizon. Because I need to trade with him, he answered, and already expecting the next question, continued with, I told you many times before, the trade is beneficial for the sustenance of both Arroyo and Klamath.

I looked at him curiously as if this was the first time I had heard such a thing. Of course this was not the case, and I could tell by the impatience in my fathers eyes that asking another question would not have a positive effect. A brief moment passed as I contemplated what to say next, and my father seemed to take this as a sign that I had nothing else to proclaim. He swiftly turned from me and began to proceed towards the bridge. Dont go, I said.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to me. Obviously my request had not been expected. Another moment passed, and then he said, I must, for the sake of Arroyo.

Have somebody else go in your place, I retorted. I did not want to see him off this morning, for I harbored a fear at that moment that something bad was going to happen.

There is nobody who will replace me. I volunteered for this task because no other person with any negotiating skills would have it. They do not want to take the risk.

But why do you?

Because of who I am, he responded quickly, almost as if I had angered him. His expression then turned soft again as he continued with, Someday you will understand.

I had nothing to say to this. My mind raced with horrors at the time, but his voice seemed to calm me somehow. Someday I will understand, I repeated in my mind. These words seemed to almost soothe me. I watched again as my father turned away and began to walk towards the bridge. He did not turn back to look at me. After he was almost out of site, I began to follow him at a slow stride. I watched as he bode farewell to the bridge guard, the only warrior who was awake at the time, and continued into the wasteland. The guard watched my father as he ventured off into the barren desert. I approached him from behind, but kept a distance, as I did not want to be seen nor heard. There I stood, until at last my father was out of site, and a single tear ran down my cheek.

I woke up and instantly reached to wipe away the single tear that was running down my face. It was not a startled awakening, but strangely a calm one. I had become used to these dreams by now, but they still left me with a greatly uneasy feeling.

Quickly then the thoughts of the horrors outside of the ghost farm brought me back to reality. My eyes flung open and I sat up with a start. I reached for my weapon, but realized that I had my equipment removed. Then, with haste, I looked around the room in an attempt to figure out where I was. It became clear that I was underground in some sort of cave. The room where I resided appeared to be vast and hollow. Torches hung from the walls, which lit the room adequately. The next thing I noticed was that there was a narrow entranceway. What stood beyond it I could not view.

Suddenly my thoughts turned to my companions, Vic and Sulik. Where were they? I glanced about the room one more time to make certain that I was alone. My fears were correct; now my only hope was that they were still alive. I rose to my feet slowly then, trying to form a plan in my mind but to no avail. Rather, I simply decided to proceed to the entrance and take my chances with what waited for me outside.

I walked slowly and stealthily, even though sneaking had never been one of my best skills. However, it was worth a shot this time, especially since it might mean my death if I screwed up. It seemed to take an eternity before I finally reached the entrance. Then, slowly aligning myself against one wall, I peered into the darkness ahead, attempting to make out what was ahead. In the distance, I could see another torch. I squinted my eyes and leaned forward and the light of yet another torch reached my eyes. Each one was straight ahead; it appeared as if the room I occupied was at the end of a long hall. I figured this was fairly good luck; maybe I could still hold the element of surprise on whoever was keeping me here.

Once again, moving silently but quickly, I began walking straight out of the room. I marched directly forward with my eyes set upon the torch ahead. However, that was my one fatal error. Outside of my room, on each side of the door, was a guard that had been waiting for my awakening. They knew I would try escaping, so there they waited out of sight in the silent darkness. However, they moved quickly after I had past them. The sound of their fast footsteps reached my ears only seconds before each grabbed one of my arms.

My head whirled around, and I stared blankly at my captures. They appeared to be fairly well armored. Although I could not see if they had any weapons, I decided against fighting them right now. I could not risk getting myself killed when I still had so much left to do for my village. The guards peered at me and then began to push me forward. I was forced to march onward. I did not know where I was going, but my fate was now in their hands. We walked for what seemed like an eternity. Not a word was spoken, and since my initial glance back, my captures never received my gaze. I tried my best to ignore their presence altogether. This may have worked if they were not latched so tightly onto my arms.

Eventually we came to an opening in the dark abyss. The long hall ended. I saw the opening of a large cavern ahead. As we entered, the first thing I noticed was the immense size of the place. I could not have dreamed that such a large, open space could exist underground. And on top of that, the numerous structures that filled the room were amazing! There was everything from entire rooms to cages that held Mole Rats. My amazement by this, though, was quickly swept away when I noticed the other people there. Most were normal humans, like myself. However, others were quite different. They were not quite human; rather, their skin appeared to be transparent. The flesh and bones could be seen. I wasnt even sure how I knew the skin was there, but something told me it had to be. The bones underneath were sparkling in the light, and seemed to have a strange glow radiating from them. I had never seen such a creature in my entire life, and was in complete shock now that such a mutant could exist.

I felt a shove from behind then and realized I had halted to stare at one of these creatures. I had almost completely forgotten about the guards. Now, though, my focus turned back to my onward march. I was led to a room that stood almost in the middle of the vast cavern. I was taken inside the room and straight to a man who stood at the front of it. The guards then removed their hands from me, and left the room silently. I could have attempted to start something there, but decided against it; there were still other guards in the room.

Welcome, the man spoke. He seemed almost as if he was trying to read my expression for something. Maybe he thought I was part of a raider group. Maybe he thought I was a lost traveler. Whatever he was looking for, though, he must not have found. Still, he was not about to give up as he continued to stare.

What is this place? I questioned, wanting ever so badly for the silence to end.

The man smiled and nodded. You are at my little farm, he replied. He then extended his hand and said, My name is Vegeir.

Now it was my turn to look at him. I did not know if I could trust him or not. I did not understand what he wanted of me, or why he was being so kind. I decided it would be in my best interest not to offend him at that moment, though. I reached out and took his hand. My names Scotty, I replied coolly as we shook.

Great! he said. Now that the small informalities are taken care of, I must ask you, why are you here?

Now I was truly confused. He acted as if he had known all the answers. If he led this group, it was clear from the body parts on the posts around the farm and from the numerous armed guards that outsiders were not welcomed here nor often given a chance to explain themselves. I decided to count myself as being fortunate at that moment and attempt to be honest with Vegeir. I come on behalf of Jo, Sheriff of Modoc.

Ah, then he must be wondering where his little pal wandered off to, huh? He probably thinks the ghosts got to Karl, doesnt he? Vegeir said quickly, almost with a hint of sarcasm.

Actually, yes. He was curious as to the whereabouts of the man sent to attend to this farm. I volunteered to check this place out for him, I stated plainly. I was still examining him in an attempt to determine whether or not he could be trusted.

Well, here, just take this, he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it, and then handed it to me. It is a letter from Karl that was left on the desk in the farm house before he left. Apparently nobody believed him about the ghosts, so he decided to run away to the Den.

I skimmed over the letter quickly. I was unsure of whether or not he could be trusted, or if the note was a forgery. However, something told me that it was nearing time for me to leave. I suddenly became uneasy in Vegeirs presence. I do not know what caused this, but I felt I needed to make a hasty exit. Thank you; I will make sure that Jo receives this. Now if you can tell me where my companions are-

Not so fast, Vegeir yelped quickly. His expression tensed, but then returned to its relaxed state again in a manner of seconds. He took a moment to seemingly calm himself, and then continued. Im sure there is much else you would like to know about the farm before you leave.

I thought over his proposition, and then remembered the famished Modoc. That town needed aid, and perhaps I could do something to provide it. First, though, I needed to make sure that these people could be trusted. Why do you have body parts on polls around the farm? I demanded.

Those, he said slyly, are not real. We mainly took parts from Mole Rats and Brahmin, and stuffed the organs and bones inside of various sets of armor. This does take a lot of time and doing, though, especially since we try to make them as life-like as possible.

Why do it, though? I was not sure if he was telling the truth about the parts not being human, but they sure as hell did look real.

For fear, he retorted. We dont have the numbers nor the fire power to protect ourselves against a major raider attack. So we did the next best thing. We hung up body parts on top of tall polls in order to frighten off intruders. It has worked great so far.

Yes, but Im sure that wouldnt stop everyone, I replied.

No, of course not.

So what do you do with the ones that ignore the body parts?

It depends on who they are, Vegeir said. If it is a group of raiders, we do our best to eliminate them fast. If it is just a single person or two, we usually watch them to see what they are up to.

Well, why were me and my companions ambushed then? I inquired.

Its quite simple, really, he replied. You guys were ruining one of our effigies. We would have watched you, but we couldnt have you going around and destroying our property. Our other option would have been to kill you, but you appeared fairly harmless.

I felt relieved in that moment. Once again, we barely escaped death. However, his reasoning bothered me. Why did you think we were harmless?

Simple, Vegeir responded. We find two tribals and an older man working together to destroy our property. The obvious thing is that you are not slavers and you are probably not raiders either. So we figure that you are safe, but to make sure we had you watched. Plus we figured you may try to escape after awaking.

This was beginning to make sense now. I wasnt seen as a threat to this place not only because of who I was but also because of whom I was traveling with. This was rather discouraging, but nonetheless I decided it would be better if I took my leave of this place now. I would return to Modoc and inform the Sheriff of what was really going on here. Okay, I think that my business here is complete. Where are my companions?

Hey, not so fast! Vegeir said quickly. I took a step back hastily, preparing for some sort of confrontation at that moment. Vegeir seemed to sense this, and instead of stepping towards me, he raised one of his hands to his brow and took a deep breath. It seemed as if he was trying to gather his composure. After a moment, he continued. I know that Modoc is in bad shape. I know that they need crops in order to survive because of their drought. I also know that you were sent here to discover what was going on here. Now you know. You have seen our defenses; they are not grand enough to defend against Modoc. It may be close, but Modoc would be the last ones standing. Then what would happen?

I began to realize what he was getting at as he paused and gazed at me. I thought over the consequences of a war between the occupants of the Ghost Farm and Modoc. Maybe some sort of alliance would work between the two. After all, they did not kill Karl or me even when they had the chance. I did not want to jump to conclusions, though, so I responded with a simple, go on.

The battle would destroy both of us. The victor would be left as an easy target for raiders. Plus, Modoc would not be able to manage the farm; their numbers would run too thin to be able to risk that. All they would be able to do is wait for their doom. Vegeir looked over at me and set his gaze directly into my eyes. I knew he must have been telling me this for a reason. Once again, though, I decided against making any hasty conclusions and waited for the man to continue. This is where you come into play.

I had been right again. A chill ran quickly down my spine as he spoke those words. I was not sure I wanted anything to do with the people of this Ghost Farm where mutants wandered around with transparent skin and glowing bones. However, I decided it would be best to go along with what Vegeir wanted until I was free to leave. What is it that you need of me?

Its quite simple, really, the man responded. The Ghost Farm cannot risk sending one of our own to negotiate peace with Modoc. We need every guard we have for defense. Plus, the Glowing Ones are not very capable when it comes to being in the sun for a very long time.

You want me to be a peace negotiator, I stated.

Yes, precisely, the leader replied. I ensure you it will be worth your time. He grinned at me and stretched out his hand to shake. I looked down at it, attempting to quickly make an intelligent decision. At that moment, it seemed more beneficial to my survival to take his hand, which I reluctantly did. Very well. We have a deal.

Relief flooded through my body. Perhaps I would be able to finally escape this horrid place. Now, I said, where are my companions? I will travel with them back to Modoc and return here after I have talked to the Sheriff.

It was now Vegeirs turn to examine my countenance and decide if I could be trusted. He stared hard into my eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he stated in a rather cool voice, Fine tribal, but remember our deal. Im trusting you on this one. Now, he said as he motioned and turned to one of the guards, Brock will escort you to your equipment and companions. I assure you, you will find everything in perfect order.

I said farewell to Vergeir, and assured him again that I would return again soon. Then, I followed Brock. He led me without saying a word, first to my equipment which I promptly inspected and found to be in order as promised, and then to my companions. Sulik and Vic seemed happy to see me, and promptly questioned about what had happened. I spoke briefly of the confrontation with the leader of the Ghost Farm and the possibility of an alliance with Modoc. Both nodded quickly and decided against asking too many questions while in the presence of our former captures. Instead, we followed Brock to a ladder that exited into one of the fields on the farm. From there, we were left on our own. Finally we had a chance to grasp the time of day, which I had lost while being unconscious and underground. Apparently, it was late morning. I had hoped that we could make the trip to Modoc before nightfall.

We walked away from the farm in a quick daze. It was clear that we all had an uneasy feeling about what had just happened and felt extremely lucky to be alive. After we finally were quite a distance from the farm and the impaled body parts, Vic asked again for more details about what was going on at that farm.

I dont know for sure, I responded, but I dont like it. I set my gaze forward to Modoc with a stern expression on my face and quickened my pace. Lets just get back to Sheriff Jo first. I glanced over quick to see Vic nod in agreement. The rest of the trip was spent in silence.

Chapter 12

We arrived at Modoc in the middle of the night. The town appeared to be asleep or dead; the town had an eerie feeling when we entered it. I exchanged quick glances at my companions. Their faces appeared to be tired, yet alert. We had traveled at a rushed pace since the time we left the Ghost Farm. We were not going to stop for nothing.

Where does Sheriff Jo live? I questioned Vic. I doubted he would be at the General Store this late at night.

Perhaps we should wait for morning.. my companion slyly responded. Perhaps he thought that I wasnt thinking clearly. However, as we came closer and closer to Modoc, my mind became less clouded. My plan of action was now clear.

No waiting, I responded quickly. It is of utter importance that I speak with the Sheriff immediately.

So be it, Vic said. Follow me.

Sulik and me followed Vic to a building that stood not far from the General Store. When we arrived there, I knocked loudly at the door. A groan was heard from inside. I knocked again, this time with more of a sense of urgency. From inside we could hear someone grumbling, and then silence again. I raised my hand to pound the door again when it sprang open. Darkness could be seen inside, but nothing more. Ah damn it, Jo rasped from inside. The Sheriff then stepped out from the darkness, lowering his rifle. What the hell do you think youre doing?! he rasped, clearly angered about being awakened but at the same time relieved that it was not anybody hostile.

I have news about the Ghost Farm, I told him, and I believe it may require your immediate attention.

So be it, the Sheriff said. Come on inside. He turned around and marched into the darkness again. We followed slowly, letting our eyes adjust to the increased darkness inside the residency. Once inside, Jo motioned for us to have a seat around the table that was centered in the front room. We obliged as the Sheriff went in to the other room. He emerged a few moments later with bottles of beer for everyone. So what is this news that is so urgent? he questioned as he handed each one of us a beverage.

Its quite simple, I responded. We were captured by the occupants of the Ghost Farm. Ive spoken with the leader, Vergeir. Apparently, Karl is quite well and they wish to form an alliance with Modoc. With that, I handed him the note that I was given.

The Sheriff took the note and set it on the table. That wont be much help until the morning. I dont feel like wasting any equipment unless its absolutely necessary. This drought has been hard on all of us, including my business. I figure the less supplies I use, the more supplies I can sell, he explained. I nodded in agreement, but was unconcerned about that. The letter from Karl seemed only minor compared to the other events that happened at the farm.

What about the alliance? I questioned the Sheriff.

Well, you cant expect me to make a decision quickly on that, can you? he retorted.

Of course not, I reassured. But before you consider forming an alliance, you may want to hear the rest of the story.

Certainly, Jo said. Is it a long one?

Not too long.

Jo rolled his eyes. Give me one moment, he said. He then motioned for Vic to follow him and left the room. Vic complied and exited the room after the Sheriff.

Sulik, I said, turning to my tribal companion, What did the spirits tell you about the Ghost Farm? The spirits that Sulik seem to be constantly in touch with was definitely an interesting quirk that I had not expected when I had him join up with me. However, it was starting to rapidly grow on me. I was still not fond of the idea of Sulik being able to consult actual spirits, but rather I felt that he was just expressing his own ideas and not taking credit for them. It was logical; he could never be wrong for something that the spirits say, and therefore could not be blamed. Only the spirits could be blamed. Still, though, the advice that the spirits provided was usually useful.

The spirits say that the farm is a bad place, he replied. They say that Vegeir is not one you should trust quickly.

I nodded in reply to him. I had expected this response. I felt reassured now; it would be easier for me to complete my task if I wasnt alone in the negotiations here. Vics stance would probably hold more persuasion over Jos final decision, though. Despite this, I refused to become discouraged. Vic seemed to be completely trusting of me since we met; I had no reason to believe that he would divert from this path now.

I looked up then, distracted from my reverie as Vic and Jo entered the room again. Each carried several bottles of beer, which they set on the table. That should suffice for the time being, Jo said as he passed a bottle to each of us. I opened mine smoothly and took a drink. As expected, the beer was watery and lacked flavor. I was beginning to wonder if any high quality beer existed in the wasteland. I only let myself think of this for a moment, though, before I turned my complete attention to the task at hand.

I looked over at Jo, who now had an open beer in his hand as well. He took a small drink as I began to tell the story. I told him of the night when we arrived at the farm, the attack from behind, and the encounter with Vegeir. The whole time everyone else sat in silence, quietly sipping on their beers and grabbing another when their bottle was empty. I finally finished my story, and then looked Jo straight in the eyes. What do you think?

The Sheriff sighed. He took another drink of his beer, and then raised his other hand and rubbed his chin. His eyes looked as if they were in deep contemplation. After a short time, he said, Perhaps that is the question I should ask you. You have been there and seen the sights yourself. So tell me, are Vegeir and the occupants of his Ghost Farm to be trusted?

Now I looked over at Vic, and then to Sulik. My gaze shifted from one to the other, and then back again. I was less concerned about Sulik, as I knew what his stance was. Vic seemed to be concerned about what I would say, though. Was he afraid that I would propose an alliance, or was he afraid I would tell Modoc to go to war? I decided it would be best for me to stop stalling and continue as I had planned. If Vic did not support me, I could always relax my stance. I think that they are not to be trusted, I stated blandly.

Vic sighed. I glanced over at him in an attempt to decide if it was one of relief or anxiety. However, I did not have to wonder. I agree, Vic intervened. I had a bad feeling about the Ghost Farm since the moment we arrived. Plus I did not appreciate being attacked from behind and held against my will.

Well, Jo replied, that just about settles it. Modoc will take the Ghost Farm by force.

Now Vics expression turned more solemn. I do not know if that would be a wise idea.

What are you talking about? Jo retorted. You just said yourself that you had a bad feeling about them.

Yes, but I also have a bad feeling about what the consequences of the battle would be, Vic replied. Vegeir may be a shady character, but that doesnt make him an idiot. He spoke the truth when he said a battle would be costly on both fronts. Whoever won would be left as an easy target for any formidable group of raiders.

Yes, Jo said, but if we do not attack now and this drought does not end, we will become an easy target in no time. Each day our strength weakens.

I still do not want to see Modoc take up arms for this, Vic retorted. Both men spoke wise words, and now it was time for silence to ensue. Everyone sat in the dim light that the moon cast in to the room. Everyone sat, taking the occasional sip of beer and losing themselves deep in thought.

Finally, the silence was interrupted. Modoc will not sustain such great losses if we attack with them, Sulik said. We will attack at night, and attack when they do not expect it. We will keep our numbers small and use stealth and the cover of darkness to our advantage. Modoc will not risk as much this way. Plus, there is a greater chance of success if we attack with a small, unexpected force during the late hours than if we would attack with a large force during the middle of the day.

For that matter, why dont we take a large force during the middle of the night? Jo questioned.

The guards will be out. They will be patrolling the borders, watching for raiders as the crops are attended to, Vic answered.

Yes, so a large force would be more noticeable; a small one would not, Sulik continued.

Jo then set his gaze directly into my eyes. Are you willing to help Modoc? This rides on your shoulders, stranger. Your companions have spoken, and my friend Vic has spoken. If you wish to aid Modoc, we will be most grateful and you will be rewarded. However, the decision is, ultimately, yours.

I realized then that I had gained complete control of the situation, despite the fact that I had not intervened in the conversation in some time. I finished my beer and set the empty bottle on the table. I grabbed another, opening it quickly and took another sip. I could feel everyone watching me, wondering what I was thinking when I already knew what I would say. I just wanted to bask in the moment of suspense. I took another drink from my bottle, and then decided to announce my decision. Me and my companions will aid Modoc in the attack of the Ghost Farm.

Jo nodded in response. The decision was a tough one for them but an easy one for me. I had a horrible feeling about the Ghost Farm and would be glad to help rid its occupants from the wasteland. Of course, it would not be an easy task. The chance of death was high, and the chance of success was low. Nonetheless, I felt I had done the right thing. In fact, if we were successful, we may even save Modoc.

I will take you to a place for lodging for the night, Jo said. I will assemble my best men tomorrow. We will form a plan at that time and leave the following day. We should arrive at the ghost farm two nights from now for the attack.

My companions and me nodded and spoke our agreement. We all appeared to be satisfied with the plan at the time. However, the nervousness in the air could be felt as we all finished our drinks in complete silence.

We arrived at the Ghost Farm during the middle of the night. I was actually alone, and quite a distance away from my nearest ally. We had decided it would be best to separate and attack from all sides of the farm. I had chosen to go to the far side, the one furthest from Modoc.

The plan was simple. Jo provided all of us with combat knives before we left. Stealth was key, and gunshots would alert everyone of what was going on. Nonetheless, we still carried our weapons on the voyage in case things took a turn for the worse. We agreed, though, that we should not use a gun or rifle unless death was a certainty for us. Otherwise, it was a knife fight. The objective was to sneak in at all angles, attack all hostile enemies when they were not expecting it, and meet at the single shack on the farm. After we met, we would go to the entrance that my companions and me had left through just a few nights earlier. We also decided that this should be a very quick mission. If any one of us halted or took longer to get to the cabin than expected, we would abandon the mission. We had no way of communicating with each other, so the only assumption that could be made was that somebody had been captured.

There were seven of us in all. Vic and Jo had chosen to wait this one out back in Modoc. I was fine with this; actually, I preferred it. They had done most of the planning on the mission, which was already a lot of work. Sulik insisted on following, though. We offered him a gun, but he insisted on using only a knife and his sledge. The other five members of our group consisted of citizens of Modoc. Jo had made a careful selection of these people, and sent some of the best knife handlers that I have ever seen to aid in the attack. Unfortunately, only two were skilled when it came to a gun. If the journey did go downhill, it would not be good for them.

I moved onward, approaching the tall omens that surrounded the farm. Clouds loomed overhead, covering the moon. There was dampness in the air that seemed to be increasing slowly. I had first felt it after the sun had set, and as each hour passed its presence seemed to be growing. I made only a small note of this, though. I was nervous about the quest, worried about something going wrong. I tried my best to block this out of my mind, though.

My eyes had readily adjusted to the dark by the time I reached the first tall post of the farm. I was there, and it was time. I quickly estimated how much time had passed in my head. I guessed I still had about two minutes before the job was to officially begin. Vic had estimated the amount of time it would take for everyone to get into position beforehand. He also calculated that the last person should arrive at the shack in, at most, five minutes after the first arrived. I hoped that these calculations would be correct. Otherwise, we would have to hope that the occupants of the Ghost Farm would think it was a raider attack instead of Modoc. If they did come after Modoc, the result would not be good.

I hunched down by the post, glancing in all directions as I counted down the time in my head. I did not see any guards yet. There was, however, a set of faint and glowing lights that appeared to be coming from the direction of the shack. I waited, curious about what they could possibly be. My eyes stared hard at them. Slowly the lights began to grow, but not much. Each second passed as an eon. I eagerly waited for the time to be up, for the attack to be on, and for this night to be over. One minute left, and the lights were starting to come into focus. I could now count five lights total. I waited impatiently as yet they seemed to come closer. Just then, I noticed something next to the lights. It was a figure. Somebody was walking there.

The realization of everything flooded my instantly. I knew what was going on now. I let out a hushed gasp and pressed myself hard against the opposite side of the poll. The lights were the bodies of the Glowing Ones. The other figure that I had seen was undoubtedly a guard. They were going out to the large field that separated me from the shack to attend to the crops. I glanced around the side of the poll. My fears were right; I could now make out the figures of the Glowing Ones almost perfectly. I could also make out the figures of three guards. They were close, and coming closer. I needed a good plan, and I needed one now, as my time had just expired. My allies would now be advancing, and I was to be doing the same.

Suddenly, I saw something from the corner of my eye. I glanced over, and saw two more guards in the distance. They appeared to be patrolling the perimeter. They still were some distance away, though, and had to walk past two posts before they would arrive at mine. I realized then that this was not going to be good. I slowly reached for my gun, but quickly decided against it. I would have to at least make an effort at sticking to the plan. Besides, death was not a certainty yet.

I quickly armed myself with my knife then and glanced over at the Glowing Ones. They had stopped, and appeared to have started to care for the crops. The three guards that were with them formed a triangle around them, each setting their gaze to the wasteland. I decided that it would not be easy to take over that group, but none of the guards seemed to be paying much attention to my current position. I quickly dropped to the ground then, being as silent as possible. I crawled slowly towards the three guards, trying to be stealthy during the entire ordeal.

I heard then hushed voices approaching me. I looked back and noticed that the two patrolling guards were talking in whispers as they walked. I had crawled about ten feet towards the Glowing Ones by the time I heard them. I froze in my tracks; if I could hear them, they might be able to hear me. I looked over my shoulder now and seen that they were almost directly behind me. Luckily, they appeared rather engaged in their conversation, as neither took immediate notice to me. I felt lucky at that moment, and watched intently as they passed.

Now came a hard decision. As badly as I wanted to make my way to the shack, I knew I could not leave any encountered enemies alive. That was the agreement; kill all hostiles on site. I pulled myself quickly to my feet then, but remained hunched over in an attempt to not draw attention to myself. The three guards by the Glowing Ones didnt seem to notice. I made my way back to the post where I had started, and began to hastily to follow the guards. They were not moving fast, lucky for me, and it did not take long for me to get relatively close. At least, close enough to hear their conversation.

I still think its a bad idea, one said.

Why? the other replied. It only makes sense. We ally with them, and well have everything we ever wanted.

But I have a strange feeling about it. I dont think that the people of Modoc should be trusted. He stopped walking then, only for a brief moment. The other did not realize this right away, and I had my opportunity. I was only a few feet behind by now. As soon as the first guard paused, I rushed behind him with my knife ready to go. He had no idea what was about to happen.

I never killed a man in my life with only a knife, but I had heard all of the stories about it. Plus, I figured it wouldnt be much different than killing a brahmin with one. Still, I never let myself give this a thought at the time. I knew what had to be done, and hope that I didnt screw it up. I was right behind the first raider now. I reached up with my left hand, quickly placing it over his mouth from behind and pulling his head back. This exposed his neck perfectly, and by the time he realized what was happening, the sharp blade was already sliding through his warm flesh. I felt a rush of hot blood escape from the wound as he tried to yell. Barely a sound was made, though. So far, the knife was turning out to be a very stealthy weapon.

The other guard stopped walking then. It only took him a matter of seconds to realize his friend was no longer beside him, but by that time it was already to late. I pulled my knife away from the throat of my first victim and let him slump to the ground. Then, I jumped over the corpse, making my way to the second enemy. He had turned just on time to see the body of his ally fall. His countenance was one of pure shock at that moment, and before he had time to react, he was already dead. I plunged my knife deep into his heart. He let out a few hushed gasps for air as this happened. It was clear now that he was in complete shock. There was no chance for him to alert others. He was paralyzed by the pain and quickness of the recent events. I waited for his body to relax and his heart to stop beating. I knew I had missed my target slightly, as his heart was still beating. With each pulse of the strong organ another wave of hot, flesh blood was expelled from the wound, warming my hand to the point where I thought it was on fire. As the seconds passed, though, the amount of blood that was being pumped out of his body lessened. I looked at his eyes and could see clearly now that he was fading quickly. I watched as they rolled back into his head, exposing nothing but the ghastly whiteness that was otherwise hidden. His body finally fell limp then, and he slumped backwards, off of my knife and on to the ground of the wasteland.

So far, the plan seemed to be working perfectly. However, I was left with no time to think about my success or to wipe the blood from my knife and hand. Rather, I know that I still had a group of Glowing Ones and three more guards to eliminate before making my way to the shack. With this in mind, I turned back, rushing swiftly yet silently back to the post I had started out by. The moisture in the air was building still, and I could feel it condensing on my face as I moved. I reached my destination, and noticed that the group of enemies had not moved much. However, something was different this time. From the faint light that was emitted from the bodies of the Glowing Ones, I could only vaguely make out the figures of two of the guards. Where was the last one? Perhaps he was just out of sight right now because of the pitch-blackness of the night. Plus, it was difficult just to see the other two, so it was possible.

I didnt have to dwell on this situation for long, though. As I studied the situation, I heard a faint sound behind me. Instantly, I whirled around, raising my knife, ready for a fight. This was the right action to take, as I saw the missing guard standing only a few feet away. One of his arms was raised, and it appeared that he might be holding a rock in his hand. I quickly remembered the bump I had on my head from the first time I was attacked from behind at the farm. It had been a rock that had hit me.

The man gasped as I turned with such haste to face him. He paused for just a moment, caught off-guard as his plan took a turn for the worse. No thoughts entered my head then except for those of killing again. My knife was raised by the time I fully faced him, and his expression had changed from one of relaxation to one of shock and partial terror in less than one second. Not wasting any time or motion, my blade was at his throat, and in one clean slice, the mans fate was decided. He had no time to cry out to his allies or even to reach for his gun. Instead, all he was able to do was open his eyes even wider and sink slowly to the ground.

By the time he had come to a full rest on the wasteland floor, my gaze was already turned back to the last two guards and the Glowing Ones that they were protecting. Neither seemed to be concerned about their missing ally. However, they still stood with their backs to each other, and their heads were constantly scanning the darkness, much to no avail, but still making it impossible for any hostiles to come too close without being noticed. I would have to make a diversion, and it would have to be good. I would only have one chance at it. Then, it came to me. I concealed my knife, and began to run towards the guards. I had no idea if this plan would work, but I had to take the chance. Closer I approached, now just out of site. It was too late to turn back.

What the hell, one of the guards grumbled quickly as soon as he noticed me. His rifle was quick to his side. I froze in my tracks and threw my arms to the air.

Dont shoot! I said, gasping for air. I had only run a very short distance, but this was better for show. I stayed back, keeping far enough out of the light that my bloody apparel would hopefully not be noticed. I pretended that I was panting, but in reality it was just a show.

What the hell, the guard said again. He looked over to his companion, who had drawn his weapon and aimed it at me as well. Lets just waste his ass.

No, wait, the other one replied. Then, he said to me, What the hell are you doing here? Why have you come back now, in the middle of the night, and out of breathe? Dont think I wouldnt recognize you; its not every night that we take in two tribals. I was one of them that brought you in, but thats not the point. What the hell are you doing here now like this?

I placed my hands on my knees, pretending to be out of breath. Between gasps, I spoke quickly and to the point. Me and my companions, we were coming back here with word from Modoc. They agreed to peace, and sent us with many gifts to bring here. We left Modoc yesterday, and set up camp not more than two hours from here. We wanted to arrive in the morning and spend the day celebrating the peace with you. But raiders found us. They found us, but we noticed them before they could attack. We were outnumbered, so we fled. They saw us running, and came after us, even though we left our camp in such haste that we didnt have time to grab our supplies and gifts again. Vic and Sulik fell behind, and the raiders claimed them. Me, though, I ran nonstop to the only close safe place I could think of, and that is what has brought me here. My mind whirled. The story was so hastily made up. Was it good enough to pass their approval? Would it suffice, or had I just ruined the entire mission?

The two guards exchanged glances. Then, slowly, they lowered their guns. I great feeling of relief washed over me at that moment. If what you say is true, then come with me, the guard that had captured me the other night said. Ill take you inside where you can rest for the night. Plus, Ill have to wake more guards in case the raiders followed you.

I moved my hands from my knees, and taking a deep, panting breath, I stood up straight again. Thank you, I said in a forcefully exhausted breath.

The guard grunted to me in return. He then turned towards his ally. Can you cover it for five?

Yeah, the other replied.

Good. Now you, tribal, come with me, he said, in a somewhat uncertain voice. He turned his back, and began to lead the way away from the glowing ones and towards the shack. Trying my best to remain in the shadows and keep the blood that I was wearing hidden, I followed at a quick pace. The eyes of the Glowing Ones followed me as I walked past, providing me with an uneasy feeling. I paid no mind to this, though, but rather kept following my guide, who was now walking at a rushed pace.

Before long, the lights of the Glowing Ones were fading quickly. I knew then that we must be out of sight from them as well, hidden by the great darkness that plagued the wasteland that night. I stared hard now at the back of the guard I was following. I looked up, watching his head, making note the whole time that he seldom glanced from side to side. His gaze seemed to be set straight ahead. This was all the encouragement I needed as I reached for my knife once again. Different strategies ran through my mind of how to kill this man. Perhaps I should go for the heart again, or maybe the throat. Of course, I didnt want to repeat myself already in the night; this was only my third kill.

I raised my weapon now, hastening my pace only slightly so that I would be close enough to make a well-aimed stab. I pulled back my right arm, preparing to lunge the knife. With my free hand, I tapped the guard on his right shoulder. My timing had to be perfect and my aim accurate, despite the fact that the darkness seemed to be growing. The man ahead of me began to turn his head towards me. The turn was not quick, and the man did not stop while doing so. This was all I needed.

My knife lunged forward quickly. I had my eyes locked on the spot just in front of his ear. I had decided that this would cause a quick death. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, my knife found its mark slightly above target. This caused a little more resistance than I had expected. The knife penetrated my enemys skull nonetheless, though. Despite the initial resistance of the skull, my blade found no restraint after reaching the slimy brain matter that was contained inside. The guard never had the chance to think any last thoughts. I withdrew my knife, and let yet another corpse fall to the ground.

Once again, though, I was not able to reward my efforts. Rather, I turned back, setting my focus on the faint lights of the Glowing Ones that I had left behind. My guide and me had been making great time; in fact, I guessed that only a few minutes had passed. Still, if the others were not encountering as many problems as me, I would still be late. Regardless of this, though, I stooped down and ran my hands over the corpse of my latest victim. I had only one item in mind, and hoped dearly that this guard had been carrying it. I found his ammo and a single stim. Still I searched, until at last my hands stumbled upon something in his backpack. I pulled it out and held it close to my face. My hands had not deceived me; I had found a rope. Of course, I did not take time to enjoy this victory, as time was running out.

I jumped up and now rushed back to the Glowing Ones. The figures came into full shape as I approached, and I noticed the last guard was now facing the barren desert that surrounded the farm. This worked out to my delight. I still held my knife in a vice-like grip in my hand. I was not about to let the weapon fall. All that stood between me and the last major threat were five Glowing Ones. My feet fell silently on the ground as I rushed along. I would make this kill quite direct. I would not pay any attention to the Glowing Ones; they did not appear to have the lung capacity to yell or shout. In fact, I never remembered them uttering a single word to this point.

Quickly my mind was back on my task, though, as I entered into the light of the Glowing Ones. They looked at me with puzzlement. A few noted the knife in my hand as I rushed past but said nothing. There was no sound made by any of these creatures as I passed. The guard had not turned, nor given any notice to my return. My arm pulled back again as I slowed my pace. As soon as I was in distance, I lunged forward with my knife, driving it deep into the mans heart from behind. I knew this time that my target was accurate. I didnt waste time though as I removed my knife as quickly as I had lunged it into his body. Spurts of blood flooded out of the wound in time with the beating of his heart. In the faint light of the bodies of the Glowing Ones, it appeared as if black paint was covering the earth.

I turned now to the lighted bodies of my last five enemies. Two had begun to wander away. The others stood there, looking at me in shock. I moved in quick, swift motions, slicing as I went along, making each move of my knife count. The Glowing Ones had to know that escape was futile; they moved too slowly to stand a chance. Plus, without any guards or weapons, they were helpless. Each gasped and tried to yell out for help as I approached them. Unfortunately, their voices cut out, and I came to the realization that they could speak but not loudly. I noted this quickly as I moved from one enemy to the next, slicing throats as I passed. All fell to the ground until I was left with only one more to go.

This was one that had been trying to escape, walking as fast as it could in the opposite direction. I lowered my knife now and put it away. Then, I grabbed the rope from my bag again. I walked slyly up to the last enemy from behind. I was not going to kill him, though. Instead, I was just going to save him for later. I grabbed the arms of the Glowing One from behind, pulling them towards me and locking them behind his back. The creature gasped, but did nothing to struggle against me. I pulled him backwards now, looking over my shoulder, attempting to judge where the nearest post would be. I saw it out of the corner of my eye; it was the same post I had started out the night at. I made my way quickly there, roughly dragging my prisoner along.

You are going to do what I say, I said to the creature, and you may just be one of the lucky ones. Reaching the post now, I released his arms and pushed his back against the tall structure. Commanding him to remain still, I moved behind him, at the same time wrapping the rope around his body and the poll. I had never gave thought of how to tie a person to a post beforehand, but considering my prisoner was quite weak, I estimated that my inexperience would not work against me too much. After I felt secure with my tie job, I walked over to the last raider I had killed. I grabbed my knife once again and quickly cut off his shirt. I then took the blood-soaked cloth over to the Glowing One. Without thinking twice, I used the material to gag him. He did not make any sounds during the ordeal, but I still felt better knowing that he could not speak at all.

I spoke a farewell to the prisoner at that point. I turned then and began to run towards the shack. My eyes skimmed the blackness of the night, attempting to see any more enemies. I could hardly remember seeing a night this dark in my entire life. I still ran onward, though, using my free arm to constantly wipe the condensation and sweat off my face. My other hand held my knife in a firm grip.

I could hardly make out the figure of the shack from fifty feet away. All I noticed was an area that appeared to be a different shade of black in the night. I slowed my pace, proceeding with caution. My eyes glanced from side to side, and then I peered over each shoulder, ensuring that I had not been followed and that there were no enemies around. Closer I moved to the cabin with my eyes on constant prowl for the first sign of danger.

Everything appeared to be going well when I reached the cabin. I pressed my back against the building when I reached it, scanning the farm one more time for any guards. At first, I had not seen any figures in the blackness. Then, to my right, something caught my eye. Without thinking twice, I dropped to the ground, still pressing my back flat against the cabin. I hoped that I would not be seen there. I turned my head to examine now what I had seen. It was indeed a person. Somebody was running towards the cabin in great haste. I could not tell if it was a farm guard or an ally. I decided to simply wait for the timebeing and see where the person went. I had guessed and hoped that I was on the backside of the cabin. I was also close to the middle of the lengthy wall.

The man reached the cabin and halted for a moment. He then took a couple of steps towards me, and then turned towards the building. He placed his arms on the cabin. From his shadow, I could only tell that the man was strong. I did not see any weapon on him. Something about his frame seemed familiar, though. Just as I squinted my eyes to examine the man, I brilliant fork of lightening jumped across the sky. During the brief light, I could make out now the man who was standing so close to me. It was Sulik. I could make out the bone in his nose clearly as well as some of the tattoos on his arms. The rest seemed to be covered by blood. In one of his hands he held his knife. Although he looked exhausted in his stance, his face appeared calm.

The light died as quickly as it had come to my eyes, and once again my companion and me were blanketed with darkness. I had doubted he noticed me there; his gaze appeared to be set on the cabin. A few seconds passed before the sound of thunder rang out in the night sky. There was undoubtedly a storm heading this way. Sulik looked up and let out a small gasp at the sudden loud sound. I could tell then that he had let his mind wander away from the night, perhaps to a place where he did not have to worry about whether or not he was going to see the next day. Even worse, if he did live to see the next day, what if he only saw it by himself?

Now it was me who was becoming lost in thought. I shook my head quickly, trying to return to my optimistic self. I rolled then to my stomach and slowly pushed myself to my feet. Sulik had now turned his gaze away from me and was looking off into the distance. I decided it was best for us to get inside the cabin. The others might be waiting, and we would give ourselves away eventually if we stayed there. After all, this entire night was based on perfect timing.

I moved slowly and quietly towards Sulik. He had turned now and was standing with his back towards me, staring outward to the night. I approached silently from behind him. When I reached him, I made no sound nor uttered any word. Rather, I simply walked to stand beside him. At first, it appeared like he hadnt noticed me. After a couple of seconds, though, we looked over at each other. At the same time, another streak of lightening split open the sky. We could see each others eyes perfectly in that awesome light. However, my gaze left his eyes quickly and took focus on his shoulder instead. A wide gash ran down from his shoulder and stopped only halfway to his elbow. It didnt appear to be deep, but still did not look good. Plus, it was clear that his tattoos there were ruined now.

What happened? I asked after the light faded, but my words were drowned out by the perfectly timed clap of thunder. I waited briefly for a response, but then concluded he had not heard me. We both set our gaze outward again, peering into nothingness.

Lets go inside, Sulik said after a very brief moment. The others are probably waiting. With that, we turned and entered the cabin.

Once inside, we found four figures inside waiting for us. In the blackness, we had not seen them, and had no opportunity to grab our knives. Two men grabbed each of us, holding our arms roughly. They pushed us against the wall, during the whole time saying nothing. Me and Sulik stared tried desperately to glance around the room, trying in vain to make out the figures that had attacked us in the dark. It was impossible to see anything, though.

Squinting, I finally made out the figure of another man standing in the far corner of the room. He had remained motionless until now. Perhaps he realized my stare. I gave this little thought now as he walked slowly towards me. He made it halfway across the room before I heard him let out a slight chuckle.

Damn it! I rasped in a hushed voice. You trying to get us fucking killed, Merk? With that, the men released their grips on our arms, each gently laughing.

Merk was the trickster of the bunch. He enjoyed playing pranks like the best of them. To make matters worse, he never had a good sense of when not to play jokes like this. Also, he always seemed to be able to convince everyone around him to play along. This was one of the things I quickly had discovered about him. Plus, Jo had warned me be careful of his pranks. Now I know why the warning was appropriate. Other than his somewhat misguided sense of humor, though, Merk was a man you could trust in combat. He was one of the best sneaks in the wasteland. Combined with his great skill with a knife, Merk was one of the most deadly people in Modoc. He would kill you before you even knew he was there. If you did notice him, though, he would have his pistol aimed and ready. By the time his victim would turn around or reach for his weapon, Merk would fire. His aim had yet to miss in such situations. It was for these reasons that Jo chose him first to assist with the attack on the Ghost Farm.

To my right was the second man to sign up with the expedition. Although I did not recall his true name, everyone referred to him as Slurry. I didnt understand this nickname at first. However, as more time passed with him, it seemed to become more and more fitting. For the most part, he was the clear-headed one of the group. He seemed never to react with emotion or on instinct, which was an attribute that I had never seen before. Despite this, he was not a hardened man like one might expect; rather, he was a cheery man who never seemed to have a chip on his shoulder. When it came to combat, though, Slurry always was serious. He treated each moment as if it meant life or death, and rightfully so. That attitude managed to keep him alive thus far, so it must have been working. His skills never faltered either, especially when it came to knives. He may not have the sneaking skill of Merk, but he knew how to throw a knife like no other. Also, his skill with a pistol was almost unmatched. Undoubtedly, he was a very deadly man.

On my left stood the next man asked directly by Vic to take part in the expedition. His name was Joel, and Vic had known him well from his earlier trips to Modoc. The two would often sit and drink, telling stories to one another that they have heard or experienced first-hand. The two quickly grew to respect each others stories, and both enjoyed to tell them whenever possible. However, Joel never ventured out of Modoc much, and therefore hadnt gained a lot of first-hand experience when it came to combat and such. This worked to his advantage though, as it provided him with a lot of time to practice with knives. He seemed to love knives more than anyone in the wasteland. His self-training came in handy during one of his first ventures from Modoc as he earned himself notoriety as a man who ought not be messed with in close-ranged combat in New Reno. Joel never mentioned the story, and I only heard small pieces of it from Vic. Apparently, although the man was able to prove his skill, he undertook many misfortunes in New Reno. This left him with an uneasy feeling about leaving Modoc from that point forward.

The last two men that were part of our team were Nestor and Leartes, who were brothers of only a two-year difference. I could never recall which one was older, as both appeared to be in the prime of their youths. Their parents never believed in guns. They had never owned any, and forbade the two children to come close to them. When they argued and protested relentlessly, the parents sat and discussed what to do. The solution was to give each a suitable combat knife. This seemed to satisfy the blood lust of the two boys, as they quickly ventured out to the wasteland, gaining experience with their weapons by killing the critters of the wasteland. Each justly became very skillful with knives and swore never to deviate to another weapon.

How was I supposed to know for sure it was you? Merk replied. I was not expecting you two to arrive together. Plus, in the darkness, it is almost impossible to see anything. I could still sense him laughing to himself, but decided it would be best to accept the explanation. There was no need to argue about it now.

Fine, I said as I sighed. Everyone is here, so lets go. We dont have much time to waste. I began to make my way to the door.

No, halt a moment! Leartes said in almost alarm. I looked at the direction his voice had come from, but could not make out any figures. The cabin appeared to be losing out to more darkness as each minute passed. Sulik is hurt, he said after a brief silence. I sighed and remembered the gash on his arm again. It did not look good. Leartes must have discovered the gash when he grabbed the tribals arm. The wound did appear to be fairly severe in the lightening. I was unsure of what to do in this situation, though. On one hand, I would lose the only man I had traveled with if Sulik was sent back. I did not want to continue the mission on my own; I was uncertain enough about it than to have that happen.

How severe is it? Slurry asked, breaking the stillness.

I will survive, Sulik responded. I wouldnt miss out on something like this even if the guy had hacked off my arm entirely. A chill ran down my spine. Here was a man who was putting his own life and safety on the line just because of my stubbornness. A tear snuck to my eye, which thanks to the darkness went unnoticed.

Well then, let us be off, I said quickly, not wanting to halt any longer or endure another moment of silence. I began to move towards the door again.

Wait! Now, it was Slurry who protested, grabbing me again by the arm. I paused and turned to look him in the eyes. What is our plan?

I didnt respond at first. I knew what he meant. Vic and Jo had never intended for us to reach this far. The chances had been against it. Plus, they were able to predict what everything would look like on the outside of the farm. As to what awaited us underground they had not the slightest idea. Now was not the time to halt and contemplate, though. I already had an uneasy feeling, and it was time to end this mission. For my part, I believed the worst was over. If only I knew how wrong I would be. Follow me, I finally responded. Ill lead the way to the underground entrance. Once there, follow my lead. Simple as that. Slurry nodded in uncertainty but did not object again. Part of me was relieved, but the other part had wished for an objection.

I moved quickly to the door with Sulik rushing quickly to my side. Outside, we walked together, side by side until death. Behind us our five comrades from Modoc followed. I turned my head on an occasion, but could not see them behind me. The moisture continued to build in the air. Another flash of lightening overhead lit the wasteland, and the loud thunder that instantly followed caused my entire team to flinch slightly.

We reached the entrance to the underground quickly enough. Amazingly, in the darkness, I was able to find my way. I glanced from one member of my team to the other, guessing most of the time where one probably stood. The uncertainty was building now, as the blackness seemed to envelop everything. I dropped slowly to the ground and, laying flat on my stomach, moved to peer down into the single manhole entrance. The cover had been removed, and I could make out a faint light coming from one side. I knew instantly that the light came from down the hall. The manhole entrance was at the end of the hallway, a dead end so to speak. Leaning over the hole, I stretched my arms down to take hold of the first rung of the metal ladder. I pulled myself slowly headfirst into the hole. I felt a set of powerful hands grab each of my legs to ensure that I would not fall. I didnt look back to see who it was; I reasoned it would not be worth the time because of the darkness.

I pulled myself further into the hole. The thick earth ceiling of the below chambers was obstructing my view. I grabbed the next rung and moved further into the darkness. Now the ceiling disappeared and I was rewarded with a look down the lengthy hall. I quickly pushed myself upward again as I noticed a guard there. He was leaning against the left wall. Out of boredom, he had stopped paying much attention to any of his surroundings. In fact, he appeared to be lost in thought, oblivious to anything that was happening around him. Even better, I thought to myself. Now I pushed myself back up the ladder and out of the hole. Only one guard on duty at the entrance, and he should not be hard to dispose of.

I now squinted around my circle of companions, attempting almost in vain to identify them. Finally, my eyes fell on Slurry, who had been one of the men that grabbed a hold of my legs. I moved close to him, and whispered in his ear. I was ever so quiet that I was unsure that he could have possibly heard me. One guard against wall. Toss a knife into his head. Slurry nodded quickly and assumed the position on his stomach on the ground. He began to make his way slowly down the hole as I grabbed one of his legs. I looked up to see that Sulik had grasped the other. We moved Slurry forward as he pulled himself down each of the rungs.

Slurry halted now. One of his hands slowly reached back to grab a throwing knife. He grabbed the weapon almost in haste. Still, he did not let his hand falter or slip. He pulled the weapon back into the hole. I had no idea how he would be able to make such a shot considering the angle. If there ever was a time when I needed to have trust in those that Jo and Vic had sent with us, it was then. The world seemed to stop during that moment. Then, the slick sound of a knife flying through the air could be heard from the hole. The sound seemed to last forever before it finally ceased. I heard neither the clang of metal upon the rock wall nor the sound of the slick knife piecing a skull. I heard nothing as Slurry began to push himself back out of the hole and Sulik and me began to pull on his legs.

Instantly, almost before he was out of the hole, I was at Slurrys side. I leaned my ear close to hear what he had to say. Only one word was needed, and only one word I heard. Success. My mind rejoiced and spirits heightened again. Slurry moved out of the way then. Not giving it another thought, I quickly began to descend the ladder. At the bottom, I looked around quickly to examine the entrance. It was the same as I had remembered. The hall curved just past the first torch that hung on the wall. I looked over and saw the guard that Slurry had killed now with a knife embedded in his head. He had slumped silently to the ground where he stood. I moved over and, with a steady movement, dislodged the weapon. I then wiped the slick blood and brain matter off on his clothes. Next, I turned and handed the knife to Slurry, who was already at the bottom of the ladder. He mouthed the word thanks but said nothing.

After the last of our group was in the underground cave, I began to move forward. I followed the hallway, remembering carefully every bend and curve that it made. I knew that we would soon be coming to the main room where the leader, Vergeir, would be waiting. I halted just before reaching the clearing and spoke in a quick whisper to my team. We do this now however we can. Sulik, Joel, Nestor, and Leatres, I want you all to go melee. Slurry, use your throwing knives. Me and Merk will attempt to provide cover for you all. Everyone nodded in solemn agreement. I turned then and motioned for Merk to stand at my side. Near behind us stood Slurry, followed by Sulik, Joel, and the two brothers. Now, we began to rush forward, almost as one unit, as the light of the main room became brighter with each step we took. We passed by the last torch in the hall. The narrow view that we were allowed of the room was not sufficient for us to gain any useful information or strategy. Merk and me both pulled out our guns and prepared for a fight. Sulik in mid-stride hoisted his sledgehammer from his back. The others had knives in hand, and in the case of Slurry, one in each. The battle for the Ghost Farm was now beginning.

The end of the hall approached in an almost surreal quickness. I turned the corner sharply, gun raised and ready to be used. I did not know where a guard would stand, or where I would have to aim. I only knew that I had but a brief moment to figure that out. I was almost stunned at the conclusion, though, as when I entered the great room, I realized that there was a guard standing right next to me. He had been apparently stationed to guard the long hall to the exit. I rounded the corner and fired a quick bullet at him. The man had quick reflexes, however, and turned his head quickly to meet my bullet. I watched in shock as the hot metal met his face and my well-aimed bullet lodged itself into his eye. One moment there was a blue eye looking excitedly towards me. Now there was nothing more than a gaping, bleeding red hole that oozed blood down the mans face. The pain, although excruciating, only lasted ever so briefly as the bullet made its journey into the mans brain. He froze, almost as if suspended in time and motion. Gravity then took its toll on the dead and pulled him to the ground. By the time he had come to his final resting place, I was rushing onward into the room and lining up my next shot.

The success for my comrades was mixed at the beginning. I eliminated the guard that stood on my side of the opening. However, I did not see the one on Merks side and, apparently, neither did he. Perhaps he was distracted by the suddenness of my gunshot. Perhaps he was just absentminded in that moment. Regardless, it did not take long for this guard to realize what was happening. He pulled his gun and aimed quickly. Merk rushed into the room, past him and looking in my direction. Slurry, Joel, and Sulik followed not far behind him. The guard analyzed me as the biggest threat, though, and quickly took aim as I rushed onward. Still from the tunnel spilled the brothers, Nestor and Leatres. As the guard pulled the trigger, Nestor suffered the unfortunate fate of blocking the shot with his head. The sound of a cracking skull as bullet met bone filled the room. Nestors momentum helped to carry his body forward, and the force of the bullet caused him to lean to one side. His body turned in a way I thought would not be possible for a human, and came to rest on his back. Two bodies now littered the ground.

Now Leatres reacted quickly to what happened to his brother. Knife in hand, ignoring everything but instant thoughts of revenge and ignoring those of remorse, he rushed to the guard. Before another shot could be fired, Leatres weapon found its mark deep within the chest of his enemy. Blood rushed out of the wound, and the mans face became instantly pale. Although he could have reacted and perhaps made another shot, shock quickly set in and froze him in place. Leatres let his knife remain hilt-deep into the guard, and to add to the pain, smiled as he turned the weapon within the wound. Gasping sounds were made by the enemy at this harsh suffering before the last threads of life left him. Leatres now withdrew his weapon, letting the guard slouch to the floor. Unfortunately, as he turned to look over at his dead brother, the reality of the situation fell upon him. His knife dropped from his hand, and tears began to fall from his eyes. He sobbed loudly and uncontrollably as he rushed to his brother, falling to the ground next to him. Solemnly he grabbed Nestor around the upper torso and held him close. He would remain weeping there until the end of the battle.

Meanwhile, the remaining five of us raced onward. Another startled guard came into my view, and a bullet quickly found his chest. I glanced around the room now, quickly gaining an analysis of everything. At this point I saw Leatres going to his fallen brother. Merk was aiming and shooting precisely at guards on the far side of the room. Slurry, Sulik, and Joel were rushing forward to the nearest guards, hoping to get some kills of their own. Surprisingly, though, the room was not as crowded as I had expected. The guards were minimum at best, as I quickly assumed that most had been guarding the Glowing Ones or doing patrols. There were none of the strange glowing creatures underground at the time, either. All had been above, attending to the land.

Aim for the guns! I shouted over to Merk and Slurry. We were the only ones who stood a chance against those that had ranged weapons. If we didnt eliminate them quickly, we would not escape alive. Any unarmed guards would have to deal with Joel, Slurry, and Sulik before they would be able to get close enough to injure us. My battle orders were followed precisely as me and Merk both began to aim and fire quickly at different well-armed guards. I never even provided myself with the chance to see the enemy fall. I would take under one second to aim, pull the trigger, and glance to the next one right away. Along with my gunshots, I also heard those of Merk along with the whooshing sound of knives slicing the air.

Like a plague, we moved forward into the room. The guards had minimum time to react at first, but now at least a minute had passed since our presence was felt. The enemies that were in range when we entered the room had been eliminated, and as we moved onward, bullets were starting to fly our way. Now, we had to rely on luck as well as skill. The air was filled with the sound of gunfire and shouts of pain. I did not take any time to look back at my companions during this ordeal. My only concern was eliminating as many enemies as possible and not destroying myself in the process. Guards that carried no guns were left to approach ever so close to our group before Slurry, Joel, or Sulik stepped in to dispose of them. As another minute passed, the ringing of shots died down. I located fewer and fewer armed guards. Finally, after about another half-minute, I halted, just as everyone else did. A few unarmed guards approached quickly, but did not survive the melee warriors on my side. Silence then fell over the room.

For the first time since the battle started, I looked over now to my allies. I saw Sulik, Slurry, and Joel standing near me, but Merk was not in sight. I glanced quickly back, and saw him positioned on his back about ten feet away from where the rest of us stood. I rushed over to his side as a chill ran down my spin. My fears were concerned when I reached his side and slumped to the ground next to him. I saw the wound where the bullet had entered his lung. I held his head off the ground as he took uncertain breaths. He tried to speak, but in doing so only managed to spit blood from his filling lung. This mission had cost yet another life on our half. Still, considering the circumstances, I imagined it may have been worse. I stared hard in the eyes of Merk, trying to provide him with a reassuring gaze, but I could tell by his returned look that he knew the end was near. He no longer tried to talk. Rather, he only coughed and dispersed more blood every few seconds. I took his hand, but already he had lost the ability to grip back. Either that or he felt no cause to. I then continued to set my gaze at his eyes, until at last they rolled to the back of his head, exposing only the whites. The coughing now ended, and a steady flow of blood fell from my now dead allys mouth.

I now returned to my feet. I wish it would have been possible to take a moment to grieve, but I knew that we may still be in danger. I turned back to my remaining three allies, my only companions left on this mission, and asked each of them to take a different tunnel leading deep into the underground area to ensure that all hostile enemies had been eliminated. We separated then without saying a word. I took a passage that was on the far end of the room. I had a bad feeling about the ordeal still. During the entire fight, I had not seen Vergeir. This worried me, as the leader may still have been alive, or even worse, escaped to the wasteland. Either way, I knew that this mission was not complete.

I moved onward quickly, rushing through the torch-lit passage. The tunnel curved, and around each corner I had my gun raised, ready to fire at anything that moved. I did not care if it was Vergeir or not; all I knew is that it would be an enemy. Rushing silently, I rounded each curve without finding any trace of anybody there. In fact, this tunnel seemed to be very lightly traveled. The ones that I had seen before had clearly defined paths from repeated walking; this one, though, only had a faint shadow of a path. I pushed this out of my mind, and pushed forward, increasing my pace even more. Finally, the tunnel opened into a small room that appeared to contain old crates and other useless junk. Apparently, this was a storage place. I made a quick mental note of this, eager to loot after the mission, and then rushed to look behind the tall stacks of crates where a person might be hiding. However, I found nobody there, and lowered my gun. Just then, the sound of gunfire reached my ears.

Instantly, my senses became fully alert again. The sound echoed through the tunnels and into the room where I stood. I quickly deduced that the shot had either come from a hostile enemy, Slurry, or Joel, as Sulik had refused to carry a gun on the mission. Now I thought him to be a fool for taking such a risk. My mind racing, I pivoted on one foot and began to rush down the long hall once again. I never realized how much speed I could acquire in such a short distance. It seemed like my feet were hardly touching the ground as I ran. My breath began to come in quick pants, and my lungs began to burn, but still I pushed to move faster, holding my gun in front of me.

I reached the main clearing and glanced towards the tunnels that my companions had chosen to explore. There was no sign of any one of them. Then, Sulik emerged from his tunnel. A few seconds later, Joel appeared. That left one tunnel left, and one possible victim. We hurried towards Slurrys tunnel, weapons drawn and ready to be used. There was no stopping our charge. Faster and faster we pushed onward, following the typical curves of the underground world we had entered. Finally we stumbled into a clearing. The first sight that caught my eye was that of Vergeir, who was on the ground. I did not bother shooting at him, though, as a throwing knife was already lodged in the side of his skull. I looked quickly around the room now and spotted Slurry, who had slumped down against the left wall. Me and my companions solemnly approached him. He was sitting against the wall, his head towards the floor at such an angle that we could not tell if his eyes were open or closed.

As he heard us step closer, though, Slurry raised his head with a mischievous grin on his face. He said nothing at first, but rather glanced over at his left arm where a bullet had grazed him. From the immediate looks of the situation, I deduced that no serious damage was done to Slurry. Finally, he spoke and confirmed my thoughts. Ill be fine. He just got a lucky shot on me.

Yeah, lucky indeed, I agreed. You ready to finish this job? It should be easy now with the leader dead.

Yeah, Slurry responded as he pushed himself to his feet. Lets get this done and return to Modoc. Were going to have one hell of a victory celebration. Those words seemed to lift the spirits of everyone involved. Despite the two casualties, we were now excited and anxious to toss back a few victory beers with the town we had set out to save.

From there, as a group we finished checking the last two tunnels. As expected, we found no more enemies. Then, we turned to our last challenge that was still at its spot near the exit tunnel. Leatres still was on the ground, holding his dead brother close to him, despite the fact that he had stopped weeping. We approached him slowly and in a line. I stood furthest to the left, with Sulik next to me, followed by Slurry and then Joel. I spoke first once we were within a few feet of the Nestors brother. Leatres, its over, I spoke in a soft and reassuring voice. Lets go back to Modoc.

By this time, though, his grief had rushed to anger while he tried to deal with his brothers death. He glared up at me now with burning eyes, and then jumped to his feet. With clenched fists, he retorted. If you would have never showed up, if you never would have came to Modoc, my brother would still be alive. But you showed up with this brilliant idea of coming here and overtake it. Now Nestor is dead!

I was unsure of how to react. I did not expect this; I had anticipated for us to enjoy a trip back to Modoc where we would enjoy a welcome back party. That plan was not to be, though, as thoughts of how best to deal with the current situation ran through my head. My inexperience with the real world was now coming into play. Luckily, I did not have to dwell on this for very long, as Slurry spoke up instead. Scotty was just doing what he thought was right for Modoc. I would have done the same thing in his position. Just try to relax and return with us. Lets go home, Leatres.

With that, the man marched forward quickly. Relax, huh? Just return home and everything will be normal? I dont know if you noticed, but I just lost my brother! This is one of our citizens, and you are sticking up for this tribal? Slurry, I swear, you have lost your mind if you cant see what a horrible influence this outsider has had on our town!

Fine, whatever, Joel spoke up, hoping to escape the moment. Lets get out of here, and let him have some time to deal with this.

No, Slurry responded hastily. He then met the gaze of Leatres, and continued with, We are not leaving without you. We wont leave you here by yourself. Not now, not ever.

Thats very fucking noble of you. Suddenly youll pretend to care, but you wont be there tomorrow or the next day. You just want yourself to seem so grand. The only one who was ever there during my life was Nestor, my brother, and now he is dead due to this fucking trible, and you wont even do anything about it! Oh you think hes saved us, but he has doomed us all! Leatres ranted.

That isnt what happened, Slurry began to retort, but then stopped, realizing it was futile. Just come with us until we get back to town. Youll feel better after youve had some sleep.

No, I wont, the hostile man stated. Dont tell me how Ill feel. You have no fucking idea, you know nothing about me except that my brother is dead, and you dont even give a damn about that! Now, Leatres grabbed his knife and approached Slurry slowly, taking careful steps. He raised the weapon after he was within inches of Slurry, and held it against Slurrys throat. I should just end your shit right now, and then the tribals. Im sure Joel would agree with me that you guys died first in combat when we get back to Modoc.

Leatres, calm down, Slurry tried to reassure him. You are not thinking clearly. Just put the weapon down. During the entire ordeal, Slurry did not flinch. He did not attempt to defend himself, nor take a step away. His eyes never left those of his new enemy, but still he remained unstirred despite the fact he could be dead with one slick move.

Leatres began to shake slightly. Tears appeared in his eyes once more, and one ran down his face. His eyes fell to the ground for a second, and then he glanced over at Nestor. Seeing the corpse seemed to give him new motivation. The fire returned to his eyes, and he spun back to meet Slurrys gaze. Without a word, he pressed the knife harder. A small trail of blood began to run down Slurrys neck from where the blade started to penetrate. Still, he did not flinch at the extra pressure. Leatres, now beginning to take gasping breaths, paused and said coldly in a quiet voice, Its over.

I stood, watching in astonished amazement as Leatres tensed his muscles. It seemed as if his entire body was bracing for rushing the knife deep into Slurrys throat. Finally, a partial smile found its way across Leatres face. The moment of truth arrived, and the knife was pressed harder. More blood began to streak down Slurrys neck. I took a stoop towards Leatres. I had no absolute plan, but I was not about to watch one of my allys die. The man shifted his eyes then away from Slurry and met my gaze. Before he could address me, though, the sound of a cracking skull filled the room. Leatres eyes bulged, and the knife fell out of his hand. He then fell forward onto Slurry, who caught the dieing man and guided him to the ground. As he did, I glimpsed Joels knife, still lodged hilt-deep into Leatres skull. When he had looked my way, Joel seized the opportunity. Apparently his allegiance to those who fought on his side ran deeper than those who are acting so irrationally. Oddly, no words were spoken as Joel quickly stepped over to the now-dead Leatres and retrieved his knife. Rather, we stood in silence. I nodded to each of my remaining companions then, one by one, and led the way down the long tunnel to the exit.

The thought of my last remaining task ran through my head as we neared the ladder that would take us back to the outside world. After all that had happened tonight, I felt that I must not let this task linger. I may not have the nerve to return and attend to it later. Plus, I may not have the patience to do it another time. I had planned to do it after the Ghost Farm was secure, and I was not about to deviate from that plan now.

We reached the ladder quickly. I was the first one to ascend it and escape from the underground tunnel. I waited a few feet away from the entrance now, amazed once again at the incredible blackness of the entire wasteland. The blackness enveloped everything in my site once again, forcing me to listen closely in order to gain some sort of sense about my surroundings. Lightening ran across the sky at least a couple of times each minute. The light provided by that was helpful, but the thunder that followed clearly warned of an impending storm. Still, the humidity in the air was strangely high, and I felt certain that my clothes would be drenched after a few more moments.

After my companions had emerged from the hole, I spoke to them. I told them I had one more task I wanted to attend to on my own. I insisted for them to return to Modoc, and that I would be fine in my travels alone. Just for good measure, I ensured them that I would only hang back for one hour before beginning my trip back. In fact, if I rushed, I could catch up to them before they were back in town. After I was sure there was no objection to my request, I bode them farewell and began to walk in the opposite direction of Modoc. As I proceeded, the increasing number of lightening strokes provided me with enough guidance to move quickly. I passed by the cabin, and continued onward still. Finally, my destination began to reveal itself to me, and I could once again distinguish that tall post.

I approached the Glowing One quickly, relieved that he was still in the same position where I left him. I grabbed the shirt that I had used as a gag from his mouth. Due to the humidity, the blood was still quite wet. As I dropped the cloth on the ground, a brilliant stroke of lightening revealed that the blood was streaked all over the Glowing Ones face. In fact, the creature was working now to spit out the blood that was still left in his mouth by the shirt. I half-smiled, and then moved behind him. With one swift move of my knife, I sliced the rope, freeing the creature from the post that held him captive for such a long time.

The creature lurched forward and took a few steps away from the post. He then turned to me, only to discover that I was already walking towards him. His countenance sank as he realized I was not going to simply let him go and that escape was futile. If only he knew what horrors were yet in store for him. I continued closer, and grabbed one of his arms. I spun him to face me directly. I then swiftly moved one of my feet behind his and used my body to push him over. He fell to the ground softly, hardly making any sound at all. I now reached for my knife and fell to both knees by his side. The time was nearing, and the Glowing One, knowing full well that there was nothing he could do to retaliate, remained motionless and set his gaze to my knife. His eyes followed it closely as I raised it with both hands high above my head. Then, with one swift motion, I brought the knife down hard above his chest. I did not intend to kill him now, though, and only managed to stop with the tip of the blade resting against the creatures chest. He flinched and closed his eyes when I had lowered the weapon, bracing for death. When it did not come, he fluttered open his eyelids and stared me in the eyes. I could tell from his gaze that he was starting to realize that death would be a welcomed escape before I was finished with him.

I then grinned to myself and let my gaze return to my knife, which was still resting against the Glowing Ones flesh. I then lifted the sharp blade above the creature slightly, and positioned it directly under his neck. I then lowered it and ever so gently pushed it against his flesh. The creature gasped as a trail of blood began to form around the blade. I then rushed the knife downward in one slick motion, creating a wound down the middle of his chest that ended right below his sternum. The Glowing One cringed and shut his eyes again, but after a few gasps, reopened them to examine what my next task would be. I had already moved my weapon to the top of his chest again. This time, I made a slow swipe with my knife, slicing him from one shoulder to the next. During this whole ordeal, I had to move the weapon slowly; I wanted the wound to line up with the first one I made so that it formed a large letter T on his chest. I then repeated my actions at the bottom of the first wound, making a seemingly perfect capital I on my victims chest. Despite the constant cringing that the Glowing One did while I carved his body, he remained surprisingly still.

After I finished the last wound, I lodged the knife into the ground next to my foot. I smiled at the Glowing One, whose gaze was one of pure puzzlement. I wondered if he thought I would let him go now, since I had unarmed myself. Perhaps he thought I was having a change of heart since he was such a compliant subject. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. I reached down to his body, placing one hand at the top of the first vertical wound and the other on the bottom. This was harder to do than I originally thought it would be, though, since the Glowing One did not seem to bleed. However, I did feel a strange liquid escaping from the wounds. I gave little notice to this, though, as I dug my fingers into the creatures flesh. He gasped at the pain, but I did not cease. Instead, I moved my fingers under his skin until I was able to get a grip on it. Then, without thinking twice, I pulled back quickly. The skin gave away easily, and pulled off of the Glowing Ones body. The precise cut marks that I had made on his chest served their purpose of dictating what skin peeled away and what remained on his body. The creature released a howl of pain that could rival that of a rabid animal as his flesh was removed from his body, though. I let out a little chuckle as he clenched his eyes closed again, this time for longer. I watched as a clear liquid began to pour out of the gaping wound. I wondered if he would survive much longer. I stood up then and moved to the other side of the creature. I waited for his heavy breathing to cease and for his eyes to open once again before digging in my hands once again. I repeated the same motions that I had done before, and for his part the Glowing One yelped like a wild beast once more.

Now I moved back to the other side of the Glowing One again. His body seemed to be draining liquid fast, and I realized I would have to work fast if I wanted my victim to be alive to feel this. I grabbed then for one of his ribs, first ripping away what little flesh protected it. I wrapped my fingers around the slender bone and pulled, breaking it easily and removing it from his body. To my surprise, there was blood flowing underneath the creatures rib, which began to rush outward with each pump of his heart. I tossed the bone aside then and moved to the next one, repeating the process until all six ribs of the Glowing One had been removed. By this time, the creature had lost a significant amount of blood. My hands and arms were coated in the thick liquid, and a significant puddle had already formed around his body. The creature had not made anything more than a sound as I removed his ribs, but as one by one the bones were removed, his breathing became slower and shallower. It was from this that I realized how I must end the job.

I retrieved my knife once again, working faster now than I thought was possible. I worked to cut way the flesh that had separated the knives. Since the Glowing Ones body cavity was almost completely full of blood by now, the task was almost impossible. Somehow, with the help of the increasing lightening, I managed to succeed in my task. I then tried to push most of the blood out of the cavity in order to see the organs that were underneath. My eye caught a glimpse of what appeared to be the creatures lung just then. With one swift motion, I moved my hand to the organ and pressed down. I waited shortly for the Glowing One to breath, and realized I was right. The lung moved in time with the creatures breathing. Next, I pulled my knife close to the organ. I paused for only the briefest of moments to consider the humanity of my actions, but it was too late to turn back now. With one swift motion, I jammed the knife into the creatures lung. Just as quickly as I had made the wound, I retracted the weapon and rose to my feet. I stood over the Glowing One now, taking pleasure as I watched his last moments. Blood filled the cavity quickly and ran directly into his lung. Soon, he was coughing blood and gasping for air as his own bodily fluids began to suffocate him. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and the eerie glow that separated the creatures from any other began to fade quickly from his body. A few seconds more passed, and he stopped breathing completely.

Having made the kill, though, I did not move. Rather, I waited in the same spot, unmoving and unthinking. I only took pleasure in watching the radiant glow of the creatures body finish fading. Then, for the first time since I had returned to the Glowing One, I took my eyes away from him and looked to the sky. Also for the first time, I began to think about my actions. I began to question what I must have been thinking to do such a horrid thing. However, this thought was pushed out of my mind as the first drop of rain fell from the sky, landing directly in my left eye. I blinked, and reached up with one of my blood-soaked hands to wipe away the liquid. Unfortunately, in doing this I only managed to smear blood across my face. Now I smiled and laughed slightly at my own stupidity as I blinked a couple more times before I could see clearly again.

Another streak of lightening flooded across the sky. More rain drops followed the first one, and within a matter of seconds, a downpour had begun. Lightening continued to illuminate the wasteland as the water quickly drenched it. I looked back now to the Glowing One and watched as the rain washed the blood away from him and cleaned the gaping hole in his body. By now, the glow of the creature was completely faded. I stood with my gaze set to the puddle of blood on the ground around the corpse and smiled again to myself as the water washed it away. I then laughed loudly and hysterically into the wasteland. After everything that had happened in this night, only one thought consumed my mind right now as my already-soaked clothes began to weigh me down.

The drought of Modoc was now over.