Fallout 3: Diary of the Dead

[species5478]

I loved FF7...they should remake it. It was my favorite of the series.

[species5478]

December 1^st Time unknown

 

 

 

Something's wrong.

 

It's been days since I last told Marie to retrieve my discarded pistol and bring it back. I'm worried. She couldn't tell me how Sindis was able to kill one of my men right in front of me and if Marie was caught…Sindis places no value on the lives of those around him. He doesn't even need a reason to kill my baby girl. Only an urge. I know his kind, and what lurks in their minds. The evil permeating these types of men cannot be sated with reason, common sense or even divine intervention. Theirs is a lasting darkness. A darkness born in the deepest regions of satanic madness. I admit that…I am no angel. I've killed men. Many, even. But I've never murdered anyone. There is a difference. Because to kill, is to survive. The lives I took were to preserve my own but with murder…that's an abominable act of dissolute pleasure. That's a sin to which Sindis, has overindulged.

 

Sindis…

 

The name reeked of suffering. My suffering. Seki's suffering. Marie's suffering. Only God knows how many others were raped, tortured, or murdered because of him. This dank cavern is filled with agonizing moans that don't stop. Day after day. Night after night. Hour after hour. They beg for freedom. Pray for mercy. Scream for death over and over again…invading my dreams and stirring terrible nightmares that shake me awake with the shivering hands of fright.

 

I've got to get out of here…

 

I can't die like this. Not here. Not at his hands. I can't let Sindis destroy my entire family. He HAS to pay for what he's done! He has to…

 

I've got to get out of here…

 

I wasn't water after all. Now that my eyes have adjusted to the gloom, I can see the trickling streams of blood flowing throughout the cavern's many crevices. The near steady streams flow sinuously with the unabated pace of a marching army. Am I going crazy? How is it possible to kill that many people with such consistency? Such regularity…that their blood trickles without pause?

 

Sindis MUST to die. There is no other way. No other punishment will suffice. Oh yes Sindis…there is no paradise for you. No escape. No Salvation. You cannot avoid that inevitable end for much longer. Your time is at hand. My hand. Yes…my hand will deliver you to that final destination. It's a place God has reserved for you, and all who follow in your path. It's a special place…filled with the same turmoil of your victims only in unlimited supply. Vast, and eternal amounts of anguish glimmering like Seki's smile as she looks on from above; assaulting with the weaponry of your own sins...

 

I paused, lowered my Pip-Boy, and listened to the swaggering steps of Mythic Dawn members entering the caverns. It had become a regular routine. Listening. Watching. Waiting for the scraps of food and handfuls of water divvied out to us like beggars on the steps of Rivet City. My stomach churned from those previous morsels of rotten Mirelurk meat but even more from the irradiated water that poisoned with every swallow. As the torchlight grew, I waited as three men eventually stepped into view, and cringed when I recognized that cold glaring stare of a vulture.

 

"Greetings, my noble sacrifice."

 

"Sindis…"

 

"You look much smaller without your power armor. Merger, even."

 

I stood up, leaned against the jagged wall, and spit in his direction. There wasn't enough saliva left in my mouth to produce anything substantial. The gasping mist fell short of its mark but my point was clearly made. "I'll kill you…" I added weakly.

 

Sindis smiled with an almost loving expression. "Somehow, I don't think you're up to the task you...meager man." He approached the bars and rested an elbow in-between two of them. "Where's your daughter?"

 

The question trapped breath in my lungs. Where's Marie? Did she escape? Perhaps that's why I haven't seen her in a few days…the idea made me stronger. "How did you know?"

 

"That she's your daughter? You mean aside from looking just like you? Well…even though I'm a man of dawn, I know of the world's gadgetry. She often leaves her Pip-Boy unattended after typing her daily thoughts inside of it. Poor thing was so happy to have her father back, that she couldn't resist writing about it…"

 

"If you harm her…"

 

"Harm her?" Sindis laughed. He withdrew his elbow from the bars and leaned his entire forehead against the edge of another. "My High Priest Python has already harmed her, Jacob. But I guess he's already paid for that, hasn't he? I suppose the question you're really worried about, is whether or not I'm going to, "harm", her myself…"

 

With curled fists, I clenched my teeth with such force, that I could feel one of them chip. "She's already escaped." I lied, inching my way towards the bars.

 

"I don't think so." Replied Sindis raising my pistol. He then pulled Marie's Pip-Boy free from his pocket, and briefly examined the glowing screen. "She wouldn't have left without giving you this first, because Marie loves her daddy soooo much." He smirked, tapping the device. "And my guard dogs would have ripped her to shreds without a weapon. No she's here, somewhere. Hiding. My dogs cannot find her scent amidst all the blood but that's ok. I'll find her sooner or later. And when I do, I'm going to rip her little head right off her shoulders…"

 

I lunged forward and reached through the bars before Sindis could move. After grabbing his wrist, I pulled his arm into the bars and tried my best to rip it off. The two guards quickly unlocked the door and had to club me repeatedly with their torches before I would let go and even then, I fought them as any caged animal might when trying to get free. It was useless. The fight ended with me on the ground stomped into a daze. I was barely conscious but could hear the gate locking, and Sindis laughing as he walked off.

 

I coughed blood, and clawed at the ground as I tried to get back onto my feet. Or at least my knees. It was then my fingers brushed against something cold, and metallic. At first, I wasn't sure what they were, but eventually smiled when I realized what prize had been dropped by one of the careless guards.

 

"Cell keys," I mumbled, rising to a knee. "Marie…Sindis…I'm coming…"

[Herculine]

Sindis is gonna get his butt kicked...

[gormonk]

sindis is gonna die.

[species5478]

Thanks for the support. The next entry is a bit shorter so I'll post it earlier than expected. Maybe tonight or tomorrow.

[species5478]

December 2^nd 5:16 am

 

Cant find dad. I went back to the cell but all I found was a bunch of doodoo and his pipboy. It was bloody 2, but I know dad is ok cause he left a message. Said he escaped. Im glad but now I cant find him! Said he loves me 2. Said if I find his pipboy before he finds me, I should escape. Said to stay away from Mr. Codiantus but I already know that. And I cant escape. They let the mean dogs out and now the tunnels are filled with them. I don't know where to go.

 

Saw Dogmeat. He growled when I pet him. I don't think he wanted to bite me. I think he was trying to warn me to stay away. I was right. I ran away, and then the bad dogs came a few minutes later. They almost found me near the stairway. Dogmeat growled at them, and then fought 3 of them off. He is really tuff. When the other dogs left, I gave Dogmeat my last piece of Molerat. He ate it and licked my hands. I like it when he does that.

 

The tunnels have a lot of holes. Mr. Codiantus called them channels. He said the Capitol Wasteland use to be another place called Niban Bay that it covered the D.C. Can you imagine? A hole lake of fresh, clean water…I do not think its possible, but maybe. He said the water carved these channels. How can water do that? I think water is 2 soft to carve holes in rocks. I tried doing it with spit, but it didn't work on the wall! And then I spit REALLY hard on this one rock, and didnt even make a dent! I think kids made these channels. Cause Im the only that can fit in them.

 

I think it is time for the ritual. The High Priest has all the heads that he needs. 365…and some of them are already rotten. They give me nightmares cause I can still see them looking at me in the my dreams. I looked threw all of them just to see if mom was in the pile. Nope. Not there. Im happy cause, I think she is still alive. Im going to read my dads diary entries just to see if he knows ware she is. And I gonna read the dictionary too, and get better at reading and writing.

 

I saw that man again. The one from the shadows. I call him Shadowman because I never see him coming and he always knows ware I am. No matter ware I hide, he can always find me! I bet hes great at hide and go seek. I still dont know why the Shadowman calls me Mother, but he said the Whisperer told him that I was a part of their family. I thought mom, dad, and grandpa were my only family but Shadowman said nope. I have more. Said Im an important part of the brotherhood. But how I can a part of the brotherhood, when Im a girl?

[Herculine]

Oooh... Shadowman...

 

Hey! Girls can be in brotherhoods too darnit!

[gormonk]

does shadow man use tomeny stelf boys??but anouther gr8 entry

[Maharg67]

Please forgive me for falling behind with reading this amazing story.

 

I took it up again and am hungry now to finish it.

 

I am impressed with the mixture of horror, courage and human 'weakness' plus driving urges.

 

From now on I will read this consistently. Thank you for writing it.

[species5478]

June 4^th 9:00 pm (3 years later)

 

 

 

Everything about the Mythic Dawn's cave seemed insidious. The festering rats. The lifelike shadows created from flickering flames. The moaning drafts that skulked about brushing Goosebumps across my skin. The squishy mounds of mud that were actually piles of rotten flesh.

 

I searched for my dad until at last, I found him tied to the main sacrificial altar in the blood room. Above his sprawled body hovered the Oblivion portal and what came out of it, rattled my mind with nightmare for the next three years…

 

"Mungos!"

 

I thought I was still dreaming about that fateful day when Sindis murdered my dad, but before I could finish my nightmare, an explosion thundered through the cavern with the force of lightning. I sat up clutching my dad's pistol as the Christmas lights jingling above my head danced about. When I heard screams, I knew that Eulogy had finally breached Little Lamplight's front gate.

 

"Mungos are coming!" Zip yelled as he whizzed by me. "Run for your lives!"

 

I leaped up as the sound of automatic gun fire ricocheted across the walls, and ran towards the entrance with Princess and Squirrel.

 

"We can't let them inside!"

 

Princess glared in my direction. "Thanks for that golden nugget, genius! I hope you know how to fire your daddy's gun, because Eulogy came here looking for you!"

 

"He came here for all of us!" Squirrel yelled back with huffing gasps. "Marie wasn't the only captive! Me, Sammy, and Penny were locked up in Paradise Falls too! I'm not letting him get his hands on any of us!"

 

I could hear the Mayor before I saw him. Even in the midst of gunfire, his acidic voice pierced the shallow cavern interior. "Die Die Die Die Die!" Screamed MacCready at the top of his lungs. The Machine gun that once looked too small for his body, now appeared to fit perfectly into his toned, fifteen year old arms. He fired through a hole in the front gate where Eulogy's bomb exploded and filled the narrow tunnel entrance with bloody Mungo corpses. Knock Knock stood atop the catwalk tossing grenades while Billy fired his Wazer Wifle with the precision of an expert sniper. Princess immediately ran to MacCready's side while Squirrel and I assumed defensive positions atop the catwalk.

 

"Get that gate open!" Eulogy yelled from the cavern's entrance. "If they fight back, kill em!"

 

When Mungos entered the cavern with a modified motorcycle, no one expected the thing to actually work when the ignition was turned. And when the bike roared to life and sped towards the gate with a heavy load of explosives, everyone panicked. Gunfire did nothing to stop it and when Knock Knock lobbed a grenade, the missed explosive detonated behind the motorcycle; propelling it skyward.

 

Everyone scattered as the bike smashed into the gate and exploded with a tremulous boom. There was barely time to think. Before the dust could settle, Mungos began pouring into the cave entrance screaming wildly like a pack of savages. Billy was the only one focused enough to fire his weapon. He picked off the first two Mungos before they could make it through the shattered gate, and provided cover for MacCready as he ran to Princess' side. She didn't respond when MacCready tried slapping her awake either.

 

"Fall back!" MacCready ordered, lifting the injured Princess over his shoulder.

 

"Squirrel is unconscious too!" I yelled out. "I need help!"

 

"I'm here! Wake him while I cover you!"

 

I turned to Knock Knock as Squirrel started to wake on his own. She was preparing another grenade as he drunkenly reached out for his plasma rifle. "Get out of here Marie…I'll hold them off!"

 

"No! I left you with Eulogy once, I won't do it again!"

 

I picked up my dad's modified magnum and fired a shot at the next Mungo to enter the cavern. The explosive bullet penetrated his thigh, and then detonated three seconds later showering the entire entrance with pieces of his leg. Knock Knock leaped behind an old refrigerator when two hired Mercenaries entered the cavern firing Miniguns.

 

"Knock knock!" She yelled, trying to calm her nerves.

 

"Who's there?" I replied, helping Squirrel to his feet.

 

"Stan!" She answered, lobbing another grenade.

 

"Stan, who?"

 

"Stan back, it's gonna blow!"

 

BOOM! The grenade detonated right in front of the first Mercenary, but completely missed the second.

 

"Quit those stupid jokes and get over here!" MacCready ordered. "Fall back to the shop!"

 

We followed the mayor into the narrow tunnel as bullets whizzed by our head. After dipping down a narrow slope, we climbed the brief incline leading to a two-way spit. The leftmost tunnel lead to Spelunkers but since the cafeteria sat in an open cave, we sealed the Spelunker door into the Great Cavern, and built our defenses around the souvenir shop located at the end of the adjacent tunnel.

 

Knick Knack and Penny waited along the shop's balcony which overlooked the cave. Knick Knack manned a salvaged Gatling Laser welded into a homemade tripod, while Penny operated a fixed rocket launcher.

 

I could hear the sounds of heavy footsteps echoing through the tunnels. "They're right behind us! Get ready!" I yelled. MacCready climbed the shop's stairs with Princess, dropped her, pushed Knick Knack out of the way, and assumed control of the Gatling Laser.

 

"Take my rifle, and jump over there, on the bathroom roof!"

 

"Yes sir!" Knick Knack nodded, scampering away.

 

"Billy, guard the Great Chamber's door with Knock Knock!"

 

"I'm on it!" He nodded.

 

"Get down!" I yelled, but it was too late for Bumble. She unexpectedly stumbled out of the bathroom just as the Minigun wielding Mercenary rounded the tunnel corner, firing his weapon. One of the bullets struck Bumble's chest and she fell down by a rusted barrel where she lifelessly remained.

 

"BUMBLE!" MacCready cried out, showering the Mercenary with a hail of laser fire. Squirrel pushed away from me and ran to Bumble's side as more Mungos rounded the corner.

 

Penny pulled back on the rocket launcher's trigger when I ducked behind the sandbags we placed by the stairs. "These are mine!" She grinned. The rocket simmered through the air, blowing one Mungo apart with such force, that his torso hit the ceiling and got impaled on a stalactite.

 

"What are you doing? They're just kids! Kill them!" Someone screamed in the distance.

 

"Knock knock!"

 

"Who's there?" Billy asked.

 

"Norma Lee!" Knock Knock answered, loading her pistol.

 

"Norma Lee, who?"

 

"Norma Lee, I wouldn't pee on myself, but I'm scared!"

 

Princess finally woke up and threw a bucket towards Knock Knock. "Shut up!"

 

I watched Squirrel gingerly pick Bumble up, and carry her across the cave as fast as his legs would allow. "Marie, get help!" He said pausing by my sandbags. "We have to do something for Bumble!"

 

"I think Lucy is in the Great Chamber, I'll get her!"

 

"Hurry!"

 

I ran off as more gunfire erupted behind me and prayed that Squirrel didn't get himself killed.

 

Kids were everywhere. I dashed forward, and ran along the catwalk circling the innermost section of the cavern. Most of the kids were running towards me and I didn't realize why until I stopped by the Spelunkers' entrance. Although none of the Mungos could get through our barricade, their dogs were able to sneak through the child-sized holes that we'd reserved for an emergency exit. Muttface, Pete, and Ginger were already dead. But Hooligan, Rex, and Dogmeat were still alive and fighting.

 

"Help!" One of the kids yelled. I looked off the catwalk and fired at the rabid dog chasing Beebs on the ground level. My first shot missed but it startled the animal long enough to pause him. I lined up my next shot, fired, and blew a fist sized hole in the animal's neck.

 

Two more dogs broke away from the dogfight at the Spelunkers' entrance and rushed towards me. I struck one in its chest and needed two shots to bring down the second before it could reach me. Delayed blasts scattered their remains as a third dog gave chase.

 

Click.

 

Oh no…I'm empty! I turned and ran for it. After dashing for the nearest hut, I climbed the ragged wooden structure and grabbed one of the Christmas lights when the dog leaped up after me. I tried to shimmy my way along the line but it snapped, and I went tumbling downward.

 

"AHHHHH!" I screamed frightfully hugging the line as if it were a jungle vine. After swinging through the air the line snapped, and I went flying into one of the underground pools. I swam out just in time to catch sight of that mangy dog as it decided to chase after Squeak.

 

I reloaded quickly before running up the nearby ramp and back onto the upper level. "It's going to bite me!" Squeak rambled over and over again. When he stumbled on the catwalk I had a clear shot that I didn't waste time exploiting.

 

Boom!

 

My bullet hit the dog's hind quarter and it went spinning off the catwalk, and fell to the ground with an added BOOM from the explosive shell.

 

"Where's Lucy?"

 

"I don't know…" He mumbled, fixing his scratched glasses. "But…"

 

"Lucy!" I called out. "Lucy I need your help!"

 

"I'm here!" She said running to my side. "Are you hurt?"

 

"No it's Bumble! Follow me!"

 

We ran across the catwalk and practically knocked down Whiny and Buzz in the process. But when we opened the door to the shop area, I gasped from the sight of what stood before me.