Fallout 3: Diary of the Dead

[species5478]

October 23^rd 8:00pm

 

 

I'm wondering as I write these words, why? Why am I doing this? Why take the time? It's not as if anybody cares about my tale. It's not as if reciting this story will bring me solace. The world was selfish that way. Prejudging. Dismissive. Self-centered. Cuddled like an embryo inside the womb of its own desires; selfishly suckling nourishment from the ones closest, giving nothing in return but a painful departure when done. Screaming. Unwilling to share its happiness, yet more than willing to disperse its miseries about like bits of candy.

 

I walk the "road less traveled", and my distance is measured in pain. Jacob was the only one with the intestinal fortitude capable of accompanying me. Maybe somehow, he'll find and follow my notes to self. He was the only one who truly loved me. The only one who truly cared. I was neither a blip in time nor a passing thought to him. I am everything to Jacob, just as Marie is everything to me.

 

Mommy…

 

That freak Marcella was waiting outside of Blackhall Manor like some kind of stalker. She said the Krivbehknih was a thing of evil. Claimed the book was capable of opening some kind of portal into another realm. I don't give a damn. And I don't care if Obadiah is Satin dressed in human flesh. I needed to get Marie back, even if it meant sacrificing my soul. Truthfully, I hoped Marcella was right. I'm willing to bargain with the Devil just for the chance at getting my little girl back.

 

Point Lookout was a menacing place during the day but at night, at night, dear God the nights…I could barely bring myself to trudge through the terrifyingly dark swamps without fainting. Irradiated water seemed to be everywhere and whenever I stepped into it, I was sickened just a little bit more. In fact, every misstep brought me that much closer to death. My Pip Boy's Geiger counter indicated Rads in the six hundreds. I used one of my two Rad Aways to lessen the crippling sensations flowing through my body, but it didn't reduce the pain enough. I was still hurting…badly.

 

I wish I knew where Jacob was. If he were with me, his confidence would be more than enough to keep me standing straight. My boyfriend and I were separated after Python's gang ambushed us by a Supermarket near Megaton. I'm not even sure if he escaped. Maybe he's already dead. Maybe he's just another memory that needs to be forgotten. But I can't give up on him. I wanted to interrogate Python and ask about Jacob's whereabouts, but things didn't go as planned. Damn…I'd lost so much over the past few months; I'm beginning to wish that I'd stayed in vault 101. At least there, my only real problem was the Overseer.

 

I found the hideout Obadiah spoke of. Almost missed it too, since the entire house was just about gone. It was hidden within a ghostly fog colder than Death's cruel breath. Only a basement door remained. I was so compelled to explore the dark passage that I didn't even feel as though I had control over myself. All that mattered was the Krivbehknih and I knew it was down there. I could feel it. The book called to me; its dark power radiated through the soil, begging to be rescued.

 

Mommy…

 

"I hear you Marie, I'm coming." I sensed my daughter's whispers calling from across time and space, and shivered from both fear and delight. "Mommy's coming." I uttered, pushing open the creaky door.

 

A cluster of rats burst out of the basement squeaking feverishly as they ran into the swamp. Normally I'd shriek but this time, I was a woman possessed. Raising my shotgun I crept slowly down the moldy steps with clenched teeth searching for something to kill. Part of the far wall had been torn away, revealing a narrow tunnel to a darker place. It was symbolic of the broken chambers in my heart, which lead to lower levels.

 

Rotten meat permeated the air. The taste saturated my tongue with a vile layer of filth that seemed to thicken with every breath. Lighting was sparse. Nothing more than a few burning lamps shed balls of orange light cascading across nearby walls. Am I insane for entering this unholy place? I wondered as something moved through the darkness ahead.

 

Scrapper.

 

Feisty. Quick. Deadly accurate with a rifle. Had to squint to see him, but he was definitely there. Looked human, but acted more like a goblin from one of those ancient tales of lore. I saw a bunch of Scrappers on my way over here, and watched from a distance as they blasted a few swamp ghouls to bits. This one was short and pasty just like the rest. Biggest thing on him was his potbelly.

 

How am I going to kill a Scrapper? I wondered, chewing my bottom lip. All of my mines were gone but I did find a few grenades tucked away in the trunk of an old Ford. Wouldn't be able to use any, or my shotgun until I got closer though…

 

The tunnel ramped downward as it reached into the earth's trodden soil. I nearly slipped on fresh blood while trying to negotiate the passage and was almost spotted. Thankfully, a squeaking rat diverted the Scrapper's attention. He cornered the frightened rodent and stabbed it with a combat knife before the rat could escape. After lifting the squirming pest to his nose, the Scrapper licked the rodent's face right before biting off its head. Crunching gleefully, he eventually raised the decapitated body with one hand, and squeezed its bloody insides into his gaping mouth. A few seconds later, the Scrapper darted around a distant corner and vanished.

 

Clang!

 

I gasped as the basement door slammed shut behind me. There was no way of seeing up the tunnel's incline and I couldn't tell if the door had been shut by wind, or something else…so I waited until the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from above.

 

Thump.

 

Thump.

 

Thump.

 

Thump.

 

"I don't know what that is, but it's definitely not a Scrapper…"

 

I rushed forward and paused at the intersection where the rat met its end. There were only two ways to go; I could follow the Scrapper or make a left, and go deeper. Who knew what else lurked beyond those dark corners but as I looked back, a large silhouette lumbered slowly towards me and I had to move before it was too late. Sticking to the shadows I crept uneasily through the moist tunnel until I found what I'd been looking for.

 

Mommy…

 

I discovered a room so ancient; the arched masonry seemed to predate America's nuclear war by thousands of years. It was apparent this place belonged to something much bigger…both in scale and purpose. There was an altar at the head of the room. A body, ravaged by the ritualistic practices of the Swamp folk, lay sprawled atop it. Dominating the room's center, lingered a dark pool. It held no form or definition whatsoever and appeared to have been filled with the condemned souls of killers.

 

Voices from all times and places began flowing around me. Some uttered foreign tongues while others whispered in familiar dialects. I was beginning to wonder if I was going crazy as they urged me to enter the pool for, "it". I hesitated, but the pendant I salvaged from the Ofie Clan Plot began glowing through my pocket. When I pulled the entire necklace free, the pendant's light penetrated the pool's darkness enough to reveal what lay hidden within the pool.

 

I set my shogun aside, and wiped sweat from my brow. What is that? I reached into the pool and retrieved a small tablet with a strange fang shaped symbol carved into its surface. Beneath were the words, Mehrunes Dagon. Was it a place? Perhaps it was another book, like the Krivbehknih. I flipped the tablet and found a passage carved into its underside.

 

"When I walk the earth again, the Faithful among you shall receive your reward: to be set above all other mortals forever. As for the rest: the weak shall be winnowed: the timid shall be cast down: the mighty shall tremble at my feet and pray for pardon."

 

I looked up towards the altar, and froze when I noticed a shadow dancing against the adjoining wall.

 

Something's behind me.

 

When one of the shadowy arms rose high into the air, contours of an axe morphed into view. I grabbed my shotgun, turned, and fired...

 

 

[Herculine]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing your work with us, Warrior-Bard. Now that I've learned more about your background from your other posts I'm anxious to read the next passage, which appears will contain a battle. You are truly gifted!

[dezdimona]

wow,this is getting better and better.More*begs unashamedly*

[species5478]

Herculine- Thank you generous Queen. (bow) I shall accept your title of Warrior-Bard, and vow an oath to do you proud!

 

dezdimona- Should I capatolize your name? (just wondering) To receive praise from the mighty Dezdimona is an honor in, and of itself.

 

:sweat:

 

I'm all weepy now!

[dezdimona]

Herculine- Thank you generous Queen. (bow) I shall accept your title of Warrior-Bard, and vow an oath to do you proud!

 

dezdimona- Should I capatolize your name? (just wondering) To receive praise from the mighty Dezdimona is an honor in, and of itself.

 

:sweat:

 

I'm all weepy now!

 

 

honey,do as you see fit with my name.I have an ego like all of us,but that is not so important to me...And My comment was from the heart.An awesome story

[species5478]

Continued Entry…

 

Once…

 

Only once…

 

Is your entire life exposed within the blink of an eye. You realize in that moment, that it was all a lie. What you imagined yourself to be, doesn't match reality. You're not as strong as you thought. You're not as smart, or as funny, or as agile as you led yourself to believe. You're not truly the envy, but the desire. You're not the chain, but a mere link that's about to be broken…

 

Boom!

 

My ears rung as the first shot hit the Bruiser square in the chest. He stumbled, but he didn't fall and that was frightening…I knew then, that I was in grave danger.

 

His irradiated body rivaled in size, the greenish Super Mutants who prowled the Capitol Wasteland. But this monstrosity embodied all that was terrifying in the human soul. The Bruiser was nothing more that a heartless human being and I, was nothing more than a piece of meat. The seven foot three maniac held an axe in one hand with no need of a second weapon. His bulbous left arm was larger than a club, and studded with poisonous puss that guaranteed instantaneous infection to any victim unlucky enough to get struck by it.

 

Boom!

 

My second shot, which was aimed for the Bruiser's kneecap, missed its mark and tore a massive chuck of meat from his thigh. The hideous psychopath howled ferociously at my feeble attempts and lashed out with his axe. I ducked beneath the blood smeared blade as it severed the air inches above my head. He screamed resentfully and although I tried backing away, his menacing backstroke proved too fast. Before I knew it, the blunt end of his axe was flying towards me. When I tried using my shotgun to guard against the Bruiser's attack, he knocked the weapon right out my hands, and me to the ground.

 

Dear God…he's going to kill me!

 

When I looked up, all I could see was that blood smeared axe descending towards my head. I rolled out of its way cringing as the axe smashed into the ground, severing a rock in half. "Flesh!" The Bruiser yelled as he swung again, barely missing my shoulder but this time, the wooden handle snapped and the axe head went flying. I scrambled to my feet as the maniac tossed the handle aside, and dashed forward.

 

God help me…

 

I had no intentions on dodging this time and targeted the Bruiser's injured leg. As he lumbered forward, I dropped to the ground and rolled towards my pursuer in the fetal position. When he stumbled over my curled body, I grabbed a grenade from my belt and pulled the pin. But there wasn't enough time to toss my explosive. The Bruiser leaned onto the bloodstained altar and after using it for support, turned around and lunged towards me.

 

"Your flesh will boil!"

 

I barely had enough time to dodge the maelstrom barreling towards me, and tried to escape but the moment I stepped into the tunnel, the Scrapper waiting on the opposite end fired his rifle.

 

Wiz!

 

The bullet barely missed my head, but lacerated my cheek. I quickly pushed off the wall as he reloaded, and dashed back into the ritual chamber before the Bruiser could trap me inside the tunnel. I could feel wind washing against my back as he tried to club me.

 

"Flesh!" Whoosh.

 

"Flesh!" Whoosh.

 

"Flesh!'' Whoosh.

 

I was tiring, out of ideas, terrified; and wanted desperately for this moment to end. It was like a bad nightmare that I couldn't awake from. Every swing seemed to get closer and as I darted from left to right the Bruiser grazed me with his massive arm. I stumbled forward as he kicked me in ribs and rolled across the ground. The grenade nearly slipped from my hand and when I scrambled to stand, my free hand brushed against something buried in the dirt.

 

A syringe full of psycho…

 

I grabbed the addictive drug as the Bruiser tried crushing me with his puss-soaked arm, and leaped behind the altar. Popping the cap, I raised the psycho to my arm, and injected myself with entire dose of searing red fluid. My vision instantly reddened as psychotic impulses overwhelmed my senses. I'd never used the stuff before and the instant high was a near shock to my system. I grabbed a poisoned ritual knife embedded in the sacrificial body laying on the altar, and jumped atop the corpse seething with blood-lust.

 

"I'll kill you!" I screamed crazily. When the Bruiser tried grabbing my leg I kicked his hand away, leaped over the clubbed arm, and severed an artery in his neck as I landed behind him. He turned around swinging, and knocked a huge gash into the stone wall behind me. I thought I'd injured him but the beast seemed even more relentless than before.

 

"Die!" I urged with the knife held high. When the Bruiser swept for my legs, I dived straight at him and plunged my blade into the maniac's throat. This time, he stood still as a bubbling mound of blood erupted from his mouth. When the Bruiser tried sucking air into his lungs, I slammed the grenade into his cavernous mouth, and then ducked behind the altar.

 

BOOM!

 

The chamber shook violently as body parts splattered the walls with blood and puss. Cracks began to form in the foundation, and the ceiling started to crumble.

 

I'm here mommy…

 

I followed the voice to a blood-filled basin, dipped my hands inside, and retrieved the submerged Krivbeknih. When I lifted the book into the air, I saw Marie wading through the dark waters of eternity. Her tiny hands pressed against the inside of its cover, as though trapped beneath ice.

 

"Free me, mommy!" She begged with pleading eyes. Marie's voice was so clear, that I felt as though I were holding her in my arms. "Free me!"

 

I cried, "Don't worry baby!" Ceiling chunks tumbled like rain as I kissed the book, smearing my lips with blood. "Mommy's coming!"

 

I tucked the Krivbeknih safely into my jacket before grabbing the shotgun. After reloading, I scooped up the largest piece of Bruiser chest cavity, and stuck my hand through its tattered ribs. Using the bloody torso as a shield, I ran into the tunnel and right into the Scrapper's line of fire. I could hear the sound of gunfire, but didn't feel the impact striking my fleshly armor. Crazed with psycho, I charge through the tunnel panting wildly as a second shot struck the Bruiser's dismembered chest. Before reaching the intersection I peeked through a hole in the ribcage, spotted the Scrapper reloading, lowered my shield and fired. When his flimsy body smacked against the tunnel wall, a second Scrapper emerged with a shotgun. We fired simultaneously, but the shield guarded from his buck shots whereas my rounds, hit living flesh. Guts spilled from the widening hole in the Scrapper's stomach so I shoved my gun into the wound, impaling him with the barrel just to be sure. Grabbing the first Scrapper's rifle, I covered my head with the Bruiser's remains and I sprinted out of the collapsing tunnel.

 

I emerged to a cold night. The full moon hovered directly above as if pointing towards salivation. I tossed the torso aside, "Marie," I gasped, pressing my fist against the rectangular indentation in my jacket. "I'm almost there baby. I'm almost there."

[Herculine]

It was everything I had anticipated and more!

 

I'm on the edge of my seat!

 

Save the baby!

[species5478]

October 23^rd 11:15pm

 

 

 

I didn’t have much time. The adrenaline rush I had from psycho masked a potentially fatal injury. One of the Scrapper’s shots penetrated my flesh with contaminated Bruiser blood. I could feel an infection gathering in my shoulder’s bullet’s wound. Less than four hours old, and the Bruiser’s puss was already poisoning me with debilitating effects. I had no Stimpacks. My left arm was next to useless and as far as I knew, there weren’t any doctors in Point Lookout.

 

“Mommy, where are you?”

 

“I’m coming baby,” I huffed with sweat pouring down my face. “Mommy just took a wrong turn in the swamps. She’ll be there soon…”

 

“But I’m lonely. There are a lot bad people here. I’m afraid.”

 

“Just give me few minutes…”

 

“Why mommy? Why did you let Python kill me?”

 

My heart sank from the brevity of her words, forcing me to kneel. I pulled the Krivbehknih out of my jacket, and stroked it affectionately. “I’m sorry Marie. I…I…I couldn’t do anything. I just couldn’t do anything…”

 

Marie swam away from the book’s cover, and appeared distant. “Why? Why did you let Python hurt me right in front of you? You watched him hurt me, Mommy. Why?”

 

Tears burst from my eyes. I trembled as though hypothermic. Pressing the Krivbehknih to my head, I moaned something miserable as Marie continued tormenting me.

 

“I thought you love me.”

 

“Get out my head!” I seethed, blinded by a swell of rage. I threw the Krivbehknih into a swampy pond screaming, “What the Hell do you want from me? I did everything I could!” My thoughts swelled with images of darkness and despair. Slavery, torture, and expressions of eternal agony brightened my mind like fiery brimstone. I could see the book redden as it boiled the swampy water with unnatural powers. I was repulsed by it, yet equally addicted to its binding forces.

 

“Mommy…”

 

“I’m coming darling!” I scrambled on my hands and knees and fished the Krivbehknih free from the murk. Irradiated water weakened me further, but I didn’t care. It was warm to the touch and as wind blew chill against my skin, I pressed the Krivbehknih close to my chest. “I’ll never leave you again…I love you Marie.”

 

Every inch of my body ached and it became harder just to stand. I pulled the final Rad Away out of my pocket only to realize that it had been punctured in the previous battle. Most of the medicine had leaked out of the plastic container leaving me with only a few mouthfuls. I sucked what I could out of the package, and trudged on.

 

I reached Blackhall Manor fifteen minutes later. The haunting building waited perched on its hill within a nest of dark fog. It resembled the face of some ancient deity mourning in the moonlight. I squeezed the Krivbehknih as though it were my child, and smiled. Hopefully, this will be my last entry.

[Herculine]

Is the Krivbeknih evil or just parasitic?

 

Still loving the story even though it's not a real baby!

[species5478]

Thanx Herculine! I love hearing from you. There's some creepy stuff coming up...