FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
"To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail."
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Futuristic Beyond the Dome
- Thread starter FaithWynters
- Start date
"To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail."
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
The city of Genesis. Pinnacle of man's achievements and perseverance, proof positive that human kind could rise from the ashes of any calamity, great or small. As it was, they had risen from the greatest calamity of all. Armageddon.
Sure, the world ended nearly a thousand years ago, so long ago that nobody really knew why it ended in the first place. Some assumed natural disaster, others thought the planet had dried up and died because of overpopulation. Even more figured that a war had taken place, and both sides were so effective that they managed to completely wipe the slate clean.
Either way, the world was dead.
Yet, mankind soldiered on. Not even a global extinction event could wipe them out, and in the millennia that passed they had gone from tribal groups of survivors warring over what little nourishment there was to establishing great, domed cities. Cities that were safe from the ravages of the wasteland outside, containing a surplus of food and water for the citizens. Tall skyscrapers were built, accommodating the thousands that lived and worked there. Inside of these domes, it was almost as if the world hadn't died.
There were those, however, that knew all to well that the world was dead. Ones that would ride the wasteland in smoke-spewing, death-dealing vehicles. Metal monstrosities built to survive amidst the sand and blood. The ones tasked with driving these vehicles were scavengers, hired by the corporations that built the domed cities to search the wasteland for old-world technology to bring back for study. They were allowed to live in the domes, given a place in society... Even though their place was near the bottom, among the beggars and thieves.
Scavvers, as they were called, were seen as nothing more than feral, violence-driven thugs, who were not fit to be a part of "normal society". Elias was one of these 'thugs', and every day he was once again reminded of his place in the world. A part of him wanted to revolt, to turn his roaring machine on the pristine city that he served, but every time that thought crossed his mind he quelled it and silenced it. He wasn't one of the raiders. He was doing his part to keep the city functioning, to keep it alive... and if the citizens wanted to look at him like he was some kind of scum, he would let them. He was content in knowing that if he didn't do his job, their lives would collapse, their city would turn to ash.
He woke that morning, sprawled out in his hammock. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but it was what he had. The hammock was suspended in a large garage, a dark green, wheeled machine parked in the center. To him, it was the best sight he could ever wake up to... Aside from maybe opening his eyes to find a pile of money at his feet. Until that happened, which it wouldn't, he was content to wake up to the sight of his truck, his Allison.
She was a military machine, from what he could tell. It was found in an underground bunker, perfectly preserved and safe from the ravages of time. She was a part of him, and he was a part of her. All Scavvers had that sort of relationship with their machines, and Elias was no exception. He knew every bolt, every cable, every scrap of metal on that truck, and could tell just by sound or scent if there was the slightest thing wrong with her. He didn't need anyone else, so long as he had his Allison.
With a huge yawn and a heavy sigh he heaved himself out of the hammock, his bare feet flinching as he touched the cold metal of the garage floor. There was a hint of an unintelligible curse that came from him as he shuffled over to his chest that he kept his clothes in, and he wasted no time in getting dressed. The garage was always cold, but it was a damn sight better than the heat he'd deal with while driving through the desert.
His clothes were the main thing that marked him as a Scavver. Leather, heavy denim and metal adorned his body, all with a coating of wear and dust that would never wash out. Dark stains were scattered here and there, though whether they were from oil or blood was impossible to tell at this point. He had other clothing, sure... But he never felt as comfortable as when he wore his leather. He hardly had time to wake up fully, maybe make some coffee, before there was a heavy knock on the garage door.
With another low curse and a heavy sigh he moved to the door, opening it as he glared at the well-dressed man in front of him. A messenger of some sort, and just one glance at his uniform told Elias everything he needed to know, even before the man opened his mouth.
"M-Mr. Muldoon? Mr. Kemsley would like to have a word with you up in his office. He says it's urgent." the clean-shaven man said, a stutter in his voice as he looked at the Scavver with an ill-hidden look of fear.
Elias stared at him, a cold stare that seemed to cut into the man's soul. He clicked his teeth in irritation before speaking up, his voice holding a similar growl to the roar of his truck's engine. "Yeah, I'll be right there. Now fuck off."
The messenger jumped a bit at the sudden curse and paled, nodding quickly. "I-I-I'll let him know, Mr. Muldoon." he stammered, before turning and walking away at a brisk pace. Elias sighed heavily and closed the door, brushing his hair back to tie it at the nape of his neck. Of course the boss wanted to see him. Scavvers never got a day off, it seemed. Deciding it was probably best not to keep the big man waiting, Elias left the garage and locked the door firmly behind him.
The garage was in the basement of the building, kept far enough away from curious and prying eyes to not cast a bad image on the company. Another thing that grated on Elias' nerves, yet he kept his mouth shut about it. No need to lose his job and get kicked out of Genesis, after all.
He made his way up the stairs, heavy leather boots clunking on the metal staircase. After a few moments, the dark and grungy setting of the basement gave way to pristine white walls and marble floors, with clean white lighting illuminating the lobby and hallways. Elias stood out quite a bit, as everyone else that occupied the building was dressed neatly in business attire. Once again he vowed that he would never wear a suit and made his way towards the elevators, and those that weren't occupied with paperwork or conversation moved quickly out of his way.
He could feel their eyes on him, but only occasionally would he cast a glare at someone staring a little too intently at him. It was enough to get them to avert their eyes, and when he finally got on the elevator he was the only one riding it. Nobody wanted to be seen with a Scavver, after all.
The elevator trip was a short one, and soon he arrived on the intended floor. It was a familiar one to him, he got off on that stop almost every other day if he wasn't in the middle of a deep run. Today was no different, and as Elias moved down the hallway he already knew how the conversation was going to go. False pleasantries, a firm handshake, and then they would talk business. What business Elias wasn't sure of, but as he knocked on Abraham's door, he knew he was about to find out.
Sure, the world ended nearly a thousand years ago, so long ago that nobody really knew why it ended in the first place. Some assumed natural disaster, others thought the planet had dried up and died because of overpopulation. Even more figured that a war had taken place, and both sides were so effective that they managed to completely wipe the slate clean.
Either way, the world was dead.
Yet, mankind soldiered on. Not even a global extinction event could wipe them out, and in the millennia that passed they had gone from tribal groups of survivors warring over what little nourishment there was to establishing great, domed cities. Cities that were safe from the ravages of the wasteland outside, containing a surplus of food and water for the citizens. Tall skyscrapers were built, accommodating the thousands that lived and worked there. Inside of these domes, it was almost as if the world hadn't died.
There were those, however, that knew all to well that the world was dead. Ones that would ride the wasteland in smoke-spewing, death-dealing vehicles. Metal monstrosities built to survive amidst the sand and blood. The ones tasked with driving these vehicles were scavengers, hired by the corporations that built the domed cities to search the wasteland for old-world technology to bring back for study. They were allowed to live in the domes, given a place in society... Even though their place was near the bottom, among the beggars and thieves.
Scavvers, as they were called, were seen as nothing more than feral, violence-driven thugs, who were not fit to be a part of "normal society". Elias was one of these 'thugs', and every day he was once again reminded of his place in the world. A part of him wanted to revolt, to turn his roaring machine on the pristine city that he served, but every time that thought crossed his mind he quelled it and silenced it. He wasn't one of the raiders. He was doing his part to keep the city functioning, to keep it alive... and if the citizens wanted to look at him like he was some kind of scum, he would let them. He was content in knowing that if he didn't do his job, their lives would collapse, their city would turn to ash.
He woke that morning, sprawled out in his hammock. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but it was what he had. The hammock was suspended in a large garage, a dark green, wheeled machine parked in the center. To him, it was the best sight he could ever wake up to... Aside from maybe opening his eyes to find a pile of money at his feet. Until that happened, which it wouldn't, he was content to wake up to the sight of his truck, his Allison.
She was a military machine, from what he could tell. It was found in an underground bunker, perfectly preserved and safe from the ravages of time. She was a part of him, and he was a part of her. All Scavvers had that sort of relationship with their machines, and Elias was no exception. He knew every bolt, every cable, every scrap of metal on that truck, and could tell just by sound or scent if there was the slightest thing wrong with her. He didn't need anyone else, so long as he had his Allison.
With a huge yawn and a heavy sigh he heaved himself out of the hammock, his bare feet flinching as he touched the cold metal of the garage floor. There was a hint of an unintelligible curse that came from him as he shuffled over to his chest that he kept his clothes in, and he wasted no time in getting dressed. The garage was always cold, but it was a damn sight better than the heat he'd deal with while driving through the desert.
His clothes were the main thing that marked him as a Scavver. Leather, heavy denim and metal adorned his body, all with a coating of wear and dust that would never wash out. Dark stains were scattered here and there, though whether they were from oil or blood was impossible to tell at this point. He had other clothing, sure... But he never felt as comfortable as when he wore his leather. He hardly had time to wake up fully, maybe make some coffee, before there was a heavy knock on the garage door.
With another low curse and a heavy sigh he moved to the door, opening it as he glared at the well-dressed man in front of him. A messenger of some sort, and just one glance at his uniform told Elias everything he needed to know, even before the man opened his mouth.
"M-Mr. Muldoon? Mr. Kemsley would like to have a word with you up in his office. He says it's urgent." the clean-shaven man said, a stutter in his voice as he looked at the Scavver with an ill-hidden look of fear.
Elias stared at him, a cold stare that seemed to cut into the man's soul. He clicked his teeth in irritation before speaking up, his voice holding a similar growl to the roar of his truck's engine. "Yeah, I'll be right there. Now fuck off."
The messenger jumped a bit at the sudden curse and paled, nodding quickly. "I-I-I'll let him know, Mr. Muldoon." he stammered, before turning and walking away at a brisk pace. Elias sighed heavily and closed the door, brushing his hair back to tie it at the nape of his neck. Of course the boss wanted to see him. Scavvers never got a day off, it seemed. Deciding it was probably best not to keep the big man waiting, Elias left the garage and locked the door firmly behind him.
The garage was in the basement of the building, kept far enough away from curious and prying eyes to not cast a bad image on the company. Another thing that grated on Elias' nerves, yet he kept his mouth shut about it. No need to lose his job and get kicked out of Genesis, after all.
He made his way up the stairs, heavy leather boots clunking on the metal staircase. After a few moments, the dark and grungy setting of the basement gave way to pristine white walls and marble floors, with clean white lighting illuminating the lobby and hallways. Elias stood out quite a bit, as everyone else that occupied the building was dressed neatly in business attire. Once again he vowed that he would never wear a suit and made his way towards the elevators, and those that weren't occupied with paperwork or conversation moved quickly out of his way.
He could feel their eyes on him, but only occasionally would he cast a glare at someone staring a little too intently at him. It was enough to get them to avert their eyes, and when he finally got on the elevator he was the only one riding it. Nobody wanted to be seen with a Scavver, after all.
The elevator trip was a short one, and soon he arrived on the intended floor. It was a familiar one to him, he got off on that stop almost every other day if he wasn't in the middle of a deep run. Today was no different, and as Elias moved down the hallway he already knew how the conversation was going to go. False pleasantries, a firm handshake, and then they would talk business. What business Elias wasn't sure of, but as he knocked on Abraham's door, he knew he was about to find out.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
“The dome, my dear, keeps us from flying too close to the sun.”
Grandeur could be found in any direction that one looked. Large stone columns stood like sentries at the entrances of work and politics. People walked as unknowing little ants to and from shops and homes. Vibrant greens and blues filled an entire city block and stood out far more than the buildings that seemed to suffocate the little patch of paradise. Sheer walls of glass shot up from deep within the ground below and reflected the rays of sun that came from above. They tried incredibly hard to match the height of the building that the young woman now found herself in, but none could come close to matching the utter power that the building possessed. It rose above all else, and gave a beautiful view of the desert surrounding Genesis as well as that of the city below.
High glass windows gave the perfect view of the city from anywhere in the large and pompous office. The cool air that danced against soft porcelain skin made cheeks rosy and bodies comfortable. The expanse was a wonderful display of humanity in every direction around them, and yet the dome always kept them divided from the sand that had made this thick glass, the stone that had created the structures that they admired so, and the sky.
The sky was something that Carly longed to see in its fullest form. From inside the dome, clouds were mere blurry smears on the backdrop of dulled blue. The sun was never burning hot on one’s skin like it should be. The air was always comfortable, and the moon wasn’t as crisp as it should have been to the naked eye.
If anyone had walked into this specific office at this particular moment, they would have witnessed quite a peculiar scene for a Tuesday at 8:36AM. Off to one side of the room, a young woman stood, her body leaned absent-mindedly close to the window she looked out of, and the fingertips of her left hand delicately rested on the glass. As always, the girl seemed lost in the expanses of her own imagination, and wide brown eyes stared at a place in the distance where the sky met the horizon.
Around her, book shelves and beautiful modern art ensured the walls did not look empty, and in the center of the room sat a large hardwood desk, empty of an occupant. In front of the desk sat two open seats. Usually, the surface would be covered in paperwork and information that most people wouldn’t be privy to. Now, however, all the paperwork sat in a single neat pile, and in front of the lone leather seat sat a large platter, covered in a silver cloche.
Yes. Today was an incredibly important day for Carly, and unfortunately, the day had been delayed by her father’s absence. She had been waiting in his office since 8AM to have a wonderful breakfast crafted by some of the best in Genesis with him. This was not normal, as her father was an incredibly busy man, but she had scheduled the time promptly when she had heard two administrative assistance gossiping in the hallways the evening prior. Information—especially good information—seemed to travel fast in the building, and Carly found herself lucky that she had been in the right place at the right time to hear it. He had promised he would have the meal with her. At this moment, the young woman was starting wonder whether that time would ever come.
It was another five minutes that Carly sat in silence before she heard one man speaking outside the door of Abraham Kemsley’s office. It was unmistakably her father’s, giving orders to someone below him in his boss voice. It wasn’t until the conversation had concluded that the door opened and a man—approximately seven or so inches taller than her—walked into the room. Although he now wore one of the best suits that could currently be made or traded for, Carly could recognize the man that raised her no matter what he wore. She turned and he greeted her with an apologetic smile; still, it was no matter, his daughter closed the distance between her place by the window and himself in almost no time. She was happy to see him today. It had been a worry of hers that she might not get to see her father again before her plans sprang into action.
“I’m sorry Carls,” The nickname was one that she had grown affectionately used to when used by her father, “but I got stuck in a very important meeting this morning, and I forgot to have my assistant inform you.” As always, everything was business with Abraham, but Carly had grown used to it over the years.
“No problem, Dad.” The two were incredibly relaxed about one another, and the two parted, walking together to the desk that Abraham would soon come to sit behind. Finally, she would be able to enjoy this final time with her father before taking her first adventure out of the dome. Of course, he didn’t know of her plans. For had he known, she probably would have been locked away in a room until he was sure the ”idiotic and impulsive” plan was driven out of her head. “I’m just glad you finally get to eat breakfast.” She smiled quietly as she pulled the large silver dome from atop the platter. Below lay colorful portions for the two of them to enjoy together. The young woman looked up, expecting a happy and grateful look in her father’s eyes, but found only another apologetic smile.
“Unfortunately, I’ve got an appointment with one of our Scavvers; I’ve already sent one of the assistants down to get him. I don’t know how long I’ve got.” There was a slight pause, and Carly stood there silently, watching her father. “I promise, we’ll have lunch or dinner together this evening.” Of course, they would have dinner together…They always had dinner together. He did honestly look disappointed that he had forgotten, but Carly couldn’t help that sinking feeling she was getting in her gut. “C’mon Carls…” The elderly man trailed off as he looked at her. Slowly, he reached out his hand and picked up one of the pastries from the platter, taking a bite.
“No, it’s alright, Dad.” Carly forced a smile on her face. She picked up a small round piece of fruit and popped it in her mouth. “We can enjoy the time we’ve got, and I can leave when he gets here.” Abraham attempted a sly look at his watch, but the motion was caught by Carly, who sighed quietly.
“How was the performance last night? It sucks I missed the last half.” As hard as he tried to be there for his only child—as hard as he tried to be a dad, it seemed that he was always disappointing her in one way or another. Honestly, he had grown accustomed to looking disappointed and apologetic, but had gotten used to the work that he did to keep Carly living and fed in the first place.
“It was pretty alright actually.” The two continued quietly eating as they spoke to one another. “I’m sure the word will be that it is one of Friskov’s best works so far.” The young woman took a seat and the two continued to talk for a few more minutes.
It was then that the knock came at the door. Carly had been sat down for less than ten minutes when the sound bounced off the walls and brought their small breakfast meeting to an end. Quietly, Carly stood. There was a sudden fire within her; why couldn’t they just have a bit more time?
“I’ll see you tonight at dinner, Carls. I love you.”
“I love you too, Dad”
The two did not hug once more before the young woman turned herself around and walked toward the door at the fastest she could muster. She didn’t even slow when she neared the hardwood barrier keeping the Scavver out of the office and her inside. She reached her hand out, and in one swift motion turned the knob and pushed the door open. She was careful not to bump into the man (although she had almost struck him with the door in her speed) that stood gruffly outside—in his leather and denim he stood out like a sore thumb compared to her in her over-sized sweater. She didn’t even give him a glance as she continued down the hallway and out of sight. As much as she disliked having to leave so suddenly from her father and as much as she hated that it was a Scavver that brought their time to an end, she knew he was her only chance of seeing the world outside of the dome, and she wasn’t going to miss this chance for the world.
With that thought fresh in her mind, she made her way down into the inner bowels of the building.
. . .
Abraham watched in silence as his daughter left him. He knew that, while she seemed to long for much more time with him, the instructions he would give this Scavver would bring more resources to Genesis. This was something that he could not afford to lose to raiders and thieves. So, in the confidence many years had brought him, he picked himself up from the grand leather chair he had come to rest in, and walked around the desk once more.
“Hello, Elias.” Abraham only knew of the man’s name because he was one of the best they had (aside from being informed by an assistant), but that was as far as his knowledge of the man went. He held out his hand for a single handshake of strength, and then he walked back around his desk and took a seat. “Do ignore the mess, my daughter and I were having breakfast; it’s a luxury that I don’t always get to enjoy.”
Each word that was said was all part of one large list of steps that Abraham had with men like this almost every day. Pleasantries, a single handshake, and business. It was the same every time. This time, was no different.
“Our scouts have found a new site of interest. We want you to go, scavenge what you can, and bring it back to Genesis. My assistant outside will give you details on the location. Our deals of payment will be the same as usual.” The man hadn’t waited for Elias to say anything—honestly, he didn’t give a damn what he had to say. He had his orders, and the man waited for an acknowledgement or for the savage to leave; either way, he knew the job would get done.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
The time spent standing at the door aggravated him. Being this high in the building aggravated him. Damn near everything about this corporation aggravated him. He was so caught up in making sure he was calm that when the door opened, he hardly had time to take a step back and avoid getting hit by it. Though he was expecting the senior Kemsley, it was the junior Kemsley that graced his vision. He watched as she stormed out, quirking an eyebrow in response to her sudden exit.
It was none of his business, so he didn't make it his business. Still, there was a part of him that was curious, but he held back the urge to ask as her father spoke up. "Mr. Kemsley." he replied, returning the man's shake with a firm one of his own. Where Eli's hands were rough and calloused, Abraham's were the complete opposite. Yet another thing to aggravate the Scavver, apparently. He followed the man inside and closed the door behind him, taking a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk.
"Breakfast, huh?" he asked, eyeing the platter on his desk. He reached over and grabbed a pastry, tossing it into his mouth in a single motion. "Not sure it's a luxury I've enjoyed before." he said, speaking with his mouth full. It was true, Scavvers were given scraps to eat, and only very rarely did he ever get a full meal. Most of his food was found out in the wastes, animals that he hunted for their meat.
He grabbed another pastry after swallowing, leaning back enough to prop his dust-worn boots up on the desk as Abraham spoke. Normally he wouldn't be so casual about it, but his day didn't start off that great. Little things like putting his filthy boots on the man's pristine desk were a subtle middle finger to him and his entire way of life. He ate the pastry slowly, and when the man was finished he nodded. "Yeah, I can do it. Make sure I get enough fuel and supplies this time, I ain't raiding another Vulture camp just to get enough gas to get back."
He stood, finishing off the pastry before giving the man an almost sarcastic salute. With that he turned on his heel and headed towards the door, but paused before he took more than three steps. He went back to the platter a third time, swooping up two more of the pastries before flashing him a grin and heading out the door. It wasn't like the man couldn't afford to lose a few small breakfast items.
Once he got the information from the assistant he made his way back down into the basement, finishing his pastries by the time that he reached the door. It opened with a loud creak, followed by the sound of his boots clanking on the metal floor.
It was none of his business, so he didn't make it his business. Still, there was a part of him that was curious, but he held back the urge to ask as her father spoke up. "Mr. Kemsley." he replied, returning the man's shake with a firm one of his own. Where Eli's hands were rough and calloused, Abraham's were the complete opposite. Yet another thing to aggravate the Scavver, apparently. He followed the man inside and closed the door behind him, taking a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk.
"Breakfast, huh?" he asked, eyeing the platter on his desk. He reached over and grabbed a pastry, tossing it into his mouth in a single motion. "Not sure it's a luxury I've enjoyed before." he said, speaking with his mouth full. It was true, Scavvers were given scraps to eat, and only very rarely did he ever get a full meal. Most of his food was found out in the wastes, animals that he hunted for their meat.
He grabbed another pastry after swallowing, leaning back enough to prop his dust-worn boots up on the desk as Abraham spoke. Normally he wouldn't be so casual about it, but his day didn't start off that great. Little things like putting his filthy boots on the man's pristine desk were a subtle middle finger to him and his entire way of life. He ate the pastry slowly, and when the man was finished he nodded. "Yeah, I can do it. Make sure I get enough fuel and supplies this time, I ain't raiding another Vulture camp just to get enough gas to get back."
He stood, finishing off the pastry before giving the man an almost sarcastic salute. With that he turned on his heel and headed towards the door, but paused before he took more than three steps. He went back to the platter a third time, swooping up two more of the pastries before flashing him a grin and heading out the door. It wasn't like the man couldn't afford to lose a few small breakfast items.
Once he got the information from the assistant he made his way back down into the basement, finishing his pastries by the time that he reached the door. It opened with a loud creak, followed by the sound of his boots clanking on the metal floor.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
As much as the elder gentleman wanted to give only an eye of disgust to the man that now stood in front of him, gorging himself on the food his daughter had so graciously had cooked for the two of him, he had learned long ago how to keep his annoyance at these rats under wraps. The man had no concept of good decency in his body, and Abraham was almost certain he never had. The man didn’t deserve such a luxury as the one Mr. Kemsley’s daughter had brought on—quite literally—a silver platter, and yet the elder was sure it was going to be one of the only things that he ate today. The businessman was very aware of how these Scavvers were treated, and it bothered him none in the slightest.
“We’ll see what we can do for your supplies; this is an incredibly important location.” Abraham wouldn’t mention how dangerous the site was; they had lost three scouts to raiders just in the trek to get to the place, but that’s why Elias had been suggested to him as a choice. They needed their best to recover the supplies. The man said nothing more as he watched the rat act in his uncivilized ways; it didn’t really phase him anymore. Soon after, the man had gotten the food that he felt he deserved, the door closed behind him, and Abraham was alone once more.
It wasn’t until his assistant came into the office once more about a half an hour later that he informed her to make sure preparations were made to ensure the rat had the supplies he needed, by that point, Abraham was almost certain the Scavver had gone.
. . .
Carly wasted no time in getting downstairs. About halfway down the hallway the sadness that had driven her quick retreat turned into pure excitement, and that fueled the speed in which she made it to the elevator.
She hadn’t dared look back on the Savver once she had passed him—no that would have been too odd. Still, even though she was almost certain the man did not know her, she knew of him. She knew the young man’s name was Elias, and that he was supposedly the best scavenger that the corporation bothered to keep around. Others would have found it odd that she bothered to learn anything about the scum that lived in the lower levels of the building, but Carly was all too curious about those who had the freedom to go out of the dome.
As quickly as the elevator would take her down, Carly made it to the floor where she no longer had the luxury of the mechanized transportation. From here, she followed the same path that she had dared trek about twenty times in the previous night, but instead of stopping at the large, dirty looking door with the small sign that read Garage, she confidently pushed the door open. Down here, the air was a lot warmer, but Carly couldn’t get herself to stop even for a moment. She was afraid that, if she stopped, she would convince herself to turn around and go back home.
“Nope!” She muttered small words of encouragement under her breath, and soon, she finally made it to the floor of the garage. There sat a huge Humvee type vehicle. “This must be it…” She muttered quiet words to herself before walking up to it. It was a hulking monster with blood stains or dust covering almost every inch of the exterior.
She knew she had to be fast; if the Scavver caught her trying to sneak out of the dome with him, there was no telling what kind of trouble she might be in. So, as quickly as she could, she climbed up the side of the huge machine, opened the large metal door, and slipped inside. She found the interior to be quite crowded, and it was only as she finally pulled a few of the bags out of the left side floorboard, throwing them on top of the right, was she able to close the door, and slide the lower half of her small body in the small space she had made below the seat on the floor. Some of the bags were almost too heavy for her flimsy arms to be able to move, and for a moment, Carly worried she wouldn’t be able to move the bags back. It took all the might the young woman had to roughly yank on the bags until they came tumbling down into left side floor board again. When they finally looked close to the way they had when she had gotten in, she pushed one bag out of the way, and slid her upper body under the seat. Once settled, she moved the bags a little more so that her body was blocked from view in the front seat. It wasn’t comfortable, and the metal was cold on her back, but she ignored it. This was her way of escaping—she would simply be a stowaway.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
The Scavver closed the door behind him, content in his meal and the subtle 'fuck you' he tossed to his boss. It wasn't enough of an insult, seeing as he was still under the company's employ. As he cleared the distance between the door and his truck he paused for a moment, before heading off to another part of the garage. He had a gut feeling, a tug at his chest that was telling him he didn't have nearly enough ammunition. Whenever he got a feeling like that, he never once ignored it.
He filled up an extra bag with ammunition before striding over towards his truck, letting out a small sigh as he looked her over. Tires were good, the reserve tanks were full, and there was nothing out of place that he could see. He opened the door and climbed into the driver's seat, taking the bag of ammunition and tossing it roughly in the back seat. "Alright, sweetheart. Daddy's got work to do, so do your best." he crooned to the machine, sliding his fingers affectionately over the dashboard. The large doors in front of him began to open as he went through the startup sequence, flicking switches in a certain pattern across the dash.
First came the whine. A low whistle, slowly rising in volume and pitch, like a jet engine priming for takeoff. Once the whine reached a certain pitch he flicked the last switch, and it was if a bomb had been dropped in the garage. The engine came to life with a shrieking roar, pitching a cloud of black smoke from the exhaust stack as it rumbled to life. Elias let out a small sigh of satisfaction, gingerly tapping the gas pedal a few times with his foot. The engine roared and gurgled in response, creating a symphony to the Scavver's ears.
The noise was deafening, and he was sure that most of the people in the building would feel the rumble of the engine. It loped along in its idle, at least until his left foot shoved the clutch in, his right hand pushing the shifter into first gear. The doors were open fully now, exposing a long tunnel ahead of him. It was one that he was more than familiar with, and one that he really, really enjoyed driving down. He let off the clutch and pulled the monster forward, slowly at first. But his foot came down a little more, the engine's tone rising a little higher, and then the next shift came. The next one followed shortly after that, and another after that. The tunnel was dark, lit only by occasional electric lamps mounted on the walls, and they were currently the only indication that he was picking up a tremendous amount of speed.
The lights flashed faster and faster, becoming a blur that shot past the truck at an alarming rate. Before they could become a single bright line of light they were suddenly gone, replaced by a blinding light that flooded the interior of the humvee.
He shot out of the tunnel like a rocket, the transition from metal to dirt an abrupt one on the vehicle's shocks. Rocks were kicked up by the tires, smacking the underside of the truck like machine gun fire as he tore down the well-worn road ahead of him, wind whipping through the armored slits the truck had for windows. In a smooth motion he pulled a set of goggles down over his eyes and veered towards the east, leaving a cloud of dust and exhaust in his wake.
He filled up an extra bag with ammunition before striding over towards his truck, letting out a small sigh as he looked her over. Tires were good, the reserve tanks were full, and there was nothing out of place that he could see. He opened the door and climbed into the driver's seat, taking the bag of ammunition and tossing it roughly in the back seat. "Alright, sweetheart. Daddy's got work to do, so do your best." he crooned to the machine, sliding his fingers affectionately over the dashboard. The large doors in front of him began to open as he went through the startup sequence, flicking switches in a certain pattern across the dash.
First came the whine. A low whistle, slowly rising in volume and pitch, like a jet engine priming for takeoff. Once the whine reached a certain pitch he flicked the last switch, and it was if a bomb had been dropped in the garage. The engine came to life with a shrieking roar, pitching a cloud of black smoke from the exhaust stack as it rumbled to life. Elias let out a small sigh of satisfaction, gingerly tapping the gas pedal a few times with his foot. The engine roared and gurgled in response, creating a symphony to the Scavver's ears.
The noise was deafening, and he was sure that most of the people in the building would feel the rumble of the engine. It loped along in its idle, at least until his left foot shoved the clutch in, his right hand pushing the shifter into first gear. The doors were open fully now, exposing a long tunnel ahead of him. It was one that he was more than familiar with, and one that he really, really enjoyed driving down. He let off the clutch and pulled the monster forward, slowly at first. But his foot came down a little more, the engine's tone rising a little higher, and then the next shift came. The next one followed shortly after that, and another after that. The tunnel was dark, lit only by occasional electric lamps mounted on the walls, and they were currently the only indication that he was picking up a tremendous amount of speed.
The lights flashed faster and faster, becoming a blur that shot past the truck at an alarming rate. Before they could become a single bright line of light they were suddenly gone, replaced by a blinding light that flooded the interior of the humvee.
He shot out of the tunnel like a rocket, the transition from metal to dirt an abrupt one on the vehicle's shocks. Rocks were kicked up by the tires, smacking the underside of the truck like machine gun fire as he tore down the well-worn road ahead of him, wind whipping through the armored slits the truck had for windows. In a smooth motion he pulled a set of goggles down over his eyes and veered towards the east, leaving a cloud of dust and exhaust in his wake.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
Carly hadn’t expected for it to take so long to get going. She lay on her back, looking up at the black seat for quite some time. Her mind began to drift, and she wondered for quite a few minutes at one point if she had accidentally just sat in an out of commission Humvee that they had stored in the garage. That would have been an incredibly anti-climactic ending to her adventure. Still, she decided to wait it out a little longer. There would have been a lot of explaining to do had she gotten out of the car at the same moment the Scavver chose to get in.
It was in that moment that the young woman had finally decided that no one was coming that someone finally opened one of the doors. From where she was, she couldn’t tell who it was, but she was certain there was only one place that they could be going—out of the dome. She was excited, and she clutched her hands together to try and stop them from shaking. It didn’t take long, however, for the excitement to be dulled slightly. She hadn’t expected the bags to shake, and as Elias through another in the back seat, one slid, slammed into the young woman’s body, and knocked the air out of her. She was careful, though, to keep the noise she wanted to allow to escape her body inside. That would have definitely blown her cover.
Carly could hear a man speaking from the front seat, and for a moment, she wondered if he had brought someone along with him. Then, she realized that the fool was just talking to his car as if it were his girlfriend. She just lay there, trying not to giggle at his words for the moment. Slowly as the vehicle began to prepare itself to leave, noises inside began to pick up, and the floor beneath Carly began to vibrate. Soon, she couldn’t handle the volume and she fought hard to bring both her hands up to cover her ears.
It definitely wasn’t what she had been expecting—even if she hadn’t expected a luxury experience. It wasn’t long before they began moving, and, even though the young woman couldn’t see outside, she could tell that they were going far faster than she had ever gone in her life. This isn’t too bad. It was a thought she had as the cabin was still dark, and she would come to regret the thought very soon after.
With the flash of bright lights blinding her and surprising her senses, Carly didn’t have any warning before the Humvee came crashing down on the harsh Earth. For a moment, the woman felt weightless, but she soon came crashing down, hitting her head hard on the metal below. The world around her spun, but she was able to hold her heard and calm herself down, once again, without any noise. She wasn’t sure how much more of a beating she could take; the rocks that flung up and hit the underside of the vehicle made her jump, and she was sure she could feel some of them through the metal (even though she was probably just being over dramatic about that one). Still, she handled it pretty well for now, and could only hope things wouldn’t get worse before they got to their destination.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
As much as he hated working for the corporation, there was one thing Eli was glad for. He had the chance to experience the open wasteland without having to risk his nights out in it. Between the raiders and irradiated predators, a peaceful drive followed by a calm night's sleep was not a common occurrence. Still, Eli wouldn't have it any other way. Compared to the processed air and stuffiness of staying in the dome, being back out under the sky was a wonderful feeling.
The air that whipped past carried a strange, almost metallic scent to it. It was the scent of fallout and rusted metal, carried on the winds from places unknown. It was a smell that Eli had grown very fond of, and honestly missed it sometimes when he was stuck in the dome for long periods of time. He checked the map that he was given before attaching it to a blank spot on his dash. He didn't need it, not this close to the dome. He knew the wasteland like the back of his hand, three days in every direction. Still, the location he was heading to was further than that, and he couldn't help but wonder what he was getting himself into. The chance of this being a simple extraction with no complications was a very slim one.
He eased up on the gas pedal as he shifted a bit in his seat, lowering the armored valance that made up his window. More of the acrid air whipped inside and he sighed happily, letting his arm dangle from the window as it got pelted with sand and dust. The sun beat down hot on his skin, warming him pleasantly. It was always too damn cold for him in the dome.
As the day wore on, he kept to his path, only deviating every once in a while to avoid some long-forgotten wreck or vehicle that had been picked clean after some road battle. The route he took was devoid of Vultures, as far as he knew, so he found it strange to find these steel carcasses in his way. An uneasy feeling tugged at his gut again, but he pushed it aside as he shifted gears and picked up a little more speed.
The air that whipped past carried a strange, almost metallic scent to it. It was the scent of fallout and rusted metal, carried on the winds from places unknown. It was a smell that Eli had grown very fond of, and honestly missed it sometimes when he was stuck in the dome for long periods of time. He checked the map that he was given before attaching it to a blank spot on his dash. He didn't need it, not this close to the dome. He knew the wasteland like the back of his hand, three days in every direction. Still, the location he was heading to was further than that, and he couldn't help but wonder what he was getting himself into. The chance of this being a simple extraction with no complications was a very slim one.
He eased up on the gas pedal as he shifted a bit in his seat, lowering the armored valance that made up his window. More of the acrid air whipped inside and he sighed happily, letting his arm dangle from the window as it got pelted with sand and dust. The sun beat down hot on his skin, warming him pleasantly. It was always too damn cold for him in the dome.
As the day wore on, he kept to his path, only deviating every once in a while to avoid some long-forgotten wreck or vehicle that had been picked clean after some road battle. The route he took was devoid of Vultures, as far as he knew, so he found it strange to find these steel carcasses in his way. An uneasy feeling tugged at his gut again, but he pushed it aside as he shifted gears and picked up a little more speed.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
After a while, things seemed to calm down. Every once and a while, the rocks would hammer mercilessly at the bottom of the car, causing Carly to flinch at each sound. Still, everything seemed to be going according to plan. Wherever they were going was far from the dome—which was exactly what she wanted. She wanted to see the open world! She wanted to venture into the wastes and explore! Soon enough, the cool and scents of the dome—her life-long prison—was far behind them, and the scent that had strong metallic tones like blood filled the car. It was new and exciting and it was the smell of her adventure. Her father would have a cow if he knew where she was right now, but Carly was sure that he wouldn’t realize she was gone until dinnertime. By then, even Scavver’s couldn’t have caught up to them!
For quite a while, the open road was pleasant to the younger Kemsley. While her back began to throb slightly from not being able to really move, she found comfort in shifting her weight every now and again. At one point, she grew so bored of looking at the cloth-covered metal of the seat that she dozed off to the pit-pat of rocks hitting at her back. It wasn’t comfortable, but she didn’t see them stopping anytime soon, and if she was discovered too close to the dome, she was sure that the Scavver would just turn around and take her back home. She wouldn’t let that happen, so, instead, it resulted in her taking this small little nap, her head relaxed to one side in the most comfortable position she could find at the time.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
For the next hour or so, the drive was completely uneventful. The clattering of rocks and the low drone of the engine was the only sound that could be heard. Still, despite the apparent peace, something felt... off. As Eli gracefully avoided the hulking, long burnt out wreck of a transport truck he pushed his goggles up to his forehead, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. There were tracks in the dirt, deeply worn in gouges that told of quick maneuvers and hard acceleration. He pursed his lips, his eyes catching the glint of spent bullet shells in the setting sun.
Aside from the sound of his truck, everything was silent. He was adept at ignoring the sounds his vehicle made, and the fact that there was not even a speck of howling wind to be heard was worrying. His hand gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as he pulled the valance back up, locking the armored metal into place.
And not a moment too soon.
The sound of metal striking metal was heard, throwing sparks through the slit in the valance he just lifted back in place. The bullet ricocheted off, and a moment later the crack of a gunshot could be heard. "Fucking snipers..." he growled under his breath, shifting up a gear as he put the pedal to the floor. As he did, the engine seemed to roar louder than before. The sound, however, came from the dunes on either side of him.
A pair of pursuit buggies launched over the dunes, taking up the chase. He cursed under his breath, the truck jolting hard as one of the Vultures slammed his vehicle into Eli's. The back of the truck began to slide, but with a quick movement he cranked the wheel and straightened it out. He yanked a pistol from its holster next to his seat and shoved the barrel through the valance's viewport, firing off several blind rounds to try and steer the raider to a better position for him to fire from. The gunshots echoed loudly in the cabin, causing his ears to ring painfully.
Aside from the sound of his truck, everything was silent. He was adept at ignoring the sounds his vehicle made, and the fact that there was not even a speck of howling wind to be heard was worrying. His hand gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as he pulled the valance back up, locking the armored metal into place.
And not a moment too soon.
The sound of metal striking metal was heard, throwing sparks through the slit in the valance he just lifted back in place. The bullet ricocheted off, and a moment later the crack of a gunshot could be heard. "Fucking snipers..." he growled under his breath, shifting up a gear as he put the pedal to the floor. As he did, the engine seemed to roar louder than before. The sound, however, came from the dunes on either side of him.
A pair of pursuit buggies launched over the dunes, taking up the chase. He cursed under his breath, the truck jolting hard as one of the Vultures slammed his vehicle into Eli's. The back of the truck began to slide, but with a quick movement he cranked the wheel and straightened it out. He yanked a pistol from its holster next to his seat and shoved the barrel through the valance's viewport, firing off several blind rounds to try and steer the raider to a better position for him to fire from. The gunshots echoed loudly in the cabin, causing his ears to ring painfully.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
Time seemed to go by in unknown increments for the uncomfortable passenger in the back. It was probably something that should have been expected, but she hadn’t actually thought about the down time. Of course, she had thought of running around in the sun and under the stars for the first time, and she thought of digging through rubble to search for unknown mysteries that the Earth had buried long ago, but she hadn’t thought about being stuck in the damn car for hours. No—it hadn’t particularly been something very high on her plan-out-your-adventure list. So, Carly would find herself opening her eyes for a moment just to adjust before closing them again and trying to ignore the sounds coming from the front seat—even though there wasn’t much that she could hear over the rumble of the engine.
It had been in one of these same moments of dozing that bullets began to bounce off the metal exterior of the vehicle. Although the noise was much different than that of the rocks below, Carly was able to convince herself that it had been just that. This relief was only for a few seconds, however, before the man in the front seat cursed quite loudly, and the woman realized they were under attack.
It was an odd mixture of excitement and fear that shot through her; on one hand, she had heard her father tell stories of raiders attacking the Scavvers that dared venture too far from the dome and fear shot through her, but on the other hand, there was a wave of excitement. This is what she had been waiting for! The real fun was only now beginning! Once again, she had the sad misfortune of her excitement only lasting for a few more moments. Something had collided with the Humvee and it sent a shock through the lower area of the car. Luckily, Carly hadn’t hit her head this time, but metal against cloth didn’t provide much in the way of friction. As the car straightened itself out, her small form slid, and, once again, her head made contact with the metal siding of the car.
“Mother. Fucker.” The words escaped, quite loudly, from Carly’s lips before she could stop it, and she pulled her hands up to grasp at the now-throbbing section atop her head. She had curled slightly at the midsection, her knee pushing into one of the bags that had recently been keeping her from being seen. It took her a moment before she realized that she had spoken, and she instinctively pressed one of her hands over her mouth. She prayed to God—if there even was one—that over the sound of bullets bouncing off the exterior and the rumble of the engine, her exclamation of pain hadn’t been heard. She couldn’t do much, besides lay there as still as possible, hope the throbbing would stop, hope there would be more sliding or crashing into things, and hope Elias was too occupied to see her.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
Elias' gunfire had successfully herded the buggy out of the way, and behind him. Which was exactly what he wanted. He slammed on the brakes, and a moment later felt the hard jolt of the buggy behind him slamming into the back of his car. Both the front and rear were armored and spiked precisely for this kind of maneuvering, and as he got back on the accelerator he could hear the hissing of a blown radiator behind him.
He had indeed heard the exclamation of 'mother fucker' from the back, and without skipping a beat responded with "Tell me about it. Fucking Vultures." It hadn't even dawned on him that someone else had said it, as he was too preoccupied with fighting off the last pursuit buggy. Its driver had wised up, and was staying in a place where it could spray the armored vehicle with bullets and not get hit in the process.
Elias cursed under his breath, holstering the pistol. He needed something bigger if he was going to take out this last buggy, but even when he did he knew that the worst was yet to come. Tiny buggies like these had no chance of taking him down, they were trying to herd him somewhere. He knew that something like that was never a good thing. He moved the truck towards a long straight of clear desert and locked the steering wheel and throttle, quickly turning around to start digging in the back seat. He had a shotgun back there, one loaded up with solid slugs that could easily punch through an engine block. He needed to take this last buggy down, get to a stop, pull out and assemble his rifle, search for-
His hand suddenly closed on something where his shotgun should be. It was warm and soft, and felt strangely like skin. He stared for a long moment, ignoring the sound of bullets colliding with his vehicle, at the arm that his hand currently had a hold of. At least, it looked like an arm. It was attached to a hand, and on the other end was attached to something- someone under the seat.
He used his free hand to yank the bags out of the way as he pulled upwards on the arm, tugging the girl out from under the seat easily. "Wha-" he stammered, his sharp green eyes staring into a pair of deep brown ones. "What the FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" he yelled, a mix of panic and anger in his voice. He knew this girl. She was Abraham's daughter, the same one he saw leaving this morning. The same one that was eating breakfast with her father. His boss. He was so dumbfounded that he'd completely forgotten about the buggy at this point, despite the fact that it had lined up to bash into him again.
He had indeed heard the exclamation of 'mother fucker' from the back, and without skipping a beat responded with "Tell me about it. Fucking Vultures." It hadn't even dawned on him that someone else had said it, as he was too preoccupied with fighting off the last pursuit buggy. Its driver had wised up, and was staying in a place where it could spray the armored vehicle with bullets and not get hit in the process.
Elias cursed under his breath, holstering the pistol. He needed something bigger if he was going to take out this last buggy, but even when he did he knew that the worst was yet to come. Tiny buggies like these had no chance of taking him down, they were trying to herd him somewhere. He knew that something like that was never a good thing. He moved the truck towards a long straight of clear desert and locked the steering wheel and throttle, quickly turning around to start digging in the back seat. He had a shotgun back there, one loaded up with solid slugs that could easily punch through an engine block. He needed to take this last buggy down, get to a stop, pull out and assemble his rifle, search for-
His hand suddenly closed on something where his shotgun should be. It was warm and soft, and felt strangely like skin. He stared for a long moment, ignoring the sound of bullets colliding with his vehicle, at the arm that his hand currently had a hold of. At least, it looked like an arm. It was attached to a hand, and on the other end was attached to something- someone under the seat.
He used his free hand to yank the bags out of the way as he pulled upwards on the arm, tugging the girl out from under the seat easily. "Wha-" he stammered, his sharp green eyes staring into a pair of deep brown ones. "What the FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" he yelled, a mix of panic and anger in his voice. He knew this girl. She was Abraham's daughter, the same one he saw leaving this morning. The same one that was eating breakfast with her father. His boss. He was so dumbfounded that he'd completely forgotten about the buggy at this point, despite the fact that it had lined up to bash into him again.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
With the hand grasp at her mouth, the next collision—this time by something in the back—blocked the sound of a whimper from escaping out into the open air. It seemed like the bumps were literally coming from every direction at this point, and it made it damn near impossible for the small body to steady itself.
He had heard her, and, for some reason, that sparked more fear through Carly than anything. He responded, but he hadn’t responded all at the same time. There was no reaction from him, almost as if he was used to just talking to voices that popped up out of thin air. He just continued driving, continued shooting, and Carly tried to press herself as far back below the seat that she could. If she got too far out, she could see the man’s profile from the floor, but that meant he could see her as well. She was finally sure that she was with Elias, since she had never actually heard him speak before and only knew him by his looks, and that calmed her down a little bit. He was the best, right? He would be able to protect her.
Deep in her attempts to calm herself down, she hadn’t particularly been paying attention. At one point, the best way to keep herself from moving around too much was to simply lay flat and press her hands to the floor. It was then that a large hand wrapped around her arm. Carly froze, and wasn’t exactly sure what to do at this moment. Should she try to pull her arm free and hope that he just thought he was hallucinating? Maybe he already thought he was crazy. Should she just act like she was dead? Surely, he would see through that. Maybe he wouldn’t?
Before the young woman could think of a plan, she was being pulled out from under the seat. She tried, what little bit she could, to pull away, but with her already sliding around and the strength that the man had seemingly accumulated over the years, it wasn’t something Carly could say she was victorious at.
When Elias had finally gotten her out from under the seat, she could almost see the neurons firing behind his eyes. He was putting two and two together and realizing that she wasn’t just any girl—she was a very important girl. She couldn’t look away; honestly, she didn’t know what to do. Then he yelled at her, and her mind seemed to kick itself in the ass again.
“DON’T YOU EVEN TRY TO PIN THIS ON ME.” Okay, it probably wasn’t the best way to go, but these were the words that flew out of her mouth before her mind could process something a little more intelligent or nice. “HOW THE FUCK DO YOU NOT CHECK YOUR VEHICLE BEFORE YOU JUST PELT OFF FOR THE SUNSET?!” With the hardest yank she could muster, Carly tried to pull her arm out of Elias’ grasp. She wasn’t very successful, and with another unexpected hit from one of the buggies outside, the only thing Carly could really do—and it seemed like the only thing she was good at recently—was slam into the side of the car again, and curse angrily at the top of her lungs.
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Gobbo
Tactical Goat
Elias' words failed him. They honestly did. His mouth opened and closed and opened again, looking like a beached fish as he tried to come up with a response to... to that. It was his fault? His fault that the daughter of the most powerful man in Genesis just so happened to decide to stowaway in his truck? He stammered and floundered for a response, but one never came. He was utterly and completely dumbfounded by the sheer gall of this girl.
He was suddenly and painfully snapped out of his shock by the sound of another gunshot, however this time the sound of pinging metal wasn't heard. Instead there was the sound of a rip, and a warm splash of liquid splattered both of their faces as a blinding pain shot up his arm. He let out a low growl, staring at the fresh bullet hole in his arm for a moment, before shooting a glare at the driver of the buggy.
"Thank God for full metal jackets." he growled, noticing that there was a clean hole straight through his arm. At least there wasn't any shrapnel he'd have to dig out later. Ignoring the wound for now he pulled her up into the front seat, not really caring where he grabbed as he wrestled the girl up to the front. Once he plopped her unceremoniously into the seat he reached back again, finally finding his shotgun.
He sat back down, unlocking the steering wheel to jolt the truck around a large rock, locking it in place once more before turning to her with a deadly glare. "We're gonna sit down and discuss this bullshittery, IF we live through this." he growled. He reached up and unlocked the gunner's hatch in the roof, throwing it open. In one smooth motion he climbed up, leveled the shotgun, racked a round, and put it square through the buggy driver's skull. The buggy veered off to the side, rolling several times as the vehicle seemed to dismantle itself before coming to a rough stop in the dirt.
Wasting no time, Elias threw the shotgun into the back and slammed the hatch closed, slipping into the driver's seat. He unlocked the throttle and steering, slamming on the brakes as he brought the beast to the quickest stop he possibly could. It slid to a stop in a cloud of dust, and he began to pull gun parts from seemingly everywhere, assembling them with quick and steady hands despite the blood he was losing.
He was suddenly and painfully snapped out of his shock by the sound of another gunshot, however this time the sound of pinging metal wasn't heard. Instead there was the sound of a rip, and a warm splash of liquid splattered both of their faces as a blinding pain shot up his arm. He let out a low growl, staring at the fresh bullet hole in his arm for a moment, before shooting a glare at the driver of the buggy.
"Thank God for full metal jackets." he growled, noticing that there was a clean hole straight through his arm. At least there wasn't any shrapnel he'd have to dig out later. Ignoring the wound for now he pulled her up into the front seat, not really caring where he grabbed as he wrestled the girl up to the front. Once he plopped her unceremoniously into the seat he reached back again, finally finding his shotgun.
He sat back down, unlocking the steering wheel to jolt the truck around a large rock, locking it in place once more before turning to her with a deadly glare. "We're gonna sit down and discuss this bullshittery, IF we live through this." he growled. He reached up and unlocked the gunner's hatch in the roof, throwing it open. In one smooth motion he climbed up, leveled the shotgun, racked a round, and put it square through the buggy driver's skull. The buggy veered off to the side, rolling several times as the vehicle seemed to dismantle itself before coming to a rough stop in the dirt.
Wasting no time, Elias threw the shotgun into the back and slammed the hatch closed, slipping into the driver's seat. He unlocked the throttle and steering, slamming on the brakes as he brought the beast to the quickest stop he possibly could. It slid to a stop in a cloud of dust, and he began to pull gun parts from seemingly everywhere, assembling them with quick and steady hands despite the blood he was losing.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
Carly had succeeded in saying something so outrageous that he had no response. She would later convince herself that, somewhere, in the deep pits of her brain, that was exactly what she was trying to do in the first place. If she could just shut him up and get him back to his job, then there was probably a higher likelihood that she wasn’t going to die or they wouldn’t crash into a rock and explode in a flaming ball of gasoline and ammunition.
Before she could get him out of this completely dumbfounded state and ushered back into the front, she saw the bullet tear through his arm. Okay, so she didn’t see the bullet per say, but one moment everything was fine, and the next, she was wiping something red and metallic off of her cheek.
“Awesomeeee.” She literally had no other response as she watched the blood begin to soak through his jacket. Carly felt like any normal person would have actually reacted to a piece of metal ripping through their body, but Elias just kind of continued on with what he had been doing before, only stopping to make a comment that she didn’t even understand in the first place.
Obviously, his plan was to get her in the front seat, but honestly, there was no helping this guy. He just pulled and tugged and grabbed her by any body part he could get his hands on to throw her into the passenger seat. Even what she felt like would be helping only seemed to make things more uncomfortable for her. The vehicle wasn’t that spacious anyway.
Carly naturally came to sit in a cross-legged, arms folded over one another position in the passenger seat as she looked out the window. She probably should have been freaking out, but something had drawn her attention away. The sky. Through the slots in the side of the machine, Carly could, for the first time, see the few clouds as the shapes they were meant to be, and the sun as the warm shinning ball she had always dreamed of. While it wasn’t calming, it made her really happy to see something she had only dreamed of. She was able to get an even better view in the space between edge of the hole Elias was poking out of and his crotch. The blue had never seemed so vibrant until now.
When he finally returned to his place inside of the vehicle, and the hatch had been closed, Carly realized just how badly he was bleeding. It took her a moment before she could completely assess the situation, as she had to press both of her hands on the dash to keep her from being thrown forward again as they stopped.
He would probably live, but Carly honestly couldn’t see him being able to protect the two of them without his strength. She let out a quiet sigh, pulling harshly at the bottom of her shirt until it began to rip.
“You know this is my favorite sweater, but what the fuck ever.” She pulled on the strip she had made until it had ripped all the way around her body. Now, she was missing about two inches on the bottom of the oversized sweater, but it was hot as hell, so she didn’t really care. “Come here” He was busying himself with putting another gun together, but it was very easy for Carly to ignore what he was doing, wrap the cloth around the wound, and tie it off before he had finished what he was doing. It was only luck she had taken that one first-aid class like six years ago, and sort of thought she knew what she was doing.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
She seemed far too calm about this situation. Far, far too calm. He knew what had happened, and it followed a pattern. It was a pattern that he'd seen before, and it nearly cost him his life the last time around. As he finished assembling the rifle, only then did it finally register that she'd been talking, and that she had wrapped his wound with a piece of her sweater. His hand reached past her and under the dash, yanking out a magazine filled with bullets that looked more like anti-tank shells than anything else. Each round was huge, more than six inches long and two inches in diameter.
"Shut up. Shut up and stay down, we're not out of this by a long shot." he growled, whipping around to face her. He held up his hand, fingers outstretched. "First, the sparrow." he said, folding his thumb down. "Second, the dogs." Index finger folded. "Third, the bear." His middle finger folded. "If you're too fucking dense to get it, the sniper was the sparrow, the two fucktards in the buggies were the dogs, and guess what comes next?" he growled at her, before reaching over and throwing the passenger door open.
"Now stay in here, stay down, and shut the FUCK up." He climbed over her, well, more like scrambled over her and dropped to the dust, slamming her door shut. After a moment his head popped up in the valance, staring at her. "Oh, and you might want to cover your ears."
His head ducked back out of sight as he ran to the hood, connecting the last of the rifle's barrel together. It was a monster of a weapon, easily his height or taller when stood on end. It wasn't on end, however, it was leveled at seemingly nothing. The dust cloud he'd kicked up still obscured everything, and now with the roaring engine silent the wasteland was eerily quiet. His breathing slowed, his eyes seeming to cut straight through the dust.
The sudden sound of the bolt racking back and forth was sharp, and seemed much louder than it should have been. Louder still was the shot that followed, the shockwave from the sudden detonation shaking the truck far harder than it's gigantic motor ever could. The recoil nearly knocked him backwards, his ears ringing with the aftermath of the gunshot. The shockwave was so intense that it cut a clean hole in the dust cloud, and he watched through the scope as the round arced a clear trail through the sky. When it finally came down he caught a flash of red on a distant hill, and shortly after the sound of a cracking skull was heard cutting through the still air. "That's the sparrow..." he muttered to himself, moving positions as he climbed to the top of his truck, keeping low as he scanned the area around. "Now, where's the bear?"
He didn't have to wait long for his answer. Where before there was the sound of roaring engines and the squeal of tires on dirt, there was a new sound. It was a low rumble, a mix of an earthquake and a roaring engine. The ground began to shake, and Eli shifted to force himself into a better shooting position. His heart was racing, nerves going wild with fear. He knew where it was even before it came into view, and when it did it looked like something out of a nightmare.
Back before the world ended, it was known as a semi truck. Now, it was a war machine, built for the sole purpose of killing anything in its path. The first thing that was blindingly obvious was the turret. A monster of a gun, looking like it was stolen off of some pre-fall tank. Second was the armor and frame, wheels replaced with heavy steel treads that tore up the dirt and caused the ground to shake violently. Third was the heavily armored trailer it pulled, bristling with guns like some giant steel cactus.
Painted pitch black and adorned with human skulls lining the spiked battering ram in the front, the only sign that the monstrosity was being driven by someone remotely human was the arm sticking out of the windshield, flashing Eli a single digit. Three guesses which one.
Eli took his chance and fired off a second shot, once again sending the thundering blast echoing through the wastes. The round cleanly tore the man's arm off and ripped a hole through the side of the truck big enough for him to walk through, if he wanted to do such a stupid thing. Of course, damage like that wasn't likely to stop the war machine or the psychopaths that drove it.
Without wasting a moment he practically tore the gun apart as he scrambled off the roof, throwing open his door as he jumped inside. "I think we should probably leave." he sputtered out, his hand a blur as he went through the startup sequence all over again. As he did he noticed the truck begin to turn towards them, the massive turret mounted on the roof slowly leveling itself at the truck. "Yeah, we need to go now. Now now now."
"Shut up. Shut up and stay down, we're not out of this by a long shot." he growled, whipping around to face her. He held up his hand, fingers outstretched. "First, the sparrow." he said, folding his thumb down. "Second, the dogs." Index finger folded. "Third, the bear." His middle finger folded. "If you're too fucking dense to get it, the sniper was the sparrow, the two fucktards in the buggies were the dogs, and guess what comes next?" he growled at her, before reaching over and throwing the passenger door open.
"Now stay in here, stay down, and shut the FUCK up." He climbed over her, well, more like scrambled over her and dropped to the dust, slamming her door shut. After a moment his head popped up in the valance, staring at her. "Oh, and you might want to cover your ears."
His head ducked back out of sight as he ran to the hood, connecting the last of the rifle's barrel together. It was a monster of a weapon, easily his height or taller when stood on end. It wasn't on end, however, it was leveled at seemingly nothing. The dust cloud he'd kicked up still obscured everything, and now with the roaring engine silent the wasteland was eerily quiet. His breathing slowed, his eyes seeming to cut straight through the dust.
The sudden sound of the bolt racking back and forth was sharp, and seemed much louder than it should have been. Louder still was the shot that followed, the shockwave from the sudden detonation shaking the truck far harder than it's gigantic motor ever could. The recoil nearly knocked him backwards, his ears ringing with the aftermath of the gunshot. The shockwave was so intense that it cut a clean hole in the dust cloud, and he watched through the scope as the round arced a clear trail through the sky. When it finally came down he caught a flash of red on a distant hill, and shortly after the sound of a cracking skull was heard cutting through the still air. "That's the sparrow..." he muttered to himself, moving positions as he climbed to the top of his truck, keeping low as he scanned the area around. "Now, where's the bear?"
He didn't have to wait long for his answer. Where before there was the sound of roaring engines and the squeal of tires on dirt, there was a new sound. It was a low rumble, a mix of an earthquake and a roaring engine. The ground began to shake, and Eli shifted to force himself into a better shooting position. His heart was racing, nerves going wild with fear. He knew where it was even before it came into view, and when it did it looked like something out of a nightmare.
Back before the world ended, it was known as a semi truck. Now, it was a war machine, built for the sole purpose of killing anything in its path. The first thing that was blindingly obvious was the turret. A monster of a gun, looking like it was stolen off of some pre-fall tank. Second was the armor and frame, wheels replaced with heavy steel treads that tore up the dirt and caused the ground to shake violently. Third was the heavily armored trailer it pulled, bristling with guns like some giant steel cactus.
Painted pitch black and adorned with human skulls lining the spiked battering ram in the front, the only sign that the monstrosity was being driven by someone remotely human was the arm sticking out of the windshield, flashing Eli a single digit. Three guesses which one.
Eli took his chance and fired off a second shot, once again sending the thundering blast echoing through the wastes. The round cleanly tore the man's arm off and ripped a hole through the side of the truck big enough for him to walk through, if he wanted to do such a stupid thing. Of course, damage like that wasn't likely to stop the war machine or the psychopaths that drove it.
Without wasting a moment he practically tore the gun apart as he scrambled off the roof, throwing open his door as he jumped inside. "I think we should probably leave." he sputtered out, his hand a blur as he went through the startup sequence all over again. As he did he noticed the truck begin to turn towards them, the massive turret mounted on the roof slowly leveling itself at the truck. "Yeah, we need to go now. Now now now."
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FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
Carly wasn’t expecting what the young man pulled out from underneath the dash. She couldn’t help the nervous laugh that escaped from her lips. She glanced at him a moment before looking out across the open desert around them. What would he need those for?
“You—You’re not actually going to need those, are you?” The words were quieter as they passed her lips. There was nothing else out here. What would he honestly need a gun or bullets like that to take down, a mammoth?
It wasn’t a surprise when he told her to shut up. The awe that had swept through her system at the first sight of the outside world was slowly beginning to fade, and, in its place, an adrenaline-fueled fear was beginning to emerge. It was a great fear that she had never had to feel before. In the dome, there wasn’t danger like this. Every monotonous day was protected by the protective shell, and specific men and women that choose whether or not a person was allowed into Genesis. Never had she had her life threatened; Genesis was a peaceful place that was safe from almost everything that had happened to her since she snuck into this monster on wheels. It would have been a surprise had the young woman not found a way of coping with this new-found emotion within herself. It appeared that Carly’s way of coping with this fear was to ramp up the attitude and to keep a conversation going—even if it was about things that didn’t really matter at the time. She had learned over a lifetime of keeping emotions out of the public eye how to keep calm, but this was all on a completely new level that she wasn’t really ready for yet. She had learned that everything was alright as long as the noise continued—as long as someone kept the conversation going.
For the most part, Carly would keep her eyes on the man as he wrestled with getting everything he needed together, but it wasn’t soon after that he turned on her. She tried to take in every little bit of knowledge the Scavver had for her—even if at first, she didn’t understand what he was trying to tell her and he was a condescending douche about it. Sparrow, dog, bear… The words repeated a few times in her head. Still, the young woman said nothing, and instead, just nodded to Elias. It was comforting at least to know he was trying to keep things under control.
“What are you doing?” She muttered the words quietly under her breath as the man leaned across her, opened the door, and preceded to tell her, once again, to shut up. The hot breeze from outside was refreshing, and Carly let out an agitated huff at the man; why the hell had he chosen to climb over her? Even though she didn’t know why, she tried to help him, even if that was only by attempting to push his body off her and into the dirt outside. The faster he got the hell off her, the less awkward she would feel just sitting in the car not really doing anything. The door closed. Finally. And the breeze was once again forced to make its way through the small slots in the vehicle.
“Awesome…” She mumbled again to herself, quiet little murmurings of back talk and sass that she was sure he could not hear. It was not what she had been truly expected out of her escape; of course, in one’s mind, the thing they desire is never covered in thorns. This was a similar case. Now she sat in the uncomfortable seat, leaned over so her stomach touched her thighs, with her thin, pale fingers stuffed into her ears. She sat there hoping the next bullet that bounced off the car or she could hear being fired, wasn’t one that would rip through her body and take her to hell with the rest of these Scavvers.
It took no time at all for the first shot to be fired. Carly could feel the vibrations in her chest and she let out a quiet little frightened moan. If there had been someone around to hear it, it could probably be deemed one of the most pathetic sounds she had ever made. Time seemed to slow again and it seemed to take a millennium for the second shot to go off. This time, the source of the vibration had changed; Elias was moving around trying to get the best shot at these bastards. Good, that meant he wasn’t dead and time was still moving.
When the driver-side door finally opened, and Carly looked up from where she had been hunched over, she could tell that things weren’t good. Eli looked worried, and at the speed in which he flicked switches and spoke to himself seemed to only strengthen that conclusion. Through the slots in the windshield, Carly was finally able to see the large, dark shape cut out of the horizon.
“Well…” Once again, her nerves kicked in for her, but the tone had changed quite drastically. “I think you found the bear.” The pitch was a little higher this time. Carly gritted her teeth together and gripped the arm rest of the door. She had never seen a vehicle so large—even in all the books she had been able to get her hands on about life outside of the dome. They all seemed to gracefully pass over the hell on wheels that was currently barreling toward them. It probably should have been in a book or two, as it apparently was common enough to be part of the holy trinity of shit coming to kill them at this specific moment. “Hurry up, Scavver!” The low rumble was growing louder as it barreled through the dead Earth to get at them. Before they had even had the chance to roll off in the opposite direction of the bear, the twang of bullets was unmistakable as the semi peppered the smaller vehicle with rounds. Instinctively, Carly pressed her body to her thighs again, pressing her forehead into her knees so hard that it almost seemed as if she were trying to fuse them together.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
"I think it's safe to say I found the fucking bear." he growled at her, his hand fumbling with one of the switches as the gun-laden trailer began to open fire. It wasn't the small caliber bullets from those that he was worried about. It was the massive tank turret that was just finishing pointing itself at them. As it did, the monster roared to life, and he slammed it into gear. "And don't call me Scavver!" he growled, slamming his foot to the floor.
The truck lurched forward, and not a moment too soon. The turret fired, and an explosion ripped through the ground where they had been sitting just a moment before. The shockwave lifted the back end of the Humvee, causing him to lose traction for a moment before the four rear wheels hit dirt once more. "Where the FUCK did they get High Explosive shells?!" he spat, cranking the wheel and slamming through the gears as he turned the vehicle away from the hulking monstrosity of an opponent. It was a rhetorical question, but even if he wanted an answer another explosion ripped through the air next to them, turning a nearby boulder into dust.
The Humvee was quicker than the truck, but it certainly wasn't quicker than the shells it was firing at them. He had to think of something quick, there was no chance they were going to escape if they kept going the way they were. They were far enough away now that he could hear the warning whistle of a shell hurtling towards them, and jolted the truck to the side to avoid it. The explosion tipped the truck up on two wheels, and it hung there for much longer than it should have before he twitched the wheel and brought all six back down to earth.
"Well, looks like they learned from their mistakes last time." he growled, though if it was mumbling to himself or directed at the balled-up girl in the passenger seat it wasn't obvious. He shifted down a gear and cranked the wheel hard, the truck sliding into a sharp turn around the carcass of some other vehicle, no doubt old prey for the Vultures. "I'm gonna do something stupid. See that big red button on the dash?" he asked, nodding his head towards it. It stood out obviously on the dash, and was labelled with the phrase "BOOM BOOM" scrawled across the plastic in black marker.
"Don't FUCKING touch that button until I tell you to!" The truck completed its drift, pointing them directly at the hulking, high explosive hurling beast in the distance. He put the hammer down, his right hand opening up a valve on the dash. There was a hiss of gas, flames firing out of the exhaust stack as the truck put on a huge burst of speed. His fear was replaced now, a flicker of madness lighting up his eyes as a huge grin stretched his features.
"Welcome to the Wasteland, Princess!" he yelled, a battle cry as they hurtled directly towards the hulking war machine.
The truck lurched forward, and not a moment too soon. The turret fired, and an explosion ripped through the ground where they had been sitting just a moment before. The shockwave lifted the back end of the Humvee, causing him to lose traction for a moment before the four rear wheels hit dirt once more. "Where the FUCK did they get High Explosive shells?!" he spat, cranking the wheel and slamming through the gears as he turned the vehicle away from the hulking monstrosity of an opponent. It was a rhetorical question, but even if he wanted an answer another explosion ripped through the air next to them, turning a nearby boulder into dust.
The Humvee was quicker than the truck, but it certainly wasn't quicker than the shells it was firing at them. He had to think of something quick, there was no chance they were going to escape if they kept going the way they were. They were far enough away now that he could hear the warning whistle of a shell hurtling towards them, and jolted the truck to the side to avoid it. The explosion tipped the truck up on two wheels, and it hung there for much longer than it should have before he twitched the wheel and brought all six back down to earth.
"Well, looks like they learned from their mistakes last time." he growled, though if it was mumbling to himself or directed at the balled-up girl in the passenger seat it wasn't obvious. He shifted down a gear and cranked the wheel hard, the truck sliding into a sharp turn around the carcass of some other vehicle, no doubt old prey for the Vultures. "I'm gonna do something stupid. See that big red button on the dash?" he asked, nodding his head towards it. It stood out obviously on the dash, and was labelled with the phrase "BOOM BOOM" scrawled across the plastic in black marker.
"Don't FUCKING touch that button until I tell you to!" The truck completed its drift, pointing them directly at the hulking, high explosive hurling beast in the distance. He put the hammer down, his right hand opening up a valve on the dash. There was a hiss of gas, flames firing out of the exhaust stack as the truck put on a huge burst of speed. His fear was replaced now, a flicker of madness lighting up his eyes as a huge grin stretched his features.
"Welcome to the Wasteland, Princess!" he yelled, a battle cry as they hurtled directly towards the hulking war machine.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
How did anyone survive more than a few days out here? Literally everyone was crazy—hellbent on violence towards anything else that moved. It must have been a miracle, and Carly could see now why they sometimes lost Scavvers to the wastes and had to go recruiting more for the job. The fact that it was not the dome was one that probably passed through Carly’s mind once or twice very minute, and yet, there was part of her that—through all the fear and almost getting blown up—enjoyed the action. Of course, that wasn’t something that could be seen on the outside, as the back-end of the truck lifted up off the ground and she squealed as she felt her butt leave the solid form beneath her.
When she finally felt herself land again, her first instinct was to grip the side of the car again. Obviously, it wasn’t helping, but at this point, nothing really could help keep her small frame in the seat each time the vehicle picked up on its side. Of course, seatbelts would have been a nice thing to have, but she assumed that it wasn’t really something they thought about adding when they were busy attaching guns to the thing. Minimizing expenses, right?
They making distance between themselves and the semi for sure, but with each shell that shot near them and, from what Carly could tell, was only narrowly avoided by the calculated swerves of the driver—at least she hoped that they were calculated. The young woman couldn’t really handle her head being in her lap like a frightened child, so she watched out the windows as they flew by more open expanses of sand. It still wasn’t comforting, for with each jolt from another shell hitting nearby, she let out another tiny squeal. When he started talking again, Carly ran her eyes over to dash until she found the button he was speaking of.
“Yeah. Boom Boom. Sounds like a party to me.” She was a little worried about any plan that was precursored with the words ”I’m going to do something stupid.” Usually she tried to stay away from anything stupid or dangerous…Okay, maybe not this one time…okay, maybe not ever, but stupid didn’t used to mean turning the car around and driving toward the people trying to kill them.
“Okay. I can do that.” She wasn’t going to push the button until told to do so. If there was something she had learned very well as a child, it was how to follow directions. To. The. Fucking. Tee. For now, she tried to hold onto anything she could to keep herself from toppling over as the vehicle fought off shockwaves from the monster they had been facing.
“Oh. My. God.” They picked up speed at an unexpected rate as they raced through clouds of sand that had been left behind by their feverous escape. Lifting her legs, Carly planted her feet in two of the only open places on the front panel of the dash. Using her legs, she pressed her back into the seat. While most people would tell you, this was one of the least safe ways to ride in a car, it accomplished two things. Firstly, if they ended up tilting or sliding again, this position would be much better for keeping herself ready to press the button whenever it was called for. Secondly, if Elias ended up trying to play battering-ram with 20-ton machine confidently rolling toward them, then her knees would crush her skull and she wouldn’t have to worry about dying slowly. “I really hope you know what you’re doing.”
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
For Eli, this was a fairly normal day. In fact, it was going much better than usual, he only had a single bullet hole in his body this time. His fear had been quickly washed away by the adrenaline rush as they hurtled towards the beast, and though they had gained a few miles of distance between them that gap was closing quickly. He slammed his foot down on the accelerator, locking it down to the floor. He wasn't lying when he said he was going to do something stupid.
However, doing stupid shit was really the only way to survive in a situation like this. There was no strategizing, no well-learned tactics to use against a hulking monstrosity of metal like that. The only thing to do in a situation like that was to hurl yourself face-first at it, and hope that sheer balls and luck would win out over firepower. It worked for him before, but he wasn't facing down a 100mm cannon last time.
He looked over at her when she spoke, that same manic grin stretching his features. His teeth glistened a bright white, almost making him look like a cross between a mental patient and a predator. "I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. It's the only way to do things out here!" he admitted, yanking his goggles down over his eyes as he turned to grab the same anti-tank rifle from before. He reached an arm between her legs, yanking out another magazine for it from under her seat. Where the first one only held a few rounds, the new mag that he pulled out looked like a 50 gallon drum, only in miniature.
"There's one thing they didn't count on, Princess. I'm crazier than they are." His grin seemed to stretch a little bit wider as he slammed the new magazine in, racking the first round in the chamber. He unlocked and threw open the gunner's hatch again, and as the truck lurched forward again with the force of another explosion he climbed up, keeping one boot on her seat and the other firmly planted on the steering wheel.
The searing heat from the flames shooting from the exhaust stack only caused his rush to get more intense, as he shouldered the rifle and clicked it from 'safe' to 'semi'. His thumb didn't stop there, as it continued moving the fire selector to the third option.
'Party time'
"C'mon, motherfuckers! If you're gonna hit me, then fucking hit me!" he taunted, though it would be impossible for the Vultures to hear his insane ranting.
Another shell shot past his head, missing him by mere inches as he leveled the rifle and pulled the trigger. Where before there was only one blast of thunder followed by a second, the thunder cracked time and time again under the speed of full-auto. The rifle battered his arm mercilessly but he kept his aim true, only seeing dirt kick up twice on either side of the semi before the rounds found their target. The front of the truck was heavily armored, yet every round that hit it dug deeper and deeper craters into the front of the machine.
They were hurtling closer and closer, and the turret on top of the war machine couldn't keep up. Each shot landed behind the humvee, and he could almost hear the raiders screaming in panic at the psychopath that was currently tearing the front of their truck apart. He spared a glance to the two tubes mounted on the roof, that grin never leaving his face. This was gonna be fun.
Just before they would collide with the Bear, he cranked the wheel to the right sharply, causing the rear to start to slide. He shoved his foot upwards, lurching the truck into a slide in the opposite direction. They were completely sideways now, pointed directly at the array of guns on the side of the trailer. He didn't stop firing, but managed to yell down at her in between blasts that tore huge holes into the armor. "NOW!"
However, doing stupid shit was really the only way to survive in a situation like this. There was no strategizing, no well-learned tactics to use against a hulking monstrosity of metal like that. The only thing to do in a situation like that was to hurl yourself face-first at it, and hope that sheer balls and luck would win out over firepower. It worked for him before, but he wasn't facing down a 100mm cannon last time.
He looked over at her when she spoke, that same manic grin stretching his features. His teeth glistened a bright white, almost making him look like a cross between a mental patient and a predator. "I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. It's the only way to do things out here!" he admitted, yanking his goggles down over his eyes as he turned to grab the same anti-tank rifle from before. He reached an arm between her legs, yanking out another magazine for it from under her seat. Where the first one only held a few rounds, the new mag that he pulled out looked like a 50 gallon drum, only in miniature.
"There's one thing they didn't count on, Princess. I'm crazier than they are." His grin seemed to stretch a little bit wider as he slammed the new magazine in, racking the first round in the chamber. He unlocked and threw open the gunner's hatch again, and as the truck lurched forward again with the force of another explosion he climbed up, keeping one boot on her seat and the other firmly planted on the steering wheel.
The searing heat from the flames shooting from the exhaust stack only caused his rush to get more intense, as he shouldered the rifle and clicked it from 'safe' to 'semi'. His thumb didn't stop there, as it continued moving the fire selector to the third option.
'Party time'
"C'mon, motherfuckers! If you're gonna hit me, then fucking hit me!" he taunted, though it would be impossible for the Vultures to hear his insane ranting.
Another shell shot past his head, missing him by mere inches as he leveled the rifle and pulled the trigger. Where before there was only one blast of thunder followed by a second, the thunder cracked time and time again under the speed of full-auto. The rifle battered his arm mercilessly but he kept his aim true, only seeing dirt kick up twice on either side of the semi before the rounds found their target. The front of the truck was heavily armored, yet every round that hit it dug deeper and deeper craters into the front of the machine.
They were hurtling closer and closer, and the turret on top of the war machine couldn't keep up. Each shot landed behind the humvee, and he could almost hear the raiders screaming in panic at the psychopath that was currently tearing the front of their truck apart. He spared a glance to the two tubes mounted on the roof, that grin never leaving his face. This was gonna be fun.
Just before they would collide with the Bear, he cranked the wheel to the right sharply, causing the rear to start to slide. He shoved his foot upwards, lurching the truck into a slide in the opposite direction. They were completely sideways now, pointed directly at the array of guns on the side of the trailer. He didn't stop firing, but managed to yell down at her in between blasts that tore huge holes into the armor. "NOW!"
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
“Well that sure is hell comforting.” He was literally acting like a loon. The adrenaline must have done hell for him out here, and right now, as she stared down his joker-esque smile with her own awkward expression mixed somewhere between a half smile and worry, she wondered for a second what the hell she was doing. He went from being enraged at the fact that he had found her, stowed away in the back of his car, to thrilled at being able to strip the world of a few more raiders. Honestly, she didn’t even know what to say to him at this point.
“WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT!” Her thoughts were cut short when he reached his arm between her parted legs. She let out a little squeal and slapped at the leather that was currently pressed against her thigh. It hadn’t occurred to her that he was probably reaching for something and Carly’s body had just ended up being in the way. No—the only thing that occurred to her in those few short moments was how this was the third time he had been too in her personal space for her liking. It was then that he pulled a pack from beneath the seat, and she immediately stopped feebly slapping at his arm and folded her own across her chest.
It was almost as if he didn’t notice, for he just continued getting his things ready to carry out this crazy plan of his. He looked at her and spoke one last time before shoving himself through the new hole in the roof. She shook her head, and rolled her eyes. “Great! I’ve put my life in the hands of a psychopath.” Carly let out an incredulous snort, watching as the semi drew nearer and nearer to them. She was still at the ready, with her legs pressed against the dash, to press the button whenever the need arose. It was incredibly obvious to her that she was literally probably being the most useless thing on the face of this dead, dead planet, so if he needed her to push a damn button—even though she had no idea what it did, she was going to do it.
The car was shaking. She was shaking. She couldn’t hear anything over that damn gun and the shells that still shot past their Humvee all too frequently. At this point, she was so pumped up on adrenaline, that she didn’t even know how to react. Her knuckles wrapped on the metal siding of the vehicle and she kept muttering under her breath, “C’mon you piece of shit. C’mon…” over and over again. Above her, Carly could hardly hear the sound of Eli screaming at the machine as he fired. How he was able to keep his legs steady enough to fire, and steer, and scream obscenities at the top of his lungs, she would never know, but as they neared closer and closer to the semi, and its front slowly began to practically melt away with every hit from the weapon above, Eli was able to maneuver the car in ways she wouldn’t have been able to do with both hands on the wheel and complete silence.
As the order was given, and the high pitch squeal of excitement cut through the air, Carly pressed the button with all her might. She was not going to mess this one up, and, even though she didn’t know what the button was going to do, she was sure it was about to do something hella cool and dangerous and violent.
This is why she had snuck out into the wastes—to have a good time.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
It was times like these that things seemed to move in slow motion for him. Of course, when things moved slower, he had time to think. The first thought that crossed his mind was the realization that if his truck hit something and flipped, he'd probably be killed instantly. The second thought that went through his head was realizing all too late that he was right next to the two heavy steel tubes that were mounted to the roof. Oh well.
When the button was pressed, there was a deafening hiss from the tubes. A split second later a pair of rockets emerged, launching themselves at the hole-riddled trailer that was no doubt packed with screaming raiders. The jets lit him up, scorching his skin before colliding with the trailer that was far too close for an explosive like that to safely detonate. Though his ears were ringing and he could hardly hear anything, he certainly heard the blast. The concussive wave hit first, driving the air out of his lungs.
Then came the fire and shrapnel, completely engulfing the truck. Carly would be relatively safe, being inside behind the armored slats... But Elias caught the blast face-first. It wasn't the first time, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. With some quick thinking he managed to protect his face and neck from the shrapnel, but by the time he dropped back into the driver's seat he certainly looked like he'd been in an explosion. Shards of shrapnel were sticking out of his arms and chest, and his jacket was on fire in a few spots.
Still, he was alive, and that's what mattered the most. He unlocked the throttle and hit the brakes, letting the truck come to a complete stop as the crippled war machine's fuel tanks caught, causing a secondary explosion that rocked the ground and sent what little was left of the raiders inside flying. If Eli was laughing, he wasn't aware of it. He probably was though, with the rush of adrenaline that had completely taken over his nervous system.
Without even sparing a glance at her he killed the engine and jumped out, grabbing his pistol as he did. He wanted to double check, to make sure that he got everyone in the blast. The war machine was on fire, sending pillars of flame and smoke high into the air. He was still on fire himself, yet he still hadn't noticed.
When the button was pressed, there was a deafening hiss from the tubes. A split second later a pair of rockets emerged, launching themselves at the hole-riddled trailer that was no doubt packed with screaming raiders. The jets lit him up, scorching his skin before colliding with the trailer that was far too close for an explosive like that to safely detonate. Though his ears were ringing and he could hardly hear anything, he certainly heard the blast. The concussive wave hit first, driving the air out of his lungs.
Then came the fire and shrapnel, completely engulfing the truck. Carly would be relatively safe, being inside behind the armored slats... But Elias caught the blast face-first. It wasn't the first time, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. With some quick thinking he managed to protect his face and neck from the shrapnel, but by the time he dropped back into the driver's seat he certainly looked like he'd been in an explosion. Shards of shrapnel were sticking out of his arms and chest, and his jacket was on fire in a few spots.
Still, he was alive, and that's what mattered the most. He unlocked the throttle and hit the brakes, letting the truck come to a complete stop as the crippled war machine's fuel tanks caught, causing a secondary explosion that rocked the ground and sent what little was left of the raiders inside flying. If Eli was laughing, he wasn't aware of it. He probably was though, with the rush of adrenaline that had completely taken over his nervous system.
Without even sparing a glance at her he killed the engine and jumped out, grabbing his pistol as he did. He wanted to double check, to make sure that he got everyone in the blast. The war machine was on fire, sending pillars of flame and smoke high into the air. He was still on fire himself, yet he still hadn't noticed.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
So that’s what it was going to do. What had actually happened didn’t really register with Carly at first. For a second or two, she thought the large red button had just been some kind of sick joke, for she didn’t see anything happen. It probably would have been better had nothing happened, for the explosion was close enough to shake them again. Flames licked at her through the edge of the slats, and the young woman brought her arm up to shield her cheeks from the heat. It was luck for her that she had been mostly protected, because if she caught on fire, her cotton sweater would have lit her up like a torch. That would not have been fun.
It hadn’t particularly occurred to Carly that her newfound protector had also been in the blast—and had been in a very poor position when the initial explosion happened. It wasn’t until he slid down into the car again that it dawned on her, and Carly couldn’t help the wide-eyed expression. He was literally on fire. He stopped them almost immediate, and the crazy was still laughing. She couldn’t believe it! Shards of glass and metal stuck out of his skin and clothes in odd angles, and he was laughing. She almost thought that, in her silence, she had been forgotten about. He gave her no more oders, and, instead, forced the door open and jumped out of the car.
“What is he doing?” The words were soft on her lips. Carly had two options at this point. She could either stay in the car and wait, or she could get out, feel the sun on her skin, and make sure the dude wasn’t just going out there to die. “Fuck.” She rolled her eyes. If there were raiders left, they would obviously have weapons and would be ready to kill her—she had to look out for herself. Quickly she looked around the Humvee. There had to be something she could take with her. Looking behind her, she spotted a shotgun. It was the same gun that had gotten her caught earlier in this whole battle. She scrambled back to pick it up before returning to her place in the front seat. She shook the completely unfamiliar weapon in her hand—as if it were a box of cookies and shaking it would tell her if there were any bullets inside. “Well I hope you fucking work.” Honestly, she had no idea what she was doing. “You pull this thing back probably, right?”
Before testing her theory, she pushed the door open, and hopped out. Quick little steps around the front of the vehicle caused dirt clouds to form, and as she made her way around, she gave the fore-stock one hard pull backwards, and then forwards again. She let out a quiet little, “Hell yeah”, to herself before resting the weapon on her shoulder and dashing after the man.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” She still had a few feet in-between them, but he was also still very much on fire. “Dude. Um what’s your name? You’re on fire.” She literally had nothing to snuff him out with, but it seemed that he either didn’t care or wasn’t listening to her. “YOU’RE NOT FUCKING LISTENING TO ME.” She ended up dropping the gun in the dirt as she walked behind him. “I SAID YOU’RE ON FIRE.” Carly hadn’t waited for an answer—as was the usual for her. There was literally nothing safe to put him out with except for one thing.
“Damnit, Scavver.” She cursed him under her breath as she pulled the sweater over her head and off her body. Luckily, she was wearing a sports-bra underneath, because she was not going to put him out with her hands. The sun further heated her already-warm skin, and she could feel a nice burn. It wasn’t something she had ever felt before, but instead of losing herself in the new feeling, she cleared what little distance there was, tossed the piece of cloth over his shoulders and began putting out the flames.
Gobbo
Tactical Goat
It wasn't that he just wasn't listening to her. He literally couldn't hear her. A sharp, consistent ring had taken over his hearing, and even as he checked to make sure that there were no raiders left he didn't notice anything that his eyes didn't catch. Even the sound of the shotgun racking behind him didn't give him any form of warning that she'd left the truck.
His heart was racing to the point that it felt like it was buzzing, his eyes focused into a sharp tunnel as he scanned the last of the wreckage. A raider tried to crawl out, and was swiftly stopped by a bullet to the skull. His breathing was quick, damn near to the point of hyperventilating even as he was sure that the last of the threat had been stopped. He didn't lower his weapon, however, and continued to scan the surrounding area, as if he was expecting more raiders to pop up at any moment.
The only thing that snapped him out of it was the sudden feeling of someone grabbing his shoulders, and he reacted out of pure reflex. Adrenaline could be a wonderful thing, but in this case it certainly wasn't. He whipped around and pressed the pistol's barrel to her temple, his eyes flashing dangerously. The ringing in his ears was fading replaced by the sound of flames crackling from the wreck behind him. And from his jacket.
Only then did he seem to realize that he was on fire and stepped back, tearing the jacket off. It yanked most of the shrapnel from his body in the process, his threadbare shirt darkening where the puncture wounds had been. He tossed the jacket into the dirt, and nearly raised his pistol at her again before he realized that hey, this was the DAUGHTER of the only person that would let him stay in the dome.
"Okay, now that that's done, you really need to explain to me how you thought sneaking onto my truck was a good idea." he said, his breathing slowly returning to normal. As it did, his heart rate began to finally slow, the flow of adrenaline finally coming to an end. He blinked slowly, stars erupting in his vision. He knew what came next.
"Before you answer that, here." he said, reaching over and grabbing her hand. He pushed the pistol into her grip, making sure the safety was off and a round was chambered. "If you see anything moving inside the wreck, shoot it. We're going to continue this conversation when I get back." He took two steps backwards, the stars turning into a creeping darkness that clouded his vision. Before he took his third step he fell backwards, collapsing to the dirt in a heap. Any time he had an adrenaline surge like that, he passed out the moment that it ended. He was never out for long, but the last time it happened he'd been driving. He didn't wake up until twenty miles later.
His heart was racing to the point that it felt like it was buzzing, his eyes focused into a sharp tunnel as he scanned the last of the wreckage. A raider tried to crawl out, and was swiftly stopped by a bullet to the skull. His breathing was quick, damn near to the point of hyperventilating even as he was sure that the last of the threat had been stopped. He didn't lower his weapon, however, and continued to scan the surrounding area, as if he was expecting more raiders to pop up at any moment.
The only thing that snapped him out of it was the sudden feeling of someone grabbing his shoulders, and he reacted out of pure reflex. Adrenaline could be a wonderful thing, but in this case it certainly wasn't. He whipped around and pressed the pistol's barrel to her temple, his eyes flashing dangerously. The ringing in his ears was fading replaced by the sound of flames crackling from the wreck behind him. And from his jacket.
Only then did he seem to realize that he was on fire and stepped back, tearing the jacket off. It yanked most of the shrapnel from his body in the process, his threadbare shirt darkening where the puncture wounds had been. He tossed the jacket into the dirt, and nearly raised his pistol at her again before he realized that hey, this was the DAUGHTER of the only person that would let him stay in the dome.
"Okay, now that that's done, you really need to explain to me how you thought sneaking onto my truck was a good idea." he said, his breathing slowly returning to normal. As it did, his heart rate began to finally slow, the flow of adrenaline finally coming to an end. He blinked slowly, stars erupting in his vision. He knew what came next.
"Before you answer that, here." he said, reaching over and grabbing her hand. He pushed the pistol into her grip, making sure the safety was off and a round was chambered. "If you see anything moving inside the wreck, shoot it. We're going to continue this conversation when I get back." He took two steps backwards, the stars turning into a creeping darkness that clouded his vision. Before he took his third step he fell backwards, collapsing to the dirt in a heap. Any time he had an adrenaline surge like that, he passed out the moment that it ended. He was never out for long, but the last time it happened he'd been driving. He didn't wake up until twenty miles later.
FaithWynters
The Cuppycakecreep
Honestly, it hadn’t occurred to her that there was actually a reason he wasn’t responded. In her mind, he was just ignoring her because he was a Scavvers and all Scavvers were known for being dicks. Carly was seriously just trying to help the dude out. So, when she placed her shirt on his back in an act of kindness, she didn’t think he would whip around like he did. In that moment, any other person who was much more capable than she, could have retaliated with some kind of ninja move she had seen in some of the new theatre productions she had seen recently (The city was getting incredibly interested in spies lately). Instead, the natural reaction for her was to close her eyes and wait for the sounds of crackling fire to end. If he wanted to kill her—drop her dead body out in the middle of the desert where no one would find the Kemsley daughter, he would have every opportunity. A single bullet in the brain and all her little dreams about having an adventure would have ended with blood. She said nothing, and instead, held her body in the same position it had been before the gun had been turned on her.
Instead of silence came the sound of movement. When Carly opened her eyes, there was no longer a gun to her head. Instead, the man was finally wrestling to rip the burning jacket—and with it her sweater—off his body. She took a step back from him, and thought for a moment about running to the Humvee, and trying to leave him. She was sure she had nothing close to the skill it would take to drive the damn car, and she was also sure that he would probably get her in the back ten feet out. So, instead, she cocked a hip to the side and watched him.
“I told you so.” She spoke simply. He posed her a question that he would not allow her to answer, and she looked at him curiously. “What?” The word barely escaped her lips as he pressed the gun into her palm. Awesome, she traded one big unknown mystery for a smaller one. Just what she needed. She eyed the warm metal in her hand for only a moment. It was then that she finally processed what Elias had said. “When you get back…?” She looked up, but there wasn’t a second between the time that the question left her lips and he crumpled into a heap on the ground.
“What just happened.” She rolled her eyes; her tone was as flat as the terrain that spread out around her in every direction. Letting her outstretched arm fall limply by her side, Carly walked up to the man that lay, passed out on the ground. There was a part of her that wanted to give him a few good kicks in the rib with her boot. The bastard had pointed a gun at her. Her of all people. She wanted to just leave him out here for a good bake in the sun. He deserved it! She shook her head and cleared the few steps that had grown between them. He had been blown up! He wouldn’t be able to tell the different between the pains.
“No…He saved you remember?” Kneeling next to him, Carly placed the gun on his stomach for the time being. She wasn’t going to go searching out trouble in the wreckage—was he crazy?! With her luck, a raider would come out from the burning mess, she would shoot at him and miss, and then where would she be? Fucked. That’s where.
Instead, she roughly pulled her sweater out from beneath him, letting his head hit the dirt in a not-so-easy fashion. She them went to work unfolding his body so that he no longer lay curled in on himself. Just looking at him, he looked…okay? How did you fix someone that had been blown up? That wasn’t really something you gave someone CPR for, right? She sat there for over a minute just looking at him. His tanned skin shinned from sweat in the burning hot sun. If she cared enough, she probably should have dragged him somewhere with shade. She looked around, saw shade from the Humvee over twenty feet away, and saw she shade from the semi that was still on fire.
“…Nah” She decided very easily that it wasn’t really worth her time and effort. Hell, she probably couldn’t drag him if she wanted to. She noticed soon after the grey of the cloth wrapped around Eli’s arm was no longer grey, but a deep shade of crimson. “Probably should have seen that first…” She walked around the body, and kneeled once more. Over all, he had lost a lot of blood. Maybe that’s why he passed out? Quietly, she untied the old wrap from around his arm. “I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to patch up this hole in your arm, Scavver.” She spoke directly now to the man’s unconscious body. He was like an old, beat-up piece of machinery the corporation kept in some of the storage rooms on the ground floor. Old scars were covered up by new scars in random patters all over the arm she was tending to. The bleeding had slowed, but she still needed to keep it wrapped. Carly ripped another piece of cloth from her discarded sweater, and began wrapping his arm again, making sure to tie the knot as tight as possible. When she finished, she wiped drops of blood from his chest and other places on his arms. There were still a few pieces of jagged metal sticking out from the places in his chest and arms that the jacket had not covered. For the most part, they were small, and Carly had been able to pull them out with her bare hands. She was proud of herself, and after about five or ten minutes of patching him up (and only one gash in her hand). He wasn’t really bleeding that much anymore from the small spots around his body.
“Hah. You’re welcome” Carly pulled up the tip of her node with her index finger and stuck out her tongue in triumph. The man was still unconscious, but at least she had finally been able to do something. She folded one last small piece of cloth up, pressed it on one of the deeper gashes on his chest, and lay his lip hand on it to apply some pressure. She then picked herself up off the ground, grabbed the pistol that was still resting on his stomach, and started walking toward the front-end of the semi. She wanted to explore—and maybe even scavenge—a little bit if she could.
Before long, she had found herself a dead body with a single shot through its skull. It was a man with darker skin than even Elias’. He wore no shirt, but a leather jacket covered greasy skin. Carly didn’t even bother looking further at the man’s details, she just went to work searching through his pockets for anything she could find that might make her look a little more useful. She was still expecting a lecture when the man awoke and the whole “Your dad’s going to kill me when he finds out; I’m taking you home”, argument as well.
