Chapter 9 – Lonesome Road
Because the place we need to go to is far, Susan and I
eat and leave early in the morning before the sun rises. As from before,
there’s no trouble along the way to our destination, which is a relatively
large area. There isn’t much out here. What did Roosevelt say to do again?
Something about Loyal’s Many and mutants…--------------
WOAH! What the hell happened? All I remember was
blacking out in the middle of the wasteland, the Sodom and Gomorrah wasteland
as I recall. Did someone shoot a tranquillizer dart at me? I think so. Where am
I now? It looks like I’m at a dead end of some kind of canyon. The walls of it
seem to reach to the sky and what’s all of the junk ahead of me? It looks like
some kind of battle took place here or this is just where people throw away
their trash. Wait, where’s Susan? Where’s the marriage ring I had? I still have
my weapons on me though the spare food and water I had is gone.
There’s a note in my pocket. It says, “We’ve killed
your wife and thrown you away like trash. You’re never going to be heard from
again.”
“What the fuck?!” I say out loud.
Who do these fuckers think they are?! I’ll find them
and kill them all! They’re bluffing when they said they killed Susan and that
I’ll never be heard from again. I know it!
I’ll get out of here and prove them wrong! Susan has to be alive. That
sly woman knows how to get around. She probably got knocked out like I did and
she’s somewhere ahead of me. I know it.
I proceed through the linear canyon to find a
graveyard of people. It looks like there was a shootout and no one won. They’re
all wearing a particular uniform, so it was a faction battle. I don’t recognize
them though, or do I? I’ve seen so many factions fall and rise for the past
twenty…five? Years since I started wandering the wasteland. The corpses don’t
have any ammo on them or weapons, so it looks like someone’s been through here
before. Maybe it was Susan, but why would she leave me here? No, it had to be
someone else. Further into the canyon are only more wreckage and bodies. There
are a few traps here and there, but a little squeezing gives me a way past
them. Oh, one of the bodies here has a note on him.
It says, “Please dear Susanna, I apologize to you for
dying here. My pupil has taken my name and killed me. I thought I could trust
him. I thought I could teach him the right way to live, but he is nothing but a
charlatan who masquerades as myself. Never forget me or my deeds. The deeds of
Zachary Sapphire.”
What? Isn’t that my name? I swear this note was either
fabricated or he’s talking about a completely different person that just so
happens to share his name. My name is Zachary Samson-I mean Sapphire. My
parent’s last name was Samson and they called me Zeke-I mean Zacky boy. That’s
how it is! I swear! I just have a little memory problem is all. Screw this
note! I rip it up and continue on. Why did have a similar name to my first-I
mean second-I mean first-whatever wife. Damn it, that note really got to me for
some reason-Woah! Almost stepped on a trap.
It’s getting dark out, so I make a small camp and rest
until the sun comes back up. This canyon goes on for miles AND now it splits
into multiple paths…great. I’m starting to think that this isn’t a naturally
made canyon, rather it’s made by the conflict of various wasteland groups. I’ve
head that the first twenty to twenty-five years after the nuclear apocalypse,
people had a hard time establishing rule since the government was gone. God and
natural law worked for most, but others couldn’t help but take advantage of the
situation. The Republic, Council, and various other small groups had to use force
to get people to cooperate and I heard there was some kind of short war. This
must be one of the places the war was fought or at least that’s the theory in
my head.
Oh, what’s this? Another letter! It says, “Dear Zack,
I’m not able to avenge you. That damned traitor will kill anything and anyone.
I’ve even seen him kill children without a second thought or regret. I hope you
get this letter in Heaven ahead of my arrival, which will be soon. I love you.”
Is this the wife of the other Zack? Can this be a
separate Zack? I guess Zack is a common name. I’ve realized that the traps here
have been placed a while ago from looking at the condition of them. So, I was
just placed here and left to survive? I don’t think they dropped me here since
I don’t have any injuries and I don’t remember there being a pulley where I
woke up. Maybe the people who took me aren’t far from me. To make up for lost
time, I don’t sleep for the night and just keep going. Now I’m noticing the
bodies of mutants and zombie-like people. Why do I keep calling zombie-like
people zombie-like people? Some people call them zombies, mutants, or ghouls.
Why am I thinking about this right now? Because I’m slowly losing my mind. Have
I been walking for days in a graveyard? I think so. Have days past? I don’t
know. I just keep walking and walking and walking and walking-oh what’s this? A
letter I think.
It says, “I killed Zachary and Susan out in the
wastes, but the damage he’s done will take some time to get rid of. Other Zack
and Ariel will die after you obtain this letter along with everyone from the
Republic and the Council.”
Oh, there’s a signature. Woah! What was that loud
noise…eh, it’s nothing. Wait, where did the letter go? I swear I had it in my
hands. AHHHHH! Come on Zack, get it together! Just keep walking, just keep
walking, just keep walking. Night and day, day and night. No food, no water, no
Susan, no love, no hope. Wait, is that her there?
“Susan! Susan! It’s me, Zack!”
…Is this her? It’s a dead body. Is this really Susan?
I barely remember what Susan looks like for some reason. There’s also a child
in her open stomach. Is it supposed to be mine? It’s a girl…I’ll call her Kiwi.
It’s okay Susan and Kiwi. I’ll carry you back home. Daddy’ll take care of you.
Kiwi will need a mommy to take care of her. I wonder if Ariel is still
available. Now that’s she’s fully a woman, maybe Zack went after her, but
aren’t I Zack? Oh, other Zack, that’s right. Maybe I can act like how that one
letter said to give Kiwi a mom for now.
I’m here Zack.
Susan? Oh thank God you’re still alive!
You know I wouldn’t leave you for long.
I love you Susan.
Aw, Susan. Such a ray of joy and life. How did she act
exactly? Oh yeah. I love you Zack. I’ll always be with you. Dance with me.
Where’s Zack? Oh, he’s such a nice gentleman to carry
me and our daughter. I wonder when’s the next time we get to enjoy each other’s
company. There’s so much beauty in the world I want to show him. I want to show
him how much I love him. Hey Zack, look at that reflection. We’re such a picture-perfect
family, aren’t we? How come my lips aren’t moving even though I’m speaking?
Zack, are you dreaming about me again?
Wha-wh-wha-what? Damn it, I have to get out of here now!
No comments:
Post a Comment