32) Striking My First Deal

My third trip of the day. People are beginning to give me funny looks, maybe wondering where I'm getting all this stuff. Tough, if they want to know let them go find out. There will for sure be more of those things in there, coming and going. I think trouble is a way of life for us all now, so let someone else do the fighting.

Judy really had built up quite the stash. I wonder how many others she had stolen from, and how many of them might have ended up dead because of what she had done. She paid the price, and I have no sympathy for her now.

My hut is beginning to look pretty full now, but if I'm going to expand I'll need a bigger place. Larger, better spots cost caps, and lots of them, thousand more than I have, so sooner or later I'm going to have to go out beyond the local town and earn. For now though, a quick check what I have with me.

I have enough water here to last months. That was the hardest thing to carry, but I knew I couldn't waste it out there, and finally it's back safe. Seems to be around eight large leather pouches, all with purified water, and around ten bottles too. I have enough food, cans, packets, dried out salted meat, and other sundry items to last me months.
I have a wealth of tools, and weapons, and a huge amount of ammo. I will carry a useful looking pistol with me, and an automatic rifle wherever I go. They seem the best items to deal with any trouble and aren't too heavy, plus it's a benefit that I have a lot of ammunition for them, so I can finally hold my own in a firefight.

I found Judy had stashed well over three thousand caps in all in this little satchel. Pretty good. I can afford mostly anything in trade now, except more land, need bucket loads more for that.

I could easily sit back and eat, drink and be merry to my heart's content now, for years on end, no need to ever leave the compound. Course, that's not my way, so I will do as I do, find out more about myself if I can and improve my lot in life.

Quite why it's not my way I have no idea, because memories about myself are so short, but I feel deep down they will come back to me.

I sit a moment, and look up at the drifting sky. The clouds look so beautiful right now, across the deep shimmering blue ocean of endlessness beyond.

'Hey.' Someone says, and I jump, grabbing hold of my rifle before I realize I am in camp, should be no need for such things.

It is a woman, scrawny looking, seems as if she hasn't eaten in an age. I expect her to ask for food, but she doesn't seem interested.

Her eyes are pretty clear though, very focused.

'Can I have a word stranger?' She asks. I nod, waving her in. It is beginning to get cold outside, and she is only wearing a simple cotton dress. She looks around quickly, seems shocked at what I have.

'Want a drink of water? Something to eat maybe?' I ask politely.

'I'm not here for charity, and I'm not that kind of woman, so keep your stuff.' She says harshly, sneering at me.

The surprised look on my face catches her out, she was expecting something else.

'I only offered, out of kindness.' I say, no longer quite so polite. 'You can leave if you feel like that.'

She frowns at me, before breaking out into a smile. she has teeth missing, her skin craggy even though she is clearly quite young. Time and life haven't been kind to her.

'Sorry stranger, don't often get people being generous.' She says, glancing at the water. I reach over, take a beaker and fill it with water, then hand it to her with some dried meat. It is very salty, but tasty nonetheless.

She appears embarrassed to take it, but does anyway and drinks quickly, before wolfing down the food. I guess she needed it. She looks at me with kindly eyes, no need for thanks, that is enough.

'Word around town is you can handle yourself, and have the weapons to back it up.' She says, her voice stronger for the sustenance.

'Is that what people say?' Well, I'm no soldier, but I seem to have been lucky so far.' I reply.

'Well, it's like this, I have a brother, or had... He set out ages ago, maybe three weeks, to look for food and water, or anything. Never came back. I'm wondering if you can find him, or find out what happened to him?' She asks, her expression a constant source of new appearances.

I hesitate, thinking for a moment. I can't bring myself to ask what's in it for me, because it's an easy guess that she has nothing.

'Life isn't too bad for me here, not sure I want to go wandering further out and risk that.'

She nods back at me, and once again looks me square in the eye. 'My brother, he knows a lot of things, older than me, much older, and was around before all this kicked off. He knows about what happened.'

'Interesting.' I say mildly, still not sure I want to risk so much for something so simple.

'Word is that you have no memory.' She says and my ears prick up to this.

'Something like that.' I say, being deliberately vague.

'From the vault, word has it about you. My brother knows about them vaults, heard him talking about it.'

Now my mind flares up, erupting with thoughts like a volcano. Answers, maybe even just my name. No more wondering, I could find my identity.

'So I find your brother, and if he's still alive, then I help him back here and in return he helps me learn about vaults, and who I am?' I ask, rubbing my chin. Again she nods.

I have to, I have to go. 'First thing tomorrow, I'll supply up, and go looking, as long as it's not far.'

The woman seems elated. She has clearly struggled without him, but I'm not quite the fool I was. If she's lying, she will answer for it.

'Where did he head, and how will I know it is him?'

'He is a burly man, strong arms, a little shorter than you. He wears a very thick bushy beard. He always wore good clothes, and heavy, strong boots. You'll see him in an old cowboy hat, as he liked to term it. He went north west from here, no idea how far, that's up to you.'

'What's up there?'

'Supposedly an old railyard and town. It's in ruins, and no one goes there cos of all the trouble that comes with it.'

'So why did he go?' I ask, wondering if he didn't make it, how would I.

'We were desperate, hardly any food left and no water. No one would help us, so he had to go.'

I know the feeling.

'OK, I'll go looking, see what I can find. If I can't find him, I'll be back, likely not more than three days. After that, sorry but I can't help.'

The woman smiles again, and stands. She appears embarrassed again. She nods, once, then again and again, backing out of the hut, thanking me.

'Don't thank me yet,' I say, standing with her. '-no guarantee even I'll survive!'

She ignores this and wanders off. It is dark now, and I set to lighting a fire. My mind wanders too, wondering what I might find of myself, if I find this man. I shall go searching in the morning...

DJ Cowdall - Official Author Website 

31) Hate and Liars

It seems like both of us are frozen to the spot, unable to move or think. We stare at each other, unblinking, perhaps each waiting for the other to either speak or act.
She is dead to rights, my gun is aiming squarely at her, and she it stuck, no way she could move quickly enough to beat me to it.

'Why.. what is going on?' I finally ask.

She looks at me, her eyes change, as if she is sad somehow.

'Why did you take off?' I ask, not foolish enough to relax my grip. I admit, I feel sick to my stomach. Before I was just left confused, and angry that I had lost so much, but seeing her, firing at me of all people.

'Hey buddy, I didn't realize it was you.' Judy says. Her accent is different, broader, her words sound almost like slang.

'Judy.' I ask instinctively, wondering if I have made some kind of mistake, and it isn't her.

'Hey stranger..' She says, still with the same odd accent, but at the same time, a sly smile on her face. I  had been naive, but not such a fool that I didn't learn quickly.

'Let me just get up and...' She says, sounding friendly, but she rolls over, swings out an arm, she has a pistol...

Either I am very lucky, or have talents that I remain unaware of. Without blinking, not a hesitation, I fire my rifle. The first shot hits her squarely in the back as she rolls, but as she slumps down, tries to aim up the handgun, to face me and fire, I fire again, and the second shot doesn't miss. Final shot, into her head, and she smacks back heavily before slumping over.

Any sickness I felt before is nothing compared to that which I feel now. I struggle not to vomit. All I can feel now is shame. I have defended myself before, but this was a woman I had feelings for, and thought I could trust. I refuse to accept that the world is left only full of hate and liars.

Again I stand in silence, and if someone came out and shot me now, I don't think I would stop them. Nobody does though. I forever appear to be surrounded by death.

Whatever the outcome, I am still a survivor, and even if no one else shares my ideals, I will hold onto mine. I look around, try to avoid contact with the body nearby. I must take the guns, and any ammo she had left. Whatever drove her to do this, some kind of insanity, perhaps only now I can forgive her.

A bag, over in the corner. I move around her, and see, she has a small bedroll, and a bag, no not just one, two, three, wow, as I look around there are lots of bags, boxes, drawers in chests, all sorts. I lift a lid on a box and see tins of food, another has ammo in it, lots of it.

One of the bags has clothes in it, another has more tins of food, including what we bought.

The last bag, can it be... it is! The caps, looks like all of them, and perhaps more. It is everything she stole of ours, and I think more from others. I wonder if she has been doing this a while, her way to survive, use others to help gather, and fight. She might have even led me here knowing those savage brutes were in here.

I guess I'll never know.

I don't want anyone else to find this, but I won't stay here with her.. dead.

I pick up the bag of caps, another with a handle I can sling over my shoulder and as much ammo as I can carry. I shall go back to the settlement, and stash my things there. No one will steal from there, but even so, I shall need to devise some way to protect my gear.. a better, more fortified home, and now I can afford it!

I will return here, well armed, and keep coming until I have taken everything of use.

Maybe, maybe also, I will bury Judy, and say something decent for her. We'll see...

30) A Shock to My System

I'm not that brave that I could stand around looking to see where the bullets are coming from. I dive quickly to the floor, struggling to hide behind the large wooden counter.

I lay a moment, listening. Thankfully I have some kind of defence, with these precious few bullets. I swing my rifle from across my back, and pull back on the hammer, ready to fire. I guess whoever it is, must suspect I have some kind of weapon, otherwise they would have just walked up to me and fired away.

Thankfully the light outside is bright and clear, no unwanted shadows to hide people, or worse, hide things in.

Beside two of the fridges in here, there is a doorway leading out to the rear of the place. It's a good job, because it seems the walls of this place are made of metal, and I would be forced to go out into the line of fire.

I crawl slowly, edging my way along the hidden side of the counter. The floor is dirty as hell, covered in glass and dead bugs, all sorts of garbage. I can't complaint too much, because at least I'm alive.

I get a little too close to the edge of the counter and more bullets fire, this time at random, I can tell they're not so focused on me as a target, because they're scatter firing all over.

I manage to pull myself through the gap in the doorway, and out back. Whoever it is doesn't seem to know I have moved out of sight, because they are still shooting at the counter and into the front windows.

I hadn't seen this place properly until now, but there are boxes, and what looks like it was once a sort of flat bed, bedding, a slim pillow. No need to wonder who the inhabitant might have been, because their skeleton is still laying on the bed. I guess I won't be joining them!

I wait a few seconds, listening to myself breathing heavily. I guess I must have panicked when the shots began, but I can forgive myself, can't help the fight or flight response, and it probably saved my life.

At the other side of this long thin cupboard room, there are no windows or doors out, but there is a vent at the end. I can see daylight streaming through, so it may be an exit.

Whoever is out there keeps firing, and it seems from the same spot. They must have a lot of ammunition.

I move over to the vent, leave my feet facing it, and every time a fire sounds, I kick at it, trying to mask the sounds with gunfire.

At last it gives, bending at first, then dropping out, leaving a gap large enough for me to get out. I crawl through, moving low and keeping as quiet as I can.

An explosion, I can see smoke pouring up from out front of the diner. Maybe they're trying to burn me out?

I am hidden in some bushes, and can see up to where I think the shots are coming from. I see white light ignite from the barrel of a gun, up around three stories high, in the building opposite the road from here. If I go out here I will be a fine target, must move.

I slink away, slowly, then go the the back of the high rise on this side. There is a narrow passageway before the fence, I walk along, hunched over, just in case. I get to the end of the town and circle back.

I peer around the corner of the building on my side, feeling the tension rising now. The shots have ceased. I wonder if they either realized I am no longer there, or run out of bullets. I hope it is the latter.

I can't remain like this, and need to know who it is. I run quickly across the scorched tarmac, gun up, and into the building where the shooter was. No time to wait, I look up, and begin to run up the stairs, trying not to make too much noise. It's hard, there is rubbish everywhere, an old pram, clothes strewn all over, furniture thrown down, all sorts.

I don't have to worry about noise, as whoever is up there makes a huge crashing sound, with a massive thud to the floor above.

I am close now, sprinting up, gun ready, finger on the trigger. In my mind I am ready to move, see and fire, all in a fast deadly motion.

I jump onto the landing hallway, see the doorway ahead and move on through, no hesitation. There, at the end of the short hall, a figure laying, moving around. They're stuck in all the rubbish, fallen over among the debris.

I move fast to them, point my gun, ready to shoot; to kill if necessary!

The person becomes aware of my presence, tries to lift their rifle from underneath themselves, but it is trapped. Any second, I will fire, to the head. They're gonna die.

The prone person, trapped by their own haste, I almost laugh at them. Them my jaw drops open, my eyes wild in shock, as I look and realize I am confronted by...

Judy!

29) Washing Away My Sorrows In The Rain.

Another terrible night. I felt like I was suffocating, and it was bitterly cold. I won't survive much longer like this. I had the blanket that Judy so kindly left me, but it is small and thin, and barely covers me.

I am eating breakfast, it appears to be some kind of rice, but has no taste, and the water though I think is pure tastes old and musty. I guess you get what you pay for, still!

Today, I will set out back to the old town, and will begin my search for new items to trade and use. The way I see it, I have nothing to lose now, and so if it costs me my life, if that happens while trying to improve things, then so be it.

'Don't look like you have much going for ya.' Someone says, making me jump. It is the old woman who met me at the door before. She is standing in the doorway of my shack, looking at me. I must appear to be a mess, straggly hair, unshaven, not clean, and clearly starving.

I look up at her, and I think my eyes say it all.

'I've seen it afore, new people come here, struggle to cope, and it gets the better of them. Sooner or later they die, one way or another.'

I look on despondently. 'The woman I became friends with, she took all of my stash, caps, food, water, guns, everything. I'm back to square one.' I explained, realising my predicament for the first time.

The woman rubs her chin, smiles briefly. 'Yeah, that gal, she was a difficult one. Not long here, a bit troubled. Sad to say, those like her, victims of the slave trade, they go through it and are never the same again. Never trust anyone, and it's no surprise she skipped out, they just take and run and hide.'

Her words confirmed what I already knew, but didn't help me much.

'I guess I'm going to have to try again, and see if my luck is any better. Alone this time.' I say, looking now firmly at her.

'You go out and live, or you lay down and die. People will either cross you or help you, but outside of family you never really know people, never forget that.'

Her words were kind, because she took the time to come and speak to me.I admired her for that. She wasn't offering me any kind of charity, just a nod that it affected us all, this kind of world.

'Folks round here don't have much, but if you're truly desperate, they will help.'

I nod to her. I appreciate what she is saying, and regardless of what Judy has done, it reaffirms my feeling that this really is my home.

I smile, and she turns and walks away.

I think I do have something to lose now, and so I shall be careful. I grab my gun, the little ammo I have, and the axe. Off I go to see if I can find something worthwhile, something that will lift my spirits, if not change my life.

*

This is the first time it has rained since I came out of the vault. It kind of stings my skin a little, as I walk down this rubble path towards the town again. I am soaked, head to toe, but I don't mind, because it has warmed up a little. The guards cautioned me not to drink water from the rain, still contaminated. Sometimes I think we live in a contaminated world!

Up ahead I can see the first buildings. I keep thinking any moment I am going to see Judy, stood there, waiting for me. At the back of my mind I think over and over again that if something bad happens to me, she will come running and grab my arm, and help me. Experience tells me that will not happen.

The skies are murky grey, filled with a blanket of rain, and it is hard to see ahead. Rivers of water wash away down the hills, it is raining so intensely, I wonder if perhaps I will see Noah in his Ark float past!

The dark red brick of the high buildings has changed with the rain, much darker now, and steam seems to be pouring off them, as if the water is hitting hot rock. Sometimes it's hard to accept I am still on planet Earth.

I decide to leave out the first building, the one I went into with her... Maybe go back to that one day. Next up appears to have been some kind of diner. I doubt I will be served any hot food there today, but I might find something useful. It is a long oblong shaped place, single story, with rows of tables and chairs, and a counter along one side. The windows I am looking through are all long since gone, and some of the metalwork has rusted, but generally it appears intact. Maybe I can open a business?!

All the while, here, I keep a cautious lookout for any of those huge creatures that attacked us before. I hope there are none left, but I suspect the world is full of them

I go through what was once a doorway, and walk across the ravaged tile floorway. There is an old fridge here, a metal one. I open it, and a truly foul stench pours out, horrible. There are packages of what may have once been food, but has now descended into some kind of gloup. Several tins are in there though, old I guess, but not opened. I grab a few of those, and place them on the counter. I realize, she also took that little backpack I had, need a new one, something.

She really did take it all, let me with hardly a thing.

Something pings off a wall near me, and I look around to see what it is. Again, another pinging sound, and this time a piece of wall flakes off. A thought flares up in my mind, they are bullets, pinging off the walls, aimed at me!

Someone is shooting at me...

David Cowdall - Official Author Website

28) Regrets and Hopes.

I never thought I would feel so full again. I could have eaten more, but Judy insisted I didn't. Not because we might run out, but because eating so much after being so hungry could make us sick.

I still find it hard to believe people trade with bottle caps. I guess they need something to act as a middle man. The best thing is food and water are pretty cheap, a few caps gets quite a lot to show for it.

We picked up two large bags of caps from our raid, five hundred and sixty caps. We were laughing at how much we had, and that we were rich.

Last night was good. I nice warm fire, decent food, water and even the weather at night was pleasant. I fell asleep next to Judy, and it felt good. It wasn't so good that when I woke up she was gone, but I understand; she's been through a lot, and it's affected her deeply. At least she had the kindness to put a blanket over me, but I think it was her only one, and that meant she did without. I will make amends today.

Once again as I step out the camp is a hive of activity. White smoke pours out of various shacks, and people mill around. The smell of food is rich and varied, and reminds me of what is to come for us this morning.

Almost drooling with anticipation, I go walk around to Judy's shack. I reckon we should go buy some new food supplies, a top up for the water, and then work out what we're going to invest in for more success.

Since I awoke into this strange land, I have had some shocks and surprises, enough to last me a lifetime. What confronts me now, shocks me more than anything I have ever felt before. Judy's shack is empty. No bags, no supplies, and of course not even her.

I wonder for a moment if she might have gone to get us some food in advance, but if so why has she taken all the bags? All that is left here is the saw and the axe that we used. The guns are gone, except mine, which I noticed in my shack when coming out but the majority of the ammo is not here, and neither is any of the food, or... the caps! Gone.

I can only think the best of her, because it is all I have seen. I immediately run out, make my way around the camp.

'Judy!' I call, wondering frantically that something bad might have happened to her.

I approach the main gate, see two guards standing. One of them is from last night, the sarcastic one. 'Have you seen the woman I was with? I ask.

They both laugh at me. 'Yeah, Judy.' One of them says, looking at me slyly.

'Yes!' I say quickly. 'Where is she, is she alright, has something bad happened to her?'

As I ask this, the two of them both laugh in unison. 'Oh, no.' Says the sly one. 'Quite the opposite.' The other one says. He appears mean, stubbly face, good with a gun, not the kind to argue with.

'Stop fooling around, just tell me.' I demand, knowing I am pushing my luck.

'She took her things and left, just as dawn was coming up.' The mean one explains.

'Left?' I ask incredulously. 'She took all of our stuff, and all our caps.' I say.

They both look at me, serious now.

'Stolen you say?' The mean one asks.

'Theft eh?' The other chimes in.

I nod. She has gone, surely not to the town, but just gone. I cannot believe someone who appeared so happy around me, could just up and leave, and worst of all, take everything. She could have just take half, I mean...

'She's banned from the camp if this is true. If she returns she will be shot on sight.' The mean one insists. It doesn't help me much. Once again I am back to square one. Worse, I wonder if I can ever trust anyone again.

I am a survivor. I simply accept what has happened and move on.

I walk to my shack, pick up the axe, sling the rifle over my shoulder, and note that I have around forty rounds of ammo for it. At least she left me those.

My head is swirling with it all, the loss of what we had achieved. If I ever meet her again, I don't know if I will shoot her or talk to her. I accept I may never know, and just put it to the back of my mind.

For now, I need water, and to get water I need to chop wood. So once again, only this time alone, off I go.

As I walk out, a small child stands near to one of the other places with people in, she is holding what appears to be a metal cup, filled with purified water, drinking from it occasionally.

'Hi.' She says as I walk past. My mind is like thunder, and I give her a dirty look, before walking on.

On I go to cut wood again.

*

It has been a long, horrible day. All the time I argued within myself, recriminations against Judy, for stealing it all, and against myself for being so stupid. I slogged away and cut wood and dragged it into camp, traded it for little drink and bits of food. then repeated it. I doubt I have ever worked so hard. I feel shattered, but I have enough food to last me at least a couple of weeks if I ration it, and enough water to survive even longer.

I shall sleep tonight, if my mind allows it, and first thing tomorrow I will go back to that town, and do so every day until I have enough caps, water, food, guns and ammo that no one will ever think to steal from me again.

Someone or something is going to regret crossing me, that much is for sure...

27) Barter Time.

With the sun at the back of these two brutes, it seems as if they are as tall as the buildings around them. They just stand there looking at us, but I can see drool glistening from their mouths. They really do see us as food. They wear similar kind of clothes, large tattered trousers, and huge hobnail boots. Their torsos are wrapped in leather harnesses and bullet bandoleers. One has a club strapped to its back, a scruffy looking thing with nails sticking out. The other just holds onto what appears to be a weak hand made gun.

Their looks are ferocious, and I wonder if finally we have met our match.

'I'm huuuuungry!' One of them shouts, his piercing red eyes lighting up at the sound of it.

Before I can react, even think to do anything, bullets fly past in a hail, skipping and skittering across the road ahead and around us. I instinctively drop to the ground, covering my head with my hands, for all the good it will do.

I try to see what is going on, but the loud clattering of the firing makes it hard not to wince. Through flinching eyes I see bullets spatter and rip into the two two brutes, one after the other, shredding into them aggressively, tearing away any chance they may have of returning the attack.

It seems like an age, where all I can hear is hellfire and death. I feel so useless, unable to bring myself to join in the battle, but before I can even think of doing anything, it is over. The two great giant things stumble and fall, collapsing to the ground. It all goes quiet, and finally I dare to look around. Judy is stood behind me, automatic rifle in hand, as white smoke pours out of it.

The look on her face is a stark contrast to anything I have seen from her before. She looks very different to how I had imagined her.

'Judy.' I say, as she seems lost, staring ahead, into space, her face snarling, but she remains stuck, as if in a time warp.

'Judy!' I shout, and finally she breaks, slowly looking my way. I wonder if she might train the focus of her gun on me, but thankfully she doesn't. I would hate to have to.. defend myself.

'I guess they weren't that tough.' She says, sneering. It shows a side to her I hadn't known, and I'm not sure I like it. I just sit there a moment, looking at her, wondering about her.

She looks at me, eyes focused now, allowing the gun to lower much more. She can see the look I am giving.

'I'm sorry, just I promised myself I wouldn't ever be a victim again.' She says.

I stand up, dusting myself down, and smile. 'I'm just glad you're on my side!' I say, and she loses the pain, expresses herself  more, and laughs, along with me.

'Come on, before any more of them turn up and you have to get all badass on them!' I say, and again we both laugh. I truly am thankful she is on my side.

*

'OK, so we got plenty of stuff for our own uses, what are we going to trade?' I ask, as we stand outside the camp. the journey back was much happier, but still hard work. Night falls as we finally return, but in the camp life and trade never stops.

'We can trade all the minor guns, keep a pistol each and the rifles. Other stuff and bullets we don't need can go.' Judy says. I nod, she is right, we wouldn't be alive if we hadn't found the rifles.

'The other stuff, might as well keep. We can use it all, and I reckon we go back every day and keep getting stuff, til we have enough to support ourselves through whatever happens.'

I like this side of Judy, she seems positive, and determined. She is a survivor, and someone I think I will grow to care deeply for.

'I like your thinking.' I say.

'I like you.' She replies.

I laugh, feeling the warmth of my blushes, even if in the dark she can't see it.

We enter through the gates, and see a hive of activity, trade, selling, buying, offers of protection, a warm body for the night, male and female.

'Arket is the best trader to sell guns to. Over there.' Judy says, pointing over to a man, half dressed, large greasy belly sticking out. He chews on what seems to be a cigar, but is in fact an ear of corn.

'We can leave the basket of tools and things just here, and take this stuff, see what he offers.' She says, and I just nod.

Arket has a large stall, with a decent shack behind himself. Neon lights buzz around, lighting and flickering. The letters are jumbled meaningless, but it offers some kind of attraction and light.

'What can I do for you sir?' The man asks, looking squarely at me. Before I can reply, inquiring politely if he might be interested in purchasing something, Judy drops the bags of guns onto the table, creating a loud thud.

'Guns, we got guns, and ammo, and we're selling.' She says, sounding anything but polite.

She opens the bag, lifts out an automatic rifle, and Arket's eyes light up.

'Not for sale, the rifles are ours, and the hand guns, and the ammo for them.' She says abruptly.

She lifts out some worn shotguns, four other small shooters, and ammo for them, slamming them hard on the counter. 'These, that's all fair price.'

'Fifty caps for the three shotguns, twenty caps for each of the other guns, and another fifty caps for the ammo.' Arket says, chewing some more on his corn.

'Ha!' Judy shouts loudly, making us all jump. She appears definitely to be in charge. 'Double that and we have a deal.' She says, sneering again.

Arket looks angry. 'Next customer please.' He shouts at no one, because we are all that there are to trade with.

'You won't get anyone else selling weapons around here, and certainly none with ammo.' She says, staring him down.

Arket looks as if he has been backed into a corner. 'Fine.' He says reluctantly, reaching under his counter.

'Sally, get the stash, and make sure security is watching, I don't trust these two.' He says, sneering back.

'The feeling is mutual.' Judy says, shoving the guns across to him.

Arket takes the guns and drops down small bags, each filled with metal bottle caps.

'That's five hundred and sixty caps, trade deal done.' Arket says, spitting on his hand. I grimace, but Judy does the same and they slap hands for a sealed deal. She grabs the caps, and holds onto the tightly, like cradling a newborn baby.

'Is that good?' I ask, never having used caps before.

'If we were buying guns, this would maybe buy two of these rifles, but all these caps, will easily buy us enough food and water and anything else for a good two months.' Judy explain. Now it is my turn for my eyes to light up.

'Now what?' I ask.

Judy smiles again. 'Let's go buy some decent food!' She says, and together we head for the food stalls. The smell of it all begins to intoxicate me...

26) Treasure and Death.

We sit for a moment, getting to grips with our emotions, and calming down.

'Do you think there are more of them?' I ask.

Judy Shrugs. 'Probably. Would explain why no one seems to come here.'

'Well, I suggest we grab what we can from here, and then get back. We get as much as we can carry, and hopefully enough to begin building a life for us both back at that camp.' I say.

Judy gives me an odd look. 'Us?' She says, enquiring.

I nod, then realize it may not be something a woman would want to hear, given what she has been through... at the hands of other men.

Before I can speak she leans over quickly and hugs me. It feels nice, to be connected to someone else, someone I feel I can trust. She looks up at me, smiling eyes, and I know she feels the same. I raise my hand and push away a scruffy lock of her hair from her face.

'Come on, as nice as this is, it won't do to get mashed by another of those great brutes.' I say, reluctantly moving gently away. She looks hurt, but knows I am right.

We both stand, but she still has a hold of my hand, as if letting go might mean I disappear. Hopefully I won't.

Now the town seems peaceful, but I know it won't last. I look over the edge of the chasm, and cannot see the bottom. It is dark, with white mist coming out from it. Whatever hit there made a real mess of the immediate surroundings, but otherwise many buildings seem intact. I walk to my right, and I can see what appears to be a main street, with small, medium and large buildings going a long way down, with side streets off.

'I reckon we split up, go first building we come to, and go in and methodically go through every nook and cranny, getting what might seem useful and drop it out into the street in a pile. Then find a way to bring it back.' I say.

Judy looks at me, she is clearly unnerved by the idea. 'There are a lot of hidden places in there, and anything could be lurking waiting for us, easy prey. I doubt I could survive.'

She squeezes my hand tighter. She looks as if she has survived more than one scrape, scars and knocks to show for it. I feel sure she could just as well as I could. No doubt she is worried I might go, and she wouldn't see me again.

'OK, we'll do it together. You can hold the axe, and if anything jumps out on us you hit it and I'll run away.'

Judy laughs. We don't need to say any more, we just go ahead and try to get it done. The first building is dark red, very tall, but all of its windows are blown out. Obviously they would be, if there was another great war, it's amazing that anything survived.

I push hard on the wooden door to the building. It is heavy, and takes some effort to move. As the door finally opens, a cloud of dust sweeps out, and it stinks. Clearly it hasn't been opened in a very long time. It appears dark, and stairs lead up to other floors. The walls have little of what was green paint, and plaster is flaking off besides.
I can hear scratching sounds, Judy must hear it too because she wields the axe, gripping it tightly and moving around ready to swing

Neither of us feel good about this, but what choice do we have?

First floor, weak half broken door, leads into what appears was an apartment. There is furniture here, if I could carry it we could use it in our shacks; a sofa, two chairs, a small table, a cabinet, all in good enough condition. Hopefully we can find some kind of cart or something to move it all.

Everything is covered in thick dust, no prints, as if it were left like it after some great attack, everyone fled, and nothing has changed since. So sad, and yet so beautiful. Like some kind of time memorial to Man.

It is a small apartment, a connected living area, to open plan kitchen. Two closed doors lead off. The kitchen has utensils, knives, forks, cups, metal plates. I begin to grab at them all, stack them on the sofa.

Judy continues to look all around, seems more scared than I am, but I won't admit it to her.

I open wall cupboard doors, and there are wasted packets of food, no longer rancid, just dried to dust. there is a large basket in one, good enough to carry things for now. I open one of the doors, it is a wall cupboard, big enough to walk in. Wonderful! I find a shovel, brushes.. tools! A saw, a hammer, nails, rope, all sorts. I just throw all of the things into the basket, quicker than I should: making noise.

Finally, we can't take the tension any longer, we need to take the stuff and go, while we still can. Once last thing, the other door. I look at Judy, and can see the concern on her face.

'Take what we have, we can come back another time.' She says quietly.

'We need something more to trade, so we can get better food, and more water.' I reply. It is the sensible thing to do, but I share the nagging doubt she expresses.

No time to waste, we don't want to be here after dark. I grab at the door handle, it comes away in my hand, but the door swings open. Light filtering through from a ragged curtain, enough to see it is a bedroom.

I step through, my senses tingling all the time. A double bed sits against a wall, covers and sagging pillows. I grab at them, thinking they can keep us warm, before Judy can say no, I pull back, exposing two corpses, long since rotted, leaving only what remains of their skeleton. I feel sick, not from what I see but what has gone on here.

I look through drawers, find an old watch, not working but maybe good for trade. There are clothes, in a half open suitcase, possibly my size, and a dress. I pick it up, hold it for Judy to see, I smile at her, picturing her in it.

She returns a look of complete disdain. 'No dresses, I won't ever wear a dress again for a man to enjoy.' She says. sounding dull, angry. the look on her face is fearsome.

I just nod and throw it aside.

Once last cupboard, then we go. I open it, and stand back in shock at what I see. How could such a peaceful place hold such things?

The entire cupboard is lined with guns, rifles, automatic, hunting, handguns, ammunition in bags. It is like Alladin's cave, chock full of goodness.

It is enough to lift both our spirits. Judy doesn't hesitate, grabbing a black automatic rifle. She picks through ammunition, draws a clip and slides it in, cocking it easily, before pointing it ahead of herself.

'I guess you're ready for action.' I say cheerfully. She smiles back broadly, handing me the gun.

'I'll stick with a couple of handguns. We'll take as much as we can carry.' Without another word she leans in, grabs a black bag and piles stuff in. 'What we can't carry, we'll come back for.' She says, sounding more and more in control.

I smile. 'I like your style!' I say. Judy gives a mischievous look back. I follow her lead and fill what we can. Together we go back out, I grab the basket and anything I can carry, laden with it, and we head back.

As we step outside, back into the fading sun, we look down the main street, a veritable trove of treasure waiting for us to plunder.

I turn back, ready to head home, only to be confronted by two more of the great brutes, standing, staring at us with lascivious red eyes.

'Humaaaaan, time for dinner, and you're it!' One screams...