Wednesday, May 18, 2016

DAY 9, October 31st (Halloween)

5:55 AM: I fell asleep reading my old copy of Grognak the Barbarian and the Jungle of the Bat-Babies which had still been in our kitchen. Nora used to tease me about buying these stupid things when we would go to Boston...but it was something I loved in childhood and now, well I find some comfort in the outrageous tales of half-naked woman and fantastical creatures. I suppose the world I live in now is not that much different, only more real and dangerous. 

After a bottle of fresh, self-sourced water I'm honestly feeling better then I have since before this all happened. I seem to have shaken my lethargy and exhaustion, and really feel great. Gathered up all the empty beer and Nuka-Cola bottles I had stored here to take back to Sanctuary and fill up with water. Before I left the Rocket I placed a plastic pumpkin I took from the Sutherland's yesterday on the counter next to the register...a reminder of better times and my own little holiday observance. 

I feel like today's going to be a good Halloween.

7:47 AM: Spent a little time breaking down a car with Preston, then some tires, and filled all my bottles. Eight fresh waters for the road!  Had turned Diamond City Radio back on as I walked over to Sanctuary and have left it on since. It's still hard at times to hear songs from a life that is over...but I promised myself I won't forget what I lost, and what I am searching for. 

So, since Marcy's already started to tend to the wild melons and gourds behind the Rosa's I figured that's as good a spot as any to focus on crops. Nora was a bit of a green thumb, with help from Codsworth, and I think I remember some of it. My plan is to use the melons and gourd I just harvest from Marcy's plants to increase the number of crops we are outputting. She made it clear we are not friends...again.  Despite her attitude she is a diligent worker, I'll give her that much. 

9:56 AM: So that's done and we'll have three more plants to harvest when they're ready. I honestly did not do to much, Marcy took over and shooed me off, so I put some of my stored knowledge to work on a garden plot right outside my bedroom window, next to Dogmeat's house. I'm hoping we can use it for that corn Sturgis mentioned...just need to find some.

I'm now standing on the roof of the Rosa’s house. Sturgis had made wooden stairs to access it for repairs and it makes a decent vantage point...actually makes me think about a real watch tower of some sort...

Anyhow, looking at what was Sanctuary Hills, all bombed and dilapidated, fills me with sorrow, but when I think of what it can become, what it already is becoming...it fills me with hope. This abandoned neighborhood of mine was a dead shell only a week ago and now, now there are five determined settlers with the goal of making this sanctuary their home. 

Actually, I guess there are six of us

While walking towards Jahani's old house, and having a snack of fresh water and Sugar Bombs, I finally ran in Cogsworth!  He welcomed me back and inquired about Concord so I kept it simple and let him know I made some new friends. He seemed pleased with that and surprisingly asked if he could accompany me.  Dogmeat is a great companion, but a change of pace with someone I can talk to would be nice. Dogmeat whimpered but Cogsworth got his tail wagging with some reassuring words. I told him to go our home, which was right behind me. I'll be back for him when the time is right. 

11:48 AM: I took the opportunity to ask Cogsworth on his thoughts. He didn't know much more about Diamond City then I do...and he had a decent apocalyptic-themed Mayan calendar joke.  I left it at that. 

Focusing on the task at hand, we need more food. I suppose the only option is to head out with Cogsworth and see if we can find some wild fruits or vegetables. Going to stop home first to adjust my load. Cogsworth will be handy to carry some additional weight then I think we will head towards Vault 111, if anything to cover some known ground.

12:11 PM: All set!  Mama Murphy was sitting in my dining room and mentioned that though she cannot fight now, back in the day she was called "Murphy the Madwoman".  Can't attest to her possible fighting prowess...but I think the madwoman nickname could have been apt. She seemed content to sit there humming to herself as we left. 

Heading up the street to trace our path from when we evacuated. Hopefully I'll find something at the elevator entrance and then we'll pick a direction into the wilds...

The Vault's elevator pad looked the same as the last few times I saw it. Now that I had time to thoroughly search the area, I started with a ruined trailer. Not much there: a switchblade jammed in the top of a ruined computer, a coffee pot and some mugs. Took it all. Surprising how useful ceramic can be. 

From there we crossed over to the elevator control station again. Other then the empty first aid kit on the wall I had looted while escaping, there was a wrench and plastic bowl. Not much else left so we headed south into the brush. 

Found a wild carrot flower as we pushed further south and then started following a road south west away from Vault entrance. Just past a wrecked van and car I spotted something on a hill. Pulled Nora out and investigated, slowly. Just two dirty waters, one purified, and a chair with a table under a canopy roped to the trees. Looks like it gave a vantage point of the vault entrance, but why? There was an odd symbol on the wood planks as well. Sorta looked like a sun, maybe?

3:15 PM: Headed off the road a good distance southeast and it started to grow foggy. Killed the Pip-Boy's radio and kept to cover. I saw some sort of structure ahead of me...and smoke. Switched from Nora to my laser musket and had to hush Cogsworth who felt it was an appropriate moment to sing to himself. Like the last location there was not much: a makeshift tent north of several piles of burning tires.  The tent itself had a bunch of silt beans around it and a first aid kit with a stim and purified water. Nasty old mattress as well....looks like you'd catch something from sleeping on it. 

There were some more silt bean plants nearby and three wooden buckets, one with a red rubber kickball in it. It looked suspicious so I sent Cogsworth in to get the kickball. He did so with no issues.  My experience in Concord has me on edge...but I feel like it's the right way to act. 

6:27PM: Found hubflowers and some bloodleaf next to a small shack north/north-east of the tent I found. Weapon ready I approached and once I had scouted the area around it, was sure it was clear, I tried the door. Locked…easy enough to pick though and Codsworth was impressed with my bobby pin skills. As I opened the door I stepped back in anticipation of some surprise, but there was nothing. Inside was a empty cabinet with a ball-peen hammer, used oil can, nuka cola bottle, wonderglue, and a tool case on top. Inside the case were three Bobby pins, more wonderglue and another hammer. It wasn't food but I'll take what I can get. 

I honestly dunno if any of these crops will grow back home. At the least I'll have some food but I hope they can serve as a renewable crop . Unfortunately no corn or potatoes were found. Heading back before it gets dark. 

7:06 PM: While picking some more hubflowers we hit the river west of Sanctuary. We were about to cross when I noticed what I thought was a fallen tree. It turned out to be a long black tube which stretched from the water right into earth of the hillside. Curious I tried to follow its trajectory and determine where it might lead. Ultimately, after climbing the hillside, I only found more hubflowers and the we were back at the makeshift tent. Tracing my steps back to Sanctuary and then home. 

8:33 PM: Well, none of the plants I gathered can be used as crops...at least I have dinner. I think another trip to Concord might be in order.  After eating some bloodleaf and hubflower, not to bad either, I filled up on silt beans and water from the pump. Everyone else is turning in so I think I'll kill some time playing Atomic Command and call it a night.

Happy Halloween. 

(15,190 - New high score!  I still got it!)

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