4:53 AM: Woke with a start and sat straight to weak morning light between the buildings of Concord off in the distance. Looking at the Pip-Boy, still glowing green, I saw it was only 4:40 AM. I could only get about five hours of shuteye on the dirty mattress. At lest my beard doesn't itch so I assume I didn't catch anything.
Ok, let's see what these pricks had on them...
5:49 AM: Ignoring my rumbling stomach and dry throat I set out to see what the dead had. Found the man I know I killed and the order of the day was raider gear and shotguns. Loaded up and knew I had too much from the way my legs ached after a dozen steps. Decided to stash the heavier stuff back behind the billboard and while I was making my way up the fallen tree ramp I spotted there mutts in the street. Not taking any chances I pulled out the musket and vaporized the first one in a clean hit to the torso. Missed a second that fled and popped the third when it got a hind leg caugh in the road's twisted guardrail. Stashed the shot gun shells and some of the raider's gear in the ammo box before climbing down. As I was cutting some meat from the dogs the third one came back and nipped me as I was back peddling to get a shot. Took it down with one blast but I'll need to use a stim for the bite.
Heading north now along the road and towards home.
6:46 AM: It didn’t dawn on me that the other two raider’s corpses were no where to be seen. I tried not to dwell on it as it started to drizzle. As I continued on the road just a few yards north of the billboard I noticed the glow of what appeared to be a campfire. Approaching cautiously I found what appeared to be the raider’s camp, but still no sign of the other two. To be honest didn't know if Carla truly killed them...they might have ran. Remembering the third dog that got a bite in I stayed on guard.
With light rain falling and wanting to get home I quickly looted their campsite. I found a tool chest with some Buffout, Wonderglue and scissors, all useful. Also searched a crate which had another bottle of Buffout, a stimpack, some burbon, and addictol. I recognize the addictol from both my time in the service and the news. Chem use was a problem well before the world ended, though not as blatant and wide-spread. While I never saw an additive tendencies in myself, having a chemical to help me kick another one was both ironic and smart since I couldn’t say I had to thought about trying some these past few weeks.
Besides and empty milk bottle and three beer bottles by campfire there was not much else. Just as I was about to head back to the road I remembered I had not ate in a while. Using the fire I headed up a mutt chop and prepared some Instamash and water along with pork and beans. Washed it all down with two of my three remaining clear waters.
8:54 AM: It's still raining. I followed the road north-east back into Concord and passed by a familiar looking structure. Wasn’t until I stood right in front of its open doorway when I realized it was the old church next to the museum. We had spent many Sundays going to service there…Shawn was baptized there. Pushing the thoughts aside I considered poking my head in and then my aching legs and back reminded me I was weighed down enough already. Besides, who knew what had holed up in the old place? Turning away form the church I saw the monster I slew still lie there rotting. What was it? Eight days ago? Feels like forever...
Pushing on I made it through Concord with no issues, nothing was lurking in the streets and I left the few habitat structures alone. I’m at Rocket now and cooking up some grub. Grilled the stag meat, mutt chop, and a nice ribeye steak! Thought about making a cup of noodles with the odd grain I found...but all I have is irradiated water. Might try to make some back home with fresh water. took a few minutes to break down one of the wooden road barricades, or rather part of one, I carried with me with me back from Concord for it's wood and steel. Better quality then most materials I had seen.
I’m heading out, should be home soon.
12:05 PM: To my surprise Trashcan Carla was in Santuary when I walked through the gate! Now that we were not in a firefight, and she knew I was not trying to shoot her, I took the opportunity to browse her wares. When I asked what she had she said a bit of everything scavenged off the roads. She told me you, "Gotta keep your eyes peeled for the good stuff." She must keep her eyes peeled a lot as she had plenty to sell so I bartered with her.
“A bit of everything" indeed! Pistols, combat knives, actual frag grenades and a submachine gun were just a few of the weapons she had! Her clothing line was not as mind blowing but she did have a nice blue batting helmet I immediately wanted and some farmhand clothes I thought Marcy might appreciate. She had a dose of antibiotics as well as a decent selection of alcohol and chems....not to mention decent looking food. (Where did she get squirrel meat? I haven't seen any...) Finally she had an assortment of junk and ammo from .308 all the way up to 5.56, 10mm, shotgun shells and even flares.
This being my first foray into commerce in this new world I was a bit hesitant, and embarrassed, to use the 484 caps I had accumulated...until I saw her expression at the sound the sack I had been storing them in made. They are as good as gold it seems...better ironically. After some haggling I walked away with that blue batting cap, the farmhand clothes, a combat knife, a bottle of bourbon and wine, those crispy "squirrel" bits, the antibiotics (she wanted almost 200 caps for it!), and a camera and hot plate that I wanted for the copper, screws, gears and springs. She wanted 312 caps, almost all I had, so I offered a machete, one of the double-barreled shotguns, 3 bottle of Buffout and 2 RadAways as well. With all that she accepted 174 caps instead, not too bad! After we traded I went to the Rosa's and start stowing or breaking down junk and hit the weapon and armor stations to see what I could do.
The blue batting hat fits nice, I'll give the hard hat to Sturgis though I don't know if he'll cover that hair of his. Broke down the two pipe pistols and the pipe bolt-action sniper rifle as well. After drinking my fill from the Rosa pump, and filled all my empty bottles, I had enough resupply the kitchen stash and keep five on me.
Somewhere between bartering with Carla and breaking down the weapons the skies cleared and the rain stopped. Gonna see if the others want any of the gear I have gathered, maybe check on some other things.
1:45 PM: I gave Sturgis the flannel shirt and jeans and hard hat, a leather left arm and raider right leg, and some welding goggles. He accepted them with thanks and even put the hat on! I was surprised when I gave Marcy the farmhand clothes and she not only took them, but actually said thanks! Gave the military hat to Jun with a flannel shirt and jeans so he too would have some clean clothes to wear. He smiled weakly and went to change.
Spent some time harvesting all our melons and gourds (4 melons, 6 gourds), storing most in my room. After that I spoke to Preston about defenses for our community. He said a turret would make everyone feel better and Sturgis knew a thing or two about making one. I took the chance to ask him about that "Brahman" of Carla's. Turns out that's not a pet name but the name if the animals: Brahman are two-headed cattle and apparently its a normal thing now. One headed ones are considered freaks and usually put down...or in sideshows. While on the subject I asked about the mole-rat creatures and goat housefly looking bugs I had encountered and we had been eating. Ironically the first are called “molerats”, and the bugs are called bloatflies, appropriately disgusting. After that I went and found Sturgis and now we are about to get to work on building that turret. First though we need to tear down a car or two...
2:58 PM: Two cars later, took apart that sweet red two-door Corvega Atomic V8 at the entrance to Sanctuary and that pile of rust in the Russell's carport, and now we have a working turret! Took more then just car steel of course, but we had enough aluminum, screws and other materials in stock. I have to admit…I feel a lot more secure with that thing watching the street from the front of our guard station at the entrance. No one’s getting in now!
5:28 PM: Had Dogmeat follow me for a bit...think I'll want him tomorrow when I push towards the Plant some more. Spent a good amount of time evaluating my load out. Need to stay light enough to bring home anything good but have the weapons and armor I need to do the job at hand. Stashed that fully charged fusion cell in the small ammo dresser of my room, need to keep it safe for when I need the armor. I'm down to only thirteen 10mm rounds for Nora, but have fifty seven fusion cells which weigh more but pack a punch in the musket. Stashed the .308 and .38 I had, no need for those now. The combat knife weighs half as much as the machete so I stashed it and the shotgun I still had on me. Also, no more cocktails meant less to carry as well.
Stored my excess food and chems in the kitchen cooler. That helped a bit along with dropping all the mellons and gourds I had harvested in my room. Got myself down to something more manageable: light enough to be quiet and take home any goods, heavy enough to stay protected...I hope.
6:03 PM: Decided to spend the rest of my afternoon cleaning up the old place a bit. Hung a bathroom sign above our carport door in the kitchen, tore apart that old frame around that paining of lilly-pads that Nora insisted on buying at that flea market and reframed it in a new wooden one. Also tore our old broken stereo apart and replaced it with a bobble-head display...placing the Vault-Tech Perception one on there. If I find these things might as well have some place to put them. Gonna see what else I can work on.
6:39 PM: An odd storm just rolled in out of no where putting a muddy haze over everything. As a distant, booming, thunderclap hits echoes like a sonic boom I hear my Pio-Boy's Geiger counter go wild. I asked Preston and said its "radiation storms" or “radstorns" for short and it’s best to be indoors when they come. We’ll need to work on our shelters more...houses have too many holes in them....
7:33 PM: Storm cleared but not before doing its damage. I'm tired, thirsty, and hungry. Going to make something to eat an think about turning in...
8:22 PM: Muttchops, pork and beans, some Yum-Yum eggs and instamash with as much well water as I can swallow for dinner. Still peckish but not starving. That RadAway always does a number on me and though my Pip-Boy shows me rad-free, I'm paying for it. So exhausted...I’m weak and sluggish. Drank what was left in the burbon bottle and I feel a little better, but it's only temporary. Going to call it an early night and see how I feel in the morning.
Gonna flip through this old Atomic Command issue of Robco Fun and forget about the world for a while...
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