The Power Hungry (Mad Max: Fury Road Fanfiction)

22: Treasure

      FERAL

      The dead call for me while I sleep.

      First, saw my mother, with her face blurred and warped from my lack of memory of her. She traced her claws down the side of my face as laughter fell from her mouth. Then, Splendid, with her limbs twisted at odd angles and the bottom half of her dress drenched in blood. She screamed in my face how we should have gone back for her, that she died in the arms of her rapist and she will never forgive me for that. Then, Hummer, who lit my body up in flames with a touch of a finger and a smile under burned flesh. I see Botts, Torch, Rattle, And Taz all ripping me apart like a desert dog rips up a bird. Lastly, there is Capable, with her long and soft fingers around my throat, cutting off my airway. I felt as if my eyes are going to pop from their sockets, and I twisted and thrashed under her grip. Capable grinned wickedly at my struggling, the red line of blood running across her throat mocking me with it's brilliant color. 

     "Coulda saved us!" She sing-songed, her teeth sharpening into deadly fangs, "Coulda saved us, yes, you could've!" she cackled, "Whatcha gonna do when the wasteland comes for you?"

     I don't know when I wake, but the first thing I register is the fact that it wasn't really the ghost of Capable strangling me, it was just my lungs acting up again. I rolled onto my stomach and wad up my blanket, burying my face into the fabric to silence my hacking. When I had finished, my body trembles and my head feels like it's made of water.

    I glanced over at Nux in the darkness, seeing that he was still fast asleep. I let out a shaky breath and wipe the cold sweat from my forehead, resting my chin on my arms. I think that sleep has lost its welcome for this night.

      I notice is the sensation that the Citadel is alive. There are quiet voices, fleeting footsteps. Anxiety rushes through my veins as I imagine more Gastown boys flooding the halls. I jump to a squatting position with the agility of a cat, eye darting around warily. I slowly stand and creep towards the exit, poking my head out before departing. The signs of life grew more frequent and loud with every step I took. It seemed to be coming from the general area of the black thumb's cave, and the elevator entrance.  My boots only made little padding sounds as I trudged along, my hand finding a blade in my pocket.

    I emerged into the dark cave, my breath coming out in slightly wheezed huffs. I was met with a group of war boys huddled around a car that seems to have just been lifted up in the elevator. I didn' recognize it, which struck me as strange. All that I could see through the small crowd was a human skull strapped to the hood. I let my knife drop to the floor, and I shouldered my way to the center of the war boys.

      "What in the name of V8 are you all-" I began angrily, but was cut short, as the shock was too strong to allow me to speak another word. 

     Capable was standing there, but she didn't look the same. Her hair was cut to her ears, and seemed to curl even more densely while they were so close to her head. She was wearing an emerald shirt with the sleeves ripped off, cargo pants, and she had a gas mask hanging around her neck. None of it made sense to me, so I just stood there with my face slack and my eyes wide.

     She smiled at me, "Hello, Feral."

     I rushed to her without a second thought, throwing my arms around her neck and pulling her close. It was only minutes ago that I was dreaming of her dead spirit, imagining her blood clotting the sand. Now here she was, standing right in front of me. One life that I can say I didn't take.

      "I thought you were dead." I said quietly.

      "The new Mayor wanted me to be his breeder." I pulled away from her as she spoke, frowning.