Fallout Cures

05: Pair Reconciling

A bold wind that held surprise hit hard, filled me with unheralded certainty and courage never before as I felt my knees straightened up. Magic as it could be, I grabbed a small gun in the muddy puddle and found excitement to cock it as I pointed it at a tree; therefore digging not much of a hole in it. Never before felt rush braveness to even shoot a gun.

Training day, of course, made it all happen.

T-Record: SS-201 Day: W-[21]-[2301] Given objective: to catch and possibly kill Tate

After, adrenaline seemed to festinate as speed in my knees proved power as I roamed around mushy ground to hunt for hiding Tate. And direly prevented myself to neither scream for help from Cato and Linnea who had been given the same objective as well. I tried the hardest to be better off without knowing who might be beside to protect and guide me and my fickle courage. Without creeping myself out with imaginable shapes the trees could have mustered. Truthfully afraid of the dark and what it could hold within.

But it wasn't the occasion to arise the thoughts for the clock kept ticking aloud in the skies to remind us of the pending time that remained... or else. So I strove on and on but can't possibly spot Tate whose objective was otherwise of me. He was to bury himself unseen.

Until I bumped into someone, and shivered violently. Finding therefore, that it was Linnea who sounded tired with huge huffs and puffing nostrils in exasperation.

"You should be more careful, Nad. I'm trying to hide." She said with deep anguish, of neither me but of Cato who seemed to be having true fun of trying to find her when I also bumped him a while ago.

And Cato's voice was indeed surprisingly near us as he hoaxed out, "Here, Linnea! Was never planning to kill you. I have to hand out that you are certainly great at hiding. But, anyhow, I was neither a fool." And he chuckled sardonically.

"See? He irritates me more than hiding." Linnea got up as her tiredness scampered off, but she gave a look that crudely said, "Let's face it then." And she ran off to the dark horizon where Cato's voice remained shaky.

"No!" I shouted back but never was Linnea to back out from what she wanted to do, and that was not to hide but to seek Cato and have a face-off with him. Even though Linnea's objective was not of seeking.

I tried not to meddle and choose to come in between Cato and Linnea, but objective was still on the head of mine rather than hearing their pointless bicker since I could have remembered us all. It was of nonsense rather; and I wouldn't want to follow Linnea. I was to hunt Tate, and that was what I'm training for.

And a gunshot from afar resounded which made my heart flutter luridly as I fell on my butt quite harshly. I could have guessed after it that the strength on my knees was nearing to fade.

"Naddy, are you okay?" Suddenly, Tate's voice broke out in the dark and his face shone in the dimmed moonlight. And as quick, Tate realized he shouldn't have sought me.

I stopped in the moment, and rather comforted myself and the pain it brought. But sincerely looked at Tate who might have remembered by now why we came here and why we can't talk to each other these past days.

And we both have stared off, but I couldn't have kept it shut for I was the one who broke the deep sleep of sound, "I - " but abruptly, without what I've thought, my hands both raised the gun to his head.

"That wasn't reflexes, right?" Tate asked with hands raised up in solemn surrender.

I whipped my head to deny and tried to unclasp the tight hold on the weapon but found out soon it was of no use. "Can't-"

"It's okay, try to calm yourself Naddy." He said with withdrawing motions.

I huffed tiredly, "Trying - "

"Try harder." He asked of me with much tremble in both hands.

"Try - " but a loaded gun have just resounded. And we both gasped aloud of the shock.

"You know I hate guns, it burns in my skin. Try to focus instead of how it'll hurt me badly." Tate pleaded, but I soon had caught up with what I want to do won't do.

But still, the gun pointed higher and higher, trying to point itself directly onto his forehead clouded with his colored bangs.

"Woow..." Tate nervously chanted, raising his hands up and eyes in full bloom.

"I don't think it will work if I focus on what you want." I spoke nervously fast.

"Then what do they want!?" Tate asked while we ran out of literal time.

"Why do we point guns at a person?" I asked Tate, appalled was he there. "Come on, Tate! Think with me."

"To threaten?" Tate answered with uncertainty.

The gun never dropped out of its killing stance.

"No. It didn't work. But... maybe... because people only say the truth when wanting to save their own skin?" I suggested.

And the gun lowered its muzzle down.

I and Tate looked miserably happy with it though.

"Continue." Tate said but the gun suddenly pointed at him again and cocked itself once more.

Tate breathed hard, "It's cocked twice?" he joked, but was terribly bad though.

"Okay. Truth right?" and the gun nodded. "So... is it because of the past days?" and it said its approval then again.

"How can a thing nod - " I murmured to myself.

But Tate stopped me when he looked into my eyes and spoke sincerely, "Well, I'm afraid. I keep asking myself where we came from and why we are here but neither one has ever answered me. I'm afraid of growing up and putting my no-juice brain into thinking but I thought these days - well it's the first I thought of something. But I'm afraid of the future." He said, and the gun slowly fell to the side of my knees. And I can't help but watch Tate's ever-changing eyes turn mellow brown in fear. As I could almost feel the exhaust of his fears climb into my heart when Tate took hold of my hand in his.

I could not deny of what he said, for every second and minute, this was also what I succumbed into. Restless it was to think of it, but no medicine was to assure us.

And as the dark show of surroundings came to an end, slowly but definitely the lights came to balance and it faded the training ground we have stooped on. I was neither clean nor dirty but the thought of what Tate had said gushed the known insecurity of what we might become.

But one thing was for sure when Tate asked me to seek his head, all he said was his sincere, "I'm afraid of losing my only family."

And so was I.

[end of chapter]

done! I don't have much to say actually but we're finally in chap. 5! don't worry, things are about to get serious. :)