Leaving The Vault

Chapter 2 - Home Sweet Home

"That's fine, I understand." She looks down in disappointment. 

I look behind her and see Charles is walking towards us, his vault suit is unzipped with the top half tied around his waist. He might burn, or he will tan nicely. His father is a construction worker, I think I see him on the roof of the farmhouse working on it.

"AYE MIKIE! Is that you?" He walks up to me and picks me up while hugging me. "Damn, it's about time you got out of the vault. WAIT... Are you joining us here?!" He looks so happy thinking that I'll be joining them.

"Unfortunately, I'm not. I'm going to travel with my folks and look around for our own place. We want to start up our own little clinic." I smile thinking about the idea. 

"I mean you could build one here." He nervese laughs.

"Thank you Charles but I think we have other plans. I didn't think anyone would build so close the vault." I turn around and look up at the vault. 

"Nether did I but we got out and Daddy saw the farming land and said this would be a good spot, so we settled hea. we saw a few othas walking by so we told them to join us."  Sky looks at the vault and then back at me.

"Well, if that is what y'all want. I wish y'all luck." He hugs me, pats my back and walks back to help finish repairs on the house. 

"You better get your man before someone else gets him." She punches my arm, I start laughing. 

"Micheal! We are heading out! Do you want to come with us or do you want to stay here?" Mom asks me as she walks to Sky and I.

"No, I'm coming Momma. I'll see you later Sky, you'll have to come visit when are done building wherever we decide to settle." I hug her.

"I love you Mikie." She hugs me and tears up a little bit, " Be safe, try to fix up and Mr. handy to be our mailman so we can talk... EVEN BETTA! fix up a few radios so we talk that way! That would be cool."

"I'll see what I can do." I let her go and start walking to my Mom. 

We meet up with Dad on the road and I look back and wave bye to Sky for now. It's scary, thinking this could be the last time I see her. Something could happen to one of us but no-one knows what. Could be raiders, could be a wild animal, could be as simple as a new disease but no-one will know until it happens. I pray that they stay safe, I hope Charles protects her with his life, they have been sweet one each other for a while now, never dated though, even though everyone said they should. 

We walk down road, weapons drown, ready for anything. We walk through a small patch trees and walk through a covered wooden bridge. We hit a fork in the road, one leading north and one going south. Dad starts walking south, Mom stops and asks why, says Flattwoods is that way and Mom said she wanted to go. She hesitates, and knots her head ok. We walks south, it not bad out here, yet. We walk up a little hill and we hear noises, I point my rifle at the sound. A wild dog, but... it doesn't look like any dog I've seen. It has no fur, it's all skin and bone. You can see it teeth, you can tell it's mutated. 

I take aim using my rifle, I look down the scope, I have the dog in my sights, I notice it is wounded.... and just a puppy. I look u from my scope, I ask my mom for her pistol she got from the Anderson's. She hands it to me and I start walking to the injured pup, slowly and quickly. as I approach the puppy I look around looking for it's parents. I hear growling, I turn to the noise and its coming from the puppy. 

"hey there," I reach my hand out towards the puppy, "I'm not gonna hurt you, Let me see what is wrong with you." The puppy growls, I squat down with the pistol behind my back, ready to us.