I don’t know when I woke up. All I know is that suddenly I felt vaguely cold, and gently ached.
‘…where in the name of Tir am I?’ Something creaked and gave out, almost, as I sat up in the chair. The gentle sound of my gas mask cycling mixed in, a white background.
‘Right… an APC. Ow. Fuck, what the-’ I snap up, looking around, and-
I can’t help but recoil at the sight, making the sign of Tir over my chest. “Wordbreaker!”
Bodies. Twisted. Red, red, red, covering olive green and gray metal. Dark gray ceramic peeks out from behind the fabric shell of one woman’s shattered chestplate. Ragged holes in the metal wall, peppered here and there, scorched by something.
“…fuck.” Now, I remember.
‘I am Myali Nyloki. I am… twenty years old, in the National Falntyri Army Reserve. I… We are to advance to the Gamri River, and take up positions there.’
“…well we sure didn’t get there, then…”
Carefully, I… Try to not look at the bodies, collecting some extra supplies from the other packs, picking up my rifle and backpack.
The blood won’t come off the top of mine.
I replace it for someone else’s.
Now, I creep outside. The metal door at the back of the IFV is open partially, but it doesn’t want to open, so I give it a shove-
SKREEEEEEnk! “Oof!”
And fall flat on my face, tripping out of the IFV.
‘Right let’s get the fuck out of here, I think they heard me in the afterlife…!’
Alam Forest is dark. Everything’s shades of gray, and I hear the distant drumming of battle.
One of the veteran Army women told me that I’d be better off staying low and moving slower, erratically. The brain and eyes are great at seeing quick movements or consistent movements, apparently.
So I do. Sort of. I hope I’m doing it right, anyways.
‘I need a place to go… Where’s the map?’
It takes some remembering, but I manage to make use of my landnav courses from basic.
‘Huh. It looks like we were pretty close. I wonder what happened?’ We’re maybe twenty kilometers out from the Gamri-
crack. “…!”
I drop into a crouch, rifle up, looking around, ears turning-
‘…oh. Just a moose.’
Feeling my face heat up a little, I turn away, and hastily pack away the map.
===
Thankfully, it’s only autumn, and not winter. Otherwise, I’d be an ice soldier rather than just cold…
“Brrrh…” My ears flick, again.
‘Stop that. I got over it in middleschool, I’m not having it come back-’ Flick.
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“…”
Tir at least blesses me with the magic of self heating rations… “…I still don’t get why people don’t like these.”
Honestly, they’re better than what I got in highschool.
There’s even a dessert that’s not just crispy vaguely sweet fried dough! I have… Never been this excited for apples.
“Mmh…” I probably should eat quicker. I’m partly hidden by this big rock, but for all I know this smell will attract whatever wildlife still lives here…
…or for that matter other people. ‘Don’t the Emayans have those infra-red sights on their tanks?’
Great, now I’m paranoid.
I finish up, and quickly throw everything into a ditch. Gotta find somewhere to sleep…
“…the fuck?” There’s a light in the distance. I don’t know why I didn’t notice that earlier.
…and I probably shouldn’t investigate… But…
“…try not to die like this, Myali.”
I keep my rifle close, walking a little closer. It’s the glow of electric, not flickering fire.
Slowly, I sneak, hopefully, up on the… House?
‘Maybe some rich asshole’s old summer cabin? Fuck. Maybe I can get in and turn off the lights, sleep in the basement or something.’
As I get closer, though, I see broken windows. A damaged door. The lights are mostly off-
Someone steps out the back door. Then another. One of them is carrying a bag and holding a pistol, the other cradling a long rifle in their arms.
“…you sure, Crowe?”
“If we don’t take a risk, we starve. Come on, we’re almost home free…!”
‘Scavengers? I didn’t know there was anyone still living here. I… guess I’ll let them be.’
The two go off into the night. Area seems clear.
I give it thirty seconds, and then make for the house entrance.
Taf taf taf taf shump. Rifle up, clear the entrance, the entryway, room with the light’s on the right.
Open the door, cringe as it squeaks, get in the room, flick the lightswitch-
“…hooh.”
That should be that then. Inside it’s so dark that I can’t really see, which is a bit-
Thump. “Hnnnmgh…!”
Of all the times… To stub my toe… WHY NOW?!
Gingerly picking my way back through the room with the light, I close and lock the front door, then see about how I can put as many walls between me and the world as I can.
===
A basement, with its own bathroom, and for some incomprehensible reason, power.
Actual, electric, power.
Meh. Not going to check the labels of a gift.
A quick paranoia check of the dosimeter and chemstrip, they both show nothing. The basement can be locked too.
‘Two deadbolts, and a doorstop flap? Wow.’ Maybe a panic room, then.
Stepping back into the center of the gray concrete room, I give it another glance.
The bed is at the back of the room, next to a wardrobe A chest of drawers on the left wall holds a casual fucking 4,350 Lot, plus some odd outfits, one still wrapped.
Out of curiosity… Skritch.
“Is this a diving suit?” It’s black rubber, but thin and presumably body hugging.
Whatever. I shouldn’t pry, or steal. I leave the money alone, and put the clothes back in the box as best I can.
On the subject of clothes, I take a sniff of myself-
“Ech.” …I should shower, truly.
Strip out of everything, place my rifle by the bathroom door, double check the locks, and…
‘Showering makes noise. Plus, the water still running would be a miracle. Then again this place is pretty off the grid…’
I grab the dosimeter and a chemstrip.
Fshhhh… Faucet water runs clean after a few seconds. Chemstrip doesn’t show anything. Put them aside.
I splash water onto myself- “KNH! C-cold…!”
Push… Push through it…! I finish up quickly, and borrow a towel from the basket near the bathroom.
‘Oh hey look more top quality shit. Circle below, this is softer than my fucking pajamas!’
I wipe down my fluff and body as best I can, then borrow a comb for my ears and hair, looking in the mirror…
Apparently I just forgot what pain was. Cut across my right cheek, fairly deep… Better salve it as best I can.
“…” Disinfect that, throw a bandage on it plus some antiseptic, check elsewhere… Nothing else, apparently. Lucky me.
Shut off the bathroom light, leave a note on the bedstand, leave the dirty towel in… Probably the laundry bin?
And back into my kit I go…
“…maybe not, actually.” I grab that towel again and moisten it, then start wiping down my uniform, then flak jacket, helmet, mask…
“…better than nothing.” I’ll change the bedsheets in the morning if I have to.
I put my rifle on the nightstand, and pull the ceramic armor from my jacket. Doesn’t feel like there’s any cracks on inspection.
Put it back in, put on new pair of socks, put old socks into the plastic bag, brush teeth, do some stretches…
‘And now, sleep.’
“…” One of the vets, he told me that I should just close my eyes and relax.
I hope… It works…
===