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Progression

Progression

A Chapter by Damac
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The Group decides they need to get a move on

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“Being prepared and being ready are to different things. Being ready is the brutish, warrior type thinking where you have the essentials. You’ve got your Shield, Armor, and Spear. Being prepared is the thought after that, its that extra armor you have on your back or that knife hidden in your boot...”


Andrew woke on the hard wooden floor of the shelter. He looked to his sides, Gear and Veronica were already gone, up and ready to face the challenges of a new day. Andrew got up as well and headed to the bathroom.


He looked at himself in the mirror. He had changed, he wasn’t the same kid he had been three months ago when he stepped out of the shelter. His skin had been deeply tanned, his hair had become blonder, he looked more and more tired everyday. But it wasn’t just the physical changes. It was the mental changes, the trials he had to endure in just three months. Murder, Torture, Corruption, Starvation, and everything else in the apocalyptic world he now lived in. It had driven him more cynical, and every passing day, he felt as if the hope was being driven out of his body. He combed his hair, washed his face, and then headed out to the main room.


Out in the main room, he saw Veronica and Gear packing bags. Luke was sitting up on the couch, reading a book.

“What’s going on?” Andrew asked, confused.

“We have to leave, we’ve been here too long.” Veronica said.

“What, you mean right now?”

“As soon as possible.” Gear said, slinging a sack over his back.

“Why? Luke still needs more time to heal.”

“I’m fine for road travel.” Luke said, looking up from the book.

“I doubt that.”

“No, it’s true.” Veronica said “We have his leg in a cast and Gear brought back a wheelchair from the salvage he found yesterday. We can wheel Luke down the road.”

“Well where are we going?”

“As far away from New Gotham as we can get. We don’t want Imperial or Congressional scouts tailing us.”

“Are there any nearby settlements?” Andrew asked, looking at Gear.

“Not that we know of.”

“So we are just walking out into the Wasteland to die?”

“No, because at least out there we have a chance. Here, death is guaranteed, whether by the Empire or Congress.” Gear said, with a serious look in his eye.

“Right.” Andrew said, turning to his brother, “Come on, let’s get you in that wheel chair.”


Andrew pushed Luke out the front door, following Veronica and Gear. He felt his skin baking in the hot sun as he looked out into the desert in front of them.

“How much water do we have?” Andrew asked Veronica, as he checked to make sure his Revolver was in it’s holster.

“Not enough, we need to ration it.”

“Great.” Andrew said. The four trudged off into the Wasteland, walking across the old, cracked road to do so.


As the four walked they came across an old shack sitting at the bottom of a hill. It was made of very thin rusty metal and very poorly put together. It consisted of three walls and a ceiling, no nails holding it together, it was all a balancing act. Nevertheless, the four could see several boxes and crates laying around the floor of the shack.

“You think they have Food and Water?” Veronica asked.

“It’d be worth finding out.” Andrew said, just now noticing the sweat dripping down his face.

“Wait here.” Gear said, putting his hand out in front of Andrew and Veronica. Gear walked forward towards the shack, looking at everything he could with the corners of his eyes. He stepped towards the shack, nothing out of the ordinary. He began to increase his pace and eventually he stood on the dirt floor of the shack. “We’re clear!” He said, motioning for Andrew and Veronica to approach. He then turned his attention to the crates, picking up the first one he saw, he looked inside it. Inside was a small circular metal device, it flashed red and emitted three high pitched beeps in rapid succession. Gear barley had time to turn around and wave for Andrew and Veronica to get back, when the mine exploded.


Andrew saw Gear waving for him to get back and then saw the explosion.

“Gear!” He heard Luke shout. He immediately grabbed Luke’s wheelchair, and spun it around 180 degrees. 

“We have to get out of here!” He shouted, and with Veronica following, the three ran for the other side of the road, diving behind a rock to use as cover. Andrew pulled Luke out of the wheelchair, and pressed his back up against the rock, “You don’t move, understand?” Andrew said, drawing his revolver.

“Yes.” Luke said, fear in his eyes.


Andrew and Veronica peaked over the side of the rock. They could see the shack had collapsed, the metal pieces now laid in a pile where Gear had once been standing. Andrew saw four people, three men and one woman, walking down the hill behind the  shack.

“What do you think they are?” Andrew said.

“Just raiders, we can take them.” Veronica responded.

“You sure?”


“More than.”

Andrew pulled his pistol up to his face and aimed down the sights. The raiders hadn’t spotted them yet, and were scanning the area for anything. Andrew placed one of the men in his sights. A big man, no shirt, leather pants, with spiky blonde hair. Andrew placed the mans head dead center on his sights.

“Do you need my help?” Andrew heard in his head.

“No.” He thought to himself.

“Very well.” The voice responded.

“Andrew, on three.” Veronica whispered to him.

“Right.”

“One...Two...Three!” Veronica shouted, but just before they could open fire, Gear sprang out of the wreckage of the metal. He grabbed the rifle of the raider next to him, a tall, lanky guy with brown hair, and ripped it out of his hands. Turning it on the man, he fired two shots into his chest. The woman, who was behind gear, turned and aimed her pistol at Gears head, Gear jumped backwards onto his back, and the massive demons form crushed her out of existence. From his back, he then used the rifle to kill the other two raiders, shooting them both twice in the chest. He then stood up, collected the raiders weapons, and walked over to the other three.


Andrew and Veronica pushed Luke over to Gear fast, and the three embraced him.

“I thought you were dead!” Luke said, still hugging his mutant friend.

“It will take a lot more than that to kill me!” Gear responded.

The three backed away and Andrew took a look at Gear, “Are you alright?” he said, noticing a couple small gashes and a lot of burn marks on Gears skin.

“Do not worry, it will heal.” Gear said, comfortingly, as if Andrew were the one with the injuries.

“Well, good.” Veronica said, looking down the road and taking a rifle from Gear, “We still have a ways to go, but at least we have weapons now.”

“Thankfully.” Andrew said, taking the same and giving a shotgun to Luke for defense. The four continued their walk down the road.



© 2011 Damac


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Reviews

I like this chapter, very exciting and intense. I like the dialogue and how you had the characters interact, and I loved Gear's role in this chapter, how you brought him more into the story and how he was the center of attention. Good job overall.

Posted 12 Years Ago


This was a well - written chapter and i think like it's title it's progressing . I did think maybe killing Gear so early i thought of it maybe as a missed oppurtunity as maybe you could of developed him more so that when he died there was more of an emotional attachment not just from the characters but for the readers but then i saw he's back alive and kicking so there's room for improvement .

My favourite character is Veronica , I just like how she is and her attitude and her way of speaking and i hope for some material being written for her but i don't know what you have planned and the story is progressing into something more and we're starting to learn more in baby steps so it's not forced or rushed . I like how you've stuck to developing the characters and their personal storylines instead of involving like the change in society as i think that would be the route authors would take first but i think it's time to write about the changes as we need to learn more of the changes so we can see it resonate with the characters .

well - written peice with exceptional dialogue and progression of storylines .

Posted 12 Years Ago



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Added on November 30, 2011
Last Updated on November 30, 2011


Author

Damac
Damac

New York City, NY



About
I'm just a writer looking for a place where I can write without limitations! I am currently Writing Four Stories: Operation School: What Lies Ahead - A sequel to my first ever work of writing, O.. more..

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