sassylady1103

[sassylady1103]

Camden Park

I must have been really tired after my adventures in the Nuka Cola bottling plant or just plain unobservant, because when I woke in the morning, the first thing I saw down river was a white structure unlike anything I’d seen before!

Colleen was up already, of course, and brought me a bowl of Sugar Bombs we’d found at the plant. They were her favorite as a kid, but I don’t understand the appeal. I keep it to myself, though. I think it has more to do with her life before the Vault than the actual cereal.

“Col…do you know what that place is there, down river?” I asked, pointing toward the huge white structure.

She squinted toward where I’d pointed and smiled. “Well, I’ll be…it’s still standing. That, baby sister, is Camden Park, home of the Widow Maker.”

Widow Maker? What the heck was that?! She saw my confusion and laughed “It’s a roller coaster at an amusement park. They liked to give them crazy names to make you think the rides are wild or scary. It was fun, back in the day….” She trailed off, lost in memories it seemed. She shook her head a little “Spent many summer days there with Mom and Dad, cousins, friends…all long gone now.”

She went back to tend to the fire. I looked back at the roller coaster, wondering what it was like to go to such places with extended family that I’d never known.

I followed Colleen to the fire. “I want to see it. It’s so close and I’ve never seen anything like it! I must go!”

Colleen looked at me for awhile, like she was wrestling with a decision. “I need to get this vaccine going before anyone else gets infected with this plague. Too many people are pouring into this area looking for gold or a place to start over, and they don’t know the dangers. I don’t even know if I can make this Nuka Cola idea work, but I gotta try. But.” and she looked at me solemnly “ I feel like I can trust you on your own now. Go. Have fun checking out the grounds. Be careful…I know there’s scorched in there, but I think you can handle it. If you aren’t back at camp tonight, I’m coming down there.”

“Really?! I can go? Thanks, Col, I won’t let you down!” I hugged her awkwardly over the camp stove.

She laughed as she tried to right herself. “That’s fine…just if you see any, bring me some funnel cakes. I always got some when we were there. May not taste the same, but it’s for the memories anyway.” she shrugged sheepishly.

I gathered some purified water and some cram and headed off to Camden Park. I couldn’t wait to see what an amusement park was!

The sun was high and hot about the time I got to the gate, but I barely noticed. I looked up at the huge blue cat on the sign wearing a pink bow tie, pointing toward the entrance to the park. The sign read “Camden Park. Rides. Picnics. Fun for all.” I followed his gesture and passed a large park map on a sign, posted for guests convenience. Like Colleen said, the large white structure I saw from camp, that grew larger as I got closer, was labeled Widow Maker. There was also The Strip Miner, a Carousel and Radioactive Roundup. The map key mentioned games, a store and something called Sugar Heaps. Maybe that’s where I’d find some funnel cakes.

Heading into the entrance, I ran into a girl dressed as the blue cat on the sign. It was the oddest thing I’m sure I’ve ever seen, so of course I had to talk to her! “Hello, um, I’m Mags…do you work here?”

“Hey, stranger! Ready to toss some dross, ooo maybe muck up a storm, or, how about chowing down on some DELICIOUS hot dogs! All of the above, and MORE are possible at wonderful Camden Park!” The girl was so excited, and I was a little taken back. Was this place still operational?

“Wow, um, sounds great, but you didn’t say who you were…”

“Me??” She seemed shocked. “Why I’m Mr Fuzzy! Don’t you recognize me?”

“Oh, from the sign? I see…I’ve, uh, never been here before. So you’re the mascot of the park. Are there attractions here that are still running?”

“Why, we have more than I could ever name! There’s the world famous Widow Maker roller coaster! The gravity defying Radioactive Roundup! And who could forget the Strip Miner? That one’s a doozy! Tickets are rrrright this way and despite all the visitors, the lines are looking short. It’s like you have the park all to yourself!”

“Visitors? People like me….or the Scorched?”

“Scor-? Uh, anyway, yeah. I mean, they’re paying customers, too, after all.” She blurted out.

“Right. So what’s your real name, and don’t tell me Mr Fuzzy. I know it’s a suit. I can see your eyes inside that mouth and you’ve got a zipper. Just be straight with me.”

“But, I am Mr…I’m, oh whatever…Name’s Brenda. Been livin here since the war. My sister used to work here. She was Mr Fuzzy when I was a kid. Put the suit on…I don’t know why…but the Scorched leave me alone. So I wear it. Everyone’s gone, but I’ve seen some people come around now and again. Maybe they’ll fix the place up, ya know?”

“You lived here? With others?”

“Yeah, camped inside the Widow Maker. Seemed safe. Like walls to protect us. Just…no food. Others would go out and sometimes not come back. Some got the plague. They’re the customers in there…” she glanced toward the park “Then it was just me.”

I felt heartbroken for this strange girl. “Have you ever left here? There’s some settlements closer to Charleston. I’m sure they’d take you in…”

“Naw, this is home now. I don’t wanna leave. I enjoy greeting newcomers such as yourself. Who’s gonna introduce the park to people who never knew such a thing if I left? I’m good here.”

“Well, if you ever change your mind, and find yourself up at the Charleston train station, ask for Colleen. She’s my sister and she’ll help you.” I knew she would never do it, but hoped all the same.

“Thank ya kindly. You gonna get in there or what? Daylight’s wastin! Don’t forget to visit the gift shop!” She ended the conversation by waving me toward the entrance and casually strolled over to the park map, looking busy pressing flyaway corners back onto the wood.

I walked inside the park to immediately be greeted by the looming wood structure of the Widow Maker. I could see two sets of tracks interspersed inside the structure and along the top, with bright red cars frozen along the ride. Maybe it would have been fun���

I looked to my left…ah, the Sugar Heaps shack! There was the typical protectron vendor, so I went to see if I could find Colleen some funnel cakes. Of course he was out. Who sells dog food and whiskey at a place for kids? I explored this side of the roller coaster, since it seemed to divide the park. The Radioactive Roundup was definitely out of order, tilted completely off its base. Couldn’t quite imagine how it was enjoyable. The carousel was a mess, but still beautiful…the carved horses like nothing I’d ever seen. I wished I could bring them home with me.

Turning back toward the entrance, I ran across an overturned food cart. I poked inside, and to my delight, I found 2 boxes of Cotton Candy Bites and a box of Funnel Cake! I placed them in my backpack carefully as I made my way to the other side of the park.

This side had rides, games and a place to buy food. The Shunt N Bunt ride, with little cars in it, looked like it could be fun, depending on what you were supposed to do with the little cars, but the Strip Miner ride, which Brenda promised was a “doozy”, made no sense to me. It was just benches attached to an arm of some sort in an odd alignment.

The games were manned by Mr Handies, and they invited me to play, promising to reward me with Mr Fuzzy tokens. As it was getting late, I decided to go ahead and eat my meal in the picnic area instead. Just had to clear out some ticks first.

As I ate, I tried to imagine families like mine here, eating lunch, playing games, riding rides and having fun. It was a lovely spot by the river, and I could see people possibly coming by boat for a day of fun. Would we ever have places like this again? would people fix this place up like Brenda hoped?

After I finished eating, I decided to see if there was anything left here that was useful. I found a few Nuka Colas and some dirty water, along with some chems in the first aid kits. There weren’t too many Scorched, and they had been easy to put down. I wondered how Brenda would feel about me killing them.

I decided to avoid her as I left the park. I was walking the tracks of the park’s train ride, when I came to a red painted bridge, next to the river. I had intended to use it to get to the back of the park and sneak through the parking lot to the road. It was here that I ran across the body of a young woman. She was dressed in a tattered black dress, with green stripes. It seemed vaguely familiar, but I didn’t think on it too much. I checked her pockets. There was a tattered veil and a holotape, but not much more. I decided to hang onto them, though I’m not sure why. I moved on to the road and made my way back to camp, immediately forgetting the girl, wondering how Colleen had fared, and if we’d ever come back here and find Brenda still walking around in her Mr Fuzzy suit…

[sassylady1103]

Nuka Scorched

Colleen and I had decided to head west of Charleston toward the river. She said when she was young, Mama and Papa would take her there to go boating, fishing and picnic. We did family outings in the Vault…as much as we could being confined in an underground space…but I wish I could have seen this world with my parents as Colleen had.

We ambled along the empty riverbed of the Kanawha river away from Charleston. As we passed a huge nuclear power facility, we could see a few people working on the huge towers and outside structures in an effort to get the plant up and running again. Colleen said she had spoken to them and they were former Vault engineers that had worked on the generators to keep the Vault powered all those years. She believes they’ll have this plant up and running in a few weeks, which means she won’t need to rely on a generator for the apartment, though she’ll keep one as backup. The team has found that the plant seems to attract Scorched by the dozens and Colleen took them to AVR to be vaccinated. They must have been grateful to have run into her that day!

We stuck to the dry river bed on a slight descent. Colleen said that was because we were going toward the river. At one point, we met a man digging in the river bed. We said hello and talked about what good weather we had today. Colleen was making like she was ready to move on, but I just needed to know what that man was digging for! “Gold!” he told me. “Haven’t you heard? There’s good all over these hills, and I aim to find it!” I wanted to ask what he needed gold for, but Colleen gave me a look, so we wished him luck and moved on. I asked Colleen if she’d heard this before and she said she’d seen a few gold diggers. She mentioned that a woman named Duchess, who owned a bar called the Wayward near Flatwoods, said people were coming in droves to Appalachia in search of some big treasure. Duchess didn’t know much more, though. I think I may have to do some research…if gold is that valuable, maybe I should be looking too!

Eventually we could see what looked to be some sort of prewar plant in the distance. I asked Colleen if she knew what it was. “This is what I wanted you to see! It’s an old Nuka Cola plant where they made Nuka Cola and bottled it! When I was in school, we had a field trip here and got to tour the plant and see how our favorite Nuka flavors were made. I remember getting my picture taken with Bottle and Cappy….I was so excited.” Her expression, which I hadn’t seen in years, was pure happiness as she talked about her memories of that field trip. I wanted it to last, but she quickly turned sheepish and said “I mean, I was a kid and at the time…we didn’t have any other cares in the world….but I thought you’d enjoy it, so I wanted to bring you. It’s relatively safe, barring a few ghouls. What do you think?” I laughed as I said “I think I love it! Let’s go!”

The Nuka Cola plant was amazing! There’s a giant bottle of Nuka Cola on the roof! The biggest I’ve ever seen! I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures. This was the best thing I’d seen outside the Vault, except maybe the book house.

Colleen noticed I was taking pictures and asked if I’d like her to take some of me with Bottle and Cappy, the way she had when she was young. I told her only if I could take some of her too! She laughed and it was good to hear.

We got to the entrance and took photos with a Bottle statue before going into the building. Inside was a reception area, and when we went further into the building, there was a giant bottle of Nuka Cola, floor to ceiling in a huge open space. I think my jaw dropped to the floor. I had never seen anything like this!

“Come on” Colleen pointed toward a staircase off to the side “ if I remember correctly, the flavor labs are up there.” We climbed the stairs, and sure enough, we found the labs and I found a terminal that still worked that had information on all the flavors Nuka Cola was testing before the war. We even found some customer evaluations in the tasting area!

“Hey, Col! Do you think we could make up our own flavor recipes and bottle them? Wouldn’t that be crazy?” Colleen laughed, but then she looked very serious. “What if we could? And if we could add anything we wanted to it?“ she said. “What do you mean ‘add something’?” I could see her brain working quickly. “What if I could work out a way to incorporate the vaccine into a Nuka Cola and that way I could take the vaccine to them, rather than trying to get them to come to Charleston?” “That’s a great idea, Colleen! Do you think it will work?” I already knew it would by the look on her face.

We looked around a bit more and then headed out to get our camp set up by the river. Sitting by the fire after putting the tent up, I thanked Colleen for bringing me here. The river was beautiful and peaceful. I could hear insect sounds and frogs. It was so good to be able to spend this time with Colleen and exploring. I couldn’t wait to see more of the world, but first, sleep.

Forever the explorer,

Mags

[sassylady1103]

Vaccine

Colleen wanted to get to AVR as soon as we could so I could be vaccinated against what the former Responders called the Scorched Plague. We woke up, however, to a very stormy day, so we decided to put it off until the weather improved and set about doing some cleaning in Colleen’s Charleston loft.

I love this space! With all the windows, there’s such a great view of Charleston’s business district. Well, what was the business district from what I can tell. There are buildings taller than any I’ve seen outside the Vault. Colleen said one is the headquarters of the local newspaper and another is headquarters of a mining company from before the war. She pointed at yet another and said it was apartments. This was how they housed a lot of people before the war in cities. Of course, I want to explore!

We started cleaning in the kitchen area. It’s not as large as the kitchen at home, but has everything you need in a very compact space. We cleaned the stove so we could use it to make some tato soup for lunch. Our next project was the fireplace in the living room. Once it was clean and we felt certain it wouldn’t smoke up the room, we lit a small fire to help fight the damp and chill from the storm. Just those two things helped made this space so cozy! We continued to putter throughout the day and had a list of items to bring from home next trip and parts we’d need to fix the generator and fridge.

There’s some wild tatos and corn growing at the base of the stairs, so we didn’t have to go far to gather some fresh food. We’re both a little wary of all the Salisbury steak and InstaMash we’ve been eating. There has to be some powerful chemicals in those things to keep them edible after a quarter century….

The next day the sun was out, and all those windows helped announce its presence much earlier than I expected. I stayed up a little too late perusing one of my new books next to the fire. I thought about rolling over and trying to sleep longer, but I was too excited about getting to see the city some more. I crept up the stairs to the bathroom. Colleen’s bed was behind a half wall that blocked the sunrise, so she wasn’t awake yet. I decided I’d have to try to fix something for breakfast so we could get an early start.

Once I started cooking, Colleen came down the stairs, ready to go for the day. She seems older to me, now that we’ve left the vault…more like Mama than my sister. I guess it’s been a harder 6 months for her. I wonder if she notices changes in me?

“AVR is just down the road over the bridge. I guess there used to be a river running through Charleston to Summerville Lake…at least until the dam collapsed. Anyway, we should be able to get in and out, then maybe do some sight seeing.” Colleen winked at me. She knew I was always up for that!

AVR was the hospital in Charleston before the war. It was still in pretty good shape, and was used by Responders and other groups who helped those not fortunate enough to have been chosen for a Vault. Until the Scorched overwhelmed and killed them all. After seeing some Scorched on our trip to Charleston, I guess I’m glad I’m going to be protected from becoming one.

We pushed the door open and entered a dark lobby space. I could make out a seating area and a desk with some smashed terminals. There was a hallway beyond the desk and Colleen headed that way. I followed her through to a larger area, like a cafeteria. It reminded me of the atrium in the Vault. Open to the ceiling with balconies off the upper floors looking down. I could see shadows moving along the walls and the sounds the Scorched made seemed to float down from everywhere. Colleen crouched and moved to an opening in the floor. She glanced around, and satisfied it was safe, motioned me over.

“We can hop down through that hole in the wall. It’s like a shortcut.” Colleen hopped down through the floor. It was too dark to see well, but I could tell it wasn’t a far drop. I followed her down, wiggled through the wall and found myself in a lab. There was a workbench, a desk with a terminal and an auto doc.

Colleen went to the terminal and started pulling up menus and making selections, then she walked to the auto doc. “All set? Just hop in and it does the rest.” I shrugged. I gingerly climbed into the auto doc. The door closed behind me and soon robotic arms with needles were injecting both my arms with some sort of fluid. It was over in seconds and the door whooshed open. “You feel okay?” Colleen asked when I stepped out.

“Sure. So that’s it?” I asked. “Yep” Colleen answered “just the injections. Your body will build up antibodies now.”

We managed to get out of the medical center without incident. As we were closing the door behind us, Colleen turned to me “Did you know Mom worked here when I was younger? While Dad was still in the service. When he retired and got the job at VTU, we moved to Morgantown and she started working for Arktos.” She stopped and looked up at the facade, her hand shading her eyes. “It seems smaller than I remember. Come on. Let’s go back to the loft and you can rest a bit while we decide what’s next.”

I wanted to ask Colleen more about she remembered about what life was like before our family was driven underground by nuclear attack, but I was also feeling a little fatigued. Colleen had warned that could happen after the inoculation. Heading back to her cozy loft and my books was a great idea. We’re thinking of heading west of Charleston tomorrow. I’ll write more then.

Your newest vaccinated Wastelander,

Mags

[sassylady1103]

The Road to Charleston

It’s our third day on the road. What a trip it’s been! I’ve been too exhausted at night to write, but we’re in Charleston now, staying at the apartment Colleen wants to clean up and use as a base.

This trip has been amazing! I mean, it was dangerous in spots, but with Colleen, it felt like nothing. I had no idea what a warrior she was! I know she spent most of her time with Papa training in the gym, even more after he’d gone, but I just never knew what a fighter she’d become. She’s so sneaky with her silencer, the scorched and ferals we came across didn’t even know what hit them! I only had to use my shotgun a few times when there was a mob that caught on to her. I was in awe of my sister, and I know Papa would be so proud of her.

The morning we left was foggy, and it made the forests look soft and dreamy, and dampened the sounds we made. It felt like it was enveloping us in a hug. Colleen didn’t like it much, as it gave her less warning of enemy approach, but it burned off as the sun rose higher in the sky. It was a beautiful day for our trip otherwise.

I had only been to Morgantown, which is a little north of us. We headed south, so everything I saw was a new experience. Colleen was sure to point out points of interest, and I found a nice patch of blackberries that I made a mental note to come back to. We picked enough for each of us to enjoy as we traveled.

The next town over from us is a small grouping of houses, a hardware store and a Red Rocket station along the river. I didn’t see a sign remaining that told us the name. Maybe it never had one, as people there likely commuted to Morgantown or even Charleston before the war. There were a lot of scorched, but Colleen quickly dispatched them. I wanted to check out the hardware store to see if there was anything useful, but Colleen said she’d been in there previously and there wasn’t much left, so we pressed on.

We weren’t on the road much longer before we came to a small town called Helvetia. Colleen said we’d stay the night there, in the old hotel. According to the historical marker near the bridge over the river, the town was founded by German and Swiss immigrants who were craftsmen and artisans in 1869! I was amazed it was still standing. It is the cutest town with its German themed shops! Along with the hotel, there was a community hall that looked to be a meeting or dance hall, a church, a Honey Haus, Cheese Haus, post office and Freya’s Haus Restaurant. I especially loved the museum, where a few old Civil War costumes were still on display. I would guess because they were very delicate and almost falling apart from neglect they that were never looted. There was a dress that was long and had such a full skirt, with long sleeves and what looked like lace detailing at the neckline. We tried to imagine having to wear such a thing and how heavy it must weigh with all that fabric!

Colleen thinks there were settlers here until very recently, since this place looked to be abandoned recently. There was still dishes on the table and moldy food in the kitchen of the restaurant and some instruments left at the bandstand by the river. Most buildings looked as if someone had just stepped away. It was a mystery since this town seemed very suitable for a settlement.

We passed on the moldy food, but picked some Starlight berries and made a nice cobbler with dry goods at the restaurant. It was a very pleasant place to spend the evening watching the sun go down behind the mountain and hearing the river running under the bridge. That was until we heard the unmistakable sound of the scorched. “When you hear ‘Not Us’, assume they’re talking about you, and not in a welcoming way”, Colleen said as she reached for her rifle. She told me stay put in the restaurant, and I could hear some movement outside. Shortly, the movement stopped and Colleen was back. “It was just a few, but I’ll keep watch regardless tonight. Guess we solved the mystery of the missing townsfolk. I’m really glad we’re getting you vaccinated soon.” Colleen was grim when she said this. Those burned up, mindlessly wandering things were once people….people like us just trying to survive who caught an illness that affected their minds and bodies and changed them into monsters. I was glad I was getting vaccinated too.

The night was uneventful, and I woke early. Colleen was eager to get on the road again, so we had a little breakfast and packed up our gear. It was warmer than the day before and being on the road so close to the mountain meant fewer trees to shade us. As we got further from Helvetia, the landscape softened and we had some shade again. Still following the river, the road took us past an old water treatment plant. There were large tanks still full of rank water that we could smell long before we saw it. I was just wondering why no one had come along and drained the things when suddenly we heard a robotic voice saying things I couldn’t understand. Colleen told me to duck down and I followed her to a tree that could shield us from being seen from the plant.

“There’s Liberators inside the fence. I’m not sure if they can get out, but they’ll be able to shoot their lasers this far. We must have alerted them. They’re looking for us.” Colleen told me as we crouched behind the tree. She had her rifle at her side and I wondered if I should pull out my shotgun. Colleen waved me back. “They think it’s a false alarm now. We’re okay as long as we move slowly and quietly.” “Wait, you understand what they’re saying? It sounds like gibberish!” I whispered loudly to her. Colleen turned and winked at me. “It’s Chinese. Dad taught me years ago. I’m rusty, but I remember enough.” “Hold on, Papa knew Chinese? Why?” I was shocked. How did I never know this? “All the military officers had to learn. Remember there was a war in Dad’s time and the threat of more Chinese attacks on America. Which obviously happened, but I guess knowing Chinese wasn’t real helpful, was it?” She smiled sardonically, and I just nodded. I was reminded how little I must know of the family I spent everyday of my life with in a two room suite in Vault 76. No wonder Colleen still considered me a naive child.

Colleen started moving along the tree line, crouched low and moving slowly, watching where she stepped. She motioned me to follow. We did this until we were clear of the plant. I was glad when she said we were out of danger, because my back was starting to ache from the awkward crouching. We walked in silence, me lost in thought as I wondered what else I’d learn about my parents and sister, and Colleen keeping watch for danger.

As the sun was getting low in the sky and our shadows were lengthening beside us, we saw another town coming into view. Colleen said it was Summerville, and that we’d stop here for the night. “There’s Blood Eagles in town, and I’d rather not try to get around them in the dark. They are the nastiest of the Raider groups I’ve come across.” There were houses on both sides of the river in Summerville. Some were boarded up, but some were open, again as if someone had just stepped out of them. “Are there Scorched here, too?” I asked her. Colleen shook her head. “I’ve never seen them here, but there’s some wicked overgrown crabs down near the riverbed. We should be fine if we stay near the road. Here, I’ve stayed in this house a couple times. It should still be safe.” Colleen led the way to a smallish house on the edge of town. Inside was a living room and kitchen area, with bedrooms upstairs, like any other house. What made my mouth drop was that every shelf, surface and stair had piles of books on them. Books were everywhere.

“Colleen, why did you never tell me there was a library outside the Vault?” I was grabbing titles and scanning pages. “It’s not a library, really, just someone’s collection. Someone who really loved books, I guess.” She said as she picked one up, glanced at the title and set it down again. “Hey, Col, how about I keep watch tonight and you get some rest?” I offered, keeping my eyes on the pages of the book I held. “Well, just make sure you don’t get so involved in those books that you aren’t listening outside. It should be safe enough though, so call me if you need me. I’ll be upstairs. Have fun with this mess.” She shook her head as she climbed the stairs. I found a lantern, lit it and curled up on the ratty couch. I flipped through some books on the coffee table, choosing one. I was just finishing the last chapter when I heard Colleen coming down the stairs. “Okay, bookworm, we need to get going soon.” Colleen said as she was opening cabinet doors in the kitchen, hoping to find some coffee or tea. “Sure, I’m almost finished with this one, but I want to grab a few to take with me.” I said as I hastily finished the last paragraph. I started selecting books I wanted to take with me. “Whoa, remember you have to carry those to Charleston, then home again, and they’re going to get really heavy after awhile.” Colleen had a point. I had a stack. I tried to narrow it to just three books. In the end I chose four. “I know, I’ll regret this later.” I grinned at Colleen. She shook her head. “Here, give me the food. I guess I can help lighten your load some.”

We left the house and walked along the river for a bit, then Colleen cut through the houses to the river and we climbed down the rocky slope to cross to the other side hopping on some large rocks. “The crab things are more upstream. Crossing the river avoids downtown, where the Blood Eagles hang out.” Colleen explained. We climbed up the other side, which was made more awkward by my heavy backpack, but it got easier once we were back on pavement. “This road goes into Charleston, along what used to be Summerville lake.” Colleen pointed ahead. “Used to be? Did you rename it?” I teased. Colleen just shrugged. “I’ll let you decide.”

The sun was shining directly down on us and my backpack was starting to dig into my shoulders. Soon, I saw what Colleen must have been talking about. Summerville lake was a field of dried, cracked mud. “Wow, did the lake just evaporate?” I asked. Colleen answered, “It was drained. Apparently the lake was formed when a dam was built closer to Charleston. This area flooded and became the lake. Apparently there was a town that was under water until the lake drained. Now it’s overrun with Super Mutants.” Colleen stopped at what was probably the bank of the lake. We looked out over the vast lake of mud. If was the closest thing I’d seen to a wasteland since we left the Vault. “Come on, we’ll keep on the road. That lakebed is too open.” Colleen started down the road that formed to the right away from downtown Summerville. “We should be at the apartment this afternoon if we don’t run into any issues.”

We continued down the road, past some old vacation cabins that must have been nice when the lake was there. Then we passed some docks and boat houses that extended out over nothing now that the lake was gone. There were some Scorched wandering about, but they didn’t notice us up on the road. Coming around a bend, I saw what looked to be a broken dam. “Oh, Col! Do you think that dam just failed from age or lack of upkeep?” Colleen stopped, looking over the ruined dam. “No, it was destroyed by Raiders. Nuked it. Some act of revenge for the capture and killing of the leader’s girlfriend.” I stared at her. “But all those people….How do you know all this?” Colleen just shrugged. “Lot of terminals and holotapes out there with bits of the story. You can fill in the blanks pretty well by looking at the mess in Charleston. Come on, we’ll be there soon.”

Colleen got us to her apartment without running into any locals. She’s learned the routes to take that will avoid those areas. I’m excited to check the big city out! The capital building is stunning, even after all this time. I’d seen pictures of the famous gold dome, but seeing it shining in the late afternoon light was surreal.

The apartment is more like a penthouse on the rooftop of a stately brick building that housed some businesses and a cafe. It’s a lot of glass, and in amazingly good shape. It’s just a one bedroom loft, and already furnished. We were both so tired when we got in, that we just crashed for the night. We decided to take the day to rest before heading to AVR medical center for my vaccine.

It’s been a nice lazy day with time to write and record our journey. I’m almost overwhelmed by everything I’ve seen the last few days. It’s a big world out there for this Vault kid, and it’s been amazing!

More soon,

Mags

[sassylady1103]

Shop Talk

Things have been going pretty well. The weather has been beautiful and the garden is doing great! It’s been nice to eat fresh fruit and veggies rather than BlamCo Mac and Cheese or Salisbury steaks. There’s only so much of this old preserved pre-war food I can take. It still blows my mind it’s even edible…

I’ve been feeling much more myself, so I decided to work in the old shelter and start organizing all the stuff I drug out of the pawn shop. I’d just been piling it up down there as I brought it home and it’s a bit of a mess. I moved boxes, slightly worn furniture and hung old paintings up on the wall. I had lugged home several old radios and found out there’s actually a couple radio stations still on the air! I think one is automated, because it plays the same classical pieces over and over, sometimes skipping abruptly and moving to the next selection. But there is one station with an actual announcer between songs. Her name is Julie, and I have no idea where she’s broadcasting from, other than Appalachia, but it feels so normal to hear her on the radio. Just like back in the vault with our daily announcements mixed in with pre-war music!

Anyway, I was singing along with the Ink Spots, unpacking some plushies from the pawn shop when Colleen pulled open the hatch and climbed down. She just stood there for a minute, taking it in with a surprised expression on her face. I guess she didn’t quite understand what I meant when I told her I’d found the “mother load” of junk at the pawn shop. I stood there with a Mr Fuzzie in my hands wondering how she felt about all this. It was odd to suddenly feel nervous about how she’d react. I hadn’t worried about it before, but weirdly, I wanted her approval. Finally she spoke.

“So this is what you were up to when you almost got yourself killed?” I was crushed. I hadn’t really told her why this old junk was important to me. How the loneliness was getting to be too much and that maybe, if I opened up a shop for trade, I would be able to connect with folks and feel like I had a purpose. She must have seen it on my face because she softened as she said “hey, I didn’t mean it like that…more like ‘wow’. I had no idea you’d dragged so much stuff home!”. She looked around and picked up an old ship in a bottle and held it to the light. “Well, look at this…you really did find a treasure trove.”

Still unsure where this was going, I put the Mr Fuzzy down and pulled a Velveteen rabbit from a crate. I held it out to Colleen. “I got this for you, Col. It reminds me of the one you had when I was little…the one I tore up.” Colleen looked at me, then looked at the rabbit, and then she laughed. “I’ve forgotten all about that! It’s perfect. Thank you, Mags.” she brushed some dust off a red overstuffed chair and sat down with the stuffed rabbit on her lap before going on. “You know, I was thinking…you’re aware of the work I’m doing with the Overseer on the Scorched vaccine. I’ve been wanting to get you vaccinated once we figured out how to deliver it to everyone, but seeing you sick, I decided we need to move that up. I want you to come to Charleston with me and use the AutoDoc. I mean, if you’re up to it…”

There were so many emotions rising up in me at that moment. Colleen wanted me to travel with her! To Charleston! I could only imagine the people we’d meet and the things we’d see! I couldn’t even think of it all, but the most important thing was that Colleen wanted me to come with her. That meant everything! I almost teared up. “Sure, that sounds great! I’d love to see Charleston and take a trip with you! I promise we’ll have so much fun!”

Colleen smiled and stood up “well, not too much fun. It’s still dangerous out there and you never know who you’ll meet up with on the roads. You’ll have to follow my lead and jump when I say jump. I don’t want you to think this is a vacation or something.” Winking, Colleen crossed her arms and leaned against the table “besides, I wasn’t sure I could tear you away from your little shop. Looks like it will be quite the business. Are you up to leaving day after tomorrow? We’ll pack up supplies and clean our guns tomorrow and get ready for the road. Then we can head out early. Sound good?”

I could only grin ear to ear and nod. I was overwhelmed and almost knocked her down rushing over to hug her. I can’t wait to go!! Colleen picked up her rabbit and headed back upstairs. I just looked around my piles of goods, already wondering what I could take with me in case I find people willing to trade. It’s going to be hard to sleep the next two nights, I’m so excited!

More from the road!

Mags

PS pics of my efforts today!

[sassylady1103]

Kitten Crossing

Life has been almost idyllic the past couple of weeks. Colleen is still sticking around, even though she’s been holed up in the office most days working on a vaccine delivery system. So far she’s been hitting roadblocks…logistical issues, as she says. I suggested it may not be feasible to try to vaccinate this many people, but she’s determined to make it work.

I’ve been working in the garden when I have energy and sometimes Colleen helps. The mole rats have discovered the tatos and they’re such pests! It’s a wonder there’s anything left to the garden since I got sick.

I’ve been feeling stronger. No more pain and the bite is almost fully healed. I may have a scar from this, but no loss of mobility, so I don’t care. I was bound to get one eventually. I’m so grateful to have Colleen here…for the company as well as the care.

We sit at night and talk about things she’s seen in the Wasteland. I know she’s trying to scare me with tales of huge green men and killer assault robots, but it just sounds so exciting. I think she’s hoping between getting bit and hearing her tales will scare me into wanting to stay here in our safe little home, but it just makes me want to see more. I hear the danger in her stories, but I also hear her talking about other towns and people and things I want to experience!

Tonight at dinner, Colleen started talking about a place she found in Charleston. It’s a rooftop apartment from before the war. She said it’s in really good shape. Some of the windows need to be repaired, and there’s some clean up needed, but she wants to get it sorted so she has a place to stay when she’s in the area. I knew she’d leave at some point, but I’m not looking forward to it, so I didn’t ask a lot of questions. Maybe that’s selfish. I just let her think I’m too tired to talk.

With that, I’m off to bed. Colleen’s back on the terminal working on that vaccine problem. She’ll be there for hours. I wish I could understand what’s driving her to save people she’s never met. As I recall, many of these people she’s hoping to help have acted aggressively towards her, but she’s overlooking it. This a new side of Colleen that I’m seeing. I guess something like this never came up in the Vault, but I’m not sure if I’d be as brave and take on this huge task if the Overseer asked me.

Almost forgot…I saw the cutest thing today! A Mr Handy bot came down the road with a bunch of cats tagging along. They were adorable! I snapped a pic. I wanted to keep them, but Colleen said it was best not to mess with them, just in case it upset the Mr Handy. I really wanted to grab them up, though!

I’ll write more soon…

Mags

[sassylady1103]

Not Dead

Well, I didn’t die. and apparently I’m not a ghoul.

At least not yet. But I was sick for a week or so. I’m still not sure how long I was in a fever induced delirium. Colleen came home and found me wandering in the garden mumbling about irradiated animals. I’ll try to record events as I can recall them.

The time between my last entry and Colleen’s return is lost. I only remember sleeping, making tea, sitting on the porch…that’s it. Colleen told me she had come home earlier than expected because the project she and the Overseer are working on is at a standstill. I think she said they’re working on a vaccine, but I can’t remember the details just now.

When Colleen found me outside in a bathrobe she was concerned. I believe she said I was “damn lucky” she came home when she did, because I was not myself. Apparently she had some meds in her backpack and dosed me with Medex and some antibiotics. I guess I didn’t really come round until after the second Medex. I think I slept for 3 days that I can remember, only waking up to eat some soup and drink tea, then off to bed again. I’m starting to feel more myself, just so tired.

I expected Colleen to read me the riot act about leaving the house and wandering into Morgantown, but she’s been pretty quiet about it. Eerily so. Maybe she’s waiting until she knows I’m completely recovered, but sometimes I catch her staring into space, like she’s contemplating something. I almost wish she would say something, so I’d know what’s going on in her head. I’m not sure what to make of this behaviour.

I’m getting tired now. I think I’ll continue this after I’ve rested…

Well, I started this two days ago, and I may have overdone it. I ended up sleeping all of yesterday, but I’m feeling more like myself. Colleen didn’t like how my wound looked, so gave me a third dose of Medex and increased the antibiotics. My wound definitely looks better and I feel like I have more energy and stamina. Hope that means I’m getting better!

While I was in bed resting yesterday, Colleen came up to talk to me. She had a new book that she’d found for me, but after finding me so sick, she forgot about it. It’s Pride and Prejudice. It was a favorite of hers but I’ve not read it yet. The book is in really good shape. Colleen said she found it in the school library of Grafton High. I have no idea where that is, but didn’t mention it. I felt like she was there for more than the book.

She eventually brought up her trip. She had found a holotape from the Overseer on which she revealed where she’d gone after Reclamation Day, when we all left Vault 76 to rebuild Appalachia. She wanted us Dwellers to come to her and help her with the next mission. I think that’s a lot to ask, considering she bailed on us and didn’t even stick around to say goodbye the day we left 76. Colleen doesn’t seem to have any issue with the Overseer’s actions, so I kept my feelings to myself.

Colleen located the house in Sutton, and found the Overseer with her Mr Handy, Davenport. They’re hatching some plan to bring all the settlers of Appalachia together. Apparently there’s a couple groups of people already, some settlers down south and some raiders up north. The Overseer thinks if she can find a way to protect everyone from something she calls the “Scorched Plague” and has Colleen working on it since Colleen’s background was research and development in the Vault. Colleen has discovered research done on a vaccine by a doctor at the hospital in Charleston and is working on getting that operation up and running. She explained the process, all the research that had been done and what’s left to do, but I was getting tired again and I’m vague on the details. Apparently she vaccinated herself so she could test it and she wants to get me vaccinated as soon as I can travel. I know we need to study the efficacy of this vaccine, but I’m not sure I want to be the guinea pig. Colleen seems fine, but it’s only been a week. Apparently there’s an auto doc that administers the vaccine, but Colleen wants to try to make it so that it can be taken to these people, rather than bring everyone to AVR. I see a lot of problems with this plan if the level of distrust I encountered is the norm for these groups.

I love that Colleen is trying to do what she feels is right for Appalachia, but I don’t trust the Overseer anymore. Something about the whole disappearing act put me off and I can’t just let it go like Colleen has. I just hope the Overseer doesn’t take advantage of her. I know Colleen went over that research carefully before deciding to take this on, and I know she’ll work on it relentlessly until everyone has access to the vaccine.

Right now, though, it’s nice to have my sister here taking care of me. Who knows where I’d be if she didn’t come home. I’m extremely thankful that I’m getting well and can spend some quality time with her. Maybe we can tackle this vaccination problem together. I have some ideas, but first, rest and recovery.

Happy to be writing again,

Mags

PS Colleen found a lemonade stand and brought me the best glass of lemonade I’ve had since the Vault! It was run by a prewar Mr Handy, who said he’s raising money for a sick child. I’m loving having her here!

[sassylady1103]

Feral

I may have made a huge mistake.

It’s been a week or so since I found the Pawn Shop and started transferring everything to the basement to set up shop. It was going so well…maybe too well. I got careless, I guess, and didn’t keep an eye out like I should. So,the worst happened. I got bit by a feral ghoul.

This was a few days ago, and at first, it seemed like nothing. I killed the ghoul and came right home to clean and bandage the bite. I made up some of Mama’s poultice she used on wounds in the Vault. It’s like a paste, so I applied that and made some tea.

I didn’t think much more of it and went back to organising the basement and even made a couple more trips, being extra vigilant, of course. But the night before last, out of nowhere, it hit me and I can’t seem to shake it.

It started with a headache. I get headaches sometimes, particularly if I forget to eat, but I couldn’t think of a reason for it. So, I grabbed a book and took it easy on the couch. Then I must have developed a high fever. I’m not sure how high it got. Our bio scanner is broken and I haven’t found the parts to fix it yet. But I suddenly noticed I was cold, which was odd because it was fairly nice outside. Then it progressed to body aches and chills, with me shaking under two blankets. And then…my skin started to feel like it was on fire and overly sensitive to touch.

If I’m being honest, I started to get very worried. Colleen is still not home from her trip, so it’s just me. I knew I had to figure out how to help myself, but my mind was in a complete fog. All I could think to do was increase my fluids and I made any tea I could possibly think would help.

This went on all day yesterday and so today, I remembered that bite. Why I didn’t think of it sooner….

The only thing is that it doesn’t look that bad. A little red, of course, but not like it’s gotten a raging infection. I’m wondering if these things transmit a virus. Maybe that’s how they came to be! We always thought it was from being irradiated, but what do we really know about them?

So is this my fate?

I’m leaving a note for Colleen to read this entry in case I die from this, or worse, become one of them. I’m still trying to find something that will reverse this – whatever this is – but I also have to make sure she knows what happened to me.

I never thought I’d die this young. Even with all the craziness and danger out there. I thought I’d live a long life and get to see everything I’m literally dying to see. Sorry, Col, pun was intended. As I sit here on the porch, listening to the water tumble over the rocks of our stream, and the wind blowing through the trees and feel the warmth of the sun on my face, I’m praying to anything, anyone to help me through this so I can overcome whatever this is.

But if I don’t, I want you to know, Colleen, how much I love you and that you have always been my best friend and the best sister anyone could have ever wanted. I’m sorry I wasn’t more careful. Please don’t blame yourself for leaving or not training me enough. This is all on me. I knew you wouldn’t want me to go into town. I knew I should never let my guard down, but I did. Just know that I love you. Don’t live with regrets…just live every day. For me.

Mags

[sassylady1103]

The Pawn Shop

Following our outing at Christmas, Colleen expected me to just stay home, and I tried! But one afternoon, while I was gathering some corn and Starlight berries at the farm next door, I looked up, thinking about what was across the street. I could see a faded yellow sign reading “Pawn Shop”, and I could see the top of Vault Tec University’s clock tower. I walked through the razor grain toward the fence line to get a better look. What could it hurt?

I could read the sign more clearly…Buy, Sell, Trade. I had no idea what a pawn shop was, but it sounded like it could have potential treasure inside! I wanted so badly to hop the fence and see if I could get in, but Colleen would start worrying, so I headed back through the yards to the house. With all the trees between us and the farm, you can’t see Morgantown at all. It struck me that adventure was so near, yet so far.

As I drew water from the creek and sat at the fire pit to boil it, I couldn’t help but mentally wander over to Morgantown again. It was really a neat little town, even if it wasn’t how Colleen remembered…or a little dangerous. This pawn shop, and the idea of exploring Morgantown more, stayed with me…I wanted to see more of what Colleen showed me. There was still a world out there, and I needed to see it!

Colleen came in my room yesterday. Like, the sun was barely up! She was very excited, carrying on about the Overseer and getting a message on her Pip Boy…I never got a message. I couldn’t even keep straight what she was trying to say…something about the Overseer was asking former Vault dwellers to meet her or something. She ran to her room and started throwing clothes in her backpack. I asked her what she was doing? We had no idea where the Overseer was! She left a couple tapes, but it sounded like she was on some kind of walk down memory lane to me. Regardless, here was my overly cautious sister, grabbing supplies, ammo, her gun and flying out the door. So, home alone again.

Then I had a brilliant idea…Colleen wasn’t the only one who can run off on adventure! I got my own backpack prepped with a little lunch and some tools and bobby pins so I could pick that locked door. I put on my best “outdoor” outfit and cut through the yards to the farm. Yep, I was going to check out that Pawn Shop!

As I climbed the fence and started to cross the street, I looked over and saw something that almost made me fall over! There was a lady picking through a car in the middle of the road, and she looked too rough to be a from Vault 76. I froze. I wasn’t sure if I should approach her. I wasn’t getting any sense of danger or anything from her, but Colleen said there were raiders out there. Well, my curiosity got the best of me. Trying to sound friendly I said “hello” and waved a little. I got the feeling she wasn’t expecting anyone by the way she popped her head up. She didn’t pull a gun, so I walked a little closer and she asked “you wouldn’t happen to have a bobby pin on ya?” I asked her where she was from, where she was staying, if she was from a Vault…no, she said, no Vault. “I’m from Flatwoods, ‘riginally. We all headed to Gauley mine to try to avoid them bombs. Did pretty well there, until Johnny came down with the plague. Brought it to the rest of us. I lit outta there fore it got me. Been stayin where I can. Figured I’d see how picked over Morgantown’s gotten. What about you? You look too clean to be a survivor. You one of them Vault people that’s runnin around these parts now?” For the first time, I was ashamed that my family had it so well in the Vault, and I’d never given a thought to what or who was left outside. I mumbled yes, and she went back to her digging through the car. “Here” I said as I handed her one of my bobby pins, “I hope this helps”. She smiled real big and thanked me, and then did the most amazing thing…she handed me a silver pocket watch. I just looked at her. “Well it’s not like it runs no more. Don’t look at me like that. Thanks for this. I’ll take good care to not break it”. And with that, she was gone, jogging down the road.

I went on to the Pawn Shop, feeling like I should have invited her with me, but she was far down the road before I got my wits back around me. People. There were people out here! I needed to tell Colleen, but then I’d get in trouble for leaving. I’d think about that later. Looking at the shop, where the door should have been, there was a piece of wood nailed over to the frame inside. I checked around the edges and found some soft areas at the bottom…it was rotting from water exposure. I pulled my screw driver out, and pried at it. Soon I had a opening big enough to grab and pulled that wood off. It didn’t come off cleanly, as it was holding tight on the top portion under the awning, but I ended up with a big enough space to crawl through. After working up my courage and finding the best way to hold my screw driver to use as a weapon, I crawled inside.

What a goldmine! This place hadn’t been touched, I don’t think. There was so much stuff piled on shelves, tables, counters. There was ammo, guns, clothing, lamps, old furniture. There was no way I could haul it all home and now that it was open, I was afraid to leave it. I had the idea flash into my mind to open my own shop. If there were people out there, then maybe they’d want to trade for some of this stuff! I’ll call it Mag’s Shop, of course!

Walking through the quiet, dusty shop was like seeing bits of the past. I wondered if Mama ever came here. There was a tray of lockets and pocket watches, rings and fancy necklaces. Maybe she bought some for herself? I put a few pieces in my backpack. I’m sure nobody needs fancy jewellery anymore, but I liked them.

I stuffed what would fit in my backpack. I still had to be able to walk home, too. I found the cutest blue skirt with a little white dog on it. That went in, along with a black and white polka dotted scarf. Cute! So, I guess I have plans for the next several days. Good thing I already cleaned out the cellar!

I’ll write more once I get the shop open. As long as Colleen doesn’t kill me, of course. I hope she’s doing ok. Still can’t believe she rushed off to find the Overseer like that.

So until then,

Mags

[sassylady1103]

Morgantown

Colleen got up yesterday morning, and while she was making breakfast, announced that she was taking me into Morgantown for the day. I was so excited I ran back upstairs to change and find some boots. She just laughed and said she thought I should finish my breakfast. I haven’t left this house since we got here almost 6 weeks ago!

As I ate, hurriedly, she said she’d been trying to find me something special for Christmas. Then she handed me a box. The box looked pretty bad, but she assured me it was in good shape still. I lifted the lid and inside, nestled in tissue paper, was a brand new ProSnap Deluxe camera! The film inside was no good, but I learned how to craft film in chemistry class back in the Vault. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a more perfect Christmas present. Colleen looked pretty pleased with herself, as I was beside myself with excitement.

We started walking toward town. We cut through the farm next door to the house. Colleen said when she was a kid, she’d come play with the goats and cow and help the neighbor lady pull weeds in her garden. The lady would share extra fruits and vegetables with Mama in return. Now the house is pretty run down and what’s left of the large garden has grown wild. I’m not sure if anyone will live here again, but I may come back to grab some things from that garden later.

As we walked, Colleen was preparing me for what we’d see. She said a lot of zombie like creatures called ghouls tend to roam the streets,especially in the residential areas. She suspects they once lived in these houses, since not many people are living in Morgantown these days. She said the only organized areas, if they could be called that, were the scorched-people who’s flesh looked burnt-at the airport and the high school. She said we’d steer clear of them, and they weren’t likely to bother us.

As we came into town, one structure commanded my attention first. It was a big brick building with red and white striped smokestacks reaching into the sky over a warehouse. MAMA DOLCE’S was emblazoned on the side under an American flag banner. Colleen glanced back from up ahead and said it was a food processing plant that put out canned meat stew. She said it still had working parts and once in awhile a group of people will start it up and make some canned stew for their groups around the area. She witnessed it once and it really got the ghouls in a tizzy! The group running the plant seemed to expect it and took care of the threat with no issues. She said next time she sees it running, she’ll come by and try to talk to them. My brain almost exploded. Other people? I begged her to please talk to them, and she just smiled and said, in time. She’s so darned cautious!

As we passed Mama Dolce’s, I saw a trio of stately brick buildings. The central building had a clock tower and I’m sure it’s the tallest building I’ve ever seen. Colleen stopped next to a burned out car. It was long and black. A limo, Colleen said. Used to drive rich men around. That’s when I noticed the immediately recognizable Vault Boy statue in the courtyard of the three buildings and the stone sign: VAULT-TEC UNIVERSITY. I looked at Colleen, and she had an almost sad smile. “Papa” I said and she nodded. This was where he worked before the war. Before the Vault. We walked up the steps and I was filled with awe. I had never known my parents outside the Vault, like Colleen had. This seemed like a more special trip now.

We passed through the campus and came upon a street that seemed to be mixed residential and businesses. Colleen told me about how this used to be such a busy area with students from VTU, as well as the local high school, businessmen and women grabbing lunch at the diners, a local brew at the pubs, coffee at the Slocum’s Joe or checking out the bookstores. Mama would bring her to meet Papa at the little diner next to campus on the nights he worked late. She said it really hit her the first time she saw it…the reality that Vault 76 is likely the only real survivors left in this world. Morgantown is pretty much a ghost town.

As we walked among Fraternity Row, where Colleen had said she had seen a Christmas tree on somebody’s balcony, we ran into our first ghouls. Apparently they had been sleeping in the street, and our presence got them to rouse and look about with curiosity. Colleen motioned me back and pulled her rifle. You could barely hear the shots leaving the barrel as one, then another, crumpled and fell back down. It was spooky seeing one up close. Knowing it was once a person like me, that now roamed aimlessly. Did they have any thoughts or memories anymore? Do they feel pain or anything? I wondered who they used to be, and felt bad that we were lucky enough to be saved and they were left to this.

Colleen called me out of my thoughts. She found the house with the tree and some Christmas lights. It was up on the second floor balcony, so we dragged some crates over from the road so she could climb up there. She then lowered the tree down to me using some rope she’d brought with her. Oh my goodness, I’d never seen anything so perfect! It must have been made of aluminum as there was no rust and the colored ornaments still looked good. We wouldn’t know if the lights worked until we got it home, but I didn’t care. It’s was beautiful.

The two of us struggled carrying the thing back to the house, but we managed. I had hoped we could check out these stores we were passing to see if there was anything useful left. She just smiled and said “next trip”. I let it go. I indeed wanted another trip!

As we passed by VTU again, I asked if Mama had worked nearby. Colleen said, no, Arktos Pharma was more southwest of Morgantown and the house. She said if I wanted, she’d take me one day, but that security robots still patrolled the building. She hadn’t been inside yet, and of course didn’t want me to until she knew it was safe. I think I rolled my eyes because she caught me and laughed. She said there’d be plenty of time for me to get my exploring done and just be patient.

When we got home, we set the tree up on the front porch and went inside to clean up. After we’d had some dinner, we strung the lights up and checked them out. After some tightening of some loose bulbs and jiggling some wires, they lit up! Colleen just stared at the colorful glow, lost in her memories of Christmases before the Vault. I got up, kissed her head, and left her there with her thoughts. It had been a long day, so I headed up to bed. What a perfect Christmas present.

More soon, Mags

[sassylady1103]

Thanksgiving

It’s been a month since Vault 76 opened and we all entered the wastes of Appalachia. Colleen has been out almost every day exploring and trying to get an idea of the dangers we face. I’ve been here cleaning up the house and trying to make a good home base. She definitely has the better deal, and I’m trying to convince her to take me with her next trip. Once she feels comfortable enough to take me, I can show her that I can handle myself. I hope!

Meanwhile, Colleen found the parts we needed to fix the old generator that was in Papa’s old workshop at the hardware store in Morgantown. I’m surprised that generator was still here. Maybe because it took me hours to dig it out from under the old boards and dirt. We’ve been working on it, and finally got it to start up. Now we just need some working lightbulbs and can save these battery packs for emergencies. I also asked Colleen to look for a toaster on one of her scavenging trips. Who knew I’d miss toast!

It’s Thanksgiving in a few days and I want to make a festive dinner-even if it’s just the two of us. Colleen thinks I’m silly. She says it’s not the same world and that holidays are just another day. I don’t think she really believes that, and a holiday is what you make of it. It can be a holiday anywhere, anytime, if you want it to be.

While Colleen makes a good point, that the world is changed and there’s no reason to worry with traditions, I still feel that it gives a sense of normalcy. Isn’t that what we’re trying to accomplish here with the house? I know even Colleen views it as more than just shelter…it’s home. So shouldn’t we keep some of the traditions that were once part of this place? Traditions that people felt were important enough to carry to the vault with them? Yes. That’s why I’ll be cooking up the Radstag Colleen killed. I’ll make some corn and tatos from the garden and pick some mutfruits for tea. It’s not traditional, and I’m far from a chef, but I think it will do. We’ll take real break from Wasteland Survival and be grateful that we’re together and have a working generator. It’s the small things.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love, Mags

[sassylady1103]

Vault Life

Maybe I should start with the only life I’ve know until now…Vault 76. I was born there, two years after the bombs fell and everyone who could ran underground. Mama and Papa would talk about what life was like before the war. What it was like outside of the Vault…at least until nuclear annihilation. Mama would draw pictures for me so I could see what it was like and show me the few photos they had with them when they entered Vault 76. Movie night was my favourite. Every Saturday night we would gather in the training room, where there was a projector, and watch prewar movies. The original Vault residents would get quiet or nostalgic about how much they miss their former lives. Kids like me who were born in the Vault and had never seen the sky would soak up every detail of the film. We only had about a dozen, so I’ve memorised a lot of old films!

I spent most of my time hanging out and helping Mama and the staff in the Medical wing. Old Doc Cain would let me watch as he performed minor procedures…I even got to see babies being born! Mama said it was good to learn first aid and simple procedures. She taught me so much about plants and how to use them as medicine. I learned how to make StimPacks and dilute RadAway and RadX to get more out of our limited supplies. Mama made me a beautiful chart of the flowers I can use for teas and poultices using paints from the Activities room. I really miss her.

I went to school, of course, and graduated when I was 16. Colleen says school was better on the “outside” because there were field trips. If you count cooking classes at the Cafeteria “field trips”, then I don’t understand her. That class was boring.

I would play soccer in the Atrium with other kids, but Colleen never did. She was always in the gym with Papa. He made us go on Sundays when he would teach us self defense, but Colleen couldn’t get enough. Mama would smile and say she was a Daddy’s Girl.

Life was pretty routine for us Vault Dwellers. It was just the last few years when things got interesting. One day the Overseer sent an announcement that Reclamation Day was close. Apparently the plan was to open the Vault and let us out after 25 years. When I heard that, and when we started taking survival classes, I got so excited! I was going to see the sky!

I’m going to close now. I’ll write about Mama and Papa soon. I miss them and wish they could’ve seen these stars.

Until then, Mags

[sassylady1103]

Mag’s New Journal

I’m so exited that I found a working terminal and I can start journaling again! I had to leave my previous journal behind in the vault. Colleen warned me that I needed to do a backup of my terminal, but I got a little carried away taking photos before we all left. I used all of my hototapes and forgot to save my journal. But that’s ok! This is the start of my new life, so new journal!

Introduction: my name is Margaret Fiona Kelly, but I’ve always gone by Mags. Not Maggie like my grandmother, who died, so I never got to know her, or Meg like mama’s sister, who also died in the war. We were lucky that way, I guess. My parents were chosen to come to Vault 76 because Papa was retired from the Air Force and a professor at Vault Tech University. He was able to bring his family, which was just him, mama and Colleen at the time. I was born in the vault. I’d never seen the sky until Reclamation Day….the best day of my life!

I’m 23 years old, and Colleen still treats me like a kid. She’s been so overprotective since Papa died 4 years ago, just 2 years after Mama…but she wasn’t the only one Papa was preparing for the outside! Now that we’ve found our old house in the outskirts of Morgantown, she treats me like I’m a prisoner! I told her I wanted to see more of the outside, and she promised she’d take me to Morgantown the next time she goes for supplies. I can’t wait so I can find some goodies to bring life back to this house! I can’t believe it’s still here. Some of these places…well let’s just say the years haven’t been kind.

The house is pretty nice. I imagine the brick helped keep it standing. Colleen says Mama’s insistence on quality helped the floors and furnishings last all this time. Papa always made sure the repairs were done, so no leaks or anything! But some things do need replaced and if I have to be stuck here while Colleen’s out wandering around and making things safe, then there needs to be some upgrades! I’ve spent the last 2 weeks since we left the vault cleaning, and I want to make this a home for us.

Colleen feels very emotional about the house. She was 8 years old when they left, and now she has a lot of memories flooding back. We even found her old toys in her room. She’s sleeping there. She told me to sleep in Mama’s room. Even though I never had a life here before, I sort of feel close to Mama and Papa again, so I’m glad we came here.

Anyway, I’ll write more later. Colleen should be coming home today after her trip to Charleston and I’m making some corn soup from what survived in Mama’s garden. It took awhile to clean it all up and identify everything, but it’s good that we have it. It’s almost like Mama’s still taking care of us.

Until then, Mags