Big Trouble

Free from my bonds I am finally able to sit up. I turn so I am facing out the open side of the shelter and do my best to find a comfortable place to lean back. My back and shoulders hurt like a bitch from the landing. With my good hand and a better angle I could now take a closer look at my injuries. I don't remove the bandages but I am able to poke and feel around. I realize it could have been so much worse.

I was burnt and my joints sprained and my tissue severely bruised, I was pretty sure there was also a spray of coarse shrapnel that had fanned up my right side when the bomb went off. I had to trust that Gabriela had pulled most of that from me when she tended my injuries. But from what I could tell nothing was broken and there didn't seem to be any deep tissue damage. Assuming I could survive any potential infections or any dangers I may encounter while being so **** I think that I should make a full recovery. There would be scars, no doubt about that, but they would be a badge of honor among my kind of people.

My kind of people...I began to wonder how long Gabriela would stay with me. Would she stick around after I recovered? Fuck. She wasn't cut out for a raider's life. There was no way I'd be able to protect her twenty four hours a day. Also, if she didn't fight she'd be seen as dead weight. I look at the spiked skull tat on my left forearm. The Blood Skulls were done. I had watched at least a dozen of us go down during the ambush, including our leader. There was just me, Blitz, and maybe one or two others tops. As I think of Blitz my thoughts turn dark. I let out a long breath.

I didn't think I could live her life either. Scroungers, while a useful class of people, were the bottom feeders of the Wastes. Hiding, cowering, hiding away little stashes of goodies, scurrying around the sites of recent battles, picking through ruins, always on the move, **** to any number of threats. They were scavengers, cockroaches. It was a coward's life. I could never live like that once I was strong again. Once I got better I either had to leave her to let her live as a scrounger or I had to take her somewhere safe. If there was such a place outside the colonies.

Perhaps she could find a place among the settlers to the Northeast. They were trying to establish farms and build a proper community up there, something more than the chaotic lawless trash towns. They'd become the target of raiders for their efforts but last I knew they were still persevering. It was far away but it might be the best option. I wouldn't fit in but maybe she could build a life there. After what she had done for me...

I shake my head. There was no use thinking of this now, that decision was still a long way off. I had a lot of healing to do before I'd be going anywhere. Besides, she might finally think better of what she is doing and leave before any of that becomes an issue.

I turn my attention to the clothes Gabby had brought me. The pain is intense, and it takes me the better part of an hour, but I get the shorts and tank top on. At least my tits wouldn't be hanging out now. I take some time to rest before working at my next task. Procuring a way to defend myself.

From a cursory glance I could tell she had taken the knife, the pepper spray, and the multi-tool. There were bits of junk and metal along the trash pile that made up the back wall, but nothing hefty enough for a proper bludgeon. My eyes turn to look outside and settle on the only decent option. The rusty three foot metal bar, the one I was so sure would end my life.

With the utmost care I slowly make my way across the tent on my butt. I feel the hot dry dusty earth on bare sole and palm as I scooch out of the shaded area. The sun bears down on me, its intensity has waned a bit and the heat actually feels good. Using my good hand for balance I get up onto my uninjured foot. It is agony on my burnt and battered right side but I persevere and get up onto my feet. I am finally able to truly stretch out and my back feels the better for it. It was good to be on my feet again.

Gabby had put a basic splint on my damaged ankle which allows me to put a tiny bit of weight on it. It is enough to allow me to walk to a degree. Keeping ninety percent of my weight on my good leg at all times I make my way to the rod.

I grab it and pull it from the ground. Inspecting it I am satisfied to see it had been sheared clean through by something producing a sharp point on the one end. This would do for the time being. I also soon realize it acts as a pretty good walking cane too.

Looking around I finally get a real sense of where I am. Gabriela was right, this area was well isolated from the surrounding area. There was piled junk, mostly wrecked cars and ruined chunks of the collapsed cement and asphalt, on all sides of this roughly circular clearing. There seemed to be one narrow path that lead into the area though it was not straight so I could not see out very far. Looking up I see the site of the battle I was in yesterday. The already crumbling overpass now had three or four new chunks ripped out of it. Even down here I can see fresh blackened scorch marks. Crows and buzzards circle and perch around the battle site.

I finally look to the spot where Blitz had taken Gabriela, by grip tightens on the bar.

I shake the anger from my head, anger was useless right now. I can see where she had gathered the bits of wood she had mentioned for a potential fire tonight. As I look to the east however, and see the towering thunderheads in the distance, I suspect that there would be no fire tonight. With nothing better to do I spend most of the rest of the afternoon peeling an shattered windshield from and old car, my new weapon proving to be a useful tool as well. With great difficulty I drag it across to the pile of wood and lay it over top. I hoped it would keep the wood dry through the coming storm.

My injuries are roaring at me. I'd pushed myself too far. I stand taking deep breaths, coughing, and wishing I had even a sip of water for my burning throat. I eye the bucket of filthy wash water and ponder how bad it would be. As I stand trying to push back the pain once more, putting most of my weight on my walking stick, I hear Gabby returning. She is not nearly as quiet as usual. I hear her grunt and run into things, even stumble. Her uneven foot falls are hurried.

She enters the clearing through the path. She is hunched over and in obvious distress. Her left arm is held tight to her side. Her right hand holding desperately to a plastic jug of water. She is startled to see me out and standing on my own, and only fifteen feet away. She stops in her tracks and looks up at me. Seeing her for the first time upright I am reminded what a tiny mouse of a woman she was. I stand over a foot taller than her and was probably twice her weight. Her eyes are wide and scared as she looks down to the bar in my good hand. Her breathing is rapid and shallow.

“I...I couldn't get a gun...” She gasps suddenly. “...and I lost...food...unghhh...” She grunts in pain and sways weakly.

It is then I see the large dark stain soaking her shirt on her left shoulder and the blood dripping from her hand to the dusty ground below. In my concern I hobble toward her, lurching at her as fast as I could. She shrinks at my approach, stumbling away, and wails desperately. “Oh God! Don't hurt me! You agreed! Remember?” She trembles. “I...brought water...for us...”

I pull back to give her space. I nod slowly and look at her worriedly. I croak. “No...huuurt...Gahhbeee....”

She nods rapidly before turning and hurrying toward the shelter. I can hear her muttering to herself in a frightened voice. “I need to stop the bleeding, I need to clean it. Just clean it and stop the bleeding. That's all. It's easy. Just clean...stop the bleeding...” She sets the water down and crawls toward the medical kit.

I limp along toward the shelter myself at a much slower pace thanks to my injuries and fatigue. Emotionally my only concern was to see how bad Gabby had been hurt. With the way she held her arm and the amount of blood I am seeing it didn't look good.

My rational mind however is thinking one thing. Now we're both injured? We are in big trouble.

She never should have risked herself in taking care of me. If I hadn't distracted her Blitz wouldn't have gotten the drop on her. She wouldn't have lost her gun. If she hadn't been looking after me she'd probably be miles away from here by now. Alone but safe. If anything happened to this girl...if anything happened to Gabriela...a overwhelming sickening feeling unlike any I had never known grips my insides. Suddenly my pain didn't seem so bad. I **** myself to hurry forward.

Before I duck into the shelter I glance to the east. I can see the huge dark billowy clouds are getting ever closer. I hear the first distant roll of thunder.