A Savage Life
Chapter 16

I sat up, a feat I found almost near impossible, and crane my neck painfully around to see that Sadie had her hand shot off. Not literally, but a couple of fingers were gone. “Who Dunnit,” was the theme going through everyone’s thoughts. The only person who didn’t think that was, of course, drum roll please, Sadie Reynoltz, who looked upon her missing ligaments with fear, right before she let out a long, howling, wail. A wail so loud I wanted to clamp my hands over my ears or knock her teeth loose. The only other noise I heard was, “Look!” from none other than, the screaming Sabine, who pointed at the Mysterious Woman, standing on the roof of a house, yards away, with a sniper rifle in her hands no doubt. Luckily for us, all the soldiers were preoccupied with caring for their cruel and hateful Slave Driver. Why? I guess a speedy death for those who didn’t care.

I look to where the woman was, and I didn’t see her. A couple of moments later (I had to repay my debt, there’s no way I was going anywhere in my condition) I saw her bounding towards us, killing soldier and priest alike with her Winchester rifle, as she signaled us to go to the right. This is twice she’s saved our lives. Two times in a row. Why? What did she have to gain? And who was she? She didn’t say anything else, but Sabine did, and he pulsed out, “Get up you loon! Do you want to die here?” And he picked me up, and threw my hand over his shoulder, and we both started to make an effort to move, the Mysterious Woman joining in.

Then we started to run, until I had ran off enough pain to run on my own. I took this as a last minute chance to ask Sabine some questions. “Daughter? Science experiment? Radiation Leak of 3054?” I shout hysterically to him as we run.

“Long story I’ll explain later when we’re not being shot at.” he replies as frantically as me.

Good point, but he better have some darn good explanations for all of this. And he never gets the chance to.

He was shot, through the throat, dropping him almost instantly. The Hooded Lady and I skitter to an immediate stop as Sabine fell. I leaped forward and grab him, making sure he didn’t bump his head against the ground. Then I heard a single pair of footsteps pound onto the ground, and I knew who it was-Sadie. She had an instantaneous look of pride, I could see it in those hazel eyes of hers. She was proud of what she did. And she walked over, laughing.

“I’ll let you say the last goodbye ever, Daddy.” Sadie taunted in a cruel tone at her barely breathing father. I glared at her, until Sabine grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me down to his face. He had to tell me something very important, but his voice was barely a whisper when he spoke.

“Josh,” he started softly, struggling to speak his words. I leaned in closer to listen. “You may be in a different scenario, but don’t let that stop you Josh. Keep going, and don’t stop. I’ll be alright.” His breath started to shallow and he gripped my hand, and he used the last of his strength to say, “Josh.” And then he slipped away from me.

I felt a tear trickle into my eyes, and the Woman’s hand on my back, but that didn’t stop the anger from bubbling up inside me. So many deaths. So many sacrifices. Too many faces. Hurt. Pain. Love. Friendship. Blood. Gone. Corpses. Joe. Joseph. Lana. Farris. Dehlila. Luke. Rodger. So many. Too many. Too much to count. Then I heard Sadie laugh.

“Aw poor baby lost his buddy?” she mocked. She kicked me and the Hooded Woman, and held a gun to the Woman’s face.

“Well, since you’re in pain, and I hate to be rude, I’ll let the lady go first, then I’ll make sure you are reunited with Sabine in a few seconds.”

She then taunted us with a sadistic chuckle, as if this was even more amusing than killing itself. I let her cock the pistol, and the Hooded Lady just stared on, like she was gazing into the distance instead of the barrel to a gun, and little did they know, I had a trick up my sleeve too. I pulled out my pistol and unloaded it into Sadie Reynoltz. Nobody saw it coming. Nobody did. Not even the Hooded Woman, who looked as shocked as ever.

I especially destroyed her stupid face, I was so sick of looking at it. The Hooded Woman looked at me, obviously impressed, and thankful that her work of keeping me alive had not gone to waste. But she could not stop me from mourning. For the first time in an eternity, tough, kick-butt me cried. I cried over everything. I haven’t even been here three days and now look. Why me? Why do I have to endure this? I don’t want anybody else to die. I don’t. I really don’t. Who else am I to lose now? I... I just can’t anymore, I can’t. And I continued to cry. Wow I need a therapist I’ve been through so much.

The Mysterious Woman knocked her elbows into me, signaling that it was time to go, and rightfully so. I heard footprints coming for me and her, so we went our merry way out of Junktown, before she left me, once more, to let me be on my own. I also can’t forget that a man named Tarold Greysing, Sadie’s second-in-command, would come after me next.