Tales from the Wasteland, Vol. 1-3

Celeste stepped outside the gates of Megaton, the grinding metal always a pain on her ears. As the bright morning sun bathed her, she shielded her eyes. While there was no cover over the city, direct sunlight was still few and far between. Despite it still being early morning, the warmth of the summer season was already bearing down on the Wasteland. Celeste bunched up the sleeves on her brown T-shirt and turned her gaze in the direction of the Super Duper Mart. It wasn't very far, thankfully. She had seen it several times during her occasional walks. Doc Church was very protective of her, but Celeste was sure that he knew she didn't just spend all of her time stuck in Megaton, after all. It was a big Wasteland, and she liked to explore...

"Welcome...to...Megaton..."

Celeste nearly jumped at the robotic voice. "Deputy Weld", the Protectron that stood guard at the front of Megaton, surprised her almost every time. He didn't always talk, so she never knew when to expect it.

"Come on... in... pardner..."

Celeste chuckled to herself. Deputy Weld didn't ever do any actual protecting that Celeste has seen. More than anything, he was more like a sort of a tourist gimmick. However, it was still a pleasant welcome to newcomers. "Keep an eye on things, eh, Weld?"

Celeste started down the small slope from Megaton and began her walk towards the Super Duper Mart. She wished she could remember the last time she was here, but it was all such a blur... Then again, most young memories are hard for any person to honestly remember. What worried Celeste was that even some of her memories of Vault 105 were a blur, all but the same nightmare...

C'mon, girl. You've got other things to worry about.

Celeste crouched behind the shopping cart corral, pulling the hunting rifle free from its sling. She checked that it was loaded and ready. The parking lot was empty, save for a few overturned carts and a couple of abandoned car frames. The large store sign looked pathetic. The letters were crooked, and the bulbs were undoubtedly beyond help. The building was like the Wasteland in one single spot: a tattered shell of its former self. In her mind's eye, Celeste could see the parking lot full of cars and a bustling crowd. No more... The idea that life would never be normal... It was scary and sad at the same time.

The sound of faint music snapped Celeste out of her thoughts. She looked to the source of the sound: an eyebot. The self-elected government of the Wasteland, the Enclave, used the small, floating orbs as a way to broadcast their radio broadcasts and undoubtedly spy on the passersby. As per usual, it was spouting out a static-induced version of American tunes. The Star-Spangled Banner, this time. More times than not, it was on a sort of patriotic loop when President John Henry Eden wasn't making some kind of either recorded announcement or update. She only really knew this because the radio broadcast was the only one that would come mostly-clear over the airwaves, including the radios in her own home and the pub back at Megaton. Honestly, she found Eden to be obnoxious, and even a little cowardly. Nobody had ever actually seen him, and he keeps spouting over the airwaves. Eden had power, though. The Enclave and its soldiers were nothing to mess with, not that any of them ever made their presence known at Megaton...

Celeste looked down the sight of the rifle, training on the Eyebot. She eased her finger on the trigger... and lowered the weapon. No need to waste a bullet and attract unwanted attention with the noise. Two entrances, one on either side of the building. Both looked clear, but she was closer to the right side. What Celeste failed to notice until now was what was hanging above the entrance and on the busted lights. She counted three bodies, or what was left of them, strung up by razor wire like some sort of macabre warning. Celeste swallowed dryly, suddenly wondering if she was going to be next. Each body was missing the arms up to their elbows, legs up to their knees, and their heads. They were splayed crudely for all to see. Celeste took a deep breath, and ran low to the ground towards the right-most entrance to the Super Duper Mart.