After The Fall Of 2012- Seventeenth Entry (565 hits)
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Submitted by frankthebear (View user info) at 2007-06-14 16:01:48 EDT
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After The Fall Of 2012- Seventeenth Entry
I think I have a serious problem. I've been on the road for a month, following the trail of the raiders as they made their way to Chicago, and for the first time, the solitude is starting to get to me. I'm having trouble thinking clearly, and I'm pretty sure I've been talking to myself. My first real clue that something was wrong came when I found a dog rummaging through the remains of some animal that had obviously been dead for at least a week.
Normally I try to avoid wild dogs, they can be unpredictable and violent, but this one seemed happy to see me and, without permission or consent, started following me. Now in a human, this behavior would be considered rude, but from a dog, it's just plain obnoxious. Still, any company is better than going crazy, so I threw him a chunk of a Follyknocker, and started to call him Bill. And apparently this is when I first started to notice I was having issues.
"You know Bill," I said, It seems like being a dog is a pretty sweet deal. You don't have to worry about relationships, or wiping your butt when you take a crap. But I gotta tell you, your conversation skills are lacking." Bill just trotted along beside me without comment.
"As a matter of fact, I don't recall you even introducing yourself properly. I was the one who started calling you Bill. What's your real name anyway?" Still no response from Bill. "I mean for all I know, your name could be Fred, or Wally, or even President Hoop. I like that, I'm gonna call you President Hoop from now on, if you don't mind, that is." President Hoop didn't seem to mind.
Five minutes later, a full five minutes later, I stopped dead in my tracks and realized I had been having a conversation with a dog. An ugly dog at that. I tried to chalk it up to the loneliness, but that only made matters worse. I had been a wanderer for a full four years after The Fall, and I had never been so affected by the loneliness before. I resolved to start writing again and avoid conversation with President Hoop.
In going through my notes again, I had to admit, my writing kind of sucks. Some of my earlier entries were pretty vague and, to my surprise, formulaic. My mind, stressed as it was, couldn't help but have the strong impression that some untalented hack was making up my mind as he went along, leading me along by the nose to whatever cruel fate seemed interesting to him at the time.
But that's just crazy. Isn't it?
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One night I received a rather nasty shock. For the life of me, I could not remember where I was going, or why. I quickly took out my journal and read it all again. Of course. Alecia. And Beth. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about either of them. What was happening to me? President Hoop was lying beside the fire, finishing his portion of the goose I had found earlier.
"I'm forgetting about Alecia!" I yelled at him. "Why didn't you remind me?! Is it really so much to ask?! You don't have to do anything else around here you know!" President Hoop looked up at me for a moment, then went back to his goose. "Oh sure! You can hog up all the food I find, but you can't pull your weight and help me remember what I'm doing out here!" I rolled over and went to sleep angrily. The next morning I apologized and we went on our way again.
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The crow looked as if a cat had half eaten it then lost interest. As I looked at it pondering what cruel fate had brought it to this half-eaten state, I heard a small, peeping sound coning from nearby. I followed the sound and soon found a nest built in a broken mirror of a pickup truck. In the nest was one of the ugliest things I had ever seen: a crow hatchling. It was crying shrilly for food.
I looked back at the dead crow and quickly came to the conclusion it was the hatchling's mother, probably killed defending the nest. Moved by pity, I looked around and found a clump of grass nearby. I started to pound on the soft soil with my open hands for a moment, then started to dig. Soon I found several fat worms, attracted by what they must have thought was the sound of rain beating on the earth. Stupid invertebrates. I brought the worms back over to the nest, broke them into small pieces and fed them to the hatchling.
Soon it was full and went to sleep. What the hell, I thought. I carefully lifted the hatchling out of it's nest and slipped it into a pocket in my jacket. That was how I met Inky.
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Another month later and I had passed through most of western New York. I had seen no sign of Sgt. Braddock and decided I probably wasn't going to. I took out the ring that Captain Hiller had given me. Inky, perched on my shoulder, made a grab at the shining ring as I held it up in the sunlight. I absently gave him a light knock on the beak, so he contented himself with knowing on a button on my shirt.
As I stood there looking at the ring, I experienced a moment of clarity such as I hadn't felt since I started on this desperate venture. As far as I could tell, I now had to take on the raiders single handed and somehow rescue Alecia at the same time. I was glad I was able to think clearly, if only for the moment. I put the ring away and brought out my map again. For all the good it'll do me, I thought bitterly.
The land had been changed dramatically in The Fall. Lake Michigan had been hit by the meteorite and had drained away, leaving a barren waste where once a massive body of water had been for thousands of years. As things now stood, I would have to cross that barren waste without being seen and somehow infiltrate the raider's base to find Alecia. I didn't bother making any kind of plans yet since I had no idea what to expect when, IF, I ever got there.
"Well guys, what do you think?" I asked President Hoop and Inky. I received the usual answer: silence. "That's what I thought you'd say."
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Fate can be a cruel mistress, but she can also be unrepentantly generous. A few days after I gave up hope for finding any more fresh water, I came across an overturned Pepsi truck. I climbed up on the top to find the side door locked. I blew off the lock with my shotgun and pulled open the door.
The contents were a jumbled mess. Many bottles and cans had long since broken open and dried up, but there were also many bottles of water. I opened one and took an experimental sip. The water was piss-warm, but still good. Feeling better about things in general, I took as many water bottles as I could fit into by back pack and went on my way. President Hoop lifted his leg and pissed on one of the tires before following.
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By my best estimation, which was suspect at best, I hoped to make it to Chicago in another three or four days. In the meantime, I tried to teach Inky how to fly with about as much experience as Steven Hawking teaching a toddler to walk. The best I could do was walk out into a field with tall grass and toss him up into the wind.
After a few tries, he fluttered his wings and took to the air. I was so proud of my little guy! I was also happy that after a few minutes, he came back and settled on my shoulder again.
"Good job, Inky!" I praised him.
"Kee!" he croaked.
This blew me away. I had never heard of a crow learning to talk, but as I had been speaking to him, and President Hoop, almost constantly since I adopted him, I supposed it only made a weird kind of sense. After all, in a world gone mad, a talking bird is nothing. I then began trying to teach him other words as I walked down the road with President Hoop trotting along at my heel. All in all, for a homeless wanderer, I felt like a pretty lucky guy. I only hoped my luck would be in when I came to Chicago.
End of entry.
User Reviews
Submitted by STIXS (user info) at 2007-06-16 13:13:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That Stephen Hawking line got me :-P
Submitted by frankthebear (user info) at 2007-06-15 15:08:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by czwij (user info) at 2007-06-15 03:09:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Steven Hawking teaching a toddler to walk
that's good
fuck, frank.
all this should be bound into a book (expanding a few points for clarity)
_____________________________________________
I am considering publishing the story once it's completed and expanded
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-06-15 13:17:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
A boy and his dog.
Submitted by DudeThatsBOSH (user info) at 2007-06-15 11:49:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
over the last 2 days I have read them all, and i can't wait for the next one.
Submitted by lover101 (user info) at 2007-06-15 09:43:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
finally, I thought you were never going to finish this, kinda like Jack and all his stories.
Submitted by czwij (user info) at 2007-06-15 03:09:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Steven Hawking teaching a toddler to walk
that's good
fuck, frank.
all this should be bound into a book (expanding a few points for clarity)
Submitted by czwij (user info) at 2007-06-15 02:51:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
BOUT FUCKING TIME!
now to read it...
Submitted by particle_man58 (user info) at 2007-06-15 01:11:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is my favorite Uber series, and its about time you got back into it. Keep up the good work.
Submitted by kuroneko_sama (user info) at 2007-06-15 00:30:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
bout time you got back online
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2007-06-14 22:34:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i liked this paragraph: "
In going through my notes again, I had to admit, my writing kind of sucks. Some of my earlier entries were pretty vague and, to my surprise, formulaic. My mind, stressed as it was, couldn't help but have the strong impression that some untalented hack was making up my mind as he went along, leading me along by the nose to whatever cruel fate seemed interesting to him at the time.
"
but if he just started writing again at that point, then what was the narrative before that point?
proving your point that you're an untalented hack, i guess.
which in a way, makes you less of an untalented hack.
nice work.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-06-14 19:12:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by NotVoltron (user info) at 2007-06-14 17:40:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i truly enjoy this series
Submitted by HateMudkips (user info) at 2007-06-14 17:30:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-06-14 17:02:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:44:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I didn't read it shlongster.
I haven't read but three posts all day...didn't stop me from leaving my expert analysis in 51 different posts, though.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-06-14 17:01:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I have no intention of letting him out of MY auto -2 club.
Submitted by Flapjacksupreme (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:44:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Good on ya franky, post an 'unban sicosemen' post and I'll let you out of the auto-2 club.
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:44:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I didn't read it shlongster.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:27:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Well, at least Beano likes it, SUPERFRENZ!
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:11:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
post-apocalyptic writing.
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GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE.. REALLY?? LIKE... ME TOO?!!!? THATS IS LIKE SO SPOOKY MAN... LIKE WE LIKE THE SAME STUFF AND STUFF... LIKE PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET MARRIED AND STUFF.
NO WAIT.
I HATE post-apocalyptic writing
Submitted by DirtyHarry (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:08:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Not his best, but I +2'd it anyway, cause I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic writing.
Submitted by DirtyHarry (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:07:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I forgive you
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:07:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
oh.
has anyone read this?
is it good perchance?
Submitted by DirtyHarry (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:07:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
hey that was completely uncalled for.
Submitted by raebuf (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:06:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Shit! Sorry.
That was meant for queen-o.
Submitted by raebuf (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:06:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
fag below.
Submitted by DirtyHarry (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:06:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
shut up beano
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:06:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
bollocks then. I'll eat the lot.
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:05:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm making bacon sammiches.
anyone want a sammich?
O man?
Angel?
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:05:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
its because i'm a bit WOAH and a bit WAH
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:04:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
bit of a wind up
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:04:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
no really
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:03:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
only joking
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-14 16:03:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
fuck off frank.