[Krylo]

Spending the Holidays with the Family Pt. 2

SHIT! He must've h... wait, he's not shooting?

I need to get in there... see if the kid's there... find out about the murder, but he's got that gun trained on my head, and I don't want to start shooting yet. I don't know how many there are... though I find it hard to believe the people who did... what I saw... I can't believe they're not murdering me.

"It's, well, I'm looking for something really important, please, you've gotta let me by!" Shit, that's never gonna work.



What the shit? It worked?

He continues, "If I were you, I'd speak to Vance. He's our leader. Likes to hang out on the Mezzanine watching over the common area. He can probably help you find whatever it is you're looking for."

I nod simply. "Thanks a lot... hey, who's The Family, anyway?" I ask, trying to sound innocent.

"We are a badass gang and we don't take shit from nobody. Don't like too many questions either, get in there before I change my mind."

I just nod quickly holstering my gun and raising my hands. "Right... thanks again! I'll be going now."



As he goes to open the gate, though, I think that there was something odd the way he said 'badass gang'. I believe the part about not asking questions... but... something seems off, here.



This place is nicer than Evan's place, really... and he wasn't kidding about the ordinance, Judging by the assault rifle on that box. They've definately got guns.



Well, let's meet the leader. I take a deep breath and open the door.



I walk down the 'hallway' as calmly as possible, trying not to look like I'm here to kill everyone or whatever.



...They don't look like crazed killers. What the hell is going on here?



A woman approaches me, got the same hair cut I do. Cute.

"If you got the money I got the time"

"...What?"

She smiles a bit... oddly. "Well, well. I'm surprised you don't know me. I'm Brianna... I... take care of the men around here. Well, unmarried ones anyway."

Well, they've got their official gang whore, anyway. I try not to look too disgusted, but I think she picks up on it.

I just thank god she doesn't say anything.

"So... taken care of any new guys lately? Maybe by the name of Ian?"

She thinks for a minute, "Oh yeah... Ian. He hasn't really joined our little family, so I haven't had time to... sink my teeth into him." Her smile is strange. Predatory, but not in a purely sexual way. It sends shivers down my spine, and she catches on again, letting out a laugh at my reaction. "Don't be such a stick in the mud, cutie... you gotta have fun out in the wasteland..."

"Um... yeah..." it wasn't the sex that bothered me, "But... about Ian?"

"Oh yeah, he your boyfriend or somethin'? You must be into some fun stuff to be datin' that kid." She gives me a once over, licking her lips one more time and sending another shiver down my spine, elliciting another lilting laugh from her. Thankfully, the sexuality leaves her voice when she finally answers my question, "Anyway, Vance has got him in lock down for the time being. We all had to do it. Let's us think on ourselves, you know... decide if we really wanna be part of this. No one's forced." She actually sounds somewhat... loving? But not in a sexual way. Like talking about a parent someone deeply respects. "You're going to have to talk to Vance if you want to see him."

"Thanks." I disengage myself from her as quickly as possible. I can feel her smile boring into my back. Jesus Christ, she was looking at me like she wanted to... EAT me.



I hope Vance isn't as goddamn creepy.



That must be the man.

"Welcome to Mersetti, Human."



I really don't like the way he said 'Human'. What... are these people?

"My people call me Vance. I lead this group of weary travelers and outcasts who need a home. And... to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"What... is this place?"

"What you see before you is the last bastion for the down trodden and..." I tune him out as he goes on and on about how wonderful this place is, beneath the sun-baked wastes blah blah... wait... what was that?



...Holy shit. Guess this explains the traps on the way in... sure lead people to your doorstep but kill them before they get there. It's like ordering take out! But better because you don't have to actually order anything! Fuck.

My skin goes pale and it takes an act of will not to reach for my gun. They haven't gotten violent yet... but there's no doubt these are the people who killed Ian's family. Fuck, no wonder they were so mutilated. Fucking eaten alive, probably.

"Wh.. what?" I ask, stuttering slightly, hoping that I misheard. Misunderstood. Something.

"Humans call for our extermination or reform. Reforming implies something is wrong with us..."

Goddamn right there's something wrong with you. You fucking eat people. Fuck.

He's still talking, though. Still talking. Must not be hungry. Shit this explains the way that woman was looking at me, too. She DID want to eat me.

"I see my teachings as an improvement. A way to transcend our cannibalism."

"...Transcend?" I ask, my voice wavering a little bit.

"You are more accepting than most of your kind." Not really. I'm just scared shitless because you out number me and the only working weapon I've got is a goddamn pea shooter. "But, yes, transcend. You see, we no longer eat the flesh of humans. We merely drink their blood. What would that make us in your eyes."

Great. They just rip out people's throats and drink their blood! THAT'S A LOT BETTER, VANCE! WAY TO REASSURE ME YOU AREN'T PSYCHO KILLERS OR ANYTHING!

Fuck fuck fuck.

"I... don't know?"

"Then that is a mystery you will have to solve on your own. In ceremony..." He talks more. Lots more. I don't care. Something about each member having to recite some stupid laws. He wants me to go find out what they are or something. Fucking why? Is he goddamn toying with me?

I must look like a goddamn juicebox to these people and now he wants me to go find out about their laws? Fucking my head, that's all.

He walks away after his shpiel.



And his wife walks in. She seems like an alright sort. Maybe...

"You know Ian?" I ask, testing the waters.

She smiles a bit, "Yeah. Vance has him in meditation. Sorry, but he's gotta stay locked up."

I put on my best sad face before speaking, trying to make it as believable as possible. "Hey... I uh... I was his girlfriend," I decide to go with the lie Brianna thought up, "We were pretty serious before he disappeared, and I'd like to at least see him, you know? Make sure he's ok... make sure WE'RE still ok..." I sound so good I almost convince myself.



...And I convinced her too.



Guess it's time to meet Ian... don't know how the hell to get out of here though.



He's an alright looking kid. Wouldn't have minded if the girlfriend thing hadn't been a lie.

"Eh? What do you want?" he asks as I enter.

"Evan sent me to find you..." I don't say 'after I found your parents brutally killed by the people out there.

He smiles a little bit at that. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'm sure he's pretty pissed right now."

I shake my head. "More worried than anything, really. You alright? They hurt you?"

"Hurt me? ...No... they haven't. They've been protecting me. They're even going to let me join their family if I want once I finish this meditation." He doesn't sound scared of them at all. Actually a little worshipful. Like they're his heroes or something.

"Ian they..." He looks up at me questioningly. "They killed your family Ian... I saw 'The Family' written in blood over their corpses."

Ian looks down shaking his head. "No... they didn't."

"But I..."

He looks back up cutting me off, "I killed them... I ... I've always had the urge. Back when my sister was around she helped me control it, but my parents? They... they never knew about it and I just couldn't help myself. I blacked out... attacked them... I don't know what happened... when I came to Vance had pulled me away from them, and then he and one of the other members drained their blood and wrote that there... don't you get it!? They protected me... protected me from killing my own parents... so that... so I could go back there if I wanted to."

Oh God... this kid... he's... all thoughts of him being cute leave my mind. This place... these people, they're all sick.



I take a deep breath and walk to the door, mechanically almost. It swings closed, I hope it'll muffle the sounds.



I say something flirtatious. It takes a few minutes but he smiles and starts walking toward the bed.



I can only think of what I saw... his family. He's not human. He's a monster. Some kind of monster.



I pull the pistol free and take aim.



Ian is no more. The gun shot echoes through the room, though. I'm almost certain they heard it.



I put down a few mines I liberated earlier in the hallway to Ian's room. Figure I can use it as a fall back point if they heard me.



They did. Someone's coming. Looks like Holly, Vance's wife.

I reach into my shirt, pulling out one of my grenades. These fuckers deserve nothing less.



Plant it right at her feet. Should have killed her, but a hail of gunfire from the debris tells me I'm not that lucky.







I run back to Ian's room, ducking bullets and leaping over my own landmines, before letting the door close. The gun fire stops and there's silence for a few moments.

I hold my breath. The waiting is awful. I know it's probably been under a minute but it feels like days. I'm trapped in this small room. What if they disarmed the landmines? What if she got the others and they're about to bust in?



Then the blast throws the door open.



I feel almost bad about it, she seemed like the best person out of all of them. But, she was still a blood drinker and she tried to kill me.

Besides, I can't feel too bad when that's a submachine gun there. My chances of survival just sky rocketed.



I head back into the hallway, and I hear a sound to my right.



A grenade slides out of my jumpsuit with ease that feels almost unnatural, as I slide it into the door, while turning my face away for cover.



I can feel the heat and pressure, though I'm far enough back that it's not painful. A few shards of shrapnel hit the rocks around me, and I make a mental note not to throw them so close anymore.



I have to backpeddle out, though, drawing Holly's submachine gun, as Lance manages to pounce through the blast, his legs looking like ground beef. I open fire.





He was a tough son of a bitch, but now he's just more mess on the walls.

I help myself to his flaming sword, though I turn it off and slide the blade into a belt loop.



Nobody else seems to be coming right away. I slink forward, and find no one else has come up. Maybe they couldn't hear from way down there? Doubtful. . . might be they just figured Vance and Holly were enough.

Either way. . .



I decide to place a land mine at the top of each stair before looking down.



They really seem oblivious.

Gives me time to line up a shot.



He barely even moves as the bullet smashes through his brain pan. If I couldn't see the gray matter across the table I'd think I had missed.

Regardless, bullets start to impact around me and I pull back before I can even see what's going on.



I hear a blast a few moments before I see a couple injured family members coming around shooting.



I return fire, but I feel the sting of bullets tearing through my abdomen as I stumble backward, barely holding it together.



I grit my teeth and draw Vance's sword as I cower around the corner, figuring I can get the drop on them when they come around.



I see one and come out with a swing. The blade's sharper than it looks and I feel the flesh of his throat give easily, even as I notice another standing next to him ready to fire.

I continue moving my blade along the same line, and it gashes through his arm and into his ribs. I place a foot on his chest and kick him off down the ramp as I roll back into cover, my arm and stomach taking AR fire as he shoots wildly in his death throes.

I smash against the wall and fumble for a stimpak. Blood is running in rivulets down my arm as I inject it into myself. The painkillers calm my nerves, and I pull out my hunting rifle.



My arms are still shaking. They've got no strength left in them.



Explains why I only clipped her head instead of killing her flat out, when I roll out to take a shot.

I quickly roll back in to cover however, and drop the rifle, pulling out the SMG again.



The second she steps past the wall I pull the trigger.



Not much left of her.

I take a moment to survey my work. Everyone dead, and riddled with bullets.

Well... except the guard... he might not have heard all that, though. Might be able to get the drop on him.



I head back out, weapon drawn and ready to go.

Though I fully grasp the importance of stealth, right now. He has to die quickly if I'm going to live.



He saw me again... opened fire... I opened back. A bullet slices through my cheek. Another rips through my naked stomach... but my aim was more true. I'm holding in my guts as I inject another stimpack.

I head back into the station. There's plenty of first aid here... enough to keep me alive, at least. Even find some, non-human meat, food. Some guns. All kinds of stuff. More stimpaks. As I bandage myself, allowing my wounds to heal I realize that King's not going to be happy with Ian's death.

Whatever. For now... I'm living here.

Lonely weeks pass. I would love to see someone else, but at least it's safe here. More time passes before I start to run out of food, and I realize I'm going to have to leave.



My wounds have healed... but I don't know where else to go. I just know I'll have to go somewhere, for food, at least. And... some company.


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So now where?