Tales of the Wastelander Ch. 03

"Because towns that big... they nests for Screamers," she said.

"Screamers?"

"They... humans. Used to be humans. After Great Change, which kill many humans and make my people... some humans survive. They change into... monsters," she replied.

"How are they monsters?" Ben asked, his curiosity dragging him along.

"Screamers... no longer speak like humans. They not think like humans. They scream, they eat, they shit... they kill," she said.

"What do they eat?"

"Meat. Fresh meat. They attack any who they see," she replied.

"Are they fast, like Clackers?" Ben wondered.

"No. They slow, but they keep chase. When they see you, they scream. Scream very loud, hurts ears bad so ears bleed," she said, educating the man.

"Ai! That has to hurt like a son of a bitch!" he said with a wince.

"That not worst part," she responded.

"What is the worst part?" he asked.

"When they scream, other Screamers come to see and they all chase," Ylva explained.

"So, they chase after you like a horde then. A horde is so many people, animals or monsters, usually hundreds, sometimes thousands. Too many to count," Ben told the big woman, when he saw her look of confusion. She then nodded at the understanding of this word.

"Yes. They come like horde. Too many to kill. If one, or small group, easy to kill, if they not see you," Ylva went on.

"Is their eyesight any good?" he asked.

"Only close. They cannot see far away. They see movement, they walk closer to look. Screamers wander everywhere," she said.

"But they like to congregate in towns and cities?" Ben wondered.

"Yes. Unless you have many hunters or warriors, going into towns or cities is... death," Ylva finished. "Best to avoid fight if you can."

"Good to know!" Ben said as he resumed his watch over them.

They continued westward, using the back roads, and avoided towns wherever they could. Ylva seemed to know the way, though. Ben knew they were still in Canada, or what was left of it, but he was confident that they hadn't even cleared the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). He kept his eyes peeled but wondered about his companion and why she was up there to begin with.

"Ylva?" he called out.

"Mmm?"

"I'm curious why you are up this far north. I know you said it was because of family, but I'm wondering about the details of that. Who is it you're looking for?" Ben queried, trying not to come across as too nosy.

"I'm here, searching for my cousin, Byrgyt. She was taken," Ylva stated a bit brusquely.

Ben figured it was a touchy topic and let it go. Ylva looked at him in that moment and saw the look on his face, having a change of heart about telling him almost instantly. She could tell that he was wondering about why she risked herself the way she did and over who. She sighed for a moment and decided to tell him the whole story.

"Byrgyt is a good friend. My best friend. She was off hunting but never came back. We look for her, but find nothing, only some broken weapons and blood. I decide to go look for her, because we live in dangerous lands. Want no attention, so I go alone. Tracking her," Ylva began.

"I follow trail from where she was taken, through trade posts and small towns of my people. They all tell me of slavers who pass through with Byrgyt. How they come north, further than most border towns, looking for items from the Before. They use slaves to help search and use them... other ways," she went on, giving Ben a knowing look.

He nodded, remembering how the slavers had used Ylva right in front of him. Logic dictated that such things would happen when there was no law. This wasn't like the movies, where everything was happy, clean and free of the darker side of existence. This was real life, where people were raped, murdered, robbed, beaten and an innumerable amount of other horrible things. He looked back at Ylva, imploring her to continue.

"Last town, eight days away from us, was where I almost got them. They leave in middle of night as I get there, moving quickly. I try to catch them, but they catch me, drag me with them. They make me slave like Byrgyt, but when they take me, Byrgyt already gone," she told him.

"They killed her??" Ben asked incredulously.

"No, thank the spirits! They trade her to other group of slavers. Leader tell me, before I kill him," Ylva stated.

"They traded her? Did that big fuck head say why?" Ben asked, hoping she wasn't killed.

"He say that she too much trouble. She kick, bite and punch. Always in sacks!" Ylva snorted with a laugh. Ben was confused for a moment, before he understood that Ylva meant their ball sacks. He joined her in laughter, snickering towards the end of it.

"Byrgyt sounds like a fighter! Much like you!" Ben commented.

"Yes, she fights well. Auntie taught her and me how to fight. She also... hard head, like rock," Ylva giggled. Ben figured out what she meant by that, how Byrgyt was stubborn and unwilling to give up.

"In this day, I suppose that's a good thing. With the world having changed as it has, with so many ways to die, it's the only way to survive. By being too damned stubborn to die," Ben stated.

"Yes! That word... 'stubborn'... it means hard head like rock?" Ylva asked.

"Yup. Also means you do things a certain way or think a certain way and not change or bend," Ben explained. "Can be a good thing or a bad thing."

"Byrgyt both good stubborn and bad stubborn then," Ylva snickered.

"So then, we're headed after those slavers that bought Byrgyt then?" Ben asked, pretty sure of the answer.

"Yes. You don't want to go after her?" Ylva asked, sounding a little sad.

"Why would I not? First off, it's not like I have anything better to do and second, someone innocent is in trouble. For the first time in my life, I have the power to do something about evil fuckheaded slavers. If I can bring them to justice, count me in for the search for Byrgyt," Ben said with conviction.

Ylva smiled and was positively grinning by the time Ben finished his brief speech. People who had such altruistic ideals these days were rare, as everyone was out for themselves. He also came across as an honorable man, which made her feel warm and tingly inside. Though she'd heard this sort of thing before, there was something in Ben's voice that made her believe him.

"I also must look for her. Not only because of your reasons, but because of promise I make to auntie and mama. That I find her before I come back. No matter how long it takes," Ylva replied.

"Mmm. Promises to family must always be kept. Family first, family always," Ben told her. Ylva nodded in agreement, glad to see that he shared her values.

"What about you? How you come here?" Ylva asked, posing the question to Ben.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You know why I come here. I want to know why you go into vault. Tell me your story," Ylva insisted.

Ben nodded, as he supposed he had this coming, since he'd opened the can of worms about Ylva and her story. So, Ben figured it was fitting that he tell her his tale, from start to finish. He told her everything, breaking things down so she could understand them and teaching her some new words along the way.

Ben left nothing out, stating his reasons about why he went into the cryo tube. About how he came out to vault much older than he anticipated, his search for anything outside and his escape from the Clacker horde. From there, he went into how he ran into the slavers by accident and his subsequent capture.

At this point is where he ended the story, as Ylva knew what happened since then. Ylva was quiet for a few minutes, processing everything that she was told. She looked pensive and curious about things, but soon smiled and looked over at Ben. The look was one of happiness, but also of pity, which Ben wondered about.

"It must have been hard to leave everything you knew behind," Ylva said.

"It was in some ways, but I didn't know that this was the world that would be here to greet me. The way I look at it is that I wound up in a world that is better in many ways. No preachy types, telling you how to live your life, no politicians trying to run you into the ground, and no one trying to control the way your life turns out. This world is one where you can be completely free! For that, I have no regrets," Ben exulted.

"No regrets?" Ylva asked.

"Well, only one regret. I regret leaving Samara behind. I truly loved that woman and though she is centuries dead, I can only hope that when she met her end, that it was quick," Ben lamented.

"That is all we can hope for, when it is our time," Ylva said with a sympathetic smile, as they rode onward, heading further into the wilds of the unknown.

* * * * *

Elsewhere, in another facility once owned by the conglomerate CryoTek, the latest and last cryo pod opened. Inside of which lay a woman, who was just coming to wakefulness, her eyes trying to pry themselves open. She breathed deeply, her first deep breath in centuries. She groaned as she finally opened her green eyes, taking in her surroundings.

She slowly sat up, craning her head around to see if anyone was there. There were several people standing by her pod, most of them looked to be pod techs. They looked to be observing her as she came out of stasis, and she looked at the one person who wasn't a tech and smiled. It was Chelsea, her best friend! It was amazing that she was here, like she said she'd be!

"Miss?"

The woman turned her head to the owner of the voice, who was a narrowly built man. He appeared to be in his thirties but looked like he was the lead tech here. She looked up at him and replied.

"Yes?" she responded.

"Do you know your name?" he asked.

"My name? My name is... Samara. Samara Rodriguez."

* * * * *

And that's where this chapter ends folks! Thought I'd leave this little teaser/cliffhanger here, just to show you how I plan on expanding this story! Several new quests have popped up for our hero and his companion! Off to rescue Ylva's cousin from slavers, through a wild and untamed wilderness! Will they find Byrgyt alive? Will she still be the same woman that Ylva remembers? For those answers, stay tuned for more chapters!

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read my work and I do hope that you've enjoyed it! I'm open to constructive criticism and will seriously consider any suggestions made about various story arcs. Please feel free to rate and comment on my work down below. If you like what I write, don't be afraid to follow and share, though your views, ratings and comments are quite enough for me.

In the meantime, this is C.H. Darkstrider, signing off to grab a beer and some quality time with the wife! ;) You will attain whatever you most desire, as long as you believe in yourself. Cheers!