Story Part 1
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2002 1:46 am
After a long break........
Scene: Wastelands
Time Period: After Max's revenge.........Post-War
The vehicle idled at a quake-like rumble, puffs of exhaust thrusting from its side pipes. From inside the vehicle, the sound of the murderous winds, which rocked the scarred black car, drowned out the engine's rumble. The windscreen smeared with a thick layer of grim, made visibility in the windstorm next to nothing.
Max, cautiously licking his lips, slid the vehicle into gear. The vehicle responded effortlessly, despite its outward appearance..........Max kept his vehicle in top-notch condition mechanically. Max guided his vehicle towards the long-abandoned farmhouse, which was located a few 100 kilometers inside the old forbidden zone. The black car glided up to the house, and then eased up behind it into an out building to keep it from view from the road when the storm was over.
With a long scanning search around the premises, Max decided it was safe, and killed the engine. He readied his weapons, and then exited into the storm in search of shelter within the farmhouse.
The building was a single story structure, with clapboard siding and a large covered porch attached to the front of the house facing the road. Nearly all the windows were broken, but despite that, the building seemed very structurally sound. The house still contained all its furniture, but most was shattered beyond all recognition amongst the floor.
Max made a strategic sweep of the house, clearing it for any threats, then returned to the largest room of the house and rested on one of the few chairs that somehow avoided destruction from looters and vandals. Max's eyes grew heavy and he dosed off to sleep as the storm continued to pounded the house.
The next day
Max awoke to a dead stillness. A nearby shutter periodically slapped against the siding of the house from a slight eerie breeze. Max checked the house once more, then went out side to view the horizon. There was nothing in sight. Max studied the farm. Fields burned, dry and cracked soil, several burned buildings, a farm tractor on bare rusted rims, with wiring dangling down like it was disemboweled. At this point, Max was able to study the exterior of the farmhouse better, and in his studies he observed that the house sat on a stone foundation. Max went back in.
Within several minutes, Max found what he was looking for. Max retrieved a small torch from his belt and readied his revolver, and with the small torch in his mouth Max released the mechanism and a small panel in the wall sprang open. The torch pierced the darkness to reveal a typical stone basement below the house. Max waited a few seconds, then slowly walked down the stairs into the black void.
Max made a scanning sweep the basement, several cots a table and chairs were set up. Although not disturbed, the area had not been occupied in some time. The only light, beside his torch was a small beam of sunlight that filtered down from a hole in the wall on the frontside of the house under the porch. Obviously it was intenionally put there by the former basement dwellers to be able to view the road and the dangers it brought.
Max considered himself lucky to the first to scavenge the basement of any useful items.
He began his search. Not long into the search, the light of the torch illuminated the eyes of a hidden animal among the clutter. Max moved in, inticipating a possible meal.
Max somewhat startled, revealed a hideously famished dog curled up in the corner. Max spoke to the dog in a soothing tone, and gently pured some water from his canteen into his cupped hand in front of the dog's mouth. The dog began to slowly drink...........................and that was the beginning.
