Roleplay part 7

I walk over to a table by the campfire. A dead lurker covers half of it. Pushing the lurker off, I retrieve the map from one of my many pockets. I spread the map out on the table.

"Alright. Benji. If thats how you want to play it out, so be it. Just for the record though, I'd prefer to go to Mendeleevskaya. I'm eager to finish my business." I cough into my hand a few times.

"Looks like down the tunnel to Mendeleevskaya theres a mantience acces tunnel that brances off into some sort of .. room. It isn't too big for anything to live in permantely. But it'll suffice for relaxing until Dark is ready to go. Again, I'd still prefer to go to Mendeleevskaya. But its your call." I look back to Benjamin, waiting for an answer.

 

I thought about the situation for a while. I didnt really mind staying or leaving, since i wasnt in a rush. But id prefer to stay here for Darks sake.

"I think we should stay here. Im pretty sure he wont be down for too long. Maybe for a few hours. Might even be less to be honest. I say we stay here."

Saying this i stand up and stretch slightly. Waited for some more answers from the group.

Before anyone could answer i concluded, "And about the lurkers. I dont think they will be a problem. I think we just ran into them by accident and bad luck. If they do happen to show we can take care of them, and if things go bad then we can carry Dark to the service tunnel Fyodr mentioned. Down in the service tunnel."

 

"im not sure about that" I said to zenhya. "my ak is out and most of us are hurt maybe a nice rest is just we need"

 

I grunt at the brickering over the next step until I finally latch out.

"Right. Well I'll be in the mantience access tunnel when you guys get your heads out of your asses and realize this place is a fucking death trap." I harshly argue.

I fold up my map, turn around, and continue down the tunnel past Odessa and Benji. I did not want to seem hostile to the group, but I couldn't bare myself to waste time arguing over semantics. There were people bleeding out and a safe zone no more than three miles away. The fact that there was even doubt on wether or not to go to Mendeleevskaya worried me. 'Maybe Im with the wrong group? Maybe they can't keep up with my survival pace.' These ideas run through my head like nosaliases through the tunnels. When it was just Yuri and I, the next step was easy. There was no debating, there was just doing. That was the good in having a small group. I see now why having a large group can be bad. But it has its advantages, if they weren't there for me in fight against the lurkers, I may be dead. Or worse, I may have lost Yuri. I shiver as I thought about this while walking down the tunnel.

Within an hour I found it. A metal door on the left side of the tunnel, a wooden plank blocks it, along with some debris. I tap Yuri's foot and he hops off my back. I toss the board to the side, pushing my shoulder against the door. Metal scrapes against the concrete, the door had not been open in decades. I step into the musky atomsphere of the mantience tunnel. Not knowing what is inside, I place the gasmask over my face.

"Stay here." I call back to Yuri as I wander down the dark tunnel.

I remove a roll of black tape and secure my flashlight to the side of the AKS-74u. I make sure it is loaded, most likely the fifth time now, and continue down the access route. It's damp further inside. Small puddles of water collect on the floor. Not long after my enterance there is another door. Without thinking, I kick it in and causiously step inside. Two skeletons side up against the wall. A revolver in one of the skeleton's hands. Both seemed to have taken a round through their skulls. Probably a murder suicide. 'Metro life isn't for some people', I think to myself. And then I wonder if it was for me. I can easily take this revolver, wrap my lips around it, and squeeze down on the trigger. A painless death, a better death than what most people get in the Metro. But I can't. I have Yuri. I can't leave him alone. Its in this moment that I realize he's the only thing keeping me going. I snap out of thinking and I check the rest of the room. Clear, good.

"Yuri." I call out. I'm answered by pattering footsteps.

I drag the skeletons outside of the room and down the tunnel. Their bones rattle against the concrete. I leave them outside the door. While outside, I withdraw my knife and carve the sign I saw in the service room into the wall outside the door. Hoping someone in the group will recongize it. I walk back inside, taking off my gasmask before I shut the door tightly.

I go back into the room. Getting the ammo from the revolver on the ground, I toss the ancient weapon into Yuri's bag. Quickly, I start a fire in the small room. The smoke leaves a vent in the room. It reminds me of how I found the group. I do my best to sterlize the room for the wounded, in case the group wants to wait it out and recon the Mendeleevskaya before heading inside. I hope the group figures out the right move is my move. 'Am I stubborn?' I think to myself. 'No, I'm right.' I try to reassure my decision, yet it's hard to knowing the way I just left them. I start another fire halfway down the mantience tunnel. From the front door to the end of the boiler room, light does not escape. Thats good, I hate sleeping in the dark. I sit in the access route, Yuri sleeps with his head up against my leg. The AKS-74U is pointed towards the door. And now I play the waiting game.

 

Fyodor seemed to misunderstand me. I did mean to say that we were going to Mendeleevskaya, I was just mentioning that the nazis could be there. Before I could say that, Fyodor suggested that we took shelter in a service tunnel further ahead. I was about to say that that would be a good idea, but Zhenya was quick to say that we should stay in the lurker-infected station. Fyodor seemed annoyed, as he left for the service tunnel. There we were, not being sure what to do. "Alright, let us try to settle in this saferoom over here", I said as I opened the door to a decently sized room with some couches and another bonfire.

 

Fyodr seemed to seem angry at me. I didnt really get him, i mean i just suggested a option. The kid seemed to just leave with his younger brother, or he seemed like his brother to me, down the tunnel. According to him their was another service tunnel that sided to the right from the main tube.

The metro was filled with these service tunnels. They were everywhere. Before the war they were used as Depots for overnight train storages. Today, they were nothing but large areas with dead trains, most already scavanged and long abandoned. The gates to the main Depots were shut by the rangers. So that mutants couldnt get into the main tunnels from the many openings of the Depots.

I felt sort of sorry for the kid. Sort of sad. I mean he could die. Just leaving the main group, bravely lurking into the unknown. But if he could survive without us. Then hed be fine. And we couldnt waist any time.

I looked at my watch, "Its 8 am guys. 2 hours since we left. Lets wait a bit until Dark is awake. Then i say we continue. He wont be down for too long. Maybe a half an hour or even less."

Everybody sort of stood in one place. Its been one hell of a 2 days. Crazy stuff happened. I slowly approached the room where Benjamin was and looked inside. It was dark. But with a old, worn out bonfire in the middle of the room. This room looked just like the one we were in 2 hours ago. It didnt have any furniture. And it had a small vent on the upper left wall. It was just big enough to carry a small group like us.

I left the room and grabbed Dark's arms, right under his armpits.

"Hey guys, one of you mind helping me carry him to the room?" i said calmly.

 

Without a word, I walked over to Darkbringer's feet, grabbed them, and lifted him together with Zhenya. We slowly carried him over to the room and laid him carefully down against the wall by the campfire. I looked at his face. He seemed to still be completely unconcious. I hoped that he would wake up soon. Not only because I wanted to get out of there, but also because I hoped he was alright. Silently, I shut the door behind us before I walked over and sat down close to Darkbringer. "There is no need to lit the fire. It will only attract unwanted attention, and we are leaving soon nonetheless", I said.

 

hey guys. I'm back. the biopsy didn't happen, since they decided it had to be 'ultrasound guided' and they hadn't booked for that, so now I have to wait until January for it. sorry I didn't write anything yesterday, was feeling very tired all day.

*seeing Fyodor storm off like that made me quite annoyed, but there were other things we needed to take care of first, like making sure Dark was ok before moving out. we moved Dark to the little room and decided to wait for a bit till he was well enough to continue. in the mean time I decided to go talk to Fyodor and told the guys I was going to do so. quietly I left the little room and went to where they were. I knew the place. as I approached it I saw Fyodor sitting outside, with a bonfire lit in the middle of the track*

'Fyodor, listen, here is not safe, not to mention lighting up a bonfire in the middle of the track is like announcing over a loudspeaker our presence. Nosalises can smell it miles away, and the last thing we need is them joining the party. I would ask of you both to come back with me' I said to him keeping eye contact

'the other thing I wanted to talk to you about is that we function as a group, and take decisions together. if the majority decides to stay in the station, we stay there. some may not like it, but that's how it works. if you want to stay with us, you will have to abide by our rules. but if you think you can't follow them, then you are free to go, I will not make you stay. but I won't allow you either to put us all in jeopardy. do I make myself clear?' and turning around I went back to the group, sat on the floor and poured myself a coffee while giving Jet some food and drink.

 

The door creeps open. The barrel of the AKS-74u probs up quickly. To my surprise, Odessa stands in the doorway. I lower the rifle and relax back against the wall. She gives me a lecture about my actions and leaves. I scoff. She reminds me of my mother, strong and patient. I stare at my boots for a while in the silence of the matience access tunnel. Yuri sits up and stares at me.

"No .. I'm right." I respond. Yuri just continues to stare.

"Fine. I'll go apologize. Happy?" I ask. Yuri nods.

I quickly dose out both of the fires and get my gear together. Yuri climbs onto my back. I shut the door securely behind us. Looking up to the mark I carved in the wall, I ponder at its meaning. In case I ever need to use the room again, I pick the board back up and log it sharply in the door's path. Hoping this will be enough to keep people out. I walk down the tunnel and approach the group in the station. Yuri climbs off my back and I stand by the fire for a secod hesitant of words. Yuri elbows me in the side, and nudges his head towards the group. I stare at him for a second before turning back to them.

"I-- I apologize for my episode. This place ... it just reminds me of home. It reminds me of my past. I've been running from it for so long, I've forgotten why I ran in the first place. Or atleast I did until I saw this place. Then it hit me like a brick wall. My mom, my dad, Yuri's voice. I couldn't .. I still can't bare myself to stay in it much longer. But, I understand you guys know whats better for the group. If the group stays. I stay." I take a large breath after this for there was no hiatus in my apology.

It was hard for me to let my emotions out. I hadn't had a real conversation with someone in years. Suddenly I'm surronded by people willing to talk to me. It felt different, I'm not sure if its good or bad. I look back to Yuri. He wraps his fingers around mine and smiles. Well at least some one is happy.

 

Welcome back, Odessa. Sorry to hear you're going to have to do it all over again.
Is using italics for thoughts okay?
Fyodor was back, along with Yuri, shortly after Odessa returned from the tunnel. I took off my baseball hat and ran my hand through my hair, smoothing it back. Standing up, I walked over to the room where Zhenya and Benjamin had moved Dark and looked in. He was still unconcious, from what I could see.

Turning back to the group, I walked back over to the giant of a man, who towered at least a foot over my head, and asked "Sorry comrade, what was your name again? Do you think you could carry Dark in your arms?"

Directing my words to the rest of the group, I continued "Dark is still out of it. Our big fellow here could carry him till we get to the next station. They're Hansa, they should have a doctor with access to good med supplies, if that's what he needs. And if it's not, it would still probably be better for him to be in a station than out here in the tunnels." I looked to Zhenya for confirmation, and waited for a reply from the group.

It was a little scary, here in this dead station with the dead bandits and piles of lurkers. Their blood would attract other, worse things. I shivered and put the baseball hat back on. "No use hanging around longer than we need." I thought.

 

I look at the man, "Well, thats the group call. Personally i think we should stay. Itll be better for Dark. Plus he'll be back very soon. And about the mutants, well i dont think they'll come again. i mean we took care of most of the group. And if there is trouble, i think we can take care of it."

I looked at the other guys in the group, "What do you guys say? Stay here. or continue on?"

 

Shortly after Odessa was back, so was Fyodor and Yuri as well. Odessa was a woman who could do almost anything if she was determined.
"Your apology is accepted, Fyodor", I said and nodded. There was eventually another discussion wether we should leave to Mendeleevskaya or stay. Melnik wanted to go there, while Zhenya wanted to stay until Darkbringer woke up. It was a difficult decision. It would be better for us to get moving, but perhaps not for Darkbringer. "We are sitting in a corner, shielded by a door from anything that might be out there. For now, there is no need to worry, and as far as I know, we are not in a hurry. I say we stay".

 

*leaning back on the wall I closed my eyes for a second. my headache was getting worse so I took a sip from the little bottle I had for times like this. nothing weird in it, just some herbs, artifacts extracts and something from a controller's brains. controllers... somehow, I did miss them. the Dark Ones would be running for their lifes if a controller ever faced them, hell, everyone would be running for their lives. it was either that, or your brain was turned to mush and you ended up a mindless, babbling zombie. worst fate than death. Fyodor's return and Benji's and Zhenya's words brought back to the present*

'I agree. I think we should stay. there is no hurry at the moment, however, we cannot stay here too long. for now is safe though. agree guys?' I lit up a smoke after having a sip from the bottle.

*slowly I opened the letter and a frown crossed my face*

'great, that's all we need. damn you Glock' I said out loud.

'guys, there's been a change of plans. I got info from very reliable sources that Glock has moved to D-6. now, I ask you all, do you want to head to Hanza first and then go down half way to Tsvetnoi, and from there take a side tunnel to D-6? or, as I'm thinking, should we go from here straight to D-6? there is an old passage, abandoned now for years due to 'unknown perils' that goes straight to D-6, bypassing Hanza and Mayakovskaya. it would take us about two days to get there. however, going to Hanza first would add at least another day to our journey. thoughts on this please?' I said folding the letter and putting it in my vest pocket.

 

"After helping Fyodor into Mendeleevskaya, I suggest we go directly to D-6", I said, not showing any surprise at the sudden changes in information. "Everything below Mendeleevskaya and down to The Reich is highly likely flooded with nazis", I said. Nothing more was needed to be said.

 

Curiously, my eyes scan over my map. To my surprise, this 'D-6' is absent.

''What is D-6?'' I question. ''It is not on my map.''

I look over to Odessa and Benji, awaiting an answer.

 

I looked surprisedly at Fyodor as his question popped out. He was a young man, but I was still surprised that he did not know what D6 was. "D-6 is a rumor to me. I do not even know if it exists. It is rumored to be a military underground station, holding powerful weapons from before all of this. I suppose that that is what the nazis wants. Although I have lived here in the metro for twenty years, I have never been there, or been provided proof that it actually exists. I hope it does not", I answered Fyodor.

 

"But I have everything on my map." I argue to myself. "This is not possible. I have to check this again."

The map is very large, sketches log over each other causing the layout to be confusing and disorientating. I embrace myself into studies of the map and stay like that for much time.

I've got stuff in real I have to deal with. Probably won't post for a couple of days, week tops.

 

"d 6 exits and is real" I yelled." I know of it due to my survase in the russians force."
It was getting late and there wasnt much time before the kremlin spoke again.

 

"lets go to hanza first" I know of a speical tunnel from there to d6 abd then from there to where I need to go d x 60". It was the truth that I was saying but I knew it was unbelivible to hear such a thing. I then fell down my arms pulsing the blood boiling. My ears ringing burning out all noise as I screamed in agony. My sweat was pumping over my face as each vein felt as though a knife was cutting it
A burning knife slowly rusted pushing out my flesh. The world spun around distorting each image. The image then blacked out and streatched while the ringing burst out of control cuasong me to faint from the pain.