10. New companions
1044 Words
Fran had a strange feeling as she entered the huge thing. It seemed like one of their communal places where people gathered together if they had some free time.
As expected it was loud. Everyone greeted each other and spoke about their adventures outside, making her curious.
But before she could even listen to the nearest person, a familiar voice could be heard behind her. "You will pay for what you did."
With a sigh, she turned around and saw the man with a furious expression standing there with a big gun and pointing at her head.
But before he could even move his finger to shoot, she kicked the gun up and it shot towards the ceiling, while she made half kick and hit his head with her foot.
Almost like a tree he just fell sideways and sprawled on the ground. The woman this time snorted and let him on the ground, while Fran glanced at the weapon and robbed him under everyone's eyes.
Not only that. He had a big backpack on his body and she glanced inside but pushed it back. Just some clothes and underwear.
In his jacket pocket, she found a handful of bullets and calmly put them into her pockets.
Another pocket had points and she patted his face to wake him up. "Dude, wake up."
He slowly opened his eyes, saw her standing with his weapon over his head and paled. "Don't... don't kill me."
"There is only this little of humans left in this world. Every life is important. Yours, mine and other people. I woke you up as I fear that they will rob the rest of the points you have. As you attacked me first I'll get the weapon. Now stand up and come." She pushed the whole bundle of papers into his hand and stood up. "There are other ways to earn points. Not only robbing weak people. I give you only one chance."
Such a big man is perfect to take with her outside. As long he stops acting dumb. She stopped and glanced at his astonished face. "Not coming? Ok, I'll find others."
He looked around and realized that the woman on his side already left and sighed. "Fine, coming."
He stood up and followed silently behind her, while no one dared to laugh about his loss. He was almost two-meter high and burly built. No one dared to argue with this rhinoceros.
Fran was about to go to one of the counters where people waited when she saw Lucia walking with a big smile towards her. "Fran!"
"Lucia." Fran didn't mind meeting new people as she needed friends, just like any other human. "How is your new place?"
"I regretted not taking the house. Those girls are idiots. Anyway, I asked that officer to give me a house near your place and got it. I'm your first neighbor." She smiled brightly.
"Good for you. Have you been in the house?" She rose her eyebrow as she knew how her house looked like when she came.
"No. I guess it's full of dust. After one year of no one living inside, it is not a wonder. Yard probably has house high grass." She chuckled.
"Not house high, but high. I am planning to make a group and go do tasks. Wanna join?" Fran pointed behind her. "I have him and we can ask Steven."
"Deal!" Steven suddenly appeared and smiled at the big guy. "Hi, I'm Steven."
"Henry." The man just grunted and ignored him.
Steven didn't mind and winked at Fran. "Cute guy."
"Of course, I surround myself only with cuties." She naughtily winked back and made Steven blush.
Lucia had a hard time stifling laughter and pushed Fran towards the counter. "You cutie, go and check if there are worthy tasks."
"Cutie back at you." Fran chuckled and stepped towards one of the free counters. "Hi. What kind of tanks do you have?"
"First time?" The man in uniform checked the four people.
"More or less." Her answer was so ambitious that he first froze, but then coughed.
"Stop messing around. There are currently only three tasks. One is going and bringing food from the nearby town. Second is going to forest and bringing any edible vegetables or fruits you could find and three, going to gather firewood for the base." He glanced at her.
"We don't have a car. How do we go to the city?" She was stunned.
"Not my problem. You have to bring one hundred cans of labeled food. For that task, you get ten thousand points. For vegetables or fruits, hundred of pounds of it and you get two hundred points a pound. And for the firewood, you get five thousand points for a square meter. How you will go and get it, your own problem." They wouldn't pay this much if it was an easy thing to do.
"I understand." So two hundred points are the normal price for the fruits. Fair deal.
She glanced at the people behind her and sighed. "We can get backpacks and gather as much food we can. He said ANY edible food."
The three understood, but others in the big hall listened to her words and understood as well.
ANYTHING edible.
With that being said she went out. "Let's bring this person to her home. Henry, where is your home?"
"I... I guess I don't have any." He scratched his head.
"Sigh. Then come with me. I have four bedrooms. If you help me inside and outside the house, I'll let you be with me until spring. Then you have to get your own house. Deal?" She really needed help.
"Ok. But I don't know how to cook." He admitted right away.
"Neither do I. But if we finish the task, will that be the problem? We can just eat in the canteen." Fran shrugged and made him think about it.
She was right. Why cook if you can eat mutant food in the canteen?
"Hey! You take him and not me?" Lucia blinked at her with teary eyes.
"I gave you the same offer and you refused." Fran hit her with the truth and she coughed.
Lucia felt ashamed. She truly offered her that before...
- Writer
