Chapter 5 - The Escape



Chapter Five
The Escape

 

     Back at The Nest, Elizabeth cries in her room. She packs her outfits and items into a bag, thinking of how Sylvester expressed his love. She wishes that she could leave with him, she despises what she has become. She swears that her life has become hell.

     Suddenly, Madame comes barging into her room, her expression that of fear.
     "You can't go there Elizabeth," Madame says panting as she catches her breath, "You have to leave now!"

 

     When madame had gone to investigate The Big House, she was let in to a horrible sight. The main room was a mess, no lights inside and furniture tossed around. Garments were strewn across the floor, as she stepped through she heard glass crack under her feet. There were a couple empty vials scattered around, a label on them read:

 

Property of Vault-Tec
Male Sexual Enhancer
Administered Only By Vault-Tec Personnel

 

     Another label read:

 

WARNING!
Keep From Radiation

 

     Madame did not know what to make of this information. She quietly paces further through the room. A noise comes from upstairs, like something falling. She walks towards the stairs, her eyes fixed on the direction of the sound. Through the banister she can see a nude woman trying to drag herself across the floor with one hand. Madame rushes up to the level, she can hear the woman wimpering. The poor naked girl lied on her side, her reaching arm trying to grab the air. The other arm wrapped around a swollen belly, as large as a full term pregnancy.


    "Are you okay?" Madame whispers to the pained girl. She looks at the stretched taught flesh, it did not lay like a child were in there. She places her hand on it, the stomach gives way to the pressure of her palm. Liquid could be felt churning as the girl continued trying to drag herself. She was filled with semen.

     Frightened Madame attempts to carry the lady, but she is to heavy. Some loud foot steps can be heard through a nearby room. A man laughs hysterically as a woman shouts. Madame gets up and flees from the building to avoid being caught. Whatever was happening here she was sure had something to do with those vials.

 

     "I'll help get you out Elizabeth." Madame condoles as she urges her to hurry. "Forget all that, you must leave now!"

     Elizabeth drops her things and follows Madame into her room, where she produces a deringer pistol from under her pillow.

     "Help me push the bed." Madame budges against the four poster. Elizabeth does the same. Under her bed was a trap door, madame opened it and a ladder went to a tunnel underground.

     "I cant leave, not with out Sylvester." Elizabeth pleas.

     "Theres no time, we will get caught for sure." forcing her to the ladder. "This is the safest way out." She grabs a candle from the floor and follows Elizabeth down the ladder.

      At the bottom it was dark, as madames light descended with her the tunnel became clearer. The concrete passage under the prewar stadium spanned from one side to the other. Dust lingered in the stagnant air making it difficult to breathe.

     "Follow me," Madame whispers, weilding the little pistol in front of her, "Try to be quiet, theres no telling what we may find down here."

     As they moved through the corridor with caution, Elizabeth couldnt help but feel fearful for Sylvester. As the end approaches, a stairwell with an inoperable elevator next to it, they here a mans voice echoing from behind.

     "Theyve gone down there, Find them!" it sounded as if it belonged to Dietz. Three men slid down the ladder and started running through the corrider.

     Madame and Elizabeth dashed up the stairs as quick as they could. Four flights up and they here the foot steps of their pursuers.

     "Keep going!" madame says, "On the next floor go through the door."

     The group could be heard closing in, double timing up the stairs. Elizabeth charged through the door. It opened to the dilapidated remains of the concessions area. She looked left and right, then turned to Madame .

     "Which way!" she tried shouting, short of breathe from sprinting up the stairs.

     "Right!" Madame shouted back. She grabbed Elizabeth's arm and pulled her to the left.

     They ran to the left, and had a good head atart on their escape. Theyre attempt at throwing off the three men worked, they immediately turned right. After twenty feet one man turned around and observed the two women, now a hundred feet away. He quickly took aim with his rifle and fired repeatedly.

     "Down there!" the ruthless attacker called to his partners. The other two turned about face and took chase, firing simultaneously.

     Elizabeth and Madame ducked wildly as the barrage of bullets flew all around them. A open staircase lied ahead.

     "Down the stairs," Madame said, and just then a shot penitrated through her leg, "Ahh!" She stumbled to her knees.

      Elizabeth turned and grabbed hold of the wounded woman, lifting her to her feet. Madame tried to run again but fell back to one knee.

     "Come on," Elizabeth pleaded to Madame, "we have to hurry."

     Luckily they were shielded by nearby debris, preventing their attackers from lining up a shot. The bullets stopped as the foot steps got louder.

     "I cant run," She says hobbling across the floor, "take this!"

     Madame hands out the deringer pistol. Elizabeth does nothing, instead she cries, as flashbacks of her mother came to mind.

     "Take it! Go down the stairs and you'll see the exit." Madame insisted ferociously.

     Elizabeth grabbed the pistol.

     Now foot steps could be heard from all around, a couple men came running from the oppisite direction.

     "Get them!"

     "They're down here!"

     "Don't let them escape!"

     The voices came from every angle.

     "Run Elizabeth!" Madame shouted.

     Elizabeth turned quickly and disappeared down the stairs. On the next floor down the stairs were completely blocked by debris. There was a hole five foot in diameter in the concrete wall, Elizabeth could feel cold air blowing through. That was her exit. She climbed inside the opening, squeezing around some rebar the protruded through the gap. She stood at the edge and looked down, she was forty feet up from the ground. To her left, the fading rays from the setting sun climbed the city buildings. Several seconds passed by, she listened for a gun shot, imagining Madame to be murdered. Instead, the stomping of boots down the stairs grew closer. Adrenaline pumped through the girl, her body became weightless, and she fell feet first towards the earth.

     Back inside, under the field, Sylvester tread cautiously down the hidden passage. After Elizabeth had ran off, he tried contemplating a way to help her, yet there wasn't much he could do. He then heard a commotion coming from the courtyard, orders were shouted to find her. He observed many of the nearby guards group up at the center, including the two at the farm. Sylvester took advantage of the opportunity and stocked a small bag of supplies from the warehouse, and before leaving a cleaver from the slaughter room. Sneaking through the alleyways, Sylvester came close upon The Nest. Dietz Thugs were dragging the women outside, the place was already ransacked from the initial break in. He watched as the women were taken, kicking and screaming, into the big house. While the brothel was unguarded he ran inside, and found his way down to the secret passage.


     Sylvester prayed for Elizabeths safety. After the onslaught of gunfire that echoed down, He worried even more. At the top of the stairs, He peeked out from around the corner, witnissing a group of men with guns drawn on somebody that he could not see. Had it been Elizabeth there, Sylvester would have charged courageously at the assailants. Instead, Madame Envy was pulled to her feet. Dietz walked from out the staiwell behind her.

     "You made a foolish choice," Dietz said, grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face him, "As long as you've been here, after everything I've done for you," He grasps her neck and holds her up, "I'm dissapointed."

     Sylvester sneaked across the corridor and climbed behind the counter of a concession stand. He could hear as Madame began caughing and gasping for air. Dietz released her and walked away.

     "Forget the girl, She won't survive," Dietz said, Sylvester realizing that Elizabeth was okay, "take Madame here back were she belongs, she might still have some use."

     Dietz walked past Sylvester's hiding spot and continued down the corridor and around the turn. His men followed, dragging the wounded lady. When the coast was clear He ran to the stairwell they once were, and down the stairs, jumping out from the hole in the wall. Hopefully he can find Elizabeth in the dark.

     Elizabeth wasn't far ahead. Lost and afraid, she ran through the city streets, putting as much distance behind her as she could. Four blocks of sprinting and she fell to her knees, stopping to recover. All around her was rubbled buildings, rusted cars, junk and dirt. She knew nothing of being out in the waste of a city, and the fact she was alone only frightened her more. Then a scuffling sound came from inside the building next to her. She pulled the pistol up to the building and jumped to her feet. She stood there nervously, the weilded arm shaking uncontrollably. A figure rose up from inside, despite the darkness settled in, her vision was sharp enough to see its shape. It looked human, and started walking in the building.

     "Hello," Elizabeth called, "I have a gun, I will shoot you if you try to harm me." The human figure fumbled around debris and towards the exit.

     "REEAA!" It shrieked hauntingly.

     "Aahh! Stop!" She shouted, the ghoul now running her way.

     Elizabeth squeezes the trigger of the pocket pistol.

     POWP!

     The irradiated once-human stumbles to the road, slowly getting back up.

     "REEEYAAA!" Another ghoul shouts from in front of Elizabeth, immediately moving her way.

      She turns and runs back in the direction she came, only to try and survive. With no energy left, she could not out run the ghoul, the creature gained on her. She could hear its slapping foot steps get closer, its panting lungs pumping like a piston engine. The creature grabbed hold of her shirt, causing Elizabeth to trip. The ghoul falling over her and rolling across the road. The crazed lunatic scuffled up to its feet. Behind her the injured ghoul closed in.

      Elizabeth lied there stunned, she didn't react, she didn't even attempt to defend herself. Instead she cried out for help. Instantly Sylvester jumped in between her and the charging ghoul, swinging the cleaver right through the monsters neck. Elizabeth looks up as the decapitated head rolls beside her.

     "Sylvester!" She was shocked to see him.

     "Look out!" He replied. His direction led her to crawl away from the injured ghoul that limped towards them. Sylvester raised the cleaver and slashed down the creatures chest, killing it.

     "Are you okay Elizabeth?" He asked.

     "Yes, yes, how..?" She was confused from the quick evolution of events.

     "I found you," He quickly cut her off, "that's all that mattered."

     He takes her by the hand and helps her up.

     "We need to get someplace safe, off the streets." Sylvester starts to walk towards an adjacent street and looks all directions. Elizabeth follows behind him, taking in the moment. She feels relieved of her worries, peace gathers within as she wanders down the street with him.

     "This place here looks good." Sylvester nods towards a small four story brick apartment, mostly intact with a solid front door and boarded windows. He steps up to the entrance and slowly opens the door.

     "Be careful Sylvester." Elizabeth whispered.

     He carefully walks inside, scoping around for any unwelcome inhabitants. Nothing. They continue through the interior and up the stairs. On the top floor they find a vacant flat, decaying furniture scattered about. The place had been looked through several times before, nothing of use remained. The only useful exception was a fireplace with wood in the hearth, and a dusty sofa for sleeping. Elizabeth layed on the sofa, exhausted from the perils of the day. She watched as Sylvester attempted to ignite a fire. He worked with a stick for a couple minutes to produce a flame capable of relighting the charred wood.

     "Are we going to be okay here?" She asked.

     Sylvester blew into the coals to make them hotter. When wood caught he stepped away and looked back to her.

     "We're okay, we'll get through the night and then leave in the morning." His response nurtured faith in Elizabeth.

      "Were will we go?" her question slightly dazing as she closed her eyes.

      "I don't yet, but someplace far away from here." He picked up his bag and sat in front of the sofa.

      "You can lay here, don't sleep on the floor." Elizabeth spoke quietly, her hand rested on his shoulder. Briefly, Sylvester analyzed the situation. At first he thought she was going to try and have sex with him, and for a moment he favored his imagination. He withdrew the thought from his mind, realizing she is too tired and it would be best she sleep.

     "Are you hungry?" He asked as he dug through the bag.

     "....Yeah." She responded, despite still lying tired.

     Sylvester pulled some maize bread from his bag and sat up next to Elizabeth. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

     "Are you afraid of me, for who I am?" Her question was bold. She wanted to know if He truely meant what he said before, if he loved her still.

     Sylvester didn't hesitate.

     "I've known you my whole life, Elizabeth. I know who you are. Do not think for a second that you are a bad person for what you have done. You did what you had to do, and I will never hold that against you." He paused there and looked at the fire. Elizabeth felt depressed as she compiled the last five years in her mind.

     "I chose to accept that life, I believed that to be my only future. I felt I had to do it to survive." She began to cry.

     Sylvester stood up facing the fire, and pulled his shirt off. His back was indistinguishable, scars cross hatched every square inch. Elizabeth stopped crying and was shocked by the sight.

     "What happened to you?" She asked in a sudden change of attitude.

     "I did what I had to, to survive." His responce was timidly soft. He turned around and sat back by Elizabeth, wiping the stream of tear on her cheek.

     "The only thing that kept me going was the thought of you, to hopefully find you again and be free from that sick place." He spoke emotionally to her, and she smiled back to him.

     "I love you too, Sylvester, I'm sorry I didn't tell you..." Her words were interrupted as his lips pressed to hers.



