» Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:00 pm
99 Bears
I awoke with a pain in my neck, my bed roll desperately needed replaced, my pillow may have well been a rock. Peeking over the edge of the bed was one of my teddy bears, its little arms outright asking me to hold it close. I felt sympathy for its small dark eyes; I reached up, bringing it close to my chest for a few minutes, "It's OK baby, mama has you." I hugged him tight before I carefully sat him back down on my bed. As I sat up and rolled back my shoulders, they let out a relieving pop. I scratched my head; my hair was a rat’s nest, a sign of my endless, tossing and turning on the uncomfortable bed roll. It made me question giving my bears my bed, but after all they had been through I figured they deserved it.
I let out a yawn, all ninety eight of my bears looked on, each wore the same blank look on their little face. I gathered them all up, one at a time I placed them down onto my bedroll, "one, two, three..."
You see, my morning ritual began this way each day, I would count my bears twice. Once as I put them on my bed roll to make their bed, the second as I carefully arranged each one while putting them back on my bed, "ninety six, ninety seven, ninety eight."
Slowly I shuffled to the bathroom, the metal floor, though hot outside, always seemed so cold on my bare feet. I shoved my right hand down my pajamas and scratched my rump, releasing an exaggerated yawn as I made my to the porcelain throne. I realized quickly as I got a whiff of my body odor, I was out of soap, "[censored]!" I cursed myself, really should go see Miora today I thought.
I stepped into my dirty cargo pants and threw on my stinky t-shirt, pulling the belt that I turned into a teddy bandoleer over my shoulder; I began thinking of the daunting task that lay ahead of me. Which bears do I take with me today? As I turned to face my bears, all ninety eight stared back at me, they knew, and they did not make it easy on me. Only six would get to go with me, Patches’ eyes sparkled from the ray of sun slicing through the tattered curtain, "No Patches’, you know I can't take you." Her tiny brown arm pointed at me, the red patch I had sewn onto the end of it screamed, "TAKE ME."
"NOT YET, your arm is still heeling. Curse that Maggie, the ungrateful little brat; drag you around like a rag doll. If it hadn't been for me, your little arm would have fallen off," I picked her up and her cool plastic nose nuzzled my neck, "tell you what, tomorrow, tomorrow I'll take you with me." Patches understood, I sat her back down on the bed. I picked up Rocky, Red, Brownie, Smokey, Tutu, and Louise. I tied each one snugly to my bandoleer.
I hurried up and rearranged my bears again, "Now don't move," I shook my finger at them, "I'll be back later with some Abraxo and give you all a bath OK?" I looked back from the doorway just to make sure none of them were horsing around and fell over, they sat just as I had left them, and so I left. I picked up my .32 pistol from the beat up table by my front door, checking it, making sure it was loaded. I tucked it away, deep inside my pants pocket, far enough away that none of my bears would get hurt by it.
While I ascended the half buried wooden steps up to Megaton's clapped together gate, my six companions bounced happily against my torso. I began to think about how I got my precious bears, and where my adventures to satisfy my need to save them all had taken me. I've been to Springvale School, that was scary with all of the Raiders. Another time, I had made my way through the minefield, that was a trip. Trying to avoid mines while a crazed old coot tried to snipe my ass. But the weirdest thing of all was, I was abducted by aliens. I think so anyways, I woke up with five bears laying on me, I don't know how else to explain it, just a dream? Maybe, but I got five more bears from it either way, but it is still a mystery.
I winced as the giant gate opened, oh how I hate that screeching of metal on metal when it pierced my ears. Passing through the gate, Deputy Weld was greeting some guy, he was clean and wearing some blue coveralls with '101' stitched onto his back. "Thirsty partner? Try Moriarty's. Coldest drinks in the Capital Wasteland," Deputy Weld rasped at the stranger, I simply nodded, preoccupied with today’s mission, find bear number 99. I hurried to escape the sound of Megaton's great gate closing, after jogging a hundred or so yards away I stopped to look at the crude map I had drawn. The places that I had discovered, and where I found what teddy bear were marked on the yellowed paper.
I studied my map carefully, Grayditch? No, not today, I didn't really feel like being barbequed. A bead of sweat dropped from my forehead, it was already sweltering under the earth's warming lamp. The droplet landed on my map, growing as it soaked into the paper marking my destination, the Red Racer factory. I was ever the sneaky one, I had to be, combat of any kind wasn't exactly my fortei if you know what I mean.
Managing to avoid the occasional Molerat, I crept my way over the dusty landscape to the old building on the edge of the ruined city. I pressed my ear to the door to see if anything could be heard, then I pushed it open. My .32 in my hand I crept inside, the place was dead; I stood and listened carefully for the slightest of sounds. This place was eerie, the silence was deafening. Tutu was looking up at me, I could sense her fear, "It's OK honey, I will try not to be too long," I assured her, "you need to help me listen."
Smokie's paw pointed straight ahead, past the large counter with two terminals on it. Brownie and Red pointed at what appeared to be some old offices to the left, "I agree, we'll check there first guys, Smokey, we will look up ahead later," I pat each bears head and shuffled hesitantly into the room full of cubicles. We searched every file cabinet, desk, and shelf finding a few caps and some ammo, but not much else. Returning back to the lobby I thought I heard a scratching sound, I knelt down and trained my ear to the hallway across from me. My bears and I stayed low and inched back past the counter where Smokey had insisted we go in the first place.
Down on the lower level was some sort of conveyor with Red Racer tricycles here and there; a series of metal stairs wrapped around the outer walls several stories above my head. I had been beaten to the old factory, any items of use, or worth any caps were gone. I head up the stairs, I hated being stuck on the basemant level, at least if I was above ground I could escape through a window should things go awry. Together my bears and I climbed the stairs, Smokey kept pointing into the corridors we passed on each flight, "No Smokey, those are creepy and we don't know what might be inside there, we are not going in there." He was one of my more adventurous bears, always trying to get me to go into dark, creepy places. He dropped it and turned in his bootlace strap on my bear bandoleer, "don't be like that Smokey, there is no need to give me the cold shoulder," I whispered while continuing upward.
We reached the top where a closed door stood a ways across the catwalk. We went inside in what must have been the bosses’ offices before the Great War. I studied my surroundings; two large staircases went to a balcony with a single door. I felt my bandoleer shift, I looked down to see Louise, Rocky, and Red staring off at something, and Smokey was still giving me the cold shoulder. I let out a sigh while looking to see what the three of them were excited about, "Oh my," I gasped. There sitting high up on a shelf, a big teddy bear sat atop a dirty red tricycle. I practically flew across the floor for a closer look, skidding to a stop underneath the spectacle, I stood in awe. If my small bears were capable of so much love, I could only imagine the love this larger bear could give. My tongue poked out from the corner of my mouth while ideas rushed through my head about how to get the big bear. I had to have it; there was no way I was leaving without that big bear, come hell or high-water, that would be bear number ninety nine.
I needed something that I could move without making too much noise, just in case something lingered about on the other side of that door on the balcony. I saw a chair, but it wasn't tall enough, I ended up pulling a garbage can over to climb on. OK, quickly I realized the garbage can wasn't the wisest choice, it wobbled under my legs, I held my hands against the wall to steady it before I reached for my prize. When I swiped at the large bear’s leg my pistol clattered to the floor, I looked around to see if the noise garnished the attention of anyone, or anything nearby. I heard someone behind the door on the balcony so I stretched as far as I could on my next swipe at the bear. I knocked it off the tricycle, as well as fell from the garbage can as the top came off in the process, I landed with a thud and my ass was now sore. I scooped up the large teddy and hugged it, immersed in the satisfaction from fulfilling my need to have the big bear.
My head shot towards the balcony, whoever was behind the door was coming out, yelling they were going to kill me. I scrambled to my feet, picking up my pistol and grabbed the door handle before me. I took one quick look as I passed through the door frame, the crazed person was wearing a lab coat and loading a missile launcher, "OH [censored]!!!," that was enough looking for me. My feet hardly touched the metal stairs as I ran down as fast as I had ever ran before. The door above flew open and the unmistakable whoosh of a missile on its path of destruction filled my ears. The wall behind me exploded in a dusty mass of debris, I kept running, though visibility was now almost non-existent.
"OOOMPH," I involuntarily blurted out from the bar crashing into my stomach. I had reached the landing and hit the railing so hard, I now found myself hanging on for dear life with my left hand. It felt like my shoulder was going to rip off, I loosened my grip on the big bears paw. But, when I looked down, I tightened it back up; I could not just leave the poor thing here with that evil person. My mind raced on what I should do, when I glanced down at the large bear his warm eyes told me, "Do you really think I can?" He urged me to let go and try to land on the generator beneath my dangling feet, my grip started to slip, he assured me that I could do it. So I let go, falling onto the large generator, and not a moment too soon as another missile shattered the wall. I landed on the edge, losing my footing; I crashed down on the floor. I thought I was a goner, but the big bear saved me by cushioning my head from the concrete floor.
"OK, now what?" I said, the mad man was loading his missile launcher for another shot, two ghouls hissed as they entered the shop floor. Smokey pointed, "you're right, that is where we came in from...let's go for it."
I jumped up, cradling the large bear in my arms, together my bears and I sprinted up the small set of stairs and into the old lobby. Something glowed from the hall to the left, stepping in my path was a glowing one. He shadowed my moves on the other side of the counter, he was fast, and the two ferals from the shop floor came clawing at me from behind. I pulled out my pistol as I danced away from their rotting claws. I squeezed off three rounds into the glowing one’s head; it staggered back so I went for it. My feet hit the ground running; I hit the door so hard that I bounced back. I turned and shot my three remaining rounds then pulled the handle of the door, sunlight poured inside the lobby and the ghouls paused just long enough for me to slip out.
I ran; fear filling my emotional fuel tank giving me a boost of energy I ran. The clapped together structure in the distance brought a sense of relief, its uneven borders protruding high up, Megaton. "We're almost home guys, it won't be long now." I ruffled each bear between their ears, "what should we call you big bear?" My pace had slowed to a brisk walk, Smokey, Tutu, Louise, Rocky, Red, Brownie and I discussed the new bear’s name. We were unable to agree, so together we decided to wait until the other bears could make suggestions. I had found Deputy Weld to be rather annoying at times, always repeating the same things over and over, this time though, I walked right up to him and kissed his dusty yellow faceplate. I was happy to be back home with all of my bears.
Finally in my ramshackle house, I dropped my bag on the floor along with my pistol. I had decided to just see Miora tomorrow instead, it had been a rough day, and despite my bodily funk, I wanted nothing more than to cuddle with my bears. I took my seven companions to the bedroom, so the other bears could get acquainted with big bear while I rinsed off the sweat and grime. When I had finished readying myself for bed, I began my ritual, "one, two, three," I put each bear on my bedroll, "ninety seven, ninety eight, and..." I smiled bigger than the ocean, "number ninety nine." I placed him down in the middle of my bed, the others huddled around him. I looked down at my bedroll, remembering the aching back I had awakened with, I climbed into my bed with all of my bears. This was the first time I had laid in it for months.
"That's a great name Patches, Boomer," I held the big bear to my chest, "we will call you Boomer, because I have never had missiles shot at me before today." I clutched Boomer to my chest, another successful adventure to save another bear from this horrible land. Ninety nine warm, soft, cuddly bodies snuggled to mine, it was my Zen. My mind drifted off when I closed my eyes, wondering where my adventures would take me tomorrow. It was my mission, my destiny to save every bear possible; I am Chrissy Bunker, The Bear Rescuer
