The Lost

The Lost

We should never have come to this place. All the stories about ancient stockpiles and relics of pre-War cities might be true, but no prize could ever be worth the price we’ve paid here. The worst part - we never even made it close to the navpoint.

Elise was the first to go. We were holed up in some sort of cave, finally got a fire going and enough cover for the radiation meter to stop screaming at us.

Next thing I know, Elise bolts up holding her head. She was yelling some sort of babble or another language, maybe. That’s when she tore her rebreather out violently and took off sprinting into the acrid night, no gear or anything.

We heard her rambling into the foggy distance for some time, and then nothing as no one spoke for a good while. At least until we heard what I can only describe as the most spine-rending sound I’ve ever heard - something like a giant’s crippled wail mixed with a horrid grinding. It went on for longer than Rand could take.

He ran off into the depths of the cave covering his ears and screaming. I haven’t seen him since.

Mila and I clung together near the firepot most of the night, just sitting there holding each other in silence.

At some point something huge came tumbling past outside. I knew it must have hit the cave when the roof came crashing down near the entrance. We weren’t hurt, but now we’re trapped. Rand still isn’t back and the oxygen in here is dropping. Maybe we can find a way out.

Mila is gone. We discussed our options for a while, maybe a few hours. The rocks were too heavy to move, and we tried to explore some of the cave; most of the paths end in pitfalls. Rand didn’t make it either. We found him huddled over in a deep corner in the dark, stiff as nanovate and ice cold. He must have panicked to death.

When we got back to the firepot we sat for a while. Then Mila told me she made up her mind. Now she’s gone too.

I’m all alone in this damned cave - at least I can only hope I am. I have the water to last three more days, at most, but I think the oxygen boosters will run out long before then.

If you’re reading this, it’s probably too late for you too. I’m sorry that we all fell for this trap.

Signing off, Niel Starkman.