Author's Note

Warning: this story has many Dark things that can be disturbing to some people. For example, Suicide, mental and Psychological trauma of characters, and child abuse. Even if it doesn't appear in this chapter. Doesn't mean it won't be in the next. Don't blame me for not warning you

The Frail Mare

It’s fucken hot. I'm low on supplies and have probably to much radiation poisoning. Yep I'm living the life, the Fucken life. I drink the last drops of water I had, which left me with the few bottles of Hard Apple Cider. Although Alcohol will just make my dehydration not only worse, but I'll most likely take more radiation. My luck got better for a moment when I found a shack, which had a bed, but no food or water. I lay down finally relaxed. There was no living thing for miles, so there's no problem with a little shut eye. Besides, I would hear them if there was any.

I wake up when it's dark out, the sound of ponies running was faint, but there and they were getting closer. Listening closely sounded like a mare was running from some stallions. Four, no five in total and it was clear they might enter the shed. I decided on my pistol, which I had been lucky to get flame rounds for it. I wait and a light blue pegasus mare runs in, she looks like she has supplies and a good amount as well. Her hooves were bleeding which stuck me as odd to begin with. She fell in front of me when four raiders enters after her. They were from the Dog Claw group, clearly not in their territory.

"Not another step, the mare included. I'm not in the mood to fight right now. So leave your supplies and leave." Apparently I wasn't clear for one of the four raiders pulls a shotgun out, only to get shot in the face. He fell to the floor as his head was on fire from the inside out.

"Dog Claw Raiders shouldn't be in Nightshade Raider Territory. I'm not gonna repeat my order." They all pull out guns, but I shot each in the head. Only one got a shot off, but it only grazed me. My gun was now pointed at the mare.

"Please, I can help you. After all those nasty raiders wanted my purity." She nervously smiles as she tried to sound calm, but failed. I look in her bags of supplies. There was no guns, just medical supplies, food and water. She was a walking invitation to get raped and enslaved. As luck would have it, my stomach told me it was very hungry.

"Can you cook?" She nods, I sigh and help bandage her hooves before she cooks for me. I drank a full bottle of water and used a Radaway to lower my radiation. Already I felt better, now all I needed was food. Which so happens to being cooked on the dead Raider flaming skulls.

"You have a name mister raider?" I look at her as she attempted to strike a conversation with me.

"Radar, my special ability is hearing. I knew you guys were coming from a few miles away. Also I'm not a Raider, just a pony that likes to be alone."

"I'm Dew Drop, if you don't mind, we can be alone together." She puts the food on two plates and hands me one. It looked like some weird kind of beans, but food is food so I have no reason to complain at a time like this.

"That's not how it fucken works, I don't need anyone else around me."

"But if I wasn't here, you'd have gone another day without food or any supplies for that matter." I ignore the comment as I eat the weird beans, as I do, my gaze goes to her hooves.

"How long have you been running to make them bleed like that?"

"Not long... truth be told, my body is fragile. I can't fire a gun without the possibility of losing a wing or dying."

"Your kidding, you left your home with no weapons and weak body condition. Your asking for a death wish by coming out here."

"I don't have a home anymore." I stop eating as she said that. Tears started to go down her eyes. I must have hit a sensitive issue without knowing. I sigh as I try to pat her back, even if it ended up being awkward taps.

"Fine, you can stay with me, but only till I get you to a new safe town. I don't like company." After saying that, she hugs me as she cries. I remain silent, waiting as she cried herself to sleep. I let her have the bed, for i decided to stay up the rest of the night. I don't know what I'm fucken doing, telling her she can come with me. Still she reminded me of somepony I used to know. I take a bottle of Hard Apple Cider and open it, the sweet Apple taste came first followed by the bitter alcohol taste I seem to enjoy entering my throat. Out of all her supplies, she had no alcohol of any kind. It was a let down but at least I still had some on me or this night would feel like shit to me. From the last town I was at, if the info was right, I'll reach the next town by night fall tomorrow. Assuming we leave by daybreak that is. I scavenge the raiders for any loose bottle caps, it wasn't a lot, but hopefully I can get some alcohol when I'm there. I take another drink of my Hard Cider then I start moving the bodies outside. I put them in a pile before I lit them on fire and went make inside. They will attract ghouls if I had left them alone. Thankfully Dew is bandaged enough not to attract their attention.

Morning finally came and Dew woke up to make a little breakfast for us, although it was only more of the same weird beans. Not that I have the right to complain about free food. Dew packs up the plates and cooking supplies she has as we head out. Once again, walking on another fucken hot day.