We are about to have quite a touching moment as both me and Natasha have a tearful goodbye without home. But we are stopped with 5 Rat Town guards, all of them were in full gear, 2 of them has a trouble expression on their face, while the other 3, the younger ones, seemed a little bit on the anxious side.
"Azra…Natasha…morning….". (John)
"Morning, Mr. John…". (Natasha)
This John guy, greeted me first with a troubled and pity look, from the way that he reacts to me, is letting me know that perhaps the old me have some relation with them.
"(Alfred.)".
"[The Blonde man named Jack…is Rat Town Militia Leader, and also your close friend…the Brown-haired man, is Rooney, also your friend…both of them used to serve the town militia alongside with you…they know of your conditions and seemed to attributed your manic days is all thanks to your old injury…they were the one that always bailed you out, sir…]". (Alfred)
That's explained the heavy-hearted looks and that amount of guards, they pity and also afraid that I might just went crazy. Reasonable, the old me were barbarically strong, and with his unhinged records naturally they had to be prepared.
"Azra, my pal…listen to me…don't you get mad first…. but. Pal…you got to leave town…the council has spoken…. Pal…please. Don't.". (Rooney)
"...I know, Rooney…".
"Think about your wife...wait... what? you recognized me? John! Look at him!…".(Rooney)
Like a thunderstruck, Rooney who tried to laid it down gently for me, stunned as he heard a reasonable and sound minded response to me. The fact that I recognize him in an instant, and I'm not drunk, is a shocking news to him. Even John bulged his eyes, hearing my response, I am dumbfounded right now, a simple coherent response was enough to turned them into a pair of nosy housewives. Both of them were visibly happy to see that I am fine again, I told them I wanted to turn a new leaf and that I understand what I have done and accept the punishment, which both of them were very pleased to hear. Both of them tagged along with me and Natasha, the rookies were ordered to picked up our bags. The whole walk was just a moment for them to revisit the old memories and impart on me their well wishes and advise.
"Just why do you have to come to you sound mind only now, Azra…Sigh~ ...it's a tad too late…". (Rooney)
"I am sick, Rooney…and I'm healed…the rest. Is just fate…don't sweat it…I'll be just fine…".
We have arrived at the gate, and I am quite surprise that a lot of people actually remembered the old me, and glad to see I am normal again, naturally every single one pity me as well. But the good part is that, nearly all of them, seeing that I am fine, rushing all over the place to give me a gift, as a result our 2 large rucksacks now become 3. the process of saying goodbye prolonged for about 30 minutes or so, Rooney and John continue to walked with me for about a few hundred meter past the gate, then stopped.
"Azra. This is us, my man…". (John)
"I guess so, My friends…".
All 3 of us men, smiled bitterly. But all of us understand that this had to be done.
"As long as I am the Militia Leader…you can come here…you can set up small stall outside the gate as you pleased…no one will bother you. I guaranteed this…". (John)
"Thanks, John.".
That is a very good promise from him. Getting that guarantee will help me a lot.
"As for me…you take this, Azra…and make sure you protect yourself and your wife, Pal…stayed alive, pay that stupid debt of yours….and come back. You got it?". (Rooney)
Rooney gifted me a pipe handgun with a belt holster and a box of bullets. The Pipe handgun was rather crude, it looks like a low-level game from a wasteland game, but I know from my memories, that this sort of gun, is the kind of gun everyone in this world use and it was expensive to get one. Alfred commented in my head that it was somewhat useful, it is only accurate within 10 meters, as for its deadliness it was a bit questionable.
"Thanks, Rooney…this would help me a lot…don't worry…although I am not as strong as I was before…I got my head working in tip top condition…I will survive out there…".
"I'm sure you would, pal…I'm sure you would…Good luck out there…". (Rooney)
"Good luck to both of you as well…. bye, guys…".
With a joke, Rooney and John exchange hugs with me, and only me, both of them are a good friend to me, but in terms of their treatment to woman, it's just unsightly. I now see it firsthand how the men treated undesirable woman in this world, and it was ugly as heck. Unsettled as I am feeling right now, I controlled it and ended the farewell as quickly as I can and get moving with Natasha.
"The barrel is clean….it wasn't grooved at all…at least it was semi-auto.".
"[Its construction was shoddy at best, Sir…if we can improve the design…this Pipe gun can be turned into a proper gun that is reliable in all sort of situations….]". (Alfred)
"I agree…. tools can be bought later…for now…let's use it as is…only I have a reliable weapon right now, Natasha only got that Knife of hers…".
"What is it, honey? did you call me?". (Natasha)
"Oh, it's nothing…. I am just talking to myself…".
Natasha keen hearing interrupt my wandering self-talk, we slowly walking at a steady pace. With me walking with 3 legs, we can't go any faster, but with this speed it was still okay. Rat Town was located just a little bit on the outskirt of Jouston City, as we are headed to the Star Gas Station which is located on the east side, we still had to entered a little part of Jouston city, an area called Merry Street, the tail of the Jouston city, naturally since it was a part of a metropolitan city, Merry Street were dense with buildings, office, shops, housing, roads and just littered with old rusted cars.
".…Wow…this place….is amazing…".
".…it if. Right, a massive ruined city…. I can't imagine how is it looks like in its heyday…. you know…the time where the city was not destroyed and still standing…". (Natasha)
Natasha noticed my amazement on the side, and commented. She too appreciated the beauty of the city, she was born and grow only knowing this kind of world in its destructed state, while for me, the city does have a similar look from the one back in the original earth down to the placement of the buildings, and unlike her I know how the city looked like in its heyday, the time when everything was still working and alive.
"With the size of it…I am sure the city was beautiful and lively….and probably have a sickening traffic…".
"I guess so…haha.". (Natasha)
I made a light joke and we both laugh to it. It was still hard to take in for me, one moment to me this city was alive and well, and now, this city was ruined and destroyed and gloomy. The dark clouds constantly hovering above the city, green suspicious light shines all over the places. The skyscrapers buildings were mostly destroyed, only one or two that I can see, were still standing, it was as if seeing the humanity are slowly dying and withers.
"This people in this city…died in an instant…all at the same time…".
"Really? …how?". (Natasha)
"The cars…look, all of them were littered all over the streets…if the people are prepared and ready…the streets would at least be cleared a little bit…and see…there is skeleton inside the car as well…".
"...there are skeletons all over the place, Honey….". (Natasha)
"Exactly…they don't have the time to run to safety at all…one minute they were alive. And the next they don't…".