Chapter 2: Fugitives on the run

[royya]

No, this buzzing is electricity mam. The refrigirator is working
Kevin replies as you begin to pack the cans into the tennis bag you took from the dead son.

[Mr. Handy]

"Oh, that's a relief," says Liz, exhaling. "Of course, any perishable food is like to be ruined, as the power has been off for some time, but it's worth a look." She tries the refrigerator door.

[Papa Gateau]

Yeah, right - let's see what grub we got in 'ere then Frog moves over to the refrigerator and tugs on the door handle with Liz

[royya]

Ohh....The stench! The Horror !!!

As you open the door you find a half eaten corpse of a human, hanging from the ceiling with a hook that was driven through the back.
The head is gone and the legs were probably eaten in the past, part of the fat and the lower inside parts from the abdomen were removed and all that was left intact is the torso and the two arms. A dried pull of blood stains the floor beneath the body while a machete is hanging from another hook on the wall next to it.

The remains of a dead wild boar and a mutated roach are on a table in the end of the room.

But not all is lost ... the next meal is tied, blindfolded, aggressively to a pipe in the wall. A woman with a dirty blond hair struggles with no hope as you enter the room.

Kevin and Natasha go back to the cafeteria, vomiting last night meal as they realize the family were cannibals.

Jeffrey turns to Frog "If it wasn't for your bravery that killed them, we were a future meal"

[Papa Gateau]

Frog turns to Jeffrey You maybe! There ain't nuffink but bones and gristle on me! I ain't worf the trubble of stringin' up! he lets out a cackle and moves over to wall and takes down the machete and then onto the woman tied to the pipe.

Holding the machete in his right hand, he pulls the blind fold down from her eyes with his left and says to in quiet voice

Awrigh' luv, we ain't gonna 'urt ya, we gonna rescue ya. Okay? Don't scream or do nuffink stupid awrigh? We've fixed them uvvers up that put yer in 'ere, they ain't gonna 'urt or eat nobody no more. he pauses and looks at her, to make sure she understands Righ' I'm gonna cut yer loose now - don' move, I don' wanna cut yer, awrigh? Okay? he waits for her to nod her assent or acknowledge what he says.

[Seon]

"Oh thank heavens," the woman says. Her eyes seem dazed from the long period without light, but she quickly scans the room anyways, just to make sure that she is indeed being rescued. Her eyes linger for few moments on the human torso hanging on hooks and seem... almost disappointed.

"Errr... this may be a strange question to ask while being rescued and all, but have you noticed some ghouls on the way here? Looks like a well toasted human, usually unintelligent, and healed by radioactive wastes?

[Mr. Handy]

"I haven't seen anything like that," says Liz. "My name's Liz, by the way. Are you injured?"

[Papa Gateau]

You avin' a joke misses? Ghools? Nah ain't seen nuffink like that. he looks at her strangely

People call me Frog, wot we gonna call you?

[Seon]

"Well, shit. Did you say that they were dead? Disappointing."

She sighs. "You may call me Doctor Crawford. Now, could you kindly remove my binds?

[Papa Gateau]

Frog puts on a faux female voice in imitation of Dr. Crawford

You may call me doctor crawfaawd. he mimics before dropping back to his normal voice

Tha'sa righ' fukkin' mouf full, I'm gonna call yer Posh, nice'n'easy.

Well watch yer pinkies, Posh, don't want ta be avin' to sew them back on if I miss with this 'ere chopper he brandishes the machete before moving around and cutting her bonds.

[Seon]

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it. Wouldn't be the last pinkie I had to sew back together. Reattached some fingers just a few months ago, in fact! Although the guy still can't type 'a' on the keyboard and stopped capitalizing his letters. Huh."

[Papa Gateau]

Ha, yer a funny one Posh.

So wots yer story, Owd a posh one like you end up dahn 'ere

[Seon]

"I'm from Churchillstown, run a little clinic and a laboratory there," Dr. Crawford says. "I was just gathering samples of local fauna and flora which appear to thrive in radioactive and toxic environment in order to further my research in pharmacological solution of radiation damage on human vital organs. Some people told me that they had a live speciman for me, but instead drugged me. And here I am,"

[Mr. Handy]

"They drugged us too," says Liz. "We came here looking for shelter for the night, and we didn't know anyone was still here at first, but they noticed when I turned on the genny and came downstairs. They pretended to be nice and shared their food and water with us, but the water was drugged. Only Frog and Roland hadn't drank any yet by the time we started dropping. If it weren't for them..." She shudders with distaste. "I had a feeling they might be cannibals when the father called us their 'dinner...guests,' but I went night-night before I could do anything. We're heading for Churchillstown, as it happens. We could all travel together."

[Seon]

"Wunderbar," Doctor Crawford says. "Quite a few people there owe me favors... once we go there, I'll be sure to repay you for saving my life."

[Papa Gateau]

"I'm from Churchillstown, run a little clinic and a laboratory there," Dr. Crawford says. "I was just gathering samples of local fauna and flora which appear to thrive in radioactive and toxic environment in order to further my research in pharmacological solution of radiation damage on human vital organs. Some people told me that they had a live speciman for me, but instead drugged me. And here I am,"

Frog looks from Crawford to Liz with a look of bafflement on his face

She speakin' Inglish? Don' unnerstan' 'ardly anythin' that comes outta 'er mouf

[Mr. Handy]

"I can understand her just fine," says Liz. "Of course, I am a consummate nerd. Basically, she's a scientist trying to find stuff that is helped by radiation rather than harmed by it. It's in aid of making drugs that will heal radiation damage in humans. I found out a bit about the way ahead from the computer's files, but we should finish searching this place before we set out. We haven't even been upstairs yet, and that may be where we'll find ammo."

[royya]

Seon,clearly Dr. Crawford can see that some of the members are prisoners, they wear prisoners laborer outfits.

Unless you take some of the "Human-boar-roach" meat from the refrigerator there is nothing else to find here.

You gather your stuff and head out of the kitchen and out of the cafeteria. The corridor are quite and the entrance door is barred (Jeffrey somehow managed to bar it). You head to the stairs in the end of the hallway and reach the second story. A sign hanging from the ceiling reads "Managements, Gym and Solarium".

[Seon]

"So, uh," Doctor Crawford says. "Why are you guys wandering around here? You don't seem to be... normal traders and mercenaries. Or prospectors or whatever the hell the scavengers and urchins are calling themselves now."

[Papa Gateau]

Frog glances sidelong at Crawford

Fer real? This 'ere orange jumpsuit ain'ta big enuf clue for ya? he rolls his eyes let's jus say we is wot my ol' gaffer called libraters and the firs' fing we librated woz ourselfs.

Now we tryin' ter find uvver stuff ter librate - like clobber that ain't glow-in-da-dark orange an' grub an' uvver fings yer need to live.