Lost Blood Entry: Day 3

We're leaving the University, en route to Freetown. Larry's still up in arms about the Super Mutants, but on top of that, we’ve got to watch out for Ghouls, and even the Rougarou. Hell, for all we know, my brother Darryl’s still out there—or my sister Naomi, if she’s even alive.

I promised the Deans I’d help them get back to Freetown, but all Larry’s done is be a pest. It’s time for him to do something heroic. Pinball looks at me, eyes narrow, and whispers, "I don't like this..."

I turn to him and reply, "Hey, it's his karma. Maybe he’s not aware, but he’s done us more harm than good. This is just how it has to be." Pinball sighs but nods. He gets it.

Then, Pinball goes off on a parable about a guy before the war. Said this man lived his life full of arrogance and pride, causing chaos wherever he went. One day, this guy was in Far Harbor, Maine, out by the docks, feeling untouchable. He laughed at the stories of a massive shark that terrorized the waters—a creature so vicious, it would rip boats apart just for fun. The man didn’t believe it, figured it was just a tale to keep the fishermen in check.

But one day, when he was out on his boat, the shark came for him. The water churned violently, and the man was thrown into the ocean. It wasn’t long before he felt the cold, crushing bite of the shark’s jaws. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the beast’s cold eyes, and he realized too late that all his arrogance and disregard for warnings had led him to his death.

I listen, feeling the weight of Pinball’s words. "I get it," I mutter. "But this is different. This is Larry’s fate, and he's too thick-headed to see it."

As we walk, I remind both Pinball and Larry: "Anything can happen out here, so keep your wits sharp. Remember, the Deans told us..."

Suddenly, an explosion rips through the air. My heart races as I hit the ground. The sound of a car—an old, rusted vehicle—going up in flames echoes down the block. Pinball’s freaking out, and Larry, in his power armor, starts taking flight.

I look up, and from the burned-out, wooden homes in some random part of the city, Super Mutants emerge.

“Well, Larry, you weren’t wrong…” I shout over the chaos.

“I TOLD YOU SO!” Larry yells back, his voice filled with smug satisfaction.

Pinball, his face scrunched with confusion, says, "Sir... I think we need to have a talk about this. Location’s way off..."

Before anyone can respond, a boulder crashes from above, striking Pinball and knocking him out of combat. I immediately start spraying fire in every direction.

Larry, still in his power armor, taunts the Super Mutants, leading them like a pack of rabid dogs.
“Follow me!” he teases, the thrill of battle alive in his voice.

But then, Larry freezes. “What’s with the ticking?” he asks, eyes wide, looking down at the ground beneath him.

My stomach drops. I’ve got to tell him. I yell, "LARRY! I’M SORRY!"

It’s too late. In the middle of fighting off the Behemoths, the timer runs out.

“5... 4... 3... 2... 1...”

BOOM!

Guts and gore fly everywhere. The explosion is blinding. The suit... it holds together, but the metal is melting, and the sound of Larry’s armor crumbling is almost too much to bear. Then, suddenly... silence.

Damn.

Pinball’s flickering in and out, barely functioning. I know we’re not going to fix him in the middle of this mess. Larry? He’s officially turned to ash. And it’s time to get serious.

Larry saved me. Of course, he had to die—this is the wasteland—but that’s the way of it.

I’m starving, and this land is nothing but desolation. Time to head back to the University. I’ll fix Pinball, let the dust settle, and then we’ll head back out.

“Brother… where you at?”

“We’re gonna find ya.”