Community:Reload From Last Auto-Save?

 is a piece of Fan Fiction submitted to the 2023 Fallout Creepypasta Contest.

Story
The muttered word had barely left his mouth when Parker Quinn heard the crunch of gravel from a single step forward, and felt the knife slip through his shirt and into his back. He felt the inhuman strength that sent the serrated blade through muscle and bone as though they were air. He felt the knife twist.

He didn’t even have time to gasp. He felt the blood that filled his lungs and felt his legs crumble beneath him as the knife was ripped free. He felt his knees hit the ground, felt the rocks and loose shards of concrete dig into his legs, and he heard the Super Mutant that followed the woman around like a lost puppy laugh, loud and malicious. Heavier footsteps then, a boot on his head, shoving him into the ground so that stars burst behind his eyes. It lifted off of him for just a moment, and then–

–And then he was on his feet, his hand raised in a friendly wave, watching a woman in pearly white combat armour casually stroll up the road with a Super Mutant following submissively behind her.

Her hair was tied back in a neat bun, not a strand out of place. Every surface of her armour gleamed, and though her face was visibly marred by assorted scars and war paint, everything about her screamed, “Vault Dweller”.

It felt like his mind was locked in a cage somewhere far from his body. He wanted to turn and run, wanted to scream or cry or puke, but he just stood there, smiling widely, still waving to get the attention of the woman that had stabbed him.

This was just what had been happening not five minutes ago, before he’d given his speech, before, smiling, she’d asked for some time to think about his offer.

Before he’d turned away, muttering a disdainful “[REDACTED]” under his breath.

Before she’d turned around from where she’d started to walk away, and without a single instant of hesitation, stabbed him.

She was smiling as she walked up to him, wider than before. This time, her smile was forced. The Super Mutant whose foot had crushed his skull into jelly looked just as bored as he had before.

“Hi.” The woman said, still smiling that forced smile, holding one hand out for him to shake, which he did, even though every shred of his sanity screamed at him to flinch away. His body felt like it was being controlled by someone else, like he was just a passenger watching through the windows of his eyes.

“I’m General Bree, leader of the Minutemen. Nice to meet you.” The woman greeted cheerfully.

His heart rate was steady, not galloping out of his chest like it should have been.

“Parker Quinn.” His mouth replied without any hint of permission from himself, “Likewise.”

Again that false smile, just a hint of anger and more regret. “I don’t want us getting off on the wrong foot,” She said, “So I’m just going to get straight to the point. I’d like to hire you. How does an up-front payment of a hundred caps sound?”

And Parker Quinn’s mouth smiled, even as his mind screamed at him to run away.