>Desperate, you claw your way towards the village, but it’s not enough. It’s over. Such is life in the Zone, you suppose. You look towards the dark sky, accepting your fate and hear your death approach, a discharge of electricity and all went black. ______________________________________________________________________________ >Bright lights approach, a pulse of energy consumes everything in its path. Those who were fortunate enough to avoid it, cower; those who aren’t perish. A gasp and then silence, the world becomes black. You swim through the void in total quiet. There is nothing, just endless black. >Then you see it, a beacon of bright white. It sings to you, beckons you to come to it. You hear nothing but you know it whispers sweet to you. As you approach, you feel the cold shedding around you replacing it with warmth. >A voice calls to you and you hearken to the sound. Pretty certain someone said not to go near the light you muse. “Ey~” the voice echoed. >”Yeah?” you reply >”Eyyy~” the voice echo once more >”What?” you reply again, confusion beginning to take root. “Proklyat'ye, prosnis'!” the voice yells and you feel a swift kick to your stomach. >The wake up boot shatters the dark around you and you come to once more into the world. Your eyes burst wide open and you take a long gasp, as if you hadn’t breathed in hours. You look around for your alarm but find nothing or anyone. Except… a girl? >She looks at you with a monotone stare, squatting near you hands over her knees wearing a combat boots, olive drab raincoat and a suit under it. >”Who are you?” you inquire, but no answer is given back. Just empty stare glaring into you. >After moments of awkward silence, you try to communicate again. “You know where my gun went?” you ask her. No answer, but she simply points down and you look at where she points and feel a flick on your nose. She gives you a scoffs with a soft chuckle before getting up and walking away. You grimace, the cheeky little shit. >You chase after her but not before picking up your shooter. >”Hey! Where’re you going?” you shout after her. “Tam” she answers flatly, pointing towards the Rookie Village. “Oni khotyat znat', chto sluchilos'” She says, while never making an eye contact or facing you. >You and the girl trot down the road wordlessly. The area is silent, gone are the animal activities that were abundant several minutes ago, but your eyes still dart around for any suspicious movements. You’ve nearly died once and you don’t want to push your luck. >You reach that familiar dirt path to the village, when a sentry notices your arrival. You see his eyes widen in surprise and he begins to run to the village center, alerting everyone of your arrival. Soon enough, curious souls begin to emerge from the broken down houses and shacks; all clearly wanting to see the lucky stalker who just survived an emission. >A small crowd forms around you, everyone murmuring something in their respective language. Some obvious with surprise and others with disbelief of your sheer fortune. You recognize some familiar faces in the crowd, it’s Pastor and Dima. “Well I guess Boris was right! Your luck is unquestionable friend!” Dima laughed. “Looks like someone is looking out for you, Tourist.” Pastor nodded. >”What, I’m not just a number anymore?” you smirk. “After what you just survived? Nah” Pastor shakes his head with a smile “Tourist, go talk to the old man in the bunker, he’ll want to know what happened” Dima finishes as he pats you on the back. >”Yeah, but I brought someone else with me” You say. “And who’s that?” Pastor asks. >”A girl? In a suit like yours” You answer. >Dima and Pastor give you a questioning look, as they look around. “Tourist, there’s no girl with you” said Dima. >”Yes, there is I just came here with her just now…” You trail off as you look around for her. Where’d she disappear to? Pastor looks a bit concerned. “You okay there Tourst? Surviving an emission, a psy emission even, can do things to your mind” Pastor asks you. >”Yeah, I feel fine… could’ve sworn I saw a girl when I woke up…” You murmur, but Dima pushes along to make a report to Sidorovich. “It doesn’t matter, he’s alive and he completed his first job. Good on you, Tourist” Dima congratulates you. >You follow Dima’s suggestion and push your way past the crowd towards the bunker. You meet Sidorovich with a pleased smile on his face. “You survived! And you have my runner with no losses, not bad for your first mission Tourist. You might become the next Zone legend at this point, if you aren’t already.” He chuckles. >”What do you mean?” “A psy emission just occurred but here you are talking to me like a normal person, and Kryll’s leg wound isn’t as bad as the doctor tells me. You accomplish the impossible and then return with good news, I’d say that’s a good start to a Zone legend like.. Oh a certain person.” He finishes. “Anyhow, the money’s transferred to your account for the work. Keep the shooter, usually I’d have people give it back but you earned it” >”Gee, thanks Sid.” you answer dryly. “Don’t mention it” he wave you off with a grin. “By the way you got a plan, Tourist?” >”What plan?” you ask while putting away your newly gained pistol. “You had your first taste of the Zone, I’m asking you if you’re up for more and being more than some gullible American who fell for the most obvious tourist scam to see Pripyat” >”What, you trying to tempt me into reaching the center or something?” “Why, I would never do such a thing; it’s almost suicidal not to mention insane.. But you did come here for Pripyat didn’t you?” >”I did” You reply “And so did others… then again it’s not like you have much options here. Your way out is gone, most likely replaced with different soldiers manning the checkpoints and Cordon does get awfully boring…” >“It sounds like you really want me to reach the center.” You shoot back. “Well, of course I do, it’s every trader’s dream to start peddling products from the center. We had our brief moment when the way to Pripyat was open for while…” Sidorovich trailed off. >“Then something happened” You say, bringing him back to the conversation. “Someone reactivated the Scorcher, blocking the North access once more.” the Trader grumbles. >“How many people did you try to convince to reach the center, Sid?” You ask him “What number did Pastor give you?” He quips. >You merely grumble at his comeback. “So how about it Tourist? How badly do you want to go to Pripyat?” >”I’m gonna have to get back to you on that one. I nearly died on a simple fetch mission. Not too keen on stretching my luck again” “Of course, take as long as you need to recharge your luck.” He waves as he sends you off. ______________________________________________________________________________ >You walk out the bunker, you trace back and forth a while, weighing your options. >Time passes by, life in the Zone carries on. You sit by the campfire: eating your food, listening to rookies joke around in their language, listen to guitars, and harmonica. >You stare at the brick walls, as you lay on your futon. Still mulling over your choice. >Yes or No never felt so difficult in your life. >Soon, sleep overcomes you. The crackles of campfire nearby lulling into peaceful rest. _____________________________________________________________________________ >Morning comes, you wake up expecting your stuff to be stolen by couple of unscrupulous Loners that you know earlier. >But your belongings are exactly where you placed them, curious. You half expected people to still give you shit for being a Tourist. >You walk up stairs out of the basement, into the village center where you see Pastor in his usual place. >Then you see the two thieves, they give you no mind; just a casual nod in your direction and go back to their activities. > You mull around for a bit when Pastor approaches you. “Did you make up your mind yet?” >”What, you knew?” “Of course, you're not the first I've sent to their first mission and see them walk into that bunker.” >”I'm still not sure..” “What have you got to lose? It's not like you're getting any younger here. And like Sid said, it gets boring here" >”I know, it just..” “No, I get you. You're uncomfortable with striking out. Trust me, if you've been stuck here as long as I have, you'll see all types of rookies.” “Most of them here are like you, haven't worked up the courage to move on just yet. I think they like having an anchor, a place to come back to” >”Well.. That and probably not getting killed" “If mortality was their concern, they would've stayed home.” > You remain silent after that, just opting to observe the village next to Pastor. >”I'm gonna take a walk.” You state. “You sure about that? You don't just take a walk around these part you know” Pastor replies with a hint of worry. >“Eh, I'll be fine I think. I did survive an emission didn't I? Besides, I won't go far” > With your shooter on your side, you walk to the edge of the village and trace the outskirts. >Your thoughts wander for a bit, things have changed quite a bit since you arrived. It’s no longer about ‘reaching the Pripyat’ instead it’s ‘shut off the Brain Scorcher, push through Pripyat outskirts and then reach Pripyat itself'. That and numerous pit stops along the way, it won’t be a walk in the park. >”Uncomfortable” would be understating your situation, by a mile. >”Fuck it, I’m getting my money’s worth. I’m going to Pripyat” you grumble.