The Year 5066

Part 6: A Bad Memory For A Kid

"Do you have to crank that old ass music so loud?" Javdir yells at me from another room as I'm listening to Nine Inch Nails.
"I could listen to Slipknot instead, or maybe Five Finger Death Punch?"
"Its still old music, like couldn't you play something better?"
"It is better, and before you ask it's because it's from a better time in the world."
"Just turn it down please, like come on!"
"Ask again and I'll turn it so loud every survivor in a mile radius will hear it."
"Fine keep it fucking cranked up then!"
"Aye aye captain asshat."
"Fuck off!"

I laugh and turn it up one to see if he notices, which he doesn't. I decide to go loot the corpse of Ricky so I can use my hoverbike and turn my music to my earbuds. That is if he has the key still and some mutant or survivor didn't take it. Going onto the lift I check my gas mask to see if the filters are still clean, which they are, so I head up. Reaching the top I hear a noise and point my gun to see a kid huddled by a toolbox with a ratty blanket barely covering them.

I take one of my earbuds out so I can better hear and hear the kid muttering something. I can't hear fully since their muttering but I think I hear the kid say something like "Mommy, why do you look like that?" And "What's wrong with you Mommy?" After that little bit that I caught the kid saying they start moving around and with slowly increasing volume saying "No!" and "Stop!". Finally the kid starts waking up and I hear them say
"Mommy, I had that bad dream again." That's when the kid looks up and sees me. Yelping they go to try and hide behind a tool box.
"Hey kid, you alright?" Saying nothing the kid slowly pokes their head out and I can finally see that it's a little boy maybe around ten to twelve in age.
"C'mon kid, I just wanna see what's wrong."
"Y-your normal?"
"Yea no mutations here bud, can you tell me what happened?"
"M-mommy turned weird, a-a-and s-she tried h-h-hurting m-me." The boy says starting to cry.
"Hey, no need to cry bud, your momma can't hurt you no more."
"I just w-want her n-n-normal again." He says crying slightly loud now. Looking around I try and sush him slightly.
"It's ok, what's your name bud?"
"S-Samson W-w-Walsh"
"An irish name?"
"Y-yea we w-were on v-vacation here."
"Hey calm down now bud, you need to be brave and strong if you want to survive alright?"
"O-ok I'll t-try."
"Ok let's get you up and going, is it okay if I call you Sam or do you want to be called Samson?"
"S-Sam is f-f-fine, but w-what's your n-name?"
"Jackson Rayner, now do you have a home?"
"W-we were in an apartment b-before..." At his words he starts tearing up again.
"Hey, you remember to stay strong right?"
"Y-yeah" he says sniffling slightly.
"Let's get you in the base okay? We need to check you for radiation and mutagens alright?"
"O-okay" With his approval we head down and upon reaching the bunker I see a familiar no face bitch.

"Well well well Mr. Rayner, what is it that you have there?" It says pointing it's walking stick at Sam.
"A kid, and if you touch him you'll lose your hand."
"Now now Mr. Rayner, you surely have more manners than that right? Now let me see the child."
"How about no and go f yourself."
"Oh so you do watch your manners around children, but surely you remember our deal for Mr. Unako's life correct?"
"Yeah I do but if you hurt this kid then the deal's off."
"I'm afraid you don't make the rules Mr. Rayner, now hand him over." At his words I look down and see Sam hiding behind me, clutching my shirt. Seeing him just puts more resolve in me and I fiercely say my answer.
"I said no and that means f-ing no, you hear me n-o no. You even try takin' him and you're dead."
"Well let's see about that then, shall we Mr. Rayner?" At his words he raises his hand and my body freezes and I see Sam being pulled towards it, as if by an invisible force. I try to yell out but I can't, and I see the faceless man take his knife out of his cane. I try with all my willpower to move seeing while seeing him raise his knife as Sam flies toward him. I hear Sam scream and force my eyes closed as I know the outcome that is about to happen. All of the sudden I hear the faceless asshole say something but I keep my eyes closed.

Next though I hear it yell and I snap my eyes open to see Sam alive running towards me and the faceless man's knife in its chest. My body unfreezes and Sam reaches me hiding behind me again. Now my turn to be scared I look at Sam and back at the mutant.

"Well Mr. Rayner, it seems you found yourself a something not a someone."
"What do you mean?"
"Just like me he should be an it in your eyes."
"You tryin' to say this child is a mutant?"
"Not trying to say, I am saying Mr. Rayner. How else do you suppose this could happen to me?"
"Even if he is somehow a mutant, he's much more human than you will ever be."
"Don't act like you don't care Mr. Rayner, I know you will despise him and eventually destroy him like you wish to do to me."
"You're wrong you faceless creep, remember I'm not Ricky I'm Jackson f-ing Rayner."
"You'll see I'm right one day Mr. Rayner." At its last words the faceless man disappears and I'm finally left alone again with Sam.
"D-do y-you r-r-really w-want to k-k-kill m-me?"
"No, don't ever trust that thing."
"A-am I a m-monster l-like M-Mommy w-was?"
"Listen Sam you are so much better than that, understand me? I want you to remember until you die you are better than them."
"S-so y-you don't h-hate me?"
"Why would I hate you?"
"B-b-because I'm a m-m-mutant."
"Yea but like I said you're much more human than that."
"H-how do y-you know?"
"Do you not have a name? Do you not still feel emotions and pain? Trust me bud your more human than any mutant I've encountered."
"T-thank you Jackie." Smiling at his nickname for me I say:
"No problem bud, now let's go meet Javdir."
"W-who's that?"
"My friend who is going to help run some tests for you."
"T-tests?" He asks, starting to shake.
"Don't worry it's safe, me and him have both given them to each other."
"O-okay." Walking with Sam I knock on the door to Javdir's room.

A/N Wow another cliffhanger! Sorry for if this chapter was confusing... I try my best but I'm going without any prompts or planned storyline so try and cut some slack if it's not good enough sometimes.