Scarecrow

4.

"I search for solace in this waste
That I once called home
But my attempts of piecing life together leave me alone
I can't repair what's been done
When the sky is as black as the ground that I walk on."

Southern markethall, Fallout City

23 years, 4 months and 2 weeks after the solar flare

David had spend multiple times outside now, trying to bring something valuable back for the Raven. Hayden and he had found a hidden basecamp, deserted but full of still usable army stuff; weapons, clothes, tools, even some canned foods that hadn't reached their expiration date yet. Their truck was to small to bring everything back and they decided they would come back for the rest one day again.

The Raven was satisfied with what they had found and he got off David's back a bit, giving David a little more space to breathe again. He was so tensed up from his useless runs outside, that his mother too, sensed something was going on. She still didn't know about him being a scarecrow, and he would never tell her. He wore longsleeves when she was around, just to cover up his burnmark.

To relieve himself from stress, he went to the gym or payed some visits to Claire, who didn't ask any questions. It wasn't that he was into Claire; he never had been, but it kinda comforted him that somewhere in this shithole there was a girl waiting for him and she was always happy to have him come over. She let him vent his thoughts, secrets and fears, and didn't ask anything other in return than sharing her bed with him. He didn't love her, he just needed her. But the past few weeks he began to feel uncomfortable in her company and he went to see her less. Feeling dependent on someone he didn't even love scared him.

Riley and Brent were slowly getting used to their new lives in Fallout City, although Riley had had panick attacks every day and every night.

She would wake up screaming or crying, call for Brent or her father in her sleep, or run to the bathroom and throw up. David got worried about her, wondering if it had been a good decision to bring her here. What has happened to that girl that made her so upset?

Brent became a friend and went out hanging with him and the guys, who seemed to like him too. He never really talked much about his past, or how Riley and he gotten all the way here from Houston. The guys kept asking, until Brent grew sick of it and eventually they let it rest.

Riley seemed to never leave David's old room, only for a meal or to use the bathroom. She slept or read a book, but hardly spoke, only to Brent. Brent was the only one who could calm her down, so Kathryn and David gave up trying, since she even seemed to panic more if David was around.

Now, Brent and he were strolling the market, looking for products for which Kathryn had send them out.

'Eggs,' David murmered, as he looked at the small list his mother had given him. He walked over to a stall that sold eggs and wanted to buy six, until the seller looked him dead in the eye and told him to fuck off.

'What?' David looked up, surprised, his hand still hanging midair, holding the foodstamp. 'Why?'

'Oh don't act like you don't know. You threatened my family last week. I remember you, with your plugs and your scarecrow mark. Even though you wore your mask. You took our profit. Is that how you guys work? Stealing from the hardworking people?'

'I'm so sorry. I don't reme-'

'No, ofcourse you don't. Fuck off, go get your eggs elsewhere.' David looked the man in his eyes for a moment, then turned.