Post by Johnathan Wesker on Mar 3, 2009 15:19:15 GMT -5
"Devil's Head, man I hate coming here." John muttered to himself as he pulled his buggy through the security gate and into the parking area inside the entrance to the outpost. People who didn't want to live under the governments rule lived with the Outcasts, and people who didn't want to live with the Outcasts usually ended up here. Devil's Head outpost was the place people went to to disappear.
Devil's Head looked like a scrap yard exploded. It was one of the bigger settlements, it had nothing on Los Angeles but there were at least a few thousand residents. It had sprung up in bits and pieces over the years as more people moved there, so it had turned into a maze of scrap metal and lumber. It had started as a small trade outpost but turned into a paradise for the scum of the Earth. You couldn't walk twenty feet without walking past a bar, strip club, gun store, or other seedy establishment. The place did have its benefits though...
John stepped out of his buggy and stretched, sore from the long drive. he waved to one of the guards patrolling the parking area, who nodded his head in response. This was one of the few places in Devil's Head you didn't have to worry about getting shot, stabbed, or robbed. Outpost security kept a tight watch over the vehicles, because if those started getting stolen the trade would stop and the outpost would die in a matter of weeks. Lifting his shipment out of the back of the buggy, a few cases of moonshine for one of the local bars, John checked the pistol at his hip and made his way into the settlement. The bar he was shipping to wasn't very far in so he wasn't too worried about running into trouble, plus the sun hadn't set yet.
Before long he found himself knocking on the steel door behind Anna's Bar. He heard her coming before she answered, yelling at one of the cook's no doubt. "Who the hell is it! she yelled, sliding the peep hole to the side and looking out, "Johnny! Oh my boy it's good to see you, is that this week's shipment?" She unlocked the door and swung it open, barely giving john enough time to think as she wrapped him up in a hug. Anna was an old widower, and as much of a mother as John had anymore. She was on the heavy side, but alot of that was muscle from hauling barrels out of the cellar on a regular basis, as John knew from the crushing hugs she insisted on giving him. Letting him go, she looked him over with soft brown eyes, face even more wrinkled from the smile crossing it. "You're looking good Johnny, eating well I hope, here let me help you carry some of that inside." She moved past him and picked up all of the cases he had brought before he could move, he followed her into the kitchen, "Yeah Anna i'm eating fine, sure you don't need any help with that?" She hushed him before he could continue speaking, "Nonsense you've done enough, now go have a seat out front while I put these away and get you're payment and something to eat."
John laughed, "You're too good to me Anna, but I can't argue." He made his was through the kitchen, waving at the disgruntled cook as he passed, and out into the main area of the bar. Anna's place was small, same as most places in Devil's Head, but unlike most other places she kept hers relatively clean. A long bar took up one half of the room, with the other half taken up with a number of small tables, each with an unlit candle in the center of it to give some light after dark. The place was empty at this hour, with the exception of the bartender cleaning glasses with a rag. John took a seat in the corner near the entrance, more out of habit than anything else. Even though Anna's place was one of the more respectable locations in the outpost, John always liked to be able to see the whole room and not worry about anyone coming up behind him.
Before long Anna came out from the back carrying a large tray. Setting it down in front of him, John's stomached rumbled as he looked as the steaming bowl of stew and big hunk of bread, he was hungrier than he had thought. "Now as for your payment, I put in a little extra this week, could you deliver a letter to Los Angeles for me? I have a cousin there I'm in the middle of a chess game with and it's her turn, her name and address are all in the envelope." She pulled a small pile of mixed gold and silver jewelry from her apron along with a small envelope and put it on the tray next to the food. "Sure thing Anna, i'll be heading out first thing in the morning, and thanks for the food this looks great." With one last pat on the head Anna made her way back into the kitchen, and before long started berating the cook again. John hated Devil's Head, but he loved coming here. Settling into his food, he glanced out the window and watched as the sun slowly set.
Devil's Head looked like a scrap yard exploded. It was one of the bigger settlements, it had nothing on Los Angeles but there were at least a few thousand residents. It had sprung up in bits and pieces over the years as more people moved there, so it had turned into a maze of scrap metal and lumber. It had started as a small trade outpost but turned into a paradise for the scum of the Earth. You couldn't walk twenty feet without walking past a bar, strip club, gun store, or other seedy establishment. The place did have its benefits though...
John stepped out of his buggy and stretched, sore from the long drive. he waved to one of the guards patrolling the parking area, who nodded his head in response. This was one of the few places in Devil's Head you didn't have to worry about getting shot, stabbed, or robbed. Outpost security kept a tight watch over the vehicles, because if those started getting stolen the trade would stop and the outpost would die in a matter of weeks. Lifting his shipment out of the back of the buggy, a few cases of moonshine for one of the local bars, John checked the pistol at his hip and made his way into the settlement. The bar he was shipping to wasn't very far in so he wasn't too worried about running into trouble, plus the sun hadn't set yet.
Before long he found himself knocking on the steel door behind Anna's Bar. He heard her coming before she answered, yelling at one of the cook's no doubt. "Who the hell is it! she yelled, sliding the peep hole to the side and looking out, "Johnny! Oh my boy it's good to see you, is that this week's shipment?" She unlocked the door and swung it open, barely giving john enough time to think as she wrapped him up in a hug. Anna was an old widower, and as much of a mother as John had anymore. She was on the heavy side, but alot of that was muscle from hauling barrels out of the cellar on a regular basis, as John knew from the crushing hugs she insisted on giving him. Letting him go, she looked him over with soft brown eyes, face even more wrinkled from the smile crossing it. "You're looking good Johnny, eating well I hope, here let me help you carry some of that inside." She moved past him and picked up all of the cases he had brought before he could move, he followed her into the kitchen, "Yeah Anna i'm eating fine, sure you don't need any help with that?" She hushed him before he could continue speaking, "Nonsense you've done enough, now go have a seat out front while I put these away and get you're payment and something to eat."
John laughed, "You're too good to me Anna, but I can't argue." He made his was through the kitchen, waving at the disgruntled cook as he passed, and out into the main area of the bar. Anna's place was small, same as most places in Devil's Head, but unlike most other places she kept hers relatively clean. A long bar took up one half of the room, with the other half taken up with a number of small tables, each with an unlit candle in the center of it to give some light after dark. The place was empty at this hour, with the exception of the bartender cleaning glasses with a rag. John took a seat in the corner near the entrance, more out of habit than anything else. Even though Anna's place was one of the more respectable locations in the outpost, John always liked to be able to see the whole room and not worry about anyone coming up behind him.
Before long Anna came out from the back carrying a large tray. Setting it down in front of him, John's stomached rumbled as he looked as the steaming bowl of stew and big hunk of bread, he was hungrier than he had thought. "Now as for your payment, I put in a little extra this week, could you deliver a letter to Los Angeles for me? I have a cousin there I'm in the middle of a chess game with and it's her turn, her name and address are all in the envelope." She pulled a small pile of mixed gold and silver jewelry from her apron along with a small envelope and put it on the tray next to the food. "Sure thing Anna, i'll be heading out first thing in the morning, and thanks for the food this looks great." With one last pat on the head Anna made her way back into the kitchen, and before long started berating the cook again. John hated Devil's Head, but he loved coming here. Settling into his food, he glanced out the window and watched as the sun slowly set.