[Oasis Outpost, Central Wasteland]

{Dustin’s point of view}

Electricity cracked overhead as his father groaned in the front seat. Dustin started to wake, his vision a blurred mess. Shaking his head he could make out two or three figure’s outside the car in the darkness. Both his parents unresponsive as he felt a tinge of pain across his right leg and right arm.

The electricity above let a blue light off every second or so as it collided with the ground. They had been the third car in the convoy, headed far north toward a city of neon. Yet here he was, strapped into a car after his father had swerved into a pole. Guess some of the old electrical lines still worked.

He’d watched his father swerve away from a small group of people, stumbling at the roads edge. Forgotten of course, non-humans that would rip open a human like a cantaloupe. Zombies had been the word used by most wasteland goers.

Two gun shots tore Dustin back into the present as two of the figures near the window dropped. Blood splattered against the window. Then came a knocking on the window, the voice sounded familiar. Yet he couldn’t make it out.

“Dustin!” Another voice cried out from his window. “Can you hear me?”

The voice was female now, very familiar. Jamie tapped on the glass as her father smashed the window farther away with the bit of his rifle.

“Dustin” He looked through broken entrance and caught his gaze. “Can you move boy? This pole is gonna come down any second!”

Dustin mustered as much strength as he could to pull himself forward. As her father opened the car door. Another crack of electricity that fell behind her dad a few feet. He could see a larger group of Forgotten behind him. Just beyond the edge of the road.

“Jamie, help him to his feet” Her father called as her footsteps came.

He could feel arms around his chest. Pulling him free, then falling to the ground with a thud as a few more shots rang out.

“Can you walk boy?” Her father cried out, taking out another few forgotten and starting to grab for another magazine.

Dustin watched Jamie stand up, her black hair nearly blending with the night sky. Except for a red bandanna that held it all together. Her light brown eyes, searching for any response.

“I think I -“ He coughed out, grabbing the door to pull himself up.

Another burst of electricity shot out , catching one of the forgotten and instantly setting it on fire.

“Hurry guys!” Another voice called from somewhere a little ways away.

“Just grab him, Jamie” Her father ordered, letting a handful of busts off into the crowd of forgotten that loomed closer.

Jamie grabbed his shoulder, tucking his right arm over her left shoulder. Hoisting him up with all her might. Then it exploded, electricity surged through the air. Catching Dustin straight in the back. Knocking them both to the ground. A ton of other shots rang out as he tried to look over at Jamie. But the blackness took him.

“Beep, Beep , Beep!” The noise startled him as he started to come too. Pain ripped though his whole body, as his eyes shot open. Nobody else stood in the small hospital room.

Just the machines whining out load, two chairs off in a corner and a tray with oldish looking food just out of his reach. “Could he move….” He thought to himself trying to grab for the tray.

Slowly his fingers and arm started to move. Then came an alarm, sounding off just outside his room. A nurse stepped into the room, a girl with mocha skin grabbing at the door.

“I wanna see them” She cried out and he knew in a instant it was Jamie.

“Jam-“ He started but it came out as a grumbled.

The nurses head shot up in his direction, her reddish brown bangs slipping back down across her face. A bun sat at the top of her head, but her grey and green eyes were locked to his.

“I think your friends awake” She tried to calm the teenage girl, turning her round into his direction.

“Dylan?” She sobbed as he faintly waved at her, his voice not coming as he said her name. Again he yelled yet only grunts came through.

“We need to get that out of his mouth!” The nurse shouted, opening the door only a crack. “Doctor!” She called into the hallway as he felt the blackness returning.

“Dylan, Dylan. Wake up!” A female voice called as he felt two fists thud down onto his stomach.

Instantly his eyes shot open and he gasped for breath. Thankfully the tube down his throat had been removed.

“Jesus Jamie, did you need to cause me more pain?” He slowly rubbed his stomach with both hands, thankful that the pain and stiffness was gone.

“A little pain never killed anyone.” She shot him a devilish grin and spun around quickly. “My mom says you should be out of here by tonight “

“How long have I been in here?” He grumbled, moving forward trying to scratch his lower back.

“Since the accident? Or since you woke up last?” She stopped twirling, her eyes and face dropping toward the ground a bit as it brought back the events.

“Both”

“Two months since the accident, and two weeks since you tried to talk to me. Doctors are surprised you even woke up” She said matter a factly while thinking of the events that unfolded on that night.

“What happened? I remember the crash, the forgotten, your dad. Getting free then nothing “ He sighed, rubbing his temples as a small headache started to form.

“The box blew, sending a bolt into you. Knocking me away. Turning my dad and uncle plus a bunch of forgotten to nothingness…..” A few tears had started to fall down her mocha toned skin.

“I’m sorry…” He reached for her.

“They died instantly. At least that’s what everyone says” Her eyes darted towards the floor.

“It all happened so fast….”

“It’s fine. We made it” She shrugged a bit. “not even the bolt of lightning kept you down.”

“It’s actually quite crazy how it didn’t “ The doctor stepped into the room, quickly behind Jamie. “The amount of electricity in your body even now is much higher then should be possible. Yet it isn’t having any effect of your organs or brain”

He crossed the room, chart in hand. Stopped just short of the beds edge. “After a few more tests you may leave. “

“Hopefully we can get a handle on why?” The doctor mumbled reading something else to himself.

The doctor was a fairly average height middle aged man, a scar hung just outside of his undershirt. Pointing toward his right shoulder, it looked old and like it had been deep. His blue eyes flashed a grin as he looked back toward them.

“Your a miracle for sure. Let me be the first to welcome you to the working section of Neon City” He gave a clearly fake smile in a quick fashion.

“Neon city?” He questioned looking at Jamie.

“My mom and aunt along with the rest of the convoy brought us here” She fuddled with her fingers a second before looking back up at him. “ Everyone was surprised you made it the whole nearly day journey “

“We believe it was the electricity that kept him alive. Our tests show that his heart stopped a few times during the trip. Yet his new relationship with the electricity kept restarting it” He mumbled something else before losing himself, flipping over the charts pages.

“How is that possible?”

“In our best guess, it’s not. He should be dead” The doctor didn’t sugar coat his words at all.