Post by Lawnmower Joe on Sept 6, 2011 15:53:39 GMT -5
(Continued from For a Handful of Bullets)
The following day, Balalaika and her two companions (one of whom seemed to be suffering from a hangover), made her way to one of the small maintenance tunnels that lead to the surface. The main doors of the station they were in were never opened in order to avoid endangering Polis' population, so stalkers used a maintenance tunnel instead.
The tunnel was very small, as it was once used by metro technicians in order to access certain areas. Some of the small tunnels had been blocked or walled off after a spate of Nosalis attacks, but the tunnel leading to the surface was still open. After following the dark maintenance tunnel for a while, the small group found the old vertical shaft that lead up to the surface. Far above, Balalaika could hear the whistle of wind.
"All right, you know the drill", she said. "When we get close to the hatch on top, we all put our masks on."
She knew Ferret and his companion were probably aware of this, but she wanted to make sure anyway. For some reason, she didn't feel comfortable with Ferret and Bear. The group quickly started climbing up the rusted old spiral staircase that crawled its way upwards, its old steps and railings creaking menacingly beneath the stalkers' booted feet.
After a long and tiring ascent, the stalkers reached the hatch. It was a heavy metal hatch that lead into an old surface maintenance building. The hatch was open, and as Balalaika crawled out, she saw another group of stalkers, three men and, suprisingly, one dog with an improvised gas mask.
"Priviet", said Balalaika as she put her mask on. The air in the small building was nigh unbreathable due to toxic and radioactive particles that seemed to saturate it. The dog gave off a muffled bark and wagged its tale.
"-Priviet", said one of the stalkers, his face invisible behind a heavy rubber and metal gas mask.
"-How're the monsters?", asked Balalaika as she adjusted the straps of her gas mask.
"-They're good today", replied the stalker. "We didn't see any except for one of those flying bastards."
"-Good. That'll make things easier."
"-Good luck", said the stalker.
The following day, Balalaika and her two companions (one of whom seemed to be suffering from a hangover), made her way to one of the small maintenance tunnels that lead to the surface. The main doors of the station they were in were never opened in order to avoid endangering Polis' population, so stalkers used a maintenance tunnel instead.
The tunnel was very small, as it was once used by metro technicians in order to access certain areas. Some of the small tunnels had been blocked or walled off after a spate of Nosalis attacks, but the tunnel leading to the surface was still open. After following the dark maintenance tunnel for a while, the small group found the old vertical shaft that lead up to the surface. Far above, Balalaika could hear the whistle of wind.
"All right, you know the drill", she said. "When we get close to the hatch on top, we all put our masks on."
She knew Ferret and his companion were probably aware of this, but she wanted to make sure anyway. For some reason, she didn't feel comfortable with Ferret and Bear. The group quickly started climbing up the rusted old spiral staircase that crawled its way upwards, its old steps and railings creaking menacingly beneath the stalkers' booted feet.
After a long and tiring ascent, the stalkers reached the hatch. It was a heavy metal hatch that lead into an old surface maintenance building. The hatch was open, and as Balalaika crawled out, she saw another group of stalkers, three men and, suprisingly, one dog with an improvised gas mask.
"Priviet", said Balalaika as she put her mask on. The air in the small building was nigh unbreathable due to toxic and radioactive particles that seemed to saturate it. The dog gave off a muffled bark and wagged its tale.
"-Priviet", said one of the stalkers, his face invisible behind a heavy rubber and metal gas mask.
"-How're the monsters?", asked Balalaika as she adjusted the straps of her gas mask.
"-They're good today", replied the stalker. "We didn't see any except for one of those flying bastards."
"-Good. That'll make things easier."
"-Good luck", said the stalker.