It seems I sold my soul when I took revenge on those that took the ones I loved most. I met a dark figure at the cross roads of purgatory and told him I was done. But because of my actions he cursed me, I was to race across the wastelands undoing all the wrongs that clutched the land, by cursing me he had made me into something that was worse than he was, I let the devil in... and now I can't get him out.

I took the bike and left the citadel more than two weeks ago and it felt as though that place was only just out of my view when I looked over my shoulder. I filled some empty skins with water and as many tins of Dinki-di as I could carry, but I managed to go days without eating any of it. I'd fill up the bike with guzzeline any chance I could. In some cases it wasn't like the car's occupants would be using it while they rotted in their seats. I would find hidden spots off road, hide the bike and get within the rocks or on top of them so I could sleep, at night I could still see the glow from Gastown in the sky amongst the star's before I'd fall into a haunting sleep and that's when the faces and voices would come to question me. Some of the faces I had seen before but some I had never seen even for a second, among those I knew were Jessie, my wife and mother of my son who had passed god knows how long ago now.

'You changed, Max, you promised you'd stop' her voice echoed as her angry face came towards me.

A raggedy man I don't remember ever meeting but he resembled someone I knew 'you took from me, and I died because of you'

It seems no matter what good I do, I will never change the mistakes I've made but I have no other choice than to continue on. That night I slept uneasy but well hidden behind a fallen flyover of a road. It had collapsed as far as it could and rested on the stumps of its columns. Managed to catch a couple of mutated iguanas and cook them over just a small fire I assembled, as I ate I could hear the roar of engines as they burned up and down the road about a quarter of a mile from where I was. I had been here for two days now, for no other reason than to just relax for once. The last few weeks had been full of adrenaline and fuel and I just wanted be able to sit down and relax.

That morning before the sun came up I took off and pushed the bike as much as I could to make up for lost time but it soon gave up on me and I had nothing to put in it, so I continued on foot, bags over my shoulder my my right hand close to my boomstick. I knew it was dangerous but I had no other choice than to walk. It started to get dark when I saw what looked like an open settlement build on either sides of the road, no walls, no gates and no lead-slingers to be seen when I scoped the place out.

When I reached the place I saw it was repurposed relics from the old days, gas station (no gas, I checked) a black finger's work shop, a diner and some nondiscript buildings on the other side, empty from the looks of it. There were lights on in the diner and there was talking and laughing from within but I approached carefully and looked through the window to see some men and women sat drinking, something I had not seen since Barter town.

I felt the cold metal against the back of my head as a foot gently knocked my hand away from my boomstick and covered it. I could have grabbed at the ankle and broken it in a few seconds but they could have blasted my head into pieces in less than one so I put my hands up slowly, the smart way.

'Hope you werent planning on doing us over Mate' a voice said 'now slowly stand up and lock your fingers behind your head'

I did as i was asked to show I was no threat.

'Im only here for water, maybe some fuel' I told him

'No fuel here I'm afraid, now turn around'

I did and faced the stick thin man who was pointing a six shooter right at his face. I could see deep wounds across the man's face that were still healing, staples held his forehead and scalp together as one side of his face dropped slightly.

'Barter?' The man asked after a while when he saw I was here peacefully.

'Got some stuff, not much but enough to maybe get myself a drink?'

'Inside' he man ordered.

I walked slow into the door way where the people who were sitting at the counter turned around to look me over. The place was silent as I stood with my hands still in the air.

'Ma, we have another feral soul' the man said, as he did a woman came from the back room to behind the counter, she was in her sixties at least but was still moving fine, just as thin as the one he assumed was her son. Her hair was almost white and hung down freely.

'Don't be so Rude, Mag, and put the bloody gun away' she said in a croaky voice. I heard the man she called mag put his gun in his side and I slowly put my hands down.

'You hungry lad?' The woman asked 'got some coyote meat grilling in the back'

...

Just hearing that there was good available made my guts tighten in excitement and that's before the smell hit him.

When I sat eating greedily with his hands all the others watched me closely like I was a caged animal, ma had barely filled my cup with water before I almost smashed it against my teeth.

'Mag tells me you're here for fuel, sorry but we have none' Ma said as she poured clear liquid into a cup for herself.

'That's fine' I grunted with food stuffed in my mouth. I swallowed and took a drink of water. 'The food and water is more than enough to help me along'

'You're welcome to stay a while, we have space here, not like we have much you could actually steal from us' she said.

I thought about it for a while, some enclosed rest would be good, away from the elements and dangers outside would offer me nightly. I accepted as the old woman poured some of the clear stuff for me, I sniffed it and knew it was something a little stronger than water. Knocking it back I recognized the burning in my throat and the taste, didn't know what it was but I had it before.

Over the next few hours we drank more as I listened to stories about how life was, I had no idea how long it had been and there were only certain things that they spoke of that I could relate to.

That night I slept better, down in the basement with with others which was well hidden by the counter we sat as as it slid to the side revealing a metal stair set. Although I slept well it was still disturbed by questioning souls that haunted me.

...

I woke to the sound of voices above me and I quickly grabbed my gun as I looked around to see I was alone in the basement now, everyone must already be up there. I got dressed as fast as I could when I heard the voices spoke of unpleasantness and threat. I checked to make sure the cartridges in the hand cannon were clean and had not misfired, they were fine. When I started to climb the metal stairs I saw the counter was slid open so I hadn't been locked inside, so I climbed carefully but steadily as I listened to the voices, I heard Ma and Mag, the responding voices didn't match those of the other from the night before. I climbed out of the basement but kept as low as I could as I peered over the top of the counter. Ma and Mag were stood outside on their own, none of the others were there and they were talking heatedly with the strangers about fuel.

'I ALREADY SAID WE HAD NONE, NOW GO ON SLING IT, DOGGO!' she shouted, Mag was trying to keep her from going too far with her tongue. The one she called Doggo was average height, slim and dressed in leather, just like I used to, actually exactly the way I used to, with a badge on the left side of his jacket, shades and a hat which I always refused to wear, none of us liked those stupid hats anyway. His followers were dressed the same with various accessories such as old pieces of thick rubber for their armour and metal fixtures on their knuckles and they were all armed.

'we both know you are liar, Ma Dim, so why don't you send old Magnus Dim inside to give us what you have or we will take you in and take the fuel anyway' Doggo said very smugly as took off his shades, and cleaned them even though only one had a lens in the frame.

Ma went for him but was stopped by Mag, 'You're a shit Doggo, a dirty shit' she hissed at him.

I came out from behind the counter and walked to the outside slowly, not drawing my weapon but they all tensed up anyway when they saw me. Some of them even had a chuckle at me commenting on how I was dressed like them.

'There's no fuel here, best be on your way' I said, I was outnumbered and didn't stand a chance so I kept calm in their presence.

'See you are still taking in strays from the wasteland ma, very commendable of you' Doggo sneered as he put his shades back on 'and who are you fella? Would you be the one who goes out and steals the fuel for her to hoard?'

'Im no one, easiest thing to remember so remember it as you take your leave' I said as mild threat.

'I've think you're one of the ones we've been looking for' Doggo laughed 'wasn't it said boys, a ragged looking man dressed as a cop killed those three wanderers in the early hours?' He was agreed with by his gang.

'I've not murdered anyone who didn't have it coming' I said not taking my eyes from their leader. One of his men moved to a buggy, the back of which was covered in a sheet, dirty with both dried and fresh blood. He removed to covers to show the bodies of the three people who he was drinking with the night before, Ma let out a gasp and muffled a cry into her sons shoulder as he comforted her. Mag looked at me but the look was not accusing, it was more hopeless because he knew who killed those people. The bodies had been both shot and slashed multiple times, some limbs were even missing and fresh blood dripped into the orange sand.

'Real shame what happened to them it was, just fighting to survive out here, wouldn't of harmed another wandering soul but the one they met this morning wanted everything that they had and when they wouldn't give it over well he... he butchered them, really enjoyed doing it too... yeah five innocent people'

Five? I thought, then it hit me and as I turned to look at the two people who had fed and watered me I heard the gunshot, and saw the fixed-on skin of Mags face fly off as his head erupted into gore and a red mist. Ma screamed and fell with her son but she was blasted by three of the men with Machine guns and pretty much cut in half by the bullets. I didn't even know I grabbed it burbs did and when I looked I was pointing it right at Doggo's face but he hit the ground. I almost saw the bullets coming at me but the pain followed the image fast, I was hit by nine bullets in total, most in my guts, two in my right arm and one through my cheek, shattering a few teeth and blowing a hole into my tongue.  It's funny, when you die they say that you see a white light, but I saw grey, dark grey and then black

Thanks for reading folks I really hope you enjoyed it although I admit this opening chapter is a little rough I will probably be editing it as I have a few different ideas coming to me and still need to decide which one to follow.

***edit***
I decided to put what I started as chapter two onto this one, it seemed to fit better and I feel makes the opening chapter stronger.