Harder to Kill than Cockroaches [Doe]

A simple patrol was all Doe really had in mind. Maybe scavenge for parts, if there was time. Feet treading against the dirt, squinting out into the distance. Occasionally she would stumble upon strangers, both friendly and hostile. Her skills with a pistol thankfully had kept her safe so far, so she wasn't really nervous about going out on her own. Her main concern was making sure the rest of her team didn't do something reckless and get hurt while she was away. Doe had taught them a few basics, but she wasn't quite sure they had really understood what she was demonstrating.

Her train of thought was derailed when she saw a boy. Her eyes widened slightly. He was small, definitely underaged. He probably doesn't even remember the explosion, if he was alive at all during that time. He was injured, as well. There was no hesitation, but she made sure to put her pistols away before she began her approach. Slow, steady, and as non-threatening as she can manage. She carried her medical supplies with her wherever they might have been needed. It was times like these where she was happy that she had that habit. A closer look, and she could see that he was missing an arm. God, what had happened to him? No child should have to live out here, or like this.

"...I will not harm you." Very rarely did she actually speak, but she felt it was necessary now.

The benefit to the flat expanse of the Outback wasteland was the vantage point it gave him, even from his small height, he could see anyone or anything approaching him long before they got close enough to do him harm. Of course, there was always the chance that he was hallucinating at any given point, that was a given, thirst, hunger, and a healthy dose of the lingering radiation that clung to this place offered plenty of those. But he was sure she was real when he spotted what looked to be an older woman trekking his way.

caution was always the initial response that Oz was taught, no matter how desperate he was he could never just outright trust anyone. He became cautious himself as she got closer a hand reaching up to warily grip the hold of the machete slung and sheathed on his back that he kept close for protection, "who're yew?" There was a suspicious tone, but when he spotted what looked to be a bag of medical supplies, he was inclined to relax, if only a little, "y-yer a medic?" He narrowed his remaining eye, being cautious himself as he approached her, "y-you really ain't gonna hurt me?" He almost sounded hopeful, surely finding someone with some humanity left was a pipe dream?

Now that she was standing up close, it was really apparent what other kinds of injuries the boy had suffered. He seemed to be missing an eye as well. Not a good thing to go through, she knew from experience. While she had a proper eye patch, he had bandages wrapped around part of his face. Doe kneeled down so she could be eye-level with the boy. She knew her height could be a little intimidating. It could be doubly so, considering his injuries. He had a machete with him, which was an obvious danger for a child his age. But out here, not carrying a weapon was a guarantee for death. Or mugging.

She nods in response to his question, pulling her bag off and plopping it on the ground. "I can help you." She said, opening up the bag and sifting through, making sure the boy could clearly see there was no weaponry inside. She never tended to give major help to anyone outside the vultures, but this was just a boy. It would never sit right with her if she gave only just enough. There was no telling if the next person he encountered would be as willing to help as she was. "I used to be a nurse."

Oz didn't relax until she'd lowered herself to be level with him, feeling much less cornered and overpowered now that they were on relatively equal footing. He could fight if he needed to, but he wasn't in the best shape and he wasn't stupid enough to pretend like he was. The hand on the hilt of his weapon relaxed and fell to his side when he was finally convinced that she didn't intend to hurt him, for the time being anyway, he was still incredibly wary, but he needed help and she seemed to be willing to offer it, he would trust for now.

He craned his neck to peep into her bag when she opened it to rifle through it, making sure there was nothing insidious inside, "I been on my own fer days..." He reached to grip at the arm that wasn't there, "I had t'break off from my group...Food ran out..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish that train of thought, if she was smart he figured she would get the message anyway, "a nurse? Lucky me..." He laughed softly, relaxing a bit more, "d-d'yew know of someplace...Safer?" He sighed, "I'm alone, and I ain't stupid." He looked around them, "I got maybe a week or two tops on my own...Thank you for helpin' me uh...Wot's yer name?" He gave a slight smile, "mine's Ozzie...Or just Oz..."

There was an almost a smile as the boy's arm fell to his side. Doe was glad that she wouldn't have to fight with him. He'd been on his own for days? She was impressed that he was still alive. Guess that meant she was lucky, finding him before it was too late. As she listened to his story, she couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for him. Resorting to cannibalism... She'd honestly hoped she'd never hear of it happening. Resources were thinning quicker than ever, unfortunately.

At the question of if there was some kind of shelter he had, Doe had to think. To bring this boy into the vulture base... She wasn't quite sure how her team might take it. Of course she wouldn't let him join the vultures. She wanted to preserve whatever innocence there was left in him. Of course... There was one other option. "I can take you to Sydney. It's a city, far away from here." She'd have to arrange some kind of ride, but it would be worth it if she could get him away from here. "Doe. Call me Doe." She murmured. She rarely introduced herself with her real name.

Oz nodded, letting out a heavy sigh, "things were fine...Then they held me down...A-an'..." He let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes, feeling suddenly very dizzy as he sunk to the ground, "ugh..." He ran a hand across his sweaty brow again and looked her over as she spoke, it was a tempting offer, but he'd also heard some horror stories about Sydney and the way they tended to treat people who crawled out from the Outback.

He tilted his head to the side, "wot would I do there?" He fidgeted with his shirt nervously, "no one there's gonna want to take in a dirty, fucked up child...I've heard the stories..." He gave her a slight smile and sighed softly, "If you could just...Shelter me for a day or two I'll be fine on my own...I appreciate the offer though." He brightened up when she gave him her name, nodding and holding his hand out, "nice to meet you...Thanks for helping me by the way...Not enough friendly faces out here anymore..." With resourced becoming as scarce as they were, the number was dwindling every day.

Doe holds him steady as he sinks to the ground, watching with a still blank expression as he spoke. Though she didn't look it, she was concerned about this child. She was being reminded of the past, taking care of Oz like this. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, though it did tend to make her feel more somber. It then leads her on to think of what life could've been like if that explosion hadn't ruined it all. For the boy and for herself. The Vultures could fix it, that was what she was confident in. They had the drive and ambition for it.

"It's better than what might happen to you here." She spoke, pulling a thin vial from her bag. A bit of a remedy she'd mixed together herself. A painkiller, for the most part. Tasted awful, though. There was no helping that. "I'll take you to my shelter, for now." She held the vial out to him. "This will help the pain." Of course, she doesn't expect initial trust from him. She uncorks it and takes a small sip, just to prove it's not poisonous. The taste is bitter, but she doesn't show her disgust.

Oz looked ill as he took a moment to let his head stop spinning, he supposed it was infection making him sick, as he hadn't actually treated any of his injuries until now, it was a reminder of how numbered his days really had been, and how lucky he was that someone like Doe had stumbled upon him, "I guess there's some higher power lookin' out fer me..." He laughed and leaned back on his one hand, feeling like he kind of just wanted to lay down and sleep, "yew found me on my last legs...Lucky..." It was a very hot and heavy feeling, he was glad for the distraction when she spoke.

He supposed she was right, there was no future for him here, but there was no future for him in the city either, "I s'pose..." There was a wary glint in his eyes as he looked at the vial, watching carefully as she took a sip to make sure she actually did, when he was satisfied, he took the vial gratefully and swallowed some down, hissing, "gross...B-but thanks..." He tried to smile as he got to his feet, "I'm...Okay..."

"I'm glad I found you before it was too late." The words slipped from Doe's mouth as she dug through her bag once again. She'd have to disinfect any open wounds, but that process would be particularly painful, and not a good one to do out in the open where anyone could hear. Thus she slung her bag back over her shoulder, stood up straight, and offered her hand to Oz. She wonders what might have happened if any of the other vultures had stumbled upon him. He was awfully close to 'their territory'.

"How old are you?" She asked, beginning to walk whether or not he had taken her hand. In the end, it was up to him if he truly wished to follow. (Though she would feel very tempted to pick him up if he refused). Her guess was ten. She was hoping it wasn't any younger than that. When she was his age, she was living happily and simply with her family. To watch a child have to suffer through this... It definitely pulled a heartstring.

Oz gave her a small smile at her words and nodded, rubbing a hand over his good eye and breathing to try and chase away the dizzy feeling, "me too...I don't think I coulda' lasted much longer..." He glanced at her hand when she offered it, pondering for only a moment before taking it and getting to his feet, he was exhausted, sick, and hurting, but he supposed he could make it a little farther with the promise of shelter and care, at least for a little bit.

He glanced up when she asked how old he was, sighing softly, "ten...I'm ten." He ran a hand over his eye, "I don't know who the people I was with before were...Drifters I guess..." They'd found him not too long after his mother and father had succumbed to the sickness, he'd felt lucky at the time, "I thought I was safe with them..." He wrapped an arm around himself and got a somewhat faraway and haunted look on his face, "now I wonder if I'm safe anywhere..." He pushed closer to her side on instinct and sighed, keeping his eyes cast down as they walked.