Tracks of Uncertainty

Dmitry, sensing the cool breeze outside, donned his gas mask and replaced the filter. Ascending the improvised ramp, he headed toward the radio station to inspect it. Upon reaching the station, he scanned six new frequencies, encountering static on five of them, but unexpectedly discovering one playing vintage music. Intrigued, he meticulously documented each station in his weathered journal and proceeded down the opposite side of the ramp, making his way towards a desolate dam.

As Dmitry descended the dam, the resonant echoes of Vera's urgent voice reached him, "Dmitry, wait up!" He gracefully paused his movement, attentive to her approaching figure. "I was told I should come with you; they don't want you getting hurt again," she expressed with a genuine concern that mirrored in her eyes. Dmitry, acknowledging her presence, nodded in acknowledgment, "And neither do I. Please, Dmitry, you have to accept there is nothing here for us."

In response to her plea, Dmitry signaled for Vera to walk alongside him. A shared sigh lingered in the air, embodying apprehension. "Dmitry, I know this is important to you, but I just don't want you to be disappointed," Vera voiced her worry as they continued their descent down the dam.

The dam led them to the watchtower positioned just above the weathered road, providing a vantage point overlooking the train tracks below. The dilapidated landscape unfolded before them.

As Vera's senses heightened, she began to hear a distant whistle, prompting her curiosity, "What was that?" Dmitry, wearing a puzzled expression. "That whistle, it's getting closer." An unexpected anticipation hung in the air as they exchanged glances.

Just as Vera prepared to articulate her thoughts, the distant sound transformed into a tangible presence—a train hurtling towards them. Caught off guard, the watchtower started to crumble, its structure yielding to the forces of time and neglect. In a race against the collapsing tower, Dmitry and Vera swiftly adjusted their positions, descending low enough on the ladder to mitigate the fall. With a synchronized leap, they avoided injury.

"Was that a fucking train!?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. "Let's go, after it!" Urgency propelled them forward, sprinting down the road in pursuit of the mysterious locomotive. As the train gradually slowed, hope sparked within her, "These might be our guys," she conjectured, hinting at the possibility of encountering their elusive special forces.

Reaching the train, she swiftly boarded, urging Dmitry to follow suit. Someone from within yelled, "Get on, quick!" With a leap of faith, she bounded onto the moving train. However, Dmitry hesitated, his semi-auto aimed at who he perceived as the chief. "Clever man," the chief remarked, firing a shot that sent Dmitry tumbling back into the dam. "Dmitry, no!" Vera's anguished cry echoed through the air. "Let me go!"

As Dmitry regained consciousness, a resolute determination overcame him. Bleeding uncontrollably, he retraced his steps back to the below. Upon his arrival, Colonel Vladimir, the authoritative figure in their refuge, urgently confronted him, "Dmitry, what happened? Get to the hospital bed now so we can save you. And where's Vera?" Dmitry's consciousness wavered again as he succumbed to the gravity of his injuries.

Waking up in a hospital bed, the doctor sternly addressed him, "You have to stop going out and getting hurt, Dmitry. We can't keep sacrificing our own blood to save you." Ignoring the doctor's plea, Dmitry rose, only to be met by the intense gaze of Colonel Vladimir. "Where is Vera?" demanded the Colonel, his tone cutting through the air with a mix of concern and authority.

Dmitry recounted the unfolding events, detailing the abrupt reaction to his explanation. "What!?!" echoed in response as they hastily boarded The Velocity, their designated train in the metro. A surprising discovery awaited Dmitry onboard – an old workbench equipped with materials for crafting, offering the potential to create essentials like ammo and med-packs.

As the train journey commenced, the colonel asserted, "We will be in and out, no trouble." Dmitry, perplexed by this assurance in a world where external life was doubted, observed the landscape passing by as they approached their destination.

Igor, a member of the special forces accompanying Dmitry, beckoned him towards the workbench. "Look at this beauty. I've got an upgrade for your semi-auto; check it out," he said, placing an old bayonet strap on the table. "You can attach your hunting knife to the end with this." Without hesitation, Dmitry secured the aged hunting knife to the muzzle of his gun.