My America

Colonel Autumn narrowed his eyes as the wind rustled his overcoat. He glanced around in disgust. He hated what America had become. A wasteland, full of ruin, death, decay, and god only knew what else. The only reason he came outside anymore was to get away from everyone.

When it wasn't Eden wanting something, some moronic scientist needed to talk to him. He took a drag off of the cigarette he was smoking and felt the smoke fill up his lungs. Maybe if he was lucky the damned thing would kill him off before he had to go back in and babysit everyone. He flicked the cigarette away and blew the smoke out. No such luck.

He shuddered as he thought about going back into Raven Rock. It was his home, but he had no warm feelings about it anymore. He was taking care of an army of morons run by a computer who thought it knew everything. Autumn was starting to have his doubts that the Enclave could even bring America back.

At one point he had loved the Enclave and would have followed Eden through hell and back again. But that had been years ago, when he had been a naïve kid listening to his father. No doubt his father would be disappointed in him. That made Autumn smirk. Oh yes, if his old man could only see him now.

He hated his bastard of a father. He might have been a scientist but he was no push over. No growing up, Autumn could remember the beatings he and his mother received if they had acted "out of line". Which could mean anything from breaking a plate to forgetting a word in the pledge of allegiance.   

Autumn was just glad his father never abused him further. Lord knows he came home drunk enough to do it. He sighed. No that treatment was all left for his poor mother. It nearly killed him when his mother had passed away, leaving him alone with his father. But through it he learned to be tough and cold. Which is why he was so well feared among his men.

As he turned to go back into Raven Rock, his sight fell upon something on the ground. Kneeling down, he picked it up. It was an old baseball. He ran a gloved thumb over the stitching. The real reason he wanted America back so bad was so that someday soon a child might be able to play with this baseball without having to fear for his life.

He sighed and stood up. He wanted to give children chances he never had. Autumn smiled sadly. Turning the ball in his hands he walked into Raven Rock. He had a job to do, as much as he hated the Enclave and Eden. It was his last and only hope at restoring America.