In the shadow of the Great Emancipator
Kirsten Kearney
February 15, 2009
His hands resting on the arms of the chair, the fingers of one hand curled, one foot pushed forward slightly, a figure of wisdom, quiescent and emanating a solidity, strength and resolve. Abraham Lincoln’s head is missing. In restoring him I can restore a little of what he stands for. I will do this and the other things too. Every little act brings light to the dark places.
Harold, 200 years old, begs to be released from his prison. Keeping him alive could benefit many but sometimes the needs of the one really do outweigh the needs of the many. This tree of life must be set free and I stop his weary old heart and emancipate his old soul. Button Gwinnett doesn’t have a heart or a soul but he has his duty. You didn’t really sign the Declaration of Independance, Button and this isn’t 1776. Some might think that the powdered wig adorning your shiny metal head looks comical but not to me. I’ll take care of the tattered old scroll and you can rest now. You served your country well. The mechanical man shuts himself down freed from his duty.
As I free slaves, slay their oppressors, ferry women and children to safety and organise a wedding, from my radio comes the strains of a violin. Agatha is playing her song. I freed her Stradivarius and now she frees us all. The old woman stands, playing out the last tune of our sad lost souls, in a burnt out shack in the decrepit shameful ruins of the Wastelands. The waste.
February 15th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Just a few of the many things to do in what used to be Washington DC, now known as The Wastelands. I have enjoyed my journey from one corner to the next, and there are still new locations to investigate or to re-visit.
I have made a home, made friends, I even have a pet, met many survivors and fought all manner of creatures, machines and human enemies. There is still a threat out there, and I will do my part to protect this part of the world.
I hear the call of The Brotherhood,I feel we can help each other. Soon I will be back in the wastelands, and beware anyone who stands in my way…
February 15th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
(wipes a nostalgic tear from his radiation-stained cheek)
February 15th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I destroyed Button and use his wig whenever I trade (along with travelling merchant trousers). He was slagging off us British afterall. As for Harold, I must have missed something obvious but didn’t know where to go. After fighting lots of Mirelurks in an underwater cavern that didn’t seem to go anywhere, I torched the bugger, lol. I did do what Agatha wanted though and I’m generally a good guy in the game/my other life.
February 15th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
You torched Harold? How could you!
He was perhaps the best character in the whole game, I felt real empathy for the barky old bugger.
February 15th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Ha ha, well he wanted me to kill him and I tried to talk him out of it, but then I didn’t know how to get to his heart. I was also annoyed about that underwater cavern so I thought I’d see what a rocket launcher would do. Sometimes I still hear his screams on the winds.
February 16th, 2009 at 12:47 am
Well, I feel that the cosmos is that much more at peace with itself, thanks to the efforts of this great lady. :)
Must remember to spread the fear and destruction, next time I lay waste to another part of that already blasted land. You know, just to reset the balance. :D
September 18th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Loved this :) Loved the melancholy reflection of it, being taken through the journey as something more than a series of tasks within a game. It’s rare to read something as reflective as this when it comes to games journalism so I feel fully refreshed after reading it :)
Having just come to terms with the fact there’s no point playing Fallout 3 anymore, other than going over the same ground again and again, it was lovely to step into someone else’s experiences of the game for a brief moment.