ODDWORLD: Stranger's Wrath
The Reluctant Outlaw
A fanfiction by Matthew Seeger
Chapter One
Birdington’s Ripe for Plucking
(Part one)
It was quiet out. The sun had just set and the Zapflies were chirping and buzzing about, leaving an electric trail where they flew. A group of Outlaw Shooters and two Cutters “herded” me towards town.
“The town of Birdington,” said Chains, so named for the chains around his arm. “This here’s where we start looting.”
Chains pointed to a small house with a sign that said, “If you were here, you’d be home.” Quaint, but unfortunately, quaintness is a concept lost on the Outlaw scum.
My brow was sweating. I didn’t want to do this, but unfortunately if I didn’t, I knew I would get worse back at the hideout. I shuddered at the memory of what Bailey did to the last traitor.
Chains motioned to a Cutter and three Shooters to go around back of the quaint little home.
“You,” he looked at me and squinted, “stay here with us until Fred and the others get back.”
“My name is not ‘You,’” I said, trying to sound brave. “It’s Pugsley.”
“Yer name is Mud unless Boss says otherwise,” he snapped at me. “Now shaddap and hide. Someone might see you.”
I scowled, but did what I was told. “Boss” wanted complete and total compliance, and I was to do as Chains said. Or else.
We sat and waited behind a pile of wet, rotting lumber for nearly ten minutes. There was some clanging, followed by some “shh!”-ing at about the six-minute mark, but fortunately none of the lights in the home turned on. Frank and the three Shooters ran out with a handful of jewelry.
Chains looked disappointed. “This is all ya got?” He asked.
Frank looked down at his toes and kicked some dirt around shamefully. “This is all the guy had.”
“Ya better hope to get a good haul in the next house.” Chains threatened Frank with the barrel of his gun.
“I…I will! I promise!” Frank stammered.
“Good,” he said. “Let’s move out. We have a long night ahead of us.”
Three other houses went by in that same fashion. Then Chains decided to let me go into the fifth house.
I hated the thought of looting some poor sap’s home.
“I’d really rather not…” I said.
“Fine,” Chains said. “I’ll just tell boss that you didn’t pull your own weight tonight, and we can just…”
“No, no!” I said quickly, “I’ll…I'll go. Who do you want me to take?”
“Barry, Billy-Bob,” he motioned for two Shooters. “Get in there with ‘im.”
“Yew got it, boss.” Said Barry.
“Aw, come on. You’re sending me in with Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dumber? That’s bull--”
“Move it!” Yelled Chains.