EOTC: Blue Spruce Ridge
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 8:10 pm
It took two days to clear Camp Wilson of the undead, and another week to scour the surrounding desert for stragglers. Lt. Mikado and his flyboys stayed through the entire ordeal, refusing to leave until the last corpse stopped moving. By the end, nearly a hundred friends, family members, and townsfolk had perished. No one escaped the grief of losing someone they loved. Of all the people who used to visit Shep during his library days, only Kar didn’t survive. Injuries were everywhere. The old rumor that zombie bites were always fatal turned out to be mostly myth; “Only one person had a bite become infected and turn them.” Others amputated limbs to be safe. Most simply endured.
After Nico and his crew departed, Shep focused on helping Nova recover. She returned to something close to her old self, though her skin stayed pale, her eyes a strange orangish‑yellow, and her body temperature perpetually low. The townsfolk kept their distance. Only Reggie spoke to her regularly. Still, she visited Shep whenever he stopped by the library, where Susan always greeted him with a new book and a smile.
Before long, Shep felt the pull of the horizon. He packed his belongings, climbed into the Silver Eagle, and set out to explore beyond the 'lines.' The first stretch was easy; scorpions, snakes, and vultures were the worst he encountered. After several days wandering through a surprisingly colorful stretch of desert, he considered turning back. His rations were half gone, and civilization seemed nowhere in sight.
Then he saw a distant light.
Curiosity won. The light led him to a small settlement built inside a massive blast crater nearly half a mile wide. The townsfolk were wary when he descended, but Shep’s calm words eased their nerves. He explained he meant no harm and was only passing through. Once they warmed to him, he learned the place was called Basinview. No one seemed to know much about its origins.
He stayed long enough to restock supplies and get a decent night’s sleep in the tiny six‑room inn. But the longer he remained, the more unsettling the town became. Many residents bore strange mutations or deformities. No one lived past middle age. Even the wildlife avoided the crater. His suspicions force him to eventually leave, fearing radiation affecting the population. He didn’t linger.
A day later, he reached another settlement. A placed called "Checkpoint." No one knew why the population was mostly human, with a scattering of mutants and a few obvious d‑bees. The cactus‑like people were especially bizarre. Shep restocked again, took iodine pills just in case, and replaced anything that might have been contaminated.
Weeks passed as he learned their customs, but eventually he moved on. He crossed a vast canyon, climbed into a rugged mountain range, and finally descended into a forest, which is the first real forest he’d ever seen outside of books. The journey was slow and exhausting. He could have flown, but he’d quickly learned not to draw unnecessary attention.
Deep in the woods, he discovered a small logging town called Blue Spruce Ridge. The locals were cautious at first, but soon welcomed him with free food, drink, and a month of lodging. He grew close to many of them, including several mutants. For the first time, he witnessed someone move objects with their mind. The town was humble, not much larger than Camp Wilson, and its leader, a friendly man known only as "Hatchet," took a particular interest in Shep and his power armor.
The townsfolk spoke often of Silvereno, a bustling trade hub and mining town to the north. Beyond that lay the Baronies: Hope, Testament, Wilmington, Charity, New Durango, and finally the edge of civilization, called Rifle Ridge. Shep found Spruce Ridge peaceful. He helped with logging and occasionally flew search‑and‑rescue missions for teenagers who wandered too far. Most buildings were wooden, and a fifty‑foot watchtower overlooked the surrounding forest. The townspeople deliberately left trees standing around the perimeter to give the place a comforting, sheltered feel. Shep felt it immediately.
But peace never lasted. More than once, he caught strangers trying to steal his power armor, unaware that only he could operate it. It kept him alert, though no one had yet tried to harm him directly.
After several weeks, Shep sat with Hatchet discussing an upcoming trip to Silvereno. Hatchet hoped Shep would join him. During the conversation, he asked Shep’s surname. When Shep answered, Hatchet’s usually wrinkled frown suddenly brightened.
“Wilson?” he said. “Like descended from Andrew or Carl Wilson?”
After Nico and his crew departed, Shep focused on helping Nova recover. She returned to something close to her old self, though her skin stayed pale, her eyes a strange orangish‑yellow, and her body temperature perpetually low. The townsfolk kept their distance. Only Reggie spoke to her regularly. Still, she visited Shep whenever he stopped by the library, where Susan always greeted him with a new book and a smile.
Before long, Shep felt the pull of the horizon. He packed his belongings, climbed into the Silver Eagle, and set out to explore beyond the 'lines.' The first stretch was easy; scorpions, snakes, and vultures were the worst he encountered. After several days wandering through a surprisingly colorful stretch of desert, he considered turning back. His rations were half gone, and civilization seemed nowhere in sight.
Then he saw a distant light.
Curiosity won. The light led him to a small settlement built inside a massive blast crater nearly half a mile wide. The townsfolk were wary when he descended, but Shep’s calm words eased their nerves. He explained he meant no harm and was only passing through. Once they warmed to him, he learned the place was called Basinview. No one seemed to know much about its origins.
He stayed long enough to restock supplies and get a decent night’s sleep in the tiny six‑room inn. But the longer he remained, the more unsettling the town became. Many residents bore strange mutations or deformities. No one lived past middle age. Even the wildlife avoided the crater. His suspicions force him to eventually leave, fearing radiation affecting the population. He didn’t linger.
A day later, he reached another settlement. A placed called "Checkpoint." No one knew why the population was mostly human, with a scattering of mutants and a few obvious d‑bees. The cactus‑like people were especially bizarre. Shep restocked again, took iodine pills just in case, and replaced anything that might have been contaminated.
Weeks passed as he learned their customs, but eventually he moved on. He crossed a vast canyon, climbed into a rugged mountain range, and finally descended into a forest, which is the first real forest he’d ever seen outside of books. The journey was slow and exhausting. He could have flown, but he’d quickly learned not to draw unnecessary attention.
Deep in the woods, he discovered a small logging town called Blue Spruce Ridge. The locals were cautious at first, but soon welcomed him with free food, drink, and a month of lodging. He grew close to many of them, including several mutants. For the first time, he witnessed someone move objects with their mind. The town was humble, not much larger than Camp Wilson, and its leader, a friendly man known only as "Hatchet," took a particular interest in Shep and his power armor.
The townsfolk spoke often of Silvereno, a bustling trade hub and mining town to the north. Beyond that lay the Baronies: Hope, Testament, Wilmington, Charity, New Durango, and finally the edge of civilization, called Rifle Ridge. Shep found Spruce Ridge peaceful. He helped with logging and occasionally flew search‑and‑rescue missions for teenagers who wandered too far. Most buildings were wooden, and a fifty‑foot watchtower overlooked the surrounding forest. The townspeople deliberately left trees standing around the perimeter to give the place a comforting, sheltered feel. Shep felt it immediately.
But peace never lasted. More than once, he caught strangers trying to steal his power armor, unaware that only he could operate it. It kept him alert, though no one had yet tried to harm him directly.
After several weeks, Shep sat with Hatchet discussing an upcoming trip to Silvereno. Hatchet hoped Shep would join him. During the conversation, he asked Shep’s surname. When Shep answered, Hatchet’s usually wrinkled frown suddenly brightened.
“Wilson?” he said. “Like descended from Andrew or Carl Wilson?”