Silver Lining

Exciting Origin Story Issue!

Kent Connolly didn't leave Goodneighbor much. In fact, since he started living there some years ago he hadn't left at all. He had it better there than he had it anywhere else he'd lived since the bombs fell over two hundred years ago. He had never been one to stray from routine or live outside his comfort zone. But the events that had brought him to the current point of being tied up and held prisoner by a gang of raiders in an abandoned hospital he felt were worth reviewing while he had the chance.

Since coming to Goodneighbor, Kent made a meager living as a handyman. Repairing things when needed around town, but mostly in Irma's Memory Den. He spent most of his time there, where he was given steady employment to fix Irma and Dr. Amari's memory loungers whenever they were on the fritz. Where they got them or how they got them to work like they did, he never asked. The repairs were normally pretty simple, so he never asked many questions. The machines broke down with surprising consistency, so Irma let Kent live at the Memory Den so he could be on call. As an added bonus, Irma even let him use the Memory Loungers at no charge.

Of course, Kent should have known this was a stupid idea. Irma was hoping he'd use the ham radio he'd found and repaired to advertise the Memory Den, instead he plays those old Silver Shroud holotapes while fixing up his own personal Memory Lounger. He made a little radio station out of the room he used and had been nursing the idea of bringing the Silver Shroud back, if not to give himself something to look forward to again. He was so enamored by the idea of the Silver Shroud swooping in to save the day like he used to in Kent's comic books and the radio show, he had to at least give this idea a chance. But now, on his knees with his hands tied behind his back and his leg hurting in ways he never imagined, Kent felt this was a good time to reevaluate some things.

Kent thought about the events leading up to this point, as he waited for rescue with Sinjin's boot on his back and a gun to his head. His radio show, his collection of old, moldy comic books, the stack of holotapes sitting in a box that he kept saying he'd repair to play on his radio show, finding the lady from the vault to help him bring the Silver Shroud back to life; just about everything up until now. He ignored the conversations of the gang and thought about everything up until this point. The last time he was in a Memory Lounger, he thought about his most vivid memory. It was the memory he always thought about, even when not in the lounger.

The gang didn't see a lone tear fall from Kent's ghoulish face. He didn't need a memory lounger to remember her face. It haunted him for the last two hundred years, and he knew it would haunt him for another two hundred, provided he didn't go feral by then.

Kent Connolly; mild-mannered repairman, radio host, and comic book enthusiast, thought about the last time he ever felt truly happy in a cruel world that never understood him.

Friday, September 17th, 2077

"Good morning, Boston! It's a lovely day today! Mostly sunny weather, clouds clearing by mid-afternoon, high of 85 degrees. We here at Galaxy News Radio hope everyone will be out and about enjoying the fresh air! You know what would be the best way to enjoy such a cloudless, sunny day? An outing with the family! So don't forget to stock up on plenty of all-American beef hotdogs at your local Super Duper Mart for a picnic with the kids! You know what would really wash those brauts down? An ice cold bottle of Nuka-Cola in the brand new limited edition rocket bottle! Blast off to flavor! Available at any participating Super Duper Mart or Red Rocket Filling Stations across Boston and its suburbs! And be on the lookout for new Nuka Quantum! Coming just in time for Halloween! We'll have today's top headlines in just a few moments, but first, this word from the good people at Corvega…"

Kent Connolly reached his arm out from his blanket and smashed his hand against his nightstand, hoping one of the things he hit was the radio alarm clock. After knocking down an empty soda bottle, a book, and a half-eaten candy bar from the night before, Kent finally hit the right button and the radio shut off. Kent sat up and scratched his head. His russet brown hair was shaggy and was in desperate need of a trim. He tried to roll under his covers again but the noise outside his window wouldn't let him sleep again.

Finally opening his eyes, Kent looked around his room. It was mostly clean, save for his nightstand and the cluttered closet. He kept all his books and comics in order on his bookshelf, his desk was neat and tidy, and his floor was clean (despite needing to be vacuumed). It was the same room he'd seem every morning for years. He still had a Captain Cosmos poster over his bed.

Kent Connolly lived in an average sized apartment with his older brother, Buster. Buster was a journalist for the Boston Bugle. It was Friday, which meant Buster would probably get off work early that night. It also meant he would still be in "reporter mode", as he called it, when they went out later. Buster and Kent used to share the apartment with their parents before they moved out west, leaving it to them. Buster used what used to be his room as an at-home office while Kent stayed in his bedroom. Kent hadn't had a steady job in years. He used to work at a diner in high school, but his shyness and anxiety never won over the customers. He now worked on-call as a handyman for the apartment building, since he was always good at building things. His gangly physique and skinny arms made him ideal for fishing things out of pipes.

His parents could never figure Kent out. His and Buster's childhood was "uneventfully normal" as he would call it, but Kent always seemed so nervous. He used to stutter a lot, but therapy took care of that. He still stuttered a bit when he was nervous. When it came to socializing, Kent felt all he needed was his brother. Buster was always there for him. When his parents were too busy or whenever they'd force him to another therapy session or another hospital, Buster was always there to make Kent feel better. Buster would save up his allowance and buy Kent a comic book to surprise him whenever he'd come from wherever their parents took Kent to "fix him".

Kent knew his parents meant well, but they were sometimes cold towards him. It felt like they never attempted to get to know him like Buster did. Where Buster was outgoing and "All-American", Kent was quiet and nervous all the time. He'd escape to his books and his daydreams just to get through the days of being mostly ignored at school and home. Kent didn't like to think about his parents. He was happier than he should have been when they told their sons their father had gotten a new job and they were moving out west. Buster convinced their parents to leave them with the apartment, since Kent was still in high school at the time and Buster was finishing college. Until Buster found steady work, their parents sent money for the apartment every month.

Buster, as usual, was in the kitchen at the table. He had a bowl of Sugar Bombs in front of him and a cup of coffee going cold. He was reading the morning edition, as he always did. The radio in the living room adjacent played a song Kent didn't immediately recognize as he went through the doorway. Kent walked to the refrigerator and peered inside the little window.

Routine made both men happy, especially Kent. He didn't like things to be out of order, and he definitely didn't like being out of his comfort zone. At the moment, his comfort zone consisted of only a few places: the apartment and the building it occupied, Hubris Comics on Newbury, and in his chair by the big radio in the living room every Friday night when the latest episode of "The Silver Shroud" would play and tonight was Friday night. He was excited, as he read in the paper that they were starting a new storyline and the Mistress of Mystery was supposed to be returning to the show.

As usual, Kent didn't have any big plans for the day. He normally stayed in the apartment during the day while Buster was at work, just in case someone called and needed something fixed. The only plans he had today were tidying up the living room so it'd be ready that night, rearranging his comic books, and putting together that Sentry Bot model kit he recently got through a catalog.

"Mornin', Buster!" Kent almost shouted as he reached for the milk in the refrigerator. Kent had a light Bostonian accent which, unless one listened closely, they could barely tell was there. Buster shared this accent with him.

Buster looked up from his paper. "Mornin', Kent." He mumbled, putting his coffee mug to his lips. Buster watched as Kent poured himself a bowl of Sugar Bombs and filled the bowl with milk.

Kent sat in the chair opposite his brother and looked down at his cereal. Shortages were happening all over the place, and Kent felt he did something stupid again. While he could barely see any milk in Buster's bowl, Kent nearly flooded his. Kent tried to laugh it off, but felt his chest tighten. "I-I'm happy the milk got delivered today." He said, dipping his spoon in. "With all these t-talks of shortages, I was scared we'd have to go out to the country and h-highjack a cow or somethin'…" Kent tried to make jokes, but he knew they were lame ducks. Buster, polite as he was, still let out a small chuckle.

"Don't worry about the milk, Kenny." Buster said, putting the paper down. Buster always called Kent "Kenny" whenever Kent was feeling bad about himself. They weren't sure why, but it made Kent feel at ease. Maybe it was because it was a way the brothers could show affection for each other. "If we run out, I'll borrow some from Mrs. Glass upstairs. That little girl of hers hates milk and her husband is barely home long enough to eat toast, let alone a bowl of cereal."

Kent liked the Glass family, who lived in one of the nicer apartments a few floors up. Kent sometimes babysat their daughter, Marlene, whenever the rare moment Mr. Glass got home on time to take Mrs. Glass out occurred. Mrs. Glass was always giving the brothers leftovers and she gave Kent cookies as a tip whenever he had to get one of Marlene's toys unstuck from the toilet or sink drain, which happened a lot.

"Oh, Kenny, you got a call from Hubris Comics this morning." Buster said, taking his dishes to the sink. "Your Grognak comic finally arrived, but your issue of 'The Unstoppables' hasn't. The shipment was late from the publisher. Why don't you have them mailed here?"

"It's more expensive to have them mailed from the shop. Besides, I like going to the Comic Shop." Kent wringed his hands under the table so Buster couldn't see. Traveling through the city on the bus made Kent nervous, but neither brother had a car. He normally didn't like to mess with his plans for the day, but he made an exception for his comic books. "Nice people work there. I heard a rumor that they'll be filming a pilot episode for 'The Silver Shroud' there! Justice's Shroud is finally coming to television!"

Buster didn't know how they were going to do that. Hubris Comics was in a big building, but not big enough to shoot anything other than a commercial. Buster decided not to dive into it. When it came to Kent's favorite radio show, there was nothing the creators of said show could do wrong.

To Kent, The Silver Shroud was everything he wasn't but wished he could be. The Shroud was brave, daring, confident, and a hit with the ladies. Kent sat on the edge of his seat whenever there was an episode that featured the Shroud's female counterpart, the Mistress of Mystery. She hadn't gotten her own comic book series yet, but she was one of the main characters in his second favorite comic series "The Unstoppables". It was safe to say Kent Connolly idolized Justice's Shroud.

In those comic books, Kent could feel like a hero without leaving his room. He had adventures across many exotic locales, fought evil, charmed women. Kent liked imagining he was all those things and more whenever he turned the page of a comic book. Buster tried many times to knock Kent out of this mindset, but ultimately gave up. When he had his nose in a comic book or his eyes glued to the computer playing a holotape game he got from an issue of Robco Fun, Kent was at peace. He wasn't panicking or having an anxiety attack, which worried Buster more than the comic book obsession.

"Hey, Kenny, I've got to head into work. Go ahead and get dressed and I'll ride the bus with you." Buster left the kitchen to finish getting ready. Kent did the same. He attempted to comb back his hair, but it was getting too long to do anything practical with it. He wondered if he could get away with putting it in a small ponytail, but he wasn't that adventurous. He didn't want to look like a bum, so he put on his nice red plaid button down short sleeve shirt and his slacks. He hadn't shined his shoes in a while, but his pants were long enough to where no one would notice. He decided to wear a hat today, hoping no one would notice his shaggy hair as well.

Kent met Buster by the door. Buster was wearing a sweater vest and tie over a long sleeve white shirt, despite how warm it was supposed to be today. Kent knew Buster had to look professional for his job and hoped the air conditioning worked in his office. They left their apartment and went for the elevator. As they waited, Buster looked over at his little brother and chuckled. He took off Kent's hat and looked at the shaggy hair underneath.

"Kenny, you need a haircut." Buster laughed. "You better hope we don't run into Mrs. Glass on the way out. She'll have a fit if she sees you looking like that." Buster playfully put Kent's hat back on and waited patiently for the elevator. It was coming from one of the top floors, which meant someone from the nicer apartments upstairs would be on when it stopped for them.

Of course, when the elevator door opened, Mrs. Cheryl Glass stood at the back of the elevator, fiddling through her purse for something. She was alone, so the brothers assumed she had her husband, Arlen, take little Marlene to school. Mrs. Glass looked up when she finally found her compact mirror. "Oh, hello boys!" she shouted as the elevator doors shut. She took one look at Kent, who was an inch or so taller than his older brother, and shook her head. "Kent Connolly, you look a mess! When was the last time you saw a barber?"

Buster chuckled and Kent sank a bit. "How are you doing this morning, Mrs. Glass?" Buster asked, hoping to save Kent from more embarrassment.

"Oh, I'm fine. Arlen took Marlene to school so I wouldn't be late to my hair appointment. I'm in terrible need of a trim." Mrs. Glass looked up from powdering her nose and gave a sharp gaze to Kent. Kent tried to smile and bring his hat down a little more. Mrs. Glass gave a soft titter of laughter and put her compact back in her purse. She had her blonde hair done in what was commonly called an Italian cut and it was looking a bit longer than most women wore it. Kent figured Mr. Glass must like it cut that short or else Mrs. Glass would never show her face outside with it.

Buster looked up at the number dial above the door. "I think you'd look swell with a bouffant, Mrs. Glass." He teased.

Mrs. Glass had a thoughtful look in her eye but shook the idea away. "Oh, you're sweet to say, but Arlen would have a fit if I came home with a bouffant. Though, as late as he gets in and as early as he leaves in the morning, he probably wouldn't notice if I got one. I wish Arlen was around more these days. They have something big going on at his work and it's taking up all his time. Oh, before I forget: Kent, would you mind coming up to my apartment later this afternoon and taking a look at my oven? I tried making a casserole last night and it barely baked at all!"

Kent tried not to laugh. Mrs. Glass tended to get frazzled over the smallest things. Kent figured a housewife has to do something. Kent smiled. "I-I'll take a look, m-ma'am. Just let me know when you get home and I'll be up as soon as I can." Kent swallowed and leaned back.

When the elevator dinged, indicating the ground floor, Mrs. Glass smiled and waved to the two when she disembarked. Unlike the Connolly Brothers, the Glass Family had a car, and it was waiting for Mrs. Glass outside the front of the building.

As the Connolly Brothers waited at the bus stop, Kent wringed his hands some more. It was a disgusting habit and he tried not to do it so much. Buster could tell something was on his mind. "Something bothering you, Kenny?" he asked, glancing down the street to see if the bus was coming.

Kent swallowed hard and tried to find the right words. "So, I went to Old Lady Gladstone's apartment the other night. She was complaining of a rattling sound coming from her vents. It would occur the day they decide to finally do elevator maintenance. So, I hauled the ladder all the way from downstairs, back up the stairs to the fifth floor, come to find out her cat got stuck in the vents again. Took me about an hour to coax the stupid thing out. She didn't pay me much for the job. I think she's going a bit senile, because she tried to give me hard candy as payment again. A-and I was just wondering if m-m-maybe, I mean you don't have to, but y-you see I kind of…well, that's t-to say I…"

Buster chuckled and smiled at his brother. When Kent stuttered, he was nervous about something. Buster knew what Kent was going to ask. Buster liked that Kent was taking steps to be more self-sufficient. He also knew that taking crap jobs from the senile old lady upstairs wasn't exactly a high salary job. But Buster knew the comic book store didn't take payment in cookies and gumballs and Kent had been trying hard to save his money. He also knew Kent had poor impulse control when it came to comic books, collectibles, etc.

"Did you tell the building manager? He can't pay you for the work unless you tell him in your maintenance reports." Buster asked, reaching for his wallet.

"He t-told me not to take jobs from Old Mrs. Gladstone anymore without consulting him f-first. He s-says my time is t-t-too valuable to be wasting on her and that cat. Th-that in the time I waste keeping her from setting the building on fire, I could be fixing things for customers who still have all their marbles. But I wanted to be nice." Kent wringed his hands some more, but stopped when someone else sat down on the bench next to them.

Buster shook his head with a smile and took some money out of his wallet. "Kenny, you keep being nice to that old lady and we'll be eating gumballs and candy bars for dinner. Get yourself a haircut while you're out before Mrs. Glass has a heart attack." Buster handed Kent some cash, which Kent swiftly put in his own pocket before the other bus stop patron could notice. "After you get done with your own errand, do you mind stopping by the corner store and picking up our grocery order? I might have to work late on this article I'm doing and I don't want to come home to you eating cookies for dinner again."

This was a shock to Kent's system. Buster normally picked up the grocery order. He always called it in the night before and picked it up after work on Fridays. Last time Buster tried to help Kent get off his pre-planned schedule ended with them almost getting thrown out of the store. Luckily, Buster was there to defuse the situation before Kent had another panic attack. Buster was always trying to get Kent out into the world and make him more self-reliant. Buster knew he couldn't take care of his little brother forever. Kent had to be able to survive in an uncertain world.

Everything he heard in the newsroom at work scared him. Talks of the Commies having bombs and going toe-to-toe with the US again didn't fill him with hope. Seeing their shell-shocked cousin return from the front lines in Anchorage earlier that year made Buster think about the future. He tried to pass it all off as rumors, but something told him all the rumors he'd been hearing had at least some truth to them. He also didn't have the heart to tell Kent that their application for admission to one of Vault-Tec vaults being built outside the city had been denied.

Not wanting to scare his brother, Buster got together with some coworkers and helped put together their own shelter, in case the big ones did fall. It wasn't as "Prepared for the Future" as the big vaults were, but there was enough supplies in there to keep a small group of people safe, fed, and happy for at least a few years. Granted, the basement of the Boston Bugle didn't sound as appealing as a Vault-Tec vault, but it was sound, the walls built thick, and it would do. No one used the basement, so management didn't seem to notice or care that a bunch of coworkers stole a key from the janitor and were making it their own.

This thought gave him some comfort, but not a lot. The bus finally pulled up and the little crowd of morning commuters boarded. Kent was okay with riding the bus alone, but he liked riding with his brother. Normally, the bus went past the stop for Newbury Street first, so Kent normally got off before Buster. Kent looked out the window as the bus started moving. He kept hearing about shortages and energy concerns, but by the way people were walking in and out of stores, buying and selling, gossiping and laughing at outdoor cafés, he never would have guessed anything was wrong. Maybe Buster was right about the world. Buster had told Kent a few nights ago that the world is in denial about what's happening. Working for the newspaper, Buster would have the inside story to everything.

When his stop came up, Kent slowly stood. "Remember, stop by the corner store and get the groceries. Just tell them it's the Connolly order and to put it on our tab." Buster shouted, as Kent disembarked. Kent waved nervously to his brother and got off the bus just before it left again. Being downtown made Kent nervous. Of course, it was on a long list of things that made him nervous. As long as he stayed on his designated route that he always took, he'd be alright.

A few blocks from the bus stop might as well have been a few hundred miles. The morning commuters occupying the sidewalk bumped into Kent as if he wasn't there. One man, in some kind of rush, bumped into Kent hard without saying sorry, knocking his hat off.

"Watch it, numbskull!" The man shouted at Kent, though he couldn't really be heard over the blaring traffic or the sound of people talking as they walked. Kent didn't know why everyone was in such a hurry. He looked around for his hat on the ground but couldn't find it.

"Mister, did you drop this?" asked a lyrical voice behind him. Kent turned around and was struck speechless. A young woman stood there, holding his hat to him. Kent had no luck with women. Buster had tried to set him up on a few dates, but they normally ended in disasters. This woman, probably about Kent's age but not his height, stood about two feet from him with her arm outstretched. She wore a blue, freshly laundered dress and had on orange shoes that somehow still matched the dress. Her dirty blonde hair was kept back with a blue hairband.

Kent felt his throat go dry. He outstretched his arm and took his hat back. He didn't say anything, only nodded his thank you. She smiled and went on her way. Kent tightened the grip on his hat and swallowed hard. It wasn't that he didn't think she was pretty. Out of all the people walking by him, she was the only one that stood out to him. Of course, as shy as he was, he'd never chase after her like the Silver Shroud would if the Mistress of Mystery went missing (again). He resigned himself to never seeing her again and turned toward the right direction.

By the time he reached Hubris Comics, his anxiety had melted away. This building was his home away from home. It'd been around for as long as he could remember, and he always loved coming here with Buster as a kid. They sold comic books, magazines, and other collectibles. Posters of Grognak, the Silver Shroud, and that new character The Inspector covered the walls. The Inspector had only recently shown up in The Unstoppables, and there was a rumor she was getting her own comic next year.

Kent decided to peruse the comic stands before coming to collect his pre-order. He decided to pick up some magazines for Buster, who particularly liked reading Hot Rodder and Tesla Science. Kent picked up the latest issues of these and seemed disappointed that Astoundingly Awesome Tales hadn't been restocked yet. He absentmindedly reached for an issue of La Coiffe and put it back down once he realized what he picked up. He decided to carefully deviate from his routine today and go to the barber, just to get that off his mind. Kent was glancing at an issue of Live & Love when something caught his eye.

In a display case by the employee elevator was something Kent never expected. He nearly dropped his magazines when he saw it. He made his way to the display case and read the sign. His eyes widened, as if scrutinizing every word. It took there, in its glass prison, in all its majesty. Posed perfectly in the standing position with silver shooter outstretched to take on any villain. The black coat was made out of some kind of vinyl and the scarf underneath looked like it was made of silk. The hat covered the eyes just enough that no one could tell who he was. It was almost perfectly lifelike.

Limited Edition Silver Shroud Action Figure! Poseable! Limited Stock! Get Yours Today! (Comes with everything shown, additional accessories not included)

Kent's mouth watered. It stopped when he looked at the price tag. Even if he saved up, he'd never be able to make that kind of money. He groaned, knowing even what he had in his pocket, plus what Buster gave him earlier, wouldn't be enough.

"A real beauty, isn't it?" said a man that suddenly appeared next to him. Kent looked up, seeing it was the manager. Kent knew this man well. He was always at the store and was rumored to be helping with the Silver Shroud pilot. "Just got it in this morning. I wanted to put one out to get the customers excited. I already have mine up in my office, ready to take home. Now, am I safe to assume I can put you down for one, Kent?"

With a reluctant smile, Kent shook his head. "I'd have to f-fix every broken appliance in my b-building in one day to afford that."

The Manager smiled. "Well, I'm not supposed to, but you're my best customer, Kent. I'd hate to see you walk out of here without one when you've been my most loyal customer. I can knock the price down a bit and give you the employee discount. Just don't tell anyone."

Kent asked how much. The Manager told him the discounted price. Kent said it was a deal and gave him almost all of what he had as payment. So much for going to the barber, Kent thought. The Manager said he'd bring one out before Kent checks out. Kent had enough left over for the magazines he planned on getting for Buster and he was happy with that. Kent took his magazines up to the counter, but didn't look up at the cashier. "Oh, and I have an issue of Grognak to pick up. Under Connolly, it should already be paid-"

He stopped in mid-sentence when he looked up. His eyes widened. He didn't realize that there was a new cashier when he walked in. Kent stammered a bit and tried not to panic. "Oh, hello again, sir!" It was the girl that picked up his hat. He never thought he'd see her again. "I'm glad to see you kept your hat." Kent didn't say anything. He watched as the girl reached under the counter, found the pre-orders box, and searched for the manila envelope with "Connolly" written in marker on the front. She nodded, opened it, and carefully took the comic book out. "Grognak the Barbarian. I haven't read this issue yet. I heard it was supposed to be good."

Kent swallowed. SHE read comic books?! He would have figured she'd be more of a Live & Love magazine type of reader as pretty as she was. Buster always told him to never judge a book by its cover, but sometimes it was hard. Kent watched as she punched in the prices on the cash register and bagged his items.

"My Uncle Nate loves Grognak. He says they remind him of the old comics he had as a kid. I sent him a few issues when he was fighting in the war. I like to think getting comic books from his favorite niece made going into battle against the Commies a little easier." The girl let out a little titter of laughter and told Kent the price. Kent snapped out of his daydream and put the money on the counter.

The manager, who came over with Kent's new toy, smiled at his new hire. "Ahh, I see you've had the pleasure of meeting the man that singlehandedly kept this place in business all these years." He joked, with Kent attempting to laugh back. "Kent Connolly, I want you to meet my newest hire: Hannah Howard. She'll be working during the week as a part-timer." The manager nor Hannah saw the stupid grin spread across Kent's face. "So, got any plans tonight, Hannah?" The manager asked, helping her pack up Kent's purchases.

Hannah laughed. "If you're asking me out, forget it."

Kent's heart sunk a bit until the manager laughed back. "Nah, I'm too busy to make my own dinner, let alone take someone else out. I'm just making friendly conversation."

She looked at her boss skeptically but laughed all the same. "I'm heading over to Uncle Nate and Auntie Nora's house in Concord to babysit little Shaun. They haven't left the house much since Shaun came home from the hospital and Aunt Nora needs a night off. They're going out and they aren't ready to hand over the babysitting reigns to their new Mr. Handy just yet. I hope I get there in time to catch The Silver Shroud on the radio. I promised Uncle Nate I'd tell him about the new episode when they got back."

Kent perked up. "Y-Y-You listen to the S-S-Silver Shroud?" he asked, keeping his excitement down. His stuttering got worse when he was excited.

Hannah nodded. "Oh yes, I never miss an episode if I can help it. I've been listening to the show for years. I hear they're starting a new storyline tonight and I don't want to miss it. It'll be nice to hear an episode on my uncle's nice big radio instead of the dinky one in my apartment."

Hannah gave Kent his bag and told him to have a nice day. Kent stepped out of the way and let a woman buy some comic books. Kent slowly made his way to the door and started to open it. He looked behind himself at Hannah, who happily made conversation with the lady she was serving. Kent's heart pounded like a jackhammer. He hugged his purchases close, not caring that he was wrinkling the pages or bending the cover or almost crushing the box of his new collectible.

"I hope these comic books make your little boy feel better, Mrs. Peabody!" Hannah told the lady as she gave her purchases to the customer.

"I hope so, too. Poor Billy has been out of school for a week with this blasted cold! They can make domestic robots and cars that run on atomic energy, but they can't cure the common cold." The lady sighed and hung her purchases on her arm. "I don't like driving into Boston, but if it'll help my Billy feel better, I'd drive to the moon for these comic books."

The woman side-stepped Kent and left the store. Kent decided to leave before Hannah knew he was staring at her. When the manager called her over to help him restock the magazines, Kent left the store. He closed the door softly so the bell wouldn't ring loudly to indicate anyone went through it.

Kent wandered around for a bit, forgetting which bus stop to wait at. He felt the need to move his legs. He had known a lot of women in his life, but this person was different. Hannah Howard sounded like a name a super heroine would have. Kent felt his heart pounding louder each time he thought about her. Hannah Howard, the part-time cashier at Hubris Comics, the one who loved The Silver Shroud and listened each Friday night like he did. Tonight, when he was listening to his favorite radio show, so would she.

If it hadn't been for the Good Samaritan that yanked him by his shirt back onto the sidewalk, Kent would have walked right in front of an oncoming truck when the no crossing sign came on. Kent was so lost in his daydream, he didn't hear the guy ask him if he had lost his mind. Though, Kent did nod and answer yes when the crosswalk was available for walking again.

Somehow making it to the corner store alive, Kent walked in and snapped out of his daydream. He made his way to the customer service desk and said he was picking up a grocery order. When the girl asked for the name, Kent couldn't remember his own name. All he could think about was Hannah Howard. He almost said her name but fumbled and said "Connolly" before the service girl called for the manager.

Kent walked the block or so home and arrived just as Mrs. Glass walked in. He told her he'd be up to check her oven as soon as he put the groceries in his apartment. He walked into his apartment and was surprised to see Buster home early. It was barely after lunch and Buster normally ate with his coworkers. "Buster!" Kent shouted.

Buster didn't look up from the drink he'd poured himself. Buster didn't drink much, but when he did it normally meant something bad had happened. Kent put the groceries on the counter and sat across from his brother at the kitchen table. Buster poured himself another when he noticed Kent sitting down. "Hey, Kenny…" he mumbled, taking a swig.

"I got the groceries like you asked, Buster." Kent started, hoping to lighten the mood. "I didn't panic like last time when the girl asked for my name. I-I still stammered a bit, but I did it by myself!" Kent wanted to get his brother to smile, but only saw a small grin trace across his face. "What's wrong, Buster? You didn't get fired, did you?" Kent started to panic, regretting buying that action figure earlier.

Buster waved this concern away. "Nah, I'm too important for them to fire. I decided to take the rest of the day off to do some thinking. You know that big story I've been working on, about the shortages and ration lines over in Roxbury?"

Kent nodded. Some places had worse shortage problems than others. While the city and the military base seemed pretty stocked, smaller towns couldn't say the same. The worst place for the shortages was in a community called Roxbury. Technically a neighborhood of Boston, one wouldn't think at first glance that this place had a shortage of any kind. It had a Fallon's Department Store, which was pretty swanky for two adult brothers who still received money from their parents from time to time.

"They dispatched some army guys to keep the peace when they were handing out rations, but there have been rumors that some of the rations have been disappearing. Well, from what one of the witnesses say, it was the soldiers that started to riot that led to four people dying. My editor told me to edit it and what was supposed to be a front page spread is now stuffed somewhere in the back by the opinions page. There is nothing lower than that, Kenny. Even the old lady that writes recipes got a bigger spread than me. My editor told me they don't want to cause anymore panic. He's got me doing sports for a while just to keep me from doing any more on this case." Buster leaned back, not wanting to see the worried expression on Kent's face. "The entire world is in denial, Kenny."

Kent blinked. "Denial? A-about what?"

"About what's really happening, that's what. Every day, I see reports come in on the wire about something going wrong and they won't allow us to report on it. One of my coworkers is doing an ongoing piece about how the president hasn't been seen in weeks. It's been all over the news, but no one around here seems to notice. I've won awards for my pieces and now they want me to report on the upcoming baseball games." Buster sat up and noticed Kent's worried expression. "Kenny, I'm sorry. I don't want to burden you with this."

Swallowing, Kent smiled and tried his best to reassure Buster. "Buster, I know I get a little…anxious at times and it's hard for me to leave the apartment building most days without having a panic fit. But I don't want you to worry about me. I-I'll be fine. And baseball isn't that bad! Who in Boston doesn't like baseball? You might win another a-a-ward!"

Buster chuckled and decided not to pour himself another drink. "At least this way, I get free tickets to the games. And rumor is our home team is going for the World Series this year!"

The Connolly Brothers laughed for a good few minutes. Kent was happy to see Buster so jovial. If Buster could find a bright side to being put on the sports, then Kent could too. Kent figured more people read the sports page than whatever was on the front page, anyway. And Kent liked baseball, so it wasn't that bad. Kent got up and went to the counter to help Buster put groceries away before heading up to Mrs. Glass's apartment.

"So, what did you buy instead of getting a haircut?" Buster finally asked, putting a box of Sugar Bombs in the cabinet.

Kent blushed. He went to his bag from the comic book store and took out two magazines for Buster and his new action figure. Buster only laughed, but it wasn't a mocking laugh. It was more of an "I should have expected this" kind of laugh.

When Kent was finished repairing Mrs. Glass's oven that evening, he came back down to his apartment to write up the maintenance report. It was going on 8 o'clock. He didn't want to rush through the report because his panicked handwriting was more illegible than his regular. When he was finished, he thought about the events of the day. He then realized he deviated far from his pre-planned Friday schedule. He started to have a little panic fit, but it went away when he thought about why it was deviated.

He didn't know how to feel about the day's events, but he was happy to think about Hannah Howard. Kent looked at the wall clock and noticed it was almost time for The Silver Shroud. He finished his report, deciding to send it to the building manager in the morning, and ran over to the living room. The Connolly Brothers didn't have a television, but they had a radio that sat on the cabinet in front of the window. Buster, who had made dinner that night, had two trays out. Whenever he got home in time on Fridays to catch the show with Kent, they ate together on the couch. The lights of the city reflected through their window and the sounds of the night were beginning.

As the Galaxy News Radio promo played, Buster looked over at his brother, who plopped himself down and scooted the tray close. Buster grinned stupidly when he saw Kent take the action figure from the side table and put it on the tray.

"So…" Buster started, breaking their unspoken protocol about radio night. "…tell me about Hannah…"

Kent nearly choked, forgetting that he had mentioned a new check-out girl at the comic book store. He must have told Buster too much about her and not enough about his earlier purchase. Kent tried to smile and wave it away. Buster only chuckled and listened to the radio with his brother.

When evil walks the streets of Boston, one man lurks in the shadows. Shielding the innocent, judging the guilty. That guardian is The Silver Shroud! Today's Episode: A Slaying in Scolley Square…

Hi, hi!

So, you all might know me. I'm known as Luna Peachie!

I decided to try my hand at a Fallout 4 fic, just to see how it went. Why did I decide on Kent Connolly, the ghoul comic book geek? Well, that's easy. He's a tragic character, and I think fans can relate to him more than they think. He uses the radio as his escape from the world around him, just as we use games and television to do the same. Sitting in that back room in the Memory Den, whiling his hours away taking care of his radio show. He wants to make a change in the world, but he has some pretty romanticized ideas about how to do it.

As I was rummaging through the Boston Bugle building during a quest, I came across a terminal with some headlines. One reporter's name was Buster Connolly. The game never states if the two are related, but I figured if Kent Connolly is a pre-war ghoul, then odds are he had other family before the bombs fell. All we know is he is (and more than likely was) a comic book enthusiast who became obsessed with justice's shroud to escape everything that was going on around him. In dialogue, he has a slight stutter, which to me means he gets nervous easily, so I believe he may have bouts with anxiety attacks from time to time. The fact that he has few friends and spends most of his time in the Memory Den alone seems to be my evidence. The fact that he made his own replica gun and fixes up your armor (if he survives that quest) is evidence that he has some mechanical background. Perhaps a freelance handyman.

I saw a little bit of myself in Kent when I did his quest. And I think that's why he resonated with me enough to make a fan fic about him.

So, how did I do? Why not leave me a swell review to let me know? I'd love to continue this piece. I'm trying to stay as close to Fallout lore as I can with this, so if I made any mistakes, let me know. Following the timeline is tough, but I'm up for the challenge!

Kent Connolly and Fallout belong to Bethesda.