Almond shaped green eyes stared into the fire that flickered in the dull morning light. A heavy sigh came from behind the owner of the green eyes. The girl turned to see a man, with messy black hair, and fair skin, pock-marked in freckles. "Sam, why are you still up? Did you get any sleep?"<br/><br/>"Yeah, the usual." She replied, her voice coarse from lack of use.<br/><br/>"So six hours?" He scoffed, "You're killing yourself you know, you need more sleep than that."<br/><br/>With this, the girl sighed, and stood. "I slept fine. I feel fine." Her answers delivered, she made a hard motion with her hands, and dust flew into the fire in a soft fountain. "Wake everyone up."<br/><br/>"Where are you going?" He called to her as she left the makeshift campsite, composed of little more than slabs of jagged stone partially covering the opening to a cave.<br/><br/>"For a walk."<br/><br/>"Sam, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we have work to do, we need to get moving again."<br/><br/>"Why?" She questioned, to her, this camp was safe, easy to protect.<br/><br/>"Since Mrs. Sanders was bitten by her apple last night." He stared at her sternly. Sam couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of the teacher wrestling with her apple as it snapped a thorny leaf closed around her thumb.<br/><br/>"I'm glad you find that funny, Ms. Morris." The gray skinned woman stared her down as she exited the cave. "My thumb and I would like to remind you that we can't stay in one place for too long, we have no idea what kinds of toxins may be present in our food now. Plus, I'm not fond of eating something that can eat me back." At this, Josh erupted into laughter, Sam blushed furiously.<br/><br/>"Fine, we'll head to this Haven. Get all the shit together."<br/><br/>"Language!"<br/><br/>"It's the end of the world, 'shit' is a perfectly acceptable word." She argued. Her point made, she made her way over the ridge of the cave, and began her walk around the premises.<br/><br/>"There's the lady of the hour!" A voice called out. Sam turned, her crystalline staff forming in her hand. Two men stood before her, one wore a large, toothy grin, the other, a generally disapproving scold. The smiling man approached her as a car dealer would, holding his hat down with one hand, the other extended to Sam.<br/><br/>"Can I help you?" She asked gripping her staff, refusing the man's hand.<br/><br/>"Ah, but is we who seek to help you." The man's voice was too cheerful, Sam wanted to hurt him... badly. "We know who you are, and what you're capable of, we've been keeping a close eye on the absolutely spectacular garden you've managed to grow out in this horrid place." He spoke quickly, Sam had to fight the urge to slap him and tell him to stop acting like a used car salesman. "You've got quite the green thumb." He laughed at his own joke, no one joined in. "Ah, but I digress, I'm Dr.Strauss, and this is my associate, Vince." As he introduced himself, he removed his hat, Sam cringed at the extra pair of eyes that now stared at her as he bowed.<br/><br/>"Ew."<br/><br/>"I apologize, my dear lady, I tend to forget my ... extra appendages." He replaced his hat.<br/><br/>"Hey... Sam?" Josh came up behind her, a few of the people traveling with them poked their heads up out of the cave. "Who's this?"<br/><br/>"Dr. Seuss, and Igor." She motioned to them, "And they're leaving now."<br/><br/>"Strauss, m'boy, Dr.Strauss. And this is my associate Vince."<br/><br/>"So he's like your boyfriend or something?" Josh questioned, withdrawing slightly from the man's handshake.<br/><br/>"Ha! Quite a sense of humor in this group. Glad to see that didn't die off with society." Strauss laughed it off, Vince didn't find it so funny, as he glared at Josh. "He's more a bodyguard, brought along for your service, although with this strapping young lad, I can't imagine you'd need his assistance." He paused for compliment or jest, Sam just glanced between Josh and Strauss.<br/><br/>"Leaving now." She repeated with a sigh, and turned away from the conversation.<br/><br/>"Now now, m'lady, we just want to help. You need us as much as we need you, the badlands can be very dangerous for a young lady, and her companions." His tone now serious.<br/><br/>"Excuse me, are you threatening me?" The ground shook slightly as Sam turned back around.<br/><br/>"I wouldn't think of it." He smiled once more.<br/><br/>"Sam, he's from Haven, maybe we should go with him, we've been meaning to go there anyways." Josh said slowly.<br/><br/>"Fine, but if we get there, and anything... Anything, seems out of place, or wrong, we're out of there. Anyone tries to stop us, Haven will be the new grand canyon." She stared at him dangerously, her green eyes burning, "Understood?"<br/><br/>"Of course." He clapped his hands cheerfully, "Now, how many in the group."<br/><br/>"Eleven." Josh answered.<br/><br/>"Twelve." Sam corrected, She stared at him.<br/><br/>"No, eleven, nine normals, Mrs. Sanders and you. That's eleven."<br/><br/>"Nine normals, Mrs. Sanders, Me... and you... makes twelve."<br/><br/>"Oh. I forgot myself?" He cringed slightly.<br/><br/>"I'd forget you too." She consoled him. "Igor, wanna help us gather our stuff, thanks." Less of a question, and more a command, she turned, and made her way back to the tiny opening, which crumbled, and grew at her approach. Josh followed her, making comments under his breath mocking her.<br/><br/>"Too easy." Strauss whispered to his 'associate' who simply smiled.