<strong>Wasteland, five miles outside of Briar Rose.  An abandonded barn</strong><br/><br/>"Dreams don't come true any more."  Sad, but true.<br/><br/>He looked at the wagon and then he looked at the Marie.  She looked so hopeful.  She wanted to be told she'd done good.  He didn't have the heart to tell her just then that the wagon would be slow and noisy and would draw attention.  He was a survivor.  Stealth, marksmanship, and a silent weapon were his strength.  Pulling that wagon someone would spot them and blow his head off from a distance.  Then rape her before his body was even cold.<br/><br/>"Maybe when we leave Briar Rose.  If we find too much to carry."  He had a sad smile on his face.  Marie really was a liability.  She simply didn't understand, but he couldn't abandon her.  He dressed in his clothes.  This time he turned his back to her so he merely showed his ass.  He did it for her innocence.  She reacted to strongly when he'd undressed before.  "Good job with the mending and the packing, Marie.  You're helping."<br/><br/><br/>"We need to get moving.  We're going off road.  We need to find an overlook where I can spy on town with binoculars.  Move as silently as you can."  He reached out and took her hand.  That's how he led her for five days.  Maybe it wasn't needed now, but she was like a child and he wanted to be sure he knew where she was.  Quietly he led her out into the wasteland and toward Briar Rose.