(https://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1pnpl_0Up6-raBYVAV9Vh22vlrY-taE6IsSNN1K_zLrjomcKdICfgjQfuUR6SyywxfDiChgvLqmX4/Nike.jpg?psid=1)<br/><br/><strong>A few miles outside of Briar Rose</strong><br/><br/>Last night they'd made camp in an old barn that had been a ruin even before the war.  It wasn't much, just a dilapadated wooden barn, but it kept the weather out and let them have a fire without attracting attention.  That was good enough for him and better than he had to sleep in far too often, but now he was travelling with an invalid.<br/><br/>Nick woke up to hear his companion singing to herself.  He'd found a captive of a small band of nomads five days ago.  Her bound state left no doubt as to her status and decided their fates in Nick's eyes.  He'd taken their two sentries without their knowing.  He'd crept into camp to slit the throats of the three by the fire.  It had all gone over smoothly.<br/><br/>The girl hadn't spoken.  She'd been bound naked and was sporting recent bruises and cuts.  He'd dressed her in the only bit of woman's clothing to be found, an inappropriate to the wilderness black dress with some low-heeled sandals.  She hadn't responded to him at all.  She'd just stared blankly into space and allowed herself to be led along.  He'd scoured the camp and found little of use, some guns of questionable maintenance, a little bit of food.  Some homemade molotov cocktails that didn't look too stable He appropriated their clothes.  Maybe he could alter something to fit the girl.  He'd found a flute and a pink cellphone.  The cellphone was useless, but he took it because it was pink.  Maybe it belonged to the girl?  He also took their blankets and a backpack.  The girl didn't complain when he made her his packmule.  She didn't do anything.  She just stared blankly into space for five days.  He'd had to lead her by the hand and feed her like a baby.<br/><br/>This morning she was singing.  He'd put her to bed naked in a pile of blankets and today she had her black dress on was singing quietly.  He sat up in his sleeping bag keeping it bunched around him to protect his modesty (he slept naked) and listened.