<strong>Sunset</strong><br/><br/>Time seems to pass quickly in a light sleep.  It's hard to say just when one is awake and one dreams, but it's all too easy to assume that one hasn't gotten any rest at all, save for the way that things jump about as one's attention shifts.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/1936/protectedx.jpg)</div>It was well after noon, and Carrie was busy with the process of drawing chalk circles upon the outside of the windows.  She wore the same ragged clothes which she had on yesterday, a purple T-shirt and jeans, but from the side, the tattoo of the symbol Protected was clearly visible.<br/><br/>A text message came over from Nathaniel, making the cell phone buzz.  "Did you hear that the Punishers traded Esters?  What the crap was that about?"  It was about an hour from the time that Vincent would have to show up for work.