The weight of the yoke was beginning to show. It must have been 30 pounds and it was difficult for Kriss to rest. A couple of times she had managed to rest one of its ends on the sill of a window. That had brought her some momentary relief but not much. And it had done nothing to calm the ache coming from the constant grinding and chaffing of her neck and wrists. That pain was slowly rendering her crazy. She did not dare to lie down though. Getting on her feet was far too difficult and slow and this made her totally defenceless.<br/><br/>Since the weights had been added to her hair, the situation had worsened. Now, most of the time, her head was bent backward with her skull resting against the rear edge of the yoke. This put more strain on her neck muscles, while her barbed braids kept lashing at her upper back.<br/><br/>As she walked through the night, and in spite of the chill, her naked body was covered in sweat. Her arm muscles were contracted as she tried to lift the yoke and prevent it from resting and grinding against her sore shoulders. Still she was making good progress. Until at some point she was remarked by a group of night scavengers who were operating along the 46th street.<br/><br/>They began to gather around her, cat-calling and making lure comments. There were even a few women among them. A man walked closer and reached to touch her bare breasts. With a hiss, Kriss twisted her torso and thrust the right end of her yoke into the man's head. There was sick crack as a corner of the heavy timber collided with the man's skull. And then he collapsed, without a word.<br/><br/>Forcing her head straight, Kriss glared at the men around her. Because of the huge ring gag spreading her mouth, she could not threaten them but she hoped her eyes would be enough to convey her message. And indeed, the men in front of her made a step backwards.<br/><br/>She heard a sound behind her and she twisted her yoke to hit whoever was trying to attack her from behind. She felt the yoke connect with something with a loud thud and a cracking sound. But she also felt a powerful yank on her hair, pulling her head backward. Her aggressor yelped as his hand was pierced by the many barbs entangled in her dreadlocks. His left arm broken by the yoke blow, his hand wounded, he hurried away, leaving Kriss alone.<br/><br/>Her balance broken by the yank of her hair, Kriss was trying to recover her equilibrium, her body arched and twist in an awkward posture, her abs rippling under her bandaged belly. She staggered a few times and the scavengers backed up, scared by her. Alas, gravity finally won and she fell backward, her yoke and head bouncing a couple of times before halting to a rest.<br/><br/>Seeing that she was helpless, the scavengers approached again. One of them kicked her legs apart and, pulling an erect cock from his shredded pants, approached her, a lustful grin on his face. Kriss was readying herself to kick the man's crotch when there was a detonation and his head exploded, splashing gore and brain all over her naked skin. The man fell to his knees and then on his face, his body athwart the girl's lower body.<br/><br/>The other scavengers fled like scared birds, leaving her alone in the middle of street, struggling to push the warm cadaver off her body. She knew she had to get back on her feet before they came back.<br/><br/>Too late. She heard a sound and managed to see a man approaching. He looked different from the beggars that had assaulted her, better clothed and more confident. She had no choice but let him help her. Her previous encounter had made her wary. Certainly this man too had some reason to help her. But he seemed kind enough, and to have some instruction. Maybe he was different. She followed him in his apartment, whose relative cleanness and organisation comforted her.<br/><br/>He said that he was a doctor and this seemed true. She was lucky to have found him. As he washed her body and she was able to rest her arms and neck from the weight of the yoke, she began to feel better. The injection in her face were painful but soon the anaesthetic began to dull the pain in her face and the removal of her piercing was hardly felt.<br/><br/>He had to help her to get on her belly as the yoke was so difficult to manoeuvre.<br/><br/><strong>"That's very kind of you to help me. I already feel better,"</strong>she said once he had washed her backside.<strong>"You are a good man. You know, if you would help me to reach the Battery Fort, I can assure you that you could join our community. You would have a much better life among us, and we could use your skills."</strong>