Kriss was stumbling her way down the street. She had barely enough strength to carry the yoke. It was grinding against her shoulders, around her neck and wrists. Her raw flesh was torturing her with each step. There was not a spot on her body that was not in acute pain.<br/><br/>Lost in her suffering, she did not hear the man coming and as he slapped her back, she jolted and screamed, more from surprise than from pain. Slowly, she spun on her knees in a ridiculously clumsy attempt at hitting her attacked. Aaron easily stopped the blow and lifted the yoke somewhat alleviating Kriss' burden.<br/><br/>When she recognised Aaron, Kriss' eyes opened wide in surprise and a pale smile brightened her dreary face. She tried to speak but her slit tongue and its rusty badge made her words totally useless. Moreover as the two sides of her organ tried to move, it caused renewed pain in her mouth.<br/><br/>She was so glad to see friendly face, someone she could trust at last. It meant the end of her plight. Soon she would be cared for in the Fort. After so many hardships, so many tortures, her willpower abandoned her. She had someone to take care of her now, she had survived against all odds! Her legs no longer supported her and she would have collapsed if Aaron had not helped her with the heavy yoke. She followed his lead, on the verge of unconsciousness as he carried her yoke, half supporting her in the process.<br/><br/>They went down what looked like one of those hideouts raiders used when too far to come back to the Fort. She sat down on the filthy mattress and rested her back against a crate. The warmth of the fire felt so good. Being safe felt so good, even though her body was nearly destroyed and suffering like hell. She was constantly smiling at Aaron. She had given up talking but she was drooling abundantly on her dirty T-shirt, which was strangely deformed by the countless badges pinned into her formerly proud breasts.<br/><br/>But then she noticed something she did not like in Aaron voice and face. It was almost as if he was glad to see her suffering like that. And then came his questions, his useless questions about her rapes. And she could not even answer him.<br/><br/>She shook her head tiredly, emitting stupid noises with her aching mouth. She pulled on her arms and wiggled her hands, trying to make Aaron understand there were more urgent matters.