Travelling alone was one of Helen’s fears,  she'd arranged the chairs and sorted foods and watched as Anico lit the fire, but she knew that this night was going to be the worse night in her life, in all their lives. As Heather moved off she walked  over to Anico, watching as the flames took.<br/><br/>“Ooh a fire at last.” She bent down beside Anico while watching the flames, almost hypnotised, she rubbed her hands together. She looked at Anico, wanting to ask if she was as ok, as she looked at her, she asked if Anico’s army training was helping her stay calm.<br/><br/>“ You look so much calmer.… I’m sorry if I reacted badly to your suggestions...er... before…it’s only because I’m not used to being ordered and….”  She left the rest unsaid but smiled at the solder.<br/><br/>She knelt there listening to the cracks and splutters of the newly lit fire, the light of the fire encroaching on their darkness, wondering if she should collect more wood as Heather was doing, or keep trying to make the inside of the van more comfortable, with more clothes spread all about it was feeling softer to lay on than before.<br/><br/>She was not sure of how they were going to start the cooking but she thought the green sticks over hot coals was the best idea, she’d seen them do it on TV…dig a small pit and top up with hot charcoals putting the V sticks above so as not to burn the food- even poking the meat through with the sticks would work.<br/><br/>She was thinking about how they would all keep warm, a highly embarrassing thought she’d rather not deal with, but she knew she would keep watch while the others slept, when it came to volunteering for it, she knew she would do it willingly the fire would be a comfort.<br/><br/><br/><br/>