The night air was chilly, a snap in the air spoke of worsening weather on the way.  The wind had picked up earlier, adding a mournful moaning through the trees now and again.  Fortunately, the rain that had threatened all that day had yet to start, so she didn't need to worry about getting wet.<br/><br/>Not yet, anyway.<br/><br/>The walk to the Handimart felt longer, though, and by the time she reached the store she could feel the fatigue sinking into her bones even as the constant low-level static in her brain forced any thought of actual sleep to retreat behind solid cover and sue for peace.  The clerk, who must have been eighty some time before Reagan was president, leered at her from behind the counter, offered no help at all, sullenly made change for the other customer present when the young man in the paramedic uniform cut off his view of Karen's body.<br/><br/>This at least gave the young author time to browse without having to think about that old perv's eyes touching her.<br/>