I looked out upon the barren landscape before me, took a final drag off my cigarette, and flicked it into the desolate expanse. As one was left with little choice in this ruined word, I pressed on. Fueled by the aching of my limbs and the hunger in my belly I pressed on. My rations were exhausted and my supply of fresh water down to droplets; it wasn't looking good for me, though, I've been through worse. I gazed upward at the night sky and espied the hanging moon, that manic, snickering grin plastered to its stupid face. How I hated that thing. Wrapping my heavy black coat tightly around my weary shoulders and bracing against the encroaching cold I continued my forced march.

There was once a time where this world was blessed with plenty. Dotted with beautiful, mighty cities and teeming with life. But those days were gone. This was a world that laid in ruin, a world that had moved on to something else, something darker. The soil was foul and tainted, nothing green grew anymore. Food was scarce, water scarcer. Any semblance of government or authority or, really, civilization in general was utterly a thing of the past. To think, not but two years ago you wouldn't recognize this damned planet. Heh, damned. An apt word.

Guuurgleguurglegruuummmble.

"Wasn't smart of me to part with those rations earlier," I scolded myself.

"No. It really fucking wasn't!" my sword joined in the scolding from within my mind

"Shut up Ragnarok, I don't want to hear it." I retorted

"No! No I will not shut up Crona! We're gonna starve if you keep up this goody-goody shit!" Ragnarok continued.

I ignored him but the truth was Ragnarok had a point, regardless, I still had to do it. That family back there would have starved without them. For me to have done anything less would have been to betray her memory and I completely refused to do that.

"Those folks are gonna die anyway y'know," Ragnarok grumbled.

"We don't know that Ragnarok!" I scolded.

"Ch'yea, okay Crona. Just keep on living in pretend town," Ragnarok continued.

"Eh, quit your bitching, I've kept us alive so far haven't I?" I retorted.

"'So far' Crona. Those are the key words there 'so far'."

Not wanting to hear it anymore I tuned Ragnarok out. Fortunately, perhaps, I saw a settlement materializing in the distance; at least there was a shot of scoring some food. As I neared I saw it was typical in structure; a mishmash of scavenged parts formed a circular barricade about eight or ten feet high. It was made from various pieces of scavenged scrap metal, tires, lumber and mounds of earth all pounded and fitted together as effectively as one can manage with limited resources. I couldn't see within the circular barricade but I wagered a guess that, given its size, there were about a dozen or so dwellings within. Ever since the collapse of the world and the fall of civilization survivors have had to make due with whatever could be scavenged; very little was left behind after the world moved on.

I took a deep breath and composed myself as I neared; though the years had certainly hardened me, I still got nervous when talking to people. I approached what appeared to be the main gate and I raised the front of my black flat-brimmed Stetson hat to look upward. There, I saw two men standing guard atop the barricade brandishing assault rifles with their business ends now pointed down at me. "Who goes there?!" demanded a gruff male voice.

While such weapons truthfully posed little threat to me I raised my hands nonetheless to demonstrate I meant no harm. "I...I don't mean to impose upon you but I am a traveler dangerously low on provisions, if you would be so kind as to-"

"We only got enough for us and our own," the man on the right cut me off before I could finish. "Back on your way now," he gestured over towards the horizon with his gun.

I took a deep breath and composed my thoughts. "I have skills, and I can offer you payment in labor," I tried to convince him.

"'Ain't about that. We just don't got it! Besides, you're a thin waif of a thing; can't imagine you'd be of much use to us. Now get on outta here." He gestured again towards the horizon, this time more sharply, "I won't ask again."

I sighed. It looked like my march was continuing. "Daddy! Who's that out there?" the voice of a little girl stopped me before I had turned to leave. "Are they hungry Daddy? Didn't Mr. Dan say we'd have enough food to last us the season? You should-"

"HUSH NOW!" The man turned his head to look back over his shoulder and shouted. "Get on back to mama!"

"Hrrmph! Meany!" The girl replied and, I assumed, did as her father bid.

He turned back to look down at me. "I'm sorry," he said with a shake of his head and a hint of resignation to his voice. "Foods scarce, we don't know when we'll find more on a scavenge. We gotta hold on to all we got; it's a matter of looking out for our own. I hope you understand."

He was middle aged with graying stubble dotting his face and chin. His smoky black eyes seemed to be holding back deep sadness. "I understand," I said with a sigh.

As I turned to make my way to leave a second time I was stopped yet again, but this time by a terrorful scream. "RAIDERS!" I heard it come from the opposite side of the barricade wall.

"WHAT?!" The middle aged man exclaimed in horror as he turned behind himself to look. "SHIT!" He exclaimed once more and hopped down with his compatriot to rush over, completely forgetting about me.

Wasting no time, I circled the wall to come round to the other side and in the distance saw what they were talking about. Three figures were approaching rapidly riding on motorcycles adorned with all manner of skulls, spikes and other macabre decorations.

"Dark weapons," I spoke gravely to myself.

As far as I could tell, once the collapsed happened randomly selected people all over the world spontaneously began developing Weapon powers. But, with the ruin of Death City and the collapse of all order in the world, there was no guidance or direction of any kind to be found for them, nor was there any punishment or soul reaping of those who strayed from the path of their humanity and became Kishin Eggs. As a result this new world was quite literally crawling with Kishin Eggs and Dark Weapons whom terrorized the few innocents who were left. They killed and took with impunity from those who had little, if any, means to defend themselves from them and were probably counting on an easy time extorting food, water and even souls from these poor people here.

Unfortunately for them I was here.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! ARE YOU NUTS?! GET OUTTA HERE!" I heard the man from before plea desperately from behind.

I kept my eyes fixed ahead. "Stay inside your walls. It's about to get very dangerous out here," I advised aloud then began my slow walk forward to intercept the trio.

They were hooting, hollering and laughing with such loud obnoxiousness I could hear them from here. As they neared me they immediately pulled off and began circling; I could see the madness and viciousness in their eyes, there was no mistaking it, their souls were corrupted. After a few minutes of this they each stopped their bikes and dismounted in order to surround me, they stared at me, their faces twisted into wicked smiles with pointed teeth showing and chuckling low, chattering chuckles. One was tall, tan skinned, shirtless and bald with beady black eyes, another was pale and thin dressed in leather with long white hair and the last was of medium build and a fair complexion with sandy blonde hair.

"In the absence of Death City, DWMA, Lord Death, or any recognized authority thereof I take it upon myself to sentence you all to death and hereby claim possession of your souls!" I said in as loud a tone as I could muster which, really, was not terribly loud.

The trio responded with more chuckling and continued closing in. As expected.

"Ragnarok," I spoke and he manifested directly into my hand.

"Finally! We haven't killed anything in weeks; I was getting bored." Ragnarok shouted aloud eagerly.

Screaming with blood lust the blonde one charged first, swinging wildly with his left arm which took on the shape of a scythe. With a nimble, yet still somewhat awkward, sudden stagger I ducked the blow. Now enraged he whirled around with his right in the same fashion but I simply raised my left arm stopping the blade dead with the back of my forearm. My assailant looked on in shock and, wasting no time, I lunged with Ragnarok and stabbed him directly through the left breast; a perfect thrust that severed his heart in two. He dropped dead as a doornail and a small pool began forming around where his mouth touched the ground.

I immediately withdrew Ragnarok and advanced on the next closest, the pale white haired one. Scowling with fury he clasped his hands together in a double axe-handle and swung towards me in an arc as his arms transformed into a gigantic war-hammer. As bludgeoning weapons proved a bit more effective than cutting ones against the black blood I played it safe and hopped back causing him to under swing me and miss. His combat inexperience showed as the force of his swing carried him stumbling forward and twisted his head at a very exposed angle. Fully intending to take advantage of this, I raised my arm and brought Ragnarok downward in an arc aimed at the lad's neck.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Came a cry from behind me as something yanked my arm back before I could make contact. A cursory glance revealed my arm had been wrapped in the end of a hooked chain and that it connected to the arm of the final member of the trio. "NOW YOU IDIOT!" He cried at his compatriot.

He again readied his mighty hammer for a second swing, a murderous grin showing on his pointed tooth lined mouth. "You're dead now!" he hissed. I ducked the blow, tossed Ragnarok to my other hand and slashed the end of the chain-hook off my arm prompting a scream from the chain-hook Weapon. "What?!" Exclaimed the hammer Weapon in utter disbelief as he missed a second time.

"Now I've got you," he looked down at the direction of my voice just in time to see me rise from dodging and stab Ragnarok into the dead center of his brow as I rose up. The boy's skull split apart under the force of my thrust and blood, gray matter and eye goop oozed down Ragnarok's edges. He was done. I pulled Ragnarok out of his face with a sloppy schelunk noise and turned to look behind at the chain-hook Weapon only to see him rolling on the ground screaming in agony about his hand. I diverted my eyes momentarily to the ground where I had severed the end of his chain and sure enough, there it was; I'd severed his hand with that blow.

I slowly made my way over to him, "never been hurt before have you?" I inquired softly, now standing over him with Ragnarok pointed at his neck. I pulled the brim of my hat low.

He looked up at me, his eyes first starting at my Stetson hat then wandering down to my coat then to Ragnarok and finally down to my boots; all colored black. His eyes lit up in sheer abject horror as though he had made a terrifying realization "you-you're!-"

"Yes. Out in The Wastelands they call me The Man in Black." I spoke as intimidatingly as I could which mostly consisted of a dull monotone while averting eye contact. The hat was quite useful for the latter.

My answer seemed to give him a sense of calm. "Then I was dead from the moment this battle began," he grinned. "Before your black sword takes my soul may I ask you something?"

"What?" I asked, annoyed.

His beady little black eyes lit up. "Is it true that you even bleed black?" He asked excitedly.

"...yes," I answered after a short pause.

His eyes lit up with madness and obsession."Show me!" He demanded.

"Only if you tell me where your hideout is. You're dying here either way and I know your kind has no concept of loyalty," I replied.

He grinned back up at me. "North by North East of here, about five miles out. Now show me!" He demanded, still obsessed, still desperately wanting to see my black blood.

"How do I know you're not lying?" I inquired

"There's a map in the glove compartment on my bike with the location circled," he nodded over at his nearby motorcycle, "check there if you don't believe me." I walked over to his vehicle and checked, sure enough there was a stained cloth map with crude but legible markings.

"How many?" I asked as I walked back to stand over his body.

"About twenty or so. Now are you gonna show me or not?!" He was hopelessly deranged.

I decided to give him what he wanted. Raising my hand over him I slowly brought Ragnarok to my wrist and slit my skin open, the droplets of black blood rained down onto his body.

He watched on in amazement. "It's true," he spoke hardly above a whisper, awed.

"Bloody Needle," I spoke a single command and the black blood droplets all over him immediately hardened into spikes; impaling him.

"Gyurghk!," he choked weakly as blood began to pour up from his mouth. "In...incredible..." he spoke his last words and died with an expression somewhere between ecstasy and insanity.

I let out a sad sigh. Though he was clearly lost to the madness and this couldn't be helped I still regretted the waste of life in this world were so few good folk were left alive as it was. Composing myself I settled upon what needed to be done. "Ragnarok," I began "as these were the souls of wicked men and therefore Kishin Eggs you may consume them."

"Don't need to tell me twice! I'm starving!" Ragnarok replied and greedily began gobbled up the first nearby evil soul.

In truth this was something of a boon, as Ragnarok was bound to me through the black blood his devouring of souls actually seemed to keep me nourished. It did nothing to relieve the pains of hunger, dryness of my throat or rumblings of my stomach, but, it kept me alive. I was making my rounds of the slain having Ragnarok gobble up their souls when I suddenly became aware of someone, or someones, new approaching me from behind. Whipping around I pointed Ragnarok in the direction of whoever it was. Turned out to be the two men from atop the barricade from earlier. "Whoah! Whoah! Calm down!" spoke the older one, his tone was desperate. "My name is Shawn Gray and this here is my son John Gray. I'm the leader of those folks back there, listen, mister ummm-"

I retracted Ragnarok back into my body. "They call me The Man in Black," I replied softly.

"Right then, ummm, mister Black Man. I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot earlier so my apologies for that but you gotta understand-" Shawn's tone grew increasingly desperate and tears began to stream from his face. I remained motionless as he spoke, my hat's brow pulled low and my eyes averted slightly towards the ground. Eye contact was still something I just didn't know how to deal with. "More will be coming. When those freaks find a settlement they don't let up, their soul hunger is infinite. I can't protect them from the Raiders and, now I don't know who you are, but you made short work of those three here and I ain't never seen anybody do that before so what I'm asking is..." he trailed off.

As if on cue a gust of wind rolled through and made the ends of my coat dance a bit "bad ass" I thought to myself.

He took a deep breath, "I'm asking if you'll stay with us for a time, help protect us until the Raiders get tired of hitting us." Shawn finished hopefully.

"I'll do you one better Shawn," I began and the duo peered at me curiously. "Found out where their camp is from this," I displayed the map. "I'm going to head over there right now and kill them all. They'll never trouble you again."

John's eyes lit up in shock. "By yourself?!" He exclaimed in disbelief.

Again, another gust of wind came and my coat danced in it. I gave my hat a tip and nodded, "yep." "Very bad ass" I thought to myself again. I strode over to the thin pale one's bike, a sleek and black model that fit the little motif I've built for myself. "I'll be taking this one, the other two are yours-"

Suddenly a third gust of wind rolled through and knocked my hat off my head. "EEEEYGH!" I screeched in panic, leaping from the bike to dive on the fleeing hat. Clutching my hat close to my chest I began whimpering. "Stupid wind! I don't know how to deal with Mr. Wind stealing my hat! I don't know how to-" I espied Shawn and John looking at me with a mixture of fear and confusion at my sudden descent into panicked, childish whining.

Quickly, I jumped to my feet and cleared my throat "I apologize," I spoke in a calm and dismissive tone as I re-donned my hat to assume my far more bad ass persona. Shawn and John looked at each other nervously as I hopped back onto the bike and revved the engine.

"Listen, Man in Black," Shawn began. "If you do this...when you come back we'll...we'll prepare a feast for you! We don't got much, but, whatever you want, if we can accommodate it so help me god we'll do it!"

I revved the engine a second time. "I like pasta," I paused "spaghetti, ravioli, tortellini; anything like that. I'm not at all picky about how its prepared either. Just not very spicy."

"I'm sure we can work something out." Shawn gulped, "y-you come back alive now, y'hear?" He sounded afraid.

"I plan on it," I spoke one final time, lit up a cigarette, and began speeding off in the direction of the camp. In no time at all they were out of sight. I was once again alone in The Wastelands.

I let out a soft sigh. How could I not do this for these people? To shy from danger would be to spit on her name. She saw past what I was from the very start, thought better of me in spite of it, even after I betrayed them. To turn my back on those in need now would be like betraying them all once again, regardless of whether or not they're even still alive. I flicked the butt of my cig off into the wastes. It was going to be at least an hour before I hit the camp, it was plenty of time to get lost in thought, lost in the memories of happier times. Of before the collapse, of before this world fell into darkness...

* * * Roughly six years ago * * *

Maka had defeated the Kishin and all was well with the world. With the help of the power of BREW things were back to normal in relatively short order and though Death City had seen some heavy casualties it was heralded across the world as its savior. Its influence as a world power had never been stronger than it was now. I had been re-welcomed into DWMA post defeat of the Kishin and continued to attend classes, though I was still awkward and fearful, I managed largely with Maka's help and reassurances. Maka. That seemed to be where my thoughts were settling themselves...

"Good job!" Maka slapped my shoulder from behind, startling me from my book. I was sitting on the living room couch and, absorbed in the story as I was, didn't hear Maka or Soul enter.

"Uh!" I jumped slightly at Maka's touch before realizing it was only her. "Good job on what?" I asked quietly while looking up at her.

"Didn't you check the Exam Results posting board? You scored highest on the Advanced Soul Studies written exam! 100%!" Maka plopped down next to me, "and you've only been attending classes regularly for two months! Don't you understand how impressive that is?" Maka continued praising me. Once I had settled in I found that the academic aspects of the DWMA came rather easily to me. I guess, if nothing else, I'd inherited my mother's intelligence.

Soul sat himself in the armchair and turned on the Television. "Ox just about shit himself when he saw," he commented, grinning.

Maka sighed, "guess now I have two people to compete with for top grades."

I hunched my shoulders together and looked down. All this focus on the grades, the competitive nature of it; I just didn't know how to deal with it. I began to stammer out an apology. "S-sorry Maka I-"

"Maka chop!" Maka whacked me on the top of the head with a book. "Dummy," she admonished, "don't apologize for doing well."

"..owwwe," I whined and rubbed the top of my head where she struck.

"You should be proud that you did well. Not sorry!" Maka continued scolding me.

I let out an exhausted sigh, "fine you win. I don't know how to deal with arguing."

Maka stood up, turned to stand in front of me, put her hands on her hips and shot me a dissatisfied glare. "I don't care about being right or 'winning' I want you to feel proud of yourself because you deserve to." She said firmly.

I smiled weakly at that. "I-I'll try," I spoke with the little conviction I could muster.

Maka's disappointed glare gave way to a warm smile and she sat back down to gave me a firm hug. "Just give it time Crona, it'll get easier; trust me."

Shakily I returned the hug, "I...I trust you Maka." She was the only one I trusted.

"Good," Maka replied. "Then trust me when I say that you're worthwhile."

I took a deep breath. "I trust that you believe that, Maka."

Maka let out a sigh and gave a bit of a tight squeeze before breaking off the hug. "Well, I guess for now that's going to have to be good enough." Maka smiled but I could see tinges of sadness around the edges, sadness that belief in myself still didn't come so easily to me. "What're you reading anyway?" Maka inquired and looked over.

"Oh this? It-it's just-"

"Moby Dick, huh?" Maka piqued her brow at me, "you've really been tearing through my collection of classic American literature haven't you?"

I looked down at the book and smiled, "I like reading, but I never got to do it much before now. I guess I'm making up for lost time."

"Where are you up to?" Maka asked curiously.

"I'm right when Starbuck is thinking about killing Ahab," I answered.

Maka's eyes lit up a bit. "Oh you're right before the climax! That's where everything gets really good."

Soul 'tsked "There's no point reading those old stupid books when everyone already knows how they end!" He groaned, "everyone knows what happens; Ahab harpoons Moby Dick but gets dragged under the water to drown. What's the point when everyone already knows the ending? So uncool."

My eyes piqued up, "I didn't know." I said while giving Soul a blank and somewhat annoyed stare.

Soul looked back at me in shock as Maka glowered at him, I had a feeling I knew what was coming next. "IDIOT!" Maka shouted and leaped across the room knocking Soul out of his armchair.

"How was I supposed to know Crona didn't know that?!" Soul hopped to his feet shaking his fist angrily at Maka. "It's common knowledge!"

"Crona was never taught any common knowledge!" Maka shouted while raining down a stream of bonks to Soul's head.

"Agh! Stop hitting me!" Soul yelled at Maka.

I let out a sigh. This was probably going to go on for awhile and the noise was making it difficult to read so I put the book down. It didn't really bother me knowing how it ended and, to be honest, it was pretty obvious it was going to end some way like that. Besides, I was learning it was really the journey of it all and the sense of escape I enjoyed the most and knowing the end didn't really interfere with the experience.

"Now apologize!" Maka bellowed while dragging Soul over in a headlock, still whacking him on the head.

"It's fine Maka," I began. I took a deep breath before I continued, "Soul didn't do anything wrong. Just, no spoilers okay?"

Soul leered up at Maka who released the headlock at my words. "You got it!" Soul said with a grin and thumbs up. "Sometimes I forget you didn't have a normal life so there's stuff you don't know," he offered up as an explanation with a shrug of his arms.

Maka looked a little embarrassed at herself and gave a short laugh. "Sorry Soul, I just-"

"It's cool," Soul cut her off and gave a wave of his arm. "You just go a little overboard with being protective sometimes." 'A little overboard' was something of an understatement when it came to Maka's protective instincts towards me.

The blonde Meister gave a sigh, "whelp, I guess I might as well get started on dinner seeing as its my turn tonight-"

"Dinner? DINNER?!" Ragnarok rose from my back and exclaimed in excitement, interrupting Maka. "Please tell me Maka is making it! Soul's cooking tastes like poop!" Ragnarok blew a large, obnoxious raspberry in Soul's direction.

Soul's eyes narrowed at Ragnarok, "why you!" He growled angrily and lunged in at me grabbing Ragnarok by the neck. I let out a heavy sigh and hung my shoulders in resignation as Soul wrang my Demon Sword spirit's neck."You don't have any taste you stupid sword!" Soul ranted angrily as he shook Ragnarok back and forth; his tongue hanging out comically as Soul strangled him. "How dare you sit there and insult me you useless freeloader! You're a good for nothing! The only reason we tolerate you is because you're stuck to Crona! You-"

" Maka Double Chop!" Maka brandished two large textbooks and gave both Soul and Ragnarok heavy whacks on their heads, breaking them up. "If you two idiots are done I was about to ask you what you all wanted," she asked annoyed.

"Something SPICY!" Ragnarok cried excitedly, raising its arms into the air and flailing them about.

"No!" I whined, "nothing spicy." I insisted.

"Maka can make mine spicy!" Ragnarok retorted.

"It may go in your mouth but it goes into our body. Nothing spicy." I continued insisting.

"But-but," Ragnarok whined and began flailing its arms at my head "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!-"

"BECAUSE IT MAKES ME SHIT BLOOD!" I shouted and uppercut Ragnarok in the jaw.

There was a dead silence for a few moments as I pieced together exactly what I just did. Both Maka and Soul were staring right at me. I was incredibly embarrassed.

"Nice job saying that out loud dufas!" Ragnarok teased as it rubbed its jaw, or, what passed for a jaw on its featureless head.

Finding myself thoroughly humiliated and extremely annoyed I picked my book back up and resumed reading. "It's up to Maka; she's making it," I said lowly, almost growling.

Ragnarok wasn't going to let up on this. "Because you know, now everyone knows you poo blood sometimes-"

"Shut up Ragnarok." I interrupted, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.

Ragnarok pressed on. "You should probably see a doctor about that by the way-"

"Shut up Ragnarok!" I repeated, louder this time.

"Because it can be sign of a serious medical condition-"

"SHUT UP RAGNAROK!" Maka had finally had enough and, swinging a large club she pulled from who knows where, gave Ragnarok a powerful crack over the head.

A large bump formed on Ragnarok's head and swelled up as tears began to pool under its eyes. "Nyuh-nyuh-BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Ragnarok began wailing and shaking its arms. "WHY'D YOU HIT ME?! He shouted at Maka who had now folded her arms angrily.

"Tease Crona again and no dinner for a week!" Maka threatened.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry, jeez, it's not like I'm the one who said that out loud." Ragnarok rubbed the lump on its head. Ragnarok looked about the room at Maka and Soul's angry glares, "alright I get it. I know when I'm not wanted," Ragnarok huffed in a faux offended manner and retreated back into me.

"Dumb sword," Maka grumbled.

"You know, ever since we went to Italy I've been craving pasta, how about those ravioli we've got in the freezer?" Soul interjected, returning the topic of conversation to food.

My eyes lit up a little at that, I've always loved pasta. "I'd enjoy that too, actually," I smiled at Soul who beamed a smile back at me.

"Okay, sure I can do that!" Maka replied happily.

"Just make sure to put some habaneros in the sauce!" Soul teased and his grin took on a wicked quality.

I glowered at him, "you are sworn to secrecy on everything you just heard!" I grumbled.

"Relax, relax," Soul made a zipping motion over his mouth. "Not a word."

"Good," I closed my book pointedly and stood up. "Because if you say anything to anyone about that," I leaned in close to Soul's face while making the same crazy expressions and eye movements I used to. "Wh-why I'll just have to cut all your skin off," I cooed in a sing-song voice with a manic grin.

Soul immediately backed up at my sudden shift in mannerisms, clearly unnerved. "Whoa! Take it easy!" He spoke with alarm.

"HAHA!" I pointed and laughed in his face. "Scared you there for a second, didn't I?" I chided, now sporting one of my rare grins.

Soul looked at me dumbfounded for a moment before breaking out into a big smile. "Well I'll be damned! Yeah you got me, you totally had me going! Really cool!"

Maka stifled a giggle. "See? You're getting the hang of loosening up," she pointed out.

"Yeah...I guess I am," I smiled at her.

And so we laughed and we joked and we ate until our bellies were full. It was a good day and I would enjoy many more just like like them during my time with Maka and Soul.

* * * Present Day * * *

The camp was looming in the horizon, no more time for pleasant memories. It seemed fairly typical, I could see what appeared to be a circle of tents around what I assumed to be a fire pit in the middle but it was hard to tell from this distance. I reached into my pocket, pulled out a cigarette and lit up with one hand as I drove with the other.

By the time I finished it I'd be close.