Connie was starring into the blue eyes of the man who was aiming at her with his crossbow. He had long filthy hair and was wearing a cape. His body and face were covered in mud. She stared at him, analyzing him and trying to find out if he was someone dangerous. Despite his strange looks there was something in his eyes, that made Connie think, he didn't want to harm her.

Earlier this day Connie and her friends were running from the dead. The rain was a problem and made it harder for them to escape. They were exhausted and hungry, since they didn't find something to eat for a long time. They were searching a shelter, when Connie suddenly lost her group and found herself alone. She was running through the woods, without orientation, unable to call for them. As she came across a camp, she thought it was abandoned. Nothing pointed to the fact that a person was living there. Everything was messy and it looked like nobody was there for a long time. She didn't find much there either. She was thinking about taking the tent, as she saw the can of soup lying there. It looked good and it was at least something. When she got up and turned around, she was startled for a moment when she saw a big man standing there and aiming at her with his crossbow. Her murmured something, but Connie didn't understand it.

Her heart was beating fast as they were starring at each other for a couple of moments until the man suddenly turned his head in another direction. He must have heard something. Connie turned her head too and was relieved to see her friends there. The stranger pointed his crossbow at them and so they stopped. Connie could see that Magna and Yumiko were both supporting Kelly who had one foot lifted in the air. She must have been hurt. Ignoring the man, Connie ran to her sister. The man must have been shouting something, since Connie noticed Magna telling him: "She's deaf, you moron."

"Hey, watch your mouth," the stranger answered her.

Connie signed to Kelly: "What happened?"

"I don't know, I stepped into something," Kelly answered.

"We have to patch her up before she gets an infection."

They made Kelly sit down on a three stump while Yumiko got out some bandages out of her bag, to patch up Kelly's leg.

The stranger wanted to protest and Connie could already see how Magna wanted to walk to him. Somehow they both seemed to have the same hotheaded spirit. Connie held her back, looking at Luke who was always the diplomatic voice of their group. He nodded and then he spoke to the stranger:

"Listen, I know you don't want us here and I'm sorry for intruding your... um... home. But the girl here is hurt. We'll patch her up and then we're gone, alright?"

The stranger seemed to had calmed down a little bit, he lowered his crossbow but then he said something to Luke, looking at Connie. Connie read his lips. He wanted the can back.

"He wants his..." Luke started to sign.

"I know," Connie interrupted him. She quickly looked at the can and felt disappointed to have to give it back. It wouldn't make a big meal for them all but at least it was something.

She threw the can in the direction where the man was standing, giving him an annoyed look.

He picked it up, looking at it and then at Connie. After they starred at each other for another moment, she looked back at Kelly who was squinting her eyes, as Yumiko disinfected the wound. Connie patted her shoulder and then took her hand. When they finally patched her up, they started to walk back. Connie was supporting Kelly. She couldn't help, but look back a last time at the stranger. He was still starring at them. Kelly looked back too, as the man shouted:

"Hey!"

They all stopped. The man observed the can in his hand and then threw it towards them. It landed before Connie's and Kelly's feet.

"Take it," he told them.

Connie picked it up. She gave the man a surprising look and then she smiled at him thankfully. She couldn't read the expression in his face and she wasn't sure if he was smiling back. Then he turned around and went back to his tent while they continued their way, to find a place to spend the night.

When they found an abandoned building they made a little fire to warm up and prepare the soup. The soup and some berries were barely something, they could call dinner, but it was better than nothing.

Kelly was holding her stomach when she finished eating.

"Now I feel even hungrier," she said.

"We'll try to find some more food tomorrow," Connie told her giving her an encouraging smile and Kelly smiled faintly back.

"I'm wondering where that dude is getting his food from," Luke said, talking about the stranger they encountered.

"You mean that cave man? Maybe he's hunting some mammoths," Magna joked.

"He reminded me of you," Connie signed and the others laughed.

"Me?" Magna asked surprised. Connie just shrugged.

"She's right, dear," Yumiko said and Magna narrowed her eyes.

"You have the same fierce spirit," Yumiko continued.

"He seemed to be living in the woods for too long, though," she hastily added.

"Fierce spirit," Magna repeated scornfully. "Moron can be glad I didn't kick his ass for the way he treated Connie."

"It was nice of him to give us his food, though," Connie noticed.

"Yeah, but I still will gladly stay away from that freak," Kelly told her.

"And his traps too," she added pointing to her injured foot.

Connie and Luke took watch, while the others were sleeping. Connie was deep in her thoughts. She thought about the stranger. How he gave them his last food. So she was right about him. Behind those cold blue eyes and fierce spirit, there was a good heart. But there was another thing written on his face. Some kind of a deep sadness. And the way he was living told Connie that he must have lost a lot in his life.

"What are you thinking about?" Luke asked her. Connie made a gesture which said "Nothing important." Luke was still looking at her, so she quickly thought of something and signed:

"Would be nice to have a roof over our heads. And not only temporarily"

"Yes, living in a community would be nice. But let's face the truth, the civilization broke down. I doubt there is something like a community anywhere."

"Who knows, maybe there is something. I don't want to lose the hope," Connie answered.

Suddenly they saw a group of walkers approaching. They woke the others quickly and started to run away, since they weren't safe in the abandoned building, which had no doors or windows. But it was dark and the walkers came from all directions.

"What are we going to do?" Kelly asked with panic in her eyes. They all stopped and stood back to back, ready to fight, as more and more walkers were approaching. Connie asked herself if this was the end.