Maya slept, as Sam requested, and slept, and slept. She finally awoke. Immediately unaware of where she was and why her side was numb, she tried to place small thoughts together. Finally, she began remembering.

It was early, and Maya had just woken up. Her stomach angrily reminded her that food was the first thing on her agenda, and she looked eastward. A small fire dotted a camp, and Maya thought she could try to grab something there. After 15 minutes or so of walking, she reached the camp, and ducked behind a wooden crate near it. The scent of whatever was being roasted over the fire was driving her mad, and she used all of her effort to stay hidden. Two men were discussing over the flame, but Maya was too hungry to pay attention. Moments later, they finally went off, hearing a sound. Maya popped out, and tore a piece of the cooked meat off with her hands. Hurriedly, she ate it, and took more. Soon, she had finished half of it, and was getting ready to leave, when she heard the voices of the men again.
"Hey! Where the fuck do you think you're going? You can't just walk in here and try to- Oh man, you ate our fucking food too?"
Maya began to sprint, but felt a sharp pain tear into her left side, and she crumpled, her vision blurred by tears of pain. She looked to the left of her. Bits of flesh and skin painted the dead earth red. She glanced down at her own side, seeing a good side of it missing, as well as part of her shirt. Terrified, she saw something pinkish and coiled spilling into the ground. The man caught up, and aimed his shotgun at her face. The gun clicked, and he muttered, quickly trying to reload. His friend called out that someone was coming, and that they needed to get the hell out of there.
"Man, just let me finish this kid off!"
"No time man, go!"
"Damnit!"
He grabbed her cheeks with his right hand and pulled her face to his.
"You ever try to take a vestigial's food, you end up dead. Shoulda thought before you took, you rat."
His face was twisted and contorted through Maya's blurred view. He dropped her with a thud, and ran off. Maya remembered lying there for what seemed like ages, before someone saw her.
"Hey! We got someone over here! Don't look vestigial, more like a scavenger. Side's blown off, I think she needs medical attention! Sgt. Sam, check her out!"
Shortly after a woman stood over her and ordered someone to pick her up, she blacked out. Then... she thought, a man.. a knife.. silver hammers.. wheelchairs and sleep.

Realizing she was in a safer location, she tried to stand up. She could barely walk, and was lucky to find her wheelchair. She sat in it, and tried to figure out how to work it. Living in the Seattle wastes never helped her learn too much. Her old group referred to her as "Naive", a word she never got to figure out the meaning of. Finally, she found you had to work the wheels on the side to move it. After some time fumbling in the dark, she was competent with maneuvering her wheelchair. Wheeling around, she finally found the door, and when she reached out to turn the handle, the door slid to side into the wall and let in light. Bright, blinding light. Sound flooded her ears as well. Finally, one of the best scents she had ever smelled. Food. Once again, she was hungry. Turning to follow the smell, a voice called out to her.
"Hey. You. Wheelchair chick."
She looked around, and wheeled over to a corner. A man popped out of the shadow, and held out a small needle filled with a purple liquid.
"Here. Take this. It's 'happy juice'. Just stick that needle into yourself, and push on that plunger. It'll make you feel awesome. It's free."
Maya smiled, and took it, putting it in her lap.
"Thanks. Never know when I might feel down. Wait, is this like bad for me or something?"
"Oh no, I'd never sell you anything bad. It's just gonna make you happy for about an hour or so, and then you'll probably feel fine."
"Alright. Thanks mister!"
Maya wheeled back into her room, and put the needle in a drawer on a nightstand in the room. She then went to find that food that she was smelling. Finally, she got into the mess hall. Finding the food line, she wheeled herself behind everyone. Finally reaching the line, a brunette handed her an MRE, and spoke to her.
"Hey, aren't you the one girl the Children found on their patrols? Maya?"
"Yeah. Are you that brunette Sam spoke of? Carly?"
"Actually, yeah, I am. Let me guess, she said to keep away from me, and that I'm "her girl", right?"
"Yup. What is this stuff?" Maya asked, holding her MRE up.
"That's an MRE, or Meal, Ready to Eat. No matter what anyone else says, that's what it means. That there is a Buffalo Wing and Cornbread meal, and theres a few other things in there. You'll probably need some water, so Sam is grabbing a canteen. If she's not already out there, she'll be near. Find her, and I'm sure she'll help you out. Normally, I kinda modify the meals, fortify them with vitamins and things, but the MREs seem to feed the folks here just fine. Alright, there's Sam. Over there, by the water dispenser, last table to the right. Go on, she's gonna have to show you around. I would come along, but I've gotta feed people."
Maya smiled. Carly had a soft, warm, inviting voice. She said her goodbyes, and headed toward Sam. Sam spotted her, and waved her over.
"Hey! Maya! How's ya feelin', kiddo? You got torn up bad, but I knew you'd be fine."
She handed her a canteen, full with water.
"Wish we had another set of wear, but Jenna's is still being de-authorized, and when it's done, the canteen you have will be useless, seeing as they have hydration bladders. Lemme see your MRE."
Maya handed Sam her MRE. She looked it over, and gave it back.
"Awesome. Wings, eh? My favorite. I got the same thing."
She pulled a MRE identical to Maya's out of her pocket.
"Lets go to the Children's table."
"Children? I'm not a kid."
"Woah there, got a big mouth huh? And I meant Children as in my little 'army' I mentioned earlier. or would you rather head back to your room, and eat there? I'm sure Carly could help you out."
"I think I'll recover more before meeting your kids, Sam."
"Kids, look at you, so young and precious. What I would give to be 14 again. And practically live this hellhole again. That whole 13th chapter would be different."
"Chapter? Wha?"
"Oh nothing. Sorry, guess hunger's getting to my head. Alright, I'll see you later then Maya, In fact, I'll swing by and take you on a tour later. No go, get eating!"
Maya nodded, and wheeled back towards the kitchen. The last person passed through, and Carly began to close up. She noticed Maya going back to her room, and followed her.
"Eating in your room? What for?"
"I'm gonna heal up before meeting Sam's kids."
Carly laughed. "They're not actually her kids.."
"She acts like they are."
"Well, they will as well."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, here's your room. I'll help you prepare that meal, and then I'll see if you need anything else, ok?"
"Alright."
From there on out, Maya felt that the Compound wouldn't be such a bad place after all.

D'AWWW Happy ending. Once again, late update. School again is to blame. DAMN YOU SCIENCE AND YOUR NEVER GIVING US EXACT DUE DATES SO WE NEVER TURN ANYTHING IN AND FAIL! DAAAAMNNN YOUUUU!