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Cherry Lake was really a dried up reservoir that had taken advantage—when it was full—of an impact left by the Cherry Comet from '82…That was a couple centuries ago. With all the dust the war stirred up here some fifteen years back, the water just disappeared. Rumor used to be there was some Element Zero in the crater—maybe why she went back there. People still lived around it despite the rumor and the idea that Element Zero, otherwise known as the Eezo Selector Disease, would give some either tumorous growths in their bodies or "select" the special few to bless them with biotic talents…and a prejudice against the rest of the inferior parts of the race who couldn't ascend like they did. It was just a rumor, even if some strange events like the bubble tents went up around the area, military and specially marked uniforms came round to quarantine everyone, and when all was set and done, like that they left. She was moving towards the crater in a slow walk, hands in her armpits since it was nippy at eight-thirty there in Rockies time.
In the distance, there were mountains where the Continental Divide could be seen rupturing from the dim landline—reaching over these were the limbs of some of the smaller Reaper cadavers that had landed to stalk those seeking refuge in the mountains' mines and caverns. She took a seat on the rim of Cherry Crater and only stared, but it was a short time before she stood up and made her way back to the house in the distance, down a dirt road with dry grass and a fence either side of the worn way. Same way every night, every day even…Braith could walk the route blindfolded if she wanted to. It was the least he could do to thank her, walking her back to her home without getting involved with carrying her or taking her by the hand and saying "Thank you" to her face…They didn't know who she was, but he did.
When the door to the house finally closed and the light went on, he checked the knob—one turn and it was open—inserting his key into the door lock, he turned the coin-shaped slot protruding from the tarnished face of the plate decorating the handle and secured her indoors. And he left.
