"Frack!" Tara smacked the small device against her other hand, knowing that it wouldn't do any good but wanting to take her frustration out on it anyway. It was a small thing, something she had carried since she left her dad's apartment, but it was all she really had left of her old life. A small mp3 player with all of her favorite songs, and now the power was truly gone. Maybe forever.
"So, you like Battlestar Galactica too, huh?" Eugene was watching her, a small smirk on his face. "I loved that show."
Tara clenched her jaw for a moment, and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I liked that show. Was that all you got from my little problem?"
"That's all I got that seemed important. If you thought that the charge on that was going to last very long, you were obviously mistaken. I bet I could figure out how to rig something for you if you wanted though. There were new types of chargers coming out and some may still work under our present circumstances." He shrugged and looked up the road at the others. They were falling behind but neither of them were too concerned yet. Everyone was still in view anyway.
"Really? And what would you want in return?" She looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"How about this; when we have a chance to look into a store that sells any kind of cell phone, computer or electronic tablet I will help you find what you need to charge that thing, if you'll help me learn something about using a knife." He smiled and tilted his head to one side, "I'd ask one of the others but they keep looking at me like I might get punched again."
Tara let her backpack slide down her shoulder and she packed away the small device, "Deal."