There was only a hint of a breeze that evening. It was a cold, fresh smelling movement in the air that carried away the growing fatigue Myra felt since that night at the quarry lake. It wasn't that she was physically tired, far from it actually.

The room she shared with Bo at the militia's compound was almost as comfortable as a barrack as it was a suite when the building was still a five-star hotel. With almost a full week of inactivity in its comparative luxury, Myra's aching body was quite well rested. Yet, she still felt weary.

Sitting on the rooftop ledge, Myra kicked her feet absently over the void as she gazed at the ground some forty stories below. 'That would be a heck of a fall,' she thought idly as she tossed a bit of debris off the side, just to watch it plummet into the gathering darkness.

"You might not want to throw things off the edge like that, Gunny," a concerned voice said quietly from behind her.

"A Gunnery Sergeant was a Marine rank, Darwin. I was in the Army, like I said. Just call me Myra, okay?"

"Whatever you say," he replied with a mild mirth that Myra felt was annoyingly out of place.

"Are you sure it's safe to be sitting there?" he added more seriously a moment later. "Most of the buildings in this town look like they're falling apart."

Still gazing off into the distance, Myra just shrugged. "I hadn't thought about it, really. Did you know I’m afraid of heights?"

Darwin stepped up to her and placed his hands on the ledge. Looking over the side, he whistled softly and shook his head. "I wouldn't have guessed that, no. So, what are you doing up here then?"

"Facing my fear," she replied somberly. "That's what my father always told me to do. Face my fear and overcome it."

Darwin looked at her for a long moment. Her graceful jawline and smooth skin were framed by her long, dark hair and her brown eyes carried a depth he couldn't quite understand. For that brief moment, he allowed himself to appreciate the sculptured lines of her face and the wonderful shape of her athletic body.

She was a beautiful woman, but despite her looks, she was a warrior. He'd seen that first hand. "I really didn't think anything could scare you, Gunny," he said quietly.

"Well, let me tell you a secret. I'm scared right now. Maybe more than I've ever been.”

Darwin understood what she meant but had no idea what he could possibly say. He felt a strong desire to hug her, to hold her close and give her the comfort she needed. It just wasn't his place to do those things. Instead, he simply stood at her side while the daylight faded away.

Together, they remained there, quietly watching the sunset beyond the far off hills. The minutes passed until the tension of waiting made the silence howl like a winter gale. When the darkness grew thick around them, a soft, artificial glow in the distance gave Darwin reason to bring pause to their silent contemplation.

"Is that it?" he asked simply, already knowing the answer.

Myra looked up from the darkness below and set her gaze on the light shining brightly on the horizon. "Yeah, that's it. I haven't been out there yet, but from what Bo said..." Her words choked off at the mention of his name, and her usual soprano thickened and become strained. The taste of fear filled her mouth and she swallowed hard, trying to clear her head and focus on the far off light.

Taking a deep breath, she began again. "I'm told it was an automated reforesting station. Something new the EPA set up. They say it was dark for years after the War until someone reactivated the generators. Whoever did that also reprogrammed the labor units to kill."

Myra's voice trailed off as she remembered seeing a man burned down by those machines. She was certain that, sooner or later, the militia was going to have to deal with that threat. She just wished the Colonel would see that.

"Yeah, those I've seen," Darwin responded. "We ran into some of those zombies a few months back. They gave us quite a firefight. I'm sure glad Cam didn't know where they came from. He might have gotten some crazy-ass idea about hitting the place."

Myra chuckled despite herself. "Zombies? Is that what you guys called them?"

Relieved to see the strain leave her face, Darwin returned her smile. "Well, they are mindless killers, kinda like zombies, right?"

Myra lifted her legs and spun around on the ledge until her feet touched the roof. "Maybe, but zombies don't carry laser rifles. Not in any story I ever heard anyway."

Running his fingers through his blond hair, Darwin conceded the point. "That's true. Who the fuck ever thought androids would either?"

Myra was about to respond when the radio on her wrist chirped, and she brought it up to flick send. "Yeah, go ahead," she said quickly into it.

The radio chirped again and woman's voice, deep and beautifully resonant answered back. “It's dark enough Myra. We're going to remove his bandages as soon as you're ready."

"I'm on my way, Kaala. Thank you." Myra hopped off the ledge and turned to Darwin. "It's time."

"I'm right behind you, Gunny."

****

"I'm tellin' you, Doc, I'm fine! My eyes stopped stinging right after you put those drops in. Lemme just take these bandages off and you'll see."

"Un hunh, sure." Dr. Kaala Ellard responded with practiced skepticism.

"That's what all of your experience with flash burns is telling you? Now look, I'm tired of explaining this to your hillbilly ass, Bolo. Your eyes were severally burned, and it takes time for those drops to heal your retina. Now, it's just about dark, and when Myra gets here, we'll take them off, but not a moment before. You got that?"

"Aw shit, Doc. These things itch like hell," Bolo grumbled as he sat on the edge of the bed. Moments later, he was again fingering the bandages. When he began to peel one back, Kaala slapped his wrist away. "Fryer, if he does that again, feel free to shoot his scrawny ass!"

"You got it, Doc." Fryer replied with mock seriousness. "I've been dying to kneecap this guy for the last three hours." Fryer did his best to sound as grave as Kaala had, but neither of them could keep up the ruse. Fortunately for them both, Bo couldn't see their smirking smiles.

"I'm telling y’all," Bo whined in resignation. "Some friends you two turned out to be. I still don't see why you gotta make such a big deal about this." Bo was about to launch into another round of complaints when he was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

Myra slipped through the door with Darwin in tow. With one look at Bo's scowl, and the knowing smiles from Kaala and Fryer, she quickly picked up on Bo's ongoing complaints.

"You know something, Bo?" she said tiredly. "Nobody likes an uncooperative patient. Now, get this through your thick skull. You were fucking blind, okay. Instead of acting like a spoiled brat, you should be glad we have Dr. Ellard here to help. Now, you just shush."

"But Myra!" he began again until she placed a finger over his lips, cutting him off in mid-sentence.

"Not another word!" she snapped, much like a mother would at a rebellious child. Deflated by her rebuke, Bo fidgeted uncomfortably but remained silent.

"Damn, you're a pain in the ass,” she said a moment later. “This isn't a joke, Bo. You've had me worried sick for days, so just put up with it for me, okay? It's just gonna be a couple more minutes."

When Bo dropped his hands and remained silent, Kaala smiled at Myra. “I'm glad there's someone here he'll listen too. Now, when we leave, you put out all but a couple of these candles. His eyes may take time to adjust, so don't get into a panic if he feels some pain... It would serve him right if he did, if you ask me” she added with a stern glance at her patient.

Myra smiled in understanding and sat on the bed next to Bo. "Thanks, Doc. Now, if y'all wouldn't mind, I'd like to do this alone."

"Sure thing, Gunny," Fryer replied for all of them and a moment later, Myra and Bo were left alone in their room.

As Fryer led Kaala and Darwin out into the electrically lit hall, he noted how his subordinate delayed at the door. He'd seen that puppy-dog look on the man's face all week, and he grimaced in the knowledge of what the man was feeling.

Unrequited love was potentially dangerous, and as Myra's de-facto lieutenant among her new men, Fryer knew it was his responsibility to head such problems off before they had a chance to fester.

Turning to Kaala, he smiled warmly. "What do you say, Doc, how 'bout letting me buy you a drink? I've been dying to check out that bar y'all have downstairs."

Kaala smiled, and her dark skin glowed as she nodded. “I'd love that, Fryer. I could use a good drink tonight.”

"Great," he replied. "I'll meet you there in five. I just need to have a quick word with Darwin first, okay?"

Kaala's gaze flashed to Darwin and she nodded, having seen the same thing in the man that Fryer had. "Good. I'll see you soon," she replied before heading toward the stairs.

Once she was out of sight, Fryer turned to Darwin. "I know what you're feeling, son, but that look is only gonna get someone hurt. You gotta know she's in love with Bo, right?"

Darwin seemed to wilt, and his gaze dropped to his hands. “Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so.” Fryer replied more kindly. “You need to snap out of it, son. Her heart belongs to someone else."

Darwin fidgeted, and he looked back up at Fryer, "I know, but it ain't what you think. I mean, I knew the score, Boss. It's just that I haven't met anyone since before the War that seemed to actually give a shit about me. Not like her, anyway.”

“You know, she could have killed me as easily as breathe. Instead, she got rid of that psycho Cam, and gave us a new chance here. I'm not in love with her like you think, it's just that... I'd do anything for her now. Does that make any sense at all?"

Feeling relieved, Fryer clasped his hand on Darwin's shoulder. "You know what, my friend. I feel the same way. Things are probably gonna get dicey soon, and you and I are gonna have to make sure nothing happens to her. Can I count on you in that?"

"Yeah, Boss. I'd do anything to keep her safe. You got my word on that."

***

"Damn, I wish he wouldn't call me that." Myra mused in annoyance after the others had gone.

"What? Gunny? Why not?" Bo objected. "You deserve some kind of nickname. You've earned it."

"Yeah, I know, but it's a Marine rank..." she replied wearily and shook her head. Fryer and his men, her men, she reminded herself again, had started calling her that during the long walk back to Springdale the day after the fight by the lake.

"So what if it is?" challenged Bo. "These guys respect you, and that's their way of showing it. I hate to be the one to tell you this, Myra, but you've got a name now. You can't just give it back."

"I know, I know! It's just not something I ever asked for." Myra sounded tired, and rising from the bed, she stretched out her arms and headed toward the bathroom.

"Yeah, well no sane person ever does... Hey, where the hell are you going now? I thought you were gonna help me take these bandages off!"

"Yeah, big guy, I will. I want to clean up a bit, so you're just gonna have to wait."

The sound of the bathroom door closing ended the conversation abruptly and Bo could only sit in his bandaged darkness. When he heard the sound of running water, he just shook his head in frustration. "I'm never gonna understand that woman."

As the minutes passed, Bo fought the urge to peel back his bandages. Over the last week, he had tried hard not to show how frightened he was, but the doctor's initial prognoses of his recovery wasn't good, and in this world, being blind would make him worthless to his people. To him, the thought of being a drain on their resources was worse than death.

Worse still, he was acutely aware of how worried Myra was. His false bravado was as much for her benefit as it was for his, but inside, he was terrified he might never see again. If that was the life he was going to face, he would have rather died that night on the edge of the quarry lake.

Bo took a deep breath and forced his hands down as he reclined on the bed. "What the hell. It's just the rest of my life. I suppose I can wait for the little lady.”

Several minutes passed and Bo had dozed off by the time Myra returned. The gentle pressure on the bed next to him woke him with a start, but she shushed him, urging him to relax.

"Okay, Bo. I'm going to take these off slowly. I want you to close your eyes until I tell you, okay?"

"All right, all right. I ain't gonna do anything stupid now. Let's just get these damn things off me so I can see your face again."

"Oh, it's my face you've been missing, is it?"

Bo smiled his boyish grin. "Well, I got a hankering to see your ass again, girl, but one thing at a time."

"I'm sure. The world comes to an end, you almost go blind, but it's my ass you're thinking about. Sometimes I wonder how I ever fell in love you, Bo Roberts."

Bo felt the wraps loosening over his eyes and clenched them shut tightly. "It could be worse, you know."

"How's that?"

"I could be bald."

Myra laughed softly as the bandages fell away and she held his hand tightly in hers. "Okay, Bo. Open your eyes. Let's see how well those drops worked."

Bo saw little at first, and the glow of the single, flickering candle stung his eyes as if he were suddenly staring into a spotlight. He blinked rapidly and looked away from the flame, but within moments, the sting faded and he found he could focus on the room. Turning, he saw Myra kneeling at the edge of the bed, looking hopefully up at him.

What struck him first was how beautiful she was. Gone was her normal pony tail and military-style shirt and pants. Her hair was brushed out and flowed long over her bare shoulders. A red gown clung to tightly her narrow waist only to flow over her legs like gossamer silk. Its low cut exposed just enough of her breasts to be both proper and sexy. The ruby coloring on her lips and the slight blush on her cheeks gave her a soft and feminine look he'd never seen before.

Myra stood as he smiled and pirouetted in front him. "So, I take it you can see?"

Bo laughed and slipped his arms around her slim waist, pulling her against him. "Damn, Myra, you do clean up nice! Where the hell did you find that dress?"

"I wanted to look good for you when we pulled the bandages off, so I scavenged around in some old stores. I take it, you approve?"

Bo stood and took her into his arms, kissing her with a gentleness he'd never shown before, "I love it, and I love you."

Myra's arms circled his neck and she kissed him back. "You had me so worried Bo. I need you in my life. You are all I've have left."

Bo fingered the silk at her back and then slowly drew the seam down, exposing her skin to the cool, evening air. "I do love it, Myra, but right now I'd rather see you out of it."

Relief that he was whole again quickly turned to passion and she didn't resist as the gown dropped away to pool at her feet. Myra laughed happily as he easily lifted her away from it and lay her on the bed. She needed him as much as he did her and soon his shirt and pants joined her dress in a small pile on the carpeted floor.

Though they had been having sex since that first night they met, it was only that one time in the tent that she would actually considered their coupling making love. Even as wonderful and amazing as it had been, they had shared their heart and souls on the hard ground, with only a few blankets to provide them comfort.

Now, for the first time, they were going to share themselves in their own bed as lovers were meant to do. It felt civilized and proper, and Myra was surprised at how meaningful that was to her. She stretched out languidly into the sheets, overcome by her feelings for this man.

Even Bo, who acted like an overgrown teenager on his best day, seemed to grasp the significance of the moment. His usual, lustful playfulness was muted and calmed as he gently stroked her body. Her pulse raced as his warm hand drifted over her flat belly and a contented mewl issued from her lips as his fingers drifted over her black-lace brassier.

Myra was very aware of how hard it must be for a proud man like Bo to follow her in the field. As competent as he was, her expertise and combat ability were far beyond his, and yet he never seemed to let his ego be bruised by it. Here though, in the comfort of their bed, she could let him be in command.

Raising her arms over her head and resting them on the pillow, she whimpered and cooed as his touch roamed over her hot skin. He was igniting a slow burn in her heart and she bit her lip, eagerly awaiting the flames he stoked in her body.

"I was so afraid I'd never see you like this again, Myra," Bo murmured as he lightly caressed her.

"I know. I was too, baby. When I saw that flash and then heard you scream... I knew it was you. All at once, I felt this joy at having you back, and then the thought of losing you again... It hurt so much. I couldn't have born that, Bo."

Tears of joy filled her dark eyes and she accepted his kiss with all the love in her heart. Days of doubt and worry, while they both recovered from that night, had taken a bigger toll on them than either had truly understood. Now, in the privacy of their own bedroom, on the clean and soft sheets of their very own bed, their love was finding a physical outlet.

The relative darkness of the room, lit by a single candle, only seemed to shrink the universe around them. Shadows and golden light danced over her skin and Bo chased each one with a series of tender kisses that caused her pulse to race.

He bit and kissed at her breasts, wetting her black lace bra and causing Myra to coo and purr at his touch. He was leaning over her from her side, his bare chest visible and her eye followed his seductive trail of abdominal fur until she spied his erection already bobbing hard as he moved. Her small hand snaked downward, grasping him and stroking him as he feasted on her body.

"Oh God, Bo. I missed this so much,” she purred, speaking as much for the affection he showed her as she did for the hard organ in her hand.

Bo gazed up and then flashed that boyish smile she had come to love. "Well, darlin’, I did try to get you in bed a couple days ago. I was blind, not impotent. It ain't like you needed to make us wait, ya know."

"Needed to? No, but I wanted to. What good would my dress and all this makeup have done if we'd been having sex all week? I wanted you whole before we did this."

"You mean you cut me off for a whole week over a dress? Damn, woman. How can you be so cruel! Me, being injured and all, like I was?"

She laughed, but his injuries were exactly why she'd avoided sex with him. She'd been terrified the bandages over his eyes would get dislodged, or that some unknown broken bone from his fall into the lake would become known. It had taken days for her to feel he was up for the kind of lovemaking she desired. Fortunately, that wait was over.

Myra gave his cock another hard squeeze. "C'mon, Bo. It wasn't that hard, now was it?"

"Oh, it would have gotten plenty hard," Bo grimaced playfully at the irony of her chosen words. Then, taking her face in his hands, he kissed her deeply.

Surrendering into to him, her soft lips parted, and a shiver traveled over her body as his tongue slipped into her mouth.

Quiet moans and the soft rustle of sheets filled the room as they embraced. It was with an unhurried and detailed exploration of Myra's body that Bo's touch roamed over her. Whether it was the quick flick of his fingers that released her bra, or the light rasp of the elastic hem of her panties scraping over her thighs, it seemed as if every move he made only heightened her need for him.

When his lips began flicking their way down, past her belly, Myra gasped in hot anticipation. “Oh my gosh, yes. Please, don't make me wait.”

Bo said nothing. His only reply was a long lick over her rapidly moistening sex. Laying back into the sheets, Myra's thighs parted and fell away, allowing her man to have his way. The wet caresses of his tongue contrasted with the rough abrasions of his stubbled beard, causing her to tremble and moan. Soon, her hands were cupping her breasts, tweaking her dark nipples in time with his fluttering kisses.

The vision of Myra smiling and biting her lip, while pinching her nipples between her fingers, made him silently thank God he hadn't lost his sight. Her dark eyes were wide and sparkled in joy, proving her love for him more profoundly than mere words ever could. The raw intensity in her face was overpowering. The subtle way her body began to writhe, and the deep rise and fall of her chest told him how strongly she felt his tender kisses.

Oh, he loved licking her like this, but nothing he could physically feel could match the satisfaction he received from drawing such an honest and feral reaction from her. His tongue built a cadence over her clit, flicking with insidious intent until his woman was panting with need.

‘Fuckin’-A, look at her!' he thought excitedly as his gazed traveled up the curves of her body. Myra’s eyes glazed, lost in her passion, and he knew in that moment her thoughts were only for him. He was giving her something she would accept from no other, a gift of pleasure and love that connected them, and made them one.

His heart was pounding, and his grip on her thighs tightened as her hips began to roll. He felt her moment rise, just as did she, and when it came, he sucked hard on her clit, guiding her through it like a beacon in the night.

"Aww fuck, Bo!" she screamed before her words merged with her breathless gasps. Her whole body shuddered and rippled with orgasm as her moment crested. Bo held her tightly through it all, feeling her muscles tensing and contracting as she kicked and thrashed in his arms. Finally, with a long, drawn out sigh, Myra arched and then collapsed back onto the bed.

“Damn, woman. You are so sexy when you come. I don't think I could ever get tired of seeing you like that.”

Smiling happily, Myra stretched out, cat-like, one the bed. “You better not. I’d hate to have to break in another man."

Bo flashed her an evil grin as he slid next to her. “I always knew you had a wild side."

Myra shrugged as her fingers twirled absently through the thin hair on his chest. “I didn’t. I was always too serious to spend much time with boys. Now that I have you, though, I’m beginning to think being a little wild now and then might be just what I need.”

“See, that’s what happens to a girl when she hooks up with a real man," Bo said with a chuckle as he rolled onto his back.

“Really? Well, I won’t deny your obvious alpha-male qualities. I’m particularly fond of your Neanderthal-like subtly. You are my very own cave man, Bo. I really should get you a big club for your next birthday.”

Bo gave her a sidelong glance. “Now, you better be joshin’ me…”

Myra smiled and kissed him tenderly. “Don’t worry. I like that part of you.”

"Now, speaking of big clubs, think yours is need of a little loving,” she whispered as her kisses began moving down his chest.

“Oh, damn, girl. Now you’re talkin’!” He was already hard, and his erection actually twitched as her hair flowed over it. Myra took her time, gently stroking him in her hand as she kissed his head. She knew he was ready, but still, she wanted to tease him for as long as he’d let her. It was a new game she wanted to play, and she intended to push him as far as she could before his self-control snapped.

“Mmm, Bo. You do have a very nice cock,” she said in her most sultry tone. “It’s just the right size for me to suck…”

Licking her full lips, Myra made a show of wetting them before slipping them over the engorged head of his cock. Her moisture-covered lips moved over his taut skin, taking him easily into the warmth of her mouth.

“Ah, fuck.” Bo hissed as Myra began to suck. Her mouth felt like wet silk as it engulfed him, pulling on him with a gentle, massaging suction that caused his shaft to fill with fresh blood. He could feel her tongue swirling over his head, and the wet sounds of her mouth on his skin filled his mind.

Myra took him as deeply as she could, slowly drawing her lips up and down his shaft. She could feel his body react, straining to thrust, but she kept her motions slow and even, driving him the edge without pushing him over. For long moments, she sucked him with a slow, torturous pace that had him gripping the sheets.

Gazing up at him, she saw Bo gritting his teeth. She knew well that he was desperately trying to resist the urge to grab her hair and force her to suck him faster. Her slow, even motions were massaging his glans, and keeping him tense with need, but every time he got close, she would pulled off to lick his balls, or trail kisses over the underside of his shaft. When the semi-sweet taste of precum appeared in her mouth, she flicked his head with her tongue, and then raked his sensitized flesh with her teeth.

"Ah, fuck, woman!" Bo gasped, and Myra grinned wickedly at him.

"Don't come, baby. I want that inside me tonight."

"Yeah, so do I," he growled, and then he grabbed her upper arms and roughly rolled her onto her back.

Myra huffed and gasped in surprise, but when he moved over her, she accepted his hot kiss without complaint. They fumbled together until his erection was rubbing against her sex, and Myra reached down to guide him into her slick channel.

“Unnh… Yes!” she moaned as his cock pressed through her outer lips and sank deeply into her. Instinctively, she rolled up her hips, wrapping her legs behind his and taking him completely into her.

Bo kissed her passionately, sucking her tongue into his mouth as his cock drove deep. His hips rolled and withdrew, plunging his length into her with a raw strength that made her body shake each time he hit bottom. He hunched over her, driving into her with a feral need that had her panting, and soon she felt her core begin to burn with need.

"Yes, fuck me, fuck me, Bo! I want it inside me. I want it all inside me."

Bo was beyond words. All of the stress and fear he'd felt were washing away in his love for her, and he held he so tight he was leaving bruises on her skin. He slammed into her hard, reaching into her as deeply as he could. Then, he felt her grow tense, and he grunted hard as his moment joined hers.

They both felt the moment crest, and her juices flowed as his seed pumped deeply into her. They stayed like that for what seemed an eternity, letting him throb and then retreat from her channel before he rolled off, and took her into his arms.

He heard her whisper, "I love you, Bo."

Murmuring the same words back, he kissed her shoulder before he drifted off to sleep.

***

Use of the battery-stored, solar energy was strictly regulated by Command. The fact that Rosky's was allowed to stay bright all night was a concession that spoke volumes of the makeshift cantina’s value to the morale of everyone in the clan.

Every one of the three hundred or so able-bodied people who gathered under Colonel Radcliffe's protection was expected to help build and maintain their new home. In the last three years, Eli Rosky had brazenly turned his pre-war bootlegging experience into one of the most popular venues in their little corner of the otherwise desolate city.

Early on, he supplied his bar by rummaging through the town, collecting bottled booze from anywhere he could scrounge it. More recently, as the supply of pre-war booze ran out, he managed to set up a number of stills that produced a very high grade of moonshine he euphemistically labeled 'Lightning'.

"How ya doing there, Doc?" Eli said in his unique Appalachia drawl. "I hear y'all pulled off Bolo's bandages today. How's that rascal doin'?"

Sitting at her table, Kaala smiled. "Yeah, he'll be fine. I'm sure Myra would have called me by now if there was a problem. He's one lucky son of a gun, if you ask me."

"That, he is. So, what can I get ya, Doc? I got a fresh vat of beer I've been brewing for a bit. It's pretty damn good, if I say so myself."

"That sounds perfect. Bring a couple. Fryer is on his way down to join me, right now."

"Two it is, and it's on the house," Eli said with a grin.

Kaala returned his smile, being used to his little game. As everything the clan grew or collected was split evenly, no one actually had to buy anything. Still, being a natural barterer, Eli found humor in handing his drinks out as free.

By the time, Eli returned with the glasses, Fryer was already seated, and he laughed out loud as the large mugs were sat on the table. "I'll be damned! You people are even brewing your own beer? Hell, if Myra had told us that, we'd have bumped off Cam ourselves, just for a taster."

Kaala eyed him narrowly, but then let her scowl relax into a warmer smile. "All the luxuries of home, eh? Eli’s even allowed to keep it chilled. Seems the Colonel likes his beer cold."

Fryer took a long drink, and then sat back, clearly relishing the long-forgotten taste. "Maybe you don't have all the luxuries of home here, Kaala, but this is one heck of a start."

"It's always the little things we miss the most," she replied with a whimsical laugh. Kaala had only known Fryer for a week, but in that time, her opinion of him had changed dramatically. Like most in the clan, she had feared the sudden appearance of bandits in their midst, but there were a few, like Fryer and Darwin, that she took an immediate liking too.

Fryer, especially, seemed like an honorable man, and in the few days they'd spoken, she was already willing to call him a friend. She thought they could be close, but before she allowed that, she needed to know just what kind of man he was. "You used to be a priest, right?" she asked.

Caught by surprise by the bluntness of the question, Fryer paused. It brought back some painful memories, but he was tired of running from his past. Setting the beer down, he nodded. "Yeah, I used to be Father Thomas Wells. A couple of years ago, Cam gave me the name, Fryer. He thought it was funny."

Kaala could see it was difficult for him to speak of, but she also felt that if he was ever going to be trusted, he was going to have to be honest about his past. "Why would he think that was funny? Isn't a Friar a type of priest?"

Fryer nodded. "It is, but he specifically spelled it with a ‘Y'." His eyes almost closed as the memory of that night surfaced in his mind. After the War, he had seen the death and destruction that had become the world, and he had lost his faith. In his despair, he had become cynical and fooled himself into believing he could calm Cam's thirst for destruction. In the end, it was he who became seduced.

As Kaala waited for her answer, he took another drink, and then stared deeply into the amber liquid. "It was three years ago. Cam had led us to this little farmhouse and the family was dug in deep. We could have just grabbed some supplies from the barn, but to old Cam, that just wasn't enough." Fryer let his voice trail off, as if he we're back there again.

Finally, he shook his head and his hands closed tightly on his glass.

"We sat outside for hours in the freezing cold, trying to get them out, but they weren't gonna budge. I was drunk, and getting more so as the time went by, until I'd had enough. I can't remember much from that night, but I do remember stuffing a piece of cloth in a gas can and tossing through the window."

Kaala sat stunned as she listened, and she could see the pain in the man's face. Holding his hand, she squeezed it hard, bringing him out of the memory. “So that's why he spelled it with a ‘Y’?” she asked, feeling horrified despite her desire to be understanding.

Tears began forming in his eyes, and he wiped them away. "Yeah, Cam loved the irony. He said I was gonna fry in hell for that. I've been called Fryer ever since."

Putting her arms around him, Kaala let his tears flow onto her shoulder. "I think it's time for a new spelling, Thomas. Only God can forgive you, but we could use an ally of His here. Why don't you spell it like this now on?" Taking a pen from her purse, she wrote a word on it and handed it back to him.

Looking down, he saw the word 'Friar' written in her beautiful script.

"These days, people say that once you're given a name, you can never give it back, but that doesn't mean you can't change what it stands for."