STOP!

I stand with the help of my metal bar. Once more I inspect the the bottom end, the metal had been sheered to a sharp point. It would do what I needed it to do. With my limp and obvious injuries it did just appear to be a walking stick, I could probably use that to my advantage if I did happen to get spotted before I could get close enough to take them by surprise. Though that was pretty unlikely. My shorts and tight tank top easily showed that I was unarmed and had nothing of value, again, that might be useful as well. It might put their mind's at ease. Finally, if the person with the weapon was a male...it never hurt that I had huge rack to distract them with. Whether human, Orc, or other mutant...men were generally still men. A big pair of breasts bulging from a tight tank top would surely demand a glance or two. Hell, perhaps they'd want to **** me. They'd get nice and close then. I nod, I was actually starting to like my chances.

I look at my frightened companion. “You stay....be back...grmm...soon.”

“No Willow. Come on, let's just hide. They'll probably never find us in here.” She says in a hurried hushed voice. She rushes up and takes my arm and begins to pull me back from the path out. “Come on, it'll be okay. We should stay together. It is safer that way.”

I pull my arm from her. “Need gun.”

She is looking up at me, her fear transforming into something else. “Willow, what are you going to do?”

She didn't need to know that. Better she not know. I start to limp forward. “Need gun. Grmmm. You hide.”

“Don't Willow...stop.” She says. “You're still hurt. You'll get yourself killed. Maybe...maybe we could trade with them...” She was ****. Besides the half used medical kit, which we needed, we had nothing of real value and she knew it.

“No need.” I grunt. “You stay.”

I continue on. I was confident in my abilities and I wasn't foolish enough to be reckless about it. I would check things out first to make sure it was a winnable situation. Besides, the person who pulled that trigger might be long gone by the time I got there. All the more reason I had to hurry now. I didn't want to lose them. I had just rested, eaten, and quenched my thirst. I was now at the peak of my currently limited abilities and there surely wouldn't be a better opportunity for a while. We could talk about all this once I was back. Once we had a real weapon with which to defend ourselves.

I also had to admit I wanted to do this. I wanted to show Gabriela she didn't need to be as scared while I was around to protect her.

In the blink of an eye Gabby's small form had zipped around in front of me. On her face I now see not fear, but intense anger. She was furious! She holds out her hand and pushes hard against my muscled stomach.

“I said...STOP!” Her voice raises to a worrying level. She flinches a bit as she realizes her mistake. She hushes her tone, speaking in an angry hiss. “Don't you dare go out there. Don't you dare hurt those people!”

“Need gun.” I say again.

“Not like that we don't.” She was staring me straight into me, her brown eyes unwavering and intense. This wasn't like the intimate connection from before, she was staring me down. If this was anyone else it would be a signal to throw down and start fighting.

Instinctively my hackles are raised. I snort, letting my own rising anger be known. “Talk later! Gun now!”

“No! If you go do this I won't be here when you get back.” She lays down her ultimatum in no uncertain terms. I could see that she wasn't bluffing. “You can be better than this Willow. I just know you can.”

“But...need gun...protect.” I rasp.

Her voice calms, it becomes soft and gentle and soothing. Her other hand comes up to rest on my arm. I look down to see it touching my gang tattoo. Her delicate hand resting on the symbol of all I used to be. She says. “Willow, please. I didn't save you so you could...do things like this. You can be better. You can be a good person. I see that in you. I'll help you if you let me.”

As I stare down at her hand, her small graceful hand half eclipsing that ugly symbol of my past life, I think back to when I lay dying. I remember the regret and sorrow as I watched Blitz bring more unneeded suffering into this world. I remember that feeling of meaninglessness as I faded from life, that feeling that I had contributed nothing lasting or important to the world during my hurtful selfish existence. I remember thinking about how the world would only be a better place with me not in it. I remember my angel standing over me...

It had been the most powerful eye opening moment in my life and yet here I was so soon ready to fall straight back into my old ways. How easy it is to forget even the most important lessons once you were contending with the day to day struggles of life.

My tense muscles relax, my expression softens, and I nod. She was right, of course she was right. Reaching up I take her small hand in mine. “Okay.” I say.

Gabby smiles and she takes my hand in both of hers. “Thank you Willow.”

The intense confrontation gaze between us instantly mellows into one of caring and friendship. This was going to be a difficult road, but I knew she'd be at my side. At least until I could get her somewhere safe. Somewhere where she could belong and build a life. As I stare into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes I begin bending down, very slowly. In this overwhelming moment of togetherness I wished to feel her sweet lips on mine...

Despite everything she heaves with a sudden chuckle. She looks away and continues to titter, covering her mouth to keep the sound down. “He he he. Um...you have um... He he he he.”

I look at her in confusion.

She stammers as the giggles continue. “When you snorted earlier...um...you...” She continues laughing. “Sorry...you've got a huge booger just sorta...hanging there. Ha ha ha!”

There is a moment of silence as I process her words.

“Ha ha ha ha ha!” I burst out laughing. I'd just had this wonderful moment with Gabby with a big ol hunk of snot dangling from nose? Just my luck. We laugh together at the awkward moment.

I reach up and fish the big greenish yellowish wad of dried mucus from my nostril and snarf down the salty tasting treat. I suck the tip of my finger clean and I could still taste a bit of the toad fat. Yum.

Gabby's eyes go wide as headlights and she abruptly stops laughing. Her face was a mask of shock and horror. Holy shit! What was happening? She looked like she had seen a monster!

I snap my head around to glance behind me and see nothing. I look left and right, I see nothing but the still and quiet clearing. I look back at her. She continued to stare straight at my face. “What?” I ask, my failing cracking voice barely a whisper now.

“Ewwwww!” She exclaims.

Huh? It takes me a moment before what the issue was finally sinks in. The colony pure bloods didn't eat their boogers? This was news to me. I shrug. “Orc...delicacy.” I quip. I reach up to dig in once more. “Want one?”

“Ewwwww! No! Oh my god!” She says again, this time her giggles had returned full ****. Her laughter was pure joy to my jaded heart. She'd forgotten her fear and anxiety, at least for this one brief moment. “That is so nasty!” She shakes her head and pushes off of me. She returns to the business at hand. “I'll put out the fire. They might see or smell the smoke.” A wise precaution. She began collecting up all the loose dirt and mud she could manage and smothering the fire with it.

I head to the entry path. I might not be able to go hunt whoever held that gun, but I had to at least keep on my guard in case they came this way. I scan the jagged mounds of rubble and trash around us. They might climb over, but that would likely cause them to make enough sound to give us a warning. The path was the most likely route in. Of course that meant it was the only way out as well, especially given my limitations. This was a good spot, but I felt cornered in here. Especially since we couldn't see out. I had to get eyes out there.

I quietly make my way forward down the trail, careful stepping so as not to make a sound. While I could fight with the best of my former gang, it was my stealth that had truly set me apart from the rest. It is why they called me Shadow of ****, or Shadow for short. The female Orcs would always be chosen for any sort of mission requiring sneakiness or general athletics. While they were absolute tanks in battle the males of my kind, for all their massive bulk and muscle, had their limitations. However, even among the women I had set myself apart. It helped that I had no risk of getting pregnant, thus forcing me to take time off, as is what happens to most female raiders sooner or later.

I hear Gabby's nervous voice behind me. “Willow! No!”

I turn and give her a warm smile and hold out my hand in a gesture of peace. “Just...look out.” I point two fingers to my eyes then turn them to scan around.

She relaxes and nods. She looked at me with serious and caring look. “Okay. Be careful.”

I see the genuine worry in her eyes. I could see that now it mattered to someone whether I lived or died. I didn't deserve it, but someone in this world actually gave a shit about me. I promise myself to do my very best not to betray the faith Gabriela had shown in me.

This new **** and gentler me might not last long here in the unforgiving Wastes...but I felt it was no longer my time to worry about. I should be dead right now. Every minute more that I continued breathing was a gift. A gift from my angel.

“I...will.” I croak back. I clear my throat as quietly as I could. “You...hide.”

She nods and returns to dousing the fire. I watch her for a few seconds, simply admiring her. I then grip my cane hard and turn to continue my way down the short winding trail to the area beyond.