Legends of Windemere

(For those who time traveled the wrong way, here’s your fix.)

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Another scream rings out from the towering reeds to the right, which shiver as a woman is sent hurtling out of the cover. Dawn lifts her rifle and fires an instant before a slimy tongue bursts out of a swamp. The bullet knocks the stretching body part to the side, but another erupts from farther away to snag the flailing hunter. Missing an arm, the man with two harpoon guns comes charging out of a patch of oaks that are throwing acorns at him. A hand rises from the dirt and grows claws to neatly slice both of his Achilles tendons and four more emerge to catch his falling body. The tear him to pieces and fling the chunks into the nearby ponds to attract goldfish that glitter beneath the water. Two hunters catch sight of the shimmering colors and are drawn to edge where they kneel. Dawn fires at the mud between them in the hopes of snapping the pair out of their stupor, but they only gaze at him in silence. The fish begin spitting at them, the strange liquid gradually turning them into wooden statues. Hearing movement in the bushes behind her, the brown-haired woman whirls around and prepares to fire at whatever creature is approaching. A tiny mouse leaps from the leaves, but she shoots anyway and watches the animal explode into more gore than its tiny body should have held. Heavier footsteps cause her to turn to the left and she nearly shoots Trent in the face, the man’s hands flying up so quickly that he tosses his pistol into the pond. They are about to talk when a blast of hot air slams the area from above and flattens all of the reeds. No longer hidden from view, the remaining hunters can be seen falling into a wide variety of deathtraps.

Fearing that they are too exposed, Dawn grabs Trent by the wrist and tries to run back to the camp. The path moves beneath her feet like a conveyor belt and turns her towards a patch of trees that hold watermelon-sized pears. Sensing that there is a problem, she tries to jump into a space between two thorn bushes. She stops when she spots a hunter’s legs kicking a few feet away from the opening, a swarm of hungry roses tearing into the man. Lifting her gun, Dawn uses the scope to search for anything that she can destroy to stop the ground. She knows it is a pointless hope, but the attempt helps keep her calm and alert. Out of morbid curiosity, she shoots several of the fruit and watches as ghosts emerge from the blasts of crimson mist. The specters howl and race into the sky where they disappear into the clouds. A constant click from the rifle causes Dawn to throw the weapon away an instant before it curls into a ball and bounces into the distance. As she enters the forest, she is mildly surprised by Trent grabbing her by the arms and turning her towards a metal-walled cube. The door swings up to reveal a broom closet that is caked in dried blood.

“I’m not even sure how much of that is mine,” Ian claims as he appears next to the two hunters. Reaching out to run a finger along Dawn’s arm, he gags and coughs as if he is about to puke. “I think our meeting is long overdue. To be honest, I considered approaching you years ago, but I didn’t want to draw you out of your home. Best to keep you away from the events that will forever shape this dismal world. I am very curious. Do you have an urge to call me a puppy or tease me? What tics do the two freaks share? I know you don’t have any of her powers, but it’s fascinating that losing you has weakened her so much. Why did you bother to come out of your forest, fake one?”

“Any sane person would help a child in need,” Dawn replies as she struggles against Trent’s grip. She freezes when the reality-bender takes her by the chin and stares at her with swirling eyes of silver. “I notice you’re wearing the drab clothes from Raven’s Hold. There a reason you don’t stay in your suits for very long? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you missed the old days when Addison was messing with your head. That would explain why you created a double of Corvus. Did you really think I’d care about my insane self’s imaginary husband? I was the voice in her head screaming for her to erase him in the first place.”

The rustling of leaves is enough of a warning for Dawn to abruptly pushes herself back, which knocks Trent off-balance. She narrowly avoids getting smashed by a figure who leaves a burning hole in the ground. The strange woman’s left side is flesh and blood with tufts of red hair sticking out of the pale scalp. Humming gently with every movement, the right side of Ian’s assistant is robotic with weapons that Dawn barely recognizes as coming from a variety of old movies. It takes her a moment to realize that she is looking at the other half of Gemma Cooke, the human face having been distorted by armor plating beneath the skin. With a grinding snarl, the cyborg rushes forward with a punch that Ian pretends to stop with a lackluster stretch of his arm. Going limp, Dawn drops herself forward to pull Trent into the strike and she closes her eyes in preparation for a painful ejection from the forest. Instead, the man’s body loudly tears at the shoulders and he slams into a tree that sucks him into a knothole. Stuck with his arms dangling from her elbows, the nervous woman backs away from Gemma and tries to think of a way to escape. With no other ideas, Dawn spits at the robotic side of the assistant and is knocked onto her back when sparks fly. Cursing and snarling, the cyborg is stuck with only the fleshy side able to move.

“Rainproof is not spit proof,” Ian mentions with an amused chuckle. He snaps his fingers to repair Gemma, but immediately catches her by the shoulder. “Let’s not kill this one just yet. I know that was the plan, but I need to think. You see, fake one, I came here thinking that destroying you is the smartest plan. With you dead, your true self can never become whole. It makes perfect sense, especially if I don’t leave even a speck of you behind. The problem I have now is that you lack any true power and obviously hate yourself. Perhaps we can work together to destroy the other Dawn Addison and make you the only one left.”

“You’re really playing up this supervillain thing. Right down to the talking patterns and the way you move your hands when you speak,” Dawn replies while she pries Trent’s fingers from her arms. Tossing the limbs to Gemma, she sighs when a splatter of blood causes her robotic side to spark again. “If you must know, Addison and I can only combine if I want to. At least that’s what I think, but I avoid contact with her just to be safe. Even so, I don’t want to be involved in your fight. Kill her and we’ll see if I stick around. I truly don’t care. Just let me live a life and pretend I’m nothing more than a weak human.”

Throwing Gemma into the broom closet, the reality-bender stomps his foot to drive the forest into the ground. “I kill the ants that you desperately want to join. So, I recommend thinking very carefully before making a decision. We don’t have to be enemies, but we have to be something. To let the sanity of Dawn Addison roam the lands unchecked would be foolish on my part. What if I was to promise that killing didn’t mean your own demise? She would be dead, I would change the world to what I desire, and you can pretend to be one of these piddly humans that you seem to love.”

“Such a pathetic creature,” she states, a wide grin appearing on her face. Her fists ball up as if she is about to attack, but all that happens is her knuckles pop at once. “You act like you were never one of them. As if you were always this powerful being instead of a man who went looking for help. You want to talk about being fake? Addison was born a goddess and she made you a god by accident. You’re nothing more than a human who has been launched above his station and thinks he’s always been there.”

“Watch your tone.”

“Know your place, Connors.”

“I can destroy you with the snap of my fingers.”

“And that could put me right back in Addison’s head.”

The thought of undoing the damage he inadvertently inflicted on his archenemy causes Ian to sputter in rage. As his fists clench, the metal room begins to shrink and twist with Gemma standing inside. He barks an order for her to leave the broom closet before he smashes it into a flat piece that flops to the ground. The destruction of his little sanctuary does nothing to ease his rage, so he turns back to Dawn. Before he can strike, she spits at his assistant and causes the robotic side to explode. Having been standing next to the cyborg, Ian is peppered with shrapnel and he instinctively yells in pain. It takes him a minute to remember that he is no longer a mortal man, but his prey has already sprinted towards the distant camp. Creating a counter in the sky, he calmly walks towards the humans, who he can already hear screaming and running to pack up their belongings.

“Let’s have some fun,” Ian hisses as his clothes transform into a crimson suit.

(I swear this link will fix the time traveling mishap of yesterday.)

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With Kara busy with the doctors, Dawn has barely seen her during the last month where she has been assigned random tasks. She has become used to never knowing what the day will bring and enjoys the few moments of rest she can get in the evening. After a day of hunting in a patch of grasslands that saw four people disappear, she is thankful to work on the less tedious task of shucking corn and peeling potatoes. Sitting between two large piles, Dawn switches from one to the other after thirty minutes. She blindly throws the finished vegetables over her shoulders and into a water-filled container. After five hours of working with only a short drink and bathroom break, she finds herself moving with very little thought. The trajectory to toss the corn and potatoes is etched into her muscles, so she never misses unlike the others who are close enough to talk to each other. Dawn no longer questions why she tends to be isolated from the others when her tasks require she stay in the camp. Even when she is sent out for hunting or gathering, she finds herself in the back of the group or sent on her own. Regardless of the feeling that she is not wanted, she has made sure to stay smiling and positive whenever Kara is around. To her relief, Melissa has done the same when the three of them have been together for the communal meals.

“It isn’t fair what they’re doing to you,” a voice says from behind the pile of corn. Pushing a wheelbarrow in front of him, a black-haired man with scars on his body comes into view and bows his head. “My name is Trent. I’ve been watching you for a while and I feel bad that you haven’t made any friends. Do you want me to introduce you to some people? Maybe we can take a walk after work and learn about each other.”

“They don’t make pickup lines like they used to,” Dawn replies while she struggles with a very hard potato. Hearing a click, she immediately hurls it into the air and watches it explode above the camp. “Funny how nobody else gets the deadly vegetables. You’re right that it isn’t fair how I’m treated, but it is what it is. I promised a girl that I would make sure she gets to where she’s going. If anything, the rest of you have made it clear that I shouldn’t stay at the haven once we arrive. That and your leader is a paranoid dictator who sees me as some kind of threat.”

“Well, she has lost a lot,” Trent explains with a smirk. Noticing that she keeps staring at him, he flips over his wheelbarrow and takes a seat. “I think you should let her aggression roll off your back. We don’t know how long this journey will take and we’re stronger together. It could get people killed if we begin fighting amongst ourselves. Here let me help you with this work. You seem distracted by me.”

“Sorry, but you resemble somebody that I knew long ago,” she says, her cheeks blushing against her will. Letting him focus on the potatoes while she takes the easier job of shucking corn, she examines his face and notices a yellow tint to his eyes. “I don’t want to make any trouble here. Just going to do what I’m told and keep my head down. That doesn’t mean I’ll let myself be manipulated, tricked, or attacked. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss being alone after spending so much time with all of you. Not that I’ve seen you before. How long have you been with the caravan?”

The man chuckles at the question and flings two half-finished potatoes into the distant pot, which is being heated. “People do call this the Grand Caravan, so it shouldn’t surprise you that there are people you haven’t seen before. I’ve been a member for a year and there I still haven’t met all those who arrived earlier. As you can see, we spend more time traveling and working than being social. Whenever we do get some quiet time, most people stay with their families or close friends. Those who lack those connections go off alone. I overheard Melissa talking about us staying here an extra day due to the nearby lake and bison herd. Perhaps you and I can go on a night expedition to gather some supplies. That could improve your standing with our leader and her loyal supporters.”

“Serial killer, rapist, or horndog?”

“Excuse me?”

“You really want to get me alone, so I’m assuming you have bad intentions.”

“Seems your paranoia isn’t helping your situation.”

“It has kept me alive all these years.”

To Dawn’s surprise and frustration, Trent simply shrugs and goes back to peeling the potatoes. Barely able to focus on her own job, she repeatedly watches as he continues his haphazard work. There are times he only removes two slivers of skin before tossing the tuber into the pot. One piece is whittled down to the finger-shaped shard that he throws so far that it misses the target. Fearing that she will get in trouble for his mistakes, Dawn clears her throat and tries to wave him away. When Trent refuses to leave, she begins to wonder if he is a phantom created by Addison. Pretending to stretch her arms, she smacks him in the face with enough force to damage his nose. The man yelps in pain, which causes the other workers to stop and turn towards the noise.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Dawn whispers as she presses a clean rag to his nose. Knowing her situation cannot get much worse, she gives a twist to reset his nose and fights the urge to giggle at the noise. “For a second, I thought you were a hallucination and I tried to catch you off-guard. I didn’t think I’d get you in the face or that I was swinging my arm so hard. There is a lot less blood than I expected, but it’s been a while since I had to deal with a broken nose. Why are you smiling?”

“Because now you owe me,” Trent replies before blowing his nose. Whistling to a passing group of children, he waves them over to finish Dawn’s job. “I can understand why you’re nervous about a stranger wanting to be alone with you. Maybe I pushed too hard. For that, I’m sorry. What if I gather some of my friends and you join us instead of it being the two of us? It could be fun and maybe we’ll bring back a good haul for our journey.”

“My crippling paranoia makes that sound even worse,” the smirking woman admits. Seeing that she no longer has a job, she sighs and gestures for Trent to lead the way. “How about we make this a day trip? Last thing I want is for Melissa to think I’m slacking off and get on my case. I’m sure you will defend me if she gets angry.”

Openly ecstatic, the man bows and says, “It would be my pleasure. Trust me when I say that this will solve all of your problems with our leader. Once she sees what we’re about to bring home, she might even put you in charge.”

Feeling that Trent is being overly optimistic, Dawn can only nod her head and wait for him to lead her away from the vegetables. She continues watching those that they pass to make sure they are acknowledging his presence. Every few minutes, someone dressed for a hunt joins them and a hurried introduction is made. One woman tosses Dawn a rifle and a belt that holds a serrated knife, both of which are an improvement over her regular gear. She begins to get amusement by the outing when she sees a large man lumber out of a tent and join with two harpoon guns on his back. By the time, she reaches the exit, the hunting party has grown to twenty-three people. It is not until they are climbing up the ladders that Dawn begins to wonder why all of her new companions were ready and waiting for something that she had only recently suggested.

(CLICK HERE TO TIME TRAVEL!)

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Hurrying to get the chicken out of the frying pan before it burns, Dawn winces at the feeling of hot oil hitting her knuckles. She ignores the pain and wipes her hands on the small apron that has faded letters on the front. Using one hand to stir sauce on the small stove and another to check a pot of pasta, she watches Melissa in the reflection of a polished teakettle. The invitation to dinner had been suspicious from the beginning, but the demand that Dawn cook the meal makes her feel like there is more to this meeting than a friendly chat. A sputter of sparks from the electric stove forces her to turn the burners down, which is a relief since the tent is feeling like an out of control sauna. Figuring that she has sweated enough for one day, she scoops out enough pasta for two plates and drowns the food in sauce. Joining Melissa at the table, she half expects to be waved into a corner, but is directed to a chair by a nod of the woman’s head. A loud pop is followed by the smell of wine, which the caravan leader pulls from under the table. Not seeing any cups, Dawn is about to ask how they are going to drink when her host takes a long sip and passes the bottle.

“I don’t feel like having you clean my good glasses,” Melissa states before taking a bite of pasta. Her teeth crunch down on an uncooked patch while the rest of the strand is mush. “Looks like my punishment for playing games with you will be food poisoning. Grab the blowtorch over there in case the chicken is black on the outside and pink at the core. How did you survive with such horrible cooking skills?”

“My caves and treehouses didn’t have a stove,” Dawn replies with a smile. Her tongue darts out like a lizard, but she turns the unexpected twitch into a licking of her lips. “Ate a lot of fruits and vegetables too. Eating meat meant hunting and that always came with a risk, especially on Sundays. The area I was in had seven giant monsters with each one coming out during a specific day of the week. Thanks to them, I might be one of the few humans on Earth who have any sense of the old calendar. So, what did you want to find out by having me cook? I’m assuming this is a test because you were watching me like a hawk.”

“Well, I wasn’t trying to be subtle,” the caravan leader admits as she pulls a tape recorder out of her pocket. She plays a little of Dawn’s argument with Addison, but it sounds like she is yelling at herself. “I warned you that I would be keeping an eye on you. So, I’m concerned when I overhear you arguing with someone who isn’t there. The cooking was to see if it would happen again if you were put under stress. Since that didn’t happen, I can only assume drugs. Either you’re already addicted to something or the laundry was tainted. Considering how quickly you recovered, I’m going with the first one.”

“I’m not-” the other woman begins to say. She stops when she realizes that the truth could get her and Kara kicked out of the caravan. “It’s not what you think. There are drugs involved, but they’re necessary. You see, I had an encounter with one of the monsters long ago and I barely got away. The incident left me mentally scarred, which comes out as me arguing with people who aren’t there. You probably heard me call myself the sane one, which is a bizarre proclamation during these times. The episodes pass, but there are an assortment of herbs I can chew to keep the problem at bay.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“It’s why I spent so many years alone.”

“And you can use any herbs.”

“Only the ones that have a slight hallucinogenic effect.”

“Wouldn’t that make it worse?”

“You would think, but nothing in this world makes sense anymore.”

Dawn goes back to her meal while Melissa leans back and takes a few more sips from the wine bottle. The women remain quiet for several minutes, the caravan leader eyeing her curious guest. Shouts from outside make them think that the dinner is about to end, but the voices quickly turn into laughter. As darkness falls, the light of bonfires can be seen against the tent walls that quiver in the sudden breeze. Feeling uncomfortable, Dawn finishes her food and gets up to put her dishes in a basin of soapy water. Keeping her back to Melissa, she goes about cleaning everything and whistling the first song that comes to her mind. It takes her a minute to realize the tune is the repetitive theme of an old cartoon, so she stops and focuses on getting through with her chores. The hope that she will be asked to leave is dashed when the caravan leader walks over to take a seat on a nearby stool.

“You are an enigma and I don’t like that,” Melissa states, her words a little slurred. She puts the empty bottle on the floor and leans forward to get a close look at the other woman’s eyes. “I see a strange spark in there. Reminds me of a lost wolf I ran into years ago. It was injured and abandoned by its pack, but defiant. I never figured out what it wanted before I had to kill it in self-defense. Maybe I can get the answer out of you. What is it that you want? Where are you going?”

“If only the answers to such questions were so simple,” Dawn replies as she takes off the apron. Grabbing a spatula, she casually spins the slightly charred tool in her hand. “Right now, I want to get Kara to this haven, so that’s where I’m going. After that, I’ll see if I like the place and maybe I’ll stay. I’ve really stopped wanting anything more than freedom, which means I go wherever I think it will be. Wandering this crazy world feels more natural to me than settling into one place.”

The caravan leader cocks her head to the side at the final statement and seems to abruptly sober up. “I don’t get it. You feel like you should be a nomad, but you spent years in the same forest. Those two things don’t go together. I think you’re hiding something from me. Be thankful that I won’t punish Kara for anything you do.”

“I assume you’re trying to bait me into revealing a secret,” the brown-haired woman says with a tired sigh. Flinging the spatula into the water basin, she walks by her host to grab a handful of hard candies. “You aren’t doing this to anyone else, which means there’s something about me that earned your attention. Spit it out, Ms. Williams, or I leave here thinking I have to be extra careful around you. Keeping me on edge won’t make the journey easier, especially if the voices get angry. Not saying I’ll become violent, but you really don’t want me to have a public meltdown. Pretty sure I’d be blaming you for it.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Melissa casually admits. Taking her guest by the wrists, she leans in close again and stares at her right eye. “Was it this one or the other one? I saw one of the monsters long ago too. The woman who had a golden patch over one of her eyes. You look a lot like her. Nothing exact, but enough to make me suspicious. Doubt you’re her because she wouldn’t bother with this kind of game. We all know both monsters love to make things loud and chaotic. Twin sister? Distant relative? I’ll get to the bottom of you quickly because I refuse to let you ruin humanity’s last chance at survival. We will reach the haven and be safe from this living nightmare.”

“I wish you only the best,” Dawn hisses, the temptation to lick the other woman’s nose causing her tongue to slip out. Instead, she bites the inside of her cheek and heads for the zippered flap. “I’ve heard all of that before, which is another reason I stayed away from other people. Makes me think the monsters did something to me, so either I look like one of them or everyone sees me as the female. All I know is that I never had this problem when the chaos started. Do what you want with me, but you better not turn on Kara. Swear to me that she won’t be-”

A low snore slips from Melissa’s mouth, her eyes still open even though she has fallen asleep on the stool. Dawn is about to leave, but she quickly imagines getting in trouble if the woman slips and hits her head on the stove. Heading back, she hoists the mumbling caravan leader onto her shoulders and fireman carries her to a nearby bed. She unceremoniously dumps Melissa onto the pile of pillows and blankets, which causes her to snort and flail for a few seconds. Leaving a jug of soapy water on a nearby table, Dawn takes the rest of the hard candies and claims an unopened box of cookies before heading into a violent snowstorm that makes no noise.

(Grand Caravan seemed like such a nice place yesterday.)

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“This looks boring.”

“Go away before someone sees you.”

“All they’ll see is a curvy hat rack.”

“So, it will look like I’m talking to myself.”

“But you’re the sane one.”

“Then you see the problem.”

“Just give me a hug and end it all.”

Dawn frowns, but the crunch of footsteps stops her from responding. She turns away from Addison, who is wearing a wooly parka and snow pants, and smiles when three teenagers bring four more bags of laundry into the tent. They leave as soon as they put the clothes into bins that are marked with family names and camp locations. Alone with her whistling double, the tired woman focuses on the tedious work of folding a pile that is mostly underwear. Seeing a pair of plaid boxers float into the air, she throws a pair of rolled up socks at Addison. The projectile sticks in the reality-benders chest who staggers around as if she has been shot. Ignoring the display, Dawn finishes the pile and moves on to the next one. She hears a grunt and ducks in time to avoid getting hit by the socks, which are launch with enough force to dent the door of a metal cabinet.

“Why do people wear things like this?” Addison asks while holding up a lacey teddy. She is about to change it into an elegant dress when it is snatched from her hands. “With the state of the world, you’d think lingerie wouldn’t exist. Humans don’t have time for romance and foreplay these days. Just have to breed as quickly as possible to stop the monsters from wiping out the entire species. Not that I would dare to do such a thing because a life without toys isn’t worth living. Hey, you’re bleeding. Join with me and-”

“It will heal on its own,” Dawn snaps, the urge to smack at the other woman causing her arm to twitch. Fearing that she might make such a fatal mistake, she moves to the far side of the tent and does her best to fold a collection of shirts. “I don’t want or need your help. Every time we meet, you try to get me to rejoin with you. It will never happen, Addison, so leave me alone. I have trouble believing that you need me in the first place. Without me, you should be more powerful because you’re unrestrained. Even unfocused, you’re a destructive act of god in human form.”

“Awww, that’s so sweet,” the reality-bender coos as she strips out of her clothes. Picking up a nightgown, she puts it on and uses a nearby mirror to see how she looks. “This makes my right knee look crooked. You can have it back and I’ll settle for my parka dress. I hate that you’re right about me being powerful, but you’re wrong about my focus. With my head going in directions that humans can’t possible fathom, I can’t gain any leverage against Ian. My reflexes are slow and he can counter me quickly since it takes me too long to decide on what I’m going to do. Remember when the Great Lakes were turned into waterfalls to the moon? That was because I couldn’t think straight.”

Realizing that she has folded the same shirt twice, Dawn sighs and takes a seat next to a pile of unclaimed clothes. “This is not my problem. You are not my problem. Do whatever you want, but let me enjoy having an existence. Maybe the whole never any fun in normal thing is a total lie. You’ve been a freak for so long that it’s gotten boring. Look at me as the only chance at a quiet life that you will ever have.”

“That won’t do at all,” Addison claims without hesitation. With a snap of her fingers, she folds all of the laundry and leaves them with the scent of coffee. “Now, you have nothing keeping you here. Don’t talk about that girl either. Join with me and I’ll leave this entire caravan alone. Can’t make any promises about Ian, but they’re aimless journey will not have me as an obstacle. Otherwise, I might get angry and do something rash. Gemma won’t always . . . Where did I leave her? Think there’s a tree about five hundred miles away that I strapped her to, so I can’t stay long. Her voice gets really high and loud when she’s lecturing me. Then, I remove her voice and put it in her own head, which causes another fight. You know how its.”

“Not at all, but I still want you to go away.”

“Well, it does seem like you’re going to have your hands full.”

“What are you talking about now?”

Addison vanishes in a small gale that undoes the folded clothes and threatens to mix everything up. Fearing that she will get in trouble, Dawn hurries to clean up the mess to the best of her memory. She stops when the tent flap opens and a cold breeze caresses the back of her neck, which sprouts goosebumps. Turning around, she faces Melissa and three armed men in protective masks. They keep their guns lowered, but their fingers remain on the triggers in case they a fight breaks out. Waving for them to stay outside, the caravan leader takes a few steps inside and takes a sweater off the floor. She tenderly folds the warm clothing and tosses it to Dawn, who places it in the nearest bin.

“I would like to invite you to a private dinner,” Melissa states, her face unreadable and cold.

(Rafiki was wrong! The past does matter.)

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The creaking wheels of the stationary bike are no longer grating on Dawn’s ears, the sound having long since become part of the background. Even so, she is thankful when Kara arrives with an oilcan because it means she gets a short rest. Taking a cup of water and a towel, she puts at her bare arms and legs that are beginning to feel the winter chill in the air. Passersby stare at the woman who is wearing an outfit that is better suited for an indoor gym instead of the wilderness. None of them are aware that the reason for the tight shorts and colorful sports bra is because the doctors found Dawn to be too healthy. Flesh-colored sensors have been taped to her body and connected to a machine that is sitting next to the bike. Only a handful of people have approached to ask what is going on while the rest assume it is a bizarre device that the strange woman brought along for the journey. Jumping in place to keep her heartrate up, she waves to anyone who look in her direction for more than a few seconds. Most return the gesture, but a few avert their gaze and hurry out of sight. Once Kara is done and takes a seat in front of the beeping machine, Dawn gets back on the bike and gradually builds herself back up to the pace she had been keeping for the last fifteen minutes.

“I really wish they let me wear heavier clothes,” she mutters as she slows down to let a young man switch out the rechargeable batteries. He is about to pat her on the back when the box is locked in place, but turns the gesture into a thumbs up. “That’s the fifth time somebody almost made contact with me and stopped. Do I look sick or are they just afraid of strangers? You seem to be fitting in rather nicely. I’m starting to think the excuse that clothes would get in the way of the sensor wires was a lie. Probably want to see if my body does anything weird as I get tired and sweaty.”

“There have been creatures that pretend to be human and turn when under stress,” Kara explains while she writes down the information the doctors want. Shivering under her cloak, she takes out a thermos of hot chocolate and takes a sip. “At least you don’t have much longer to go here. Can you even blame them for being suspicious? The doctors said your body was too perfect for someone who lived in the wilderness. You have to admit it’s strange that you don’t have any scars or signs of disease. I overheard some people saying you look a little like one of the monsters too. Maybe Melissa only wants to put everyone at ease and that’s why she’s having you do this.”

Feeling an ache in her lower back, Dawn sits up and massages her muscles while continuing to pedal. “You might be right to some extent. I think it’s more that perfect body thing, which I would deny if they’d let me. Got a mole on my back, a birthmark on my inner thigh, and a few pimples on my chin. I know it’s nitpicking, but it shouldn’t be too surprising that there are some people out there like me. All you need is a stable environment, food, water, and shelter to avoid getting sick or malnourished.  The lack of scars is more luck since I’ve been injured by wild beasts in the past. What if this is only to keep me in one place while they choose a job? It isn’t like I’ve been a slouch here since I filled ten batteries.”

“The record is twenty by some Olympian.”

“They have professional athletes and I’m the suspicious one?”

“All of them have scars.”

“So, I’m being punished for being a good healer.”

“Your heartrate is going really high.”

“Because I’m getting angry.”

The machine suddenly beeps loudly and smoke comes out of a vent, which spits out a burst of flame. Kara scrambles away from the device and throws the last of her hot chocolate to put out the small fire. A blast of sparks fly into the air and hit Dawn in the leg before she can get off the bike. She yelps in pain as the polyester pants ignite and she rolls around the snow to avoid getting severely burned. People gather around to see what is going on, but their attention is more on Kara, who is throwing snow onto the burning machine. It is only after the flames are replaced by billowing smoke that the other travelers notice Dawn on the ground. Covered in snow and groaning in pain, the sight of her being injured inadvertently helping to prove that she is human and not a threat. Two men help her stand while an elderly woman puts a warm jacket over her shoulders. They guide her to a chair, but she is unable to sit down due to her melted pants having stuck to her skin. Waving for a towel, she ties it around her waist and carefully takes the tight shorts off underneath the covering. She hisses and bites her lip at the sensation of skin getting tugged, the fragile flesh tearing away with the clothing. By the time a doctor has arrived, Dawn has stripped down to her underwear and is using a borrowed towel to wipe at the blood flowing down her leg.

“It isn’t as bad as one would expect,” the doctor mentions while he examines the blistering wound. He uses tweezers to pull away the dead flesh and takes out an adhesive bandage to slap on as soon as he is done. “Not that I’m saying it’s suspicious. You rolled in the snow so quickly that the fire had very little time to do more than a first-degree burn. I’ll put some aloe gel on this and check on you every few hours. Considering you’re on laundry folding duty, I don’t think this will keep you away from work.”

“Just let me get some real clothes on first,” Dawn groans as she tries to stand. Feeling her legs quiver, she sits back down and slumps in the chair. “Think I reached my limit too. Give me an hour to rest and I’ll get to work. Kara can show me to our tent or wherever we’re staying. I should probably know that anyway. Can’t depend on her to lead me around all day. Don’t happen to have any crutches or a cane, do you?”

The doctor takes a pen out of his pocket and jots down a note that he hands to Kara, who empathetically nods her head. “We can give you a walking stick, but I’m sure you will be fine within a few days. If it’s true that you don’t scar then you have even less to worry about. I will expect you back at my office in an hour and a half, Ms. Stein. You have been a terrific assistant so far and I’ve requested that you continue helping me. I will give my report to Ms. Williams, so expect her to visit during your shift, Ms . . . Do you have a last name?”

“Chambers, but I don’t really see the point in using it these days,” she answers with another groan of pain. Watching the doctor leave, she lets Kara lead her away and is amused to see that the crowd is still lingering nearby. “I can’t tell if they’re curious or worried. Guess I have some time before I’m part of the background. Have to admit that I’m not liking the attention. Might be the years of being alone, but I feel like I’m being hunted. Congrats on getting what I assume is an important job. Are you happy here?”

“It’s everything that I ever dreamed it would be,” Kara gleefully admits.

“Then, I’ll do my best to fit in and not cause any trouble.”

Dawn smiles at how the girl is about to say something, but stops with her mouth open. It is not clear if she does not know what to say or was about to utter something embarrassing. The sudden rosiness of Kara’s cheeks makes Dawn think that it is the latter, but the thought of pushing for the truth is nearly as exhausting as her time on the stationary bike. Gripping the towel to prevent it from falling, she continues limping even after she stops feeling the pain. Even the aches and stiffness in her muscles has faded to the point where they are more a mild discomfort in her calves. She lets her other hand slip down to press on the dark red bandage without putting a hole in the thick gauze. Dawn is relieved to feel her fingers sink into an open wound that sends fresh blood trickling down her leg. The blossoming fear of discovering that she is not as human as she believes quickly dissipates, but she can already feel it lingering on the edge of her thoughts.