Legends of Windemere

(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.

(Can you believe what happened last time?)

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Trudging through the snowy hills, the travelers stop at the mouth of a narrow pass and stare at the campsite below. A long line of people in heavy jackets lead to a collection of tents that are surrounded by a white wall. It takes Dawn a minute to realize that the barrier is really a circle of snow-covered wagons, which have been connected to each other by metal plates fitted into two grooves. Bike-powered generators are scattered about and the caravan members take turns maintaining the lights and heaters. Livestock can be heard from far away, but the animals are nowhere to be seen. As they walk down the steep incline leading to the valley, Kara points at a series of barns that look to be collapsible. Guards patrol the top of the wall, each one given a single car to stand atop instead of trying to leap over the gaps. Dawn frowns when a man whistles and shakes his gun in their direction, but the threatening gesture is quickly turned into a silent order to get in the back of the line. Not wanting to cause any trouble, the pair do as they are told and join the huddled figures who are hoping to be accepted.

Hours pass as they trudge along, the warmth of bodies in front and behind them helping to stave off frostbite. Teenagers walk down the line to offer cups of mild tea, the hot drinks a welcomed gift for the desperate masses. Dawn tries to keep herself near the edge of the mob and counts how many people are turned away. She is surprised that only five people are rejected, their vicious outburst and brandished weapons making it clear that they were perceived as a danger. Those with children are let in almost immediately, the three guards on top helping them up the ladders and onto an inflatable slide. Anyone traveling alone is sent through a door to the right while groups of adults go to the left. Dawn catches a quick look at the inside where a doctor and two nurses are waiting with their equipment. The lack of screams helps keep her fear under control, but a voice in the back of her head whispers about caution. The fact that it sounds more like Addison than herself does not help, but she takes Kara by the hand to remind her that getting the girl inside is the only thing that matters.

With only two families ahead of them, Dawn gets a clear look at the desk that has been set up in front of the entry ladders. There is a pile of papers that are kept in place by a long needle jammed through the middle. A cup of pens, a stapler, and an ink pad that goes with a stamp ring are the only other items in view. Judging by the Grand Caravan’s leader immaculate and simple clothing, Dawn assumes they are about to deal with someone who hates complications. The woman’s curly black hair goes down to her shoulders and she has a collection of butterfly clips in the thick tresses. Red gloves cover her hands and the left pinky dangles limp due to not having a digit inside. A pair of reading glasses dangle from the woman’s neck and she randomly puts them on as she goes over the questionnaire for each person. There is a quickness to her words, but her tone is not sharp or aggressive. It is her piercing gaze that causes Dawn and Kara to delay their approach, the guards having to remind them that they are next.

“My name is Melissa Williams and I’m in charge of the Grand Caravan,” the woman says in droning tone. Taking a sip of coffee, she scratches at her neck where a scar runs across her throat. “You’re the thirty-eight mother and daughter pair today. What is happening to the fathers out there? Sorry, but that’s just me noticing a trend. You two don’t look that alike though. Is she really your kid?”

“I can see why you’re in charge,” Dawn answers before pushing Kara forward. She puts her hands up when one of the guards shifts his gun, which causes everyone to stare. “I thought I was in trouble. Sorry about that. This girl lost her parents and the small caravan that she was traveling with. We stumbled into each other in a desert and I promised to bring her here. She’s very smart and wants nothing more than to travel to the haven with you. I don’t have to go along if you think I’m a danger. My only goal was to get Kara here.”

“We’re a package deal!” the girl declares with her arms crossed. She ignores the laughter from the crowd and refuses to change her defiant pose. “Dawn got me through so much that I can’t leave her behind. She might not be my mom, but I don’t want her to miss out on reaching haven. I mean, she is kind of weird and twitchy, but who wouldn’t be if they lived alone in the wilderness for years?”

“Alone in the wilderness,” Melissa mutters as she makes a note. Taking an unsharpened pencil out of her pocket, she puts it in her mouth and chews on the eraser end. “Kara can come in without question since we’d never turn a child away. That’s probably a belief you share with us, Dawn, since you escorted a total stranger. The nearest desert is about fifty miles away, which means you came a long way. I agree that it would be an insult to not give you a chance to earn a way in.”

Still unsure if she wants to join the Grand Caravan, Dawn runs a hand through her brown hair and bites her lip. “Honestly, I didn’t know what I’d do at this point. The idea of a haven strikes me as a pipedream. You aren’t the first group to go hunting for such a place. No offense, but that’s the truth. That isn’t to say I will refuse your offer. Feels wrong to hand Kara to you and walk away. At the very least, I should make sure she gets to where she’s going. I’ll decide if haven is for me when we get there.”

“Have to admit that I’ve never heard that before,” the caravan leader says.

Hearing an outburst in the line, Melissa stands on the desk and whistles at the sight of black clouds on the horizon. Several teams come out of the wall with tents and large beams that end in dirt-caked points. Preparing the structures for those who have not been allowed inside, the workers call for extra hands. A guard cuts into the line and waves for those in front of him to help while those who remain continue waiting to speak with Melissa. Cracks of thunder and an icy breeze stirs all of them into a frenzy that erects the cluster of tents within minutes. The beams take longer to set up with a hooded foreman making sure the dimensions are right before he fires a gun seven times into the air. People are urged to get into the tents where food and sleeping bags are waiting while two groups of guards come running around the wall. Those with large ladders to the lead and put them against the wall and the others stop to unfold the metal rooftop.

“We really should finish this quickly,” Melissa mentions while her people finish putting the structure together. Hearing people whisper about there being on way out, she clears her throat and spits on the ground. “It’s for their own protection. A door would take too long and they can simply pop the roof off if there’s flooding. I have one of my men in there with them. Now, Dawn, what can you bring to the Grand Caravan?”

“I can survive in the wilderness better than anyone,” the brown-haired woman swiftly replies without thinking. Noticing that the leader is not writing anything down, she puts her hands on the desk and leans forward. “As Kara said, I lived alone in the wild. I’ve learned how the monsters operate and know how to identify their traps. You can use me as a scout, a hunter, or a gatherer. I’m not much of a seamstress, but I can help with cooking if given instructions. I can even help with construction like what you did over there. Is that enough to get me inside, Ms. Williams?”

“Very good to know, but I do have a concern,” she admits before waving Kara to go into the door on the left. The girl is hesitant to leave, but a gentle push from Dawn is enough to get her moving. “She’s attached to you, which makes me worry that rejecting you means she’ll be left in the wild. You say that you can identify the traps that our tormentors have created, but I’ve heard that before. It’s by dumb luck and that eventually runs out. Now, you could be telling the truth and you possess an insight that every other human lacks. That’s what I’m concerned about. How could you have done that without seeing others make the mistakes?”

“Most of it was caution and watching animals,” Dawn states, remembering the time a deer blew up after eating some leaves. Catching a flicker of doubt in the other woman’s eyes, she sighs and takes a step back. “The forest I lived in before meeting Kara was a common playground for the monsters. It was where they tested out their traps and I just happened to stumble into it one day. Figured it was the last place they would look for a human and I happened to be right. They never showed up at the same time and would routinely try to sabotage each other, but I observed enough to get an idea of how they operate. Before everything went to hell, I was a behavior psychologist, which came in handy.”

“That’s a hard story to accept.”

“It’s not easy sharing it due to it being so ridiculous.”

“But it’s the truth?”

“As true as my birth.”

“Odd phrase.”

“My grandmother used to say it.”

Melissa clicks her tongue a few times before sliding the paper and a pen to Dawn. “Fill out the rest of this while I move the line along. If I like what I see then you can go into the door on the left. Anything suspicious and I’ll turn you away. Keep in mind that the storm will be here in twenty minutes and that form will take about ten if you answer honestly. You won’t be able to find cover around here in the time you have left. Also know that I’ll be keeping an eye on you for the next week. Not sure what it is, but there’s something about you that seems both familiar and unnerving.”

“Unfortunately, I have that kind of face,” Dawn claims with a smirk. Pinching her thigh to prevent an eye twitch, she spins the pen in her fingers and goes about answering the questions with the best lies that she can imagine.