[b] [u]Astrid[/u] [/b]

The sound of each footstep seemed to resound around her as she walked towards her apartment.The events of the morning were still troubling her and she couldn't seem to stop thinking about them. Not paying any attention, Astrid was very surprised when a young man in a large black car pulled up next to her. He asked if she wanted a ride, and had a concerned look about his face. She turned to him with a blank look on her face, confused by this random guy's generosity. Quickly her brain caught up with the situation and she thought to herself, [i]What the hell do I look like, a prostitute?[/i] 

She looked down at herself and immediately realized that she looked exactly like that. She wasn't wearing a shirt any more and her jeans were so in tatters that she were barely providing any cover. Her nose wrinkled in disgust, both at the boy's attempt to pick her up and at her obviously uncomfortable situation. Shaking her head in answer to the young man's questions, Astrid turned to continue walking on her way. As she turned she caught sight of the sun reflecting off the hood of the car. Instantly she froze, images flashing through her mind. Bright flames, flashes, explosions, screaming, smoke, the feeling of choking to death. All these memories flashed through her mind in a series of fast terrifying images. "On.. on s-second thought, I'll take you up on that ride." She yanked open the door a little more forcefully than needed and quickly moved into the seat, so as to prevent the man from seeing any part of her exposed. As she seated herself she wrapped the blanket tightly around her shoulders and stared out the window, ready to just be home.