Faolan nodded as he replaced his glasses, which he had hung on his shirt as he exited the bus initially. [color=a36209]"That we did..."[/color] he said, amused at the lad's attempt to add a lighter tone and then immediately recognizing that it had worked. He checked his mirrors, put on the blinker and pulled back onto the highway, pointed to the nearest town.

It turned out to be a place called Middletown, New York. Apparently, at some point after they found the little girl, the bus had crossed the Pennsylvania border, but not by much. They'd parked just outside of town, noting that they could not let the girl walk around town with them in the state she was in to bathe and purchase new clothes. They would have to wait until she had awakened, get her dressed in something cleaner and have her wash herself in their makeshift "sink", then come into town with them. Two grown men and a young boy walking around with a female child in that state would look good for none of them.

Faolan had wasted no time in volunteering to go to town, and even offered to take Aurel along but the lad was too curious about the girl to leave. The Irishman was glad to be away, hopeful that the child would wake before he returned. Although his experience with Aurel had taught him that children could be more accepting than one would first imagine, he did not want to assume that with this girl, especially given her state. It was best if Lucien was the first presence she sensed when she awoke, especially given the photo they had found and what it suggested about her parents.

He kissed Lucien on the cheek, knowing that after the girl awakened it would be much harder to do this with him, patted Aurel on the head, and made his way out with a pack on his back to bring back anything they needed. He was tasked with purchasing food, clothing, and another book for the girl, as a gesture of good faith. With his shopping list in hand, he made his way to town.

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Just as he had predicted, the child had awakened several hours after he had left. It started quietly, as the girl came to consciousness her brow furrowed and her lips parted to make a dry, rasping moan. It was quiet, but enough for the two occupants of the bus to clearly hear in the silence. A tremor went through her eyelids as they struggled to open, and it was several long agonizing seconds before she was able to.

Her vision was blurry, her head was pounding, her legs were sore, her lips were so chapped that they felt about to burst, her fingers were raw, her feet were battered, her skin was tingling and tender...but she was alive. It was a couple more seconds before she realized that her eyes were watering...this was the most moisture she had seen in days. Where was she?

Looking up from laying down, but not at the harsh blue and cloudless sky...it was dark brown...wood? A ceiling. She flexed her fingers and felt material under them, rough but soft at the same time. She smelled incense...no...fresh air, but not the oppressive fresh air of the wasteland she had just traversed, it was more pure than that. There was light coming from somewhere...and music? Soft choir music...like angels singing? It was so far away though, she couldn't understand the words. She had to be hallucinating.

Slowly, she reached up to her forehead and touched something cool and damp. She hadn't been expecting this...her third eye awakened and rolled in its socket, searching for something to [i]see[/i]. But not right now, she was so tired...so drained. All she wanted was water and bread...