Adam sat by a campfire, silent. The other men had long since gone to bed, but he found he was unable to go to sleep. First Jade had left, then Jackson had run off. He knew Jade was okay, but when it came to Jackson-- well, that was another matter. Also, Adam was homesick. He missed his wife, and his two kids. "I wonder how old... well... Miranda must be 16-- no, 17, by now... and Robbie is 5." He sighed, prodding the fire with a stick.
Far away from the woods, in the almost Soviet like city, full of turbines and smoke pipes, a young woman wandered the streets alone. Her clothes were tattered and worn, her face dirty. Her hair, which could have been beautiful had it been clean, was pulled up under her hat. Another day of work for her. Soon, she would have enough money to run away, to get out. Perhaps, after today's pay... She then heard the angry voices screaming and yelling. Sighing, she kept walking towards one of the road work projects.
Jade was sitting on a branch, high up in a tree, pensive. "Croy, do you ever look back and wondered what could have happened to people you have met before?" She smiled down at him, running her fingers through his hair, then gently stroking his ears.