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They needed to move out of sight. The mysterious gunman may decide to start shooting again. If Lauren was killed then Anise would become easy prey to anyone or anything that desired her flesh. She wanted to believe the sniper was a friend and possibly he was. But it could also be some crazed hunter or lunatic stalking the woods. She couldn't take that chance. Not with Anise. The girl was rescued from a nightmare of abuse and Lauren would never let that happen again.

A dense forest of spruce trees provided cover. Even under the threat of death she and the girl remained enchanted by the beauty of the frozen land. Pure white snow unstained by the sickening black ash of the ruined world. Nature flourished all around them. The mother of mankind still lived.