3531 by John Black

something for you to wear.”
                  She looked about her tattered clothing, “well for the longest time clothing was a low priority. She was thin , covered in scraps bruises and cuts. She crossed her legs looking up at him, in his perch. “What would you love to eat right now?”
                  Thinking it was a torturing topic, he did give it some thought. “The other night, I dreamed of my moms chocolate cake and she allowed me to lick the blenders. I must have been about six maybe seven.”
                  She listen to him a moment. “The alliance allowed your parents to keep you?”
                  “They staged my death, and kept me hidden when necessary. Later they moved me to the site I'm taking you to now. How did you know about that?”
                  “My parents told me about it, but when I was born they would only take selected children. There was no reason to their madness.”
                  Donovan nodded his head trying to accept the craziness of it all. Looking about, he turned his attention back to her. “Will they send more of those stalkers, and hunter-killers, as you call them?”
                  She shook her head, shivering at the thought. “I don't know. I don't even want to stay to find out. I only know they generally execute women on sight.”
                  “Maybe your dad is still alive,...”
                  “Listen if he is great, all I know is to go south. He would want me to fight to live another day, got it?” she screamed.
                  The silence grew thick neither one wanting to talk any more. Donovan didn't understand her sudden hostility. Maybe it would have been better to be alone, he thought. The wind picked up and the temperature begin to plummet. He huddled into a tight position against the rocks.
                  She didn't look at him for a while. Why did she lash out at him? Pain of losing someone you loved was hard enough. She didn't want to get close to anyone again. Alone, no home, nothing but hardship, then came this stranger. She stopped her thought process. Sighing hard, she rose up with the sleeping bag and walked to Donovan. “This is your bag, use it.”
                  He didn't move, “no I gave it to you.”
                  “Well its clearly big enough for both of us.”
                  He stood up, “all right, and it's getting colder.” Together they again laid it out and crawled into the comforting bag.
                  Feeling something digging into his backside he searched with his hand.
                  “What are you doing?” she complained. “Don't you even think about it, mister.”
                  “Its a freaking rock digging into me,” he explained. Settling down again, he gazed at the stars.
                  She finally looked at him, “its really nice isn't it?”
                  “Indeed, if anyone is living on one of those stars, I hope they are having a better time then us.”
                  She teased him with a elbow into his side. “Did you even consider they might be having a harder time then us?”
                  “Maybe, but say, you never told me what you would like to eat.” Their breathing made swirling clouds in the night air.
                  “Bratwurst cook on a grill,” she quickly answered.
                  He turned his head looking at her, “Whats that?”
                  “Well my dad time to time would pull out a antique grill, it was a really old fashion way of cooking food. They actually used fire. Could you imagine cooking that way, all the time?”
                  “Why not just use the krago?” he asked.
                  She turned on her side, this was a rare chance to talk,