1

"Get out!" He barked.

Rogue had already felt bad and embarrassed about being caught in the back of this man's truck. The look of utter disgust with no pity or surprise shook her and made her fell small and worthless. But she had hope that he would of taken pity on her. But as he roughly grabbed her bag and through it out of the wagon she was in, Rogue quickly tried to climb out, not wanting to be any more on the wrong side of this man that she had witnessed take a large beating back in the bar and had three metal claws in his fist. He was about to turn away and leave her behind in the snow. She needed to think of something, needed to say anything that would maybe change his mind. The first thing that came to mind was

"Where am I suppose ta go?"

"I don't know." He simply grouted while exhaling another drag of his cigar. The look of annoyance ad irritation were starting to get to Rogue as well as the hurt feelings of being abandoned again.

"You don't know and you don't care." Rogue spat out as he turned his back on her again.

"Pick one." He called from over his shoulder as he walked towards his truck door.

Desperate, Rogue yelled out to him "I saved your life."

"No you didn't." He simply replied while slamming his door shut.

Rogue's lip trembled as she took in a sharp breath. The exhale of the cold came out worse though as Rogue burst into a coughing fit. She couldn't say anything to him now that he'd closed the door on her and shut her out. Rogue was used to this now and stood still as she watched the man drive off. Rogue watched it turn the corner as the truck could just be seen through the gasp in-between the trees. Rogue had stood there dumbfounded as to what to do now that her plan had failed. She had no idea where she was or how far off the next town was. And she wasn't sure when (or if) there would be another run in with a mutant.

Rogue picked up her bag and began running after the truck awkwardly as her bag made her weight uneven. Rogue struggled to keep in view with the truck and struggled more with her breathing. By the time she'd reached the corner, (after breaking out into another coughing fit) she had her bag on her back, evening the weight, but the truck was so far down the road, Rogue doubted she'd catch it. She'd stopped to catch her breath, but the overwhelming panic took over her body as the truck moved further away. Rogue tried running after it, gasping for air as she did. It turned another corner though as she even began to start running down the next road.

By the time she had reached the corner the truck had turned at, Rogue had had to stop running as she felt sick from the rising phlegm in her lungs and all the coughing she was dong. She coughed roughly, the heat from her body not fairing well against the cold that now decided to send strong wind to bellow her coat around. The truck was double the length away from her than what it had been before. Watching it go, Rogue finally gave up, letting go of a staggering breath as she knew she would never be able to catch up to the truck now that it was on a straight lane and gaining speed.

'What a dick!' Thought Rogue, as she clutched over, holding her stomach. Her chest may have felt hot from the run, but the rest of her body was still cold and now aching. Having this heat in her chest was more irritatingly uncomfortable than it was to just be cold. Rogue spat out the phlegm that had come to her mouth and after a few more breaths, Rogue huffed as she decided she'd have to walk to the next town as most likely the people back in Lewiston wouldn't help her out; hopefully, it wouldn't be that far away. Rogue also hoped that there would be another driver along soon. But she doubted it. But she had to hope.

XXXXX

Rogue wasn't sure of the time, but she was able to keep some sense of it as it seemed to be every two minutes she would need to wipe her runny nose on her coat and every ten minutes she would cough dry uncomfortable coughs. Both sleeves of her coat were damp all around the edges. It was uncomfortable, as it was like walking in wet clothes that just made her colder. It was getting later and darker as the white light from the sky drew greyer with patches of black beginning to take form.

Rogue stopped, panting grey clouds as she looked up to the sky. She was trying to figure out what to do. Keep walking through the much colder and, most likely, more dangerous night, or find a hole in a near tree she could crawl into for shelter where she could save up her energy, hopefully warm up more and watch out for passing trucks. Though camping out (even though it would be more like hiding) was just as scary and dangerous as walking in the night. And besides, what happened if something bad happened and no one was around to help her? She'd have more chance at help in the next town or village (whichever came up). But then again, would she be safer sleeping on the streets than sleeping in the lonely forest?

Rogue didn't know. Both paths seemed pathetic, but there was one thing that pushed her diction. Her stomach. She was desperately hungry and going to die out here in the cold. Maybe not tonight, but who knew how long it would be till the next town. If she stopped it would take longer, but if she kept going she would burn up all her energy and die anyway. What the hell, she would die of hunger first if she did stop to camp out.

Looking back to an endless nightmare, Rogue huffed again as her feet sloppily moved forwards.

XXXXX

The skies had been dark for a long while now, but finally, Rogue stood nearing (still a bit of a distance away) a small village that was a couple or few hill tops away. Rogue's breathing was loud and dry, but seeing the village made her walk on. She was proud of herself for not giving up and that she kept going, so willing to survive. But the truth was Rogue still felt disgusted by herself and wished she was dead. From the violent coughing she was doing, it felt like she was nearing it anyway. She wasn't sure why she was still alive, but for some reason she was.

As Rogue finally made it into the village, she walked from the outskirts of the village, into the centre where she found businesses with large metal bins down the side or around the back of the building. Rogue chose the nicest looking place and walked down it's side alley towards the ins. There she shooed away some cats trying, yet failing to claw open the bins. Rogue took the lid of the bin, hating the revolting smell of foods that shouldn't be mixed, gone off food and other stuff she didn't want to know what it was. Rogue ripped open the black dust bin bags and searched for some food. She found a few left over fries and a piece of half eaten into chicken. The fries snapped and crunched in her mouth a they had frozen in the cold and had no taste to them. Rogue picked at the chicken, but found that the chicken was more like trying to eat a half defrosted steak. Chewy.

The floor was cold beneath her, even when he'd found a step with a tiny little roof over it stopping the snow from lining the ledge of the door step. Even with a thick coat on stopping most of the snow damping her clothes, she still felt the cold from all around her and could still smell the revolting bins even with the lid back on. After finishing the food that she wished she didn't have to eat, Rogue didn't know where else to go. She didn't know this village and she didn't have any truck to sleep in while she was travelling to the next place. Having no where else to go, Rogue huddled up all she could before nodding off in a light sleep.

XXXXX

She was awoken a little later by the sound of a car door slamming. Peeping through half open eyes, Rogue saw that a car had pulled up in front of the building she had stolen food from. It must have been the manager or someone coming to open up the place and she knew she wouldn't be wanted. Rogue knew that if she got catch, gossip travels fast around a small village such as this and she may not be able to catch a ride if so. Rogue stood up, slowly, as there was still cold on her bones effecting her movements and her coughing fits which she had to try and silence as much as she could before escaping the alley way. When she was up, Rogue moved out of the side street with her duffle bag in hand and walked around the village; taking in the scenery and looking for a place to change out of her damp clothes that made the morning winds that much colder on her skin. Rogue was simply walking down the quiet street when-

"Get outta here now ya disgusting freak!" Came a yell from a tall building (three stories), then out stooped the man who had left her in the cold.

He growled at the building, still with a cigar in his mouth, then he turned to look at her. Rogue stood still, staring at him. She didn't like the man and she wondered why he'd got kicked out of that building. He growled at her before strutting away in an angry stroll.

Rogue, not sure why she was doing this (maybe as some form of justice) waited awhile on the stop for him to get a little further a head before she started following him. He turned a bend and Rogue spied on him from that turning, seeing he was heading straight to his truck.

"Stop following me stripes!" He then paused at his open truck door, turning his head slightly as if looking at her from the corner of his eye, "And don't bum my ride."

With that he climb into his truck and started the engine. Rogue's anger had combined with her irritation at this man. She, herself, couldn't believe her next actions one she realised at she'd done. Rogue had dashed towards the wagon and managed to jump and climb in just as the truck started to move. By the time she was in, the truck had stopped moving and a door slammed shut. Rogue took in shaky breaths, trying to come to terms with what a dangerous stunt she just did and for what? Then she saw him.

"You tryna get yourself killed!" He snapped.

Rogue's face had become masked with her anger, "What do you care? Ya didn't have a problem leavin' me out in the cold ta die yesterday!" Rogue snapped.

The man's arm shot out towards her, and for that moment she was scared he was going to hurt her. Instead he snatched up her bag and throw it harshly on the floor, "Get out!" He growled with more threat in his voice than before.

Rogue gulped, her eyes were wide as she looked down at her bag which had burst open from impact and her spare (dirty) clothes could be seen peeping out of it.

"Get out!" He snapped again, grabbing her by the arm (before she could flinch) roughly, but not painfully. She followed his demanding tug and jumped out into the snow again.

Snatching her arm back with a feast pull, Rogue turned to glare at the man. He shot back his own anger, but Rogue was outraged. He had no right touching her like that! He was just a bully and a meany who just hadn't met his match yet.

"Whatch ya doin' there girl!" Came the same female voice that had yelled at the man to get out of the building. "You leave that girl alone ya hear!" Rogue felt hands on her shoulders and a body beside her. Rogue looked away from the man to the woman dressed only in night wear and slippers. She was glaring at the guy in absolute disgust. Rogue flinched from the woman's touch, but the woman only pushed Rogue behind her and started poking her finger towards the man (but not touching him) and at his truck. "You just go on and get outta here! This place don't need your kind! Go on, scat!"

"Hey dolly, that freak givin' you a hard time?" Called a meaty sounding man whom was walking around the corner with a group of men with bats and knifes.

"Ya picking on two girls now freak!" Called another.

Rogue was rather appalled and disgusted for what she had appeared to be caught up in. Yes, she was mad at this man in front of her, but touches and pike forks were just too much! Rogue turned back around to see how the man was coping with all of this agro, when she saw that he'd already moved towards his truck door and was climbing in.

The woman, Dolly, had just looked back at him too and yelled, "Yeah, go on, run away." Turning to the men "Everything's fine here boys. I've handled it."

Rogue watched the rouged man climb into his truck, watching his face expressions through his review mirror. She saw that he was ticked off and trying to control his rage, but Rogue also saw a little bit of something else when he looked up and looked back at her through his review mirror. He looked...tired. and rather sad. He looked away from her, started the truck and drove off. Rogue watched, once again, as he drove off, leaving her behind, and turned the corner.

"Humph, good riddance. Are you OK sweet? That freak didn't hurt ya did he?" Rogue turned to look back to Dolly whos attention was now on her. Dolly had placed her hands (seductively) on Rogue's shoulders and was talking down to her as if she was a child. From the way Dolly also pushed her breasts together, Rogue picked up on what Dolly was doing and what type of person she was.

Rogue shrugged her hands off her shoulders and said, "I'm fine." That sharp breath though was enough to make Rogue cough a little violently. The woman winced at the girl.

"What were ya doin' hitching a rid with that lunatic anyway?" Dolly said, eyeing Rogue up and down. Rogue guessed that Dolly had figured out that Rogue was a run away from the state of her dress. But there was a spark behind Dolly's eyes. Not a bad one, but a spark that didn't seem good either. Rogue saw the spark, but looked half puzzled as she tried to think of what that spark was. Before Rogue could answer, Dolly said, "Here, come on inside and let's get a drink down ya."

Dolly, once again, took up her position, putting her hands on Rogue's shoulders, only this time, twisting her so she was being led by Dolly towards the group of men. Rogue could of protested, but hearing the word drink, Rogue felt her throat go very dry and her mouth tasting of the stale chicken from last night. A drink of water would be nice to wash that taste away, but Rogue still felt uneasy.

The men walked on, back from where they came. Rogue following as Dolly nudged her (gently) in that direction. Dolly had turned Rogue into the building that that man had been kicked out of by Dolly and was led to the bar. Rogue looked around, seeing it was empty, but hearing the thuds from upstairs. She guessed there were bedrooms upstairs and their main purpose was not for sleeping in.

Dolly left Rogue's back, which Rogue was glad to have the freedom of not feeling Dolly's fake nails gripping into her shoulders, but she didn't like not having Dolly in sight. Dolly walked around the bar, coming to stand behind it where Rogue was. Dolly took two glasses and reached up to fill them with a golden whisky. Rogue watched what Dolly was doing with the glasses carefully. She saw nothing suspicious as Dolly placed the glasses down on the bar. "Here, drink up hun."

"I'm under age." Rogue said bluntly.

Dolly just shrugged her shoulders and downed her shot glass of whisky. Her face grimaced as the liquid felt her glass and she swallowed it down in one. "What's ya name sweetness?" Asked Dolly.

"Rogue." She said.

Dolly raised her eyebrow at her, as if stating that she wasn't impressed and found the name rather pathetic. "Rogue? Ya sure?"

Rogue nodded her head.

"Alright then." Said Dolly, as she put her glass down, a passive expression crossing her face. "Rogue for now." Dolly more whispered, than spoke this out loud. "You on the run doll?"

Rogue looked down at the glass in front of her. Rogue had never really been a big drinker, but right now, the drink seemed tempting.

"I'll take that as a yes. Ya do anything illegal or..." Dolly trailed off waiting for Rogue's answer.

Rogue looked back up at Dolly. There was some form of cunningness in her eye and Rogue really didn't like it. She didn't like how Dolly was asking her questions (or more stating stuff) that Rogue was or might have done due to her stereotype at the moment. With the word illegal, Rogue looked down to Dolly's body, seeing her silk night gown had opened more to reveal more of her breasts. Rogue doubted she was wearing clothes on underneath.

"No." Rogue answered bluntly. Her eyes fell back down onto the whisky and Rogue thought that before she got kicked out of here, she'd take what she could (hoping she didn't get charged). Rogue grabbed the glass and gulped down the whisky. Rogue grimaced worse than Dolly, as she was inexperienced with taking shots (that big at least).

"Ya either sip it sweetness or ya down it in one. You decide. So, whatcha runnin' from?" Doll replied.

Rogue looked back up to Doll's eyes. She looked like a vulter eyeing her prey. Rogue put down the glass in front of them, feeling the slight tingle in her brain as the alcohol got to work. "That's my business." Rogue said.

Dolly stepped back, taking the glasses. "Fair enough." She filled them up again and placed them on the bar. Rogue saw nothing suspisious again. "The reason I'm asking doll face is that I know ya struggling. I can see ya skinny and hungry and so desperate that ya would even ride with that beast!"

For some reason, Dolly calling that guy 'beast' and 'freak' just got way under Rogue's skin. Maybe it was because she was just like that 'freak' underneath her skin and it hurt being called that even though there was nothing she could do about it. Rogue reached for the glass and began sipping it. The taste was really strong, but bearable. It burned and pained, but it was somewhat delightful and the taste was sweet yet bitter. It helped take her mind away from Dolly's name calling.

"The point is sweetness, I've taken in a number of girls like yourself. None of them should be subjected to that kinda low." Rogue took another sip of her whisky. "I guess what I'm sayin' is I'm offin' ya a job and a place ta stay here, with me and all my other girls." Dolly took a swig of her drink. "What do ya say?"

Rogue circled the liquid in her glass and watched it. Rogue didn't know how to feel about this offer. Had she hit another level of low? Or was her luck changing? Was living here and being what she suspected Dolly of being the better option to what she had now? Rogue chucked at herself in her own mind. Even if she was to do that, she couldn't 'cause of the same reason Dolly thought that guy was a 'freak'. Rogue looked back up to Dolly, thinking of one thing before she turned this down. "What's the job?"

"Oh, ya know, workin' behind the bar or as a maid. Entertain' the punters." Dolly took another sip from her glass, but her eyes never left Rogue's.

"And what do ya mean by entertain' em?" Rogue asked.

"I mean keeping them happy by what ever means necessary." Dolly replied, her voice still that sweet honey combed voice that she had used when she had first turned to speak to Rogue after the man had left, but there was a firmness to it.

"Even if that means doing something illegal?" Rogue asked, trying to weed the truth out without actually saying (or accusing) that Dolly is a prostitute.

Dolly raised her eyebrow, but her look was still strong and spot eyed. "By any means necessary." She repeated.

Rogue looked down to her glass, then tipped her head back and downed the rest of her whisky in one. After finishing it, Rogue looked to Dolly and said, "Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'll get by on my own." Rogue began moving backwards, towards the exit.

"Ya sure about that?" Came Dolly's voice.

"Yeah." Said Rogue, her voice gentle, but her eyes just as firm and serious as Dolly's voice. "Thank you for the drink. I won't tell anyone anything 'bout what ya did for me."

Dolly nodded her head, taking what Rogue was saying as a double meaning. "I know a guy whose heading off to the next village over if your that desperate for a ride. Known him twenty years, and I know he wouldn't do anything that 'freak' woulda done to ya."

Rogue cringed at the word freak, but tried to hide it as she turned away to grasp the door handle. "Errr, no, no, it's alright. I'll find my own way." Said Rogue, not realising what she was passing up due to that word evoking her.

"Ya sure sweetness?" Asked Dolly once again.

Rogue was somewhat glad she did ask again, as she got her head sorted by then and turned around to nod at Dolly, accepting her help (for a lift).