As Samantha took her shower Aaron washed the dishes. While he scrubbed the standard issue tin plates from last nights camp meeting he worried about Sam's condition. They had been members of the Free Army for over a year now, and battle was starting to take its toll. Not just on her, it happened to everyone. Though the cause was important, not everyone could shake off the horrible things they had seen. It was easy to see in the haunted eyes of all the initiates after their first battle.

Aaron himself had only started combat two months ago. Every initiate, or new member of the army, was forced to undergo a year of vigorous training before he or she would be prepared to fight for the cause. The memories of those twelve months of training brought a smile to Aaron's lips. He had met Sam there, on the first day of training. He remembered her eyes glowed with intensity and excitement at the year ahead. They were not yet darkened with the nightmares of days filled with carnage and death. That was a long time ago, before the incedent. They never talked about it, but Aaron could tell when Samantha was weighed down with the memories.