We slow to a stop, soldiers circle the van. They check for bombs and peek through the windows, "Where you comin' from?" The driver stammers, "F-from the chaos." "No, where are YOU from?" "Just let us in? We don't want trouble." "Yeah, we don't want your troubl-" I shout, "There a problem, soldier!?" They slide the doors open and point their guns at us, then the guy leans in, "You know this driver?" I scoff, "He's a buddy of mine, is color still a problem in this free country?" He just stares with an indecent look of betrayal.

I wince and get up, gently push the guns away and get out. I dust off the soldier and look into his resentful eyes, "I served only to make way for pieces of shit? That don't even treat people with respect?" I shake my head and signal him to drive. I nod up at his scrunched-up face as we pass with a wide smile. I sit back down, close the door and sigh. "You served?!" I smile at her all puppy-eyed, "Yup." "But you no medals-" The driver butts in, "Thank you, back there-" Jean pouts as I wave my hand to him, "Army still has some stick up it's ass. Any more problems, get me." He nods as we drive through a vast sandlot, giant construction plows push away rubble as refugees pitch up tents. The guy in the passenger holds out his hand, "You're alright. Dave." I grab it and he squeezes hard, "Diesel." Should I tell them what I want?

"Something on your mind?" I turn to her and smile, "Oh, nothing." We stop where soldiers hand people tents. An old woman sits in a wheelchair. Something about her, an intense calm flows from her. I hop out and walk up to her. "Hello, miss?" She looks in my general direction, grey eyes. She's blind? She smiles, "Hello, Diesel." I never met her before, not even on a city street. "How do you-" She says, "I have great hearing.", then winks. She's like me? This woman has powers. She shakes her head. "Not here, Diesel." She pats the armrests, "Be a dear and take me back?" I look back at them, the Jean, Dave and- damn- didn't catch his name, they grab a nice tent kit. "They're normal as it gets, they'll be fine." "Sure, ma'am." She reaches a hand out and let her hand rest on mine, "Mama Hearth, but you could just call me Mama." "Diesel-" She chuckles- Oh, right.

Stolen story; please report.

A faint aura touches the ground as she taps her finger against the armrest. I simply follow the imaginary footsteps and stop at the most random tent. "Thank you, Diesel."

A child peeks out the tent door. "Don't be shy, child." The kid walks out with a hunch, head low. She side-talks, "Go meet him." She gives me a slight push and I just take a knee, "What's your name, son?" His head hangs low, "Jack." I hug him and his whole body jumps. Tears roll down my face. He has so much sadness in him- No, anger. He squeezes me, "You have kids, Diesel?" I freeze as he lets go. "Too soon?" I wipe my tears, "Why even ask?" "Because I care, honey." "Is that all, ma'am?"

She shakes her head, "Mama-" I stand up and dust off my knees. "I don't care." "But-" I march off, "That monster killed the children! Not you!" I halt.

I march up to her, "What can you- I do about it? I'm only here by circumstance." She smirks, "No, you are a survivor. You died from a barrage of tank shells and bullets. Through all the quakes and bullets, screams, you know what I heard?" I look into her eyes as she smiles in awe, "I heard your heart booming again, screaming out, clinging to life, your body quaked out from under all that rubble. It screamed 'I am not done.'" She heard that?! That far? "No man comes back from that, but a man with passion, love still left to give- Why is such a man not running away? I'll bet he ran before." My lips tremble, She's right.

"I ask you now, what do you want?" I clench my fists on the verge of sobbing on the past and present. My heart booms, the energy explodes out like a piston into my body and she perks up in her wheelchair in awe, "Paradise."