The sun was only just rising, but a long line of cars already snaked down both northbound lanes of the highway, past the sign for the nearest cities and the ports, and the warning that there was a checkpoint ahead. The dark shapes of trees ranged along either side of the highway, casting deep shadows over the road in the dawn; through them, the brakelights of each car blazed red.

The RV waited at the checkpoint; Minnie leaned up against the driver-side door, brow furrowed, trying not to look nervous as a bored-looking bald man in riot gear examined her ID.

"It's just a routine check, ma'am. Should only take a minute," he said. Strapped to his back was something vaguely shaped like a rifle, but it was inscribed with dully-glowing red symbols. "I'll need to check the back."

"Sure," Minnie said

The inside of the RV was, apparently, empty. Morning light streamed in through the windows and door, gilding the bald soldier as he stepped inside, asking, "So, what's bringing you north?"

Minnie leaned now against the open doorway, arms crossed, eyes mistrustful over her half-moon glasses. "Borrowed the RV from a friend," she said shortly. "Cheaper to drive it back than ship it."

The bald man didn't seem to notice her clipped tone. His eyes traveled over the lone, silent storm radio on the low couch, the empty hastily-made bed, the detritus on the little counter--mugs, a box of tea, bottles of pills, a makeup bag--before coming to rest on the slim, nondescript door in the back of the space. He jerked his thumb at it.

"That the bathroom?"

"Yup," Minnie answered.

"I'll just take a peek."

"'Course."

He slid the small door open; it rattled in its track. The light fell, quite plainly, over four figures crammed tightly into the small space--a grimacing goat-headed figure holding his shoulder in apparent discomfort, a winged man who was obviously much too tall for the room and was shoved awkwardly into one corner, a perfectly human-looking black woman with faintly striped arms who was wedged between them, and--sitting on her shoulders, tail draped in her face--a fat, dissatisfied-looking tanuki.

They all stared out, and said absolutely nothing.