"I'm Adalina Morsekov." She stuck her hand out to Sam. He took it in his own, that is, until Adalina flipped him over her shoulder.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Sam glared at Adalina.

"Oh, you know, to say hello. Want some help?" She offered her hand again, and Sam took it. As soon he was on his feet, she flipped him again.

"Don't let me mistake you as a fool, Linkwood. You don't want me as your enemy." With that, she stalked off, head held high.

Sam shook his head as he got up. Why were girls always like that?

"I see that you've met Adalina." Sam turned to see Georgia standing behind him. A smile crossed his face.

"Is she like that with everyone?"

"It depends on the person. Adalina's tough, though. She came from somewhere near Desolation, right after an earthquake destroyed her family's home and killed her mother and brothers. Her father came with, but he died from injuries and sickness a few months after they arrived here."

Sam lost the smile he had. "It sounds like my family."

Georgia wrapped her arms around him. "Sam, I'm so sorry," she whispered into his ear. "I didn't realize-"

"It's fine," Sam said as he pushed away from her. "I'll go talk to someone else." He headed towards an older man with thick black hair.

"Hello, young one," the man welcomed. "Why have you come over here, when there are so many your age?"

"I have questions," Sam replied simply.

The man stroked his short beard thoughtfully. "Come, we can sit over here." Sam followed the man over to two chairs and a small table. "What do you want to know?"

Sam thought about the myriad of questions he had, but there was also that one thought nagging him. "When I came in, Mr. Harbringer said I was 'the Healing One.' What does that mean?"

"Young one, you know that our planet is in terrible disrepair. We never should have let it come to this, yet we have. The Healing One supposedly will be able to straighten everything out, make our world habitable again."

Sam mused over this. "Why does he think that I'm this Healing person?"

"Child," the man said. "The world is strange and mysterious. I don't know much about the legend, but there is one thing I am certain about: you will be leaving us soon. You just can't stay in one place forever; it's not who you are. When you go on your journey, Sam Linkwood, remember to think." The old man slowly stood, his joints creaking. Then he walked away faster than Sam could have thought.