Painâ•| Unmerciful and unstopping. It radiated through his entire body. 
The unyielding pounding in his head to the sharp spears of pain shooting through his feet.  The slightest movement caused unimaginable hurt. 
It
was as though someone was shoving thousands of pin needles into his
body. 
His lungs ached with every breath he tried to take in. Even his eyes
hurt as
he tried to peel them open, only to close them quickly as the blinding
pain
slammed into him.
The distant echo of sounds and voices slowly penetrated his pain filled
mind. 
Brief flashes of images he couldn╲t quite get a grasp on danced
around inside
his head, only to disappear seconds later.   Another sensation began
to seep
into him, causing him even more pain as his body shivered
uncontrollably from
the cold. He was wet.  It was then that he heard the faint rumbling of
the
river
as it churned around him.
*You have to get up or you will die* a voice inside his head warned.
╳I can╲tâ•* he rasped, his teeth chattering together as he tried to
lie as
still
as possible.
*You must* the voice demanded, *I will not let you give up.*
Little by little, the young man found himself moving.  It took him
minutes
before he was able to sit up.  The pain was horrible, but he somehow
fought
against it and managed to crawl to his knees and then stagger to his
feet,
under the weight of the leather jacket he wore.  His body should have
been
numb from the cold, but it wasn╲t.  His short black hair had ice
crystals in
it. 
The air before him crystallizing as he took a shallow breath, tears
stinging
his eyes from the pain.
His first step caused him to stumble, and without any coordination the
young
man found himself slamming face down onto the ground. Thankful that his
pain ridden body didn╲t really register the sudden force of impact. 
Lying
there,
the youth tried to catch his breath willing himself silently to
stand. With
the little strength he had left, he was able to push himself off the
ground
and onto his
knees.  Once again he staggered under the weight of his jacket.
Blinking back the tears of pain, the near frozen youth tried to figure
out
which
way to go.  Nothing around him looked familiar.  Deciding to follow
the river
seemed like the best choice, only this time when he took a step he made
sure to do it slowly.  With each step it was agonizing, but something
inside
him willed him to continue, to not give in to exhaustion or the pain. 
Ever
so
slowly, the young man who couldn╲t remember where he was or for that
matter
who he was, made his way through the forest hoping to find his
salvation.
                                   Â
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â *    *   *   *  *   *   *  *
The wind had picked up causing both girls to bundle further into their
winter
coats as they quickly made their way towards â•šThe City Center
Shelter╲,
where
they had been volunteering for the past six months.
A huge gust of warm air hit them full on as they stepped inside the
building. 
With hurried steps the two young women made their way down the hall,
only
to be brought up short by a large figure standing before them.
╳You two are lateâ•* Charles scolded, crossing his arms over his
chest.
╳We knowâ•* replied Cassie ╳we got caught up in something,
sorry.â•*
*Something is right* Ashley thought, *try defending the planet.* 
╳We╲ll try
not
to let it happen againâ•* she insisted, unzipping her yellow parka,
while
giving
Cassie an ╚annoyed at the boss look╲, which caused the pretty Asian
to
giggle
as she too stripped off her jacket.
Smiling to himself, Charles decided to over look their tardiness. 
Again. 
They were two of the best volunteers he had ever had the privilege of
working
with. So a little lateness every once in a while could be tolerated.
╳What do you need us to doâ•* Cassie inquired, turning to face her
boss after
hanging up her jacket on the coat rack.
╳A shipment of cots came in a while ago, I need one of you to
inventory them
and make sure the count is right.â•* Charles informed, as herded the
two girls
down the corridor. 
╳What about meâ•* Ashley piped up, receiving a glare from her best
friend. 
*Leave it to Ashley to stick me with the less than exciting job* Cassie
thought bitterly.
╳You my dear, will be working out frontâ•* the slightly balding man
replied.
╳Out front, like at the desk answering phones and stuffâ•* gushed
Ashley,
thrilled
at the prospect.
Slowing down, Charles turned to face the excited girl and almost felt
ashamed
that he would be spoiling her mood.  Casting a glance at Cassie, he
saw that
the young woman knew what he was talking about. It wasn╲t like the
huge smirk
on
her face gave it away or anything.
╳Actually Ashley, you╲ll be outside in front of the building
handing out
fliers.â•* He answered softly.
He watched as her face dropped, loosing the soft glow of excitement.
 In it╲s
place disappointment spread across it.  Charles marveled at how
quickly she
covered her features. The disappointment gone, only to be replaced by
acceptance and understanding.  After all, it was by her own fault she
got
stuck
with this.
Turning around, Ashley made her way slowly down the hall without
another
word.  Cassie quickly pushed her victory away as she ran to catch up
with
her friend.
╳Are you all right with this?â•* the Pink Ranger asked, as she gently
grabbed
a
hold of her friends arm, causing the girl to stop walking.
╳I╲m fineâ•* Ashley insisted, before slipping out of Cassie╲s
hold.
╳You better start on that inventoryâ•* she called out over her
shoulder.
Sighing quietly, Cassie stared after her friend for a few moments. 
She
watched as the normally cheerful girl snatched her jacket off the hook
and
quickly put it on.  Her movements were not graceful or elegant;t hey
were
jerky
and hurried.
A hand on her shoulder brought her out of her somber stare as she
looked up
into Charles╲ face.  ╳Come on, she╲ll be okâ•* he advised,
turning the girl
around
as they began their walk back down the hall.

╳Stupid ugly mean nasty Psycho rangersâ•* grumbled Ashley.  Her
hands all
but frozen from the cold and to top it off it had begun to snow.
Not long after she had started passing out the fliers, large flakes of
snow
began to descend from the heavens. After only a short while, the snow
completely blanketed the ground, and Ashley had no gloves to protect
her
hands.  She had lost them hours earlier while battling the Psycho
rangers.
Carlos and Cassie had been there as well.  They were helping a group
of
grade-schoolers cross a particularly unsteady bridge when the
Psycho╲s hit,
and in
human disguises no less.  
When they had first appeared Ashley had believed they were going to
help
them with the children, but then suddenly they found themselves being
attacked.  Somewhere between getting the children to safety and the
sudden
explosion that nearly knocked her off the bridge, the yellow ranger had
lost
her gloves out of her  pocket. TJ and Andros had teleported in, mere
seconds
after Psycho Black and Psycho Yellow turned into their true forms.
It had been a particularly long battle.  The MegaZords had been
damaged
considerable, but in the final throws of battle, she and the others had
come
out victorious.  Both Psycho rangers had been destroyed.  The only
casualty
had
been Zhane, suffering a mild concussion.  Something that none of them
thought
could happen, due to his incredible thick headedness.
Ashley couldn╲t help but giggle softly to herself at that thought. 
All in
all it
had been a good day.  Shaking her head slightly, the yellow ranger
decided
to get back to work. The last rays of sunshine were diminishing
quickly,
unleashing the darkness which accompanied night.
Pedestrians were few and far between as the night air turned even more
frigid. 
A bustling couple hurried past her hoping to get out of the cold as
quick as
they could. Time seemed to drag on.  The minutes felt like hours to
the young
woman, as she jumped up and down hoping to get her circulation going. 
Her
legs were becoming numb; a feeling that would match her already frozen
hands.
╳Stupid Psycho╲sâ•* she muttered grimly.
Suddenly she was brought out of her self loathing, something she
wasn╲t quite
sure of what, caused her to look to her left.  She could just make out
a
figure as
he made his way towards her.  Concern quickly etched its way across
Ashley
face as she watched the person stager from side to side.  Not able to
get a
clear
look since the snow whipped around her obscuring her view, the yellow
ranger
decided to take a few steps toward the individual.
A few steps turned into several as she watched the person before her
stop
moving.  His body began to sway back and forth, and she knew without a
doubt that he was about to topple over.  With just seconds to spare,
Ashley
managed to grab onto the man, but his weight was too much, causing her
to
fall with him.  Twisting around, Ashley was able to cushion his fall
as he
fell on
top of her, knocking the air out of her.
After a few moments of sucking in mouth fulls of oxygen, that literally
stung
her insides, Ashley was able to collect herself enough to squirm half
way out
from underneath the man before rolling him over.  Cradling his head in
her
lap,
she placed frozen fingers on equally frozen skin and waited for the
pulsating
beat of his life force.  Nothing.  Looking around, Ashley could
barely see
five
feet in front of her, the snow seemed to be coming down even harder, as
the
wind stirred it around.
Glancing back down at the pale frozen man before her, Ashley was almost
stricken with the thought that he was dead.  That she was holding a
dead
body. 
Her fingers still resting on his neck, letting her know that they
didn╲t feel
anything. 
*There numb* her mind screamed.  *You couldn╲t feel a pulse even if
it was
there.*
Throwing a look over her shoulder, Ashley wished that someone, anyone
would be there.  But she was alone.  Alone with a person who may or
may not
be alive.  She had almost missed it.  If she had not been staring
right at
him,
the tiny parting of his lips would have gone unnoticed.  Leaning in as
close
as
she could, Ashley could just make out what he was saying. 
Closing her eyes she had to agree with him whole-heartedly. It was
cold. 
Shifting him more into her lap, Ashley was able to free her right hand,
reaching
over with her other one, she hit her communicator and waited for a
reply.
╳This is Cassie, go aheadâ•* came the Pink Rangers voice almost
immediately.
╳Iâ•|Iâ•| needâ•| youâ•| outsideâ•| now...â•* Ashley stammered
through chattering
teeth.
╳Ash?â•* Cassie questioned.
╳Nowâ•|. Cassieâ•|pleaseâ•|â•* the near frozen girl begged,
tightening her hold on
the young man in her arms.
Ashley didn╲t have to wait long, for seconds later she heard Cassie
calling
out for
her as the young woman fought her way through the snow and to her
side. 
Bending down, Cassie placed a hand on her friends shoulder, letting her
know
that she was there.
╳Weâ•|haveâ•|toâ•|getâ•|himâ•|insideâ•|â•* stuttered Ashley
╳takeâ•|hisâ•|shouldersâ•|â•*
releasing her hold, Ashley waited till Cassie had a firm grip before
she slid
completely out from underneath him. Picking up his legs, the two girls
hoisted
the mans body into the air, and as quick and as carefully as they
could, made
their way towards the Shelter doors.