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Kayla was exhausted, eyes half closed, continued walking |
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"You okay or do you want to stop?" I asked, hesitating as my vision nearly tripled. |
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"Yeah, let's stop for a bit" |
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I nodded, walking to the side of the road to let a few riders pass, also taking cover from the sun in the shade of an oak. |
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She sat beside him, eyes vacant as Malakai slept in her arms |
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I settled my arm around her shoulders, pecking her cheek. |
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She leaned into him gently, letting her eyes close |
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I smiled, quieting as I noticed Malakai asleep, letting both him and Kayla rest in this moment of peace. I stayed awake, keeping watch, and also trying not to cry out as the bark against the tree dug into my skin. |
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Kayla looked up at him after waking a couple hours later |
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My expression hollowed as I stared at the ground, zoning out as my eyelids drooped, forcing them back open as my grip around Malakai and Kayla tightened, refusing to allow myself rest as the memories flooded my mind. Jace and Caston laughing as they ran. Their first fair, begging for turkey legs before darting off, finding all sorts of things they wanted. Caston watching as Jace slowly went still, his brother following suit quickly, leaving me with nothing except for the memory of their laughter.
And Adeline. Saints above, their mother. How hard she fought the sickness, failing and leaving me with the boys. Only, they left this world as well. The scouring, searching for a job for months, eventually settling somewhere before getting kicked out, angry at the world for something nobody could have prevented. Then I started stealing, and taught myself to hunt, moving from place to place and trying to avoid the occasional guards, getting the not so rare whippings--- Iekburgg. I shuddered at the thought, clearing my head as I slipped my eyes shut, keeping my ears listening for any sounds, switching my eyes open when a twig snapped. I can't help the memories, that's the sad thing, and one thing that took me ages to understand. Your past stays with you, even when you try to forget it. |
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Warming, with Sleet and Heavy Icing
