Arrow Lake separate the weak from the obsolete

for the first time in her short life, Isi hesitated. 

that was her father down there, and there was anger and tension and happiness all around like a hailstorm of emotion. but hadn't she looked for him, in the cold in wet, and thought each shadow to be him? she'd tried so hard to grow up in the hopes that he might take notice and return to her — only last week, she'd almost caught a blackbird, spit out her mouthful of feathers and looked around wildly for any sight of the man. but he had not come.

still, resentment had not built, not in earnest. only doubt. 

"dadadadad daddy!" she was shouting, and suddenly only a short distance behind her brother. but there was Mahler, in all his fury, and Ingram too, and she paused, ears splayed and gaze wide and worried on her father, knowing this to be a situation yelling and biting would not remedy.