Bramblepoint Rose petals

germanicus was never prepared for how the sound of his name in that voice undid his bindings.

"some wander until the end of their days."

his breathing glided through several words that wished to be sentences but became nothing.

"some settle. take a wife. rear a family."

before them was rising the wide bowl of the caldera as the trees slowly thinned.

"but not one of them knows which path they will take until they have been alone a long while."