Otter Creek innocent iii

Her family. The island. The cut of grief was quick and deep, bloodless for the moment. Gone, Ana said simply. What more was there to say?

But her eyes followed his gesture to the sky. Daylight; she blinked at last and realized quite belatedly that her eyes were throbbing and sticky with lack of sleep. She felt abuzz, filled with so much restless energy that the very thought of sleep ached. More than sleep she needed rest, but there was no rest for her, not anymore.

Her gaze found his once more in the silence. Crimson, finally welling; she was not aware that she was crying until the tears fell into the fur at her cheeks.