Dragoncrest Cliffs let me tell you that I saw your boyfriend walking down the road

such a male thing to do, to insert some tale of male do-gooding between a narrative of unconscionable masculine behavior! as if the former somehow forgave the latter; #notallmen, the boy preached before he was even aware of the masculinity he espoused.

once more sobeille felt the knife of irritation slide between her ribcage; once more, she calmly hid its presence from her expression’s surface.

her gaze focused solely on maman now; poor lafayette had burned the last of her patience. she was surprised — relieved even — to hear no punishment forthcoming. she had violated a safe space by attacking mae, and while she did not understand the boundaries that kept civil lives from wild ones, sobeille understood she had disrupted social order.

perhaps these men should see fit to raise better daughters, her maman commented — a savagery that uniquely put the pin of blame back on the root of their problem: men.

no, i don’t t’ink so. mebbe, but ajei didn’t say. i didn’t get a chance to say good bye to her. sobeille sulked then, wondering — if her aim was not true, mae might still be alive. there had been only one chance, and she blew it.