Lion Head Mesa Spider Lily

She falls toward the dark halls with a lurch, like a stone has dropped in her heart.

She can hear quartz voices moaning.

Heavy against heavy.

It sounds like crying.

Silently, she drifts by each cave-room belonging to her family. Here is where Den sleeps, and Satakh, and Khaem. Down the hall, mom and father. Erpa-ha is here, and somewhere deeper, out of sight, rests Charmion.

Outside now, light steps ghost against cool sand. The moon is eerily absent, as are the stars. The sky is blank.

Neith looks back upon the Lion’s Head mesa.

She cannot get the thought out of her head that all of this has happened before, and it will all happen again.