Ankyra Sound saltwater blood

03.13.2025
hour 23:07 pacific

The waves were rising in her dreams, the water thrashing against the outer stone walls of her den with such force as to invade her sleeping mind. Marina woke with a start from a dream of saltwater filling her den, filling her cursed child's lungs from his first breath. Yet he refused to drown. Was it fear or relief in her trembling limbs?

Neither, perhaps, but the first pains of birth. Twice a mother, thrice now, Marina bore her suffering in weary silence. Only the sea would have heard her cries, anyway; no sisters to bring her comfort, no husband to wait and worry outside. She brought her child into the world — no.

No; the child fell from its bloody cocoon as two, twin souls sharing warmth even in the womb. Twin pearls, so small she wasn't sure they would live. Yet they drew breath, and when tucked at the warmth of her belly they nursed. Marina thought to settle, to sleep.

03.14.2025
hour 00:00 pacific

It felt she'd scarcely closed her eyes when the pain began anew. Fear chilled her and drew her up stiff, but the second act was a swifter affair. Fear gave way to dread, something deeper. Twins again; dark, ruddy, like ancient blood. Drown them, her mind whispered.

She might have, if she could have seen the red moon watching from the sky.

The cold might have taken them then anyway: Marina could do nothing but stare at these two red omens for a time. All the evil she'd already imagined in the yellow eyes of her twin pearls; how could she bear to suffer more? Were they not punishment enough?

But after a time she moved them to her flank, gingerly as if afraid they might bleed at her touch. Four children. Marina could have laughed at the bitter blessing of it. They would all starve.

Instead she slept, and her nightmares consumed her.