Wheeling Gull Isle hell hath no fury

Caracal’s confession didn’t seem to affect Judah at all, much less move him. Tears began gathering in the older man’s eyes.

He started when Judah took some of the fruit in his mouth. Don’t! he thought now. But the boy didn’t swallow. He carried the fruit away. Caracal looked after him but didn’t follow. He sat in quaking silence as the young man made several trips to empty the cache.

When the task was finished, Judah looked at him again. He asked a question. Caracal’s face crumpled.

Losing a child is the worst pain you could ever imagine, Ju, he whispered huskily, tears flowing freely now and snot running from his nose. I hope you never know what it’s like.

First Abel, then Tzedeq and Ana. He’d almost lost Ava too. He’d saved her only to lose her too. He’d lost all of them now, except for the son who who looked at him like he didn’t recognize his papa.

The shaking stopped. He felt cold.

I DON’T DESERVE THIS.