Dragging It Out Longer Than Needed
She trudged through the desert, her legs leaving clouds of dust behind her. How DARE he leave HER behind like THIS! Oh, when she got there, to Andile, he was going to have quite an ear chewing! Each and every move she made threw her further into the sand and the storm, her anger, her beaten pride. How could her brother leave the comfort of Yera's gates? Of home? How could he leave their parents in the state he had? How cruel! How rude!
Suddenly, she paused, green eyes distant. The sand storm swirled around her, blowing her dancing sleeves in an erratic pattern. Could it be that... That her brother... Didn't want to be near her mother any longer? He was happy with their father, he was happy with her, but... Never with their mother. The thought of this notion sent a pulse of vanity through her. Walvia was just as good as Luljeta! How dare he forsake her! She bathed him, she loved him, she raised him!
...She was always snarky towards him. Judgmental, unforgiving, and ignorant around him. Her mother really didn't care about her brother, did she? Was her family all a painted fantasy? Could it be that she was the one who was naive? Sure, she was clumsy, yes, she was ditsy, but naive? ...Maybe. Yaholo was very protective of her, more so than Tahigwa, as she had observed. Tahigwa was nowhere as wobbly as she was, not nearly as awkward as she was, Yaholo probably thought she was more capable than she was. The idea of being the weaker of his sisters was both a comfort and a bitter wake up call for her, sort of like a morning bell during a time of hardship. She had made it through the night without trouble, but she was no closer to finding balance within the chaos that swirled around her. But, if it was comforting, wasn't it okay to stay in that place? Or, was that just her inner child clinging to what remained of what she had always known? Everything was changing so fast, falling at the drop of a hat, so uncontrollable. And where was she in all of this? Trying to glue things together while she had time, even though she knew the pieces had potential to never fit together again. They were brittle, glass-like, fragile, like her skin when it was slashed open against the roughness of the sand. All of this aside, and floating all around, she still pressed forward, aiming to be in Jauhar by sundown.
For all she knew, everything around her was falling apart. The marriage, the house, her relationship with her brother, and, foremost, her heart. But, what was the point in acknowledging it? Broken things can't truly be broken unless you see them shattered upon the ground, right? Then it was all about the mentality she had when the world decided it was time to shatter. Her mother would still love her father, her brother would come back home, and it would all be inside her pretty little head forever more. Upon entering Jauhar, her foot rested upon a fallen log, her eyes brimming with tears. No, staying where she was, inside a bubble of resistance and fear, wouldn't work out in the long run. She would forget her dreams, neglect her family, and lose herself in the process. But, even still, what would she do about this, then? Time was running out, she could sense it, like the way you sensed danger. The hairs upon the back of her neck were upon their highest mark, adding further fuel to her doubts. She couldn't run, she couldn't hide... How would she survive?
Perhaps she could stay with her brother, here, until she was sure of herself. Tahigwa and she would be alright together under his watchful eye, and they could grow up with his advice and experience as their guide. Yes, it would be comfortable, safe, and blissful, here in the rain forest. She would learn to hunt and provide, while Tahigwa learned how to fight alongside their brother, and her heart would be overwhelmed with pride for them both. She could see them playing games, making friends, and finding all sorts of new things, all within the comfort of the trees that surrounded them. Life would be as sweet as a summer breeze...
Her hands lingered in the waters of a stream, tan fingers gently caressing a flower that happened to be floating by. How easily she could fool herself into thinking that everything was so concrete and simple. She knew how hard it would be to convince her brother, let alone the Alkidikes, to allow her to stay within Andile's gates. She would be turned away with a snarl, maybe a racial slur, and make a big mess for her older brother to clean up when it was all said and done. The flower was affixed to the side of her head and her feet dangled in the water, gently kicking every so often. Still, she would have to try. She was far too deep in the forest to turn back now, and even if she could figure out how to get back home from here, what would she find at home when she got there? The place was a war zone when she left, with all the cursing and yelling from both of her parents. She didn't want to turn back now, or better yet, not ever. A sigh brushed it's way out from her chest, another flower resting in her hands. Maybe she should find a place to rest for the night. The trees were growing darker and darker, warning her of the approach of dusk. She rose and wandered forward, but not before placing the other flower upon the other side of her head.
Nightfall came and her quest for a place to rest had bared some fruit. She made a pillow of leaves, found herself some clean drinking water, and settled herself close to a path so she could easily find her way again. Another sigh was drawn before the clock struck out, one that marked the end of a long, taxing, day of running. She would be doing the same tomorrow, hopefully not the next day, and god forbid the rest of the week. Andile couldn't be that far, after all, her brother made the trip every day not too long ago. Her eyes fluttered and, soon, she was off to sleep.
(Word count: 1085)
She trudged through the desert, her legs leaving clouds of dust behind her. How DARE he leave HER behind like THIS! Oh, when she got there, to Andile, he was going to have quite an ear chewing! Each and every move she made threw her further into the sand and the storm, her anger, her beaten pride. How could her brother leave the comfort of Yera's gates? Of home? How could he leave their parents in the state he had? How cruel! How rude!
Suddenly, she paused, green eyes distant. The sand storm swirled around her, blowing her dancing sleeves in an erratic pattern. Could it be that... That her brother... Didn't want to be near her mother any longer? He was happy with their father, he was happy with her, but... Never with their mother. The thought of this notion sent a pulse of vanity through her. Walvia was just as good as Luljeta! How dare he forsake her! She bathed him, she loved him, she raised him!
...She was always snarky towards him. Judgmental, unforgiving, and ignorant around him. Her mother really didn't care about her brother, did she? Was her family all a painted fantasy? Could it be that she was the one who was naive? Sure, she was clumsy, yes, she was ditsy, but naive? ...Maybe. Yaholo was very protective of her, more so than Tahigwa, as she had observed. Tahigwa was nowhere as wobbly as she was, not nearly as awkward as she was, Yaholo probably thought she was more capable than she was. The idea of being the weaker of his sisters was both a comfort and a bitter wake up call for her, sort of like a morning bell during a time of hardship. She had made it through the night without trouble, but she was no closer to finding balance within the chaos that swirled around her. But, if it was comforting, wasn't it okay to stay in that place? Or, was that just her inner child clinging to what remained of what she had always known? Everything was changing so fast, falling at the drop of a hat, so uncontrollable. And where was she in all of this? Trying to glue things together while she had time, even though she knew the pieces had potential to never fit together again. They were brittle, glass-like, fragile, like her skin when it was slashed open against the roughness of the sand. All of this aside, and floating all around, she still pressed forward, aiming to be in Jauhar by sundown.
For all she knew, everything around her was falling apart. The marriage, the house, her relationship with her brother, and, foremost, her heart. But, what was the point in acknowledging it? Broken things can't truly be broken unless you see them shattered upon the ground, right? Then it was all about the mentality she had when the world decided it was time to shatter. Her mother would still love her father, her brother would come back home, and it would all be inside her pretty little head forever more. Upon entering Jauhar, her foot rested upon a fallen log, her eyes brimming with tears. No, staying where she was, inside a bubble of resistance and fear, wouldn't work out in the long run. She would forget her dreams, neglect her family, and lose herself in the process. But, even still, what would she do about this, then? Time was running out, she could sense it, like the way you sensed danger. The hairs upon the back of her neck were upon their highest mark, adding further fuel to her doubts. She couldn't run, she couldn't hide... How would she survive?
Perhaps she could stay with her brother, here, until she was sure of herself. Tahigwa and she would be alright together under his watchful eye, and they could grow up with his advice and experience as their guide. Yes, it would be comfortable, safe, and blissful, here in the rain forest. She would learn to hunt and provide, while Tahigwa learned how to fight alongside their brother, and her heart would be overwhelmed with pride for them both. She could see them playing games, making friends, and finding all sorts of new things, all within the comfort of the trees that surrounded them. Life would be as sweet as a summer breeze...
Her hands lingered in the waters of a stream, tan fingers gently caressing a flower that happened to be floating by. How easily she could fool herself into thinking that everything was so concrete and simple. She knew how hard it would be to convince her brother, let alone the Alkidikes, to allow her to stay within Andile's gates. She would be turned away with a snarl, maybe a racial slur, and make a big mess for her older brother to clean up when it was all said and done. The flower was affixed to the side of her head and her feet dangled in the water, gently kicking every so often. Still, she would have to try. She was far too deep in the forest to turn back now, and even if she could figure out how to get back home from here, what would she find at home when she got there? The place was a war zone when she left, with all the cursing and yelling from both of her parents. She didn't want to turn back now, or better yet, not ever. A sigh brushed it's way out from her chest, another flower resting in her hands. Maybe she should find a place to rest for the night. The trees were growing darker and darker, warning her of the approach of dusk. She rose and wandered forward, but not before placing the other flower upon the other side of her head.
Nightfall came and her quest for a place to rest had bared some fruit. She made a pillow of leaves, found herself some clean drinking water, and settled herself close to a path so she could easily find her way again. Another sigh was drawn before the clock struck out, one that marked the end of a long, taxing, day of running. She would be doing the same tomorrow, hopefully not the next day, and god forbid the rest of the week. Andile couldn't be that far, after all, her brother made the trip every day not too long ago. Her eyes fluttered and, soon, she was off to sleep.
(Word count: 1085)
