ittle patches of light fell on Evie's hands as she marked the grave. She took a flat rock and pushed it into the loose soil. The girl's shoe once again caught her eye. She had eased it off the swollen foot of the child, and now she slipped it in her pocket. "I will remember you."
Evie's dirty face was streaked with tears as she turned away and faced the street. There was no telling how long the daylight would last.
The quiet of the streets latched onto her, a wet blanket to drag, and the smell of rotting flesh still turned her stomach - even after all these weeks of walking through it. Coming around a corner and looking up, Evie's heart beat with joy. She ran up the steps of the building across the street and pulled open the heavy doors.
There was the stench hovering here, too, but Evie covered her mouth and went in anyway. Unlike so many other public buildings, this one was mostly untouched. The dust lay thick on the floor and shelves, and the books had to be wiped clean. She picked up the closest book to the door and opened it.
The radiant sun, the cloud-swept moon,
My dear, both declare I come none too soon.
The book yearned to be read, she could feel it in her hands. But the shadows lengthened, and Evie wouldn't brave the dark. She carried the book to the door and turned around. She would be back.
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1 comment:
Very atmospheric! I need to go back and read the rest.
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