10-18-2020, 03:37 PM
Sabbath watches them both closely, monitoring Crowns for any sign of him getting better or worse. He seems content to be curled so sweetly to the chill of Varick’s scales. The colt lifts his head when his father speaks and his brow furrows as he tries to remember the passage of time. She steps closer to the pair but resists the urge to press tight to their sides.
“A little over two days now,” she answers, as she has counted every hour since he last seemed well. A part of her is ashamed for not finding Varick sooner. Sabbath told herself she was afraid to leave their child’s side, but she knows it was also a matter of pride and reluctance to become so vulnerable. Today has cemented their fates - entwined, no matter how long or how hard she fought it.
“He went to sleep just fine, and when I woke up, he was burning hot.”
The faultlines of her heart crack and split open. None of her other children had been so sick, but she has learned to fear losing them. Sabbath lost weeks of sleep over watching Prayer die and having her firstborn return to her has done so little to soothe the terror. Now, she stands at the precipice of that horror once more, but she is not alone in the awful dark.
Her wild green eyes find Varick’s and she sees the same concern swimming in the ocean blue of his gaze. Yet, he finds the strength to smile, however frail the expression may be. She considers asking what he could possibly find to be joyful over, but she decides not to disturb Crowns. Then she notices the faintest hint of a grin forming in the corners of her lips.
Perhaps there is some small comfort to be drawn from the three of them being together.
“A little over two days now,” she answers, as she has counted every hour since he last seemed well. A part of her is ashamed for not finding Varick sooner. Sabbath told herself she was afraid to leave their child’s side, but she knows it was also a matter of pride and reluctance to become so vulnerable. Today has cemented their fates - entwined, no matter how long or how hard she fought it.
“He went to sleep just fine, and when I woke up, he was burning hot.”
The faultlines of her heart crack and split open. None of her other children had been so sick, but she has learned to fear losing them. Sabbath lost weeks of sleep over watching Prayer die and having her firstborn return to her has done so little to soothe the terror. Now, she stands at the precipice of that horror once more, but she is not alone in the awful dark.
Her wild green eyes find Varick’s and she sees the same concern swimming in the ocean blue of his gaze. Yet, he finds the strength to smile, however frail the expression may be. She considers asking what he could possibly find to be joyful over, but she decides not to disturb Crowns. Then she notices the faintest hint of a grin forming in the corners of her lips.
Perhaps there is some small comfort to be drawn from the three of them being together.
may my enemies live long so they can see me prosper.
sabbath