[ We hear the wilderness, and it hears us. Someone takes hold of Lottie's sleeve. Her companion is right. Lottie shouldn't want things that don't belong to her. A hand over a hand. She shouldn't want things that don't belong to her. Sunlight filtered through a cabin window, illuminating a gentle face. She shouldn't want things that don't belong to her.
Lottie hears her own breath, too. She keeps it measured, like she was always taught to do. ]
I'm going to turn around.
[ Lottie announces, while still keeping her voice measured and soft. She takes a moment to allow the wilderness and her companion to hear, and then she slowly turns, one inch at a time.
There is something on the ground behind them. It is both charred and mangled, with its remaining limbs twisted into a shape no person could hold in life. Much of the body's golden hair has been burned away, along with large patches of its skin. There is a fine silver chain around its neck.
Lottie drops to her knees. Someone is speaking. ]
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry - [ Hands hovering over the body she dare not touch. ] - I should have seen, I should have -
cw: description of corpse
Lottie hears her own breath, too. She keeps it measured, like she was always taught to do. ]
I'm going to turn around.
[ Lottie announces, while still keeping her voice measured and soft. She takes a moment to allow the wilderness and her companion to hear, and then she slowly turns, one inch at a time.
There is something on the ground behind them. It is both charred and mangled, with its remaining limbs twisted into a shape no person could hold in life. Much of the body's golden hair has been burned away, along with large patches of its skin. There is a fine silver chain around its neck.
Lottie drops to her knees. Someone is speaking. ]
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry - [ Hands hovering over the body she dare not touch. ] - I should have seen, I should have -