DISTANCE

“...in hallowed echo lost the gaze

of tortured teacher’s frenzied praise...”

Dinah Synndih Dohari

3:2:4:2/5, III:IX

Flurries of white snow swirled around Kingard, though the air didn’t move and there was no cold. The flakes glittered in the gentle white of the sky, fluttering and cavorting with a freedom the elf longed to claim for himself. “Unkin...?”

The voice came faint and quailing, as if from a great distance. “Varyan! Come this way! I’m over here!”

“Can’t see you–”

“Varyan!” Kingard struggled to move, until the pain of his stuckness threatened to end his dream. “Varyan, please! I can’t get to you!”

“Too far...” His voice was fading. “Remember – family.”

Jostling to close the distance, Kingard screamed against the pain writhing through his middle, and the cruel grip of wakefulness stole him away.