troubled waters

Grandpa had asked her to find Ansem, and to see if they could teach each other about different sorts of plants, and she had been happy enough to nod her agreement with what she hoped was a brave smile. Now the water was out of her lungs and the mud had mostly dried from the flood she'd be fine, right? She hadn't died... or at least she had thought so before she reached the mouth of the Col.

The roar of rushing water filled her ears and the familiar icy cold feeling was soaking through to her skin, and it felt like she couldn't breathe. There was a tightness around her chest and the stars were back, dancing at the corners of her vision. Her teeth were clenched around the handle of her basket and tears pricked at the back of her eyes. They could see there wasn't any water here anymore... but her body didn't believe her. Tremors began to wrack her tiny body and the handle of the small basket snapped, spilling the dried flowers she had loaded up to take to see her cousin.

She couldn't move if she wanted to. Her breaths were short and sharp and shallow, a quiet whimper pulled at the back of her throat. She had somewhere she needed to be, but she couldn't will her body to do what she needed it to. She couldn't even call for help.

“Speech”