WHEN WILL I LEARN

One! Before she could tackle her foe, Atreides burst around the rock and Siri squealed. "'Teedees!" Before she could jump on him and chew on his ears for scaring her, a shout behind her drew her attention away from the boy. Like her brother, when she saw what was going on, Siri hunkered down. Fear froze her in place as she helplessly watched her mother fight. Her father appeared, jumping into the fray and fending off the attackers with a strange brute.

When it was all over she remained still, too scared to move. There was blood everywhere. On her parents, on the ground, everywhere. She didn't know what to do; was too scared to think. Quietly, so quietly it was unlikely that he heard her, Siri whispered, "Daddy?"