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Dec. 27th, 2001 01:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kuangning[Cold. Dark.]
She screamed, once, giving way to panic for an instant before realization dawned. After that, she was quiet, struggling silently for mastery. The emptiness pressed in on her, and it was an effort to breathe slowly, steadily, and not hyperventilate. The darkness seemed a living thing... she pushed the thought away quickly, her eyes widening with terror. Thinking that way was the very last thing she should do. She closed her eyes, and fought for calm.
*****
Sion's steps barely slowed as he came through the door and headed up the stairs to Lyssa's room. Elise opened her mouth to speak as he brushed by her, but then she caught sight of Lyssa, and gasped instead. When Sion laid the girl on the bed, her eyes shut tight and her whole body shaking, Elise and Kyle were right beside him.
"What's wrong with Lyssa?" They all startled, turning toward the small voice. Eleri stood in the doorway, regarding them curiously. Elise made a small, stifled sound, then said, too quickly, "Nothing. She's just a little tired, and we're going to let her rest for awhile." From the arch of the little girl's eyebrows, it was plain she wasn't convinced. Elise sent a pleading look in Sion's direction, and he stepped out to take Ellie's hand in his. "C'mon, bratling," he said with a cheerful tone. "It's almost bedtime for you, and we'll just have time to read a story." Ellie allowed herself to be led away, but glanced back over her shoulder in puzzlement once or twice.
Once they were out of sight, Elise turned back to Kyle. "Where was she? Do you have any idea what happened?" He shook his head in negation. "I have no idea what happened, except that she went swimming. We found her on the dunes... it looked like she started to come home, but..." he trailed off with a motion toward the bed. Elise sighed, and gave a helpless glance at the bed.
(more later, of course.)
She screamed, once, giving way to panic for an instant before realization dawned. After that, she was quiet, struggling silently for mastery. The emptiness pressed in on her, and it was an effort to breathe slowly, steadily, and not hyperventilate. The darkness seemed a living thing... she pushed the thought away quickly, her eyes widening with terror. Thinking that way was the very last thing she should do. She closed her eyes, and fought for calm.
*****
Sion's steps barely slowed as he came through the door and headed up the stairs to Lyssa's room. Elise opened her mouth to speak as he brushed by her, but then she caught sight of Lyssa, and gasped instead. When Sion laid the girl on the bed, her eyes shut tight and her whole body shaking, Elise and Kyle were right beside him.
"What's wrong with Lyssa?" They all startled, turning toward the small voice. Eleri stood in the doorway, regarding them curiously. Elise made a small, stifled sound, then said, too quickly, "Nothing. She's just a little tired, and we're going to let her rest for awhile." From the arch of the little girl's eyebrows, it was plain she wasn't convinced. Elise sent a pleading look in Sion's direction, and he stepped out to take Ellie's hand in his. "C'mon, bratling," he said with a cheerful tone. "It's almost bedtime for you, and we'll just have time to read a story." Ellie allowed herself to be led away, but glanced back over her shoulder in puzzlement once or twice.
Once they were out of sight, Elise turned back to Kyle. "Where was she? Do you have any idea what happened?" He shook his head in negation. "I have no idea what happened, except that she went swimming. We found her on the dunes... it looked like she started to come home, but..." he trailed off with a motion toward the bed. Elise sighed, and gave a helpless glance at the bed.
(more later, of course.)
