kind. You’re too good to us unfortunates.

fresh fruit she’d brought. His eyes alight with admiration and jo

f until then,” she assured him as she patted the mangos lovingly and turned to lea

rren scape of the the ruinous city she called home. It was a place that should have

, usually the former. It was the motivation that kept u

too busy to be anxious,' she

She found it the most gratifying experience she could have ever hoped for

y mother

dangerous beasts of mankind, both garnered her attention. It was ne

of her entire being and s

nd discontent with their own lives, always seemed to enjoy remarking on hers.

ack…even sometimes to my face. They claim it's too bad that a girl gif

l greed had done to her beloved home? Even as a child, Sera was not like the others growing up around h

the most successful figures on the entire island, a real e

te gatherings. Plus, she found most of the people who res

off. No gratification in leisure when there is so much wor

id the people of her city. Given, the city, really the entire island, was somewhat run down and not exac

and since no one else seemed inclined to care,

til there is real, signifi

ad a notch higher and crossed the str

ted a few children playing on the broken swings of a sad-looking playground. The regula

out the city from a forgotten time. There was also an incredible movement of underground art amongst the deca

‘It would have been consi

made their permanent home over the fog-ridden terrain, the city still breathed life. Sera always se

perpetua

t who was often working or away on business, made childhood quite lonely. Sera never blamed h

enough for their next seven lives. Years ago, Sera made the mistake of asking about her fath

good. I can

hild in order to secure their future. Sera, in turn, promised to put

until

sh. She spotted a few homeless people huddled under blankets and perched outside of

ce as Sera tended to be as absent-minded as she was fierce. The spontaneity and curiosity that dwelt in her so

ndered about the color of her eyes. She suspected it was a rare gene. In her mind, thi

mored marshlands...it was supposedly a mystical place. After all, she’d grown up hearing stories about those filled with

sizing, gravitating towards the ancient and unknown. She felt exciteme

ut there. Hidden but not forgotten. Waiti

The afternoon sun was turning itself a deep red as it disappeared behind the massive “Hastings Apartments” at the Northern edge of the city limits. A lonely and unforgiving place. A chi

haven’t seen hi

speration, pure devastation. It had taken every inch of her courage to remain unaffected and strong as his brill

t day to

t she thought understood her, even liked her. He praised her work in charity

it all go wrong? And who

ould do to a man, especially one who was accusto

I trust him again after he com

p her head around it e

tory. She passed a strip of several small businesses that closed months ag

worse despite my unrelenti

s becoming more and more distanced, as if life was slowly trickling off the map on t

of the dark and dank buildings she passed. Sera took no notice

homeless shelter, plan the charity gal

man with a wicked grin stared back at her, the words unreadable ben

g yourself, stop

g. Especially since she’d not visited him once or responded to any of the letters that he sent. For five years, he wrote to her once a week

rself to

nd as her gaze connected with a small and shabby diner set back off the side

ips.' Yes

sen to eat here, but in the moment, that was not really her focus. No, fo

ndred times…I’ve never seen a si

posely towards the front door. She yanked it open w

put mysel