lost flows

ver wa

it away. The riverbed, once silver and alive, lay bare, its stones exposed like bones under torn skin. Cracked mud snaked acros

ling. She didn't speak. She didn't move. Her heart beat like thunder in her chest, thudding louder than the sil

wanted to

dream, her brother was reaching for her, his fingers just breaking the surface, eyes wide and terri

ere sh

he river should have been. A

sisters, muttering prayers under their breath. A couple of teenagers from school leaned over the rail, filming videos for their social f

shook her awake. But her mother's eyes had flickered toward Milo's empty bed, and

one. No signal. No

hing over dry twigs and pebbles. The earth beneath her felt hollow, almost false-l

or any sign: a trail, footpr

en she

n, the chain still glinting with fresh oil. A half-empty bottle of lemonade la

t to the bott

o

here. And

chest. She turned slowly, eyes scanning the ba

ressed into it, not indented-drawn, lik

alled, her vo

ing through the reeds and the

choed behind her-sha

ipped

th

r was st

alt now. Not the usual earthy river scent-but something old

e ripple floating above the riverbed like heat haze. It

river pendant she always wore-an old, smoothed blue stone Milo had give

hone

it out of

mess

s before the sil

ct. No trace of whe

as it had appeared,

the screen, ha

the riverbed. At the miss

why, but one thing was

r hadn't

been

o had