“Alex didnt know where she was going. It was a cold night, but the stamina of her race was enough to ward off the winter wind. She had felt colder things in her sleep anyway. Her eyes began to adjust as she walked, but she resisted the temptation to use her sight. It was still a shadowy night, and hidden roots and rocks could still trip her. The earth would not let her trip, though.

Alex found herself surrounded by trees, at the trunk of a willow tree. Its branches cascaded down around her like a blanket. She sat beneath the branches and thought about the monster that had taken her city from her. She rested her bare back against the bare trunk, and felt less lonely for it.”