forgotten

[mute_pen]

It's past dark, but when you need the outhouse, you need the outhouse.

Isabel picks her way across the yard of her father's house in the moonlight, hoping to sneak back into bed without waking him.

Comments

[growcrooked]

She doesn't really know what to do.

But, well, here she is.

[mute_pen]

"It'll be worse if I don't go next time," whispers Etty. "Won't it."

[growcrooked]

"Yeah, probably," says Nona.

[mute_pen]

"I don't know if I can go, even so."

[growcrooked]

"I know," says Nona.

[mute_pen]

"He was pretending such civility. I thought I could put him off. I couldn't."

[growcrooked]

"He does that."

[mute_pen]

"Does he really think on some level that I - that we - that -" She can't finish the sentence.

[growcrooked]

"I don't think he cares. About anything. He just wants us to play along, and if we don't, he makes us."

[mute_pen]

Etty wipes her eyes with her good hand.

[growcrooked]

"I'm sorry," she murmurs.

[mute_pen]

Etty bows her head.

"I can't even write. Not left-handed in the dark."

[growcrooked]

"I'm sorry," she says again.

[mute_pen]

"Tell me what I need to do," Etty says in a low voice, "that you can promise and mean it - tell me who I need to be -"

[growcrooked]

"...I don't think I can do that," she says. "You're already yourself, and I love you, don't I? I just don't know how to make promises about it."

[mute_pen]

Etty drops her forehead onto her knee and sobs again.

[growcrooked]

Nona curls up a little closer.

[mute_pen]

When they touch, Etty flinches back with a strangled squeak.

[growcrooked]

She settles back a little and doesn't say anything.

[mute_pen]

"I'm sorry," whispers Etty.

[growcrooked]

"Why?"

[mute_pen]

"For - I know you're not him."

[growcrooked]

"Me too. It's okay."

[mute_pen]

Etty scrunches in on herself a bit more.

"I hope my wing is okay in the morning," she murmurs, cradling her hurt elbow.

[growcrooked]

"I don't know if it will be."