i only pray you never leave me behind

When the scenery changes, all that Effy feels is that she's been left behind. Her eyes, watchful and sharper than they've been in months, skim across the sky and the faint wisp of clouds above, less present than they were on the island. The air burns. It sears through her chest, and on some days, that pain is welcome. On others, it feels like she tries to go as long as she can without breathing. Time still remains inconstant around her, everyone past her fingertips rushing by while she stays hopelessly still, unsure how to find her footing, unsure where she is. Gone are the days when she spent every waking minute trying to find a way out, but here again are the days when nothing seems to matter, regardless of how hard Effy tries to make them.

She sits in the shade of tree that's long since lost its green, branches gnarled and bark dry. The sun beats down with a little less than its most piercing rays, already hanging lower than its noon high, but it's still too hot for Effy to wander out for long. She's forgotten the canteen in Kate's room. She's forgotten what time it is.

But nothing matters, so she continues to sit, her shoulders hunched as she stares out at the rolling horizon.