Summary: "Sunset comes and goes. Darkness descends upon them. Cassian and Melshi keep running." A man is left behind in the prison escape. Double drabble. Andor E10 spoilers.
One Way Out (And It's Not For Me)
I.
"One way out!" He cries. But Kino, his way out isn't the same as theirs- he can't escape with his life. Not on this planet.
And he runs with them anyway.
Because Keef and Melshi are there, leading the herd right along with him. Because he isn't yet alone, and it lends him courage. Just as Keef's presence had when he had spoken out to rally the floors.
Then, the light is too close. It's right there, and- Kino stares as someone tackles Keef over the edge.
And when he's pushed next, there's nothing beneath his feet.
I can't swim.
.
.
II.
Sunset comes and goes. Darkness descends upon them.
Cassian and Melshi keep running.
They've only just begun to slow down when Melshi's hoarse voice extends out to him through the quiet, carrying a question he hadn't realized the other man had missed the answer to. "What did he say?"
Cassian nearly trips, bare feet sore from crossing the rocky terrain. He uses it to delay his answer. "He was telling us that he couldn't swim."
It's a few more beats before he realizes that Melshi's stopped completely; and for all the trouble Kino had given the man, he's actually grieving.