The sand is warm and damp between her toes, and the dock shades her from the glaring sun above. The air always tastes salty and crisp here, and she's happy just to breathe and be alive. Usually, she comes here to daydream, but today, the woman would rather that her mind be filled with nothing but the sound of the waves and the shine of sunlight on the water. Anything else will only bring nightmares that she can't escape by waking.
The waves tickle her toes now. Soon, it'll be high tide, and she'll have to leave her little den of seashells and dried sea stars to be washed away. But she can't leave now, not they are up there, not while she can hear him whispering things he should only say to her into the other woman's ear. Her hands are clapped over her ears, but she can still feel his words pounding inside her head.
Silent tears fall as a moan filters through the boards. An I think we should go somewhere more private leaves her shaking, but not as much as the giggle that follows it. She wishes she could be jealous or hate him for it. More than that, she wants to be able to do something to stop what she knows will happen later, might be happening now, that she could throw herself at that monster and make her suffer for what she's going to do to him. Maybe she could get away with it; she is a poor, mad girl, after all. But she knows she can't, for though the president allows his Victors many luxuries, getting away has never been one.
.oOo.
A/N: And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes By Any Other Name. Thank you so much for reading, and I really hope you've enjoyed these! The last chapter was Enobaria, and this is Annie Cresta. Thanks for any reviews/follows/favorites/etc., your interest really means a lot to me.