~ Lina ~

Reflection Of Suffering

"What do you think?"

"Dunno. What do you think?"

"Dunno."

The two watchmen that had found the girl stood over her still form, looking down at her. One of them lit a cigarette.

"Think she's dead?" he asked, as he passed the cigarette over.

"Dunno," said the other watchman. He took a couple of puffs then handed the cigarette back. "Looks dead."

The girl was lying on her back as if she'd collapsed, wearing a simple green dress that was torn and muddied. She had the type of good solid build that came from working hard every day. A farm girl, in fact. Her hair was dark brown, long and wild, covered with leaves and twigs and mud, partially covering her face, which was simple and plain—not pretty, not ugly, just a face.

"Don't think she's breathing," said the second watchman. The first watchman took a long drag on the cigarette to finish it off, then flicked the butt out into the darkness. He put down his lantern, knelt beside the girl, and reached out to feel for a pulse...

"I'm sorry. I really am."

Lina didn't say anything, just looked away and blushed.

"Look ... you're younger than me, for a start—"

"It's fine," Lina mumbled.

"I'm sorry," Adam repeated. He shook his head. "I have plans, you know? If I was like the other boys here ... I think you're quite sweet, and your hair is nice, braided like that, but you're just too ... too ordinary."

Lina watched Adam as he strode away, trying not to think about how much she loved the way he walked, each step so sure, and he did this little flick with his foot every three steps or so that made her chest go tight, and his hair always looked so ... so something, all messy and wild but in a good way, and his hands were so nice, big but not BIG big, not like Lina's sausage-fingered older brothers—

"There you are. Mum's gonna break a lung screaming at you. What are you doing out here in the orchards, anyway?"

Lina shook her head as she walked briskly past her sister.

"Oi, Nail!"

Lina scowled at the nickname, but stopped walking.

"That's better," said her sister. She pinched Lina's wrist as she came close, her grin crooked and knowing. "You must really like him."

Lina didn't say anything, although she knew that her traitorous cheeks were giving her away.

"Awww, there it is! Ruddy old Lina, can't tell a lie. Come on anyway, I wasn't kidding about Mum, she's got me and Terry and Gerty and Julia and Hob AND Hetty out looking for you—"

"I haven't been away that long," Lina mumbled. "Seems like a waste of sweat. Sending everyone after me."

"Reckon Mum might be squashing rebellion before it grows, you being away from your chores for any sort of time's rare enough. Like I said, you must really like him to break your good girl habits."

Lina blushed.

"Shut up, Ursula," she mumbled.

"Well, well, maybe you are becoming some kind of rebel!" Lina's big sister laughed heartily, then reached out to pinch her cheek. "And such a modest little rebel, too."

Lina made an annoyed grunting sound as her sister pinched her, though it didn't hurt at all, then dutifully followed after her, heading back to the farmstead and a hard afternoon of mucking out the pig pens.