Part XXI:
It took several seconds for the equilibrium to balance in his head, so that he didn’t feel as if a single step would result in collapse. Placing his right foot on a nearby rock, Artemis found it difficult to get a secure footing, doing his best to keep his center of gravity low so a misstep wouldn’t result in a face plant. Slowly and gingerly, pausing several times to let out a grunt, for he was in a great deal of pain, Artemis navigated his way on to the shore and sat down in the sand. He glanced above at the cliff edge he seemed to recall tumbling from and buried his head between his knees.
Mavis began a swift walk down towards the water. The warm mist, being carried on shore by the wind, filled her lungs with a salty film, bringing back visions of shore trips in days long gone. The sand had begun entering her shoes, caking on her sweaty feet and causing an irritating sensation. Electing to go barefoot, she slipped her shoes off, one at a time, and put her hands in them like gloves. This gave her full range of motion in her arms, which were swinging violently back and forth.
After moving along the shore for some time, heading south, a quick glance back brought her to the realization of how far she had come. Her car was no longer in sight. This did not slow down her pace, and she pushed forward. She managed to find an interesting internal rhythm in the course of her jog, forgetting several times that she didn’t even know where she was going. Suddenly, off in the distance, she saw Artemis, sitting there, looking dejected.
To be continued…
