Year of the Roses

Floral Season

The Hut

Kintil

Isla

I'M OUTSIDE WITH MOTHER and Mavli plucking pumpkin leaves for soup when a deafening thumping of hooves against the Earth is heard. Frightened, we rush inside and hide only peeping out through the windows.

"It could be them again!" Mavli's lower lip starts to quaver.

Mother's lips move wordlessly with silent prayer.

Carriages come in view, hundreds of them. Some of the carriages speed by and ...