Page 50 of Us Dark Few

Khalani glanced over at the drawer Winnie hastily put the journal in. The fervor of Winnie’s reaction took her by surprise. She’d never even seen her move that fast before.

“Winnie, if you don’t mind me asking, what were you working on when I came in?” she asked nonchalantly as Winnie pulled out the typewriter.

Winnie paused for a moment, and Khalani noticed the slight tension in her shoulders.

“Don’t worry about it, dear, just writing down my old collective thoughts. It would no doubt bore you.” Winnie swatted the air and turned quickly to her typewriter.

She was lying.

Khalani knew it. She could tell by the slight tremble in her hand and the lower pitch of her voice. Why would she lie about a journal?

Maybe it was just a diary or something, she thought, trying to explain the weird encounter away.

Khalani turned to the books on the desk. Her finger traced along the cover of one of the thick novels. “Gone With the Wind,” she repeated.

Winnie swiveled to Khalani with a gentle smile, all traces of discomfort gone. “One of Winnie’s favorites. You should read it.”

“Is it an instruction manual about dealing with wind on the surface?”

Winnie bent over and nearly choked with laughter as Khalani stood there with a bewildered expression.

“I’m sorry, my dear. I’m sorry. It’s just funny how we think books are all instruction manuals or history lessons.” Winnie wiped a stray tear from her eye, still chuckling. “The story is about love and strife, based in a time long before the Great Collapse. A classic of their day.”

Her brows furrowed as Winnie excitedly handed Khalani the heavy text. “But what’s the purpose if it’s not teaching anything?”

“Sweet girl, the purpose is about life.” Winnie’s raised her hands in emphasis. “These books aren’t meant to train or give a history lesson. They are meant to stir the mind and the soul. To immerse you in the wonders and hardships of love, the most powerful force in the universe,” Winnie concluded with a smile.

“That’s not the most powerful force.”

Winnie tilted her head to the side. “What did you say, dear?”

Khalani traced her fingers over the gold writing on the cover. A deep weight rumbled in her chest, forming a lump in her throat. All it took was the thought of them.

Gone, like the wind.

The most powerful force wasn’t love.

“It’s death. That’s more powerful.”

Death came for all and spared none. Death was more certain than life. Her assured demise hurtled toward her at full speed, faster than a bullet.

Her thoughts shifted to Takeshi again. What possessed her to ask him for help if the inevitable ending was the same? She couldn’t stop what was coming. Why should she even fight?

What was the point?

Winnie clasped her hands together, staring at her white knuckles as if they held unwritten answers. The silence extended. She was the first one to break it.

“You know,” Winnie said, “Winnie used to have a daughter.” Khalani’s head snapped up. Winnie had never mentioned a daughterbefore.

“Her name was Sarah,” Winnie’s soft voice echoed through the room, and everything ceased. Like all that existed in the world was Winnie’s story.

“Winnie didn’t plan for it. She would run off at night in secret with a nobleman. Because of his wealth and influence, he couldn’t be seen with someone as poor as her. But Winnie didn’t care. She was in love. When Winnie learned she was pregnant, she was overwhelmed with happiness. But he left her without even a goodbye letter once he found out.

“Winnie cried every night. Alone. Scared. She wanted to get rid of the baby. Give it to someone else to take care of because it was the object of him leaving. But then, Sarah was born. Her feet were so small.” Winnie’s lips tilted, and her eyes teared up.

“Winnie counted each finger and each toe, and she was in love with every one of them. Sarah was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. The love was instantaneous. Like Winnie’s body wasmadeto love her. The emotion was so intense, so overwhelming, like the devotion would swallow Winnie whole. Those few years Winnie had with Sarah were the happiest of her life.”

“What happened to her?” Khalani asked anxiously.

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