Wilted

JP with Lorem and Omni

It was as if the ground had caved beneath Voah, the pillars that had held her aloft and supported her had crumbled and she had free fallen until she finally hit rock bottom; now a husk of a woman, a rag doll, a wilted flower.

Her movements were slow, her eyes tired and vacant. But she parted her cracked lips to let the water into her parched mouth and throat. It was another blessing. Even with her ears ringing and her vision blurred (after effects from sharing proximity with a deity) she was certain that her savior was Gonyaul, but she had no energy to muster much of a response to him except to face him wearily and regard him with gratitude. She attempted a weak smile, but it was pitiful. All the water that just entered her body seemed to leak right back out through her tear glands.

Gonyaul knew Voah well enough now to know that she was suffering from more than mere exhaustion and environmental abuse. No, something more had happened that reduced her to this withering state. He was undeterred in his attempt to keep her drinking, patient with the slow process and kindly providing as much assistance as needed.

He was proactive in recognizing how close to shutting down her physical form was. He didn’t want her to fight staying awake on his behalf, he could wait if need be.

“Please rest bu’jah. You safe now. Be right here when wake.” He helped to lay her down.

When she did move, he noticed the darting winces of discomfort and stiffness that was very uncharacteristic of her. He conjectured she was in pain, more than just the arm with the bleeding bite.

Gonyaul moved down to her legs and removed her footwear. Her feet had been saved from sunburn and he began massaging them gently as he softly hummed a Vauxian lullaby; one he had been creating in the event he ever had a child. He was trying to set the stage for her to surrender to rest.

The sweet lull and tender care from Gonyaul went on for less than five minutes before Voah's thousand-yard-stare diminished and her eyes finally closed and exhaustion took her.