Abby wrestles with herself hard for a moment, knowing what she should probably say here and not wanting to, dreading it. If she says it now, neither of them can go back.
"... Okay." Great. She's a coward. "I'll keep looking too."
And she will, even though she knows it's pointless. She's not gonna ask anybody else if they've seen Ellie though, there's no need to start a manhunt over it; from a distance her brisk pace will look like she's exercising or running an errand rather than searching for somebody. She grabs her crystal again. "Come back before it gets dark." It's not a request, it's an order. She's not gonna deal with something preventable and stupid happening to Clarisse on top of Ellie being gone.
Oh, god. She's gone.
The weight of it slams into Abby like a baseball bat. She gasps like there's no air in her lungs, pausing to heave down a couple breaths. She has to wait for that heavy, sick feeling to subside, to be certain she's not about to throw up — then she keeps walking, to go check the tent.
no subject
"... Okay." Great. She's a coward. "I'll keep looking too."
And she will, even though she knows it's pointless. She's not gonna ask anybody else if they've seen Ellie though, there's no need to start a manhunt over it; from a distance her brisk pace will look like she's exercising or running an errand rather than searching for somebody. She grabs her crystal again. "Come back before it gets dark." It's not a request, it's an order. She's not gonna deal with something preventable and stupid happening to Clarisse on top of Ellie being gone.
Oh, god. She's gone.
The weight of it slams into Abby like a baseball bat. She gasps like there's no air in her lungs, pausing to heave down a couple breaths. She has to wait for that heavy, sick feeling to subside, to be certain she's not about to throw up — then she keeps walking, to go check the tent.