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Leadem, Christopher

"The Mantooth"

'
BUT THIS IS AWFUL, she thought. HIS TIMING IS TERRIBLE. She fought
back the urge to say, 'And what if I don't want my freedom? Did
it ever occur to you that I might feel the same way about you?'
Instead she said nothing. So be it.
And here Kalus made a fundamental error of human psychology. For while
on an intellectual level a woman may be pleased at the prospect of her
‘freedom', on an instinctive or emotional level, and with a man
she loves, such words are a source of deep doubt and insecurity. If
Kalus truly wanted and needed her, why wasn't he willing to guard her
love, even fight for it? Didn't he care anymore?
But all such thoughts passed through her below the surface only. Her
one concern now (so she told herself) was for their welfare, which he
seemed to be taking far too lightly.
'And what if we're stranded here for a month? Our supplies
won't last half that long.'
'I don't think we're stranded, or alone..... I saw the lights
again last night.'
These words worked on her system like an electric shock.
'What! Why didn't you wake me?'
'You needed sleep more than water, or even air. Please don't fight
with me, Sylviana. Much could happen this day. I don't want it to
begin with a rift between us.'
She paced back and forth in the deep sand, her strides sinking, failing
to carry her any meaningful distance before doubling back.


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