Chapter 14. Death and Rebirth

I only realize how long I’ve stayed without eating when my stomach grumbles. Although I don’t feel like eating, my body betrays me, and I start to feel heady and weak.

I try to stand up, but then my grief grips me on choke-hold, causing me to clasp my hands on my chest as I do my best to hold back my tears even though it’s nearly stealing my breathe.

The people next to me are looking. I don’t want them to stare. I don’t want their pity either, which is why I finally manage to stand up, following a few kids running toward one side of the soggy track.

The more I walk farther from my previous spot, the windier it gets. And the stale air growing stronger only tells me there’s an ocean nearby.

The end of the track and the fields introduces a beach—a wide space clustered with small pyramid tents to the point it’s hard to see the ocean fr