Quillion didn’t say much he didn’t need to say much. The hug was so much more than any words could say. Penny wasn’t even aware of how much she had needed the hug until he pulled her in. She held on tight, her hand gripping his shirt tightly. She buried her face in his shoulder and the intensity of her sobs increased as she did.
Penny wasn’t sure how long she sobbed into his shoulder. Quillion didn’t let go, so she didn’t either. When the sobs finally subsided, she separated slowly and wiped her eyes. The medics were there. Any of them would have done the same. Quillion had been closest and had reached out. She was glad regardless.
”I made your shirt all wet,” she told Quillion, forcing a smile. It wasn’t an apology as much as it was a thanks. She hadn’t done anything wrong.
But Quillion had helped her get warm and he had hugged her when she had needed it. It endeared the man to her. She was comfortable with him now, and as scared as she was, she wanted to tell him. She wanted to know what she could do. But she was still scared.
Penny looked to the medics. ”Could I talk to Quillion alone please,” she asked. It wasn’t an issue of trust. She trusted them all. She just felt it would be easier to say to one person rather than three.
The medics gave her a nod and stood, stepping outside the room. For a moment she was silent, summoning her courage. She traced a pattern on the blanket, and softly spoke looking down ”When we had to abandon the ambulance and were working our way here, it was hard for them to move. The snow was high. I knew if we got to the building we’d be safe. I was scared that we wouldn’t make it, but knew the building was safe. Then the warm light came. I felt it in my stomach. And then - the snow in front of us melted.” she turned to face Quillion. ”Quillion…was that the Veil?”
Penny wasn’t sure how long she sobbed into his shoulder. Quillion didn’t let go, so she didn’t either. When the sobs finally subsided, she separated slowly and wiped her eyes. The medics were there. Any of them would have done the same. Quillion had been closest and had reached out. She was glad regardless.
”I made your shirt all wet,” she told Quillion, forcing a smile. It wasn’t an apology as much as it was a thanks. She hadn’t done anything wrong.
But Quillion had helped her get warm and he had hugged her when she had needed it. It endeared the man to her. She was comfortable with him now, and as scared as she was, she wanted to tell him. She wanted to know what she could do. But she was still scared.
Penny looked to the medics. ”Could I talk to Quillion alone please,” she asked. It wasn’t an issue of trust. She trusted them all. She just felt it would be easier to say to one person rather than three.
The medics gave her a nod and stood, stepping outside the room. For a moment she was silent, summoning her courage. She traced a pattern on the blanket, and softly spoke looking down ”When we had to abandon the ambulance and were working our way here, it was hard for them to move. The snow was high. I knew if we got to the building we’d be safe. I was scared that we wouldn’t make it, but knew the building was safe. Then the warm light came. I felt it in my stomach. And then - the snow in front of us melted.” she turned to face Quillion. ”Quillion…was that the Veil?”