Page 91 of Dark Chains: First Link
"People, mostly. Faces. I also draw scenes from my imagination. Places I've never been. Sometimes I draw the garden, or the children playing, but I like making up places the most."
"Imaginary landscapes?"
"Yes. Mountains covered in snow, cities with tall buildings, rivers, rocks, trees, and butterflies. All sorts of things." She smiled shyly. "Magical beings that don't exist."
Sullha liked the girl.
"I'd love to see your drawings," Sullha said.
Asira's eyes widened, turning the size of saucers. "You would?"
"Of course."
"You can come to my room after our shift. My roommates are used to visitors looking at the walls."
"The walls?"
Asira grinned. "You'll see."
"I'll need to bring my son. His classes end before my shift does, and I don't like leaving him with anyone."
"How old is he?"
"Five."
"Bring him. I love children. They're the best audience because they say exactly what they think. Adults don't want to hurt my feelings, but children tell it like it is."
Sullha chuckled. "That's my Tomek. He has no filter."
"Perfect. I'll draw his portrait if he sits still long enough."
"Good luck with that. He has the attention span of a lizard."
"Lizards are very patient when they're basking in the sun, and if you are very quiet. I drew one once. It posed for me for hours. In fact, I thought it was dead, but then it scampered away."
The conversation had been effortless. Asira talked about her art the way Sullha talked about the garden, with passion and authority.
The rest of the lunch shift passed in the routine rhythm of cooking for hundreds. Washing, chopping, stirring, serving. The work was monotonous, but Sullha didn't mind because her mind was busy evaluating what she'd learned about Asira.
Yaaf had asked her to find out if Asira could be trusted, but it wasn't something that could be answered after just one conversation. Still, first impressions mattered, and Sullha's first impression of Asira was good.
The girl hadn't been defeated by this place. There was still a spark in her, and that was the most important observation. The enclosure ground people down, and most women eventually succumbed to the blankness that came from years of captivity and violation.
Asira was still very young, and she talked about her art with a light in her eyes that the enclosure hadn't managed to extinguish. She must be either very resilient or very stubborn or both, and in Sullha's experience, those were the people you could count on.
35
SULLHA
After the serving was done and the next shift began the cleanup, Sullha headed out to collect Tomek from Saphira's class.
"We're going to visit someone," Sullha told him as they walked along the path between the dormitory buildings.
"Who?"
"A girl named Asira. She draws pictures."
Tomek was not impressed. "Drawing is for girls."
