The boy drifted towards the black sand , his head striking against an irritatingly placed rock . He dragged his brother ’ s body onto the shore and watched his blank face . He felt nothing . Should he ? As usual , emotion was forced .
“ Arkhas ? Arkhas where are you ?” The words cut through the pale dawn marked with the accent of a gutter born . The boy rolled his eyes and turned towards the speaker . Her hair was the usual bleached white of the world ’ s islanders ; the dry strands rain etched on her pallid skin . The boy rolled his eyes as she started to tie it in an overcomplicated knot . As if she could make that soggy rat on her head look any better !
“ Sister ? What do you wish to bore me with now ?” His sister made what Arkhas thought could have been a snort . He couldn ’ t tell under those overly adorned lips . “ Please , we ’ ve gone through this before , and every time it bores me . Just shut up .” Again , another snort . How predictable . He followed his sister ’ s eyes to their brother ’ s corpse . How did it take her that long ? More blind than he thought . The boy flourished his hands over the cadaver .
“ Did you kill him ?” The question took him by surprise , and she didn ’ t
give him a chance to reply . ” Did you kill him ?”
“ No .” He ’ d had enough . The boy turned and walked in the direction of the dawn sun .