Mill clasped and unclasped her fingers as she looked down at Mauve standing at the foot of the stairs. Mauve turned her entire body to face her, wrapping her arms around herself and staring intensely at Mill, pleading with her eyes. Mill looked up at the sky, squinted, and then glanced back at Mauve.
"Alright, I will be right behind the door," she said. "Please don't try to set out by yourself."
"I haven't even thought of that," Mauve replied.
Mauve smiled at her, though the smile felt stiff as if someone had used pins and needles to hold her face in place. She watched Mill slowly turn and walk to the door, which closed behind her as soon as she walked through it.
Mauve sighed and turned around. She was outside while the sun was out, and that was the least of her concerns. She couldn't even enjoy the scenery. Rather, she was praying the sunlight would hold on a bit longer for them to return safely. How did it turn out like this?
