"Hello, I know you can hear me!" Mabel half-screamed at the boy in front of her, who continued to walk briskly, seemingly ignoring her.
"Why don't you answer me?" she persisted, lifting her dress to run better.
Undeterred, the boy sped up his pace, leaving Mabel trailing behind. But Mabel refused to give up; she sprinted even faster. During her time at the orphanage, she had been the fastest child, and her agility gave her confidence.
Sullivan was now within arm's reach, and Mabel extended her hand to catch him. But just as she was about to touch him, her foot caught on a tree root that had emerged from the ground's surface. She stumbled, and both she and Sullivan tumbled to the ground.
Instead of a painful landing on hard soil, Mabel found herself in something soft, surrounded by the scent of freshly washed laundry with a hint of saltiness.
