One foot in front of the other

[Sherazade]

One foot in front of the other, in the days since the attack by and death of her bodygaurd that was how Jinni had managed to go on. Still there were moments when the shadows took on frightening and threathening steps. When fluttering shadows from trailing corners of cloth bolts, seemed like grasping hands, when it tok strength she was surprised she had not to scream.

And then in the late hours when behind sleeping lids, the attack replayed itself, in all its full glory that she awoke, tangled in sheets, soaked in sweat and unable to return to rest.

"I will go on, I won't give up. I won't" This became a whispered litany and a constant echo within her mind. She would fail to notice that threads of cloth shifted, tightened as fingers curled hard into soft palms, nails bruising and piercing flesh.