After some time, Ashrik rose to his feet. His tall shadow loomed over the grave before overlapping with the ones cast by the swaying leaves and limbs of the surrounding trees.
Lucille looked up, her gaze following the man. She was still kneeling before Violet's burial site. Her eyes were red, but she had ceased crying.
"Let's move over there." He pointed to an area closer to the waterfall. "We still have a lot to talk about, right?"
She nodded. Without a word, she stood up before following him.
The sound of the waterfall filled the air, its rhythm irregular yet nonstop. Mist drifted from it, weaving with the sunlight to form faint rainbows.
Ashrik and Lucille sat side by side on the lush grass, shaded by a tree. The ground was cool and soft. Above them, the birdsong mingled with the steady roar of the rushing water.
For a while, neither spoke. They quietly admired the calm and peaceful ambiance around them, something rare after the end of the world years ago.
