An hour later, Easther rubbed her small round belly and let out a quiet burp of satisfaction. Beside her, Zaki Lee exhaled a low groan, equally content. In front of them, a mound of fish bones was stacked like a miniature hill.
Anyone stumbling upon the sight would be struck dumb—if told that a single man and a small girl had devoured it all, they would think it impossible, or else absurd.
The two unlikely gluttons, having stuffed themselves with nearly thirty fish, now felt a strange heaviness settle over their bodies. The hunger that had gnawed at them for days was silenced, replaced by a languid drowsiness. With dawn not far off, they silently agreed to rest and recover their strength.
The cold, damp cave was no bedchamber, but fatigue demanded surrender. They settled down on the rou
