[Isolde]
I was running fast, my small legs pumping as hard as they could through the narrow streets of the fishing town.
The smell of salt and brine filled my nostrils, mixing with the stench of my own fear and sweat. Weathered buildings lined both sides of the street, their paint peeling from years of coastal wind and spray.
Fishing nets hung from poles and doorways, drying in the night air. Old boats sat overturned on the street corners, awaiting repair.
This was a working town, a place where people went to bed early and rose with the sun to catch the morning tide.
Which meant the streets were mostly empty now, just a few stragglers making their way home from the local tavern.
I dodged around a stack of crab traps, nearly tripping over the rope that held them together.
These child
