The trap of kindness
The streets of the small seaside town were narrow and meandering like veins that flowed down to the sea, and they smelled of woodsmoke and salt—an earthy mixture that clung to Emilia’s coat and hair as she trudged along. Gulls whirled overhead, crying sharply as though warning her of dangers she could not yet name, while fishing boats rocked idly in the bay, their wooden hulls bumping softly against the docks. The town was quiet at this hour, too early for the fishermen and too late for the night workers. To Emilia, it appeared to be salvation, or at least the closest thing to it she had encountered since fleeing her gilded cage.
Her legs were heavy from walking. Every step felt like lifting dead weight. The thin soles of her worn shoes were soaked through, squishin
