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There was a yellow child on a rock wearing nothing but a tattered white dress,
and a big smile that showed teeth.

The young man reached out
(with his hand? with his heart?)
under the tall trees bending under the sea breeze,
and wrapped his cloak around those tiny shoulders.

He noticed the burn marks that spread across that small back;
and he saw a pair of snapping jaws that ended just above the shoulder blade,
a malicious eye peeked out from the holes in the dress,
with claws that encircled around the neck promising death.

'That's quite a vicious pet you have on your back there.'
'His name is Daniel. I think he's cute.'

The stench of flesh rotting under the sun rose and fell with the coming of the tide,
and he tentatively peered over the cliff
to greet the sight of the wreckage by the rocky shore.

There was a caravan,
two sturdy work horses
a man,
two women,
and a girl-
all shells bearing pathetic resemblance to their former selves.

'Were you in that accident? Is that how you got Daniel?'
'No, I wasn't. The little girl was, though.'
'Was?What happened?'
'The horses went crazy. They charged full speed towards the cliff and went whoop straight down. But she fell out in between all that racket, and had a bit of a tumble by the tree there. She seemed to be very sad about being left behind. But it's alright now. I pushed her down so that she gets to be with her family again.'

The waves made a loud crash against the cliff,
but all he heard was the roar of blood as his heart hammered loudly in its ribcage,
and all warmth escaped his body.

The image of the little child before him flickered,
but he tried to focus on the mop of yellow hair,
large amber eyes with a curious gaze,
and a Daniel riding on that small back.

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