Solitude

Ari shifted her feet, causing gravel to skitter away. Smoke made the sunset blood red. Shifting rubble broke the silence. The air was heavy with smoke and guilt. Mostly smoke. He'd deserved to be punished, after all. Echoes of the fight lingered in her mind. The warmth of the slap had long since faded, but its memory still stung. The argument had been trivial, a miscommunication about when she'd be home. He'd dragged her talent into it; he'd heard her type was irresponsible. Perhaps he was right. Ari sat, lost in memories, enjoying the stillness of the now empty planet.