The One Who Stayed
Easton strives to earn the trust of a reclusive older woman. As Easton secured his boat to the floating dock, the August sun baked its unrelenting heat into his skin. For months, he'd been bringing supplies out to this island in the middle of the river, and for months, he'd wished for cooler temperatures. It would soon be fall, he told himself. The thought cheered him until a darker one took its place: come fall, I might not need to make this trip anymore. He was always relieved to...