Away or is she . . .

     The clouds hid the moonlight as her tears turned to sobs.  The wailing wind mirrored the sound of her despair.  She found herself gasping for each breath as her knees gave way.  She discovered she had fallen upon a pile of leaves at the base of a lillyfruit tree.  The aroma filled her lungs as she continued to weep.  She knew the source of these tears, but dare not admit it to herself for fear they may never stop.
     As she attempted to forcible stop herself from crying, she began to cry more.  Then she became angry and began to pound on the ground with her hands and feet.  The more she beat, the louder she cried.  She decided to jump up and hit the tree.  As she jumped as high as she could, the ground shook her off her feet and she cried more.
     Mal-Nai attempted to steady herself, but her crippled feet would not allow it.  Again, she threw her being upon the ground and it seemed to bounce.  A rock almost jumped into her hand she grabbed it, inscribed onto it, and carefully placed it in her pocket, as her wails had become sobs.  She had no sound left in her, no hope, only despair remained in her bones.  Even the sweet lillyfruit could bring no cheer for she knew the ground shaking meant Rock Monster had found her and she was lost.
     This time there was no fight left in her.  Even Poppie told her she was alone.  All the lonely days and nights spent in the kingdom, she knew she still had Poppie.  When the last of her hiding places had been thwarted, she could somehow trust perhaps Poppie was “out there” maybe, but this time, even he had left her.
     Soon her tears turned to anger then to rage as she asked aloud, “Wait a minute!  I was not the one who left!  Where is the squad?  Why are they not looking for me?  Where has he been?  He does not know me!  None of them know me!  I quit, I quit, I quit, I quit and if I want to quit, I will!  No one can make me do this anymore!”
     Mal-Nai gathered her pack and weapon Poppie left for her and began to walk.  She did not set toward the haleakala flower nor the kingdom.  “I will find a nice tributary and build a lovely cottage.  I do not need those people,” she continued muttering to herself.  As she walked further off her path, her feet began to hurt.  She did not notice at first.  After trekking for several hours in the wrong direction, she observed her left toes cramping.  She ignored them; this pain was nothing new to her.  For years, she had felt the smarting pangs that came from these things known as feet.  She had grown numb to the searing pain that would cause others to writhe in agony.  She thought about her pebble, but she saw something, a quaint cottage, right next to a beck.  This is just how she had pictured it -- a pleasant, peaceful home, at last.  “I am away from those who would wish me harm and spies and eyes everywhere.”
     Mal-Nai entered the cottage and collapsed to the floor …