Zeetha stabbed the spearblade into the course brown earth working the blade back and forth, scouring the blood off before it darkened.

The whole village stood breathing softly, the challenge over.

Blade cleaned, she finished the ritual, stepping boldly over the body to where Saimi knelt. He stared hard at the ground trying to ignore her. She moved to let her shadow fall on him. He looked up, eyes burning with resentment, tears tracking in the dust on his face.

Chosing to ignore the weakness shown in his eyes she extended her arm, hand open, palm up. It was not a question, a firm demand. Avoiding her gaze he reached up and took her hand. She pulled him up keeping a tight hold, turned, lead him past the body through the crowd to her home. She could feel him dragging on her arm and knew he was walking looking back at the body of his previous wife, her sister no more.

The dark black ash under Zeetha’s eyes mixed with tears, for her, there was no looking back.