She was exhausted. That much was obvious to anyone who happened to pass by the frail girl who sat under the cherry tree hugging her knees tightly to her chest. The edges of the blue sky were beginning to tinge pink and the clouds were laced with gold. It was the time of day when children playing in the park would hold onto one another’s hands as they made their way home, but not for her. She sat alone, exhausted from all the tears.

Closing her eyes, she drifted off into sleep. Eventually one of her brothers would find her.