Over the next several weeks, word of Lin’s remarkable abilities spread, and the number of people seeking her aid began to grow exponentially. At first it was just other kids from Travis’ school looking for renderings of lost family members or pets, but soon it spread to adults, elder fey, and even a few angels looking to remember the halls of heaven or the gardens of Eden.

Lin quickly recognized the wisdom of Grizz’s advice. Had she taken on all the jobs freely, she would have been worn out and incapable of enjoying the work at a certain point. But with the promise of payment, no matter how small, she had both the joy of a good deed and something a little more selfish to keep her moving forward.

Despite that extra motivation, Lin found herself belabored with commissions. She didn’t have any time off anymore. Her days were spent managing the shop, and after closing, she would work into the deep dark of night etching out the memories of those people that were loved and lost. Her work ethic was admirable. It was near impossible to sustain.

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Even as her art improved, the details livelier and their personalities shining out of the page, her eyes began to darken, and her patience withered. Avalar’s complex strings of fiery artwork became nothing more than blinding lines meant to burn the eyes. Grizz’s witty jokes and words of wisdom became inane remarks made by an empty shell of a person desperate to prove the worth of their continued existence. Nothing her coworkers did met her standards of quality, and they often found themselves pushed aside so that Lin might finish the task correctly. Rarely did taking on extra work in this manner improve her mood, but it provided a sense of control that became the duct tape holding her mind together.

Rarely did anyone notice something truly “off” about Lin. She never made a rude remark or dropped her kind smile. Even a roll of the eyes would have been out of character for her. Lin had spent so long being wholly kind and deferential to the needs of others that even as her repressed anger and frustration began to bubble out of her skin and mouth, it came in such a way as to make the victim of such wrath walk away with a confused smile, unsure of what just happened.