Small hands tremble as they grasp her dying mother's fingers, petal pink lips wobbling as the girl fights back her growing tears. Warm brown eyes weakly meet her daughter's wide navy blue stare, a soft smile tugging the corners of the woman's mouth. She shakes her head softly, beckoning her daughter closer into an embrace. Nimble fingers caress Zerena's long, royal blue hair.

"Hush now my darling, don't cry." She murmurs faintly, a cough working her way through her throat. "I'll always be with you, even if you cannot see me. Here-" The frail woman reaches back to unclasp the locket from around her neck. "A family heirloom, given to me by my own mother, and her mother before her." The girl looks up then, her eyes red and somewhat swollen as she gazes at the dainty, tear shaped locket in surprise.

Within moments, the necklace is placed around Zerena's small neck, the silver chain dainty against her pale skin. "It's really mine?" She whispers, voice cracking as she realizes just what that means. An heirloom, passed down before it was supposed to be. "No, Mother. I-It's yours!" She exclaims, wanting to give the thing back if it meant not losing the one person she loved and cared for.

"Shh," Sarah whispers, placing a finger against Zerena's lips. "As long as you wear this, I will be with you." She moves her hand to caress the girl's cheek, brushing the stray hairs away. Zerena leans into the touch, her eyes closing as she trembles once more. She could feel her tiny heart cracking within her chest, threatening to fall apart at any moment. She knows the end is soon, but all the girl wants is just a little more time.

"What do I always tell you, my darling? What are you supposed to do when you're feeling sad?" Zerena is pulled into her mother's arms at the question, her head tucked into the space between Sarah's head and shoulder. She can feel the softness of her mother's chocolate brown hair tickle her face. She draws in a breath, willing her voice not to crack this time as she speaks the words they had recited to each other over and over again.

"To be strong like the river, to flow through life with no regrets..." Zerena swallows hard, shuddering when she hears her Mother's breathing grow shallow.

"And?" The woman prompts softly, her grip loosening around Zerena's shoulders.

"And . . . To never forget the time spent with the ones we love." The last word comes out as a sob and Zerena tucks her head deeper into Sarah's chest.

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"I love you, my River. Never forget that."

When Zerena looks up again, she finds her mother's eyelids to be closed. No longer can she hear her breaths or feel the rhythm of a beating heart. Everything else goes silent and time seems to go still. She sits back, her head shaking as her tears finally fall freely.

"Mom!" She shouts, swallowing thickly. "You can't leave me." She murmurs, resting her forehead against her Mother's, hating how her skin is already cooling.

"Zerena." A voice of ice has her head snapping to the doorway of the bedroom. Her father stands there, his expression like stone. "It's time to go."

"Go?" She whispers, turning to look at her Mother one last time. "Go where?"

"I've made arrangements for you to stay elsewhere. Now that Sarah is gone..."

Gone. Oh how she hated that word with every fiber of her being.

"The deal that I've made with her is up. You're being sent away, the Traders have arrived to collect you." Zerena's head swivels once more to look at him, her breath catching in her tiny throat. There wasn't an ounce of teasing in his tone, though she knew her father never joked.

The Traders? Like the Slave Traders? No, no!

"No! I can't go! Please, Nolan, don't send me with them!" She begs, even as two large men stalk past him and towards her, each grabbing either side of her small arms. Zerena thrashes, trying to find some way to squirm out of their hold. But there was no use. A child is no match for the brute strength of these men.

"Now that your mother is gone, I have no ties to you. You were a mistake, Zerena." He sneers, pale eyes narrowing. "One that I'm glad to finally be rid of." Nolan lifts a hand, signaling the men that their work here is concluded. "Take her away, gentlemen."

And so they drag her out of her home, her bare feet digging into the polished wooden floor. She begins to scream, continuing to pull and twist and fight the few steps towards the wagon that sits waiting for her. One of the guards releases her to open the door, the other tossing her in unceremoniously. She hits the wall with a thud and feels a resounding crack against the back of her head.

"No! No!" She cries, making to crawl towards the exit. But the Traders simply laugh and slam the door in her face. She hears clicking and a sob leaves her at the realization that they've locked her inside. Zerena moves to sit against the wall, her knees drawn to her chest. When the wagon begins to move she closes her eyes, a heavy feeling of dread settling through her bones. Wherever they were taking her, she knew she had no hope of survival.

Zerena has heard stories of the Slave Traders from the other children and understands that they are not kind people. No one knows what happens to the poor souls that end up in their care, or where they end up. She's never heard of anyone surviving, let alone escaping them. But there's a part of her, deep down, that hopes that maybe she can be the first.

I won't just flow through life, I am going to crash through it. The waves of my revenge will tear everyone who touches it apart. I will be stronger than the river.

I will be a tidal wave.