As M’traliel searched day after day for the missing Jahrae, Jahrae for her part had made her way – over the course of several days – into the known feminist stronghold of the southeast quadrant of Arrhazon.

The close call with the government agent had scared Jahrae, driving her deeper underground, though she knew not the ways of this world. Over the days, she had been mugged and almost raped, a quick move upward with her knee had been precisely aimed – those strenuous workouts with her wife had some benefits – and so she managed to get away.

Fortunately she still had plenty of cash, only a little had been taken in the mugging, before the assailant grew too skittish to continue searching her. And Jahrae still had an ample supply of her drug of choice.

Now firmly within the southeast area, she felt more at ease, though such thinking was irrational – no one here would recognising her as llhaesa’s wife.

She was wrong.

Jahrae spent nights searching for closed in, out of the way places, where she could feel sufficiently secure long enough to get some rest. The mugging came on her second night. Since then, Jahrae paid increased attention to her surroundings, and to those who came within range of her.

The elsferodol was having a diminishing effect, and as this ratcheted down, Jahrae increased the dosage, trying to maintain the pain numbing she so desperately sought. The drug proved only mildly helpful, for Jahrae would have long bouts of uncontrollable grieving. Walking along, the sadness would wash over her as if engulfed in some Oceanside tsunami and Jahrae would collapse on the spot, where she would remain there were no more tears to cry. The sadness was still there, but her body could no longer accommodate the needs of that sadness, sort of like being reduced to dry heaves, but in an emotional way.

A week after she left her flat, Jahrae moved slowly along the sun drenched General Hrectshra Boulevard (though locals refused to use this name, and instead defiantly referred to it as E’sphara Way.) As she passed by the outdoor, half occupied seating of a smallish café, 3 women were busy having lunch while engaged in lively banter.

As Jahrae came into their field of view, one of them felt the pull of familiarity. “I know this person!” Jesnsera muttered, her voice barely audible. Her companions looked at Jahrae as she passed, then back to Jesnsera. “Oh?” the two searched for an explanation simultaneously and in tandem.

Jesnsera felt strongly she knew Jahrae, and so she dove down deep into the stored information in her mind. After a few seconds had passed, the Nenseru Woods Concert floated into consciousness. “Llhaesa… she is llhaesa’s wife!” Jesnsera had been close to the right side of the stage at Nenseru, and thus had seen many of those who were in the private but open area by the stage. “Something is not right…” As this thought came into her mind, she was out of her seat and moving rapidly out of the café space, towards Jahrae. She closed the distance in seconds, then attempted conversation. “Excuse me…” she began, unsure of where to go once started. Jahrae looked back with definite surprise, as if she was long lost in her own thoughts. She kept on walking, Jesnsera keeping pace.

Jesnsera fumbled for more words. “I’ve seen you before, and something triggered my memory… Nenseru Woods…” she was hoping Jahrae would help her find the words she lacked.

And indeed, the words triggered. Jahrae stopped walking and looked into Jesnsera eyes, doing so with the pain of an entire world showing through. Jesnsera was taken aback; her acute empathetic side immediately became overloaded.

Wrapping a guiding arm around Jahrae, she gently guided her into reversing direction, on back to where Jesnsera’s friends watched her work with the stranger, rightly anticipating an interesting story was about to be shared with them.

As Jahrae turned into the café area, her legs symptomatically gave out, her mind shutting down as it moved into self-preservation mode. Jesnsera caught her on the way down, her friends springing to their feet to assist.