She sat on the steps of her back porch, smoking while listening to the enchanted playlist. Her mind was full of questions about what she had done and what it would mean for her, for Nova, for the Grove. She felt like she had opened a door she couldn't close and wondered if it was a mistake. Her heart was heavy and her mind was full. She was exhausted and hungry. Tears started down her cheeks when she felt a presence wrap around her shoulders. She took another drag , "I've met you before," she said.
"Yes, we have met before. My name is Stillwater."
Bridget nodded. Yes, she knew this spirit. Sitting cross legged on the floor of her bedroom, driving down backroads feeling pain she couldn't name. This spirit had sat with her before, unnamed but consistent.
"Thank you," Bridget said quietly.
"It is my pleasure," Stillwater replied gently. "You don't have to carry this alone. Let me hold something for you."
"No. This is mine to carry. I don't want to give any of it away."
"That's not how it works," Stillwater insisted. "You can't do this alone. Let me help you."
"No," Bridget said. "You are sitting with me. That is enough."
"I will honor your choice, but it is foolish. You won't be able to continue like this for long," Stillwater warned.
"Then it will eat alive, because I want to feel all of it," Bridget said with fiery resistance.