Gaia's arms enveloped her and Thalia sank into the embrace, burying her face in her grandmother's shoulder. The tears, now that they'd started up again, didn't want to stop; they just kept on coming, the pain and exhaustion and all-encompassing fear of the day brimming over once again in wet sobs. For several long minutes, she could only cling to her grandmother, drawing in breath in long, shaky gulps.
"I don't know," she mumbled at last, without raising her head. "I don't know."
(Nameless, faceless; creatures of darkness, dwelling in shadow. You couldn't see them, wouldn't hear a thing until they were upon you, jostling, pulling, ripping with their clawed hands; as all the while the hissing voices whispered their spiteful lies...)
She bit her lower lip, fighting back another sob.
"There were so many of them, Grandmother. Everywhere. I couldn't, I-- they just kept coming."