I wanted the weight of abundance to be literal — stones in her hem, sediment in her coat, vials of water against her ribs. The Ulchi understood rivers as generous tyrants; the Asturians know coasts that keep giving whether you're ready or not. Her expression had to be satisfaction, not exhaustion — the particular pleasure of being competent at an overwhelming task. She's not drowning in the flood. She's the one who knows where it all goes. — Volt