Ron spat. "Karen, we are out of food."

His feet were entrenched in mud. Ron's fine city clothes were now stained and rugged. He stood next to the side of his horse, searching through the small bags. Marshland surrounded us. Water swished between my legs, and the sun beat upon our domes. The birds caw above our heads, and mosquitos hungrily buzzed around us.

"I know," I replied, standing beside him. I wiped the sweat from my forehead. "You want to try pushing the wagon out of the mud again?"

"No, I am too hungry."

"Well, if you weren't rushing, darling, it wouldn't have happened."

"I wasn't expecting this to be so deep. You're the one that was rushing I was trying to keep up."

"I warned you."

My hands tested the string of the bow I had made earlier. It still didn't feel entirely right, but it would have to do.

"Are we going to be there soon?"

"No, we still have a long way to go. The wagon is slowing us down." I rubbed my hand through my hair. "I miscalculated how much food we would have needed."

Ron sighed.

"Don't worry, I will get us something to eat."

"Is there anywhere we can barter or pay with actual?"

"If we are lucky, and a merchant walks by, I suppose. Otherwise not out here."

I got on Sally and licked my dry lips.

"Do you want me to come?" Ron asked. "You tried this morning too, remember?"

I held the reins. "We can't both leave the wagon here alone. See if you can get it moving with the horses."

"I already tried that."

"I know. Try again."

Ron rubbed his exposed blonde hair. "Who is to say that we don't end up in another hole after all of this?"

"I suppose it's possible we are on the marshes."

"Weren't there any other ways?"

"It's the only way I know."

Ron sighed again.

"If it can't be done, we might have to think about leaving it behind."

"We can't leave the wagon, Karen. This cost good actual."

Ron placed his hand on the wagon, pushing it with all his might. The wagon, for its part, didn't move one inch.

"Damn it!" Ron shouted.

"Do you want to stay here next to it? Things can work itself back out when we get into Black Water, Ron."

I turned Sally and rode, not waiting for his reply. We would have to get through this. I halted and examined the plains for any sign of wildlife. I couldn't drift too far away from Ron if something happened; the marshlands could be dangerous. How far was Winston from me? Was he kicking up a storm at my expense?

Up and down the marsh, I scanned, and my eyes found nothing. Reeds swayed in the breeze.

I came to a halt. Two cranes stood a short distance before me, dipping their heads into the water. I slid slowly off Sally and drew my bow with the crude makeshift arrows. I took a breath and watched them for a moment as they observed me.

The cranes were both white and had red markings over their face. They stood majestic as they walked with beaks facing my direction. Stretching the bow back, I aimed at the bigger of the two cranes. My hand trembled as I struggled to place the arrow into the string. I pulled further and arched my back. The crane moved, and I tried to follow with my hand.

It stopped, and I loosed. The arrow flew, and the birds followed, scattering into the air.

I missed. I walked forward towards the area where the arrow landed. It was by some distance it was off. Then I found it. I found what would solve our problems for the day, cattail. There were many of them sticking out of the water.

I picked as many as I could carry and loaded them onto Sally before picking more. When I thought I had enough, I headed back toward Ron.

The wagon, still stuck, came into view in the distance. I got closer to see another horse beside the wagon and a familiar face. I drew near to see Ron and Winston pushing the wagon out of the hole it had fallen in. Winston's dark brown skin was laden with sweat. The vein bulged on the left side of his head, and his thick eyebrows shot up.

Winston's nostrils flared. "Come on, push man!"

Ron sprung his weight on the wagon. "I am trying as hard as I can."

"We're almost there. Keep pushing it."

"I am damn it."

I drew close to find the two straining to get it out. The wagon shook as the horses pulled, and the wheel came out. The two men were knee-deep in water.

"We did it!" they shouted and slapped hands as I dismounted from Sally.

"Karen, we got the wagon back. This is —"

"Winston."

"My name is Ron." Ron extended his hand to Winston, who took it. He motioned his head towards me. "And this is my woman, Karen."

"I suppose that's great. Thank you for your help with the wagon, Winston," I said before dismounting. "I have some prog, Ron. It's not much, but it should sustain us for now."

Ron wiped the dirt off his face. "Did you catch something?"

"I missed, but I found some cattail."

"Cattail, you can eat that?" Ron asked.

"I will show you."

"I have some extra prog if you guys want," Winston said.

"We couldn't ask more of you," Ron said.

"Nonsense, it's only a few things." Winston went to his horse and handed over some air tights, hot rock, and brown gargle.

"Ron," I said, but he had already taken them. I bit my lip.

Winston removed a crane off his horse and dumped it in the wagon before he mounted up.

Was he making fun of me?

Winston bent his hat and departed. He went in a different direction from us. We shortly left after him. We rode side by side carefully to ensure that it didn't fall back into the marsh.

I handed him a cattail.

"How do you eat this?"

"Eat it from the back, the white part. You can eat up to the part where it feels stringy or bitter. If it tastes like cucumber, then you're good."

Ron nodded, and we both dug into the meal. It wasn't the greatest, but it was better than nothing. Ron's vicious hunger made me feel as though I had at least accomplished something worthwhile, despite the taste.

"Another one, Karen."

"Here darling," I smiled.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Can't a girl feel happy to feed her man?"

We both chuckled.