I smile at Chris, his good arm tenderly enveloping Ayana in a love she appears to have been missing.

But the moment can only last so long. We have to get to that river and then the nearest village to try to find a generous soul who'll give us food, if only a scrap of bread.

Plus, I'm still worried about Chris.

"Chris, are you going to be able to walk?" I ask.

His head still down towards Ayana, he moves his eyes and peers up at me. He takes a breath to start talking but what comes out is a hiss of pain and not words.

"Oh gosh," I mutter anxiously under my breath. Pressing my hand against his forehead as he lets out a coughing fit, I ask, "What all hurts?"

He gently pushes my hand off his head and lets himself chuckle a little.

"Ok, ok, Odette don't even worry abou-"

"Don't even worry??? You just got shot Chris and you're probably starving. Why shouldn't I worry???" I snap, despite myself.

Chris gives me a small mischievous smile tickling the corners of his lips as the rain water oddly combines with sweat to stick his hair flat on top of his head.

I feel my worry wrinkles relax as I let a smile creep up my lips. "What?" I ask curiously.

"It felt weird for you to go all motherly on me," Chris says simply.

I feel a grumble arise in the back of my throat. "Whatever," I say, honestly for once trying not to smile because I don't feel as if I should be feeling even a moment of happiness until we are sure Chris is ok.

"But, dude, honestly, can you walk?"

He reluctantly lets his face go solemn and gently takes Ayana's arm to let her know he was getting up. He puts all his weight on his good arm and oddly twists up onto his feet. He takes a couple steps and nearly keels right back over.

I react and catch him. He roughly falls into me, but the impact doesn't seem like that of a teenage boy. He was skinny to begin with... And now it only takes him a couple days to lose a significant amount of weight?

"I'll help, but we've really got to go to get you fed and- and-"

"Odette!" Chris laughs. "It's ok. I'll make it. I was... Just a little light headed getting up."

"You alright?" Ebele asks, coming up behind us with Ayana. I refuse to release my grip on Chris' arm and he really doesn't struggle to get detached from me.

"Yeah," he answers, rather weakly. "I'll-  be fine."

I bite my lip and fight the urge to pick him up and carry him like a baby, even though I'm not thinking of a reason why I shouldn't.

I swing Chris' arm around my shoulder, and we're off once again.

<><><><><><>

We drank from the puddles in the newly watered ground. The harsh truth is, it's probably safer to drink then the upcoming river water.

But how glad I am to finally see that river approaching. The sun is full out beating on our backs again and my thick hair helps nothing.

We're less than five hundred feet from the river when Chris suddenly lets out an agonizing groan that puts that pit of fear right back into my stomach. He clutches his stomach and places a death grip on my shoulder.

"Chris??? Chris what's wrong???" I ask frantically.

He just keeps moaning and hissing, his breathes coming out unevenly as he slowly sinks to the ground without ever letting go of me.

I shake my head and start mumbling, "Nonononononono," at a million miles an hour because I just don't know what else to say. Then I try to gather my senses and practically scream, "EBELE? Do you know where the nearest village is from here?"

Ebele nods quickly. "Yes, but... It take an hour at least to get there."

I drop my gaze back to Chris whose grip on my shoulder loosens significantly until finally he lets it go.

"Chris? Chris can you... Describe what's wrong???"

"I-" he starts before another horrifying coughing and gagging spell overtakes him.

A horrible thought crashes down on me so fast that I can hardly breathe.

When I was with Ayana's mother... This is how she looked and her symptoms... Weak and tormented by these... coughing fits.

Chris suddenly goes silent except for one small breathe out. His eyes roll back in his head before closing as he collapses onto the dirt.

I swear my heart skips five beats before I can react.

"NO!" I screech, terrified beyond belief and catching the attention of some of the people gathering water at the river.

"EBELE WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?" I demand, not even trying to stop the waterfall of tears pouring out of my eyes.

Ebele runs desperately over asking over and over, "Darling, is he breathing??? Ssshhh, darling calm, is he breathing?"

I take in several horribly shaky breaths and grab his wrist to frantically check for his pulse.

It took way too long to find it... And when I did it felt way too weak for my sanity.

"He's- breathing," I say, gasping between my words.

I glance over at Ayana whom we've left trembling a few feet away.

Ebele nods, somehow keeping her cool, which I'm ever grateful for.

"What's- wrong- with-him,- Ebele?" I ask again, the words coming out as only a whisper this time.

Ebele sighs worriedly. "Could be many thing. Biggest problem:" She points to his bad arm. "Poison from that may be spreading."

"What?" I gasp.

She looks up towards the river. "I get help," she says simply.

I watch her run up to one of the woman gathering water. Then I wave Ayana over.

She runs into my arms and hides herself in my chest as if wishing to disappear. I rest my chin on her head as Ebele comes back with the help she's fetched.

The new woman has her mouth covered with her hands and her eyes wide in nervous shock. She babbles on to Ebele and Ebele answers patiently as the work together to get Chris in the "new woman's" arms.

"She know of hospital nearby," Ebele says. "We follow her."

Without even a nod, I stand up, still clutching Ayana to my chest. New woman starts walking as fast as she can with a teenage boy in her arms and all I can do is follow and pray we'll make it in time.