The sun rose over the shallow riverbed. Kyle’s thighs were burning. He had been running since nightfall, or maybe more accurately, stumbling since nightfall. He reached the edge of the water, and fell, rocks cutting into his knees.
His hands trembled as he let down Ashley from his back and pulled her around onto his lap.
Her head lolled back over his arm, face white. Dried blood crusted her forehead and the side of her face, sticking her gold curls to her cheeks.
Kyle put his head on her chest. His anxiety told him she wasn’t breathing, but her heart pumped rapidly against his temple. He straightened back up, reassured. For the moment they were safe, but in reality, they were in more danger than ever.
They were trapped against the edge of the river. He couldn’t swim a river while carrying Ashley – he probably couldn’t swim a river without carrying Ashley.
He ground the heel of his hands into his eyes. They were stinging he was so tired.
He looked down at Ashley, contemplating whether it would be worse to clean her wound with river water, or not at all.
He didn’t know. He wasn’t a doctor. He hadn’t asked for any of this to happen. He didn’t want to deal with it. He shouldn’t have to deal with it.
Ashley’s voice flashed through his head. Man up, Kyle. We’ve got things to do, places to save, and no one to help us.
Kyle stood up and started to pace. There had to be something he could do. Some way to make this work.
Think, Kyle.
It was hard to think when you were so tired you wanted to lay down right where you were and go to sleep.
What were the options? Swimming – not possible. Giving up – not happening. Fighting – laughable. Hiding – not likely to work.
He rubbed his face harder and stared out over the water. What a dead end.
He picked Ashley up again, his arms screaming in protest, and lugged her back to the forest’s edge. At least there they would be mostly shielded.
Maybe hiding was the best option.
He wished Ashley would wake up. He was more worried for her than he would care to admit.
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