the wilds • toni shalifoe

Day Twelve - Part Two

Martha sang to Toni who lied in her arms while Lana lied in Fatin's. "Please, be okay," Fatin whispered, caressing her face.

Dot made her way over to the four and got onto the groaned feeling Toni's pulse and then Lana's.

She sighed with a shakey breath at the slow pulses. "Where the fuck is Leah?"

****

"What the hell happened to this bag? It's full of dirt," Dot said rummaging through the medicine.

"Um, I don't know, but the, uh, the stuff that you gave us, the antibiotic, that's gonna help, right?" Leah asked worriedly, knowing she was at fault for the messy bag that she dropped in the woods while disoriented and paranoid of Shelby.

"Yeah, they'll knock the bacteria out, and they'll help most of us, but Toni, Lana, and Martha, they need more. Halophen will help them keep water down, and I... I know we've got three." Dot found one and gave it to Leah to bring over to the group. "Third of the way there. Take it over to them. I'm gonna hunt the others ones."

Leah ran over to the three girls. Fatin had gone over to help. "I have meds for you. I have... I have a med."

"They're really bad," Martha said pointing to Lana who was discolored, and Toni who was staring straight up, lying still.

Leah lifted Lana, who was closer to her, up. She tried to get her to drink water, but Toni just coughed it up.

"Dot! Dot!" Leah's voice cracked, not knowing what to do. Dot and the other girls ran over. "The other Halophens. They're gone."

"Oh, Lord. She's in bad shape," Shelby kneeled in front of Toni. Fatin sat down next to Lana, lifting her up and having her lean against her body.

"This'll help, but there's only one that we could find for now," Dot said holding up the Halophen. "Give it to her. I can wait," Lana said breathing heavy.

"Martha, you good?" Dot asked her. "Yeah, I'll take a Pepto. I'll be good."

"Alright, Toni. I'm gonna need you to take this," Shelby looked into her eyes. "Get away from me. Give it to Lana," Toni groaned in Leah's hand who was propping her head up.

"You're doing worse than me, T. Take the pill," Lana mustered up as much energy as she could to speak like she was doing fine.

"Should Shelby really be on the front lines of this considering the shit that just went down?" Fatin asked as she fanned Lana's face.

"I got this, alright? If I put this in your hand, can you take it?" "I'm not gonna take shit from you," Toni spat. "Especially when Lana's sick."

"It'll save your life, Toni," Shelby raised her voice. "She's right. Look at me," Leah turned Toni's head towards Lana who had sat herself up more with Fatin's help so she wasn't in a slumping position.

"You need it more. Take it. Please, Toni."

"Fuck it, Shelby. Just give it to me. I'll fucking do it," Dot said frustrated. "Shelby, give her the pill," Leah spoke before a bunch of voices raised agreeing.

"Jesus fucking Christ! Am I not allowed to help her?" Shelby pushed Toni back and straddled her.

Lana watched as she plugged the girls nose to cause her to open her mouth for air which let Shelby drop the pill into her mouth.

"Swallow the fucking pill," Shelby got up close to Toni's face. Lana felt a wave of relief when Shelby stood up and Toni coughed, signaling that she had taken the Halophen.