Ant woke with a start the next morning.
He still had his arms wrapped around Dec and cautiously peered at him to check he was still breathing.
Thankfully he was...just.
"Morning Decs" Ant whispered.
He sat up and removed his T shirt that was covering Dec,it was getting warm again now so Dec didn't need it.
Ant felt exhausted,no doubt from the emotion of the previous evening,his mind had been working overtime thinking about Dec as he drifted off to sleep and also when he woke up.
Thoughts of Dec now occupied his mind every moment of every day,wracking his brain as to what he could do to help him.
Ant glanced down at Dec and announced with a heavy heart "I don't know what to do Dec"
He decided to get himself something to eat and made his way to the pile of mangoes and avocados.
The avocados still weren't properly ripe,so he had yet another breakfast of mango and water.
It did give him an idea though,as he sat sucking the sweet,juicy flesh of the mango.
He quickly opened another one,scooping out the insides with his fingers,breaking it up as much as he could before placing the insides back into the half oval shell.
Then he began to pummel it into the peel with his knuckles until it was practically nothing but juice.
He carefully carried it back to the shelter and placed it down next to Decs bed.
"Got something for you Dec" Ant smiled.
He sat down at Decs head,pulling Dec up towards him,so that he was resting against his chest and out of the position he'd been laying in for days.
Ant was worried that moving Dec like this would actually finish him off,but he had to try something,if it didn't work then so be it,but at least he'd know he had given it his best shot.
After moving Decs head slightly over onto his left arm,Ant carefully picked up the mango shell and it's contents,determined not to spill a drop.
He slowly brought it up to Decs mouth and squeezed the shell slightly to make a slight spout.
"Come on Decs" Ant whispered "open up that mouth of yours that you never usually keep shut"
Of course there was no response from Dec as he lay lifeless in Ants arms,so Ant managed to gently prise his lips slightly apart with the shell,although he couldn't help but spill a bit of the juice in the process.
"Come on Dec" Ant encouraged "let's do this shall we?"
He slowly tipped a tiny bit of juice into Decs mouth,which immediately dribbled straight back out again,dripping down Decs chin.
Ant repositioned the two of them,so Dec was laying down more.
"Try again" he muttered to himself.
This time he managed to keep the liquid in Decs mouth,although he didn't know whether he'd actually be able to swallow it or not,or even if what he was attempting to do was even a good idea.
Dec began to make spluttering noises as the liquid slid down his throat.
"Decs" Ant said worriedly "try and swallow it pet"
Ant doubted any of that mouthful went down either,but he was determined to keep on trying,that was all he could do.
He wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he'd let Dec die without at least trying something.
