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JIM SAT, LEANED UP against a tree with his hat off. His hair was wet with sweat, along with his head and body, as was most of the group. Juliette couldn't stare at him. He didn't look right.
Luckily enough for her, she was able to occupy the drawing of a seascape. Sophia and Carl had drawn it together, and gave it to her. Her finger traced along the lines of the poorly made jellyfish, curtesy of Carl.
Her eyes then flickered up, to where said children were doing schoolwork. She sat next to Lori, watching her help her son with whatever problem he was doing. Even with the world ended, their mother's want them to have a good education. Jules would like to think her mother would have the same attitude.
"Jim, take some water?" It was more of a question than a statement, but the voice made Jules turn to look at Jim. Even though she didn't want to.
Shane kneeled in front of him, a pail of water in tow. "All right," Jim replied breathlessly.
"Yeah? All right." Shane was pleased with his compliance, scooping up some of the water in the bucket for him. "Here you go, bud."
The brunet sipped on the water, before stopping and asking Shane to pour some on him. It was then Jules turned away, now uninterested in the conversation they were having.
"Sorry if I scared your boy and your little girl. Sorry to you, too, Juliette," Jim suddenly spoke up, making Lori eye him warily.
"You had a sunstroke. Nobody's blaming you." Jules hoped that it was just a sunstroke, that Lori was right, and not something more sever.
"You're not scared now, are you?" Jim asked the kids.
Sophia stared at him blankly, taking in his rugged appearance. "No sir."
A pause of silence. "Your mama's right. Sun just cooked my head is all." Dale stared at Jim, eyes blown wide in concern. The signature Dale stare, if you will.
"Jim, do you know why you were digging?" Dale asked, awaiting a response. Jim looked up at him, not sure about what to say. "Can you say?"
Jules doesn't know why, but the thought of him digging holes made her shiver. Like she knew what he was digging them for, but couldn't name it.
"I had a reason. Don't remember." Jules sucked in a breath, not knowing if she was happy with that answer or not. Dale nodded hesitantly, jaw clenched. "Something I dreamt about last night."
