A Family

Sick

  You hear soft crying and frown. Going to the car you open the door and see Parker clutching his stomach sitting in the corner. You climb in and approach him, putting your hand on his knee to get his attention.

  "What's wrong, baby?" You ask and he sniffles.

  "Hurt."

  "Where?"

  "Tummy." He says and you help him remove his shirt. He didn't have any injuries.

  As you examine him, you realise he's hurting from being hungry. Not just hungry, he was getting ill by the little rations you have eaten lately. You have been worried about this and noticed it slowly progressing. Telling Mia to keep Parker company, you walk around the jeep to Ethan.

  "Husband." You say and he looks at you. "We need to talk."

  He frowns and turns all his attention to you.

  You sigh. "Parker is starving."

  "I know. We all are."

  "No, you don't understand, Ethan. He's getting sick." You tell him. "He needs food more than us, Mia too, but especially Parker right now."

  Ethan looks around and facepalms anxiously. "Mitch lost the fishing rod last time and we're not anywhere near water anyway. I asked the locals in the city, they told me about the closest place to hunt for anything, and that's all the way to were we already have our cars.. We don't have enough fuel to go back. What we have won't get us anywhere from there."

  "But there we would at least we'd be able to hunt." You say.

  "Yes, but we don't have enough to pay for the train yet. Without it, the walk is too long. We almost didn't make the trip here.. There's nothing on the market?"

  "Not anymore. People are struggling as it is here. I have begged strangers, Ethan. They're all hungry and need it themselves. And it's like people here don't think kids are gonna make it anyway, so they don't bother trying to help when they can help themselves." You tell him and sit down. "I even gave a shot at singing on the street even though I knew it wasn't going to work, at least some smiled and maybe they'll change their minds about sharing what they have if they like us." You shrug tiredly.

  Ethan tries to think and mumbles to himself as he tries to figure something out.

  "I.. There was this man.." You say, feeling uncomfortable thinking about it, but you will do anything for your children.

  He frowns at your uneasy expression, his protective instincts kicking in immediately. "What man?"

  You sigh. "When I was out begging.. One of the men I asked, he.. He said he would give his rations if, uh.. If I.."

  "No." Ethan shakes his head with an angry look. "Who was it? Take me to him, right now."

  "Ethan-"

  "No! Stop Yn. Our kids wouldn't want that anyway. You are not going to offer yourself like that to anyone!"

  "I'm not offering, Ethan, I am desperate!" You stand up with tears in your eyes. Your voice gets low and shaky as you look at him. "I can't just watch them die."

  "You won't." He moves close and caress your head. "I'm not gonna let them. Just give me some more time. I'm gonna talk with Jason about when we'll be able to leave and Carlos if he thinks there somewhere closer we can hunt. How long can you make the rations last?"

  "I can make it last for two weeks maybe, but Ethan.. Parker will still get sick."

  "We'll give him my rations."

  You roll your eyes with an annoyed sigh. "You can't, Ethan. You're the last person to give yours away. You and I need to be able to protect them, we can't do that if we get sick too. Then their deaths are certain."

  Ethan wipes your tears and kiss your forehead, then lean his against yours with a shaky sigh. "Okay.. Just make it last for as long as you can and we'll figure something out."

  "Okay." You whisper, trying to get encouraged by his attempt at optimism.

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