Jason and Reyna: The Praetor's of New Rome - Truth

Returning the favor

"Oh my gods, I broke him." 

I paced back and forth in front of Jason's limp body. He was passed out cold and his skin had turned pale. I was terrified. I had never seen that before. Jason looked like he was possessed. Like he was possessed by.........

I sat on the ground and dug my nails into my head. No. NO. That's not it. "C'mon Reyna pull yourself together." I whispered at myself. I needed to check on Jason. He was the one that needed help right now, not me.

I crawled over to Jason and got on my knees looking down at him. I put my index and middle finger on his neck to check his pulse. Good, his pulse was steady. I put my head against his chest. Great, he was still breathing. I placed the back of my hand on his forehead. He had a fever alright. I had to get him medical attention or else his condition might become worse.

The sun had already set and the full moon shown bright in the sky, providing me just enough light to see a few feet in front of me. I considered staying put until the morning, but Jason's skin grew warmer the longer I kept my hand on his forehead. Who knows what kind of condition he could be in by then. I honestly considered leaving him there. I mean I barely knew him. I could go on ahead and get help and...........

No. That wouldn't be right. Jason dragged me along for miles and took care of me that entire time. He geniuely tried to help me with my demons, even though he barely knew me. I only knew him for a few days and I already got the sense of what kind of person he is. Jason is an obnoxiously good person. 

Farther down the river, where we had been walking down from, I thought I heard a motorboat heading down our direction. As the noise grew louder, whatever was coming our direction sounded more like a low rattle. My instincts told me that was not a boat at all. I quickly grabbed one of our back packs and stuffed whatever resources that we needed into one and through the other bag in the river. I swung the bag over my shoulders and on my back and ran over to Jason. I grabbed Jason's right arm and leg.

"Remember," my sister had told me, "once you roll through lift with your legs. You don't want to mess up your back."

I took a deep breath and quickly rolled over Jason, putting him on my shoulders with my momentum. I lifted with my legs and steadied myself. I turned and ran, the rattling close behind.

*******

 "Jason, you really need to lay off on the raw fish."

I was wadding through the marshlands. The water went up to my knees and was uncomfortably warm. Jason arms dangled loosely on my shoulders. I could no longer hear the rattling, but that didn't give me much confidence. I wanted to keep moving, but I was  running out of steam. It would have been nice to share strength with myself. 

Eventually I couldn't take it anymore. I put Jason in the water as gently as I could. I held Jason's head on my lap to keep him above water. I did what I could to get comfortable, but  there was nothing but tall grass around me. Crickets chirped around us and the grass swayed in the cool wind. The moon and stars were the only source of light. 

I  took off my back pack and placed it on Jason's head. I dug up another protein bar and bottle water. I snacked quietly, being very mindful of our surroundings. Even though we were in shallow water, I was scared out of my mind. I never liked large bodies of water and I had a huge phobia of drowning. The only reason I had decided to go through the marshland was to lose whatever was behind us.

"Reyna......." Jason mumbled. 

Well that's a good sign, I thought. I also thought it was weird that he was dreaming about me; it would be even weirder if he woke up on my lap. I finished my midnight snack and sat silently, studying Jason. I placed the back of my hand on his forehead. He wasn't burning up anymore, but was still warm to the touch. I hoped that meant he would get up soon.I tried splashing his face and pinching him.