Chapter 72: This Mad World
The morning sun crept slowly over the horizon, casting a golden hue that bathed the world in a deceptively peaceful glow. The group moved along the cracked, weary highway, their footsteps crunching softly against the crumbling asphalt.
Zara walked a few paces ahead, her eyes flicking between the road and Leo, cradled in her arms. The doctor’s help had made a difference, but there was still a tight knot in her stomach, one that wouldn’t let her relax, no matter how much time passed.
Leo’s pale face, still flushed from fever, was tucked against her chest, his body limp as she cradled him against her. His forehead was cool now, but the fever had taken so much from him, and though he appeared to rest more deeply now, she knew it wouldn’t be enough.
Every few minutes, she would adjust his position, her hands lingering as if to reassure herself of his presence.
"How’s he doing?" Winter’s voice broke the silence.
She adjusted his blanket and glanced over her shoulder at Winter.
"Leo seems a little better," Zara murmured, her voice breaking the stillness. "The doctor’s help did something, but I’m still worried."
Winter nodded, his expression understandable. "Like I said, he’s stronger than he looks," he replied, his voice a low rumble. "We’ll get him through this."
They walked in silence for a while longer, the only sounds the crunch of gravel and the distant calls of unseen birds. Zara’s thoughts drifted to the people they had encountered the night before.
She bit her lip, a thought tugging at her mind. "Call me crazy but...They seemed... genuine, those people," she mused. "I know we can’t trust easily, but they didn’t feel malicious."
Winter’s jaw tensed slightly. "No, I didn’t sense malice either. But in times like these, taking chances can cost more than we can afford."