Elysium Part Two. In A Landscape

  *

  ‘Reighn! Wake up.’ Dawn hissed urgently.

  ‘Nnn? What is it?’

  ‘It’s William… He’s sick.’

  Reighn sat up and put a hand to his head. ‘What’s wrong with him?’

  ‘He won’t keep anything down. Not my milk… not even water!’

  He could tell that she feared the worst. Her sunken eyes, pallid skin and tight grip told him that, but her words alone were thick with fright.

  ‘Go and wake Amber…’ he said,’ ‘She’ll know what to do.’

  ‘I know what to do!’ She spat. Then she wept and held on to him. Her sobs were as desolate as corpses. ‘I’m sorry...’

  He held her tightly as she wept and looked down at the small collection of blankets swathed around little William. In the middle of the pile was a white face, sucking at the air in silence like a fish out of water.

  ‘Hold him, Dawn…’ Reighn said, easing her from his chest. ‘Hold him and love him. It might be his last night with us.’

  His words faltered, and he felt tears spring to his eyes, but he wiped them away and pulled on his trousers.

  ‘Don’t say that…’ Dawn mewed pathetically as Reighn left to fetch Amber Summer from her home. She slowly moved towards William, fearing that her touch might sicken him further, and slowly she pulled him close. ‘Please don’t say that…’

  Chapter Eighteen.

  Stone Hill.