Our feet squelched in the mud as we walked to the makeshift camp. Ayamin held my arm, I was still angry, but the further we walked the more it faded into a kind of sadness. 

The entire camp – from the tents to the ground was a muddy brown, like all the green had been trampled out by the hundreds that called it home. Little pools of water sat in the holes made by people’s footsteps. 

 We found a quiet corner near the woods and slowly set up our tent.

Eventually we had our faded Winnie the Pooh keeping watch as we climbed inside. Ayamin threw off her boots and lay on the inflatable mattress. She sighed, then held a hand to her eyes. I lay down on the mattress beside her, staring up at the roof. 

‘What a crap day.’

 Her fingers touched my forearm then slid down, across my palm and into my hand.

‘Danny?’ Her voice was so soft I could barely hear it, ‘Can I be negative for a moment?’

‘I’m all ears.’

‘I don’t think we’re going to make it.’ 

I paused for a moment, I could hear the sound of her breathing, and the squelch of someone walking outside. 

‘Okay… That’s too negative, how about something more insulting than negative – like calling those guards a gang of assholes.’

I reached up a hand and brushed the side of her face, ‘We’ll get past them. Don’t you worry.’

She laughed for a beat, but her tears were starting, ‘After that someone else is going to try to stop us, and then someone after that. Everyone hates us.’

‘Everyone’s an asshole then.’

 I reached out and held Ayamin. Her quiet sobs shook her chest. 

I didn’t say anything, I just held her tighter. It felt like I was trying to hold her together.