Earlier I had said that I would rather drown than have him carry me, so I was determined to keep walking as far as I could even if I felt like my legs were going to fall off. Because we rested and ate, I was able to use the time to stretch a bit and try to warm up my legs. He had said it would take another day or two, but honestly I wanted to stop having to walk every damn day, all day, so I really wanted to make it there in one day rather than two. However I only lasted maybe an hour, and it was an excruciating hour at that. Now here I am, wanting to bury my head in the sand, being carried over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I could die right on the spot I swear.

“Can you put me down for a minute? Your shoulder is digging into my hips.” I said a bit breathlessly. It felt just as ridiculous as it probably looked. He placed me down, the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet and my knees almost buckled under my own weight. I didn’t fall though, instead Jay had an arm wrapped around me and was holding me up against him. His body was radiating heat, it felt stifling. “Aren’t you tired?” I asked, honestly baffled at his seemingly unending reserve of energy. He looked like he had been working out, his body was damp with sweat but his expression didn’t really give that away. Plus it’s not like he was drenched either. He looked like someone that just went for a light ten minute jog to wake themselves up in the morning, not like someone who had just been carrying a whole person over one shoulder and an entire hiking bag over the other for the past five hours. 

“Not really.” He said plainly. Maybe he really wasn’t human. At this point I’m really starting to believe my theory of him being a vampire or something. I felt the heat radiating off him, finding myself leaning against him a bit more. I guess a vampire wouldn't be this worm though would they? The sun peaked out from the overcast sky for a moment, as if the universe was mocking me by reminding me that vampires burn up in the sun and he clearly was not turning to ash. I guess he’s just a weirdo.

“You’re really weird.” I stated quietly. He laughed.

“I’ve heard that one too.” I bit my bottom lip. It wasn't fair that he was this comfortable, I was fighting not to just close my eyes and fall asleep like this. I hadn’t exactly been around another person in months, so I was probably just touch starved. The comfort of another human body was more than likely what I was missing. As a result, this just felt very comfortable for that reason. I blinked a bit slowly, trying to fight off the urge to fall asleep. I couldn't let my self pass out in his arms like this again, no way. “You falling asleep there Xiao?” I heard him chuckle, his large hand finding it’s self on my head, petting my hair. My cheeks went hot. What… what is going on…? This… this feels kinda… I blinked a few times and pulled away, clearing my throat. He let me go.

“Um, I just… I’m just tired because I… I just didn’t sleep much so...” Why was I making excuses, he’s the one that was doing something strange. Who just… pets someone like that? That’s not a thing people usually do, unless they're like… intimate… with each other. “Why did you…” He just looked at me and raised a brow. Did he really not think what he just did was strange? Maybe he was just a weirdly touchy person… He didn’t really give off that sort of vibe though… Gah, he’s going to make me crazy. “Never mind.” At this point why was I trying to make sense of anything this guy does in the first place anyway? 

The only real benefit of overthinking like I do, is that in this case it distracted me from my very sore leg muscles long enough that I had been able to stand for a bit. Maybe I could force myself to walk for a little more, I really didn’t want to be carried by him again. It was humiliating having to be carried by him at all, but somehow being thrown over his shoulder like I had been made it worse.

I forced myself to walk for I don't know how long. My legs were really on fire but at some point the pain kind of Blended together with my exhaustion and it all became a blur. Maybe I got hit with adrenaline, at this point I could feel the shakiness in my body. I was really missing my campsite. I had said that I really wanted to get there by the end of today but, I knew I wasn't walking very fast.  Plus in the end he did have to carry me for a good portion of the day. Eventually we got to a point where it was getting dark, so we set up camp for the night.

Jay made soup again, this time from different mushrooms he had foraged but the same dried fish that I had in my pack. I watched him stoke the fire  as we waited for the broth in the pot to boil. My body felt wrecked, but I knew I had to eat even though all I really felt like doing was passing out. My eyelids were heavy, the warmth of the fire crackling and flickering was tempting me to close my eyes. I smacked my face a couple times and rubbed my eyes hoping to wake myself up a bit. Jay chuckled, I didn’t have the energy to be irritated. 

“You can sleep.” He said, still that residual smug look from laughing at me plastered on his lips.

“I need to eat first.” I said, still struggling to stay awake. He hummed in agreement.

“That’s true, you’re pretty scrawny.” I closed my eyes for a second and took a breath, not out of exhaustion but out of annoyance. Compared to him maybe I was, but the average person wasn't built like a tank the way he was.

“So you’re really going to try and sell me?” I don’t know why the question came to mind, or why I decided to voice it. I blame it on the exhaustion though.

“Yeah.” He didn’t elaborate. Which I realized was a pattern with him, he didn’t elaborate anything unless asked to.

“How is that going to work anyway? Do you think people are going to be fine with buying a kidnaped person against their will?” Jay looked up at me. His eyes were piercing. I felt my breath get caught in my chest. The atmosphere had shifted.

“Are you implying you’re going to make things difficult for me?” I couldn't even think of a response, my body wouldn't let me. “Would you rather I tie you up and gag you? Do you want me to do that?” His voice lacked all emotion. I was scared. I felt my waterline collecting would be tears. It took everything in me to not let them fall. I had gotten too comfortable. He was not a friend, or even an acquaintance. He was someone who had tried to rob me but instead kidnaped me. Just because he hadn't tied me up didn’t mean I was free. It just meant that he knew even if I did run, he could catch me. 

What I perceived as him treating me nicely, was really just him doing whatever made his own life easier. I was nauseous, and as a result, no longer hungry. The smell of the soup that was once comforting and inviting was now making my stomach turn. And I should have taken that as a warning sign, because next thing I knew it rushed out of me. My guts emptied themselves next to the fire, my throat burning from the bile as it came up. The tears I had tried to keep down before, now had made their way down my cheeks. My body broke out in a cold sweat and I felt my vision going in and out of focus. I guess my body was about ready to give up, both from the physical exhaustion and now emotional stress.

I was hunched over as I tried to breath and stay conscious, both arms on the ground as I tried not to look at what I had just heaved up. My mouth was still agape as strings of spit and whatever else had just exited me dribbled out. I could feel my head spinning and my ears ringing. I was fighting my body with everything I had not to pass out. It didn’t last long. I felt the world turn sideways and my vision get engulfed in darkness. The last thing I remember was feeling my arms give out and my body start falling. I don't know if I made impact.