Ray gathered his thoughts and walked with each step slower than the last. Inside, Riya sat by her mother, with cut apples in hand; red and juicy, feeding them to her one by one. "Brother, this tastes really sweet," she chirped like a parrot.
He went to her side and sat down with a hard face. His mother knew in an instant that he wanted to say something. "What is it, Ray?" she asked.
He took a deep breath and leaned forward. "I am going with them, ma. Don't worry, there won't be any problem with food when I am gone."
Her face turned bluer than her lips. "They are going across the border, right?" She jerked her body up and fell.
Ray came to her and grabbed her. "Don't worry, ma," he said and laid her softly. "Nothing is going to happen to me."
"But there are monsters there," she argued.
"There are," he thought. He was afraid and he was weak. But he saw it; he saw it on the faces of those girls. They were also afraid. "I am good with my legs," he feigned a smile.
