"Don't tell me...Don't tell me..." I was lost for words. I ran to Si and collapsed as the last bit of energy left my body.
"Si! What is this!? Why are there rocks in your bag!? Where's the food!?" my voice was trembling tremendously. I was on the verge of tears.
"What are you saying Do? Rocks?" Ly Giai panicked when she heard me.
I gave her the bag, she was horrified when she saw the rocks inside.
"Si?" her eyes were getting wet as well as she turned to him.
The young boy avoided eye contact from both of us. He put his head down while looking away.
In the midst of the harsh cold winds, Ly Giai and I had our knees on the ground, waiting for Si to reply.
But he didn't say anything.
"Tell me. When was the last time you ate?" I asked first.
He was reluctant, but slowly raised his hand, making a peace sign.
"Two? Two days!?" I screamed in shock. Ly Giai covered her mouth from the news.
I remembered the moment he showed us how heavy his bag was two days ago. "It can't be!" I shook my head violently. "The past two days, I always have food remain on my bag."
"Me too..." Ly Giai added.
"I... I gave the rest to you two," Si shyly said and fell.
"Si!" Ly Giai sprinted to support him. "What happened?" she touched his forehead, "It's so hot!" she looked at me.
I immediately reached for my bag and took out the rest of the food. "Here, Si. Eat and drink. You'll feel better."
"No. I... I am fine," he breathed heavily and his eyelids almost collapsed. "You need it more... I am small. I don't n...e...e...d"
"Si? Si!" I called him.
"Si is fainted," Ly Giai said. She quickly took off her outerwear and wrapped it around Si. I did the same. "He needs medicine. He needs a doctor."
I looked around us. Everything was stones, dirt, and dead branches. "Where can we find a doctor here?" I panicked.
"Do. Calm down, calm down," she reminded me. "First we need to get out of here."
"Yeah. You're right. Hurry!" I pulled her up and carried Si. We both sprinted as fast as we could.
Almost magically, when seeing Si collapse, Ly Giai and I completely forgot about how hungry and fatigued we were. Just a while ago, we were shivering, and couldn't lift our legs to walk. But now, we were sprinting like there was no tomorrow. Even the harsh cold wind didn't bother us anymore.
"The people of South City and villagers!" I remembered. "Why did I forget about them? They are not far ahead of us!"
We ran to where they were with the last of our breaths. Many people was stunned seeing showing up.
"Please!" I yelled with all my might. "My kid is sick, a fever! Please help him!"
We went inside their camp and kept asking around, but they all turned away because they hated me. The villagers didn't help us either, they seemed to hate Si as well.
Ly Giai tried her best as well, But wherever we went, they declined and hid in their tents.
It was hopeless. I looked down at Si. He was trembling, unconsciously gripping me and curled up as small as possible. The weather is cold and so harsh. I hugged as tightly as I could and fell on my knees. The exhaustion caught up to me. I couldn't think anymore, the only thing I saw was Ly Giai still trying to go from tent to tent, asking for help.
"No one is helping! No one!" I was in a panic state. I cried and yelled in the void. "Please! If you have a heart! If you are still human! Please help Si! Please help him!"
"What is going on here?" A voice of someone was behind me. I turned back, and it was the old leader.
"Old man!" I crawled to him desperately and grabbed his legs while showing him Si. I tried to calm myself to explain to him. "Uhh... He's sick! High fever! Very sick!"
Ly Giai saw and came back to us. "He haven't eaten anything the past two days," she said while helping me standing up.
"Please help him," I pleaded.
He didn't reply. His face was in discomfort.
"Ah! Right! I know you all hate me. Don't worry! If you can help Si and let Ly Giai stay besides him, I will leave here immediately." I beg.
"Do! What are you saying? You can't leave us!" Ly Giai said.
I quickly held her and covered her mouth from speaking any further. I tried to put on a smile. "Is... is that fine? I will leave right now, immediately. Please... please help Si. Please."
The old leader looked at us and finally said. "You don't need to leave. Come with me."
I turned to Ly Giai. We couldn't believe our ears. Then he led us to one of the tents with a strong medicine aura. There was someone already in the tent.
"Give me the kid, you wait here," he told me. After handing Si to him, I waited outside while he and Ly Giai went in.
"Doctor," he called.
"Yes?" the man turned around.
"This boy is very sick. Can you treat him?"
"Let me see."
After a while, he said, "The kid is only having a cold, but the malnourished state he is in makes his condition more severe." He looked at Ly Giai, then at the leader. "But we are running low on food and medicine to treat the it. Everyone is catching a cold in this weather. We have to save the resources."
"I have accepted their plead," the leader said. "Please treat the kid as best as you can."
The doctor shook his head, "If you say so, but don't say I didn't warn."
After some more exchanges, Ly Giai and he came out. "As you have heard. We are not in the best situation either."
"We are very grateful," I said honestly. "Please, if I can do anything..."
But he stopped me. "That is for later. You and Miss Ly Giai are exhausted. You can rest at my place."
He walked us to his tent. It was small and modest just like any other tents here. He gave us some bread and a cup of soup. "You both rest here," he told us and was about to head out.
"What about your family? We don't want to bother you all," Ly Giai said.
The old man looked down. His eyes sadden. "You can stay here. I don't have anyone. Only me," he said and left, sounded so lonely.