*
A few hours later, they reached the base of the mountain. The foliage had once again changed, now consisting of large palm trees and berry-laden bushes, all resting on a swathe of green grass. A gentle breeze from the ocean brought a slight chill, but after the frozen winds atop the mountain it felt amazing by comparison. There was little left to talk about, so they spent the better part of the morning travelling in an awkward silence. As they walked the temperate began to climb, which allowed them to shed their heavy clothing and stow it in their packs. Despite the unease in the air, everyone began to visibly relax, and a small smile settled on Kingston’s haggard face.
They were walking along a beach when the old man suddenly collapsed into a coughing fit. Immediately, Barsch raced to his side, while Alza watched from a distance, an impassive expression on her face. Once the fit had subsided, Barsch helped Kingston limp over to a nearby rock, and told him to rest for a while. Even to Barsch’s untrained eyes, it was clear that the hermit’s condition was worsening. Kingston had said that he could survive without the medication for days, but the storm must have taken a lot out of him. If he didn’t receive proper treatment soon…
“Kingston, I’m going to scout ahead. I’ll be back soon.”
Barsch knew that it wasn’t right to leave an old man, much less a friend, in that condition, but his guilt over wasting Kingston’s medicine was growing worse by the minute. He needed to escape, even if only for a moment.
He left Alza with Kingston, reasoning that if anything dangerous appeared, it was no match for their combined strength. He walked along the seaside, listening to the gently lapping waves while his eyes scanned every inch of his surroundings. He soon saw something that merited his full attention: a set of large, metal pipes emerging from the water, which snaked along the sand heading inland.
The water within was most likely used by the clinic, as relying on the infrequent rainfall or hard-to-get bottled water was out of the question. Given the location of the pipes, the clinic could not be more than a few miles away, which meant that Kingston could have his medicine before nightfall. Barsch quickly noted the direction of the pipes, before turning around and running back to where he had left the old man.
Awakening Page 42