CHAPTER 9

Roxton sat staring into the camp fire deep in thought.

"Here, it looks like you could use this."

Roxton looked up and saw William standing before him holding a cup of coffee. He handed it to him and Roxton nodded his thanks.

William sat down next to Roxton. "What's wrong, Johnny? It's not like you to be so morose. Is something troubling you?"

Roxton shook his head. "No, no, I'm fine. I've got everything I could possibly want. Everything's perfect." He bowed his head and stared at his reflection in the dark liquid.

"You know that you've never been able to lie to me, now out with it, John. You look like you've aged several years, as if something's weighing you down." William placed his hand on Roxton's shoulder. "You know that you can always count on me to help you, little brother."

Roxton smiled, "I know, William, thank you. Really, I'm fine, nothing to worry about."

"You positive?"

"Absolutely." Roxton grinned. "Now about that drink you owed me? I don't think a cup of coffee qualifies."

William laughed and broke out coughing. Roxton got up and got a cup of water and handed it to him. "Are you all right?"

After taking a couple sips, William finally stopped coughing. "Yes, I'm fine. I guess I'm not accustomed to all this dust, I must have inhaled too much." Roxton looked worriedly at his brother. "Really, Johnny, I'm fine, it was just a cough. Now get yourself to bed before I have to force you."

Roxton raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that a threat?"

William grinned. "No, it's a promise."

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." Roxton feigned fear.

After wishing each other good night, they went to their respective tents and tried to get a good night's sleep.

"Roxton, wake up!"

Roxton heard a persistent voice and felt himself being jostled. He awoke and sat up. "What is it?"

"It's your brother, he's taken ill."

"What? What's wrong with him?" Roxton kicked off the covers and started putting on his clothes.

"I don't know, sir. I only know he cried out in his sleep and they found him delirious with fever. The doctor is with him now. You had best hurry." The man turned and walked out of the tent.

As soon as he was dressed he ran to William's tent. The doctor came out and stopped him from going inside. "What is it?"

The look on the doctor's face was not encouraging.

"Speak, man!"

"I'm afraid it doesn't look good for your brother. It seems that he has contracted malaria." The doctor frowned at having to deliver such upsetting news.

"Malaria? But how? Where did it come from so suddenly? He hasn't been ill at all these past few days."

The doctor tried to explain. "Well with malaria, the symptoms do not show until several days after one has contracted it. I suspect William has been infected for several days, but without the symptoms there was no way for us to know."

Roxton ran his fingers through his hair and tried to look for some hope, anything to hold on to. "Well, isn't there something you can do? Anything?"

The doctor sighed and shook his head. "This isn't London, and with the very little medicine we have with us, I'm afraid it won't be much. I know you don't want to hear this, but all we can do is make sure he's comfortable when his time comes. I'm very sorry, I know how much you love your brother." The doctor didn't try to meet Roxton's eyes, he didn't want to see the sorrow he was sure to see there.

Roxton stood rooted in shock. After all this, I'm going to lose him again. How? How could this be? Why is this happening?

The doctor placed a hand on Roxton's shoulders. "He's asking for you. He doesn't have very long, and you should spend your last moments together and say what you need to say while you still can." With that, the doctor turned and walked to the camp fire dejectedly.

Roxton slowly walked to William's tent and stood in front of it. He could hear William's shallow breathing through the fabric. He slowly pushed it aside and made his way in. His brother's face was flushed and covered in sweat as well as the rest of his body. He was shaking as chills racked his body. Roxton found a blanket in the corner and used it to cover him.

"Johnny? Is that you?"

Roxton took a seat next to William's cot and grasped his hand. "Yes, William, it's me."

"Looks like I won't be able to buy you that drink after all, Johnny." William chuckled and started coughing again. Roxton held a cup of water to his brother's lips and another behind his head to help him drink. He looked at his brother and tears started to well up in his eyes. Roxton couldn't bear to see his brother suffering. He wished he could do something, anything, to change things.

William must have known what he was thinking. "Johnny, I'm dying. I know it's hard for you to accept, but it's my time, brother. You have to let me go."

Roxton shook his head. "No, no it's not your time! Don't talk like that! You're not going to die on me, do you hear! I won't let you!"

William chuckled. "There's your spirit, I wondered where it had gone these past few days. I knew you had it in you somewhere, that's my Johnny." His body shook as another case of chills hit him. "Now you listen to me, John. You have to stay strong, for mother and father. Take care of them for me. Promise me, John."

Roxton nodded. "Yes, William, of course. I promise."

"Good." William smiled. "And, because I know you so well, I'm going to make sure I set this straight. I came on this safari of my own free will, so don't you or father dare blame yourselves for my death."

"But-"

"No buts! This was no one's fault, John. This is my time, and I have accepted it. And so must you. We can't fight fate, John. The sooner you realize that, the easier it will be for you to let me go." William's breaths were becoming slower and shallower.

"I'll never let you go, William. Never." Roxton clasped his brother's hand tighter within his own.

William smiled at his brother. "I've always been proud to be your brother. It's up to you now to carry on the Roxton name, I know it's a burden you never wanted to carry, but I know you'll make me proud. Remember that I love you and I'll always be watching over you." William closed his eyes and took his last breath.

Roxton was not ashamed to weep freely over the loss of his brother. "Goodbye, William."

"I'm sorry you had to experience so much pain a second time, but it was the only way for you to see." Roxton wiped his tears and turned to find the woman standing next to him in the tent.

"You are not at fault for what happened to your brother. It was his time to die. If not by your hand, then by another cause as you have seen. You cannot change things that were meant to be. His death played an important role in making you into the man you are today, as well as every other thing that has happened in your life. I know that you do not want to hear that your brother was meant to die, but there are some things you will never understand or have any control over. That's life, as they say."

"You mean none of this was real?"

The woman shook her head. "No, my dear Lord Roxton, it was in fact, very real. I let you change the past so you could see what you would not let your heart believe. There was no other way for you to come to terms with William's death. I know it will not fill the void you feel in your heart over his loss, but maybe one day it will give you a sense of peace."

He had so many emotions running through him, sorrow, anger, confusion, gratitude, he didn't know which one to express. He looked up and noticed he was back in the cave and in his regular clothes.

"I hope you have taken what you have needed from this experience, Lord Roxton. However, don't forget you're still trapped in here and so are your friends. Good luck to you. Goodbye, have a nice life." The woman winked and started to turn to leave.

"Wait." Roxton reached out and grabbed her arm. "I wanted to thank you. I know you didn't have to let me say goodbye to William. It means a lot to me."

"Well, what can I say? After a while, you start to grow on a person. Now off with you, you're not going to find the way out of here any faster talking to me." She shooed him away and disappeared.

Roxton shook his head and smiled as he began his search again. "Back to square one."

TBC

A/N: I'm very interested in comments on this chapter, drop me a line if you can. :)