Not my characters, et cetera, et cetera.
ENDURES ALL THINGS
Struggling through the wet and the dark, Bill's arms were rapidly
approaching that point where aching gave way to numbness. The strain
in his legs seemed a thing almost apart from him, their labor
something that no longer required conscious effort on his part.
He dare not let his efforts slack for even an instant, though. He'd
sink if he did, crushed under exhaustion and terror.
God, help me. I'm so afraid. So afraid.
Finally, amber light burst through the murk of his fear, and Bill
lunged forward, forcing his dragging feet to run the last steps to
his destination, here at what had to be the end of the bloody earth.
A booted foot worked as well as a fist for pounding a frantic
summons on the doctor's door, but the sound and movement drew a moan
from the ragdoll-limp body Bill carried, and he felt the arm slung
bonelessly around his neck tighten, a hand clenching in the cotton
of his shirt.
Burning to death with fever, Jack felt so hot against the front of
Bill's body it seemed the icy rain should have raised steam where it
struck him.
Jack made another small noise of pain, shivering, and Bill's taxed
arms drew him nearer, his own aches forgotten so quickly they might
never have been.