Sick: Part 2
The deepest cut

After days of taking the nasty brown liquid, staying in bed, being fed nothing but soup, Link was finally allowed to go outside and get some sun.

Because of his condition, though, he had to have someone accompany him. Unfortunately, the elder picked one of the boys. The oldest.

Link groaned as he carefully went down the stairs and limped to the door. He grabbed the doorknob and opened it. He took a step out and held his arm in front of his eyes as rays of sun blasted him. He let out a moan.

"Ready to go?" he heard a voice laugh.

He looked around and saw the oldest boy waving at him. He blinked and said nothing, unsure of how to respond to a person he had killed several times over in his dreams. It felt awkward being around him and remembering the supposed 'blood-shed'.

"Um, are you def? I said are you ready to go?"

Link nodded his head and finally managed to say," where?"

"The creek," the boy replied. He crossed his arms and tapped his right foot, waiting for a reply that came slowly.

"Uh, o...kay. I guess we can go, to the... creek." Link sat a long moment and waited.

"Well - lets go!" the boy finally blurted out. He quickly turned his back to Link and started striding to the direction of the mountains.

Link quickly snapped back into reality and sorely followed after him. He was starting to cramp up and his breath was getting shorter, although they hadn't even walked but a minute.

"S-slow down...!" Link said meekly.

Because of the tiny voice, the boy didn't hear and just kept striding forward.

"P-please just s-slow down..." Link said again.

No response.

"Slow down, William!" he finally managed to shout.

William quickly stopped and snapped his head back," Huh?"

Link quickly stopped, too and knelt down, trying to catch his breath, coughing in-between.

"What's wrong?" the boy said, starting to loose interest after he realized Link was only tired.

Link took a few more deep breaths and stood back up. He started to walk forward, and William went back to striding.

"You're changing," William said as they finally managed to sit on the sand by the small creek.

Link looked into his reflection and saw his skin was brown, his eyes were bloodshot and the color around his pupil was red. His hair was now brown and he looked like he could puke. The reflection scared him.

"Well," William suddenly said.

"Well, what?"

"Are you going to respond to what I said?"

Link said idle a moment before saying," Yeah, I guess I am. But I'm just really sick. Why do you care - you just are doing this for laughs," he suddenly snapped.

William shrugged," Not really. Once I realized you were only sick; I decided that I shouldn't make fun of you."

Link rolled his eyes and wondered if he should believe him or not. It seemed stupid to. But William did seem serious this time.

"I mean, I could have just not volunteered." William said after a moment of silence.

Link looked up and finally said," W-when you and the guys made fun of me... what were you saying?"

William's cheeks grew red as he replied," Well... er, we'd say you were screaming... and stuff..."

Link narrowed his eyes.

"And we said you were sort of a..."

"Yes?"

William received a huge lump in his throat which he took a minute to swallow," that you were a baby... and an... idiot."

Link looked to the water with sad eyes. His mind raced at a thousand miles per hour, trying to decide whether to believe or not.

"So, either way, I guess we should be heading back now," William said suddenly.

"Yeah, I guess we should."

"Look, sorry about making fun of you and all," William said again.

"It's okay," Link finally admitted as they neared the elders house.

"Seriously, man - you should come hang out with us again. You know, when you're feeling better?" Will suggested.

"Yeah. I should." Link said, finally smiling for the first time in almost a week.