Page 67 of Totally Shipped
She’s right. I push myself onto my feet from my leaning post and pain tears through my body. Through my abdomen.
It’s just a cramp, or a muscle pull.
I take a deep breath then continue on. It still hurts, but not quite as much.
Walk it off, Daisy.
Branches are waving back and forth. Keyara goes down on one knee when she stumbles over a fallen limb.
“Key!”
“I’m ok.” Even in this dim light I can see how scared she is, but she doesn’t let on. Brave little girl. She steadies herself on my arm and stands.
“I lost the bottles.”
“That’s OK, I’m pretty sure Rex stored more in the cave anyway. We’ll be there soon and make a cozy fire.”
I imagine crackling flames warming us and it gives me the boost I need to keep going. We are definitely on the right track, as the terrain is starting to slope. Water runs down the loose rockface; it’s going to be slippy as anything.
“Key, we have to be super careful now.”
I’ve carried the food basket all this way, but I’m going to have to put it down, I’ll need both hands for this.
“We could stay here?” says Key.
“No, we need to get to the cave. It’ll be safer there.”
I don’t mention that I'm terrified the trees are going to start blowing over. “You go first, I’ll be right behind you.”
Key gives me a worried look, but does as I say, scrambling up the rock face with reasonable ease. I waddle over to start my assent. The rocks aren’t that steep, I tell myself, it’ll be a walk in the park. The slope is forty-five degrees—if that.
It feels practically vertical as I climb. My lungs are screaming, so are my thighs. I don’t know if I can do this. I lean myself into the gravel and just breathe.
I’m sorry baby. Mama’s so tired.
“DAISY!”
No! I have to keep going. Keyara and the baby need me. I make my jelly legs keep going, keep going, keep going until I’m virtually at the ledge where Key is anxiously waiting.
“Nearly there sweetheart,” I gasp. And as I do, another searing cramps tears across my stomach.
I crawl my way along the ledge and finally made it to the cave.
“AAAHHH!” It hurts so bad. I can’t think, I just hurt. It’s too much!
“I’m going for help,” Key tells me.
“No! Don’t leave here. Stay with me,” I tell her with a groan. Once the pain subsides a little, I try to get the flint to spark, to no avail. It got so wet on the way here.
“Let me do that, Daisy.” Key snatches it from me.
I lean back and catch my breath. “Key, I need you to listen to me.”
Her eyes are wide and staring.
“Key?”
She turns to me, as another spasm of pain rips at my abdomen.
