Page 90 of The Voice of Wild Places
Cornelius exhaled as if gut punched, and Watt's fingers twitched against his skin.Twenty miles was nothing compared to how long they'd been traveling, searching, lost.
“Joaquim did not know this was here.”Antônio added, as if that would help anything.He stepped back, keeping his friends within arm's reach.His chest heaved, and he ran a hand through his hair.It was a few inches longer than before, and damp with sweat.He appraised them, an uncharacteristic nervousness to his features.“Are you alright?”
Cornelius nodded in a numb and automatic sort of way, but Watt said, “He's hurt, and in poor condition.But otherwise, yes.”He craned his head around Antônio, trying to get a look downstream.He glanced back at Antônio uncertainly.“What day is it?”
“October 3rd,” Antônio said.While this did not shock Cornelius as much as their limited distance had, it did seem to rattle Watt.He hadn't lost, or gained time rather, like Cornelius had during their separation.
Cornelius scowled, breaking out of his melancholic confusion in order to prevent Watt from falling into the same trap.“You're in poor condition too.I've never seen so many of your ribs before.”He eyed Antônio.“Wait, where did you find our equipment?We lost it in the swamp, not the river.”
“We found signs of a camp, and rags tied to trees.We followed to the river, and found—” Antônio held up a hand, while the other dug into the pocket of his trousers.“No equipment, your broken cane, and these.”He withdrew his hand, unfurling his fingers to reveal Cornelius' glasses.The left arm was bent and the right one was missing entirely, no doubt from where he'd cracked his head on that rock.Miraculously both lens were intact, but fractured beyond use or repair.
Cornelius straightened, shifting his weight to his cane instead of his partner.With trembling fingers, he gingerly took the glasses from Antônio.He whispered, “Thank you, Antônio.”He met Antônio's eyes and gave him a grateful smile.“Thank you for coming for us.”
Antônio smiled.“Kago~ro.Yes?”
Watt rested a hand on Antônio's shoulder, and echoed Cornelius' sentiment.“Kago~ro.”
A man's shout rolled in from the distance, and they all turned to see Severino stumbling out of the treeline and onto the beach.Joaquim was not far behind him, ready with a steadying hand.Severino grasped it, and didn't let go when he regained his balance.Upon seeing them, Severino began dragging Joaquim their way.
Antônio glanced at Watt and Cornelius, then said, “Stay here.”He dashed away, leaving them alone for quite possibly the last time for a long time.Cornelius watched him run for a moment, then slowly turned his gaze on the area they'd been staying.The waterfall, the pebbled beach, and the little niche of jungle they'd settled into.
“Cornelius?”Watt whispered, fingertips grazing his elbow.
“Yes?”Cornelius looked at his companion, his friend, the man who had saved his life time and time again.He knew what was coming, but let Watt speak his peace.There had been too many unsaid things between them, and this didn't need to be one of them.Not again.
“No matter what happens, we stay together, right?”
Cornelius slid his hand against Watt's, entangling their fingers.Surely, he had to have lost his mind.To have this person making promises to him like this, to be rediscovered by friends that cared for them, and to have experienced such a beautiful and vibrant world.Real or not, well deserved or not, Cornelius would enjoy it all.
“I'm yours as long as you'll have me, Watt Johnson.I just hope you know what you've signed up for.”
Watt smiled, and it was brighter than the Brazilian sun.“Careful, Mr.Sawyer.That almost sounded like a vow.”
“You did make me a promise, you know.”Cornelius teased, although his words did ring with decades old truth.
“Where would we go?”Watt revived the question he'd posed back when all this truly began, his thumb rubbing over the back of Cornelius' hand as if he were the man's own personal soothing stone.
Cornelius lifted his chin and Watt obliged his quiet request for a kiss, despite their incoming company.It didn't matter, they all knew, and still cared for them.Still deemed them worth saving.Watt's lips were soft and yielding beneath his own, which for a moment was all that mattered.One day soon, he'd find all the other soft places of Watt, and reveal his own as well.He withdrew enough to speak, and grinned against Watt's own blooming smile.
Cornelius whispered, “Where wouldn't we?”
