We exit the temple in haste, and we don’t even stop by the bungalow. Hannah’s getting worse. The adrenaline rush of finding the treasure has kept her energized for a while, but now I can see that she’s degrading. She can barely stand, and I fear for her life.
She’s also got a terrible breath, so she makes sure to take care of that first. She has a favor to ask someone, and she doesn’t want them to turn away from her.
In the meantime, I ask around to learn exactly who to ask, who can help Hannah understand what’s happening, and most importantly, help her heal.
It’s her. Her name is Sara, and she knows everything about what they call the Illness. Many wannabe-explorers, and even some unlucky locals, have contracted it over the years upon coming to close to one of the ancient omiscan monuments.
“So you know how to cure it?”
“Not just that, I have the remedy here! You just need to ask some bone powder, if you have some.”
“Oh, I do! I made a friend in the temple, and he left me some!”
“Bottoms up, Hannah!”
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
We dance all night to celebrate her getting better — and in the end it’s the embarrassment of seeing her mother simrumba under the encouragement of strangers that figuratively kills her.
Better that than literally, if you ask me.
The Stewarts Family (and other shenanigans) 