But he only made it two steps. His knees buckled. He caught himself before he fully collapsed, his hands slamming into the mud, his breath coming in harsh, uneven gasps. My heart broke. Something about seeing him like this made me want to weep. I crouched down beside him, ignoring the way the wet earth soaked my bare legs, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay.” His fingers curled into the dirt. “Leave me alone.” His voice was so low I could barely hear it over the storm.
