At the end of the clearing, I stopped. Running into the forest didn’t seem to be a good idea, especially with a frightened kid on my arms. Moreover, I wanted to stay close to Dillon. I didn’t know what I could do to help him, but I had to do at least something. I sank down on my knees. My breath came in heavy gasps, though I hadn’t sprinted for long. Was there something like emotional exhaustion? Jamie was still sobbing, and his tears soaked my shirt.
“Hush, shorty, hush. Everything’s alright.”