Owls calling in the night.

The soft chit of a bat.

Maria could tell night had fallen. The boy called Michael was drifting in and out of sleep. He was really sick. His cough had worsened, his fever had shot up to the point Maria could barely touch him, and he'd almost rolled off the cot twice. It was really late now, and she was tired, but there was no way she could sleep without being uncertain of the danger she might be in. She was nodding off when his coughing fit jolted her out of her drousy thoughts. Her eyes darted over to him, she got up to stand by his bed and see what was wrong. Quite suddenly his hand came up and grabbed her arm, she froze unable to scream or pull away.

His words were coated with a raspy, raw tone,

"Who are you? Am I going to die? Where's Max he can hel-" he broke off into another coughing fit then lay back down on the cot, staring at the ceiling through half covered eyes.

Maria felt him, his fever wasn't as bad but he was dilusional now. Not the best trade off. She tilted a bowl of medicine to his mouth and held his chin as he drank. She hoped inside that he wouldn't die, the Outsiders would be severly angry. The boy on the other hand, wasn't very nice, and not very smart either from the looks of his wrists. She began to ready some more mixtures and herbs, it was gonna be a long night.

********************

Michael slowly opened his eyes, it hurt dimly. He felt MUCH better, he was cool, no fever. Now he felt like kickin some ass! The fire in the fireplace was out, the room was now filled with sunlight from some oddly placed skylight in a corner of the room. He didn't remember anything from the night before past the point when the girl untied his bonds. He looked down, still untied, his wrists were bandaged and he wasn't feeling as bad as before. He looked over to his right and saw her. The girl was busying herself with more mixtures, (so thats what the funky taste in his mouth was). He propped himself up quietly, and slowly extended his arm towards her. His hand was inches, centimeters, milimeters, Wham!

His hand grasped her arm and she flew around to face him, a bowl dropped from her hand and smashed on the floor,she gasped and stood silent and stunned. Michael suddenly realized that not only were his hands free but the rest of him was too, so he lept up and clutched her other arm and backed her into a wall, "Thanks for helping me, but now I gotta go home," he raised his hand, her eyes widened, then a most spectacular thing happened.

Maria screamed, "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPP!!!!!!!",it wasn't just a shriek, but a comprehendable cry!

Michael was so surprised that he let go, she backed away as he heard foot falls drawing nearer. He stared at her stunned, "D-did she just SAY something?"

Suddenly he felt his arms being grabbed and tied behind his back, his sore wrists cried out in agony. He saw the two men from the night before, one was helping to bind his hands, the other skinnier one was standing observing. Michael's eyes flew to the girl, she was crying in her mother's, or who he assumed to be her mother, arms. Suddenly the skinnier man motioned towards the girl, and two men advanced upon her.

"Wait! Wh- what the Hell is going on!?" Michael stammered, he had no clue why she would be in trouble or what on Earth was happening.

The man stared at him solemly, the two other men holding the girl stood still , as if awaiting orders.

Michael's anger began to rise, "God damn it! TELL ME!!"

The man motioned towards the two men holding the girl and they began to tie her, "And that would be why this is happening then wouldn't it?" the skinny man said quietly.

The girl was thrashing around and screaming, "No, God please no! I- I didn't mean to, Sir! PLEASE! H-He was gonna-" she was cut off by one of the men dealing her a sharp slap to the face.

"MARIA!" the skinny man who was obviously the cheiftain called out, "You know the consequences for putting the tribe in danger, you will be tried by the village elders, but until then you will be placed in the pit along with this- this, thing! If you aren't dead before then, the trial will be held when the elders feel you have been punished thouroughly."

Maria's eyes filled with tears as they tied her. Michael had no idea what the "pit" was but what he was sure of was this, it didn't sound pleasant. The men began to drag them both away, he struggled violently and caught sight of the girl's mother sobbing into the burly man's arms. The Maria girl was thrashing and calling out to the gawky woman, but the woman just looked sorrowfully after her disgraced daughter, and didn't move.