Trudging through the heavy snow was backbreaking work. The horses grew tired quickly, and those who walked were even worse off. They had to rest often, and the group made about half the progress per day as Kenna had hoped.
Still, they eventually made their way into New York state. The days were long, monotonous, and painful. Yuuki complained of muscle pain, and Ken wasn’t much better. Their bodies hurt. They felt weak. One of the children had a hacking cough, and everyone worried she might not make it. They also kept their distance, terrified that they might catch whatever ailed the poor thing.
After a week of travel in New York, three more kids had it, as did Janis, the eldest woman. Sniffling and coughing became a horrible soundtrack to their journey.
At the end of the second week, th
