I reached for the bottle of water.
"Jason, listen to me," I said, shaking his shoulder gently. "You’re burning up. I need you to stay awake."
He blinked slowly. "What?"
I took off the flannel shirt I wore and used it to wipe his face and neck. I dampened a part of the shirt with water and laid it across his forehead.
"Sip a little," I said, lifting the bottle to his lips. "Please. Just a little."
He choked on the first sip, and coughed, but managed to get a few down. His breathing was shallow and fast. He took another sip and lay back.
It was almost dark now, and the air was turning cold. I slipped back into my uniform and used the flannel shirt as a blanket over Jason.
I leaned my forehead against the steering wheel. The prayer came out wordless.
Please. Let someone come. Let hi
