Minutes felt like hours as they trudged through the forest, the man's breath coming in labored gasps. The boy kept glancing back at the unconscious figure, worry etched on his young face.
"Dad, do you think he'll be okay?" the boy asked, his voice trembling.
"I don't know, son," the man replied honestly. "But we're going to do everything we can to help him."
Finally, the cabin came into view, a small but sturdy structure nestled among the trees. The man pushed himself harder, feeling his strength waning. They reached the door, and the boy hurried ahead to open it, his small hands shaking with nerves.
Inside, the man carefully laid the stranger down on a makeshift bed, his own body sagging with exhaustion. He checked the man's pulse again, relieved to find it still faintly beating.
"St
