Bone Secrets 03 - Buried

least he didn’t have anyone to help him. He’d told them hundreds of times that the hellhole was his special secret that he’d shared with no one. Daniel didn’t think he’d reveal his secret now.
    Chris’s legs stopped moving completely. Before, he’d at least helped balance or propel himself as Daniel dragged him along.
    “I can’t. I can’t go any further. Just let me rest for a little bit. Then I’ll walk.”
    Chris’s cracked lips alarmed Daniel. And he was so hot. It was like a fire was burning him from the inside out. His skin seemed lightly scorched everywhere. Almost scaly.
    Daniel feared stopping. He didn’t believe he’d be able to get Chris going again. But he stopped and eased Chris down next to an ancient fallen tree. Chris sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the bark.
    “I’ll just rest for a bit.”
    Daniel studied his best friend. Chris’s bones stuck out everywhere, but so did Daniel’s. But Chris’s skin looked stretched so tight over the elbow when he bent his arm. The arm that he could bend. The other arm had been broken months ago and never healed right. Chris barely ever used it. The Ghostman had fashioned him a sling that he wore nonstop. He said his arm hurt whenever he took it off.
    Daniel sat down next to his friend. Hot tears leaked out of his eyes, and he swiped at them angrily. Crying wasn’t going to get them out of the woods.
    “Daniel?” It was a whisper.
    “Yes?” Daniel wiped at his eyes again
.
    “I don’t think I’m going to get back up.”
    Daniel’s heart froze. “You just need a rest. Take a short nap, and you’ll be ready to go again.”
    “No, Daniel. Really—”
    “Shut up, Chris! Just shut up! You’re going to be fine!” His voice cracked.
    Chris opened his eyes and looked straight at his friend. Daniel could see the defeat in his eyes. “We both know I’m not going any further. I can’t feel my feet, Daniel.”
    Daniel flung his arms around his friend and squeezed him tight to his chest, throwing Chris into a coughing fit. Daniel didn’t let go. “No, Chris,” he whispered. “I can’t do this alone. It’s supposed to be you and me. Both of us till the end.”
    Chris laid his head on Daniel’s shoulder. It felt as light as a kitten. “I know. But if something happens to me, promise you’ll keep going.”
    Daniel bit back a sob. Why was Chris talking like this?
    “If you were in my shoes, you’d be saying the same thing,” Chris said. “You’re my best friend. And one of us has to get out of here.”
    Daniel watched his friend’s knobby chest slowly rise and fall. As long as he stuck with Chris, they’d both be okay. Chris just needed a break. Daniel closed his own eyes. He might as well rest, too. He’d just take a short nap.

    Daniel startled awake. It was lighter than it’d been when he drifted off to sleep. And a little warmer. Probably closer to the middle of the day. At least he hadn’t slept the whole day away. He and Chris should get moving again. He shook Chris’s shoulder. The boys had lain completely down as they slept. Chris was curled up on his side as close to Daniel as possible to stay warm.
    “Chris?” He shook him again.
    The boy didn’t move. Daniel felt his empty stomach clench tight. He ran his hand across Chris’s forehead. It was cool.
    “Oh God!” Daniel scooted away from the dead boy, his hands and feet scrambling on the dirt floor of the woods. He collapsed, staring at what had been his best friend. Tears flooded his eyes. He slowly crept back, keeping his gaze locked on Chris’s face. “Chris?” he whispered.
    Chris didn’t answer.
    Daniel touched Chris’s face with a shaking hand, pushing the hair off his cheek. His friend’s fever was gone. The stress in his face had relaxed. He actually looked restful, peaceful. Envy flashed through Daniel’s mind and vanished. He wanted that peace, too, but not like this. Daniel sat beside his friend and leaned back against the old log, and placed his friend’s head on his lap, stroking his hair.

“I left him there by the log. I couldn’t do anything else. I covered him with some brush and stuff. Then I got up and started to walk. I’m not sure how many more days went by before I stumbled into civilization. Three? Maybe four? It’s all a blur.
    “After I left home for good, I went back to try to find his body. It took three different trips and a lot of camping in the forest before I located that log. I started at