Ray sat up suddenly, coughing up phlegm from the depths of his chest. Again and again, his lungs convulsed, until his throat was stinging and his eyes watering. Konnor helped Ray back into a more comfortable position and lay a moist towel over his head. He examined Ray with scrutinizing eyes, thinking about the choices he had. He was so pale, so weak and fragile, Konnor wondered how these people could survive on the same planet that he did. They were so different in build. Konnor, with his wide shoulders, dark skin and almost blackened eyes was almost a giant in comparison to Ray. But for all his strength, Konnor had no idea what he could do to help Ray. He had already done all that he thought was possible…Spread a protective sheet above them, to block the harmful rays of sunlight. Make sure he drank plenty of water and keep him as comfortable as possible. He did not want to tie a cloth around his mouth because it would make it too hard to breathe, and Ray’s lungs were already straining to bring in air. Air, that by both their standards was inadequate to inhale.

No matter how hard he tried, Konnor knew that all his efforts wouldn’t be able to save Ray. He was losing him, and his methods were all but ineffective. Konnor looked over the scorched rocks. Heat waves rose all around him, and like sugary syrup, blurred the land beyond. He realized that help was not so far away, it was getting there that would be impossible, especially at this time of day. The sun was reaching it’s peak in the sky, and already the night snows had dried away, leaving no trace of their existence. Konnor took a drink from his water bottle, and spat a mouthful onto the rocks in the sun. It began to steam and in only a few seconds the ground was parched again. He frowned, and decided that the odds of making it would be very slim. No, he could not risk, a trip, not now. Ray began to cough again, this time more violently. Konnor just looked at the ground, watching the sweat drip from his face onto the shaded rocks. With every second that passed, he knew that he was killing Ray.

Time was passing so slowly. He wished that the coughing would soon stop so that Ray could sleep, just a little longer, until it was safer to travel. But the coughing wouldn’t stop, and to Konnor it seemed that the sun would never move from it’s fixed position in the sky. He took the towel and wiped Ray’s face of the beads of sweat. He looked in surprise as blood smeared across Ray’s chin. With the next cough, a rivulet of blood and mucus sprang from his mouth like an open wound. Konnor looked into Ray’s eyes, his eyebrows furrowed with concern, but Ray’s eyes were dazed and showed no response. He couldn’t let this go on, he would never survive until night time. From his pack he drew a mallet, used for marking stones along a path. He lifted the instrument high above his head and screamed a prayer as he brought it sharply down. The mallet met with a deafening crack. Konnor sighed deeply, his eyes closed, his body hunched depressingly. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw the rock he had hit, it was smashed into pieces, obliterated. Then he turned his eyes to the pitiful being which he had saved only hours ago, and he realized then that he had to save Ray.

In sudden desperation Konnor emptied the contents on his pack on the ground. He had already wasted enough time and he had no more to spare. He watched the objects as they clattered to the ground…what did he need…what did he need? He took two full bottles of water and a whistle. The rest would have to stay here. Quickly he wrapped Ray’s jacket around Ray’s head and fastened the sleeves around his neck. He did a quick check over to make sure he had left no gaps, and more importantly, that he was still breathing. He gloved Ray’s hands and covered his feet and when he was fully satisfied that Ray was completely covered, he hoisted him onto his back. He was so light, and felt so weak. In one swift movement, Konnor ripped the sun shield off it’s supports and let it fall around both of them. Only then did the full effect of what he had done, hit Konnor. They were in the open, during the sun’s peak at midday.

Not only children, but adults had died while venturing into the open, into the sunlight. It took only a few minutes to burn, and only a little longer than that for the effects of the sun to kill. He remembered the time he had come across one of the victims during the night. In the dark he couldn’t tell what it was, and thinking it was wood, he brought the hard, frigid corpse back to his people, only seeing it’s true form when he stepped into the light. He still had recurring nightmares of that face, crinkled and colorless. It’s eyes, like dried grapes, sunk into it’s sockets.

Konnor shuddered, and wrapped the sunshield around his waist. It was scalding hot. At the places where it made contact with his skin he could feel it like fire…burning. He wanted to loosen it, to let it flap freely, but he willed himself not to. If a small gap in the wrapping lay unnoticed or it the shield flew off, there would be consequences. As it was, the heat was only just bearable. The sun shield was designed to filter all ultra-violet rays, but in the process, it gained immense heat. When he was sure he was safe, and had left no part uncovered, he began to walk towards an inhabited shelter. Sweat was dripping down his face as he breathed in the thick recycled air. He had left no gap for air, he could not afford the risk. He could only see dimly through the material of the shield. He was beginning to feel dizzy, and his gait began to sway. He was gasping for air and his arms felt like they were melting. ‘Just a little further, just survive for a while longer’ he kept telling himself, trying with all his willpower, to keep moving. He realized then that he had been walking on something sticky, it was all over the ground, wherever he walked he could feel it pulling at his feet. There was also a familiar smell, like the smell of the cities…near the dumps. It was like the smell of burning plastic.

That’s when it hit him. A wave of dread swept over him as he halted in mid stride. This wasn’t supposed to happen, nobody had ever warned him of this, but then why should anybody know of this danger? He slowly lifted up his foot, and felt the tug of the sticky honey-like substance under his foot. His shoes were melting. In a moment of realization he reached for his belt and grabbed a dangling water bottle, one arm still supporting Ray on his back. He brought the bottle lid to his mouth and tried desperately to unscrew it, but it was on too tight. Cursing with frustration, he bent over, and making sure Ray was balanced on his back, he slowly brought his other hand over to unscrew the cap. Carefully, he lifted up one foot and dribbled the water down onto the stringy, melted sole. If anybody had been watching, it would be an almost comical sight. A man dressed in a sunshield, with a large hump on his back, bending over, balanced on one leg with some kind of liquid dribbling down his leg. But for Konnor, this was no joke. Carefully, he replaced his drenched foot, and lifted his other one to meet with the water bottle. But at that dreaded moment, the rock under his foot tilted slightly, and wrapped in his shield, he had no way of keeping his balance. He toppled to the side as unsupported, Ray rolled off his back. The shield he had constructed around him divided and left them both standing naked to the sun’s rays.

Konnor’s eyes, that were open in stunned amazement, soon shut tightly as the burning glare hit him. He screamed as theheat struck every part of his body, even penetrating through his thin clothes. He was panicking and he couldn’t think. All he could do was stand in the open with his arms clasped tightly around his eyes. He knew that he had to do something quickly or it would be the end of them. Carefully, he opened his eyes so he was peering through just a slit. He waved his arms frantically over the ground. Somewhere down there, Ray was lying on the rocks, on the rocks that had melted his shoes. It was too bright, he couldn’t see anything. He brought his arms back instinctively over his eyes, now stumbling around, trying to find Ray with his feet. The heat of the sunshield was nothing compared to the direct sunlight.. He could feel the rays burning deep into his arms, penetrating his cells, ripping them apart as they went. There was no hope, he crouched over, trying to shield his arms and head from the sun, he would just wait there until he couldn’t stand. It was stupid of him to even try to make the journey.

Suddenly he heard a ruffle, and a huge sheet was spread over his head. He opened his eyes, he could see, he was under the sun shield.

“Hurry!” came a hoarse voice from behind, followed by a fit of coughing. Ray was behind him, his head still wrapped in the jacket. Konnor breathed deeply, trying to regain his thoughts. The shelter wasn’t far…he just had to get to the bottom of the hill. Konnor tried to pull Ray onto his back, but Ray shook his jacketed head.

“Just lead me, but hurry, I can feel it burning.” Konnor grabbed Ray’s hand with one hand, and with the other, held down the flapping sun shield.

“Hold the shield down behind you.” Konnor said, as he started the lope down the hill. ‘Just a little further, just a little further’ he thought to himself as he scrambled down the hill. The air was thick again, he needed to breathe. Hesitantly he reached for the cloth around his neck and stripped it free. He breathed in hard lungfulls of gritty air. It only helped slightly. Ray staggered and stumbled behind, his weak legs only just managing to keep the pace. Often he would almost trip and fall but Konnor would half lift, half drag him along, like a doll, never slowing the pace.

Konnor’s skin felt rashed, burned, and scratched all over. His lungs felt heavy with silt. They should be at the entrance soon…’only a few more steps, just keep going’ he told himself. He dragged himself forward, his legs were weighted down like tree stumps. There! There it was, he could see it vaguely through the sun shield. The entrance was locked off, as it should be during this time of day. Quickly he got out his whistle and began signaling as he made the last length towards the entrance…dash-dash-dot-dot-dash…long-long-short-short-long. It was a signal for help, only to be used in the most extreme of emergencies. He had reached the entrance and was bashing the door as hard as he could. He continued to blow the whistle, taking huge breaths of poisonous air with each signal…dash-dash-dot-dot-dash. He was feeling faint, his brain feeling thick and misty. He could hear murmurs on the other side. ‘What were they doing? Why didn’t they open the door?” He blew louder and bashed harder, until his burning skin split and bled. With the last of his energy he threw himself against the entrance and slid down, a slow warbling emanating from the whistle. The last thing he could feel was a pair of weak, spindly arms, trying for all they were worth to keep him off the ground. And as he faded from consciousness, he could hear, as if it were far away but so close as well, the ongoing plea for help…dash-dash-dot-dot-dash.