Several face-masked figures were gathered around a corner bed. The cubicle curtain was half drawn, concealing the head of the bed. I could see only large, slack feet under the thin cover, but there was no mistaking the irregular, harsh gasping for breath. My alarm bloomed into full-blown dread. I ran for the bed but got only a glimpse—Rubio’s stark-white face framed in a dark scrawl of hair, his mouth wide in a grimace—before someone whipped an arm around my waist and hauled me out of there.

“Please! Let me see him!” I screeched. “Let me see him! I have to!”

I was dumped roughly in the corridor. The door shut tight in my face. Made no sense to pound and scream, be another catastrophe in the chaotic hallway. I wasn’t getting in. Best I could do was pace, up and down, up and down, knocking heedlessly into people burdened with pack-up, mindlessly apologizing. Finally, one of them planted himself in front of me, arms spread, so I had to stop. I looked up into Irv’s round, remorseful face.

“Glimmer? I tried to find you once we got home . . .”

“Irv! What’s going on? What happened? Why is he . . . ?”

Irv took my elbow and guided me out of the traffic to a quieter eddy along the corridor wall. “He wouldn’t rest. He was so worked up and not taking care of himself, even before we left. I think he was feverish the whole way. We got there and the stadium was amazing and he was so excited. We all were, running around like madmen, and he was coughing and there was . . . blood. But he wouldn’t slow down.”

“Is it the malaria?”

He nodded. “With complications. They’re not saying much yet.”

“Complications.” I hated the sound of that.

“They’re trying to improvise some sort of apparatus to help him breathe.” Irv’s shoulders drew an arc of dejection. “He wouldn’t stay in the boat when we got there. Had to see every inch of the place, prove to himself he’d been right about it. On the way home, he just . . . well, collapsed. We got him back as quick as we could.”

“I’m sure you did. It’s not your fault. Rube’s never had much sense where his health is concerned.” I patted his arm distractedly. He was too new a friend to know Rubio’s habits well. But while I was grateful for the update, I didn’t have time to ease his conscience right now. Had to focus on Rube’s recovery. “Irv, thanks for coming to find me, but you must have a lot to do for the move. I’ll hang here and keep an ear out, okay?”

He eyed me like I was an alarm set to go off. “Sure you’ll be okay?”

I made myself look brave and steely-eyed. “Yeah. I will. Thanks.”