He read from his screen: Will has contracted an infection and things aren’t looking too good. We’re on our way out to see him. Karl.

Dave groaned. ‘God, it makes me feel so helpless. A young man like that. And he was frightened when I was there yesterday, that much was clear. Sometimes the world sucks.’

‘Got that right,’ Jack said, still staring at the message. ‘You know he’s younger than me? Really puts things into perspective.’

‘I’ll text Kim and let her know.’ Dave clapped Jack on the shoulder as he walked out. ‘You’ll be right, mate. Hang in there.’

CHAPTER 15

Chapter 15

Zara opened the door to five men, all looking unusually sombre.

‘Hi,’ she said. She held open the door. ‘Come in.’

‘Hi, Zara,’ Karl answered, walking in past her and leading the way down the hallway to the kitchen.

‘Here to see Will?’ She glanced at the other men as they filed past her. ‘I know your faces but, I’m sorry, I don’t remember your names.’

Karl nodded. ‘We heard he’d got an infection; thought it was time to come out. You’ve got Jock, Ray, Ash and Charlie here.’

‘Are you guys from the footy team? So nice you’ve come. I knew Mum had messaged you, Karl.’

‘That’s us.’ There was a pause before Karl asked, ‘So what’s happening? Where’s Lynda?’

‘Just giving Will some meds so he can get up and talk to you, hopefully, although I wouldn’t be sure he’ll be able to come out. He woke up in the middle of last night with a raging temperature. We tried to get him to the hospital, but the doctor ended up coming out and giving him intravenous antibiotics.’ She paused. ‘An infection when he’s this sick isn’t good.’

‘No, I guess it’s not.’

‘Be back in a sec.’ Zara slipped through the kitchen and down to Will’s room. She saw her mum leaning over him with a glass of water and a straw.

‘Hey,’ she said quietly.

Lynda didn’t turn. ‘Hi,’ she answered. ‘Just getting some morphine and more antibiotics into Will. Then he should be able to get out to the lounge.’

Zara went around to the other side of the bed and sucked in a breath. Will had deteriorated even since last night. His eyes seemed more sunken and his face was ghostly pale and beads of sweat covered his forehead. She took a sponge and wiped it gently over his face. Her beautiful brother looked like a breathing corpse. How did this happen so fast?

‘Do you want to get up, Will?’ she asked. ‘Maybe it’s better if the boys come down here?’

‘I want to get up,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure I can, though.’

‘Does it hurt too?’

He nodded. ‘Back and legs. And my head.’