Chapter 12

The thing didn’t fester and get worse, but it didn’t get better, either. They kept it clean and Todd applied antiseptic cream several times a day. Each time Nick reached over his shoulder and skimmed over it with his fingertips, he felt each of the raised teeth marks and the heat of his own skin around them. He’d pretty much resigned himself to the fact this was something he’d have to learn to live with; this pain wasn’t going to go away.

During one of the few breaks in the freezing rain one day, Nick tapped Todd’s arm and pointed off to the right. “What’s that?”

Reining the team to a stop, Todd leaned forward and squinted. The change in movement made him hack out a few short, barking coughs. “Looks like a cave.”

“If we found one big enough with room for the horses, and a fire…”