Together

“Loraine? Is it you? I knew you would come”, Aziel exclaims between a number of coughs.

His eyes stare at me intently. The next challenge now is to hoist him aboard without the boat capsizing. “Aziel, do you think you have enough strength to get yourself aboard?” I yell at him. I tie the rope to the boat, throw the other end to him. He takes it, and yes, he's getting closer and closer. "Aziel, Aziel", is all I can say when I see him at the boat side now. "Hold on, just a little longer and you're in."