"don't drink that," he gasps out.
she stares at him, eyes searching for meaning but as soon as it dawns on her they turn cold, lifeless. he's filling up with regret, with anger. it only takes one wrong turn now, one tiny mistake to turn everything they worked for into a disaster.
he thought he would be the end of it. he survived so much, survived so many of his companions when they succumbed to the virus. he always thought he would be the last one to take of care of hyelim. she's already suffered so much, so he doesn't blame her when she picks up her bag, fingers clenching around the strap, and walks away from him.
he knows he can't force her to go through it again, to watch him turn into a beast. to feel the fear of having her throat ripped out, or of being caught in the middle of a pack. but he's scared.
he shivers as he sinks down at the bank of the river, gravel crunching under his boots. he can feel it inside of him, evil awakening and sliding through his bloodstream, pumping through his heart.
she hears his scream from a distance. the campfire does nothing to warm her bones.