See What Is Hidden

The roar of the river was one of the few things that quiet the panic in his heart. The thunderous movement of the rapids match the thunderous movement in his chest, the fear and worry threatening to cut off his breath. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know anything. that, alone, was enough to tear the emotions from his chest, to make him want to wilt into a small ball and cry. They haven't said anything yet, his parents, but he was observant. He already saw what they were trying to hide. He saw the pain that his mother was in, the exertion that she had to put forth just to be able to walk a short distance from the den, the extreme tiredness that she was facing that was so different from how she was just a couple of months ago. He was so acutely aware of it, and as far as he knew, there wasn't a damn thing that he could do about it. What was tearing him apart.

He asked Lillianna about it of course, but she tried to hide it. She tried to dumb it down, but she had never really been good at hiding it from her eyes. He could see it, and he could tell from the way that her face would scrunch up in pain whenever she was walking too long, whenever her breath would come in fast just after a short time. And yet, she would always say that she was fine.

The boy sniffled, head dangling over the roaring water that was splashing up into his face. It didn't take long for his face to get soaked from the spraying mist, but he barely noticed the wetness, too absorbed in his own thoughts.