The terrain here was rugged and the jungle was dense, making the trek exceptionally difficult. Naomi Kenway carried a large backpack, holding Ian Shaw's hand with one of hers and using a wooden stick as a walking cane with the other.
She hadn't bought the cane; she had just picked it up from the side of the path. The wood was smooth all over and didn't give her any splinters.
Before they left, Renee Jennings had specifically made sure she and Nathan Lynch changed into rain boots. For some reason, though, the muddy ground seemed to get stickier the further they walked.
Both of Renee Jennings's hands were full, carrying their dry rations, so she didn't have a free hand to hold Nathan Lynch's. Mona was walking by himself when he suddenly stumbled and fell to his knees with a PLOP. Muddy water splashed everywhere, and his rain boots sank into the soft earth, leaving an indent.
"Mommy, it hurts!" Nathan Lynch's eyes instantly turned red.
