Big Sister steps into the River, carrying Little Sister so that her feet don’t get wet. She sets Little Sister into the rowboat and pushes it into deeper water, jumping in as the current catches the craft.
Big Sister takes the oars and begins to steer, pretending to be a pirate. “Whar we be off ta t’day?” Little Sister giggles, closing one eye and making a hook with her opposite hand. “Arraghh, we’s off ta yonder Hospital! All tha way crost tha world!”
Little Sister perches herself in the front of the boat as Big Sister continues to Row. This is a trip that they make often, down the River from their Small Town to the City where all of the real doctors live. The best ones, who know how to treat Little Sister’s lungs.
Lunchtime comes, and Little Sister gathers her sandwich before handing the other to Big Sister. While she eats, Big Sister keeps her eyes on the horizon. She suspects to arrive at sunrise, but cannot shake the uneasy feeling that she gets every time they make this trip.
Little Sister returns to the front of the boat when she is finished eating, and begins to talk and hum to herself and some more-or-less imaginary audience. Big sister, focused on the river, doesn’t notice. Until the coughing starts. It is a deep, throaty cough that should not be coming out of someone as small as Little Sister.
Big Sister stops rowing and pats Little Sister’s back.
“Are you alright?” she asks.
Big Sister reaches underneath one of the benches and pulls out a blanket, then wraps it around Little Sister, who curls up on the floor of the rowboat.
The sun begins to set. Big Sister sits up straight, seeing the fork in the River. It is a part of the trip, expected and familiar, and it is still a long way off. But it is a section of the River that Big Sister is not used to arriving at when the Sun is so low.
Big Sister knows the waters well enough to be able to go either way, so she gently wakes her sibling for a second opinion.
“Little Sister?” The younger girl lifts her head tiredly, blinking up at her sister. “Which way do you think we should go?”
“Little Sister?” The younger girl lifts her head tiredly, blinking up at her sister. “Which way do you think we should go?”
Little Sister blinks at the fork for a moment, then points. “Lef’” Big Sister nods. “Left it is.” She grins warmly at Little Sister and reaches out to ruffle her hair before dipping the oars into the water, steering toward the thinner fork.
