Kelsie was shivering in the bathtub. Her skin was caked with salt and her eyes seemed to have a clear film covering them. She was not well.

The bathroom door opened and her head turned from the direction of the window (where her gaze seemed to be permanently affixed) towards the bathroom door.

Will entered, cradling a bucket of fresh water in his arms. He'd been doing this ever since they'd come back from the beach late at night three days ago.

He had no idea what had come over her, or how long it would last. He only knew that he to do everything he could do to help. Even if that meant collecting seawater, distilling it, bringing it up two flights of stairs and into the bathroom and then pouring it over Kelsie's body to relieve her of her salty condition (if only for a little while).

'I think I'm really starting to hate this bathtub.' Kelsie remarked, making Will laugh quietly.

She then raised her arms and he upended the bucket of water over her head. It soaked her petticoat and dissolved the salt that was on her face and clothes. What didn't soak into her skin filled up the bottom of the bathtub. Kelsie uttered a small bird-like noise and smiled up at him.

'Better?' Will asked.

'Better!'

Will sat down on the floor of the bathroom and lent his head against Kelsie's. His eyes flicked to the window that she had gone back to staring out of. The sea was calm and there were no birds flying above it.

'I'll tell you what. How about you get out of this bathtub and go for a walk along the beach. It doesn't look like the sea'll act up today and, if it does, I doubt that you'll end up in a worse condition than what you're in now.' Will suggested.

Kelsie nodded enthusiastically. She couldn't wait to get back to the sea.

++

This chapter was published on the 10th of June 2018, edited initially on the 7th of October 2020, and edited again on the 4th of October 2021.