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Kevin, who after all had known Marcus even longer than I had, had also become concerned.

'Marcus seems different,' I said to him one morning. 'He's sad all of the time. Don't you think so?'

'I noticed it, too, but it isn't just recently. He's been like that for months. He must have told you about Monica.'

'Yes, he told me about her. He must have really loved her.'

'I was with him when she was here, and when she left him, he went to pieces. It was as if he had lost the desire to go on living.'

'Marcus and I used to be like brothers. I loved him, and I still do, but he's changed. I thought at first it was because of Monica, but I'm not so sure anymore. Marcus is a special person. He wants to save the whole world. He wants to help every needy person he runs into, and he lets people walk all over him. I feel bad for him. He should never have come into the jungle. He's not comfortable here in the wilderness. It's too savage for him. Look at the way he acts. He's scared, insecure. He's really miserable. It hurts just to look at him.'

'Have you tried talking to him about it?' I asked.

'A couple of days after we left Apolo, when Karl had gone off to see if there was a ranch nearby and you were with Flaca, Marcus and I were left alone. I told him how I was feeling, that his friendship was very important to me, and that I was