Chapter 5

I woke up with the distorted sound of my alarm clock. The world spun around me as I laid in bed. Somehow mustering up the energy to push the snooze button, I groaned. I laid still in my bed, not wanting to move and risk the world to go faster than it already was. A knock on my door woke me up again. I didn’t realize that I fell asleep again.

“Hey, hon. Are you okay?” my mom’s distant voice asked.

“No,” I tried to say, but I think it came out as, “mahaw,”

She touched my forehead again, her fingers were cool. It was heavenly. At that moment had I realized that my skin was on fire.

“Kain,” my mom called. I tried not to wince at the sound.

Annoyed my dad came into the room, and asked, “What’s wrong now?” he stopped in his tracks. I assumed he looked at my mother waiting for the answers. Her hand left my face.

“She’s burning up and she’s not getting up,” she sounded worried.

I felt another hand touch my face. This one was bigger and warmer, but still cool against my skin.

“I think it isn’t a false alarm Kain,” my mom whispered.

I felt the hand leave my face, leaving an empty feeling behind. “Kain,” my mom called, as footsteps sounded out of my room.

My mom called after my dad again no response.

I fell in and out of consciousness a couple of times. When I could finally open my eyes, I saw Grams reading a velvet hardcover book next to my bed. She sat in a camping chair, reading classes perched on the bridge of her nose. All my bedding was gone except my pillows I laid on and a very thin sheet that was draped over me.

“Finally awake I see,” Grams said without looking up.

“How long was I out?” I asked, throwing the sheet off of me.

“About 16 hours,” she mused, licking her forefinger and turning the page.

“I shouldn’t be surprised anymore. I swear I’m going to spent 80% of my life being unconscious,” I tried to sit up, but my muscles protested by shooting a dull ache through any limb that dared to work.

“Yeah you’re going to be sore for a while, but I wouldn’t worry too much,” Grams said slamming the book shut and folding her glasses.

“I still feel hot,” I wiped my forehead and a pool of sweat stuck to my skin.

“Well he might have the fever somewhat under control, but we still haven’t broken it,” she handed me a glass after I gave another try on sitting up straight. The glass was filled with a disgusting green, thick, liquid. I made a face, by the sight. It smelled like flowers and coconut.

“What is it?” I asked.

“It’s a remedy that is passed from generation to generation. It’s to help you get back your electrolytes, and to make you feel a bit better,” she explained.

“What’s in it?”

“That is a secret,” she winked.

I wanted to put the glass back, but I put on my big girl plans and gulped the liquid down. The thickness made me want to gag. The taste and smell was the only pleasant experience I got out of it.

I handed her the glass and thanked her. As she sat the glass down on my night stand I asked, “Where are my parents?”

“They quickly went to get something that will help for your fever,” she explained, but didn’t elaborate.

“Did George show up while I was out?” I asked not trying to sound desperate.

“No. He’s not answering his phone either. Is there something you would like to share with me?” she sat back in her chair waiting for me to explain what she already knew.

“We had an argument. I can’t even remember about what. It was something stupid I guess,” Grams stayed quiet for a second after I explained.

“I figured as much. Usually when he catches wind that there is something wrong, he’s usually the first person that shows up to help you. Some might even say he likes you a lot, more than a friend maybe,” a small twinkle in her eye told me that she was craving drama.

“Grams. He is my best friend. That is all and that’s all he’ll ever be,”

“Don’t let him hear you say that. It might break the young man’s heart,” She said with fake exasperation. I just rolled my eyes.

After a while, my skin started to burn again. My bed was soaked as though someone poured a bucket of water on it. Grams sat in her chair and explained that this was normal. I got up from my bed and the world spun again.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she said again without looking up.

I kept walking and eventually got to the bathroom. Opening the cold water on the shower head as wide as I could I climbed into the bath tub, not caring that I was fully clothed. I soaked in the coolness on my skin and the relief that came with it.

Not long after my parents came into the room. Shock on their faces. “Honey, what are you doing?” My mom asked and tried to turn off the water but I stopped her.

“It helps,” I whispered.

“It’s better than jumping into a frozen over lake,” Grams yelled from my room.

“Yeah? Your idea isn’t any much better mother,” my dad growled.

“What idea?” I asked.

“Well…Your grandmother has a crazy idea,” my mom started to explain.

“She wants to put you in an ice bath,” my dad continued.

“I’ll take anything at this point,” I said.

My dad went downstairs to get ice and my mom helped me out of the bathtub.

While my dad made my ice bath I dressed in their bathroom, into a bathing suit that my parents bought for me. It was a regular black onesie.

When I returned to my room the bath was ready and I was eager to get into it. There were a bunch of towels and heating packs. I looked questionably at the heating packs.

“In case your body temp gets too low,” Grams explained.

Just nodding I stepped into the icy water. It was a mixture between relief and stabbing pain on my skin. I sucked in a breath and submerged my body into it up to the neck.

“This better work,” My teeth chattered.

“Meds won’t work. You’ll burn through them before they even have an effect. This is faster and easier. Not to mention traditional,” Grams explained. My dad’s head jerked Grams’ way.

“You hate tradition,”

“I might have grown fond of it in my old age,” Grams said in a dramatic voice.

“Sure, and I’m a grizzly bear you could hug,” My dad sarcastically added. In my head I said, ‘Accurate description only without the hugging,” I smiled.

“How are you feeling?” My mom asked as she sat next to the bathtub.

“Better already,” I said my teeth still chattering.

“See it works,” Grams pumped out her chest with pride. My dad scoffed.

“You can say what you want, but fact is fact, my way is better,” she said walking out.

“Not always,” my dad responded.

They argued for another half hour before Grams went to her room to get away from my dad.

I eventually cooled off and got out of the bathtub. We kept the water in the tub incase my fever came back. I didn’t wat to get back into clothes. I just put on sweatpants on my mom’s demand and went back to bed. The world kept spinning, to the point where I became nauseous. My dad put a bucket next to my bed in case I wanted to throw up and couldn’t make it to the bathroom. I fell back asleep after a while. My dreams were filled with more nightmares of all the times I was kidnapped and the animal chasing me.