All That I See - 02 by Shane Gregory Read Free Book Online Page A

I said.
    “ Sit up and take this medicine.”
    I sat up and my head was swimming. They pushed a pill into my mouth then put a glass to my lips. I sipped it and swallowed the pill. I thought I would throw up, so I put my head back into my pillow.
    “I’m cold,” I said.
    They pulled the covers up under my chin, and I tugged them up over my head. They were whispering out there. I was safe and warm in my cave where I could peel away the layers of my hornets’ nest. I became aware of a pleasant warmth on the inside of my nostrils. I lay there blowing breath out of my nostrils so I could feel it on my top lip. I was burning up, and my breath could heat the whole room.
    They pulled the covers away again and placed a chilly, wet towel on my forehead. I pushed it off.
    “I think he’s just sick,” a man said. “With all he’s been through, it was bound to catch up to him. I don’t think it’s the virus.”
    “I’d feel better if we tied him down,” a woman said.
    “Like Helen,” I said.
    “Try to sleep,” Sara said, replacing the towel.
     
     
    My fever broke the next day . I still felt like hell, but at least I had my sanity back. Sara walked past the bedroom, not iced me sitting up, and came in.
    “You okay?” she said. I could tell she was trying to figure out if I’d turned. The mischievous side of me wanted to grunt at her as a joke, but I was afraid she would shoot me.
    “I’ve been better,” I said. “I’ve got a headache that is out of this world.”
    “I’ll get you some ibuprofen,” she said. “Do you think you could eat something?”
    I shook my head, “No.”
    “You should drink some broth .”
    “ Where are the Somervilles ?” I said .
    “ They left this morning to scout out a new place,” she said. “ They said they’d be back before dark .”
    “Go ahead and get me the pain medicine and warm me some broth.”
    She left, and I sat down on the side of the bed and stared at my feet. I wondered if all the rest had done my ankle and arm any good.
    She came back and offered me two white caplet s and a glass of water.
    “You’ll have to help me down the stairs,” I said. “I’m kind of wobbly.”
    “Do you need to go to the bathroom or something ?”
    “No,” I said.
    “Then get back in bed, and we’ll get some soup in you. You really need to eat.”
    Gladly, I obeyed.
    I stayed in bed all that day --except for a couple of trips to the bathroom-- and Sara got as much food and drink in me as I could stand. The Somervilles didn’t return when they said they would. By the next morning, I was feeling bett er. I called out for Sara, but she didn’t answer, so I got up and made my way downstairs to the living room. I sat on the couch, surprised at how weak I still was.
    Sara came in from outside with a single brown chicken egg in her hand. She stopped when she saw me.
    “Hey,” she said. “How are you feeling?”
    “Meh. What time is it?”
    “Around ten, I think,” she replied.
    “Still no Somervilles?”
    She frowned and shook her head.
    “Did they say where they were going?” I asked.
    “ They were going to check out a house south of town. Judy said she thought a house out that way had solar panels . It was on Tucker Road. They were also talking about going out to the high school to meet that group out there. Mr. Somerville was saying he knew a lot of the city firefighters and he thought he might have met Nathan before. ”
    “I don’t know where Tucker Road is,” I said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for them to go out to the high school; it’s so close to the fairgrounds and that other bunch.”
    She was standing in the entrance to the kitchen. She looked tired.
    “Thanks for everything,” I said. “I’m sure I wasn’t a very good patient.”
    “You were fine,” she said flatly .
    “Go get some sleep ,” I said. “I’ll get you up in a couple of hours.”
    She nodded, “Are we going to look for them?”
    “Yeah,” I said, “it’s still