From Servant to Support

Not Getting Any Better

Everything hurt. My head, stomach-- Everything. Most of the congestion was gone, but everything else had worsened.

When I woke up, there was a wet rag on my forehead. I slowly opened my eyes, sitting up, a bit.

"Oh. Captain, you woke up," Celci said.

"Yeah. I can see--" A coughing fit took over. Mark rushed over. He hugged me. Celci rubbed my back, again. When I stopped coughing, I laid back down on my bed, facing the ceiling. "Most of the congestion is gone, which is good, but everything else is worse." Mark held my hand in an assuring way. "I'm so achy everywhere... Everything hurts..." I had a very short, but very violent coughing fit. When I stopped coughing, I put my face in my hands, then dropped my arms.

"You're not getting any better," Celci said. "We should take you to the hospital and alert the colonists."

"N-no--!" I had another short coughing fit. "No... I just need some water... And someone go get Mack. He's with us, now. Actually, someone--" I coughed, again. "Someone tell him about my emotional issues. No point in hiding it when he's going to spend so much time with us."

"Oh! I have some water right here," Mark said handing me a glass.

I drank it and felt the cool water soothe my throat as soon as it came in contact with it. "Oh, that's so much better," I whispered.

"I'll get Mack and tell him everything," Mark said, getting up and exiting the room, leaving me alone with Celci.

I shivered a bit. "Cold?" She asked.

"A-a bit... Th-there's some extra blankets in my closet. I'll get them--"

"No, Captain, I will." She got two extra blankets and put them both on top of me.

"Thanks..." I said, warming up a bit and smiling at her.

"Of course!" She smiled back at me.

After a while, I felt myself threatening to fall asleep, again. I sat myself up, a bit more.

Finally, Mack and Mark came back. Mack immediately brought a hand to my cheek. I leaned in, half voluntarily, the other half involuntarily. After a moment, I pulled away. "Sorry."

"N-no, you're fine! You go ahead and do that! I don't mind! ...Mark says you're getting worse? I mean, you did feel kind of hot..."

"I--" I turned away from the others and violently coughed a few times. I turned back to Mack and was met with a very concerned frown.

"You sound really bad..."

"Yeah, no, I just need more water. I think. Mark? Can you...?"

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot to tell you I got some more right here." He pulled out another glass. I took it from him and took a sip. "Better?"

"Yeah. As I was saying, I am feeling worse. I mean, the congestion is mostly gone, but literally everything hurts." I sighed. "Physically and mentally." I sat up. Celci thought for a moment, then felt my forehead. I leaned in, then pulled away. "God, I gotta stop doing that... Sorry..."

"It's alright. You're fine." I laid down, resting an arm on my forehead. "You okay? Well, I mean, of course you aren't, but..."

"Yeah. Just... I'm gonna get a few more minutes of sleep," I said, pulling up my covers and turning onto my side. "Hey, where did the soup go that was in my lap? Just curious."

"I threw it out," Mark said. "Would've been gross by now."

I nodded a bit as I began to fall asleep.

When I woke up, I heard Mark and Mack talking. I turned to look at them. "It's like they're touch starved. Incredibly annoying, really," Mark said.

"Yeah," Mack agreed, looking at me. "Oh. They're awake." Tears stung my eyes. "Why are you so annoying?"

"I-- I don't..." I felt my breathing patterns become irregular. "I'm not trying to be annoying..."

"Well, you are," Mark said. "And you have to stop. Stop. Stop. Stop."

"Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop."

"Stop!" I screamed, sitting up. I coughed from screaming. I looked around and noticed Mark and Mack weren't were they just were. They were giving me concerned looks. I noticed how I was in a cold sweat. Oh. It was just a nightmare. Tears stung my eyes as I tried to hide them.

Mark ran over. "Hey! Are you okay?" I shook my head. He hugged me. I buried my face in his chest. I felt the urge to cough. I tried to fight it off, but it just got worse. I pushed away. "W-what's wrong?"

I turned away from him and had a violent coughing fit. He rubbed my back. When I was done, I let out a small whimper and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around me, again. "Wh-where's--" I turned away and coughed a few more times. "Where's Celci?"

"She's getting more water," Mack said, walking over and rubbing my back.

As if on cue, Celci came in and saw us all huddled together. "Oh. You're awake."

I nodded. Mark took the water from Celci and handed it to me. I took a sip, then it went down the wrong pipe. Of course. I violently coughed some more, handing Mark the glass so I didn't spill any. He put it on the dresser and rubbed my back some more. When I stopped, I sleepily leaned on Mark. He handed me the glass, again. I took a sip, not choking, this time.

Celci felt my forehead. I was too tired to lean into her, this time, though her cool touch still felt good on my hot skin.

"You're still getting worse..." She said, Mark moving some hair from in front of my face (unless your hair is too short like mine).

"Captain... We should really take you to a hospital..." Mark said.

I sat straight up. "N-no! What if I'm too sick?! What if they take me away from you?! I don't wanna do that! I don't-- I don't wanna do that!" I started sobbing. "I don't wanna..." I hugged him tightly.

"Hey, hey, hey! Okay, okay. We won't go if you don't want to."

"I don't want to..."

"No, they have to go to a hospital!" Celci yelled, worsening my headache. I winced and squeezed Mark tighter.

"I don't want them to take me away! I don't want them to take me away! I don't want them to take me away! I don't want them to take me away! Not again! Don't let them... Not again..." I got flashbacks to fourth grade. The night I was diagnosed with anxiety. Something really bad had happened. "Please... I don't wanna go... I don't want them to take me away..."

"Great. You triggered them," Mark said to Celci, snapping me back to reality somewhat. I was still remembering. "Captain... Captain, it's okay. I'm here." He squeezed me tightly. I squeezed my eyes shut and sobbed into his chest. "I'm here," He repeated. Celci rubbed my back. So did Mack.

When I completely came back, I opened my eyes and looked up at Mark. "Captain, I'm sorry. I didn't know..." Celci said quietly. I looked at her.

"We don't have to go to the hospital if you don't want to." I gently pushed myself out of the hug. "Captain?" Without thinking, I stood up and got lightheaded. "Captain, what are you doing?" Not only was I lightheaded, but it suddenly hurt to breathe.

Then everything went black. More black than normal. I went cold.