The Dark Monster

12. Sick

"Are you all right?" He asked me from behind, and I only hummed in response. When I saw his home in my vision, I jogged towards it and ran upstairs towards my room.

Now, the itching was spread to my back and my neck. It was so intense that I wanted to claw my skin off. I think I have bitten by an insect or may be ants. I went towards the bathroom and took a cold shower, which gave me a little relief, and I sighed in relief. I wore the new white night dresses that Beatrice left for me along with a few more clothes. I wore it, and it reached a little below my knees.

I felt so tired so I went to bed and got under the sheets. As I closed my eyes, I was out like a light. Later on that night, i woke up to my body drenched in sweat and burning sensation in my whole body. It was like my whole body was on fire. I groaned in uncomfort. My throat was dry like a sand paper. I am thirsty, I tried to sit up, but my body wasn't complying. I felt like my limbs were paralyzed. I wanted to scream, but only low moans of pain left my mouth.

I tried calling for help, but my voice was so low that I am afraid that it's barely audible to anyone. With much difficulty, I was able to lift my left hand and reached towards the jug of water that was kept on the side of the bed on a small table. My hands were shivering, which made the jug fall loudly on the ground, and my hand also fell on my side. I groaned in pain once again, trying to speak up but couldn't. I felt so helpless and so weak at that moment.

Am I going to die? Is this how we feel when we are close to dying? I was busy in my miserable thoughts when I heard the door open and there stood Achilles in his glory. He eyes me with a little worry and concern, and as his eyes fall on my face, they widen a little. He skipped towards me and held his palm out on my forehead. His hand felt so cold against my skin that I sighed in relief for a moment.

"You are burning up? Are you in pain?" He asked as his face was etched with worry. I tried to speak up, but only small whimpers came out of my mouth. His face was alert by now when he realized I couldn't talk properly.

"Shit," he said and picked me up in his arms and ran downstairs. I don't know where he was taking me, but I was relishing in his cold touch. I can only hear his heavy breaths as he was running with me in his arms.

"What did you do to yourself?" He growled in anger. I don't know either! I wanted to scoff at his accusation, but I don't have the energy to do so, I felt so drained.

"Mmmhhhmm." I tried to say something, but it came out like this.

"Mother," he shouted loudly when we reached her cottage.

"Mother, open the door," he yelled loudly, his voice so loud and full of panic. Is he scared for me? No way.

"What happened to her?" Beatrice gasped when she saw me.

"I don't know she is burning up, and she can't move her limbs either," he stated as he laid me down on the small bed in the clinic.

"Oh God, what happened, my child?" She asked me to check my temperature. I tried to shake my head, telling her I didn't know.

"Your face," she said, and I felt a little insecure. What happened to my face.

"It seems like it's some sort of allergy, did you eat something or may be touch something" she asked me and I tried to think of anything that might be the cause of my current state and then a thought struck me, that blue flower. I looked at Beatrice and then at the corner where that flower was, and she gasped when she understood.

"Oh God, why did you touch it. There was reason that it was in a locked shelf. " she scolded me a little, but there was hidden worry behind her face.

"What are you talking about?" Achilles asked from behind.

"She touched that blue lethal flower," she told him and scurried to another shelf she took out some other dry leaves from different jars and started making some medicine.

"Why do you stick your nose everywhere?" Now it was his turn to scold me. I was just curious, okay? I didn't know it was allergic.

"It's a good thing that Mother had a cure for it," he gritted, but I also saw some relief in his eyes.

After a few minutes, Beatrice came with a bowl and spoon with some sort of yellow green liquid in it, and I winced at its appearance.

"It doesn't taste good, but it will help you," she told me.

"Help her to sit up," she ordered Achilles, and he sat beside me, helping me sit up. I leaned towards him unconsciously, I couldn't even sit properly.

"Open your mouth, child," she instructed, and I tried to open my mouth, which seemed to be a very difficult task, but nonetheless, I did.

"Swallow it" she said as she poured some liquid in my mouth and let me tell you it was nasty, I haven't tasted something so bad in my life not even my father's burnt steak. I tried to move my head away when she tried to feed me the second spoon.

"Drink it, don't be stubborn." he scolded me, and I wanted to push him away from me, but again, I was  paralysed.

"Child, come on, just a few more, please," she cooed softly, and I couldn't help but comply with her motherly soft voice.

"Good girl," she patted my cheeks once it was finished.

"Lay her down now , her fever will come down in the morning" Beatrice said and Achilles sighed beside me as he laid me down, he moved to put the sheet on me but I glared at him to stop him and he stopped in his moment. Here I am burning up, and he is covering me more.

"Close your eyes and try to sleep," Beatrice said, and I instantly closed my eyes, trying hard to sleep through this uncomfort . At some point, I succumbed to a deep sleep