Inheritance: Scales of Change

Chapter Twelve - Broken

    Over the course of the next few days, your mother's condition worsened. It began one morning when the occasional rasp in her throat became a permanent condition. Then the coughing intensified. She kept insisting she felt fine, but once she was unable to move about the house without having trouble breathing, you and your father forced her into bed. You both continued working on the cure, even more feverishly now that you felt you were losing the battle. You would bring her equipment to her bedside and set up a lap desk for her to work on.
    She had tried hundreds of combinations of oils in different concentrations. Still the most effective at killing the fungal spores was the tea tree, with direct contact in a dry environment. Once the spores were tested in a humid environment, (a closed jar with a drop of water), the safe amount of tea tree for consumption would slow the growth, but not stop it completely. At the very least she began treating herself with that much of it, but it was like wrapping a bandage over a broken bone.
    You and Caspian sent a message to the Doctor on the other end of the island to come as quickly as possible. Hoping two medicinal minds could come up with a solution. It began to feel as if you were failing her, and it was taking a toll. You hadn't eaten much in the last few days, and your sleep had all but discontinued entirely. This morning, you sat at the kitchen table pouring over yours and your mother's notes while your father sat at her bedside.
"Eat." Raxe dropped a bowl of porridge heavily on the table beside you.
"No thanks, I'm not hungry." You didn't even look up at him.
"I know. But I'm asking you to anyway." He insisted, pushing the bowl closer to you.
"I don't have time Raxe." The annoyance rose in your voice, and you slid the bowl away.
"You have to make time." He sat next to you. "You can't help your Mom if you die of starvation. Your body needs fuel."
"I ate a banana earlier." You flipped a page.
"Earlier when? You just got up an hour ago."
"I dunno. Before I went to bed. I need to concentrate Raxe, please." You tried to shoo him away.
The door opened and Caspian entered with an armful of supplies. "I'm back." He announced, and plopped everything down on the counter in the kitchen.
"Good. Maybe you can get through to this mule of yours." Raxe stood, motioning to you and your untouched bowl.
Caspian placed his hand on your shoulder and leaned into your ear. "My Love, have you still not eaten?"
"For Aslan's sake! Can't you two see I'm busy? Go pester someone else!" You raised your voice. You knew it was uncalled for and that they were just trying to help, but you didn't have the capacity to care about anything other than your mother.
Caspian and Raxe exchanged concerned looks, and Caspian sat in the chair on your other side. He gently placed his hand over the pages you were trying to read. You glared up at him.
    "My Starlight." He spoke quietly so only you and Raxe could hear. "I know you are frantic. I know you think if you stop and eat, they are minutes taken away from your mother. I know you're scared. We are too. But you know that your body will also begin to fail you if you don't care for it. I know your head is aching, I can see it in your eyes. Please. I will do anything to have you eat something."
    Your heart softened, as it could only for him. His eyes were begging you to let him take care of you. He was right, the pounding behind your eyes was only getting harder to ignore, and it was becoming incresingly difficult to retain any information you were reading.
"Fine." You reached for the bowl and pulled it closer to you. "Can you read to me while I eat then?" You slid the journal over to him.
"I would be happy to." He sighed in relief, "Raxe, would you mind making something a bit more substantial for all of us?"
"Sure." Raxe smiled and moved into the kitchen.
"Where shall I begin?" He asked you.
"I just finished the page on cinnamon bark." You spooned porridge into your mouth.
"Alright, 'Eucalyptus' " He began reading the next page. " 'Powerful against respiratory illnesses, inflammation, and fever. Use in a burner, steam or compress. Not recommended for ingestion.' " He paused. "There's a note here about combining it with peppermint for pneumonia..."
You shook your head. "Not recommended for ingestion." You quoted. "Next page."
He flipped. "'Lemongrass. Helpful with digestive issues. Have seen some success when used with other oils against flus and colds. Safe for ingestion.'"
"Yea. We tried that. It's not powerful enough though to replace the tea tree."
"Alright, next..." He kept reading. " 'Lavender. Has many uses. Always keep on hand.' Wow. There's a long list here..." He scanned the page "'Relaxation, sleep, depression, anxiety, allergic reactions, skin infections, cleaning cuts and wounds...'"
    "I keep coming back to it." You wrinkled your nose in thought. "It's very effective on surface infections, and it's safe for consumption, but even combining it with the tea tree, it only kills off so many of the spores. They are reproducing faster than the oils can work...if we could just find something to boost it..."
Just then there was a knock at the door, Caspian stood to open it, it was the Doctor.
"Oh!" You rushed over to him. "Thank you so much for coming, Doctor, we didn't know who else to turn to."
"I came as soon as I could my dear, where is Helnea?" He responded.
"She's in bed, my father is with her."
"May I see her?"
"Of course." You invited him in and gestured to the back of the house.
    Your mother was sleeping when you rounded the privacy wall. Your father stood abruptly when he saw the doctor.
"Thank you Doctor." He shook his hand, speaking in hushed tones.
"Not at all, not at all. How is she?" The Doctor whispered back.
"Weak. She can barely speak today." Your father replied.
"It escalated so quickly..." you added. "She was fine a couple of days ago."
"Yes, that seems to be the common nightmare. What have we tried already?"
"Let me show you." You led the Doctor to the table where all the different test containers sat, along with your mother's journal and notes.
"Hmm." He examined everything. "Yes, I see... Ah, I wouldn't have thought of that... interesting..."
You watched him impatiently, trying to keep in mind that it took you both days to come up with these tests, and he had only been here a few minutes. It was unlikely he would see a solution right away.
"You have already done much of what I would have on your own... nevertheless I will begin working immediately." He nodded.
"Thank you." You placed your hand on his arm. "Let me know if there is anything you need."