Loyalty

Chapter 9: Sickness

Of course I wasn't going to get a good night's sleep! I woke up around midnight, my stomach was twisting and turning and my head was spinning, my eye sight blurred. I tried to stand but fell back on to the side of the bed. I let my eyes focus and then tip toed to the bathroom. I sat next to the toilet bowl, just then I felt the bile rising into my throat. I sat on the cold bathroom floor for about fifteen minutes, until I was sure I was finished. I dragged myself back to bed and curled up into a ball. I was sweating so I pulled my thin blanket over me and tried to sleep. About an hour later I heard Gem getting up out of bed and saw her heading for the bathroom.

"Gem," I whispered, her head spun round to see me. "You ok?"

"I feel sick." She replied, clenching her stomach.

"I've already been sick. It must be going round."

She nodded and headed to the bathroom. I followed her and sat with her next to the toilet. She puked buckets! She didn't stop for five whole minuets. I held her hair back and rubbed her back while she was sick. I then past her the mouth wash to get rid of the nasty after taste. I let her sleep in my bed with me and we slept through 'till 10.

"Shoot!" I exclaimed when I read the clock. "We're two hours late!"

I ran into my Dad's room and he looked at me calmly.

"I called up school, you can go back to bed with Gem." He smiled before I said a word. "I heard you both being sick, most of the pack have got it."

I grabbed my phone and checked the texts. Tammy, Darcy and Toby had the bug. Well this was just great, I hated being sick since I could do nothing but sit around. It was strange that the whole pack had it though. But we did hang around together all the time so I guess it was bound to happen. I went back to my room and flopped on the bed next to Gem who was still sleeping soundly. She looked to calm and young while she slept. I felt so guilty for dragging her into this threat. She was only twelve for moons sake! I wrapped my arms around her and she snuggled into my chest. I hoped the pack would leave soon, I would only know next Monday. For now, I slept with my sister at my side.

We woke up around noon, and I headed downstairs to make us both some toast. Once again there was a note on the table.

Gone fishing with Beta Carl.

Be back around 5pm.

Love Dad xx

Well guess it was just me and Gem, looking after each other while we barfed into a toilet. Yay! I got to making the toast. I decided to grill, to give it a different taste than usual. As the bread and cheese sizzled away the home phone rang. I dawdled over and picked it up.

"Hello, Alpha household, Who's speaking?" I rehearsed the words I'd been taught to use on the home phone.

"Hi!" A very cheery voice answered, "This is Jane Reeds, are your parent's home?"

"I don't believe I know you, please state your business." I replied, trying to be polite.
"I am one of her friends from work."
"Well then you should be at work too, since my mum is at work 'till Friday." I challenged.
"Ok smarty! I obviously not as naive as I thought you would be. I will speak to your parents, they will answer everything I need to know." The woman growled.
"Who is this?!" I asked again, trying to mask the fear in my voice with authority.
"None of your business." She barked then put down the phone.
Creep. Well that was all I needed. I took the toast up to Gem and we ate it slowly to make sure that we weren't sick again. Most of the day was just us lounging around, it was Darcy's shift tonight so we wondered who would take it. I didn't hear anything from that creepy lady.
Like Dad promised he was back dead on five, ready to look after us. He brought us some beef stew and ice cold water. To our surprise Mum came home to look after us as well. She told us old tales of our ancestors to soothe us.

Around seven Gem went to her bed and read her book for a bit. I went downstairs to watch some telly. I flicked through the channels when I finally decided to put on a documentary on safari animals. I wasn't really watching it; my mind was in other places. I thought about the lessons I missed, if I had any homework. I thought about everyone else and wondered if they felt any better. I thought about how weird it was that we had all got ill at the same time. As my mind wondered to absurd answers to these thoughts, I felt my eyes droop and close.

I slept through the night and I woke up the next morning ready for school. Gem stayed off because she puked up during the night. I didn't care about appearance so I just shoved on my track suit and headed to wake my dad up. He took about fifteen minutes and then we got in the car. Mum was staying home until Gem felt better. On the ride me and my dad were silent just enjoying the serenity. I got out of the car at school and trudged into the school building.

I didn't see anyone for the first two lessons. I met them all at break at our usual table that we ate at. We all looked like we had been chewed up and spit back out Toby's hair was sticking out in every direction, Tammy had her hair bun and Darcy had massive bags under her eyes. We all wore track suites with trainers. Jess looked beautiful compared to us, skinny jeans, cute rainbow Nirvana shirt and black knee high boots. We all agreed it was super weird that we all got sick at the same time, but we also agreed we should have seen it coming. We lounged around, feeling lethargic, then headed off to our lessons.

At the end of the day Dad came to pick me up, as soon as I got home I went upstairs and ran a bath then went to get into my pyjamas. Gem was fast asleep, which was calming for me. I got in the bath and put my headphones in. I pretended I was in the Caribbean ocean, as a normal teenager with no problems. No teen wolf coming for my sister, no Jenkins girls bullying me. I stayed there for what felt like forever, then my mum called for me to get out the bath I climbed out and got back into my pyjamas. I woke up Gem and she got into the bath. I lay on my bed with my headphones in. I lay there for a while, thoughtless, until Gem called.

"The phones ringing."

I headed downstairs to the home phone.

"Hello, Alpha house hold, Who's speaking?"

"Hello again." Said a very cheery and familiar voice, but the cheeriness had an aggressive edge to it.

"Jane." I snarled.