Six (Countdown book 1)

Chapter 9

"Oh, right." I muttered, rubbing my eyes tiredly. "Sorry about, um kicking you." 

"That's fine." Tony muttered. He got up and limped over towards the door. "See you at lunch, kid." he called as he left. 

I let out a heavy sigh, and sat up in the bed. My head was pounding, and my face felt hot. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, and went slightly light-headed. I stood up, and looked back down at the bed. I realised that I had actually wet myself in the night. I felt my face go even hotter, despite the fact that there was no one around. 

I had a shower and got changed, probably spending longer than I should have in the shower. Then, I stripped my covers off the bed and washed them off in the shower. I hung them over the rail, feeling ashamed of myself. I used one of my used t-shirts as a cloth and cleaned the mattress with hot, soapy water. 

I brushed my teeth and washed my face off, then went and sat down at my desk, leaning back heavily in the chair. Before I knew it, I was asleep again, and instead of dreaming, I just recalled the memories of when I'd last wet the bed when I was eight. 

My mum had been so disappointed in me because I hadn't wet the bed in a year and a half. It took me ages to get out of the habit, because I used to wet the bed whenever I had a nightmare. My parents eventually took me to see someone about it, and they explained that lots of kids went through the phase and that I'd be fine in a few months time. And after that time when I was eight, I hadn't wet the bed. Not until now, that is. 

"Eli?" I opened my eyes warily, and saw Scarlett looking down at me. "What's the matter?" she asked, frowning. "You didn't show up for any of your morning lessons or breakfast or lunch." 

"I'm just tired." I mumbled, resisting the urge to close my eyes again. 

"Um, what's up with your bed?" she asked, staring at the massive wet patch in the middle where I'd cleaned the stains off. I didn't reply. "Eli, are you sure you're okay? You don't look so great." 

"Mhmm." I murmured, feeling my eyes slowly drifting to a close again. 

"Listen, I'm going to go and get Wyatt." Scarlett said worriedly. "Are you going to be okay until I get back?" I nodded, feeling my stomach churning. She stared doubtfully down at me for a bit longer, and then turned to leave. I finally gave up the fight, and let my eyes close again. 

When I woke up, Wyatt was standing over me, staring at me with obvious concern. "You don't look so great, Eli." 

I went to reply, but instead threw up. Wyatt stepped back just in time to avoid getting covered. I bent double and threw up again. I could feel beads of sweat dripping down my back and face. Wyatt reached down and lifted my chin so that I was looking up at him.

"It looks like food poisoning." Wyatt said. I groaned. 

"Are you sure?" I realised that Scarlett was in the room, standing behind Wyatt. 

"Hm." Wyatt replied. "The symptoms seem appropriate-"

"I think I'm going to-" I threw up again before I finished my sentence. I groaned again, clutching my stomach. 

"Is he going to be okay?" Scarlett asked Wyatt. 

"I don't know yet." Wyatt said, examining my face closely. "I'll have to see how he progresses." I felt my eyes drifting closed of their accord again. My last thought before I passed out was that Tony had been on kitchen duty yesterday, which was probably when I'd got the food poisoning. He had tried to kill me. Again.

I had the same nightmare that I'd had earlier on that day. And it was just as terrible, just as horrifying. I woke up in the same state that I had earlier, confused, disorientated and with a killer head ache. 

"I was beginning to worry you weren't waking up." 

"I didn't want to wake up." I mumbled. I opened my eyes, and Scarlett was looking down at me, smiling. I realised that I was back in my bed, and that the sheets were back on, but I guessed I'd probably soiled them again in my sleep. 

I felt something cold on my head, and reached up a hand. I pulled off a cold, wet flannel and stared at it for a moment before registering what it was. Then I put it back on my head. 

"How long was I asleep?" I asked. 

"Two weeks." Scarlett replied. 

"What?" I croaked. 

"I'm kidding." she said, staring at me as though I should have worked that out. "A day or so." she looked down at her watch. 

"Where's Wyatt?" I asked. 

"He's teaching Andy and Aiden." Scarlett said. "Tony's in History, Mackenzie's on guard duty, which just leaves me and you."

I groaned, my body aching. "Am I dying?" 

Scarlett laughed, but not cruelly. "No, Eli, you're not dying. Why do you always have to be so over-dramatic?" 

"I feel like I'm dying." I said. 

"Wyatt said you'll be up and on your feet in a few days. He had some medicine, luckily, so you'll be fine in a few hours."

"Why does it take so long to work?" I moaned. Scarlett just smiled at me. "Did I... Did I wet the bed again?" I asked, feeling my cheeks grow hotter.

Scarlett looked at me sympathetically. "You did, but we changed the covers over again. There's nothing to be ashamed of, Eli. You couldn't help it. Wyatt said it's a typical symptom of food poisoning." 

"Hm." I muttered distractedly. I remembered when when almost got caught by the Hunters at the train station, because Tony had accidently made it snow. And then he'd accidently tripped up on the stairs, making it almost impossible to get away. Then someone had loosened the bricks on the wall, guessing that I'd go up there and fall off. Then, the night that Tony happened to be cooking, I got food poisoning that could probably have killed me. 

"You were right about being a trouble magnet, Eli." Scarlett smiled at me. "That's the third time you've nearly died, and you haven't been here any longer than two weeks."

"I know." I mumbled gultily. "I'm a bit of a menace."

"A bit of a menace? Try 'A hazard to society'. It seems more appropriate." I managed a smile. "See. You're fine." 

"I don't feel fine." 

"Oh, stop feeling so sorry for yourself." Scarlett smiled at me. 

"Yes, boss." I mimicked a salute. I felt my eyelids longing for each other again, my body telling me that I should really sleep. "I'm going to go to sleep again." I warned Scarlett. 

"And I'll be waiting when you wake up." 

I nodded and murmured something that even I didn't understand. My eyelids dropped down heavily over my eyes, and, after maybe two or three seconds, I was asleep again.