Breathing the Dead ~ H.S

Chapter Thirty-One

**SMUT**

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: PROMISE

On my way back to me & Harry's cabin from the bathrooms, I crossed paths with a very anxious-looking Hailee. My breath hitched, and I looked back at her; biting my lip in both nervousness & curiosity.

"Hailee," I called to her quietly, "wait."

Hailee stopped in her tracks, and turned around to face me. I noticed that she was holding an empty plastic bowl with a few flannels chucked inside.

"Hey, Laura," she tried to smile at me, "what's up?"

"Louis," I walked over to her and placed my hand on her arm, "how is he?"

Hailee's bottom lip trembled a little before she sighed and shook her head.

"Not good," she whimpered, "not good at all."

"What's wrong?" I asked her worriedly.

"I...I've tried everything, Laura. Every natural remedy there is, but...without antibiotics, that flu isn't gonna go away," she began to chew at her lip anxiously, "a-and the days have been a lot colder lately, so of course that's not helping!" She threw the bowl & flannels to the ground so that she could run her hands stressfully through her hair, "Laura, I...I don't know what else to do..."

"Oh, Hails..." I sighed and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly, "I'm so sorry..."

"I-I can't even imagine how he could be feeling..." her voice began to wobble, "he's looking so pale, Laura. A-And he can't stop coughing, and his temperature is at least 38 degrees Celsius every time I check. And Eric hasn't seen him for so long, because no matter how much he wants to see his dad, he's so insistent on not letting him in the cabin, b-because he doesn't want him to get sick. He's so worried now, and I-I...I feel like I can't update him on anything without giving him a scare..."

"Hey," I told her calmly, "it's OK. Eric's a good boy, Hails, and a clever one at that too. He'll understand."

Hailee sniffled. "Yeah, I know, I just...I really hope he'll make it,"

"Aw, it's...it's only a flu, Hailee..."

"Well, yeah, b-but the longer it says untreated, th-the more dangerous it becomes. A-And in this weather..."

"True," I sighed, "but hey – Harry & the others shouldn't be too far away. And once you get those antibiotics, Lou will start feeling better in no time."

Hailee lowered her eyes. "I...I really hope you're right, Laura..."

"Of course I'm right," I smiled at her and gave her a hug, "so, am I cleared to visit the old Tommo, then?"

Hailee's head jerked up, and her eyes widened. "R-Really? You'd...you'd really want to do that?"

"Hails, Louis is my friend. Of course I want to,"

"Uh, well, i-if you really want to," she swallowed nervously, "I suppose he could use some visiting right now..."

I smiled again. "Lead the way."

She returned the gesture with a faint perk of her lips, and together we made our way over to the McDermott-Tomlinson family cabin.

***

"Honey?" Hailee said quietly as she entered her cabin, "You have a visitor. Are you awake..?"

As soon as I stepped into the room with Hailee, the first thing I heard was the rapid, shallow breathing of a very sick Louis rise up from the bed. Together, we moved closer – and my eyes immediately widened as I finally saw Louis for the first time since he got sick.