The Journey The Malevolent Curse

Chapter VI: The Red Sunrise

"Kyara!" Liam said, or at least, I think it was Liam. I could barely hear over my vomiting. He held my hair back. There was a huge puddle of bile beneath me, mostly consisting of the dinner we had and what looked like a yellow liquid. The smell was terrible.

Bryan ran over to us.

"Get your parents!" I heard Liam tell Bryan.

I could barely keep my head up as Bryan ran outside the barn to find our parents. The vomiting stopped, giving me enough time to catch my breath, but then I started to vomit again.

I felt lightheaded. More lightheaded than I ever had before, and it seemed like I was going to faint. But I had to stay wake. I could not pass out. Mom and Dad would be back soon. Stay awake!

~ ~ ~

I slowly came to. My stomach didn't feel as gross and I didn't feel as much nausea. But, I had no sensation in my legs or my arms. Was I paralyzed? Would this be the end? Was the plague already trapping me from life? I felt cold. My heart was pumping fast and I could feel the blood run through my head and chest, and there was a searing pain in my throat on each beat.

Were there already bumps and bruises covering my body? Were my arms and legs numb from what would surely end my life? I tried to open my eyes but couldn't. My mouth was dry, and I needed water. I opened my mouth to ask and that was when several people called my name, "Kyara!" But it seemed as though they were someplace in the distance.

I started coughing, but I had no more substance in my stomach to throw up.

"Can we help you sit up so that you can drink some water?" Liam's voice came from right next to me. I saw the ceiling of the barn, but not the same part I had seen before I started puking. They must have moved me away from the pile of vomit.

There was a hand stroking my hair, which I could guess was also Liam. But it started to feel more feminine after a while and I realized it was Mom.

I now had feeling in my hand and I could move my fingers, which were held by Liam's smooth, familiar hand.

They helped me into a sitting position, Liam, all the while, held my hand tightly. I knew he loved me a lot because of how much he cared for me, and how much he had been there for me in the past, and I know he will be there for me in the future. Through sickness and in health. No matter what.

I opened up my eyes and drank from a cup. The cold water rushed through my throat into my stomach and I felt better.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You puked because of the water you drank from the stream," Mom began. "You don't have a fever, which is a sign of the plague. So, we think it was just from the water you drank earlier. You don't have the plague, though. Other symptoms would start coming up by now."

I nodded. "How long was I out?"

"About thirty minutes. If you were out longer we would've been a little more worried, but. . ." Dad trailed off.

"And you're not worried now? That I could have the plague!" I said. How were they not worried? I was just puking up my guts. I mean, I felt fine now, but that didn't mean that soon I wouldn't be.

"Kyara, calm down," Mom said, in her soothing tone. "You are going to be fine. As long as you stay with us, you should be okay. You don't have a fever, so I promise you, you don't have the plague."