"Jack."
"Oi, Jacko. I'm really sorry bud but I need you up."
"Please Jackson."
I grunted and rolled over to face my Dad, squinting my eyes open, "what the hell do you want? It's not morning yet is it?"
"Well, it is, it's just earlier than usual" Dad pulled a sheepish face, "I'm sorry to wake you, but your Mum needs help in the bathroom and Mara's crying."
I blinked a couple of times, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness. It took me a few moments to remember the mess Mum was at the moment, struck down by a rough stomach bug and that was probably why Dad was hanging out in the bathroom with her.
And now Mara was crying. I could hear her wailing, now that I was properly awake.
"You want me to go check on her?"
"Would you? Please?"
I sighed and rubbed the sleep out of the corners of my eyes, "fine, but you owe me."
"Thank you Jack. I've gotta get back to Mum, I'll see you later" He patted my shoulder once and darted off down the hallway, disappearing out of sight.
From the other end of the hall Mara cried out for Mum again. It was not going to be a pretty sight by the sounds of her snotty sobs.
I grunted and hefted my legs out of bed, yawning as I stood up right. I caught a glimpse of the time on my digital clock and groaned again. It was barely three a clock.
I shuffled out of my room and down the hall to Mara's bedroom. It was pretty easy to find, considering that the door was painted this super bright and super contrasting green colour. It was her favourite, and stupidly enough Dad hadn't even taken an ounce of persuading when she'd asked about it a few months ago. He told her that as long as they got it dry before Mum came home that afternoon it would be perfectly fine.
I yawned again and bowled right in, switching Mara's lamp on so I could at least see her.
I was definitely right to think that it wasn't going to be pretty.
Mara was sitting cross legged on her bed against the the wall, her face horrendously splotchy from the exhausting crying she'd been doing. In her lap was a small lake, fueled by the salty liquid pouring from her face and the sounds bursting from her tiny little body were barely human. The birds nest that was her hair stuck up in every possible direction.
"Hey, hey, it's too early for that, why are you crying?" I moved closer reluctantly, forcing my voice into a somewhat soft tone. Even if I didn't feel like it, I had to be careful with Mara, especially when she was like this. She was a short fuse, if I accidentally lit her she'd explode and everything would be a hundred times worse.
She looked up from the puddle in her lap, still sobbing. She reached out to me with little grabby hands like she was a baby and I drew in even closer, reaching forward and wiping the tears from her cheeks with the loose sleeve of her t-shirt. If I wasn't wrong, it was one of my old ones.
Mara latched onto my hand like glue and quickly crawled forward into my chest, yanking me down onto her bed.
"Geez Mars bar, what's the matter?" I frowned. She might've been a right mess, and she might've been snotting all over my bare skin but she was my sister, and I'd never seen her so worked up before. It was kind of worrying.
"Y-you, you-uh- y-you, you w-were-dead!" She hiccuped into my chest, tightening her grip on my T-shirt. I sighed and tucked her in closer to me, realising what was going on. I didn't think Mara had ever experienced a nightmare before. Her body was shaking hard and boiling hot, she must've been tossing and turning a lot before she woke up.
"And M-m-mum a-and Dad!" She sobbed.
"It's okay Sweetheart, it was just a dream. We're all just fine, I promise, shhhh..." I smoothed her hair down and whispered into her ear. The pet name that slipped out surprised me, but I didn't mind it. It seemed appropriate for the situation.
"Take a deep breath for me, everything's okay" I murmured softly.
Mara shook as she inhaled and her warm breath fanned me as she breathed out.
"Better Mars bar?" I tilted her head up with my hand. She hiccuped and drew out of my hold.
"I don't f-feel well" she whimpered, pressing a small hand to her mid-section. I internally groaned. Nightmares I could deal with. I had not put my name down for puke duty.
I gently took her hand in mine and helped her to her feet. There wasn't any way we could stay in her room if she was going to be sick, there was nothing to catch it and a steaming mess would help her at all.
She shivered into my side as I guided her into the bathroom. Mum and Dad were using their en suite so thankfully it was empty.
I spent twenty minutes in there with her, rubbing her back as she vomited. Thankfully it was only once, and it wasn't a lot, because I didn't have the strongest stomach and I didn't want to find myself throwing up into the sink on a Tuesday morning.
I had to look away and hold my breath to keep last night's dinner inside me while Mara spewed out her insides.
Dad came in after that twenty minutes and took over, a fast look of horror passing over his features when he realised that Mara was sick as well. He thanked me for looking after her and let me go back to bed.
I laid there trying to fall back asleep for hours before giving up. The stench of puke was still strong in my nose and I couldn't fall asleep with it just lingering there like that. It was six a clock now, I might as well just wait half an hour and then get up.
It was while I was just laying there, thinking about things, that an idea hit me. Mum and Mara both already had this bug. Dad wouldn't have a hard time believing me if I told him my stomach hurt or whatever. This was a golden opportunity to score a couple of days off school.
It was going to be so easy. And it wasn't as if I was going to be taking Dad's time or anything, I'd just watch netflix and eat in my room, he'd be too busy running after Mum and Mara to worry about his other kid who was completely silent.
Dad was a little late coming to wake me up, I figured that it was because he'd been up half the night. He shook my shoulder and I pretended to wake up, blinking in the light.
"Hey, time to get up" Dad smiled, opening my curtains.
I stretched out and groaned, "how're Mum and Mara?"
"Mum's sound asleep in the bedroom, her fever's starting to go down a little so that's definitely something. Mara's in the lounge watching cartoons, I haven't been able to get her back to sleep since earlier" Dad replied, "thanks again, for helping out."
"Don't worry, uh- about it" I sat up, wincing just a little bit. I shifted a bit and rubbed at my stomach. Dad seemed to pick up on it and I resisted showing the pride I was feeling as he frowned worriedly.
"You okay Jack?" He asked, instantly going in to feel for a temperature.
"Mmmm, just feeling kinda sick" I replied with as much sadness as I could muster up.
"You're not warm... Maybe you should have something to eat. You know how you are around this type of thing, your stomach's probably just rebelling a little. Food might help" Dad suggested.
"No... I'm really not hungry Dad" I shook my head.
"Not at all? Jacko...I really don't want you getting sick too buddy" Dad sighed worriedly, pushing my hair back. "Look, everyone else is staying home today, how about you stay back from school and just see how you go throughout the day?"
I nodded tiredly and snuggled back into my bed.
"Okay Bud, get some rest. I'll come check on ya later" Dad promised. I nodded again silently and Dad closed the curtains again before leaving my room.
See, easy peasy.
I slid my ipad out from under my pillow and plugged my earphones in.
***
I couldn't help but squirm a little every time I heard Mara or Mum get sick. Even the sound on it's own made my stomach revolt and fold over itself nauseatingly, and even though I was nowhere near the puke site I could've sworn I could smell the stuff. I was frozen stiff while I waited for my stomach to relax again when Dad came in like he promised he would.
"Hey, you awake Jacko?" Dad whispered.
I made a sound in response and swallowed hard as the smell got stronger. Dad reeked of the stuff.
"How's it going in here? Are you feeling any better?" Dad asked quietly, touching my forehead again. I'd had a hot washcloth on it a few minutes ago to try and see if it could make my skin warm with faux fever so hopefully that had worked.
"That's a fever" Dad sighed in resignation.
Dad might've smelt like vomit but something about having him there with me made the sick feeling go away and I managed a depressed sigh, as if I was just as upset by it as he was.
"I'm gonna go grab you some meds bud, try not to fall asleep while I'm gone" Dad smiled sympathetically and headed out.
I closed my eyes and sighed before something small and hot collided with the side of my body and my back arched in shock, a squeak slipping from my lips. My eyes shot open and I got a mouthful of hair.
"Mara, what are you doing?" I whined, spitting her hair out of my mouth.
"My tummy hurts again" she croaked into my neck.
"Go find Dad" I tried to detach her sticky body from mine but it seemed pointless, her grip was far too tight.
"He's with Mum again" Mara groaned, headbutting my collarbone like some kind of cat. Then she lurched suddenly in a terrifyingly familiar manner and in a moment of adrenaline I managed to get her off me and lean her over the side of the bed before she coughed and threw up all over the carpet.
My heart was racing in my chest and my breathing quickly went sporadic as my stomach rolled around sickeningly. I couldn't hold it down this time, the smell, the sight, the sound, it was all too overwhelmingly and within seconds I had joined in, heaving over the side of my bed.
There was nothing I could do but squeeze my eyes shut and wait for it to be over.
I could hear Mara crying again as I gulped and struggled to block the putrid smell out. It wasn't working so I stumbled off the bed and out into the hall, sagging against the wall and throwing up again. Ugh, stupid weak stomach.
"Whoa Jack, hey, it's alright" Dad's arms suddenly wrapped around my waist.
"D-dad" I stuttered, shoving my face into his shirt to just shut everything out. Today was meant to be a good day, and it wasn't as if I was actually sick, I wasn't planning on throwing up at all.
"I know, come on" he lead me out into the lounge and unlocked the sliding door before letting me outside. The fresh air felt amazing in my lungs and I quickly calmed down, plopping down in a deck chair. I mightn't have been sick, but vomiting takes a lot out of a person.
"I'm okay Dad, go see Mara. She was throwing up as well" I panted.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, go" I waved him back inside and took a deep breath before getting to my feet and making my way over to the hose. I switched it on the splashed some cold water from the faucet up onto my sticky face. I wiped it out of my eyes and switched it off, getting back to my feet.
I paused when an odd twist in my belly brought on another surge of nausea. I couldn't smell sick anymore, and by the sounds of it no one was throwing up. The feeling went away before I could think too hard so I shrugged it off and headed back inside.
Remembering the puddle of puke in my room I flopped onto the couch and closed my eyes, tucking my knees into my chest.
I fell asleep within minutes, exhausted.
***
The next time I woke up Dad was standing over me with a bottle of water and a sheet of pills, and I was feeling sticky and weird. My stomach hurt. It felt like something inside it was twisting, yanking the rest of my insides along with it.
"Hey buddy, I've got some more medicine for you to take" Dad smiled gently, waving the bottle.
I covered my face with my hands and groaned, not understanding why I felt so sick. It smelt kind of pukey, but nothing strong enough to make me feel like I did.
"Aw, I know bud, this sucks" Dad sympathised, running his hand through my hair. He frowned and puased midway through before leaning back and grabbing the thermometer off the coffee table.
He turned it on and put it under my arm. Instantly goosebumps rose all over my bare chest and arms. Maybe I was actually sick. If I was, faking wasn't really necessary. I was going to get time off obviously if I was spending my day spewing continuously. It wasn't going to be exactly the same though. I had been expecting the comfort of my bed while I watched TV and napped but now the reality was beginning to look a whole lot more dire.
"103 on the dot."
I let out a high pitched whine. This wasn't going to be nearly as fun as I had planned. Maybe it was some kind of payback for trying to fake in the first place.
"That's even higher than your mothers. Take these, it should help" Dad popped a couple of pills from their capsules and I sat up slightly so I could take a few careful sips. My stomach ached, so I sipped wearily, not wanting to be sick again.
"It's about dinner time now, do you want to try eat something?" Dad asked.
I shook my head. I literally hadn't eaten anything all day. I hadn't even been hungry. That really should've been the first sign that I was getting sick but I hadn't even noticed.
"Aw Jackson..." I glanced up tiredly at the sound of Mum's choppy voice. The first thing I noticed was her hair. It was absolutely everywhere, almost swallowing her head totally. She was a total wreck.
Dad guided her waist as she picked up my head and shoulder and sat down, gently lowering my back down on top of her so that my head was on her lap.
"You okay like that Lila?" Dad asked Mum wearily, rubbing his thumb along her damp hairline.
"I'm fine Haz, feeling much better" Mum chuckled, yawning quietly.
"Oh, thank god" Dad deflated in relief, scratching at his head, "I wasn't sure how much longer I was going to last on my own."
I closed my eyes and shifted my head into a more comfortable position. I was ready to just go back to sleep.
"I'm gonna go lay down with Mara then" Dad gestured and then headed off, leaving Mum and I alone.
It was dead quiet and I fell asleep the easiest I had ever.
I feel like this isn't very good? Thank you to writer_girl2018 for you patience Im really sorry for how long this took but I hope you like it.
Have a good day, you're awesome!