Chapter
8
A
few hours later I awoke layered in perspiration. My temperature had risen, and
I was really feeling the side effects. I coughed violently shaking the entire
bed. Which caused my stomach to go into acute pain. Brian's eyes fluttered.
"Nick?" he said trying to find his voice. "What's wrong?"
"Brian,
I think I'm sick."
He
reached over for the light, but quietly complained as he realized the electric
was still out. He quickly lit the kerosene lamp beside the night stand. It was
then that I heard him gasp. "Nick! Oh no." He rested his hand on my
forehead. "You're burning up! Just lye still. I'm gonna' go get Kev."
"Kev!
Kev!" Brian hollered as he entered the living room.
"Hmmm..."
Kevin mumbled waking up.
"You've
gotta' get up! Nick's really sick."
"Okay,
I'm coming," his older cousin quickly stated. Following his relative he
made his way to the bedroom with AJ and Howie behind him.
They
all hurried in. Kevin immediately took charge. "Brian, can you gather up
all the blankets from the living room? AJ, go get a glass of water and a couple
of cold washcloths, okay?" He then pressed his hand to my heated forehead
just as Brian had done. "Howie, go get some Tynelol and look for a
thermometer."
They
all nodded and rushed off to complete their assignments. Kevin pulled the
blankets away. "Why don't you get out of that damp shirt?"
I
nodded and attempted to remove my shirt unsuccessfully. My bandmate came to my
aid. Lifting my arms through the sleeves and pulling the shirt over my head. He
threw my blouse to the side and removed all of the soaked blankets.
Brian
was the first to return laying the covers at the end of the bed. AJ and Howie
then entered.
"I'm
not that sick, guys. You can all go back to bed. I'm fine," I croaked.
"Yes,
you are," Brian disagreed.
Kevin
slid a thermometer under my tongue. "Just try to relax."
Howie
spoke up. "You need to calm down, or you'll only make yourself
worse."
I
hostile leaned back against the pillows in defeat. Finally, Kevin removed the
annoying object. "103."
"I
don't feel good," I mumbled feeling dizzy.
"I
know," Kevin sympathized, "If I had a fever like that I wouldn't
either."
Howie
poured some Tynelol into my hand as AJ handed me a glass of water helping me
sit up. It was then I realized how sick I was. I was shaking so terribly I
couldn't hold the glass steady. I laid the pills in my mouth as Howie took the
glass from me placing it to my lips.
Kevin
then wiped my forehead and face with a cool rag, as Brian used the other to
wipe the sweat away from my chest and back. After they had finished bathing me
in the cool water several blankets were placed on top of me.
"I'm
so hot," I complained.
"I
know," Kevin replied, "but it's to make you better. You know that,
Nick."
Okay,
I didn't know that, but I didn't want to admit it.
Brian
cleared his throat. "I think we should take him to the ER."
"I
think we should just let him rest. Let the fever run it's course." Kevin
explained. "It could be more than a fever!"
"Brian,
I'm older than you. I've seen more cases. Remember? My dad owned a camp. A lot
of kids use to get fevers. I know what I'm doing."
"Well,
not very person is the same!" Brian shouted.
"I
know that, now stop screaming!"
Now
along with feeling: overheated, uncomfortable and sick.....I also felt guilty.
Because of me two of my bandmates were feuding.
***
