Even I was surprised by my tenderness. This was not me.
It’s not like I was a purely selfish creature; but other than Reagan, and my dad when he was alive, I just never had anyone else in my life to put before myself. I didn’t try to be selfish, but there was no point to looking out for someone else’s needs when they didn’t exist.
Now all I could think about was Page’s discomfort, the threat to her health and the agony Nelson must be in watching his little sister suffer. My heart was crumbling with the weight of my emotions, my stomach stayed tight with unease. This was worse than Zombies and fighting for my own life. This was infinitely worse and more painful.
King appeared in the kitchen doorway, his eyes wide with panic, “She’s worse. Her head is so much hotter.”
All eyes in the room swung to me and…. waited. Apparently I was the medical expert here? I just prayed I could help Page. That finally my overactive brain would work overtime until I came up with a solution to save her.
Chapter Four
I ignored the demanding stares from the Parker brothers and walked into the living room to check on Page. This house was decorated in a simple country style- lots of blue plaid, roosters, pig ceramics. And Page lay in the middle of a sea of pastel lines, tucked in with a homemade afghan.
She looked tiny curled up on the long couch. She was on her side, her knees tucked into her chest. She was shivering but so pale, my heart ached. Her long, blonde hair was a tangled mess around her angelic face. She let out a pathetic whimper and I rushed the rest of the way to her side.
“King,” I commanded. “Go see if there’s ice in the freezer. If there isn’t, check for something to freeze water and fill it with some of our bottled water. When you come back, please bring a wet washcloth with you. Get Reagan to help you.” He left immediately, pushing through his brothers that were all crowded around us. Reagan followed him without needing anymore direction.
I let my fingers brush across Page’s forehead and sure enough it was hotter than before. She was burning up. I felt under her chin, searching for swelling. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I’d seen it done before and had it done to me. Her throat felt very swollen, but to be sure I tested my own throat, directly against where my jaw met my throat and then felt hers again.
They had to be swollen; her tonsils felt four times the size they should be.
The natural light in the living room was waning. It would be dark soon and we were more or less stuck in this house. We needed to prepare for the long night ahead. And I didn’t just mean Page’s illness.
This wasn’t exactly the safest haven from Zombies.
“There is nothing you guys can do for her right now, except make her safe.” I was mostly a fun person. Even in the middle of the end of the world, I could recognize the need for humor. This was not one of those times where an inappropriate joke would relieve tension. And if they didn’t get their asses in gear they were about to meet my raging bitch persona- it was a little bit of no sleep, mixed in with fantastic sales but nothing in my size, topped off with a healthy dose of PMS meets I-just-stubbed-my-freaking-toe. They should be cowering in fear.
“You’re right,” Vaughan agreed. Whether he actually did agree with me or because he saw the malicious glint in my steely green eyes, I didn’t know; but finally he got moving. “Hendrix and Harrison, walk around the house- scout it out as best as you can. Nelson, go figure out something for dinner. And I’ll check the inside of the house, make sure everything’s locked and sealed as best as possible. It’s nice to have electricity, but in about a half hour, we’re shutting everything down. These aren’t blackout drapes and I am not going to risk drawing attention to us.”
“Look for some antibiotic while you’re at it, Vaughan,” I reminded him. Since I could tell this house had been occupied for quite a while after the infection I knew the chances of finding medicine here were slim, but it was worth a shot.
Everyone jolted into action. Nelson put a comforting hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently, and then he was gone. My attention was wholly on Page and how I could help ease her discomfort.
I stroked her forehead, lifting her hair off her face and neck. She leaned into my comfort, but seemed entirely out of it. Her skin was so hot to the touch my stomach roiled with nausea. Her eyes were too heavy with sleep; she was completely out of it.
King returned with a few pieces of ice, but when I tried to get her to suck on them, she just rolled over and gave me her back. I made King return them to the freezer- we couldn’t waste them, even though he was making more ice even now.