The lost can still be found

Chapter 6: Sick

Elliot makes his way back to the living room to go get Tae and Octavio first. On his way he takes a look at the few photos they had on the walls, majority of them were eerily sad looking. Though the kids were smiling there was no happiness to them.
His gaze comes to focus on the boys on the couch, his stomach drops when he is met with the sight of Octavio leaning his head on Tae's shoulder. Obviously they had gone to watching YouTube videos of some shooter game. Elliot shakes his head, the hell am I jealous for?

"Dinner's ready!"

Elliot exclaims to them before rushing upstairs. He knocks on Loba's door before walking in, he's met with the sight of Loba and Anita oddly close while they sit on her bed. Some sitcom plays on the tv facing her bed, though it was blasting he could still hear Loba yell at him to "get the fuck out!"

Elliot blushes a bit and boots it out of there. Popping his head back in quickly to yell that dinner was ready. His next room was Renee's. He knocked and learning from the last room waited until she gave him the signal to come in.
She was sitting in a chair by the window reading some murder mystery book, her hair tied up in a bun to keep it out of her face.

"Dinner's ready."

"Thanks."

Elliot nods and heads to the last room. Marvin was sitting on the ground playing with some sort of play race track, though he was in front of Elliot in seconds as soon as the door opened.

"I know it's dinner time. Let's go together!"
He grabbed Elliot's hand and started wandering towards the dining room. He babbled on about robots and space, talking about his robot costume for Halloween. Elliot just nodded along until they got to the table where Marvin bolted to sit between Renee and Natalie.

Elliot found his seat beside Octavio and Loba. The meatloaf looked awesome, definitely not like his mom's meatloaf though. The thought of his mom crushed his heart a little, his appetite disappearing.
He glanced around at everyone at the table chatting with each other while eating. Mr. Nox was nowhere to be found. Elliot shrugged and started picking at his plate, picking up on the conversation Natalie and Renee were having.

"So no one fessed up to eating the apple slice. Did you just miscount or something?"

"I didn't cut them up today, papa did."

"Well maybe he miscounted."

They both looked at each other unsure but seemed satisfied with the conclusion of miscalculation.
Why are they so obsessed with that apple slice?
Elliot shakes his head and finishes eating half his plate, getting up and beginning to pick up the plates of everyone else who was finished.
Majority of them had finished their plates except for Octavio who had hardly touched his.

Just as Elliot took his plate he stood up and left without a word. Everyone looked in his direction but continued as usual afterwards.

"Friend! Wanna play Goldfish?!"
"Go Fish..."

Marvin runs up and tugs on his sleeve. Elliot's attention turns to him.

"Sure. I'll play a couple rounds."

Everyone other than Tae and Octavio played a few games of Go fish before deciding it was time for bed.
Elliot offered to help Natalie clean up but Renee had beat him to it.
When he walked into his bedroom he was greeted with the sight of Octavio sleeping on the floor with a pillow and a thin blanket, he was shivering a little so Elliot grabbed another blanket and gently covered him in it. After shyly stripping to his boxers he got into the bed, shutting his eyes and listening to the sounds of the house. He lay in silence for fifteen minutes before the groaning started. At first it was meek and quiet but got louder as time went on.
Elliot sat up slowly when he realized the sound was coming from the boy on the floor.

Octavio was curled up in fetal position covered in sweat, his face was twisted in pain as he hugged his stomach. His shivering had gotten worse, his whole body trembling nonstop.
Elliot swung his legs over the bed and got on his knees next to Octavio.

"Tav, are you okay?"
He got a small nod.
"Are you sure...?"

"..."

This time Octavio shook his head before curling up tighter.
"Duele mucho...."
"Huh..?"
"It hurts...."

His words were meek and slightly slurred. Before Elliot could speak again Octavio's hand shot to his mouth and he jackknifed up. He scrambled to reach for the garbage can nearby, with the help of Elliot he reached it just in time to expel what little dinner he had into the can. Elliot rubbed his back, concern overtaking him.

"We should get someone..."

"No. I'm fine."
With that came another gag that turned into a dry heave, his hands gripping the can so hard his knuckles had turned white.
Elliot shook his head with a sigh just choosing to go grab him a glass of water. He tosses on a shirt and leaves Octavio to make his way to the kitchen, weighing out wether or not to go to Mr. Nox. He gets some tap water, turning to find Anita standing right behind him. He jumps and nearly drops the water glass.

"How sick is he?"

Elliot blinks and stares at her.

"Almost all of us have done it. How sick is he?"

"Uh... he's vomiting, shaking and he's really cold yet sweaty."

She nods and walks away and off to the washroom down the hall. When she comes back she holds out a closed hand to Elliot. It takes a second for him to register she's giving him something. She drops two white triangular pills in his hand.

"Get him to take those. Good night."

And with that she went back to her room again, her own glass of water in hand. Elliot stares at the pills. Almost all of us have done it? Done what?"
He shakes his head and goes back to Octavio who is still cradling the trash can.
It takes some fighting to get him to ingest the water and pills but as soon as he does the vomiting stopped, soon after most of the pain did too.

Octavio had calmed down a bit, finishing off the glass of water and sitting back in his 'bed'. Elliot shook his head and picked Octavio up bridal style, gently setting him on the bed.

"Like hell you're sleeping on the floor after all this."

Octavio didn't complain, he just snuggled into the bed. Elliot started to get down on the ground before Tavi spoke up again.

"You're not gonna join me?"

Elliot went red and looked away.
"I'm a cuddler. Would hate for you to get locked in my arms all night."

"I could use a personal heater."

Elliot shrugged off the tingly feeling in his chest and got into bed without anymore of a fight. Octavio kept his distance as much as he could on a single bed with two men in it.

"So is this a normal thing for you...?"
He shakes his head.
"Must be something I ate... mierda I thought I had a stomach of steel..."

Elliot sat there with the cogs turning, finally piecing the puzzle together.

"Did you eat an apple slice today?"

"Yea, why?"

"They we're just real freaked it was gone. Might have something to do with this."

"Hmm..."
Octavio trailed off as his eyes began to close again, soon soft snores coming from him.
Elliot was left alone with his thoughts and concerns about what was really going on in this house.