The Sound of Them: Book One

Lianne

She tells me not to worry, but I don't listen to her. My heart beats with nerves as she shudders and I don't think twice as I take the bed covers off of her.

"What are you doing?!" she says with wide eyes. "I'm cold!"

"Girl, do you want your fever to get worse?! It's like a thousand degrees out here and you're trembling like we're in the North Pole!"

Her eyes show sadness and my expression softens. "Okay. How about you take off your sweater and you can use only one bedsheet."

"But--"

"Take off your sweater, Cristina!"

"Okay okay." She finally obeys and I quickly go to the small shelf in one corner of the room where towels lay. I find a small one and go into the bathroom to soak it in cold water. After wringing the towel, I go to Cristina as she lies in bed. I look at the bowl of soup and frown.

"You didn't eat anything."

"Lianne. I can't even look at food or else I will puke."

"Did you at least eat some?"

"No. I don't want anything."

I put the towel on her head and she tries to stop my hand. I give her a stern look and she puts her hand down. I put the towel on her forehead and say, "Let me take care of you, okay?"

"Lianne. I'm okay. Really. You must be so tired. I--"

I wave her words away and go outside once more. The humidity wraps me no matter where I am. But I don't care for it now. I even forgot about the meeting we had earlier tonight that went longer than expected. I look for Dr. C and take two bottles of Gatorade from the fridge and mark off my name. I will give her my two free drinks of the day so she can recover her electrolytes.

Finally, Dr. C answered my call and I met her outside her room. I slap mosquitoes away as I watch the door open. My heart lightens up as she takes out a box of medicine.

"Dr. C. I apologize for interrupting your night. Cristina isn't doing so well. She has a fever and I'm worried she's not drinking enough water or eating. Her stomach pain is excruciating."

"I'm afraid it could be an infection. But this pill will tell us if it is or not." She puts a transparent pill in my hand. Its liquid has a dark yellow color but the middle of it has a dark pink section of the liquid. I'm mesmerized at how pretty it looks but I shake myself out of my amusement as I hear Dr. C explain, "You must make her take this pill. Watch her for four hours. If her fever doesn't go down with this medication then we will take her to the hospital."

I nod with determination and go to one of the rooms I know I will find Helen. She opens the door and I give her a tired smile. "Hey, Helen."

She looks outside expecting to see Cristina with me. She's confused as to why I'm alone in the dark, but she gives me a gentle smile. "Hi, Lianne. Is everything okay?"

"Cristina is very sick," I say. "I was wondering if you had any more of your small towels that I could use to put some moisture on her forehead."

"She has a fever?" she says as she immediately goes back in to get towels. Tori passes by and waves at me. She is oblivious to my worry as I give her a fake smile. Helen brings two small towels and two packets of what seems of a pink powder. "Is she throwing up?"

"She does have a fever. She is not throwing up, but she has very strong stomach pains."

Helen steps out and gently closes the door behind her so no one else hears. "Do you think it could be an infection?"

"I don't know," I fearfully say. "I hope it's not. But I will make sure her fever does not get worse. Dr. C gave me this."

She looks at the pills in my hand and nods. "Here's something she can drink. It'll help her electrolytes and digestion."