Scandinavia and the World Characters' Childhood

Sweden's Sore Eyes on January 3, 2001

The morning of January 3, 2001, started out much like any other, except Sweden didn’t feel quite right. He had been feeling off since his family’s big reunion swim a few days before, and something didn’t sit well with him as he lay in bed, trying to ignore the sunlight filtering through his window. His father knocked gently on his door.

Sweden’s Father: “Sweden, time to get up! Breakfast is ready.”

Sweden groaned softly, burying his face into his pillow. His eyes felt heavy, itchy, and sore. He didn't want to get out of bed, especially since he knew it was fried fish for breakfast—his least favorite.

He reluctantly shuffled to the kitchen, still rubbing his eyes. His father, who was sitting at the table, looked at him with concern.

Sweden’s Father: "You look tired, Sweden. Didn't sleep well?"

Sweden: Mumbling "No… my eyes hurt, and I don’t feel like eating."

Despite his lack of appetite, he sat at the table and poked at the fish on his plate. He managed to eat half of it, even though he could barely taste anything. All he wanted was to go back to bed, but he knew school was waiting.

After forcing down a few bites, Sweden headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. But the minute he looked into the mirror, he noticed how red his eyes were. They looked swollen and irritated, and he blinked rapidly, trying to make them feel better.

He got dressed for school, but when he came back to the kitchen, his father frowned deeply.

Sweden’s Father: "Sweden, look at your eyes. They’re really red. You’ve got sore eyes."

Sweden blinked, feeling a wave of relief that maybe he didn’t have to go to school. His father quickly reached for the phone and called his teacher, Mr. Andersson.

Sweden’s Father: “Hello, Mr. Andersson? It’s Sweden’s father. I’m afraid Sweden can’t come to school today. He has sore eyes.”

There was a brief pause, and then his father nodded, hanging up the phone.

Sweden’s Father: “Okay, Sweden, take off your uniform and rest. No school today.”

Sweden didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly changed out of his uniform and back into his home clothes. He felt so tired, and his eyes stung more than ever. He climbed back into bed, pulling the blankets over himself, and closed his eyes.

By the time he woke up, the sun had shifted, and it was already lunchtime. His mother had made soup, and although his appetite wasn’t much better, the warmth of the food felt good. But even after lunch, his eyes were still bothering him.

Sweden’s Father: "I’ll go to the pharmacy to get some eye drops. They should help."

While his father was out, Sweden lay on the couch, feeling miserable. His eyes were constantly tearing up, and he could barely keep them open for more than a few seconds. It felt like there was sand in them, and every blink made it worse.

When his father returned, he brought a small bottle of eye drops.

Sweden’s Father: “Okay, Sweden, let’s put some of these drops in your eyes. It might sting a little, but it’ll help.”

Sweden sat on the edge of the couch, bracing himself. As his father carefully held his eyelid open and squeezed the dropper, a cool liquid hit his eye. Sweden immediately jerked back, startled by the sensation.

Sweden: Surprised “Ah! That’s cold!”

His father chuckled softly.

Sweden’s Father: “I know, but it’ll help. Just a few more drops.”

After both eyes were treated, Sweden felt a little relief, though the sting lingered. He spent the next few hours lying around the house, feeling bored. Eventually, he wandered over to their piano, pressing a few keys, though he wasn’t really in the mood to play.

He felt restless, and after a while, his emotions started to catch up with him. He missed school, even though it wasn’t always his favorite place. He worried about all the work he would miss. What if he fell behind?

Sweden found himself back in his room, sitting on his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest. Before he knew it, tears started to well up in his already sore eyes, and soon he was crying quietly, his face buried in his arms.

A few minutes later, his mother came in to check on him. She saw him curled up on the bed, his small body shaking with quiet sobs.

Sweden’s Mom: “Oh, sweetheart… what’s wrong?”

Sweden sniffled, wiping his eyes, which only made them sting more.

Sweden: “I just… I’m going to miss so much at school. What if I can’t catch up?”

His mother sat down beside him, pulling him into a gentle hug.

Sweden’s Mom: “Don’t worry about that. You’ll have plenty of time to catch up. Your teacher knows you’re sick, and it’s more important that you rest and get better right now. You don’t need to worry about school.”

Sweden nodded, feeling the comfort of his mother’s embrace.

Sweden: “But… it’s just… what if I miss something important?”

Sweden’s Mom: “You won’t. I promise. We’ll make sure you get all your assignments, and your friends will help you catch up. It’s okay to take a break when you’re not feeling well.”

Sweden sighed, leaning into his mother. Her words made him feel a little better, and he wiped the last of his tears away. They sat together for a while, and slowly, the tight feeling in his chest eased.

As the day wore on, Sweden tried to focus on resting and letting his eyes heal. His father applied more eye drops, and though it still startled him, he knew it was helping. He spent the afternoon reading quietly and listening to music, letting his body recover.

By the time the evening came, Sweden was feeling a bit better, though his eyes were still sore. He hoped that with a good night’s sleep, he would feel even stronger the next day.

For now, though, he took comfort in knowing that his family was there for him and that, even though he was missing a day of school, it wasn’t the end of the world.