Letters From Laura

12

Dear Mum,

I am sick. Literally. I don't remember it but Nancy told me when she came to wake me up the morning after I wrote my last letter, I had kicked all the sheets off the bed and was sprawled out like a starfish, and I was all sweaty too.

"Well, tha's when I thought to check ya. Ya never sleep like tha. Glad I did, too. Burnin' up, you was." So for the past two whole days Nancy, and Ms. Merwin have been in and out feeding me medicine and soup and placing cool cloths on my forehead.

I prefer Nancy, though because Ms. Merwin is always so forceful and disapproving. "Sick! How you've gotten sick this time of year, without even being outside is beyond me. Finish your soup!"

Apparently my fever had been very high and they were going to call a doctor if it hadn't gone down. I'm glad it did subside because it must have caused me to hallucinate. I could have sworn I saw Claire standing over my bed, patting my head looking almost concerned.

I'm currently writing to you in bed but Ms. Merwin says if my fever is completely gone this evening, she'll allow me up tomorrow.

"Good thing too, miss Low-ruh. Li'l Tori has been missin' ya somethin' fierce. Was all up in arms 'cause she couldn't come in to see ya." Nancy told me.

Oh, Victoria must be worried.

After Merwin left, Nancy sat down on the side of my bed.

"Alrigh' now. What's this?" And she pulled out the map that Victoria had made for me. At the top in pink crayon, were the words Secret Mission. "I found it on yer floor, the mornin' you got ill. Looks to me like a map." Nancy raised her eyebrows with a small smile.

"Right then, I don't fink I want ta know, do I? Just be mindin' your way with Ms. Merwin. She doesn' take kindly to secret missions." She squeezed my hand before she handed me the map and left.

Is it possible to become sick from confusion and guilt? If so, that's probably what happened to me.

I will write more once I am out of bed.

Laura