The Iris Epidemic

The Recovery

 "Ah, an' who's this pretty little girl?" I heard jay speak as we got to Charm and Bloom that was by the trees where I left them,finally after passing the border without getting caught. 
He was still over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes now trying to reach out to pat Bloom's nose.

"Go closer, i need to give her attention. The beautiful girl she is. How old is she?" 

I gave a slight chuckle and stepped a little closer. 
" Bloom is almost 15 years old. She's my old gal." 

"Nah. That ain't old. She's still a young girl."  He Gently stroked bloom's nose and other hand softly patting charms nose as well

" I see he fancies horses as well." I gave a small smirk to Marie and raised an eyebrow. 

" maybe I fancy men that are strong and have good taste in animals" marie sasly replied back. 

" is that a problem?"

I gave her a smile.
" No darling not a problem at all."  

after introducing the horses to Jay and also… well... Jay, we managed to get situated again and ready for the ride home. Marie got on Charm and carried her stuff along with some of mine…

And well for me… i had a Jay draped over in my lap the front of me sitting backwards so he could have better grip to hold on to something.

Aka. Me. 

A Little later we did try a different spot for him but didn't work out as it hurt more and sometimes his body would give out a little. So for me being a padding in a way worked better even though it made it difficult to ride overall. 

Anyways after a good day and a half of traveling, its funny to look back at it now but we were still riding away. We just got up from rest and started to continue our journey. I remember.

Heh.

I remember one comment of Jay's during that whole trip back and it was only because he was so out of it by that time, it definitely got me thinking of myself more…

 "there's no way you're jus a doctor, Doc. Nah, you have too much muscle for that. I can feel that for sure." He said then Mumbled next really quietly but loud enough for me to hear

 "an' they definitely feel nice … you feel kinda nice."

I was kinda took out of focus at that moment. Like real confused. 

Did he just say i felt nice? Nah. Nah. He was way out of it to be telling me that truefully. but if he was, seemed a bit forward abit don't you think. 

Lets just say I noticed my head wonder about it and how uncalled for it was as i had a wife. But honestly though. Something in me didn't mind it either. It was a different feeling, i different touch, touch more rougher and big. Every so often I would feel him grab onto my arm or chest for balance and as much as this sound completely weird and out of character to me back then. 

It. It felt nice... 

And that has always been kept locked away deep down inside me back then for along time after.

Don't forget, I love my wife and son that never did and never will change, but that moment, it did get me questioning myself and who i could be attracted to. Not just women, but possibly men too.

Well after an awkward silence again and having to ironically adjust at the time jay up closer to me because he was slides farer away. I replied trying to no seems so nervous.

" well, heh… I've only been a doctor for so many months. I grew up on a farm and I live in one now." 

"I see… That explains why you feel strong. And the horses. Was she born, or traded for?"

"Born. I have been there since she was very small. Mind you,I was ten years old at the time." I said while looking back put into the land in front of me. 

"Ahh. She's quite magnificent." Jay said while resting his head on me again. 

" yes she is." I said with a smile and continued on our way.
______________________________________

After a long ride back to my farm,we finally made it back in one piece. With all of us including the horses being fairly hungry that night I took Jay and marie to the back of my house  at the barn with the horses and we ate there. Unfortunately since he was sick I didn't want the chance to get into my family's home so i had to leave them in the barn to rest because of this fear. I felt bad but they both understood my concerns and well Jay never seemed to have a problem  because in the barn he could say hello to the horses we had living there too. 

I had a good sleep that night in my own bed again. Slept like a rock i tell you, and I definitely missed it, but i also miss Elizabeth being by my side too. It's been almost a week since I left from quarantine and I couldn't wait to see my wife and son home again and in my arms once more. 

But that wouldn't be the next day, i still have at most another week alone and that week to work with Jay. Hell, that's if he'd make it till then. 

So I went to work. I spent my days checking over and caring for Jay. It felt like I had an angel on my shoulder everytime i discovered a new sign of health. Each day there was something new.

Something was working...

And he was recovering, slowly but surely. 

But what shocked me was how I did it. 

Seriously thought. I didn't know shit Alastar. I was a human male that read books. I looked at words and dragged dead bodies to their other once living relatives, now dead like the rest. I was starting to win a fight over a plague so great. The Great Plague of our time and  I didnt understand how I was doing it. 

But you see, cleanliness was the temporary key I first figured out. He got sicker before i noticed the barn was too dirty. I ended up making space for the Stornoway's in the basement of our home, since we were fortunate to be able to have more space than others did in town better yet keeping it fairly clean.

I cared for the wounds with clean water and fresh herbs and plants, i changed bandages almost 5 times a day. And I noticed the boils start to shrink down in size. I also made sure Jay drank and ate enough even if It meant using up more food supplies than usual. 

In the 14th century we lived in filth, our town was filthy and dirty and I thought maybe the filth, dirt and possibly mold was part of the reason? It had to so part of it. and by the end of the week,he was walking around. With some nauseous symptoms but it was an improvement. 

I was excited! I learned something, i found something to take the cure to the next step. 

Is this the cure? 

I thought it to be true and I needed to tell the other doctors in town… 

Cleanliness had to be the way to curing someone from this ranson illness...