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"Is it some sort of poison? You think another contractor is trying to take them out?"
"No, I feel fine. We had to walk pretty far in the backwoods. She's not dressed properly and neither is the baby. I think they're just sick." I shrug and pace in a small circle.
"I don't have much expertise here as you know little brother, but hold on..." The phone shuffles a bit and Stella starts coughing again, her chest heaving all the way in as she tries to suck in a deep breath.
"Vitto?" Rosie's voice breaks through the silence on the phone and I pull my eyes away from my Stella.
"Yes," I reply, formal and stiff. Rosie isn't part of our family, at least not officially, I wasn't expecting to have to accept any help from her.
"You have a baby?" She asks, the inflection in her tone letting me know that she can't believe it.
"I assume my brother filled you in on the situation, I don't really have a lot of time to go into all that." I'm harsher than I have to be but the amount of stress that I'm feeling right now and the knock to my pride at having to ask for help, I'm sure she'll be able to forgive me.
"Right, can you tell me exactly what's going on with the baby's breathing? Is it tight wheeze, gurgling, or just a lot of congestion?"
Moving the phone from my ear I lean down where Chance is lying on his side next to Stella and do my best to isolate the sound of his breathing. I don't really hear much gurgling, but there's a definite wheeze. "Wheezing."
"What about congestion, runny nose?"
"Yes, but he's a baby, isn't that normal?" I ask standing at my full height.
"No, babies aren't dogs. Their noses aren't supposed to be wet." She chuckles lightly, "You need to figure out a way to bring the fever down, and a good steam should be enough to help with some of the congestion. Check around to see if there's any Motrin or Tylenol. Did the mother pack a diaper bag? Maybe check in there for some medication.
"What about Stella?" I ask.
"Is it the same symptoms with her?"
I nod and then repeat my answer so Rosie can hear me, "Yeah, she's got a bad fever and wheezing"
"Is she mobile? Is there any way you can get them in a bathroom to help steam the room? The baby will likely get even more uncomfortable but it may help the both of them."
Rosie spent the next few minutes giving me all the advice that she could, the cool rags, ice pack under the armpits, and midsection. It was only half measures, she told me there were a few herbs that I might be able to farm from but she didn't know where in the wilderness it would be in respect to my location. I needed to go find some medication or take them both to the hospital.
The hospital was out of the question so that only left leaving them to find some medication.
I'd have to expose myself to whoever may be out looking for us to scavenge for something that might just save Stella and Chance's life.
* * *
Finding medication in the middle of the backwoods of Virginia is harder than it should be.
In the end, I wind up having to run three miles back towards town, where I had to break into a home in order to raid their medicine cabinet. It took me less than forty-five minutes back and forth but every second that I was away from the two of them felt like someone was driving a dagger into my gut and twisting it.
I should be there to keep them safe. If anything were to happen to them while I was away it'd be my fault. It'd be my fault and I'd never stop until the world burned to the ground for taking them from me.
Bursting back into the small hunting cabin with my pockets stuffed with all the medications I could find I breathe a sigh of relief as I see Stella and Chance still sleeping on the couch. The breathing was just as bad if not worse than when I left it.
Grabbing hold of Stella first, I bring her into the small bathroom and lay her on the cool floor. It's dirty, caked with who knows how many years of urine and other bodily fluids but it's the best I can do. Next, I rush over to pick Chance up.
He whines for a second but instantly turns his small body so his face is pressed up against my arm.
That knife in my gut drops away but now something else grabs hold of my heart and squeezes. How could that one little bit of contact cause me to react in such a matter? It's just a baby.
I hold him tightly with one arm against my chest as I pull out the medication I managed to scrounge up. It's children's Tylenol, after reading the directions I give him the accurate amount for his age and pray that it works quickly.
After that I turn the small shower on to hot and let it run. It takes a while to heat up but soon the room begins to steam up. I whip off my shirt and stuff it under Stella's head so she'd be more comfortable.
She mumbles but doesn't wake. I need to get the cool rag and the medicine for her as well but I can't do it while I hold the baby. Trying to find a solution, I walk back out of the bathroom and pick up the carrier that I saw Stella with earlier. It looks complicated. After four tries I manage to get it strapped onto my bare chest. I take off all of Chance's clothing and then secure him in the carrier. His skin feels so hot against mine. I hate that he's in distress, but I know the way to fix it. Rosie gave me the instructions. As long as I keep my head everything will be fine.
