Tuberculosis
Disclaimer: Everybody knows that I know that you know that I do not own Inuyasha; the characters, items, not a thing.
Chapter 1: An Air Born Disease
"Eeew! Who has tuberculosis!?" three students stood at the top of the staircase coughing.
"Tuberculosis?" a quiet girl name Kagome asked walking up the stairs to her first class. She was the girl who sat in the back of the classroom without a word to say, but she was a kind hearted girl who would never try to hurt someone unless she was forced to. She wore her long jet black hair down her back and had deep blue colored eyes dressed in school uniform.
"You haven't heard? On the news this morning they said a kid came coughing up blood in the nurse's office and tested positive for the second phase of TB which is the actual disease not just the infection," Kagome's only real friend Sango answered. She was about 5'7" only three inches taller than Kagome and was regularly seen wearing her long brown hair in a high ponytail, but instead of the unusual blue like Kagome, her eyes were a chocolate brown.
"No, I was in a hurry this morning and I must have missed it, because I have the news on every morning. That explains why kids are running around with masks," Kagome eyed a boy running past her."So, what exactly is T...," she was cut off by the bell.
"Up..gotta run," Sango turned in the opposite direction prepared to rocket to class,"You know how Ms. Ruckus is, she will give you three hours of detention scrubbing gum off of desk if you're late. That woman. Ne wayz I'll tell you after first block if you haven't already figured it out."
"Okay! See ya!" Kagome turned into her classroom and slipped to the back unnoticed. Well she was noticed, but because the teachers label her as the good student she can get away with it. She took her seat in the far right of the classroom next to a half-demon named Inuyasha who always had something to say about the things she did, but wouldn't speak a word to her. He was one of the most popular boys in school and was always getting in trouble; quick to open his mouth. He had the rare long silver hair and gold eyes that only his father, brother, and himself shared. He leaned over to his friend Hiten who was a thunder demon with long black hair braided down his back.
"Now see, if it was me she'd be quick to give me a detention. I can't stand that bitch," Inuyasha pouted.
"Hn, you know that's right," Hiten agreed.
"Okay class. I'm sorry that many of ye aren't learning of this until now, but a child was discovered to have a bad case of tuberculosis yesterday afternoon and is currently being treated for it. Throughout the day students who had close contact with this person will be called down to the clinic and will be tested," Ms. Kaede a short elderly plumb woman with a kind face explained to her class.
"Oh hell! It's one thing after another with this school! First it's the flu now it's this shit! How the hell do you catch it?" Inuyasha crossed his arms and stared up at Ms. Kaede.
"It's air born, now get out," Ms. Kaede demanded calmly and Inuyasha stormed out the room mumuring to himself slamming the door behind him.
"I'll deal with ye later. Now cla...," the class had began to gossip about who this person was and how they weren't coming to school the next day. Kagome sat quietly keeping her thoughts to herself.
"Never mind. I will deal with Inuyasha," she stepped out the classroom,"Inuyasha your behavior is unacceptable and it is obvious that after school detention is not enough."
"Oh kiss my ass you old hag!" You could hear the class erupt into laughter from inside and even quiet Kagome gave a little giggle.
"I am sick of ye. I will call the security to take ye away."
"Sure I know ye will. I know you teach history but you don't have to talk like you're from medieval times." Inuyasha frowned.
Ms. Kaede ignored his last remark and went back inside. 'At least the boy is learning something.'
As she approached the phone to call security, it rang.
"Room 241 Ms. Kaede speaking...of course I will have her down in a minute," she hung up the phone,"Kagome please come hither."
She wrote Kagome a pass and she began to exit the room.
"Wait! Take your belongings with ye. Ye may not be back for this block," Ms. Kaede said as she went back to the phone to call security.
Kagome gathered her things and exited the classroom finally looking down at the pass.
"Clinic?"
"What's wrong you've been exposed to TB or is it you who has it. You're always getting away with things and it's getting on my nerves. Hey! Kagome Higurashi is the one with TB! Beware! It's air born!" Inuyasha shouted to the few students who roamed the hallways.
"Shut up! That's not true!" Kagome yelled picking up her pace as she advanced to the nearest staircase were a security guard was coming to take Inuyasha.
"Quiet boy! I'm surprised you haven't been suspended yet," the guard rushed forward grabbing his arm then rushed past Kagome.
"Damn! That's too tight!"
"Shut up."
Kagome chucked as they passed, but then turned her concern back to her pass to the clinic.
'What if I have TB? This can't be good,' she turned into the clinic where a few other students waited for their turn to be tested and others were with a member from the health department behind white curtains.
"Higurashi? A young woman with shoulder length brown hair asked.
"Yes?"
"Please take a seat with the students on the back wall. The health department has come to test all who have had contact with our TB child. If you have any questions feel free to ask the nurse who will assist you when called.
Kagome recognized none of the worried faces who stared up at her as she came closer. A boy with short brown hair began to speak when she settled next to him.
"Hi my name is Hojo," he reached out his hand and smiled,"Well, with our school the way it is, you probably don't want to touch my hand but, do you know who the kid is?"
"The kid?"
"With TB."
"Oh no. I don't even know what TB is," Kagome laughed.
"It's an air born disease that in most cases effects the lungs. It can be deadly if left untreated. It starts out as an infection then develops into the actually disease. There are a few medicines they will put you own if you test positive for this test."
"Oh," Kagome's worry rose. She remained quiet until her name was called.
"Higurashi!" A masculine looking woman with short hair and a husky voice called. Kagome followed her behind the white curtain and sat in the chair across from the woman.
"Hold out your arm please," the woman laid her arm across a metal table.
"Now this shot is a small dosage of the infection. We just want to see how you react to it. If you test negative you're clear, but if you test positive you will be put on the preventative medicine."
"If my results are positive does it mean I have it?"
"No, you just reacted to the invasion and need medicine to prevent the develop of TB, but the good thing is you'll never have to get tested for it again because, you'll aways have a positive reaction."
"Oh ow!"
"See, all done now. Take this card and give it to your parents. You will need to come back here in 48 hours so we can see how you reacted."
"Okay," Kagome took the card which had facts on tuberculosis and put it in her book bag.
'I'm praying my reaction is negative.'
:--TB--:
"Kagome it's you!" Sango's mouth dropped as both girls seated themselves across from one another on the back of the bus.
"Sshh! No! I just got tested for it."
"Oh, I heard someone say it was you. So do you know who it is?"
"No, unfortunately."
They waited a good five minutes before the bus driver started the engine and on walked loud mouth Inuyasha and his crew. Well it was really his old brother Sesshomaru's crew who was more popular and was the definition of egotistical jerk according to Kagome. But everyone seemed to like him especially the girls who were highly obsessed.
"So she does ride our bus. I'm sitting in the front today," the wind sorceress Kagura turned up her noise trying to be funny taking the first seat she came by siting next to Yura, the hair demoness.
"Kagura! What's your problem? Kagome doesn't have it!"
"Not according to roomers. You're just taking up for her because she's your friend," Kagura laughed.
"So, she's the diseased human," Sesshomaru gave her his usual cold stare,"This Sesshomaru is immune to such, but I will not lower myself by seating any where near such a sickness."
"I know that's right," a wolf demon with blue eyes agreed sitting in the front as well,"Higurashi, I use to think you were kinda cute, but not diseased.
"Shut up Kouga! She has only been tested and you all are acting like two year olds thinking you're going to die if you come near her," Sango took up for Kagome who began to feel a burning sensation on her cheeks as she held her tongue not wanting to say something that sounded stupid."
"Sango I don't know why you hang out with her. A mute would have more to say than she does. We're going out tonight if you wanna join us," Inuyasha looked back at her as the bus pulled off.
"What ever Inuyasha," Sango turned her gaze away from him and looked over at Kagome,"Just ignore it."
"I'll try," Kagome complied.
The first stop was in the more wealthier neighborhoods where the majority of Sesshomaru's crew got off. Kagome burned holes in the back of their heads as they walked away.
'This is Inuyasha's fault. They never say anything to me, but because he had to scream I had TB everyone believes him.'
Kagome blindly stared out the window not noticing they were almost at her stop until Sango called goodbye before getting off at her own stop.
'If these false roomers continue to spread it will be all over the school by tomorrow. Hn..like Inuyasha wasn't enough. Sesshomaru will reassure the news is out feeding it to his little obedient minions like dogs. You never escape roomers when they pass them.'
The bus finally made it to her stop the last stop. It was a small two story family sized brick house and she was greeted by her very angry mother.
"What's wrong mom?"She followed her mother to the kitchen.
"I can't believe I'm just now hearing about this. There is a student at your school with tuberculosis and they're just now figuring it out." Once her mother was quiet she could hear the television announcing the number of students tested.
"Did you know about this?"
"Not until this morning when kids were running around with mask and acting stupid."
"Tsk..I'm getting you tested even if you didn't have close contact."
"Um...they tested me this morning and here is a card they gave me on facts on TB."
"A card? I don't want this. I want to know why they are just now finding out that child had TB. The symptom he expressed is one of the last symptoms of TB. If his parents took him to the doctors and got blood work done daily they would have known. You better not test positive."
"I know. I'm so worried. I don't think I'm hungry," Kagome looked down at the floor sadly with her hand over her stomach.
"Don't let this upset you dear. You'll be fine."
"No really, I'll pass," Kagome headed upstairs passing her younger brother Souta.
"Sis, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it."
"Well...okay," he continued downstairs.
Kagome plopped on her bed and stared at the wall.
'This can't be bad karma. I didn't even do anything and this thing is hitting me twice as hard. I maybe on medicine for huh...who knows how long. Plus a roomer already started that I have TB. This isn't fair. Life is not fair, but I'll deal with it.
:--TB--:
I just thought this would be an interesting story line to play on,
but so on, I hope you like my newest story so far
Next Chapter:
A Double Negative and The Bet
