My head felt like a second heartbeat as it throbbed. The entirety of my body felt like it was on fire and the sweat on my brow was like scorching hot water, straight from the kettle, running down my skin. Every beat of my heart felt heavier against my chest as it hammered uncontrollably. My head felt like it was about to explode! When I tried to sit up, it was like an invisible force pushed me back down. Just hitting my head on the pillow made me wince in pain. I couldn't lift any part of my body and found it difficult just to turn my head. Even if I couldn't see the digits on my alarm clock, being ablur, I might at least be able to take a look at the position of the sun to get a rough idea of what the time was.
All to no avail. It was official: I was too feeble this morning. But what could be the cause? I felt perfectly fine last night. If anything, it was like a burst of energy had rushed through my blood the night before. Now, I could feel every ache as the blood was pumped around my body. I groaned and started to cry because of how helpless I felt.
"Mummy!" I cried out without thinking. There was no way she'd come – she was catching up on some sleep after Angelina had screamed all night.
I didn't think she'd come running in but she did. It burned my ears just to hear the creaks in the house. I didn't see who had entered but I didn't need to – I knew from the soft gasp and the pitter-patter of dainty feet across the floor that it was mummy. The bed went down slightly and it felt like I was falling.
"Sweetheart?" mummy called gently.
"M-my head hurts…f-f-feels thick! It f-feels like I'm on f…fire!" I complained, barely able to look up without heated tears blurring my vision even more.
Mummy leaned forward and felt my forehead with the back of her hand. She withdrew it as quickly as she'd placed it, briefly rubbing her fingers. She then tucked a strand of honey brown hair behind my ear.
"I'll ring the school. There is no way I'm going to send you to school in this state. Before I call them, I'll bring you up a glass of water and a thermometer, okay?"
I could only just manage a nod and mummy smiled in reassurance before she got off the bed and left the room.
While she was gone, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of what had taken place on my birthday that had followed that disturbance the night before…
I was making my way down to the kitchen as I always did on a Monday morning. Although, it felt different today and it didn't have anything to do with the fact it was my birthday. Usually, before I'd enter the kitchen, I'd feel that aura of excitement before my parents and older brother would jump out of nowhere, surprising me.
Today, I was brought to an abrupt halt, my hands pressed against the doorframe which led into the kitchen. My parents didn't sound too happy as they spoke.
For some reason, even though the door was left ajar, I could barely hear them. It was like I was trying to listen in through a thin wall; I knew they were talking because of their muffled voices, but I couldn't make out a single word. Maybe daddy was exerting his magic so that he could talk to mummy in private and would know if I or Damien, my brother, were entering the kitchen. Well, there was no point standing there undetected if I wasn't going to get anything out of it so I entered the kitchen, making myself known.
"Janelle!" mummy gasped.
Daddy turned his head sharply. It was a comical sight to see them looking so flustered – even for only a split second.
"What were you talking about just now?" I asked, specifically looking at daddy.
He seemed to be able to read my mind and merely shrugged. That look in his green eyes was one as if to say that it was none of my business, so he had no guilt for exerting his magic anyway.
It was only mummy who bit her lip.
"…Your birthday plans," she said a little too quickly.
From the narrowed eyes daddy shot her way, I could tell that they really didn't want to tell me so I just let the matter drop and shrugged, walking over to sit at the table, next to daddy who sat at one end. I looked around to find Damien nowhere in the kitchen.
"Where is Damien?" I asked.
"He's not going to school today. He had a high temperature and isn't feeling well," mummy answered, turning to the hob where my favourite breakfast was cooking.
When mummy finished fixing the breakfast, golden pancakes with chocolate sauce drizzled over the pile and a cluster of sweet ripe strawberries, cut in halves, on the side were put on the three plates set out. She also put a little sugar on the side with it so we had the choice to dip our strawberries in either sugar or chocolate sauce. Mummy sat down opposite me, also next to daddy, and we ate our breakfast in our usual manner. Everything seemed cheery enough, though I was still suspicious of mummy and daddy. There was the odd occasion where they'd share a look at one of the questions I asked.
Finally, I finished my breakfast. Usually, I would go into the living room to unwrap the presents and open the cards by mummy and daddy, Damien and Angelina. However, this morning, mummy quickly ushered me out of the house. As we left the kitchen, from out of the corner of my eye, I saw daddy whip out his mobile and quickly dial a number. To speed up the process of getting me to school, mummy helped me with my school bag and fetched my school shoes and coat for me. When I was standing on the doorstep, wrapped in my blue school coat with my backpack slung over my shoulder, she kissed my cheek and wished me a good day at school. Daddy had shouted the same to me from the kitchen when mummy and I had got out into the hallway.
Just what could be so urgent that they had to rush me out of the house?
The door creaked open again, waking me with a jerk as a searing pain irked my eardrums. Even staring up at the ceiling, I could still tell it was mummy coming in with a glass of water and a thermometer as promised. I felt the bed go down again and it felt like I was sinking in quicksand in a jungle somewhere.
"Sweetheart, can you sit up?" mummy asked in her usual silky voice.
I shook my head, tears coming to my eyes again.
Mummy gently wiped them away with her nimble thumb.
"All right, sweetheart, all right."
She slipped her hand under my pillow and, her other pale hand supporting me, propped the pillow up for me so I could be in a sitting position. That done, she set the glass of water on my nightstand then tenderly placed a saturated flannel, which had been situated on her wrist, across my forehead. The coolness of the damp material was incredibly soothing and I briefly closed my eyes as they cooled. When I opened them again, mummy was smiling warmly before she asked me to open my mouth so she could put the thermometer in.
After a few seconds, she removed it and when she looked at it, her eyes widened. She then set it down on the nightstand, next to the glass of water.
"It's exactly what Damien had on Monday."
"A fever?" I sighed.
Mummy nodded.
"I'm afraid so. Don't worry, it will go in a few days."
"So I'll miss the whole weekend?" I asked sadly.
Mummy nodded her head again. She then looked a little worried as she appeared to be contemplating something.
Looking down at me, she asked, "Your father has work today and I'll be taking Angelina to see your uncles. Will you be all right, Janelle?"
I nodded as best as I could, though every time I attempted to cock my head forward then back again, it felt like someone was beating my brain with a tennis racket or something.
"Before I go, I'll ask for the doctor to come out and check you over. Now," mummy said, leaning forward and planting a gentle kiss on my forehead – where the flannel wasn't covering it. "Try and get some more sleep."
With that, I closed my eyes, abandoning my attempts to nod my head in response, and felt mummy leave the side of the bed. When I heard the door close once more, the sound made me clench my eyelids tight together as I winced, plummeting me into a dreamless sleep…
A warm roughened hand covered my shoulder, shaking gently and it felt like someone had thrown a stone at my shoulder blade. I groaned and peeled my eyes open to find I was staring at daddy, his green eyes gentle and warm while his brown hair was ruffled. I gathered that he hadn't combed it for work yet.
"Daddy?"
"How are you feeling, darling?" he asked softly, stroking my hair back from my forehead with his palm.
"Ill," I replied bluntly.
"You're my daughter all right," he remarked, smiling proudly slightly.
"It hurts, daddy. My head's still throbbing," I complained. "And I feel like I'm on fire."
"It's definitely what your brother had," daddy said, his eyes, I caught, flicking down to my neck before looking back at me. "Your mother's called the doctor. The doctor should be here soon to see if it is what Damien had, all right?"
"Okay."
Daddy leaned forward and kissed the top of my head. He then picked up the glass of water from the nightstand, holding it to my lips so I could drink the cool, refreshing fluid and feel it trickle down my throat, soothing that dry, burning feeling at the back of it. When I was finished, daddy placed the glass back on my nightstand and gently wiped the few droplets running from the corner of my mouth nearest to him away with his thumb.
"I'll see you when I get home, bye, sweet pea," daddy told me, getting off the bed and heading for the door.
"Bye," I answered before he left and closed the door as softly as he could behind him.
Once again, I was left with my thoughts. Both of my parents had said that it was the same as what Damien had that day on my birthday. Well, he'd had a fever. I would've thought nothing of it but, those glances my parents had given each other that night before my birthday and in the morning…had Damien had that 'visit' as well from that thing? I decided that hadn't been a nightmare because before I'd gone downstairs on Monday, I'd checked in the mirror and did find two small scars on my neck where I'd felt that thing sink its fangs into my pale flesh.
I wanted to ask my brother but then decided otherwise. For one, I was too ill to get out of bed and he wouldn't pay me a visit in my room when I was ill. He had an important exam this week and wouldn't risk getting sick again. Besides, he would only laugh and make fun of me even if he'd had that visit before he got that fever. Well, I got mine three days after I'd been bitten so he must've had that thing fly into his room on Thursday night. I did recall hearing a scream that night but had stayed in bed, thinking that it had been in the dream I'd woken up from.
Still, I couldn't ask my brother. Like daddy, he never did admit to silly little 'girl things' like that.
A/N: finally! I finished the first chapter of 'Daughter of Pan'. I've already started the second and I've now got some solid ideas so hopefully, I will be updating both this and 'Peter and Wendy' soon.