"What happened?" Father asked as he found Mary walking down the tunnel with Mathea's soiled clothes.
"She woke up being sick, I didn't have any warning that was going to happen." Mary admitted and Father went further down the hall.
"Has her fever broken at all?"
"I don't think so…"
"I think we may need to get a hold of Peter. See if he can help us out a bit. She's been sick for two days, and doesn't appear to be getting better. I'm afraid that she might be developing septicaemia."
"I'll have someone go." Mary agreed, and continued down the tunnel while Father went to sit with Mathea.
Peter walked in on Mathea as she lethargically had some help with a weak bowl of broth.
"Hi." Mathea greeted with a smile.
"You my friend do not look all that hot…" Peter admitted as he came closer to her. The colour that Mathea normally had was completely gone, her eyes looked dull and she had a fever Peter new without taking a temperature. Normally people that looked as sick as she was were in a hospital and he new that Father realized that or he wouldn't have called for him.
"How is her food intake?" Peter asked Mary.
"Not so good, Mathea isn't keeping much down." Mary admitted.
"Is she throwing up any blood?" Peter asked, and looked back at Mathea realizing he was talking in front of her which was very rude. He didn't need to worry because the exhausted girl had fallen back asleep.
"Not that I've noticed, she just is so miserable though. The poor thing is drenched through several times daily and then she nearly passes out when you have to move her arm around… I feel so terrible for her." Mary sighed.
"Mathea, I'm going to check the dressing on your arm." Peter mentioned to her and Mathea opened her eyes and nodded. Peter unwrapped the gauze to see several rows of neat stitches performed with care by Father. The wound looked nasty with infection and Peter looked back up to Mathea. "Mathea, there is an infection in your arm. I'm going to have to clean out the wound." He paused. "This is going to hurt."
"Why am I not surprised?" Mathea asked softly. Peter with the help of Father irrigated the wound. Mathea's tears flowed freely, but beyond a few wimpers, Mathea held up. When they were done, Peter pulled several things from his bag.
"This should help with the pain…" Peter offered and proceeded to give an injection, Mathea quickly fell into a drug induced slumber needed by the girl. He then went about quickly setting a makeshift IV pole and put an IV into the sleeping girl.
"She's going to need to be on this IV for at least three days." Peter advised. "I'll leave the extra supplies. She needs antibiotics like anything, she probably could stand to have a blood transfusion too."
"That doesn't seem like a good idea here." Father warned.
"I know. Mathea did loose several pints of blood with that injury. God I would never wish a slash wound on anyone." Peter sighed. "The antibiotics will help with the infection, her body will have to just rest till her blood count rises back up again. I can only imagine what it must be sitting at right now."
"Thank you for coming, we wouldn't have called on you if we didn't think she needed extra help."
"I know, it is never wrong for you to call for help when you need it Jacob, that's what friends are for." Peter sighed. "Mathea is going to sleep for awhile with what I gave her. Mary you could probably go and get some rest."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Mary agreed and looked over to Father.
"Offer the man some tea or something," Mary suggested.
"Yes, I will." Father shoed Mary off to her chamber the two friends sat down to talk for a few hours before Peter left with Vincent close beside, spending his own time with their dear friend.
"Did you ever find the boy?" Peter asked as he walked slowly beside Vincent.
"No, he must have slipped down from above and returned the same way once he collected the money from Mathea." Vincent admitted.
"Trinity is alright though?" Peter insisted.
"She was frightened, but she did everything perfect. She's eager to see Mathea with her own eyes, but Father won't let anyone visit right now. She's too sick."
"It's probably a good thing." Peter agreed. "If her condition changes, you will have to take her above. I'm afraid that if the infection isn't caught with this round of antibiotics, that she may develop more serious complications."
"I understand, we'll all watch her."
"Such a thing to happen to her after all her loss." Peter shook his head. He had known Colleen well, and Ian had been a wonderful man as well.
"She will be fine." Vincent encouraged.
