Chapter70- Sickness
They live in different dorms at boarding school
Duncan found himself woken from his sleep by someone shaking him rather harshly "Duncan, Duncan wake up" Duncan pushed his brothers pestering hand away from him.
"Go away Quigley there's no school let me sleep" was his answer. The shaking persisted "Duncan please it's Issy she's sick I don't know what's wrong with her" his brothers words woke him up and he shot out of bed Issy sick not good she wasn't sick often but when she was it was bad. The two boys rushed to their sisters room where she was sat up coughing harshly and her breath in raspy gasps.
"Issy breath lean forwards and breath for me" Duncan said as Quigley grabbed a thermometer to take her temperature.
"She's got a fever" Quigley said their parents were away for the week somewhere. Duncan tossed his brother their sisters' phone, "Quigley you need to phone an ambulance now, I'm going to get some help." He dashed out the room grabbing his jacket as he did the hallways were cold in winter.
"Who from" Quigley yelled.
"Violet" Duncan shouted back slamming the dorm door behind him. Violet whose Violet the thought ran round Quigley's head, Isadora let out another harsh barking cough which sounded like she was trying to laugh. Quigley remembered what his brother said and used his sister's phone to ring for an ambulance, then grab her a glass of water and a cool cloth her temperature was too high.
….
Duncan dashed through the hall his heart pounding he skidded to a halt outside the desired dorm and pounded on the door not caring other students were trying to sleep there was a crash and an angry muffled voice from inside as it got closer he heard a female voice shouting "I swear Carmelita if this is one of your dam pranks…" the door opened and the speaker tailed off seeing Duncan there "Duncan what's wrong what's happened"
"Violet it's Issy she's sick really sick neither Quigley or I know what it is" Violet let Duncan in Klaus was awake as was three-year-old Sunny. "Tell me her symptoms" Duncan told them and Violet inhaled sharply "Croup, she's got croup, has Quigley phoned an ambulance" Duncan nodded.
"Yes but she's finding it harder to breath"
"Klaus go out to the front of the building and meet the ambulance tell them dorm 455" Violet said going into the bathroom and grabbing a few things. She then picked up Sunny and the group left the dorm.
Duncan knocked on his dorm door and Quigley opened it up "Hello" he said taking in the dishevelled look of his brother's companion one being a teenager around their age the other a toddler. Violet gave Sunny the back with instruction "Quigley is it"
"Yes" Quigley answered
"I need you to help Sunny boil the kettle she knows what else to do and hurry, Duncan where's Isadora" Duncan led her to Isadora room where the harsh cough could be heard Violet felt the girl's forehead and went about opening windows letting the cold air in. The door opened and Quigley walked in carrying about of water with menthol vape rub in followed by Sunny who was carrying to cups of water one with Ipecac the other just plain.
"Set the bowl on her beside Sunny give her the Ipecac she needs to be sick" Violet instructed, Sunny handed the sick girl the glass who made it halfway through before coughing again, her breathing shorter and heavier, "We're losing her" Duncan yelled.
"Not today your not roll her onto her stomach" Violet said remembering what they did when Sunny had the same illness last year "Make sure her head hangs off the bed" the two boys did as they were told and Violet pounded Isadora's back to get her to cough muttering under her breath while she did.
"Cough Issy come cough" Quigley yelled both brothers were crying not sobbing but upset and desperate, a harsh barking cough was heard and the sound of retching. Violet helped Isadora to the bathroom "Duncan find her some cooler clothes we need to bring the temperature down Quigley soak a cloth in the bowl you brought in she'll need it"
Violet passed Isadora the rest of the Ipecac waster and waited while she drank it then was sick "Okay Issy lets clean you up then back to bed." The two boys had followed through and Duncan had even put Sunny in his bed so that she could sleep which Violet was grateful for. Issy changed into the gym shorts and t shirt before climbing back into bed inhaling the fumes from the water by her beside.
…
The three teens left the room "So how do both know each other?" asked Quigley realising that he had no idea who this girl was aside from she had just save his sisters life
"We have a few classes together English being one" Violet answered pink cheeked.
"And how do you her dorm and know she could help" Quigley asked his brother.
"We had a science project in physics, and I remember her mention that her sister had had bad chest illness from the way she described it was like what happening to Issy" Duncan explained with a blush. Tiredness though had caught up with the three of them and fell asleep Duncan on the couch with Violet whose head rested on his shoulder and Quigley in the armchair.
The medics arrived two hours later Duncan had given Klaus his dorm key so they were able to get it the opening of the door altered the three in the living room who woke up. Duncan and Quigley left with the doctors in the ambulance and their sister both ringing their parents to let them know. Mr and Mrs Quagmire insisted that the three children who had helped their daughter come for dinner after Isadora had recovered and told them to pass their regards on to their parents.