Once again this story rises from the grave with a new chapter... Don't worry, all chapters will come eventually.

I began 2021 with a (relatively mild) case of food poisoning, so obviously I felt that was the appropriate poison to give Chase XD

ENJOY!

No 22. Poisoned (360 words)

Chase hadn't noticed anything at first – not until the middle of the night when he woke up feeling like his stomach would explode. It was an illogical and overexaggerated thought, of course. It was just a little upset stomach.

That, however, turned out to be a major downplay.

Soon Chase found himself unable to stay in his capsule. Couple minutes later and he was sprawled on the bathroom floor, hunched over the toilet. Miserable.

Not just an upset stomach then. Food poisoning probably.

Chase leaned his head against the cool, smooth surface of the toilet. It felt soothing to his exhausted body. He tried to ignore the smell of the room and taste in his mouth, both seeming to linger no matter how much he flushed or rinsed.

"Chase?"

He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting there, but apparently long enough for Bree to wake up and come look for him. He opened his eyes to look at her as she crossed the room, kneeling down beside him.

"You okay?" she asked, rubbing a soothing hand up and down his back. He couldn't help the pitiful whine that escaped.

"... Don't feel so good."

"I know, buddy." She handed him an opened water bottle. He eyed it cautiously before taking a small sip. The cool water felt great going down his throat and helped lessen the foul taste.

"Think you can handle getting up to the med bay? I think it'll feel better if you can lay down comfortably."

She had a point, of course. Propped up against a toilet was not even close to his Top 10 Sleeping Spots. He straightened slowly to a more upright sitting position – relieved as his stomach did not decide to make another uproar. Desperately wanting some pretense of being fine, Chase quirked an eyebrow at his sister.

"You're awfully nice for being on the bathroom floor in the middle of night..."

Bree snorted, shaking her head.

"Don't get used to it," she muttered, before her gaze softened. "You my baby brother and you're sick."

Chase swiftly ignored how the words warmed his heart. Instead he took a steadying breath.

"Okay, let's move."